M2 tumor-associated macrophages and CXCL2 induce lipid remodeling in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines

Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, but its pathogenesis remains incompletely elucidated. Recently, many studies indicated that lipid remodeling plays an important role in the occurrence and development of HCC. Furthermore, lipids have been proven to be indispensable mediators in promoting communication between tumor cells and extracellular matrix in the tumor microenvironment. Thus, this study aims to comprehensively investigate the process of lipid remodeling during HCC metastasis based on the LC-electrospray ionization-MS (LC-ESI-MS) combined with multiple reaction monitoring technology. M2 tumor-associated macrophages and the recombinant human protein CXCL2 were used to simulate the tumor microenvironment. After co-incubating SMMC7721 and MHCC97-H cell lines with M2 tumor-associated macrophages or the recombinant human protein CXCL2 for 48 h, LC-ESI-MS was used to quantify the levels of two major classes of lipid molecules, namely, glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. Our results suggest that lipid remodeling in the tumor microenvironment may promote the migration and invasion of HCC cell lines.

Spatial-temporal trends in leprosy burden and its associations with socioeconomic and physical geographic factors: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of our study was to assess the multiscalar changes in leprosy burden and its associated risk factors over the last three decades.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted an in-depth examination of leprosy's spatial-temporal trends at multiple geographical scale (global, regional, and national), utilizing information from Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD 2019).

METHODS

Incidence and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of leprosy were determined, with countries categorized based on leprosy incidence changes. We examined socioeconomic and physical geography influences on leprosy incidence via Spearman correlation analysis, using ternary phase diagrams to reveal the synergetic effects on leprosy occurrence.

RESULTS

Globally, incident cases of leprosy decreased by 27.86% from 1990 to 2019, with a reduction in ASIR (EAPC = -2.53), yet trends were not homogeneous across regions. ASIR and EAPC correlated positively with sociodemographic index (SDI), and an ASIR growth appeared in high SDI region (EAPC = 3.07). Leprosy burden was chiefly distributed in Tropical Latin America, Oceania, Central Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Negative correlations were detected between the incidence of leprosy and factors of SDI, GDP per capita, urban population to total population, and precipitation, whereas the number of refugee population, temperature, and elevation showed opposite positive results.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a global decline in leprosy over the past three decades, the disparities of disease occurrence at regional and national scales still persisted. Socioeconomic and physical geographic factors posed an obvious influence on the transmission risk of leprosy. The persistence and regional fluctuations of leprosy incidence necessitate the ongoing dynamic and multilayered control strategies worldwide in combating this ancient disease.

The bone marrow lipidomics of mice reveal sex-related differences

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder characterized by an imbalance between bone resorption and formation, exhibiting a higher prevalence in women compared with men. While previous studies have primarily focused on genomics and genetics in osteoporosis susceptibility, there is a lack of systematic exploration of sex-specific differences in lipid levels in mouse bone marrow. Multiple reaction monitoring-based liquid chromatography-trandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to quantify lipidomic profiles in bone marrow samples from three female mice and three male mice. The LC-MS/MS technique based on the multiple reaction monitoring method identified and quantified 184 lipids from 15 lipid classes. The contents of most lipids in the bone marrow cells of female mice were higher than those in male mice, including four polyunsaturated fatty acids, three phospholipids and four sphingolipids. Among all the lipid molecules, lactosylceramide (d18:0/16:0) showed the highest fold change in female mice, while its precursor lipid, glucosylceramide, was the most up-regulated in male mice. This study, focusing on bone marrow lipidomics, elucidates significant sexual dimorphism in lipid levels within bone marrow cells. It provides novel evidence supporting the higher prevalence of osteoporosis in women and enhances our understanding of the connection between sex-specific lipid levels and the risk of osteoporosis.

Transcriptome analysis during 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide exposure-induced premature ovarian insufficiency in mice

The occupational chemical 4-Vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) is a reproductively toxic environmental pollutant that causes follicular failure, leading to premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), which significantly impacts a woman's physical health and fertility. Investigating VCD's pathogenic mechanisms can offer insights for the prevention of ovarian impairment and the treatment of POI. This study established a mouse model of POI through intraperitoneal injection of VCD into female C57BL/6 mice for 15 days. The results were then compared with those of the control group, including a comparison of phenotypic characteristics and transcriptome differences, at two time points: day 15 and day 30. Through a comprehensive analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), key genes were identified and validated some using RT-PCR. The results revealed significant impacts on sex hormone levels, follicle number, and the estrous cycle in VCD-induced POI mice on both day 15 and day 30. The DEGs and enrichment results obtained on day 15 were not as significant as those obtained on day 30. The results of this study provide a preliminary indication that steroid hormone synthesis, DNA damage repair, and impaired oocyte mitosis are pivotal in VCD-mediated ovarian dysfunction. This dysfunction may have been caused by VCD damage to the primordial follicular pool, impairing follicular development and aggravating ovarian damage over time, making it gradually difficult for the ovaries to perform their normal functions.

[Role of innate lymphoid cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma microenvironment]

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral malignancy. It has a high incidence, strong invasion ability, easy metastasis, poor curative effect, and poor prognosis. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are an important part of immune cells located in the mucosal barrier, which play an important role in the occurrence, development and outcome of tumors. ILCs are the key cells for decoding the regulatory mechanism of tumor microenvironment and the signatures for tumor progression. This paper reviewed the latest progress on ILCs, summarized the possible characteristics and functions of ILCs in the microenvironment of OSCC, and explored the relationship between ILCs and the occurrence, development and immunotherapy of OSCC.

Intermittent fasting and health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials

Background

Benefits of Intermittent fasting (IF) on health-related outcomes have been found in a range of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Our umbrella review aimed to systematically analyze and synthesize the available causal evidence on IF and its impact on specific health-related outcomes while evaluating its evidence quality.

Methods

We comprehensively searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases (from inception up to 8 January 2024) to identify related systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs investigating the association between IF and human health outcomes. We recalculated the effect sizes for each meta-analysis as mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were performed for populations based on three specific status: diabetes, overweight or obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The quality of systematic reviews was evaluated using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), and the certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023382004).

Findings

A total of 351 associations from 23 meta-analyses with 34 health outcomes were included in the study. A wide range of outcomes were investigated, including anthropometric measures (n = 155), lipid profiles (n = 83), glycemic profiles (n = 57), circulatory system index (n = 41), appetite (n = 9), and others (n = 6). Twenty-one (91%) meta-analyses with 346 associations were rated as high confidence according to the AMSTAR criteria. The summary effects estimates were significant at p < 0.05 in 103 associations, of which 10 (10%) were supported by high certainty of evidence according to GRADE. Specifically, compared with non-intervention diet in adults with overweight or obesity, IF reduced waist circumference (WC) (MD = -1.02 cm; 95% CI: -1.99 to -0.06; p = 0.038), fat mass (MD = -0.72 kg; 95% CI: -1.32 to -0.12; p = 0.019), fasting insulin (SMD = -0.21; 95% CI: -0.40 to -0.02; p = 0.030), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (SMD = -0.20; 95% CI: -0.38 to -0.02; p = 0.027), total cholesterol (TC) (SMD = -0.29; 95% CI: -0.48 to -0.10; p = 0.003), and triacylglycerols (TG) (SMD = -0.23; 95% CI: -0.39 to -0.06; p = 0.007), but increased fat free mass (FFM) (MD = 0.98 kg; 95% CI: 0.18-1.78; p = 0.016). Of note, compared with the non-intervention diet, modified alternate-day fasting (MADF) reduced fat mass (MD = -0.70 kg; 95% CI: -1.38 to -0.02; p = 0.044). In people with overweight or obesity, and type 2 diabetes, IF increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels compared to continuous energy restriction (CER) (MD = 0.03 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.01-0.05; p = 0.010). However, IF was less effective at reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) than a CER diet in adults with overweight or obesity (SMD = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.05-0.36; p = 0.008).

Interpretation

Our findings suggest that IF may have beneficial effects on a range of health outcomes for adults with overweight or obesity, compared to CER or non-intervention diet. Specifically, IF may decreased WC, fat mass, LDL-C, TG, TC, fasting insulin, and SBP, while increasing HDL-C and FFM. Notably, it is worth noting that the SBP lowering effect of IF appears to be weaker than that of CER.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Q-JW), the Natural Science Foundation of China (Q-JW and T-TG), Outstanding Scientific Fund of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University (Q-JW), and 345 Talent Project of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University (T-TG).

The NFκB Signaling Pathway Is Involved in the Pathophysiological Process of Preeclampsia

The high prevalence of preeclampsia (PE) is a major cause of maternal and fetal mortality and affects the long-term prognosis of both mother and baby. Termination of pregnancy is currently the only effective treatment for PE, so there is an urgent need for research into its pathogenesis and the development of new therapeutic approaches. The NFκB family of transcription factors has an essential role in inflammation and innate immunity. In this review, we summarize the role of NFκB in normal and preeclampsia pregnancies, the role of NFκB in existing treatment strategies, and potential NFκB treatment strategies.

