Identification of Anticancer Peptides from the Genome of Candida albicans: in Silico Screening, in Vitro and in Vivo Validations.

Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are promising future therapeutics, but their experimental discovery remains time-consuming and costly. To accelerate the discovery process, we propose a computational screening workflow to identify, filter, and prioritize peptide sequences based on predicted class probability, antitumor activity, and toxicity. The workflow was applied to identify novel ACPs with potent activity against colorectal cancer from the genome sequences of Candida albicans. As a result, four candidates were identified and validated in the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Among them, PCa1 and PCa2 emerged as the most potent, displaying IC50 values of 3.75 and 56.06 µM, respectively, and demonstrating a 4-fold selectivity for cancer cells over normal cells. In the colon xenograft nude mice model, the administration of both peptides resulted in substantial inhibition of tumor growth without causing significant adverse effects. In conclusion, this work not only contributes a proven computational workflow for ACP discovery but also introduces two peptides, PCa1 and PCa2, as promising candidates poised for further development as targeted therapies for colon cancer. The method as a web service is available at https://app.cbbio.online/acpep/home and the source code at https://github.com/cartercheong/AcPEP_classification.git.

Modulating Surface Architecture and Electronic Conductivity of Li-rich Manganese-Based Cathode.

Li-rich manganese-based cathode (LRMC) has attracted intense attention to developing advanced lithium-ion batteries with high energy density. However, LRMC is still plagued by poor cyclic stability, undesired rate capacity, and irreversible oxygen release. To address these issues, herein, a feasible polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-assisted interface modification strategy is proposed for modulating the surface architecture and electronic conductivity of LRMC by intruding the F-doped carbon coating, spinel structure, and oxygen vacancy on the LRMC, which can greatly enhance the cyclic stability and rate capacity, and restrain the oxygen release for LRMC. As a result, the modified material delivers satisfactory cyclic performance with a capacity retention of 90.22% after 200 cycles at 1 C, an enhanced rate capacity of 153.58 mAh g-1 at 5 C and 126.32 mAh g-1 at 10 C, and an elevated initial Coulombic efficiency of 85.63%. Moreover, the thermal stability, electronic conductivity, and structure stability of LRMC are also significantly improved by the PVDF-assisted interface modification strategy. Therefore, the strategy of simultaneously modulating the surface architecture and the electronic conductivity of LRMC provides a valuable idea to improve the comprehensive electrochemical performance of LRMC, which offers a promising reference for designing LRMC with high electrochemical performance.

Constructing a Cr-Substituted Co-Free Li-Rich Ternary Cathode with a Spinel-Layered Biphase Interface.

Lithium-rich manganese-based layered oxides (LRMOs) have recently attracted enormous attention on account of their remarkably big capacity and high working voltage. However, some inevitable inherent drawbacks impede their wide-scale commercial application. Herein, a kind of Cr-containing Co-free LRMO with a topical spinel phase (Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Cr0.13O2) has been put forward. It has been found that the high valence of Cr6+ can reduce the Li+ ion content and induce the formation of a local spinel phase by combining more Li+ ions, which is beneficial to eliminate the phase boundary between the spinel phase and the bulk phase of the LRMO material, thus dramatically avoiding phase separation during the cycling process. In addition, the introduction of Cr can also expand the layer spacing and construct a stronger Cr-O bond compared with Mn-O, which enables to combine the transition metal (TM) slab to prevent the migration of TM ions and the transformation of the bulk phase to the spinel phase. Simultaneously, the synergistic effect of the successfully constructed spinel-layered biphase interface and the strong Cr-O bond can effectively impede the escape of lattice oxygen during the initial activation process of Li2MnO3 and provide the fast diffusion path for Li+ ion transmission, thus further reinforcing the configurable stability. Besides, Cr-LRMO presents an ultrahigh first discharge specific capacity of 310 mAh g-1, an initial Coulombic efficiency of as high as 92.09%, a good cycling stability (a capacity retention of 94.70% after 100 cycles at 1C), and a small voltage decay (3.655 mV per cycle), as well as a good rate capacity (up to 165.88 mAh g-1 at 5C).

