Effectiveness of prognostic nutritional index in predicting overall survival and evaluating immunotherapy response in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of nutritional status in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) remains unclear. The Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) is a reliable indicator of overall nutritional and immune status, and it has emerged as a significant prognostic factor in various malignancies. This study aimed to explore the utility of PNI in ATC.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed ATC patients in our institute from January 2000 to June 2023 and categorized them into high and low PNI groups based on the median PNI value. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were employed to assess the impact of PNI on overall survival, while ROC curve analysis evaluated the predictive value of PNI. Mimics software was used for three-dimensional reconstruction of pre- and post-immunotherapy tumor volumes, enabling the assessment of treatment response.

RESULTS

A total of 77 ATC patients were included in this study. Low baseline PNI was associated with significantly shorter overall survival (1-year survival rate: 5.26% vs 30.77%; median survival time: 5.30 months vs 8.87 months). The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year AUC values for PNI were 0.82, 0.79, and 0.77, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, both PNI and tumor size emerged as independent prognostic factors for patient overall survival. Among ATC patients receiving 2-3 cycles of immunotherapy, an increase in post-treatment PNI levels was positively correlated with a reduction in tumor volume.

CONCLUSION

PNI is an independent predictor of overall survival and holds the potential to serve as a valuable indicator for assessing and predicting immunotherapy efficacy in ATC patients.

Designing a superhydrophobic cotton fiber coating exploiting TiO2@g-C3N4 layered structure for augmented photocatalysis and efficient water-oil separation

This study introduces a novel approach to develop a multifunctional coating on cotton fabric, emphasizing the utilization of cotton fiber as a biological macromolecule, by integrating a TiO2@g-C3N4 layered structure to confer superhydrophobic properties and multiple functionalities. The engineered structure not only enhances fabric roughness but also incorporates non-fluoro hydrophobic agents, thereby imparting diverse capabilities such as photocatalysis, oil-water separation, and self-cleaning to the cotton substrate. Fabrication of the TiO2@g-C3N4 layered structure involved ultrasonic dispersion of TiO2 and g-C3N4, subsequently deposited onto cotton fabric. Sequential hydrophobic treatment with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) achieved superhydrophobicity, exhibiting an exceptional water contact angle (WCA) of 157.9°. Comprehensive characterization via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric validated the composite's structural and chemical properties. The introduced TiO2@g-C3N4 structure significantly enhanced fabric roughness, while PDMS treatment lowered surface energy and IPDI hydrolysis facilitated cross-linking, ensuring durability. The resultant TiO2@g-C3N4/PDMS cotton exhibited outstanding self-cleaning properties and demonstrated oil adsorption capacity, accommodating both heavy and light oils. Notably, this superhydrophobic cotton efficiently separated water-oil mixtures, achieving 96.8 % efficiency even after 10 cycles. Moreover, under simulated light, it displayed outstanding photocatalytic degradation (93.2 %) of methylene blue while maintaining a WCA of 150° post-degradation, highlighting sustained functionality. This innovation holds promise for sustainable applications, offering robust physical and chemical durability within the realm of biological macromolecules. The amalgamation of TiO2@g-C3N4 layered structure and PDMS treatment on cotton fabric underscores a sustainable approach to address water-oil separation challenges and enable efficient self-cleaning. This research demonstrates a significant step towards sustainable material applications and addresses pertinent real-world challenges in diverse technological domains.

Solution blow spun bilayer chitosan/polylactic acid nanofibrous patch with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties for accelerating acne healing

The quercetin (QC) loaded chitosan (CS) nanofibrous patch (CSQC) was designed and fabricated successfully by solution blow spinning (SBS). And it was employed to explore a functional double-layer nanofibrous patch (CSQC/PLA) with polylactic acid (PLA) for overcoming the resistance of acne-causing bacteria to antibiotics and local cutaneous irritation. The nanofibrous patch possessed a fluffy bilayer structure with good air permeability, which may be befitted from the SBS method. The 10 % QC loaded CSQC0.10/PLA had sustained release ability of QC for 24 h. A high free radical clearance rate (91.18 ± 2.26 %) and robust antibacterial activity against P. acnes (94.4 %) were achieved for CSQC0.10/PLA with excellent biocompatibility. Meanwhile, E. coli and S. aureus were also suppressed with 99.4 % and 99.2 %, respectively. Moreover, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) was significantly reduced, conducive to acne healing. Therefore, the CSQC0.10/PLA bilayer nanofibrous patch designed here may shed some light on developing multifunctional materials for treating acne infectious wounds.

Acquire, Curate, Diversify: Staying Current With Key Medical Education Literature

Rapid technological advancement has led to increasingly convenient and affordable access to academic publications while also contributing to information overload.We recommend the following strategies for clinicians and researchers to effectively stay current with themedical education literaturemost applicable to their areas of focus. 1,2.

The association between Internet use and cognitive ability among rural left-behind children in China

Introduction

This study focuses on the cognitive development of rural children aged 10-15 who have been left behind, utilizing data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) datasets of 2016 and 2020. The primary objective is to investigate the correlation between Internet usage and the cognitive ability of these children.

Methods

An Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model was initially employed to explore the potential influence of Internet use on the cognitive ability of rural left-behind children. To meticulously address potential endogeneity, we employed the instrumental variable (IV) method. Additionally, we performed robustness checks using Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to ensure the reliability of our findings.

Results

The findings indicate a statistically significant positive correlation between Internet usage and the cognitive ability of left-behind rural children. Notably, the impact of Internet use is more pronounced in girls than in boys among this demographic. Furthermore, a significant influence of Internet usage on the cognitive ability is observed in rural children aged 10-12, whereas no significant correlation is found for those aged 13-15. Particularly noteworthy is the substantial impact of Internet use on the cognitive ability of left-behind children with an absent father. In addition, the cognitive benefits associated with Internet use were notably more pronounced among rural left-behind children, especially when considering factors such as attendance at a demonstration school and parental concern for the child's education.

Conclusion

This study underscores the importance of understanding the relationship between Internet usage and cognitive development in left-behind rural children. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and inclusive access to online resources for the development of rural left-behind children.

Cotton fiber-based dressings with wireless electrical stimulation and antibacterial activity for wound repair

Although cotton dressing is one of the most commonly used wound management materials, it lacks antimicrobial and healing-promoting activity. This work developed a multilayer electroactive composite cotton dressing (Ag/Zn@Cotton/Paraffin) with exudate-activated electrical stimulation and antibacterial activity by the green and sustainable magnetron-sputtering and spraying methods. The inner hydrophilic layer of the cotton dressing was magnetron sputtered with silver/zinc galvanic couple arrays (Ag/Zn), which can be activated by wound exudate, generating an electrical stimulation (ES) into the wound. The Ag/Zn@Cotton showed efficient antibacterial activities against S. aureus and E. coli. Meanwhile, the paraffin-sprayed outer surface showed excellent antibacterial adhesion rates for S. aureus (99.82 %) and E. coli (97.92 %). The in vitro cell experiments showed that the ES generated by Ag/Zn@Cotton/Paraffin increased the migration of fibroblasts, and the in vivo mouse model indicated that the Ag/Zn@Cotton/Paraffin could enhance wound healing via re-epithelialization, inflammatory inhibition, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis. MTT method and live/dead staining showed that Ag/Zn@Cotton/Paraffin had no significant cytotoxic effects. This work may shed some light on designing and fabricating multi-functional electroactive composited dressings based on traditional biomedical textiles.

