Imaging-based prediction of early recurrence and neoadjuvant therapy outcomes for resectable beyond Milan HCC.

Purpose: To develop and validate an MRI-based model for predicting postoperative early (≤2 years) recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients receiving upfront surgical resection (SR) for beyond Milan hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to assess the model's performance in separate patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy for similar-stage tumors.

Method: This single-center retrospective study included consecutive patients with resectable BCLC A/B beyond Milan HCC undergoing upfront SR or neoadjuvant therapy. All images were independently evaluated by three blinded radiologists.

Application value of split-bolus contrast injection combined with dual-energy CT scanning technology in pediatric CTU imaging.

Objective: To explore the clinical value of combining split-bolus contrast injection with dual-energy CT(DECT) scanning technology in pediatric computed tomography urography (CTU) imaging.

Methods: A total of 128 children aged 0-17 years were prospectively selected and randomly assigned to three groups: A, B, and C. For Group A, a high-pitch flash mode was employed, where a single bolus of contrast agent was followed by four-phase scanning (noncontrast, cortex, medulla, and excretory phases).

Photothermal Desorption and Reagent-Assisted Low-Temperature Plasma Ionization Miniature IT-MS/MS for On-Site Analysis of Illicit Drugs in Saliva and Urine.

Globally, drug-impaired driving fatalities now exceed those from drunk driving, urging the need for on-site and roadside detection methods. In this study, a photothermal desorption and reagent-assisted low-temperature plasma ionization miniature ion trap mass spectrometer (PDRA-LTP-ITMS) was developed for on-site detection of drug-impaired driving. The pseudomultiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in PDRA-LTP-ITMS enables continuous ion selection during ion introduction and improved sensitivity to nearly 3-fold compared with the conventional full scan mode.

The dose-response relationship between noise-induced hearing loss and cumulative noise exposure adjusted by the effect of hearing protection devices among workers in Southern China.

The noise exposure levels of workers wearing hearing protective devices (HPDs) depend on ambient noise and the protective effect of hearing protectors. This cross-sectional study aimed to adjust for cumulative noise exposure (CNE) based on the effective protection of hearing protection devices and explore the dose-response relationship between noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and adjusted cumulative noise exposure. A questionnaire was used to acquire the basic characteristics and occupational information of noise-exposed workers.

Long-Term Impact of Using Mobile Phones and Playing Computer Games on the Brain Structure and the Risk of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Large Population-Based Study.

Background: Despite the increasing popularity of electronic devices, the longitudinal effects of daily prolonged electronic device usage on brain health and the aging process remain unclear.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the daily use of mobile phones/computers on the brain structure and the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

Methods: We used data from the UK Biobank, a longitudinal population-based cohort study, to analyze the impact of mobile phone use duration, weekly usage time, and playing computer games on the future brain structure and the future risk of various neurodegenerative diseases, including all-cause dementia (ACD), Alzheimer disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD), all-cause parkinsonism (ACP), and Parkinson disease (PD).

Surgical Outcomes for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer of the Head and Neck.

Objectives: There is no consensus on elective lymphatic dissection of the parotid and neck for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) due to challenges in detecting occult spread to these regions. This study aimed to summarize clinical data and evaluate correlations between risk factors, nodular metastasis, and the need for elective parotidectomy in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), and apocrine carcinoma (AC) of the head and neck, all with clear surgical margins and negative imaging results for regional metastases.

Study Design: We retrospectively reviewed 166 patients with CSCC, one with MCC, and one with AC of the head and neck, all treated surgically between September 2006 and July 2022.

Aculeapyridones A-Q, Pyranopyridone Alkaloids with Protective Effects against Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Injury Discovered from a Coculture of WHUF0198 and a sp.

In the search for novel natural products with hepatoprotective effects against acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury, the marine-derived fungus WHUF0198 was investigated. Seventeen undescribed pyranopyridone alkaloids, aculeapyridones A-Q (-), were isolated by bioactivity-guided fractionation of an extract obtained by coculture of the WHUF0198 with the mangrove-associated fungus sp. DM27.

Comparative analysis of spinal flexion angles during smartphone use in toilet: a randomized cross-over with three-period study.

