Nonlinear Registration of Brain Magnetic Resonance Images with Cross Constraints of Intensity and Structure

Many deep learning-based registration methods rely on a single-stream encoder-decoder network for computing deformation fields between 3D volumes.However,these methods often lack constraint information and overlook semantic consistency,limiting their performance.To address these issues,we present a novel approach for medical image registration called theDual-VoxelMorph,featuring a dual-channel cross-constraint network.This innovative network utilizes both intensity and segmentation images,which share identical semantic information and feature representations.Two encoder-decoder structures calculate deformation fields for intensity and segmentation images,as generated by the dual-channel cross-constraint network.This design facilitates bidirectional communication between grayscale and segmentation information,enabling the model to better learn the corresponding grayscale and segmentation details of the same anatomical structures.To ensure semantic and directional consistency,we introduce constraints and apply the cosine similarity function to enhance semantic consistency.Evaluation on four public datasets demonstrates superior performance compared to the baselinemethod,achieving Dice scores of 79.9%,64.5%,69.9%,and 63.5%for OASIS-1,OASIS-3,LPBA40,and ADNI,respectively.

Ultrasound-responsive microbubbles in antibacterial therapy

Microbubbles(MBs)are gas-filled micrometer-scale spheres that are commonly formed by the gas core encapsulated with stabilizing shells,including polymers,surfactants,proteins,or liposomes shells.Clinically,MBs were originally used as contrast agents for enhanced ultrasound(US)imaging and diagnostics.Nowadays,MBs were given expectations that they can be alternative platforms for drug delivery owing to their unique acoustic properties.MBs can respond to the US by cavitation effect which refers to a series of complex dynamic processes,such as oscillation,expansion,contraction,and implosion[1].Drug molecules or therapeutic agents can be associated with the MB shells by means of van-der-Waals forces,electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions,or merely by physical encapsulation[2].Therefore,strategies are emerging which take advantages of US-mediated MBs drug delivery systems,mainly focusing on sonothrombolysis,cancer therapy and central nervous system(CNS)pathologies[3].Nevertheless,several researchers have apperceived the promising potential of US-responsive MBs in antibacterial therapy.Here,we aimed to paint an overview of the latest published papers on MBs for antibacterial therapy,hoping to help understand the perspectives that the field may offer emerging generations of antibacterial agents.

猪伪狂犬病毒PCR检测方法的优化

猪伪狂犬病是由伪狂犬病毒(Pseudorabies virus,PRV)引起的一种疱疹病毒性疾病,在世界大部分地区都是地方性家畜流行病。而且猪伪狂犬病与其他猪传染病不易区分,因此,建立一个特异性强的检测方法对于其诊断具有重要意义。实验是在实验室已经建立伪狂犬病毒单项PCR检测方法的基础上,对扩增条件进行优化后对其特异性进行了验证。结果发现,优化后的方法特异性好,只有猪伪狂犬病毒扩增为阳性,其余DNA病毒:猪细小病毒、猪圆环病毒Ⅰ型(PCV1)、猪圆环病毒Ⅱ型(PCV2)均呈现阴性。因此,本研究方法可以为今后实验室检测猪伪狂犬病毒提供参考。

Effects of comprehensive nursing on postoperative complications,mental status and quality of life in patients with glioma

BACKGROUND The complexity and refractory of brain glioma requires treatment that should involve a multidisciplinary approach to improve quality of care and fulfill patients’needs.AIM To explore the effects of comprehensive nursing on postoperative complications,psychological state and quality of life in patients with brain glioma.METHODS A total of 106 patients with confirmed brain gliomas admitted to Nanchong Central Hospital between January 2019 and May 2021 were selected by random sampling.They were categorized into an observation group and a control group using a random number table with 53 patients in each group.Patients in the observation group were given comprehensive nursing in addition to conventional nursing and patients in the control group were given conventional nursing.The overall incidence of postoperative complications including limb dysfunction,high fever and epilepsy was compared between the two groups.The mental status was evaluated in the two groups before and after intervention using self-rating anxiety scale(SAS)and self-rating depression scale(SDS).Quality of life was assessed and compared using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire between the two groups before and after the intervention.RESULTS After intervention,the overall incidence of postoperative complications was significantly lower in the observation group(7.55%)than that in the control group(20.75%)(P<0.05).Before intervention,there was no significant difference in SAS and SDS scores between the two groups(P>0.05).However,after intervention,scores of SAS and SDS decreased in the two groups compared with those before intervention,and the scores of SAS and SDS were lower in the observation group than in the control group(all P<0.05).There was no significant difference in quality of life between the two groups before the intervention(P>0.05).In contrast,quality of life increased in the two groups compared with those before intervention,and it was higher in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Comprehensive nursing can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications,improve the psychological state of anxiety and depression and improve quality of life in patients with brain glioma.

