CT venography combined with ultrasound-guided minimally invasive treatment for recurrent varicose veins: a pilot paired-design clinical trial

AIM

To compare 1-year outcomes of computed tomography venography (CTV) combined with ultrasound-guided minimally invasive treatment with ascending phlebography and ultrasound-guided treatment for recurrent varicose veins.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients with unilateral recurrent varicose veins were matched by gender, age, C classification, and degree of obesity, and randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either CTV (CTV group) or ascending phlebography (control group) combined with ultrasound-guided minimally invasive treatment. Patients were followed up by clinical and ultrasound examination. Follow-up was scheduled at 1 week, and 3, 6, and 12 months. The primary outcome measure was the Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) at 12 months. Measures of secondary outcome included Chronic Insufficiency Venous International Questionnaire-20 (CIVIQ-20) score, recurrence of varicose vein or ulcer during 12 months, ulcer healing time, detection and location of treated veins.

RESULTS

Eighty patients were enrolled. Median VCSS in the CTV group was lower than it in the control group (p=0.04) and the CIVIQ-20 score was higher than the control group (p=0.02). By 12 months, no symptomatically recurrent varicose veins or ulcers had occurred. The ulcer healing time in CTV group was shorter (p<0.01). A greater number of patients had treated veins detected using CTV than by ascending venography (p=0.01), especially among patients with recurrence reflux veins in the groin, perineum, and vulva (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

CTV combined with ultrasound may be more helpful than ascending phlebography combined with ultrasound to improve treatment efficacy for recurrent varices. These results should be verified by an future study with more patients and long-term follow-up.

[Comparison of the clinical efficacy of all-inside arthroscopic lateral ligament augmentation procedure and Broström procedure for the treatment of chronic lateral rotational ankle instability]

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of patients with chronic lateral rotational ankle instability(CLRAI) after all-inside arthroscopic lateral ligament augmentation procedure and Broström procedure. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. The clinical and imaging data of 106 CLRAI patients were collected at the Xuzhou Central Hospital from January 2021 to December 2022. The patients included 55 males and 51 females with an age of (32.6±8.2) years (range: 16 to 50 years). All patients were treated under all-inside arthroscopic, and were divided into Broström-Gould surgery group (n=54) and Broström surgery group (n=52) according to different ligament repair methods. At 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery, ankle inversion stress tests and anterior drawer tests were used to examine the stability of the ankle joint and observe gait. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle hindfoot scale (AOFAS-AH) and Karlsson ankle function score (KAFS) were used to assess ankle function; Tegner score was used to assess the patient's level of exercise; the foot and ankle outcome score(FAOS)(including score of symptoms,pain,function, daily living,function, sports and recreational activities (sport); quality of life (QOL)) was used to assess the patient's daily activity ability. Comparisons of data were made using independent sample t test, repeated measures analysis of variance, LSD multiple comparison method, χ2 test or Mann-Whitney U test. Results: All operations were successfully accomplished. All incisions healed by first intention, without evidence of postoperative complications of implant rejection, ligation reaction, and nerve and vessel injury. All patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Ankle varus stress test and anterior drawer test were negative. No evidence supporting lateral ankle instability was obtained. All patients eventually regained normal gait. No patients underwent revision surgery. Repeated measurement analysis of variance showed that AOFAS-AH, Tegner, KAFS and FAOS scores in the Brostrom-Gould group and the Brostrom group were significantly higher than those before surgery (P<0.01). The change trends of Tegner score and FAOS-sport score were significantly different between the two groups (F=18.839, P<0.01; F=8.169, P=0.005). Multiple comparisons revealed that at 3-, 6-and 12-month follow-up, the Tegner scores ((3 months: 3.7±0.5 vs. 3.3±0.5, t=-3.980, P<0.01; 6 months: 4.4±0.6 vs. 3.8±0.7, t=-4.792,P<0.01;12 months: 5.8±0.9 vs. 5.1±1.0, t=-3.889,P<0.01)), sport scores ((3 months: 82.5±3.7 vs. 79.3±3.8, LSD-t=-4.316, P<0.01; 6 months: 88.5±4.9 vs. 85.7±3.8, LSD-t=-3.312,P=0.001;12 months: 90.1±4.3 vs. 88.2±5.1, LSD-t=-2.112,P=0.037)) in the Broström-Gould surgery group were higher than those in the Broström surgery group, with statistical significances. Conclusions: Both Broström-Gould and Broström procedures under all-inside arthroscopic can make ankle stability and improve ankle function in the treatment of CLRAI. However, the former maybe shorten the time to return to exercise and achieve higher motor function.

[Clinical status and challenges of new drugs for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease]

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) is a major public health problem that seriously affects human health. At present, some good progress has been made in the research and development of new drugs for MASLD, but there is still great space for exploration. This paper summarizes and analyzes the reasons in the current clinical status and challenges for the research and development of new drugs for MASLD.

Effectiveness of acupuncture in the governor vessel and Yangming meridian for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Acupuncture of the governor vessel and Yangming meridian are widely used in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the optimal meridian for acupuncture in the treatment of AIS remains uncertain.

PURPOSE

This network meta-analysis study aimed to compare the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture at governor vessel and Yangming meridian in the treatment of AIS.

METHODS

All relevant studies published in CNKI, WANFANG, VIP, Sinomed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Pub Med, and Embase before January 13, 2024 were systematically retrieved. The two researchers independently screened the studies and extracted the data. Cochrane ROB tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies, and Stata 14.0 software was used to conduct a network meta-analysis of neurological deficit score, activities of daily living (ADL), clinical effective rate and Fugl-meyer motor function evaluation (FMA).

RESULTS

A total of 401 studies were obtained, and 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values of the four outcome indexes were all ranked by "Governor vessel acupuncture + Conventional neurology treatment(GVAc+CT) > Yangming meridian acupuncture + Conventional neurology treatment(YMAc+CT) > Conventional neurology treatment (CT)". Compared to YMAc+CT and CT, GVAc+CT had the best effect in reducing the degree of neurological deficit score (SMD = -0.72, 95%CI = [-1.22,-0.21] and SMD = -1.07,95%CI = [-1.45,-0.69], respectively) and promoting the recovery of ADL((SMD = 0.59,95%CI = [0.31,0.88] and SMD = 0.96,95%CI = [0.70,1.21], respectively). Compared to CT, GVAc+CT also had a better clinical effective rate in the treatment of AIS (RR = 1.14,95%CI = [1.04,1.25]).

CONCLUSIONS

Governor vessel acupuncture combined with conventional neurology treatment has the best effect in reducing the degree of neurological deficit score and promoting the recovery of ADL in AIS patientscompared to YMAc+CT and CT. Governor Vessel acupuncture is the most preferable acupoint scheme for clinical acupuncture treatment of AIS.

First Measurement of η Meson Production in Neutrino Interactions on Argon with MicroBooNE

We present a measurement of η production from neutrino interactions on argon with the MicroBooNE detector. The modeling of resonant neutrino interactions on argon is a critical aspect of the neutrino oscillation physics program being carried out by the DUNE and Short Baseline Neutrino programs. η production in neutrino interactions provides a powerful new probe of resonant interactions, complementary to pion channels, and is particularly suited to the study of higher-order resonances beyond the Δ(1232). We measure a flux-integrated cross section for neutrino-induced η production on argon of 3.22±0.84(stat)±0.86(syst) 10^{-41}  cm^{2}/nucleon. By demonstrating the successful reconstruction of the two photons resulting from η production, this analysis enables a novel calibration technique for electromagnetic showers in GeV accelerator neutrino experiments.

Body mass index's effect on CRSwNP extends to pathological endotype and recurrence

BACKGROUND

Elevated body mass index (BMI) has been recognized as an important contributor to corticosteroid insensitivity in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). We aimed to delineate the effects of elevated BMI on immunological endotype and recurrence in CRSwNP individuals.

METHODOLOGY

A total of 325 patients with CRSwNP undergoing FESS were recruited and stratified by BMI. H&E staining was employed for histological evaluation. Characteristics of inflammatory patterns were identified by immunohistochemical staining. The predictive factors for recurrence were determined and evaluated by multivariable logistic regression analysis and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves across all subjects and by weight group.

