The 'D-M-C' strategy for conventional ameloblastoma of the mandible: a retrospective study

The purpose of this multicentre study was to evaluate the efficacy of the 'dredging-marsupialization-curettage' (D-M-C) strategy in the treatment of conventional intraosseous ameloblastoma of the mandible. A total of 31 patients from three institutions, who had a pathological diagnosis of conventional ameloblastoma of the mandible, were treated with the D-M-C strategy. The surgical protocol comprised a dredging and marsupialization (D-M) step, with additional D-M steps as required. The patients then underwent curettage (C) once an obvious effect of the D-M step had been achieved during follow-up. Eight patients were followed up for ≥36 months but <60 months, while 23 were followed up for ≥60 months. Nineteen of the 23 patients followed up for ≥60 months were disease-free at the last follow-up, with no evidence of recurrence. The D-M step is effective for reducing the tumour size and preserving vital structures. The D-M-C surgical strategy may be a feasible treatment option for conventional ameloblastoma of the mandible.

Study on the Improvement of Droplet Penetration Effect by Nozzle Tilt Angle under the Influence of Orthogonal Side Wind

This study investigates the impact of varying side wind velocities and nozzle inclination angles on droplet penetration during plant protection spraying operations, focusing on citrus trees. Experiments were conducted across four wind speed levels (0, 1, 2, 3 m/s) perpendicular to the nozzle direction and seven nozzle inclination levels (0°, 8°, 15°, 23°, 30°, 38°, 45°) to evaluate droplet distribution under different spraying parameters. A baseline condition with 0 m/s wind speed and a 0° nozzle angle served as the control. Utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and regression analysis techniques in conjunction with field trials, the droplet penetration was analyzed. Results indicate that at constant wind speeds, adjusting the nozzle inclination angle against the direction of the side wind can significantly enhance droplet deposition in the canopy, with a 23° inclination providing the optimal increase in deposition volume, averaging a change of +16.705 μL/cm2. Multivariate nonlinear regression analysis revealed that both wind speed and nozzle inclination angle significantly affect the droplet penetration ratio, demonstrating a correlation between these factors, with wind speed exerting a greater impact than nozzle angle. Increasing the nozzle inclination angle at higher wind speeds improves the penetration ratio, with the optimal parameters being a 23° angle and 3 m/s wind speed, showing a 12.6% improvement over the control. The model fitted for the impact of nozzle angle and wind speed on droplet penetration was validated through field experiments, identifying optimal angles for enhancing penetration at wind speeds of 1, 2, and 3 m/s as 8°, 17°, and 25°, respectively. This research provides insights for improving droplet penetration techniques in plant protection operations.

The NF-κB/NUAK2 signaling axis regulates pancreatic cancer progression by targeting SMAD2/3

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) plays a pivotal role in the development of pancreatic cancer, and its phosphorylation has previously been linked to the regulation of NUAK2. However, the regulatory connection between NF-κB and NUAK2, as well as NUAK2's role in pancreatic cancer, remains unclear. In this study, we observed that inhibiting NUAK2 impeded the proliferation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells while triggering apoptosis. NUAK2 overexpression partially resisted apoptosis and reversed the inhibitory effects of the NF-κB inhibitor. NF-κB transcriptionally regulated NUAK2 transcription by binding to the promoter region of NUAK2. Mechanistically, NUAK2 knockdown remarkably reduced the expression levels of p-SMAD2/3 and SMAD2/3, resulting in decreased nuclear translocation of SMAD4. In SMAD4-negative cells, NUAK2 knockdown impacted FAK signaling by downregulating SMAD2/3. Moreover, NUAK2 knockdown heightened the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine, suggesting that NUAK2 inhibitors could be a promising strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment.

[Survey on the awareness rate of mpox knowledge and related factors among men who have sex with men in China]

Objective: To understand the awareness rate of mpox knowledge and related factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. Methods: The survey was conducted among men aged ≥18 years who had sex with men in the past year, using the convenience sampling method. The estimated sample size was 4 312. With the assistance of social organizations of MSM in 30 provinces in China, an online questionnaire survey was conducted using anonymous self-designed questionnaires powered by www.wjx.cn during 10-14 August 2023 to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, awareness of mpox knowledge, travel history, and sexual behaviors of the respondents. The software SAS 9.4 was used for statistical analysis. Results: There were 7 725 respondents, and the age of the respondents was (31.6±9.0) years. The results revealed that the awareness rate of mpox knowledge was 50.1% (3 872/7 725). The main routes to acquire mpox knowledge were mainly new media, including WeChat, Weibo, TikTok, and Blued social software (88.4%,6 827/7 725), while official media report was the most trusted way to acquire related knowledge (79.3%,6 129/7 725). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the factors indicated a higher awareness rate of mpox knowledge, including living in the western region or the eastern region, people were over 26 years old in early adulthood and midlife, college-educated or with higher degrees, living in towns or urban periphery, being in homosexual or in bisexual relationships, 1-5 homosexual times/months in the past 3 months, knowing their HIV infection status, paying attention to mpox knowledge very often, occasionally or rarely, and convenient ways to acquire mpox knowledge from new media and social organizations. Conclusions: The awareness rate of mpox knowledge was low among MSM in China. Efforts should be made to improve the awareness rate of mpox knowledge among those who are young, less educated, or sexually active, with targeted health education via new media and social organizations.

A Ce-CuZn catalyst with abundant Cu/Zn-OV-Ce active sites for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol

CO2 hydrogenation to chemicals and fuels is a significant approach for achieving carbon neutrality. It is essential to rationally design the chemical structure and catalytic active sites towards the development of efficient catalysts. Here we show a Ce-CuZn catalyst with enriched Cu/Zn-OV-Ce active sites fabricated through the atomic-level substitution of Cu and Zn into Ce-MOF precursor. The Ce-CuZn catalyst exhibits a high methanol selectivity of 71.1% and a space-time yield of methanol up to 400.3 g·kgcat-1·h-1 with excellent stability for 170 h at 260 °C, comparable to that of the state-of-the-art CuZnAl catalysts. Controlled experiments and DFT calculations confirm that the incorporation of Cu and Zn into CeO2 with abundant oxygen vacancies can facilitate H2 dissociation energetically and thus improve CO2 hydrogenation over the Ce-CuZn catalyst via formate intermediates. This work offers an atomic-level design strategy for constructing efficient multi-metal catalysts for methanol synthesis through precise control of active sites.

