Search

Background Postoperative sore throat (POST) is one of the common mild but unpleasant postoperative complications after general anaesthesia. There is evidence that Glycyrrhiza Radix can effectively reduce the incidence of POST, but its effective fraction remains unclear. Objective To screen the effective fraction of Glycyrrhiza Radix on preventing respiratory tract injury induced by endotracheal intubation. Methods From April 2021 to July 2022, 60 SPF-grade Wistar rats were randomized into the control group, endotracheal intubation group, lidocaine group, total polysaccharides group, total saponins group, total flavonoids group based on random number table method, with 10 rats in each group. The endotracheal intubation model was prepared for all groups except the control group. Before intubation, each treatment group was sprayed with a solution consisting of 1% lidocaine, total polysaccharides, total saponins, and total flavonoids at 1 mL/100 g (by body weight) to permeate the uvula and peri-soft palate tissue of rats, respectively. The control and endotracheal intubation groups were sprayed with an equal volume of 0.9% saline. After 2 hours of mechanical ventilation, the endotracheal tube was removed, and the pharyngeal mucosa tissues and blood samples of rats were collected under deep anesthesia. Pathological changes of rat pharyngeal mucosa and the expression levels of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE staining) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) ; the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines including serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) , interleukin-2 (IL-2) , interleukin-4 (IL-4) , interleukin-10 (IL-10) , oxidative stress including superoxide dismutase (SOD) , malondialdehyde (MDA) , total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) , and stress hormones including cortisol (Cor) , epinephrine (E) , and norepinephrine (NE) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) . Results HE staining showed mucosal shedding and severe damage of submucosal structure accompanied by a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrated in the endotracheal intubation group; while milder damage of mucosal structure and less inflammatory cells were significantly reduced in the total saponins group. ELISA results showed that compared with the control group, the levels of TNF-α and IL-2 in the serum of rats increased significantly, and the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 decreased significantly in the endotracheal intubation group (P

As a common neurological disease, cognitive impairment is characterized by cognitive decline, memory and attention impairment, which seriously affects the patients' quality of life. The etiology and pathogenesis of cognitive impairment are complex and diverse. Studies have shown that chronic persistent neuroinflammation plays a key role in its development. Microglia and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome are closely related to neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment. Regulation of microglia and NLRP3 inflammasome can reduce inflammatory factors, reduce amyloid β-protein(Aβ) deposition, regulate autophagy, maintain synaptic homeostasis, thus reducing neuroinflammation and further preventing and treating cognitive impairment. Therefore, exploring the mechanism of microglia and NLRP3 inflammasome as well as their interaction in cognitive impairment can provide some reference and basis for the in-depth study of the mechanism and clinical prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment, and the subsequent development of more efficient drugs.

Postoperative sore throat （POST） is a common and easily overlooked complication after endotracheal intubation under general anesthesia. It seriously affects patients satisfaction and the quality of postoperative recovery. However, the consensus on the best drugs or interventions for POST management remains controversial. This study reviews the influencing factors and progress of prevention and treatment of POST intubation under general anesthesia, in order to provide a reference for reducing the incidence of POST after endotracheal intubation under general anesthesia.

