Exploring Radiotherapy as a Promising Alternative for Managing Advanced Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: Rescuing Chemotherapy-Intolerant Patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of radiotherapy for advanced upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients intolerant to chemotherapy. METHODS: Data for 21 patients with advanced UTUC intolerant to chemotherapy were retrospectively collected. All patients were treated with conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (50-70 Gy/20-33 f) or partial-SABR boost to the lesions (50-60 Gy/20-25 f with tumor center boosted with 6-8 Gy/f, 3-5 f) for bulky tumors. RESULTS: The median age was 75 years (range, 58-87 years). Primary tumor resection was performed for all patients and none underwent metastatic resection. Seventeen (81%) patients had oligometastasis (1-5 metastases) at diagnosis. Eighteen (85.7%) received irradiation to all tumor lesions. Lymph node metastasis was predominant in the whole group (17/21). Other lesions were distributed as local recurrence (7/21), bone metastases (2/21) and abdominal wall/muscle (2/21). The median follow-up time was 38.5 months (interquartile range, 15.2-48.7 months). Rate of local control (LC), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the whole group at 1 year were 90%, 46.6%, and 80.4%, respectively. At 3 years, LC, PFS and OS were 65.6%, 26.6%, and 40.9%, respectively. Fourteen patients developed acute mild gastrointestinal toxicity, generally of grade 1-2; 8 patients developed acute grade 1-2 hematological toxicity, consisting mainly of anemia and leukopenia. No grade 3 or higher acute or late toxicities were observed. CONCLUSION: For patients with advanced UTUC who are not able to tolerate chemotherapy, radiotherapy is a safe treatment and can achieve good local tumor control.

Hsa_circ_0087784 enhances non-small cell lung cancer progression via the miR-576-5p/CDCA4 axis.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) belong to a family of covalently closed single-stranded RNAs that have been implicated in cancer progression. Previous studies have reported that hsa_circ_0087784 was abnormally expressed in breast cancer. However, the role of hsa_circ_0087784 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unknown. METHODS: Here, we used RT-qPCR and FISH to examine hsa_circ_0087784 expression in NSCLC cells and tissue samples. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to identify downstream targets of hsa_circ_0087784. Transwell migration, 5-ethynyl-2´-deoxyuridine, and CCK-8 assays were used to examine migration and proliferation. Tumorigenesis and metastasis assays were used to determine the role of hsa_circ_0087784 in NSCLC progression in a mouse tumor xenograft model in vivo. RESULTS: We found that hsa_circ_0087784 was expressed at significantly high levels in NSCLC tissue samples and cell lines. Downregulation of hsa_circ_0087784 suppressed NSCLC cellular proliferation, as well as migration. Our dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-576-5p and CDCA4 were downstream targets of hsa_circ_0087784. CDCA4 overexpression or miR-576-5p suppression reversed the effects of hsa_circ_0087784 silencing on NSCLC cell migration, and EMT-related protein expression levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that downregulation of hsa_circ_0087784 inhibited NSCLC metastasis and progression through the regulation of CDCA4 expression and miR-576-5psponging.

Differences in networks of alexithymia and cognitive emotion regulation strategies among older adults with different health statuses in eastern China-A network analysis and network comparison.

To identify core and bridge nodes in the network structure of alexithymia and cognitive emotion regulation strategies in community-dwelling older adults, and compare network differences among older adults with different health statuses, we recruited 677 participants and network analysis was performed in R 4.2.0. After including the covariates, the nodes Catastrophizing, Difficulty Identifying feelings, and Refocusing on Planning ranked as the top three. The nodes Externally Oriented Thoughts and Difficulty Identifying Feelings were identified as bridge nodes based on bridge strength values. Significant differences were observed between the healthy and comorbidity groups, and also between the single chronic disease and comorbidity groups (p < 0.05). Catastrophizing, Difficulty Identifying Feelings, and Refocusing on Planning were the core nodes, and Externally Oriented Thoughts and Difficulty Identifying Feelings were the key bridge nodes. The network structure of comorbidity in older adults was characterized by stronger ties to non-adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies.

