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Purpose: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning present an opportunity to enhance clinical decision-making in radiation oncology. This study aims to evaluate the competency of ChatGPT, an AI language model, in interpreting clinical scenarios and assessing its oncology knowledge., Methods and Materials: A series of clinical cases were designed covering 12 disease sites. Questions were grouped into domains: epidemiology, staging and workup, clinical management, treatment planning, cancer biology, physics, and surveillance. Royal College-certified radiation oncologists (ROs) reviewed cases and provided solutions. ROs scored responses on 3 criteria: conciseness (focused answers), completeness (addressing all aspects of the question), and correctness (answer aligns with expert opinion) using a standardized rubric. Scores ranged from 0 to 5 for each criterion for a total possible score of 15., Results: Across 12 cases, 182 questions were answered with a total AI score of 2317/2730 (84 %). Scores by criteria were: completeness (79 %, range: 70-99 %), conciseness (92 %, range: 83-99 %), and correctness (81 %, range: 72-92 %). AI performed best in the domains of epidemiology (93 %) and cancer biology (93 %) and reasonably in staging and workup (89 %), physics (86 %) and surveillance (82 %). Weaker domains included treatment planning (78 %) and clinical management (81 %). Statistical differences were driven by variations in the completeness (p < 0.01) and correctness (p = 0.04) criteria, whereas conciseness scored universally high (p = 0.91). These trends were consistent across disease sites., Conclusions: ChatGPT showed potential as a tool in radiation oncology, demonstrating a high degree of accuracy in several oncologic domains. However, this study highlights limitations with incorrect and incomplete answers in complex cases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: [DAP reports a Clinician-Scientist Grant from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, royalties from Uptodate.com, and a consultant role with equity from Need Inc. TN declares a speaker fee with the Radiosurgery society and a consultant role with equity from Need Inc. CG declares consulting fees and stock options from Need inc. GSB declares an advisory board position with advanced accelerator applications, a director position with the Centre for Translation Cancer Research, and a research grant from Siemens. PCC declares he is an employee of Need Inc. AM declares honoraria from Sanofi. The other authors declare no competing interests.]., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The development of efficient and sustainable chemical processes which use greener reagents and solvents, currently play an important role in current research. Methanol, a cheap and readily available resource from chemical industry, could be activated by transition metal catalysts. This review focuses in covering the recent five-years literature and provides a systematic summary of strategies for methanol activation and the use in organic chemistry. Based on these strategies, many new synthetic methods have been developed for methanol utilization as the C1 building block in methylation, hydromethylation, aminomethylation, formylation reactions, as well as the syntheses of urea derivatives and heterocycles. The achievements, synthetic applications, limitations, some advanced approaches, and future perspectives of the methanol activation methodologies have been described in this review., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Laparoscopic total pancreatectomy (LTP) is technically challenging and infrequently documented in the literature. In this paper, we present a new approach for performing fully LTP, a pancreatic tail-first approach with a counterclockwise technique, to accomplish total mesopancreas dissection and standard lymphadenectomy en bloc. Firstly, the tail and body of the pancreas without the spleen were dissected retrogradely, starting from the lower border of the body of pancreas and then from left to right. After that, a counterclockwise dissection of the tail and body of the pancreas was performed. The splenic artery and vein were divided at the terminal end of the pancreatic tail. The spleen was preserved. The entire body and tail of the pancreas were then pulled to the right side. This maneuver facilitated the isolation and dissection of arteries in the retropancreatic region more easily via laparoscopy, including the splenic artery, gastroduodenal artery, and supporting superior mesenteric artery first-approach. It also enabled total mesopancreas dissection. The inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery was resected last during this phase. The remainder of the dissection was like that of a laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy with total mesopancreas dissection, involving two laparoscopic manual anastomoses. The operative time was 490 minutes and the total blood loss was 100 mL. Pathology revealed a low-grade intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm extending from the head to the tail of the pancreas.

The field of radiation oncology (RO) has experienced large fluctuations in the number of applicants to residency programs. It is essential to understand the modifiable factors which influence entry. The objective of this project is to identify factors (i.e., "enablers") that motivate prospective medical students to apply to RO. A survey was developed to characterize RO enablers and barriers as perceived by current RO residents. An existing conceptual framework of why medical students choose primary care was used as the foundation of the survey and was modified for relevance towards RO. The final mixed-methods survey was administered to Canadian RO residents (2015-2019 match years) via Program Directors and the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncologists resident member database. Medical students are most likely to select a career in RO during or after a clerkship experience. Extrinsic factors strongly motivating interest in RO were (% rating as very important or extremely important on a 5-point scale) as follows: positive feedback from radiation oncologists (86%) and RO residents (66%), clinical rotations in RO (84%) and mentorship (77%). Intrinsic factors include perceived fulfillment (95.2%), commitment to patient care (85.3%), and intellectual challenge (67.7%). Qualitative data highlighted the importance of mentorship, the "hand-heart" connection, career variability/flexibility, career satisfaction/lifestyle, and personal connections with cancer/cancer care in motivating students to pursue RO. Increased preclinical exposure such as mentorship may encourage students to seek clerkship opportunities in RO. These findings inform strategies to recruit medical students to a career in RO., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to American Association for Cancer Education.)

Background: For extended-release drug formulations, effective half-life (t1/2eff) is a relevant pharmacokinetic parameter to inform dosing strategies and time to reach steady state. Tacrolimus, an immunosuppressant commonly used for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in transplant patients, is available as both immediate- and extended-release formulations. To the best of our knowledge, the t1/2eff of tacrolimus from these different formulations has not yet been assessed. The objective of this study was to characterize the t1/2eff and terminal half-life (t1/2z) of an extended-release once-daily tacrolimus formulation (LCPT) and twice-daily immediate-release tacrolimus (IR-Tac)., Methods: A noncompartmental analysis of pharmacokinetic data obtained from a phase 2 study in de novo kidney transplant recipients receiving either LCPT or IR-Tac was conducted. Intensive blood sampling was performed on days 1, 7, and 14, and tacrolimus whole blood concentrations were measured using a validated liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method. T1/2eff was estimated using within-participant accumulation ratios. T1/2z was estimated by linear regression of the terminal phase of the concentration versus time profile., Results: The median accumulation ratios of LCPT and IR-Tac on day 14 were 3.18 and 2.06, respectively.The median (interquartile range; IQR) t1/2eff for LCPT at day 14 of dosing was 48.4 (37.4-77.9) hours, whereas the t1/2z was 20.3 (17.6-22.9) hours. For IR-Tac, the median (IQR) t1/2eff and t1/2z on day 14 were 12.5 (8.8-23.0) hours and 12.2 (9.2-15.7) hours, respectively., Conclusions: Consistent with its prolonged release of tacrolimus, LCPT demonstrated a higher accumulation ratio and a longer t1/2eff compared with IR-Tac. These findings underscore the pharmacokinetic differences between different drug formulations of the same moiety and may help inform dose adjustments for LCPT in kidney transplantation., Competing Interests: J.D. Momper has received consulting fees from Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. B.M. Masters and S.J. Patel are employees of Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. R. Venkataramanan, A.S. Jantz, D.M. Cibrik, and K. Birdwell have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology.)

Multiciliated cells (MCCs) serve many important functions, including fluid propulsion and chemo- and mechanosensing. Diseases ranging from rare conditions to the recent COVID-19 global health pandemic have been linked to MCC defects. In recent years, the zebrafish has emerged as a model to investigate the biology of MCCs. Here, we review the major events in MCC formation including centriole biogenesis and basal body docking. Then, we discuss studies on the role of MCCs in diseases of the brain, respiratory, kidney and reproductive systems, as well as recent findings about the link between MCCs and SARS-CoV-2. Next, we explore why the zebrafish is a useful model to study MCCs and provide a comprehensive overview of previous studies of genetic components essential for MCC development and motility across three major tissues in the zebrafish: the pronephros, brain ependymal cells and nasal placode. Taken together, here we provide a cohesive summary of MCC research using the zebrafish and its future potential for expanding our understanding of MCC-related disease states.

Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) prevent ubiquitination by eliminating ubiquitin from their substrates. Deubiquitinating enzymes have important roles in a number of cell biology subfields that are highly relevant to diseases like neurodegeneration, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and long-term inflammation. Deubiquitinating enzymes feature a well-defined active site and, for the most part, catalytic cysteine, which makes them appealing targets for small-molecule drug development. Ubiquitin-specific protease 46 (USP46) is a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease family, the largest subfamily of DUBs. Over the past 10 years, some studies have steadily demonstrated the significance of USP46 in several biological processes, although it was identified later and early research progress was modest. Specifically, in the last few years, the carcinogenic properties of USP46 have become more apparent. In the current review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge about USP46 including its characteristics, structure, inhibitors, function in diseases, especially in the nervous system, and the correlation of USP46 with cancers., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest concerning the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Caragobius urolepis has a wide range of distribution, from brackish to freshwater water, ranging from India to the Philippines and Fiji, including the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), where it lives mainly in the coastal regions and plays a vital role in food supply. Our preliminary observation showed that its population tended to decline, but little is known about this species. This study, therefore, was conducted to provide data on the ovarian structure, spawning pattern and season, length at first maturity, and batch fecundity of this fish. The study of 306 specimens caught with trawl nets from April 2022 to March 2023 in two coastal areas of VMD-Dong Hai, Bac Lieu (DHBL), and Dam Doi, Ca Mau (DDCM)-showed that this goby spawned more than once because the oocytes in stage IV ovary showed different stages of development. It could release eggs monthly during a 12-month study, with a peak in July-September since stage IV ovaries were found monthly during the study period and the GSI exhibited a high value in July-September. The fish length at first maturity and batch fecundity varied with the site, as they were 18.8 cm and 3,757-9,187 (6,142 ± 707 SE eggs/female) in DDCM and 20.5 cm and 3,760-11,118 (5,634 ± 750 SE eggs/female) in DHBL. The findings provide valuable foundations for exploiting their resources and serve as a basis for studying artificial reproduction. It is suggested to avoid catching these fish species during the breeding season to ensure sustainable exploitation in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article. The manuscript is authentic and is not currently submitted or reviewed or published in any other journal., (© 2024 The Authors.)

We utilize a theoretical method based on nonlinear beam propagation and finite difference eigenmode solver methods to precisely simulate Gaussian beam propagation in electrical fields through spherical gradient refractive index lenses. The theoretical computation uses second-order partial differentiation of propagation coordinates to generate microwave field propagation. Consequently, it offers accurate simulation results for any complex refractive index profile. The reliability of the proposed method is verified by comparing it with existing experimental and theoretical results. We employ the theoretical method to assess Gaussian beam convergence in terms of four key parameters: beam waist, maximum intensity, focal position, and Rayleigh range. The results indicate that gradient index spherical lenses have better convergence than convex thin lenses, as evidenced by a significant reduction in beam waist size. However, these lenses prompt an extremely short back focal length. Consequently, we propose a slight shift in the boundary and index distribution of spherical lenses to expand their back focal lengths.

Background: Patients with clinical T2N0 (cT2N0) gastric adenocarcinoma are recommended to undergo either perioperative chemotherapy or upfront resection. If T2N0 disease is pathologically confirmed, patients may be observed without chemotherapy. These guidelines create the possibility of both systemic therapy overuse and underuse depending on clinical staging accuracy. Our objectives were to define factors associated with upstaging after upfront resection and describe the association between postoperative chemotherapy and survival., Methods: Patients with cT2N0 gastric adenocarcinoma were identified using the National Cancer Database. Factors associated with upstaging were assessed by logistic regression. Survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analyses., Results: Of 4,076 patients undergoing upfront resection for cT2N0 gastric cancer, 1,933 (47.4%) were pathologically upstaged. Patients were more likely to be upstaged if they had >3.0-cm (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.97-2.70; P < .001) or poorly differentiated tumors (aOR 2.22, 95% CI 1.89-2.60; P < .001). Patients were less likely to be upstaged if they had distal tumors (aOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.64-0.93; P = .006). Of those pathologically upstaged (n = 1,933), 1,111 (57.4%) received adjuvant chemotherapy that was associated with improved survival (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.47-0.63; P < .001). Among those not upstaged (n = 2,143), 247 (11.5%) received adjuvant chemotherapy that was not associated with improved survival (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70-1.21; P = .54)., Conclusions: Pathologic upstaging after upfront resection in patients with cT2N0 gastric cancer is associated with patient and tumor characteristics. Adjuvant chemotherapy is associated with improved survival only in the patients upstaged at surgery. An upfront surgical approach may be preferred in select patients, especially if avoiding chemotherapy is desired., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest/Disclosure The authors have no related conflicts of interest or financial disclosures to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cilia are hair-like structures found on the surface of nearly all vertebrate cell types where they have central roles in regulating development and orchestrating physiological events. There is growing interest in understanding the mechanisms of ciliogenesis due to the profound consequences that follow from the absence of proper ciliary function, which include diseases that affect the renal, respiratory, reproductive, nervous, visual, and digestive systems, among others. Now, a recent report has discerned new roles for the transcription factor estrogen-related receptor gamma a ( esrrγa) in ciliated cell ontogeny within the embryonic zebrafish kidney and other tissues. Further, the team of researchers discovered that genetic ablation of murine homolog ERRγ in adult kidney epithelial cells led to shortened cilia, which precedes cystogenesis. These intriguing findings expand our fundamental understanding of the pathological basis of cilia defects, which is relevant for identifying future therapeutic targets for ciliopathies.

Multiciliated cells (MCCS) form bundles of cilia and their activities are essential for the proper development and physiology of many organ systems. Not surprisingly, defects in MCCs have profound consequences and are associated with numerous disease states. Here, we discuss the current understanding of MCC formation, with a special focus on the genetic and molecular mechanisms of MCC fate choice and differentiation. Furthermore, we cast a spotlight on the use of zebrafish to study MCC ontogeny and several recent advances made in understanding MCCs using this vertebrate model to delineate mechanisms of MCC emergence in the developing kidney., (© 2023 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

Background and Objectives: The study aims to explore the potential for transplacental transmission of SARS-CoV-2, focusing on its pathophysiology, placental defense mechanisms, and the clinical implications for maternal and neonatal health. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive review of the current literature was conducted, analyzing studies on SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy, the expression of key viral receptors (ACE2 and TMPRSS2) in placental cells, and the immune responses involved in placental defense. The review also examined the clinical outcomes related to maternal and neonatal health, including adverse pregnancy outcomes and neonatal infection. Results: The expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the placenta supports the biological plausibility of SARS-CoV-2 transplacental transmission. Histopathological findings from the infected placentas reveal inflammation, vascular changes, and the evidence of viral particles in placental tissues. Clinical reports indicate an increased risk of preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, and neonatal infection in pregnancies affected by COVID-19. However, the frequency and mechanisms of vertical transmission remain variable across studies, highlighting the need for standardized research protocols. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 can potentially infect placental cells, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes and neonatal infection. While evidence of transplacental transmission has been documented, the risk and mechanisms are not fully understood. Ongoing research is essential to clarify these aspects and inform obstetric care practices to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Competing Interests: Timothy K. Nguyen reports a relationship with Need that includes consulting or advisory fees and equity or stock options. No other conflicts of interest.

