Risk Factors for Unplanned Emergency Department Visits in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma During Radiotherapy.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is commonly treated with radiotherapy (RT) or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). However, unplanned emergency department (ED) visits during treatment can disrupt therapy and impact patient outcomes. This study aims to identify the risk factors associated with unplanned ED visits in patients with NPC receiving RT or CCRT.

Effect of substrate size reduction and periodic nutrient supplementation on biological wood oxidation.

Biological wood oxidation (BWO) is a composting heat recovery system tailored for woody lignocellulose valorization, with the potential to generate sustainable and low-temperature heat. This study investigated the effects of feedstock particle sizing and periodic nutrient supplementation (PNS) on microbial activity and wood decomposition during BWO. Birch wood was processed into sawdust (<5 mm) and cubes of various diameters (5, 10, and 15 mm), incubated in batch-mode BWO reactors for 88 days, and periodically supplemented with a nutrient medium.

MAP kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) within extracellular vesicles inhibits tumour growth by promoting anti-tumour immunity.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate intercellular communication in many physiologic processes and can modulate immune responses in individuals with cancer. Most studies of EVs in cancer have focused on their tumour promoting properties. Whether and how EVs might mediate tumour regression besides carrying antigens has not been well characterized.

The Role of Sole Lift in Treating Pediatric Idiopathic Scoliosis with Mild Thoracolumbar/Lumbar Curve.

Objective: Lower limb discrepancy (LLD) was frequently observed in patients with idiopathic scoliosis (IS), potentially associated with etiopathogenesis. Although sole lifts had been proposed as a conservative treatment for IS, evidence supporting their efficacy was limited. This study aimed to assess the effects of sole lift intervention on pediatric patients with mild IS, specifically focusing on thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L) curvature.

Construction and evaluation of AuNPs enhanced electrochemical immunosensors with [Fe(CN)] and PPy probe for highly sensitive detection of human chorionic gonadotropin.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a vital protein for pregnancy determination and a marker for trophoblastic diseases, finds application in monitoring early pregnancy and ectopic pregnancy. This study presents an innovative approach employing electrochemical immunosensors for enhanced HCG detection, utilizing Anti-HCG antibodies and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the sensor platform. Two sensor configurations were optimized: BSA/Anti-HCG/c-AuNPs/MEL/e-AuNPs/SPCE with [Fe(CN)] as a redox probe (1) and BSA/Anti-HCG/PPy/e-AuNPs/SPCE using polypyrrole (PPy) as a redox probe (2).

The complexities of decision-making in food waste valorization: A critical review.

The efficient utilization of food waste (FW) resources through Food Waste Valorization (FWV) has received increasing attention in recent years. Various decision-making studies have been undertaken to facilitate FWV implementation, such as the studies on decision-making framework and FWV technology assessment. Food waste hierarchy is a widely discussed framework in FW management, but it was found too simplified and does not always contribute positively to environmental sustainability.

Electrochemical immuno-biosensors for the detection of the tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein: A review.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a glycoprotein that has many important physiological functions, including transportation, immunosuppression, and induction of apoptosis by T lymphocytes. AFP is closely related to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and many kinds of tumors, all of which can show high concentrations, so it is used as a positive test indicator for many kinds of tumors. This paper reviews recent advances in the detection of the tumor marker AFP based on three immuno-biosensors: electrochemical (EC), photoelectrochemical (PEC), and electrochemical luminescence (ECL).

Potential reuse of domestic organic residues as soil organic amendment in the current waste management system in Australia, China, and The Netherlands.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is essential for most soil functions. Changes in land use from natural land to cropland disrupt long-established SOC balances and reduce SOC levels. The intensive use of chemical fertilisers in modern agriculture accelerates the rate of SOC depletion.

Integrated life cycle assessment of biotreatment and agricultural use of domestic organic residues: Environmental benefits, trade-offs, and impacts on soil application.

Extensive agricultural activities have been shown to degrade soils, promoting research into improving soil quality. One such method is to increase the amount of organic matter in the soil, and domestic organic residues (DOR) are commonly used for this purpose. The environmental impact of DOR-derived products, from production to agricultural application, remains unclear in current research.

Use of ion chromatographic pulsed amperometric method (IC-PAD) for measuring aqueous sulfide in synthetic and real domestic wastewater.

Sulfide detection in domestic wastewater is widely demanded, as sulfide induces odour nuisance and wastewater assets corrosion. However, traditional sulfide detection methods are usually plagued by the limited detection range or interference from impurities. To address these constraints, this study improved the ion chromatographic pulsed amperometric method (IC-PAD) and tested its validity for use in domestic wastewater.

The effect of anode potential on electrogenesis, methanogenesis and sulfidogenesis in a simulated sewer condition.

Methane emissions from the sewer system are considered to be a non-negligible source of aggravating the greenhouse effect. Meanwhile, the sewer system has long been plagued by sulfide-induced corrosion problems. This study explored the possibility of using a bioelectrochemical system to intensify the competition between electroactive bacteria, methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria, thereby reducing the production of methane and sulfide.

A comparative study of PSPVP and PSIBG in the treatment of stage II-III Kummell's disease.

Background: Percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) or percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) are commonly employed for Kummell's disease in stages II-III; however, these techniques produce some complications.

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy and imaging results of percutaneous vertebroplasty + bone cement-augmented short-segment pedicle screw fixation (PSPVP) versus transpedicular intracorporeal bone grafting + pedicle screw fixation (PSIBG) in the treatment of stage II-III Kummell's disease.

