Bionic microfluidics is garnering increasing attention due to the superior fluidic performance enabled by biomimetic microstructures.Inspired by the unique structures of young pumpkin stems,we fabricate helicoidally p...Bionic microfluidics is garnering increasing attention due to the superior fluidic performance enabled by biomimetic microstructures.Inspired by the unique structures of young pumpkin stems,we fabricate helicoidally patterned microchannels with precisely controlled morphologies using the projection micro-stereolithography(PμSL)-based 3D printing technique.Our helicoidally patterned microchannels achieve approximately twice the liquid lifting height compared to similarly sized smooth microchannels.This improvement is attributed to the enhanced capillary force.The additional meniscus formed between the helicoidally patterned microstructures significantly contributes to the increased capillary effects.Furthermore,the underlying mechanisms of fluidic performance in helicoidally patterned microchannels are theorized using a newly developed equation,which is also employed to optimize the geometric parameters and fluidic performance of the biomimetic helicoidal microchannels.Additionally,our biomimetic helicoidally patterned microchannels facilitate a significant step-lifting phenomenon,mimicking tall trees'transpiration.The fluidic performance of our biomimetic helicoidally patterned microchannels show promise for applications in enhanced liquid lifting,step-lifting,clean-water production,and others.展开更多
BACKGROUND Disc herniation refers to the displacement of disc material beyond its anatomical space.Disc sequestration is defined as migration of the herniated disc fragment into the epidural space,completely separatin...BACKGROUND Disc herniation refers to the displacement of disc material beyond its anatomical space.Disc sequestration is defined as migration of the herniated disc fragment into the epidural space,completely separating it from the parent disc.The fragment can move in upward,inferior,and lateral directions,which often causes low back pain and discomfort,abnormal sensation,and movement of lower limbs.The free disc fragments detached from the parent disc often mimic spinal tumors.Tumor like lumbar disc herniation can cause clinical symptoms similar to spinal tumors,such as lumbar soreness,pain,numbness and weakness of lower limbs,radiation pain of lower limbs,etc.It is usually necessary to diagnose the disease according to the doctor’s clinical experience,and make preliminary diagnosis and differential diagnosis with the help of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and contrast-enhanced MRI.However,pathological examination is the gold standard that distinguishes tumoral from non-tumoral status.We report four cases of disc herniation mimicking a tumor,and all the pathological results were intervertebral disc tissue.CASE SUMMARY The first case was a 71-year-old man with low back pain accompanied by left lower extremity radiating pain for 1 year,with exacerbation over the last 2 wk.After admission,MRI revealed a circular T2-hypointense lesion in the spinal canal of the L4 vertebral segment,with enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI suggesting neurilemmoma.The second case was a 74-year-old man with pain in both knees associated with movement limitation for 3 years,with exacerbation over the last 3 mo.MRI revealed an oval T2-hyperintense lesion in the spinal canal at the L4–5 level,with obvious peripheral enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI.Thus,neurilemmoma was suspected.The third case was a 53-year-old man who presented with numbness and weakness of the lumbar spine and right lower extremity for 2 wk.MRI revealed a round T2-hyperintense lesion in the spinal canal at the L4–5 level,with obvious rim enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI.Thus,a spinal tumor was suspected.The fourth case was a 75-year-old man with right lower extremity pain for 2 wk,with exacerbation over the last week.MRI revealed a round T1-isointense lesion in the spinal canal of the L3 vertebral segment and a T2-hyperintense signal from the lesion.There was no obvious enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI,so a spinal tumor was suspected.All four patients underwent surgery and recovered to ASIA grade E on postoperative days 5,8,8,and 6,respectively.All patients had an uneventful postoperative course and fully recovered within 3 mo.CONCLUSION Disc herniation mimicking a tumor is a relatively rare clinical entity and can be easily misdiagnosed as a spinal tumor.Examinations and tests should be improved preoperatively.Patients should undergo comprehensive preoperative evaluations,and the lesions should be removed surgically and confirmed by pathological diagnosis.展开更多
To the Editor:IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis（IgG4-SC）has re cently been recognized as a biliary manifestation of IgG4-related disease（IgG4-RD）.Type 3 IgG4-SC pre sented biliary strictures in both the porta he...To the Editor:IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis（IgG4-SC）has re cently been recognized as a biliary manifestation of IgG4-related disease（IgG4-RD）.Type 3 IgG4-SC pre sented biliary strictures in both the porta hepatis and the distal common bile duct（CBD）.;Its manifestation especially in the absence of autoimmune pancreatitis,is extremely rare and very similar to that of cholangiocarci noma（CC）.展开更多
Despite the considerable mortality and morbidity in metastasis cardiac mass, antemortem diagnosis is unusual. Here we report a case of a left atrial mass echocardiographically mimicking myxoma, in a patient with lung ...Despite the considerable mortality and morbidity in metastasis cardiac mass, antemortem diagnosis is unusual. Here we report a case of a left atrial mass echocardiographically mimicking myxoma, in a patient with lung carcinoma. The mass was pathologically confirmed to be metastatic carcinoma, which had entered the left pulmonary vein, illustrating the potential for unusual routes of tumor spread into tissue diagnosis in such cases atrium via direct invasion of left superior the heart and the importance of obtaining a展开更多
Dear editor, We report a case of a 47-year-old female who presented with a toxic bupropion ingestion leading to cardiac arrest. She initially exhibited a loss of brainstem reflexes in conjunction with burst-suppressio...Dear editor, We report a case of a 47-year-old female who presented with a toxic bupropion ingestion leading to cardiac arrest. She initially exhibited a loss of brainstem reflexes in conjunction with burst-suppression pattern on EEG. Burst suppression is an EEG waveform pattern of alternating isoelectric suppressions and high voltage bursts, Our patient ultimately made a full neurologic recovery a few days later. While there are two other cases in the literature of bupropion overdose resulting in EEG burst-suppression and loss of brainstem reflexes, we believe this is the only reported adult case complicated by cardiac arrest.展开更多
