Exploring near-infrared autofluorescence properties in parathyroid tissue: an analysis of fresh and paraffin-embedded thyroidectomy specimens.

Significance: Near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) utilizes the natural autofluorescence of parathyroid glands (PGs) to improve their identification during thyroid surgeries, reducing the risk of inadvertent removal and subsequent complications such as hypoparathyroidism. This study evaluates NIRAF's effectiveness in real-world surgical settings, highlighting its potential to enhance surgical outcomes and patient safety. Aim: We evaluate the effectiveness of NIRAF in detecting PGs during thyroidectomy and central neck dissection and investigate autofluorescence characteristics in both fresh and paraffin-embedded tissues. Approach: We included 101 patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer who underwent surgeries in 2022 and 2023. We assessed NIRAF's ability to locate PGs, confirmed via parathyroid hormone assays, and involved both junior and senior surgeons. We measured the accuracy, speed, and agreement levels of each method and analyzed autofluorescence persistence and variation over 10 years, alongside the expression of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and vitamin D. Results: NIRAF demonstrated a sensitivity of 89.5% and a negative predictive value of 89.1%. However, its specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) were 61.2% and 62.3%, respectively, which are considered lower. The kappa statistic indicated moderate to substantial agreement (kappa = 0.478; P < 0.001 ). Senior surgeons achieved high specificity (86.2%) and PPV (85.3%), with substantial agreement (kappa = 0.847; P < 0.001 ). In contrast, junior surgeons displayed the lowest kappa statistic among the groups, indicating minimal agreement (kappa = 0.381; P < 0.001 ). Common errors in NIRAF included interference from brown fat and eschar. In addition, paraffin-embedded samples retained stable autofluorescence over 10 years, showing no significant correlation with CaSR and vitamin D levels. Conclusions: NIRAF is useful for PG identification in thyroid and neck surgeries, enhancing efficiency and reducing inadvertent PG removals. The stability of autofluorescence in paraffin samples suggests its long-term viability, with false positives providing insights for further improvements in NIRAF technology.

Global, regional, and national burden of bullying related mental disorders of adolescent from 1990 to 2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Few studies have assessed the burden of mental disorders in adolescents related to bullying victimization at the global, regional, and national levels. We analyzed adolescent mental disorder disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributed to bullying in 204 countries, following the Global Burden of Disease study 2019 framework. The DALYs rate of adolescent for bullying-related mental disorders global increased from 110.45 (95 % uncertainty intervals (UI): 40.76, 218.62) per 100,000 in 1990 to 138.92 (95 % UI: 54.37, 268.19) per 100,000 in 2019. The largest increase in DALYs rates were obvious in low-SDI and high-SDI regions. In 2019, the DALYs rate of adolescents with bullying-related anxiety disorders was 1.4 times higher than those depressive disorders; the DALYs rate of adolescents with bullying-related mental disorder in females was 1.3 times higher than that of male, and older adolescent (15-19 years old) was 1.4 times higher than younger adolescent (10-14 years old). High-income North America had the fastest increase in DALYs rates of mental disorders related to bullying. In general, a positive correlation was observed between bullying DALY rate of adolescent and SDIs at the regional and national levels. Our study highlights significant disparities in adolescent mental health burden from bullying. Governments must implement adaptive policies to address diverse needs effectively.

Evaluation of the Quality of Products from Multiple Industrial-scale Composting Treatment Facilities for Kitchen Waste and Exploration of Influencing Factors.

