A CAIX Dual-Targeting Small-Molecule Probe for Noninvasive Imaging of ccRCC.

Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX), a zinc metal transmembrane protein, is highly expressed in 95% of clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs). A positron emission tomography (PET) probe designed to target CAIX in nuclear medicine imaging technology can achieve precise positioning, is noninvasive, and can be used to monitor CAIX expression in lesions in real time. In this study, we constructed a novel acetazolamide dual-targeted small-molecule probe [68Ga]Ga-LF-4, which targets CAIX by binding to a specific amino acid sequence. After attenuation correction, the radiolabeling yield reached 66.95 ± 0.57% (n = 5) after 15 min of reaction and the radiochemical purity reached 99% (n = 5). [68Ga]Ga-LF-4 has good in vitro and in vivo stability, and in vivo safety and high affinity for CAIX, with a Kd value of 6.62 nM. Moreover, [68Ga]Ga-LF-4 could be quickly cleared from the blood in vivo. The biodistribution study revealed that the [68Ga]Ga-LF-4 signal was concentrated in the heart, lung, and kidney after administration, which was the same as that observed in the micro-PET/CT study. In a ccRCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model, the signal significantly accumulated in the tumor after administration, where it was retained for up to 4 h. After competitive blockade with LF-4, uptake at the tumor site was significantly reduced. The SUVmax of the probe [68Ga]Ga-LF-4 at the ccRCC tumor site was three times greater than that in the PC3 group with low CAIX expression at 30 min (ccRCC vs PC3:1.86 ± 0.03 vs 0.62 ± 0.01, t = 48.2, P < 0.0001). These results indicate that [68Ga]Ga-LF-4 is a novel small-molecule probe that targets CAIX and can be used to image localized and metastatic ccRCC lesions.

Phylodynamics unveils invading and diffusing patterns of dengue virus serotype-1 in Guangdong, China from 1990 to 2019 under a global genotyping framework.

BACKGROUND: The strong invasiveness and rapid expansion of dengue virus (DENV) pose a great challenge to global public health. However, dengue epidemic patterns and mechanisms at a genetic scale, particularly in term of cross-border transmissions, remain poorly understood. Importation is considered as the primary driver of dengue outbreaks in China, and since 1990 a frequent occurrence of large outbreaks has been triggered by the imported cases and subsequently spread to the western and northern parts of China. Therefore, this study aims to systematically reveal the invasion and diffusion patterns of DENV-1 in Guangdong, China from 1990 to 2019. METHODS: These analyses were performed on 179 newly assembled genomes from indigenous dengue cases in Guangdong, China and 5152 E gene complete sequences recorded in Chinese mainland. The genetic population structure and epidemic patterns of DENV-1 circulating in Chinese mainland were characterized by phylogenetics, phylogeography, phylodynamics based on DENV-1 E-gene-based globally unified genotyping framework. RESULTS: Multiple serotypes of DENV were co-circulating in Chinese mainland, particularly in Guangdong and Yunnan provinces. A total of 189 transmission clusters in 38 clades belonging to 22 subgenotypes of genotype I, IV and V of DENV-1 were identified, with 7 Clades of Concern (COCs) responsible for the large outbreaks since 1990. The epidemic periodicity was inferred from the data to be approximately 3 years. Dengue transmission events mainly occurred from Great Mekong Subregion-China (GMS-China), Southeast Asia (SEA), South Asia Subcontinent (SASC), and Oceania (OCE) to coastal and land border cities respectively in southeastern and southwestern China. Specially, Guangzhou was found to be the most dominant receipting hub, where DENV-1 diffused to other cities within the province and even other parts of the country. Genome phylogeny combined with epidemiological investigation demonstrated a clear local consecutive transmission process of a 5C1 transmission cluster (5C1-CN4) of DENV-1 in Guangzhou from 2013 to 2015, while the two provinces of Guangdong and Yunnan played key roles in ongoing transition of dengue epidemic patterns. In contextualizing within Invasion Biology theories, we have proposed a derived three-stage model encompassing the stages of invasion, colonization, and dissemination, which is supposed to enhance our understanding of dengue spreading patterns. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the invasion and diffusion process of DENV-1 in Chinese mainland within a global genotyping framework, characterizing the genetic diversities of viral populations, multiple sources of importation, and periodic dynamics of the epidemic. These findings highlight the potential ongoing transition trends from epidemic to endemic status offering a valuable insight into early warning, prevention and control of rapid spreading of dengue both in China and worldwide.

