Denoising complex-valued diffusion MR images using a two-step, nonlocal principal component analysis approach.

Purpose: To propose a two-step, nonlocal principal component analysis (PCA) method and demonstrate its utility for denoising complex diffusion MR images with a few diffusion directions.

Methods: A two-step denoising pipeline was implemented to ensure accurate patch selection even with high noise levels and was coupled with data preprocessing for g-factor normalization and phase stabilization before data denoising with a nonlocal PCA algorithm. At the heart of our proposed pipeline was the use of a data-driven optimal shrinkage algorithm to manipulate the singular values in a way that would optimally estimate the noise-free signal.

Treat-And-Extend Versus Pro Re Nata Regimen of Intravitreal Conbercept Injection for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Results from COCOA, a Prospective, Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized Phase IV Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To evaluate and contrast the effectiveness and safety of two conbercept treatment protocols-a three-dose treat-and-extend (3+T&E) regimen and a three-dose pro re nata (3+PRN) regimen-in Chinese patients diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods: Eligible patients, who had not undergone anti-VEGF intraocular injections within 3 months prior to enrollment, were randomly assigned to either the 3+T&E or 3+PRN regimen. The 3+T&E group received at least three monthly injections, with subsequent visit intervals extended based on disease activity assessment.

Large Language Model-Based Critical Care Big Data Deployment and Extraction: Descriptive Analysis.

Background: Publicly accessible critical care-related databases contain enormous clinical data, but their utilization often requires advanced programming skills. The growing complexity of large databases and unstructured data presents challenges for clinicians who need programming or data analysis expertise to utilize these systems directly.

Objective: This study aims to simplify critical care-related database deployment and extraction via large language models.

Virological response and predictive factors for antiviral treatment in chronic HBV-related liver disease with low ALT and high HBV DNA.

Objective: To investigate virological response and predictive factors for antiviral treatment in chronic HBV patients with low ALT and high HBV DNA.

Methods: A retrospective study grouped chronic HBV patients by baseline ALT: ALT > 80 U/L (significantly elevated group, SAG), 40-80 U/L (mildly elevated group, MAG), and ≤ 40 U/L (normal group, NG). Inverse probability treatment weighting balanced confounding factors.

Combination autologous stem cell transplantation with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for refractory/relapsed B-cell lymphoma: a single-arm clinical study.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) have been used as consolidation therapies for patients with refractory/relapsed B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (R/R B-NHL) in remission after second-line chemotherapy or salvage therapy. However, patients with different pathological subtypes and remission states may benefit differently from ASCT or CAR-T cell therapy. Furthermore, consolidation treatment involving ASCT or CAR-T cells still poses a significant risk of disease relapse.

Superior effectiveness and acceptability of saliva samples for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in China.

In response to problems of poor sampling quality, low sensitivity, and high demand for medical personnel regarding the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) oropharyngeal (OP) swab sampling used in China, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and acceptability of saliva-based nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) in China. The results showed that, using nasopharyngeal (NP) swab results as the gold standard, the overall sensitivities for saliva specimens and OP swabs were 93.3 % and 85.

Circulating short-chain and branched short-chain fatty acids and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes: findings from the 4C study.

Previous studies suggested that fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and branched short-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are associated with glucose regulation. However, the potential relationship between circulating SCFAs and BCFAs with incident diabetes risk in both men and women remains unidentified in prospective cohort studies. In this study, we examined a panel of nine serum SCFAs and BCFAs in 3414 subjects with incident diabetes, and matched normoglycemic controls from the China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort study.

Regulatory T Cell Metabolism: A Promising Therapeutic Target for Cancer Treatment?

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are essential for maintaining immune homeostasis by suppressing excessive immune responses. In the context of cancer, however, Tregs promote immune evasion and tumor progression, particularly through their unique adaptations within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recent research has emphasized how metabolic characteristics shape Treg activation, migration, and immunosuppressive function, revealing the impact of metabolic pathways on Treg fitness in homeostasis and within the TME.

