Enhanced recovery after surgery-based nursing in older patients with postoperative intestinal obstruction after gastric cancer surgery: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer-related morbidity and mortality rates are high in China. Patients who have undergone gastric cancer surgery should receive six cycles of chemotherapy according to their condition. During this period, intestinal obstruction is likely to occur. Electrolyte balance disorders, peritonitis, intestinal necrosis, and even hypovolemic shock and septic shock can seriously affect the physical and mental recovery of patients and threaten their health and quality of life (QoL). AIM: To quantitatively explore the effects of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)-based nursing on anxiety, depression, and QoL of elderly patients with postoperative intestinal obstruction after gastric cancer. METHODS: The clinical data of 129 older patients with intestinal obstruction after gastric cancer surgery who were treated and cared for in our hospital between January 2019 and December 2021 were examined retrospectively. Nine patients dropped out because of transfer, relocation, or death. According to the order of admissions, the patients were categorized into either a comparison group or an observation group according to the random number table, with 60 cases in each group. RESULTS: After nursing care, the observation group required significantly less time to eat for the first time, recover bowel sounds, pass gas, and defecate than the comparison group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was noted in nutrition-related indicators between the two groups before care. Before care, the Symptom Check List-90 scores between the two groups were comparable, whereas anxiety, depression, paranoia, fear, hostility, obsession, somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, and psychotic scores were significantly lower in the observation group after care (P < 0.05). The QoL scores between the two groups before care did not differ significantly. After care, the physical, social, physiological, and emotional function scores; mental health score; vitality score; and general health score were significantly higher in the observation group, whereas the somatic pain score was significantly lower in the observation group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: ERAS-based nursing combined with conventional nursing interventions can effectively improve patient's QoL, negative emotions, and nutritional status; accelerate the time to first ventilation; and promote intestinal function recovery in elderly patients with postoperative intestinal obstruction after gastric cancer surgery.

From serum metabolites to the gut: revealing metabolic clues to susceptibility to subtypes of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Background and aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a common chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by diarrhea and abdominal pain. Recently human metabolites have been found to help explain the underlying biological mechanisms of diseases of the intestinal system, so we aimed to assess the causal relationship between human blood metabolites and susceptibility to IBD subtypes. Methods: We selected a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 275 metabolites as the exposure factor, and the GWAS dataset of 10 IBD subtypes as the outcome, followed by univariate and multivariate analyses using a two-sample Mendelian randomization study (MR) to study the causal relationship between exposure and outcome, respectively. A series of sensitivity analyses were also performed to ensure the robustness of the results. Results: A total of 107 metabolites were found to be causally associated on univariate analysis after correcting for false discovery rate (FDR), and a total of 9 metabolites were found to be significantly causally associated on subsequent multivariate and sensitivity analyses. In addition we found causal associations between 7 metabolite pathways and 6 IBD subtypes. Conclusion: Our study confirms that blood metabolites and certain metabolic pathways are causally associated with the development of IBD subtypes and their parenteral manifestations. The exploration of the mechanisms of novel blood metabolites on IBD may provide new therapeutic ideas for IBD patients.

Exploring the effect of NK-cell related molecules on the prognosis and tumor microenvironment of gastric cancer patients: Evidence from large sample populations.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells play a significant role in anti-tumor immunity, and their involvement has been documented in various cancers. However, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which NK cells influence gastric cancer progression remains necessary. Methods: We utilized the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to acquire transcriptional profiles, clinical information, and mutation data for gastric cancer patients. R software and associated packages were employed for all analyses of this publicly available data. Results: We used multiple algorithms to evaluate the tumor microenvironment in gastric cancer samples. We performed differential expression analysis to pinpoint genes related to NK cells. Utilizing this data, we developed a prognostic model featuring three crucial NK cell-related genes: MAB21L2, ARPP21, and MUCL1. This model showed strong predictive performance in the training and validation groups. Consistently, patients identified as high-risk according to our model had worse overall survival rates. To further elucidate the biological differences between high-risk and low-risk patients, we performed enrichment analyses focusing on biological pathways and immune-related factors. Additionally, we observed a correlation between higher risk scores and non-responsiveness to treatment. Interestingly, high-risk patients were found to be potentially more sensitive to axitinib. We selected MUCL1 for further investigation due to its potential role in the model. While MUCL1 mRNA levels were elevated in both gastric cancer and paired normal tissues, protein expression analysis using the Human Protein Atlas database revealed a decrease in MUCL1 protein levels within tumor tissues. Conclusions: Our findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the role of NK cells in gastric cancer and highlight MUCL1 as a promising therapeutic target.

