Advancements in medical imaging AI, particularly in 3D imaging, have been limited due to the scarcity of comprehensive datasets. We introduce CT-RATE, a public dataset that pairs 3D medical images with corresponding textual reports. CT-RATE comprises 25,692 non-contrast 3D chest CT scans from 21,304 unique patients. Each scan is accompanied by its corresponding radiology report. Leveraging CT-RATE, we develop CT-CLIP, a CT-focused contrastive language-image pretraining framework designed for broad applications without the need for task-specific training. We demonstrate how CT-CLIP can be used in multi-abnormality detection and case retrieval, and outperforms state-of-the-art fully supervised models across all key metrics. By combining CT-CLIP's vision encoder with a pretrained large language model, we create CT-CHAT, a vision-language foundational chat model for 3D chest CT volumes. Finetuned on over 2.7 million question-answer pairs derived from the CT-RATE dataset, CT-CHAT underscores the necessity for specialized methods in 3D medical imaging. Collectively, the open-source release of CT-RATE, CT-CLIP, and CT-CHAT not only addresses critical challenges in 3D medical imaging but also lays the groundwork for future innovations in medical AI and improved patient care.
Periorbital dark circles and edema are frequent cosmetic concerns that contribute to an older and fatigued appearance, thereby diminishing self-esteem and overall quality of life. Conventional topical regimens are often limited by the low stability, poor aqueous solubility, and insufficient epidermal penetration of many active compounds. To address these problems, we developed and characterized nanoemulgel (NEG) formulations utilizing standardized extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra (G. glabra) and Aesculus hippocastanum (A. hippocastanum). These formulations were designed as multifunctional topical platforms with potential relevance to both pigmentation-related and edema-associated periorbital concerns. Oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NEs) were prepared by ultrasonication using Quillaja saponin alone or combined with Kolliphor® P188 and subsequently gelled with xanthan gum. Physicochemical properties (droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, pH, viscosity, and conductivity) and stability were evaluated. Antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS), anti-inflammatory (lipoxygenase inhibition), and anti-tyrosinase activities were assessed. Among the generated NEGs, two formulations exhibited distinct physicochemical profiles. The saponin-based formulation F3P2 exhibited a droplet size of 142.70 ± 1.90 nm, a PDI of 0.184 ± 0.01, and a markedly negative zeta potential of − 59.0 ± 3.3 mV, signifying strong electrostatic stabilization. In contrast, the hybrid formulation F6P2, which integrates saponin with Kolliphor® P188, demonstrated a reduced droplet size of 136.48 ± 1.8 nm, a decreased PDI of 0.102 ± 0.00, and a zeta potential of − 46.8 ± 2.5 mV, indicating improved size uniformity. Both formulations exhibited stability at the nanoscale (< 200 nm) throughout accelerated and three-month stability evaluations. F6P2 showed the most favorable overall biological profile among the tested formulations, demonstrating pronounced antioxidant properties (DPPH IC₅₀ = 22.65 µg/mL; ABTS IC₅₀ = 10.42 µg/mL), along with 80.11 ± 0.04
This study explored how undergraduate English as a foreign language (EFL) learners experience and employ savoring (i.e., recognizing and embracing positive emotions) to enhance enjoyment and motivation in language learning. Grounded in positive psychology, it aimed to uncover the emotional, cognitive, and social dimensions of savoring in an exam-oriented and collectivist educational context. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with nine EFL learners identified six themes. They included personal experiences with savoring, savoring strategies, impact on learning, emotional responses, social interactions, and barriers to savoring. The results further revealed that savoring serves as an active regulatory mechanism rather than as passive enjoyment, enabling learners to sustain motivation, boost confidence, and transform anxiety into growth. The learners were found to engage in savoring through reflection, journaling, media engagement, and social sharing, which amplified positive emotions and language learning persistence. Despite psychological and contextual barriers such as perfectionism and social comparison, the participants emphasized the importance of celebrating small achievements and peer support. This study extends the application of savoring in EFL contexts by illustrating its role in emotional regulation and motivation within EFL classrooms. Findings support the value of integrating savoring-based positive psychology interventions into language learning to generate, intensify, and prolong learners’ positive emotional experiences and engagement.
Pesticide residues in food remain a major threat to human health and ecosystems, yet routine monitoring still relies on centralized, multistep analytical workflows which are poorly suited to rapid and field-deployable detection. In this work, we introduce a rationally designed hexagonal honeycomb metal-insulator-metal (MIM) plasmonic metasurface which functions as a robust, wafer-scale surface/plasmon-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) platform for pesticide quantification in real food matrices. The MIM honeycomb architecture simultaneously creates highly concentrated electromagnetic hotspots at the excitation wavelength and a plasmonic antenna effect that radiates the Stokes-shifted Raman signals back, effectively multiplying the Raman signal and enabling sensitive detection of multiple fungicides and insecticides directly in cucumber extracts. We show that characteristic vibrational fingerprints can be reliably captured for several representative pesticides (metalaxyl, boscalid, famoxadone, thiamethoxam, etoxazole, cypermethrin) across realistic concentration ranges and in the presence of complex matrix backgrounds, achieving subppm limits of detection that approach or fall below current regulatory maximum residue limits. To convert raw spectra into actionable readouts, we integrate our process flow with a deep feed-forward (DFF) artificial intelligence model pipeline that performs automated spectral preprocessing and supervised learning for both pesticide identification and residue-level classification with respect to regulatory thresholds. This AI-enabled MIM-SERS platform establishes a generalizable route toward compact, high-throughput instruments for multiresidue pesticide surveillance in real food samples, with broader implications for molecular diagnostics and environmental monitoring.
Objective: Metastasis, a critical process in cancer progression, is mediated predominantly by integrins, including the alpha v beta 3 integrin, which plays a key role in cellular adhesion, migration, and survival. Both cell lines have significant metastatic potential, and alpha v beta 3 integrin plays a role in their interaction with the extracellular matrix and invasiveness. This study investigated the antiproliferative potential of phenylboronic acid in SK-OV-3 ovarian adenocarcinoma and MIA-Pa-Ca-2 pancreatic carcinoma cell lines and its effects on integrin alpha v beta 3 expression. Methods: SK-OV-3 and MIA-Pa-Ca-2 cells were cultured under standard conditions. Cells were treated with phenylboronic acid concentrations of 10-500 mu M for cell viability analysis (MTT) and 50, 100, 500 mu M for immunofluorescence staining analyses. An immunofluorescence assay was performed to assess alpha v beta 3 integrin expression levels, and fluorescence intensity was analyzed as a surrogate marker of protein expression. Results: MTT analysis showed that the IC50 values of PBA after 24 h exposure were 264.8 mu M for SK-OV-3 and 294.4 mu M for MIA-Pa-Ca-2 cells. Immunofluorescence revealed a dose-dependent decrease in alpha v beta 3 integrin intensity in both cell lines (p<.0001). In SK-OV-3 cells, 50 mu M PBA reduced fluorescence to similar to 45% of control, whereas MIA-Pa-Ca-2 required 100-500 mu M for similar effects. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that phenylboronic acid exerts a dose-dependent antiproliferative effect in SK-OV-3 and MIA-Pa-Ca-2 cells and is associated with a concentration-dependent reduction in alpha v beta 3 immunofluorescence signal, particularly at lower doses in SK-OV-3 cells. Given the well-described role of alpha v beta 3 in cell adhesion, migration and metastatic spread, these observations raise the possibility that PBA may influence metastasis-related pathways, a hypothesis that should be tested in future functional studies.
