tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are small single-stranded RNAs cleaved from precursor and mature tRNAs. Aberrant expression of tsRNAs has been reported in multiple cancers, suggesting their potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, the role of tsRNAs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate tsRNA expression profiles in serum exosomes of NPC and explore the function of dysregulated tsRNAs. Serum samples from 30 NPC patients and 30 healthy controls, as well as 10 pairs of NPC tumor and adjacent normal tissues were collected. Serum exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation and identified using transmission electron microscopy. Exosomal tsRNA expression was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing in 3 paired samples. Dysregulated tsRNAs were validated by RT-qPCR in NPC cell lines (5-8F, CNE1, CNE2), NP69 cells, clinical serum exosomes and tissues. ROC curves were used to evaluate diagnostic values. CCK-8, EdU, colony formation and Transwell assays were performed to assess cell functions. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted to functionally annotate target genes and identify significantly enriched biological pathways. The expression of 247 tsRNAs varied significantly in serum exosomes, including 142 upregulated and 105 down-regulated, in NPC patients compared with healthy controls. RT-qPCR validation demonstrated that the expression levels of tRNA-Lys-CTT-1-M5 and tRNA-Thr-TGT-2 were significantly upregulated in NPC cells, tumor tissues, and serum exosomes compared with their normal nasopharyngeal cell, tissue, and serum exosome counterparts from healthy individuals. And in the diagnosis of NPC, the AUC values of exosomal tRNA-Lys-CTT-1-M5 and tRNA-Thr-TGT-2 based on ROC curve analysis were 0.88 and 0.81, respectively. Functional experiments showed that tRNA-Lys-CTT-1-M5 and tRNA-Thr-TGT-2 promoted NPC cell proliferation, while tRNA-Thr-TGT-2 enhanced cell migration. These results indicate that tRNA-Thr-TGT-2 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and has the potential to serve as a novel diagnostic biomarker. Furthermore, tRNA-Thr-TGT-2 is expected to become a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of NPC.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising strategy for selective tumor eradication. However, the clinical application of the boron delivery agent p‑boronophenylalanine (BPA) is limited by challenges such as poor solubility, suboptimal tumor accumulation, and lack of effective imaging capabilities. Here, we present a metal polyphenol-based boron nanodrug (EB@Gd NPs), designed to address these challenges and enhance the efficacy of BNCT. Self-assembled from epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), BPA, and gadolinium ions (Gd3+), the EB@Gd NPs exhibit significantly improved tumor targeting and enable real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These nanoparticles show enhanced tumor accumulation, with MRI providing dynamic insights into boron distribution, thus aiding in determining optimal timing for neutron irradiation. Furthermore, EGCG potentiates therapeutic effect of BNCT by inhibiting DNA repair and promoting efficient DNA double-strand breaks. Therefore, the EB@Gd NPs demonstrate potent tumor growth inhibition in BNCT, holding great potential for improving precision and efficacy of BNCT in cancer therapy.

PURPOSE:Balanced steady-state free-precession (bSSFP) enables rapid fetal brain acquisition but suffers from inherently low tissue contrast. This study aims to develop an age-specific optimization strategy for bSSFP to enhance gray matter-white matter (GM-WM) contrast in the developing fetal brain. METHODS:An optimization pipeline was designed for 2D and 3D bSSFP sequences, integrating the Transition Into Driven Equilibrium (TIDE) model with the extended phase graph (EPG) algorithm. Using T1 and T2 relaxation times measured from fetal brains, the pipeline derived age-specific variable flip angle (VFA) trains to maximize GM-WM contrast while constraining signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and point-spread function. Performance was benchmarked against default bSSFP and T2-weighted half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) sequences based on relative contrast and segmentation accuracy. RESULTS:The contrast enhancement was evaluated in a cohort of 18 fetal brains from 24 to 37 gestational weeks. The optimized 2D and 3D bSSFP sequences yielded significantly higher relative cortical contrast compared with the default bSSFP (p < 0.001 for 2D and p < 0.002 for 3D), achieving average improvements of 4.13-fold and 4.06-fold, respectively. Furthermore, in the segmentation tasks, the optimized images yielded substantially higher segmentation accuracy compared with HASTE images (DICE = 0.93 for optimized 2D bSSFP and 0.89 for optimized 3D bSSFP, vs. 0.79 for HASTE). CONCLUSIONS:The proposed age-specific bSSFP optimization strategy enhanced the characterization of GM-WM contrast in fetuses of different gestational ages. This readily translatable method holds potential to advance both clinical assessments and neurodevelopmental studies of the fetal brain.

