Comparing various Bayesian random-effects models for pooling randomized controlled trials with rare events.

The meta-analysis of rare events presents unique methodological challenges owing to the small number of events. Bayesian methods are often used to combine rare events data to inform decision-making, as they can incorporate prior information and handle studies with zero events without the need for continuity corrections. However, the comparative performances of different Bayesian models in pooling rare events data are not well understood. We conducted a simulation to compare the statistical properties of four parameterizations based on the binomial-normal hierarchical model, using two different priors for the treatment effect: weakly informative prior (WIP) and non-informative prior (NIP), pooling randomized controlled trials with rare events using the odds ratio metric. We also considered the beta-binomial model proposed by Kuss and the random intercept and slope generalized linear mixed models. The simulation scenarios varied based on the treatment effect, sample size ratio between the treatment and control arms, and level of heterogeneity. Performance was evaluated using median bias, root mean square error, median width of 95% credible or confidence intervals, coverage, Type I error, and empirical power. Two reviews are used to illustrate these methods. The results demonstrate that the WIP outperforms the NIP within the same model structure. Among the compared models, the model that included the treatment effect parameter in the risk model for the control arm did not perform well. Our findings confirm that rare events meta-analysis faces the challenge of being underpowered, highlighting the importance of reporting the power of results in empirical studies.

Design and statistical analysis reporting among interrupted time series studies in drug utilization research: a cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: Interrupted time series (ITS) design is a commonly used method for evaluating large-scale interventions in clinical practice or public health. However, improperly using this method can lead to biased results. OBJECTIVE: To investigate design and statistical analysis characteristics of drug utilization studies using ITS design, and give recommendations for improvements. METHODS: A literature search was conducted based on PubMed from January 2021 to December 2021. We included original articles that used ITS design to investigate drug utilization without restriction on study population or outcome types. A structured, pilot-tested questionnaire was developed to extract information regarding study characteristics and details about design and statistical analysis. RESULTS: We included 153 eligible studies. Among those, 28.1% (43/153) clearly explained the rationale for using the ITS design and 13.7% (21/153) clarified the rationale of using the specified ITS model structure. One hundred and forty-nine studies used aggregated data to do ITS analysis, and 20.8% (31/149) clarified the rationale for the number of time points. The consideration of autocorrelation, non-stationary and seasonality was often lacking among those studies, and only 14 studies mentioned all of three methodological issues. Missing data was mentioned in 31 studies. Only 39.22% (60/153) reported the regression models, while 15 studies gave the incorrect interpretation of level change due to time parameterization. Time-varying participant characteristics were considered in 24 studies. In 97 studies containing hierarchical data, 23 studies clarified the heterogeneity among clusters and used statistical methods to address this issue. CONCLUSION: The quality of design and statistical analyses in ITS studies for drug utilization remains unsatisfactory. Three emerging methodological issues warranted particular attention, including incorrect interpretation of level change due to time parameterization, time-varying participant characteristics and hierarchical data analysis. We offered specific recommendations about the design, analysis and reporting of the ITS study.

Specific Alterations in Brain White Matter Networks and Their Impact on Clinical Function in Pediatric Patients With Thoracolumbar Spinal Cord Injury.