A retrospective study of 3D laparoscopy and 2D laparoscopy in transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) for unilateral inguinal hernia in elderly patients.

This study aims to explore the safety and efficacy of 3D laparoscopy in elderly patients undergoing transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) surgery for inguinal hernia. Patients were divided into two groups based on the laparoscopic equipment used during surgery. Clinical data preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. From January 2020 to August 2023, a total of 127 patients with primary unilateral inguinal hernia were evaluated in this study, 61 in the 3D TAPP group and 66 in the 2D TAPP group. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data, including average age, gender distribution, BMI index, hernia type, hernia defect size and location, comorbidities, and usage of anticoagulant drugs between the two groups (P > 0.05). In terms of operative indicators, the 3D group showed shorter mean operation time (51.61 ± 7.16 min vs. 78.59 ± 13.51 min, P < 0.001), mean mesh placement time (6.07 ± 1.40 min vs. 9.77 ± 1.21 min, P < 0.001), and mean peritoneal suture time (7.34 ± 1.85 min vs. 9.73 ± 1.32 min, P < 0.001) compared to the 2D group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in mean blood loss, postoperative pain scores, postoperative hospital stay, and total hospital costs between the two groups (P > 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications did not differ significantly between the two groups (P > 0.05). No adverse reactions such as dizziness or nausea were reported by surgeons during the procedures in either group. Three-dimensional laparoscopy in TAPP surgery provides high-definition, three-dimensional surgical images, reducing the difficulty of operations and effectively shortening the operation time.

Improving both performance and stability of n-type organic semiconductors by vitamin C.

Organic semiconductors (OSCs) are one of the most promising candidates for flexible, wearable and large-area electronics. However, the development of n-type OSCs has been severely held back due to the poor stability of their most candidates, that is, the intrinsically high reactivity of negatively charged polarons to oxygen and water. Here we demonstrate a general strategy based on vitamin C to stabilize n-type OSCs, remarkably improving the performance and stability of their device, for example, organic field-effect transistors. Vitamin C scavenges reactive oxygen species and inhibits their generation by sacrificial oxidation and non-sacrificial triplet quenching in a cascade process, which not only lastingly prevents molecular structure from oxidation damage but also passivates the latent electron traps to stabilize electron transport. This study presents a way to overcome the long-standing stability problem of n-type OSCs and devices.

TRIM47 silencing inhibits the malignant biological behaviors of prostate cancer cells by regulating MDM2/p53 signaling.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a prevalent male malignancy globally. Tripartite motif 47 (TRIM47) has been reported to be associated with PCa. However, how TRIM47 acts on PCa is still incompletely understood. Here, we explored the biological roles of TRIM47 in PCa cells and investigated its potential regulatory mechanism. TRIM47 expression in PCa cells was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. After TRIM47 silencing, the viability of PCa cells was measured using CCK-8 method. Flow cytometry was employed to estimate cell cycle. Cell apoptotic level was subjected to appraisement with TUNEL assay. Additionally, wound healing- and transwell assays were adopted for evaluation of migration and invasion of PCa cells. Moreover, the Biogrid database and HDOCK SERVER predicated that TRIM47 could interact with mouse double minute 2 (MDM2), which was detected using the Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assay and glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay. The expression of proteins in MDM2/p53 signaling was detected by western blot analysis. Results indicated that TRIM47 expression was highly expressed in PCa cells. TRIM47 knockdown inhibited PCa proliferation and cell cycle whereas promoted cell apoptosis. Besides, TRIM47 knockdown significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of PCa cells. In addition, TRIM47 was proved to bind to MDM2 and regulated MDM2/p53 expression. Importantly, MDM2 overexpression counteracted the impacts of TRIM47 knockdown on cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis, migration and invasion by regulating the MDM2/p53 pathway. Collectively, our results suggested that TRIM47 silencing inhibits the malignant biological behaviors of prostate cancer cells by regulating MDM2/p53 signaling, which may provide a novel therapeutic target for PCa treatment.

