The therapeutic potential of curculigoside in poststroke depression: a focus on hippocampal neurogenesis and mitochondrial function.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects and mechanism of curculigoside against poststroke depression (PSD). METHODS: In vivo, a PSD rat model was created by combining bilateral common carotid artery occlusion and chronic unpredictable mild stress stimulations. After 4-week modeling and intragastrically administration of curculigoside, the effects of curculigoside on behavior, hippocampal neurogenesis, and hippocampal mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) were investigated. In vitro, PSD-like primary neural stem cells (NSCs) model was established by oxygen-glucose deprivation/recovery (OGD/R) combing high-corticosterone (CORT) concentration, followed by treatment with curculigoside. The investigation subsequently examined the impact of curculigoside on mitochondrial OxPhos, proliferation, and differentiation of NSCs under OGD/R + CORT conditions. KEY FINDINGS: In vivo, PSD rats showed significantly depressive behaviors, dysfunctional neurogenesis in hippocampus, as well as decreased hippocampus adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, reduced electron transport chain complexes activity, and downregulates mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and PPAR-gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) expression in hippocampus. In vitro, OGD/R +CORT significantly injured the proliferation and differentiation, as well as impaired the mitochondrial OxPhos in NSCs. Curculigoside treatment was effective in improving these abnormal changes. CONCLUSION: Curculigoside may repair hippocampal neurogenesis in PSD rats by enhancing hippocampal mitochondrial OxPhos, and has shown a great potential for anti-PSD.

The reduced net carbon uptake over Northern Hemisphere land causes the close-to-normal CO2 growth rate in 2021 La Niña.

La Niña climate anomalies have historically been associated with substantial reductions in the atmospheric CO2 growth rate. However, the 2021 La Niña exhibited a unique near-neutral impact on the CO2 growth rate. In this study, we investigate the underlying mechanisms by using an ensemble of net CO2 fluxes constrained by CO2 observations from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 in conjunction with estimates of gross primary production and fire carbon emissions. Our analysis reveals that the close-to-normal atmospheric CO2 growth rate in 2021 was the result of the compensation between increased net carbon uptake over the tropics and reduced net carbon uptake over the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes. Specifically, we identify that the extreme drought and warm anomalies in Europe and Asia reduced the net carbon uptake and offset 72% of the increased net carbon uptake over the tropics in 2021. This study contributes to our broader understanding of how regional processes can shape the trajectory of atmospheric CO2 concentration under climate change.

Therapeutic potential of Erxian decoction and its special chemical markers in depression: a review of clinical and preclinical studies.

The increasing prevalence of depression is a major societal burden. The etiology of depression involves multiple mechanisms. Thus, the outcomes of the currently used treatment for depression are suboptimal. The anti-depression effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulations have piqued the interest of the scientific community owing to their multi-ingredient, multi-target, and multi-link characteristics. According to the TCM theory, the functioning of the kidney is intricately linked to that of the brain. Clinical observations have indicated the therapeutic potential of the kidney-tonifying formula Erxian Decoction (EXD) in depression. This review aimed to comprehensively search various databases to summarize the anti-depression effects of EXD, explore the underlying material basis and mechanisms, and offer new suggestions and methods for the clinical treatment of depression. The clinical and preclinical studies published before 31 August 2023, were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Database. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Clinical studies have demonstrated that EXD exhibits therapeutic properties in patients with menopausal depression, postpartum depression, and maintenance hemodialysis-associated depression. Meanwhile, preclinical studies have reported that EXD and its special chemical markers exert anti-depression effects by modulating monoamine neurotransmitter levels, inhibiting neuroinflammation, augmenting synaptic plasticity, exerting neuroprotective effects, regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, promoting neurogenesis, and altering cerebrospinal fluid composition. Thus, the anti-depression effects of EXD are mediated through multiple ingredients, targets, and links. However, further clinical and animal studies are needed to investigate the anti-depression effects of EXD and the underlying mechanisms and offer additional evidence and recommendations for its clinical application. Moreover, strategies must be developed to improve the quality control of EXD. This review provides an overview of EXD and guidance for future research direction.