Magnetically Driven Cactus Spinelike Superhydrophobic Fe3O4 Vertical Array for High-Performance Fog Harvesting.

Cactus spinelike materials have attracted much attention due to high fog harvesting efficiency, but great challenges in structure fabrication and structural controllability still remain. In this study, we proposed a magnetically driven spray-coating method to fabricate a cactus spinelike superhydrophobic Fe3O4 vertical array on nonwoven cotton fabric. This method is simple and controllable; a mixture containing magnetic Fe3O4 particles and organosilicon resin was atomized into tiny droplets and arranged along the magnetic field lines. Different from the traditional method to prepare a cactus spinelike structure via liquid flow under magnet, which is usually accompanied with a big structure size and an unobvious structure feature due to the high viscosity of magnetic liquid. However, if the magnetic liquid is transformed into tiny magnetic droplets by a spraying method, it is promising to prepare micrometer-scale conical structures, and the reduction degree of bionic structures is high. When the fabricated structure is used for fog harvesting, it shows an extremely high efficiency of approximately 6.33 g cm-2 h-1, which is superior to most state-of-the-art fog harvesting materials. Considering the advantages of simplicity, structure controllability, and high fog harvesting rate, the reported strategy provides an avenue to build up high-performance fog harvesting materials.

Water-Soluble, Self-Healing, and Debonding Primer for the Interface between Silicone Leather and Polydimethylsiloxane Composites.

The exceptional hydrophobicity and antifouling properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites have attracted extensive interest as a result of low surface energy. However, PDMS composites are hardly bound by common primers, greatly limiting their practical applications. To address this issue, an EPMS/VTMS (EV) primer synthesized by hydrolytic polycondensation of 3-[(2,3)-epoxypropoxypropyl]methyldiethoxysilane (EPMS) and vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) in acidic conditions is proposed. Interestingly, the EV primer exhibits exceptional reactivity, self-healing capabilities, and strong adhesion to various substrates, including metals, plastics, and glass. The bonding aluminum plates are easily debonded by immersion in water without any residue left. Subsequently, the EV primer has been applied to the interface between silicone leather and the PDMS composite. Results show that the bonding strength for the silicone leather coated with the EV/PDMS composite is 16 times higher than that of the silicone leather modified with the PDMS composite. Meanwhile, the modified silicone leather exhibits impressive antifouling performance, including aqueous and oily stains, appreciable breathability, and excellent wear resistance, even if suffering from 20 000 cycles of abrasion. These excellent advantages for the modified silicone leather should be attributable to the synergistic effect of the EV primer and the PDMS composite. These findings pave the way to develop an ecofriendly debonding primer for PDMS composites, greatly facilitating applications of silicone leather.

Flexible transparent and hydrophobic SiNCs/PDMS coatings for anti-counterfeiting applications.

Silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) have attracted considerable attention in many advanced applications due to silicon's high natural abundance, low toxicity, and impressive optical properties. However, little attention has been paid to fluorescence anti-counterfeiting applications based on lipophilic silicon nanocrystals. Moreover, it is also a challenge to fabricate aging-resistant anti-counterfeiting coatings based on silicon nanocrystals. Herein, this paper presents a demonstration of aging-resistant fluorescent anti-counterfeiting coatings based on red fluorescent silicon nanocrystals. In this work, lipophilic silicon nanocrystals (De-SiNCs) with red fluorescence were prepared first by thermal hydrosilylation between hydrogen-terminated silicon nanocrystals (H-SiNCs) and 1-decene. Subsequently, a new SiNCs/PDMS coating (De-SiNCs/DV) was fabricated by dispersing De-SiNCs into reinforcing PDMS composites with vinyl-capped silicone resin. Interestingly, the De-SiNCs/DV composites exhibit superior transparency (up to 85%) in the visible light range, outstanding fluorescence stabilities with an average lifetime of 20.59 µs under various conditions including acidic/alkaline environments, different organic solvents, high-humidity environments and UV irradiation. Meanwhile, the encapsulation of De-SiNCs is beneficial to enhancing the mechanical properties and thermal stability of De-SiNCs/DV composites. Additionally, the De-SiNCs/DV coating exhibits an excellent anti-counterfeiting effect on cotton fabrics when used as an ink in screen-printing. These findings pave the way for developing innovative flexible multifunctional anti-counterfeiting coatings in the future.