Metformin modifies plasma microbial-derived extracellular vesicles in polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated changes in plasma microbial-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance (PCOS-IR) before and after metformin treatment, and aimed to identify bacterial taxa within EVs that were biologically and statistically significant for diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: The case-control study was conducted at Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, Hua Qiao University. Plasma samples were collected from five PCOS-IR patients of childbearing age before and after 3 months of metformin treatment, and the samples were sequenced. The diversity and taxonomic composition of different microbial communities were analyzed through full-length 16 S glycosomal RNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: After metformin treatment, fasting plasma glucose levels and IR degree of PCOS-IR patients were significantly improved. The 16 S analysis of plasma EVs from metformin-treated patients showed higher microbial diversity. There were significant differences in EVs derived from some environmental bacteria before and after metformin treatment. Notably, Streptococcus salivarius was more abundant in the metformin-treated group, suggesting it may be a potential probiotic. DISCUSSION: The study demonstrated changes in the microbial composition of plasma EVs before and after metformin treatment. The findings may offer new insights into the pathogenesis of PCOS-IR and provide new avenues for research.

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OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) using dust mites in children with allergic asthma. METHODS: In a prospective randomized controlled study, 98 children with dust mite-induced allergic asthma were randomly divided into a control group (n=49) and an SCIT group (n=49). The control group received inhaled corticosteroid treatment, while the SCIT group additionally received a standardized three-year SCIT regimen. The two groups were compared based on peripheral blood eosinophil percentage, visual analogue score (VAS), total medication score, Asthma Control Test/Childhood Asthma Control Test scores, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and lung function before treatment, and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after treatment. Adverse reactions were recorded post-injection to evaluate the safety of SCIT. RESULTS: Compared with pre-treatment levels, the SCIT group showed a significant reduction in the percentage of peripheral blood eosinophils, VAS, total medication score, and FeNO, while lung function significantly improved, and asthma control levels were better 3 years after treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the SCIT group showed more significant improvement in all evaluated indicators 3 years after treatment (P<0.05). A total of 2 744 injections were administered, resulting in 157 cases (5.72%) of local adverse reactions and 4 cases (0.15%) of systemic adverse reactions, with no severe systemic adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: SCIT is an effective and safe treatment for allergic asthma in children.

Abnormal trial-to-trial variability in P300 time-varying directed eeg network of schizophrenia.

Cognitive disturbance in identifying, processing, and responding to salient or novel stimuli are typical attributes of schizophrenia (SCH), and P300 has been proven to serve as a reliable psychosis endophenotype. The instability of neural processing across trials, i.e., trial-to-trial variability (TTV), is getting increasing attention in uncovering how the SCH "noisy" brain organizes during cognition processes. Nevertheless, the TTV in the brain network remains unrevealed, notably how it varies in different task stages. In this study, resorting to the time-varying directed electroencephalogram (EEG) network, we investigated the time-resolved TTV of the functional organizations subserving the evoking of P300. Results revealed anomalous TTV in time-varying networks across the delta, theta, alpha, beta1, and beta2 bands of SCH. The TTV of cross-band time-varying network properties can efficiently recognize SCH (accuracy: 83.39%, sensitivity: 89.22%, and specificity: 74.55%) and evaluate the psychiatric symptoms (i.e., Hamilton's depression scale-24, r = 0.430, p = 0.022, RMSE = 4.891; Hamilton's anxiety scale-14, r = 0.377, p = 0.048, RMSE = 4.575). Our study brings new insights into probing the time-resolved functional organization of the brain, and TTV in time-varying networks may provide a powerful tool for mining the substrates accounting for SCH and diagnostic evaluation of SCH.