BACKGROUND: The alternation of brain white matter (WM) network has been studied in adult spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. However, the WM network alterations in pediatric SCI patients remain unclear. PURPOSE: To evaluate WM network changes and their functional impact in children with thoracolumbar SCI (TSCI). STUDY TYPE: Prospective. SUBJECTS: Thirty-five pediatric patients with TSCI (8.94 ± 1.86 years, 8/27 males/females) and 34 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) participated in this study. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0 T/DTI imaging using spin-echo echo-planar and T1-weighted imaging using 3D T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo sequence. ASSESSMENT: Pediatric SCI patients were evaluated for motor and sensory scores, injury level, time since injury, and age at injury. The WM network was constructed using a continuous tracing method, resulting in a 90 × 90 matrix. The global and regional metrics were obtained to investigate the alterations of the WM structural network. topology. STATISTICAL TESTS: Two-sample independent t-tests, chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Spearman correlation. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Compared with HCs, pediatric TSCI patients displayed decreased shortest path length (Lp = 1.080 ± 0.130) and normalized Lp (λ = 5.020 ± 0.363), and increased global efficiency (Eg = 0.200 ± 0.015). Notably, these patients also demonstrated heightened regional properties in the orbitofrontal cortex, limbic system, default mode network, and several audio-visual-related regions. Moreover, the λ and Lp values negatively correlated with sensory scores. Conversely, nodal efficiency values in the right calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex positively correlated with sensory scores. The age at injury positively correlated with node degree in the left parahippocampal gyrus and nodal efficiency in the right posterior cingulate gyrus. DATA CONCLUSION: Reorganization of the WM networks in pediatric SCI patients is indicated by increased global and nodal efficiency, which may provide promising neuroimaging biomarkers for functional assessment of pediatric SCI. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 5.

Sample size calculations for randomized controlled trials with repeatedly measured continuous variables as primary outcomes need improvements: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with repeatedly measured continuous variables as primary outcomes are common. Although statistical methodologies for calculating sample sizes in such trials have been extensively investigated, their practical application remains unclear. This study aims to provide an overview of sample size calculation methods for different research questions (e.g., key time point treatment effect, treatment effect change over time) and evaluate the adequacy of current practices in trial design. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed to identify RCTs published in core journals in 2019 that utilized repeatedly measured continuous variables as their primary outcomes. Data were extracted using a predefined questionnaire including general study characteristics, primary outcomes, detailed sample size calculation methods, and methods for analyzing the primary outcome. We re-estimated the sample size for trials that provided all relevant parameters. RESULTS: A total of 168 RCTs were included, with a median of four repeated measurements (interquartile range 3-6) per outcome. In 48 (28.6%) trials, the primary outcome used for sample size calculation differed from the one used in defining the primary outcomes. There were 90 (53.6%) trials exhibited inconsistencies between the hypotheses specified for sample size calculation and those specified for primary analysis. The statistical methods used for sample size calculation in 158 (94.0%) trials did not align with those used for primary analysis. Additionally, only 6 (3.6%) trials accounted for the number of repeated measurements, and 7 (4.2%) trials considered the correlation among these measurements when calculating the sample size. Furthermore, of the 128 (76.2%) trials that considered loss to follow-up, 33 (25.8%) used an incorrect formula (i.e., N∗(1+lose rate) for sample size adjustment. In 53 (49.5%) out of 107 trials, the re-estimated sample size was larger than the reported sample size. CONCLUSION: The practice of sample size calculation for RCTs with repeatedly measured continuous variables as primary outcomes displayed significant deficiencies, with a notable proportion of trials failed to report essential parameters about repeated measurement required for sample size calculation. Our findings highlight the urgent need to use optimal sample size methods that align with the research hypothesis, primary analysis method, and the form of the primary outcome.

Structural changes in the thalamus and its subregions in regulating different symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.

As a key center for sensory information processing and transmission, the thalamus plays a crucial role in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the changes in the thalamus and its role in regulating different PTSD symptoms remain unclear. In this study, fourteen PTSD patients and eighteen healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. All subjects underwent whole-brain T1-weighted three-dimensional Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo Imaging scans. Gray matter volume (GMV) in the thalamus and its subregions were estimated using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Compared to HCs, PTSD patients exhibited significant GMV reduction in the left thalamus and its subregions, including anterior, mediodorsal, ventral-lateral-dorsal (VLD), ventral-anterior, and ventral-lateral-ventral (VLV). Among the significantly reduced thalamic subregions, we found positive correlations between the GMV values of the left VLD and VLV and the re-experiencing symptoms score, arousal symptoms score, and total CAPS score. When using the symptom-related GMV values of left VLV and VLD in combination as a predictor, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) for binary classification reached 0.813. This study highlights the neurobiological mechanisms of PTSD related to thalamic changes and may provide potential imaging markers for diagnosis and therapy targets.

