CD38 deficiency prevents diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting lipid accumulation and oxidative stress through activation of the SIRT3 pathway.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common complications of diabetes. Our previous study showed that CD38 knockout (CD38KO) mice had protective effects on many diseases. However, the roles and mechanisms of CD38 in DN remain unknown. Here, DN mice were generated by HFD feeding plus streptozotocin (STZ) injection in male CD38KO and CD38flox mice. Mesangial cells (SV40 MES 13 cells) were used to mimic the injury of DN with palmitic acid (PA) treatment in vitro. Our results showed that CD38 expression was significantly increased in kidney of diabetic CD38flox mice and SV40 MES 13 cells treated with PA. CD38KO mice were significantly resistant to diabetes-induced renal injury. Moreover, CD38 deficiency markedly decreased HFD/STZ-induced lipid accumulation, fibrosis and oxidative stress in kidney tissue. In contrast, overexpression of CD38 aggravated PA-induced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress. CD38 deficiency increased expression of SIRT3, while overexpression of CD38 decreased its expression. More importantly, 3-TYP, an inhibitor of SIRT3, significantly enhanced PA-induced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in CD38 overexpressing cell lines. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that CD38 deficiency prevented DN by inhibiting lipid accumulation and oxidative stress through activation of the SIRT3 pathway.

Tetracycline Three Times Daily Versus Four Times Daily in Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Therapy as the First-Line Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Multicenter, Noninferiority, Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for patients newly diagnosed with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of tetracycline administered three times daily versus four times daily in bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for first-line treatment of H. pylori infection. METHODS: This multicenter, noninferiority, randomized controlled study, conducted in China, recruited treatment-naïve adults with H. pylori infection, randomized 1:1 into two treatment groups to receive either of the following bismuth-containing quadruple therapies: esomeprazole 20 mg twice-daily; bismuth 220 mg twice-daily; amoxicillin 1000 mg twice-daily; and tetracycline 500 mg three times daily (TET-T) versus 500 mg four times daily (TET-F). At least 6 weeks post-treatment, a 13C-urea breath test was performed to evaluate H. pylori eradication. RESULTS: In total, 406 patients were randomly assigned to the two treatment groups. Intention-to-treat eradication rates were 91.63% (186/203; 95% confidence interval [CI] 87.82%-95.44%) versus 90.15% (183/203; 95% CI 86.05%-94.25%) (p = 0.0005) and per-protocol eradication rates were 95.34% (184/193; 95% CI 92.36%-98.31%) versus 95.72% (179/187; 95% CI 92.82%-98.62%) (p = 0.0002) for the TET-T and TET-F group, respectively. TET-T-treated patients had a lower incidence of adverse effects than TET-F-treated patients (21.61% vs. 31.63%, p = 0.024), with no significant differences in compliance to treatment between the groups. CONCLUSION: As a first-line therapy for H. pylori infection, the eradication rate of the TET-T therapy was noninferior to that of the TET-F therapy while significantly reducing the incidence of adverse reactions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05431075.

