[Test-retest reliability of subjective visual vertical from different head-tilt angles in young healthy adults].

Objective:To establish the normal values of subjective visual vertical （SVV） in different head deflection angles and analyze its test and retest reliability, in order to provide a reference for the clinical application of SVV in the evaluation of vestibular disorders. Methods:Thirty-one healthy young people were selected to wear VR glasses, and the SVV data were tested in five different head-tilt, namely, 0° in the upright head position, 45°in the left head position, 45° in the right head position, 90° in the left head position, and 90° in the right head position, and were re-tested 2 weeks later. Results:①The mean values of SVV at 5 different head-tilt angles of 0°, left 45°, right 45°, left 90°, and right 90° were -0.07±1.71, 4.30±5.39, -6.51±5.58, -3.76±7.42, and 0.40±8.02, respectively, The 95% confidence limits of SVV at 0°, left 45°, right 45°, left 90°, right 90°, and right 90° were （-3.42, 3.28）, （-6.26, 14.86）, （-17.45, 4.43）, （-18.30, 10.78）, and（-15.32, 16.12）, respectively; ②The absolute values of SVV at 4 different head-tilt angles of left 45°, right 45°, left 90°, and right 90° were 5.62±3.96, 6.90±5.07, 6.82±4.70 and 6.48±4.68, respectively. The 95% confidence limits of SVV at left 45°, right 45°, left 90°, right 90°, and right 90° were（0，12.11）,（0，15.21）,（0，14.53）and（0，14.16）, respectively. The asymmetry ratio is 10% for the absolute value of the 45 ° deviation and 3% for the absolute value of the 90° deviation; ③Intra-class correlation coefficients（ICC） for 0°, left 45°, right 45°, left 90°, right 90°were 0.757, 0.673, 0.674, 0.815, and 0.856, respectively. Conclusion:SVV has good retest reliability and high stability, and the SVV normal value data of different head deviation angles established in the present study can be used as a reference for the diagnosis and evaluation of vestibular disorders.

Prediction models for skin tears in the elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of risk prediction models for skin tears in the elderly is growing; however, there is still debate regarding the usefulness and suitability of these models for clinical use and additional study. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work is to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of published research on skin tear risk prediction models in the elderly. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search of various databases, including Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), from the beginning until November 27, 2023. Data extraction from the chosen studies encompassed various elements, such as study design, sample size, outcome definition, data source, predictors, model development, and performance. The assessment of bias and applicability was conducted using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) checklist. The Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) checklist was utilized to assess the transparency in reporting the prediction models-a meta-analysis of the most common predictors to assess predictor reliability. In addition, a narrative synthesis was carried out to provide an overview of the qualities, bias risk, and effectiveness of the current models. The reporting procedures of this meta-analysis conformed to the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. RESULTS: Out of the initially retrieved 1499 studies, this review included eight prediction models from eight selected studies. All the studies employed logistic regression to develop prediction models for skin tears. The prevalence of skin tears in the elderly varied from 3.0% to 33.3%. Senile purpura and a history of previous skin tears were the most commonly utilized predictors. The reported values for the area under the curve (AUC) ranged from 0.765 to 0.854. All the studies exhibited a high risk of bias, primarily due to inadequate reporting in the outcome and analysis domains. Furthermore, serious questions concerning their applicability were highlighted by four studies. CONCLUSION: Based on the PROBAST checklist, the current models for predicting skin tears in the elderly showed a high risk of bias. The development of new prediction models with bigger sample sizes, appropriate study designs, and external validation from multiple sources ought to be the primary focus of future research. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: There was no patient or public contribution to this systematic review. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023494387.

Predictive value of dynamic changes in peripheral blood inflammation and blood lipid-related indices for the lung cancer treatment efficacy.

