Prognostic utility of the geriatric nutritional risk index for head and neck cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

We conducted a systematic review of the literature to assess the potential prognostic utility of geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) for head and neck cancer (HNC). We selected studies and extracted data after searching the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases. The associations between GNRI and survival outcomes were explored by calculating hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) through a random-effects meta-analysis. We included 11 studies that involved 2887 patients with HNC. The combined HR demonstrated significant associations of low GNRI with unfavorable progression-free survival (HR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.32-2.65, p < 0.001) and overall survival (HR = 3.04, 95% CI = 2.30-4.03, p < 0.001). The association between the GNRI and overall survival persisted across various subgroups. The GNRI could serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker for patients with HNC. Low GNRI scores are significantly associated with unfavorable survival outcomes.

P-NiFe2O4/N-doped carbon nanotubes/NiFe multi-phase heterojunctions for overall water splitting and urea electrolysis.

The design and construction of highly efficient electrocatalysts for overall water splitting and urea electrolysis are significantly important for promoting energy conversion and realizing green hydrogen production. In this work, we constructed a multi-phase heterojunction through a simple hydrothermal and phosphorization process. The P-doped NiFe2O4 (P-NiFe2O4) nanoparticles were uniformly anchored on the bamboo-like N-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) grown via a NiFe-alloy autocatalysis. The electronic structure and coordination environment of active species were optimized by the synergistic action of P doping, well-dispersed ultrafine NiFe2O4, and NCNTs matrix with good conductivity, enhancing their quantity and activity for electrocatalysis. Consequently, the P-NiFe2O4/NCNTs/NiFe exhibits excellent HER and OER activities with an overpotential of 111 and 266 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH, respectively. The symmetrical overall water-splitting cell using P-NiFe2O4/NCNTs/NiFe as both anode and cathode delivers 10 mA cm-2 at a voltage of 1.604 V in 1 M KOH. Notably, the two-electrode cell requires a low voltage of 1.467 V to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH solution with 0.6 M urea. This designed catalysts display outstanding reaction kinetics and catalytic stability. This work provides useful guidance for applying transition metal-based catalysts for hydrogen production.

The impact of magnetic field-assisted freeze-thaw treatment on the quality of foxtail millet sourdough and steamed bread.

Foxtail millet and sourdough are used to make foxtail millet sourdough steamed bread to improve the flavor and taste. Compared with the conventional freeze-thaw treatment (CFT), the effect of magnetic field-assisted freeze-thaw treatment (MFT) on the storage quality of foxtail millet sourdough and steamed bread is explored. The results showed that compared with CFT, MFT shortened the phase transition time of dough; decreased the water loss rate, the water mobility, and the freezable water content; increased the fermentation volume; stabilized the rheological properties; and minimized the damage of freezing and thawing to the secondary structure and microstructure of the gluten. In addition, an analysis of the specific volume, texture, surface color, and texture structure showed that MFT was beneficial to slowing the deterioration of the steamed bread texture. Finally, MFT effectively inhibited the growth and recrystallization of ice crystals during freezing and thawing, improving the quality of millet dough and steamed bread.

An enhanced machine learning approach for effective prediction of IgA nephropathy patients with severe proteinuria based on clinical data.

IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) is a disease of the glomeruli that may eventually lead to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure. The signs and symptoms of IgAN nephropathy are usually not specific enough and are similar to those of other glomerular or inflammatory diseases. This makes a correct diagnosis more difficult. This study collected data from a sample of adult patients diagnosed with primary IgAN at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, with proteinuria ≥1 g/d at the time of diagnosis. Based on these samples, we propose a machine learning framework based on weIghted meaN oF vectOrs (INFO). An enhanced COINFO algorithm is proposed by merging INFO, Cauchy Mutation (CM) and Oppositional-based Learning (OBL) strategies. At the same time, COINFO and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were integrated to construct the BCOINFO-SVM framework for IgAN diagnosis and prediction. Initially, the proposed enhanced COINFO is evaluated using the IEEE CEC2017 benchmark problems, with the outcomes demonstrating its efficient optimization capability and accuracy in convergence. Furthermore, the feature selection capability of the proposed method is verified on the public medical datasets. Finally, the auxiliary diagnostic experiment was carried out through IgAN real sample data. The results demonstrate that the proposed BCOINFO-SVM can screen out essential features such as High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), Uric Acid (UA), Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Hypertension and Diabetes. Simultaneously, the BCOINFO-SVM model achieves an accuracy of 98.56%, with sensitivity at 96.08% and specificity at 97.73%, making it a potential auxiliary diagnostic model for IgAN.

