Prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.

This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computer tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). Fifty-one consecutive patients with relapsed MM were enrolled in this retrospective study. 18F-FDG parameters based on the Italian Myeloma Criteria for PET Use (IMPeTUs) and clinical data were analyzed for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The Cox proportional risk model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used for survival analysis. The median length of follow-up was 20 months (IQR, 5-29 months), the median PFS for the entire cohort was 8 months (IQR, 3-17 months) and the median OS was 21 months (IQR, 8-49 months). Multivariate survival analysis demonstrated that the Deauville score of BM > 3 [HR 2.900, 95% CI (1.011, 8.319), P = 0.048] and the presence of EMD [HR 3.134, 95% CI (1.245, 7.891), P = 0.015] were independent predictors of poor PFS. The presence of EMD [HR 12.777, 95% CI (1.825, 89.461), P = 0.010] and the reduced platelets count [HR 7.948, 95% CI (1.236, 51.099), P = 0.029] were adversely associated with OS. 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters based on IMPeTUs have prognostic significance in patients with relapsed MM.

Potential structure-function relationships of pectic polysaccharides from quinoa microgreens: Impact of various esterification degrees.

Pectic polysaccharides are one of the most vital functional ingredients in quinoa microgreens, which exhibit numerous health-promoting benefits. Nevertheless, the detailed information about the structure-function relationships of pectic polysaccharides from quinoa microgreens (QMP) remains unknown, thereby largely restricting their applications as functional foods or fortified ingredients. Therefore, to unveil the possible structure-function relationships of QMP, the mild alkali de-esterification was utilized to modify QMP, and then the correlations of esterification degrees of native and modified QMPs to their biological functions were systematically investigated. The results showed that the modified QMPs with different esterification degrees were successfully prepared by the mild alkali treatment, and the primary chemical structure (e.g., compositional monosaccharides and glycosidic linkages) of the native QMP was overall stable after the de-esterified modification. Furthermore, the results revealed that the antioxidant capacity, antiglycation effect, prebiotic potential, and immunostimulatory activity of the native QMP were negatively correlated to its esterification degree. In addition, both native and modified QMPs exerted immunostimulatory effects through activating the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. These results are conducive to unveiling the precise structure-function relationships of QMP, and can also promote its applications as functional foods or fortified ingredients.

Reconstructing Hydrogen-Bond Network for Efficient Acidic Oxygen Evolution.

Developing highly active oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in acidic conditions is a pressing demand for proton-exchange membrane water electrolysis. Manipulating proton character at the electrified interface, as the crux of all proton-coupled electrochemical reactions, is highly desirable but elusive. Herein we present a promising protocol, which reconstructs a connected hydrogen-bond network between the catalyst-electrolyte interface by coupling hydrophilic units to boost acidic OER activity. Modelling on N-doped-carbon-layer clothed Mn-doped-Co3O4 (Mn-Co3O4@CN), we unravel that the hydrogen-bond interaction between CN units and H2O molecule not only drags the free water to enrich the surface of Mn-Co3O4 but also serves as a channel to promote the dehydrogenation process. Meanwhile, the modulated local charge of the Co sites from CN units/Mn dopant lowers the OER barrier. Therefore, Mn-Co3O4@CN surpasses RuO2 at high current density (100 mA cm-2 @ ~538 mV).

