Signal alignment for cross-datasets in P300 brain-computer interfaces

Objective.Transfer learning has become an important issue in the brain-computer interface (BCI) field, and studies on subject-to-subject transfer within the same dataset have been performed. However, few studies have been performed on dataset-to-dataset transfer, including paradigm-to-paradigm transfer. In this study, we propose a signal alignment (SA) for P300 event-related potential (ERP) signals that is intuitive, simple, computationally less expensive, and can be used for cross-dataset transfer learning.Approach.We proposed a linear SA that uses the P300's latency, amplitude scale, and reverse factor to transform signals. For evaluation, four datasets were introduced (two from conventional P300 Speller BCIs, one from a P300 Speller with face stimuli, and the last from a standard auditory oddball paradigm).Results.Although the standard approach without SA had an average precision (AP) score of 25.5%, the approach demonstrated a 35.8% AP score, and we observed that the number of subjects showing improvement was 36.0% on average. Particularly, we confirmed that the Speller dataset with face stimuli was more comparable with other datasets.Significance.We proposed a simple and intuitive way to align ERP signals that uses the characteristics of ERP signals. The results demonstrated the feasibility of cross-dataset transfer learning even between datasets with different paradigms.

An updated review on animal models to study attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder affecting both children and adolescents. Individuals with ADHD experience heterogeneous problems, such as difficulty in attention, behavioral hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Recent studies have shown that complex genetic factors play a role in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders. Animal models with clear hereditary traits are crucial for studying the molecular, biological, and brain circuit mechanisms underlying ADHD. Owing to their well-managed genetic origins and the relative simplicity with which the function of neuronal circuits is clearly established, models of mice can help learn the mechanisms involved in ADHD. Therefore, in this review, we highlighting the important genetic animal models that can be used to study ADHD.

[Prediction of pathological remission of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy and construction of clinical model based on clinical features and inflammatory markers]

Objective: To analyze the potential clinical biological factors influencing the major pathological response (MPR) to neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy in patients with resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients with resectable HNSCC who underwent neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from June 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between clinical characteristics, inflammatory markers and MPR, and a nomogram model was constructed. The calibration curve and decision curve analysis were used to verify the predictive ability and accuracy of the nomogram model. Results: A total of 173 patients were included in the study, with 141 males and 32 females, aged from 22 to 83 years. After pathological assessment, the patients were divided into two groups: MPR group (108 cases) and non MPR group (65 cases). Logistics regression analysis indicated that the patients with HPV+oropharyngeal cancer, partial response or complete response by imaging assessment, low pre-treatment platelet/lymphocyte ratio, low pre-treatment C reactive protein/albumin ratio and lower pre-and post-treatment C reactive protein/albumin ratio difference were more likely to have MPR (all P<0.05). Nomogram model was constructed based on the above factors, with a C-index of 0.826 (95%CI: 0.760-0.892), and the calibration curve and decision curve analysis confirmed the prediction accuracy of the model. Conclusion: This study shows that many factors are related to MPR of patients with resectable HNSCC receiving neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy and the constructed nomogram model helps to develop personalized treatment strategies for the patients.

Investigating Bacopa monnieri L. Therapeutic Potential for the Treatment of Neurological Diseases

The popular perennial creeping plant known as Bacopa monnieri (also known as Brahmi) is being utilized in the Indian Ayurvedic medicine practice. It has a variety of bioactive phytoconstituents that have been used therapeutically to treat a number of serious illnesses. Ancient Vedic scholars used this herb because of its pharmacological effects, particularly as a nerve booster and nootropic supporter. However, it is vital to comprehend the active phytochemical components of Bacopa monnieri extract (BME) and their molecular mechanisms in order to better grasp the effect of BME on neurological illnesses and diseases. Understanding its active phytochemical constituents and their molecular processes is essential. Numerous clinical investigations indicated that BME may have neuroprotective benefits, so it is worthwhile to re-evaluate this wellknown plant. Here, we focused on neurological problems as we examined the pharmacological and phytochemical characteristics of BME. For their effective usage in neuroprotection and cognition, many clinical concerns and the synergistic potential of Bacopa extract have been investigated. Alzheimer's disease is a neurological condition caused by the production of reactive oxygen species, which also causes amyloid-beta (A) and tau protein aggregation and increases neuro-inflammation and neurotoxicity. Our review offers a more indepth molecular understanding of the neuroprotective functions of BME, which can also be connected to its therapeutic management of neurological illnesses and cognitive-improving effects.

Genome-wide association studies and Mendelian randomization analyses provide insights into the causes of early-onset colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC; diagnosed <50 years of age) is rising globally; however, the causes underlying this trend are largely unknown. CRC has strong genetic and environmental determinants, yet common genetic variants and causal modifiable risk factors underlying EOCRC are unknown. We conducted the first EOCRC-specific genome-wide association study (GWAS) and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to explore germline genetic and causal modifiable risk factors associated with EOCRC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a GWAS meta-analysis of 6176 EOCRC cases and 65 829 controls from the Genetics and Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer Consortium (GECCO), the Colorectal Transdisciplinary Study (CORECT), the Colon Cancer Family Registry (CCFR), and the UK Biobank. We then used the EOCRC GWAS to investigate 28 modifiable risk factors using two-sample MR.

RESULTS

We found two novel risk loci for EOCRC at 1p34.1 and 4p15.33, which were not previously associated with CRC risk. We identified a deleterious coding variant (rs36053993, G396D) at polyposis-associated DNA repair gene MUTYH (odds ratio 1.80, 95% confidence interval 1.47-2.22) but show that most of the common genetic susceptibility was from noncoding signals enriched in epigenetic markers present in gastrointestinal tract cells. We identified new EOCRC-susceptibility genes, and in addition to pathways such as transforming growth factor (TGF) β, suppressor of Mothers Against Decapentaplegic (SMAD), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and phosphatidylinositol kinase (PI3K) signaling, our study highlights a role for insulin signaling and immune/infection-related pathways in EOCRC. In our MR analyses, we found novel evidence of probable causal associations for higher levels of body size and metabolic factors-such as body fat percentage, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, basal metabolic rate, and fasting insulin-higher alcohol drinking, and lower education attainment with increased EOCRC risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Our novel findings indicate inherited susceptibility to EOCRC and suggest modifiable lifestyle and metabolic targets that could also be used to risk-stratify individuals for personalized screening strategies or other interventions.

Synaptic plasticity via receptor tyrosine kinase/G-protein-coupled receptor crosstalk

Cellular signaling involves a large repertoire of membrane receptors operating in overlapping spatiotemporal regimes and targeting many common intracellular effectors. However, both the molecular mechanisms and the physiological roles of crosstalk between receptors, especially those from different superfamilies, are poorly understood. We find that the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) TrkB and the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) together mediate hippocampal synaptic plasticity in response to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Activated TrkB enhances constitutive mGluR5 activity to initiate a mode switch that drives BDNF-dependent sustained, oscillatory Ca2+ signaling and enhanced MAP kinase activation. This crosstalk is mediated, in part, by synergy between Gβγ, released by TrkB, and Gαq-GTP, released by mGluR5, to enable physiologically relevant RTK/GPCR crosstalk.