Patient experiences of receiving a diagnosis of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) presents with a wide range of clinical symptoms and comorbidities that impact quality of life. The diagnosis is challenging and often delayed due to the heterogeneity of the disease and lack of diagnostic biomarkers, which adds to the disease burden by affecting patients' psychosocial adaptation and overall well-being. Previous studies have revealed that healthcare professionals and the public have a limited understanding and familiarity with the condition, which leads to disapproval and skepticism that greatly impact patients' social spheres and welfare. While physical manifestations have been widely discussed, the psychosocial impact and the importance of receiving a diagnosis have not been fully studied in the current literature. This survey study investigated the impact of diagnosis in hEDS patients, selected from the University of Miami's hEDS registry. Survey questions were formulated based on clinical expertise and literature review. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney test, and Spearman's correlation were used for data analysis. The median age at symptom presentation was 10 years, with a median gap of 4 years before the initial medical evaluation. On average, it took 10 years to receive a diagnosis of hEDS. Nearly all participants (95.2%) expressed receiving a diagnosis as "important" or "highly important," with 81.9% agreeing that it helped them cope with their condition better, 76.8% could better manage their symptoms, and felt more in control of their long-term care. Participants mostly had a positive emotional reaction and experienced an improvement in the support they were receiving from their caregivers and healthcare providers after receiving a diagnosis of hEDS. This study demonstrates that receiving a diagnosis could positively impact the patient's support, quality of care, and overall well-being.

B1 Power Modification for Amide Proton Transfer Imaging in Parotid Glands: A Strategy for Image Quality Accommodation and Evaluation of Tumor Detection Feasibility.

BACKGROUND: In the application of APTw protocols for evaluating tumors and parotid glands, inhomogeneity and hyperintensity artifacts have remained an obstacle. This study aimed to improve APTw imaging quality and evaluate the feasibility of difference B1 values to detect parotid tumors. METHODS: A total of 31 patients received three APTw sequences to acquire 32 lesions and 30 parotid glands (one patient had lesions on both sides). Patients received T2WI and 3D turbo-spin-echo (TSE) APTw imaging on a 3.0 T scanner for three sequences (B1 = 2 µT, 1 µT, and 0.7 µT in APTw 1, 2, and 3, respectively). APTw image quality was evaluated using four-point Likert scales in terms of integrity and hyperintensity artifacts. Image quality was compared between the three sequences. An evaluable group and a trustable group were obtained for APTmean value comparison. RESULTS: Tumors in both APT2 and APT3 had fewer hyperintensity artifacts than in APT1. With B1 values decreasing, tumors had less integrity in APTw imaging. APTmean values of tumors were higher than parotid glands in traditional APT1 sequence though not significant, while the APTmean subtraction value was significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Applying a lower B1 value could remove hyperintensity but could also compromise its integrity. Combing different APTw sequences might increase the feasibility of tumor detection.

Predicting Osteoporotic Fracture in Patients With Early-Stage Diabetic Kidney Disease Using a Radiomic Model: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: There is an urgent need for effective predictive strategies to accurately evaluate the risk of fragility fractures in elderly patients in the early stages of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). METHODS: This longitudinal cohort study included 715 older patients in the early stages of DKD diagnosed between January 2015 and August 2019. Patients were randomly allocated to a training cohort (n = 499) and a validation cohort (n = 216). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method was used to select key features for dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry-based radiomic analysis. A radiomic model was constructed using Cox proportional hazards regression. The performance of the radiomic model was compared with that of traditional fracture assessment tools through a receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up period of 4.72 ± 1.60 years, 65 participants (9.09%) experienced incident fragility fractures. Seventeen features were ultimately selected to create the radiomic model. The calibration plots of this model demonstrated satisfactory agreement between the observed and predicted outcomes. Moreover, the radiomic model outperformed traditional fracture assessment tools in both the training and validation cohorts according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and decision curve analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The novel radiomic model has demonstrated a more effective prediction of fragility fracture in elderly patients in the early stages of DKDcompared to traditional fracture assessment tools.

Nanoscale engineering of solid-state materials for boosting hydrogen storage.

