Machine learning models based on quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI parameters assess the expression levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in advanced gastric carcinoma.

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of machine learning classifiers based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in predicting the expression levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Methods: This study investigated 103 patients with confirmed AGC through DCE-MRI and immunohistochemical staining. Immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-cell expression. Utilizing Omni Kinetics software, radiomics features (Ktrans, Kep, and Ve) were extracted and underwent selection via variance threshold, SelectKBest, and LASSO methods. Logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) are the four classifiers used to build four machine learning (ML) models, and their performance was evaluated using 10-fold cross-validation. The model's performance was evaluated and compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Results: In terms of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T lymphocyte prediction models, the random forest model outperformed the other classifier models in terms of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell prediction, with AUCs of 0.913 and 0.970 on the training set and 0.904 and 0.908 on the validation set, respectively. In terms of CD3+ T cell prediction, the logistic regression model fared the best, with AUCs on the training and validation sets of 0.872 and 0.817, respectively. Conclusion: Machine learning classifiers based on DCE-MRI have the potential to accurately predict CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte expression levels in patients with AGC.

Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii served as key components of fecal microbiota transplantation to alleviate colitis.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) via rectifying gut microbiota. The aim of this study was to identify a mechanism of how specific bacteria-associated immune response contributes to alleviated colitis. Forty donors were divided into high (donor H) and low (donor L) groups according to the diversity and the abundance of Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium by 16S rRNA sequencing. FMT was performed on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Mice with colitis showed significant improvement in intestinal injury and immune imbalance after FMT with group donor H (P < 0.05). Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii were identified as targeted strains in donor feces by real-time PCR and droplet digital PCR. Mice with colitis were treated with mono- or dual-bacterial gavage therapy. Dual-bacterial therapy significantly ameliorated intestinal injury compared with mono-bacterial therapy (P < 0.05). Dual-bacterial therapy increased the M2/M1 macrophage polarization and improved the Th17/Treg imbalance and elevated IL-10 production by Tregs compared with the DSS group (P < 0.05). Metabolomics showed increased abundance of lecithin in the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway. In conclusion, B. thetaiotaomicron and F. prausnitzii, as the key bacteria in donor feces, alleviate colitis in mice. The mechanism may involve increasing lecithin and regulating IL-10 production of intestinal Tregs.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate that donors with high abundance of Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium ameliorate dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The combination therapy of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is superior to mono-bacterial therapy in ameliorating colitis in mice, of which mechanism may involve promoting lecithin and inducing IL-10 production of intestinal Tregs.

A Radiomics-clinical Nomogram based on CT Radiomics to Predict Acquired T790M Mutation Status in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a radiomics-clinical nomogram for the detection of the acquired T790M mutation in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with resistance after the duration of first-line epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thoracic CT was collected from 120 advanced NSCLC patients who suffered progression on first- or second-generation TKIs. Radiomics signatures were retrieved from the entire tumor. Pearson correlation and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression method were adopted to choose the most suitable radiomics features. Clinical and radiological factors were assessed using univariate and multivariate analysis. Three Machine Learning (ML) models were constructed according to three classifiers, including Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and RandomForest (RF), combining clinical and radiomic features. A nomogram combining clinical features and the rad score signature was built. The predictive ability of the nomogram was assessed by the ROC curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: Multivariate regression analysis showed that two clinicopathological characteristics and two radiological features were highly correlated with the acquired T790M mutation, including the progression-free survival (PFS) of first-line EGFR TKIs (P = 0.029), the initial EGFR profile (P = 0.01), vascular convergence (P = 0.043), and air bronchogram (P = 0.030). The AUCs of clinical, radiomics, and combined models using RF classifiers for T790M mutation detection were 0.951 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.911,0.991), 0.917 (95%CI 0.856,0.978), and 0.961 (95%CI 0.927,0.995) in the training cohort, respectively, higher than those of other classifier models.The calibration curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow Test showed good calibration power, and the DCA demonstrated a significant net benefit. CONCLUSION: A radiomics-clinical nomogram based on CT radiomics proved valuable in non-invasively and efficiently predicting the acquired T790M mutation in patients who suffered progression on first-line TKIs.

