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1.
Curr Neurovasc Res ; 2024 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39092730

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive type of brain tumor that is difficult to remove surgically. Research suggests that substances from saffron, namely crocetin and crocin, could be effective natural treatments, showing abilities to kill cancer cells. METHODS: Our study focused on evaluating the effects of crocetin on glioma using the U87 cell line. We specifically investigated how crocetin affects the survival, growth, and spread of glioma cells, exploring its impact at concentrations ranging from 75-150 µM. The study also included experiments combining crocetin with the chemotherapy drug Temozolomide (TMZ) to assess potential synergistic effects. RESULTS: Crocetin significantly reduced the viability, proliferation, and migration of glioma cells. It achieved these effects by decreasing the levels of Matrix Metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) and Ras homolog family member A (RhoA), proteins that are critical for cancer progression. Additionally, crocetin inhibited the formation of cellular structures necessary for tumor growth. It blocked multiple points of the Ak Strain Transforming (AKT) signaling pathway, which is vital for cancer cell survival. This treatment led to increased cell death and disrupted the cell cycle in the glioma cells. When used in combination with TMZ, crocetin not only enhanced the reduction of cancer cell growth but also promoted cell death and reduced cell replication. This combination therapy further decreased levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE), proteins linked to inflammation and tumor progression. It selectively inhibited certain pathways involved in the cellular stress response without affecting others. CONCLUSION: Our results underscore the potential of crocetin as a treatment for glioma. It targets various mechanisms involved in tumor growth and spread, offering multiple avenues for therapy. Further studies are essential to fully understand and utilize crocetin's benefits in treating glioma.

2.
Gynecol Oncol Rep ; 54: 101440, 2024 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39040942

ABSTRACT

Objective: Previous studies have shown that first-line (1L) maintenance therapy (MT) with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors and/or bevacizumab improves outcomes among patients with advanced ovarian cancer (OC); however, these treatments are underutilized. This study aimed to provide a real-world understanding of MTs among patients with advanced OC who received 1L platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC). Methods: A retrospective chart review using iKnowMed electronic health records to identify patients aged ≥18 years with advanced OC who initiated 1L PBC between January 1, 2018-December 31, 2020. Following 1L PBC, patients could have received MT or active surveillance (AS). Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate time to treatment discontinuation (TTD), real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS), and overall survival (OS). Results: Of the 600 chart-reviewed patients included, 239 (39.8 %) received MT and 315 (52.5 %) received AS. Patients who were <65 years of age, or those with higher-stage disease or those who had received neoadjuvant treatment, were more likely to initiate MT than AS. Genetic testing rates were low across both cohorts. Median (95 % confidence interval [CI]) TTD for the MT cohort was 13.6 months (11.0, 21.2). Median (95 % CI) rwPFS was 26.9 months (21.3, not reached) and 11.3 months (9.5, 13.0) for the 1L MT and AS cohorts, respectively (p < 0.0001). OS at 36 months was 82.4 % in the 1L MT cohort and 58.0 % in the 1L AS cohort. Conclusions: This study reinforces clinical trial findings that 1L MT improves outcomes in patients with advanced OC; however, genetic testing rates and 1L MT remained low.

4.
Onco Targets Ther ; 17: 557-565, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39006884

ABSTRACT

Background/Aims: There are currently few reports describing the liquid-based cytological characteristics of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze these features to reduce missed or misdiagnosis. Methods: A total of 11 patients with histologically diagnosed small cell carcinoma of the cervix from three hospitals between 2017 and 2023 were included in this study. The cytological morphology of small cell carcinoma of the cervix and causes of missed or misdiagnosis were analyzed and summarized through a review of clinical data, liquid-based cytology, histology, immunohistochemistry, and human papillomaviruses (HPV) test results. Results: In this study, the positivity rate of preliminary cytological screening was 63.6% (7/11); however, no cases were accurately diagnosed as small cell carcinoma of the cervix. A total of 36.4% (4/11) of small cell carcinoma of the cervix cases were cytologically negative; retrospective cytology found that two of these were false negatives. The main cytological features of small cell carcinoma of the cervix were summarized. Most of the liquid-based cytology smear cells were dense, and almost all cases showed clustered and scattered cytoplasm-scanty tumor cells. The tumor cells were all deeply stained and relatively consistent small cells. Most cases showed typical nuclear molding, chromatin stippling, and no obvious nucleoli. Mild nuclear smears, nuclear fragments, and mitotic figures were seen in most cases. Conclusion: Liquid-based cytology has a high rate of missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis in small cell carcinoma of the cervix. This study confirms that reviewing cytology results can effectively reduce this proportion and that increasing understanding of small cell carcinoma of the cervix morphology is conducive to improving the cytology-based diagnosis rate.