The impact of evidence-based nursing leadership in healthcare settings: a mixed methods systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The central component in impactful healthcare decisions is evidence. Understanding how nurse leaders use evidence in their own managerial decision making is still limited. This mixed methods systematic review aimed to examine how evidence is used to solve leadership problems and to describe the measured and perceived effects of evidence-based leadership on nurse leaders and their performance, organizational, and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We included articles using any type of research design. We referred nurses, nurse managers or other nursing staff working in a healthcare context when they attempt to influence the behavior of individuals or a group in an organization using an evidence-based approach. Seven databases were searched until 11 November 2021. JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Quasi-experimental studies, JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case Series, Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool were used to evaluate the Risk of bias in quasi-experimental studies, case series, mixed methods studies, respectively. The JBI approach to mixed methods systematic reviews was followed, and a parallel-results convergent approach to synthesis and integration was adopted. RESULTS: Thirty-one publications were eligible for the analysis: case series (n = 27), mixed methods studies (n = 3) and quasi-experimental studies (n = 1). All studies were included regardless of methodological quality. Leadership problems were related to the implementation of knowledge into practice, the quality of nursing care and the resource availability. Organizational data was used in 27 studies to understand leadership problems, scientific evidence from literature was sought in 26 studies, and stakeholders' views were explored in 24 studies. Perceived and measured effects of evidence-based leadership focused on nurses' performance, organizational outcomes, and clinical outcomes. Economic data were not available. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first systematic review to examine how evidence is used to solve leadership problems and to describe its measured and perceived effects from different sites. Although a variety of perceptions and effects were identified on nurses' performance as well as on organizational and clinical outcomes, available knowledge concerning evidence-based leadership is currently insufficient. Therefore, more high-quality research and clinical trial designs are still needed. TRAIL REGISTRATION: The study was registered (PROSPERO CRD42021259624).

A novel and efficient surgical procedure for pyriform sinus fistulas in children.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a novel surgical procedure for pyriform sinus fistulas in children via the external cervical approach through the hypopharynx. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 71 pediatric patients with pyriform sinus fistula (PSF) who underwent treatment at the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Children's Hospital, from 2012 July to 2022 July. Surgical treatment of PSF was performed via the external cervical approach through the hypopharynx, with dye instilled through the internal opening to serve as a guide for tract identification. Results: All the internal orifices were found in the pyriform sinus by direct laryngoscopy in all 71 patients under general anesthesia. Two patients had a postoperative temporary hoarseness that resolved after 3 months. The other patients had no complications such as parapharyngeal abscess and incision infection. All patients were followed up for 23 months-70 months, and no recurrence was found. Conclusion: The novel surgical procedure of PSF performed via the hypopharynx has advantages such as a short operation path, quick recovery, fewer complications, and a low recurrence rate. This method is a better choice for managing recurrence cases after repeated cauterization endoscopic surgeries, as well as for patients with visible cervical surgical scars or masses.

Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling to predict the exposure and provide dosage regimens of Ustekinumab in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Ustekinumab (UST), a fully human immunoglobulin G1 κ monoclonal antibody, exhibiting high affinity for the p40 subunit shared by IL-12 and IL-23, which play key roles in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). By scaling the physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling (PBPK) model of UST in adult patients with IBD, we aim to predict effective dosages for UST in pediatric patients, thereby offering a more practical dosing regimen for real-world applications. In this work, a PBPK model for UST in adult patients with IBD has been developed using PK-Sim and Mobi. Advanced ontogeny model has been incorporated to extrapolate the model to pediatric patients. The simulation results showed that the fold errors of the predicted and observed values of the area under the curve (AUC) and peak plasma concentration (Cmax) were between 0.79 and 1.73. For children aged 6-18, it is recommended to administer the drug per kilogram of body weight, at the model-recommended dose, to achieve a median AUC similar to that of the adult reference population post-administration. This comprehensive model construction enables us to comprehensively and extensively explore the pharmacokinetic characteristics of UST in pediatric patients of different age groups, providing robust support for clinical applications and personalized drug therapy.

Can new urbanization pilot policies promote green technology innovation in cities: Empirical evidence from China.

The development of urbanization has brought new challenges to the ecological environment, and the promotion of green technology innovation and development is widely recognized as an essential method to achieve cities' economic benefits and environmental protection. This paper examines whether the new urbanization pilot policies (NUP) increase green technology innovation (GTI) from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. This paper examines the impact of new urbanization on GTI by analyzing data from 285 cities in China between 2010 and 2021, using the multi-period DID model with the implementation of NUP as an exogenous policy shock. The study results indicate that NUP significantly affects GTI, and the conclusion still holds after the parallel trend test, placebo test, and other robustness tests. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the NUP significantly enhances GTI in low environmental pollution, non-resource-based, Medium-sized, and Central Region cities. The test of moderating effect shows that NUP has a "linkage effect" with the government's environmental attention, financial investment in innovation, and regional talent pooling. The findings of this paper provide empirical evidence and decision-making reference for promoting NUP and sustainable development of cities.