To investigate the dynamics of inflammation and lipid-related indicators in lung cancer patients and their impact on treatment efficacy. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 133 lung cancer patients who seek for primary treatment at Wujin Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University from January 2019 to August 2022. The inflammation and blood lipid-related indicators were collected 1 week before treatment and after 2 cycles of treatment. We compared the changes in these indicators among patients with different treatment methods and outcomes. The diagnostic value of the dynamic changes in each index for disease progression was calculated using the ROC curve. The risk factors influencing disease development were identified using multifactorial logistic regression analysis. After 2 cycles of treatment, the white blood cell count (WBC, P<0.001), neutrophil count (NC, P<0.001), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR, P<0.001) in the disease progression (PD) group were significantly increased, triglyceride (TG, P=0.023), apolipoprotein A1 (APO-A1, P=0.009) was significantly decreased. The results showed that ∆NC had the highest sensitivity (88.24%) in predicting disease progression, and ∆WBC had the best specificity (77.78%). Multivariate regression analysis showed that ΔWBC (P<0.001), ΔTG (P=0.041), and treatment method (P=0.010) were independent risk factors for disease progression (PD). The changes of WBC and TG before and after treatment are promising indicators for predicting the progression of lung cancer and may offer a new direction for lung cancer treatment.

Association between decision-to-delivery time and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Decision-to-delivery time (DDT), a crucial factor during the emergency caesarean section, may potentially impact neonatal outcomes. This study aims to assess the association between DDT and various neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases was conducted. A total of 32 eligible studies that reported on various neonatal outcomes, such as Apgar score, acidosis, neonatal intensive unit (NICU) admissions and mortality were included in the review. Studies were selected based on predefined eligibility criteria, and a random-effects inverse-variance model with DerSimonian-Laird estimate of tau² was used for meta-analysis. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using I² statistics and Egger's test, respectively. RESULTS: The meta-analysis revealed a significant association between DDT < 30 min and increased risk of Apgar score < 7 (OR 1.803, 95% CI: 1.284-2.533) and umbilical cord pH < 7.1 (OR 4.322, 95% CI: 2.302-8.115), with substantial heterogeneity. No significant association was found between DDT and NICU admission (OR 0.982, 95% CI: 0.767-1.258) or neonatal mortality (OR 0.983, 95% CI: 0.565-1.708), with negligible heterogeneity. Publication bias was not detected for any outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the association between shorter DDT and increased odds of adverse neonatal outcomes such as low Apgar scores and acidosis, while no significant association was found in terms of NICU admissions or neonatal mortality. Our findings highlight the complexity of DDT's impact, suggesting the need for nuanced clinical decision-making in cases of emergency caesarean sections.

Temperature, humidity, and ionisation effect of iodine oxoacid nucleation.

Iodine oxoacids are recognised for their significant contribution to the formation of new particles in marine and polar atmospheres. Nevertheless, to incorporate the iodine oxoacid nucleation mechanism into global simulations, it is essential to comprehend how this mechanism varies under various atmospheric conditions. In this study, we combined measurements from the CLOUD (Cosmic Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN and simulations with a kinetic model to investigate the impact of temperature, ionisation, and humidity on iodine oxoacid nucleation. Our findings reveal that ion-induced particle formation rates remain largely unaffected by changes in temperature. However, neutral particle formation rates experience a significant increase when the temperature drops from +10 °C to -10 °C. Running the kinetic model with varying ionisation rates demonstrates that the particle formation rate only increases with a higher ionisation rate when the iodic acid concentration exceeds 1.5 × 107 cm-3, a concentration rarely reached in pristine marine atmospheres. Consequently, our simulations suggest that, despite higher ionisation rates, the charged cluster nucleation pathway of iodic acid is unlikely to be enhanced in the upper troposphere by higher ionisation rates. Instead, the neutral nucleation channel is likely to be the dominant channel in that region. Notably, the iodine oxoacid nucleation mechanism remains unaffected by changes in relative humidity from 2% to 80%. However, under unrealistically dry conditions (below 0.008% RH at +10 °C), iodine oxides (I2O4 and I2O5) significantly enhance formation rates. Therefore, we conclude that iodine oxoacid nucleation is the dominant nucleation mechanism for iodine nucleation in the marine and polar boundary layer atmosphere.

