CAMBA framework: Unveiling the brain asymmetry alterations and longitudinal changes after stroke using resting-state EEG

Hemispheric asymmetry or lateralization is a fundamental principle of brain organization. However, it is poorly understood to what extent the brain asymmetries across different levels of functional organizations are evident in health or altered in brain diseases. Here, we propose a framework that integrates three degrees of brain interactions (isolated nodes, node-node, and edge-edge) into a unified analysis pipeline to capture the sliding window-based asymmetry dynamics at both the node and hemisphere levels. We apply this framework to resting-state EEG in healthy and stroke populations and investigate the stroke-induced abnormal alterations in brain asymmetries and longitudinal asymmetry changes during poststroke rehabilitation. We observe that the mean asymmetry in patients was abnormally enhanced across different frequency bands and levels of brain interactions, with these abnormal patterns strongly associated with the side of the stroke lesion. Compared to healthy controls, patients displayed significant alterations in asymmetry fluctuations, disrupting and reconfiguring the balance of inter-hemispheric integration and segregation. Additionally, analyses reveal that specific abnormal asymmetry metrics in patients tend to move towards those observed in healthy controls after short-term brain-computer interface rehabilitation. Furthermore, preliminary evidence suggests that baseline clinical and asymmetry features can predict poststroke improvements in the Fugl-Meyer assessment of the lower extremity (mean absolute error of about 2). Overall, these findings advance our understanding of hemispheric asymmetry. Our framework offers new insights into the mechanisms underlying brain alterations and recovery after a brain lesion, may help identify prognostic biomarkers, and can be easily extended to different functional modalities.

[Progressively transformed germinal center-like follicular T-cell lymphoma:a clinicopathological analysis of 14 cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic features of progressively transformed germinal center-like follicular T-cell lymphoma (PTGC-like FTCL). Methods: The clinicopathologic data of 14 PTGC-like FTCL cases that were diagnosed at the Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Medical University from January 2017 to January 2022 were retrospectively collected. Clinicopathological features, immunophenotype, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection status were analyzed in these cases. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect the clonal gene rearrangements of T cell receptor (TCR) and the immunoglobulin (Ig) in 10 and 8 cases, respectively. Results: The male to female ratio was 5∶2. The median age was 61 years (range 32-70 years). All patients had lymphadenopathy at the time of diagnosis. By using the Ann Arbor system staging, seven cases were classified as stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ, and seven cases as stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ. Seven cases had B symptoms, four cases had splenomegaly, and two cases had skin rash and pruritus. Previously, three cases were diagnosed as classic Hodgkin's lymphoma, three cases as small B-cell lymphoma, two cases as atypical lymphoid hyperplasia unable to exclude angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), one case as EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorder, and one case as peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) associated with the proliferation of B cells. All the 14 cases showed that the large nodules were composed of mature CD20+, IgD+B lymphocytes admixed with small aggregates of neoplastic cells with pale to clear cytoplasm. Moreover, hyperplastic germinal centers (GCs) and Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg-like (HRS-like) cells were seen within these nodules in two and five cases, respectively. The neoplastic cells expressed CD3 (14/14), CD4 (14/14), PD1 (14/14), ICOS (14/14), CD10 (9/14), bcl-6 (12/14), CXCL13 (10/14), and CD30 (10/14). The HRS-like cells in five cases expressed CD20 (2/5), PAX5 (5/5), CD30 (5/5), CD15 (2/5), LCA (0/5), OCT2 (5/5) and BOB1 (2/5). Moreover, neoplastic T cells formed rosettes around HRS-like cells. EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization showed scattered, small, positive bystander B lymphocytes in 8/14 cases, including 3/5 cases containing HRS-like cells. All tested cases (including five with HRS-like cells) showed monoclonal TCR gene rearrangement and polyclonal Ig gene rearrangement. Conclusions: PTGC-like FTCL is a rare tumor originated from T-follicular helper cells. It could be distinguished from angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma by the formation of follicular structure, and lack of follicular dendritic cell proliferation outside the follicles and the polymorphous inflammatory background. In addition, it should be differentiated from lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin's lymphoma and low-grade B cell lymphoma.

