Identification of early coagulation changes associated with survival outcomes post severe burns from multiple perspectives

Coagulation alterations manifest early after severe burns and are closely linked to mortality outcomes. Nevertheless, the precise characterization of coagulation changes associated with early mortality remains elusive. We examined alterations in indicators linked to mortality outcomes at both the transcriptomic and clinical characteristic levels. At the transcriptomic level, we pinpointed 28 differentially expressed coagulation-related genes (DECRGs) following burn injuries and endeavored to validate their causal relationships through Mendelian randomization. DECRGs tied to survival exhibit a significant association with neutrophil function, wherein the expression of CYP4F2 and P2RX1 serves as robust predictors of fatal outcomes. In terms of clinical indicators, early levels of D-dimer and alterations in serum calcium show a strong correlation with mortality outcomes. Coagulation depletion and fibrinolytic activation, stemming from the hyperactivation of coagulation pathways post-severe burns, are strongly linked to patient mortality. Monitoring these early coagulation markers with predictive value can effectively identify individuals necessitating priority critical care.

[Multicenter retrospect analysis of early clinical features and analysis of risk factors on prognosis of elderly patients with severe burns]

Objective: To investigate the early clinical characteristics of elderly patients with severe burns and the risk factors on prognosis. Methods: This study was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 124 elderly patients with severe burns who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the 12 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected, including 4 patients from the Fourth People's Hospital of Dalian, 5 patients from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 22 patients from Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, 5 patients from Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, 27 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, 9 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 10 patients from Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 9 patients from Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, 12 patients from the 924th Hospital of PLA, 6 patients from Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, 4 patients from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, and 11 patients from Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. The patients' overall clinical characteristics, such as gender, age, body mass index, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, inhalation injury, causative factors, whether combined with underlying medical diseases, and admission time after injury were recorded. According to the survival outcome within 28 days after injury, the patients were divided into survival group (89 cases) and death group (35 cases). The following data of patients were compared between the two groups, including the basic data and injuries (the same as the overall clinical characteristics ahead); the coagulation indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen; the blood routine indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as white blood cell count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit; the organ function indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, urea, serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, electrolyte indexes (potassium, sodium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in blood), uric acid, myoglobin, and brain natriuretic peptide; the infection and blood gas indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, pH value, oxygenation index, base excess, and lactate; treatment such as whether conducted with mechanical ventilation, whether conducted with continuous renal replacement therapy, whether conducted with anticoagulation therapy, whether applied with vasoactive drugs, and fluid resuscitation. The analysis was conducted to screen the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns. Results: Among 124 patients, there were 82 males and 42 females, aged 60-97 years, with body mass index of 23.44 (21.09, 25.95) kg/m2, total burn area of 54.00% (42.00%, 75.00%) total body surface area (TBSA), and full-thickness burn area of 25.00% (10.00%, 40.00%) TBSA. The patients were mainly combined with moderate to severe inhalation injury and caused by flame burns. There were 43 cases with underlying medical diseases. The majority of patients were admitted to the hospital within 8 hours after injury. There were statistically significant differences between patients in the 2 groups in terms of age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and inhalation injury, and PT, APTT, D-dimer, FDP, INR, white blood cell count, platelet count, urea, serum creatinine, blood glucose, blood sodium, uric acid, myoglobin, and urine volume within the first 24 hours of injury (with Z values of 2.37, 5.49, 5.26, 5.97, 2.18, 1.95, 2.68, 2.68, 2.51, 2.82, 2.14, 3.40, 5.31, 3.41, 2.35, 3.81, 2.16, and -3.82, respectively, P<0.05); there were statistically significant differences between two groups of patients in whether conducted with mechanical ventilation and whether applied with vasoactive drugs (with χ2 values of 9.44 and 28.50, respectively, P<0.05). Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, serum creatinine within the first 24 hours of injury, and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury were the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns (with odds ratios of 1.17, 1.10, 1.10, 1.09, and 1.27, 95% confidence intervals of 1.03-1.40, 1.04-1.21, 1.05-1.19, 1.05-1.17, and 1.07-1.69, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: The elderly patients with severe burns had the injuries mainly from flame burns, often accompanied by moderate to severe inhalation injury and enhanced inflammatory response, elevated blood glucose levels, activated fibrinolysis, and impaired organ function in the early stage, which are associated with their prognosis. Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and serum creatinine and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury are the independent risk factors for death within 28 days after injury in this population.

Achievement of Target Gain Larger than Unity in an Inertial Fusion Experiment

On December 5, 2022, an indirect drive fusion implosion on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved a target gain G_{target} of 1.5. This is the first laboratory demonstration of exceeding "scientific breakeven" (or G_{target}>1) where 2.05 MJ of 351 nm laser light produced 3.1 MJ of total fusion yield, a result which significantly exceeds the Lawson criterion for fusion ignition as reported in a previous NIF implosion [H. Abu-Shawareb et al. (Indirect Drive ICF Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 075001 (2022)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.129.075001]. This achievement is the culmination of more than five decades of research and gives proof that laboratory fusion, based on fundamental physics principles, is possible. This Letter reports on the target, laser, design, and experimental advancements that led to this result.

[The non-bacterial pathogenic and clinical characteristics of acute respiratory tract infection in children in a hospital of pediatric in Sichuan Province from 2019 to 2021]

Objective: To explore the non-bacterial pathogen distribution, epidemiological characteristics, and clinical features of acute respiratory infections in children in Sichuan Province. Methods: Using a retrospective cohort study method, this study selected hospitalized children diagnosed with acute respiratory infections at West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University from February 2019 to January 2021, and tested 13 pathogens using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-fragment analysis. The children were divided into infant group (<1 year old), toddler group (1 year old ≤ age <3 years old), preschool group (3 years old ≤ age <6 years old) and school-age group (6 years old ≤ age <18 years old). The distribution of pathogen positive rates, seasonal epidemic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and some laboratory test indicators were analyzed in children. Statistical analysis was performed on the results using SPSS 22.0 software, with count data expressed as percentages and inter group comparisons using SPSS 22.0 software χ2 Inspection. Results: A total of 2 922 pediatric patients were included in this study, with 1 748 (59.8%) positive for pathogens detected. Among them, 1 391 (79.6%) were detected as a single pathogen, and 357 (20.4%) were detected as a mixture of two or more pathogens. The most commonly detected pathogens were rhinovirus (HRV) (39.7%), syncytial virus (RSV) (22.8%), and parainfluenza virus (PIV) (12.5%). Pathogen positivity is more common in children under 6 years old (χ2=146.59, P<0.001), with a slightly higher positivity rate in male children (61.3%, 1 047/1 707) than in female children (57.7%, 701/1 215) (χ2=3.91, P=0.048), and compared with pathogen negative children, positive children are more prone to symptoms such as cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath (χ2=259.15, 366.06, 12.48, P<0.001). The distribution of different pathogens varies among children of different age groups, and HRV is more common in children aged 1-3 and 3-6 years old (χ2=9.74, P<0.001), while RSV is more common in children under 1 year old (χ2=178.63, P<0.001), while mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) and influenza virus (InfA/B) are less common in children under 1 year old (χ2=92.54, 12.90,22.21, P<0.01). The prevalence of multiple pathogens showed seasonal changes. HRV showed a high prevalence trend in spring and autumn, while the prevalence of RSV infection was mainly seen in autumn and winter festivals. The positive rate of different pathogens after the outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia was significantly lower than that before the outbreak (χ2=252.68, P<0.001). Conclusion: The detection rate of non-bacterial respiratory pathogens in children in Sichuan Province from 2019 to 2021 is high, which is prone to symptoms such as cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath, with HRV and RSV being the main types. The positive rate of respiratory pathogens varies among different age groups, genders, and seasons.

