Caregiver burden for informal caregivers of patients after surgical treatment of early-stage lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Caregivers of lung cancer patients frequently experience psychological distress and high caregiver burden. Previous studies have focused on caregiver burden for patients with advanced lung cancer, while few studies focused on the caregiver burden among informal caregivers of postoperative patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (a) examine caregiver burden for caregivers of patients with early-stage NSCLC after surgical treatment and (b) identify predictive factors related to caregiver burden of patients with early-stage NSCLC. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a university-affiliated hospital in Changsha, China. A total of 385 patients with early-stage NSCLC and postsurgical treatment and their caregivers were included in this study. Caregiver burden was evaluated using the Zarit caregiver burden interview (ZBI). A set of questionnaires was used to assess psychosocial characteristics of participants, including simplified coping style questionnaire, social support rate scale, and hospital anxiety and depression scale. Hierarchical regression analysis was applied to identify factors associated with caregiver burden. We followed STROBE checklist for reporting the study. RESULTS: The average ZBI score was 29.1 ± 11.4. Most caregivers (62.6%) demonstrated mild to moderate caregiving burden. The duration of caregiving (ß = 0.18, p < .001), passive coping of caregiver (ß = 0.17, p = .001) and anxiety (ß = 0.13, p = .007) were significant predictors of caregiving burden. A variance of 17.6% in caregiving burden was explained by these identified factors. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers of early-stage NSCLC patients experience a mild to moderate level of caregiver burden. The duration of caregiving, passive coping and anxiety are factors associated with caregiver burden. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Clinicians should provide early care to support new roles of family members as caregivers.

Comprehensive characterization of genomic and radiologic features reveals distinct driver patterns of RTK/RAS pathway in ground-glass opacity pulmonary nodules.

Ground-glass opacity (GGO)-associated pulmonary nodules have been known as a radiologic feature of early-stage lung cancers and exhibit an indolent biological behavior. However, the correlation between driver genes and radiologic features as well as the immune microenvironment remains poorly understood. We performed a custom 1021-gene panel sequencing of 334 resected pulmonary nodules presenting as GGO from 262 Chinese patients. A total of 130 multiple pulmonary nodules were sampled from 58 patients. Clinical-pathologic and radiologic parameters of these pulmonary nodules were collected. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and multiplex immunofluorescent staining (mIF) were applied to analyze proliferation and immune cell markers of GGO-associated pulmonary nodules. Compared with pure GGO nodules, mixed GGO nodules were enriched for invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) (182/216 vs 73/118, P < .001). Eighty-eight percent (294/334) of GGO-associated nodules carried at least one mutation in EGFR/ERBB2/BRAF/KRAS/MAP2K1 of the RTK/RAS signaling pathway, and the alterations in these driver genes were mutually exclusive. The analysis of multifocal pulmonary nodules from the same patient revealed evidence of functional convergence on RTK/RAS pathways. Nodules with ERBB2/BRAF/MAP2K1 mutations tended to be more indolent than those with EGFR and KRAS mutations. IHC and mIF staining showed that KRAS-mutant GGO nodules displayed higher infiltration of CD4+ T cell and CD8+ T cell as well as stronger proliferation and immune inhibitory signals. Our study demonstrates a driver landscape of radiologically detectable GGO-associated pulmonary nodules in Chinese patients and supports that different driver patterns in RTK/RAS pathway are corresponding to different radiologic features.

Tunable multiple Fano resonances based on a plasmonic metal-insulator-metal structure for nano-sensing and plasma blood sensing applications.

