A fully digital workflow to design anterior guidance for an implant-supported single crown using a modified patient-specific motion technique

Current methods for designing anterior guidance of anterior fixed prostheses are either complicated or lack accuracy. The article describes a fully digital workflow to design individualized anterior guidance of an implant-supported single crown by using a modified patient-specific motion technique. The technique aims to optimize the digital occlusal design workflow, thereby improving the occlusal fit and long-term stability of anterior fixed prostheses.

Electroencephalography oscillations can predict the cortical response following theta burst stimulation

BACKGROUND

Continuous theta burst stimulation and intermittent theta burst stimulation are clinically popular models of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. However, they are limited by high variability between individuals in cortical excitability changes following stimulation. Although electroencephalography oscillations have been reported to modulate the cortical response to transcranial magnetic stimulation, their association remains unclear. This study aims to explore whether machine learning models based on EEG oscillation features can predict the cortical response to transcranial magnetic stimulation.

METHOD

Twenty-three young, healthy adults attended two randomly assigned sessions for continuous and intermittent theta burst stimulation. In each session, ten minutes of resting-state electroencephalography were recorded before delivering brain stimulation. Participants were classified as responders or non-responders based on changes in resting motor thresholds. Support vector machines and multi-layer perceptrons were used to establish predictive models of individual responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation.

RESULT

Among the evaluated algorithms, support vector machines achieved the best performance in discriminating responders from non-responders for intermittent theta burst stimulation (accuracy: 91.30%) and continuous theta burst stimulation (accuracy: 95.66%). The global clustering coefficient and global characteristic path length in the beta band had the greatest impact on model output.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that EEG features can serve as markers of cortical response to transcranial magnetic stimulation. They offer insights into the association between neural oscillations and variability in individuals' responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation, aiding in the optimization of individualized protocols.

Neurophysiological characterization of stroke recovery: A longitudinal TMS and EEG study

AIMS

Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying stroke recovery is critical to determine effective interventions for stroke rehabilitation. This study aims to systematically explore how recovery mechanisms post-stroke differ between individuals with different levels of functional integrity of the ipsilesional corticomotor pathway and motor function.

METHODS

Eighty-one stroke survivors and 15 age-matched healthy adults participated in this study. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), and concurrent TMS-EEG to investigate longitudinal neurophysiological changes post-stroke, and their relationship with behavioral changes. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the presence of paretic motor evoked potentials and motor function.

RESULTS

Functional connectivity was increased dramatically in low-functioning individuals without elicitable motor evoked potentials (MEPs), which showed a positive effect on motor recovery. Functional connectivity was increased gradually in higher-functioning individuals without elicitable MEP during stroke recovery and influence from the contralesional hemisphere played a key role in motor recovery. In individuals with elicitable MEPs, negative correlations between interhemispheric functional connectivity and motor function suggest that the influence from the contralesional hemisphere may be detrimental to motor recovery.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate prominent clinical implications for individualized stroke rehabilitation based on both functional integrity of the ipsilesional corticomotor pathway and motor function.

Climate risk and renewable energy technological innovation: An institutional environment perspective

To explore whether climate risk (CR) affects renewable energy technological innovation (RETI) and its boundary conditions, this study examines the relationship between CR and RETI as moderated by institutional environment. Based on panel data of 60 countries for the period 2000-2019, we show that CR is not conducive to RETI, and that its negative marginal impact shows an inverted U-shaped trend with the improvement of RETI. Heterogeneity analysis shows that floods and storms have the greatest negative impacts on RETI, and that innovations in solar and wind energy technologies are more vulnerable to the adverse shocks of CR. Furthermore, CR has a greater adverse effect on RETI in developing countries than in developed countries. However, the institutional environment, especially the economic institutional environment, can work to mitigate the negative effect of CR on RETI. Our findings not only enrich the research on the economic consequences of CR but also provide effective ways to mitigate the adverse impact of CR on RETI from the perspective of institutional environment.

