Nonlinear relationship between oxidative balance score and hyperuricemia: analyses of NHANES 2007-2018.

BACKGROUND: Limited data regarding the correlation between oxidative balance score (OBS) and hyperuricemia highlights the necessity for thorough investigations. This study aims to examine the link between OBS, which incorporates dietary and lifestyle factors, and the occurrence of hyperuricemia. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 13,636 participants from the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The oxidative balance score (OBS) was determined based on four lifestyle factors and sixteen dietary nutrients. We assessed the levels of serum uric acid (SUA) and the occurrence of hyperuricemia as outcomes. Weighted logistic regression and linear models were used for statistical analysis, using Restricted Cubic Splines (RCS) to examine potential nonlinear associations. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity assessments were performed to identify any variations and ensure the robustness of the findings. RESULTS: Higher OBS was consistently correlated with decreased SUA levels and a reduced prevalence of hyperuricemia. RCS highlighted a significant negative nonlinear association, particularly in females. Subgroup analysis revealed gender-based differences and interactive correlation, providing additional insights regarding OBS and hyperuricemia relationship. CONCLUSION: This study underscores a robust negative correlation between OBS and SUA levels as well as the incidence of hyperuricemia, emphasizing the importance of dietary and lifestyle factors. Incorporating RCS, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity assessments enhances the depth of our findings, providing valuable insights for further research.

Metformin improves diabetic neuropathy by reducing inflammation through up-regulating the expression of miR-146a and suppressing oxidative stress.

PURPOSE: Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a notable complication of diabetes mellitus. The potential involvement of miR-146a in DN regulation is presently under investigation. Metformin, a commonly prescribed medication for diabetes, is the primary therapeutic intervention. This study aimed to unveil the potential protective effects of metformin on diabetic neuropathy and explore the mechanisms underlying its action. METHOD: Six-weeks male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 40) were randomly divided into 5 groups. The rat model of diabetic neuropathy (DN) was established by administering streptozotocin (STZ). To investigate the effects on the sciatic nerve and resident Schwann cells (RSCs), metformin and miR-146a mimics were administered, and our research explored the potential underlying mechanism. RESULT: The sciatic nerve samples obtained from diabetic rats exhibited noticeable morphological damage, accompanied by decreased miR-146a expression (2.61 ± 0.11 vs 5.0 ± 0.3, p < 0.01) and increased inflammation levels (p65: 1.89 ± 0.04 vs 0.82 ± 0.05, p < 0.01; TNF-α: 0.93 ± 0.03 vs 0.33 ± 0.03, p < 0.01). Notably, the administration of metformin effectively ameliorated the structural alterations in the sciatic nerve by suppressing the inflammatory pathway (p65: 1.15 ± 0.05 vs 1.89 ± 0.04, p < 0.01; TNF-α: 0.67 ± 0.04 vs 0.93 ± 0.03, p < 0.01) and reducing oxidative stress (NO: 0.062 ± 0.004 vs 0.154 ± 0.004umol/mg, p < 0.01; SOD: 3.08 ± 0.09 vs 2.46 ± 0.09 U/mg, p < 0.01). The miR-146a mimics intervention group exhibited comparable findings. CONCLUSION: This study's findings implied that metformin can potentially mitigate diabetic neuropathy in rats through the modulation of miR-146a expression.

Clinical models to predict lymph nodes metastasis and distant metastasis in newly diagnosed early esophageal cancer patients: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with early esophageal cancer (EC) receive individualized therapy based on their lymph node metastasis (LNM) and distant metastasis (DM) status; however, deficiencies in current clinical staging techniques and the issue of cost-effectiveness mean LNM and DM often go undetected preoperatively. We aimed to develop three clinical models to predict the likelihood of LNM, DM, and prognosis in patients with early EC. METHOD: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for T1 EC patients from 2004 to 2015. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to recognize the risk factors of LNM and DM, predict overall survival (OS), and develop relevant nomograms. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)/concordance index and calibration curves were used to evaluate the discrimination and accuracy of the three nomograms. Decision curve analyses (DCAs), clinical impact curves, and subgroups based on model scores were used to determine clinical practicability. RESULTS: The area under the curve of the LNM and DM nomograms were 0.668 and 0.807, respectively. The corresponding C-index of OS nomogram was 0.752. Calibration curves and DCA showed an effective predictive accuracy and clinical applicability. In patients with T1N0M0 EC, surgery alone (p < 0.01) proved a survival advantage. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy indicated a better prognosis in the subgroup analysis for T1 EC patients with LNM or DM. CONCLUSIONS: We created three nomograms to predict the likelihood of LNM, DM, and OS probability in patients with early EC using a generalizable dataset. These useful visual tools could help clinical physicians deliver appropriate perioperative care.

[Risk factors of skip lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma].

Objective:To investigate the incidence and risk factors of skip lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma（PTC）. Methods:The clinical and pathological data of 85 patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy plus central and lateral neck dissection in the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from January 2018 to January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. SPSS 26.0 software was used to process the data, and univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to assess the relationships between skip lateral cervical lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological characteristics. Results:There were 31 cases（36.5%） of skipped lateral cervical lymph node metastasis. Univariate analysis showed that the largest tumor diameter ≤5 mm（P=0.006） and the tumor located in the upper pole of the thyroid（P=0.002） were associated with the occurrence of skip lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with PTC. Most of the skip metastases involved a single area（18/31, 58.1%）, of which area Ⅲ was most likely to be involved（10/31, 32.3%）, followed by area Ⅱ（5/31, 16.1%）. The results of binary logistic analysis showed that tumor diameter less than 5 mm（OR 7.800, 95%CI 1.710-21.394, P=0.005） and tumor at the upper pole of the gland（OR 4.060, 95%CI 1.468-11.235, P=0.007） were independent risk factors of skip lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in PTC patients. Conclusion:PTC patients with tumor diameter ≤5 mm and tumor located in the upper pole of the gland are more prone to skip lateral cervical lymph node metastasis. When the diameter of the tumor is less than 5 mm and the tumor is located at the upper pole of the gland, careful evaluation should be made before operation, even in the absence of central lymph node metastasis, attention should be paid to the possibility of lateral cervical lymph node metastasis.