Prognostic Risk Models Using Epithelial Cells Identify ß-Sitosterol as a Potential Therapeutic Target Against Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive and fatal malignancy that leads to epithelial cancer. The association between epithelial cell heterogeneity, prognosis, and immune response in this cancer remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate epithelial cell heterogeneity in ESCC and develop a predictive risk model using the identified cell types. Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and differential ESCC gene data were accessed from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Functional enrichment analysis, inferCNV, cell development trajectories, and intercellular communication were analyzed following epithelial cell characterization. Differentially expressed ESCC (n = 773) and epithelial cell marker genes (n = 3407) were intersected to obtain core genes, and epithelial cell-related prognostic genes were identified. LASSO regression analysis was used to construct a prognostic model. The external dataset GSE53624 was used to further validate the stability of the model. Drug sensitivity predictions, and immune cell infiltration were analyzed. Molecular docking clarified the possible therapeutic role of ß-sitosterol in ESCC. Finally, wound healing assay, cell colony, and transwell assay were constructed to detect the effects of the core gene PDLIM2 on ESCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Results: Eight cell clusters were identified, and epithelial cells were categorized into tumor and paratumor groups. The tumor group possessed more chromosomal variants than the paratumor group. Epithelial cells were associated with multiple cell types and significantly correlated with the Wnt, transforming growth factor, and epidermal growth factor signaling pathways. From 231 intersected genes, five core genes were screened for use in the risk model: CTSL, LAPTM4B, MYO10, NCF2, and PDLIM2. These genes may contribute to the cancerous transformation of normal esophageal epithelial cells and thereby act as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in patients with ESCC. ß-Sitosterol furthermore displayed excellent docking potential with these genes. Meanwhile, further experiments demonstrated that the gene PDLIM2 plays a major role in the progression of oesophageal squamous carcinoma. Conclusion: We successfully developed a risk model for the prognosis of ESCC based on epithelial cells that addresses the response of ESCC to immunotherapy and offers novel cancer treatment options.

Associations between anxiety, depression, and personal mastery in community-dwelling older adults: a network-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: In China, about 18.70% of the population aged 60 years and older are at risk of low personal mastery as well as anxiety and depression for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this study was to construct a symptom network model of the relationship between anxiety, depression, and personal mastery in community-dwelling older adults and to identify central and bridge symptoms in this network. METHODS: Depression, anxiety, and personal mastery were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Personal Mastery Scale (PMS), respectively. A total of 501 older adults in 16 communities in Changzhou and Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China, were surveyed by using a combination of stratified sampling and convenience sampling methods. The R language was used to construct the network. RESULTS: (1) The network structure of anxiety-depression-personal mastery was stable, with "Nervousness" (node GAD1, strength = 1.38), "Sad mood" (node PHQ2, strength = 1.22), " Inability to change" (node PMS2, strength = 1.01) and "Involuntarily" (node PMS3, strength = 0.95) as the central symptoms. (2) "Irritability" (node GAD6, bridge strength = 0.743), "Sad mood" (node PHQ2, bridge strength = 0.655), and "Trouble relaxing" (node GAD4, bridge strength = 0.550) were the bridge symptoms connecting anxiety, depressive symptoms, and personal mastery. (3) In the network comparison test (NCT), residence, somatic chronic comorbidity and gender had no significant effect on network structure. CONCLUSIONS: The construction of the anxiety-depression-personal mastery network structure opens up new possibilities for mechanisms of action and intervention formulation for psychological disorders in community-dwelling older adults. The identification of central symptoms (e.g., nervousness, sad mood, inability to change, involuntarily) and bridge symptoms (e.g., irritability, sad mood, trouble relaxing) in community-dwelling older adults with anxiety, depression, and low sense of mastery can provide a scientific basis for the development of precise interventions.