The aerobic composting process is extensively utilized to manage kitchen waste. Nonetheless, the variability in the quality of compost derived from engineering practices which significantly hinders its broader industrial application. This work investigated the final products of kitchen waste compost at multiple industrial-scale treatment facilities utilizing three distinct aerobic composting processes in a bid to explore key factors affecting compost quality. The quality evaluation was based on technical parameters like seed germination index (GI), and limiting factors such as heavy metal content. The results showed that most of the compost products failed to meet the established standards, with GI being the primary limiting indicator. Furthermore, maturity assessments suggested that compost with low GI exhibited reduced humification could not be recommended for agricultural use. The investigation delved into the primary determinants of GI, focusing on risk factors such as the oil and salt of kitchen waste, and the microbial community of the humification driving forces. The results indicated that products with low GI had higher oil and salt content and a relatively simple microbial community. A thorough analysis suggested that excessive levels oil and salt were potential influencing factors on GI, as they stimulated the activity of acid-producing bacteria like Lactobacillus, suppressed the activity of humification-promoting bacteria such as Actinomarinales, and influenced the decomposition and humification processes of organic matter and total nitrogen, thereby affecting product quality. The findings provide valuable insights for improving kitchen waste compost products for agricultural applications.

A gold cluster fused manganese dioxide nanocube loaded with dihydroartemisinin for effective cancer treatment via amplified oxidative stress.

Chemodynamic therapy, leveraging metabolic processes for reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, shows promise in cancer eradication. However, its efficacy is hampered by hypoxic conditions, substrate scarcity, and abundant ROS scavengers. In this study, we have devised a cubic manganese oxide nanozyme (BSA-AuNC-MnO2@DHA) to tackle these obstacles. This nanozyme integrates MnO2 with bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated gold nanoclusters (AuNC), forming BSA-AuNC-MnO2, and further incorporates dihydroartemisinin (DHA) to confer both bioimaging and anticancer capabilities. The BSA-AuNC-MnO2 nanoparticles exhibit a uniform cubic morphology, with an average hydrated particle diameter of 76.4 ± 7.1 nm and a zeta potential of -32.6 mV, indicative of their excellent dispersion and stability. The encapsulation efficiency of DHA within the BSA-AuNC-MnO2@DHA system achieved a remarkable value of 72.45%, attesting to its substantial drug-loading capacity. MnO2 serves a dual function within the nanozyme: it augments oxidative stress while concurrently inhibiting antioxidant defenses. It depletes the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) to release Mn2+, which in turn catalyzes ROS production from intracellular substrates and DHA. The remarkable anticancer efficacy of this tailored approach is evidenced by the potent inhibition of tumor growth observed after a single-dose administration, which underscores the amplification of oxidative stress. Additionally, BSA-AuNC-MnO2@DHA exhibits negligible toxicity to major organs, highlighting its exceptional biocompatibility and safety profile.

Fine Mapping and Candidate Gene Analysis of Two Major Quantitative Trait Loci, qFW2.1 and qFW3.1, Controlling Fruit Weight in Pepper (Capsicum annuum).

Fruit weight is an important agronomic trait in pepper production and is closely related to yield. At present, many quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to fruit weight have been found in pepper; however, the genes affecting fruit weight remain unknown. We analyzed the fruit weight-related quantitative traits in an intraspecific Capsicum annuum cross between the cultivated species blocky-type pepper, cv. Qiemen, and the bird pepper accession, "129-1" (Capsicum annuum var. glatriusculum), which was the wild progenitor of C. annuum. Using the QTL-seq combined with the linkage-based QTL mapping approach, QTL detection was performed; and two major effects of QTL related to fruit weight, qFW2.1 and qFW3.1, were identified on chromosomes 2 and 3. The qFW2.1 maximum explained 12.28% of the phenotypic variance observed in two F2 generations, with the maximum LOD value of 11.02, respectively; meanwhile, the qFW3.1 maximum explained 15.50% of the observed phenotypic variance in the two F2 generations, with the maximum LOD value of 11.36, respectively. qFW2.1 was narrowed down to the 1.22 Mb region using homozygous recombinant screening from BC2S2 and BC2S3 populations, while qFW3.1 was narrowed down to the 4.61Mb region. According to the transcriptome results, a total of 47 and 86 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the candidate regions of qFW2.1 and qFW3.1 were identified. Further, 19 genes were selected for a qRT-PCR analysis based on sequence difference combined with the gene annotation. Finally, Capana02g002938 and Capana02g003021 are the most likely candidate genes for qFW2.1, and Capana03g000903 may be a candidate gene for qFW3.1. Taken together, our results identified and fine-mapped two major QTL for fruit weight in pepper that will facilitate marker-assistant breeding for the manipulation of yield in pepper.