[Incidence and related factors of chronic neuropathic pain in elderly patients after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery]

Objective: To investigate the incidence and related factors of chronic neuropathic pain (CNP) in elderly patients after thoracoscopic surgery. Methods: A total of 463 elderly patients (aged≥60 years) who underwent elective video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery from November 2020 to May 2021 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were prospectively recruited. Among them, 283 were males and 180 were females, with an average age of (66.6±4.8) years. Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) was assessed by telephone at 6 months after surgery, and then the patients with CNP were screened using the ID-pain scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors for CNP in elderly patients after thoracoscopic surgery. Results: The incidence of CPSP was 41.9% (194/463), and the incidence of CNP was 18.8% (87/463). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that incision number<3 (OR=0.385, 95%CI: 0.156-0.949, P=0.038) and intraoperative N2O inhalation (OR=0.506, 95%CI: 0.304-0.842, P=0.009) were protective factors for CNP in elderly patients after thoracoscopic surgery, but high numeric rating scale (NRS) score on the first day after surgery (OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.056-1.318, P=0.003) was a risk factor. Conclusions: The incidence of CNP in elderly patients after thoracoscopic surgery is 18.8%. Incision number<3 and intraoperative N2O inhalation are protective factors for CNP, but high NRS score on the first day after surgery is a risk factor.

Effects of soft robotic exoskeleton for gait training on clinical and biomechanical gait outcomes in patients with sub-acute stroke: a randomized controlled pilot study

Background

Ankle function impairment is a critical factor impairing normal walking in survivors of stroke. The soft robotic exoskeleton (SRE) is a novel, portable, lightweight assistive device with promising therapeutic potential for gait recovery during post-stroke rehabilitation. However, whether long-term SRE-assisted walking training influences walking function and gait quality in patients following subacute stroke is unknown. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to assess the therapeutic effects of SRE-assisted walking training on clinical and biomechanical gait outcomes in the rehabilitation of patients with subacute stroke.

Methods

A group patients who had experienced subacute stroke received conventional rehabilitation (CR) training combined with 10-session SRE-assisted overground walking training (30 min per session, 5 sessions/week, 2 weeks) (SRE group, n = 15) compared with the control group that received CR training only (CR group, n = 15). Clinical assessments and biomechanical gait quality measures were performed pre-and post-10-session intervention, with the 10-Minute Walk Test (10MWT) and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) used to define the primary clinical outcome measures and the Functional Ambulation Category, Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Lower Extremity (FMA-LE) subscale, and Berg Balance Scale defined the secondary outcome measures. The gait quality outcome measures included spatiotemporal and symmetrical parameters during walking.

Results

After the 10-session intervention, the SRE and CR groups exhibited significant within-group improvements in all clinical outcome measures (p < 0.05). Between-comparison using covariance analyses demonstrated that the SRE group showed greater improvement in walking speed during the 10MWT (p < 0.01), distance walked during the 6MWT (p < 0.05), and FMA-LE scores (p < 0.05). Gait analyses showed that the SRE group exhibited significantly improved spatiotemporal symmetry (p < 0.001) after 10-session training, with no significant changes observed in the CR group.

Conclusion

Compared with CR training, SRE-assisted walking training led to greater improvements in walking speed, endurance, and motor recovery. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that SRE may be considered for inclusion in intensive gait training clinical rehabilitation programs to further improve walking function in patients who have experienced stroke.

Analysis of factors affecting crash under risk scenarios based on driver homogenous clustering

Research on road safety has focused on analyzing the factors that affect crashes. However, previous studies have often neglected differences in crash causation among heterogeneous clusters of drivers. In particular, the differences in the combined effect mechanisms of the factors in the risk scenarios have not been completely explained. Therefore, this study used the K-means algorithm to perform multidimensional feature homogeneous clustering for drivers involved in crashes and near-crashes. Structural equation modeling involving mediating effects was introduced to explore the direct and indirect effects of each influencing factor on vehicle crashes under risk scenarios and compare the differences in crash causation among different driver clusters. The results indicate that the drivers who experienced the risk scenarios can be classified into two homogeneous driver clusters. Significant differences exist in the demographic characteristics, intrinsic driving characteristics, and crash rates between them. In the risk scenario, traffic factors, distraction state, crash avoidance reaction, and maneuver judgment directly affect the crash outcomes of the two cluster drivers. Demographic characteristics and environmental factors have fewer direct influence on the crash outcomes of two-cluster drivers, but produce more complex mediating effects. Analysis of the differences in the influence of factors between clusters indicates that the fundamental cause of crashes for cluster 1 drivers includes poor driving skills. In contrast, cluster 2 drivers' crashes were more influenced by traffic conditions and their safety awareness. The analysis method of this study can be used to develop more targeted road safety policies to reduce the occurrence of vehicle crashes.

