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Malignant melanoma of the parotid gland is an unusual tumor in the head and neck region, and most parotid melanoma is reported as a metastatic lesion of cutaneous malignant melanoma. We report a case of primary malignant melanoma arising in the parotid gland duct with diagnostic challenge. The patient was a 68-year-old man who complained of repeated right facial swelling that presented 3 months prior. Swelling was detected along the Stensen's duct of the cheek, and brown-colored saliva-like fluid was aspirated. On MR and CT images, a fluid-filled duct with small nodule and heterogeneously enhancing mass in the parotid parenchyma was detected. The nodular mass on the ductal wall grew rapidly, and the hyperintense T1 signal became significant on follow-up images. The final diagnosis via histopathologic examination using biopsy and parotidectomy specimen revealed the lesion as malignant melanoma of the duct and pleomorphic adenoma of the parenchyma. Even if the incidence of primary malignant melanoma is very low among tumors occurring in the parotid gland, efforts supporting an early diagnosis using imaging characteristics are important., 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 Aung, Kim, Yoon, Huh, Yi, Heo and Lee.)

Ameloblastic fibrodentinoma (AFD) is a rare benign odontogenic tumor that resembles an ameloblastic fibroma with dysplastic dentin. This report presents a rare case of mandibular AFD with imaging features in a young patient. Panoramic radiography and computed tomography revealed a well-defined lesion with internal septa and calcified foci, causing inferior displacement of the adjacent molars as well as buccolingual cortical thinning and expansion of the posterior mandible. The lesion was surgically removed via mass excision, and the involved tooth was extracted under general anesthesia. During the 5-year follow-up period, no evidence of recurrence was observed. Radiologic features of AFD typically reveal a moderately to well-defined mixed lesion with varying degrees of radiopacity, reflecting the extent of dentin formation. Radiologists should consider AFD in the differential diagnosis when encountering a multilocular lesion with little dense radiopacity, particularly if it is associated with delayed eruption, impaction, or absence of involved teeth, on radiographic images of young patients., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None, (Copyright © 2024 by Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.)

Sex determination is essential for identifying unidentified individuals, particularly in forensic contexts. Traditional methods for sex determination involve manual measurements of skeletal features on CBCT scans. However, these manual measurements are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone. The purpose of this study was to automatically and accurately determine sex on a CBCT scan using a two-stage anatomy-guided attention network (SDetNet). SDetNet consisted of a 2D frontal sinus segmentation network (FSNet) and a 3D anatomy-guided attention network (SDNet). FSNet segmented frontal sinus regions in the CBCT images and extracted regions of interest (ROIs) near them. Then, the ROIs were fed into SDNet to predict sex accurately. To improve sex determination performance, we proposed multi-channel inputs (MSIs) and an anatomy-guided attention module (AGAM), which encouraged SDetNet to learn differences in the anatomical context of the frontal sinus between males and females. SDetNet showed superior sex determination performance in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, Brier score, and specificity compared with the other 3D CNNs. Moreover, the results of ablation studies showed a notable improvement in sex determination with the embedding of both MSI and AGAM. Consequently, SDetNet demonstrated automatic and accurate sex determination by learning the anatomical context information of the frontal sinus on CBCT scans., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, we investigated the trimerization mechanism and structure of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) using western blotting, tryptophan (Trp) fluorescence spectroscopy, and molecular modeling. First, we examined the DNA-binding domains of human ( Homo sapiens ), goldfish ( Carassius auratus ), and walleye pollock ( Gadus chalcogrammus ) HSF1s by mutating key residues (36 and 103) that are thought to directly affect trimer formation. Human, goldfish, and walleye pollock HSF1s contain cysteine at residue 36 but cysteine (C), tyrosine (Y), and phenylalanine (F), respectively, at residue 103. The optimal trimerization temperatures for the wild-type HSF1s of each species were found to be 42, 37, and 20 °C, respectively. Interestingly, a mutation experiment revealed that trimerization occurred at 42 °C when residue 103 was cysteine, at 37 °C when it was tyrosine, and at 20 °C when it was phenylalanine, regardless of the species. In addition, it was confirmed that when residue 103 of the three species was mutated to alanine, trimerization did not occur. This suggests that in addition to trimerization via disulfide bond formation between the cysteine residues in human HSF1, trimerization can also occur via the formation of a different type of bond between cysteine and aromatic ring residues such as tyrosine and phenylalanine. We also confirmed that at least one cysteine is required for the trimerization of HSF1s, regardless of its position (residue 36 or 103). Additionally, it was shown that the trimer formation temperature is related to growth and survival in fish.

We report the measurement of the inclusive cross sections for e^{+}e^{-}→nOCH (where nOCH denotes non-open charm hadrons) with improved precision at center-of-mass (c.m.) energies from 3.645 to 3.871 GeV. We observe three resonances: R(3760), R(3780), and R(3810) with significances of 8.1σ, 13.7σ, and 8.8σ, respectively. The R(3810) state is observed for the first time, while the R(3760) and R(3780) states are observed for the first time in the nOCH cross sections. Two sets of resonance parameters describe the energy-dependent line shape of the cross sections well. In set I [set II], the R(3810) state has mass (3805.7±1.1±2.7) [(3805.7±1.1±2.7)]  MeV/c^{2}, total width (11.6±2.9±1.9) [(11.5±2.8±1.9)]  MeV, and an electronic width multiplied by the nOCH decay branching fraction of (10.9±3.8±2.5) [(11.0±3.4±2.5)]  eV. In addition, we measure the branching fractions B[R(3760)→nOCH]=(25.2±16.1±30.4)%[(6.4±4.8±7.7)%] and B[R(3780)→nOCH]=(12.3±6.6±8.3)%[(10.4±4.8±7.0)%] for the first time. The R(3760) state can be interpreted as an open-charm (OC) molecular state, but containing a simple four-quark state component. The R(3810) state can be interpreted as a hadrocharmonium state.

Based on (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, a partial wave analysis of the decay J/ψ→γK_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}η^{'} is performed. The mass and width of the X(2370) are measured to be 2395±11(stat)_{-94}^{+26}(syst)  MeV/c^{2} and 188_{-17}^{+18}(stat)_{-33}^{+124}(syst)  MeV, respectively. The corresponding product branching fraction is B[J/ψ→γX(2370)]×B[X(2370)→f_{0}(980)η^{'}]×B[f_{0}(980)→K_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}]=(1.31±0.22(stat)_{-0.84}^{+2.85}(syst))×10^{-5}. The statistical significance of the X(2370) is greater than 11.7σ and the spin parity is determined to be 0^{-+} for the first time. The measured mass and spin parity of the X(2370) are consistent with the predictions of the lightest pseudoscalar glueball.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a poor prognosis owing to its desmoplastic stroma. Therefore, therapeutic strategies targeting this tumor stroma should be developed. In this study, we describe the heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and their diverse roles in the progression, immune evasion, and resistance to treatment of PDAC. We subclassified the spatial distribution and functional activity of CAFs to highlight their effects on prognosis and drug delivery. Extracellular matrix components such as collagen and hyaluronan are described for their roles in tumor behavior and treatment outcomes, implying their potential as therapeutic targets. We also discussed the roles of extracellular matrix (ECM) including matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors in PDAC progression. Finally, we explored the role of the adaptive and innate immune systems in shaping the PDAC microenvironment and potential therapeutic strategies, with a focus on immune cell subsets, cytokines, and immunosuppressive mechanisms. These insights provide a comprehensive understanding of PDAC and pave the way for the development of prognostic markers and therapeutic interventions.