Research on the Method for Recognizing Bulk Grain-Loading Status Based on LiDAR.

Grain is a common bulk cargo. To ensure optimal utilization of transportation space and prevent overflow accidents, it is necessary to observe the grain's shape and determine the loading status during the loading process. Traditional methods often rely on manual judgment, which results in high labor intensity, poor safety, and low loading efficiency. Therefore, this paper proposes a method for recognizing the bulk grain-loading status based on Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). This method uses LiDAR to obtain point cloud data and constructs a deep learning network to perform target recognition and component segmentation on loading vehicles, extract vehicle positions and grain shapes, and recognize and make known the bulk grain-loading status. Based on the measured point cloud data of bulk grain loading, in the point cloud-classification task, the overall accuracy is 97.9% and the mean accuracy is 98.1%. In the vehicle component-segmentation task, the overall accuracy is 99.1% and the Mean Intersection over Union is 96.6%. The results indicate that the method has reliable performance in the research tasks of extracting vehicle positions, detecting grain shapes, and recognizing loading status.

Traditional Chinese medicine formulation ChangQing compound has significant therapeutic effects on chickens infected with Eimeria tenella.

Coccidiosis poses a significant challenge to the poultry industry. However, the excessive and improper use of anticoccidial drugs and vaccines has led to resistance and food safety concerns. Consequently, traditional Chinese herbs have garnered attention as a potentially safer and more effective alternative. ChangQing compound derived from various Chinese herbal medicines is a promising anticoccidiosis agent, but its therapeutic effects have not been comprehensively evaluated. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of ChangQing Compound against Eimeria tenella-induced coccidiosis in chickens on the basis of physiological indicators, cecum lesions, and changes in microbial diversity. The comparison with the positive control group revealed the average weight gain (AWG) and anticoccidial index (ACI) of the chicks were significantly higher, in contrast, the feed conversion ratio (FCR), cecal lesion score (CLS), and oocyst count per gram of cecal content (OPG) were significantly lower (P<0.05). Notably, AWG (138.87 g), OPG (0.57 × 106), ACI (177.92), and FCR (2.51) reflected the significant therapeutic effect of the 2.5 g/L ChangQing compound treatment (CQM). Histological sections showed that the cecal villus damage and intestinal wall swelling were minimal in the CQM, consistent with the CLS (0.73). Additionally, the 2.5 g/L ChangQing compound treatment effectively prevented the decrease of red blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin, while promoting the release of anti-inflammatory factors interleukin-10 and interleukin-4, and inhibiting the pro-inflammatory factors interferon-γ and interleukin-17. The microbial community structure in the CQM was most similar to that of the negative control group. In summary, ChangQing compound had multiple positive effects (e.g., promoting weight gain, alleviating anemia, suppressing coccidial proliferation, reducing intestinal damage, modulating immunity, and maintaining intestinal microbiota homeostasis). The study results may be relevant to developing a novel strategy for the clinical management of coccidiosis.

To nap or not? Evidence from a meta-analysis of cohort studies of habitual daytime napping and health outcomes.

Habitual daytime napping is a common behavioral and lifestyle practice in particular countries and is often considered part of a normal daily routine. However, recent evidence suggests that the health effects of habitual daytime napping are controversial. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to March 9, 2024, to synthesize cohort studies of napping and health outcome risk. A total of 44 cohort studies with 1,864,274 subjects aged 20-86 years (mean age 56.4 years) were included. Overall, habitual napping increased the risk of several adverse health outcomes, including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and cancer, and decreased the risk of cognitive impairment and sarcopenia. Individuals with a napping duration of 30 min or longer exhibited a higher risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease, whereas those with napping durations less than 30 min had no significant risks. No significant differences in napping and health risks were observed for napping frequency, percentage of nappers, sample size, sex, age, body mass index, follow-up years, or comorbidity status. These findings indicate that individuals with a long napping duration should consider shortening their daily nap duration to 30 min or less.