Constructing Hierarchical CoGa2O4-S@NiCo-LDH Core-Shell Heterostructures with Crystalline/Amorphous/Crystalline Heterointerfaces for Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors

The rational design and construction of composite electrodes are crucial for overcoming the issues of poor working stability and slow ionic electron mobility of a single component. Nevertheless, it is a big challenge to construct core-shell heterostructures with crystalline/amorphous/crystalline heterointerfaces in straightforward and efficient methods. Here, we have successfully converted a portion of crystalline CoGa2O4 into the amorphous phase by employing a facile sulfidation process (denoted as CoGa2O4-S), followed by anchoring crystalline NiCo-layered double hydroxide (denoted as NiCo-LDH) nanoarrays onto hexagonal plates and nucleation points of CoGa2O4-S, synthesizing dual-type hexagonal and flower-like 3D CoGa2O4-S@NiCo-LDH core-shell heterostructures with crystalline/amorphous/crystalline heterointerfaces on carbon cloth. Furthermore, we further adjust the Ni/Co ratio in LDH, achieving precise and controllable core-shell heterostructures. Benefiting from the abundant crystalline/amorphous/crystalline heterointerfaces and synergistic effect among various components, the CoGa2O4-S@Ni2Co1-LDH electrode exhibits a specific capacity of 247.8 mAh·g-1 at 1 A·g-1 and good rate performance. A CoGa2O4-S@Ni2Co1-LDH//AC flexible asymmetric supercapacitor provides an energy density of 58.2 Wh·kg-1 at a power density of 850 W·kg-1 and exhibits an impressive capacitance retention of 105.7% after 10,000 cycles at 10 A·g-1. Our research provides profound insights into the design of other similar core-shell heterostructures.

Exploring causal association between circulating inflammatory cytokines and functional outcomes following ischemic stroke: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

OBJECTIVES

Previous observational studies have indicated correlations between various inflammatory cytokines and functional outcomes following ischemic stroke (IS); however, the causality remains unclear. We aimed to further evaluate the causal association between 41 circulating inflammatory cytokines and functional outcomes following IS.

METHODS

Two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used in this study. The genetic variation of 41 circulating inflammatory cytokines were derived from genome-wide association study (GWAS) data of European ancestry (n = 8293). The corresponding genetic association of functional outcomes following IS were derived from European ancestry GWAS data (n = 6021).

RESULTS

Inverse variance weighted (IVW) analysis showed that genetically predicted increased levels of regulation and activation in normal T-cell expression and secretion factor (RANTES/CCL5) and eosinophilic chemotactic factor (EOTAXIN/CCL11) were positively correlated with the increased adverse functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale [mRS≥3] following IS (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.002-1.96, p = 0.049; OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.15-1.54, p = 0.0001). Interleukin 18 (IL-18) level might be the downstream consequence of adverse functional outcomes following IS (β: -0.09, p = 0.039). Other inflammatory cytokines and functional outcomes following IS did not appear to be causally related.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests a causality between inflammation and adverse functional outcomes following IS. RANTES (CCL5) and EOTAXIN (CCL11) may be the upstream factors of adverse functional outcomes following IS, while IL-18 may be the downstream effect of adverse functional outcomes following IS. Whether these cytokines can be used to predict or improve adverse functional outcomes after IS requires further researches.

Tuberostemonine may alleviates proliferation of lung fibroblasts caused by pulmonary fibrosis

OBJECTIVES

Tuberostemonine has several biological activity, the aim of study examined the impact of tuberostemonine on the proliferation of TGF-β1 induced cell model, and its ability to alleviate pulmonary fibrosis stimulated by bleomycin in mice.

METHODS

In vitro, we assessed the effect of tuberostemonine (350, 550 and 750 µM) on the proliferation of cells stimulated by TGF-β1 (10 μg/L), as well as on parameters such as α-SMA vitality, human fibronectin, collagen, and hydroxyproline levels in cells. In vivo, we analyzed inflammation, hydroxyproline, collagen activity and metabolomics in the lungs of mice. Additionally, a comprehensive investigation into the TGF-β/smad signaling pathway was undertaken, targeting lung tissue as well as HFL cells.

RESULTS

Within the confines of an in vitro setup, the tuberostemonine manifested a discerned IC50 of 1.9 mM. Furthermore, a significant reduction of over fifty percent was ascertained in the secretion levels of hydroxyproline, fibronectin, collagen type I, collagen type III and α-SMA. In vivo, tuberostemonine obviously improved the respiratory function percentage over 50% of animal model and decreased the hydroxyproline, lung inflammation and collagen deposition. A prominent decline in TGF-β/smad pathway functioning was identified within both the internal and external cellular contexts.

