PPARG and the PTEN-PI3K/AKT Signaling Axis May Cofunction in Promoting Chemosensitivity in Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

It has been demonstrated that PPARG may interact with the PTEN-PI3K/AKT pathway, contributing to its involvement in the chemotherapy treatment of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC). However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, gene expression profiles of 17 HSCC patients, comprising 8 chemotherapy-sensitive patients (CSP) and 9 chemotherapy-nonsensitive patients (CNSP), were collected and analyzed to investigate expression patterns, correlations, influencing factors of the PPARG-PTEN-PI3K/AKT pathway, and its role in regulating chemosensitivity. The results revealed significantly increased expression (p < 0.04) of AKT1, AKT2, AKT3, PIK3CA, PPARG, and PTEN in the CSP group compared to the CNSP group. Specifically, AKT2 exhibited significant overexpression in tumor tissue (p = 0.01), while AKT2, AKT3, PPARG, and PTEN displayed significant increases in normal tissue (p ≤ 0.04). Positive correlations (R ∈ [0.43, 0.71], p < 0.014) were observed between PIK3CA, AKT1, AKT2, AKT3, and PTEN, with AKT2, AKT3, and PTEN also showing significant correlations with PPARG (R ∈ [0.35, 0.47], p < 0.04). Age, gender, and disease stage had no influence on PPARG, PIK3CA, and PTEN expression, but they may affect AKT expressions. Pathway analysis revealed that PPARG may interact with the PTEN-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, playing a crucial role in regulating chemosensitivity in the normal tissue microenvironment. Our results suggest that AKT1 and PIK3CA may be associated with chemosensitivity in HSCC tumor cells, while PPARG and PTEN might exhibit a correlation with a specific segment of the PI3K/AKT pathway, potentially influencing chemosensitivity in the normal tissue microenvironment of HSCC patients.

Comparison of four performance models in quantifying the inequality of leaf and fruit size distribution

The inequality in leaf and fruit size distribution per plant can be quantified using the Gini index, which is linked to the Lorenz curve depicting the cumulative proportion of leaf (or fruit) size against the cumulative proportion of the number of leaves (or fruits). Prior researches have predominantly employed empirical models-specifically the original performance equation (PE-1) and its generalized counterpart (GPE-1)-to fit rotated and right-shifted Lorenz curves. Notably, another potential performance equation (PE-2), capable of generating similar curves to PE-1, has been overlooked and not systematically compared with PE-1 and GPE-1. Furthermore, PE-2 has been extended into a generalized version (GPE-2). In the present study, we conducted a comparative analysis of these four performance equations, evaluating their applicability in describing Lorenz curves related to plant organ (leaf and fruit) size. Leaf area was measured on 240 culms of dwarf bamboo (Shibataea chinensis Nakai), and fruit volume was measured on 31 field muskmelon plants (Cucumis melo L. var. agrestis Naud.). Across both datasets, the root-mean-square errors of all four performance models were consistently smaller than 0.05. Paired t-tests indicated that GPE-1 exhibited the lowest root-mean-square error and Akaike information criterion value among the four performance equations. However, PE-2 gave the best close-to-linear behavior based on relative curvature measures. This study presents a valuable tool for assessing the inequality of plant organ size distribution.

Single-cell integrated transcriptomics reveals the role of keratinocytes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a prevalent malignant tumor with significant morbidity and mortality. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of HNSCC and identifying prognostic markers and therapeutic targets are crucial for improving patient outcomes. In this study, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA-seq data to comprehensively analyze HNSCC at the cellular level. We identified keratinocytes as the predominant cell type in tumor samples, suggesting their potential role in HNSCC development. Through hdWGCNA co-expression network analysis, we identified gene modules associated with HNSCC progression. Furthermore, we constructed a prognostic model based on specific genes and demonstrated its robust predictive performance in multiple datasets. The model exhibited strong correlations with immune cell infiltration patterns and signaling pathways related to tumor progression. Additionally, drug sensitivity analysis revealed potential chemotherapeutic targets for HNSCC treatment. Our findings provide valuable insights into the molecular characteristics and immune microenvironment of HNSCC, offering new perspectives for prognosis prediction and therapeutic interventions in clinical practice. Further research is warranted to validate and expand upon these findings, ultimately improving patient outcomes in HNSCC.

Highly Porous Yet Transparent Mechanically Flexible Aerogels Realizing Solar-Thermal Regulatory Cooling

The demand for highly porous yet transparent aerogels with mechanical flexibility and solar-thermal dual-regulation for energy-saving windows is significant but challenging. Herein, a delaminated aerogel film (DAF) is fabricated through filtration-induced delaminated gelation and ambient drying. The delaminated gelation process involves the assembly of fluorinated cellulose nanofiber (FCNF) at the solid-liquid interface between the filter and the filtrate during filtration, resulting in the formation of lamellar FCNF hydrogels with strong intra-plane and weak interlayer hydrogen bonding. By exchanging the solvents from water to hexane, the hydrogen bonding in the FCNF hydrogel is further enhanced, enabling the formation of the DAF with intra-layer mesopores upon ambient drying. The resulting aerogel film is lightweight and ultra-flexible, which possesses desirable properties of high visible-light transmittance (91.0%), low thermal conductivity (33 mW m-1 K-1), and high atmospheric-window emissivity (90.1%). Furthermore, the DAF exhibits reduced surface energy and exceptional hydrophobicity due to the presence of fluorine-containing groups, enhancing its durability and UV resistance. Consequently, the DAF has demonstrated its potential as solar-thermal regulatory cooling window materials capable of simultaneously providing indoor lighting, thermal insulation, and daytime radiative cooling under direct sunlight. Significantly, the enclosed space protected by the DAF exhibits a temperature reduction of 2.6 °C compared to that shielded by conventional architectural glass.

Scaling relationships among the mass of eggshell, albumen, and yolk in six precocial birds

The proportions in the size of the avian egg albumen, yolk, and shell are crucial for understanding bird survival and reproductive success, because their relationships with volume and surface area can affect ecological and life history strategies. Prior studies have focused on the relationship between the albumen and the yolk, but little is known about the scaling relationship between eggshell mass and shape, and the mass of the albumen and the yolk. Toward this end, 691 eggs of six precocial species were examined, and their 2-D egg profiles were photographed and digitized. The explicit Preston equation, which assumes bilateral symmetrical geometry, was used to fit the 2-D egg profiles and to calculate surface areas and volumes based on the hypothesis that eggs can be treated as solids of profile revolution. The scaling relationships of eggshell mass (Ms), albumen mass (Ma), and yolk mass (My), as well as the surface area (S), volume (V), and total mass (Mt) were determined. The explicit Preston equation was validated in describing the 2-D egg profiles. The scaling exponents of Ma vs. Ms, My vs. Ms, and My vs. Ma were smaller than unity, indicating that increases in Ma and My fail to keep pace with increases in Ms, and that increases in My fail to keep pace with increases in Ma. Therefore, increases in unit nutrient contents (i.e., the yolk) involve disproportionately larger increases in eggshell mass and disproportionately larger increases in albumen mass. The data also revealed a 2/3-power scaling relationship between S and V for each species, i.e., simple Euclidean geometry is obeyed. These findings help to inform our understanding of avian egg construction and reveal evolutionary interspecific trends in the scaling of egg shape, volume, mass, and mass allocation.

Application of prolonged submental perforator flap to repair the postoperative defect of upper airway malignancy

OBJECTIVES

To explore the feasibility of making a submental perforator flap distal to the connecting line between the mastoid and the sternoclavicular joint under the guidance of neck-enhanced CT and repairing the postoperative defect of upper airway malignancy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study retrospectively analysed 19 cases of upper airway malignant tumours treated in our department from January 2021 to September 2022, including 17 males and 2 females, aged 43-70 years.

SITE OF LESIONS

15 cases were in the laryngopharynx, 2 cases in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus and 2 cases on the soft palate. All the lesions were malignant and at stages T2-4N0-2M0.