RESULTS

In all patients with CRSwNP, 26.15% subjects were classified as overweight/obese group across BMI categories and exhibited a higher symptom burden. The upregulated eosinophil/neutrophil-dominant cellular endotype and amplified type 2/ type 3 coexisting inflammation was present in overweight/obese compared to underweight/normal weight controls. Additionally, a higher recurrent proportion was shown in overweight/obese patients than that in underweight/normal weight cohorts. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified BMI as an independent predictor for recurrence. The predictive capacity of each conventional parameter (tissue eosinophil and CLCs count, and blood eosinophil percentage) alone or in combination was poor in overweight/obese subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Overweight/obese CRSwNP stands for a unique phenotype and endotype. Conventional parameters predicting recurrence are compromised in overweight/obese CRSwNP, and there is an urgent need for novel biomarkers that predict recurrence for these patients.

SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization by Cell Membrane-Coated Antifouling Nanoparticles

The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has indisputably wreaked havoc on societies worldwide, compelling the scientific community to seek urgently needed therapeutic agents with low-cost and low-side effect profiles. Numerous approaches have been investigated in the quest to prevent or treat COVID-19, but many of them exhibit unwelcome side effects, such as dysfunctional viral immune responses and inflammation. Herein, we present the preparation of solid natural human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cell (ATII) membrane-coated PLGA NPs (PLGA NPs@ATII-M), which demonstrate remarkable affinity and competitiveness to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein-coated NPs (SCMMA NPs-S1), which are employed as a surrogate for coronavirus particles. In addition, we first considered the antifouling properties of these types of NPs, and we found that this membrane-coated NP formulation boasts excellent antifouling capabilities, which serve to protect their neutralization properties out of shielding by protein coronas in blood circulation. Moreover, this formulation is easily prepared and stored with a low-cost profile and exhibits good specificity, high targeting efficiency, and potentially side effect avoiding, thus making it a highly promising candidate for COVID-19 treatment.

Nano-induced endothelial leakiness-reversing nanoparticles for targeting, penetration and restoration of endothelial cell barrier

Nano-induced endothelial leakiness (NanoEL) can improve the ability of nanoparticles (NPs) to enter the tumor environment, nevertheless, it can inadvertently trigger adverse effects such as tumor metastasis. To overcome these concerns, it becomes important to develop a NPs design strategy that capitalizes on the NanoEL effect while averting unwanted side effects during the drug delivery process. Herein, we introduce the PLGA-ICG-PEI-Ang1@M NP which has a core comprising poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and the inner shell with a highly positively charged polyethyleneimine (PEI) and the anti-permeability growth factor Angiopoietin 1 (Ang1), while the outer shell is camouflaged with a Jurkat cell membrane. During the drug delivery process, our NPs exhibit their capability to selectively target and penetrate endothelial cell layers. Once the NPs penetrate the endothelial layer, the proton sponge effect triggered by PEI in the acidic environment surrounding the tumor site can rupture the cell membrane on the NPs' surface. This rupture, in turn, enables the positively charged Ang1 to be released due to the electrostatic repulsion from PEI and the disrupted endothelial layer can be restored. Consequently, the designed NPs can penetrate endothelial layers, promote the cell layer recovery, restrict the tumor metastasis, and facilitate efficient cancer therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE.

Search for Heavy Neutral Leptons in Electron-Positron and Neutral-Pion Final States with the MicroBooNE Detector

We present the first search for heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) decaying into νe^{+}e^{-} or νπ^{0} final states in a liquid-argon time projection chamber using data collected with the MicroBooNE detector. The data were recorded synchronously with the NuMI neutrino beam from Fermilab's main injector corresponding to a total exposure of 7.01×10^{20} protons on target. We set upper limits at the 90% confidence level on the mixing parameter |U_{μ4}|^{2} in the mass ranges 10≤m_{HNL}≤150  MeV for the νe^{+}e^{-} channel and 150≤m_{HNL}≤245  MeV for the νπ^{0} channel, assuming |U_{e4}|^{2}=|U_{τ4}|^{2}=0. These limits represent the most stringent constraints in the mass range 35 Collapse

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Affiliation(s)

P Abratenko Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
O Alterkait Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
D Andrade Aldana Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, Illinois 60616, USA
L Arellano The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
J Asaadi University of Texas, Arlington, Texas 76019, USA
A Ashkenazi Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, 69978
S Balasubramanian Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
B Baller Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
G Barr University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RH, United Kingdom
D Barrow University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RH, United Kingdom
J Barrow Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, 69978
V Basque Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
O Benevides Rodrigues Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, Illinois 60616, USA
S Berkman Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
A Bhanderi The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
A Bhat University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
M Bhattacharya Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
M Bishai Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
A Blake Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom
B Bogart University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
T Bolton Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
J Y Book Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
M B Brunetti University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
L Camilleri Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
Y Cao The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
D Caratelli University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
F Cavanna Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
G Cerati Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
A Chappell University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
Y Chen SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
J M Conrad Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
M Convery SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
L Cooper-Troendle University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
J I Crespo-Anadón Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid E-28040, Spain
R Cross University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
M Del Tutto Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
S R Dennis University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
P Detje University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
A Devitt Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom
R Diurba Universität Bern, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland
Z Djurcic Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
R Dorrill Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, Illinois 60616, USA
K Duffy University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RH, United Kingdom
S Dytman University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
B Eberly University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine 04104, USA
P Englezos Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
A Ereditato University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
J J Evans The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
R Fine Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
O G Finnerud The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
W Foreman Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, Illinois 60616, USA
B T Fleming University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
D Franco University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
A P Furmanski University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
F Gao University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
D Garcia-Gamez Universidad de Granada, Granada E-18071, Spain
S Gardiner Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
G Ge Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
S Gollapinni Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
E Gramellini The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
P Green University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RH, United Kingdom
H Greenlee Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
L Gu Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom
W Gu Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
R Guenette The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
P Guzowski The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
L Hagaman University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
O Hen Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
C Hilgenberg University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
G A Horton-Smith Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
Z Imani Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
B Irwin University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
M Ismail University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
C James Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
X Ji Nankai University, Nankai District, Tianjin 300071, China
J H Jo Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
R A Johnson University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, USA
Y-J Jwa Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
D Kalra Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
N Kamp Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
G Karagiorgi Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
W Ketchum Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
M Kirby Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
T Kobilarcik Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
I Kreslo Universität Bern, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland
M B Leibovitch University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
I Lepetic Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
J-Y Li University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
K Li Wright Laboratory, Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
Y Li Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
K Lin Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
B R Littlejohn Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, Illinois 60616, USA
H Liu Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
W C Louis Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
X Luo University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
C Mariani Center for Neutrino Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Viriginia 24061, USA
D Marsden The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
J Marshall University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
N Martinez Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
D A Martinez Caicedo South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT), Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, USA
S Martynenko Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
A Mastbaum Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
I Mawby University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
N McConkey University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
V Meddage Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
J Micallef Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
K Miller University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
A Mogan Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
T Mohayai Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
M Mooney Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
A F Moor University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
C D Moore Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
L Mora Lepin The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
M M Moudgalya The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
S Mulleriababu Universität Bern, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland
D Naples University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
A Navrer-Agasson The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
N Nayak Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
M Nebot-Guinot University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
J Nowak Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom
N Oza Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
O Palamara Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
N Pallat University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
V Paolone University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
A Papadopoulou Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
V Papavassiliou New Mexico State University (NMSU), Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA
H B Parkinson University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
S F Pate New Mexico State University (NMSU), Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA
N Patel Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom
Z Pavlovic Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
E Piasetzky Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, 69978
I Pophale Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom
X Qian Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
J L Raaf Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
V Radeka Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
A Rafique Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
M Reggiani-Guzzo University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
L Ren New Mexico State University (NMSU), Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA
L Rochester SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
J Rodriguez Rondon South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT), Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, USA
M Rosenberg Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
M Ross-Lonergan Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
C Rudolf von Rohr Universität Bern, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland
I Safa Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
G Scanavini Wright Laboratory, Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
D W Schmitz University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
A Schukraft Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
W Seligman Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
M H Shaevitz Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
R Sharankova Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
J Shi University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
E L Snider Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
M Soderberg Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA
S Söldner-Rembold The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
J Spitz University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
M Stancari Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
J St John Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
T Strauss Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
A M Szelc University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
W Tang University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
N Taniuchi University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
K Terao SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
C Thorpe Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
D Torbunov Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
D Totani University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
M Toups Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
Y-T Tsai SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
J Tyler Kansas State University (KSU), Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
M A Uchida University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
T Usher SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
B Viren Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
M Weber Universität Bern, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland
H Wei Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
A J White University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
S Wolbers Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
T Wongjirad Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
M Wospakrik Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
K Wresilo University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
W Wu University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
E Yandel University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
T Yang Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
L E Yates Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
H W Yu Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA
G P Zeller Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
J Zennamo Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510, USA
C Zhang Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973, USA