Lower plasma linoleic acids as a risk factor for gout: an integrated analysis of population-based cohort and genetic data.

Background: Gout is a nutrition-related, highly prevalent inflammatory arthritis with undesirable effects on the quality of life. The relationships between circulating fatty acids (FAs) and gout remain poorly understood. Method: We included 268 174 participants with plasma FAs measured using nuclear magnetic resonance at the baseline (2006-2010) from the UK Biobank, of which 15 194 participants had repeated measures of FAs between 2012 and 2013. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association of the baseline and longitudinal changes in relative levels of plasma FAs (% total FAs) with incident gout. Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were conducted to assess the potential causality of the examined association. Results: Over a median follow-up of 12.8 years, 5160 incident cases of gout occurred. Baseline polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), n-6 PUFAs, and linoleic acids (LAs) were inversely associated with incident gout (all P-trend values < 0.0001). Baseline monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), n-3 PUFAs, and docosahexaenoic acids (DHAs) were positively associated with incident gout (all P-trend values < 0.0001). Longitudinal increments of n-6 PUFAs and LAs were associated with a lower risk of subsequent gout, whereas an increment of n-3 PUFAs was associated with a higher risk. In two-sample MR analyses, genetically determined higher levels of PUFAs, n-6 PUFAs, and LAs were associated with a decreased risk of gout (all P values < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings consistently indicate a causal relationship of elevated levels of n-6 PUFAs, especially LAs, with a reduced risk of gout.

Laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy using augmented reality navigation plus ICG fluorescence imaging for hepatolithiasis: a retrospective single-arm cohort study (with video).

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy (LLH) has been shown to be an effective and safe method for treating hepatolithiasis primarily affecting the left hemiliver. However, this procedure still presents challenges. Due to pathological changes in intrahepatic duct stones, safely dissecting the hilar vessels and determining precise resection boundaries remains difficult, even with fluorescent imaging. Our team proposed a new method of augmented reality navigation (ARN) combined with Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging for LLH in hepatolithiasis cases. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of this combined approach in the procedure. METHODS: Between May 2021 and September 2023, 16 patients with hepatolithiasis who underwent LLH were included. All patients underwent preoperative 3D evaluation and were then guided using ARN and ICG fluorescence imaging during the procedure. Perioperative and short-term postoperative outcomes were assessed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the method. RESULTS: All 16 patients successfully underwent LLH. The mean operation time was 380.31 ± 92.17 min, with a mean estimated blood loss of 116.25 ± 64.49 ml. ARN successfully aided in guiding hilar vessel dissection in all patients. ICG fluorescence imaging successfully identified liver resection boundaries in 11 patients (68.8%). In the remaining 5 patients (31.3%) where fluorescence imaging failed, virtual liver segment projection (VLSP) successfully identified their resection boundaries. No major complications occurred in any patients. Immediate stone residual rate, stone recurrence rate, and stone extraction rate through the T-tube sinus tract were 12.5%, 6.3%, and 6.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The combination of ARN and ICG fluorescence imaging enhances the safety and precision of LLH for hepatolithiasis. Moreover, ARN may serve as a safe and effective tool for identifying precise resection boundaries in cases where ICG fluorescence imaging fails.

Evaluation of Low-Cost CO2 Sensors Using Reference Instruments and Standard Gases for Indoor Use.