The Contribution of the Internet to Promoting Mental Health for Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Survey in China

BACKGROUND

Health is an important topic for everyone and essential to high-quality economic and social development. Recently, some researchers have suggested that older adults' internet use may have a health effect.

OBJECTIVE

This study specifically aims to clarify the relationship between internet use and the mental health of older adults, for which other surveys present contradictory results.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey conducted in 2018. A total of 6648 participants were included. Mental health was assessed by the 12-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Ordinary least squares regression was adopted to explore the relationship between internet use (independent variable) and the mental health of older adults. Robustness analysis, sensitivity analysis, and heterogeneity analysis were conducted in detail to verify the empirical result. A mediating effect analysis was further conducted to discover the effect mechanism between the dependent and independent variables.

RESULTS

It was found that internet use and smartphone use can significantly improve the mental health of older adults (ordinary least squares, β=.075; P<.001). After endogenous and robustness tests were conducted, the aforementioned conclusion remained robust. In particular, participation in voluntary activities played a mediating role in the relationship between internet use and the mental health of older adults. In addition, younger subjective age enhanced the positive effect of internet use on the mental health of older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Internet users showed higher levels of mental health among Chinese older adults. To improve the mental health of older adults, the government should not only cultivate the ability to use the internet but also encourage greater participation in voluntary activities among older adults.

Self-Assembly of Polyoxometalate-Based Sub-1 nm Polyhedral Building Blocks into Rhombic Dodecahedral Superstructures

Self-assembly of subnanometer (sub-1 nm) scale polyhedral building blocks can yield some superstructures with novel and interesting morphology as well as potential functionalities. However, achieving the self-assembly of sub-1 nm polyhedral building blocks is still a great challenge. Herein, through encapsulating the titanium-substituted polyoxometalate (POM, K7 PTi2 W10 O40 ) with tetrabutylammonium cations (TBA+ ), we first synthesized a sub-1 nm rhombic dodecahedral building block by further tailoring the spatial distribution of TBA+ on the POM. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated the eight TBA+ cations interacted with the POM cluster and formed the sub-1 nm rhombic dodecahedron. As a result of anisotropy, the sub-1 nm building blocks have self-assembled into rhombic dodecahedral POM (RD-POM) assemblies at the microscale. Benefiting from the regular structure, Br- ions, and abundant active sites, the obtained RD-POM assemblies exhibit excellent catalytic performance in the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides without co-catalysts. This work provides a promising approach to tailor the symmetry and structure of sub-1 nm building blocks by tuning the spatial distribution of ligands, which may shed light on the fabrication of superstructures with novel properties by self-assembly.

[A phase I study of subcutaneous envafolimab (KN035) monotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced solid tumors]

Objective: To evaluate the safety and antitumor activity of envafolimab monotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced solid tumors. Methods: This open-label, multicenter phase I trial included dose escalation and dose expansion phases. In the dose escalation phase, patients received subcutaneous 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 or 10.0 mg/kg envafolimab once weekly (QW) following a modified "3+ 3" design. The dose expansion phase was performed in the 2.5 mg/kg and 5.0 mg/kg (QW) dose cohorts. Results: At November 25, 2019, a total of 287 patients received envafolimab treatment. During the dose escalation phase, no dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) was observed. In all dose cohorts, drug-related treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) for all grades occurred in 75.3% of patients, and grade 3 or 4 occurred in 20.6% of patients. The incidence of immune-related adverse reactions (irAE) was 24.0% for all grades, the most common irAEs (≥2%) included hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, immune-associated hepatitis and rash. The incidence of injection site reactions was low (3.8%), all of which were grades 1-2. Among the 216 efficacy evaluable patients, the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 11.6% and 43.1%, respectively. Median duration of response was 49.1 weeks (95% CI: 24.0, 49.3). Pharmacokinetic (PK) exposure to envafolimab is proportional to dose and median time to maximum plasma concentration is 72-120 hours based on the PK results from the dose escalation phase of the study. Conclusion: Subcutaneous envafolimab has a favorable safety and promising preliminary anti-tumor activity in Chinese patients with advanced solid tumors.

Intratumor microbiome: selective colonization in the tumor microenvironment and a vital regulator of tumor biology

The polymorphic microbiome has been proposed as a new hallmark of cancer. Intratumor microbiome has been revealed to play vital roles in regulating tumor initiation and progression, but the regulatory mechanisms have not been fully uncovered. In this review, we illustrated that similar to other components in the tumor microenvironment, the reside and composition of intratumor microbiome are regulated by tumor cells and the surrounding microenvironment. The intratumor hypoxic, immune suppressive, and highly permeable microenvironment may select certain microbiomes, and tumor cells may directly interact with microbiome via molecular binding or secretions. Conversely, the intratumor microbiomes plays vital roles in regulating tumor initiation and progression via regulating the mutational landscape, the function of genes in tumor cells and modulating the tumor microenvironment, including immunity, inflammation, angiogenesis, stem cell niche, etc. Moreover, intratumor microbiome is regulated by anti-cancer therapies and actively influences therapy response, which could be a therapeutic target or engineered to be a therapy weapon in the clinic. This review highlights the intratumor microbiome as a vital component in the tumor microenvironment, uncovers potential mutual regulatory mechanisms between the tumor microenvironment and intratumor microbiome, and points out the ongoing research directions and drawbacks of the research area, which should broaden our view of microbiome and enlighten further investigation directions.

Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy within One Year of Resection for Molecularly Defined Astrocytoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Treatments for diffuse low-grade gliomas (LGG) are controversial. Level I evidence supports the use of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) and PCV chemotherapy for histologic LGG, but integration of molecular biomarkers in recent WHO classification and the emergence of temozolomide chemotherapy for gliomas necessitates additional investigation of the optimal treatment and timing of postoperative interventions. We hypothesized molecularly-defined LGG (IDH-mutant astrocytoma (astro) and IDH-mutant, 1p/19q-codeleted oligodendroglioma (oligo)) may have different clinical outcomes following adjuvant RT (aRT) with chemotherapy (aRT+chemo) vs observation or chemo alone.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A retrospective analysis of consecutive adult patients diagnosed with WHO Grade 2 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma who underwent initial resection at a single institution from January 1998 to November 2017 was performed. Wilcoxon rank sum and Chi-squared tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models. Patients without clinical progression or death were censored at the date of last follow-up. Pre-operative and post-operative T2 FLAIR hyperintense tumor volumes were quantified using 3D Slicer to calculate extent of resection (EOR).