Value of 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT in the localization of recurrent lesions in patients with suspected recurrent parathyroid carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Accurate preoperative localization of tumor-bearing lesions is crucial for the successful surgical management of suspected recurrent parathyroid carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of 99m-technetium-labeled methoxyisobutylisonitrile ( 99m Tc-MIBI) single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) and cervical ultrasound, individually and in combination, for preoperative localization of recurrent/metastatic lesions. We also analyzed the value of 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT in detecting ectopic lesions in patients with suspected recurrent parathyroid carcinoma. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with suspected recurrent parathyroid carcinoma were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patients underwent preoperative 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT and cervical ultrasound. The reference standard was postsurgical histopathology. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value, and accuracy of the two diagnostic modalities alone and in combination were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 29 patients, histopathological results revealed 48 metastases/recurrent lesions in 26 patients. The diagnostic value of 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT, cervical ultrasound, and the two modalities in combination were compared for the 27 patients who underwent new cervical surgery. Patient-level analysis of the combined use of 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT and cervical ultrasound had the highest sensitivity (100.00%) and accuracy (96.30%). At the lesion level, 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT had the highest specificity and PPV, at 100.00% respectively, whereas the combined use of 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT and cervical ultrasound had the highest sensitivity, at 97.62%. Moreover, 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT detected six ectopic lesions, and five of them showed increased 99m Tc-MIBI uptake. CONCLUSIONS: The combined use of 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT and cervical ultrasound is the most efficient strategy in the diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma relapse, whereas 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT is the preferred method for localizing and analyzing cervical and extra-cervical lesions before the new surgery.

Network analysis and experimental pharmacology study explore the protective effects of Isoliquiritigenin on 5-fluorouracil-Induced intestinal mucositis.

5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is one of the most widely used chemotherapy drugs for malignant tumors. However, intestinal mucositis caused by 5-FU is a severe dose-limiting toxic effect and even leads to treatment interruption. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is one of the main active compounds of licorice, which is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine commonly used in inflammation and gastrointestinal diseases. It is speculated that ISL have protective effects on intestinal mucositis. However, no such studies have been reported. Therefore, to investigate the impact of ISL on 5-Fu-induced intestinal mucositis, a strategy based on network prediction and pharmacological experimental validation was proposed in this study. Firstly, the targets and mechanism of ISL in alleviating 5-Fu-induced gastrointestinal toxicity were predicted by network analysis. And the results were further confirmed by molecular docking. Then, a mouse model of intestinal mucositis was established by intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU (384 µmol/kg) to verify the prediction of network analysis. The network analysis results suggested that PTGS2 (Prostaglandin G/H synthase 2) and NOS2 (Nitric oxide synthase, inducible) might be the critical targets of ISL for reducing the intestinal toxicity of 5-FU. In addition, KEGG and GO enrichment analysis revealed that the HIF-1, TNF, MAPK, IL-17, PI3K-Akt, Ras, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, and biological processes of the inflammatory response, apoptosis regulation, NO production and NF-kappa B transcription factor activity might be involved in the mechanism of ISL against intestinal mucositis. Subsequent animal experiments showed that ISL could reduce the weight loss, leukopenia and mucosal damage caused by 5-FU. Compared with the intestinal mucositis model, the protein expressions of PTGS2, NOS2, TNFα (Tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and NF-κB p65 (nuclear factor kappa-B P65) were decreased after ISL treatment. In conclusion, this study is the fist time to find that ISL can attenuate 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis in mice. Its anti-mucositis effect may be through regulating TNF/NF-κB pathway and inhibiting inflammatory mediators PTGS2 and NOS2. It will provide a potential candidate for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis.

Variations in length of stay among survived very preterm infants admitted to Chinese neonatal intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe length of stay (LOS) to discharge and site variations among very preterm infants (VPIs) admitted to 57 Chinese neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and to investigate factors associated with LOS for VPIs. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter cohort study enrolled all infants < 32 weeks' gestation and admitted to 57 NICUs which had participated in the Chinese Neonatal Network, within 7 days after birth in 2019. Exclusion criteria included major congenital anomalies, NICU deaths, discharge against medical advice, transfer to non-participating hospitals, and missing discharge date. Two multivariable linear models were used to estimate the association of infant characteristics and LOS. RESULTS: A total of 6580 infants were included in our study. The overall median LOS was 46 days [interquartile range (IQR): 35-60], and the median corrected gestational age at discharge was 36 weeks (IQR: 35-38). LOS and corrected gestational age at discharge increased with decreasing gestational age. The median corrected gestational age at discharge for infants at 24 weeks, 25 weeks, 26 weeks, 27-28 weeks, and 29-31 weeks were 41 weeks, 39 weeks, 38 weeks, 37 weeks and 36 weeks, respectively. Significant site variation of LOS was identified with observed median LOS from 33 to 71 days in different hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The study provided concurrent estimates of LOS for VPIs which survived in Chinese NICUs that could be used as references for medical staff and parents. Large variation of LOS independent of infant characteristics existed, indicating variation of care practices requiring further investigation and quality improvement.