Sustainable production of triazoles from lignin major motifs

An efficiently catalyzed synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant 1,2,3-trazoles from renewable resources is highly desirable. However, due to incompatible catalysis conditions, this endeavor remained challenging so far. Herein, a practical access protocol to 1,2,3-triazoles, starting from lignin phenolic β-O-4 with γ-OH group utilizing a vanadium-based catalyst is presented. A broad substrate scope reaching up to 97 % yield of 1,2,3-triazoles are obtained. The reaction pathway includes selective cleavage of double C-O bonds, cycloaddition, and dehydrogenation. Mechanistic studies and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the V-based complex acts as a bifunctional catalyst for both selective C-O bonds cleavage and dehydrogenation. This synthetic pathway has been applied for the synthesis of pharmacological and biological active carbohydrate derivatives starting from biomass components as feedstock, enabling a potential sustainable route to triazolyl carbohydrate derivatives, which paves the way for lignin-based heterocyclic aromatics in the pharmaceutical applications.

[Comparing the impact of left bundle branch area pacing and traditional left ventricular pacing on right heart function following dual-chamber pacemaker implantation]

Objective: To compare the effects of left bundle branch area pacing (LBBaP) versus traditional right ventricular pacing (RVP) on left ventricular function in patients after dual-chamber pacemaker implantation. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent dual-chamber pacemaker implantation from March 2017 to April 2021 in Beijing Anzhen Hospital. The patients were divided into the LBBaP group and RVP group based on the placement of the ventricular lead. Follow-up was conducted until March 2022, comparing baseline and follow-up echocardiographic parameters, pacing parameters, and the incidence and timing of complications between the two groups. The complications included ventricular electrode perforation, dislocation, pericardial effusion, tricuspid valve perforation, etc. Results: A total of 163 patients aged (68.3±13.5) years were included, including 82 (50.3%) men, with 80 patients in the LBBaP group and 83 in the RVP group. Baseline left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ((50.49±4.95) mm vs. (47.43±8.15) mm, P=0.01) and left atrium (LA) ((33.14±5.94) mm vs. (30.18±3.92) mm, P=0.001) in the LBBaP group were significantly higher than those in the RVP group. Follow-up LA diameter ((37.10±6.70) mm vs. (40.10±8.90) mm, P=0.016) showed a statistically significant difference in the LBBaP group compared to the RVP group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in baseline QRS duration(P=0.490). Postoperative QRS duration in the LBBaP group was significantly lower ((110.69±24.01) ms vs. (139.65±29.85) ms, P<0.010). Intraoperative threshold in the LBBaP group was significantly higher ((0.83±0.32) V/0.48 ms vs. (0.71±0.23) V/0.48 ms, P=0.004), while impedance was lower ((754.53±205.59) Ω vs. (905.41±302.75) Ω, P<0.01). Comparing with the RVP group, postoperative ventricular pacing ratio (VP) ((87.39±20.92) % vs. (79.49±25.76) %, P=0.034), threshold ((0.90±0.38) V/0.48 ms vs. (0.69±0.27) V/0.48 ms, P<0.01) in the LBBaP group were higher, and impedance ((507.45±77.37) Ω vs. (620.52±197.29) Ω, P<0.01) in the LBBaP group was lower. Postoperative follow-up period was 5 to 51 months, with a median follow-up time of 17 months. No statistically significant difference in overall complications between the LBBaP and RVP groups was found (13.8% (11/80) vs. 7.2% (6/83), P>0.05). The median time to occurrence of complications after surgery was significantly earlier in the LBBaP group (29.74 (95%CI 27.21-32.26) months vs. 46.17 (95%CI 42.48-49.86) months, P=0.030). Conclusion: LBBaP demonstrates more stable pacing parameters, substantial improvement in clinical left ventricular function, with a relatively higher threshold compared to traditional RVP, and complications occurs relatively early.

Ribosome profiling: a powerful tool in oncological research

Neoplastic cells need to adapt their gene expression pattern to survive in an ever-changing or unfavorable tumor microenvironment. Protein synthesis (or mRNA translation), an essential part of gene expression, is dysregulated in cancer. The emergence of distinct translatomic technologies has revolutionized oncological studies to elucidate translational regulatory mechanisms. Ribosome profiling can provide adequate information on diverse aspects of translation by aiding in quantitatively analyzing the intensity of translating ribosome-protected fragments. Here, we review the primary currently used translatomics techniques and highlight their advantages and disadvantages as tools for translatomics studies. Subsequently, we clarified the areas in which ribosome profiling could be applied to better understand translational control. Finally, we summarized the latest advances in cancer studies using ribosome profiling to highlight the extensive application of this powerful and promising translatomic tool.

Boosting Low-Temperature CO2 Hydrogenation over Ni-based Catalysts by Tuning Strong Metal-Support Interactions

Rational design of low-cost and efficient transition-metal catalysts for low-temperature CO2 activation is significant and poses great challenges. Herein, a strategy via regulating the local electron density of active sites is developed to boost CO2 methanation that normally requires >350 °C for commercial Ni catalysts. An optimal Ni/ZrO2 catalyst affords an excellent low-temperature performance hitherto, with a CO2 conversion of 84.0 %, CH4 selectivity of 98.6 % even at 230 °C and GHSV of 12,000 mL g-1  h-1 for 106 h, reflecting one of the best CO2 methanation performance to date on Ni-based catalysts. Combined a series of in situ spectroscopic characterization studies reveal that re-constructing monoclinic-ZrO2 supported Ni species with abundant oxygen vacancies can facilitate CO2 activation, owing to the enhanced local electron density of Ni induced by the strong metal-support interactions. These findings might be of great aid for construction of robust catalysts with an enhanced performance for CO2 emission abatement and beyond.

Higher Cognitive Reserve Is Beneficial for Cognitive Performance Via Various Locus Coeruleus Functional Pathways in the Pre-Dementia Stage of Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

Cognitive reserve (CR) shows protective effects on cognitive function in older adult and in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the brain mechanisms underlying the CR effect on the non-dementia AD spectrum (subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)) are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential moderate effect of CR on brain functional networks associated with cognitive performance.

METHODS

We selected 200 participants, including 48 cognitively normal (CN) and 56 SCD, and 96 patients with MCI from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Seed-based locus coeruleus functional connectivity (LC FC) was conducted to detect early brain functional changes in the non-dementia AD spectrum. CR was assessed via years of education and intelligence (IQ). The ANDI composite executive function scores (ADNI-EF) and ADNI composite memory scores (ANDI-MEM) at baseline and 24-month follow-up were used to assess cognitive performance.

RESULTS

Compared to the CN group, the SCD group showed abnormal LC FC with the executive control network (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, DLPFC), salience network, sensorimotor network, reward network, and hippocampus, while these alterations were inverted at the MCI stage. The LC-hippocampus FC was correlated with ADNI-MEM at baseline and follow-up, and these relationships were moderated by education. The LC-DLPFC FC was correlated with ADNI-EF at baseline, and this association was moderated by IQ.

