Search

Kunping Cui,1 Yi Mao,2 Shuang Feng,3 Haixia Luo,2 Jiao Yang,2 Lang Bai1 1Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People’s Republic of China; 2Intensive Care Unit, Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610000, People’s Republic of China; 3Ultrasonic Medicine, Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Lang Bai, Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-18980602254, Email pangbailang@163.comPurpose: The mortality rate from pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) complicated by severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) in the intensive care unit (ICU) remains high. We aimed to develop a rapid and simple model for the early assessment and stratification of prognosis in these patients.Patients and Methods: All adult patients with PTB complicated by SCAP admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan, China between 2019 and 2021 (development cohort) and 2022 (validation cohort) were retrospectively included. Data on demographics, comorbidities, laboratory values, and interventions were collected. The outcome was the 28-day mortality. Stepwise backward multivariate Cox analysis was used to develop a mortality risk prediction score model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves were used to evaluate the model’s predictive efficiency. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to validate the model’s clinical value and impact on decision making.Results: Overall, 357 and 168 patients were included in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. The Pulmonary Tuberculosis Severity Index (PTSI) score included long-term use of glucocorticoid, body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 kg/m2, diabetes, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) ≥ 7.14 mmol/L, PO2/FiO2 < 150 mmHg, and vasopressor use. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) values were 0.817 (95% CI: 0.772– 0.863) and 0.814 for the development and validation cohorts, respectively. The PTSI score had a higher AUC than the APACHE II, SOFA, and CURB-65 score. The calibration curves indicated good calibration in both cohorts. The DCA of the PTSI score indicated the high clinical application of the model compared with the APACHE II and SOFA scores.Conclusion: This prognostic tool was designed to rapidly evaluate the 28-day mortality risk in individuals with PTB complicated by SCAP. It can stratify this patient group into relevant risk categories, guide targeted interventions, and enhance clinical decision making, thereby optimizing patient care and improving outcomes.Keywords: pulmonary tuberculosis, severe community-acquired pneumonia, mortality risk prediction, intensive care unit

Kunping Cui,1,&ast; Yi Mao,2,&ast; Shuang Feng,3 Haixia Luo,2 Jiao Yang,2 Ruyi Xu,1 Lang Bai1 1Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People’s Republic of China; 2Intensive Care Unit, Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610000, People’s Republic of China; 3Ultrasonic Medicine, Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lang Bai, Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-18980602254, Email pangbailang@163.comPurpose: Age is considered a vital factor in intensive care units (ICUs) because of its association with physiological frailty, comorbidities, and immune system function. Previous studies have examined the association between age and prognosis in patients with tuberculosis (TB) or sepsis; however, the association between age and prognosis in ICU patients with TB complicated by sepsis is rare. This study aimed to assess the association between age and the prognosis of patients in the ICU with TB complicated by sepsis.Patients and Methods: Data from the ICU of the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu were analyzed using the multivariable Cox regression model, stratified analysis with interaction, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and threshold effect analysis to investigate the association between age and 28-day all-cause mortality in patients with TB complicated by sepsis.Results: In total, 520 patients diagnosed with TB and sepsis were enrolled (120 women [23.1%]; median age, 64 years). The association between age and risk of death exhibited a J-shaped curve on the RCS (P for nonlinearity = 0.001). In the threshold analysis, the hazard ratio for the risk of death was 1.104 (95% confidence interval, 1.05– 1.16) in participants aged ≥ 66.2 years. The risk of death increased by 10.4% with every 1-year increase in age in patients with TB complicated by sepsis. No significant association was found between age and 28-day all-cause mortality in patients aged < 66.2 years.Conclusion: A nonlinear relationship was observed between age and short-term all-cause mortality in patients in the ICU with TB complicated by sepsis. Patients with a higher age at admission may have a higher risk of death and require focused attention, close monitoring, and early treatment to reduce mortality.Keywords: sepsis, tuberculosis, age, 28-day all-cause mortality, intensive care unit