Predicting pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: use of MRI radiomics data from three regions with multiple machine learning algorithms

OBJECTIVE

To construct a multi-region MRI radiomics model for predicting pathological complete response (pCR) in breast cancer (BCa) patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and provide a theoretical basis for the peritumoral microenvironment affecting the efficacy of NACT.

METHODS

A total of 133 BCa patients who received NACT, including 49 with confirmed pCR, were retrospectively analyzed. The radiomics features of the intratumoral region, peritumoral region, and background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) were extracted, and the most relevant features were obtained after dimensional reduction. Then, combining different areas, multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to select the optimal feature set, and six different machine learning models were used to predict pCR. The optimal model was selected, and its performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. SHAP analysis was used to examine the relationship between the features of the model and pCR.

RESULTS

For signatures constructed using three individual regions, BPE provided the best predictions of pCR, and the diagnostic performance of the intratumoral and peritumoral regions improved after adding the BPE signature. The radiomics signature from the combination of all the three regions with the XGBoost machine learning algorithm provided the best predictions of pCR based on AUC (training set: 0.891, validation set: 0.861), sensitivity (training set: 0.882, validation set: 0.800), and specificity (training set: 0.847, validation set: 0.84). SHAP analysis demonstrated that LZ_log.sigma.2.0.mm.3D_glcm_ClusterShade_T12 made the greatest contribution to the predictions of this model.

CONCLUSION

The addition of the BPE MRI signature improved the prediction of pCR in BCa patients who received NACT. These results suggest that the features of the peritumoral microenvironment are related to the efficacy of NACT.

The arachidonic acid metabolome reveals elevation of prostaglandin E2 biosynthesis in colorectal cancer

Arachidonic acid metabolites are a family of bioactive lipids derived from membrane phospholipids. They are involved in cancer progression, but arachidonic acid metabolite profiles and their related biosynthetic pathways remain uncertain in colorectal cancer (CRC). To compare the arachidonic acid metabolite profiles between CRC patients and healthy controls, quantification was performed using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based analysis of serum and tissue samples. Metabolomics analysis delineated the distinct oxidized lipids in CRC patients and healthy controls. Prostaglandin (PGE2)-derived metabolites were increased, suggesting that the PGE2 biosynthetic pathway was upregulated in CRC. The qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry analyses showed that the expression level of PGE2 synthases, the key protein of PGE2 biosynthesis, was upregulated in CRC and positively correlated with the CD68+ macrophage density and CRC development. Our study indicates that the PGE2 biosynthetic pathway is associated with macrophage infiltration and progression of CRC tumors.

Cross-talk between disulfidptosis and immune check point genes defines the tumor microenvironment for the prediction of prognosis and immunotherapies in glioblastoma

Disulfidptosis is a condition where dysregulated NAPDH levels and abnormal accumulation of cystine and other disulfides occur in cells with high SLC7A11 expression under glucose deficiency. This disrupts normal formation of disulfide bonds among cytoskeletal proteins, leading to histone skeleton collapse and triggering cellular apoptosis. However, the correlation between disulfidptosis and immune responses in relation to glioblastoma survival rates and immunotherapy sensitivity remains understudied. Therefore, we utilized The Cancer Genome Atlas and The Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas to identify disulfidptosis-related immune checkpoint genes and established an overall survival (OS) prediction model comprising six genes: CD276, TNFRSF 14, TNFSF14, TNFSF4, CD40, and TNFRSF18, which could also be used for predicting immunotherapy sensitivity. We identified a cohort of glioblastoma patients classified as high-risk, which exhibited an upregulation of angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition as well as an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) enriched with tumor associated macrophages, tumor associated neutrophils, CD8 + T-cell exhaustion. Immunohistochemical staining of CD276 in 144 cases further validated its negative correlation with OS in glioma. Disulfidptosis has the potential to induce chronic inflammation and an immunosuppressive TME in glioblastoma.

Effects of Bisphenol A and Its Substitute, Bisphenol F, on the Gut Microbiota in Mice

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of bisphenol A (BPA) and its substitute, bisphenol F (BPF), on the colonic fecal community structure and function of mice.

Methods

We exposed 6-8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice to 5 mg/(kg∙day) and 50 μg/(kg∙day) of BPA or BPF for 14 days. Fecal samples from the colon were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing.

Results

Gut microbiome community richness and diversity, species composition, and function were significantly altered in mice exposed to BPA or BPF. This change was characterized by elevated levels of Ruminococcaceae UCG-010 and Oscillibacter and decreased levels of Prevotella 9 and Streptococcus. Additionally, pathways related to carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism showed substantial enrichment.

Conclusion

Mice exposed to different BP analogs exhibited distinct gut bacterial community richness, composition, and related metabolic pathways. Considering the essential role of gut bacteria in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, our study highlights the intestinal toxicity of BPs in vertebrates.

The effect of FOXP3 genetic polymorphisms on correlations with hepatitis B virus-hepatocellular carcinoma: A case-control study

Background

Previous studies have reported that transcription factor forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) polymorphisms are correlated with the progress of some cancers, but the relationships between the FOXP3 polymorphisms and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk remain unclear.

Method

Genotypes were detected in156 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-HCC patients, 109 HBV-liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, 125 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and 188 healthy controls. The FOXP3 rs3761547 and rs3761548 polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with restriction fragment length polymorphism, and the rs2232365 polymorphism was genotyped using PCR with sequence-specific primers.

Results

We did not obtain any significant results with the FOXP3 rs3761547, rs3761548, and rs2232365 polymorphisms in groups of patients compared to healthy controls (all p > 0.05), no matter the overall group or subgroup.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the FOXP3 polymorphisms at rs3761547, rs3761548, and rs2232365 were not related to HBV-HCC risk in the Chinese population.

SH3RF2 contributes to cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells by promoting RBPMS degradation

Platinum-based chemotherapy remains one of the major choices for treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). However, primary or acquired drug resistance severely impairs their efficiency, thereby causing chemotherapy failure and poor prognosis. SH3 domain containing ring finger 2 (SH3RF2) has been linked to the development of cancer. Here we find higher levels of SH3RF2 in the tumor tissues from cisplatin-resistant OC patients when compared to those from cisplatin-sensitive patients. Similarly, cisplatin-resistant OC cells also express higher levels of SH3RF2 than normal OC cells. Through in vitro and in vivo loss-of-function experiments, SH3RF2 is identified as a driver of cisplatin resistance, as evidenced by increases in cisplatin-induced cell apoptosis and DNA damage and decreases in cell proliferation induced by SH3RF2 depletion. Mechanistically, SH3RF2 can directly bind to the RNA-binding protein mRNA processing factor (RBPMS). RBPMS has been reported as an inhibitor of cisplatin resistance in OC. As a E3 ligase, SH3RF2 promotes the K48-linked ubiquitination of RBPMS to increase its proteasomal degradation and activator protein 1 (AP-1) transactivation. Impairments in RBPMS function reverse the inhibitory effect of SH3RF2 depletion on cisplatin resistance. Collectively, the SH3RF2-RBPMS-AP-1 axis is an important regulator in cisplatin resistance and inhibition of SH3RF2 may be a potential target in preventing cisplatin resistance.

A disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs signature in hepatocellular carcinoma: prognostic prediction, tumor immune microenvironment and drug susceptibility

Disulfidptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death, has attracted researchers' attention worldwide. However, the role of disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs (DRLs) in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) not yet been studied. We aimed to establish and validate a prognostic signature of DRLs and analyze tumor microenvironment (TME) and drug susceptibility in LIHC patients. RNA sequencing data, mutation data, and clinical data were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas Database (TCGA). Lasso algorithm and cox regression analysis were performed to identify a prognostic DRLs signature. Kaplan-Meier curves, principal component analysis (PCA), nomogram and calibration curve, function enrichment, TME, immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE), tumor mutation burden (TMB), and drug sensitivity analyses were analyzed. External datasets were used to validate the predictive value of DRLs. qRT-PCR was also used to validate the differential expression of the target lncRNAs in tissue samples and cell lines. We established a prognostic signature for the DRLs (MKLN1-AS and TMCC1-AS1) in LIHC. The signature could divide the LIHC patients into low- and high-risk groups, with the high-risk subgroup associated with a worse prognosis. We observed discrepancies in tumor-infiltrating immune cells, immune function, function enrichment, and TIDE between two risk groups. LIHC patients in the high-risk group were more sensitive to several chemotherapeutic drugs. External datasets, clinical tissue, and cell lines confirmed the expression of MKLN1-AS and TMCC1-AS1 were upregulated in LIHC and associated with a worse prognosis. The novel signature based on the two DRLs provide new insight into LIHC prognostic prediction, TME, and potential therapeutic strategies.

