In this work, we present synthetic approaches to introduce two gold-containing functionalities onto blue-phosphorescent trans-bis(acyclic diaminocarbene) platinum(II) acetylide complexes via carbon-gold σ-bond formation. The first strategy described involves transmetalation between a protected boronic ester and a gold(I)-phosphine or gold(I)-NHC source to form a Au-Caryl bond on the periphery of each phenylacetylide ligand. The second strategy employs diynyl acetylide ligands as bridging ligands, which forms new Au-Calkynyl bonds upon reaction with gold(I)-phosphine precursors in the presence of base. In total, seven gold-containing platinum acetylide complexes were accessed by these routes. Structural characterization by NMR in solution and X-ray crystallography in the solid state confirms successful incorporation of two gold-containing functionalities while preserving the Pt-C bonds of the acetylide ligands. Photophysical studies reveal that blue phosphorescence is preserved in these trimetallic Au-Pt-Au complexes, with photoluminescence spectra in 2 wt % PMMA bearing strong similarity to those of their corresponding gold-free complexes. Photoluminescence quantum yields of 0.13-0.29 are observed in blue-phosphorescent analogues with Au-Caryl linkages, dropping to 0.079 and 0.091 in the green-phosphorescent diynyl versions with Au-Calkynyl linkages.
The detection and quantification of nanoplastics (NPLs) in complex matrices remain a major analytical challenge. In this study, gold-labelled NPLs consisting of a gold nanoparticle core covered by a polystyrene (PS) shell were designed, enabling sensitive quantification by single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS). Optimized conditions yielded NPLs containing one single gold nanoparticle per NPL and exhibiting surface functionalization. These NPLs fulfill key criteria for realistic NPLs models, combining: the use of an environmentally relevant polymer (PS), the exact control over their chemical composition, a density comparable to that of native PS particles despite gold-labelling, and a strong traceability. The strategy applied here demonstrates unprecedented sensitivity, with a limit of detection of 2.8 × 105 NPL L⁻¹ (0.21 ng of NPLs), enabling detection of environmentally realistic concentrations. The method validation performed with NPLs-spiked Daphnia magna achieved recovery rates close to 100%. Exposure experiments revealed a dose-dependent increase in the body burden of NPLs, up to 8.5 × 105 particles/daphnid (64 ng of NPLs) after 48 h. This study combines gold-labelling, precise chemical control, and environmental relevance to enable accurate NPLs quantification in organisms at low, realistic concentrations, paving the way for robust ecotoxicological assessments.
Alkylgold complexes are of paramount significance in organometallic chemistry owing to their catalytic relevance, yet atomically precise alkylgold(0) species remain unexplored. Herein, we report the first structurally authenticated alkyl-ligated Au(0) nanocluster, [Au64(NHCi Pr)14Et10Cl6](BF4)2 (Au64, NHCi Pr = 1,3-diisopropylimidazolin-2-ylidene, Et = ethyl), synthesized via a facile base-mediated alkylation strategy with alkylboronic acids as precursors. X-ray crystallography reveals a box-shaped Au16@Au40@Au8 architecture with near D4 h symmetry, bearing 14 NHC ligands on the longitudinal plane and 10 alkyl ligands at both ends, all bound in a terminal coordination mode. DFT calculations demonstrate that ethyl→Au σ-donation dominates the orbital interaction, accompanied by partial negative charge accumulation on the alkyl carbons. Although the weak nucleophilicity associated with ethyl groups, protonation of the Au-ethyl bond is thermodynamically favored, and C(sp3)-C(sp3) cross-coupling readily available with strong electrophiles. Notably, β-hydride elimination of ethyl moieties is directly observed under alkaline conditions, providing the first experimental evidence for this critical transformation at Au(0) centers. This work not only establishes an efficient synthetic route to alkyl-functionalized gold NCs but also delivers comprehensive insights into the fundamental reactivity and transformation of alkyl-gold(0) species.