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[A study of the clinical curative effect of nucleos(t)ide analogues treated to pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To investigate the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance condition and its predictive factors after treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues to pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis B who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2018~2019 were prospectively enrolled. HBsAg≤ 1500 IU/mL, hepatitis B e antigen-negative, HBV DNA undetectable, received antiviral treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues for at least one year, and pegylated interferon-α add-on therapy for 48 weeks were included. The primary endpoint of study was to determine the proportion of HBsAg clearance at 72 weeks. Concurrently, the predictive factors for HBsAg clearance were analyzed. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using a t-test or non-parametric test and a Fisher's exact test. Results: A total of 38 cases were included in this study, of which 13 cases obtained HBsAg clearance at 48 weeks of therapy and another six cases obtained HBsAg clearance throughout the extended treatment period of 72 weeks, accounting for 50.00% of all enrolled patients. There was a significant difference in HBsAg dynamics between the HBsAg clearance group and the non-clearance group (P < 0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients' age, baseline, 12-and 24-week HBsAg levels, and early HBsAg reduction were predictive factors for HBsAg clearance at 72 weeks of treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.311; P = 0.016; 95% confidence interval: 1.051~1.635) and HBsAg levels at 24 weeks of treatment (OR = 4.481; P = 0.004; 95% confidence interval: 1.634~12.290) were independent predictors for HBsAg clearance. Conclusion: Hepatitis B e antigen-negative, nucleos(t)ide analogue treated, HBsAg ≤ 1500 IU/mL, and HBV DNA undetectable, peg-IFNα add-on treatment for 48 weeks could promote HBsAg clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Six of the sixteen cases (37.50%) who did not obtain HBsAg clearance at week 48 did so with the course of therapy extended to week 72. Hence, the optimal individualized treatment strategy should be customized according to the predictors rather than the fixed 48-week course. Age (≤ 38), baseline HBsAg level (≤2.86 log(10)IU/ml), HBsAg level at 24 weeks (≤ 0.92 log(10)IU/ml), and 12-week HBsAg decrease from baseline (≥ 0.67 log(10)IU/ml) indicate that patients are highly likely to obtain HBsAg clearance at the 72 weeks of combination therapy, in which the combined indicator based on HBsAg level ≤0.92 log(10)IU/ml at 24 weeks will identify 85.0% to 100.0% of patients with HBsAg clearance.

[Preliminary insights into the practice of hypoallergenic home visiting program]

Allergic diseases affect about 40% of the world's population. Environmental factors are important in the occurrence and development of allergic diseases. Dust mites are one of the most important allergens in the indoor environment. The World Health Organization proposes the "four-in-one, combination of prevention and treatment" treatment principle for allergic diseases, in which environmental control to avoid or reduce allergens is the first choice for treatment. Modern people spend much more time at home (including sleeping) than outdoors, and the control of the home environment is particularly critical. This practice introduces the hypoallergenic home visit program, which including home environment assessment, environmental and behavioral intervention guidance, and common household hypoallergenic supplies and service guidance for the patient's home environment. The real-time semi-quantitative testing of dust mite allergens, qualitative assessments of other indoor allergens, record of patients' household items and lifestyle, and precise, individualized patient prevention and control education will be conducted. The hypoallergenic home visit program improves the doctors' diagnosis and treatment data dimension, and becomes a patient management tool for doctors outside the hospital. It also helps patients continue to scientifically avoid allergens and irritants in the environment, effectively build a hypoallergenic home environment, reduce exposure to allergens in the home environment, and achieve the goal of combining the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.

Causal relationship between telomere length and epilepsy: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

OBJECTIVE

Observational studies have suggested a link between telomere length (TL) and epilepsy, but the direction of the effect and whether it is causal or not is still being debated. The objective of this study was to investigate the causal relationship between TL and epilepsy using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

METHODS

We performed a bidirectional two-sample MR analysis using pooled statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of TL and epilepsy. Additionally, we conducted a replication analysis using data from another GWAS study on epilepsy to validate our findings. The final results were analyzed using five MR methods, with the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method as the primary outcome. We applied methods such as radial MR, MR pleiotropy residual and outlier test and MR Steiger filters to exclude outliers. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy.

RESULTS

Our analysis found no evidence of a causal relationship between epilepsy and TL (all p-values >0.05). The sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of these results.

SIGNIFICANCE

In summary, our study contradicts existing observational reports by not finding any evidence to support a causal relationship between epilepsy and TL. Further research is necessary to determine the underlying mechanism behind the association observed in observational studies.

[Relation factor analysis for the short-term preservation of ipsilateral renal function after partial nephrectomy]

Objectives: To analyze the factors relative to the short-term preservation of ipsilateral renal function after partial nephrectomy. Methods: The clinical data of 83 patients who were treated with partial nephrectomy from December 2014 to December 2019 in the Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were retrospectively analyzed. There were 54 males and 29 females, aging (M (IQR)) 49 (17) years (range: 27 to 74 years). The ischemia time in operation was 25 (18) minutes (range: 10 to 67 minutes). Emission computed tomography scan and CT scan were performed before (within 1 month) and after (3 to 12 months) surgery. The volume of the ipsilateral and contralateral kidney was measured on the basis of preoperative and postoperative CT scans. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) specifically in each kidney was estimated by emission computed tomography. Recovery from ischemia is determined by the formula: GFR preservation/volume saved×100%. Linear regression was used to explore the factors ralative to the short-term preservation of ipsilateral renal function after partial nephrectomy. Results: The GFR preservation of the ipsilateral kidney was 80.9 (25.2) % (range: 31.0% to 109.4%). The volume loss of the kidney resulted in a decrease of 12.0% (5.8 ml/(min×1.96 m2)) of GFR, while the ischemic injury resulted in a decrease of 6.5% (2.5 ml/(min×1.96 m2)) of GFR. The volume saved from the ipsilateral kidney was 87.1 (12.9) % (range: 27.0% to 131.7%). Recovery from ischemia was 93.5 (17.5) % (range:44.3% to 178.3%). In multivariate analysis, GFR preservation of the ipsilateral kidney was significantly correlated with the volume saved of the ipsilateral kidney (β=0.383, 95%CI: 0.144 to 0.622, P=0.002). It was not related to the ischemia time (β=0.046, 95%CI:-0.383 to 0.475, P=0.831). Conclusion: In the condition of limited ischemic time, in the short term ipsilateral renal function after partial nephrectomy is mainly determined by the loss of kidney volume, while ischemic injury only plays a minor role.

Causal relationship between depression and aging: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

The causal relationship and the direction of the effect between depression and aging remain controversial.

METHODS

We used a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis to examine the relationship between depression and age proxy indicators. We obtained pooled statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on depression and the age proxy indicators. We employed five MR analysis methods to address potential biases and ensure robustness of our results, with the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method being the primary outcome. We also conducted outlier exclusion using Radial MR, MRPRESSO, and MR Steiger filters. Additionally, sensitivity analyses were performed to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy.

RESULTS

Our MR analysis revealed that depression causally leads to shortened telomere length (β = - 0.014; P = 0.038), increased frailty index (β = 0.076; P = 0.000), and accelerated GrimAge (β = 0.249; P = 0.024). Furthermore, our findings showed that the frailty index (OR = 1.679; P = 0.001) was causally associated with an increased risk of depression. Additionally, we found that appendicular lean mass (OR = 0.929; P = 0.000) and left-hand grip strength (OR = 0.836; P = 0.014) were causally associated with a reduced risk of depression. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated the robustness of our findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides evidence that depression contributes to the accelerated aging process, resulting in decreased telomere length, increased frailty index, and accelerated GrimAge. Additionally, we found that the frailty index increases the risk of depression, while appendicular lean mass and left-handed grip strength reduce the risk of depression.

Micronano Titanium Accelerates Mesenchymal Stem Cells Aging through the Activation of Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype

Stem cell senescence is one of the most representative events of organism aging and is responsible for many physiological abnormalities and disorders. In the scenario of orthopedic disease treatment, stem cell aging may affect the implantation outcome and even lead to operation failure. To explore whether stem cell aging will affect the osteointegration effect of titanium implant, a widely used micronano titanium (MNT) was fabricated. We first verified the expected osteointegration effect of the MNT, which could be attributed to the improvement of stem cell adhesion and osteogenic differentiation. Then, we obtained aged-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and studied their biological behaviors on MNT both in vitro and in vivo. We found that compared with normal rats, MNT did not significantly improve the osteointegration in aged rats. Compared with normal rats, fewer endogenous stem cells were observed at the implant-host interface, and the expression of p21 (senescence marker) was also higher. We further confirmed that MNT promoted the nuclear localization of NF-κB in senescent stem cells through the activation of p38 MAPK, thereby inducing the occurrence of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and ultimately leading to the depletion of the stem-cell pool at the implant-host interface. However, the activation of p38 MAPK can still promote the osteogenic differentiation of nonsenescent BMSCs. These results showed an interesting paradoxical balance between osteogenesis and senescence on MNT surfaces and also provided insights for the design of orthopedic implants for aging patients.