RESULTS

A total of 342 patients with molecularly-defined LGG (178 astro, 164 oligo) were identified with a median follow up of 9.1 yr. 171 (50%) patients received RT during their treatment course, of which 31 (18%) were treated with aRT within 1 year of diagnosis. The median aRT dose was 54 Gy (range: 40-60 Gy). aRT was more likely for astro (58%) vs oligo (41%, p = 0.001) and for patients who had resections with lower median EOR (88% vs 95%, p = 0.014). 53 patients (15%) were treated with chemo alone, and 136 patients (40%) were treated with aRT+chemo. Temozolomide was used for 161 patients (85%). For astro, aRT+chemo was associated with longer PFS (median 14.9 yr) compared to observation (4.8 yr, p = 0.05), aRT without chemo (5.2 yr, p = 0.01), or chemo alone (4.7 yr, p = 0.02). For oligo, aRT+chemo was associated with longer PFS (median not reached) compared to aRT without chemo (1.6 yr, p = 0.03), but not when compared to observation (median not reached, p = 0.47), or chemo alone (7.9 yr, p = 0.45). Multivariate analysis showed preoperative tumor volume, EOR, and aRT+chemo (but not aRT or chemo alone) were independently associated with astro PFS compared to observation. Propensity matching based on pre-operative tumor volume, EOR, and age demonstrated longer astro PFS after aRT+chemo (14.9 yr) compared to observation or chemo alone (4.5 yr, p = 0.015), without significant difference in OS (18.2 vs. 11.5 yr, p = 0.40).

CONCLUSION

Retrospective data from a single institution support the use of adjuvant radiotherapy with chemotherapy for patients with molecular astrocytomas, while the role of this approach for oligodendrogliomas is unclear in this cohort.

Applying TEC-VARIETY to Motivate and Engage Learners for Online Learning Success

ABSTRACT

Learner motivation plays an essential role in overcoming barriers to achieve online learning success. Many health professions educators, however, are not familiar with evidence-based motivational principles and techniques that tap into learners' inner resources to promote online learning success. The TEC-VARIETY (T-Tone; E-Encouragement; C-Curiosity; V-Variety; A-Autonomy; R-Relevance; I-Interactivity; E-Engagement; T-Tension; and Y-Yielding products) framework provides evidence-based principles and techniques that motivate and engage learners. Health professions educators can identify and assemble appropriate activities to motivate and engage online learners. Educators are encouraged to use Design-Based Research to guide their adoption of TEC-VARIETY and evaluation of outcomes.

[Study of immunophenotypic characteristics, clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in gastric cancer microenvironment]

Objective: To explore the immunophenotypic characteristics of gastric cancer microenvironment and analyze its correlation with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of patients. Methods: The expression levels of leukocyte differentiation antigen (CD) 8, CD4, T lymphocyte immunoglobulin mucoprotein 3 (TIM3), human forkhead box protein P3 (Foxp3) and co-localized tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were detected in 92 cases of gastric cancer tissue [58 males and 34 females; aged M(Q1, Q3), 70(59, 77) years ] and 84 cases of paracancer tissue [57 males and 27 females, aged 70(59, 77) years] purchased from Shanghai Xinchao Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and the samples were from 28 hospitals in the sample bank. Gastric cancer and adjacent tissues were divided into high expression group and low expression group according to the optimal cut-off value of positive lymphocytepercentage. The expression of immunophenotypes in gastric cancer and adjacent tissues was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Cox proportional hazard model was used to explore the prognostic factors of gastric cancer patients. Results: The optimal cut-off values of CD8, CD4, TIM3 and Foxp3 positive cells in gastric cancer were 12.73%, 1.39%, 10.77% and 2.44%, respectively. The expression of Foxp3 in gastric cancer tissues was higher than that in paracancer tissues [M (Q1, Q3), 0.93 (0.45, 2.16) vs 0.31 (0.09, 0.86), P<0.001], and the expression of CD8 [4.92 (2.34, 8.80) vs 8.81 (6.61, 12.17), P<0.001], CD4 [4.79 (1.77, 11.36) vs 8.40 (4.84, 12.77), P=0.022] and TIM3 [5.68 (2.05, 11.58) vs 7.07 (3.13, 11.43), P=0.338] were lower than that in paracancer tissues. There were significant differences in TIM3 expression in gastric cancer patients with different lymph node metastasis and clinical stage (all P<0.05). The 5-year survival rate of patients with high CD4 expression, low TIM3 expression and low Foxp3 expression in gastric cancer tissues was poor, among which the high CD4 expression and low CD4 expression groups were 29.3% and 64.7%, respectively; The high and low TIM3 expression groups were 60.9% and 30.4%, respectively; The high and low Foxp3 expression groups were 64.3% and 33.3%, respectively (all P<0.05). The optimal cut-off values of CD8+TIM3+TILs, CD4+TIM3+TILs, CD8+Foxp3+TILs and CD4+Foxp3+TILs were 3.86%, 0.23%, 0.08% and 0.76%, respectively. Colocalization analysis showed that the expression of CD8+Foxp3+TILs in gastric cancer tissues was higher than that in adjacent tissues(all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high expression of CD4 (HR=3.079, 95%CI: 1.350-7.024,P=0.008), low expression of TIM3 (HR=0.428, 95%CI: 0.208-0.879, P=0.021) and low expression of Foxp3 (HR=0.288, 95%CI: 0.121-0.687, P=0.005) were the influencing factor for the 5-year survival rate of patients with gastric cancer after operation. Conclusions: Gastric cancer tissues have complex immune microenvironment characteristics. The expression of CD4, TIM3 and Foxp3 is closely related to the prognosis of patients.

miR-30e-5p-mediated FOXD1 promotes cell proliferation by blocking cellular senescence and apoptosis through p21/CDK2/Rb signaling in head and neck carcinoma

Forkhead box D1 (FOXD1) belongs to the FOX protein family, which has been found to function as a oncogene in multiple cancer types, but its role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) requires further investigation. Our research aimed to investigate the function of FOXD1 in HNSCC. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that mRNA level of FOXD1 was highly expressed in HNSCC tissues, and over-expressed FOXD1 was related to poor prognosis. Moreover, FOXD1 knockdown increased the ratio of senescent cells but decreased the proliferation ability, while FOXD1 overexpression obtained the opposite results. In vitro experiments revealed that FOXD1 bound to the p21 promoter and inhibited its transcription, which blocked the cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK2)/retinoblastoma (Rb) signaling pathway, thus preventing senescence and accelerating proliferation of tumor cells. CDK2 inhibitor could reverse the process to some extent. Further research has shown that miR-3oe-5p serves as a tumor suppressant by repressing the translation of FOXD1 through combining with the 3'-untranslated region (UTR). Thus, FOXD1 resists cellular senescence and facilitates HNSCC cell proliferation by affecting the expression of p21/CDK2/Rb signaling, suggesting that FOXD1 may be a potential curative target for HNSCC.