Comparison of statistical methods for integrating real-world evidence in a rare events meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Rare events meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are often underpowered because the outcomes are infrequent. Real-world evidence (RWE) from non-randomized studies may provide valuable complementary evidence about the effects of rare events, and there is growing interest in including such evidence in the decision-making process. Several methods for combining RCTs and RWE studies have been proposed, but the comparative performance of these methods is not well understood. We describe a simulation study that aims to evaluate an array of alternative Bayesian methods for including RWE in rare events meta-analysis of RCTs: the naïve data synthesis, the design-adjusted synthesis, the use of RWE as prior information, the three-level hierarchical models, and the bias-corrected meta-analysis model. The percentage bias, root-mean-square-error, mean 95% credible interval width, coverage probability, and power are used to measure performance. The various methods are illustrated using a systematic review to evaluate the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis among patients using sodium/glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors as compared with active-comparators. Our simulations show that the bias-corrected meta-analysis model is comparable to or better than the other methods in terms of all evaluated performance measures and simulation scenarios. Our results also demonstrate that data solely from RCTs may not be sufficiently reliable for assessing the effects of rare events. In summary, the inclusion of RWE could increase the certainty and comprehensiveness of the body of evidence of rare events from RCTs, and the bias-corrected meta-analysis model may be preferable.

[Clinical Effect of Surgical Reconstruction of Extracranial Vertebral Artery].

Objective To evaluate the effect of surgical reconstruction of extracranial vertebral artery and to summarize the experience. Methods The clinical data of 15 patients undergoing surgical reconstruction of extracranial vertebral artery from September 2018 to June 2022 were collected.The operation methods,operation duration,intraoperative blood loss,operation complications,and relief of symptoms were retrospectively analyzed. Results Eleven patients underwent vertebral artery (V1 segment) to common carotid artery transposition,two patients underwent endarterectomy of V1 segment,two patients underwent V3 segment to external carotid artery bypass or transposition.The operation duration,intraoperative blood loss,and blocking time of common carotid artery varied within 120-340 min,50-300 ml,and 12-25 min,with the medians of 240 min,100 ml,and 16 min,respectively.There was no cardiac accident,cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome,cerebral hemorrhage or lymphatic leakage during the perioperative period.One patient suffered from cerebral infarction and three patients suffered from incomplete Horner's syndrome after the operation.During the follow-up (4-45 months,median of 26 months),there was no anastomotic stenosis,new cerebral infarction or cerebral ischemia. Conclusion Surgical reconstruction of extracranial vertebral artery is safe and effective,and individualized reconstruction strategy should be adopted according to different conditions.

Recent advances in hierarchical MoS2/graphene-based materials for supercapacitor applications.

Hierarchical MoS2/graphene (MoS2/G) has been widely researched in energy storage via supercapacitors. The combination of MoS2 with graphene not only provides high conductivity but also enhances the structural stability, which are critical factors determining the electrochemical performance for energy storage. In this review, the recent development of various hierarchical MoS2/G nanostructures in supercapacitor applications is summarized by classifying the materials into MoS2/G nanospheres, MoS2/G nanosheets, and MoS2/G-based ternary composite. The description of the structural characteristics and electrochemical performance gives a clear and profound understanding of hierarchical MoS2/G nanostructures as a supercapacitor material. In addition, further research prospects of hierarchical MoS2/G are suggested.