Magnetically driven Janus conical vertical array for all-weather freshwater collection.

The engineering of multifunctional structures with special surface wettability is highly desirable for all-weather freshwater production, but relevant research is scarce. In this study, a Janus conical vertical array was designed and fabricated via a magnetically driven spray-coating method for the first time. Benefiting from the special structure and wettability enhancement of the array in terms of solar absorption, fog capture and merging, droplet movement and evaporation area, all-weather freshwater production consisting of high-quality daytime solar vapor generation (water evaporation rate approximately 2.43 kg m-2 h-1, 1 kW m-2) and nighttime fog collection (water collection rate approximately 3.536 g cm-2 h-1) can be realized concurrently. When the designed array is employed for outdoor environments (114°35'E, 30°38'N, average daily temperature 34.9 °C, average daily humidity 64.0%), reliable and efficient daily pure water yields of 19.13 kg m-2-26.09 kg m-2 are obtainable. We believe that the proposed strategy for fabricating a Janus conical vertical array is novel in the integration of solar vapor generation and fog collection, which has great significance for all-weather freshwater production.

Core and bridge symptoms of demoralization in Chinese female cancer patients: a network analysis.

Objective: In this study, we explore the core and bridge symptoms of demoralization in female cancer patients in China, and provide a basis for precise psychological intervention among female cancer patients. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional survey. Participants were recruited from three third-class hospitals in Jiangsu Province from June 2022 to June 2023 using the convenience sampling method. The severity of each symptom of demoralization was investigated in female cancer patients using the Demoralization Scale (DS). Network analysis was performed using the R language to identify core and bridge symptoms in the network and further explore some characteristic edge connections in the network. Results: The network structure model of demoralization had strong accuracy and stability. In the network, the symptoms with the highest strength centrality were "Discouragement" (C3, strength=2.19), "No self-worth" (A3, strength=1.21), "Don't want to live" (A5, strength=1.20), "Hopeless" (D4, strength=0.81), and "Vulnerability" (B3, strength=0.74), respectively. The bridge strength analysis identified "Hopeless" (D4, bridge strength=0.92), "Discouragement" (C3, bridge strength=0.85), "No self-worth" (A3, bridge strength=0.75), "Poor spirits" (E2, bridge strength=0.71), and "Vulnerability" (B3, bridge strength=0.69) as the bridge symptoms. The strongest edge connections of all dimensions were "No self-worth" and "Worthless" (A3-E6, edge weighting=0.27), "Poor spirits" and "Loss of emotional control" (E2-D1, edge weighting=0.22), "Discouragement" and "Vulnerability" (C3-B3, edge weighting=0.14), and "Hopeless" and "No meaning of survival" (D4-A4, edge weighting=0.12). Conclusion: "Discouragement (C3)", "No self-worth (A3)", "Hopeless (D4)", and "Vulnerability (B3)" are both core symptoms and bridge symptoms. These symptoms can not only trigger a patient's demoralization but also stimulate more severe symptom clusters through interactions. The early recognition of and intervention regarding these symptoms could be important for the prevention and treatment of demoralization among female cancer patients.

Farnesoid X receptor promotes non-small cell lung cancer metastasis by activating Jak2/STAT3 signaling via transactivation of IL-6ST and IL-6 genes.

