Prevalence of insomnia and associations with depression, anxiety among adults in guangdong, China: A large-scale cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder, often associated with some mental disorders or mental health concerns, especially when accompanied by depression or anxiety, but very limited research has been reported in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of insomnia and associations with depression, anxiety in Chinese adults.

METHODS

We conducted this large-sample cross-sectional study (51774 adults) in Guangdong province from October to December 2022. We used multistage stratified equal-volume random sampling under a complex sampling design to select the sample and standardized structured questionnaires to collect the necessary information. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression model were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The weighted prevalence of insomnia was 24.8 %. Insomnia was significantly associated with depression (OR:11.29, 95 %CI: 9.58-13.29), and anxiety (OR:10.98, 95 %CI: 8.78-13.72). Risk factors as being associated with insomnia were female, higher years of education, suffering from chronic diseases, previous drinking and current drinking, while protective factors were living in a rural area, married or cohabited, divorce or separation and being older. Risk factors as being associated with depression in the insomnia group included 10-16 years of education and suffering from chronic diseases, while protective factors were being older, married or cohabited, and normal BMI. Risk factors associated with anxiety in the insomnia group included 7-12 years of education and suffering from chronic diseases, while protective factors were being older, married or cohabited, and having a normal BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Insomnia is associated with the development of depression and anxiety. Women and unhealthy lifestyle were at high risk for insomnia, had chronic diseases is an important factor, and insomnia with depression or anxiety.

Efficacy of treatment of equine anhidrosis with acupuncture and Chinese herbs is low but higher in treated horses compared with placebo

OBJECTIVE

To assess the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture in combination with Chinese herbs for treatment of horses affected with anhidrosis.

ANIMALS

44 horses affected with anhidrosis for up to 3 years' duration were enrolled. Inclusion required both compatible clinical signs and results of a quantitative intradermal terbutaline sweat test.

METHODS

Study horses were randomly allocated into 2 groups. Group 1 (n = 19) was treated with daily Chinese herbs and 4 weekly acupuncture sessions. Group 2 (n = 25) was given daily hay powder as a placebo and 4 weekly sham acupuncture sessions. Horses were tested by quantitative intradermal terbutaline sweat test within 2 days after treatment completion and again 4 weeks following treatment.

RESULTS

Terbutaline-induced sweat responses (mg) were not different between groups within 2 days and 4 weeks after treatment. Two days after treatment, ratios of sweat responses (compared to baseline) were higher (P < .05) in the treatment group compared to the placebo group at terbutaline concentrations of 1.0, 100, and 1,000 µg/mL. The number of horses responding to treatment was higher in the treatment group (5/19 [26%]), compared to horses in the placebo group (1/25 [4%]) for 1 of 5 terbutaline concentrations 2 days (10 µg/mL) or 4 weeks (0.1 µg/mL) after treatment.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Ratios of sweat responses were higher in treatment horses 2 days after treatment, compared to baseline, but not 4 weeks later. The efficacy of a traditional Chinese veterinary medicine protocol for anhidrosis treatment with acupuncture and Chinese herbs was low but higher in treated horses compared with placebo.

Can the combination of antiplatelet or alteplase thrombolytic therapy with argatroban benefit patients suffering from acute stroke? a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of administering argatroban as a treatment approach following antiplatelet therapy or alteplase thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute stroke is presently uncertain. However, it is important to highlight the potential benefits of combining this medication with known thrombolytics or antiplatelet therapy. One notable advantage of argatroban is its short half-life, which helps minimize excessive anticoagulation and risk of bleeding complications in inadvertent cases of hemorrhagic stroke. By conducting a meticulous review and meta-analysis, we aim to further explore the common use of argatroban and examine the plausible advantages of combining this medication with established thrombolytic and antiplatelet therapies.

METHOD

In this study, we performed a rigorous and methodical search for both randomized controlled trials and retrospective analyses. Our main objective was to analyze the impact of argatroban on the occurrence of hemorrhagic events and the mRS scores of 0-2. We utilized a meta-analysis to assess the relative risk (RR) associated with using argatroban versus not using it.