Superior photo-Fenton degradation of acetamiprid by α- Fe2O3-pillared bentonite/L-cysteine complex: Synergy of L-cysteine and visible light

Acetamiprid is a potential threat to human health, aquatic life, soil microorganisms and beneficial insects as a recalcitrant pollutant in wastewater treatment plant effluents. In this work, the synthesized α-Fe2O3-pillared bentonite (FPB) was used to degrade acetamiprid in the photo-Fenton process with the assistance of L-cysteine (L-cys) existing in natural aquatic environment. The kinetic constant k of acetamiprid degradation by FPB/L-cys in the photo-Fenton process was far more than that in the Fenton process of FPB/L-cys lacking light and the photo-Fenton process of FPB without L-cys. The positive linear correlation between k and ≡Fe(II) content indicated the synergy of L-cys and visible light accelerated the cycle of Fe(III) to Fe(II) in FPB/L-cys during the degradation of acetamiprid by elevating the visible light response of FPB, and promoting the interfacial electron transfer from the active sites of FPB to hydrogen peroxide and photo-generated electron transfer from conduction band of α-Fe2O3 to the active sites of FPB. The boosting •OH and 1O2 were predominantly responsible for acetamiprid degradation. Acetamiprid could be efficiently degraded into less toxic small molecules in the photo-Fenton process via C-N bond breaking, hydroxylation, demethylation, ketonization, dechlorination, and ring cleavage.

Char dominates black carbon aerosol emission and its historic reduction in China

Emission factors and inventories of black carbon (BC) aerosols are crucial for estimating their adverse atmospheric effect. However, it is imperative to separate BC emissions into char and soot subgroups due to their significantly different physicochemical properties and potential effects. Here, we present a substantial dataset of char and soot emission factors derived from field and laboratory measurements. Based on the latest results of the char-to-soot ratio, we further reconstructed the emission inventories of char and soot for the years 1960-2017 in China. Our findings indicate that char dominates annual BC emissions and its huge historical reduction, which can be attributable to the rapid changes in energy structure, combustion technology and emission standards in recent decades. Our results suggest that further BC emission reductions in both China and the world should focus on char, which mainly derives from lower-temperature combustion and is easier to decrease compared to soot.

Optimal dietary energy and protein levels for breeding pigeons in the winter "2 + 3" lactation pattern

The nutritional requirements of breeding pigeons depend on their physiological period, breeding pattern, and environmental conditions. Despite works on reduced litter size in winter production to combat high mortality and the poor welfare of squabs, there are few studies on the related nutritional requirements of these pigeons. A total of 432 pairs of European Mimas pigeons were randomly divided into 9 groups in which 3 crude protein (CP) levels (15, 16.5, and 18%) and 3 metabolizable energy (ME) levels (12.2 MJ/kg, 12.4 MJ/kg, and 12.6 MJ/kg) were tested to determine the optimal energy and protein requirements of breeding pigeons in the winter "2 + 3" breeding pattern. The results showed that ME and CP levels had little effect on the body weight, feed intake, and egg quality of breeding pigeons during the lactation period. An 18% CP diet significantly increased the laying rate and hatchability (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in the laying rate with 18% CP and 16.5% CP during the whole reproductive cycle (P > 0.05). There was a significant interaction between ME and CP levels, and the laying interval of breeding pigeons in group 9 (18% CP; 12.6 MJ/kg) was significantly shortened (P < 0.05). For squabs, the ME level had no effect on growth performance, slaughter performance, or meat quality. The body weight of 21-day-old squabs in the 18% CP group increased by 3.16% compared with that of the 15% CP group, but there was no difference between the 18% CP and 16.5% CP groups. Compared with other experimental groups, group 7 (18% CP; 12.2 MJ/kg) had the fastest growth rate in squabs (P < 0.05), and the corresponding slaughter weight was also the heaviest (P < 0.05). We further found that the height of the squab intestinal epithelium was significantly increased in both the 16.5% CP and 18% CP groups of squabs (P < 0.01), but male breeding pigeons showed a certain degree of oxidative stress with an increase in CP level. In conclusion, the effects of 15 to 18% CP levels and 12.2 to 12.6 MJ/kg ME levels on the reproductive metabolism of breeding pigeons and the growth and development of squabs in the "2 + 3" breeding pattern during winter are small. For economic efficiency, we suggest that the CP level can be reduced to 16.5% while the ME level should not be less than 12.2 MJ/kg in practical production.

