A 10-year mono-center study on patients with burns ≥70% TBSA: prediction model construction and multi-center validation: retrospective cohort.

BACKGROUND: Burn injuries with ≥70% total body surface area (TBSA) are especially acute and life-threatening, leading to severe complications and terrible prognosis, while a powerful model for prediction of overall survival (OS) is lacked. The objective of this study is to identify prognostic factors for the OS of patients with burn injury ≥70% TBSA, construct and validate a feasible predictive model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with burns ≥70% TBSA admitted and treated between 2010 and 2020 in our hospital were included. A cohort of the patients from the Kunshan explosion were assigned as the validation set. The Chi-square test and K-M survival analysis were conducted to identify potential predictors for OS. Then, multi-variate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the independent factors. Afterwards, we constructed a nomogram to predict OS probability. Finally, the Kunshan cohort was applied as an external validation set. RESULTS: Gender, the percentage of third- and fourth-degree burn as well as organ dysfunction were identified as significant independent factors. A nomogram only based on the factors of the individuals was built and evidenced to have promising predictive accuracy, accordance, and discrimination by both internal and external validation. CONCLUSIONS: This study recognized significant influencing factors for the OS of patients with burns ≥70% TBSA. Furthermore, our nomogram proved to be an effective tool for doctors to quickly evaluate patients' outcomes and make appropriate clinical decisions at an early stage of treatment.

[Ligusticum cycloprolactam inhibits IL-1ß-induced apoptosis and inflammation of rat chondrocytes via HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway].

Chondrocytes are unique resident cells in the articular cartilage, and the pathological changes of them can lead to the occurrence of osteoarthritis(OA). Ligusticum cycloprolactam(LIGc) are derivatives of Z-ligustilide(LIG), a pharmacodynamic marker of Angelica sinensis, which has various biological functions such as anti-inflammation and inhibition of cell apoptosis. However, its protective effect on chondrocytes in the case of OA and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. This study conducted in vitro experiments to explore the molecular mechanism of LIGc in protecting chondrocytes from OA. The inflammation model of rat OA chondrocyte model was established by using interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß) to induce. LIGc alone and combined with glycyrrhizic acid(GA), a blocker of the high mobility group box-1 protein(HMGB1)/Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) signaling pathway, were used to intervene in the model, and the therapeutic effects were systematically evaluated. The viability of chondrocytes treated with different concentrations of LIGc was measured by the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8), and the optimal LIGc concentration was screened out. Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis detection kit was employed to examine the apoptosis of chondrocytes in each group. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to measure the expression of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), prostaglandin-2(PGE2), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) in the supernatant of chondrocytes in each group. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), caspase-3, HMGB1, TLR4, and NF-κB p65. The mRNA levels of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB p65, and myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88) in chondrocytes were determined by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR). The safe concentration range of LIGc on chondrocytes was determined by CCK-8, and then the optimal concentration of LIGc for exerting the effect was clarified. Under the intervention of IL-1ß, the rat chondrocyte model of OA was successfully established. The modeled chondrocytes showed increased apoptosis rate, promoted expression of COX-2, PGE2, and TNF-α, up-regulated protein levels of Bax, caspase-3, HMGB1, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 and mRNA levels of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB p65, and MyD88, and down-regulated protein level of Bcl-2. However, LIGc reversed the IL-1ß-induced changes of the above factors. Moreover, LIGc combined with GA showed more significant reversal effect than LIGc alone. These fin-dings indicate that LIGc extracted and derived from the traditional Chinese medicine A. sinensis can inhibit the inflammatory response of chondrocytes and reduce the apoptosis of chondrocytes, and this effect may be related to the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. The pharmacological effect of LIGc on protecting chondrocytes has potential value in delaying the progression of OA and improving the clinical symptoms of patients, and deserves further study.

The prophylaxis functions of Lactobacillus fermentum GLF-217 and Lactobacillus plantarum FLP-215 on ulcerative colitis via modulating gut microbiota of mice.