RESULTS

In this study, we analyzed data from 11 different studies, encompassing a total of 8,635 patients. Out of these patients, 3999(46.3%) received argatroban treatment while the remaining 4636(53.7%)did not. The primary outcome of 90-day functional independence (modified Rankin scale (mRS) score≤2) showed that the risk ratio (RR) for patients using argatroban after alteplase thrombolytic therapy compared to those not using argatroban was(RR, 1.00 ([95% CI, 0.92-1.09]; P = 0.97), indicating no statistical significance. However, for patients using argatroban after antiplatelet therapy, was (RR,1.09 [95% CI, 1.04-1.14]; P = 0.0001), which was statistically significant. In terms of hemorrhagic events, the RR for patients using argatroban compared to those not using argatroban was (RR,1.08 [95% CI, 0.88-1.33]; P = 0.46), indicating no statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that further research into combination therapy with argatroban and antiplatelet agents may be warranted, however more rigorous RCTs are needed to definitively evaluate the effects of combination treatment.

[Epidemiological characteristics of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) among acute respiratory infection (ARI) cases in 16 provinces of China from 2009 to 2023]

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) among acute respiratory infection (ARI) cases in 16 provinces of China from 2009 to 2023. Methods: The data of this study were collected from the ARI surveillance data from 16 provinces in China from 2009 to 2023, with a total of 28 278 ARI cases included in the study. The clinical specimens from ARI cases were screened for HRSV nucleic acid from 2009 to 2023, and differences in virus detection rates among cases of different age groups, regions, and months were analyzed. Results: A total of 28 278 ARI cases were enrolled from January 2009 to September 2023. The age of the cases ranged from<1 month to 112 years, and the age M (Q1, Q3) was 3 years (1 year, 9 years). Among them, 3 062 cases were positive for HRSV nucleic acid, with a total detection rate of 10.83%. From 2009 to 2019, the detection rate of HRSV was 9.33%, and the virus was mainly prevalent in winter and spring. During the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the detection rate of HRSV fluctuated between 6.32% and 18.67%. There was no traditional winter epidemic peak of HRSV from the end of 2022 to the beginning of 2023, and an anti-seasonal epidemic of HRSV occurred from April to May 2023. About 87.95% (2 693/3 062) of positive cases were children under 5 years old, and the difference in the detection rate of HRSV among different age groups was statistically significant (P<0.001), showing a decreasing trend of HRSV detection rate with the increase of age (P<0.001). Among them, the HRSV detection rate (25.69%) was highest in children under 6 months. Compared with 2009-2019, the ranking of HRSV detection rates in different age groups changed from high to low between 2020 and 2023, with the age M (Q1, Q3) of HRSV positive cases increasing from 1 year (6 months, 3 years) to 2 years (11 months, 3 years). Conclusion: Through 15 years of continuous HRSV surveillance analysis, children under 5 years old, especially infants under 6 months old, are the main high-risk population for HRSV infection. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence and patterns of HRSV in China have changed.

The microRNA7833-AUX6 module plays a critical role in wood development by modulating cellular auxin influx in Populus tomentosa

The critical role of auxin on secondary vascular development in woody plants has been demonstrated. The concentration gradient of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid and the cellular and molecular pathways contributing to the auxin-directed vascular organization and wood growth have been uncovered in recent decades. However, our understanding of the roles and regulations of auxin influx in wood formation in trees remains limited. Here, we reported that a microRNA, miR7833, participates in the negative regulation of stem cambial cell division and secondary xylem development in Populus tomentosa. The miR7833 is mainly expressed in the vascular cambium during stem radical growth and specifically targets and represses two AUX/LAX family auxin influx carriers, AUX5 and AUX6, in poplar. We further revealed that poplar AUX6, the most abundant miR7833 target in the stem, is preferentially enriched in the developing xylem and is a positive regulator for cell division and differentiation events during wood formation. Moreover, inhibition of auxin influx carriers by 1-naphthoxyacetic acids abolished the regulatory effects of miR7833 and AUX6 on secondary xylem formation in poplar. Our results revealed the essential roles of the miR7833-AUX6 module in regulating cellular events in secondary xylem development and demonstrated an auxin influx-dependent mechanism for wood formation in poplar.