CONCLUSIONS

Tuberostemonine is considered as a modulator to alleviate fibrosis and may become a new renovation for pulmonary fibrosis.

Hydrogen Sulfide and Functional Therapy: Novel Mechanisms from Epigenetics

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gasotransmitter with significant physiological effects, including anti-inflammatory properties, regulation of oxidative stress, and vasodilation, thus regulating body functions. Functional therapy involves using treatments that target the underlying cause of a disease, rather than simply treating symptoms. Epigenetics refers to changes in gene expression that occur through modifications to DNA, to the proteins that package DNA, or to noncoding RNA mechanisms. Recent research advances suggest that H2S may play a role in epigenetic regulation by altering DNA methylation patterns and regulating histone deacetylases, enzymes that modify histone proteins, or modulating microRNA mechanisms. These critical findings suggest that H2S may be a promising molecule for functional therapy in various diseases where epigenetic modifications are dysregulated. We reviewed the relevant research progress in this area, hoping to provide new insights into the epigenetic mechanisms of H2S. Despite the challenges of clinical use of H2S, future research may lead to the progress of new therapeutic approaches. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 40, 110-121.

Finite element analysis of repairing tympanic membrane perforation using autologous graft material and biodegradable bionic cobweb scaffold

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

As for repairing the perforated tympanic membranes (TM), temporalis fascia and tragal cartilage are popular in clinics as autologous graft materials. However, there is a significant hearing loss after repairing the TM with autologous graft materials, which needs to be addressed in biomechanical engineering.

METHODS

The finite element model of normal middle ear is improved from two aspects: the repair method of tympanic fibrous layer and the bionic spider web tympanic scaffold. By creating the solid-shell coupling condition and strong coupling boundary condition to simulate the repair, TM umbo and stapes footplate displacement-frequency response are explored in 200-8000 Hz.

RESULTS

The tympanic membrane perforation (TMP) causes a significant conductive hearing loss in high frequency region, which is positively correlated with perforation area. Both temporalis fascia and tragal cartilage still perform a certain degree of high-frequency hearing loss after repairing TMP. The TM attachment the magnesium alloy scaffold (MAS) prevents appropriately the high frequency hearing loss after autologous graft repair and makes the sound transmission closer to the normal condition. Significantly, the density of graft material has a negative effect on high-frequency sound transmission without the MAS. The modal-motion of TM repaired with temporalis fascia and tragal cartilage is improved significantly after attaching the MAS. In addition, the MAS restores effectively the configuration and vibration frequency of the repaired TM, which is similar to that of the native TM.

CONCLUSION

The area size of TMP is studied through the finite element method, which includes autologous graft materials, the MAS, parameter sensitivity analysis, modal analysis of graft material and the MAS in biological form on the effect of middle ear sound transmission. Relevant conclusions provide some references for clinical trial protocol and the follow-up repair ideas of TM of tympanoplasty.

Upregulation of ATG9b by propranolol promotes autophagic cell death of hepatic stellate cells to improve liver fibrosis

Proranolol has long been recommended to prevent variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. However, the mechanisms of propranolol in liver fibrosis have not yet been thoroughly elucidated. Autophagic cell death (ACD) of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is important in the alleviation of liver fibrosis. Our study aims to assess the mechanisms of propranolol regulating HSC ACD and liver fibrosis. ACD of HSCs was investigated using lentivirus transfection. The molecular mechanism was determined using a PCR profiler array. The role of autophagy-related protein 9b (ATG9b) in HSC ACD was detected using co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization of immunofluorescence. Changes in the signalling pathway were detected by the Phospho Explorer antibody microarray. Propranolol induces ACD and apoptosis in HSCs. ATG9b upregulation was detected in propranolol-treated HSCs. ATG9b upregulation promoted ACD of HSCs and alleviated liver fibrosis in vivo. ATG9b enhanced the P62 recruitment to ATG5-ATG12-LC3 compartments and increased the co-localization of P62 with ubiquitinated proteins. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is responsible for ATG9b-induced ACD in activated HSCs, whereas the p38/JNK pathway is involved in apoptosis. This study provides evidence for ATG9b as a new target gene and propranolol as an agent to alleviate liver fibrosis by regulating ACD of activated HSCs.

Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on consumers' perceptions of genetically modified food

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has generated significant economic loss and an unprecedented challenge to people's livelihoods. Using household data collected in November 2020, this study shows that the COVID-19 outbreak has significantly affected consumers' perceptions and consumption of genetically modified (GM) food in China. Their perceptions and purchase intentions have turned more negative, and their actual purchase of GM food has decreased after the COVID-19 outbreak. The study's results also indicate that consumers with more knowledge of genetic modification technology are less likely to change their perceptions of GM food.

Reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation predicted the efficacy of camrelizumab in patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP), a special adverse event (AE) only observed in patients treated with camrelizumab, was reported to be correlated with the efficacy of camrelizumab in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. This study to analyze the possible correlation between the occurrence of RCCEP and efficacy of camrelizumab in patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and RCCEP occurrence of camrelizumab in 58 patients with R/M HNSCC in the Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine between January 2019 and June 2022. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess the correlation between the occurrence of RCCEP and the survival of enrolled patients, and COX multifactor analysis was adopted to evaluate associated factors that affected the efficacy of camrelizumab immunotherapy.

RESULTS

A significant correlation between the incidence of RCCEP and a higher objective response rate was observed in this study (p=0.008). The occurrence of RCCEP was associated with better median overall survival (17.0 months vs. 8.7 months, p<0.0001, HR=5.944, 95% CI:2.097-16.84) and better median progression-free survival (15.1 months vs. 4.0 months, p<0.0001, HR=4.329,95% CI:1.683-11.13). In COX multifactor analysis, RCCEP occurrence was also an independent prognostic factor affecting OS and PFS in patients with R/M HNSCC.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of RCCEP can show a better prognosis, it could be used as a clinical biomarker to predict the efficacy of camrelizumab treatment.

HER2-low expression in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors

BACKGROUND

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low is a newly defined category with HER2 1+ or 2+ expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and lack of HER2 gene amplification measured by in situ hybridization (ISH). Much remains unknown about the HER2-low status across tumor types and changes in HER2 status between primary and metastatic samples.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

HER2 expression by IHC was evaluated in 4701 patients with solid tumors. We have evaluated the HER2 expression by IHC and amplification by ISH in paired breast and gastric/gastroesophageal (GEJ) primary and metastatic samples. HER2 expression was correlated with ERBB2 genomic alterations evaluated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in non-breast, non-gastric/GEJ samples.

RESULTS

HER2 expression (HER2 IHC 1-3+) was found in half (49.8%) of the cancers, with HER2-low (1 or 2+) found in many tumor types: 47.1% in breast, 34.6% in gastric/GEJ, 50.0% in salivary gland, 46.9% in lung, 46.5% in endometrial, 46% in urothelial, and 45.5% of gallbladder cancers. The concordance evaluation of HER2 expression between primary and metastatic breast cancer samples showed that HER2 3+ remained unchanged in 87.1% with a strong agreement between primary and metastatic samples, with a weighted kappa (Κ) of 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.79-0.91). ERBB2 alterations were identified in 117 (7.5%) patients with non-breast, non-gastric/GEJ solid tumors who had NGS testing. Of 1436 patients without ERBB2 alterations, 512 (35.7%) showed any level HER2 expression by IHC.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that HER2-low expression is frequently found across tumor types. These findings suggest that many patients with HER2-low solid tumors might benefit from HER2-targeted therapies.

Digitally designed occlusion of an implant-supported crown considering physiological tooth displacement under occlusal loading

Physiological natural tooth displacement under occlusal loading can influence intraoral occlusal contacts. However, gypsum casts and digital scans cannot simulate the physiological tooth displacement under occlusal loading. The occlusal design of the implant-supported crowns has been based mainly on the experience of dental laboratory technicians, lacking accuracy and individualization. Therefore, a digital technique that considers physiological tooth displacement is presented to design the occlusion of implant-supported single crowns.

