Highly Emissive and Robust Cd-Based MOF with an Unprecedented Topology for Tetracycline Sensing.

Herein, an unprecedented cadmium-based metal-organic framework (JNU-106) fabricated by utilizing pyrazole-functionalized tetraphenylethylene ligands (Py-TPE) and rod-shaped secondary building units is reported, possessing a new (3,3,3,6,6,8)-connected topological network. Thanks to the ingeniously designed intramolecular charge transfer behavior, which originates from the congruent coplanarity between Py and TPE, JNU-106 exhibits intense green luminescence with a quantum yield increased by 1.5 times. The phenomenon of remarkable fluorescence quenching of JNU-106 reveals that it possesses extremely high anti-interference performance, superior sensitivity, and dedicated selectivity toward tetracycline antibiotics (TCAs) in aqueous solutions, which are comparable to those of the state-of-the-art porous sensing compounds. Taking the theoretical calculations and experimental results into account, the luminescence quenching is mainly attributed to the internal filtration effect and the static quenching effect. Considering the portable and rapid performance of JNU-106-based testing strips for sensing TCAs, the fabricated JNU-106 provides an alternative for ecological monitoring and environmental governance.

Longitudinal analysis of quality of life in primary lung cancer patients with chlamydia pneumoniae infection: a time-to-deterioration model.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) IgG and IgA has been strongly linked to lung cancer, but its impact on patients' quality of life remains unclear. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between pre-treatment Cpn IgG and IgA and time to deterioration (TTD) of the HRQoL in patients with primary lung cancer. METHODS: A prospective hospital-based study was conducted from June 2017 to December 2018, enrolling 82 patients with primary lung cancer admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University for questionnaire surveys. Cpn IgG and IgA was detected by microimmunofluorescence method. HRQoL was assessed at baseline and during follow-up using the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire version 3.0 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer (EORTC QLQ-LC13). HRQoL scores were calculated using the QoLR package, and TTD events were determined (minimum clinically significant difference = 5 points). Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of Cpn IgG and IgA on HRQoL. RESULTS: We investigated the relationship between Cpn IgG and IgA and quality of life in patients with primary lung cancer. The study was found that 75.61% of cases were Cpn IgG + and 45.12% were Cpn IgA + . Cpn IgA + IgG + was 41.46%. For EORTC QLQ-C30, Physical function (PF) and Pain (PA) TTD events on the functional scale and Symptom scale were the most common during follow-up. After adjusting for gender and smoking status, Pre-treatment Cpn IgA + was found to signifcantly delay TTD of Physical functioning(HR = 0.539, 95% CI: 0.291-0.996, P = 0.048). In addition, Cpn IgG + before treatment significantly delayed TTD in Emotional functioning (HR = 0.310, 95% CI: 0.115-0.836, P = 0.021). For EORTC QLQ-LC13, deterioration of dyspnea (LC-DY) was the most common event. However, Cpn IgG and IgA before treatment had no effect on the TTD of EORTC QLQ-LC13 items. CONCLUSIONS: According to EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-LC13, Cpn IgA delayed TTD in Physical functioning and Cpn IgG delayed TTD in Emotional functioning.

Short-term associations of particulate matter with different aerodynamic diameters with mortality due to mental disorders and dementia in Ningde, China.

Limited evidence is available regarding the impact of ambient inhalable particulate matter (PM) on mental disorder (MD) or dementia-related deaths, particularly PM1, PM1-2.5, and coarse particles (PM2.5-10). Moreover, individual confounders have rarely been considered. In addition, evidence from low-pollution areas is needed but is inadequate. Using death records from the Death Registration System during 2015-2021 in Ningde, a coastal city in southeast China, we combined a conditional quasi-Poisson model with a distributed lag nonlinear model to estimate the nonlinear and lagged associations of PM exposure with MD or dementia-related deaths in Ningde, China, comprehensively controlling for individual time-invariant confounders using a time-stratified case-crossover design. The attributable fraction and number were calculated to quantify the burden of MD or dementia-related deaths that were related to PMs. We found J-shaped relationships between MD or dementia-related deaths and PMs, with different thresholds of 13, 9, 19, 33 and 12 µg/m3 for PM1, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, PM10 and PM2.5-10. An inter-quartile range increase for PM1, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, PM10 and PM2.5-10 above the thresholds led to an increase of 31.8% (95% confidence interval, 14.3-51.9%), 53.7% (22.4-93.1%), 32.6% (15.0-53.0%), 35.1% (17.7-55.0%) and 25.9% (13.0-40.3%) in MD-related deaths at lag 0-3 days, respectively. The associations were significant in the cool season rather than in the warm season and were significantly greater among people aged 75-84 years than in others. The fractions of MD-related deaths attributable to PM1, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, PM10 and PM2.5-10 were 5.55%, 6.49%, 7.68%, 10.66%, and 15.11%, respectively; however, only some of them could be protected by the concentrations recommended by the World Health Organisation or China grade I standard. Smaller associations and similar patterns were observed between PMs and dementia-related death. These findings suggest stricter standards, and provide evidence for the development of relevant policies and measures.