Metastasis accounts for the majority of cases of cancer recurrence and death in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) is a bile acid nuclear receptor that was recently found to be upregulated in NSCLC tissues. However, whether and how FXR regulates NSCLC metastasis remains unclear. In the present study, it was found that FXR promoted the migration, invasion, and angiogenic ability of NSCLC cells in vitro, and increased NSCLC metastasis in a mouse model in vivo. Mechanistic investigation demonstrated that FXR specifically bound to the promoters of IL-6ST and IL-6 genes to upregulate their transcription, thereby leading to activation of the Jak2/STAT3 signaling pathway, which facilitated tumor migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in NSCLC. Notably, Z-guggulsterone, a natural FXR inhibitor, significantly reduced FXRhigh NSCLC metastasis, and decreased the expression of FXR, IL-6, IL-6ST, and p-STAT3 in the mouse model. Clinical analysis verified that FXR was positively correlated with IL-6, IL-6ST and p-STAT3 expression in NSCLC patients, and was indicative of a poor prognosis. Collectively, these results highlight a novel FXR-induced IL-6/IL-6ST/Jak2/STAT3 axis in NSCLC metastasis, and a promising therapeutic means for treating FXRhigh metastatic NSCLC.

A novel enzyme-based functional correlation algorithm for multi-omics reveals the potential mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines: Taking Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen formula as an example.

The integrated analysis of host metabolome and intestinal microbiome is an opportunity to explore the complex therapeutic mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines. Currently, researchers mainly employ various statistical correlation analytical methods to investigate metabolome-microbiome correlations. However, these conventional correlation techniques often focus on statistical correlations and their biological meanings are always ignored, especially the functional relevance between them. Here, we developed a novel enzyme-based functional correlation (EBFC) algorithm to further improve the interpretability and the identified scope of microbe-metabolite correlations based on the conventional Spearman's analysis. The proposed EBFC algorithm is successfully utilized to reveal the therapeutic mechanisms of Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen (JPYS) formula on the treatment of adenine-induced chronic kidney disease (CKD) rats. JPYS, a TCM formula for treating CKD, has beneficial clinical effects. We tentatively revealed the potential mechanism of JPYS for treating CKD rats from the perspective of the serum metabolome, gut microbiome, and their interactions. Specifically, 11 metabolites and 19 bacterial genera in the CKD rats were significantly regulated to approaching normal status after JPYS treatment, suggesting that JPYS could ameliorate the pathological symptoms of CKD rats by reshaping the disturbed metabolome and gut microbiota. Further correlation analysis between the significantly perturbed metabolites, microbiota, and the related enzymes provided more strong evidence for the study of host metabolism-microbiota interactions and the therapeutic mechanism of JPYS on CKD rats. In conclusion, these findings will help us to deeply understand the pathogenesis of CKD and provide new insights into the therapeutic mechanism of JPYS.

Effects of tail nerve electrical stimulation on the activation and plasticity of the lumbar locomotor circuits and the prevention of skeletal muscle atrophy after spinal cord transection in rats.

INTRODUCTION: Severe spinal cord injury results in the loss of neurons in the relatively intact spinal cord below the injury area and skeletal muscle atrophy in the paralyzed limbs. These pathological processes are significant obstacles for motor function reconstruction. OBJECTIVE: We performed tail nerve electrical stimulation (TNES) to activate the motor neural circuits below the injury site of the spinal cord to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of the excitatory afferent neurons in promoting the reconstruction of locomotor function. METHODS: Eight days after T10 spinal cord transection in rats, TNES was performed for 7 weeks. Behavioral scores were assessed weekly. Electrophysiological tests and double retrograde tracings were performed at week 8. RESULTS: After 7 weeks of TNES treatment, there was restoration in innervation, the number of stem cells, and mitochondrial metabolism in the rats' hindlimb muscles. Double retrograde tracings of the tail nerve and sciatic nerve further confirmed the presence of synaptic connections between the tail nerve and central pattern generator (CPG) neurons in the lumbar spinal cord, as well as motor neurons innervating the hindlimb muscles. CONCLUSION: The mechanisms of TNES induced by the stimulation of primary afferent nerve fibers involves efficient activation of the motor neural circuits in the lumbosacral segment, alterations of synaptic plasticity, and the improvement of muscle and nerve regeneration, which provides the structural and functional foundation for the future use of cutting-edge biological treatment strategies to restore voluntary movement of paralyzed hindlimbs.