Antibiotic Resistance and Genetic Profiles of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Isolated from Farmed Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in Ningde Regions.

To better understand the antibiotic resistance, virulence genes, and some related drug-resistance genes of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in farmed pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in Ningde regions, Fujian province, we collected and isolated a total of 102 strains of V. parahaemolyticus from farmed pacific white shrimp in three different areas of Ningde in 2022. The Kirby-Bauer disk method was used to detect V. parahaemolyticus resistance to 22 antibiotics, and resistant genes (such as quinolones (qnrVC136, qnrVC457, qnrA), tetracyclines (tet A, tetM, tetB), sulfonamides (sulI, sulII, sulIII), aminoglycosides (strA, strB), phenicols (cat, optrA, floR, cfr), ß-lactams (carB), and macrolides (erm)) were detected by using PCR. The findings in this study revealed that V. parahaemolyticus was most resistant to sulfamoxazole, rifampicin, and erythromycin, with resistance rates of 56.9%, 36.3%, and 33.3%, respectively. Flufenicol, chloramphenicol, and ofloxacin susceptibility rates were 97.1%, 94.1%, and 92.2%, respectively. In all, 46% of the bacteria tested positive for multi-drug resistance. The virulence gene test revealed that all bacteria lacked the tdh and trh genes. Furthermore, 91.84% and 52.04% of the isolates were largely mediated by cat and sulII, respectively, with less than 5% resistance to aminoglycosides and macrolides. There was a clear mismatch between the antimicrobial resistance phenotypes and genotypes, indicating the complexities of V. parahaemolyticus resistance.

Lactate score classification of hepatocellular carcinoma helps identify patients with tumors that respond to immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) responds poorly to immunotherapy, and the durable response rate is 10-20%. Here, we aim to characterize HCC classifications based on lactate genes to identify patients who may benefit from immunotherapy. METHODS: Lactate-related genes were applied for HCC classification in the current study, and lactate Cluster 1 (LC1) and lactate Cluster 2 (LC2) were defined. Differential genes from LC1 and LC2 helped define the following lactate phenotype clusters: lactate phenotype Cluster 1 (LPC1), lactate phenotype Cluster 2 (LPC2) and lactate phenotype Cluster 3 (LPC3). Based on the cluster annotation, the lactate score was defined and analyzed to evaluate the immunotherapy response. RESULTS: All the classified clusters were analyzed, and they showed different immune signatures. The survival rate of LPC3 was higher than that of LPC2 (LPC3 vs. LPC2, P = 0.027) and LPC1 (LPC3 vs. LPC1, P = 0.027). Then, the lactate score was annotated and confirmed to be effective in predicting responses to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. CONCLUSION: In the current study, we developed a classification system for HCC and defined the lactate score, which was validated to be partially effective in estimating responses among tumor patients.

Preoperative MRI features to predict vessels that encapsulate tumor clusters and microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the potential of preoperative MRI features in the prediction of the integration patterns of vessels that encapsulate tumor clusters (VETC) and microvascular invasion (MVI) (VM) patterns in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after resection and to assess the prognostic value of VM patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent surgical resection for HCC between July 2019 and July 2020 were retrospectively included in the training cohort and validation cohort. In the training cohort, patients were classified into VM-positive HCC (VM-HCC) and VM-negative HCC (non-VM HCC). Predictors associated with VM-HCC were determined by using logistic regression analyses and used to build a prediction model of VM-HCC. The model was tested in the validation cohort by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis. Prognostic factors associated with early recurrence of HCC were evaluated by use of Cox logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level higher than 400 ng/mL (odds ratio [OR] = 8.0; 95% CI: 2.6-25.2; P < 0.001), non-smooth tumor margin (OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.4-6.0; P < 0.001) and peritumoral arterial enhancement (OR = 2.9; 95% CI: 1.4-6.2; P = 0.004) were independent predictors of VM-HCC. The AUCs of the prediction model for VM-HCC were 0.81 for the training cohort and 0.79 for the validation cohort. The high risk of VM-HCC predicted by the three preoperative predictors derived from the prediction model (hazard ratio [HR] 2.0; 95% CI: 1.3, 3.2; P = 0.003) were independently associated with early recurrence, while pathologically confirmed VM-HCC (HR 2.8; 95% CI: 1.6, 3.8; P < 0.001) and satellite nodules (HR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1, 3.1; P = 0.025) were independently associated with early recurrence after surgical resection. CONCLUSION: The predictive model can be used to predict VM patterns. VM-HCC is associated with increased risk of early recurrence after surgical resection in HCC.

