Surface Coordination Environment Engineering on PtxCu1-x Alloy Catalysts for the Efficient Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CH4.

Alloy catalysts have been reported to be robust in catalyzing various heterogeneous reactions due to the synergistic effect between different metal atoms. In this work, aimed at understanding the effect of the coordination environment of surface atoms on the catalytic performance of alloy catalysts, a series of PtxCu1-x alloy model catalysts supported on anatase-phase TiO2 (PtxCu1-x/Ti, x = 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8) were developed and applied in the classic photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction. According to the results of catalytic performance evaluation, it was found that the photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity on PtxCu1-x/Ti showed a volcanic change as a function of the Pt/Cu ratio, the highest CO2 conversion was achieved on Pt0.5Cu0.5/Ti, with CH4 as the main product. Further systematic characterizations and theoretical calculations revealed that the equimolar amounts of Pt and Cu in Pt0.5Cu0.5/Ti facilitated the generation of more Cu-Pt-paired sites (i.e., the higher coordination number of Pt-Cu), which would favor a bridge adsorption configuration of CO2 and facilitate the electron transfer, thus resulting in the highest photocatalytic CO2 reduction efficiency on Pt0.5Cu0.5/Ti. This work provided new insights into the design of excellent CO2 reduction photocatalysts with high CH4 selectivity from the perspective of surface coordination environment engineering on alloy catalysts.

Camrelizumab, chemotherapy and apatinib in the neoadjuvant treatment of resectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a single-arm phase 2 trial.

Background: In resectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the efficacy of camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy and apatinib followed by minimally invasive oesophagectomy is not clear. We aimed to fill this knowledge gap. Methods: This investigator-initiated, single-arm, prospective, phase 2 trial was performed at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, China. Patients (aged 18-75 years) who were histologically or cytologically diagnosed with ESCC were deemed suitable to participate in this trial. Patients received 2-3 cycles of neoadjuvant therapy with camrelizumab, nedaplatin, albumin paclitaxel, and apatinib; each cycle was repeated every 14 days. Surgery occurred 4-6 weeks after the last neoadjuvant treatment cycle. The primary outcome was the pathological complete response (PCR) rate of the tumour and lymph nodes. The changes in the peripheral blood immunoprofile among patients without PCR (ie, non-PCR [NPCR]) and with PCR were assessed by mass cytometry. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04666090. Findings: 42 patients were enrolled between November 23, 2020 and December 31, 2022. The disease control rate was 100.0% (95% CI, 91.6-100%), and the objective response rate was 83.3% (95% CI, 68.6-93.0%). Six (14.3%) patients experienced grade 3 adverse events. The most common were white blood cell count decrease (31.0%), alopecia (81.0%), asthenia (38.1%), and reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (35.7%). 41 patients received minimally invasive oesophagectomy; all 41patients achieved R0 resection, and 18 (43.9%, 95% CI, 28.5-60.3%) patients achieved PCR. The median follow-up was 23 months and the 2-year survival rate was 85.9%. T-cell subsets in both the PCR and NPCR groups exhibited consistency in response to neoadjuvant therapy. In contrast, some of natural killer (NK) cells (NK-C03, NK-C11), B cells (B-C06) and monocytes (M-C05), exhibited significant differences between the PCR and NPCR groups before neoadjuvant therapy. M-C06 had a significant difference in the PCR group and NPCR group after neoadjuvant therapy. NK-C12 and B-C15 showed significant differences both before and after neoadjuvant therapy. Interpretation: The application of camrelizumab, chemotherapy and apatinib in the neoadjuvant setting for locally advanced ESCC has shown promising antitumour activity and an acceptable safety profile in this single-arm study. In the neoadjuvant setting, NK cell, B cell, and monocyte subsets exhibited greater predictive power for immunotherapy responsiveness than T-cell subsets. Longer follow-up to assess survival outcomes and a phase 3 randomised trial are needed to further evaluate the proposed treatment. Funding: The China Anti-Cancer Association and the "Leading Goose" Research and Development Project of Zhejiang Province.