This study aimed to identify factors influencing compliance with social distancing, a key nonpharmaceutical intervention during the early stages of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The study population comprised 182 758 Koreans who participated in the 2020 Community Health Survey. Personal characteristics were classified into sociodemographic, health behavioral, and psychosocial factors, and factors associated with social distancing compliance were identified. Health behaviors and psychosocial factors were highly related to compliance with social distancing. Approximately 13% of smokers were less likely to practice physical distancing and 50% of high-risk drinkers were less likely to limit going out or attending gatherings and events. Higher concern about COVID-19 and a more positive perception of the government's response policy were associated with a higher compliance with social distancing. Strategic public health policies considering the characteristics of the public are needed to enhance compliance with nonpharmaceutical interventions during disease outbreaks lacking effective treatments and vaccines., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Respiratory viral infection increases host susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections, yet the precise dynamics within airway epithelia remain elusive. Here, we elucidate the pivotal role of CD47 in the airway epithelium during bacterial super-infection. We demonstrated that upon influenza virus infection, CD47 expression was upregulated and localized on the apical surface of ciliated cells within primary human nasal or bronchial epithelial cells. This induced CD47 exposure provided attachment sites for Staphylococcus aureus, thereby compromising the epithelial barrier integrity. Through bacterial adhesion assays and in vitro pull-down assays, we identified fibronectin-binding proteins (FnBP) of S. aureus as a key component that binds to CD47. Furthermore, we found that ciliated cell-specific CD47 deficiency or neutralizing antibody-mediated CD47 inactivation enhanced in vivo survival rates. These findings suggest that interfering with the interaction between airway epithelial CD47 and pathogenic bacterial FnBP holds promise for alleviating the adverse effects of super-infection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study evaluated the effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on cancer development, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in individuals with concomitant fatty liver disease (FLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Using data from Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, we performed Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and T2DM (NAFLD-T2DM cohort) and those with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) alongside FLD and T2DM (FLD-T2DM-CVH cohort). In the propensity score (PS) matched NAFLD-T2DM cohort (N = 107,972), SGLT2i use was not associated with the occurrence of overall cancer, including HCC. However, old age, male sex, liver cirrhosis, and hypothyroidism were identified as independent risk factors for HCC occurrence, whereas statin and fibrate usage were associated with reduced HCC risk in this cohort in multivariate Cox analysis. In the PS-matched FLD-T2DM-CVH cohort (N = 2798), a significant decrease in HCC occurrence was observed among SGLT2i users (P = 0.03). This finding remained consistent in the multivariate Cox regression analysis (Hazard ratio = 2.21, 95% confidence interval = 1.01-4.85, P = 0.048). In conclusion, SGLT2i may be a beneficial option for diabetes management in patients with concomitant T2DM, FLD, and CVH while affirming the overall safety of SGLT2i in other types of cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: This study explored dental students' and dentists' perceptions and attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI) and analyzed differences according to professional seniority., Methods: In September to November 2022, online surveys using Google Forms were conducted at 2 dental colleges and on 2 dental websites. The questionnaire consisted of general information (8 or 10 items) and participants' perceptions, confidence, predictions, and perceived future prospects regarding AI (17 items). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed on 4 questions representing perceptions and attitudes toward AI to identify highly influential factors according to position, age, sex, residence, and self-reported knowledge level about AI of respondents. Participants were reclassified into 2 subgroups based on students' years in school and 4 subgroups based on dentists' years of experience. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to determine differences between dental students and dentists and between subgroups for all 17 questions., Results: The study included 120 dental students and 96 dentists. Participants with high level of AI knowledge were more likely to be interested in AI compared to those with moderate or low level (adjusted OR 24.345, p < 0.001). Most dental students (60.8%) and dentists (67.7%) predicted that dental AI would complement human limitations. Dental students responded that they would actively use AI in almost all cases (40.8%), while dentists responded that they would use AI only when necessary (44.8%). Dentists with 11-20 years of experience were the most likely to disagree that AI could outperform skilled dentists (50.0%), and respondents with longer careers had higher response rates regarding the need for AI education in schools., Conclusions: Knowledge level about AI emerged as the factor influencing perceptions and attitudes toward AI, with both dental students and dentists showing similar views on recognizing the potential of AI as an auxiliary tool. However, students' and dentists' willingness to use AI differed. Although dentists differed in their confidence in the abilities of AI, all dentists recognized the need for education on AI. AI adoption is becoming a reality in dentistry, which requires proper awareness, proper use, and comprehensive AI education., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We present measurements of the Born cross sections for the processes e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ&#95;{c1} and ωχ&#95;{c2} at center-of-mass energies sqrt[s] from 4.308 to 4.951 GeV. The measurements are performed with data samples corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 11.0  fb^{-1} collected with the BESIII detector operating at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider storage ring. Assuming the e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ&#95;{c2} signals come from a single resonance, the mass and width are determined to be M=(4413.6±9.0±0.8)  MeV/c^{2} and Γ=(110.5±15.0±2.9)  MeV, respectively, which is consistent with the parameters of the well-established resonance ψ(4415). In addition, we also use one single resonance to describe the e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ&#95;{c1} line shape and determine the mass and width to be M=(4544.2±18.7±1.7)  MeV/c^{2} and Γ=(116.1±33.5±1.7)  MeV, respectively. The structure of this line shape, observed for the first time, requires further understanding.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) poses a challenging form of osteomyelitis in patients undergoing antiresorptive therapies in contrast to conventional osteomyelitis. This study aimed to compare the clinical and radiological features of MRONJ between patients receiving low-dose medications for osteoporosis and those receiving high-dose medications for oncologic purposes. The clinical, panoramic radiographic, and computed tomography data of 159 patients with MRONJ (osteoporotic group, n = 120; oncologic group, n = 39) who developed the condition after using antiresorptive medications for the management of osteoporosis or bone malignancy were analyzed. The osteoporotic group was older (75.8 vs. 60.4 years, p < 0.01) and had a longer duration of medication usage than the oncologic group (58.1 vs. 28.0 months, p < 0.01). Pus discharge and swelling were more common in the osteoporotic group (p < 0.05), whereas bone exposure was more frequent in the oncologic group (p < 0.01). The mandibular cortical index (MCI) in panoramic radiographs was higher in the osteoporotic group (p < 0.01). The mean sequestra size was larger in the oncologic group than in the osteoporotic group (15.3 vs. 10.6 mm, p < 0.05). The cured rate was significantly higher in the osteoporotic group (66.3% vs. 33.3%, p < 0.01). Oncologic MRONJ exhibited distinct clinical findings including rapid disease onset, fewer purulent signs, and lower cure rates than osteoporotic MRONJ. Radiological features such as sequestrum size on CT scan, and MCI values on panoramic radiographs, may aid in differentiating MRONJ in osteoporotic and oncologic patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We perform a study of the χ&#95;{c1}(3872) line shape using the data samples of e^{+}e^{-}→γχ&#95;{c1}(3872), χ&#95;{c1}(3872)→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0}π^{0}, and π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ collected with the BESIII detector. The effects of the coupled channels and the off-shell D^{*0} are included in the parametrization of the line shape. The line shape mass parameter is obtained to be M&#95;{X}=(3871.63±0.13&#95;{-0.05}^{+0.06})  MeV. Two poles are found on the first and second Riemann sheets corresponding to the D^{*0}D[over ¯]^{0} branch cut. The pole location on the first sheet is much closer to the D^{*0}D[over ¯]^{0} threshold than the other, and is determined to be 7.04±0.15&#95;{-0.08}^{+0.07}  MeV above the D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0}π^{0} threshold with an imaginary part -0.19±0.08&#95;{-0.19}^{+0.14}  MeV.

Using a sample of (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events, which is about 45 times larger than that was previously analyzed, a further investigation on the J/ψ→γ3(π^{+}π^{-}) decay is performed. A significant distortion at 1.84  GeV/c^{2} in the line shape of the 3(π^{+}π^{-}) invariant mass spectrum is observed for the first time, which could be resolved by two overlapping resonant structures, X(1840) and X(1880). The new state X(1880) is observed with a statistical significance larger than 10σ. The mass and width of X(1880) are determined to be 1882.1±1.7±0.7  MeV/c^{2} and 30.7±5.5±2.4  MeV, respectively, which indicates the existence of a pp[over ¯] bound state.