Fibroblast subtypes in pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis: from mechanisms to therapeutic strategies.

Excessive fibrosis is a predominant feature of pancreatic stroma and plays a crucial role in the development and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). Emerging evidence showed diversity and heterogeneity of fibroblasts play crucial and somewhat contradictory roles, the interactions between fibroblasts and pancreatic cells or infiltrating immune cells are of great importance during PDAC and CP progression, with some promising therapeutic strategies being tested. Therefore, in this review, we describe the classification of fibroblasts and their functions in PDAC and pancreatitis, the mechanisms by which fibroblasts mediate the development and progression of PDAC and CP through direct or indirect interaction between fibroblast and pancreatic parenchymal cells, or by remodeling the pancreatic immune microenvironment mediates the development and progression of PDAC and CP. Finally, we summarized the current therapeutic strategies and agents that directly target subtypes of fibroblasts or interfere with their essential functions.

Association between radiomics features of DCE-MRI and CD8+ and CD4+ TILs in advanced gastric cancer.

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to explore the correlation between the levels of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and CD4+ T cells and the quantitative pharmacokinetic parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 103 patients with histopathologically confirmed advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Three pharmacokinetic parameters, Kep, Ktrans, and Ve, and their radiomics characteristics were obtained by Omni Kinetics software. Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine CD4+ and CD8+ TILs. Statistical analysis was subsequently performed to assess the correlation between radiomics characteristics and CD4+ and CD8+ TIL density. Results: All patients included in this study were finally divided into either a CD8+ TILs low-density group (n = 51) (CD8+ TILs < 138) or a high-density group (n = 52) (CD8+ TILs ≥ 138), and a CD4+ TILs low-density group (n = 51) (CD4+ TILs < 87) or a high-density group (n = 52) (CD4+ TILs ≥ 87). ClusterShade and Skewness based on Kep and Skewness based on Ktrans both showed moderate negative correlation with CD8+ TIL levels (r = 0.630-0.349, p < 0.001), with ClusterShade based on Kep having the highest negative correlation (r = -0.630, p < 0.001). Inertia-based Kep showed a moderate positive correlation with the CD4+ TIL level (r = 0.549, p < 0.001), and the Correlation based on Kep showed a moderate negative correlation with the CD4+ TIL level, which also had the highest correlation coefficient (r = -0.616, p < 0.001). The diagnostic efficacy of the above features was assessed by ROC curves. For CD8+ TILs, ClusterShade of Kep had the highest mean area under the curve (AUC) (0.863). For CD4+ TILs, the Correlation of Kep had the highest mean AUC (0.856). Conclusion: The radiomics features of DCE-MRI are associated with the expression of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in AGC, which have the potential to noninvasively evaluate the expression of CD8+ and CD4+ TILs in AGC patients.

DCE-MRI radiomics models predicting the expression of radioresistant-related factors of LRP-1 and survivin in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Objective: Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1) and survivin are associated with radiotherapy resistance in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This study aimed to evaluate the value of a radiomics model based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for the preoperative assessment of LRP-1 and survivin expressions in these patients. Methods: One hundred patients with pathologically confirmed LARC who underwent DCE-MRI before surgery between February 2017 and September 2021 were included in this retrospective study. DCE-MRI perfusion histogram parameters were calculated for the entire lesion using post-processing software (Omni Kinetics, G.E. Healthcare, China), with three quantitative parameter maps. LRP-1 and survivin expressions were assessed by immunohistochemical methods and patients were classified into low- and high-expression groups. Results: Four radiomics features were selected to construct the LRP-1 discrimination model. The LRP-1 predictive model achieved excellent diagnostic performance, with areas under the receiver operating curve (AUCs) of 0.853 and 0.747 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The other four radiomics characteristics were screened to construct the survivin predictive model, with AUCs of 0.780 and 0.800 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical usefulness of the radiomics models. Conclusion: DCE-MRI radiomics models are particularly useful for evaluating LRP-1 and survivin expressions in patients with LARC. Our model has significant potential for the preoperative identification of patients with radiotherapy resistance and can serve as an essential reference for treatment planning.