[Different concentrations of adapalene induce differentiation and apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells]. / 不同浓度阿达帕林诱导SH-SY5Y细胞的分化及凋亡.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of different concentrations of adapalene on the morphology and functions of neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y, as well as its role in inducing cell differentiation and apoptosis. METHODS: SH-SY5Y cells were divided into control group, low concentration (0.1 µM and 1 µM) adapalene groups, and high concentration (10 µM) adapalene group. Time-lapse microscopy was used to observe the morphological changes of SH-SY5Y cells. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression of neuronal specific marker ßIII-tubulin and mature neuronal marker neurofilament heavy polypeptide (NFH). Multi-electrode array was used to record the electrophysiological features of SH-SY5Y cells. Cell apoptosis was evaluated using a cell apoptosis detection kit. RESULTS: Low concentrations of adapalene promoted the formation of neurite outgrowth in SH-SY5Y cells, with the neurites interconnected to form a network. Spontaneous discharge activity was observed in SH-SY5Y cells treated with low concentrations of adapalene. Compared to the control group, the expression of ßIII-tubulin and NFH increased in the 1 µM adapalene group, while the level of cell apoptosis increased in the high concentration adapalene group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Low concentrations of adapalene can induce differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells into mature functional neurons, while high concentrations of adapalene can induce apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells.

Potent cancer therapy by liposome microstructure tailoring with active-to-passive targeting and shell-to-core thermosensitive features.

Liposomes have been widely studied as drug carriers for clinical application, and the key issue is how to achieve effective delivery through targeting strategies. Even though certain cell-level targeting or EPR effect designs have been developed, reaching sufficient drug concentration in intracellular regions remains a challenge due to the singularity of functionality. Herein, benefiting from the unique features of tumor from tissue to cell, a dual-thermosensitive and dual-targeting liposome (DTSL) was creatively fabricated through fine microstructure tailoring, which holds intelligent both tissue-regulated active-to-passive binding and membrane-derived homologous-fusion (HF) properties. At the micro level, DTSL can actively capture tumor cells and accompany the enhanced HF effect stimulated by self-constriction, which achieves a synergistic promotion effect targeting tissues to cells. As a result, this first active-then passive targeting process makes drug delivery more accurate and effective, and after dynamic targeting into cells, the nucleus of DTSL undergoes further thermally responsive contraction, fully releasing internal drugs. In vivo experiments showed that liposomes with dual targeting and dual thermosensitive features almost completely inhibited tumor growth. Summarized, these results provide a reference for a rational design and microstructural tailoring of the liposomal co-delivery system of drugs, suggesting that active-to-passive dual-targeting DTSL can function as a new strategy for cancer treatment.

Analysis of the effect of reconstructing the ossicular chain under otoendoscopy with and without a stapes superstructure.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have been conducted on the effect of the stapes superstructure after ossicular chain reconstruction, but the findings are not uniform. OBJECTIVE: To compare the hearing outcomes of ossicular chain reconstruction with partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP) or total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP) under otoendoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 111 patients diagnosed with chronic suppurative otitis media were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into PORP group (n = 57) and TORP group (n = 54). They were further subdivided into subgroups PORP-a (with a malleus handle) and PORP-b (without a malleus handle), subgroups TORP-a and TORP-b. Pre- and postoperative audiometric results were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean postoperative air conduction hearing thresholds improvement, mean air-bone gap improvement, and the success rate of reconstruction were significantly higher in the PORP group than in the TORP group (p < .05). The mean postoperative air conduction hearing thresholds improvement and the success rate of reconstruction were significantly higher in the PORP-a group than in the TORP-a group (p < .05); and similar results were concluded in comparison of the PORP-b group and the TORP-b group. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: The stapes superstructure has an important positive effect on the postoperative outcome of endoscopic ossicular chain reconstruction.

Fe(II)-catalyzed phase transformation of Cd(II)-bearing ferrihydrite-kaolinite associations under anoxic conditions: New insights to role of kaolinite and fate of Cd(II).

