Thymosin α1 combined with XELOX improves immune function and reduces serum tumor markers in colorectal cancer patients after radical surgery.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of thymosin α1 combined with XELOX in improving immune function and reducing serum tumor markers in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) after radical surgery. A total of 180 patients who underwent radical surgery for CRC were divided into two groups: an observation group (n = 94) receiving thymosin α1 in combination with XELOX and a control group (n = 86) receiving XELOX alone. Immune function, inflammatory factor levels, serum tumor markers, and quality of life were assessed before and after treatment. Adverse reactions and recurrence rates were compared between the two groups in 1 and 3 years. Following therapy, there was a notable increase in the levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ in all cohorts, particularly in the observation cohort, when compared to pre-therapy levels. Conversely, CD8+ levels decreased across all cohorts, especially in the observation cohort. Additionally, there was an increase in the levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in the observation cohort, compared to both pre-therapy and control cohort levels, while IL-6 levels decreased. The presence of CEA, CA242, and CA724 reduced significantly across all cohorts following post-therapy, particularly in the observation cohort. Post-therapy, there was a significant increase in the scoring for role, cognitive, social, emotional, and somatic functions in all cohorts, with the most significant improvement observed in the observation cohort. There were no significant differences in the incidence of side effects across cohorts, while neutropenia events were significantly lower in the observation cohort (32.98%) compared to the control cohort (48.84%). The 12-month recurrence rate showed no statistical significance across cohorts, while the observation cohort had a significantly lower three-year recurrence rate (24.47%) compared to the control cohort (59.30%). Thymosin α1 combined with XELOX is effective in improving immune function, reducing serum tumor markers, and minimizing recurrence in CRC patients after radical surgery. This combination therapy may be a promising new direction for the treatment of CRC.

A prospective and consecutive study assessing short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of Chinese domestically manufactured 3D printing trabecular titanium acetabular cup for primary total hip arthroplasty: evaluation of 236 cases.

Purpose: We prospectively evaluate the short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of the only Chinese domestically produced trabecular titanium acetabular cup(3D ACT™ cup) in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), aiming to provide evidence-based support for its clinical application. Methods: A total of 236 patients, who underwent primary THA using 3D ACT™ cup in the Department of Joint Surgery at our hospital between January 2017 and June 2019, were included in this study. General patient data, imaging information, functional scores, and complications were collected to evaluate the early clinical efficacy. Results: All patients were followed up for 33-52 months, with an average of (42.2 ± 9.2) months. At the last follow-up, the preoperative HHS score increased significantly from 43.7 ± 6.8 to 85.6 ± 9.3 points (P < 0.01). Similarly, the preoperative WOMAC scores showed significant improvement from 59.2 ± 5.8 to 13.1 ± 3.5 points (P < 0.01). 92.3% of the patients expressed satisfaction or high satisfaction with the clinical outcome. Furthermore, 87.7% of the acetabular cups were positioned within the Lewinnek safe zone, achieving successful reconstruction of the acetabular rotation center. The cup survival rate at the last follow-up was 100%. Conclusions: The utilization of the only Chinese domestically manufactured 3D printing trabecular titanium acetabular cup in primary THA demonstrated favorable short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes. The acetabular cup exhibits excellent initial stability, high survival rate, and favorable osseointegration, leading to a significant enhancement in pain relief and functional improvement. In the future, larger sample sizes and multicenter prospective randomized controlled trials will be required to validate the long-term safety and effectiveness of this 3D ACT™ cup.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a school-based mental health literacy intervention from a comprehensive demographic and social-cognitive perspective.