Projected burden of stroke in China through 2050.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the leading cause of death in China, and predicting the stroke burden could provide essential information guiding the setting of medium- and long-term health policies and priorities. The study aimed to project trends associated with stroke burden in China through 2050, not only in terms of incidence and mortality but also for prevalence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). METHODS: Data on stroke rates in incidence, prevalence, deaths, and DALYs in China between 1990 and 2019 were obtained from a recent Global Burden of Disease study. Demographic-specific trends in rates over time were estimated using three models: the loglinear model, the Lee-Carter model, and a functional time series model. The mean absolute percentage error and the root mean squared error were used for model selection. Projections up to 2050 were estimated using the best fitting model. United Nations population data were used to project the absolute numbers through 2050. RESULTS: From 2019 to 2050, the crude rates for all measures of the stroke burden are projected to increase continuously among both men and women. We project that compared with those in 2019, the incidence, prevalence, deaths, and DALYs because of stroke in China in 2050 will increase by 55.58%, 119.16%, 72.15%, and 20.04%, respectively; the corresponding increases in number were 2.19, 34.27, 1.58, and 9.21 million. The age-standardized rate is projected to substantially decline for incidence (8.94%), death (40.37%), and DALYs (43.47%), but the age-standardized prevalence rate is predicted to increase by 10.82%. By 2050, the burden of stroke among the population aged ≥65 years will increase significantly: by 104.70% for incidence, by 218.48% for prevalence, by 100.00% for death, and by 58.93% for DALYs. CONCLUSIONS: With the aging population in China increasing over the next three decades, the burden of stroke will be markedly increased. Continuous efforts are needed to improve stroke health care and secondary prevention, especially for older adults.

DRAXIN as a Novel Diagnostic Marker to Predict the Poor Prognosis of Glioma Patients.

An increasing number of evidences have shown that the carcinogenic effect of DRAXIN plays an important role in the malignant process of tumors, but the mechanism of its involvement in glioma has not yet been revealed. The main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between DRAXIN and the prognosis and pathogenesis of glioma through a large quality of data analysis. Firstly, thousands of tissue samples with clinical information were collected based on various public databases. Then, a series of bioinformatics analyses were performed to mine data from information of glioma samples extracted from several reputable databases to reveal the key role of DRAXIN in glioma development and progression, with the confirmation of basic experiments. Our results showed that high expression of the oncogene DRAXIN in tumor tissue and cells could be used as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in glioma patients and was strongly associated with clinical risk features. The reverse transcription-quantitative PCR technique was then utilized to validate the DRAXIN expression results we obtained. In addition, co-expression analysis identified, respectively, top 10 genes that were closely associated with DRAXIN positively or negatively. Finally, in vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown of DRAXIN significantly inhibited proliferation and invasion of glioma cell. To sum up, this is the first report of DRAXIN being highly expressed in gliomas and leading to poor prognosis of glioma patients. DRAXIN may not only benefit to explore the pathogenesis of gliomas, but also serve as a novel biological target for the treatment of glioma.

Effects of acupuncture at acupoints with lower versus higher pain threshold for knee osteoarthritis: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The acupoint selections impact the effects of acupuncture, and preliminary evidence showed potential connection between pain threshold (PT) and acupuncture response. This study examined whether acupuncture at acupoints with lower PT versus higher PT would yield different effects in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: In this multicenter randomized clinical trial, patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive acupuncture at acupoints with lower PT (LPT group), acupuncture at acupoints with higher PT (HPT group), and no acupuncture (waiting-list group). PT was measured with electronic von Frey detector. The primary outcome was the change in WOMAC total score from baseline to 16 weeks, and the secondary outcomes were SF-12 score, and active knee range of motion (ROM). Intention-to-treat analysis was conducted with linear mixed-effect model. RESULTS: Among 666 randomized patients, 625 (93.84%) completed the study. From baseline to 16 weeks, patients in the LPT group versus HPT group had similar effects in reducing WOMAC total score (adjusted mean difference (MD) 2.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) -2.51 to 6.92, P = 0.36), while a greater reduction in WOMAC total score was observed in LPT group (-9.77, 95% CI -14.47 to -5.07, P < 0.001) and HPT group (-11.97, 95% CI -16.71 to -7.24, P < 0.001) compared with waiting-list group. There were no differences in SF-12 score and knee ROM between LPT versus HPT groups. CONCLUSION: Our findings found that the effects of acupuncture at acupoints with lower versus higher PT were similar, both were effective for patients with KOA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03299439. Registered 3 October 2017, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03299439.