Prognostic Significance of the Novel Nutrition-Inflammation Marker of Lymphocyte-C-Reactive Protein Ratio in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Recent studies indicate that the novel lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) is strongly associated with the survival of various tumors, but its prognostic value in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is understudied. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the LCR and overall survival (OS) in NPC and to develop a predictive model.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 841 NPC patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) were retrospectively enrolled and randomly divided into training cohort (n = 589) and validation cohort (n = 252). Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were performed to identify variables associated with OS and construct a predictive nomogram. The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was evaluated and independently validated.

RESULTS

The LCR score differentiated NPC patients into two groups with distinct prognoses (HR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.32-0.89, P = 0.014). Multivariate analysis showed that age, T stage, N stage, EBV-DNA status, and LCR score were independently associated with OS and a predictive nomogram was developed. The nomogram had a good performance for the prediction of OS [C-index = 0.770 (95% CI: 0.675-0.864)] and outperformed the traditional staging system [C-index = 0.589 (95% CI: 0.385-0.792)]. The results were internally validated using an independent cohort.

CONCLUSION

The novel nutrition-inflammation marker of LCR could serve as a simplified, affordable, easy-to-obtain, non-invasive, and readily promotive prognostic marker for NPC patients received CCRT, and the LCR-based prognostic nomogram outperformed the conventional staging system in terms of predictive power.

Improving insulin self-injection accuracy in patients with diabetes mellitus through a nursing project

BACKGROUND

Non-standardized insulin injection has an impact on the efficacy of glucose control.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of a nursing project in improving the insulin self-injection accuracy of diabetes mellitus patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 200 type 2 diabetes patients who received insulin therapy with an insulin pen were recruited at the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (Chongqing, China). Patients were randomly assigned to a control (n = 100) or intervention (n = 100) group. Conventional health education was conducted in the control group, while a nursing project and conventional health education were undertaken in the intervention group. The following parameters were analyzed between the 2 groups: standardized insulin pen use at admission and discharge, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), time in range (TIR), and adipose hyperplasia incidence rate 6 months after discharge.

RESULTS

Concerning standardized insulin self-injection, the intervention group was superior to the control group, and the difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The HbA1c levels (p = 0.000), TIR (p = 0.005) and adipose hyperplasia incidence rate 6 months after discharge (p = 0.000) all improved in the intervention group compared to the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of the nursing project effectively improved the efficacy of glucose control in diabetes mellitus patients.

A novel method for quantification of cefazolin local tissue concentration in blood, fat, synovium, and bone marrow using liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry

To be effective, the concentration of antibiotic used must exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against infecting organisms at and in the surgical site. Few studies follow antibiotic levels for tissues that are manipulated during surgery. The aim of this work was to develop and validate a novel LC-MS method as well as an efficient extraction technique for the quantification of cefazolin in local tissues and whole blood. This method uses the same efficient extraction method across multiple tissue types affected by orthopedic surgery: blood, fat, synovium, and bone marrow. The ability to quantify cefazolin in these tissues will help identify surgical techniques and antibiotic dosing protocols that better protect patients from infection. The internal standard, 13C2,15N-cefazolin, co-elutes with cefazolin, and was used in calibration curves and tissue extracts as well as for cefazolin recovery and matrix effects. The protocol was rigorously tested, including measurements of reproducibility and calibration curve quality. The recovery of the extraction method ranges from 94% to 113% across all sample types. There is little to no matrix effect on cefazolin signal (98-120%). The developed method was used to determine cefazolin concentrations in tissues of 10 patients undergoing a total knee replacement. Cefazolin blood concentrations were approximately 500 times higher than in adipose, synovium, and bone marrow tissues. This clinical data shows that although the minimum inhibitory concentration is largely surpassed in blood, the concentration of cefazolin in fat, synovium, and bone marrow could be insufficient during a knee replacement. This method of cefazolin quantification will help surgeons optimize antibiotic concentrations in the local tissues during knee replacement surgery and potentially reduce serious post-surgical infections.

Controllable Synthesis, Photocatalytic Property, and Mechanism of a Novel POM-Based Direct Z-Scheme Nano-Heterojunction α-Fe2O3/P2Mo18

In order to improve photocatalytic activity and maximize solar energy use, a new composite material Fe2O3/P2Mo18 was prepared by combining polyoxometalates (P2Mo18) with Fe2O3 nanosheets. FT-IR, XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, UV-vis, EIS, and PL were used to characterize the composite material, and nano-Fe2O3 of different sizes and morphologies with a controllable absorption range was prepared by adjusting the reaction time, and, when combined with P2Mo18, a composite photocatalyst with efficient visible light response and photocatalytic activity was constructed. The EIS, Bode, and PL spectra analysis results show that the Fe2O3/P2Mo18 composite material has outstanding interfacial charge transfer efficiency and potential photocatalytic application possibilities. Model reactions of methylene blue (MB) and Cr (VI) photodegradation were used to evaluate the redox activity of Fe2O3/P2Mo18 composites under simulated visible light. The photocatalytic degradation rate was as high as 98.98% for MB and 96.86% for Cr (VI) when the composite ratio was Fe2O3/P2Mo18-5%. This research opens up a new avenue for the development of high-performance photocatalysts.

[To compare the efficacy and incidence of severe hematological adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To analyze and compare therapy responses, outcomes, and incidence of severe hematologic adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: Data of patients with chronic phase CML diagnosed between January 2006 and November 2022 from 76 centers, aged ≥18 years, and received initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China were retrospectively interrogated. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the bias of the initial TKI selection, and the therapy responses and outcomes of patients receiving initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy were compared. Results: A total of 4 833 adult patients with CML receiving initial imatinib (n=4 380) or flumatinib (n=453) therapy were included in the study. In the imatinib cohort, the median follow-up time was 54 [interquartile range (IQR), 31-85] months, and the 7-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.2%, 88.4%, 78.3%, and 63.0%, respectively. The 7-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 71.8%, 93.0%, and 96.9%, respectively. With the median follow-up of 18 (IQR, 13-25) months in the flumatinib cohort, the 2-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.4%, 86.5%, 58.4%, and 46.6%, respectively. The 2-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 80.1%, 95.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. The PSM analysis indicated that patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had significantly higher cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) and higher probabilities of FFS than those receiving the initial imatinib therapy (all P<0.001), whereas the PFS (P=0.230) and OS (P=0.268) were comparable between the two cohorts. The incidence of severe hematologic adverse events (grade≥Ⅲ) was comparable in the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had higher cumulative incidences of therapy responses and higher probability of FFS than those receiving initial imatinib therapy, whereas the incidence of severe hematologic adverse events was comparable between the two cohorts.

[A survey of performance of public health risk assessment in emergencies of institutions for disease control and prevention at different levels in China]