Radiotherapy, while a cornerstone treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), is paradoxically associated with significant weight loss that portends poor patient outcomes. The mechanisms driving this metabolic complication remain elusive. Here, we identified adipose depletion - rather than muscle atrophy - as the primary contributor to radiotherapy-induced weight loss in ESCC. We demonstrated that secretory autophagosomes (SAPs) released post-irradiation mediate systemic fat loss through integrated in vitro and in vivo studies. Proteomic profiling revealed enrichment of PBK (PDZ binding kinase) in radiation-induced SAPs, with functional studies establishing PBK as the master regulator of adipocyte lipolysis. Mechanistically, SAP-delivered PBK activated MAPK1/ERK2 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1), triggering a downstream PRKA/PKA-LIPE/HSL signaling cascade that increases lipolytic rate. Clinically, elevated circulating SAPs levels predicted severe fat loss and reduced median survival in a ESCC cohort. Critically, pharmacological inhibition of PBK with OTS-514 rescued adipose mass in preclinical models while enhancing tumor radiosensitivity. Our work redefines radiotherapy-induced cachexia as an adipose-centric process orchestrated by SAPs, unveils PBK as a therapeutic target, and provides actionable biomarkers for early intervention. These findings bridge the gap between localized radiotherapy and systemic metabolic sequelae, offering a dual-strategy approach to improve both survival and quality of life in ESCC patients.Abbreviations: ADSCs: adipose-derived stem cells; CM: conditioned media; ESCC: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; EVs: extracellular vesicles; eWAT: epididymal white adipose tissue; GA: gastrocnemius muscle; iWAT: inguinal white adipose tissue; LIPE/HSL: lipase E, hormone sensitive type; LIR: LC3-interacting region; MAP2K1/MEK1: mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1; MAPK/ERK: mitogen-activated protein kinase; OS: overall survival; PBK: PDZ binding kinase; PRKA/PKA: protein kinase cAMP-dependent; RT: radiotherapy; SAPs: secretory autophagosomes; sEVs: small extracellular vesicles.

Accurate registration of multipolarized petrographic thin-section images is essential for quantitative characterization of rock microstructures under plane-polarized and cross-polarized illumination. However, conventional diffusion probabilistic models struggle with the pronounced uncertainty arising from birefringence, textural heterogeneity, illumination variations, and blurred mineral boundaries. To address this, we propose an intuitionistic fuzzy set-guided diffusion probabilistic model for robust registration of multipolarized thin-section images. We derive an IFS-based fuzzy similarity field to drive a directional diffusion process and enable semantically consistent propagation of correspondence probabilities. In parallel, a membership-adaptive diffusion coefficient modulates the diffusion strength according to local correspondence confidence, enhancing propagation in reliable regions while suppressing it in uncertain areas, and an IFS-weighted loss emphasizes high-confidence pixels while penalizing high-hesitancy regions to stabilize optimization in structurally ambiguous zones. Experiments on a benchmark dataset of 2634 rock thin-section images spanning sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous lithologies demonstrate that IFS-DPM preserves mineral grain boundaries, fracture networks, and pore structures under complex textures and multipolarized conditions, providing a robust registration framework for petrographic analysis.