Mature microRNA-binding protein QKI promotes microRNA-mediated gene silencing

Although Argonaute (AGO) proteins have been the focus of microRNA (miRNA) studies, we observed AGO-free mature miRNAs directly interacting with RNA-binding proteins, implying the sophisticated nature of fine-tuning gene regulation by miRNAs. To investigate microRNA-binding proteins (miRBPs) globally, we analyzed PAR-CLIP data sets to identify RBP quaking (QKI) as a novel miRBP for let-7b. Potential existence of AGO-free miRNAs were further verified by measuring miRNA levels in genetically engineered AGO-depleted human and mouse cells. We have shown that QKI regulates miRNA-mediated gene silencing at multiple steps, and collectively serves as an auxiliary factor empowering AGO2/let-7b-mediated gene silencing. Depletion of QKI decreases interaction of AGO2 with let-7b and target mRNA, consequently controlling target mRNA decay. This finding indicates that QKI is a complementary factor in miRNA-mediated mRNA decay. QKI, however, also suppresses the dissociation of let-7b from AGO2, and slows the assembly of AGO2/miRNA/target mRNA complexes at the single-molecule level. We also revealed that QKI overexpression suppresses cMYC expression at post-transcriptional level, and decreases proliferation and migration of HeLa cells, demonstrating that QKI is a tumour suppressor gene by in part augmenting let-7b activity. Our data show that QKI is a new type of RBP implicated in the versatile regulation of miRNA-mediated gene silencing.

A Review on the Protective Effects of Probiotics against Alzheimer's Disease

This review summarizes the protective effects of probiotics against Alzheimer's disease (AD), one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders affecting older adults. This disease is characterized by the deposition of tau and amyloid β peptide (Aβ) in different parts of the brain. Symptoms observed in patients with AD include struggles with writing, speech, memory, and knowledge. The gut microbiota reportedly plays an important role in brain functioning due to its bidirectional communication with the gut via the gut-brain axis. The emotional and cognitive centers in the brain are linked to the functions of the peripheral intestinal system via this gut-brain axis. Dysbiosis has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders, indicating the significance of gut homeostasis for proper brain function. Probiotics play an important role in protecting against the symptoms of AD as they restore gut-brain homeostasis to a great extent. This review summarizes the characteristics, status of gut-brain axis, and significance of gut microbiota in AD. Review and research articles related to the role of probiotics in the treatment of AD were searched in the PubMed database. Recent studies conducted using animal models were given preference. Recent clinical trials were searched for separately. Several studies conducted on animal and human models clearly explain the benefits of probiotics in improving cognition and memory in experimental subjects. Based on these studies, novel therapeutic approaches can be designed for the treatment of patients with AD.

Epidemiology, Molecular Pathogenesis, Immuno-Pathogenesis, Immune Escape Mechanisms and Vaccine Evaluation for HPV-Associated Carcinogenesis

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is implicated in over 90% of cervical cancer cases, with factors like regional variability, HPV genotype, the population studied, HPV vaccination status, and anatomical sample collection location influencing the prevalence and pathology of HPV-induced cancer. HPV-16 and -18 are mainly responsible for the progression of several cancers, including cervix, anus, vagina, penis, vulva, and oropharynx. The oncogenic ability of HPV is not only sufficient for the progression of malignancy, but also for other tumor-generating steps required for the production of invasive cancer, such as coinfection with other viruses, lifestyle factors such as high parity, smoking, tobacco chewing, use of contraceptives for a long time, and immune responses such as stimulation of chronic stromal inflammation and immune deviation in the tumor microenvironment. Viral evasion from immunosurveillance also supports viral persistence, and virus-like particle-based prophylactic vaccines have been licensed, which are effective against high-risk HPV types. In addition, vaccination awareness programs and preventive strategies could help reduce the rate and incidence of HPV infection. In this review, we emphasize HPV infection and its role in cancer progression, molecular and immunopathogenesis, host immune response, immune evasion by HPV, vaccination, and preventive schemes battling HPV infection and HPV-related cancers.

Scanning near-field optical microscopy measurements and simulations of regularly arranged silver nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles on a glass substrate are experimentally investigated by aperture scanning near-field optical microscopy (a-SNOM). To understand the experimental results, finite-element-method simulations are performed building a theoretical model of the a-SNOM geometry. We systematically vary parameters like aperture size, aluminum-coating thickness, tip cone angle, and tip-surface distance and discuss their influence on the near-field enhancement. All these investigations are performed comparatively for constant-height and constant-gap scanning modes. In the end, we establish a reliable and stable optical model for simulating a-SNOM measurements, which is capable of reproducing trends observed in experimental data.

Outcomes and Failure Patterns after Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer with Positive Lateral Pelvic Lymph Nodes: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) combined with positive lateral pelvic lymph nodes (LPLN) tends to present worse prognosis. However, for those patients it remains unclear whether other combination high-risk factors affect the prognosis. This study aimed to use propensity score matching (PSM) to examine long-term outcomes and failure patterns in patients with positive vs. negative LPLN.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients with LARC were retrospectively divided into LPLN-positive and LPLN-negative groups. LPLN-positivity was defined as lymph node short diameter greater than or equal to 7 mm with specific morphological features. Clinical characteristics were compared between the groups using the chi-square test. PSM was applied to balance these differences. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and local-regional recurrence (LRR) and distant metastasis (DM) rates were compared between the groups using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests.

RESULTS

Prior to PSM, a total of 651 LARC patients were included. The LPLN-positive group had higher rates of lower location (53.1% vs. 43.0%, P = 0.025), mesorectal fascia (MRF)-positive (53.9% vs. 35.4%, P<0.001) and extramural venous invasion (EMVI)-positive (51.2% vs. 27.2%, P<0.001) disease than the LPLN-negative group. After PSM, there were 114 patients for each group along with the balanced clinical factors, and both groups had comparable surgery, pathologic complete response (pCR), and ypN stage rates. The median follow-up time was 45.9 months, 3-year OS (88.3% vs. 92.1%, P = 0.276) and LRR (5.7% vs. 2.8%, P = 0.172) rates were comparable between LPLN-positive and LPLN-negative groups. Meanwhile, despite no statistical difference, 3-year PFS (78.8% vs. 85.9%, P = 0.065) and DM (20.4% vs. 13.3%, P = 0.061) rates slightly differed between the groups. Among 10 patients with LRR, seven (70.0%) had lateral pelvic recurrence, among them, five patients were LPLN-positive, and four (80.0%) of these patients did not receive simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SIB- IMRT).45 patients were diagnosed with DM, 11 (40.7%) LPLN-positive and 3 (17.6%) LPLN-negative patients were diagnosed with oligometastases (P = 0.109).

