Isotropic multi-scale neuronal reconstruction from high-ratio expansion microscopy with contrastive unsupervised deep generative models.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Current methods for imaging reconstruction from high-ratio expansion microscopy (ExM) data are limited by anisotropic optical resolution and the requirement for extensive manual annotation, creating a significant bottleneck in the analysis of complex neuronal structures. METHODS: We devised an innovative approach called the IsoGAN model, which utilizes a contrastive unsupervised generative adversarial network to sidestep these constraints. This model leverages multi-scale and isotropic neuron/protein/blood vessel morphology data to generate high-fidelity 3D representations of these structures, eliminating the need for rigorous manual annotation and supervision. The IsoGAN model introduces simplified structures with idealized morphologies as shape priors to ensure high consistency in the generated neuronal profiles across all points in space and scalability for arbitrarily large volumes. RESULTS: The efficacy of the IsoGAN model in accurately reconstructing complex neuronal structures was quantitatively assessed by examining the consistency between the axial and lateral views and identifying a reduction in erroneous imaging artifacts. The IsoGAN model accurately reconstructed complex neuronal structures, as evidenced by the consistency between the axial and lateral views and a reduction in erroneous imaging artifacts, and can be further applied to various biological samples. CONCLUSION: With its ability to generate detailed 3D neurons/proteins/blood vessel structures using significantly fewer axial view images, IsoGAN can streamline the process of imaging reconstruction while maintaining the necessary detail, offering a transformative solution to the existing limitations in high-throughput morphology analysis across different structures.

Metal Halide Single Crystals RbCdCl3:Sn2+ and Rb3SnCl7 with Blue and White Emission Obtained via a Hydrothermal Process.

Until now, effective blue light-emitting materials are essentially needed for the creation of white light and precise color renderings in real-world applications, but the efficiency of blue light-emitting materials has lagged far behind. Here, we present a hydrothermal method to synthesize tin-based metal halide single crystals (RbCdCl3:Sn2+ and Rb3SnCl7). Two single crystal materials with different shapes and phases can simultaneously be synthesized in the same stoichiometric ratio. Rb3SnCl7 has a bulk shape, while RbCdCl3:Sn2+ has a needle shape. The deep blue emission (436 nm) of RbCdCl3:Sn2+ can be obtained under the optimal excitation wavelength irradiation. However, pure blue emission (460 nm) to white light can be obtained by changing the excitation wavelength in Rb3SnCl7. The refinement spectra of the electronic structures of RbCdCl3:Sn2+ and Rb3SnCl7 are investigated by density functional theory. It is concluded that the difference in the distribution of Cl energy states leads to the existence of Cl local defect states, which is the reason for the rich luminescence of the two single crystals. These findings provide a path for realizing single-phase broadband white-emitting materials.

Highly efficient yellow emission and abnormal thermal quenching in Mn2+-doped Rb4CdCl6.

In this paper, Mn2+-doped Rb4CdCl6 metal halide single crystals were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The Rb4CdCl6:Mn2+ metal halide exhibits yellow emission with photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY) as high as 88%. Due to the thermally induced electron detrapping, Rb4CdCl6:Mn2+ also displays good anti-thermal quenching (ATQ) behavior with thermal quenching resistance (131% at 220 °C). The increase in the photoionization and the detrapping of the captured electrons from the shallow trap states were appropriately attributed to this exceptional phenomenon based on thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The relationship between the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of the material and temperature change was further explored using the temperature-dependent fluorescence spectrum. It was used as a temperature measuring probe based on absolute sensitivity (Sa) and relative sensitivity (Sb) with the change in temperature. The phosphor-converted white light emitting diodes (pc-WLEDs) were fabricated using a 460 nm blue chip with a yellow phosphor, which has a color rendering index (CRI = 83.5) and a low correlated color temperature (CCT = 3531 K). Because of this, finding new metal halides with ATQ behavior for high-power optoelectronic applications may be made possible by our findings.

Growth of SnX2 (X = Br, I) Single Crystals with Self-Trapped Exciton Emission.