Zhizheng Li,1 Li Li,1 Xiaohui Lv,1 Yingqian Hu,1 Kun Cui2 1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tangshan Gongren Hospital, Tangshan, People’s Republic of China; 2Respiratory Medicine, Tangshan Gongren Hospital, Tangshan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Kun Cui, Email cuikun1988@126.comObjective: Cigarette smoke exposure is one of the major risk factors for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Ginseng saponin Rb1 (Rb1) is a natural extract from ginseng root with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. However, the underlying mechanism of the Rb1 in COPD remains unknown. Therefore, we sought to explore the role of Rb1 in cigarette smoke-induced damage and to reveal the potential mechanism.Methods: The cell viability and lactose dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were analyzed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and LDH release assays. We further investigated the inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress markers and analyzed the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathways in BEAS-2B cells and COPD rat model following cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure.Results: Our results showed that CSE promoted inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress in BEAS-2B cells. Rb1 suppressed the inflammatory response by inhibiting expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1β and inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. Rb1 possessed the ability to hinder cell apoptosis induced by CSE. In addition, Rb1 concurrently reduced CSE-induced oxidative reactions and promoted Nrf2 translocation to nucleus. For in vivo study, Rb1 treatment alleviated CSE-induced lung injury, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) release and inflammatory reactions. Also, Rb1 treatment activated Nrf2 signaling and inactivated NF-κB signaling in COPD rats.Conclusion: Rb1 attenuates CSE-induced inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress by suppressing NF-κB and activating Nrf2 signaling pathways, which provides novel insights into the mechanism underlying CSE-induced COPD.Keywords: ginseng saponin Rb1, cigarette smoking exposure, inflammation, oxidative stress, NF-κB, Nrf2

Yong Zhang,1 Kaisa Cui,2 Yaoxiang Yang,3 Bingxin Liu,4 Minzheng Zhu,1 Hanqing Chen,1 Chong Zhao,1 Youlian Zhou,1 Yuqiang Nie1 1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, People’s Republic of China; 2Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214062, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, People’s Republic of China; 4The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yuqiang Nie; Youlian Zhou, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Panfu Road 1, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86 20 81048888, Email eynieyuqiang@scut.edu.cn; eyyoulianzhou@scut.edu.cnIntroduction: Immune checkpoint (IC) inhibitor-related immunotherapies have attracted considerable attention in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). High IC expression and high tumor infiltrating lymphocyte levels are the current indicators of sensitivity to IC inhibitors. Thus, it is imperative to apply precision medicine strategies for patient selection.Methods: Six independent HCC cohorts were used for analysis at the single-cell and tissue levels. Multiplex immunofluorescence and immunochemistry staining assays were used to validate our results. A series of methodologies were used for immune-related evaluations.Results: Herein, we uncovered a unique CD8+CD274+ cell subpopulation that is associated with tumor progression and poor survival in HCC at the single-cell level. We assessed this subset at the tissue level and found that the prognostic significance of CD274 is dependent on CD8A expression in HCC. Subsequently, we identified a unique high-risk subpopulation that showed high CD8A expression coupled with intense CD274 expression in multiple HCC cohorts. CD8AHighCD274High&ast; subgroup was correlated with malignant indexes and remained an independent prognostic factor when considering the influence of these indexes. Molecular characteristic analyses showed that the CD8AHighCD274High&ast; subgroup harbored more mutations, had higher immune response activity and presented enrichment of cancer-related biological processes. Moreover, this high-risk subpopulation in HCC was characterized by high immune cell infiltration, low tumor purity, and enrichment of cancer-related signatures. Finally, cases with this phenotype demonstrated higher immunomodulator and IC levels and greater sensitivity to IC inhibitors.Conclusion: Our findings illustrate that some HCC patients may have a poor prognosis despite high CD8+ T-cell infiltration. These patients would probably benefit from IC inhibitor-based combination treatment.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, CD8A, CD274, molecular subtype, tumor microenvironment, immune overdrive