Association between educational attainment and thyroid cancer: evidence from a univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid cancer and educational attainment have been related in observational studies. It is unclear if these correlations indicate causative relationships. METHODS: Using large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) datasets, we conducted an univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) study to assess a potential connection between educational attainment and thyroid cancer. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) analysis method is used as our primary outcome. Additionally, we carry out several sensitivity analyses to evaluate the pleiotropy and robustness of the causal estimates. RESULTS: Univariate MR study shows 4.2 years of additional education is associated with a 41.4% reduction in thyroid cancer risk (OR = 0.586; 95% CI: 0.378-0.909; P = 0.017). Further multivariable MR analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) acted as a partial mediating factor in the protective impact of higher educational attainment against thyroid cancer. CONCLUSION: This MR study provided genetic evidence that longer education attainment is related to a lower risk of thyroid cancer. Strategies of expanding education may reduce the burden of thyroid cancer in the world.

Association of major depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with thyroid cancer: a bidirectional two-sample mendelian randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disease (MDD), schizophrenia (SCZ), and bipolar disorder (BD) are common psychiatric disorders, and their relationship with thyroid cancer has been of great interest. This study aimed to investigate the potential causal effects of MDD, SCZ, BD, and thyroid cancer. METHODS: We used publicly available summary statistics from large-scale genome-wide association studies to select genetic variant loci associated with MDD, SCZ, BD, and thyroid cancer as instrumental variables (IVs), which were quality controlled and clustered. Additionally, we used three Mendelian randomization (MR) methods, inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger regression and weighted median estimator (WME) methods, to estimate the bidirectional causal relationship between psychiatric disorders and thyroid cancer. In addition, we performed heterogeneity and multivariate tests to verify the validity of the IVs. RESULTS: We used two-sample bidirectional MR analysis to determine whether there was a positive causal association between MDD and thyroid cancer risk. The results of the IVW analysis (OR = 3.956 95% CI = 1.177-13.299; P = 0.026) and the WME method (OR = 5.563 95% CI = 0.998-31.008; P = 0.050) confirmed that MDD may increase the risk of thyroid cancer. Additionally, our study revealed a correlation between genetic susceptibility to SCZ and thyroid cancer (OR = 1.532 95% CI = 1.123-2.088; P = 0.007). The results of the WME method analysis based on the median estimate (OR = 1.599 95% CI = 1.014-2.521; P = 0.043) also suggested that SCZ may increase the risk of thyroid cancer. Furthermore, our study did not find a causal relationship between BD and thyroid cancer incidence. In addition, the results of reverse MR analysis showed no significant causal relationships between thyroid cancer and MDD, SCZ, or BD (P > 0.05), ruling out the possibility of reverse causality. CONCLUSIONS: This MR method analysis provides new evidence that MDD and SCZ may be positively associated with thyroid cancer risk while also revealing a correlation between BD and thyroid cancer. These results may have important implications for public health policy and clinical practice. Future studies will help elucidate the biological mechanisms of these associations and potential confounders.

The effect of micronutrient on thyroid cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: The effect of micronutrients on thyroid cancer has been studied in observational studies, however, the cause of relationships has not yet been determined. Thyroid cancer was the subject of a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis of micronutrients. Aimed to determine whether micronutrient intake has a causal impact on the chance of developing thyroid cancer. Methods: We used a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis with two samples. Our circulation levels of Cu, Ir, Zn, Ca, VD, and VC were reflected by genetic variations reported from GWAS in individuals of European ancestry. For the GWAS outcome of thyroid cancer. Sensitivity studies that included MR-Egger, weighted median/mode tests, and a more open selection of variations at a genome-wide sub-significant threshold were added to our inverse-variance weighted (IVW) MR study. Results: Using the IVW approach, we did not find evidence that any of the micronutrients to thyroid cancer (Cu: odds ratio [OR = 0.88, p = 0.41]; Zn: odds ratio [OR = 0.87, p = 0.40]; Ir: odds ratio [OR = 1.18, p = 0.39]; Ca: odds ratio [OR = 1.12, p = 0.43]; VC: odds ratio [OR = 0.95, p = 0.22]; VD: odds ratio [OR = 0.89, p = 0.04]). The heterogeneity (p > 0.05) and pleiotropy (p > 0.05) testing provided confirmatory evidence for the validity of our MR estimates. Conclusion: This study does not provide evidence that supplementation with micronutrients including Cu, Ir, Zn, Ca, VD, and VC can prevent thyroid cancer.

