A fluorinated metal-organic framework-based quasi-solid electrolyte for stabilizing Li metal anodes.

A fluorinated quasi-solid electrolyte (QSE) with a high conductivity of 2.3 mS cm-1 is meticulously designed for Li metal batteries. It facilitates the formation of a LiF-rich solid electrolyte interface that effectively enhances the reversibility of Li anodes. The assembled Li|QSE|LiFePO4 batteries exhibit 92.3% capacity retention after 1500 cycles and an impressive capacity of up to 45 mA h g-1 at 20C.

The dual role of FSP1 in programmed cell death: resisting ferroptosis in the cell membrane and promoting necroptosis in the nucleus of THP-1 cells.

BACKGROUND: Acute monocytic leukemia-M5 (AML-M5) remains a challenging disease due to its high morbidity and poor prognosis. In addition to the evidence mentioned earlier, several studies have shown that programmed cell death (PCD) serves a critical function in treatment of AML-M5. However, the role and relationship between ferroptosis and necroptosis in AML-M5 remains unclear. METHODS: THP-1 cells were mainly treated with Erastin and IMP-366. The changes of ferroptosis and necroptosis levels were detected by CCK-8, western blot, quantitative real-time PCR, and electron microscopy. Flow cytometry was applied to detect the ROS and lipid ROS levels. MDA, 4-HNE, GSH and GSSG were assessed by ELISA kits. Intracellular distribution of FSP1 was studied by immunofluorescent staining and western blot. RESULTS: The addition of the myristoylation inhibitor IMP-366 to erastin-treated acute monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 cell not only resulted in greater susceptibility to ferroptosis characterized by lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) depletion and mitochondrial shrinkage, as the FSP1 position on membrane was inhibited, but also increased p-RIPK1 and p-MLKL protein expression, as well as a decrease in caspase-8 expression, and triggered the characteristic necroptosis phenomena, including cytoplasmic translucency, mitochondrial swelling, membranous fractures by FSP1 migration into the nucleus via binding importin α2. It is interesting to note that ferroptosis inhibitor fer-1 reversed necroptosis. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that inhibition of myristoylation by IMP-366 is capable of switching ferroptosis and ferroptosis-dependent necroptosis in THP-1 cells. In these findings, FSP1-mediated ferroptosis and necroptosis are described as alternative mechanisms of PCD of THP-1 cells, providing potential therapeutic strategies and targets for AML-M5.

Cannabinoid CB2 receptors in primary sensory neurons are implicated in CB2 agonist-mediated suppression of paclitaxel-induced neuropathic nociception and sexually-dimorphic sparing of morphine tolerance.

Cannabinoid CB2 agonists show therapeutic efficacy without unwanted CB1-mediated side effects. The G protein-biased CB2 receptor agonist LY2828360 attenuates the maintenance of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic nociception in male mice and blocks development of morphine tolerance in this model. However, the cell types involved in this phenomenon are unknown and whether this therapeutic profile is observed in female mice has never been investigated. We used conditional deletion of CB2 receptors to determine the cell population(s) mediating the anti-allodynic and morphine-sparing effects of CB2 agonists. Anti-allodynic effects of structurally distinct CB2 agonists (LY2828360 and AM1710) were present in paclitaxel-treated CB2f/f mice and in mice lacking CB2 receptors in CX3CR1 expressing microglia/macrophages (CX3CR1CRE/+; CB2f/f), but were absent in mice lacking CB2 receptors in peripheral sensory neurons (AdvillinCRE/+; CB2f/f). The morphine-sparing effect of LY28282360 occurred in a sexually-dimorphic manner, being present in male, but not female, mice. LY2828360 treatment (3 mg/kg per day i.p. x 12 days) blocked the development of morphine tolerance in male CB2f/f and CX3CR1CRE/+; CB2f/f mice with established paclitaxel-induced neuropathy but was absent in male (or female) AdvillinCRE/+; CB2f/f mice. Co-administration of morphine with a low dose of LY2828360 (0.1 mg/kg per day i.p. x 6 days) reversed morphine tolerance in paclitaxel-treated male CB2f/f mice, but not AdvillinCRE/+; CB2f/f mice of either sex. LY2828360 (3 mg/kg per day i.p. x 8 days) delayed, but did not prevent, the development of paclitaxel-induced mechanical or cold allodynia in either CB2f/f or CX3CR1CRE/+; CB2f/f mice of either sex. Our findings have potential clinical implications.