Chemoenzymatic Dynamic Kinetic Resolution Protocol with an Immobilized Oxovanadium as a Racemization Catalyst.

An excellent compatible and cost-effective dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) protocol has been developed by combining a novel immobilized oxovanadium racemization catalyst onto cheap diatomite (V-D) with an immobilized lipase LA resolution catalyst onto a macroporous resin (LA-MR). V-D was prepared via grinding immobilization, which may become a promising alternative for the immobilization of metals, especially precious metals due to its low cost, high efficiency, easy separation, and large reaction interface. The DKR afforded high yield (96.1%), e.e. (98.67%), and Sel (98.28%) under optimal conditions established using response surface methodology as follows: the amount of V-D 10.83 mg, reaction time 51.2 h, and temperature 48.1 °C, respectively, indicating that all the reactions in the DKR were coordinated very well. The DKR protocol was also found to have high stability up to six reuses. V-D exhibited excellent compatibility with LA-MR because the lipase immobilized onto MR did not physically contact with the vanadium species immobilized onto diatomite, thus avoiding inactivation. Considering that lipase, oxovanadium, diatomite, and MR used are relatively inexpensive, and the adsorption or grinding immobilization is simple, the LA-V-MD DKR by coupling LA-MR with V-D is a cost-effective and promising protocol for chiral secondary alcohols.

Prediction model for spinal cord injury in spinal tuberculosis patients using multiple machine learning algorithms: a multicentric study.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a prevalent and serious complication among patients with spinal tuberculosis (STB) that can lead to motor and sensory impairment and potentially paraplegia. This research aims to identify factors associated with SCI in STB patients and to develop a clinically significant predictive model. Clinical data from STB patients at a single hospital were collected and divided into training and validation sets. Univariate analysis was employed to screen clinical indicators in the training set. Multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms were utilized to establish predictive models. Model performance was evaluated and compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve analysis, decision curve analysis (DCA), and precision-recall (PR) curves. The optimal model was determined, and a prospective cohort from two other hospitals served as a testing set to assess its accuracy. Model interpretation and variable importance ranking were conducted using the DALEX R package. The model was deployed on the web by using the Shiny app. Ten clinical characteristics were utilized for the model. The random forest (RF) model emerged as the optimal choice based on the AUC, PRs, calibration curve analysis, and DCA, achieving a test set AUC of 0.816. Additionally, MONO was identified as the primary predictor of SCI in STB patients through variable importance ranking. The RF predictive model provides an efficient and swift approach for predicting SCI in STB patients.

Adherence to oxidative balance score is inversely associated with the prevalence of stroke: results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2018.

Introduction: The relationship between oxidative balance score (OBS), an emerging integrative metric for assessing individual redox homeostasis, and the prevalence of stroke in the general population remains unknown. We aimed to explore these relationships in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We investigated the relationship between the oxidative balance score (OBS) and stroke prevalence using NHANES data from 1999-2018. Methods: We included eligible individuals from NHANES 1999-2018. OBS calculations were based on previously validated methods, and stroke diagnoses were based on self-reports in questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine the independent associations of overall, dietary, and lifestyle OBS with stroke prevalence. In addition, restricted cubic spline (RCS), stratified analysis, and sensitivity analysis were used. Results: We included 25,258 participants aged 20-85 years, in which the prevalence of stroke was 2.66%. After adjusting for all confounders, overall and dietary OBS, but not lifestyle OBS, were inversely associated with the prevalence of stroke [odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of 0.97 (0.96, 0.99) and 0.98 (0.96, 0.99) for overall and dietary OBS, respectively, both p < 0.05]. In addition, there was a dose-response relationship between overall and dietary OBS and stroke prevalence. The RCS showed that these relationships were linear. Stratified analyses indicated that socioeconomic status (SES) significantly influenced the relationship between all OBS and stroke prevalence. Conclusion: Dietary OBS, but not lifestyle OBS, had an inverse relationship with the prevalence of stroke in the general population. SES significantly influenced the protective effect of OBS against stroke. These findings emphasize the importance of integrated antioxidant properties from diet for stroke prevention.