Biosafety and immunology: An interdisciplinary field for health priority.

Biosafety hazards can trigger a host immune response after infection, invasion, or contact with the host. Whether infection with a microorganism results in disease or biosafety concerns depends to a large extent on the immune status of the population. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the immunological characteristics of the host and the mechanisms of biological threats and agents to protect the host more effectively.

Transmission of ceftazidime-avibactam-resistant among pets, veterinarians and animal hospital environment.

Ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) is a recently approved combination synthetic β-lactamase inhibitor used in human clinical medicine. Cases of CZA resistance in humans have already been reported, but limited research has investigated CZA resistance in pets. This study explored the prevalence and transmission of CZA-resistant (CZAREC) among pets, their owners, veterinarians, and the environment in animal hospitals.

Impact of ursodeoxycholic acid therapy in autoimmune liver disease patients with COVID-19 and its clinical prognosis.

To explore the impact of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and clinical outcomes in patients with autoimmune liver disease (AILD). Patients diagnosed with AILD were enrolled and divided into a UDCA group and a non-UDCA group based on whether they received UDCA treatment. Relevant data were collected regarding AILD diagnosis, treatment, biochemical indicators, and imaging examination.

A novel method to assess antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against influenza A virus M2 in immunized murine models.

The matrix protein 2 (M2) is a preferred target for developing a universal vaccine against the influenza A virus (IAV). This study aimed to develop a method for assessing antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) associated with M2-based immunization in mice. We first established a stable cell line derived from mouse lymphoma cells (YAC-1) expressing M2 of H3N2.

Human mpox co-infection with advanced HIV-1 and XDR-TB in a MSM patient previously vaccinated against smallpox: A case report.

Mpox is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the mpox virus (MPXV). Historically, the majority of mpox cases have been documented in Central Africa. However, since May 2022, there has been a notable rise in reported cases from regions beyond Africa.

Advances in technology for the laboratory diagnosis of individuals with HIV/AIDS coinfected with .

The high morbidity and mortality rate of individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) coinfected with (MTB) is a tough challenge for current global tuberculosis prevention and control efforts. HIV/MTB coinfection is more complex than a single infection, and the interaction between the two diseases aggravates the deterioration caused by the disease, resulting in increased hospitalizations and deaths. Rapid screening and early diagnosis facilitate the timely initiation of anti-tuberculosis treatment in HIV/MTB coinfected individuals, thereby reducing transmission and the incidence of adverse prognoses.

The differential effects of integrase strand transfer inhibitors and efavirenz on neuropsychiatric conditions and brain imaging in HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) have emerged as the first-line choice for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection due to their superior efficacy and safety. However, the impact of INSTIs on the development of neuropsychiatric conditions in people living with HIV (PLWH) is not fully understood due to limited data. In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional examination of PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy, with a specific focus on HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) on INSTI-based regimens (n = 61) and efavirenz (EFV)-based regimens (n = 28).

Prophylactic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer after curative surgery: Final results of a phase II trial.

Objective: The trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with cisplatin for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC).

Methods: Between March 2015 and November 2016, a phase II clinical trial was performed. Fifty consecutive patients with LAGC were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (radical gastrectomy + HIPEC with cisplatin + adjuvant chemotherapy) and the control group (radical gastrectomy + adjuvant chemotherapy).

Deep learning-based multi-task prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy using multiscale whole slide images in breast cancer: A multicenter study.

Objective: Early predicting response before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is crucial for personalized treatment plans for locally advanced breast cancer patients. We aim to develop a multi-task model using multiscale whole slide images (WSIs) features to predict the response to breast cancer NAC more finely.

Methods: This work collected 1,670 whole slide images for training and validation sets, internal testing sets, external testing sets, and prospective testing sets of the weakly-supervised deep learning-based multi-task model (DLMM) in predicting treatment response and pCR to NAC.