Solution-Processed Ultralow Voltage Organic Transistors With Sharp Switching for Adaptive Visual Perception.

Neuromorphic visual systems can emulate biological retinal systems to perceive visual information under different levels of illumination, making them have considerable potential for future intelligent vehicles and vision automation. However, the complex circuits and high operating voltages of conventional artificial vision systems present great challenges for device integration and power consumption. Here, bioinspired synaptic transistors based on organic single crystal phototransistors are reported, which exhibit excitation and inhibition synaptic plasticity with time-varying. By manipulating the charge dynamics of the trapping centers of organic crystal-electret vertical stacks, organic transistors can operate below 1 V with record high on/off ratios close to 108 and sharp switching with a subthreshold swing of 59.8 mV dec-1. Moreover, the approach offers visual adaptation with highly localized modulation and over 98.2% recognition accuracy under different illumination levels. These bioinspired visual adaptation transistors offer great potential for simplifying the circuitry of artificial vision systems and will contribute to the development of machine vision applications.

Large-Language-Model-Based AI Agent for Organic Semiconductor Device Research.

Large language models (LLMs) have attracted widespread attention recently, however, their application in specialized scientific fields still requires deep adaptation. Here, an artificial intelligence (AI) agent for organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) is designed by integrating the generative pre-trained transformer 4 (GPT-4) model with well-trained machine learning (ML) algorithms. It can efficiently extract the experimental parameters of OFETs from scientific literature and reshape them into a structured database, achieving precision and recall rates both exceeding 92%. Combined with well-trained ML models, this AI agent can further provide targeted guidance and suggestions for device design. With prompt engineering and human-in-loop strategies, the agent extracts sufficient information of 709 OFETs from 277 research articles across different publishers and gathers them into a standardized database containing more than 10 000 device parameters. Using this database, a ML model based on Extreme Gradient Boosting is trained for device performance judgment. Combined with the interpretation of the high-precision model, the agent has provided a feasible optimization scheme that has tripled the charge transport properties of 2,6-diphenyldithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]thiophene OFETs. This work is an effective practice of LLMs in the field of organic optoelectronic devices and expands the research paradigm of organic optoelectronic materials and devices.

Achieving Zero-Temperature Coefficient Point Behavior by Defect Passivation for Temperature-Immune Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have broad prospects in biomedical, sensor, and aerospace applications. However, obtaining temperature-immune OFETs is difficult because the electrical properties of organic semiconductors (OSCs) are temperature-sensitive. The zero-temperature coefficient (ZTC) point behavior can be used to achieve a temperature-immune output current; however, it is difficult to achieve in organic devices with thermal activation characteristics, according to the existing ZTC point theory. Here, the Fermi pinning in OSCs is eliminated using the defect passivation strategy, making the Fermi level closer to the tail state at low temperatures; thus threshold voltage (VT) is negatively correlated with temperature. ZTC point behaviors in OFETs are achieved by compensation between VT and mobility at different temperatures to improve its temperature immunity. A temperature-immune output current can be realized in a variable-temperature bias voltage test over 50000 s by biasing the device at the ZTC point. This study provides an effective solution for temperature-immune OFETs and inspiration for their practical application.

Structurally diverse macrocycle co-crystals for solid-state luminescence modulation.

Organic co-crystals offer an opportunity to fabricate organic functional materials. Traditional co-crystals are generally packed following the segregated or mixed stacking mode, leading to the lack of structural and functional diversity. Herein, we report three sets of macrocycle co-crystals with identical co-constitutions. The macrocycle co-crystals differ in the stoichiometric ratios (2:1, 1:1, and 2:3) of the constituents and molecular packing modes. The co-crystals are constructed using triangular pyrene-macrocycle and 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene exploiting exo-wall charge-transfer interactions. Interestingly, the three co-crystals exhibit distinct, tunable emission properties. The corresponding emission peaks appear at 575, 602, and 635 nm, covering yellow via orange to red. The X-ray diffraction analyses and the density functional theory calculations reveal the superstructure-property relationships that is attributed to the formation of different ratios of charge-transfer transition states between the donor and acceptor motifs, resulting in red-shifted luminescence.