Broadband emission with a large Stokes shift is important to obtain an excellent color rendering index of the solid-state lighting device. Among low-dimensional material and perovskite-like phosphors with broadband self-trapped emission, Sn-based phosphors have attracted much attention due to their high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). However, the disadvantage is that the synthesis of Sn-based phosphors needs to be performed in a glovebox. Upon photoexcitation, the broadband emission of self-trapped excitons results from exciton-phonon coupling induced by the transient distortion of the lattice. Low-dimensional material structures often promote self-trapped emission because of more vibrational degrees of freedom and easier polarization under photoexcitation. Here, zero-dimensional (0D) SnX2 (X = Br, I) single crystals are synthesized by the solvent evaporation method in the air. SnX2 emits blue light, broadband yellow light, and deep red light, among which SnBr2 has the best luminescence performance. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of SnBr2 reaches 85% and the Stokes shift reaches 265 nm. The PL intensity of SnX2 is linearly related to excitation power, which preliminarily indicates that the origin of SnX2 luminescence is attributed to self-trapped emission (STE). The white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) were fabricated using yellow-emitting SnBr2 and blue-emitting BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+, which has a low correlated color temperature (3160 K) and a relatively common color rendering index (79).

UPP1 Promotes Lung Adenocarcinoma Progression through Epigenetic Regulation of Glycolysis.

Uridine phosphorylase 1 (UPP1) is a dimeric enzyme that plays an indispensable role in pyrimidine salvage as well as uridine homeostasis and is upregulated in various cancers, including LUAD. However, the function and underlying mechanisms of UPP1 in mediating LUAD cell progression are still largely unknown. Single-cell RNA transcription analysis was applied to compare the expression of UPP1 in tumor tissues and adjacent tissue. In vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments with LUAD cells were performed to elucidate the functions of UPP1. Western blotting, qRT-PCR, cell apoptosis, IHC staining, Seahorse XF24 Extracellular Flux analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, and bioinformatics analysis were performed to reveal the underlying mechanisms. In this study, UPP1 was found to be the top metabolism-related gene that was upregulated by single-cell transcriptomic profiling of LUAD. Next, we confirmed that UPP1 was highly expressed in LUAD tissues and cell lines and was correlated with poor overall survival in LUAD patients. UPP1 drove glycolytic metabolism and significantly regulated the sensitivity of tumors to glycolytic inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. UPP1 is subject to epigenetic regulation through histone acetylation. The CBP/p300 inhibitor SGC-CBP30 reduced the protein levels of UPP1, H3K27ac, and H3K9ac. ChIP assays revealed that acetyl-histone H3 and RNA polymerase II bind to the UPP1 promoter. UPP1 overexpression restored lactic acid production and glucose uptake compared to the SGC-CBP30 group. Our findings confirm UPP1 as a novel oncogene in LUAD, thus providing a potential novel diagnostic and therapeutic target for LUAD.

ZNF354C Mediated by DNMT1 Ameliorates Lung Ischemia-Reperfusion Oxidative Stress Injury by Reducing TFPI Promoter Methylation to Upregulate TFPI.

Background: Pulmonary ischemia reperfusion- (I/R-) induced dysfunction is a significant clinical problem after lung transplantation. In this study, we aim to explore the molecular mechanism of lung I/R injury (LIRI). Methods: Bioinformatic analysis of gene involved in oxidative stress. A HUVEC oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model and I/R mouse model were first established via I/R. The cellular proliferation, migration, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and parameters of lung injury were assessed via CCK-8, EdU staining, Transwell, cellular ROS kit, and H&E staining. We also confirmed related gene expressions and protein levels and the interaction between the tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) promotor and ZNF354C. Results: Bioinformatic analysis results showed TFPI contributed to oxidative stress. OGD/R caused a reduction in cell viability and migration, hypermethylation of TFPI, increased ROS, and downregulation of ZNF354C, TFPI, and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) in HUVECs. Besides, ZNF354C could directly bind to the TFPI promoter, enhance proliferation and migration, and inhibit ROS in OGD/R-induced HUVECs by upregulating TFPI. More importantly, we discovered that 5-Aza could reduce TFPI methylation, upregulate TFPI, and enhance the binding of ZNF354C to the TFPI promoter in LIRI. Furthermore, DNMT1 silencing could induce proliferation and migration and prevent ROS in OGD/R-induced HUVECs by upregulating ZNF354C. Additionally, we verified that ZNF354C could alleviate LIRI by preventing DNA methylation in vivo. Conclusions: ZNF354C overexpression induced proliferation and migration, as well as suppressed ROS in OGD/R-induced HUVECs, and alleviated LIRI in mice by inhibiting TFPI promoter methylation to upregulate TFPI. Therefore, ZNF354C and TFPI methylation might be promising molecular markers for LIRI therapy.