A High-Specific-Activity L-aspartate-α-Decarboxylase from Bacillus aryabhattai Gel-09 and Site-Directed Mutation to Improve Its Substrate Tolerance

L-aspartate-α-decarboxylase (ADC) can recognize L-aspartic acid specifically and catalyze the decarboxylation of L-aspartic acid to β-alanine. In this study, a novel L-aspartate-α-decarboxylase (BaADC) with high specific activity from Bacillus aryabhattai Gel-09 was heterologously expressed and characterized. It exhibited optimal enzyme activity at pH 5.5 and 75 °C, and its specific activity was 33.9 U/mg. To improve the substrate tolerance of BaADC, site-directed mutation was used to construct variants. The optimal variant BaADC_I88M exhibited higher pH stability and thermostability, with 1.2-fold increase in catalytic efficiency. Moreover, through the fed-batch method, the conversion of L-aspartic acid to β-alanine catalyzed by BaADC_I88M reached 98.6% (128.67 g/L) at 12 h, which was 1.42-fold that of the wild-type enzyme. The mechanism of improved substrate tolerance was interpreted by molecular dynamics simulation and structural analysis, which revealed that the local conformational change in the active pocket could promote correct protonation. These results suggested that BaADC and its variant are potential candidates for use in the industrial production of β-alanine.

Standard Therapy vs. Individualized Therapy in Elderly Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Real-World Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with/without induction chemotherapy has been the standard therapy (ST) for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). However, most patients supporting these clinical trials were younger than 65 years of age. For the toxicity of CRT and the poor tolerance of elderly patients, it is still controversial whether ST could bring the most promising survival benefits for elderly NPC compared with individualized therapy (IT). Thus, in this real-world study we compared the survival and safety of ST with IT in elderly LA-NPC to explore an effective and tolerable treatment strategy for elderly LA-NPC.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 109 newly diagnosed elderly LA-NPC (>65 years old) from Jan. 2013-Jul. 2020 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the ST group and IT group according to the original treatment tendency. ST refers to CRT with/without induction chemotherapy. IT group included patients not suitable for CRT and were given individualized treatment fully discussed by at least two oncologists from our head and neck team. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) generated a matched cohort of ST and IT. The survivals and treatment related toxicities were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were 46 cases in the ST group and 63 cases in the IT group. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate, cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate, progression- free survival (PFS) rate, local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rate and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rate were 68.64%, 76.42%, 73.69%, 85.67% and 86.82%, respectively. By 1:1PSM, 35 cases in each group were matched. No significant differences of OS, CSS, PFS, LRFS and DMFS were found between ST and IT groups in the PSM-matched cohorts (P = 0.87, P = 0.79, P = 0.51, P = 0.81 and P = 0.24, respectively). Compared with patients in the ST group, cases received IT were associated with less severe acute toxicities including anemia, leucopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia.

CONCLUSION

For elderly LA-NPC, IT had similar survivals while less severe toxicities compared with ST, which revolutionarily challenged the role of ST for elderly LA-NPC. In the future, more studies are need to explore a less toxic treatment modality with noninferior efficacy for elderly LA-NPC.

Bibliometric analysis of the 100 most-cited papers about the role of gut microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome from 2000 to 2021

AIM

Over the last few decades, gut microbiota research has been the focus of intense research and this field has become particularly important. This research aimed to provide a quantitative evaluation of the 100 most-cited articles on gut microbiota and IBS and highlight the most important advances in this field.

METHODS

The database Web of Science Core Collection was used to download the bibliometric information the top 100 most-cited papers. Microsoft Excel 2021, CiteSpace, VOSviewer, R software, and an online analytical platform ( https://bibliometric.com/ ) were was applied to perform bibliometric analysis of these papers.

RESULTS

The total citation frequency in the top 100 article ranged from 274 to 2324, with an average citation of 556.57. A total of 24 countries/regions made contributions to the top 100 cited papers, and USA, Ireland, and China were the most top three productive countries. Cryan JF was the most frequently nominated author, and of the top 100 articles, 20 listed his name. Top-cited papers mainly came from the Gastroenterology (n = 13, citations = 6373) and Gut (n = 9, citations = 3903). There was a significant citation path, indicating publications in molecular/biology/immunology primarily cited journals in molecular/biology/genetics fields. Keywords analysis suggested that the main topics on gut microbiota and IBS were mechanisms of microbiome in brain-gut axis." Behavior" was the keyword with the strongest burst strength (2.36), followed by "anxiety like behavior" (2.24), "intestinal microbiota" (2.19), and "chain fatty acid" (1.99), and "maternal separation" (1.95).

CONCLUSION

This study identified and provided the bibliometric information of the top 100 cited publications related to gut microbiota and IBS. The results provided a general overview of this topic and might help researchers to better understand the evolution, Influential findings and hotspots in researching gut microbiota and IBS, thus providing new perspectives and novel research ideas in this specific area.

