Human poisoning with glyphosate-surfactant herbicides: Retrospective analysis of mortality outcomes of patients treated in a poison center.

INTRODUCTION: The toxicity and carcinogenicity of glyphosate have long been debated. Nevertheless, the mortality rate in patients with acute glyphosate-surfactant poisoning varies across different groups. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2020, 109 patients with glyphosate-surfactant poisoning received treatment at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Patients were stratified into two subgroups according to their prognosis: good (n = 74) or poor (n = 35). Baseline demographics, psychiatric comorbidities, medical complications, and laboratory data were collected, and mortality data were analyzed. RESULTS: The patients were 54.1 ± 17.5 years of age and were mostly male (68.8%). Most patients (91.7%) ingested pesticides intentionally, and patients arrived at the hospital within 7.1 ± 12.7 h. Psychiatric comorbidities were prevalent, and the top three comorbidities were mental (71.6%), depressive (48.6%), and adjustment (14.7%) disorder. Patients with poor prognoses were older than those with good prognoses (p = .007). Moreover, patients with poor prognoses had lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores (p < .001) and diastolic blood pressure (p = .008), but higher incidences of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (p < .001), aspiration pneumonia (p < .001), hypotension (p < .001), hyperglycemia (p = .002), acute kidney injury (p < .001), and metabolic acidosis (p < .001) than patients with good prognoses. The mortality rate was 5.5%. A multivariate-logistic-regression model revealed that the Glasgow Coma Scale score was a significant risk factor for poor prognosis (odds ratio 0.653, confidence interval 0.427-0.998; p = .049). However, no risk factors for mortality were identified. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 32.1% of patients with glyphosate-surfactant poisoning had poor prognoses, and 5.5% of patients died despite treatment. The mortality outcome is comparable to that of published reports from other international poison centers.

Early prehospital mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation use for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The use of mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation device has been very prevalent in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest rescue. This study aimed to investigate whether the timing of mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation device set-up correlated with the the outcome of cardiac arrest patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed adult nontrauma cardiac arrest cases in New Taipei City, Taiwan, from January to December 2022. Demographic data, intervention-related factors, and the time variables of mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation were collected. The outcomes included the return of spontaneous circulation and 24-hour survival. We compared patients who achieved spontaneous circulation and those who did not with univariate and multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS: In total, 1680 patients who received mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation were included in the analysis. Reducing the time interval from manual chest compression initiation to device setup was independently associated with the return of spontaneous circulation and 24-hour survival, especially in the subgroup of patients of initial shockable rhythm. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that the outcome of patients with an initial shockable rhythm could be predicted by the mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation setup time, with areas under the curve of 60.8% and 63.9% for ROSC and 24-hour survival, respectively. The cutoff point was 395.5 s for patients with an initial shockable rhythm. CONCLUSION: A positive correlation was found between early mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation intervention and the outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. The time between manual chest compression and device setup could predict the return of spontaneous circulation and 24-hour survival in the subgroup of patients with initially shockable rhythm with the optimal cutoff point at 395.5 s.

Growth Behavior of Ni on Hydrogen-Etched WS2 Surface.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are 2D materials in which the layers are stacked together by van der Waals forces. Although TMDs are expected to be promising for electronic applications, forming a uniform electrode on them is challenging because of the low adhesion forces between metals and TMDs. This study focuses on improving the quality of metal electrodes by introducing atomic H to create surface defects, using Ni on WS2 as an example. The detailed effects of H etching and subsequent Ni growth were investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and synchrotron-based X-ray photoemission (XPS) techniques. Our studies reveal that introducing point defects of ∼3.05 × 1011 cm-2 on the WS2 surface, results in a significant shift in Ni growth from the Volmer-Weber to a near Frank-van der Merwe mode. The origin of the change is the bond formation between the Ni and W atoms, which is expected to realize ohmic contact. The optimization of metal-TMD interfaces offers valuable insights for advanced applications.

Risk of chronic fatigue syndrome after COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study of 3227281 patients.