BACKGROUND: The strong connection between gut microbes and human health has been confirmed by an increasing number of studies. Although probiotics have been found to relieve ulcerative colitis, the mechanism varies by the species involved. In this study, the physiological, immune and pathological factors of mice were measured and shotgun metagenomic sequencing was conducted to investigate the potential mechanisms in preventing ulcerative colitis. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that ingestion of Lactobacillus fermentum GLF-217 and Lactobacillus plantarum FLP-215 significantly alleviated ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), as evidenced by the increase in body weight, food intake, water intake and colon length as well as the decrease in disease activity index, histopathological score and inflammatory factor. Both strains not only improved intestinal mucosa by increasing mucin-2 and zonula occludens-1, but also improved the immune system response by elevating interleukin-10 levels and decreasing the levels of interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ. Moreover, L. fermentum GLF-217 and L. plantarum FLP-215 play a role in preventing DSS-induced colitis by regulating the structure of gut microbiota and promoting the formation of short-chain fatty acids. CONCLUSIONS: This study may provide a reference for the prevention strategy of ulcerative colitis. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dimethyl Fumarate Protects against Lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) Induced Sepsis through Inhibition of NF-κB Pathway in Mice.

Sepsis is one of the most severe complications and causes of mortality in the clinic. It remains a great challenge with no effective treatment for clinicians worldwide. Inhibiting the release of proinflammatory cytokines during sepsis is considered as an important strategy for treating sepsis and improving survival. In the present study, we have observed the effect of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced sepsis and investigated the possible mechanism. By screening a subset of the Johns Hopkins Drug Library, we identified DMF as a novel inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, suggesting that DMF could be a potential drug to treat sepsis. To further characterize the effect of DMF on LPS signaling, TNF-α, MCP-1, G-CMF, and IL-6 expression levels were determined by using cytokine array panels. In addition, an endotoxemia model with C57BL/6 mice was used to assess the in vivo efficacy of DMF on sepsis. The survival rate was assessed, and HE staining was performed to investigate histopathological damage to the organs. DMF was found to increase the survival of septic mice by 50% and attenuate organ damage, consistent with the reduction in IL-10, IL-6, and TNF-α (inflammatory cytokines) in serum. In vitro experiments revealed DMF's inhibitory effect on the phosphorylation of p65, IκB, and IKK, suggesting that the primary inhibitory effects of DMF can be attributed, at least in part, to the inhibition of phosphorylation of IκBα, IKK as well as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) upon LPS stimulation. The findings demonstrate that DMF dramatically inhibits NO and proinflammatory cytokine production in response to LPS and improves survival in septic mice, raising the possibility that DMF has the potential to be repurposed as a new treatment of sepsis.

The prevalence and determinant of overweight and obesity among residents aged 40-69 years in high-risk regions for upper gastrointestinal cancer in southeast China.

Being overweight or obese is one of the public health concerns worldwide, and its prevalence is gradually increasing. Obesity has been proven to be associated with some cancers, including upper gastrointestinal cancer (UGC). However, studies on the prevalence of obesity among residents of areas at high risk of UGC in China are minimal. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of obesity and its influencing factors among people aged 40-69 years (high-risk population) in high-risk areas for UGC in Jiangsu Province, southeast China. This cross-sectional study involved 45,036 subjects aged 40-69 years identified in the Rural Early Diagnosis and Treatment of UGC Project database in Jiangsu Province from 2017 to 2021. Differences in prevalence across gender and age were assessed using the Chi-square test. Using a multinomial logistic regression model, we examined independent risk factors for overweight/obesity and their gender and age differences. The prevalence of overweight, obesity, and overweight/obesity varied based on the standards used: Chinese standard (42.1%, 11.9%, and 54.0%) and WHO standard (34.7%, 4.7%, and 39.4%), respectively. Being overweight was more common in men than women, while obesity was more common in women than men. Age of 50-59 years, married, household size of 7-9, drinking, soy products, pickled food, and hot food intake were positively associated with overweight/obesity. Females, 60-69 years, higher education level, household size of 4-6, annual family income of more than 60,000 CNY, smoking, and fresh fruit intake were negatively associated with overweight/obesity. Stratified analysis showed that the effects of age, education and meat, egg and dairy products on overweight/obesity were different across gender. The impact of fresh fruit and vegetables on overweight/obesity was also heterogeneous between the younger (40-59 years) and older (60-69 years) groups. In conclusion, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is high among adults aged 40-69 years from high-risk areas for UGC of Jiangsu Province, southeast China. Independent influencing factors of being overweight/obese included gender, age, marital status, education, household size, annual family income, smoking, drinking, fresh fruit, soy products, pickled food and hot food intake, and may vary by gender and age. Screening-based interventions should be considered to control obesity levels among screened participants. Besides, heterogeneity of influencing factors across subgroups could be focused on to improve intervention effectiveness.

