Characterizing human postprandial metabolic response using multiway data analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Analysis of time-resolved postprandial metabolomics data can improve our understanding of the human metabolism by revealing similarities and differences in postprandial responses of individuals. Traditional data analysis methods often rely on data summaries or univariate approaches focusing on one metabolite at a time. OBJECTIVES: Our goal is to provide a comprehensive picture in terms of the changes in the human metabolism in response to a meal challenge test, by revealing static and dynamic markers of phenotypes, i.e., subject stratifications, related clusters of metabolites, and their temporal profiles. METHODS: We analyze Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy measurements of plasma samples collected during a meal challenge test from 299 individuals from the COPSAC2000 cohort using a Nightingale NMR panel at the fasting and postprandial states (15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 240 min). We investigate the postprandial dynamics of the metabolism as reflected in the dynamic behaviour of the measured metabolites. The data is arranged as a three-way array: subjects by metabolites by time. We analyze the fasting state data to reveal static patterns of subject group differences using principal component analysis (PCA), and fasting state-corrected postprandial data using the CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) tensor factorization to reveal dynamic markers of group differences. RESULTS: Our analysis reveals dynamic markers consisting of certain metabolite groups and their temporal profiles showing differences among males according to their body mass index (BMI) in response to the meal challenge. We also show that certain lipoproteins relate to the group difference differently in the fasting vs. dynamic state. Furthermore, while similar dynamic patterns are observed in males and females, the BMI-related group difference is observed only in males in the dynamic state. CONCLUSION: The CP model is an effective approach to analyze time-resolved postprandial metabolomics data, and provides a compact but a comprehensive summary of the postprandial data revealing replicable and interpretable dynamic markers crucial to advance our understanding of changes in the metabolism in response to a meal challenge.

Enhancing the combustion of nAl with AlF3 coating: gas-solid reaction mechanism for reducing combustion agglomeration of Al powder.

The combustion agglomeration of nano-aluminum (nAl) powder leads to incomplete combustion, which seriously hinders its application as metal fuel. In this work, nAl@AlF3 composites were produced by coating nAl with AlF3via a facile chemical deposition method. TEM and SEM analyses indicated that the AlF3 layer was evenly coated on the surface of nAl with a thickness of 4.6-9.1 nm, thereby varying the quantity of AlF3 applied. Experimental results from combustion indicated that the prepared nAl@AlF3 composites exhibit superior combustion efficiency, a higher combustion rate, and reduced combustion agglomeration as compared to raw nAl. Contrary to the widely accepted explanation that volatilization of AlF3 hinders Al combustion agglomeration, we proved that the gas-solid reaction between nAl and AlF3 plays an important role in inhibiting the sintering of nAl particles produced. The gaseous intermediate (i.e., AlOF and HF) released from the hydrolysis of AlF3 could reduce the diffusion barrier of Al2O3 to facilitate the reaction of Al core, which enhances the combustion reaction kinetics. More importantly, these gaseous products actively participate in the reaction cycle to continuously exert their catalytic effects.

Large-scale lexical and genetic alignment supports a hybrid model of Han Chinese demic and cultural diffusions.

The Han Chinese history is shaped by substantial demographic activities and sociocultural transmissions. However, it remains challenging to assess the contributions of demic and cultural diffusion to Han culture and language, primarily due to the lack of rigorous examination of genetic-linguistic congruence. Here we digitized a large-scale linguistic inventory comprising 1,018 lexical traits across 926 dialect varieties. Using phylogenetic analysis and admixture inference, we revealed a north-south gradient of lexical differences that probably resulted from historical migrations. Furthermore, we quantified extensive horizontal language transfers and pinpointed central China as a dialectal melting pot. Integrating genetic data from 30,408 Han Chinese individuals, we compared the lexical and genetic landscapes across 26 provinces. Our results support a hybrid model where demic diffusion predominantly impacts central China, while cultural diffusion and language assimilation occur in southwestern and coastal regions, respectively. This interdisciplinary study sheds light on the complex social-genetic history of the Han Chinese.

Genetic and phenotypic profiling of single living circulating tumor cells from patients with microfluidics.