Probiotic Mixture Ameliorates a Diet-Induced MASLD/MASH Murine Model through the Regulation of Hepatic Lipid Metabolism and the Gut Microbiome.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a prevalent metabolic disease that has no effective treatment. Our proprietary probiotic mixture, Prohep, has been proven in a previous study to be helpful in reducing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vivo. However, its prospective benefits on the treatment of other liver diseases such as MASLD, which is one of the major risk factors in the development of HCC, are unclear. To investigate the potential of Prohep in modulating the development and progression of MASLD, we first explored the effect of Prohep supplementation via voluntary intake in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced MASLD/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) murine model. Our results indicated that Prohep alleviated HFD-induced liver steatosis and reduced excessive hepatic lipid accumulation and improved the plasma lipid profile when compared with HFD-fed control mice through suppressing hepatic de novo lipogenesis and cholesterol biosynthesis gene expressions. In addition, Prohep was able to modulate the gut microbiome, modify the bile acid (BA) profile, and elevate fecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels. Next, in a prolonged HFD-feeding MASLD/MASH model, we observed the effectiveness of Prohep in preventing the transition from MASLD to MASH via amelioration in hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Taken together, Prohep could ameliorate HFD-induced MASLD and control the MASLD-to-MASH progression in mice. Our findings provide distinctive insights into the development of novel microbial therapy for the management of MASLD and MASH.

Assessment and management of constipation in post-operative patients in the spinal surgery ward: a best practice implementation project.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Constipation is a common complication following spinal surgery that can result in distension, abdominal pain, infection, and even intestinal perforation. This study reports on an evidence-based implementation project to reduce the incidence of constipation in spinal surgery wards. METHODS: The project was conducted in the spinal surgery ward of a general tertiary hospital in Changsha City, China, from March to August 2022. We used the JBI Implementation Framework and the JBI Model of Evidence-Based Healthcare for audits and feedback. Data were collected and analyzed using JBI's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) software. Seven audit criteria were developed based on the best practice recommendations summarized by JBI. A baseline audit was conducted with 20 nurses and 50 patients in the spinal surgery ward, and a follow-up audit was conducted using the same sample size and setting. RESULTS: The baseline audit revealed compliance below 46% for five of the seven criteria. Strategies developed to address poor compliance included educating nurses and patients, developing a post-operative constipation risk assessment sheet, organizing stakeholder focus group meetings, establishing a constipation management routine, and effective empowerment of nurses. The follow-up audit showed positive compliance results, with the highest rate for Criterion 7 (100%) and the greatest increase for Criterion 2 (from 0% to 78%). Furthermore, the incidence of post-operative constipation decreased from 48% to 16%. CONCLUSION: The project improved compliance with audit criteria, reduced the incidence of constipation, and enhanced the efficiency of quality management in the spinal surgery ward. SPANISH ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A186.

Tumor treating fields in glioblastoma: long-term treatment and high compliance as favorable prognostic factors.

Introduction: Tumor treating fields (TTFields) have earned substantial attention in recent years as a novel therapeutic approach with the potential to improve the prognosis of glioblastoma (GBM) patients. However, the impact of TTFields remains a subject of ongoing debate. This study aimed to offer real-world evidence on TTFields therapy for GBM, and to investigate the clinical determinants affecting its efficacy. Methods: We have reported a retrospective analysis of 81 newly diagnosed Chinese GBM patients who received TTFields/Stupp treatment in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression models with time-dependent covariates were utilized to address non-proportional hazards and to assess the influence of clinical variables on PFS and OS. Results: The median PFS and OS following TTFields/STUPP treatment was 12.6 months (95% CI 11.0-14.1) and 21.3 months (95% CI 10.0-32.6) respectively. Long-term TTFields treatment (>2 months) exhibits significant improvements in PFS and OS compared to the short-term treatment group (≤2 months). Time-dependent covariate COX analysis revealed that longer TTFields treatment was correlated with enhanced PFS and OS for up to 12 and 13 months, respectively. Higher compliance to TTFields (≥ 0.8) significantly reduced the death risk (HR=0.297, 95%CI 0.108-0.819). Complete surgical resection and MGMT promoter methylation were associated with significantly lower risk of progression (HR=0.337, 95% CI 0.176-0.643; HR=0.156, 95% CI 0.065-0.378) and death (HR=0.276, 95% CI 0.105-0.727; HR=0.249, 95% CI 0.087-0.710). Conclusion: The TTFields/Stupp treatment may prolong median OS and PFS in GBM patients, with long-term TTFields treatment, higher TTFields compliance, complete surgical resection, and MGMT promoter methylation significantly improving prognosis.