5.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun ; 731: 150388, 2024 Jul 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39024974

ABSTRACT

The poor healing characteristics of diabetic foot ulcers are partially attributed to diabetes-induced pro-inflammatory wounds. Our previous study reported that both miR-146a-5p and miR-200b-3p decrease endothelial inflammation in human aortic endothelial cells and db/db diabetic mice. Although miR-146a-5p has been reported to improve diabetic wound healing, the role of miR-200b-3p is not clear. This study compared the roles of these miRNAs in diabetic wound healing. Two 8-mm full-thickness wounds were created in 12-week-old male db/db mice on the left and right back. After surgery, 100 ng miR-146a-5p, miR-200b-3p, or miR-negative control (NC) was injected in each wound. Full-thickness skin samples were harvested from mice at the 14th day for real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry analyses. At the 14th day, the miR-200b-3p group showed better wound healing and greater granulation tissue thickness than the miR-146a-5p group. The miR-200b-3p group showed a significant decrease of IL-6 and IL-1ß gene expression and a significant increase of Col3α1 gene expression compared to those in the miR-NC group. The miR-200b-3p group had the lowest gene expression of TGF-ß1, followed by the miR-146a-5p and miR-NC groups. Our findings suggest that the miR-200b-3p group had better healing characteristics than the other two groups. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that CD68 immunoreactivity was significantly decreased in both the miR-146a-5p and miR-200b-3p groups compared with that in the miR-NC group. In addition, CD31 immunoreactivity was significantly higher in the miR-200b-3p group than in the miR-146a-5p group. In conclusion, these results suggest that miR-200b-3p is more effective than miR-146a-5p in promoting diabetic wound healing through its anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effects.

6.
BMC Biol ; 22(1): 146, 2024 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38956599

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), a prevalent liver disorder affecting one-third of the global population, encompasses a spectrum ranging from fatty liver to severe hepatic steatosis. Both genetic and lifestyle factors, particularly diet and nutrition, contribute to its etiology. Folate deficiency, a frequently encountered type of malnutrition, has been associated with the pathogenesis of MAFLD and shown to impact lipid deposition. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain incompletely understood. We investigated the impact of disturbed folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (OCM) on hepatic lipid metabolism both in vitro using human hepatoma cells and in vivo using transgenic fluorescent zebrafish displaying extent-, stage-, and duration-controllable folate deficiency upon induction. RESULTS: Disturbed folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism, either by inducing folate deficiency or adding anti-folate drug, compromises autophagy and causes lipid accumulation in liver cells. Disturbed folate status down-regulates cathepsin L, a key enzyme involved in autophagy, through inhibiting mTOR signaling. Interfered mitochondrial biology, including mitochondria relocation and increased fusion-fission dynamics, also occurs in folate-deficient hepatocytes. Folate supplementation effectively mitigated the impaired autophagy and lipid accumulation caused by the inhibition of cathepsin L activity, even when the inhibition was not directly related to folate deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Disruption of folate-mediated OCM diminishes cathepsin L expression and impedes autophagy via mTOR signaling, leading to lipid accumulation within hepatocytes. These findings underscore the crucial role of folate in modulating autophagic processes and regulating lipid metabolism in the liver.


Subject(s)
Autophagy , Folic Acid , Hepatocytes , Homeostasis , Lipid Metabolism , Zebrafish , Autophagy/physiology , Folic Acid/metabolism , Humans , Hepatocytes/metabolism , Animals , Folic Acid Deficiency/metabolism
7.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38976408

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: By studying Mainland Chinese immigrant women who married Hong Kong men, this study examined the association between their perceived discrimination and psychological distress after the 2019-2020 social movement in Hong Kong. Additionally, this study examined the indirect effects of individual coping strategies (tolerance of uncertainty) and couples' coping strategies (common dyadic coping), guided by the cultural and developmental psychopathology framework. METHOD: Ninety-nine Mainland Chinese immigrant women who married Hong Kong men participated in this cross-sectional survey. RESULTS: We found a positive association between perceived discrimination and psychological distress (r = .50, p < .01). Reduced uncertainty tolerance and low levels of common dyadic coping both showed indirect effects on the discrimination-psychological distress association. Tolerance of uncertainty had a larger indirect effect than common dyadic coping. CONCLUSIONS: Focusing on the psychological adjustment of immigrant women facing discrimination, our findings underscore the importance of preserving individual- and couple-level resources. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