Penpulimab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, for heavily pretreated metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a single-arm phase II study.

Penpulimab is an anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) IgG1 antibody with no Fc gamma receptor (FcγR) binding activity, and thus theoretically reduced immune-related adverse events (irAEs) while maintaining efficacy. This single-arm, phase II trial conducted across 20 tertiary care centers in China enrolled adult patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who had failed two or more lines of previous systemic chemotherapy. Patients received 200-mg penpulimab intravenously every 2 weeks (4 weeks per cycle) until disease progression or intolerable toxicities. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST (version 1.1), as assessed by an independent radiological review committee. The secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). One hundred thirty patients were enrolled and 125 were efficacy evaluable. At the data cutoff date (September 28, 2022), 1 patient achieved complete response and 34 patients attained partial response. The ORR was 28.0% (95% CI 20.3-36.7%). The response was durable, with 66.8% still in response at 9 months. Thirty-three patients (26.4%) were still on treatment. The median PFS and OS were 3.6 months (95% CI = 1.9-7.3 months) and 22.8 months (95% CI = 17.1 months to not reached), respectively. Ten (7.6%) patients experienced grade 3 or higher irAEs. Penpulimab has promising anti-tumor activities and acceptable toxicities in heavily pretreated metastatic NPC patients, supporting further clinical development as third-line treatment of metastatic NPC.

A "Zn2+ in Salt" Interphase Enabling High-Performance Zn Metal Anodes.

Zinc metal is a promising anode candidate for aqueous zinc ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity, low cost, and high safety. However, its application is currently restricted by hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), by-product formation, and Zn dendrite growth. Herein, a "Zn2+ in salt" (ZIS) interphase is in situ constructed on the surface of the anode (ZIS@Zn). Unlike the conventional "Zn2+ in water" working environment of Zn anodes, the intrinsic hydrophobicity of the ZIS interphase isolates the anode from direct contact with the aqueous electrolyte, thereby protecting it from HER, and the accompanying side reactions. More importantly, it works as an ordered water-free ion-conducting medium, which guides uniform Zn deposition and facilitates rapid Zn2+ migration at the interface. As a result, the symmetric cells assembled with ZIS@Zn exhibit dendrite-free plating/striping at 4500 h and a high critical current of 14 mA cm-2. When matched with a vanadium-based (NVO) cathode, the full battery exhibits excellent long-term cycling stability, with 88% capacity retention after 1600 cycles. This work provides an effective strategy to promote the stability and reversibility of Zn anodes in aqueous electrolytes.

Impact of low-dose aspirin exposure on obstetrical outcomes: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of low-dose aspirin (LDA) on obstetrical outcomes through a meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: A systematic search of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Embase databases from inception to January 2024 was conducted to identify studies exploring the role of aspirin on pregnancy, reporting obstetrical-related outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB, gestational age <37 weeks), small for gestational age (SGA), low birth weight (LBW, birthweight < 2500g), perinatal death (PND), admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 5-min Apgar score < 7 and placental abruption. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated for the combined outcomes. Subgroup analyses were performed by risk for preeclampsia (PE), LDA dosage (<100 mg vs. ≥100 mg) and timing of onset (≤20 weeks vs. >20 weeks). RESULTS: Forty-seven studies involving 59,124 participants were included. Compared with placebo, LDA had a more significant effect on low-risk events such as SGA, PTB and LBW. Specifically, LDA significantly reduced the risk of SGA (RR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87-0.95), PTB (RR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.89-0.97) and LBW (RR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-0.99). For high-risk events, LDA significantly lowered the risk of NICU admission (RR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.87-0.99). On the other hand, LDA can significantly increase the risk of placental abruption (RR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.23-2.43). Subgroup analyses showed that LDA significantly reduced the risk of SGA (RR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.97), PTB (RR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88-0.98) and PND (RR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.48-0.88) in pregnant women at high risk of PE, whereas in healthy pregnant women LDA did not significantly improve obstetrical outcomes, but instead significantly increased the risk of placental abruption (RR = 5.56, 95% CI: 1.92-16.11). In pregnant women at high risk of PE, LDA administered at doses ≥100 mg significantly reduced the risk of SGA (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.66-0.91) and PTB (RR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.32-0.97), but did not have a statistically significant effect on reducing the risk of NICU, PND and LBW. LDA started at ≤20 weeks significantly reduced the risk of SGA (RR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.65-0.89) and PTB (RR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.32-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: To sum up, LDA significantly improved neonatal outcomes in pregnant women at high risk of PE without elevating the risk of placental abruption. These findings support LDA's clinical application in pregnant women, although further research is needed to refine dosage and timing recommendations.