[Molecular detection and subtyping of Blastocystis sp. in pigs in Anhui Province]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in pigs in Anhui Province.

METHODS

A total of 500 stool samples were collected from large-scale pig farms in Bozhou, Anqing, Chuzhou, Hefei, Fuyang, and Lu'an cities in Anhui Province from October to December 2015. Blastocystis was detected in pig stool samples using a PCR assay based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene, and positive samples were subjected to sequencing and sequence analysis. Blastocystis subtypes were characterized in the online PubMLST database, and verified using phylogenetic tree created with the neighbor-joining algorithm in the Meta software.

RESULTS

The prevalence of Blastocystis infection was 43.2% (216/500) in pigs in 6 cities of Anhui Province, and all pig farms were tested positive for Blastocystis. There was a region-specific prevalence rate of Blastocystis (17.2% to 50.0%) (χ2 = 26.084, P < 0.01), and there was a significant difference in the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. among nursery pigs (39.6%), preweaned pigs (19.1%), and growing pigs (62.3%) (χ2 = 74.951, P < 0.01). Both online inquiry and phylogenetic analysis revealed ST1, ST3, and ST5 subtypes in pigs, with ST5 as the predominant subtype.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of Blastocystis sp. is high in pigs in Anhui Province, with three zoonotic subtypes identified, including ST1, ST3, and ST5.

Modulation of cell cycle increases CRISPR-mediated homology-directed DNA repair

BACKGROUND

Gene knock-in (KI) in animal cells via homology-directed repair (HDR) is an inefficient process, requiring a laborious work for screening from few modified cells. HDR tends to occur in the S and G2/M phases of cell cycle; therefore, strategies that enhance the proportion of cells in these specific phases could improve HDR efficiency.

RESULTS

We used various types of cell cycle inhibitors to synchronize the cell cycle in S and G2/M phases in order to investigate their effect on regulating CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HDR. Our results indicated that the four small molecules-docetaxel, irinotecan, nocodazole and mitomycin C-promoted CRISPR/Cas9-mediated KI with different homologous donor types in various animal cells. Moreover, the small molecule inhibitors enhanced KI in animal embryos. Molecular analysis identified common signal pathways activated during crosstalk between cell cycle and DNA repair. Synchronization of the cell cycle in the S and G2/M phases results in CDK1/CCNB1 protein accumulation, which can initiate the HDR process by activating HDR factors to facilitate effective end resection of CRISPR-cleaved double-strand breaks. We have demonstrated that augmenting protein levels of factors associated with the cell cycle via overexpression can facilitate KI in animal cells, consistent with the effect of small molecules.

CONCLUSION

Small molecules that induce cell cycle synchronization in S and G2/M phases promote CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HDR efficiency in animal cells and embryos. Our research reveals the common molecular mechanisms that bridge cell cycle progression and HDR activity, which will inform further work to use HDR as an effective tool for preparing genetically modified animals or for gene therapy.

[Efficacy and safety analysis of the zanubrutinib-based bridging regimen in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma]

Objective: To further elucidate the clinical efficacy and safety of a combination regimen based on the BTK inhibitor zebutanil bridging CD19 Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) in the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL) . Methods: Twenty-one patients with high-risk r/r DLBCL were treated with a zanubrutinib-based regimen bridging CAR-T between June 2020 and June 2023 at the Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, and the efficacy and safety were retrospectively analyzed. Results: All 21 patients were enrolled, and the median age was 57 years (range: 38-76). Fourteen patients (66.7%) had an eastern cooperative oncology group performance status score (ECOG score) of ≥2. Eighteen patients (85.7%) had an international prognostic index (IPI) score of ≥3. Three patients (14.3%) had an IPI score of 2 but had extranodal infiltration. Fourteen patients (66.7%) had double-expression of DLBCL and seven (33.3%) had TP53 mutations. With a median follow-up of 24.8 (95% CI 17.0-31.6) months, the objective response rate was 81.0%, and 11 patients (52.4%) achieved complete remission. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12.8 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was not reached. The 1-year PFS rate was 52.4% (95% CI 29.8% -74.3%), and the 1-year OS rate was 80.1% (95% CI 58.1% -94.6%). Moreover, 18 patients (85.7%) had grade 1-2 cytokine-release syndrome, and two patients (9.5%) had grade 1 immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. Conclusion: Zanubrutinib-based combination bridging regimen of CAR-T therapy for r/r DLBCL has high efficacy and demonstrated a good safety profile.

An Immune-Related Gene Prognostic Prediction Risk Model for Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Rectal Cancer Using Artificial Intelligence

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To develop and validate an immune-related gene prognostic model (IRGPM) that can predict disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and to clarify the immune characteristics of patients with different prognostic risks.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In this study, we obtained transcriptomic and clinical data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and rectal cancer database of West China Hospital. Genes in the RNA immune-oncology panel were extracted. Elastic net was used to identify the immune-related genes that significantly affected the DFS of patients. A prognostic risk model (IRGPM) for rectal cancer was constructed with the random forest method. The prognostic risk score was calculated by the model, and the patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the median risk score. Immune characteristics were analyzed and compared between the high- and low-risk groups.

RESULTS

A total of 407 LARC samples were used in this study. A 20-gene signature was identified by elastic net and was found to be significantly correlated with DFS. The IRGPM was constructed on the basis of the 20 immune-related genes. Kaplan‒Meier survival analysis showed poorer 5-year DFS in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve suggested good model prediction (areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.87, 0.94, 0.95 at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively). The model was validated in the GSE190826 cohort (AUCs of 0.79, 0.64, and 0.63 at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively) and the cohort from our institution (AUCs of 0.64, 0.66, and 0. 64 at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively). The differentially expressed genes between the high- and low-risk groups were enriched in cytokine‒cytokine receptor interactions. The patients in the low-risk group had higher immune scores than the patients in the high-risk group. Subsequently, we found that activated B cells, activated CD8 T cells, central memory CD8 T cells, macrophages, T follicular helper cells and type 2 helper cells were more abundant in the low-risk group. Moreover, we compared the expression of immune checkpoints and found that the low-risk group had a higher PDCD1 expression level.

CONCLUSION

The IRGPM, which was constructed based on the random forest and elastic net methods, is a promising method to distinguish DFS in LARC patients treated with a standard strategy. The low-risk group identified by IRGPM was characterized by the activation of adaptive immunity in tumor microenvironment.

The axial and sagittal CT values of the 7th thoracic vertebrae in screening for osteoporosis and osteopenia

AIM

To evaluate the difference in computed tomography (CT) attenuation value of different planes of the 7th thoracic vertebra and investigate the efficacy of axial and sagittal vertebral CT measurements in predicting osteoporosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent routine chest CT and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) within 1 month were included in this retrospective study. The CT attenuation values of different planes were compared. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were used to analyse the difference of each plane in the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

RESULTS

The study included 1,338 patients (mean age of 61.9±11.9; 54% female). The CT attenuation values decreased successively in the normal group, osteopenia group, and osteoporosis group. The paired t-test results showed that the mid-axial measurements were greater than mid-sagittal measurements, with a mean difference of 9 HU, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.8-10.1). For each one-unit reduction in mid-sagittal CT attenuation value, the risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis increased by 3.6%. To distinguish osteoporosis from non-osteoporosis (osteopenia + normal), the sensitivity was 90% and the specificity was 52.4% at the mid-sagittal threshold of 113.7 HU.

CONCLUSIONS

The CT attenuation values of mid-sagittal plane have higher diagnostic efficacy than axial planes in predicting osteoporosis. For patients with a sagittal CT attenuation value of <113.7 HU in the T7, further DXA examination is warranted.