Directed crystalline symmetry transformation of blue-phase liquid crystals by reverse electrostriction.

Soft-matter-based photonic crystals like blue-phase liquid crystals (BPLC) have potential applications in wide-ranging photonic and bio-chemical systems. To date, however, there are limitations in the fabrication of large monocrystalline BPLCs. Traditional crystal-growth process involves the transition from a high-temperature disordered phase to an ordered (blue) phase and is generally slow (takes hours) with limited achievable lattice structures, and efforts to improve molecular alignment through post-crystallization field application typically prove ineffective. Here we report a systematic study on the molecular self-assembly dynamics of BPLC starting from a highly ordered phase in which all molecules are unidirectionally aligned by a strong electric field. We have discovered that, near the high-temperature end of the blue phase, if the applied field strength is then switched to an intermediate level or simply turned off, large-area monocrystalline BPLCs of various symmetries (tetragonal, orthorhombic, cubic) can be formed in minutes. Subsequent temperature tuning of the single crystal at a fixed applied field allows access to different lattice parameters and the formation of never-before-seen monoclinic structures. The formed crystals remain stable upon field removal. The diversity of stable monocrystalline BPLCs with widely tunable crystalline symmetries, band structures, and optical dispersions will significantly improve and expand their application potentials.

PKD regulates mitophagy to prevent oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction during mouse oocyte maturation.

Mitochondria play dominant roles in various cellular processes such as energy production, apoptosis, calcium homeostasis, and oxidation-reduction balance. Maintaining mitochondrial quality through mitophagy is essential, especially as its impairment leads to the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria in aging oocytes. Our previous research revealed that PKD expression decreases in aging oocytes, and its inhibition negatively impacts oocyte quality. Given PKD's role in autophagy mechanisms, this study investigates whether PKD regulates mitophagy to maintain mitochondrial function and support oocyte maturation. When fully grown oocytes were treated with CID755673, a potent PKD inhibitor, we observed meiosis arrest at the metaphase I stage, along with decreased spindle stability. Our results demonstrate an association with mitochondrial dysfunction, including reduced ATP production and fluctuations in Ca2+ homeostasis, which ultimately lead to increased ROS accumulation, stimulating oxidative stress-induced apoptosis and DNA damage. Further research has revealed that these phenomena result from PKD inhibition, which affects the phosphorylation of ULK, thereby reducing autophagy levels. Additionally, PKD inhibition leads to decreased Parkin expression, which directly and negatively affects mitophagy. These defects result in the accumulation of damaged mitochondria in oocytes, which is the primary cause of mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, these findings suggest that PKD regulates mitophagy to support mitochondrial function and mouse oocyte maturation, offering insights into potential targets for improving oocyte quality and addressing mitochondrial-related diseases in aging females.

A Comparative Analysis of the Gene Expression Profiles in the Mammary Glands of Lactating and Nonlactating Mares at the Second Month of Gestation.

To investigate molecular regulation involved in lactation during pregnancy, this study focused on the transcriptomic profiles of mammary tissue from lactating and non-lactating Mongolian mares at the second month of gestation. A total of 4197 differentially expressed genes were identified by comparing mammary tissues from pregnant mares at two different states, including 1974 differentially expressed genes such as the milk protein-related genes a-s1-casein (CSN1S1), k-casein (CSN3), lactalbumin (LALBA), and lactoferrin (LTF), which were highly expressed in the lactating mares group, and overall, these differentially expressed genes were mainly associated with biological processes such as endoplasmic reticulum protein processing, the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, steroid biosynthesis, cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, and amino sugar and nucleotide glycolysis. These findings serve as a foundation for investigating the molecular underpinnings of lactation in pregnant equids.

