Percutaneous irreversible electroporation of renal cell carcinomas in an acquired solitary kidney: A primary study.

Objective: To evaluate the postoperative complications and prognosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in a solitary kidney after irreversible electroporation (IRE).

Materials And Methods: A total of 8 patients with 9 RCCs in a solitary kidney treated with computed tomography (CT)-guided IRE from February 2017 to September 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Follow-up included contrast-enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging examinations at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and each year after IRE and the evaluation of the incidence of postoperative complications, renal function changes, local tumor recurrence, and metastasis.

Structural and load-dependent arterial stiffness across the adult life span.

Background: The arterial stiffening is attributed to the intrinsic structural stiffening and/or load-dependent stiffening by increased blood pressure (BP). The respective lifetime alterations and major determinants of the two components with normal aging are not clear.

Methods: A total of 3053 healthy adults (1922 women) aged 18-79 years were enrolled.

Characterization and dosimetric predictors for absolute lymphocyte count changes during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with or without pembrolizumab for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: an analysis of a prospective cohort.

Aim: To characterize the differences of dynamic changes for absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) among esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) with or without pembrolizumab, as well as to investigate the clinical and lymphocyte-related organs dosimetric parameters that would impact ALC nadir during nCRT.

Materials And Methods: A total of 216 ESCC patients who received nCRT (with pembrolizumab 144; without pembrolizumab: 72) were identified from a prospective cohort. Weekly and 1-month post-nCRT ALC were identified.

Inhibition of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Reduces Photoreceptor Death in Retinal Neovascular Disease via Neurotrophic Modulation in Müller Glia.

VEGF is not only the most potent angiogenic factor, but also an important neurotrophic factor. In this study, vitreous expression of six neurotrophic factors were examined in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients with prior anti-VEGF therapy (n = 48) or without anti-VEGF treatment (n = 41) via ELISA. Potential source, variation and impact of these factors were further investigated in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), as well as primary Müller cells and 661W photoreceptor cell line under hypoxic condition.

Pulmonary artery denervation by noninvasive stereotactic radiotherapy: a pilot study in swine models of pulmonary hypertension.

Catheter-based pulmonary artery denervation (PADN) has achieved promising outcomes to treat pulmonary hypertension (PH). We herein present stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as a novel noninvasive approach for PADN. A single fraction of 15 Gy, 20 Gy or 25 Gy was delivered for PADN in a thromboxane A2 (TxA2) - induced acute PH swine model.

LPS-induced TMBIM6 splicing drives endothelial necroptosis and aggravates ALI.

Background: The mechanism underlying necroptosis in pulmonary vessel endothelial cells (PVECs) resulting from long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-induced alternative splicing (AS) of target genes in acute lung injury (ALI) remains unclear.

Methods: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and lncRNAs was analyzed via RT-PCR in PVECs. Full-transcriptome sequencing was used to detect AS-related mRNAs.

Ultrasound localization microscopy in the diagnosis of breast tumors and prediction of relevant histologic biomarkers associated with prognosis in humans: the protocol for a prospective, multicenter study.

Background: Benign and malignant breast tumors differ in their microvasculature morphology and distribution. Histologic biomarkers of malignant breast tumors are also correlated with the microvasculature. There is a lack of imaging technology for evaluating the microvasculature.

The beneficial effect of adding belimumab in severe and refractory IgA nephropathy: a case report.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is one of the most common primary glomerular diseases worldwide and is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in China. It lacks recommended treatment in refractory IgAN after conventional therapy. Belimumab, a recombinant human IgG-1λ monoclonal antibody that inhibits the B lymphocyte stimulator, is recommended to treat active lupus nephritis.

Long-term Outcomes of Endoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation versus Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Widespread Superficial Esophageal Squamous Cell Neoplasia.

