Stereotactic body radiation therapy in patients with centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective, single-arm, multi-center study.

Centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult to be radically resected due to its special location close to major hepatic vessels. Thus, we aimed to assess whether stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) can be an effective and safe approach for centrally located HCC. This retrospective study included 172 patients with centrally located HCC who were treated with SBRT. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed as the primary endpoint. Rates of progression-free survival (PFS), local control, intrahepatic relapse, extrahepatic metastasis and toxicities were analyzed as secondary endpoints. The OS rates of 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 97.7%, 86.7%, and 76.3%, respectively. The PFS/local control rates of 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 94.1%/98.2%, 76.8%/94.9%, and 59.3%/92.3%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of intrahepatic relapse/extrahepatic metastases of 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 3.7%/2.9%, 25.0%/7.4%, and 33.3%/9.8%, respectively. Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that patients received BED10 at 100 Gy or more had better OS. Radiation-related adverse events were mild to moderate according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, and no toxicities over grade 3 were observed. Patients with centrally located HCC in our cohort who received SBRT had similar OS and PFS rates compared to those reported in literatures who received surgery with neoadjuvant or adjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy. These results indicate that SBRT is an effective and well-tolerated method for patients with centrally located HCC, suggesting that it may serve as a reasonable alternative treatment for these kind of patients.

Highly Stable Pt/CeO2 Catalyst with Embedding Structure toward Water-Gas Shift Reaction.

Strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) has been extensively studied in heterogeneous catalysis because of its significance in stabilizing active metals and tuning catalytic performance, but the origin of SMSI is not fully revealed. Herein, by using Pt/CeO2 as a model catalyst, we report an embedding structure at the interface between Pt and (110) plane of CeO2, where Pt clusters (∼1.6 nm) are embedded into the lattice of ceria within 3-4 atomic layers. In contrast, this phenomenon is absent in the CeO2(100) support. This unique geometric structure, as an effective motivator, triggers more significant electron transfer from Pt clusters to CeO2(110) support accompanied by the formation of interfacial structure (Ptδ+-Ov-Ce3+), which plays a crucial role in stabilizing Pt nanoclusters. A comprehensive investigation based on experimental studies and theoretical calculations substantiates that the interfacial sites serve as the intrinsic active center toward water-gas shift reaction (WGSR), featuring a moderate strength CO activation adsorption and largely decreased energy barrier of H2O dissociation, accounting for the prominent catalytic activity of Pt/CeO2(110) (a reaction rate of 15.76 molCO gPt-1 h-1 and a turnover frequency value of 2.19 s-1 at 250 °C). In addition, the Pt/CeO2(110) catalyst shows a prominent durability within a 120 h time-on-stream test, far outperforming the Pt/CeO2(100) one, which demonstrates the advantages of this embedding structure for improving catalyst stability.

[Research progress of the regulation of orphan nuclear receptors on chronic liver diseases].

The development of chronic liver disease can be promoted by excessive fat accumulation, dysbiosis, viral infections and persistent inflammatory responses, which can lead to liver inflammation, fibrosis and carcinogenesis. An in-depth understanding of the etiology leading to chronic liver disease and the underlying mechanisms influencing its development can help identify potential therapeutic targets for targeted treatment. Orphan nuclear receptors (ONRs) are receptors that have no corresponding endogenous ligands to bind to them. The study of these ONRs and their biological properties has facilitated the development of synthetic ligands, which are important for investigating the effective targets for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. In recent years, it has been found that ONRs are essential for maintaining normal liver function and their dysfunction can affect a variety of liver diseases. ONRs can influence pathophysiological activities such as liver lipid metabolism, inflammatory response and cancer cell proliferation by regulating hormones/transcription factors and affecting the biological clock, oxidative stress, etc. This review focuses on the regulation of ONRs, mainly including retinoid related orphan nuclear receptors (RORs), pregnane X receptor (PXR), leukocyte cell derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2), Nur77, and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α), on the development of different types of chronic liver diseases in different ways, in order to provide useful references for the therapeutic strategies of chronic liver diseases based on the regulation of ONRs.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of ruthenium complexes bearing the 1,2,4-triazole group as potential membrane-targeting antibacterial agents towards Staphylococcus aureus.