CONCLUSION

Our study shows there is a tendency of worse PFS and DM in LPLN-positive than LPLN-negative patients, for LPLN-positive patients, oligometastases account for a large proportion of all distant metastases.

4D-MRI Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Unresectable Colorectal Liver Metastases

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study evaluated the feasibilities and outcomes following four-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (4D-MRI) guided stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

MATERIALS/METHODS

From March 2018 to January 2022, we identified 76 unresectable CRLM patients with 123 lesions who received 4D-MRI guided SBRT in our institution. 4D-MRI simulation with or without abdominal compression was conducted for all patients. The prescription dose was 50-65 Gy in 5-12 fractions. The image quality of computed tomography (CT) and MRI were compared using the Clarity Score. Clinical outcomes and toxicity profiles were evaluated.

RESULTS

The 4D-MRI significantly improved the image quality compared with CT images (mean Clarity Score: 1.67 vs 2.88, P < 0.001). The abdominal compression significantly reduced motions in cranial-caudal direction (P = 0.03) with 2 phase T2 weighted images assessing tumor motion. The median follow-up time was 12.5 months. For 98 lesions assessed for best response, the complete response, partial response and stable disease rate were 57.1 %, 30.6 % and 12.2 %, respectively. The local control (LC) rate at 2 year was 97.3%. 46.1% of patients experienced grade 1-2 toxicities and only 2.6% patients experienced grade 3 hematologic toxicities.

CONCLUSION

The 4D-MRI technique allowed precise target delineation and motion tracking in unresectable CRLM patients. High LC rate and mild toxicities were achieved. This study provided evidence for using 4D-MRI guided SBRT as an alternative treatment in unresectable CRLM.

[The mediating role of resilience between social capital at work and anxiety of medical staff]

Objective: To explore the influence of social capital at work on anxiety of medical staff, and the mediating role of resilience. Methods: From March to May 2022, a total of 201 medical staff in the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University were investigated with the General Information Questionnaire, Workplace Social Capital Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) . K-S method was used for normdity test of econometic voriobles, and normal distribution data were represented by Mean±SD, Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were used to test correlation between variables and mediating effect, and Bootstrap method was carried out by SPSS macro program PROCESS v3.5 to verify the mediating effect. Results: The detection rate of anxiety was 59.20% (119/201) in medical staff. The scores of social capital at work (28.90±5.83) and resilience (31.55±4.98) were negatively correlated with the score of anxiety (7.20±2.06) (r=-0.338, -0.510, P<0.001) , while the score of social capital at work was positively correlated with resilience (r=0.392, P<0.001) . Workplace social capital positively predicted resilience (β=0.392, P<0.001) , and both workplace social capital (β=-0.222, P=0.001) and resilience at work (β=-0.423, P<0.001) negatively predicted anxiety score. The direct effect of social capital in the workplace of medical staff on anxiety was -0.222 (95%CI: -0.349~-0.095, P=0.001) , and the indirect effect of resilience on anxiety was -0.166 (95%CI: -0.265~-0.080) . The resilience of medical staff had a partial mediating effect between workplace social capital and anxiety, which accounted for 42.78% of the total effect. Conclusion: The resilience of medical staff has a partial mediating effect between workplace social capital and anxiety. Workplace social capital can not only directly affect the anxiety of medical staff, but also indirectly affect it through resilience.

Advancements in the Application of Nanomedicine in Alzheimer's Disease: A Therapeutic Perspective

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects most people worldwide. AD is a complex central nervous system disorder. Several drugs have been designed to cure AD, but with low success rates. Because the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers are two barriers that protect the central nervous system, their presence has severely restricted the efficacy of many treatments that have been studied for AD diagnosis and/or therapy. The use of nanoparticles for the diagnosis and treatment of AD is the focus of an established and rapidly developing field of nanomedicine. Recent developments in nanomedicine have made it possible to effectively transport drugs to the brain. However, numerous obstacles remain to the successful use of nanomedicines in clinical settings for AD treatment. Furthermore, given the rapid advancement in nanomedicine therapeutics, better outcomes for patients with AD can be anticipated. This article provides an overview of recent developments in nanomedicine using different types of nanoparticles for the management and treatment of AD.

Synaptic plasticity via receptor tyrosine kinase/G protein-coupled receptor crosstalk

Cellular signaling involves a large repertoire of membrane receptors operating in overlapping spatiotemporal regimes and targeting many common intracellular effectors. However, both the molecular mechanisms and physiological roles of crosstalk between receptors, especially those from different superfamilies, are poorly understood. We find that the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), TrkB, and the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), together mediate a novel form of hippocampal synaptic plasticity in response to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Activated TrkB enhances constitutive mGluR5 activity to initiate a mode-switch that drives BDNF-dependent sustained, oscillatory Ca 2+ signaling and enhanced MAP kinase activation. This crosstalk is mediated, in part, by synergy between Gβγ, released by TrkB, and Gα q -GTP, released by mGluR5, to enable a previously unidentified form of physiologically relevant RTK/GPCR crosstalk.

Breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis using a high b-value non-Gaussian continuous-time random-walk model

AIM

To compare the diagnostic performance of mono-exponential model-derived apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), continuous-time random-walk (CTRW) model-derived D_m, α, β and their combinations in discriminating malignancy of breast lesions, and investigate the association between model-derived parameters and prognosis-related immunohistochemical indices.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 85 patients with breast lesions (51 malignant, 34 benign) were analysed in this retrospective study. Clinical characteristics include oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki-67. The ADC was fitted using a mono-exponential model (b-values = 0, 800 s/mm²), while D_m, α, and β were fitted using a CTRW model. Independent Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test were used for the comparison of parameters. Discrimination performance was accomplished by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and Spearman's correlation analysis was used to explore the association between immunohistochemical indices and diffusion parameters, the statistical significance level was p<0.05.

RESULTS

D_m and ADC demonstrated similar performance in differentiating malignant and benign lesions (AUC = 0.928 versus 0.930), while the combination of D_m, α, and β could improve the AUC to 0.969. The combined parameter generated by ADC, D_m, α, and β was effective in identifying the ER+/ER- and PR+/PR- patients. Temporal heterogeneity parameter α correlated significantly with the expression of PR.

CONCLUSION

Diffusion parameters derived from the CTRW model could effectively discriminate the malignancy of breast lesions. Meanwhile, the hormone receptor expression could be distinguished by combined diffusion parameters, and have the potential to reflect the prognosis.

Corrigendum: Review of public motor imagery and execution datasets in brain-computer interfaces

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1134869.].

Phytochemicals: A Promising Alternative for the Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological condition that worsens with ageing and affects memory and cognitive function. Presently more than 55 million individuals are affected by AD all over the world, and it is a leading cause of death in old age. The main purpose of this paper is to review the phytochemical constituents of different plants that are used for the treatment of AD. A thorough and organized review of the existing literature was conducted, and the data under the different sections were found using a computerized bibliographic search through the use of databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, MEDLINE, EMBASE, INMEDPLAN, NATTS, and numerous other websites. Around 360 papers were screened, and, out of that, 258 papers were selected on the basis of keywords and relevant information that needed to be included in this review. A total of 55 plants belonging to different families have been reported to possess different bioactive compounds (galantamine, curcumin, silymarin, and many more) that play a significant role in the treatment of AD. These plants possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and anti-amyloid properties and are safe for consumption. This paper focuses on the taxonomic details of the plants, the mode of action of their phytochemicals, their safety, future prospects, limitations, and sustainability criteria for the effective treatment of AD.