[Diagnostic value of nasal nitric oxide for children with primary ciliary dyskinesia]

Objective: To evaluate the value of nasal nitric oxide (nNO) measurement as a diagnostic tool for Chinese patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). Methods: This study is a retrospective study. The patients were recruited from those who were admitted to the respiratory Department of Respiratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Fudan University from March 2018 to September 2022. Children with PCD were included as the PCD group, and children with situs inversus or ambiguus, cystic fibrosis (CF), bronchiectasis, chronic suppurative lung disease and asthma were included as the PCD symptom-similar group. Children who visited the Department of Child health Care and urology in the same hospital from December 2022 to January 2023 were selected as nNO normal control group. nNO was measured during plateau exhalation against resistance in three groups. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the nNO data. The receiver operating characteristic of nNO value for the diagnosis of PCD was plotted and, the area under the curve and Youden index was calculated to find the best cut-off value. Results: nNO was measured in 40 patients with PCD group, 75 PCD symptom-similar group (including 23 cases of situs inversus or ambiguus, 8 cases of CF, 26 cases of bronchiectasis or chronic suppurative lung disease, 18 cases of asthma), and 55 nNO normal controls group. The age of the three groups was respectively 9.7 (6.7,13.4), 9.3 (7.0,13.0) and 9.9 (7.3,13.0) years old. nNO values were significantly lower in children with PCD than in PCD symptom-similar group and nNO normal controls (12 (9,19) vs. 182 (121,222), 209 (165,261) nl/min, U=143.00, 2.00, both P<0.001). In the PCD symptom-similar group, situs inversus or ambiguus, CF, bronchiectasis or chronic suppurative lung disease and asthma were significantly higher than children with PCD (185 (123,218), 97 (52, 132), 154 (31, 202), 266 (202,414) vs. 12 (9,19) nl/min,U=1.00, 9.00, 133.00, 0, all P<0.001). A cut-off value of 84 nl/min could provide the best sensitivity (0.98) and specificity (0.92) with an area under the curve of 0.97 (95%CI 0.95-1.00, P<0.001). Conclusions: nNO value can draw a distinction between patients with PCD and others. A cut-off value of 84 nl/min is recommended for children with PCD.

[Research progress of metal micro-battery dressings in wound repair]

To develop the dressings that can both inhibit bacterial infection and actively promote healing is of great importance for wound repair and the development of medical technology. Electrical stimulation has multiple roles in wound healing, including hemostasis, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, guidance of cell migration, promotion of re-epithelialization, and proliferation of cells. Metal micro-battery can provide a stable source of electrical stimulation energy without an external power source. Thus, the integration of metal micro-battery with medical dressings opens up new opportunities for the wireless application of electrical stimulation in wound repair. In this review, the mechanism of the effect of electrical stimulation on wound healing is systematically presented, then recent advances in metal micro-battery dressings, including preparation methods, antibacterial performance, and healing properties are mainly introduced, and the current challenges and prospects of metal micro-battery dressings are also provided.

Photochemical Ammonia Synthesis over Reduced Polyoxovanadate-Intercalated Defective ZnAl Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets

The exploration of efficient and stable N₂ fixation photocatalysts featuring a broad absorption spectrum and N₂ fixation active sites has become specifically conspicuous. Herein, a series of reduced polyoxovanadates (POVs) were intercalated into copper-induced ZnAl layered double hydroxide (0.5%-ZnAl LDH) nanosheets with oxygen vacancies via an anion exchange strategy toward green ammonia production. The intervalence charge transfer arising from mixed-valence POV materials is responsible for its light-harvesting behavior, and the LDHs lay the foundation for the chemical adsorption and activation process of nitrogen molecules; both contributions facilitate the nitrogen photofixation performance of such composite materials. As predicted, the catalytic efficiency of V₃₄/0.5%-ZnAl is 7.0 times higher than 0.5%-ZnAl LDH. Therefore, such an all-inorganic system exhibits an apparent quantum efficiency of 0.3137% at 500 nm. The strategy of "working in tandem" established by POV-based light-absorber species and oxygen vacancies as the sites for N₂ activation is extremely vital for enhanced ammonia formation. This work opens up a versatile insight for the rational design of an efficient photo-driven nitrogen-reduction composite catalyst toward sustainable ammonia production compared to the industrial Haber-Bosch process.

Asymmetric wettable polycaprolactone-chitosan/chitosan oligosaccharide nanofibrous membrane as antibacterial dressings

Wound infection and inflammation hinder the process of wound healing and bother human beings chronically. As a naturally degradable macromolecule, chitosan (CS) has been widely used in antibacterial wound dressings. However, the antibacterial property of chitosan is inhibited by its water insolubility. In this study, we prepared a bilayered asymmetric nanofibrous membrane with the hydrophilic CS/chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) nanofibrous membrane as the bottom layer and the hydrophobic polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous membrane as the top layer. Results showed that incorporating COS improved the CS membrane's wettability, and adding 0.5 % COS increased the inhibition zone diameter of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by 23 % and 26 %, respectively. Moreover, the PCL layer could prevent the adhesion of water and bacteria. The PCL-CS/COS_0.5% membrane showed relatively good mechanical properties, excellent water absorptivity (460 %), and appropriate cytocompatibility. This asymmetric wettable membrane has a massive potential to serve as a new antibacterial dressing for wound healing.

Wet-spinning fluorescent alginate fibres achieved by doping PEI modified CPDs for multiple anti-counterfeiting

Carbonized polymer dots (CPDs) with satisfactory excitation-dependent-emission and biocompatibility had great potential in anti-counterfeiting fibres field. However, it was difficult for CPDs to combined into the fibres due to the unstable interaction between CPDs and spinnable polymer matrix. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) was used to modify CPDs (namely PEI-CPDs) for achieving stable interactions with sodium alginate (SA) by a simple method, which including the physical interaction between the amino groups of PEI-CPDs and carboxyl groups of SA and the chain entanglement between two types of polymer chains. Then alginate fibres based on PEI-CPDs (PEI-CPDs/CaALG fibres) were successfully prepared by wet-spinning for the first time with less loss of PEI-CPDs. The high mechanical strength, excellent thermal stability and good biocompatibility achieved by PEI-CPDs/CaALG fibres. Furthermore, the fibres exhibited the excitation-dependent-emission property. Anti-counterfeiting of the fibres was conducted on both textile and papers, which showed higher security than the existing anti-counterfeiting fibres.

Highly hygroscopicity and antioxidant nanofibrous dressing base on alginate for accelerating wound healing

The removal of bacterium and free radicals is important for wound healing. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare biological dressings with antibacterial and antioxidant properties. In this study, high-performance calcium alginate/carbon polymer dots/forsythin composite nanofibrous membrane (CA/CPDs/FT) was explored under the influence of carbon polymer dots and forsythin. The addition of carbon polymer dots improved the nanofiber morphology and therefore enhanced the mechanical strength of the composite membrane. Moreover, CA/CPDs/FT membranes displayed satisfactory antibacterial and antioxidant properties because of the natural properties of forsythin. Meanwhile, outstanding hygroscopicity over 700% was also obtained for the composite membrane. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the CA/CPDs/FT nanofibrous membrane could prevent the invasion of bacteria, scavenge free radicals, and promote wound healing. Moreover, its good hygroscopicity and antioxidation characteristics were friendly for the clinical application of high-exudate wounds.

Development and internal validation of the survival time risk score in patients treated for oesophageal cancer with palliative intent in South Africa

BACKGROUND

Most patients who present to South African state hospitals with advanced stage oesophageal squamous cell cancer (OSCC) disease receive palliative treatment. This study aimed to assess the factors that influence survival in patients with OSCC who received palliative management and to develop a prognostic score to aid clinicians in decisionmaking.

METHODS

Analysis of a prospectively collected database assessed factors influencing survival of patients diagnosed with OSCC receiving palliative treatment. Factors assessed included patient demographics, clinical and laboratory data and tumour factors. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess for significant factors associated with survival time and a prognostic score was developed and internally validated based on these factors.