[Comparison of the efficacy of LARS ligament and autogenous hamstring tendon plus high-strength suture in posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of ligament advanced reinforcement system (LARS) and autogenous hamstring tendon plus high-strength suture in arthroscopic reconstruction of posterior cruciate ligament(PCL). METHODS: A total of 96 patients with simple PCL injury treated with arthroscopic posterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery admitted to our hospital between August 2019 and December 2021 were selected for complete follow-up. There were 78 males and 18 females, 40 cases of left leg and 56 cases of right leg, the aged from 20 to 56 years old with an average of (32.50±8.68 ) years old. The transplants were divided into two groups:LARS group (52 cases) and autogenous hamstring tendon plus high-strength suture group (44 cases). In the LARS group, there were 42 males and 10 females;with an average age of (31.84±8.62) years old;body mass index (BMI) was (24.73±2.29) kg﹒m-2;7 mm LARS was used to reconstruct PCL. In the autologous tendon group, there were 36 males and 8 females, with an average age of (33.06±8.99) years old, BMI was (23.52±2.16) kg·m-2, and the PCL was reconstructed with four strands of hamstring tendons and three pieces of Ethibond suture. All patients underwent functional rehabilitation guided exercise and were followed up regularly after surgery to objectively evaluate the stability of the knee joint by KT-1000 measurement of knee relaxation, and subjective evaluation of knee function by Lysholm score, Tegner score, and International Knee Documentation Council (IKDC) score. Data from preoperative, 3, 6, and 12 month follow-up were collected and analyzed by SPSS software to compare postoperative recovery and ligament relaxation between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Ninety-six patients were followed up for 12 months. KT-1000 measurement of knee joint in autogenous tendon group and LARS group before operation [(10.73±1.46) points vs (10.55±1.53) points], 6 months after operation[(3.02±0.75) points vs (2.35±0.60) points], 12 months after operation[(3.77±1.76) points vs (2.44±0.60) points]. There was significant difference between the two groups at 6 and 12 months after operation (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two groups at 3 months after operation (P>0.05). In the autogenous tendon group and LARS group, before operation and 12 months after operation, total Lysholm score [(40.6±16.8), (91.25±6.35) points vs (51.92±18.52), (92.35±5.30) points], Tegner score[(1.8±0.7), (5.8±0.6) points vs(1.7±0.8)、(5.7±0.7) points] and total IKDC score[(54.50±6.33), (83.90±3.93) points vs (54.40±4.24), (83.62±3.64) points], the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05), indicating that the knee function of the two groups was improved after surgery. At 3 and 6 months after operation in the autogenous tendon group and LARS group, the total Lysholm score[(65.86±11.54), (74.60±6.46) points vs (73.46±6.42), (86.73±4.62) points], Tegner score[(2.5±0.6), (3.5±0.5) points vs (4.3±0.7), (5.0±1.4) points], the total scores of IKDC [(55.78±2.68), (70.62±4.74) points vs (65.31±4.60), (79.71±2.93) points]. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The results showed that the function of the knee joint in the LARS group was better than that the autologous tendon group. However, at 12 months after the operation, there was no significant difference in the score of knee joint function between the two groups (P>0.05). The results showed that the stability of LARS group was better than that of autologous tendon group. CONCLUSION: Both the autogenous hamstring tendon plus high-strength suture and LARS reconstruction can significantly improve the knee function and stability, with satisfactory postoperative results. Howervr the LARS provides superior postoperative stability.

Exploring usage pattern variation of free-floating bike-sharing from a night travel perspective.

Free-floating bike sharing (FFBS) attracts increasing research focusing on usage patterns, determining factors, and integrated transportation. However, existing researchers tend to overlook the variation in usage characteristics over various time ranges, particularly the usage pattern at night. This paper is conducted to fill the gap through a series of analysis approaches on FFSB in Beijing. The characteristics of the usage pattern, including time-varying usage and traveling distance distributions, are initially illustrated. Subsequently, the spatial patterns of FFBS are visualized and thoroughly analyzed in different time ranges and origin-destination (O-D) flows. A statistical model evaluating the environmental effects of FFBS trips revealed the source of FFBS usage. In addition to focusing on the nighttime, the usage patterns varying day and night are compared through the analysis. The findings explain the usage pattern variation and the unique pattern at night, providing valuable insight for improving the management of the FFBS system.

Financial Toxicity in Cancer Supportive Care: An International Survey.

