The Potential of Model-Free Parameters Derived From IVIM in Evaluating Pathological Indicators and Long-Term Survival in NPC.

Background: IVIM is a useful quantitative tool for predicting prognosis, but it is labor-intensive. Simplified b-value settings and post-processing could be more practicable for clinical applications.

Purpose: To assess the value of model-free parameters (virtual MR elastography [vMRE] and signature-index [S-index]) derived from IVIM in evaluating pathological indicators and long-term survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and to compare those with model-based parameters.

Colloidal Synthesis of Thiospinel High-Entropy Sulfide Star-like Nanocrystals with High Cycling Stability for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

High-entropy semiconducting nanocrystals involving the random incorporation of five or more metals within a single, disordered lattice are receiving significant research interest as catalytic materials. Among these, high-entropy sulfide (HES) nanocrystals demonstrate potential as electrocatalysts but have been slower to gain research interest compared to other high-entropy systems due to the complications introduced by multistep, high-temperature synthesis techniques and the issues of material stability during performance. In this work, we report a simple, reproducible, and scalable HES synthesis to produce star-like nanocrystals.

Biological, Clinical, and Sociobehavioral Factors Associated with Disproportionate Burden of Bacterial Vaginosis in the United States: A Comprehensive Literature Review.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a common gynecological infection characterized by reduced lactic acid-producing bacteria and increased anerobic bacteria in the vaginal microbiome, is associated with adverse health outcomes. A PubMed search for English-language articles about BV in the USA and factors contributing to disparities in BV risk, with an emphasis on the role of the vaginal microbiome, published from August 2012 to August 2022, identified 760 articles. Among the 52 articles meeting the prespecified criteria, BV prevalence varied among different populations and disproportionately impacted Black women (49-51%), Hispanic ethnicity (32-43%), and women of reproductive age (30%).

Influence of COVID-19 Vaccination on Treatment-Related Adverse Events and Oncologic Outcomes of Nonmetastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Background: The influence of COVID-19 vaccination before chemoradiotherapy on nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is not known.

Methods: Propensity score matching was used to minimize potential selection bias between groups. Primary endpoints were treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs).

Health Insurance Coverage and Hearing Aid Utilization in U.S. Older Adults: National Health Interview Survey.

Objective: Assess rates of hearing aid use by insurance coverage in U.S. older adults and their changes over time.

Spatial-Temporal Diversity of Extrachromosomal DNA Shapes Urothelial Carcinoma Evolution and Tumor-Immune Microenvironment.

Extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) presents a promising target for cancer therapy; however, its spatial-temporal diversity and influence on tumor evolution and the immune microenvironment remain largely unclear. We apply computational methods to analyze ecDNA from whole-genome sequencing data of 595 urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients. We demonstrate that ecDNA drives clonal evolution through structural rearrangements during malignant transformation and recurrence of UC.

Associations Between Frailty, Family Functioning, and Quality of Life in Adolescents With Congenital Heart Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim: To examine the relationship between frailty status, family functioning, and quality of life in adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Background: Frailty is a rarely assessed health outcome in adolescents. Despite advances in paediatric CHD treatment, potential complications may cause frailty, affecting family dynamics and quality of life.

5'-S-(3-aminophenyl)-5'-thioadenosine, a novel chemoprotective agent for reducing toxic side effects of fluorouracil in treatment of MTAP-deficient cancers.

Nucleobase analogue (NBA) drugs, such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), are effective chemotherapeutics, but their clinical use is limited by severe side effects. Compelling evidence suggests that the use of S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine (MTA) can selectively reduce NBA toxicity on normal tissues while maintaining the efficacy of NBAs on methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP)-deficient cancers. However, we found that MTA induced hypothermia at its effective dose, limiting its translational potential.

New frontiers in hepatocellular carcinoma: Precision imaging for microvascular invasion prediction.

