Apaf-1 is an evolutionarily conserved DNA sensor that switches the cell fate between apoptosis and inflammation.

Apoptotic protease activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) was traditionally defined as a scaffold protein in mammalian cells for assembling a caspase activation platform known as the 'apoptosome' after its binding to cytochrome c. Although Apaf-1 structurally resembles animal NOD-like receptor (NLR) and plant resistance (R) proteins, whether it is directly involved in innate immunity is still largely unknown. Here, we found that Apaf-1-like molecules from lancelets, fruit flies, mice, and humans have conserved DNA sensing functionality.

Comparison of TPF and PF induction chemotherapy combined with cisplatin concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The standard of care for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) is induction chemotherapy (ICT) followed by concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT). However, the ideal ICT regimen for LA-NPC remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the survival outcomes, responses, and incidences of toxicities between taxane, cisplatin and fluorouracil (TPF) and cisplatin and fluorouracil (PF) ICT regimens plus CCRT in LA-NPC.

Transfer from long-term care to acute care and risk of new permanent cognitive or physical disability among long-term care residents in Canada: protocol for a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Long-term care (LTC) residents are frequently transferred to acute care hospitals. Transfer decisions should align with residents' wishes and goals. Decision to transfer to hospital, when not aligned with the resident's wishes, can result in transfers that are harmful to residents, leaving residents in a state of disability that could be considered worse than death.

Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen to lymphocyte ratio serves as a prognostic predictor in elderly patients with colorectal cancer: a multicentre retrospective study.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to derive and validate a reliable indicator for predicting an increased risk of postoperative mortality in elderly patients undergoing curative resection for colorectal cancer (CRC).

Design: This study is of multicentre retrospective design.

Setting And Participants: A total of 1227 CRC patients undergoing curative resection (age ≥65 years) from three distinct cohorts were retrospective enrolled.

Longitudinal associations of flare and damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of organ damage (damage) and flare and to examine longitudinal associations between flares and subsequent damage accrual, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Patients enrolled in the Asia Pacific Lupus Collaboration cohort with ≥3 years of prospectively captured data were studied. Flares were assessed at routine visits, while damage ((Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology) Damage Index) was assessed annually.

Correlation on metabolic complete response on positron emission tomography and pathological complete response in patients with breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in treating breast cancer has expanded in recent years. There was increased interest in using positron emission tomography (PET) for the evaluation of treatment response. We aimed to study the accuracy of metabolic complete response (mCR) on PET scan in predicting pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant treatment.

The feasibility and effectiveness of telecare consultations in a nurse-led post-acute stroke clinic.

Background: Telecare may provide an alternative to maintaining post-acute stroke care services in making benefit to both the providers and the stroke survivors, although study is needed to investigate its feasibility and effectiveness in integrating this innovative delivery mode into a routine.

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of telecare consultations in a nurse-led post-acute stroke clinic.

Methods: A pre- and post-test one group quasi-experimental design was adopted.

Methane oxidation to ethanol by a molecular junction photocatalyst.

Methane, the major component of natural and shale gas, is a significant carbon source for chemical synthesis. The direct partial oxidation of methane to liquid oxygenates under mild conditions is an attractive pathway, but the molecule's inertness makes it challenging to achieve simultaneously high conversion and high selectivity towards a single target product. This difficulty is amplified when aiming for more valuable products that require C-C coupling.

Association Between Type 2 Diabetes Onset Age and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: Two Cohort Studies from United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

Objective: This study evaluated the association between age of onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality.

Method: Two retrospective cohort studies were conducted using the electronic health record from United Kingdom (UK) and Hong Kong (HK) (2008-2013) on adults without CVD. 128,918 and 185,646 patients with newly diagnosed T2DM were assigned to the T2DM group, and control group included 5,052,770 and 3,159,396 patients without T2DM in UK and HK cohort, respectively.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α inhibitor promotes non-alcoholic steatohepatitis development and increases hepatocellular lipid accumulation via TSKU upregulation.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α) inhibitor is emerging as a promising therapeutic strategy for diseases. However, the role of HIF1α inhibitor in NASH is still unclear.

Yield of Esophageal Biopsy Patterns for the Diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

Background And Aims: The pattern of inflammation in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is patchy, necessitating multiple biopsies to optimize diagnostic yield. Current consensus-based guidelines recommend 6 total biopsies at two sites: distal and either middle or proximal esophagus, although based on limited data. We aimed to determine whether this biopsy protocol sufficiently captures EoE diagnoses by evaluating the distribution of eosinophilia in a large EoE cohort.

Visible light-driven triazine-based S-scheme COF-TpTt@BiOBr heterojunction with oxygen vacancy for enhanced photocatalytic pollutants removal and hydrogen production.

S-scheme heterojunction is an effective tactic to improve photocatalytic property. But few studies on constructing heterojunction with BiOBr and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are available. Herein, a novel series of COF-TpTt@BiOBr S-scheme heterojunctions with oxygen vacancies (OVs) were constructed via solvothermal method.