CONCLUSION

Our results manifested that higher levels of CR would confer protective effects on SCD and MCI. Furthermore, IQ and education could moderate the relationship between LC FC and cognition through different pathways.

Clinical study of 3D laparoscopic radical prostatectomy by transperitoneal and extraperitoneal approaches

OBJECTIVE

Comparison of the clinical effectiveness and safety of three-dimensional transperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (3D TLRP) versus 3D extraperitoneal LRP (3D ELRP) for prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To retrospectively analyze the clinical and regular postoperative follow-up data of patients who underwent 3D LRP performed by the same attending surgeon at the Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College between 2017 and 2022. A total of 82 patients who met the criteria were included. They were divided into 3D TLRP (n = 39) and 3D ELRP groups (n = 43) according to the surgical approach. The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were compared.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences in preoperative characteristics between the two groups. There were also no statistically significant differences between the 3D TLRP and 3D ELRP groups in terms of intraoperative blood transfusion rate (12.82% vs. 2.33%), positive lymph node rate (11.11% vs. 2.38%), positive surgical margin rate (12.82% vs. 6.98%), pathological Gleason score, postoperative clinical stage, perioperative complication rate (10.26% vs. 4.65%), immediate urinary control rate (56.41% vs. 58.14%), 3-month postoperative urinary control rate (76.92% vs. 74.42%), 6-month postoperative urinary control rate (87.18% vs. 83.72%), 6-month postoperative biochemical recurrence rate (7.69% vs. 9.30%), or 6-month postoperative sexual function recovery rate (2.56% vs. 2.33%) (P > 0.05). Compared with the 3D ELRP group, the 3D TLRP group had a longer operative time (232.36 ± 48.52 min vs. 212.07 ± 41.76 min), more estimated blood loss (150.000 [100.0, 200.0] vs. 100.000 [100.0, 125.0]), longer recovery of gastrointestinal function (2.72 ± 0.89 vs. 2.26 ± 0.88), longer duration of drainage tube retention (5.69 ± 1.79 vs. 4.28 ± 2.68), and longer hospitalization time (12.54 ± 4.07 vs. 10.88 ± 2.97), with statistical significance (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

3D TLRP and 3D ELRP have similar oncologic and functional outcomes. Clinically, physicians can choose a reasonable procedure according to the patient's specific situation and their own surgical experience.

Does Oral Microbiota Have a Close Relationship with Pancreatic Cancer? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The association between oral microbiota and pancreatic cancer (PC) is increasingly recognized and studied. Yet, contrasting results are seen in current studies. This study aimed to provide systematic review and meta-analysis comparing PC and oral microbiota.

METHODS

Studies related to the association between oral microbiota and PC were identified through digital databases including PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, COCHRANE, and SCOPUS without limitations on language or publication period. The last identification date was 10 March 2023. Three case-control studies concerning the issue were included. For the meta-analyses, RevMan software version 5.4 was used. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to evaluate articles and measurement of study differences, and publication bias was shown.

RESULTS

Porphyromonas gingivalis in oral bacteria was detected at a comparatively high detection rate in PC patients compared with healthy controls (odds ratio [OR], 1.38; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.74; P = 0.007; I2 = 34 %). The detection rate did not differ significantly between PC patients and healthy control patients for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (OR 0.98; 95 % CI 0.75-1.29; P = 0.90; I2 = 76 %); Tannerella forsythiaand (OR 1.12; 95 % CI 0.89-1.42; P = 0.33; I2 = 0 %), or Prevotella intermedia (OR 1.08; 95 % CI 0.84-1.39; P = 0.55; I2 = 0 %).

CONCLUSION

Oral microbiota were closely related to PC, whereas P. gingivalis was more commonly found in the PC patients than in the healthy controls. For patients with PC, P. gingivalis may play a role in early diagnosis.

Novel strategies optimize immunotherapy by improving the cytotoxic function of T cells for pancreatic cancer treatment

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is considered highly malignant due to its unsatisfying prognosis and limited response to therapies. Immunotherapy has therefore been developed to harness the antigen-specific properties and cytotoxicity of the immune system, aiming to induce a robust anti-tumor immune response that specifically demolishes PC cells while minimizing lethality in healthy tissue. The activation and augmentation of cytotoxic T cells play a critical role in the initiation and final success of immunotherapy. PC, however, is often immunotherapy resistant due to its intrinsic immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that consequently hampers effective T cell priming. Emerging therapeutic approaches are orientated to modulate the tumor microenvironment in PC to enhance immune system involvement and heighten T cell efficacy. These novel strategies have shown promising therapeutic effects in the treatment of PC either as standalone approaches or combinatorial with other therapeutic schemes. The objective of this article is to explore innovative approaches to optimize immunotherapy for PC patients through T cell cytotoxic function augmentation.

Regulatory role of RNA modifications in the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely life-threatening malignancy with a relatively unfavorable prognosis. The early occurrence of metastasis and local recurrence subsequent to surgery contribute to the poor survival rates of PDAC patients, thereby limiting the effectiveness of surgical intervention. Additionally, the desmoplastic and immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment of PDAC diminishes its responsiveness to conventional treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Therefore, it is imperative to identify novel therapeutic targets for PDAC treatment. Chemical modifications are prevalent in various types of RNA and exert significant influence on their structure and functions. RNA modifications, exemplified by m6A, m5C, m1A, and Ψ, have been identified as general regulators of cellular functions. The abundance of specific modifications, such as m6A, has been correlated with cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and patient prognosis in PDAC. Pre-clinical data has indicated that manipulating RNA modification regulators could enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Therefore, targeting RNA modifications in conjunction with current adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy holds promise. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of RNA modifications in PDAC treatment, encompassing their behaviors, mechanisms, and potential treatment targets. Therefore, it aims to stimulate the development of novel therapeutic approaches and future clinical trials.

Epidemiology of pancreatic cancer: New version, new vision

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a devastating malignancy with an extremely high mortality rate and poses significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. The prevalence of PC risk factors spiked over the years, leading to a global increase in PC incidence rates. The contribution of different risk factors, however, varied from region to region due to genetic predisposition, environmental, social, and political factors underlying disease prevalence in addition to public health strategies. This comprehensive review aims to provide a thorough analysis of the epidemiology of PC, discussing its incidence, risk factors, screening strategies and socioeconomic burden. We compiled a wide range of seminal studies as well as epidemiological investigations to serve this review as a comprehensive guide for researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers keen for a more profound understanding of PC epidemiology. This review highlights the essentiality of persistent research efforts, interdisciplinary collaboration, and public health initiatives to address the expanding burden of this malignancy.