Assessing the importance of nitric acid and ammonia for particle growth in the polluted boundary layer.

Aerosols formed and grown by gas-to-particle processes are a major contributor to smog and haze in megacities, despite the competition between growth and loss rates. Rapid growth rates from ammonium nitrate formation have the potential to sustain particle number in typical urban polluted conditions. This process requires supersaturation of gas-phase ammonia and nitric acid with respect to ammonium nitrate saturation ratios. Urban environments are inhomogeneous. In the troposphere, vertical mixing is fast, and aerosols may experience rapidly changing temperatures. In areas close to sources of pollution, gas-phase concentrations can also be highly variable. In this work we present results from nucleation experiments at -10 °C and 5 °C in the CLOUD chamber at CERN. We verify, using a kinetic model, how long supersaturation is likely to be sustained under urban conditions with temperature and concentration inhomogeneities, and the impact it may have on the particle size distribution. We show that rapid and strong temperature changes of 1 °C min-1 are needed to cause rapid growth of nanoparticles through ammonium nitrate formation. Furthermore, inhomogeneous emissions of ammonia in cities may also cause rapid growth of particles.

Nitrate Radicals Suppress Biogenic New Particle Formation from Monoterpene Oxidation.

Highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) are a major source of new particles that affect the Earth's climate. HOM production from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) occurs during both the day and night and can lead to new particle formation (NPF). However, NPF involving organic vapors has been reported much more often during the daytime than during nighttime. Here, we show that the nitrate radicals (NO3), which arise predominantly at night, inhibit NPF during the oxidation of monoterpenes based on three lines of observational evidence: NPF experiments in the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), radical chemistry experiments using an oxidation flow reactor, and field observations in a wetland that occasionally exhibits nocturnal NPF. Nitrooxy-peroxy radicals formed from NO3 chemistry suppress the production of ultralow-volatility organic compounds (ULVOCs) responsible for biogenic NPF, which are covalently bound peroxy radical (RO2) dimer association products. The ULVOC yield of α-pinene in the presence of NO3 is one-fifth of that resulting from ozone chemistry alone. Even trace amounts of NO3 radicals, at sub-parts per trillion level, suppress the NPF rate by a factor of 4. Ambient observations further confirm that when NO3 chemistry is involved, monoterpene NPF is completely turned off. Our results explain the frequent absence of nocturnal biogenic NPF in monoterpene (α-pinene)-rich environments.

Treatment of Meniere's disease with simultaneous triple semicircular canal occlusion and cochlear implantation.

OBJECTIVE: Report three cases of simultaneous triple semicircular canal occlusion (TSCO) and cochlear implantation (CI) as the treatment of intractable Meniere's disease (MD). CASE REPORTS: Patients with MD can present occasionally with intractable vertigo and profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). TSCO and CI have been proposed to control vertigo and restore profound deafness in patients with MD separately. However, a few studies have reported simultaneous TSCO and CI in the same surgical procedure for the treatment of MD. In the present study, we described three patients with MD showing incapacitating vertigo and severe SNHL who underwent simultaneous TSCO and CI after examinations of auditory system, vestibular system, and imaging. Their symptoms were significantly alleviated during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The combined TSCO and CI remains a viable treatment option which is effective for the control of vertigo as well as the restoring of hearing in patients with MD.

Iodine oxoacids enhance nucleation of sulfuric acid particles in the atmosphere.

The main nucleating vapor in the atmosphere is thought to be sulfuric acid (H2SO4), stabilized by ammonia (NH3). However, in marine and polar regions, NH3 is generally low, and H2SO4 is frequently found together with iodine oxoacids [HIOx, i.e., iodic acid (HIO3) and iodous acid (HIO2)]. In experiments performed with the CERN CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber, we investigated the interplay of H2SO4 and HIOx during atmospheric particle nucleation. We found that HIOx greatly enhances H2SO4(-NH3) nucleation through two different interactions. First, HIO3 strongly binds with H2SO4 in charged clusters so they drive particle nucleation synergistically. Second, HIO2 substitutes for NH3, forming strongly bound H2SO4-HIO2 acid-base pairs in molecular clusters. Global observations imply that HIOx is enhancing H2SO4(-NH3) nucleation rates 10- to 10,000-fold in marine and polar regions.