Accurate prediction of the efficacy of immunotherapy for cancer patients through the characterization of both genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity in individual patient cells holds great promise in informing targeted treatments, and ultimately in improving care pathways and clinical outcomes. Here, we describe the nanoplatform for interrogating living cell host-gene and (micro-)environment (NICHE) relationships, that integrates micro- and nanofluidics to enable highly efficient capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood samples. The platform uses a unique nanopore-enhanced electrodelivery system that efficiently and rapidly integrates stable multichannel fluorescence probes into living CTCs for in situ quantification of target gene expression, while on-chip coculturing of CTCs with immune cells allows for the real-time correlative quantification of their phenotypic heterogeneities in response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). The NICHE microfluidic device provides a unique ability to perform both gene expression and phenotypic analysis on the same single cells in situ, allowing us to generate a predictive index for screening patients who could benefit from ICI. This index, which simultaneously integrates the heterogeneity of single cellular responses for both gene expression and phenotype, was validated by clinically tracing 80 non-small cell lung cancer patients, demonstrating significantly higher AUC (area under the curve) (0.906) than current clinical reference for immunotherapy prediction.

Melatonin Attenuates Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis-Like Inflammation and Restores the Th17/Treg Immune Balance.

Psoriasis is a common immune-mediated skin disease characterized by abnormally reactive inflammation and epidermal hyperplasia. Previous studies have shown melatonin (MLT) has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. The mechanisms that MLT regulates psoriasis-associated skin inflammation remain unclear. Here, in imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like mice, MLT supplementation reduced skin inflammation and corrected the Th17/Treg cell imbalance. Network pharmacology and proteome sequencing analyses revealed that MLT attenuates the inflammatory response in the skin of psoriatic mice by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Overall, the data suggest that MLT has a protective effect against psoriasis-like inflammation.

Clinical outcomes and clinico-pathological correlations in children with MPO-ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis showing renal arteritis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features, pathological characteristics, and prognosis in myeloperoxidase (MPO)-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated glomerulonephritis (AAGN) with renal arteritis. The study involved 97 children from five pediatric clinical centers with MPO-AAGN who exhibited distinct clinical features. The patients were divided into AAGN-A+ and AAGN-A-, based on the presence or absence of arteritis, and the disparities in clinical, histopathological characteristics, and prognosis between the two groups was evaluated. In contrast to the AAGN-A- group, the children in the AAGN-A+ group exhibited more pronounced clinical symptoms and renal pathological injury. Arteritis positively moderately correlated with the serum creatinine, interleukin-6, urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, negatively moderately correlated with serum complement C3. The renal survival rate in the AAGN-A+ group was significantly poorer than AAGN-A- group (χ2 = 4.278, p = 0.039). Arteritis showed a good predictive value for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and C3 deposition, ANCA renal risk score and arteritis were independent risk factors for the development of ESKD in children with MPO-AAGN. Arteritis is a significant pathological change observed in children with MPO-AAGN, and the formation of arteritis may be related to the inflammatory response and activation of the complement system.

Effects of positive psychological interventions on positive and negative emotions in depressed individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Positive psychological interventions (PPIs) are known to be effective in alleviating depression. However, the effect of PPIs on positive and negative emotions in depressed participants is not unclear. AIMS: To systematically investigate the effects of PPIs on positive and negative emotions in depressed individuals. METHODS: 6 databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of PPIs in individuals with depressive disorders or depressive symptoms. Hedges' g value was computed using a random-effects model to determine effect sizes. RESULTS: 14 trials from 13 studies were included. Our meta-analysis showed that PPIs had significant but small effects on improving positive affect (g = 0.33, p = .02), life satisfaction (g = 0.26, p = .03), happiness (g = 0.62, p = .03) and depression (g = -0.32, p = .001), and negligible effects on improving well-being (g = 0.13, p = .24) and negative affect (g = -0.15, p = .31). Subgroup analyses of depression showed that PPIs have experienced benefits in improving depression in most subgroups. In addition, none of the subgroup analyses performed for outcomes other than depression found PPIs to be more effective than controls. CONCLUSION: PPIs can improve positive affect, life satisfaction, happiness and depression in depressed individuals, but further studies are needed to validate their effects on well-being, and negative affect.