Gold plays a pivotal role in modern industry, technology, and national defense. While gold mining significantly drives economic development and employment, the disposal of mine tailings can facilitate the migration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs), leading to environmental contamination. This study focuses on the already exploited Wangjiawaizi gold mine in the Liaodong region, where 47 soil samples were collected from the surrounding areas. The study evaluates the pollution levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the soil and assesses the associated human health risks. Additionally, the PMF model was employed to analyze the sources of different elements. The geo-accumulation index results reveal the pollution intensity of heavy metals in the soil, ranked as As > Pb > Zn > Cd > Cu > Cr > Ni > Hg. The potential ecological risk index (RI) for PTEs in the study area is calculated at 443.53, indicating a high pollution level. Human health risk assessment highlighted oral ingestion as the dominant exposure pathway, and particular attention should be paid to the carcinogenic risk of arsenic (As) to children. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) resolved four pollution sources: agricultural activities (primary source of Hg), natural weathering (Cr, Ni, Cu), mining activities (Cd, Pb, Zn, As), and mining waste (As). Notably, As release was facilitated by two factors: mining activities and mine waste, with chemical oxidation and hydrological migration being the main pathways for As dispersion into the soil. Therefore, the specific human health risks posed by arsenic require urgent attention.
Salts induce the agglomeration and assembly of gold nanocrystals that are stabilized by charged ligand shells. This destabilization is known to partially deviate from the predictions of classical DLVO theory for larger colloids, but existing studies focus on limited concentration ranges or ion types. Here, we use a high-throughput approach to test the agglomeration efficacy of 17 different salts at concentrations ranging from 0.16 mM to 2 M on negatively charged nanocrystals with shells of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid and/or triethylene glycol mono-11-mercaptoundecyl ether. Automated pipetting is used to create a large dataset of close to 10000 UV-vis absorbance spectra. We analyze the spectral shifts to find the onset of agglomeration, identify critical salt concentrations, and characterize the nature of the agglomeration transition. The results are compared to classical DLVO theory using conventional analysis, and the effects of ion concentration and anion valency are shown to be consistent with DLVO predictions. Cation valencies only partially follow the predictions, suggesting local ion-specific interactions that dominate when screening lengths reach molecular length scales. A Random Forest Regression model is used as additional "black box" analysis of the results to correlate the ionic strength, ligand shell composition, and intrinsic ion properties, and to rank their relative importance to the colloidal stability of gold nanocrystals. The ranking combines classical DLVO effects and specific ion interactions with subtle effects on the agglomerate structure that affect plasmon resonance shifts, providing a complementary interpretation of the data.
Polynucleotide kinase (PNK) that phosphorylates 5'-hydroxyl termini of nucleic acids plays a vital role in DNA replication, recombination, and repair and is regarded as both a critical biomarker and therapeutic target. PNK analysis is based on conversion of 5'-hydroxyl group to 5'-phosphate group catalyzed by the enzyme, which is challenging to be optically detected and generally requires additional enzymes and steps for signal transduction. Besides complicating the assay, it is hard to keep each step with their optimal reaction condition and masks the heterogeneous characteristics of PNK. Herein, we propose a straightforward strategy for visualized detection of PNK. In this strategy, PNK-catalyzed DNA phosphorylation is demonstrated to be able to enhance the overhang binding between strands on gold nanoparticles, which cross-links DNA-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) into network aggregates. The tiny terminal group conversion is thus transduced into bulk nanoparticle aggregation and shows visible color change. It is found that either one strand phosphorylation can stick the duplex and leads to AuNP cross-linking, which influences nanoparticle dispersion state and obtains a high sensitivity comparable to fluorescent or electrochemical methods. The strategy also shows a high specificity toward PNK and can be used for PNK inhibitor analysis. Furthermore, since the aggregation of AuNPs leads to increased light scattering, intracellular imaging of PNK is realized with dark field microscopy by cell endocytosis of DNA-modified AuNPs, showing bright scattering nanoparticle aggregates inside cells. The work proposes a new PNK detection principle and provides a straightforward, convenient, and visual way for PNK analysis.