Missing data were poorly reported and handled in randomized controlled trials with repeatedly measured continuous outcomes: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Missing data are common in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving repeatedly measured continuous outcomes. Evidence on the reporting and handling of such outcome data is lacking, which has prevented further improvement in methods and reporting of RCTs. METHODS: We searched PubMed to identify RCTs published in the Core Clinical Journals in 2019 that reported a continuous primary outcome with repeated measures. A team of investigators conducted a study screening and collected data using pilot-tested, standardized questionnaires from a random sample of eligible RCTs. We thoroughly collected information about the reporting of missing data for the repeatedly measured continuous outcome and the methods used to handle the missing data. RESULTS: We included 200 eligible trials, whose mean number of repeated measures for the continuous primary outcomes was 5.46 (SD = 3.4). Sixty-one (30.5%) trials explicitly reported missing data at both participant and outcome levels, 116 (58.0%) at the participant level only, and 2 (1.0%) at the outcome level only. Sixty (30.0%) trials reported missing data at the participant level by group and by time point, and 53 (26.5%) at the outcome level by group and by time point. Among 179 trials having reported missing data, 162 (90.5%) did not assess the balance of baseline characteristics, 143 (79.9%) did not assume missing mechanism; 65 (36.3%) used suboptimal methods for handling missing data (e.g., complete case analysis); 41 (22.9%) conducted sensitivity analyses, and 5 (11.9%) assumed alternative missing mechanisms for sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: The reporting of missing data for repeatedly measured continuous outcomes were inadequate and the use of statistical methods for handling missing data was far from optimal. Substantial efforts are warranted to improve the reporting and statistical handling of these outcome data.

CLSPN is a potential biomarker associated with poor prognosis in low-grade gliomas based on a multi-database analysis.

BACKGROUND: The oncogene CLSPN, also known as claspin, has regulatory effects in a variety of tumours; however, it is not clear whether CLSPN is a therapeutic target in low-grade gliomas (LGG). In this study, the prognostic value of CLSPN in LGG and its role as an immunotherapeutic target were evaluated. METHODS: Transcriptome and methylation data for thousands of patients with glioma were collected from various databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas, Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas, and Gene Expression Omnibus. Subsequently, a series of bioinformatics methods were used to evaluate the relationships between CLSPN and prognosis, clinical features, methylation status, immune cells, and molecular signaling pathways in LGG. RESULTS: CLSPN expression levels were positively correlated with major malignant characteristics of LGG, and low expression of CLSPN was associated with a better prognosis. The methylation sites cg04263115 and cg06100291 negatively regulated the expression of CLSPN, and increased methylation levels at these sites were related to a longer survival time in patients with LGG. CLSPN was positively correlated with tumour-infiltrating immune cells and showed high copy number variation in these cells. There was a positive regulatory relationship between CLSPN expression and programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). A gene set enrichment analysis revealed that CLSPN activates a variety of cancer signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: CLSPN was identified as an independent risk factor for LGG with excellent prognostic value.

Analyses of repeatedly measured continuous outcomes in randomized controlled trials needed substantial improvements.

OBJECTIVES: Systematic understanding is lacking regarding how current trials handle repeated measure data and the extent to which appropriate statistical methods are used for such data set. This study investigated the current practice of analyzing the repeated measure data among randomized controlled trials (RCTs). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We searched the Core Clinical Journals indexed in PubMed for RCTs published in 2019 and included a continuous primary outcome with repeated measures. We randomly sampled RCTs from the eligible trials. Team of methods trained investigators screened studies for eligibility and collected data using the pilot-tested, standardized questionnaires. We thoroughly documented statistical analyses of the continuous primary outcome with repeated measures and particularly recorded how statistically advanced methods were used to handle these repeated measures. RESULTS: In total, 200 trials were included. Of these trials, the mean number of repeated measures for the continuous primary outcome was 5.46 (SD = 3.4); 58 (29.0%) trials did not specify the time point of primary outcome in the method; 113 (56.5%) trials did not use statistically advanced methods for handling repeated measure data in the primary analyses. Among187 trials included the baseline values, 88 (47.1%) trials did not adjust for outcome value at baseline. Among 87 trials using statistically advanced methods, 49 (56.3%) did not specify correlation structure for model. CONCLUSIONS: The statistical analyses of repeatedly measured continuous outcomes in RCTs need substantial improvements. Careful planning of the primary outcome and the use of statistically advanced methods for analyzing data are warranted.