Childhood and adolescence are a critical period for the onset of mental and neurodevelopmental disorders and a time when many can be first identified. Research demonstrates that mental health literacy applied in school settings may be an effective approach to address these challenges. In contrast to many existing studies conducted in multicultural and multilingual settings that treated subjects' language as a demographic feature, the present study recognizes English proficiency as a social-cognitive factor and views the school-based mental health literacy (MHL) intervention as a learning process. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of school-based mental health literacy intervention and explore how ethnicity and English proficiency as a social-cognitive factor, as a modified, rather than a fixed variable, impacted the intervention outcomes. Grade 9 students (n = 240) from schools in West Canada with diverse social/cultural background received the intervention in the classroom delivered by trained teachers and completed the pre-test and post-test over a 6-month period. The intervention was effective in improving knowledge and help-seeking attitudes among all students. Non-Chinese and native English-speaking students performed the best on all outcomes. Gender demonstrated an association with changes in stigma, stress and wellbeing. English proficiency was linked to knowledge acquisition, while ethnicity was connected to changes of attitude-related outcomes. These findings deepened our understanding of how demographic and social-cognitive factors underlie changes in mental health literacy outcomes, which will facilitate the development of mental health literacy interventions for diverse student populations.

Genome constitution and evolution of Elymus atratus (Poaceae: Triticeae) inferred from cytogenetic and phylogenetic analysis.

BACKGROUND: Elymus atratus (Nevski) Hand.-Mazz. is perennial hexaploid wheatgrass. It was assigned to the genus Elymus L. sensu stricto based on morphological characters. Its genome constitution has not been disentangled yet. OBJECTIVE: To identify the genome constitution and origin of E. atratus. METHODS: In this study, genomic in situ hybridization and fluorescence in situ hybridization, and phylogenetic analysis based on the Acc1, DMC1 and matK sequences were performed. RESULTS: Genomic in situ hybridization and fluorescence in situ hybridization results reveal that E. atratus 2n = 6x = 42 is composed of 14 St genome chromosomes, 14 H genome chromosomes, and 14 Y genome chromosomes including two H-Y type translocation chromosomes, suggesting that the genome formula of E. atratus is StStYYHH. The phylogenetic analysis based on Acc1 and DMC1 sequences not only shows that the Y genome originated in a separate diploid, but also suggests that Pseudoroegneria (St), Hordeum (H), and a diploid species with Y genome were the potential donors of E. atratus. Data from chloroplast DNA showed that the maternal donor of E. atratus contains the St genome. CONCLUSION: Elymus atratus is an allohexaploid species with StYH genome, which may have originated through the hybridization between an allotetraploid Roegneria (StY) species as the maternal donor and a diploid Hordeum (H) species as the paternal donor.

Study on the measurement of coupling and coordinated development level between China's internet and elderly care services and its influencing factors.

BACKGROUND: With the intensification of China's aging population, the demand for elderly care services has become increasingly prominent. At the same time, rapid development of internet technology provides more convenience and possibilities for the elderly. However, the coordinated development between the internet and elderly care services still faces challenges. This study aims to measure the level of coupling and coordinated development between the internet and elderly care services in China, and analyze the influencing factors, in order to provide reference for promoting elderly care services. METHODS: In this paper, the entropy method and coupling coordination degree model were used to measure the coupling coordination development index of the internet and elderly care services in China from 2012 to 2021. In addition, considering that the coordinated development between the two is affected by many factors, the Tobit model was used to analyze the main factors affecting the integration of the internet and elderly care services. RESULTS: (1) The coupling and coordination of the Internet and senior care services is in its infancy, but the coupling and coordination of the two is on the rise, and there is still a lot of room for development in the future. (2) In terms of time scale, the coupling coordination development level between the internet and elderly care services in China has gone through three stages of "disorder recession-transition coordination-coordinated development". (3) In terms of influencing factors, government management ability has a more positive impact on the development of the integration of the Internet and senior care services, financial support, scientific and technological investment and the level of innovation play a mild pulling role, while the level of informatization to a certain extent restricts the level of integration of the Internet and senior care services. CONCLUSION: In order to promote the coordinated development of China's Internet and senior care services, it is necessary to comprehensively understand the current situation and development space of China's Internet and senior care services coupling coordination degree, accurately grasp the dynamic trend of China's Internet and senior care services coupling and coordinated development, promote the stage of leapfrogging, and fully consider the influencing factors, so as to realize the optimal allocation of policies and resources. These measures will help to promote a more coordinated and sustainable development of the internet and elderly care services in China.