RESULTS

There were 384 patients with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3:1. The median survival of the cohort was 3.7 months. Factors that influenced survival on multivariate analysis included area of residence (aOR 1.82, 95% CI 1.02-3.24), performance status (aOR 2.56, 95% CI 1.50-4.35), body mass index (aOR 1.87, 95% CI 1.14-3.06) and serum albumin (aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.46-6.42). The final prognostic score contained three of the four independent variables based on the regression coefficient for each variable. After internal validation, the risk score maintained fair discrimination and good calibration.

CONCLUSION

The prognostic scoring system based on patient performance status, body mass index and serum albumin, if validated on an independent cohort, would allow more objective decisions on whether to stage or not prior to embarking on palliative treatment, streamlining care and improving quality of life.

The contribution of the smartphone use to reducing depressive symptoms of Chinese older adults: The mediating effect of social participation

Background

Depression is a prevalent mental health disorder. Although Internet use has been associated with depression, there is limited data on the association between smartphone use and depressive symptoms. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between smartphone use and depressive symptoms among older individuals in China.

Methods

5,244 Chinese older individuals over the age of 60 were selected as the sample from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) 2018 dataset. The dependent variable "depression symptoms" was measured using the 9-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. The study employed multiple linear regression to investigate the relationship between smartphone use (independent variable) and depressive symptoms in older people. Thorough analyses of robustness, sensitivity, and heterogeneity were conducted to ensure the robustness and sensitivity of the findings. Additionally, mediating effect analysis was performed to elucidate the mechanism through which the dependent and independent variables were related.

Results

Empirical study indicated that smartphone use had a negative impact on depressive symptoms among older adults, specifically leading to a reduction in such symptoms. The above-mentioned result was verified through endogenous and robustness tests. The heterogeneity analysis revealed that older individuals aged 70 years and above, male, and residing in urban areas exhibited a stronger association between smartphone use and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the mediating effect model indicated that political participation, voluntary participation, and active leisure participation mediated the relationship between smartphone use and lower levels of depression symptoms among the older adults. However, passive leisure participation had a suppressing effect on the relationship between smartphone use and reduced depressive symptoms among the older adults.

Limitations

The causal relationship between variables required further investigation with a longitudinal design.

Conclusion

These findings suggested that smartphone use may be considered an intervention to reduce depression symptoms among older people by increasing levels of political participation, voluntary participation, and active leisure participation.

SLC38A6 expression in macrophages exacerbates pulmonary inflammation

Pulmonary inflammation involves complex changes of the immune cells, in which macrophages play important roles and their function might be influenced by metabolism. Slc38a6 acts as a carrier of nutrient for macrophages (Mφ) to exert the function. In this study, pneumonia patient blood was found up-regulated SLC38A6 expression, which correlated with monocytes number and white blood cell number. The similar result was also shown in LPS induced sepsis mice. To reveal the key role of Slc38a6, we used systemic and conditional knock-out mice. Either systemic or Lyz^CRE specific knock-out could alleviate the severity of sepsis mice, reduce the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α and IL-1β expression in serum and decrease the monocytes number in bronchial alveolar lavage and peritoneal lavage via flow cytometry. In order to reveal the signal of up-regulated Slc38a6, the Tlr4 signal inhibitor TAK242 and TLR4 knock-out mice were used. By blocking Tlr4 signal in macrophages via TAK242, the expression of Slc38a6 was down-regulated synchronously, and the same results were also found in Tlr4 knock-out macrophages. However, in the overexpressed Slc38a6 macrophages, blocking Tlr4 signal via TAK242, 20% of the mRNA expression of IL-1β still could be expressed, indicating that up-regulated Slc38a6 participates in IL-1β expression process. Collectively, it is the first time showed that an amino acid transporter SLC38A6 up-regulated in monocytes/macrophages promotes activation in pulmonary inflammation. SLC38A6 might be a promising target molecule for pulmonary inflammation treatment.

Assessment for Deeper Understanding using Concept Maps: Lessons Learned from Flipped Teaching of Pharmacology

To foster a deeper understanding of pharmacology concepts among physician assistant students, we integrated concept mapping into our flipped teaching to provide assessment for learning. Different mapping-based assessment strategies were adopted based on learner feedback, including in-person collaborative mapping, an individual computerized mapping-based quiz with automated feedback, and a collaborative computerized mapping-based quiz enhanced by the jigsaw strategy. Each mapping activity also leveraged the strength of a specific technology platform. Based on the findings from comparing learner ratings of these mapping activities and thematic analysis of learner feedback, we engaged in critical reflection and share our lessons learned.

Screening the potential part of the G protein antigen is an achievable strategy to improve the immune effect of DNA vaccine against MSRV infection

DNA vaccines, as an effective prophylactic technology to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses, have already been widely studied to prevent and control viral and bacterial infections in aquaculture. To find a more effective and safer way to control Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus (MSRV) infection in largemouth bass, two different DNA vaccines expressing partial (pcDNA3.1-G2) and full-length (pcDNA3.1-G) of the MSRV G protein were developed and injected intramuscularly with different doses. The immune effect was comprehensively compared and evaluated by detecting immune-related parameters including serum antibody levels, immune-related physiological indexes, immune-related gene expression and relative survival rates in this study. The results showed that compared with the pcDNA3.1-G vaccine, the pcDNA3.1-G2 vaccine induced higher serum antibody levels, a lower nonspecific immune response in serum (ACP, SOD and T-AOC activities), higher immune-related gene expression and a higher relative survival rate. Moreover, the immune effect of pcDNA3.1-G2-vaccinated fish showed gradually higher with the increasing pcDNA3.1-G2 concentration, especially in pcDNA3.1-G2 (10μg/per fish) group, the relative survival rate reached to 82.5%, which was significant higher (p < 0.05) than pcDNA3.1-G (10μg/per fish) group. This study indicated that screening the potential core part of an antigen is an achievable strategy to improve the immunogenicity and immunoprotective effect of DNA vaccine.

Longitudinal associations between sleep duration and cognitive impairment in Chinese elderly

BACKGROUND

Age-associated cognitive decline has become a major threat to both personal welfare and public health and can further develop into Dementia/Alzheimer's disease. Sleep is significantly correlated with cognitive function, but both cognitive impairment and sleep problems increase with normal aging. This study explored how sleep duration affects cognitive performance among older adults in China.

METHODS

Using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) in 2014 and 2018, cognitive function was assessed via the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), which included five domains: orientation, registration, attention or calculation, recall, and language. Logistic regression was used to examine whether the change in sleep duration was a risk factor for cognitive impairment. We also used multinomial logistic regression to study the impact of sleep duration and the changes in sleep duration on cognitive changes during the follow-up period.