A base plasmonic metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide structure consisting of a baffle waveguide and an obround-shaped resonator is designed to produce Fano resonance. The simulation results exhibit that double Fano resonances can be achieved. Based on this structure, an inner obround-shaped resonator is spliced to the former obround-shaped resonator through a slot resonator to form the expanded structure. Then quadruple Fano resonances are produced by the interference between the broadband continuous state arising from the baffle waveguide and the narrowband discrete state arising from the interaction among the inner obround-shaped resonator, the outer obround-shaped resonator, and the slot resonator. The Fano resonance and refractive index sensing characteristics are investigated, and the sensitivity and the figure of merit can reach 1636 nm/RIU and 33562, respectively. Furthermore, the structure filled with blood plasma can be used for detecting plasma concentrations with different refractive indices, and the sensitivity can reach 2.88nm⋅L/g. The proposed structure with the simple baffle waveguide and obround-shaped resonators may have potential applications in biosensing and nanoscale optical sensing.

Effectiveness of micro-lecture based cardiac rehabilitation education on health status in individuals with coronary artery disease: A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of the micro-lecture education on the ability of self-management and lifestyle changes in patients with coronary artery disease. DESIGN: A randomized control trial with a 12-week follow-up. SETTING: Cardiology wards of a large Chinese University Hospital. SUBJECTS: One hundred eligible inpatients with coronary artery disease were recruited. INTERVENTION: Intervention group received the micro-lecture education, while the control group received the traditional cardiac rehabilitation education. MAIN MEASURES: Primary outcome of the ability of coronary self-management was assessed by the Coronary self-management scaleat baseline, 12-week after discharge. Secondary outcomes of smoking status, exercise status, and six-minute walk distance were evaluated at the baseline, week4 and week 12 after discharge. The chi-square test,Fisher's exact test, group t-test and the repeated measure variance were used for the data analysis. RESULTS: Eighty-nine of 100 eligible participants responded, and mean age was 60.2 ± 11.3 years.After the intervention, the mean score of the coronary self-management scale (3.84 ± 0.36) was higher than that in the control group (2.78 ± 0.57).At week 12, the rate of re-smoked in the intervention group (6%) was significantly lower than that in the control group (43%),the frequency of the exercise (85%), and the 6MWD (495.55 ± 85.94) in the intervention group were better than the control group. CONCLUSION: Micro-lecture education program presented a positive effect on promoting the ability of self-management, and apotential effect on the therapeutic lifestyle changes for the coronary artery disease patients.

Influencing factors and risk prediction model for cervical cancer recurrence. / å®«é¢ˆç™Œå¤å‘çš„å½±å“å› ç´ åŠé£Žé™©é¢„æµ‹æ¨¡åž‹.

OBJECTIVES: Cervical cancer is the most common malignant tumor in the female reproductive system worldwide. The recurrence rate for the treated cervical cancer patients is high, which seriously threatens women's lives and health. At present, the risk prediction study of cervical cancer has not been reported. Based on the influencing factors of cervical cancer recurrence, we aim to establish a risk prediction model of cervical cancer recurrence to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer recurrence. METHODS: A total of 4 358 cervical cancer patients admitted to the Hunan Cancer Hospital from January 1992 to December 2005 were selected as research subjects, and the recurrence of cervical cancer patients after treatment was followed up. Univariate analysis was used to analyze the possible influencing factors. Variables that were significant in univariate analysis or those that were not significant in univariate analysis but may be considered significant were included in multivariate Cox regression analysis to establish a cervical cancer recurrence risk prediction model. Line graphs was used to show the model and it was evaluated by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that the recurrence rates of cervical cancer patients with different age, age of menarche, parity, miscarriage, clinical stage, and treatment method were significantly different (all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that RR=-0.489×(age≥55 years old)+0.481×(age at menarche >15 years old)+0.459×(number of miscarriages≥3)+0.416×(clinical stage II)+0.613×(clinical stage III/IV)+0.366×(the treatment method was surgery + chemotherapy) + 0.015×(the treatment method was chemotherapy alone). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the Cox risk prediction model for cervical cancer recurrence constructed was 0.736 (95% CI 0.684 to 0.789), the best prediction threshold was 0.857, the sensitivity was 0.576, and the specificity was 0.810. The accuracy of the Cox risk model constructed by this model was good. From the clinical decision curve, the net benefit value was high and the validity was good. CONCLUSIONS: Patient age, age at menarche, miscarriages, clinical stages, and treatment methods are independent factors affecting cervical cancer recurrence. The Cox proportional hazards prediction model for cervical cancer recurrence constructed in this study can be better used for predicting the risk of cervical cancer recurrence.

