LncARSR promotes glioma tumor growth by mediating glycolysis through the STAT3/HK2 axis.

BACKGROUND: Glioma represents the predominant malignant brain tumor. This investigation endeavors to elucidate the impact and prospective mechanisms of glycolysis-related lncARSR on glioma. METHODS: LncARSR level was assessed in normal glial cells and glioma cells. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion measurements were conducted through CCK-8, wound healing, and transwell assay. Flow cytometry was utilized to measure cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Biochemical assay kits and immunoblotting were employed to measure the content of glycolysis-related indicators and protein expression, respectively. We analyzed the impact of both lncARSR knockdown and overexpression of the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) on Hexokinase 2 (HK2) using dual luciferase reporter assays and Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments. Further assessment of the impact of lncARSR on glioma progression was conducted through animal experiments. RESULTS: LncARSR was expressed at elevated levels in glioma cells compared to normal glial cells. Overexpressing lncARSR enhanced proliferation, migration, invasion, and G2/M phase arrest in glioma cells and also increased glucose, lactate, ATP production, as well as the expression of HK2, PFK1, PKM2, GLUT1, and LDHA. STAT3 binding to the HK2 gene promoter was weakened following the knockdown of lncARSR. Upregulation of STAT3 reversed the suppressed functions of knocking down lncARSR on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, G2/M phase arrest, and glycolysis and counteracted its promotional effect on cell apoptosis. In vivo, knocking down lncARSR inhibits glioma growth and ki67 and PCNA expression. CONCLUSION: LncARSR promotes the development of glioma by enhancing glycolysis through the STAT3-HK2 axis.

Enhancing Vault Prediction and ICL Sizing Through Advanced Machine Learning Models.

PURPOSE: To use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to accurately predict vault and Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) size. METHODS: The methodology focused on enhancing predictive capabilities through the fusion of machine-learning algorithms. Specifically, AdaBoost, Random Forest, Decision Tree, Support Vector Regression, LightGBM, and XGBoost were integrated into a majority-vote model. The performance of each model was evaluated using appropriate metrics such as accuracy, precision, F1-score, and area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: The majority-vote model exhibited the highest performance among the classification models, with an accuracy of 81.9% area under the curve (AUC) of 0.807. Notably, LightGBM (accuracy = 0.788, AUC = 0.803) and XGBoost (ACC = 0.790, AUC = 0.801) demonstrated competitive results. For the ICL size prediction, the Random Forest model achieved an impressive accuracy of 85.3% (AUC = 0.973), whereas XG-Boost (accuracy = 0.834, AUC = 0.961) and LightGBM (accuracy = 0.816, AUC = 0.961) maintained their compatibility. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the potential of diverse machine learning algorithms to enhance postoperative vault and ICL size prediction, ultimately contributing to the safety of ICL implantation procedures. Furthermore, the introduction of the novel majority-vote model demonstrates its capability to combine the advantages of multiple models, yielding superior accuracy. Importantly, this study will empower ophthalmologists to use a precise tool for vault prediction, facilitating informed ICL size selection in clinical practice. [J Refract Surg. 2024;40(3):e126-e132.].

Melatonin in cancer biology: pathways, derivatives, and the promise of targeted delivery.

Melatonin, historically recognized for its primary role in regulating circadian rhythms, has expanded its influence particularly due to its wide range of biological activities. It has firmly established itself in cancer research. To highlight its versatility, we delved into how melatonin interacts with key signaling pathways, such as the Wnt/ß-Catenin, PI3K, and NF-κB pathways, which play foundational roles in tumor development and progression. Notably, melatonin can intricately modulate these pathways, potentially affecting various cellular functions such as apoptosis, metastasis, and immunity. Additionally, a comprehensive review of current clinical studies provides a dual perspective. These studies confirm melatonin's potential in cancer management but also underscore its inherent limitations, particularly its limited bioavailability, which often relegates it to a supplementary role in treatments. Despite this limitation, there is an ongoing quest for innovative solutions and current advancements include the development of melatonin derivatives and cutting-edge delivery systems. By synthesizing the past, present, and future, this review provides a detailed overview of melatonin's evolving role in oncology, positioning it as a potential cornerstone in future cancer therapeutics.