[Effect of hollow compression screw internal fixation in treating McCrory-Bladin type Ⅱ lateral process fracture of the talus: open versus arthroscopy surgery]

In order to explore the clinical efficacy of hollow compression screw internal fixation in the treatment of lateral process fracture of the talus under open surgery versus arthroscopy procedure, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 33 patients with lateral process fracture of the talus admitted to Xuzhou Central Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. There were 19 males (19 feet) and 14 females (14 feet), aged 18 to 50 years, with an average age of (32.2±9.3) years. According to the modified McCrory-Bladin classification, all patients were classified as type Ⅱ. Based on the different surgical methods, the patients were divided into the arthroscopy group (21 cases, treated with double-tunnel subtalar arthroscopy combined with hollow compression screw internal fixation) and the open group (12 cases, treated with open reduction and internal fixation with hollow compression screw). The operation time was observed and the surgical effects were evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, the Foot Function Index (FFI), and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), which includes the FAAM-ADL (activity of daily living subscale) and the FAAM-S (sport subscale). All the patients of the two groups achieved stage Ⅰ wound healing. On the first day after the operation, the mean VAS score of the arthroscopy group was 2.4±0.7, which was significantly lower than that of the open group (3.4±1.6) (P=0.020). No significant difference was observed in terms of the follow-up time, operation time and AOFAS score between the two groups (all P>0.05). The FFI score of the arthroscopy group was significantly lower than that of the open group, and the FAAM-ADL and FAAM-S scores were significantly higher than those in the open group (all P<0.05). Two cases of dorsal foot numbness occurred in the open group after the operation, and the incidence of complications was not significantly different from that of the arthroscopy group (P=0.054). For McCrory-Bladin type Ⅱ lateral process fracture of the talus, the use of compression screw internal fixation could achieve reliable results, however, compared to open surgery, arthroscopy procedure obtained mini trauma and better functions.

[Untargeted metabolomics study of dexamethasone-induced congenital cleft palate in New Zealand rabbits]

Objective: To investigate the metabolic disorders in placental tissues of dexamethasone induced cleft palate mode. Methods: Twelve pregnant rabbits were randomly divided into dexamethasone group (experimental group, 8) and saline control group (4), and a certain amount of dexamethasone and saline were administered intramuscularly to the experimental and control groups respectively from embryonic days (ED) 13 to 16, and placental tissue samples were collected on day 21 of gestation. The corresponding profiles of the embryonic placental tissue samples were obtained by liquid chromatography-triple tandem quadrupole(LC-MS), and the metabolites of the embryonic placental tissues were characterized by principal component analysis among the dexamethasone-treated group with cleft palate (D-CP group), the dexamethasone-treated group without cleft palate (D-NCP group) and the control group. Results: There were significant metabolic differences among the D-CP group, D-NCP group and control group, with a total of 133 differential metabolites (VIP>1, P<0.05) involving in important metabolic pathways including vitamin B6 metabolism, lysine metabolism, arginine anabolic metabolism, and galactose metabolism. The four metabolites, vitamin B6, galactose, lysine and urea, differed among the three groups (P<0.05). There were significant differences in vitamin B6 (0.960±0.249, 0.856±0.368, 1.319±0.322), galactose (0.888±0.171, 1.033±0.182, 1.127±0.127), lysine (1.551±0.924, 1.789±1.435, 0.541±0.424) and urea (0.743±0.142, 1.137±0.301, 1.171±0.457, respectively) levels among control group, D-NCP group and D-CP group (F=5.90, P=0.008; F=5.59, P=0.009; F=4.26, P=0.025; F=5.29, P=0.012). Conclusions: The results indicated that dexamethasone induced cleft palate may be highly correlated with metabolic disorders including vitamin B6 metabolism, lysine metabolism, arginine anabolic metabolism and galactose metabolism.

First Double-Differential Measurement of Kinematic Imbalance in Neutrino Interactions with the MicroBooNE Detector

We report the first measurement of flux-integrated double-differential quasielasticlike neutrino-argon cross sections, which have been made using the Booster Neutrino Beam and the MicroBooNE detector at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The data are presented as a function of kinematic imbalance variables which are sensitive to nuclear ground-state distributions and hadronic reinteraction processes. We find that the measured cross sections in different phase-space regions are sensitive to different nuclear effects. Therefore, they enable the impact of specific nuclear effects on the neutrino-nucleus interaction to be isolated more completely than was possible using previous single-differential cross section measurements. Our results provide precision data to help test and improve neutrino-nucleus interaction models. They further support ongoing neutrino-oscillation studies by establishing phase-space regions where precise reaction modeling has already been achieved.

The causal effect of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels on epilepsy: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study

OBJECTIVE

Observational studies have shown an association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH) D) and epilepsy, but it is unclear whether the association is causal. Therefore, we applied Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to determine the causal relationship between serum 25 (OH) D levels and epilepsy.

METHODS

We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) study to investigate the association between serum 25 (OH) D levels and epilepsy using pooled statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Data for 25 (OH) D came from a GWAS comprising 417,580 participants, and data for epilepsy were obtained from the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) consortium. Five methods were used to analyze TSMR, including the inverse variance weighting method, MR Egger method, weighted median method, simple model, and weighted model. In the sensitivity analysis, MR Egger and MR PRESSO methods were used to test for pleiotropy, inverse variance weighting and MR Egger in Cochran's Q statistics were used to test for heterogeneity.

RESULTS

MR analyzed the relationship between 25 (OH) D and different types of epilepsy, and the results showed that a 1 standard deviation increase in natural log-transformed serum 25 (OH) D levels was associated with reduced risk for juvenile absence epilepsy (IVW OR = 0.985; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.971-0.999; P-value = 0.038). There was no apparent heterogeneity and horizontal gene pleiotropy.

SIGNIFICANCE

Higher serum levels of 25 (OH) D were a protective factor for adolescent absence epilepsy, but had no effect on other types of epilepsy.

YY2/PHGDH axis suppresses tumorigenesis by inhibiting tumor cell de novo serine biosynthesis

Metabolic reprogramming is one of the key features of tumors facilitating their rapid proliferation and adaptation to harsh microenvironments. Yin Yang 2 (YY2) has recently been reported as a tumor suppressor downregulated in various types of tumors; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying its tumor-suppressive activity remain poorly understood. Furthermore, the involvement of YY2 in tumor cell metabolic reprogramming remains unclear. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the novel regulatory mechanism of YY2 in the suppression of tumorigenesis. Using transcriptomic analysis, we uncovered an unprecedented link between YY2 and tumor cell serine metabolism. YY2 alteration could negatively regulate the expression level of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), the first enzyme in the serine biosynthesis pathway, and consequently, tumor cell de novo serine biosynthesis. Mechanistically, we revealed that YY2 binds to the PHGDH promoter and suppresses its transcriptional activity. This, in turn, leads to decreased production of serine, nucleotides, and cellular reductants NADH and NADPH, which subsequently suppresses tumorigenic potential. These findings reveal a novel function of YY2 as a regulator of the serine metabolic pathway in tumor cells and provide new insights into its tumor suppressor activity. Furthermore, our findings suggest the potential of YY2 as a target for metabolic-based antitumor therapeutic strategies.

PBX3 promotes pentose phosphate pathway and colorectal cancer progression by enhancing G6PD expression

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancers crucial for fulfilling the needs of energy, building blocks, and antioxidants to support tumor cells' rapid proliferation and to cope with the harsh microenvironment. Pre-B-cell leukemia transcription factor 3 (PBX3) is a member of the PBX family whose expression is up-regulated in various tumors, however, whether it is involved in tumor cell metabolic reprogramming remains unclear. Herein, we report that PBX3 is a positive regulator of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the rate-limiting enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). PBX3 promoted G6PD transcriptional activity in tumor cells by binding directly to its promoter, leading to PPP stimulation and enhancing the production of nucleotides and NADPH, a crucial reductant, thereby promoting nucleic acid and lipid biosynthesis while decreasing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. The PBX3/G6PD axis also promoted tumorigenic potential in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these findings reveal a novel function of PBX3 as a regulator of G6PD, linking its oncogenic activity with tumor cell metabolic reprogramming, especially PPP. Furthermore, our results suggested that PBX3 is a potential target for metabolic-based anti-tumor therapeutic strategies.