Clinical value of the Patient Global Assessment with Ankylosing Spondylitis: A cross-sectional study.

To analyze the factors associated with the overall patient condition and explore the clinical value of the Patient Global Assessment (PGA) index for assessing the disease state in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). This cross-sectional study used a standardized questionnaire to record the basic information of patients with AS. The collected data included the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS)-C-reactive protein (CRP), ASDAS-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), PGA, and other clinical indicators. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0 software, and the scale was assessed for retest reliability and structural validity. The Kruskal-Wallis H test and Spearman or Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the factors influencing PGA scores. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to identify the cutoff value of the PGA for predicting disease activity in AS. The patient age, disease duration, family history, and history of ocular inflammation significantly differed between PGA groups (P < .05). The median PGA was significantly lower in patients with disease remission than in those with disease activity (P < .01). The various clinical indexes significantly differed between PGA groups (P < .01). The PGA was significantly correlated with various clinical indicators (P < .01). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for disease activity based on the ASDAS-CRP was 0.743 (P < .01) with a PGA cutoff value of 1.38; the AUC for disease activity based on the BASDAI was 0.715 (P < .01) with a PGA cutoff value of 1.63. The PGA was significantly correlated with patient-reported outcomes, disease activity, function, and psychological status, and may indicate the level of inflammation in patients with AS. A PGA of around 1.5 indicates disease activity.

Patient-derived tumor-like cell clusters for personalized chemo- and immunotherapies in non-small cell lung cancer.

Many patient-derived tumor models have emerged recently. However, their potential to guide personalized drug selection remains unclear. Here, we report patient-derived tumor-like cell clusters (PTCs) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), capable of conducting 100-5,000 drug tests within 10 days. We have established 283 PTC models with an 81% success rate. PTCs contain primary tumor epithelium self-assembled with endogenous stromal and immune cells and show a high degree of similarity to the original tumors in phenotypic and genotypic features. Utilizing standardized culture and drug-response assessment protocols, PTC drug-testing assays reveal 89% overall consistency in prospectively predicting clinical outcomes, with 98.1% accuracy distinguishing complete/partial response from progressive disease. Notably, PTCs enable accurate prediction of clinical outcomes for patients undergoing anti-PD1 therapy by combining cell viability and IFN-γ value assessments. These findings suggest that PTCs could serve as a valuable preclinical model for personalized medicine and basic research in NSCLC.

Beneficial implications of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IB lung adenocarcinoma exhibiting elevated SUVmax in FDG-PET/CT: a retrospective study from a single center.

Background: Controversy surrounds the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in the treatment of stage I lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) as measured by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) on the efficacy of ACT in patients diagnosed with stage I LUAD. Methods: We scrutinized the medical records of 928 consecutive patients who underwent complete surgical resection for pathological stage I LUAD at our institution. The ideal cut-off value for primary tumor SUVmax in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was determined using the X-tile software. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used for survival analysis. Results: Based on the SUVmax algorithm, the ideal cutoff values were determined to be 4.9 for DFS and 5.0 for OS. We selected 5.0 as the threshold because OS is the more widely accepted predictive endpoint. In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, SUVmax ≥ 5.0, problematic IB stage, and sublobectomy were identified as independent risk factors for poor DFS and OS. It is noteworthy that patients who were administered ACT had significantly longer DFS and OS than what was observed in the subgroup of patients with pathological stage IB LUAD and SUVmax ≥ 5.0 (p < 0.035 and p ≤ 0.046, respectively). However, there was no observed survival advantage for patients in stages IA or IB who had an SUVmax < 5.0. Conclusion: The preoperative SUVmax of tumors served as an indicator of the impact of ACT in the context of completely resected pathological stage I LUAD. Notably, patients within the Stage IB category exhibiting elevated SUVmax levels emerged as a subgroup experiencing substantial benefits from postoperative ACT.

A novel intraocular pressure predicting method based on hyperelastic mechanical model of cornea.

Measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) is crucial and remains challenging in diagnosing glaucoma, as it is associated with cornea deformation during inflation. In this study, a three-dimensional analytical model based on hyperelastic constitutive relationship to predict correlation between cornea vertex displacement and the IOP is proposed. The analytical model is validated by rigorous experiments. Rabbit corneas were selected for this study and their mechanical properties were obtained using uniaxial tensile tests. To mimic the environment in which the cornea exists, an artificial anterior chamber equipped with water-injection pipelines was constructed to study the relationship between the corneal vertex displacement with IOP value in practical situation. The experimental results of rabbits corneas prove that the IOP can be deduced based on the measured corneal vertex displacement by the analytical model. Furthermore, subtle difference occurs when comparing the calculated human IOPs with those measured by medical equipment, demonstrating that the proposed method is suitable for monitoring the IOP of human. This novel IOP predicting method provides new inspiration for the design of eyepieces, as well as the preoperative preparation for laser surgery and evaluation of corneal damage.

Efficacy and safety of Tongxin formula after stent implantation for acute coronary syndrome: A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate both the efficacy and safety profile of integrating the Tongxin formula with optimal medical therapy (OMT) for patients experiencing acute coronary syndromes subsequent to coronary stenting, over the course of one year. METHODS: We enrolled 150 patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes who had received stent placement within one month and exhibited a TCM syndrome characterized by Qi deficiency and blood stasis. This group comprised patients with unstable angina, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The participants were divided equally, allocating 75 to the Tongxin formula group and 75 to a placebo-controlled group. After undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) surgery, both groups received conventional Western medical care, including dual antiplatelet therapy and lipid-lowering medications. The placebo-controlled group received a placebo, while the Tongxin formula group were administered Tongxin formula granules orally. Both study cohorts were monitored for a duration of 6 months. The primary endpoints included the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events and the rate of lumen diameter reduction post-treatment in both groups, with the Seattle Angina Scale serving as a secondary assessment tool. Safety evaluations encompassed the measurement of liver and kidney function, coagulation parameters, and other relevant indicators. RESULTS: The rate of adverse cardiovascular events in the placebo-controlled group was 42.46 % within a year of surgery, whereas it was 16.90 % in the Tongxin formula group (P < 0.05). Comparing the Tongxin formula group to the placebo-controlled group, there was a decrease in the frequency of unstable angina and readmission due to cardiovascular events (P < 0.05). Coronary angiography performed 6 months after surgery revealed that the Tongxin formula group had considerably less lumen loss than the placebo-controlled group in a number of segments, including the entire segment, within the stent, at the proximal end, and at the distal end (P < 0.05). Six months after surgery, the Seattle angina score was higher in the Tongxin formula group than in the placebo-controlled group (P < 0.05). There were no significant changes in indicators such as liver and renal function as well as coagulation indexes in both groups within the first 12 months after surgery (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Tongxin formula has been shown to lower the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events, minimize narrowing of blood vessel lumen, enhance clinical symptoms, and enhance the quality of life of patients following PCI surgery, all while maintaining a good safety profile.

[Distribution Characteristics of Near Surface Ozone Volume Fraction in Shanxi Province Based on Atmospheric Composition Observation Network].

Based on the continuous data of O3， NO， NO2， and NOx and the meteorological data from March 2019 to February 2020 at six atmospheric composition observation stations in Shanxi Province， the characteristics and influence factors of O3 volume fractions were studied using statistical analysis and backward trajectory analysis. The results showed that O3 volume fractions were generally higher from April to September and lower from October to the following March. During the study period， O3 pollution represented by φ（MDA8O3）， i.e.， the maximum daily 8-h average of O3 volume fractions， was the most serious at the Jincheng and Linfen stations in the south of Shanxi， followed by that in the Wutaishan， Shuozhou， and Datong stations in the north， with the least pollution occurring at the Taiyuan station in the middle. There were differences between the urban and alpine stations， although their seasonal O3 volume fractions were both summer > spring > autumn > winter. O3 volume fractions at the urban station were usually lower than those at the alpine station； O3 at the urban station might have been influenced by photochemical reactions with precursor NOx； however， this was not the main source of high O3 at the alpine station. The peak and valley values appeared at 15：00 and 06：00， respectively， at the urban station， whereas they appeared at 20：00 and 10：00， respectively， at the alpine station， representing diametrically opposite diurnal variation patterns. Further， the daily amplitude of O3 at the urban station was much larger than that at the alpine station. For urban stations specifically， temperature was the most important meteorological factor affecting O3 volume fraction， compared with sunlight hours， precipitation， and total cloud cover. The NO2 volume fraction in the daytime affected the daily amplitude of O3； although the photochemical generation potential of O3 at the Taiyuan station was good， the O3 volume fractions were the lowest among urban stations due to strong NO titration. The higher O3 corresponded to lower NOx in which NO2 was dominant， and the higher NOx was largely composed of NO， under which conditions O3 would be depleted completely. The surface wind that affected O3 volume fractions of all stations primarily came from the southeast， south， and southwest， and specific wind speed led to the increase in O3 volume fraction. The geographical situation of the station would cause the difference in the transport of atmospheric pollutants， whereas the horizontal transmissions of high O3 from the North China Plain and Fenwei Plain were likely to be the common reason for the increase in O3 volume fraction in Shanxi.