Using e^{+}e^{-} collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 7.33  fb^{-1} recorded by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between 4.128 and 4.226 GeV, we present an analysis of the decay D&#95;{s}^{+}→π^{+}π^{-}e^{+}ν&#95;{e}, where the D&#95;{s}^{+} is produced via the process e^{+}e^{-}→D&#95;{s}^{*±}D&#95;{s}^{∓}. We observe the f&#95;{0}(980) in the π^{+}π^{-} system and the branching fraction of the decay D&#95;{s}^{+}→f&#95;{0}(980)e^{+}ν&#95;{e} with f&#95;{0}(980)→π^{+}π^{-} measured to be (1.72±0.13&#95;{stat}±0.10&#95;{syst})×10^{-3}, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The dynamics of the D&#95;{s}^{+}→f&#95;{0}(980)e^{+}ν&#95;{e} decay are studied with the simple pole parametrization of the hadronic form factor and the Flatté formula describing the f&#95;{0}(980) in the differential decay rate, and the product of the form factor f&#95;{+}^{f&#95;{0}}(0) and the c→s Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V&#95;{cs}| is determined for the first time to be f&#95;{+}^{f&#95;{0}}(0)|V&#95;{cs}|=0.504±0.017&#95;{stat}±0.035&#95;{syst}. Furthermore, the decay D&#95;{s}^{+}→f&#95;{0}(500)e^{+}ν&#95;{e} is searched for the first time but no signal is found. The upper limit on the branching fraction of D&#95;{s}^{+}→f&#95;{0}(500)e^{+}ν&#95;{e}, f&#95;{0}(500)→π^{+}π^{-} decay is set to be 3.3×10^{-4} at 90% confidence level.

Soil microorganisms with diverse bioactive compounds such as Streptomyces are appreciated as valuable resources for the discovery of eco-friendly fungicides. This study isolated a novel Streptomyces from soil samples collected in the organic green tea fields in South Korea. The isolation process involved antifungal activity screening around 2400 culture extracts, revealing a strain designated as S. collinus Inha504 with remarkable antifungal activity against diverse phytopathogenic fungi. S. collinus Inha504 not only inhibited seven phytopathogenic fungi including Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus niger in bioassays and but also showed a control effect against F. oxysporum infected red pepper, strawberry, and tomato in the in vivo pot test. Genome mining of S. collinus Inha504 revealed the presence of the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) in the chromosome encoding a polyene macrolide which is highly homologous to the lucensomycin (LCM), a compound known for effective in crop disease control. Through genetic confirmation and bioassays, the antifungal activity of S. collinus Inha504 was attributed to the presence of LCM BGC in the chromosome. These results could serve as an effective strategy to select novel Streptomyces strains with valuable biological activity through bioassay-based screening and identify biosynthetic gene clusters responsible for the metabolites using genome mining approach., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This study investigated the imaging features of head and neck chondrosarcoma (HNCS) according to its origin and pathologic subtype., Methods: Patients who were pathologically diagnosed with HNCS between January 2000 and April 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Lesions were classified based on their origin and pathologic subtype. The size and margin were evaluated on the image. Internal calcification and the effects on adjacent bone were assessed using computed tomography (CT) images, while signal intensity and contrast enhancement patterns were analyzed using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging., Results: Thirteen HNCSs were included in this study: 8 bone tumors (61.5%) and 5 soft tissue tumors (38.5%). The bone tumors were pathologically diagnosed as conventional (n = 5) and mesenchymal type (n = 3). Soft tissue tumors were defined as myxoid type. The main symptoms were swelling (90.9%) and pain (72.7%). The lesions measured 4.5 cm on average. The margins showed benign and well-defined except for the mesenchymal type. On CT, most bone tumors (75%) showed internal calcification with remodeling or destruction of the adjacent bone. No soft tissue tumors, except one case, showed internal calcification or destruction of the adjacent bone. MR imaging features were non-specific (T2 high signal intensity and contrast enhancement)., Conclusions: HCNS showed various imaging findings according to their origin and pathologic subtype. HNCS should be differentiated if a bone tumor shows internal calcification and affects the adjacent bone. When diagnosing slow-growing soft tissue tumors, even if low possibility, HNCS should be considered., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japanese Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.)

Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma (GEA) is a rare type adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix that is unrelated to human papillomavirus (HPV). GEA is difficult to diagnose due to its bland-looking morphological characteristics and is therefore often underdiagnosed. Although abnormal cells may be seen on cervical cytology specimens, they are rarely diagnosed as malignant and are often classified as atypical glandular cells. As a result, GEA may be diagnosed at advanced stages, with cytology samples from other organs after it has already invaded adjacent organs. Here, we report a case of GEA diagnosed by both cytological and histological examinations of urinary bladder and uterine cervix, after being identified as a non-urothelial malignancy on a urine cytology. We also review and summarize the differential diagnoses for non-urothelial lesions, particularly for glandular lesions observed on urinary cytology specimens, as well as the cytological and histological characteristics of GEA., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

We perform for the first time an amplitude analysis of the decay D^{+}→K&#95;{S}^{0}π^{+}η and report the observation of the decay D^{+}→K&#95;{S}^{0}a&#95;{0}(980)^{+} using 2.93  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data taken at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector. As the only W-annihilation-free decay among D to a&#95;{0}(980) pseudoscalar, D^{+}→K&#95;{S}^{0}a&#95;{0}(980)^{+} is the ideal decay in extracting the contributions of the W-emission amplitudes involving a&#95;{0}(980) and to study the final-state interactions. The absolute branching fraction of D^{+}→K&#95;{S}^{0}π^{+}η is measured to be (1.27±0.04&#95;{stat}±0.03&#95;{syst})%. The branching fractions of intermediate processes D^{+}→K&#95;{S}^{0}a&#95;{0}(980)^{+} with a&#95;{0}(980)^{+}→π^{+}η and D^{+}→π^{+}K[over ¯]&#95;{0}^{*}(1430)^{0} with K[over ¯]&#95;{0}^{*}(1430)^{0}→K&#95;{S}^{0}η are measured to be (1.33±0.05&#95;{stat}±0.04&#95;{syst})% and (0.14±0.03&#95;{stat}±0.01&#95;{syst})%, respectively.

We present cross sections for the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→K&#95;{S}^{0}K&#95;{L}^{0} at center-of-mass energies ranging from 3.51 to 4.95 GeV using data samples collected in the BESIII experiment, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 26.5  fb^{-1}. The ratio of neutral-to-charged kaon form factors at large momentum transfers (12

The optimal dietary vitamin C (VC) levels for walleye pollock ( Gadus chalcogrammus ) remain undefined. This study aimed to assess the effect of dietary VC levels on the growth performance and biochemical parameters of grower walleye pollock and determine the optimal VC level for their diet. Six experimental diets (VC0, VC1, VC3, VC5, VC7, and VC10) with VC levels of 3.24, 21.92, 63.31, 101.42, 145.46, and 202.51 mg kg -1 diet, respectively, were fed to fish (initial mean weight: 173.5 ± 0.31 g) for 8 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, fish fed the VC7 and VC10 diets exhibited significantly higher growth (final body weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate) and improved feed utilization (feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio) compared with fish fed the VC0 diet ( p < 0.05). The VC3-VC10 diets significantly reduced plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity ( p < 0.05). Compared with the VC0 group, fish fed the VC7 and VC10 diets showed significantly elevated growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels in plasma ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary VC supplementation in walleye pollock improved growth performance and SOD activity. Moreover, broken-line analysis on weight gain indicated that the optimal dietary VC level for grower walleye pollock was approximately 156.42 mg kg -1 diet.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the morphological changes that occur when mesiodens is located within the nasopalatine canal, as well as clinical characteristics., Methods: Clinical records and CT images of patients who had mesiodens in the nasopalatine canal were retrospectively analysed. In addition to demographic information, clinical symptoms and complications associated with extraction of mesiodens were recorded. Using CT images, number, location, size, and tooth morphology were evaluated., Results: This study included 32 patients and 38 mesiodens within the nasopalatine canal. Supernumerary teeth exhibited a characteristic feature of thin and elongated shape in the canal (narrow width and elongation were observed in 96.6% and 53.3% of the patients, respectively). Fusion was found in 4 patients and dilaceration in 12. A complication occurred in 2 patients, which was tooth remnant, not a neurologic complication. Only 5 mesiodens could be detected in the nasopalatine canal on panoramic images., Conclusions: Morphological abnormalities in mesiodens within the nasopalatine canal were frequently detected, and these could be effectively diagnosed through 3D imaging analysis., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Institute of Radiology and the International Association of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology.)

