Bio-Inspired Screwed Conduits from the Microfluidic Rope-Coiling Effect for Microvessels and Bronchioles

Tubular microfibers have recently attracted extensive interest for applications in tissue engineering.However,the fabrication of tubular fibers with intricate hierarchical structures remains a major challenge.Here,we present a novel one-step microfluidic spinning method to generate bio-inspired screwed conduits(BSCs).Based on the microfluidic rope-coiling effect,a viscous hydrogel precursor is first curved into a helix stream in the channel,and then consecutively packed as a hollow structured stream and gelated into a screwed conduit(SC)via ionic and covalent crosslinking.By taking advantage of the excellent fluid-controlling ability of microfluidics,various tubes with diverse structures are fabricated via simple control over fluid velocities and multiple microfluidic device designs.The perfusability and permeability results,as well as the encapsulation and culture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs),human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells(HPAs),and myogenic cells(C2C12),demonstrate that these SCs have good perfusability and permeability and the ability to induce the formation of functional biostructures.These features support the uniqueness and potential applications of these BSCs as biomimetic blood vessels and bronchiole tissues in combination with tissue microstructures,with likely application possibilities in biomedical engineering.

Experimental and numerical study of hypervelocity impact damage on composite overwrapped pressure vessels

Ground-based tests are important for studying hypervelocity impact(HVI)damage to spacecraft pressure vessels in the orbital debris environment.We analyzed the damage to composite overwrapped pressure vessels(COPVs)in the HVI tests and classified the damage into non-catastrophic damage and catastrophic damage.We proposed a numerical simulation method to further study non-catastrophic damage and revealed the characteristics and mechanisms of non-catastrophic damage affected by impact conditions and internal pressures.The fragments of the catastrophically damaged COPVs were collected after the tests.The crack distribution and propagation process of the catastrophic ruptures of the COPVs were analyzed.Our findings contribute to understanding the damage characteristics and mechanisms of COPVs by HVIs.

Predictive visual field outcomes after optic chiasm decompressive surgery by retinal vessels parameters using optical coherence tomography angiography

AIM:To evaluate the predictive value of superficial retinal capillary plexus(SRCP)and radial peripapillary capillary(RPC)for visual field recovery after optic cross decompression and compare them with peripapillary nerve fiber layer(pRNFL)and ganglion cell complex(GCC).METHODS:This prospective longitudinal observational study included patients with chiasmal compression due to sellar region mass scheduled for decompressive surgery.Generalized estimating equations were used to compare retinal vessel density and retinal layer thickness preand post-operatively and with healthy controls.Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between preoperative GCC,pRNFL,SRCP,and RPC parameters and visual field recovery after surgery.RESULTS:The study included 43 eyes of 24 patients and 48 eyes of 24 healthy controls.Preoperative RPC and SRCP vessel density and pRNFL and GCC thickness were lower than healthy controls and higher than postoperative values.The best predictive GCC and pRNFL models were based on the superior GCC[area under the curve(AUC)=0.866]and the tempo-inferior pRNFL(AUC=0.824),and the best predictive SRCP and RPC models were based on the nasal SRCP(AUC=0.718)and tempo-inferior RPC(AUC=0.825).There was no statistical difference in the predictive value of the superior GCC,tempo-inferior pRNFL,and tempo-inferior RPC(all P>0.05).CONCLUSION:Compression of the optic chiasm by tumors in the saddle area can reduce retinal thickness and blood perfusion.This reduction persists despite the recovery of the visual field after decompression surgery.GCC,pRNFL,and RPC can be used as sensitive predictors of visual field recovery after decompression surgery.