The burgeoning field of pharmacomicrobiomics offers promising insights into the intricate interplay between the microbiome and cancer, shaping responses to diverse treatment modalities. This review aims to analyze the molecular mechanisms underlying interactions between distinct microbiota types and cancer, as well as their influence on treatment outcomes. We explore how the microbiome impacts antitumor immunity, and response to chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy, unveiling its multifaceted roles in cancer progression and therapy resistance. Moreover, we discuss the challenges hindering the development of microbiome-based interventions in cancer therapy, including standardization, validation, and clinical translation. By synthesizing clinical evidence, we underscore the transformative potential of harnessing pharmacomicrobiomics in guiding cancer treatment decisions, paving the way for improved patient outcomes in clinical practice., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Le Ngoc, Pham, Nguyen and Huong.)

Background: Emerging randomized data, mostly from phase II trials, have suggested that patients with oligometastatic cancers may benefit from ablative treatments such as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). However, phase III data testing this paradigm are lacking, and many studies have examined SABR in the setting of metachronous oligometastatic disease. The goal of the SABR-SYNC trial is to assess the effect of SABR in patients with oligometastatic cancers and a synchronous primary tumor., Methods: One hundred and eighty patients will be randomized in a 1:2 ratio between standard of care (SOC) palliative-intent treatments vs. SOC + ablative therapy (SABR preferred) to all sites of known disease. Randomization will be stratified based on histology and number of metastases at enrollment. SABR may be delivered in 1-, 3- and 5-fraction regimens, with recommended doses of 20 Gy, 30 Gy, and 35 Gy, respectively. Non-SABR local modalities (e.g. surgery, thermal ablation, conventional radiation) may be used for treatment of the primary or metastases at the discretion of the treating physicians, if those modalities are clinically preferred. The primary endpoint is overall survival, and secondary endpoints include progression-free survival, time to development of new metastatic lesions, time to initiation of next systemic therapy, quality of life, and toxicity. Translational endpoints include assessment of circulating tumor DNA and immunological predictors of outcomes., Discussion: SABR-SYNC will provide phase III data to assess the impact of SABR on overall survival in a population of patients with synchronous oligometastases. The translational component will attempt to identify novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers to aid in clinical decision making., Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05717166 (registration date: Feb. 8, 2023)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To detect clusters of dengue hemorrhagic fever in an urbanized district of Hai Phong City, Vietnam using Poisson space-time retrospective and prospective analysis., Methods: A cross-sectional and retrospective study analyzed dengue surveillance data in the period from January 01, 2018, to December 31, 2022. Spatial-temporal scanning statistics were performed using the free software SatScan v10.1.2., Results: A total of 519 cases were recorded. The cumulative incidence per 100,000 inhabitants was 3.37, 127.36, 10.96, 0, and 296.04 in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. By retrospective Poisson model-based analysis, seven clusters were detected. Six of these seven detected outbreaks occurred in November and December 2022. The largest cluster had a relative risk (RR) of 1539.5 ( P <0.00001). The smallest cluster has a RR of 316.1 ( P = 0.006). Prospective analysis using the Poisson model significantly detected four active case clusters at the time of the study. The largest cluster of cases with RR was 47.7 ( P <0.00001) and the smallest cluster with RR was 18.2 ( P <0.00001)., Conclusions: This study provides a basis for improving the effectiveness of interventions and conducting further investigations into risk factors in the study area, as well as in other urban and suburban areas nationwide., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Purpose: Using diagnostic computed tomography (dCT) scans instead of CT simulation (CTsim) scans can increase departmental efficiency and reduce patient burden. The goal of the DART trial was to assess the efficacy and acceptability of dCT-based planning workflows with a focus on patient experiences, plan deliverability and adequacy of target coverage, and workflows., Methods and Materials: Patients undergoing same-day CTsim and treatment for palliative radiation therapy to thoracic, abdominopelvic, or proximal limb targets with a recent dCT (within 28 days) in a reproducible position were eligible. After stratifying by target type (bone or soft tissue vs. visceral), participants were randomized (1:2 ratio) between CTsim-based (CTsim arm) vs. dCT-based planning (dCT arm). The primary endpoint was time in center (TIC), defined as total time spent in the cancer center on first day of treatment, from first radiation department appointment to first fraction completion. Secondary endpoints included plan deliverability, adequacy of target coverage, and stakeholder acceptability., Results: Thirty-three patients (42 treatment sites) were enrolled between June 2022 and April 2023. The median age was 72 (interquartile range [IQR]: 67-78), 73% were male, and the most common primary cancers were lung (33%), prostate (24%), and breast (12%). The most common dose and fractionations were 8 Gy in 1 and 20 Gy in 5 fractions (50% and 43% of plans, respectively). TIC was 4.7 ± 1.1 hours (mean ± SD) in the CTsim arm vs. 0.41 ± 0.14 hours in the dCT arm (P < .001). All dCT plans were deliverable. All plans in both arms were rated as "acceptable" (80% CTsim; 81% dCT) or "acceptable with minor deviation" (20% CTsim; 19% dCT). Patient perception of acceptability was similar in both arms with the exception of time burden, which was rated as "acceptable" by 50% in the CTsim arm vs. 90% in the dCT arm (P = .025)., Conclusion: dCT-based radiation planning substantially reduced TIC without detriment in plan deliverability or quality and had a tangible impact on patient experience with reduced patient-reported time burden., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a non-invasive form of radiation that has been utilized for oligometastatic malignancies. However, pseudoprogression is a common radiological occurrence following this treatment, which manifests as an increase in tumor size before its reduction. We discuss a case of a 58-year-old female patient who initially presented with uterine leiomyosarcoma. Following surgery and postoperative radiation, she was later found to have solitary liver metastasis after three years of surveillance, which was managed by SBRT. However, on short-term follow-up, the lesion was found to have increased in size, prompting discussion regarding whether the growth was a progression of disease or a secondary effect of treatment. After close follow-up, the tumor continued to shrink until it was no longer visible on imaging. This is the first report discussing pseudoprogression following SBRT in a retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma patient. It serves as a reminder for clinicians to consider the possibility of pseudoprogression before the failure of therapy., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Aly et al.)

