Detection Threshold Research Articles

Non-obese lipedema patients show a distinctly altered quantitative sensory testing profile with high diagnostic potential.

Lipedema is a widespread severe chronic disease affecting mostly women. Characterized by painful bilateral fat accumulation in extremities sparing hands and feet, objective measurement-based diagnosis is currently missing. We tested for characteristic psychometric and/or sensory alterations including pain and for their potential for medical routine diagnosis. Pain psychometry was assessed using the German Pain Questionnaire. Sensory sensitivity toward painful and nonpainful stimuli was characterized in non-obese lipedema patients and matched controls using the validated quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol of the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain. Lipedema patients showed no overt psychometric abnormalities. Pain was reported as somatic rather than psychosomatic aversive. All QST measurements were normal, but the z-score of pressure pain thresholds (PPT) was twofold reduced and the z-score of vibration detection thresholds (VDT) was two and a half times increased. Both thresholds were selectively altered at the affected thigh but not the unaffected hand. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of the combination of PPT and VDT of thigh vs hand into a PVTH score (PPT, VDT, thigh, hand-score) shows high sensitivity and specificity, categorizing correctly 95.8% of the participants as lipedema patients or healthy controls. Bayesian inference analysis corroborated the diagnostic potential of such a combined PVTH score. We propose to assess PPT and VDT at the painful thigh and the pain-free hand. Combination in a PVTH score may allow a convenient lipedema diagnosis early during disease development.

Improving Earth-like planet detection in radial velocity using deep learning

Many novel methods have been proposed to mitigate stellar activity for exoplanet detection as the presence of stellar activity in radial velocity (RV) measurements is the current major limitation. Unlike traditional methods that model stellar activity in the RV domain, more methods are moving in the direction of disentangling stellar activity at the spectral level. As deep neural networks have already been proven to be one of the most effective tools in data mining, in this work, we explore their potential in the context of Earth-like planet detection in RV measurements. The goal of this paper is to present a novel convolutional neural network-based algorithm that efficiently models stellar activity signals at the spectral level, enhancing the detection of Earth-like planets. Based on the idea that the presence of planets can only produce a Doppler shift at the spectral level while the presence of stellar activity can introduce a variation in the profile of spectral lines (asymmetry and depth change), we trained a convolutional neural network to build the correlation between the change in the spectral line profile and the corresponding RV, full width at half maximum (FWHM) and bisector span (BIS) values derived from the classical cross-correlation function. This algorithm has been tested on three intensively observed stars: Alpha Centauri B (HD\,128621), Tau ceti (HD\,10700), and the Sun. By injecting simulated planetary signals at the spectral level, we demonstrate that our machine learning algorithm can achieve, for HD\,128621 and HD\,10700, a detection threshold of 0.5 m/s in semi-amplitude for planets with periods ranging from 10 to 300 days. This threshold would correspond to the detection of a sim 4\,$ M oplus $ in the habitable zone of those stars. On the HARPS-N solar dataset, thanks to significantly more data, our algorithm is even more efficient at mitigating stellar activity signals and can reach a threshold of 0.2 m/s, which would correspond to a 2.2\,$ M oplus $ planet on the orbit of the Earth. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that such low detection thresholds are reported for the Sun, but also for other stars, and therefore this highlights the efficiency of our convolutional neural network-based algorithm at mitigating stellar activity in RV measurements.