BACKGROUND: Many patients who recovered from COVID-19 still suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It was observed that patients with comorbidities were more prone to developing CFS. This research investigates the risk of post-COVID-19 CFS to assist healthcare professionals in reducing the risk of CFS. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study is conducted to investigate the risk of post-COVID-19 CFS based on the TriNetX-sourced electronic health records. Factors including age, sex, race, vaccination, and severity of COVID-19 are analysed. Propensity score matching was applied to balance COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cohorts. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard model were used to perform the relationship between COVID-19 and CFS risk. RESULTS: This research involved 3227281 patients with COVID-19 and 3227281 with non-COVID-19 between 1st January 2020 and 31st December 2023. The incidence of CFS was higher in the COVID-19 group compared to the non-COVID-19 group at 1 follow-up intervals (HR 1.59, 95 % CI = 1.54-1.63). Subgroup analysis revealed increased CFS risk across different age groups (>18), sexes, races, and comorbid conditions, with notable variations. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients have a higher risk of developing CFS compared to individuals without COVID-19. The increased risk is particularly significant in adults aged 18 years and older.

The relationship between normative beliefs towards suicide and support for suicide prevention in Taiwan: addressing suicide as human rights, individual choice, or irrationality.

East Asian countries are known to take a more permissive attitude towards suicide. However, the nuanced beliefs fostering these attitudes remain unexplored. This study aimed to examine socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with the three normative beliefs on suicide in Taiwan - suicide as human rights, suicide as an individual choice, and that suicide is irrational - and the association of these beliefs with supportive attitudes towards governmental suicide prevention measures. A nationally representative survey, based on calls to landlines and mobile phones, was conducted in 2020 with a sample size of 1,087. Logistic regression analyses were employed to examine the associations between socio-demographic variables, mental health status, normative suicide beliefs, and attitudes towards suicide prevention. We found that the prevalence rates for the three normative beliefs were 55.3% for human rights, 26.7% for individual choice, and 73.7% for irrationality, respectively. Human rights belief was more prevalent among younger, unmarried, and highly educated individuals. Individual choice belief was more common among the younger, those in the 'other' marital group, less educated individuals, and those without mental conditions. The irrationality belief was more likely to be endorsed by the unemployed group. Regardless of participants' normative suicide beliefs, a significant majority (89.0%) supported governmental investment in suicide prevention. However, human rights and individual choice beliefs were associated with diminished support for governmental suicide prevention measures (aOR = 0.6, p = 0.003, and aOR = 0.6, p = 0.005, respectively). Taiwanese society overwhelmingly supports governmental suicide prevention measures, suggesting a leaning towards hard paternalism. However, those who believed that suicide is a human right and individual choice were less likely to support governmental suicide prevention efforts. Our findings suggest that health education addressing these two normative beliefs, particularly among the youth and unmarried individuals, could be potential strategies in future suicide prevention measures.

Exploring possible causes of lower-than-expected suicide rates in Taiwan and South Korea during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic: a time trend analysis by sex, age, and method.

AIMS: Decreases in suicide rates during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were found in several countries, including Taiwan and South Korea. We investigated the pattern of the reduction in suicide by sex, age, method, and outbreak period in the two countries. METHODS: Suicide data for Taiwan (2015-2021) and South Korea (2017-2021) stratified by sex, age, method, and month were extracted from national mortality data files in the two countries. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate suicide rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals across outbreak and inter-outbreak periods during the pandemic, relative to that expected based on pre-pandemic trends, and their associations with economic and outbreak control stringency indicators. RESULTS: There were fewer-than-expected suicides in Taiwan (7%-16% fewer suicides over outbreaks and inter-outbreaks) and South Korea (17% fewer suicides in outbreaks III and IV). Fewer-than-expected suicides were found primarily in the working-age populations aged 25 to 64 years in Taiwan and those aged 45 to 64 years in South Korea. In both countries, fewer-than-expected suicides by charcoal burning during the pandemic were consistently found; the greatest reduction occurred when the outbreak control measures were most restricted. Increased time at residence was associated with decreased suicide rates in South Korea. CONCLUSION: Taiwan and South Korea showed reduced suicide rates during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. Potential reasons for the decrease in suicides may include reduced access to suicide means during outbreaks in the two countries.

[Analysis of the Effectiveness of a Fall Prevention Program Incorporating an Interprofessional Team Collaboration Model on Reducing Fall Risk in Elderly Living in Long-term Care Facilities].