Dear Sir, I am B. Spajic, the urologist from Clinical Department of Urology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. Recently, we had a rare case of a cholesterol granuloma of the right epididymis at...Dear Sir, I am B. Spajic, the urologist from Clinical Department of Urology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. Recently, we had a rare case of a cholesterol granuloma of the right epididymis at our department, showing clinical signs of acute scrotum. The case described here appears to be the second reporting cholesterol granuloma in the epididymis and the first one presenting with clinical signs of acute scrotum.展开更多
Mercury(Hg^(2+))has been recognized as a global pollutant with a toxic,mobile,and persistent nature.It adversely affects the ecosystem and human health.Already developed biosensors for Hg^(2+)detection majorly suffer ...Mercury(Hg^(2+))has been recognized as a global pollutant with a toxic,mobile,and persistent nature.It adversely affects the ecosystem and human health.Already developed biosensors for Hg^(2+)detection majorly suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity.Herein,a colorimetric/fluorimetric dual-mode sensing approach is designed for the quantitative detection of Hg^(2+).This novel sensing approach utilizes nanofluorophores,i.e.,fluorescent copper nanoclusters-doped zirconia metal-organic framework(CuNCs@Zr-MOF)nanoconjugate(blue color)and N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX(NMM)(red color)in combination with peroxidase-mimicking G-quadruplex DNAzyme(PMDNAzyme).In the presence of Hg^(2+),dabcyl conjugated complementary DNA with T-T mismatches form the stable duplex with the CuNCs@Zr-MOF@G-quadruplex structure through T-Hg^(2+)-T base pairing.It causes the quenching of fluorescence of CuNCs@Zr-MOF(463 nm)due to the Förster resonance energy transfer(FRET)system.Moreover,the G-quadruplex(G4)structure of the aptamer enhances the fluorescence emission of NMM(610 nm).Besides this,the peroxidase-like activity of G4/hemin DNAzyme offers the colorimetric detection of Hg^(2+).The formation of duplex with PMDNAzyme increases the catalytic activity.This novel biosensing probe quantitatively detected Hg^(2+)using both fluorimetry and colorimetry approaches with a low detection limit of 0.59 and 36.3 nM,respectively.It was also observed that the presence of interfering metal ions in case of real aqueous samples does not affect the performance of this novel biosensing probe.These findings confirm the considerable potential of the proposed biosensing probe to screen the concentration of Hg^(2+)in aquatic products.展开更多
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide and the commonest cause of mortality in men. It is the commonest diagnosed cancer in African men. The earliest and common sites of metastasis are the a...Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide and the commonest cause of mortality in men. It is the commonest diagnosed cancer in African men. The earliest and common sites of metastasis are the axial skeleton and regional lymph nodes. Initial presentation of the metastatic disease with cervical or supraclavicular lymphadenopathy is rarely reported. We report 3 cases of metastatic cancer of the prostate presenting initially to physicians with huge cervical and supraclavicular lymph nodes enlargement which on biopsy revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma. On further evaluation, there were non-bothersome storage symptoms, elevated prostate specific antigen and abnormal digital rectal examination. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy of hypoechoic nodules revealed high-grade adenocarcinoma of the prostate on histopathological examination. The cervical and supraclavicular lymphadenopathy resolved after commencement of androgen deprivation therapy. We advocate for prostate cancer screening in African men above 50 years of age presenting with cervical or supraclavicular lymphadenopthy to primary care physicians even in the absence of lower urinary tract symptoms.展开更多
BACKGROUND Gallbladder rupture is common in laparoscopic cholecystectomy because the gallbladder is usually in acute or chronic inflammation status.The gallstones may sometime be spilled into the peritoneal cavity,res...BACKGROUND Gallbladder rupture is common in laparoscopic cholecystectomy because the gallbladder is usually in acute or chronic inflammation status.The gallstones may sometime be spilled into the peritoneal cavity,resulting in intra-abdominal ab-scess if the gallstones were not retrieved.The diagnosis of intra-abdominal ab-scess caused by unretrieved gallstone can usually be correctly identified in the routine imaging studies,such as abdominal ultrasonography or computed tomo-graphy(CT).Here we present a case of abscess formation from unretrieved gall-stone following laparoscopic cholecystectomy,which mimics the imaging findings of metastatic gallbladder ade-nocarcinoma.CASE SUMMARY This case described a 78-year-old man who received laparoscopic cholecystectomy and gallbladder adenocarcinoma was diagnosed after surgery.After adjuvant chemotherapy,the following up abdominal CT showed several small nodules at right upper abdomen and peritoneal carcinomatosis is considered.Repeated laparoscopic surgery for the excision of seeding tumor was conducted and the pathological diagnosis of the nodules and mass was inflammatory tissues and gallbladder stone.CONCLUSION Spilled gallstones are a common complication during laparoscopic cholecystectomy and some gallstones fail to be retrieved due to the size or the restricted view of laparoscopic surgery.For spilled gall bladder stones,surgeons may consider regular computerized tomography follow-up,and if necessary,laparoscopic examination can be used as a means of confirming the diagnostic and treatment.展开更多
Thrombosis associated with implants can severely impact therapeutic outcomes and lead to increased morbidity and mortality.Thus,developing blood-contacting materials with superior anticoagulant properties is essential...Thrombosis associated with implants can severely impact therapeutic outcomes and lead to increased morbidity and mortality.Thus,developing blood-contacting materials with superior anticoagulant properties is essential to prevent and mitigate device-related thrombosis.Herein,we propose a novel single-molecule multi-functional strategy for creating blood-compatible surfaces.The synthesized azide-modified Cu-DOTA-(Lys)3 molecule,which possesses both NO release and fibrinolysis functions,was immobilized on material surfaces via click chemistry.Due to the specificity,rapidity,and completeness of click chemistry,the firmly grafted Cu-DOTA-(Lys)3 endows the modified material with excellent antithrombotic properties of vascular endothelium and thrombolytic properties of fibrinolytic system.This surface effectively prevented thrombus formation in both in vitro and in vivo experiments,owing to the synergistic effect of anticoagulation and thrombolysis.Moreover,the modified material maintained its functional efficacy after one month of PBS immersion,demonstrating excellent stability.Overall,this single-molecule multifunctional strategy may become a promising surface engineering technique for blood-contacting materials.展开更多