SURGICAL METHOD

The extended submental perforator flap (size 22-15 × 6-7 cm) was prefabricated distal to the connecting line between the mastoid and the sternoclavicular joint. After tumour resection, the flap was used to repair the postoperative defect. Fifteen cases of laryngopharyngeal malignant tumours were repaired using the extended submental perforator flap with the vascular pedicle located on the opposite side of the tumour body. Two cases of nasal cavity and paranasal sinus tumours were repaired using the extended submental perforator flap combined with the temporalis muscle flap. The soft palate was completely removed in two patients with soft palate cancer and repaired using the folded extended submental perforator flap.

RESULTS

Before the surgery, the reflux vein was observed by neck-enhanced CT, including 12 cases returning to the internal jugular vein and 7 cases to the external jugular vein. All 19 cases in which flaps were used survived, and 1 case had a postoperative infection. All the patients had nasal feeding removed after surgery. The tracheal cannula was removed from the patients with laryngeal preservation, and the pronunciation was satisfactory. Among them, patients with soft palate cancer repair had mild nasal reflux symptoms with smooth breathing. During the follow-up period of 4-24 months, 18 patients had no tumour recurrence or metastasis, and 1 patient had cervical lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the use of a submental perforator flap distal to the connecting line between the mastoid and the sternoclavicular joint to repair postoperative defects for upper airway malignancy as an innovative surgical approach that provides more tissue and good arteriovenous blood supply to adjacent sites. This method has high clinical value and provides an effective option for repairing postoperative defects of upper airway malignancy.

Parapharyngeal space ectopic thyroid with eutopic papillary thyroid cancer: A case report

BACKGROUND

Ectopic thyroid is a rare condition. Here we report an extremely rare case of parapharyngeal space ectopic thyroid, which has simultaneously found the papillary thyroid carcinoma of the eutopic thyroid.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 54-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for a thyroid tumor and neck lymph nodes. CT and MR imaging revealed the presence of a thyroid right node, as well as a right parapharyngeal mass with a diameter of 2.5 × 2.3 cm. PET-CT was also performed to diagnose further, revealing that the suv metric of the PPS mass was 4.03. Considering that the mass was asymptomatic, we did not handle it at the first thyroid surgery. However, when the patient underwent a radioactive iodine scan before the radioactive iodine treatment, the imaging showed that the mass could intake the iodine. So, we arranged the second surgery for this mass, and the postoperative pathological examination confirmed the mass was well-differentiated thyroid tissue.

CONCLUSION

Parapharyngeal ectopic thyroid with eutopic thyroid cancer is extremely rare. Preoperative imaging examination can significantly avoid the missed diagnosis of this disease. Surgical resection is recommended for the ectopic thyroid while the eutopic thyroid is found to be malignant.

Precise genome editing of the Kozak sequence enables bidirectional and quantitative modulation of protein translation to anticipated levels without affecting transcription

None of the existing approaches for regulating gene expression can bidirectionally and quantitatively fine-tune gene expression to desired levels. Here, on the basis of precise manipulations of the Kozak sequence, which has a remarkable influence on translation initiation, we proposed and validated a novel strategy to directly modify the upstream nucleotides of the translation initiation codon of a given gene to flexibly alter the gene translation level by using base editors and prime editors. When the three nucleotides upstream of the translation initiation codon (named KZ3, part of the Kozak sequence), which exhibits the most significant base preference of the Kozak sequence, were selected as the editing region to alter the translation levels of proteins, we confirmed that each of the 64 KZ3 variants had a different translation efficiency, but all had similar transcription levels. Using the ranked KZ3 variants with different translation efficiencies as predictors, base editor- and prime editor-mediated mutations of KZ3 in the local genome could bidirectionally and quantitatively fine-tune gene translation to the anticipated levels without affecting transcription in vitro and in vivo. Notably, this strategy can be extended to the whole Kozak sequence and applied to all protein-coding genes in all eukaryotes.

Role of PPARG in Chemosensitivity-Regulating Network for Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PPARG has been reported to promote chemosensitivity in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC). However, few studies tested its significance in the texture of a complex molecular network regulating chemosensitivity in HSCC. Here, we first employed RNA expression data analysis and literature data mining to uncover candidate genes related to HSCC chemosensitivity. Then, we constructed the molecular network regulating chemosensitivity in HSCC. After that, we employed degree centrality (DC) and weighted centrality (WC) to test the significance of PPARG within the regulating network. Pathway enrichment was done to study the cofunctions of PPARG and the rest of the genes within the network. The findings of our study contribute to the construction of a comprehensive network that regulates HSCC chemosensitivity, consisting of 57 genes, including PPARG. Notably, within this network, PPARG demonstrates a ranking of #5 and #13 based on DC and WC, respectively. Moreover, PPARG is connected to 29 out of the 57 genes and plays roles in multiple functional groups. These top related genes include AKT1, TP53, PTEN, MAPK1, NOTCH1, BECN1, PTGS2, SPP1, and RAC1. PPARG gets enriched in several key functional groups that have been implicated in the regulation of chemosensitivity, including those associated with the response to nutrients, vitamins, and peptides, the cellular response to chemical stress, and the regulation of hormone secretion and growth. Our results emphasize the involvement of PPARG and its interconnectedness with other genes in the regulation of HSCC chemosensitivity.

sNASP Mutation Aggravates to the TLR4-Mediated Inflammation in SLE by TAK1 Pathway

Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and abnormal Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways are closely related to the onset of SLE. In previous studies, we found that the mutant somatic nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein (sNASP) gene in the mouse lupus susceptibility locus Sle2 can promote the development of lupus model mice, but the mechanism is still unclear. Here, we stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages with different concentrations of lipopolysaccharide. The results showed that sNASP gene mutations can promote the response of the TLR4-TAK1 signaling pathway but have no significant effect on the TLR4-TBK1 signaling pathway. sNASP mutations enhanced TLR4-mediated nuclear factor-κ-gene binding and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and IL-6, tumor necrosis factor secretion in murine peritoneal macrophages. Collectively, our study revealed the impact of sNASP gene mutation on the sensitivity of TLR4 receptors in mouse peritoneal macrophages and shed light on potential mechanisms underlying inflammation in autoimmune diseases.

Inequality Measure of Leaf Area Distribution for a Drought-Tolerant Landscape Plant

Measuring the inequality of leaf area distribution per plant (ILAD) can provide a useful tool for quantifying the influences of intra- and interspecific competition, foraging behavior of herbivores, and environmental stress on plants' above-ground architectural structures and survival strategies. Despite its importance, there has been limited research on this issue. This paper aims to fill this gap by comparing four inequality indices to measure ILAD, using indices for quantifying household income that are commonly used in economics, including the Gini index (which is based on the Lorenz curve), the coefficient of variation, the Theil index, and the mean log deviation index. We measured the area of all leaves for 240 individual plants of the species Shibataea chinensis Nakai, a drought-tolerant landscape plant found in southern China. A three-parameter performance equation was fitted to observations of the cumulative proportion of leaf area vs. the cumulative proportion of leaves per plant to calculate the Gini index for each individual specimen of S. chinensis. The performance equation was demonstrated to be valid in describing the rotated and right shifted Lorenz curve, given that >96% of root-mean-square error values were smaller than 0.004 for 240 individual plants. By examining the correlation between any of the six possible pairs of indices among the Gini index, the coefficient of variation, the Theil index, and the mean log deviation index, the data show that these indices are closely related and can be used interchangeably to quantify ILAD.

Comparison of three fixation methods in paediatric metaphyseal-diaphysis junction fracture of the distal radius: a retrospective study in two centres

Background

The distal radial metaphyseal-diaphysis junction fractures (DRMDJ) have various treatment methods and are easily lead to complications. This study aims to compare the anterograde elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN-A), retrograde K-wire fixation (KW-R), and retrograde precision-shaping elastic intramedullary nailing (ESIN-RPS) for the treatment of pediatric DRMDJ fractures.