An Efficient Group Federated Learning Framework for Large-Scale EEG-Based Driver Drowsiness Detection

To avoid traffic accidents, monitoring the driver's electroencephalogram (EEG) signals to assess drowsiness is an effective solution. However, aggregating the personal data of these drivers may lead to insufficient data usage and pose a risk of privacy breaches. To address these issues, a framework called Group Federated Learning (Group-FL) for large-scale driver drowsiness detection is proposed, which can efficiently utilize diverse client data while protecting privacy. First, by arranging the clients into different levels of groups and gradually aggregating their model parameters from low-level groups to high-level groups, communication and time costs are reduced. In addition, to solve the problem of notable variations in EEG signals among different clients, a global-personalized deep neural network is designed. The global model extracts shared features from various clients, while the personalized model extracts fine-grained features from each client and outputs classification results. Finally, to address special issues such as scale/category imbalance and data pollution, three checking modules are designed for adjusting grouping, evaluating client data, and effectively applying personalized models. Through extensive experimentation, the effectiveness of each component within the framework was validated, and a mean accuracy, F1-score, and Area Under Curve (AUC) of 81.0%, 82.0%, and 87.9% was achieved, respectively, on a publicly available dataset comprising 11 subjects.

A NIR ratiometric fluorescent probe for the rapid detection of hydrogen sulfide in living cells and zebrafish

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) acts as a gas transporter and cell protector and plays a role in a number of disorders and signaling processes. Given that the half-life of H2S in biological systems is between seconds and minutes, the development of rapid and accurate technologies for reliable monitoring H2S levels and dynamics in organisms is critical. However, it is still difficult to design innovative near-infrared fluorescent probes that can quickly and accurately detect H2S. Here, we constructed a novel NIR ratiometric fluorescent probe based on the "aldehyde group auxiliary strategy", Cy-H2S, for the quantitative detection and precise imaging of H2S in living cells and zebrafish. Cy-H2S responded quickly (150 s) and was highly sensitive (0.179 μM) to H2S donor. Cy-H2S was further successfully employed to track endogenous H2S fluctuation in HCT116 cells and zebrafish and evaluated the release efficiency of the H2S prodrug in a NIR ratiometric imaging way. Cy-H2S has the potential to be used as a reliable indication of H2S levels in living cells and zebrafish, as well as an innovative and practical instrument for furthering the physiological research of H2S, which will encourage the creation of advanced NIR ratiometric probes for a variety of biological applications.

Hybrid model of CT-fractional flow reserve, pericoronary fat attenuation index and radiomics for predicting the progression of WMH: a dual-center pilot study

Objective

To develop and validate a hybrid model incorporating CT-fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR), pericoronary fat attenuation index (pFAI), and radiomics signatures for predicting progression of white matter hyperintensity (WMH).

Methods

A total of 226 patients who received coronary computer tomography angiography (CCTA) and brain magnetic resonance imaging from two hospitals were divided into a training set (n = 116), an internal validation set (n = 30), and an external validation set (n = 80). Patients who experienced progression of WMH were identified from subsequent MRI results. We calculated CT-FFR and pFAI from CCTA images using semi-automated software, and segmented the pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) and myocardial ROI. A total of 1,073 features were extracted from each ROI, and were then refined by Elastic Net Regression. Firstly, different machine learning algorithms (Logistic Regression [LR], Support Vector Machine [SVM], Random Forest [RF], k-nearest neighbor [KNN] and eXtreme Gradient Gradient Boosting Machine [XGBoost]) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of radiomics signatures for predicting WMH progression. Then, the optimal machine learning algorithm was used to compare the predictive performance of individual and hybrid models based on independent risk factors of WMH progression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, calibration and decision curve analysis were used to evaluate predictive performance and clinical value of the different models.

Results

CT-FFR, pFAI, and radiomics signatures were independent predictors of WMH progression. Based on the machine learning algorithms, the PCAT signatures led to slightly better predictions than the myocardial signatures and showed the highest AUC value in the XGBoost algorithm for predicting WMH progression (AUC: 0.731 [95% CI: 0.603-0.838] vs.0.711 [95% CI: 0.584-0.822]). In addition, pFAI provided better predictions than CT-FFR (AUC: 0.762 [95% CI: 0.651-0.863] vs. 0.682 [95% CI: 0.547-0.799]). A hybrid model that combined CT-FFR, pFAI, and two radiomics signatures provided the best predictions of WMH progression [AUC: 0.893 (95%CI: 0.815-0.956)].

Conclusion

pFAI was more effective than CT-FFR, and PCAT signatures were more effective than myocardial signatures in predicting WMH progression. A hybrid model that combines pFAI, CT-FFR, and two radiomics signatures has potential use for identifying WMH progression.

Optimization of Ethanol Extraction Technology for Yujin Powder Using Response Surface Methodology with a Box-Behnken Design Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process-Criteria Importance through Intercriteria Correlation Weight Analysis and Its Safety Evaluation

Here, we aimed to optimize the ethanol extraction technology for Yujin powder (YJP) and evaluate its safety. The ultrasonic-assisted ethanol reflux extraction method refluxing was used to extract YJP. The parameters were optimized through a combination of single-factor and response surface methodology (RSM). The comprehensive Y value score calculated using the content of 13 active ingredients in YJP ethanolic extracts (YEEs) and the yield of the dry extract were used as measuring criteria. RSM with a Box-Behnken design using three factors and three levels was adopted to optimize the ethanol extraction technology for YJP. Finally, acute and subchronic toxicity tests were performed to evaluate its safety. The results revealed the best technological parameters: a liquid-material ratio of 24:1, an ethanol concentration of 69%, assistance of ultrasound (40 °C, 50 kHZ, 30 min), reflux time of 53 min, and reflux temperature of 50 °C. In acute toxicity tests, the maximum administration dosage in mice was 28.21 g/kg, which is higher than 10 times the clinical dosage. Adverse effects in the acute and subchronic toxicity tests were not observed. All clinical indexes were normal. In conclusion, the RSM based on AHP-CRITIC weight analysis could be used to optimize the ethanol extraction technology for YJP and YEEs prepared under the above conditions and ensure high safety.

Riboflavin protects against heart failure via SCAD-dependent DJ-1-Keap1-Nrf2 signalling pathway

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Our recent studies have shown that flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) exerts cardiovascular protective effects by supplementing short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD). The current study aimed to elucidate whether riboflavin (the precursor of FAD) could improve heart failure via activating SCAD and the DJ-1-Keap1-Nrf2 signalling pathway.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Riboflavin treatment was given to the mouse transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced heart failure model. Cardiac structure and function, energy metabolism and apoptosis index were assessed, and relevant signalling proteins were analysed. The mechanisms underlying the cardioprotection by riboflavin were analysed in the cell apoptosis model induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP).

KEY RESULTS

In vivo, riboflavin ameliorated myocardial fibrosis and energy metabolism, improved cardiac dysfunction and inhibited oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in TAC-induced heart failure. In vitro, riboflavin ameliorated cell apoptosis in H9C2 cardiomyocytes by decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS). At the molecular level, riboflavin significantly restored FAD content, SCAD expression and enzymatic activity, activated DJ-1 and inhibited the Keap1-Nrf2/HO1 signalling pathway in vivo and in vitro. SCAD knockdown exaggerated the tBHP-induced DJ-1 decrease and Keap1-Nrf2/HO1 signalling pathway activation in H9C2 cardiomyocytes. The knockdown of SCAD abolished the anti-apoptotic effects of riboflavin on H9C2 cardiomyocytes. DJ-1 knockdown hindered SCAD overexpression anti-apoptotic effects and regulation on Keap1-Nrf2/HO1 signalling pathway in H9C2 cardiomyocytes.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Riboflavin exerts cardioprotective effects on heart failure by improving oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis via FAD to stimulate SCAD and then activates the DJ-1-Keap1-Nrf2 signalling pathway.

Characteristics and clustering analysis of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in children with systemic lupus erythematosus complicated with clinical infection

OBJECTIVES

Clinical infection is a common complication in children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, few studies have investigated immune alterations in children with SLE complicated with clinical infection. We assessed lymphocyte subsets in children with SLE to explore the possibility of clinical infection.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the proportion of peripheral lymphocyte subsets in 140 children with SLE. Children with SLE were classified into different clusters according to the proportion of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets: (CD3 + /CD4 + T cell, CD3 + /CD8 + T cell, CD3 + /CD4 + /CD8 + T cell, CD3 + /CD4-/CD8- T cell, CD19 + B cell, and CD3-/CD16 + /CD56 + NK cell). Differences in the proportion of lymphoid subsets, infection rates, and systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) scores were compared between clusters. In addition, we grouped the subjects according to the presence or absence of infection. Proportions of lymphoid subsets, demographic variables, clinical presentation, and other laboratory variables were compared between the infected and uninfected groups. Finally, the diagnostic ability of lymphocyte subset ratios to distinguish secondary infection in children with SLE was predicted using an ROC curve.