RESULTS

The empirical study showed a U-shaped relationship between sleep duration and increased risk of cognitive impairment. Short (< 6 hours) and long (> 8 hours) sleep durations were positively associated with cognitive impairment. Tests of interactions between sleep duration and sleep quality showed that short sleep durations with fair sleep quality had an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Further, the participants were divided into three groups: normal cognition (MMSE > 24), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, 18 ≤ MMSE score ≤ 24), and severe cognitive impairment (MMSE < 18). First, of the participants with normal cognition at baseline, those who sleeping > 7 h at follow-up and > 7 h at both baseline and 4-year follow-up assessments could increase the risk of cognitive impairment. Second, for individuals with MCI at baseline, those who transitioned to sleeping > 7 h at follow-up period and > 7 h at both baseline and 4-year follow-up assessments had a lower chance of reverting to normal cognition.

CONCLUSION

Excessive sleep may be a major risk for cognitive impairment among older adults. Furthermore, a moderate amount of sleep could be a possible strategy to prevent cognitive impairment.

Promoting Transfer of Learning to Practice in Online Continuing Professional Development

Leveraging online learning tools and encouraging transfer of learning to practice remains a critical challenge to successful continuing professional development (CPD) offerings. Four sets of factors are essential to the transfer of learning from CPD into practice: learner characteristics, instructional design, content, and environment. Through incorporating elements of educational theories/frameworks into the planning of online CPD activities, educators can maximize opportunities for learning transfer. In this article, we highlight four educational theories/frameworks that provide useful insight to tackle these interrelated factors in online CPD: Self-Determination Theory considers the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of participants, which can be encouraged through flexibility, customization, and choices available in online formats. Practical Inquiry Model encourages intentionally planning and embedding opportunities for reflection and dialogue in online activities to enhance knowledge application. Virtual Communities of Practice can be used to transcend spatial and temporal boundaries, promoting interactions and relationships where participants learn from peers. Finally, Professional Learning Networks can be fostered through developing interpersonal connections and sharing resources for informal and flexible learning. Online CPD is likely to increase in the future, and educators should consider elements of these educational theories/frameworks in the design and delivery of CPD to support participants' application of newly acquired knowledge.

Real-world effectiveness and protection of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Xi’an, China, December 8, 2021, to January 20, 2022: A retrospective study

Introduction

In December 2021, a large-scale epidemic broke out in Xi’an, China, due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study reports the effect of vaccination on COVID-19 and evaluates the impact of different vaccine doses on routine laboratory markers.

Methods

The laboratory data upon admission, of 231 cases with COVID-19 hospitalized from December 8, 2021 to January 20, 2022 in Xi’an, including blood routine, lymphocyte subtypes, coagulative function tests, virus specific antibodies and blood biochemical tests were collected and analyzed.

Results

Of the 231 patients, 21 were not vaccinated, 158 were vaccinated with two doses and 52 with three doses. Unvaccinated patients had a higher proportion of moderate and severe symptoms than vaccinated patients, while two-dose vaccinated patients had a higher proportion than three-dose vaccinated patients. SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG levels were significantly elevated in vaccinated patients compared with unvaccinated patients. Particularly, unvaccinated patients had lower counts and percentages of lymphocytes, eosinophils and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes, and elevated coagulation-related markers. In addition, vaccination had no effect on liver and kidney function.

Conclusions

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, inducing high IgG level and increased CD8⁺ T cells and eosinophils, and regulating coagulation function, can significantly attenuate symptoms of COVID-19, suggesting that the vaccine remains protective against SARS-CoV-2.

Fabrication of Chitosan-Loaded Multifunctional Wool Fabric for Reactive Dye Digital Inkjet Printing by Schiff Base Reaction

Improving the development of high-value multifunctional wool fabrics was essential to satisfy diverse needs. Considering the various characteristics of chitosan macromolecules, herein, a padding-cross-linking process was adopted and then multifunctional wool fabrics with outstanding printing effects, shrink resistance, and antibacterial properties were fabricated. The test results showed that chitosan macromolecules loaded successfully on the wool fiber surface by Schiff base reaction. Wool fabrics changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic due to the existence of chitosan macromolecules. The color strength (K/S value) of the reactive dye inkjet-printed wool fabric was greatly increased from 20.48 to 26.6. The area shrinkage of final samples was 2.53%, which was exceedingly lower than that of the original wool (10.96%). Moreover, the chitosan macromolecules with reactive amino groups endowed wool fabrics with certain antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus. Generally, this study provided guidance for manufacturing multifunctional digital inkjet-printed wool products in mass production.

Internet Use, Cultural Engagement, and Multi-Dimensional Health of Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in China

With the rapid expansion of the Internet, it continuously penetrates the life of older adults around the world. This study aims to explore the effect of Internet use on the multi-dimensional health of the elderly with the mediating role of cultural engagement. Using data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) in 2015 and 2017, this study adopts logistic regression and a single-step multiple mediation model to investigate how Internet use affects the multi-dimensional health of older adults in China. The results show that Internet use has positive effects on the self-rated health, physical health, and mental health of the elderly. Endogenous tests, robustness analysis, and sensitivity analysis show that the above conclusions remain robust. Additionally, the mediating effect analysis shows that cultural engagement plays a mediating role in the relationship between Internet use and the three health-related responses. Therefore, to improve the elderly's health level, the government should not only cultivate the ability to use the Internet but also encourage greater cultural engagement amongst the aged.

Copper-Based Metal-Organic Framework with a Tetraphenylethylene-Tetrazole Linker for Visible-Light-Driven CO2 Photoconversion

The design of efficient and inexpensive photocatalysts for CO₂ photoreduction under visible light is of great significance for the sustainable development of the entire society. Herein, a copper-based metal-organic framework (MOF) (CUST-804) using a bulky tetraphenylethylene-tetrazole linker is synthesized and successfully used as a photocatalyst for CO₂ reduction. The structural characterizations, as well as the photophysical properties, are investigated systematically. In the heterogeneous catalytic system, CUST-804 exhibits a robust CO production activity up to 2.71 mmol g^-1 h^-1 with excellent recyclability along with a selectivity of 82.8%, which is comparable with those of the reported copper-based MOF system. Theoretical calculations demonstrated that, among three kinds of coordinated model, only the 5-coordinated Cu site is active for CO₂ reduction, in which the *COOH intermediate is stabilized and CO is readily desorbed. The results obtained herein can provide fresh insights into the realization of efficient copper-functionalized crystalline photocatalysts for CO₂ reduction.

Faculty Development Advancements-Lessons Learned in a Time of Change

Faculty development (FD) activities at colleges of medicine shifted to virtual in March 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic limited in-person engagement. Medical schools delivered quality virtual faculty development (VFD) through accessing national and international experts virtually, improving faculty access to FD through recorded sessions, collaborating across institutions, and building on previous success as comfort with virtual platforms grew. Disruptive innovation and Keller's ARCS model, highlighting motivational concepts of attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, guided nine faculty developers' reflections towards continuous quality improvement of VFD offerings. The convenience and low-cost availability of virtual activities mean this format will likely persist.