Antioxidant insights: investigating the protective role of oxidative balance in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Limited studies have investigated the relationship between systemic oxidative stress and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between oxidative balance score (OBS) and IBD. Methods: We included 175,808 participants from the UK Biobank database from 2006 to 2010. OBS scores were calculated based on 22 lifestyle and dietary factors. Multiple variable Cox proportional regression models, as well as gender stratification and subgroup analysis, were utilized to investigate the relationship between OBS and IBD. Results: There is a significant negative correlation between OBS and the occurrence of IBD, ulcerative colitis (UC), and Crohn's disease (CD). Additionally, OBS is significantly negatively correlated with intestinal obstruction in CD patients. Gender stratified analysis suggest a significant correlation between OBS and CD in female patients, particularly pronounced in those under 60 years old. Sensitivity analysis indicates a significant negative correlation between lifestyle-related OBS and diet-related OBS with the occurrence of CD in females, diet-related OBS is negatively correlated with CD in males. Conclusion: OBS showed a significant negative correlation with IBD, especially in female CD patients. This study underscores the importance of antioxidant diet and lifestyle, which may provide a greater advantage for female CD patients.

Impact of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease on the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A total of 155 patients with CHB-related HCC who received ICI-based therapy (in the Department of Hepatology, Tianjin Second People's Hospital and Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital) between April 2021 and December 2023 were evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups: MASLD concurrent with CHB [MASLD-CHB] (n = 38), and CHB (n = 117). RESULTS: The median progression-free survival (PFS, 6.9 months vs. 9.3 months; P = 0.001), progressive disease (57.89% vs. 37.61%; P = 0.028), and disease control rate (42.11% vs. 62.39%; P = 0. 028) in the MASLD-CHB group were significantly worse than the CHB group. The median overall survival was not attained. The percentage of CD4+PD1+ (17. 56% vs. 8.89%; P < 0.001) and CD8+PD1+ T cells (10.50% vs. 7.42%; P = 0.005) in patient samples from the MASLD-CHB group were significantly higher than the CHB group. Concurrent MASLD [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.921; 95% CI, 1.138-3.245; P = 0.015] and alpha-fetoprotein levels after 3 months of treatment (HR = 2.412; 95% CI, 1.360-4.279; P = 0.003) were independent risk factors for PFS in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: ICI-based therapy in patients with CHB-related HCC and concurrent MASLD resulted in poorer efficacy and shorter PFS compared to patients with CHB-related HCC alone.

Oxidative balance score: a potential tool for reducing the risk of colorectal cancer and its subsites incidences.

Background: The Oxidative Balance Score (OBS) is commonly used to assess oxidative stress and provides a comprehensive evaluation of dietary and lifestyle-related exposures. However, there is limited research on the association between OBS and colorectal cancer (CRC), its subsites, and complications. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between OBS and the risk of CRC, its subsites, and common complications in a large prospective cohort study. Methods: We included data from 175,808 participants in the UK Biobank data sample repository from 2006 to 2010. We evaluated OBS using a scoring system based on 22 dietary and lifestyle factors. Multiple adjustments, including multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression, gender stratification, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis, were performed to fully explore the relationship between OBS and CRC, its subsites, and complications. The mediation analysis was conducted to investigate whether serum albumin, uric acid, and neutrophil levels mediate the relationship between OBS and CRC. Results: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, a significant negative correlation was found between OBS and the risk of CRC and its subsites (proximal colon cancer, distal colon cancer, and rectal cancer). This correlation was particularly pronounced in male CRC patients. Serum albumin, uric acid, and neutrophil count, which are biomarkers, were found to have a significant mediating effect between OBS and CRC. Conclusion: Our study suggests that higher exposure to antioxidants assessed through OBS (diet and lifestyle rich in antioxidants) may decrease the occurrence of CRC and its subsites.

Characterization and Mapping of a Rolling Leaf Mutant Allele rlT73 on Chromosome 1BL of Wheat.

Leaf rolling is regarded as an important morphological trait in wheat breeding. Moderate leaf rolling is helpful to keep leaves upright and improve the photosynthesis of plants, leading to increased yield. However, studies on the identification of genomic regions/genes associated with rolling leaf have been reported less frequently in wheat. In this study, a rolling leaf mutant, T73, which has paired spikelets, dwarfism, and delayed heading traits, was obtained from a common wheat landrace through ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis. The rlT73 mutation caused an increase in the number of epidermal cells on the abaxial side and the shrinkage of bulliform cells on the adaxial side, leading to an adaxially rolling leaf phenotype. Genetic analysis showed that the rolling leaf phenotype was controlled by a single recessive gene. Further Wheat55K single nucleotide polymorphism array-based bulked segregant analysis and molecular marker mapping delimited rlT73 to a physical interval of 300.29-318.33 Mb on the chromosome arm 1BL in the Chinese Spring genome. We show that a point mutation at the miRNA165/166 binding site of the HD zipper class III transcription factor on 1BL altered its transcriptional level, which may be responsible for the rolling leaf phenotype. Our results suggest the important role of rlT73 in regulating wheat leaf development and the potential of miRNA-based gene regulation for crop trait improvement.