Bacterial infection is one of the most serious public health problems, being harmful to human health and expensive. Nowadays, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics have led to the emergence of drug resistance. Therefore, it is an urgent need to develop new antimicrobial agents to address the current situation. In this study, four 1,2,4-triazole ruthenium polypyridine complexes [Ru(bpy)2(TPIP)](PF6)2 (Ru1), [Ru(dmb)2(TPIP)](PF6)2 (Ru2), [Ru(dtb)2(TPIP)](PF6)2 (Ru3) and [Ru(dmob)2(TPIP)](PF6)2 (Ru4) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, dmb = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, dtb = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, dmob = 4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine and TPIP = 2-(4-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)phenyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) were synthesized and evaluated for antibacterial activity. Results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of Ru3 against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was only 0.78 µg mL-1, showing the best antimicrobial activity in vitro. Besides, Ru3 showed low hemolytic activity and good biocompatibility. Due to its ability to damage the cell membrane of Staphylococcus bacteria, Ru3 was able to kill bacteria in a short time. Importantly, by inhibiting bacterial toxins and the formation of biofilm, Ru3 was not susceptible to the development of drug resistance. Moreover, Ru3 revealed excellent therapeutic effects in vivo and showed no irritation to the skin of mice. In conclusion, the four obtained 1,2,4-triazole ruthenium polypyridine complexes show strong antibacterial activity and satisfactory biocompatibility with excellent potential for antibacterial treatment, and provide a new solution for the current antibacterial crisis.

New Staging Model for Radiation-based Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment: A National Multicenter Study.

Background and Aims: The study aimed to create a new staging model for radiotherapy-based treatment for prognostic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) classification. Methods: The training cohort comprised 658 patients receiving stereotactic body radiotherapy and external validation cohort comprised 533 patients receiving three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy. We established a modified staging system as follows: stage I, solitary nodule without macrovascular invasion, or 2-3 nodules no more than 3.0 cm apart, and performance status (PS) 0-2 (Ia: ALBI-1 grade; Ib: ALBI-2 or 3 grade); stage II: 2-3 nodules with any one nodule more than 3.0-cm apart, or ≥4 nodules, and performance status 0-2 (IIa: ALBI-1 grade; IIb: ALBI-2 grade); stage III: macrovascular invasion, regional lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis, and performance status 0-2 (IIIa: ALBI-1 grade; IIIb: ALBI-2 grade); stage IV: performance status 3-4, or performance status 0-2 with ALBI-3 grade. We analyzed long-term overall survival based on different stages. Results: The staging model showed an excellent ability to discriminate patients according to four stages and seven substages with notably different curves in the training and validation cohort. The median survival decreased from stages I to IV with 63.0 months in stage I (not reached in Ia, and 53.0 months in Ib), 24.0 months in stage II (28.0 months in IIa, and 22.0 months in IIb), 11.0 months in stage III (18.0 months in IIIa, and 9.0 months in IIIb), and less than 9.0 months in stage IV in the training cohort. Conclusions: The modified staging model may provide an alternative for clinical radiation oncologists.

Gaseous Arsenic Capture in Flue Gas by CuCl2-Modified Halloysite Nanotube Composites with High-Temperature NOx and SOx Resistance.

Gaseous arsenic emitted from coal combustion flue gas (CCFG) causes not only severe contamination of the environment but also the failure of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts in power plants. Development of inexpensive and effective adsorbents or techniques for the removal of arsenic from high-temperature CCFG is crucial. In this study, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) at low price were modified with CuCl2 (CuCl2-HNTs) through ultrasound assistance and applied for capturing As2O3(g) in simulated flue gas (SFG). Experiments on arsenic adsorption performance, adsorption mechanism, and adsorption energy based on density functional theory were performed. Modification with CuCl2 clearly enhanced the arsenic uptake capacity (approximately 12.3 mg/g) at 600 °C for SFG. The adsorbent exhibited favorable tolerance to high concentrations of NOx and SOx. The As2O3(III) was oxidized and transformed into As2O5(V) on the CuCl2-HNTs. The Al-O bridge had the highest adsorption energy for the O end of the As-O group (-2.986 eV), and the combination formed between arsenic-containing groups and aluminum was stable. In addition, the captured arsenic could be stabilized in the sorbent at high temperature, making it possible to use the sorbent before the SCR system. This demonstrates that CuCl2-HNTs is a promising sorbent for arsenic oxidation and removal from CCFG.