Roegneria yenchiana: A new species in the Triticeae (Poaceae) from the Hengduan Mountain region.

Roegneria yenchiana sp. nov. (Triticeae) is a new species collected from Shangri-la of Yunnan Province in China based on morphological, cytological, and molecular data. It is morphologically characterized by one spikelet per node, rectangular glums, awns flanked by two short mucros in lemmas, distinguished from other species of Roegneria. The genomic in situ hybridization results indicate that R. yenchiana is an allotetraploid, and its genomic constitution is StY. Phylogenetic analyses based on multiple loci suggested that R. yenchiana is closely related to Pseudoroegneria and Roegneria, and the Pseudoroegneria served as the maternal donors during its polyploid speciation.

Diabetic gastroparesis: a disease for which long-term therapeutic benefits are difficult to obtain.

The pathophysiology of diabetic gastroparesis (DGP), a common complication in diabetic patients, is not fully known. Its development has been linked to several causes, including hyperglycaemia, vagal nerve dysfunction, aberrant Cajal's interstitial cell network (ICC), lack of nerve nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in the intermuscular plexus, and hormonal alterations in the gastrointestinal tract. Glucose management, diet control, gastric stimulants, anti-emetic medications, Helicobacter pylori eradication, stomach electrical stimulation, and surgery are the main current treatments. These methods, however, could have unfavourable consequences. By examining recent studies and literature reviews, we outline the state of the study on diabetic gastroparesis in this paper.

Prevalence of aeroallergen sensitization in children in Northern China.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the sensitization rate of different aeroallergens in children of different age, sex, and disease groups, describe the changing trend of different aeroallergens in different ages, and analyze the sensitization risk factors for asthma. METHODS: Children (<18 years old) with suspected atopic diseases who visited the Department of Allergy of Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics and underwent a skin prick test (SPT) were retrospectively enrolled from January 2019 to November 2021. RESULTS: A total of 5465 patients (3514 boys, 1951 girls; mean age, 7 ± 3 years) were enrolled. Of them, 3703 patients (67.8%) were sensitized to at least one aeroallergen. Before 4 years of age, mold was the most prevalent aeroallergen (103/380 [27.1%]), whereas after 4 years of age, weed pollen was the most prevalent aeroallergen. After 6 years of age, tree pollen became the second most prevalent aeroallergen. After 12 years of age, the sensitization rate of indoor aeroallergens was lower than that of outdoor aeroallergens. Logistic regression showed that sensitization to mold (odds ratio [OR]:1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-1.7, p < 0.001), animal dander (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.4-1.9, p < 0.001), and polysensitization (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-1.8, p = 0.038) were potential sensitization risk factors for asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Mold is an important allergen in early life. Different kinds of allergens affect different age groups. Patients who are sensitized to mold or animal dander or experience polysensitization should be carefully monitored for asthma risk.

Mitochondrial fumarate promotes ischemia/reperfusion-induced tubular injury.

AIM: Mitochondrial dysfunction, a characteristic pathological feature of renal Ischemic/reperfusion injury (I/RI), predisposes tubular epithelial cells to maintain an inflammatory microenvironment, however, the exact mechanisms through which mitochondrial dysfunction modulates the induction of tubular injury remains incompletely understood. METHODS: ESI-QTRAP-MS/MS approach was used to characterize the targeted metabolic profiling of kidney with I/RI. Tubule injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, and fumarate level were evaluated using qPCR, transmission electron microscopy, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: We demonstrated that tubule injury occurred at the phase of reperfusion in murine model of I/RI. Meanwhile, enhanced glycolysis and mitochondrial dysfunction were found to be associated with tubule injury. Further, we found that tubular fumarate, which resulted from fumarate hydratase deficiency and released from dysfunctional mitochondria, promoted tubular injury. Mechanistically, fumarate induced tubular injury by causing disturbance of glutathione (GSH) hemostasis. Suppression of GSH with buthionine sulphoximine administration could deteriorate the fumarate inhibition-mediated tubule injury recovery. Reactive oxygen species/NF-κB signaling activation played a vital role in fumarate-mediated tubule injury. CONCLUSION: Our studies demonstrated that the mitochondrial-derived fumarate promotes tubular epithelial cell injury in renal I/RI. Blockade of fumarate-mediated ROS/NF-κB signaling activation may serve as a novel therapeutic approach to ameliorate hypoxic tubule injury.