Dietary medium-chain fatty acids and risk of incident colorectal cancer in a predominantly low-income population: a report from the Southern Community Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: No prospective observational study has specifically examined the associations between dietary intakes of medium-chain fatty acids and risk of colorectal cancer. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the association between dietary intakes of medium-chain fatty acids and colorectal cancer risk overall and by racial subgroups in a predominantly low-income United States population. METHODS: This prospective study included 71,599 eligible participants aged 40 to 79 who were enrolled in the Southern Community Cohort Study between 2002 and 2009 in 12 southeastern United States states. Incident colorectal cancer cases were ascertained via linkage to state cancer registries, which was completed through 31 December, 2016. The dietary intakes of medium-chain fatty acids were assessed using a validated 89-item food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between intakes of medium-chain fatty acids and risk for incident colorectal cancer. RESULTS: Among 71,599 participants, 48,008 (67.3%) were Black individuals and 42,260 (59.0%) were female. A total of 868 incident colorectal cancer cases occurred during a median follow-up of 13.7 y. Comparing the highest to the lowest quartile, high intake of dodecanoic acid/lauric acid (C12:0) was associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer among White participants (HR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.91; P-trend = 0.05), but not in Black individuals (HR: 0.92; 95% CI, 0.68, 1.24; P-trend = 0.80) in multivariable-adjusted models. No associations were found between intakes of hexanoic acid/caproic acid (C6:0), octanoic acid/caprylic acid (C8:0), or decanoic acid/capric acid (C10:0) and risk of incident colorectal cancer overall or within racial subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: In a predominantly low-income United States population, an increased dietary C12:0 intake was associated with a substantially reduced risk of colorectal cancer only among White individuals, but not in Black individuals.

Styrax (Liquidambar orientalis Mill.) promotes mitochondrial function and reduces cardiac damage following myocardial ischemic injury: the role of the AMPK-PGC1α signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect of extract of Styrax (ES) on myocardial ischemic injury and its molecular mechanism, indirectly providing a theoretical basis for the development of ES. METHODS: In order to assess the impact of ES treatment on ischemic heart disease, both a left anterior descending ligation-induced myocardial infarction (MI) model and an ischemia/hypoxia (I/H)-induced H9c2 cell injury model have been constructed. Specifically, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the following groups (n = 8) and administered intragastrically once a day for seven consecutive days: Sham group, MI group, ES-L (0.2 g/kg) group, ES-M (0.4 g/kg) group, ES-H (0.8 g/kg) group, and trimetazidine (TMZ, 0.02 g/kg) group. The cardiac functions and biochemical assessment of rats were detected. Then, we validated experimentally the targets and mechanism of ES on these pathological processes in I/H-induced H9c2 cell injury model. KEY FINDINGS: These results showed that different doses of ES (0.2 g/kg, 0.4 g/kg, 0.8 g/kg, intragastric) significantly improved myocardial structure and function when compared to the MI group. The results of 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), hematoxylin-eosin, and masson staining indicated that ES could significantly reduce infarct size, inhibit myocardium apoptosis, and decrease myocardial fibrosis. Moreover, ES distinctly suppressed the serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), alleviated myocardial mitochondrial morphology, and stimulated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, increased the level of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), complex I and complex V activity. Different doses of ES (5 µg/ml, 10 µg/ml, 20 µg/ml) also improved cardiomyocyte morphology and decreased the apoptosis rate in H9c2 cells that had been exposed to I/H. Furthermore, the results of western blotting and qRT-PCR indicated that ES promoted the expression of proteins and mRNA related to energy metabolism, including phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PCG-1α), nuclear respiratory factor 1, and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). Mechanically, after the administration of Compound C (dorsomorphin), an AMPK inhibitor, these effects of myocardial protection produced by ES were reversed. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these results demonstrated that ES could improve myocardial mitochondrial function and reduce ischemic injury by activating AMPK/PCG-1α signaling pathway, while indicating its potential advantages as a dietary supplement.