Geraniol relieves mycoplasma pneumonia infection-induced lung injury in mice through the regulation of ERK/JNK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is a serious pediatric lung injury disease caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) with increasing global prevalence every year. The WHO has reported that nearly 19% of children die due to pneumonia worldwide. OBJECTIVE: The present research was conducted to discover the ameliorative properties of geraniol against M. pneumoniae-provoked pneumonia in mice through the modulation of inflammatory responses. METHODOLOGY: The pneumonia was provoked in the male Swiss albino mice via infecting animals with 100 µl of M. pneumoniae for 2 days and supplemented concurrently with 20 mg/kg of geraniol for 3 days. 100 mg/kg of azithromycin was used as a standard drug. The nitric oxide (NO) level and MPO activity were measured using kits. The SOD activity, GSH, and MDA levels were studied using standard methods. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) study was performed to examine the M. pneumoniae DNA load. The inflammatory cytokines status was assessed by assay kits. The ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and NF-κB expressions were studied by reverse-transcription (RT-PCR). The lung tissues were analyzed microscopically to investigate the histological alterations. RESULTS: Geraniol treatment effectively reduced lung weight, NO level, and MPO activity in the pneumonia mice. The total cells and M. pneumoniae DNA load were also decreased by the geraniol. The SOD activity and GSH level were improved and MDA was decreased by the geraniol treatment. The IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and TGF status were appreciably depleted by the geraniol in the pneumonia mice. Geraniol also suppressed the ERK1/2 and NF-κB expressions in the lung tissues. Histological findings also suggest the therapeutic roles of geraniol against pneumonia in mice. CONCLUSION: In summary, our results proved the beneficial roles of geraniol against the M. pneumoniae-provoked pneumonia. Geraniol could be a hopeful therapeutic agent to treat pneumonia in the future.

Hepatic Resection Versus Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Plus Transhepatic Arterial Chemoembolization for Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There are no comparative studies on the efficacy of hepatic resection (HR) and CyberKnife stereotactic body radiation therapy (CK-SBRT) plus transhepatic arterial chemotherapy embolization (TACE) in the treatment of large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, this study aimed to compare the efficacy of HR and CK-SBRT+TACE in large HCC. METHODS: A total of one hundred and sixteen patients were selected from November 2011 to December 2016. Among them, 50 were allocated to the CK-SBRT+TACE group and 66 were allocated to the HR group. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to calculate overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates. Propensity score matching was performed to control for baseline differences between the groups. RESULTS: Thirty-six paired patients were selected from the CK-SBRT+TACE and HR groups. After propensity score matching, the 1-, 2- and 3-year OS rates were 83.3%, 77.8% and 66.7% in the HR group and 80.6%, 72.2% and 52.8% in the CK-SBRT+TACE group, respectively. The 1-, 2- and 3-year PFS rates were 71.6%, 57.3% and 42.3% in the HR group and 66.1%, 45.8% and 39.3% in the CK-SBRT+TACE group, respectively (OS: p=0.143; PFS: p=0.445). Both a high platelet count and low alpha-fetoprotein value were revealed as influencing factors in improving OS and PFS. CONCLUSIONS: CK-SBRT+TACE brought local effects that were similar to those of HR in HCC patients with a large and single lesion. Moreover, the liver injury occurrence rate was acceptable in both groups.

Resistance of Acta2R149C/+ mice to aortic disease is associated with defective release of mutant smooth muscle α-actin from the chaperonin-containing TCP1 folding complex.

