Vector magnetocardiography using compact optically-pumped magnetometers.

Optically pumped magnetometers can provide functionality for bio-magnetic field detection and mapping. This has attracted widespread attention from researchers in the biomedical science field. Magnetocardiography has been proven to be an effective method for examining heart disease. Notably, vector magnetocardiography obtains more spatial information than the conventional method by only taking a component that is perpendicular to the chest surface. In this work, a spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) magnetometer with a compact size of 14 mm × 25 mm × 90 mm was developed. The device has a high sensitivity of 25 fT/ Hz. Meanwhile, in the multichannel working mode, synchronous sensor manipulation and data acquisition can be achieved through our control software without additional data acquisition boards. Since a typical SERF magnetometer only responds to dual-axis magnetic fields, two sensors are orthogonally arranged to form a vector detection channel. Our system consists of seven channels and allows 7 × 9 vector MCG mapping by scanning. High-quality heart vector signals are measured, and P peak, QRS peak, and T peak can be distinguished clearly. To better demonstrate the vectorial information, a vector scatter plot form is also provided. Through a basic bio-electric current model, it demonstrates that triaxial MCG measurements capture a richer spatial current information than traditional uniaxial MCG, offering substantial diagnostic potential for heart diseases and shedding more light on the inversion of cardiac issues.

The six-degrees-of-freedom attitude measurement instrument for the large aperture mirror using the prepressing sensors and flexible supporting.

To achieve precise measurement of a large aperture mirror, a six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) measurement instrument is designed to monitor and calculate the real-time attitude of the mirror. Magnetoelectric displacement sensors are prepressed, and a flexible sensor supporting is designed to achieve high-accuracy measurement. The relationship between 6-DOF displacements of the mirror and the six sensor values can be obtained using the coordinate system transformation and Jacobian matrix. The Newton's iteration method is used to decouple the strong coupling measurement system, and 6-DOF displacements are obtained. The displacements directly measured by using laser sensors are compared with the calculated values in the experiments, the minimum average error of the measured displacement is 1.87%, and the mean difference of the displacement is 0.43 µm.

Z-Selective access to α-trifluoromethyl arylenes through Pd-catalysed fluoroarylation of 1,1-difluoroallenes.

The synthesis of stereo-defined α-trifluoromethyl arylenes is of great importance in medical chemistry, organic chemistry, and materials science. However, despite the recent advances, the Z-selective formation of α-trifluoromethyl arylenes has remained underdeveloped. Here, we describe a facile approach towards Z-α-trifluoromethyl arylenes through Pd-catalysed stereoselective fluoroarylation of 1,1-difluoroallenes in the presence of a bulky monophosphine ligand.

Non-directed Pd-catalysed C-H arylation of [2.2]paracyclophane.

We report herein the palladium-catalysed mono-selective C-H arylation of [2.2]paracyclophane (PCP) with diverse aryl iodides in the absence of any pendant directing groups, providing straightforward and modular access to C4-arylated [2.2]paracyclophanes. Moreover, a new PCP-containing biaryl monophosphine complex could be readily obtained through further derivation of the arylated product.

Efficient Fabrication of TPU/MXene/Tungsten Disulfide Fibers with Ultra-Fast Response for Human Respiratory Pattern Recognition and Disease Diagnosis via Deep Learning.

Flexible wearable pressure sensors have received increasing attention as the potential application of flexible wearable devices in human health monitoring and artificial intelligence. However, the complex and expensive process of the conductive filler has limited its practical production and application on a large scale to a certain extent. This study presents a kind of piezoresistive sensor by sinking nonwoven fabrics (NWFs) into tungsten disulfide (WS2) and Ti3C2Tx MXene solutions. With the advantages of a simple production process and practicality, it is conducive to the realization of large-scale production. The assembled flexible pressure sensor exhibits high sensitivity (45.81 kPa-1), wide detection range (0-410 kPa), fast response/recovery time (18/36 ms), and excellent stability and long-term durability (up to 5000 test cycles). Because of the high elastic modulus of MXene and the synergistic effect between WS2 and MXene, the detection range and sensitivity of the piezoresistive pressure sensor are greatly improved, realizing the stable detection of human motion status in all directions. Meanwhile, its high sensitivity at low pressure allows the sensor to accurately detect weak signals such as weak airflow and wrist pulses. In addition, combining the sensor with deep-learning makes it easy to recognize human respiratory patterns with high accuracy, demonstrating its potential impact in the fields of ergonomics and low-cost flexible electronics.

Waterproof Flexible Pressure Sensors Based on Electrostatic Self-Assembled MXene/NH2-CNTs for Motion Monitoring and Electronic Skin.