Yang Lyu,1,&ast; Tao Han,1,&ast; Meirong Liu,2 Keliang Cui,1 Donghao Wang1 1Department of Intensive Care Unit, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Donghao Wang, Department of Intensive Care Unit, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, West Huan-Hu Rd, Ti Yuan Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China, Email donghaow@tom.comBackground: To determine whether Pcv-aCO2/Ca-cvO2 combined with Pcv-aCO2 could predict the outcomes in patients complicated with abdominal infection and sepsis after abdominal tumor operation.Methods: Total 92 patients admitted to our hospital from January 2017 to December 2020 who underwent abdominal tumor operation were enrolled. Blood gas analysis of artery and central vein, various laboratory indexes, SOFA score, hemodynamic parameters at different time points and treatment outcome were recorded.Results: ROC curve analysis showed that hemodynamic parameter alone could not predict ICU treatment outcome and mortality of patients, but 72-hour SOFA score could predict treatment outcome of patients (AUC = 0.930, 95% CI: 0.803– 1.000, p = 0.019). The significant hemodynamic parameter for evaluating treatment outcome and prognosis of patients was Pcv-aCO2 + Ratio of T3. Kaplan–Meier univariate survival curve and Log-rank suggested that patients who had higher combined predictive parameter of T3 Ratio + T3 Pcv-aCO2 still had ischemia and hypoxia of tissues and organs after standard fluid resuscitation, and treatment outcome was not good. In subgroup analysis, patients with higher Ratio had higher lactate, higher T72 SOFA score, and poor treatment outcome.Conclusion: The combination of Ratio and Pcv-aCO2 could evaluate clinical treatment outcome of patients complicated with abdominal infection and sepsis after abdominal tumor operation.Keywords: ratio, Pcv-aCO2, Ca-cvO2, sepsis, hemodynamic, abdominal tumor

Maoti Wei,1,&ast; Li Dong,2,&ast; Fenghua Wang,1 Kai Cui,3 Delong Ma,2 Ning Yang,4 Yuming Li4 1Center of Clinical Epidemiology, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pediatrics, Center Hospital of Beikuo Town, Rizhao City, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Disease Prevention and Control, Hospital of Gaoxing Town, Rizhao City, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Hypertension, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ning Yang; Yuming Li Email yangningzxdl@sina.com; cardiolab@live.comObjective: To understand the prevalence and control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a rural area, a cross-sectional study was carried out.Methods: Blood glucose was determined in residents over 60 years during the National Basic Public Health Service project carrying on in a rural town of Shandong province. Combined with detail information of diabetic history, the prevalence rate of this disease was calculated with a cutoff of more than 7.0 mmol/L of fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Furthermore, according to FPG levels, the control rate of diabetes was evaluated. Basic information and clinical laboratory tests were analyzed with proper methods for univariate analysis. Multivariable logistic analysis was used to explore multiple variables associated with the control effect of T2DM.Results: The prevalence rate of T2DM was 13.5% (95% CI 12.4%∼ 14.7%) without age difference in residents over 60-year old (X2= 1.078, P = 0.898). And the rate was higher in the female (16.1%, 95% CI 14.4%∼ 17.8%) than that in the male (11.3%, 95% CI 9.7%∼ 12.9%). The control rate of diabetes was 44.5% (95% CI 39.4– 49.6%, cutoff < 6.1 mmol/L for FPG) and 59.6% (95% CI 54.5– 64.6%, cutoff < 7.0 mmol/L for FPG), respectively. Most T2DM residents had balance foods, and a high proportion of drugs or insulin were used; however, the proportion of keeping exercise and modifying behaviors was low. Nearly 80% of the diabetic individuals used at least one drug or insulin. However, the more drugs or insulin used, the higher the FPG level was.Conclusion: A relative high level of T2DM prevailed in the rural area under fast economy-transforming. T2DM was controlled poor and measures should be further optimized to achieve ideal effect, especially for the use of anti-diabetic drugs.Keywords: rural area, type 2 diabetes mellitus, the control of diabetes

