BACKGROUND: The first sexual experience is the most significant event in a woman's life. Early sexual experience has short- and long-term health and behavioral risks. Studying the estimated time for a female to have her first sexual debut is important to reduce its health, demographic, and socioeconomic consequences. Thus, this study is aimed at assessing the time to first sexual experience and its determinants in Ethiopia. METHODS: A survival analysis of time to first sexual experience was conducted among 6143 weighted study subjects. The data were extracted from EDHS 2016 using STATA version 16 software. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was computed to estimate the time of first sexual experience. A log-rank test was used to compare the difference in survival curves. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to identify significant predictors. On multivariable analysis, variables having a p value of ≤ 0.05 are considered statically significant. RESULTS: The overall median survival time was 16 years. The significant determinants of time to first sexual experience are educational level (no education (AHR = 2.72, 95% CI: 2.16, 3.39), primary education (AHR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.79, 2.63), and secondary education (AHR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.77)) and wealth index (poor (AHR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.32)). CONCLUSION: About 50% of female youths have a sexual experience for the first time before their 16th birthday. The timing of the first sexual experience in Ethiopia was mainly influenced by educational level and wealth index. Universal access to education and poverty reduction should be the area of concern.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and interceptive treatment of the maxillary canine impaction is crucial as it reduces treatment complexity and decreases complications and adverse outcomes. Aim and Objectives. To determine the mean maxillary canine position among 9-10-year-old children and predict the risk of impaction of the maxillary canines. Methodology. Panoramic radiographs (PANs) of 289 healthy children aged between 9 and 10 years were observed where the average position of maxillary canines was related to the lateral incisor, sector locations, and angulations to the bicondylar line were traced. The average position was obtained by using descriptive statistics. One sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test is done to predict the risk of canine impaction by comparing the data obtained to the average position from prior studies. RESULTS: A total of 289 PANs (126 males and 163 females) were utilized for the analysis. The findings showed that the average position of the maxillary canines in our population was statistically different from the average position of nonimpacted canines in previous studies. However, on average, more than 85% of canines in our population were still located within the safe range of satisfactory position, with females showing slight predominance outside of the acceptable range. The mean scores of the angles between the right canine and lateral incisor were significantly higher among females than males (p = 0.001). Similarly, females had a significantly higher mean angle of the left canine than males (p < 0.001). In regard to the angles between the bicondylar line and permanent maxillary canine, the mean scores were not significantly different (p > 0.05) on both the left and right side. CONCLUSION: There is a low risk of impaction of maxillary canines in the Malaysian population. However, more retrospective studies using more radiographic and clinical indicators need to be done to confirm the risk of impaction further.

Immunohistochemical staining is a common technique to study tissue morphology and in situ protein expression. With the rise of immunotherapy, more and more markers in the tumor microenvironment have been discovered. In this paper, the multiplex immunofluorescence staining method was used to stain paraffin sections of 35 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma tissue and 35 cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma tissue and its adjacent tissue. The infiltration of CD8+ T cells and CD103+CD8+ T cells in the slices was detected by using the slice scanner to form the map and CaseViewer2.0 software analysis. The experimental results in this paper showed that compared with adjacent tissues, the infiltration degree of CD8+ T cells in gastric adenocarcinoma tissue was significantly lower (Z = 2.244, P = 0.025, P < 0.05), and the infiltration degree of cells was significantly lower (Z = 2.785, P = 0.005, P < 0.05). In gastric adenocarcinoma tissue, the infiltration of CD8+ T cells was correlated with the tumor diameter of gastric adenocarcinoma (P = 0.002). There was a statistically significant difference. The degree of CD103+CD8+ T cell infiltration was related to the survival of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma (P = 0.002) and the degree of tumor differentiation (P = 0.004). The infiltration of CD103+CD8+ T cells in gastric cancer tissue and colorectal cancer tissue is related to the survival of patients. CD103+CD8+ T cells are thought to play a role in the prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma and colorectal adenocarcinoma. Experiments have shown that the more the CD103+CD8+ T cells, the better the prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma and colorectal adenocarcinoma, so the prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma and colorectal adenocarcinoma can be improved by increasing CD103+CD8+ T cells.

lncRNAs and mRNA are closely associated with hypertensive renal damage, and Astragalus membranaceus and Salvia miltiorrhiza (AS) have a therapeutic effect; however, the mechanism of AS to ameliorate hypertensive renal damage through the co-expression network of lncRNA-mRNA was unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of AS regulated the coexpression network of lncRNA-mRNA in improving hypertensive renal damage. Sixteen 24-week old spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs) were randomly divided into model group (M) and drug intervention group (AS, 5.9 g/kg), 8 Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) of the same age as normal group (N). The treatment of rats was 4 weeks. Detecting the change of blood pressure, renal pathology and renal function related indicators, and lncRNA and mRNA sequencing and joint analysis was performed on the kidney. AS reduced blood pressure; decreased urine NAG, urine mALB, serum CysC, and IL-6; and improved renal pathology compared with group M. Simultaneously, AS reversed the disordered expression of 178 differential expression (DE) mRNAs and 237 DE-lncRNAs in SHRs, and their joint analysis showed that 13 DE-mRNAs and 32 DE-lncRNAs were coexpressed. Further analysis of 13 coexpressed DE-mRNAs showed negative regulation of blood pressure and fatty acid beta-oxidation was highly enriched in GO pathways, PPAR signaling pathway was highly enriched in KEGG pathways, and the verification related to these pathways was also highly consistent with the sequence. AS can alleviate hypertensive renal damage through the coexpression network of lncRNA-mRNA, of which coexpressed 13 DE-mRNAs and 32 DE-lncRNAs were the important targets, and the pathway negative regulation of blood pressure, fatty acid beta-oxidation, and PPAR signaling pathway play a major regulatory role.

Primary coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) deficiency refers to a group of mitochondrial cytopathies caused by genetic defects in CoQ10 biosynthesis. Primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency-6 (COQ10D6) is an autosomal recessive disorder attributable to biallelic COQ6 variants; the cardinal phenotypes are steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), which inevitably progresses to kidney failure, and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Here, we describe the phenotypes and genotypes of 12 children with COQ10D6 from 11 unrelated Korean families and quantitatively explore the beneficial effects of CoQ10 replacement therapy on SNHL. A diagnosis of SRNS generally precedes SNHL documentation. COQ10D6 is associated with progressive SNHL. Four causative COQ6 variants were identified in either homozygotes or compound heterozygotes: c.189_191delGAA, c.484C>T, c.686A>C, and c.782C>T. The response rate (no further hearing loss or improvement) was 42.9%; CoQ10 replacement therapy may thus limit and even improve hearing loss. Notably, the audiological benefit appeared to be genotype-specific, suggesting a genotype-phenotype correlation. The results of cochlear implantation were generally favorable, and the effects were sustained over time. Our results thus propose the beneficial effects of CoQ10 replacement therapy on hearing loss. Our work with COQ10D6 patients is a good example of personalized, genetically tailored, audiological rehabilitation of patients with syndromic deafness.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytoma is a recalcitrant condition of onychomycosis (OM). It presents as a white- or yellow-colored fungal mass that appears linear/triangular or round on a nail plate. Traumatic onychodystrophy (TO) can present with dermatophytoma-like lesions. Typically, OM and TO are not clinically distinguishable. Mycological testing is the gold standard for differentiating these disorders. OBJECTIVES: This study is aimed at differentiating between the clinical and dermoscopic factors related to dermatophytoma onychomycosis (DP-OM) and dermatophytoma-like traumatic onychodystrophy (DP-TO). METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of patients with dermatophytoma-like nail lesions who visited the Siriraj Nail Clinic between January 2010 and July 2020. The diagnosis of DP-OM was made by direct microscopy, fungal cultures, and histopathology of nail clippings. RESULTS: A total of 36 nails were included in the study. Thirteen nails were DP-OM, and 23 nails were DP-TO. The demographic data and risk factors for the 2 groups were not significantly different. Dermatophytoma lesions were found on the lateral side of nails in 12 cases of DP-OM (92.3%) and 11 cases of DP-TO (47.8%; P = 0.008). DP-OM was associated with longitudinal striae adjacent to dermatophytoma (69.2% vs. 30.4%; P = 0.024), sulfur-nugget-like subungual debris (23.1% vs. 0%; P = 0.040), and scale on the ipsilateral foot (69.2% vs. 8.7%; P < 0.001). DP-TO was associated with a homogenous, whitish discoloration (47.8% vs. 7.7%; P = 0.014) and a sharp edge of the onycholytic area (43.5% vs. 0%; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The lateral location of dermatophytoma, adjacent striae, sulfur-nugget-like debris, and scale on the ipsilateral foot were significantly associated with DP-OM. Dermoscopic examination (dorsal and hyponychium views) and foot examination are beneficial for distinguishing between DP-OM and DP-TO.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of protective motivation intervention nursing on functional recovery of patients after hip arthroplasty. METHODS: Sixty patients after hip arthroplasty treated in our hospital from February 2019 to April 2021 were selected. The patients were randomly divided into the control group and the research group. The routine nursing mode was adopted in the control group, and the protective motivation intervention nursing mode was adopted in the research group. Nursing satisfaction, FIM score, Harris hip function score, WOMAC score, Barthel index score, and quality of life score were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The nursing satisfaction of the research group was higher than that of the control group, and there are statistically significant differences between the groups (P < 0.05). The FIM scores of the research group at discharge and 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after discharge were significantly higher than those in the control group. The Harris hip function score of the research group was significantly higher than that of the control group at discharge and 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after discharge. The WOMAC scores of the research group at discharge and 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after discharge were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The scores of the Barthel index at discharge and 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after discharge in the research group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The scores of physiological function, psychological function, social function, and health self-cognition in the research group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The nursing model of protective motivation intervention for patients after hip arthroplasty can effectively improve the function of hip joint, improve the quality of life, promote the establishment of harmonious nurse-patient relationship, and play a positive role in improving the prognosis of patients.

METHODS: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for abstracts and full-text articles published from database inception through May 2022. All the random controlled trials (RCTs) were assessed and collected as eligible studies. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). The second outcome was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Seventeen studies, including 3632 patients, were selected from 1361 records. In the network meta-analysis for OS, gemcitabine + cisplatin (GemCis) + cediranib (HR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.00-2.88), GemCis+durvalumab (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.06-1.29), and GemCis + merestinib (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.03-4.36) showed the trend of OS benefit over standard treatment (GemCis), although there was no significant difference. GemCis, GemOxa, and gemcitabine+S1 (GemS1) did not differ when comparing OS. In the network meta-analysis for PFS, GemCis+merestinib (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54-0.83) and GemCis+durvalumab (HR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.08-0.62) showed PFS benefit over standard treatment (GemCis) with a significant difference. GemCis, GemOxa, and GemS1 did not differ when comparing PFS. CONCLUSION: GemCis+durvalumab might be the most promising regimen for advanced BTC when considering OS and PFS. GemOxa and GemS1 could be alternative options for advanced BTC patients with nontolerance to GemCis.

The galls of Pistacia integerrima are used in folk medicine for curing diabetes. The main aim of this study was the purification of flavonoids from galls of P. integerrima. The methanolic extract was subjected to column chromatographic analysis which afforded six flavonoids, namely, 3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxy-flavanone (1), naringenin (2), 3,5,4'-trihydroxy,7-methoxy-flavanone (3), sakuranetin (4), spinacetin (5), and patuletin (6). These isolated compounds (1-6) were tested against α-glycosidase. The maximum antagonistic effect was noted against compound 6 (97.65%) followed by compound 5 (90.42%) and compound 1 (90.01%) at the same concentration (0.2 μg). The inhibitory potential of all tested compounds was significant with a degree of variation from each other. Docking studies showed that all studied compounds interact with the active site residues via hydrogen bond interactions with hydroxyl groups, and thus, inhibition was enhanced. Hence, this finding would be the first screening of isolated flavonoids for α-glycosidase activity and with the mechanism of action. These flavonoids should be further investigated as candidate drugs for combating diabetes mellitus.

Tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) play a vital role in repair of rotator cuff tear injuries by secreting paracrine proteins that regulate resident cell functions. Secreted exosomes may play a role in tendon injury repair by mediating intercellular communication; however, the detailed mechanisms by which TDSC-derived exosomes affect tenocyte development remain unknown. Here, we examined the effects of exosomes isolated from conditioned medium of TDSCs on tenocyte differentiation, migration, and transition to a fibroblastic phenotype in vitro. Successful isolation of exosomes from TDSCs was confirmed by high expression levels of CD81, CD63, CD9, and TSG101. Treatment with TDSC-derived exosomes promoted the growth and migration of cultured rat tenocytes, and increased the levels of the fibrosis markers collagen I, collagen III, scleraxis, tenascin C, and α-smooth muscle actin. Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) expression was higher in TDSC-derived exosomes than in TDSCs, and genetic knockdown of VEGFA suppressed the stimulatory effect of TDSC-derived exosomes on tenocyte development. Overall, these results demonstrate that VEGFA-enriched exosomes isolated from TDSCs promote differentiation and migration of cultured tenocytes and their transition to a fibroblastic phenotype. These data provide a new potential clinical treatment strategy for tendon injury.

There is significant difference in milk production of highland and coastal regions in Indonesia of which the latter is critically low. The recent studies indicate a possibility of improving the milk yield and quality by manipulating the gut microbiota, for which profiling and abundance of gut microbiota in these divergent regions need to be addressed. The present study was the first of its kind to explore the dairy cattle gut microbiota diversity, abundance, and functional annotation of the two divergent Indonesian regions, the highland and coastal regions, by shotgun metagenomic approach. Unfavorable environmental conditions such as type of forage grass in coastal regions and high temperature remain a limiting factor; however, the improvement through manipulating the gut microbiota was not considered until recently to improve the quality and quantity of coastal region dairy cattle. The application of recent advance technologies can help achieve this goal on sustainable basis. The results show Bacteroidetes in higher abundance in coastal region (FPP) than in highland (Salatiga) while Firmicutes were higher in Salatiga. Furthermore, a collective physiology of the community was found by annotating the sequences against KEGG, eggNOG, and CAZy databases. To identify the role in pathways, an mPATH analysis was performed to have insight into the microbiota community in different metabolic pathways. The identified targets can be used as prebiotic and/or probiotic to improve the average milk yield of coastal region dairy cattle by manipulating the dairy feed with desired microbes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) versus posterior fixation combined with vertebroplasty PF+VP for treating stage III Kümmell's disease (KD) patients without neurological deficits. METHODS: From April 2016 to February 2020, a total of 88 patients with single-level stage III KD without neurological deficits, including 45 patients treated by PKP and 43 patients who underwent posterior fixation combined with vertebroplasty PF+VP, were retrospectively studied. The outcome parameters, including blood loss, operative time, kyphotic Cobb angle, height of vertebrae, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and visual analog scale (VAS) score, were compared between the PKP group and the PF+VP group. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 29.3 ± 7.0 months, ranging from 24 to 48 months. The kyphotic angle and vertebral height in both groups were significantly improved compared with those before surgery at three days, 3 months and the final follow-up. The estimated blood loss, operative time, and length of stay were significantly lower in the PKP group than in the PF+VP group (P < 0.001). The FP+VP group showed better results in kyphotic angle correction than the PKP group (P = 0.024). In the short-term follow-up (up to 3 months), the PKP group had lower VAS and ODI scores than the PF+VP group. In contrast, there were no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05) at the final follow-up. The average cost of PKP was lower than that of PF+VP. CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed that both PKP and PF+VP were safe and effective for stage III KD patients without neurological deficits. Although PF+VP presents better performance in kyphotic angle correction, PKP was associated with less surgical trauma, quicker pain relief, and lower expense than PF+VP. Therefore, it can be considered an alternative option for patients with advanced KD.

OBJECTIVE: To model and compare the stress variation and distribution of the implant and its supporting components under two types of loading with the abutment in the axial and coronal lingual augmentation positions by means of the 3D finite element method. METHOD: 15 all-ceramic crowns completed by the same technician between the years 2014 and 2015 were randomly selected. A high precision laser scanner was used to scan the specimen models of all-ceramic crowns and then converted and imported into the promapping software to create 15 solid models each in the axial position of the crown and the lingual augmentation position of the crown. RESULTS: We showed that the abutments were significantly more stressed in the bone cortex than in the bone cancellous under both loads when the abutments were in the long axis position and in the lingual ridge position of the dentition. The distribution of stresses in the bone tissue was mainly concentrated in the cortical bone. The stresses induced by oblique forces were greater than those induced by vertical forces. When comparing the abutment in the long axis position of the dentition with the lingual ridge position of the dentition, the peak stresses obtained from the stress analysis of the abutment in the lingual ridge position were all increased to different degrees under both loads, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05) suggesting that the design of the abutment in the direction of the long axis of the dentition is less stressful than that of the crown in the lingual augmentation position, and the risk of alveolar ridge resorption and screw fracture is less. CONCLUSION: In this paper, we proposed a dental 3D scanning system, which is less stressful based on a 3D reconstruction algorithm using Fourier transform contouring that achieved a speed dental 3D scanner with Fourier transform contouring by projecting a raster pattern onto a dental impression.

BACKGROUND: With respect to effect of surgery on the therapy of patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (mGISTs), still no consensus has been reached. This research designed to investigate the effect of surgical treatment on prognosis in patients with mGISTs. METHODS: The population-based study consisted of 6282 GIST patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2016, from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database registry. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox model were employed for the exploration of the effect of surgery on overall survival (OS) and GIST-specific survival (GSS). RESULTS: In total, 6282 patients were diagnosed with GISTs, including 1238 (19.7%) mGIST patients and 5044 (80.3%) non-mGIST patients. Compared with the patients with non-mGISTs, metastatic patients assumed relatively lower proportion of surgical management (756 [61.1%] vs. 4666 [92.5%], P < 0.001). Based on unadjusted analysis, mGIST patients with operative management presented higher five years OS together with GSS in comparison with those without operative management (OS: 58.3% vs. 33.1%, P < 0.001; GSS: 61.6% vs. 36.7%, P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis found that no surgery was correlated to more than 2-fold increased death risk (OS, adjusted HR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.90-2.71; GSS, adjusted HR = 2.42, 95% CI: 2.00-2.93). CONCLUSION: Metastatic GIST patients could potentially benefit from operative management with improved GSS and OS.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is identified as a widespread chronic progressive disease jeopardizing public health which characterized by gradually loss of renal function. However, there is no efficient therapy to prevail over this disease. Our study was attempting to reveal hirudin's regulation to renal fibrosis as well as the molecular mechanism. We built renal fibrosis models on both cell and animal levels, which were subsequently given with hirudin disposal; then, we performed the transwell assay to estimate the cells' migration and had our detection to relevant proteins with western blot and immunofluorescence. Finally, we commenced both the identification and the determination to the hirudin targeted proteins and its downstream signaling pathways with the methods of network pharmacology. And the results turned out that when it was compared with the model group, the group with hirudin addition came with the suppression in the migration of renal tubular epithelial cells NRK-52E and with a conspicuous decline in the expressions of fibronectin, N-cadherin, vimentin, TGF-β, and snail. After that, we predicted that there were 17 hirudin target points mainly involving in the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Our outcomes of the animal level demonstrated that the conditions of interstitial fibrosis, severe tubular dilatation or atrophy, inflammatory cell infiltration, and massive accumulation of interstitial collagen in the model group were withdrawn after the addition of hirudin. In addition, p-PDGFRβ, p-PI3K, and p-AKT protein expressions were significantly reduced, and the PI3K/AKT pathway was downregulated after hirudin treatment in the model group of NRK-52E cells and animals. Therefore, we had our conclusion that hirudin is capable of suppressing the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway as well as the EMT by decreasing PDGFRβ phosphorylation.

Based on the deep fusion of intelligent meridian sensing technology and Huoluo Xiaoling Pill (HXP) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), firstly, the effective components and targets of Salvia miltiorrhiza, Angelica sinensis, frankincense, and myrrh were obtained by using TCMSP, SwissADME, and Swisstarget databases. Similarly, relevant targets of KOA were collected through GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, PharmGKB, and DrugBank databases. Next, the potential targets of ZXP in the treatment of KOA were obtained by intersection of drug and disease targets. Finally, Cytoscape 3.7.1 software was used to construct a "disease-drug-component-target" network, and Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Gnomes (KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the core targets through Metascape website. A total of 99 active components and 203 corresponding potential therapeutic targets were obtained from the components of HXP. And KOA has 2543 potential therapeutic targets, of which 120 cross targets correspond to 120 active compounds in HXP. Then, topology analysis displayed that the six targets form the core PPI network. In addition, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that these core targets were mainly enriched in inflammatory response, apoptosis, oxidation reaction, and other related pathways.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the utility of a prick-by-prick test with pasteurised cow's milk in predicting a pasteurised cow's milk allergy (CMA) diagnosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 86 paediatric patients who had undergone open pasteurised cow's milk oral food challenges (OFCs). We evaluated the diagnostic performance of a prick-by-prick test with pasteurised cow's milk in predicting a positive OFC result. We calculated the threshold values representing high test specificity and predictive probability in children aged ≤24 and >24 months. RESULTS: A prick-by-prick test with pasteurised cow's milk was a good classifier of a positive cow's milk OFC outcome. The mean prick - by - prick test wheal diameter ≥ 3 mm yielded 100% sensitivity in both groups of children. Thresholds representing high test specificity and 95% predicted probability were 7 and 11 mm in children ≤ 24 months and 11 and 17 mm in children > 24 months of age, respectively. CONCLUSION: A prick-by-prick test with pasteurised cow's milk is valuable in paediatric practice when diagnostic thresholds are implemented.

OBJECTIVE: This research aims to investigate and analyze the impact of alendronate sodium (ALN) plus elcatonin (EC) in treating postoperative bone pain (BP) in patients with osteoporotic fractures (OPFs). METHODS: One hundred and thirty-eight cases of OPFs admitted between July 2018 and July 2021 were selected, of which 68 cases receiving ALN were set as the control group and 70 cases receiving ALN plus EC were set as the research group. Intercomparisons were performed in terms of BP, curative effect, complication rate, and serum bone metabolism indexes such as bone Gla protein (BGP), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP). RESULTS: Better postoperative BP relief, higher overall response rate, and lower complication rate were identified in the research group versus the control group. On the other hand, the research group presented with increased BGP and BALP after treatment, higher than those in the control group, while the posttreament PTH decreased obviously and was lower versus the control group. CONCLUSIONS: For OPF patients, ALN plus EC contributes to significantly reduced postoperative BP, improved clinical efficacy, higher treatment safety, and better bone metabolism, which has high clinical application value.

Craniocerebral injury accounts for 9%-21% of the injuries in all parts of the body, and the incidence rate ranks first in all types of trauma or only lower than limb fractures. This study mainly discusses the nursing methods of patients with severe traumatic brain injury and fractures in ambulances. This study is based on risk factors with moderate-to-higher association strength from retrospective studies. According to the regression coefficients of the logistic regression model, the risk factors were assigned, and the early warning score table of craniocerebral injury complicated with hyponatremia was established. The energy efficiency of the early warning score table was evaluated by case diagnostic test and ROC analysis. At the same time, risk grading is carried out, and the chi-square test is used to test the reliability of the grading standard, so as to identify the risk of hyponatremia in patients with craniocerebral injury early and screen out high-risk patients as the key observation objects of nurses. Based on the early warning score table of craniocerebral injury complicated with hyponatremia, different systematic nursing intervention measures were taken for low-risk patients and high-risk patients, and their application effects were evaluated. The clinical application effect of the systematic nursing intervention program was evaluated by the historical control research method, which provided a reference for the nursing in the ambulance to prevent other complications of patients with craniocerebral injury. The positive rate of prehospital operation can reach 64.44%, and the specific rate can reach 84.44%. 60% of the sample sought better metastatic care in terms of the purpose of using an ambulance. The systematic nursing intervention program has a certain effect on reducing the incidence of hyponatremia in patients with craniocerebral injury and shortening the hospitalization time of patients with craniocerebral injury. The early warning score of craniocerebral injury complicated with hyponatremia developed in this study is concise and practical and can provide a basis for clinical assessment of the risk of hyponatremia in patients with craniocerebral injury.

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe posttuberculous (TB) kyphosis might suffer from late-onset neurological deficits, and surgical correction may improve neurological function. However, there is a lack of predictive factors for neurological function in these patients. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at identifying the risk factors for late-onset neurological deficits in spinal TB patients at initial and final assessments. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with severe kyphosis caused by old thoracic tuberculosis were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with active spinal TB and other spinal diseases were excluded from the analysis. The kyphosis Cobb angle, sagittal deformity angular ratio (S-DAR), and level of apex were measured and calculated on X-ray. The spinal cord cross-sectional area ratio (CSAR), spinal cord sagittal diameter ratio (SDR), and spinal cord angle (SCA) were measured on preoperative T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). According to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) at the time of admission, the patients were divided into the symptomatic group (N = 60 patients, AIS grades A to D) and the asymptomatic group (N = 18 patients, AIS grade E). All of the symptomatic patients underwent surgery, and the patients from both groups had at least 2 years of follow-up. Relationships among the radiological parameters and initial and final AIS grades were evaluated via univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The mean duration of kyphotic deformity was 37.4 years in the symptomatic group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of CSAR, kyphosis Cobb angle, S-DAR, level of apex, or the segments that were involved. Patients from the symptomatic group exhibited significantly greater SDR and smaller SCA than those from the asymptomatic group (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). The multivariate logistic regression identified SDR and SCA as independent factors influencing the likelihood of spinal cord injury at the initial and final assessments. CONCLUSIONS: Severe posttuberculous kyphosis may lead to significant neurological symptoms many years following the initial treatment. The predictive factors for late-onset neurological deficits include larger SDR and smaller SCA.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of squamous lung cancer (LUSC) has substantially increased. Systematic studies of metabolic genomic patterns are fundamental for the treatment and prediction of LUSC. Because cancer metabolism and immune cell metabolism have been studied in depth, metabolism and the state and function of immune cells have become key factors in tumor development. This also indicates that metabolic genes and the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) are crucial in tumor treatment. This study is aimed at dissecting the connection between TME and LUSC digestion-related qualities. METHODS: The information used in this study was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Metabolism-related genes in patients with LUSC were screened, and relevant clinical data were collated. Next, genes associated with prognosis were screened using univariate COX regression and LASSO regression analyses. Finally, a timer database study was conducted to analyze the molecular mechanisms of immune cell infiltration of LUSC prognosis-related metabolic genes at the immune cell level. RESULTS: Nine metabolism-related genes were identified: ADCY7, ALDH3B1, CHIA, CYP2C18, ENTPD6, GGCT, HPRT1, PLA2G1B, and PTGIS. A clinical prediction model for LUSC based on metabolism-related genes was constructed. In addition, 22 subpopulations of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIIC) in the TME were analyzed using the CIBERSORT algorithm. Finally, we used the TIMER database to analyze the immune infiltration of LUSC and the relationship between metabolism-related genes and immune cells. CONCLUSION: Our study identified metabolic genes associated with the prognosis of LUSC, which are important markers for its diagnosis, clinically relevant assessments, and prognosis. The relationship between metabolic genes with prognostic impact and immune infiltration was also analyzed, and a metabolic gene-based clinical prediction model was identified, providing a new perspective for LUSC treatment.

The sudden arrival of the new crown epidemic has had a significant and long-lasting impact on the division's economic environment as well as the production and operation activities of businesses. As far as the financial management is concerned, opportunities and difficulties are faced by enterprises of all types. With reference to the available research data, enterprises have an important contribution to GDP and jobs, but they still face a series of difficulties and challenges in their development in the context of the normalization of the epidemic. By analyzing the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic on the financial management work of enterprises, this paper proposes an artificial neural network-based enterprise financial forecasting and early warning method to provide an effective method for enterprise financial management. For the time-series characteristics of enterprise finances, a prediction model based on long- and short-term memory networks is developed which acknowledges the necessity of combining the temporal dimension with the spatial dimension for forecasting. This model incorporates time qualities into the data to the existing forecasting model. It also considers both working and nonworking day data and thoroughly considers the factors influencing corporate finance. Then, using BP neural network for financial risk prediction, nonfinancial index factors should be added to the financial early warning model thus eliminating the limitations of the financial early warning model. At the same time, the accuracy of the prediction can be improved which is more suitable for enterprises to apply in practice. The experimental results demonstrate that the financial prediction model built by multilayer feed forward neural networks and recurrent neural networks based on error back propagation training is inferior to the prediction model built by long- and short-term memory network. Regardless of the degree of fitting or prediction accuracy, the BP neural network model outperforms the conventional model for enterprise financial warning. Under the normalization of the pandemic, the combined use of both can offer an efficient technique for enterprise management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were separated into control (Ctr), hypoxia (Hyp), and Hyp+VORA treatment (100 mg/kg/d, 80 mg/kg/d, and 40 mg/kg/d) groups in random. To achieve the chronic hypoxia condition, rats were kept inside the hypobaric chamber with automatically adjusted inner pressure as well as oxygen content equal to those of 4500 m in altitude for 4 continuous weeks. After 4 weeks, the rats' physiological parameters were determined (mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP); right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI)). Based on hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM), morphological features of their lung tissues were also analyzed. Proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) was detected by MTS Cell Proliferation Colorimetric assay. The levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in PASMCs were detected through corresponding kits, respectively. The protein levels in PASMCs and HPH rats were evaluated by Western blot (WB). Chemical components of VORA were detected through gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). RESULTS: After induced by hypoxia for 4 weeks, the mPAP and RVHI levels were increased significantly in hypoxia group in contrast to the Ctr group, indicating the establishment of HPH rat model. The subsequent administration of VORA decreased the mPAP and RVHI level. The vascular wall thickness and lumen size were also decreased after treated by VORA compared with Hyp group. Meanwhile, VORA suppressed the proliferation and oxidant stress in PASMCs. Therefore, the effect of VORA on decreasing vascular wall thickening and lumen size could be related to its antiproliferation effect on PASMCs. In addition, compared to the Hyp group, VORA downregulated the ACE, AngII, and AT1R protein expressions but increased ACE2 and MAS protein expressions (P < 0.05). A total of 48 constituents in VORA were identified by GC-MS in comparison with reference standards as well as the reference pieces of literatures. CONCLUSIONS: HPH rat model as established based on the significant increased mPAP and RVHI. VORA presented a significant antihypoxia function plus an inhibiting effect on PASMC proliferation induced by hypoxia. Moreover, VORA treatment inhibited oxidative stress among PASMCs. With regard to the mechanism, VORA reduced ACE, AngII, and AT1R protein expressions but increased ACE2 and MAS protein expressions. There were 48 constituents in VORA identified by GC-MS.

The edaravone and dexborneol concentrated solution for injection (edaravone-dexborneol) is a medication used clinically to treat neurological impairment induced by ischemic stroke. This study was aimed at investigating the preventive effects and the underlying mechanisms of edaravone-dexborneol on cerebral ischemic injury. A rat four-vessel occlusion (4-VO) model was established, and the neuronal injury and consequent neurological impairment of rats was investigated. Brain tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and nitric oxide (NO) levels were determined. The levels of proteins in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways were determined by western immunoblotting. The function of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) was investigated using both western blot and immunofluorescence methods, and the effect of the MKP-1 inhibitor, (2E)-2-benzylidene-3-(cyclohexylamino)-3H-inden-1-one (BCI), was investigated. The results indicated that edaravone-dexborneol alleviated neurological deficiency symptoms and decreased apoptosis and neuron damage in the hippocampal CA1 area of the ischemic rats. Edaravone-dexborneol increased the MKP-1 level; decreased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK); inhibited NF-κB p65 activation; and boosted Nrf2 activation, all of which were partially reversed by the MKP-1 inhibitor, BCI. The above results indicated that the upregulation of MKP-1 contributed to the protective effects of edaravone-dexborneol against ischemic brain injury. Our findings support the hypothesis that edaravone-dexborneol can alleviate cerebral ischemic injury via the upregulation of MKP-1, which inhibits MAPKs and activates Nrf2.

INTRODUCTION: Timely initiation of breastfeeding is defined as putting the newborn baby to the breast within one hour of birth. Despite the World Health Organization and national recommendations on timely initiation of breastfeeding, delayed initiation of breastfeeding is still a common problem. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the timely initiation of breastfeeding and its associated factors at the public health facilities of Dire Dawa city, Eastern Ethiopia, 2021. METHODS: A health facility-based cross-sectional study was employed from February 1, 2021, to March 2, 2021, at the public health facilities of Dire Dawa city among 302 mother-child pairs. The data were collected by systematic random sampling technique, entered into Epi data 4.2, and analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Science 25.0 version. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratio with a confidence interval of 95%, and a P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Frequency tables, figures, and descriptive summaries were used to describe the study variables. RESULTS: In this study, timely initiation of breastfeeding was 70.9% (95% CI: 65.6-75.8%). In a multivariable analysis, maternal age group of 25-40 years (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.09 - 4.48), multiparty (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI = 1.24 - 5.40), counselling on timely initiation of breastfeeding during antenatal care visits (AOR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.16 - 4.88), institutional delivery (AOR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.27 - 8.52), vaginal delivery (AOR = 3.06, 95% CI = 1.20 - 7.81), counselling on breastfeeding immediately after delivery (AOR = 2.89, 95% CI = 1.29 - 6.45), not practicing pre lacteal feeding (AOR = 6.76, 95% CI = 2.35 - 19.44), and having good practice of colostrum feeding (AOR = 4.03, 95% CI = 1.95 - 8.36) were associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding. Conclusion and Recommendation. Mothers who had practiced timely initiation of breastfeeding were low compared to the national recommendation (92%). Age of the mother, multiparity, counseling on timely initiation of breastfeeding, institutional delivery, vaginal delivery, counseling after delivery, not practicing prelacteal feeding, and having a good practice of colostrum feeding were predictors of timely initiation of breastfeeding. It indicates a need to encourage mothers to have antenatal care visits and institutional delivery.