N-Terminal α-Helices in Domain I of Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3Aa Play Crucial Roles in Disruption of Liposomal Membrane.

Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3 toxins form a tetrameric structure crucial for their insecticidal activity. Each Vip3Aa monomer comprises five domains. Interaction of the first four α-helices in domain I with the target cellular membrane was proposed to be a key step before pore formation. In this study, four N-terminal α-helix-deleted truncations of Vip3Aa were produced and, it was found that they lost both liposome permeability and insecticidal activity against Spodoptera litura. To further probe the role of domain I in membrane permeation, the full-length domain I and the fragments of N-terminal α-helix-truncated domain I were fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP), respectively. Only the fusion carrying the full-length domain I exhibited permeability against artificial liposomes. In addition, seven Vip3Aa-Cry1Ac fusions were also constructed by combination of α-helices from Vip3Aa domains I and II with the domains II and III of Cry1Ac. Five of the seven combinations were determined to show membrane permeability in artificial liposomes. However, none of the Vip3Aa-Cry1Ac combinations exhibited insecticidal activity due to the significant reduction in proteolytic stability. These results indicated that the N-terminal helix α1 in the Vip3Aa domain I is essential for both insecticidal activity and liposome permeability and that domain I of Vip3Aa preserved a high liposome permeability independently from domains II-V.

Serum levels of specific IgE to cow's milk and its components as predictors of anaphylaxis in Chinese children with cow's milk allergy.

BACKGROUND: Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common food allergies in young children. As improved diagnostic tools, allergic tests are inconsistent and limited in predicting anaphylaxis. OBJECTIVE: To explore risk factors for anaphylaxis and to determine practical cut-offs for allergic tests in predicting anaphylaxis. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study. Children with IgE-mediated CMA were enrolled and divided into three groups (Group 1: non-anaphylaxis; Group 2: GRADE I anaphylaxis; Group 3: GRADE II-IV anaphylaxis that warranted epinephrine). Prick-to-prick tests (PTPs) using fresh cow's milk (CM) were performed. Serum specific IgE (sIgE) against CM and its components, including casein, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, and bovine serum albumin were measured. The 90% and 95% positive predictive value (PPV) decision points for predicting anaphylaxis were determined. Potential predictors of anaphylaxis were evaluated in logistic regression models. RESULTS: This study included 134 CMA patients with a median age of 14.4 months. The sensitization rate to any CM component was 89%. Group 3 was more likely to be sensitized to multiple CM components and have higher sIgE levels. The 95% PPV diagnostic decision points of casein-sIgE in predicting anaphylaxis was 13.0 kUA/L. For GRADE II-IV anaphylaxis, casein-sIgE ≥ 54.9 kUA/L could provide a PPV of 88.9%. The elevated casein-sIgE level (OR 14.0, P=0.025) and complicating respiratory allergic diseases (OR 4.8, P=0.022) were independent risk factors for GRADE II-IV anaphylaxis. CONCLUSION: High casein-sIgE levels are strongly associated with CM anaphylaxis. Detection of casein-sIgE may offer an additional value for the prediction of CM anaphylaxis.