Design of Hollow Nanoreactors for Size- and Shape-Selective Catalytic Semihydrogenation Driven by Molecular Recognition

Mimicking the structures and functions of cells to create artificial organelles has spurred the development of efficient strategies for production of hollow nanoreactors with biomimetic catalytic functions. However, such structure are challenging to fabricate and are thus rarely reported. We report the design of hollow nanoreactors with hollow multishelled structure (HoMS) and spatially loaded metal nanoparticles. Starting from a molecular-level design strategy, well-defined hollow multishelled structure phenolic resins (HoMS-PR) and carbon (HoMS-C) submicron particles were accurately constructed. HoMS-C serves as an excellent, versatile platform, owing to its tunable properties with tailored functional sites for achieving precise spatial location of metal nanoparticles, internally encapsulated (Pd@HoMS-C) or externally supported (Pd/HoMS-C). Impressively, the combination of the delicate nanoarchitecture and spatially loaded metal nanoparticles endow the pair of nanoreactors with size-shape-selective molecular recognition properties in catalytic semihydrogenation, including high activity and selectivity of Pd@HoMS-C for small aliphatic substrates and Pd/HoMS-C for large aromatic substrates. Theoretical calculations provide insight into the pair of nanoreactors with distinct behaviors due to the differences in energy barrier of substrate adsorption. This work provides guidance on the rational design and accurate construction of hollow nanoreactors with precisely located active sites and a finely modulated microenvironment by mimicking the functions of cells.

Ni-Based Hydrotalcite (HT)-Derived Cu Catalysts for Catalytic Conversion of Bioethanol to Butanol

Catalytic conversion of biomass-derived ethanol into n-butanol through Guerbet coupling reaction has become one of the key reactions in biomass valorization, thus attracting significant attention recently. Herein, a series of supported Cu catalysts derived from Ni-based hydrotalcite (HT) were prepared and performed in the continuous catalytic conversion of ethanol into butanol. Among the prepared catalysts, Cu/NiAlOx shows the best performance in terms of butanol selectivity and catalyst stability, with a sustained ethanol conversion of ~35% and butanol selectivity of 25% in a time-on-stream (TOS) of 110 h at 280 °C. While for the Cu/NiFeOx and Cu/NiCoOx, obvious catalyst deactivation and/or low butanol selectivity were obtained. Extensive characterization studies of the fresh and spent catalysts, i.e., X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), reveal that the catalysts' deactivation is mainly caused by the support deconstruction during catalysis, which is highly dependent on the reducibility. Additionally, an appropriate acid-base property is pivotal for enhancing the product selectivity, which is beneficial for the key process of aldol-condensation to produce butanol.

Comprehensive study of clinical features, prognostic factors, and survival in patients with pancreatic solid pseudopapillary neoplasms based on the 2019 WHO classification

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (pSPNs) are a rare tumor type with a limited understanding of their clinical characteristics and survival outcomes. We aimed to investigate potential prognostic factors among the existing clinical features in patients diagnosed with pSPN.

METHODS

For this study, we utilized data from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, specifically selecting patients with a histology type of pSPN from the years 2000 to 2019. Subsequently, we conducted both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses in a systematic manner to identify potential prognostic factors associated with overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in the selected group of patients. To assess the disparity in OS and CSS among different clinical features and treatments, Kaplan-Meier curves were generated. Furthermore, utilizing the results obtained from the multivariate analysis, we developed a nomogram predictive model to effectively forecast the prognosis of patients diagnosed with pSPN. Calibration plots were presented to demonstrate the predictive accuracy and reliability of the nomogram predictive model.

RESULTS

The study comprised a total of 433 participants, with 85.7% of the patients diagnosed with pSPN being female and the remaining 14.3% being male. The Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that patients with pSPN who underwent primary tumor resection (PTR) and those who were younger than 70 years old had significantly improved OS and CSS compared to those who did not undergo PTR or were aged 70 years or older, respectively (P < 0.001). Male patients diagnosed with pSPN exhibited poor OS compared to female pSPN patients (P = 0.015). The multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that age (OS: HR = 1.055, 95% CI = 1.027-1.084, P < 0.001. CSS: HR = 1.054, 95% CI = 1.019-1.091, P = 0.002) and PTR (OS: HR = 6.074, 95% CI = 1.922-19.194, P = 0.002. CSS: HR = 4.912, 95% CI = 1.188-20.312, P = 0.028) were independent prognostic factors for both OS and CSS. Moreover, tumor size (≥ 5 vs < 5 cm CSS: HR = 4.788, 95% CI = 1.012-22.661, P = 0.048) was an independent prognostic factor for CSS. The independent prognostic factors identified through the multivariate Cox regression analysis were utilized to construct a nomogram model for predicting both OS and CSS in patients with pSPN. The accuracy of the nomogram model was visually testified by the calibration plot with acceptable predictive performance.

CONCLUSION

Although the majority of patients diagnosed with pSPN are females, it was observed that male patients tend to have poorer OS compared to their female counterparts. The independent prognostic factors identified in the study were age and PTR, which were associated with both OS and CSS. Tumor size was an independent prognostic factor for CSS. Patients who underwent PTR exhibited improved OS and CSS outcomes. The developed nomogram and corresponding reference table provided promising prognostic predictions for pSPN outcoms, serving as a valuable resource for clinicians and patients alike.

Reactant enrichment in hollow void of Pt NPs@MnOx nanoreactors for boosting hydrogenation performance

In confined mesoscopic spaces, the unraveling of a catalytic mechanism with complex mass transfer and adsorption processes such as reactant enrichment is a great challenge. In this study, a hollow nanoarchitecture of MnOx-encapsulated Pt nanoparticles was designed as a nanoreactor to investigate the reactant enrichment in a mesoscopic hollow void. By employing advanced characterization techniques, we found that the reactant-enrichment behavior is derived from directional diffusion of the reactant driven through the local concentration gradient and this increased the amount of reactant. Combining experimental results with density functional theory calculations, the superior cinnamyl alcohol (COL) selectivity originates from the selective adsorption of cinnamaldehyde (CAL) and the rapid formation and desorption of COL in the MnOx shell. The superb performance of 95% CAL conversion and 95% COL selectivity is obtained at only 0.5 MPa H2 and 40 min. Our findings showcase that a rationally designed nanoreactor could boost catalytic performance in chemoselective hydrogenation, which can be of great aid and potential in various application scenarios.

Organoid: Bridging the gap between basic research and clinical practice

Nowadays, the diagnosis and treatment system of malignant tumors has increasingly tended to be more precise and personalized while the existing tumor models are still unable to fully meet the needs of clinical practice. Notably, the emerging organoid platform has been proven to have huge potential in the field of basic-translational medicine, which is expected to promote a paradigm shift in personalized medicine. Here, given the unique advantages of organoid platform, we mainly explore the prominent role of organoid models in basic research and clinical practice from perspectives of tumor biology, tumorigenic microbes-host interaction, clinical decision-making, and regenerative strategy. In addition, we also put forward some practical suggestions on how to construct a new generation of organoid platform, which is destined to vigorously promote the reform of basic-translational medicine.