Cadmium-bearing ferrihydrite-kaolinite associations (Cd-associations) are commonly found in cadmium-contaminated paddy soils in tropical and subtropical regions. In the presence of anaerobic conditions caused by flooding, the creation of Fe(II) can facilitate the transformation of ferrihydrite into secondary Fe (hydr)oxides, resulting in the redistribution of Cd. However, the role of kaolinite in iron oxides transformation and changes in Cd chemical species have largely not been determined. In this study, Cd-associations were prepared for reaction with Fe(II) under anoxic conditions. The results obtained from powder XRD and EXAFS indicated that the presence of kaolinite association noticeably hastened the transformation of ferrihydrite into crystalline goethite. Specific surface area and electrochemical analyses revealed that smaller particle sizes and higher reactivity of ferrihydrite within Cd-associations collaboratively contribute to the acceleration. Chemical analyses demonstrated a significant negative correlation between ferrihydrite-Fe and aqueous-Cd, and a significant positive correlation between crystalline-Fe and residual-Cd. HRTEM analyses indicated that a portion of the Cd was incorporated into the crystal lattices of lepidocrocite and goethite, with the majority of Cd being sequestered within goethite lattice. These findings provide new insights into the roles of clay minerals in the geochemical cycling of Fe and Cd in paddy soils under anoxic conditions.

Complete remission of gallbladder neuroendocrine carcinoma with liver metastasis by tislelizumab plus chemotherapy: a case report.

Background: Gallbladder neuroendocrine carcinoma (GB-NEC) is an extremely rare cancer with a poor prognosis in the clinic. Although surgical resection remains the primary and preferred therapeutics, many patients are in a late stage and lose the opportunity for surgery. However, due to the extremely low morbidity, the specific treatment guidelines for GB-NEC have not been established. Case presentation: A 52-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of "almost 1 month after palliative surgery for metastatic gallbladder carcinoma." According to the results of pathological findings and imaging manifestations, the patient was diagnosed with GB-NEC with a clinical stage of pT3N1M1 (IVB). The patient then received tislelizumab plus EP chemotherapy (etoposide 100 mg + cisplatin 30 mg, d1-3) every 3 weeks for 8 cycles from 12 November, 2021, followed by maintenance therapy (tislelizumab alone) every 3 weeks until now. The tumor response was evaluated as complete remission since 13 February, 2023. As of the last follow-up, the patient remains alive, with no complaints of discomfort. Conclusions: Gallbladder NEC has no specific symptoms, and the diagnosis is based on pathological and immunohistochemical results. The therapeutic course and efficacy of the case in this study indicates that the application of PD-1 inhibitor might be a feasible therapeutic option for GB-NEC. However, this potential strategy needs validation by further clinical studies in the future.

Comparative structural, digestion and absorption characterization of three common extruded plant proteins.

Extruded plant proteins, also known as textured vegetable proteins (TVPs), serve as vital components in plant-based meat analogue, yet their structural and nutritional characteristics remain elusive. In this study, we examined the impact of high-moisture (HM) and low-moisture (LM) extrusion on the structures, digestion and absorption of three types of plant proteins. Extrusion transformed plant proteins from spherical to fibrous forms, and formed larger aggregate particles. It also led to the disruption of original disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions within protein molecules, and the formation of new cross-links. Intriguingly, compared to native plant proteins, TVPs' α-helix/ß-sheet values decreased from 0.68 to 0.69 to 0.56-0.65. Extrusion increased the proportion of peptides shorter than 1 kD in digesta of TVPs by 1.44-23.63%. In comparison to unextruded plant proteins, TVPs exhibited lower content of free amino acids in cell transport products. Our findings demonstrated that extrusion can modify protein secondary structure by diminishing the α-helix/ß-sheet value, and impact protein tertiary structure by reducing disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions, promoting the digestion and absorption of plant proteins. These insights offer valuable scientific backing for the utilization of extruded plant-based proteins, bolstering their role in enhancing the palatability and nutritional profile of plant-based meat substitutes.

Design, Synthesis, and Antitumor Activity Evaluation of Artemisinin Bivalent Ligands.

Five artemisinin bivalent ligands molecules 4a-4e were designed, synthesized, and confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and low-resolution mass spectrometry, and the bioactivities of the target compounds were investigated against four human tumor cell lines in vitro, including BGC-823, HepG-2, MCF-7, and HCT-116. The results showed 4a, 4d, and 4e exhibited significantly tumor cell inhibitory activity compared with the artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin; compound 4e has good biological activity inhibiting BGC-823 with an IC50 value of 8.30 µmol/L. Then, the good correlations with biological results were validated by molecular docking through the established bivalent ligands multi-target model, which showed that 4e could bind well with the antitumor protein MMP-9.