A novel organometallic magnesium complexes with aggregation induced emission properties: synthesis, characterization, and fluorescent fibres applications

In this work, a novel organomagnesium complex with outstanding aggregation induced emission (AIE) properties was synthesized using dibenzoylmethane (DBM) as the ligand. The structure of the complex was confirmed to be one magnesium ion coordinated to the diones groups of two DBM molecules, and the magnesium ion adopted a distorted octahedrally geometry. The obvious emission was found for Mg(DBM) 2 powder and not in the solution, which was the first reported organomagnesium complex with AIE property. The properties of complexes were investigated by UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and density functional theory calculations. Moreover, the Mg(DBM) 2 solution dispersed in fifilter paper was nearly colorless, which could be made into a convenient anti-counterfeiting and encryption tool. Mg(DBM) 2 /alginate fibres were prepared by wet-spinning process and further processed into paper, which could be used in the fields of sensor, anti-counterfeiting and encryption. Sweat contains a wealth of chemical information that could potentially indicate the body's deeper biomolecular state. The prepared fluorescent fibres were used to detect sweat due to its non-toxic, low-cost efficient and fast response to analytes.

Application of a high‐resolution in vitro human MDR1‐MDCK assay and in vivo studies in preclinical species to improve prediction of CNS drug penetration

P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp, MDR1) is expressed at the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and restricts penetration of its substrates into the central nervous system (CNS). In vitro MDR1 assays are frequently used to predict the in vivo relevance of MDR1‐mediated efflux at the BBB. It has been well established that drug candidates with high MDR1 efflux ratios (ERs) display poor CNS penetration. Following a comparison of MDR1 transporter function between the MDR1‐MDCKI cell line from National Institutes of Health (NIH) and our internal MDR1‐MDCKII cell line, the former was found to provide better predictions of in vivo brain penetration than our in‐house MDR1‐MDCKII cell line. In particular, the NIH MDR1 assay has an improved sensitivity to differentiate the compounds with ERs of <3 in our internal cell line and is able to reduce the risk of false negatives. A better correlation between NIH MDR1 ERs and brain penetration in rat and non‐human primate (NHP) was demonstrated. Additionally, a comparison of brain penetration time course of MDR1 substrates and an MDR1 non‐substrate in NHP demonstrated that MDR1 interaction can delay the time to equilibrium of drug concentration in the brain with plasma. It is recommended to select highly permeable compounds without MDR1 interaction for rapid brain penetration to produce the maximal pharmacological effect in the CNS with a quicker onset.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 promotes the growth of tongue squamous cell carcinoma through the microRNA 513c-5p/cell division cycle 25B pathway and is associated with a poor prognosis

Background

The objective of this study was to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) in regulating the growth of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC).

Methods

The authors used multiple methods to detect the levels of CDK5 expression in samples of TSCC and to explore the relation between CDK5 expression and various clinicopathologic factors. In vivo and in vitro cell experiments were performed to detect the proliferation, invasion, and migration of TSCC cells with CDK5 knockdown or overexpression. These studies verified that CDK5 regulates the occurrence and development of TSCC cells through the microRNA 513c‐5p/cell division cycle 25B pathway.

Results

An elevated level of CDK5 expression in TSCC tissues was identified as an independent risk factor affecting TSCC growth and patient prognosis. Patients who had TSCC with low levels of CDK5 expression had a higher survival rate than those with high levels. Knockdown of CDK5 reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TSCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the authors observed that CDK5 regulated the growth of TSCC through the microRNA 513c‐5p/cell division cycle C25B pathway.

Conclusions

CDK5 functions as an oncogene in TSCC and might serve as a molecular marker for use in the diagnosis and treatment of TSCC.

Lay Summary

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is 1 of the most common malignant tumors of the head and neck, and the survival rate of patients with tongue cancer has been very low.

Therefore, it is important to study the molecular mechanism of TSCC progression to identify biomarkers that can be used to improve its clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is an atypical member of the cyclin‐dependent kinase family and is involved in regulating the cell cycle.

Changes in the cell cycle are of great significance for the occurrence and development of tumor cells; and, in recent years, increasing evidence has suggested that CDK5 exists in a disordered state in cancer cells.

In this study, the authors demonstrate that CDK5 functions as an oncogene in TSCC and might serve as a molecular marker for use in the diagnosis and treatment of TSCC.

The role of cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 and its molecular mechanism in regulating the growth of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) are investigated. The results indicate that cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 is involved in the occurrence and development of TSCC and could possibly serve as a new prognostic marker and molecular target for treating TSCC.

Inactivation efficacy and mechanism of pulsed corona discharge plasma on virus in water

The presence of viruses in water is a major risk for human and animal health due to their high resistance to disinfection. Pulsed corona discharge plasma (PCDP) efficiently inactivates bacteria by causing damage to biological macromolecules, but its effect on waterborne virus has not been reported. This study evaluated the inactivation efficacy of PCDP to viruses using spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) as a model. The results showed that 4-log₁₀ reduction of SVCV infectivity in cells was reached after 120 s treatment, and there was no significant difference in survival of fish infected with SVCV inactivated by PCDP for 240 s or more longer compared to the control fish without virus challenge, thus confirming the feasibility of PCDP to waterborne virus inactivation. Moreover, the high input energy density caused by voltage significantly improved the inactivation efficiency. The further research indicated that reactive species (RS) generated by pulsed corona discharge firstly reacted with phosphoprotein (P) and polymerase complex proteins (L) through penetration into the SVCV virions, and then caused the loss of viral infectivity by damage to genome and other structural proteins. This study has significant implications for waterborne virus removal and development of novel disinfection technologies.

Early postoperative calcitonin-to-preoperative calcitonin ratio as a predictive marker for structural recurrence in sporadic medullary thyroid cancer: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Calcitonin (Ctn) is widely used as a marker in the diagnosis, prognosis, and postoperative follow-up of patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The prognostic value of postoperative calcitonin-to-preoperative calcitonin ratio (CR), reflecting the change in Ctn level of response to initial treatment, remains uncertain in long-term disease outcomes. This study aims to determine the cut-off value of CR for predicting structural recurrence and assess the prognostic role of CR in patients with MTC.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients with MTC in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) between 2000 and 2022. CR is defined as the ratio of postoperative Ctn level on the day of discharge divided by preoperative Ctn level. In order to determine the optimal cut-off value of CR, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. We evaluate the effect of CR on recurrence-free survival (RFS) by using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis. Then, a nomogram based on CR was constructed.

RESULTS

In total, 112 sporadic MTC patients were included in this study. The optimal cut-off value of CR that predicted disease recurrence was 0.125. Patients with CR≥0.125 showed significantly worse RFS than patients with CR <0.125, respectively (3-years RFS rate of 63.1 vs. 94.7%, 5-years RFS rate of 50.7 vs. 90.3%, P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, CR was the strongest independent predictor of structural recurrence (HR: 5.050, 95% CI: 2.247-11.349, P <0.001). Tumor size (HR: 1.321, 95% CI: 1.010-1.726, P =0.042), multifocality (HR: 2.258, 95% CI: 1.008-5.058, P =0.048) and metastasized lymph nodes (HR: 3.793, 95% CI: 1.617-8.897, P <0.001) were also independent predictors of structural recurrence. The uncorrected concordance index (c-index) of the nomogram was 0.827 (95% CI, 0.729-0.925) for RFS, and bias-corrected c-index were similar. As compared to TNM stage, the nomogram based on CR provided better discrimination accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate that CR is a strong prognostic marker to predict structural recurrence in patients with sporadic MTC. The nomogram incorporating CR provided useful prediction of RFS for patients with sporadic MTC to provide personalized treatment.