Sub-wavelength scale characterization of on-chip coupling mirrors

Miniature free-space optical beams, originating from on-chip microstructures, are usually measured and quoted without reference to a particular polarization state. We develop an automated platform to characterize tightly focused free-space optical beams in three dimensions. We present a detailed description of each subsystem including the calibration and test procedure. We demonstrate how amplitude and phase are measured at sub-wavelength resolution using a cleaved fiber with a heterodyne reference. Further analysis provides information about the phase and intensity profile of the beam with regards to its polarization content and spatial confinement. We perform a proof-of-concept experiment for a custom waveguide-coupled micro-mirror. The work opens new possibilities for rapid analysis of micro-mirrors in prototyping and optimization of integrated optical systems.

Sustainable Participation in Community Health Programs to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle and Prevent and Protect against Dementia among Rural Taiwanese Middle-Aged and Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Resource and economic constraints limit access to health care in rural populations, and consequently, rates of chronic illnesses are higher in this population. Further, little is known about how rural populations adopt active and healthy lifestyle behavior for dementia prevention.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the impact of modification in lifestyle behaviors on changes in cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults living in a rural area of Taiwan.

DESIGN

In this prospective longitudinal study, changes in lifestyle and cognitive function were compared between the experimental and control groups.

SETTING

Six rural community care stations were randomly cluster sampled in southern Taiwan.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 155 participants were enrolled and classified into two groups according to their community activity participation rate (CAPR). The control group (n=68) had a CAPR < 1x/month, and the experimental group (n=87) had a CAPR ≥ 1x/month.

MEASUREMENTS

Cognitive function of the participants was measured using the MMSE scale. Lifestyle behaviors were measured using a self-designed questionnaire based on the Transtheoretical Model.

RESULTS

From 2018-2020, the experimental group successfully maintained a healthy lifestyle. The MMSE score in the experimental group was significantly higher in the 3rd year than that in the control group (25.37 vs 22.56, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Sustainable community participation and adopting a healthy lifestyle could effectively maintain the cognitive function of the study participants. However, more needs to be done to support rural older adults to maintain a healthy diet and control their weight.

Mechanism of Artemisia annua L. in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction: network pharmacology, molecular docking and in vivo validation

This study was to evaluate the potential mechanism of action of Artemisia annua L. (A. annua) in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using network pharmacology, molecular docking and in vivo experiments. 22 active chemical compounds and 193 drug targets of A. annua were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacological (TCMSP) database. 3876 disease targets were also collected. Then 158 intersection targets between AMI and A. annua were obtained using R 4.2.0 software. String database was used to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and 6 core targets (MAPK1, TP53, HSP90AA1, RELA, AKT1, and MYC) were screened. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed using the R package. GO enrichment results were mainly related to cell responses to chemical stress and cell membrane microregions. KEGG pathways were mainly involved in lipids, atherosclerosis and fluid shear stress. In addition, molecular docking between A. annua active compounds and core targets showed high binding activity. As for in vivo validation, A. annua extract showed significant effects on improving post-infarction ventricular function, delaying ventricular remodeling, and reducing myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis. This study has revealed the potential components and molecular mechanisms of A. annua in the treatment of AMI. Our work also showed that A. annua has great effect on reducing myocardial fibrosis and scar area after infarction.

Daily Head and Neck Treatment Assessment for Optimal Proton Planning Robustness

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Daily setup variation can affect the quality of treatment and robust optimization is used to ensure adequate target coverage. We aimed to assess quality assurance by evaluating fractional plan quality and its impact on plan robustness.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Eligible head and neck plans with full field of view cone beam CT (CBCT) for >75% of daily fractions were classified into 2 categories 1) Primary only (PO) coverage and 2) Primary and neck nodal (PNN) coverage. Registration used at the machine was utilized for each daily CBCT to generate a synthetic CT (sCT), and the clinical target volumes (CTVs) and organs at risk (OARs) were manually edited by the reviewing physician. The daily dose for the CTVs and OARs were compared to the expected range from the robustness bands using 3.5% range uncertainty and 3mm versus 5mm setup uncertainty, fractional error was defined as volume and dose outside of uncertainty constraints. Statistical significance was calculated using students t-test.

RESULTS

There was 203 eligible daily fractions from 6 patients were included for analysis. The average percentage of fractions that deviated from planning CTV volumes as well as average error in delivered dose using 3mm and 5mm robustness can be seen in (Table 1). In PO plans, there was minimal change in percentage of fractions that deviated from planned CTV volumes and overall low average error in delivered dose at both 3mm and 5mm robustness, 0.35% and 0.26%, respectively. In comparison, PNN plans had greater percentage of fractions that deviated from planning CTV and consequently greater average error in delivered dose, 1.00% versus 0.37% at 3mm and 5mm robustness, respectively. There was a significant difference in the percentage of fractional error with 3mm robustness between PO patients, 0.22%, and PNN patients, 0.98%, p<0.01. No statistical difference in percentage of fractional error was found with 5mm robustness for PO and PNN patients, 0.24% and 0.52%, respectively. All OARS maintained mean daily dose within or below 3mm robustness calculations.

CONCLUSION

Based on our analysis, there was a difference in error of delivered dose between 3mm and 5mm robustness for head and neck proton plans, particularly for PNN coverage. Clinically, up to 1% error to CTV volumes is often not significantly meaningful and treating centers should consider utilizing 3mm robustness to maximize OAR sparing while maintaining proper target coverage. sCTs analysis is important for determining planning guidelines and may be able to identify patients needing an adaptive plan instead of currently utilized verification CTs.