Exosome is a Fancy Mobile Sower of Ferroptosis.

Exosomes, nano-sized small extracellular vesicles, have been shown to serve as mediators between intercellular communications by transferring bioactive molecules, such as non-coding RNA, proteins, and lipids from secretory to recipient cells, modulating a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes. Recent studies have gradually demonstrated that altered exosome charges may represent a key mechanism driving the pathological process of ferroptosis. This review summarizes the potential mechanisms and signal pathways relevant to ferroptosis and then discusses the roles of exosome in ferroptosis. As well as transporting iron, exosomes may also indirectly convey factors related to ferroptosis. Furthermore, ferroptosis may be transmitted to adjacent cells through exosomes, resulting in cascading effects. It is expected that further research on exosomes will be conducted to explore their potential in ferroptosis and will lead to the creation of new therapeutic avenues for clinical diseases.

A case of cardiac undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma in late pregnancy: A case report.

Cardiac tumors are uncommon and most of them are benign. Although cases of malignant cardiac tumors are rare, it is still necessary to improve awareness in both clinical and pathological diagnosis. Since cardiac tumors often have a high degree of malignancy, it is vital to determine what form of intervention can increase recurrence-free survival and overall survival. In this paper, we report on a 42-year-old woman in the third trimester of pregnancy who had a cardiac undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. According to her medical history, the patient had never had a cardiac tumor or any other disease. She was treated surgically and a left atrial mass was removed immediately after cesarean section. No other treatments were applied after the surgery, and, unfortunately, the tumor reoccurred 6 months later. We reviewed some literature and found one case in which the patient was treated using radiotherapy and survived for another 2 years after the third tumor recurrence. This suggests that neoadjuvant therapy effectively improves the survival rates of such patients.

Bayesian variable selection in joint modeling of longitudinal data and interval-censored failure time data.

Joint modeling of longitudinal data and survival data has gained great attention in the last two decades. However, most of the existing studies have focused on right-censored survival data. In this article, we study joint analysis of longitudinal data and interval-censored survival data and conduct Bayesian variable selection in this framework. A new joint model is proposed with a shared frailty to characterize the dependence between the two types of responses, where the longitudinal response is modeled with a semiparametric linear mixed-effects submodel and the survival time is modeled by a semiparametric normal fraility probit sub-model. Several Bayesian variable selection approaches are developed by adopting Bayesian Lasso, adaptive Lasso, and spike-and-slab priors in order to simultaneously select significant covariates and estimate their effects on the two types of responses. Efficient Gibbs samplers are proposed with all unknown parameters and latent variables being sampled directly from well recognized full conditional distributions. Our simulation study shows that these methods perform well in both variable selection and parameter estimation. A real-life data application to joint analysis of blood cholesterol level and hypertension is provided as an illustration.

Cadonilimab with chemotherapy in HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: the phase 1b/2 COMPASSION-04 trial.