Differential Diagnosis of Benign and Malignant Pulmonary Nodules in CT Images Based on Multitask Learning.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence-based aided diagnostic systems for pulmonary nodules can be divided into subtasks such as nodule detection, segmentation, and benign and malignant differentiation. Most current studies are limited to single-target tasks. However, aided diagnosis aims to distinguish benign from malignant pulmonary nodules, which requires the fusion of multiple-scale features and comprehensive discrimination based on the results of multiple learning tasks. OBJECTIVE: This study focuses on the aspects of model design, network structure, and constraints and proposes a novel model that integrates the learning tasks of pulmonary nodule detection, segmentation, and classification under weakly supervised conditions. METHODS: The main innovations include the following three aspects: (1) a two-dimensional sequence detection model based on a ConvLSTM (Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory) network and U-shaped structure network is proposed to obtain the context space features of image slices fully; (2) a differential diagnosis of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules based on multitask learning is proposed, which uses the annotated data of different types of tasks to mine the potential common features among tasks; and (3) an optimization strategy incorporating prior knowledge of computed tomography images and dynamic weight adjustment of multiple tasks is proposed to ensure that each task can efficiently complete training and learning. RESULTS: Experiments on the LIDC-IDRI and LUNA16 datasets showed that our proposed method achieved a final competition performance metric score of 87.80% for nodule detection and a Dice similarity coefficient score of 83.95% for pulmonary nodule segmentation. CONCLUSION: The cross-validation results of the LIDC-IDRI and LUNA16 datasets show that our model achieved 87.80% of the final competition performance metric score for nodule detection and 83.95% of the DSC score for pulmonary nodule segmentation, representing the optimal result for that dataset.

A new biphenanthrene with cytotoxic activity from Liparis nervosa (Thunb.) Lindl.

2,7,2'-Trihydroxy-3,4,4'7'-tetramethoxy-1,1'-biphenanthrene (1), a previously undescribed biphenanthrene, and five known phenanthrenes, i.e. 2,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-9,10-dihydroxyphenanthrene (2), 2,4-dihydroxy -7-methoxy-9,10-dihydroxyphenanthrene (3), 7-hydroxy-2-methoxy-phenanthrene-1,4-dione (4), 7-hydroxy-2-methoxy-9,10-dihydro-phenanthrene-1,4-dione (5), and 4,4',7,7'-tetrahydroxy-2,2'-dimethoxy-9,9',10,10'-tetrahydro-1,1'-biphenanthrene (6) were isolated from the whole plant (stems, leaves, roots and fruits) of Liparis nervosa (Thunb.) Lindl., which is a medicinal plant of the genus Liparis in the Orchidaceae family. The structures of isolates were identified using spectroscopic methods, including NMR and mass spectrometry. Additionally, the cytotoxic potency of all the isolates against human lung cancer A549 cell line was evaluated by an MTT assay. All the isolated compounds showed cytotoxic activities with IC50 values in the range of 10.20 ± 0.81 to 42.41 ± 2.34 µM. The obtained data highlight the importance of L. nervosa as a source of natural lead compounds for cancer therapy.

SUMOylation of SMAD4 by PIAS1 in Conjunction with Vimentin Upregulation Promotes Migration Potential in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The expression of vimentin as a marker of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been speculated to be associated with tissue heterogeneity and metastases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: This study utilized in vitro co-immunoprecipitation with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against protein inhibitors of STAT system type 1 (PIAS1) or SMAD4 in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) signaling pathway in combination with SUMOylation assay. RESULTS: We successfully demonstrated that PIAS1 enhanced SUMOylation of SMAD4 by forming a complex PIAS1-SUMO1-SMAD4 protein complex. This, in accordance with subsequently increased production of vimentin microfilaments, led to enhanced migration ability of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 line, observed from wound healing assay. CONCLUSIONS: Our results further supported the positive correlation of SUMOylated SMAD4 mediated by PIAS1 and downstream overexpression of vimentin. In addition, the observation that overexpression of vimentin in this certain cell line was not necessarily linked with accelerated relative wound closure raised concerns that further exploration will be needed to confirm if the causal relationship exists between vimentin expression and the metastases of NSCLC, and if so, to what extent vimentin contributes to it.

Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship studies on erianin analogues as pyruvate carboxylase inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

A series of novel erianin analogues were designed and synthesized based on the bioisosterism principle by altering the two aromatic rings of erianin, the substituents on the rings and the linker between them. The analogues were evaluated as pyruvate carboxylase (PC) inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. It was found that compounds 35 and 36, where fluorine replaces a hydroxyl group, exhibited higher activity than erianin (IC50 value of 17.30 nM) in liver cancer cells with IC50 values of 15.15 nM and 10.05 nM, respectively. Additionally, at a concentration of 10 nM, compounds 35 and 36 inhibited PC with inhibitory rates of 39.10% and 40.15%, respectively, exhibiting nearly identical inhibitory activity to erianin (inhibitory rate of 40.07%). Additionally, a computer simulation docking study demonstrated the basis for better interactions between the receptors and ligands. The fluorine atom of 35 can not only form hydrogen bonds with Lys-1043 (NH⋯F, 2.04 Å), but also form fluorine bonds with the carbonyl groups of Lys-1043 (3.67 Å) and Glu-1046 (3.70 Å), due to the different orientations of the halogens on the B ring warhead. Conversely, the chlorine atom of 34 can only form alkyl hydrophobic interactions with the alkane chain in Lys-1043. Fluorinated compounds 35 and 36 also show better chemical stability and higher log P (clog P = 3.89 for 35 and 36) values than that of erianin (clog P = 3.07), and may be used as candidate compounds for further drug development.