Risk factors of incontinence-associated dermatitis in older adults: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Due to their ageing skin, older adults are more likely to develop incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Although previous attempts to look at the risk factors for IAD in older adults were done, methodological barriers hindered an in-depth understanding. By investigating risk factors for IAD in the ageing population, the development of precise clinical interventions and guidance could be facilitated, which in turn would enhance patient care standards for incontinence management in this target group. To address this knowledge gap, this systematic review with meta-analysis aims to explore the major risk elements linked to IAD among older adults. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols are adhered to in this systematic review and meta-analysis. To achieve its objectives, a comprehensive search strategy PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medline, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database), WanFang Data Knowledge Service Platform, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, along with other relevant sources published until 18 July 2023 in both English and Chinese languages will be performed. The screening of articles, data abstraction and risk of bias evaluation will be done by two impartial reviewers. RevMan V.5.3 software will be used for data synthesis. The quality of the included study will be assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment tool and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The I 2 test will identify the heterogeneity. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: There is no need for ethical approval. Individual patient information or the rights of participants will not be compromised by this protocol. The findings will either be published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023442585.

The synergistic role of sulfuric acid, ammonia and organics in particle formation over an agricultural land.

Agriculture provides people with food, but poses environmental challenges. Via comprehensive observations on an agricultural land at Qvidja in Southern Finland, we were able to show that soil-emitted compounds (mainly ammonia and amines), together with available sulfuric acid, form new aerosol particles which then grow to climate-relevant sizes by the condensation of extremely low volatile organic compounds originating from a side production of photosynthesis (compounds emitted by ground and surrounding vegetation). We found that intensive local clustering events, with particle formation rates at 3 nm about 5-10 times higher than typical rates in boreal forest environments, occur on around 30% of all days. The requirements for these clustering events to occur were found to be clear sky, a low wind speed to accumulate the emissions from local agricultural land, particularly ammonia, the presence of low volatile organic compounds, and sufficient gaseous sulfuric acid. The local clustering will then contribute to regional new particle formation. Since the agricultural land is much more effective per surface area than the boreal forest in producing aerosol particles, these findings provide insight into the participation of agricultural lands in climatic cooling, counteracting the climatic warming effects of farming.

P300 Event-Related Potential Predicts Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients with Vestibular Disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the correlation between cognitive impairment and P300 event-related potential (ERP) in older adults with vertigo and imbalance, which further provides a reference for clinical diagnosis and patients' rehabilitation. METHODS: A total of 79 older adult patients with vertigo and imbalance in our outpatient department from January 2022 to December 2022 were selected and divided into the mild group (n = 20), moderate group (n = 39), and severe group (n = 20) according to the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). The auditory P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to evaluate depression, anxiety, and cognitive function in these patients, respectively. RESULTS: The P300 latencies of the different severity groups were 292 ± 10 ms, 301 ± 8 ms, and 328 ± 5 ms, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant (p = 0.010). The P300 amplitudes of the different severity groups were 14.4 ± 2.6 µV, 3.9 ± 0.8 µV, and 5.1 ± 1.4 µV, respectively, and the differences were also statistically significant (p = 0.004). There was no statistically significant difference in the DHI evaluation or VAS visual simulation scoring between the two groups (p = 0.625, and 0.878, respectively). Compared with the short-course group, the long-course group showed prolonged P300 latency and decreased amplitude, higher scores in PHQ-9 and GAD-7, and lower scores in MMSE, and all the differences were statistically significant (p = 0.013, 0.021, 0.006, 0.004, and 0.018, respectively). CONCLUSION: Older patients with more severe symptoms of vertigo and imbalance are at higher risk of developing abnormal cognitive function. The P300 can be used as an objective neurophysiological test for the assessment of cognitive function relevant to elderly patients with vertigo and imbalance.

Associations between cognition, anxiety, depression, and residual dizziness in elderly people with BPPV.