Differentiation Potential of Hypodifferentiated Subsets of Nephrogenic Rests and Its Relationship to Prognosis in Wilms Tumor.

Background Wilms tumor (WT) is highly curable, although anaplastic histology or relapse imparts a worse prognosis. Nephrogenic rests (NR) associated with a high risk of developing WT are abnormally retained embryonic kidney precursor cells. Methods After pseudo-time analysis using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, we generated and validated a WT differentiation-related gene (WTDRG) signature to predict overall survival (OS) in children with a poor OS. Results A differentiation trajectory from NR to WT was identified and showed that hypodifferentiated subsets of NR could differentiate into WT. Classification of WT children with anaplastic histology or relapse based on the expression patterns of WTDRGs suggested that patients with relatively high levels of hypodifferentiated NR presented a poorer prognosis. A WTDRG-based risk model and a clinically applicable nomogram was developed. Conclusions These findings may inform oncogenesis of WT and interventions directed toward poor prognosis in WT children of anaplastic histology or relapse.

Structural Design Induced Electronic Optimization in Single-Phase MoCoP Nanocrystal for Boosting Oxygen Reduction, Oxygen Evolution, and Hydrogen Evolution.

Structural and compositional design of multifunctional materials is critical for electrocatalysis, but their rational modulation and effective synthesis remain a challenge. Herein, a controllable one-pot synthesis for construction of trifunctional sites and preparation of porous structures is adopted for synthesizing dispersed MoCoP sites on N, P codoped carbonized substance. This tunable synthetic strategy also endorses the exploration of the electrochemical activities of Mo (Co)-based unitary, Mo/Co-based dual and MoCo-based binary metallic sites. Eventually benefiting from the structural regulation, MoCoP-NPC shows excellent oxygen reduction abilities with a half-wave potential of 0.880 V, and outstanding oxygen evolution and hydrogen evolution performance with an overpotential of 316 mV and 91 mV, respectively. MoCoP-NPC-based Zn-air battery achieves excellent cycle stability for 300 h and a high open-circuit voltage of 1.50 V. When assembled in a water-splitting device, MoCoP-NPC reaches 10 mA cm-2 at 1.65 V. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the Co atom in the single-phase MoCoP has a low energy barrier for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) owing to the migration of Co 3d orbital toward the Fermi level. This work shows a simplified method for controllable preparation of prominent trifunctional catalysts.

Pyrazine Functionalization in Eu-MOF for Exclusive Ratiometric Luminescence Sensing of PO43.

Single-emission luminescence sensors are less than satisfactory for complex systems due to their susceptibility to environmental disturbances. Lanthanum-based metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) with highly stable ratiometric dual-emission are regarded as promising luminescence probes owing to their fascinating ligand-to-metal energy transfer behaviors (also known as the antenna effect). Herein, we report the synthesis of a pair of isostructural europium-based MOFs (termed JNU-219 and JNU-220) by utilizing two X-shaped tetracarboxylate linkers, 4,4',4″,4‴-benzene-2,3,5,6-tetrayl-tetrabenzoate (BTEB) and 4,4',4″,4‴-pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetrayl-tetrabenzoate (BTTB). Both JNU-219 and JNU-220 present the characteristic red luminescence of Eu3+, yet the pyrazine functionalization of the BTTB linker renders JNU-220 with significantly increased luminescence emission, almost 30 times that of JNU-219. As a result, the detection limit of JNU-220 for the ratiometric luminescence sensing of PO43- was determined to be as low as 0.22 µM, which is far superior to those of other reported MOF materials. Additionally, we demonstrate the excellent stability and reusability of JNU-220, further verifying its potential as a robust ratiometric luminescence probe.