Fabrication of Circularly Polarized MR-TADF Emitters with Asymmetrical Peripheral-Lock Enhancing Helical B/N-Doped Nanographenes.

Circularly polarized thermally activated delayed fluorescence (CP-TADF) and multiple-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF), which exhibit novel circularly polarized luminescence and excellent color fidelity, respectively, have gained immense popularity. In this study, integrated CP-TADF and MR-TADF (CPMR-TADF) are prepared by strategic design and synthesis of asymmetrical peripherally locked enantiomers, which are separated and denoted as (P,P″,P″)-/(M,M″,M″)-BN4 and (P,P″,P″)-/(M,M″,M″)-BN5 and exhibit TADF and circularly polarized light (CPL) properties. As the entire molecular frame participates in the frontier molecular orbitals, the resulting helical chirality of (+)/(-)-BN4- and (+)/(-)-BN5-based solution-processed organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) helps in achieving a narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 49/49 and 48/48 nm and a high maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 20.6%/19.0% and 22.0%/26.5%, respectively. Importantly, unambiguous circularly polarized electroluminescence signals with dissymmetry factors (gEL ) of +3.7 × 10-3 /-3.1 × 10-3 (BN4) and +1.9 × 10-3 /-1.6 × 10-3 (BN5) are obtained. The results indicate successful exploitation of CPMR-TADF-emitter-based OLEDs to exhibit three characteristics: high efficiency, color purity, and circularly polarized light.

Rheumatoid arthritis and risk of anxiety: a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may increase the risk of anxiety, but results from prior studies have no consensus. Our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between RA and incident anxiety by using a quantitative meta-analysis. METHODS: A number of databases were used to gather relevant information; they included PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, with the publication date of articles limited up to July 23, 2018. To evaluate their association, an odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used. The random-effects model played a crucial role in calculating the pooled odds ratio, while subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies, including 6201 cases of anxiety and 139,875 participants, met our inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. All individuals were without anxiety at baseline. The follow-up period ranged from 1.0 to 9.2 years. Overall, the quantitative meta-analysis suggested that subjects with RA were associated with a significantly increased risk of anxiety incidence (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.03-1.39) than those without. CONCLUSION: Results of this meta-analysis indicate that individuals with RA may confer an increased risk for the development of anxiety. Future studies should explore whether clinical manifestations of RA are modifiable risk factors for anxiety.

Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma of the jaws. Clinicopathologic presentation and prognostic factors.

CONTEXT: Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma is a rare form of squamous cell carcinoma, arising within the jaws. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the clinicopathologic and behavioral spectrum of primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma. DESIGN: The clinical and pathologic findings, treatment, and follow-up data of 39 cases of primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 39 patients, 26 (67%) were men and 13 (33%) were women. The age at diagnosis ranged from 24 to 82 years (mean, 54 years). The tumors occurred predominantly (84.6%) in the posterior mandible. Microscopically, all tumors demonstrated general features of a squamous cell carcinoma; 19 of which (49%) also showed features suggestive of an odontogenic origin. The overall survival rates were 69.8% at 2 years and 36.3% at 5 years. Univariate analysis showed that tumors with or without odontogenic features, tumor grading, lymph node metastasis, and treatment modalities were significant prognostic factors for survival, but multivariate analysis showed that only histologic grading (relative risk, 4.43; P = .03) remained a significant prognostic factor. The cumulative probabilities of recurrence were 55.7% at 2 years and 75.9% at 5 years. Univariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and treatment modalities were significant prognostic factors for recurrence. On multivariate analysis, however, only lymph node metastasis remained a significant prognostic factor (relative risk, 2.54; P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma is a high-grade malignancy with frequent, regional lymph node metastasis and high rates of recurrence and mortality. The tumor grading and regional lymph node metastasis may serve as useful indicators for prognosis.