A simple and efficient visible-light-promoted selenylation/cyclization of o -alkynyl benzylazides/ o -propargyl arylazides have been realized for the practical synthesis of seleno-substituted isoquinolines and quinolines. This strategy provides the synthesis of valuable seleno-substituted isoquinoline and quinoline derivatives via the construction of one C(sp2)-Se bond and one C-N bond within one process.

Three new heteroleptic Ru complexes, CYC-B22 , CYC-B23C , and CYC-B23T , were prepared as sensitizers for coadsorbent-free, panchromatic, and efficient dye-sensitized solar cells. They are simultaneously functionalized with highly conjugated anchoring and ancillary ligands to explore the electronic and steric effects on their photovoltaic characteristics. The coadsorbent-free device based on CYC-B22 achieved the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.63% and a panchromatic response extending to 850 nm. The two stereoisomers, CYC-B23C and CYC-B23T coordinated with an unsymmetrical anchoring ligand, display similar absorption properties and the same driving forces for electron injection as well as dye regeneration. Nevertheless, the devices show not only the remarkably distinct PCE (6.64% vs 8.38%) but also discernible stability. The molecular simulation for the two stereoisomers adsorbed on TiO 2 clarifies the distinguishable distances (16.9 Å vs 19.0 Å) between the sulfur atoms in the NCS ligands and the surface of the TiO 2 , dominating the charge recombination dynamics and iodine binding and therefore the PCE and stability of the devices. This study on the steric effects caused by the highly conjugated and unsymmetrical anchoring ligand on the adsorption geometry and photovoltaic performance of the dyes paves a new way for advancing the molecular design of polypyridyl metal complex sensitizers.

Using (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, numerous Ξ^{-} and Λ decay asymmetry parameters are simultaneously determined from the process J/ψ→Ξ^{-}Ξ[over ¯]^{+}→Λ(pπ^{-})π^{-}Λ[over ¯](n[over ¯]π^{0})π^{+} and its charge-conjugate channel. The precisions of α&#95;{Λ0} for Λ→nπ^{0} and α[over ¯]&#95;{Λ0} for Λ[over ¯]→n[over ¯]π^{0} compared to world averages are improved by factors of 4 and 1.7, respectively. The ratio of decay asymmetry parameters of Λ→nπ^{0} to that of Λ→pπ^{-}, ⟨α&#95;{Λ0}⟩/⟨α&#95;{Λ-}⟩, is determined to be 0.873±0.012&#95;{-0.010}^{+0.011}, where the first and the second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The ratio is smaller than unity more than 5σ, which signifies the existence of the ΔI=3/2 transition in Λ for the first time. Besides, we test for CP symmetry in Ξ^{-}→Λπ^{-} and in Λ→nπ^{0} with the best precision to date.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to propose a deep-learning model for the detection of the mandibular canal on dental panoramic radiographs., Materials and Methods: A total of 2,100 panoramic radiographs (PANs) were collected from 3 different machines: RAYSCAN Alpha (n=700, PAN A), OP-100 (n=700, PAN B), and CS8100 (n=700, PAN C). Initially, an oral and maxillofacial radiologist coarsely annotated the mandibular canals. For deep learning analysis, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) utilizing U-Net architecture were employed for automated canal segmentation. Seven independent networks were trained using training sets representing all possible combinations of the 3 groups. These networks were then assessed using a hold-out test dataset., Results: Among the 7 networks evaluated, the network trained with all 3 available groups achieved an average precision of 90.6%, a recall of 87.4%, and a Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 88.9%. The 3 networks trained using each of the 3 possible 2-group combinations also demonstrated reliable performance for mandibular canal segmentation, as follows: 1) PAN A and B exhibited a mean DSC of 87.9%, 2) PAN A and C displayed a mean DSC of 87.8%, and 3) PAN B and C demonstrated a mean DSC of 88.4%., Conclusion: This multi-device study indicated that the examined CNN-based deep learning approach can achieve excellent canal segmentation performance, with a DSC exceeding 88%. Furthermore, the study highlighted the importance of considering the characteristics of panoramic radiographs when developing a robust deep-learning network, rather than depending solely on the size of the dataset., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None, (Copyright © 2024 by Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.)

By analyzing 7.33  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.128 and 4.226 GeV with the BESIII detector, we report the observation of the semileptonic decay D&#95;{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν&#95;{μ}, with a statistical significance larger than 10σ, and the measurements of the D&#95;{s}^{+}→ημ^{+}ν&#95;{μ} and D&#95;{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν&#95;{μ} decay dynamics for the first time. The branching fractions of D&#95;{s}^{+}→ημ^{+}ν&#95;{μ} and D&#95;{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν&#95;{μ} are determined to be (2.235±0.051&#95;{stat}±0.052&#95;{syst})% and (0.801±0.055&#95;{stat}±0.028&#95;{syst})%, respectively, with precision improved by factors of 6.0 and 6.6 compared to the previous best measurements. Combined with the results for the decays D&#95;{s}^{+}→ηe^{+}ν&#95;{e} and D&#95;{s}^{+}→η^{'}e^{+}ν&#95;{e}, the ratios of the decay widths are examined both inclusively and in several ℓ^{+}ν&#95;{ℓ} four-momentum transfer ranges. No evidence for lepton flavor universality violation is found within the current statistics. The products of the hadronic form factors f&#95;{+,0}^{η^{(')}}(0) and the c→s Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V&#95;{cs}| are determined. The results based on the two-parameter series expansion are f&#95;{+,0}^{η}(0)|V&#95;{cs}|=0.452±0.010&#95;{stat}±0.007&#95;{syst} and f&#95;{+,0}^{η^{'}}(0)|V&#95;{cs}|=0.504±0.037&#95;{stat}±0.012&#95;{syst}, which help to constrain present models on f&#95;{+,0}^{η^{(')}}(0). The forward-backward asymmetries are determined to be ⟨A&#95;{FB}^{η}⟩=-0.059±0.031&#95;{stat}±0.005&#95;{syst} and ⟨A&#95;{FB}^{η^{'}}⟩=-0.064±0.079&#95;{stat}±0.006&#95;{syst} for the first time, which are consistent with the theoretical calculation.

Acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2)-dependent acetate usage has generally been associated with tumorigenesis and increased malignancy in cancers under nutrient-depleted conditions. However, the nutrient usage and metabolic characteristics of the liver differ from those of other organs; therefore, the mechanism of ACSS2-mediated acetate metabolism may also differ in liver cancer. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ACSS2 in liver cancer and acetate metabolism, the relationships between patient acetate uptake and metabolic characteristics and between ACSS2 and tumor malignancies were comprehensively studied in vitro, in vivo and in humans. Clinically, we initially found that ACSS2 expression was decreased in liver cancer patients. Moreover, PET-CT imaging confirmed that lower-grade cancer cells take up more 11 C-acetate but less 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG); however, this trend was reversed in higher-grade cancer. Among liver cancer cells, those with high ACSS2 expression avidly absorbed acetate even in a glucose-sufficient environment, whereas those with low ACSS2 expression did not, thereby showing correlations with their respective ACSS2 expression. Metabolomic isotope tracing in vitro and in vivo revealed greater acetate incorporation, greater lipid anabolic metabolism, and less malignancy in high-ACSS2 tumors. Notably, ACSS2 downregulation in liver cancer cells was associated with increased tumor occurrence in vivo. In human patient cohorts, patients in the low-ACSS2 subgroup exhibited reduced anabolism, increased glycolysis/hypoxia, and poorer prognosis. We demonstrated that acetate uptake by ACSS2 in liver cancer is independent of glucose depletion and contributes to lipid anabolic metabolism and reduced malignancy, thereby leading to a better prognosis for liver cancer patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Developing a deep-learning-based diagnostic model demands extensive labor for medical image labeling. Attempts to reduce the labor often lead to incomplete or inaccurate labeling, limiting the diagnostic performance of models. This paper (i) constructs an attention-guiding framework that enhances the diagnostic performance of jaw bone pathology by utilizing attention information with partially labeled data; (ii) introduces an additional loss to minimize the discrepancy between network attention and its label; (iii) introduces a trapezoid augmentation method to maximize the utility of minimally labeled data. The dataset includes 716 panoramic radiograph data for jaw bone lesions and normal cases collected and labeled by two radiologists from January 2019 to February 2021. Experiments show that guiding network attention with even 5% of attention-labeled data can enhance the diagnostic accuracy for pathology from 92.41 to 96.57%. Furthermore, ablation studies reveal that the proposed augmentation methods outperform prior preprocessing and augmentation combinations, achieving an accuracy of 99.17%. The results affirm the capability of the proposed framework in fine-grained diagnosis using minimally labeled data, offering a practical solution to the challenges of medical image analysis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Mutations of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 ( FGFR3 ) are associated with urothelial carcinoma (UC) oncogenesis and are considered an important therapeutic target. Therefore, we evaluated the FGFR3 mutation rate and its clinical significance in urothelial carcinoma (UC) using next-generation sequencing. Methods: A total of 123 patients with UC who were treated at Chonnam National University Hospital (Gwang-ju, Korea) from January 2018 to December 2020 were enrolled. We performed NGS using the Oncomine panel with tumor specimens and blood samples corresponding to each specimen. We analyzed the FGFR3 mutation results according to the type of UC and the effects on early recurrence and progression. Results: The mean age of the patients was 71.39 ± 9.33 years, and 103 patients (83.7%) were male. Overall, the FGFR3 mutation rate was 30.1% (37 patients). The FGFR3 mutation rate was the highest in the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) group (45.1%), followed by the muscle-invasive bladder cancer (22.7%) and upper tract UC (UTUC) (14.3%) groups. Patients with FGFR3 mutations had a significantly lower disease stage ( p = 0.019) but a high-risk of NMIBC ( p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results revealed that FGFR3 mutations were more prevalent in patients with NMIBC and lower stage UC and associated with a high-risk of NMIBC. Large multicenter studies are needed to clarify the clinical significance of FGFR3 mutations in UC.

Based on data samples collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the process e^{+}e^{-}→Σ^{+}Σ[over ¯]^{-} is studied at center-of-mass energies sqrt[s]=2.3960, 2.6454, and 2.9000 GeV. Using a fully differential angular description of the final state particles, both the relative magnitude and phase information of the Σ^{+} electromagnetic form factors in the timelike region are extracted. The relative phase between the electric and magnetic form factors is determined to be sinΔΦ=-0.67±0.29(stat)±0.18(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.3960  GeV, ΔΦ=55°±19°(stat)±14°(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.6454  GeV, and 78°±22°(stat)±9°(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.9000  GeV. For the first time, the phase of the hyperon electromagnetic form factors is explored in a wide range of four-momentum transfer. The evolution of the phase along with four-momentum transfer is an important input for understanding its asymptotic behavior and the dynamics of baryons.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is susceptible to nutrient stresses during growth and development; however, the CPA (cation proton antiporter) family genes have not been identified in B. napus and their biological functions remain unclear. This study was aimed to identify the molecular characteristics of rapeseed CPAs and their transcriptional responses to multiple nutrient stresses. Through bioinformatics analysis, 117 BnaCPAs, consisting of three subfamilies: Na + /H + antiporter (NHX), K + efflux antiporter (KEA), and cation/H + antiporter (CHX), were identified in the rapeseed genome. Transcriptomic profiling showed that BnaCPAs, particularly BnaNHXs, were transcriptionally responsive to diverse nutrient stresses, including Cd toxicity, K starvation, salt stress, NH 4 + toxicity, and low Pi. We found that the salt tolerance of the transgenic rapeseed lines overexpressing BnaA05.NHX2 was significantly higher than that of wild type. Subcellular localization showed that BnaA05.NHX2 was localized on the tonoplast, and TEM combined with X-ray energy spectrum analysis revealed that the vacuolar Na + concentrations of the BnaA05.NHX2-overexpressing rapeseed plants were significantly higher than those of wild type. The findings of this study will provide insights into the complexity of the BnaCPA family and a valuable resource to explore the in-depth functions of CPAs in B. napus., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Variations in the resistance to potassium (K) deficiency among rapeseed genotypes emphasize complicated regulatory mechanisms. In this study, a low-K-sensitivity accession (L49) responded to K deficiency with smaller biomasses, severe leaf chlorosis, weaker photosynthesis ability, and deformed stomata morphology compared to a low-K resistant accession (H280). H280 accumulated more K + than L49 under low K. Whole-genome resequencing (WGS) revealed a total of 5,538,622 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 859,184 insertions/deletions (InDels) between H280 and L49. RNA-seq identified more differentially expressed K + transporter genes with higher expression in H280 than in L49 under K deficiency. Based on the K + profiles, differential expression profiling, weighted gene coexpression network analysis, and WGS data between H280 and L49, BnaC4.AKT1 was proposed to be mainly responsible for root K absorption-mediated low K resistance. BnaC4.AKT1 was expressed preferentially in the roots and localized on the plasma membrane. An SNP and an InDel found in the promoter region of BnaC4.AKT1 were proposed to be responsible for its differential expression between rapeseed genotypes. This study identified a gene resource for improving low-K resistance. It also facilitates an integrated knowledge of the differential physiological and transcriptional responses to K deficiency in rapeseed genotypes.

Background: Patient safety incidents lead to performance difficulties for nurses when providing nursing practice. This affects work-life balance and causes second and third-victimization. This study predicts factors affecting clinical nurses' work-life balance due to patient safety incidents using classification and regression tree analysis techniques., Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of data from a cohort research project, which used a descriptive survey for data collection. Participants comprised 372 nurses. Data were collected using SurveyMonkey, a mobile-based survey software solution, from January to September 2021. Data included the general characteristics of clinical nurses, second damage, second damage support, third damage, and work-life balance. The specific variables included in the analysis chosen through rigorous Lasso analysis form the foundation for predicting work-life balance. Variables with low explanatory power were excluded, thereafter, the variables selected by Lasso were analyzed with a classification and regression tree model to predict work-life balance., Results: A regression tree was applied to predict work-life balance using seven variables-education level, marital status, position, physical distress, second-victim support, turnover intentions, and absenteeism (selected through Lasso analysis). After pruning, at tree size four, when turnover intentions were < 4.250, physical distress < 2.875, and second-victim support < 2.345, the predicted work-life balance was 3.972. However, when turnover intentions were < 4.250, physical distress < 2.875, and second-victim support ≥ 2.345, then the predicted work-life balance was 2.760., Conclusions: This study's insights offer crucial groundwork for crafting targeted workforce risk management strategies and fostering a conducive organizational culture to mitigate nursing occupational stress, potentially curbing the recurrence of patient safety incidents and improving nursing practice while enhancing patient outcomes. Future research should explore second and third victim experiences across various healthcare settings globally to understand their impact on WLB and patient safety outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Doping can alter certain electronics, including the thermoelectric properties of an organic semiconductor. These alterations may enable viable tunable devices that could be useful in temperature sensing for autonomous controls. Here, we demonstrate a dual-modulation organic field-effect transistor (OFET) where temperature can modulate the current-voltage characteristics of the OFET and gate voltage can modulate the thermoelectric properties of the active layer in the same device. Specifically, Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) was utilized as the host p-type semiconducting polymer, and iodine was utilized as the thermoelectric minority dopant. The finished devices were characterized with a semiconductor analyzer system with temperature controlled using two thermoelectric cooling plates. The FETs with iodine doping levels in the range of 0.25% to 0.5% mole ratio with respect to the P3HT exhibit the greatest on/off ratios. This study also observed that P3HT thin film samples with an intermediate iodine doping concentration of 0.25% mole ratio exhibit an optimal thermoelectric power factor (PF).