PURPOSE: The study aims to explore unmet social needs and sources of financial toxicities in patients as noted by health care professionals and researchers in cancer supportive care, shedding light on potential health disparities. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, we anonymously surveyed active members of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC). The survey, structured in three sections, included questions regarding the routine assessment of social needs during patient consultations, sociodemographic aspects, factors influencing financial toxicity (FT), perceived support for managing FT, and available/desirable resources. RESULTS: A total of 218 MASCC members were included, predominantly from high-income countries (HIC, 73.4%), with many age 41-60 years (56.5%) and female (56.9%). Drug/treatment cost and insurance coverage were the main sources for FT among the HIC, whereas participants from low-middle-income countries (LMIC) considered transportation cost, loss of employment because of cancer diagnosis, and unavailability of return-to-work services as the top three sources of FT. Respondents from LMIC (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.01 [95% CI, 1.15 to 7.93]) and physicians (aOR, 2.67 [95% CI, 1.15 to 6.21]) were more likely to routinely assess financial coverages. Socioeconomic status was consistently ranked as one of the top three sources of financial toxicities by participants from LMIC (34%), HIC excluding the United States (38%), those who do not self-identify as racial/ethnic minority (36%), and physicians (40%). CONCLUSION: This global survey of health care professionals and researchers in HIC and LMIC revealed varying approaches to assessing financial coverage and social needs. Socioeconomic status emerged as a consistent concern across countries, affecting financial toxicities. The study highlights the need for tailored approaches and improved resource visibility while emphasizing clinicians' pivotal role in addressing financial aspects of cancer care.

Feasibility of Weekly Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS) Within a Stepped Care Model.

CONTEXT: Patients with advanced cancer may experience symptoms and concerns that are inadequately identified by the healthcare team, leading to calls for patient-reported symptom monitoring. OBJECTIVES: Assess the feasibility of administering weekly patient-reported online Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS) questionnaires within the context of a stepped care model in the outpatient care setting. METHODS: Analysis of intervention group data in a randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a stepped care model of palliative care for patients with advanced cancer. Patients in the intervention group were invited to complete the IPOS weekly for 16 weeks through a remotely-administered online questionnaire. At the end of the 16-week period, patients were invited to complete a feedback survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with more versus less than 70% completion of weekly questionnaires. RESULTS: Among 111 patients who survived more than 16 weeks, the mean number of questionnaires completed was 9.2/16 (58%). A total of 53 out of the 111 patients (48%) completed more than 70% of the questionnaires. Higher education level was found to be associated with higher completion of the questionnaires. A total of 79 out of 111 (71%) patients responded to the feedback survey, of which 67 (85%) felt comfortable with completing the online questionnaire and 11 (14%) felt it was troublesome to complete it on a weekly basis. CONCLUSION: In our study, there was suboptimal completion of patient-reported IPOS questionnaire. Further research is needed to improve the uptake of patient-reported outcomes in real-world clinical settings.

Impact of a Multidisciplinary Supportive Care Model Using Distress Screening at an Asian Ambulatory Cancer Center: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: The Accessible Cancer Care to Enable Support for Cancer Survivors (ACCESS) program adopts a multidisciplinary supportive care model with routine distress screening to triage newly diagnosed cancer survivors for additional support on the basis of distress levels. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of ACCESS over 1 year. METHODS: We performed cluster random assignment at the oncologist level in a 1:1 ratio to receive ACCESS or usual care. Participants 21 years and older, newly diagnosed with breast or gynecologic cancer, and receiving care at National Cancer Centre Singapore were included. Outcomes assessed every 3 months for 1 year included quality of life (QoL) (primary), functioning, physical and psychological symptom burden, and activity levels. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Participants from 16 clusters (control = 90, intervention = 83) were analyzed. The ACCESS program did not significantly improve QoL (primary outcome). However, compared with usual care recipients, ACCESS recipients reported higher physical functioning (P = .017), role functioning (P = .001), and activity levels (P < .001) at 9 months and lower psychological distress (P = .025) at 12 months. ACCESS recipients screened with high distress had poorer QoL, lower role and social functioning, and higher physical symptom distress at 3 months but had comparable scores with ACCESS recipients without high distress after 12 months. CONCLUSION: Compared with usual care, participation in the ACCESS program did not yield QoL improvement but showed earlier functioning recovery related to activities of daily living and reduced psychological distress. Routine distress screening is a promising mechanism to identify survivors with poorer health for more intensive supportive care.