Nomogram prediction of vessels encapsulating tumor clusters in small hepatocellular carcinoma≤3 cm based on enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND Vessels encapsulating tumor clusters(VETC)represent a recently discovered vascular pattern associated with novel metastasis mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,it seems that no one have focused on predicting VETC status in small HCC(sHCC).This study aimed to develop a new nomogram for predicting VETC positivity using preoperative clinical data and image features in sHCC(≤3 cm)patients.AIM To construct a nomogram that combines preoperative clinical parameters and image features to predict patterns of VETC and evaluate the prognosis of sHCC patients.METHODS A total of 309 patients with sHCC,who underwent segmental resection and had their VETC status confirmed,were included in the study.These patients were recruited from three different hospitals:Hospital 1 contributed 177 patients for the training set,Hospital 2 provided 78 patients for the test set,and Hospital 3 provided 54 patients for the validation set.Independent predictors of VETC were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic analyses.These independent predictors were then used to construct a VETC prediction model for sHCC.The model’s performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC),calibration curve,and clinical decision curve.Additionally,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to confirm whether the predicted VETC status by the model is associated with early recurrence,just as it is with the actual VETC status and early recurrence.RESULTS Alpha-fetoprotein_lg10,carbohydrate antigen 199,irregular shape,non-smooth margin,and arterial peritumoral enhancement were identified as independent predictors of VETC.The model incorporating these predictors demonstrated strong predictive performance.The AUC was 0.811 for the training set,0.800 for the test set,and 0.791 for the validation set.The calibration curve indicated that the predicted probability was consistent with the actual VETC status in all three sets.Furthermore,the decision curve analysis demonstrated the clinical benefits of our model for patients with sHCC.Finally,early recurrence was more likely to occur in the VETC-positive group compared to the VETC-negative group,regardless of whether considering the actual or predicted VETC status.CONCLUSION Our novel prediction model demonstrates strong performance in predicting VETC positivity in sHCC(≤3 cm)patients,and it holds potential for predicting early recurrence.This model equips clinicians with valuable information to make informed clinical treatment decisions.

Preoperatively predicting vessels encapsulating tumor clusters in hepatocellular carcinoma:Machine learning model based on contrast-enhanced computed tomography

BACKGROUND Recently,vessels encapsulating tumor clusters(VETC)was considered as a distinct pattern of tumor vascularization which can primarily facilitate the entry of the whole tumor cluster into the bloodstream in an invasion independent manner,and was regarded as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).AIM To develop and validate a preoperative nomogram using contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CECT)to predict the presence of VETC+in HCC.METHODS We retrospectively evaluated 190 patients with pathologically confirmed HCC who underwent CECT scanning and immunochemical staining for cluster of differentiation 34 at two medical centers.Radiomics analysis was conducted on intratumoral and peritumoral regions in the portal vein phase.Radiomics features,essential for identifying VETC+HCC,were extracted and utilized to develop a radiomics model using machine learning algorithms in the training set.The model’s performance was validated on two separate test sets.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)analysis was employed to compare the identified performance of three models in predicting the VETC status of HCC on both training and test sets.The most predictive model was then used to constructed a radiomics nomogram that integrated the independent clinical-radiological features.ROC and decision curve analysis were used to assess the performance characteristics of the clinical-radiological features,the radiomics features and the radiomics nomogram.RESULTS The study included 190 individuals from two independent centers,with the majority being male(81%)and a median age of 57 years(interquartile range:51-66).The area under the curve(AUC)for the combined radiomics features selected from the intratumoral and peritumoral areas were 0.825,0.788,and 0.680 in the training set and the two test sets.A total of 13 features were selected to construct the Rad-score.The nomogram,combining clinicalradiological and combined radiomics features could accurately predict VETC+in all three sets,with AUC values of 0.859,0.848 and 0.757.Decision curve analysis revealed that the radiomics nomogram was more clinically useful than both the clinical-radiological feature and the combined radiomics models.CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the potential utility of a CECT-based radiomics nomogram,incorporating clinicalradiological features and combined radiomics features,in the identification of VETC+HCC.