A clade of Streptococcus pneumoniae clonal complex 320 with increased tolerance to ß-lactam antibiotics in a Chinese metropolitan city.

OBJECTIVES: We characterized the population structure and features of clinical Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates associated with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) from 2009 to 2017 in a Chinese metropolitan city using a whole-genome sequencing approach. METHODS: Seventy-nine pneumococcal strains, including 60 serogroup-19 strains from children enduring IPD from a paediatric hospital in Shenzhen, were subjected to whole-genome sequencing. Population structure was characterized through phylogenetic analysis, sequence typing, serotyping, virulence factor, and antimicrobial drug resistance (AMR) gene profiling, combining the publicly available related WGS data. Clinical demography and antibiotic susceptibility profiles were compared among different populations to emphasize the higher-risk populations. Genetic regions associated with AMR gene mobilization were identified through comparative genomics. RESULTS: These IPD strains mainly belonged to clonal complex 320 (CC320) and were composed of serotypes 19A and 19F. In addition to sporadic possible importation-related isolates (ST320), we identified an independent clade, CC320_SZpop (ST271), that predominantly circulated in Shenzhen and possibly expanded its range. Clinical features and antibiotic susceptibility analysis revealed that CC320_SZpop might manifest much higher pathogenicity and tolerance to ß-lactams. Specific virulence factors in Shenzhen isolates of CC320_SZpop were identified. Furthermore, an ca. 40 kb hotspot genomic region enduring frequent recombination was identified, possibly associated with the divergence of S. pneumoniae strains. CONCLUSION: A novel pneumococcal clade, CC320_SZpop, circulating in Shenzhen and other regions in China, possibly under expansion, was found and deserves more study and surveillance. Our study also emphasizes the importance of continuous genomic surveillance of clinical S. pneumoniae isolates, especially IPD isolates.

Noninvasive Evaluation of Tumoral PD-L1 Using a Novel 99mTc-Labeled Nanobody Tracer with Rapid Renal Clearance.

The expression level of PD-L1 in tumor tissue is considered one of the effective biomarkers to guide PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. Quantifying whole-body PD-L1 expression by SPECT imaging may help in selecting patients that potentially respond to PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. Nanobody is the smallest antibody fragment with antigen-binding ability that is well suited for radionuclide imaging. Nevertheless, high retention of radioactivity in the kidney may limit its clinical translation. The present study aimed to screen, design, and prepare a nanobody-based SPECT probe with rapid renal clearance to evaluate the PD-L1 expression level in vivo noninvasively. A phage library was constructed by immunizing alpaca with recombinant human PD-L1 protein, and 17 anti-PD-L1 nanobodies were screened by the phage display technique. After sequence alignment and flow cytometry analysis, APN09 was selected as the candidate nanobody, and a GGGC chelator was attached to its C-terminus for 99mTc labeling to prepare a SPECT imaging probe. The affinity and specificity of 99mTc-APN09 were evaluated by protein and cell-binding experiments, and SPECT imaging and biodistribution were performed in a mouse model with bilateral transplantation of A549 and A549PD-L1 tumors. The ability of 99mTc-APN09 to quantify the PD-L1 expression level in vivo was validated in tumor models with different PD-L1 expression levels. 99mTc-APN09 had a radiochemical purity higher than 99% and a binding equilibrium dissociation constant of 21.44 ± 1.65 nM with hPD-L1, showing high affinity. SPECT imaging results showed that 99mTc-APN09 could efficiently detect PD-L1-positive tumors within 0.5 h, and the quantitative results of SPECT were well correlated with the expression level of PD-L1 in cell lines. SPECT imaging and biodistribution results also showed that 99mTc-APN09 was rapidly cleared from the kidney in 2 h postinjection. 99mTc-APN09 was a simple and stable tool for visualizing PD-L1 expression in the whole body. In addition, due to its significant reduction in renal retention, it has better prospects for clinical translation.

Unraveling the crucial role of trace oxygen in organic semiconductors.

