Immunotherapy improved the efficacy of TACE or TACE plus MTTs in HCC patients: A meta-analysis.

Background: Although several studies have compared the efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) without immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and TACE with ICIs, there is still a lack of meta-analysis.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched until July 2023 for studies comparing the efficacy and safety of TACE without ICIs (TACE ± molecular targeted therapies [MTTs]) and TACE without ICIs (TACE ± MTTs + ICIs). Outcomes included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events (AEs).

Effects of kinesio taping on lower limb biomechanical characteristics during dynamic postural control tasks in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

Purpose: Previous studies have demonstrated significant biomechanical differences between individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) and healthy controls during the Y-balance test. This study aimed to examine the effects of kinesio taping (KT) on lower limb biomechanical characteristics during the Y-balance anterior reach task in individuals with CAI.

Methods: A total of 30 participants were recruited, comprising 15 individuals with CAI and 15 healthy controls.

The ecdysone-induced bZIP transcription factor MafB establishes a positive feedback loop to enhance vitellogenesis and reproduction in the mosquito.

Female mosquitoes require a vertebrate blood meal to activate reproduction, transmitting numerous devastating human diseases. Vitellogenesis is a central event of female reproduction that involves the massive production of vitellogenin (Vg) in the fat body and the maturation of ovaries. This process is controlled by the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E); however, its molecular regulatory basis remains not completely understood.

Structure-switchable branched inhibitors regulate the activity of CRISPR-Cas12a for nucleic acid diagnostics.

Background: In current years, the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) based strategies have emerged as the most promising molecular tool in the field of gene editing, intracellular imaging, transcriptional regulation and biosensing. However, the recent CRISPR-based diagnostic technologies still require the incorporation of other amplification strategies (such as polymerase chain reaction) to improve the cis/trans cleavage activity of Cas12a, which complicates the detection workflow and lack of a uniform compatible system to respond to the target in one pot.

Results: To better fully-functioning CRISPR/Cas12a, we reported a novel technique for straightforward nucleic acid detection by incorporating enzyme-responsive steric hindrance-based branched inhibitors with CRISPR/AsCas12a methodology.

Association of Residential Greenness and Sleep Duration in Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study in China.

Background: Exposure to residential greenness has been linked with improved sleep duration; however, longitudinal evidence is limited, and the potential mediating effect of ambient fine particulate matter (PM) has yet to be assessed.

Methods: We obtained data for 19,567 participants across seven counties in a prospective cohort in Ningbo, China. Greenness was estimated using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within 250-m, 500-m and 1000-m buffer zones, while yearly average PM concentrations were measured using validated land-use regression models, both based on individual residential addresses.

Knowledge of COVID-19 and the psychological status of parents: a retrospective survey in Wuhan, Hubei.

Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents faced heightened stress, anxiety and depression due to the local and global COVID-19 mitigation measures and lockdowns.

Design: This is a cross-sectional study.

Setting: This study used stratified whole-cluster sampling to randomly select three elementary schools within Ezhou City.

Noninvasive Oral Hyperspectral Imaging-Driven Digital Diagnosis of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Model Development and Validation Study.

Background: Oral microenvironmental disorders are associated with an increased risk of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology enables the detection of substances that are visually indistinguishable to the human eye, providing a noninvasive approach with extensive applications in medical diagnostics.

Objective: The objective of this study is to develop and validate a digital, noninvasive oral diagnostic model for patients with HFpEF using HSI combined with various machine learning algorithms.

Cobalt(II)-Catalyzed Selective C2-H Heck Reaction of Native (N-H) Indoles Enabled by Salicylaldehyde Ligand.

Direct functionalization of native (N-H) indoles via C-H activation remains a challenge. Herein, we report a salicylaldehyde-promoted cobalt-catalyzed selective C2-H Heck reaction of native (N-H) indoles with both active and unactivated olefins in the presence of free N-H bonds. A series of structurally diverse C2-alkenylated native (N-H) indoles including natural product and drug derivatives were prepared directly and effectively without additional preprotection and deprotection procedures.

Structural insights into hybridoma-derived neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against Omicron BA.5 and XBB.1.16 variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Unlabelled: The emergence of novel variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to pose an ongoing challenge for global public health services, highlighting the urgent need for effective therapeutic interventions. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a major therapeutic strategy for the treatment of COVID-19 and other viral diseases. In this study, we employed hybridoma technology to generate mAbs that target the BA.

Molecular Characterization and Pathogenicity Analysis of Porcine Rotavirus A.

Porcine rotavirus A (RVA) is one of the major etiological agents of diarrhea in piglets and constitutes a significant threat to the swine industry. A molecular epidemiological investigation was conducted on 2422 diarrhea samples from Chinese pig farms to enhance our understanding of the molecular epidemiology and evolutionary diversity of RVA. The findings revealed an average RVA positivity rate of 42% (943/2422), and the study included data from 26 provinces, primarily in the eastern, southern and southwestern regions.

The Known and Unknown of Global Tick-Borne Viruses.

Ticks are crucial vectors for various pathogens associated with human and animal diseases, including viruses. Nevertheless, significant knowledge gaps prevail in our understanding of tick-borne viruses (TBVs). We here examined existing studies on TBVs, uncovering 870 documented virus species across 28 orders, 55 families, and 66 genera.