Exosomes from M1-polarized macrophages promote apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma via the miR-181a-5p/ETS1/STK16 axis.

Serine/threonine kinase 16 (STK16) is crucial in on regulating tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, and prognosis. Activated M1 macrophages regulate lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) growth by releasing exosomes. This study aims to investigate the role of STK16 and then focus on the possible mechanisms through which exosomes derived from M1 macrophages play their roles in LUAD cells by targeting STK16. Clinical LUAD samples were used to evaluate the expression of STK16 and its association with prognosis. Exosomes were isolated from M0 and M1 macrophages by ultracentrifugation and were then identified by electron microscopy and western blotting. In vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments with LUAD cells were performed to elucidate the functions of miR-181a-5p, ETS1, and STK16, and mouse xenograft models were used to verify the function of STK16 in vivo. Western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR, CCK-8 assay, cell apoptosis, immunohistochemistry staining, luciferase assay, ChIP assay, and bioinformatics analysis were performed to reveal the underlying mechanisms. High expression of STK16 was observed in LUAD tissues and cells, and higher expression of STK16 was associated with worse prognosis. Silencing STK16 expression inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis via the AKT1 pathway. Exosomes from M1 macrophages inhibited viability and promoted apoptosis by inhibiting STK16. Moreover, miR-181a-5p is the functional molecule in M1 macrophage-derived exosomes and plays a vital role in inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis by targeting ETS1 and STK16. Hence, exosomes derived from M1 macrophages were capable of inhibiting viability and promoting apoptosis in LUAD via the miR-181a-5p/ETS1/STK16 axis.

Core-Shell Structured Upconversion/Lead-Free Perovskite Nanoparticles for Anticounterfeiting Applications.

In view of their excellent luminescence properties, nanocrystalline metal halide perovskites have diverse optoelectronic applications, including those related to anticounterfeiting. However, high-quality optical anticounterfeiting typically requires multiple encryptions relying on several optical modes to ensure information security. Herein, an efficient anticounterfeiting strategy based on dual optical encryption is realized by combining up- and downconversion luminescence in a nanocomposite with NaYF4 : Er3+ ,Yb3+ as core and a CsMnCl3 as shell. The emission color of this nanocomposite depends on the penetration depth of incident radiation and can be changed by varying the excitation source (980 nm laser or UV light) to produce different luminescent patterns. This feature allows one to effectively improve the anticounterfeiting index and fabricate professional anticounterfeiting materials.

Enhancing the stability of CsPbX3 (X = Br, I) through combination with Y-zeolites for WLED application.

The stability of perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) plays a vital role in practical devices. Besides silica coating, embedding PQDs in zeolites is another strategy to improve their stability significantly. Although the zeolite rigid framework has been reported to protect PQDs, there are few reports on the in situ synthesis of PQDs in zeolites. In this work, cubic phase CsPbX3 (X = Br, I) nanocrystals were successfully prepared by the ion exchange method combined with a non-polar organic trigger. Dropping a certain amount of ZnM2 (M = Br, I) solution into the intermediate product Cs4PbCl6 nanocrystals resulted in the formation of the final CsPbX3 nanocrystals. The ZnM2 solutions were prepared in non-polar solvents (hexane, octane, or chloroform). The highest photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of the synthesized CsPbX3@zeolite composites can reach 83%, with a lifetime of 1.37 µs. The stability of the CsPbX3@zeolite composites thin film against damage from air and light is significantly improved. We fabricated white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) using CsPbBr3@zeolite as the green light source and CsPbI3@zeolite as the red light source to further emphasize the practical application effect of the CsPbX3@zeolite composites. This work not only provides a new method for the synthesis of CsPbX3 nanocrystals but also involves the in situ synthesis of high stability CsPbX3@zeolite composites within the zeolite.