8.
Sci Total Environ ; 947: 174593, 2024 Oct 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38997038

ABSTRACT

Artificial reefs (ARs) are widespread globally and play a positive role in enhancing fish communities and restoring habitat. However, the effect of ARs on phytoplankton, which are fundamental to the marine food chain, remains inconclusive. Conducting a literature review and meta-analysis, this study investigates how ARs influence phytoplankton community dynamics by comparing the biomass, density, and diversity of phytoplankton between ARs and natural water bodies across varying deployment durations, constituent materials, and climatic zones. The study findings suggest that, overall, ARs enhance the biomass, density, and diversity of phytoplankton communities, with no significant differences observed compared to natural water bodies. The enhancement effect of ARs on phytoplankton communities becomes progressively more pronounced with increasing deployment time, with the overall status of phytoplankton communities being optimal when artificial reefs are deployed for 5 years or longer. Concrete and stone ARs can significantly enhance the biomass and diversity of phytoplankton, respectively. The effect of ARs on phytoplankton diversity is unrelated to climatic zones. However, deploying ARs in temperate waters significantly enhances phytoplankton biomass, while in tropical waters, it significantly reduces phytoplankton density. The research findings provide practical implications for the formulation of artificial reef construction strategies tailored to the characteristics of different aquatic ecosystems, emphasizing the need for long-term deployment and appropriate material selection. This study offers a theoretical basis for optimizing AR design and deployment to achieve maximum ecological benefits.


Subject(s)
Coral Reefs , Phytoplankton , Biomass , Biodiversity , Ecosystem , Food Chain , Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
9.
Vaccines (Basel) ; 12(7)2024 Jun 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39066352

ABSTRACT

SARS-CoV-2 new waves are primarily caused by changes to the spike protein (S), which can substantially decrease the efficacy of vaccines. Therefore, we tested several multivalent mRNA-LNP vaccines, targeting the full-length S proteins of different variants, and identified an optimal combination for protection against VOCs in BALB/c mice. The tested formulations included trivalent (WT + BA.5 + XBB.1.5), pentavalent (WT + BA.5 + XBB.1.5 + BQ.1.1 + CH.1.1), and octavalent (WT + BA.5 + XBB.1.5 + BQ.1.1 + CH.1.1 + Alpha + Delta + BA.2) vaccines. Among these multivalent vaccines, the pentavalent vaccine showed superior protection for almost all tested variants. Despite this, each multivalent vaccine elicited greater broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies than the previously evaluated bivalent vaccine (WT + BA.5). Subsequently, we redesigned the multivalent vaccine to efficiently generate neutralizing antibodies against recent VOCs, including EG.5.1. Immunization with the redesigned pentavalent vaccine (WT + EG.5.1 + XBB.1.16 + Delta + BA.5) showed moderate levels of protection against recent Omicron VOCs. Results suggest that the neutralization activity of multivalent vaccines is better than those of the tested bivalent vaccines against WT + BA.5 and WT + EG.5.1. Moreover, the pentavalent vaccine we developed may be highly useful for neutralizing new Omicron VOCs.

10.
J Infect Dis ; 230(1): e159-e170, 2024 Jul 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39052705

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are challenging in healthcare, with resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. This study describes the emergence of imipenemase (IMP)-encoding CPE among diverse Enterobacterales species between 2016 and 2019 across a London regional network. METHODS: We performed a network analysis of patient pathways, using electronic health records, to identify contacts between IMP-encoding CPE-positive patients. Genomes of IMP-encoding CPE isolates were overlaid with patient contacts to imply potential transmission events. RESULTS: Genomic analysis of 84 Enterobacterales isolates revealed diverse species (predominantly Klebsiella spp, Enterobacter spp, and Escherichia coli); 86% (72 of 84) harbored an IncHI2 plasmid carrying blaIMP and colistin resistance gene mcr-9 (68 of 72). Phylogenetic analysis of IncHI2 plasmids identified 3 lineages showing significant association with patient contacts and movements between 4 hospital sites and across medical specialties, which was missed in initial investigations. CONCLUSIONS: Combined, our patient network and plasmid analyses demonstrate an interspecies, plasmid-mediated outbreak of blaIMPCPE, which remained unidentified during standard investigations. With DNA sequencing and multimodal data incorporation, the outbreak investigation approach proposed here provides a framework for real-time identification of key factors causing pathogen spread. Plasmid-level outbreak analysis reveals that resistance spread may be wider than suspected, allowing more interventions to stop transmission within hospital networks.SummaryThis was an investigation, using integrated pathway networks and genomics methods, of the emergence of imipenemase-encoding carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales among diverse Enterobacterales species between 2016 and 2019 in patients across a London regional hospital network, which was missed on routine investigations.