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) are closely related to the masticatory muscles, but objective and quantitative methods to evaluate muscle are lacking. IDEAL-IQ, a type of chemical shift-encoded magnetic resonance imaging (CSE-MRI), can quantify the fat fraction (FF). The purpose of this study was to develop an MR IDEAL-IQ-based method for quantitative muscle diagnosis in TMD patients. A total of 65 patients who underwent 3 T MRI scans, including CSE-MRI sequences, were retrospectively included. MRI diagnoses and clinical data were reviewed. There were 19 patients in the normal group and 46 patients in the TMD group with unilateral disc displacement. The TMD group was subdivided into those with and without clenching. The right and left FF values of the masseter, medial, and lateral pterygoid muscles were measured twice by two oral radiologists on CSE-MRI, and the average value was used. FF measurements using CSE-MRI showed excellent intra- and inter-observer agreement (ICC > 0.889 for both). There were no statistically significant differences between the right and left FF values in the masseter, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid of the normal group (p > 0.05). A statistically significant difference was found in the TMD group without clenching, in which the masseter muscle had a statistically significantly lower FF value on the disc displacement side (3.94 ± 1.61) than on the normal side (4.52 ± 2.24) (p < 0.05). CSE-MRI, which can reproducibly quantify muscle FF values, is expected to be a biomarker for objective muscle evaluation in TMD patients. The masseter muscle is expected to be particularly useful compared to other masticatory muscles, but further research is needed., Competing Interests: This work was supported by a grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea, funded by the Korean government (NRF-2022R1A2B5B01002517). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript., (Copyright: © 2024 Jeon 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.)

Based on 4.4  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected at the center-of-mass energies between 4.60 and 4.70 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the pure W-boson-exchange decay Λ&#95;{c}^{+}→Ξ^{0}K^{+} is studied with a full angular analysis. The corresponding decay asymmetry is measured for the first time to be α&#95;{Ξ^{0}K^{+}}=0.01±0.16(stat)±0.03(syst). This result reflects the noninterference effect between the S- and P-wave amplitudes. The phase shift between S- and P-wave amplitudes has two solutions, which are δ&#95;{p}-δ&#95;{s}=-1.55±0.25(stat)±0.05(syst)  rad or 1.59±0.25(stat)±0.05(syst)  rad.

This paper presents the design of a low-noise amplifier (LNA) with a bypass mode for the n77/79 bands in 5G New Radio (NR). The proposed LNA integrates internal matching networks for both input and output, combining two LNAs for the n77 and n79 bands into a single chip. Additionally, a bypass mode is integrated to accommodate the flexible operation of the receiving system in response to varying input signal levels. For each frequency band, we designed a low-noise amplifier for the n77 band to expand the bandwidth to 900 MHz (3.3 GHz to 4.2 GHz) using resistive-capacitance (RC) feedback and series inductive-peaking techniques. For the n79 band, only the RC feedback technique was employed to optimize the performance of the LNA for its 600 MHz bandwidth (4.4 GHz to 5.0 GHz). Because wideband techniques can lead to a trade-off between gain and noise, causing potential degradation in noise performance, appropriate bandwidth design becomes crucial. The designed n77 band low-noise amplifier achieved a simulated gain of 22.6 dB and a noise figure of 1.7 dB. Similarly, the n79 band exhibited a gain of 21.1 dB and a noise figure of 1.5 dB with a current consumption of 10 mA at a 1.2 supply voltage. The bypass mode was designed with S 21 of -3.7 dB and -5.0 dB for n77 and n79, respectively.

Background: Recently, combination therapy has shown a better trend towards improved tumour response and survival outcomes than monotherapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, research on triple therapy [lenvatinib + sintilimab + transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)] as a first-line treatment for advanced HCC is limited., Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of triple therapy as a first-line treatment for advanced HCC., Methods: HCC patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C treated with triple therapy were enrolled. All patients were treated with lenvatinib every day and sintilimab once every 3 wk. Moreover, TACE was performed every 4-6 wk if necessary. The primary outcome of the study was overall survival (OS). The secondary outcomes were the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and incidence of adverse events., Results: Forty HCC patients who underwent triple therapy were retrospectively analysed from January 2019 to January 2022. With a median follow-up of 8.5 months, the 3-, 6-, and 12-mo OS rates were 100%, 88.5%, and 22.5%, respectively. The ORR and DCR were 45% and 90%, respectively. The median progressive free survival and median OS were not reached. Common complications were observed in 76% of the patients (grade 3, 15%; grade 4, 2.5%)., Conclusion: Combination therapy comprising lenvatinib, sintilimab and TACE achieved promising outcomes in advanced HCC patients and had manageable effects., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a robust and accurate deep learning network for detecting the posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) in dental cone-beam CT (CBCT) images, focusing on the precise localization of the centre pixel as a critical centreline pixel., Methods: PSAA locations were manually labelled on dental CBCT data from 150 subjects. The left maxillary sinus images were horizontally flipped. In total, 300 datasets were created. Six different deep learning networks were trained, including 3D U-Net, deeply supervised 3D U-Net (3D U-Net DS), multi-scale deeply supervised 3D U-Net (3D U-Net MSDS), 3D Attention U-Net, 3D V-Net, and 3D Dense U-Net. The performance evaluation involved predicting the centre pixel of the PSAA. This was assessed using mean absolute error (MAE), mean radial error (MRE), and successful detection rate (SDR)., Results: The 3D U-Net MSDS achieved the best prediction performance among the tested networks, with an MAE measurement of 0.696 ± 1.552 mm and MRE of 1.101 ± 2.270 mm. In comparison, the 3D U-Net showed the lowest performance. The 3D U-Net MSDS demonstrated a SDR of 95% within a 2 mm MAE. This was a significantly higher result than other networks that achieved a detection rate of over 80%., Conclusions: This study presents a robust deep learning network for accurate PSAA detection in dental CBCT images, emphasizing precise centre pixel localization. The method achieves high accuracy in locating small vessels, such as the PSAA, and has the potential to enhance detection accuracy and efficiency, thus impacting oral and maxillofacial surgery planning and decision-making., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Institute of Radiology and the International Association of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

We aimed to evaluate the survival benefits of coadministering statins and multityrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea (2010-2020) were utilized. Statin use (≥28 cumulative defined daily doses) was analyzed, with 1534 statin users matched to 6136 non-users (1:4 ratio) using propensity scores. Primary and secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Statin use significantly improved OS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-0.82, p < 0.001) and PFS (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.74-0.84, p < 0.001). Continuous or post-TKI statin users had better OS, while discontinuation after TKI use led to poorer OS. Both lipophilic and hydrophilic statins improved OS and PFS, particularly with ≥730 cumulative defined daily doses. In conclusion, combining statins and TKIs in patients with advanced HCC yielded significant survival benefits, influenced by statin dosage and duration. Continuous statin administration post-TKI treatment is crucial for improving outcomes in patients with HCC.