RESULTS

Cluster C2 had a higher proportion of B cells than Cluster C1, while Cluster C1 had a lower proportion of NK cells, CD3 + T cells, CD3 + /CD4 + T cells, CD3 + /CD8 + T cells, and CD3 + /CD4-/CD8- T cells. Infection rates and SLEDAI scores were higher in Cluster C2 than in Cluster C1. The infected children had a higher proportion of B cells and a lower proportion of CD3 + T cells, CD3 + /CD4 + T cells, CD3 + /CD8 + T cells, and CD3 + /CD4-/CD8- T cells. There were no significant differences in lymphoid subsets between children in Cluster C2 and the infected groups. The area under the ROC curve of B lymphocytes in predicting SLE children with infection was 0.842. The area under the ROC curve was 0.855 when a combination of B cells, NK cells, CD4 + T cells, and CD8 + T cells was used to predict the outcome of coinfection.

CONCLUSIONS

A high percentage of B cells and a low percentage of CD3 + T cells, CD3 + /CD4 + T cells, CD3 + /CD8 + T cells, CD3 + /CD4 + /CD8 + T cells, and CD3 + /CD4-/CD8- T cells may be associated with infection in children with SLE. B cells was used to predict the outcome of coinfection in children with SLE. Key Points • A high percentage of B cells and a low percentage of CD3 + T cells, CD3 + /CD4 + T cells, CD3 + /CD8 + T cells, CD3 + /CD4 + /CD8 + T cells, and CD3 + /CD4-/CD8- T cells may be associated with infection in children with SLE • B cells was used to predict the outcome of coinfection in children with SLE.

Proteomic characterization of epithelial ovarian cancer delineates molecular signatures and therapeutic targets in distinct histological subtypes

Clear cell carcinoma (CCC), endometrioid carcinoma (EC), and serous carcinoma (SC) are the major histological subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), whose differences in carcinogenesis are still unclear. Here, we undertake comprehensive proteomic profiling of 80 CCC, 79 EC, 80 SC, and 30 control samples. Our analysis reveals the prognostic or diagnostic value of dysregulated proteins and phosphorylation sites in important pathways. Moreover, protein co-expression network not only provides comprehensive view of biological features of each histological subtype, but also indicates potential prognostic biomarkers and progression landmarks. Notably, EOC have strong inter-tumor heterogeneity, with significantly different clinical characteristics, proteomic patterns and signaling pathway disorders in CCC, EC, and SC. Finally, we infer MPP7 protein as potential therapeutic target for SC, whose biological functions are confirmed in SC cells. Our proteomic cohort provides valuable resources for understanding molecular mechanisms and developing treatment strategies of distinct histological subtypes.

A dehazing method for flight view images based on transformer and physical priori

Aiming at the problems of local dehazing distortion and incomplete global dehazing of existing algorithms in real airborne cockpit environments, a two-stage dehazing method PhysiFormer combining physical a priori with a Transformer oriented flight perspective was proposed. The first stage used synthetic pairwise data to pre-train the dehazing model. First, a pyramid pooling module (PPM) was introduced in the Transformer for multiscale feature extraction to solve the problem of poor recovery of local details, then a global context fusion mechanism was used to enable the model to better perceive global information. Finally, considering that combining the physical a priori needs to rely on the estimation of the atmosphere light, an encoding-decoding structure based on the residual blocks was used to estimate the atmosphere light, which was then used for dehazing through the atmospheric scattering model for dehazing. The second stage used real images combined with physical priori to optimize the model to better fit the real airborne environment. The experimental results show that the proposed method has better naturalness image quality evaluator (NIQE) and blind/referenceless image spatial quality evaluator (BRISQUE) indexes and exhibits the best dehazing visual effect in the tests of dense haze, non-uniform haze and real haze images, which effectively improves the problems of color distortion and haze residue.

Adverse effects of type 2 diabetes mellitus on ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcomes during the assisted reproductive technology process

Objective

To study the effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)on overall ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcomes during assisted reproductive technology (ART) among childbearing infertile women.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

The Reproductive Medicine Special Hospital, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, between January 2019 and December 2022.

Patients

A total of 265 infertile female patients aged 20-45 years who underwent in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (ICSI-ET), or rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (RICSI-ET) in the first fresh cycle.

Interventions

None.

Main Outcome Measures

Serum Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), live birth rate (LBR), and abortion rate (AR) in the T2DM group and non-T2DM group.

Results

Patients with T2DM showed statistically decreased levels of AMH compared to the non-T2DM group. During ovarian stimulation, those with T2DM required significantly higher total and initial doses of gonadotropin (GN), although they had fewer retrieved oocytes and worse pregnancy outcomes than the non-T2DM group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounding factors showed that T2DM alone was an independent risk factor for CPR and LBR (adjusted odds ratio [a OR], 0.458, adjusted 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.235-0.891, P = 0.022; a OR, 0.227, 95% CI, 0.101-0.513, P<0.001; respectively), and the abortion rate in the T2DM group was 3.316 times higher than the non-T2DM group(a OR, 3.316, 95%CI, 1.248-8.811, P = 0.016).

Conclusion

Infertile patients with T2DM have decreased ovarian reserve, and T2DM has a deleterious impact on clinical pregnancy outcomes during the ART process compared with non-T2DM infertile women.

Capsule

Infertile women with T2DM have decreased ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcomes during the assisted reproductive technology process compared with non-T2DM infertile women.

Infection with Carbapenem-resistant Hypervirulent Klebsiella Pneumoniae: clinical, virulence and molecular epidemiological characteristics

BACKGROUND

Carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP) is gradually becoming the dominant nosocomial pathogens in the healthcare setting.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on patients with CR-KP from July 2021 to May 2022 in a teaching hospital. We identified bacterial isolates, collected the clinical data, and performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing, hypermucoviscosity string test, antimicrobial and virulence-associated genotype, as well as multi-locus sequence typing. CR-hvKP was defined as the presence of some combination of rmpA and/or rmpA2 with iucA, iroB, or peg-344. SPSS was used for data analysis. Univariate logistic regression analyses were used for risk factor and all statistically significant variables were included in the multivariate model. Statistical significance was taken to be P < 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 69 non-duplicated CR-KP isolates were collected, 27 of which were CR-hvKP. Out of the 69 CR-KP strains under investigation, they were distributed across 14 distinct sequence types (STs), wherein ST11 exhibited the highest prevalence, constituting 65.2% (45/69) of the overall isolates. The principal carbapenemase genes identified encompassed blakpc-2, blaNDM-1, and blaOXA-48, with blakpc-2 prevailing as the predominant type, accounting for 73.9% (51/69). A total of 69 CR-KP strains showed high resistance to common clinical antibiotics, with the exception of ceftazidime/avibactam. The ST11 (P = 0.040), ST65 (P = 0.030) and blakpc-2 ST11 clones (P = 0.010) were found to be highly related to hvKp. Regarding the host, tracheal intubation (P = 0.008), intracranial infection (P = 0.020) and neutrophil count (P = 0.049) were significantly higher in the patients with CR-hvKP. Multivariate analysis showed tracheal intubation to be an independent risk factor for CR-hvKP infection (P = 0.030, OR = 4.131). According to the clinical data we collected, tracheal intubation was performed mainly in the elderly with severe underlying diseases, which implied that CR-hvKP has become prevalent among elderly patients with comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of CR-hvKP may be higher than expected in the healthcare setting. CR-hvKP is gradually becoming the dominant nosocomial pathogen, and its prevalence and treatment will be a major challenge. It is essential to enhance clinical awareness and management of CR-hvKP infection.

Predicting progression of white matter hyperintensity using coronary artery calcium score based on coronary CT angiography-feasibility and accuracy

Objective

Coronary artery disease (CAD) usually coexists with subclinical cerebrovascular diseases given the systematic nature of atherosclerosis. In this study, our objective was to predict the progression of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and find its risk factors in CAD patients using the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score. We also investigated the relationship between the CAC score and the WMH volume in different brain regions.

Methods

We evaluated 137 CAD patients with WMH who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from March 2018 to February 2023. Patients were categorized into progressive (n = 66) and nonprogressive groups (n = 71) by the change in WMH volume from the first to the second MRI. We collected demographic, clinical, and imaging data for analysis. Independent risk factors for WMH progression were identified using logistic regression. Three models predicting WMH progression were developed and assessed. Finally, patients were divided into groups based on their total CAC score (0 to <100, 100 to 400, and > 400) to compare their WMH changes in nine brain regions.

Results

Alcohol abuse, maximum pericoronary fat attenuation index (pFAI), CT-fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR), and CAC risk grade independently predicted WMH progression (p < 0.05). The logistic regression model with all four variables performed best (training: AUC = 0.878, 95% CI: 0.790, 0.938; validation: AUC = 0.845, 95% CI: 0.734, 0.953). An increased CAC risk grade came with significantly higher WMH volume in the total brain, corpus callosum, and frontal, parietal and occipital lobes (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the application of the CCTA-derived CAC score to predict WMH progression in elderly people (≥60 years) with CAD.

The Association between Four Common Polymorphisms in microRNA and Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Background

Many epidemiological studies have explored the relationship between single-nucleotide polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the results remain controversial. We performed a large-scale meta-analysis to draw a more precise estimation of the aforementioned association.