Treatment with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy and chemotherapy prolongs the survival of patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma. The benefit from anti-PD-1 therapy is enriched in patients with programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS)-positive or CPS-high tumors compared with patients with PD-L1 CPS-negative or CPS-low tumors. In this phase 1b/2 study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of cadonilimab, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative unresectable advanced or metastatic gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma. The primary endpoint was the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) for phase 1b and the objective response rate for phase 2. Secondary endpoints included disease control rate, duration of response, time to response, progression-free survival, overall survival (OS) and safety. The primary endpoint was met. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed during dose escalation in phase 1b; the recommended phase 2 dose was determined as 6 mg kg-1 every 2 weeks. The objective response rate was 52.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 41.6-62.5), consisting of complete and partial responses in 4.3% and 47.9% of patients, respectively. The median duration of response, progression-free survival and OS were 13.73 months (95% CI = 7.79-19.12), 8.18 months (95% CI = 6.67-10.48) and 17.48 months (95% CI = 12.35-26.55), respectively. The median OS in patients with a PD-L1 CPS ≥ 5 was 20.32 months (95% CI = 4.67-not estimable); in patients with a PD-L1 CPS < 1, the median OS reached 17.64 months (95% CI = 11.63-31.70). The most common treatment-related grade 3 or higher adverse events were decreased neutrophil count (19.1%), decreased platelet count (16.0%), anemia (12.8%) and decreased leukocyte count (8.5%). No new safety signal was identified. The current regimen showed promising clinical activity and manageable safety in patients with gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma regardless of PD-L1 expression. Chinadrugtrials.org.cn registration: CTR20182027.

Thermally Robust Solvent-Free Liquid Polyplexes for Heat-Shock Protection and Long-Term Room Temperature Storage of Therapeutic Nucleic Acids.

Nucleic acid therapeutics have attracted recent attention as promising preventative solutions for a broad range of diseases. Nonviral delivery vectors, such as cationic polymers, improve the cellular uptake of nucleic acids without suffering the drawbacks of viral delivery vectors. However, these delivery systems are faced with a major challenge for worldwide deployment, as their poor thermal stability elicits the need for cold chain transportation. Here, we demonstrate a biomaterial strategy to drastically improve the thermal stability of DNA polyplexes. Importantly, we demonstrate long-term room temperature storage with a transfection efficiency maintained for at least 9 months. Additionally, extreme heat shock studies show retained luciferase expression after heat treatment at 70 °C. We therefore provide a proof of concept for a platform biotechnology that could provide long-term room temperature storage for temperature-sensitive nucleic acid therapeutics, eliminating the need for the cold chain, which in turn would reduce the cost of distributing life-saving therapeutics worldwide.

Combined hysteroscopic Bigatti shaver (IBS) and resectoscope removal of a heterotopic cesarean scar pregnancy in the first trimester.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of heterotopic cesarean scar pregnancy reduction using a combined hysteroscopic integrated Bigatti shaver (IBS) and resectoscope with the preservation of a normal gestational sac in the uterine cavity under simultaneous transabdominal ultrasound guidance. DESIGN: Video article. SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENT: A 30-year-old woman, G5P2A2L2, with two previous cesarean deliveries and a history of fertility problems, was admitted with a heterotopic cesarean scar pregnancy at 7+2 gestational weeks. Ultrasound examination showed a dichorionic diamniotic pregnancy. The first gestational sac (1.7 × 1.7 × 0.6 cm) was located in the previous hysterotomy scars, with a thin layer of myometrium measuring 0.2 cm in thickness and a rich blood supply. The second chorionic sac (2.8 × 2.4 × 1.8 cm) was observed at the uterine fundus. Normal cardiac activity and yolk sacs were observed in both gestational sacs. The couple strongly desired to preserve the intrauterine pregnancy. INTERVENTION(S): After Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, a hysteroscopic IBS combined with a bipolar resectoscope was used to remove the heterotopic cesarean scar pregnancy while preserving the intrauterine gestational sac under simultaneous transabdominal ultrasound guidance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The heterotopic cesarean scar pregnancy was completely resected using hysteroscopy, and the gestational sac in the uterine cavity was successfully preserved. RESULT(S): Trophoblastic tissue was confirmed using histopathological examination. The patient had an unremarkable postoperative recovery. Subsequent serial ultrasonography confirmed a single ongoing pregnancy with normal growth parameters and a normal placental site. CONCLUSION(S): The inability of an IBS to perform coagulation can be offset by its combination with the bipolar resectoscope. Hysteroscopic IBS combined with resectoscope to remove a heterotopic cesarean scar pregnancy offers a short operation time and minimum blood loss. It could be an optimized approach for the management of heterotopic cesarean scar pregnancy in the first trimester when an intrauterine pregnancy needs to be preserved.