Comparison of myopic astigmatic correction after cross-assisted SMILE, FS-LASIK, and transPRK.

PURPOSE: To compare astigmatic correction among cross-assisted small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE), femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK), and transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (transPRK). SETTING: The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China. DESIGN: Prospective comparison study. METHODS: 154 right eyes of 154 patients with astigmatism of -1.00 to -2.75 diopters (D) were included in this study. 64 eyes, 42 eyes, and 48 eyes were receiving SMILE, FS-LASIK, and transPRK, respectively. The SMILE group used cross-axial alignment for head positioning for astigmatism correction. In the FS-LASIK and transPRK groups, static and dynamic cyclotorsion control were used. Changes in ocular parameters and vector analysis were assessed at 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The safety and efficacy indices were comparable among the 3 groups at 6 months postoperatively. Residual astigmatism was smallest in the SMILE group (-0.23 ± 0.25 D) compared with that in FS-LASIK (-0.40 ± 0.28 D, P = .009) and transPRK groups (-0.42 ± 0.32 D, P = .001). 53 (82.8%), 36 (85.7%), and 37 (77.1%) eyes achieved an angle of error within ±5 degrees, respectively ( P = .55). Notably, vector analysis showed that the difference vector, the magnitude of the error, and its absolute value were significantly smaller in the SMILE group than those in the other groups ( P < .05). In addition, the higher-order aberrations, especially coma, were significantly induced postoperatively in each group ( P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Residual astigmatism magnitude was smallest by cross-assisted SMILE, followed by FS-LASIK and transPRK, and the astigmatism axial correction was comparable among groups.

Elastic network models and molecular dynamic simulations reveal the molecular basis of allosteric regulation in ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7).

Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) is one of the most abundant deubiquitinases and plays an important role in various malignant tumors. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying USP7's structures, dynamics, and biological significance are yet to be investigated. In this study, we constructed the full-length models of USP7 in both the extended and compact state, and applied elastic network models (ENM), molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, perturbation response scanning (PRS) analysis, residue interaction networks as well as allosteric pocket prediction to investigate allosteric dynamics in USP7. Our analysis of intrinsic and conformational dynamics revealed that the structural transition between the two states is characterized by global clamp motions, during which the catalytic domain (CD) and UBL4-5 domain exhibit strong negative correlations. The PRS analysis, combined with the analysis of disease mutations and post-translational modifications (PTMs) further highlighted the allosteric potential of the two domains. The residue interaction network based on MD simulations captured an allosteric communication path which starts at CD domain and ends at UBL4-5 domain. Moreover, we identified a pocket at the TRAF-CD interface as a high-potential allosteric site for USP7. Overall, our studies not only provide molecular insights into the conformational changes of USP7, but also aid in the design of allosteric modulators that target USP7.

Saponin of Aralia taibaiensis promotes angiogenesis through VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway in cerebral ischemic mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Aralia taibaiensis is known for its ability to promote blood circulation and dispel blood stasis, activate meridians and remove arthralgia. The saponins of Aralia taibaiensis (sAT) are the main active components that are often used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, it has not been reported whether sAT can improve ischemic stroke (IS) by promoting angiogenesis. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we investigated the potential of sAT to promote post-ischemic angiogenesis in mice and determined the underlying mechanism through in vitro experiments. METHODS: To establish the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice model in vivo. First of all, we examined the neurological function, brain infarct volume, and degree of brain swelling in MCAO mice. We also observed pathological changes in brain tissue, ultrastructural changes in blood vessels and neurons, and the degree of vascular neovascularization. Additionally, we established the oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) -human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) model in vitro to detect the survival, proliferation, migration and tube formation of OGD/R HUVECs. Finally, we verified the regulatory mechanism of Src and PLCγ1 siRNA on sAT promoting angiogenesis by cell transfection technique. RESULTS: In the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion mice, sAT distinctly improved the cerebral infarct volume, brain swelling degree, neurological dysfunction, and brain histopathological morphology due to cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. It also increased the double positive expression of BrdU and CD31 in brain tissue, promoted the release of VEGF and NO and decreased the release of NSE and LDH. In the OGD/R HUVECs, sAT significantly improved cell survival, proliferation, migration and tube formation, promoted the release of VEGF and NO, and increased the expression of VEGF, VEGFR2, PLCγ1, ERK1/2, Src and eNOS. Surprisingly, the effect of sAT on angiogenesis was inhibited by Src siRNA and PLCγ1 siRNA in OGD/R HUVECs. CONCLUSION: The results proved that sAT promotes angiogenesis in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion mice and its mechanism is to regulate VEGF/VEGFR2 and then regulate Src/eNOS and PLCγ1/ERK1/2.