Distant organ metastasis patterns and prognosis of lung adenosquamous carcinoma: a SEER database analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose is to evaluate the patterns of organ metastasis and the prognosis in lung adenosquamous carcinoma patients with organ metastasis. METHODS: We collected the data from the surveillance epidemiology and end results database, covering the period of 2000-2018. Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier and log-rank analyses were performed. RESULTS: Totally, 2698 patients were enrolled, comprising 851 (31.54%) patients diagnosed with organ metastasis and 2017 (68.46%) patients without organ metastasis. Patients with distant organ metastasis show a significant decrease in median overall survival. In addition to the aforementioned factors, age over 70 years, male, main bronchus, advanced T stage, larger tumour size, absence of primary tumour surgery and lack of radiotherapy have all been identified as prognostic indicators associated with a poorer outcome. In terms of treatment options, patients with organ metastasis can benefit from chemotherapy and primary tumour surgery. Moreover, in patients with organ metastasis, those who received a combination treatment of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy displayed the most favourable prognosis, with a median overall survival of 17 months. CONCLUSIONS: We identified the prognostic indicators for organ metastasis in patients with lung adenosquamous carcinoma. Highly selected patients who undergo a combination treatment of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may experience the greatest survival benefit.

Human monoclonal antibody F61 nasal spray effectively protected high-risk populations from SARS-CoV-2 variants during the COVID-19 pandemic from late 2022 to early 2023 in China.

Following the national dynamic zero-COVID strategy adjustment, the utilization of broad-spectrum nasal neutralizing antibodies may offer an alternative approach to controlling the outbreak of Omicron variants between late 2022 and early 2023 in China. This study involved an investigator-initiated trial (IIT) to assess the pharmacokinetic, safety and efficacy of the F61 nasal spray. A total of 2,008 participants were randomly assigned to receive F61 nasal spray (24 mg/0.8 mL/dose) or normal saline (0.8 mL/dose) and 1336 completed the follow-up in the IIT. Minimal absorption of F61 antibody into the bloodstream was detected in individuals receiving F61 nasal spray for seven consecutive days. No treatment-emergent adverse reactions of grade 3 severity or higher were reported. In the one-dose cohort, the 7-day cumulative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was 79.0% in the F61 group and 82.6% in the placebo group, whereas, in the multiple-dose (once daily for 7 consecutive days) cohort, the rates were 6.55% in the F61 group and 23.83% in the placebo group. The laboratory-confirmed efficacy of F61 was 3.78% (-3.74%-10.75%) in the one-dose cohort and 72.19% (57.33%-81.87%) in the multiple-dose cohort. In the real-world study, 60,225 volunteers in four different regions were administered the F61 nasal spray based on the subject's wishes, over 90% efficacy rate was observed against different Omicron variants. The F61 nasal spray, with its favourable safety profile, could be a promising prophylactic monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.

Promoting Intratumoral Drug Accumulation by Bio-Membrane Regulated Active Targeting for Tumor Photothermal Therapy.

Introduction: Insufficient tumor permeability and inadequate nanoparticle retention continue to be significant limitations in the efficacy of anti-tumor drug therapy. Numerous studies have focused on enhancing tumor perfusion by improvement of tumor-induced endothelial leakage, often known as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. However, these approaches have produced suboptimal therapeutic outcomes and have been associated with significant side effects. Therefore, in this study, we prepared tumor cell membrane-coated gold nanorods (GNR@TM) to enhance drug delivery in tumors through homogeneous targeting of tumor cell membranes and in situ real-time photo-controlled therapy. Methods: Here, we fabricated GNR@TM, and characterized it using various techniques including Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer, particle size analysis, potential measurement, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of GNR@TM were analyzed by flow cytometry, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), TEM, CCK8 assay and live/dead staining. Tissue drug distribution was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and immunofluorescence staining. Furthermore, to evaluate the therapeutic effect, mice bearing MB49 tumors were intravenously administered with GNR@TM. Subsequently, near-infrared (NIR) laser therapy was performed, and the mice's tumor growth and body weight were monitored. Results: The tumor cell membrane coating endowed GNR@TM with extended circulation time in vivo and homotypic targeting to tumor, thereby enhancing the accumulation of GNR@TM within tumors. Upon 780 nm laser, GNR@TM exhibited excellent photothermal conversion capability, leading to increased tumor vascular leakage. This magnification of the EPR effect induced by NIR laser further increased the accumulation of GNR@TM at the tumor site, demonstrating strong antitumor effects in vivo. Conclusion: In this study, we successfully developed a NIR-triggered nanomedicine that increased drug accumulation in tumor through photo-controlled therapy and homotypic targeting of the tumor cell membrane. GNR@TM has been demonstrated effective suppression of tumor growth, excellent biocompatibility, and significant potential for clinical applications.