Background:Congenital hepatic hemangiomas (CHHs) represent a rare subset of vascular tumors that, despite often demonstrating a favorable natural history, can precipitate life-threatening complications in neonates. However, a comprehensive delineation of specific prenatal sonographic features that reliably predict the development of postnatal heart failure remains inadequately explored. This study aimed to identify and quantify key prenatal ultrasound risk factors associated with the onset of postnatal heart failure in fetuses diagnosed with CHHs, thereby facilitating early risk stratification and potential prenatal intervention. Methods:Patients with CHHs who were diagnosed at or referred to our hospital by prenatal ultrasound between 2019 and 2023 were followed-up. The age of the pregnant women and the gestational age (GA) at the first detection of the mass, as well as the ultrasound characteristics, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of the children were collected. Patients were categorized into asymptomatic and concomitant heart failure groups according to their postpartum condition. Statistical methods were used to analyze the differences in prenatal ultrasound between the 2 groups. Results:A cohort of 54 patients was finally included. Multiple prenatal parameters significantly predicted congestive heart failure (CHF). The heart failure group had a larger median tumor diameter (6.5 vs. 3.8 cm; P=0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis identified a tumor diameter >4.85 cm as predictive of CHF (area under the curve =0.859, sensitivity 100%, specificity 70.2%). The cardiothoracic ratio was significantly elevated in the heart failure group (median 0.40 vs. 0.27; P<0.0001). The presence of portal-systemic venous shunts (PSVSs) (100% vs. 19.1%; P<0.0001), venous lakes (100% vs. 10.6%; P<0.0001), hepatic vein dilation (100% vs. 48.9%; P=0.013), and hepatic artery dilation (100% vs. 36.2%; P=0.002) were all significantly associated with CHF. A dual portal vein and hepatic artery blood supply was more frequent in the heart failure group (57.1% vs. 12.8%; P=0.017). Hepatic artery dilation was correlated with the hepatic artery blood supply, venous lakes, and hepatic vein dilation. Conclusions:Children with CHHs who develop heart failure after birth were identified as having changed prenatal ultrasound characteristics. This information will aid in the early clinical management of such patients to improve their prognosis.

Objective:This study aimed to analyze and summarize the prenatal and postnatal imaging findings, as well as the postnatal growth curves, of patients with hepatic hemangiomas (HHs) that were identified in utero and continued to proliferate after birth. Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to collect and analyze data from children with congenital hepatic hemangiomas (CHH) who were diagnosed and followed-up at our hospital between January 1, 2016 and December 30, 2023. These children exhibited rapid postnatal proliferation of lesions, followed by spontaneous regression. The study recorded the patients' general clinical information, laboratory test results, and pre- and postnatal imaging characteristics of the tumor, as well as changes in tumor volume over time. Results:Eight patients (four males and four females) were included in this group, with and average gestational age of 37 weeks at the initial onset. The imaging features of this type of hepatic hemangioma are almost indistinguishable from those previously described for CHH. The only difference was that 87.5% of the tumors were located in the left lobe of the liver, and no calcification was observed within the tumors during the prenatal and proliferative stages. The postnatal growth trend of the tumors was very rapid, with complete proliferation occurring within the first six months after birth (median, 66 days) and the peak volume exceeding 1.5 × the initial volume. Of the tumors, 87.5% (7/8) regressed to 80% of the initial volume within one year, and the median time to complete regression was 365 days (range 300-730). None of the patients experienced adverse symptoms or complications during the study period. Conclusions:This article describes a special type of CHH that can continue to proliferate after birth. However, the tumor spontaneously regresses over time without complications. Therefore, for postnatal CHH growth, regular imaging observation without drug treatment or surgery is recommended, thereby preventing overtreatment while ensuring normal child development.