The impact of career calling on nurse burnout: A moderated mediation model.

AIM: To evaluate the mediating roles of occupational resilience and the moderationg role of perceived organizational support in the relationship between career calling and nurse burnout. BACKGROUND: Burnout is a frequent and serious problem in the field of nursing, and it poses a serious threat to both nurses' health and patient safety. Although many studies have described the links between burnout, career calling, and occupational resilience, little is known about the actual mechanisms between career calling and nurse burnout. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 615 nurses in China was conducted using a convenience sampling method. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation models and bootstrapping methods. STROBE guidelines were followed. RESULTS: Career calling was found to be negatively associated with nurse burnout, and occupational resilience mediated the relationship between career calling and burnout. Additionally, perceived organizational support was found to play a moderating role in the relationship between occupational resilience and burnout. CONCLUSION: Career calling can reduce burnout by increasing nurses' levels of occupational resilience, and perceived organizational support moderates this mechanism. Hence, policies focused on encouraging and sustaining career calling should be provided by nurse managers in order to enhance stress resistance and reduce burnout.

Analyzing postprandial metabolomics data using multiway models: a simulation study.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of time-resolved postprandial metabolomics data can improve the understanding of metabolic mechanisms, potentially revealing biomarkers for early diagnosis of metabolic diseases and advancing precision nutrition and medicine. Postprandial metabolomics measurements at several time points from multiple subjects can be arranged as a subjects by metabolites by time points array. Traditional analysis methods are limited in terms of revealing subject groups, related metabolites, and temporal patterns simultaneously from such three-way data. RESULTS: We introduce an unsupervised multiway analysis approach based on the CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) model for improved analysis of postprandial metabolomics data guided by a simulation study. Because of the lack of ground truth in real data, we generate simulated data using a comprehensive human metabolic model. This allows us to assess the performance of CP models in terms of revealing subject groups and underlying metabolic processes. We study three analysis approaches: analysis of fasting-state data using principal component analysis, T0-corrected data (i.e., data corrected by subtracting fasting-state data) using a CP model and full-dynamic (i.e., full postprandial) data using CP. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate that CP models capture meaningful and stable patterns from simulated meal challenge data, revealing underlying mechanisms and differences between diseased versus healthy groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our experiments show that it is crucial to analyze both fasting-state and T0-corrected data for understanding metabolic differences among subject groups. Depending on the nature of the subject group structure, the best group separation may be achieved by CP models of T0-corrected or full-dynamic data. This study introduces an improved analysis approach for postprandial metabolomics data while also shedding light on the debate about correcting baseline values in longitudinal data analysis.

Polypyridyl ruthenium complexes with benzothiazole moiety as membrane disruptors and anti-resistance agents for Staphylococcus aureus.

Developing new antimicrobials to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections is necessary due to the increasing problem of bacterial resistance. In this study, four metallic ruthenium complexes modified with benzothiazoles were designed, synthesized and subjected to bio-evaluated. Among them, Ru-2 displayed remarkable inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.56 µg/mL. Additionally, it showcased low hemolytic toxicity (HC50 > 200 µg/mL) and the ability to effectively eradicate S. aureus without fostering drug resistance. Further investigation into the antibacterial mechanism suggested that Ru-2 may target the phospholipid component of S. aureus, leading to the disruption of the bacterial cell membrane and subsequent leakage of cell contents (nucleic acid, protein, and ONPG), ultimately resulting in the death of the bacterial cell. In vivo studies, both the G. mellonella larvae and the mouse skin infection models were conducted, indicated that Ru-2 could potentially serve as a viable candidate for the treatment of S. aureus infection. It exhibited no toxic or side effects on normal tissues. The results suggest that benzothiazole-modified ruthenium complexes may have potential as membrane-active antimicrobials against drug-resistant bacterial infections.