COVID-19 has a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic or mild/moderate symptoms to severe symptoms and death. The mechanisms underlying its clinical evolution are still unclear. Upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, host factors, such as the inflammasome system, are activated by the presence of the virus inside host cells. The search for COVID-19 risk factors is of relevance for clinical management. In this study, we investigated the impact of inflammasome single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals with distinct severity profiles at clinical presentation. Patients were divided into two groups according to disease severity at clinical presentation based on the WHO Clinical Progression Scale. Group 1 included patients with mild/moderate disease (WHO < 6; n = 76), and group 2 included patients with severe/critical COVID-19 (WHO ≥ 6; n = 357). Inpatients with moderate to severe/critical profiles were recruited and followed-up at Hospital Center for COVID-19 Pandemic - National Institute of Infectology (INI)/FIOCRUZ, RJ, Brazil, from June 2020 to March 2021. Patients with mild disease were recruited at Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC)/FIOCRUZ, RJ, Brazil, in August 2020. Genotyping of 11 inflammasome SNPs was determined by real-time PCR. Protection and risk estimation were performed using unconditional logistic regression models. Significant differences in NLRP3 rs1539019 and CARD8 rs2043211 were observed between the two groups. Protection against disease severity was associated with the A/A genotype (ORadj = 0.36; P = 0.032), allele A (ORadj = 0.93; P = 0.010), or carrier-A (ORadj = 0.45; P = 0.027) in the NLRP3 rs1539019 polymorphism; A/T genotype (ORadj = 0.5; P = 0.045), allele T (ORadj = 0.93; P = 0.018), or carrier-T (ORadj = 0.48; P = 0.029) in the CARD8 rs2043211 polymorphism; and the A-C-G-C-C (ORadj = 0.11; P = 0.018), A-C-G-C-G (ORadj = 0.23; P = 0.003), C-C-G-C-C (ORadj = 0.37; P = 0.021), and C-T-G-A-C (ORadj = 0.04; P = 0.0473) in NLRP3 genetic haplotype variants. No significant associations were observed for the other polymorphisms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating an association between CARD8 and NLRP3 inflammasome genetic variants and protection against COVID-19 severity, contributing to the discussion of the impact of inflammasomes on COVID-19 outcomes.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a group of pregnancy-related diseases characterized by the coexistence of pregnancy and elevated blood pressure, which seriously endanger the health of mothers and infants, and are one of the main causes of maternal and perinatal deaths. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the clinical analysis of vitamin E and astragalus in the adjuvant treatment of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and to describe the learning model. This paper puts forward the problem of clinical treatment, which is established on the basis of adjuvant therapy, then narrates around the clinical characteristics of gestational hypertension, and designs and analyzes the experimental design and analysis of adjuvant therapy with vitamin E and astragalus. The experimental results showed that the delivery methods of the three groups of patients were compared P < 0.05. Compared with the traditional Chinese medicine control group and the vitamin E control group, there were more vaginal births in the experimental group, 36 patients in total. It shows that astragalus and vitamin E can alleviate the disease in different aspects and can effectively intervene in gestational hypertension.

Dystonia and muscle spasms are a group of common and unfavorable clinical neurological symptoms. The use of botulinum toxin (BTX-A) abroad has achieved good results in the treatment of various movement disorders characterized by involuntary or abnormal muscle contractions. It is expected to open up a new field for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDs) such as focal dystonia and muscle spasm. There are theoretical and practical implications for the diagnosis and development of some effective neurological treatments. The efficacy of BTX-A in the treatment of various focal dystonia and muscle spasm disorders is as follows: symptoms were improved to varying degrees after injection of Botox or botulinum toxin type A (CBTX-A), but Botox or CBTx. There was no significant difference in the efficacy of A. 30.4% of patients had complete remission, 57.8% had significant remission, and 8.9% had partial remission. Among them, HFS and BS had the best curative effect, and the symptoms were significantly improved by 95.3% and 89.4%, respectively. The efficacy of CD was also satisfactory, with 75.5% of the patients showing significant improvement in symptoms, followed by Meg/OMD (OMD) with 73.3% and SD with 3.3%. The efficacy of WC is poor, and functional improvement is uncertain. Other forms of focal dystonia and spasticity also showed significant functional improvement in 60% of patients. Most patients start to see effects within 1 week after BTX-A injection, symptoms gradually improve, and the bridge of curative effect is reached in 2-4 weeks, and the healing effect lasts for about 3-5 months on average. The overall severity of adverse effects was not severe and resolved spontaneously within a few days to ten weeks, with the most concerning complications being ptosis and dysphagia.

In the present scenario, resistance to antibiotics is one of the crucial issues related to public health. Earlier, such resistance to antibiotics was limited to nosocomial infections, but it has now become a common phenomenon. Several factors, like extensive development, overexploitation of antibiotics, excessive application of broad-spectrum drugs, and a shortage of target-oriented antimicrobial drugs, could be attributed to this condition. Nowadays, there is a rise in the occurrence of these drug-resistant pathogens due to the availability of a small number of effective antimicrobial agents. It has been estimated that if new novel drugs are not discovered or formulated, there would be no effective antibiotic available to treat these deadly resistant pathogens by 2050. For this reason, we have to look for the formulation of some new novel drugs or other options or substitutes to treat such multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDR). The current review focuses on the evolution of the most common multidrug-resistant bacteria and discusses how these bacteria escape the effects of targeted antibiotics and become multidrug resistant. In addition, we also discuss some alternative mechanisms to prevent their infection as well.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a common zoonotic infection in all provinces of Iran, especially in areas where people live on agriculture and animal husbandry. The current cross-sectional population-based study is aimed at determining the seroprevalence of CE in Kavar County, Fars province, southern Iran. Blood samples were collected from 1500 individuals (749 males and 751 females). Anti-hydatid cyst antibodies were detected, using a recombinant B8/1 antigen of Echinococcus graunlosus in an ELISA system. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find out the independent risk factor for CE seropositivity. Anti-hydatid cyst antibodies were detected in the sera of 131 out of 1500 participants, corresponding to a seroprevalence rate of 8.73%. With a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05), the seroprevalence of hydatid cyst in males and females was 5% and 7%, respectively. Differences in the seropositivity of hydatid cysts were also statistically significant by occupation (p < 0.05). The seroprevalence of hydatid cyst was significantly higher in the age group of 35-45 years than in other age groups (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that only age was associated with seropositivity to CE (OR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.33-3.72). Moreover, there was a statistically significant association between seropositivity to hydatid cysts and underlying diseases such as hypertension (p = 0.049) and fatty liver (p = 0.048). The findings of this study indicate that the seroprevalence rate of CE is relatively high in the Fars province, southern Iran, and this high rate of infection is mainly linked to people's jobs and lifestyles.

Radial neural network is based in the world with the characteristics of active adaptation, active learning, active recognition, low error rate, and thought mapping and plays an important role in personalized regulation. However, in practical applications, due to the existence of pattern recognition, motion control, and a large amount of combined knowledge, the traditional methods are difficult to solve, even powerless, and cannot be effectively solved. Although the traditional BP network is more widely used, the BP neural network is easy to enter the regional minimum value during the training process, which leads to a lower training learning speed and low efficiency. The RBF network (radial neural network) is in a certain sense, and it can detect both known intrusions and unpredictable intrusions. At the same time, it is superior to BP neural network in data collection, pattern recognition, and personality customization. Through detection and comparison, it is found that the radial network has improved the analysis speed by about 20%, and the degree of privacy protection of athletes is as high as 99%, which is close to the full value, and the accuracy of the psychological control scheme is also improved by about 15% on the basis of the classic network. Athletes can be adjusted as soon as possible to achieve the best state; so, it will be an ideal choice to use a radial neural network for the psychological adjustment detection system.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the related mechanism of acupuncture affecting obesity by regulating inflammation using bioinformatics methods. METHODS: The genes related to obesity, inflammation, and acupuncture and inflammation were mined using GenCLiP 3, and the intersecting genes were extracted using Venn diagram. The DAVID database was employed for pathway enrichment analysis and functional annotation of coexpressed genes. Then, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed with the STRING database and visualized by the Cytoscape software and screened out important hub genes. Finally, the Boxplot and Survival Analysis of the hub genes in various cancers were performed by GEPIA. RESULTS: 755 genes related to obesity and inflammation and 38 genes related to acupuncture and inflammation were identified, and 24 coexpressed genes related to obesity, inflammation, and acupuncture were extracted from the Venn diagram. Eight hub genes including interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), signal transduction and transcriptional activation factor 3 (STAT3), C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), interleukin-17A (IL-17A), prostaglandin peroxide synthesis-2 (PTGS2), signal transistors, and transcriptional activation factor 6 (STAT6) were identified by gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes (KEGG), and PPI network analysis. Among them, IL-6 is suggested to play an essential role in the treatment of obesity and inflammation by acupuncture, and IL-6 was significant in both Boxplot and Survival Analysis of pancreatic cancer (PAAD). Therefore, in this study, the core gene, IL-6 was used as the breakthrough point to explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture in treating obesity and pancreatic cancer by regulating IL-6. CONCLUSION: (1) Acupuncture can regulate the expression of IL-6 through the TLR4/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway, thereby alleviating inflammation, which can be used as a potential strategy for the treatment of obesity. (2) IL-6/STAT3 is closely related to the occurrence, development, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Acupuncture affecting pancreatic cancer through TLR4/NF-κB/IL-6/STAT3 pathway may be a potential method for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

PURPOSE: To identify significant radiomics features based on MRI and establish effective models for predicting the response to bortezomib-based regimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 95 MM patients treated with bortezomib-based therapy were enrolled, including 77 with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (BCD) and 18 with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRD). Based on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and T2-weighted imaging with fat suppression (T2WI-fs), radiomics features were extracted and then selected. The random forest (RF), k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, logistic regression, decision tree, and Bayes models were built using the selected features. The predictive power of six models for response to BCD and VRD regimens were evaluated. The correlation between the selected features and progression-free survival (PFS) was also analyzed. RESULTS: Four wavelet features were correlated with BCD treatment response. The six models all showed predictive power for BCD regimen (AUC: 0.84-0.896 in the training set, 0.801-0.885 in the validation set), and RF performed relatively better than others. Nevertheless, all the BCD-based models were incapable of predicting the VRD treatment response. The wavelet-HLH_firstorder_kurtosis was also associated with PFS (log-rank P = 0.019). CONCLUSION: The four wavelet features were valuable biomarkers for predicting the response to BCD regimen. The six models based on these features showed predictive power, and RF was the best. One wavelet feature was also a survival-related biomarker. MRI-based radiomics had the potential to guide clinicians in MM management.

BACKGROUND: Ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) is a newly discovered gene regulating cuprotosis. However, the effect of FDX1 expression on clear renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is unknown. METHODS: Gene expression profiles and clinical data of ccRCC patients were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The differences in FDX1 expression between ccRCC and nonneoplastic tissues adjacent to cancer were analyzed by R software. The results were validated by GEO data, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blotting (WB), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Chi-square test was used to analyze the clinical pathological parameters. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression model selection were used to evaluate the effect of FDX1 expression on overall survival. Protein interaction networks were used to analyze other proteins that interact with FDX1. Signal pathway analysis was performed for possible FDX1 enrichment using GSEA and ssGSEA algorithms. Pan-cancer analysis of FDX1 was carried out through TCGA database. RESULTS: The FDX1 expression in nontumor tissues was significantly higher than that in ccRCC, and the expression difference was verified by GEO data, qRT-PCR, WB, and IHC. The high expression of FDX1 was significantly related to the well overall survival rate (P < 0.05). The chi-square test showed that the high expression of FDX1 was related to gender, TNM stage, T stage, lymph node metastasis, and pathological grade. Additionally, the FDX1 expression level was different in groups classified based on pathological grade, gender, TNM stage, T stage, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis (P < 0.05). The multivariate analysis revealed the high expression of FDX1 as an important independent predictor for overall survival. STRING database results showed that LIAS and LIPT1 may interact with FDX1 in the PPI network, which are also involved in the regulation of cuprotosis. The GSEA and ssGSEA results showed that the FDX1 was enriched in the anticancer pathway. The FDX1 high expression is associated with better prognosis in many cancers, as revealed by pan-cancer analysis. CONCLUSION: FDX1 may play a role in the progression of ccRCC as a tumor suppressor gene. It can be used as a potential prognostic indicator and therapeutic target of ccRCC. However, the cuprotosis regulatory role in the development of ccRCC needs to be further verified.

OBJECTIVE: A retrospective cohort study was carried out to research the effect of stent combined with laparoscopy combined with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the operation of acute intestinal obstruction and to explore and analyze the prognostic factors. METHODS: During February 2019 to April 2021, sixty patients with acute intestinal obstruction cured in our hospital were enrolled. Randomly assigned control group patients (n = 50) were divided into the research group and control group patients. The control group accepted stent combined with laparoscopic therapeutic, and the research group accepted stent combined with laparoscopic therapeutic based on ERAS. The general data, operative index, Short Form 36 (SF-36) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, procalcitonin (PCT), CRP, prealbumin (PA) index, curative effect, and incidence of complications were investigated. RESULTS: No difference was found in age, gender, or type of disease among the general population (P > 0.05). A lower amount of blood was lost during the operation, less anal exhaustion was experienced by the research group, and a shorter hospital stay and lower hospitalization cost was experienced in the research group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). There exhibited no remarkable difference in SF-36 score and VAS score before operation, but after operation, the VAS score lessened, the SF-36 score augmented, while the VAS score was lower, and the SF-36 score in the research group was higher (P < 0.05). There exited no remarkable difference in the indexes of PCT, CRP, and PA before operation, but after operation, the levels of PCT and CRP lessened as well as the level of PA augmented, and the levels of PCT and CRP were lower, while the level of PA in the research group was higher. In terms of the clinical efficacy, the effective rate of the research group (98.00%) was higher compared to the control (86.00%) (P < 0.05). The main postoperative complications were pulmonary infection and incision infection. One case of incision infection occurred in the research group, and the probability of postoperative complications was 2.00%. In the control group, there were 3 cases of pulmonary infection, 0 cases of perforation, and 4 cases of incision infection, and the probability of postoperative complications was 14.00%. The prevalence in the research group was remarkably lower (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with the traditional concept of surgical therapeutic, it can more effectively reduce stress reaction, relieve postoperative pain, promote the recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function as soon as possible, and reduce postoperative complications, which is worth to explore the application in the therapeutic of acute abdomen.

Multiple anthropometric equations have been developed aiming to provide accurate and affordable assessment of body fat composition in male athletes. This study examined correlations of values obtained from seventeen different anthropometric equations to DXA as well as BIA and DXA values. Male athletes (n = 101) from three different combat sports, wrestling (n = 33), judo (n = 35), and kickboxing (n = 33), with an average age of 20.9 ± 4.2 were included. Body fat percentage was estimated using anthropometry, BIA, and DXA. Correlations between anthropometric methods and DXA, as well as BIA and DXA, were determined using Spearman's rank correlation. Sixteen out of seventeen estimates of body fat percentages using existing anthropometric equations showed strong positive correlation with the values derived from DXA measurements (r = 0.569 - 0.909). The highest correlation was observed using the equation derived by Yuhasz, r = 0.909, followed by the equations from Oliver et al., Evans et al., Faulkner, and Thorland et al. (r ≈ 0.9). Statistical analysis of body fat percentages from DXA and BIA measurements also showed high positive correlation (r = 0.710). Correlation of seventeen anthropometric equations with BIA and DXA methods revealed that equations by Yuhasz, Oliver et al., Evans et al., Faulkner, and Thorland et al. are suitable alternative for assessing body fat percentage among male athletes from combat sports, showing even stronger correlation than BIA method.

PURPOSE: This research was to see how effective and feasible school-based comprehensive strength training programs are in improving muscular fitness and perceived physical competence in Chinese male adolescents. METHODS: A total of 123 participants (13.46 ± 0.60 years) were randomized to comprehensive strength training intervention group (CST) (n = 62) and the control group (CON) (n = 61). The training sessions were performed three times a week for ten weeks in CST. Muscular fitness (i.e., muscular strength, power, and muscular endurance) and perceived physical competence were assessed at initial testing and final testing. RESULTS: The subjects in the CST significantly improved their mean performance in standing long jump (p < 0.05), vertical jump (p < 0.05), 1 min push-ups (p < 0.05), 1 min sit-ups (p < 0.05), handgrip strength (p < 0.05), and perceived physical competence (p < 0.05) after the intervention. Moreover, the CST were greater in standing long jump (p < 0.05), vertical jump (p < 0.05), 1 min sit-ups (p < 0.05), handgrip strength (p < 0.05), and perceived physical competence (p < 0.05) compared to the CON, but no in 1 min push-ups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive strength training interventions designed in this study can significantly increase male adolescents' muscular fitness, especially in the lower extremity muscle power and abdominal core endurance, and can enhance their perceived physical competence.

Plasmodium species is an important causative agent of malaria in the world including Ethiopia, and the majority of people were at risk of infection. The study's general objective was to determine the occurrence and distribution of Plasmodium species in the study area through microscopic examination of blood films. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the study sites from September 2016 to February 2017. Out of 512 participants, 32 (6.25%) were malaria positive. Of these, 17 (53.12%, 95% CI: 0.358, 0.704) were P. vivax, 12 (37.5%, 95% CI: 0.207, 0.543) P. falciparum, and 3 (9.375%, 95% CI: -0.007, 0.195) mixed out of the total positive case. The occurrence of parasites was greater in rural villages (59.375%) than in urban villages (40.625%) but not significant (χ 2 = 1.2917, df = 1, p = 0.2557). More males were infected compared to females but not significant (χ 2 = 0.0005665, df = 1, p = 0.981). The monthly distribution of Plasmodium species was higher in September and October but there was no significant variation in each month (χ 2 = 10.142, p = 0.4281). Due to the high occurrence of Plasmodium vivax in the study area, the result contrasts with the national figure of the Plasmodium species report. The result of the current study may be useful to those individuals who work in Plasmodium species control and prevention program.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, Neisseria gonorrhoeae-related sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be of significant public health concern. This obligate-human pathogen has developed a number of defenses against both innate and adaptive immune responses during infection, some of which are mediated by the pathogen's proteins. Hence, the uncharacterized proteins of N. gonorrhoeae can be annotated to get insight into the unique functions of this organism related to its pathogenicity and to find a more efficient therapeutic target. METHODS: In this study, a hypothetical protein (HP) of N. gonorrhoeae was chosen for analysis and an in-silico approach was used to explore various properties such as physicochemical characteristics, subcellular localization, secondary structure, 3D structures, and functional annotation of that HP. Finally, a molecular docking analysis was performed to design an epitope-based vaccine against that HP. RESULTS: This study has identified the potential role of the chosen HP of N. gonorrhoeae in plasmid transfer, cell cycle control, cell division, and chromosome partitioning. Acidic nature, thermal stability, cytoplasmic localization of the protein, and some of its other physicochemical properties have also been identified through this study. Molecular docking analysis has demonstrated that one of the T cell epitopes of the protein has a significant binding affinity with the human leukocyte antigen HLA-B∗15 : 01. CONCLUSIONS: The in-silico characterization of this protein will help us understand molecular mechanism of action of N. gonorrhoeae and get an insight into novel therapeutic identification processes. This research will, therefore, enhance our knowledge to find new medications to tackle this potential threat to humankind.

The period 2020/2021 was an unprecedented and historic time for industrial, economic, and societal activities all over the world with great challenges to human health, the ecosystems, and other aspects of human endeavors owing to the COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 (CV-19) pandemic which is now a topical aspect of research interest. Despite the negative impacts of the CV-19 pandemic, there are also positive reports during the CV-19 pandemic such as the reduction of gas flare, reduction in the burning of fossil fuels from automobile exhaust and a reduction in the other ensuing factors of greenhouse gases emissions (which is one of the major drives for global warming and climate change as well as other environmental effluences). Hence, this brief perspective review study is centered on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. The study employs a methodical approach to analyze some already available research studies from existing publications and databases on GHG emission using the perception during the CV-19 pandemic. The specific findings from this review show that, from the meteorological perspective, the global response to the catastrophe ensuing from the CV-19 pandemic has a great influence on the reduction of GHGs, the reduction in the burning of fossil fuels from automobiles and industrial devices, and the reduction in the other ensuing factors of GHG emission. Hence, it will not be far from the truth to conclude that there is a possible positive connection between the CV-19 pandemic and GHG emissions. The study has a direct impact on the environment owing to the negative and positive environmental consequences of the CV-19 pandemic. Suggestions and recommendations in the form of future prospects of GHG emission vis-à-vis global warming and climate change are also discussed. Furthermore, suggestions on how to improve food security and agriculture during a pandemic such as the CV-19 outbreak period are highlighted.

The formation of breast tubules plays an important role in the pathological grading of breast cancer. Breast tubules surrounded by a large number of epithelial cells are located in the subcutaneous tissue of the chest. The shapes of breast tubules are various, including tubular, round, and oval, which makes the process of breast tubule segmentation a difficult task. Deep learning technology, capable of learning complex data structures via efficient representation, could help pathologists accurately detect breast tubules in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained images. In this paper, we propose a deep learning model named DKS-DoubleU-Net to accurately segment breast tubules with complex appearances in H&E images. The proposed DKS-DoubleU-Net model suggests using a DenseNet module as the encoder of the second subnetwork of DoubleU-Net, which utilizes dense features between layers and strengthens the propagation of features extracted in all previous layers, in order to better discover the intrinsic characteristics of breast tubules with complex structures and diverse shapes. Moreover, a feature fusing module called Kernel Selecting Module (KSM) is inserted before each output layer of the two U-Net branches of the DoubleU-Net, to implement a multiscale feature fusion via a self-adaptive kernel selecting for the sake of accurate segmentation of breast tubules in different sizes. The experiments on the public BRACS dataset and a private clinical dataset have shown that our model achieves better segmentation performance, compared to the state-of-art models of U-Net, DoubleU-Net, ResUnet++, HRNet, and DeepLabV3+. Specifically, on the public BRACS dataset, our method produced an F1-Score of 92.98%, which outperforms the F1-Score of U-Net, DoubleU-Net, and HRNet by 4.24%, 0.37%, and 1.68%, respectively, and is much better than performances of DeepLabV3+ and ResUnet++ by 7.83% and 23.84%, respectively. On the private clinic dataset, the proposed model achieved an F1-Score of 73.13%, which has shown an improvement of 10.31%, 1.89%, 4.88%, 15.47%, and 31.1% to the performances of the U-Net, DoubleU-Net, HRNet, DeepLabV3+, and ResUnet++, respectively. Superior performance could also be observed when comparing the proposed DKS-DoubleU-Net with the others using the metrics of Dice and mIou.

First aid is to give immediate first aid to patients who have suffered accidental injuries or sudden diseases before the emergency medical personnel arrive at the scene or are sent to the hospital for treatment; myocardial infarction is a severe and emergency of coronary heart disease. It is often because of coronary atherosclerosis, plaque rupture, bleeding, or thrombosis, which leads to the acute and complete occlusion of the coronary arteries and acute necrosis of the myocardium. This article aims to investigate the effectiveness of a stratified emergency care team assisted by multidisciplinary first aid knowledge in acute myocardial infarction first aid, hoping to reduce the probability of acute myocardial infarction through first aid and nursing care. Business process reengineering is a management idea that reached its heyday in the 1990s and is usually defined as achieving workflow and productivity through the reorganization and optimization of corporate strategies, value-added operational processes, and the systems, policies, organizations, and structures that support them. This article first outlines the concepts and steps of medical image registration, analyzes the characteristics of current medical image registration methods, and uses the two most commonly used medical registration methods today; in this study, the BPR theory was used to construct the AMI emergency care process in the hospital, which effectively reduced the emergency delay time of AMI patients, improved the patient's emergency response, and increased the efficiency of emergency nurses' rescue work. The experimental results in this paper show that the sensitivities of the first four groups of ST↑III > II, ST ↓ aVL > I, STV3 ↓ /STIII↑≤1.2, STI ↓ ≥0.05 mV are 82.1%, 80%, 75.3%, and 60.3%, respectively. Their sensitivities are relatively close, both are greater than 50%; among them, ST↑III > II has the highest sensitivity, which is 80%. In terms of specificity, ST↑III > II, ST ↓ aVL > I, STV3 ↓ /STIII↑≤1.2, and STI ↓ ≥0.05 mV were 82.1%, 89.2%, 82.7%, and 65.2%, respectively. ST ↓ ≥0.05 mV has the lowest specificity, and ST ↓ aVL > I has the highest specificity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of multimodal MRI radiomics based on T2-weighted fluid attenuated inversion recovery imaging (T2WI-FLAIR) combined with T1-weighted contrast enhanced imaging (T1WI-CE) in the early differentiation of high-grade glioma recurrence from pseudoprogression. METHODS: A total of one hundred eighteen patients with brain gliomas who were diagnosed from March 2014 to April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the clinical characteristics, the patients were randomly split into a training group (n = 83) and a test group (n = 35) at a 7 : 3 ratio. The region of interest (ROI) was delineated, and 2632 radiomic features were extracted. We used multiple logistic regression to establish a classification model, including the T1 model, T2 model, and T1 + T2 model, to differentiate recurrence from pseudoprogression. The diagnostic efficiency of the model was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and accuracy (ACC) and by analyzing the calibration curve of the nomogram and decision curve. RESULTS: There were 75 cases of recurrence and 43 cases of pseudoprogression. The diagnostic efficacies of the multimodal MRI-based radiomic model were relatively high. The AUC values and ACC of the training group were 0.831 and 77.11%, respectively, and the AUC values and ACC of the test group were 0.829 and 88.57%, respectively. The calibration curve of the nomogram showed that the discrimination probability was consistent with the actual occurrence in the training group, and the discrimination probability was roughly the same as the actual occurrence in the test group. In the decision curve analysis, the T1 + T2 model showed greater overall net efficiency. CONCLUSION: The multimodal MRI radiomic model has relatively high efficiency in the early differentiation of recurrence from pseudoprogression, and it could be helpful for clinicians in devising correct treatment plans so that patients can be treated in a timely and accurate manner.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic bacterium that can contaminate water. In this study, 430 water samples were evaluated for P. aeruginosa, antibiotic resistance, and the abundance of virulence factors. P. aeruginosa was isolated from 28 (6.51%) water samples. Among the types of water, well and spring water showed the highest P. aeruginosa with, respectively, 20 (15.6%) and 5 (8.06%) positive samples per type of samples. Drinking water and mineral water showed minor contamination with P. aeruginosa. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance against meropenem, imipenem, erythromycin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, and enrofloxacin was zero. The lowest and highest prevalence of antibiotic resistance was observed in drinking water and well water, respectively. The most abundant genes encoding antibiotic resistance in the P. aeruginosa were blaTEM , blaCTX-M , and blaSHV . This study also showed that the most abundant virulence genes in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain isolated from water were algD (15 = 3.49%), lasB (11 = 2.56%), toxA (10 = 2.32%), and exoS (7 = 1.63%). This study suggests that water may be a source of P. aeruginosa and contribute to releasing resistance genes through the food chain. Cross-contamination is the water transfer process that can cause contamination with P. aeruginosa in water. Therefore, hygienic principles can be effective in reducing water contamination.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common complication of diabetes and is often characterized by damage to retinal vascular microcirculation, resulting in retinal exudation, hemorrhage, fibrosis, and neovascularization. With the aging of my country's population, the incidence of DR is increasing year by year, and it has become one of the main blinding eye diseases in ophthalmic diseases also tends to be younger. So far, although the pathogenesis of DR is not completely clear, scholars generally believe that DR is based on the disorder of glucose metabolism, causing changes in the microcirculation of ocular tissues, nerves, and blood vessels, resulting in chronic damage to the nutrition and visual function of the eye disease. In order to explore the demand for cardiovascular disease treatment, make up for the lack of chronic diseases affecting people's physical harm, and improve the success rate of cardiovascular disease treatment, a method to observe the efficacy and myocardial remodeling of trimetazidine combined with metoprolol in elderly patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure based on integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine was proposed. 54 elderly people over 60 years old are afraid of cardiovascular disease and take active protection. A method based on observation of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine was proposed, and at the same time, an intelligent medical monitoring system was constructed to better study, observe, and improve the efficacy of trimetazidine combined with metoprolol in elderly patients with coronary heart disease, heart failure, and myocardial impact of refactoring. The results of the study show that trimetazidine has a good clinical effect on ischemic cardiomyopathy heart failure based on the observation of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

BACKGROUND: Next-generation sequencing methods have been developed and proposed to investigate any query in genomics or clinical activity involving DNA. Technical advancement in these sequencing methods has enhanced sequencing volume to several billion nucleotides within a very short time and low cost. During the last few years, the usage of the latest DNA sequencing platforms in a large number of research projects helped to improve the sequencing methods and technologies, thus enabling a wide variety of research/review publications and applications of sequencing technologies. OBJECTIVE: The proposed study is aimed at highlighting the most fast and accurate NGS instruments developed by various companies by comparing output per hour, quality of the reads, maximum read length, reads per run, and their applications in various domains. This will help research institutions and biological/clinical laboratories to choose the sequencing instrument best suited to their environment. The end users will have a general overview about the history of the sequencing technologies, latest developments, and improvements made in the sequencing technologies till now. RESULTS: The proposed study, based on previous studies and manufacturers' descriptions, highlighted that in terms of output per hour, Nanopore PromethION outperformed all sequencers. BGI was on the second position, and Illumina was on the third position. CONCLUSION: The proposed study investigated various sequencing instruments and highlighted that, overall, Nanopore PromethION is the fastest sequencing approach. BGI and Nanopore can beat Illumina, which is currently the most popular sequencing company. With respect to quality, Ion Torrent NGS instruments are on the top of the list, Illumina is on the second position, and BGI DNB is on the third position. Secondly, memory- and time-saving algorithms and databases need to be developed to analyze data produced by the 3rd- and 4th-generation sequencing methods. This study will help people to adopt the best suited sequencing platform for their research work, clinical or diagnostic activities.

The value of CT imaging in evaluating the efficacy of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is explored. A total of 105 patients with LDH admitted to our hospital from March 2018 to September 2019 are selected for treatment with PTED, and all patients undergo CT examination before and after surgery. The CT imaging parameters (CT value of spinal canal soft tissue shadow, maximum back shift distance, longitudinal axis length, and intervertebral space height) before and 1 week after operation, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores before and 6 months after the operation are compared, and the excellent and good rate of the operation effect is calculated. The correlation between JOA score and CT imaging parameters are analyzed by Pearson correlation method. The experimental results prove that PTED is effective in treating LDH. CT imaging can quantitatively measure the data of herniated intervertebral discs to clarify the recovery of the compressed dural sac and nerve roots, and the results are highly consistent with JOA score, which can be used as PTED objective evaluation method for the treatment of LDH.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is considered to be the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and it interacts with some serious systemic diseases. Periodontal basic therapy is the cornerstone of periodontal disease treatment and long-term maintenance and has a positive impact on the treatment of systemic diseases. AIM: To explore the potential gene targets of periodontitis therapies by bioinformatics method. METHODS: We analyzed the expression database (GSE6751) downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) with weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to confirm the functional gene modules. Pathway enrichment network analyses the key genes in functional modules and verified the candidate genes from the samples in peripheral blood sources of GSE43525. Moreover, we confirmed the expression of target protein in the periodontal tissues of experimental periodontitis-afflicted mice using western blotting. RESULTS: The functional gene modules were found to have biological processes, and ARRB2, BIRC3, CD14, DYNLL1, FCER1G, FCGR1A, FCGR2B, FGR, HCK, and PRKCD were screened as candidates' genes in functional modules. The 921 DEG from GSE43525 and 418 DEG is from the green module of GSE6751 and identified AMICA1, KDELR1, DHRS7B, LMNB1, CTSA, S100A12, and FCGR1A as target genes. Finally, FCGR1A (CD64) was confirmed as the key gene that affects periodontal treatment. Western blot analysis showed an increasing trend in the expression level of FCGR1A protein in the periodontal tissues of experimental periodontitis mice compared to normal mice. CONCLUSIONS: FCGR1A (CD64) may be a key gene target for periodontal therapy in patients with periodontitis and other systemic diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Tinnitus, as a common clinical symptom, has the characteristics of high incidence and great heterogeneity among different patients. As one of the common treatment strategies for tinnitus, this study is aimed at exploring the factors influencing tinnitus sound therapy and the correlation between different tinnitus acoustic characteristics. METHODS: 315 patients with chronic tinnitus were enrolled and divided into three groups according to the tinnitus multielement integration sound therapy (T-MIST): (1) vanishing, (2) remission, and (3) unchanged. The general characteristics, psychoacoustic scores (tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and visual analog scale (VAS)), residual inhibition (RI), degree of hearing loss, and tinnitus characteristics of each group were compared. Finally, we analyze the predictive significance of different features for acoustic effects. RESULTS: The frequency of tinnitus in the vanishing group was higher than that in the remission and unchanged groups (P < 0.05). There were no differences in age, initial onset time, course of the disease, and VSAD between the vanishing group and the unchanged group (P > 0.05). High-frequency tinnitus may predict the vanishing of tinnitus after treatment (P < 0.05), but the degree of hearing loss, tinnitus characteristics (loudness and frequency), and psychoacoustic score (THI and VAS) were only weakly correlated (P < 0.05). Residual inhibition test (RI) was an independent risk factor for the efficacy of acoustic therapy (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The patients were divided into three groups by T-MIST treatment effect; Kruskal-Wallis test and chi-square test were used to compare the baseline information of each group. Then, we analyzed the correlation between patient characteristics and psychoacoustic scores. Finally, logistic regression was performed to explore predictors that might influence the treatment effect. High-frequency tinnitus may have a better therapeutic effect; age, disease course, and other factors can not be stable explanation factors for a poor therapeutic effect of tinnitus. The residual inhibition (RI) test was an independent factor in predicting the efficacy of T-MIST.