BACKGROUND: Concurrent with population ageing, falls have become a significantly more challenging public health issue among older adults. Three years of data collected recently from a nursing home in northern Taiwan reveals an increasing trend in fall density that is primarily associated with aging, physiological decline, chronic diseases, polypharmacy, osteoporosis, and lack of exercise. The percentage of nursing home residents at high risk of falls is currently at 12.6%, and the fall rate has been reported as reaching as high as 30% annually. PURPOSE: A fall prevention program was implemented to reduce the fall incidence rate to 18%, with secondary goals of improving fall prevention awareness, behavior, self-efficacy, lower limb muscle strength, balance, and gait by 10% on average, respectively, between pre-test and post-test. RESOLUTION: From September 30, 2023 to February 29, 2024, a health promotion activity and fall prevention exercise course were implemented using an interdisciplinary team collaboration model over a six-week period, providing individualized exercise for the participants. RESULTS: The study included 20 older adults with an average age of 88 years. Most (90%; n = 18) had chronic diseases, 25% (n = 5) were on more than nine medications, 70% (n = 14) had reduced bone mass, and 40% (n = 8) were at high risk of falls, with a fall incidence rate of 30% during the immediately preceding year. Post-intervention, the fall incidence rate dropped to 5%, fall prevention awareness, behavior, and self-efficacy increased by 18.3%, and lower limb muscle strength, balance, and gait improved by 11.7%. The post-test results in fall prevention awareness, behavioral changes, self-efficacy, and lower limb strength, balance, and gait were all significantly better than pre-test results, with all results achieving statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The project results support the positive effects of the developed intervention effectively on elderly physical fitness and fall risk, providing valuable insights for the implementation of fall prevention strategies in nursing homes.

Developing a plant microbial fuel cell by planting water spinach in a hanging-submerged plant pot system.

To plant crops (especially dry crops such as water spinach) with concomitant electricity recovery, a hanging-submerged-plant-pot system (HSPP) is developed. The HSPP consists of a soil pot (anodic) partially submerged under the water surface of a cathode tank. The microbial communities changed with conditions were also investigated. It was found that with chemical fertilizers the closed-circuit voltage (CCV, with 1 kΩ) was stable (approximately 250 mV) within 28 d; however, without fertilizer, the water spinach could adjust to the environment to obtain a better power output (approximately 3 mW m-2) at day 28. The microbial-community analyses revealed that the Pseudomonas sp. was the only exoeletrogens found in the anode pots. Using a secondary design of HSPP, for a better water-level adjustment, the maximum power output of each plant was found to be approximately 27.1 mW m-2. During operation, high temperature resulted in low oxygen solubility, and low CCV as well. At this time, it is yet to be concluded whether the submerged water level significantly affects electricity generation.

Low-level mosaic trisomy 14 at amniocentesis in a pregnancy associated with cytogenetic discrepancy between cultured amniocytes and uncultured amniocytes, positive non-invasive prenatal testing for trisomy 14, perinatal progressive decrease of the trisomy 14 cell line and a favorable fetal outcome.

OBJECTIVE: We present low-level mosaic trisomy 14 at amniocentesis. CASE REPORT: A 37-year-old, gravida 2, para 1, woman underwent amniocentesis at 18 weeks of gestation because of advanced maternal age. This pregnancy was conceived by in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Amniocentesis revealed a karyotype of 47,XX,+14 [4]/46,XX [27], consistent with 12.9% mosaicism for trisomy 14. Simultaneous array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis on the DNA extracted from uncultured amniocytes revealed the result of arr (1-22, X) × 2 with no genomic imbalance. Prenatal ultrasound findings were unremarkable. She was referred for genetic counseling at 21 weeks of gestation and was offered expanded non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) which was positive for trisomy 14. At 24 weeks of gestation, she underwent repeat amniocentesis which revealed a karyotype of 47,XX,+14 [2]/46,XX [26], consistent with 7% mosaicism for trisomy 14. The parental karyotypes were normal. Simultaneous aCGH analysis on the DNA extracted from uncultured amniocytes revealed no genomic imbalance. Polymorphic marker analysis excluded uniparental disomy (UPD) 14. Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis on 104 uncultured amniocytes detected no trisomy 14 cell. At 35 weeks of gestation, a 2315-g phenotypically normal baby was delivered. The umbilical cord and placenta had the karyotype of 46, XX (40/40 cells). aCGH analysis on the DNA extracted from peripheral blood and buccal mucosal cells at the age of three months revealed no genomic imbalance. The neonate was normal in phenotype and development during postnatal follow-ups. CONCLUSIONS: Low-level mosaic trisomy 14 at amniocentesis can be associated with cytogenetic discrepancy between cultured amniocytes and uncultured amniocytes, perinatal progressive decrease of the trisomy 14 cell line and a favorable fetal outcome.

