Predicting the T790M mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using brain metastasis MR radiomics: a study with an imbalanced dataset.

Background: Early detection of T790M mutation in exon 20 of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastasis is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies. In this study, we developed radiomics models to distinguish NSCLC patients with T790M-positive mutations from those with T790M-negative mutations using multisequence MR images of brain metastasis despite an imbalanced dataset. Various resampling techniques and classifiers were employed to identify the most effective strategy.

Efficacy of Respiration-controlled Radiotherapy Among Patients With Locally Advanced-stage Lung Cancer: A Population-based Study.

Background/aim: Definitive radiotherapy is the main treatment modality for patients with locally advanced stage lung cancer and a good performance status who are ineligible for surgery. Respiration-controlled radiotherapy (RCRT) has been recommended, but its effectiveness has been debated in the literature. Therefore, we aimed to study the efficacy of RCRT in definitive radiotherapy for locally advanced-stage lung cancer.

Size and shape control of microgel-encapsulating tumor spheroid via a user-friendly solenoid valve-based sorter and its application on precise drug testing.

The precision of previous cancer research based on tumor spheroids, especially the microgel-encapsulating tumor spheroids, was limited by the high heterogeneity in the tumor spheroid size and shape. Here, we reported a user-friendly solenoid valve-based sorter to reduce this heterogeneity. The artificial intelligence algorithm was employed to detect and segmentate the tumor spheroids in real-time for the size and shape calculation.

Enhancing visible-light-driven photocatalysis: unveiling the remarkable potential of HO-assisted MOF/COF hybrid material for organic pollutant degradation.

In this study, we synthesized MOF/COF hybrid material (NH-MOF-5/MCOF) by integrating NH-MOF-5 (Zn) with a melamine-based COF (MCOF) to target the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. Characterization using SEM, XRD, XPS, FT-IR, and UV-DRS confirmed the synthesized MOF/COF hybrid's exceptional photocatalytic performance under visible light. The addition of HO significantly enhanced the photocatalytic degradation, achieving removal rates of 90%, 92%, and 57% for 11.

Incense-burning smoke ingredient Auramine enhances lincRNA-p21 expression for chemosensitization in p53-mutated non-small cell lung cancer.

Incense-burning smoke is a deleterious air pollutant that initiates cytotoxic effects by inducing apoptosis in lung epithelial cells and also acts as a risk factor for lung cancers. Auramine, an ingredient of incense smoke, has been implicated in tumor progression and cellular sensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) towards anti-cancer agents through unclear mechanisms. Tumor protein p53 (TP53)-activated long intergenic non-coding RNA-p21 (lincRNA-p21) undertakes a pivotal role in regulating cell apoptosis and chemosensitivity.

Integrating In Silico and In Vitro Approaches to Identify Natural Peptides with Selective Cytotoxicity against Cancer Cells.

Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are bioactive compounds known for their selective cytotoxicity against tumor cells via various mechanisms. Recent studies have demonstrated that in silico machine learning methods are effective in predicting peptides with anticancer activity. In this study, we collected and analyzed over a thousand experimentally verified ACPs, specifically targeting peptides derived from natural sources.

Laparoscopic training workshop to assess medical students' skill acquisition and interest in surgical careers.

Background: With its minimally invasive approach, laparoscopic surgery has transformed the medical landscape. As the demand for these procedures escalates, there is a pressing need for adept surgeons trained in laparoscopic techniques. However, current training often falls short of catering to medical school education.

The risk of herpes zoster is positively associated with obesity, especially morbid obesity.

This study aimed to investigate the association between obesity and herpes zoster (HZ) occurrence. This study used data covering 2 million people in Taiwan in 2000, which were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database. The cohort study observed aged 20-100 years with obesity from 2000 to 2017 (tracking to 2018).

iDVEIP: A computer-aided approach for the prediction of viral entry inhibitory peptides.

With the notable surge in therapeutic peptide development, various peptides have emerged as potential agents against virus-induced diseases. Viral entry inhibitory peptides (VEIPs), a subset of antiviral peptides (AVPs), offer a promising avenue as entry inhibitors (EIs) with distinct advantages over chemical counterparts. Despite this, a comprehensive analytical platform for characterizing these peptides and their effectiveness in blocking viral entry remains lacking.

Single-Cell Secretion Analysis via Microfluidic Cell Membrane Immunosorbent Assay for Immune Profiling.

Single-cell multiplexed phenotypic analysis expands the biomarkers for diagnosis, heralding a new era of precision medicine. Cell secretions are the primary measures of immune function, but single-cell screening remains challenging. Here, a novel cell membrane-based assay was developed using cholesterol-linked antibodies (CLAbs), integrating immunosorbent assays and droplet microfluidics to develop a flexible high-throughput single-cell secretion assay for multiplexed phenotyping.

A real-world study comparing perioperative chemotherapy and EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors for treatment of resected stage III EGFR-mutant adenocarcinoma.

Background: The patient population with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is heterogeneous, with varying staging characteristics and diverse treatment options. Despite the potential practice-changing implications of randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of perioperative epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), concerns have been raised due to conflicting overall survival (OS) results. Few real-world studies have examined the survival outcomes of patients with resected EGFR-mutant stage III adenocarcinoma receiving perioperative chemotherapy and EGFR-TKIs.

Application of impulse oscillometry to detect interstitial lung disease and airway disease in adults with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: We conducted a retrospective observational study to explore the potential application of impulse oscillometry (IOS) as an alternative to high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for detecting pulmonary involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) because clinically evident interstitial lung disease (ILD) and airway involvement are common in this population.

Methods: We enrolled 72 patients with RA who underwent pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and IOS between September 2021 and September 2022. We aimed to identify the PFT and IOS variables associated with lung diseases shown on HRCT images.

Microbiome analysis of maternal and neonatal microbial communities associated with the different delivery modes based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

Objective: With the rising number of cases of non-vaginal delivery worldwide, scientists have been concerned about the influence of the different delivery modes on maternal and neonatal microbiomes. Although the birth rate trend is decreasing rapidly in Taiwan, more than 30 percent of newborns are delivered by caesarean section every year. However, it remains unclear whether the different delivery modes could have a certain impact on the postpartum maternal microbiome and whether it affects the mother-to-newborn vertical transmission of bacteria at birth.