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Background: Tumors' growth processes result in spatial heterogeneity, with the development of tumor subregions (i.e., habitats) having unique biologic characteristics. Objective: To develop and validate a habitat model combining tumor and peritumoral radiomics features on chest CT for predicting invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: This retrospective study included 1156 patients (mean age, 57.5 years; 464 male, 692 female) from three centers and a public dataset, who underwent chest CT before lung adenocarcinoma resection (variable date ranges across datasets). Patients from one center formed training (n=500) and validation (n=215) sets; patients from the other sources formed three external test sets (n=249, 113, 79). For each patient, a single nodule was manually segmented on chest CT. The nodule segmentation was combined with an automatically generated 4-mm peritumoral region into a whole-volume volume-of-interest (VOI). A Gaussian mixture model (GMM) identified voxel clusters with similar first-order energy across patients. GMM results were used to divide each patient's whole-volume VOI into multiple habitats, defined consistently across patients. Radiomic features were extracted from each habitat. After feature selection, a habitat model was developed for predicting invasiveness, using pathologic assessment as a reference. An integrated model was constructed, combining features extracted from habitats and whole-volume VOIs. Model performance was evaluated, including in subgroups based on nodule density (pure ground-glass, part-solid, solid). Results: Invasive cancer was diagnosed in 625/1156 patients. GMM identified four as the optimal number of voxel clusters and thus of per-patient tumor habitats. The habitat model had AUC of 0.932 in the validation set, and 0.881, 0.880, and 0.764 in the three external test sets. The integrated model had AUC of 0.947 in the validation set and 0.936, 0.908, and 0.800 in the three external test sets. In the three external test sets combined, across nodule densities, AUCs for the habitat model were 0.836-0.969 and for the integrated model were 0.846-0.917. Conclusions: Habitat imaging combining tumoral and peritumoral radiomic features could help predict lung adenocarcinoma invasiveness. Prediction is improved when combining information on tumor subregions and the tumor overall. Clinical Impact: The findings may aid personalized preoperative assessments to guide clinical decision-making in lung adenocarcinoma.
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Amyloodiniosis, caused by the ectoparasite Amyloodinium ocellatum, affects the healthy development of mariculture. This study used a local infection method to identify the pathogenic target organ responsible for the death of infected fish. Comparing the relationship between the abundance of trophonts in gills and skin with the mortality of infected fish using local infection showed that severe gill infections cause the mortality of infected fish. At the 40 % survival rate of infected fish, the parasite abundance in the gill was 14,167 ± 4371. The gill filaments of the infected fish were structurally disordered, with pronounced lesions associated with the presence of trophonts, such as epithelial cell degeneration and massive lymphocytic infiltration. However, the skin showed no obvious pathological changes. The TUNEL assay showed a significant presence of apoptotic cells concentrated in the area of A. ocellatum infection. The trophonts on the gills developed faster than those parasitising the skin and fins. Microbiome analysis revealed that at the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Firmicutes are abundant in the skin, while Verrucomicrobiota, Bacteroidota, and Proteobacteria are abundant in the gills of A. latus. Furthermore, A. ocellatum infection significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the richness and diversity of the gill microbial community of A. latus. Infection by A. ocellatum increased the relative abundance of several putative pathogenic bacteria (Flavobacterium and Nocardia) in the gill and skin of A. latus, possibly increasing the likelihood of disease in the host. In conclusion, these results evidenced that severe gill infections by A. ocellatum cause mortality in infected fish, which clarifies the direction for exploring the pathogenesis of amyloodiniosis.