Prognostic value of visual IMPeTUs criteria and metabolic tumor burden at baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Background2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography combined with low-dose computed tomography (PET/CT) can be used at diagnosis to identify myeloma-defining events and also provides prognostic factors. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT visual IMPeTUs (Italian myeloma criteria for PET Use)-based parameters and/or total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) in a single-center population of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) eligible for transplantation.MethodsPatients with MM who underwent a baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT were retrospectively selected from a large internal database of the University Hospital of Liege (Liege, Belgium). Initially, all PET/CT images were visually analyzed using IMPeTUs criteria, followed by delineation of TMTV using a semi-automatic lesion delineation workflow, including [18F]FDG-positive MM focal lesions (FL) with an absolute SUV threshold set at 4.0. In a first step, to ensure PET/CT scans accurate reporting, the agreement between two nuclear medicine physicians with distinct experience was assessed. In the second step, univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted to determine the prognostic significance of [18F]FDG PET/CT parameters on progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), respectively.ResultsA total of 40 patients with NDMM were included in the study. The observers agreement in the analysis [18F]FDG PET/CT images was substantial for the presence of spine FL, extra spine FL, at least one fracture and paramedullary disease (Cohen’s kappa 0.79, 0.87, 0.75 and 0.64, respectively). For the presence of skull FL and extramedullary disease the agreement was moderate (Cohen’s kappa 0.56 and 0.53, respectively). Among [18F]FDG PET/CT parameters, a high number of delineated volumes of interest (VOI) using the SUV4.0 threshold was the only independent prognostic factor associated with PFS [HR (95% CI): 1.03 (1.004–1.05), P = 0.019] while a high number of FL (n > 10; F group 4) was the only independent prognostic factor associated with OS [HR (95% CI): 19.10 (1.90–191.95), P = 0.01].ConclusionOur work confirms the reproducibility IMPeTUs criteria. Furthermore, it demonstrates that a high number of FL (n > 10; IMPeTUs F group 4), reflecting a high [18F]FDG-avid tumor burden, is an independent prognostic factor for OS. The prognostic value of the TMTV delineated using a SUV4.0 threshold was not significant. Nevertheless, the count of delineated [18F]FDG-avid lesions VOI using a SUV4.0 threshold was an independent prognostic factor for PFS.

Assessing the effectiveness of high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for post-mastectomy pain in breast cancer patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Post-mastectomy pain Syndrome (PMPS), characterized by chronic neuropathic pain stemming from intercostobrachial nerve lesions, presents a formidable clinical challenge. With the incidence of breast cancer surging, effective interventions for PMPS are urgently needed. To address this, we conducted this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to study the efficacy of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) therapy over the motor cortex on pain, quality of life and thermal sensitivity in PMPS patients. We delivered 15 rTMS sessions over three weeks in a cohort of 34 PMPS patients. These patients were allocated randomly to either rTMS therapy or sham therapy groups. Pain assessments, utilizing the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), alongside quality-of-life evaluations through the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), were recorded before and after the 15 sessions. Additionally, we assessed thermal sensitivity using Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST). Our findings demonstrate the superior efficacy of rTMS therapy (over sham therapy) in reducing VAS and SF-MPQ scores (p < 0.0001), improving physical (p = 0.037), emotional (p = 0.033), and functional well-being (p = 0.020) components of quality of life, as quantified by FACT-B. Our investigation also unveiled marked enhancements in thermal sensitivity within the rTMS therapy group, with statistically significant improvements in cold detection threshold (p = 0.0001), warm detection threshold (p = 0.0033), cold pain threshold (p = 0.0078), and hot pain tolerance threshold (p = 0.0078). The study underscores the profound positive impact of rTMS therapy on pain, quality of life, and thermal sensitivity in patients havingPMPS, opening new avenues for pain management strategies.

Determination of prickle effect detection thresholds in Llama fiber knitted fabrics

The study delves into determining the detection thresholds for the prickle effect in Llama fiber knitted fabrics, crucial for fabric acceptability assessment, by consumers of garments made from natural fibers. Employing standard evaluation methods involving moistened skin and perception scoring, coupled with the identification of objectionable (coarse) fiber content as a pivotal variable, the research using 41-invited panelist elucidates the intricate interplay between fiber characteristics (diameter) and prickle perception. Despite efforts to mitigate hairiness through finishing processes, the study unveils the nuanced impact of fiber protrusion on the prickle effect, necessitating a comprehensive evaluation approach. Through pairwise comparisons and perception scales, the study unveils strong associations between prickle perception and expression degrees, reaffirming panelists' sensitivity in detecting subtle variations. Statistical analyses underscore significant differences in coarse fiber content and diameter between paired samples, further corroborating panelists' discernment. It can be clearly concluded, from this analysis, the prickle effect detection thresholds in llama fiber fabrics range from 2.36 to 2.42% in coarse fiber differences and from 0.11 to 1.63 microns in fiber diameter difference, in the 95% of the tested cases or more probability. In conclusion, the study delineates critical thresholds (2.36%) for prickle detection in Llama fiber fabrics, offering invaluable insights for fabric evaluation and refinement processes, and emphasizing the heightened sensitivity of finished fabric samples in prickle perception.