Background/aims: Endoscopic radiofrequency ablation (ERFA) is a treatment option for superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN), with a relatively low risk of stenosis; however, the long-term outcomes remain unclear. We aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of patients with widespread superficial ESCN who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or ERFA.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with superficial ESCN who underwent ESD or ERFA between January 2015 and December 2021.

The benefits and safety of a virtual reality intervention in patients suffering from acute and chronic pain: A pilot study.

Background: To overcome the challenge of psychotherapist scarcity in applying pain psychotherapy in clinical practice, we developed a virtual reality (VR) program delivering weeks of pain psychotherapy without psychotherapists, with a focus on minimizing the risk of motion sickness.

Objectives: We conducted a single-arm pilot study to assess the efficacy and motion sickness associated with a VR session delivering guided imagery and breathing techniques selected from the initial course of our VR program, involving patients suffering from various acute and chronic pain.

Methods: Patients underwent a 15-min VR session.

Sustained quality-of-life improvements over 10 years after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for isolated dystonia.

Background: Bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of subthalamic nucleus (STN) has demonstrated efficacy for ameliorating medication-refractory isolated dystonia. Nonetheless, the paucity of evidence regarding its long-term impact on quality-of-life (QoL) necessitates further investigation.

Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the longitudinal effects of chronic STN stimulation on QoL in patients suffering from isolated dystonia.

Meta-analysis of the effect of non-pharmacological interventions on the development of dysgeusia in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

This study was conducted by searching electronic databases from January 1, 2000 to August 8, 2023: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Network (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP) and Wan-fang Database were included in 14 studies with a total sample size of 1630 cases. This study conducted a meta-analysis of the literature published in recent years on the occurrence of dysgeusia in Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients with non-pharmacological treatment, in order to provide the latest evidence-based evidence for medical staff and provide a basis for further intervention of dysgeusia in HNSCC patients. Compared with conventional care in the control group, In the experimental group, the non-pharmacological intervention reduced the score of dysgeusia [MD = - 0.

Xalnesiran with or without an Immunomodulator in Chronic Hepatitis B.

Background: Xalnesiran, a small interfering RNA molecule that targets a conserved region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome and silences multiple HBV transcripts, may have efficacy, with or without an immunomodulator, in patients with chronic HBV infection.

Methods: We conducted a phase 2, multicenter, randomized, controlled, adaptive, open-label platform trial that included the evaluation of 48 weeks of treatment with xalnesiran at a dose of 100 mg (group 1), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg (group 2), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg plus 150 mg of ruzotolimod (group 3), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg plus 180 μg of pegylated interferon alfa-2a (group 4), or a nucleoside or nucleotide analogue (NA) alone (group 5) in participants with chronic HBV infection who had virologic suppression with NA therapy. The primary efficacy end point was hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss (HBsAg level, <0.

Engaging dystonia networks with subthalamic stimulation.

Deep brain stimulation is an efficacious treatment for dystonia. While the internal pallidum serves as the primary target, recently, stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been investigated. However, optimal targeting within this structure and its surroundings have not been studied in depth.

FDA-Approved Hydrogel-Mediated In Situ Sonodynamic and Chemotherapeutic Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer.

Albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX) nanoparticles have been proven effective in treating advanced pancreatic cancer. However, the clinical application of nab-PTX nanoparticles is often associated with suboptimal outcomes and severe side effects due to its non-specific distribution and rapid clearance. This study aims to develop a novel nanoplatform that integrates sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and chemotherapy to enhance treatment efficacy and reduce systemic side effects.

Predicting Late Recurrence in Male Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer With Clinical Treatment Score Post-5 years: A SEER database analysis of 65,711 cases.

Purpose: Male breast cancer is an understudied disease with unique clinicopathological features. This study aims to evaluate the predictive value of the Clinical Treatment Score post-5 years (CTS5) in estimating late recurrence risk in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) male breast cancer patients.

Methods: This retrospective study includes 65,711 ER+ early male (n = 611) and female (n = 65,100) breast cancer patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database diagnosed between 2010 and 2018.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors for pneumonia in children.