Materials and methods

A total of 113 patients with DRMDJ fractures (36 in the ESIN-A group, 52 in the KW-R group, and 25 in the ESIN-RPS group) from two centres were retrospectively analysed. Perioperative operation time, intraoperative bleeding, fluoroscopy times, alignment rate and angulation on radiography were compared among the three groups. Forearm rotation, healing, wrist function, and complications were compared at the last follow-up.

Results

The mean operation times of the three groups were as follows: KW-R (72 ± 13 min) > ESIN-A (65 ± 18 min) > ESIN-RPS (52 ± 11 min), with a significant difference (P < 0.01). The incision length and intraoperative blood loss of ESIN-A (1.8 ± 0.2 cm; 8.3 ± 3.7 ml) were significantly higher than ESIN-RPS (1.4 ± 0.8 cm; 5.5 ± 2.7 ml) (P < 0.05), respectively. The postoperative alignment rate on the anteroposterior (AP) and the lateral plane of ESIN-RPS (93.1 ± 4.4%; 95.01 ± 2.8%) was significantly greater than that of KW-R (82.1 ± 6.8%; 88.5 ± 4.5%) and ESIN-A (79.2 ± 5.2%; 83.2 ± 2.5%) (P < 0.01). The residual angulation of ESIN-RPS (3.3 ± 1.2°; 2.9 ± 0.8°) was significantly greater than that for ESIN-A (5.1 ± 1.7°; 4.9 ± 2.1°) and KW-R (6.6 ± 2.8°; 7.5 ± 1.6°) (P < 0.05). The excellent and good ratio of ESIN-RPS (95.8%) was significantly higher than that of ESIN-A (86.5%) and KW-R (86.1%) according to the Gartland-Werley standard. There was a significant difference in delayed union between the KW-R and ESIN-A (P < 0.05). Additionally, there were two cases of radial nerve injury in the ESIN-A group, one case of tendon rupture in the ESIN-RPS group, and one case of tendon rupture in the KW-R group. The ESIN-RPS group had significantly fewer complications than the KW-R group (P < 0.05). The ESIN-A group also had significantly fewer complications than the KW-R group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Compared with ESIN-A and KW-R, ESIN-RPS has the advantages of a shorter operation time, less intraoperative blood loss, less radiation, better alignment, and fewer complications. The ESIN-RPS was suggested as an optimal choice for paediatric DRMDJ fractures.

Induction chemotherapy-based organ-preservation protocol improve the function preservation compared with immediate total laryngectomy for locally advanced hypopharyngeal cancer-Results of a matched-pair analysis

BACKGROUND

We performed a paired analysis to compare the therapeutic effect between the induction chemotherapy-based organ-preservation approach and immediate total laryngectomy in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients requiring total laryngectomy.

METHODS

351 patients who were treated with organ-preservation approach were compared with 110 patients who were treated with total laryngectomy. The main measures and outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and larynx function preservation survival (LFPS).

RESULTS

No statistical difference was observed for 3-, 5-, and 10-year PFS and OS in two groups. In the organ-preservation group, the 3-, 5-, and 10-year LFPS was 30.7%, 23.3%, and 16.6%, respectively. The LFPS of Stage III > Stage IV, N0 > N1 > N2 > N3, T2 > T3 > T4, CR > PR > SD > PD patients (all p values <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Survival outcomes did not significantly differ between the two groups. The organ-preservation approach allowed more than 70% of the survivors to retain their larynx function.

Comparison of Homo-Polyimide Films Derived from Two Isomeric Bis-Benzimidazole Diamines

Heteroaromatic polyimides (PIs) containing benzimidazole have attracted tremendous attention due to their positive impact on the properties of PIs. Some research on PIs containing 4,4'-[5,5'-bi-1H-benzimidazole]-2,2'-diylbis-benzenamine (4-AB) has been reported. However, reports are lacking on homo-polyimides (homo-PIs) containing 3,3'-[5,5'-bi-1H-benzimidazole]-2,2'-diylbis-benzenamine (3-AB), which is one of the isomers of 4-AB. In this paper, the influence of amino groups' positions on the performance of homo-PIs was investigated. It was found that the net charge of the amine N group in 4-AB was lower than that of 3-AB, resulting in higher reactivity of 4-AB. Consequently, PIs containing 4-AB displayed better mechanical performance. Molecular simulation confirmed that 3-AB and its corresponding PI chain exhibited distorted conformation, leading to the PI films containing 3-AB having a lighter color. In addition, the 3-AB structure was calculated to have higher rotational energy compared to 4-AB, resulting in a higher glass transition temperature (T_g) in PIs prepared from 3-AB. On the other hand, PIs containing 4-AB exhibited a higher level of molecular linearity, leading to a lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) compared to PIs prepared from 3-AB. Furthermore, all PIs showed higher thermal stability with a 5% weight loss temperature above 530 °C and T_g higher than 400 °C.

The Pivotal Role of Benzimidazole in Improving the Thermal and Dielectric Performance of Upilex-Type Polyimide

Polyimide (PI) with ultra-high thermal resistance and stability is essential for application as a flexible substrate in electronic devices. Here, the Upilex-type polyimides, which contained flexibly "twisted" 4,4'-oxydianiline (ODA), have achieved various performance improvements via copolymerization with a diamine containing benzimidazole structure. With the rigid benzimidazole-based diamine bearing conjugated heterocyclic moieties and hydrogen bond donors fused into the PI backbone, the benzimidazole-containing PI showed outstanding thermal, mechanical, and dielectric performance. Specifically, the PI containing 50% bis-benzimidazole diamine achieved a 5% decomposition temperature at 554 °C, an excellent high glass transition temperature of 448 °C, and a coefficient of thermal expansion lowered to 16.1 ppm/K. Meanwhile, the tensile strength and modulus of the PI films containing 50% mono-benzimidazole diamine increased to 148.6 MPa and 4.1 GPa, respectively. Due to the synergistic effect of rigid benzimidazole and hinged, flexible ODA, all PI films exhibited an elongation at break above 4.3%. The electrical insulation of the PI films was also improved with a dielectric constant lowered to 1.29. In summary, with appropriate mixing of rigid and flexible moieties in the PI backbone, all the PI films showed superior thermal stability, excellent flexibility, and acceptable electrical insulation.

A simple way to calculate the volume and surface area of avian eggs

Egg geometry can be described using Preston's equation, which has seldom been used to calculate egg volume (V) and surface area (S) to explore S versus V scaling relationships. Herein, we provide an explicit re-expression of Preston's equation (designated as EPE) to calculate V and S, assuming that an egg is a solid of revolution. The side (longitudinal) profiles of 2221 eggs of six avian species were digitized, and the EPE was used to describe each egg profile. The volumes of 486 eggs from two avian species predicted by the EPE were compared with those obtained using water displacement in graduated cylinders. There was no significant difference in V using the two methods, which verified the utility of the EPE and the hypothesis that eggs are solids of revolution. The data also indicated that V is proportional to the product of egg length (L) and maximum width (W) squared. A 2/3-power scaling relationship between S and V for each species was observed, that is, S is proportional to (LW² )^2/3 . These results can be extended to describe the shapes of the eggs of other species to study the evolution of avian (and perhaps reptilian) eggs.

Weaving Aerogels into 3D Ordered Hyperelastic Hybrid Carbon Assemblies

The development of a 3D carbon assembly with a combination of extraordinary electrochemical and mechanical properties is desirable yet challenging. Herein, an ultralight and hyperelastic nanofiber-woven hybrid carbon assembly (NWHCA) is fabricated by nanofiber weaving of isotropic porous and mechanical brittle quasi-aerogels. Upon subsequent pyrolysis, metallogel-derived quasi-aerogel hybridization and nitrogen/phosphorus co-doping are integrated into the NWHCA. Finite element simulation indicates that the 3D lamella-bridge architecture of NWHCA with the quasi-aerogel hybridization contributes to resisting plastic deformation and structural damage under high compression, experimentally demonstrated by complete deformation recovery at 80% compression and unprecedented fatigue resistance (>94% retention after 5000 cycles). Due to the superelasticity and quasi-aerogel integration, the zinc-air battery assembled based on NWHCA shows excellent electrochemical performance and flexibility. A proof-of-concept integrated device is presented, in which the flexible battery powers a piezoresistive sensor, using the NWHCA as the air cathode and the elastic conductor respectively, which can detect full-range and sophisticated motions while attached to human skin. The nanofiber weaving strategy allows the construction of lightweight, superelastic, and multifunctional hybrid carbon assemblies with great potential in wearable and integrated electronics.