CO2 monitoring is important for carbon emission evaluation. Low-cost and medium-precision sensors (LCSs) have become an exploratory direction for CO2 observation under complex emission conditions in cities. Here, we used a calibration method that improved the accuracy of SenseAir K30 CO2 sensors from ±30 ppm to 0.7-4.0 ppm for a CO2-monitoring instrument named the SENSE-IAP, which has been used in several cities, such as in Beijing, Jinan, Fuzhou, Hangzhou, and Wuhan, in China since 2017. We conducted monthly to yearly synchronous observations using the SENSE-IAP along with reference instruments (Picarro) and standard gas to evaluate the performance of the LCSs for indoor use with relatively stable environments. The results show that the precision and accuracy of the SENSE-IAP compared to the standard gases were rather good in relatively stable indoor environments, with the short-term (daily scale) biases ranging from -0.9 to 0.2 ppm, the root mean square errors (RMSE) ranging from 0.7 to 1.6 ppm, the long-term (monthly scale) bias ranging from -1.6 to 0.5 ppm, and the RMSE ranging from 1.3 to 3.2 ppm. The accuracy of the synchronous observations with Picarro was in the same magnitude, with an RMSE of 2.0-3.0 ppm. According to our evaluation, standard instruments or reliable standard gases can be used as a reference to improve the accuracy of the SENSE-IAP. If calibrated daily using standard gases, the bias of the SENSE-IAP can be maintained within 1.0 ppm. If the standard gases are hard to access frequently, we recommend a calibration frequency of at least three months to maintain an accuracy within 3 ppm.

Rational design and construction of hierarchical porous quasi-hexagonal Co2P nanosheets/Co heterostructures as highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting.

Constructing heterostructured electrocatalysts has proven effective in enhancing intrinsic catalytic activity. Herein, under guidance of theoretical calculations, hierarchical porous quasi-hexagonal Co2P nanosheets/Co heterostructures supported on carbon cloth (Co2P/Co/CC) with a high surface area were rationally designed and elaborately constructed through electroless Co plating, electrochemical oxidation, and phosphidation process, which showed significant electrocatalytic performance toward water electrolysis. Specifically, theoretical calculations revealed that the Co2P/Co heterostructure adjusted the electronic structure of Co2P and Co, reducing the energy barrier for target reactions and thereby boosting electrocatalytic activities for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Notably, the typical Co2P/Co/CC catalyst demonstrated impressive HER performance, with low overpotentials of only 52 and 48 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA/cm2 in 0.5 M H2SO4 and 1.0 M KOH solutions, respectively. The remarkable electrocatalytic performance of the catalyst can be attributed to the improved intrinsic activity resulting from the Co2P/Co heterostructures and the highly exposed active sites provided by the hierarchical porous structures. Furthermore, the Co2P/Co/CC catalyst exhibited excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance in alkaline electrolyte, requiring a low overpotential of only 306 mV to achieve a current density of 100 mA/cm2. Additionally, a two-electrode electrolyzer assembled with the Co2P/Co/CC electrodes achieved a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at a low cell voltage of 1.54 V and demonstrated excellent long-term stability. This work presents a novel and feasible strategy for constructing hierarchical heterostructured electrocatalysts that enable efficient water electrolysis. By combining rational design and theoretical guidance, our approach offers promising prospects for advancing the field of electrocatalysis and facilitating sustainable energy conversion.

Efficacy of hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis using 3D visualization combined with ICG fluorescence imaging: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hepatolithiasis is a complex condition that poses challenges and difficulties in surgical treatment. Three-dimensional visualization technology combined with fluorescence imaging (3DVT-FI) enables accurate preoperative assessment and real-time intraoperative navigation. However, the perioperative outcomes of 3DVT-FI in hepatolithiasis have not been reported. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of 3DVT-FI in the treatment of hepatolithiasis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 128 patients who underwent hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, between January 2017 and December 2022. Among them, 50 patients underwent hepatectomy using 3DVT-FI (3DVT-FI group), while 78 patients underwent conventional hepatectomy without 3DVT-FI (CH group). The operative data, postoperative liver function indices, complication rates and stone residue were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in preoperative baseline data between the two groups (p > 0.05). Compared with the CH group, the 3DVT-FI group exhibited lower intraoperative blood loss (140.00 ± 112.12 vs. 225.99 ± 186.50 mL, p = 0.001), and a lower intraoperative transfusion rate (8.0% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.027). The overall incidence of postoperative complications did not differ significantly (22.0% vs. 35.9%, p = 0.096). The 3DVT-FI group was associated with a lower immediate residual stone rate (16.0% vs. 34.6%, p = 0.021). There were no perioperative deaths in the 3DVT-FI group, while one perioperative death occurred in the CH group. CONCLUSIONS: The 3DVT-FI may offer significant benefits in terms of surgical safety, reduced intraoperative bleeding and decreased stone residue during hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis.