Identifying SNP threshold from P2 sequences for investigating norovirus transmission

Noroviruses are a group of non-enveloped single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus belonging to Caliciviridae family. They can be transmitted by the fecal-oral route from contaminated food and water and cause mainly acute gastroenteritis. Outbreaks of norovirus infections could be difficult to detect and investigate. In this study, we developed a simple threshold detection approach based on variations of the P2 domain of the capsid protein. We obtained sequences from the norovirus hypervariable P2 region using Sanger sequencing, including 582 pairs of epidemiologically-related strains from 35 norovirus outbreaks and 6402 pairs of epidemiologically-unrelated strains during the four epidemic seasons. Genetic distances were calculated and a threshold was performed by adopting ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curve which identified transmission clusters in all tested outbreaks with 80% sensitivity. In average, nucleotide diversity between outbreaks was 67.5 times greater than the diversity within outbreaks. Simple and accurate thresholds for detecting norovirus transmissions of three genotypes obtained here streamlines molecular investigation of norovirus outbreaks, thus enabling rapid and efficient responses for the control of norovirus.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Translation and Validation of Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire in Hindi Language in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain.

Translation and Psychometric Testing. The objective of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) into Hindi (PSEQ-H), the local language of India, and assess its psychometric properties. The Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) is commonly used outcome measure in patients with pain and related psychosocial aspect too. The PSEQ invites participants to consider their pain while assessing their self-efficacy views. Because about half of India's population understands Hindi, there is a need to translate the PSEQ into Hindi for patient convenience and better comprehension, as well as for research purposes. The PSEQ has been translated and culturally adapted into Hindi. 120 patients with chronic neck pain were recruited.The PSEQ-H's content validity, construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and responsiveness were all assessed. To determine test-retest reliability, the ICC was calculated. Cronbach's alpha was used to determine internal consistency. Criterion validity was assessed using the NDI, NRS, and Anxiety and Depression measures. The area under the curve and the change cut-point were determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The PSEQ-H exhibited strong test-retest reliability (ICC=0.90) and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.88). Factor analysis confirmed a one-factor structure for the PSEQ-H. Furthermore, the PSEQ-H demonstrated a moderate correlation with the NDI, NPRS, anxiety, and depression scales. A change detection threshold of 8.3 was established. The Hindi version of the PSEQ is a reliable and valid measure for use in research and clinical purpose in the Indian population with chronic neck pain.

Silver nanowires/waterborne polyurethane composite film based piezoresistive pressure sensor for ultrasensitive human motion monitoring

Flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors are gaining significant attention, particularly in the realm of flexible wearable electronic skin. Here, a flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor was developed with a broad sensing range and high sensitivity. We achieved this by curing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on sandpaper, creating a PDMS film as the template with a micro-protrusion structure. The core sensing layer was formed using a composite of silver nanowires (AgNWs) and waterborne polyurethane (WPU) with a similar micro-protrusion structure. The sensor stands out with its exceptional sensitivity, showing a value of 1.04 × 106 kPa−1 with a wide linear range from 0 to 27 kPa. It also boasts a swift response and recovery time of 160 ms, coupled with a low detection threshold of 17 Pa. Even after undergoing more than 1000 cycles, the sensor continues to deliver stable performance. The flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor based on AgNWs/WPU composite film (AWCF) can detect small pressure changes such as pulse, swallowing, etc, which indicates that the sensor has great application potential in monitoring human movement and flexible wearable electronic skin.

A search for transient, monochromatic light in a 6-deg swath along the galactic plane

Abstract We searched the Milky Way Plane along a 6-deg swath for pulses of monochromatic light as faint as 15th mag (V band) using a wide-field telescope equipped with a prism. Pulses with duration less than 1 s that occur more often than once every 10 minutes would be detected, and pulses arriving less frequently would be detected with proportionally lower probability. A ‘difference-image’ algorithm revealed 36 monochromatic sources. Subsequent assessment showed all were simply astrophysical objects emitting known atomic emission lines. No unexplainable monochromatic emission, pulsed or continuous, was detected. The detection threshold corresponds to a ∼70 GW laser having a diffraction-limited 10-meter aperture 1 kiloparsec away (depending on wavelength). Past all-sky optical and radio-wave surveys revealed thousands of unexpected objects exhibiting extraordinary spectral emission, but none were technological. Hypotheses of our Milky Way Galaxy teeming with advanced life must be demoted.

