Low-Level Viremia Impairs Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background And Aims: The impact of low-level viremia(LLV) on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(uHCC) patients remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the effect of LLV on the outcomes of ICIs-based therapy in patients with uHCC.

Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, we included patients with uHCC who received ICIs-based therapy at four centres between January 2019 and December 2022.

Correlation Between Rectus Femoris Muscle Cross-Sectional Area and Severity of Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objective: To assess the correlation between rectus femoris muscle cross-sectional area (RFCSA) and the severity of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ECOPD).

Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Ward, Suzhou Ninth Hospital affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, from May 2021 to April 2024.

Investigation of brain structures and potential mechanisms associated with ADHD: Insights from Mendelian randomization and genetic analysis.

Objective: Despite extensive studies linking brain structure with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the causal relationships remain unclear. This study employs Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess these associations and explores the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Utilizing genetic instruments from genome - wide association study (GWAS) data of 83 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies sourced from the psychiatric genomics consortium (PGC) and integrative epidemiology unit (IEU), MR analyses were conducted to investigate the link between brain structures and ADHD.

Systematic review and meta‑analysis of factors predicting postoperative lung function after lung cancer resection.

Introduction: Lung resection continues to be the most effective treatment for early‑stage lung cancer. Prediction of postoperative lung function is particularly important when evaluating patient eligibility for surgery, as it helps assess the likelihood of experiencing difficulty breathing after the operation.

Aim: We aimed to identify the most common methods used to predict postoperative lung function in clinical practice and to compare their accuracy.

The Role of Yes-Associated Protein in Autophagy and Tumor Progression in Gastric Cancer.

The Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a key regulator in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer (GC), yet its role in modulating autophagy remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of YAP modulation on autophagy and tumor progression using the SNU-484 and MKN-74 gastric cancer cell lines. YAP overexpression led to increased B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) transcription, reducing autophagy and enhancing cell survival, while YAP knockdown resulted in elevated autophagic activity.

Transdermal Delivery of Baicalin Based on Bio-Vesicles and Its Efficacy in Antiaging of the Skin.

Objective: To develop a stable and efficient delivery system for baicalin, a flavonoid with potential antioxidant and antiaging properties, to overcome its limitations in solubility, stability, and skin permeability.

Methods: Baicalin was encapsulated using ATP synthase molecular motor technology into bio-vesicles derived from yeast/bacillus cell membranes, forming "motor baicalin" (MB). The liposome baicalin (LB), baicalin raw material (BRM), and bio-vesicles were used for comparison.

Cortical structural degeneration and functional network connectivity changes in patients with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment.

Purpose: To explore the structural basis of functional network connectivity (FNC) changes and early cortical degenerative patterns in subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI).

Methods: We prospectively included SVCI cases and healthy controls (HCs). FNC alterations were evaluated using group-independent component analysis of resting-state functional MRI data.

Targeting RNA splicing modulation: new perspectives for anticancer strategy?

The excision of introns from pre-mRNA is a crucial process in the expression of the majority of genes. Alternative splicing allows a single gene to generate diverse mRNA and protein products. Aberrant RNA splicing is recognized as a molecular characteristic present in almost all types of tumors.

Using peer narrative support to promote return to work for cancer survivors: a protocol study of action research.

Background: Chinese cancer survivors are not doing well in returning to work. Peer support, as an external coping resource to help cancer survivors return to work, brings together members of the lay community with similar stressors or problems for mutual support. Peer volunteers have not received systematic training, so inappropriate language in the support process can often cause secondary damage to both the peer and the cancer survivor.

Transcriptional patterns of brain structural abnormalities in CSVD-related cognitive impairment.

Background: Brain structural abnormalities have been associated with cognitive impairment in individuals with small cerebral vascular disease (CSVD). However, the molecular and cellular factors making the different brain structural regions more vulnerable to CSVD-related cognitive impairment remain largely unknown.

Materials And Methods: Voxel-based morphology (VBM) was performed on the structural magnetic resonance imaging data of 46 CSVD-related cognitive impairment and 73 healthy controls to analyze and compare the gray matter volume (GMV) between the 2 groups.

SnoRNAs: The promising targets for anti-tumor therapy.

Recently, small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) have transcended the genomic "noise" to emerge as pivotal molecular markers due to their essential roles in tumor progression. Substantial evidence indicates a strong association between snoRNAs and critical clinical features such as tumor pathology and drug resistance. Historically, snoRNA research has concentrated on two classical mechanisms: 2'--ribose methylation and pseudouridylation.