Subject(s)
Bacterial Proteins , Disease Outbreaks , Enterobacteriaceae Infections , Plasmids , beta-Lactamases , Humans , Plasmids/genetics , beta-Lactamases/genetics , Enterobacteriaceae Infections/epidemiology , Enterobacteriaceae Infections/microbiology , Enterobacteriaceae Infections/transmission , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , London/epidemiology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Phylogeny , Genome, Bacterial , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Adult , Enterobacteriaceae/genetics , Enterobacteriaceae/drug effects , Aged , Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae/genetics , Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae/isolation & purification , Colistin/pharmacology
11.
CNS Neurosci Ther ; 30(7): e14830, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39046182

ABSTRACT

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is a vital epigenetic mechanism associated with drug addiction. However, the relationship between m6A modification and oxycodone rewarding is less well explored. Based on an open field test, the present study evaluated oxycodone rewarding using chromatin immunoprecipitation PCR, immunofluorescence, and RNA sequencing. A marked increase in METTL14 protein and a decrease in PP1α protein due to oxycodone abundance in the striatal neurons were observed in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Oxycodone markedly increased LSD1 expression, and decreased H3K4me1 expression in the striatum. In the open field test, intra-striatal injection of METTL14 siRNA, HOTAIR siRNA, or LSD1 shRNA blocked oxycodone-induced increase in locomotor activity. The downregulation of PP1α was also inhibited after treatment with METTL14/HOTAIR siRNA and LSD1 shRNA. Enhanced binding of LSD1 with CoRest and of CoRest with the PP1α gene induced by oxycodone was also reversed by LSD1 shRNA. In addition, H3K4me1 demethylation was also blocked by the treatment. In summary, the investigation confirmed that METTL14-mediated upregulation of HOTAIR resulted in the repression of PP1α, which in turn facilitated the recruitment of LSD1, thus catalyzing H3K4me1 demethylation and promoting oxycodone addiction.


Subject(s)
Methyltransferases , Oxycodone , RNA, Long Noncoding , Animals , Male , Mice , Corpus Striatum/metabolism , Corpus Striatum/drug effects , Demethylation , Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Histone Demethylases/genetics , Histones/metabolism , Lysine/analogs & derivatives , Methyltransferases/metabolism , Methyltransferases/genetics , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Oxycodone/pharmacology , Protein Phosphatase 1/metabolism , Protein Phosphatase 1/genetics , RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism , RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics , Up-Regulation
12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39069916

ABSTRACT

This study explores the utilization of the organic conductive molecule Polypyrrole (PPy) for the modification of Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) nanoparticles, aiming to develop highly sensitive ozone sensors. Pyrrole (Py) molecules undergo polymerization, resulting in the formation of extended chains of PPy that graft onto the surface of IGZO nanoparticles. This interaction effectively diminishes oxygen vacancies on the IGZO surface, thereby promoting the crystallization of the IGZO (1114) facets. The resultant structure exhibits promising potential for achieving high-performance wideband semiconductor gas sensors. The IGZO/PPy device forms a Straddling Gap heterojunction, facilitating enhanced electron transfer between IGZO and ozone molecules. Notably, the adsorption and desorption of ozone gas occur efficiently at a low temperature of approximately 25 °C, obviating the need for additional energy typically associated with wide bandgap semiconductor materials. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations attribute this efficiency to the enhanced number of active sites for ozone adsorption, facilitated by hydrogen bonds. The substantial conductivity of PPy, combined with its planar ring structure, induces positively charged polarization on the IGZO side upon ozone adsorption. The resultant device exhibits exceptional sensitivity, boasting a 4-fold improvement compared to sensors reliant solely on IGZO. Additionally, the response time is significantly reduced by a factor of 10, underscoring the practical viability and enhanced performance of the IGZO/PPy sensor field.

