Effectiveness of mHealth intervention for trismus exercise in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing proton and heavy ion therapy: a randomized control trial.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the effects of a mobile health intervention based on social cognitive theory with standard care on maximal mouth opening, exercise compliance, and self-efficacy in patients receiving proton and heavy ion therapy for head and neck cancer. METHODS: This open-label, parallel-group, randomized, superiority trial involved a self-developed "Health Enjoy System" intervention. We assessed maximal mouth opening, exercise compliance, and self-efficacy at baseline (T0), post-treatment (T1), and at 1 month (T2) and 3 months (T3) after radiotherapy. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze differences between the groups over time, with results reported as P values and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The study included 44 participants. At T3, the intervention group showed a 6 mm greater increase in maximal interincisal opening than the control group (mean difference = 6.0, 95% CI = 2.4 to 9.5, P = 0.001). There was also a significant difference in exercise compliance between the groups (mean difference = 31.7, 95% CI = 4.6 to 58.8, P = 0.022). However, no significant difference in self-efficacy was found between the groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that an mHealth intervention incorporating behavior change theory could effectively enhance or maintain maximal mouth opening in patients undergoing proton and heavy ion therapy for head and neck cancer in China. This approach provides valuable support during and after treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR: ChiCTR2300067550. Registered 11 Jan 2023.

Mobile Health System for Meeting Health Information Needs in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy: Development and Feasibility Study.

Patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy encounter physical and psychosocial challenges, indicating unmet needs. Mobile health technology can potentially support patients. This single-armed feasibility study included 30 patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Patients were asked to use the Health Enjoy System, a mobile health support system that provides a disease-related resource for 1 week. We assessed the usability of the system and its limited efficacy in meeting patients' health information needs. The result showed that the system was well received by patients and effectively met their health information needs. They also reported free comments on the system's content, backend maintenance, and user engagement. This study supplies a foundation for further research to explore the potential benefits of the Health Enjoy System in supporting patients with head and neck cancer.

A qualitative exploration of fear of progression in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with proton and heavy ion therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate fear of progression (FOP) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with proton and heavy ion therapy. METHODS: Thirty NPC patients were selected for face-to-face semistructured interviews through purposive sampling while using the phenomenological approach in qualitative research. The interviews were transcribed, organized, and analyzed by applying Colaizzi's seven-step analysis. RESULTS: Seven themes were summarized, namely, illness uncertainty, trapped into insecurity (including four categories: insecurity about the possibility of discrimination, insecurity about the possibility of the inability to tolerate the pain of retreatment, insecurity about the difficulty of retreatment after recurrence, and insecurity of waiting for test results), hopelessness, loss, guilt toward children, enhancing tolerance toward family, and self-emotional comfort. CONCLUSION: We found that women with children and patients who experienced their first episode underwent significant FOP. Patients at the postgraduate level and above were more inclined to feel loss. The finding that respondents expressed is intense FOP while waiting for test results, which provides a reference for the analysis of the trajectory of FOP. Health care professions should be cognitively aware the importance of eliminating patients' uncertainty and insecurity about disease to enhance their positive experience in coping with cancer.

Trajectories of fear of progression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving proton and heavy ion therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined the growth trajectory of fear of progression(FOP) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. In addition, sociodemographic and clinical variables of each trajectory class were analyzed. METHOD: Two hundred sixteen NPC patients undergoing proton and heavy ion therapy were measured beginning (T0) and end of a 4-week proton and heavy ion therapy (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after discharge. And data from the final 197 NPC patients were analyzed. NPC patients' FOP was investigated by the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FOP-Q-SF) form T0 to T3. SPSS and Mplus were used for statistical analysis. The LGMM was used to analyze the trajectory of FOP followed up over 6 months after proton and heavy ion therapy. The logistic regression was utilized to compare the differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients in different trajectory groups of FOP. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-seven NPC patients were analyzed. LGMM analysis showed that three-group trajectory solution was the best fitting (low-fear decline FOP (14.21%), the moderate-fear stable FOP(43.15%), and high-fear rising FOP (42.64%). Significant positive associations were found between age < 30 years (ß = 3.399, p = 0.023), with or without children (ß = 3.1, p = 0.002), primary/recurrence (ß = -6.196, p < 0.001), diagnosis < 3 months (ß = 4.435, p = 0.031), high school education (ß = 2.98, p = 0.048), and high fear rising FOP. Patients who had moderate financial stress (ß = 2.51, p = 0.041), with or without children (ß = 1.564, p = 0.003), primary/recurrence (ß = -2.578, p = 0.005), less than 30 radiotherapy times (ß = 0.979, p = 0.046) tended to report significant moderate-fear stable FOP over time. CONCLUSION: 42.64% of the NPC patients showed high-fear rising FOP over the 6 months after treatment. Age 18-30 years, with or without children, relapsed, diagnosis < 3 months, and high school education and reporting being a pessimist predicts higher FOP scores. Early identification of age 18-30 years, with or without children, relapsed, diagnosis < 3 months, and high school education might help to identify populations experiencing long-term FOP. Clinical teams responsible to develop the target interventions for management of FCR in clinical practice.