BackgroundBladder injury during cesarean delivery (CD) in pregnant women with severe placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders mostly occurs in the dissection of vesico‐uterine space. Placental MRI may help to assess the risk of bladder injury preoperatively.PurposeTo identify the high‐risk MRI signs of bladder injury during CD in women with severe PAS.Study TypeRetrospective.SubjectsOne hundred sixty‐seven women with surgically confirmed severe PAS, defined as to increta or percreta, who underwent planned CD and available placental MRI.Field Strength/Sequence1.5 Tesla, half‐Fourier single‐shot turbo spin echo sequence and true fast imaging with steady state free precession sequence.AssessmentPresence of following imaging features of the vesico‐uterine region were independently evaluated by three radiologists (with 8, 8, and 15 years of experience, respectively): vesico‐uterine space hypervascularity, vesico‐uterine space without chemical shift line, bladder wall interruption with hyperintense nodularity, bladder tenting, and uterine‐placental bulge.Statistical TestsUnivariable analyses (Chi‐square or Fisher's exact test) and multivariable regression analyses were used. A P value <0.05 was considered significant.ResultsThirty‐three of the women (19.8%) experienced bladder injury during CD. MRI features were significantly more frequent in the bladder injury group compared with the no bladder injury group: 69.7% vs. 26.9% in vesico‐uterine space hypervascularity, 57.6% vs. 21.6% in absent chemical shift line in the vesico‐uterine space, 18.2% vs. 1.5% in bladder wall interruption with hyperintense nodularity, 39.4% vs. 14.9% in bladder tenting, and 78.8% vs. 39.6% in uterine‐placental bulging. Vesico‐uterine space hypervascularity, absent chemical shift line, and uterine‐placental bulge were independently associated with the risk of bladder injury (odds ratios: 4.190, 3.555, and 3.569, respectively).Data ConclusionVesico‐uterine space hypervascularity, vesico‐uterine space without chemical shift line and uterine‐placental bulge were associated with bladder injury during CD in women with severe PAS.Plain Language SummaryBladder injury is a serious complication of cesarean delivery in pregnant women with severe placenta accreta spectrum, frequently resulting in massive hemorrhage, bladder dysfunction and severe infection. Accurate prenatal assessment is important to minimize these adverse consequences. This study showed that MRI features, including vesico‐uterine space hypervascularity, vesico‐uterine space without chemical shift line and uterine‐placental bulge, were independently associated with bladder injury. These high‐risk MRI signs may serve as effective means for prenatal assessment of bladder injury. This study would broaden the application of MRI in severe placenta accreta spectrum.Evidence Level3Technical EfficacyStage 2

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for the prenatal differentiation of fetal adrenal neuroblastoma (NB) from benign masses. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed prenatal magnetic resonance imaging/DWI data from 54 pregnant women (59 adrenal masses) with a suspected solid adrenal mass on ultrasound. Cases with severe malformations or poor image quality were excluded. The minimum ADC (ADC min ), mean ADC (ADC mean ), and relative ADC (rADC) values within the tumor solid components were measured. Group comparisons and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to assess the diagnostic performance. Results: Eighteen masses (30.5%) were classified as NB, while the remaining 41 (69.5%) were benign, including sequestration, hematoma, and teratoma. The NB group showed significantly greater gestational age at detection (mean age, 35 weeks), higher right adrenal prevalence (66.7%), and larger maximum diameters (3.6 cm vs. 2.4 cm; P < 0.01) compared to the non-NB group. The ADC min , ADC mean , and rADC were significantly lower in the NB group ( P < 0.001). ROC analysis identified ADC min as the optimal diagnostic parameter (area under the curve = 0.981). An ADC min threshold of 1382 μm²/s yielded 97.56% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the quantitative DWI parameter ADC min can reliably differentiate fetal adrenal NB from benign lesions prenatally. Its high sensitivity and specificity may provide an objective basis for clinical decisions and optimized perinatal management.

Accurate real-time object detection is vital across numerous industrial applications, from safety monitoring to quality control. Traditional approaches, however, are hindered by arduous manual annotation and data collection, struggling to adapt to ever-changing environments and novel target objects. To address these limitations, this paper presents DART, an innovative automated end-to-end pipeline that revolutionizes object detection workflows from data collection to model evaluation. It eliminates the need for laborious human labeling and extensive data collection while achieving outstanding accuracy across diverse scenarios. DART encompasses four key stages: (1) Data D iversification using subject-driven image generation (DreamBooth with SDXL), (2) A nnotation via open-vocabulary object detection (Grounding DINO) to generate bounding box and class labels, (3) R eview of generated images and pseudo-labels by large multimodal models (InternVL1.5 and GPT-4o) to guarantee credibility, and (4) T raining of real-time object detectors (YOLOv8 and YOLOv10) using the verified data. We apply DART to a self-collected dataset of construction machines named Liebherr Product, which contains over 15K high-quality images across 23 categories. The current instantiation of DART significantly increases average precision (AP) from 0.064 to 0.832. Its modular design ensures easy exchangeability and extensibility, allowing for future algorithm upgrades, seamless integration of new object categories, and adaptability to customized environments without manual labeling and additional data collection. The code and dataset are released at https://github.com/chen-xin-94/DART.