Advances in molecular mechanisms of inflammatory bowel disease­associated colorectal cancer (Review).

The link between inflammation and cancer is well documented and colonic inflammation caused by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is thought to be a high-risk factor for the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The complex crosstalk between epithelial and inflammatory cells is thought to underlie the progression from inflammation to cancer. The present review collates and summarises recent advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of IBD-associated CRC (IBD-CRC), including the oncogenic mechanisms of the main inflammatory signalling pathways and genetic alterations induced by oxidative stress during colonic inflammation, and discusses the crosstalk between the tumour microenvironment, intestinal flora and host immune factors during inflammatory oncogenesis in colitis-associated CRC. In addition, the therapeutic implications of anti-inflammatory therapy for IBD-CRC were discussed, intending to provide new insight into improve clinical practice.

Noninvasive tests maintain high accuracy for advanced fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients with different nomenclatures of steatotic liver disease.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a new nomenclature proposed in 2023. We aimed to compare the diagnostic efficacy of noninvasive tests (NITs) for advanced fibrosis under different nomenclatures in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A total of 844 patients diagnosed with CHB and concurrent steatotic liver disease (SLD) by liver biopsy were retrospectively enrolled and divided into four groups. The performances of fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio index (GPRI), aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were compared among the four groups. The four NITs showed similar diagnostic efficacy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), MASLD, and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in patients with CHB with advanced fibrosis. LSM showed the most stable accuracy for NAFLD (AUC = 0.842), MASLD (AUC = 0.846), and MAFLD (AUC = 0.863) compared with other NITs (p < 0.05). Among the four NITs, APRI (AUC = 0.841) and GPRI (AUC = 0.844) performed best in patients with CHB & MetALD (p < 0.05). The cutoff value for GPRI in patients with CHB & MetALD was higher than that in the other three groups, while further comparisons of NITs at different fibrosis stages showed that the median GPRI of CHB & MetALD (1.113) at F3-4 was higher than that in the CHB & MASLD group (0.508) (p < 0.05). Current NITs perform adequately in patients with CHB and SLD; however, alterations in cutoff values for CHB & MetALD need to be noted.

Brain imaging derived phenotypes: a biomarker for the onset of inflammatory bowel disease and a potential mediator of mental complications.

Background and aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), mainly categorized into Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic relapsing gastrointestinal disorder that significantly impairs patients' quality of life. IBD patients often experience comorbidities such as anxiety and depression, and the underlying mechanisms and treatment strategies remain areas of investigation. Methods: We conducted a Mendelian randomization(MR) analysis utilizing brain image derived phenotypes (IDP) from the UK Biobank database to investigate the causal relationships between IBD and alterations in brain structural morphology and connectivity of neural tracts. This study aimed to identify biological evidence linking IBD to psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. Results: Specifically, the volume of grey matter in the Left Frontal Orbital Cortex exhibited a negative association with the onset of Crohn's disease (odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 0.315[0.180~0.551], adjusted P=0.001), while the volume of the superior frontal cortex in the right hemisphere showed a positive correlation with the development of Ulcerative colitis (OR [95% CI]: 2.285[1.793~2.911], adjusted P<0.001), and the volume of lateral occipital cortex in the left hemisphere demonstrated a positive relationship with Crohn's disease onset (OR [95% CI]: 1.709[1.671~1.747], adjusted P<0.001). In the context of reverse causality, the onset of UC or CD has led to alterations in imaging derived phenotypes associated with five disorders (anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, pain) and three functions (memory, emotion, language). Conclusion: Our study has demonstrated a causal relationship between IBD and IDPs. IDPs may serve as potential biomarkers for the progression of IBD and as predictive intermediaries for the development of neurological diseases in IBD patients.

Evaluation of compliance of CONSORT-CHM formula 2017 in randomized controlled trials of Chinese herbal medicine formulas: protocol of a five-year review.