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are highly versatile nanomaterials due to their exceptional physicochemical and biological properties with promising biomedical applications. This study presents a rapid, eco-friendly biosynthesis of AuNPs using the red alga Jania rubens (Jan-AuNPs). GC analysis of the algal extract revealed a total fatty acid content of 1.41 mg/g DW, dominated by saturated fatty acids primarily methyl palmitate (53.22%) and methyl stearate (27.89%) alongside methyl oleate (9.42%). Phytochemical profiling demonstrated a rich biochemical composition, including a high total phenolic content of 299.82 ± 1.83 mg GAE/g DW, total flavonoid content of 35.61 ± 0.52 mg QE/g DW, and total carbohydrate content (TCC) of 166 ± 1.05 mg GE/g DW, collectively conferring potent reducing, capping and stabilizing capacities of the algal extract in mediating Jan-AuNPs biosynthesis. Formation of Jan-AuNPs was visually confirmed by a color change from pale yellow to ruby red or pinkish-red, which was further confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 549 nm. TEM analysis revealed predominantly spherical particles with an average diameter of 16.26 nm, with a few rod-shaped particles also detected. The crystalline nature of Jan-AuNPs was validated by XRD and SAED analyses. Zeta potential measurements revealed a surface charge of -28 mV, indicating good colloidal stability. FTIR analysis confirmed the active involvement of diverse algal biomolecules in the formation and stabilization of Jan-AuNPs. Biosynthesis conditions were optimized using face-centered central composite design (FCCCD), achieving the highest yield of 289 µg/mL at pH 7, 60 °C, 3 h incubation, and 300 µg/mL gold ion concentration. In silico predictive analysis identified cancer-associated gene targets modulated by AuNPs, thereby predicting prostate cancer (PC) as the malignancy with the highest therapeutic susceptibility for AuNPs-based interventions. Experimental validation confirmed potent and selective antitumor activity against PC3 prostate cancer cells in vitro (IC50 = 6.39 µg/mL; SI = 15.24) with minimal cytotoxicity toward normal HFB4 cells (IC50 = 97.41 µg/mL). In vivo evaluation using the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) model in Swiss albino mice demonstrated that combined treatment with Jan-AuNPs and doxorubicin achieved a tumor growth inhibition of 97.33%. These findings establish Jania rubens-mediated biosynthesis as a sustainable and scalable platform for producing bioactive AuNPs and highlight the pivotal role of bioinformatics in guiding experimental cancer nanomedicine research. The results highlight Jan-AuNPs as a promising, safe, and multi-targeted nanotherapeutic candidate with significant potential for the management of prostate cancer.
The chiral 432 helicoids II and III gold (Au) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized using l-glutathione (L-GSH) as the chiral shape modifier; however, how L-GSH interacts with Au surfaces to trigger and promote the formation of chiral shapes remains unknown. In this work, the selectivity of L-GSH on enantiomeric Au(321) R/S is investigated using first-principles density functional theory (DFT). To avoid a resource- and time-consuming brute-force geometric scan of a full L-GSH molecule adsorbed on Au(321) R/S , we first decomposed L-GSH into three amino acid analogues, namely, l-glutamic acid (l-Glu), l-cysteine (l-Cys), and glycine (Gly), and reduced the chiral Au(321) R/S facets into constituent microfacets, namely, Au(111), Au(100), and Au(110). By understanding how each molecular building block interacts with these three low-Miller-index facets, we rationally designed six sets of initial configurations of L-GSH adsorbed on Au(321) R/S and performed optimization to identify the most thermodynamically stable structures. We find that L-GSH enantioselectively binds more strongly to Au(321) R , but the enantiomeric shift in binding energy is small. Regardless of the facet chirality, all strong-binding configurations exhibit a "reach-and-stretch" mechanism to maximize contact between L-GSH and kinks, multiple steps, and terraces, where both thiol and amine groups play critical roles. The enantioselectivity reported herein supports experiments where L-GSH is observed to promote the expression of Au(321) R , and the laterally extended conformation of L-GSH on Au(321) can inspire future studies on the roles of L-GSH in inducing chiral shape formation.