Transient Propagation of the Invasion Front in the Homogeneous Landscape and in the Presence of a Road.

Understanding the propagation of invasive plants at the beginning of invasive spread is important as it can help practitioners eradicate harmful species more efficiently. In our work the propagation regime of the invasive plant species is studied at the short-time scale before a travelling wave is established and advances into space at a constant speed. The integro-difference framework has been employed to deal with a stage-structured population, and a short-distance dispersal mode has been considered in the homogeneous environment and when a road presents in the landscape. It is explained in the paper how nonlinear spatio-temporal dynamics arise in a transient regime where the propagation speed depends on the detection threshold population density. Furthermore, we investigate the question of whether the transient dynamics become different when the homogeneous landscape is transformed into the heterogeneous one. It is shown in the paper how invasion slows down in a transient regime in the presence of a road.

Two-sided automatic censoring CFAR detector based on the interquartile range in a heterogeneous Weibull clutter

As it is well known, CFAR (Constant False Alarm Rate) detectors are intended to regulate the PFA (Probability of False Alarm) in the presence of a clutter background whose mean power is unknown and/or varying. In heterogeneous clutter backgrounds, CFAR detectors false alarm control and detection efficiency rely upon their ability of clutter edge resilience and/or interfering targets rejection. Aiming to improve radar signal detection in a heterogeneous Weibull clutter, the two-sided automatic censoring IQR-CFAR (InterQuartile Range-CFAR) detector is introduced in this paper. This new detector first resorts to a logarithmic amplifier to dynamically achieve a Weibull to Gumbel transformation of the reference samples. Then, working on a cell-by-cell basis, the CFCR (Constant False Censoring Rate) algorithm retains and rejects samples based on the IQR within the reference window. Upon removal of the unwanted samples, the remaining data set is utilized to estimate the unknown biparametric linear detection threshold through the BLU (Best Linear Unbiased) estimates of the Gumbel distribution’s location and scale parameters. Extensive MC (Monte Carlo) simulations with both simulated and real data show that the suggested detector outperforms its challenging automatic censoring CFAR detectors found in the literature.

ПРЕДПОЛАГАЕМЫЙ МЕХАНИЗМ ВЛИЯНИЯ КРАТКОВРЕМЕННОЙ ГИПОКСИИ НА ОБОНЯТЕЛЬНУЮ ЧУВСТВИТЕЛЬНОСТЬ

The article is focused on the effect of short-term hypoxia on the olfactory sensitivity. The effect of short-term hypoxia on the olfactory sensitivity in human and rats were studied by determination thresholds for n-butanol. We have shown that reduced oxygen partial pressure leads to reduction of olfactory sensitivity. As known, odorant detection thresholds characterize the functional state of receptor cells. It can be assumed that the weakening of their sensitivity may be caused by a lack of energy supply to the olfactory perception process in hypoxia. To test this hypothesis, we stimulated rat olfactory sensory neurons with n-butanol in rotenone model. The reaction of cellular respiration of olfactory sensory neurons was evaluated by changing the intensity of intrinsic fluorescence of reduced pyridine nucleotides (NADH) according to the B. Chance method. Analysis of the results showed that under normoxia, stimulation of olfactory neurons by odorant caused an increase in the intensity of NADH fluorescence, which indicates the accumulation of the reduced form of pyridine nucleotides in mitochondria, and, consequently, the activation of cellular respiration due to exposure to odorant. In hypoxia caused by rotenone, an increase in the induced change of fluorescence of NADH was either not registered or the amplitude of the reaction was halved. This means that the recovery of NADH due to the odorant either did not occur at all, or this reaction to the smell was significantly lower than with normoxia, which indicates a weakening of cellular respiration during hypoxia. This is the reason for the decrease in ATP synthesis, which affects the efficiency of the olfactory transduction process and the sensitivity of olfactory sensory neurons. Therefore, based on our results, it can be concluded that the weakening of olfactory sensitivity in rats and humans with hypoxia may be due to a weakening of cellular respiration in olfactory sensory neurons.