Methods

Studies on the association between microRNA (MIR) polymorphisms and HCC risk that had been published up to Sep 30, 2021 were identified by searching the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Chinese Biomedical Literature electronic databases and the Excerpta Medical Database. The association between MIR polymorphisms and HCC risk was assessed using odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Overall, 29 studies, with a total of 9,263 cases and 10,875 controls, were included in our meta-analysis. MicroRNA149 (MIR149) significantly decreased the risk of developing HCC on the overall population (homozygous model CC vs. TT: OR = 0.703, 95% CI = 0.549-0.899, P = 0.005), and microRNA 196 (MIR196) significantly decreased the risk of developing HCC on the overall population (recessive model TT vs. CT+CC: OR = 0.864, 95% CI = 0.751-0.993, P = 0.04) and on Caucasians (OR = 0.613, 95% CI = 0.414-0.907, P = 0.014).

Conclusion

The MIR149 and MIR196 polymorphisms are the protect factors of developing HCC. The conduct of multi-center and multi-region studies with gene-gene, gene-environment should be considered.

Preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of [68Ga]Ga-THP-APN09, a novel PD-L1 targeted nanobody radiotracer for rapid one-step radiolabeling and PET imaging

PURPOSE

Programmed cell death protein-1/ligand-1 (PD-1/L1) blockade has been a breakthrough in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but there is still a lack of effective methods to screen patients. Here we report a novel 68 Ga-labeled nanobody [68 Ga]Ga-THP-APN09 for PET imaging of PD-L1 status in mouse models and a first-in-human study in NSCLC patients.

METHODS

[68 Ga]Ga-THP-APN09 was prepared by site-specific radiolabeling, with no further purification. Cell uptake assays were completed in the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, NSCLC cell line H1975 and human PD-L1 gene-transfected A549 cells (A549PD-L1). The imaging to image PD-L1 status and biodistribution were investigated in tumor-bearing mice of these three tumor cell types. The first-in-human clinical translational trial was registered as NCT05156515. The safety, radiation dosimetry, biodistribution, and correlations of tracer uptake with immunohistochemical staining and major pathologic response (MPR) were evaluated in NSCLC patients who underwent adjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Radiosynthesis of [68 Ga]Ga-THP-APN09 was achieved at room temperature and a pH of 6.0-6.5 in 10 min with a high radiochemical yield (> 99%) and 13.9-27.8 GBq/μmol molar activity. The results of the cell uptake study reflected variable levels of surface PD-L1 expression observed by flow cytometry in the order A549PD-L1 > H1975 > A549. In small-animal PET/CT imaging, H1975 and A549PD-L1 tumors were clearly visualized in an 8.3:1 and 2.2:1 ratios over PD-L1-negative A549 tumors. Ex vivo biodistribution studies showed that tumor uptake was consistent with the PET results, with the highest A549PD-L1 being taken up the most (8.20 ± 0.87%ID/g), followed by H1975 (3.69 ± 0.50%ID/g) and A549 (0.90 ± 0.16%ID/g). Nine resectable NSCLC patients were enrolled in the clinical study. Uptake of [68 Ga]Ga-THP-APN09 was mainly observed in the kidneys and spleen, followed by low uptake in bone marrow. The radiation dose is within a reliable range. Tumor uptake was positively correlated with PD-L1 expression TPS (rs = 0.8763, P = 0.019). Tumor uptake of [68 Ga]Ga-THP-APN09 (SUVmax) in MPR patients was higher than that in non-MPR patients (median SUVmax 2.73 vs. 2.10, P = 0.036, determined with Mann-Whitney U-test).

CONCLUSION

[68 Ga]Ga-THP-APN09 has the potential to be transformed into a kit-based radiotracer for rapid, simple, one-step, room temperature radiolabeling. The tracer can detect PD-L1 expression levels in tumors, and it may make it possibility to predict the response of PD-1 immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy. Confirmation in a large number of cases is needed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trial (NCT05156515). Registered 12 December 2021.

Temporal Structures in Positron Spectra and Charge-Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic positron fluxes in the rigidity range from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 3.4×10^{6} positrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The positron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the electron fluxes at short and long timescales. A hysteresis between the electron fluxes and the positron fluxes is observed with a significance greater than 5σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. On the contrary, the positron fluxes and the proton fluxes show similar time variation. Remarkably, we found that positron fluxes are modulated more than proton fluxes with a significance greater than 5σ for rigidities below 7 GV. These continuous daily positron fluxes, together with AMS daily electron, proton, and helium fluxes over an 11-year solar cycle, provide unique input to the understanding of both the charge-sign and mass dependencies of cosmic rays in the heliosphere.

Effect of Thermostable Enzymes Produced by Psychrotrophic Bacteria in Raw Milk on the Quality of Ultra-High Temperature Sterilized Milk

Ultra-high temperature sterilized milk (UHT) is a popular dairy product known for its long shelf life and convenience. However, protein gel aging and fat quality defects like creaming and flavor deterioration may arise during storage. These problems are primarily caused by thermostable enzymes produced by psychrotrophic bacteria. In this study, four representative psychrotrophic bacteria strains which can produce thermostable enzymes were selected to contaminate UHT milk artificially. After 11, 11, 13, and 17 weeks of storage, the milk samples, which were contaminated with Pseudomonas fluorescens, Chryseobacterium carnipullorum, Lactococcus raffinolactis and Acinetobacter guillouiae, respectively, demonstrated notable whey separation. The investigation included analyzing the protein and fat content in the upper and bottom layers of the milk, as well as examining the particle size, Zeta potential, and pH in four sample groups, indicating that the stability of UHT milk decreases over time. Moreover, the spoiled milk samples exhibited a bitter taste, with the dominant odor being attributed to ketones and acids. The metabolomics analysis revealed that three key metabolic pathways, namely ABC transporters, butanoate metabolism, and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, were found to be involved in the production of thermostable enzymes by psychrotrophic bacteria. These enzymes greatly impact the taste and nutrient content of UHT milk. This finding provides a theoretical basis for further investigation into the mechanism of spoilage.

Exploration of the Potential Mechanism of Yujin Powder treating Dampness-heat Diarrhea by Integrating UPLC-MS/MS and Network Pharmacology Prediction

BACKGROUND

Yujin powder (YJP) is a classic prescription for treating dampness-heat diarrhea (DHD) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), but the main functional active ingredients and the exact mechanisms have not been systematically studied.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to preliminarily explore the potential mechanisms of YJP for treating DHD by integrating UPLC-MS/MS and network pharmacology methods.

METHODS

Ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) technology was used to determine the ingredients of YJP. And then, the targets of these components were predicted and screened from TCMSP, SwissTargetPrediction databases. The disease targets related to DHD were obtained by using the databases of GeneCards, OMIM, DisGeNET, TTD, and DrugBank. The protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) of YJP-DHD were constructed using the STRING database and Origin 2022 software to identify the cross-targets by screening the core-acting targets and a network diagram by Cytoscape 3.8.2 software was also constructed. Metascape database was used for performing GO and KEGG enrichment anlysis on the core genes. Finally, molecular docking was used to verify the results with AutoDock 4.2.6, AutoDock Tools 1.5.6, PyMOL 2.4.0, and Open Babel 2.3.2 software.

RESULTS

597 components in YJP were detected, and 153 active components were obtained through database screening, among them the key active ingredients include coptisine, berberine, baicalein, etc. There were 362 targets treating DHD, among them the core targets included TNF, IL-6, ALB, etc. The enriched KEGG pathways mainly involve PI3K-Akt, TNF, MAPK, etc. Molecular docking results showed that coptisine, berberine, baicalein, etc., had a strong affinity with TNF, IL-6, and MAPK14. Therefore, TNF, IL-6, MAPK14, ALB, etc., are the key targets of the active ingredients of YJP coptisine, baicalein, and berberine, etc. They have the potential to regulate PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and TNF signalling pathways. The component-target-disease network diagram revealed that YJP treated DHD through the effects of anti-inflammation, anti-diarrhea, immunoregulation, and improving intestinal mucosal injury.

CONCLUSION

It is demonstrated that YJP treats DHD mainly through the main active ingredients coptisine, berberine, baicalein, etc. comprehensively exerting the effects of anti-inflammation, anti-diarrhea, immunoregulation, and improving intestinal mucosal injury, which will provide evidence for further in-depth studying the mechanism of YJP treating DHD.

Experimental Validation of a Kinetic Ballooning Mode in High-Performance High-Bootstrap Current Fraction Fusion Plasmas

We report the observation of a set of coherent high frequency electromagnetic fluctuations that leads to a turbulence induced self-regulating phenomenon in the DIII-D high bootstrap current fraction plasma. The fluctuations have frequency of 130-220  kHz, the poloidal wavelength and phase velocity are 16-30  m^{-1} and ∼30  km/s, respectively, in the outboard midplane with the estimated toroidal mode number n∼5-9. The fluctuations are located in the internal transport barrier (ITB) region at large radius and are experimentally validated to be kinetic ballooning modes (KBM). Quasilinear estimation predicts the KBM to be able to drive experimental particle flux and non-negligible thermal flux, suggesting its significant role in regulating the ITB saturation.