Reduction of photodynamic damage of blood vessels in the protected region by(–)-epigallocatechin gallate

Photodynamic therapy(PDT)has been increasingly used in the clinical treatment of neoplastic,inflammatory and infectious skin diseases.However,the generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS)may induce undesired side effects in normal tissue surrounding the treatment lesion,which is a big challenge for the clinical application of PDT.To date,(–)-Epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG)has been widely proposed as an antiangiogenic and antitumor agent for the protection of normal tissue from ROS-mediated oxidative damage.This study evaluates the regulation ability of EGCG for photodynamic damage of blood vessels during hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether(Hemoporfin)-mediated PDT.The quenching rate constants of EGCG for the triplet-state Hemoporfin and photosensitized 1O2 generation are determined to be 6.8×10^(8)M^(−1)S^(−1),respectively.The vasoconstriction of blood vessels in the protected region treated with EGCG hydrogel after PDT is lower than that of the control region treated with pure hydrogel,suggesting an efficiently reduced photodamage of Hemoporfin for blood vessels treated with EGCG.This study indicates that EGCG is an efficient quencher for triplet-state Hemoporfin and 1O2,and EGCG could be potentially used to reduce the undesired photodamage of normal tissue in clinical PDT.

Liner Damage Analysis for Hydrogen Storage Vessels Subjected to Local Compressive Loads Using the Submodeling Method

When a hydrogen storage vessel is subjected to a local impact load, damage may occur in the liner and result in hydrogen leakage and other catastrophic consequences. When predicting liner damage of a hydrogen storage vessel using the finite element method(FEM), although large element size is required to achieve a desired computational efficiency, it oftentimes causes inaccuracy in the damage model. To remedy this problem, in this study a novel approach which calculates the material damage based on the GISSMO(Generalized Incremental Stress State dependent damage Model) damage model and employs a submodeling strategy is proposed. According to this approach,the global model is discretized to large elements to increase the efficiency, while the submodel is meshed to much smaller elements to accurately reflect the material damage. Employing the established approach and material parameters calibrated from a large set of notched aluminum alloy 5083 specimens, the liner damage of a type Ⅲ hydrogen storage vessel subjected to a local compressive load was simulated. This way, the study reveals how the characteristics of the stress and material damage interact with each other. In addition, the study also demonstrates that the proposed approach can be used as a viable means to evaluate the damage within hydrogen storage vessels.

Exploration on the Optimization Strategy for the Layup of Composite Material Pressure Vessels Based on Advanced Algorithms

This study aims to explore the influence of the laying angle on the pressure shell structure made of composite materials under the condition of a fixed shape. By using a composite material composed of a mixture of T800 carbon fiber and AG80 epoxy resin to design pressure vessels, this material combination can significantly improve the interlaminar shear strength and heat resistance. The article elaborates on the basic concepts and failure criteria of composite materials, such as the maximum stress criterion, the maximum strain criterion, the Tsai-Hill criterion, etc. With the help of the APDL parametric modeling language, the arc-shaped, parabolic, elliptical, and fitting curve-shaped pressure vessel models are accurately constructed, and the material property settings and mesh division are completed. Subsequently, APDL is used for static analysis, and the genetic algorithm toolbox built into Matlab is combined to carry out optimization calculations to determine the optimal laying angle. The research results show that the equivalent stress corresponding to the optimal laying angle of the arc-shaped pressure vessel is 5.3685e+08 Pa, the elliptical one is 5.1969e+08 Pa, the parabolic one is 5.8692e+08 Pa, and the fitting curve-shaped one is 5.36862e+08 Pa. Among them, the stress distribution of the fitting curve-shaped pressure vessel is relatively more uniform, with a deformation of 0.568E−03 m, a minimum equivalent stress value of 0.261E+09 Pa, a maximum equivalent stress value of 0.537E+09 Pa, and a ratio of 0.48, which conforms to the equivalent stress criterion. In addition, the fitting curve of this model can adapt to various models and has higher practical value. However, the stress distribution of the elliptical and parabolic pressure vessels is uneven, and their applicability is poor. In the future, further exploration can be conducted on the application of the fitting curve model in composite materials to optimize the design of pressure vessels. This study provides important theoretical support and practical guidance for the design of composite material pressure vessels.