Application of valve removal technique in improved endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of valve removal technology in improved endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.METHODS: Prospective randomized controlled study. A total of 92 patients(98 eyes)with nasolacrimal duct obstruction who underwent endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy in our hospital from November 2020 to September 2022 were selected as the study subjects and they were randomly divided into group A(traditional group)and group B(improved group). The nasal mucosal flap was preserved after incision of the nasal mucosa in group A, the lacrimal sac flap and nasal mucosal flap were trimmed to an appropriate shape after the incision of the lacrimal sac, and the lacrimal sac flap the nasal mucosal flap were matched up. Group B made a “□” shaped incision on the nasal mucosa to remove the complete square nasal mucosa tissue. After the lacrimal sac was incised, the lacrimal sac mucosa was preserved as much as possible, and then the residual nasal mucosa was trimmed to make the lacrimal sac flap close to but not in contact with the residual nasal mucosa. Furthermore, the intraoperative bleeding volume and surgical duration of two groups of patients were recorded, and follow up until 3 mo postoperative. Nasal endoscopy and lacrimal duct flushing examinations were performed at 1 and 3 mo postoperative, respectively. The proliferation of granulation tissue within 5 mm of the ostial postoperative and the therapeutic effect were observed.RESULTS: At 3 mo postoperatively, 6 patients(7 eyes)who were lost to follow-up were excluded. A total of 44 eyes were included in group A, and 47 eyes were included in group B. The bleeding volume [27.00(22.00, 41.00)mL] and the surgical duration [35.00(33.00, 42.00)min] in group B were significantly lower than those in the group A(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.001). At 1 mo postoperatively, granulation tissue hyperplasia was observed within 5 mm of the ostial in 12 eyes of group A. In group B, granulation tissue hyperplasia was observed within 5 mm of the ostial in 1 eye. At 3 mo postoperatively, there were 9 eyes in group A with ostial adhesions but incomplete closure, and 2 eyes with complete closure; group B had 1 eye with mild adhesions at the ostial site and no ostial closure. The postoperative complications in the group B were significantly less than those in the group A(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05), and the therapeutic effect was better than that in the group A(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05).CONCLUSION: The application of valve removal technology in improving endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy not only significantly reduces intraoperative bleeding and surgical duration, but also effectively reduces postoperative complications and improves surgical efficacy.

The role of orthographic and phonological processing during reading Chinese sentences: Evidence from eye movements.

The role of phonological and orthographic processing and their time course during lexical processing and sentence reading remain controversial. By adopting a misspelled-characters disruption paradigm and eye-tracking technique, we manipulated the writing for the first characters of two-character target words to investigate the relative role of orthographic and phonological processing on word recognition in Chinese reading. There are four conditions: (a) correct character, (b) misspelled character with a stroke missing, (c) misspelled homographic character, and (d) misspelled homophonic character. The results showed that homophonic errors caused more disruptions than other conditions in the early (first-pass reading times) and later (total reading time) stages of lexical processing during Chinese reading. Homographic errors and omitted stroke errors lead to equal disruptions at the early stage of word recognition, but homographic errors cause more disruptions at the later stage. These results suggest that orthography plays a dominant role in word recognition during Chinese reading, whereas phonology plays a weaker and more limited role. The direct access and dual-rote hypothesis may well explain the mechanism of lexical processing in Chinese reading.

Optimization of a series of novel, potent and selective Macrocyclic SYK inhibitors.

Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) is a non-receptor cytoplasmic kinase. Due to its pivotal role in B cell receptor and Fc-receptor signalling, inhibition of SYK has been a target of interest in a variety of diseases. Herein, we report the use of structure-based drug design to discover a series of potent macrocyclic inhibitors of SYK, with excellent kinome selectivity and in vitro metabolic stability. We were able to remove hERG inhibition through the optimization of physical properties, and utilized a pro-drug strategy to address permeability challenges.

Clinical Effect of Uterosacral and Cardinal Ligament Fixation versus Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation of Vaginal Vault Prolapse: A Retrospective Analysis.

