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Background: Effective education and awareness regarding breast cancer are critical. Traditional educational methods often fail to meet the diverse information needs of patients. Patients should be provided with tailored, accessible information to improve their retention and understanding of disease-related information. Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of chatbots for providing breast cancer education. By examining patient satisfaction with and the usability and efficacy of chatbot interventions, this study seeks to support the integration of chatbot technology into cancer education. Methods: This review, which was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, included studies from MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to May 2024. The main inclusion criterion was chatbot interventions for breast cancer education. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager and Open Meta-Analyst software. Results: Of the 208 articles initially identified, 6 studies met the inclusion criteria, involving a total of 1342 women with early-stage or at-risk hereditary breast cancer. The meta-analysis revealed that most participants (85 to 99%) reported high satisfaction with chatbot interventions for breast cancer education, with no significant differences in satisfaction compared to genetic counselors or physicians. The chatbot interventions also showed positive effects on knowledge acquisition (mean proportion = 90.8%) and alleviated patients’ symptoms significantly more than routine care. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that chatbots can effectively provide personalized and interactive educational support, enhancing patients’ understanding and retention of disease-related information. The integration of chatbot technology into educational programs can empower patients, ultimately promoting breast cancer awareness and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis is a serious, infectious, zoonotic disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Infections are transmitted in humans and livestock via aerosols. Rv1048c is a hypothetical unknown protein in the standard strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. Rv1048c exists only in pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is highly conserved; however its function is still unclear. The recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis strain Ms_Rv1048c, with heterologous expression of the Rv1048c gene, was constructed by using the pMV261 expression plasmid. The biological characteristics of the recombinant bacteria were studied, such as their growth pattern, drug resistance, and virulence. Expression of Rv1048c significantly reduced the growth rate of the strain, enhanced its ability to form a biofilm, and reduced its tolerance to sodium dodecyl sulfate, H2O2, and various anti-tuberculosis drugs, and reduced the viability of infected RAW264.7 macrophages. Rv1048c also significantly reduced the level of early pro-inflammatory factors in infected RAW264.7 cells. Rv1048c protein is considered to be a virulence protein that might regulate the growth of M. tuberculosis strains. The results of the present study indicate that Rv1048c plays an important role in Mycobacterial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to observe the protective effects of c9, t11- conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on oxidative stress and inflammation in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) exposed to H2O2. The BMECs were treated with different concentrations of H2O2 for 8 h, 600 µmol/L was determined to be the damage concentration. Using different concentrations of c9, t11-CLA to process BMECs for 24 h, 50 and 100 µmol/L were determined to be the effective concentrations for subsequent analyses. Thus, four BMEC groups were established: Control group; H2O2 group; 50 µmol/L c9, t11-CLA + H2O2 group; 100 µmol/L c9, t11-CLA + H2O2 group. We observed that the H2O2 group exhibited significantly lower total antioxidant activity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and significantly higher secretions of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 than the control group (p < 0.05). Pretreatment with c9, t11-CLA enhanced SOD, CAT, and GPx activities and SOD mRNA expression and repressed IL-6 and IL-8 secretion and expression in H2O2-treated BMECs (p < 0.05). In conclusion, c9, t11-CLA treatment efficiently enhanced antioxidant capacity and decreased inflammation induced by H2O2 in BMECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the endoscopic characteristics of radioactive iodine‐induced sialadenitis (RAIS), and to evaluate the treatment outcomes of endoscopic intervention for RAIS. Study Design: Retrospective case series. Methods: Eighty‐two consecutive patients (11 males and 71 females) diagnosed as RAIS from Nov. 2012 to Sep. 2023 were retrospectively included. All patients underwent endoscopic exploration and intervention of the affected glands. The endoscopic features were collected, and treatment outcomes were followed‐up and evaluated through post to pre‐operative comparisons of gland status. Results: Overall, endoscopic procedures were undertaken for 162 parotid glands (PGs) and 62 submandibular glands (SMGs). Endoscopy showed severe lumen stricture (49.3%) and ductal atresia (23.5%) in PGs, as well as severe stenosis of the anterior duct and ectasia of the proximal duct (59.7%) in SMGs. During a median six months' follow‐up, the treatment outcomes of PGs were evaluated as "improvement" in 23.4%，"lesion maintenance" in 45.1% and "lesion aggravation" in 31.5% of the glands. As for SMGs, the treatment outcomes were scored as "improvement"in 29.0%，"lesion maintenance"in 54.8%, and"lesion aggravation"in 16.1% of the glands. No significant differences of treatment outcomes were found relative to RAI treatment sessions and cumulative dosage. Conclusion: RAIS is characteristic of severe lumen stricture and ductal atresia in PGs, and stenosis of the distal duct and ectasia of the proximal duct in SMGs. Endoscopy can alleviate clinical symptoms of RAIS and help to preserve the gland function. Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:4506–4513, 2024 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of ARID1A has been reported to drive the progression of lung adenocarcinoma, yet the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we performed secretome analysis to identify the key secreted proteins regulating lung adenocarcinoma progression. We showed that the VASN level was significantly elevated in the conditioned medium from ARID1A-depleted A549 and H1299 cells. Restoration of ARID1A in ARID1A-depleted lung adenocarcinoma cells prevented the upregulation and secretion of VASN. Clinical analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between ARID1A and VASN expression in ARID1A-mutated lung adenocarcinomas. The patients with ARID1A-mutated lung adenocarcinoma had significantly higher concentrations of serum VASN than healthy controls. Moreover, serum VASN concentrations were associated with TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and overall survival of the patients with ARID1A-mutated lung adenocarcinoma. Functional studies indicated that VASN overexpression potentiated the proliferation, invasion, and tumorigenesis of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Antibody neutralization of VASN suppressed the aggressiveness of ARID1A-depleted