Efficacy of meaning-centered group psychotherapy in Chinese patients with cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Meaninglessness is one of the most common psychological problems in cancer patients, which can lead to anxiety, depression and psychological distress, and diminished quality of life. Recent evidence indicates that meaning-centered group psychotherapy (MCGP) effectively enhances the meaning in life among cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of MCGP on the meaning in life, post-traumatic growth, psychological distress, and fear of recurrence among Chinese cancer patients with a favorable prognosis. METHODS: Sixty-six cancer patients were randomly assigned to either the MCGP group (n = 33) or the control group (n = 33). Participants in the MCGP group underwent a 4-week, 8-session MCGP, while those in the control group received usual care. Meaning in life, post-traumatic growth, psychological distress, and fear of recurrence were assessed at both baseline and postintervention to evaluate the impact of the intervention. The intervention outcomes were analyzed using paired t-tests or analysis of covariance, as appropriate. RESULTS: Patients in the MCGP group demonstrated significant improvements in meaning in life, post-traumatic growth, and fear of recurrence from baseline to postintervention. In comparison to the control group, the MCGP group displayed positive effects on meaning in life and post-traumatic growth following the intervention. However, no significant effects were observed in terms of psychological distress and fear of recurrence. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Our research offers evidence supporting the effectiveness of MCGP in enhancing meaning in life and post-traumatic growth among Chinese cancer patients with a favorable prognosis.

Nutritional education and counseling program for adult cancer patients during radiotherapy: a cluster-randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Nutrition education andcounseling is the first-line approach in nutritional support for adult cancer patients; however, it is not well implemented in many clinical settings. This study aims to determine the effect of an evidence-based nutrition education and counseling (NEC) program on nutrition status among cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cluster-randomized clinical trial enrolled cancer patients receiving radiotherapy from ten radiotherapy units in three hospitals. Randomization was conducted at the unit level (five units into the NEC group and five units into the usual care group). The primary outcome was nutrition status after radiotherapy measured by the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Secondary outcomes included nutrition-related blood biomarkers after radiotherapy and the use of artificial nutrition and treatment interruption during radiotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 468 patients were enrolled (241 in the NEC and 227 in the usual care group); 196 patients were female with a mean age (SD) of 59.8 (11.9). No difference was found between the NEC and usual care groups in nutrition status and blood biomarkers at baseline. After radiotherapy, patients in the NEC group had lower PG-SGA scores (5.6 vs 6.9; MD = -1.3, p < 0.001) and lower malnutrition rate (56.0% vs 70.5%; OR = 0.5; p = 0.004) compared with the usual care group. The usages of artificial nutrition and treatment interruption during radiotherapy and the level of blood biomarkers after radiotherapy did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition education and counseling is an effective approach in reducing malnutrition and can be generalized to multiple radiotherapy settings. REGISTERED UNDER CLINICALTRAILS. GOV IDENTIFIER NO: None.

A Sub-Micromolar MraYAA Inhibitor with an Aminoribosyl Uridine Structure and a (S,S)-Tartaric Diamide: Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Molecular Modeling.

New inhibitors of the bacterial tranferase MraY are described. Their structure is based on an aminoribosyl uridine scaffold, which is known to be important for the biological activity of natural MraY inhibitors. A decyl alkyl chain was introduced onto this scaffold through various linkers. The synthesized compounds were tested against the MraYAA transferase activity, and the most active compound with an original (S,S)-tartaric diamide linker inhibits MraY activity with an IC50 equal to 0.37 µM. Their antibacterial activity was also evaluated on a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains; however, the compounds showed no antibacterial activity. Docking and molecular dynamics studies revealed that this new linker established two stabilizing key interactions with N190 and H325, as observed for the highly potent inhibitors carbacaprazamycin, muraymycin D2 and tunicamycin.