Mn2+/Mn4+ co-doped LaM1-xAl11-yO19 (M = Mg, Zn) luminescent materials: electronic structure, energy transfer and optical thermometric properties.

Dual-emitting manganese ion doped LaM1-xAl11-yO19 (M = Mg, Zn) phosphors were prepared by substituting Zn2+/Mg2+ with Mn2+ and replacing Al3+ with Mn4+. The LaM1-xAl11-yO19:xMn2+,yMn4+ phosphors show a narrow green emission band of the Mn2+ ions at 514 nm and a red emission band of the Mn4+ ions at 677 nm. In addition, the thermal stability of luminescence shows that the response of Mn2+ and Mn4+ to the temperature is obviously different in LaMAl11O19, implying the potential of the prepared phosphors as optical thermometers. The decay lifetime of Mn4+ was changed with temperature due to the different fluorescence intensity ratios of Mn2+ and Mn4+, and a dual-mode optical temperature-sensing mechanism was studied in the temperature range of -50-200 °C. The maximum relative sensitivities (Sr) are calculated as 3.22 and 3.13% K-1, respectively. The unique optical thermometric features demonstrate the application potential of LaMAl11O19:Mn2+,Mn4+ in optical thermometry.

Cr,Yb-codoped Ca2LaHf2Al3O12 garnet phosphor: electronic structure, broadband NIR emission and energy transfer properties.

The combination of a broadband near-infrared (NIR) phosphor and phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) has proven to be an ideal choice for a high-efficiency NIR light source. Here, a garnet-type NIR Ca2LaHf2Al3O12:Cr3+ phosphor is obtained and its emission covered most of the NIR spectral range. Excited by 460 nm blue light, the maximum peak was located at 780 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ∼141 nm and an internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 33%. Moreover, the NIR spectra can be broadened by doping Yb3+ into the Ca2LaHf2Al3O12:Cr3+ garnet phosphor. A super broad FWHM of 300 nm and reduced thermal quenching were acquired, originating from the energy transfer of Cr3+→ Yb3+. The energy transfer process of Cr3+ and Yb3+ is described by means of an energy level diagram and time-resolved spectrum. Finally, a NIR pc-LED is fabricated by combining the Ca2LaHf2Al3O12:Cr3+,Yb3+ phosphor with blue chips, which has a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 10%. These results demonstrate the great potential of Ca2LaHf2Al3O12:Cr3+,Yb3+ in super broadband NIR pc-LED applications.

A radiomics model combined with XGBoost may improve the accuracy of distinguishing between mediastinal cysts and tumors: a multicenter validation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal cysts (MCs) can be misdiagnosed as mediastinal tumors (MTs) such as thymomas on the basis of radiological examinations, including computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our study aimed to determine the utility of a radiomics model combined with eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) for diagnosing anterior mediastinal masses. METHODS: Patients with anterior mediastinal lesions admitted to Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between October 2014 and January 2018 were enrolled in the study. Mediastinal lesions were sketched on each CT image frame using OsiriX workstation. The study involved a total of 592 patients (289 male/303 female; age range, 18-83 years) with anterior mediastinal lesions (322 MCs and 270 MTs). Previously collected training data was used to build an XGBoost model to classify MCs and MTs, and a prospectively collected training dataset and external data from Huashan Hospital were used for validation. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was used to help understand the complex model. RESULTS: The XGBoost model was established using 107 selected radiomic features, and an accuracy of 0.972 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.948-0.995] was achieved compared to 0.820 for radiologists. For lesions smaller than 2 cm, XGBoost model accuracy reduced slightly to 0.835, while the accuracy of radiologists was only 0.667. The model accuracy also achieved 0.910 when validated using an independent external dataset containing 87 cases. SHAP analysis suggested the 90% percentile Hounsfield unit value as a promising diagnostic parameter. CONCLUSIONS: Our combined radiomics and XGBoost model significantly increased the accuracy of distinguishing between MCs and MTs compared to the level of accuracy obtained by radiologists.