Background: The CONSORT Extension for Chinese Herbal Medicine Formula 2017 (CONSORT-CHM Formula 2017) has established a reporting standard for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Chinese Herbal Medicine Formula (CHMF) interventions; however, its adherence and implications for the design and execution of study design remain ambiguous. It is necessary to evaluate the level of compliance with the CONSORT-CHM Formula 2017 in RCTs conducted over the past 5 years, and to determine the reporting quality of clinical trials in this field. Methods: First, a systematic search is conducted for RCTs on CHMF in EBM Reviews, Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED), Embase, Ovid-MEDLINE(R), Wanfang data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Chinese Medical Journal Database (VIP) and Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM) database, that encompassed CHMF interventional RCTs published from 1 January 2018 to 8 June 2022, with language restriction to English or Chinese. Second, a descriptive analysis will be performed regarding the study design and general characteristics of the included trials. Third, for the quality assessment, we have subdivided the CONSORT-CHM Formula 2017 checklist (consisting of 22 extended items) into a total of 42 sub-questions to facilitate scoring, with a specific focus on the description, quality control, and safety assessment of CHMF interventions. Professional training and a pilot test on 100 randomly selected articles will be provided for all reviewers. Throughout this process, a standard operating procedure (SOP) for quality assessment will be developed to ensure consistency. Each item will be assessed by two reviewers in a paired back-to-back manner, and the compliance rate will be calculated to assess inter-rater agreement. Discussion: This review will identify the current reporting characteristics and quality of CHMF interventional studies and further evaluate the impact of CONSORT-CHM Formula 2017. The results may provide suggestions for future application or promotion of the guideline. Registration: The study has been registered on Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/xpn7f).

Preparation and characterization of aspirin-fucoidan complex and its admirable antitumor activity on human non-small cell lung cancer cells.

The purpose of this work is to prepare a novel acetylated derivative of Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan (UPFUC) with admirable antitumor activity. Fucoidan was first acetylated by acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin, ASA) to form the ASA-UPFUC complex. The antitumor efficacy results stated that ASA-UPFUC inhibited the proliferation of human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 49.09 µg/mL, 50.20 % lower than that of UPFUC. Importantly, the acetylation process had no adverse effects on the backbone structure of UPFUC. Simultaneously, ASA-UPFUC demonstrated a larger charge density than UPFUC, leading to enhanced solubility, improved surface charge effects, and a greater potential for exerting biological activity. Consequently, ASA-UPFUC increased the formation of alkyl and hydrogen bonds with tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptors DR4 and DR5, thereby effectively stimulating the generation of cellular reactive oxygen species, diminishing mitochondrial membrane potential, suppressing nuclear factor κB (NFκB) p65 phosphorylation, enhancing the contents of Bax and cleaved caspase 3, and reducing the level of Bcl-2. The collective effects ultimately triggered the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, leading to apoptosis in A549 cells. The findings support the potential utilization of ASA-UPFUC as a novel dietary additive for human lung cancer chemoprevention.

Purification and Identification of Peptides from Hydrilla verticillata (Linn. f.) Royle with Cytoprotective and Antioxidative Effect against H2O2-Treated HepG2 Cells.

Antioxidant peptides were purified from Hydrilla verticillata (Linn. f.) Royle (HVR) protein hydrolysate by ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, and semipreparative reversed-phase HPLC and identified by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Therein, TCLGPK and TCLGER were selected to be synthesized, and they displayed desirable radical-scavenging activity to ABTS (99.20 ± 0.56-99.20 ± 0.43%), DPPH (97.32 ± 0.59-97.56 ± 0.97%), hydroxyl radical (54.32 ± 1.27-70.42 ± 2.01%), and superoxide anion (42.93 ± 1.46-52.62 ± 1.11%) at a concentration of 0.96 µmol/mL. They possessed a cytoprotective effect against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. 1.6 µmol/mL of the two peptides could perfectly protect HepG2 cells from H2O2-induced injury. The TCLGPK exhibited higher antioxidant activity and cytoprotective effect than TCLGER. Western blot and molecular docking results indicated that the two peptides achieved antioxidant ability and cytoprotective effect by combining with Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) to activate the Keap1-nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-antioxidant response elements signaling pathway, leading to the activity and expression of the related antioxidases in the pathway significantly up-regulating and the intracellular reactive oxygen species level, lipid peroxidation, and cell apoptosis rate significantly down-regulating.

EEG brain network variability is correlated with other pathophysiological indicators of critical patients in neurology intensive care unit.