The development of novel materials capable of securely storing hydrogen at high volumetric and gravimetric densities is a requirement for the wide-scale usage of hydrogen as an energy carrier. In recent years, great efforts via nanoscale tuning and designing strategies on both physisorbents and chemisorbents have been devoted to improvements in their thermodynamic and kinetic aspects. Increasing the hydrogen storage capacity/density for physisorbents and chemisorbents and improving the dehydrogenation kinetics of hydrides are still considered a challenge. The extensive and fast development of advanced nanotechnologies has fueled a surge in research that presents huge potential in designing solid-state materials to meet the ultimate U.S. Department of Energy capacity targets for onboard light-duty vehicles, material-handling equipments, and portable power applications. Different from the existing literature, in this review, particular attention is paid to the recent advances in nanoscale engineering of solid-state materials for boosting hydrogen storage, especially the nanoscale tuning and designing strategies. We first present a short overview of hydrogen storage mechanisms of nanoscale engineering for boosted hydrogen storage performance on solid-state materials, for example, hydrogen spillover, nanopump effect, nanosize effect, nanocatalysis, and other non-classical hydrogen storage mechanisms. Then, the focus is on recent advancements in nanoscale engineering strategies aimed at enhancing the gravimetric hydrogen storage capacity of porous materials, reducing dehydrogenation temperature and improving reaction kinetics and reversibility of hydrogen desorption/absorption for metal hydrides. Effective nanoscale tuning strategies for enhancing the hydrogen storage performance of porous materials include optimizing surface area and pore volume, fine-tuning nanopore sizes, introducing nanostructure doping, and crafting nanoarchitecture and nanohybrid materials. For metal hydrides, successful strategies involve nanoconfinement, nanosizing, and the incorporation of nanocatalysts. This review further addresses the points to future research directions in the hope of ushering in the practical applications of hydrogen storage materials.

Effect of sodium bicarbonate infusion on hospital mortality in acute kidney injury patients with metabolic acidosis.

Background: Physicians usually consider that sodium bicarbonate (SB) infusion can be used for metabolic acidosis; however, there is little evidence available to assess its effect on hospital mortality in large AKI cohorts. Here, we investigated the effect of SB infusion in patients with AKI complicated by metabolic acidosis. Method: Patients with AKI complicated by metabolic acidosis were screened from the MIMIC-IV database. A propensity score analysis (PSA) was used to decrease baseline differences in the probability of receiving SB. The marginal structural Cox model (MSCM) was employed to adjust for both baseline and time-varying confounding factors. Results: A total of 1853 patients with AKI complicated with metabolic acidosis were included in our study. A total of 390 pairs of patients were divided into an SB infusion group and a non-SB infusion group. The SB infusion group had more serious and worse laboratory indicators, including lower pH [7.19 (0.11) vs. 7.26 (0.07)] and bicarbonate concentration (BC) [12.36 (4.26) vs. 15.96 (3.25) mmol/l]. While there was no significant effect on overall hospital mortality in AKI patients complicated with metabolic acidosis (p = 0.056), SB infusion was observed to have beneficial correlation on hospital mortality in patients with high AG acidosis (AG > 18 mmol/L) (p = 0.012). Similar results were replicated with the MSCM. Conclusion: We found that SB infusion in AKI patients with metabolic acidosis is not beneficial for hospital mortality. However, SB infusion for AKI patients and high AG metabolic acidosis significantly improved hospital mortality. Further larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results.

Exploring biochar and fishpond sediments potential to change soil phosphorus fractions and availability.