Carbon pools in China's terrestrial ecosystems: New estimates based on an intensive field survey.

China's terrestrial ecosystems have functioned as important carbon sinks. However, previous estimates of carbon budgets have included large uncertainties owing to the limitations of sample size, multiple data sources, and inconsistent methodologies. In this study, we conducted an intensive field campaign involving 14,371 field plots to investigate all sectors of carbon stocks in China's forests, shrublands, grasslands, and croplands to better estimate the regional and national carbon pools and to explore the biogeographical patterns and potential drivers of these pools. The total carbon pool in these four ecosystems was 79.24 ± 2.42 Pg C, of which 82.9% was stored in soil (to a depth of 1 m), 16.5% in biomass, and 0.60% in litter. Forests, shrublands, grasslands, and croplands contained 30.83 ± 1.57 Pg C, 6.69 ± 0.32 Pg C, 25.40 ± 1.49 Pg C, and 16.32 ± 0.41 Pg C, respectively. When all terrestrial ecosystems are taken into account, the country's total carbon pool is 89.27 ± 1.05 Pg C. The carbon density of the forests, shrublands, and grasslands exhibited a strong correlation with climate: it decreased with increasing temperature but increased with increasing precipitation. Our analysis also suggests a significant sequestration potential of 1.9-3.4 Pg C in forest biomass in the next 10-20 years assuming no removals, mainly because of forest growth. Our results update the estimates of carbon pools in China's terrestrial ecosystems based on direct field measurements, and these estimates are essential to the validation and parameterization of carbon models in China and globally.

Plant diversity enhances productivity and soil carbon storage.

Despite evidence from experimental grasslands that plant diversity increases biomass production and soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, it remains unclear whether this is true in natural ecosystems, especially under climatic variations and human disturbances. Based on field observations from 6,098 forest, shrubland, and grassland sites across China and predictions from an integrative model combining multiple theories, we systematically examined the direct effects of climate, soils, and human impacts on SOC storage versus the indirect effects mediated by species richness (SR), aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), and belowground biomass (BB). We found that favorable climates (high temperature and precipitation) had a consistent negative effect on SOC storage in forests and shrublands, but not in grasslands. Climate favorability, particularly high precipitation, was associated with both higher SR and higher BB, which had consistent positive effects on SOC storage, thus offsetting the direct negative effect of favorable climate on SOC. The indirect effects of climate on SOC storage depended on the relationships of SR with ANPP and BB, which were consistently positive in all biome types. In addition, human disturbance and soil pH had both direct and indirect effects on SOC storage, with the indirect effects mediated by changes in SR, ANPP, and BB. High soil pH had a consistently negative effect on SOC storage. Our findings have important implications for improving global carbon cycling models and ecosystem management: Maintaining high levels of diversity can enhance soil carbon sequestration and help sustain the benefits of plant diversity and productivity.

Prediction model of critical weight loss in cancer patients during particle therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to investigate the predictors of critical weight loss in cancer patients receiving particle therapy, and build a prediction model based on its predictive factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients receiving particle therapy were enroled between June 2015 and June 2016. Body weight was measured at the start and end of particle therapy. Association between critical weight loss (defined as >5%) during particle therapy and patients' demographic, clinical characteristic, pre-therapeutic nutrition risk screening (NRS 2002) and BMI were evaluated by logistic regression and decision tree analysis. RESULTS: Finally, 375 cancer patients receiving particle therapy were included. Mean weight loss was 0.55 kg, and 11.5% of patients experienced critical weight loss during particle therapy. The main predictors of critical weight loss during particle therapy were head and neck tumour location, total radiation dose ≥70 Gy on the primary tumour, and without post-surgery, as indicated by both logistic regression and decision tree analysis. Prediction model that includes tumour locations, total radiation dose and post-surgery had a good predictive ability, with the area under receiver operating characteristic curve 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.88) and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.69-0.86) for decision tree and logistic regression model, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer patients with head and neck tumour location, total radiation dose ≥70 Gy and without post-surgery were at higher risk of critical weight loss during particle therapy, and early intensive nutrition counselling or intervention should be target at this population.