Composite score of PD-1 CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and CD57 CD8 tumor ascites lymphocytes is associated with prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment of patients with advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Objective: The expression of programmed death 1 (PD-1) on CD8 T cells is associated with their activation and exhaustion, while CD57 serves as a senescence marker. The impact of PD-1 and CD57CD8 T cells on the prognosis of patients with advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) remain unclear.

Methods: We assessed the percentages of PD-1 and CD57CD8 T cells in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs, n=85) and tumor ascites lymphocytes (TALs, n=87) using flow cytometry.

Preoperative localization of parathyroid glands in secondary hyperparathyroidism: correlations between 99mTc-MIBI-SPECT/CT, ultrasound, and pathological characteristics.

Objective: To investigate the association between imaging findings and histopathological characteristics of parathyroid glands in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT).

Methods: Seventy-four glands from 21 patients with SHPT who underwent parathyroidectomy were evaluated for their pathological characteristics. The detection rates of parathyroid glands using ultrasound (US) and 99Tc-MIBI-SPECT/CT (MIBI) were compared.

Differences in Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Diastasis Recti Abdominis Between Primiparous and Age-Matched second-Parous Females After Vaginal Delivery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the differences in pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) and diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) between primiparous and second-parous females with known risk factors controlled.

Patients And Methods: 49 primiparous and 49 age-matched second-parous postpartum after spontaneous vaginal delivery were included between October and December 2023. Independent variables include weight, height, body mass index (BMI), fetal weight, gestational weight gain (GWG).

Wrist and ankle acupuncture relief moderate to severe postoperative pain after functional endoscopic sinus surgery: A randomized controlled study.

Introduction: The study aimed to validate the effectiveness of Wrist and Ankle Acupuncture (WAA) in attenuating moderate to severe postoperative pain following Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS).

Methods: Participants were randomly allocated into a treatment group ( = 57) and a control group ( = 58). The treatment group underwent WAA treatment, while the control group received sham acupuncture treatment.

Choroidal metastases from thoracic cancer: a retrospective study on clinical characteristics and treatment efficacy.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the clinical characteristics of choroidal metastases (CMs) and assess the efficacy of various treatment strategies for CMs in a specific patient cohort.

Methods: This retrospective case series study included 32 patients (38 eyes) diagnosed with CM at the Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, between 2009 and 2022. The cohort included 10 male patients (10 eyes) and 22 female patients (28 eyes), with a mean age of 52.

Inhibition of Putative Ibrutinib Targets Promotes Atrial Fibrillation, Conduction Blocks, and Proarrhythmic Electrocardiogram Indices: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

Background: The mechanism by which ibrutinib, a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, can elevate the risk of arrhythmias is not fully elucidated. In this study, we explored how inhibition of off-target kinases can contribute to this phenomenon.

Methods: We performed a Mendelian randomization analysis to examine the causal associations between genetically proxied inhibition of six putative ibrutinib drug targets (ErbB2/HER2, CSK, JAK3, TEC, BLK, and PLCG2) and the atrial fibrillation (AF) risk, proarrhythmic ECG indices, and cardiometabolic traits and diseases.

Computed Tomography-Based Habitat Analysis for Prognostic Stratification in Colorectal Liver Metastases.

Background: Colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) has a poor prognosis, and traditional prognostic models have certain limitations in clinical application. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of CT-based habitat analysis in CRLM patients and compare it with existing traditional prognostic models to provide more evidence for individualized treatment of CRLM patients.

Methods: This retrospective study included 197 patients with CRLM whose preoperative contrast-enhanced CT images and corresponding DICOM Segmentation Objects (DSOs) were obtained from The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA).

Fluorescence-guided Surgery for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Clinical Practice to Laboratories.

Fluorescence navigation is a novel technique for accurately identifying hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions during hepatectomy, enabling real-time visualization. Indocyanine green-based fluorescence guidance has been commonly used to demarcate HCC lesion boundaries, but it cannot distinguish between benign and malignant liver tumors. This review focused on the clinical applications and limitations of indocyanine green, as well as recent advances in novel fluorescent probes for fluorescence-guided surgery of HCC.