ITGB3BP is a potential biomarker associated with poor prognosis of glioma.

Despite the growing recognition of ITGB3BP as an essential feature of various cancers, the relationship between ITGB3BP and glioma remains unclear. The main aim of this study was to determine the prognostic and diagnostic value of ITGB3BP in glioma. RNA-Seq and microarray data from 2222 glioma patients were included, and we found that the expression level of ITGB3BP in glioma tissues was significantly higher than that in normal brain tissues. Moreover, ITGB3BP can be considered an independent risk factor for poor prognosis and has great predictive value for the prognosis of glioma. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis results showed that ITGB3BP contributes to the poor prognosis of glioma by activating tumour-related signalling pathways. Some small-molecule drugs were identified, such as hexestrol, which may specifically inhibit ITGB3BP and be useful in the treatment of glioma. The TIMER database analysis results revealed a correlation between the expression of ITGB3BP and the infiltration of various immune cells in glioma. Our findings provide the first evidence that the up-regulation of ITGB3BP correlates with poor prognosis in human glioma. Thus, ITGB3BP is a potential new biomarker that can be used for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of glioma.

Titanium-Enriched Slag Prepared by Atmospheric Hydrochloric Acid Leaching of Mechanically Activated Vanadium Titanomagnetite Concentrates.

The titanium-enriched slag was obtained via atmospheric hydrochloric acid leaching of mechanically activated vanadium titanomagnetite concentrates (VTMCs). Under the influence of mechanical activation, specific physicochemical changes were observed via X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and granulometric laser diffraction analysis. Experimental findings revealed that the mechanical activation of VTMCs resulted in a decrease in the median volume particle diameter (d50) and an increase in the specific surface area (SA) with an increased milling time. The results of the leaching experiment revealed that the mechanical activation treatment favors the extraction of iron (Fe) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) from the VTMCs. The Fe and TiO2 extractions from the mechanically activated sample after 10 h compared with the unactivated sample were increased by 12.82% and 4.73%, respectively. The presence of the ilmenite phase in the titanium-enriched slag was confirmed by X-ray diffractometry and EDS patterns, and the content of the TiO2 in the enriched slag can get as high as 43.75%.

Impact of thymosin α1 as an immunomodulatory therapy on long-term survival of non-small cell lung cancer patients after R0 resection: a propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information about thymosin α1 (Tα1) as adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy, either used alone or combined with other treatments, in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adjuvant Tα1 treatment on long-term survival in margin-free (R0)-resected stage IA-IIIA NSCLC patients. METHODS: A total of 5746 patients with pathologic stage IA-IIIA NSCLC who underwent R0 resection were included. The patients were divided into the Tα1 group and the control group according to whether they received Tα1 or not. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce bias, resulting in 1027 pairs of patients. RESULTS: After PSM, the baseline clinicopathological characteristics were similar between the two groups. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were significantly higher in the Tα1 group compared with the control group. The multivariable analysis showed that Tα1 treatment was independently associated with an improved prognosis. A longer duration of Tα1 treatment was associated with improved OS and DFS. The subgroup analyses showed that Tα1 therapy could improve the DFS and/or OS in all subgroups of age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), smoking status, and pathological tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, especially for patients with non-squamous cell NSCLC and without targeted therapy. CONCLUSION: Tα1 as adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy can significantly improve DFS and OS in patients with NSCLC after R0 resection, except for patients with squamous cell carcinoma and those receiving targeted therapy. The duration of Tα1 treatment is recommended to be >24 months.