Mosaic distal 13q duplication due to mosaic unbalanced translocation of 46,XY,der(14)t(13;14)(q32.2;p13)/46,XY at amniocentesis in a pregnancy associated with a favorable fetal outcome, perinatal progressive decrease of the aneuploid cell line and cytogenetic discrepancy between cultured amniocytes and uncultured amniocytes.

OBJECTIVE: We present mosaic distal 13q duplication due to mosaic unbalanced translocation 46,XY,der(14)t(13;14)(q32.2;p13)/46,XY at amniocentesis in a pregnancy associated with a favorable fetal outcome. CASE REPORT: A 37-year-old, gravida 2, para 0, woman underwent amniocentesis at 17 weeks of gestation because of advanced maternal age. Amniocentesis revealed a karyotype of 46,XY, add(14) (p13)[17]/46,XY[13] (56.6% mosaicism). Array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis on the DNA extracted from cultured amniocytes revealed arr 13q32.2q34 × 2∼3, consistent with 45% mosaicism for distal 13q duplication. Repeat amniocentesis at 24 weeks of gestation revealed a karyotype of 46,XY,der(14)t(13;14)(q32.2;p13)[14]/46,XY[16] (46.6% mosaicism). The parental karyotypes were normal. aCGH analysis on the DNA extracted from uncultured amniocytes revealed arr 13q32.2q34 × 2.38, consistent with 30-40% mosaicism for distal 13q duplication. Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis on uncultured amniocytes detected 22.8% (23/101 cells) mosaicism for distal 13q duplication. Prenatal ultrasound findings were unremarkable. At 39 weeks of gestation, a 3616-g phenotypically normal baby was delivered. The karyotypes of cord blood, umbilical cord and placenta were 46,XY,der(14)t(13;14)(q32.2;p13)[20]/46,XY[20] (50% mosaicism), 46,XY,der(14)t(13;14)(q32.2;p13)[14]/46,XY[26] (35% mosaicism) and 46,XY (40/40 cells) (0% mosaicism), respectively. When follow-ups at the age of 4½ months and the age of one year, the peripheral blood had the karyotype of 46,XY,der(14)t(13;14)(q32.2;p13)[18]/46,XY[22] (45% mosaicism). Interphase FISH analysis on buccal mucosal cells at the age of 4½ months revealed 2.7% (3/110 cells) mosaicism for distal 13q duplication, compared with 1% (1/100 cells) in the normal control. The neonate was normal in phenotype and development. CONCLUSIONS: Mosaic unbalanced translocation at amniocentesis can be associated with a favorable fetal outcome, perinatal progressive decrease of the aneuploid cell line and cytogenetic discrepancy between cultured amniocytes and uncultured amniocytes.

Perceptions of ChatGPT in healthcare: usefulness, trust, and risk.

Introduction: This study explores the perceptions of ChatGPT in healthcare settings in Taiwan, focusing on its usefulness, trust, and associated risks. As AI technologies like ChatGPT increasingly influence various sectors, their potential in public health education, promotion, medical education, and clinical practice is significant but not without challenges. The study aims to assess how individuals with and without healthcare-related education perceive and adopt ChatGPT, contributing to a deeper understanding of AI's role in enhancing public health outcomes. Methods: An online survey was conducted among 659 university and graduate students, all of whom had prior experience using ChatGPT. The survey measured perceptions of ChatGPT's ease of use, novelty, usefulness, trust, and risk, particularly within clinical practice, medical education, and research settings. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze how these factors influence perception in healthcare applications, comparing responses between healthcare majors and non-healthcare majors. Results: The study revealed that both healthcare and non-healthcare majors find ChatGPT more useful in medical education and research than in clinical practice. Regression analysis revealed that for healthcare majors, general trust is crucial for ChatGPT's adoption in clinical practice and influences its use in medical education and research. For non-healthcare majors, novelty, perceived general usefulness, and trust are key predictors. Interestingly, while healthcare majors were cautious about ease of use, fearing it might increase risk, non-healthcare majors associated increased complexity with greater trust. Conclusion: This study highlights the varying expectations between healthcare and non-healthcare majors regarding ChatGPT's role in healthcare. The findings suggest the need for AI applications to be tailored to address specific user needs, particularly in clinical practice, where trust and reliability are paramount. Additionally, the potential of AI tools like ChatGPT to contribute to public health education and promotion is significant, as these technologies can enhance health literacy and encourage behavior change. These insights can inform future healthcare practices and policies by guiding the thoughtful and effective integration of AI tools like ChatGPT, ensuring they complement clinical judgment, enhance educational outcomes, support research integrity, and ultimately contribute to improved public health outcomes.