Independently tunable triple Fano resonances based on MIM waveguide structure with a semi-ring cavity and its sensing characteristics.

In this paper, a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide structure consisting of a side-coupled rectangular cavity (SCRC), a rightward opening semi-ring cavity (ROSRC), and a bus waveguide is reported. The finite element method is used to analyze the transmission characteristics and magnetic-field distributions of the structure in detail. The structure can support triple Fano resonances, and the Fano resonances can be tuned independently by altering the geometric parameters of the structure. Moreover, the structure can be applied in refractive index sensing and biosensing. The maximum sensitivity of refractive index sensing is up to 1550.38 nm/RIU, and there is a good linear relationship between resonance wavelength and refractive index. The MIM waveguide structure has potential applications in optical on-chip nano-sensing.

Optical sensing based on multimode Fano resonances in metal-insulator-metal waveguide systems with X-shaped resonant cavities.

A plasmonic metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide system is proposed, which is composed of a symmetrical X-shaped resonant cavity and a bus waveguide with a baffle, and its Fano resonance and optical sensing characteristics are investigated by using the finite element method (FEM). The results show that the system allows easy implementation of up to four Fano resonances, and the maximum refractive index sensitivity and figure of merit are 1303 nm/RIU and 3113, respectively. The influences of the geometric parameters of the system on the Fano resonances are also investigated, and further the independent adjustments of the Fano resonance line shape and wavelength are realized. Moreover, when an additional X-shaped resonant cavity is added to the system, more ultrasharp Fano resonances with considerable performances are obtained, which may enhance the parallel processing capability of the system. The proposed plasmonic MIM waveguide system may have potential applications in integrated photonic devices and nanoscale optical sensing.

Fano resonance based on D-shaped waveguide structure and its application for human hemoglobin detection.

Fano resonance is a pervasive resonance phenomenon which can be applied to high sensitivity sensing, perfect absorption, electromagnetic-induced transparency, and slow-light photonic devices. In this paper, we propose a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide structure consisting of a D-shaped cavity and a bus waveguide with a silver-air-silver barrier. The Fano resonance can be achieved by the interaction between the D-shaped cavity and the bus waveguide. The finite element method is used to analyze the transmission characteristics and magnetic-field distributions of the structure in detail. Simulation results show the Fano resonance can be adjusted by altering the geometric parameters of the MIM waveguide structure or the refractive index of the D-shaped cavity. The maximum refractive index sensitivity of the structure can reach up to 1510 nm/RIU, and there is a good linear relationship between resonance wavelength and refractive index. Since it has good sensitivity and tunability, the MIM waveguide structure can be used in bio-sensing, such as human hemoglobin detection. We show its applicability for the detection of three different human blood groups as well.

Disease control programme support costs: an update of WHO-CHOICE methodology, price databases and quantity assumptions.

BACKGROUND: Estimating health care costs, either in the context of understanding resource utilization in the implementation of a health plan, or in the context of economic evaluation, has become a common activity of health planners, health technology assessment agencies and academic groups. However, data sources for costs outside of direct service delivery are often scarce. WHO-CHOICE produces global price databases and guidance on quantity assumptions to support country level costing exercises. This paper presents updates to the WHO-CHOICE methodology and price databases for programme costs. METHODS: We collated publicly available databases for 14 non-traded cost variables, as well as a set of traded items used within health systems (traded goods are those which can be purchased from anywhere in the world, whereas non-traded goods are those which must be produced locally, such as human resources). Within each of the variables, missing data was present for some proportion of the WHO member states. For each variables statistical or econometric models were used to model prices for each of the 194 WHO member states in 2010 International Dollars. Literature reviews were used to update quantity assumptions associated with each variable to contribute to the support costs of disease control programmes. RESULTS: A full database of prices for disease control programme support costs is available for country-specific costing purposes. Human resources are the largest driver of disease control programme support costs, followed by supervision costs. CONCLUSIONS: Despite major advances in the availability of data since the previous version of this work, there are still some limitations in data availability to respond to the needs of those wishing to develop cost and cost-effectiveness estimates. Greater attention to programme support costs in cost data collection activities would contribute to an understanding of how these costs contribute to quality of health service delivery and should be encouraged.