lung adenocarcinoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Addition of recombinant VASN protein promoted the proliferation and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Additionally, knockdown of Notch1 blocked the aggressive phenotype induced by recombinant VASN protein. In conclusion, our data uncover the role of VASN in mediating the progression of ARID1A-depleted lung adenocarcinoma and highlight VASN as a promising therapeutic target for this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photogalvanic effect (PGE) in Weyl semimetals, such as WTe2 and MoTe2, has been widely observed and is considered a promising phenomenon for advancing Weyl semimetal-based optoelectronic devices. However, as device dimensions continue to shrink, edge effects on photocurrent generation and modulation become increasingly significant and cannot be overlooked. Herein, we have discovered a locally enhanced edge linear photogalvanic effect at the edge of WTe2 thin-film devices using a home-built polarization-modulated scanning photocurrent system, which arises from symmetry breaking. Furthermore, the magnitude and direction of this edge photocurrent are modulated by the polarization direction of the incident light. This research provides valuable insights for the development of polarization-sensitive photodetectors based on layered type-II Weyl semimetals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To establish an inflammation grading system for radioactive iodine‐induced sialadenitis (RAIS) based on spiral computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography and sialography. Methods: In all, 120 RAIS patients (18 males and 102 females) were retrospectively included. Spiral CT, ultrasonography and sialography appearances were analysed and categorized as follows: grade I, approximately normal or mild sialadenitis; grade II, moderate sialadenitis; and grade III, severe sialadenitis. Adenitis severity was analysed relative to sex, age, RAI treatment sessions and cumulative doses. Results: Spiral CT showed heterogeneous (78.9%) and atrophic changes (36.8%) in the parotid glands (PGs) and duct ectasia (24.8%) in the submandibular glands (SMGs). Ultrasonography showed heterogeneous echogenicity (54.3%) and diminished gland size (30.2%) in PGs and duct ectasia in SMGs (34.7%). Sialography showed duct obliteration in 25.3% PGs and 3.2% SMGs. Statistical analysis showed good consistency among the three imaging grading results. The incidence and severity of PG lesions were significantly higher than that of SMGs (p < 0.001). As for PGs, adenitis severity was associated with both treatment sessions and cumulative doses; but in SMGs, disease severity was only related to treatment sessions. Conclusions: A grading system for severity of RAIS was established based on spiral CT, ultrasonography and sialography appearances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Methamphetamine addiction is a persistent and intractable pathological learning and memory, whereas no approved therapeutics is available. However, few attentions have been paid to how associative learning participates in the formation of intractable memory related to drug addiction Objectives and methods: To investigate the role of associative learning in methamphetamine addiction and the underlying neurobiological mechanism, methamphetamine self-administration, oral sucrose self-administration, chemogenetic neuromanipulation, and fiber photometry in mice were performed in this study. Results: We reported that associative learning increased methamphetamine-induced self-administration, but not oral sucrose self-administration. In addition, the enhancement of methamphetamine-induced self-administration was independent of more methamphetamine consumption, and remained with higher drug-taking and motivation in the absence of visual cues, suggesting the direct effects of the associative learning that enhanced methamphetamine-induced self-administration. Moreover, chemogenetic inactivation of the secondary visual cortex (V2) reduced the enhancement of the drug-taking induced by associative learning but did not alter sucrose-taking. Further fiber photometry of V2 neurons demonstrated that methamphetamine-associative learning elicits V2 neuron excitation, and sucrose-associative learning elicits V2 neuron inhibition. Conclusions: Therefore, this study reveals the neurobiological mechanism of V2 excitability underlying how associative learning participates in the formation of intractable memory related to drug addiction, and gives evidence to support V2 as a promising target for stimulation therapy for methamphetamine addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Point-of-care testing (POCT) is a contemporary diagnostic approach characterized by its user-friendly nature, cost efficiency, environmental compatibility, and lack of reliance on professional experts. Therefore, it is widely used in clinical diagnosis and other analytical testing fields to meet the demand for rapid and convenient testing. The application of POCT technology not only improves testing efficiency, but also brings convenience and benefits to the healthcare industry. The personal glucose meter (PGM) is a highly successful commercial POCT tool that has been widely used not only for glucose analysis, but also for non-glucose target detection. In this review, the recent advances from 2020 to 2024 in non-glucose target analysis for PGMs as POCT devices are summarized. The signal transduction strategies for non-glucose target analysis based on PGMs, including enzymatic transduction, nanocarrier transduction (enzyme or glucose), and glucose consumption transduction are briefly introduced. Meanwhile, the applications of PGMs in non-glucose target analysis are outlined, encompassing biomedical, environmental, and food analysis, along with other diverse applications. Finally, the prospects of and obstacles to employing PGMs as POCT tools for non-glucose target analysis are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The geographical environment and military activities in the plateau area pose potential work-related stressors for military personnel, leading to burnout which is an external manifestation of internal energy exhaustion caused by stress. Without countermeasures, this can result in serious military problems. This study aims to examine the association between burnout and occupational stressors among military personnel stationed in the plateau area of China. Material and methods: A stratified randomized cluster sampling survey was conducted among 2026 military personnel from 6 different troops stationed in the plateau area of China. The Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey(MBI-GS in Chinese) was administered from March 2022 to December 2023, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: A total of 2026 military personnel participated in the survey. The mean overall burnout score was 3.37 ± 0.73, with emotional exhaustion at 2.69 ± 0.89, depersonalization at 3.58 ± 0.92, and professional achievement at 3.81 ± 0.85 levels respectively reported by participants on average scale scores ranging from zero to six. Severe level of burnout was reported by 43.2% of participants while medium level of burnout was reported by 54.3%. Age, education level, length of military service, and household income were identified as important factors influencing burnout. Conclusion: This study highlights a relatively high prevalence of burnout among military personnel