13.
Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao ; 35(5): 1347-1358, 2024 May.
Article in Chinese | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38886434

ABSTRACT

In the context of rapid urbanization, metropolitan areas are facing the risk of supply-demand mismatches among ecosystem services. Investigating the patterns, relationships, and driving factors of multiple supply-demand risks is of great significance to support the efficient management of regional ecological risks. We quantified the single/comprehensive supply-demand risk rates of six ecosystem services in Wuhan Metropolitan Area at the township scale in 2000, 2010, and 2020. By applying the self-organizing feature map network and optimal parameter geo-detector, we identified supply-demand risks bundles of ecosystem services and influencing factors of comprehensive risks. The results showed significant spatial variations in the supply-demand risks of typical ecosystem services from 2000 to 2020. The supply-demand risk associated with grain production, water yield, carbon sequestration, and green space recreation increased, while soil conservation and water purification risks decreased. The comprehensive ecosystem services supply-demand risk increased from 0.41 to 0.45, indicating a 'core area increase and periphery decrease' trend. Throughout the study period, the area exhibited bundles of comprehensive extremely high-risk bundles (B1), comprehensive high-risk bundles (B2), water purification high-risk bundles (B3), and grain production-soil conservation risk bundles (B4). The transition of risk types from B3 to B2 and from B2 to B1 suggested an increase in the combination and intensity of supply-demand risk. Vegetation cover, nighttime light index, and population density were the main driving factors for spatial variations in comprehensive supply-demand risk. Ecologi-cal risk assessment based on ecosystem services supply-demand bundles could provide an effective and reliable way to regulate multiple regional risk issues.


Subject(s)
Cities , Conservation of Natural Resources , Ecosystem , China , Risk Assessment , Ecology , Environmental Monitoring , Urbanization
14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38896198

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: For patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, timely molecular testing is essential to determine the appropriate course of therapy. Initial treatment with platinum chemotherapy and/or an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is the standard of care for patients without actionable genomic alterations. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess treatment patterns and clinical outcomes among patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, no actionable genomic alterations, and with prior ICI and platinum-based chemotherapy in a community oncology setting. METHODS: This retrospective observational study examined electronic health records from adult patients with an initial metastatic non-small cell lung cancer diagnosis without actionable genomic alterations from 2017 to 2019. Patients had received a subsequent line of therapy (LOT) [index] after discontinuing platinum-based chemotherapy plus an ICI in the previous one or two LOTs. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were analyzed descriptively. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analyses. RESULTS: Among the study population (n = 961), the most common index LOT regimens were non-platinum-based chemotherapies (57.3%), platinum-based chemotherapies (12.9%), ICI-based chemotherapies (12.7%), platinum + ICI-based chemotherapies (9.4%), and other (7.7%). The most common post-index LOT regimens were non-platinum based (61.2%), ICI based (15.3%), platinum based (10.7%), platinum + ICI based (3.2%), and other (2.5%). Median time to treatment discontinuation, time to next treatment, and overall survival were numerically longest with index LOT ICI-based regimens (6.5, 9.9, and 18.9 months, respectively) and shortest with platinum-based regimens (2.8, 5.3, and 8.0 months, respectively) and non-platinum-based regimens (2.6, 5.0, and 7.8 months, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer without actionable genomic alterations previously treated with platinum + ICIs, non-platinum chemotherapy agents were most commonly prescribed in the index LOT. Clinical outcomes including time to treatment discontinuation, time to next treatment, and overall survival were short, highlighting the unmet need for more effective later-line treatments.

15.
Front Pharmacol ; 15: 1388903, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38895633

ABSTRACT

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy with historically high mortality rates. The treatment strategies for AML is still internationally based on anthracyclines and cytarabine, which remained unchanged for decades. With the rapid advance on sequencing technology, molecular targets of leukemogenesis and disease progression related to epigenetics are constantly being discovered, which are important for the prognosis and treatment of AML. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by novel pharmacological mechanisms, low toxicity and limited side effects. Several biologically active ingredients of TCM are effective against AML. This review focuses on bioactive compounds in TCM targeting epigenetic mechanisms to address the complexities and heterogeneity of AML.