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Distinguished from traditional vulcanized rubber, which is not reusable, thermoplastic elastomer (TPV) is a material that possesses both the excellent resilience of traditional vulcanized rubber and the recyclability of thermoplastic, and TPVs have been widely studied in both academia and industry because of their outstanding green properties. In this study, new thermoplastic elastomers based on solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber (SSBR) and thermoplastic elastomers (SEPSs/SEBSs) were prepared by the first dynamic vulcanization process. The high slip resistance and abrasion resistance of SSBR are utilized to improve the poor slip resistance of SEPSs/SEBSs, which provides a direction for the recycling of shoe sole materials. In this paper, the effects of different ratios of the rubber/plastic phase (R/P) on the mechanical properties, rheological properties, micro-morphology, wear resistance, and anti-slip properties of SSBR/TPE TPVs are investigated. The results show that the SSBR/TPE TPVs have good mechanical properties. The tensile strength, tear strength, hardness, and resilience of the TPVs decrease slightly with an increasing R/P ratio. Still, TPVs have a tensile strength of 18.1 MPa when the ratio of R/P is 40/100, and this reaches the performance of the vulcanized rubber sole materials commonly used in the market. In addition, combined with microscopic morphology analysis (SEM), it was found that, with the increase in the R/P ratio, the size of the rubber particles gradually increased, forming a stronger crosslinking network, but the rheological properties of TPVs gradually decreased; crosslinking network enhancement led to the increase in the size of the rubber particles, and the increase in the size of rubber particles made the material in the abrasion of rubber particles fall easily, thus increasing its abrasion volume. Through dynamic mechanical analysis and anti-slip tests, when the R/P ratio was 40/100, the tan δ of TPVs at 0 °C was 0.35, which represents an ordinary vulcanized rubber sole material in the market. The viscoelasticity of TPVs increased with the increase in the R/P ratio, which improved the anti-slip performance of TPVs. SSBR/TPE TPVs are expected to be used in footwear and automotive fields due to their excellent abrasion resistance and anti-slip performance.
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Numerous studies over the past few decades have shown that RNAs are multifaceted, multifunctional regulators of most cellular processes, contrary to the initial belief that they only act as mediators for translating DNA into proteins. LncRNAs, which refer to transcripts longer than 200nt and lack the ability to code for proteins, have recently been identified as central regulators of a variety of biochemical and cellular processes, particularly cancer. When they are abnormally expressed, they are closely associated with tumor occurrence, metastasis, and tumor staging. Therefore, through searches on Google Scholar, PubMed, and CNKI, we identified five five recently characterized lncRNAs-Lnc-SLC2A12-10:1, LncRNA BCRT1, lncRNA IGFBP4-1, LncRNA PCNAP1, and LncRNA CDC6-that have been linked to the promotion of cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Consequently, this review encapsulates the existing research and molecular underpinnings of these five newly identified lncRNAs across various types of cancer. It suggests that these novel lncRNAs hold potential as independent biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and prognosis, as well as candidates for therapeutic intervention. In parallel, we discuss the challenges inherent in the research on these five newly discovered lncRNAs and look forward to the avenues for future exploration in this field.
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OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of combined treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) with electroacupuncture (EA) and capeOX (combined administration of fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and capecitabine) on the tumor volume, weight, spleen coefficient, apoptosis and ferroptosis of tumor tissue, and liver and kidney functions in nude mice with CRC, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying inhibiting CRC and alleviating toxic reactions of capeOX. METHODS: Female Balb/c nude mice were randomly assigned to 3 groupsï¼model, capeOX, and EA+capeOX, with 8 nude mice in each group. The CRC model was established by subcutaneous injection of colon cancer cells at the right inguinal region. Nude mice of the capeOX group received intraperitoneal injection of oxaliplatin for 1 day and gavage of capecitabine from day 2 to day 7. EA (1 mA, 2 Hz/100 Hz) was applied to bilateral "Zusanli" (ST36) for 20 min, once daily for 7 days. During the interven-tion, the tumor volume and weight were measured every day, and at the end of intervention, the weight of the tumor tissue and spleen were measured, with tumor volume difference and spleen coefficient calculated. The proportion of apoptotic cells was measured by flow cytometry, and the contents of serum malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine aninotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr) were detected using ELISA. The expression level of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4, a key regulator for ferroptosis) protein of the tumor tissue was determined using Western blot. RESULTS: Compared to the model group, both the capeOX group and EA+capeOX group showed a decrease in the tumor volume (on day 3 and 4 in the capeOX group, and from day 2 to 7 in the EA+capeOX group) and body weight (P<0.05, on day 3 to 7 in the EA+capeOX group and on day 2 to 7 in the capeOX group), being evidently lower in the tumor volume on day 7 in the EA+capeOX than in the capeOX group (P<0.05), and evidently higher in the body weight on day 6 and 7 in the EA+capeOX group than in the capeOX group (P<0.05). In comparison with the model group, the tumor volume difference, tumor weight and spleen