Precision shaping of elastic stable intramedullary nail for the treatment of metaphyseal diaphysis junction fracture of the distal radius in children: a preliminary report in two centers

BACKGROUND

This study introduces a novel retrograde precision shaping elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN-RPS) technique and reports clinical outcomes in pediatric distal radius metaphyseal diaphysis junction (DRMDJ) fracture.

METHODS

Data about DRMDJs were collected from February 1, 2020, to April 31, 2022 at two hospitals, retrospectively. All patients were treated with closed reduction and ESIN-RPS fixation. The operation time, blood loss, fluoroscopy times, alignment, and residual angulation on X-ray were recorded. At the last follow-up, the function of wrist and forearm rotation were evaluated.

RESULTS

Totally, 23 patients were recruited. The mean time of follow-up was 11 months and the minimum was 6 months. The mean operation time was 52 min, and the mean fluoroscopies pulses were 6 times. The postoperative anterioposterior (AP) alignment was 93 ± 4% and the lateral alignment was 95 ± 3%. The postoperative AP angulation was (4 ± 1)°, and the lateral angulation was (3 ± 1)°. At the last follow-up, the evaluation of the Gartland and Werley demerit criteria of wrist revealed 22 excellent cases and 1 good case. The forearm rotation and thumb dorsiflexion functions were not limited.

CONCLUSION

The ESIN-RPS is a novel, safe, and effective method for the treatment of pediatric DRMDJ fracture.

Review of biomarkers for response to immunotherapy in HNSCC microenvironment

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma are one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. Although a variety of treatment methods such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy are widely used in diagnosing and treating HNSCC, the survival prognosis of patients has not been significantly improved in the past decades. As an emerging treatment approach, immunotherapy has shown exciting therapeutic effects in R/M HNSCC. However, the current screening methods are still insufficient, and there is a significant need for reliable predictive biomarkers for personalized clinical management and new therapeutic strategies. This review summarized the application of immunotherapy in HNSCC, comprehensively analyzed the existing bioinformatic studies on immunotherapy in HNSCC, evaluated the current methods of tumor immune heterogeneity and immunotherapy, and aimed to screen molecular markers with potential predictive significance. Among them, PD-1 has obvious predictive relevance as the target of existing immune drugs. Clonal TMB is a potential biomarker for HNSCC immunotherapy. The other molecules, including IFN-γ, CXCL, CTLA-4, MTAP, SFR4/CPXM1/COL5A1, TILs, CAFs, exosomes, and peripheral blood indicators, may have suggestive significance for tumor immune microenvironment and prognosis of immunotherapy.

Drug self-framework delivery system-coated gold nanorods for multi-modal imaging and combination therapy for breast cancer

Herein, we report a multifunctional nanodrug (Au NRs@DSFDSs NPs) by coating a drug self-framework delivery system (DSFDS) on Au NRs with absorption at 1300 nm via simple condensation polymerization, with the purpose of developing an efficient theranostic nanoagent with multi-modal imaging ability, and synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy (CT-PTT) for the monitoring and suppression of tumor growth. Thus, this strategy provides a new idea for the design of a multifunctional platform for the accurate and effective image-guided treatment of tumors.

High-efficiency and durable V-Ti-Nb ternary catalyst prepared by a wet-solid mechanochemical method for sustainably producing acrylic acid via acetic acid-formaldehyde condensation

Based on the precise phase control V species adjustment of vanadium phosphorus oxides (VPOs), a series of metal oxides (Nb₂O₅, MoO₃, WO₃, and Bi₂O₃) were selected as modification agents to further enhance the catalytic activity and retain the excellent durability of VPO-TiO₂-based catalysts for the new procedure of producing acrylic acid via acetic acid-formaldehyde condensation. At an elevated liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV), the (AA + MA) selectivity reached 92.3% with a (MA + AA) formation rate of 63.8 μmol^-1 g_cat ^-1 min^-1 over the Nb-decorated catalyst (catalyst VTi-Nb), and it maintained good durability for up to 100 h. The detailed characterization results of XRD, Raman, XPS, NH₃-TPD, CO₂-TPD, and H₂-TPR, demonstrated that the addition of Nb₂O₅ could observably enhance the catalytic efficiency of the VPO-TiO₂ catalyst. It not only improved the catalyst durability by enhancing prereduction of the V⁵⁺ species, but also enhanced the active site density to improve the catalytic activity.

Continuous methyl acrylate and acrylic acid making via co-activation reaction of aldehyde condensation and esterification catalyzed by siloxane-functionalized Vanadium Phosphorus Oxide-TiO2 catalst

A series of siloxane-functionalized Vanadium Phosphorus Oxide (VPO)-TiO2 catalysts were prepared by wet-solid mechanochemical method and used to catalyze the co-activation reaction of aldehyde condensation with esterification, a novel route...

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients with recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of postoperative recurrence in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) invasion. Methods: The data of PTC patients with recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion treated in Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2006 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The acoustic parameters were compared between different subgroups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival (OS) and the recurrence-free rate (RFS), and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factors for postoperative recurrence. Results: A total of 150 PTC patients were enrolled in the final analysis, including 102 females and 48 males, with an average age of (53.5±13.7) years, and 62 patients (41.3%) aged over 55 years. There were 88 cases with stage Ⅰ, and 62 cases with stage Ⅲ. Fifty-five patients presented with preoperative vocal cord paralysis. There were 75 cases appearing adhesion between tumor or lymph node and recurrent laryngeal nerve while 75 cases presented with direct invasion. The comparisons of acoustic parameters showed that patients with RLN invasion had higher jitter compared with patients without RLN invasion [2.3% (1.4%, 3.2%) vs 1.8% (0.8%, 2.6%), P<0.001]. Moreover, patients with preoperative vocal cord paralysis (VCP) had higher jitter[3.1% (2.2%, 4.6%) vs 2.0% (1.1%, 2.8%), P<0.001] and shimmer [7.1% (4.9%, 9.9%) vs 5.5% (4.2%, 7.3%), P<0.001] and shorter maximum phonation time (MPT) [8.0 (6.0, 10.0) s vs 12.0 (10.0, 15.3) s, P<0.001] compared with patients without preoperative VCP. However, there was no statistical difference in acoustic parameters between cases with RLN adhesion and RLN invasion (all P>0.05). Postoperative follow-up time ranged between 12-196 months, with an average of (65.0±35.9) months. Sixteen patients (10.7%) had recurrence or metastasis, and 8 cases (5.3%) died of recurrence or metastasis. The 5-year OS rate was 95.1%, and the 10-year OS rate was 92.8%. The 5-year RFS rate was 88.9%, and the 10-year RFS rate was 86.2%. Univariate Cox analysis showed that age of onset ≥ 55 years, preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, laryngeal, trachea or esophageal invasion were the risk factors for postoperative recurrence of PTC with RLN invasion (all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that age of onset ≥ 55 years (OR=1.060, 95%CI: 1.011-1.110, P=0.015) was an independent risk factor. Conclusions: Age of onset ≥ 55 years is an independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence in PTC patients with RLN invasion. Preoperative acoustic parameters may provide reference for evaluation of RLN function.