Mercaptoamine-assisted Post-encapsulation of Metal Nanoparticles within Preformed Zeolites and their Analogues for Hydroisomerization and Methane Decomposition

We report a general synthetic strategy for post-encapsulation of metal nanoparticles within preformed zeolites using post-synthetic modification. Both anionic and cationic precursors to metal nanoparticle are supported on 8- and 10-membered ring zeolites and analogues during wet impregnation using 2-aminoethanethiol (AET) as a bi-grafting agent. Thiol groups are coordinated to metal centers, whereas amine moieties are dynamically attached to micropore walls via acid-base interactions. The dynamic acid-base interactions cause the even distribution of the metal-AET complex throughout the zeolite matrix. These processes encapsulate Au, Rh, and Ni precursors within the CHA, *MRE, MFI zeolite, and SAPO-34 zeolite analogues, for which small channel apertures preclude the post-synthesis impregnation of metal precursors. Sequential activation forms small and uniform nanoparticles (1-2.5 nm in diameter), as confirmed through electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Containment within the small micropores protected the nanoparticles against harsh thermal sintering conditions and prevented the fouling of the metal surface by coke, thus resulting in a high catalytic performance in n-dodecane hydroisomerization and methane decomposition. The remarkable specificity of the thiol to metal precursors and the dynamic acid-base interaction make these protocols extendable to various metal-zeolite systems, suitable for shape-selective catalysts in challenging chemical environments.

Review of public motor imagery and execution datasets in brain-computer interfaces

The demand for public datasets has increased as data-driven methodologies have been introduced in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Indeed, many BCI datasets are available in various platforms or repositories on the web, and the studies that have employed these datasets appear to be increasing. Motor imagery is one of the significant control paradigms in the BCI field, and many datasets related to motor tasks are open to the public already. However, to the best of our knowledge, these studies have yet to investigate and evaluate the datasets, although data quality is essential for reliable results and the design of subject- or system-independent BCIs. In this study, we conducted a thorough investigation of motor imagery/execution EEG datasets recorded from healthy participants published over the past 13 years. The 25 datasets were collected from six repositories and subjected to a meta-analysis. In particular, we reviewed the specifications of the recording settings and experimental design, and evaluated the data quality measured by classification accuracy from standard algorithms such as Common Spatial Pattern (CSP) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) for comparison and compatibility across the datasets. As a result, we found that various stimulation types, such as text, figure, or arrow, were used to instruct subjects what to imagine and the length of each trial also differed, ranging from 2.5 to 29 s with a mean of 9.8 s. Typically, each trial consisted of multiple sections: pre-rest (2.38 s), imagination ready (1.64 s), imagination (4.26 s, ranging from 1 to 10 s), the post-rest (3.38 s). In a meta-analysis of the total of 861 sessions from all datasets, the mean classification accuracy of the two-class (left-hand vs. right-hand motor imagery) problem was 66.53%, and the population of the BCI poor performers, those who are unable to reach proficiency in using a BCI system, was 36.27% according to the estimated accuracy distribution. Further, we analyzed the CSP features and found that each dataset forms a cluster, and some datasets overlap in the feature space, indicating a greater similarity among them. Finally, we checked the minimal essential information (continuous signals, event type/latency, and channel information) that should be included in the datasets for convenient use, and found that only 71% of the datasets met those criteria. Our attempts to evaluate and compare the public datasets are timely, and these results will contribute to understanding the dataset's quality and recording settings as well as the use of using public datasets for future work on BCIs.

A Review on the Use of Gold Nanoparticles in Cancer Treatment

According to a 2020 WHO study, cancer is responsible for one in every six fatalities. One in four patients die due to side effects and intolerance to chemotherapy, making it a leading cause of patient death. Compared to traditional tumor therapy, emerging treatment methods, including immunotherapy, gene therapy, photothermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy, have proven to be more effective. The aim of this review is to highlight the role of gold nanoparticles in advanced cancer treatment. A systematic and extensive literature review was conducted using the Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, NCBI, and various websites. Highly relevant literature from 141 references was chosen for inclusion in this review. Recently, the synergistic benefits of nano therapy and cancer immunotherapy have been shown, which could allow earlier diagnosis, more focused cancer treatment, and improved disease control. Compared to other nanoparticles, the physical and optical characteristics of gold nanoparticles appear to have significantly greater effects on the target. It has a crucial role in acting as a drug carrier, biomarker, anti-angiogenesis agent, diagnostic agent, radiosensitizer, cancer immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and photothermal therapy. Gold nanoparticle-based cancer treatments can greatly reduce current drug and chemotherapy dosages.

Insight into Early Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis by Targeting Prognostic Biomarkers

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system (CNS) immune-mediated disease that mainly strikes young adults and leaves them disabled. MS is an autoimmune illness that causes the immune system to attack the brain and spinal cord. The myelin sheaths, which insulate the nerve fibers, are harmed by our own immune cells, and this interferes with brain signal transmission. Numbness, tingling, mood swings, memory problems, exhaustion, agony, vision problems, and/or paralysis are just a few of the symptoms. Despite technological advancements and significant research efforts in recent years, diagnosing MS can still be difficult. Each patient's MS is distinct due to a heterogeneous and complex pathophysiology with diverse types of disease courses. There is a pressing need to identify markers that will allow for more rapid and accurate diagnosis and prognosis assessments to choose the best course of treatment for each MS patient. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an excellent source of particular indicators associated with MS pathology. CSF contains molecules that represent pathological processes such as inflammation, cellular damage, and loss of blood-brain barrier integrity. Oligoclonal bands, neurofilaments, MS-specific miRNA, lncRNA, IgG-index, and anti-aquaporin 4 antibodies are all clinically utilised indicators for CSF in MS diagnosis. In recent years, a slew of new possible biomarkers have been presented. In this review, we look at what we know about CSF molecular markers and how they can aid in the diagnosis and differentiation of different MS forms and treatment options, and monitoring and predicting disease progression, therapy response, and consequences during such opportunistic infections.

Exploring the potential of OMOP common data model for process mining in healthcare

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Recently, Electronic Health Records (EHR) are increasingly being converted to Common Data Models (CDMs), a database schema designed to provide standardized vocabularies to facilitate collaborative observational research. To date, however, rare attempts exist to leverage CDM data for healthcare process mining, a technique to derive process-related knowledge (e.g., process model) from event logs. This paper presents a method to extract, construct, and analyze event logs from the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) CDM for process mining and demonstrates CDM-based healthcare process mining with several real-life study cases while answering frequently posed questions in process mining, in the CDM environment.