The efficacy of robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty for pediatric ureteropelvic junction obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty (RALP) for treating pediatric ureteropelvic junction obstruction through an extensive comparison of RALP, open pyeloplasty (OP) and laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP). We conducted a comprehensive search of the following databases: PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane Library, Web of Science database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data, and China Biology Medical Disc. Baseline data were compared, the sources of heterogeneity were assessed, and publication biases were detected. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023415667). 26 studies with 6074 cases performing pyeloplasty were included, and the overall data are comparable. Our analysis showed no significant difference in success rate and postoperative complications between RALP and OP, and RALP is associated with a shorter length of stay (LOS) (MD - 1.00 95%CI - 1.45 to - 0.55, p < 0.0001). In addition, compared to LP, RALP was associated with a shorter anastomosis time (MD - 18.35 95%CI - 29.88 to - 6.82, p = 0.002) and fewer postoperative analgesics (MD - 0.09 95% CI - 0.18 to - 0.01, p = 0.03); however, RALP has a longer operative time (OT) (MD 52.39, 95% CI 39.75-65.03, p < 0.00001) and higher cost. The heterogeneity of OT may be influenced by factors, such as age and region, while the heterogeneity of LOS primarily stems from regional differences. No significant publication bias was detected. Our meta-analysis shows that RALP can be an alternative to OP and LP with a high success rate, minimal postoperative complications, and shorter LOS. In addition, RALP contributes to reduce anastomosis time and postoperative analgesic drugs. However, further well-designed, large-scale, randomized controlled trials with additional parameters are needed to conduct a more comprehensive analysis of heterogeneity.

Construction of an immune-related lncRNA signature pair for predicting oncologic outcomes and the sensitivity of immunosuppressor in treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Although immunotherapy has shown clinical activity in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), LUAD prognosis has been a perplexing problem. We aimed to construct an immune-related lncRNA pairs (IRLPs) score for LUAD and identify what immunosuppressor are appropriate for which group of people with LUAD. METHODS: Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-LUAD cohort, IRLPs were identified to construct an IRLPs scoring system by Cox regression and validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset using log-rank test and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Next, we used spearman's correlation analysis, t-test, signaling pathways analysis and gene mutation analysis to explore immune and molecular characteristics in different IRLP subgroups. The "pRRophetic" package was used to predict the sensitivity of immunosuppressant. RESULTS: The IRLPs score was constructed based on eight IRLPs calculated as 2.12 × (MIR31HG|RRN3P2) + 0.43 × (NKX2-1-AS1|AC083949.1) + 1.79 × (TMPO-AS1|LPP-AS2) + 1.60 × (TMPO-AS1|MGC32805) + 1.79 × (TMPO-AS1|PINK1-AS) + 0.65 × (SH3BP5-AS1|LINC01137) + 0.51 × (LINC01004|SH3PXD2A-AS1) + 0.62 × (LINC00339|AGAP2-AS1). Patients with a lower IRLPs risk score had a better overall survival (OS) (Log-rank test P TCGA train dataset < 0.001, P TCGA test dataset = 0.017, P GEO dataset = 0.027) and similar results were observed in the AUCs of TCGA dataset and GEO dataset (AUC TCGA train dataset = 0.777, AUC TCGA test dataset = 0.685, AUC TCGA total dataset = 0.733, AUC GEO dataset = 0.680). Immune score (Cor = -0.18893, P < 0.001), stoma score (Cor = -0.24804, P < 0.001), and microenvironment score (Cor = -0.22338, P < 0.001) were significantly decreased in the patients with the higher IRLP risk score. The gene set enrichment analysis found that high-risk group enriched in molecular changes in DNA and chromosomes signaling pathways, and in this group the tumor mutation burden (TMB) was higher than in the low-risk group (P = 0.0015). Immunosuppressor methotrexate sensitivity was higher in the high-risk group (P = 0.0052), whereas parthenolide (P < 0.001) and rapamycin (P = 0.013) sensitivity were lower in the high-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study established an IRLPs scoring system as a biomarker to help in the prognosis, the identification of molecular and immune characteristics, and the patient-tailored selection of the most suitable immunosuppressor for LUAD therapy.