In a recent publication in Nature Materials,Gu and co-workers[1]reported the utility of a biorhythm-inspired growth hormone transdermal(BRIGHT)patch that efficiently achieved circadianrhythm-mimicking three-stage drug...In a recent publication in Nature Materials,Gu and co-workers[1]reported the utility of a biorhythm-inspired growth hormone transdermal(BRIGHT)patch that efficiently achieved circadianrhythm-mimicking three-stage drug release and then promoted both bone growth and quality,representing a promising approach for increasing bone length through controlled growth hormone(GH)delivery.展开更多
Engineered microstructures that mimic in vivo tissues have demonstrated great potential for applications in regenerative medicine,drug screening,and cell behavior exploration.However,current methods for engineering mi...Engineered microstructures that mimic in vivo tissues have demonstrated great potential for applications in regenerative medicine,drug screening,and cell behavior exploration.However,current methods for engineering microstructures that mimic the multi-extracellular matrix and multicellular features of natural tissues to realize tissue-mimicking microstructures in vitro remain insufficient.Here,we propose a versatile method for constructing tissue-mimicking heterogeneous microstructures by orderly integration of macroscopic hydrogel exchange,microscopic cell manipulation,and encapsulation modulation.First,various cell-laden hydrogel droplets are manipulated at the millimeter scale using electrowetting on dielectric to achieve efficient hydrogel exchange.Second,the cells are manipulated at the micrometer scale using dielectrophoresis to adjust their density and arrangement within the hydrogel droplets.Third,the photopolymerization of these hydrogel droplets is triggered in designated regions by dynamically modulating the shape and position of the excitation ultraviolet beam.Thus,heterogeneous microstructures with different extracellular matrix geometries and components were constructed,including specific cell densities and patterns.The resulting heterogeneous microstructure supported long-term culture of hepatocytes and fibroblasts with high cell viability(over 90%).Moreover,the density and distribution of the 2 cell types had significant effects on the cell proliferation and urea secretion.We propose that our method can lead to the construction of additional biomimetic heterogeneous microstructures with unprecedented potential for use in future tissue engineering applications.展开更多
Developing nanomaterial-based enzyme mimics for DNA cleavage is an interesting challenge and it has many potential applications.Single-layered graphene oxide(GO)is an excellent platform for DNA adsorption.In addition,...Developing nanomaterial-based enzyme mimics for DNA cleavage is an interesting challenge and it has many potential applications.Single-layered graphene oxide(GO)is an excellent platform for DNA adsorption.In addition,GO has been employed for photosensitized generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS).Herein,we demonstrate that GO sheets could cleave DNA as anuclease mimicking nanozyme in the presence of UV or blue light.For various DNA sequences and lengths,well-defined product bands were observed along with photobleaching of the fluorophore label on the DNA.Different from previously reported GO cleavage of DNA,our method did not require metal ions such as Cu^2+.Fluorescence spectroscopy suggested a high adsorption affinity between GO and DNA.For comparison,although zero-dimensional fluorescent carbon dots(C-dots)had higher photosensitivity ir terms of producing ROS,their cleavage activity was much lower and only smeared cleavage products were observed,indicatingthat the ROS acted on the DNA in solution.Based on the results,GO behaved like a classic heterogeneous catalyst following substrate adsorption,reaction,and product desorption steps.This simple strategy may help in the design of new nanozymes by introducing light.展开更多
Mimicking the nitric oxide(NO)-release and glycocalyx functions of native vascular endothelium on cardiovascular stent surfaces has been demonstrated to reduce in-stent restenosis(ISR)effectively.However,the practical...Mimicking the nitric oxide(NO)-release and glycocalyx functions of native vascular endothelium on cardiovascular stent surfaces has been demonstrated to reduce in-stent restenosis(ISR)effectively.However,the practical performance of such an endothelium-mimicking surfaces is strictly limited by the durability of both NO release and bioactivity of the glycocalyx component.Herein,we present a mussel-inspired amine-bearing adhesive coating able to firmly tether the NO-generating species(e.g.,Cu-DOTA coordination complex)and glycocalyx-like component(e.g.,heparin)to create a durable endothelium-mimicking surface.The stent surface was firstly coated with polydopamine(pDA),followed by a surface chemical cross-link with polyamine(pAM)to form a durable pAMDA coating.Using a stepwise grafting strategy,Cu-DOTA and heparin were covalently grafted on the pAMDA-coated stent based on carbodiimide chemistry.Owing to both the high chemical stability of the pAMDA coating and covalent immobilization manner of the molecules,this proposed strategy could provide 62.4%bioactivity retention ratio of heparin,meanwhile persistently generate NO at physiological level from 5.9±0.3 to 4.8±0.4×10^(-10) mol cm^(-2) min^(-1) in 1 month.As a result,the functionalized vascular stent showed long-term endothelium-mimicking physiological effects on inhibition of thrombosis,inflammation,and intimal hyperplasia,enhanced re-endothelialization,and hence efficiently reduced ISR.展开更多
H_(2)O_(2) and glutathione(GSH)are critical redox molecules in the organism.Abnormal levels of cellular H_(2)O_(2) and GSH are closely related to some diseases.Thus,it is imperative to detect H_(2)O_(2) and GSH effi-c...H_(2)O_(2) and glutathione(GSH)are critical redox molecules in the organism.Abnormal levels of cellular H_(2)O_(2) and GSH are closely related to some diseases.Thus,it is imperative to detect H_(2)O_(2) and GSH effi-ciently.In this work,FeeNeC single atom nanozymes(SANs)with both peroxidase and oxidasemimicking activities were successfully prepared with the help of formamide condensation by one-step hydrothermal method.The FeeNeC SANs show excellent peroxidase-like activity,which possess a higher affinity for H_(2)O_(2) and 3,30,5,50-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB)than horseradish peroxidase(HRP).Then,based on the chromogenic reaction of TMB,a colorimetric biosensor to detect H_(2)O_(2) and GSH was developed.This biosensor has the linear ranges of 10-600 mmol/L for H_(2)O_(2) with a low detection limit of 4.360 mmol/L and 100-400 mmol/L for GSH with a low detection limit of 78.33 mmol/L.Besides,this colorimetric biosensor exhibited a good recovery of H_(2)O_(2) and GSH in diluted human serum.Finally,the FeeNeC SANs were encapsulated into agar gel to self-quantitatively detect GSH by naked eyes.This work provides a non-pyrolytic way to prepare SANs,which broadens the synthetic method of SANs and may promote the development of SANs for biosensor application.展开更多