Pituitary metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Pituitary gland metastasis is an unusual event, and pituitary metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma is extremely rare and associated with poor prognosis. To date, approximately 15 cases have been reported. CASE SUMMARY: Here, we present the case of a 64-year-old woman with pituitary metastasis derived from lung adenocarcinoma, which was difficult to distinguish from other sellar tumors. The patient presented to the neurosurgery clinic with blurred vision and intermittent headache. During hospitalization, brain computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a pituitary macroadenoma. Chest CT revealed irregular nodules in the basal segment of the lower lobe of the left lung, which were likely lung cancer. Positron emission tomography-CT revealed a carbohydrate metabolism tumor in the lungs and sellar region, which was considered malignant. Postoperative pathological examination of the sellar tumor revealed lung adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION: Excision of pituitary metastases combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy should be a priority treatment for patients with pituitary metastasis.

CD38 Deficiency Protects Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells Through Activating the NAD+/Sirt1 Pathway in Ischemia-Reperfusion and Optic Nerve Crush Models.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of CD38 deletion on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a mouse retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model and an optic nerve crush (ONC) model, and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Retinal I/R and ONC models were constructed in mice. PCR was used to identify the deletion of CD38 gene in mice, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to evaluate the changes in retinal morphology, and electroretinogram (ERG) was used to evaluate the changes in retinal function. The survival of RGCs and activation of retinal macroglia were evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. The expression of Sirt1, CD38, Ac-p65, Ac-p53, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and Caspase3 proteins in the retina was further evaluated by protein imprinting. Results: In retinal I/R and ONC models, CD38 deficiency reduced the loss of RGCs and activation of macroglia and protected the retinal function. CD38 deficiency increased the concentration of NAD+, reduced the degree of acetylation of NF-κB p65 and p53, and reduced expression of the downstream inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1ß, and apoptotic protein Caspase3 in the retina in the ONC model. Intraperitoneal injection of the Sirt1 inhibitor EX-527 partially counteracted the effects of CD38 deficiency, suggesting that CD38 deficiency acts at least in part through the NAD+/Sirt1 pathway. Conclusions: CD38 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of retinal I/R and ONC injury. CD38 deletion protects RGCs by attenuating inflammatory responses and apoptosis through the NAD+/Sirt1 pathway.

Neoscytalidium dimidiatum causing stem canker on Hylocereus megalanthus in China.

Hylocereus megalanthus (syn. Selenecereus megalanthus), commonly known as Yanwo fruit (bird's nest fruit), is an important tropical fruit, which is popular and widely planted due to its high nutritional and economic value in southern China. In September 2022, a serious stem and fruit canker was observed on Ecuadorian variety of Yanwo fruit plant in a 0.2 ha orchard in Guangdong (N21°19'1.24" E110°7'28.49"). Almost all plants were infected and disease incidence of fruits and stems was about 80% and 90% respectively. Symptoms on the stem and fruits were small, circular or irregular, sunken, orangish brown spots that developed into cankers (Fig 1 A, B and C). Black pycnidia were embedded under the surface of the cankers at the initial stage, subsequently they became erumpent from the surface, and the infected parts rotted. Five symptomatic stems from five plants were collected, 0.2 cm2 tissues adjacent to cankers were surface sterilized and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) to incubate at 25 to 28 ℃. Fungal isolates each with similar morphology grew from 100% of the tissues. Colonies covered with aerial mycelium were grayish white, and then gradually turned to grayish black. Septate hyphae were hyaline to brown and constricted into arthroconidial chains. The arthroconidia were variously shaped and colored, orbicular to rectangular, hyaline to dark brown, thick-walled, and zero- to one- septate, averaging 7.7 × 3.6 µm (n>50) (Fig 1 D, E, F and G). To identify the fungus, the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), beta-tubulin (tub2), histone H3 (his3) and chitin synthase (chs) gene of isolate ACCC 35488 and ACCC 35489 (Agricultural Culture Collection of China) were amplified and sequenced with primer pairs: ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), EF1-728F/EF2-rd (Carbone & Kohn 1999; O'Donnell et al.1998), TUB2Fd/ TUB4Rd（Aveskamp et al 2009）, CYLH3F/H3-1b (Crous et al. 2004) and CHS-79F/CHS-345R (Carbone & Kohn 1999) (ITS: OQ381102 and PP488350; tef1: OQ408545 and PP510454; tub2: OQ408546 and PP510455; his3: OQ408544 and PP510453; chs: OQ408543 and PP510452). Sequence Blastn results showed above 99% identical with those of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum ex-type strain CPC38666. Phylogenetic tree inferred from Maximum Likelihood analysis of the combined ITS, tub2 and tef1 sequences revealed two isolates clustered with N. dimidiatum (Fig 2). Pathogenicity was tested on healthy one-year-old cuttings and fruits of Ecuadorian variety at room temperature. Six sites were pin-pricked on each stem and fruit. Both wounded stems and fruits were inoculated with spore suspensions (106 spore/ml) and 6-mm fungal plugs respectively. Sterile water and agar were used as control. The test was repeated twice. Stems and fruits were enclosed in plastic boxes with 80% relative humidity. Symptoms described above were observed on inoculated stems and fruits at five days post inoculation (Fig 1 H and I). No symptoms developed on the controls. Neoscytaliudium dimidiatum was reisolated from the cankers with a frequency of 100% via morphological and molecular analysis. This is first report of stem and fruit canker caused by N. dimidiatum on H. megalanthus in China and this disease represents a serious risk of Yanwo fruit yield losses. This fungus is widespread occurring throughout the world causing diseases on a wide variety of plants. The finding will be helpful for its prevention and control.