stationed in plateau areas necessitating attention towards their occupational health particularly focusing on working hours and economic aspects so as to formulate effective policies and implement intervention measures that strengthen career development for soldiers deployed in such regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyse the histopathological features of eosinophilic sialodochitis by using terminal duct biopsy. Methods: Sixty‐five patients with suspected eosinophilic sialodochitis and four with chronic obstructive sialadenitis were prospectively enrolled. Clinical features, laboratory tests and sialograms were comparatively analysed. Terminal duct biopsy of the parotid or submandibular glands was performed concomitantly with endoscopy‐assisted duct dilatation to determine the histopathological features of eosinophilic sialodochitis. Results: Based on eosinophil quantification, the samples of suspected patients were scored as 'definite', 'highly suspected' and 'negative' in 26 (40%), 15 (23.1%) and 24 (36.9%) cases, respectively. Gland types and peripheral blood eosinophil counts were significantly different among these three groups. The proportions of itching glands, mucus plug exudations and elevated immunoglobulin E levels were higher in the 'definite' group than in the other two groups; however, the intergroup differences were insignificant. The primary pathological features of eosinophilic sialodochitis were abundant eosinophils and lymphocytes infiltrated around the duct, degranulation of eosinophils, extensive fibrosis and scattered mastocytes. Periductal eosinophils were not found in cases of chronic obstructive sialadenitis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that terminal duct biopsy is safe and valuable for the pathological confirmation of eosinophilic sialodochitis, and can be used simultaneously with endoscopy‐assisted duct dilatation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in consumer and industrial products, and their adverse effects have been studied extensively. However, associations between PFAS and lean body mass (LBM) remain unclear. We examined cross-sectional associations among 1340 adults, aged 20–60 years, who participated in the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) had higher detection rates. They were used to correlate with LBM in humans. Effect modifications by sex and body mass index (BMI) were also evaluated. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) modeling was used to examine dose-response associations between PFAS and outcomes. We found that LBM decreased by 5.87 kg (95% CI: −7.58, −4.16), 3.14 kg (95% CI: −4.02, −2.25), and 2.60 kg (95% CI: −3.42, −1.78) in the highest quartile of PFDA serum concentration, respectively, relative to the weight of the lowest quartile (trend p < 0.001). LBM decreased by 2.27 kg (95% CI: −3.89, −0.65), 1.42 kg (95% CI: −2.26, −0.58), and 0.79 kg (95% CI: −1.57, −0.02) in the highest quartile of PFOS serum concentration groups, respectively (all trend p < 0.05). The association was consistently stronger in females than in males. RCS modeling further confirmed that serum PFOS and PFDA were negatively associated with LBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt substitution for manganese sites in Na0.44MnO2 initiates a dynamic structural evolution process, yielding a composite cathode material comprising intergrown P2 and P3 phases. The novel P2/P3 composite cathode exhibits a reversible phase transition process during Na+ extraction/insertion, showcasing its attractive battery performance in sodium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biomechanical aspects of adjacent segment degeneration after Adult Idiopathic Scoliosis (AdIS) corrective surgery involving postoperative changes in motion and stress of adjacent segments have yet to be investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical effects of corrective surgery on adjacent segments in adult idiopathic scoliosis by finite element analysis. Based on computed tomography data of the consecutive spine from T1–S1 of a 28-year-old male patient with adult idiopathic scoliosis, a three-dimensional finite element model was established to simulate the biomechanics. Two posterior long-segment fixation and fusion operations were designed: Strategy A, pedicle screws implanted in all segments of both sides, and Strategy B, alternate screws instrumentation on both sides. The range of motion (ROM), Maximum von Mises stress value of intervertebral disc (IVD), and Maximum von Mises stress of the facet joint (FJ) at the fixation adjacent segment were calculated and compared with data of the preoperative AdIS model. Corrective surgery decreased the IVD on the adjacent segments, increased the FJ on the adjacent segments, and decreased the ROM of the adjacent segments. A greater decrease of Maximum von Mises stress was observed on the distal adjacent segment compared with the proximal adjacent segment. The decrease of Maximum von Mises stress and increment of Maximum von Mises stress on adjacent FJ in strategy B was greater than that in strategy A. Under the six operation modes, the change of the Maximum von Mises stress on the adjacent IVD and FJ was significant. The decrease in ROM in the proximal adjacent segment was greater than that of the distal adjacent segment, and the decrease of ROM in strategy A was greater than that in strategy B. This study clarified the biomechanical characteristics of adjacent segments after AdIS corrective surgery, and further biomechanical analysis of two different posterior pedicle screw placement schemes by finite element method. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of adjacent segment degeneration after corrective surgery for AdIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering Yarrowia lipolytica to produce astaxanthin provides a promising route. Here, Y. lipolytica M2 producing a titer of 181 mg/L astaxanthin was isolated by iterative atmospheric and room‐temperature plasma mutagenesis and diphenylamine‐mediated screening. Interestingly, a negative correlation was observed between cell biomass and astaxanthin production. To reveal the underlying mechanism, RNA‐seq analysis of transcriptional changes was performed in high producer M2 and reference strain M1, and a total of 1379 differentially expressed genes were obtained. Data analysis revealed that carbon flux was elevated through lipid metabolism, acetyl‐CoA and mevalonate supply, but restrained through central carbon metabolism in strain M2. Moreover, upregulation of other pathways such as ATP‐binding cassette transporter and thiamine pyrophosphate possibly provided more cofactors for carotenoid hydroxylase and relieved cell membrane stress caused by astaxanthin insertion. These results suggest that balancing cell growth and astaxanthin production may be important to promote efficient biosynthesis of astaxanthin in Y. lipolytica. Take Away: A superior Yarrowia lipolytica M2 with a titer of 181 mg/L astaxanthin was obtained by combining iterative atmospheric and room‐temperature plasma mutagenesis with diphenylamine‐mediated screening.RNA‐seq analysis of transcriptional changes was performed to reveal the redirection of metabolic flux from cell biomass to astaxanthin biosynthesis.Upregulation of ATP‐binding cassette transporter and thiamine pyrophosphate potentially provided more cofactors for carotenoid hydroxylase and relieved cell membrane stress caused by astaxanthin insertion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As