Combination of click chemistry and Schiff base reaction: Post-synthesis of covalent organic frameworks as an immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography platform for efficient capture of global phosphopeptides in serum with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Reasonable design and construction of functionalized materials are of great importance for the enrichment of global phosphopeptides. In this work, Ti4+ functionalized hydrophilic covalent organic frameworks by introducing glutathione (GSH) and 2,3,4-trihydroxy benzaldehyde (THBA) via click chemistry and Schiff base reaction (COF-V@GSH-THBA-Ti4+ ) was constructed and applied for selective enrichment of phosphopeptides in serum. Benefit from the high surface area, excellent hydrophilicity as well as regular mesoporous structure, COF-V@GSH-THBA-Ti4+ displayed high selectivity (molar ratio of 2000:1), low limit of detection (0.5 fmol), high load capacity (100.0 mg/g) and excellent size-exclusion effect (1:10000) for enrichment of phosphopeptides. For actual bio-sample analysis, 15 phosphopeptides assigned to 10 phosphoproteins with 16 phosphorylated sites and 33 phosphopeptides assigned to 25 phosphoproteins with 34 phosphorylated sites were detected from the serum of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and normal controls. Biological processes and molecular functions analysis further disclosed the difference of serums with phosphoproteomics between COPD and normal controls.

Novel Therapeutic Targets on the Horizon: An Analysis of Clinical Trials on Therapies for Bone Metastasis in Prostate Cancer.

In the absence of early detection and initial treatment, prostate cancer often progresses to an advanced stage, frequently spreading to the bones and significantly impacting patients' well-being and healthcare resources. Therefore, managing patients with prostate cancer that has spread to the bones often involves using bone-targeted medications like bisphosphonates and denosumab to enhance bone structure and minimize skeletal complications. Additionally, researchers are studying the tumor microenvironment and biomarkers to understand the mechanisms and potential treatment targets for bone metastases in prostate cancer. A literature search was conducted to identify clinical studies from 2013 to 2023 that focused on pain, performance status, or quality of life as primary outcomes. The analysis included details such as patient recruitment, prior palliative therapies, baseline characteristics, follow-up, and outcome reporting. The goal was to highlight the advancements and trends in bone metastasis research in prostate cancer over the past decade, with the aim of developing strategies to prevent and treat bone metastases and improve the quality of life and survival rates for prostate cancer patients.

Revealing the Marine Cycles of Volatile Sulfur Compounds and Their Biogeochemical Controls: A Case of the Western North Pacific.

Volatile sulfur compounds, such as dimethyl sulfide (DMS), carbonyl sulfide (OCS), and carbon disulfide (CS2), have significant implications for both atmospheric chemistry and climate change. Despite the crucial role of oceans in regulating their atmospheric budgets, our comprehension of their cycles in seawater remains insufficient. To address this gap, a field investigation was conducted in the western North Pacific to clarify the sources, sinks, and biogeochemical controls of these gases in two different marine environments, including relatively eutrophic Kuroshio-Oyashio extension (KOE) and oligotrophic North Pacific subtropical gyre. Our findings revealed higher concentrations of these gases in both seawater and the atmosphere in the KOE compared to the subtropical gyre. In the KOE, nutrient-rich upwelling stimulated rapid DMS biological production, while reduced seawater temperatures hindered the removal of OCS and CS2, leading to their accumulation. Furthermore, we have quantitatively evaluated the relative contribution of each pathway to the source and sink of DMS, OCS, and CS2 within the mixed layer and identified vertical exchange as a potential sink in most cases, transporting substantial amounts of these gases from the mixed layer to deeper waters. This research advances our understanding of sulfur gas source-sink dynamics in seawater, contributing to the assessment of their marine emissions and atmospheric budgets.