The role of APOBEC3C in modulating the tumor microenvironment and stemness properties of glioma: evidence from pancancer analysis

Background

It is now understood that APOBEC3 family proteins (A3s) are essential in tumor progression, yet their involvement in tumor immunity and stemness across diverse cancer types remains poorly understood.

Methods

In the present study, comprehensive genome-wide statistical and bioinformatic analyses were conducted to elucidate A3 family expression patterns, establishing clinically relevant correlations with prognosis, the tumor microenvironment(TME), immune infiltration, checkpoint blockade, and stemness across cancers. Different experimental techniques were applied, including RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry, sphere formation assays, Transwell migration assays, and wound-healing assays, to investigate the impact of A3C on low-grade glioma (LGG) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), as well as its function in glioma stem cells(GSCs).

Results

Dysregulated expression of A3s was observed in various human cancer tissues. The prognostic value of A3 expression differed across cancer types, with a link to particularly unfavorable outcomes in gliomas. A3s are associated with the the TME and stemness in multiple cancers. Additionally, we developed an independent prognostic model based on A3s expression, which may be an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with glioma. Subsequent validation underscored a strong association between elevated A3C expression and adverse prognostic outcomes, higher tumor grades, and unfavorable histology in glioma. A potential connection between A3C and glioma progression was established. Notably, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses implicated A3C in immune system-related diseases, with heightened A3C levels contributing to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in glioma. Furthermore, in vitro experiments substantiated the role of A3C in sustaining and renewing glioma stem cells, as A3C deletion led to diminished proliferation, invasion, and migration of glioma cells.

Conclusion

The A3 family exhibits heterogeneous expression across various cancer types, with its expression profile serving as a predictive marker for overall survival in glioma patients. A3C emerges as a regulator of glioma progression, exerting its influence through modulation of the tumor microenvironment and regulation of stemness.

Breast Conservation Surgery and Mastectomy Have Similar Locoregional Recurrence After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Results From 1462 Patients on the Prospective, Randomized I-SPY2 Trial

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) increases rates of successful breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in patients with breast cancer. However, some studies suggest that BCS after NAC may confer an increased risk of locoregional recurrence (LRR). We assessed LRR rates and locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) in patients enrolled on I-SPY2 (NCT01042379), a prospective NAC trial for patients with clinical stage II to III, molecularly high-risk breast cancer. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate associations between surgical procedure (BCS vs mastectomy) and LRFS adjusted for age, tumor receptor subtype, clinical T category, clinical nodal status, and residual cancer burden (RCB). In 1462 patients, surgical procedure was not associated with LRR or LRFS on either univariate or multivariate analysis. The unadjusted incidence of LRR was 5.4% after BCS and 7.0% after mastectomy, at a median follow-up time of 3.5 years. The strongest predictor of LRR was RCB class, with each increasing RCB class having a significantly higher hazard ratio for LRR compared with RCB 0 on multivariate analysis. Triple-negative receptor subtype was also associated with an increased risk of LRR (hazard ratio: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.8-4.6, P < 0.0001), regardless of the type of operation. In this large multi-institutional prospective trial of patients completing NAC, we found no increased risk of LRR or differences in LRFS after BCS compared with mastectomy. Tumor receptor subtype and extent of residual disease after NAC were significantly associated with recurrence. These data demonstrate that BCS can be an excellent surgical option after NAC for appropriately selected patients.

Chaotic Effect-Based Array Duffing Systems with Improved Nonlinear Restoring Force for Weak Signal Detection in Dynamic MWD

In the process of dynamic Measurement While Drilling (MWD), the strong vibration and rapid rotation of the Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) lead to multi-frequency and high-amplitude noise interference in the attitude measurement signal. The weak original signal and extremely low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are always the technical difficulties of dynamic MWD. To solve this problem, this paper uses the chaotic effect of the Duffing system, which takes the expression (-x3 + x5) as a nonlinear restoring force to detect the weak characteristic signal of downhole dynamic MWD. First of all, in order to meet the limit condition of the chaotic phase transition of the system output, the frequency value of the characteristic signal is reconstructed and transformed based on the variable scale theory. Then, in order to solve the influence of the initial phase of the characteristic signal on the detection accuracy, a detection model based on the array Duffing system is presented, and a frequency-detection scheme with all-phase coverage is given. Finally, another array Duffing system is designed for the parameter estimation of the characteristic signal. The critical value of chaotic phase transition is determined by adjusting the amplitude of the driving signal of the array Duffing system, and then the amplitude and phase parameters of the characteristic signal are synchronously estimated. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively extract the weak characteristic signal within the strong noise, and the SNR of the characteristic signal can be as low as -21 dB. Through the attitude calculation for the extracted characteristic signal, it can be seen that the proposed method can improve the accuracy of the inclination of the drilling tool significantly, which proves the feasibility and effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper.