Continuous electroencephalogram (cEEG) plays a crucial role in monitoring and postoperative evaluation of critical patients with extensive EEG abnormalities. Recently, the temporal variability of dynamic resting-state functional connectivity has emerged as a novel approach to understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying diseases. However, little is known about the underlying temporal variability of functional connections in critical patients admitted to neurology intensive care unit (NICU). Furthermore, considering the emerging field of network physiology that emphasizes the integrated nature of human organisms, we hypothesize that this temporal variability in brain activity may be potentially linked to other physiological functions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate network variability using fuzzy entropy in 24-hour dynamic resting-state networks of critical patients in NICU, with an emphasis on exploring spatial topology changes over time. Our findings revealed both atypical flexible and robust architectures in critical patients. Specifically, the former exhibited denser functional connectivity across the left frontal and left parietal lobes, while the latter showed predominantly short-range connections within anterior regions. These patterns of network variability deviating from normality may underlie the altered network integrity leading to loss of consciousness and cognitive impairment observed in these patients. Additionally, we explored changes in 24-hour network properties and found simultaneous decreases in brain efficiency, heart rate, and blood pressure between approximately 1 pm and 5 pm. Moreover, we observed a close relationship between temporal variability of resting-state network properties and other physiological indicators including heart rate as well as liver and kidney function. These findings suggest that the application of a temporal variability-based cEEG analysis method offers valuable insights into underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of critical patients in NICU, and may present novel avenues for their condition monitoring, intervention, and treatment.

Clinical significance of serum microRNA-146a and inflammatory factors in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia after azithromycin treatment.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of serum microRNA-146a and pro-inflammatory factors in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia after azithromycin treatment. microRNA-146a is known to regulate inflammatory responses, and excessive inflammation is a primary characteristic of MPP. METHODS: Children with MPP received conventional symptomatic therapy along with intravenous administration of azithromycin for one week. Serum levels of microRNA-146a and pro-inflammatory factors were measured using RT-qPCR and ELISA kits, respectively. The correlation between microRNA-146a and pro-inflammatory factors was analyzed by the Pearson method. Pulmonary function indexes were assessed using a pulmonary function analyzer, and their correlation with microRNA-146a and pro-inflammatory factors after treatment was evaluated. Children with MPP were divided into effective and ineffective treatment groups, and the clinical significance of microRNA-146a and pro-inflammatory factors was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Serum microRNA-146a was downregulated in children with MPP but upregulated after azithromycin treatment, contrasting with the trend observed for pro-inflammatory factors. MicroRNA-146a showed a negative correlation with pro-inflammatory cytokines. Pulmonary function parameters were initially reduced in children with MPP, but increased after treatment, showing positive/inverse associations with microRNA-146a and pro-inflammatory factors. Higher microRNA-146a and lower pro-inflammatory factors predicted better efficacy of azithromycin treatment. MicroRNA-146a, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and forced expiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) were identified as independent factors influencing treatment efficacy. CONCLUSION: Azithromycin treatment in children with MPP upregulates microRNA-146a, downregulates pro-inflammatory factors, and effectively improves pulmonary function.

Identification of SGMS2 as a molecule involved in natural killer cell recruitment and its in-deep analysis in the liver cancer microenvironment: Evidence from large populations cohort.

BACKGROUND: Liver cancer, a common malignancy within the digestive system, presents with a particularly grim prognosis. Within the immune microenvironment, the role of natural killer (NK) cells in liver cancer remains unclear. METHODS: We sourced data on clinical parameters and gene expressions for liver cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas Program database and carried out all analyses using R software and its relevant codes. RESULTS: In our research, we delved into the genes intertwined with NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Leveraging the QUANTISEQ and MCPCOUNTER algorithms to quantify NK cells, we spotlighted genes vital to the recruitment of NK cells. Among these genes, GDE1, WDFY3, DNAJB14, PKD2, DGAT2, SGMS2 and MKNK2 showed a strong correlation with patient outcomes. We also mapped out the single-cell expression trajectories of these genes within the HCC milieu. From our findings, SGMS2 emerged as a key gene warranting further scrutiny. Our in-depth analysis of SGMS2 shed light on its influence over specific biological pathways, its contribution to the immune landscape and its role in genomic instability within HCC. Drawing from this, we formulated a predictive model rooted in SGMS2-associated genes. This model showcased remarkable precision across both training and validation cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our investigation underscored the profound implications of SGMS2, a gene pivotal to NK cell infiltration, in the landscape of HCC, thereby positioning it as a potential linchpin in oncological strategies.