Transfer Learning Algorithm Design for Feature Transfer Problem in Motor Imagery Brain-computer Interface

The non-stationary of the motor imagery electroencephalography(MI-EEG)signal is one of the main limitations for the development of motor imagery brain-computer interfaces(MI-BCI).The nonstationary of the MI-EEG signal and the changes of the experimental environment make the feature distribution of the testing set and training set deviates,which reduces the classification accuracy of MI-BCI.In this paper,we propose a Kullback–Leibler divergence(KL)-based transfer learning algorithm to solve the problem of feature transfer,the proposed algorithm uses KL to measure the similarity between the training set and the testing set,adds support vector machine(SVM)classification probability to classify and weight the covariance,and discards the poorly performing samples.The results show that the proposed algorithm can significantly improve the classification accuracy of the testing set compared with the traditional algorithms,especially for subjects with medium classification accuracy.Moreover,the algorithm based on transfer learning has the potential to improve the consistency of feature distribution that the traditional algorithms do not have,which is significant for the application of MI-BCI.

The Wnt-dependent and Wnt-independent functions of BCL9 in development,tumorigenesis,and immunity:Implications in therapeutic opportunities

B-cell CLL/lymphoma 9(BCL9)is considered a key developmental regulator and a well-established oncogenic driver in multiple cancer types,mainly through potentiating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling.However,increasing evidences indicate that BCL9 also plays multiple Wnt-independent roles.Herein,we summarized the updates of the canonical and non-canonical functions of BCL9 in cellular,physiological,or pathological processes.Moreover,we also concluded that the targeted inhibitors disrupt the interaction ofβ-catenin with BCL9 reported recently.

高熵二硼化物纳米颗粒的组分设计与催化降解抗生素研究

开发高熵硼化物材料的功能特性对于拓宽其在极端环境中的潜在应用至关重要.为此,本文通过调控材料的组分开发出具有高效催化性能的高熵二硼化物(HEB_(2))纳米颗粒:首先基于对HEB_(2)的尺寸差异因子、混合焓以及体系自蔓延燃烧模式的理论分析,我们采用一种简便、快速、低成本的燃烧合成方法合成了6种不同组分的HEB_(2)纳米颗粒;然后,通过对材料的组分进行调控实现了HEB_(2)纳米颗粒活化过硫酸盐降解抗生素的高效催化能力(四环素的最高去除效率可达93.5%).不同吸附位点的吸附能和差分电荷密度的第一性原理计算结果进一步证实了HEB_(2)优异的催化性能主要归因于Ti组元,而非高熵效应.此外,基于检测到的活性氧和计算的反应能垒,我们提出了HEB_(2)活化过硫酸盐降解抗生素的潜在催化机理.本研究不仅为HEB_(2)高效催化降解抗生素的组分设计提供了理论依据,而且显示出HEB_(2)在去除自然水体中新污染物方面的潜在应用前景.