Dose-Intensified Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Long-Term Results From the PKUFH Randomized Phase 3 Trial.

PURPOSE: In the randomized, single-center, PKUFH phase 3 trial, dose-intensified (72 Gy) radiation therapy was compared with conventional (66 Gy) radiation therapy. In a previous study, we found no significant difference in biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS) between the 2 cohorts at 4 years. In the current analysis, we provide 7-year outcomes. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients with stage pT3-4, positive surgical margins, or a prostate-specific antigen increase ≥0.2 ng/mL after radical prostatectomy were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either 72 Gy in 36 fractions or 66 Gy in 33 fractions. All the patients underwent image guided intensity modulated radiation therapy. The primary endpoint was bPFS. Secondary endpoints were distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) as estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Between September 2011 and November 2016, 144 patients were enrolled with 73 and 71 in the 72- and 66-Gy cohorts, respectively. At a median follow-up of 89.5 months (range, 73-97 months), there was no difference in 7-year bPFS between the 72- and 66-Gy cohorts (70.3% vs 61.2%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.73; 95% CI, 0.41-1.29; P = .274). However, in patients with a higher Gleason score (8-10), the 72-Gy cohort had statistically significant improvement in 7-year bPFS compared with the 66-Gy cohort (66.5% vs 30.2%; HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.17-0.82; P = .012). In addition, in patients with multiple positive surgical margins, the 72-Gy cohort had statistically significant improvement in 7-year bPFS compared with single positive surgical margin (82.5% vs 57.5%; HR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.13-0.99; P = .037). The 7-year DMFS (88.4% vs 84.9%; HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.39-2.23; P = .867), CSS (94.1% vs 95.5%; HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.42-3.39; P = .745), and OS (92.8% vs 94.1%; HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.51-3.24; P = .594) had no statistical differences between the 72- and 66-Gy cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The current 7-year bPFS results confirmed our previous findings that dose escalation (72 Gy) demonstrated no improvement in 7-year bPFS, DMFS, CSS, or OS compared with the 66-Gy regimen. However, patients with a higher Gleason score (8-10) or multiple positive surgical margins might benefit from the 72-Gy regimen, but this requires further prospective research.

Macro-porous structured aerogel with enhanced ab/desorption kinetics for sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting.

Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) has been proven to be a promising method to alleviate the impact of the water crisis on human activities. However, the low water-sorption capacity and sluggish ab/desorption kinetics of current SAWH materials make it difficult to achieve high daily water production. In this study, a photothermal porous sodium alginate-tannic acid-5/Fe3+@lithium chloride aerogel (SA-TA-5/Fe3+@LiCl) with macroporous structure (average pore diameter ∼43.67 µm) and high solar absorbance (∼98.4 %) was fabricated via Fe3+-induced crosslinking and blackening methods. When it is employed for SAWH, moisture can enter the inner space of the aerogel and contact highly hygroscopic lithium chloride (LiCl) more easily via macroporous channels, resulting in the water uptake for the SA-TA-5/Fe3+@LiCl aerogel reaching approximately 1.229 g g-1 under dry conditions (relative humidity (RH) âˆ¼ 45 %, 25 °C) after a short time (4 h) moisture absorption, and releasing as much as 97.7 % of the absorbed water under 1 sun irradiation within 2 h. As a proof of concept, it is estimated that the daily water yield of the fabricated SA-TA/Fe3+@LiCl aerogel can reach approximately 4.65 kg kg-1 in conditions close to the real outdoor environment (RH âˆ¼ 45 %, 25 °C), which satisfies the daily minimum water consumption of two adults. This study demonstrates a novel strategy for developing advanced solar-driven SAWH materials with enhanced ab/desorption kinetics and efficient water sorption-desorption properties.