Underlying mechanisms of change in the effects of cognitive behavior therapy on posttraumatic stress disorders among Chinese children: Results from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Evidence for the effectiveness of group-based trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT) has existed, but little is known about how group-based TF-CBT works in the treatment of children with PTSD. The purpose of the present study is to explore the mediators for the reduction of PTSD severity in group-based TF-CBT. METHOD: We analyzed data from a randomized controlled trial conducted in China. In this trial, 234 children with PTSD were randomly assigned to the TF-CBT group or the treatment as usual (TAU) group. The primary outcome (reduction in severity of PTSD symptoms) and possible mediators (trauma memory quality, emotion regulation strategies, and resilience) were assessed at baseline and posttreatment. The mediation analysis was performed to investigate the indirect effects of possible mediators on treatment outcomes. RESULTS: The mediation model revealed that changes in trauma memory quality, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, and resilience mediated the relationship between the group (TF-CBT vs. TAU) and PTSD at post-treatment. Adaptive emotion regulation strategies were not a key mechanism underlying PTSD reduction in group-based TF-CBT. CONCLUSION: Group-based TF-CBT might affect PTSD by reducing risk factors, like trauma memory quality and maladaptive emotion strategies. Group-based TF-CBT also might affect PTSD by increasing protective factors, like resilience. Thus, monitoring these mediators throughout treatment might be an important factor in optimizing treatment outcomes.

A successful endovascular aortic repair of aortoesophageal fistula following esophagectomy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) is an extremely rare and highly fatal complication leading to a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Successful management of AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma has rarely been reported in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we present a rare case of a 44-year-old female with complications of AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma, mainly presented as vomiting of blood. Both computed tomographic and computed tomography angiography of the chest showed bilateral pleural effusion and atelectasis, while gastroscopy showed large gastrointestinal bleeding. Emergency surgery was performed that included the removal of the mediastinal abscess, left lower pulmonary wedge resection, and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), followed by supportive treatment. The surgery went successful, and the patient was followed up for 1 year after discharge and showed good recovery. We also reviewed previous literature on the history, causes, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: In our case, thoracotomy combined with TEVAR was effective in treating AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal adenocarcinoma. This case provides successful experiences for clinical diagnosis and treatment of AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma.

Anatomical characteristics of superior and subsuperior segment in right lower lobe based on three-dimensional reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: Segmentectomy has been widely performed in clinical practice, which required a comprehensive understanding of anatomical structure. In right lower lobe, studies of superior segment (S6) were relatively small-sized. And only one study focusing on subsuperior segment (S∗) was published, which showed different results with previous ones. As the close relationship between S6 and S∗, variation types and their prevalence rate were reported, aiming to providing larger-size study of S6 and showing new evidence on anatomical structure of S∗. METHODS: 800 CT imaging data were collected from patients in our hospital. Three-dimensional reconstruction was performed after quality check. All images were screened according to the definition of corresponding segment and anatomical variations were analyzed. RESULTS: The proportion of S6 variation types in the largest scale (718 patients) was reported with no significant difference compared to previous studies and newly classified subtypes of two-stem V6. The prevalence rate for S∗ in right lower lobe reached 28.3 % (203/718) with similar proportion of three types. Variation types and origins of pulmonary artery were analyzed in detail, finding two-stem A∗ only be observed in type III B∗. CONCLUSIONS: Through this study, the variation types and incidence rate of S6 were confirmed, and a different result of S∗ has been provided as well. The feasibility of the current classification standards and proposed new subclassifications were verified. The results would be a supplement to lung segmental anatomy and could advance researches in the future.