1 Results Several methods have been elaborated in this laboratory allowing preparation of macromolecules with phosphodiester bonds,and having sequence of atoms similar as in the chains of biomacromolecules - nucleic o...1 Results Several methods have been elaborated in this laboratory allowing preparation of macromolecules with phosphodiester bonds,and having sequence of atoms similar as in the chains of biomacromolecules - nucleic or teichoic acids (TA),namely:-(C)n-O-PO-,where n=2 (for teichoic acids) or 3.These methods,to be discussed in the lecture,are based on the ring-opening polymerization,transesterification,and recently elaborated direct addition of phosphoric acid to diepoxides.For the first time an attempt h...展开更多
The field of artificial intelligence and neural computing has been rapidly expanding due to the imple-mentation of resistive random-access memory(RRAM)based artificial synaptic.However,the low flexibility of conventio...The field of artificial intelligence and neural computing has been rapidly expanding due to the imple-mentation of resistive random-access memory(RRAM)based artificial synaptic.However,the low flexibility of conventional RRAM materials hinders their ability to mimic synaptic behavior accurately.To overcome such limitation,organic-2D composites with high mechanical properties are proposed as the active layer of RRAM.Moreover,we enhance the reliability of the device by ZrO_(2)insertion layer,resulting in stable synaptic performance.The Ag/PVA:h-BN/ZrO_(2)/ITO devices show stable bipolar resistive switching behavior with an ON/OFF ratio of over 5×10^(2),a~2400 cycles endurance and a long retention time(>6×10^(3)s),which are essential for the development of high-performance RRAMs.We also study the possible synaptic mechanism and dynamic plasticity of the memory device,observing the transition from short-term potentiation(STP)to long-term potentiation(LTP)under the effect of continuous voltage pulses.Moreover,the device exhibits both long-term depression(LTD)and paired-pulse facili-tation(PPF)properties,which have significant implications for the design of organic-2D composite material RRAMs that aim to mimic biological synapses,representing promising avenues for the devel-opment of advanced neuromorphic computing systems.展开更多
Objective and Method:Symptoms manifesting in other parts of the body signaling the existence of spinal dysfunction(Ogundana Syndrome)in patients(N=35,age range 20-56yrs;mean age 36yrs)diagnosed to have systemic diseas...Objective and Method:Symptoms manifesting in other parts of the body signaling the existence of spinal dysfunction(Ogundana Syndrome)in patients(N=35,age range 20-56yrs;mean age 36yrs)diagnosed to have systemic diseases but treated with manual therapy were identified after a 30 year case note review.Results:Incipient parkinsonism(general edema and expressionless mask face),stroke(weakness of one side of the body),tinnitus(headache with noise in one or both ears),breast cancer(breast pain)and dyspnea(difficulty in breathing)were some physician diagnoses and clinical symptoms presented.One percent rate occurrence was noted affecting significantly more females(74%)than males(26%,P<0.001).This involved people with family history of back pain(66%)engaged in low income occupations(farming 40%,trading 25%,artisans 15% and civil servants 20%).Symptoms got better after vertical oscillatory pressure therapy to appropriate spinal regions.Duration of treatment was influenced by duration of spinal dysfunction prior to therapy and age of younger patients.Conclusion:One percent of patients with spinal dysfunction misdiagnosed to have systemic diseases due to misleading symptoms are finally referred for physiotherapy of manifesting symptoms.Manual therapy to the appropriate vertebro-geographic region(s)relieves the symptom(s)without prejudice to existing diagnosis.展开更多
Natural enzymes are able to precisely bind substrates and catalyze activities because of their distinct framework structures.To mimic this ability,chemists are designing framework structures that resemble real enzymes...Natural enzymes are able to precisely bind substrates and catalyze activities because of their distinct framework structures.To mimic this ability,chemists are designing framework structures that resemble real enzymes.The use of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)to mimic natural enzymes has advanced recently;this paper reviews these developments.This research specifically focuses on how the catalytically active center of natural enzymes can be exactly replicated by carefully controlling the composition and structure of MOFs.By identifying and attaching to substrates,MOFs can accelerate changes in a manner akin to that of real enzymes.The role of MOFs in simulating catalytic processes,enzyme activity,and potential uses in brain chemistry are also investigated in this work.It also discusses the most recent MOF applications in detecting and treating chemical abnormalities of the brain.The report finishes with a discussion of future research areas and potential applications,providing useful insights for researchers in the subject.展开更多
Cow milk protein allergy(CMPA)is a prevalent food allergy in infancy.It often presents with symptoms that overlap with other conditions,such as gastroeso-phageal reflux disease,lactose intolerance,food protein-induced...Cow milk protein allergy(CMPA)is a prevalent food allergy in infancy.It often presents with symptoms that overlap with other conditions,such as gastroeso-phageal reflux disease,lactose intolerance,food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome,and eosinophilic esophagitis.This diagnostic overlap makes distin-guishing CMPA from its mimics difficult,resulting in potential misdiagnoses and unnecessary dietary restrictions.This review aims to comprehensively analyze CMPA and its mimicking conditions,highlighting their clinical presentations,diagnostic approaches,and management strategies to enhance diagnostic accu-racy and optimize patient care.A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed,Scopus,Web of Science,and Google Scholar,focusing on studies published within the last 20 years.Articles addressing CMPA and its mimicking conditions were selected,with data synthesized into comparative analyses of diagnostic methods and management strategies.Accurate differentiation between CMPA and its mimics requires a thorough clinical evaluation supported by diagnostic tests such as skin prick tests,serum-specific IgE,and oral food challenges.Misdiagnosis can lead to nutritional deficiencies,psychological stress,and increased healthcare costs.Emerging diagnostic technologies,including component-resolved diagnostics and cytokine profiling,offer promising avenues for improving accuracy.A multidisciplinary approach involving pediatricians,allergists,and dietitians is essential for precise diagnosis and effective management.Ongoing research and education are crucial to enhancing clinical outcomes and reducing the burden on families.展开更多