Objective: This study aimed at comparing sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSLF) with uterosacral and cardinal ligament fixation (USCLF) concerning complications and outcomes in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of patients with POP stage III or above uterine prolapse treated at Wenzhou People's Hospital from January 2013 to December 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: USCLF group and SSLF group. The perioperative indicators, postoperative complications, pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q), Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20), and POP/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12 (PISQ-12) scores of the groups were analyzed and compared. Results: (1) The operative time and intraoperative blood loss in the USCLF group were lower than those in the SSLF group, with statistical significance (p < 0.05). (2) The incidence of postoperative buttock pain in the SSLF group was 10.7% (6/56), higher than that in the USCLF group (0/56) (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.027). (3) At one year of follow-up, significant improvement in Aa, Ba, C, Ap, and Bp values was observed in both groups (p < 0.05). The values of the Aa and Ba sites in the USCLF group were lower than those in the SSLF group one year after surgery (p < 0.05). (4) The PFDI-20 and PISQ-12 scores of the groups one year after surgery were lower than those before surgery (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Uterosacral and cardinal ligament suture fixation leads to less bleeding and better postoperative quality of life than preoperative and may be better than SSLF at preventing the recurrence of anterior wall prolapse after surgery.

Nutrition literacy mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and eating behavior in young tuberculosis patients: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To assess the associations between self-efficacy, nutrition literacy and eating behavior, and to examine if nutrition literacy mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and eating behavior in young tuberculosis patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a convenience sampling strategy to select 230 young tuberculosis patients at the Second Hospital of Nanjing (Public Health Medical Center of Nanjing), China, from June 2022 to August 2022. The data were collected using a demographic data form, the Eating Behavior Scale, the Food and Nutrition Literacy Questionnaire and the Tuberculosis Self-Efficacy Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson bivariate correlation analysis, Pearson partial correlation analysis, hierarchical multiple regression, and mediation analysis were conducted in the study. Results: The mean self-efficacy score for young tuberculosis patients was 92.56 (SD = 9.89, range = 21 âˆ¼ 105). The average nutrition literacy score for young tuberculosis patients was 68.24（SD = 6.75, range = 0 âˆ¼ 100). The bivariate correlation analysis and partial correlation analysis found that self-efficacy was positively correlated with nutrition literacy (P < 0.01). The regression analysis showed that self-efficacy (F = 5.186, ß = 0.233, P < 0.001)and nutrition literacy (F = 7.749, ß = 0.545, P < 0.001) significantly predicted eating behavior. The three dimensions of nutrition literacy including nutritional knowledge (mediation effect ratio = 13.1%, 95% CI =  - 0.089; -0.005), preparing food (mediation effect ratio = 17.4%, 95 %CI = 0.011; 0.077) and eating (mediation effect ratio = 54.7%, 95 %CI = 0.070; 0.192) mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and eating behavior in young tuberculosis patients. Conclusion: Nutrition literacy mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and eating behavior. To promote healthy eating behavior among young tuberculosis patients, interventions aimed at improving self-efficacy and nutrition literacy should be conducted.

A nomogram prediction model for lymph node metastasis risk after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer patients based on SEER database.

Background: Rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) may have a lower cancer stage and a better prognosis. Some patients may be able to avoid invasive surgery. It is critical to accurately assess lymph node metastases (LNM) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The goal of this study is to identify clinical variables associated with LNM and to develop a nomogram for LNM prediction in rectal cancer patients following nCRT. Methods: From 2010 to 2015, patients were drawn from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. To identify clinical factors associated with LNM, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) aggression and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used. To predict the likelihood of LNM, a nomogram based on multivariate logistic regression was created using decision curve analyses. Reslut: The total number of patients included in this study was 6,388. The proportion of patients with pCR was 17.50% (n=1118), and the proportion of patients with primary tumor pCR was 20.84% (n = 1,331). The primary tumor was pCR in 16.00% (n=213) of the patients. Age, clinical T stage, clinical N stage, and histology were found to be significant independent clinical predictors of LNM using LASSO and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The nomogram was developed based on four clinical factors. The 5-year overall survival rate was 78.9 percent for those with ypN- and 66.3 percent for those with ypN+, respectively (P<0.001). Conclusion: Patients over 60 years old, with clinical T1-2, clinical N0, and adenocarcinoma may be more likely to achieve ypN0. The watch-and-wait (WW) strategy may be considered. Patients who had ypN0 or pCR had a better prognosis.