Three species of rape responded to cadmium and melatonin alleviating Cd-toxicity in species-specific strategy.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution has been a significant concern in heavy metal pollution, prompting plants to adopt various strategies to mitigate its damage. While the response of plants to Cd stress and the impact of exogenous melatonin has received considerable attention, there has been limited focus on the responses of closely related species to these factors. Consequently, our investigation aimed to explore the response of three different species of rape to Cd stress and examine the influence of exogenous melatonin in this scenario. The research findings revealed distinctive responses among the investigated rape species. B. campestris showed the resistance to Cd and exhibited lower Cd absorption and sustained its physiological activity under Cd stress. In contrast, B. juncea accumulated much Cd and increased the amount of anthocyanin to mitigate the Cd-damage. Furthermore, B. napus showed the tolerance to Cd and tended to accumulate Cd in vacuoles under Cd stress, thereby decreasing the Cd damage and leading to higher activity of antioxidant enzymes and photosynthesis. Moreover, the application of exogenous melatonin significantly elevated the melatonin level in plants and mitigated Cd toxicity by promoting the activity of antioxidant enzymes, reducing Cd absorption, enhancing the chelating capacity with Cd, decreasing Cd accumulation in organelles, and reducing its fluidity. Specifically, exogenous melatonin increased the FHAc content in B. campestris, elevated the phytochelatins (PCs) level in B. napus, and stimulated photosynthesis in B. juncea. In summary, the findings underscore the species-specific responses of the three species of rape to both Cd stress and exogenous melatonin, highlighting the potential for tailored mitigation strategies based on the unique characteristics of each species.