Integrative Transcriptomics and Proteomics Analysis Reveals 's Role in Lipid Metabolism.

Abnormalities in lipid metabolism and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are strongly associated with the development of a multitude of pathological conditions, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Previous studies have indicated a potential connection between thyroid hormone responsive ( and lipid metabolism and that ER stress may participate in the synthesis of key regulators of adipogenesis. However, the specific mechanisms remain to be investigated.

Ruthenium-catalyzed three-component tandem remote C-H functionalization of naphthalenes: modular and concise synthesis of multifunctional naphthalenes.

The prevalence of naphthalene compounds in biologically active natural products, organic ligands and approved drugs has motivated investigators to develop efficient strategies for their selective synthesis. C-H functionalization of naphthalene has been frequently deployed, but mainly involves two-component reactions, while multiple-component C-H functionalization for the synthesis of naphthalene compounds has thus far proven elusive. Herein, we disclose a versatile three-component protocol for the modular synthesis of multifunctional naphthalenes from readily available simple naphthalenes, olefins and alkyl bromides P(iii)-assisted ruthenium-catalyzed remote C-H functionalization.

Impact of thrombocytopenia on failure of endoscopic variceal treatment in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding.

Background: Acute variceal bleeding (AVB), a life-threatening complication of liver cirrhosis, can be effectively treated by endoscopy, but there is a risk of early rebleeding after endoscopic variceal treatment (EVT). Thrombocytopenia is the most common hemostatic abnormality in liver cirrhosis. However, it is still unclear about whether thrombocytopenia increases the failure of EVT in cirrhotic patients with AVB.

Tumor burden with AFP improves survival prediction for TACE-treated patients with HCC: An international observational study.

Background & Aims: Current prognostic models for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) are not extensively validated and widely accepted. We aimed to develop and validate a continuous model incorporating tumor burden and biology for individual survival prediction and risk stratification.

Methods: Overall, 4,377 treatment-naive candidates for whom TACE was recommended, from 39 centers in five countries, were enrolled and divided into training, internal validation, and two external validation datasets.

A phase II trial of anlotinib plus EGFR-TKIs in advanced non-small cell lung cancer with gradual, oligo, or potential progression after EGFR-TKIs treatment (CTONG-1803/ALTER-L001).

Background: The study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined anlotinib and EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had gradual, oligo, or potential progression after previous EGFR-TKIs treatment.

Methods: We conducted an open-label, single-arm, multicenter, phase II trial in China. Eligible patients were 18-75 years old with histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC who were EGFR mutation positive and showed gradual, oligo, or potential progression after EGFR-TKIs.

Expression and characterization of a novel endolysin LysPFX32 as potential biological antimicrobial agent against Pseudomonas fluorescens for pork preservation.

In this study, a novel phage endolysin LysPFX32 was successfully expressed and characterized to investigate its antibacterial activity against P. fluorescens and its biofilm. The molecular docking results identified endolysin LysPFX32 showed an effective binding to peptidoglycan fragment.

Effect of radiotherapy exposure on fruquintinib plus sintilimab treatment in refractory microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer: a prospective observation study.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in combination with antiangiogenic drugs have shown promising outcomes in the third-line and subsequent treatments of patients with microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer (MSS-mCRC). Radiotherapy (RT) may enhance the antitumor effect of immunotherapy. However, the effect of RT exposure on patients receiving ICIs and targeted therapy remains unclear.

Progress in antileishmanial drugs: Mechanisms, challenges, and prospects.

Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites, continues to pose global health challenges. Current treatments face issues like resistance, safety, efficacy, and cost. This review covers the discovery, mechanisms of action, clinical applications, and limitations of key antileishmanial agents: pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B, miltefosine, paromomycin, and pentamidine.

Investigation of the anti-Huanglongbing effects using antimicrobial lipopeptide and phytohormone complex powder prepared from MG-2 fermentation.

Global citrus production has been severely affected by citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Clas), and the development of effective control methods are crucial. This study employed antimicrobial lipopeptide and phytohormone complex powder (L1) prepared from the fermentation broth of the endophytic plant growth promoting bacterium (PGPB) of strain MG-2 to treat Liberibacter asiaticus (Las)-infected ' 'Chun Jian' plants. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and PCR were employed for disease detection.

The giant genome of lily provides insights into the hybridization of cultivated lilies.

Lilies are economically important monocots known for their ornamental flowers, bulbs, and large genomes. The absence of their genomic information has impeded evolutionary studies and genome-based breeding efforts. Here, we present reference genomes for Lilium sargentiae (lily, 35.

Substantially underestimated global health risks of current ozone pollution.

Existing assessments might have underappreciated ozone-related health impacts worldwide. Here our study assesses current global ozone pollution using the high-resolution (0.05°) estimation from a geo-ensemble learning model, with key focuses on population exposure and all-cause mortality burden.

[Structural equation analysis and modeling of wrist WMSDs and its adverse ergonomic factors].

To investigate the relationships and impacts between various occupational ergonomic hazards and hand and wrist fatigue, as well as work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) of the hand and wrist, and to propose targeted preventive and intervention measures for adverse occupational ergonomic factors causing WMSDs of the hand and wrist. From 2018 to December 2023, a nationwide epidemiologic survey study of wrist WMSDs was conducted using the Chinese version of the electronic questionnaire system for musculoskeletal disorders.A total of 88, 609 valid questionnaires were collected.