METHODS

We propose a method to extract, construct, and analyze event logs from the OMOP CDM for process types including inpatient, outpatient, emergency room processes, and patient journey. Using the proposed method, we extract the retrospective data of several surgical procedure cases (i.e., Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (TLH), Total Hip Replacement (THR), Coronary Bypass (CB), Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD)) from the CDM of a Korean tertiary hospital. Patient data are extracted for each of the operations and analyzed using several process mining techniques.

RESULTS

Using process mining, the clinical pathways, outpatient process models, emergency room process models, and patient journeys are demonstrated using the extracted logs. The result shows CDM's usability as a novel and valuable data source for healthcare process analysis, yet with a few considerations. We found that CDM should be complemented by different internal and external data sources to address the administrative and operational aspects of healthcare processes, particularly for outpatient and ER process analyses.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to exploit CDM for healthcare process mining. Specifically, we provide a step-by-step guidance by demonstrating process analysis from locating relevant CDM tables to visualizing results using process mining tools. The proposed method can be widely applicable across different institutions. This work can contribute to bringing a process mining perspective to the existing CDM users in the changing Hospital Information Systems (HIS) environment and also to facilitating CDM-based studies in the process mining research community.

City 5.0: Citizen involvement in the design of future cities

A citizen-centric view is key to channeling technological affordances into the development of future cities in which improvements are made with the quality of citizens' life in mind. This paper proposes City 5.0 as a new citizen-centric design paradigm for future cities, in which cities can be seen as markets connecting service providers with citizens as consumers. City 5.0 is dedicated to eliminating restrictions that citizens face when utilizing city services. Our design paradigm focuses on smart consumption and extends the technology-centric concept of smart city with a stronger view on citizens' roadblocks to service usage. Through a series of design workshops, we conceptualized the City 5.0 paradigm and formalized it in a semi-formal model. The applicability of the model is demonstrated using the case of a telemedical service offered by a Spanish public healthcare service provider. The usefulness of the model is validated by qualitative interviews with public organizations involved in the development of technology-based city solutions. Our contribution lies in the advancement of citizen-centric analysis and the development of city solutions for both academic and professional communities.

[Predictive value of SYNTAX-Ⅱ score on prognosis of patients with chronic total occlusion undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention]

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of SYNTAX-Ⅱ score on long term prognosis of patients diagnosed with chronic total occlusion (CTO) and received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: Patients undergoing CTO-PCI in Fuwai hospital from January 2010 to December 2013 were enrolled in this retrospective analysis. The SYNTAX-Ⅱ score of the patients was calculated. According to SYNTAX-Ⅱ score tertiles, patients were stratified as follows: SYNTAX-Ⅱ≤20, 20<SYNTAX-Ⅱ≤27, SYNTAX-Ⅱ>27. Primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACCE), including all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke and any revascularization. Secondary endpoints included stent thrombosis, heart failure and target lesion failure (TLF). Patients were followed up by outpatient visit or telephone call at 1 month, 6 months and 1 year after PCI, and annually up to 5 years. Multivariate Cox regression model was used to analyze the independent risk factors of all-cause death in patients undergoing CTO-PCI. The predictive value of SYNTAX score with SYNTAX-Ⅱ score for all-cause death was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC). Results: A total of 2 391 patients with CTO and received PCI were enrolled in this study. The mean age was (57.0±10.5) years, 1 994 (83.40%) patients were male. There were 802 patients in lower tertile group (SYNTAX-Ⅱ≤20), 798 patients in intermediate group (20<SYNTAX-Ⅱ≤27) and 791 patients in upper tertile group (SYNTAX-Ⅱ>27). At the end of 5-year follow-up, the loss to follow-up rate of the three groups was 9.10%(73/802), 10.78%(86/798)and 8.85%(70/791), respectively. The rate of all-cause mortality (1.78% (13/729) vs. 3.65% (26/712) vs. 9.02% (65/721), P<0.001), cardiac death (1.37% (10/729) vs. 2.11% (15/712) vs. 4.85% (35/721), P<0.001), target vessel myocardial infarctions (4.25% (31/729) vs. 4.49% (32/712) vs. 7.07% (51/721), P=0.03), probable stent thrombosis (1.51% (11/729) vs. 2.81% (20/712) vs. 3.61% (26/721), P=0.04) and heart failure (1.78% (13/729) vs. 1.97% (14/712) vs. 5.41% (39/721), P<0.001) increased in proportion to increasing SYNTAX-Ⅱ score (all P<0.05). Multivariable Cox regression analysis indicated that female (HR=2.05, 95%CI 1.12-3.73, P=0.01), left ventricular ejection fraction (HR=0.97, 95%CI 0.95-1.00, P=0.05) and SYNTAX-Ⅱ score (HR=1.07, 95%CI 1.02-1.11,P=0.01) were independent predictors for all-cause mortality in patients undergoing CTO-PCI. The predicted value of the SYNTAX-Ⅱ score for all-cause death was significantly higher than the SYNTAX score (AUC 0.71 vs. 0.60, P=0.003). Conclusion: For CTO patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, SYNTAX-Ⅱ score is an independent predictor for 5-year all-cause death, and SYNTAX-Ⅱ serves as an important predictor for all-cause death in these patients.

Therapeutic Applications of Fucoidans and their Potential to Act Against COVID-19

In this review article, we present the updated evidence of therapeutic applications of fucoidan (a seaweed polysaccharide) and its novel potential to treat infectious diseases such as coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Because of their many biological activities, seaweeds have been identified as a rich and useful source of bioactive chemicals. Sulfated polysaccharides from the sea are considered a source of physiologically active chemicals that might be used in medication development. Antitumor, antiviral, antioxidant, antibacterial, anticoagulant, and immune-inflammatory properties have all been described for these compounds. By interfering at various phases of viral infection, marine sulfated polysaccharide has a virucidal effect. As a result, it opens the door to the development of antiviral treatments. Virus entry into host cells is an initial process, avoiding this type of entry makes any precautionary measure effective. The inhibitory action of certain marine sulfated polysaccharides against coronavirus was tested, and fucoidan, iota-carrageenan, and sea cucumber sulfated polysaccharides all showed a substantial antiviral impact. Fucoidan is one of the useful sulfated polysaccharides that has been widely studied and explored in various research. There are different sources of fucoidans, which have been used in the treatment of viral infection. Additionally, we highlight the mechanism of action of fuocidan against COVID-19. Hence, we could suggest that COVID-19 might be prevented and treated using these sulfated polysaccharides. This review thus highlights ample evidence to support the hypothesis that a large number of drugs have been developed from powerful compounds isolated from marine seaweeds.