Nonlocal Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer by Transdimensional Plasmonics

Using transdimensional plasmonic materials (TDPM) within the framework of fluctuational electrodynamics, we demonstrate nonlocality in dielectric response alters near-field heat transfer at gap sizes on the order of hundreds of nanometers. Our theoretical study reveals that, opposite to the local model prediction, propagating waves can transport energy through the TDPM. However, energy transport by polaritons at shorter separations is reduced due to the metallic response of TDPM stronger than that predicted by the local model. Our experiments conducted for a configuration with a silica sphere and a doped silicon plate coated with an ultrathin layer of platinum as the TDPM show good agreement with the nonlocal near-field radiation theory. Our experimental work in conjunction with the nonlocal theory has important implications in thermophotovoltaic energy conversion, thermal management applications with metal coatings, and quantum-optical structures.

Erratum: Global Polarization of Ξ and Ω Hyperons in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 162301 (2021)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.162301.

[Establishment and validation of a novel nomogram to predict overall survival after radical nephrectomy]

Objective: To establish a nomogram prognostic model for predicting the 5-, 10-, and 15-year overall survival (OS) of non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients managed with radical nephrectomy (RN), compare the modelled results with the results of pure pathologic staging, the Karakiewicz nomogram and the Mayo Clinic Stage, Size, Grade, and Necrosis (SSIGN) score commonly used in foreign countries, and stratify the patients into different prognostic risk subgroups. Methods: A total of 1 246 non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients managed with RN in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) from 1999 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen the variables that influence the prognosis for nomogram establishment, and the bootstrap random sampling was used for internal validation. The time-receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), the calibration curve and the clinical decision curve analysis (DCA) were applied to evaluate the nomogram. The prediction efficacy of the nomogram and that of the pure pathologic staging, the Karakiewicz nomogram and the SSIGN score was compared through the area under the curve (AUC). Finally, patients were stratified into different risk subgroups according to our nomogram scores. Results: A total of 1 246 patients managed with RN were enrolled in this study. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, smoking history, pathological nuclear grade, sarcomatoid differentiation, tumor necrosis and pathological T and N stages were independent prognostic factors for RN patients (all P<0.05). A nomogram model named SYSUCC based on these factors was built to predict the 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival rate of the participating patients. In the bootstrap random sampling with 1 000 iterations, all these factors occurred for more than 800 times as independent predictors. The Harrell's concordance index (C-index) of SYSUCC was higher compared with pure pathological staging [0.770 (95% CI: 0.716-0.823) vs 0.674 (95% CI: 0.621-0.728)]. The calibration curve showed that the survival rate as predicted by the SYSUCC model simulated the actual rate, while the clinical DCA showed that the SYSUCC nomogram has a benefit in certain probability ranges. In the ROC analysis that included 857 patients with detailed pathological nuclear stages, the nomogram had a larger AUC (5-/10-year AUC: 0.823/0.804) and better discriminating ability than pure pathological staging (5-/10-year AUC: 0.701/0.658), Karakiewicz nomogram (5-/10-year AUC: 0.772/0.734) and SSIGN score (5-/10-year AUC: 0.792/0.750) in predicting the 5-/10-year OS of RN patients (all P<0.05). In addition, the AUC of the SYSUCC nomogram for predicting the 15-year OS (0.820) was larger than that of the SSIGN score (0.709), and there was no statistical difference (P<0.05) between the SYSUCC nomogram, pure pathological staging (0.773) and the Karakiewicz nomogram (0.826). The calibration curve was close to the standard curve, which indicated that the model has good predictive performance. Finally, patients were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk subgroups (738, 379 and 129, respectively) according to the SYSUCC nomogram scores, among whom patients in intermediate- and high-risk subgroups had a worse OS than patients in the low-risk subgroup (intermediate-risk group vs. low-risk group: HR=4.33, 95% CI: 3.22-5.81, P<0.001; high-risk group vs low-risk group: HR=11.95, 95% CI: 8.29-17.24, P<0.001), and the high-risk subgroup had a worse OS than the intermediate-risk group (HR=2.63, 95% CI: 1.88-3.68, P<0.001). Conclusions: Age, smoking history, pathological nuclear grade, sarcomatoid differentiation, tumor necrosis and pathological stage were independent prognostic factors for non-metastasis renal cell carcinoma patients after RN. The SYSUCC nomogram based on these independent prognostic factors can better predict the 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS than pure pathological staging, the Karakiewicz nomogram and the SSIGN score of patients after RN. In addition, the SYSUCC nomogram has good discrimination, agreement, risk stratification and clinical application potential.

[Short-term prognostic predictive value of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio combined with prognostic nutritional index in hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure]

Objective: To explore the prognostic predictive value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) combined with prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods: Clinical data from 149 HBV-ACLF patients admitted to the infectious diseases Department of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data of the enrolled patients and the initial clinical-related data after admission were collected. Patients were divided into survival (93 cases) and death groups (56 cases) according to their prognostic condition 90 days after discharge. Demographic and clinical differences were compared between the two groups data. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the optimal cutoff values for NLR and PNI in predicting the 90-day mortality rate of HBV-ACLF patients. The COX regression model was used to conduct univariate and multivariate analyses to investigate the correlation between NLR and PNI and the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to explore the effects of NLR and PNI on the survival of HBV-ACLF patients. Results: The death group NLR was higher than that of the survival group, while the PNI was lower than that of the survival group, with a statistically significant difference. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.842, 95% CI: 0.779-0.906) showed patients with adverse prognosis assessed by NLR combined with PNI had a superior prognosis than that of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and its combined serum sodium (MELD-Na) and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores. COX regression analysis showed that NLR≥3.03 and MELD score were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. PNI > 36.13 was a protective factor for evaluating the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. Conclusion: NLR combined with PNI can enhance the prognostic predictive value of HBV-ACLF.

[Diagnosis and treatment procedures and health management for patients with hereditary angioedema]

As a recognized rare and highly fatal disease, hereditary angioedema (HAE) is difficult to diagnose and characterized by recurrent edema involving the head, limbs, genitals and larynx, etc. Diagnosis of HAE is not difficult. However, low incidence and lack of clinical characteristics lead to difficulty of doctors on timely diagnosis and correct intervention for HAE patients. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the awareness of this disease and prevent its recurrence. for HAE patients. In view of absent cognition of doctors and the general public on HAE, patients often suffer from sudden death or become disabled due to laryngeal edema which cannot be treated in time. Thus, based on the Internet mobile terminal platform, the team set up an all-day rapid emergency response system which is provided for HAE patients by setting up "one-click help". The aim is to offer optimization on overall management of HAE and designed the intelligent follow-up management to provide timely assistance and specialized suggestion for patients with acute attacks.

YY2-DRP1 Axis Regulates Mitochondrial Fission and Determines Cancer Stem Cell Asymmetric Division

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are associated with tumor progression, recurrence, and therapeutic resistance. To maintain their pool while promoting tumorigenesis, CSCs divide asymmetrically, producing a CSC and a highly proliferative, more differentiated transit-amplifying cell. Exhausting the CSC pool has been proposed as an effective antitumor strategy; however, the mechanism underlying CSC division remains poorly understood, thereby largely limiting its clinical application. Here, through cross-omics analysis, yin yang 2 (YY2) is identified as a novel negative regulator of CSC maintenance. It is shown that YY2 is downregulated in stem-like tumor spheres formed by hepatocarcinoma cells and in liver cancer, in which its expression is negatively correlated with disease progression and poor prognosis. Furthermore, it is revealed that YY2 overexpression suppressed liver CSC asymmetric division, leading to depletion of the CSC pool and decreased tumor-initiating capacity. Meanwhile, YY2 knock-out in stem-like tumor spheres caused enrichment in mitochondrial functions. Mechanistically, it is revealed that YY2 impaired mitochondrial fission, and consequently, liver CSC asymmetric division, by suppressing the transcription of dynamin-related protein 1. These results unravel a novel regulatory mechanism of mitochondrial dynamic-mediated CSCs asymmetric division and highlight the role of YY2 as a tumor suppressor and a therapeutic target in antitumor treatment.

Association between housework and the risk of dementia among older Chinese adults: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Physical activity (PA) is known to improve physical functioning and mental health and to reduce the incidence of dementia. However, studies of the effects of non-recreational PA on the incidence of dementia, especially in East Asian populations, remain limited. In this study, we evaluate the association of doing housework with the risk of dementia among participants in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS).

METHODS

The analysis was conducted with data from 7,237 CLHLS participants age over 65 obtained in 2008/2009, 2011/2012, 2014, and 2018. The frequency of housework performance was classified into four groups. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to examine the association of the baseline housework frequency with the incidence of dementia, with adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle and health conditions.