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with Helicobacter pylori infection in Vietnamese children., Methods: Children under 16 years old with gastrointestinal symptoms underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and H. pylori infection was diagnosed using rapid urease test., Results: A total of 246 children with gastrointestinal symptoms were included. The mean age was 8.4 ± 2.6 years. A total 81.3% tested positive for H. pylori. Children infected with H. pylori had a lower rate of nausea but a higher rate of lesions in the duodenal bulb and nodular lesions than children without H. pylori infection (26.5% vs 45.6%, P <0.01; 40.0% vs 23.9%; P = 0.04; and 68.5% vs 30.3%, P <0.0001, respectively). Compared with children aged under 5 years, children aged 11 years and older were four times more likely to be infected with H. pylori , with odds ratio (OR) 3.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-11.39, P = 0.04. Washing hands with soap was associated with a reduced risk of H. pylori infection by three times (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17-0.69, P = 0.002). Children living in a family where members had a history of H. pylori infection were nine times more likely to be infected with H. pylori (OR 8.87, 95% CI 1.15-68.45, P = 0.04)., Conclusions: The prevalence of H. pylori infection in Vietnamese children with gastroenteritis is high. Our results identified several risk factors and emphasize the role of handwashing with soap before eating and after using the toilet in reducing the risk of H. pylori infection in children., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Introduction: For early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), surgery is the preferred approach in operable patients, whereas stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is preferred for medically inoperable patients. The combination of neoadjuvant SABR followed by surgery was tested in the MISSILE phase II trial. We report long-term outcomes, beyond 5 years of follow-up., Methods: Patients diagnosed with T1-2N0M0 NSCLC with good performance status and adequate lung function were enrolled. Patients underwent neoadjuvant SABR followed by lobectomy/wedge resection. Forty enrolled patients received SABR, of which 36 patients proceeded to surgery., Results: The pathologic and major complete response rates were 60% and 63%, respectively. Median follow-up was 6.6 years following surgery. Five-year overall, disease-free and cancer-specific survival were 66.7% (95% CI: 48.8-79.5), 58.3% (95% CI: 40.7-72.4) and 76.4% (95% CI: 58.2-87.4). Five-year local, regional and distant control were 93.5% (95% CI: 76.3-98.4), 80.1% (95% CI: 62.7-90.0) and 82.4% (95% CI: 64.9-91.7). After SABR and surgery, 16.7% (n=6) of patients experienced related grade ≥ 3 adverse events and there were no grade 5 events., Conclusion: The combined approach of SABR and surgery was safe and demonstrated reasonable long-term clinical outcomes, but similar to surgery alone., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. Louie has received honoraria from AstraZeneca, unrelated to the current work. Dr. Palma reports a Clinician-Scientist Grant from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, royalties from Uptodate.com, and a consultant role with equity at Need Inc, all unrelated to the current work. No other disclosures were reported., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Over 79 % of 6.3 billion tonnes of plastics produced from 1950 to 2015 have been disposed in landfills or found their way to the oceans, where they will reside for up to hundreds of years before being decomposed bringing upon significant dangers to our health and ecosystems. Plastic photoreforming offers an appealing alternative by using solar energy and water to transform plastic waste into value-added chemical commodities, while simultaneously producing green hydrogen via the hydrogen evolution reaction. This review aims to provide an overview of the underlying principles of emerging plastic photoreforming technologies, highlight the challenges associated with experimental protocols and performance assessments, discuss recent global breakthroughs on the photoreforming of plastics, and propose perspectives for future research. A critical assessment of current plastic photoreforming studies shows a lack of standardised conditions, hindering comparison amongst photocatalyst performance. Guidelines to establish a more accurate evaluation of materials and systems are proposed, with the aim to facilitate the translation of promising fundamental discovery in photocatalysts design., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objective: Understanding the orofacial characteristics and growth patterns in children is essential for both orthodontics and research on children with orofacial abnormalities. However, a concise resource of normative data on the size and relative position of these structures in different populations is not available. Our objective was to aggregate normative data to assess the growth of the orofacial skeletal structures in children with a well-balanced face and normal occlusion., Methods: The MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched. Inclusion criteria included longitudinal and cross-sectional studies on cephalometric measurement of skeletal tissues and a study population ≤ 18 years with a well-balanced face and normal occlusion. Key study parameters were extracted, and knowledge was synthesized. A quality appraisal was performed using a 10-point scale., Results: The final selection comprised of 12 longitudinal and 33 cross-sectional studies, the quality of which ranged from good to excellent. Our results showed that from childhood to adulthood, the length of the cranial base increased significantly while the cranial base angle remained constant; both the maxilla and mandible moved forward and downward. The profile becomes straighter with age., Conclusions: Growth patterns in children with a well-balanced face and normal occlusion follow accepted theories of growth.

The pursuit of increased efficiency of photoelectric energy conversion through optimized semiconductor structures remains highly competitive, with current results yet to align with broad expectations. In this study, we discover a significant enhancement in photocurrent performance of a p-3C-SiC nanothin film on p-Si/n-Si double junction (DJ) heterostructure that integrates p-3C-SiC/p-Si heterojunction and p-Si/n-Si homojunction. The vertical photocurrent (VPC) and vertical photoresponsivity exhibit a substantial enhancement in the DJ heterostructure, surpassing by a maximum of 43-fold compared to the p-3C-SiC/n-Si single junction (SJ) counterpart. The p-3C-SiC layer and n-Si substrate of the two heterostructures have similar material and geometrical properties. More importantly, the fabrication costs for the DJ and SJ heterostructure devices are comparable. Our results demonstrate a significant potential for using DJ devices in energy harvesters, micro/nano electromechanical systems, and sensing applications. This research may also lead to the creation of advanced optoelectronic devices using DJ structures, where employing various semiconductor materials to achieve exceptional performance through the application of the concept and theoretical model described in this work.

There have been many studies on the adverse effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines but the urinary incontinence after COVID-19 vaccination is rare. Here, we report an 8-year-old boy presented to outpatient department, Thai Binh University of Medicine Hospital, Thai Binh, Vietnam with complaints of urinary incontinence for the past 2 weeks, following the first dose of the messenger RNA vaccine. He had no other abnormalities in clinical and laboratory exams. This clinical situation suggested vaccine side effects. No specific treatment was administered upon diagnosis without toilet and bladder training. Subsequent monitoring revealed a gradual reduction in symptoms over 2 months, with complete recovery achieved at the 14th week from the onset of symptoms, without necessitating any medical intervention. This case highlights the need for thorough evaluation and assessment of potential adverse effects following vaccination, including uncommon presentations., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Korean Vaccine Society.)

In this study, biochar derived from chestnut shells was synthesized through pyrolysis at varying temperatures from 300 °C to 900 °C. The study unveiled that the pyrolysis temperature is pivotal in defining the physical and chemical attributes of biochar, notably its adsorption capabilities and its role in activating peracetic acid (PAA) for the efficient removal of acetaminophen (APAP) from aquatic environments. Notably, the biochar processed at 900 °C, referred to as CN900, demonstrated an exceptional adsorption efficiency of 55.8 mg g -1 , significantly outperforming its counterparts produced at lower temperatures (CN300, CN500, and CN700). This enhanced performance of CN900 is attributed to its increased surface area, improved micro-porosity, and a greater abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups, which are a consequence of the elevated pyrolysis temperature. These oxygen-rich functional groups, such as carbonyls, play a crucial role in facilitating the decomposition of the O-O bond in PAA, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through electron transfer mechanisms. This investigation contributes to the development of sustainable and cost-effective materials for water purification, underscoring the potential of chestnut shell-derived biochar as an efficient adsorbent and catalyst for PAA activation, thereby offering a viable solution for environmental cleanup efforts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Preoperative chemo(radio)therapy is increasingly used in patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma, leading to pathological complete response (pCR) in a small subset of patients. However, multicenter studies with in-depth data about pCR are lacking., Objective: To investigate the incidence, outcome, and risk factors of pCR after preoperative chemo(radio)therapy., Design, Setting, and Participants: This observational, international, multicenter cohort study assessed all consecutive patients with pathology-proven localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent resection after 2 or more cycles of chemotherapy (with or without radiotherapy) in 19 centers from 8 countries (January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2018). Data collection was performed from February 1, 2020, to April 30, 2022, and analyses from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023. Median follow-up was 19 months., Exposures: Preoperative chemotherapy (with or without radiotherapy) followed by resection., Main Outcomes and Measures: The incidence of pCR (defined as absence of vital tumor cells in the sampled pancreas specimen after resection), its association with OS from surgery, and factors associated with pCR. Factors associated with overall survival (OS) and pCR were investigated with Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression models, respectively., Results: Overall, 1758 patients (mean [SD] age, 64 [9] years; 879 [50.0%] male) were studied. The rate of pCR was 4.8% (n = 85), and pCR was associated with OS (hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.26-0.83). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 95%, 82%, and 63% in patients with pCR vs 80%, 46%, and 30% in patients without pCR, respectively (P < .001). Factors associated with pCR included preoperative multiagent chemotherapy other than (m)FOLFIRINOX ([modified] leucovorin calcium [folinic acid], fluorouracil, irinotecan hydrochloride, and oxaliplatin) (odds ratio [OR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.26-0.87), preoperative conventional radiotherapy (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.00-4.10), preoperative stereotactic body radiotherapy (OR, 8.91; 95% CI, 4.17-19.05), radiologic response (OR, 13.00; 95% CI, 7.02-24.08), and normal(ized) serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 after preoperative therapy (OR, 3.76; 95% CI, 1.79-7.89)., Conclusions and Relevance: This international, retrospective cohort study found that pCR occurred in 4.8% of patients with resected localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma after preoperative chemo(radio)therapy. Although pCR does not reflect cure, it is associated with improved OS, with a doubled 5-year OS of 63% compared with 30% in patients without pCR. Factors associated with pCR related to preoperative chemo(radio)therapy regimens and anatomical and biological disease response features may have implications for treatment strategies that require validation in prospective studies because they may not universally apply to all patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