Pathogenic variants of the gene for smooth muscle α-actin (ACTA2), which encodes smooth muscle (SM) α-actin, predispose to heritable thoracic aortic disease. The ACTA2 variant p.Arg149Cys (R149C) is the most common alteration; however, only 60% of carriers have a dissection or undergo repair of an aneurysm by 70 years of age. A mouse model of ACTA2 p.Arg149Cys was generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to determine the etiology of reduced penetrance. Acta2R149C/+ mice had significantly decreased aortic contraction compared with WT mice but did not form aortic aneurysms or dissections when followed to 24 months, even when hypertension was induced. In vitro motility assays found decreased interaction of mutant SM α-actin filaments with SM myosin. Polymerization studies using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy showed enhanced nucleation of mutant SM α-actin by formin, which correlated with disorganized and reduced SM α-actin filaments in Acta2R149C/+ smooth muscle cells (SMCs). However, the most prominent molecular defect was the increased retention of mutant SM α-actin in the chaperonin-containing t-complex polypeptide folding complex, which was associated with reduced levels of mutant compared with WT SM α-actin in Acta2R149C/+ SMCs. These data indicate that Acta2R149C/+ mice do not develop thoracic aortic disease despite decreased contraction of aortic segments and disrupted SM α-actin filament formation and function in Acta2R149C/+ SMCs. Enhanced binding of mutant SM α-actin to chaperonin-containing t-complex polypeptide decreases the mutant actin versus WT monomer levels in Acta2R149C/+ SMCs, thus minimizing the effect of the mutation on SMC function and potentially preventing aortic disease in the Acta2R149C/+ mice.

An ethylene-hypersensitive methionine sulfoxide reductase regulated by NAC transcription factors increases methionine pool size and ethylene production during kiwifruit ripening.

Ethylene plays an important role in regulating fruit ripening by triggering dynamic changes in expression of ripening-associated genes, but the functions of many of these genes are still unknown. Here, a methionine sulfoxide reductase gene (AdMsrB1) was identified by transcriptomics-based analysis as the gene most responsive to ethylene treatment in ripening kiwifruit. The AdMsrB1 protein exhibits a stereospecific activity toward the oxidative stress-induced R enantiomer of methionine sulfoxide (MetSO), reducing it to methionine (Met). Stable overexpression of AdMsrB1 in kiwifruit significantly increased the content of free Met and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the immediate precursor of ethylene, and increased ethylene production. Dual-luciferase assays indicated that the AdMsrB1 promoter was not directly upregulated by ethylene treatment but was modulated by two ethylene-inducible NAM/ATAF/CUC transcription factors (AdNAC2 and AdNAC72) that bind directly to the AdMsrB1 promoter. Overexpression of AdNAC72 in kiwifruit not only enhanced AdMsrB1 expression, but also increased free Met and ACC content and ethylene production rates. This finding establishes an unexpected regulatory loop that enhances ethylene production and the concentration of its biosynthetic intermediates.

Comprehensive analysis of the safety of semaglutide in type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of the SUSTAIN and PIONEER trials.

The PIONEER and SUSTAIN serial trials are designed to assess the efficacy outcomes with semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes, but are not powered to assess various safety outcomes. We sought to assess the risk of semaglutide in leading to various serious adverse events (SAEs) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Studies eligible for inclusion were the PIONEER and SUSTAIN trials of semaglutide. We conducted meta-analysis to generate pooled risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-analysis was performed using both random-effects and fixed-effects model to evaluate the robustness of pooled results. We implemented subgroup analysis according to drug dosages and routes of administration and type of comparators. Twenty-one trials were included. Semaglutide versus control significantly reduced total SAEs (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87-0.97; I2 = 0) and atrial fibrillation (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.50-0.95; I2 = 0), but significantly increased deep vein thrombosis (RR 3.66, 95% CI 1.09-12.25; I2 = 0) and diarrhoea (RR 2.66, 95% CI 1.19-5.95; I2 = 0). Semaglutide had no significant effects on 248 other kinds of SAEs. No statistically significant subgroup effects were observed. Semaglutide has a good safety profile in general and reduces atrial fibrillation by 31%, but increases diarrhoea by 166% and deep vein thrombosis by 266%. These findings may guide that semaglutide should be preferred or avoided in T2D patients with specific susceptibility factors.

XRCC5/6 polymorphisms and their interactions with smoking, alcohol consumption, and sleep satisfaction in breast cancer risk: A Chinese multi-center study.