Plant-based diets, mediating biomarkers, and mortality risk among adults with diabetes or prediabetes.

Background: A healthy eating pattern characterized by a higher intake of healthy plant foods has been associated with a lower risk of premature mortality, but whether this applies to individuals with varying glycemic status remains unclear. Methods: This study included 4621 participants with diabetes and 8061 participants with prediabetes from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2016). Using the dietary data assessed by two 24 h dietary recalls, a healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI) and an unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI) were created based on 15 food groups and were assessed for their relationships with mortality risk. Results: Over a median follow-up of 7.2 years, there were 1021 deaths in diabetes and 896 deaths in prediabetes. A higher hPDI (highest vs. lowest quartile) was associated with a 41% (HR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.49-0.72; P-trend < 0.001) lower risk of all-cause mortality in diabetes and a 31% (HR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.55-0.85; P-trend < 0.001) lower risk in prediabetes. A higher uPDI was associated with an 88% (HR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.55-2.28; P-trend < 0.001) higher risk of mortality in diabetes and a 63% (HR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.33-1.99; P-trend < 0.001) higher risk in prediabetes. Mediation analysis suggested that C-reactive protein and γ-glutamine transaminase explained 6.0% to 10.9% of the relationships between hPDI or uPDI and all-cause mortality among participants with diabetes. Conclusions: For adults with diabetes as well as those with prediabetes, adhering to a plant-based diet rich in healthier plant foods is associated with a lower mortality risk, whereas a diet that incorporates less healthy plant foods is associated with a higher mortality risk.

Impact of three-dimensional reconstruction visualization technology on short-term and long-term outcomes after hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity-score-matched and inverse probability of treatment-weighted multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional reconstruction visualization technology (3D-RVT) is an important tool in the preoperative assessment of patients undergoing liver resection. However, it is not clear whether this technique can improve short-term and long-term outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared with two-dimensional (2D) imaging. METHOD: A total of 3402 patients from five centers were consecutively enrolled from January 2016 to December 2020, and grouped based on the use of 3D-RVT or 2D imaging for preoperative assessment. Baseline characteristics were balanced using propensity score matching (PSM, 1:1) and stabilized inverse probability of treatment-weighting (IPTW) to reduce potential selection bias. The perioperative outcomes, long-term overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared between the two groups. Cox-regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors associated with RFS. RESULTS: A total of 1681 patients underwent 3D-RVT assessment before hepatectomy (3D group), while 1721 patients used 2D assessment (2D group). The PSM cohort included 892 patient pairs. In the IPTW cohort, there were 1608.3 patients in the 3D group and 1777.9 patients in the 2D group. In both cohorts, the 3D group had shorter operation times, lower morbidity and liver failure rates, as well as shorter postoperative hospital stays. The 3D group had more margins ≥10 mm and better RFS than the 2D group. The presence of tumors with a diameter ≥5 cm, intraoperative blood transfusion and multiple tumors were identified as independent risk factors for RFS, while 3D assessment and anatomical resection were independent protective factors. CONCLUSION: In this multicenter study, perioperative outcomes and RFS of HCC patients following 3D-RVT assessment were significantly different from those following 2D imaging assessment. Thus, 3D-RVT may be a feasible alternative assessment method before hepatectomy for these patients.