Effect of a stylet on specimen sampling in thyroid fine needle aspiration: A randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial.

Background: There is a cost advantage in using a needle without stylet over a needle with stylet in thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA). This study aimed to elucidate the non-inferiority of thyroid FNA without a stylet (S-) to thyroid FNA with a stylet (S+) on specimen sampling. Methods: In this study, patients with thyroid nodules undergoing FNA were consecutively enrolled between May 2022 and July 2022. One experienced operator performed two punctures of each nodule with a stylet and without a stylet. Specimen adequacy was the primary outcome. Wald test was used for statistical analysis of the primary outcome. The difference in specimen adequacy between the two methods was expressed as a two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI). The S- method was considered non-inferior to the S+ method if the lower bound of the 95% CI of the S- minus S+ adequacy difference was greater than a predetermined non-inferiority margin of -10%. Results: A total of 149 patients (195 nodules) were enrolled in the study. A total of 167 of 195 nodules (85.64%) and 169 of 195 nodules (86.67%) were obtained adequate specimens using the S+ and S- methods, respectively. The difference in specimen adequacy (S- minus S+) between the two methods was 1.03% (95% CI, -5.83% to 7.88%). The lower bound 95% CI of the difference in specimen adequacy (-5.83%) was greater than the predetermined non-inferiority margin of -10%. The difference in the yield for malignancy was not significantly different between the two methods. Conclusion: Thyroid FNA without a stylet is non-inferior to thyroid FNA with a stylet on specimen sampling.

Endoscopic Surveillance for Premalignant Esophageal Lesions: A Community-Based Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mild and moderate dysplasia are major premalignant lesions of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, evidence of the progression risk in patients with these conditions is extremely limited. We aimed to assess the incidence and risk factors for advanced neoplasia in patients with mild-moderate dysplasia. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included patients with mild-moderate dysplasia from 9 regions in rural China. These patients were identified from a community-based ESCC screening program conducted between 2010 and 2016 and were offered endoscopic surveillance until December 2021. We estimated the incidence of advanced esophageal neoplasia, including severe dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, or ESCC, and identified potential risk factors using the Cox regression model. RESULTS: The 1183 patients with mild-moderate dysplasia were followed up over a period of 6.95 years. During follow-up evaluation, 88 patients progressed to advanced neoplasia (7.44%), with an incidence rate of 10.44 per 1000 person-years. The median interval from the progression of mild-moderate dysplasia to advanced neoplasia was 2.39 years (interquartile range, 1.58-4.32 y). A total of 74.47% of patients with mild-moderate dysplasia experienced regression to nondysplasia, and 18.09% showed no lesion progression. Patients with mild-moderate dysplasia who had a family history of esophageal cancer and were age 55 years and older showed 97% higher advanced neoplasia yields than all patients with mild-moderate dysplasia. CONCLUSIONS: In a country with a high incidence of ESCC, patients with mild-moderate dysplasia showed an overall risk of advanced neoplasia progression of 1.04% per year. Patients with mild-moderate dysplasia would be recommended for endoscopic surveillance during the first 2 to 3 years.

A WeChat-based competency and performance checklist in basic surgical skills course for military medical academy undergraduates.

BACKGROUND: Basic surgical skills (BSS) is a key bridging course for medical students to acquire basic surgical maneuvers and practice animal surgery before clinical rotation, but the complexity of operational procedures and high demands on asepsis may lead to poor performance and frequent error during practice. The current study intended to improve BSS teaching outcomes by implementing smartphone app-based competency and performance checklists for medical academy undergraduates. METHODS: WeChat-based checklists containing competency and performance modules were designed, distributed and collected via smartphone. One hundred seventy-six third-grade undergraduate cadets majoring in clinical medicine or anesthesiology were prospectively enrolled, with 92 set as study group and 84 as control group. Checklists were distributed for self-evaluation before and after each class throughout the semester of autumn 2021-2022. Student age, previous Grade Point Average (GPA), average grades of BSS (including grade-A rate and pass rate), operative time, error rate, and perioperative complications of intestinal anastomosis performed on Beagle dogs between the groups were compared to evaluate the efficacy of the checklists. RESULTS: The students aged 20.2 ± 0.63 in Group A and 20.3 ± 0.92 in Group B (P = 0.15), with a previous GPA of 2.9 ± 0.61 vs. 2.87 ± 0.58 (P = 0.61). The average operative time on their final lesson of intestinal anastomosis was 192.3 ± 27.18 min vs. 213.8 ± 29.48 min (P < 0.001). All students passed in BSS course, with a final grade of 89.45 ± 4.360 in Group A and 86.64 ± 4.026 in Group B (P < 0.001), in which grade-A rate was 46.7% vs. 26.2% (P = 0.005). For perioperative comorbidities, 4/23 (17.4%) animals in Group A and 5/21 (23.8%) in Group B recorded wound dehiscence or other incision-related complications; no animals died in Group A, and 2 died in Group B due to hemorrhagic shock or sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of WeChat-based checklist is a reflection of improved quality of teaching in BSS course that may promote the students' competency and performance.

