A case report of intrahepatic bile duct dilatation caused by WDR19 gene mutation and presented as Caroli syndrome.

Background: Caroli syndrome or Caroli disease is characterized by focal dilation of the intrahepatic bile ducts, with or without congenital liver fibrosis. Mutations in the WDR19 gene can result in nephropathy, an autosomal recessive cystic kidney disease. However, this genetic mutation is clinically associated with Caroli syndrome or disease. We hypothesize that WDR19 gene mutations may contribute to extrarenal phenotypes such as Caroli disease or syndrome. Case Description: The outpatient department received a 1-year-old male patient with persistent dilated bile ducts for over four months. Subsequent ultrasound examination revealed liver cirrhosis, splenomegaly, and cystic dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct. He was subsequently admitted for comprehensive diagnosis and treatment. Accordingly, we performed computed tomography (CT)-hepatic portal venography, magnetic resonance-cholangiography, and the plain liver scan, the results revealed liver cirrhosis, splenomegaly, cystic dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct, as well as atypical hyperplasia nodules in the right posterior lobe of the liver and lymphatic hyperplasia and enlargement in the porta hepatis and the space between the liver and stomach. As the possibility of early small liver cancer could not be excluded due to the presence of nodules, surgical resection was performed followed by pathological examination and whole genome exome testing. The pathological findings revealed hepatocyte swelling, hydropic degeneration, and sporadic necrosis. Fibrous tissue hyperplasia was observed in the portal vein area, along with local pseudolobule formation. Also, numerous small bile duct hyperplasia was observed with lymphocyte infiltration, which is consistent with cirrhosis. Moreover, the hepatocytes of the small focal area showed atypical hyperplasia. Considering the above findings, Caroli syndrome was diagnosed. The genetic results showed two heterozygous mutations in the WDR19 gene, c.2290delC (p.Q764Nfs*29) and c.2401G>C (p.G801R). Therefore, the child's intrahepatic bile duct dilatation and cirrhosis were considered as the manifestations of Caroli syndrome caused by mutations in the WDR19 gene. Conclusions: Mutations in the WDR19 gene can manifest as Caroli disease or Caroli syndrome. For the definite diagnosis of liver diseases of unknown etiology, whole exome sequencing may be more conducive.

Variation and interrelationships in the growth, yield, and lodging of oat under different planting densities.

Background: Oat is a dual-purpose cereal used for grain and forage. The demand of oat has been increasing as the understanding of the nutritional, ecological, and economic values of oat increased. However, the frequent lodging during the growing period severely affect the high yielding potential and the quality of the grain and forage of oat. Methods: Therefore, we used the lodging-resistant variety LENA and the lodging-sensitive variety QY2 as materials, implementing four different planting densities: 2.25×106 plants/ha (D1), 4.5×106 plants/ha (D2), 6.75×106 plants/ha (D3), and 9×106 plants/ha (D4). At the appropriate growth and development stages, we assessed agronomic traits, mechanical characteristics, biochemical compositions, yield and its components. The study investigated the impact of planting density on the growth, lodging, and yield of oat, as well as their interrelationships. Additionally, we identified the optimal planting density to establish a robust crop structure. The research aims to contribute to the high-yield and high-quality cultivation of oat. Results: We observed that with increasing planting density, plant height, grass and grain yields of both varieties first increased and then decreased; root fresh weight, stem diameter, stem wall thickness, stem puncture strength, breaking strength, compressive strength, lignin and crude fiber contents, and yield components decreased; whereas the lodging rate and lodging coefficient increased. Planting density affects lodging by regulating plant height, height of center of gravity, stem wall thickness, internode length, and root fresh weight of oat. Additionally, it can impact stem mechanical strength by modulating the synthesis of lignin and crude fiber, which in turn affecting lodging resistance. Plant height, height of center of gravity, stem wall thickness, internode length, root fresh weight, breaking strength, compressive strength, lignin and crude fiber content, single-plant weight, grain yield and 1,000-grain weight can serve as important indicators for evaluating oat stem lodging resistance. We also noted that planting density affected grain yield both directly and indirectly (by affecting lodging); high density increased lodging rate and decreased grain yield, mainly by reducing 1,000-grain weight. Nonetheless, there was no significant relationship between lodging and grass yield. As appropriate planting density can increase the yield while maintaining good lodging resistance, in this study, 4.5×106 plants/ha (D2) was found to be the best planting density for oat in terms of lodging resistance and grass and grain yield. These findings can be used as a reference for oat planting.