Gastric insufflation for computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous gastrostomy is currently performed via a nasogastric tube or a Chiba needle. However, nasogastric tube placement requires patient pharynx and esophagus, and Chiba needle use is associated with an increased risk of organ damage and prolonged operation time. Herein, we introduce a new method of gastric insufflation via a central venous catheter and explore its safety and efficacy by retrospective analysis of the clinical data of patients who underwent percutaneous gastrostomy using this method in our hospital from April 2021 to March 2022. The extracted data included the following: success rate, operation time, gastric insufflation time, radiation dose, postoperative pain score, and complications. We also compared the preoperative levels of several nutritional indicators (body mass index, hemoglobin, albumin, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen) with those obtained 1 month postoperatively. A total of 12 patients underwent percutaneous gastrostomy under CT guidance using central venous catheter gastric insufflation. The surgery and gastric insufflation success rates were 100% both. The average operation time, gastric insufflation time, and effective radiation dose were 24.08 ± 5.25 min, 5.08 ± 2.50 min, and 14.16 ± 3.63 mSv, respectively. Based on the World Health Organization scale for pain assessment, five patients reported no postoperative pain and seven patients had mild pain. There were no serious complications, such as stoma infection, peritonitis, gastrointestinal perforation and bleeding, or embedding syndrome. All evaluated nutritional indicators showed improvement at 1 month postoperatively, with statistically significant differences compared to the preoperative values (p < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, CT-guided percutaneous gastrostomy with central venous catheter gastric insufflation is a safe, effective, and feasible minimally invasive treatment.

Since knowledge possession about the morphological characteristics trend is important to understand, it is necessary to monitor the physical growth and children's development. We have aimed to examine the current state, dynamics, and direction of changes in morphological characteristics, over a 30-year period in Serbian children and adolescents. Morphological characteristics measured in 2020 (n = 304; age 7 ± 6 and 11 ± 6) were compared with the results of same-age children and adolescents from 1990 (n = 1789). The following characteristics were measured: body height, body mass, body mass index, forearm circumference, and upper arm skinfold. The average height (95% IP) of 7-year-old boys was significantly lower in all morphological variables in 1990, compared to their 2020 peers, while in forearm circumference was opposite. As for the 11-year-old boys, body mass (p = 0.02) and BMI (p = 0.009) had significantly better average values in 2020 than 1990, whereas forearm circumference (1.6-2.5 cm) and upper arm skinfold (2.7-4.9 cm) results were opposite. Seven-year-old girls from a 1990 sample also had significantly lower average values for morphological characteristics, compared to their 2020 peers. All morphological characteristic variables of 11-year-old girls have significantly better average values in 1990 sample than in 2020, except for body mass (p = 0.47) and BMI (p = 0.55). The current results have presented a true "picture" of the trends in morphological characteristics status among 7- and 11-year-old Serbian children by comparing them with the already obtained results 30 years ago.

Axillary defect coverage is often challenging after radical excision of chronic inflammatory skin lesions, such as complicated epidermoid cysts and hidradenitis suppurativa. This retrospective case series aims to demonstrate our experience with axillary reconstruction using the modified keystone perforator island flap (KPIF) technique, emphasizing its tension-reducing effects. All patients who presented for axillary reconstruction after radical excision of chronic inflammatory skin lesions between May 2019 and December 2020 were identified using the medical record database. Eleven patients ranging in age from 17 to 71 years underwent modified KPIF axillary reconstruction. Four types of modifications (modified type II KPIF, omega variation closure, Sydney melanoma unit modification, and hemi-KPIF) were used. All defects (size range, 2.5 × 3 cm2 to 8 × 13 cm2) were successfully covered using these modified KPIF techniques. All flaps (size range, 3.5 × 3.5 cm2 to 11 × 30 cm2) fully survived without complications. All patients exhibited favorable functional outcomes, and no cases of recurrence or limitations in joint range of motion were observed during the follow-up period (range, 4-5 months). Modified KPIF techniques may represent a reliable, effective alternative reconstructive modality for managing axillary defects.

According to relevant data, the morbidity and mortality of strokes in China remain high. Without effective treatment, stroke morbidity and mortality will continue to rise, which may become the second leading disease in the world. With the nonstop advancement and improvement of clinical innovation in China, the death pace of stroke patients has dropped altogether. After clinical treatment, the patient actually showed a progression of sequelae, which made it challenging to work on the personal satisfaction of the patient. The purpose for this paper was to concentrate on the impact of medical image fusion in the treatment of poststroke appendage brokenness with TCM needle therapy. The related concepts of medical image fusion and the meaning of acupuncture and moxibustion in traditional Chinese medicine, stroke, and limb dysfunction were introduced. In this study, acupuncture and moxibustion were analyzed to explore the therapeutic effect of this type of therapy on upper extremity dysfunction caused by phlegm and blood stasis blocking collaterals and to provide a scientific method for the treatment and efficacy judgment of upper extremity motor dysfunction after stroke. Before the treatment measures were taken, there was no significant difference in the general data and all index scores between the two groups (P > 0.05), and there was no significant difference in the baseline data, reflecting high balance and comparability. In the following 3 months of treatment, the FMA score, NIHSS score, BI list, and VAS score of the two groups of patients were essentially not quite the same as those before treatment (P < 0.05). When treatment, there was a huge contrast between the trial group and the control group (P < 0.05). The finish of the trial in this paper is that needle therapy joined with pricking and measuring can essentially work on the engine capability of stroke patients with furthest point brokenness brought about by mucus and blood balance impeding securities.

Tumor immunotherapy is considered as one of the most promising methods in cancer treatment in recent years. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) can activate immune cells to destroy tumors by relieving the inhibitory pathway of tumor cells to immune cells. In silico prediction of the ICB response is an important step toward achieving effective and personalized cancer immunotherapy. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown exciting clinical effects in the treatment of many types of tumors, there are still some clinical problems in practical application, such as low response rate and large individualized differences. How to predict the efficacy of effective individualized immune checkpoint inhibitors for tumor patients based on specific biomarkers and computational models is one of the key issues in the immunotherapy of this kind of tumor. In our work, from the five levels of genome level, transcription level, epigenetic level, microbial taxonomy level, and the immune cell infiltration profile level, the biomarkers and in silico calculation methods that affect the efficacy of tumor immune checkpoint inhibitors are comprehensively summarized.

The exercise volume and exercise level can be quantitatively assessed by measuring and collecting athletes' health and exercise data. The protection of athletes' health information has lately become an important research topic due to a rise in sports activities. However, due to the nature of the data and the limits of protection models, protecting athlete health data is a complex undertaking. Machine learning and blockchain have caused worldwide technological innovation, and it is bound to bring deep modifications to the sports industry. The main purpose of blockchain is security, decentralization, traceability, and credibility of the athlete's health data protection and gathering system. To progress and increase the sports industry and methodically assess the physical fitness of sportspersons' health information, this study concentrates on the Machine Learning and Blockchain-based Athlete Health Information Protection System (MLB-AHIPS) proposed in the sports industry. The ML technique is utilized to clean and handle the information to comprehend the recognition and secure managing of the sportsperson's fitness information. The system uses attribute-based access control, which permits dynamic and fine-grained access to athlete health data, and then stores the health data in the blockchain, which can be secured and tamper-proof by expressing the respective smart contracts. The simulation outcomes illustrate that the suggested MLB-AHIPS attains a high accuracy ratio of 97.8%, security ratio of 98.3%, an efficiency ratio of 97.1%, scalability ratio of 98.9%, and data access rate of 97.2% compared to other existing approach.

BACKGROUND: Uveal Melanoma (UM) is a potentially lethal cancer, and epigenetics may participate in the regulation of MEK resistance. This study is aimed at targeting the epigenetic kinase to overcome the resistance to MEK inhibitor. METHOD: We developed the 92.1 and OMM1 MEK-inhibitor resistant cell lines by culturing them in the trametinib (Tra) mixed medium. We utilized CCK8 analysis for detecting the viability of the cell. Western blot was used to determine the ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation. Small compound library screening assays were carried out by CCK8 analysis. To test the apoptosis, we employed flow cytometric analysis with Annexin-V/PI. Western blot and CCK8 were used to explore the epigenetic regulation of KDM5B in MEK-resistance cell lines. To knock out the expression level of KDM5B, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 by lentivirus delivering well-validated shRNAs in pLKO.1 vector. The directly binding affinity of KDOAM-25 to KDM5B was determined by drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) and microscale thermophoresis (MST). RESULTS: The phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt (T308) was inhibited in OMM1 cell lines. However, inhibition of Tra was abolished in OMM1-R cell lines. From a compound screening assay, we identified that KDOAM-25 robustly inhibited the viability and colony formation of MEK-resistance cell lines. Furthermore, KDOAM-25 significantly promoted cell death in OMM1-R cells. H3K4me3 (tri-methylation of lysine 4 on histone H3) and H3K27ac (acetyl of lysine 27 on histone H3) were both upregulated in OMM1-R cells. Tra significantly inhibited the expression of KDM5B in OMM1-P cells. However, the effect on KDM5B was abolished in OMM1-R cells. Knockdown of KDM5B robustly suppressed the cell viability in OMM1-R cells. KDOAM-25 directly interacted with KDM5B. CONCLUSION: KDOAM-25 inhibited the viability and colony formation and promoted cell death of MEK-resistance cell lines through H3K4me3 and H3K27ac, indicating that KDOAM-25 may be a potential therapeutic agent for MEK resistance in UM patients.

BACKGROUND: The first-pass (FP) effect, defined by successful cerebral reperfusion from a single pass of an endovascular stentriever, was associated with shorter procedural times and possible improved outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke secondary to large vessel occlusion. The adjunctive use of balloon guide catheter (BGC) may increase the rates of the first-pass effect. In this retrospective study we examined the impact of BGC on the first-pass effect in acute stroke patients. METHODS: We included patients with acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion treated by endovascular thrombectomy from 2018 to 2019. We categorized the cases into BGC and non-BGC groups. Differences in time metrics and outcomes were compared. RESULT: One hundred and thirty-two patients were included, and sixty-two were in BGC group (47.0%). The median procedural time was shorter (83.0 minutes vs 120.0 minutes, P = 0.000), and FP rate was higher in BGC group (58.1% vs 32.9%, P = 0.004) compared with non-BGC group. Proportion of modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mMTICI) 3 was higher (66.1% vs 37.1%, P = 0.001), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0 to 2 was higher (59.7% vs 41.4%, P = 0.036) in BGC group compared with non-BGC group. In addition, BGC was associated with successful reperfusion odds ratio, 0.383; 95% confidence interval: 0.174-0.847; P = 0.018). The FP rate of BGC in the distal ICA was higher than that in the proximal ICA (87.5% vs 39.5%, P = 0.000), and the good clinical outcome rate at 90 days in the distal ICA was also higher than that in the proximal ICA (91.7% vs 39.5%, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: We showed that BGC shortened the procedural time and increased the rate of the successful FP. We recommend that BGC could be considered the preferred technique for endovascular intervention in stroke.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is one of the most serious consequences of diabetes. This serious issue occurs when the body cannot use the glucose as a source of energy because of a lack in the level of insulin which as consequence will lead to an increased level of glucose resulting in DKA. AIM: The goal of this study was to increase diabetic patients' and caregivers' awareness and practice of DKA at the community level in Hail City, Saudi Arabia, in 2022. The assessment of people's awareness and knowledge on DKA is importance to support any subsequent actions. Subjects and Methods. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Hail City, Saudi Arabia, among diabetic patients and carers. A self-administered questionnaire in Arabic was given to the target demographic via an internet survey. The questionnaire includes basic demographic data (i.e., age, gender, and marital status), clinical characteristics of the diabetic patients, and a set of questionnaires to assess the awareness and practice of the subjects regarding DKA. RESULTS: 348 surveys were received (51.1% males vs. 48.9% females). A total of 29.9% of patients have been diagnosed with DKA. Out of a possible 14 points, the average awareness score was 5.22 (SD 3.39). Poor awareness levels had been found in nearly 70% of the subjects, 23.6% were moderate, and only 8.6% were considered good. Factors associated with increased awareness were being younger, female gender, unmarried, students, type 1 DM, DKA diagnosis, and having good information about DKA. CONCLUSION: The awareness of diabetic patients and their caregivers toward DKA was unsatisfactory. Younger female patients who were single and who had been diagnosed with DKA tend to be more aware of DKA as compared to other subjects. There is a compelling reason to bridge the gaps in the awareness of DKA among the diabetic population and their caregivers in our region.

Due to different treatment strategies, it is extremely important to differentiate between glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and brain metastases (MET). It often proves difficult to distinguish between GBM and MET using MRI due to their similar appearance on the imaging modalities. Surgical methods are still necessary for definitive diagnosis, despite the importance of magnetic resonance imaging in detecting, characterizing, and monitoring brain tumors. We introduced an accurate, convenient, and user-friendly method to differentiate between GBM and MET through routine MRI sequence and radiomics analyses. We collected 91 patients from one institution, including 50 with GBM and 41 with MET, which were proven pathologically. The tumors separately were segmented on all MRI images (T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (T1C), T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)) to form the volume of interest (VOI). Eight ML models and feature reduction strategies were evaluated using routine MRI sequences (T1W, T2W, T1-CE, and FLAIR) in two methods with (second model) and without wavelet transform (first model) radiomics. The optimal model was selected based on each model's accuracy, AUC-roc, and F1-score values. In this study, we have achieved the result of 0.98, 0.99, and 0.98 percent for accuracy, AUC-roc, and F1-score, respectively, which have yielded a better result than the first model. In most investigated models, there were significant improvements in the multidimensional wavelets model compared to the non-multidimensional wavelets model. Multidimensional discrete wavelet transform can analyze hidden features of the MRI from a different perspective and generate accurate features which are highly correlated with the model accuracy.

OBJECTIVE: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been proposed as prognostic biomarkers in multiple cancers. However, the implications of NLR and PLR in the responsiveness to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) remain to be clarified in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients. This retrospective study investigated the prognostic value of NLR and PLR in nCRT responsiveness of LARC patients. METHODS: A total number of 86 patients diagnosed with LARC and treated with nCRT and total mesorectal excision were retrospectively followed from 2013 to 2016. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the cutoff values of NLR and PLR, and the patients were divided into NLR elevation and NLR decrease groups, or PLR elevation and PLR decrease groups. The correlation between NLR and PLR changes, and clinicopathological factors were analyzed. The relationship between NLR and PLR changes and the curative responsiveness towards nCRT were further evaluated. RESULTS: NLR and PLR changes after nCRT were significantly correlated with the distance of tumors to the anus and BMI (body mass index) (P < 0.05). The clinical remission rate of patients with NLR reduction was 72.09% (31/43), which was significantly higher than that in patients with NLR increment (22/43, 51.16%). There was no significant difference in the clinic remission rate between the patients with PLR reduction and those with PLR increment (P > 0.05). However, the pathological responsiveness rate was significantly higher in patients with PLR reduction (21/43, 48.84%) when compared to the ones with PLR increment (9/43, 20.9%) (P = 0.036). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that in LARC patients with nCRT, the reduction of NLR and the reduction of PLR could serves as predictors for the clinic remission rate and pathological responsiveness rate, respectively. The combination of NLR and PLR changes may be employed as a simple and effective prognostic parameter to predict the treatment outcome of nCRT in LARC.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) in reducing fistula during urethroplasty and to observe its degradation process in beagle models. METHODS: 22 male beagles were divided into the SIS group and control group. All animals received surgical operation to establish the hypospadias model. Urethroplasty was followed. In the SIS group, the urethra was covered with a single-layer SIS material while no SIS material covered in the control group. At the 2nd, 4th, and 12th weeks after the operation, there were 3, 3, and 5 animals in each group, respectively, sacrificed for surgical site histological examinations. The inflammation reaction and collagen hyperplasia levels were assessed. The fistula was identified by retrograde cystourethrography at the 4th and 12th weeks after the operation. RESULTS: the incidence of urethral fistula was 25% (2/8) in the SIS group and 75% (6/8) in the control group. The inflammation reaction of SIS and control groups had no significant difference (U = 52.50, P = 0.58). The collagen fiber increased in both groups; however, the SIS group had a much more gentle increase compared to the control group (U = -0.00, P < 0.001). In the SIS group, the SIS material was roughly complete on the specimens 2 w after surgery but became loose and discontinuous 4 w after surgery and could not be found 12 w after surgery. CONCLUSION: The material can decrease the incidence of urethral fistula in the animal models, when used as a coverage layer. The SIS degradation process started 2 w-4 w after the operation and finished before 12 w in the animal model.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondria fuse to form elongated networks which are more tolerable to stress and injury. Ischemic pre- and postconditioning (IPC and IPost, respectively) are established cardioprotective strategies in the preclinical setting. Whether IPC and IPost modulates mitochondrial morphology is unknown. We hypothesize that the protective effects of IPC and IPost may be conferred via preservation of mitochondrial network. METHODS: IPC and IPost were applied to the H9c2 rat myoblast cells, isolated adult primary murine cardiomyocytes, and the Langendorff-isolated perfused rat hearts. The effects of IPC and IPost on cardiac cell death following ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), mitochondrial morphology, and gene expression of mitochondrial-shaping proteins were investigated. RESULTS: IPC and IPost successfully reduced cardiac cell death and myocardial infarct size. IPC and IPost maintained the mitochondrial network in both H9c2 and isolated adult primary murine cardiomyocytes. 2D-length measurement of the 3 mitochondrial subpopulations showed that IPC and IPost significantly increased the length of interfibrillar mitochondria (IFM). Gene expression of the pro-fusion protein, Mfn1, was significantly increased by IPC, while the pro-fission protein, Drp1, was significantly reduced by IPost in the H9c2 cells. In the primary cardiomyocytes, gene expression of both Mfn1 and Mfn2 were significantly upregulated by IPC and IPost, while Drp1 was significantly downregulated by IPost. In the Langendorff-isolated perfused heart, gene expression of Drp1 was significantly downregulated by both IPC and IPost. CONCLUSION: IPC and IPost-mediated upregulation of pro-fusion proteins (Mfn1 and Mfn2) and downregulation of pro-fission (Drp1) promote maintenance of the interconnected mitochondrial network, ultimately conferring cardioprotection against IRI.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of budesonide- (BDS-) loaded hyaluronic acid nanoparticles (HANPs) for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using an acute model of colitis in rats. The therapeutic efficacy of BDS-loaded HANPs in comparison with an aqueous suspension of the drug with the same dose (30 μg/kg) was investigated 48 h following induction of colitis by intrarectal administration of acetic acid 4% in rats. Microscopic and histopathologic examinations were conducted in inflamed colonic tissue. Tissue concentration of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was assessed by ELISA assay kit, while the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) was measured spectrophotometrically. Results from in vivo evaluations demonstrated that administrations of BDS-HANPs ameliorated the general endoscopic appearance, quite close to the healthy animals with no signs of inflammation and reduced the cellular infiltration, as well as the TNF-α level, and the MPO activity. It was found that delivery by BDS-loaded HANPSs alleviated the induced colitis significantly better than the same dose of the free drug. These data further suggest the potential of HANPs as a targeted drug delivery system to the inflamed colon mucosa.

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer(GC)is one of the deadliest digestive tract tumors worldwide，existing studies suggest that dysregulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of GC. This study aimed to investigate the expression, biological function, and downstream mechanism of miR-34c-5p in GC, provide new targets for gastric cancer diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: The expression of miR-34c-5p in GC tissues and cell lines was examined by RT-qPCR. Cell wound healing, transwell and cell cloning assays were used to detect the effect of miR-34c-5p on the migration and invasion abilities, respectively, of GC cells. Western blot was performed to detect the expression of related proteins. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the binding of MAP2K1 to miR-34c-5p and the targeting relationship was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: The expression level of miR-34c-5p was significantly decreased in GC tissues and cell lines. miR-34c-5p overexpression inhibited migration, invasion, and colony formation of gastric cancer cells, the related protein E-cadherin expression was significantly increased and N-cadherin, vimentin, and PCNA expression were significantly decreased, while miR-34c-5p knockdown exerted the opposite effects. In addition, the targeting relationship between miR-34c-5p and MAP2K1 was predicted and confirmed, and further confirmed by rescue experiments that MAP2K1 alleviated the inhibitory effect of miR-34c-5p in GC. CONCLUSION: MiR-34c-5p is lowly expressed in GC, and it can target MAP2K1 to exert inhibitory effects on GC proliferation, invasion, and migration. These findings provide a promising biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent and highly toxic pollutants, which can accumulate in organisms and produce toxic effects, especially damaging the function of thyroid hormones. So far, the molecular mechanism of PCBs mixture and their metabolites interfering with thyroid hormones has not been studied thoroughly except for individual compounds. In this study, PubMed, Web of Science, and STITCH databases were used to search PCBs and their corresponding target proteins. The intersection of PCBs and thyroid hormone dysfunction target proteins was obtained from GeneCards. The "compounds-targets-pathways" network was constructed by Cytoscape software. And KEGG and Go analyses were performed for key targets. Finally, molecular docking was used to verify the binding effect. Four major active components, five key targets, and 10 kernel pathways were successfully screened by constructing the network. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the interference was mediated by cancer, proteoglycans, PI3K-Akt, thyroid hormone, and FoxO signaling pathways. The molecular docking results showed that the binding energies were less than -5 kcal·mol-1. PCBs and their metabolites may act on the key targets of MAPK3, MAPK1, RXRA, PIK3R1, and TP53. The toxic effect of sulfated and methyl sulfone PCBs is greater. The method of screening targets based on the simultaneous action of multiple PCBs can provide a reference for other research. The targets were not found in previous metabolite toxicity studies. It also provides a bridge for the toxic effects and experimental research of PCBs and their metabolites in the future.

The effects of Rimazolam on oxidative stress level, sedation score, and recovery time of patients under different doses in hip replacement are investigated. A total of 100 patients who underwent hip arthroplasty in our hospital from September 2020 to May 2022 are selected as the study subjects. According to the random number table method, they are divided into observation group and control group. The observation group is given 0.3 mg/kg Rimazolam, and the control group is given 0.4 mg/kg Rimazolam. Oxidative stress level, hemodynamic indexes at different time after anesthesia, sedation score and sedation depth, Visual Analogue Scale/Score (VAS) score and incidence of adverse reactions are observed in 2 groups. The correlation of sedation score with oxidative stress index and pain degree is analyzed. The experimental results show that Rimazolam has a good anesthesia induction effect in hip replacement, but the low dose (0.3 mg/kg) can reduce the level of oxidative stress in patients, has a better sedation effect and can maintain the stability of patients' hemodynamic indicators, and has a positive effect on relieving postoperative pain in patients. [Clinical Trial Registration Number- ChiCTR2000038548].

This study was designed to identify Enterococcus faecalis from clinical mastitis of cattle and determine their antimicrobial resistance and virulence determinants to evaluate their potential public health significance. A total of 105 composite milk samples (80 from cattle with clinical mastitis and 25 from apparently healthy cattle) were analyzed. E. faecalis were isolated by culturing on enterococcal selective media and identified by PCR and sequencing. Antimicrobial resistance phenotype was elucidated by the disc diffusion method, and MIC was determined by broth microdilution method according to CLSI guidelines. Detection of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes was done by PCR. E. faecalis were isolated from 11.25% (9/80) of the clinical mastitis and 4% (1/25) of the apparently healthy cattle milk samples. The disc diffusion test revealed 40% isolates as resistant to tetracycline and azithromycin, respectively. Among them, 20% (2/10) of isolates showed resistance to both tetracycline and azithromycin. Tetracycline-resistant isolates showed MIC ranging from ≥64 to >128 μg/ml and carried tetracycline-resistant genes tetK, tetL, and tetM in 25%, 25%, and 50% of the resistant isolates, respectively. On the other hand, all the isolates were sensitive to amoxicillin, ampicillin, bacitracin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, penicillin, and vancomycin. In addition, the isolates carried at least one of the nine virulence genes screened with pil having the highest frequency, followed by fsrB, fsrC, ace, sprE, gelE, and agg genes. Positive correlations were evident between ace, fsrC, gelE, and sprE genes that are associated with the attachment and biofilm formation in E. faecalis. E. faecalis isolated in this study carried antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants which explain their competence to be potential human pathogens.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecologic malignancy, mostly in postmenopausal women. The gold standard treatment for EC is surgery, but in the early stages, it is possible to opt for conservative treatment. In the last decade, different clinical and pathological markers have been studied to identify women who respond to conservative treatment. A lot of immunohistochemical markers have been evaluated to predict response to progestin treatment, even if their usefulness is still unclear; the prognosis of this neoplasm depends on tumor stage, and a specific therapeutic protocol is set according to the stage of the disease. OBJECTIVE: (1) To provide an overview of the conservative management of Stage 1A Grade (G) 2 endometrioid EC (FIGO) and the oncological and reproductive outcomes related; (2) to describe the molecular alterations before and after progestin therapy in patients undergoing conservative treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic computerized search of the literature was performed in the main electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library), from 2010 to September 2021, in order to evaluate the oncological and reproductive outcomes in patients with G2 stage IA EC who ask for fertility-sparing treatment. The expression of several immunohistochemical markers was evaluated in pretreatment phase and during the follow-up in relation to response to hormonal therapy. Only scientific publications in English were included. The risk of bias assessment was performed. Review authors' judgments were categorized as "low risk," "high risk," or "unclear risk" of bias. RESULTS: Twelve articles were included in the study: 7 observational studies and 5 case series/reports. Eighty-four patients who took progestins (megestrol acetate, medroxyprogesterone acetate, and/or levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices) were analyzed. The publication bias analysis turned out to be "low." 54/84 patients had a complete response, 23/84 patients underwent radical surgery, and 20/84 had a relapse after conservative treatment. Twenty-two patients had a pregnancy. The length of follow-up was variable, from 6 to 142 months according to the different studies analyzed. Several clinical and pathological markers have been studied to identify women who do not respond to conservative treatment: PR and ER were the most studied predictive markers, in particular PR appeared as the most promising; MMR, SPAG9, Ki67, and Nrf2-survivin pathway provided good results with a significant association with a good response to progestin therapy. However, no reliable predictive markers are currently available to be used in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: The conservative treatment may be an option for patients with stage IA G2 EEC who desire to preserve their fertility. The immunohistochemical markers evaluation looks promising in predicting response to conservative treatment. Further large series and randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these results.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a brain injury caused by motor vehicle accidents, falls from heights, sports, and combat. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex mental disorder caused by physical and psychological trauma, which manifests itself with symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunction. How its symptoms arise and what factors influence it are not fully understood nor can it be predicted. In order to better understand the changes after stress disorder in TBI patients and the influencing factors of PTSD, this paper analyzed the changes and influencing factors of stress disorder in patients with mild traumatic brain injury stress disorder. In this paper, the Wechsler Memory Scale and functional magnetic resonance imaging were first used to study the memory impairment and functional changes of corresponding brain regions in patients with TBI stress disorder, and then, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale and the pain Visual Analogue Scale were used to study the influencing factors of PTSD. The results of the study showed that PTSD patients reduced and enhanced regional brain functional activity and impaired memory function in the resting state. Male gender, age under 45 years, no hemiplegia, and good sleep quality were protective factors for PTSD in TBI patients. The need for drug-assisted sleep, severe headache, and moderate headache was the risk factor for PTSD in TBI patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the pharmacodynamic mechanism of Yiguanjian (YGJ) decoction against Parkinson's disease (PD) through integrating the central nervous (inner brain) and peripheral system (outer brain) relationship spectrum. METHODS: The active components of YGJ were achieved from the TCMSP, TCMID, and TCM@Taiwan databases. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of the active components along with their corresponding targets was evaluated utilizing the existing website, namely, SwissADME and SwissTargetPrediction. The targets of PD were determined through database retrieval. The interaction network was constructed upon the STRING database, followed by the visualization using Cytoscape software. Then, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses on potential targets. Finally, the molecular docking approach was employed to assess the binding affinity between key components and key targets. RESULTS: Overall, we identified 79 active components, 128 potential targets of YGJ, and 97 potential targets of YGJ-BBB potentially suitable for the treatment of PD. GO and KEGG analyses showed that the YGJ treatment of PD mainly relied on PI3K-Akt pathway while the YGJ-BBB was mostly involved in endocrine resistance. The molecular docking results displayed high affinity between multiple compounds and targets in accordance with previous observations. CONCLUSIONS: Our study unveiled the potential mechanisms of YGJ against PD from a systemic perspective: (1) for the YGJ, they have potential exerting effects on the peripheral system and inhibiting neuronal apoptosis through regulating the PI3K-Akt pathway; (2) for the YGJ-BBB, they can directly modulate endocrine resistance of the central nervous and holistically enhance body resistance to PD along with YGJ on PI3K-Akt pathway.

Phytophthora capsici is one of the most devastating fungal pathogens, causing severe diseases that lead to economic loss in the pepper industry. As a result of the infections, the chemical approach is becoming more popular. Biological control, on the other hand, is better suited to controlling fungal pathogens. The biological control approach significantly reduces the problems associated with chemical applications while restoring natural environmental balance. As a result, the overall findings indicate that certain bacterial isolates play a beneficial role in lytic enzyme production and biocontrol activities against P. capsici. Bacterial isolates obtained from the pepper plants were screened for lytic enzyme and anti-oomycete activity against Phytophthora capsici in Ethiopia. Sixty bacterial isolates were isolated and tested against Phytophthora capsici. From these bacterial isolates, different inhibition zones and hydrolytic enzyme production were detected. Biochemical tests using an automated machine (MALDI-TOF, VITEK 2 compact and 16S rRNA) revealed that three of them, AAUSR23, AAULE41, and AAULE51, showed a high inhibition zone and high production of hydrolytic enzymes and were identified as Enterobacter cloacae (AAUSR23), Pseudomonas fluorescens (AAULE41), and undetermined (AAULE51). The effects of diffusable metabolite isolate AAULE51 has a 66.7% inhibition zone against Phytophthora capsici, followed by AAULE41 and AAUSR23, which have 59.7% and 14.1% inhibition zones, respectively. These bacterial isolates showed high production of hydrolytic enzymes like protease, cellulase, chitinase, and lipase (5-34 diameter of inhibition zone). As a result, the overall findings show that selected bacterial isolates play a beneficial role in lytic enzyme production and for their biocontrol activities against P. capsici.

During bone tissue regeneration, neovascularization is critical, and the formation of a blood supply network is crucial for bone growth stimulation and remodeling. Previous studies suggest that bioelectric signals facilitate the process of angiogenesis. Owing to their biomimetic electroactivity, piezoelectric membranes have garnered substantial interest in the field of guided bone regeneration. Nevertheless, the knowledge of their influence due to varying surface potentials on the progression of angiogenesis remains ambiguous. Therefore, we proposed the preparation of an electroactive material, P(VDF-TrFE), and investigated its effects on the activity and angiogenic functions of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The HUVECs were directly cultured on P(VDF-TrFE) membranes with different surface potentials. Subsequently, cell viability, proliferation, migration, tube formation, and expressions of related factors were assessed through appropriate assays. Our results revealed that the negative surface potential groups exerted differential effects on the modulation of angiogenesis in vitro. The P(VDF-TrFE) membranes with negative surface potential exhibited the greatest effect on cellular behaviors, including proliferation, migration, tube formation, and promotion of angiogenesis by releasing key factors such as VEGF-A and CD31. Overall, these results indicated that the surface potential of piezoelectric P(VDF-TrFE) membranes could exert differential effects on angiogenesis in vitro. We present a novel approach for designing bioactive materials for guided bone regeneration.

12/15-lipoxygenase (12/15-LOX) is a member of the lipoxygenase family, which can catalyze a variety of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to produce different metabolites, such as 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE), 15-HETE, lipoxin (LX), hepoxilin, resolvin, protectin, and maresins. 12/15-LOX and its metabolites take part in inflammatory responses and mediate related signalling pathways, playing an essential role in various inflammatory diseases. So the definition, catalytic substrates, metabolites of 12/15-lipoxygenase, and their roles in inflammatory responses are reviewed in this article.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has shown that necroptosis has enormous significance in the generation and deterioration of cancer, and miRNA molecular markers involved in necroptosis in low-grade gliomas (LGGs) have not been thoroughly reported. METHODS: Using the miRNA data of 512 samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), 689 miRNAs from LGG samples were split into high immunity score and low immunity score groups for analysis. The differential miRNAs related to necroptosis were analyzed by univariate Cox regression analysis. On the basis of the outcome of univariate Cox regression analysis, miRNAs with significant differences were selected to construct a multivariate Cox regression model and calculate the risk score. Then, we evaluated whether the risk score could be used as an unaided prognostic factor. RESULTS: Overall, six differential miRNAs were identified (hsa-miR-148a-3p, hsa-miR-141-3p, hsa-miR-223-3p, hsa-miR-7-5p, hsa-miR-500a-3p, and hsa-miR-200a-5p). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed, and the c index was 0.71. Then, by mixing the risk score with clinicopathological factors, univariate Cox regression (HR: 2.7146, 95% CI: 1.8402-4.0044, P < 0.0001) and multivariate Cox regression analyses (HR: 2.3280, 95% CI: 1.5692-3.4536, P < 0.001) were performed. The data suggested that the risk score is an unaided prognostic indicator, which is markedly related with the overall survival time of LGG sufferers. Thus, a lower risk score is correlated with better prediction of LGG. CONCLUSION: In order to achieve the ultimate goal of improving the living conditions of patients, we established prognostic risk model using 6 miRNAs related to necroptosis, which has the ability to predict the prognosis of LGG. It is possible to further enrich the therapeutic targets for LGG and provide clinical guidance for the treatment of LGG in the future.