Significantly high expression of NUP37 leads to poor prognosis of glioma patients by promoting the proliferation of glioma cells.

BACKGROUND: The carcinogenic effect of NUP37 has been reported recently in a variety of tumors, but its research in the field of glioma has not been paid attention. The main purpose of this study is to reveal the relationship between NUP37 and prognosis or clinical characteristics of glioma patients. METHODS: First, as a retrospective study, this study included thousands of tissue samples based on a variety of public databases and clinicopathological tissues. Second, a series of bioinformatics analysis methods were used to analyze the NUP37 and glioma samples from multiple databases such as the CGGA, TCGA, GEO, HPA, and GEPIA. Third, to analyze the relationship between the expression level of NUP37 in tumor tissues and cells and a variety of clinical prognostic molecular characteristics, whether it can be an independent risk factor leading to poor prognosis in glioma and whether it has clinical diagnostic value; GSEA was used to analyze the cancer-related signaling pathways that may be activated by high expression of NUP37. Fifth, CMap was used to analyze small molecule drugs that may inhibit NUP37 expression. Finally, the meta-analysis of thousands of tissue samples from seven datasets and cell proliferation and migration experiments confirmed that NUP37 has a malignant effect on glioma. RESULTS: NUP37 is highly expressed in glioma patient tissues and glioma cells, significantly correlates with reduced overall survival, and may serve as an independent prognostic factor with some diagnostic value. Silencing NUP37 suppresses malignant biological behaviors of glioma cells. 4 small molecule drugs that had potential targeting inhibitory effects on NUP37 overexpression. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates for the first time a malignant role of NUP37 in glioma and provides a vision to unravel the complex pathological mechanisms of glioma and a potentially valuable biomarker for implementing individualized diagnosis and treatment of glioma.

Hierarchical Brookite TiO2-Bi2MoO6 Nanospheres with Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Response.

Hierarchical TiO2-Bi2MoO6 nanospheres as efficient visible-light responsive photocatalyst are fabricated by dispersing brookite TiO2 nanorods on the hierarchical Bi2MoO6 nanospheres, which provides visible-light absorption and large surface area. The morphologies, surface area and light absorption features of as-prepared TiO²-Bi²MoO6 can be rational controlled by varying the loading amount of TiO² nanorods on hierarchical Bi²MoO6 nanospheres. As a result, the TiO²-Bi²MoO6-3 yields 380 ppm CO² production for decomposing 2-propanol at 11 h under visible light irradiation, realizing 4.4 times enhancement of photocatalytic property with respect to pure TiO² nanorods. Moreover, the three-dimensional hierarchical architecture enables the hybrid TiO²-Bi²MoO6 excellent cycling stability.

Study of Tribological Properties of Fullerenol and Nanodiamonds as Additives in Water-Based Lubricants for Amorphous Carbon (a-C) Coatings.

The tribological performances of fullerenol and nanodiamonds (NDs) as additives in water-based lubricants for amorphous carbon (a-C) coatings are investigated to avoid disadvantage factors, such as chemical reactions and deformation of particles. The effects of size and additive amount on tribological properties of nanoparticles are studied by rigid nanoparticles within the dot size range. The results show that owing to its small particle size (1-2 nm), fullerenol cannot prevent direct contact of the friction pair at low concentration conditions. Only when the quantity of fullerenol increased to support the asperity contact loads in sufficient concentration did nano-bearings perform well in anti-friction and anti-wear effects. Unlike fullerenol, nanodiamond particles with a diameter of about 5-10 nm show friction-reducing effect based on the nano-bearing effects at ultra-low concentration (0.01 wt.%), whereas particles at higher concentration block the rolling movement, hence increasing the coefficient of friction (COF) and wear. As a result of the effect of difference in size, fullerenol provides a better overall lubrication, but it is hard to reach a friction coefficient as low as NDs even under the optimal conditions.