Translatability of In Vitro Stress for Predicting Deamidation and Oxidation Biotransformation on Biotherapeutics.

Biotransformation leading to single residue modifications (e.g., deamidation, oxidation) can contribute to decreased efficacy/potency, poor pharmacokinetics, and/or toxicity/immunogenicity for protein therapeutics. Identifying and characterizing such liabilities in vivo are emerging needs for biologics drug discovery. In vitro stress assays involving PBS for deamidation or AAPH for oxidation are commonly used for predicting liabilities in manufacturing and storage and are sometimes considered a predictive tool for in vivo liabilities. However, reports discussing their in vivo translatability are limited. Herein, we introduce a mass spectrometry workflow that characterizes in vivo oxidation and deamidation in pharmacokinetically relevant compartments for diverse protein therapeutic modalities. The workflow has low bias of <10% in quantitating degradation in the relevant pharmacokinetic concentration range for monkey and rabbit serum/plasma (1-100 µg/mL) and allows for high sequence coverage (∼85%) for discovery/monitoring of amino acid modifications. For oxidation and deamidation, the assay was precise, with percent coefficient of variation of <8% at 1-100 µg/mL and ≤6% method-induced artifacts. A high degree of in vitro and in vivo correlation was observed for deamidation on the six diverse protein therapeutics (seven liability sites) tested. In vivo translatability for oxidation liabilities were not observed for the 11 molecules tested using in vitro AAPH stress. One of the molecules dosed in eyes resulted in a false positive and a false negative prediction for in vivo oxidation following AAPH stress. Finally, peroxide stress was also tested but resulted in limited success (1 out of 4 molecules) in predicting oxidation liabilities.

The effect of a helmet type, home-use low-level light therapy device for chemotherapy-induced alopecia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Alopecia is one of the most common adverse effects of chemotherapy. It reduces the patient's self-esteem and quality of life and the effect of therapy. Scalp cooling is the only verified current method for prevention but success is not guaranteed, particularly after receiving anthracycline-based combinations. Low-level light therapy has been clinically proven to inhibit the progress of androgenic alopecia. A previous study using human subjects shows limited benefits for low-level light therapy for patients who suffer chemotherapy-induced alopecia but an increase in the number of probes and the optimization of light sources may improve the efficacy. This study determines the efficacy of low-level light therapy for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced hair loss for patients with breast cancer using a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: One hundred six eligible breast cancer patients were randomly distributed into a low-level light therapy group and a control group, after receiving chemotherapy. Subjects in the low-level light therapy group received 12 courses of intervention within 4 weeks. Subjects in the control group received no intervention but were closely monitored. The primary outcome is measured as the difference in the hair count in a target area between the baseline and at the end of week 4, as measured using a phototrichogram (Sentra scalp analyzer). The secondary outcomes include the change in hair count at the end of week 1, week 2, and week 3 and hair width at the end of week 1, week 2, week 3, and week 4, as measured using a phototrichogram, and the change in distress, the quality of life, and self-esteem due to chemotherapy-induced alopecia, at the end of week 4, as measured using a questionnaire. DISCUSSION: This study improves cancer patients' quality of life and provides clinical evidence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov- NCT05397457 on 1 June 2022.

Fluoroscopy-guided direct anterior approach total hip arthroplasty provides more accurate component positions in the supine position than in the lateral position.

