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Objective: To explore the possible interaction between overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia and to provide some evidence for the interaction of the risk of hypertension with overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia., Methods: By using multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, the subjects of the study were randomly selected from Naqu city, Shannan city, and Ali prefecture, Tibet. A total of 4047 Tibetans with complete data were included. Investigators obtained relevant information on the subjects through questionnaire surveys, measured their height, body mass index, and blood pressure, and collected fasting venous blood samples. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the independent effects of overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia and hypertension. Stratified analysis and an additive interaction model were used to evaluate the effect of two-factor interaction on the risk of hypertension., Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension, overweight/obesity, and dyslipidemia among Tibetans living in Tibet was 29.3%, 46.2%, and 40.9%, respectively. Overweight/obesity (odds ratio [ OR ]=2.151) and dyslipidemia ( OR =1.240) were risk factors of hypertension. Evaluation results of the effect of additive interaction showed significant additive interaction of overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia on hypertension ( P =0.028), with the synergy index ( SI ) being 1.318., Conclusion: Overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia are risk factors for having hypertension and there is an additive interaction between dyslipidemia and overweight/obesity., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences).)

The unique structure and physical properties of graphene and anatase TiO 2 make them suitable for use as additives for engine lubricants. This study describes the use of dielectric barrier discharge plasma-assisted ball milling to synthesize a multilayer graphene-reinforced TiO 2 composite nanolubricant additive (MGTC). A variety of physical and chemical tests were performed to characterize the resulting experimental materials, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Four-ball friction and wear testing machines were used to study the tribological properties and extreme pressure anti-wear properties of a base oil containing 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt % of the modified TiO 2 . Raman spectroscopy, XPS, SEM, and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) analyses were used to examine and analyze the microstructure of the friction pairs. As a result of the plasma-assisted ball milling process, expanded graphite was successfully separated into multilayer graphene nanosheets, and spherical TiO 2 was successfully bonded to the nanosheets of the multilayer graphene. The 1.0 wt % composite oil was found to provide good friction reduction and wear resistance. It had a film thickness of 27.5 nm, which was 167% thicker than base oil. Due to its excellent dispersion stability, the MGTC nanocomposite exhibited excellent lubrication performance, which was attributed to the formation of carbon protective films, titanium dioxide deposition films, transfer films, and the occurrence of nano ball effects on the surface of friction pairs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: Synchronous multiple primary lung cancers associated with small non-dominant nodules are commonly encountered. However, the incidence, follow-up, and treatment of small non-dominant tumors have been but little studied. We explored the prevalence and management of small non-dominant tumors and factors associated with interval growth., Methods: This observational, consecutive, retrospective single-center study enrolled patients diagnosed with synchronous multiple primary lung cancers and small non-dominant tumors (≤ 6 mm in diameter) who underwent resection of the dominant tumor. The incidence, follow-up, and management of small non-dominant tumors and predictors of nodule growth were analyzed., Results: There were 88 patients (12% of all lung cancer patients) with pathological diagnoses of synchronous multiple primary lung cancers. A total of 131 (18%) patients were clinically diagnosed with at least one small (≤ 6 mm in diameter) multiple primary lung cancer non-dominant tumor. 94 patients with 125 small-nodule non-dominant tumors clinically diagnosed as multiple primary lung cancers were followed-up for at least 6 months. A total of 29 (29/125, 23.2%) evidenced small pulmonary nodules (≤ 6 mm in diameter) that exhibited interval growth on follow-up computed tomography (CT). On multivariate analysis, a part-solid nodule (compared to a pGGN) (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.08-1.40) or a solid nodule (compared to a pGGN) (OR 3.50; 95% CI 1.94-6.30) predicted small nodule interval growth., Conclusion: We found a relatively high incidence of multiple primary lung cancers with small non-dominant tumors exhibiting interval growth on follow-up CT, suggesting that resection of non-dominant tumors at the time of dominant tumor resection, especially when the nodules are part-solid or solid, is the optimal treatment., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (UniVATS) is widely used as a minimally invasive thoracic operation. The goal of our study was to analyse the effect of long-term experience with the UniVATS lobectomy on the learning curve., Methods: The learning curves were quantitatively evaluated by the unadjusted cumulative sum, and they were segmented using joinpoint linear regression analysis. The variables were compared between subgroups using trend analysis, and linear regression analysis was applied to correlate clinical characteristics at different stages of the learning curve with the duration of the operation., Results: The learning curve for the UniVATS lobectomy can be divided into 3 phases of proficiency at ∼200-300 procedures, with a fourth phase as the number of procedures increases. The 1st-52nd, 52nd-156th, 156th-244th and 244th-538th procedures comprised the preliminary learning stage, preliminary proficiency stage, proficiency stage and advanced proficiency stage, respectively. Surgical outcomes and their variability between stages improved with increasing case numbers, with the most significant addition of an auxiliary operating port and conversions. In multivariable analysis, as stages progressed, influences other than surgical experience increased the operative time, with male and extensive pleural adhesions in the preliminary proficiency stage; male and incomplete pulmonary fissures in the proficiency stage; and male, extensive pleural adhesions and incomplete pulmonary fissures in the advanced proficiency stage., Conclusions: As the number of procedures increases, there may be 4 different proficiency stages in the UniVATS lobectomy learning curve. The surgeon enters the fourth stage at approximately the 244th procedure. Moreover, at stage 4, the perioperative indicators tend to stabilize, and influences other than surgical experience become more significant., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have been shown to be dysregulated in cancer transcription and translation, but few studies have investigated their mechanism of action in soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Here, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases were used to identify differentially expressed RBPs in STS and normal tissues. Through a series of biological information analyses, 329 differentially expressed RBPs were identified. Functional enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed RBPs were mainly involved in RNA transport, RNA splicing, mRNA monitoring pathways, ribosome biogenesis and translation regulation. Through Cox regression analyses, 9 RBPs (BYSL, IGF2BP3, DNMT3B, TERT, CD3EAP, SRSF12, TLR7, TRIM21 and MEX3A) were all up-regulated in STS as prognosis-related genes, and a prognostic model was established. The model calculated a risk score based on the expression of 9 hub RBPs. The risk score could be used for risk stratification of patients and had a high prognostic value based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. We also established a nomogram containing risk scores and 9 key RBPs to predict the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates of patients in STS. Afterwards, methylation analysis showed significant changes in the methylation degree of BYSL, CD3EAP and MEX2A. Furthermore, the expression of 9 hub RBPs was closely related to immune infiltration rather than tumor purity. Based on the above studies, these findings may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of STS and will provide candidate biomarkers for the prognosis of STS., 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 © 2021 Lin, Liu, Tian, Zhang, Zhang, Yang, Zhong, Fang, Wei and Hu.)