[Treatment of male immune infertility by traditional Chinese medicine: A meta-analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of male immune infertility (MII) by meta-analysis. METHODS: We retrieved randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the treatment of male immune infertility with traditional Chinese medicine from the databases of WanFang, Chinese Biomedical Literature, Cochrane Library, Weipu, PubMed and CNKI, and performed methodological quality assessment of the RCTs identified and statistical analysis and evaluation of the publication bias using the RevMan5.4 software. RESULTS: Totally, 25 RCTs (2 563 cases) were included in this study. Compared with Western medicine alone in the treatment of MII, TCM achieved a significantly higher total effectiveness rate (OR = 6.35, 95% CI: 4.96－8.13, P<0.000 01), negative conversion rate of seminal plasma anti-sperm antibodies (OR = 4.52, 95% CI: 2.72 － 7.51, P<0.000 01), negative rate of serum anti-sperm antibodies (OR = 2.98, 95% CI: 2.23－3.96, P<0.000 01), sperm concentration (MD = 15.56, 95% CI: 11.32－19.79, P<0.000 01), grade a sperm motility (MD = 3.85, 95% CI: 1.91－5.79, P=0.000 01), grade a+b sperm motility (MD = 13.77, 95% CI: 7.06－20.48, P<0.000 1), sperm viability (MD = 10.32, 95% CI: 6.78－13.86, P<0.000 01) and pregnancy rate (OR = 3.53, 95% CI: 2.68－4.63, P<0.000 01), but a lower rate of adverse reactions (OR = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01－0.23, P<0.000 01). There was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of morphologically abnormal sperm between TCM and Western medicine alone in the treatment of MII (MD = －7.53, 95% CI: －15.50－0.44, P = 0.06). CONCLUSION: TCM has a definite effectiveness and high safe in the treatment of male immune infertility.

[Rapid determination of chlorate and perchlorate in tea by ion exchange chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

Ion exchange chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (IEC-MS/MS) has recently become the preferred method for detecting ionic substances in tea. In this study, an IEC-MS/MS method was developed for the rapid determination of chlorate and perchlorate residues in tea samples. The optimal sample extraction process, pretreatment column, and chromatographic and mass spectrometric conditions were systematically investigated. In the optimal process, the tea samples were ultrasonically extracted with methanol-water (13∶7, v/v), and a PRiME HLB SPE column was used to purify the sample extract. An AceChrom Hybri-A IEC column (150 mm×2.1 mm, 5.0 µm) was used for separation, and 100 mmol/L ammonium acetate-acetonitrile (40∶60, v/v) was used as the mobile phase for isocratic elution. The flow rate was 0.3 mL/min, the column temperature was 40 ℃, and the injection volume was 5.0 µL. The mass spectrometric data were collected in negative electrospray ionization mode combined with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode to achieve the rapid and accurate separation and qualitative analysis of the desired chemical components. Quantification was performed using the internal standard (IS) method. The measurement results showed a good linear relationship when the mass concentrations of chlorate and perchlorate were between 2.00-200 and 1.00-100 µg/L, respectively, with correlation coefficients (r2) greater than 0.9990. The average recoveries of chlorate and perchlorate at three spiked levels of low, medium, and high ranged from 88.54% to 97.25% with relative standard deviations (RSDs, n=7) of 3.2%-5.2%. The limits of detection for chlorate and perchlorate were 12.0 and 8.0 µg/kg, respectively, while the limits of quantification were 40.0 and 26.6 µg/kg, respectively. The results of tests conducted to assess the linearity, specificity, accuracy, precision, and applicability of the method to the analysis of chlorate and perchlorate in 15 tea samples collected from a local market demonstrated its validity for the routine analysis of tea samples. The proposed method is simple, rapid, sensitive, and accurate, and can meet requirements for the rapid screening and quantitative analysis of residual trace chlorate and perchlorate in large quantities of tea samples.