Cannabinoid CB 2 receptors in primary sensory neurons are implicated in CB 2 agonist-mediated suppression of paclitaxel-induced neuropathic nociception and sexually-dimorphic sparing of morphine tolerance.

Cannabinoid CB 2 agonists show therapeutic efficacy without the unwanted side effects commonly associated with direct activation of CB 1 receptors. The G protein-biased CB 2 receptor agonist LY2828360 attenuates the maintenance of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic nociception in male mice and blocks the development of morphine tolerance in this model. However, the specific cell types involved in this phenomenon have never been investigated and whether this therapeutic profile is observed in female mice remains poorly understood. We used conditional deletion of CB 2 receptors from specific cell populations to determine the population(s) mediating the anti-allodynic and morphine-sparing effects of CB 2 agonists. Anti-allodynic effects of structurally distinct CB 2 agonists (LY2828360 and AM1710) were present in paclitaxel-treated CB 2 f/f mice of either sex. The anti-allodynic effect of the CB 2 agonists were absent in conditional knockout (KO) mice lacking CB 2 receptors in peripheral sensory neurons (Advillin CRE/+ ; CB 2 f/f ) but preserved in mice lacking CB 2 receptors in CX3CR1 expressing microglia/macrophages (CX3CR1 CRE/+ ; CB 2 f/f ). The morphine-sparing effect of LY28282360 occurred in a sexually-dimorphic manner, being present in male mice but absent in female mice of any genotype. In mice with established paclitaxel-induced neuropathy, prior LY2828360 treatment (3 mg/kg per day i.p. x 12 days) blocked the subsequent development of morphine tolerance in male CB 2 f/f mice but was absent in male (or female) Advillin CRE/+ ; CB 2 f/f mice. LY2828360-induced sparing of morphine tolerance was preserved in male CX3CR1 CRE/+ ; CB 2 f/f mice, but this effect was not observed in female CX3CR1 CRE/+ ; CB 2 f/f mice. Similarly, co-administration of morphine with a low dose of LY2828360 (0.1 mg/kg per day i.p. x 6 days) reversed tolerance to the anti-allodynic efficacy of morphine in paclitaxel-treated male CB 2 f/f mice, but this effect was absent in female CB 2 f/f mice and Advillin CRE/+ ; CB 2 f/f mice of either sex. Additionally, LY2828360 (3 mg/kg per day i.p. x 8 days) delayed, but did not prevent, the development of paclitaxel-induced mechanical and cold allodynia in either CB 2 f/f or CX3CR1 CRE/+ ; CB 2 f/f mice of either sex. Our studies reveal that CB 2 receptors in primary sensory neurons are required for the anti-allodynic effects of CB 2 agonists in a mouse model of paclitaxel-induced neuropathic nociception. We also find that CB 2 agonists acting on primary sensory neurons produce a sexually-dimorphic sparing of morphine tolerance in males, but not female, paclitaxel-treated mice.

The FBXW7-binding sites on FAM83D are potential targets for cancer therapy.