An analysis of the relevance and proximity between maxillary posterior root apices to the maxillary sinus and the buccal cortical bone plate.

Background/purpose: Understanding the relationship between maxillary sinus and posterior root apices is critical in preventing dental treatment complications. This study aimed to analyze and showcase the relationship between the posterior root apices and the maxillary sinus floor, the distance to the buccal cortical bone, and their correlation with age, gender, and sides. Materials and methods: Cone-beam computed tomography images were collected from 94 patients with a total of 478 maxillary posterior teeth and 997 roots. The shortest distance from root apices to the closest border of maxillary sinus and the outer buccal cortical bone margin were measured and grouped for statistical analysis for the differences (P < 0.05). Results: The root apices of maxillary molars and single-rooted second premolars were located closer to the maxillary sinus compared to first premolars (P < 0.01). The buccal root of two-rooted first premolar had the shortest horizontal distance to the buccal cortical bone among all roots (P < 0.01). The lowest position of the maxillary sinus floor was mostly located at the palatal side (P < 0.01) and between the buccal and palatal root apices (P < 0.01) in the maxillary premolars and molars, respectively. Increasing age would lead to longer distances between the root apices and the maxillary sinus (P < 0.01). Additionally, male patients had thicker buccal cortical bone than female patients (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Different tooth positions, age, and gender significantly impact the relationships between root apices and the maxillary sinus and buccal cortical plates, informing patient-centered and individually tailored approaches for more effective and safer surgical endodontic treatment.

Facile quantitative diagnostic testing for neutralizing antibodies against Chikungunya virus.

BACKGROUND: Viral neutralization (NT) assays can be used to determine the immune status of patients or assess the potency of candidate vaccines or therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT) is a conventional neutralization test (cVNT) with superior specificity for measurement of neutralizing antibodies against a specific virus. Unfortunately, the application of FRNT to the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) involves a highly pathogenic bio-agent requiring biosafety level 3 (BSL3) facilities, which inevitably imposes high costs and limits accessibility. In this study, we evaluated a safe surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) that uses novel CHIKV replicon particles (VRPs) expressing eGFP and luciferase (Luc) to enable the rapid detection and quantification of neutralizing activity in clinical human serum samples. METHODS: This unmatched case-control validation study used serum samples from laboratory-confirmed cases of CHIKV (n = 19), dengue virus (DENV; n = 9), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV; n = 5), and normal individuals (n = 20). We evaluated the effectiveness of sVNT, based on mosquito cell-derived CHIK VRPs (mos-CHIK VRPs), in detecting (eGFP) and quantifying (Luc) neutralizing activity, considering specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. We conducted correlation analysis between the proposed rapid method (20 h) versus FRNT assay (72 h). We also investigated the correlation between sVNT and FRNT in NT titrations in terms of Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and sigmoidal curve fitting. RESULTS: In NT screening assays, sVNT-eGFP screening achieved sensitivity and specificity of 100%. In quantitative neutralization assays, we observed a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.83 for NT50 values between sVNT-Luc and FRNT. CONCLUSIONS: Facile VRP-based sVNT within 24 h proved highly reliable in the identification and quantification of neutralizing activity against CHIKV in clinical serum samples.

The Protective Effects of Mcl-1 on Mitochondrial Damage and Oxidative Stress in Imiquimod-Induced Cancer Cell Death.