Subxiphoid and subcostal thoracoscopic surgical approach for thymectomy.

BACKGROUND: The continuous evolvement of minimally invasive thymectomy over the last decades has potential advantages over trans-sternal thymectomy with similar oncologic outcomes of thymoma and complete remission for myasthenia gravis patients. A variety of different minimally invasive approaches have been described previously. The aim of this article is to present our subxiphoid and subcostal approaches in thymectomy for patients with myasthenia gravis and thymomas and to investigate the early surgical outcomes of these patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of 95 patients who underwent thymectomy via a subxiphoid and subcostal approach for MG and/or thymoma at our department during the period of 2015 to 2017. The clinical characteristics and early surgical outcomes of these patients were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Complete thymectomy and extended thymectomy was accomplished through the subxiphoid and subcostal approach in 93 of the 95 (97.9%) patients. Two patients (3.2%) required conversion to sternotomy for the invasion of a thymoma. The mean operative time was 109 min (range 70-170 min), with the mean estimated blood loss of 47 ml (range 20-350 ml). Postoperative complications included two cases of myasthenic crisis: one case of pleural effusion and one case of wound infection. In a mean follow-up of 31 months no patients showed recurrence of the tumor. In 41 MG patients followed up for 31 months, the improvement rate was 87.8% and the rate of complete remission was 29.3%. CONCLUSION: Subxiphoid and subcostal thoracoscopic thymectomy may be a safe and feasible approach for treating MG and anterior mediastinal tumors.

Broadband Near-Infrared Emitting Ca2LuScGa2Ge2O12:Cr3+ Phosphors: Luminescence Properties and Application in Light-Emitting Diodes.

In recent years, the demand for near-infrared phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (NIR pc-LEDs) has increased rapidly, leading to more and more attention being paid to the research of broad-band near-infrared phosphors. In this work, Cr3+-doped Ca2LuScGa2Ge2O12 (CLSGG:Cr3+) phosphors with broad-band NIR emission were prepared through traditional high-temperature solid-state reactions. The crystal structures of the phosphors were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement. The photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra of the synthesized CLSGG:Cr3+ phosphors exhibit a strong absorption band in the 400-500 nm region, which matches well with a blue-light-emitting chip. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the phosphors show broad-band emission ranging from 650 to 1100 nm with a full width at half-maximum (fwhm) of about 150 nm. At 423 K, the integrated emission intensity of CLSGG:0.02Cr3+ is about 59% of that at room temperature. A NIR pc-LED device was fabricated by combining a mixture of as-synthesized CLSGG:0.02Cr3+ phosphor and silicone with a 460 nm blue-light-emitting chip. Under a driving current of 100 mA, the output power of the device can achieve 1.213 mW, indicating that the as-prepared phosphors are promising for NIR pc-LED applications.