BACKGROUND: X-ray repair cross-complementary 5 (XRCC5) and 6 (XRCC6) are critical for DNA repair. Few studies have assessed their association with breast cancer risk, and related gene-environment interactions remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the influence of XRCC5/6 polymorphisms on breast cancer risk, and their interactions with cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and sleep satisfaction. METHODS: The study included 1039 patients with breast cancer and 1040 controls. Four single-nucleotide polymorphisms of XRCC5 and two of XRCC6 were genotyped. Information about smoking, alcohol consumption, and sleep satisfaction was collected through questionnaires. Odds ratios (OR) and related 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were assessed using unconditional logistic regression models. Gene-environment interactions were analyzed using logistic regression with multiplicative interaction models. RESULTS: XRCC5 rs16855458 was associated with increased breast cancer risk in the co-dominant (ptrend  = 0.003) and dominant (CA + AA vs. CC, OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.07-1.56, p = 0.008) genetic models after Bonferroni correction. The CG + GG genotype of XRCC6 rs2267437 was associated with an increased risk of estrogen receptor-negative/progesterone receptor-negative (ER-/PR-) breast cancer (CG + GG vs. CC: OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.12-2.13, p = 0.008) after Bonferroni correction. Moreover, an antagonistic interaction between XRCC5 rs16855458 and alcohol consumption (pinteraction  = 0.017), and a synergistic interaction between XRCC6 rs2267437 and sleep satisfaction were associated with breast cancer risk (pinteraction  = 0.0497). However, these interactions became insignificant after Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSION: XRCC5 rs16855458 was associated with breast cancer risk, and XRCC6 rs2267437 was associated with the risk of ER-/PR- breast cancer. Breast cancer risk associated with XRCC5 and XRCC6 polymorphisms might vary according to alcohol consumption and sleep satisfaction, respectively, and merit further investigation.

Retrospective analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy using methylene blue dye for early breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Methylene blue is the most commonly used tracer for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy (SLNB) in China. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of clinical application of SLNB using methylene blue dye (MBD) for early breast cancer and the prognosis of patients with different SLN and non-SLN statuses. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of patients with early breast cancer treated at the Peking University First Hospital between 2013 and 2018. We calculated the SLN identification rate (IR) in SLNB with MBD and the false-negative rate (FNR), and analyzed the prognosis of patients with different SLN and non-SLN statuses using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: Between January 2013 and December 2018, 1603 patients with early breast cancer underwent SLNB with MBD. The SLN IR was 95.8% (1536/1603). Two SLNs (median) were detected per patient. There were significant differences in FNR between patients with SLN micrometastasis and macrometastasis (19.0% vs. 4.5%, χ2 = 12.771, P < 0.001). Chi-square test showed that there were significant differences in SLN successful detection rates among patients with different vascular tumor embolism status (96.3% vs. 90.8%, χ2 = 9.013, P = 0.003) and tumor (T) stages (96.6% vs. 94.1%, χ2 = 5.189, P = 0.023). Multivariate analysis showed that vascular tumor embolism was the only independent factor for SLN successful detection (odds ratio: 0.440, 95% confidence interval: 0.224-0.862, P = 0.017). Survival analysis showed a significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS) between patients with non-SLN metastasis and patients without non-SLN metastasis (P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Our single-center data show that, as a commonly used tracer in SLNB in China, MBD has an acceptable SLN IR and a low FNR in frozen sections. This finding is consistent with reports of dual tracer-guided SLNB. Positive SLNs with non-SLN metastasis are associated with DFS.

The effects of stereotactic body radiotherapy on peripheral natural killer and CD3+CD56+ NKT-like cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Both natural killer (NK) and CD3+CD56+natural killer T (NKT)-like cells play critical roles in the antitumor response. This study aimed to explore the effects of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on peripheral NK and NKT-like cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to identify possible surface markers on these cells that correlate with the prognosis. METHODS: Twenty-five HCC patients were prospectively enrolled in our study, and 10 healthy individuals were served as healthy controls. Flow cytometry was used to determine the counts and the percentages of peripheral NK and NKT-like cells, cells with certain receptors, and cells with intracellular interferon-γ and TNF-α secretion at different time points, including time points of prior to SBRT, at post-SBRT, and 3-month and 6-month after treatment. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was applied for survival analysis. RESULTS: The peripheral NKT-like cells was increased at post-SBRT. Meanwhile, elevated levels of inhibitory receptors and reduced levels of activating receptors of NK cells were also observed in NK cells at post-SBRT, but the levels was not significantly different at 3-month and 6-month as compared with the baseline levels. Lower percentage of NKp30+NK cells before SBRT and higher percentage of CD158b+NK cells after SBRT were associated with poor progression-free survival. In addition, higher percentage of CD3+CD56+ NKT-like cells was associated with a higher overall survival rate in HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: SBRT has an apparent effect on both peripheral NK and CD3+CD56+NKT-like cells. Lower percentage of NKp30+NK cells before SBRT and higher percentage of CD158b+NK cells after SBRT are correlated with poor patients' PFS. Higher percentage of CD3+CD56+ NKT-like cells is associated with higher OS in HCC patients.