Accurate real-time object detection is vital across numerous industrial applications, from safety monitoring to quality control. Traditional approaches, however, are hindered by arduous manual annotation and data collection, struggling to adapt to ever-changing environments and novel target objects. To address these limitations, this paper presents DART, an innovative automated end-to-end pipeline that revolutionizes object detection workflows from data collection to model evaluation. It eliminates the need for laborious human labeling and extensive data collection while achieving outstanding accuracy across diverse scenarios. DART encompasses four key stages: (1) Data Diversification using subject-driven image generation (DreamBooth with SDXL), (2) Annotation via open-vocabulary object detection (Grounding DINO) to generate bounding box and class labels, (3) Review of generated images and pseudo-labels by large multimodal models (InternVL-1.5 and GPT-4o) to guarantee credibility, and (4) Training of real-time object detectors (YOLOv8 and YOLOv10) using the verified data. We apply DART to a self-collected dataset of construction machines named Liebherr Product, which contains over 15K high-quality images across 23 categories. The current instantiation of DART significantly increases average precision (AP) from 0.064 to 0.832. Its modular design ensures easy exchangeability and extensibility, allowing for future algorithm upgrades, seamless integration of new object categories, and adaptability to customized environments without manual labeling and additional data collection. The code and dataset are released at https://github.com/chen-xin-94/DART.

Combining targeted tumor therapy with tissue regeneration represents a promising strategy for synergistic tumor therapy. In this study, a multifunctional living material is constructed with human-derived adipose stem cells (hADSCs) and antibody-modified hydroxyapatite nanorods (nHAP) for targeted drug delivery and bone regeneration following surgery. The living material delivers the therapeutics to the tumor site efficiently based on the strength of the inherent tumor tropism of hADSCs. The bioconjugation of nHAP with hADSCs via specific antibody modification is found to be biocompatible, even when loaded with the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (Dox). The endocytosis of nHAP stimulates the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs, promoting bone tissue regeneration. Moreover, the antibody-modified nHAP-hADSC conjugate exhibits targeted tumor delivery, which is further facilitated by pH-triggered release of Dox, inducing apoptosis of tumor cells with low toxicity to healthy tissues. Therefore, the present study provides a general strategy for engineering living materials to achieve targeted tumor therapy and bone tissue regeneration after surgery, which can be extended to other disease types.

Background and purposeEarly diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and timely management to delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) would benefit patients. Pathological metabolic changes of excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitters and abnormal protein deposition in the hippocampus of aMCI may provide a new clue to imaging diagnosis. However, the diagnostic performance using these hippocampal metabolite measurements is still unclear. We aimed to quantify right hippocampal glutamate–glutamine (Glx) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels as well as protein-based amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) signals of patients with aMCI and investigate the diagnostic performance of these metabolites.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 20 patients with aMCI and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent MEGA Point Resolved Spectroscopy (MEGA-PRESS) and APTw MR imaging at 3 T. GABA+, Glx, and APTw signals were measured in the right hippocampus. The GABA+ levels, Glx levels, Glx/GABA+ ratios, and APTw values were compared between the HCs and aMCI groups using the Mann–Whitney U test. Binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to evaluate MEGA-PRESS and APTw parameters' diagnostic performance.ResultsCompared with HCs, patients with aMCI had significantly lower Glx levels in the right hippocampus (7.02 ± 1.41 i.u. vs. 5.81 ± 1.33 i.u., P = 0.018). No significant changes in the GABA+ levels were observed in patients with aMCI (HCs vs. aMCI: 2.54 ± 0.28 i.u. vs. 2.47 ± 0.36 i.u., P = 0.620). In addition, Glx/GABA+ ratios between the two groups (HCs vs. aMCI: 2.79 ± 0.60 vs. 2.37 ± 0.55, P = 0.035) were significantly different. Compared with HCs, patients with aMCI showed higher APTw values in the right hippocampus (0.99 ± 0.26% vs. 1.26% ± 0.28, P = 0.006). The ROC curve analysis showed that Glx, GABA+, Glx/GABA+, and APTw values had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.72, 0.55, 0.70, and 0.75, respectively, for diagnosing aMCI. In the ROC curve analysis, the AUC of the combination of the parameters increased to 0.88, which is much higher than that observed in the univariate analysis (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe combination of right hippocampal Glx levels and APTw values improved the diagnostic performance for aMCI, indicating it as a promising combined imaging diagnostic marker. Our study provided a potential imaging diagnostic strategy of aMCI, which may promote early detection of aMCI and facilitate timely intervention to delay the pathological progress toward AD.