Constrained Iterative Adaptive Algorithm for the Detection and Localization of RFI Sources Based on the SMAP L-Band Microwave Radiometer

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite carries an L-band microwave radiometer. This sensor can be used to observe global soil moisture (SM) and sea surface salinity (SSS) within the protected L-band spectrum (1400–1427 MHz). Owing to the complex effects of radio frequency interference (RFI), the SM and SSS data are missing or have low accuracy. In this paper, a constrained iterative adaptive algorithm for the detection, identification, and localization of RFI sources is designed, named MICA-BEID. The algorithm synthesizes antenna temperatures for the third and fourth Stokes parameters before RFI filtering, creating a new polarization parameter called WSPDA, designed to approximate the level of RFI interference on the L-band microwave radiometer. The algorithm then utilizes the WSPDA intensity and distribution density of RFI detection samples to enhance the identification and classification of RFI sources across various intensity levels. By utilizing statistical methods such as the probability density function (PDF) and the cumulative distribution function (CDF), the algorithm dynamically adjusts adaptive parameters, including the RFI detection threshold and the maximum effective radius of RFI sources. Through the application of multiple iterative clustering methods, the algorithm can adaptively detect and identify RFI sources at various satellite orbits and intensity levels. Through extensive comparative analysis with other localization results and known RFI sources, the MICA-BEID algorithm can achieve optimal localization accuracy of approximately 1.2 km. The localization of RFI sources provides important guidance for identifying and turning off illegal RFI sources. Moreover, the localization and long-time-series characteristic analysis of RFI sources that cannot be turned off is of significant value for simulating the spatial distribution characteristics of localized RFI source intensity in local areas.

Clinical Observations on the Combined Use of Hyperbaric Oxygenation and Conventional Medications in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Concurrent With Sudden Deafness.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of combining hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) with conventional pharmacological interventions in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus concurrent with sudden deafness. Methods: A cohort of 96 patients diagnosed with sudden deafness was enrolled and subsequently randomized into 2 groups: a treatment group (n = 50) and a control group (n = 46). The control group received standard conventional treatment aimed at enhancing microcirculation and nutritional support for nerves, while the treatment group underwent conventional symptomatic treatment coupled with HBOT. The evaluation encompassed the monitoring of blood glucose and blood lipid levels, clinical efficacy, and absolute hearing threshold improvement in both groups. Results: Following the intervention, noteworthy reductions in blood glucose and blood lipid levels were observed in both groups compared to their respective pretreatment values. Furthermore, posttreatment values in the treatment group exhibited a statistically significant decrease in comparison to those in the control group (P < .05). On assessing clinical efficacy posttreatment, the treatment group demonstrated a significantly higher efficacy than the control group (P < .05). In addition, the absolute hearing thresholds in both groups exhibited a significant decrease posttreatment compared to baseline values. Notably, the treatment group displayed a statistically significant reduction in absolute hearing thresholds compared to the control group posttreatment (P < .05). Conclusion: The combined therapeutic approach utilizing hyperbaric oxygen exhibits effectiveness in mitigating auditory impairment among individuals manifesting sudden deafness concomitant with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, this treatment approach is associated with a concurrent reduction in blood glucose and blood lipid levels.

Postural motion perception during vestibular stimulation depends on the motion perception threshold in persistent postural-perceptual dizziness.