Occurrence of Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Leaf Spot Disease Caused by Diaporthe ueckeri in China.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a perennial crop of the family Euphorbiaceae, widely cultivated due to its phytopharmacological and economic values in China. In November 2022, a leaf spot disease on cassava was observed in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China (21.17° N, 110.18° E), with 100% disease incidence. About 80 % of leaves were covered with spots on the infected plants. Typical symptoms initially appeared as irregular water-soaked lesions that became brown and whitish with the progress of the disease, lesions gradually expanded and coalesced, causing leaf withering, drying and final fall. Tissues (4 to 5 mm) were excised from the margin of lesions, sterilized in 3% H2O2 solution for 3 min, rinsed three times with sterile water, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium (containing 50mg/L penicillin), and incubated at 25-28 °C. Ten single hypha isolates with similar morphology were obtained and further purified as single conidium subcultures. The colony was grey whitish with sparse aerial mycelium and colony diameter reached 70.4 mm after four days incubation at 25-28℃ in the dark. Black pycnidia occurring as clusters were spherical or irregular, erumpent at maturity, often with a creamy whitish, conidial cirrus extruding from ostiole after 30-days incubation. Conidiophores were hyaline, smooth, unbranched. Alpha conidia were bi-guttulate, hyaline, ellipsoidal, aseptate, with dimensions of 5.1~7.5×1.9~3.4µm (mean 6.2×2.8 µm, n>50). Beta conidia were abundant, filiform, hyaline, smooth, curved in a hooked shape, with a truncate base and dimensions of 18.5-26.4 × 0.6-1.2µm (mean 23.4 × 1.0 µm, n= 40) . Gamma conidia were not observed. The morphological characteristics were similar to those of Diaporthe ueckeri (Udayanga et al. 2015). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, large subunit (LSU) rRNA sequence, actin (ACT), calmodulin (CAL), histone H3 (HIS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α), and ß-tubulin (TUB) genes of a representative isolate CCAS-MS-6 (ACCC 35497) were amplified and sequenced using primer pairs: ITS5/ITS4, LR0R/LR5, ACT-512F/ACT-783R, CAL228F/CAL737R, CYLH3F/ H3-1b, EF1-728F/ EF1-986R and Bt2a/Bt2b (Gao et al 2017；Udayanga et al 2014). All sequences were deposited in GenBank (OR361671, OR361672, and OR365605-9). BLAST search showed high similarities with sequences of Diaporthe ueckeri (Tab 1). Maximum likelihood analyses of the concatenated data of CAL, HIS, ITS, TEF and TUB using Mega 11 placed CCAS-MS-6 in the D. ueckeri clade. Thus, the fungus was identified as D. ueckeri. Three one-year old healthy plants were used for pathogenicity tests in pots. Two 15-day old leaves of each plant were cleaned with 75% alcohol, three sites on each leaf were wounded, and sites on one of the leaf were covered with fungal plugs from 15-day-old cultures on PDA, and sites on the other leaf with PDA plugs as a control. All plants were kept at ambient temperature (about 28℃) and covered with plastic bags containing sterile wet cotton to maintain the humidity. Seven days after inoculation, all inoculated sites showed symptoms of necrosis, while control sites showed no symptoms. The same fungus identified on the basis of morphological and molecular criteria was reisolated from symptomatic inoculated leaves. In China, D. ueckeri had been reported to cause diseases on Eucalyptus citriodora, Camellia sinensis, and Michelia shiluensis (Gao et al 2016; Liao et al 2023; Yi et al 2018), this is the first report on M. esculenta. The definition of the disease etiology is a prerequisite to develop effective management strategies.

A systematic literature review of the epidemiology and burden of herpes zoster in selected locales in Asia Pacific.

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a painful rash which typically affects older adults. This is of concern in Asia-Pacific given its aging population. As HZ epidemiology and burden are evolving, this systematic literature review aimed to update the current understanding of HZ burden and associated costs for selected Asia-Pacific locales. MEDLINE and Embase were searched for English articles of HZ studies conducted in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan. Eligible outcomes included HZ incidence and prevalence, occurrence of HZ-related complications, healthcare resource utilization, costs, and HZ-associated quality of life outcomes. This paper focused on HZ data in the general adult population (N = 90 articles). Substantial HZ-related disease and economic burden were observed in these locales, consistent with global trends. These findings reinforce the increasing burden of HZ and need for preventive strategies, which may include raising awareness and encouraging timely vaccination.

Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is a painful rash that usually resolves after a few weeks, although some people experience serious or long-lasting complications. Shingles is common, affecting around one in every three individuals in their lifetime, and older persons are more likely to have shingles. Given the aging population in the Asia-Pacific region, shingles represents an increasingly important health issue as the proportion of older people increases. Vaccination can help prevent shingles and avoid its complications. New data on the trends and burden of shingles in this region are regularly generated. Therefore, in this study, we looked at studies from selected countries published over the past twenty years to summarize the latest available information on: how many people experience shingles in selected Asia-Pacific areas, how these individuals and societies are affected, and the related costs. Consistent with previous research, this study observed an increasing trend in the number of persons with shingles and costs of managing it, especially in older adults. In populations that are aging, there is a need for ways to reduce the risk of shingles and to lessen its burden on the healthcare system and society. Our findings can help to inform current development of strategies to reduce the risk of shingles, including education (on the burden and risk of shingles) and encouraging uptake of preventive measures.