The objective of the study is to look at the activation of stem cell-related markers in lung adenocarcinoma. Utilizing an unsupervised machine learning approach centered on the mRNA expression of pluripotent stem cells as well as its subsequent developed progeny, the mRNA stemness index of further around 500 LUAD patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset was generated. In LUADs, mRNAsi had first been investigated using differential variations, survivability analyses, medical phases, and sexuality. A computational approach is used for identifying cell clusters utilizing fuzzy clustering. There at transcriptional as well as protein stages, the interactions between the genetic markers were investigated. The functionality and processes of the important genes were annotated using expression values. The degree of gene expression related to the clinical symptoms and the likelihood of surviving have also been confirmed. In cancer patients, the mRNAsi genes were highly elevated. In particular, the mRNAsi score rises with advanced trials and varies markedly by sexuality. Within several years, reduced mRNAsi categories will have superior overall survivability in large LUADs. Individuals with chronic LUAD had greater mRNAsi and had reduced average survivability. The important genes and the distinguished categories have been chosen based on their mRNAsi connections. Some of the major genes related to cell proliferating Gene Ontology concepts were found enriched out from the cell cycle Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) process. Specific genes were found to be linked to CSC features. Their activation grew in lockstep with the progression of LUAD's pathology, so these markers appeared amplified in pan-cancers. These important markers were discovered to have substantial connections as a group, suggesting that they could be exploited as drug applications in the therapy of LUAD by suppressing stemness traits.

The postoperative results of cerebrovascular surgery patients have been successfully used in medical practice using the Internet. The results obtained through data analysis were used in the study. So far, 120 patients who underwent cerebrovascular surgery from February 2018 to December 2018 have been enrolled. The selected class was divided into two groups: 60 psychiatric patients, a control group and an observation group. The former is medical treatment and the latter is postoperative treatment. Results: The results showed that the blood pressure of control group was lower than that of control group, and the incidence of adverse events was lower than that of control group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the average hospitalization rate of cerebrovascular disease patients in control group was lower than that in control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: For patients with cerebrovascular disease, postoperative nursing can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, reduce the risk of surgery, and improve the effect of surgery. Acute ischemic stroke refers to a kind of clinical syndrome caused by abnormal blood supply in the brain, resulting in ischemia, hypoxic brain tissue necrosis, and focal or comprehensive neurological deficiency. Among them, progressive cerebral infarction accounted for about 20~35%, and most occurred in the early stage of the disease (48~72)h.

To address the issue of genetic mutations in medical records, clinical studies on minimally invasive surgery for breast cancer have been proposed. The CYP1B1 gene is mainly a single-nucleotide mutation, which affects the enzymatic reaction related to carcinogens and causes the susceptibility differences of different individuals. First, the survival rate and other factors influencing the estimation of 120 leukemia patients were examined with the help of various medical records by establishing an organization for auxiliary diagnosis of lung cancer based on expertise. Secondly, through the treatment of 120 leukemia patients after minor surgery, the average life expectancy of 120 patients was 19 months, the one-year survival rate was 74.61%, and the two-year survival rate was 32.70%. Currently, there are more than 160 cases of CYP1B1 discovered. In recent years, people have gradually entered into in-depth research on the correlation between genes and lung cancer, which is of great significance to the treatment and research of lung cancer. An analysis showed patients' age, stage, whether they would work, whether radiation therapy and antibiotics were offered, and so on. s has a direct impact on patient survival, and many tests have shown that the patient's age, stage, whether it will work, and whether fire radiation and drug therapy are provided are important interventions for patients with anemia. Finally, in patients with leukemia, especially during the restricted period, combined treatment with a physician, radiologist, and surgeon should be initiated as soon as possible. For a wide range of disease, depending on the use of chemotherapy, local metastasis with antibiotics can improve the disease. After success, it is more beneficial to choose second-line treatment.

CRISPR/Cas9 technology has become the most examined gene editing technology in recent years due to its simple design, yet low cost, high efficiency, and simple operation, which can also achieve simultaneous editing of multiple loci. It can also be carried out without using plasmids, saving lots of troubles caused by plasmids. CRISPR/Cas9 has shown great potential in the study of genes or genomic functions in microorganisms, plants, animals, and human beings. In this review, we will examine the history, structure, and basic mechanisms of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, describe its great value in precision medicine and sgRNA library screening, and dig its great potential in a new field: DNA information storage.

In order to explore the dimensions of college students' resilience and compile a measuring tool for contemporary Chinese college students' resilience, semistructured interviews are conducted with 20 college students who have experienced adversity, and the initial dimension of college students' resilience is obtained. Based on the initial dimensions, the project is compiled to form the "College Students' Resilience Scale," which is tested for 1374 college students, and four dimensions of the scale are obtained through exploratory factor analysis. The college students' resilience scale consists of 26 items with 4 dimensions, namely, "self-efficacy and adaptability," "positive cognition," "negative emotion adjustment ability," and "perceived use of social support." The self-made college students' resilience scale has good reliability and validity and is an effective measuring tool for college students' resilience.

The study of immune genes and immune cells is highly focused in recent years. To find immunological genes with prognostic value, the current study examines childhood acute myeloid leukemia according to gender. The TARGET database was used to gather the "mRNA expression profile data" and relevant clinical data of children with AML. To normalize processing and find differentially expressed genes (DEG) between male and female subgroups, the limma software package is utilized. We identified prognostic-related genes and built models using LASSO, multivariate Cox, and univariate Cox analysis. The prognostic significance of prognostic genes was then examined through the processing of survival analysis and risk score (RS) calculation. We investigated the connections between immune cells and prognostic genes as well as the connections between prognostic genes and medications. Finally, five immune genes from the TARGET database have been identified. These immune genes are considerably correlated to the prognosis of male patients.

A meta-analysis is used to investigate the correlation between the status of collateral circulation assessed by head CT angiography (CTA) and the outcome of thrombectomy for cerebral infarction. Meta-analysis is conducted. The experimental results show that the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, incidence of cerebral hemorrhage, and mortality in the group with good collateral circulation are significantly lower than those in the group with bad collateral circulation, and the rate of good prognosis is significantly higher (P < 0.05). The evaluation and treatment of patients with cerebral infarction and their prognosis based on CTA intelligent medical technology are related to collateral circulation, and the effect of effectively reducing the risk of death, cerebral hemorrhage, and neurological function injury and improving the prognosis is more obvious in each collateral circulation.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer (OC) is a common clinical gynecological disease, which seriously threatens women's health and life. We investigated the roles of SPOCK2 in OC and its associated molecular mechanism in the current study. METHODS: The expressions and prognostic value of SPOCK2 in OC were identified using the clinical data and data from the GEPIA database. Then, SPOCK2 silence was implemented to search functions of SPOCK2 in OC cells. CCK-8 was used to examine cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The OC cell invasion and migration were evaluated by transwell assays. RESULTS: Overexpressed SPOCK2 was identified in OC, which was correlated with poor prognosis and a shorter survival rate. SPOCK2 downregulation significantly suppressed OC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and cell apoptosis was markedly promoted by SPOCK2 silence. Meanwhile, SPOCK2 knockdown could effectively suppress Wnt/β-catenin. CONCLUSION: SPOCK2 exerted crucial functions in OC progression and could serve as a promising candidate for OC targeted therapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study used network pharmacology and molecular docking technology to elucidate the mechanism of action of Shishiwei Wendan Decoction against lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: By using the world's largest TCM System Pharmacology Database and Analysis Technology Platform (TCMSP) system to conduct in-depth mining analysis and data collection of the main active components of the medicinal components in Shishiwei Wendan Decoction and using the human gene card database (GeneCards), Human Mendelian Inheritance Online System (OMIM), and Human Disease-Related Gene and Mutation Information Database (DisGeNET) to collect the pathogenic targets of lung adenocarcinoma and build a PPI network; for the core drug targets, use GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis; use Cytoscape software to build relevant network maps; and use AutoDock to achieve molecular docking. RESULTS: Shishiwei Wendan Decoction screened 144 active ingredients and 384 drug targets; 7680 lung adenocarcinoma disease targets were obtained, including 380 targets for Shishiwei Wendan Decoction in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma. GO enrichment analysis demonstrated 2,299 downstream genes, and key target genes were closely related to nutrient levels, membrane rafts, and protein serine/threonine kinase activity; KEGG functional enrichment analysis yielded 179 related pathways, including tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway which is related to the target gene. Molecular docking showed that the core active ingredients and key targets could be well combined. CONCLUSION: Through the network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking experiments of Shishiwei Wendan Decoction against lung adenocarcinoma, it is found that Shishiwei Wendan Decoction has multidimensional effects on the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma, and it is the first Shiwei Wendan Decoction to treat lung adenocarcinoma. Decoction in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma provides biointellectual support and the oretical support.

BACKGROUND: Malaria remains a disease of great public health importance in 85 countries globally. Developing countries face resource constraints in implementing public health interventions aiming at controlling malaria. Promoting community participation may contribute to rational and effective use of resources and therefore facilitating achievement of intervention goals in a cost-effective manner while fostering sustainability. However, this can be possible if the community is engaged at all stages of the intervention, from designing, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of results. This study aimed at understanding community participation in the implementation of a biolarviciding intervention for malaria vectors control in Southern Tanzania. METHODS: The current study adopted explanatory mixed method study design in collecting data. Quantitative data were collected from 400 community members and 12 vector control coordinators using structured questionnaire while qualitative data was collected through key informant interviews to 32 participants and in-depth interviews to 5 vector control coordinators who were purposively selected from the 12 councils. Quantitative data analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistics. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. RESULTS: Of 400 community members, only 90 (22.5%) participated in biolarviciding implementation. Predictors of community participation were willingness to participate (AOR = 3.15, 95%CI = 1.14 - 8.71, P value = 0.027) and community involvement (AOR = 6.07, 95%CI = 2.69 - 13.71, P value < 0.001). The study revealed that the main barriers to community participation were lack of effective involvement and lack of incentive to community volunteers while high willingness to participate was a facilitating factor for community participation. CONCLUSION: The study revealed low community participation in biolarviciding implementation in Southern Tanzania with willingness to participate and community involvement being the main predictors for community participation while lack of incentive to community volunteers was one major barrier to community participation. This explains the persistence of an unresolved challenge of community participation in malaria interventions. Therefore, more efforts are needed to improve the participation of community members in Malaria interventions through advocacy, awareness creation of respective roles, and responsibilities of the community members and fostering community ownership. Additionally, councils need to design customized motivation package for the community members.

OBJECTIVES: The present ex vivo study is aimed at evaluating the antibacterial efficacy of chloroform, eucalyptol, orange oil, and xylene against E. faecalis biofilm during nonsurgical root canal retreatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty single-rooted teeth were instrumented. The samples were autoclaved, infected with E. faecalis for 4 weeks, and obturated with gutta-percha. Then the teeth were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 20): (1) chloroform, (2) eucalyptol, (3) orange oil, and (4) xylene. In all of the groups, gutta-percha removal was conducted according to the same protocol although the solvent used in each group was different. Bacterial samples were collected after gutta-percha removal and following additional apical enlargement. Intergroup and intragroup analyses were conducted using one-way ANOVA combined with the post hoc Tukey test and the paired-sample t-test, respectively. Statistical significance was set to 0.05. RESULTS: All of the groups showed more than 99% bacterial load reduction. The least bacterial load after gutta-percha removal was observed in the chloroform group (p < 0.001). The orange oil group showed a significantly lower bacterial load compared to the eucalyptol group (p = 0.001), while it was not different from the xylene group (p = 0.953). The xylene group also had a significantly lower bacterial load compared with the eucalyptol group (p = 0.017). After apical enlargement, the chloroform group had a significantly lower bacterial load compared to the other groups. The comparison of bacterial load values before and after apical enlargement in the chloroform and eucalyptol groups showed a statistically significant difference (p choloroform = 0.011, p eucalyptol = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Chloroform was the most effective solvent in terms of antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis followed by orange oil and xylene, which were not significantly different though, and eucalyptol. All of the solvents showed more than 99% bacterial load reduction. Chloroform and xylene revealed to be associated with favorable antibiofilm activity among the examined solvents.

OBJECTIVE: To review the features and treatment of parathyroid cancer in our series. Explore the suitable extent of initial surgery and the effect of adjuvant radiotherapy in local recurrence. METHODS: Seven cases of parathyroid cancer presented from 2014 to 2021. The presenting features, diagnosis, and treatment are presented. RESULTS: Only two patients had multiple manifestations of hypercalcemia. Marked hypercalcemia, which was revealed to be an average of 13.9 mg/dl (range from 11.8 mg/dl to 15.8 mg/dl), was observed in four patients (57%). The others' serum calcium levels were in the normal range with an average of 9.9 mg/dl (range from 8.6 mg/dl to 10.8 mg/dl). All seven patients had hyperparathyroidism with an average of 733 pg/ml (range from 113 pg/ml to 3193 pg/ml). En bloc resection was performed in two patients with neighboring structure invasion, and four patients with complete tumor capsules underwent tumor resection with limited resection of the thyroid gland. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy appeared unsuccessful for local recurrence. CONCLUSION: High calcium, high PTH, parathyroid occupation by ultrasound, and intraoperative invasion should be considered to have the possibility of parathyroid cancer. Open surgery is recommended and protecting tumor integration is the elementary surgery principle. The initial surgical extent should be decided by the invasion of the tumor. When PC has a local recurrence, the debulking surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy are always fake.

PURPOSE: To compare the effect of sutureless versus standard suture (double-layer suture) during renorrhaphy in laparoscopic or robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy on perioperative and renal function outcomes. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and other sources were searched for randomized controlled trials or retrospective studies comparing sutureless partial nephrectomy versus standard suture partial nephrectomy. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed by two reviewers independently. RESULTS: Five retrospective studies were included with a total of 634 patients. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the decline of estimated glomerular filtration rate (I 2 = 98.5%; WMD, -4.19 ml/min; 95% CI, -7.64 to -0.73; P < 0.001) and no significant difference in postoperative complications (I 2 = 0; RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.61 to 2.81; P = 0.623). A significant advantage in terms of operating time (I 2 = 53.9%; WMD, -29.08 min; 95% CI, -33.06 to -25.10; P = 0.069) and warm ischemia time (I 2 = 38.5%; WMD, -6.17 min; 95% CI, -6.99 to -5.36; P = 0.165) favored sutureless, while there was no significant difference in blood loss (I 2 = 58.1%; WMD, 3.10 ml; 95% CI, -39.18 to 45.38; P = 0.049). CONCLUSION: Sutureless during renorrhaphy is feasible and safe compared with standard suture. Sutureless can shorten the operating time and warm ischemia time without increasing postoperative complications, and thus, it protects renal function.

Conventional breeding of wild (Cucumis melo var. makuwa Makino (CM)) and cultivated (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus (CR)) melons is aimed at improving their biological traits. Here, we prepared a nontoxic, bioactive extract of vitalmelon (F1 hybrid) and evaluated its antiadipogenic and antiobesity effects in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced obese C57BL/6 mice. In fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, the vitalmelon extract reduced the DMI- (dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and insulin-) induced increases in lipid droplet number and intracellular glucose and triglyceride levels. In addition, the extract inhibited 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation by downregulating PPAR-γ and target genes LPL, CD36, HMGCR, and L-FABP. To investigate the inhibitory effects of the vitalmelon extract on lipid metabolism, we measured serum lipid, hormone, and cytokine concentrations; lipolytic activity; lipid accumulation; and adipogenesis in HFD-fed mice treated with the extract. The HFD+vitalmelon-fed mice showed lower blood cholesterol, free fatty acid, sugar, leptin, and insulin concentrations but higher blood adiponectin concentrations than the HFD-fed mice. Moreover, the HFD+vitalmelon-fed mice showed lower abdominal fat levels, smaller fat cells, lower weight, and fewer lipid droplets in the liver tissue than the HFD-fed mice. Therefore, in HFD-fed mice, vitalmelon regulated lipid metabolism through PPAR-γ, highlighting its potential as a promising antiobesity functional food.

The incidence of oral cancer is still increasing. It has become very common in patients with malignant tumors, which has forced medical personnel to continuously explore its treatment methods. What kind of method can effectively and correctly diagnose the disease in the early stage and improve the survival rate has become one of the research topics that have attracted much attention. Aiming at this problem, it has great research significance for the field of oral precancerous lesions diagnosis. With the in-depth research on oral precancerous diagnosis, the research on artificial neural network (ANN) in medical diagnosis is gradually carried out. Its performance advantage is of great significance to solve the problem of early and correct disease diagnosis. This paper aimed to investigate the application of ANN-assisted cancer risk prediction method in risk prediction of oral precancerous lesions. Through the analysis and research of ANN and oral cancer, the construction of oral cancer risk prediction model was applied to solve the problem of improving the survival rate of oral cancer patients. In this paper, ANN and oral precancerous lesions were analyzed, the performance of the algorithm was experimentally analyzed, and the relevant theoretical formulas were used to explain. The results showed that the method had higher accuracy than traditional forecasting methods. When N = 2, the output accuracy was above 90%. It can be seen that the algorithm can meet the needs of the diagnosis of high-risk groups of oral cancer lesions, and the diagnosis efficiency and patient survival rate has been greatly improved.

Arthropods can be either large or too small to be seen from the microscope. Their legs are jointed and perform a specific function in the soil. Several arthropods have been identified to date. Therefore, it is essential to identify them in a different type of soil. An experiment to quantify the soil arthropods in the urban forests of D.G. Khan was conducted at the Zoology lab of Ghazi University on four tree plants, i.e., neem (Azadirachta indica), mango (Mangifera indica), guava (Psidium guajava), and phalsa (Grewia asiatica). Soil samples were taken from different areas and on different months. The diversity of arthropods was analyzed through the Shannon index. The results were all significant. The total number of arthropods found in the experiment was 5151, with the following distributions: millipedes were 132 in neem, 133 in guava, 113 in mango, and 121 in phalsa; centipedes were 136 in neem, 142 in guava, 118 in mango, and 132 in phalsa; springtails were 138 in neem, 130 in guava, 120 in mango, and 134 in phalsa. There were a total of 12 different species of arthropods found. Neem (Azadirachta indica) have mites, centipede, and ants; guava (Psidium guajava) have centipedes and ants. Mango (Mangifera indica) have millipedes, centipedes, mites, springtail, and ants, and phalsa (Grewia asiatica) have mites, ants, and centipedes. The study reveals that millipedes, centipedes, springtails, and ants were found abundantly in the urban forest area of D.G. Khan, resulting in increased organic matter decomposition and appropriate distribution of nutrients through the soil having beneficial effects on the terrestrial ecosystem.

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder in the intestinal tract as a response to the use of gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. It is a worldwide problem, with a high prevalence rate in North America. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 1090 samples collected from different hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, from January 2019 to December 2019. In this study, 1090 blood samples screened for seroprevalence of anti-tTG antibodies in CD symptomatic patients via ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). 1090 fecal samples from the same CD patients were collected and tested for the presence of rotavirus (RV) via ELISA and RT-PCR. Of the 1090 patients tested for seroprevalence of anti-tTG antibodies, 112/1090 (10.3%) were found to be positive. Of the 112 anti-tTG-positive patients, 78/112 (70%) were positive for RV via ELISA and 74/112 (66.1%) were RV positive via RT-PCR. A statistically significant association was reported between rotavirus infection and celiac disease (p˂0.05). Anti-tTG antibodies were higher in age group 6 (12-18 years) patients (18.4%) and at minimum in age group 3 (1-3 years) patients (4.8%). However, there was a statistically insignificant relationship between group age and CD prevalence (p > 0.05). The highest CD prevalence was noted during winter season (19.6%) and the lowest (3.0%) during fall/autumn. Our study findings demonstrate that Pakistan has a high prevalence of CD compared to other studies. Further studies in the fields of environmental risk factors and treatment with more advanced serological and histopathological studies are needed in the future.

Cigarette smoking throughout life causes serious health issues in the lungs. The electronic cigarette (E-Cig) use increased, since it was first introduced in the world. This research work compared the short-term exposure consequences to e-cigarette vapor and cigarette smoke in male mice. Forty-five C57BL/6 mice were randomized into control (C) in an ambient air exposition cigarette smoke (CS) and aerosol electronic cigarette (EC), both were exposed to 120 puffs, 3 times/day during five days. Then, in the experimental protocol, the euthanized mice had their tissues removed for analysis. Our study showed that CS and EC resulted in higher cell influx into the airways, and an increase in macrophage counts in CS (209.25 ± 7.41) and EC (220.32 ± 8.15) when compared to C (108.40 ± 4.49) (p < 0.0001). The CS (1.92 ± 0.23) displayed a higher pulmonary lipid peroxidation as opposed to C (0.93 ± 0.06) and EC (1.23 ± 0.17) (p < 0.05). The EC (282.30 ± 25.68) and CS (368.50 ± 38.05) promoted increased levels of interleukin 17 when compared to C (177.20 ± 10.49) (p < 0.05). The EC developed shifts in lung histoarchitecture, characterized by a higher volume density in the alveolar air space (60.21; 55.00-65.83) related to C (51.25; 18.75-68.75) and CS (50.26; 43.75-62.08) (p =0.002). The EC (185.6 ± 9.01) presented a higher respiratory rate related to CS (133.6 ± 10.2) (p < 0.002). Therefore, our findings demonstrated that the short-term exposure to e-cig promoted more acute inflammation comparing to cigarette smoke in the ventilatory parameters of the animals.

BACKGROUND: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a disabling orthopedic disease, which is impacted by infiltration of immune cells. Thus, the aim of the current research was to determine the inflammation-related biomarkers in ONFH. METHODS: GSE123568 dataset with control and steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) samples were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by limma R package and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to explore the co-expression genes and modules. We obtained inflammation-related genes (IRGs) from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB). Then, the IRGs associated with SONFH (IRGs-SONFH) were screened out and analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database, and hub genes were identified by the MCODE algorithm. Based on the hub genes, we constructed a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. RESULTS: We identified 535 DEGs between control and SONFH samples. The WGCNA clearly indicated that the brown module was most significantly associated with SONFH. We identified 25 IRGs-SONFH through WGCNA module genes, DEGs and IRGs. A total of 4 hub genes (CD14, CYBB, NOD2, and TLR1) were identified by Cytoscape. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined that the expressions of the four genes could distinguish SONFH from controls as evidenced by the area under the curve (AUC) greater than 0.7. Finally, we constructed a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network which included 67 lncRNAs, 1 miRNA (hsa-miR-320a), and 1 mRNA (NOD2). CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified 4 hub genes as potential inflammation-related biomarkers of SONFH. Moreover, we proposed a ceRNA network of lncRNAs targeting hsa-miR-320a, hsa-miR-320a, and NOD2 as a potential RNA regulatory pathway that controls disease progression in ONFH.

Sports apps are third-party applications for smartphones or wearables that can help users record fitness data and guide their exercise behavior. Many Chinese college students are compelled to use sports apps for running exercises to improve their physical health and cultivate extracurricular exercise habits; however, the acceptance and use of sports apps by college students in mandatory situations requires elucidation. We explored the influencing factors of university students' behavioral intention and usage behavior to use sports apps in mandatory situations by combining the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and the Self-Determination Theory. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 249 students of Liaoning University of Technology by using non-probabilistic convenient sampling. Data analysis was performed by employing partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results showed that (1) the research model explained 66% (R 2 = 0.66) of the variance in behavioral intention and 30% (R 2 = 0.30) of the variance in usage behavior; (2) performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and autonomous motivation significantly positively affected behavioral intention, while controlled motivation negatively affected behavioral intention; and (3) behavioral intention, autonomous motivation, and controlled motivation significantly positively affected usage behavior. The influence of facilitating conditions on usage behavior was non-significant. The results will help technical developers and schools to better understand the influencing factors of college students' use of sports apps in mandatory situations, and formulate corresponding improvement strategies and policies to further promote the role sports apps play in college students' exercise behavior.

Data regarding the therapeutic potential of Caladium lindenii (C. lindenii) are insufficient. It becomes more important to explore plants as an alternative or palliative therapeutics in deadly diseases around the globe. The current study was planned to explore C. lindenii for its anticancer activity of ethanolic and hexane extracts of C. lindenii leaves against hepatic carcinoma (HepG2) and human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cell lines. HepG2 and HEK293T cells were treated with 10, 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/mL of ethanolic and hexane extracts of C. lindenii and were incubated for 72 h. Antiproliferative activity was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-biphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and percentage viability were calculated through crystal violet staining and cellular morphology by Floid Cell Imaging Station. The study showed ethanolic extract exhibiting a significantly higher antiproliferative effect on HepG2 (IC50 = 31μg/mL) in a concentration-dependent manner, while HEK293T (IC50 = 241μg/mL) cells showed no toxicity. Hexane extract exhibited lower cytotoxicity (IC50 = 150μg/mL) on HepG2 cells with no effect on HEK293T (IC50 = 550μg/mL). On the other hand, the percentage viability of HepG2 cells was recorded as 78%, 67%, 50%, 37%, and 28% by ethanolic extracts, and 88%, 80%, 69%, 59%, and 50% by hexane extracts at tested concentrations of both extracts. Toxicity assay showed significantly safer ranges of percentage viabilities in normal cells (HEK293T), i.e., 95%, 90%, 88%, 76%, and 61% with ethanolic extract and 97%, 95%, 88%, 75%, and 62% with hexane extract. The assay validity revealed 100% viability in the control negative (dimethyl sulfoxide treated) and less than 45% in the control positive (cisplatin) on both HepG2 and HEK293T cells. Morphological studies showed alterations in HepG2 cells upon exposure to >50 μg/mL of ethanolic extracts and ≥400 μg/mL of hexane extracts. HEK293T on the other hand did not change its morphology against any of the extracts compared to the aggressive changes on the HepG2 cell line by both extracts and positive control (cisplatin). In conclusion, extracts of C. lindenii are proved to have significant potential for cytotoxicity-induced apoptosis in human cancer HepG2 cells and are less toxic to normal HEK293T cells. Hence C. lindenii extracts are proposed to be used against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after further validations.

BACKGROUND: Neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal diseases. Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy is a special acupuncture method that targets muscle trigger points. It has been proven to have a positive effect on the treatment of neck pain. The access to its curative effect may be related to the improvement of muscle and soft tissue condition. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy for patients with neck pain by collecting changes in the sEMG of the patient's neck muscles and related data from evaluation scales and explore the feasibility and safety of Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy for neck pain. METHODS: 72 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into FSN group and acupuncture group for corresponding treatment. FSN group was treated once every other day for 5 consecutive treatments; the acupuncture group was treated once a day for 10 consecutive treatments. RESULT: Outcome indicators were measured at baseline, after the first treatment and the end of the treatment. Primary outcome indicators: average EMG (AEMG) and (mean power frequency) MPF of sternocleidomastoid muscle and superior trapezius muscle. Secondary outcome indicators: Mc Gill pain questionnaire (MPQ), neck disability index (NDI), and adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: This study will explore the efficacy, safety, and possible mechanism of Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy for patients with neck pain, thus to provide more evidence support for clinical decision-making. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Register Center (registration number ChiCTR2100043529).

The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease has been extensively studied. miRNAs have been highlighted as an important physiological regulator for activities like cardiac protection. miRNAs are present in the circulation, and they have been investigated as physiological markers, especially in the condition of heart failure. However, there is less compelling verification that miRNAs can outperform traditional biomarkers. However, clinical evidence is still required. In this review article, we explored the feasibility of miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers for heart failure in a systematic study. Searching in the PubMed database to identify miRNA molecules that are differentially expressed between groups of patients with heart failure or heart disease and controls, throughout the investigation, we discovered no significant overlap in differentially expressed miRNAs. Only four miRNAs ("miR-126," "miR-150-5p," "hsa-miR-233," and "miR-423-5p") were differentially expressed. Results from our review show that there is not enough evidence to support the use of miRNAs as biomarkers in clinical settings.

A vertebral compression fracture (VCF) is an injury to a vertebra of the spine affecting the cortical walls and/or middle cancellous section. The most common risk factor for a VCF is osteoporosis, thus predisposing the elderly and postmenopausal women to this injury. Clinical consequences include loss of vertebral height, kyphotic deformity, altered stance, back pain, reduced mobility, reduced abdominal space, and reduced thoracic space, as well as early mortality. To restore vertebral mechanical stability, overall spine function, and patient quality of life, the original percutaneous surgical intervention has been vertebroplasty, whereby bone cement is injected into the affected vertebra. Because vertebroplasty cannot fully restore vertebral height, newer surgical techniques have been developed, such as kyphoplasty, stents, jacks, coils, and cubes. But, relatively few studies have experimentally assessed the biomechanical performance of these newer procedures. This article reviews over 20 years of scientific literature that has experimentally evaluated the biomechanics of percutaneous VCF repair methods. Specifically, this article describes the basic operating principles of the repair methods, the study protocols used to experimentally assess their biomechanical performance, and the actual biomechanical data measured, as well as giving a number of recommendations for future research directions.

In order to assess the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in microscopic brain scans. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRI) changes over time in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) show a relationship between recovery from coma and overall Glasgow prognostic parameters. The value of DTI combined with MRI in evaluating TBI has been investigated. 10 patients with TBI received 10 evaluations of magnetic resonance imaging, DTI and MRI scans. Thalamic plate nucleus, reticular nucleus, and retinal developmental activity were measured in normal controls and TBI coma (2-3 weeks) and mild (>4 weeks) patients. Anisotropy, mean diffusion coefficient, axial diffusion coefficient, and radial diffusion coefficient were measured using MRI together with acetylaspartic acid, choline, creatinine, and lactic acid. Independent control t-tests were conducted between controls and TBI patients, and 1-test paired between moderate and severe injuries, and regression and correlation were evaluated. Evaluated for all measures and treatments. DTI and MRI scores in TBI patients differed from normal controls. DTI and MRI can predict the prognosis of TBI patients better. The limitations of the thalamus-retinal activation system are gradually restored. axial diffusion coefficient and radial diffusion coefficient can be used to evaluate the reliability of comatose patients with TBI. DTI and MRI scans of the patient's brain can predict recovery and guide treatment in TBI coma patients.

Healthcare occupies a central role in sustainable societies and has an undeniable impact on the well-being of individuals. However, over the years, various diseases have adversely affected the growth and sustainability of these societies. Among them, heart disease is escalating rapidly in both economically settled and undeveloped nations and leads to fatalities around the globe. To reduce the death ratio caused by this disease, there is a need for a framework to continuously monitor a patient's heart status, essentially doing early detection and prediction of heart disease. This paper proposes a scalable Machine Learning (ML) and Internet of Things-(IoT-) based three-layer architecture to store and process a large amount of clinical data continuously, which is needed for the early detection and monitoring of heart disease. Layer 1 of the proposed framework is used to collect data from IoT wearable/implanted smart sensor nodes, which includes various physiological measures that have significant impact on the deterioration of heart status. Layer 2 stores and processes the patient data on a local web server using various ML classification algorithms. Finally, Layer 3 is used to store the critical data of patients on the cloud. The doctor and other caregivers can access the patient health conditions via an android application, provide services to the patient, and inhibit him/her from further damage. Various performance evaluation measures such as accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1-measure, MCC-score, and ROC curve are used to check the efficiency of our proposed IoT-based heart disease prediction framework. It is anticipated that this system will assist the healthcare sector and the doctors in diagnosing heart patients in the initial phases.

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) polysaccharide (JAP) is a chain polysaccharide composed of D-fructose connected by β (1-2) glycosidic bonds, which is a kind of inulin. This study evaluated the anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity of JAP in vivo and in vitro. To investigate its antiviral activity, an MTT assay, q-PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and lung histological observation were performed. The results showed that JAP showed anti-RSV activity in vitro with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of approximately 29.15 μg/mL. In vivo results suggested that JAP could effectively inhibit RSV proliferation in the lungs and improve lung tissue lesions in RSV-infected mice. Additionally, JAP could also reduce the expression of TLR3 and TLR4 in the lungs, increase serum anti-inflammatory factors IL-4 levels, and reduce pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and TNF-β levels, which may be related to its anti-RSV activity. This study provides a new approach to anti-RSV therapy and enriches the potential applications of JAP.

The distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) model that mainly targets the cortex and causes low mortality is developed for the study of permanent focal ischemia, and it is highly appropriate for the study in the aged population. The two most common methods used to establish dMCAO models are dMCAO alone and dMCAO plus ipsilateral common carotid artery occlusion (CCAO). Up to now, studies on the prognosis of the two types of dMCAO models and the accuracy of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in predicting prognosis have not yet been reported. In the present study, we established permanent focal ischemia models in two groups of aged mice by dMCAO alone or by dMCAO plus ipsilateral common carotid artery occlusion (CCAO). CBF was evaluated by laser speckle flowmetry (LSF) before and after surgery. Cerebral infarction was assessed by TTC staining at day 2 after surgery and MAP2 staining at day 21 after surgery. In addition, behavioral outcomes were evaluated using the modified Garcia scoring system, adhesive removal test, and foot-fault test. Our results showed that compared with those in the dMCAO alone group, the mice in the dMCAO plus CCAO group had a larger cerebral infarct size and more severe neurological deficits. According to the results of the correlation analysis, the area of the ischemic core region on CBF imaging in the dMCAO group was helpful in predicting the infarct volume. In addition, the total CBF of the ischemic area in the dMCAO plus CCAO group showed a significant correlation with Garcia scores 3 days after surgery, but there was no significant correlation of CBF imaging with the foot-fault test 7 days after surgery. These results suggest that the total CBF of the ischemic area might be helpful to predict the severity of neurological damage at the acute stage.

Cancer immunotherapy is quickly growing and can now be viewed as the "fifth column" of cancer treatment. In addition, cancer immunotherapy has shown promising results with different kinds of cancers and may be used as a complementary therapy with various types of treatments. Thus, "immuno-oncology" is showing astounding advantages. However, one of the main challenges that face this type of therapy is that cancer cells can evade immune system elimination through different mechanisms. Many studies were done to overcome this issue including adding immune stimulants to generate synergistic effects or by genetically modifying NK cells themselves to be stronger and more resistant. Nigella sativa, also known as black cumin, is a well-known example of a widely applicable herbal medicine. It can effectively treat a variety of diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, bronchitis, gastrointestinal upset, and cancer. The anticancer qualities of Nigella sativa appear to be mediated by an immune-modulatory effect that stimulates human natural killer (NK) cells. These are a type of lymphocyte and first line of defense against pathogens. Objectives. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of thymoquinone, a major component of Nigella sativa, on the cytotoxic pathways of NK cells. Methods. NK cells were cultured with breast cancer cell line Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7); and were treated with Thymoquinone. The cytotoxicity of NK cells on cancer cells was measured. The cultured media were then collected and measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for concentrations of perforin, granzyme B and interferon-α (IFN-α). Results. The cytotoxic effect of NK cells on tumor cells was increased in the presence of thymoquinone, with an increased release of perforin, granzyme B, and IFN-α. Conclusion. Thymoquinone promotes the cytotoxic activity of NK cells against breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

BACKGROUND: The whole tumor microenvironment (TME) infiltration features monitored by integrated roles of different RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulators remain elusive. Our study is aimed at exploring the association between m6A modification patterns, TME cell-infiltrating levels, and patients' prognosis in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) patients. METHODS: Consensus clustering was performed based on the integrated analyses of 17 m6A regulators and 229 m6A-related hallmark genes in STAD (The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort, n = 443; Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) GSE57303, n = 70, GSE62254 n = 300, and GSE84437 n = 433). A m6ASig scoring system was calculated by the principal component analysis (PCA), and its prognostic value was validated in an independent dataset GES15459. RESULTS: Three m6A clusters were identified among 1246 STAD patients, which had significant overall survival (OS) differences and demonstrated different TME immune cell infiltration and biological behaviors. According to the m6ASig score, which was generated from the m6A-related hallmark genes, STAD patients were divided into the high-m6ASig group (n = 585) and low-m6ASig group (n = 586). Patients in the high-m6ASig group had a notably prolonged OS and higher immune cell infiltration. Moreover, patients with higher m6ASig score were associated with higher microsatellite instability (MSI); higher PD-L1, CTLA4, and ERBB2 expressions; and greater tumor mutation burden (TMB). Patients with higher m6ASig score demonstrated a better immune response and drug sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Our m6ASig scoring system could characterize TME immune cell infiltration, thus predict patient's prognosis and immunotherapy and chemotherapy efficacy, offering a novel tool for the individualized therapeutic implications for STAD patients.

Effluents discharged by poultry meat industries are heavily polluted with raw materials, such as fat, blood residues, and proteins. Thus, untreated effluents directly discharged into the environment may constitute a public health threat. This study aims to evaluate the bacterial diversity of three water qualities: industrial poultry wastewater (PWW), tap water (TW), and PWW diluted with TW (50 : 50) (V/V) (TWPWW) by the combination of culture-independent and culture-dependent approaches. The total bacterial DNA was extracted using phenol/chloroform method. The hypervariable 16S rRNA region V3-V5 was amplified by PCR using universal primers. The amplicons were separated by vertical electrophoresis on a polyacrylamide gel of increasing denaturing gradient according to their richness in GC bases. Selected bands were reamplified and sequenced. Pure isolated bacteria from nutrient agar medium were characterized according to their morphological and biochemical characteristics. Genomic DNA from pure strains was extracted by boiling method, and a molecular amplification of the 16S-23S ITS region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed using the universal primers. Selected isolates were identified by sequencing. Results showed a high bacterial load and diversity in PWW in comparison with TW and TWPWW. A collection of 44 strains was obtained, and 25 of them were identified by sequencing. Proteobacteria represented 76% of isolated bacteria Gamma-Proteobacteria was the predominate isolate (68%). Other isolates were Firmicutes (8%), Bacteroidetes (12%), and Actinobacteria (8%). These isolates belong to different genera, namely, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Proteus, Empedobacter, Corynebacterium, Enterobacter, Comamonas, Frondibacter, Leclercia, Staphylococcus, Atlantibacter, Klebsiella, and Microbacterium.

Today, the spread of vancomycin-resistant strains isolated from Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) has become a major health concern worldwide. Therefore, it is essential to provide a rapid and sensitive assay for identifying vanA gene for timely and appropriate antimicrobial control of resistant enterococcal infections. For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was performed on different clinical specimens of enterococci from Imam Reza hospital, Kermanshah, Iran. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was determined by disk diffusion and MIC methods. Triplex-PCR and duplex-LAMP assays were also used to identify vanA E. faecalis resistance gene isolates. The results of this study shown that out of 108 Enterococcus isolates, 86, 18, 2, 1, and one isolates of E. faecalis, E. faecium, E. avium, E. psudoavium, and E. raffinosus were identified, respectively. On the other hand, E. faecalis was confirmed in 87 and 88 isolates using duplex-LAMP and triplex PCR, respectively. The LAMP primer set designed in this study can reliably identify seven distinct regions of the vanA gene, and finally the sensitivity, specificity, and the positive and negative predictive values of LAMP assay were shown to be 94.19%, 72.73%, 76.19%, and 93.10%, respectively. In general, sample processing, isothermal reaction and result reporting were completed using the LAMP assay in 75 minutes. Our findings suggest that LAMP assay has been approved as an alternative to the vancomycin resistance Enterococcus genotype (vanA and vanB) compared to other methods and has the advantage of being rapid, time-consuming, and easy for diagnosis.

Medical imaging feature analysis is the basis of medical image processing and analysis. The solution of this problem not only directly affects the successful application of computer graphics and image technology in medicine but also has important theoretical and practical significance. In this paper, the imaging characteristics and clinical significance are discussed by studying the comprehensive evaluation of aortic valve and root before aortic valve replacement. In recent years, preoperative comprehensive evaluation of the aortic valve and root has been gradually carried out. Compared with traditional methods, minimally invasive surgery brings more accurate diagnosis to patients, quick recovery and discharge after surgery, and less pain. This study retrospectively includes patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR with routine computed tomography. Based on CT images, the determination and grouping of bicuspid aortic valve and tricuspid aortic valve were completed. Thirteen cross-sectional levels of the aorta-iliac-femoral vascular access were completed. The results showed that 3 people had stroke (17.6%) and 5 people had myocardial infarction (29.4%) during the follow-up period. Atrial fibrillation occurred in 5 patients (29.4%), permanent pacemaker implantation was performed in 1 patient (5.9%), and acute kidney injury occurred in 7 patients (41.2%). No patient died due to surgery-related causes, and the analysis of imaging features and clinical significance in the preoperative comprehensive evaluation of the aortic valve and root played a crucial role. In the training stage, the principal component analysis method was used to train the shape, and the model of the shape intensity of the aortic valve and the shape change of each principal component was obtained. The most probable aortic valve region in the target image was obtained by matching the similarity of all atlases, and the correct aortic valve segmentation was obtained by using the first level set of shape intensity. The experimental part verified the accuracy of the algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma, the most frequent osteogenic malignancy, has become a serious public health challenge due to its high morbidity rates and metastatic potential. Recently, the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) is proved to be a promising target in cancer therapy. This study is aimed at determining the effect of aprepitant, a safe and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved NK-1R antagonist, on osteosarcoma cell migration and metastasis, and to explore its underlying mechanism of action. METHODS: Colorimetric MTT assay was employed to assess cell viability and cytotoxicity. A wound-healing assay was used to examine migration ability. The desired genes' protein and mRNA expression levels were measured by western blot assay and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), respectively. Gelatinase activity was also measured by zymography. RESULTS: We found that aprepitant inhibited MG-63 osteosarcoma cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. We also observed that aprepitant inhibited the migrative phenotype of osteosarcoma cells and reduced the expression levels and activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9). Aprepitant also reduced the expression of an angiogenic factor, VEGF protein, and NF-κB as an important transcriptional regulator of metastasis-related genes. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our observations indicate that aprepitant modulates the metastatic behavior of human osteosarcoma cells, which may be applied to an effective therapeutic approach for patients with metastatic osteosarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of the Solitaire™ AB Stent System (ev3 Inc., Plymouth, MN, USA) for the treatment of acute lower extremity ischemia (ALLI) compared with conventional catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients with ALLI treated in the Department of Interventional Radiology at the First Hospital of Nanjing from January 2017 to April 2020 divided into a conventional (CDT) group (n = 106) and a percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) group (n = 55) according to the procedure. PMT was performed using the Solitaire™ AB stent system. The combined clinical outcomes of mortality, major amputation, recurrent ischemia, and major morbidity were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Of the 161 patients, 128 (79.5%) did not have a composite clinical outcome after 12 months of follow-up, namely, 78 CDT patients and 50 PMT patients, with significant differences in composite clinical outcome (26.4% vs. 9.1%, P = 0.010) and mortality (19.8% vs. 7.3%, P = 0.037) between them. Thrombolytic drug dose (19.34 ± 5.93 vs. 13.55 ± 6.54 mg, P < 0.001) and length of hospital stay (8.29 ± 3.91 vs. 5.49 ± 1.18 days, P = 0.003) were significantly lower in the PMT group. CONCLUSION: PMT with the Solitaire™ AB Stent System is safer and more effective in treating patients with Rutherford stage I-IIB ALLI, with the advantage of rapid opening of obstructed vessels, shorter thrombolysis time, reduced thrombolytic dose, and improved blood flow to the infrapopliteal vessels.

BACKGROUND: Scarless healing comprises the ultimate goal after an injury. Since tendon healing results in a fibrotic scar, an injured tendon can never regain the mechanical potential and strength of its uninjured form. A wide variety of studies focus on the tendon healing with an absent or minimal peritendinous adhesions. However, no simple method has managed it at all. Possible complex actions and peritendinous environmental events take place during the tendon healing process. Tamoxifen (TAM), besides its breast cancer-related usage, is a potent antifibrotic drug. Here, we aimed to reduce the peritendinous adhesion with TAM administration. METHODS: Achilles tendons of 44 Wistar albino rats were randomly distributed in 4 groups. In group 1, bilateral lower extremities were used as control and sham. Groups 2 and 3 were comprised of low-dose (1 mg/kg) and high-dose (40 mg/kg) systemic administration of TAM, respectively. Group 4 included local administration (1 mg/kg) of TAM. Biomechanical, macroscopical, and histopathological analyses were done and compared statistically. Biomechanically, the maximum force that led to tendon rupture was determined, and tensile force data were recorded via tensile testing device. Macroscopical and histopathological analysis were composed of the quantity, quality, and grade of peritendinous adhesions. RESULTS: Macroscopic and histopathologic findings revealed that groups 2 and 3 had a variety of values ranging between slight to severe adhesions. In group 2, almost half of the animals had moderate adhesions, whereas in group 3, the majority of the animals had moderate adhesions. There were no animals with moderate or severe adhesions in group 4. Statistically significant values were calculated between sham and control groups. Biomechanically, group 2 showed the most significant result. The tendons in group 2 had the highest stiffness when maximal force was applied to rupture the tendons. Henceforth, all these consequences were proven statistically. CONCLUSION: We achieved less peritendinous adhesion with the local administration of TAM when compared to systemic administration of TAM. A better understanding of the peritendinous environmental process will reveal to develop new therapies in the prevention of peritendinous adhesions.

Although collaborative care is increasingly being implemented in the treatment of various diseases, there are currently no related studies on its effects in endometrial cancer patients after laparoscopic treatment. Thus, this study is aimed at investigating the significance of an integrated medical and nursing care model for women with gynecologic malignant tumors who underwent laparoscopic treatment. The patients were randomly divided into a medical-nursing integrated nursing group (study group) and a general nursing group (control group). Their serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), human epididymal protein 4 (HE4), CA15-3, and CA125 levels were measured at admission, 7 and 15 days after admission, and 30 days after discharge. Their first postoperative flatulence time, eating time, and hospitalization duration were recorded, and the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to evaluate the psychological state of the patients. A questionnaire survey was also used to evaluate their satisfaction with nursing. Adverse events within 2 years of follow-up were recorded. The results showed that the clinical performance of the study group was significantly better than that of the control group. Further, the study group demonstrated significantly lower serum tumor marker levels, SAS score, SDS score, and incidence of adverse events at 7 and 15 days after admission and 30 days after discharge and higher nursing satisfaction than the control group. Thus, the collaborative nursing mode might be more conducive to the recovery of women who have underwent laparoscopic treatment for gynecologic malignant tumors than normal routine nursing.

Polyurethane, as a rubber material, can relieve the load on the ground and provide seismic design for the venue, which is of great significance for sports venues. In order to improve the seismic resistance and abrasion resistance of materials for sports fields and reduce accidents in sports, this article has carried out research on the polyurethane elastomer layered nanocomposites for sports fields and their preparation. Today's world is a challenging era of science and technology. The fields of biotechnology, information, medicine, energy, environment, and national defense and security are closely related to the development of high tech, and the requirements for materials are becoming increasingly diversified. Polymer nanocomposite coating has the dual characteristics of organic and inorganic components. It not only retains the advantages of a polymer but also endows it with versatility. It meets the current application needs. It is a hot spot in today's research. Among them, there are two major problems in the composite process of nanomaterials and polymers: dispersion and compatibility. How to improve the dispersion of nanoparticles and enhance the compatibility between nanoparticles and polymers is an urgent problem to be solved. In the method part, this article introduces a small amount of polyurethane and polyurethane elastomers formed after polyurethane modification and introduces layered compounds and nanocomposites and introduces several models involved in nanomaterials in terms of algorithms. In the analysis part, this paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of the hard segment mass fraction, mechanical properties, thermal decomposition behavior, degradation mechanism, and dynamic mechanical properties. With the increase of GO content, the tensile strength increases significantly and the elongation at break becomes smaller and smaller. When the GO content increases from 0% to 2%, the tensile properties of the WPU film increase from 2.6 MPa to 7.9 MPa and the fracture of the elongation decreased from 201.7% to 62.8%. This shows that the increase in GO content will make the composite material harder and brittle. It can be seen from the experimental results that the preparation of the polyurethane elastomer layered nanocomposite material designed in this paper has a good application effect on sports venues.

The knee osteoarthritis is a common joint disease that causes pain and inconvenience. Clinically, patients with knee osteoarthritis often have response points on the gastrocnemius. Gastrocnemius plays an essential role in stabilizing joints and changing gait and pace, which also has a close relationship with the knee joint. The objective of this study is to determine changes in the tibiofemoral joint after medial and lateral gastrocnemius injury. Rabbits were divided into a medial gastrocnemius injury group, a lateral gastrocnemius injury group, and a control group with two intervals: 6 and 8 weeks after modeling of the semisevered gastrocnemius. The gastrocnemius was weighed and sectioned for histology. The joint space and subchondral bone were observed using X-ray and microcomputed tomography. The cartilage was observed histologically using Safranin O fast green and Masson and immunohistochemically using antibodies to collagen type II, matrix metalloproteinase 13, and integrin beta1. Results showed muscle fiber atrophy, and fibrotic changes occurred after gastrocnemius semidissociation. After gastrocnemius injury, the femoral condyle of the tibiofemoral joint produced abnormal sclerosis and bone degeneration. The pathological changes of cartilage included disordered or reduced cell alignment, cartilage matrix loss, and collagen loss due to decreased collagen type II and increased matrix metalloproteinase 13 activity. The increase of integrin beta1 in the injured group may be related to mechanical conduction process. The results suggest that gastrocnemius injury is an essential factor in tibiofemoral arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Pulp tissue affected by deep caries and trauma can be protected by vital pulp therapies in which pulp regeneration success depends on the degree of pulp inflammation and the presence of regenerative signals. Reparative dentinogenesis requires dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) activity which can be stimulated by many bioactive molecules to repair the dentine, mediating a balance between the inflammatory response and the reparative events. Therefore, this study was performed in order to investigate the immune-inflammatory effect of Biodentine capping material on DPSCs and macrophages. METHOD: THP-1, a human monocytic cell line, was differentiated to macrophages, and flow cytometry was used to analyze the expressions of specific macrophage markers. LPS-mediated infection was created for macrophages and DPSCs followed by treatment with Biodentine. CBA array was used to investigate the cytokine secretion followed by qPCR. Migration potential of treated DPSCs was also determined. RESULTS: Our results showed that THP-1 cell line was successfully differentiated into macrophages as shown by surface marker expression. CBA array and qPCR results showed that Biodentine-treated DPSCs and macrophages upregulated anti-inflammatory cytokines and downregulated proinflammatory cytokines. Also, Biodentine enhances the migration potential of treated DPSCs. CONCLUSION: Biodentine capping material mediated the polarization of M1 to M2 macrophages suggestive of tissue repair properties of macrophages and enhanced the anti-inflammatory cytokines of DPSCs responsible for dentine-pulp regeneration.

Studies have shown that most patients after PCI cannot adhere to the cardiac rehabilitation program. The survey found that due to the lack of secondary prevention of cardiac rehabilitation, the phenomenon of drug reduction and withdrawal after PCI is very common after discharge, leading to recurrence of the patient's disease or worsen and repeated hospitalizations, so continuity of care is very important. In this paper, in addition to proposing a network care continuum with artificial intelligence handler in order to improve the healthcare system and provide new ideas for improving the postoperative recovery of CHD patients, we analyze the impact of PCI on the coronary heart disease patients' PCI postoperative quality of life. In the method part, this article introduces the concepts of continuation care and PCI after surgery, introduces the marker delivery algorithm in the field of artificial intelligence, and introduces the SF-36 scale for patient quality of life analysis. This article designs an experiment combining artificial intelligence processors to carry out network continuity care for patients and divides 100 eligible patients into an experimental group and a control group. In the analysis part, the two groups of patients were analyzed in terms of general data comparison, physical function, biochemical indicators, quality of life, and dependence. It can be seen from the experimental analysis that the anxiety and depression of the two groups of subjects have different degrees of decline. The HAMA value of the experimental group is 9.06 ± 0.77, and the HAMD value is 9.18 ± 1.20, which is significantly lower than that of the control group, P < 0.05. It can be seen that the use of network continuation care can reduce the negative emotions of patients more than general care. Through psychological counseling and postoperative follow-up, it can improve the optimism and positive emotions of the patients, reduce the negative emotions of the patients, and improve it to a certain extent.

Patients with a previous cancer history (PCA) are routinely excluded from most clinical trials, which may limit the accuracy and universality of clinical trials. We aimed to explore the association between PCA and survival of patients with different molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Patients diagnosed with breast cancer from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2015 were included in this retrospective cohort study. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), which was calculated from date of diagnosis to date of death or censor date during this period. The relationship between PCA and OS of patients with different molecular subtypes of breast cancer was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model. A total of 35,640 primary breast cancer patients were included, and 2,038 (5.72%) patients had a PCA. Female genital system cancer (491 cases, 24.09%) was the largest proportion type of previous cancer, and HER2-positive (24,754 cases, 69.46%) breast cancer was the most common subtype. Patients with previous female genital/endocrine system cancer history and other cancers history were associated with a poorer OS in overall patients, and in patients with triple-negative and HER2-positive subtypes (P < 0.05). In patients with Luminal A and Luminal B subtypes, previous other cancers history was related to poor OS (P < 0.05), while female genital/endocrine system cancer history may not influence the OS (P > 0.05). Subgroup analyses presented that PCA was related to poor OS in patients aged 40-64 years and ≥65 years (P <0.05), while prognosis in patients aged 18-40 years may not be influenced by PCA (P > 0.05). The impact of PCA on the prognosis of breast cancer patients was related to molecular type, patient age, and type of PCA. In clinical trials of breast cancer, the exclusion criteria for PCA patients may be modified according to the above variables.

Ubiquitous technology, big data, more efficient electronic health records, and predictive analytics are now at the core of smart healthcare systems supported by artificial intelligence. In the present narrative review, we focus on sensing technologies for the healthcare of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). We employed a framework inspired by the Interpersonal Neurobiology Theory (IPNB), which posits that human experience is characterized by a flow of energy and information both within us (within our whole body), and between us (in the connections we have with others and with nature). In line with this framework, we focused on sensors designed to evaluate bodily processes (body sensors such as implantable sensors, epidermal sensors, and wearable and portable sensors), human social interaction (sociometric sensors), and the physical environment (indoor and outdoor ambient sensors). There is a myriad of man-made sensors as well as nature-based sensors such as plants that can be used to design and deploy intelligent systems for human monitoring and healthcare. In conclusion, sensing technologies and intelligent systems can be employed for smarter healthcare of AN and help to relieve the burden of health professionals. However, there are technical, ethical, and environmental sustainability issues that must be considered prior to implementing these systems. A joint collaboration of professionals and other members of the society involved in the healthcare of individuals with AN can help in the development of these systems. The evolution of cyberphysical systems should also be considered in these collaborations.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the advantages of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters without capsular puncture (only one pneumoperitoneum needle) puncture technique conducted by our center. METHODS: The study examines the clinical data of PD patients (including the general situation of patients, intraoperative and postoperative characteristics, and complications) undergoing pneumoperitoneum needle catheterization from January 2019 to May 2021 in the Department of Nephrology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University (the largest peritoneal dialysis center in Zhangjiakou). RESULTS: A total of 153 surgical cases were collected. There were 91 males and 62 females. The mean (± standard deviation) age was 56.1 ± 18.6 years, and the mean (± standard deviation) follow-up time was 16.7 ± 8.2 months. The average operation time was 30.33 minutes with a standard deviation of 14.80 minutes. The length of abdominal incision is 2.38 ± 0.42 cm, and the blood loss was about 26.3 ± 9.2 ml, including 2 cases of laparoscopic reposition of drift tube, 0 case of pipe blockage, 3 cases of fluid leakage, 1 case of peritoneal dialysis catheter tunnel infection, 4 cases of outlet infection, 12 occurrences of peritonitis, 121.3 patient months in peritonitis, and 0 times in omentum wrapping without bladder injury, incisional hernia, or intestinal injury. CONCLUSION: Relative to open operation, the peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters with pneumoperitoneum needle puncture technique has the following advantages: simpler operation, shorter operation time, less bleeding, less injury, less complications, and higher safety. Moreover, there are no additional costs compared with open operation. Thus, the technique is recommended for clinical applications.

Immune system dysregulation is associated with tumor incidence and growth. Here, we established an RNA-based individualized immune signature associated with prognosis for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to guide adjuvant therapy. We downloaded publicly accessible data on RNA expression and clinical characteristics of NSCLC from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). From immune-related genes (IRGs) retrieved from the immunology database and analysis portal (ImmPort) database, we then screened differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs). Using overall survival (OS) as a clinical endpoint, we identified 26 prognostic DEIRGs via univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, and then developed a risk model based on these 26 IRGs with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.701, and its predictive ability independent from other clinical factors. We also downloaded tumor immune infiltrate data and analyzed the correlations between lymphocytic infiltration with our risk scores, but found no significant association. Furthermore, we retrieved 86 differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs) to assess their regulatory relationships with the 26 prognostic DEIRGs. In summary, we developed a robust risk model to predict survival in patients with NSCLC, based on the expression of 26 IRGs. It provides novel predictive and therapeutic molecular targets.

A new mechanistic approach to overcome the neurodegenerative disorders caused by oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is highly stressed in this article. Thus, a newly formulated drug (zinc ortho-methyl carbonodithioate (ZOMEC)) was investigated for five weeks on seven-week-old BALB/c male mice. ZOMEC 30 mg/kg was postadministered intraperitoneally during the third week of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) injection. The brain homogenates of the mice were evaluated for their antioxidant potential for ZOMEC. The results including catalase (CAT), glutathione S transferase (GST), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) demonstrated that ZOMEC significantly reverted the oxidative stress stimulated by PTZ in the mouse brain. ZOMEC upregulated p-Akt/Nrf-2 pathways (also supported by molecular docking methods) to revoke PTZ-induced apoptotic protein markers. ZOMEC reversed PTZ-induced neuronal synapse deficits, improved oxidative stress-aided memory impairment, and inhibited the amyloidogenic pathway in mouse brains. The results suggested the potential of ZOMEC as a new, safe, and neurotherapeutic agent to cure neurodegenerative disorders by decreasing AD-like neuropathology in the animal PTZ model.

Computer searches of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases for randomized controlled studies on the effects of intensive nutrition on clinical outcomes in patients with severe craniocerebral injury were conducted from the time of database creation to June 11, 2022, along with manual searches of the relevant literature. Two investigators independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias of the included studies before the effect sizes were combined using RevMan 5.3 statistical software provided by the Cochrane Collaboration Network, and publication bias was detected using Stata 12.0 software. Meta-analysis showed that total protein levels were higher in the intensive nutrition group than in the regular nutrition group (WMD = 4.96 g/L (1.57-8.34), P < 0.001); IgA levels were significantly higher in the intensive nutrition group than in the regular nutrition group (SMD = 0.79 (0.51-1.07), P < 0.001; SMD = 0.98 (0.58-1.38), P < 0.001); IgG levels were significantly higher in the fortified group than in the regular group (SMD = 0.98 (0.58-1.38), P < 0.001); CD4/CD8 was significantly higher in the fortified patients than in the regular patients with a combined effect size of WMD = 0.33 (0.18-0.48) (P < RR = 0.45 (0.27-0.75), P = 0.002). The results show that effective support of early enteral nutrition can reduce the occurrence of gastrointestinal complications in patients, give them a better adaptation process to the gastrointestinal tract, and ensure the degree of tolerance of their gastric mucosa, thus absorbing more nutrition. Fortification significantly reduced the incidence of gastric retention in patients with craniocerebral injury (RR = 0.19 (0.07-0.49), P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis of the three groups, it was shown that, depending on the starting time, the total protein level and IgG level were better in the early nutrition at 24 h than in the late nutrition above 24h and that, depending on the starting dose, the total protein level, IgA, IgG, and CD4/CD8 were better in the intervention at doses above 30 mL/h, using the starting dose of 30 mL/h as the cut-off point. In the subgroup analysis based on different nutrition methods (enteral and parenteral nutrition), IgA levels and the incidence of bloating and diarrhea were better than those of parenteral nutrition in the indicators of enteral nutrition.

In this paper, in-depth research analysis of anti-hepatocellular carcinoma molecular targets for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis was conducted using artificial intelligence. Because BRD4 plays an important role in gene transcription for cell cycle regulation and apoptosis, tumor-targeted therapy by inhibiting the expression or function of BRD4 has received increasing attention in the field of antitumor research. Study subjects in small samples were used as the validation set for validating each diagnostic model constructed based on the training set. The diagnostic effect of each model in the validation set is evaluated by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, and compliance rate, and the model with the best and most stable diagnostic value is selected by combining the results of model construction, validation, and evaluation. The total sample was divided into a training set and test set by using a stratified sampling method in the ratio of 7 : 3. Logistic regression, weighted k-nearest neighbor, decision tree, and BP artificial neural network were used in the training set to construct diagnostic models for early-stage liver cancer, respectively, and the optimal parameters of the corresponding models were obtained, and then, the constructed models were validated in the test set. To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy, stability, and generalization ability of the four classification methods more robustly, a 10-fold crossover test was performed for each classification method. BRD4 is an epigenetic regulator that is associated with the upregulation of expression of various oncogenic drivers in tumors. Targeting BRD4 with pharmacological inhibitors has emerged as a novel approach for tumor treatment. However, before we implemented this topic, there were no detailed studies on whether BRD4 could be used for the treatment of HCC, the role of BRD4 in HCC cell proliferation and apoptosis, and the ability of small molecule BRD4 inhibitors to induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Dicer-like (DCL), Argonaute (AGO), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDR) are known as the three major gene families that act as the critical components of RNA interference or silencing mechanisms through the noncoding small RNA molecules (miRNA and siRNA) to regulate the expressions of protein-coding genes in eukaryotic organisms. However, most of their characteristics including structures, chromosomal location, subcellular locations, regulatory elements, and gene networking were not rigorously studied. Our analysis identified 7 TaDCL, 39 TaAGO, and 16 TaRDR genes as RNA interference (RNAi) genes from the wheat genome. Phylogenetic analysis of predicted RNAi proteins with the RNAi proteins of Arabidopsis and rice showed that the predicted proteins of TaDCL, TaAGO, and TaRDR groups are clustered into four, eight, and four subgroups, respectively. Domain, 3D protein structure, motif, and exon-intron structure analyses showed that these proteins conserve identical characteristics within groups and maintain differences between groups. The nonsynonymous/synonymous mutation ratio (Ka/Ks) < 1 suggested that these protein sequences conserve some purifying functions. RNAi genes networking with TFs revealed that ERF, MIKC-MADS, C2H2, BBR-BPC, MYB, and Dof are the key transcriptional regulators of the predicted RNAi-related genes. The cis-regulatory element (CREs) analysis detected some important CREs of RNAi genes that are significantly associated with light, stress, and hormone responses. Expression analysis based on an online database exhibited that almost all of the predicted RNAi genes are expressed in different tissues and organs. A case-control study from the gene expression level showed that some RNAi genes significantly responded to the drought and heat stresses. Overall results would therefore provide an excellent basis for in-depth molecular investigation of these genes and their regulatory elements for wheat crop improvement against different stressors.

To determine the clinical prognostic significance of lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its preliminary mechanism, 43 CRC patients and 48 healthy individuals were analyzed. Peripheral blood MCM3AP-AS1 was quantified via qRT-PCR in CRC patients at admission and 2 h after surgery and in healthy individuals. Human colon cancer cells (HCT116 and SW480) were transfected with shRNAs targeting upregulation of MCM3AP-AS1 expression (named as sh-MCM3AP-AS1 group) and corresponding negative RNAs (named as sh-MCM3AP-AS1 group). Additionally, the cells were then treated either with 50 mM of the VEGF-specific inhibitor PTK787 (Selleck, USA) (named as inhibition group) or normal saline as a control (named as control group). Before therapy, CRC patients presented a higher MCM3AP-AS1 level than healthy individuals (P < 0.05), and the sensitivity and specificity of MCM3AP-AS1 in predicting the occurrence of CRC were 65.12% and 83.33%, respectively (P < 0.001). After therapy, CRC patients presented a decrease in MCM3AP-AS1 levels, and recurrence was higher in patients who died (P < 0.05). Additionally, the high MCM3AP-AS1 expression group presented a higher mortality than the low MCM3AP-AS1 expression group (P < 0.05). In an in vitro assay, CRC cells showed a higher MCM3AP-AS1 level than CCD-18Co cells, and the sh-MCM3AP-AS1 group presented decreased cell proliferation and invasiveness, whereas the levels apoptosis-associated proteins were increased (P < 0.05). Moreover, the VEGF and VEGFR2 mRNA levels were increased in CRC cells, and VEGF/VEGFR2 pathway-associated proteins were inhibited in the sh-MCM3AP-AS1 group (P < 0.05). Moreover, treatment with PTK787 decreased cell proliferation and invasivness but increased the levels of apoptosis-associated proteins (P < 0.05).

One of the globally common cancers is colorectal cancer (CRC). At present, a surgical approach remains a good option for CRC patients; however, 20% of surgically treated CRC patients experience metastasis. Currently, even the first-line used drug, oxaliplatin, remains inadequate for treating metastatic CRC, and its side effect of neurotoxicity is a major problem when treating CRC. The Gene Omnibus GSE42387 database contains gene expression profiles of parental and oxaliplatin-resistant LoVo cell lines. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between parental and oxaliplatin-resistance LoVo cells, protein-protein interactions (PPIs), and a pathway analysis were determined to identify overall biological changes by an online DAVID bioinformatics analysis. The ability of DEGs to predict overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was validated by the SPSS 22.0, using liver metastasis CRC patient samples of GSE41258. The bioinformatics web tools of the GEPIA, the Human Protein Atlas, WebGestalt, and TIMER platforms were used. In total, 218 DEGs were identified, among which 105 were downregulated and 113 were upregulated. After mapping the PPI networks and pathways, 60 DEGs were identified as hub genes (with high degrees). Six genes (TGFB1, CD36, THBS1, FABP1, PCK1, and IRS1) were involved with malaria, PPAR signaling, and the adipocytokine signaling pathway. High expressions of CD36 and PCK1 were associated with the poor survival of CRC patients in the GSE41258 database. We predicted specific micro (mi)RNAs that targeted the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of PCK1 by using miRWalk. It was found that three miRNAs, viz., miR-7-5p, miR-20a-3p, and miR-636, may be upstream targets of those genes. High expression levels of miR-7-5p, miR-20a-3p, and miR-636 were associated with poor OS of CRC patients, and the small-molecule compound, mersalyl, is a promising drug for treating oxaliplatin-resistant CRC. In conclusion, miR-7-5p miR-20a-3p, and miR-636 targeted the PCK1 biomarker in the PPAR signaling pathway, which is involved in oxaliplatin-resistant CRC. Meanwhile, mersalyl was identified as a potential drug for overcoming oxaliplatin resistance in CRC. Our findings may provide novel directions and strategies for CRC therapies.