Salmonella flagella confer anti-tumor immunological effect via activating Flagellin/TLR5 signalling within tumor microenvironment

Salmonella:mediated cancer therapy has achieved remarkable anti-tumor effects in experimental animal models,but the detailed mechanism remains unsolved.In this report,the active involvement of the host immune response in this process was confirmed by comparing the tumor-suppressive effects of Salmonella in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice bearing melanoma allografts.Since flagella are key inducers of the host immune response during bacterial infection,flagella were genetically disrupted to analyse their involvement in Salmonella-mediated cancer therapy.The results showed that flagellum-deficient strains failed to induce significant anti-tumor effects,even when more bacteria were administered to offset the difference in invasion efficiency.Flagella mainly activate immune cells via Flagellin/Toll-like receptor 5(TLR5)signalling pathway.Indeed,we showed that exogenous activation of TLR5 signalling by recombinant Flagellin and exogenous expression of TLR5 both enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of flagellum-deficient Salmonella against melanoma.Our study highlighted the therapeutic value of the interaction between Salmonella and the host immune response through Flagellin/TLR5 signalling pathway during Salmonella-mediated cancer therapy,thereby suggesting the potential application of TLR5 agonists in the cancer immune therapy.

Biofilm Microenvironment-Responsive Nanotheranostics for Dual-Mode Imaging and Hypoxia-Relief-Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy of Bacterial Infections

The formation of bacterial biofilms closely associates with infectious diseases.Until now,precise diagnosis and effective treatment of bacterial biofilm infections are still in great need.Herein,a novel multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform based on MnO_(2)nanosheets(MnO_(2)NSs)has been designed to achieve pH-responsive dual-mode imaging and hypoxia-relief-enhanced antimicrobial photodynamic therapy(aPDT)of bacterial biofilm infections.In this study,MnO_(2)NSs were modified with bovine serum albumin(BSA)and polyethylene glycol(PEG)and then loaded with chlorin e_(6)(Ce_(6))as photosensitizer to form MnO_(2)-BSA/PEG-Ce_(6)nanosheets(MBP-Ce_(6)NSs).After being delivered into the bacterial biofilm-infected tissues,the MBP-Ce_(6)NSs could be decomposed in acidic biofilm microenvironment and release Ce_(6)with Mn^(2+),which subsequently activate both fluorescence(FL)and magnetic resonance(MR)signals for effective dual-mode FL/MR imaging of bacterial biofilm infections.Meanwhile,MnO_(2)could catalyze the decomposing of H2O_(2)in biofilm-infected tissues into O_(2)and relieve the hypoxic condition of biofilm,which significantly enhances the efficacy of aPDT.An in vitro study showed that MBP-Ce_(6)NSs could significantly reduce the number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)in biofilms after 635nm laser irradiation.Guided by FL/MR imaging,MRSA biofilm-infected mice can be efficiently treated by MBP-Ce_(6)NSs-based aPDT.Overall,MBP-Ce_(6)NSs not only possess biofilm microenvironment-responsive dual-mode FL/MR imaging ability but also have significantly enhanced aPDT efficacy by relieving the hypoxia habitat of biofilm,which provides a promising theranostic nanoplatform for bacterial biofilm infections.

Combustion synthesis of high-entropy carbide nanoparticles for tetracycline degradation via persulfate activation

The development of high-entropy carbide nanoparticles merits untold scientific and technological potential,yet their synthesis remains a challenge using conventional synthetic techniques.Herein we present a facile,rapid and low-cost route for the combustion synthesis of(Ta_(0.25)Nb_(0.25)-Zr_(0.25)Ti_(0.25))C high-entropy carbide(HEC-1)nanoparticles by self-propagating reaction of metal oxides,carbon and Mg mixture precursors in NaF salt media for the first time.The combustion synthesis possibility of HEC-1 is first analyzed theoretically from thermodynamic aspects,and then the ultrafine HEC-1 nanoparticles(average particle size:~19 nm)are synthesized successfully by the combustion synthesis technique at combustion temperature of~1487 K,duration of 63 s,and heating rate of~68 K s^(-1).The as-synthesized HEC-1 nanoparticles possess high compositional uniformity and low oxygen impurity content of 2.98 wt%.To prove their utility,the as-synthesized HEC-1 nanoparticles are utilized as an effective persulfate activation catalyst for the degradation of tetracycline pollutant in groundwater or wastewater and a removal efficiency of~65.5%for tetracycline is obtained after10 h.