coefficient in both capeOX and EA+capeOX groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and MDA content in EA+capeOX group was significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the contents of ALT, BUN and Cr in the capeOX group, the proportion of apoptotic cells in both capeOX and EA+capeOX groups, and the GPX4 expression level in the EA+capeOX group were all significantly increased (P<0.05). The tumor volume difference, tumor weight, and contents of MDA, ALT, AST, BUN and Cr in the EA+capeOX group were markedly lower than in the capeOX group (P<0.05), while the spleen coefficient, proportion of apoptotic cells and GPX4 expression level in the EA+capeOX group were markedly higher than those in the capeOX group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: EA of ST36 can enhance the effect of capeOX in inhibiting colorectal cancer growth in nude mice with CRC, which may be related with its functions in promoting tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting ferroptosis, and modulating immune tolerance. In addition, EA can lower the side effects of capeOX in hematopoietic and immune, liver, and kidney functions.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Points , Apoptosis , Colorectal Neoplasms , Electroacupuncture , Ferroptosis , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Nude , Animals , Mice , Ferroptosis/drug effects , Humans , Apoptosis/drug effects , Colorectal Neoplasms/therapy , Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism , Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Female , Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase/metabolism , Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase/geneticsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Laser Hemorrhoidoplasty (LHP) is a minimally invasive surgical option for the management of hemorrhoidal disease that has been increasingly adopted by surgeons over the last decade. Two wavelengths; 980 nm and 1470 nm have been employed in LHP. However, no data exist comparing the effects of these two wavelengths for this indication. This systematic review investigates both wavelengths for the management of hemorrhoids via the LHP procedure. METHODS: This systematic analysis and meta-analysis was performed following the PICOS and PRISMA guidelines. A systematic research of MEDLINE, Scopus, Clinicaltrials.gov, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CENTRAL and Google Scholar databases from inception until March 2024 was performed. RESULTS: Overall, 19 studies including seven randomized control trials (RCT) and 12 non-randomized control trials with a total of 2492 patients were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The duration of LHP with both wavelengths was significantly shorter compared to open hemorrhoidectomy, postoperative pain and the rate of postoperative complications were significantly lower following LHP. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of recurrence between LHP with the 980-nm wavelength and open hemorrhoidectomy. However, LHP with 1470-nm wavelength resulted in significantly higher recurrence rate compared to hemorrhoidectomy. CONCLUSION: Although no direct studies have compared the two wavelengths used in LHP, the outcomes of LHP seem to be independent of the wavelength used. Both wavelengths, when correctly used provide similar results, which are mostly better compared to open hemorrhoidectomy in terms of postoperative complications and postoperative pain, but not in terms of recurrence, where at least for the 1470-nm wavelength, LHP seems to show a higher recurrence rate when compared to open hemorrhoidectomy. Although a direct comparison of both wavelengths was not possible, technical issues regarding number of shots and energy per pile represent relevant parameters for recurrence after LHP.
Subject(s)
Hemorrhoidectomy , Hemorrhoids , Laser Therapy , Pain, Postoperative , Humans , Laser Therapy/adverse effects , Laser Therapy/methods , Hemorrhoidectomy/adverse effects , Hemorrhoidectomy/methods , Hemorrhoids/surgery , Treatment Outcome , Pain, Postoperative/etiology , Recurrence , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Male , Middle Aged , FemaleABSTRACT
Bacteria possess the ability to develop diverse and ingenious strategies to outwit the host immune system, and proteases are one of the many weapons employed by bacteria. This study sought to identify S. agalactiae additional serine protease and determine its role in virulence. The S. agalactiae THN0901 genome features one S8 family serine peptidase B (SfpB), acting as a secreted and externally exposed entity. A S8 family serine peptidase mutant strain (ΔsfpB) and complement strain (CΔsfpB) were generated through homologous recombination. Compared to the wild-type strain THN0901, the absorption of EtBr dyes was significantly reduced (P < 0.01) in ΔsfpB, implying an altered cell membrane permeability. In addition, the ΔsfpB strain had a significantly lower survival rate in macrophages (P < 0.01) and a 61.85 % lower adhesion ability to the EPC cells (P < 0.01) compared to THN0901. In the in vivo colonization experiment using tilapia as a model, 210 fish were selected and injected with different bacterial strains at a concentration of 3 × 106 CFU/tail. At 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h post-injection, three fish were randomly selected from each group and their brain, liver, spleen, and kidney tissues were isolated. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that the ΔsfpB strain exhibited a markedly diminished capacity for colonization in tilapia. Additionally, the cumulative mortality of ΔsfpB in fish after intraperitoneal injection was reduced by 19.92-23.85 %. In conclusion, the findings in this study have demonstrated that the SfpB plays a significant role in S. agalactiae cell membrane stability and immune evasion. The immune evasion is fundamental for the development and transmission of invasive diseases, the serine protease SfpB may be a promising candidate for the development of antimicrobial agents to reduce the transmission of S. agalactiae.