one of the biomarkers of coagulation system-related diseases, the detection of thrombin is of practical importance. Thus, this study developed a portable biosensor based on a personal glucometer for rapid detection of thrombin activity. Fibrinogen was used for the detection of thrombin, and the assay principle was inspired by the blood coagulation process, where thrombin hydrolyzes fibrinogen to produce a fibrin hydrogel, and the amount of invertase encapsulated in the fibrin hydrogel fluctuates in accordance with the activity of thrombin in the sample solution. The quantitative assay is conducted by measuring the amount of unencapsulated invertase available to hydrolyze the substrate sucrose, and the signal readout is recorded using a personal glucometer. A linear detection range of 0–0.8 U/mL of thrombin with a limit of detection of 0.04 U/mL was obtained based on the personal glucometer sensing platform. The results of the selectivity and interference experiments showed that the developed personal glucometer sensing platform is highly selective and accurate for thrombin activity. Finally, the reliability of the portable glucometer method for rapid thrombin detection in serum samples was investigated by measuring the recovery rate, which ranged from 92.8% to 107.7%. In summary, the fibrin hydrogel sensing platform proposed in this study offers a portable and versatile means for detecting thrombin using a personal glucometer. This approach not only simplifies the detection process, but also eliminates the need for large instruments and skilled operators, and substantially reduces detection costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deer tuberculosis is a chronic zoonotic infectious disease, despite the existence of socio-economic and zoonotic risk factors, but at present, there has been no systematic review of deer tuberculosis prevalence in mainland China. The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the overall prevalence of deer TB in mainland China and to assess possible associations between potential risk factors and the prevalence of deer tuberculosis. Methodology: This study was searched in six databases in Chinese and English, respectively (1981 to December 2023). Four authors independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of all retrieved articles to establish the inclusion exclusion criteria. Using the meta-analysis package estimated the combined effects. Cochran's Q-statistic was used to analyze heterogeneity. Funnel plots (symmetry) and used the Egger's test identifying publication bias. Trim-andfill analysis methods were used for validation and sensitivity analysis. we also performed subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Results: In this study, we obtained 4,400 studies, 20 cross-sectional studies were screened and conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Results show: The overall prevalence of tuberculosis in deer in mainland China was 16.1% (95% confidence interval (CI):10.5 24.6; (Deer tuberculosis infected 5,367 out of 22,215 deer in mainland China) 5,367/22215; 1981 to 2023). The prevalence in Central China was the highest 17.5% (95% CI:14.0-21.9; 63/362), and among provinces, the prevalence in Heilongjiang was the highest at 26.5% (95% CI:13.2-53.0; 1557/4291). Elaphurus davidianus was the most commonly infected species, with a prevalence of 35.3% (95% CI:18.5-67.2; 6/17). We also assessed the association between geographic risk factors and the incidence of deer tuberculosis. Conclusion: Deer tuberculosis is still present in some areas of China. Assessing the association between risk factors and the prevalence of deer tuberculosis showed that reasonable and scientific-based breeding methods, a suitable breeding environment, and rapid and accurate detection methods could effectively reduce the prevalence of deer tuberculosis. In addition, in the management and operation of the breeding base, improving the scientific feed nutrition standards and establishing comprehensive standards for disease prevention, immunization, quarantine, treatment, and disinfection according to the breeding varieties and scale, are suggested as ways to reduce the prevalence of deer tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Anti-hypertensive agents are one of the most frequently used drugs worldwide. However, no blood pressure–lowering strategy is superior to placebo with respect to survival in diabetic hypertensive patients. Previous findings show that Wnt co-receptors LDL receptor–related proteins 5 and 6 (LRP5/6) can directly bind to several G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). Because angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) is the most important GPCR in regulating hypertension, this study examines the possible mechanistic association between LRP5/6 and their binding protein Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) and activation of the AT1R and further hypothesizes that the LRP5/6-GPCR interaction may affect hypertension and potentiate cardiac impairment in the setting of diabetes. Methods The roles of serum DKK1 and DKK1-LRP5/6 signalling in diabetic injuries were investigated in human and diabetic mice. Results Blood pressure up-regulation positively correlated with serum DKK1 elevations in humans. Notably, LRP5/6 physically and functionally interacted with AT1R. The loss of membrane LRP5/6 caused by injection of a recombinant DKK1 protein or conditional LRP5/6 deletions resulted in AT1R activation and hypertension, as well as β-arrestin1 activation and cardiac impairment, possibly because of multiple GPCR alterations. Importantly, unlike commonly used anti-hypertensive agents, administration of the anti-DKK1 neutralizing antibody effectively prevented diabetic cardiac impairment in mice. Conclusions These findings establish a novel DKK1-LRP5/6-GPCR pathway in inducing diabetic injuries and may resolve the long-standing conundrum as to why elevated blood DKK1 has deleterious effects. Thus, monitoring and therapeutic elimination of blood DKK1 may be a promising strategy to attenuate diabetic injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke, the second-largest cause of death and the leading cause of disability globally, presents significant challenges in terms of prognosis and treatment. Identifying reliable prognosis biomarkers and treatment targets is crucial to address these challenges. Circular RNA (circRNA) has emerged as a promising research biomarkers and therapeutic targets because of its tissue specificity and conservation. However, the potential role of circRNA in stroke prognosis and treatment remains largely unexplored. This review briefly elucidate the mechanism underlying circRNA's involvement in stroke pathophysiology. Additionally, this review summarizes the impact of circRNA on different forms of strokes, including ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. And, this article discusses the positive effects of circRNA on promoting cerebrovascular repair and regeneration, maintaining the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and reducing neuronal injury and immune inflammatory response. In conclusion, the significance of circRNA as a potential prognostic biomarker and a viable therapeutic target was underscored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergistically enhanced polyurethane (PU) composites, in which the cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) was incorporated, were in situ polymerized and then the