Association of radioactive iodine treatment in differentiated thyroid cancer and cardiovascular death: a large population-based study

PURPOSE

The risk of cardiovascular diseases' death (CVD) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) treated with radioactive iodine (RAI) after surgery has not been adequately studied.

METHODS

Data of DTC patients who received RAI after surgery were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result (SEER) database (2004-2015). Standardized mortality rate (SMR) analysis was used to evaluate the CVD risk in patients with RAI vs general population. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to balance inter-group bias, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to detect collinearity between variables. The Cox proportional hazard model and multivariate competing risk model were utilized to evaluate the impact of RAI on CVD. At last, we curved forest plots to compare differences in factors significantly associated with CVD or cancer-related deaths.

RESULTS

DTC patients with RAI treatment showed lower SMR for CVD than general population (RAI: SMR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.62-0.71, P < 0.05). After PSM, Cox proportional hazard regression demonstrated a decreased risk of CVD among patients with RAI compared to patients without (HR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.6-0.97, P = 0.029). However, in competing risk regression analysis, there was no significant difference (adjusted HR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.66-1.01, P = 0.11). The independent risk factors associated with CVD were different from those associated with cancer-related deaths.

CONCLUSION

The CVD risk between DTC patients treated with RAI and those who did not was no statistical difference. Noteworthy, they had decreased CVD risk compared with the general population.

Does Endovascular Thrombectomy(ET) plus tirofiban benefit stroke patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Ischemic stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Endovascular thrombectomy (ET) has been shown to prevent disability in a proportion of patients. The use of tirofiban in patients undergoing ET after acute stroke has resulted in improved patient function and reduced mortality to some extent. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of the current period, an overview of the most recent studies on the potential efficacy of using tirofiban to help acute stroke patients improve function and reduce mortality was provided.

METHODS

In this meta-analysis, we explore the safety and efficacy of ET combined with tirofiban in patients with acute stroke. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library database from the construction of the library to the present relevant RCTs/non-RCTs. The following key words were used for finding relevant studies from the databases"tirofiban""thrombectomy"" Stroke"" balloon angioplasty""stenting".

RESULTS

Total of 14 trials with 4366 individuals enrolled were included in the Meta-analysis including 2732(62.6) who received ET alone and 1634(37.4 %) who received tirofiban plus ET. The primary outcome of 90-day functional independence (modified Rankin scale (mRS) score≤2) was 42.2 % (1043/2473) in the ET alone group vs. 46.2 % (684/1480) in the tirofiban with ET group (risk ratio (RR), 1.10 [95 % CI, 1.02-1.18]; P=0.02),mortality at 90 days (RR, 0.86 [95 % CI, 0.76-0.98]; P = 0.02). There is no significant between-group differences were found in excellent outcome (mRS score ≤1) (RR, 1.08 [95 % CI, 0.95-1.23]; P = 0.22), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (RR, 1.11 [95 % CI, 0.92-1.34]; P = 0.27).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the use of ET combined with tirofiban in patients with acute stroke is safe and has the potential to reduce mortality and improve functional independence at 90 days.

[Design and innovation of a utility model patent for tracheal cannula fixation belt]

Tracheostomy is a very common airway procedure in the treatment of critically ill neurological patients. At present, the traditional tracheal cannula fixation belt is easy to be contaminated, difficult to disinfect, and needs to be replaced regularly. It is prone to infection, skin injury, unplanned extubation and other adverse events, which cannot meet the clinical treatment effect and patient safety management. In order to overcome the above problems, the medical staff of the neurology intensive care unit of Henan Provincial People's Hospital designed a new type of tracheal cannula fixation belt to increase patient comfort and reduce complications, and obtained a National Utility Model Patent of China (ZL 2022 2 0855188.8). The main structure of the device includes a following shaped bending plate, a fastening belt, a locking pin, and a distance adjustment hole. The left and right sides of the shaped bending plate are equipped with fastening belts with breathable and anti-wear pads. The inner side of the left fastening belt is equipped with two sets of locking pins, and the outer surface of the right fastening belt and breathable and anti-wear pad is equipped with multiple sets of distance adjustment holes. Additionally, the back of the shaped bending plate is equipped with breathable buffer pads. The fastening belt can drive the following bending plate to stick tightly to the patient's neck. The operator installs the locking pin card into the distance adjustment hole according to the "one back" principle, and the fastening belts on both sides fix the device with the cooperation of the locking pin, greatly reducing the probability of excessive displacement of the tracheal tube during use, effectively improving the fixation effect of the device, strengthening the adaptability of the device to different personnel, and thus enhancing the practicality of the device. The new type of tracheal cannula fixation band is convenient, safe and efficient, which can increase patient comfort, reduce complications. It has certain clinical value and is suitable for clinical promotion.