Distinct genetic risk loci between biopsy-proven renal and non-renal lupus: a 10-year longitudinal cohort.

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous disease which manifests as different subphenotypes. Distinct subphenotypes, such as lupus nephritis (LN), have been associated with increased genetic risk, but prior studies have been limited by cross-sectional and imprecisely subphenotyped cohorts. This study investigated the genetic basis for LN using a longitudinal cohort of distinctly subphenotyped patients.

Utility of the radiological report function of an artificial intelligence system in interpreting CBCT images: a technical report.

Objectives: The aim of this technical report was to assess whether the "Radiological Report" tool within the Artificial Intelligence (AI) software Diagnocat can achieve a satisfactory level of performance comparable to that of experienced dentomaxillofacial radiologists in interpreting cone-beam CT scans.

Methods: Ten cone-beam CT scans were carefully selected and analyzed using the AI tool, and they were also evaluated by two dentomaxillofacial radiologists. Observations related to tooth numeration, alterations in dental crowns, roots, and periodontal tissues were documented and subsequently compared to the AI findings.

Bioactive Silk Cryogel Dressing with Multiple Physical Cues to Control Cell Migration and Wound Regeneration.

Introducing multiple physical cues to control cell behaviors effectively is considered as a promising strategy in developing bioactive wound dressings. Silk nanofiber-based cryogels are developed to favor angiogenesis and tissue regeneration through tuning hydrated state, microporous structure, and mechanical property, but remained a challenge to endow with more physical cues. Here, β-sheet rich silk nanofibers are used to develop cryogels with nanopore structure.

Macro/Microgel-Encapsulated, Biofilm-Armored Living Probiotic Platform for Regenerating Bacteria-Infected Diabetic Wounds.

Infectious diabetic wounds pose an arduous threat to contemporary healthcare. The combination of refractory biofilms, persistent inflammation, and retarded angiogenesis can procure non-unions and life-threatening complications, calling for advanced therapeutics potent to orchestrate anti-infective effectiveness, benign biocompatibility, pro-reparative immunomodulation, and angiogenic regeneration. Herein, embracing the emergent "living bacterial therapy" paradigm, a designer probiotic-in-hydrogel wound dressing platform is demonstrated.

First-in-Human clinical trial of a small molecule EBNA1 inhibitor, VK-2019, in patients with Epstein-Barr positive nasopharyngeal cancer, with pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies.

Purpose: A first-in-human phase one study was conducted in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients to assess the safety and tolerability of VK-2019, a small molecule selective inhibitor of Epstein-Barr virus Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA1).

Patients And Methods: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies, including circulating tumor EBV DNA plasma levels, were performed. Twenty-three patients received VK-2019 orally once daily at doses ranging from 60 to 1800 mg using an accelerated titration design, with cohort expansion at 1800 mg.

Cognitive and neural underpinnings of friend-prioritization in a perceptual matching task.

Previous findings of better behavioral responses to self- over other-related stimuli suggest prioritized cognitive processes of self-related information. However, it is unclear whether the processing of information related to important others (e.g.

Prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and its association with quality of life in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): data from a sleep-center in Shenzhen, a single-center cross-sectional study.

Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is considered to be one of the main clinical manifestations of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is a treatment target for patients with OSA. The prevalence of EDS in patients with OSA remains unclear and there is a lack of studies on the associations of EDS with quality of life among patients with OSA in China. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of EDS and its association with quality of life in patients with OSA in Shenzhen, China.

Surfacic networks.

Surfacic networks are structures built upon a 2D manifold. Many systems, including transportation networks and various urban networks, fall into this category. The fluctuations of node elevations imply significant deviations from typical plane networks and require specific tools to understand their impact.

Enhancing molecular oxygen activation by nitrogen-doped carbon encapsulating FeNi alloys with ultra-low Pt loading.

Modulating the electronic structure of noble metals via electronic metal-support interaction (EMSI) has been proven effectively for facilitating molecular oxygen activation and catalytic oxidation reactions. Nevertheless, the investigation of the fundamental mechanisms underlying activity enhancement has primarily focused on metal oxides as supports, especially in the catalytic degradation of volatile organic compounds. In this study, a novel Pt catalyst supported on nitrogen-doped carbon encapsulating FeNi alloy, featuring ultrafine Pt nanoparticles, was synthesized.

Do goats recognise humans cross-modally?

Recognition plays a key role in the social lives of gregarious species, enabling animals to distinguish among social partners and tailor their behaviour accordingly. As domesticated animals regularly interact with humans, as well as members of their own species, we might expect mechanisms used to discriminate between conspecifics to also apply to humans. Given that goats can combine visual and vocal cues to recognise one another, we investigated whether this cross-modal recognition extends to discriminating among familiar humans.

Evaluating the feasibility and preliminary effects of an online compassion training program for nursing students: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of an online compassion training program for nursing students and preliminarily investigate its effects on mindfulness, self-compassion, and stress reduction.

Methods: This study employed a randomized controlled trial design. Second-year students from a nursing college in Guangzhou, China, were recruited as research participants in August 2023.