Unveiling electron transfer and radical transformation pathways in coupled electrocatalysis and persulfate oxidation reactions for complex pollutant removal.

The degradation of multiple organic pollutants in wastewater via advanced oxidation processes might involve different radicals, of which the types and concentrations vary upon interacting with different pollutants. In this study, electrochemical activation of peroxymonosulfate (E/PMS) using advanced activated carbon cloth (ACC) as electrode was applied for simultaneous degradation of mixed pollutants, e.g., metronidazole (MNZ) and p-chloroaniline (PCA). 92.5 % of MNZ and 91.4 % of PCA can be degraded at the cathode and anode at a low current density and PMS concentration, respectively. The rate constants for the simultaneous removal of MNZ and PCA in the E/PMS/MNZ(PCA) system were 118 times and 6 times higher than those in the sole PMS system, and 2.5 times and 1.6 times higher than those in the E/Na2SO4/MNZ(PCA) system, respectively. Different electrochemical characteristics, EPR spectra and radical quenching tests verified that the degradation of MNZ and PCA in the optimal system proceeded primarily through non-radical-dominated oxidation, involving electron transfer and 1O2 effect. The system also exhibited low energy consumption (0.215 kWh/m-3·order-1), broad operational pH range, excellent removal efficiency for water matrix, and low by-products toxicity, indicating its strong potential for practical applications. The ACC, with its super stable, low cost, and electrochemical activity, make it as a promising materials applicable in the E/PMS system for degradation of multiple pollutants. The study further elucidated the mechanism of pollutant interaction with electrode materials in terms of radical and non-radical transformation, providing fundamental insight into the application of this system for treatment of complex wastewater.

The effect of transvesical laparoscopic radical prostatectomy on sexual function and urinary continence.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of transvesical laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (TVLRP) on sexual function and urinary continence. METHOD: The data of 72 patients diagnosed with low-risk and localized prostate cancer, who underwent treatment at our hospital between January 2017 and June 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. All these patients underwent TVLRP under general anesthesia. Their serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), urinary continence and erectile function were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The operation went well with no intraoperative difficulties. The average surgical duration of 102 ± 22 min, coupled with the minimal intraoperative blood loss of 100 ± 32 mL, underscored the precision and efficacy of the surgical techniques employed. Following surgery, postoperative pathological assessments confirmed staging, revealing pT2a in 18 cases and pT2b in 54 cases, suggestive of localized tumors. Gleason scores ≤ 6 further indicated well-differentiated tumors, while consistently negative surgical margins affirmed the complete resection of tumors, reducing the likelihood of disease recurrence. Subsequent to the surgical intervention, the the average hospital stay was 13.94.1 days. A comprehensive 12-month follow-up revealed exceptionally high urinary continence rates, with 97.8% and 100% of patients achieving continence at 1 and 3 months postoperatively, respectively. Moreover, progressive improvement in erectile function recovery was observed, with recovery rates at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively reaching 82.2%, 88.4%, and 93.5%, respectively. There was no biochemical regression. CONCLUSION: Treatment of low-risk and localized prostate cancer by TVLRP has a satisfactory urinary continence and recovery of erectile function after operation, less and complications and definite tumor-control effect.