Impact of Consolidative Radiation on Overall and Progression Free Survival in Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Metastatic Sarcoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To determine the association between consolidative radiation and survival in pediatric, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) metastatic sarcoma MATERIALS/METHODS: Eligible patients included those diagnosed with metastatic bone or soft tissue sarcoma at ≤39 years of age. Patients whose cancer progressed prior to the time of local control were excluded. Consolidative radiation (RT) was defined as RT to all sites of metastatic disease. Kaplan Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Cox proportional hazards was used to account for confounding variables. To adjust for immortal time bias (ITB), end of local control was chosen as a landmark time.

RESULTS

Patients (n = 77) had a median age at diagnosis of 14.5 years (range: 1.7-29.7 years). The most common histology was Ewing sarcoma (49%), followed by rhabdomyosarcoma (30%). Median follow up was 28.5 months, without significant difference between patients treated with and without consolidative RT (23.7 vs. 21.5 months, p = 0.270). Median time to completion of consolidative RT from diagnosis was 8.5 months. Ewing sarcoma was more likely to be treated with consolidative RT compared to other histologies (p<0.001). Consolidative RT was associated with improved OS (2yr OS: 81.9% vs. 57.9%, p = 0.009) and PFS (2yr PFS: 71.2% vs. 30%, p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, after accounting for age, histology, number, and type of metastases (lung, bone or other), consolidative RT remained independently associated with improved OS (hazard ratio (HR):0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.17, 0.78, p = 0.010) and improved PFS (HR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.16, 0.73, p = 0.006). The OS benefit for consolidative RT persisted after adjusting for ITB (1yr OS post-local control: 80.9% vs. 89.7%, p = 0.016). The effect of consolidative RT was validated in a dataset consisting of patients who were diagnosed with localized disease but had metastatic progression (n = 30). In this metachronous population, consolidative RT remained independently associated with improved OS (HR = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.51, p = 0.004) after accounting for age.

CONCLUSION

ConsolidativeRT was independently associated with improved OS and PFS in pediatric and AYA patients with metastatic sarcoma at diagnosis. The OS benefit extended to those who underwent consolidative RT for metastatic progression. Future work should evaluate biomarkers to optimize patient selection and timing and dose of consolidative RT.

Patterns of Failure in Pediatric and Young Adult Rhabdomyosarcoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To characterize patterns of failure in pediatric and young adult patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) from a single institution with over 20 years of experience.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients diagnosed with RMS from 2000 to 2022 were identified retrospectively. Time to failure was calculated from diagnosis. Local only failure was defined as first failure at the primary site without distant failure. Distant failure was defined as first failure outside of the primary site with or without local failure. Cumulative incidence (CI) of failure was calculated using death as a competing risk. Fine-Gray regression was used to evaluate impact of prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Ninety-five patients were eligible. Median age was 7.28 years (range 0 - 35 years), 41% of patients were >10 years old. Median follow up was 33.3 months. Approximately half (n = 47, 49.5%) of the tumors demonstrated alveolar histology. FOXO1 fusion status was available in 76 (80%) patients, of which 7 out of 37 alveolar tumors (18.9%) were FOXO1 fusion negative. The majority of tumors presented with unfavorable primary site (n = 72, 75.8%) and advanced stage (Stage III and IV, n = 72, 75.8%). The 5-yr CI of local only failure and distant failure for the entire cohort was 19.0% (95% CI 11.3, 28.3) and 34.6% (24.0, 45.5%), respectively. The predominant pattern of failure by Group was: Groups 1&2: Local only (5yr CI 14.8%), Group 3: Distant (5yr CI: 25.9%), Group 4: Distant (5yr CI: 67.6%). CI of distant failure by primary site was higher in perianal/gluteal (n = 2/5, 5yr CI 60.0%) and extremity (n = 8/19, 5yr CI 45.9%) sites. Of the 28 distant failures, 10 (36%) also had a local failure component. CI of local only failure by primary site was higher in parameningeal head and neck (n = 6/25, 5yr CI 30%) and bladder/prostate (n = 2/12, 5yr CI 23%) sites. The following were associated with an increased CI of distant failures: increasing age (HR 1.08, p<0.01), alveolar vs. embryonal histology (HR 3.01, p = 0.0095), FOXO1 fusion positive vs. negative (HR 2.8, p = 0.02) and Group IV vs. Groups I/II (HR 7.7, p = 0.0007). FOXO1 fusion and alveolar histology were associated with older age and Group IV, both of which were independently associated with increased distant failure on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Failures were predominantly distant in older patients and patients with Group IV RMS, both of which were associated with FOXO1 fusion and alveolar histology, highlighting the need to improve therapies in this population. Local only failures were highest in parameningeal head and neck and bladder/prostate primaries, highlighting the need to improve local control strategies at these sites.

Quantifying Value in an Iterative Disease-Site Specific Peer Review System

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To assess the greatest impact of peer review on treatment planning and plan modification in two disease-site specific peer review groups to improve quality assurance workflow.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We implemented an iterative peer review checklist tool and treatment planning registry to document recommendations and time spent in breast and thoracic disease-site specific peer review. Plan review included discussion of the clinical scenario, radiation dose/fractionation, prescription, organs at risk and target volumes, planning metrics including dose volume histogram and patient setup. Pre-treatment (Pre-tx) review of volumes and plans occurred prior to treatment start for definitive plans of ≤five fractions or using protons, and cases were re-reviewed in subsequent sessions to complete checklist items as needed. Reviews were graded as follows: discussion (no required changes), minor recommendations (changes recommended at attending discretion) and major recommendations (changes required). Students t-test and chi-squared analysis were used to identify statistical significance.

RESULTS

We identified 723 peer reviews over a 3-month period: 275 thoracic reviews of 195 unique patients (32% reviewed ≥twice), and 448 breast reviews of 273 unique patients (48% reviewed ≥twice, most commonly for a boost plan). On average, pre-tx review doubled the amount of time spent per case, (4:47min versus 2:03min, p<0.01) and resulted in significantly more discussion (29.3% vs 9.3%, p<0.01), minor changes recommended (13.2% versus 4.8%, p<0.01) and plan revision (19.2% versus 2.4%, p<0.01). Thoracic pre-tx reviews were twice as long as breast (5:43min versus 3:00min, p<0.01), and had a greater proportion of cases prompting discussion (26.7% vs 13.2%, p<0.01) and minor changes recommended (12.8% vs 6.3%, p<0.01). No time difference was found in regular review (2:19min vs 1:58 min, p = 0.09). The most frequent discussion/recommendation topics also varied by group with planning metrics in thoracic cases (14.9%) and setup imaging including PORT films and electron setup (5.1%) in breast (Table).