Penifuranone A: A Novel Alkaloid from the Mangrove Endophytic Fungus Penicillium crustosum SCNU-F0006.

One previously undescribed alkaloid, named penifuranone A (1), and three known compounds (2-4) were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Penicillium crustosum SCNU-F0006. The structure of the new alkaloid (1) was elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic data analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Four natural isolates and one new synthetic derivative of penifuranone A, compound 1a, were screened for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Bioassays revealed that penifuranone A (1) exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity in vitro by inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW264.7 cells with an IC50 value of 42.2 µM. The docking study revealed that compound 1 exhibited an ideal fit within the active site of the murine inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), establishing characteristic hydrogen bonds.

Identification of Susceptibility Genes Underlying Bovine Respiratory Disease in Xinjiang Brown Cattle Based on DNA Methylation.

DNA methylation is a form of epigenetic regulation, having pivotal parts in controlling cellular expansion and expression levels within genes. Although blood DNA methylation has been studied in humans and other species, its prominence in cattle is largely unknown. This study aimed to methodically probe the genomic methylation map of Xinjiang brown (XJB) cattle suffering from bovine respiratory disease (BRD), consequently widening cattle blood methylome ranges. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of the XJB blood was investigated through whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). Many differentially methylated regions (DMRs) obtained by comparing the cases and controls groups were found within the CG, CHG, and CHH (where H is A, T, or C) sequences (16,765, 7502, and 2656, respectively), encompassing 4334 differentially methylated genes (DMGs). Furthermore, GO/KEGG analyses showed that some DMGs were involved within immune response pathways. Combining WGBS-Seq data and existing RNA-Seq data, we identified 71 significantly differentially methylated (DMGs) and expressed (DEGs) genes (p < 0.05). Next, complementary analyses identified nine DMGs (LTA, STAT3, IKBKG, IRAK1, NOD2, TLR2, TNFRSF1A, and IKBKB) that might be involved in the immune response of XJB cattle infected with respiratory diseases. Although further investigations are needed to confirm their exact implication in the involved immune processes, these genes could potentially be used for a marker-assisted selection of animals resistant to BRD. This study also provides new knowledge regarding epigenetic control for the bovine respiratory immune process.

The safety and tolerability of a one strength dose-escalation scheme for subcutaneous immunotherapy with a native house dust mite extract in Chinese children: A multicenter, randomized, open label clinical trial.

Background: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is still the only treatment that may affect the natural cause of allergic disease. This study is to investigate whether an accelerated up-dosing scheme for subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) using a native house dust mite (HDM) allergen extract is as safe as the standard 3-strengths dose-escalation scheme in children with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis or rhinoconjunctivitis with or without asthma in China. Methods: In this multicenter, open label, randomized controlled trial, the children aged 5-14 years were randomized 1:1 either to One Strength group or the Standard group. The dose escalation scheme for patients in the One Strength group included 6 injections of strength 3, whereas the Standard group comprised 14 injections using strength 1, 2, and 3. All treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were recorded and analyzed. The 5-point Likert scale was used to assess tolerability (ChiCTR2100050311). Results: Overall, 101 children were included in the Safety Set (One Strength group: 50 vs. Standard group: 51). A total of 26 TEAEs were reported for 15 children. TEAEs related to AIT occurred in 10 % of the children in the One Strength group and 11.8 % of the Standard group. The number of systemic adverse reactions was comparable in both groups (One Strength: 5 vs. Standard: 4). No serious TEAEs was recorded for either group. 90.0 % of patients in the One Strength group reached the maintenance dose without an interventional dose adjustment due to adverse events, compared to 78.4 % in the Standard group. All patients who completed the dose-escalation phase reached the recommended maintenance dose of 1.0 ml of strength 3.Investigators and patients rated the tolerability of the One Strength regimen slightly better than the Standard scheme. Conclusions: This exploratory study suggests that the accelerated One Strength dose-escalation scheme is comparable in safety and tolerability to the Standard regimen. However, due to the preliminary nature and small sample size, further research with larger sample sizes and robust study designs is necessary for confirmation.