[Diagnosis status and genetic characteristics analysis of Fanconi anemia in China]

Objective: To analyze the clinical and molecular diagnostic status of Fanconi anemia (FA) in China. Methods: The General situation, clinical manifestations and chromosome breakage test and genetic test results of 107 pediatric FA cases registered in the Chinese Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry Group (CBMTRG) and the Chinese Children Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry Group (CCBMTRG) from August 2009 to January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. Children with FANCA gene variants were divided into mild and severe groups based on the type of variant, and Wilcoxon-test was used to compare the phenotypic differences between groups. Results: Of the 176 registered FA patients, 69 (39.2%) cases were excluded due to lack of definitive genetic diagnosis results, and the remaining 107 children from 15 hospitals were included in the study, including 70 males and 37 females. The age at transplantation treatment were 6 (4, 9) years. The enrolled children were involved in 10 pathogenic genes, including 89 cases of FANCA gene, 7 cases of FANCG gene, 3 cases of FANCB gene, 2 cases of FANCE gene and 1 case each of FANCC, FANCD1, FANCD2, FANCF, FANCJ, and FANCN gene. Compound heterozygous or homozygous of loss-of-function variants account for 69.2% (72/104). Loss-of-function variants account for 79.2% (141/178) in FANCA gene variants, and 20.8% (37/178) were large exon deletions. Fifty-five children (51.4%) had chromosome breakage test records, with a positive rate of 81.8% (45/55). There were 172 congenital malformations in 80 children.Café-au-Lait spots (16.3%, 28/172), thumb deformities (16.3%,28/172), polydactyly (13.9%, 24/172), and short stature (12.2%, 21/172) were the most common congenital malformations in Chinese children with FA. No significant difference was found in the number of congenital malformations between children with severe (50 cases) and mild FANCA variants (26 cases) (Z=-1.33, P=0.185). Conclusions: FANCA gene is the main pathogenic gene in children with FA, where the detection of its exon deletion should be strengthened clinically. There were no phenotypic differences among children with different types of FANCA variants. Chromosome break test is helpful to determine the pathogenicity of variants, but its accuracy needs to be improved.

Breast cancer pre-clinical screening using infrared thermography and artificial intelligence: a prospective, multicentre, diagnostic accuracy cohort study

BACKGROUND

Given the limited access to breast cancer (BC) screening, the authors developed and validated a mobile phone-artificial intelligence-based infrared thermography (AI-IRT) system for BC screening.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This large prospective clinical trial assessed the diagnostic performance of the AI-IRT system. The authors constructed two datasets and two models, performed internal and external validation, and compared the diagnostic accuracy of the AI models and clinicians. Dataset A included 2100 patients recruited from 19 medical centres in nine regions of China. Dataset B was used for independent external validation and included 102 patients recruited from Langfang People's Hospital.

RESULTS

The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the binary model for identifying low-risk and intermediate/high-risk patients was 0.9487 (95% CI: 0.9231-0.9744) internally and 0.9120 (95% CI: 0.8460-0.9790) externally. The accuracy of the binary model was higher than that of human readers (0.8627 vs. 0.8088, respectively). In addition, the binary model was better than the multinomial model and used different diagnostic thresholds based on BC risk to achieve specific goals.

CONCLUSIONS

The accuracy of AI-IRT was high across populations with different demographic characteristics and less reliant on manual interpretations, demonstrating that this model can improve pre-clinical screening and increase screening rates.

Association of pre-diagnosis specific color groups of fruit and vegetable intake with ovarian cancer survival: results from the ovarian cancer follow-up study (OOPS)

Background: The colors of fruits and vegetables (FV) reflect the presence of pigmented bioactive compounds. The evidence of pre-diagnosis specific FV color group intake contributing to ovarian cancer (OC) survival is limited and inconsistent. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted between 2015 and 2020 with 700 newly diagnosed OC patients. Pre-diagnosis dietary information was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire. We classified FV into five groups based on the color of their edible parts (e.g., green, red/purple, orange/yellow, white, and uncategorized groups). Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of specific color groups of FV before diagnosis with OC survival. Potential multiplicative and additive interactions were assessed. Results: 130 patients died during a median follow-up of 37.57 (interquartile: 24.77-50.20) months. We observed the improved survival with a higher pre-diagnosis intake of total FV (HRtertile 3 vs. tertile 1 = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.40-0.99), total vegetables (HRtertile 3 vs. tertile 1 = 0.57, 95%CI = 0.36-0.90), and red/purple FV (HRtertile 3 vs. tertile 1 = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.33-0.82). In addition, we observed significant dose-response relationships for per standard deviation increment between total vegetable intake (HR = 0.79, 95%CI = 0.65-0.96) and red/purple group intake (HR = 0.77, 95%CI = 0.60-0.99) before diagnosis with OC survival. Additionally, pre-diagnosis green FV intake was borderline associated with better OC survival (HRper standard deviation increment = 0.83; 95%CI = 0.69-1.00). In contrast, we did not observe significant associations between pre-diagnosis intake of total fruits, orange/yellow, white, and uncategorized groups and OC survival. Conclusion: Pre-diagnosis FV intake from various color groups, especially the green and red/purple ones, may improve OC survival. Further studies are needed to validate our findings.

18F-FDG-PET Radiomics Based on White Matter Predicts The Progression of Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer Disease: A Machine Learning Study

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

To build a model using white-matter radiomics features on positron-emission tomography (PET) and machine learning methods to predict progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer disease (AD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed the data of 341 MCI patients from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, of whom 102 progressed to AD during an 8-year follow-up. The patients were divided into the training (238 patients) and test groups (103 patients). PET-based radiomics features were extracted from the white matter in the training group, and dimensionally reduced to construct a psychoradiomics signature (PS), which was combined with multimodal data using machine learning methods to construct an integrated model. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves in the test group.

RESULTS

Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) scores, and PS independently predicted MCI progression to AD on multivariate logistic regression. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the CDR, ADAS and PS in the training and test groups were 0.683, 0.755, 0.747 and 0.737, 0.743, 0.719 respectively, and were combined using a support vector machine to construct an integrated model. The AUC of the integrated model in the training and test groups was 0.868 and 0.865, respectively (sensitivity, 0.873 and 0.839, respectively; specificity, 0.784 and 0.806, respectively). The AUCs of the integrated model significantly differed from those of other predictors in both groups (p < 0.05, Delong test).

CONCLUSION

Our psych radiomics signature based on white-matter PET data predicted MCI progression to AD. The integrated model built using multimodal data and machine learning identified MCI patients at a high risk of progression to AD.

Is coronary artery calcium an independent risk factor for white matter hyperintensity?

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular diseases have been considered the primary cause of disability and death worldwide. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is an important indicator of the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. This study is aimed to investigate the relationship between CAC and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) in the context of diagnostic utility.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 342 patients with a diagnosis of WMH on magnetic resonance images (MRI) who also underwent chest computed tomography (CT) scans. WMH volumes were automatically measured using a lesion prediction algorithm. Subjects were divided into four groups based on the CAC score obtained from chest CT scans. A multilevel mixed-effects linear regression model considering conventional vascular risk factors assessed the association between total WMH volume and CAC score.

RESULTS

Overall, participants with coronary artery calcium (CAC score > 0) had larger WMH volumes than those without calcium (CAC score = 0), and WMH volumes were statistically different between the four CAC score groups, with increasing CAC scores, the volume of WMH significantly increased. In the linear regression model 1 of the high CAC score group, for every 1% increase in CAC score, the WMH volume increases by 2.96%. After including other covariates in model 2 and model 3, the β coefficient in the high CAC group remains higher than in the low and medium CAC score groups.

CONCLUSION

In elderly adults, the presence and severity of CAC is related to an increase in WMH volume. Our findings suggest an association between two different vascular bed diseases in addition to traditional vascular risk factors, possibly indicating a comorbid mechanism.

The application of 3D brachytherapy in cervical stump cancer: A retrospective study

Purpose

Cervical stump cancer is a carcinoma that grows on the cervical stump after a sub-total hysterectomy. There have been no studies on the application of 3D brachytherapy in cervical stump cancer. In the present study, we aimed to compare the curative effects, toxicity, and dosimetry of 3D and 2D brachytherapy in cervical stump cancer.

Material and methods

Thirty-one patients admitted between 2012 and 2021, who were concurrently treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy and brachytherapy for cervical stump cancer were divided into three groups according to the brachytherapy techniques: 2D brachytherapy, 3D image-guided brachytherapy (3D-IGBT), and 2D + 3D. For patients undergoing 2D brachytherapy and 3D-IGBT, data on survival, complications, and dose to target area or organs at risk (OARs) were collected and compared. Furthermore, dosimetry difference was investigated by reconstructing the 2D plan into a 3D plan.

