Radiomics analysis for predicting malignant cerebral edema in patients undergoing endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke

PURPOSERadiomics analysis is a promising image analysis technique. This study aims to extract a radiomics signature from baseline computed tomography (CT) to predict malignant cerebral edema (MCE) in patients with acute anterior circulation infarction after endovascular treatment (EVT).METHODSIn this retrospective study, 111 patients underwent EVT for acute ischemic stroke caused by middle cerebral artery (MCA) and/or internal carotid artery occlusion. The participants were randomly divided into two datasets: the training set (n = 77) and the test set (n = 34). The clinico-radiological profiles of all patients were collected, including cranial non-contrast-enhanced CT, CT angiography, and CT perfusion. The MCA territory on non-contrast-enhanced CT images was segmented, and the radiomics features associated with MCE were analyzed. The clinico-radiological parameters related to MCE were also identified. In addition, a routine visual radiological model based on radiological factors and a combined model comprising radiomics features and clinico-radiological factors were constructed to predict MCE.RESULTSThe areas under the curve (AUCs) of the radiomics signature for predicting MCE were 0.870 (P < 0.001) and 0.837 (P = 0.002) in the training and test sets, respectively. The AUCs of the routine visual radiological model were 0.808 (P < 0.001) and 0.813 (P = 0.005) in the training and test sets, respectively. The AUCs of the model combining the radiomics signature and clinico-radiological factors were 0.924 (P < 0.001) and 0.879 (P = 0.001) in the training and test sets, respectively.CONCLUSIONA CT image-based radiomics signature is a promising tool for predicting MCE in patients with acute anterior circulation infarction after EVT. For clinicians, it may assist in diagnostic decision-making

Inhibitor selectivity between aldo–keto reductase superfamily members AKR1B10 and AKR1B1: Role of Trp112 (Trp111)

AbstractThe antineoplastic target aldo–keto reductase family member 1B10 (AKR1B10) and the critical polyol pathway enzyme aldose reductase (AKR1B1) share high structural similarity. Crystal structures reported here reveal a surprising Trp112 native conformation stabilized by a specific Gln114-centered hydrogen bond network in the AKR1B10 holoenzyme, and suggest that AKR1B1 inhibitors could retain their binding affinities toward AKR1B10 by inducing Trp112 flip to result in an “AKR1B1-like” active site in AKR1B10, while selective AKR1B10 inhibitors can take advantage of the broader active site of AKR1B10 provided by the native Trp112 side-chain orientation

Advanced Data Encryption ​using 2D Materials

Advanced data encryption requires the use of true random number generators (TRNGs) to produce unpredictable sequences of bits. TRNG circuits with high degree of randomness and low power consumption may be fabricated by using the random telegraph noise (RTN) current signals produced by polarized metal/insulator/metal (MIM) devices as entropy source. However, the RTN signals produced by MIM devices made of traditional insulators, i.e., transition metal oxides like HfO and AlO, are not stable enough due to the formation and lateral expansion of defect clusters, resulting in undesired current fluctuations and the disappearance of the RTN effect. Here, the fabrication of highly stable TRNG circuits with low power consumption, high degree of randomness (even for a long string of 2 − 1 bits), and high throughput of 1 Mbit s by using MIM devices made of multilayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is shown. Their application is also demonstrated to produce one-time passwords, which is ideal for the internet-of-everything. The superior stability of the h-BN-based TRNG is related to the presence of few-atoms-wide defects embedded within the layered and crystalline structure of the h-BN stack, which produces a confinement effect that avoids their lateral expansion and results in stable operation.M.L. acknowledges generous support from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (grants no. 2018YFE0100800, 2019YFE0124200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants no. 61874075), the Collaborative Innovation Centre of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, and the 111 Project from the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of China. A.A. and S.R. acknowledge the project: ModElling Charge and Heat trANsport in 2D-materIals based Composites—MECHANIC reference number: PCI2018-093120 funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. ICN2 is funded by the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya and is supported by the Severo Ochoa program from Spanish MINECO (Grant No. SEV-2017-0706). Y.S. acknowledges support from the European Union (Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions (grant no. 894840). The authors acknowledge technical advice from H.-S. Philip Wong from Stanford University and Xiaoming Xie from Chinese Academy of Sciences

The incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in Guangxi, China and the predictors of permanent and transient CH