RESULTS

The adjusted multivariate model showed that the incidence of dementia was lower among participants who did housework almost every day than among those who rarely or never did housework (hazard ratio = 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.61). The subgroup and sensitivity analyses yielded similar results.

CONCLUSION

A high frequency of housework performance was associated with a reduced incidence of dementia among older Chinese adults, especially those who did not exercise regularly. The encouragement of engagement in housework would be a cost-effective measure promoting healthy aging in the Chinese population.

[An interpretable machine learning-based prediction model for risk of death for patients with ischemic stroke in intensive care unit]

OBJECTIVE

To construct an inherent interpretability machine learning model as an explainable boosting machine model (EBM) for predicting one-year risk of death in patients with severe ischemic stroke.

METHODS

We randomly divided the data of 2369 eligible patients with severe ischemic stroke in the MIMIC-Ⅳ(2.0) database, who were admitted in ICU in 2008 to 2019, into a training dataset (80%) and a test dataset (20%), and assessed the prognosis of the patients using the EBM model. The prediction performance of the model was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve. The calibration curve and Brier score were used to evaluate the degree of calibration of the model, and a decision curve was generated to assess the net clinical benefit.

RESULTS

The EBM model constructed in this study had good discrimination power, calibration and net benefit, with an AUC of 0.857 (95% CI: 0.831-0.887) for predicting prognosis of severe ischemic stroke. Calibration curve analysis showed that the standard curve of the EBM model was the closest to the ideal curve. Decision curve analysis showed that the model had the greatest net benefit rate at the prediction probability threshold of 0.10 to 0.80. The top 5 independent predictive variables based on the EBM model were age, SOFA score, mean heart rate, mechanical ventilation, and mean respiratory rate, whose significance scores ranged from 0.179 to 0.370.

CONCLUSION

This EBM model has a good performance for predicting the risk of death within one year in patients with severe ischemic stroke and allows clinicians to better understand the contributing factors of the patients' outcomes through the model interpretability.

Preparation of drug-loaded chitosan microspheres repair materials

OBJECTIVE

With the development of society and the progress of science and technology, microspheres, as a new polymer material, have been applied to all aspects of human beings. Microspheres can play a huge role in food safety, electronic technology, sewage treatment, biomedicine, etc., and are non-toxic or harmless. There are three main types of substrates for the preparation of microspheres: natural polymers, semi-synthetic polymer materials, and synthetic polymer materials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, the inorganic material kaolin was modified by the emulsification-crosslinking method with chitosan and composite microspheres with large interlayer spacing were prepared, which were characterized by Fourier Transform Ioncyclotron Resonancel (FTIR) analysis and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The prepared kaolin/chitosan microspheres were then placed in different amounts of aspirin and the optimal dose was investigated by encapsulation efficiency and drug loading rate. The drug release rate of 0.5 h, 1 h, 1.5 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, and 12 h was then determined by simulating the human colon to determine the performance of the sustained-release drug.

RESULTS

The experimental results showed that after the prepared composite microspheres were loaded with aspirin drug, we got the optimal dosage of 0.1 g by discussing the encapsulation efficiency and drug loading rate of the drug-loaded microspheres, and the encapsulation efficiency reached 80.80%, while the drug loading rate was 24.40%, the drug release capacity reached about 83% in about 12 hours.

CONCLUSIONS

The research shows that the kaolin/chitosan drug-loaded microspheres prepared by the emulsification and cross-linking method are excellent drug-loading materials.

First Measurement of Quasielastic Λ Baryon Production in Muon Antineutrino Interactions in the MicroBooNE Detector

We present the first measurement of the cross section of Cabibbo-suppressed Λ baryon production, using data collected with the MicroBooNE detector when exposed to the neutrinos from the main injector beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The data analyzed correspond to 2.2×10^{20} protons on target running in neutrino mode, and 4.9×10^{20} protons on target running in anti-neutrino mode. An automated selection is combined with hand scanning, with the former identifying five candidate Λ production events when the signal was unblinded, consistent with the GENIE prediction of 5.3±1.1 events. Several scanners were employed, selecting between three and five events, compared with a prediction from a blinded Monte Carlo simulation study of 3.7±1.0 events. Restricting the phase space to only include Λ baryons that decay above MicroBooNE's detection thresholds, we obtain a flux averaged cross section of 2.0_{-1.7}^{+2.2}×10^{-40}  cm^{2}/Ar, where statistical and systematic uncertainties are combined.

First Constraints on Heavy QCD Axions with a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber Using the ArgoNeuT Experiment

We present the results of a search for heavy QCD axions performed by the ArgoNeuT experiment at Fermilab. We search for heavy axions produced in the NuMI neutrino beam target and absorber decaying into dimuon pairs, which can be identified using the unique capabilities of ArgoNeuT and the MINOS near detector. This decay channel is motivated by a broad class of heavy QCD axion models that address the strong CP and axion quality problems with axion masses above the dimuon threshold. We obtain new constraints at a 95% confidence level for heavy axions in the previously unexplored mass range of 0.2-0.9 GeV, for axion decay constants around tens of TeV.

[Efficacy of partial nephrectomy in patients with localized renal carcinoma: a 20-year experience of 2 046 patients in a single center]

Objectives: To analyze the long-term survival of patients with localized renal cell carcinoma after partical nephrectomy. Methods: The clinicopathological records and survival follow-up data of 2 046 patients with localized renal cell carcinoma, who were treated with partial nephrectomy from August 2001 to February 2021 in the Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, were retrospectively analyzed. There were 1 402 males and 644 females, aged (M(IQR)) 51 (19) years (range: 6 to 86 years). The primary end point of this study was cancer-specific survival. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the difference test was performed by Log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis were fitted to determine factors associated with cancer-specific survival. Results: The follow-up time was 49.2 (48.0) months (range: 1 to 229 months), with 1 974 patients surviving and 72 dying. The median cancer-specific survival time has not yet been reached. The 5- and 10-year cancer specific survival rates were 97.0% and 91.2%, respectively. The 10-year cancer-specific survival rates for stage pT1a (n=1 447), pT1b (n=523) and pT2 (n=58) were 95.3%, 81.8%, and 81.7%, respectively. The 10-year cancer-specific survival rates of patients with nuclear grade 1 (n=226), 2 (n=1 244) and 3 to 4 (n=278) were 96.6%, 89.4%, and 85.5%, respectively. There were no significant differences in 5-year cancer-specific survival rates among patients underwent open, laparoscopic, or robotic surgery (96.7% vs. 97.1% vs. 97.5%, P=0.600). Multivariate analysis showed that age≥50 years (HR=3.93, 95%CI: 1.82 to 8.47, P<0.01), T stage (T1b vs. T1a: HR=3.31, 95%CI: 1.83 to 5.99, P<0.01; T2+T3 vs. T1a: HR=2.88, 95%CI: 1.00 to 8.28, P=0.049) and nuclear grade (G3 to 4 vs. G1: HR=2.81, 95%CI: 1.01 to 7.82, P=0.048) were independent prognostic factors of localized renal cell carcinoma after partial nephrectomy. Conclusions: The long-term cancer-specific survival rates of patients with localized renal cancer after partial nephrectomy are satisfactory. The type of operation (open, laparoscopic, or robotic) has no significant effect on survival. However, patients with older age, higher nuclear grade, and higher T stage have a lower cancer-specific survival rate. Grasping surgical indications, attaching importance to preoperative evaluation, perioperative management, and postoperative follow-up, could benefit achieving satisfactory long-term survival.

Effect of pulmonary function on bone mineral density in the United States: results from the NHANES 2007-2010 study

The relationship between pulmonary function (PF) and bone mineral density (BMD) remains controversial. In the US population, we found a positive association between PF and BMD. Mixed variables such as age, gender, and race may influence this association.

INTRODUCTION

Based on the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2010, this study explored whether there is a correlation between PF (1st second forceful expiratory volume as a percentage of expected value (FEV1(% predicted)), (one-second rate (FEV1/FVC)), and bone mineral density.

METHODS

We evaluated the relationship between PF and BMD in 6327 NHANES subjects (mean age 44.51 ± 15.64 years) from 2007 to 2010. The bone mineral density of the whole femur was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). After adjusting for a wide range of confounders, we examined the relationship between PF and total femur BMD using a multiple linear regression model.