Low response rates to immunotherapy have been reported in soft tissue sarcoma (STS). There are few predictive biomarkers of response, and the tumor immune microenvironment associated with progression and prognosis remains unclear in STS. Gene expression data from the Cancer Genome Atlas were used to identify the immune-related prognostic genes (IRPGs) and construct the immune gene-related prognostic model (IGRPM). The tumor immune microenvironment was characterized to reveal differences between patients with different prognoses. Furthermore, somatic mutation data and DNA methylation data were analyzed to understand the underlying mechanism leading to different prognoses. The IGRPM was constructed using five IRPGs (IFIH1, CTSG, STC2, SECTM1, and BIRC5). Two groups (high- and low-risk patients) were identified based on the risk score. Low-risk patients with higher overall survival time had higher immune scores, more immune cell infiltration (e.g., CD8 T cell and activated natural killer cells), higher expression of immune-stimulating molecules, higher stimulating cytokines and corresponding receptors, higher innate immunity molecules, and stronger antigen-presenting capacity. However, inhibition of immunity was observed in low-risk patients owing to the higher expression of immune checkpoint molecules and inhibiting cytokines. High-risk patients had high tumor mutation burden, which did not significantly influence survival. Gene set enrichment analysis further revealed that pathways of cell cycle and cancers were activated in high-risk patients. DNA methylation analysis indicated that relative high methylation was associated with better overall survival. Finally, the age, mitotic counts, and risk scores were independent prognostic factors for STS. Five IRPGs performed well in risk stratification of patients and are candidate biomarkers for predicting response to immunotherapy. Differences observed through the multi-omic study of patients with different prognoses may reveal the underlying mechanism of the development and progression of STS, and thereby improve treatment., (Copyright © 2020 Gu, Lin, Zhang, Yang, Zhong and Wei.)

In this study, The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genotype-Tissue Expression databases were used to identify potential biomarkers of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and construct a prognostic model. The model was used to calculate risk scores based on the expression of five key genes, among which MYBL2 and FBN2 were upregulated and TSPAN7, GCSH, and DDX39B were downregulated in STS patients. We also examined gene signatures associated with the key genes and evaluated the model's clinical utility. The key genes were found to be involved in the cell cycle, DNA replication, and various cancer pathways, and gene alterations were associated with a poor prognosis. According to the prognostic model, risk scores negatively correlated with infiltration of six types of immune cells. Furthermore, age, margin status, presence of metastasis, and risk score were independent prognostic factors for STS patients. A nomogram that incorporated the risk score and other independent prognostic factors accurately predicted survival in STS patients. These findings may help to improve prognostic prediction and aid in the identification of effective treatments for STS patients.