Effectiveness of an evidence-based swallowing facilitation strategy for patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Dysphagia emerges as a frequent, persistent and enduring aftermath in individuals undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Timely intervention becomes imperative to ameliorate prolonged dysphagia and curtail related complications. Among the evidence-grounded tactics, preventive swallowing training and proficient feeding management stand out as pivotal measures for precluding and mitigating dysphagia. However, past inquiries that amalgamated these dual interventions exhibited heterogeneous quality due to their restricted participant cohorts and a dearth of uniform, systematic and practicable procedural benchmarks. METHOD/DESIGN: This randomised, parallel-controlled study enrols 94 patients diagnosed with HNC, who are undergoing radiotherapy either with or without concurrent chemotherapy. The patients will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group, which will receive a facilitation strategy to enhance swallowing function in conjunction with standard care, or the control group, which will receive typical radiotherapy care. Patient assessments will be conducted at three distinct time points: at the onset of radiotherapy (baseline), at the conclusion of radiotherapy and 3 months postradiotherapy. The primary outcome will revolve around measuring swallowing function, while secondary outcomes will encompass swallowing-related quality of life and nutritional status. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This research initiative received endorsement from the Shanghai Proton Heavy Ion Hospital Ethics Committee on 2 December 2 (Approval Number 2210-59-01). Throughout the recruitment process, patients will be acquainted with the primary aims and scope of the study. Their participation will be a voluntary choice, demonstrated by their informed consent form signatures. The outcomes of this study will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Trials.gov, ChiCTR2300067550, registered 11 January 2023.

Diagnostic value of water swallow test for dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The diagnostic efficacy of the water swallow test (WST) is relatively robust for patients with neurogenic dysphagia; however, its diagnostic performance in identifying dysphagia among patients with HNC varies across studies. Our study aims to assess the diagnostic value of the WST for detecting dysphagia in patients with HNC. Systematic retrieval of studies on the use of WST for screening dysphagia in patients with HNC from databases up to August 1, 2023. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Calculate the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR), negative LR, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to evaluate the screening ability of WST for dysphagia. A total of seven articles, encompassing eight study groups, were included, involving the analysis of 691 patients. The meta-analysis results demonstrate that the WST has a combined sensitivity, specificity, positive LR, negative LR, DOR, and AUC for diagnosing dysphagia in patients with HNC of 0.82 (95% CI [0.64, 0.92]), 0.79 (95% CI [0.70, 0.86]), 4.00 (95% CI [2.51, 6.36]), 0.22 (95% CI [0.10, 0.50]), 17.94 (95% CI [5.56, 57.92]), and 0.86 (95% CI [0.83, 0.89]), respectively. Significant heterogeneity was observed among the included studies. Meta-regression analysis showed that the pooled sensitivity of tumor sites and treatment was closely related, while the pooled specificity of treatment and version was closely related. The subgroup analysis showed that the WST's pooled sensitivity for diagnosing dysphagia in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer was 0.40 (95% CI [0.26, 0.56]), with an AUC of 0.50, lower than in other HNC sites. The WST performed better in surgical patients than in those undergoing radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT), with lower sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values of 0.49 (95% CI [0.36, 0.61]), 0.66 (95% CI [0.59, 0.72]), and 0.64, respectively, for RT or CRT patients. The modified WST version showed different specificity values of 0.82 (95% CI [0.75, 0.87]), compared to the regular version of 0.68 (95% CI [0.61, 0.74]). Additionally, Deek's test indicated the absence of publication bias in this study (p = 0.32). The WST demonstrates favorable sensitivity and specificity in detecting dysphagia among patients with HNC. However, the diagnostic value may vary depending on factors such as tumor sites, treatment, and the specific version of the WST used.

Cancer patients' perceptions of the meaning in life: a protocol for a meta-synthesis of qualitative research.

INTRODUCTION: The onset of cancer compels patients to grapple with existential questions. Enabling individuals with cancer, irrespective of the disease stage, to experience meaningful lives is of utmost importance in enhancing their overall quality of life. This study will synthesise qualitative research evidence to understand cancer patients' perceptions and perspectives regarding their meaning in life. Such insights ultimately contribute to enhancing the profound experience of meaning throughout the life course of cancer patients. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The English and Chinese databases we will search include the Cochrane Library, PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMbase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan Fang Data, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals. Two independent reviewers will assess the quality of the included studies using the standard JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research and extract data using the standard JBI Data Extraction Tool for Qualitative Research. The JBI meta-aggregation approach will be employed to compare, analyse and summarise the original results. To enhance confidence in the synthesised results of the qualitative study, the final synthesised study results will be graded using the JBI ConQual approach. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: External ethical approval is not necessary for this review since it involves a retrospective analysis of publicly available primary data through secondary analysis. The findings of the review will be disseminated by publishing them in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023447664.