Comparative Proteome and Phosphoproteome Analyses Reveal Different Molecular Mechanism Between Stone Planting Under the Forest and Greenhouse Planting of Dendrobium huoshanense.

The highly esteemed Chinese herb, Dendrobium huoshanense, whose major metabolites are polysaccharides and alkaloids, is on the verge of extinction. The stone planting under the forest (SPUF) and greenhouse planting (GP) of D. huoshanense are two different cultivation methods of pharmaceutical Dendrobium with significantly differences in morphology, metabolites content and composition, and medication efficacy. Here, we conducted proteomics and phosphoproteomics analyses to reveal differences in molecular mechanisms between SPUF and GP. We identified 237 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the two proteomes, and 291 modification sites belonging to 215 phosphoproteins with a phosphorylation level significantly changed (PLSC) were observed. GO, KEGG pathway, protein domain, and cluster analyses revealed that these DEPs were mainly localized in the chloroplast; involved in processes such as posttranslational modification, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis; and enriched in pathways mainly including linoleic acid metabolism, plant-pathogen interactions, and phenylpropanoid, cutin, suberin, and wax biosynthesis. PLSC phosphoproteins were mainly located in the chloroplast, and highly enriched in responses to different stresses and signal transduction mechanisms through protein kinase and phosphotransferase activities. Significant differences between SPUF and GP were observed by mapping the DEPs and phosphorylated proteins to photosynthesis and polysaccharide and alkaloid biosynthesis pathways. Phosphorylation characteristics and kinase categories in D. huoshanense were also clarified in this study. We analyzed different molecular mechanisms between SPUF and GP at proteomic and phosphoproteomic levels, providing valuable information for the development and utilization of D. huoshanense.

Risk Factors for Anesthesia-Related Airway Patient Safety Incidents: A Single-Center Retrospective Case-Control Analysis from 2009 to 2022.

Objective Airway-related patient safety incident (PSI) has always been the top concern of anesthesiologists because this type of incidents could severely threaten patient safety if not treated immediately and properly. This study intends to reveal the composition, prognosis, and to identify risk factors for airway related incidents reported by anesthesiologists. Methods All airway related PSIs reported by anesthesiologists in a Chinese academic hospital between September 2009 and May 2022 were collected from the PSI reporting system. Patients with airway incidents reported were matched 1:1 with controls based on sex and type of surgery. Univariable and multivariable analysis were performed to find risk factors associated with airway incident occurrence, and to evaluate influence of airway PSIs on patient prognosis. Results Among 1,038 PSIs voluntarily reported by anesthesiologists during the study period, 281 cases (27.1%) were airway-related incidents, with an overall reporting incidence of 4.74 per 10,000 among 592,884 anesthesia care episodes. Only ASA physical status was found to be significant independent predictor of these airway PSIs (P = 0.020). Patients with airway PSIs reported had longer extubation time (0.72 ± 1.56 d vs. 0.16 ± 0.77 d, 95%CI: 0.29 to 0.82, P < 0.001), longer ICU length of stay (LOS) (1.63 ± 5.71 d vs. 0.19 ± 0.84 d, 95%CI: 0.57 to 2.32, P= 0.001), longer post operative LOS (10.56 ± 13.09 d vs. 7.59 ± 10.76 d, 95%CI: 0.41 to 5.53, P = 0.023), and longer total in-hospital LOS (14.99 ± 15.18 d vs. 11.62 ± 11.88 d, 95%CI: 0.46 to 6.27,P = 0.024). Conclusions This single-center retrospective case-control study describes the composition of airway-related PSIs reported by anesthesiologists within thirteen years. Airway incidents might influence patient prognosis by elongating extubation time and LOS. Airway PSI data were worth analyzing to improve patient safety.