Outcomes and failure patterns after chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer with positive lateral pelvic lymph nodes: a propensity score-matched analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to use propensity score matching (PSM) to explore the long-term outcomes and failure patterns in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients with positive versus negative lateral pelvic lymph node (LPLN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with LARC were retrospectively divided into LPLN-positive and LPLN-negative groups. Clinical characteristics were compared between the groups using the chi-square test. PSM was applied to balance these differences. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and local-regional recurrence (LRR) and distant metastasis (DM) rates were compared between the groups using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests. RESULTS: A total of 651 LARC patients were included, 160 (24.6%) of whom had positive LPLN and 491 (75.4%) had negative LPLN. Before PSM, the LPLN-positive group had higher rates of lower location (53.1% vs. 43.0%, P = 0.025), T4 stage (37.5% vs. 23.2%, P = 0.002), mesorectal fascia (MRF)-positive (53.9% vs. 35.4%, P < 0.001) and extramural venous invasion (EMVI)-positive (51.2% vs. 27.2%, P < 0.001) disease than the LPLN-negative group. After PSM, there were 114 patients for each group along with the balanced clinical factors, and both groups had comparable surgery, pathologic complete response (pCR), and ypN stage rates. The median follow-up was 45.9 months, 3-year OS (88.3% vs. 92.1%, P = 0.276) and LRR (5.7% vs. 2.8%, P = 0.172) rates were comparable between LPLN-positive and LPLN-negative groups. Meanwhile, despite no statistical difference, 3-year PFS (78.8% vs. 85.9%, P = 0.065) and DM (20.4% vs. 13.3%, P = 0.061) rates slightly differed between the groups. 45 patients were diagnosed with DM, 11 (39.3%) LPLN-positive and 3 (17.6%) LPLN-negative patients were diagnosed with oligometastases (P = 0.109). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that for LPLN-positive patients, there is a tendency of worse PFS and DM than LPLN-negative patients, and for this group patients, large samples are needed to further confirm our conclusion.

The role of microorganisms in phosphorus cycling at river-lake confluences: Insights from a study on microbial community dynamics.

River-lake confluences are key zones in the river-lake network, essential for managing contaminant transport and transformation. However, the role of biogeochemical transformations, particularly in phosphorus (P) dynamics, has been underexplored. As a result, this study looks into the dynamics of microbial communities and how important microbes are to the cycling of P. It was revealed that microorganisms contribute differently to phosphorus cycling in different hydraulic regions. Regions with higher-velocity and finer sediment showed increased microbial diversity and enhanced capabilities for organic phosphorus (OP) mineralization and inorganic phosphorus (IP) solubilization due to lower bio-available P (bio-P) concentrations. In areas characterized by flow deflection (FD), flow stagnation (FST), and flow separation (FSE), distinct P fraction distributions were observed: Total phosphorus (TP) and bio-P were found to be more abundant in the FST and FD regions, but residual phosphorus (Res-P) and calcium phosphorus (Ca-P) were more prevalent in the FSE region. Sediment characteristics, including P species like aluminum-phosphorus (Al-P), OP, iron-associate phosphorus (BD-P), and sediment mid-diameter (D50), significantly influence microbial community composition. These results improve our comprehension of the distribution of microbial community distribution and its role in the phosphorus cycle at river-lake confluence, providing useful provide valuable information for managing river-lake confluences and protecting aquatic ecosystems.

IG-Net: An Instrument-guided real-time semantic segmentation framework for prostate dissection during surgery for low rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Accurate prostate dissection is crucial in transanal surgery for patients with low rectal cancer. Improper dissection can lead to adverse events such as urethral injury, severely affecting the patient's postoperative recovery. However, unclear boundaries, irregular shape of the prostate, and obstructive factors such as smoke present significant challenges for surgeons. METHODS: Our innovative contribution lies in the introduction of a novel video semantic segmentation framework, IG-Net, which incorporates prior surgical instrument features for real-time and precise prostate segmentation. Specifically, we designed an instrument-guided module that calculates the surgeon's region of attention based on instrument features, performs local segmentation, and integrates it with global segmentation to enhance performance. Additionally, we proposed a keyframe selection module that calculates the temporal correlations between consecutive frames based on instrument features. This module adaptively selects non-keyframe for feature fusion segmentation, reducing noise and optimizing speed. RESULTS: To evaluate the performance of IG-Net, we constructed the most extensive dataset known to date, comprising 106 video clips and 6153 images. The experimental results reveal that this method achieves favorable performance, with 72.70% IoU, 82.02% Dice, and 35 FPS. CONCLUSIONS: For the task of prostate segmentation based on surgical videos, our proposed IG-Net surpasses all previous methods across multiple metrics. IG-Net balances segmentation accuracy and speed, demonstrating strong robustness against adverse factors.

Spatially Informed Graph Structure Learning Extracts Insights from Spatial Transcriptomics.