Real-World Evidence on the Sensitivity of Preoperative Ultrasound in Evaluating Central Lymph Node Metastasis of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Guidelines for prophylactic dissection in clinical central negative node (cN0) of papillary thyroid carcinoma vary among different countries due to the uncertainty on the benefit of dissection. The Chinese guidelines recommend prophylactic central compartment lymph node dissection (pCLND) under professional technology. Preoperative ultrasound (US) evaluation of central lymph node determines the surgical strategy used. Sensitivity differs significantly when US is conducted by different physicians even in diverse hospitals. In this study, the aim was to explore why the Chinese guidelines were different from the America Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines through the real-world evidence on the preoperative diagnosis of cN0.

METHODS

Preoperative US and surgical pathology data for 1,015 patients with PTC attending 13 Grade-A tertiary hospitals in 2017 were collected. A retrospective analysis using US assessment of CLNM was the conducted to explore the benefits of this approach in China. US physicians in our hospital were trained on scanning the thyroid gland and its regional lymph nodes in normalization. Data of 1,776 patients were collected under the same condition from 2012 to 2017, whose ultrasonography was performed by diverse physicians and doctors. Further, data of 339 patients evaluated by the same sonographer and operated by the same surgical team was collected between 2015 and 2017. In this set of data, US combined CT versus US alone was compared. Patients were grouped into metastasis group and non-metastasis group based on postoperative pathological diagnosis of CLNM. Diagnostic efficacy of US was evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 925 patients who underwent preoperative ultrasonography in central lymph node, including 825 cases who underwent thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection were included in this study. The sensitivity of ultrasonography in detecting CLNM was 23.18%, with occult metastasis rate of 40.8%. Data for 1,776 patients comprising paired ultrasonic report and pathological report were collected in our hospital, whose physicians underwent standardized training. The sensitivity was 37.58%. Furthermore, specialized evaluation showed high sensitivity in US/CT (84.58%) than US (58.21%) alone.

CONCLUSION

Although the sensitivity of US could be enhanced by standardized training and combination with CT, the prevalence of low sensitivity of US in real-world multicenter data and the high occult metastasis rate indicated that the Chinese guidelines were based on the current conditions.

Insights into coloration enhancement of mercerized cotton fabric on reactive dye digital inkjet printing

Mercerization can improve the utilization rate of dyes in the dyeing process, and reduce the discharge of washing wastewater. However, the effect and mechanism of mercerization is not clear on digital inkjet printing of cotton fabric. In this work, two kinds of cotton fabrics (original and mercerized) were used for reactive dye digital inkjet printing, and the color improvement mechanism of caustic soda mercerization was investigated. It was found that the crystallinity of cotton fibre was adjusted from 73.9% to 58.5% by caustic mercerization, and the breaking strength did not decrease compared with original cotton fibre. Thus, the accessible reactive hydroxyl groups and the wettability were enhanced for treated cotton fibres, which promoted the inks' wick into the fibres. Interestingly, the penetration of ink droplets between the yarns and fibres after caustic mercerization was decreased, thus the dyes mainly gathered on the surface of cotton fabric. The cotton fibres' cross section structure changed from flat oval to round, which increased the contact area between reactive dyes and fibres. At a certain amount of ink, the optimal K/S value of 23.47 was achieved for treated cotton fabrics, which was higher than that of untreated cotton fabrics (17.15). Meanwhile, the printed fabrics displayed good washing fastness, rubbing fastness and glossiness. This work has important theoretical guiding significance for producing high quality mercerized cotton fabric digital printing products and reducing printing wastewater discharge.

Mercerization can control the crystallinity of cotton fiber, promote the absorption of ink droplets' wick into the fiber and inhibit ink droplets from penetrating the back of fabric. Therefore, the printing quality was extremely enhanced.

Light induced ammonia synthesis by crystalline polyoxometalate-based hybrid frameworks coupled with the Sv-1T MoS2 cocatalyst

A series of crystalline polyoxometalate-based hybrid frameworks coupled with rich sulfur vacancy 1T MoS2 through the hydrothermal growth strategy are presented towards light induced ammonia synthesis.

Hierarchical Bi2MoO6 microsphere photocatalysts modified with polypyrrole conjugated polymer for efficient decontamination of organic pollutants

To effectively degrade organic pollutants in wastewater, visible-light-driven Bi₂MoO₆/PPy hierarchical heterogeneous photocatalysts were prepared through a solvothermal method and the following in-situ chemical oxidation polymerization. Compared with pristine Bi₂MoO₆ photocatalyst, the composite photocatalysts exhibited dramatically improved photocatalytic activity and photostability towards the degradation of methylene blue dye and tetracycline antibiotic. Bi₂MoO₆/PPy-80 sample achieved the highest photocatalytic degradation rates for methylene blue dye (93.6%) and tetracycline antibiotic (88.3%) under visible light irradiation. These two organic pollutants could be completely degraded into nontoxic small molecules according to in-depth HPLC-MS analysis of degradation products. The transient photocurrent responses, electrochemical impedance spectra, and photoluminescence spectra demonstrated that the introduction of PPy nanoparticles on the surface of Bi₂MoO₆ nanosheets could effectively accelerate the separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. Furthermore, a possible synergetic photocatalytic mechanism was put forward based on the electron spin resonance and XPS valence-band spectra. This work indicated that construction of hierarchical composite photocatalysts combining polypyrrole conductive polymer and Bi₂MoO₆ semiconductor in nanoscale is an efficient approach to improve photocatalytic activity for environmental remediation.

Controlling the Spreading of Nanoliter-Scale Droplets on the Fibers of Fabrics for Enhancing Image Quality and Ink Utilization

Electronic and traditional textiles have been widely manufactured through inkjet printing. However, nanoliter-scale ink droplets tend to excessively spread along the fiber direction, which results in poor image quality and low ink utilization. Here, hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) were introduced to control the spreading of nanoliter-scale droplets on cotton fabrics. The results showed that both HEC and HPMC could reduce the spreading of nanoliter droplets along the fibers through increasing the hydrophobicity of the fabric. However, the effect of HPMC was much better than that of HEC due to its higher surface activity. The flow of nanoliter droplets along the fibers was well consistent with the Washburn function. After HPMC treatment, the depositing length of one droplet reduced from beyond 200 μm to about 50 μm. The imaging quality was greatly improved. In addition, the dye utilization increased by 33-78% due to the decrease in the diffusion of dye solution to the back of the fabric. This study is of great significance for improving the quality of inkjet printing and the utilization of depositing materials, particularly expensive materials.

Topological hybrid semimetal phases and anomalous Hall effects in a three dimensional magnetic topological insulator

In this work, we propose a ferromagnetic Bi₂Se₃as a candidate to hold the coexistence of Weyl- and nodal-line semimetal phases, which breaks the time reversal symmetry. We demonstrate that the type-I Weyl semimetal phase, type-I-, type-II- and their hybrid nodal-line semimetal phases can arise by tuning the Zeeman exchange field strength and the Fermi velocity. Their topological responses under U(1) gauge field are also discussed. Our results raise a new way for realizing Weyl and nodal-line semimetals and will be helpful in understanding the topological transport phenomena in three-dimensional material systems.