This paper highlights the innovative approach and findings of the recently published study by Xu , which underscores the integration of radiomics and clinicoradiological factors to enhance the preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion in patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC). The study's use of contrast-enhanced computed tomography radiomics to construct predictive models offers a significant advancement in the surgical planning and management of HBV-HCC, potentially transforming patient outcomes through more personalized treatment strategies. This editorial commends the study's contribution to precision medicine and discusses its implications for future research and clinical practice.

Beyond the tumor region: Peritumoral radiomics enhances prognostic accuracy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background: The peritumoral region possesses attributes that promote cancer growth and progression. However, the potential prognostic biomarkers in this region remain relatively underexplored in radiomics.

Aim: To investigate the prognostic value and importance of peritumoral radiomics in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Clip-stone and T clip-sinus post laparoscopic biliary surgery: Two case reports and review of the literature.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) are widely used in gallbladder and biliary tract diseases. During these procedures, vessels or tissues are commonly ligated using clips. However, postoperative migration of clips to the common bile duct (CBD) or T-tube sinus tract is an overlooked complication of laparoscopic biliary surgery.

Proximal small intestinal bypass outperforms Roux-en-Y and jejunoileal bypass in glucose regulation in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

Background: The efficacy of various bariatric surgeries varies in reducing blood glucose levels. Given the distinct mechanisms and anatomical alterations associated with each procedure, it is crucial to compare their glycemic control outcomes. We hypothesize that proximal small intestinal bypass (PSIB) is superior in blood glucose reduction over Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and jejunoileal bypass (JIB).

Harnessing the prognostic power of preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index/albumin ratio in hepatocellular carcinoma resection.

The recent study by Chen , published in the , introduces a groundbreaking assessment tool-the preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index/albumin (SII/ALB) ratio-for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing curative resection. This study not only establishes the independent prognostic significance of the SII/ALB ratio but also incorporates it into a predictive nomogram, enhancing its utility for clinical decision-making. The SII/ALB ratio, by integrating inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers, offers a novel lens through which the prognosis of HCC patients can be viewed, suggesting a more tailored approach to patient management.

Impacts of Chinese national centralized volume-based procurement policy targeting meropenem on prescription of designated antimicrobials for inpatients: an interrupted time series analysis.

Objectives: A national centralized volume-based procurement policy (NCVBPP) targeting meropenem has been implemented in China since December 2022. Here, the effects of the meropenem NCVBPP upon the prescription of designated antimicrobials for inpatients were explored.

Methods: The impacts of the meropenem NCVBPP on the consumption of and expenditures for designated antimicrobials prescribed for inpatients were evaluated by means of an interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) using both an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and a segmented regression model.

Combining clinical characteristics with CT radiomics to predict Ki67 expression level of small renal mass based on artificial intelligence algorithms.

Background: Most small renal masses (SRMs) grow slowly and have good prognosis, but a portion of SRMs can also demonstrate aggressive characteristics, which can be explored by the proliferation-related marker Ki67.

Methods: A total of 241 patients collected from the two centers were included in the study, of which 145 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University were divided into training and validation cohort, while 96 patients from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital were served as test cohort. To ensure the class balance of the outcome measures, the training cohort was oversampled, resulting in an increase of 77 cases in the minority class.

Global burden and trends of viral hepatitis among women of childbearing age from 1990 to 2021.

Background: The burden and trends of viral hepatitis in women of childbearing age (WCBA) are rarely quantified. This study aimed to assess the global, regional, and national incidence and prevalence rates among WCBA from 1990 to 2021.

Methods: From 1990 to 2021, we retrieved data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 on the incidence and prevalence of hepatitis A, B, C, and E for WCBA.

High specific surface area MMT/NO intercalated modified MgAl-LDH core-shell composites: effective inhibition for steel in Cl contaminated saturated Ca(OH) solution.

This study developed nitrate-intercalated layered double hydroxides (NO-LDHs) and their core-shell composites (NO-LDHs@MMT) through an co-precipitation method with montmorillonite (MMT). The corrosion inhibition performance for Q235 steel in simulated concrete pore solutions (saturated Ca(OH) + 3.5 wt% NaCl) was systematically investigated.