Background: Harmonia axyridis is an effective natural enemy insect to a variety of phloem-sucking pests and Lepidopteran larvae, such as aphids, scabies, and phylloxera, while its industrial production is limited due to unmature artificial diet. Insect intestinal microbiota affect host development and reproduction. The aim of this study is to understand intestinal microbiota composition of H. axyridis and screen effective probiotics on artificial diet. Considering the role of the components and composition of the diet on the structure and composition of the intestinal microbiome, four kinds of diets were set up: (1) aphid; (2) basic diet; (3) basic diet + glucose; (4) basic diet + trehalose. The gut microbiota of H. axyridis was detected after feeding on different diets., Results: Results showed that the gut microbiota between artificial diet group and aphid groups were far apart, while the basic and glucose groups were clearly clustered. Besides, the glucose group and trehalose group had one unique phylum, Cryptophyta and Candidatus Saccharibacteria, respectively. The highest abundance of Proteobacteria was found in the aphid diet. The highest abundance of Firmicutes was found in the basic diet. However, the addition of glucose or trehalose alleviated the change. In addition, the relative abundance of Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Enterobacteriaceae&#95;unclassified, Enterobacteriales&#95;unclassified and Serratia in the aphid group was higher than other groups. Moreover, the function of gut genes in each group also showed clear differences., Conclusion: These results have offered a strong link between artificial diets and gut microbes, and also have provided a theoretical basis for the screening of synergistic probiotics in artificial diet., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), can trigger dysregulated immune responses known as the cytokine release syndrome (CRS), leading to severe organ dysfunction and respiratory distress. Our study focuses on developing an improved cell-permeable nuclear import inhibitor (iCP-NI), capable of blocking the nuclear transport of inflammation-associated transcription factors, specifically nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). By fusing advanced macromolecule transduction domains and nuclear localization sequences from human NF-κB, iCP-NI selectively interacts with importin α5, effectively reducing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. In mouse models mimic SARS-CoV-2-induced pneumonitis, iCP-NI treatment demonstrated a significant decrease in mortality rates by suppressing proinflammatory cytokine production and immune cell infiltration in the lungs. Similarly, in hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2, iCP-NI effectively protected the lung from inflammatory damage by reducing tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-17 levels. These promising results highlight the potential of iCP-NI as a therapeutic approach for COVID-19-related lung complications and other inflammatory lung diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests D.J. is the founding scientist of Cellivery Therapeutics, Inc.; Y.-K.P. is a member of the board of directors of Cellivery Therapeutics, Inc., and distinguished research professor emeritus of Yonsei University, Korea. M.J. is a student at the medical college of the University of Tennessee. All of the other authors are employees of Cellivery Therapeutics, Inc. Thus, those authors disclose a financial interest and hold employee stock options in the company. Cellivery Therapeutics, Inc. has filed patents for “advanced macromolecule transduction domain (aMTD) sequences for improvement of cell permeability, polynucleotides encoding the same, method to identify the unique features of aMTDs comprising the same, method to develop the aMTD sequences comprising the same.” The relevant application numbers are PCT/KR2015/008544 and PCT/KR2016/009405 (registered). aMTD patents are currently registered in the United States (15/503117), Republic of Korea (10-2017-7005079), Japan (2017–510405), Australia (2015304194), Canada (2957501), European Patent Office (15833496.1), and China (201580044116.8). In addition, the use of candidate (iCP-NI) has filed patents for “cytokine storm suppressing anti-sepsis agent.” The relevant number is PCT/KR2021/001976 (applied). iCP-NI patents are currently reviewed in the United States (17/783,822), India (202227039966), European Patent Office (21757172.8), Brazil (1120220117442), China (202180007013.X), Canada (3160603), and Japan (2022–540791). Provisional patent of iCP-NI for COVID-19 has applied for the Republic of Korea (10-2022-0088647) and the United States (63/392,272). There are no further patents, products in development, or marketed products to declare. The Phase I clinical trial of iCP-NI is ongoing in the United States as “iCP-NI - Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetic, and Immunogenicity Study in Healthy Male and Female Subjects” (https://clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT05740280, approved by US FDA: IND158118)., (Copyright © 2023 The American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: As the population acquires immunity through vaccination and natural infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), understanding the intrinsic severity of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is becoming challenging. We aimed to evaluate the intrinsic severity regarding circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 and to compare this between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals., Methods: With unvaccinated and initially infected confirmed cases of COVID-19, we estimated the case severity rate (CSR); case fatality rate (CFR); and mortality rate (MR), including severe/critical cases and deaths, stratified by age and compared by vaccination status according to the period regarding the variants of COVID-19 and vaccination. The overall rate was directly standardized with age., Results: The age-standardized CSRs (aCSRs) of the unvaccinated group were 2.12%, 5.51%, and 0.94% in the pre-delta, delta, and omicron period, respectively, and the age-standardized CFRs (aCFRs) were 0.60%, 2.49%, and 0.63% in each period, respectively. The complete vaccination group had lower severity than the unvaccinated group over the entire period showing under 1% for the aCSR and 0.5% for the aCFR. The age-standardized MR of the unvaccinated group was 448 per million people per month people in the omicron period, which was 11 times higher than that of the vaccinated group. In terms of age groups, the CSR and CFR sharply increased with age from the 60 s and showed lower risk reduction in the 80 s when the period changed to the omicron period., Conclusions: The intrinsic severity of COVID-19 was the highest in the delta period, with over 5% for the aCSR, whereas the completely vaccinated group maintained below 1%. This implies that when the population is vaccinated, the impact of COVID-19 will be limited, even if a new mutation appears. Moreover, considering the decreasing intrinsic severity, the response to COVID-19 should prioritize older individuals at a higher risk of severe disease., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Magnetic resonance image only (MRI-only) simulation for head and neck (H&N) radiotherapy (RT) could allow for single-image modality planning with excellent soft tissue contrast. In the MRI-only simulation workflow, synthetic computed tomography (sCT) is generated from MRI to provide electron density information for dose calculation. Bone/air regions produce little MRI signal which could lead to electron density misclassification in sCT. Establishing the dosimetric impact of this error could inform quality assurance (QA) procedures using MRI-only RT planning or compensatory methods for accurate dosimetric calculation., Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate if Hounsfield unit (HU) voxel misassignments from sCT images result in dosimetric errors in clinical treatment plans., Methods: Fourteen H&N cancer patients undergoing same-day CT and 3T MRI simulation were retrospectively identified. MRI was deformed to the CT using multimodal deformable image registration. sCTs were generated from T1w DIXON MRIs using a commercially available deep learning-based generator (MRIplanner, Spectronic Medical AB, Helsingborg, Sweden). Tissue voxel assignment was quantified by creating a CT-derived HU threshold contour. CT/sCT HU differences for anatomical/target contours and tissue classification regions including air (<250 HU), adipose tissue (-250 HU to -51 HU), soft tissue (-50 HU to 199 HU), spongy (200 HU to 499 HU) and cortical bone (>500 HU) were quantified. t-test was used to determine if sCT/CT HU differences were significant. The frequency of structures that had a HU difference > 80 HU (the CT window-width setting for intra-cranial structures) was computed to establish structure classification accuracy. Clinical intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans created on CT were retrospectively recalculated on sCT images and compared using the gamma metric., Results: The mean ratio of sCT HUs relative to CT for air, adipose tissue, soft tissue, spongy and cortical bone were 1.7 ± 0.3, 1.1 ± 0.1, 1.0 ± 0.1, 0.9 ± 0.1 and 0.8 ± 0.1 (value of 1 indicates perfect agreement). T-tests (significance set at t = 0.05) identified differences in HU values for air, spongy and cortical bone in sCT images compared to CT. The structures with sCT/CT HU differences > 80 HU of note were the left and right (L/R) cochlea and mandible (>79% of the tested cohort), the oral cavity (for 57% of the tested cohort), the epiglottis (for 43% of the tested cohort) and the L/R TM joints (occurring > 29% of the cohort). In the case of the cochlea and TM joints, these structures contain dense bone/air interfaces. In the case of the oral cavity and mandible, these structures suffer the additional challenge of being positionally altered in CT versus MRI simulation (due to a non-MR safe immobilizing bite block requiring absence of bite block in MR). Finally, the epiglottis HU assignment suffers from its small size and unstable positionality. Plans recalculated on sCT yielded global/local gamma pass rates of 95.5% ± 2% (3 mm, 3%) and 92.7% ± 2.1% (2 mm, 2%). The largest mean differences in D95, D mean , D50 dose volume histogram (DVH) metrics for organ-at-risk (OAR) and planning tumor volumes (PTVs) were 2.3% ± 3.0% and 0.7% ± 1.9% respectively., Conclusions: In this cohort, HU differences of CT and sCT were observed but did not translate into a reduction in gamma pass rates or differences in average PTV/OAR dose metrics greater than 3%. For sites such as the H&N where there are many tissue interfaces we did not observe large scale dose deviations but further studies using larger retrospective cohorts are merited to establish the variation in sCT dosimetric accuracy which could help to inform QA limits on clinical sCT usage., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Rice is the primary staple food for half of the world's population but is low in lysine content. Previously, we developed transgenic rice with enhanced free lysine content in rice seeds (lysine-rich rice), which was shown safe for consumption and improved the growth in rats. However, the effects of lysine-rich rice on skeletal growth and development remained unknown. In this study, we hypothesized that lysine-rich rice improved skeletal growth and development in weaning rats. Male weaning Sprague-Dawley rats received lysine-rich rice (HFL) diet, wild-type rice (WT) diet, or wild-type rice with various contents of lysine supplementation diet for 70 days. Bone microarchitectures were examined by microcomputed tomography, bone strength was investigated by mechanical test, and dynamics of bone growth were examined by histomorphometric analysis. In addition, we explored the molecular mechanism of lysine and skeletal growth through biochemical testing of growth hormone, bone turnover marker, and amino acid content of rat serum analysis, as well as in a cell culture system. Results indicated that the HFL diet improved rats' bone growth, strength, and microarchitecture compared with the WT diet group. In addition, the HFL diet increased the serum essential amino acids, growth hormone (insulin-like growth factor-1), and bone formation marker concentrations. The cell culture model showed that lysine deficiency reduced insulin-like growth factor-1 and Osterix expression, Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling, and matrix mineralization, and inhibited osteoblast differentiation associated with bone growth. Our findings showed that lysine-rich rice improved skeletal growth and development in weaning rats. A further increase of rice lysine content is highly desirable to fully optimize bone growth and development., Competing Interests: Author Declarations None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Exploring how species diverge is vital for understanding the drivers of speciation. Factors such as geographical separation and ecological selection, hybridization, polyploidization and shifts in mating system are all major mechanisms of plant speciation, but their contributions to divergence are rarely well understood. Here we test these mechanisms in two plant species, Gentiana lhassica and G. hoae, with the goal of understanding recent allopatric species divergence on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP)., Methods: We performed Bayesian clustering, phylogenetic analysis and estimates of hybridization using 561 302 nuclear genomic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We performed redundancy analysis, and identified and annotated species-specific SNPs (ssSNPs) to explore the association between climatic preference and genetic divergence. We also estimated genome sizes using flow cytometry to test for overlooked polyploidy., Key Results: Genomic evidence confirms that G. lhassica and G. hoae are closely related but distinct species, while genome size estimates show divergence occurred without polyploidy. Gentiana hoae has significantly higher average FIS values than G. lhassica. Population clustering based on genomic SNPs shows no signature of recent hybridization, but each species is characterized by a distinct history of hybridization with congeners that has shaped genome-wide variation. Gentiana lhassica has captured the chloroplast and experienced introgression with a divergent gentian species, while G. hoae has experienced recurrent hybridization with related taxa. Species distribution modelling suggested range overlap in the Last Interglacial Period, while redundancy analysis showed that precipitation and temperature are the major climatic differences explaining the separation of the species. The species differ by 2993 ssSNPs, with genome annotation showing missense variants in genes involved in stress resistance., Conclusions: This study suggests that the distinctiveness of these species on the QTP is driven by a combination of hybridization, geographical isolation, mating system differences and evolution of divergent climatic preferences., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Guidelines vary on alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening. This study aims to reassess AFP's role in HCC surveillance, utilizing a comprehensive, recent, nationwide cohort. Utilizing the National Health Claims Database from the Korean National Health Insurance Service, this research included data from 185,316 HCC patients registered between 2008 and 2018. Specifically, 81,520 patients diagnosed with HCC from 2008 to 2014 were analyzed. The study focused primarily on mortality and, secondarily, on the status of curative treatments. Multivariate analysis revealed that frequent AFP testing significantly impacts overall survival in HCC patients. Specifically, each additional AFP test correlated with a 6% relative improvement in survival (hazard ratio = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.940-0.947, p < 0.001). Patients who underwent AFP testing three or more times within two years prior to HCC diagnosis showed improved survival rates, with 55.6% receiving liver transplantation or hepatectomy. This trend was particularly pronounced in hepatitis B patients undergoing antiviral treatment. The findings highlight the potential of regular AFP testing to enhance survival in HCC patients, especially those with hepatitis B. Integrating frequent AFP testing with ultrasonography could increase the likelihood of early detection and access to curative treatments.