Outcomes and Adverse Effects of Deep Brain Stimulation on the Ventral Intermediate Nucleus in Patients with Essential Tremor.

Objective: This study was aimed at identifying the potential outcome predictors, comparing the efficacy in patients with different tremor characteristics, and summarizing the adverse effect rates (AERs) of deep brain stimulation on the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM-DBS) for essential tremor (ET). Methods: An extensive search of articles published to date in 2019 was conducted, and two main aspects were analyzed. Improvement was calculated as a percentage of change in any objective tremor rating scale (TRS) and analyzed by subgroup analyses of patients' tremor characteristics, laterality, and stimulation parameters. Furthermore, the AERs were analyzed as follows: the adverse effects (AEs) were classified as stimulation-related, surgical-related, or device-related effects. A simple regression analysis was used to identify the potential prognostic factors, and a two-sample mean-comparison test was used to verify the statistical significance of the subgroup analyses. Results: Forty-six articles involving 1714 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled improvement in any objective TRS score was 61.3% (95% CI: 0.564-0.660) at the mean follow-up visit (20.0 ± 17.3 months). The midline and extremity symptoms showed consistent improvement (P = 0.440), and the results of the comparison of postural and kinetic tremor were the same (P = 0.219). In addition, the improvement in rest tremor was similar to that in action tremor (OR = 2.759, P = 0.120). In the simple regression analysis, the preoperative Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale (FTM-TRS) scores and follow-up time were negatively correlated with the percentage change in any objective TRS score (P < 0.05). The most common adverse event was dysarthria (10.5%), which is a stimulation-related AE (23.6%), while the rates of the surgical-related and device-related AEs were 6.4% and 11.5%, respectively. Conclusion: VIM-DBS is an efficient and safe surgical method in ET, and the efficacy was not affected by the body distribution of tremor, age at surgery, and disease duration. Lower preoperative FTM-TRS scores likely indicate greater improvement, and the effect of VIM-DBS declines over time.

Interactive effect of carbon source with influent COD/N on nitrogen removal and microbial community structure in subsurface flow constructed wetlands.

Carbon source and influent COD/N (chemical oxygen demand: total nitrogen) pose distinct effects on nitrogen removal efficiency and microbial community structure of constructed wetlands. To investigate the interactive effect of carbon source with COD/N on nitrogen removal and microbial community structure in subsurface flow constructed wetlands, glucose (C6H12O6) and sodium acetate (C2H3NaO2) were used to determine five COD/N ratios in nine groups of constructed wetlands divided into glucose constructed wetlands and sodium acetate constructed wetlands. Results showed that efficiency in COD removal increased with COD/N, and peak value reached 92.7%. Interactive effect of carbon source with COD/N on system pH and ammonium removal was notably significant. Differences in ammonium removal performance between treatments were achieved by the variation of influent COD/N ratio and the change of system pH resulted from different carbon sources, and the result suggested that glucose was a better choice at high COD/N ratio. System microbial community structure was significantly affected by carbon source, influent COD/N ratio and their interaction. Microbial biomass in constructed wetlands significantly increased with increasing COD/N ratio. Higher density and diversity of fungus were observed in glucose constructed wetlands, particularly at COD/N ratio of 7 and 10.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Hypoxia on Infarcted Myocardium: Better or Worse?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients with myocardial infarction and hypoxemia require supplemental oxygen. However, the current therapeutic paradigm is contradicted by several recent studies in which the post-infarcted heart appears to benefit from systemic hypoxia. With this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to discover whether systemic hypoxia is beneficial or detrimental to the infarcted myocardium. METHODS: We conducted an electronic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases and extracted the outcomes of cardiac function, geometry, and hemodynamics. A random-effect model was applied when the I2 value of greater than 50%. The sensitivity analysis was performed by omitting one study at a time, and publication bias was assessed using Egger's test. In addition, the quality of studies was evaluated using the risk of bias tool devised by the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation. RESULTS: Six reports comprising 14 experiments were ultimately screened from among 10,323 initially identified preclinical studies. Few studies reported the method of randomization and none described allocation concealment, random outcome assessment or blinding. Overall, chronic hypoxia was found to have a beneficial effect on the ejection fraction (standard mean difference [SMD] = 5.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.83 to 6.95; P < 0.001) of the infarcted heart, whereas acute hypoxia significantly improved hemodynamics, as indicated by an increase in the maximal rate of rise of left ventricular pressure (SMD = 1.27; 95% CI, 0.27 to 2.28; P = 0.013) and cardiac output (SMD = 1.26; 95% CI, 0.34 to 2.18; P = 0.007) and a decrease in total systematic vascular resistance (SMD = -0.89; 95% CI, -1.24 to -0.53; P < 0.001). Furthermore, a reduced oxygen content increased the stroke volume (P = 0.010). However, hypoxia reduced the end-systolic (SMD = -2.67; 95% CI, -4.09 to -1.26; P < 0.001) and end-diastolic (SMD = -3.61; 95% CI, -4.65 to -2.57; P < 0.001) left ventricular diameters and increased the total pulmonary resistance (SMD = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.20 to 1.33; P = 0.008), pulmonary arterial mean pressure (SMD = 2.02; 95% CI, 0.23 to 3.81; P = 0.027), and left atrial pressure (SMD = 1.20; 95% CI, 0.57 to 1.82; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Hypoxia significantly improved heart function after infarction, with particular beneficial effects on systolic function and hemodynamics. However, it had slightly adverse effects on pulmonary circulation and left ventricular geometry. A lower inspired oxygen concentration may improve cardiac function, although further research is needed to determine the optimum level of hypoxia. Finally, more studies of hypoxia and myocardial infarction in larger species are required before these findings can be incorporated into therapeutic guidelines.