Gintonin stimulates dendritic growth in striatal neurons by activating Akt and CREB

Gintonin, a glycolipid protein conjugated with lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), is a newly identified compound extracted from Korean ginseng. LPA receptor isotypes exhibit high affinity for gintonin and mediate intracellular calcium signaling in various animal cell models. In this study, we found that gintonin induced the activation of Akt and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) in mouse striatal neurons, and chronic treatment with gintonin potently induced dendritic growth and filopodia formation. Gintonin-induced Akt/CREB activation and dendritic development were significantly impaired by LPA receptor (LPAR1/3) inhibition with Ki16425. Intriguingly, prolonged treatment with gintonin ameliorated the reduction in dendritic formation caused by Shank3 and Slitrk5 deficiency in the striatal neurons. In addition, gintonin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) had a synergistic effect on AKT/CREB activation and dendritic growth at suboptimal concentrations. These findings imply that gintonin-stimulated LPA receptors play a role in dendritic growth in striatal neurons and that they may act synergistically with BDNF, which is known to play a role in dendritogenesis.

Confining Gold Nanoparticles in Preformed Zeolites by Post-Synthetic Modification Enhances Stability and Catalytic Reactivity and Selectivity

Confining Au nanoparticles (NPs) in a restricted space (e.g., zeolite micropores) is a promising way of overcoming their inherent thermal instability and susceptibility to aggregation, which limit catalytic applications. However, such approaches involve complex, multistep encapsulation processes. Here, we describe a successful strategy and its guiding principles for confining small (<2 nm) and monodisperse Au NPs within commercially available beta and MFI zeolites, which can oxidize CO at 40 °C and show size-selective catalysis. This protocol involves post-synthetic modification of the zeolite internal surface with thiol groups, which confines AuCl _x species inside microporous frameworks during the activation process whereby Au precursors are converted into Au nanoparticles. The resulting beta and MFI zeolites contain uniformly dispersed Au NPs throughout the void space, indicating that the intrinsic stability of the framework promotes resistance to sintering. By contrast, in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) studies evidenced that Au precursors in bare zeolites migrate from the matrix to the external surface during activation, thereby forming large and poorly dispersed agglomerates. Furthermore, the resistance of confined Au NPs against sintering is likely relevant to the intrinsic stability of the framework, supported by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), H₂ chemisorption, and CO Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) studies. The Au NPs supported on commercial MFI maintain their uniform dispersity to a large extent after treatment at 700 °C that sinters Au clusters on mesoporous silicas or beta zeolites. Low-temperature CO oxidation and size-selective reactions highlight that most gold NPs are present inside the zeolite matrix with a diameter smaller than 2 nm. These findings illustrate how confinement favors small, uniquely stable, and monodisperse NPs, even for metals such as Au susceptible to cluster growth under conditions often required for catalytic use. Moreover, this strategy may be readily adapted to other zeolite frameworks that can be functionalized by thiol groups.

National audit of non-melanoma skin cancer excisions performed by plastic surgery in the UK

A national, multi-centre audit of non-melanoma skin cancer excisions by plastic surgery.

[Association of glutamate receptor metabotropic 5 polymorphisms with schizophrenia susceptibility in a Chinese Han population]

Objectives: To investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of glutamate receptor metabotropic 5 (GRM5) gene with schizophrenia susceptibility(SZ) in a Chinese Han population. Methods: Twenty-two SNPs located in GRM5 gene in 528 paranoid SZ patients and 528 control subjects recruited from northern Henanwere analyzed. The clinical features of 267 first-episode SZ patients were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results: The SZ group included 264 males and 264 females, aged (27±8) years; the healthy control group had 264 males and 264 females, aged (28±8) years.The differences in the genotypic and allelic frequencies of two SNPs (rs567990 and rs12421343) were statistically significant between the SZ patients and control groups (all P<0.05). The allele frequency of rs504183 was also statistically different between the two groups (P=0.030). When the subjects were stratified by sex, the genotypic and allelic frequencies of rs12421343 in female subjects were statistically different between the SZ patients and control groups. The allele frequencies of SNPs (rs12422021, rs567990, and rs7101540) were also statisticallydifferent between the two groups (all P<0.05). Meanwhile, rs567990 AG+GG carriers had a higher risk for SZ than AA carriers in female subjects(OR=1.946, 95%CI: 1.264-2.995). In addition, the patients with different genotypes (GG, AA+AG) of rs12422021 showed statistically significant differences in PANSS total score(84.8±24.4 vs 75.3±18.6), positive (16.2±4.3 vs 14.4±4.2), excitement (12.4±5.1 vs 10.2±4.1) and cognitive impairment factor scores (15.2±6.8 vs 13.3±3.9) (all P<0.05). The patients with AC and the other two genotypes (AA and CC) of rs504183 showed statistically significant differences in PANSS negative factor score(27.4±9.9 vs 24.7±8.4 and 23.4±8.1, both P<0.05). Conclusion: The current study provides further evidence that GRM5 is associated with SZ, and suggests a putative sex difference.

[The clinical value of oral robotic surgery in the treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective: To explore the therapeutic effects of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and traditional surgical modes in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Methods: The clinicopathological data of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from 2010 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. 135 cases were treated with traditional surgery (non-TORS group), while 52 cases were treated with TORS (TORS group). The prognosis of the two groups of patients were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test, the influencing factors were analyzed by Cox regression model. Results: The 2-year overall survival (OS, 94.2%) and 2-year progression-free survival (PFS, 93.8%) of patients in the TORS group were better than those in the non-TORS group (71.4% and 71.4%, respectively, P<0.05). The 2-year OS (93.3%) and 2-year PFS (92.8%) of TORS group patients in T1-2 stage were better than those of non-TORS group (73.1% and 72.8%, respectively, P<0.05). The 2-year OS (95.8%) and 2-year PFS (95.2%) of patients with stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ in the TORS group were not significantly different from those in the non-TORS group (84.1% and 83.9%, respectively, P>0.05). The 2-year OS (92.9%) and 2-year PFS rate (92.7%) of patients with stage Ⅲ to Ⅳ in the TORS group were better than those in the non-TORS group (64.7% and 63.9%, respectively, P<0.05). The 2-year OS (94.4%) of HPV-positive patients in the TORS group was not significantly different from that in the non-TORS group (83.3%, P=0.222). The 2-year OS of HPV-negative patients in the TORS group (94.1%) was significantly different from that in the non-TORS group (43.7%, P<0.001). HPV status was an independent prognostic factor (P=0.008). Conclusions: TORS has a better prognosis in the treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma compared with the traditional treatment methods. The patients with T1-T2 can achieve better survival benefits after TORS treatment. The HPV-positive OPSCC patients has a better prognosis than that of HPV-negative OPSCC patients, and regardless of HPV status, OPSCC patients in the TORS group could obtain a better survival prognosis.