Arsenic (As) contamination in riverine sediments within global gold mining regions poses persistent ecological risks due to its easy release into the overlying water especially under anaerobic conditions. To ensure long-term stability of As in the sediment, we developed a composite material consisting of ferrous iron, schwertmannite, and calcium carbonate (FSC) for synergistic As sequestration. It was found that FSC exhibited high adsorption capacities of 107.3 mg/g for As(III) and 116.6 mg/g for As(V). Applying FSC at 3% in the contaminated sediment with total As of 317-4200 mg/kg drastically reduced acetic acid extractable As (aeAs) by 75.2% - 84.7% and maintained long-term structural stability even under flooded conditions since As partitioned toward residual and crystalline Fe-oxide fractions. Synchrotron XAFS reveals two distinct valence-dependent As immobilization pathways. As(V) forms rigid bidentate-edge-sharing (2E) complexes with Fe and exhibits As-Ca coordination as johnbaumite precursors. In contrast, As(III) undergoes Fe(II)-mediated electron transfer and is ultimately sequestered into goethite templates. Corroborating these atomic insights, dynamic flume-scale simulation trial over 720 days confirmed the robustness of the surface layer of the sediment amended with FSC, through which a 96.2% decrease of As concentrations in overlying water was observed. Furthermore, in-situ real application of FSC in the remediation engineering project of the Jiehe River ultimately validated the superior comprehensive performance of this technology with comparison to already-reported materials. This strategy of altering As geochemical fate via anthropogenically regulated iron (oxyhydr)oxide formation offers a theoretical foundation and operable template for the global remediation of metalloid-contaminated sediments.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C6RA04712B.].
Resin-modified glass ionomer cements are considered bioactive materials due to their sustained fluoride release, which has supported their continued use in clinical practice. Although some of these materials have been available on the market for many years and continue to be widely used in restorative dentistry, the scientific evidence regarding their mechanical properties remains limited and, in many cases, based on older or insufficiently updated studies. This situation highlights the need to generate new and updated scientific evidence to better understand the behavior of these materials under conditions that simulate long-term clinical use. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the surface microhardness of three resin-modified glass ionomer cements after an artificial aging process simulating two years of clinical use. Thirty-six discs (10 mm × 2 mm) were fabricated and distributed into three experimental groups (n = 12), corresponding to three commercial resin-modified glass ionomer cements: Gold Label 2 LC, Riva LC, and Vitremer. All specimens were prepared strictly according to the manufacturers' instructions. Surface microhardness was evaluated using the Vickers method with a calibrated microhardness tester, performing three indentations per specimen. Measurements were carried out at three experimental time points: baseline, after 10,000 cycles, and after 20,000 thermocycles. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and a linear mixed-effects model, considering a significance level of = 0.05. All evaluated materials showed a progressive decrease in surface microhardness after artificial aging. Statistically significant differences were observed among the resin-modified glass ionomer cements (p < 0.05). Gold Label 2 LC exhibited the highest surface microhardness values and the greatest stability throughout the aging process, followed by Riva LC, whereas Vitremer showed the lowest microhardness values after aging. After artificial aging, all resin-modified glass ionomer cements showed a progressive decrease in surface microhardness. Gold Label 2 LC exhibited the highest stability, followed by Riva LC, whereas Vitremer showed the least favorable performance.