Subject(s)
Cell Membrane , Fish Diseases , Immune Evasion , Streptococcal Infections , Streptococcus agalactiae , Streptococcus agalactiae/genetics , Streptococcus agalactiae/pathogenicity , Streptococcus agalactiae/enzymology , Streptococcus agalactiae/immunology , Animals , Virulence , Streptococcal Infections/microbiology , Streptococcal Infections/immunology , Cell Membrane/metabolism , Fish Diseases/microbiology , Fish Diseases/immunology , Bacterial Adhesion , Macrophages/microbiology , Macrophages/immunology , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/metabolism , Serine Proteases/genetics , Serine Proteases/metabolism , Virulence Factors/genetics , Virulence Factors/metabolism , MiceABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of sleep quality on cognitive function in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. METHODS: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) were used to assess sleep quality and cognitive function in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus, sleep disorder patients (SD), and normal controls (NC). The tinnitus evaluation questionnaire (TEQ) and tinnitus loudness were used to assess the severity in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. Tinnitus patients were divided into two groups based on PSQI results: "tinnitus with sleep disorder (TwSD)" and "tinnitus without sleep disorder (TnSD)." The MoCA scores in TwSD and TnSD groups were compared with those in SD and NC groups, and the correlation between PSQI, TEQ, tinnitus loudness, and MoCA scores in subjective tinnitus patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Whether TwSD group or TnSD group, the MoCA score was significantly lower than those in the NC group and SD group. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between TwSD and TnSD groups in MoCA score, and PSQI, TEQ, and tinnitus loudness were not significantly correlated with MoCA. CONCLUSION: Subjective tinnitus may be an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment. The underlying neural mechanisms between subjective tinnitus, sleep disorders, and cognitive impairment need to be further explored and clarified.
Subject(s)
Sleep Wake Disorders , Tinnitus , Humans , Tinnitus/complications , Tinnitus/diagnosis , Sleep Quality , Cognition , Risk Factors , Sleep Wake Disorders/complicationsABSTRACT
The study aims to explore the effects of combining repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with sling exercise (SE) intervention in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). This approach aims to directly stimulate brain circuits and indirectly activate trunk muscles to influence motor cortex plasticity. However, the impact of this combined intervention on motor cortex organization and clinical symptom improvement is still unclear, as well as whether it is more effective than either intervention alone. To investigate this, patients with CLBP were randomly assigned to three groups: SE/rTMS, rTMS alone, and SE alone. Motor cortical organization, numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and postural balance stability were measured before and after a 2-week intervention. The results showed statistically significant differences in the representative location of multifidus on the left hemispheres, as well as in NPRS and ODI scores, in the combined SE/rTMS group after the intervention. When compared to the other two groups, the combined SE/rTMS group demonstrated significantly different motor cortical organization, sway area, and path range from the rTMS alone group, but not from the SE alone group. These findings highlight the potential benefits of a combined SE/rTMS intervention in terms of clinical outcomes and neuroadaptive changes compared to rTMS alone. However, there was no significant difference between the combined intervention and SE alone. Therefore, our research does not support the use of rTMS as a standalone treatment for CLBP. Our study contributed to optimizing treatment strategies for individuals suffering from CLBP.
Subject(s)
Exercise Therapy , Low Back Pain , Motor Cortex , Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation , Humans , Motor Cortex/physiopathology , Motor Cortex/physiology , Low Back Pain/therapy , Low Back Pain/physiopathology , Female , Male , Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation/methods , Adult , Middle Aged , Exercise Therapy/methods , Postural Balance/physiology , Treatment Outcome , Chronic Pain/therapy , Chronic Pain/physiopathology , Combined Modality TherapyABSTRACT
Microglial reactivity to injury and disease is emerging as a heterogeneous, dynamic, and crucial determinant in neurological disorders. However, the plasticity and fate of disease-associated microglia (DAM) remain largely unknown. We established a lineage tracing system, leveraging the expression dynamics of secreted phosphoprotein 1ï¼Spp1ï¼ to label and track DAM-like microglia during brain injury and recovery. Fate mapping of Spp1+ microglia during stroke in juvenile mice revealed an irreversible state of DAM-like microglia that were ultimately eliminated from the injured brain. By contrast, DAM-like microglia in the neonatal stroke models exhibited high plasticity, regaining a homeostatic signature and integrating into the microglial network after recovery. Furthermore, neonatal injury had a lasting impact on microglia, rendering them intrinsically sensitized to subsequent immune challenges. Therefore, our findings highlight the plasticity and innate immune memory of neonatal microglia, shedding light on the fate of DAM-like microglia in various neuropathological conditions.