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China through Grant Nos.52495000,52332012 and 52176093partially supported by Beijing Huiyangdao Health Technology Co.,Ltd。
文摘Bionic microfluidics is garnering increasing attention due to the superior fluidic performance enabled by biomimetic microstructures.Inspired by the unique structures of young pumpkin stems,we fabricate helicoidally patterned microchannels with precisely controlled morphologies using the projection micro-stereolithography(PμSL)-based 3D printing technique.Our helicoidally patterned microchannels achieve approximately twice the liquid lifting height compared to similarly sized smooth microchannels.This improvement is attributed to the enhanced capillary force.The additional meniscus formed between the helicoidally patterned microstructures significantly contributes to the increased capillary effects.Furthermore,the underlying mechanisms of fluidic performance in helicoidally patterned microchannels are theorized using a newly developed equation,which is also employed to optimize the geometric parameters and fluidic performance of the biomimetic helicoidal microchannels.Additionally,our biomimetic helicoidally patterned microchannels facilitate a significant step-lifting phenomenon,mimicking tall trees'transpiration.The fluidic performance of our biomimetic helicoidally patterned microchannels show promise for applications in enhanced liquid lifting,step-lifting,clean-water production,and others.
基金Supported by Chinese People’s Liberation Army Medical Technology Youth Training Program,No. 20QNPY071
文摘BACKGROUND Disc herniation refers to the displacement of disc material beyond its anatomical space.Disc sequestration is defined as migration of the herniated disc fragment into the epidural space,completely separating it from the parent disc.The fragment can move in upward,inferior,and lateral directions,which often causes low back pain and discomfort,abnormal sensation,and movement of lower limbs.The free disc fragments detached from the parent disc often mimic spinal tumors.Tumor like lumbar disc herniation can cause clinical symptoms similar to spinal tumors,such as lumbar soreness,pain,numbness and weakness of lower limbs,radiation pain of lower limbs,etc.It is usually necessary to diagnose the disease according to the doctor’s clinical experience,and make preliminary diagnosis and differential diagnosis with the help of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and contrast-enhanced MRI.However,pathological examination is the gold standard that distinguishes tumoral from non-tumoral status.We report four cases of disc herniation mimicking a tumor,and all the pathological results were intervertebral disc tissue.CASE SUMMARY The first case was a 71-year-old man with low back pain accompanied by left lower extremity radiating pain for 1 year,with exacerbation over the last 2 wk.After admission,MRI revealed a circular T2-hypointense lesion in the spinal canal of the L4 vertebral segment,with enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI suggesting neurilemmoma.The second case was a 74-year-old man with pain in both knees associated with movement limitation for 3 years,with exacerbation over the last 3 mo.MRI revealed an oval T2-hyperintense lesion in the spinal canal at the L4–5 level,with obvious peripheral enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI.Thus,neurilemmoma was suspected.The third case was a 53-year-old man who presented with numbness and weakness of the lumbar spine and right lower extremity for 2 wk.MRI revealed a round T2-hyperintense lesion in the spinal canal at the L4–5 level,with obvious rim enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI.Thus,a spinal tumor was suspected.The fourth case was a 75-year-old man with right lower extremity pain for 2 wk,with exacerbation over the last week.MRI revealed a round T1-isointense lesion in the spinal canal of the L3 vertebral segment and a T2-hyperintense signal from the lesion.There was no obvious enhancement on contrast-enhanced MRI,so a spinal tumor was suspected.All four patients underwent surgery and recovered to ASIA grade E on postoperative days 5,8,8,and 6,respectively.All patients had an uneventful postoperative course and fully recovered within 3 mo.CONCLUSION Disc herniation mimicking a tumor is a relatively rare clinical entity and can be easily misdiagnosed as a spinal tumor.Examinations and tests should be improved preoperatively.Patients should undergo comprehensive preoperative evaluations,and the lesions should be removed surgically and confirmed by pathological diagnosis.
基金supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81270544)
文摘To the Editor:IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis（IgG4-SC）has re cently been recognized as a biliary manifestation of IgG4-related disease（IgG4-RD）.Type 3 IgG4-SC pre sented biliary strictures in both the porta hepatis and the distal common bile duct（CBD）.;Its manifestation especially in the absence of autoimmune pancreatitis,is extremely rare and very similar to that of cholangiocarci noma（CC）.
基金Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing in China (Grant No 30700822)
文摘Despite the considerable mortality and morbidity in metastasis cardiac mass, antemortem diagnosis is unusual. Here we report a case of a left atrial mass echocardiographically mimicking myxoma, in a patient with lung carcinoma. The mass was pathologically confirmed to be metastatic carcinoma, which had entered the left pulmonary vein, illustrating the potential for unusual routes of tumor spread into tissue diagnosis in such cases atrium via direct invasion of left superior the heart and the importance of obtaining a
文摘Dear editor, We report a case of a 47-year-old female who presented with a toxic bupropion ingestion leading to cardiac arrest. She initially exhibited a loss of brainstem reflexes in conjunction with burst-suppression pattern on EEG. Burst suppression is an EEG waveform pattern of alternating isoelectric suppressions and high voltage bursts, Our patient ultimately made a full neurologic recovery a few days later. While there are two other cases in the literature of bupropion overdose resulting in EEG burst-suppression and loss of brainstem reflexes, we believe this is the only reported adult case complicated by cardiac arrest.