Can left ventricular entropy by cardiac magnetic resonance late gadolinium enhancement be a prognostic predictor in patients with left ventricular non-compaction?

PURPOSE: Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is considered rare; however, the use of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has shown that its incidence is not uncommon, and its clinical presentation remains variable, with an uncertain prognosis. Risk stratification of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with LVNC remains complex. Therefore, this study aims to determine whether tissue heterogeneity from late gadolinium enhancement-derived entropy is associated with MACE in patients with LVNC. METHODS: This study was registered in the Clinical Trial Registry (CTR2200062045). Consecutive patients who underwent CMR imaging and were diagnosed with LVNC were followed up for MACE, which was defined by heart failure, arrhythmias, systemic embolism, and cardiac death. The patients were divided into MACE and non-MACE groups. The CMR parameters included left ventricular (LV) entropy, LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV end-diastolic volume, LV end-systolic volume (LVESV), and LV mass (LVM). RESULTS: Eighty-six patients (age: 45.48 ± 16.64 years; female: 62.7%; LVEF: 42.58 ± 17.20%) were followed up for a median of 18 months and experienced 30 MACE events (34.9%). The MACE group showed higher LV entropy, LVESV, and LVM and lower LVEF than the non-MACE group. LV entropy [hazard ratio (HR): 1.710, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.078-2.714, P = 0.023] and LVEF (HR: 0.961, 95% CI: 0.936-0.988, P = 0.004) were independent predictors of MACE (P <0.050) according to the Cox regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve of LV entropy was 0.789 (95% CI: 0.687-0.869, P < 0.001), LVEF was 0.804 (95% CI: 0.699-0.878, P < 0.001), and the combined model of LV entropy and LVEF was 0.845 (95% CI: 0.751-0.914, P < 0.050). CONCLUSION: LGE-derived LV entropy and LVEF are independent risk indicators of MACE in patients with LVNC. The combination of the two factors was more conducive to improving the prediction of MACE.

Construction and Evaluation of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-Encapsulated Hemoglobin Microparticles as Oxygen Carriers.

Artificial oxygen carriers, such as favorably hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, have received considerable attention due to some drawbacks of human donor blood. Among all oxygen carriers, the metal organic framework (MOF) exhibits excellent oxygen-carrying capacity due to its good encapsulation efficiency and competitive biocompatibility. Recently, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) with unique structure have attracted much attention due to their outstanding solvothermal stability. Notably, ZIF-8, the prototypical ZIF, has been utilized to load hemoglobin (Hb) as a potential blood substitute. In this work, another ZIF material, which possesses a high oxygen binding/release capability, suitable safety profile, high stability, and efficiency as a potential oxygen carrier, was used to encapsulate Hb in an environment-friendly condition.

HPLC-UV/VIS for Determination of Ipratropium Bromide Mixed with Salbuterol, Beclomethasone Propionate and Budesonide using Dual Wavelength-Detection Method.

BACKGROUND: Inhalation preparation involves liquid or solid raw materials for delivering to lungs as aerosol or vapor. The liquid preparation for nebulizer is effective for convenient use and patient compliance and it has been extensively used in the treatment of clinical lung diseases. Clinical staff often mixes the compound ipratropium bromide with beclomethasone propionate and budesonide inhaler but reference values of inhalants for clinical use need to be established for simplifying the operation procedure. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method of compound ipratropium bromide solution, beclomethasone propionate suspension and budesonide suspension after mixed atomization was studied. METHODS: The specificity, linearity, recovery (accuracy), precision and stability of compound ipratropium bromide, beclomethasone propionate and budesonide were tested to verify the developed liquid phase method. RESULTS: The developed liquid phase method had high specificity, linear R2≥0,999, recovery (accuracy) RSD (relative standard deviation) less than 2%, precision RSD less than 2,0%, and stability RSD less than 2,0%. CONCLUSION: The liquid phase methodology developed in this study can be used for the determination of compound ipratropium bromide mixed with beclomethasone propionate and budesonide. The current methodology can also be used to provide a reference for the determination of its content after mixing, and further data support for its clinical medication.