Due to the unwarranted lifespan and differentiation, applying neural stem cells (NSCs) in spinal cord injury (SCI) remains challenging. In this study, 3D bioactive hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanobelt haystack‐mouse NSC (mNSC) hybrid spheroids are customized in which the specific nanobelt haystack framework provided the structural function of hypoxia alleviation in the spherical core and biological process of neural differentiation promotion. Commodified with superparamagnetic ferroferric oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles and a polydopamine (PDA) coating, the HAp nanobelts are endowed with magnetic field‐driven properties and enhanced cell‐nanobelt adhesion. The engineered bioresponsive 3D nanobelt haystack‐mNSC hybrid spheroids effectively repair SCI in vivo, showing new potential for stem cell therapy by incorporating nanomaterials in 3D culture based on cell‐material interactions.

In recent years, cardiovascular disease has garnered increasing attention as the second leading cause of death in individuals with acromegaly, following malignancy. Identifying cardiac dysfunction early in acromegaly patients for timely intervention has become a focal point of clinical research. Speckle tracking echocardiography, a well-established ultrasound technique, surpasses conventional Doppler ultrasound in its sensitivity to assess both local and global cardiac mechanics. It can accurately detect subclinical and clinical myocardial dysfunction, including myocardial ischemia, ventricular hypertrophy, and valvular changes. Over the past five years, the use of speckle tracking echocardiography in acromegaly patients has emerged as a novel approach. Throughout the cardiac cycle, speckle tracking echocardiography offers a sensitive evaluation of the global and regional myocardial condition by quantifying the motion of myocardial fibres in distinct segments. It achieves this independently of variations in ultrasound angle and distance, effectively simulating the deformation of individual ventricles across different spatial planes. This approach provides a more accurate description of changes in cardiac strain parameters. Importantly, even in the subclinical stage when ejection fraction remains normal, the strain parameters assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography hold a good predictive value for the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization in acromegaly patients with concomitant cardiovascular disease. This information aids in determining the optimal timing for interventional therapy, offering important insights for cardiac risk stratification and prognosis. In the present study, we comprehensively reviewed the research progress of speckle tracking echocardiography in evaluating of cardiac dysfunction in acromegaly patients, to pave the way for early diagnosis of acromegaly cardiomyopathy.