Sinonasal intestinal- and non-intestinal-type adenocarcinoma in China: a retrospective study of 14 cases.

BACKGROUND: In China, reports on the epidemiology of adenocarcinomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are limited. AIM: This study aimed to describe the experience of a single institution in China in treating these malignant tumours. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with adenocarcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses admitted between January 2019 and December 2021. Tumour staging was based on the American Joint Committee on Cancer, 8th edition, for sinonasal malignancies. RESULTS: The series included 10 men and 4 women (mean age, 54.5 [range, 14-80] years). Epistaxis and nasal obstruction were the most common clinical manifestations in 10 (71.4%) patients. Ten (71.4%) had stage T4 disease at diagnosis, but no patient had lymph node or distant metastasis. The posterosuperior septum (100.0%) and middle turbinate (92.8%) were the two sites most vulnerable to tumour invasion. All patients underwent endoscopic resection as the initial treatment; one patient died. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: In China, these malignancies are related to exposure to certain substances; however, diagnosis can be delayed. Endoscopic resection is a suitable treatment option for adenocarcinomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

Social Determinants, Cardiovascular Disease, and Health Care Cost: A Nationwide Study in the United States Using Machine Learning.

Background Existing studies on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) often focus on individual-level behavioral risk factors, but research examining social determinants is limited. This study applies a novel machine learning approach to identify the key predictors of county-level care costs and prevalence of CVDs (including atrial fibrillation, acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and ischemic heart disease). Methods and Results We applied the extreme gradient boosting machine learning approach to a total of 3137 counties. Data are from the Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke and a variety of national data sets. We found that although demographic composition (eg, percentages of Black people and older adults) and risk factors (eg, smoking and physical inactivity) are among the most important predictors for inpatient care costs and CVD prevalence, contextual factors such as social vulnerability and racial and ethnic segregation are particularly important for the total and outpatient care costs. Poverty and income inequality are the major contributors to the total care costs for counties that are in nonmetro areas or have high segregation or social vulnerability levels. Racial and ethnic segregation is particularly important in shaping the total care costs for counties with low poverty rates or social vulnerability level. Demographic composition, education, and social vulnerability are consistently important across different scenarios. Conclusions The findings highlight the differences in predictors for different types of CVD cost outcomes and the importance of social determinants. Interventions directed toward areas that have been economically and socially marginalized may aid in reducing the impact of CVDs.

Partitioned estimation methodology of biological neuronal networks with topology-based module detection.

Parameter estimation of neuronal networks is closely related with information processing mechanisms in neural systems. Estimation of synaptic parameters for neuronal networks was an time consuming task. Due to complex interactions between neurons, computational efficiency and accuracy of estimation methods is relatively low. Meanwhile, inherent topological properties such as core-periphery and modular structures are not fully considered in estimation. In order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of estimation, this study proposes a two-stage PartitionMLE method which introduces detected neuronal modules as topological constraints in estimation. The proposed PartitionMLE method firstly decomposes the system into multiple non-overlapping neuronal modules, by performing topology-based module detection. Dynamic parameters including intra-modular and inter-modular parameters are estimated in two stages, using detected hubs to connect non-overlapping neuronal modules. The contributions of PartitionMLE method are two-folds: reducing estimation errors and improving the model interpretability. Experiments about neuronal networks consisting of Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) and leaky integrate-and-firing (LIF) neurons validated the effectiveness of the PartitionMLE method, with comparison to the single-stage MLE method.