Embeddings derived from cell graphs hold significant potential for exploring spatial transcriptomics (ST) datasets. Nevertheless, existing methodologies rely on a graph structure defined by spatial proximity, which inadequately represents the diversity inherent in cell-cell interactions (CCIs). This study introduces STAGUE, an innovative framework that concurrently learns a cell graph structure and a low-dimensional embedding from ST data. STAGUE employs graph structure learning to parameterize and refine a cell graph adjacency matrix, enabling the generation of learnable graph views for effective contrastive learning. The derived embeddings and cell graph improve spatial clustering accuracy and facilitate the discovery of novel CCIs. Experimental benchmarks across 86 real and simulated ST datasets show that STAGUE outperforms 15 comparison methods in clustering performance. Additionally, STAGUE delineates the heterogeneity in human breast cancer tissues, revealing the activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and PI3K/AKT signaling in specific sub-regions. Furthermore, STAGUE identifies CCIs with greater alignment to established biological knowledge than those ascertained by existing graph autoencoder-based methods. STAGUE also reveals the regulatory genes that participate in these CCIs, including those enriched in neuropeptide signaling and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways, thereby providing insights into the underlying biological processes.

Polo-like kinase 2 promotes microglial activation via regulation of the HSP90α/IKKß pathway.

Polo-like kinase 2 (PLK2) is a serine/threonine protein kinase associated with the regulation of synaptic plasticity and centriole duplication. We identify PLK2 as a crucial early-response gene in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglial cells. Knockdown or inhibition of PLK2 remarkably attenuates LPS-induced expression of proinflammatory factors in microglial cells by suppressing the inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B kinase subunit beta (IKKß)-nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway. We identify heat shock protein 90 alpha (HSP90α), a regulator of IKKß activity, as a novel PLK2 substrate. Knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of HSP90α abolishes PLK2-mediated activation of NF-κB transcriptional activity and microglial inflammatory activation. Furthermore, phosphoproteomic analysis pinpoints Ser252 and Ser263 on HSP90α as novel phosphorylation targets of PLK2. Lastly, conditional knockout of PLK2 in microglial cells dramatically ameliorates neuroinflammation and subsequent dopaminergic neuron loss in an intracranial LPS-induced mouse Parkinson's disease (PD) model. The present study reveals that PLK2 promotes microglial activation through the phosphorylation of HSP90α and subsequent activation of the IKKß-NF-κB signaling pathway.

Long-term stability in perovskite solar cells through atomic layer deposition of tin oxide.

Robust contact schemes that boost stability and simplify the production process are needed for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). We codeposited perovskite and hole-selective contact while protecting the perovskite to enable deposition of SnOx/Ag without the use of a fullerene. The SnOx, prepared through atomic layer deposition, serves as a durable inorganic electron transport layer. Tailoring the oxygen vacancy defects in the SnOx layer led to power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of >25%. Our devices exhibit superior stability over conventional p-i-n PSCs, successfully meeting several benchmark stability tests. They retained >95% PCE after 2000 hours of continuous operation at their maximum power point under simulated AM1.5 illumination at 65°C. Additionally, they boast a certified T97 lifetime exceeding 1000 hours.

Removal-Free and Multicellular Suspension Bath-Based 3D Bioprinting.

Suspension bath-based 3D bioprinting (SUB3BP) is effective in creating engineered vascular structures. The transfer of oxygen and nutrients via engineered vascular networks is necessary for tissue or organ survival and integration following transplantation. Existing SUB3BP techniques face challenges in fabricating hierarchical structures with multicellular organization, including issues related to suspension bath removal, restricted material choices, and low accuracy. A next-generation SUB3BP technique that is removal-free and multicellular is presented. A simple, storable, stable, and scalable starch hydrogel design leverages the diverse spectrum of hydrogels available for use in SUB3BP. Starch granules (8.1 µm) create vascular structures with minimal surface roughness (2.5 µm) that simulate more natural vessel walls compared to prior research. The development of cells and organoids, as well as the bioprinting of multicellular skin models with vasculature, demonstrates that starch suspension baths eliminate the removal process and have the potential for fabricating artificial tissue with a hierarchical structure and multicellular distribution.

Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Films: Structure Design and Prospects.

The popularity of portable and wearable flexible electronic devices, coupled with the rapid advancements in military field, requires electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with lightweight, thin, and flexible characteristics, which are incomparable for traditional EMI shielding materials. The film materials can fulfill the above requirements, making them among the most promising EMI shielding materials for next-generation electronic devices. Meticulously controlling structure of composite film materials while optimizing the electromagnetic parameters of the constructed components can effectively dissipate and transform electromagnetic wave energy. Herein, the review systematically outlines high-performance EMI shielding composite films through structural design strategies, including homogeneous structure, layered structure, and porous structure. The attenuation mechanism of EMI shielding materials and the evaluation (Schelkunoff theory and calculation theory) of EMI shielding performance are introduced in detail. Moreover, the effect of structure attributes and electromagnetic properties of composite films on the EMI shielding performance is analyzed, while summarizing design criteria and elucidating the relevant EMI shielding mechanism. Finally, the future challenges and potential application prospects of EMI shielding composite films are prospected. This review provides crucial guidance for the construction of advanced EMI shielding films tailored for highly customized and personalized electronic devices in the future.

Internal Capsulation Via Self-Cross-linking and π-Effects Achieves Highly Stable Perovskite Solar Cells.

Pursuing high stability becomes the core challenge in realizing the widespread application of perovskite solar cells (PerSCs). Here, a practical internal-capsulation strategy is proposed by introducing cross-linkable methacrylate analogs upon the perovskite layer, hindering ion migration and preventing lead leakage to achieve stable PerSCs. Butyl methacrylate (UMA) and benzyl methacrylate (BMA) can chemically interact with the perovskite layer, especially for the BMA dimer with significant π-interactions among the hanging benzene rings. Such configuration facilitated more compact coordination, thereby restoring the Fermi level of perovskite to a defect-free state and reducing carrier recombination losses. Moreover, by integrating the self-cross-linking and intermolecular π-effect, the application of BMA upgraded the internal capsulation from linear protection to a compact mesh-like scale. Consequently, the application of BMA not only boosted the efficiency to 25.31% but also greatly enhanced the stability of the perovskite layer, especially for water resistance and preventing lead linkage. The internal capsulation strategy upgrading from linear to mesh-like marked an innovative direction in protecting the perovskite layer, paving the way for more sustainable PerSCs in further application.

[Effects of simulated repeated transcranial acupuncture on learning and memory and cerebral microvascular flow in vascular dementia rats]. / æ¨¡æ‹Ÿç»é¢ é‡å¤é’ˆåˆºæ‰‹æ³•å¯¹è¡€ç®¡æ€§ç—´å‘†å¤§é¼ å­¦ä¹ è®°å¿†åŠè„‘å¾®è¡€æµçš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of simulated repeated transcranial acupuncture (rTAS) on learning and memory abilities and cerebral microvascular flow in vascular dementia (VD) model rats, so as to explore the potential mechanism of rTAS in treating VD. METHODS: Thirty-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal, model, acupuncture and rTAS groups (n=8 rats in each group). The VD model was established by permanent ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries. For rats of the acupuncture group, "Baihui" (GV20) and "Shenting" (GV24) were needled, and for rats of the rTAS group, GV20 and GV24 were stimulated by simulated repeated transcranial manipulation (200 r/min, for 5 min). The treatment was conducted once daily for 14 days. After the intervention, learning and memory abilities were evaluated using the Morris water maze test. Laser speckle technology was used to measure the average cerebral microvascular flow. ELISA was performed to measure the contents of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endothelin-1 (ET-1), nitric oxide (NO), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the hippocampal tissues. RESULTS: In comparison with the normal group, the escape latency of rats in the model group was prolonged (P<0.01), and the times of crossing the platform were decreased (P<0.01). The average cerebral microvascular flow and the VEGF content in the hippocampus were significantly decreased, while the contents of NO, iNOS, and ET-1 were significantly increased (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, the escape latency was significantly shortened (P<0.01), the average cerebral microvascular flow and VEGF content in the hippocampus were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while contents of iNOS were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01) in both acupuncture and rTAS groups；and the times of crossing the platform were increased (P<0.01), the contents of NO and ET-1 in hippocampus were significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the rTAS group. The effects of rTAS were significantly superior to those of acupuncture in up-regulating the average cerebral microvascular flow (P<0.05) and VEGF content (P<0.01), and down-regulating the NO, iNOS and ET-1 contents (P<0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: rTAS can increase cerebral microvascular flow, improve spatial cognition and enhance learning and memory abilities of VD rats. The underlying mechanism may be involved in promoting angiogenesis, improving endothelial function and mitigating oxidative stress.