CONCLUSION

Iterative plan review with pre-review for selected cases encouraged educational discussion and plan revision, with notable variability by disease site. Thoracic cases required longer review time and had more frequent plan change recommendations likely reflecting differences in case complexity. In contrast, setup imaging in breast cases, which are more commonly 3D or electron-based, more frequently warranted discussion/revision and should be considered within the peer review paradigm.

Comparison of Biatain Ag and Biatain Alginate Ag dressings on skin graft donor sites: a prospective clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare Biatain Ag and Biatain Alginate Ag (both Coloplast, Denmark) as skin graft donor site dressings.

METHOD

A single-centre, prospective, randomised clinical study was conducted. In patients who had undergone a skin graft operation, adjacent split-thickness skin graft donor sites were dressed with Biatain Ag and Biatain Alginate Ag, respectively. The primary outcomes were time to re-epithelialisation and pain score after the operation. The secondary outcomes were scar scores of the donor site after the operation, haematoma rates, infection rates, and exudation rates before wound healing. Results were compared using the Wilcoxon test and the Chi-squared test.

RESULTS

A total of 16 paired wounds in 16 patients were studied. The donor sites dressed with Biatain Ag needed more time for >90% re-epithelialisation than those dressed with Biatain Alginate Ag. On day 3 postoperatively, the pain scores with Biatain Ag were significantly less severe than those with Biatain Alginate Ag. On days 6, 9 and 12, the pain scores of both dressings did not differ significantly. The scar scores of the donor site dressed with Biatain Ag were significantly worse than those dressed with Biatain Alginate Ag at 6 months. With respect to infection rates, no significant differences were detected between these two groups. However, the exudation rates of the donor site dressed with Biatain Ag were significantly lower than those dressed with Biatain Alginate Ag.

CONCLUSION

As skin graft donor site dressings, both Biatain Ag and Biatain Alginate Ag have advantages.

An investigation of the PM2.5 concentrations and cumulative inhaled dose during subway commutes in Changchun, China

Air quality in subway systems is crucial as it affects the health of passengers and staff. Although most tests of PM2.5 concentrations in subway stations have taken place in public areas, PM2.5 is less understood in workplaces. Few studies have estimated the cumulative inhaled dose of passengers based on real-time changes in PM2.5 concentrations as they commute. To clarify the above issues, this study first measured PM2.5 concentrations in four subway stations in Changchun, China, where measuring points included five workrooms. Then, passengers' exposure to PM2.5 during the whole subway commute (20-30 min) was measured and segmented inhalation was calculated. The results showed that PM2.5 concentration in public places ranged from 50 to 180 μg/m3, and was strongly correlated with outdoors. While the PM2.5 average concentration in workplaces was 60 µg/m3, and it was less affected by outdoor PM2.5 concentration. Passenger's cumulative inhalations in single commuting were about 42 μg and 100 μg when the outdoor PM2.5 concentrations were 20-30 μg/m3 and 120-180 μg/m3, respectively. The PM2.5 inhalation in carriages accounted for the largest proportion of the entire commuting, about 25-40%, because of the longer exposure time and higher PM2.5 concentrations. It is recommended to improve the tightness of the carriage and filter the fresh air to improve the air quality inside. The average daily PM2.5 inhaled by staff was 513.53 μg, which was 5-12 times higher than that of passengers. Installing air purification devices in workplaces and reminding staff to take personal protection can positively protect their health.

Cervical lymphadenitis caused by Mycobacterium avium in a patient treated with Janus kinase inhibitors

A woman diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and treated with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors presented with a gradually enlarging bilateral submandibular lymph nodes swelling that had lasted several weeks' duration. A lymph node biopsy showed epithelioid granulomatous lymphadenitis with caseous necrosis. Mycobacteria grew in acid-fast bacteria culture and were identified as Mycobacterium avium by polymerase chain reaction. The patient was diagnosed with cervical lymphadenitis caused by Mycobacterium avium. A computed tomography scan showed no evidence of a mass or infection at other sites including the lungs; therefore, the mass was excised without any antimicrobial treatments. Her neck mass had not recurred at 9 months after the excision. JAK inhibitors have emerged as an important new class of oral therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases. Physicians should be aware of relatively rare complications such as cervical lymphadenitis caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria when using JAK inhibitors.

Hydrogen sulfide protects against ischemic heart failure by inhibiting RIP1/RIP3/MLKL-mediated necroptosis

The aim of the present study was to explore whether hydrogen sulfide (H2S) protects against ischemic heart failure (HF) by inhibiting the necroptosis pathway. Mice were randomized into Sham, myocardial infarction (MI), MI + propargylglycine (PAG) and MI + sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) group, respectively. The MI model was induced by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. PAG was intraperitoneally administered at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks, and NaHS at a dose of 4mg/kg/day for the same period. At 4 weeks after MI, the following were observed: A significant decrease in the cardiac function, as evidenced by a decline in ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS); an increase in plasma myocardial injury markers, such as creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I (cTNI); an increase in myocardial collagen content in the heart tissues; and a decrease of H2S level in plasma and heart tissues. Furthermore, the expression levels of necroptosis-related markers such as receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP1), RIP3 and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) were upregulated after MI. NaHS treatment increased H2S levels in plasma and heart tissues, preserving the cardiac function by increasing EF and FS, decreasing plasma CK-MB and cTNI and reducing collagen content. Additionally, NaHS treatment significantly downregulated the RIP1/RIP3/MLKL pathway. While, PAG treatment aggravated cardiac function by activated the RIP1/RIP3/MLKL pathway. Overall, the present study concluded that H2S protected against ischemic HF by inhibiting RIP1/RIP3/MLKL-mediated necroptosis which could be a potential target treatment for ischemic HF.

[Prognostic value of translocation t(11;14) in primary light-chain amyloidosis treated with bortezomib-based regimen]

Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of translocation t(11;14) in newly-diagnosed primary light-chain (AL) amyloidosis patients treated with bortezomib-based regimen. Method: Clinical information of newly-diagnosed AL amyloidosis patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital who had baseline t(11;14) data and accepted bortezomib-combined therapies from September, 2015 to September, 2021 was collected. The relationships between t(11;14) status and baseline characteristics, hematological response, organ response and prognosis were analyzed. Results: A total of 152 patients were included, aged (59.5±9.1) years and 93 cases were male (61.2%). Forty-six patients carried t(11;14) (30.3%). There was no statistical difference in the proportion of organ involved, distribution of Mayo 2004 and 2012 stages and laboratory indexes between patients with and without t(11;14) (all P>0.05). For hematological response, the difference in the rates of ≥very good partial response (VGPR) between those with t(11;14) and without after the first cycle [28.2%(11/39) vs 37.4%(34/91), P>0.05] was not statistically significant. After 3 cycles, the difference in the rates of ≥VGPR between two groups was not statistically significant [35.9%(14/39) vs 51.1%(46/90), P>0.05]. The difference in the ratio of the best hematological response reaching ≥VGPR between two groups during the first-line treatment was not statistically significant [52.2%(24/46) vs 64.2%(68/106), P>0.05]. But patients with t(11;14) had lower cardiac response rate at 3 months [15.2%(5/33) vs 34.6%(28/81), P=0.038] and 6 months [19.4%(6/31) vs 50.6%(42/83),P=0.003] than those without, but the difference in cardiac response rates at 12 months was not statistically significant [41.7%(10/24) vs 53.5%(38/71),P>0.05]. For survival, the differences in overall survival (not reached vs 50.1 months, P>0.05) and hematological event-free survival (36.2 months vs 39.9 months, P>0.05) between patients carrying t(11;14) and those without were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Patients with t(11;14) had lower cardiac response rate than those without, but their hematological response and survival are not significantly different from those free from t(11;14).