A 3D Multilevel Heterostructure Containing 2D Vertically Aligned MoS2 Nanosheets and 1D Sandwich C-MoS2-C Nanotubes to Enhance the Storage of Li+ Ions

To overcome the disadvantages of the MoS₂ anode for LIBs in terms of low intrinsic conductivity, poor mechanical stability, and adverse reaction with electrolytes, a 3D multilevel heterostructure (VANS-MoS₂-CNTs) has been successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal method followed by thermal treatment. VANS-MoS₂-CNTs are made up of 2D vertically aligned MoS₂ nanosheets (VANS) and 1D sandwich C-MoS₂-C nanotubes (CNTs). The sandwich-like nanotube is the core part, which is made up of the MoS₂ nanotube covered by carbon layers on both side surfaces. Due to the special heterostructure, VANS-MoS₂-CNTs have good conductivity, high structured stability, and excellent Li⁺/electron transport, resulting in high discharge capacity (1587 mAh/g at a current density of 0.1 A/g), excellent rate capacity (1330 and 730 mAh/g at current densities of 0.1 and 2 A/g, respectively), and good cyclic stability (1270 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g after 100 cycles).

[Association between sedentary behavior and force expiratory volume in 1 second reduction in middle-aged and elderly adults in communities]

Objective: To analyze the relationship between sedentary behavior and the force expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) reduction in middle-aged and elderly people in communities. Methods: The participants aged ≥40 years were randomly selected from a natural population cohort in Songjiang District, Shanghai, for pulmonary function tests and survey by using international physical activity questionnaire, a generalized additive model was used to analyze the association between sedentary behavior and FEV₁ reduction in the study population and different sex-age subgroups. Results: A total of 3 121 study subjects aged ≥40 years were included. The prevalence of FEV₁ reduction was 14.8%, which was higher in men than in women. There were 24.8% participants were completely sedentary. The prevalence of FEV₁ reduction in women aged <60 years in complete sedentary group was 2.04 (95%CI: 1.11-3.72) times higher than that in non-complete sedentary group. In men aged <60 years, the prevalence of FEV₁ reduction increased with daily sedentary time (OR=1.16, 95%CI: 1.04-1.29), and the prevalence of FEV₁ reduction was also higher in those with sedentary time >5 hours/day than those with sedentary time ≤5 hours/day (OR=3.02, 95%CI: 1.28-7.16). The sensitivity analysis also found such associations. Conclusions: FEV₁ reduction rate in age group <60 years was associated with sedentary behavior. Complete sedentary behavior or absence of moderate to vigorous physical activity played important roles in FEV₁ reduction in women, while men were more likely to be affected by increased sedentary time, which had no association with physical activity. Reducing sedentary time to avoid complete sedentary behavior, along with increased physical activity, should be encouraged in middle-aged and elderly adults in communities to improve their pulmonary function.

Palladium-Catalyzed C-H Olefination for Nucleic Acid Production

The palladium-catalyzed direct C-H olefination of unprotected uridine, 2'-deoxyuridine, uridine monophosphate, and uridine analogues are described here. This protocol provides an efficient, atom-economical, and environmentally friendly method for the introduction of an alkenyl group at the C5 position of the uracil without pre-functionalization. A series of C5-alkenylated uridine analogues, including some biologically significant compounds and potential pharmaceutical candidates, were synthesized with exposed hydroxyl groups on the ribose. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: The reaction of uridine, 2'-deoxyuridine, and sofosbuvir for the C-H olefination with methyl acrylate Basic Protocol 2: The reaction of uridine and 2'-deoxyuridine for the C-H olefination with styrene.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts: A key target to snatch victory from defeat in therapy resistance associated with the pancreatic cancer stroma

The stroma plays a dual role in the tumour microenvironment (TME), where it can both promote or restrict tumour growth. These effects are significantly modulated by the presence of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), key components of the TME. The stroma and CAFs influence pancreatic cancer (PC) both physically and functionally. The physical impact involves the deposition of a wall-like matrix, creating a solid barrier that prevents the escape of materials from the inside and the entry of substances from the outside. Functionally, the stroma influences PC treatment through crosstalk between CAFs, cancer cells, and immune cells. Transformation of the "CAFs wall", however, may reduce the original benefit of limiting PC metastasis. In this review, we found that targeting the CAFs and designing novel carriers allowing the entry of drugs or therapeutic agents into the TME are alternative strategies to effectively treat PC. This article aims to provide a specific review focusing on the possibly therapeutic markers and its novel therapeutic strategies of CAFs in PC, discussing the concise treatment methods and its new challenging in current advanced researches.

CXCR2 expression during melanoma tumorigenesis controls transcriptional programs that facilitate tumor growth

BACKGROUND

Though the CXCR2 chemokine receptor is known to play a key role in cancer growth and response to therapy, a direct link between expression of CXCR2 in tumor progenitor cells during induction of tumorigenesis has not been established.

METHODS

To characterize the role of CXCR2 during melanoma tumorigenesis, we generated tamoxifen-inducible tyrosinase-promoter driven BrafV600E/Pten-/-/Cxcr2-/- and NRasQ61R/INK4a-/-/Cxcr2-/- melanoma models. In addition, the effects of a CXCR1/CXCR2 antagonist, SX-682, on melanoma tumorigenesis were evaluated in BrafV600E/Pten-/- and NRasQ61R/INK4a-/- mice and in melanoma cell lines. Potential mechanisms by which Cxcr2 affects melanoma tumorigenesis in these murine models were explored using RNAseq, mMCP-counter, ChIPseq, and qRT-PCR; flow cytometry, and reverse phosphoprotein analysis (RPPA).

RESULTS

Genetic loss of Cxcr2 or pharmacological inhibition of CXCR1/CXCR2 during melanoma tumor induction resulted in key changes in gene expression that reduced tumor incidence/growth and increased anti-tumor immunity. Interestingly, after Cxcr2 ablation, Tfcp2l1, a key tumor suppressive transcription factor, was the only gene significantly induced with a log2 fold-change greater than 2 in these three different melanoma models.

CONCLUSIONS

Here, we provide novel mechanistic insight revealing how loss of Cxcr2 expression/activity in melanoma tumor progenitor cells results in reduced tumor burden and creation of an anti-tumor immune microenvironment. This mechanism entails an increase in expression of the tumor suppressive transcription factor, Tfcp2l1, along with alteration in the expression of genes involved in growth regulation, tumor suppression, stemness, differentiation, and immune modulation. These gene expression changes are coincident with reduction in the activation of key growth regulatory pathways, including AKT and mTOR.