Physical activity during adolescence and early adulthood and breast cancer risk before age 40 years.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) incidence is increasing in women under age 40 years, underscoring the need for research on BC risk factors for younger women. METHODS: We used data from an international family cohort (n=26,348) to examine whether recreational physical activity (RPA) during adolescence and early adulthood are associated with BC risk before age 40. The cohort includes 2,502 women diagnosed with BC before age 40, including 2,408 diagnosed before study enrollment (68% within 5 years of enrollment). Women reported their average hours-per-week of moderate and strenuous RPA during adolescence (12-17 years) and early adulthood (25-34 years), which were converted to total age-adjusted metabolic equivalents-per-week and categorized into quartiles. We conducted attained age analyses until age 40 (follow-up time began at age 18) using Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for study center, race and ethnicity, and education. RESULTS: Being in the highest versus lowest quartile of RPA during adolescence and early adulthood were respectively associated with 12% [HR (95% CI): 0.88 (0.78, 0.98)] and 16% [HR (95% CI): 0.84 (0.74, 0.95) lower BC risks before age 40. Being in the highest quartile of RPA during both adolescence and early adulthood (Pearson correlation=0.52) versus neither timepoint was associated with a 22% lower risk [HR (95% CI): 0.78 (0.68, 0.89)]. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that RPA during adolescence and early adulthood may lower BC risk before age 40. IMPACT: Policies promoting physical activity during adolescence and early adulthood may be important for reducing the growing burden of breast cancer in younger women.

Prognostic implications of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have demonstrated potential as prognostic biomarkers across various cancer types. However, their prognostic implications in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain ambiguous. Methods: An exhaustive electronic search was executed across the Pubmed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases to locate relevant studies published up until December 19, 2023. Studies were eligible if they assessed the association between TILs and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in NSCLC patients. The OS and DFS were subsequently extracted for analysis. The prognostic significance of TILs was evaluated by calculating the Pooled Hazard Ratios (HRs) and their corresponding 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs). Results: The meta-analysis incorporated 60 studies, which collectively included 15829 NSCLC patients. The collective analysis indicated that NSCLC patients exhibiting TILs infiltration demonstrated a significantly improved OS(HR: 0.67; 95%CI: 0.55-0.81). Subgroup analyses, based on TIL subtypes (CD8+, CD3+ and CD4+), consistently revealed a favorable prognostic impact on OS. However, it was observed that FOXP3+ was correlated with a poor OS (HR: 1.35; 95% CI: 0.87-2.11). Conclusion: This comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis substantiate the prognostic significance of TILs in patients diagnosed with NSCLC. Notably, elevated TILs infiltration correlates with a favorable prognosis, particularly among CD8+, CD3+ and CD4+ subtypes. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023468089 PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023468089.

Association between body fat variation rate and risk of diabetic nephropathy - a posthoc analysis based on ACCORD database.