Analysis of Key Issues on GNSS-R Soil Moisture Retrieval Based on Different Antenna Patterns.

GNSS-R (Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry) has been demonstrated to be a new and powerful tool to sense soil moisture in recent years. Multi-antenna pattern and single-antenna pattern have been proposed regarding how to receive and process reflected signals. Great efforts have been made concerning ground-based and air-borne observations. Meanwhile, a number of satellite-based missions have also been implemented. For the in-depth study of soil moisture remote sensing by the technique of GNSS-R, regardless of the extraction methods of the reflected signals or the types of the observation platform, three key issues have to be determined: The specular reflection point, the spatial resolution and the detection depth in the soil. However, in current literatures, there are no comprehensive explanations of the above three key issues. This paper conducts theoretical analysis and formula derivation, aiming to systematically and quantitatively determine the extent of soil moisture being detected in three dimensions from the above-mentioned aspects. To further explain how the three factors behave in the specific application, the results of two application scenarios are shown: (1) a ground-based GPS measurement in Marshall, Colorado, US from the Plate Boundary Observatory, corresponding to single-antenna pattern. The relative location of the specular reflection points, the average area of the First Fresnel Ellipse Clusters and the sensing depth of the time-series soil moisture are analyzed, and (2) an aviation experiment conducted in Zhengzhou to retrieve soil moisture content, corresponding to the multi-antenna pattern. The spatial distribution of soil moisture estimation with a certain resolution based on the flight tracks and the relevant sensing depth are manifested. For remote sensing using GNSS reflected signals, BeiDou is different from GPS mainly in the carrier frequency. Therefore, the results of this study can provide references for China's future development of the BeiDou-R technique.

Double-Windows-Based Motion Recognition in Multi-Floor Buildings Assisted by a Built-In Barometer.

Accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers in smartphones are often used to recognize human motions. Since it is difficult to distinguish between vertical motions and horizontal motions in the data provided by these built-in sensors, the vertical motion recognition accuracy is relatively low. The emergence of a built-in barometer in smartphones improves the accuracy of motion recognition in the vertical direction. However, there is a lack of quantitative analysis and modelling of the barometer signals, which is the basis of barometer's application to motion recognition, and a problem of imbalanced data also exists. This work focuses on using the barometers inside smartphones for vertical motion recognition in multi-floor buildings through modelling and feature extraction of pressure signals. A novel double-windows pressure feature extraction method, which adopts two sliding time windows of different length, is proposed to balance recognition accuracy and response time. Then, a random forest classifier correlation rule is further designed to weaken the impact of imbalanced data on recognition accuracy. The results demonstrate that the recognition accuracy can reach 95.05% when pressure features and the improved random forest classifier are adopted. Specifically, the recognition accuracy of the stair and elevator motions is significantly improved with enhanced response time. The proposed approach proves effective and accurate, providing a robust strategy for increasing accuracy of vertical motions.