Prevalence and associated factors of bullying victimization among Chinese high school students in Shandong, China.

BACKGROUND: Bullying is a growing concern worldwide. However, there is insufficient research on the prevalence and factors associated with different forms of bullying in a large sample of Chinese adolescents. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of bullying victimization among Chinese high school students. METHODS: Data from the 2020-2021 cross-sectional survey of the DYH program were used. A total of 8203 high school students were randomly selected from all 17 cities in Shandong Province, China. Bullying victimization was measured using two separate questions and identified into three types: school bullying victims, cyberbullying victims, and combined bullying victims. The multinomial logit model was used to explore the factors related to bullying victimization. RESULTS: The prevalence of bullying victimization was 11.59 %, with 4.04 % of school bullying, 3.37 % of cyberbullying, and 4.18 % of combined bullying. Smoking was negatively associated with bullying victimizations. Male, physical exercise, peer relationships, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were significantly associated with school bullying victims and combined victims. Watching TV was an influencing factor for school bullying victims and cyberbullying victims. Single-child households, family economic status, drinking alcohol, parent-child relationships, and paranoia were correlated with different types of bullying victimization. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional design limited the examination of causal inferences. CONCLUSION: We should pay more attention to cyberbullying victimization, which has become as common as school bullying victimization among high school students. The associated factors explored in this study may contribute to understanding bullying victimizations and designing bullying intervention strategies among high school students in China.

Cultural adaptation of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for trauma-affected children in China.

OBJECTIVE: Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) developed in the United States is one of the most widely used interventions for children with posttraumatic stress disorder. However, little information was provided about the cultural adaptation process when it was used in other countries. It was seldom adopted in East Asia. Furthermore, few studies adapted TF-CBT as a school-based intervention. This study was aimed at exploring the cultural fitness of TF-CBT in China and documenting the adaptation process. METHOD: In the present study, feedback from stakeholders, including seven mental health practitioners, ten caregivers, eight school staffs, and forty-five children, was collected through focus groups or individual interviews. The adaptations were made for TF-CBT based on these people's feedback. RESULTS: The results showed that it was necessary to make adaptations of TF-CBT. Even though most of the core components were culturally appropriate, some culturally specific factors were found, including the resistance to parental involvement, the lack of children's intentions and abilities to seek support, the difficulty in children's cognitive coping, and the strong stigmatization toward TF-CBT in communities. The present study made corresponding adaptations. It developed an adapted version of intervention "power up children's psychological immunity" based on TF-CBT. The new version of intervention included seven group sessions and three to five individual sessions. CONCLUSION: Cultural adaptation is crucial to promote the acceptance of TF-CBT among stakeholders, including trauma-affected children, caregivers, school principals, class teachers, and mental health practitioners. The adapted intervention may promote the implementation of it in China. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Effectiveness of a school-based, lay counselor-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for Chinese children with posttraumatic stress symptoms: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Improving children's access to mental health services need more innovative solutions, especially in low- and middle-income countries. School-based psychosocial interventions delivered by lay counselors may be an efficient way to improve children's access to mental health services. But few studies were conducted to examine the effectiveness of these interventions. Therefore, this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) in a group format delivered by lay counselors to children with trauma-related symptoms in China. Methods: A total of 234 children (aged 9-12 years) with full or subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomly assigned to group-based TF-CBT or treatment as usual (TAU). In the intervention group, 118 children received 10-12 sessions of group-based TF-CBT delivered by lay counselors for 9 consecutive weeks. In the TAU group, 116 children received the usual school services provided by psychology teachers. The primary outcome was the reduction in PTSD severity, which was assessed with the UCLA PTSD reaction index for DSM-5 (PTSD-RI-5). The secondary outcomes included the reduction in PTSD severity and the remission of PTSD, both of which were measured with the PTSD checklist-5 (PCL-5). Secondary outcomes also included the reduction in depression severity and the reduction in generalized anxiety severity. Blinded assessments were collected at baseline, posttreatment (primary endpoint), and 3-month follow-up. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900027131. Findings: At posttreatment, the intervention group scored significantly lower than the TAU group on PTSD-RI-5 PTSD (30.98 vs. 39.22; adjusted mean difference [AMD], -7.35; 95% CI, -11.66 to -3.04), PCL-5 PTSD (28.78 vs. 38.04; AMD, -8.49; 95% CI, -13.23 to -3.75), depression (5.52 vs. 7.96; AMD, -1.63; 95% CI, -2.50 to -0.76), and generalized anxiety (7.23 vs. 8.64; AMD, -1.21; 95% CI, -2.20 to -0.23). The remission of PCL-5 PTSD was also significantly higher in the intervention group (42.86% vs. 13.54%, χ 2  = 13.10, P < 0.001). These two groups showed a similar level of symptoms at the 3-month follow-up. Interpretation: The group-based TF-CBT can significantly alleviate PTSD, depression, and generalized anxiety right after treatment in Chinese children who suffer from different types of trauma. But the long-term effects of this intervention need to be further tested. This intervention can be delivered by trained lay counselors in low- and middle-income countries. Funding: None.