Dissimilarity in radial growth and response to drought of Korshinsk peashrub (Caragana korshinskii Kom.) under different management practices in the western Loess Plateau.

Quantitative assessment of tree responses to the local environment can help provide scientific guidance for planted forest management. However, research on the climate-growth relationship of Korshinsk peashrub (Caragana korshinskii Kom.) under different land preparation and post-management (irrigation) conditions is still insufficient. In this study, we collected 223 tree-ring samples from Korshinsk peashrubs using dendroecological methods and systematically quantified the relationships between shrub growth and climatic factors under different management practices in the western Loess Plateau of China. Our findings demonstrated that drought stress caused by scarce precipitation from April to August was the primary factor limiting the growth of Korshinsk peashrubs in the northern and southern mountains of Lanzhou. The "climwin" climate model results showed a weak correlation between natural Korshinsk peashrub growth and drought stress, whereas planted Korshinsk peashrub under rain-fed conditions in the southern mountain was significantly (p<0.05) limited by drought stress from April to August. Moreover, planted Korshinsk peashrub growth under irrigated conditions in the northern mountain was limited only by drought stress in January. Drought model explained 28.9%, 38.3%, and 9.80% of the radial growth variation in Xiguoyuan (XGY), Shuibaozhan (SBZ), and Zhichagou (ZCG) sites, respectively. Artificial supplementary irrigation alleviated the limitation of drought on planted forest growth, which may be implemented for Korshinsk peashrubs planted on sunny slopes, while planted Korshinsk peashrubs under natural rain-fed conditions can be planted on shady slopes through rainwater harvesting and conservation measures such as horizontal ditches and planting holes.

Rituximab potentially improves clinical outcomes of CAR-T therapy for r/r B-ALL via sensitizing leukemia cells to CAR-T-mediated cytotoxicity and reducing CAR-T exhaustion.

PURPOSE: Despite chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has achieved great advances in recent year, approximately 50% of relapsed/refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r B-ALL) patients treated with CAR-T experience relapse 6 months post CAR-T treatment. CD20 express on 30 to 50% of B-ALL, which makes CD20 Monoclonal Antibody as one of the potential therapy strategies to decrease the tumor burden and improve the efficacy of CAR-T therapy. Adding Rituximab to chemotherapy protocol had been demonstrated to improve the outcome for CD20-positive ALL. However, rare study explored the influence of Rituximab combined with CAR-T therapy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 20 r/r B-ALL patients who received CAR-T therapy, all of whom had failed multiple lines of therapy. Before CAR-T infusion, we administered Rituximab to 10 patients with high CD20 expression at a dose of 375 mg/m2 for 1 day. Meanwhile, we selected 10 patients with the comparable features who underwent CAR-T treatment without Rituximab in the same period as the control group. In vitro, the surface molecule expression and killing of CAR-T post Rituximab-treated B-ALL cells co-incubated with CAR-T cells were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The median follow-up of Rituximab and Control groups were 29.27 and 9.83 months. We found that adding Rituximab may confer a favorable prognosis compared with Control group. The 2-year overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) rates both were longer in the Rituximab group (90% vs. 26.7%, p = 0.0342; 41.7% vs. 25%, p = 0.308). In vitro, we observed that Rituximab-treated tumour cells are more sensitive to CAR-T killing and a broad range of cytokines and chemokines were produced when Rituximab-treated Nalm-6 cells co-cultured with 19-22CAR-T cells, such as interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). To investigate whether Rituximab has an effect on CAR-T persistence, we stimulated CAR-T cells repeatedly in vitro with Rituximab-treated Nalm-6 to evaluate the changes in CAR-T surface exhaustion molecules at different times. We found that the expression of exhaustion molecules (LAG-3, PD-1, TIM-3) on CAR-T cells were significantly lower in the Rituximab group than in the Control group. CONCLUSION: Rituximab combined with CAR-T therapy is effective for improving the long-term prognosis of B-ALL patients who have failed multiple lines of therapy. In vitro, we observed that rituximab potentially improves CAR-T efficacy by sensitizing ALL to CART-mediated cytotoxicity and reducing CAR-T exhaustion.