Effect of fat particle-to-SVF ratio on graft survival rates in rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the graft survival rates of various ratios of fat particles to stromal vascular fraction (SVF) in rabbits. METHODS: Fifteen purebred white rabbits of the same brood were used. In the study, the grafts of equal weight (0.8 g) were mixtures of fat particles with various proportions of SVF (1/3, 1/4, 1/5, and 1/6) to form 4 treated groups (I, II, III, and IV), whereas merely fat particles formed 1 control group. They were randomly autoimplanted into subcutaneous pockets on both sides of the dorsal midlines of the rabbits. Animals were killed 3 months after surgery. The grafts were harvested and weighed. Comparisons were performed between the groups for survival rates. RESULTS: The treated group II (fat particle-to-SVF ratio was 3:1) revealed the greatest weight maintenance in all of the groups, showing the greatest survival rate [87.94% (1.30%), P < 0.01 or P < 0.05]. CONCLUSIONS: It was suggested that the optimal fat particle-to-SVF ratio might be 3:1, with a low resorption rate.

[Study on the relationship between renal apoptosis and expression of caspase protein in fluoride induced rat].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between death receptor pathway, mitochondrion pathway and fluoride-induced apoptosis of renal cell. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into four groups (control, low-fluoride, medium-fluoride,and high-fluoride) and administered 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L of sodium fluoride, respectively, via drinking water for 120 days. The incidence of dental fluorosis were observed, the body weights and urine fluoride levels were measured. Apoptosis was detected by the Flow Cytometry (FCM). The expressions of protein of Caspase-3, Caspase-8, Caspase-9, Cyt C were detectedby immunohistoehemistry. RESULTS: The apoptosis rate in the fluoride exposed low does group,middle dose group and high dose group increased significantly as compared with control group. The average optical density value of Caspase-3, Caspase-8, Caspase-9 and Cyt C were higher in the fluoride exposed middle dose group and high dose group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Death receptor pathway and mitochondrion pathway may participate in the process of fluoride-induced apoptosis of renal cell.

Intradermal Injection in Balding Region Versus Intramuscular Injection in Surrounding Muscles: A Split-Scalp, Randomized Trial on BoNT for Androgenetic Alopecia.

INTRODUCTION: Recent advancements in androgenetic alopecia (AGA) treatment have highlighted the efficacy of botulinum toxin (BoNT). However, inconsistencies in injection sites and depths warrant attention. It remains unclear which injection strategy is most beneficial for patients. METHODS: This split-scalp randomized controlled trial divided each enrolled participant's scalp along the midline: one side was randomized to receive intramuscular BoNT injections in the surrounding muscles, while the other side received intradermal BoNT injections directly into the balding areas. This study evaluated the impact of treatment on hair density and diameter through trichoscopic examinations conducted at baseline and 12 weeks post treatment. Additionally, assessments of pain and overall safety were integrated into the study protocol. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients completed the study, with significant improvements in hair density observed in the intramuscular injection group compared to the intradermal group (p < 0.001). Both groups exhibited increases in hair diameter, but no significant difference was found between the two methods (p = 0.433). Pain evaluation revealed that intradermal injections in balding areas were more painful than intramuscular injections (p = 0.036), with no severe adverse reactions reported except for a single case of alopecia areata following injection. CONCLUSION: Our research revealed that both BoNT injection strategies enhanced hair diameter 12 weeks post-treatment, with intramuscular injections significantly improving hair density more effectively. Despite the promising outcomes, the variability in patient responses underscores the necessity for personalized approaches and further research to refine injection protocols for optimized efficacy and safety. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2400080190.