Patients with persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) perceive postural instability larger than the observed sway. It is unknown whether the concept of postural misperception prevails during vestibular stimulation and whether it may account for the unsteadiness patients complain during body movements. We tested the hypothesis of an abnormal sensory-perceptual scaling mechanism in PPPD by recording objective, perceived, and the reproduced postural sway under various standing conditions, modulating visual and proprioceptive input, by binaural galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS). We related postural sway speed to individual vestibular motion perceptional thresholds and disease-related PPPD questionnaires in 32 patients and 28 age-matched healthy control subjects (HC). All participants showed normal vestibular function tests on quantitative testing at the time of enrollment. The perception threshold of GVS was lower in patients. Compared to HC, patients showed and perceived larger sway on the firm platform. With GVS, posturo-perceptual ratios did not show group differences. The ratio of reproduced to real postural sway showed no group differences indicating normal postural sway perception during vestibular stimulation. Noticeably, only in patients, reproduced postural instability became larger with lower individual thresholds of vestibular motion detection. We conclude that posturo-perceptual (metacognitive) scaling of postural control seems to be largely preserved in PPPD during GVS. Vestibular stimulation does not destabilize patients more than HC, even in challenging postural conditions. Low individual thresholds of vestibular motion perception seem to facilitate instability and postural misperception on solid grounds. Thisconclusion is important for an effective physical therapy with vestibular exercises in PPPD.

Initial Study of Adaptive Threshold Cycle Slip Detection on BDS/GPS Kinematic Precise Point Positioning during Geomagnetic Storms

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) provides users with all-weather, continuous, high-precision positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. In the operation and use of GNSS, the influence of the space environment is a factor that must be considered. For example, during geomagnetic storms, a series of changes in the Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and upper atmosphere affect GNSS’s positioning performance. To investigate the positioning performance of global satellite navigation systems during geomagnetic storms, this study selected three geomagnetic storm events that occurred from September to December 2023. Utilizing the global positioning system (GPS)/Beidou navigation satellite system (BDS) dual-system, kinematic precise point positioning (PPP) experiments were conducted, and the raw observational data from 100 stations worldwide was analyzed. The experimental results show that the positioning accuracy of some stations in high-latitude areas decreases significantly when using the conventional Geometry Free (GF) cycle-slip detection threshold during geomagnetic storms, which means that the GF is no longer applicable to high-precision positioning services. Meanwhile, there is no significant change in the satellite signal strengths received at the stations during the period of the decrease in positioning accuracy. Analyzing the cycle-slip rates for stations where abnormal accuracy occurred, it was observed that stations experiencing a significant decline in positioning accuracy exhibited serious cycle-slip misjudgments. To improve the kinematic PPP accuracy during magnetic storms, this paper proposes an adaptive threshold for cycle-slip detection and designs five experimental strategies. After using the GF adaptive threshold, the station positioning accuracy improved significantly. It achieved the accuracy level of the quiet period, while the cycle-slip incidence reached the average level. During magnetic storms, the ionosphere changes rapidly, and the use of the traditional GF constant threshold will cause serious cycle-slip misjudgments, which makes the dynamic accuracy in high latitude areas and some mid-latitude areas uncommon, while the use of the GF adaptive threshold can alleviate this phenomenon and improve the positioning accuracy in the high-latitude regions and some of the affected mid-latitude areas during the magnetic storms.

Structural Defect-Enabled Magnetic Neutrality Nanoprobes for Ultra-High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Isolated Tumor Cells in Vivo.

The identification of metastasis "seeds," isolated tumor cells (ITCs), is of paramount importance for the prognosis and tailored treatment of metastatic diseases. The conventional approach to clinical ITCs diagnosis through invasive biopsies is encumbered by the inherent risks of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. This underscores the pressing need for noninvasive ITCs detection methods that provide histopathological-level insights. Recent advancements in ultra-high-field (UHF) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have ignited hope for the revelation of minute lesions, including the elusive ITCs. Nevertheless, currently available MRI contrast agents are susceptible to magnetization-induced strong T2-decaying effects under UHF conditions, which compromises T1 MRI capability and further impedes the precise imaging of small lesions. Herein, this study reports a structural defect-enabled magnetic neutrality nanoprobe (MNN) distinguished by its paramagnetic properties featuring an exceptionally low magnetic susceptibility through atomic modulation, rendering it almost nonmagnetic. This unique characteristic effectively mitigates T2-decaying effect while concurrently enhancing UHF T1 contrast. Under 9 T MRI, the MNN demonstrates an unprecedentedly low r2/r1 value (≈1.06), enabling noninvasive visualization of ITCs with an exceptional detection threshold of ≈0.16mm. These high-performance MNNs unveil the domain of hitherto undetectable minute lesions, representing a significant advancement in UHF-MRI for diagnostic purposes and fostering comprehensive metastasis research.