Double knock-in pig models with elements of binary Tet-On and phiC31 integrase systems for controllable and switchable gene expression

Inducible expression systems are indispensable for precise regulation and in-depth analysis of biological process. Binary Tet-On system has been widely employed to regulate transgenic expression by doxycycline. Previous pig models with tetracycline regulatory elements were generated through random integration. This process often resulted in uncertain expression and unpredictable phenotypes, thus hindering their applications. Here, by precise knock-in of binary Tet-On 3G elements into Rosa26 and Hipp11 locus, respectively, a double knock-in reporter pig model was generated. We characterized excellent properties of this system for controllable transgenic expression both in vitro and in vivo. Two attP sites were arranged to flank the tdTomato to switch reporter gene. Single or multiple gene replacement was efficiently and faithfully achieved in fetal fibroblasts and nuclear transfer embryos. To display the flexible application of this system, we generated a pig strain with Dox-inducing hKRAS^G12D expression through phiC31 integrase-mediated cassette exchange. After eight months of Dox administration, squamous cell carcinoma developed in the nose, mouth, and scrotum, which indicated this pig strain could serve as an ideal large animal model to study tumorigenesis. Overall, the established pig models with controllable and switchable transgene expression system will provide a facilitating platform for transgenic and biomedical research.

Acoustic transmissive cloaking with adjustable capacity to the incident direction

Zero-refractive-index (ZRI) phononic crystals (PhCs), in which acoustic waves can be transmitted without phase variations, have considerable potential for engineering wavefronts and thus are applicable to invisibility cloaking. However, the creation of the transmissive cloaking achieved by ZRI-PhCs is challenging under an oblique incidence, which substantially hinders their practical applications. Here, we experimentally demonstrate acoustic transmissive cloaking with the adjustable capacity to the incident direction. Acoustic transmissive cloaking of arbitrarily shaped obstacles can be obtained through a hybrid acoustic structure consisting of one outer layer of a programmable phase-engineered metasurface (PPEM) and one inner layer of a double zero-refractive-index (DZRI)-PhC. The DZRI-PhC is functionally the same as an equiphase area and can guide acoustic waves around the obstacle, a process known as acoustic tunneling. The PPEM perpendicularly transfers the incident acoustic waves to the DZRI-PhC and allows the emergent waves from the DZRI-PhC to transmit along the original incident direction. The DZRI-PhC is made of an array of iron squares in the air. The reciprocal of the effective bulk modulus and the effective mass density is approximately zero at a frequency of 3015 Hz (0.5187 v ₀ /a) originating from the zeroth-order Fabry-Pérot (FP) resonance that possesses infinite phase velocities. Each meta-atom of the outer metasurface consists of a line channel and four shunted Helmholtz resonators, which have effective masses that are engineered by a mechanics system. The amplitude and phase of the sound waves propagating through each meta-atom can be controlled continuously and dynamically, enabling the metasurface to obtain versatile wavefront manipulation functions. Acoustic cloaking is visually demonstrated by experimentally scanning the acoustic field over the hybrid structure at a frequency of 3000 Hz (0.5160 v ₀ /a). Our work may provide applications with great potential, including underwater ultrasound, airborne sound, acoustic communication, imaging, etc.

RAFT polymerization-induced self-assembly of poly(ionic liquids) in ethanol

Poly(ionic liquids) (PILs) exhibit better durability, processability, and mechanical stability than ionic liquids. PIL self-assembly in green solvents is a well-established strategy for preparing polyelectrolytes. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) has proven to be the most controllable method for synthesizing polyelectrolytes. However, there have been few reports on preparing high-order morphology PILs by RAFT-PISA. A new type of ionic monomer, 1-butyl-3-(4-vinylbenzyl)imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BVBIm][PF6]), was prepared from substitution reaction and ion exchange reaction of 1-butylimidazole and 4-vinylbenzyl chloride. Herein, various morphologies, including spheres, worms, and vesicles, were easily obtained via RAFT ethanolic dispersion polymerization using poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA43) as the macromolecular chain transfer agent and [BVBIm][PF6] as the monomer. Dispersion polymerization kinetic experiments, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry were used to investigate the PDMA43-b-P([BVBIm][PF6]) x block nanoparticles. This efficient RAFT-PISA method for preparing functionalized PIL nano-objects with controlled morphologies represents significant progress in this field.

A Study of Peripheral Blood Parameters to Predict Response to Induction Chemotherapy and Overall Survival in Advanced Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: the purpose of this study was to screen peripheral blood parameters and construct models predicting the prognosis and induction chemotherapy (IC) response in locally advanced laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) patients. Methods: A total of 128 stage III/IVa LSCC patients (who required a total laryngectomy) were enrolled in a retrospective study from January 2013 to September 2020 at Beijing Tongren Hospital of Capital Medical University. Among them, 62 patients received IC (IC group), and 66 patients immediately underwent a total laryngectomy (TL) after diagnosis (surgery group). Demographic information and peripheral blood parameters were collected for further analysis. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) were compared between the two groups. The prognosis and survival were also compared between patients with laryngeal function preservation (LFP) and those with TL. Results: The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve for IC response in the IC group showed that the AUC of the blood model based on the four peripheral blood parameters of fibrinogen (FIB), platelet (PLT), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and albumin (ALB) was significantly higher than the TNM stage model’s AUC (0.7932 vs. 0.6568). We constructed a nomogram blood model to predict IC response (C-Index = 0.793). Regarding the OS of all patients, an ROC analysis for overall survival, the Kaplan–Meier (K-M) method with a log-rank test, and multivariate analysis indicated age, clinical stage, FIB, and hemoglobin (HGB) were independent prognostic factors for the OS of LSCC patients. The blood–clinical logistic model (AUC = 0.7979) was constructed based on the four prognosis factors, which were superior to the blood (AUC = 0.6867) or clinical models (AUC = 0.7145) alone to predict OS. We constructed a nomogram model based on age, clinical stage, FIB, and HGB to predict OS for LSCC patients (C-Index = 0.792). Besides this, there were no significant differences in OS, PFS, and DSS between IC and surgery groups or LFP and TL groups. Conclusion: Peripheral blood parameters help predict IC response and overall survival. Furthermore, induction chemotherapy significantly improves laryngeal function preservation without lowering the survival prognosis.

Extraction, Physicochemical Properties, Anti-Aging, and Antioxidant Activities of Polysaccharides from Industrial Hemp Residues

A large amount of hemp polysaccharides remain in industrial hemp residues (IHR) after cannabidiol extraction, resulting in the waste of resources. Therefore, the systematic study of hemp polysaccharides is beneficial to the development of IHR in the future. In this study, the extraction of industrial hemp residues polysaccharide (IHRPs) was optimized by single-factor experiment and orthogonal experimental design. The optimum heating extraction conditions were extraction temperature 98 °C, solid–liquid ratio 1:10, extraction time 1 h, number of successive extractions 2, and pH at 4. The extraction ratio and the polysaccharide content were 20.12 ± 0.55% and 12.35 ± 0.26% at the conditions, respectively. Besides, the best alcohol precipitation conditions were pumping with 2 L/h, stirring continuously, and ice-water bath for 4 h. The crude IHRPs was further purified by column chromatography and the polysaccharide/protein contents of purified IHRPs were 34.44% and 1.61%. IHRPs was mainly made up of ten monosaccharides and some non-sugar components including organic acids, flavonoids, steroids, and glycoside. The FT-IR demonstrated the polysaccharide skeleton of IHRPs. Moreover, the DPPH and ABTS scavenging rate of IHRPs were 76.00% and 99.05% at the concentrations of 1 mg/mL. IHRPs could promote the epidermal cells proliferation and healing of cell scratches. Meanwhile, IHRPs could promoted the expression of anti-aging-related genes. Overall, IHRPs could be a desirable natural source of antioxidants and anti-aging products in many aspects.

A combined microinvasive trans-submandibular and nasendoscopy surgical approach to dissect recurrent or radiotherapy-insensitive nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective

To investigate a novel combined microinvasive trans-submandibular and nasendoscopy surgical approach for nasopharyngeal carcinoma involving the parapharyngeal space.

Methods

Seven patients diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma involving the parapharyngeal space between May 2018 and April 2021, two males and five females, aged 37–63 years.Six of the 7 patients underwent submental flap preparation and dissection of the lymph nodes in the upper neck and parapharyngeal space on the lesion side. The nasopharynx lesions and tumor margins were dissected under nasal endoscopy. The medial boundary of internal carotid artery separated by open cervical approach was used as the lateral boundary of the tumor to realize en bloc resection of the tumor.