Background: () is one of the most common pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. Although pneumonia (MPP) is considered a self-limiting disease, severe MPP (SMPP) occurs in some cases. This study aims to analyze clinical features of MPP and to explore predictive indicators in the early stage of infection.

Whey Protein-Based Hydrogel Microspheres for Endovascular Embolization.

Transarterial embolization (TAE) is an image-guided, minimally invasive procedure for treating various clinical conditions by delivering embolic agents to occlude diseased arteries. Conventional embolic agents focus on vessel occlusion but can cause unintended long-term inflammation and ischemia in healthy tissues. Next-generation embolic agents must exhibit biocompatibility, biodegradability, and effective drug delivery, yet some degradable microspheres degrade too quickly, leading to the potential migration of fragments into distal blood vessels causing off-target embolization.

Alantolactone mitigates the elevation of blood pressure in mice induced by angiotensin II by inhibiting calcium channel activation.

Background: The dried root of Inula helenium L., known as Inulae Radix in Mongolian medicine, is a widely used heat-clearing plant drug within the Asteraceae family. Alantolactone (ATL), a compound derived from Inulae Radix, is a sesquiterpene lactone with a range of biological activities.

CREB3L1 facilitates pancreatic tumor progression and reprograms intratumoral tumor-associated macrophages to shape an immunotherapy-resistance microenvironment.

Background: To date, a growing body of evidence suggests that unfolded protein response (UPR) sensors play a vital role in carcinogenesis. However, it remains unclear whether they are involved in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and how they relate to clinical outcomes. This study aims to investigate the biological function and mechanism of how a novel UPR sensor, CREB3L1 works in PDAC and further evaluate its clinical application prospect.

Coping Styles Mediated the Association Between Perceived Organizational Support and Resilience in Emergency Nurses Exposed to Workplace Violence: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Resilience was a core factor for mitigating the risks of adverse impacts of workplace violence (WPV) and may be determined by perceived organizational support (POS) and coping styles. The aim of this study was to examine the potential mediation effects of coping styles between POS and resilience in emergency nurses exposed to WPV. Participants were 670 emergency nurses (84.

Peritoneal adipose stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles mediate the regulation of ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration through EGFR-NF-κB signaling.

Peritoneal dissemination frequently develops in patients with ovarian cancer (OC) and is associated with recurrence and metastasis. However, the cellular components and mechanisms supporting OC peritoneal metastasis are poorly understood. To elucidate these, we utilized RNA sequencing to investigate the cellular composition and function.

Epigenetic modification mediated by PHF20/METTL14/HOXA13 signaling axis modulates osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

This study investigates the mechanism of PHF20 in osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). BMSCs from Balb/c mouse were cultured and identified through osteogenesis, adipogenesis, and flow cytometry. After osteogenic induction, the levels of OPN and OCN in BMSCs were detected by RT-qPCR.

Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental verification reveal the mechanism of Yi-Shen-Hua-Shi granules treating acute kidney injury.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Yi-Shen-Hua-Shi granules (YSHSG) have been shown to improve kidney function in various renal disorders, which are characterized by the sudden decline and impairment of kidney function.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate the precise mechanisms and targets of YSHSG in combating sepsis-induced AKI.

Materials And Methods: Through network pharmacology, the active ingredients, main target proteins, and related signaling pathways of YSHSG in the treatment of sepsis-induced AKI were predicted.

Refining breast cancer genetic risk and biology through multi-ancestry fine-mapping analyses of 192 risk regions.

Genome-wide association studies have identified approximately 200 genetic risk loci for breast cancer, but the causal variants and target genes are mostly unknown. We sought to fine-map all known breast cancer risk loci using genome-wide association study data from 172,737 female breast cancer cases and 242,009 controls of African, Asian and European ancestry. We identified 332 independent association signals for breast cancer risk, including 131 signals not reported previously, and for 50 of them, we narrowed the credible causal variants down to a single variant.