[Clinical and imaging features of acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion in children]

Objective: To explore the clinical and imaging features of acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion(AESD) in children. Methods: For the case series study, 21 children with AESD from Peking University First Hospital, Provincial Children's Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Shanxi Children's Hospital who were diagnosed and treated from October 2021 to July 2023 were selected. Clinical data were collected to summarize their clinical information, imaging, and laboratory tests, as well as treatment and prognostic characteristics. Descriptive statistical analysis was applicated. Results: Of the 21 cases with AESD, 11 were males and 10 were females, with the age of onset of 2 years and 6 months (1 year and 7 months, 3 years and 6 months). Of the 21 cases, 18 were typical cases with biphasic seizures. All typical cases had early seizures within 24 hours before or after fever onset. Among them, 16 cases had generalized seizures, 2 cases had focal seizures, and 7 cases reached the status epilepticus. Of the 21 cases, 3 atypical cases had late seizures in biphasic only. The late seizures in the 21 cases occurred on days 3 to 9. The types of late seizures included focal seizures in 12 cases, generalized seizures in 6 cases, and both focal and generalized seizures in 3 cases. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) test on days 3 to 11 showed reduced diffusion of subcortical white matter which was named "bright tree sign" in all cases. The diffuse cerebral atrophy predominantly presented in the front-parietal-temporal lobes was found in 19 cases between day 12 and 3 months after the onset of the disease. Among 21 cases, 20 had been misdiagnosed as autoimmune encephalitis, central nervous system infection, febrile convulsions, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome. All the cases received high-dose gammaglobulin and methylprednisolone pulse therapy with poor therapeutic effect. By July 2023, 18 cases were under follow-up. Among them, 17 cases were left with varying degrees of neurologic sequelae, including 11 cases with post-encephalopathic epilepsy; 1 recovered completely. Conclusions: AESD is characterized by biphasic seizures clinically and "bright tree sign" on DWI images. Symptomatic and supportive treatments are recommended. The immunotherapy is ineffective. The prognosis of AESD is poor, with a high incidence of neurological sequelae and a low mortality.

Does Dual Anti-HER2 Therapy Increase Early Cardiac Toxicity in Comparison with Trastuzumab Alone in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Radiotherapy? A Multicenter Retrospective Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Adjuvant trastuzumab in combination with RT has proved its safety in terms of cardiac events. Dual anti-HER2 therapy with pertuzumab is currently standard adjuvant therapy in N+ and high-risk N0 early breast cancer (BC) patients. Our study aims to find if it increases early cardiac toxicity compared with trastuzumab alone in BC patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Operable BC patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) and trastuzumab with or without pertuzumab between January 2017 and September 2020 in 7 Chinese centers were retrospectively reviewed. The cardiac examination included ultrasonography, electrocardiogram (ECG), NT-proBNP, and cTnI before RT and during follow-up. The cardiac event was any new-onset symptomatic heart disease or abnormality in the cardiac examination after RT.