Optoelectronic properties of semiconductors are significantly modified by impurities at trace level. Oxygen, a prevalent impurity in organic semiconductors (OSCs), has long been considered charge-carrier traps, leading to mobility degradation and stability problems. However, this understanding relies on the conventional deoxygenation methods, by which oxygen residues in OSCs are inevitable. It implies that the current understanding is questionable. Here, we develop a non-destructive deoxygenation method (i.e., de-doping) for OSCs by a soft plasma treatment, and thus reveal that trace oxygen significantly pre-empties the donor-like traps in OSCs, which is the origin of p-type characteristics exhibited by the majority of these materials. This insight is completely opposite to the previously reported carrier trapping and can clarify some previously unexplained organic electronics phenomena. Furthermore, the de-doping results in the disappearance of p-type behaviors and significant increase of n-type properties, while re-doping (under light irradiation in O2) can controllably reverse the process. Benefiting from this, the key electronic characteristics (e.g., polarity, conductivity, threshold voltage, and mobility) can be precisely modulated in a nondestructive way, expanding the explorable property space for all known OSC materials.

Frequency-Dependent Multistep Ferroelectric Polarization Switching Mechanism in P(VDF-TrFE)-Based Capacitors Induced by Polystyrene Electret-like Modulation.

In this work, we investigate multistep ferroelectric polarization switching dynamics of a series of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)/polystyrene, P(VDF-TrFE)/PS, as active layers in ferroelectric capacitors with variable P(VDF-TrFE)/PS thickness ratios and a wide range of driving voltage frequencies (1-1000 Hz). The PS electret-like modulation effects on the depolarized field fluctuation are proven to be responsible for this multistep ferroelectric polarization switching process. To be specific, the switching current density peak splits into two peaks in both positive and negative voltage ranges according to the stimulus-response (S-R) data from the metal-ferroelectric-electret-metal capacitor driven by a periodic triangular voltage wave. The double-peak current trough appears when the transitorily suppressed ferroelectric polarization switching occurs while the discharge and recharge of the PS electret by external voltage brings a specific dynamic change in the electric field across ferroelectric (EFE). We also propose a theoretical model to simulate the ferroelectric polarization switching process at a current trough zone. This phenomenon provides new concepts on the electret-modulated multistep ferroelectric switching dynamics, and such switching mechanisms are critical for realizing reliable nonvolatile memory applications in flexible electronics.

[177Lu]Lu-labeled anti-claudin-18.2 antibody demonstrated radioimmunotherapy potential in gastric cancer mouse xenograft models.

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer (GC), one of the most prevalent and deadliest tumors worldwide, is often diagnosed at an advanced stage with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. The development of a CLDN18.2-targeted radioimmunotherapy probe is a potential treatment option for GC. METHODS: The CLDN18.2 antibody TST001 (provided by Transcenta) was conjugated with DOTA and radiolabeled with the radioactive nuclide 177Lu. The specificity and targeting ability were evaluated by cell uptake, imaging and biodistribution experiments. In BGC823CLDN18.2/AGSCLDN18.2 mouse models, the efficacy of [177Lu]Lu-TST001 against CLDN18.2-expressing tumors was demonstrated, and toxicity was evaluated by H&E staining and blood sample testing. RESULTS: [177Lu]Lu-TST001 was labeled with an 99.17%±0.32 radiochemical purity, an 18.50 ± 1.27 MBq/nmol specific activity and a stability of ≥ 94% after 7 days. It exhibited specific and high tumor uptake in CLDN18.2-positive xenografts of GC mouse models. Survival studies in BGC823CLDN18.2 and AGSCLDN18.2 tumor-bearing mouse models indicated that a low dose of 5.55 MBq and a high dose of 11.10 MBq [177Lu]Lu-TST001 significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to the saline control group, with the 11.1 MBq group showing better therapeutic efficacy. Histological staining with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Ki67 immunohistochemistry of residual tissues confirmed tumor tissue destruction and reduced tumor cell proliferation following treatment. H&E showed that there was no significant short-term toxicity observed in the heart, spleen, stomach or other important organs when treated with a high dose of [177Lu]Lu-TST001, and no apparent hematotoxicity or liver toxicity was observed. CONCLUSION: In preclinical studies, [177Lu]Lu-TST001 demonstrated significant antitumor efficacy with acceptable toxicity. It exhibits strong potential for clinical translation, providing a new promising treatment option for CLDN18.2-overexpressing tumors, including GC.