Research advances of N6-methyladenosine in diagnosis and therapy of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the addition of a methyl group on the N6 position of adenosine and is the most prevalent and abundant epigenetic modification in eukaryote mRNA. m6A marks are added to mRNA by the m6A methyltransferase complex ("writers"), removed by m6A demethylases ("erasers"), and recognized by m6A-binding proteins ("readers"). Recent evidence has shown that the m6A modification plays a crucial role in the pathogenic mechanism and malignant progression of pancreatic cancer, with roles in cell survival, proliferation, migration, invasion, tumor metastasis, and drug resistance.

METHODS

Literature was searched in Pubmed and Web of Science for the following keywords: "N6-methyladenosine", "pancreatic cancer", "epigenetic modification", "immunotherapy".

RESULTS

Among classical m6A regulators, while METTL3, METTL14, WTAP, FTO, YTHDF2, IGF2BP1-3, hnRNPC, and NKAP are upregulated in pancreatic cancer, METTL16 and ALKBH5 are downregulated in pancreatic cancer. m6A modification has been investigated in pancreatic cancer therapy.

CONCLUSION

Dysregulated m6A and its related factors in pancreatic cancer cells and patients indicate their potential values as novel biomarkers in pancreatic cancer diagnosis and targeted therapy.

Lawson Criterion for Ignition Exceeded in an Inertial Fusion Experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion.

Optimal radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery for early breast cancer: A network meta-analysis of 23,418 patients

PURPOSE

In order to explore whether partial breast irradiation can replace hypofractionated whole breast irradiation and whether the former two are superior to conventional fractionated whole breast irradiation, we conducted a network meta-analysis based on the data from the latest randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of these radiotherapy modalities.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data from eligible studies were analyzed to determine the published events for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, distant metastasis, total deaths, and non-breast cancer-related deaths. In the case of low or high heterogeneity, the fixed-effect or random-effect model was used for statistical analysis respectively. NMA was performed by using the node-splitting model for two-category data among three radiotherapies based on a Bayesian method.

RESULTS

A total of 23,418 patients were included in 16 studies. For ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, both pairwise (OR=1.9; CI95%: 1.2 -2.8; p<0.05) and indirect (OR=1.7; CI95%: 1.2 -2.4; p<0.05) comparison of three radiotherapies by network meta-analysis showed that conventional fractionated whole breast irradiation was significantly better than partial breast irradiation. Indirect comparison of three radiotherapies by network meta-analysis showed that hypofractionated whole breast irradiation was significantly better than partial breast irradiation (OR=1.6; CI95%: 1.0 -2.5; p<0.05). Network and paired meta-analyses found no significant differences in other endpoints among the three radiotherapies.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this network meta-analysis showed that partial breast irradiation was related to the increase of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence compared with hypofractionated or conventional fractionated whole breast irradiation in patients with early-stage breast cancer.

The Research Progress of Exosomes in Osteoarthritis, With Particular Emphasis on the Therapeutic Effect

Exosomes participate in many physiological and pathological processes by regulating cell-to-cell communication. This affects the etiology and development of diseases, such as osteoarthritis (OA). Although exosomes in the OA tissue microenvironment are involved in the progression of OA, exosomes derived from therapeutic cells represent a new therapeutic strategy for OA treatment. Recent studies have shown that exosomes participate in OA treatment by regulating the proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and extracellular matrix synthesis of chondrocytes. However, studies in this field are scant. This review summarizes the therapeutic properties of exosomes on chondrocytes in OA and their underlying molecular mechanisms. We also discuss the challenges and prospects of exosome-based OA treatment.

Herbaceous Dominant the Changes of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index in the Transition Zone Between Desert and Typical Steppe in Inner Mongolia, China

Asymmetric responses of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) to precipitation were identified as a signal to predict ecosystem state shifts at temperate grassland zones in Inner Mongolia, China. However, mechanism studies were still lacking. This study hypothesized that the enhanced growth and newly emerged herbaceous after increased precipitation resulted in the highest asymmetry at the transition zone between desert and typical steppe. We monitored the responses of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of different species to precipitation events using un-manned aerial vehicle technology to test this hypothesis. NDVI and species richness were measured twice at fixed points in July and August with a time interval of 15 days. Results showed that: (1) From July to August, NDVI in the transition zone increased significantly after precipitation (P < 0.05), but NDVI in both the desert and typical steppe showed a non-significant change (P > 0.05). (2) In the transition zone, NDVI increases from the shrub and herbaceous contributed to 37 and 63% increases of the site NDVI, respectively. (3) There was a significant difference in species richness between July and August in the transition zone (P < 0.05), mainly caused by the herbaceous (Chenopodiaceae, Composite, Convolvulaceae, Gramineae, Leguminosae, and Liliaceae), which either emerged from soil or tillers growth from surviving plants. This study demonstrated that herbaceous dominant the changes of NDVI in the transition zone, which provides a scientific basis for the mechanism studies of ANPP asymmetric response to precipitation and warrants long-term measurements.

AI-Driven Synthetic Biology for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Drug Effectiveness-Cost Analysis in Intelligent Assisted Medical Systems

According to statistics, in the 185 countries' 36 types of cancer, the morbidity and mortality of lung cancer take the first place, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 85% of lung cancer [1-2]. Significantly in many developing countries, limited medical resources and excess population seriously affect the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer patients. The 21st century is an era of life medicine, big data, and information technology. Synthetic biology is known as the driving force of natural product innovation and research in this era. Based on the research of NSCLC targeted drugs, through the cross-fusion of synthetic biology and artificial intelligence, using the idea of bioengineering, we construct an artificial intelligence assisted medical system and propose a drug selection framework for the personalized selection of NSCLC patients. Under the premise of ensuring the efficacy, considering the economic cost of targeted drugs as an auxiliary decision-making factor, the system predicts the drug effectiveness-cost then. The experiment shows that our method can rely on the provided clinical data to screen drug treatment programs suitable for the patient's conditions and assist doctors in making an efficient diagnosis.