increasingly closer grid network structures for PU/CNC composites were achieved by adjusting chain extenders and adding different low contents of CNC, due to the introduction of different hard segments or the evolution of spherulites. As a result, the onset of the light transmission of PU elastomers and CNC‐filled composites showed an obvious red shift from UV light to visible light region, which meant that all UV light regions could be shielded entirely. Therefore, compared with Rhodamine B in water solution unprotected, the excellent UV‐light shielding was further verified by the inefficient photodegradation of Rhodamine B in water solution protected by PU‐PDA, PU‐BDI or PU‐PDA/CNC films under UV‐light irradiation. Meanwhile, enhanced light shielding behavior for PU‐PDA composites was observed with adding the CNC fillers. Moreover, the significantly enhanced mechanical properties were achieved, more than two or three times at elastic modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break. Finally, synergistically Enhanced mechanical properties in PU composites were found. Therefore, the study was of great significance in the potential light application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a metabolic disorder that causes numerous complications including impaired wound healing and poses a significant challenge for the management of diabetic patients. Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) is a natural polyphenol that exhibits anti‐inflammatory and anti‐oxidative benefits in skin wounds, however, the direct effect of EGCG on epidermal keratinocytes, the primary cells required for re‐epithelialization in wound healing remains unknown. Our study aims to examine the underlying mechanisms of EGCG's ability to promote re‐epithelialization and wound healing in T2D‐induced wounds. Murine models of wound healing in T2D were established via feeding high‐fat high‐fructose diet (HFFD) and the creation of full‐thickness wounds. Mice were administered daily with EGCG or vehicle to examine the wound healing response and underlying molecular mechanisms of EGCG's protective effects. Systemic administration of EGCG in T2D mice robustly accelerated the wound healing response following injury. EGCG induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (NRF2) and promoted cytokeratin 16 (K16) expression to activate epidermal keratinocytes and robustly promoted re‐epithelialization of wounds in diabetic mice. Further, EGCG demonstrated high binding affinity with Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 (KEAP1), thereby inhibiting KEAP1‐mediated degradation of NRF2. Our findings provide important evidence that EGCG accelerates the wound healing response in diabetic mice by activating epidermal keratinocytes, thereby promoting re‐epithelialization of wounds via K16/NRF2/KEAP1 signaling axis. These mechanistic insights into the protective effects of EGCG further suggest its therapeutic potential as a promising drug for treating chronic wounds in T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a range of pharmacological agents are currently used to alleviate inflammation, the clinical administration of many of these anti-inflammatory drugs is associated with high rates of adverse side effects that make them poorly suited to long-term use. Therefore, there is a critical need for the development of novel anti-inflammatory agents. Natural compounds and derivatives like ethyl ferulate have risen to prominence as a foundation for many drug discovery efforts owing to their structural diversity and wide-ranging biological activities. In the present study, 24 ethyl ferulate derivatives were synthesized. Their anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in vitro using RAW264.7 cells and CCK-8, ELISA, and Western blotting assays. These analyses revealed that most of the synthesized compounds exhibited moderate to high anti-inflammatory activities. In particular, c10 and c23 exerted more pronounced activity than ethyl ferulate or dexamethasone with respect to the suppression of tumour necrosis factor-α production by RAW264.7 cells through the targeting of the NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways, suggesting that these compounds warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The diagnostic performance of LI-RADS on CEUS and CT/MRI for characterizing primary HCC has been widely evaluated, but their diagnostic performance on recurrent HCC has not yet. Previous studies that used the same diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of recurrent HCC proved inadequate, as only a subset (approximately 55–80%) of recurrent HCC cases exhibited the typical imaging features observed in primary HCC on contrast-enhanced CT or MRI. Consequently, this study embarked on an investigation to establish the optimal diagnostic algorithms for recurrent HCC using CEUS, CT, and MRI, and compared the diagnostic performance of CEUS and CT/MRI LI-RADS for recurrent HCC. The results indicated that LR-4/5/M criteria were optimal for CEUS and CT, while LR-5/M criteria were suitable for MRI. CEUS demonstrated better diagnostic performance than CT, while was comparable to MRI. Further, this study analyzed factors affecting the accurate characterization and detection of recurrent HCC on CEUS. Depth and visualization score C were found to hinder accurate characterization, and lesions in US blind spots with visualization score C posed challenges for detection. Purpose: We retrospectively compared the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced computer tomography–magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative treatment. Materials and methods: After curative treatment with 421 ultrasound (US) detected lesions, 303 HCC patients underwent both CEUS and CT/MRI. Each lesion was assigned a Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) category according to CEUS and CT/MRI LI-RADS. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were computed to determine the optimal diagnosis algorithms for CEUS, CT and MRI. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were compared between CEUS and CT/MRI. Results: Among the 421 lesions, 218 were diagnosed as recurrent HCC, whereas 203 lesions were diagnosed as benign. In recurrent HCC, CEUS detected more arterial hyperenhancement (APHE) and washout than CT and more APHE than MRI. CEUS yielded better diagnostic performance than CT (AUC: 0.981 vs. 0.958) (p = 0.024) comparable diagnostic performance to MRI (AUC: 0.952 vs. 0.933) (p > 0.05) when using their optimal diagnostic criteria. CEUS missed 12 recurrent HCCs, CT missed one, and MRI missed none. The detection rate of recurrent HCC on CEUS (94.8%, 218/230) was lower than that on CT/MRI (99.6%, 259/260) (p = 0.001). Lesions located on the US blind spots and visualization score C would hinder the ability of CEUS to detect recurrent HCC. Conclusion: CEUS demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance but an inferior detection rate for recurrent HCC. CEUS and CT/MRI played a complementary role in the detection and characterization of recurrent HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung cancer is the most common cause of malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Serum human epididymis secretory protein 4 (HE4) is a useful diagnostic marker for lung cancer. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of pleural fluid HE4 for MPE. Design: A prospective, double-blind diagnostic test accuracy study. Methods: Patients with undiagnosed pleural effusion were enrolled in two cohorts (Hohhot and Changshu). Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was used to detect pleural fluid HE4. The diagnostic accuracy of HE4 was evaluated by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the net benefit of HE4 was assessed by a decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: A total of 66 MPEs and 86 benign pleural effusions (BPEs) were enrolled in the Hohhot cohort. In the Changshu cohort, 26 MPEs and 32 BPEs were enrolled. In both cohorts, MPEs had significantly higher pleural fluid HE4 than BPEs. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of HE4 was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.64–0.81) in the Hohhot cohort and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.67–0.91) in the Changshu cohort. At a threshold of 1300 pmol/L, HE4 had sensitivities of 0.44 (95% CI: 0.33–0.56) in the Hohhot cohort and 0.54 (95% CI: 0.35–0.73) in the Changshu cohort. The corresponding specificities were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83–0.95) in the Hohhot cohort and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.84–1.00) in the Changshu cohort. In subgroup analyses, HE4 had an AUC (95% CI) of 0.78 (0.71–0.85) in exudates and an AUC of 0.69 (0.57–0.81) in patients with negative effusion cytology. The DCA revealed that HE4 determination had a net benefit in both cohorts. Conclusion: Pleural fluid HE4 has moderate diagnostic accuracy for MPE and has net benefit in pleural effusion patients with unknown etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the performance of US LI-RADS in surveillance for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (RHCC) after curative treatment. Materials and methods: This study enrolled 644 patients between January 2018 and August 2018 as a derivation cohort, and 397 patients from September 2018 to December 2018 as a validation cohort. The US surveillance after HCC curative treatment was performed. The US LI-RADS observation categories and visualization scores were analyzed. Four criteria using US LI-RADS or Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as the surveillance algorithm were evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. Results: A total of 212 (32.9%) patients in derivation cohort and 158 (39.8%) patients in validation cohort were detected to have RHCCs. The criterion of US-2/3 or AFP ≥ 20 µg/L had higher sensitivity (derivation, 96.7% vs 92.9% vs 81.1% vs 90.6%; validation, 96.2% vs 90.5% vs 80.4% vs 89.9%) and NPV (derivation, 95.7% vs 93.3% vs 88.0% vs 91.8%; validation, 94.6% vs 89.4% vs 83.6% vs 89.0%), but lower specificity (derivation, 35.9% vs 48.2% vs 67.6% vs 51.9%; validation, 43.5% vs 52.7% vs 66.1% vs 54.0%) than criterion of US-2/3, US-3, and US-3 or AFP ≥ 20 µg/L. Analysis of the visualization score subgroups confirmed that the sensitivity (89.2–97.6% vs 81.0–83.3%) and NPV(88.4–98.0% vs 80.0–83.3%) of score A and score B groups were higher than score C group in criterion of US-2/3 in both two cohorts. Conclusions: In the surveillance for RHCC, US LI-RADS with AFP had a high sensitivity and NPV when US-2/3 or AFP ≥ 20 µg/L was considered a criterion. Clinical relevance statement: The criterion of US-2/3 or AFP ≥ 20 µg/L improves sensitivity and NPV for RHCC surveillance, which provides a valuable reference for patients in RHCC surveillance after curative treatment. Key Points: • US LI-RADS with AFP had high sensitivity and NPV in surveillance for RHCC when considering US-2/3 or AFP ≥ 20 µg/L as a criterion. • After US with AFP surveillance, patients with US-2/3 or AFP ≥ 20 µg/L should perform enhanced imaging for confirmative diagnosis. Patients with US-1 or AFP < 20 µg/L continue to repeat US with AFP surveillance. • Patients with risk factors for poor visualization scores limited the sensitivity of US surveillance in RHCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify the risk factors for predicting the malignant progression of LR-3/4 observations on the baseline and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Methods: In total, 245 liver nodules assigned to LR-3/4 in 192 patients from January 2010 to December 2016 were followed up by baseline US and CEUS. The differences in the rate and time of progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among subcategories (defined as P1-P7) of LR-3/4 in CEUS Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) were analyzed. The risk factors to predict progression to HCC were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analysis. Results: A total of 40.3% of LR-3 nodules and 78.9% of LR-4 nodules eventually progressed to HCC. The cumulative incidence of progression was significantly higher for LR-4 than LR-3 (p < 0.001). The rate of progression was 81.2% in nodules with arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE), 64.7% in nodules with late and mild washout, and 100% in nodules with both characteristics. The overall progression rate and median progression time of subcategory P1 nodules (LR-3a) were lower (38.0% vs. 47.6–100.0%) and later (25.1 months vs. 2.0–16.3 months) than those of other subcategories. The cumulative incidence of progression of LR-3a (P1), LR-3b (P2/3/4), and LR-4 (P5/6/7) categories were 38.0%, 52.9%, and 78.9%. The risk factors of HCC progression were Visualization score B/C, CEUS characteristics (APHE, washout), LR-4 classification, echo changes, and definite growth. Conclusion: CEUS is a useful surveillance tool for nodules at risk of HCC. CEUS characteristics, LI-RADS classification, and changes in nodules provide useful information for the progress of LR-3/4 nodules. Clinical relevance statement: CEUS characteristics, LI-RADS classification, and nodule changes provide important predictions for LR-3/4 nodule progression to HCC, which may stratify the risk of malignant progression to provide a more optimized and refined, more cost-effective, and time-efficient management strategy for patients. Key Points: • CEUS is a useful surveillance tool for nodules at risk of HCC, CEUS LI-RADS successfully stratified the risks that progress to HCC. • CEUS characteristics, LI-RADS classification, and changes in nodules can provide important information on the progression of LR-3/4 nodules, which may be helpful for a more optimized and refined management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a natural source of support for the elderly, the family is an important channel for achieving a sense of security, happiness, and worthiness in old age. In this study, we analysed the characteristics of intergenerational support in families of centenarians and explored the impact of the number of family generations on intergenerational support. Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional survey between April 2020 and January 2021 among 62 elderly people aged 99+ in Rugao, China, one of six 'longevity cities' in the world. Assisted by the researchers, centenarians completed questionnaires with details pertaining to general demographics, intergenerational support, and other aspects. We used a logistic regression model to analyse the influence of the number of family generations on intergenerational support that the centenarians received with respect to economic, living, and emotional aspects. Results: Centenarians were primarily recipients of care in their families, and received intergenerational support mainly for their declined physical functions and limited self‐care ability. The study results revealed that the greater the number of generations comprising the family, the greater was the intergenerational life care and emotional comfort provided for centenarians by the family. Conclusions: In this study, we found a positive effect of the number of family generations on intergenerational support for centenarians. The government and society should promote the tradition of respecting, caring for, and honouring the elderly while paying close attention to the dynamic changes in the family structure of centenarians in promoting high‐quality and sustainable development of the people, economy, and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological data show people with diabetes mellitus (DM) have three‐fold increase in risk of periodontitis. A vitamin D insufficiency can affect the progression of DM and periodontitis. This study evaluated the effects of different‐dose vitamin D supplementation to nonsurgical periodontal therapy for vitamin‐D‐insufficient diabetic patients coexisting with periodontitis and changes of gingival bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (BMP‐2) levels. The study included 30 vitamin‐D‐insufficient patients receiving nonsurgical treatment followed by administration of 25,000 international units (IU) vitamin D3 per week (the low‐VD group) and 30 patients receiving 50,000 UI vitamin D per week (the high‐VD group). The decreases of probing pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, bleeding index, and periodontal plaque index values of patients after the six‐month supplementation of 50,000 UI vitamin D3 per week to nonsurgical treatment were more significant than those after the six‐month supplementation of 25,000 UI vitamin D3 per week to nonsurgical treatment. It was found that 50,000 IU per week vitamin D supplementation for 6 months could lead to a better glycemic control for vitamin‐D‐insufficient diabetic patients coexisting with periodontitis after nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Increased levels of serum 25(OH) vitamin D3 and gingival BMP‐2 were found in both low‐ and high‐dose VD groups, and the high‐dose VD group exhibited higher levels than the low‐dose VD group. Vitamin D supplementation in large doses for 6 months tended to improve the treatment of periodontitis and increase gingival BMP‐2 levels in diabetic patients coexisting with periodontitis who were vitamin D deficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The in vitro stability assessment is essential for investigating the diagnostic accuracy of pleural biomarkers. This study aimed to investigate the long‐term stability of pleural fluid carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) at −80°C to −70°C. In addition, we analyzed the effects of frozen storage on the diagnostic accuracy of CEA for malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Methods: Pleural fluid CEA of participants in two prospective cohorts were stored at −80°C to −70°C for 1–3 years. The CEA level in the stored specimen was measured with an immunoassay, and its level in the fresh specimen was extracted from medical records. The Bland–Altman method, Passing‐Bablok regression, and Deming regression were used to analyze the agreement of CEA between the fresh and frozen pleural fluid. In addition, we used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CEA in the fresh and frozen specimens for MPE. Results: A total of 210 participants were enrolled. The median CEA levels in frozen and fresh pleural fluid specimens were similar (frozen, 2.32 ng/mL; fresh, 2.59 ng/mL; p < 0.01). The slopes and intercepts in the Passing‐Bablok regression (intercept 0.01, slope 1.04) and Deming regression (intercept 0.65; slope 1.00) were not statistically significant (p > 0.05 for all). No significant difference was observed between the area under the ROC curves of CEA in the fresh and frozen specimens (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusion: Pleural fluid CEA is seemingly stable when stored at –80°C to −70°C for 1–3 years. Frozen storage does not significantly affect the diagnostic accuracy of CEA for MPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have suggested that the ratios of immuneinflammatory cells could serve as prognostic indicators in ovarian cancer. However, which of these is the superior prognostic indicator in ovarian cancer remains unknown. In addition, studies on the prognostic value of the platelet to neutrophil ratio (PNR) in ovarian cancer are still limited. Methods: A cohort of 991 ovarian cancer patients was analyzed in the present study. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to choose the optimal cut-off values of inflammatory biomarkers such as neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and PNR. The correlation of inflammatory biomarkers with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) was investigated by Kaplan-Meier methods and logrank test, followed by Cox regression analyses. Results: Kaplan-Meier curves suggested that LMR<3.39, PLR≥181.46, and PNR≥49.20 had obvious associations with worse RFS (P<0.001, P=0.018, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis suggested that LMR (≥3.39 vs. <3.39) (P=0.042, HR=0.810, 95% CI=0.661-0.992) and PNR (≥49.20 vs. <49.20) (P=0.004, HR=1.351, 95% CI=1.103-1.656) were independent prognostic indicators of poor RFS. In addition, Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that PLR≥182.23 was significantly correlated with worse OS (P=0.039). Conclusion: Taken together, PNR and LMR are superior prognostic indicators compared with NLR, PLR, and SII in patients with ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous chemical compounds used in cancer treatment have been isolated from natural herbs to address the ever-increasing cancer incidence worldwide. Therein is icariin, which has been extensively studied for its therapeutic potential due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidepressant, and aphrodisiac properties. However, there is a lack of comprehensive and detailed review of studies on icariin in cancer treatment. Given this, this study reviews and examines the relevant literature on the chemopreventive and therapeutic potentials of icariin in cancer treatment and describes its mechanism of action. The review shows that icariin has the property of inhibiting cancer progression and reversing drug resistance. Therefore, icariin may be a valuable potential agent for the prevention and treatment of various cancers due to its natural origin, safety, and low cost compared to conventional anticancer drugs, while further research on this natural agent is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brønsted-base active sites on a Pd4L2 cage facilitates enhanced catalytic efficiency, wide substrate scope and high turnover number (TON) for the one-pot photooxidation/Knoevenagel condensation reaction under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as a low‐cost complementary or alternative system to prestigious lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) because of their similar working principle to LIBs, cost‐effectiveness, and sustainable availability of sodium resources, especially in large‐scale energy storage systems (EESs). Among various cathode candidates for SIBs, Na‐based layered transition metal oxides have received extensive attention for their relatively large specific capacity, high operating potential, facile synthesis, and environmental benignity. However, there are a series of fatal issues in terms of poor air stability, unstable