Huxley's model of simple allometry provides a parsimonious scheme for examining scaling relationships in scientific research, resource management, and species conservation endeavors. Factors including biological error, analysis method, sample size, and overall data quality can undermine the reliability of a fit of Huxley's model. Customary amendments enhance the complexity of the power function-conveyed systematic term while keeping the usual normality-borne error structure. The resulting protocols bear multiple-parameter complex allometry forms that could pose interpretative shortcomings and parameter estimation difficulties, and even being empirically pertinent, they could potentially bear overfitting. A subsequent heavy-tailed Q-Q normal spread often remains undetected since the adequacy of a normally distributed error term remains unexplored. Previously, we promoted the advantages of keeping Huxley's model-driven systematic part while switching to a logistically distributed error term to improve fit quality. Here, we analyzed eelgrass leaf biomass and area data exhibiting a marked size-related heterogeneity, perhaps explaining a lack of systematization at data gathering. Overdispersion precluded adequacy of the logistically adapted protocol, thereby suggesting processing data through a median absolute deviation scheme aimed to remove unduly replicates. Nevertheless, achieving regularity to Huxley's power function-like trend required the removal of many replicates, thereby questioning the integrity of a data cleaning approach. But, we managed to adapt the complexity of the error term to reliably identify Huxley's model-like systematic part masked by variability in data. Achieving this relied on an error term conforming to a normal mixture distribution which successfully managed overdispersion in data. Compared to normal-complex allometry and data cleaning composites present arrangement delivered a coherent Q-Q normal mixture spread and a remarkable reproducibility strength of derived proxies. By keeping the analysis within Huxley's original theory, the present approach enables substantiating nondestructive allometric proxies aimed at eelgrass conservation. The viewpoint endorsed here could also make data cleaning unnecessary.

BACKGROUND: Long-term application of antiresorptive and/or antiangiogenic agents may cause oral disorders, including medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), which remains an incurable disease. Surgical treatment can help alleviate infection of the jaw and block the progress of the disease, but postoperative recurrence is often caused by incomplete resection of necrotic bone during surgery. The traditional method for determining the boundary of necrotic bone resection is primarily based on the color, geology, and microcirculation-based bleeding state according to the bone tissue, which is easily affected by the surgeon's clinical experience and can cause insufficient resection of osteonecrosis bone. Recent studies have proposed using fluorescence technology-assisted necrotic bone resection. OBJECTIVE: Systematic literature review was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of fluorescence-guided MRONJ surgery. DESIGN: PubMed/MedLine, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to February 7, 2022. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were evaluated according to the Cochrane risk of bias tool ROB 2, and non-RCT (N-RCT) studies were evaluated according to the ROBINS-I tool. RESULTS: A total of 6 articles were included in the systematic review, including 4 N-RCT studies (1 retrospective study and 3 prospective studies) and 2 RCT studies, with 240 patients and 280 MRONJ lesions. The vast majority of studies were with moderate risk of bias, and the quality of the evidence was moderate. CONCLUSION: Evidence of moderate strength suggests that fluorescence-assisted techniques effectively determine the bone resection boundaries in MRONJ surgery. However, whether the prognosis of patients treated with fluorescence-guided surgery is significantly better than that of traditional surgery must be proved by randomized controlled studies with larger sample sizes and higher quality.

Currently, providing nutritious food to all people is one of the greatest challenges due to rapid human population growth. The global poultry industry is a part of the agrifood sector playing an essential role in food insecurity by providing nutritious meat and egg sources. However, limited meat production with less nutritional value is not fulfilling the higher market demands worldwide. Researchers are focusing on nanobiotechnology by employing phytosynthesized mineral nanomaterials to improve the growth performance and nutritional status of broilers as these mineral nanoparticles are usually absorbed in greater amounts from the gastrointestinal tract and exert enhanced biological effects in the target tissues of animals with greater tissue accumulation. These mineral nanoparticles are efficiently absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and reach essential organs via blood. As a result, it enhances growth performance and nutritional value with less toxicity and tremendous bioavailability properties. In this review, the research work conducted in the recent past, on the different aspects of nanotechnology including supplementation of mineral nanoparticle in diet and their potential role in the poultry industry, has been concisely discussed.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of transient elastography (TE) and two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for staging liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH). METHODS: Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched (-01/08/2021) for studies comparing TE with 2D-SWE in patients with CVH. Other etiologies of chronic liver disease (CLD) and articles not published in SCI journals were excluded. The bivariate random-effects model was used to pool the performance of the TE and 2D-SWE. RESULTS: Eight articles with a total of 1301 CVH patients were included. The prevalence of significant fibrosis (fibrosis stage ≥ 2), advanced fibrosis (fibrosis stage ≥ 3), and cirrhosis was 50.8%, 44.8%, and 34.7%, respectively. 2D-SWE expressed higher overall accuracy than TE in detecting significant fibrosis (0.93 vs. 0.85, P = 0.04). No significant difference among the overall diagnostic accuracy of TE and 2D-SWE in staging advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis was found. CONCLUSION: TE and 2D-SWE express good to excellent diagnostic accuracies to stage fibrosis in CVH patients. 2D-SWE compares favorably with TE especially for predicting significant fibrosis.

As a malignant tumor, liver cancer has a high lethality rate. The research on the pathogenesis of liver cancer is the key to the treatment of liver cancer. The latest research claims that lncRNA-PVT1 as a tumor gene participates in the generation and development of tumors by regulating matrix metalloproteinase MMP9. The purpose of this article is to explore the specific effect and mechanism of lncRNA-PVT1 on liver cancer rats by regulating the expression of MMP9. In this article, 50 rats are used as experimental subjects, the rats are divided into control group and observation group, and the liver cancer cell line HepG2 is cultured. The transplanted tumor liver cancer model was constructed by transfection of hair, the expression of lncRNA-PVT1 in the observation group was reduced by knockdown method, the expression levels and changes of lncRNA-PVT1 and MMP9 in the two groups were detected by PCR fluorescence method, and the difference between lncRNA-PVT1 and MMP9 was analyzed. The MTT method was used to detect the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of the two groups of liver cancer cells (LCC) and to explore the effect of lncRNA-PVT1 on rat LCC by regulating the expression of MMP9. The results of the study showed that after knocking down the expression of lncRNA-PVT1 in the observation group, the expression of MMP9 also decreased. At the same time, the migration rate of LCC HepG2 decreased by 27.4%, the level of invasion ability decreased by 21.6%, and the proliferation rate of LCC decreased by 17.8%. Therefore, it can be seen that lncRNA-PVT1 plays a positive regulatory role on the expression of MMP9, and the expression of MMP9 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of rat LCC.

In this paper, Lignosus rhinocerotis (Cooke) Ryvarden (L. rhinocerotis) cultivated in rice medium (LRR) and in sawdust medium (LRS) was harvested. Then, in terms of the LRR, LRS, and wild L. rhinocerotis (LRW), the total flavonoid contents, total polyphenol contents, total polysaccharide contents, and metabolites were detected; antioxidants of their aqueous extracts and anti-inflammatory of their polysaccharides were performed. In addition, the possible mechanism of the polysaccharides of L. rhinocerotis inhibiting lung damage was elucidated. The results showed that 32 compounds were characterized in L. rhinocerotis, including flavonoids, terpenoids, lignans, and steroids and there were 20 compounds in cultivated and wild L. rhinocerotis; LRR has the highest total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, as well as ABTS and DPPH scavenging capacity. The total polysaccharide contents and the FRAP scavenging capacity of wild L. rhinocerotis were higher than those of cultivated L. rhinocerotis. The inhibition of polysaccharides of LRW (PLRW) on LPS-induced MRC-5 damage was stronger than that of the polysaccharides from cultivated L. rhinocerotis. The PLRW may alleviate lung damage by inhibiting the NLRP3 pathway and thereby suppressing the inflammatory response. In summary, both cultivated and wild L. rhinocerotis are abundant in bioactive components and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a leading cause of mortality among women globally. Approaches to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality are "screen-and-treat," where positive primary test only is used in the treatment and "screen, triage and treat," where treatment is based on positive primary and triage tests with/without histological analysis. OBJECTIVES: To determine cervical screening outcomes among HIV-infected and noninfected women using VIA, Pap smear, and HPV-PCR cervical screening methods and to determine the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of VIA, Pap smear, and HPV-PCR as primary test and sequential triage based on abnormal histopathology among HIV-infected and noninfected women. Methodology. This was a comparative cross-sectional study where women aged 18-46 years women underwent cervical screening and colposcopy-biopsy test as a positive-confirmatory test in the Referral Hospitals of Eastern Kenya. RESULTS: A total of 317 (HIV negative: 156/317 (49.2%) and HIV positive: 161/317 (50.8%)) women were enrolled. Of these 81/317 (25.6%), 84/317 (26.5%), 96/317 (30.2%), and 78/122 (63.9%) participants had VIA, HPV DNA-PCR, Pap smear, and cervical histology positive results, respectively; average: 27.4% (HIV positive: 21.5%; HIV negative: 5.9%). Majority of women with LSIL [17/317 (5.4%)], HSIL [22/317 (6.9%)], invasive cancer [5/317 (1.6%)], cervicitis [45/317 (14.2%], and candidiasis 47/317 (14.8%) were HIV-infected (p < 0.001). 78/317 (24.6%) participants had positive histology test [ASCUS: 34/317 (10.7%) CIN1:17/317 (5.3%), CIN2: 16/317 (5.0%), CIN3:6/317 (1.9%), and ICC: 5/317 (1.6%)] (p > 0.001). A higher primary diagnostic accuracy was established by HPV DNA-PCR (sensitivity: 95.5%; specificity: 92.6%) than Pap smear and VIA test while in triage testing, high sensitivity was obtained by HPV DNA-PCR parallel testing with VIA test (92.6%) and Pap smear test (92.7%) and VIA cotesting with Pap smear (99.9%). HIV-infected women had increased specificity and reduced sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy by both primary and triage testing approaches. Discussion. Abnormal cervical screening outcome was high among HIV-infected than noninfected women. HIV-infected women had significantly high cases of cervical neoplastic changes. The diagnostic value of primary tests increased upon concurrent testing with other test methods hence reducing the number of women who would have been referred for biopsy. CONCLUSION: High sensitivity and specificity in detection of CIN+ were established among HIV-infected than HIV noninfected women by HPV DNA-PCR and Pap smear than VIA test. HPV DNA-PCR test and Pap smear are more accurate in primary and sequential triage cervical screening based on abnormal histopathology outcomes among HIV-infected than noninfected women.

This study investigated the fire needle and phototherapy combination for treating vitiligo through a meta-analysis of the published literature. Indeed, vitiligo is a common chronic skin condition characterized by the appearance of white patches. It is the most prevalent disorder, affecting approximately 1% of the global population. There is no known cure or clinical recommendation for treating vitiligo. The majority of medical guidelines suggest vitiligo treatment with the use of fire needles. Here, vitiligo was treated with a novel mechanism combining a fire needle with phototherapy. The handheld phototherapy devices include a fire needle option for disease treatment. Miniature lesions that could be used to detect and treat vitiligo at an early stage could be managed by hybrid-capable devices. The real-time study included more than 3,435 patients. The dosages were altered to control the adverse effects. Following treatment, granulation tissues developed on the injured skin, diminishing the shallow area and wound surface. The case studies demonstrate that combining phototherapy and fire needle therapy is more practical than the other methods.

With the development of society and economy, patients with coronary heart disease increasingly hope to receive more humanized services after surgery, and the reengineering of the nursing process is precisely based on humanized management. In order to create a nursing intervention that helps in boosting total nursing gains and lowering disasters, the primary element of the nursing business process reengineering is to reintegrate or condense the creative work flow that was fragmented by specialization into a whole job. The "patient" is positioned in the center of nursing process reengineering, with service quality as the main guiding principle. It follows the management principles of continuous regulation and innovation, and cultivates and promotes the development of the nursing field from the perspective of "sublation." In the method part, this article introduces and supplements related information on nursing process reengineering, coronary heart disease, and postoperative cognitive behavioral intervention. Algorithmically, this paper proposes 3D RPN structure, loss function, capsule network, and improved activation function algorithm for coronary heart disease region extraction. In the part of experiment and results, this article collects general data of patients and compares memory ability, grades of self-management behaviors of patients treated with coronary heart disease, scores of quality control standards before and after nursing process reengineering, scores of patients' mental state, and comparison of postoperative physical indicators. According to the test results, the test group's diastolic and systolic blood pressure declined by more than 20, their total cholesterol dropped from 6.23 to 5.28, and their triglyceride levels dropped from 1.82 to 1.39 after the stent was implanted. Triglycerides reduced from 1.82 to 1.39, and total cholesterol dropped from 6.15 to 5.98. It indicates postoperative memory in patients with coronary heart disease. Abilities, including recognition, number, touch memory, and associative memory, decline significantly, but it can be improved after receiving the nursing process reengineering. It can be seen that nursing process reengineering can play a positive role in the postoperative cognitive behavior of patients with coronary heart disease.

Researchers in the past discussed the psychological issue like stress, anxiety, depression, phobias on various forms, and cognitive issues (e.g., positive thinking) together with personality traits on traditional research methodologies. These psychological issues vary from one human to other human based on different personality traits. In this paper, we discussed both psychological issues together with personality traits for predicting the best human capital that is mentally healthy and strong. In this research, we replace the traditional methods of research used in the past for judging the mental health of the society, with the latest artificial intelligence techniques to predict these components for attaining the best human capital. In the past, researchers have point out major flaws in predicting psychological issue and addressing a right solution to the human resource working in organizations of the world. In order to give solution to these issues, we used five different psychological issues pertinent to human beings for accurate prediction of human resource personality that effect the overall performance of the employee. In this regard, a sample of 500 data has been collected to train and test on computer through python for selecting the best model that will outperform all the other models. We used supervised AI techniques like support vector machine linear, support vector machine radial basis function, decision tree model, logistic regression, and neural networks. Results proved that psychological issue data from employee of different organizations are better means for predicting the overall performance based on personality traits than using either of them alone. Overall, the novel traditional techniques predicted that sustainable organization is always subject to the control of psychological illness and polishing the personality traits of their human capital.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and the antioxidant system causing overgeneration of free radicals (oxygen-containing molecules) ultimately leading to oxidative damage in terms of lipid peroxidation, protein denaturation, and DNA mutation. Oxidative stress can activate autophagy to alleviate oxidative damage and maintain normal physiological activities of cells by degrading damaged organelles or local cytoplasm. When oxidative stress is not eliminated by autophagy, it activates the apoptosis cascade. This review provides a brief summary of mitochondrial-endoplasmic reticulum communication-mediated oxidative stress and autophagy. Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum being important organelles in cells are directly or indirectly connected to each other through mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes and jointly regulate oxidative stress and autophagy. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the mitochondrial respiratory chain are the main inducers of oxidative stress. Damaged mitochondria can be effectively cleared by the process of mitophagy mediated by PINK1/parkin pathway, Nix/BNIP3 pathways, and FUNDC1 pathway, avoiding excessive ROS production. However, the mechanism of mitochondrial-endoplasmic reticulum communication in the regulation of oxidative stress and autophagy is rarely known. For this reason, this review explores the mutual connection of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in mediating oxidative stress and autophagy through ROS and Ca2+ and aims to provide part of the theoretical basis for alleviating oxidative stress through autophagy mediated by mitochondrial-endoplasmic reticulum communication.

Neonatal Bronchopulmonary Bedside Photography (NBBP) evaluates the consumption of lung magnetic resonance imaging as a replacement for bedside imaging in diagnosing infant pneumonia. In premature baby respiratory support, Neonatal Bronchopulmonary (NB) is one of the most dangerous consequences of accurate diagnosis that impact health alternatives once steroids are administered. Infants may experience eating issues and vomit if their condition is bad enough; lower birth weight, younger gestational age, and extensive breathing tube damage are the most frequently established risk factors as a component of a neonatal habitat. This paper introduces the Intelligent Medical Care (IMC) for Neonatal Bronchopulmonary Bedside Photography (NBBP), which enhances various preventive efforts such as prenatal steroid therapy. Because of many prenatal and postnatal variables, growth hormone and diet nutrients influence alveolar and vascular development. For the future prevention of NB, it is more likely that a combination of different therapies working on diverse causal pathways would be beneficial. This research in NBBP-IMC technology that enhances prenatal care medicines are the most excellent and effective treatments for all these neonates throughout the decades. As a result, premature babies at risk for NB may benefit from the findings of this research, which experts anticipate can inspire further studies in the area. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the work performed to improve respiratory outcomes for babies at risk of NB and to place this work in perspective with relevant research currently being conducted simultaneously.

Legionella pneumophila is found in the natural aquatic environment and can resist a wide range of environmental conditions. There are around fifty species of Legionella, at least twenty-four of which are directly linked to infections in humans. L. pneumophila is the cause of Legionnaires' disease, a potentially lethal form of pneumonia. By blocking phagosome-lysosome fusion, L. pneumophila lives and proliferates inside macrophages. For this disease, there is presently no authorized multiepitope vaccine available. For the multi-epitope-based vaccine (MEBV), the best antigenic candidates were identified using immunoinformatics and subtractive proteomic techniques. Several immunoinformatics methods were utilized to predict B and T cell epitopes from vaccine candidate proteins. To construct an in silico vaccine, epitopes (07 CTL, 03 HTL, and 07 LBL) were carefully selected and docked with MHC molecules (MHC-I and MHC-II) and human TLR4 molecules. To increase the immunological response, the vaccine was combined with a 50S ribosomal adjuvant. To maximize vaccine protein expression, MEBV was cloned and reverse-translated in Escherichia coli. To prove the MEBV's efficacy, more experimental validation is required. After its development, the resulting vaccine is greatly hoped to aid in the prevention of L. pneumophila infections.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers all over the world, which accounts for a large proportion of cancer-associated deaths. The regulatory function of circular RNAs (circRNAs) has been affirmed in diverse cancers. circ_0082628, named circRNA zinc finger CCCH-type containing antiviral 1 (circZC3HAV1), has been discovered to be significantly downregulated in CRC tissues. Nevertheless, the function and mechanism of circZC3HAV1 in CRC remain unclear. PURPOSE: We targeted at studying the specific role and mechanism of circZC3HAV1 in CRC cells. METHODS: The expression of the genes was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The binding relationship among different genes was verified by mechanism assays. Functional assays were carried out to reveal the role of different RNAs in CRC cell malignant behaviors. RESULTS: circZC3HAV1 was significantly downregulated in CRC cells. circZC3HAV1 overexpression hampered CRC cell migratory and invasive abilities. As for the mechanism, circZC3HAV1 competitively bound with microRNA-146b-3p (miR-146b-3p) to enhance the expression of TBC1 domain family member 9 (TBC1D9). Rescue assays demonstrated circZC3HAV1 sponged miR-146b-3p and upregulated TBC1D9 to restrict migration and invasion of CRC cells. CONCLUSION: circZC3HAV1 could upregulate TBC1D9 via absorbing miR-146b-3p, consequently inhibiting migratory and invasive capabilities of CRC cells.

This study sought to explore the anticancer mechanism of Picrorhizae Rhizoma (PR) extract based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. The potential chemicals of PR were screened through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database and relevant literatures. Corresponding targets of active ingredients were found with the help of the UniProtKB database, and therapeutic targets for cancer action were screened with the help of the GeneCards database. We used Cytoscape software to construct the compound-target-pathway network of PR extract. We utilized the STRING database to obtain the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. We used DAVID database combining Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Finally, molecular docking was employed for initial efficacy checking. We have identified 16 potential active components of PR through screening, involving 112 disease action targets. Utilizing the GeneCards database, 112 intersecting targets between PR extract and cancer were found, which mainly exerts anticancer effects by regulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF), recombinant caspase 3 (CASP3), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)/JUN, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and estrogen receptor-1 (ESR1) with some other target genes and pathways associated with cancer. The major anticancer species are prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, small cell lung cancer, etc. In the molecular docking study, herbactin had a strong affinity for TNF. Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking studies, PR and their compounds have demonstrated potential anticancer activities against several key targets. Our preliminary findings provide a strong foundation for further experiments with PR constituents.

OBJECTIVES: Homeobox B9 (HOXB9), a homeodomain-containing transcription factor, may play a role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the exact mechanisms underlying its action remain unclear. Materials and methods. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the expression of HOBX9 and its prognostic values in HCC patients. HCC cells were transfected with pBabe-HOXB9 and shHOXB9 plasmids, and MTT assay, Transwell assays, and xenograft mouse models were employed to determine the effects of HOXB9 on HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. The biological mechanisms involved in the role of HOXB9 were determined with Western blot and RT-qPCR methods. RESULTS: HOXB9 expression was significantly increased in HCC tissues and cell lines. Patients with higher HOXB9 levels were associated with poor prognosis. Overexpression of HOXB9 in BEL-7405 cells promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion, whereas knockdown of HOXB9 in HepG2 cells significantly reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. Mechanically, a positive correlation was found between HOXB9 expression and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 pathway in HCC tissues. HOXB9 overexpression stimulated TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway in BEL-7405 cells. In contrast, HOXB9 knockdown inhibited the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway in HepG2 cells. In addition, the treatment with TGF-β1 inhibitor, LY364947, significantly reserved HOXB9 overexpression-induced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. CONCLUSIONS: These findings validated that HOXB9 promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC cells by stimulating the TGF-β1/Smads and ERK1/2 signaling pathway. HOXB9 could be a promising prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in HCC.

BACKGROUND: Biomarker research in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is constantly revealing promising findings. An enhancer of polycomb homolog 1 (EPC1) was found to play a procancer role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but its role in HNSCC with strong heterogeneity is still unclear. Herein, we investigated the prognostic significance and related mechanisms of EPC1 in HNSCC. METHODS: The Kaplan-Meier plotter was used to evaluate the prognostic significance of EPC1. Based on a range of published public databases, the multiomics expression of EPC1 in HNSCC was explored to investigate the mechanisms affecting prognosis. RESULTS: According to the clinical data, high EPC1 expression in HNSCC was a predictor of patient prognosis (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.64; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-0.83; P < 0.01). EPC1 expression varied among clinical subtypes and was related to key factors, such as TP53 and human papillomavirus (HPV) (P < 0.05). At the genetic level, EPC1 expression level may be associated with protein phosphorylation, cell adhesion, cancer-related pathways, etc. For the noncoding region, a competing endogenous RNA network was constructed, and 6 microRNAs and 12 long noncoding RNAs were identified. At the protein level, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network related to EPC1 expression was constructed and found to be involved in HPV infection, endocrine resistance, and multiple cancer pathways. At the immune level, EPC1 expression was correlated with a variety of immune cells and immune molecules, which together constituted the immune microenvironments of tumors. CONCLUSION: High EPC1 expression may predict a better prognosis in HNSCC, as it is more frequently found in HNSCC with HPV infection. EPC1 may participate in the genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and immunomics of HNSCC, and the results can provide a reference for the development of targeted drugs and evaluation of patient prognosis.

Carbon monoxide-releasing molecule-3 (CORM-3) is a water-soluble complex which has the ability to release carbon monoxide (CO). The study is aimed at investigating the epidemiological characters and effects of CORM-3 on tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) cells and the mechanisms involved. Firstly, CAL27 and SCC4 were treated with CORM-3 or iCORM-3. The proliferation, migration, and invasion of cells were separately evaluated by CCK-8, scratch assay, and transwell assay. We found that the optimal concentration of CORM-3 on the proliferation of CAL27 and SCC4 cells was 400 μM, and CORM-3 was significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TSCC cells. Meanwhile, CORM-3 increased the protein expression of HO-1 detected by western blot. Short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) were constructed to manipulate the expression of HO-1 in CAL27 and SCC4 cells. Then, rescue assays were conducted to explore the reversion effect of shHO-1 on the CORM-3 function. Mechanistically, CORM-3 decreased the protein of Keap1 expression as well as increased Nrf2 expression. Upregulation of E-cadherin was observed, as well as the downregulation of N-cadherin expression significantly. The antitumor effect of CORM-3 was used to xenograft tumor in nude mice for further investigation in vivo, and the result showed that CORM-3 significantly suppressed tumor growth in xenograft nude mice. These data suggest that CORM-3 acts as a tumor suppressor by regulating the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in TSCC, which provides a potential chemotherapeutic strategy for TSCC.

Viruses remain an area of concern despite constant development of antiviral drugs and therapies. One of the contributors is the Flaviviridae family of viruses causing diseases that need attention. Among other anitviral methods, antiviral peptides are being studied as viable candidates. Although antiviral peptides (AVPs) are emerging as potential therapeutics, it is important to assess the efficacy of a given peptide in terms of its bioactivity. Experimental identification of the bioactivity of each potential peptide is an expensive and time consuming task. Computational methods like proteochemometric modeling (PCM) is a promising method for prediction of bioactivity (pIC50) based on peptide and target sequence pair. In this study, we propose a prediction of pIC50 of AVP against the Flaviviridae family that may help make the decision to choose a peptide with desired efficacy. The peptides data was collected from a public database and target sequences were manually curated from literature. Features are calculated using peptide and target sequence PCM descriptors which consist of individual and cross-term features of peptide and respective target. The resultant R 2 and MAPE values are 0.85 and 8.44%, respectively, for prediction of pIC50 value of AVPs.

A rare type of pneumonia later on referred to as COVID-19 was reported in China in December 2019. Investigations revealed that this disease is caused by a coronavirus previously identified as SARS-CoV-2, and since then, it has become a global pandemic with new strains emerging rapidly as a result of genetic mutations. Various therapeutic options are being explored in order to eradicate this pandemic even though approved vaccine candidates are being currently rolled out globally. Most medicinal plant extracts have astonishing properties, and they can therefore be used in the biosynthesis of effective antiviral nanoparticles. In this systematic review, we aimed to highlight the specific attributes that make Azadirachta indica (neem plant) a suitable candidate for the biosynthesis of anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanoparticles. A systematic investigation was therefore carried out in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and AJOL databases with the keywords "Nanoparticles," "Biosynthesis," "Antivirals," "SARS-CoV-2," and "Azadirachta indica." 1216 articles were retrieved by the 21st of February 2022, but we screened studies that reported data on biomedical and antimicrobial assessment of Azadirachta indica extracts. We also screened studies that were reporting nanoparticles possessing antiviral properties against SARS-C0V-2, narrowing our results to 98 reports. Herein, the SARS-CoV-2 viral structure is briefly discussed with nanoparticles of biomedical importance in the design of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. Most importantly, we focused on the biomedical and antiviral properties of Azadirachta indica extracts that could be of importance in the design of potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanoformulations.

Pulse signal is one of the most important physiological features of human body, which is caused by the cyclical contraction and diastole. It has great research value and broad application prospect in the detection of physiological parameters, the development of medical equipment, and the study of cardiovascular diseases and pulse diagnosis objective. In recent years, with the development of the sensor, measuring and saving of pulse signal has become very convenient. Now the pulse signal feature analysis is a hotspot and difficulty in the signal processing field. Therefore, to realize pulse signal automatic analysis and recognition is vital significance in the aspects of the noninvasive diagnosis and remote monitoring, etc. In this article, we combined the pulse signal feature extraction in time and frequency domain and convolution neural network to analyze the pulse signal. Firstly, a theory of wavelet transform and the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) which is gradually developed in recent years have been used to remove the noises in the pulse signal. Moreover, a method of feature point detection based on differential threshold method is proposed which realized the accurate positioning and extraction time-domain values. Finally, a deep learning method based on one-dimensional CNN has been utilized to make the classification of multiple pulse signals in the article. In conclusion, a deep learning method is proposed for the pulse signal classification combined with the feature extraction in time and frequency domain in this article.

BACKGROUND: Fetal fibronectin is a useful biomarker in the diagnosis and management of preterm labour. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between cervical fetal fibronectin and preterm delivery and the association between cervical fetal fibronectin level and gestational age at delivery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria, involving equal number of pregnant women with (96) and without (96) preterm labour. Fetal fibronectin assay was done using solid-phase immunogold assay. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 24. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were done. The level of significance was p-value <0.05. RESULTS: Less than half (47.9%) of the women in the study group had preterm delivery while 13.09% of the women in the control group delivered preterm. Fetal fibronectin test had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 78%, 86.5%, 71.9%, and 89.0%, respectively, a positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio of 5.76(95% CI, 3.67 - 9.64) and 0.26(95% CI, 0.16 - 0.41), respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings in our study value of fetal fibronectin in predicting preterm delivery. Its use will support less intervention for patients with negative results.

The effects of thymoquinone (TQ) in a carcinogen-based models of urinary bladder cancer were evaluated, using 45 male rats in five groups. In negative control (n = 10), only tap water was given. In positive control (n = 10), the rats received 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN) in drinking water for 9 weeks. In preventive groups with 25 mg/kg (n = 10) and 50 mg/kg (n = 10), oral TQ was concurrently given with 0.05% BBN for 9 weeks and continued for one more week after cessation of BBN. Preventive-treatment group (n = 5) received 50 mg/kg TQ orally for 20 weeks. Five rats from each group were sequentially sacrificed in two phases: the induction phase at 12th week (except the last group) and the rest in postinduction phase at 20th week. The bladders were examined macroscopically for lesion formation, and the masses were submitted for histopathological evaluation. Markers for total oxidant status (TOS), inflammation (nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)), and angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) were also assessed. There was a reduced number of bladder lesions in the TQ groups versus the carcinogen group at both phases. Histopathological findings demonstrated a significant improvement in the abnormal morphological changes in the urothelium of the TQ-treated groups. Thymoquinone exerted a significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect by a decrease in serum level of TOS and NF-κB at week 12 which was maintained low in phase two at week 20. The serum level of VEGF was also alleviated in the induction phase at week 12 and maintained low in postinduction period. In TQ preventive-treatment approach, a nonsignificant elevation of serum level of TOS and NF-κB and slight reduction in VEGF were observed at the end of the experiment. These data suggest that TQ may be effective in preventing bladder carcinogenesis, and the suggested mechanisms might be related to antioxidant, prooxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of TQ.

An ulcer is an erosion of the gastric mucosa that occurs following an imbalance between the aggression and protective factors and/or an infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). About 90-100% of duodenal ulcers and 70-80% of gastric ulcers are caused by H. pylori. The objective of this work was to evaluate in vitro the anti-H. pylori activity and then the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of aqueous and methanol extracts of Alstonia boonei. The anti-H. pylori tests (CMI and antiureasic activity) were determined using the agar well diffusion method, the microbroth dilution method, and the measurement of ammonia production by the indophenol method; the anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated by inhibition of proteinases, denaturation of albumin, production of NO by macrophages, cell viability, and hemolysis of red blood cells by heat; then, the antioxidant properties were evaluated by the FRAP method (ferric reducing antioxidant power) and the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) test. The results show that the best trapping of the DPPH radical was obtained with the methanol extract (EC50 = 8.91 μg/mL) compared to the aqueous extract (EC50 = 19.86 μg/mL). The methanol extract also showed greater iron-reducing activity than the aqueous extract and vitamin C. Furthermore, at the concentration of 200 μg/mL, the methanol extract showed a percentage (96.34%) strains of H. pylori higher than that of the aqueous extract (88.52%). The MIC90 of the methanol extract was lower than that of the aqueous extract. The methanol extract showed a higher percentage inhibition (85%) of urease than the aqueous extract (73%). The methanol extract at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL showed the greatest ability to inhibit proteinase activity, albumin denaturation, and red blood cell hemolysis; on the other hand, maximum cell viability and greater production of nitrite oxide by macrophages were obtained with the aqueous extract. Aqueous and methanol extracts of Alstonia boonei possess anti-H. pylori which would probably be linked to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

In this study, we have examined the anticancer effects of SH005S7 on MET-amplified and (HCC827GR) NSCLC cells and their primary HCC827 cells. In vitro, first of all, cell viability and colony formation assay confirmed the growth inhibitory effects of SH005S7 on both cells. Second, SH005S7 inactivated EGFR-related multiple cell signaling, which was associated with a marked decrease in the constitutive phosphorylation of EGFR, HER3, MET, AKT, and ERK. Third, SH005S7 attenuated the anchorage-independent cell growth. Fourth, SH005S7 blocked invasive and metastatic capability by downregulation of mesenchymal markers-vimentin, snail, and MMP-9. Fifth, BrdU assay confirmed the cell cycle arrest of SH005S7 on these cells. When administered orally to nude mice xenografically transplanted human NSCLC, SH005S7 inhibited the growth of tumor and did not cause hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in animals. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses of tissue showed that the suppression of growth correlated with inhibition of proliferation (Ki-67, PCNA), invasiveness (vimentin, snail), and angiogenesis (CD31) marker and decrement in the constitutive and phosphorylation of EGFR, HER3, MET, AKT, and ERK. Additionally, SH005S7 had immune stimulatory effects by TNF-α cytokine release on macrophage, without cell cytotoxicity. Overall, our results suggest that SH005S7 can inhibit the growth of MET-amplified and gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells through the suppression of EGFR-related multiple targets linked to overcome gefitinib resistance.