Comprehensive assessment of the impact of intravitreal faricimab on retinal diseases: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis.

BACKGROUND: Faricimab stands as the inaugural and sole bispecific antibody approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for intravitreal injection. Nonetheless, the efficacy and safety of intravitreal faricimab remained uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate faricimab. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (CRD42023398320). Five databases (Pubmed, Embase, Web of science, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials gov) were searched. We calculated pooled standard mean difference or odds ratio with 95 % confident interval under a random-effect model or fixed-effect model. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was employed to ascertain the reliability of the analyses. Trial sequential analysis was performed to gauge the statistical reliability of the data in the cumulative meta-analysis. RESULTS: 8 studies (3975 participants) were included. The use of faricimab was associated with central subfield thickness (CST) change, but no difference was found in other primary efficacy outcomes. Apart from that, a correlation was observed between the use of faricimab and the risk of vitreous floaters. Based on TSA, strong evidence indicates that compared to the control group, faricimab aided in reducing CST but increasing the risk of vitreous floaters. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a correlation existed between the use of faricimab and a reduction in CST, indicating a superior therapeutic effect. Moreover, participants treated with faricimab demonstrated a higher risk of vitreous floaters. More randomized controlled trials are essential to further explore the efficacy and safety of faricimab.

Effectiveness of the A3 robot on lower extremity motor function in stroke patients: A prospective, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The results of existing lower extremity robotics studies are conflicting, and few relevant clinical trials have examined short-term efficacy. In addition, most of the outcome indicators in existing studies are scales, which are not objective enough. We used the combination of objective instrument measurement and scale to explore the short-term efficacy of the lower limb A3 robot, to provide a clinical reference. AIM: To investigate the improvement of lower limb walking ability and balance in stroke treated by A3 lower limb robot. METHODS: Sixty stroke patients were recruited prospectively in a hospital and randomized into the A3 group and the control group. They received 30 min of A3 robotics training and 30 min of floor walking training in addition to 30 min of regular rehabilitation training. The training was performed five times a week, once a day, for 2 wk. The t-test or non-parametric test was used to compare the three-dimensional gait parameters and balance between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: The scores of basic activities of daily living, Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale, FM balance meter, Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores, Rivermead Mobility Index, Stride speed, Stride length, and Time Up and Go test in the two groups were significantly better than before treatment (19.29 ± 12.15 vs 3.52 ± 4.34; 22.57 ± 17.99 vs 4.07 ± 2.51; 1.21 ± 0.83 vs 0.18 ± 0.40; 3.50 ± 3.80 vs 0.96 ± 2.08; 2.07 ± 1.21 vs 0.41 ± 0.57; 0.89 ± 0.63 vs 0.11 ± 0.32; 12.38 ± 9.00 vs 2.80 ± 3.43; 18.84 ± 11.24 vs 3.80 ± 10.83; 45.12 ± 69.41 vs 8.41 ± 10.20; 29.45 ± 16.62 vs 8.68 ± 10.74; P < 0.05). All outcome indicators were significantly better in the A3 group than in the control group, except the area of the balance parameter. CONCLUSION: For the short-term treatment of patients with subacute stroke, the addition of A3 robotic walking training to conventional physiotherapy appears to be more effective than the addition of ground-based walking training.

Pathological Changes and Pregnancy Outcomes in Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Patients After Cold Knife Conization.