Subject(s)
Brain Injuries , Stroke , Animals , Mice , Microglia , Brain/metabolism , Osteopontin/metabolismABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Deep learning-based super-resolution (SR) algorithms aim to reconstruct low-resolution (LR) images into high-fidelity high-resolution (HR) images by learning the low- and high-frequency information. Experts' diagnostic requirements are fulfilled in medical application scenarios through the high-quality reconstruction of LR digital medical images. PURPOSE: Medical image SR algorithms should satisfy the requirements of arbitrary resolution and high efficiency in applications. However, there is currently no relevant study available. Several SR research on natural images have accomplished the reconstruction of resolutions without limitations. However, these methodologies provide challenges in meeting medical applications due to the large scale of the model, which significantly limits efficiency. Hence, we suggest a highly effective method for reconstructing medical images at any desired resolution. METHODS: Statistical features of medical images exhibit greater continuity in the region of neighboring pixels than natural images. Hence, the process of reconstructing medical images is comparatively less challenging. Utilizing this property, we develop a neighborhood evaluator to represent the continuity of the neighborhood while controlling the network's depth. RESULTS: The suggested method has superior performance across seven scales of reconstruction, as evidenced by experiments conducted on panoramic radiographs and two external public datasets. Furthermore, the proposed network significantly decreases the parameter count by over 20× and the computational workload by over 10× compared to prior researches. On large-scale reconstruction, the inference speed can be enhanced by over 5×. CONCLUSION: The novel proposed SR strategy for medical images performs efficient reconstruction at arbitrary resolution, marking a significant breakthrough in the field. The given scheme facilitates the implementation of SR in mobile medical platforms.
Subject(s)
Algorithms , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methodsABSTRACT
Accurate tumor diagnosis by pathologists relies on identifying specific morphological characteristics. However, summarizing these unique morphological features in tumor classifications can be challenging. Although deep learning models have been extensively studied for tumor classification, their indirect and subjective interpretation obstructs pathologists from comprehending the model and discerning the morphological features accountable for classifications. In this study, we introduce a new approach utilizing Style Generative Adversarial Networks, which enables a direct interpretation of deep learning models to detect significant morphological characteristics within datasets representing patients with deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability-high gastric cancer. Our approach effectively identifies distinct morphological features crucial for tumor classification, offering valuable insights for pathologists to enhance diagnostic accuracy and foster professional growth.
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Film capacitors have become key electronic components for electrical energy storage installations and high-power electronic systems. Nonetheless, high-temperature and high-electric-field environments would cause a surge of the energy loss, placing a fundamental challenge for film capacitors applied in harsh environments. Here, we constructed a composite film, combining poly(ether sulfone) (PESU) with excellent thermal stability and large-band-gap filler boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs). The introduction of BNNSs would form deep/shallow traps inside the dielectric polymer matrix, effectively affecting charge migration. Via density functional theory (DFT) calculation, the higher highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels of the BNNS than the matrix facilitate scattering electrons and attracting holes. The resultant composite obtains the desired discharged energy densities (Ud) of 5.89 and 3.86 J/cm3 accompanied by an efficiency above 90% at 150 and 200 °C, respectively, surpassing those of existing dielectric materials at the high-temperature conditions. The paper provides a promising composite dielectric material for high-performance film capacitors capable of operating in harsh environments.
ABSTRACT
Isocitrate dehydrogenase gene (IDH) mutation is one of the most important molecular markers of glioma. Accurate detection of IDH status is a crucial step for integrated diagnosis of adult-type diffuse gliomas. Herein, a clustering-based hybrid of a convolutional neural network and a vision transformer deep learning model was developed to detect IDH mutation status from annotation-free hematoxylin and eosin-stained whole slide pathologic images of 2275 adult patients with diffuse gliomas. For comparison, a pure convolutional neural network, a pure vision transformer, and a classic multiple-instance learning model were also assessed. The hybrid model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.973 in the validation set and 0.953 in the external test set, outperforming the other models. The hybrid model's ability in IDH detection between difficult subgroups with different IDH status but shared histologic features, achieving areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranging from 0.850 to 0.985 in validation and test sets. These data suggest that the proposed hybrid model has a potential to be used as a computational pathology tool for preliminary rapid detection of IDH mutation from whole slide images in adult patients with diffuse gliomas.
Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms , Glioma , Adult , Humans , Isocitrate Dehydrogenase/genetics , Brain Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Brain Neoplasms/genetics , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Glioma/diagnostic imaging , Glioma/genetics , Glioma/pathology , Mutation/genetics , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of professionally led support groups for people with advanced or metastatic cancer, and identify factors critical to implementation success within real-world settings. METHODS: Databases (MEDLINE; PsychINFO; CINAHL) and grey literature were searched for empirical publications and evaluations. Articles were screened for eligibility and data systematically extracted, charted and summarised using a modified scoping review methodology. Implementation factors were mapped using Proctor's implementation framework and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 2.0. RESULTS: A total of 1691 publications were identified; 19 were eligible for inclusion (8 randomised controlled trials, 7 qualitative studies, 2 cohort studies, 2 mixed methods studies). Most (n=18) studies focused on tumour-specific support groups. Evidence supported professionally led support groups in reducing mood disturbances (n=5), distress (i.e. traumatic stress, depression) (n=4) and pain (n=2). Other benefits included social connectedness (n=6), addressing existential distress (n=5), information and knowledge (n=6), empowerment and sense of control (n=2), relationships with families (n=2) and communication with health professionals (n=2). Thirteen studies identified factors predicting successful adoption, implementation or sustainment, including acceptability (n=12; 63%), feasibility (n=6; 32%) and appropriateness (n=1; 5%). Key determinants of successful implementation included group leaders' skills/experience, mode of operation, travelling distance, group composition and membership and resourcing. CONCLUSIONS: Professionally led tumour-specific support groups demonstrate effectiveness in reducing mood disturbances, distress and pain among patients. Successful implementation hinges on factors such as leadership expertise, operational methods and resource allocation. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Professionally led support groups may fill an important gap in supportive care for people with advanced or metastatic cancer.
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Amyloodinium ocellatum is among the most devastating protozoan parasites, causing huge economic losses in the mariculture industry. However, the pathogenesis of amyloodiniosis remains unknown, hindering the development of targeted anti-parasitic drugs. The A. ocellatum in vitro model is an indispensable tool for investigating the pathogenic mechanism of amyloodiniosis at the cellular and molecular levels. The present work developed a new cell line, ALG, from the gill of yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus). The cell line was routinely cultured at 28°C in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM) supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum (FBS). ALG cells were adherent and exhibited an epithelioid morphology; the cells were stably passed over 30 generations and successfully cryopreserved. The cell line derived from A. latus was identified based on partial sequence amplification and sequencing of cytochrome B (Cyt b). The ALG was seeded onto transwell inserts and found to be a platform for in vitro infection of A. ocellatum, with a 37.23 ± 5.75% infection rate. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that A. ocellatum parasitizes cell monolayers via rhizoids. A. ocellatum infection increased the expression of apoptosis and inflammation-related genes, including caspase 3 (Casp 3), interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), in vivo or in vitro. These results demonstrated that the in vitro gill cell monolayer successfully recapitulated in vivo A. latus host responses to A. ocellatum infection. The ALG cell line holds great promise as a valuable tool for investigating parasite-host interactions in vitro.