文摘Dear Sir, I am B. Spajic, the urologist from Clinical Department of Urology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. Recently, we had a rare case of a cholesterol granuloma of the right epididymis at our department, showing clinical signs of acute scrotum. The case described here appears to be the second reporting cholesterol granuloma in the epididymis and the first one presenting with clinical signs of acute scrotum.
基金Funding:S.K.thanks the Department of Biotechnology(DBT),Government of India,for research grant(award BT/PR18868/BCE/8/1370/2016 dated 2018 January 31)M.N.is grateful to CSIR for the SRA fellowship(no.B-12857,dated 2021 October 21).
文摘Mercury(Hg^(2+))has been recognized as a global pollutant with a toxic,mobile,and persistent nature.It adversely affects the ecosystem and human health.Already developed biosensors for Hg^(2+)detection majorly suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity.Herein,a colorimetric/fluorimetric dual-mode sensing approach is designed for the quantitative detection of Hg^(2+).This novel sensing approach utilizes nanofluorophores,i.e.,fluorescent copper nanoclusters-doped zirconia metal-organic framework(CuNCs@Zr-MOF)nanoconjugate(blue color)and N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX(NMM)(red color)in combination with peroxidase-mimicking G-quadruplex DNAzyme(PMDNAzyme).In the presence of Hg^(2+),dabcyl conjugated complementary DNA with T-T mismatches form the stable duplex with the CuNCs@Zr-MOF@G-quadruplex structure through T-Hg^(2+)-T base pairing.It causes the quenching of fluorescence of CuNCs@Zr-MOF(463 nm)due to the Förster resonance energy transfer(FRET)system.Moreover,the G-quadruplex(G4)structure of the aptamer enhances the fluorescence emission of NMM(610 nm).Besides this,the peroxidase-like activity of G4/hemin DNAzyme offers the colorimetric detection of Hg^(2+).The formation of duplex with PMDNAzyme increases the catalytic activity.This novel biosensing probe quantitatively detected Hg^(2+)using both fluorimetry and colorimetry approaches with a low detection limit of 0.59 and 36.3 nM,respectively.It was also observed that the presence of interfering metal ions in case of real aqueous samples does not affect the performance of this novel biosensing probe.These findings confirm the considerable potential of the proposed biosensing probe to screen the concentration of Hg^(2+)in aquatic products.
文摘Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide and the commonest cause of mortality in men. It is the commonest diagnosed cancer in African men. The earliest and common sites of metastasis are the axial skeleton and regional lymph nodes. Initial presentation of the metastatic disease with cervical or supraclavicular lymphadenopathy is rarely reported. We report 3 cases of metastatic cancer of the prostate presenting initially to physicians with huge cervical and supraclavicular lymph nodes enlargement which on biopsy revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma. On further evaluation, there were non-bothersome storage symptoms, elevated prostate specific antigen and abnormal digital rectal examination. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy of hypoechoic nodules revealed high-grade adenocarcinoma of the prostate on histopathological examination. The cervical and supraclavicular lymphadenopathy resolved after commencement of androgen deprivation therapy. We advocate for prostate cancer screening in African men above 50 years of age presenting with cervical or supraclavicular lymphadenopthy to primary care physicians even in the absence of lower urinary tract symptoms.
文摘BACKGROUND Gallbladder rupture is common in laparoscopic cholecystectomy because the gallbladder is usually in acute or chronic inflammation status.The gallstones may sometime be spilled into the peritoneal cavity,resulting in intra-abdominal ab-scess if the gallstones were not retrieved.The diagnosis of intra-abdominal ab-scess caused by unretrieved gallstone can usually be correctly identified in the routine imaging studies,such as abdominal ultrasonography or computed tomo-graphy(CT).Here we present a case of abscess formation from unretrieved gall-stone following laparoscopic cholecystectomy,which mimics the imaging findings of metastatic gallbladder ade-nocarcinoma.CASE SUMMARY This case described a 78-year-old man who received laparoscopic cholecystectomy and gallbladder adenocarcinoma was diagnosed after surgery.After adjuvant chemotherapy,the following up abdominal CT showed several small nodules at right upper abdomen and peritoneal carcinomatosis is considered.Repeated laparoscopic surgery for the excision of seeding tumor was conducted and the pathological diagnosis of the nodules and mass was inflammatory tissues and gallbladder stone.CONCLUSION Spilled gallstones are a common complication during laparoscopic cholecystectomy and some gallstones fail to be retrieved due to the size or the restricted view of laparoscopic surgery.For spilled gall bladder stones,surgeons may consider regular computerized tomography follow-up,and if necessary,laparoscopic examination can be used as a means of confirming the diagnostic and treatment.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Project 32171326,82072072,32261160372,32371377,82470532)the Leading Talent Project of Guangzhou Development District(2020-L013)+2 种基金the Guang Dong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2022B1515130010,2021A1515111035)Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2022A1515011442)Dongguan Science and Technology of Social Development Program(20231800906311,20221800906322).
文摘Thrombosis associated with implants can severely impact therapeutic outcomes and lead to increased morbidity and mortality.Thus,developing blood-contacting materials with superior anticoagulant properties is essential to prevent and mitigate device-related thrombosis.Herein,we propose a novel single-molecule multi-functional strategy for creating blood-compatible surfaces.The synthesized azide-modified Cu-DOTA-(Lys)3 molecule,which possesses both NO release and fibrinolysis functions,was immobilized on material surfaces via click chemistry.Due to the specificity,rapidity,and completeness of click chemistry,the firmly grafted Cu-DOTA-(Lys)3 endows the modified material with excellent antithrombotic properties of vascular endothelium and thrombolytic properties of fibrinolytic system.This surface effectively prevented thrombus formation in both in vitro and in vivo experiments,owing to the synergistic effect of anticoagulation and thrombolysis.Moreover,the modified material maintained its functional efficacy after one month of PBS immersion,demonstrating excellent stability.Overall,this single-molecule multifunctional strategy may become a promising surface engineering technique for blood-contacting materials.