Effects of community building environment and sports with fitness APP usage on physical exercise habits in teachers in the Yangtze River Delta Region / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the effects of community building environment and sports with fitness APP usage and their interactions on teachers exercise habits in the Yangtze River Delta Region, so as to provide a scientific basis for the development of a sports and health promotion intervention program for teachers.@*Methods@#A total of 2 530 in service teachers from four provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Delta region, namely, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui Province, were sampled in May-June 2023 by using convenient cluster random sampling method. Self designed questionnaire was used to collect the basic information of the surveyed teachers, Physical Activity Building Environment Evaluation Questionnaire and the Sports with Fitness APP Usage Questionnaire were used to measure the teachers subjective perception of the community building environment and the usage of sports with fitness APP, respectively. Physical Exercise Habituation Scale was used to assess the level of exercise habits. Logistic regression models were applied to analyze the effects of community building environment and sports with fitness APP usage on physical exercise, and the interaction effects were analyzed by using additive and multiplicative models.@*Results@#Among all the teachers surveyed, 658 of them reported good physical exercise habits (26.0%), and differences in the rate of physical activity habit formation by gender, age, years of teaching, as well as subject of teaching were statistically significant ( χ 2=42.94, 39.73, 35.47, 218.23 , P <0.05). Teachers with physical exercise habits had significantly higher community building environment scores and sports and fitness APP use than teachers without exercise habits ( t =12.17,16.54, P <0.05). Adjusting for the confounders of age, gender, years of teaching experience, and subjects taught, multifactorial unconditional Logistic regression analysis showed that the probability of teachers having good physical exercise habits increased by 22% for every 1-point increase in the community building environment score on average ( OR =1.22, 95% CI =1.11-1.40), and the probability of teachers having good physical exercise habits increased by 16% for every 1-point increase in the sports with fitness APP score on average ( OR = 1.16 , 95% CI =1.03-1.31) ( P <0.05). Interaction analyses showed that there was an additive interaction between the effects of community building environment and sports and fitness APP use on teachers physical exercise habits after adjustment, and the 95% CI for RERI , API and SI were 1.17 -1.65, 0.12-0.46 and 1.78-3.33 ( P <0.05), respectively, and there was no multiplicative interaction ( P >0.05).@*Conclusions@#The community building environment and the usage of sports & fitness APP show impacts in the formation of teachers physical exercise habits in the Yangtze River Delta region, and there is an interaction effect. Enhancing the construction of smart sports centers around the community can provide a high quality external environment for the physical exercise habits formation.

Ultrahigh-gain organic transistors based on van der Waals metal-barrier interlayer-semiconductor junction.

Intrinsic gain is a vital figure of merit in transistors, closely related to signal amplification, operation voltage, power consumption, and circuit simplification. However, organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) targeted at high gain have suffered from challenges such as narrow subthreshold operating voltage, low-quality interface, and uncontrollable barrier. Here, we report a van der Waals metal-barrier interlayer-semiconductor junction-based OTFT, which shows ultrahigh performance including ultrahigh gain of ~104, low saturation voltage, negligible hysteresis, and good stability. The high-quality van der Waals-contacted junctions are mainly attributed to patterning EGaIn liquid metal electrodes by low-energy microfluidic processes. The wide-bandgap semiconductor Ga2O3 as barrier interlayer is achieved by in situ surface oxidation of EGaIn electrodes, allowing for an adjustable barrier height and expected thermionic emission properties. The organic inverters with a high gain of 5130 and a simplified current stabilizer are further demonstrated, paving a way for high-gain and low-power organic electronics.

Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels with the Sustained Release of Hepatocyte Growth Factor for Enhancing Vascular Regeneration.