Rehabilitation exercises for kidney transplant recipients in an organ transplant ward: a best practice implementation project.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Kidney transplantation is an effective treatment for end-stage kidney disease. Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are prone to experiencing reduced physical function, depression, fatigue, and lack of exercise motivation due to their sedentary lifestyle before surgery. Exercise is an effective intervention for KTRs, but it has not been properly implemented in many practice settings. This project aimed to promote evidence-based exercises as part of KTRs' rehabilitation to improve their health outcomes. METHODS: This project was informed by the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework. The project was conducted in the organ transplant ward of a tertiary comprehensive hospital in Changsha, China. Based on a summary of best evidence, 12 audit criteria were developed for the baseline and follow-up audits involving 30 patients and 20 nursing staff. The JBI Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) tool were used to identify barriers and facilitators and develop targeted strategies to improve issues. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline audit, significant improvements were achieved in most of the criteria in the follow-up audit, with 9 of the 12 criteria reaching 100% compliance. Notably, the 6-minute walk distance test results were significantly higher, while the Self-Rating Depression Scale and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores were significantly lower (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This project demonstrates that evidence-based practice can improve the clinical practice of rehabilitation exercises for KTRs. The GRiP strategies proved to be extremely useful, notably, the formulation of a standardized rehabilitation exercise protocol, training, and enhancement of the exercising environment. Head nurses' leadership and decision-making also played an important role in the success of this project. SPANISH ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A180.

A new strategy for accelerating recovery of anaerobic granular sludge after low-temperature shock: In situ regulation of quorum sensing microorganisms embedded in polyvinyl alcohol sodium alginate.

Low-temperature could inhibit the performance of anaerobic granular sludge (AnGS). Quorum sensing (QS), as a communication mode between microorganisms, can effectively regulate AnGS. In this study, a kind of embedded particles (PVA/SA@Serratia) based on signal molecule secreting bacteria was prepared by microbial immobilization technology based on polyvinyl alcohol and sodium alginate to accelerate the recovery of AnGS system after low temperature. Low-temperature shock experiment verified the positive effect of PVA/SA@Serratia on restoring the COD removal rate and methanogenesis capacity of AnGS. Further analysis by metagenomics analysis showed that PVA/SA@Serratia stimulated higher QS activity and promoted the secretion of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) in AnGS. The rapid construction of EPS protective layer effectively accelerated the establishment of a robust microbial community structure. PVA/SA@Serratia also enhanced multiple methanogenic pathways, including direct interspecies electron transfer. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that PVA/SA@Serratia could effectively strengthen AnGS after low-temperature shock.

Uncovering rearrangements in the Tibetan antelope via population-derived genome refinement and comparative analysis with homologous species.

Introduction: The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) is a remarkable mammal thriving in the extreme Qinghai-Tibet Plateau conditions. Despite the availability of its genome sequence, limitations in the scaffold-level assembly have hindered a comprehensive understanding of its genomics. Moreover, comparative analyses with other Bovidae species are lacking, along with insights into genome rearrangements in the Tibetan antelope. Methods: Addressing these gaps, we present a multifaceted approach by refining the Tibetan Antelope genome through linkage disequilibrium analysis with data from 15 newly sequenced samples. Results: The scaffold N50 of the refined reference is 3.2 Mbp, surpassing the previous version by 1.15-fold. Our annotation analysis resulted in 50,750 genes, encompassing 29,324 novel genes not previously study. Comparative analyses reveal 182 unique rearrangements within the scaffolds, contributing to our understanding of evolutionary dynamics and species-specific adaptations. Furthermore, by conducting detailed genomic comparisons and reconstructing rearrangements, we have successfully pioneered the reconstruction of the X-chromosome in the Tibetan antelope. Discussion: This effort enhances our comprehension of the genomic landscape of this species.

Convolutional neural network-based magnetic resonance image differentiation of filum terminale ependymomas from schwannomas.