PRKRA promotes pancreatic cancer progression by upregulating MMP1 transcription via the NF-κB pathway

Objective

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is highly malignant, but the underlying mechanisms of cancer progression remain unclear. PRKRA is involved in cellular stress response, but its role in PC was unknown.

Methods

The expression of PRKRA between normal and tumor tissues were compared, and the prognostic value of PRKRA was evaluated. SiRNA and plasmids were applied to investigate the effects of PRKRA on PC cells. Organoids and cell lines with knockout and overexpression of PRKRA were established by CRISPR/Cas9 and lentivirus. The effects of PRKRA on PC were evaluated in vivo by cell-derived xenografts. The downstream genes of PRKRA were screened by transcriptome sequencing. The regulation of the target gene was validated by RT-qPCR, western blot, ChIP and dual luciferase reporter assay. Besides, the correlation between PRKRA and gemcitabine sensitivity was investigated by PC organoids.

Results

PRKRA was significantly overexpressed in PC tissues and independently associated with poor prognosis. PRKRA promoted the proliferation, migration, and chemoresistance of PC cells. The proliferation of PC organoids was decreased by PRKRA knockout. The growth and chemoresistance of xenografts were increased by PRKRA overexpression. Mechanistically, PRKRA upregulated the transcription of MMP1 via NF-κB pathway. ChIP and dual luciferase reporter assay showed that NF-κB subunit P65 could bind to the promoter of MMP1. The sensitivity of PC organoids to gemcitabine was negatively correlated with the expression of PRKRA and MMP1.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that the PRKRA/NF-κB/MMP1 axis promoted the progression of PC and may serve as a potential therapeutic target and prognosis marker.

Efficient hydrodeoxygenation of methyl levulinate into pentanoic biofuels over Ru/USY catalysts

Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of neat methyl levulinate into pentanoic biofuels is one of the pivotal reactions in biomass valorization. A combined pentanoic acid/methyl pentanoate yield of 92% can be achieved for Ru/USY with a Si/Al ratio of 15 at 220 °C and 40 bar H₂. The superior performance of Ru/USY-15 for the efficient production of pentanoic biofuels is attributed to the optimal site balance between the Ru species and strong acid sites (ca. 1 : 5).

Primary tumor resection enhances the survival of pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma patients with liver metastasis under the definition of 2019 WHO classification

BACKGROUND

With the update and release of the newest version of WHO classification (2019) for neuroendocrine neoplasm, the clinical features, risk factors of prognosis and the effect of surgical treatment on newly classified pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (pNEC) patients with liver metastasis were not deeply analyzed. In the present study, we tried to reveal the clinical features, and prognostic factors of pNEC patients with liver metastasis with the newest definition of WHO 2019, and explore whether primary tumor resection (PTR), chemotherapy and radiotherapy affect overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in those patients.

METHODS

We collected data from pNEC patients with liver metastasis from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database who were diagnosed between 2010 and 2019. We strictly selected pNEC patients according to the 2019 WHO classification criteria. The univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to determine independent predictors of the survival of these patients. The forest plots map was drawn by R-4.2.2 software to display the results of the multivariate analysis visually. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the OS and CSS. Based on the multivariate analysis outcomes, we established the predictable nomogram model to predict the prognosis of pNEC patients with liver metastasis. The calibration plots were shown to prove the predictive value of the nomogram predictable model.

RESULTS

We identified 205 eligible pNEC patients with liver metastasis. According to the multivariable Cox regression analysis in this study, we found that PTR, chemotherapy, primary tumor size and diagnosis to treatment time were independent prognostic factors for both OS and CSS. Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrated that PTR and chemotherapy were correlated with increased survival for pNEC patients with liver metastasis. The accuracy of the nomogram model was visually proved by the calibration plot with acceptable predictive performance.

CONCLUSION

Four independent predictors of prognosis in pNEC patients with liver metastasis were identified in this study, including PTR, chemotherapy, tumor size and diagnosis to treatment time. PTR and chemotherapy for pNEC with liver metastasis could lead to a better prognosis, which may provide inspiration for practical clinical guidelines.

DWI-Based Radiomics Predicts the Functional Outcome of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Endovascular treatment is a reference treatment for acute basilar artery occlusion (ABAO). However, no established and specific methods are available for the preoperative screening of patients with ABAO suitable for endovascular treatment. This study explores the potential value of DWI-based radiomics in predicting the functional outcomes of endovascular treatment in ABAO.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with ABAO treated with endovascular treatment from the BASILAR registry (91 patients in the training cohort) and the hospitals in the Northwest of China (31 patients for the external testing cohort) were included in this study. The Mann-Whitney U test, random forests algorithm, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were used to reduce the feature dimension. A machine learning model was developed on the basis of the training cohort to predict the prognosis of endovascular treatment. The performance of the model was evaluated on the independent external testing cohort.

RESULTS

A subset of radiomics features (n = 6) was used to predict the functional outcomes in patients with ABAO. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the radiomics model were 0.870 and 0.781 in the training cohort and testing cohort, respectively. The accuracy of the radiomics model was 77.4%, with a sensitivity of 78.9%, specificity of 75%, positive predictive value of 83.3%, and negative predictive value of 69.2% in the testing cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

DWI-based radiomics can predict the prognosis of endovascular treatment in patients with ABAO, hence allowing a potentially better selection of patients who are most likely to benefit from this treatment.

Increasing acceptance of medical AI: The role of medical staff participation in AI development

BACKGROUND

Medical artificial intelligence (AI) in varying degrees has exerted significant influence on many medical fields, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known regarding how to address the reluctance of medical staff to use AI technology. While recent research has highlighted the importance of medical staff participation in the development of AI, the current understanding of influence of medical staff participation on acceptance of AI is limited.

OBJECTIVES

To provide insights into the mechanism that how medical staff participation impacts on the medical staff's acceptance of AI and to examine the moderating effect of speciesism.

METHODS

This study was conducted from 6th August to 3rd September. Data was collected from doctors and nurses and a total of 288 valid questionnaires were obtained. Smart PLS 3.2.8 was used as partial least square (PLS) software to validate the research model.

RESULTS

The study determined that medical staff participation had a significant impact on acceptance of medical AI-IDT (β = 0.35, p ≤ 0.001) and acceptance of medical AI-ADT (β = 0.44, p ≤ 0.001). The results also show that AI self-efficacy and AI anxiety have significant mediating effects and speciesism has significant moderating effects among the theoretical model.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides insights into ways to explore influence factors of acceptance of AI based on user participation perspective. The results indicate that medical staff participation enhances acceptance of medical AI through the cognitive path (i.e., AI self-efficacy) and the affective path (i.e., AI anxiety). These results have practical implications for how organizations assist the staff to accommodate themselves to AI technology in the future.