RESULTS

Correction of race, age, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), height, poor income ratio (PIR), total protein, serum calcium, serum uric acid, cholesterol, serum phosphorus, blood urea nitrogen, FEV1(% predicted), and femur BMD were positively correlated (β = 0.032, 95% CI: 0.010-0.054, P = 0.004). FEV1/FVC was positively correlated with spine BMD (β = 0.275 95%CI: 0.102-0.448, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that PF is positively associated with BMD in the US population. A variety of factors such as race and age influence this relationship. the relationship between PF and BMD needs to be further investigated, including specific regulatory mechanisms and confounding factors.

[Research progress of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is widespread worldwide and thereby a very serious public health problem. There are currently no effective drug treatment measures. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are the most abundant non-parenchymal cells in the liver; however, it is still not clear what role LSECs play in NAFLD. This article reviews the research progress of LSECs in NAFLD in recent years in order to provide some reference for subsequent research.

[Prevalence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium in captive-bred Mustela putorius furo in Jiangsu Province]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence and molecular features of Cryptosporidium in captive-bred Mustela putorius furo in Jiangsu Province.

METHODS

A total of 290 fresh stool samples were collected from a ferret farm in Jiangsu Province on May 2017, and the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene of Cryptosporidium was amplified in stool samples using nested PCR assay. The actin, cowp and gp60 genes were amplified in positive samples and sequenced to characterize Cryptosporidium species/genotypes.

RESULTS

A total of 18 stool samples were tested positive for Cryptosporidium SSU rRNA gene, with a detection rate of 6.2%. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of SSU rRNA, actin and cowp genes characterized Cryptosporidium isolated from captive-bred ferrets as Cryptosporidium sp. ferret genotype. In addition, gp60 gene was amplified in 10 out of 18 stool samples tested positive for Cryptosporidium.

CONCLUSIONS

Cryptosporidium is widely prevalent in captive-bred ferrets in Jiangsu Province, and Cryptosporidium sp. ferret genotype is the only Cryptosporidium genotype in ferrets.

Thermo-sensitive amylase-starch double-layer polymer nanoparticles with self-polishing and protein corona-free property for drug delivery applications

Protein corona formation can lead to obstructive screening of targeting groups of nanoparticles (NPs). Also, the targeting groups are subjected to physiochemical interactions when exposed to solvents. Here, these two factors can influence NP targeting efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a general method of preparing an anti-fouling NPs with protected targeting groups. Here, we designed α-amylase-starch double-layer coated poly (methyl methacrylate-co-acrylic acid) NPs (α-ams-SCMMA NPs), functionalized with aptamer targeting groups and doped with Tetrakis(para-hydraoxylphenyl) porphyrin (TPPOH) as a payload drug. Natural polysaccharide starch and enzyme α-amylase were applied here for thermo-sensitive activation of starch hydrolyzation in order to render the NPs' self-polishing from protein corona effects. During incubation with serum media, the protein corona was formed at the exterior shell of NPs, while the self-polishing process was activated to remove the "protein fouling" when the incubation temperature increased to 37 °C (body temperature). Mechanistically, the starch layer of α-ams-SCMMA NPs was readily hydrolysed by α-amylase, whereby the adsorbed protein corona could be efficiently eliminated and the targeting groups were then presented. With this unique self-polishing NP design, we believe our method can be applied for potential NP applications in cancer therepy due to excellent antifouling property and protected targeting groups.

Personality characteristics, defense styles, borderline symptoms, and non-suicidal self-injury in first-episode major depressive disorder

Background

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is commonly seen in adolescents with depression and is a high-risk factor leading to suicide. The psychological mechanisms underlying depression with NSSI are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the differences in personality traits, defensive styles, and borderline symptoms among first-episode youth patients with depression and self-injury compared with patients with depression without self-injury and healthy populations.

Methods

The current study recruited 188 participants, including 64 patients with depression and NSSI, 60 patients with depression without NSSI, and 64 healthy control subjects. Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Defense Style Questionnaire, the short version of the Borderline Symptom List, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory were used to assess all participants.

Results

Patients with depression and NSSI showed more psychoticism than patients with depression without NSSI and healthy control subjects. Patients with depression and NSSI presented more intermediate defense styles than healthy control subjects. In the patients with depression and NSSI group, the frequency of self-injury in the last week was negatively correlated with mature defense styles and positively correlated with depressive symptoms and borderline symptoms. Further regression analysis showed that EPQ-psychoticism and depressive symptoms were independent risk factors for NSSI in patients with depression.

Conclusion

This study found that patients with depression and self-injury presented more neuroticism, introversion, EPQ-psychoticism, immature defenses, intermediate defenses, and borderline symptoms. Self-injury frequency was negatively correlated with mature defense styles and positively correlated with depressive symptoms and borderline symptoms. EPQ-Psychoticism and depressive symptoms are risk factors for predicting non-suicidal self-injury in patients with depression.

Effectiveness of acupuncture in migraine rats: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and potential underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of experimental model of migraine in rats.

METHODS

Nine electronic databases, including CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), WanFang, VIP (Chinese Scientific Journals Database), Sinomed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and EBSCO, were searched for randomized experimental studies on migraine in rats involving acupuncture intervention. The search period ranged from inception to June 2022. The methodological quality was assessed using the SYRCLE's risk of bias tool for animal studies. Data were analyzed using the Revman 5.3 software.

RESULTS

A total of 13 studies were included in this analysis. Findings from the available experimental studies documented that acupuncture significantly reduced behavior scores of rats with migraine (MD = -15.01, 95%CI = [-18.01, -12.01], P<0.00001) and downregulated the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) (MD = -16.14, 95%CI = [-21.45, -10.83], P<0.00001), substance P (SP) (MD = -11.47, 95%CI = [-15.97, -6.98], P<0.00001) and nitric oxide (NO) (MD = -3.02, 95%CI = [-3.79, -2.26], P<0.00001) in serum, and stimulatory G protein (Gsa) (MD = -62.90, 95%CI = [-69.88, -55.92], P<0.00001) in brainstem. Acupuncture also significantly increased the content of inhibitory G protein (Gia) (MD = 24.01, 95%CI = [20.10, 27.92], P<0.00001) in brainstem and 50% paw withdrawal threshold (50%PWT) (MD = 1.96, 95%CI = [1.15, 2.77], P<0.00001).

CONCLUSION

Acupuncture can effectively improve the behavioral performance of rates with migraine, and its mechanism of action might involve the inhibition of meningeal vasodilation and inflammatory factors, and the reduction of neurogenic inflammation.

First Constraints on Light Sterile Neutrino Oscillations from Combined Appearance and Disappearance Searches with the MicroBooNE Detector

We present a search for eV-scale sterile neutrino oscillations in the MicroBooNE liquid argon detector, simultaneously considering all possible appearance and disappearance effects within the 3+1 active-to-sterile neutrino oscillation framework. We analyze the neutrino candidate events for the recent measurements of charged-current ν_{e} and ν_{μ} interactions in the MicroBooNE detector, using data corresponding to an exposure of 6.37×10^{20} protons on target from the Fermilab booster neutrino beam. We observe no evidence of light sterile neutrino oscillations and derive exclusion contours at the 95% confidence level in the plane of the mass-squared splitting Δm_{41}^{2} and the sterile neutrino mixing angles θ_{μe} and θ_{ee}, excluding part of the parameter space allowed by experimental anomalies. Cancellation of ν_{e} appearance and ν_{e} disappearance effects due to the full 3+1 treatment of the analysis leads to a degeneracy when determining the oscillation parameters, which is discussed in this Letter and will be addressed by future analyses.

B cell expansion hinders the stroma-epithelium regenerative cross talk during mucosal healing

Therapeutic promotion of intestinal regeneration holds great promise, but defining the cellular mechanisms that influence tissue regeneration remains an unmet challenge. To gain insight into the process of mucosal healing, we longitudinally examined the immune cell composition during intestinal damage and regeneration. B cells were the dominant cell type in the healing colon, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed expansion of an IFN-induced B cell subset during experimental mucosal healing that predominantly located in damaged areas and associated with colitis severity. B cell depletion accelerated recovery upon injury, decreased epithelial ulceration, and enhanced gene expression programs associated with tissue remodeling. scRNA-seq from the epithelial and stromal compartments combined with spatial transcriptomics and multiplex immunostaining showed that B cells decreased interactions between stromal and epithelial cells during mucosal healing. Activated B cells disrupted the epithelial-stromal cross talk required for organoid survival. Thus, B cell expansion during injury impairs epithelial-stromal cell interactions required for mucosal healing, with implications for the treatment of IBD.