RESULTS

In total, 711 patients with a median age of 52 years were included, of whom 567 (79.7%) patients were treated with trastuzumab-only and 144 (20.3%) patients received dual anti-HER2 therapy. Adjuvant RT was given concurrently in 140/144 (97.2%) of dual anti-HER2 therapy and 562/567 (99.1%) of trastuzumab alone, respectively. With a median follow-up of 11 months, no patients developed symptomatic heart diseases. Among patients with normal baseline, 17 (2.4%), 86 (12.1%), 18 (2.5%) and 14 (7.3%) developed new-onset diastolic dysfunction, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decline, abnormal ECG, and abnormal NT-proBNP, respectively. No significant difference was found between the trastuzumab-only and dual anti-HER2 cohort in the incidence of all kinds of new-onset cardiac events (all p > 0.1). Multivariate analysis showed that left-sided (vs right-sided) RT significantly increased the risk of ECG abnormality (HR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.62-3.32, p<0.001). Increased age was an independent risk factor for diastolic dysfunction (HR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.02-1.18, p = 0.0098). Dosimetric analysis showed that patients who developed any cardiac events had increased mean heart dose (397.67±251.08 vs 344.87±236.75 cGy, p = 0.032). A significant increase in risk of cardiac events was found in patients with mean heart dose > 450 cGy (HR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.17-2.05, p = 0.0024), V5 > 26% (HR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.09-2.09, p = 0.013), and V30 > 5.5% (HR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.09-2.04, p = 0.0117), respectively. Further analysis was done in the subgroup of patients treated with left-sided RT, internal mammary nodes RT, or anthracyclines, no difference in risk of cardiac events was found between trastuzumab alone and dual anti-HER2 therapy in concurrent with RT (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Compared with trastuzumab-only, dual anti-HER2 therapy does not increase early cardiac toxicity in combination with adjuvant RT in BC patients. Cardiac radiation exposure remains the primary risk factor associated with early cardiac toxicity.

Delta-Radiomics Guides Adaptive De-Intensification after Induction Chemotherapy in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the IMRT Era

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

In the setting of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and induction chemotherapy (IC), the benefits from concurrent chemotherapy remained controversial for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LANPC). This study aimed to construct a delta-radiomics model for benefit prediction and patient selection for omitting concurrent chemotherapy.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Between December 2009 and December 2015, a total of 718 patients with LANPC treated with IC+IMRT or IC+concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) were retrospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to a training set (n = 503) and a validation set (n = 215). Radiomic features were extracted from magnetic resonance images of pre-IC and post-IC. Interclass correlation coefficients and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to select robust radiomic features. After univariate Cox analysis, a delta-radiomics signature was built using the LASSO-Cox regression. A nomogram incorporating the delta-radiomics signature and clinical prognostic factors was then developed and evaluated for calibration and discrimination. Risk stratification by the nomogram was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier methods. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

The delta-radiomics signature, which comprised 19 selected features, was independently associated with prognosis. It yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71 to 0.82) for the training set and 0.71 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.81) for the validation set. The nomogram composed of the delta-radiomic signature, age, T category, N category, pre-treatment Epstein-Barr virus DNA, and treatment showed great calibration and discrimination performance with an AUC of 0.80 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.85) for the training set and 0.75 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.85) for the validation set. Risk stratification by the nomogram excluding the treatment variable resulted in two risk groups with distinct OS. Significant better outcomes were observed in the high-risk patients with IC+CCRT compared to those with IC+IMRT (5-year OS: 73.8% vs. 61.4% in the training set and 85.8% vs. 65.6% in the validation set; all log-rank p < 0.05), while comparable outcomes between IC+CCRT and IC+IMRT were shown for the low-risk patients (95.8% vs. 95.8% in the training set and 92.2% vs. 88.3% in the validation set; all log-rank p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The delta-radiomics signature was identified as an independent indicator of LANPC. Integrating clinical predictors with the delta-radiomics signature, the radiomics-based nomogram could predict individual's survival outcomes and benefits from concurrent chemotherapy after IC for LANPC. Low-risk patients with LANPC determined by the nomogram may be potential candidates for omission of concurrent chemotherapy following IC in the IMRT era.