The Threat of the Fall Armyworm to Asian Rice Production Is Amplified by the Brown Planthopper.

The recent invasion of the fall armyworm (FAW) into Asia not only has had a major impact on maize yield but is feared to also pose a risk to rice production. We hypothesized that the brown planthopper (BPH) may aggravate this risk based on a recently discovered mutualism between the planthopper and the rice striped stem borer. Here we show that BPH may indeed facilitate a shift of FAW to rice.

Dynamic functional network connectivity in patients with a mismatch between white matter hyperintensity and cognitive function.

Objective: White matter hyperintensity (WMH) in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is strongly associated with cognitive impairment. However, the severity of WMH does not coincide fully with cognitive impairment. This study aims to explore the differences in the dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) of WMH with cognitively matched and mismatched patients, to better understand the underlying mechanisms from a quantitative perspective.

Distinctive tumorigenic significance and innovative oncology targets of SUMOylation.

Protein SUMOylation, a post-translational modification, intricately regulates diverse biological processes including gene expression, cell cycle progression, signaling pathway transduction, DNA damage response, and RNA metabolism. This modification contributes to the acquisition of tumorigenicity and the maintenance of cancer hallmarks. In malignancies, protein SUMOylation is triggered by various cellular stresses, promoting tumor initiation and progression.

Identification and validation of the surface proteins FIBG, PDGF-β, and TGF-β on serum extracellular vesicles for non-invasive detection of colorectal cancer: experimental study.

Objectives: The absence of non-invasive biomarkers for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) has contributed to poor prognosis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as promising candidates for cancer monitoring using liquid biopsy. However, the complexity of EVs isolation procedures and the absence of clear targets for detecting serum-derived EVs have hindered the clinical application of EVs in early CRC diagnosis.

Extracorporeal vs. conventional CPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is a potential intervention for OHCA, but its effectiveness compared to conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCPR) needs further evaluation.

Method: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.

COVID-19 vaccination and the risk of autoimmune diseases: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: In recent times, reports have emerged suggesting that a variety of autoimmune disorders may arise after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. However, causality and underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Methods: We collected summary statistics of COVID-19 vaccination and 31 autoimmune diseases from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) as exposure and outcome, respectively.

Impact of Immunosuppressed Status on Prognosis of Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms Bloodstream Infections.

Introduction: The impact of immunosuppression on prognosis of carbapenem-resistant organism (CRO) bloodstream infection (BSI) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between immunosuppression and mortality of CRO-BSI and to identify the risk factors associated with mortality in immunosuppressed patients.

Methods: This retrospective study included 279 patients with CRO-BSI from January 2018 to March 2023.

Transarterial chemoembolization with/without immune checkpoint inhibitors plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a single center, propensity score matching real-world study.

Objectives: To explore the efficacy and safety of Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC).

Methods: 456 patients with HCC receiving either TACE in combination with ICIs and TKIs (combination group, n = 139) or TACE monotherapy (monotherapy group, n = 317) were included from Apr 2016 to Dec 2021 in this retrospective study. We employed propensity score matching (PSM), performed 1:2 optimal pair matching, to balance potential bias.

Machining Surface Improvement through Electric- and Flow-Field Adjustments in Flying Electrochemical Milling of AA 2219.

Electrochemical milling is an ideal technique for machining large-scale 3D structures that consist of aerospace aluminum alloys. The distribution of the electric and flow fields are vital to the quality of the machined surface, and the structures of the inner flow channel and bottom outlet have different effects on the electric and flow fields on the machining surface. In this study, two specialized structures of a tool cathode were optimized by simulating the electric and flow fields, and a reasonable design basis for the tool cathode was obtained.

Evaluation of an artificial intelligence-based clinical trial matching system in Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective study.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted clinical trial screening is a promising prospect, although previous matching systems were developed in English, and relevant studies have only been conducted in Western countries. Therefore, we evaluated an AI-based clinical trial matching system (CTMS) that extracts medical data from the electronic health record system and matches them to clinical trials automatically.

Methods: This study included 1,053 consecutive inpatients primarily diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma who were referred to the liver tumor center of an academic medical center in China between January and December 2019.

Performance of the Simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index in predicting 30-day mortality after acute pulmonary embolism: Validation from a large-scale cohort.

Background: The performance of existing prognostic scores including the simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI) for short-term mortality of non-high-risk PE in Chinese population has not been widely validated.

Methods: Non-high-risk patients were included from the prospective cohort of the China pUlmonary Thromboembolism REgistry Study (CURES). The sPESI, RIETE, Geneva, modified FAST, and Bova score were validated.