Patterns of Extrathoracic Metastases in Different Histological Types of Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths mainly attributable to metastasis, especially extrathoracic metastasis. This large-cohort research is aimed to explore metastatic profiles in different histological types of lung cancer, as well as to assess clinicopathological and survival significance of diverse metastatic lesions. Lung cancer cases were extracted and enrolled from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. χ2-tests were conducted to make comparisons of metastatic distribution among different histological types and odds ratios were calculated to analyze co-occurrence relationships between different metastatic lesions. Kaplan-Meier methods were performed to analyze survival outcomes according to different metastatic sites and Cox regression models were conducted to identify independent prognostic factors. In total, we included 159,241 lung cancer cases with detailed metastatic status and complete follow-up information. In order to understand their metastatic patterns, we elucidated the following points in this research: (1) Comparing the frequencies of different metastatic lesions in different histological types. The frequency of bone metastasis was highest in adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, LCLC and NSCLC/NOS, while liver was the most common metastatic site in SCLC. (2) Elaborating the tendency of combined metastases. Bi-site metastases occurred more common than tri-site and tetra-site metastases. And several metastatic sites, such as bone and liver, intended to co-metastasize preferentially. (3) Clarifying the prognostic significance of single-site and bi-site metastases. All single-site metastases were independent prognostic factors and co-metastases ended up with even worse survival outcomes. Thus, our findings would be beneficial for research design and clinical practice.

Core-shell structured 5-FU@ZIF-90@ZnO as a biodegradable nanoplatform for synergistic cancer therapy.

High treatment efficiency and low drug toxicity are two key factors in tumor therapy. The development of multifunctional drug carrier systems is of great significance for the diagnosis and therapy of tumors. Herein, a novel biodegradable treatment system based on zeolitic imidazolate framework-90 (ZIF-90) was designed in this study. This 5-FU@ZIF-90@ZnO (FZZ) drug delivery system achieves synergistic treatment with antineoplastic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and zinc oxide, and also has good dispersibility in the acidic tumor microenvironment (TME), which enables the drug to achieve pH-controlled delivery in acidic organisms. Interestingly, zinc oxide nanoparticles can play a dual role here. They can prevent the premature leakage of drugs under physiological conditions. Moreover, Zn2+ produced after the decomposition of nanoparticles can act as a therapeutic agent, overcoming the tumor resistance to 5-FU and regulating a series of physiological reactions to inhibit tumor growth. It is worth noting that the porous ZIF-90 is an emerging drug carrier with a relatively high drug loading rate of 39% in this study. Synergistic 5-FU and ZnO nanoparticles have achieved tumor inhibition and have shown high therapeutic biosafety. Thus, the FZZ core-shell nanoparticles are a potential pH-controlled drug release system that can be applied to tumor treatment.

Luminescence and Energy-Transfer Properties in Bi3+/Mn4+-Codoped Ba2GdNbO6 Double-Perovskite Phosphors for White-Light-Emitting Diodes.

Currently, the study of Mn4+-doped oxide red phosphor is a hot research topic to solve the lack of red component in phosphor-converted white-light-emitting diodes (pc-WLEDs). In this Article, we designed Gd3+/Nb5+ cation substitution by Bi3+/Mn4+ in Ba2GdNbO6 with double-perovskite structure based on the radius and coordination of the cations through high-temperature solid-state reaction. The phase purity and microstructure of double-perovskite Ba2GdNbO6:Bi3+,Mn4+ phosphors were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy examination. The crystal structures were also determined by the Rietveld refinement, and the photoluminescence (PL) properties were systematically studied. Bi3+ and Mn4+ ions can be effectively doped in the Ba2GdNbO6 matrix with an optical band gap of 3.94 eV. Upon 315 nm UV excitation, the Ba2GdNbO6:Bi3+,Mn4+ phosphor shows two emission bands at 464 nm from Bi3+ and 689 nm from Mn4+, respectively. By the design of Bi3+ → Mn4+ energy transfer, systematic luminescence tuning from blue to red could be achieved because of spectral overlap between the emission spectrum of Bi3+ and the excitation spectrum of Mn4+. The corresponding mechanism of the Bi3+ → Mn4+ energy-transfer process was investigated in detail by the fluorescence decays and PL spectra. The red emission intensity of Mn4+ has been greatly improved by Bi3+ → Mn4+ energy transfer. Moreover, the phonon vibration and zero phonon line of Mn4+ were studied through temperature-dependent PL. Finally, a WLED was fabricated using a 460 nm blue chip with a yellow YAG:Ce3+ phosphor and a red Ba2GdNbO6:0.01Bi3+,0.01Mn4+ phosphor, which has a low correlated color temperature (3550 K) and a high color rendering index (89.6). The above results imply that the improved red emission phosphors have a potential application in warm pc-WLED lighting.