Objective: To understand the performance of public health risk assessment in emergencies of institutions for disease control and prevention at different levels in China, and provide suggestions for the improvement of public health risk assessment. Methods: A self-administered survey was conducted in professionals involved in public health risk assessment in emergencies from national institution, provincial institutions and some prefectural institutions for disease control and prevention (1-2 prefectural institutions were selected using convenience sampling in each province) between March and April in 2021. Results: A total of 79 institutions for disease control and prevention were investigated, including 1 national institution, 32 provincial institutions and 46 prefectural institutions. By April 2021, all the 79 institutions surveyed had conducted risk assessment of public health emergencies, in which 61 (77.2%) had established departments responsible for the public health risk assessment, i.e. emergency management office or communicable disease prevention and control office (section), and regular risk assessment mechanisms. The main sources of information for public health risk assessment were public health surveillance systems, including the National Notifiable Diseases Reporting System (100.0%) and Public Health Emergencies Management Information System (97.5%). Compared with the provincial institutions, the prefectural institutions were more likely to use specific disease surveillance systems (84.8% vs. 62.5%; χ2=5.09, P=0.024). The risk management recommendations made by 43 institutions for disease control and prevention (54.4%) after the risk assessment were accepted by the superior health administrative departments and used in epidemic prevention and control. Conclusions: Public health risk assessment in emergencies has been widely carried out by national, provincial and prefectural institutions for disease control and prevention in China. Specialized departments and mechanisms have been established, but the information sources are still confined to public health surveillance systems and the application of the risk assessment results still needs to be further improved.

Wafer-Level Manufacturing of MEMS H2 Sensing Chips Based on Pd Nanoparticles Modified SnO2 Film Patterns

In this manuscript, a simple method combining atomic layer deposition and magnetron sputtering is developed to fabricate high-performance Pd/SnO2 film patterns applied for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) H2 sensing chips. SnO2 film is first accurately deposited in the central areas of MEMS micro hotplate arrays by a mask-assistant method, leading the patterns with wafer-level high consistency in thickness. The grain size and density of Pd nanoparticles modified on the surface of the SnO2 film are further regulated to obtain an optimized sensing performance. The resulting MEMS H2 sensing chips show a wide detection range from 0.5 to 500 ppm, high resolution, and good repeatability. Based on the experiments and density functional theory calculations, a sensing enhancement mechanism is also proposed: a certain amount of Pd nanoparticles modified on the SnO2 surface could bring stronger H2 adsorption followed by dissociation, diffusion, and reaction with surface adsorbed oxygen species. Obviously, the method provided here is quite simple and effective for the manufacturing of MEMS H2 sensing chips with high consistency and optimized performance, which may also find broad applications in other MEMS chip technologies.

[Expert consensus on the biobank development of oral genetic diseases and rare diseases and storage codes of related biological samples from craniofacial and oral region]

The biological samples of oral genetic diseases and rare diseases are extremely precious. Collecting and preserving these biological samples are helpful to elucidate the mechanisms and improve the level of diagnose and treatment of oral genetic diseases and rare diseases. The standardized construction of biobanks for oral genetic diseases and rare diseases is important for achieving these goals. At present, there is very little information on the construction of these biobanks, and the standards or suggestions for the classification and coding of biological samples from oral and maxillofacial sources, and this is not conducive to the standardization and information construction of biobanks for special oral diseases. This consensus summarizes the background, necessity, principles, and key points of constructing the biobank for oral genetic diseases and rare diseases. On the base of the group standard "Classification and Coding for Human Biomaterial" (GB/T 39768-2021) issued by the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Biological Samples, we suggest 76 new coding numbers for different of biological samples from oral and maxillofacial sources. We hope the consensus may promote the standardization, and smartization on the biobank construction as well as the overall research level of oral genetic diseases and rare diseases in China.

Fixed-time synchronization for quaternion-valued memristor-based neural networks with mixed delays

In this paper, the fixed-time synchronization (FXTSYN) of unilateral coefficients quaternion-valued memristor-based neural networks (UCQVMNNs) with mixed delays is investigated. A direct analytical approach is suggested to obtain FXTSYN of UCQVMNNs utilizing one-norm smoothness in place of decomposition. When dealing with drive-response system discontinuity issues, use the set-valued map and the differential inclusion theorem. To accomplish the control objective, innovative nonlinear controllers and the Lyapunov functions are designed. Furthermore, some criteria of FXTSYN for UCQVMNNs are given using inequality techniques and the novel FXTSYN theory. And the accurate settling time is obtained explicitly. Finally, in order to show that the obtained theoretical results are accurate, useful, and applicable, numerical simulations are presented at the conclusion.