The majority of shift nurses are female, there is still an expectation that they fulfil the traditional role of women in the family in Asia, often conflicting with shift work, increases stress, and affects cortisol secretion patterns. This study was to understand the changes in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and work stress in nursing personnel working in different shifts. We recruited 41 female shift nurses. We administered the Taiwan Nurse Stress Checklist (NSC), and the nurses themselves collected saliva samples upon waking and 30 minutes after waking for three consecutive days at home. The saliva samples enabled us to analyze the increase in cortisol levels following waking (CARi) of nurses working different shifts (day, evening, and night). We then analyzed the data obtained using a hierarchical linear model (HLM). The results indicated that in terms of stress from the inability to complete personal tasks, the regression coefficients of night-shift nurses vs. day-shift nurses (B = 4.39, p < .001) and night-shift nurses vs. evening-shift nurses (B = 3.95, p < .001) were positive, which means that night-shift nurses were under significantly greater stress than day-shift and evening-shift nurses. With regard to CARi, the regression coefficients of night-shift nurses vs. day-shift nurses (B = -3.41, p < .001) and night-shift nurses vs. evening-shift nurses (B = -2.92, p < .01) were negative, which means that night-shift nurses have significantly lower CARi values than day-shift and evening-shift nurses. With regard to cortisol levels 30 minutes after waking, the regression coefficients of night-shift nurses vs. day-shift nurses (B = -3.88, p < .01) and night-shift nurses vs. evening-shift nurses (B = -3.31, p < .01) were negative, which means that night-shift nurses have significantly lower cortisol levels 30 minutes after waking than day-shift and evening-shift nurses. These results indicate that female night-shift nurses display the lowest CARi and cortisol levels 30 minutes after waking and are more negatively affected by being unable to complete personal tasks.

OBJECTIVE: This work is aimed at revealing the role and the molecular mechanism of connective tissue growth factor 2 (CTGF) in the osteoblast differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). METHODS: The osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs was induced by osteogenic induction medium (OM), and the expression level of osteogenic related proteins ALP, RUNX2, OCN, and CTGF was estimated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting analysis. We constructed cell lines with CTGF overexpression or knockdown to verify the role of CTGF in the osteoblast differentiation of PDLSCs. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was introduced to measure the osteoblasts activity, and alizarin red S (ARS) staining was employed to test matrix mineralization. The interaction between CTGF and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) was determined by endogenous coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP). RESULTS: The expression level of CTGF was increased during the osteogenic induction of PDLSCs. Additionally, CTGF overexpression effectively maintained the stemness and facilitated the osteoblast differentiation in PDLSCs, and CTGF knockdown exerted opposite effects. Moreover, at molecular mechanism, CTGF increased the activity of BMP-2/Smad signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: This investigation verified that CTGF promotes the osteoblast differentiation in PDLSCs at least partly by activating BMP-2/Smad cascade signal.

BACKGROUND: PCOS is a prevalent endocrine and metabolic disorder in women characterized by abnormal blood glucose, dyslipidemia, and abnormal mental health. To improve patient care, the goal of our study is to find out if there are differences in how PCOS patients are treated at different hospital levels within the hierarchical medical system. METHODS: Obstetricians and gynecologists from primary, secondary, and tertiary hospitals were the participants in the survey. The responses provided and collected were analyzed using various statistical techniques like the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and logistic regression with multiple variables. RESULTS: The investigation examined 2298 survey replies (13.1% primary hospitals, 52.4% secondary hospitals, and 34.5% tertiary hospitals). As hospital grade increases, more participants inquire about a patient's history of unfavorable pregnancies concerning hormone evaluation; the better the hospital's grade, the greater the number of participants who would undergo AMH and androgen-related tests. The higher the hospital level, the more participants would pick the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to determine insulin resistance, the BMI Asian criteria for defining obesity, and blood lipids. Participants in primary (odds ratio (OR) = 0.383, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.282-0.520) and secondary (OR = 0.607, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.481-0.765) hospitals were significantly less likely to select OGTT than those in tertiary hospitals. Comparatively, fewer primary hospitals chose to do lipid profiling than tertiary hospitals (OR 0.689, 95% CI 0.523-0.909). With the increase in hospital level, participants were more knowledgeable about the multiple efficacies and dose alternatives of metformin and selected letrozole and assisted reproduction more frequently. CONCLUSION: Our study uncovered differences in the endocrine evaluation, metabolic screening, and management of PCOS patients across obstetrics and gynecology at various hospital levels. Simultaneously, it underlines the need to improve the hierarchical medical system and close the knowledge gap across hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in cardiopulmonary function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) by one-stage multiplane surgery. METHODS: 70 patients with moderate and severe OSAHS underwent nasal in our hospital from July 2017 to February 2021, palatopharyngeal, and/or tongue operations simultaneously and were followed up for 6 months. The Epworth Sleeping Scale (ESS) scores of patients before and after surgery were compared to observe the surgical efficacy, and the changes in the cardiopulmonary function of patients before and after surgery were detected. The static and dynamic indexes of cardiopulmonary function, respiratory disturbance index (AHI), and blood oxygen saturation (SaO2) were compared before and after the operation. RESULTS: After surgery, all patients' indexes of static lung function were improved compared with that before surgery. After surgery, the percentage of maximal oxygen uptake peak to the predicted value, percentage of oxygen pulse to the predicted value, the ratio of oxygen uptake power, anaerobic threshold, and maximum ventilatory capacity per minute/maximum exercise volume were increased compared with that before surgery, and AHI and SaO2 were improved compared with that before surgery. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that it is feasible for patients with OSAHS who are unable to tolerate or unwilling to undergo noninvasive assisted ventilation to undergo simultaneous surgery for multiplane stenosis. It can reduce clinical symptoms and improve cardiopulmonary function.

This study proposes a finite element analysis (FEA) model for complex fractures at the osteoporotic proximal humerus and investigates the relevance of using a calcar screw in surgical treatments using this model. Two types of three-dimensional (3D) fracture models of patients with osteoporotic humerus were constructed reflecting the mechanical properties of the osteoporotic humerus, such as the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio, and two load conditions mimicking the clinical environment were applied for simulation. Using the 3D models and the conditions, the FEA software calculated the concentration and distribution of stresses developing in the humerus, locking compression plate (LCP), and screws. Then, we evaluated and predicted the fixed state of a LCP system depending on whether the maximum stress value exceeded tensile strength. When axial force was applied, insertion of the calcar screw led to significant reduction of stress applied on screws in the fracture model having a medial gap by approximately 61%, from 913.20 MPa to 351.84 MPa. Based on the results, it was clearly confirmed that using of calcar screws improved the stability of a three-part fractures and simultaneously reinforced medial support.

Health monitoring can provide scientific and reasonable care for elderly users, professionally monitor the health parameters of the human body, and timely understand the user's own physical condition. By installing sensors with different functions in the rooms where the elderly often move and by installing vital signs sensors on their bodies, the data detected by the sensors are collected and analyzed in real time. Nursing refers to the fact that nursing staff must strictly follow the nursing system and operating procedures in the nursing work, accurately implement the doctor's orders, implement the nursing plan, and ensure that the patient is physically and mentally safe during treatment and recovery. Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease in which bone density and bone quality are decreased due to various reasons, and the microstructure of bone is destroyed, resulting in increased bone fragility, which is prone to fractures. Osteoporosis is divided into two main categories: primary and secondary. Primary osteoporosis is divided into postmenopausal osteoporosis (Type I), senile osteoporosis (Type II), and idiopathic osteoporosis (including adolescent forms). This paper aims to study the healthcare effect of health monitoring system on elderly patients with osteoporosis, expecting to use the health monitoring system to provide more scientific care for the elderly and reduce the pain caused by osteoporosis. This paper proposes a study from the users of the elderly health monitoring products and the elderly home health products and analyzes the influencing factors of the usability design of the elderly home health monitoring system. This paper designs the overall framework of the elderly health monitoring system and designs the main components and application functions of the system. The experimental results in this paper show that there are 20 patients with osteoporosis due to lack of light, accounting for 16%. There are 10 patients with osteoporosis due to excessive coffee intake, accounting for 8%. There are 90 people who normally eat eggs, accounting for 75%, and 66 people who eat meat normally, accounting for 55%. According to the data, the health monitoring system can effectively control the diet of patients with osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of the info-motivation-behavior skills (IMB) model combined with spousal support breastfeeding intervention on breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (PBSES) scores and breastfeeding rate of primiparas with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. METHODS: Seventy-four first-term pregnant women and 74 of their spouses were selected as the traditional control group by the convenience sampling method from July to September 2021 in obstetrics department of Shenzhen Third People's Hospital. 74 pregnant women with their first child and 74 spouses who had their first child checked during October to December 2021 were classified as the IMB model group. The traditional control group was applied with conventional intervention management mode, and the IMB model group was applied with intervention management mode based on IMB theory on the basis of the traditional control group. The self-efficacy scores of breastfeeding before and after intervention during pregnancy and during hospitalization were compared between the two groups, and the self-efficacy scores of paternal support for breastfeeding were compared. The exclusive breastfeeding rate of infants within 6 months and the maternal breastfeeding knowledge level of the two groups were compared, and the correlation between maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy score and feeding knowledge level was analyzed. RESULTS: After pregnancy intervention, PBSES and FBSES-SF scores were significantly increased in both groups, and scores of scales in the IMB model group increased significantly than the traditional control group (all P < 0.05). The BSES-SF and FBSES-SF scores of the IMB model group increased significantly than the traditional control group at 3 days after delivery and at discharge (P < 0.05), and the scores of each scale at discharge in both groups increased significantly than those at 3 days after delivery (P < 0.05). The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the IMB model group was 94.59% (70/74), and that in the traditional control group was 78.38% (58/74). There was a significant difference (χ2 = 8.325, P = 0.004). At discharge, the score of maternal breastfeeding knowledge increased significantly in both groups, and the score of the IMB model group increased significantly than that of the traditional control group (all P < 0.05). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between PBSES score, FBSES-SF score, and maternal feeding knowledge level, which showed positive correlation (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The self-efficacy of prenatal breastfeeding in pregnant women with HBV is low, and the application of the IMB model combined with the intervention mode of spy-supported breastfeeding has positive effects on the improvement of maternal breastfeeding efficiency, breastfeeding health knowledge level, and postpartum breastfeeding rate, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of serum amyloid 1 (SAA1) on activation of endothelial cells, formation of foam cells, platelet aggregation, and monocyte/platelet adhesion to endothelial cells. The effect of SAA1 on the inflammatory activation of endothelial cells was investigated by detecting the expression of inflammatory factors and adhesion molecules. The role of SAA1 in formation of foam cells was verified by detecting lipid deposition and expression of molecules related to the formation of foam cells. After platelets were stimulated by SAA1, the aggregation rate was evaluated to determine the effect of SAA1 on platelet aggregation. Monocytes/platelets were cocultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) pretreated with or without SAA1 to determine whether SAA1 affected monocyte/platelet adhesion to endothelial cells. By inhibiting toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) function, we further identified the role of TLR4 signaling in SAA1-mediated endothelial inflammatory activation, foam-cell formation, and monocyte/platelet adhesion to HUVECs. SAA1 significantly increased the expression of adhesion molecules and inflammatory factors in HUVECs. Moreover, SAA1 also promoted lipid deposition and the expression of inflammatory factors and low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) in THP-1-derived macrophages. In addition, SAA1 induced platelet aggregation and enhanced monocyte/platelet adhesion to HUVECs. However, the TLR4 antagonist significantly inhibited SAA1-induced endothelial cell activation, foam-cell formation, and monocyte/platelet adhesion to HUVECs and downregulated the expression of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), phosphor-inhibitor of nuclear factor κB kinase subunit α/β (P-IKKα/β), phospho-inhibitor of nuclear factor κB subunit α (P-IKBα), and phosphorylation of nuclear transcription factor-κB p65 (P-p65) in SAA1-induced HUVECs and THP-1 cells. Conclusively, it is speculated that SAA1 promotes atherosclerosis through enhancing endothelial cell activation, platelet aggregation, foam-cell formation, and monocyte/platelet adhesion to endothelial cells. These biological functions of SAA1 may depend on the activation of TLR4-related nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway.

Lycium barbarum and scopoletin are widely used in oriental Eastern medicine and are often consumed as teas. In this study, proinflammatory cytokines expressed in human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were induced by skin diseases caused by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)/interferon gamma (IFN-γ). The inhibitory activity of L. barbarum EtOH extract (LBE) and scopoletin on proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines was investigated. In the DNCB-induced animal model, oral administration of LBE inhibited skin lesions and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines and showed inhibitory effects in vitro. Additionally, as a result of examining the efficacy of scopoletin isolated from L. barbarum, scopoletin in HaCaT cells showed inhibitory effects on proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. It shows promise in the treatment of chronic skin diseases.

Cell-in-cell structures (CICs) refer to cytoplasmic internalization of a cell by another cell, which are found throughout various biological systems and have been a part of scientific dogma for a long time. However, neither the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon nor their possible roles in disease development have resulted in major breakthroughs until recent years. In view of the ubiquity of CICs in inflammatory tissue and tumors, it is tempting to think that these specific structures could be associated with clinical diagnosis and treatment and thus would become a new hotspot for translational medicine. Translational medicine is a new concept in the field of international biomedical research that appeared in the last 20 years, which transforms basic research into clinical application. With the growing interest in this field, this review addresses recent research on CICs and their potential clinical implications in cytomorphological diagnosis and the pathology of human diseases, while discussing as yet unanswered questions. We also put forward future directions to reduce the gap in our knowledge caused by our currently limited understanding of CICs.

BACKGROUND: The use of birth control methods is influenced by complex and competing socioeconomic and demographic factors. Regardless of the complexity of the behavioral approach of women, the utility of contraceptive methods in providing the opportunity of choice is well paired. This study examined the factors driving the usage of contraception and the impact of contraceptive practices on population growth in Pakistan. We also perused the quantification of sociocultural contraceptive use. Methodology. The Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS, 2017-18) dataset collected by the National Institute of Population Study (NIPS) was used for all analyses. We applied the frequentist logistic regression model and multinomial logistic regression model in assessing factors impacting contraceptive practices. Bayesian logistic and multinomial regression models were also implemented to compare estimates. The regions and provinces in Pakistan were considered as different clusters, thereby introducing hierarchical structures in the regression model. RESULTS: The study revealed a distinctive highly significant negative effect on contraceptive use and women's age. The odds ratio (OR) for women aged 25-34, 35-44, and above 44 was 1.242, 1.155, and 0.638, respectively, which shows that the OR of contraceptive use decreases in women aged 25-44. Our study showed the superior performance of the Bayesian model in highlighting disparities among the various cultural streams existing in the country. Estimates of the Bayesian analysis of competing models indicated that the Bayesian models provide powerful estimates compared to the classical models. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that contraceptive use is almost relevant to sociodemographic factors (education, age, language, partner, work, etc.). Women with no formal education living in rural areas were not aware of the use of contraception, thereby not using it. Contraceptive use and methods are most probably influenced by the age and the number of children of women. We recommend that high-quality education, counseling, and widespread access to contraceptives should be prioritized in family planning healthcare in all areas of the country, especially rural areas.

Ureterorenoscopy (URS) is believed to be a safe and effective procedure for treating ureteral stones or ureteral strictures. Rapidly increasing intrarenal pressure during URS may have a negative impact on the kidney, but its effect on renal function is not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether URS balloon dilation or lithotripsy could cause acute kidney injury (AKI), which was evaluated using urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and renal tubular damage, which was evaluated using urine α-glutathione S-transferase (GST) and πGST. This prospective study included 207 patients with a mean age of 53.8 years between September 2012 and June 2013. Four groups were included: the ureteral stricture group (group 1), the ureteral stone group (group 2), and two control groups. URS increased urine NGAL (uNGAL) levels on days 1 and 14 in both groups, and only elevated uGST levels were noted on day 14 after URS lithotripsy (URS). On day 14, the difference between low-grade and high-grade hydronephrosis was significant in group 1 (p < 0.001) compared to that in group 2 (p = 0.150). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and stone size > 1.0 cm were associated with the complete recovery of hydronephrosis after URS on day 14. Patients with ureteral stones with preserved renal function had more AKI than those with impaired renal function. However, there was no significant difference in URS-related AKI between the ≤1 cm and >1 cm subgroups. In addition, urine αGST and πGST levels were both significantly higher in the stone > 1 cm subgroup than in the ≤1 cm subgroup. In conclusion, URS laser lithotripsy and balloon dilatation resulted in AKI and renal tubular damage on day 14, although post-URS double-J (DBJ) stenting was performed in every patient.

Many synthetic routes manufacture zirconium nanoparticles in metal oxide, nitride, and other combination forms. Coupled with other variables such as concentration, pH, and form of precursor used, the various synthetic methods support synthesizing the zirconium metal oxide nanoparticles with changed features. Various synthetic methods were studied, such as sol-gel, hydrothermal, laser ablation, and precipitation. All have different synthetic routes, different precursors and solvents were sued, and the product was characterized by SEM, TEM, photo luminance spectroscopy, UV-absorption spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffraction determined the crystal structure by identifying the crystal shape, arrangement of atoms, and spacing between them. SEM and TEM studied the particle size and morphology of nanoparticles. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and PL spectroscopy were used for the determination of optical properties of nanoparticles. Zirconium oxide nanoparticles have many applications in the medical field. The review study primarily focuses on the efficient combination of zirconium dioxide with other additive materials and functionalization techniques used to improve the material's properties, assisting the use of the material in hip arthroplasty and bone tissue applications. The development of sophisticated near-infrared (NIR) absorbing small molecules for useful phototheranostic applications was discussed in this paper.

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies affecting women and the leading cause of related mortality worldwide. An estimated 2260000 new cases of BC were diagnosed in 2020, which have seriously threatened the health. Paclitaxel (PTX), a natural product isolated from the bark of the pacific yew, has been found to be effective in treating advanced BC. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which refers to the damage to the peripheral nerves caused by exposure to a neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agent, is a common side effect affecting the patients undergoing PTX chemotherapy. Significant research efforts are needed to identify the various risk factors associated with CIPN. Here, a univariate analysis in BC patients with nanonab-PTX treatment was performed. The rate of CIPN in BC patients with albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX) for more than four weeks was significantly higher than that of patients with chemotherapy for less than four weeks. Moreover, the rate of CIPN in BC patients receiving nab-PTX first-line chemotherapy was remarkably higher than that in BC patients receiving paclitaxel as a sequence scheme. Taken together, chemotherapy cycles and the priority of nab-PTX-based chemotherapy can be considered the potential risk factors for CIPN induced by nab-PTX.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a common chronic disease characterized by age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass and function, and the lack of diagnostic biomarkers makes community-based screening problematic. METHODS: Three gene expression profiles related with sarcopenia were downloaded and merged by searching the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and eigengenes of a module in the merged dataset were identified by differential expression analysis and weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), and common genes (CGs) were defined as the intersection of DEGs and eigengenes of a module. CGs were subjected to gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Subsequently, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis was performed to screen the CGs for identifying the diagnostic biomarkers of sarcopenia. Based on the diagnostic biomarkers, we established a novel nomogram model of sarcopenia. At last, we validated the diagnostic biomarkers and evaluated the diagnostic performance of the nomogram model by the area under curve (AUC) value. RESULTS: We screened out 107 DEGs and 788 eigengenes in the turquoise module, and 72 genes were selected as CGs of sarcopenia by intersection. GO analysis showed that CGs were mainly involved in metal ion detoxification and mitochondrial structure, and KEGG analysis revealed that CGs were mainly enriched in the mineral absorption, glucagon signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, and estrogen signaling pathway. Then, six diagnostic biomarkers (ARHGAP36, FAM171A1, GPCPD1, MT1X, ZNF415, and RXRG) were identified by LASSO analysis. Finally, the validation AUC values indicated that the six diagnostic biomarkers had high diagnostic accuracy for sarcopenia. CONCLUSION: We identified six diagnostic biomarkers with high diagnostic performance, providing new insights into the incidence and progression of sarcopenia in future research.

Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza (RSM) is widely used for the clinical improvement of inflammatory diseases. However, the actions of RSM in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have not been fully explored. Therefore, this study was designed to use retrospective clinical data mining approach to understand the effects of RSM on AS-related immuno-inflammatory processes, use network pharmacology to predict therapeutic targets of RSM, and to further investigate the pharmacological molecular mechanism in vitro. RSM treatment has a long-term correlation with the improvement of AS-related immuno-inflammatory indicators through computational models. We established protein-protein interaction networks, conducted KEGG analysis to enrich significant TNF pathways, and finally obtained three core targets of RSM in the treatment of AS, namely, prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Screening of RSM active ingredients with node degree greater than 20 yielded cryptotanshinone and tanshinone IIA, and previous studies have reported their anti-inflammatory effects. In vitro, both cryptotanshinone and tanshinone IIA significantly inhibited the expressions of PTGS2, IL-6, and TNF-α in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in AS patients. In conclusion, cryptotanshinone and tanshinone IIA, which are the active components of RSM, may inhibit the activation of TNF signaling pathway in AS patients by downregulating the expression of PTGS2, IL-6, and TNF-α. These findings illustrate that RSM may be a promising therapeutic candidate for AS, but further validation is required.

METHODS: The study was a comparative cross-sectional study among four different ethnic groups of North-east India among the age group of 20-30 years. Dimensions of the maxillary and mandibular teeth were measured with a digital Vernier calliper using the dental casts of 50 male and 50 female subjects from each of the four ethnic groups under study. The data were statistically analyzed using a Student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The tooth dimensions of all four ethnic groups were significantly lower than the standard values except for the MD dimension of the maxillary second molars of the Singpho group (9.13 mm vs. 9.0 mm); mandibular central incisors of the Meitei group (5.01 mm vs. 5.0 mm); and mandibular lateral incisors of the Meitei, Ao, and Singpho groups (>standard value of 5.5 mm) and BL dimension of the mandibular first premolars of the Meitei and Ao groups (>standard value of 7.5 mm); mandibular second premolars of the Meitei and Singpho groups (>standard value of 8.0 mm); and mandibular second molars of the Ao group (10.04 mm vs. 10.0 mm). In some instances, the comparative analysis revealed group variations in different tooth dimensions among the four ethnic groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Variations were observed in the tooth dimensions among the four ethnic groups and within the same population. Unlike other parts of India, the North-eastern population belongs to a distinct ethnic race of indigenous people of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Arctic region of North America. Hence, population-specific data for India's North-eastern region are necessary for forensic odontology, dental anthropology, routine dental practice, and effective treatment planning.

Staphylococcus aureus is emerging as a ubiquitous multidrug-resistant pathogen circulating among animals, humans, and their environment. The current study focused on molecular epidemiology and evidence-based treatment against S. aureus from bovine endometritis. For this study, n = 304 cattle were screened for endometritis using ultrasonography while presenting case history, and clinical signs were also considered. S. aureus was isolated from endometritis-positive uterine samples which were further put to molecular identification, phylogenetic analysis, susceptibility to antibiotics, and testing of novel drug combinations in both in vitro and field trials. The findings of the study revealed 78.20% of bovine endometritis samples positive for S. aureus, while nuc gene-based genotyping of S. aureus thermal nuclease (SA-1, SA-2, and SA-3) showed close relatedness with S. aureus thermal nuclease of Bos taurus. Drug combinations showed 5.00 to 188.88% rise in zones of inhibitions (ZOI) for drugs used in combination compared to the drugs used alone. Gentamicin in combination with amoxicillin and enrofloxacin with metronidazol showed synergistic interactions in an in vitro trial. Co-amoxiclav with gentamicin, gentamicin with enrofloxacin, and metronidazole with enrofloxacin showed 100%, 80%, and 60% efficacy in treating clinical cases in field trials, respectively. As a result, the study came to the conclusion the higher prevalence of endometritis-based S. aureus, genetic host shifts, narrow options for single drugs, and need for novel drug combinations to treat clinical cases.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to establish quality standards of Burnet gels and investigate the effects and mechanism of Burnet gels on steroid-dependent dermatitis (HDD) in guinea pigs. METHODS: HPLC was used to determine the content of gallic acid, Gentiopicrin, and paeonol. A total of 48 male guinea pigs were recruited and randomly divided into control group, model group, tacrolimus ointment group, and Burnet gel group (Low, medium, and high concentration). The HDD guinea pig model was established by the 0.5% clobetasol propionate tincture. After HDD model establishment, control group and model group smeared normal saline and the rest of the group with corresponding drugs for three weeks. The contents of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE in the guinea pig serum were detected by the ELISA; the protein expression levels of FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 in the epidermis of guinea pigs were detected by the immunohistochemical and Western blotting method. RESULTS: The content of gallic acid, Gentiopicrin, and paeonol was 0.30 mg/g, 1.06 mg/g, and 0.56 mg/g. Compared with the normal group, the IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE of guinea pig serum in the model group were significantly increased; the FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 of guinea pig epidermis in the model group were significantly decreased; compared with the model group, the IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE of guinea pig serum in the tacrolimus ointment group and Burnet gel group were significantly decreased; the FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 of guinea pig epidermis in the tacrolimus ointment group and Burnet gel group were significantly increased. CONCLUSION: Burnet gels can improve guinea pig HDD model, and the mechanism may be related to inhibiting skin inflammation and promoting the formation of epidermal skin barrier.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of D-dimer-to-albumin ratio (DAR) on outcomes in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated decompensated cirrhosis (HBV-DeCi). METHODS: A total of 172 HBV-DeCi patients were enrolled. Logistic regression was used to explore the association between DAR and 30-day mortality. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the performance of DAR for predicting mortality. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality was 19.8%. DAR was clearly higher in the nonsurvivors compared with the survivors, and increasing DAR was associated with an increasing risk of death. DAR was independently associated with mortality and its AUC for mortality was equivalent to that for Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score. CONCLUSIONS: DAR may be a potential prognostic marker for mortality in HBV-DeCi patients.

The indications of vital pulp therapy (VPT) are expanding, which cases are suitable for VPT, and how to improve the success rate of VPT is a problem that often bothers us. The main purpose of VPT is to eliminate pulpitis by promoting the formation of reparative dentin or calcium bridge, so that it can continue to perform various physiological functions, and finally achieve the purpose of preserving pulp vitality and long-term preservation of affected teeth. Pulp capping and pulpotomy are the most common methods for VPT. The research field of VPT has attracted the attention of many scholars, who have studied it from many aspects (such as indications, material selection, operation requirements, and long-term prognosis). This article reviews the recent advances in the techniques of VPT in permanent teeth.

Exosomes are extracellular membrane bound vesicles released from almost all cell types and can be retrieved from all body fluids. The molecular constituents of these extracellular bodies vary depending on their cell of origin, from which they can transport molecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins lipids, and several metabolites. They have been shown to execute several functions such as in cell growth, migration, differentiation, neuronal signaling, immune cell modulation, and some diseases such as cancer through intercellular communication and signaling. They are also described to act as key players in viral persistence and dissemination. Due to their ability to elicit potent cellular responses, high level of tolerance in host cells, and high efficiency in penetrating other cells, they are proposed to be potential therapeutics as well as vehicles for drug delivery. In recent years, several studies have been conducted in quest for the development of an effective anticancer therapy or antiviral therapy against highly persistent viruses. However, most of these studies become halted due to failure to achieve desired therapeutic outcomes. Nevertheless, the in vitro/in vivo application of exosomes in tumor and infectious disease diagnosis and therapy is prospective. This review discusses the role of exosomes as predictive markers for immune activation and potential targets for anticancer/antiviral therapies.

This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Biosculptor's Bioscanner system in capturing transtibial residual limb volume fluctuations in active and nonactive amputees during walking activity. Residual limb volume was obtained by measuring the limb circumference after amputees walked for 5 to 25 minutes for five consecutive days. The comparison of mean circumference between Bioscanner and manual measurements (i.e., tape measure) showed that the Bioscanner gave a higher estimation of circumference for the different amputees. Short-term changes in girth and volume due to an activity such as walking do not fluctuate uniformly. The results reflected as such as nonconsistence circumference change identified at different locations of the circumference profiles. Both amputees experienced a significant increase in circumference at the distal end of the limbs after 5 minutes of walking (7.35% change in nonactive and 8.83% in active amputees), and the measurement decreased as amputees walked longer. At 4-8 cm below the mid-patella tendon (pressure tolerant areas), both amputees experienced minor changes in the size of their circumference. The residual limb volume calculation resulted in the percentage difference between the two methods ranging from 2.4% to 9.3%. Pearson coefficient correlation obtained showed a high correlation between the two techniques, ranging from 0.97 to 1. The analysis of the limit of agreements showed that the majority of measurements were closed to the mean, suggesting that Bioscanner and manual techniques may be interchangeable and agree with one another. This study has implied that Bioscanner is comparable to the standard measurement method and may serve as an alternative tool in managing daily residual limb volume change.

Proper placentation in the first trimester is essential for a healthy pregnancy in humans. A recent proteomics study of human placental tissue has identified that tripeptidyl peptidase 1 (TPP1) production is reduced in the placenta in early-onset preeclampsia compared to uncomplicated pregnancy. However, it remains to be investigated if TPP1 plays a role in regulating trophoblast cell function during early pregnancy. In this study, immunohistochemistry was used to determine the production and localization of TPP1 in human placenta throughout gestation and the first-trimester decidua/implantation sites. TPP1 siRNA (20 nM) was transfected into a human trophoblast cell line (HTR8/SVneo) to knock down TPP1, and functional consequences on cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and invasion were analyzed via xCELLigence real-time monitoring. The expression of TPP1 downstream targets was examined by qPCR. Our data show that TPP1 localized to the discrete foci in the cytoplasm in syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast, and decidual cells across all trimesters of pregnancy. In the first-trimester human decidua, TPP1 exhibited similar staining patterns in the cytotrophoblast cells based at the cell columns. However, minimal/no staining was identified in the HLA-G positive extravillous trophoblast cells (EVTs), especially in the EVTs that invaded in the decidua. Knockdown of TPP1 in HTR8/SVneo cells by 95% significantly impaired cell adhesion and proliferation without affecting cell migration and invasion. qPCR revealed that the expression of cell proliferation markers P21 and MKI67 and TPP1-related genes MRE11, CLN3, and CLN8 was significantly changed after TPP1 knockdown in HTR8/SVneo cells compared to control. Overall, our data demonstrate that TPP1 alters trophoblast cell line function suggesting that it may be involved in regulating human placentation in the first trimester via controlling trophoblast cell adhesion and proliferation.

End-of-stem pain of the femur is a common problem in revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA). It may be caused by a problematic interaction between stem and bone, but the exact biomechanical correlate is still unknown. The aim of this prospective study was to find out how the stem is positioned in the medullary canal, how the femoral geometry changes due to implantation, and whether the results are influenced by the diameter of the trial. We implanted 16 rotating hinge knee implants into 16 fresh-frozen human femora using the hybrid fixation technique and comparing two reaming protocols. We created 3-dimensional models of the specimens before and after implantation using CT-scans and calculated the differences. The main contact between stem and bone was found at the proximal 30 mm of the stem, especially anterior. We observed two different contact patterns of stem and bone. The cortical thickness was reduced especially at the anterior tip of the stem with a maximum reduction of 1405 ± 501 μm in the standard group and 980 ± 447 μm in the small_trial group, which is a relative reduction of 34 ± 14% (standard group) and 26 ± 14% (small_trial group). The bone experienced a deformation to posterior and lateral. We conclude that the tip of the stem is an important biomechanical region. Different contact patterns between stem and bone as well as the reduction in cortical thickness at the tip of the stem may play a role in the development of end-of-stem pain.

PURPOSE: We aim to develop and validate a machine learning model by enhanced MRI to determine the pathological grading of meningiomas with unsupervised clustering image analysis method, which are multihabitat to reflect the inherent heterogeneity of tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 patients with meningiomas confirmed by postoperative pathology were included in the study, including 60 patients with low-grade meningiomas (WHO grade I) and 60 patients with high-grade meningiomas (WHO grade II and WHO grade III). All patients underwent complete head enhanced magnetic resonance scans before surgery or any anti-tumor treatment. Enrolled patients in the group received surgical resection and obtained postoperative pathological data. The patients in the training group (84 people) and the test group (36 people) were randomly divided into two groups according to the ratio of 7 to 3. Multi-habitat features were extracted from MRI images based on enhanced T1. Machine learning method was used to model, which was used to distinguish high-grade meningioma from low-grade meningioma. At the same time, the obtained machine learning model was calibrated and evaluated. RESULTS: In patients with low-grade meningioma and high-grade meningioma, we found significant differences in Silhouette coefficient (P<0.05). In the machine learning model, the area under the curve was 0.838 in the training group (sensitivity, 67.65%; specificity, 88.82%) and 0.73 in the test group (sensitivity, 69.05%; specificity, 71.43%). After the analysis of calibration curve and decision curve analysis, the model had shown the potential of great application value. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-habitat analysis based on enhanced MRI (T1) could accurately predict the pathological grading of meningiomas. This unsupervised image-based method could reflect the direct heterogeneity between high-grade meningiomas and low-grade meningiomas, which is of great significance for patients' treatment and prevention of recurrence.