Flexible wearable sensors to monitor human movement and for electronic skins must exhibit high sensitivity, a wide detection range, and waterproof characteristics. This work reports a flexible, highly sensitive, and waterproof sponge pressure sensor (SMCM). The sensor is made by assembling SiO2 (S), MXene (M), and NH2-CNTs (C) on the backbone of melamine sponge (M). The SMCM sensor exhibits excellent sensitivity (10.8 kPa-1), an ultra-short response/recovery time (40 ms/60 ms), a wide detection range (30 kPa), and an extremely low detection limit (4.6 Pa). Benefiting from layer-by-layer self-assembly, the sensor still exhibits excellent stability after 5000 cycles. In addition, the SMCM sensor also has excellent waterproof performance (a water contact angle of 142°), enabling it to operate unaffectedly under wet conditions. The SMCM sensor can accurately detect small body movements such as pulse and swallowing while also accurately detecting finger and elbow movements. In addition, the sensor can be designed as an array to construct an electronic skin for detecting the magnitude and distribution of external pressure. This work holds great application potential in next-generation electronic skin, fitness detection, and flexible pressure sensors.

Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Super-Stretchable Conductive Hydrogels with the Assistance of Deep-Learning for Handwriting Recognition.

Nowadays, wearable electronic devices are developing rapidly with the internet of things and human-computer interactions. However, there are problems such as low power, short power supply time, and difficulty in charging, leading to a limited range of practical applications. In this paper, a composite hydrogel composed of polyacrylamide, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and MXene (Ti3C2Tx) nanosheets was developed, which formed a stable double-chain structure by hydrogen bonding. The configuration endows the hydrogel with excellent properties, such as high strength, strong stretchability, excellent electrical conductivity, and high strain sensitivity. Based on these characteristics, a flexible multifunctional triboelectric nanogenerator (PHM-TENG) was prepared using the hydrogel as a functional electrode. The nanogenerator can collect biomechanical energy and convert it to 183 V with a maximum power density of 78.3 mW/m2. It is worth noting that PHM-TENG can be applied as a green power source for driving miniature electronics. Also, it can be used as an auto-powered strain sensor that distinguishes letters, enabling monitoring under small strain conditions. This work is anticipated to provide an avenue for the development of new intelligent systems for handwriting recognition.

Single-Center Preliminary Experience with Gutter-Plugging Chimney Stent-Graft for Aortic Dissection.

PURPOSE: To report the early 2-year results and experience of a novel gutter-plugging chimney stent-graft in a single center that participated in the clinical trial of Prospective Study for Aortic Arch Therapy with stENt-graft for Chimney technology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with aortic dissection were treated with the novel chimney stent-grafts named Longuette™ for the left subclavian artery revascularization. Primary study outcomes were the incidence of freedom from major adverse events within 30 days and success rate of the operation over 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 34 patients were enrolled between September 2019 and December 2020. The immediate technical success rate (stent-grafts successfully deployed without fast-flow type Ia or type III endoleak intraoperatively) was 100%, and there were no conversions to open repair. Type Ia and type II endoleaks were noted in three patients (8.8%) and one patient (2.9%) at discharge, respectively. One patient (2.9%) with type Ia endoleak underwent coil embolization at 12 months because of false lumen dilation, and one (2.9%) case of type Ia endoleak resolved spontaneously at 24 months. One chimney stent (2.9%) was revealed with stenosis at discharge and occluded with thrombosis at 6 months postoperatively. During the 2-year follow-up, there was no death, rupture, stroke, paraplegia, left arm ischemia, retrograde dissection, stent-graft induced new entry, or stent migration. CONCLUSION: The initial results of the Longuette™ stent-graft for revascularization of the left subclavian artery are encouraging with a high technical success rate. Further multicenter follow-up outcomes are required to assess the long-term durability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4, Case Series.

Sutureless vs. rapid-deployment valve: a systemic review and meta-analysis for a direct comparison of intraoperative performance and clinical outcomes.