This study presents the synthesis of a novel composite catalyst, ZIF-67, doped on sodium bicarbonate-modified biochar derived from kumquat peels (ZIF-67@KSB3), for the enhanced activation of peracetic acid (PAA) in the degradation of acetaminophen (APAP) in aqueous solutions. The composite demonstrated a high degradation efficiency, achieving 94.3% elimination of APAP at an optimal condition of 200 mg L -1 catalyst dosage and 0.4 mM PAA concentration at pH 7. The degradation mechanism was elucidated, revealing that superoxide anion (O 2 •- ) played a dominant role, while singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) and alkoxyl radicals (R-O • ) also contributed significantly. The degradation pathways of APAP were proposed based on LC-MS analyses and molecular electrostatic potential calculations, identifying three primary routes of transformation. Stability tests confirmed that the ZIF-67@KSB3 catalyst retained an 86% efficiency in APAP removal after five successive cycles, underscoring its durability and potential for application in pharmaceutical wastewater treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: SMA-first approach in pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) has been widely applied in open surgery as well as laparoscopy. Finding the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), inferior pancreatoduodenal artery (IPDA), first jejunal artery (J1A) has become a great challenge in laparoscopic PD (LPD). Meanwhile, exposing the midde colic artery (MCA) might be a feasible approach to determine SMA, IPDA, and J1A. Our study aims to find the anatomical correlation between MCA and SMA, IPDA, J1A, especially in SMA-first approach LPD from the left., Methods: Uncontrolled clinical trial with 33 patients undergoing LPD had preoperative contrast abdominal CT scan to analyze the anatomical relevance between MCA and SMA, J1A, IPDA. The operation was performed starting with exposing MCA in advance to find SMA, J1A and IPDA. The data was analyzed by SPSS 25.0., Results: 90.9% of MCA started at 12-3 o'clock from SMA, the mean distance from the SMA root to the MCA and J1A was 56.4 mm and 37.4 mm, respectively. The distance between SMA and J1A was 19 mm. 72.7% J1A started at 9-12 o'clock, 69.7% J1A and IPDA had a common trunk. 78.8% IPDA started at 3-6 o'clock. 100% of the cases had J1A controlled intraoperatively, 81.8% for IPDA when approached from the left, 3% had MCA injury. The mean time to approach from the left was 98 min, median blood loss was 100 ml., Conclusion: Exposing MCA first helps determine SMA, J1A and IPDA safely, efficiently and faciliates SMA-first approach LPD from the left and complete dissection of the mesopancreas and lymph nodes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (LSPDP) with conservation of the splenic artery and vein (Kimura' technique) is considered a technically challenging procedure that requires a high level of expertise in laparoscopic and pancreatic surgery., Methods: A prospective descriptive study on 18 patients with laparoscopic "antegrade" spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy with Kimura' technique from 2018 to 2023. The perioperative indications, clinical data, intraoperative index, pathological postoperative specimens, postoperative complications, and follow-up results were retrospectively evaluated., Results: The mean age was 39.4±13.3. Only 2 male patients accounted for 11.1%. The average operating time is 171±23 min. The average blood loss is 65.7±43 ml. The average tumor size is 4.1 cm. The average hospitalization is 9.4 days. The rate of pancreatic fistula is 66.7%. There is no case of transferring open surgery or blood transfusion during surgery. The results of pathological after surgery there were eight cases of solid pseudopapillary tumors, four cases of mucinous cystadenoma, six cases of neuroendocrine tumors., Conclusion: Kimura's technique for laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy is safe and feasible, which can be applied to benign tumors in the body and tail of the pancreas. However, this is a difficult technique in laparoscopic surgery that requires surgeons to have a lot of experience and equipment need to be adequate., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Afatinib is indicated for advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and uncommon mutations. However, real-world studies on this topic are limited. This study aimed to evaluate afatinib as first-line therapy for locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC with uncommon EGFR mutations., Patients and Methods: A retrospective study included 92 patients with advanced NSCLC with uncommon and compound EGFR mutations, treated with afatinib as first-line therapy. Patients were followed up and evaluated every 3 months or when symptoms of progressive disease arose. The endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), time-to-treatment failure (TTF), and adverse events., Results: The G719X EGFR mutation had the highest occurrence rate (53.3% for both monotherapy and the compound). By contrast, the compound mutation G719X-S768I was observed at a rate of 22.8%. The ORR was 75%, with 15.2% of patients achieving complete response. The overall median TTF was 13.8 months. Patients with the G719X EGFR mutation (single and compound) had a median TTF of 19.3 months, longer than that of patients with other mutations, who had a median TTF of 11.2 months. Patients with compound EGFR mutations (G719X and S768I) demonstrated a median TTF of 23.2 months compared to that of 12.3 months for other mutations. Tolerated doses of 20 or 30 mg achieved a longer median TTF of 17.1 months compared to 11.2 months with 40 mg. Median TTF differed between patients with and without brain metastasis, at 11.2 and 16.9 months, respectively. Rash (55.4%) and diarrhea (53.3%) were the most common adverse events, primarily grades 1 and 2. Other side effects occurred at a low rate., Conclusion: Afatinib is effective for locally advanced metastatic NSCLC with uncommon EGFR mutations. Patients with G719X, compound G719X-S768I mutations, and tolerated doses of 20 or 30 mg had a longer median TTF than those with other mutations., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), 2024.)