[Value of autocrine motility factors in the prediction of the disease progression of PBC- associated hepatocellular carcinoma]

Objective: To clarify the value of autocrine motility factor (ATX) in predicting the disease progression of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A prospective cohort of 179 newly diagnosed autoimmune liver disease (PBC) patients admitted to the Department of Hepatology at the Fifth Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2016 to January 2018 was selected. All PBC patients received ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment and were followed up.The endpoint of the follow-up was the occurrence of primary liver cancer. The relationship between ATX and the clinical characteristics of patients and its significance in predicting disease progression and HCC were analyzed. Results: The peripheral blood ATX level was significantly higher in PBC patients than that of alcoholic cirrhosis (t = 3.278, P = 0.001) and healthy controls (t = 6.594, P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in ATX levels compared with patients with non-PBC- associated HCC (t = -0.240, P = 0.811). The expression of ATX in liver tissue of PBC patients was significantly higher than that of healthy individuals (Z = -3.633, P < 0.001) and patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (Z = -3.283, P < 0.001), while the expression of ATX in the advanced stage was significantly higher than that in early-stage PBC patients (Z = -2.018, P = 0.034). There was a significant difference in baseline ATX levels between PBC patients without HCC and PBC patients with HCC (228.451 ± 124.093 ng/ml vs. 301.583 ± 100.512 ng/ml, t = 2.339, P = 0.021). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ATX was an independent predictor of PBC progression to HCC (OR = 1.245, 95%CI 1.097-1.413). The baseline peripheral blood ATX level in predicting AUROC of PBC-associated HCC was 0.714, 95%CI 0.597-0.857 and the sensitivity and specificity were 84.6%, and 59.0%, respectively. The optimal cutoff value for predicting serum ATX levels in the occurrence of HCC was 235.254 ng/ml. Conclusion: Patients with PBC have significantly higher levels of ATX expression in their peripheral blood and liver tissue, which can be utilized to assess treatment effectiveness and predict disease progression.

Local Sn Dipolar-Character Displacements behind the Low Thermal Conductivity in SnSe Thermoelectric

The local atomic structure of SnSe was characterized across its orthorhombic-to-orthorhombic structural phase transition using x-ray pair distribution function analysis. Substantial Sn displacements with a dipolar character persist in the high-symmetry high-temperature phase, albeit with a symmetry different from that of the ordered displacements below the transition. The analysis implies that the transition is neither order-disorder nor displacive but rather a complex crossover. Robust ferrocoupled SnSe intralayer distortions suggest a ferroelectriclike instability as the driving force. These local symmetry-lowering Sn displacements are likely integral to the ultralow lattice thermal conductivity mechanism in SnSe.

Characterization of pyroptosis-related genes in esophageal cancer and construction of a prognostic model

OBJECTIVE

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly malignant digestive system tumor that often lacks evident early symptoms and has a poor prognosis. Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, has been shown to be associated with the occurrence and progression of many malignancies. However, its role in esophageal cancer remains unclear. This work aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in EC using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The RNA-seq data from 171 esophageal samples in the TCGA database were employed. Differential expression genes (DEGs) between tumor and non-tumor samples were compared. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed using the STRING database, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses were performed using the "clusterProfiler" package in R. Furthermore, based on the DEGs, all esophageal cancer cases were classified into three subtypes. A risk model for gene features was established using the LASSO regression method, and EC patients in the TCGA cohort were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups.

RESULTS

A total of 614 PRGs were identified. Among them, 32 DEGs (31 upregulated and 1 downregulated) were found between normal esophageal tissue and EC tissue. PPI analysis identified key genes including IL-1β, CASP1, AIM2, HMGB1, GSDMD, PYCARD, IL-18, BAK1, and TP53. On the other hand, the low-risk group exhibited a significantly higher survival rate than the high-risk group (p < 0.001). Combined with the clinical characteristics of the TCGA cohort, it was found that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) prediction in EC patients. KEGG and GO analyses revealed the enrichment of genes associated with cell proliferation in the high-risk group.

CONCLUSIONS

PRGs play a crucial role in the occurrence and development of EC and can be used to predict the prognosis of EC patients.

[Prevalence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in snails in Fujian Province from 2017 to 2021]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in market-sold and field-captured snails in Fujian Province, so as to provide the scientific basis for the formulation of the angiostrongyliasis control measures.