Background: Sutureless and rapid-deployment valves are bioprostheses anchoring within the aortic annulus with few sutures, and they act as a hybrid of conventional surgical and transcatheter valves under aortic valve replacement. Considering that the 3F Enable valve is now off-market, the only two sutureless and rapid-deployment valves available on the world marketplace are the Perceval and Intuity valves. However, a direct comparison of the function of these two valves eludes researchers. Purpose: Against this background, we performed this systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the intraoperative performance and early clinical outcomes between the Perceval valve and the Intuity valve under sutureless and rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement. Methods: We systematically searched electronic databases through PubMed/MEDLINE, OvidWeb, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (from the establishment of the database to November 17, 2022, without language restriction) for studies comparing the sutureless valve (the Perceval) and the rapid-deployment valve (the Intuity) under aortic valve replacement. Our primary outcomes were early mortality and postoperative transvalvular pressure gradients. The secondary outcomes were defined to include aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass time, paravalvular leak (any paravalvular leak, moderate-to-severe paravalvular leak) after aortic valve replacement, need for pacemaker implantation, postoperative neurological events (stroke), and intensive care unit stay. Results: This meta-analysis included ten non-randomized trials with 3,526 patients enrolled (sutureless group = 1,772 and rapid-deployment group = 1,754). Quality assessments were performed, with the mean scores of the studies reading 6.90 (SD = 0.99) out of 9 according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Compared with rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement, sutureless aortic valve replacement was associated with higher mean and peak transvalvular pressure gradients postoperatively. In contrast, aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary time were needed less in sutureless aortic valve replacement vs. rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement. There was no evidence of significant publication bias observed by the funnel plot and Egger's test. Conclusions: For postoperative hemodynamics, sutureless aortic valve replacement was associated with increased mean and peak transvalvular pressure gradients compared with rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement. In sharp contrast, sutureless aortic valve replacement significantly reduced the amount of time needed for fixing the aortic cross-clamp and the cardiopulmonary bypass procedure. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022343884.

Tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomic analysis identification of succinylation related proteins in pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection.

Background: Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) are devastating cardiovascular diseases with a high rate of disability and mortality. Lysine succinylation, a newly found post-translational modification, has been reported to play an important role in cardiovascular diseases. However, how succinylation modification influences TAAD remains obscure. Methods: Ascending aortic tissues were obtained from patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA, n = 6), thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) with pre-existing aortic aneurysm (n = 6), and healthy subjects (n = 6). Global lysine succinylation level was analyzed by Western blotting. The differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were analyzed by tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling and mass spectrometry. Succinylation-related proteins selected from the literature review and AmiGO database were set as a reference inventory for further analysis. Then, the pathological aortic sections were chosen to verify the proteomic results by Western blotting and qRT-PCR. Results: The level of global lysine succinylation significantly increased in TAA and TAD patients compared with healthy subjects. Of all proteins identified by proteomic analysis, 197 common DEPs were screened both in TAA and TAD group compared with the control group, of which 93 proteins were significantly upregulated while 104 were downregulated. Among these 197 DEPs, OXCT1 overlapped with the succinylation-related proteins and was selected as the target protein involved in thoracic aortic pathogenesis. OXCT1 was further verified by Western blotting and qRT-PCR, and the results showed that OXCT1 in TAA and TAD patients was significantly lower than that in healthy donors (p < 0.001), which was consistent with the proteomic results. Conclusions: OXCT1 represents novel biomarkers for lysine succinylation of TAAD and might be a therapeutic target in the future.

An Integrated Single-Beam Three-Axis High-Sensitivity Magnetometer.

Three-axis atomic magnetometers have great advantages for interpreting information conveyed by magnetic fields. Here, we demonstrate a compact construction of a three-axis vector atomic magnetometer. The magnetometer is operated with a single laser beam and with a specially designed triangular 87Rb vapor cell (side length is 5 mm). The ability of three-axis measurement is realized by reflecting the light beam in the cell chamber under high pressure, so that the atoms before and after reflection are polarized along two different directions. It achieves a sensitivity of 40 fT/Hz in x-axis, 20 fT/Hz in y-axis, and 30 fT/Hz in z-axis under spin-exchange relaxation-free regime. The crosstalk effect between different axes is proven to be little in this configuration. The sensor configuration here is expected to form further values, especially for vector biomagnetism measurement, clinical diagnosis, and field source reconstruction.

Early Results of the Newly-Designed Flowdynamics Dense Mesh Stent for Residual Dissection After Proximal Repair of Stanford Type A or Type B Aortic Dissection: A Preliminary Single-Center Report From a Multicenter, Prospective, and Randomized Study.