Mitochondria, vital organelles that generate ATP, determine cell fate. Dysfunctional and damaged mitochondria are fragmented and removed through mitophagy, a mitochondrial quality control mechanism. The FDA-approved drug IMQ, a synthetic agonist of Toll-like receptor 7, exhibits antitumor activity against various skin malignancies. We previously reported that IMQ promptly reduced the level of the antiapoptotic Mcl-1 protein and that Mcl-1 overexpression attenuated IMQ-triggered apoptosis in skin cancer cells. Furthermore, IMQ profoundly disrupted mitochondrial function, promoted mitochondrial fragmentation, induced mitophagy, and caused cell death by generating high levels of ROS. However, whether Mcl-1 protects mitochondria from IMQ treatment is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that Mcl-1 overexpression induced resistance to IMQ-induced apoptosis and reduced both IMQ-induced ROS generation and oxidative stress in cancer cells. Mcl-1 overexpression maintained mitochondrial function and integrity and prevented mitophagy in IMQ-treated cancer cells. Furthermore, IL-6 protected against IMQ-induced apoptosis by increasing Mcl-1 expression and attenuating IMQ-induced mitochondrial fragmentation. Mcl-1 overexpression ameliorates IMQ-induced ROS generation and mitochondrial fragmentation, thereby increasing mitochondrial stability and ultimately attenuating IMQ-induced cell death. Investigating the roles of Mcl-1 in mitochondria is a potential strategy for cancer therapy development.

Enhanced Carrier Transport Performance of Monolayer Hafnium Disulphide by Strain Engineering.

For semiconducting two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), the carrier transport properties of the material are affected by strain engineering. In this study, we investigate the carrier mobility of monolayer hafnium disulphide (HfS2) under different biaxial strains by first-principles calculations combined with the Kubo-Greenwood mobility approach and the compact band model. The decrease/increase in the effective mass of the conduction band (CB) of monolayer HfS2 caused by biaxial tensile/compressive strain is the major reason for the enhancement/degradation of its electron mobility. The lower hole effective mass of the valence bands (VB) in monolayer HfS2 under biaxial compressive strain improves its hole transport performance compared to that under biaxial tensile strain. In summary, biaxial compressive strain causes a decrease in both the effective mass and phonon scattering rate of monolayer HfS2, resulting in an increase in its carrier mobility. Under the biaxial compressive strain reaches 4%, the electron mobility enhancement ratio of the CB of monolayer HfS2 is ~90%. For the VB of monolayer HfS2, the maximum hole mobility enhancement ratio appears to be ~13% at a biaxial compressive strain of 4%. Our results indicate that the carrier transport performance of monolayer HfS2 can be greatly improved by strain engineering.

Study of different pre-treatments in the comparison of the efficacy of photodynamic therapy for moderate to severe acne vulgaris.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of CO2 fractional laser and microneedling pretreatment combined with ALA-PDT for moderate-to-severe acne, aiming to optimize clinical treatment. METHODS: Patients were randomly divided into three groups: Group A (CO2 fractional laser + ALA-PDT), Group B (microneedling + ALA-PDT), and Group C (ALA-PDT). Each group underwent photodynamic therapy once a week for 3 weeks. Efficacy was assessed at the end of the 4th week, and recurrence was assessed at the end of the 12th week. RESULTS: A total of 150 patients with moderate to severe acne were included in this study, with 50 patients in each group. Four weeks after the end of treatment, the effective rates were 88 % for Group A, 62 % for Group B, and 36 % for Group C. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups (P < 0.05), with Group A showing superior efficacy compared to Group B (P < 0.05). No serious systemic or local adverse reactions were observed in any group. No recurrence was seen in any group 12 weeks after the end of treatment, and some patients continued to show improvement in skin lesions over time. CONCLUSION: Both the CO2 fractional laser group and the microneedling group improved the efficacy of photodynamic therapy for moderate to severe acne compared to the control group, with the CO2 fractional laser group demonstrating better efficacy and fewer adverse effects.

Zirconia and Crofer Joint Made by Reactive Air Brazing Using the Silver Base Paste and Cu-Ti Coating Layer.