Underlying mechanisms of diabetes knowledge influencing diabetes self-management behaviors among patients with type II diabetes in rural China: Based on health belief model.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between diabetes knowledge and diabetes self-management (DSM) behaviors and to explore the influence mechanism between them among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on health belief model in rural China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 483 participants with T2DM from 8 villages of 3 townships in Jiangsu Province. All participants completed a structured questionnaire, including demographic information, diabetes knowledge, DSM behaviors, health beliefs, and cognitive function. Multiple linear regression and mediation analysis were performed to analyze the association between diabetes knowledge and DSM behaviors, furthermore the mechanism between them. RESULTS: Diabetes knowledge and self-efficacy positively influenced DSM behaviors. Health beliefs multiply mediated the association between diabetes knowledge and DSM behaviors. Perceived behavioral barriers mediated the relationship between diabetes knowledge and DSM behaviors, where a suppression effect existed. A chain-mediated effect was found: diabetes knowledge affected perceived benefits, followed by self-efficacy, and finally DSM behaviors. CONCLUSION: Diabetes knowledge acquisition played an important role in improving DSM behaviors, and health beliefs multiply mediated the relationship between them. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: When designing interventions, health systems and health providers should refocus on diabetes knowledge, emphasize the benefits of self-management, and consider the barriers that patients may encounter.

Diabetes knowledge predicts HbA1c levels of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in rural China: a ten-month follow-up study.

Improving diabetes self-management (DSM) is facing real-world challenges among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who have a low education level in resource-limited areas. This study aimed to investigate whether diabetes knowledge could predict glycemic levels in people with T2DM in rural China. This analytical cross-sectional study recruited 321 people with T2DM from eight villages by purposive sampling at baseline. After 10 months, 206 patients completed the follow-up survey and HbA1c tests, with a response rate of 64.17% (206/321). Multiple regression analysis was employed to explore the correlation between diabetes knowledge and HbA1c levels. The patient's diabetes knowledge was significantly negatively correlated with HbA1c levels before and after controlling for covariates in both hierarchical multiple regression and multiple logistic regression (p < 0.01). In addition, other influencing factors, including sex, age, marital status, employment status, income, and HbA1c levels at baseline, were also identified. Diabetes knowledge could predict HbA1c levels significantly among patients with low education levels in rural China. Therefore, interventions on improving diabetes knowledge need to be strengthened for patients in rural China so that they can improve their health outcomes and reduce the disease burden.

Identifying the Novel Gut Microbial Metabolite Contributing to Metabolic Syndrome in Children Based on Integrative Analyses of Microbiome-Metabolome Signatures.