BACKGROUND: Weight control has consistently been regarded as a significant preventive measure against diabetic nephropathy. however, the potential impact of substantial fluctuations in body fat during this process on the risk of diabetic nephropathy remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the association between body fat variation rate and diabetic nephropathy incident in American patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: The study used data from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in diabetes (ACCORD) trial to calculate body fat variation rates over two years and divided participants into Low and High groups. The hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval were estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model, and confounding variables were addressed using propensity score matching. RESULTS: Four thousand six hundred nine participants with type 2 diabetes were studied, with 1,511 cases of diabetic nephropathy observed over 5 years. High body fat variation rate was linked to a higher risk of diabetic nephropathy compared to low body fat variation rate (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26). Statistically significant interaction was observed between body fat variation rate and BMI (P interaction = 0.008), and high level of body fat variation rate was only associated with increased risk of diabetic nephropathy in participants with BMI > 30 (HR 1.34 and 95% CI 1.08-1.66). CONCLUSIONS: Among participants with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, body fat variation rate was associated with increased risk of diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore, the association was modified by BMI, and positive association was demonstrated in obese but not non-obese individuals. Consequently, for obese patients with diabetes, a more gradual weight loss strategy is recommended to prevent drastic fluctuations in body fat. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials. gov, no. NCT000000620 (Registration Date 199909).

Region-based analyses of existing genome-wide association studies identifies novel potential genetic susceptibility regions for glioma.

PURPOSE: Glioma is a rare and debilitating brain cancer with one of the lowest cancer survival rates. Genome-wide association studies have identified 34 genetic susceptibility regions. We sought to discover novel susceptibility regions using approaches which test groups of contiguous genetic markers simultaneously. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from three independent glioma studies of European ancestry, GliomaScan (1,316 cases/1,293 controls), AGOG (560 cases/2,237 controls), and GICC (4,000 cases/2,411 controls), using the machine-learning algorithm DEPTH and a region-based regression method based on the generalized Berk-Jones (GBJ) statistic, to assess the association of glioma with genomic regions by glioma type and sex. Summary statistics from the UCSF/Mayo Clinic study were used for independent validation. We conducted a meta-analysis using GliomaScan, AGOG, GICC and UCSF/Mayo. RESULTS: We identified 11 novel candidate genomic regions for glioma risk common to multiple studies. Two of the 11 regions, 16p13.3 containing RBFOX1 and 1p36.21 containing PRDM2, were significantly associated with female and male glioma risk respectively, based on results of the meta-analysis. Both regions have been previously linked to glioma tumor progression. Three of the 11 regions contain neurotransmitter receptor genes (7q31.33 GRM8, 5q35.2 DRD1, 15q13.3 CHRNA7). CONCLUSIONS: Our region-based approach identified 11 genomic regions that suggest association with glioma risk of which two regions, 16p13.3 and 1p36.21, warrant further investigation as genetic susceptibility regions for female and male risk respectively. Our analyses suggest that genetic susceptibility to glioma may differ by sex and highlights the possibility that synapse-related genes play a role in glioma susceptibility.

Effects of single and combined urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon effects on lung function in the U.S. adult population.

BACKGROUND: The impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on lung function has garnered attention, but studies mostly focus on individual effect. This study investigates urinary PAH metabolites as biomarkers of exposure and assesses the relationships between single and combined exposures to nine urinary PAH metabolites and lung function in adults. METHODS: Data from 4040 adults in the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Weighted generalized linear models estimated the effects of individual PAH metabolites on lung function. Additionally, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, quantile g-computation (qgcomp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were employed to evaluate the combined impacts of multiple PAH metabolites. RESULTS: Analyses of individual PAH metabolites revealed negative associations with lung function, excluding forced vital capacity (FVC). The WQS, qgcomp, and BKMR models consistently showed that exposure to multiple PAH metabolites was associated with lung function decrease. WQS indicated that 2-hydroxynaphthalene (2-NAP) was the largest contributor to the reductions in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FVC, peak expiratory flow (PEF), and forced expiratory flow from 25 to 75% of FVC (PEF25-75%). Additionally, 1-hydroxypyrene (1-PYR) was the primary PAH metabolite contributing to the decreases in FEV1/FVC and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). The combined effect of urinary PAH metabolites did not affect FVC in the current smokers or FeNO in nonsmokers, but decreased FEV1/FVC in current smokers. CONCLUSION: This study strengthens the negative relationships between multiple PAH metabolites exposure and lung function in adults. Given the limitations of this study, including the lack of knowledge of other exposure pathways and the uncertainty of urinary metabolites, further research is necessary to explore the mechanisms underlying these associations and to address the limitations in exposure assessment.