Phosphorus (P) availability in soil is paradoxical, with a significant portion of applied P accumulating in the soil, potentially affecting plant production. The impact of biochar (BR) and fishpond sediments (FPS) as fertilizers on P fixation remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the optimal ratio of BR, modified biochar (MBR), and FPS as fertilizer replacements. A pot experiment with maize evaluated the transformation of P into inorganic (Pi) and organic (Po) fractions and their contribution to P uptake. Different percentages of FPS, BR, and MBR were applied as treatments (T1-T7), T1 [(0.0)], T2 [FPS (25.0%)], T3 [FPS (25.0%) + BR (1%)], T [FPS (25%) +MBR (3%)], T5 [FPS (35%)], T6 [FPS (35%) +BR (1%)], and T7 [FPS (35%) + MBR (1%)]. Using the modified Hedley method and the Tiessen and Moir fractionation scheme, P fractions were determined. Results showed that various rates of MBR, BR, and FPS significantly increased labile and moderately labile P fractions (NaHCO3-Pi, NaHCO3-Po, HClD-Pi, and HClC-Pi) and residual P fractions compared with the control (T1). Positive correlations were observed between P uptake, phosphatase enzyme activity, and NaHCO3-Pi. Maximum P uptake and phosphatase activity were observed in T6 and T7 treatments. The addition of BR, MBR, and FPS increased Po fractions. Unlike the decline in NaOH-Po fraction, NaHCO3-Po and HClc-Po fractions increased. All Pi fractions, particularly apatite (HClD-Pi), increased across the T1-T7 treatments. HClD-Pi was the largest contributor to total P (40.7%) and can convert into accessible P over time. The T5 treatment showed a 0.88% rise in residual P. HClD-Pi and residual P fractions positively correlated with P uptake, phosphatase activity, NaOH-Pi, and NaOH-Po moderately available fractions. Regression analysis revealed that higher concentrations of metals such as Ca, Zn, and Cr significantly decreased labile organic and inorganic P fractions (NaHCO3-Pi, R 2 = 0.13, 0.36, 0.09) and their availability (NaHCO3-Po, R 2 = 0.01, 0.03, 0.25). Excessive solo BR amendments did not consistently increase P availability, but optimal simple and MBR increased residual P contents in moderately labile and labile forms (including NaOH-Pi, NaHCO3-Pi, and HClD-Pi). Overall, our findings suggest that the co-addition of BR and FPS can enhance soil P availability via increasing the activity of phosphatase enzyme, thereby enhancing plant P uptake and use efficiency, which eventually maintains the provision of ecosystem functions and services.

Three-dimensional carbon network-supported black phosphorus-cobalt heterojunctions: An efficient electrocatalyst for high-rate oxygen evolution.

Black phosphorus (BP), as a burgeoning two-dimensional material, has shown good electrocatalytic activity due to its unique electronic structure and abundant active sites.However, the presence of lone pair electrons in black phosphorus leads to its poor stability and rapid degradation in an oxygen/water environment, which greatly limits its practical application. Herein, BP-Co heterojunctions were synthesized on carbon nanotube@nitrogen-doped carbon (BP-Co/CNT@NC) by the pyrolysis of ZnCo-zeolitic imidazolate frameworks and subsequent solvothermal treatment. The BP-Co Schottky junction improved the electrocatalytic stability of BP, modulated its electronic structure, improved its conductivity and electron transfer during the electrocatalytic reaction. Density functional theory calculation was used to confirm the electron transfer and redistribution at the interface between BP and Co, which constructed an oppositely charged region and formed a strong built-in field. Energy band configuration analysis revealed a narrowed band gap because of the formation of BP-Co Schottky junction. Consequently, the optimized BP-Co/CNT@NC exhibited a superior oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance, a low overpotential of 370 mV@100 mA/cm2, with a small Tafel slope of 40 mV/dec and good long-term stability. Particularly, the catalyst has an excellent OER performance at the high current density of 100-400 mA/cm2. This strategy improves the stability of BP electrocatalysts and strengthens their utilization in electrocatalytic applications.

Protective effects of fisetin in an Aß1-42-induced rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic, neurodegenerative disorder that affects the central nervous system and is found predominantly in elderly populations. As amyloid b protein (Ab) is one of the key players responsible for the pathogenesis of AD, we sought to investigate the protective effects of fisetin in an Ab1-42-induced rat model of AD. In this model, the protective effects of fisetin on learning and memory impairment induced by Ab1-42 were determined via the Morris water maze and passive avoidance test. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity, anti-inflammation, and apoptosis effect of fisetin were investigated using biochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The results showed that intragastric (i.g.) administration of fisetin (100, 50, and 25 mg/kg) improved previous learning and memory impairments in Ab1-42-treated rats. Hippocampal tissue from these fisetin-treated rats revealed that the activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were markedly enhanced, and that the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were significantly reduced. Meanwhile, fisetin also significantly attenuated Ab1-42-induced cholinergic dysfunction such as elevated the activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and reduced the activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE). In addition, hippocampal tissue obtained from fisetin-treated rats revealed a reversal of Ab1-42-induced effects on apoptotic pathway protein (caspase-3) expression and inflammatory response of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). This indicated that the amount of degenerating hippocampal neurons with apoptotic features was dramatically reduced after treatment with fisetin. Collectively, these findings suggest that fisetin has potential as a treatment agent for Alzheimer's disease and that its effects occur through several mechanisms, including inhibition of oxidative stress, adjustments to previous cholinergic dysfunction, anti-inflammatory actions, and decreased apoptotic activity.