Results

The patients were preoperatively diagnosed with T2~3N0M0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma, including mucoepidermoid carcinoma (n=2), papillary adenocarcinoma (n=1), and nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma (n=4). The tumors were removed completely, and patients achieved primary healing of the incision. No recurrence and no serious complications were recorded during the 13–48 month follow-up.

Conclusion

Complete resection of the tumor was obtained in the 7 patients without recurrence and serious complications during the follow-up. The findings of this cohort study suggest that, patients with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy and radiotherapy-insensitive types of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, the combined microinvasive trans-submandibular and nasendoscopy surgical approach may be considered as an surgical options. The results of this study provide an additional option for surgical treatment of NPC in the clinic.

AGBE: a dual deaminase-mediated base editor by fusing CGBE with ABE for creating a saturated mutant population with multiple editing patterns

Establishing saturated mutagenesis in a specific gene through gene editing is an efficient approach for identifying the relationships between mutations and the corresponding phenotypes. CRISPR/Cas9-based sgRNA library screening often creates indel mutations with multiple nucleotides. Single base editors and dual deaminase-mediated base editors can achieve only one and two types of base substitutions, respectively. A new glycosylase base editor (CGBE) system, in which the uracil glycosylase inhibitor (UGI) is replaced with uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG), was recently reported to efficiently induce multiple base conversions, including C-to-G, C-to-T and C-to-A. In this study, we fused a CGBE with ABE to develop a new type of dual deaminase-mediated base editing system, the AGBE system, that can simultaneously introduce 4 types of base conversions (C-to-G, C-to-T, C-to-A and A-to-G) as well as indels with a single sgRNA in mammalian cells. AGBEs can be used to establish saturated mutant populations for verification of the functions and consequences of multiple gene mutation patterns, including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and indels, through high-throughput screening.

Sieving nanometer enantiomers using bound states in the continuum from the metasurface

Enantioseparation of chiral molecules is an important aspect of life sciences, chemical syntheses, and physics. Yet, the prevailing chemical techniques are not effective. Recently, a few types of plasmonic apertures have been theoretically proposed to distinguish between chiral molecules that vary based on their handedness under circularly polarized illumination. Both analytic calculations and numerical simulation demonstrated that enantioselective optical sieving could be obtained at the nanoscale using a large chiral optical force based on plasmonic resonance enhanced near-field chiral gradients in the aperture. Nevertheless, scaling this scheme to chiral entities of a few nanometer size (i.e., proteins and DNA) faces formidable challenges owing to the fabrication limit of a deeply sub-nanometer aperture and the intense power levels needed for nanoscale trapping. In contrast, by extending the Friedrich-Wintgen theory of the bound states in the continuum (BIC) to photonics, one may explore another mechanism to obtain enantioselective separation of chiral nanoparticles using all-dielectric nanostructures. Here, we present a metasurface composed of an array of silicon (Si) nanodisks embedded with off-set holes, which supports a sharp high-quality (Q) magnetic dipolar (MD) resonance originating from a distortion of symmetry-protected BIC, so called quasi-BIC. We, for the very first time, show that such a quasi-BIC MD resonance can markedly improve the chiral lateral force on the paired enantiomers with linearly polarized illumination. This quasi-BIC MD resonance can enhance the chirality density gradient with alternating sign at each octant around the Si nanodisk, while exhibiting a small gradient for the electromagnetic (EM) density. This offers a chiral lateral force that is 1 order larger in magnitude compared to the non-chiral lateral forces on sub-2 nm chiral objects with a chirality parameter of ±0.01. Moreover, the quasi-BIC MD resonance can excite four pairs of diverse optical potential wells (-13k B T) that are distributed uniformly along the outer edge of the resonator, enabling a simultaneous separation of four paired enantiomers. Our proposed dielectric metasurface may move forward the techniques of enantioseparation and enantiopurification, taking a novel perspective to advanced all-optical enantiopure synthesis.

Flap Reconstruction of the Oropharyngeal Defect After Tumor Resection via Combined Transcervical and Transoral Approach in Patients With HPV-Positive and -Negative Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective

To investigate a novel surgical approach of combined transcervical parapharyngeal space (PPS) with the transoral approach to dissect oropharyngeal cancer.

Methods

31 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer and had undergone surgical treatment in Beijing Tongren Hospital during June 2018 and December 2020 were enrolled. All patients were squamous cell carcinoma patients. There were 25 males and 6 females, and the age ranged between 44 and 70 years old. The number of patients with T1, T2, T3, and T4 stage disease was 8, 15, 8, and 0, respectively, according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging method, 8th edition. After the dissection of the submandibular and cervical lymph nodes, the parapharyngeal space was exposed, and the parapharyngeal space lymph node and the outer borderline of the tumor were dissected, and then the inner borderline of the tumor was dissected via a transoral approach; the tumor was dissected en bloc, and the defects were reconstructed with the flap from the neck through the parapharyngeal space.

Results

Among the patients enrolled, 21 were HPV positive and 10 were HPV negative. 8 patients were free of lymph node metastasis. The tumor resection margins were negative in all 31 patients. Safe and sufficient excision of tumors was feasible by this new surgical approach, avoiding complications associated with mandibulotomy or lip-splitting. All patients had no obvious dysfunctions of swallowing and voice. By the time of this follow-up, none died caused by OPSCC, and only two patients suffered from local recurrence. The 3-year survival rate is 100%, and the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate is 84.58%.

Conclusion

The surgical approach of combined transcervical parapharyngeal space with the transoral approach was effective and safe. On this basis, this approach has the advantage of fewer postoperative complications and better functional results.

Identification of key genes associated with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma characteristics by integrating transcriptome sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis

OBJECTIVE

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is the most prevalent histological type of thyroid carcinoma. Despite the overall favorable prognosis of PTMC, some cases exhibit aggressive phenotypes. The identification of robust biomarkers may improve early PTMC diagnosis. In this study, we integrated high-throughput transcriptome sequencing, bioinformatic analyses and experimental validation to identify key genes associated with the malignant characteristics of PTMC.

METHODS

Total RNA was extracted from 24 PTMC samples and 7 non-malignant thyroid tissue samples, followed by RNA sequencing. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and used to construct co-expression networks by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed, and protein-protein interaction networks were constructed. Key modules and hub genes showing a strong correlation with the malignant characteristics of PTMC were identified and validated.

RESULTS

The green-yellow and turquoise modules generated by WGCNA were strongly associated with the malignant characteristics of PTMC. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that genes in the green-yellow module participated in cell motility and metabolism, whereas those in the turquoise module participated in several oncogenic biological processes. Nine real hub genes (FHL1, NDRG2, NEXN, SYNM, COL1A1, FN1, LAMC2, POSTN, and TGFBI) were identified and validated at the transcriptional and translational levels. Our preliminary results indicated their diagnostic potentials in PTMC.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we identified key co-expression modules and nine malignancy-related genes with potential diagnostic value in PTMC.

A murine Skint6 W168X allele contributes to autoimmune disease in a transgenic model

BACKGROUND

The genetic factor is a great driver of systemic lupus erythematosus. A Skint6 W168X allele was previously identified in the murine lupus susceptibility rec1d1 sublocus. The purpose of this study is to investigate the pathogenic role and mechanism of the Skint6 W168X allele in lupus autoimmune disease.

METHODS

The gene-editing CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to generate transgenic models with the Skint6 W168X allele. PCR and Sanger's sequencing techniques were applied to mRNA quantification and DNA sequence detection. Flow cytometry was adopted for immunophenotyping. Pathological evaluation of kidneys and lungs was performed using several immunopathological approaches.

RESULTS

The transgenic models with the Skint6 W168X allele were created, including B6.Skint6^X/X and B6.lpr.Skint6^X/X strains. The B6.lpr.Skint6^X/X mice showed bigger spleen and lymph nodes, more lymphocytes and effector T cell populations, more severe nephritis with more IgG and C3 deposit in glomeruli as well as worse proteinuria, and more severe lung inflammation than control B6.lpr mice. In addition, a skint6 receptor binding Skint6 peptide was identified from T and B lymphocytes. B6.Skint6^X/X mice have lower percentages of skint6 receptor⁺ T and B cells in spleen than B6 mice.