: The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of smartphone use while sitting on the toilet on the spinal flexion angles and the time effect. : Measurements of the spinal flexion angles in the sagittal plane were made by thirty participants while they sat on the toilet for 10 min, using a smartphone in either one, both, or neither hand. The individual's forehead, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal areas were each fitted with five different inertial motion sensors.

The biomechanical implications of lacunar and perilacunar microarchitecture on microdamage accumulation in cortical bone.

: This study aimed to explore how the microarchitectural features of lacunae and perilacunar zones impact the biomechanics of microdamage accumulation in cortical bone, crucial for understanding bone disorders' pathogenesis and developing preventive measures. : Utilizing the phase field finite element method, the study analyzed three bone unit models with varying microarchitecture: one without lacunae, one with lacunae and one including perilacunar zones, to assess their effects on cortical bone's biomechanical properties. : The presence of lacunae was found to increase microcrack initiation risk, acting as nucleation points and accelerating microcrack propagation.

Assessing the effect of chest orientation on pulmonary pressure under free field shock waves: a numerical analysis.

: This study explores how thoracic orientation affects lung pressure and injury outcomes from shock waves, building on earlier research that suggested human posture impacts injury severity. : A layered finite element model of the chest was constructed based on the Chinese Visual Human Dataset (CVH), including the rib and intercostal muscle layers. The dynamic response of the chest under 12 different angle-oriented shock waves under incident pressures of 200 kPa and 500 kPa was calculated.

MicroRNA-146b targets HIF-1α AND attenuates cardiomyocyte apoptosis and fibrosis in doxorubicin-induced heart failure.

The global prevalence of heart failure is still growing, which imposes a heavy economic burden. The role of microRNA-146b (miR-146b) in HF remain largely unknown. This study aims to explore the role and mechanism of miR-146b in HF.

Innovative Applications of Bacteria and Their Derivatives in Targeted Tumor Therapy.

Despite significant progress in cancer treatment, traditional therapies still face considerable challenges, including poor targeting, severe toxic side effects, and the development of resistance. Recent advances in biotechnology have revealed the potential of bacteria and their derivatives as drug delivery systems for tumor therapy by leveraging their biological properties. Engineered bacteria, including , , and , along with their derivatives─outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), bacterial ghosts (BGs), and bacterial spores (BSPs)─can be loaded with a variety of antitumor agents, enabling precise targeting and sustained drug release within the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Polyphenylalanine-Baicalein Nanomicelles Reduce Nerve Cell Apoptosis and Inflammation to Enhance Neuroprotection and Poststroke Rehabilitation.

Cerebral ischemic stroke, neuronal death, and inflammation bring difficulties in neuroprotection and rehabilitation. In this study, we developed and designed the ability of natural lactoferrin-polyethylene glycol-polyphenylalanine-baicalein nanomicelles (LF-PEG-PPhe-Bai) to target and reduce these pathological processes, such as neurological damage and cognitive impairment in the stages of poststroke. Nanomicelles made from biocompatible materials have improved bioavailability and targeted distribution to afflicted brain areas.

Risk Prediction Model of Peristomal Skin Complications Among Patients with Colorectal Cancer and an Ostomy: A Cross-sectional Study in Shanghai, China.

Objective: To analyze the risk factors for peristomal skin complications (PSCs) in patients with colorectal cancer and an ostomy, construct a prediction model, and verify its effectiveness.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, researchers recruited 265 patients with an ostomy at the stoma clinic of a tertiary hospital, from May 2022 to August 2023. Patients were divided into two groups: complications group (n = 81) and no complications group (n = 184).

Deubiquitinating enzyme USP2 alleviates muscle atrophy by stabilizing PPARγ.

Insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, accelerates muscle breakdown and impairs energy metabolism. However, the role of Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 2 (USP2), a key regulator of insulin resistance, in sarcopenia remains unclear. Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) plays a critical role in regulating muscle atrophy.

Cell-free assays reveal that the HIV-1 capsid protects reverse transcripts from cGAS immune sensing.

Retroviruses can be detected by the innate immune sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), which recognizes reverse-transcribed DNA and activates an antiviral response. However, the extent to which HIV-1 shields its genome from cGAS recognition remains unclear. To study this process in mechanistic detail, we reconstituted reverse transcription, genome release, and innate immune sensing of HIV-1 in a cell-free system.

Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.

Background: Despite transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated encouraging potential for modulating the circadian rhythm, little is known about how well and sustainably tDCS might improve the subjective sleep quality in older adults. This study sought to determine how tDCS affected sleep quality and cognition, as well as how well pre-treatment sleep quality predicted tDCS effects on domain-specific cognitive functions in patients with mild neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease (NCD-AD).

Methods: This clinical trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of tDCS and cognitive training in mild NCD-AD patients (n =  201).

Evolution of Sagittal Spinal Alignment During Pubertal Growth: A Large-Scale Study in a Chinese Pediatric Population.

Background: Previous studies have reported normative data for sagittal spinal alignment in asymptomatic adults. The sagittal spinal alignment change in European children was recently reported. However, there is a lack of studies on the normative reference values of sagittal spinal and pelvic alignment and how these parameters change at different growth stages in Chinese children.

Short-term effects of combined environmental factors on respiratory disease mortality in Qingdao city: A time-series investigation.

Background: It is crucial to comprehend the interplay between air pollution and meteorological conditions in relation to population health within the framework of "dual-carbon" targets. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of intricate environmental factors, encompassing both meteorological conditions and atmospheric pollutants, on respiratory disease (RD) mortality in Qingdao, a representative coastal city in China.

Methods: The RD mortality cases were collected from the Chronic Disease Surveillance Monitoring System in Qingdao during Jan 1st, 2014 and Dec 31st, 2020.

Dapagliflozin inhibits ferroptosis to improve chronic heart failure by regulating Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 signaling pathway.

Objective: To study the effect of Dapagliflozin on ferroptosis in rabbits with chronic heart failure and to reveal its possible mechanism.

Methods: Nine healthy adult male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into Sham group (only thorax opening was performed in Sham group, no ascending aorta circumferential ligation was performed), Heart failure group (HF group, ascending aorta circumferential ligation was performed in HF group to establish the animal model of heart failure), and Dapagliflozin group (DAPA group, after the rabbit chronic heart failure model was successfully made in DAPA group). Dapagliflozin was given by force-feeding method.

Fipronil in sub-lethal doses leads to immuno-toxicological effects in broiler birds.

Pesticides, including fipronil, are used mainly in agriculture; however, in veterinary and animal husbandry, their potential use is to control the pests responsible for vector-borne diseases. Their residues in agriculture products and direct use on farms are responsible for potentially harming livestock and poultry. So, this study was designed to evaluate the toxico-pathological effects of fipronil on the immune system of poultry birds.

A clinical study exploring the prediction of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma through the use of combined enhanced CT and MRI radiomics.

Objective: To develop a predictive model for microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through radiomics analysis, integrating data from both enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 93 HCC patients who underwent partial hepatectomy. The gold standard for MVI was based on the histopathological diagnosis of the tissue.

Association of preoperative body mass index with postoperative complications and survival for patients with gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The relationship among body mass index (BMI), postoperative complications, and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate this association using a meta-analysis.

Method: We conducted a systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to February 25, 2024.

Triethylamine-mediated protonation-deprotonation unlocks dual-drug self assembly to suppress breast cancer progression and metastasis.

Carrier-free nanomedicines exhibited significant potential in elevating drug efficacy and safety for tumor management, yet their self assembly typically relied on chemical modifications of drugs or the incorporation of surfactants, thereby compromising the drug's inherent pharmacological activity. To address this challenge, we proposed a triethylamine (TEA)-mediated protonation-deprotonation strategy that enabled the adjustable-proportion self assembly of dual drugs without chemical modification, achieving nearly 100% drug loading capacity. Molecular dynamic simulations, supported by experiment evidence, elucidated the underlying self-assembly mechanism.

Suppressing APOE4-induced neural pathologies by targeting the VHL-HIF axis.

The ε4 variant of human apolipoprotein E () is a key genetic risk factor for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease and elevated all-cause mortality in humans. Understanding the factors and mechanisms that can mitigate the harmful effects of has significant implications. In this study, we find that inactivating the VHL-1 (Von Hippel-Lindau) protein can suppress mortality, neural and behavioral pathologies caused by transgenic human in .