PURPOSE: The position of the acetabular and femoral components is critical for stability and wear resistance. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the fluoroscopy-guided direct anterior approach in the supine position (S-DAA) is more helpful in improving the position of acetabular and femoral components than the fluoroscopy-guided direct anterior approach in the lateral decubitus position (L-DAA). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 76 cases of fluoroscopy-guided direct anterior approach total hip arthroplasty (38 cases in the S-DAA and 38 cases in the L-DAA group) was performed in one hospital from 2019 to 2021. The differences in inclination, anteversion, femoral offset (FO), global offset (GO), and leg length discrepancy (LLD) measurements during and after surgery were analyzed. The postoperative femoral offset (FO), global offset (GO), leg length discrepancy (LLD), and preoperative and postoperative Harris hip score were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In the S-DAA group, there were no significant differences in the mean intraoperative inclination angle anteversion angle, FO, GO, and LLD compared to the postoperative values, whereas in the L-DAA group, there were significant differences between the intraoperative and postoperative measurements (P < 0.001, P = 0.009, P＜0.001, P＜0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). Additionally, there were significant differences in the accuracy of LLD, FO, and GO between the two groups (P < 0.001). Compared with the L-DAA group, the average differences of inclination, anteversion, LLD, FO, and GO during and after operation in the S-DAA group were smaller, and the consistency was higher. There was a significant difference in Harris hip score between the two groups at 1 week after surgery (P = 0.033). There was no significant difference in Harris hip score between 1 month and 3 months after surgery (P = 0.482 and P = 0.797, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the supine group, the direct anterior approach (DAA) provides more accurate positioning of the acetabular and femoral components. However, there was no significant difference in hip joint function and activity between the two groups at follow-up.

Construction of a novel cell-free tracheal scaffold promoting vascularization for repairing tracheal defects.

Functional vascularization is crucial for maintaining the long-term patency of tissue-engineered trachea and repairing defective trachea. Herein, we report the construction and evaluation of a novel cell-free tissue-engineered tracheal scaffold that effectively promotes vascularization of the graft. Our findings demonstrated that exosomes derived from endothelial progenitor cells (EPC-Exos) enhance the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of endothelial cells. Taking advantage of the angiogenic properties of EPC-Exos, we utilized methacrylate gelatin (GelMA) as a carrier for endothelial progenitor cell exosomes and encapsulated them within a 3D-printed polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold to fabricate a composite tracheal scaffold. The results demonstrated the excellent angiogenic potential of the methacrylate gelatin/vascular endothelial progenitor cell exosome/polycaprolactone tracheal scaffold. Furthermore, in vivo reconstruction of tracheal defects revealed the capacity of this composite tracheal stent to remodel vasculature. In conclusion, we have successfully developed a novel tracheal stent composed of methacrylate gelatin/vascular endothelial progenitor exosome/polycaprolactone, which effectively promotes angiogenesis for tracheal repair, thereby offering significant prospects for clinical and translational medicine.

Clinical analysis, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for otogenic brain abscesses.

Objective: To explore the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for otogenic brain abscesses (OBA). Methods: Clinical data from 10 patients with OBA were analyzed retrospectively. Clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment experiences were summarized. Results: Two were first diagnosed in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, 5 in Neurosurgery, and 3 in other departments. There were 6 cases of temporal lobe abscess and 4 cases of cerebellar abscesses. Five cases were accompanied by 1 or more intracranial complications. Headache is a common presentation in all cases. The main pathogenic bacteria were anaerobic bacteria. All patients had no previous ear or brain surgery history, and no history of traumatic brain injury, 7 received surgical treatment in the neurosurgery and/or otolaryngology department. Two patients died, the other 8 fully recovered and so were discharged. Conclusions: Diagnosis and treatment of OBA must involve multiple departments. Multidisciplinary consultation (MDT) is crucial to the success of the first OBA diagnosis. The diagnosis and treatment team develops personalized treatment plans by integrating MDT treatment opinions and combining the actual condition of patients, thereby making the diagnosis and treatment of OBA accurate and timely.

Effects and potential mechanism of dietary vitamin C supplementation on hepatic lipid metabolism in growing laying hens under chronic heat stress.