The pathogenesis of gut microbiota and their metabolites in the development of metabolic syndrome (MS) remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the signatures of gut microbiota and metabolites as well as their functions in obese children with MS. A case-control study was conducted based on 23 MS children and 31 obese controls. The gut microbiome and metabolome were measured using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. An integrative analysis was conducted, combining the results of the gut microbiome and metabolome with extensive clinical indicators. The biological functions of the candidate microbial metabolites were validated in vitro. We identified 9 microbiota and 26 metabolites that were significantly different from the MS and the control group. The clinical indicators of MS were correlated with the altered microbiota Lachnoclostridium, Dialister, and Bacteroides, as well as with the altered metabolites all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol, DL-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), LPC 24: 1, PC (14:1e/10:0), and 4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one, etc. The association network analysis further identified three MS-linked metabolites, including all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol, DPPC, and 4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one, that were significantly correlated with the altered microbiota. Bio-functional validation showed that all-trans-13, 14-dihydroretinol could significantly upregulate the expression of lipid synthesis genes and inflammatory genes. This study identified a new biomarker that may contribute to MS development. These findings provided new insights regarding the development of efficient therapeutic strategies for MS. IMPORTANCE Metabolic syndrome (MS) has become a health concern worldwide. Gut microbiota and metabolites play an important role in human health. We first endeavored to comprehensively analyze the microbiome and metabolome signatures in obese children and found the novel microbial metabolites in MS. We further validated the biological functions of the metabolites in vitro and illustrated the effects of the microbial metabolites on lipid synthesis and inflammation. The microbial metabolite all-trans-13, 14-dihydroretinol may be a new biomarker in the pathogenesis of MS, especially in obese children. These findings were not available in previous studies, and they provide new insights regarding the management of metabolic syndrome.

Spatial heterogeneity of T cell repertoire across NSCLC tumors, tumor edges, adjacent and distant lung tissues.

Background: A better understanding of T cells in lung cancer and their distribution across tumor-adjacent lungs and peripheral blood is needed to improve efficacy and minimize toxicity from immunotherapy to lung cancer patients. Methods: Here, we performed CDR3ß TCR sequencing of 136 samples from 20 patients with early-stage NSCLC including peripheral blood mononuclear cells, tumors, tumor edges (<1 cm from tumor), as well as adjacent lungs 1 cm, 2 cm, 5 cm, and 10 cm away from the tumor to gain insight into the spatial heterogeneity of T cells across the lungs in patients with NSCLC. PD-L1, CD4, and CD8 expression was assessed using immunohistochemical staining, and genomic features were derived by targeted sequencing of 1,021 cancer-related genes. Multiplex immunohistochemistry against PD-1, CTLA4, LAG3, and TIM3 was performed on four patients to assess T cell exhaustion. Results: Our study reveals a decreasing gradient in TIL Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes homology with tumor edge, adjacent lungs, and peripheral blood but no discernible distance-associated patterns of T cell trafficking within the adjacent lung itself. Furthermore, we show a decrease in pathogen-specific TCRs in regions with high T cell clonality and PD-L1 expression. Conclusions: Exclusion in T exhaustion cells at play across the lungs of patients with NSCLC may potentially be the mechanism for lung cancer occurrence.

The acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy for Chinese children with posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The psychological need for traumatized children is huge in China. However, evidence-based treatments designed for Chinese children are scarce. This study aimed to test the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral program (Power up Children's Psychological Immunity; PCPI) in Chinese children. METHOD: A total of 87 children with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in grades 3 to 5 were randomly allocated (1:1) to the PCPI group or the treatment as usual (TAU) group. The feasibility was assessed by participant adherence, satisfaction, and acceptability. The severity of PTSD, depression and anxiety were assessed at pre- and posttreatment and the 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: A high level of satisfaction (81.82%) and retention rate of each session (more than 93.33%) were found. Qualitative feedback reported a high level of acceptance. At posttreatment, the PCPI group had lower mean scores than the TAU group for PTSD (adjusted mean difference [AMD], -6.18; 95% CI, -12.21 to -.14; p = .048), and anxiety (AMD, -2.05; 95% CI, -3.81 to -.28; p = .026). However, little change was found from posttreatment to 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that the school-based group PCPI intervention was feasible and acceptable. Further evaluation is needed to examine its effectiveness in a larger sample size. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).