Increasing evidence shows the oncogenic function of FAM83D in human cancer, but how FAM83D exerts its oncogenic function remains largely unclear. Here, we investigated the importance of FAM83D/FBXW7 interaction in breast cancer (BC). We systematically mapped the FBXW7-binding sites on FAM83D through a comprehensive mutational analysis together with co-immunoprecipitation assay. Mutations at the FBXW7-binding sites on FAM83D led to that FAM83D lost its capability to promote the ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of FBXW7; cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro; and tumor growth and metastasis in vivo, indicating that the FBXW7-binding sites on FAM83D are essential for its oncogenic functions. A meta-evaluation of FAM83D revealed that the prognostic impact of FAM83D was independent on molecular subtypes. The higher expression of FAM83D has poorer prognosis. Moreover, high expression of FAM83D confers resistance to chemotherapy in BCs, which is experimentally validated in vitro. We conclude that identification of FBXW7-binding sites on FAM83D not only reveals the importance for FAM83D oncogenic function, but also provides valuable insights for drug target.

A novel approach to evaluation of tumor response for advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma using the intertumoral heterogeneity response score.

Treatment response and prognosis estimation in advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma are challenged by the significant heterogeneity of the disease. The current Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria, despite providing a basis for solid tumor response evaluation, do not fully encompass this heterogeneity. To better represent these nuances, we introduce the intertumoral heterogeneity response score (THRscore), a measure built upon and expanding the RECIST criteria. This retrospective study included patients with 3-10 measurable advanced lung adenocarcinoma lesions who underwent first-line chemotherapy or targeted therapy. The THRscore, derived from the coefficient of variation in size for each measurable tumor before and 4-6 weeks posttreatment, unveiled a correlation with patient outcomes. Specifically, a high THRscore was associated with shorter progression-free survival, lower tumor response rate, and a higher tumor mutation burden. These associations were further validated in an external cohort, confirming THRscore's effectiveness in stratifying patients based on progression risk and treatment response, and enhancing the utility of RECIST in capturing complex tumor behaviors in lung adenocarcinoma. These findings affirm the promise of THRscore as an enhanced tool for tumor response assessment in advanced lung adenocarcinoma, extending the RECIST criteria's utility.

Feasibility and tolerability of eribulin-based chemotherapy versus other chemotherapy regimens for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: a single-centre retrospective study.

Background: Patients with Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) face a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Current data on eribulin usage to treat TNBC is scarce. Therefore, we sought to compare the feasibility and tolerability of eribulin-based regimens with other chemotherapy regimens in patients with TNBC. Method: This retrospective study was conducted at Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital and included 159 patients with TNBC enrolled between October 2011 and January 2023. Patients underwent treatment with eribulin-based and other chemotherapy regimens. The study's primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), while its secondary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and safety. Tumour response was assessed using RECIST V.1.1 criteria. Results: Of the 159 participants in the study, 42 individuals (26.4%) received treatment with eribulin, whereas 117 participants (73.6%) were administered alternative chemotherapy regimens, which included nab-paclitaxel-based therapy (n = 45) and platinum-based therapy (n = 51). The follow-up period for all patients ended on 31 December 2022, and the median follow-up time was 18.3 months (range:0.7-27.5). Following propensity score matching (PSM), eribulin-based treatment resulted in longer median progression-free survival compared to platinum-based (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.41, p = 0.006), nab-paclitaxel-based (hazard ratio = 0.36, p = 0.001) and other chemotherapy (HR = 0.39, p < 0.001). Also, eribulin induced a remarkable prolongation of the median overall survival duration in all three comparative groups. The group receiving eribulin treatment showed significantly reduced incidences of any grade of anaemia, peripheral neuropathy, nausea and vomiting, and hair loss compared to other chemotherapy groups. Conclusion: For the salvage treatment of advanced TNBC, treatment with eribulin produced longer median PFS and OS than other chemotherapy regimens, with a well-tolerated safety profile. Therefore, further investigation of eribulin-based treatment in larger randomized trials for patients with advanced TNBC is warranted.

PRETREATED LYOPHILIZED HUMAN AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE GRAFT COVERING FOR RETINAL DETACHMENT WITH POSTERIOR RETINAL BREAKS ABOVE CHORIORETINAL ATROPHY IN PATHOLOGIC MYOPIA.