miR-370 impacts the biological behavior of lung cancer cells by targeting the SMAD1 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified to play a role in the development and progression of lung cancer (LC). As of now, the expression and function of miR-370 in LC are still under investigation. Accordingly, this study explores the role and mechanism of miR-370 in LC. METHODS: MiR-370 mimics or inhibitors were used to transfect A549 and NCI-H460 cells to overexpress or inhibit miR-370. The colony formation test and Cell Counting Kit-8 were conducted to detect the cell proliferation activity, and transwell test and wound healing test were conducted to evaluate the cell invasion and migration activities. In addition, the downstream target genes of miR-370 in LC were verified by dual luciferase reporter assay and western blot. RESULTS: Compared to normal tissues and cell lineslines, the miR-370 expression in LC tissues and cells was decreased greatly. Compared to the negative control group, the up-regulation of miR-370 greatly intensified the apoptosis of NCI-H460 cells and weakened the migration, proliferation, and invasion of the cells. However, compared to the inhibitor-negative control group, the downregulation of miR-370 caused the opposite results. Additionally, SMAD family member 1 (SMAD1) was identified as a direct target of miR-370 in LC and could be inhibited by miR-370. Its overexpression restored the impact of miR-370 mimics on LC cells. CONCLUSION: With low expression in LC tissues and cell lineslines, miR-370 is a tumor suppressor that weakens the growth, invasion as well as migration of LC cells by inhibiting SMAD1 expression. Our results may provide novel insights for the biological treatment of LC.

Long-term Incidence Rates of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Chinese Patients With Low-grade Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Association of Surveillance Endoscopy With Incidence.

Importance: Surveillance endoscopy is recommended for patients with low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN); high-quality evidence about the use of surveillance endoscopy and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) incidence in patients with LGIN is important but limited. Objective: To estimate long-term ESCC incidence rates in patients with LGIN and the association between surveillance endoscopy and ESCC incidence. Design, Setting, and Participants: This community-based, multicenter, prospective cohort study in 9 regions in rural China included patients with LGIN diagnosed by endoscopic screening between July 1, 2007, and December 31, 2016; all participants were followed up until December 31, 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was ESCC incidence. The ESCC standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was estimated using sex- and age-specific incidence in the general population of rural China in 2010 and hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: A total of 3258 patients with LGIN were included; 1772 (54.39%) were men, with a mean (SD) age of 58.21 (6.97) years. Among them, 1378 patients (42.30%) underwent at least 1 surveillance endoscopy (surveillance group) and 1880 (57.70%) did not undergo any surveillance endoscopy (nonsurveillance group). During the follow-up period (median, 7.96 years; IQR, 6.08-10.54 years), 170 ESCC cases were diagnosed, with a cumulative incidence of 6.28 per 1000 person-years. A higher incidence of ESCC (incidence rate, 7.07 per 1000 person-years) was observed in the nonsurveillance group than in the surveillance group (incidence rate, 5.14 per 1000 person-years). Patients with LGIN in the surveillance group had a lower SIR (SIR, 4.07; 95% CI, 1.13-10.34) than those in the nonsurveillance group (SIR, 5.65; 95% CI, 2.00-12.58); however, patients with LGIN in both groups had a higher risk of ESCC than the general population. Patients in the surveillance group had a 31% decreased risk of ESCC incidence (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.50-0.95) compared with those in the nonsurveillance group, after adjusting for baseline risk factors. Conclusions and Relevance: In this prospective cohort study, patients with LGIN had a higher risk of developing ESCC than the general population, and endoscopic surveillance was associated with a decrease in ESCC incidence in these patients.

Ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser improves quality of life in patients with extensive burn scars: A nested case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser (CO2 -AFL) for small-area burn scar management shows encouraging outcomes. Few studies, however, focused on comprehensive outcomes following CO2 -AFL treatment for extensive burn scars. This study evaluated whether CO2 -AFL surgery improved the quality of life (QoL) for burn survivors with extensive hypertrophic scars. METHODS: A retrospective nested case-control study was initiated to analyze the efficacy of CO2 -AFL treatment for patients with large-area burn scars. Patients with extensive burn scars (≥30% total body surface area [TBSA]) were registered in our hospital from March 2016 to October 2018. Patients undergoing CO2 -AFL surgery were divided into CO2 -AFL group, and patients undergoing conventional surgery were matched in a 1:1 ratio as the conventional surgery group according to the burned area. The questionnaires were collected and followed up. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Burns Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B) were the primary parameters. Secondary parameters included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), University of North Carolina "4P" Scars Scale (UNC4P), Patient Scars Assessment Scale for Patient (POSAS-P), and Douleur Neuropathique 4 questions (DN4). RESULTS: 23 patients (55.96 ± 21.59% TBSA) were included in CO2 -AFL group and 23 patients (57.87 ± 18.21% TBSA) in conventional surgery group. Both the BSHS-B total score (CO2 -AFL vs. conventional surgery: 115.35 ± 29.24 vs. 85.43 ± 33.19, p = 0.002) and the SF-36 total score (CO2 -AFL vs. conventional surgery: 427.79 ± 118.27 vs. 265.65 ± 81.66, p < 0.001) for the CO2 -AFL group were higher than those for the conventional surgery group. Parameters for the CO2 -AFL group were lower than those for the conventional surgery group in all of the following comparisons: PSQI total score (CO2 -AFL vs. conventional surgery: 7.70 ± 3.74 vs. 12.26 ± 4.61, p = 0.001), POSAS-P total score (CO2 -AFL vs. conventional surgery: 26.48 ± 6.60 vs. 33.04 ± 4.56, p < 0.001), UNC4P total score (CO2 -AFL vs. conventional surgery: 5.57 ± 1.97 vs. 7.26 ± 1.81, p = 0.004), and DN4 score (CO2 -AFL vs. conventional surgery: 3 [2-5] vs. 5 [4-8], p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to conventional surgery, whole scar CO2 -AFL surgery dramatically improved physical and mental health as well as QoL for people with extensive burn scars. Additionally, CO2 -AFL enhanced the evaluation of scars including their appearance, pain, itching, and a host of other symptoms.

Transient Budd-Chiari syndrome secondary to blunt traumatic bile fistula: A case report.

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is rarely caused by trauma. We reported a case of transient and secondary BCS post polytrauma that resulting from massive perihepatic and abdominal fluid and compressed liver, causing stenosis of the inferior vena cava and hepatic veins. This was a special BCS case related to but not directly caused by trauma. With conservative management and active surgical procedures, the patient recovered well.

Assessment of the compliance, influencing factors, and yielding results of liver cancer screening in a high-risk population: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The participation and results for liver cancer screening are rarely reported. The aim of this study was to determine the participation rates and factors affecting participation rates as well as to report the detection rate for liver cancer in an organized screening program. METHODS: The organized screening program for liver cancer was conducted in 12 rural sites. The risk of developing liver cancer was initially evaluated for each participant. High-risk individuals were offered α-fetoprotein measurement and ultrasonography examination. Potential risk factors associated with the participation rate were screened by fitted generalized linear mixed logistic regression models through reporting odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. RESULTS: A total of 358,662 eligible participants completed the basic surveys, and 54,745 were evaluated to be at high risk of liver cancer. Of these high-risk individuals, 40,543 accepted the screening services. Determinants of participation for screening behavior included older age, being female, being positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, having a family history of liver cancer, chronic depression, and low income. The detection rate for liver cancer was estimated to be 0.41% (95% CI, 0.35-0.48). CONCLUSIONS: This study reported several significant factors associated with the screening behaviors for liver cancer. LAY SUMMARY: Participation rate and results for liver cancer screening in rural areas are rarely reported. The determinants associated with adherence rates and early detection rate of liver cancer in an organized screening program for liver cancer were assessed. A possible positive correlation between the participation rates and the early detection rate was observed among attendees of screening. These new finds could be beneficial to increasing the participation rate of screening.