Background and Aims: Atherosclerosis is the primary underlying cause of myocardial infarction and stroke, which are the major causes of death globally. Heparanase (Hpse) is a pro-inflammatory extracellular matrix degrading enzyme that has been implicated in atherogenesis. However, to date the precise roles of Hpse in atherosclerosis and its mechanisms of action are not well defined. This study aims to provide new insights into the contribution of Hpse in different stages of atherosclerosis in vivo., Methods: We generated Hpse gene-deficient mice on the atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E gene knockout (ApoE -/- ) background to investigate the impact of Hpse gene deficiency on the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis after 6 and 14 weeks high-fat diet feeding, respectively. Atherosclerotic lesion development, blood serum profiles, lesion composition and aortic immune cell populations were evaluated., Results: Hpse-deficient mice exhibited significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesion burden in the aortic sinus and aorta at both time-points, independent of changes in plasma cholesterol levels. A significant reduction in the necrotic core size and an increase in smooth muscle cell content were also observed in advanced atherosclerotic plaques of Hpse-deficient mice. Additionally, Hpse deficiency reduced circulating and aortic levels of VCAM-1 at the initiation and progression stages of disease and circulating MCP-1 levels in the initiation but not progression stage. Moreover, the aortic levels of total leukocytes and dendritic cells in Hpse-deficient ApoE -/- mice were significantly decreased compared to control ApoE -/- mice at both disease stages., Conclusions: This study identifies Hpse as a key pro-inflammatory enzyme driving the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis and highlighting the potential of Hpse inhibitors as novel anti-inflammatory treatments for cardiovascular disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ubiquitin-specific protease (USP), an enzyme catalyzing protein deubiquitination, is involved in biological processes related to metabolic disorders and cancer proliferation. We focused on constructing predictive models tailored to unveil compounds boasting USP21 inhibitory attributes. Six models, Extra Trees Classifier, Random Forest Classifier, LightGBM Classifier, XGBoost Classifier, Bagging Classifier, and a convolutional neural network harnessed from empirical data were selected for the screening process. These models guided our selection of 26 compounds from the FDA-approved drug library for further evaluation. Notably, nifuroxazide emerged as the most potent inhibitor, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 14.9 ± 1.63 μM. The stability of protein-ligand complexes was confirmed using molecular modeling. Furthermore, nifuroxazide treatment of HepG2 cells not only inhibited USP21 and its established substrate ACLY but also elevated p-AMPKα, a downstream functional target of USP21. Intriguingly, we unveiled the previously unknown capacity of nifuroxazide to increase the levels of miR-4458, which was identified as downregulating USP21. This discovery was substantiated by manipulating miR-4458 levels in HepG2 cells, resulting in corresponding changes in USP21 protein levels in line with its predicted interaction with ACLY. Lastly, we confirmed the in vivo efficacy of nifuroxazide in inhibiting USP21 in mice livers, observing concurrent alterations in ACLY and p-AMPKα levels. Collectively, our study establishes nifuroxazide as a promising USP21 inhibitor with potential implications for addressing metabolic disorders and cancer proliferation. This multidimensional investigation sheds light on the intricate regulatory mechanisms involving USP21 and its downstream effects, paving the way for further exploration and therapeutic development., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Klebsiella pneumoniae stands out as a major opportunistic pathogen responsible for both hospital- and community-acquired bacterial infections. This study comprehensively assesses the antibiotic resistance, amikacin persistent patterns, and biofilm-forming ability of 247 isolates of K. pneumoniae obtained from an intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in Vietnam. Microdilution assays, conducted on a 96-well plate, determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of amikacin. Susceptibility data for other antibiotics were gathered from the antibiogram profile. Stationary-phase bacteria were exposed to 50 × MIC, and viable bacteria counts were measured to determine amikacin persistence. Biofilm forming capacity on 96-well polystyrene surfaces was assessed by biomass and viable bacteria. The prevalence of resistance was notably high across most antibiotics, with 64.8% classified as carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and 81.4% as multidrug resistant. Amikacin, however, exhibited a relatively low rate of resistance. Of the isolates, 58.2% demonstrated a moderate to strong biofilm formation capacity, and these were found to be poorly responsive to amikacin. K. pneumoniae reveals a significant inclination for amikacin persistence, with ∼45% of isolates displaying an antibiotic antibiotic-survival ratio exceeding 10%. The study sheds light on challenges in treating of K. pneumoniae infection in Vietnam, encompassing a high prevalence of antibiotic resistance, a substantial ability to form biofilm, and a notable rate of antibiotic persistence.

This study aimed to assess the clinical utility of blood lactate-to-bicarbonate (L/B) ratio, as a prognostic factor for 28-day in-hospital mortality in children with dengue shock syndrome (DSS), admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This single-center retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary children hospital in southern Vietnam from 2013 to mid-2022. Prognostic models for DSS mortality were developed, using a predefined set of covariates in the first 24 hours of PICU admission. Area under the curves (AUCs), multivariable logistic and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regressions, bootstrapping and calibration slope were performed. A total of 492 children with DSS and complete clinical and biomarker data were included in the analysis, and 26 (5.3%) patients died. The predictive values for DSS mortality, regarding lactate showing AUC 0.876 (95% CI, 0.807-0.944), and that of L/B ratio 0.867 (95% CI, 0.80-0.934) (P values of both biomarkers < .001). The optimal cutoff point of the L/B ratio was 0.25, while that of lactate was 4.2 mmol/L. The multivariable model showed significant clinical predictors of DSS fatality including severe bleeding, cumulative amount of fluid infused and vasoactive-inotropic score (>30) in the first 24 hours of PICU admission. Combined with the identified clinical predictors, the L/B ratio yielded higher prognostic values (odds ratio [OR] = 8.66, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.96-38.3; P < .01) than the lactate-based model (OR = 1.35, 95% CI, 1.15-1.58; P < .001). Both the L/B and lactate models showed similarly good performances. Considering that the L/B ratio has a better prognostic value than the lactate model, it may be considered a potential prognostic biomarker in clinical use for predicting 28-day mortality in PICU-admitted children with DSS., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

This study attempted to improve the photocatalytic activity of zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductors in the visible light region by introducing the co-doping of carbon (C) and tantalum (Ta) to ZnO (ZTC) using a simple hydrothermal method with the respective precursors. The obtained uniform ZTC nanoparticles with an average crystal size of 29.30 nm (according to Scherrer's equation) revealed a redshift with a decrease in bandgap ( E g ) from 3.04 eV to 2.88 eV, allowing the obtained photocatalyst to absorb the energy of the visible light for photocatalysis. Furthermore, the Zn 2p and Ta 4f core level spectra confirmed the presence of Zn 2+ and Ta 5+ in the ZTC sample. In addition, the infrared spectra identified hydrogen-related defects (HRDs), while the O 1s spectra indicated the existence of oxygen vacancies ( V O ). Electrochemical tests revealed improvement in the electron conductivity and charge separation of the obtained materials. To follow, the photocatalytic performance assessment was conducted by varying the C/Zn 2+ ratios (5, 10, and 15 mol%) in ZTC samples, the initial RhB concentration (7, 15, and 30 ppm), and the pH of the RhB solution (3.0-10.0). The photodegradation on ZTC samples showed the most effectiveness for a 7 ppm RhB solution with a C/Zn 2+ ratio of 10 mol% in the slightly alkaline medium (pH 9.0). Additionally, ZTC also exhibited commendable durability after being reused several times. The nature of RhB photodegradation was proposed and discussed via a mechanism at the end of this work., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Kidney disease is a devastating condition affecting millions of people worldwide, where over 100,000 patients in the United States alone remain waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Concomitant with a surge in personalized medicine, single-gene mutations, and polygenic risk alleles have been brought to the forefront as core causes of a spectrum of renal disorders. With the increasing prevalence of kidney disease, it is imperative to make substantial strides in the field of kidney genetics. Nephrons, the core functional units of the kidney, are epithelial tubules that act as gatekeepers of body homeostasis by absorbing and secreting ions, water, and small molecules to filter the blood. Each nephron contains a series of proximal and distal segments with explicit metabolic functions. The embryonic zebrafish provides an ideal platform to systematically dissect the genetic cues governing kidney development. Here, we review the use of zebrafish to discover nephrogenesis genes.

Objectives: Profound dengue shock syndrome (DSS) complicated by severe respiratory failure necessitating mechanical ventilation (MV) accounts for high case fatality rates among PICU-admitted patients. A major challenge to management is the assessment of intravascular volume, which can be hampered by severe plasma leakage and the use of MV., Design: Retrospective cohort, from 2013 to 2021., Patients: Sixty-seven children with profound DSS supported by MV, some of whom underwent bedside point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for assessment and monitoring of hemodynamics and fluid administration., Setting: PICU of the tertiary Children's Hospital No. 2 in Vietnam., Interventions: None., Measurements and Main Results: We analyzed data clinical and laboratory data during PICU stay. In particular, during use of MV (i.e., at times 0-, 6-, and 24-hr after commencement) and fluid resuscitation. The primary study outcome was 28-day in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcomes were associations with changes in hemodynamics, blood lactate, and vasoactive-inotrope score (VIS). Patients had a median age of 7 years (interquartile range, 4-9). Use of POCUS during fluid management (39/67), as opposed to not using (28/67), was associated with lower mortality (6/39 [15%] vs. 18/28 [64%]; difference 49 % [95% CI, 28-70%], p < 0.001). Use of POCUS was associated with lower odds of death (adjusted odds ratio 0.17 [95% CI, 0.04-0.76], p = 0.02). The utilization of POCUS, versus not, was associated with greater use of resuscitation fluid, and reductions in VIS and pediatric logistic organ dysfunction (PELOD-2) score at 24 hours after MV and PICU discharge., Conclusions: In our experience of pediatric patients with profound DSS and undergoing MV (2013-2021), POCUS use was associated with lower odds of death, a higher volume of resuscitation fluid, and improvements in the blood lactate levels, VIS, and PELOD-2 score., Competing Interests: Drs. T.T. Nguyen, T.L. Vo, Nguyen , D.T. Tran, Đoan, Pham, Mai, Q.X.T. Nguyen, T.K. Nguyen, and T.T.K. Nguyen disclosed the study was funded by Kim Oanh Foundation. The remaining authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies.)