This study proposes a method to enhance the airtightness of the joint between the ZrO2 and Crofer alloy using coating technology. With the aid of vacuum sputtering technology, a titanium-copper alloy layer with a thickness between 1.5 µm and 6 µm was first deposited on the surface of ZrO2 and Crofer, respectively. The chemical composition of the deposited reaction layer was 70.2 Cu and 29.8 Ti in at%. Then, using silver as the base material in the reactive air brazing (RAB) process, we explore the use of this material design to improve the microstructure and reaction mechanism of the joint surface between ceramics and metal, compare the effects of different pretreatment thicknesses on the microstructure, and evaluate its effectiveness through air tightness tests. The results show that a coating of Cu-Ti alloy on the ZrO2 substrate can significantly improve bonding between the Ag filler and ZrO2. The Cu-Ti metallization layer on the ZrO2 substrate is beneficial to the RAB. After the brazing process, the coated Cu-Ti layers form suitable reaction interfaces between the filler, the metal, the filler, and the ceramic. In terms of coating layer thickness, the optimized 3 µm coated Cu-Ti alloy layer is achieved from the experiment. Melting and dissolving the Cu-Ti coated layer into the ZrO2 substrate results in a defect-free interface between the Ag-rich braze and the ZrO2. The air tightness test result shows no leakage under 2 psig at room temperature for 28 h. The pressure condition can still be maintained even under high-temperature conditions of 600 °C for 24 h.

Arsenic-induced disruption of circadian rhythms and glutamine anaplerosis in human urothelial carcinoma.

Inorganic arsenic (iAs)-induced urothelial carcinoma (UC) develops into a poor-prognosis malignancy. Arsenic-induced oxidative stress contributes to circadian rhythm disruption altered metabolism. Glutamine anaplerosis is a common metabolic feature of rapidly proliferating malignant cells, in which glutaminase (GLS) is a key enzyme in this process. Therefore, this study intends to determine if arsenic-induced oxidative stress can alter circadian rhythms and promote glutamine anaplerosis. Exonic expression of core circadian molecules (CLOCK, ARNTL, and NR1D1) and GLS in varying grades of UC were assessed using 423 bladder cancer samples from the TCGA Urothelial Bladder Cancer (BLCA) dataset. The levels of circadian proteins and metabolic markers in 44 UC patients from non-black foot disease (BFD) and BFD areas were detected by immunohistochemistry. In vitro and in vivo experiments elucidated the regulatory mechanisms of arsenic-mediated circadian disturbance and metabolic alteration. Public database analysis showed that ARNTL, NR1D1, and GLS exhibited greater expression in more high-grade UC. Strong immunoreactivity for BMAL1, GLS, and low levels of NR1D1 were found in malignant urothelial lesions, especially in arsenic-exposed UC. Arsenic-induced overexpression of BMAL1 and GLS involves activation of NADH: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), continuously altering the NADH oscillations to promote glutamate metabolism in SV-HUC-1, T24 and BFTC-905 cells. These phenomenon were also demonstrated in the urothelium of arsenic-exposed animals. The present findings highlight the potential clinical significance of BMAL1 and GLS in UC in the BFD region. Furthermore, these results suggest that arsenic interferes with circadian rhythm and glutamine anaplerosis by NADH oscillatory imbalance in urothelial cells and urothelial cancer cells, predisposing them to malignant development.

Impacts of Interleukin-10 Promoter Genotypes on Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a multifactorial disease influenced by genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Genetic polymorphisms in the interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene have been implicated in PCa susceptibility, development, and progression. This study aims to assess the contributions of three IL-10 promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), A-1082G (rs1800896), T-819C (rs3021097), and A-592C (rs1800872), to the risk of PCa in Taiwan. The three IL-10 genotypes were determined using PCR-RFLP methodology and were evaluated for their contributions to PCa risk among 218 PCa patients and 436 non-PCa controls. None of the three IL-10 SNPs were significantly associated with the risks of PCa (p all > 0.05) in the overall analyses. However, the GG at rs1800896 combined with smoking behavior was found to significantly increase the risk of PCa by 3.90-fold (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.28-11.89, p = 0.0231). In addition, the rs1800896 AG and GGs were found to be correlated with the late stages of PCa (odds ratio [OR] = 1.90 and 6.42, 95% CI = 1.05-3.45 and 2.30-17.89, p = 0.0452 and 0.0003, respectively). The IL-10 promoter SNP, A-1082G (rs1800896), might be a risk factor for PCa development among smokers and those at late stages of the disease. These findings should be validated in larger and more diverse populations.