CXCR2 expression during melanoma tumorigenesis controls transcriptional programs that facilitate tumor growth

Background

Though the CXCR2 chemokine receptor is known to play a key role in cancer growth and response to therapy, a direct link between expression of CXCR2 in tumor progenitor cells during induction of tumorigenesis has not been established.

Methods

To characterize the role of CXCR2 during melanoma tumorigenesis, we generated tamoxifen-inducible tyrosinase-promoter driven Braf ^V600E /Pten ^-/- /Cxcr2 ^-/- and NRas ^Q61R /INK4a ^-/- /Cxcr2 ^-/- melanoma models. In addition, the effects of a CXCR1/CXCR2 antagonist, SX-682, on melanoma tumorigenesis were evaluated in Braf ^V600E /Pten ^-/- and NRas ^Q61R /INK4a ^-/- mice and in melanoma cell lines. Potential mechanisms by which Cxcr2 affects melanoma tumorigenesis in these murine models were explored using RNAseq, mMCP-counter, ChIPseq, and qRT-PCR; flow cytometry, and reverse phosphoprotein analysis (RPPA).

Results

Genetic loss of Cxcr2 or pharmacological inhibition of CXCR1/CXCR2 during melanoma tumor induction resulted in key changes in gene expression that reduced tumor incidence/growth and increased anti-tumor immunity. Interestingly, after Cxcr2 ablation, Tfcp2l1 , a key tumor suppressive transcription factor, was the only gene significantly induced with a log ₂ fold-change greater than 2 in these three different melanoma models.

Conclusions

Here, we provide novel mechanistic insight revealing how loss of Cxcr2 expression/activity in melanoma tumor progenitor cells results in reduced tumor burden and creation of an anti-tumor immune microenvironment. This mechanism entails an increase in expression of the tumor suppressive transcription factor, Tfcp2l1, along with alteration in the expression of genes involved in growth regulation, tumor suppression, stemness, differentiation, and immune modulation. These gene expression changes are coincident with reduction in the activation of key growth regulatory pathways, including AKT and mTOR.

A 2-bp deletion in intron 1 of TMEM182 is associated with TMEM182 mRNA expression and chicken body weight

1. Searching for molecular markers related to growth and carcase traits plays a critical role in improvement of the production performance of broilers. Previous studies found that transmembrane protein 182 (TMEM182) inhibits skeletal muscle development, growth, and regeneration, implying that the TMEM182 gene plays an important role during the development process of skeletal muscle.2. A novel 2-bp indel in intron 1 of TMEM182 was detected in a yellow chicken population derived from the cross of White Recessive Rock chickens with Xinghua chickens, and three genotypes II (inserted homozygote), ID (inserted and deleted heterozygote) and DD (deleted homozygote) were observed. Association analyses indicated that the indel was significantly associated with the body weight, muscle fibre area, breast muscle weight and wing weight in the F2 population.3. The expression of TMEM182 in leg muscle of chickens with II genotype was higher than that with DD genotype, with the 2-bp indel located in one of the putative PAX4 binding sites. Further research through luciferase assays revealed that the PAX4 could bind to the putative binding site and increase the TMEM182 transcription, with the 2-bp deletion disrupting the binding of PAX4.4. The present study provides evidence for the association of the novel 2-bp indel in intron 1 of TMEM182 with the growth and carcase traits of chickens. This 2-bp indel could be used as a genetic marker in broiler breeding.

Transmutation of MAs and LLFPs with a lead-cooled fast reactor

The management of nuclear wastes has long been a problem that hinders the sustainable and clean utilization of nuclear energy since the advent of nuclear power. These nuclear wastes include minor actinides (MAs: ²³⁷Np, ²⁴¹Am, ²⁴³Am, ²⁴⁴Cm and ²⁴⁵Cm) and long-lived fission products (LLFPs: ⁷⁹Se, ⁹³Zr, ⁹⁹Tc, ¹⁰⁷Pd, ¹²⁹I and ¹³⁵Cs), and yet are hard to be handled. In this work, we propose a scheme that can transmute almost all the MAs and LLFPs with a lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR). In this scheme, the MAs and the LLFPs are loaded to the fuel assembly and the blanket assembly for transmutation, respectively. In order to study the effect of MAs loading on the operation of the core, the neutron flux distribution, spectra, and the k_eff are further compared with and without MAs loading. Then the LLFPs composition is optimized and the support ratio is obtained to be 1.22 for ²³⁷Np, 1.63 for ²⁴¹Am, 1.27 for ²⁴³Am, 1.32 for ⁷⁹Se, 1.53 for ⁹⁹Tc, 1.02 for ¹⁰⁷Pd, and 1.12 for ¹²⁹I, respectively, indicating that a self-sustained transmutation can be achieved. Accordingly, the transmutation rate of these nuclides was 13.07%/y for ²³⁷Np, 15.18%/y for ²⁴¹Am, 13.34%/y for ²⁴³Am, 0.58%/y for ⁷⁹Se, 0.92%/y for ⁹⁹Tc, 1.17%/y for ¹⁰⁷Pd, 0.56%/y for ¹²⁹I. Our results show that a lead-cooled fast reactor can be potentially used to manage nuclear wastes with high levels of long-lived radioactivity.

[68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET MRI/CT in the evaluation of gastric carcinomas compared with [18F]-FDG PET MRI/CT: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To compare the detection rates of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET MRI/CT vs. [¹⁸F]-FDG PET MRI/CT in gastric cancer.

METHODS

An extensive librarian-led literature search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov was performed. The primary outcomes were sensitivity in patient-based evaluations, detection of lymph node metastases, and peritoneal involvement.

RESULTS

Five studies, including 148 participants, were analyzed. [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET MRI/CT has a comparatively high sensitivity in patient-based evaluations compared with [¹⁸F]-FDG PET MRI/CT (risk difference = 0.16, 95% CI 0.09-0.22, P < 0.00001). The [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET MRI/CT group has a comparatively higher sensitivity in detecting lymph node metastases (RR = 0.15, 95% CI 0.01-0.29, P = 0.04), peritoneal involvement (RR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.38-0.72, P < 0.00001) in gastric cancer than [¹⁸F]-FDG PET MRI/CT group.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review confirmed the advantage of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET MRI/CT in gastric cancer. [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET MRI/CT was superior to [¹⁸F]-FDG PET MRI/CT in detecting the primary tumor, lymph node metastases, and peritoneal metastases. More studies are needed for the sensitivity and specificity of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET MRI/CT in different pathological types of gastric cancer.