The pore-rhizosheath shapes maize root architecture by enhancing root distribution in macropores.

Pores and old root-channels are preferentially used by roots to allow them to penetrate hard soils. However, there are few studies that have accounted for the effects of pore-rhizosheath on root growth. In this study, we developed an approach by adding the synthetic root exudates using a porous stainless tube with 0.1-mm micropores through a peristaltic pump to reproduce the rhizosheath around the artificial pore, and investigated the effects of pores with and without rhizosheaths on maize root growth in a dense soil. The results indicated that the artificial rhizosheath was about 2.69 mm wide in the region surrounding the pores. The rhizosheath had a higher content of organic carbon, total nitrogen, and abundance of Actinobacteria than that of the bulk soil. Compared with the artificial macropores, the artificial root-pores with a rhizosheath increased the opportunities for root utilisation of the pores space, promoting steeper and deeper root growth. It is concluded that the pore-rhizosheath has a significant impact on root architecture by enhancing root distribution in macropores.

Prognostic effect of masked morning hypertension in Chinese inpatients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease: A multi-center retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic role of Masked Morning Hypertension (MMH) in non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD). METHODS: 2,130 NDD-CKD patients of inpatient department were categorized into four blood pressure groups: clinical normotension (CH-), clinical hypertension (CH+) with morning hypertension (MH+), and without MH+ (MH-) respectively. The correlation between these four blood pressure types and the primary (all-cause mortality) and secondary endpoints (cardio-cerebrovascular disease [CVD] and end-stage kidney disease [ESKD]) was analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalences of morning hypertension and masked morning hypertension were 47.4% and 14.98%, respectively. Morning hypertension independently increased the risk of all-cause mortality (P=0.004) and CVD (P<0.001) but not ESKD (P=0.092). Masked morning hypertension was associated with heightened all-cause mortality (HR = 4.22, 95% CI = 1.31-13.59; P=0.02) and CVD events (HR = 5.14, 95% CI = 1.37-19.23; P=0.02), with no significant association with ESKD (HR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.65-2.15; P=0.60). When considering non-CVD deaths as a competing risk factor, a high cumulative incidence of CVD events was observed in the masked morning hypertension group (HR = 5.16, 95% CI = 1.39-19.08). CONCLUSIONS: MMH is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality and combined cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in NDD-CKD patients, underscoring its prognostic significance. This highlights the need for comprehensive management of morning hypertension in this population.

Conditional c-MYC activation in catecholaminergic cells drives distinct neuroendocrine tumors: neuroblastoma vs somatostatinoma.

The MYC proto-oncogenes (c-MYC, MYCN , MYCL ) are among the most deregulated oncogenic drivers in human malignancies including high-risk neuroblastoma, 50% of which are MYCN -amplified. Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) based on the MYCN transgene have greatly expanded the understanding of neuroblastoma biology and are powerful tools for testing new therapies. However, a lack of c-MYC-driven GEMMs has hampered the ability to better understand mechanisms of neuroblastoma oncogenesis and therapy development given that c-MYC is also an important driver of many high-risk neuroblastomas. In this study, we report two transgenic murine neuroendocrine models driven by conditional c-MYC induction in tyrosine hydroxylase (Th) and dopamine ß-hydroxylase (Dbh)-expressing cells. c-MYC induction in Th-expressing cells leads to a preponderance of Pdx1 + somatostatinomas, a type of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET), resembling human somatostatinoma with highly expressed gene signatures of δ cells and potassium channels. In contrast, c-MYC induction in Dbh-expressing cells leads to onset of neuroblastomas, showing a better transforming capacity than MYCN in a comparable C57BL/6 genetic background. The c-MYC murine neuroblastoma tumors recapitulate the pathologic and genetic features of human neuroblastoma, express GD2, and respond to anti-GD2 immunotherapy. This model also responds to DFMO, an FDA-approved inhibitor targeting ODC1, which is a known MYC transcriptional target. Thus, establishing c-MYC-overexpressing GEMMs resulted in different but related tumor types depending on the targeted cell and provide useful tools for testing immunotherapies and targeted therapies for these diseases.