Background: The incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) differs significantly among different ethnicities and regions, and early differentiation of transient CH is important to avoid unnecessary prolonged treatment with L-T4. Objective: To investigate the incidence of CH based on the newborn screening program in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, and to analyze the predictors that might allow for an early differentiation between permanent (P) and transient (T) CH. Design and methods Data from newborn screening program over a seven-year period (January 2009 to January 2016) at Guangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital are analyzed. Blood samples were collected on filter paper between 3 and 7 days after birth, and TSH level was measured by time-resolved fluorescence assay. Individuals with increased TSH (TSH ≥ 8 IU/L) levels detected by newborn screening were recalled for further evaluation. Serum TSH, FT3 and FT4 were determined by electrochemiluminescence assay using venous blood samples. Diagnosis of CH is based on elevated TSH levels (>10 IU/L) and decreased FT4 levels (30 μg/day) has the highest predictive value for PCH. Earlier differentiation of PCH and TCH helps to determine appropriate treatment course

Clinical value of the systemic immune-inflammation index in moyamoya disease

BackgroundMoyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular disorder with unknown etiology. The underlying pathophysiological mechanism of moyamoya disease remains to be elucidated, but recent studies have increasingly highlighted that abnormal immune response may be a potential trigger for MMD. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) are inflammatory markers that can reflect the immune-inflammation state of the disease.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate SII, NLR, and PLR in patients with moyamoya disease.MethodsA total of 154 patients with moyamoya disease (MMD group) and 321 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (control group) were included in this retrospective case–control study. Complete blood count parameters were assayed to calculate the SII, NLR, and PLR values.ResultsThe SII, NLR, and PLR values in the moyamoya disease group were significantly higher than those in the control group [754 ± 499 vs. 411 ± 205 (P &lt; 0.001), 2.83 ± 1.98 vs. 1.81 ± 0.72 (P &lt; 0.001), and 152 ± 64 vs. 120 ± 42 (P &lt; 0.001), respectively]. The SII in the medium-moyamoya vessels of moyamoya disease was higher than that in the high-moyamoya vessels and low-moyamoya vessels (P = 0.005). Using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to predict MMD, the highest area under the curve (AUC) was determined for SII (0.76 for SII, 0.69 for NLR, and 0.66 for PLR).ConclusionBased on the results of this study, patients with moyamoya disease admitted for inpatient care due to acute or chronic stroke have significantly higher SII, NLR, and PLR when compared to blood samples drawn from completely healthy controls in a non-emergent outpatient setting. While the findings may suggest that inflammation plays a role in moyamoya disease, further studies are warranted to corroborate such an association. In the middle stage of moyamoya disease, there may be a more intense imbalance of immune inflammation. Further studies are needed to determine whether the SII index contributes to the diagnosis or serves as a potential marker of an inflammatory response in patients with moyamoya disease

Bayesian and Non-Bayesian Inference for the Generalized Pareto Distribution Based on Progressive Type II Censored Sample

In this paper, first we consider the maximum likelihood estimators for two unknown parameters, reliability and hazard functions of the generalized Pareto distribution under progressively Type II censored sample. Next, we discuss the asymptotic confidence intervals for two unknown parameters, reliability and hazard functions by using the delta method. Then, based on the bootstrap algorithm, we obtain another two pairs of approximate confidence intervals. Furthermore, by applying the Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques, we derive the Bayesian estimates of the two unknown parameters, reliability and hazard functions under various balanced loss functions and the corresponding confidence intervals. A simulation study was conducted to compare the performances of the proposed estimators. A real dataset analysis was carried out to illustrate the proposed methods

Nanobubbles at the solid/water interface

Bubbles at nanometer scale could not exist stably according to classic theories. A lot of recent experimental results, however, have proven that there are nanobubbles at solid/water interface. The images of atomic force microscopy (AFM) in liquids revealed nanobubbles adsorbed on solid surfaces and provided the direct evidence for their existence . The presence of nanobubbles at the solid/liquid interface may be related to some important interfacial phenomena, for example the hydrophobic attraction and the slippage of simple fluids near a wall. So it has profound meanings in surface science, hydrodynamics, biology and many application fields. At present the study of nanobubbles is on the initial stage and researchers have paid enough attention to its influence. In this article the indirect and direct evidence for the presence of nanobubbles and the basic properties of nanobubbles, including its formation mechanism, morphography and distribution, are reviewed. And the influence of nanobubbles on the long-rang hydrophobic interaction, fluid slippage and some biological problems is discussed

Nanobubbles at Hydrophobic Surfaces

The very existence of nanobubbles at hydrophobic surfaces is controversial. On theoretical grounds such bubbles should be short-lived, dissolving under their own internal pressure. Further, a number of highly surface sensitive experiments have reported results inconsistent with the presence of nanobubbles, yet other researchers observe nanobubbles, most notably using Atomic Force Microscopy. Here I attempt to reconcile these results, describe the unusual properties of nanobubbles and the compelling evidence for their existence as well as describe some new surprising nanobubble forms. Finally, applications for nanobubbles are explored