穿支皮瓣choke vessels新生的研究进展

大量研究资料显示：每一皮肤穿支均有一个明确的供血范围,并与周围其它穿支的分支相互吻合形成血管网,即choke vessels。作为血管体间桥梁结构的choke vessels在跨区皮瓣的设计和切取方面起到十分重要的作用。近年来,有关穿支皮瓣跨区供血的基础研究-[1-3]和临床报道-[4-6]屡见不鲜,而本文就其中与choke vessels新生相关的研究综述如下。

Choke vessels与穿支皮瓣的扩展

近年来随着临床解剖学研究的深入,在皮瓣的血供研究方面取得了新进展。1987年,Taylor等[1]提出了＂血管体（angiosomes）＂理论,所谓血管体是指某一源动脉呈树形分布的所有解剖学区域（anatomical territory）,包括皮肤、浅筋膜、深筋膜及其深层的各种组织。血管体呈树形分支,其口径逐渐变细并与周围邻近血管体的类似血管形成血管网相连接,这种口径逐渐减小而互相吻合的血管网被称之为＂choke vessels＂。

Meningeal lymphatic vessel crosstalk with central nervous system immune cells in aging and neurodegenerative diseases

Meningeal lymphatic vessels form a relationship between the nervous system and periphery, which is relevant in both health and disease. Meningeal lymphatic vessels not only play a key role in the drainage of brain metabolites but also contribute to antigen delivery and immune cell activation. The advent of novel genomic technologies has enabled rapid progress in the characterization of myeloid and lymphoid cells and their interactions with meningeal lymphatic vessels within the central nervous system. In this review, we provide an overview of the multifaceted roles of meningeal lymphatic vessels within the context of the central nervous system immune network, highlighting recent discoveries on the immunological niche provided by meningeal lymphatic vessels. Furthermore, we delve into the mechanisms of crosstalk between meningeal lymphatic vessels and immune cells in the central nervous system under both homeostatic conditions and neurodegenerative diseases, discussing how these interactions shape the pathological outcomes. Regulation of meningeal lymphatic vessel function and structure can influence lymphatic drainage, cerebrospinal fluid-borne immune modulators, and immune cell populations in aging and neurodegenerative disorders, thereby playing a key role in shaping meningeal and brain parenchyma immunity.

Studies on the Molecular Structure of Vessels in Secondary Xylem of Stem from Three Carambola Varieties

[Objective] The aim of this study was to provide the theoretical basis for variety identification of carambola and pomiculture.[Method] The molecular structure of vessels in stem secondary xylem from three carambola varieties of Malaysia 8,Misi and Malaysia B17 were studied by cell image analysis system and microphotography.[Result] The molecular structure of vessels in stem secondary xylem from carambola was as follows:the first type had tails in two ends,the second type had tail in one end,and the third type had no tails in two ends.The average length of vessel elements was from 328.88 to 366.09 μm,while its average width was from 44.61 to 52.43 μm.Most of the end wall was simple perforation plates,while the alternate-opposite pitting was the major forms of pitting.[Conclusion] Most characteristics of vessel elements from carambola were evolutionary characters of vessel elements in the process of phylogeny,but there were more primitive characters,for example,both two ends of vessel had tails or just one end had tail,and end wall was inclined.The molecular structure of vessel from carambola was in accordance with its ecological adaptability,and the growth characteristics of different varieties were also in accordance with the difference of molecular structure of vessel.

Choke Vessels扩展的研究进展

穿支皮瓣是创伤修复的研究热点,穿支皮瓣研究的重点和难点则在于choke vessels。我们对近年来choke vessels扩展研究的相关文献进行综述,目前的研究主要聚焦于形态学的描述,其扩张机制很可能是剪切力变化,激活TRPV4,通过NF-kb通路而导致choke vessels扩张。

糖尿病足相关的choke vessels微环境特征研究进展

近年来,糖尿病人群越来越多,其发病率逐年升高,其并发症糖尿病足患者也随之增多。很多学者从基础和临床的角度对糖尿病足进行了大量研究,对其形成机制、相关影响因素及治疗方面均取得进展,但糖尿病足相关的choke vessels微环境的特征还有待进一步研究。本文就糖尿病足溃疡周围的choke vessels相关的研究情况及存在的问题综述如下。

Predictive value of a constructed artificial neural network model for microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma:A retrospective study