The adverse effects of chronic heat stress (CHS)-induced fatty liver syndrome on laying hens during the egg-producing stages have been wildly documented. However, until nowadays, the CHS responses of growing laying hens as well as its alleviating effects of vitamin C are rarely reported. In this study, 12-wk-old laying hens were subjected to CHS at 36 °C for 10 h/d for 3 wk with or without dietary supplementation of 300 mg/kg vitamin C. Results showed that CHS significantly impaired the growth performances and the liver functions of birds, as characterized by reduced feed intake and body weight, increased hepatic lipid accumulation and serum concentrations of TG, ALT, and AST, as well as the abnormal expression patterns of the lipid metabolism-related genes. Vitamin C supplementation successfully mitigated the lipid accumulation, while showing no alleviating effect on the serum contents of ALT or AST, which are two key indicators of liver functions. Metabolomic analysis based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS identified 173 differential metabolites from the HS and HSV group samples, and they are mainly enriched in the pathways related to the cellular components, vitamin and amino acid metabolism and energy substance metabolism. The results indicate that CHS-induced hepatic lipid deposition in growing laying hens is effectively alleviated by dietary supplementation of vitamin C, which is probably resulted from the alterations of hepatocellular metabolic patterns.

Chronic heat stress (CHS)-induced fatty liver syndrome (FLS) is one of the major problems faced in poultry industry. However, the heat stress response as well as the alleviating strategies for growing laying hens is rarely concerned until nowadays. In this study, 12-wk-old laying hens were subjected to the CHS condition with or without dietary supplementation of 300 mg/kg vitamin C, we found that CHS can also remarkably impair the growth performance and liver functions and induce the hepatic lipid metabolism disorders in the growing laying hens. Vitamin C supplementation successfully mitigated the hepatic lipid accumulation, while showed no alleviating effect on the liver functions. Metabolomic analysis further identified 173 differential metabolites between CHS and HSV groups, which are mainly enriched in the pathways including the cellular components, vitamin and amino acid metabolism and the energy substance metabolism. The results suggest that vitamin C supplementation can effectively alleviate the hepatic lipid deposition in growing laying hens under CHS probably through altering their energy metabolism patterns.

Competing risk analysis of cardiovascular-specific mortality in typical carcinoid neoplasms of the lung: A SEER database analysis.

Cardiovascular mortality (CVM) is a growing concern for cancer survivors. This study aimed to investigate the mortality patterns of individuals with typical carcinoid (TC) tumors, identify independent predictors of CVM, and compare these risk variables with those associated with TC deaths. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2000 to 2019 was utilized for obtaining data on patients with TC. Standardized mortality rates were employed to evaluate the risk of CVM while multivariate competing risk models were used to determine the association between patient characteristics and the probability of CVM or TC-related deaths. Our findings show that TC patients had an increased risk of CVM, with an standardized mortality rates of 1.12 (95% CI:1.01-1.25). Furthermore, we discovered that age at diagnosis, marital status, year of diagnosis, SEER stage, site, year of diagnosis, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy all contributed independently to the risk of CVM in patients with TC, whereas age at diagnosis, sex, race, SEER stage, site, year of diagnosis, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy all contributed significantly to TC mortality. Compared to the general population in the United States, patients with TC are significantly more likely to acquire CVM. Timely introduction of cardioprotective treatments is critical for preventing CVM in patients with TC.

An artificial intelligence method for predicting postoperative urinary incontinence based on multiple anatomic parameters of MRI.

Background: Deep learning methods are increasingly applied in the medical field; however, their lack of interpretability remains a challenge. Captum is a tool that can be used to interpret neural network models by computing feature importance weights. Although Captum is an interpretable model, it is rarely used to study medical problems, and there is a scarcity of data regarding MRI anatomical measurements for patients with prostate cancer after undergoing Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP). Consequently, predictive models for continence that use multiple types of anatomical MRI measurements are limited. Methods: We explored the energy efficiency of deep learning models for predicting continence by analyzing MRI measurements. We analyzed and compared various statistical models and provided reference examples for the clinical application of interpretable deep-learning models. Patients who underwent RARP at our institution between July 2019 and December 2020 were included in this study. A series of clinical MRI anatomical measurements from these patients was used to discover continence features, and their impact on continence was primarily evaluated using a series of statistical methods and computational models. Results: Age and six other anatomical measurements were identified as the top seven features of continence by the proposed model UINet7 with an accuracy of 0.97, and the first four of these features were also found by primary statistical analysis. Conclusions: This study fills the gaps in the in-depth investigation of continence features after RARP due to the limitations of clinical data and applicable models. We provide a pioneering example of the application of deep-learning models to clinical problems. The interpretability analysis of deep learning models has the potential for clinical applications.