Tumor-associated macrophage subtypes on cancer immunity along with prognostic analysis and SPP1-mediated interactions between tumor cells and macrophages.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) subtypes have been shown to impact cancer prognosis and resistance to immunotherapy. However, there is still a lack of systematic investigation into their molecular characteristics and clinical relevance in different cancer types. Single-cell RNA sequencing data from three different tumor types were used to cluster and type macrophages. Functional analysis and communication of TAM subpopulations were performed by Gene Ontology-Biological Process and CellChat respectively. Differential expression of characteristic genes in subpopulations was calculated using zscore as well as edgeR and Wilcoxon rank sum tests, and subsequently gene enrichment analysis of characteristic genes and anti-PD-1 resistance was performed by the REACTOME database. We revealed the heterogeneity of TAM, and identified eleven subtypes and their impact on prognosis. These subtypes expressed different molecular functions respectively, such as being involved in T cell activation, apoptosis and differentiation, or regulating viral bioprocesses or responses to viruses. The SPP1 pathway was identified as a critical mediator of communication between TAM subpopulations, as well as between TAM and epithelial cells. Macrophages with high expression of SPP1 resulted in poorer survival. By in vitro study, we showed SPP1 mediated the interactions between TAM clusters and between TAM and tumor cells. SPP1 promoted the tumor-promoting ability of TAM, and increased PDL1 expression and stemness of tumor cells. Inhibition of SPP1 attenuated N-cadherin and ß-catenin expression and the activation of AKT and STAT3 pathway in tumor cells. Additionally, we found that several subpopulations could decrease the sensitivity of anti-PD-1 therapy in melanoma. SPP1 signal was a critical pathway of communication between macrophage subtypes. Some specific macrophage subtypes were associated with immunotherapy resistance and prognosis in some cancer types.

Symptom profiles in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis and their association with quality of life: a longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: Many patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis experience one or multiple symptoms. Using a latent profile analysis to identify symptom profiles may provide insights for person-centered symptom management strategies. METHODS: This is a longitudinal study based on data from patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis at three hospitals in Shanghai, China. Of the 448 patients who completed the surveys at baseline (T1), 309 completed the 12-month follow-up survey (T2). Symptoms and quality of life were measured by the Chinese version of Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36 Short Form. The optimal classification of symptoms was identified using latent profile analysis. RESULTS: Five symptom profiles were identified: High (9.2%), Fatigue and Gastrointestinal (7.1%), Fatigue and Skin (10.7%), Skin (23.2%), and Low (49.8%). The high-symptom profile and the-fatigue-and-skin-symptom profile were associated with a lower level of physical functioning, a higher burden of kidney disease, and more negative effects of kidney disease than the low symptom profile at T1 and T2. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the high-symptom profile predicted a poorer physical functioning at T2, and the-fatigue-and-skin-symptom profile predicted a poorer physical functioning and higher burden of kidney disease at T2. CONCLUSION: Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis reported unique symptom experiences which could be classified into different profiles. Patients reporting an overall high level of symptoms or a high level of fatigue and skin symptoms were more likely to have a poorer quality of life.

Targeting FTO induces colorectal cancer ferroptotic cell death by decreasing SLC7A11/GPX4 expression.