16.
J Cell Mol Med ; 28(12): e18404, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38888489

ABSTRACT

In patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), the alteration of immune responses in peripheral blood remains unclear. In this study, we established an immune cell profile for patients with NPC and used flow cytometry and machine learning (ML) to identify the characteristics of this profile. After isolation of circulating leukocytes, the proportions of 104 immune cell subsets were compared between NPC group and the healthy control group (HC). Data obtained from the immune cell profile were subjected to ML training to differentiate between the immune cell profiles of the NPC and HC groups. We observed that subjects in the NPC group presented higher proportions of T cells, memory B cells, short-lived plasma cells, IgG-positive B cells, regulatory T cells, MHC II+ T cells, CTLA4+ T cells and PD-1+ T cells than subjects in the HC group, indicating weaker and compromised cellular and humoral immune responses. ML revealed that monocytes, PD-1+ CD4 T cells, memory B cells, CTLA4+ CD4 Treg cells and PD-1+ CD8 T cells were strongly contributed to the difference in immune cell profiles between the NPC and HC groups. This alteration can be fundamental in developing novel immunotherapies for NPC.


Subject(s)
Flow Cytometry , Machine Learning , Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms , Humans , Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/immunology , Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/pathology , Flow Cytometry/methods , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/immunology , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Adult , Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/metabolism , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Case-Control Studies , Aged
17.
Small ; : e2401439, 2024 Jun 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38845528

ABSTRACT

Solid-state sodium metal batteries have been extensively investigated because of their potential to improve safety, cost-effectiveness, and energy density. The development of such batteries urgently required a solid-state electrolyte with fast Na-ion conduction and favorable interfacial compatibility. Herein, the progress on developing the NaB3H8 solid-state electrolytes is reported, which show a liquid-like ionic conductivity of 0.05 S cm-1 at 56 °C with an activation energy of 0.35 eV after an order-disorder phase transformation, matching or surpassing the best single-anion hydridoborate conductors investigated up to now. The steady polarization voltage and significantly decreased resistance are achieved in the symmetric Na/NaB3H8/Na cell, indicating the great electrochemical stability and favorable interfacial contact with the Na metal of NaB3H8. Furthermore, a Na/NaB3H8/TiS2 battery, the first high-rate (up to 1 C) solid-state sodium metal battery using the single-anion hydridoborate electrolyte, is demonstrated, which exhibits superior rate capability (168.2 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and 141.2 mAh g-1 at 1 C) and long-term cycling stability (70.9% capacity retention at 1 C after 300 cycles) at 30 °C. This work may present a new possibility to solve the interfacial limitations and find a new group of solid-state electrolytes for high-performance sodium metal batteries.

18.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 14115, 2024 06 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38898140

ABSTRACT

Evaluate urinary stone components' epidemiological features in urolithiasis individuals and explore potential correlations between stone components and patients' clinical characteristics. A retrospective analysis of urinary stone compositions in 496 patients from a northern Taiwan medical center (February 2006 to October 2021) was conducted. We investigated associations between sex, age, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia (HLP), gout, coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebral vascular accident (CVA), chronic kidney disease (CKD), habits, urine pH, and three main stone groups: calcium oxalate (CaOx), calcium phosphate (CaP), and uric acid (UA). Males accounted for 66.5% of cases, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.99:1. Males were negatively associated with CaP stones (OR 0.313, p < 0.001) and positively with UA stones (OR 2.456, p = 0.009). Age showed a negative correlation with CaOx stones (OR 0.987, p = 0.040) and a positive correlation with UA stones (OR 1.023, p < 0.001). DM had a protective effect against CaP stones (OR 0.316, p = 0.004). Gout had a positive association with UA stones (OR 2.085, p = 0.035). Smoking was adversely associated with UA stones (OR 0.350, p = 0.018). Higher urine pH was a risk factor for CaP stones (OR 1.641, p = 0.001) and a protective factor against UA stones (OR 0.296, p < 0.001). These results may provide insights into the pathogenesis of urinary stones and the development of preventative strategies for high-risk populations. Further research is required to confirm and expand upon these findings.


Subject(s)
Uric Acid , Urinary Calculi , Humans , Male , Female , Taiwan/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Urinary Calculi/epidemiology , Urinary Calculi/chemistry , Aged , Uric Acid/urine , Retrospective Studies , Adult , Calcium Phosphates/analysis , Calcium Phosphates/urine , Calcium Oxalate/urine , Calcium Oxalate/analysis , Risk Factors , Gout/epidemiology
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