Identification of Novel Prognostic Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer by Bioinformatics Analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks third among malignancies in terms of global incidence and has a poor prognosis. The identification of effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers is critical for CRC treatment. This study intends to explore novel genes associated with CRC progression via bioinformatics analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dataset GSE184093 was selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus database to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between CRC and noncancerous specimens. Functional enrichment analyses were implemented for probing the biological functions of DEGs. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases were employed for gene expression detection and survival analysis, respectively. Western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were employed for detecting molecular protein and messenger RNA levels, respectively. Flow cytometry, Transwell, and CCK-8 assays were utilized for examining the effects of GBA2 and ST3GAL5 on CRC cell behaviors. RESULTS: There were 6464 DEGs identified, comprising 3005 downregulated DEGs (dDEGs) and 3459 upregulated DEGs (uDEGs). Six dDEGs were significantly associated with the prognoses of CRC patients, including PLCE1, PTGS1, AMT, ST8SIA1, ST3GAL5, and GBA2. Upregulating ST3GAL5 or GBA2 repressed the malignant behaviors of CRC cells. CONCLUSION: We identified 6 genes related to CRC progression, which could improve the disease prognosis and treatment.

Exploring the experience of meaning-centered group psychotherapy among Chinese cancer patients during active treatment: a descriptive qualitative study.

Objective: Meaninglessness poses a significant psychological challenge for cancer patients, negatively affecting their quality of life and increasing the risk of suicide. Meaning-Centered Group Therapy (MCGP) is an intervention designed specifically to enhance the meaning of life of cancer patients. Extensive research has documented its effectiveness across various cultures and populations. However, limited research has been conducted on the subjective experiences and perspectives of participants engaged in MCGP. Thus, the purpose of this study was to employ a qualitative design to explore the experiences and viewpoints of Chinese cancer patients who have undergone MCGP. Methods: Within a two-week timeframe following the conclusion of MCGP, semi-structured interviews were administered to twenty-one participants who had engaged in the therapy. The interview data were transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Four main themes were identified: (a) Self-perceived personal change, (b) Overall experience of group therapy, (c) Barriers to participation of MCGP, and (d) Suggestions for future interventions. Conclusion: Despite the barriers to participation in the MCGP process, the overall experience for Chinese cancer patients undergoing active treatment is valuable and positive, providing multiple benefits. Future studies could explore the adaptation of MCGP to a broader range of cancer populations and diverse study populations.

Latent profiles of resilience and associations with quality of life in head and neck cancer patients undergoing proton and heavy ion therapy.

Background: Psychological resilience is the most important psychological protection factor for cancer patients in the face of tumors and treatment. However, few studies have performed meaningful latent profile analyses of resilience to identify unobserved subgroups of head and neck cancer patients. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of resilience in head and neck cancer patients using latent profile analysis (LPA) to determine the sociodemographic and disease characteristics of each profile. In particular, we examined the association of different resilience profiles with the quality of life of head and neck cancer patients. Methods: A total of 254 head and neck cancer patients completed a demographic questionnaire, the Resilience Scale Specific to Cancer and the EOTRC QLQ-C3O, used to assess their resilience and quality of life. Results: LPA identified three distinct profiles based on varying levels of resilience: "low resilience" group (n = 45; 17.72%), "moderate resilience" group (n = 113; 44.49%), and "high resilience" group (n = 96; 37.80%). Gender (χ2 = 6.20; p < 0.01), education level (χ2 = 1,812.59; p < 0.01), treatment regimen (χ2 = 6.32; p < 0.01), tumor stage (χ2 = 3.92; p ≤ 0.05), and initial recurrence (χ2 = 5.13; p < 0.05) were important predictors. High resilience was significantly related to higher quality of life (χ2 = 15.694; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Head and neck cancer patients' psychological resilience can be categorized as three resilience profiles; those who are female and have a low education level tend to have lower psychological resilience. Low resilience in patients is linked to poor role function and social function, low quality of life, and more severe pain symptoms, highlighting the need to address resilience in patient care for improved wellbeing.