PURPOSE: Preoperative diagnosis of filum terminale ependymomas (FTEs) versus schwannomas is difficult but essential for surgical planning and prognostic assessment. With the advancement of deep-learning approaches based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs), the aim of this study was to determine whether CNN-based interpretation of magnetic resonance (MR) images of these two tumours could be achieved. METHODS: Contrast-enhanced MRI data from 50 patients with primary FTE and 50 schwannomas in the lumbosacral spinal canal were retrospectively collected and used as training and internal validation datasets. The diagnostic accuracy of MRI was determined by consistency with postoperative histopathological examination. T1-weighted (T1-WI), T2-weighted (T2-WI) and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (CE-T1) MR images of the sagittal plane containing the tumour mass were selected for analysis. For each sequence, patient MRI data were randomly allocated to 5 groups that further underwent fivefold cross-validation to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the CNN models. An additional 34 pairs of cases were used as an external test dataset to validate the CNN classifiers. RESULTS: After comparing multiple backbone CNN models, we developed a diagnostic system using Inception-v3. In the external test dataset, the per-examination combined sensitivities were 0.78 (0.71-0.84, 95% CI) based on T1-weighted images, 0.79 (0.72-0.84, 95% CI) for T2-weighted images, 0.88 (0.83-0.92, 95% CI) for CE-T1 images, and 0.88 (0.83-0.92, 95% CI) for all weighted images. The combined specificities were 0.72 based on T1-WI (0.66-0.78, 95% CI), 0.84 (0.78-0.89, 95% CI) based on T2-WI, 0.74 (0.67-0.80, 95% CI) for CE-T1, and 0.81 (0.76-0.86, 95% CI) for all weighted images. After all three MRI modalities were merged, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.93, with an accuracy of 0.87. CONCLUSIONS: CNN based MRI analysis has the potential to accurately differentiate ependymomas from schwannomas in the lumbar segment.

Distinct changes in serum metabolites and lipid species in the onset and progression of NAFLD in Obese Chinese.

Introduction: Metabolic disturbances are major contributors to the onset and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which includes a histological spectrum ranging from single steatosis (SS) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This study aimed to identify serum metabolites and lipids enriched in different histological stages of NAFLD and to explore metabolites/lipids as non-invasive biomarkers in risk prediction of NAFLD and NASH in obese Chinese. Methods: Serum samples and liver biopsies were obtained from 250 NAFLD subjects. Untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic profiling were performed using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Significantly altered metabolites and lipids were identified by MaAsLin2. Pathway enrichment was conducted with MetaboAnalyst and LIPEA. WGCNA was implemented to construct the co-expression network. Logistic regression models were developed to classify different histological stages of NAFLD. Results: A total of 263 metabolites and 550 lipid species were detected in serum samples. Differential analysis and pathway enrichment analysis revealed the progressive patterns in metabolic mechanisms during the transition from normal liver to SS and to NASH, including N-palmitoyltaurine, tridecylic acid, and branched-chain amino acid signaling pathways. The co-expression network showed a distinct correlation between different triglyceride and phosphatidylcholine species with disease severity. Multiple models classifying NAFLD versus normal liver and NASH versus SS identified important metabolic features associated with significant improvement in disease prediction compared to conventional clinical parameters. Conclusion: Different histological stages of NAFLD are enriched with distinct sets of metabolites, lipids, and metabolic pathways. Integrated algorithms highlight the important metabolic and lipidomic features for diagnosis and staging of NAFLD in obese individuals.

P2/O3 Biphasic Cathode Material through Magnesium Substitution for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

P2-type Fe-Mn-based oxides offer excellent discharge specific capacity and are as affordable as typical layered oxide cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). After Cu modification, though they can improve the cycling performance and air stability, the discharge specific capacity will be reduced. Considering the complementary nature of biphasic phases in electrochemistry, hybridizing P2/O3 hybrid phases can enhance both the storage performance of the battery and specific capacity. Herein, a hybrid phase composite with high capacity and good cycle performance is deliberately designed and successfully prepared by controlling the amount of Mg doping in the layered oxide. It has been found that the introduction of Mg can activate anion redox in the oxide layer, resulting in a significant increase in the specific discharge capacity of the material. Meanwhile, the dual-phase structure can produce an interlocking effect, thus effectively alleviating structure strain. The degradation of cycling performance caused by structural damage during the high-voltage charging and discharging process is clearly mitigated. The results show that the specific discharge capacity of Na0.67Cu0.2Mg0.1Fe0.2Mn0.5O2 is as high as 212.0 mAh g-1 at 0.1C rate and 186.2 mAh g-1 at 0.2C rate. After 80 cycles, the capacity can still maintain 88.1%. Moreover, the capacity and cycle performance as well as the stability can still remain stable even in the high-voltage window. Therefore, this work offers an insightful exploration for the development of composite cathode materials for SIBs.