CONCLUSION

The Skint6 W168X allele in murine lupus rec1d1 sublocus was validated to be a pathogenic mutant gene and contributes to autoimmune disease through producing a truncated Skint6 peptide of binding the skint6 receptors on lymphocytes.

Preoperative voice analysis and survival outcomes in papillary thyroid cancer with recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and identify risk factors for postoperative recurrence of PTC with recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) involvement.

METHODS

In total, 171 patients (112 women and 59 men, age: 18-80 years, and 65 patients aged ≥ 55) with T4a PTC with RLN involvement, treated at Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2006 to December 2020, were retrospectively examined. Clinicopathological characteristics, including voice analysis results, and survival outcomes were assessed. The Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H tests were used to analyze differences in acoustic parameters. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free (RFS) rates. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed of the clinical data.

RESULTS

The postoperative follow-up period ranged from 12 to 196 months (mean: 66.18 months). Of the 171 patients, 16 had recurrence and 8 died of thyroid-related diseases. The 5-year OS rate was 95.22%. The 5-year RFS rate was 89.38%. Jitter and shimmer were higher and maximum phonation time was shorter in patients with preoperative vocal cord paralysis (VCP) than in those without RLN involvement, and in those with RLN involvement but without preoperative VCP. Acoustic parameters were similar in patients with no preoperative VCP and those without RLN involvement. Voice analysis results did not differ between cases with RLN adhesion and RLN invasion. Univariate analysis showed that age at onset ≥ 55 years, preoperative RLN palsy, and esophageal invasion were risk factors for postoperative recurrence of PTC with RLN involvement. Multivariate analysis showed that onset age ≥ 55 years (OR 4.52, 95% confidence interval: 1.44-14.19, P = 0.010) was an independent risk factor for recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

PTC patients with RLN invasion can achieve good outcomes. Preoperative voice analysis may offer insights into RLN function. Age of onset ≥ 55 years is an independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence in T4a PTC patients.

Clinical advantages and neuroprotective effects of monitor guided fang's capillary fascia preservation right RLN dissection technique

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the feasibility and advantages of Fang's capillary fascia preservation right recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) dissection technique (F-R-RLN dissection) with preservation of the capillary network and fascia between the RLN and common carotid artery for greater neuroprotective efficiency compared with traditional techniques.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 102 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma undergoing right level VI lymph node dissection in our department from March 2021 to January 2022. Sixty patients underwent F-R-RLN dissection (the experimental group) and 42 patients underwent standard dissection (the control group). The intraoperative electrical signal amplitude ratios of the RLN, the number of dissected lymph nodes, and the preservation rates of the parathyroid glands were recorded and compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The electrical signal amplitude ratio of the lower neck part point of the RLN to the upper laryngeal inlet point in the experimental group was significantly lower than the ratio in the control group (p = 0.006, Z-score = -2.726). One patient suffered transient RLN paralysis in both groups, but this resolved within 1 month after operation. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the number of level VIa or level VIb lymph nodes dissected, nor in the rate of preservation of the parathyroid glands.

CONCLUSIONS

F-R-RLN dissection is a thorough dissection technique that is effective at preventing an electrical signal amplitude decrease in the RLN, and at preventing RLN paralysis by preserving its blood supply.

Effects of High-Intensity Ultrasound Pretreatment on Structure, Properties, and Enzymolysis of Walnut Protein Isolate

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effect of high-intensity ultrasonication (HIU) pretreatment before enzymolysis on structural conformations of walnut protein isolate (WPI) and antioxidant activity of its hydrolysates. Aqueous WPI suspensions were subjected to ultrasonic processing at different power levels (600-2000 W) and times (5-30 min), and then changes in the particle size, zeta (ζ) potential, and structure of WPI were investigated, and antioxidant activity of its hydrolysates was determined. The particle size of the particles of aqueous WPI suspensions was decreased after ultrasound, indicating that sonication destroyed protein aggregates. The ζ-potential values of a protein solution significantly changed after sonication, demonstrating that the original dense structure of the protein was destroyed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated a change in the secondary structure of WPI after sonication, with a decrease in β-turn and an increase in α-helix, β-sheet, and random coil content. Two absorption peaks of WPI were generated, and the fluorescence emission intensity of the proteins decreased after ultrasonic treatment, indicating that the changes in protein tertiary structure occurred. Moreover, the degree of hydrolysis and the antioxidant activity of the WPI hydrolysates increased after sonication. These results suggest that HIU pretreatment is a potential tool for improving the functional properties of walnut proteins.

Transcriptome Analysis Identified 2 New lncRNAs Associated with the Metastasis of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is a specific subgroup of papillary thyroid carcinoma and defined with the dimension ≤1 cm by the WHO. Although it shows a relatively high 10-year livability, the metastasis of PTMC into other tissues and organs seriously affects the daily life of patients with relatively high mortality. Therefore, the genetic basis for the metastasis of PTMC needs to be explored for effective therapeutic targets. Here, we conducted a series of comparative analysis of the transcriptional expression profile between PTMC patients with and without lymph node metastasis.

METHODS

Gene expression profile and gene function were analyzed using RNA extracted from pathological tissues of 12 patients with PTMC, and the core biomarkers closely related to its metastasis were identified.

RESULTS

Our results showed that 7,507 genes and 42 RNAs showed remarkably different expression patterns. More sophisticated analysis showed that the high expression of 2 lncRNAs (T077499 and T004533) resulted in the metastasis of PTMC, which suggests that the expression pattern of the 2 lncRNAs may act as a potential biomarker for pathogenesis and prognosis of PTMC metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Our findings preliminarily reveal the molecular mechanisms for PTMC metastasis, which will provide vital reference for subsequent studies about the genetic basis and molecular targeted therapy for PTMC metastasis.

Silencing long non-coding RNA DLX6-AS1 or restoring microRNA-193b-3p enhances thyroid carcinoma cell autophagy and apoptosis via depressing HOXA1

Long non‐coding RNA DLX6 antisense RNA 1 (DLX6‐AS1) lists a critical position in thyroid carcinoma (TC) development. However, the overall comprehension about DLX6‐AS1, microRNA (miR)‐193b‐3p and homeobox A1 (HOXA1) in TC is not thoroughly enough. Concerning to this, this work is pivoted on DLX6‐AS1/miR‐193b‐3p/HOXA1 axis in TC cell growth and autophagy. TC tissues and adjacent normal thyroid tissues were collected, in which expression of DLX6‐AS1, miR‐193b‐3p and HOXA1 was tested, together with their interactions. TC cells were transfected with DLX6‐AS1/miR‐193b‐3p‐related oligonucleotides or plasmids to test cell growth and autophagy. Tumorigenesis in nude mice was observed. DLX6‐AS1 and HOXA1 were up‐regulated, and miR‐193b‐3p was down‐regulated in TC. Depleted DLX6‐AS1 or restored miR‐193b‐3p disturbed cell growth and promoted autophagy. DLX6‐AS1 targeted miR‐193b‐3p and positively regulated HOXA1. miR‐193b‐3p inhibition mitigated the impaired tumorigenesis induced by down‐regulated DLX6‐AS1. Tumorigenesis in nude mice was consistent with that in cells. It is clear that DLX6‐AS1 depletion hinders TC cell growth and promotes autophagy via up‐regulating miR‐193b‐3p and down‐regulating HOXA1.

Risk factors for local recurrence of early bilateral vocal cord carcinoma treated with transoral CO2 laser microsurgery

BACKGROUND

The incidence of local recurrence after transoral CO₂ laser microsurgery for T1b-T2 glottic carcinoma is relatively low. Multiple risk factors have been described for the development of local recurrence after treatment. However, to date, there is no analysis or systematic review investigating the relationships between clinical and histopathological factors and the appearance of local recurrence after transoral CO₂ laser microsurgery in T1b-T2 glottic carcinoma patients.