Gene Variants Predispose Individuals to Tetralogy of Fallot.

Unlabelled: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic congenital heart malformation. While a few susceptibility genes for TOF have been identified, research on the genetic basis of TOF is limited. The () gene encodes the macrophage-stimulating protein receptor with tyrosine phosphatase activity that is involved in immune defense.

Integrated Transcriptome Analysis of lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA Reveals key Regulatory Modules for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Unlabelled: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive metabolic disorder in women of reproductive age. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear, because the main symptoms vary with age and the pathogenesis is complex and multifactorial. In order to explore the gene expression and regulation networks, and identify potential biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of PCOS, we conducted whole RNA sequencing of protein-coding genes, lncRNAs, and miRNAs in peripheral blood with case-control design.

LoBLH6 interacts with LoMYB65 to regulate anther development through feedback regulation of gibberellin synthesis in lily.

The homeostasis of gibberellin (GA) is crucial for the normal development of anthers, but its underlying regulatory mechanisms are not clear. The GA-induced v-Myb myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) transcription factor LoMYB65 is involved in anther development. In this study, we screened and identified an interacting protein of LoMYB65, Oriental Hybrids BEL1-Like Homeodomain6 (LoBLH6).

Mining the cucumber core collection: phenotypic and genetic characterization of morphological diversity for fruit quality characteristics.

Commercial value of cucumber is primarily driven by fruit quality. However, breeding goals frequently focus on production constraints caused by biotic and abiotic stresses. As sources of resistances are often present in unadapted germplasm, we sought to provide morphological and genetic information characterizing the diversity of fruit quality traits present in the CucCAP cucumber core collection.

Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses provide insight into the variation of floral scent and molecular regulation in different cultivars and flower development of .

is an important ornamental plant of significant economic value, while the floral fragrance has been rarely investigated, leading to a lack of knowledge about the floral scent. By performing metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses, we investigated the variation of 906 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in florets of eight cultivars and four different developmental stages of "Chiang Mai Pink" (CMP). The metabolite profiling revealed that the terpenoid group (213 out of 906) was the predominant VOC, accounting for 33.

Radiation therapy does not improve survival in patients who are upstaged after esophagectomy for clinical early-stage esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Objective: Radiation after esophagectomy may cause conduit dysfunction with unclear oncologic benefits. We hypothesized that adjuvant chemoradiation does not improve survival over chemotherapy alone for patients with pathologic upstaging after primary surgery for cT1-2N0M0 esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: The impact of adjuvant therapy after primary surgery for cT1-2N0M0 esophageal adenocarcinoma upstaged to pT3-4 or pN+ in the National Cancer Database (2004-2019) was evaluated with logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox modeling.

Synergizing adaptive immunity and regenerative signals to enhance osteochondral defects repair.

In clinical practice, repairing osteochondral defects (OCDs) is challenging because of the complex cartilage/subchondral bone structure and intricate immunological microenvironment. Here, we identify the crucial role of adaptive immunity dysfunction by revealing that an increase of T helper 17 (Th17) cells exacerbated osteochondral tissue degradation via its pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-17 (IL-17) in the early-stage OCDs. Next, we leveraged this adaptive immunity mechanism and combined it with regenerative signals to develop a multifunctional hydrogel system capable of simultaneously tackling immune dysfunction and regenerative deficiency.

Trend analysis of pediatric urolithiasis prevalence from 1990 to 2021 in the BRICS.

Background: The increasing epidemiological trend of pediatric urolithiasis over the past three decades has brought it to the forefront of public health attention. An analysis of the disease burden in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) countries, which share common characteristics such as large population base and limited public health resources, will provide an important reference for global public health policy development. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the trend of the prevalence of pediatric urolithiasis in BRICS countries during 1990-2021, which in turn will provide more valuable information for them and the world in the prevention and treatment of pediatric urolithiasis.