Hydrogen-induced phase stability and phonon mediated-superconductivity in two-dimensional van der Waals Ti2C MXene monolayer

Herein, we report the phase stability of the hydrogenated Ti₂C MXene monolayer using an evolutionary algorithm based on density functional theory. We predict the existence of hexagonal Ti₂CH, Ti₂CH₂, and Ti₂CH₄. The dynamic and energetic stabilities of the predicted structures are verified through phonon dispersion and formation energy, respectively. The electron-phonon coupling is carefully investigated by employing isotropic Eliashberg theory. The T_c values are 0.2 K, 2.3 K, and 9.0 K for Ti₂CH, Ti₂CH₂, and Ti₂CH₄, respectively. The translation and libration adopted by stretch and bent vibrations contribute to the increasing T_c of Ti₂CH₄. The high-frequency hydrogen modes contribute to the critical temperature increase. Briefly, this work not only highlights the effect of H-content on the increments of T_c for Ti₂CH_x, but also demonstrates the first theoretical evidence of the existence of H-rich MXene in the example of Ti₂CH₄. Therefore, it potentially provides a guideline for developing hydrogenated 2D superconductive applications.

[Analysis of the current status of needle and syringe exchange programmes for injecting drug users in China]

Objective: To analyze the needle and syringe exchange programme (NSEP) implementation among injecting drug users (IDUs) in China and provide data support and a scientific reference for intervention among IDUs. Methods: All the statistical reports of high-risk behavior interventions during 2007-2021 were collected from the HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Response Information Management System. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the changes in the number of NSEP points, regional distribution of NSEP points, the number of people covered, and the HIV detection rate in China from 2007 to 2021. Excel 2016 software was used to plot the variation trend. SAS 9.4 software was used for the needle recovery and HIV-positive detection rate to do the χ² trend test. Results: There were 578 NSEP sites in 11 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) by the end of 2021, covering 21 215 IDUs. 2014-2021, the number of NSEP sites and the number of IDUs covered decreased year by year. Each injecting drug user participating in NSEP received more than 200 clean needles annually. The needle recovery rate showed an increasing trend(Z=170.26, P<0.001) from 2009 to 2016 but showed a decreasing trend (Z=-91.96, P<0.001) from 2016 to 2021. The rate of HIV-positive in IDUs participating in NSEP showed a downward trend (Z=-66.53, P<0.001), which decreased from 5.8% (2 709/46 591) in 2011 to 0.1% (19/21 215) in 2021, decreasing 98.3%. Conclusions: NSEP is a vital intervention to prevent HIV transmission through injecting drugs. There were still many difficulties. It is necessary to strengthen further communication and coordination with government and public security departments to understand and support for NSEP. Targeted publicity and education are needed to be carried out for local IDUs to encourage them to participate in NSEP and reduce their dropout. Meanwhile, peer educators supervision and management also need to be strengthened.

Linking self-efficacy and organizational identification: a moderated mediation model based on a self-verification perspective

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of employees' self-efficacy on employees' organizational identification. Based on a self-verification perspective, this paper focuses on the mediating role of leader–member exchange social comparison (LMXSC) and the moderating role of perceived organizational justice.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a field survey (Study 1) of 207 employees recruited from multiple financial organizations and tested a moderated mediation model using Hayes's (2018) PROCESS macro. The authors conducted another scenario-based experiment (Study 2) using a sample of 151 employees recruited online to further establish causality in our model.

Findings

Results suggest that employees' self-efficacy is positively associated with their LMXSC, which, in turn, positively impacts employees' organizational identification. The positive relationship between LMXSC and organizational identification is stronger when employees' perceived organizational justice is higher. The indirect effect of self-efficacy on organizational identification through LMXSC is also strengthened by perceived organizational justice.

Practical implications

Managers are encouraged to develop employees' self-efficacy and to create a fair environment to promote employees' identification with the organization.

Originality/value

This research extends organizational identification literature by examining how and when employees' self-efficacy, a dispositional predictor, leads to employees' identification with the organization from a self-verification perspective.

6-Shogaol protects against isoproterenol-induced cardiac injury in rats through attenutating oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and activating nuclear respiratory factor-2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway

The current study investigated the preventive effect of 6-Shogaol on isoproterenol hydrochloride (ISO)-induced myocardial cardiac injury. 6-Shogaol (50 mg/kg b.w.) was administered for 14 days at pretreatment and ISO-induction (85 mg/kg b.w.) for the last two days (13th and 14th days) by subcutaneous injection. Cardiac markers in serum like creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cardiac troponins T (cTn T) and I (cTn I) increased in ISO-induced rats. Moreover, lipid peroxidative markers like thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) were raised, and the activities/level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were diminished in ISO-treated heart tissue. In addition, inflammatory and nuclear respiratory factor (Nrf)-2 signalling molecules were upregulated in ISO-induced ischemic rats. 6-Shogaol pretreatment decreased the activities of cardiac and lipid peroxidative markers and enhanced the antioxidant status in ISO-induced cardiac injury rats. Further, 6-Shogaol pretreatment inhibited serum inflammatory markers: tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), Nrf-2 molecule and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in ISO-induced cardial damage rats. We noticed the effect of 6-Shogaol inhibited pro-apoptotic genes like B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (Bax), Fas, caspase-3, -8, -9, cytochrome C, and inflammatory genes and increased Bcl-2 expression in ISO-treated rats. The cardioprotective activity of 6-Shogaol in rats with ISO-induced myocardial damage may be due to its ability to reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, perhaps via the Nrf-2/HO-1 signalling pathway.

Is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for pancreatic cancer beneficial: A systematic review and meta-analysis

To examine the potential benefits and adverse events of neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) versus upfront surgery in pancreatic cancer (PC) patients. Extensive librarian-led literature searches were conducted on PubMed, Web-of-Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Central Library and Embase. The primary outcomes were resectability, adverse events, pathological and survival outcomes. Five studies, including 437 participants, were analyzed. Upfront surgery had a significantly higher resectability among PC patients than neoadjuvant CRT group (Odds ratio = -0.11, 95% CI = -0.19-0.02, P = 0.01). The neoadjuvant CRT group had a comparatively higher Ro resection rate (OR = 3.38, 95% CI = 2.03-5.62, P < 0.01), fewer severe adverse events(OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.34-0.92, P = 0.02), lower positive LN rate(OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.11-0.31, P < 0.01) and higher 2-year OS(OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.02-2.52, P = 0.04) among PC patients than control group. There was no significant difference between neoadjuvant CRT and upfront surgery among PC patients on postoperative complications(OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 0.86-2.57, P = 0.16), metastasis rate(OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.42-4.18, P = 0.64) and 1-year OS(OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 0.85-1.98, P = 0.22). This systematic review confirmed the status of neoadjuvant CRT in the PC treatment. The neoadjuvant CRT could increase the R0 resection rate, which was important to the survival and life quality of patients. The specific choice of various neoadjuvant CRT therapy needs to be further studied. Individualized neoadjuvant therapy should be suitable for each patient, and patients with PC are best managed by a multidisciplinary team.