Objective: Analyze women treated with underwent cold knife conization (CKC) to remove advanced squamous intraepithelial lesions (CIN) of the cervix. The histopathological upgrading of the lesions previously detected on vaginal biopsy and postoperative pregnancy outcomes of were investigated, to identify high-risk subgroups in women. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the First Central Hospital of Baoding City from June 2019 to December 2022 to analyze confirmed cases of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia CIN-II and CIN-III. Investigation of pathological changes in postoperative pathological tissues, and to perform binary logistic analysis to identify risk factors for histopathological escalation in postoperative lesions. We analyze the effects of CKC surgery on pregnancy outcomes in patients by comparing against a control group of healthy pregnant women. Results: Out of the 176 patients diagnosed with CIN-II who underwent cervical biopsy, 39 (22.16%) were found to have a final specimen diagnosis of CIN-III, while 7 (3.98%) were downgraded to CIN-I. Among the 108 patients diagnosed with CIN-III who underwent cervical biopsy, 7 cases (6.48%) were ultimately confirmed to have CIN-III. Ki67-positive, p16-positive (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.15), and colposcopy biopsy for CIN-II (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.33-3.6) were independent risk factors for pathological upgrade after CKC. Compared with healthy pregnant women, CIN patients had higher rates of premature birth (14.4%), premature rupture of the fetal membrane (13.6%), and cesarean section (37.5%) (P < 0.05). The mode of conception, abortion rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, and postpartum hemorrhage were not different between healthy pregnant women and CIN patients (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Following cervical multi-point biopsy or CKC, along with pathological examination, the accurate diagnosis of cervical lesions is crucial as it allows for more precise identification of such lesions. Additionally, CKC increases the risk of premature birth, premature rupture of membranes, and the need for cesarean section.

Photoimmunotherapy for cancer treatment based on organic small molecules: Recent strategies and future directions.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered as a promising anticancer approach, owning to its high efficiency and spatiotemporal selectivity. Ample evidence indicated that PDT can trigger immunogenic cell death by releasing antigens that activate immune cells to promote anti-tumor immunity. Nevertheless, the inherent nature of tumors and their complex heterogeneity often limits the efficiency of PDT, which can be overcome with a novel strategy of photo-immunotherapy (PIT) strategy. By exploring the principles of PDT induction and ICD enhancement, combined with other therapies such as chemotherapy or immune checkpoint blockade, the tailored solutions can be designed to address specific challenges of drug resistance, hypoxic conditions, and tumor immunosuppressive microenvironments (TIMEs), which enables targeted enhancement of systemic immunity to address most distant and recurrent cancers. The present article summarizes the specific strategies of PIT and discusses recent existing limitations. More importantly, we anticipate that the perspectives presented herein will help address the clinical translation challenges associated with PIT.

[Testis-sparing microsurgery for benign testis tumor: A report of 16 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and clinical effect of testis-sparing microsurgery (TSMS) in the treatment of benign testis tumor (BTT). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data on 16 cases of BTT treated in the Department of Andrology of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from October 2020 to February 2023. The median age of the patients was 23 years. All the tumors were unilateral, 7 in the left and 9 in the right side, with a median diameter of 1.85 cm (1.0－3.5 cm). The patients all underwent color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), MRI, semen analysis and examination of serum T, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), followed by TSMS. The boundaries between the tumors and normal testis tissue were accurately identified under the microscope, and the tumors and the adjacent normal testis tissue 2 mm from their margins were excised completely. Bipolar coagulation forceps were used for wound hemostasis to maximally preserve the normal testis tissue. The resected specimens were subjected to fast frozen pathology intraoperatively, and the patients were followed up for 14－40 months by regular scrotal CDFI, MRI and examinations of serum T and semen parameters. RESULTS: The levels of serum T, AFP, HCG and LDH and semen parameters were all within the normal range preoperatively. TSMS were successfully completed in all the cases, and all were pathologically confirmed as BTT according to the latest edition of WHO Classification of Tumors: Urinary and Male Genital Tumors. CDFI showed normal blood supply within the testis tissue at 1 month after surgery. No signs of intra-testicular tumor residue, recurrence or metastasis, nor significant changes in the levels of serum T, AFP, HCG or LDH or semen parameters were observed during the follow-up as compared with the baseline. Natural conception was achieved in 2 cases at 16 and 18 months respectively after surgery. CONCLUSION: BTT can be differentially diagnosed by CDFI and MRI before surgery and confirmed by histopathology. TSMS can achieve complete excision of the tumor, maximal sparing of the normal testis tissue and thereby effective preservation of male fertility.