PURPOSE: To compare the surgical results of vitrectomy with untreated or pretreated lyophilized human amniotic membrane grafts covering in treating retinal detachment related to posterior retinal breaks above chorioretinal atrophy in pathologic myopia. METHODS: Nineteen patients with retinal detachment related to macular hole (MH) located above macular atrophy and/or posterior paravascular retinal breaks (PRBs) located above patchy chorioretinal atrophy in pathologic myopia were included. The eyes of these patients underwent vitrectomy with untreated lyophilized human amniotic membrane covering (n = 10) or perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL)-assisted pretreated lyophilized human amniotic membrane covering (n = 9; grafts were pretreated in 0.125% indocyanine green and 50% hypertonic glucose solution for 15-20 minutes). The closure of the MH or PRBs, reattachment of the retina, and best-corrected visual acuity were measured postoperatively. RESULTS: Postoperatively, graft dislocation or shift was only found in two eyes (20%) in the untreated group. The closure rate of the MH or PRBs was 80% (8/10) and 100% (9/9) in the untreated group and the pretreated group, respectively. The occurrence rate of excessive gliosis was 40% and 11% in the untreated group and the pretreated group, respectively. In both groups, best-corrected visual acuity was improved and the retinal reattachment rate was 100% at the final visit. CONCLUSION: Perfluorocarbon liquid-assisted pretreated lyophilized human amniotic membrane graft covering was effective in treating retinal detachment related to MH and/or PRBs situated above macular atrophy or patchy chorioretinal atrophy in pathologic myopia. This technique appeared to reduce graft dislocation or shift, promote the closures of MHs/PRBs, and reduce the occurrence of gliosis.

Existential distress and associated factors in advanced cancer patients: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Advanced cancer patients often experience existential distress (ED). However, the factors associated with ED remain unclear. This study investigated the current state of ED and identified the associated factors in Chinese patients with advanced cancer. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 352 advanced cancer patients from 3 tertiary hospitals in Fujian, China. Participants were invited to complete the Existential Distress Scale, Number Rating Scale, Self-Perceived Burden Scale, Quality of Life Concerns in the End-of-Life Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the level of existential distress among advanced cancer patients in China and identify the associated factors. RESULTS: A total of 352 advanced cancer patients were recruited for this study. The average score for ED was 8.48 ± 7.12 among the advanced cancer patients. Multiple regression showed that the associated factors included depression (ß = 0.32, p = 0.000), self-perceived burden (SPB) (ß = 0.18, p = 0.001), the presence of a spouse (ß = -0.10, p = 0.050), and reception of government subsidies (ß = 0.17, p = 0.001). The factors accounted for 30.1% of the total variance in ED (F = 8.472, p < 0.001). SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Among the advanced cancer patients queried, ED was found to be positively influenced by depression, SPB, and reception of government subsidies and negatively influenced by the presence of a spouse. Depression was the most important risk factor, and thus future ED interventions should target depression.

Chemically tailored molecular surface modification of bamboo pulp fibers for manipulating the electret performance of electret filter media.

The surface chemical composition of materials is essential for regulating their charge trapping and storage capabilities, which directly affect their electret performance. Although chemical modification of materials to alter electret performance has been investigated, the mechanism through which electret properties are regulated more systematically via chemical customization has not been elucidated in detail. Herein, p-phenylenediamine, benzidine and 4,4'-diaminotriphenyl, which have different conjugated strength functional groups, were selected to chemically tailor the surface of bamboo pulp fibers to regulate the electret properties and elucidate the regulatory mechanism more systematically. The results showed that the charge trapping and storage properties of materials could be regulated by introducing functional groups with different conjugated strengths to their surfaces, realizing the regulation of the electret properties. Moreover, the charge trapping and storage ability could be tailored more specifically by regulating the number of functional groups. By chemical customization to provide electrostatic effects to the materials, the purification time was reduced by approximately 45 %-52 %. More importantly, a relatively systematic mechanism was proposed to elucidate the effect of the conjugate group strength on the charge trapping and charge storage properties of the material. These findings will provide guidance for the investigation of chemical modifications to regulate the electret performance of materials.