Smoking affects the association between cognitive impairment and P50 inhibition defects in patients with chronic schizophrenia: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Smoking affects sensory gating, as assessed by the event related potential P50, which is evoked by auditory stimuli and is considered to be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia (SCZ). However, few studies have compared sensory gating and cognitive performance between smoking and non-smoking SCZ patients in the Chinese Han population. METHODS: We recruited two groups of Chinese subjects: 128 male chronic SCZ patients and 76 male healthy controls, measuring cognition with the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) and sensory gating with the P50 EEG components. Based on their smoking status, they were further divided into 4 subgroups: smoking SCZ patients, non-smoking SCZ patients, smoking healthy controls, and non-smoking healthy controls. We assessed psychopathological symptoms of the patients using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, SCZ patients had lower MCCB total score and scores of all 10 tests (all p < 0.05), while SCZ patients had higher S2 amplitudes and P50 ratios (both p < 0.05). When comparing smoking versus non-smoking SCZ patients, non-smokers had significantly better spatial span (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the S1 amplitude was negatively correlated with the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMT-R) in smoking patients (p < 0.05), while the S1 latency was negatively correlated with spatial span in non-smoking patients (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our finding shows a difference in the relationship between sensory gated P50 and cognition in smoking and non-smoking SCZ patients, suggesting that nicotine may improve cognitive and P50 deficits in SCZ patients.

Modified Technique for Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction: Ye's Swing Technique.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the lenticule integrity and refractive outcomes of a new technique, Ye's swing technique, during small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). METHODS: This prospective study enrolled patients who underwent the SMILE procedure using a modified technique for lenticule dissection. Per the standard SMILE procedure, the cap cut was opened using a hook, and an anterior dissection was performed with a counterclockwise swing, from 8 to 12 o'clock. A posterior dissection was then performed by swinging counterclockwise, leaving a thin band of the peripheral rim undissected, from 8 to 4 o'clock. The counterclockwise swing was continued to separate the edges of the rim from 4 to 12 o'clock, after which microforceps were used to extract the lenticules. The primary outcome measures were safety and lenticule integrity at the end of the surgery, and the secondary outcome measure was efficacy. Changes in the ocular parameters from the preoperative visit to 1 month postoperative, including uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity, manifest refraction, lenticule quality, and lenticule residual, were assessed using optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients (490 eyes) with myopia and myopic astigmatism were included in the present study. The dissected lenticules ranged in size from 52 to 148 µm. Postoperatively, the lenticule was completely and successfully extracted in all cases. There was no incisional edge tearing during lenticule separation. CONCLUSIONS: Ye's swing technique is a safe and effective procedure for lenticule dissection and refractive outcomes. We have now adopted this technique as our routine method for performing the SMILE procedure.

Evaluation of a Tumor-Targeting Oligosaccharide Nanosystem in BNCT on an Orthotopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma Model.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is becoming a promising radiation treatment technique dealing with tumors due to its cellular targeting specificity. In this article, based on the biocompatible chitosan oligosaccharide (COS), we designed a boron delivery system using carborane (CB) as a boron drug with cRGD peptide modification and paclitaxel (PTX) loaded in the hydrophobic core. The nanoparticles (cRGD-COS-CB/PTX) realized the boron delivery into tumor sites with an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and an active targeting effect achieved by the cRGD-integrin interaction on the surface of tumor cells. The uniform spherical nanoparticles can be selectively taken by hepatoma cells rather than normal hepatocytes. In vivo experiments showed that the nanoparticles had a targeting effect on tumor sites in both subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor models, which was an encouraging result for radiotherapy for liver cancer. To sum up, the nanoparticles we produced proved to be promising dual-functionalized nanoparticles for radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Transoral robotic resection of advanced recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma involving the internal carotid artery.

BACKGROUND: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is a reliable, minimally invasive approach for treating recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rNPC). However, tumours involving the internal carotid artery (ICA) are considered to be unsuitable for TORS. This paper presents the first case of transoral robotic resection of advanced rNPC involving the ICA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case is a 55 year-old male patient who received radiotherapy 27 years ago. This patient underwent a standard TORS resection 2 weeks after ipsilateral ICA embolization. RESULTS: Postoperative Magnetic resonance imaging and biopsy results indicated total resection. During the 2 month follow-up, no severe complications were found, and the primary site was tumour-free. CONCLUSION: This study preliminarily presents the feasibility and efficiency of advanced rNPC resection with TORS. TORS can potentially provide better quality of life for patients as a less invasive approach than current endoscopic surgery. Even so, the surgical approach should be selected strictly according to the tumour's location.