Ferroptosis is a newly identified iron-dependent form of death that is becoming increasingly recognized as a promising avenue for cancer therapy. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant reversible methylation modification in mRNA contributing to tumorigenesis. However, the crucial role of m6A modification in regulating ferroptosis during colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis remains elusive. Herein, we find that m6A modification is increased during ferroptotic cell death and correlates with the decreased m6A demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) expression. Functionally, we demonstrate that suppressing FTO significantly induces CRC ferroptotic cell death, as well as enhancing CRC cell sensitivity to ferroptosis inducer (Erastin and RSL3) treatment. Mechanistically, high FTO expression increased solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) or glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expressions in an m6A-YTHDF2 dependent manner, thereby counteracting ferroptotic cell death stress. In addition, we identify Mupirocin as a novel inhibitor of FTO, and Mupirocin induces CRC ferroptosis and inhibits tumor growth. Clinically, the levels of FTO, SLC7A11, and GPX4, are highly correlated expression in CRC tissues. Our findings reveal that FTO protects CRC from ferroptotic cell death in promoting CRC tumorigenesis through triggering SLC7A11/GPX4 expression.

Structurally diverse macrocycle co-crystals for solid-state luminescence modulation.

Organic co-crystals offer an opportunity to fabricate organic functional materials. Traditional co-crystals are generally packed following the segregated or mixed stacking mode, leading to the lack of structural and functional diversity. Herein, we report three sets of macrocycle co-crystals with identical co-constitutions. The macrocycle co-crystals differ in the stoichiometric ratios (2:1, 1:1, and 2:3) of the constituents and molecular packing modes. The co-crystals are constructed using triangular pyrene-macrocycle and 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene exploiting exo-wall charge-transfer interactions. Interestingly, the three co-crystals exhibit distinct, tunable emission properties. The corresponding emission peaks appear at 575, 602, and 635 nm, covering yellow via orange to red. The X-ray diffraction analyses and the density functional theory calculations reveal the superstructure-property relationships that is attributed to the formation of different ratios of charge-transfer transition states between the donor and acceptor motifs, resulting in red-shifted luminescence.

24-h central pressure is a valuable predictor for left ventricular hypertrophy in non-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease.

The current research on the relationship between 24-h central pressure and 24-h brachial pressure with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is characterised by limited sample size and inconsistent findings. Furthermore, the association has never been explored in chronic kidney disease (CKD). A multicentre, cross-sectional study among non-dialysis patients with CKD was conducted. All participants underwent brachial and central ambulatory blood pressure monitoring using MobilO-Graph PWA, while trained cardiologists performed echocardiography. In this study, 2117 non-dialysis patients with CKD were examined. 24-h central systolic blood pressure with c2 calibration (24-h c2SBP) demonstrated a stronger association with left ventricular mass index and LVH compared with 24-h brachial systolic blood pressure (24-h bSBP) in the univariate and multivariate regression analyses. The multivariate net reclassification index (NRI) analysis revealed that 24-h c2SBP exhibited greater discriminatory power over 24-h bSBP (NRI = 0.310, 95% CI [0.192-0.429], P < 0.001). Applying 130/135 mmHg as the threshold for 24-h bSBP/c2SBP to cross-classify, the patients were divided into concordant normotension (1509 individuals), isolated brachial hypertension (155 individuals), isolated central hypertension (11 individuals), and concordant hypertension (442 individuals). With concordant normotension as the reference, the multivariable-adjusted ORs were 0.954 (95% CI, 0.534-1.640; P = 0.870) for isolated brachial hypertension and 2.585 (95%CI, 1.841-3.633; P < 0.001) for concordant hypertension. Among non-dialysis patients with CKD, 24-h c2SBP exhibits greater efficacy in identifying the presence of LVH compared with 24-h bSBP. The presence of LVH was greater in cases of concordant hypertension compared with cases of isolated brachial hypertension and concordant normotension.

Benefit finding in individuals undergoing maintenance hemodialysis in Shanghai: a latent profile analysis.