Objective To evaluate the performance of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in visualizing normal and abnormal fetal vertebrae in vivo and in utero. Methods Ninety-seven women with normal fetal vertebrae and 127 women suspected fetal vertebral anomalies on ultrasound were included in our study. SWI, true fast imaging with steady state precession (TrueFISP), and half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) of the fetal spine were performed on 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging. The image quality and diagnostic performance between HASTE/TrueFISP and SWI were compared. Pearson correlations to correlate the L1 centrum ossification center (COC) measurements with gestational age (GA) were performed. Results The visibility of the fetal vertebral structures on the SWI images (3.58 +/- 0.69) was significantly greater than those on the HASTE (1.98 +/- 0.51, p < 0.001) and TrueFISP (2.63 +/- 0.52, p < 0.001). The diagnostic accuracy of SWI (89.0%) was superior to HASTE/TrueFISP (48.0%) (p < 0.001) and the area under the curve for SWI was 0.909 (p < 0.001). The height, transverse, sagittal diameter, and area of L1 COC were linearly correlated with GA (all p < 0.001). Conclusion SWI proved to be a reliable method for depicting fetal vertebral structure and growth, which can significantly improve the diagnostic performance of vertebral anomalies in fetuses.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used increasingly as an adjunct examination to ultrasound (US) for the evaluation of fetal anomalies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the accuracy and confidence of diagnosing fetal vertebral anomalies are improved with MRI. We also assessed whether fetal MRI provides additional information when diagnosing fetal vertebral anomalies. Methods: We performed a single-center, retrospective study of 127 pregnant women with fetuses suspected of having vertebral anomalies on US examination; women also underwent fetal MRI scanning. Comparisons of diagnostic accuracy and confidence were made between MRI and US for the identification of fetal vertebral anomalies. We also assessed any additional information provided by MRI. McNemar's paired binomial test, chi-square test, or Fisher's exact test were used to compare the diagnostic ability between MRI and US. In all cases, postnatal or postmortem imaging findings were used as reference standards. Results: A total of 127 participants were recruited between December 2015 and January 2021. Fetal vertebral anomalies were detected in 63.8% (81/127) cases and found to be negative in 36.2% (46/127) of cases at follow up. The diagnostic accuracy of vertebral anomalies was 46.9% (38/81) for US and 84.0% (68/81) for MRI [difference, 37.1%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 27% to 48%; P<0.001]. Both MRI and US were concordant and correct in 36.2% (46/127) of fetuses; MRI provided additional information for 16.5% (21/127) of fetuses, and corrected US diagnoses of 36.2% (46/127) of fetuses; both MRI and US were not consistent with postnatal findings in 10.2% (13/127) of fetuses, and the remaining fetus (0.8%, 1/127) was diagnosed correctly using US but failed to be diagnosed by MRI. Diagnoses were reported with high confidence using MRI in 95.3% (121/127) of cases and 73.2% (93/127) using US. Conclusions: Fetal vertebral MRI improves the accuracy and confidence of diagnosing fetal vertebral anomalies. This finding indicates that fetal MRI supplements the information provided by US and that MRI may be a good complement in selected fetuses, when US can either not achieve a definite diagnosis or there is doubt regarding its reliability. Thus, MRI may be used to inform prenatal counseling and management decisions.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most fatal central nervous system tumors and lacks effective or sufficient therapies. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered method of programmed cell death and opens a new direction for GBM treatment. However, poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration, reduced tumor targeting ability, and potential compensatory mechanisms hinder the effectiveness of ferroptosis agents during GBM treatment. Here, a novel composite therapeutic platform combining the magnetic targeting features and drug delivery properties of magnetic nanoparticles with the BBB penetration abilities and siRNA encapsulation properties of engineered exosomes for GBM therapy is presented. This platform can be enriched in the brain under local magnetic localization and angiopep-2 peptide-modified engineered exosomes can trigger transcytosis, allowing the particles to cross the BBB and target GBM cells by recognizing the LRP-1 receptor. Synergistic ferroptosis therapy of GBM is achieved by the combined triple actions of the disintegration of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase and the glutathione peroxidase 4 ferroptosis defense axis with Fe3 O4 nanoparticle-mediated Fe2+ release. Thus, the present findings show that this system can serve as a promising platform for the treatment of glioblastoma.

Progress in targeted drug delivery has changed the landscape of tumor therapy. An efficient drug delivery system with real-time monitoring will boost the therapeutic effect. This study reports a novel living material constructed from living stem cells, nanocarriers, and drugs to achieve targeted delivery with real-time monitoring. The nanocarriers of mesoporous silica-coated super-paramagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@MSNPs) are connected to human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) by anti-CD44 antibody bioconjugation. The inherent tumor tropism of hADSCs provides targeting ability. Drug delivery can be performed without endocytosis for drug loading based on antibody bioconjugation and high drug loading. This method also reduces the drug effect on hADSCs and results in long troop migration toward tumors for doxorubicin delivery. Successful doxorubicin delivery induces the apoptosis of Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) tumor cells. Magnetic resonance imaging of super-paramagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles shows the real-time monitoring ability of the proposed living material, which can confirm targeted drug delivery. This study provides a living material design strategy for oncotherapy.