cathode/electrolyte interphase, and irreversible phase transition that lead to unsatisfactory battery performance from the perspective of preparation to application, outside to inside of layered oxide cathodes, which severely limit their practical application. This work is meant to review these critical problems associated with layered oxide cathodes to understand their fundamental roots and degradation mechanisms, and to provide a comprehensive summary of mainstream modification strategies including chemical substitution, surface modification, structure modulation, and so forth, concentrating on how to improve air stability, reduce interfacial side reaction, and suppress phase transition for realizing high structural reversibility, fast Na+ kinetics, and superior comprehensive electrochemical performance. The advantages and disadvantages of different strategies are discussed, and insights into future challenges and opportunities for layered oxide cathodes are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer remains a formidable challenge in medicine due to its propensity for recurrence and metastasis, which can result in unfavorable treatment outcomes. This challenge is particularly acute for early-stage patients, who may experience recurrence and metastasis without timely detection. Here, we first analyzed the differences in clinical characteristics among the primary tumor, recurrent tumor, and metastatic tumor in different stages of cancer, which may be caused by the molecular level. Moreover, the importance of predicting early cancer recurrence and metastasis is emphasized by survival analyses. Next, we used a multi-omics approach to identify key molecular changes associated with early cancer recurrence and metastasis and discovered that early metastasis in cancer demonstrated a high degree of genomic and cellular heterogeneity. We performed statistical comparisons for each level of omics data including gene expression, mutation, copy number variation, immune cell infiltration, and cell status. Then, various analytical techniques, such as proportional hazard model and Fisher's exact test, were used to identify specific genes or immune characteristics associated with early cancer recurrence and metastasis. For example, we observed that the overexpression of BPIFB1 and high initial B-cell infiltration levels are linked to early cancer recurrence, while the overexpression or amplification of ANKRD22 and LIPM, mutation of IGHA1 and MUC16, high fibroblast infiltration level, M1 polarization of macrophages, cellular status of DNA repair are all linked to early cancer metastasis. These findings have led us to construct classifiers, and the average area under the curve (AUC) of these classifiers was greater than 0.75 in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cancer patients, confirming that the features we identified could be biomarkers for predicting recurrence and metastasis of early cancer. Finally, we identified specific early sensitive targets for targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Once the biomarkers we identified changed, treatmentsensitive targets can be treated accordingly. Our study has comprehensively characterized the multi-omics characteristics and identified a panel of biomarkers of early cancer recurrence and metastasis. Overall, it provides a valuable resource for cancer recurrence and metastasis research and improves our understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving early cancer recurrence and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer remains a formidable challenge in medicine due to its propensity for recurrence and metastasis, which can result in unfavorable treatment outcomes. This challenge is particularly acute for early-stage patients, who may experience recurrence and metastasis without timely detection. Here, we first analyzed the differences in clinical characteristics among the primary tumor, recurrent tumor, and metastatic tumor in different stages of cancer, which may be caused by the molecular level. Moreover, the importance of predicting early cancer recurrence and metastasis is emphasized by survival analyses. Next, we used a multi-omics approach to identify key molecular changes associated with early cancer recurrence and metastasis and discovered that early metastasis in cancer demonstrated a high degree of genomic and cellular heterogeneity. We performed statistical comparisons for each level of omics data including gene expression, mutation, copy number variation, immune cell infiltration, and cell status. Then, various analytical techniques, such as proportional hazard model and Fisher's exact test, were used to identify specific genes or immune characteristics associated with early cancer recurrence and metastasis. For example, we observed that the overexpression of BPIFB1 and high initial B-cell infiltration levels are linked to early cancer recurrence, while the overexpression or amplification of ANKRD22 and LIPM, mutation of IGHA1 and MUC16, high fibroblast infiltration level, M1 polarization of macrophages, cellular status of DNA repair are all linked to early cancer metastasis. These findings have led us to construct classifiers, and the average area under the curve (AUC) of these classifiers was greater than 0.75 in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cancer patients, confirming that the features we identified could be biomarkers for predicting recurrence and metastasis of early cancer. Finally, we identified specific early sensitive targets for targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Once the biomarkers we identified changed, treatmentsensitive targets can be treated accordingly. Our study has comprehensively characterized the multi-omics characteristics and identified a panel of biomarkers of early cancer recurrence and metastasis. Overall, it provides a valuable resource for cancer recurrence and metastasis research and improves our understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving early cancer recurrence and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-elemental and multi-dimensional data are more and more important in the development of data-driven research, as is the case in modern paleontology, in which, in an examination by experts, or some day artificial intelligence, every fossil specimen plays a fundamental role. We here release a dataset of 1550 graptolite specimens representing 113 Ordovician to Silurian graptolite species or subspecies that are significant in global stratigraphic correlation and shale gas exploration. The dataset contains 2951 high-resolution images and a data table of each specimen's scientific information, including the taxonomic, geologic, and geographic information, comments, and references. Our dataset provides images for specialists or laypeople worldwide, is supported by the tool FSIDvis (Fossil Specimen Image Dataset Visualizer), which we developed to facilitate the interactive exploration of the rich-attribution image dataset, and includes a nonlinear-dimension reduction technique, t-SNE (t -distributed stochastic neighbor embedding), to project image data into a two-dimensional space to visualize and explore the similarities. Our dataset potentially contributes to virtual examinations of specimens, global bio-stratigraphic correlation, and improvement of the shale gas exploration efficiency. All data, images and the spreadsheet are available at 10.5281/zenodo.6688670 (Xu, 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]