The characterization and comorbidities of heterozygous Bardet-Biedl syndrome carriers.

Introduction: Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder with clinical features of retinal dystrophy, obesity, postaxial polydactyly, renal anomalies, learning disabilities, hypogonadism, and genitourinary abnormalities. Nevertheless, previous studies on the phenotypic traits of BBS heterozygous carriers have generated inconclusive results. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of BBS heterozygosity on carriers when compared to non-carriers within the Taiwanese population. Materials and Methods: This study follows a hospital-based case-control design. We employed the Taiwan Biobank version 2 (TWBv2) array to identify three specific loci associated with BBS (rs773862084, rs567573386, and rs199910690). In total, 716 patients were included in the case group, and they were compared to a control group of 2,864 patients who lacked BBS alleles. The control group was selected through gender and age matching at a ratio of 1:4. The association between BBS-related loci and comorbidity was assessed using logistic regression models. Results: We found that BBS heterozygous carriers exhibited a significant association with elevated BMI levels, especially the variant rs199910690 in MKS1 (p=0.0037). The prevalence of comorbidities in the carriers' group was not higher than that in the non-carriers' group. Besides, the average values of the biochemistry data showed no significant differences, except for creatinine level. Furthermore, we conducted a BMI-based analysis to identify specific risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our findings revealed that individuals carrying the CA/AA genotype of the BBS2 rs773862084 variant or the CT/TT genotype of the MKS1 rs199910690 variant showed a reduced risk of developing CKD, irrespective of their BMI levels. When stratified by BMI level, obese males with the MKS1 rs199910690 variant and obese females with the BBS2 rs773862084 variant exhibited a negative association with CKD development. Conclusion: We found that aside from the association with overweight and obesity, heterozygous BBS mutations did not appear to increase the predisposition of individuals to comorbidities and metabolic diseases. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the genetic susceptibility associated with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS), further research is warranted.

Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: current status and prospectives.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health concern worldwide, with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. In recent years, immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have made great progress in the systemic treatment of HCC. The combination treatments based on ICIs have been the major trend in this area. Recently, dual immune checkpoint blockade with durvalumab plus tremelimumab has also emerged as an effective treatment for advanced HCC. However, the majority of HCC patients obtain limited benefits. Understanding the immunological rationale and exploring novel ways to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy has drawn much attention. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in this area, the ongoing clinical trials of immune-based combination therapies, as well as novel immunotherapy strategies such as chimeric antigen receptor T cells, personalized neoantigen vaccines, oncolytic viruses, and bispecific antibodies.

The current clinical landscape of neonatal respiratory failure in Jiangsu Province of China: patient demographics, NICU treatment interventions, and patient outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal respiratory failure (NRF) is a serious condition that often has high mortality and morbidity, effective interventions can be delivered in the future by identifying the risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality. However, recent advances in respiratory support have improved neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) care in China. We aimed to provide an updated review of the clinical profile and outcomes of NRF in the Jiangsu province. METHODS: Infants treated for NRF in the NICUs of 28 hospitals between March 2019 and March 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included baseline perinatal and neonatal parameters, NICU admission- and treatment-related data, and patient outcomes in terms of mortality, major morbidity, and survival without major morbidities. RESULTS: A total of 5548 infants with NRF were included in the study. The most common primary respiratory disorder was respiratory distress syndrome (78.5%). NRF was managed with non-invasive and invasive respiratory support in 59.8% and 14.5% of patients, respectively. The application rate of surfactant therapy was 38.5%, while that of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy was 0.2%. Mortality and major morbidity rates of 8.5% and 23.2% were observed, respectively. Congenital anomalies, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, invasive respiratory support only and inhaled nitric oxide therapy were found to be significantly associated with the risk of death. Among surviving infants born at < 32 weeks of gestation or with a birth weight < 1500 g, caffeine therapy and repeat mechanical ventilation were demonstrated to significantly associate with increased major morbidity risk. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the current clinical landscape of infants with NRF treated in the NICU, and, by proxy, highlights the ongoing advancements in the field of perinatal and neonatal intensive care in China.