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in low- and middle-income countries often lacks adequate safety measures, leading to significant health risks and environmental mercury pollution. Phytoremediation, a plant-based method that utilizes plants to accumulate soil-borne contaminants such as heavy metals, has been verified to restore land for ecosystem services or even future farming. Therefore, this study evaluates the potential of four legume species typically found in Ghana, the world's second largest gold exporter-Acacia mangium, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, and Senna siamea-for the removal of mercury from contaminated soils, as well as potential trade-offs related to eco-physiological processes. It was further investigated whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation could enhance mercury removal capacity. Predominantly, A. mangium consistently exhibited the highest mercury uptake and did not show signs of mercury toxicity. G. sepium showed moderate mercury uptake but suffered considerable physiological damage. L. leucocephala was resistant to mercury but accumulated only small amounts. S. siamea exhibited moderate mercury accumulation without physiological impairment. AMF inoculation did not significantly increase mercury uptake but appeared to mitigate physiological stress under mercury exposure. These results indicate that reforestation of abandoned gold mines with A. mangium may be a suitable starting point for phytoremediation of mercury and inoculation with AMF can provide additional protection against mercury toxicity.
This narrative review compares radiation therapy and surgical approaches for resectable cancers, focusing on their efficacy, safety, and patient outcomes. Surgical resection remains the gold standard for many localized cancers, offering the potential for complete tumor removal and long-term survival. However, radiation therapy has emerged as a valuable adjunct or alternative, especially for tumors that are difficult to access surgically or in patients with comorbidities that limit surgical candidacy. The review highlights key factors such as tumor type, location, and patient performance status when selecting the optimal treatment approach. It also discusses recent advances in both modalities, including precision surgery and image-guided radiation therapy, which have improved the therapeutic index. Although both strategies can offer curative potential, a multidisciplinary approach tailored to individual patient needs is critical for achieving the best outcomes. Graphical abstract available at: http://links.lww.com/MS9/B119.
The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Afaan Oromoo version of Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale among people living with HIV. A hospital-based cross-sectional study. The study was conducted at a tertiary-level antiretroviral therapy clinic. The study included 163 people living with HIV. The GAD-7 scale was evaluated against the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition diagnostic criteria for GAD as the gold standard. A total of 163 participants were enrolled (response rate: 98.2%). The Afaan Oromoo GAD-7 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.92). A cut-off score of ≥9 provided the optimal balance between sensitivity (89.19%) and specificity (85.75%), with an area under curve of 0.91, a positive predictive value of 64.7% and negative predictive value of 96.4%. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor structure. The findings indicate that the Afaan Oromoo version of the GAD-7 is a valid and reliable tool for screening GAD among adults receiving HIV care. Routine use of the GAD-7 in antiretroviral therapy clinics is recommended to support early identification of anxiety symptoms.
Ovarian carcinomas represent the second most common malignancy of the female genital tract; however, primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare subtype. Most of these tumors arise from malignant transformation of mature cystic teratoma (MCT), whereas others are associated with endometriosis or Brenner tumor. Preoperative diagnosis remains challenging because both clinical presentation and imaging findings are frequently nonspecific. Patients often present with symptoms related to the mass effect of the lesion, and metastatic disease may be present at the time of diagnosis. While pelvic ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are essential diagnostic adjuncts, histopathological examination remains the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis and guiding management. Current therapeutic strategies necessitate a multimodal approach, including surgical debulking and adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We present the case of a 39-year-old woman diagnosed with ovarian SCC arising from a mature cystic teratoma, detailing her clinical presentation and subsequent management. This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges associated with malignant transformation of MCTs, particularly in younger patients.