Tobacco control knowledge and beliefs among healthcare workers in respiratory departments in Fujian Province, China: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking prevalence is high in China, and healthcare workers are important for tobacco control. This study aimed to determine the smoking status, cognition of tobacco hazards, and smoking cessation-related knowledge among respiratory healthcare workers, and to explore their ability to provide smoking cessation assistance. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 among 1028 respiratory healthcare workers from 89 hospitals in Fujian Province, China. A self-designed electronic questionnaire was used to collect data on smoking status, knowledge of smoking hazards, and smoking cessation knowledge. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all questions. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between awareness of the tobacco control goals of Healthy China 2030 and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Among the healthcare workers surveyed, 3.4% were smokers, all of whom were male. Most respondents (99.4%) were aware of smoking as a cause of lung cancer, but awareness of smoking as a cause of non-respiratory cancer was lower. The awareness rate of smoking cessation support was high (>90%), but only 40.0% of participants were aware of the Healthy China 2030 tobacco control targets. Male (HR=2.16; 95% CI: 1.69-2.80) and participation in the cessation clinic (HR=1.47; 95% CI: 1.10-1.96) were associated with higher awareness of the targets. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory healthcare workers in Fujian Province demonstrated a high level of awareness regarding behavioral and pharmacotherapy support for smoking cessation. In order to enable healthcare workers to play a more active role in tobacco control, there is a need to increase public awareness of smoking cessation services in Fujian Province.

Predictive Model of CK7 Expression in Patients With Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma by Combined Multimodal Ultrasound Diagnostic Techniques: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the work described here was to develop and validate a predictive model for cytokeratin 7 (CK7) expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients by combining multimodal ultrasound diagnostic techniques. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 157 surgically confirmed ccRCC patients. All patients underwent pre-operative multimodal ultrasound diagnostic examinations, including B-mode ultrasound (US), color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). The patients were randomly divided into a training group (103 cases) and a testing group (54 cases). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed in the training group to identify independent indicators associated with CK7 positivity. These indicators were included in the predictive model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves were used to evaluate the model's discriminative ability and accuracy. Decision curve analysis (DCA) and nomogram visualization were used to assess the clinical utility of the predictive model. RESULTS: Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that US and CDFI observations were not correlated with CK7 expression and could not predict it. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.953, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.909-0.999), wash-in pattern (OR = 0.180, 95% CI: 0.063-0.513) and enhancement homogeneity (OR = 11.610, 95% CI: 1.394-96.675) as independent factors related to CK7 positivity in ccRCC. Incorporating these variables into the predictive model resulted in areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.812 (95% CI: 0.711-0.913) for the training group and 0.792 (95% CI: 0.667-0.924) for the testing group. The calibration curve and DCA revealed that the model had good accuracy and clinical utility of the model. CONCLUSION: The combination of multimodal ultrasound diagnostic techniques in constructing a predictive model for CK7 expression in ccRCC patients has significant predictive value.

Near complete response to ceritinib in a pediatric patient with metastatic ALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors have significant efficacies in ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). In regard to pediatric NSCLC patients, however, there is a paradox in that on the one hand, they may have a higher probability of ALK-rearrangement positive, but on the other hand, there is no sufficient data for efficacies of ALK inhibitors in pediatric NSCLC patients. Here, we present an 11-year-old boy diagnosed with metastatic ALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma. He was treated with ceritinib 450 mg with food once daily and has obtained near complete response in 18th month, with a largely regressed intrathoracic lesion and only localized residual distant metastatic disease. Meanwhile, he showed continued good tolerance after a short period of side effects at the beginning of the dose. This is the first report of the use of ceritinib in pediatric patient with NSCLC.

Key protein identification by integrating protein complex information and multi-biological features.

Identifying key proteins based on protein-protein interaction networks has emerged as a prominent area of research in bioinformatics. However, current methods exhibit certain limitations, such as the omission of subcellular localization information and the disregard for the impact of topological structure noise on the reliability of key protein identification. Moreover, the influence of proteins outside a complex but interacting with proteins inside the complex on complex participation tends to be overlooked. Addressing these shortcomings, this paper presents a novel method for key protein identification that integrates protein complex information with multiple biological features. This approach offers a comprehensive evaluation of protein importance by considering subcellular localization centrality, topological centrality weighted by gene ontology (GO) similarity and complex participation centrality. Experimental results, including traditional statistical metrics, jackknife methodology metric and key protein overlap or difference, demonstrate that the proposed method not only achieves higher accuracy in identifying key proteins compared to nine classical methods but also exhibits robustness across diverse protein-protein interaction networks.