Plug & play origami modules with all-purpose deformation modes

Three basic deformation modes of an object (bending, twisting, and contraction/extension) along with their various combinations and delicate controls lead to diverse locomotion. As a result, seeking mechanisms to achieve simple to complex deformation modes in a controllable manner is a focal point in related engineering fields. Here, a pneumatic-driven, origami-based deformation unit that offers all-purpose deformation modes, namely, three decoupled basic motion types and four combinations of these three basic types, with seven distinct motion modes in total through one origami module, was created and precisely controlled through various pressurization schemes. These all-purpose origami-based modules can be readily assembled as needed, even during operation, which enables plug-and-play characteristics. These origami modules with all-purpose deformation modes offer unprecedented opportunities for soft robots in performing complex tasks, which were successfully demonstrated in this work.

Reference panel-guided super-resolution inference of Hi-C data

MOTIVATION

Accurately assessing contacts between DNA fragments inside the nucleus with Hi-C experiment is crucial for understanding the role of 3D genome organization in gene regulation. This challenging task is due in part to the high sequencing depth of Hi-C libraries required to support high-resolution analyses. Most existing Hi-C data are collected with limited sequencing coverage, leading to poor chromatin interaction frequency estimation. Current computational approaches to enhance Hi-C signals focus on the analysis of individual Hi-C datasets of interest, without taking advantage of the facts that (i) several hundred Hi-C contact maps are publicly available and (ii) the vast majority of local spatial organizations are conserved across multiple cell types.

RESULTS

Here, we present RefHiC-SR, an attention-based deep learning framework that uses a reference panel of Hi-C datasets to facilitate the enhancement of Hi-C data resolution of a given study sample. We compare RefHiC-SR against tools that do not use reference samples and find that RefHiC-SR outperforms other programs across different cell types, and sequencing depths. It also enables high-accuracy mapping of structures such as loops and topologically associating domains.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION

https://github.com/BlanchetteLab/RefHiC.

The antioxidant capacity and nutrient composition characteristics of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) seed juice and their relationship with color at different storage temperatures

The effects of different storage temperatures on the nutritional quality, color, and antioxidant capacity of lotus seed juice and the correlations between various physicochemical indices and antioxidant capacity during storage were investigated in this study. The results showed that the overall retention rate of various nutrients and antioxidant activity in lotus seed juice under low-temperature storage was better than that under 37 °C storage. Meanwhile, temperature had a significant effect on increasing the browning of lotus seed juice and the change in L*. The results of Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that the reduction in antioxidant activity in lotus seed juice aggravated the browning index of the system at high temperatures. The color changes in the system were closely related to the clarity of lotus seed juice and aging of starch at low temperatures.

[Application of triangle stability mechanical model in the layer separation of transanal total mesorectal excision]

Transanal total mesorectal resection (taTME) has come a long way since it was first used in the clinic in 2010.The learning curve of this procedure is long due to different surgical approaches, different perspectives and different anatomical positions. Many surgeons experience complications during this procedure. Although the advantages and problems of this procedure have been reported in much literature, the anatomy and operation methods of taTME introduced in literatures and training centers are too complicated, which makes many surgeons encounter difficulties in carrying out taTME surgery. According to the author's experience in learning and carrying out this operation, spatial expansion process of ultralow rectal cancer was divided into three stages. At each stage, according to different pulling forces, three different schemes of triangular stability mechanics model were adopted for separation. From point to line, from line to plane, the model can protect the safety of peripheral blood vessels and nerves while ensuring total mesorectal excision . This model simplifies the complex surgical process and is convenient for beginners to master taTME surgical separation skills.

Bioinspired helical-artificial fibrous muscle structured tubular soft actuators

Biological tubular actuators show diverse deformations, which allow for sophisticated deformations with well-defined degrees of freedom (DOF). Nonetheless, synthetic active tubular soft actuators largely only exhibit few simple deformations with limited and undesignable DOF. Inspired by 3D fibrous architectures of tubular muscular hydrostats, we devised conceptually new helical-artificial fibrous muscle structured tubular soft actuators (HAFMS-TSAs) with locally tunable molecular orientations, materials, mechanics, and actuation via a modular fabrication platform using a programmable filament winding technique. Unprecedentedly, HAFMS-TSAs can be endowed with 11 different morphing modes through programmable regulation of their 3D helical fibrous architectures. We demonstrate a single "living" artificial plant rationally structured by HAFMS-TSAs exhibiting diverse photoresponsive behaviors that enable adaptive omnidirectional reorientation of its hierarchical 3D structures in the response to environmental irradiation, resembling morphing intelligence of living plants in reacting to changing environments. Our methodology would be significantly beneficial for developing sophisticated soft actuators with designable and tunable DOF.