Accurate Long-Read RNA Sequencing Analysis Reveals the Key Pathways and Candidate Genes under Drought Stress in the Seed Germination Stage in Faba Bean.

Faba bean is an important pulse. It provides proteins for the human diet and is used in industrial foodstuffs, such as flours. Drought stress severely reduces the yield of faba bean, and this can be efficiently overcome through the identification and application of key genes in response to drought. In this study, PacBio and Illumina RNA sequencing techniques were used to identify the key pathways and candidate genes involved in drought stress response. During seed germination, a total of 17,927 full-length transcripts and 12,760 protein-coding genes were obtained. There were 1676 and 811 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the varieties E1 and C105 at 16 h and 64 h under drought stress, respectively. Six and nine KEGG pathways were significantly enriched at 16 h and 64 h under drought stress, which produced 40 and 184 nodes through protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, respectively. The DEGs of the PPI nodes were involved in the ABA (abscisic acid) and MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathways, N-glycosylation, sulfur metabolism, and sugar metabolism. Furthermore, the ectopic overexpression of a key gene, AAT, encoding aspartate aminotransferase (AAT), in tobacco, enhanced drought tolerance. The activities of AAT and peroxidase (POD), the contents of cysteine and isoleucine, were increased, and the contents of malonaldehyde (MDA) and water loss decreased in the overexpressed plants. This study provides a novel insight into genetic response to drought stress and some candidate genes for drought tolerance genetic improvements in this plant.

Effectiveness of spaced education pedagogy in enhancing Nurses' knowledge on emotional resilience-A quasi-experimental trial.

INTRODUCTION: Building resilience among nurses has been postulated as one of the key strategies to support nurses and retain them in the profession. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness, of spaced education pedagogy in enhancing Nurses' knowledge on emotional resilience. Secondary objectives include evaluation of the usability and acceptability of delivery of the training via a mobile application in one's own mobile device. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study with single group pre-test and post-test trial was conducted. METHODS: Full-time registered nurses working in an acute care hospital were invited to participate from June 2021 to June 2022. The group used the mobile application daily for 1 month. Pre-test measurement includes socio-demographic data and baseline resilience level before the intervention. Post-test measurement includes resilience level, usability and acceptability of mobile-assisted cognitive-behavioral therapy measured upon completion of the training. The mobile application enabled the delivery of resilience educational content in small quantities through a repeating manner, with a concurrent evaluation of learner's understanding. RESULTS: When compared to their baseline (mean = 24.38, SD = 5.50), participants reported significant increase in the Connor-Davison Resilience Scale score (mean = 26.33, SD = 5.57) (t = -4.40, p < 0.001). Upon 1 month usage of the mobile application, a higher percentage of the participants reported intermediate to high level of resilience (57.4%), as compared to prior usage (54.7%). Respondents reported knowledge of most useful strategies for their daily lives including: (i) managing negative emotions (54.1%); (ii) psychoeducation about mental health and the risks of burnout (44.7%); (iii) achieving work and life balance (43.5%); and (iv) depiction of workplace scenarios to demonstrate what can be and cannot be controlled during times of change (43.5%). Participants reported usability of the mobile application with a mean SUS score 70.5 (SD = 13.0), which was considered "acceptable." Overall, 82.3% of the participants found the mobile application appealing, 64.7% reported they were likely to use the mobile application in the future and 72.9% would recommend it to other nurses. CONCLUSION: The mobile application provided nurses with the availability and convenience to access resilience building learning content integrated with the spaced education pedagogy. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of mobile-assisted cognitive behavioral training can aid in increasing nurses' resilience level. Nurses provided acceptable usability ratings and satisfactory acceptance of receiving training via the mobile application, showing promising opportunities in the improvement of overall well-being.