Objective: This multi-center cross-sectional study aimed to delineate latent profiles of benefit finding (BF) in individuals undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) in Shanghai and examine associations between these BF profiles, social support, and coping style. Methods: A total of 384 individuals undergoing MHD (mean age = 57.90, SD = 13.36) were assessed using the Benefit Finding Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Perceived Social Support Scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified distinct BF categories. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) evaluated the correlation between BF groups and demographic variables, while the relationship between BF, social support, and coping style was tested through correlation and multiple regression analyses. Results: LPA identified three BF groups: rich BF (54.17%), moderate BF (41.14%), and poor BF (4.69%). Regression analyses indicated that positive coping and social support are protective factors for BF. Additionally, older age and heightened understanding of MHD correlated with higher BF levels. Conclusion: The findings highlighted the importance of recognizing different BF profiles in individuals on MHD and working toward promoting BF levels in the rich BF and moderate BF groups, while helping the poor BF group to identify and address their challenges. Medical professionals should consider interventions tailored to individual psychological profiles to improve mental health and quality of life outcomes in this population.

Prevalence and risk factors of MAFLD and its metabolic comorbidities in community-based adults in China: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: There is a growing interest in the co-management of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and its metabolic comorbidities. However, there is insufficient epidemiological data regarding MAFLD and its metabolic comorbidities in China. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of MAFLD and its metabolic comorbidities. METHODS: 9171 participants were recruited in this cross-sectional study, utilizing a multistage, stratified sampling method. All participants underwent a comprehensive assessment. The diagnosis of MAFLD was based on vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE). The prevalence of MAFLD and its metabolic comorbidities was calculated. Binary and ordinary logistic regressions were conducted. RESULTS: The overall weighted prevalence of MAFLD was 21.18%. Of the 2081 adults with MAFLD, 1866 (89.67%) had more than one metabolic comorbidity, and only 215 (10.33%) did not have comorbidity. Among the population with MAFLD, the prevalence of dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperuricemia, and diabetes was 67.47%, 43.73%, 39.10%, and 33.88%, respectively. Advanced age, male gender, overweight/obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and elevated HOMA-IR levels were positively correlated with the number of MAFLD-related metabolic comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of individuals diagnosed with MAFLD presented with metabolic comorbidities. Therefore, engaging in the co-management of MAFLD and its metabolic comorbidities is imperative.

Impact of iodinated oil in proton therapy on relative stopping power of liver post-cTACE.

Objective. Conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) is a common treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), often with unsatisfactory local controls. Combining cTACE with radiotherapy shows a promise for unresectable large HCC, with proton therapy preserving healthy liver tissue. However, the proton therapy benefits are subject to the accuracy of tissue relative stopping power (RSP) prediction. The RSP values are typically derived from computed tomography (CT) images using stoichiometric calibration. Lipiodol deposition significantly increases CT numbers in liver regions of post-cTACE. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the accuracy of RSP in liver regions of post-cTACE.Approach. Liver, water, and iodinated oil samples were prepared. Some liver samples contained iodinated oil. The water equivalent path length (WEPL) of sample was measured through the pullbacks of spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) depth-dose profiles scanned in a water tank with and without sample in the beam path. Measured RSP values were compared to estimated RSP values derived from the CT number based on the stoichiometric calibration method.Main results. The measured RSP of water was 0.991, confirming measurement system calibration. After removing the RSP contribution from container walls, the pure iodinated oil and liver samples had RSP values of 1.12 and 1.06, while the liver samples mixed with varying oil volumes (5 ml, 10 ml, 15 ml) showed RSP values of 1.05, 1.05 and 1.06. Using the stoichiometric calibration method, pure iodinated oil and liver samples had RSP values of 2.79 and 1.06. Liver samples mixed with iodinated oil (5 ml, 10 ml, 15 ml) had calculated RSP values of 1.21, 1.34, and 1.46. The RSP discrepancy reached 149.1% for pure iodinated oil.Significance.Iodinated oil notably raises CT numbers in liver tissue. However, there is almost no effect on its RSP value. Proton treatment of post-cTACE HCC patients can therefore be overshooting if no proper measures are taken against this specific effect.