BACKGROUND: Negative remodeling of the distal aorta due to residual dissection significantly impacts the long-term outcomes of dissection patients after proximal repair of acute aortic dissection. Branched/fenestrated aortic stents are technically demanding, and studies of the first generation of multilayer flow modulators for tackling this clinical scenario are few and limited. The single-center results from a multicenter, prospective, and randomized controlled study aimed to verify the safety and effectiveness of a newly-designed flowdynamics dense mesh stent for treating residual dissection after proximal repair. METHODS: Patients with nonchronic residual dissection involving visceral branches were prospectively enrolled in 3 centers (ChiCTR1900023638). Eligible patients were randomly assigned to the flowdynamics dense mesh stent (FDMS) group and control group. Follow-up visits were arranged at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after recruitment. The primary endpoints were all-cause and aortic-related mortality. The secondary endpoints included visceral branch occlusion, reintervention, and severe adverse events. Morphological changes were analyzed to exhibit the therapeutic effect. Our center participated in the multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial, and the preliminary single-center experience was reported. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were enrolled in our center, and the baseline characteristics of the 2 groups were comparable. Thirty-four patients completed the 12 month follow-up. Freedom from all-cause and aortic-related death were 94.4% and 100%. All visceral branches remained patent in the FDMS group. Increased area of the true lumen (1.03±0.38 vs 0.48±0.63 cm2 at the plane below renal arteries, p=0.006; 1.27±0.80 vs 0.32±0.50 cm2 at the plane 5 cm below renal arteries, p<0.001) and decreased area of the false lumen at the plane below renal arteries (-1.03±0.84 vs -0.15±1.21 cm2, p=0.023) were observed in the FDMS group compared with those parameters in the control group. The FDMS group showed a significant increase in true lumen volume (p<0.001) and a significant decrease in false lumen volume (p=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: This newly-designed FDMS for endovascular repair of residual dissection after the proximal repair is safe and effective at 12 months. CLINICAL IMPACT: One-year results of the randomized controlled clinical trial indicated the short-term safety and promising effect of FDMS on treating non-chronic residual dissection after proximal repair. At the 12th-month follow-up, the true lumen expanded, the false lumen shrunk and all visceral arteries kept patent. As far as I'm concerned, this is the first randomized controlled study concerning utilizing multilayer flow mesh stent treating aortic dissection. Despite a preliminary single-center report, our results are supposed to provide high-quality evidence to guide clinical practice and fill the gap in the application of FDMS.

Global proteomic analysis reveals lysine succinylation contributes to the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysm and dissection.

Protein lysine succinylation is a recently discovered posttranslational modification. This study examined the role of protein lysine succinylation in the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD). 4D label-free LC-MS/MS analysis was used to perform the global profiles of succinylation in aortas obtained from 5 heart transplant donors, 5 patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), and 5 patients with thoracic aortic dissection (TAD). In comparison to normal controls, we detected 1138 succinylated sites from 314 proteins in TAA, and 1499 sites from 381 proteins in TAD. Among these, 120 differentially succinylated sites from 76 proteins overlapped between TAA and TAD (|log2FC| > 0.585, p < 0.05). These differentially modified proteins were mainly localized in the mitochondria and cytoplasm, and were primarily involved in diverse energy metabolic processes, including carbon metabolism, amino acid catabolism, and ß-oxidation of fatty acids. By establishing an in vitro model of lysine succinylation in vascular smooth muscle cells, we observed changes in the activities of three key metabolic enzymes (PKM, LDHA, and SDHA). These findings suggest that succinylation potentially contributes to the pathogenesis of aortic diseases, and presents a valuable resource for investigating the functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of succinylation in AAD. SIGNIFICANCE: AAD are interrelated life-threatening diseases associated with high morbidity and mortality. Although we discovered that lysine succinylation was significantly up-regulated in the aorta tissues of patients with AAD, its role in the progression of aortic diseases is largely unknown. We conducted a 4D label-free LC-MS/MS analysis and identified 120 differentially succinylated sites on 76 proteins that overlapped between TAA and TAD as compared to normal controls. Lysine succinylation may contribute to the pathogenesis of AAD by regulating energy metabolism pathways. The proteins containing succinylated sites could be served as potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for aortic diseases.

Paeonol inhibits melanoma growth by targeting PD1 through upregulation of miR-139-5p.

The abnormal immune response mediated by malignant melanoma is related to PD1. Paeonol has pharmacological antitumor activity. Previous studies have indicated that paeonol induces tumor cell apoptosis, but its underlying mechanism in tumor immunity remains unknown. In this study, malignant melanoma was established in normal and thymectomized mice to determine the important role of the thymus in the antitumor effects of paeonol. Paeonol-treated thymocytes were cocultured with melanoma cell spheres to further evaluate the regulatory role of thymocytes in tumor immune dysfunction. Studies have shown that PD1 may be targeted by miR-139-5p. Our results revealed that tumor-induced thymic atrophy was significantly accompanied by high PD1 expression and low miR-139-5p expression. Interestingly, paeonol significantly reversed thymic atrophy and largely protected thymocytes against low PD1 expression and high miR-139-5p expression. Dual-luciferase assays indicated that miR-139-5p interacted with the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of PD1. These results showed that paeonol alleviates PD1-mediated antitumor immunity by reducing miR-139-5p expression and demonstrated a novel mechanism for melanoma immunotherapy.