Integrative Analysis of Pyroptosis-Related Prognostic Signature and Immunological Infiltration in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Lung cancer is one of leading causes of human health threatening with approximately 2.09 million initially diagnosed cases and 1.76 million deaths worldwide annually. Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death mediated by Gasdermin family proteins. Pyroptosis could suppress the tumor oncogenesis and progression; nevertheless, pyroptosis could promote tumor growth by forming a suitable microenvironment. Methods: LASSO Cox regression analysis was performed to construct prognostic pyroptosis-related gene (PRG) signature. A ceRNA was constructed to explore the potential lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis in LUSC. Results: The expression of 26 PRGs were increased or decreased in LUSC. We also summarized simple nucleotide variation and copy number variation landscape of PRGs in LUSC. Prognosis analysis suggested a poor overall survival rate in LUSC patients with high expression of IL6, IL1B, ELANE, and CASP6. A pyroptosis-related prognostic signature was developed based on four prognostic PRGs. High-risk score LUSC patients had a poor overall survival rate versus low-risk score patients with an AUC of 0.565, 0.641, and 0.619 in 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year ROC curves, respectively. Moreover, the risk score was correlated with immune infiltration in LUSC. Further analysis revealed that pyroptosis-related prognostic signature was correlated with immune cell infiltration, tumor mutation burden, microsatellite instability, and drug sensitivity. We also constructed a ceRNA network and identified a lncRNA KCNQ1OT1/miR-328-3p/IL1B regulatory axis for LUSC. Conclusion: A bioinformatics method was performed to develop a pyroptosis-related prognostic signature containing four genes (IL6, IL1B, ELANE, and CASP4) in LUSC. We also constructed a ceRNA network and identified a lncRNA KCNQ1OT1/miR-328-3p/IL1B regulatory axis for LUSC. Further in vivo and in vitro studies should be conducted to verify these results.

Fresh fruit consumption, physical activity, and five-year risk of mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes: A prospective follow-up study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We explored the associations among fruit consumption, physical activity, and their dose-response relationship with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively followed 20,340 community-dwelling type 2 diabetic patients aged 21-94 years. Information on diets and physical activity was collected using standardized questionnaires. All-cause and CVD mortality were assessed. Hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality were estimated with Cox regression models, and HRs for CVD mortality were derived from a competing risk model. Restricted cubic spline regression was used to analyze dose-response relationships. We identified 1362 deaths during 79,844 person-years. Compared to non-consumption, fruit consumption >42.9 g/d was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.64-0.88), CVD mortality (HR 0.69, 0.51-0.94) and stroke mortality (HR 0.57, 0.36-0.89), but not with heart disease mortality (HR 0.93, 0.56-1.52). The HRs comparing the top vs bottom physical activity quartiles were 0.44 (0.37-0.53) for all-cause mortality, 0.46 (0.33-0.64) for CVD mortality, 0.46 (0.29-0.74) for stroke mortality and 0.51 (0.29-0.88) for heart disease mortality. Lower fruit consumption combined with a lower physical activity level was associated with a greater mortality risk. A nonlinear threshold of 80 g fruit/day was identified; all-cause mortality risk was reduced by approximately 24% at this value. A physical activity threshold of eight metabolic equivalents (MET) h/day was also identified, after which the risk of mortality did not decrease. CONCLUSIONS: Fruit consumption and physical activity may reduce all-cause, CVD, and stroke mortality in type 2 diabetic patients.

Ablative fractional CO2 laser surgery improving sleep quality, pain and pruritus in adult hypertrophic scar patients: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Poor sleep quality is associated with a decrease in quality of life in patients with major burn scars, combined with pruritus and pain. Few interventions have been reported to improve the sleep quality of patients with scars. In the current prospective cohort study, we investigated the efficacy of CO2-ablative fractional laser (AFL) surgery vs conventional surgery in post-burn patients with hypertrophic scars with sleep quality as the primary study outcome. METHODS: In total 68 consecutive patients undergoing scar surgical treatment were recruited, including a CO2-AFL surgery cohort (n = 35) and a conventional surgery cohort (n = 33). A subgroup from the AFL cohort was selected. Sleep quality, pain and pruritus were evaluated. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to reveal the effect of CO2-AFL surgery. RESULTS: The CO2-AFL surgery cohort had significantly lower Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) global scores than the conventional surgery cohort after the last surgical treatment. In the subgroup of patients receiving hardware sleep monitoring, CO2-AFL markedly increased deep sleep time, deep sleep efficiency and reduced initial sleep latency. Compared to the conventional surgery cohort, the CO2-AFL cohort presented significantly lower pain and pruritus scores. Correlation analysis showed pain and pruritus were significantly associated with PSQI scores, and there were also significant correlations between pain and pruritus scores. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that surgery method was negatively linearly correlated with visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, brief pain inventory (BPI) total, VAS pruritus score, 5-D itch scale total, four-item itch questionnaire (FIIQ) total and PSQI total. CONCLUSIONS: CO2-AFL surgery significantly improved sleep quality and reduced pain and pruritus of hypertrophic scar patients. The alleviation of sleep disorder was associated with improvement of deep sleep quality including deep sleep time and deep sleep deficiency. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR200035268) approved retrospectively registration on 5 May 2020.