Establishment and validation of a prediction model for the probability of malignancy in solid solitary pulmonary nodules in northwest China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To construct a prediction model of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs), to predict the possibility of malignant SPNs in patients aged 15-85 years in northwest China for clinical diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. METHODS: The features of SPNs were assessed by multivariate logistic regression, followed by visualization using a nomogram. Hosmer lemeshow was applied to evaluate the fitting degree of the model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was identified to determine the discriminative ability of the model. RESULTS: Lobulation, spiculation, pleural-tag, carcinoembryonic antigen, neuron-specific enolase, and total serum protein were independent predictors of malignant pulmonary nodules (p < .05). Lobulation (100 points) scored the highest in the nomogram, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit statistic was 0.805 (p > .05). The area under curve (AUC) of the modeling and validation groups using logistic regression were 0.859 (95% CI, 0.805-0.903) and 0.823 (95% CI, 0.738-0.890), respectively. Moreover, the AUC of our model was higher than that of the Mayo model, VA model, and Peking University (AUC 0.823 vs. 0.655 vs. 0.603 vs. 0.521). CONCLUSION: Our prediction model is more suitable for predicting the possibility of malignant SPNs in northwest China, and can be calculated using a nomogram to determine further treatments.

Relationship Between Lifestyle Habits and Health-Related Quality of Life of Recently Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients: A Comparison Between Younger and Older Women in China.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between lifestyle habits and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among different ages who were initially diagnosed with breast cancer (within the first 2 weeks) and to determine the contribution of lifestyle habits factors on HRQoL. Methods: Patients with breast cancer were recruited from 22 hospitals in 11 provinces or municipalities in northern and eastern China. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer (FACT-B) was used to measure HRQoL. Chi-square test, ANOVA, and multivariable generalized linear models were conducted to identify the differences in HRQoL between two age groups (age <50 years and ≥50 years) and to evaluate the contribution of lifestyle habits factors on HRQoL of patients with breast cancer. Results: About 1,199 eligible patients with breast cancer were used for analysis. Younger women (aged <50 years) appeared to show lower scores than older women (aged ≥50 years) in HRQoL subscales, including emotional well-being (p = 0.003), functional well-being (p = 0.006), breast cancer subscale (p = 0.038), and FACT-B Total scores (p = 0.028). Tea and alcohol consumption and being very satisfied with sleep and current life were the strongest predictors of higher HRQoL in younger group. Meanwhile, no coffee consumption, frequent participation in physical activities, high sleep satisfaction, and current life satisfaction were the key predictors of higher HRQoL in older women with breast cancer. Conclusion: The relationship of the nine lifestyle habit items with HRQoL differed among younger and older women. The associated variable of low HRQoL can help clinicians take intervention early in order to improve the prognosis of patients with breast cancer.

Preparation of halloysite nanotubes-encapsulated magnetic microspheres for elemental mercury removal from coal-fired flue gas.

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) as a natural and inexpensive clay mineral with hollow nanotubular structures, good biocompatibility and active surfaces have been ubiquitously applied in many fields. In this work, a novel multifunctional core-shell sorbent based on HNTs, CuCl2-HNTs encapsulated magnetic microspheres (SiO2@Fe3O4), was successfully fabricated and applied for Hg0 removal from flue gas with good performance for the first time. The core-shell structure prevented the composites from aggregating but kept their magnetism, which enabled the adsorbents being easily separated for reuse by an external magnetic field. In addition, the special structure also significantly enhanced the adsorption capacity of the composites by dispersing the CuCl2 modified HNTs on the prepared magnetic microspheres. The adsorption performance was comprehensively investigated and fitted by dynamic models. The adsorption followed surface adsorption, particle diffusion and chemisorption with very good SO2 tolerance. The Cu+, Cl- and lattice oxygen were the crucial components for Hg0 removal. In order to further understand the possible mechanism, an online home-made coupling system of temperature-programmed decomposition (TPD) was used to investigate the mercury species on the spent adsorbent in addition to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The results confirmed the mercury species adsorbed were primarily Hg0, HgO and HgCl2.