[PD-1 is associated with CD8(+)T lymphocyte dysfunction in patients with acute and chronic liver failure]

Objective: To explore whether peripheral blood CD8(+)T lymphocyte dysfunction is correlated with the programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) expression in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected from patients with HBV-ACLF and healthy controls. CD8(+)T lymphocytes number and PD-1 expression condition in CD8(+)T lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry. CD8(+)T lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood of HBV-ACLF patients were further cultured in vitro. One group was added with PD-L1-IgG fusion protein (ACLF+PD-1 group), and the other group was added with IgG fusion protein (ACLF group). Proliferation ability (ki67), cell viability (CD69), and secretion ability of effector cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α) were analyzed. Results: 30 cases with HBV-ACLF and healthy controls were enrolled. CD8(+)T lymphocytes absolute number was significantly lower in the peripheral blood of patients with ACLF group (333.88 ± 147.74)/μl than healthy controls (872.50 ± 206.64)/μl (P < 0.001). PD-1 expression in peripheral blood CD8(+)T lymphocytes were significantly increased in ACLF group (13.33% ± 2.52%), (P = 0.027) than healthy controls (7.02% ± 2.12%). In in vitro culture, compared with healthy controls, the peripheral blood CD8(+)T lymphocytes cell viability (CD69), proliferation ability (ki67) (all P ​​< 0.001), and the level of cytokine production (IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α) (all P < 0.05) were equally weakened in patients with ACLF group. Compared with ACLF group, CD8(+)T cell viability (CD69), proliferation ability (KI67) (all P < 0.05), and the level of cytokine production were weakened in ACLF+PD-1 group (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: HBV-ACLF patients have CD8(+)T lymphocyte dysfunction. Therefore, PD-1 may have correlation in the regulation of CD8(+)T lymphocyte dysfunction in ACLF patients.

Substance use patterns in 9-10 year olds: Baseline findings from the adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study

BACKGROUND

The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development ™ Study (ABCD Study®) is an open-science, multi-site, prospective, longitudinal study following over 11,800 9- and 10-year-old youth into early adulthood. The ABCD Study aims to prospectively examine the impact of substance use (SU) on neurocognitive and health outcomes. Although SU initiation typically occurs during teen years, relatively little is known about patterns of SU in children younger than 12.

METHODS

This study aims to report the detailed ABCD Study® SU patterns at baseline (n = 11,875) in order to inform the greater scientific community about cohort's early SU. Along with a detailed description of SU, we ran mixed effects regression models to examine the association between early caffeine and alcohol sipping with demographic factors, externalizing symptoms and parental history of alcohol and substance use disorders (AUD/SUD).

PRIMARY RESULTS

At baseline, the majority of youth had used caffeine (67.6 %) and 22.5 % reported sipping alcohol (22.5 %). There was little to no reported use of other drug categories (0.2 % full alcohol drink, 0.7 % used nicotine, <0.1 % used any other drug of abuse). Analyses revealed that total caffeine use and early alcohol sipping were associated with demographic variables (p's<.05), externalizing symptoms (caffeine p = 0002; sipping p = .0003), and parental history of AUD (sipping p = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

ABCD Study participants aged 9-10 years old reported caffeine use and alcohol sipping experimentation, but very rare other SU. Variables linked with early childhood alcohol sipping and caffeine use should be examined as contributing factors in future longitudinal analyses examining escalating trajectories of SU in the ABCD Study cohort.

[Quantitative analysis of myelofibrosis and its prognostic significance in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome]

Objective: To quantitatively analyze the reticulin fiber intensity density (RFD) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) by using the computer-aided grid point method, and preliminarily explore its correlation with the prognosis of MDS patients. Methods: Bone marrow (BM) slices from 32 primary MDS patients treated in Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from February 2017 to December 2019 were observed. Images were taken by the optical microscope imaging system after the Gomori staining. The computer grid marking software was developed according to the principle of the mesh micrometer to assess RFD, meanwhile, the artificial semi-quantitative were used to assess the fibrosis of bone marrow. The co-relation between the above two methods was evaluated, and the relationship between RFD and prognosis of MDS patients were further investigated with Cox regression analysis. Results: Of the patients, there were 17 males and 15 females with a median age of 69 years (32-91 years). The RFD quantitatively analyzed by the computer-based method was positively correlated with the myelofibrosis grade by the artificial semi-quantitative analysis (r=0.497, P=0.004). The RFD in patients diagnosed with MDS complicated with excess blasts (MDS-EB) was significantly higher than that in the non-MDS-EB group((9.55%±0.75%) vs (1.71%±0.23%), P<0.001). Cox regression model analysis showed that the RFD of MDS patients had better prognostic value when compared with the artificial semi-quantitative analysis, which was also a poor prognostic factor (RR=1.337, 95%CI: 1.085-1.648, P=0.006). The overall survival (OS) of patients with RFD>5.54% was significantly shorter than that with RFD≤5.54% (P=0.001). The OS of MDS-EB patients with RFD>9.81% was significantly shorter than that in patients with RFD≤9.81% (P=0.003). Conclusion: Abnormal proliferative fibrosis of bone marrow is a potential high-risk factor for poor prognosis of MDS patients.

Effective communication data transmission based on community clustering in opportunistic social networks in IoT system

With the rise of the Internet of Things, the opportunistic network of portable smart devices has become a new hot spot in academic research in recent years. The mobility of nodes in opportunistic networks makes the communication links between nodes unstable, so data forwarding is an important research content in opportunistic networks. However, the traditional opportunistic network algorithm only considers the transmission of information and does not consider the social relationship between people, resulting in a low transmission rate and high network overhead. Therefore, this paper proposes an efficient data transmission model based on community clustering. According to the user’s social relationship and the release location of the points of interest, the nodes with a high degree of interest relevance are divided into the same community. Weaken the concept of a central point in the community, and users can share information to solve the problem of excessive load on some nodes in the network and sizeable end-to-end delay.

Real-world implementation of video-observed therapy in an urban TB program in the United States

BACKGROUND:

Video directly observed therapy (vDOT) was introduced to increase flexibility and meet patient-specific needs for TB treatment. This study aimed to assess the reach and effectiveness of vDOT for TB treatment under routine conditions in Alameda County, CA, USA, a busy, urban setting, from 2018 to 2020.

METHODS:

We prospectively evaluated routinely collected data to estimate 1) reach (proportion of patients initiated on vDOT vs. in-person DOT); and 2) effectiveness (proportion of prescribed doses with verified administration by vDOT vs. in-person DOT).