HDAC1 regulates the chemosensitivity of laryngeal carcinoma cells via modulation of interleukin-8 expression.

Chemotherapies such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) have been widely used to treat laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), the second most common head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, chemoresistance seriously impairs chemotherapeutic efficacy. Our present study reveals that 5-FU and CDDP treatment increase the expression of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) in LSCC cells. Consistently, increased levels of HDAC1 are observed in chemoresistant cells. Knockdown of HDAC1 significantly restores the sensitivity of LSCC cells, as HDAC1 increases the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), which is essential for LSCC chemoresistance. Mechanistically, HDAC1 directly initiates the transcription of IL-8 though binding to its promoter. Simultaneously, si-HDAC1 increases the levels of miR-93, which binds to the 3'UTR of IL-8 mRNA to trigger its degradation. In summary, the HDAC1/IL-8 axis can confer chemotherapeutic resistance to LSCC cells.

An initial screening strategy based on epidemiologic information in esophageal cancer screening: a prospective evaluation in a community-based cancer screening cohort in rural China.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In China, regional organized esophageal cancer screening programs have been implemented since 2005. However, the implementation of these screening programs is still facing some urgent challenges, especially concerning identifying high-risk individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the risk stratification potential of the current initial assessment strategy used in a mass esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) screening program in China. METHODS: A total of 43,875 participants without a previous cancer history enrolled in a mass ESCC screening program in China from 2007 to 2010 who had initial assessment results were included in this study and were followed until December 31, 2015. Eight potential risk factors for ESCC were evaluated in the initial assessment strategy. A comprehensive evaluation of the association of the initial assessment results with ESCC risk was performed by propensity score matching and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 5.5 years, 272 individuals developed ESCC. The high-risk population assessed at baseline had a higher risk of ESCC than the non-high-risk population, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.11 (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.33-4.14) after adjustment for sex, age, education level, income level, and body mass index. In addition, the initial assessment results of the high-risk population were significantly associated with the risk of all esophageal cancers (HR, 3.30; 95% CI, 2.51-4.33) and upper gastrointestinal cancers (HR, 3.03; 95% CI, 2.43-3.76). CONCLUSIONS: The initial screening tool in a mass ESCC screening program in China, consisting of 8 accessible variables in epidemiologic surveys, could be helpful for the selection of asymptomatic individuals for priority ESCC screening.

Selection of high-risk individuals for esophageal cancer screening: A prediction model of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma based on a multicenter screening cohort in rural China.

The mortality benefit of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) screening has been reported in several studies; however, the results of ESCC screening programs in China are suboptimal. Our study aimed to develop an ESCC risk prediction model to identify high-risk individuals for population-based esophageal cancer screening. In total, 86 745 participants enrolled in a population-based esophageal cancer screening program in rural China between 2007 and 2012 were included in the present study and followed up until December 31, 2015. Models for identifying individuals at risk of ESCC within 3 years were created using logistic regressions. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was determined to estimate the model's overall performance. A total of 298 individuals were diagnosed with ESCC within 3 years after baseline. The model of ESCC included the predictors of age, sex, family history of upper gastrointestinal cancer, smoking status, alarming symptoms of retrosternal pain, back pain or neck pain, consumption of salted food and fresh fruits and disease history of peptic ulcer or esophagitis (AUC of 0.81; 95% confidence interval: 0.78-0.83). Compared to the current prescreening strategy in our program, the cut-off value of 10 in the score-based model could result in 3.11% fewer individuals subjected to endoscopies and present higher sensitivity, slightly higher specificity and lower number needed to screen. This score-based risk prediction model of ESCC based on eight epidemiological risk factors could increase the efficiency of the esophageal cancer screening program in rural China.