[Study of the urban-impact on microbial communities and their virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genomes in the Nandu River, Haikou]

Objective: To explore the changes in bacterial community structure, antibiotic resistance genome, and pathogen virulence genome in river water before and after the river flowing through Haikou City and their transmission and dispersal patterns and to reveal anthropogenic disturbance's effects on microorganisms and resistance genes in the aquatic environment. Methods: The Nandu River was divided into three study areas: the front, middle and rear sections from the upstream before it flowed through Haikou City to the estuary. Three sampling sites were selected in each area, and six copies of the sample were collected in parallel at each site and mixed for 3 L per sample. Microbial community structure, antibiotic resistance, virulence factors, and mobile genetic elements were analyzed through bioinformatic data obtained by metagenomic sequencing and full-length sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Variations in the distribution of bacterial communities between samples and correlation of transmission patterns were analyzed by principal co-ordinates analysis, procrustes analysis, and Mantel test. Results: As the river flowed through Haikou City, microbes' alpha diversity gradually decreased. Among them, Proteobacteria dominates in the bacterial community in the front, middle, and rear sections, and the relative abundance of Proteobacteria in the middle and rear sections was higher than that in the front segment. The diversity and abundance of antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors, and mobile genetic elements were all at low levels in the front section and all increased significantly after flow through Haikou City. At the same time, horizontal transmission mediated by mobile genetic elements played a more significant role in the spread of antibiotic-resistance genes and virulence factors. Conclusions: Urbanization significantly impacts river bacteria and the resistance genes, virulence factors, and mobile genetic elements they carry. The Nandu River in Haikou flows through the city, receiving antibiotic-resistant and pathogen-associated bacteria excreted by the population. In contrast, antibiotic-resistant genes and virulence factors are enriched in bacteria, which indicates a threat to environmental health and public health. Comparison of river microbiomes and antibiotic resistance genomes before and after flow through cities is a valuable early warning indicator for monitoring the spread of antibiotic resistance.

[Clinicopathological features of fibrin-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a report of six cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinical, pathological and immunophenotypic features, molecular biology and prognosis of fibrin-associated large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL-FA) in various sites. Methods: Six cases of LBCL-FA diagnosed from April 2016 to November 2021 at the Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China and the First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China were collected. The cases were divided into atrial myxoma and cyst-related groups. Clinical characteristics, pathological morphology, immunophenotype, Epstein Barr virus infection status, B-cell gene rearrangement and fluorescence in situ hybridization of MYC, bcl-2, bcl-6 were summarized. Results: The patients' mean age was 60 years. All of them were male. Three cases occurred in atrial myxoma background, while the others were in cyst-related background, including adrenal gland, abdominal cavity and subdura. All cases showed tumor cells located in pink fibrin clot. However, three cyst-related cases showed the cyst wall with obviously fibrosis and inflammatory cells. All cases tested were non germinal center B cell origin, positive for PD-L1, EBER and EBNA2, and were negative for MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 rearrangements, except one case with MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 amplification. All of the 5 cases showed monoclonal rearrangement of the Ig gene using PCR based analysis. The patients had detailed follow-ups of 9-120 months, were treated surgically without radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and had long-term disease-free survivals. Conclusions: LBCL-FA is a group of rare diseases occurring in various sites, with predilection in the context of atrial myxoma and cyst-related lesions. Cyst-related lesions with obvious chronic inflammatory background show more scarcity of lymphoid cells and obvious degeneration, which are easy to be missed or misdiagnosed. LBCL-FA overall has a good prognosis with the potential for cure by surgery alone and postoperative chemotherapy may not be necessary.