Comprehensive analysis of chloroplast genome of Albizia julibrissin Durazz. (Leguminosae sp.).

MAIN CONCLUSION: The Albizia julibrissin chloroplasts have a classical chloroplast genome structure, containing 93 coding genes and 34 non-coding genes. Our research provides basic data for plant phylogenetic evolutionary studies. There is limited genomic information available for the important Chinese herb Albizia julibrissin Durazz. In this study, we constructed the chloroplast (Cp) genome of A. julibrissin. The length of the assembled Cp genome was 175,922 bp consisting of four conserved regions: a 5145 bp small single-copy (SSC) region, a 91,323 bp large single-copy (LSC) region, and two identical length-inverted repeat (IR) regions (39,725 bp). This Cp genome included 34 non-coding RNAs and 93 unique genes, the former contains 30 transfer and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. Gene annotation indicated some of the coding genes (82) in the A. julibrissin Cp genome classified in the Leguminosae family, with some to other related families (11). The results show that low GC content (36.9%) and codon bias towards A- or T-terminal codons may affect the frequency of gene codon usage. The sequence analysis identified 30 forward, 18 palindrome, and 1 reverse repeat > 30 bp length, and 149 simple sequence repeats (SSR). Fifty-five RNA editing sites in the Cp of A. julibrissin were predicted, most of which are C-to-U conversions. Analysis of the reverse repeat expansion or contraction and divergence area between several species, including A. julibrissin, was performed. The phylogenetic tree revealed that A. julibrissin was most closely related to Albizia odoratissima and Albizia bracteata, followed by Samanea saman, forming an evolutionary branch with Mimosa pudica and Leucaena trichandra. The research results are helpful for breeding and genetic improvement of A. julibrissin, and also provide valuable information for understanding the evolution of this plant.

Level of ERAS understanding affects practitioners' practice and perception of early postoperative resumption of oral intake: a nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: Early postoperative resumption of oral intake is supposed to be safe and beneficial to patients recovery. However, practitioners still have great confusion and disagreement about postoperative resumption of oral intake. This is a nationwide survey to investigate the current status of clinical practice and practitioners' attitude toward postoperative resumption of oral intake along with their level of understanding of the ERAS guidelines. METHODS: An anonymous web-based survey questionnaire via mobile social platform was carried out in mainland China from December 11-20, 2020. The Wilcoxon signed rank test or chi-square test was used to compare the propensity of the resumption of oral intake. RESULTS: Totally 5370 responses were received, and 89% of them were from anesthesiology departments. The nature of the responses from clinical practitioners was highly diverse, but each of the three surgery types showed unique patterns of ERAS implementation. The respondents were more conservative regarding the commencement of both fluid and solid diets after gastrointestinal (GI) and hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery than after non-abdominal (NA) surgery. Most respondents agreed that early oral intake is beneficial to reduce postoperative complications improve bowel recovery and overall outcome. 55% respondents considered themselves to have a better understanding of ERAS and tended to initiate oral intake early for all three surgery types (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative resumption of oral intake is highly variable among GI, HPB and NA surgeries. A better understanding of ERAS would encourage practitioners to commence oral intake resumption much earlier.

A Comprehensive Approach to Upper Eyelid Rejuvenation Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Upper eyelid aging results from comprehensive changes, and studies have failed to comprehensively address these changes. OBJECTIVES: This study proposes a comprehensive approach to the surgical treatment of aging upper eyelids. METHODS: Data of 116 patients with aging upper eyelids were analyzed. Each eye was scored on upper eyelid laxity, degree of blepharoptosis, and upper eyelid socket depression at preoperation and 6 months after surgery. Based on average scores of both eyes, three degrees of aging were considered: mild, moderate, and severe. All patients underwent comprehensive surgical treatments. Depending on its condition, loose skin was appropriately removed, and the levator palpebrae superioris (LPS) was corrected in patients with degenerative ptosis. Meanwhile orbital septum fat was released or periumbilical fat mass was used as a filler to correct upper eyelid socket depression. All cases were summarized based on a classification and grading system. Scores were reassessed, and satisfaction survey was conducted after 6 months follow-up. RESULTS: The preoperative and postoperative scores of the three groups were significantly different (p < 0.05), and the difference in preoperative and postoperative scores between the three groups was also statistically significant (p < 0.05). The severe aging group had the greatest difference in score. Aside from 8 patients requiring reoperation, patients reported satisfied results after the 6 month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive surgical treatment for patients with different grades of upper eyelid aging can achieve a satisfactory effect of upper eyelid rejuvenation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Highly efficient removal of iodine ions using MXene-PDA-Ag2Ox composites synthesized by mussel-inspired chemistry.