Vitronectin-Derived Peptide Promotes Reparative Dentin Formation

Exposed dental pulp can maintain its vitality through a pulp-capping procedure with biocompatible materials, followed by reparative dentin formation. Our previous study demonstrated that a vitronectin-derived peptide (VnP-16) promotes osteoblast differentiation and concomitantly restrains osteoclast differentiation and resorptive function. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate that VnP-16 promotes odontoblast differentiation, mineralization, and reparative dentin formation in a pulp exposure model using a rat tooth. VnP-16 showed no cytotoxicity and promoted cellular behavior in human dental pulp cells, enhancing their differentiation into odontoblast-like cells and mineralization, effects that are comparable to those obtained with vitronectin. In a rat pulp exposure model, VnP-16 showed mild inflammatory responses at 2 and 4 wk or none. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) demonstrated a tendency of early formation of reparative dentin at 2 wk when compared with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) and VnP-16. However, VnP-16 induced reparative dentin formation similar to MTA and rhBMP-2 without inflammation at 4 wk. In addition, VnP-16 showed a thicker and homogeneous reparative dentin formation versus MTA and rhBMP-2. Collectively, these results suggest that VnP-16 can be a useful, direct pulp-capping agent for highly qualified reparative dentin formation by promoting cell behavior and odontoblastic differentiation of human dental pulp cells.

Numerical Optimization of a Nanophotonic Cavity by Machine Learning for Near-Unity Photon Indistinguishability at Room Temperature

Room-temperature (RT), on-chip deterministic generation of indistinguishable photons coupled to photonic integrated circuits is key for quantum photonic applications. Nevertheless, high indistinguishability (I) at RT is difficult to obtain due to the intrinsic dephasing of most deterministic single-photon sources (SPS). Here, we present a numerical demonstration of the design and optimization of a hybrid slot-Bragg nanophotonic cavity that achieves a theoretical near-unity I and a high coupling efficiency (β) at RT for a variety of single-photon emitters. Our numerical simulations predict modal volumes in the order of 10^-3(λ/2n)³, allowing for strong coupling of quantum photonic emitters that can be heterogeneously integrated. We show that high I and β should be possible by fine-tuning the quality factor (Q) depending on the intrinsic properties of the single-photon emitter. Furthermore, we perform a machine learning optimization based on the combination of a deep neural network and a genetic algorithm (GA) to further decrease the modal volume by almost 3 times while relaxing the tight dimensions of the slot width required for strong coupling. The optimized device has a slot width of 20 nm. The design requires fabrication resolution in the limit of the current state-of-the-art technology. Also, the condition for high I and β requires a positioning accuracy of the quantum emitter at the nanometer level. Although the proposal is not a scalable technology, it can be suitable for experimental demonstration of single-photon operation.

TA-Unet: Integrating Triplet Attention Module for Drivable Road Region Segmentation

Road segmentation has been one of the leading research areas in the realm of autonomous driving cars due to the possible benefits autonomous vehicles can offer. Significant reduction of crashes, greater independence for the people with disabilities, and reduced traffic congestion on the roads are some of the vivid examples of them. Considering the importance of self-driving cars, it is vital to develop models that can accurately segment drivable regions of roads. The recent advances in the area of deep learning have presented effective methods and techniques to tackle road segmentation tasks effectively. However, the results of most of them are not satisfactory for implementing them into practice. To tackle this issue, in this paper, we propose a novel model, dubbed as TA-Unet, that is able to produce quality drivable road region segmentation maps. The proposed model incorporates a triplet attention module into the encoding stage of the U-Net network to compute attention weights through the triplet branch structure. Additionally, to overcome the class-imbalance problem, we experiment on different loss functions, and confirm that using a mixed loss function leads to a boost in performance. To validate the performance and efficiency of the proposed method, we adopt the publicly available UAS dataset, and compare its results to the framework of the dataset and also to four state-of-the-art segmentation models. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed TA-Unet outperforms baseline methods both in terms of pixel accuracy and mIoU, with 98.74% and 97.41%, respectively. Finally, the proposed method yields clearer segmentation maps on different sample sets compared to other baseline methods.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Genes: Disease-Related Networks and Compensatory Strategies

The mammalian brain comprises structurally and functionally distinct regions. Each of these regions has characteristic molecular mechanisms that mediate higher-order tasks, such as memory, learning, emotion, impulse, and motor control. Many genes are involved in neuronal signaling and contribute to normal brain development. Dysfunction of essential components of neural signals leads to various types of brain disorders. Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social deficits, communication challenges, and compulsive repetitive behaviors. Long-term genetic studies have uncovered key genes associated with autism spectrum disorder, such as SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains 3, methyl-CpG binding protein 2, neurexin 1, and chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 8. In addition, disease-associated networks have been identified using animal models, and the understanding of the impact of these genes on disease susceptibility and compensation is deepening. In this review, we examine rescue strategies using key models of autism spectrum disorder.

[Retropharyngeal lymph node dissection in head and neck cancers treated with transoral robotic surgery]

Objective: To evaluate the indications, safety, feasibility, and surgical technique for patients with head and neck cancers undergoing transoral robotic retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) dissection. Methods: The current study enrolled 12 consecutive head and neck cancer patients (seven males and four females) who underwent transoral robotic RPLN dissection with the da Vinci surgical robotic system at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from May 2019 to July 2020. Seven patients were diagnosed as nasopharyngeal carcinoma with RPLN metastasis after initial treatments, 4 patients were diagnosed as thyroid carcinoma with RPLN metastasis after initial treatments, and one patient was diagnosed as oropharyngeal carcinoma with RPLN metastasis before initial treatments. The operation procedure and duration time, intraoperative blood loss volume and complications, nasogastric feeding tube dependence, tracheostomy dependence, postoperative complications, and hospitalization time were recorded and analyzed. Results: All patients were successfully treated by transoral robotic dissection of the metastatic RPLNs, none of which was converted to open surgery. RPLNs were completely resected in 10 patients, and partly resected in 2 patients (both were nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients). The mean number of RPLN dissected was 1.7. The operation duration time and intraoperative blood loss volume were (191.3±101.1) min and (150.0±86.6) ml, respectively. There was no severe intraoperative complication such as massive haemorrhage or adjacent organ injury during surgery. Nasogastric tube use was required in all patients with (17.1±10.6) days of dependence, while tracheotomy was performed in 8 patients with (11.6±10.7) days of dependence. The postoperative hospitalization stay was (8.5±5.7) days. Postoperative complications occurred in 4 patients, including 2 of retropharyngeal incision and 2 of dysphagia. During a follow-up of (6.5±5.1) months, disease-free progression was observed in all patients, 10 patients were disease-free survival and other 2 patients were survival with tumor burden. Conclusions: The transoral robotic RPLN dissection is safety and feasible. Compared with the traditional open surgical approach, it is less traumatic and safer, has fewer complications and good clinical application potentiality. The indications for transoral robotic RPLN dissection include thyroid carcinoma, oropharyngeal carcinoma, and some selected nasopharyngeal carcinoma and other head and neck cancers. Metastatic RPLNs from some nasopharyngeal carcinoma with incomplete capsule, unclear border and adhesion to the surrounding vessels are not suitable for transoral robotic RPLN dissection.