Exploring the dynamics of perioperative symptom networks in colorectal cancer patients: a cross-lagged panel network analysis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer incidence is on the rise, necessitating precise symptom management. However, causal relationships among symptoms have been challenging to establish due to reliance on cross-sectional data. Cross-lagged panel network (CLPN) analysis offers a solution, leveraging longitudinal data for insight. OBJECTIVE: We employed CLPN analysis to construct symptom networks in colorectal cancer patients at three perioperative time points, aiming to identify predictive relationships and intervention opportunities. METHODS: We evaluated the prevalence and severity of symptoms throughout the perioperative period, encompassing T1 the first day of admission, T2 2-3 days postoperatively, and T3 discharge, utilizing the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Gastrointestinal Cancer Module (MDASI-GI). To identify crucial nodes in the network and explore predictive and interactive effects among symptoms, CLPNs were constructed from longitudinal data in R. RESULTS: The analysis revealed a stable network, with disturbed sleep exhibiting the highest out-EI (outgoing expected influence) during T1. Distress had a sustained impact throughout the perioperative. Disturbed sleep at T1 predicted T2 bloating, fatigue, distress, and pain. T1 distress predicted T2 sadness severity. T2 distress primarily predicted T3 fatigue, disturbed sleep, changes in taste, and bloating. T2 shortness of breath predicted T3 changes in taste and loss of appetite. Furthermore, biochemical markers like RBC and ALB had notable influence on symptom clusters during T1→T2 and T2→T3, respectively. CONCLUSION: Prioritizing disturbed sleep during T1 and addressing distress throughout the perioperative phase is recommended. Effective symptom management not only breaks the chain of symptom progression, enhancing healthcare impact, but also eases patient symptom burdens.

ALDOC promotes non-small cell lung cancer through affecting MYC-mediated UBE2N transcription and regulating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Despite advancements in therapeutic options, the overall prognosis for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains poor. Therefore, it is crucial to further explore the etiology and targets for novel treatments to effectively manage NSCLC. In this study, immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the expression of aldolase, fructose-bisphosphate C (ALDOC) protein in tumor tissues and adjacent non-malignant tissues from 79 NSCLC patients. Our findings revealed that ALDOC was overexpressed in NSCLC tissues. ALDOC expression was associated with lymph node metastasis, lymphatic metastasis and pathological stage. In addition, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that higher ALDOC levels were indicative of a poorer prognosis. Additionally, we observed elevated ALDOC mRNA levels in NSCLC cell lines relative to normal cells. To investigate the functional roles of ALDOC, we infected cells with small interfering RNA against ALDOC, which led to attenuated proliferation and migration, as well as ameliorated apoptosis. Furthermore, through our investigations, we discovered that ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2N (UBE2N) acts as a downstream factor of ALDOC. ALDOC promoted NSCLC through affecting MYC-mediated UBE2N transcription and regulating the Wnt pathway. More importantly, we found that downregulation of UBE2N or the use of Wnt pathway inhibitor could reverse the promoting effects of ALDOC elevation on NSCLC development in vitro and in vivo. Based on these findings, our study highlights the potential of ALDOC as a future therapeutic target for NSCLC.