Subject(s)
Fish Diseases , Perciformes , Sea Bream , Animals , Gills/parasitology , Fish Diseases/parasitologyABSTRACT
The calculation of trade-embodied air pollution (TEAP) and its economic losses can be reasonably used to assess the impact of transboundary air pollution. However, these air pollutants, which are associated with international trade, can be easily ignored due to their concealment. Based on this, the global multiregional inputâoutput model (MRIO) is used to quantify the volume of five air pollutants that are embodied in the trade of 20 countries from 2000 to 2016. Then, the shadow price of trade-embodied air pollution (SPTEAP) and the elasticity of factor substitution (EFS) are both calculated by applying the translog production function. Finally, impulse response analysis is used to study the dynamic impact of EFS on the SPTEAP. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) All countries experienced a mass transfer of TEAP, among which China and the USA are the developing and developed countries with the largest amount of TEAP transfers, respectively. (2) The SPTEAP and EFS vary greatly among countries, and these values are generally higher in developed countries than in developing countries. The relationship between the three EFSs can be expressed as [Formula: see text] in all countries, thus indicating that improving the technological level of a country is the best solution for reducing the TEAP in that country while incurring the lowest cost and the least difficulty. (3) Over the long run, the increase in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] reduces the SPTEAP. Conversely, an increase in [Formula: see text] increases the SPTEAP. Therefore, policymakers should weigh these three factors according to the fluctuation of the SPTEAP and constantly adjust the allocation structure and ratio of these factors to maximize the benefits of transboundary air pollution governance.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants , Air Pollution , Commerce , Internationality , Air Pollution/analysis , Air Pollutants/analysis , China , Carbon Dioxide/analysisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tuberous sclerosis complex disease is a rare, multisystem genetic disease, but appropriate drug treatment allows many pediatric patients to have positive outcomes. The purpose of this study was to predict the effectiveness of antiseizure medication treatment in children with tuberous sclerosis complex-related epilepsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study involving 300 children with tuberous sclerosis complex-related epilepsy. The study included the analysis of clinical data and T2WI and FLAIR images. The clinical data consisted of sex, age of onset, age at imaging, infantile spasms, and antiseizure medication numbers. To forecast antiseizure medication treatment, we developed a multitechnique deep learning method called WAE-Net. This method used multicontrast MR imaging and clinical data. The T2WI and FLAIR images were combined as FLAIR3 to enhance the contrast between tuberous sclerosis complex lesions and normal brain tissues. We trained a clinical data-based model using a fully connected network with the above-mentioned variables. After that, a weighted-average ensemble network built from the ResNet3D architecture was created as the final model. RESULTS: The experiments had shown that age of onset, age at imaging, infantile spasms, and antiseizure medication numbers were significantly different between the 2 drug-treatment outcomes (P < .05). The hybrid technique of FLAIR3 could accurately localize tuberous sclerosis complex lesions, and the proposed method achieved the best performance (area under the curve = 0.908 and accuracy of 0.847) in the testing cohort among the compared methods. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed method could predict antiseizure medication treatment of children with rare tuberous sclerosis complex-related epilepsy and could be a strong baseline for future studies.
Subject(s)
Deep Learning , Epilepsy , Spasms, Infantile , Tuberous Sclerosis , Child , Humans , Spasms, Infantile/diagnostic imaging , Spasms, Infantile/drug therapy , Spasms, Infantile/etiology , Tuberous Sclerosis/complications , Tuberous Sclerosis/diagnostic imaging , Tuberous Sclerosis/drug therapy , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Retrospective Studies , Epilepsy/drug therapy , SpasmABSTRACT
We propose a semi-supervised segmentation method based on multiscale contrastive learning to solve the problem of shortage of annotations in medical image segmentation tasks. We apply perturbations to the input image and encoded features and make the output as consistent as possible by cross-supervision, which is a way to improve the generalizability of the model. Two scales of contrastive learning, patch-level and pixel-level, are employed to enhance the intra-class compactness and inter-class separability of the features. We evaluate the proposed model using three public datasets for brain tumor,left atrial, and cellular nuclei segmentation. The experiments showed that our model outperforms state-of-the-art methods.Clinical relevance- The proposed method can be used for medical image segmentation with limited annotated data and achieve comparable performance to the fully annotated situation. Such an approach can be easily extended to other clinical applications.
Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms , Learning , Humans , Brain Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Cell Nucleus , Heart AtriaABSTRACT
Radiomics is widely used in adult tumors but has been rarely applied to the field of pediatrics. Promoting the application of radiomics in pediatric diseases, especially in the early diagnosis and stratified treatment of tumors, is of great value to the realization of the WHO 2030 "Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer." This paper discusses the general characteristics of radiomics, the particularity of its application to pediatric diseases, and the current status and prospects of pediatric radiomics. Radiomics is a data-driven science, and the combination of medicine and engineering plays a decisive role in improving data quality, data diversity, and sample size. Compared with adult radiomics, pediatric radiomics is significantly different in data type, disease spectrum, disease staging, and progression. Some progress has been made in the identification, classification, stratification, survival prediction, and prognosis of tumor diseases. In the future, big data applications from multiple centers and cross-talent training should be strengthened to improve the benefits for clinical workers and children.