Results

The median follow-up duration of all patients was 58 months. The overall 5-year progression-free survival, overall survival, and local control rates were 69.6%, 90.2%, and 78.2%, respectively. Late complications in the rectum, sigmoid colon, and bladder were milder in 3D brachytherapy than in 2D brachytherapy. Concerning the D90 value of clinical target volume (CTV) and D2cm3 value of OARs in EQD2, the 3D brachytherapy provided a lower dose to CTV (76.5 Gy vs. 95.9 Gy, on average) and OARs compared with 2D brachytherapy.

Conclusions

Despite lacking statistical significance, 3D brachytherapy showed better outcomes regarding late toxicity than 2D brachytherapy, owing to the lower dose coverage in the bladder, rectum, sigmoid colon, and small intestine.

A Novel Near-IR Absorbing Ruthenium(II) Complex as Photosensitizer for Photodynamic Therapy and its Cetuximab Bioconjugates

A novel Ru(II) cyclometalated photosensitizer (PS), Ru-NH2 , for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of formula [Ru(appy)(bphen)2 ]PF6 (where appy=4-amino-2-phenylpyridine and bphen=bathophenanthroline) and its cetuximab (CTX) bioconjugates, Ru-Mal-CTX and Ru-BAA-CTX (where Mal=maleimide and BAA=benzoylacrylic acid) were synthesised and characterised. The photophysical properties of Ru-NH2 revealed absorption maxima around 580 nm with an absorption up to 725 nm. The generation of singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) upon light irradiation was confirmed with a 1 O2 quantum yield of 0.19 in acetonitrile. Preliminary in vitro experiments revealed the Ru-NH2 was nontoxic in the dark in CT-26 and SQ20B cell lines but showed outstanding phototoxicity when irradiated, reaching interesting phototoxicity indexes (PI) >370 at 670 nm, and >150 at 740 nm for CT-26 cells and >50 with NIR light in SQ20B cells. The antibody CTX was successfully attached to the complexes in view of the selective delivery of the PS to cancer cells. Up to four ruthenium fragments were anchored to the antibody (Ab), as confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Nonetheless, the bioconjugates were not as photoactive as the Ru-NH2 complex.

RLSegNet: An Medical Image Segmentation Network Based on Reinforcement Learning

In the area of medical image segmentation, the spatial information can be further used to enhance the image segmentation performance. And the 3D convolution is mainly used to better utilize the spatial information. However, how to better utilize the spatial information in the 2D convolution is still a challenging task. In this paper, we propose an image segmentation network based on reinforcement learning (RLSegNet), which can translate the image segmentation process into a serial of decision-making problem. The proposed RLSegNet is a U-shaped network, which is composed of three components: the feature extraction network, the Mask Prediction Network (MPNet), and the up-sampling network with the cascade attention module. The deep semantic feature in the image is first extracted by adopting the feature extraction network. Then, the Mask Prediction Network (MPNet) is proposed to generate the prediction mask for the current frame based on the prior knowledge (segmentation result). And the proposed cascade attention module is mainly used to generate the weighted feature mask so that the up-sampling network pays more attention to the interesting region. Specifically, the state, action and reward used in the reinforcement learning are redesigned in the proposed RLSegNet to translate the segmentation process as the decision-making process, which performs as the reinforcement learning to realize the brain tumor segmentation. Extensive experiments are conducted on the BRATS 2015 dataset to evaluate the proposed RLSegNet. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve a better segmentation performance, in comparison with other state-of-the-art methods.

Riboflavin ameliorates pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis through the activation of short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase

Short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD), the rate-limiting enzyme for fatty acid β-oxidation, has a negative regulatory effect on pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. FAD, a coenzyme of SCAD, participates in the electron transfer of SCAD-catalyzed fatty acid β-oxidation, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of myocardial energy metabolism. Insufficient riboflavin intake can lead to symptoms similar to short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD) deficiency or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) gene abnormality, which can be alleviated by riboflavin supplementation. However, whether riboflavin can inhibit pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis remains unclear. Therefore, we observed the effect of riboflavin on pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. In vitro experiments, riboflavin increased SCAD expression and the content of ATP, decreased the free fatty acids content and improved PE-induced cardiomyocytes hypertrophy and AngⅡ-induced cardiac fibroblasts proliferation by increasing the content of FAD, which were attenuated by knocking down the expression of SCAD using small interfering RNA. In vivo experiments, riboflavin significantly increased the expression of SCAD and the energy metabolism of the heart to improve TAC induced pathological myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis in mice. The results demonstrate that riboflavin improves pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis by increasing the content of FAD to activate SCAD, which may be a new strategy for treating pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis.

Incidence and characteristics of aspiration pneumonia in adults in Beijing, China, 2011-2017

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to estimate aspiration pneumonia (AP) incidence and describe comorbid characteristics and mortality in Beijing, China.

STUDY DESIGN

A historical cohort study was conducted based on medical claim records.

METHODS

Patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of AP were identified from approximately 12 million adults who enrolled in the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance program in Beijing, China, from January 2011 to December 2017. The incidences of AP and pneumonia with risk factors for aspiration (PRFA) were estimated by a Poisson distribution. The estimated annual percentage change was reported to represent the average percentage change in incidence per year. Characteristics and 6-month and 1-year all-cause mortality rates for AP and suspected AP patients were described and compared with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

RESULTS

The incidence rates of hospitalized AP and PRFA were 9.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.6, 11.3) and 102.9 (95% CI: 95.8, 110.3) per 100,000 person-years, respectively. The incidences increased rapidly with age and were stable across the observed years. Patients with AP and PRFA possessed a greater burden of comorbidities than CAP (mean age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity indices for AP: 7.72, PRFA: 7.83, and CAP: 2.84). The 6-month and 1-year all-cause mortality rates for those with AP and PRFA were higher than those for patients with CAP (6-month mortality, AP: 35.2%, PRFA: 21.8%, CAP: 11.1%; 1-year mortality, AP: 42.7%, PRFA: 26.6%, CAP: 13.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of AP and PRFA in Beijing was reported, presenting a full picture of the disease burden. The results provide baseline information for AP prevention.

Baseline Data and HLA Alleles and Haplotypes Diversity and Panel Reactive Antibody in Kidney Transplant Candidates in Southwest China

BACKGROUND

To investigate the baseline data characteristic, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms, and panel reactive antibody (PRA) in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients awaiting kidney transplantation in Southwest China.

METHODS

HLA genotyping was performed using the real-time PCR sequence-specific primer. PRA was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The patients' medical records were extracted from the hospital information database.

RESULTS

A total of 281 kidney transplant candidates with ESKD were analyzed. The average age was 35.7 ± 13.8 years. There were 61.6% patients had hypertension, 40.2% patients had dialysis ≥ 3 times per week, 47.3% patients had moderate or severe anemia, 30.2% patients with albumin < 35 g/L, 49.1% patients had serum ferritin < 200 ng/mL, 40.5% patients had serum calcium in target range (2.23 - 2.80 mmol/L), 43.4% patients had serum phosphate in target range (1.45 - 2.10 mmol/L), and 93.6% patients with parathyroid hormone > 88.00 pg/mL. In total, 15 HLA-A, 28 HLA-B, 15 HLA-DRB1, and 8 HLA-DQB1 allelic groups were identified. The most frequent alleles for each locus were HLA-A*02 (33.63%), HLA-B*46 (14.41%), HLA-DRB1*15 (21.89%), and HLA-DQB1*05 (39.50%). The most frequent haplotypes were HLA-A*33-B*58-DRB1*17-DQB1*02. A total of 9.60% of patients tested positive for PRAs - Class I or Class II.

CONCLUSIONS

The data from this study provide some new insights into baseline data, the distribution of HLA polymorphisms, and PRA results in the population of Southwest China. This is of great significance in this region, and indeed in the country as a whole, in comparison with other populations and in the process of organ transplant allocation.

Diet quality and survival after ovarian cancer: results from an ovarian cancer follow-up study (OOPS)

Background and aims: Owing to the limited studies and controversial evidence, the connection between diet quality and survival of patients with ovarian cancer (OC) has been indistinct. Our study intends to first investigate this topic based on Chinese diet quality scores. Methods: Our data come from an ovarian cancer follow-up study, which includes 796 patients with OC between 2015 and 2020. Three diet quality scores, including the Chinese Healthy Eating Index (CHEI), Dietary Balance Index (DBI), and Chinese Food Pagoda Score (CFPS), were calculated using a validated 111-item food frequency questionnaire. We used the Cox proportional hazards regression model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Potential multiplicative and additive interactions were also assessed. Results: With a median follow-up time of 37.17 months (interquartile: 24.73-50.17 months), we recorded 130 deaths. According to comparisons of the highest to lowest tertile of scores, the pre-diagnosis CHEI was linked to better overall survival (OS) in patients (HR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.88). A dose-response relationship between CHEI and OS was also observed (HR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71, 1.00, per 1 standard deviation increment). However, no evidence of significant associations between DBI and CFPS with OS was observed. Additionally, significant multiplicative and additive interactions were seen in the diet quality scores (CHEI and DBI) with the body mass index and the menopausal status. Conclusions: A high CHEI was associated with an improved OS for patients with OC, while DBI and CFPS were unrelated to OC survival.