Methods: A total of 69 patients admitted between November 2017 and March 2021 were included in this study; 36 of these were treated with PSPVP, and 33 were treated with PSIBG.

Circular RNA circ_0006089 promotes the progression of gastric cancer by regulating the miR-143-3p/PTBP3 axis and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Objectives: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play pivotal roles in malignancies including gastric cancer (GC). We aimed to investigate the biological function and regulatory mechanism of circ_0006089 in GC.

Methods: Circ_0006089, microRNA (miR)-143-3p, and polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 3 (PTBP3) expressions were measured via quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in GC cell lines.

Direct Oral Anticoagulants Are Associated with Superior Survival Outcomes than Warfarin in Patients with Head and Neck Cancers.

Increasing clinical evidence supports the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) as a potential new therapeutic option for patients suffering from cancer-associated thromboembolism. However, the clinical impact of DOACs compared with traditional anticoagulants on the survival of patients with head and neck cancer has not been well studied. A total of 1025 patients diagnosed as having head and neck cancer, including 92 DOAC users, 113 warfarin users, and 820 nonusers of anticoagulants, were selected from the Chang Gung Research Database between January 2001 and December 2019.

Anterior Selective Lumbar Fusion Saving More Distal Fusion Segments Compared with Posterior Approach in the Treatment of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis with Lenke Type 5: A Cohort Study with More Than 8-Year Follow-up.

Objective: To investigate whether anterior selective fusion (ASF) could save more distal fusion segments compared with posterior approach in the treatment of Lenke type 5 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with long term follow-up.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study. From 2008 to 2011, 22 AIS girls with Lenke type 5 who underwent ASF or posterior selective fusion (PSF) with more than 8-year follow-up, were extracted from the database.

Ribophorin II Overexpression Is Associated with Poor Response to Induction Chemotherapy with Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and Fluorouracil in P16-Negative Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

This study aims to evaluate the relationship between human ribophorin II () and the effect of treatment using induction therapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (TPF) for -16 negative locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). A total of 203 patients with locally advanced p-16 negative HNSCC who received induction chemotherapy with TPF at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 2009 and 2014 were enrolled. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for RPN2 was examined and correlated with treatment outcome.

A conceptual framework for a multi-criteria decision support tool to select technologies for resource recovery from urban wastewater.

In the context of circular economy, wastewater can be used to address some of the 21st century's challenges regarding the transition to renewable resources for water, energy, and nutrients. Despite all the research, development, and experience with resource recovery from urban wastewater, its implementation is still limited. The transition from treatment to resource recovery is complex due to the difficulty of selecting unit processes from a large number of candidate processes considering the operational limitations of each process, and sustainability objectives.

Clinical cure and liver fibrosis reversal after postoperative antiviral combination therapy in hepatitis B-associated non-cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report.

Background: The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is high in China, and approximately 15%-20% of HCC cases occur in the absence of cirrhosis. Compared with patients with cirrhotic HCC, those with non-cirrhotic HCC have longer postoperative tumor-free survival. However, the overall survival time is not significantly increased, and the risk of postoperative recurrence remains.

Mathematically formulated key performance indicators for design and evaluation of treatment trains for resource recovery from urban wastewater.

While urban wastewater infrastructure is aging and no longer adequate, climate change and sustainability are urging the transition from pollution management to resource recovery. Lacking evidence-based quantitative evaluation of the potential benefits and consequences of resource recovery from wastewater hinders the negotiation amongst stakeholders and slows down the transition. This study proposes mathematical formulations for technical, environmental, economic, and social key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to quantify the benefits and the risks of resource recovery.

Adverse respiratory events with sevoflurane compared with desflurane in ambulatory surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: An increasing number of studies have concluded that the number of adverse events in the upper airway caused by desflurane does not differ significantly from the number of adverse events caused by sevoflurane. The advantages of desflurane in ambulatory surgery should be reassessed.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare adverse respiratory events and recovery outcomes in patients undergoing desflurane or sevoflurane-based anaesthesia in ambulatory surgery.

Monascin ameliorate inflammation in the lipopolysaccharide-induced BV-2 microglial cells via suppressing the NF-κB/p65 pathway.

Objectives: The pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases is complicated, in which inflammatory reactions play a vital role. Microglia cells activation, an essential process of neuroinflammation, can produce neurotoxic molecules and neurotrophic factors, which aggravate inflammation and neuronal injury. Monascin, a major component of red yeast rice, is an azaphilonoid pigment with potential anti-inflammatory effects; however, the effects in central nervous system have not been evaluated.

Cervical Flexion Osteotomy through One-Stage Posterior-Anterior-Posterior Approach for Cervical Extension Deformity in Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Novel Surgical Technique.

The present study was to introduce a new surgical technique of cervical flexionosteotomy, with an emphasis on the clinical and radiographic outcomes. Two male patients aged 45 and 21 years presented with cervical extension deformity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Both patients exhibited upward deviation of the forward gaze.

Risk of carpal tunnel syndrome after parathyroidectomy in patients with end-stage renal disease: A population-based cohort study in Taiwan.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common mononeuropathy in clinical practice. Some patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) often associate with tertiary hyperparathyroidism, and ultimately need parathyroidectomy (PTX). However, no studies have definitively demonstrated an effect of PTX on ESRD patients' quality of life.

Effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and pH on biological wood oxidation at 42 °C.

Biological wood oxidation (BWO) is proposed as a cleaner alternative to wood combustion for heat production and wood waste management. Currently, BWO is not extensively studied and little is known about it. Nevertheless, given the composition of wood residues, which is dominated by carbon, nutrient availability may become a limiting factor during BWO.