Objective: To investigate the associations between cognition, anxiety, depression, and residual dizziness after successful repositioning maneuvers in the elderly with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Methods: We enrolled 40 elderly patients with BPPV in our outpatient department. We used the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 (GAD-7) to assess the degree of dizziness, anxiety, and depression of participants before repositioning therapy, respectively. At the 1-week follow-up after BPPV treatment, each participant will be reassessed and divided into a group with residual dizziness (RD) and a group without residual dizziness (NRD) based on the follow-up DHI score. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) evaluated the cognitive function of the participants. Results: The age, gender, duration of BPPV, and involved semicircular canals in the two groups did not show a significant difference. The RD group scored significantly higher on the DHI (p = 0.006), GAD-7 (p < 0.001), and PHQ-9 (p = 0.002) before the repositioning treatment than the NRD group. The two groups had no significant difference in MMSE score (p = 0.381). Anxiety and depression scores before repositioning treatment significantly and positively correlated with follow-up DHI scores (r = 0.678 and 0.522, respectively), but the MMSE score did not significantly relate to it. The univariate linear regression showed that the DHI (p < 0.001), GAD-7 (p < 0.001), and PHQ-9 (p = 0.002) scores before treatment could predict residual dizziness. The multivariate linear regression showed that GAD-7 before treatment was the only significant predictor of residual dizziness (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The level of dizziness, anxiety, and depression before treatment can predict residual dizziness after successful repositioning maneuvers in the elderly with BPPV. Anxiety may be the strongest predictor of residual dizziness after successful repositioning treatment in elderly BPPV patients.

Cigarette smoking and thyroid cancer risk: A Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The association between cigarette smoking and thyroid cancer has been reported in prospective cohort studies, but the relationship remains controversial. To investigate this potential correlation further, we employed Mendelian randomization methodology to evaluate the causative impact of smoking on thyroid cancer incidence. METHODS: From the genome-wide association study and Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine use, we obtained genetic variants associated with smoking initiation and cigarettes per day (1.2 million individuals). We also extracted genetic variants associated with past tobacco smoking from the UK Biobank (424,960 individuals). Thyroid cancer outcomes were selected from the FinnGen GWAS (989 thyroid cancer cases and 217,803 control cases). Sensitivity analyses employing various approaches such as weighted median, MR-Egger, and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) have been executed, as well as leave-one-out analysis to identify pleiotropy. RESULTS: Using the IVW approach, we did not find evidence that any of the three smoking phenotypes were related to thyroid cancer (smoking initiation: odds ratio (OR) = 1.56, p = 0.61; cigarettes per day: OR = 0.85, p = 0.51; past tobacco smoking: OR = 0.80, p = 0.78). The heterogeneity (p > 0.05) and pleiotropy (p > 0.05) testing provided confirmatory evidence for the validity of our MR estimates. CONCLUSIONS: The MR analysis revealed that there may not exist a causative link between smoking exposure and elevated incidence rates of thyroid malignancies.

Fertility concerns in cancer patients: a bibliometric analysis via CiteSpace: A review.

Fertility concerns are a pervasive issue but very subtle in patients with cancer. Though various studies have focused on fertility concerns, limited research endeavor has been dedicated to bibliometric analysis. Given this, to visually analyze the hot frontier trends of research related to fertility concerns of patients with cancer using CiteSpace and provide new insights for future research in this field using the bibliometric method. We used CiteSpace software to retrieve the literature related to fertility concerns of patients with cancer in the Web of Science core collection database from the year of establishment to 2022 and conducted visual analysis in terms of authors, countries and regions, research institutions, and keywords. The search resulted in 201 valid articles, and the annual publication volume of literature related to fertility concerns in patients with cancer was generally on the rise; the country with the most publications was the United States, which also had the highest influence; the main research institution was Sloan Kettleson Cancer Research Center; the core research scholar was Jessica R. Gorman; the research hotspots mainly centered on quality of survival, women, survivorship, preservation, breast cancer, adolescence, and infertility. The results of this bibliometric study provide the current status and trends in the fertility concerns of patients with cancer and may help researchers identify the hotspots and frontier trends in this field.