文摘In a recent publication in Nature Materials,Gu and co-workers[1]reported the utility of a biorhythm-inspired growth hormone transdermal(BRIGHT)patch that efficiently achieved circadianrhythm-mimicking three-stage drug release and then promoted both bone growth and quality,representing a promising approach for increasing bone length through controlled growth hormone(GH)delivery.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China under grant 2023YFB4705400the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant number 62222305,U22A2064+1 种基金the Beijing Natural Science Foundation under grant 4232055the Fundamental Research Program of Shanxi Province 20210302124033.
文摘Engineered microstructures that mimic in vivo tissues have demonstrated great potential for applications in regenerative medicine,drug screening,and cell behavior exploration.However,current methods for engineering microstructures that mimic the multi-extracellular matrix and multicellular features of natural tissues to realize tissue-mimicking microstructures in vitro remain insufficient.Here,we propose a versatile method for constructing tissue-mimicking heterogeneous microstructures by orderly integration of macroscopic hydrogel exchange,microscopic cell manipulation,and encapsulation modulation.First,various cell-laden hydrogel droplets are manipulated at the millimeter scale using electrowetting on dielectric to achieve efficient hydrogel exchange.Second,the cells are manipulated at the micrometer scale using dielectrophoresis to adjust their density and arrangement within the hydrogel droplets.Third,the photopolymerization of these hydrogel droplets is triggered in designated regions by dynamically modulating the shape and position of the excitation ultraviolet beam.Thus,heterogeneous microstructures with different extracellular matrix geometries and components were constructed,including specific cell densities and patterns.The resulting heterogeneous microstructure supported long-term culture of hepatocytes and fibroblasts with high cell viability(over 90%).Moreover,the density and distribution of the 2 cell types had significant effects on the cell proliferation and urea secretion.We propose that our method can lead to the construction of additional biomimetic heterogeneous microstructures with unprecedented potential for use in future tissue engineering applications.
基金Funding for this work was from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(NSERC)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.U19A2005).
文摘Developing nanomaterial-based enzyme mimics for DNA cleavage is an interesting challenge and it has many potential applications.Single-layered graphene oxide(GO)is an excellent platform for DNA adsorption.In addition,GO has been employed for photosensitized generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS).Herein,we demonstrate that GO sheets could cleave DNA as anuclease mimicking nanozyme in the presence of UV or blue light.For various DNA sequences and lengths,well-defined product bands were observed along with photobleaching of the fluorophore label on the DNA.Different from previously reported GO cleavage of DNA,our method did not require metal ions such as Cu^2+.Fluorescence spectroscopy suggested a high adsorption affinity between GO and DNA.For comparison,although zero-dimensional fluorescent carbon dots(C-dots)had higher photosensitivity ir terms of producing ROS,their cleavage activity was much lower and only smeared cleavage products were observed,indicatingthat the ROS acted on the DNA in solution.Based on the results,GO behaved like a classic heterogeneous catalyst following substrate adsorption,reaction,and product desorption steps.This simple strategy may help in the design of new nanozymes by introducing light.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Project 82072072)International Cooperation Project by Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province(2021YFH0056,2019YFH0103)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2682020ZT82,2682020ZT76).
文摘Mimicking the nitric oxide(NO)-release and glycocalyx functions of native vascular endothelium on cardiovascular stent surfaces has been demonstrated to reduce in-stent restenosis(ISR)effectively.However,the practical performance of such an endothelium-mimicking surfaces is strictly limited by the durability of both NO release and bioactivity of the glycocalyx component.Herein,we present a mussel-inspired amine-bearing adhesive coating able to firmly tether the NO-generating species(e.g.,Cu-DOTA coordination complex)and glycocalyx-like component(e.g.,heparin)to create a durable endothelium-mimicking surface.The stent surface was firstly coated with polydopamine(pDA),followed by a surface chemical cross-link with polyamine(pAM)to form a durable pAMDA coating.Using a stepwise grafting strategy,Cu-DOTA and heparin were covalently grafted on the pAMDA-coated stent based on carbodiimide chemistry.Owing to both the high chemical stability of the pAMDA coating and covalent immobilization manner of the molecules,this proposed strategy could provide 62.4%bioactivity retention ratio of heparin,meanwhile persistently generate NO at physiological level from 5.9±0.3 to 4.8±0.4×10^(-10) mol cm^(-2) min^(-1) in 1 month.As a result,the functionalized vascular stent showed long-term endothelium-mimicking physiological effects on inhibition of thrombosis,inflammation,and intimal hyperplasia,enhanced re-endothelialization,and hence efficiently reduced ISR.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52001321),Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(19JC1415500 and 20ZR1465000).
文摘H_(2)O_(2) and glutathione(GSH)are critical redox molecules in the organism.Abnormal levels of cellular H_(2)O_(2) and GSH are closely related to some diseases.Thus,it is imperative to detect H_(2)O_(2) and GSH effi-ciently.In this work,FeeNeC single atom nanozymes(SANs)with both peroxidase and oxidasemimicking activities were successfully prepared with the help of formamide condensation by one-step hydrothermal method.The FeeNeC SANs show excellent peroxidase-like activity,which possess a higher affinity for H_(2)O_(2) and 3,30,5,50-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB)than horseradish peroxidase(HRP).Then,based on the chromogenic reaction of TMB,a colorimetric biosensor to detect H_(2)O_(2) and GSH was developed.This biosensor has the linear ranges of 10-600 mmol/L for H_(2)O_(2) with a low detection limit of 4.360 mmol/L and 100-400 mmol/L for GSH with a low detection limit of 78.33 mmol/L.Besides,this colorimetric biosensor exhibited a good recovery of H_(2)O_(2) and GSH in diluted human serum.Finally,the FeeNeC SANs were encapsulated into agar gel to self-quantitatively detect GSH by naked eyes.This work provides a non-pyrolytic way to prepare SANs,which broadens the synthetic method of SANs and may promote the development of SANs for biosensor application.