The future trajectory of carbon emissions in the process of carbon neutrality in South Korea.

The excessive use of fossil energy in industrialization has caused the frequent occurrence of global warming and environmental pollution issues, which seriously threaten the sustainable social and economic development of South Korea and other countries. In response to the international community's call to effectively address climate change, South Korea has announced achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In this context, this paper takes the carbon emission of South Korea from 2016 to 2021 as a sample and focuses on using the GM(1,1) model to predict the carbon emission change trajectory of South Korea in the process of achieving carbon neutrality. The results show: first, in the process of carbon neutrality, South Korea's carbon emissions show a downward trend, with an average annual rate of 2.34%. Second, by 2030, carbon emissions will decline to 502.34 Mt CO2e, down about 26.79% from the 2018 peak. By 2050, South Korea's carbon emissions will decline to 312.65 Mt CO2e, down about 54.44% from the 2018 peak. Third, it is difficult for South Korea to achieve its carbon neutrality target by 2050 based solely on its forest carbon sink storage capacity. Therefore, this study is expected to provide a reference for improving the carbon neutrality promotion strategy in South Korea and strengthening the construction of relevant systems of carbon neutrality, and so can provide some reference for other countries, including China, to improve policy design to promote the green and low-carbon transformation of the global economy.

Nasal Patency in Sitting, Supine, and Prone Positions in Individuals with and without Allergic Rhinitis.

(1) Background: Physiological changes in nasal patency in response to posture contribute to sleep-related problems. Previously, we reported that the supine and prone positions cause a significant decrease in nasal patency in subjective and objective assessments of healthy individuals. Therefore, we conducted a study to evaluate the effect of posture on nasal patency in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR); (2) Methods: The present study comprised 30 patients diagnosed with AR and 30 healthy subjects without nasal disease (non-AR). Changes in nasal patency were evaluated in the sitting, supine, and prone positions. We used the visual analog scale to evaluate subjective nasal blockage. Acoustic rhinometry and endoscopy were used to objectively measure changes in nasal patency; (3) Results: In the non-AR group, the prone position had a significant effect on subjective nasal blockage compared with the sitting position, with significant decreases in the minimal cross-sectional area (mCSA) measured by acoustic rhinometry. Furthermore, endoscopy demonstrated a significantly increased inferior turbinate hypertrophy in the non-AR group. In the AR group, there was no statistical difference in subjective nasal blockage symptoms between the different positions. However, in objective examinations (acoustic rhinometry and endoscopy), the prone position showed significantly decreased nasal patency; (4) Conclusions: In patients with AR, subjective nasal blockage did not significantly increase in the supine or prone position. Endoscopy demonstrated increased inferior turbinate hypertrophy in supine and prone positions resulting in a significant reduction in nasal cavity mCSA, indicating an objective reduction in nasal patency.

Utility of modified Glasgow prognostic score for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Whether the modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) is useful for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains controversial. An electronic database search on EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library from inception to 30 June 2022 was performed for study selection and data extraction. The associations between the mGPS and survival outcomes were evaluated using a random-effects meta-analysis and expressed as pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. We included 11 studies involving a total of 2017 patients with HNSCC. A higher mGPS was associated with poorer progression-free survival (HR = 2.39, 95% CI 1.69-3.38), overall survival (HR = 2.40, 95% CI 1.94-2.98), disease-specific survival (HR = 2.57, 95% CI 1.71-3.88), and disease-free survival (HR = 2.67, 95% CI 1.51-4.73, all p ≤ 0.001) in HNSCC. The mGPS can function as a valid prognostic biomarker for patients diagnosed as having HNSCC.

Comparative Analysis of Gut Microbiota between Wild and Captive Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys.

Environmental shifts and dietary habits could directly affect the gut microbiota of animals. In this study, we investigated the gut microbiota of golden snub-nosed monkeys under two different conditions: captive and wild. Our study adopted a non-invasive sampling method, using full-length 16S rRNA Pacbio SMAT sequencing technology to compare the gut microbiota of wild and captive golden snub-nosed monkeys. The results showed that the captive populations had higher alpha diversity than the wild populations, and there were also significant differences in beta diversity. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed 39 distinctly different taxonomic units. At the phylum level, the most dominant bacteria under captive and wild conditions were Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. This study revealed that the different fiber intake between wild and captive populations might be the main reason for the difference in the gut microbiota. We found that captive golden snub-nosed monkeys had less beneficial bacteria and more potentially pathogenic bacteria than wild ones. Functional predictions showed that the most significant functional pathway at the second level between the captive and wild monkeys was carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, our results indicate that diet changes caused by captivity could be the main reason impacting the gut microbiota of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys. We further highlight the potential impact of diet changes on the health of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys and offer some suggestions for the feeding of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys.