RESULTS:

Among 163 TB patients, 94 (58%) utilized vDOT during treatment, of whom 54 (57%) received exclusively vDOT. Individuals receiving vDOT were on average younger than those receiving in-person therapy (46 vs. 61 years; P < 0.001). The median time to vDOT initiation was 2.2 weeks (IQR 1.1–10.0); patients were monitored for a median of 27.0 weeks (IQR 24.6–31.9). vDOT led to higher proportions of verified prescribed doses than in-person DOT (68% vs. 54%; P < 0.001). Unobserved self-administration occurred for all patients on weekends based on clinic instructions, but a larger proportion of doses were self-administered during periods of in-person DOT than of vDOT (45% vs. 24%; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

A TB program successfully maintained vDOT, reaching the majority of patients and achieving greater medication verification than in-person DOT.

Baseline brain function in the preadolescents of the ABCD Study

The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study® is a 10-year longitudinal study of children recruited at ages 9 and 10. A battery of neuroimaging tasks are administered biennially to track neurodevelopment and identify individual differences in brain function. This study reports activation patterns from functional MRI (fMRI) tasks completed at baseline, which were designed to measure cognitive impulse control with a stop signal task (SST; N = 5,547), reward anticipation and receipt with a monetary incentive delay (MID) task (N = 6,657) and working memory and emotion reactivity with an emotional N-back (EN-back) task (N = 6,009). Further, we report the spatial reproducibility of activation patterns by assessing between-group vertex/voxelwise correlations of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activation. Analyses reveal robust brain activations that are consistent with the published literature, vary across fMRI tasks/contrasts and slightly correlate with individual behavioral performance on the tasks. These results establish the preadolescent brain function baseline, guide interpretation of cross-sectional analyses and will enable the investigation of longitudinal changes during adolescent development.

TDP-43 maintains chondrocyte homeostasis and alleviates cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent age-related disorder due to cartilage degradation. Previous studies have identified aberrant chondrocyte homeostasis under extracellular stress as a key pathological mechanism behind cartilage degradation in OA. TDP-43, a DNA/RNA-binding protein has been demonstrated to participate in processing many extracellular stress responses; however, understanding of the role of TDP-43 in OA is limited. This study aims to investigate the role of TDP-43 in chondrocyte homeostasis and cartilage degradation in OA.

METHODS

The role of TDP-43 during degradation of cartilage is examined by experimental posttraumatic OA animal models and human cartilage specimens. Cartilage degradation is assessed by histological analysis, qPCR, and Western blot. The molecular mechanisms are investigated in vitro using human primary chondrocytes.

RESULTS

TDP-43 decreases significantly in degenerated cartilage. TDP-43 concentration is positively correlated with IL-1β concentration in synovial fluid derived from OA patients (Pearson r = 0.95, CI (95%) [0.80, 0.99], P < 0.0001). Intra-articular injection of recombinant TDP-43 significantly alleviates cartilage degradation and subchondral bone remodeling in vivo. In vitro mechanistic analyses show that TDP-43 maintains chondrocyte homeostasis under oxidative stress through regulating stress granule dynamics via G3BP1.

CONCLUSION

The present study indicates that TDP-43 maintains chondrocyte homeostasis under oxidative stress and alleviates cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis, identifying TDP-43 as a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of knee OA.

Two different treatment regimens of ranibizumab 0.5 mg for neovascular age-related macular degeneration with or without polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Chinese patients: results from the Phase IV, randomized, DRAGON study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of monthly and pro re nata (PRN, guided by visual acuity stabilization and disease activity criteria) ranibizumab regimens in Chinese patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

METHODS

This double-masked study randomized nAMD patients (1:1) to ranibizumab monthly from baseline to Month (M) 11 to a PRN regimen from M12 to M23 (monthly group, n = 167) versus ranibizumab three monthly doses followed by a PRN regimen up to M23 (PRN group, n = 166). Subgroups were assessed based on the presence/absence of PCV (indicated by indocyanine green angiography).

RESULTS

Of 334 randomized patients, 41.7% had PCV at baseline. Mean average best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) change from M3 to M4 through M12 was 3.3 letters with monthly and 1.7 letters with PRN (mean difference: 1.6; 95% CI: -2.95, -0.20, primary end-point). Mean change in BCVA from baseline (monthly/PRN, 53.8/53.7) to M12 and M24 was 12.3 and 11.3 letters in monthly and 9.6 and 9.3 letters in PRN group. Corresponding values for patients with PCV/without PCV were 12.7/12.1 letters (M12) and 12.3/10.6 letters (M24) in monthly and 9.4/9.4 letters (M12) and 9.7/8.7 letters (M24) in PRN groups. The mean number of injections was 11.4 (monthly) and 8.2 (PRN) from Day 1 to M11 and 4.8 (monthly) and 5.0 (PRN) from M12 to M23. No new safety findings were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

The study results support the use of either ranibizumab monthly or PRN regimens in Chinese patients with nAMD, regardless of presence of PCV.

LncRNA NR2F1-AS1 promotes proliferation and metastasis of ESCC cells via regulating EMT

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the expression of long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 1-antisense RNA 1 (NR2F1-AS1) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues and cells and to investigate its effects on ESCC proliferation and metastasis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression level of NR2F1-AS1 in 51 pairs of ESCC tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues was detected via quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Meanwhile, NR2F1-AS1 expression in ESCC cells was measured via qRT-PCR as well. Subsequently, specific interference sequences of NR2F1-AS1 were designed, synthesized, and transiently transfected into ESCC cells. 48 h later, qRT-PCR assay was performed to detect the interference efficiency. The effects of small interfering (si)-NR2F1-AS1 on the proliferation of ESCC cells were determined through cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assay. Wound healing and transwell assays were conducted to investigate the influences of si-NR2F1-AS1 on the migration and invasion of ESCC cells. Additionally, the changes in the expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) molecular markers were detected by Western blotting.

RESULTS

QRT-PCR assay revealed that the expression level of NR2F1-AS1 was significantly up-regulated in 42 of 51 cases of ESCC tissues (42/51, 82.4%). Compared with esophageal mucosal epithelial HET-1A cells, NR2FA-AS1 was highly expressed in ESCC cells. CCK-8 and colony formation assay indicated that the proliferation of ESCC cells decreased remarkably after interference in NR2F1-AS1 expression. The results of wound healing and transwell assays showed that the migration and metastasis of cells were significantly lower in si-NR2F1-AS1 group than those in si-NC group. Western blotting demonstrated that the expressions of EMT molecular markers were changed after interfering with NR2F1-AS1 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

NR2F1-AS1 was highly expressed in ESCC tissues and cells. Furthermore, high expression of NR2F1-AS1 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of ESCC cells by modulating EMT.