This in vitro study aims to evaluate canal transportation, centring ability, volumetric change, and apical debris extrusion of four reciprocating systems using CBCT, machine-learning segmentation, and the Myers-Montgomery method. Forty-eight 3D-printed maxillary canine resin teeth with standardised double-curved canals were randomly allocated to Reciproc Blue (RB), WaveOne Gold (WOG), One Reci (OR), or RC-One (n = 12). All canals were prepared at body temperature using manufacturer-recommended kinematics. Pre- and post-instrumentation CBCT scans (voxel size 70 µm) were segmented using supervised clustering to obtain canal geometry. Transportation and centring ability were analysed at 0.5-10 mm from the apex. Canal volume change was calculated from three-dimensional reconstructions. Apically extruded debris was collected and weighed. Non-parametric statistics (Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn's post hoc test) were applied ( = 0.05). RC-One exhibited the lowest debris extrusion (median 0.032 mg), whereas WOG produced the greatest extrusion. RC-One also showed the lowest canal transportation (median 0.27), significantly lower than the other systems (p < 0.001), while WOG demonstrated the highest transportation (mean 0.80). RC-One achieved the highest centring ability (mean 0.69), whereas WOG showed the lowest (mean 0.42). The smallest volumetric enlargement was observed with RC-One (99.57%), significantly lower than WOG and RB (p < 0.01). WOG produced the greatest volume increase (137.23%). RC-One demonstrated the most favourable overall performance, with superior centring ability, minimal transportation, conservative shaping, and the lowest apical debris extrusion. These outcomes may be related to the interaction between its alloy properties, geometric design, and reciprocating kinematics. In contrast, WOG showed greater canal deviation and debris extrusion under the present experimental conditions.
In 2014, the authors of this study reported burnout rates among pharmacy practice faculty. Ten years later, following the COVID-19 pandemic along with changes to pharmacy student enrollment and demographics, this study aimed to compare burnout rates among pharmacy practice faculty reported in 2014 with 2025. Demographics, participation in workplace well-being programs, and intention to leave the profession were also reported in this study. An electronic cross-sectional survey assessed burnout and demographics among pharmacy practice faculty from United States colleges/schools of pharmacy. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Educators Survey (MBI-ES) which has been deemed the gold standard for measuring burnout. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson/Spearman correlations were used to identify predictive characteristics of burnout. Of the 2,505 pharmacy practice faculty invited to participate in the study, 327 responded (13%). The MBI-ES scores for emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment in 2025 compared with 2014 were significantly worse. Faculty aged 31-40 years had the highest emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores. Lack of hobby was predictive of low personal accomplishment. Of the respondents, 73% reported that they have access to a well-being program at their university. Those who reported that well-being resources were not helpful had worse scores in all three burnout domains. Over 16% of respondents reported that they would likely leave academic pharmacy within the next 3 years. Burnout is higher among pharmacy practice faculty compared to the 2014 report. Access to well-being programs is available for most faculty; their reported usefulness, however, was mixed. Burnout could be contributing to faculty departing academic pharmacy within the next 3 years. Pharmacy academic institutions must continue to work towards mediating burnout among pharmacy practice faculty to enhance well-being and retention.
Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL) is a benign condition in children that is often misdiagnosed due to its clinical overlap with tuberculosis, rheumatic diseases, and lymphadenitis. The QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay (TB-IGRA) is routinely used to rule out tuberculosis, but its Nil value (TB-Nil), which reflects background IFN-γ release, remains underutilized. Many studies suggest that elevated IFN-γ levels may aid in the differential diagnosis of HNL. In this study, we investigate the role of TB-Nil in diagnosing HNL. To investigate the relationship between TB-Nil values and the diagnosis of HNL, we retrospectively enrolled 48 patients who were diagnosed with HNL at the Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, between January 2019 and December 2024 and who had undergone TB-IGRA testing. Clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical record system. TB-Nil values were compared between HNL and other common causes of lymphadenitis, including systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA), Kawasaki disease (KD), and bacterial lymphadenitis (BL). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate diagnostic performance. Among the 48 enrolled patients with suspected HNL, 37 were confirmed by pathological diagnosis and the remaining 11 were diagnosed based on clinical criteria. The median Nil level was significantly elevated in HNL patients [0.82 IU/mL, interquartile range (IQR): 0.36-1.18] compared with patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA, median = 0.07 IU/mL, P < 0.0001), Kawasaki disease (KD, median = 0.09 IU/mL, P < 0.0001) and Bacterial Lymphadenitis (BL, median = 0.09 IU/mL, P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed favorable diagnostic performance of the Nil index for identifying HNL, with an AUC of 0.8781 (95%CI: 0.8138-0.9424). The optimal cutoff value of TB-Nil was determined as 0.19 IU/mL for distinguishing HNL from the three control diseases (sJIA, KD and BL), corresponding to a sensitivity of 78.38% and a specificity of 91.67%. The routinely available yet often overlooked Nil value from the TB-IGRA is significantly elevated in pediatric HNL and demonstrates favorable diagnostic accuracy. It may serve as a practical, non-invasive adjunctive biomarker for the early differential diagnosis of HNL from other inflammatory diseases. Prospective multi-center studies are warranted to validate these findings.