Preventive Effect of 6-shogaol on D-galactosamine Induced Hepatotoxicity Through NF-?B/MAPK Signaling Pathway in Rats

This analysis aims to see whether 6-shogaol could protect rats against D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced Hepatotoxicity. The Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=6). Group 1 received a standard diet, Group 2 received an oral administration of 6-shogaol (20 mg/kg b.wt), Group 3 received an intraperitoneal injection of D-GalN (400 mg/kg b.wt) on 21st day, and Group 4 received an oral administration of 6-shogaol (20mg/kg b.wt) for 21 days and D-GalN (400 mg/kg b.wt) injection only on 21st day. The hepatic marker enzymes activity, lipid peroxidative markers level increased significantly and antioxidant activity/level significantly reduced in D-GalN-induced rats. 6-shogaol Pretreatment effectively improves the above changes in D-GalN-induced rats. Further, inflammatory marker expression and MAPK signaling molecules were downregulated by 6-shogaol. These findings showed that 6-shogaol exerts hepatoprotective effects via the enhanced antioxidant system and attenuated the inflammation and MAPK signaling pathway in D-GalN-induced rats.

Novel pH-activatable NIR fluorogenic spray mediated near-instant and precise tumor margins identification in human cancer tissues for surgical resection

Rationale: Challenges such as developing a universal tumor-specific probe for tumor margin identification in diverse tumors with an easy-operative and fast-imaging pattern still exist. Hence, in the present study, a rapidly "off-on" near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe NBD with pH-activatable fluorescence and a large Stokes shift was constructed for spray mediated near-instant and precise clinical tumor margins identification. Methods: NBD was designed and synthesized by introducing both diphenyl amino group and benzo[e]indolium to β-carboline at C-6 and C-3 positions respectively. The optical properties of NBD was characterized by absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra. Subsequently, we investigated its pH-dependent mechanism by 1H NMR and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. NBD was further under deeper investigation into its imaging performance in nude mice models (subcutaneous, orthotopic, metastatic tumor), and clinical tissues from patients with three clinically representative tumors (liver cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer). Results: It was found that NBD had NIR fluorescence (742 nm), a large Stokes shift (160 nm), and two-photon absorbance (1040 nm). Fluorescence quantum yield (ФF) increased by 5.5-fold when pH decreased from 7.4 to 4.0, to show pH-dependent property. Furthermore, NBD could not only selectively light up all four cancer cell lines, but also delineate xenograft tumor and orthotopic microtumor to guide surgical tumor resection, and track metastatic tissues. Particularly, after simple topical spray (three minutes later), NBD could rapidly and precisely distinguish the boundary ranges of three kinds of clinical cancer specimens including liver, colon, and lung cancers, with high tumor-to-normal tissue signal ratios (6.48~9.80). Conclusions: Therefore, the proposed fluorescent probe NBD may serve as a versatile NIR fluorogenic spray for the near-instant visualization of tumor margins and assisting surgeons in surgerical resection of clinical cancers.

Helicobacter pylori intragastric colonization and migration: Endoscopic manifestations and potential mechanisms

After being ingested and entering the human stomach, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) adopts several effective strategies to adhere to and colonize the gastric mucosa and move to different regions of the stomach to obtain more nutrients and escape from the harsher environments of the stomach, leading to acute infection and chronic gastritis, which is the basis of malignant gastric tumors. The endoscopic manifestations and pathological features of H. pylori infection are diverse and vary with the duration of infection. In this review, we describe the endoscopic manifestations of each stage of H. pylori gastritis and then reveal the potential mechanisms of bacterial intragastric colonization and migration from the perspective of endoscopists to provide direction for future research on the effective therapy and management of H. pylori infection.