In this study, a series of secondary metabolites from Ganoderma sp. were screened against Staphylococcus aureus protein targets, including as phosphotransacetylase, clumping factor A, and dihydrofolate reductase, using molecular docking simulations. The chemicals that showed the strongest binding energy with the targeted proteins were ganodermanontriol, lucidumol B, ganoderic acid J, ergosterol, ergosterol peroxide, 7-oxoganoderic acid Z, ganoderic acid AM1, ganosinoside A, ganoderic acid D, and 24 R -ergosta-7,2 E -diene-3 β ,5 α ,6 β -triol. Interestingly, ganosinoside A showed the greatest affinity for the protein clumping factor A, a result validated by molecular dynamic simulation. Additionally, three natural Ganoderma sp. Strains as Ganoderma lingzhi VNKKK1903 , Ganoderma lingzhi VNKK1905A2, and Amauroderma subresinosum VNKKK1904 were collected from Kon Ka Kinh National Park in central land of Vietnam and evaluated for their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus using an agar well diffusion technique. These results suggest that the fungal extracts and secondary metabolites may serve as valuable sources of antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus . These findings provided an important scientific groundwork for further exploration of the antibacterial mechanisms of compounds derived from Ganoderma sp. in future research., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Trang Thi Thu Nguyen reports financial support was provided by PhD Scholarship Programme of the Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VINIF), Vingroup Big Data Institute (VINBIGDATA), code VINIF.2020.TS.68 (TTTN). Trang Thi Thu Nguyen reports financial support was provided by Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) under grant number C2021-18-12., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Chrysanthemum morifolium is a valuable plant that contains a wide range of phytochemical compounds and exhibits various biological activities. Ethanol extracts from both the leaves and flowers of 17 different cultivars of C. morifolium were tested for antioxidant activities using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays and were quantitatively analyzed for 12 phenolic compounds using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. We found that the 'Ford' and 'Raina' cultivars demonstrated strong antioxidant abilities and high phenolic compound contents compared to other cultivars, while the flowers of 'Cielo' and the leaves of 'White Cap' exhibited low antioxidant capacity in both assays. The 'Cielo' cultivar also displayed the lowest compound contents. Additionally, in most samples, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid stood out as high-content compounds in the extracts. This study provides foundational knowledge that can be used for selecting appropriate C. morifolium cultivars for further research. Moreover, the 'Ford' and 'Raina' cultivars, containing high amounts of bioactive compounds and showing superior antioxidant ability, could be applied to produce health-beneficial products.

Despite the raised awareness of the role of pharmacogenomic (PGx) in personalized medicines for COVID-19, data for COVID-19 drugs is extremely scarce and not even a publication on this topic for post-COVID-19 medications to date. In the current study, we investigated the genetic variations associated with COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 therapies by using whole genome sequencing data of the 1000 Vietnamese Genomes Project (1KVG) in comparison with other populations retrieved from the 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3 (1KGP3) and the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD). Moreover, we also evaluated the risk of drug interactions in comorbid COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 patients based on pharmacogenomic profiles of drugs using a computational approach. For COVID-19 therapies, variants related to the response of two causal treatment agents (tolicizumab and ritonavir) and antithrombotic drugs are common in the Vietnamese cohort. Regarding post-COVID-19, drugs for mental manipulations possess the highest number of clinical annotated variants carried by Vietnamese individuals. Among the superpopulations, East Asian populations shared the most similar genetic structure with the Vietnamese population, whereas the African population showed the most difference. Comorbid patients are at an increased drug-drug interaction (DDI) risk when suffering from COVID-19 and after recovering as well due to a large number of potential DDIs which have been identified. Our results presented the population-specific understanding of the pharmacogenomic aspect of COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 therapy to optimize therapeutic outcomes and promote personalized medicine strategy. We also partly clarified the higher risk in COVID-19 patients with underlying conditions by assessing the potential drug interactions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Backgrounds/aims: Parenchymal-sparing anatomical hepatectomy (Ps-AH) based on portal ramification of the right anterior section (RAS) is a new technique to avoid unnecessarily transecting too much liver parenchyma, especially in cases of major anatomical hepatectomy., Methods: We prospectively assessed 26 patients with primary hepatic malignancies having undergone major Ps-AH based on portal ramification of the RAS from August 2018 to August 2022 (48 months). The perioperative indications, clinical data, intra-operative index, pathological postoperative specimens, postoperative complications, and follow-up results were retrospectively evaluated., Results: Among the 26 patients analyzed, there was just one case that had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma The preoperative level of α-Fetoprotein was 25.2 ng/mL. All cases (100%) had Child-Pugh A liver function preoperatively. The ventral/dorsal RAS was preserved in 19 and 7 patients, respectively. The mean surgical margin was 6.2 mm. The mean surgical time was 228.5 minutes, while the mean blood loss was 255 mL. In pathology, 5 cases (19.2%) had microvascular invasion, and in the group of HCC patients, 92% of all cases had moderate or poor tumor differentiation. Six cases (23.1%) of postoperative complications were graded over III according to the Clavien-Dindo system, including in three patients resistant ascites or intra-abdominal abscess that required intervention., Conclusions: Parenchymal-sparing anatomical hepatectomy based on portal ramification of the RAS to achieve R0-resection was safe and effective, with favorable short-term outcomes. This technique can be used widely in clinical practice.

Backgrounds/aims: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is the only radical treatment for periampullary malignancies. Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) first approach combined with total meso-pancreas (MP) excision was conducted to improve the oncological results. There has not been any previous research of a technique that combines the SMA first approach and total MP excision with a detailed description of the MP macroscopical shape., Methods: We prospectively assessed 77 patients with periampullary malignancies between October 2020 and March 2022 (18 months). All patients had undergone PD with SMA first approach combined total MP excision. The perioperative indications, clinical data, intra-operative index, R0 resection rate of postoperative pathological specimens (especially mesopancreatic margin), postoperative complications, and follow-up results were evaluated., Results: The median operative time was 289.6 min (178-540 min), the median intraoperative blood loss was 209 mL (30-1,600 mL). Microscopically, there were 19 (24.7%) cases with metastatic MP, and five cases (6.5%) with R1-resection of the MP. The number of lymph nodes (LNs) harvested and metastatic LNs were 27.2 (maximum was 74) and 1.8 (maximum was 16), respectively. Some (46.8%) patients had pancreatic fistula, but mostly in grade A, with 7 patients (9.1%) who required re-operations. Some 18.2% of cases developed postoperative refractory diarrhea. The rate of in-hospital mortality was 1.3%., Conclusions: The PD with SMA first approach combined TMpE for periampullary malignancies was effective in achieving superior oncological statistics (rate of MP R0-resection and number of total resected LNs) with non-inferior short-term outcomes. It is necessary to evaluate survival outcomes with long-term follow-up.