Smooth-Muscle-Cell-Specific Deletion of CD38 Protects Mice from AngII-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm through Inhibiting Vascular Remodeling.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a serious vascular disease which is associated with vascular remodeling. CD38 is a main NAD+-consuming enzyme in mammals, and our previous results showed that CD38 plays the important roles in many cardiovascular diseases. However, the role of CD38 in AAA has not been explored. Here, we report that smooth-muscle-cell-specific deletion of CD38 (CD38SKO) significantly reduced the morbidity of AngII-induced AAA in CD38SKOApoe-/- mice, which was accompanied with a increases in the aortic diameter, medial thickness, collagen deposition, and elastin degradation of aortas. In addition, CD38SKO significantly suppressed the AngII-induced decreases in α-SMA, SM22α, and MYH11 expression; the increase in Vimentin expression in VSMCs; and the increase in VCAM-1 expression in smooth muscle cells and macrophage infiltration. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the role of CD38SKO in attenuating AAA was associated with the activation of sirtuin signaling pathways. Therefore, we concluded that CD38 plays a pivotal role in AngII-induced AAA through promoting vascular remodeling, suggesting that CD38 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of AAA.

Quantum ghost imaging of a vector field.

Quantum ghost image technique utilizing position or momentum correlations between entangled photons can realize nonlocal reconstruction of the image of an object. In this work, based on polarization entanglement, we experimentally demonstrate quantum ghost imaging of vector images by using a geometric phase object. We also provide a corresponding theoretical analysis. Additionally, we offer a geometrical optics path explanation of ghost imaging for vector fields. The proposed strategy offers new insights into the fundamental development of ghost imaging and also holds great promise for developing complex structured ghost imaging techniques. Our work expanding the principle of ghost imaging to spatially varying vector beams will lead to interesting developments of this field.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer: a global membership survey.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are essential for healthcare organizations since they allow for the development of programs and initiatives that bring together diverse perspectives and knowledge. Global multidisciplinary organizations, such as the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC), need to understand the perspective of their members regarding EDI to identify opportunities to enhance diversity and inclusiveness and to better meet the needs of members from different backgrounds and resources. The MASCC Health Disparities Committee designed a survey to identify issues related to disparities faced by MASCC members when providing supportive care to patients with cancer and to examine the EDI landscape within the organization. Here, we report results related to EDI initiatives within the organization. Two-hundred and eighteen MASCC members responded to the survey (response rate 10.2%). The results indicated that respondents were generally satisfied with how MASCC manages leadership, membership, and organization-related EDI issues. Opportunities for improvement noted by respondents included developing strategies to foster a more diverse membership, improving communication regarding diversity in the organization, and increasing EDI content in educational sessions and publications. The results of this survey represent the first attempt at understanding how to improve EDI within MASCC and will be utilized to guide further initiatives and programs.

New Insights into the Umami and Sweet Taste of Oolong Tea: Formation of Enhancer N-(1-carboxyethyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl) pyridinium-3-ol (Alapyridaine) in Roasting Via Maillard Reaction.

Roasting is pivotal for enhancing the flavor of Wuyi rock tea (WRT). A study investigated a novel compound that enhances the umami taste of WRT. Metabolomics of Shuixian tea (SXT) and Rougui tea (RGT) under light roasting (LR), medium roasting (MR), and heavy roasting (HR) revealed significant differences in nonvolatiles compounds. Compared LR reducing sugars and amino acids notably decreased in MR and HR, with l-alanine declining by 69%. Taste-guided fractionation identified fraction II-B as having high umami and sweet intensities. A surprising taste enhancer, N-(1-carboxyethyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl) pyridinium-3-ol (alapyridaine), was discovered and identified. It formed via the Maillard reaction, positively correlated with roasting in SXT and RGT. Alapyridaine levels were highest in SXT among the five oolong teas. Roasting tea with glucose increased alapyridaine levels, while EGCG inhibited its formation. HR-WRT exhibited enhanced umami and sweet taste, highlighting alapyridaine's impact on WRT's flavor profile. The formation of alapyridaine during the roasting process provides new insights into the umami and sweet perception of oolong tea.