BACKGROUND Microvascular invasion(MVI)is a significant risk factor for recurrence and metastasis following hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)surgery.Currently,there is a paucity of preoperative evaluation approaches for MVI.AIM To investigate the predictive value of texture features and radiological signs based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in the non-invasive preoperative prediction of MVI in HCC.METHODS Clinical data from 97 HCC patients were retrospectively collected from January 2019 to July 2022 at our hospital.Patients were classified into two groups:MVI-positive(n=57)and MVI-negative(n=40),based on postoperative pathological results.The correlation between relevant radiological signs and MVI status was analyzed.MaZda4.6 software and the mutual information method were employed to identify the top 10 dominant texture features,which were combined with radiological signs to construct artificial neural network(ANN)models for MVI prediction.The predictive performance of the ANN models was evaluated using area under the curve,sensitivity,and specificity.ANN models with relatively high predictive performance were screened using the DeLong test,and the regression model of multilayer feedforward ANN with backpropagation and error backpropagation learning method was used to evaluate the models’stability.RESULTS The absence of a pseudocapsule,an incomplete pseudocapsule,and the presence of tumor blood vessels were identified as independent predictors of HCC MVI.The ANN model constructed using the dominant features of the combined group(pseudocapsule status+tumor blood vessels+arterial phase+venous phase)demonstrated the best predictive performance for MVI status and was found to be automated,highly operable,and very stable.CONCLUSION The ANN model constructed using the dominant features of the combined group can be recommended as a noninvasive method for preoperative prediction of HCC MVI status.

Silk-based nerve guidance conduits with macroscopic holes modulate the vascularization of regenerating rat sciatic nerve

Peripheral nerve injuries induce a severe motor and sensory deficit. Since the availability of autologous nerve transplants for nerve repair is very limited, alternative treatment strategies are sought, including the use of tubular nerve guidance conduits(tNGCs). However, the use of tNGCs results in poor functional recovery and central necrosis of the regenerating tissue, which limits their application to short nerve lesion defects(typically shorter than 3 cm). Given the importance of vascularization in nerve regeneration, we hypothesized that enabling the growth of blood vessels from the surrounding tissue into the regenerating nerve within the tNGC would help eliminate necrotic processes and lead to improved regeneration. In this study, we reported the application of macroscopic holes into the tubular walls of silk-based tNGCs and compared the various features of these improved silk^(+) tNGCs with the tubes without holes(silk^(–) tNGCs) and autologous nerve transplants in an 8-mm sciatic nerve defect in rats. Using a combination of micro-computed tomography and histological analyses, we were able to prove that the use of silk^(+) tNGCs induced the growth of blood vessels from the adjacent tissue to the intraluminal neovascular formation. A significantly higher number of blood vessels in the silk^(+) group was found compared with autologous nerve transplants and silk^(–), accompanied by improved axon regeneration at the distal coaptation point compared with the silk^(–) tNGCs at 7 weeks postoperatively. In the 15-mm(critical size) sciatic nerve defect model, we again observed a distinct ingrowth of blood vessels through the tubular walls of silk^(+) tNGCs, but without improved functional recovery at 12 weeks postoperatively. Our data proves that macroporous tNGCs increase the vascular supply of regenerating nerves and facilitate improved axonal regeneration in a short-defect model but not in a critical-size defect model. This study suggests that further optimization of the macroscopic holes silk^(+) tNGC approach containing macroscopic holes might result in improved grafting technology suitable for future clinical use.

Dual encoding feature filtering generalized attention UNET for retinal vessel segmentation

Retinal blood vessel segmentation is crucial for diagnosing ocular and cardiovascular diseases.Although the introduction of U-Net in 2015 by Olaf Ronneberger significantly advanced this field,yet issues like limited training data,imbalance data distribution,and inadequate feature extraction persist,hindering both the segmentation performance and optimal model generalization.Addressing these critical issues,the DEFFA-Unet is proposed featuring an additional encoder to process domain-invariant pre-processed inputs,thereby improving both richer feature encoding and enhanced model generalization.A feature filtering fusion module is developed to ensure the precise feature filtering and robust hybrid feature fusion.In response to the task-specific need for higher precision where false positives are very costly,traditional skip connections are replaced with the attention-guided feature reconstructing fusion module.Additionally,innovative data augmentation and balancing methods are proposed to counter data scarcity and distribution imbalance,further boosting the robustness and generalization of the model.With a comprehensive suite of evaluation metrics,extensive validations on four benchmark datasets(DRIVE,CHASEDB1,STARE,and HRF)and an SLO dataset(IOSTAR),demonstrate the proposed method’s superiority over both baseline and state-of-the-art models.Particularly the proposed method significantly outperforms the compared methods in cross-validation model generalization.

Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes of ses Stent in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease After Intracoronary Stenting in Small Vessels

Background:Limited data are available for sirolimus-eluting stent(SES,Cypher)implantation in patients with coronary artery disease in small vessels.The clinical longtermoutcomes of SES in patients with coronary artery disease after intracoronary stenting in small vessels has not been yet evaluated.

Retinal capillary density among healthy Egyptian and South Asian students:an optical coherence tomography angiography study

AIM:To compare the macular and optic nerve perfusion and vascular architecture using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in normal eyes of Egyptian(Caucasians)and South Asian(Asians)volunteers.METHODS:Cross-sectional analytical OCTA study performed on 90 eyes of South Asian(n=45)and Egyptians(n=45)were analyzed.All participants underwent bestcorrected visual acuity test,slit lamp,and fundus examination.OCTA images;macular 6×6 mm^(2) grid and optic nerve 4.5×4.5 mm^(2) grid were used to examine the parafoveal and peripapillary regions,respectively.RESULTS:The mean capillary vessel density(CVD)in macular sectors among South Asians and Egyptians participants were(50.31%±2.53%,51.2%±5.93%)and(49.71%±3.6%,51.94%±4.79%)in superficial(SCP)and deep capillary plexuses(DCP),respectively(P>0.05).Mean CVD in both groups was higher in DCP compared to SCP in all sectors but was not significant(P>0.05).Mean foveal CVD increases with an increase in central retinal thickness in both SCP and DCP(P<0.001),among both groups.Mean area of the foveal avascular zone(FAZ)was 0.28±0.09 and 0.27±0.08 mm2 in South Asian and Egyptians,respectively.FAZ area decreases with an increase in the thickness and foveal CVD(P<0.001).Mean CVD in the peripapillary area was 48.23%±5.78% in South Asian and 49.52%±2.38% in Egyptian volunteers.The mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was found to be higher in the nasal quadrant among South Asian females than the Egyptian females(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:No significant racial disparity is found in this study.The findings are helpful for assessing and improving the normative data on the differences in South Asian and Egyptian populations.

Tissue engineering of blood vessels with endothelial cells differentiated from mouse embryonic stem cells

Endothelial cells (TEC_3 cells) derived from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells were used as seed cells to construct blood vessels. Tissue engineered blood vessels were made by seeding 8 × 10~6 smooth muscle cells (SMCs) obtained from rabbit arteries onto a sheet of nonwoven polyglycolic acid (PGA) fibers, which was used as a biodegradable polymer scaffold. After being cultured in DMEM medium for 7 days in vitro, SMCs grew well on the PGA fibers, and the cell-PGA sheet was then wrapped around a silicon tube, and implanted subcutaneously into nude mice. After 6～8 weeks, the silicon tube was replaced with another silicon tube in smaller diameter, and then the TEC_3 cells (endothelial cells differentiated from mouse ES cells) were injected inside the engineered vessel tube as the test group. In the control group only culture medium was injected. Five days later, the engineered vessels were harvested for gross observation, histological and immunohistochemical analysis. The preliminary results demonstrated that the SMC-PGA construct could form a tubular structure in 6～8 weeks and PGA fibers were completely degraded. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis of the newly formed tissue revealed a typical blood vessel structure, including a lining of endothelial cells (ECs) on the lumimal surface and the presence of SMC and collagen in the wall. No EC lining was found in the tubes of control group. Therefore, the ECs differentiated from mouse ES cells can serve as seed cells for endothelium lining in tissue engineered blood vessels.