NIR-II Photoacoustic Imaging-Guided Oxygen Delivery and Controlled Release Improves Photodynamic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hypoxia, a prominent hallmark of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), undermines curative outcomes, elevates recurrence rates, and fosters metastasis, particularly during photodynamic therapy (PDT) in clinical settings. Studies indicate that alleviating tumor hypoxia enhances PDT efficacy. However, persistent challenges, including suboptimal oxygen delivery efficiency and absence of real-time feedback on blood oxygen fluctuations during PDT, considerably impede therapeutic efficacy in tumor treatment. This study addresses these issues using near-infrared-II (NIR-II) photoacoustic (PA) imaging for tumor-targeted oxygen delivery and controlled release. For this purpose, a biomimetic oxygen delivery system designated BLICP@O2 is developed, which utilizes hybrid tumor cell membranes and thermosensitive liposomes as oxygen carriers, incorporating the NIR-II dye IR1048, photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6), and perfluorohexane. Upon sequential irradiation at 1064 and 690 nm, BLICP@O2 exhibits significant photothermal and photodynamic effects. Photothermal heating triggers oxygen release, enhancing the photodynamic effect of Ce6. Blood oxygen changes during PDT are tracked by multispectral PA imaging. Enhanced PDT efficacy, mediated by hypoxia relief, is convincingly demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. This work presents an imaging-guided, dual-wavelength programmed cascaded treatment strategy for tumor-targeted oxygen delivery and controlled release, with real-time efficacy monitoring using PA imaging, offering valuable insights for overcoming challenges in PDT-based cancer therapy.

Association of phthalate exposure with all-cause mortality across renal function status: The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2018.

BACKGROUND: Wide phthalate exposure has been associated with both declines in renal function and an elevated risk of mortality. Whether phthalate-associated risk of premature mortality differs by renal function status remains unclear. METHODS: This study included 9605 adults from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Urinary concentrations of 11 phthalate metabolites were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. According to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), participants were grouped as having normal or modestly declined renal functions, or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Multivariable Cox regression models estimated all-cause mortality associated with phthalate exposure, overall and by renal function status. RESULTS: Overall, Mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), Mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), Mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) and Mono-(2-ethyl-5-carbox-ypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) were associated with an elevated risk of mortality (P-trend across tertile <0.05). Moreover, significant interactions were observed between eGFR and MEHHP, MEOHP, MECPP, DEHP in the whole population (P for interactions <0.05). After stratification by renal function, total Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was additionally found to be associated with mortality risk in the CKD group (HR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.25). Co-exposure to the 11 phthalate metabolites was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in the CKD (HR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.84) and modestly declined renal function group (HR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.44). CONCLUSIONS: The associations between phthalate exposure and risk of all-cause mortality were primarily observed in CKD patients, reinforcing the need for monitoring phthalate exposure in this patient population.

Weaker regional carbon uptake albeit with stronger seasonal amplitude in northern mid-latitudes estimated by higher resolution GEOS-Chem model.

Terrestrial ecosystem in the Northern Hemisphere is characterized by a substantial carbon sink in recent decades. However, the carbon sink inferred from atmospheric CO2 data is usually larger than process- and inventory-based estimates, resulting in carbon release or near-neutral carbon exchange in the tropics. The atmospheric approach is known to be uncertain due to systematic biases of coarse atmospheric transport model simulation. Compared to a coarse-resolution inverse estimate at 4° × 5° using GEOS-Chem in the integrated region of N. America, E. Asia, and Europe from 2015 to 2018, the annual carbon sink estimate at a native high-resolution of 0.5° × 0.625° is reduced from -3.0±0.08 gigatons of carbon per year (GtC yr-1) to -2.15±0.08 GtC yr-1 due to prominent more carbon release during the non-growing seasons. The major reductions concentrate in the mid-latitudes (20°N-45°N), where the mean land carbon sinks in China and the USA are reduced from 0.64±0.03 and 0.35±0.02 GtC yr-1 to 0.14±0.03 and 0.15±0.02 GtC yr-1, respectively. The coarse-resolution GEOS-Chem tends to trap both the release and uptake signal within the planetary boundary layer, resulting in weaker estimates of biosphere seasonal strength. Since the strong fossil fuel emissions are persistently released from the surface, the trapped signal leads to the stronger estimates of annual carbon uptakes. These results suggest that high-resolution inversion with accurate vertical and meridional transport is urgently needed in targeting national carbon neutrality.