BACKGROUND: The mechanistic aspects of the involvement of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in NETosis, the process of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), lack comprehensive elucidation. The involvement of these molecules in the immune microenvironment and plausible HNSCC prognosis remain to see the light of the day. The plausible functioning of NETosis-related lncRNAs with their plausible prognostic impact in HNSCC was probed in this work. METHODS: The scrutiny of lncRNAs linked to NETosis entailed the probing of twenty-four genes associated with the process employing Pearson's correlation analysis on HNSCC patients' RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The application of univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses yielded a NETosis-related lncRNA signature that was subjected to probing for its suitability in prognosis employing survival and nomogram analyses. RESULTS: The NETosis-related lncRNA signature inclusive of five lncRNAs facilitated patients to be segregated as high-risk and low-risk groups with the former documenting a poor prognosis. Regression unearthed that the risk score was an independent factor for prognosis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) or receiver operating characteristic curve analysis documented a one-year area under time-dependent ROC curve (AUC) value of 0.711 that is corroborative of the accuracy of this signature. Additional probing documented an evident enriching of immune-linked pathways in the low-risk patients, while the high-risk patients documented an immunologically "cold" profile as per the infiltration of immune cells. We verified lncRNA expression from our NETosis-related lncRNA signature in vitro, which reflects the reliability of our model to a certain extent. Moreover, we also verified the function of the lncRNA. We found that LINC00426 contributes to the innate immune cGAS-STING signaling pathway, which explain to some extent the role of our prognostic model in predicting "hot" and "cold" tumors. CONCLUSIONS: The plausible prognostic relevance of the NETosis-related lncRNA signature (with five lncRNAs) emerges that is suggestive of its promise in targeting HNSCC.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of atypical hyperplasia of the ovarian epithelium and ectopic endometrium caused by iron overload remains unclear. Accordingly, we investigated possible effects on the human ovarian ectopic endometrium and ovarian epithelium by producing a high-iron environment with rat ovaries. OBJECTIVE: Human ovarian ectopic endometrium with atypical hyperplasia was collected, and the correlation between transferrin receptor GPR30 and Pi3K protein expression was studied by immunohistochemistry staining. Twenty SPF Sprague-Dawley female rats were microinjected with iron into one side of the ovary once a month, and the other ovary was used as the control. After 10 months of microinjection, the iron histological analysis was examined by Prussian blue staining, and ovarian endometrium morphology was assessed by HE staining. Abnormal lesion changes were measured by Pi3K staining. Evaluation of GPR30 was performed using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and western blotting, and the interrelationship between GPR30 and Pi3K was also assayed. RESULTS: GPR30 was significantly increased and correlated with the transferrin receptor and Pi3K in atypical human ovarian ectopic endometrium. Iron overload was confirmed in the 20 microinjected ovary cortexes, epithelial hyperplasia was observed in 12 ovaries, and papillary atypical hyperplasia was noted in eight ovaries. The RNA and protein levels of GPR30 were significantly increased in atypical hyperplasia compared to hyperplasia tissue samples. A positive relationship between GPR30 and Pi3K was found (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that persistent iron exposure may be a potential stimulus for ovarian endometriosis with atypical changes, and the abnormal increase in the new estrogen receptor GPR30 is closely related to this process.

Subcellular localization attempts to assign proteins to one of the cell compartments that performs specific biological functions. Finding the link between proteins, biological functions, and subcellular localization is an effective way to investigate the general organization of living cells in a systematic manner. However, determining the subcellular localization of proteins by traditional experimental approaches is difficult. Here, protein-protein interaction networks, functional enrichment on gene ontology and pathway, and a set of proteins having confirmed subcellular localization were applied to build prediction models for human protein subcellular localizations. To build an effective predictive model, we employed a variety of robust machine learning algorithms, including Boruta feature selection, minimum redundancy maximum relevance, Monte Carlo feature selection, and LightGBM. Then, the incremental feature selection method with random forest and support vector machine was used to discover the essential features. Furthermore, 38 key features were determined by integrating results of different feature selection methods, which may provide critical insights into the subcellular location of proteins. Their biological functions of subcellular localizations were discussed according to recent publications. In summary, our computational framework can help advance the understanding of subcellular localization prediction techniques and provide a new perspective to investigate the patterns of protein subcellular localization and their biological importance.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of INSC gene with the level of immune infiltration and clinical prognosis in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: INSC expression profile data and clinicopathological information of COAD patients were downloaded from TCGA. Xiantao bioinformatics tool was used to analyze the expression of INSC between the COAD group and the normal control group, and GEPIA2 was used to analyze the top 100 coexpressed genes. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between clinicopathological features and INSC. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model were used to perform the survival analysis. CIBERSORT algorithm was used to analyze the relationship between INSC expression and immune infiltration cells. RESULTS: The expression level of INSC in COAD was significantly downregulated. The result of logistic regression analysis confirmed that tumor stage was the final influencing factor of INSC expression. The overall survival rate of INSC in the high expression group was higher than that of the low expression group, and it was an independent risk factor of prognosis. Enrichment results indicated that INSC was enriched in the regulation of T-helper 2 cell differentiation pathway. Immune infiltration analysis showed that INSC expression was positively correlated with the B cell plasma, T cell CD4+ memory resting, activated myeloid dendritic cells, and eosinophils. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that the expression of INSC was significantly downregulated in COAD, which regulated immune-infiltrating cells during cancer development and was associated with malignant progression in COAD patients.

BACKGROUND: With the development of research, the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the occurrence, metastasis, and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has attracted extensive attention. This study is aimed at predicting overall survival (OS) results through bioinformatics to identify novel miRNA biomarkers and hub genes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of LUAD-related miRNA and mRNA samples was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Upon screening and pretreatment of initial data, TCGA data were analyzed using R platform and a series of analytical tools to identify biomarkers with high specificity and sensitivity. RESULTS: 7 miRNAs and 13 hub genes that had strong relation to the overall surviving status were identified in patients with LUAD. The expression of seven miRNAs (hsa-miR-19a-3p, hsa-miR-126-5p, hsa-miR-556-3p, hsa-miR-671-5p, hsa-miR-937-3p, hsa-miR-4664-3p, and hsa-miR-4746-5p) could apparently improve the OS rate of patient with LUAD. The 13 hub genes, namely, CCT6A, CDK5R1, CEP55, DNAJB4, EGLN3, HDGF, HOXC8, LIMD1, MKI67, PCP4L1, PPIL1, SCAI, and STK32A, showed a correlation with the OS status. CONCLUSION: 7 miRNAs were identified as novel biomarkers for the prognosis of patients with LUAD. This study offered a deeper comprehension of LUAD treatment and prognosis from the molecular level and helped enhance the understanding of the pathogenesis and potential molecular events of LUAD.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of nanocurcumin and curcumin on liver transaminases, lipid profile, oxidant and antioxidant system, and pathophysiological changes in aluminium phosphide (ALP) induced hepatoxicity. Material and Methods. In this experimental study, thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups curcumin (Cur), nanocurcumin (Nanocur), ALP, ALP+Cur, and ALP+Nanocur. All treatments were performed by oral gavage for seven days. After treatment, animals were sacrificed, and liver and blood samples were taken. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), total bilirubin, cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) were measured by photometric methods. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) as parameters of oxidative stress and mRNA expression of the nonenzyme protein including Sirtuin 1 (STR1), Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) and protein O3 (FOXO3), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) as the enzyme protein in homogenized tissues have been investigated. A histologist analyzed liver tissue sections after staining with hematoxylin-eosin. RESULTS: In the aluminium phosphide group, there was a significant increase in MDA, ALT, AST, and AP and total bilirubin, cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and VLDL; AST, ALT, total bilirubin, LDL, VLDL, cholesterol, and MDA were significantly decreased; and HDL and TAC were significantly increased compared to ALP (P < 0.05). In the ALP+Nanocur group, ALT, AST, ALP, total bilirubin, cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, triglyceride, and MDA were significantly decreased and HDL and TAC were increased significantly (P < 0.05). The effect of nanocurcumin on controlling serum levels of LDL, VLDL, triglyceride, and MDA in ALP-poisoned rats was significantly more than curcumin (P < 0.05). The ALP group had significant changes in genes SIRT1, FOXO1a, FOXO3a, CAT, and GPX compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). Nanocurcumin mice expressed more SIRT1, FOXO1a, CAT, and GPX genes than controls, and curcumin-treated mice expressed more SIRT1 and FOXO1a genes (P < 0.05). Histopathological findings also indicated a more significant protective effect of nanocurcumin relative to curcumin against ALP-induced hepatotoxicity. CONCLUSION: Nanocurcumin significantly protects the liver against aluminum phosphide toxicity. It is suggested that nanocurcumin-based drugs be developed to reduce the toxic effects of ALP in poisoned patients.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of TGF-β2 on mechanical properties of sclerotic desmocytes isolated from healthy and myopic guinea pigs were investigated in order to further understand the pathogenesis of myopia. To study the effect of TGF-β2 on the mechanical properties of posterior scleral fibroblasts in experimental myopia. METHODS: A lens-induced myopia (LIM) animal model was developed in 12 guinea pigs, with the opposite eye serving as a self-control (SC). Five untreated guinea pigs served as normal controls. Lenses were removed 30 days after model onset. Primary scleral fibroblasts were isolated and passaged twice and then treated with vehicle control or 1, 10, or 100 ng/mL TGF-β2. After 24 h, micropipette aspiration was used to investigate the viscoelastic properties of the cells. RESULTS: Scleral fibroblasts from LIM exhibited significantly higher equilibrium moduli and apparent viscosities relative to SC without TGF-β2 treatment. Treatment of LIM or SC scleral fibroblasts with 1 or 10 ng/mL TGF-β2 led to significantly different (p < 0.05) equilibrium moduli and apparent viscosities compared with vehicle control, whereas no significant differences were observed upon treatment with 100 ng/mL TGF-β2. LIM cells treated with 1 and 10 ng/mL TGF-β2 exhibited lower equilibrium moduli and apparent viscosities compared with similarly treated SC cells, but LIM cells and SC cells treated with 100 ng/mL TGF-β2 had similar mechanical properties. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of 1 and 10 ng/mL TGF-β2 can lower the equilibrium modulus and apparent viscosity of scleral fibroblasts in the normal eye.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia and subsequent production of glycation end-products activate the paths which lead to diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of L-lysine on antioxidant capacity, biochemical factors, kidney function, HSP70 level, and the expression of the TGFβ, VEGF, and RAGE genes in rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly allocated to four eight-rat groups, namely, a healthy group, a diabetic group treated with vehicle (DM + vehicle), a diabetic group treated with L-lysine (DM + Lys), and a healthy group treated with L-lysine (healthy + Lys). Rats in the DM + Lys and the healthy + Lys groups were treated with L-lysine 0.15%. The levels of fasting blood glucose, insulin, HbA1C, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), lipid profile, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, glomerular filtration rate, urine microalbumin, oxidative stress parameters, kidney histology and morphology, and TGFβ, VEGF, and RAGE gene expressions were assessed. Findings. An eight-week treatment with L-lysine significantly reduced the levels of fasting blood glucose, AGEs, kidney function parameters, oxidative stress parameters, lipid profile, and the TGFβ, VEGF, and RAGE gene expression and significantly increased the levels of serum insulin and tissue HSP70. CONCLUSION: Treatment with L-lysine seems to slow down the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

INTRODUCTION: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, accounting for about 25% and 33% of the world's adult population and Iranians, respectively. There is currently no effective therapeutic agent available for the treatment of NAFLD. However, lifestyle modifications aimed at weight loss have been introduced as a cornerstone of NAFLD management. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of educational intervention on lifestyle and anthropometric indices in patients with NAFLD. METHODS: The randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 87 overweight or obese patients with NAFLD, including intervention (n = 42) and control (n = 45) groups. The intervention received 8 training sessions based on theory of planned behavior (TPB), while the control groups received nutritional and physical activity recommendations from their internal specialist and nutritionist. Analyses were carried out based on data collected from TPB constructs and anthropometric indices (weight, body mass index (BMI), waist size, and waist-hip ratio (WHR)) at three stages (before intervention and two and 12 weeks after the intervention), as well as data obtained from liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)), and ultrasound-based grading of NAFLD at two stages (before and 12 weeks after the intervention). RESULTS: After the intervention, a significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups, resulting in the increased mean scores of TPB constructs, decreased liver enzymes, and decreased degree of NAFLD ultrasound. In addition, the intervention group experienced more activity and healthy diet as compared with the control group. Anthropometric indices showed only a significant decrease in BMI in the intervention group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TPB-based training, as compared with traditional training, is a more effective and cost-effective strategy for altering nutritional behavior and physical activity of patients with NAFLD.

Although acupuncture has been used in clinical practice for thousands of years, it remains a controversial treatment option to help alleviate pain in cancer patients. In this study, we analyzed published material on randomized trials of acupuncture from MEDLINE published up until July 31, 2018, to assess its effects on pain experienced by cancer patients. Revman 5.0 software was used to conduct meta-analysis with pain score as the index. The results of nine randomized controlled trials involving 592 patients were analyzed and showed that acupuncture can relieve the pain caused by aromatase inhibitors. Weighted mean difference of worst pain and pain severity was -3.03, 95% CI (-3.90,-2.16) and -2.69, 95% CI (-4.08,-1.30), respectively (P < 0.01). This led us to conclude that acupuncture has pain relieving effects against pain caused by aromatase inhibitors.

Antibodies as well as memory B cells are the potential correlates of a protective immune response against hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. Literature on the role of B regulatory cells (Bregs) in acute viral infections is limited. We have evaluated the role of IL-10 expressing Bregs in HEV infection. A total of 108 acute hepatitis E patients, 55 hepatitis E recovered individuals and 128 HEV naïve healthy controls were enrolled. The percentages of peripheral CD19+, immature CD19+CD24hiCD38hi, mature CD19+CD24intCD38int and memory CD19+CD24hiCD38- B cells were analyzed by flowcytometry. Intracellular cytokine staining for IL-10 and TGF-β, HEV-rORF2p specific T cell response (IFN-γ expression) pre/post IL-10/IL-10R blocking and CD19+IL-10+ B cells-depletion based assays were carried out to assess the functionality of Bregs. The percentage of HEV-rORF2p specific immature B cell phenotype was significantly higher in acute hepatitis E patients compared to hepatitis E recovered individuals and controls. Significantly higher IL-10 expression on B and HEV-rORF2p stimulated immature B cells of acute hepatitis E patients compared to controls indicated that Bregs are functional and HEV-rORF2p specific. Enhanced IFN-γ expression on CD8+ T cells upon IL-10/IL-10R blocking and also post CD19+IL-10+ B cells depletion suggested that CD3+CD8+IFN-γ + T cells corroborate the regulatory potential of Bregs via IL-10 dependent mechanism. We have identified HEV specific functional, immature CD19+CD24hiCD38hi B cells having IL-10 mediated regulatory activities and a potential to modulate IFN-γ mediated T cell response in Hepatitis E. The prognostic/pathogenic role of Bregs in recovery from severe hepatitis E needs evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy, efficiency, and safety of robotic assistance (RA) and conventional fluoroscopy guidance for the placement of C1 lateral mass and C2 pedicle screws in posterior atlantoaxial fusion. METHODS: The data of patients who underwent posterior C1-C2 screw fixation (Goel-Harm's technique) in our hospital from August 2014 to March 2021 were retrospectively evaluated, including 14 cases under fluoroscopic guidance and 11 cases under RA. The hospital records, radiographic results, surgical data, and follow-up records were reviewed. Accuracy of screw placement was assessed using the Gertzbein and Robbins scale, and clinical outcomes were evaluated by Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, visual analogue scale (VAS), modified MacNab criteria, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics of both groups were similar. The mean estimated blood loss in the fluoroscopic guidance and RA groups was 205.7 ± 80.3 mL and 120.9 ± 31.9 mL, respectively (p = 0.03). The mean surgical duration was 34 min longer with RA compared to that performed with free-hand (FH) method (p = 0.15). In addition, lower intraoperative radiation exposure was detected in the RA group (12.4 ± 1.4 mGy/screw) versus the FH (19.9 ± 2.1 mGy/screw) group (p = 0.01). The proportion of "clinically acceptable" screws (graded 0 and I) was higher in the RA group (93.2%) than that in the FH group (87.5%, p = 0.04). There was no significant difference in the increase of JOA score and decrease of VAS score between the two surgical procedures. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in overall clinical outcome between the two groups and no neurovascular complications associated with screw insertion. CONCLUSIONS: RA is a safe and potentially more accurate alternative to the conventional fluoroscopic-guided FH technique for posterior atlantoaxial internal fixation.

BACKGROUND: In December 2019, a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-COV-2) was found in China. The coronavirus can impact different organs, as shown by the virus having been detected in urine, blood, oropharyngeal, and feces. This study was done to assess the impact of COVID-19 on semen analysis and to evaluate the existence of the virus in the semen of infected men. Methodology. Forty fertile men with COVID-19 were confirmed by an oropharyngeal sample. The men were divided into two groups. The semen of twenty men in the acute stage of COVID-19 and twenty men in the clinical recovery stage was analyzed, and the parameters of semen were compared between two groups. In addition, a PCR test of patients' semen was done. RESULT: The analysis showed that all patients' semen specimens tested negative. Semen analysis revealed no significant difference in sperm count, concentration, or motility, and the sperm of both groups was found to be normal. However, viability and morphology parameters were significantly lower in men with the acute disease. CONCLUSION: Coronavirus (COVID-19) was not secreted in the semen of infected men but had a negative effect on the morphology and viability of the sperm of men in the acute stage.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), one of the most prevalent organ-specific autoimmune diseases, mainly includes Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). This study was aimed at researching the association between AITD and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the HLA-DRA gene. METHODS: Using Hi-SNP high-throughput sequencing technology, we detected the distribution of three SNPs (rs3177928, rs7197, and rs3129878) of HLA-DRA genotypes in 1033 AITD patients (634 GD and 399 HT ones) and 791 healthy volunteers in Chinese Han Population. Chi-square test, multivariate logistic regression, and haplotype analysis were performed by SPSS and Haploview software to analyze the relationship between HLA-DRA gene polymorphisms and AITD. RESULTS: The results show that allele frequency and genotype distribution of rs3177928 and rs7197 were correlated with AITD and GD compared with the healthy control group, but not with HT. Rs3177928 and rs7197 were correlated with AITD and HT in the allele model, dominant model, and overdominant model before and after gender and age adjustment, but not with HT. In addition, we found that two loci (rs3177928 and rs7197) constituted a linkage disequilibrium (LD) region, and haplotype AA was associated with AITD and GD. However, we found no association between rs3129878 and AITD. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to find that rs3177928 and rs7197 of HLA-DRA are significantly correlated with AITD and GD in the Chinese Han population. This will help further reveal the pathogenesis of AITD and provide new candidate genes for the prediction or treatment of AITD.

In order to achieve a sufficient population of cardiac-committed progenitor cells, it is crucial to know the mechanisms of cardiac progenitor formation. Previous studies suggested ROS effect on cardiac commitment events to play a key role in the cell signaling and activate cardiac differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. We previously reported that PPARγ activity is essential for cardiac progenitor cell commitment. Although several studies have conducted the involvement of PPARγ-related signaling pathways in cardiac differentiation, so far, the regulatory mechanisms of these signaling pathways have not been discussed and cleared. In this study, we focus on the role of PPARγ agonist in ROS generation and its further effects on the differentiation of cardiac cells from mESCs. The results of this study show that the presence of ROS is necessary for heart differentiation in the precursor stage of cardiac cells, and the coenzyme Q10 antioxidant precludes proper cardiac differentiation. In addition, this antioxidant prevents the action of pioglitazone in increasing oxygen radicals as well as beating cardiomyocyte differentiation properties. In this case, it can be concluded that PPARγ is required to modulate ROS levels during cardiac differentiation.

PURPOSE: To assess the surface roughness of two different light-cured resin-composites when opposed by monolithic zirconia after simulated mastication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Materials included a direct restorative nanohybrid (n = 10) and an indirect microhybrid (n = 10) resin-composite (Tetric EvoCeram and Sinfony, respectively). The antagonist material was 3 mol% yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline ceramic. Each material was subjected to in vitro chewing against zirconia using a chewing simulator for 250,000 cycles. A 3D profilometer was used to assess the surface roughness parameters of each resin-composite before and after the simulated chewing. Independent t-test and paired sample t-test were performed to compare roughness values for both materials and to compare baseline and after chewing simulation values (p = 0.05). RESULTS: Sinfony showed significantly greater roughness values compared to Tetric EvoCeram (p ≤ 0.025) before and after simulated chewing, except for Sa and Sv parameters after simulated chewing where the difference between the two materials was insignificant (p = 0.06 and 0.89, respectively). Surface roughness increased for both materials after simulated chewing compared to baseline values, but the difference was insignificant (p ≥ 0.065). However, Sa (p = 0.04) and Sv (p = 0.012) for Tetric EvoCeram were significantly higher after compared to before chewing simulation. CONCLUSION: Tetric EvoCeram had a smoother surface than Sinfony before and after simulated chewing. Surface roughness for both materials was higher after simulated chewing compared to baseline values which represent surface damage that was significant for Tetric EvoCeram while Sinfony showed better resistance.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the improvement effect of aerobic exercise on liver tissue of rats with NAFLD, explore whether it can reduce NAFLD symptoms without drug dependence, and provide certain data support for the relief of NAFLD by aerobic exercise. METHODS: 40 healthful male SD rats have been divided into ordinary diet and high-fat diet. To observe whether the molding is forming after 6 weeks, then divide the rats into control (C), model (M), and exercise (E) group. E group received 8-week aerobic exercise intervention. Serum and liver samples were taken and analyzed after the last intervention. RESULTS: The morphological of hepatocytes between C and M group becomes different, and the accumulation of fat and inflammatory cells was significant, suggesting that NAFLD symptoms appeared, that is, the model was successfully established. Compared with M group, the morphology of rats in E group was improved in varying degrees. The quantity of ALT, AST, and MDA of rats in M group is increased, and the SOD activity is significantly reduced (P < 0.01). However, aerobic exercise intervention changed those result (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic exercise can relieve oxidative stress damage, lipid peroxidation levels, and chronic inflammatory status in rats with NAFLD, which can reduce NAFLD symptoms without drug dependence, and is expected to become a means of NAFLD treatment.

This study investigated the healing effects of topical application of zerumbone, a well-known anti-inflammatory compounds loaded on nanostructured lipid carrier gel (Carbopol 940) (ZER-NLCG) on excisional wounds in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats with inflicted superficial skin wound were topically treated with ZER-NLCG, empty NLCG, and silver sulfadiazine cream (SSDC) once daily for 21 days. Wound tissue samples were analyzed for proinflammatory cytokines, namely, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), hydroxyproline contents, catalase, superoxide dismutase activities, and lipid peroxidation level, and were subjected to histopathological analysis, respectively. Among the treated groups, ZER-NLCG was the most effective at decreasing proinflammatory cytokine level and inflammatory cell infiltration while increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, hydroxyproline content, and granulation of wound tissues of diabetic rats. ZER-NLCG is a potent formulation for the enhancement of wound healing in diabetic rats through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tissue repair activities.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence and safety of clinical complications associated with percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) for the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation (RLDH) by meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science electronic databases were searched for clinical studies on complications related to the treatment of RLDH with PELD. The search time extended from the databases' inception until May 2021. RevMan5.4 software was used for meta-analysis after two researchers independently scanned the literature, gathered data, and assessed the bias risk of the included studies. RESULTS: A total of 8 clinical studies, including 1 randomized controlled trial and 7 cohort studies including 906 individuals, were included. According to the results of the meta-analysis, the overall complications (OR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.04-0.83, p = 0.03) and dural tear rates (OR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.01-0.92, p = 0.04) of PELD were lower than those of traditional fenestration nucleus pulposus removal. Moreover, the PELD group had a greater recurrence rate compared to the MIS-TLIF group (OR = 19.71, 95% CI: 3.68-105.62, p = 0.0005), and the difference was statistically significant. However, compared with MED and MIS-TLIF, there were no significant differences in the incidence of overall complications, dural tear, nerve root injury, and incomplete nucleus pulposus removal (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: PELD is an effective and safe method for the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation, with a lower incidence of complications and higher safety profile than traditional fenestration nucleus pulposus removal.

BACKGROUND: Members of the formin-like gene (FMNL) family are required for cytoskeleton-related processes, and their expressions are implicated to the progression of a multitude of malignancies. However, there are insufficient studies on transcription factors and promising prognosis benefit of FMNLs during the genesis of breast cancer (BrCa). METHODS: The transcriptional levels of FMNL family members in primary BrCa tissues and their association with intrinsic subclasses were analyzed using the UALCAN database. Then, the prognostic values of FMNLs in BrCa patients were investigated via the Kaplan-Meier plotter. Moreover, the correlations between FMNL expression levels and immune infiltrations were analyzed using the TIMER database. In addition, the expression patterns of FMNLs in BrCa were investigated by single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis and were validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. RESULTS: The transcriptional level of FMNL1 was shown to be considerably increased in BrCa. It is surprising that the transcriptional quantities of FMNL2 and FMNL3 were substantially reduced. In addition, during the comparison of several BrCa subclasses, FMNL1 and FMNL2 mRNA levels of patients with HER2-positive and triple-negative BrCa subclasses increased, while FMNL3 mRNA levels reduced. With the processions of experimentation, high FMNL1 expression was hopefully linked to well clinical outcome, while high FMNL2 expression predicted poor prognosis. Moreover, FMNL1 was highly expressed in tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) in tumor tissues. Last but not least, FMNL1 was highly expressed in TIICs and served as a gene marker for TIICs. CONCLUSIONS: The fact and result which we analyzed demonstrate FMNL1 as a diagnostic marker for TIICs by comprehensively elucidating the expression patterns and changeable prognostic implications of FMNLs in BrCa clinical applications.

The advances in the technology applied to the health field lead the medical system to be optimized and the medical equipment and drugs to be improved, and the benefits can be seen in the prolonged human lifetime. The increased age and the lifestyle, however, increase the demand of blood for medical procedures and to save lives. The average age of blood donors has gradually increased, the number of new blood donors has grown slowly, and the allocation of blood supply and inventory is complex and many times cannot be improved. The low increase in blood donor number is a concern that needs to be overcome. Here, the theory of planned behavior was used as a tool to analyze the motivation, intention, and behavior of blood donors. The theory of planned behavior was applied in the form of questionnaires to college students. The results indicated that participation on the research motivates and educates the participants to donate blood, encourages the behavior of relatives, and leads the participants to realize the altruistic and mutually beneficial outlook on blood donation. The results also indicated the awareness of the students with respect to the importance of blood donation and that it can be an important tool in order to educate and increase the young blood donor number.

Bladder cancer (BCa) is an increasingly severe clinical and public health issue. Therefore, we aim to investigate BCa susceptibility loci in the Chinese population. In this study, 487 BCa patients and 563 controls were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from July 2015 to September 2020. A total of ten single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in solute carrier family 15 member 1 (SLC15A1), CWC27 spliceosome associated cyclophilin (CWC27), or UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 1 member A3 (UGT1A3) genes were genotyped. The associations between the candidate SNPs and BCa were analyzed using genotype and haplotype analysis. The results demonstrated that Rs4646227 of SLC15A1 has a significant association with BCa. The patients with CG (OR =2.513, p < 0.05) and GG (OR =2.859, p < 0.05) genotypes had an increasing risk of BCa compared with the CC genotype. For the CWC27 gene, genotypic frequency analysis revealed that the GT or TT genotype of rs2042329 and the CT or TT genotype of rs1870437 were more frequent in BCa patients than those in the control group, indicating that these genotypes were associated with a higher risk of BCa (all p < 0.05). Haplotypes of SLC15A1, UGT1A3, and CWC27 genes found that the C-C-C haplotype of SLC15A1 was associated with a lower risk of BCa while the C-G-C haplotype was associated with a higher risk. For the UGT1A3 gene, a moderate protective effect was observed with the most frequent T-T-C haplotype, and for the CWC27 gene, most of the haplotypes showed no association with BCa, except the G-G-C-T haplotype (order of SNPs: rs2042329-rs7735338-rs1870437-rs2278351, OR =0.81, p =0.038). In sum, this study indicated that rs2042329 and rs1870437 in the CWC27 gene and rs4646227 in the SLC15A1 gene are independent indicators for BCa risk in Chinese people. Further large-scale studies are required to validate these findings. Also, this study provided the theoretical basis for developing new therapeutic drug targeting of BCa.

Cisplatin resistance is one of the major obstacles in the treatment of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Kangai injection (KAI), a Chinese herbal medicine, has been used in tumors as adjuvant treatment, but its exact antitumor mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we first demonstrated that cisplatin-resistant A549/DDP cells showed a higher level of basal autophagy in response to cisplatin treatment with increasing autophagic protein expression levels of Beclin 1, p62, and LC3 compared to cisplatin-sensitive A549/DDP cells; then, we assessed the antitumor effect of KAI in cisplatin-resistant lung adenocarcinoma A549/DDP cells. Our results showed that KAI exhibited direct cytotoxic and chemosensitizing effects in A549/DDP cells. Combining KAI with cisplatin promoted A549/DDP cell apoptosis, which was confirmed by cell cycle arrest, condensed nuclear chromatin, annexin V fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (Annexin V-FITC/PI) staining, and apoptosis-related protein expression. In addition, combining KAI with cisplatin induced autophagic cell death in A549/DDP cells with a high level of basal autophagy, as indicated by an increase in LC3 spot count, an accumulation of Beclin 1 and LC3 II, and reduced p62 protein expression. We also found that the apoptosis and autophagic cell death induced by cotreatment of KAI and cisplatin in A549/DDP cells were FOXO3a-dependent as indicated by decreased p-FOXO3a expression and increased FOXO3a nuclear localization, respectively. Furthermore, the FOXO3a gene knockdown assay further confirmed that KAI enhanced cisplatin cytotoxicity in A549/DDP cells with a high level of basal autophagy by inducing apoptosis and autophagic cell death in a FOXO3a-dependent manner. These findings suggest that the combination of KAI and cisplatin might support the potential clinical treatment as a novel strategy to overcome cisplatin resistance.

Heart failure is the final stage of the development of heart disease, with a high mortality and disability rate. It poses a serious threat to human health and brings tremendous pressure to human society. Preventing respiratory infections in patients with heart failure is also the first priority of care. This article is aimed at studying the nursing analysis of respiratory tract care based on big data exchanges to prevent respiratory tract infections in patients with heart failure. This article uses benchmark and sample collection. Studies have shown that for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, its resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefazolin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, and cefoxitin has reached more than 80%. It is also suitable for piperacillin, ticarcillin/clavulanic acid, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefepime, aztreonam, gentamicin, tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. The resistance rate of stars is within 10%-30%. These antibiotics are effective and can be used for clinical treatment. The drug resistance rates of ceftazidime, imipenem, meropenem, and amikacin were all lower than 10%, and the drug resistance rates of ceftazidime and imipenem were much lower than those reported in the 2016 literature. These antibiotics have become the most effective drugs for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Basically, good communication of respiratory care data is realized, thereby preventing respiratory care analysis of patients with heart failure.

Ganoderic acid A (GAA) exhibited neuron protection in in vitro epilepsy study, but no study has been done in vivo. Rats were administered (i.p.) pentylenetetrazole daily for 28 days to induce seizure. Rats with grade II or above of epileptic score were divided into three groups and given placebo, sodium valproate, or GAA treatment, respectively, for 7 days. The electrical signals of brain were monitored with electroencephalography (EGG); epileptic behavior was assessed using the Racine scale; morphological changes and apoptosis rate of cortical neurons were assessed with H&E staining and TUNEL staining, respectively. Protein expression of calcium-sensing receptor, p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-p38 in hippocampal tissue and Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3, and Bax in cortical tissues was observed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry assay, respectively. After GAA treatment, apparent seizure-like EEG with significant arrhythmic disorder and spike waves was reduced or disappeared, and wave amplitude of EEG was reduced significantly. GAA showed similar effect with sodium valproate treatments on epilepsy. There were an apparent improvement of the epileptic behavior and a significant increase in the epileptic latency and shortening of the epileptic duration in the treatment group compared to control. GAA treatment ameliorated the nuclear pyknosis of neurons which appeared seriously in the epilepsy group. GAA treatment significantly reduced the cortical neuron apoptosis of epilepsy and the expression of calcium-sensing receptor, p-P38, p-JNK, cleaved caspase-3, and Bax but increased the expression of both p-ERK and Bcl-2. In conclusion, GAA treatment showed strong antiepileptic effect by decreasing apoptosis in cortical neuron and the expression of calcium-sensing receptor and stimulating the MAPK pathway.

The potential threat of global warming in the 21st century is on the ecosystem through many aspects, including the negative impact of rising global temperature on the health of humans and animals, especially domestic animals. The damage caused by heat stress to animals has been more and more significant as the worldwide climate continues to rise, along with the breeding industry's expanding scale and stocking density, and it has become the most important stress-causing factor in southern China. In this review, we described the effects of heat stress on animal immune organs and immune system. The much-debated topic is how hyperthermia affects the tight junction barrier. Heat stress also induces inflammation in the body of animals causing low body weight and loss of appetite. This review also discussed that heat stress leads to hepatic disorder, and it also damages the intestine. The small intestine experiences ischemia, and the permeability of the intestine increases. Furthermore, the oxidative stress and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways have a significant role in stress-induced cellular and organ injury. The study has shown that MAPK activity in the small intestine was increased by heat stress. Heat stress caused extreme small intestine damage, enhanced oxidative stress, and activated MAPK signaling pathways.