Atomic Magnetometer Achieves Visual Salience Analysis in Drosophila.

An atomic magnetometer (AM) was used to non-invasively detect the tiny magnetic field generated by the brain of a single Drosophila. Combined with a visual stimulus system, the AM was used to study the relationship between visual salience and oscillatory activity of the Drosophila brain by analyzing changes in the magnetic field. Oscillatory activity of Drosophila in the 1-20 Hz frequency band was measured with a sensitivity of 20 fT/Hz. The field in the 20-30 Hz band under periodic light stimulation was used to explore the correlation between short-term memory and visual salience. Our method opens a new path to a more flexible method for the investigation of brain activity in Drosophila and other small insects.

Iridium-catalysed thioether-directed regioselective cycloaddition of internal alkynes with azides.

We report herein a cationic iridium-catalysed thioether-directed alkyne-azide cycloaddition reaction. Diverse 2-alkynyl phenyl sulfides can undergo cycloaddition with different azides in a regioselective fashion. The reaction features high efficiency, a short reaction time, and a broad substrate scope, providing modular access to complex S-containing triazoles.

Ultrastretchable, Self-Healing Conductive Hydrogel-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Human-Computer Interaction.

The rapid development of wearable electronic devices and virtual reality technology has revived interest in flexible sensing and control devices. Here, we report an ionic hydrogel (PTSM) prepared from polypropylene amine (PAM), tannic acid (TA), sodium alginate (SA), and MXene. Based on the multiple weak H-bonds, this hydrogel exhibits excellent stretchability (strain >4600%), adhesion, and self-healing. The introduction of MXene nanosheets endows the hydrogel sensor with a high gauge factor (GF) of 6.6. Meanwhile, it also enables triboelectric nanogenerators (PTSM-TENGs) fabricated from silicone rubber-encapsulated hydrogels to have excellent energy harvesting efficiency, with an instantaneous output power density of 54.24 mW/m2. We build a glove-based human-computer interaction (HMI) system using PTSM-TENGs. The multidimensional signal features of PTSM-TENG are extracted and analyzed by the HMI system, and the functions of gesture visualization and robot hand control are realized. In addition, triboelectric signals can be used for object recognition with the help of machine learning techniques. The glove based on PTSM-TENG achieves the classification and recognition of five objects through contact, with an accuracy rate of 98.7%. Therefore, strain sensors and triboelectric nanogenerators based on hydrogels have broad application prospects in man-machine interface, intelligent recognition systems, auxiliary control systems, and other fields due to their excellent stretchable and high self-healing performance.

The impact of physical, biochemical, and electrical signaling on Schwann cell plasticity.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) injuries are an ongoing health care concern. While autografts and allografts are regarded as the current clinical standard for traumatic injury, there are inherent limitations that suggest alternative remedies should be considered for therapeutic purposes. In recent years, nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) have become increasingly popular as surgical repair devices, with a multitude of various natural and synthetic biomaterials offering potential to enhance the design of conduits or supplant existing technologies entirely. From a cellular perspective, it has become increasingly evident that Schwann cells (SCs), the primary glia of the PNS, are a predominant factor mediating nerve regeneration. Thus, the development of severe nerve trauma therapies requires a deep understanding of how SCs interact with their environment, and how SC microenvironmental cues may be engineered to enhance regeneration. Here we review the most recent advancements in biomaterials development and cell stimulation strategies, with a specific focus on how the microenvironment influences the behavior of SCs and can potentially lead to functional repair. We focus on microenvironmental cues that modulate SC morphology, proliferation, migration, and differentiation to alternative phenotypes. Promotion of regenerative phenotypic responses in SCs and other non-neuronal cells that can augment the regenerative capacity of multiple biomaterials is considered along with innovations and technologies for traumatic injury.

Ni-catalysed deamidative fluorination of amides with electrophilic fluorinating reagents.

We describe here a Ni-catalysed deamidative fluorination of diverse amides with electrophilic fluorinating reagents. Different types of amides including aromatic amides and olefinic amides were well compatible, affording the corresponding acyl fluorides in good to excellent yields.

Rapid access to 9-arylfluorene and spirobifluorene through Pd-catalysed C-H arylation/deaminative annulation.

We describe here a facile synthesis of 9-arylfluorenes and spirobifluorenes from readily available 1,1-diarylmethylamines and iodoarenes through Pd-cataylsed C(sp2)-H arylation and a sequential deaminative annulation. The reaction features high efficiency and simplicity of operation, constituting an interesting shortcut to access fluorene compounds.