Herein a simple and novel approach has been developed for surface modification of delaminate MXene with nano-mixed silver oxide which combined with mussel-inspired chemistry. Surface modification with dopamine as a secondary reaction platform for loading nano-silver compounds for removal of iodine was achieved. The internal structure and morphology were characterized by SEM and TEM. The element content and distribution analysis of EDS and XPS proved that nano silver compounds were successfully supported and uniformly dispersed on the surface of MXene. Then the adsorption batch experiment was carried out, adsorption time, pH and other factors on the adsorption performance of the adsorbents were studied in details. By calculating the enthalpy change, Gibbs free energy and thermodynamic parameters, the adsorption reaction was found to be an exothermic process. The adsorption kinetics measured the maximum adsorption capacity of 80 mg/g and the removal efficiency is as high as 80% and the adsorption equilibrium time has also been improved. The adsorption kinetics were well fitted by pseudo first-order and second-order models. All the above results demonstrated that the composite from mussel-inspired chemistry has excellent adsorption properties towards iodine ions. This study not only deepens the research on the adsorption behavior of iodine adsorption, but also provides new research directions and experimental methods for pseudo-iodine adsorption.

Lip Infantile Hemangiomas Involving the Vermillion Border Have Worse Outcomes and Prognosis to Oral Propranolol Than Lesions Confined to One Side of the Vermillion.

PURPOSE: Oral propranolol has been widely used for problematic infantile hemangiomas (IHs). Lip IHs present a high risk of disfigurement and associated psychosocial dysfunction and require early treatment. Lips are compound parts that consist of the upper and lower lips and include the mucosal and cutaneous lips histologically. The present retrospective study aimed to determine the response and prognosis of different subtypes of lip IHs to the use of systemic propranolol. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The data from 81 patients with lip IHs treated with systemic propranolol (2 mg/kg/day) were reviewed. Localized and segmental lip IHs were evaluated separately. The outcomes and prognosis of localized hemangiomas were further evaluated stratified by different features: 1) upper and lower lip; and 2) crossing the vermilion border. RESULTS: The lesions involving the upper lips and those involving the lower lips had the same outcomes and prognosis. Lesions involving the vermillion border required longer treatment and had poorer outcomes and prognosis compared with lesions confined to 1 side of the vermilion. CONCLUSIONS: After oral propranolol treatment, IHs localized to upper lip had the same outcomes and prognosis as IHs localized to the lower lip. Lip IHs involving the vermillion border had worse outcomes and prognosis than lesions confined to 1 side of the vermillion.

Kappa Opioid Receptor Distribution and Function in Primary Afferents.

Primary afferents are known to be inhibited by kappa opioid receptor (KOR) signaling. However, the specific types of somatosensory neurons that express KOR remain unclear. Here, using a newly developed KOR-cre knockin allele, viral tracing, single-cell RT-PCR, and ex vivo recordings, we show that KOR is expressed in several populations of primary afferents: a subset of peptidergic sensory neurons, as well as low-threshold mechanoreceptors that form lanceolate or circumferential endings around hair follicles. We find that KOR acts centrally to inhibit excitatory neurotransmission from KOR-cre afferents in laminae I and III, and this effect is likely due to KOR-mediated inhibition of Ca2+ influx, which we observed in sensory neurons from both mouse and human. In the periphery, KOR signaling inhibits neurogenic inflammation and nociceptor sensitization by inflammatory mediators. Finally, peripherally restricted KOR agonists selectively reduce pain and itch behaviors, as well as mechanical hypersensitivity associated with a surgical incision. These experiments provide a rationale for the use of peripherally restricted KOR agonists for therapeutic treatment.