Correlation between 18F-FDG PET/MR parameters with the expression level of epidermal growth factor receptor and the diagnostic value of PET/MR in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between parameters of PET/MR and the expression level of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and to evaluate diagnostic efficacy of independent and combined PET/MR parameters for the expression level of EGFR. Materials and methods: 21 patients who had undergone PET/MR and been proven HNSCC pathologically were included in this retrospective study. The PET/MR sequences included 18-flurodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET, T1, T2-weighted imaging, DWI, ADC and DCE. Parameters including ADCmean from DWI, Ktrans, Ve, Kep from DCE, and SUVmean, SUVmax from PET were obtained. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression level of EGFR. The associations between parameters of PET/MR and EGFR expression level were analyzed by Spearman's analysis. Logistic regression was utilized to establish the diagnostic model of EGFR expression level with PET/MR parameters. The efficacy of the independent and combined diagnostic model for EGFR expression level in HNSCC was analyzed by ROC curve. P value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: (1) Expression level of EGFR was correlated to SUVmean with correlation coefficient of 0.47 (p = 0.05). (2) There was significant difference of SUVmean between the EGFR high- and low-expression groups (p = 0.02). (3) Combination of PET/MR improved the diagnostic efficacy for expression level of EGFR, with AUC = 0.93. Conclusion: There were different degrees of correlation between PET/MR parameters and EGFR expression level in HNSCC. Combination of PET/MR might improve diagnostic efficacy of EGFR expression level.

Low Pretreatment Albumin-to-Globulin Ratios Predict Poor Survival Outcomes in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Studies have indicated that a low albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) before treatment is linked to poor prognosis of many cancers, but the prognostic impact of AGR remains controversial in head and neck cancer (HNC). This meta-analysis examined the prognostic value of AGR in HNC. Methods: We systematically searched the Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane library for relevant articles from inception to July 22, 2022. Studies conducted from 2000 to 2022 exploring the prognostic value of AGR in HNC were retrieved. We employed a random-effects model and calculated pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to examine the associations of AGR with survival outcome. Results: Our analysis included nine studies involving 3211 patients with HNC. The pooled results revealed significant associations between low pretreatment AGRs and poor disease-free survival (HR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.58-2.45, p < 0.001), distant metastasis-free survival (HR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.25-2.16, p < 0.001), overall survival (HR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.65-2.88, p < 0.001), T3-T4 status (OR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.43-3.44, p < 0.001), stage III-IV disease (OR = 2.62, 95% CI 1.62-4.23, p < 0.001), and lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.29-2.82, p = 0.001) in patients with HNC. Conclusion: AGR can serve as a prognostic biomarker in managing HNC, and a low pretreatment AGR is strongly associated with adverse survival outcomes and advanced cancer status. Additional large-scale prospective trials must be conducted to assess the validity of our findings.

Effects of Supine and Prone Positions on Nasal Patency in Healthy Individuals.

OBJECTIVES: Supine position reduces nasal patency compared with that in the sitting position; however, data on the effects of prone position on nasal patency is lacking. METHODS: We assessed the nasal patency of 30 healthy individuals without upper respiratory tract disorders by using visual analog scale (VAS) score and acoustic rhinometry in 7 positions: sitting; frontal, right, and left supine; and frontal, right, and left prone. RESULTS: According to the VAS scores, compared with that in the sitting position, both the supine and prone positions significantly increased subjective nasal obstruction (P < .001). The prone position had a more significant effect than did the supine position (P = .017). The results of minimal cross-sectional area measured through acoustic rhinometry demonstrated that both the supine and prone positions reduced the nasal patency significantly, but without significant differences between the effects of prone and supine positions (P = .794). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to elucidate that the prone position can significantly reduce the nasal patency in healthy individuals through subjective and objective assessments. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Innovative Continuous Wound Irrigation Approach for Postoperative Treatment of Masticator Space Abscess.

This is a case of an innovative method of continuous irrigation approach for wound care following surgical drainage. Compared with the traditional labor-intensive irrigation, this novel handy method is not only reducing the workload but is also less time-consuming and inexpensive. This continuous irrigation approach is an efficient alternative approach for wound care in deep infection of the head and neck.