Surgical treatment of posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors.

BACKGROUND: Posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors are among the most frequent mediastinal masses in adults. These tumors may be dumbbell shaped, extending into the spinal canal, exclusively paraspinal or apical tumors extending in the cervical region. In this report, we present our experience in the surgical resection of these tumors and discuss the surgical strategies for such tumors. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of 121 patients who underwent surgery for posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors at our department during the period 2009 to 2016. Seventy-four tumors were excised via video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Other approaches included thoracotomy, supraclavicular incision, supraclavicular incision plus thoracotomy/VATS, and a posterior approach with laminectomy combined with thoracotomy/VATS. RESULTS: Tumors were resected completely in 119 cases and partially in two. The majority of the tumors were benign nerve sheath tumors. No recurrence developed during postoperative median follow-up period of 31 months. CONCLUSION: Most posterior neurogenic tumors can be resected via VATS. Thoracotomy is the appropriate surgical approach for large tumors. A supraclavicular approach is recommended for tumors extending in the cervical region, and this can be combined with VATS or thoracotomy in case of larger masses. A posterior approach could be used for patients with dumbbell tumors.

Surgical treatment of thoracic dumbbell tumors.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic dumbbell tumors are uncommon neoplasms arising from neurogenic elements of the posterior mediastinum. Surgical removal of these tumors with mediastinal, neuroforaminal and intraspinal components can often be challenging. The purpose of this study is to present our experience of single-stage removal of dumbbell tumors of the posterior mediastinum and to discuss the surgical strategies for such tumors. METHOD: A retrospective analysis was performed on 20 patients who underwent surgery for thoracic dumbbell tumors at our department during the period 2008 to 2016. Patient demographics, clinical features, operative reports, and pre- and postoperative images were reviewed. RESULT: Complete resection was achieved in all patients, with no postoperative mortality. Surgical excision was performed by laminectomy plus Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in 10 patients and laminectomy plus thoracotomy in 4 patients. Two patients underwent VATS alone. Supraclavicular and transthoracic approach was performed in 2 patients. Another 2 patients were treated with supraclavicular approach alone. The mean operative time was 244 min (range 55-370 min), with mean estimated blood loss (EBL) of 360 ml (range 50-790 ml). Postoperative complications included one case of Horner's syndrome and one case of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. At a mean follow-up of 29 months no patients showed recurrence of the tumor. CONCLUSION: Thoracic dumbbell tumors should be evaluated for intraspinal and neuroforaminal involvement. Single-stage posterior laminectomy plus VATS/thoracotomy, VATS/thoracotomy, and supraclavicular alone or combined with transthoracic approach all could be the preferred method for removing these dumbbell tumors with satisfactory outcomes.

Chromaticity-Tunable and Thermal Stable Phosphor-in-Glass Inorganic Color Converter for High Power Warm w-LEDs.

In this work, an aluminate silicate garnet phosphor, Y2Mg2Al2Si2O12:Ce3+ (YMASG:Ce3+), exhibiting strong and broad yellow-orange emission, was successfully synthesized. Attributed to the double cation substitution of YAG:Ce3+, which led to a compression effect, a redshift was observed with respect to YAG:Ce3+. More importantly, a transparent phosphor-in-glass (PiG) sample was obtained by incorporating the phosphor YMASG:Ce3+ into a special low-melting precursor glass. The energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) mapping analysis of the as-prepared PiG sample indicates that YMASG:Ce3+ was successfully incorporated into the glass host, and its powders were uniformly distributed in glass. The photoluminescence intensity of the PiG sample was higher than that of the powder due to its relatively high thermal conductivity. Additionally, the combination of the PiG sample and a blue high-power chip generated a modular white LED with a luminous efficacy of 54.5 lm/W, a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 5274 K, and a color rendering index (CRI) of 79.5 at 350 mA.