AIMS/OBJECTIVE

To investigate risk factors for local recurrence after CO₂ laser surgery in T1b-T2 glottic carcinoma involving bilateral vocal cords.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively studied patients undergoing CO₂ laser surgery for T1b-T2 glottic carcinoma involving bilateral vocal cords. Multiple follow-up laryngoscopies and computed tomographies were performed. Main outcome measures: survival rate, local recurrence rate, and independent risk factors for recurrence.

RESULTS

All 85 patients (83 male; age, 63.33 ± 10.59 years; 36 T1b and 49 T2 lesions; 28 cases with and 57 without anterior commissure (AC) involvement) survived; 15 exhibited postoperative local recurrence. Recurrence rates differed between the following groups: patients without (6/57) versus patients with AC involvement (9/28) (p = .007); patients with negative (11/77) versus positive resection margins (4/8) (p = .014); p53-negative (5/51) versus p53-positive patients (10/34) (p = .0132). AC involvement, positive resection margins, and p53 expression were independent risk factors for recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with stage T1b and T2 glottic carcinoma with AC involvement, positive resection margins, and p53 expression should be followed up at shorter intervals.

SIGNIFICANCE

This article provided valid clinical data for risk factors for local recurrence after CO₂ laser surgery for T1b-T2 glottic carcinoma involving bilateral vocal cords.

Coupling characteristics analysis of micro-emulsion cutting fluid for thickness on-machine measurement using ultrasonic

Stable and reliable coupling state between piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer and tested workpiece is very important for ultrasonic measurement. Traditional coupling agents need to be smeared manually or recycled separately, which cannot meet the requirement of on-machine thickness measurement by ultrasonic. Herein, a suitable coupling agent is selected for thickness on-machine measurement in industrial application of ultrasonics. The acoustic impedance and the attenuation coefficient are adopted to characterize the coupling effect of coupling agents and appropriate coupled flow field is selected theoretically. The experimental system of ultrasonic on-machine measurement is established with external circulating jet. The coupling characteristics of machining coolant liquid is calculated and analyzed. From experimental comparison with commonly used coupling agents, it is indicated that the micro-emulsion cutting fluid with volume concentration from 8% to 10% could be selected as compatible coupling agent for ultrasonic on-machine measurement, because it can not only meet the ultrasonic measurement requirements, but also perform friendly to industrial environment.

[Clinical analysis and surgical discussion of juvenile ossifying fibroma in nasal root]

Objective:To analyze the clinical features of juvenile ossifying fibroma in nasal root and to compare different surgical methods. Methods:Seven cases of juvenile ossifying fibroma occurring in the nasal root were treated via surgery, 5 cases were resected under nasal endoscopy guided by Image Guidance System-based electromagnetic navigation, and 2 cases were resected by lateral nasal butterfly incision. Postoperative follow-up included endoscopy and CT scan of the sinuses. Results:The pathological results of 7 patients were consistent with juvenile ossifying fibroma. Follow-up period ranged from 6 to 45 months, and there were no recurrence or surgical complications. Conclusion:Surgery is the only effective treatment. Endoscopic sinus surgery with image navigation and lateral nasal butterfly incision resection has been deemed available. The external nasal butterfly incision has less bleeding and shorter operation time, but with mild nasal face swelling after surgery, and nasal endoscopy is a surgical method with less damage.

A reconfigurable hyperbolic metamaterial perfect absorber

Metamaterial (MM) perfect absorbers are realised over various spectra from visible to microwave. Recently, different approaches have been explored to integrate tunability into MM absorbers. Particularly, tuning has been illustrated through electrical-, thermal-, and photo-induced changes to the permittivity of the active medium within MM absorbers. However, the intricate design, expensive nanofabrication process, and the volatile nature of the active medium limit the widespread applications of MM absorbers. Metal-dielectric stack layered hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) have recently attracted much attention due to their extraordinary optical properties and rather simple design. Herein, we experimentally realised a reconfigurable HMM perfect absorber based on alternating gold (Au) and Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (GST225) layers for the near-infrared (N-IR) region. It shows that a red-shift of 500 nm of the absorptance peak can be obtained by changing the GST225 state from amorphous to crystalline. The nearly perfect absorptance is omnidirectional and polarisation-independent. Additionally, the absorptance peak can be reversibly switched in just five nanoseconds by re-amorphising the GST225, enabling a dynamically reconfigurable HMM absorber. Experimental data are validated numerically using the finite-difference time-domain method. The absorber fabricated using our strategy has advantages of being reconfigurable, uncomplicated, and lithography-free over conventional MM absorbers, which may open up a new path for applications in energy harvesting, photodetectors, biochemical sensing, and thermal camouflage techniques.

A novel seven-gene panel predicts the sensitivity and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with platinum-based radio(chemo)therapy

PURPOSE

The aim of the study is to identify a reliable gene panel to predict the prognosis of HNSCC patients by integrated genomic analysis.

METHODS

Co-expression gene networks were constructed by WGCNA using GSE113282 gene expression profile. The biological functional investigation was performed by GO and KEGG function enrichment analysis. The hub gene module was screened by PPI. The prognostic gene panel was established by Lasso regression analysis, and further progression-free survival (PFS) analysis was validated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis using GSE102995 data.

RESULTS

We identified 195 genes associated with the overall survival (OS) status (correlation coefficients: - 0.42, and p value: 2e-05) by WGCNA. These genes were enriched in immune-related cytokines and pathways analyzed by GO and KEGG. Among the 195 genes, the module (42 genes) with the highest score was screened by PPI. A novel seven-gene predictive panel (CD19, CD40LG, CD5, CXCR6, FPR2, NCAM1, and SELL) was established by Lasso regression analysis, and the area under ROC curve (AUC) for 3-year OS status was 0.8298 and 0.7571, respectively, in the training set and the test set. The PFS time of the low-risk patients was significantly longer than the high-risk patients (p < 0.0001; log-rank test) by further validation using GSE102995 data.

CONCLUSION

The seven-gene panel may serve as a reliable predictive tool for HNSCC patients treated with platinum-based radio (chemo) therapy, and may be potential therapeutic targets for HNSCC patients.

[A single-arm prospective study on induction chemotherapy and subsequent comprehensive therapy for advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: report of 260 cases in a single center]

Objective: To study the significance of induction chemotherapy and subsequent comprehensive therapy for overall survival rate (OS) and larynx dysfunction-free survival rate (LDFS) in patients with advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: Patients who met the inclusion criteria with the diagnoses of advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma between 2011 and 2017 received 2 or 3 cycles of TPF regimen induction chemotherapy. Patients who attained complete response (CR) received radical chemotherapy. Patients who attained partial response (PR) and the reduction of tumor volume was more than 70% were defined as large PR and received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. When the tumor volume reduction of PR patients was less than 70%, they were defined as small PR. (CR+large PR) group was defined as effective group. Patients who did not reach CR and large PR were defined as uneffective group and underwent radical surgery and received adjuvant radiotherapy as appropriate after the surgery. The end points of the study were OS, progression-free survival (PFS) and LDFS. Chi-square (χ(2)) test was used for correlation analysis. Survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan-Meier method with a Log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards model was used for univariate and multivariate survival analysis. Results: A total of 260 patients were enrolled in the study. The follow-up period ranged from 5 to 83 months, with an average of 24.7 months. The 3-year and 5-year OS rate was 46.0% and 32.6%, respectively. The 3-year and 5-year PFS rate was 41.0% and 26.6%, respectively. The 3-year and 5-year LDFS rate was 37.9% and 24.8%, respectively. Poor outcome of induction chemotherapy, advanced N stage, strong positive Ki-67 immunohistochemistry (all P<0.001) were negative prognostic factors. The advanced clinical stage was positively related to the poor outcome of induction chemotherapy (P=0.015). There was no significant difference in OS and PFS between the large PR group and the small PR group (all P>0.005). Conclusion: TPF regimen induction chemotherapy and subsequent comprehensive therapy for patients with advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma may improve the quality of life of patients, with high OS rate and LDFS rate.