A self-controlled study of intralesional injection of diprospan combined with topical timolol cream for treatment of thick superficial infantile hemangiomas.

Topical application of timolol cream is effective and convenient for treating superficial infantile hemangiomas. Intralesional injection of corticosteroids, such as diprospan, is useful for the treatment of superficia infantile hemangiomas without systemic side effects. We conducted a self-controlled study to investigate whether a combination of intralesional injection of diprospan with topical timolol 0.5% cream would be more efficient than timolol cream alone in thick superficial infantile hemangiomas. Thirty-eight patients with 39 thick superficial infantile hemangiomas were recruited. Each lesion was randomly divided into two equal parts: one part was treated with topical timolol 0.5% cream (timolol cream group), while the other part was treated with injection of diprospan combined with topical timolol 0.5% cream (combined treatment group). Infants were followed every 4 weeks to determine whether injections should be continued, and timolol cream was applied four times daily for 5 months. During 5 months of treatment, three specialist physicians were invited to evaluate the therapeutic effects. The combined treatment group showed better lesion involution than did the timolol cream group regarding lesion thickness and color of lesions. The combination of intralesional injection of diprospan with topical timolol 0.5% cream is a suitable and safe strategy for thick superficial infantile hemangiomas.

Nanofat Increases Dermis Thickness and Neovascularization in Photoaged Nude Mouse Skin.

OBJECT: To investigate the effects of nanofat injection into photoaged nude mouse skin on dermis thickness, neovascularization, and cell proliferation. METHODS: Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and nanofat were prepared from human liposuction aspirates. The photoaged skin model was created using ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation onto BALB/c nude mice. A total of 24 mice were used in this study; 6 mice without treatment (natural aging) served as controls, while 18 mice were irradiated under the UVB lamp and treated with PBS (200 µl per injection area), ADSCs (1 × 106/200 µl ADSCs per injection area), or nanofat (200 µl per injection area) on the dorsal skin. Four weeks after injection, skin specimens were collected. The skin texture of each group was evaluated by general observation. Histological analyses were performed to analyze skin structure, dermis thickness, collagen fiber arrangement, capillary density, and cell proliferation. RESULTS: Four weeks after injection, no obvious differences were observed between the PBS group, ADSCs group, and nanofat group by skin gross observation. From the histological analyses, the ADSCs group and the nanofat group showed obviously thicker dermis than the PBS group (P < 0.05). More capillaries were observed in skin using anti-CD31 staining in the ADSCs and Nanofat groups than was observed in the PBS group (P < 0.05). No significant differences in the average dermis proliferation index were observed between groups by anti-Ki-67 staining. However, an increased epidermal proliferation index was observed in the ADSCs and Nanofat groups, compared to that in the PBS group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nanofat increased dermis thickness and neovascularization in photoaged skin. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The Effect of CA125 Nadir Level on Survival of Advanced-Stage Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma after Interval Debulking Surgery.

Purpose. The study aims at investigating the most reliable CA125-related factors in terms of predicting survival outcomes in advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Methods. The EOC patients treated with NAC at Peking Union Medical College Hospital by a single gynecological oncology team were enrolled for the retrospective study. The CA125-related variables were categorized into four groups: normalizations, nadirs, half-life and percentage reductions. Associations of these variables with progress-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Results. Of the 101 patients included, 81 patients (80.2%) had progressed, and 51 patients (50.5%) had died of the disease progression. Univariate analysis showed that the CA125 nadir, reduction after the first, second and third postoperative chemotherapy cycles, and time to normalization were significantly (P<0.05) associated with PFS. The CA125 nadir, reduction after the first, second and third postoperative chemotherapy cycles were significantly (P<0.05) associated with OS. In the multivariate analysis, the CA125 nadir value was the most significant factor for PFS and OS, using the CA125 median level 13 U/ml as a cutoff value. Conclusions. Our study suggests that the CA125 nadir value is the most reliable prognostic factor to predict PFS and OS in advanced EOC patients treated with NAC. This information is important in patient counseling and creating individualized follow-up plans.