The surface modification of biologically active factors on tissue-engineering vascular scaffold fails to fulfill the mechanical property and bioactive compounds' sustained release in vivo and results in the inhibition of tissue regeneration of small-diameter vascular grafts in vascular replacement therapies. In this study, biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was applied for scaffold preparation, and poly(ethylene glycol) (PG) hydrogel was used to load heparin and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). In vitro analysis demonstrated that the PCL scaffold could inhibit the heparin release from the PG hydrogel, and the PG hydrogel could inhibit heparin release during the process of PCL degradation. Finally, it results in sustained release of HGF and heparin from the PCL-PG-HGF scaffold. The mechanical property of this hybrid scaffold improved after being coated with the PG hydrogel. In addition, the PCL-PG-HGF scaffold illustrated no inflammatory lesions, organ damage, or biological toxicity in all primary organs, with rapid organization of the endothelial cell layer, smooth muscle regeneration, and extracellular matrix formation. These results indicated that the PCL-PG-HGF scaffold is biocompatible and provides a microenvironment in which a tissue-engineered vascular graft with anticoagulant properties allows regeneration of vascular tissue (Scheme 1). Such findings confirm the feasibility of creating hydrogel scaffolds coated with bioactive factors to prepare novel vascular grafts.

Comparative analysis of laparoscopic choledocholithiasis and ERCP treatment after cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the overall efficacy of laparoscopic common bile duct exploration(LCBDE) with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP ) after cholecystectomy. METHODS: From January 2017 to July 2021, Seventy patients with Choledocholithiasis after cholecystectomy who were admitted to our hospital were selected and divided into ERCP and LCBDE groups. comparison of baseline characteristics, clinical efficacy and postoperative complications between the ERCP and LCBDE. RESULTS: ①The overall efficacy rate of LCBDE was 97.1%, while the overall efficacy rate in the ERCP group was 76.6%. The LCBDE group demonstrated a significantly higher overall effective rate compared to the ERCP group, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). ②The preoperative and postoperative complications of the LCBDE group were visibly lower than the other group (P < 0.05). The postoperative time to oral intake, postoperative ventilation time, length of hospital stay, and hospital costs were higher in the ERCP group compared to the LCBDE group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In the treatment of common bile duct stones after cholecystectomy, LCBDE is a superior choice compared to ERCP in terms of stone diameter, quantity, clearance rate, and hospital costs.

Oxygen-Induced Lattice Strain for High-Performance Organic Transistors with Enhanced Stability.

Integrating the merits of low cost, flexibility, and large-area processing, organic semiconductors (OSCs) are promising candidates for the next-generation electronic materials. The mobility and stability are the key figures of merit for its practical application. However, it is greatly challenging to improve the mobility and stability simultaneously owing to the weak interactions and poor electronic coupling between OSCs molecules. Here, an oxygen-induced lattice strain (OILS) strategy is developed to achieve OSCs with both high mobility and high stability. Utilizing the strategy, the maximum mobility of dinaphtho[2,3-b:2',3'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT) organic field-effect transistor (OFET) rises to 15.3 cm2  V-1  s-1 and the contact resistance lowers to 25.5 Ω cm. Remarkably, the thermal stability of DNTT is much improved, and a record saturated power density of ≈3.4 × 104  W cm-2 is obtained. Both the experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the lattice compressive strain induced by oxygen is responsible for their high performance and stability. Furthermore, the universality of the strategy is manifested in both n-type and p-type small OSCs. This work provides a novel strategy to improve both the mobility and the stability of OSCs, paving the way for the practical applications of organic devices.

Suppressing the Intrinsic Photoelectric Response of Organic Semiconductors for Highly-Photostable Organic Transistors.

Suppressing the photoelectric response of organic semiconductors (OSs) is of great significance for improving the operational stability of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) in light environments, but it is quite challenging because of the great difficulty in precisely modulating exciton dynamics. In this work, photostable OFETs are demonstrated by designing the micro-structure of OSs and introducing an electrical double layer at the OS/polyelectrolyte dielectric interface, in which multiple exciton dynamic processes can be modulated. The generation and dissociation of excitons are depressed due to the small light-absorption area of the microstripe structure and the excellent crystallinity of OSs. At the same time, a highly efficient exciton quenching process is activated by the electrical double layer at the OS/polyelectrolyte dielectric interface. As a result, the OFETs show outstanding tolerance to the light irradiation of up to 306 mW·cm-2 , which far surpasses the solar irradiance value in the atmosphere (≈138 mW·cm-2 ) and achieves the highest photostability ever reported in the literature. The findings promise a general and practicable strategy for the realization of photostable OFETs and organic circuits.