Background: Hyperactive coagulation might cause dangerous complications such as portal vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) therapy. Tissue factor (TF), an initiator of the extrinsic coagulation pathway, has been suggested as a predictor of this process., Methods: The expression of TF and other pro- and anticoagulant genes was analyzed in xeno- and serum-free manufactured MSCs. Furthermore, culture factors affecting its expression in MSCs were investigated. Finally, coagulation tests of fibrinogen, D-dimer, aPPTs, PTs, and TTs were measured in patient serum after umbilical cord (UC)-MSC infusions to challenge a potential connection between TF expression and MSC-induced coagulant activity.  RESULTS: Xeno- and serum-free cultured adipose tissue and UC-derived MSCs expressed the highest level of TF, followed by those from dental pulp, and the lowest expression was observed in MSCs of bone marrow origin. Environmental factors such as cell density, hypoxia, and inflammation impact TF expression, so in vitro analysis might fail to reflect their in vivo behaviors. MSCs also expressed heterogeneous levels of the coagulant factor COL1A1 and surface phosphatidylserine and anticoagulant factors TFPI and PTGIR. MSCs of diverse origins induced fibrin clots in healthy plasma that were partially suppressed by an anti-TF inhibitory monoclonal antibody. Furthermore, human umbilical vein endothelial cells exhibited coagulant activity in vitro despite their negative expression of TF and COL1A1. Patients receiving intravenous UC-MSC infusion exhibited a transient increase in D-dimer serum concentration, while this remained stable in the group with intrathecal infusion. There was no correlation between TF expression and D-dimer or other coagulation indicators., Conclusions: The study suggests that TF cannot be used as a solid biomarker to predict MSC-induced hypercoagulation. Local administration, prophylactic intervention with anticoagulation drugs, and monitoring of coagulation indicators are useful to prevent thrombogenic events in patients receiving MSCs. Trial registration NCT05292625. Registered March 23, 2022, retrospectively registered, https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov/ct2/show/NCT05292625?term=NCT05292625&draw=2&rank=1 . NCT04919135. Registered June 9, 2021, https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov/ct2/show/NCT04919135?term=NCT04919135&draw=2&rank=1 ., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Plasmodium vivax , the most widespread human malaria parasite, and P. knowlesi , an emerging Plasmodium that infects humans, are the phylogenetically closest malarial species that infect humans, which may induce cross-species reactivity across most co-endemic areas in Southeast Asia. The thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) family is indispensable for motility and host cell invasion in the growth and development of Plasmodium parasites. The merozoite-specific TRAP (MTRAP), expressed in blood-stage merozoites, is supposed to be essential for human erythrocyte invasion. We aimed to characterize MTRAPs in blood-stage P. vivax and P. knowlesi parasites and ascertain their cross-species immunoreactivity. Recombinant P. vivax and P. knowlesi MTRAPs of full-length ectodomains were expressed in a mammalian expression system. The MTRAP-specific immunoglobulin G, obtained from immune animals, was used in an immunofluorescence assay for subcellular localization and invasion inhibitory activity in blood-stage parasites was determined. The cross-species humoral immune responses were analyzed in the sera of patients with P. vivax or P. knowlesi infections. The MTRAPs of P. vivax (PvMTRAP) and P. knowlesi (PkMTRAP) were localized on the rhoptry body of merozoites in blood-stage parasites. Both anti-PvMTRAP and anti-PkMTRAP antibodies inhibited erythrocyte invasion of blood-stage P. knowlesi parasites. The humoral immune response to PvMTRAP showed high immunogenicity, longevity, and cross-species immunoreactivity with P. knowlesi . MTRAPs are promising candidates for development of vaccines and therapeutics against vivax and knowlesi malaria., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sy Thau, Nguyen, Truong, Chu, Na, Moon, Lau, Nyunt, Park, Chun, Lu, Lee, Han and Han.)

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is an evolutionarily conserved brain region, well known for valence processing. Despite this central role, the relationship between activity of BLA neuronal ensembles in response to appetitive and aversive stimuli and the subsequent expression of valence-specific behavior has remained elusive. Here, we leverage two-photon calcium imaging combined with single-cell holographic photostimulation through an endoscopic lens to demonstrate a direct causal role for opposing ensembles of BLA neurons in the control of oppositely valenced behavior in mice. We report that targeted photostimulation of either appetitive or aversive BLA ensembles results in mutual inhibition and shifts behavioral responses to promote consumption of an aversive tastant or reduce consumption of an appetitive tastant, respectively. Here, we identify that neuronal encoding of valence in the BLA is graded and relies on the relative proportion of individual BLA neurons recruited in a stable appetitive or quinine ensemble., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Malaria eradication efforts in resource-limited areas require a rapid, economical, and accurate tool for detecting of the low parasitemia. The malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) is the most suitable for on-site detection of the deadliest form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum. However, the deletions of histidine rich protein 2 and 3 genes are known to compromise the effectiveness of mRDT. One of the approaches that have been explored intensively for on-site diagnostics is the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). LAMP is a one-step amplification that allows the detection of Plasmodium species in less than an hour. Thus, this study aims to present a new primer set to enhance the performance of a colorimetric LAMP (cLAMP) for field application. The primer binding regions were selected within the A-type of P. falciparum 18S rRNA genes, which presents a dual gene locus in the genome. The test result of the newly designed primer indicates that the optimal reaction condition for cLAMP was 30 minutes incubation at 65°C, a shorter incubation time compared to previous LAMP detection methods that typically takes 45 to 60 minutes. The limit of detection (LoD) for the cLAMP using our designed primers and laboratory-grown P. falciparum (3D7) was estimated to be 0.21 parasites/μL which was 1,000-fold higher than referencing primers. Under optimal reaction condition, the new primer sets showed the sensitivity (100%, 95% CI: 80.49-100%) and specificity (100%, 95% CI: 94.64-100%) with 100% (95% CI: 95.70-100%) accuracy on the detection of dried blood spots from Malawi (n = 84). Briefly, the newly designed primer set for P. falciparum detection exhibited high sensitivity and specificity compared to referenced primers. One great advantage of this tool is its ability to be detected by the naked eye, enhancing field approaches. Thus, this tool has the potential to be effective for accurate early parasite detection in resource-limited endemic areas., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Nguyen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of first-line afatinib treatment in a real-world setting in Vietnam., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted across nine hospitals in Vietnam. Advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received afatinib as first-line therapy between April 2018 and June 2022 were included, and patient medical records were reviewed. Key outcomes were overall response rate (ORR), time-to-treatment failure (TTF), and tolerability., Results: A total of 343 patients on first-line afatinib were eligible for the study. EGFR exon 19 deletion (Del19) alone was detected in 46.9% of patients, L858R mutation alone in 26.3%, and other uncommon EGFR mutations, including compound mutations, in 26.8%. Patients with brain metastases at baseline were 25.4%. Patients who received 40 mg, 30 mg, and 20 mg as starting doses of afatinib were 58.6%, 39.9%, and 1.5%, respectively. The ORR was 78.1% in the overall population, 82.6% in the Del19 mutation subgroup, 73.3% in the L858R mutation subgroup, and 75.0% in the uncommon mutation subgroup (p > 0.05). The univariate and multivariate analyses indicate that the ORR increased when the starting dose was 40 mg compared to starting doses below 40 mg (83.9% vs. 74.3%, p = 0.034). The median TTF (mTTF) was 16.7 months (CI 95%: 14.8-18.5) in all patients, with a median follow-up time of 26.2 months. The mTTF was longer in patients in the common EGFR mutation subgroup (Del19/L858R) than in those in the uncommon mutation subgroup (17.5 vs. 13.8 months, p = 0.045) and in those without versus with brain metastases at baseline (17.5 vs. 15.1 months, p = 0.049). There were no significant differences in the mTTF between subgroups based on the starting dose of 40 mg and < 40 mg (16.7 vs. 16.9 months, p > 0.05). The most common treatment-related adverse events (any grade/grade ≥ 3) were diarrhea (55.4%/3.5%), rash (51.9%/3.2%), paronychia (35.3%/5.0%), and stomatitis (22.2%/1.2%)., Conclusions: Afatinib demonstrated clinical effectiveness and good tolerability in Vietnamese EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. In our real-world setting, administering a starting dose below 40 mg might result in a reduction in ORR; however, it might not have a significant impact on TTF., (© 2024. The Author(s).)