METHODS

In each month from May to October during the period from 2017 through 2021, Pomacea snails were collected from two field fixed surveillance sites and Bellamya aeruginosa collected from one agricultural product market in Fuzhou City, while Pomacea and B. aeruginosa snails were collected from two agricultural product markets and four restaurants in Xiamen City. At least 50 Pomacea snails and 500 g B. aeruginosa were sampled each time. A. cantonensis infection was detected in Pomacea snails using lung microscopy, and in B. aeruginosa using a tissue homogenate method.

RESULTS

A total of 9 531 Pomacea snails were detected for A. cantonensis infection in two cities of Fuzhou and Xiamen, and the overall prevalence of A. cantonensis infection was 4.40%, with the highest prevalence in 2017 (6.82%, 116/1 701) and the lowest prevalence in 2019 (3.46%, 83/2 400). The prevalence of A. cantonensis infection was significantly higher in Pomacea snails sampled from Fuzhou City (11.23%, 326/2 903) than from Xiamen City (1.40%, 93/6 628) (χ² = 461.48, P < 0.01). A. cantonensis larvae were detected in larval Pomacea snails in two cities of Fuzhou and Xiamen each month. The prevalence of A. cantonensis infection in Pomacea snails appeared an overall tendency towards a rise with month in Fuzhou City, with the highest prevalence in October (15.24%), and there was a significant difference among month (χ² = 14.56, P < 0.05), while the prevalence of A. cantonensis infection in Pomacea snails was low in Pomacea snails sampled from Xiamen City each month, with the highest prevalence in June (2.64%), and there was a significant difference among month (χ² = 23.17, P < 0.05). A total of 18 966 B. aeruginosa snails were detected for A. cantonensis infection in two cities of Fuzhou and Xiamen, and the overall prevalence of A. cantonensis infection was 0.01%.

CONCLUSIONS

A. cantonensis infection was identified in Pomacea and B. aeruginosa snails in Fujian Province from 2017 to 2021, and there is a potential risk of human A. cantonensis infection.

[Identification of potential influencing factors associated with elimination of migraine headache in patients with PFO after percutaneous closure]

Objective: To recognize the potential factors that contribute to the eradication of migraine headache in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) at one year after percutaneous closure. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted, which enrolled patients diagnosed with migraines and PFO at the Department of Structural Heart Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between May 2016 and May 2018. The patients were segregated into two groups based on their response to treatment, and one group showed elimination of migraines while another did not. Elimination of migraines was defined as a Migraine Disability Assessment Score (MIDAS) score of 0 at one year postoperatively. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression model was utilized to identify the predictive variables for migraine elimination post-PFO closure. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the independent predictive factors. Results: The study enrolled a total of 247 patients, with an average age of (37.5±13.6) years, comprising 81 male individuals (32.8%). One year after closure, 148 patients (59.9%) reported eradication of their migraines. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that migraine with or without aura (OR=0.003 9, 95%CI 0.000 2-0.058 7, P=0.000 18), a history of antiplatelet medication use (OR=0.088 2, 95%CI 0.013 7-0.319 3, P=0.001 48) and resting right-to-left shunt (RLS) (OR=6.883 6, 95%CI 3.769 2-13.548 0, P<0.001) were identified as independent predictive factors for elimination of migraine. Conclusion: Migraine with or without aura, a history of antiplatelet medication use, and resting RLS are the independent prognostic factors associated with elimination of migraine. These results provide important clues for clinicians to choose the optimal treatment plan for PFO patients. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

High performance of visible-light driven hydrogen production over graphdiyne (g-CnH2n-2)/MOF S-scheme heterojunction

Among carbon allotropes, 2D graphdiyne (GDY) possesses the merits of good ductility, strong conductivity and an adjustable energy band structure. In this study, a GDY/ZnCo-ZIF S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst has been successfully prepared by a low-temperature mixing method. Using eosin as a photosensitizer and triethanolamine as a solvent, the hydrogen production of the GDY/ZnCo-ZIF-0.9 composite reaches 171.79 μmol, which is 6.67 and 13.5 times that of the GDY and ZnCo-ZIF materials, respectively. The apparent quantum efficiency of the GDY/ZnCo-ZIF-0.9 composite at 470 nm is 2.8%. The improved photocatalytic efficiency may be attributed to the creation of an S-scheme heterojunction structure that enables efficient separation of space charges. In addition, the EY-sensitized GDY/ZnCo-ZIF catalyst endows the GDY with a special structure to provide an abundance of electrons for the ZnCo-ZIF material, thus facilitating the photocatalytic reduction reaction to produce hydrogen. A novel perspective is presented in this study regarding the construction of an S-scheme heterojunction based on graphdiyne for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation.