Properties of Cosmic-Ray Sulfur and Determination of the Composition of Primary Cosmic-Ray Carbon, Neon, Magnesium, and Sulfur: Ten-Year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the properties of primary cosmic-ray sulfur (S) in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.38×10^{6} sulfur nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment (AMS). We observed that above 90 GV the rigidity dependence of the S flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of Ne-Mg-Si fluxes, which is different from the rigidity dependence of the He-C-O-Fe fluxes. We found that, similar to N, Na, and Al cosmic rays, over the entire rigidity range, the traditional primary cosmic rays S, Ne, Mg, and C all have sizeable secondary components, and the S, Ne, and Mg fluxes are well described by the weighted sum of the primary silicon flux and the secondary fluorine flux, and the C flux is well described by the weighted sum of the primary oxygen flux and the secondary boron flux. The primary and secondary contributions of the traditional primary cosmic-ray fluxes of C, Ne, Mg, and S (even Z elements) are distinctly different from the primary and secondary contributions of the N, Na, and Al (odd Z elements) fluxes. The abundance ratio at the source for S/Si is 0.167±0.006, for Ne/Si is 0.833±0.025, for Mg/Si is 0.994±0.029, and for C/O is 0.836±0.025. These values are determined independent of cosmic-ray propagation.

Interleukin-16 genetic polymorphisms in Guangxi Chinese with hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Our previous study has reported that interleukin-16 (IL-16) genetic polymorphisms are significantly related to chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and hepatitis B virus-related (HBV-related) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As CHB, liver cirrhosis (LC), and HCC are development processes, this study aimed to determine genetic correlation of IL-16 polymorphisms with HBV-related LC in a Chinese population.

METHODS

IL-16 gene rs11556218, rs4072111, and rs4778889 polymorphism in 129 patients with HBV-related LC and 168 healthy individuals were genotyped via polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). PCR-RFLP results were verified by DNA sequencing.

RESULTS

The allelic and genotypic distributions of IL-16 rs11556218, rs4072111, and rs4778889 polymorphisms in HBV-related LC patients showed no significant difference from those in healthy controls. Furthermore, no relationship was observed between the haplotype distribution and susceptibility to HBV-related LC.

CONCLUSIONS

This work provided the first evidence that the IL-16 genetic polymorphisms may not be associated with HBV-related LC risk.

PM2.5 exposure and its interaction of oxidative balance score on ovarian cancer survival: A prospective cohort study

Recent evidence advises particles with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM_2.5) might be a prognostic factor for ovarian cancer (OC) survival. The oxidative balance score (OBS) incorporates diet-lifestyle factors to estimate individuals' anti-oxidant exposure status which may be relevant to cancer prognosis. We aimed to investigate the roles of PM_2.5, and OBS and their interaction in OC prognosis. 663 patients with OC were enrolled in the current study. Satellite-derived annual average exposures to PM_2.5 based on patients' residential locations. The OBS was calculated based on 16 different diet-lifestyle components derived using an acknowledged self-reported questionnaire. The Cox regression model was performed to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS). We also assessed the effect of modification between PM_2.5 and OS by OBS via interaction terms. During a median follow-up of 37.57 (interquartile:35.27-40.17) months, 123 patients died. Compared to low-concentration PM_2.5 exposure, high PM_2.5 during 1 year before diagnosis was associated with worse OC survival (HR= 1.19, 95% CI = 1.01-1.42). We observed an improved OS with the highest compared with the lowest OBS (HR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.27-0.79, P for trend < 0.05). Notably, we also found an additive interaction between low OBS and high exposure to PM_2.5, with the corresponding associations of PM_2.5 being more pronounced among participants with lower OBS (HR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.09-1.86). PM_2.5 may blunt OC survival, but high OBS represented an antioxidative performance that could alleviate the adverse association of PM_2.5 and OS.

Association of long-term particulate matter exposure with all-cause mortality among patients with ovarian cancer: A prospective cohort

BACKGROUND

Evidence of the association between particles with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM_2.5) in long term and ovarian cancer (OC) mortality is limited.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study analyzed data collected between 2015 and 2020 from 610 newly diagnosed OC patients, aged 18-79 years. The residential average PM_2.5 concentrations 10 years before the date of OC diagnosis were assessed by random forest models at a 1 km × 1 km resolution. Cox proportional hazard models fully adjusted for the covariates (including age at diagnosis, education, physical activity, kitchen ventilation, FIGO stage, and comorbidities) and distributed lag non-linear models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) of PM_2.5 and all-cause mortality of OC.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 37.6 months (interquartile: 24.8-50.5 months), 118 (19.34 %) deaths were confirmed among 610 OC patients. One-year PM_2.5 exposure levels before OC diagnosis was significantly associated with an increase in all-cause mortality among OC patients (single-pollutant model: HR = 1.22, 95 % CI: 1.02-1.46; multi-pollutant models: HR = 1.38, 95 % CI: 1.10-1.72). Furthermore, during 1 to 10 years prior to diagnosis, the lag-specific effect of long-term PM_2.5 exposure on the all-cause mortality of OC had a risk increase for lag 1-6 years, and the exposure-response relationship was linear. Of note, significant interactions between several immunological indicators as well as solid fuel use for cooking and ambient PM_2.5 concentrations were observed.

CONCLUSION

Higher ambient PM_2.5 concentrations were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality among OC patients, and there was a lag effect in long-term PM_2.5 exposure.

Develop and validate a radiomics space-time model to predict the pathological complete response in patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment of rectal cancer: an artificial intelligence model study based on machine learning

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to investigate the predictive efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics features at different time points of neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer in patients with pathological complete response (pCR). Furthermore, we aimed to develop and validate a radiomics space-time model (RSTM) using machine learning for artificial intelligence interventions in predicting pCR in patients.

METHODS

Clinical and imaging data of 83 rectal cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the patients were classified as pCR and non-pCR patients according to their postoperative pathological results. All patients received one MRI examination before and after neoadjuvant therapy to extract radiomics features, including pre-treatment, post-treatment, and delta features. Delta features were defined by the ratio of the difference between the pre- and the post-treatment features to the pre-treatment feature. After feature dimensionality reduction based on the above three feature types, the RSTM was constructed using machine learning methods, and its performance was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS

The AUC values of the individual basic models constructed by pre-treatment, post-treatment, and delta features were 0.771, 0.681, and 0.871, respectively. Their sensitivity values were 0.727, 0.864, and 0.909, respectively, and their specificity values were 0.803, 0.492, and 0.656, respectively. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity values of the combined basic model constructed by combining pre-treatment, post-treatment, and delta features were 0.901, 0.909, and 0.803, respectively. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity values of the RSTM constructed using the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) classifier on the basis of the combined basic model were 0.944, 0.871, and 0.983, respectively. The Delong test showed that the performance of RSTM was significantly different from that of pre-treatment, post-treatment, and delta models (P < 0.05) but not significantly different from the combined basic model of the three (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The RSTM constructed using the KNN classifier based on the combined features of before and after neoadjuvant therapy and delta features had the best predictive efficacy for pCR of neoadjuvant therapy. It may emerge as a new clinical tool to assist with individualized management of rectal cancer patients.

Temporal Structures in Electron Spectra and Charge Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic electron fluxes in the rigidity interval from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 2.0×10^{8} electrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The electron fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. Recurrent electron flux variations with periods of 27 days, 13.5 days, and 9 days are observed. We find that the electron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the proton fluxes. Remarkably, a hysteresis between the electron flux and the proton flux is observed with a significance of greater than 6σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. Furthermore, significant structures in the electron-proton hysteresis are observed corresponding to sharp structures in both fluxes. This continuous daily electron data provide unique input to the understanding of the charge sign dependence of cosmic rays over an 11-year solar cycle.

Mechanism of Cytotoxic Action of Gold Nanorods Photothermal Therapy for A549 Cell

Photothermal therapy has developed into an important field of tumor treatment research, and numerous studies have focused on the preparation of photothermal therapeutic agents, tumor targeting, diagnosis, and treatment integration. However, there are few studies on the mechanism of photothermal therapy acting on cancer cells. Here we investigated the metabolomics of lung cancer cell A549 during gold nanorod (GNR) photothermal treatment by high-resolution LC/MS, and several differential metabolites and corresponding metabolic pathways during photothermal therapy were found. The main differential metabolites contained 18-hydroxyoleate, beta-alanopine and cis-9,10-epoxystearic acid, and phosphorylcholine. Pathway analysis also showed metabolic changes involving cutin, suberine, and wax biosynthesis, pyruvate and glutamic acid synthesis, and choline metabolism. Analysis also showed that the photothermal process of GNRs may induce cytotoxicity by affecting pyruvate and glutamate synthesis, normal choline metabolism, and ultimately apoptosis.