Near-Infrared Luminescent Materials Incorporating Rare Earth/Transition Metal Ions: From Materials to Applications.

Near-infrared materials exhibiting high photoluminescence quantum yields present a promising avenue to broaden our capacity and threshold for detection and manipulation, extending beyond the visible emission range. The spotlight has shifted to near-infrared (NIR) luminescent materials emitting beyond 1000nm, with growing interest due to their unique characteristics. The ability of NIR-II emission (1000-1700nm) to penetrate deeply and transmit independently positions these NIR luminescent materials for applications in optical-communication devices, bioimaging, and photodetectors. The combination of rare earth metals/transition metals with a variety of matrix materials provides a new platform for creating new chemical and physical properties for materials science and device applications. In this review, we summarize the recent advancements in NIR emission activated by rare earth and transition metal ions and illustrate their role in applications spanning bioimaging, sensing, and optoelectronics. We start from the various synthesis techniques, including high-temperature solid-state, hydrothermal, and thermal decomposition methods, on how to delicately incorporate the rare-earth/transition metals to the NIR various matrixes, each imparting distinct characteristics to these luminescent materials. We then extend the discussion to strategies of enhancing excitation absorption and emission efficiency, spotlighting innovations like dye sensitization and surface plasmon resonance effects. Subsequently, a significant focus is placed on functionalization strategies and their applications. Finally, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and proposed strategies for rare earth/transition metal ion-doped near-infrared luminescent materials, summarizing the insights of each section. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Umami Altering Salivary Proteome: A Study across a Sensitivity Spectrum on Subjects.

This study delved into the relationship between umami taste sensitivity (UTS) and variations in the salivary proteome among 12 healthy nonsmokers utilizing 4D data-independent acquisition-based proteomics. By assessing UTS through monosodium l-glutamate (MSG) detection thresholds, we discovered notable differences: individuals with high UTS detected umami at significantly lower MSG concentrations (0.20 ± 0.12 mM) compared to their low UTS counterparts (2.51 ± 1.21 mM). Both groups showed an upregulation of the S100A1 protein under MSG stimulation, indicating a potent biochemical response to umami stimuli. The high UTS group exhibited enhanced metabolic pathways including those for amino acid, lipid, and organic acid biosynthesis, essential for maintaining taste receptor functionality and enhancing signal transduction. This group also demonstrated increased activity in cytochrome P450 enzymes and ribonucleoprotein complexes, suggesting a readiness to manage metabolic challenges and optimize umami perception. In contrast, the low UTS group showed adaptive mechanisms, possibly through modulation of receptor availability and function, with an upregulation of structural and ribosomal proteins that may support taste receptor production and turnover. These findings suggest that varying biological mechanisms underpin differences in umami perception, which could significantly influence dietary preferences and nutritional outcomes, highlighting the intricate interplay of genetic, physiological, and metabolic factors in taste sensitivity.

On-Site and Visual Detection of the H5 Subtype Avian Influenza Virus Based on RT-RPA and CRISPR/Cas12a.

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) of the H5 subtype rank among the most serious pathogens, leading to significant economic losses in the global poultry industry and posing risks to human health. Therefore, rapid and accurate virus detection is crucial for the prevention and control of H5 AIVs. In this study, we established a novel detection method for H5 viruses by utilizing the precision of CRISPR/Cas12a and the efficiency of RT-RPA technologies. This assay facilitates the direct visualization of detection results through blue light and lateral flow strips, accurately identifying H5 viruses with high specificity and without cross-reactivity against other AIV subtypes, NDV, IBV, and IBDV. With detection thresholds of 1.9 copies/μL (blue light) and 1.9 × 103 copies/μL (lateral flow strips), our method not only competes with but also slightly surpasses RT-qPCR, demonstrating an 80.70% positive detection rate across 81 clinical samples. The RT-RPA/CRISPR-based detection method is characterized by high sensitivity, specificity, and independence from specialized equipment. The immediate field applicability of the RT-RPA/CRISPR approach underscores its importance as an effective tool for the early detection and management of outbreaks caused by the H5 subtype of AIVs.