[Application of transoral robotic surgery in treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic and prognostic outcomes of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: A retrospective study of 99 OSCC patients treated with TORS in Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between April 2017 and May 2021 was conducted. There were 84 males and 15 females, with an age range of 35-85 years. Patients' clinical characteristics, including clinical staging, HPV infection status, perioperative management and postoperative adjuvant treatment, were recorded. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed. The survival outcomes were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test. Results: The hospital stay of OSCC patients with TORS was (5.3±2.9) days and the average time of postoperative nasal feeding tube indwelling was (15.2±10.8) days. Among the 99 patients, 21 (21.2%) received tracheotomy and the average time of tracheotomy tube indwelling was (11.9±11.4) days. The two-year OS and PFS in patients with follow-up over two years were 94.0% and 87.7%, respectively and the three-year OS and PFS of patients with follow-up over three years were 94.0% and 78.9%, respectively. The two-year OS and PFS were respectively 97.4% and 88.9%, for patients with stages I-II and 86.8% and 88.9% for patients with stages III-IV. HPV-negative and HPV-positive patients had respectively two-year OS (100.0% vs. 91.5%) and PFS (88.9% vs. 87.2%). There was no significantly statistical difference in survival between patients with and without adjuvant radiotherapy after TORS (82.6% vs. 90.5%, HR=0.52, 95%CI: 0.12-2.23, P=0.400). Conclusions: TORS is more suitable for the treatment of patients with early (Ⅰ-Ⅱ) or HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and the recovery after TORS treatment is good.

[Clinical and molecular pathological features of bronchopulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinical manifestations, imaging, pathological and molecular features of bronchopulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Methods: The clinical data of 216 LCNEC patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2011 to 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical manifestations, tumor location and size, characteristics of CT images, immunohistochemical and molecular pathological features were analyzed and compared with 115 cases of mixed small cell carcinoma (M-SCLC) diagnosed in the same period. Results: Among the 216 LCNEC patients, there were 190 males and 26 females, with a median age of 65 years. The first symptoms of the patients were mainly cough (106 cases, 49.1%) and bloody sputum (48 cases, 22.2%). The median tumor length were 4.7cm, including 55 cases of nodular type (25.5%) and 161 cases of mass-forming type (74.5%). CT imaging results showed that LCNEC lesions had soft tissue density, and the proportion of slight enhancement lesions was significantly lower than that in M-SCLC group (52.3% vs 74.8%, P<0.001). In contrast, the proportion of necrosis (87.0% vs 58.3%, P<0.001) and calcification (26.9% vs 2.6%, P<0.001) in LCNEC patients was significantly higher than that in M-SCLC group. Immunohistochemical results showed that the positive rate of CK in LCNEC was significantly higher than that in M-SCLC (99.0 % vs 90.5%, P<0.05), while the positive rate of TTF-1 was significantly lower than that in M-SCLC (51.6% vs 67.0%, P<0.05). In LCNEC group, the proportion of patients with Ki-67 positive index between 50% and 80% was significantly higher than that of M-SCLC (41.2% vs 25.2%), while the proportion between 80% and 100% was lower than that of M-SCLC (51.9% vs 72.2%). There was no significant difference in the positive rates of CD56 (91.7% vs 94.6%, P=0.336), Syn (83.8% vs 84.7%, P=0.838) and CgA (54.8% vs 50.0%, P=0.632) in both tumor types. Molecular pathology results showed that frequent mutatios were TP53 (54.5%), RB1 (36.4%), KEAP1 (18.2%), MYC(18.2%), and PTEN (14.3%), and the rate of tumor mutation burden which is more than 25 mutation/Mb was 27.3%. Conclusions: LCNEC lacks specific clinical manifestations. CT imaging is powerful in distinguishing LCNEC from M-SCLC. LCNEC contains a specific mutation spectrum. Pathology combined with immunohistochemical staining is still the gold standard for LCNEC diagnosis, and the differentiation from M-SCLC mainly depends on cell size and nuclear chromatin pattern with light microscopy.

O‐GlcNAcylation regulates lysophosphatidic acid‐induced cell migration by regulating ERM family proteins

O‐GlcNAcylation of intracellular proteins (O‐GlcNAc) is a post‐translational modification that often competes with phosphorylation in diverse cellular signaling pathways. Recent studies on human malignant tumors have demonstrated that O‐GlcNAc is implicated in cellular features relevant to metastasis. Here, we report that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)‐induced ovarian cancer cell (OVCAR‐3) migration is regulated by O‐GlcNAc. We found that O‐GlcNAc modification of ERM family proteins, a membrane‐cytoskeletal crosslinker, was inversely correlated with its phosphorylation status. Moreover, the LPA‐induced formation of membrane protrusion structures, as well as the migration of OVCAR‐3 cells, was reduced by the accumulation of O‐GlcNAc. Collectively, these findings suggest that O‐GlcNAc is an essential signaling element controlling ERM family proteins involved in OVCAR‐3 cell migration.

Application of Proteomics in Cancer: Recent Trends and Approaches for Biomarkers Discovery

Proteomics has become an important field in molecular sciences, as it provides valuable information on the identity, expression levels, and modification of proteins. For example, cancer proteomics unraveled key information in mechanistic studies on tumor growth and metastasis, which has contributed to the identification of clinically applicable biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets. Several cancer proteome databases have been established and are being shared worldwide. Importantly, the integration of proteomics studies with other omics is providing extensive data related to molecular mechanisms and target modulators. These data may be analyzed and processed through bioinformatic pipelines to obtain useful information. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of cancer proteomics and recent advances in proteomic techniques. In particular, we aim to offer insights into current proteomics studies of brain cancer, in which proteomic applications are in a relatively early stage. This review covers applications of proteomics from the discovery of biomarkers to the characterization of molecular mechanisms through advances in technology. Moreover, it addresses global trends in proteomics approaches for translational research. As a core method in translational research, the continued development of this field is expected to provide valuable information at a scale beyond that previously seen.

Cardiac troponin I and the risk of cardiovascular or non-cardiovascular death in patients visiting the emergency department

The prognostic implication of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) values for the determination of the magnitude or duration of cause-specific death risk is limited. We included consecutive patients with maximal cTnI values within 24 h of their emergency department visits. Multivariate analyses using variables selected by the Bayesian information criterion were performed to investigate the impact of cTnI on the event rate, time-dependent risk, and dose-dependent risk of cardiovascular or non-cardiovascular death within 360 days. There were 5472 (14.9%) all-cause deaths including 881 (2.4%) cardiovascular deaths and 4591 (12.5%) non-cardiovascular deaths. In patients with positive cTnI, defined as the ≥ 99th percentile of the upper normal limit, the cumulative risk of cardiac and non-cardiac death was 4.4- and 1.4-fold higher, respectively, than that of negative cTnI, respectively. In the competing risk analysis, positive cTnI was linked to 2.4- and 1.2-fold higher risks of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular death, respectively. The cTnI value showed a positive relationship with the risk of both cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular deaths. In the time-dependent risk analysis, the excess risk of cardiovascular death was mostly evident in the first few weeks. Higher cTnI value was associated with an increased risk of both cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular death, especially which was in the early period.