文摘1 Results Several methods have been elaborated in this laboratory allowing preparation of macromolecules with phosphodiester bonds,and having sequence of atoms similar as in the chains of biomacromolecules - nucleic or teichoic acids (TA),namely:-(C)n-O-PO-,where n=2 (for teichoic acids) or 3.These methods,to be discussed in the lecture,are based on the ring-opening polymerization,transesterification,and recently elaborated direct addition of phosphoric acid to diepoxides.For the first time an attempt h...
基金supported by Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(No.2022GXNSFBA035487)Guangxi Science and Technology Project(No.AD21220056,AD19110038)+2 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62174041,52061009,52262022)Yunnan Province Major Science and Technology Projects(202102AB080008-2)Guangxi Key Laboratory of Precision Navigation Technology and Application,Guilin University of Electronic Technology(No.DH202203,DH202202,DH202221,DH202222,DH202214).
文摘The field of artificial intelligence and neural computing has been rapidly expanding due to the imple-mentation of resistive random-access memory(RRAM)based artificial synaptic.However,the low flexibility of conventional RRAM materials hinders their ability to mimic synaptic behavior accurately.To overcome such limitation,organic-2D composites with high mechanical properties are proposed as the active layer of RRAM.Moreover,we enhance the reliability of the device by ZrO_(2)insertion layer,resulting in stable synaptic performance.The Ag/PVA:h-BN/ZrO_(2)/ITO devices show stable bipolar resistive switching behavior with an ON/OFF ratio of over 5×10^(2),a~2400 cycles endurance and a long retention time(>6×10^(3)s),which are essential for the development of high-performance RRAMs.We also study the possible synaptic mechanism and dynamic plasticity of the memory device,observing the transition from short-term potentiation(STP)to long-term potentiation(LTP)under the effect of continuous voltage pulses.Moreover,the device exhibits both long-term depression(LTD)and paired-pulse facili-tation(PPF)properties,which have significant implications for the design of organic-2D composite material RRAMs that aim to mimic biological synapses,representing promising avenues for the devel-opment of advanced neuromorphic computing systems.
文摘Objective and Method:Symptoms manifesting in other parts of the body signaling the existence of spinal dysfunction(Ogundana Syndrome)in patients(N=35,age range 20-56yrs;mean age 36yrs)diagnosed to have systemic diseases but treated with manual therapy were identified after a 30 year case note review.Results:Incipient parkinsonism(general edema and expressionless mask face),stroke(weakness of one side of the body),tinnitus(headache with noise in one or both ears),breast cancer(breast pain)and dyspnea(difficulty in breathing)were some physician diagnoses and clinical symptoms presented.One percent rate occurrence was noted affecting significantly more females(74%)than males(26%,P<0.001).This involved people with family history of back pain(66%)engaged in low income occupations(farming 40%,trading 25%,artisans 15% and civil servants 20%).Symptoms got better after vertical oscillatory pressure therapy to appropriate spinal regions.Duration of treatment was influenced by duration of spinal dysfunction prior to therapy and age of younger patients.Conclusion:One percent of patients with spinal dysfunction misdiagnosed to have systemic diseases due to misleading symptoms are finally referred for physiotherapy of manifesting symptoms.Manual therapy to the appropriate vertebro-geographic region(s)relieves the symptom(s)without prejudice to existing diagnosis.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation,China(Nos.22074095&22374103(Y.Lin))Beijing Natural Science Foundation(No.2222005(Y.Lin))。
文摘Natural enzymes are able to precisely bind substrates and catalyze activities because of their distinct framework structures.To mimic this ability,chemists are designing framework structures that resemble real enzymes.The use of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)to mimic natural enzymes has advanced recently;this paper reviews these developments.This research specifically focuses on how the catalytically active center of natural enzymes can be exactly replicated by carefully controlling the composition and structure of MOFs.By identifying and attaching to substrates,MOFs can accelerate changes in a manner akin to that of real enzymes.The role of MOFs in simulating catalytic processes,enzyme activity,and potential uses in brain chemistry are also investigated in this work.It also discusses the most recent MOF applications in detecting and treating chemical abnormalities of the brain.The report finishes with a discussion of future research areas and potential applications,providing useful insights for researchers in the subject.
文摘Cow milk protein allergy(CMPA)is a prevalent food allergy in infancy.It often presents with symptoms that overlap with other conditions,such as gastroeso-phageal reflux disease,lactose intolerance,food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome,and eosinophilic esophagitis.This diagnostic overlap makes distin-guishing CMPA from its mimics difficult,resulting in potential misdiagnoses and unnecessary dietary restrictions.This review aims to comprehensively analyze CMPA and its mimicking conditions,highlighting their clinical presentations,diagnostic approaches,and management strategies to enhance diagnostic accu-racy and optimize patient care.A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed,Scopus,Web of Science,and Google Scholar,focusing on studies published within the last 20 years.Articles addressing CMPA and its mimicking conditions were selected,with data synthesized into comparative analyses of diagnostic methods and management strategies.Accurate differentiation between CMPA and its mimics requires a thorough clinical evaluation supported by diagnostic tests such as skin prick tests,serum-specific IgE,and oral food challenges.Misdiagnosis can lead to nutritional deficiencies,psychological stress,and increased healthcare costs.Emerging diagnostic technologies,including component-resolved diagnostics and cytokine profiling,offer promising avenues for improving accuracy.A multidisciplinary approach involving pediatricians,allergists,and dietitians is essential for precise diagnosis and effective management.Ongoing research and education are crucial to enhancing clinical outcomes and reducing the burden on families.