Chemoselective electrochemical reduction of nitroarenes with gaseous ammonia

Valuable aromatic nitrogen compounds can be synthesized by reduction of nitroarenes. Herein, we report electrochemical reduction of nitroarenes by a protocol that uses inert graphite felt as electrodes and ammonia as a reductant. Depending on the cell voltage and the solvent, the protocol can be used to obtain aromatic azoxy, azo, and hydrazo compounds, as well as aniline derivatives with high chemoselectivities. The protocol can be readily scaled up to >10 g with no decrease in yield, demonstrating its potential synthetic utility. A stepwise cathodic reduction pathway was proposed to account for the generations of products in turn.

Sarcopenia as a predictor of postoperative risk of complications, mortality and length of stay following gastrointestinal oncological surgery

INTRODUCTION

Sarcopenia has drawn considerable attention as a predictor of postoperative risk, although the relationship between sarcopenia and postoperative risk is contentious. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate this relationship.

METHODS

A systematic literature search up to May 2020 was carried out and 43 studies were identified (with 16,716 patients) reporting on the relationship between sarcopenia and postoperative risk. In order to evaluate this relationship, odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the dichotomous and continuous method with a random or fixed effects model.

RESULTS

Compared with non-sarcopenic patients, those with sarcopenia have a higher major complications rate (OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 2.49-5.57, p<0.001), a higher total complications rate (OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.40-2.24, p<0.001), a higher 30-day mortality rate (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.56-3.63, p<0.001) and a longer hospital stay (mean difference: 4.54 days, 95% CI: 2.49-6.59 days, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia significantly increases the risk of major complications, total complications, 30-day mortality and length of hospital stay. For this reason, it is recommended that sarcopenia is added to preoperative risk evaluation to avoid any possible negative outcomes following gastrointestinal oncological surgery.

Effects of the micro/nanostructure of electrospun zein fibres on cells in simulated blood flow environment

In order to prevent thrombosis, reduce intima hyperplasia, and to maintain long-term patency after implantation of an artificial blood vessel, the formation of intact endothelial cells layer on an inner surface of graft is desirable. The present study aimed to improve endothelial cell adhesion by regulating the morphology of the inner surface of artificial blood vessels. Zein fibre membranes with three fibre diameters (small, ~100 nm; medium, ~500 nm; and large, ~1000 nm) were constructed by electrospinning. A flow chamber device was designed to simulate the blood flow environment. The morphology and adhesion of human umbilical vein fusion cells (EA.hy926) on the surface of the fibre membranes were studied under a shear stress of approximately 15 dynes/cm². The results showed that oriented electrospun zein fibre surfaces with both medium- and large-diameter fibres can regulate the morphology of endothelial cells (EA.hy926), which are aligned by the fibre direction. The three fibre membranes improved the adhesion of endothelial cells significantly compared to that on the flat membrane. When the fibre direction was fixed parallel to the fluid direction, the medium-diameter oriented-fibre membrane could significantly improve the ability endothelial cells to resist shear stress, and there was a significant difference at 1, 2 and 4 h time points compared with the shear stress resistance on the small-diameter and large-diameter oriented-fibre membranes. When the fibre direction was perpendicular to the fluid direction, again the medium-diameter oriented-fibre membrane improved the ability of endothelial cells to resist shear stress significantly at 1 and 2 h time points. It was concluded that by changing the diameter and arrangement of electrospun fibres, cell morphology control and shear stress resistance can be achieved.

Peripheral blood T-cell receptor repertoire as a predictor of clinical outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer patients treated with PD-1 inhibitor

BACKGROUND

Identifying valid biomarkers for patient selection impressively promotes the success of anti-PD-1 therapy. However, the unmet need for biomarkers in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers remains significant. We aimed to explore the predictive value of the circulating T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire for clinical outcomes in GI cancers who received anti-PD-1 therapy.

METHODS

137 pre- and 79 post-treated peripheral blood samples were included. The TCR repertoire was evaluated by sequencing of complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) in the TRB gene. The Shannon index was used to measure the diversity of the TCR repertoire, and Morisita's overlap index was used to determine TCR repertoire similarities between pre- and post-treated samples.

RESULTS

Among all enrolled patients, 76 received anti-PD-1 monotherapy and 61 received anti-PD-1 combination therapy. In the anti-PD-1 monotherapy cohort, patients with higher baseline TCR diversity exhibited a significantly higher disease control rate (77.8% vs. 47.2%; hazard ratio [HR] 3.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-13.48; P = 0.030) and a longer progression-free survival (PFS) (median: 6.47 months vs. 2.77 months; HR 2.10; 95% CI 1.16-3.79; P = 0.014) and overall survival (OS) (median: NA vs. 8.97 months; HR 3.53; 95% CI 1.49-8.38; P = 0.004) than those with lower diversity. Moreover, patients with a higher TCR repertoire similarity still showed a superior PFS (4.43 months vs. 1.84 months; HR 13.98; 95% CI 4.37-44.68; P < 0.001) and OS (13.40 months vs. 6.12 months; HR 2.93; 95% CI 1.22-7.03; P = 0.016) even in the cohort with lower baseline diversity. However, neither biomarker showed predictive value in the anti-PD-1 combination therapy cohort. Interestingly, the combination of TCR diversity and PD-L1 expression can facilitate patient stratification in a pooled cohort.

CONCLUSION

The circulating TCR repertoire can serve as a predictor of clinical outcomes in anti-PD-1 therapy in GI cancers.

Mode-splitting in a microring resonator for self-referenced biosensing

Self-referenced biosensing based on mode-splitting on a microring resonator is experimentally demonstrated. A Bragg grating integrated on the surface of the ring provides coupling between the clockwise and counterclockwise travelling modes of the pristine ring resonator lifting their degeneracy. The amount of mode-splitting is directly related to the reflectivity of the grating and it is only affected by structurally modifying the grating. Environmental perturbations to the surroundings of the gratings, such as temperature and bulk refractive index variations, have a minor effect on the amount of mode-splitting. This principle allows the realization of a self-referenced sensing scheme based on the detection of variations of the mode-splitting induced by structural changes to the grating. In this work, a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) Bragg grating is integrated onto a ring resonator in Al₂O₃. It is shown both theoretically and experimentally that the amount of splitting of a resonance varies minimally under temperature or bulk refractive index perturbations. However, the structural change of attaching a layer of biomolecules inside the grating does affect its reflectivity and the amount of mode splitting present. This result represents the first proof-of-concept demonstration of an integrated mode-splitting biosensor insensitive to temperature and refractive index variations of the liquid matrix where the molecules to be detected are embedded. The reported results pave the road towards the realization of truly self-referenced biosensors.