Introduction: Several observational or retrospective studies have previously been conducted to explore the possible association between lung cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. However, there may be inconsistencies in the data and conclusions due to differences in study design and HPV testing methods. There are currently no studies that provide conclusive evidence to support the involvement of HPV in the occurrence and development of lung cancer. Therefore, the relationship between HPV and lung cancer remains controversial and uncertain. This study aimed to explore whether HPV infection is causally related to lung cancer risk by systematically performing a two-way Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization (TSMR) analysis. Methods: In the International Lung Cancer Consortium (ILCCO) genome-wide association study dataset, we included 11,348 lung cancer (LUCA) cases, including 3275 squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) cases, 3442 adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cases, and 15,861 cases of control. Using genetic variants associated with the HPV E7 protein as instrumental variables, we summarized statistics associated with HPV infection in the MRC IEU OpenGWAS database, which included the HPV-16 E7 protein and the HPV-18 E7 protein. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) results are expressed as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Based on a comprehensive analysis of genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from public databases, we mainly used inverse-variance weighted (IVW) to estimate causal relationships, while using MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode, and other four methods as supplements. Two-sample MR Analysis revealed no causal relationship between exposure factors (HPV-16 E7 protein and HPV-18 E7 protein) and outcome factors (lung cancer (LUCA) and its subtypes squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and adenocarcinoma (LUAD)) in forward MR Analysis using the IVW approach.HPV-16 E7 protein and LUCA and its subtypes LUSC and LUAD by IVW method results: [OR] = 1.002; 95% [CI]: 0.961 − 1.045; p = 0.920; [OR] = 1.023; 95% [CI]: 0.966 − 1.084; p = 0.438; [OR] = 0.994; 95% [CI]: 0.927 − 1.066; p = 0.872); HPV-18 E7 protein and LUCA and its subtypes LUSC and LUAD by IVW method results: [OR] = 0.965; 95% [CI]: 0.914 − 1.019; p = 0.197; [OR] = 0.933; 95% [CI]: 0.834 − 1.043; p = 0.222; [OR] = 1.028; 95% [CI]: 0.945 − 1.118; p = 0.524. It was observed through reverse MR that LUCA and its subtypes LUSC and LUAD were used as exposure factors, and HPV infection (HPV-16 E7 protein and HPV-18 E7 protein) was used as the outcome factors, the results of the IVW method are also invalid.LUCA and HPV-16 E7 protein and HPV-18 E7 protein by IVW method results: [OR] = 1.036; 95% [CI]: 0.761 − 1.411; p = 0.82; [OR] = 1.318; 95% [CI]: 0.949 − 1.830; p = 0.099; LUSC and HPV-16 E7 protein and HPV-18 E7 protein by IVW method results: [OR] = 1.123; 95% [CI]0.847 − 1.489; p = 0.421; [OR] = 0.931; 95% [CI]: 0.660 − 1.313; p = 0.682; LUAD and HPV-16 E7 protein and HPV-18 E7 protein by IVW method results: [OR] = 1.182; 95% [CI] 0.983 − 1.421; p = 0.075; [OR] = 1.017; 95% [CI]: 0.817 − 1.267; p = 0.877.Our results indicate that there is no causal relationship between genetically predicted HPV infection and LUCA and its subtypes LUSC and LUAD. In addition, in the reverse MR analysis, we did not observe a significant causal relationship between LUCA and its subtypes LUSC and LUAD on HPV infection. Conclusions: Our findings do not support a genetic association between HPV infection and lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confronted with challenges such as escalating demand, expanding energy consumption, and emissions, China's manufacturing sector stands at a pivotal juncture on its path towards sustainable development. Against the backdrop of a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, exploring how the digital economy can foster growth in green total factor productivity (GTFP), particularly amidst technological diversification, holds significant importance for realizing sustainable development objectives. This study employs the system generalized method of moments (System GMM), encompassing 30 provinces in China, to delve deeply into the notable and dynamic correlation between the development index of the digital economy and GTFP. The findings reveal that the advancement of the digital economy significantly influences GTFP, underscoring its direct and enduring impact on green productivity. Key mechanisms through which the digital economy promotes green productivity are identified, including resource optimization, green technological innovation, data-driven decision making, and the transformation of environmentally sustainable behaviors. By bridging gaps in existing literature, this study integrates economic and environmental perspectives, emphasizing the necessity for formulating digital innovation policies aligned with environmental objectives. It provides richer insights into the role of the digital economy in enhancing GTFP, accentuating the potential of digital technologies in driving green transformation. With its holistic approach, this study combines economic efficiency with environmental sustainability, offering crucial guidance for policymakers and industry stakeholders in crafting sustainable development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the critical need for precise and accurate prediction of intra‐tumor heterogeneity related to the enhanced permeability and retention effect and spatial distribution of nanoprobes is addressed for the development of effective nanodrug delivery strategies. Current predictive models are limited in terms of resolution and accuracy, prompting the construction of a high‐resolution prediction network (HRPN) that estimates the microdistribution of quantum dots, factoring in tumor vascular and nuclear features. The HRPN algorithm is trained using 27 780 patches and validated on 4920 patches derived from 4T1 breast cancer whole‐slide images, demonstrating its reliability. The HRPN model exhibits minimal error (mean square error = 1.434, root mean square error = 1.198), satisfactory goodness of fit (R2 = 0.891), and superior image quality (peak signal‐to‐noise ratio = 44.548) when compared to a generative‐adversarial‐network‐structured model. Furthermore, the HRPN model offers improved prediction accuracy, broader prediction intervals, and reduced computational resource requirements. Consequently, the proposed model yields high‐resolution predictions that more closely resemble actual tumor microdistributions, potentially serving as a powerful analytical tool for investigating the spatial relationship between the tumor microenvironment and nanoprobes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy resources' impact on gross domestic product and financial growth is controversial. The research is quiet on the potential effects of fluctuation in other areas, such as energy resource investment and finance, on exchange rates, financial and environmental indicators, making it urgent that this topic receives attention today. Our research aims to fill this gap by highlighting the fundamental insecurity of natural resource markets, energy expenditure markets and green financing markets. Because of the challenges in collecting older data, this analysis focuses on the decade from 1990 to 2020. We analysed the following asymmetry by employing the model TGARCH specification. According to the calculations, there is more room for fluctuation after a negative shock to natural resources than after a positive one. The study's empirical findings are then used to inform policy recommendations for maintaining a secure financial system and controlling the rising cost of scarce natural resources. The study also highlights the need for increased investment in green finance and recommends diversifying existing energy resource investments to foster the growth of alternative energy sources. This research suggests that we put more resources into green financing and develop new renewable energy sources. Conclusions: natural resource and energy investments are subject to volatility over time, as evidenced by the results and standard and relevant volatility assessments such as autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enriched collagens in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of breast cancer substantially impede drug delivery. Halofuginone (HF), a potent antifibrotic agent, was effective to deplete the collagens and remodel the ECM by inhibiting the TGFβ pathway. However, the application of HF was hindered by its strong liver toxicity. Herein, mesoporous platinum (mPt) nanoparticles were constructed to load HF as theranostic nanoplatforms. mPt had a uniform spherical structure with a diameter of 79.83 ± 6.97 nm and an average pore diameter of 20 nm and exhibited good photothermal conversion efficiency of 62.4%. The obtained HF‐loaded nanoplatform (PEG@mPt‐HF) showed enhanced cytotoxicity through the combination of photothermal therapy and the anti‐TGFβ effect induced by HF. The animal imaging and histochemical assays confirmed the PEG@mPt‐HF could efficiently deliver HF to tumors (monitored by CT) and remodel the ECM by TGFβ pathway inhibition, which resulted in increased anti‐cancer efficacy. Importantly, the liver toxicity observed in HF‐treated mice was negligible in those treated by PEG@mPt‐HF. Overall, this study designed a theranostic nanoplatform to remodel the ECM with remarkably reduced systematic toxicity and enhance the therapeutic efficacy through combination treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]