The functional status of vestibular otolith and conductive pathway in patients with unilateral idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Background: The cause of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) remains unknown. It has been found that the functional status of the vestibular otolith is relevant to its prognosis; however, the evaluation of the vestibular otolith (intra-labyrinth) and superior and inferior vestibular nerve pathways (retro-labyrinth) in ISSNHL patients is not well-documented. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the functional status of the vestibular otolith and conductive pathway in patients with unilateral ISSNHL and analyze the correlations between vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) and hearing improvement after treatment. Methods: A total of 50 patients with unilateral ISSNHL underwent a battery of audio-vestibular evaluations, including pure tone audiometry, middle ear function, air-conducted sound-cervical VEMP (ACS-cVEMP), ACS-ocular VEMP (ACS-oVEMP), galvanic vestibular stimulation-cervical VEMP (GVS-cVEMP), and GVS-ocular VEMP (GVS-oVEMP). The results of auditory and VEMPs were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The abnormal rates of ACS-cVEMP, ACS-oVEMP, GVS-cVEMP, and GVS-oVEMP in affected ears were 30, 52, 8, and 16%, respectively. In affected ears, the abnormal rate of ACS-oVEMP was significantly higher than that of ACS-cVEMP (p = 0.025), while it was similar between GVS-cVEMP and GVS-oVEMP (p = 0.218). Compared with GVS-cVEMP, affected ears presented with a significantly higher abnormal rate of ACS-cVEMP (p = 0.005), and the abnormal rate of ACS-oVEMP was significantly higher than that of GVS-oVEMP (p < 0.001). No significant difference existed in latency and amplitude between affected and unaffected ears in ACS-VEMPs or GVS-VEMPs (p > 0.05). The abnormal rate of VEMPs in the poor recovery group was significantly higher than that of the good recovery group (p = 0.040). The abnormality percentages of ACS-oVEMP and GVS-oVEMP in the poor recovery group were significantly higher than that of the good recovery group (p = 0.004 and 0.039, respectively). The good hearing recovery rates were 76.47% in the normal VEMPs group, 58.33% in the intra-labyrinth lesion group, and 22.22% in the retro-labyrinth lesion group. Hearing recovery worsened as a greater number of abnormal VEMPs was presented. Conclusion: Besides Corti's organ, the impairment of otolithic organs was prominent in patients with ISSNHL. The normal VEMPs group had the highest rate of good recovery, followed by the intra-labyrinth lesion group and the retro-labyrinth lesion group presented with the lowest recovery rate. Abnormalities in ACS-oVEMP and/or GVS-oVEMP were indicators of a poor prognosis.

Emodin protects against intestinal dysfunction and enhances survival in rat model of septic peritonitis through anti-inflammatory actions.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a significant contributor to organ function damage or failure that results in intestinal dysfunction. Emodin (Emo) has received much attention for its notable anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. We aimed to explore the function of Emo on sepsis. METHODS: Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were pretreated with 20 or 40 mg/kg of Emo, followed by using cecal ligation and perforation to establish sepsis models. Hereafter, blood glucose levels, biochemical parameters, and inflammatory cytokines were measured. Additionally, ileal myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was also measured. Diamine oxidase (DAO) level in plasma, fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran 40 (FD-40) level in serum, bacteria number in blood and peritoneal fluid, histopathological changes of ileum, and tight junction (TJ) protein expressions in ileum were tested to evaluate the barrier function. Furthermore, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells' percentages were evaluated by flow cytometry. Finally, rats' survival rate was calculated as live rats divided by the total number of rats. RESULTS: Emo pretreatment not only decreased blood glucose level, but also downregulated triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) contents for sepsis rats, especially for the high dose of Emo (p < .05). Furthermore, Emo inhibited MPO activity and inflammatory factor release (p < .05). Crucially, after Emo administration, the barrier function of ileum was enhanced, evidenced by the reduced DAO, FD-40 levels, decreased bacteria number, alleviated pathological damage in ileum and increased TJ protein expressions (p < .05). Rats treated with Emo exhibited increased percentages of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells (p < .05), as well as an improved survival rate. CONCLUSION: Emo exhibited a remarkable ability to attenuate sepsis by restoring intestinal dysfunction and improving survival rates, and the mechanism was closely related to anti-inflammatory properties, which provided new solid evidence for the use of Emo in treating sepsis.