Background: Patients with Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are considerably heterogeneous in terms of tumor burden, liver function, and performance status. To improve the poor survival outcomes of these patients, treatment approaches other than transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), which is recommended by HCC guidelines, have been adopted in real-world clinical practice. We hypothesize that this non-adherence to treatment guidelines, particularly with respect to the use of liver resection, improves survival in patients with stage B HCC., Aim: To assess guideline adherence in South Korean patients with stage B HCC and study its impact on survival., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from 2008 to 2016 obtained from the Korea Central Cancer Registry. Patients with stage B HCC were categorized into three treatment groups, guideline-adherent, upward, and downward, based on HCC guidelines recommended by the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The primary outcome was HCC-related deaths; tumor recurrence served as the secondary outcome. Survival among the groups was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Predictors of survival outcomes were identified using multivariable Cox regression analysis., Results: In South Korea, over the study period from 2008 to 2016, a notable trend was observed in adherence to HCC guidelines. Adherence to the EASL guidelines started relatively high, ranging from 77% to 80% between 2008 and 2012, but it gradually declined to 58.8% to 71.6% from 2013 to 2016. Adherence to the AASLD guidelines began at 71.7% to 75.9% from 2008 to 2010, and then it fluctuated between 49.2% and 73.8% from 2011 to 2016. In contrast, adherence to the APASL guidelines remained consistently high, staying within the range of 90.14% to 94.5% throughout the entire study period. Upward treatment, for example with liver resection, liver transplantation, or radiofrequency ablation, significantly improved the survival of patients with BCLC stage B HCC compared to that of patients treated in adherence to the guidelines (for patients analyzed according to the 2000 EASL guidelines, the 5-year survival rates were 63.4% vs 27.2%, P < 0.001), although results varied depending on the guidelines. Progression-free survival rates were also significantly improved upon the use of upward treatments in certain groups. Patients receiving upward treatments were typically < 70 years old, had platelet counts > 10 5 /μL, and serum albumin levels ≥ 3.5 g/dL., Conclusion: Adherence to guidelines significantly influences survival in South Korean stage B HCC patients. Curative treatments outperform TACE, but liver resection should be selected with caution due to disease heterogeneity., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)