Screening and identification of hub-gene associated with brain metastasis in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The presence of breast cancer in the brain, also known as brain metastasis (BMS), is the primary reason for a bad prognosis in cases of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignant tumor seen in women in developing nations. At present, there is no effective method to inhibit brain metastasis of breast cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a systematic study on BMS of breast cancer, which will not provide ideas and sites for follow-up studies on the treatment and inhibition of BMS. METHODS: In this study, data set GSE43837 was screened from gene expression omnibus database, and then R language tool was used for differential analysis of its expression spectrum, The gene ontology functional enrichment and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes signal pathway enrichment analyses, as well as the interactive gene retrieval tool for hub-gene analysis, were performed. RESULTS: According to the findings, the primary genes linked to breast cancer brain metastases are those that involve interactions between cytokines and their respective receptors and between neuroactive ligands and their respective receptors. The majority of the gene ontology enrichment took place in the extracellular structural tissues, the extracellular matrix tissues, and the second message-mediated signaling. We were able to identify 8 genes that are linked to breast cancer spreading to the brain. The gene score for matrix metallopeptidase1 (MMP-1) was the highest among them, and the genes MMP10, tumor necrosis factor alpha-inducible protein 8, collagen type I alpha 2 chain, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and TNF superfamily member 11 were all connected to 1 another in an interaction way. CONCLUSIONS: There is a possibility that the 8 key genes that were identified in this research are connected to the progression of BMS in breast cancer. Among them, MMP1 is 1 that has the potential to have a role in the diagnosis and treatment of BMS in breast cancer.

The Correlation Between Radiotherapy and Patients' Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The purpose of this review was to explore the correlation between patients' fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and radiotherapy. National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO-CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Ovid Embase were searched to identify relevant studies. Thirty-five eligible studies were included in the systematic review, and 22 of them were included in further meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the level of patients' FCR was positively correlated with radiotherapy, but the correlation was weak (overall r = 0.075; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.046-0.103; P = .000). In terms of subgroup analysis based on cancer site (breast cancer vs other types of cancer), the breast cancer group (r = 0.086; 95% CI, 0.027-0.143; P = .004), the mixed-type group (r = 0.073; 95% CI, 0.033-0.112; P = .000), and the other-type group (r = 0.071; 95% CI, 0.015-0.126; P = .013) have a positive correlation with radiotherapy. Patients' FCR positively correlated with the receipt of radiotherapy. However, because of the variability among the studies, the results have limitations. Therefore, longitudinal studies are needed to verify the trajectory of FCR over radiation therapy.

Predictive validity of the GLIM criteria in treatment outcomes in cancer patients with radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) proposed a scheme for malnutrition diagnosis. However, the validity of the GLIM criteria has not been well-established in adults with cancer. This study aimed to validate the GLIM criteria by comparing its predictive validity in treatment-related outcomes to the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), a validated malnutrition assessment tool in cancer patients. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis using data from a multi-center randomized clinical trial. Malnutrition at admission was identified based on the GLIM criteria and PG-SGA. Their predictive validities in treatment-related outcomes were compared, including radiotherapy-induced severe toxicities, radiotherapy interruption, and use of artificial nutrition support during radiotherapy and quality of life (QoL) after radiotherapy. RESULTS: Data from 468 adult cancer patients (mean age: 59.8 years, gender: 41.9% female) receiving radiotherapy revealed that malnutrition rate was 33.7% and 39.7% based on the GLIM criteria and PG-SGA, respectively. Patients with increased degree of malnutrition at admission had increased rates of severe toxicities, treatment interruption, and use of artificial nutrition support during radiotherapy well as decreased scores of QoL in all domains after radiotherapy. The GLIM criteria performed better in predicting severe toxicities and treatment interruption, while PG-SGA better predicted the use of artificial nutrition support and QoL scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided evidence on the predictive validity of the GLIM criteria in treatment-related outcomes in comparison to PG-SGA. The GLIM criteria was found to be a valid tool in diagnosing malnutrition; however, its predictive performances varied in related to different outcomes.

New MraYAA Inhibitors with an Aminoribosyl Uridine Structure and an Oxadiazole.

New inhibitors of the bacterial transferase MraY from Aquifex aeolicus (MraYAA), based on the aminoribosyl uridine central core of known natural MraY inhibitors, have been designed to generate interaction of their oxadiazole linker with the key amino acids (H324 or H325) of the enzyme active site, as observed for the highly potent inhibitors carbacaprazamycin, muraymycin D2 and tunicamycin. A panel of ten compounds was synthetized notably thanks to a robust microwave-activated one-step sequence for the synthesis of the oxadiazole ring that involved the O-acylation of an amidoxime and subsequent cyclization. The synthetized compounds, with various hydrophobic substituents on the oxadiazole ring, were tested against the MraYAA transferase activity. Although with poor antibacterial activity, nine out of the ten compounds revealed the inhibition of the MraYAA activity in the range of 0.8 µM to 27.5 µM.