Factors Associated with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Non-Overweight/Obese and Overweight/Obese Chinese Population at Risk for Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study.

Background: To investigate the association of demographic, clinical, and metabolic factors with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a non-overweight/obese and overweight/obese Chinese population at risk for metabolic syndrome. Patients and Method: A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted using convenience sampling from eight selected counties/cities in Zhejiang, China, between May 2021 and September 2022. Demographics, epidemiological, anthropometric, and clinical characteristics were obtained from a questionnaire. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-logistic regression analysis was used to identify the variables associated with NAFLD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were performed to evaluate the diagnostic value and clinical utility of the variables and models. Results: A total of 1739 patients were enrolled in the final analysis, 345 (19.8%) were non-overweight/obese and 1394 (80.2%) were overweight/obese participants. There were 114 (33.0%) and 1094 (78.5%) patients who met the criteria for NAFLD in the non-overweight/obese participants and the overweight/obese participants respectively. Older age, current smoking, higher triglyceride (TG) levels, higher AST levels, higher albumin levels, lower insulin levels, and higher controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) scores were associated with NAFLD in both non-overweight/obese and overweight/obese participants. The combination of TG+CAP scores had strong predictive values for NAFLD, especially in non-overweight/obese (Area Under Curve = 0.812, 95% confidence interval: 0.764-0.863). DCA showed a superior net benefit of the TG+CAP score over other variables or models, suggesting a better clinical utility in identifying NAFLD. Conclusions: More stringent lipid management strategies remain essential, and the convenience and efficacy of transient elastography for liver steatosis should be recognized, especially in the non-overweight/obese population.

Automatic Segmentation of Ultrasound-Guided Quadratus Lumborum Blocks Based on Artificial Intelligence.

Ultrasound-guided quadratus lumborum block (QLB) technology has become a widely used perioperative analgesia method during abdominal and pelvic surgeries. Due to the anatomical complexity and individual variability of the quadratus lumborum muscle (QLM) on ultrasound images, nerve blocks heavily rely on anesthesiologist experience. Therefore, using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify different tissue regions in ultrasound images is crucial. In our study, we retrospectively collected 112 patients (3162 images) and developed a deep learning model named Q-VUM, which is a U-shaped network based on the Visual Geometry Group 16 (VGG16) network. Q-VUM precisely segments various tissues, including the QLM, the external oblique muscle, the internal oblique muscle, the transversus abdominis muscle (collectively referred to as the EIT), and the bones. Furthermore, we evaluated Q-VUM. Our model demonstrated robust performance, achieving mean intersection over union (mIoU), mean pixel accuracy, dice coefficient, and accuracy values of 0.734, 0.829, 0.841, and 0.944, respectively. The IoU, recall, precision, and dice coefficient achieved for the QLM were 0.711, 0.813, 0.850, and 0.831, respectively. Additionally, the Q-VUM predictions showed that 85% of the pixels in the blocked area fell within the actual blocked area. Finally, our model exhibited stronger segmentation performance than did the common deep learning segmentation networks (0.734 vs. 0.720 and 0.720, respectively). In summary, we proposed a model named Q-VUM that can accurately identify the anatomical structure of the quadratus lumborum in real time. This model aids anesthesiologists in precisely locating the nerve block site, thereby reducing potential complications and enhancing the effectiveness of nerve block procedures.

Retracted: LOC101060264 Silencing Suppresses Invasion and Metastasis of Human Colon Cancer.

The Editors of Medical Science Monitor wish to inform you that the above manuscript has been retracted from publication due to concerns with the credibility and originality of the study, the manuscript content, and the Figure images.Reference:Weihua Yu, Yunxia Wang, Lan Liu, Shuai Li, Kongxi Zhu. LOC101060264 Silencing Suppresses Invasion and Metastasis of Human Colon Cancer. Med Sci Monit, 2020; 26: e920270. DOI: 10.12659/MSM.920270.