Review and Application of Integrin Alpha v Beta 6 in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cholangiocarcinoma and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Integrin Alpha v Beta 6 is expressed primarily in solid epithelial tumors, such as cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer. It has been considered a potential and promising molecular marker for the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma share genetic, histological, and pathophysiological similarities due to the shared embryonic origin of the bile duct and pancreas. These cancers share numerous clinicopathological characteristics, including growth pattern, poor response to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and poor prognosis. This review focuses on the role of integrin Alpha v Beta 6 in cancer progression. It addition, it reviews how the marker can be used in molecular imaging and therapeutic targets. We propose further research explorations and questions that need to be addressed. We conclude that integrin Alpha v Beta 6 may serve as a potential biomarker for cancer disease progression and prognosis.

Effect of septal extension graft on nasal tip support: A finite element analysis.

BACKGROUND: Septal extension graft (SEG) is an effective method to control the projection, rotation, and shape of the nasal tip. However, the structural mechanics of SEG have not yet been adequately determined. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of SEG parameters on nasal tip support using finite element analysis. METHODS: A multicomponent nasal model was constructed from a computed tomographic scan. A control model without graft and a total of 15 models with different SEGs were created, regarding the direction, length, width, and piece of SEG. The nasal tip compression was simulated to analyze the von Mises stress, reaction force, and strain energy of the tip structure. RESULTS: The SEG increased the max stress, reaction force, and strain energy of the nasal tip compared to the normal control. The SEG perpendicular to the nasal dorsum resulted in the highest maximum stress, reaction force, and strain energy for the same size of SEG. With the length increasing from 15 × 8 × 1 mm to 25 × 8 × 1 mm, the reaction force remained relatively stable, but the stress on the graft reduced significantly. Adding the width and pieces of the SEG increased the reaction force and strain energy of the tip. CONCLUSION: The placement of SEG can strengthen the nasal tip support. The direction, length, width, and piece of SEG have an impact on the mechanics. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic, III.

Sarcopenia prevalence in patients with cancer and association with adverse prognosis: A nationwide survey on common cancers.

OBJECTIVE: Although previous studies have implicated the negative outcomes of sarcopenia, evidence is limited to one or a few types of cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution and influencing factors of sarcopenia, and explore the relationship between sarcopenia and cancer prognosis in a large oncological population. METHODS: This observational cohort study included patients diagnosed with malignant cancer between May 2011 and January 2019. Hematologic and anthropometric parameters were collected prospectively. Low skeletal muscle mass and radiodensity were diagnosed using clinical indicators, according to the two prediction models. The importance of potential risk factors for sarcopenia was estimated by subtracting the predicted degrees of freedom from the partial χ2 statistic. Hazard rates of death were calculated using the hazard function and Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: We included 13 761 patients with cancer; the prevalence of sarcopenia was 33%. The median age was 58 y and 7135 patients (52%) were men. Patients with sarcopenia had a worse nutritional status and quality of life than those without sarcopenia. Age was the most important risk factor for sarcopenia compared with body mass index or TNM stage. Additionally, patients with sarcopenia had a significantly higher and earlier peak risk for mortality. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, sarcopenia was independently associated with mortality in the research population (hazard ratio, 1.429; P < 0.001) and most cancer types. CONCLUSION: Age is the most important risk factor for sarcopenia even in patients with cancer. Sarcopenia is strongly associated with a poor quality of life and reduced overall survival.

Potential genetic therapies based on m6A methylation for skin regeneration: Wound healing and scars/keloids.

Skin wound healing is a complex and multistage process, where any abnormalities at any stage can result in the accumulation of non-functional fibrotic tissue, leading to the formation of skin scars. Epigenetic modifications play a crucial role in regulating gene expression, inhibiting cell fate determination, and responding to environmental stimuli. m6A methylation is the most common post-transcriptional modification of eukaryotic mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs. However, it remains unclear how RNA methylation controls cell fate in different physiological environments. This review aims to discuss the current understanding of the regulatory pathways of RNA methylation in skin wound healing and their therapeutic implications with a focus on the specific mechanisms involved.