The relationship between alexithymia, depression, anxiety, and stress in elderly with multiple chronic conditions in China: a network analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to construct a network structure to investigate the connections between alexithymia, depression, anxiety, and stress in Chinese older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), identifying core and bridge symptoms, and comparing the network structure across different levels of alexithymia. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional survey design and convenience sampling to recruit participants from six cities in Jiangsu Province. The study assessed the levels of alexithymia, depression, anxiety, and stress in older adults with MCC using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Network analysis was performed using R language to identify core and bridge symptoms in the network and compare the network structure across different levels of alexithymia. Results: A total of 662 participants were included in the analysis, including 395 men and 267 women. The mean age was 70.37 ± 6.92 years. The finding revealed that the "Difficulty Identifying Feelings" (DIF) node had the highest strength centrality (strength = 2.49) and predictability (rp = 0.76) in the network. The next highest strength centrality was observed for "Meaningless" (strength = 1.50), "Agitated" (strength = 1.47), "Scared" (strength = 1.42), and "No look forward" (strength = 0.75). They were identified as core symptoms. The bridge strength analysis identified "Panic," "Scared," "No wind down," "No initiative," and "No positive" as the bridge symptoms. There were notable differences in the overall network structure and specific connections between the groups with and without alexithymia (p < 0.05). Conclusion: "DIF" is a core node in the network of older adults with MCC, indicating its significance as a potential target for psychological interventions in clinical practice. Preventing and mitigating bridge symptoms such as "panic," "Scared," "No wind down," "No initiative," and "No positive" can effectively impede the spread of symptom activation, thereby interrupting or severing the connections among comorbidities in older adults. Additionally, compared to non-alexithymia individuals, the psychological issues of older adults with alexithymia require prioritized intervention from healthcare professionals.

Clinical Characteristics and Economic Burden of Asthma in China: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Asthma is a common chronic airway inflammation that produces a healthcare burden on the economy. We aim to obtain a better understanding of the clinical status and disease burden of patients with asthma in China. A retrospective study was carried out based on the computerized medical records in the Jinan Health Medical Big Data Platform between 2011 and 2019 (available data from 38 hospitals). The asthma severity of each patient was assessed retrospectively and categorized as mild, moderate, or severe according to Global Initiative for Asthma 2020 (GINA 2020). The results revealed that the majority (75.0%) of patients suffered from mild asthma. Patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)/long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) at emergency department visits had lower frequencies of exacerbations compared with non-ICS/LABA-treated patients. The incidence rates for 1, 2, 3, and 4 exacerbation of the patients treated with ICS/LABA are lower than those treated without ICS/LABA (14.49 vs. 15.01%, 11.94% vs. 19.12%, 6.51% vs.12.92% and 4.10% vs. 9.35%). The difference got a statistical significance Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), two comorbidities related to asthma, were risk factors for asthma exacerbation. Finally, patients who suffered from exacerbations produced a heavier economic burden compared to the patients who never suffered exacerbations (mean costs are ï¿¥3,339.67 vs. ï¿¥968.45 separately).  These results provide a reference for clinicians and patients to obtain a better treatment and therapy strategy management for people living with asthma.

One-step fabrication of all-in-one three-dimensional porous polypyrrole/polydopamine structure for efficient solar vapor generation.

High-quality solar evaporators with all-in-one design are highly desirable for vapor generation, but relevant research is scarce. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) porous polypyrrole/polydopamine (PPY/PDA) structure was fabricated via a simple heating-assisted rapid oxidative polymerization method. The obtained evaporator has multiple features, and can simultaneously provide rapid water transport channels (average pore sizes âˆ¼ 18.37 nm), low thermal conductivity (0.071 W m-1 K-1), high solar absorbance (97.08%), and good mechanical properties. When it is employed as an evaporator, the calculated water evaporation rate is approximately 2.12 kg m-2h-1, which is comparable to other reported 3D evaporators. Additionally, the evaporator displays great potential for purification toward various nonpotable water, as well as reliable pure water yields in an outdoor application (from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, the evaporator can produce at least 13.95 L of drinkable water for a 1 m2 sample). We believe that the proposed strategy to fabricate all-in-one evaporators has great significance for scientific research and practical applications.