Visual acuity (VA) assessment traditionally relies on patient cooperation, which can be unreliable in pediatric cases, cognitive impairment, or suspected malingering. While the visual evoked potential (VEP) provides an objective alternative, it primarily reflects the integrity of the early visual pathways and may overestimate VA in conditions like amblyopia. This concise review explores the P300 event-related potential as a promising cognitively-driven tool for objective VA estimation. A literature search was conducted to identify studies utilizing the P300-a marker of high-level cognitive processing and conscious perception-for VA estimation. Additional literature was included to provide a broader context. Unlike the VEP, which depends on physical stimulus characteristics, the P300 is elicited during conscious stimulus categorization, typically using an oddball paradigm. Therefore, P300-based VA estimation can utilize standard clinical optotypes, such as Landolt Cs, allowing for a more direct comparison with gold-standard psychophysical testing. For instance, P300-based VA mirrors psychophysical deficits in amblyopia better than VEP-based methods. The P300 serves as a valuable objective complement to traditional visual electrophysiology, bridging the gap between physiological stimulus processing and conscious perception. While challenges such as recording duration still need to be resolved, the ability to use custom-tailored stimuli offers significant potential for forensic evaluations and complex clinical cases in ophthalmology.
Cardiovascular diseases are characterized by sudden onset, high mortality rates, and high recurrence rates, making early screening and timely intervention essential. However, due to insufficient medical resources, real-time and refined electrocardiogram monitoring of patients is difficult to implement. Meanwhile, the complex spatiotemporal features of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals bring challenges to multidimensional feature mining and accurate recognition. Therefore, in this study, we propose a three-level risk stratification algorithm for arrhythmia, which not only ensures precise intervention for different types of arrhythmias to achieve optimized allocation of medical resources but also comprehensively captures the spatiotemporal features of ECG signals for high-accuracy risk stratification detection. The algorithm first proposes a three-level arrhythmia risk stratification scheme, classifying cases as Normal, Not Life-threatening, and Life-threatening, with corresponding intervention measures of no need for monitoring, close attention, and immediate intervention, respectively. The core model of this algorithm is a deep learning fusion network based on the palindromic structure of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory network (LSTM), which enables precise three-level risk detection for all types of arrhythmias. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm exhibits favorable generalization performance across multiple datasets. It not only outperforms standalone CNN and LSTM models but also surpasses classical classifiers. Notably, on the 2-second ECG segments from the gold-standard dataset, it achieves an accuracy of 99.68% and a Specificity of 99.65%.The 10-fold cross-validation yields an accuracy of 99.62% ± 0.09% for 3-second segments, and patient-level validation on 10-second segments achieves an accuracy of 96.5%. The satisfactory results across varied segment lengths verify the reliability and practicality of the proposed method. In both arrhythmia risk stratification and detection tasks, the algorithm presents moderate competitive advantages.