Deep-learning based broadband reflection reduction metasurface

Reflection reduction metasurface (RRM) has been drawing much attention due to its potential application in stealth technology. However, the traditional RRM is designed mainly based on trial-and-error approaches, which is time-consuming and leads to inefficiency. Here, we report the design of a broadband RRM based on deep-learning methodology. On one hand, we construct a forward prediction network that can forecast the polarization conversion ratio (PCR) of the metasurface in a millisecond, demonstrating a higher efficiency than traditional simulation tools. On the other hand, we construct an inverse network to immediately derive the structure parameters once a target PCR spectrum is given. Thus, an intelligent design methodology of broadband polarization converters has been established. When the polarization conversion units are arranged in chessboard layout with 0/1 form, a broadband RRM is achieved. The experimental results show that the relative bandwidth reaches 116% (reflection<-10 dB) and 107.4% (reflection<-15 dB), which demonstrates a great advantage in bandwidth compared with the previous designs.

[Prevalence of Anisakise infections in marine fishes in Eastern Fujian Fishing Ground of Fujian Province]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of Anisakis infection in marine fishes in Eastern Fujian Fishing Ground of Fujian Province, so as to provide insights into the development of the anisakiasis control strategy.

METHODS

Marine fish samples were randomly collected from Jiaocheng District, Fuding City and Xiapu County around Eastern Fujian Fishing Ground in Fujian Province from September to December, 2021. All fishes were dissected, and the abdominal contents were collected. Parasites were sampled under a stereomicroscope and the Anisakis species were identified through morphology. The prevalence and intensity of Anisakis infections were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 177 marine fishes belonging to 24 species were dissected, and Anisakis was detected in 73 marine fishes (41.2%) belonging to 16 species (66.7%), with a mean infection intensity of 14.3 parasites per fish. High prevalence of Anisakis infection was found in Ilisha elongata (5/5), Miichthys miiuy (3/3), Plectorhynchus cinctus (2/2), Scomberomorus niphonius (12/13), Trichiurus lepturus (19/23), Pennahia argentata (6/11) and Ditrema temmincki (14/27), with mean infection intensities of 9.2, 2.7, 4.5, 10.9, 39.2, 4.5 parasites per fish and 2.1 parasites per fish. The Anisakis larvae were characterized as Anisakis and Hysterothylacium.

CONCLUSIONS

High prevalence of Anisakis infection is detected in marine fishes in Eastern Fujian Fishing Ground of Fujian Province. The health education pertaining to food health is required to be reinforced to prevent the development of human anisakiasis.

An acceptor-shielding strategy of photosensitizers for enhancing the generation efficiency of type I reactive oxygen species and the related photodynamic immunotherapy

Developing efficient photosensitizers (PSs) that can generate type I reactive oxygen species (ROS) under illumination is considered an effective way to improve photodynamic therapy (PDT) outcomes due to the hypoxic nature of the tumor environment, but also is very challenging. Herein, a new PS of the multiarylpyrrole (MAP) derivative with a typical donor-acceptor structure was synthesized to efficiently generate type I ROS by using an acceptor-shielding strategy in their aggregated state. The enhanced generation mechanism of type I ROS originated from its ultralong triplet lifetime and the narrow singlet-triplet energy gap of the MAP. More importantly, type I ROS can transform protumoral M2 macrophages (M2) into antitumoral M1 macrophages (M1), which showed synergistic immunotherapy in in vivo experiments. Therefore, introducing shielding groups into acceptors provides general guidance for developing efficient PSs in the aggregation state for clinical PDT.