Yanlei Ji,1,2 Qingtao Qiu,3 Jing Fu,4 Kai Cui,5 Xia Chen,6 Ligang Xing,3 Xiaorong Sun6 1Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Ultrasound Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of PET/CT, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250033, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaorong SunDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan, Shandong 250117, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax + 86-531-67626287Email 251400067@qq.comPurpose: To investigate the impact of staging on differences in glucose metabolic heterogeneity between lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) textural analysis and to develop a stage-specific PET radiomic prediction model to distinguish lung ADC from SCC.Patients and Methods: Patients who were histologically diagnosed with lung ADC or SCC and underwent pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were retrospectively identified. Radiomic features were extracted from a semiautomatically outlined tumor region in the Chang-Gung Image Texture Analysis (CGITA) software package. The differences in radiomic parameters between lung ADC and SCC were compared stage-by-stage in 253 consecutive NSCLC patients with stages I to III disease. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm was used for feature selection. A radiomic signature for each stage was subsequently constructed and evaluated. Then, an individual nomogram incorporating the radiomic signature and clinical risk factors was established and evaluated. The performance of the constructed models was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and the nomogram was further validated by calibration curve analysis.Results: The performance of the radiomic signature for distinguishing lung ADC and SCC in both the training and validation cohorts was good, with AUCs of 0.883, 0.854, and 0.895 in the training cohort and 0.932, 0.944, and 0.886 in the validation cohort for stages I, II, and III NSCLC, respectively. The radiomic-clinical nomogram integrating radiomic features with independent clinical predictors exhibited more favorable discriminative performance, with AUCs of 0.982, 0.963, and 0.979 in the training cohort and 0.989, 0.984, and 0.978 in the validation cohort for stages I, II, and III, respectively.Conclusion: Differences in PET radiomic features between lung ADC and SCC varied in different stages. Stage-specific PET radiomic prediction models provided more favorable performance for discriminating the histological subtype of NSCLC.Keywords: non-small-cell lung cancer, positron emission tomography, PET, textural analysis, heterogeneity, staging

Zheng D, Bi X, Zhang T, et al. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2020;13:997–1008. The authors have advised that there are several errors in the published paper which were introduced by the Editorial staff during the publication process. Pages 1001-1003, Figure 1 parts N, R, X, Y, Z, CC and DD are incorrect. The correct figure is shown below. Page 1006, Table 2, part F, the formatting of the table is incorrect. The correct formatting is shown below. Read the original article

Doudou Zheng,1,* Xiaojiao Bi,2,* Tianliang Zhang,3 Chao Han,3 Tantan Ma,3 Lina Wang,2 Mengmeng Sun,3 Kaiyan Cui,3 Limin Yang,3 Lanfen Liu3 1Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Psychology, Shandong Mental Health Center Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Psychiatry, Shandong Mental Health Center Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lanfen LiuShandong Mental Health Center Affiliated to Shandong University, 49# Wenhua Eastern Road, Jinan, Shandong 250014, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 18705317358Email liulf521@163.comPurpose: The incidence of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior among adolescents increases year by year. Patients with a history of both depression and NSSI behaviors tend to have greater risk of suicide. At present, the mechanism of adolescent depressive disorder patients with NSSI behaviors is not clear, epigenetic mechanism may be involved. Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene may be associated with depressive disorder. The purpose of this study was to investigate DNA methylation of POMC gene promoter region of adolescent depressive disorder patients with NSSI behaviors.Methods: Bisulfite Sequencing PCR (BSP) was used to test the methylation level of POMC promoter of 15 adolescent depressive disorder patients with NSSI behaviors and 15 healthy controls (HC). Self-made questionnaires were used to collect clinical data of the case group and control group. Hamilton depression scale-24 (HAMD-24), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) were used to evaluate the characteristics and severity of depressive, anxiety and psychotic symptoms. Adolescent self-injury questionnaire was used to assess NSSI behaviors and its severity.Results: BSP analysis found that the POMC methylation level of cytosine-guanine dinucleotide 1 (CpG1) site was higher in the case group than that of HC (P< 0.05). The significance in POMC methylation at CpG1 between case group and HC was gender-independent, and CpG1 methylation level was higher in both male (P< 0.05) and female (P< 0.05) patients than that in HC. The CpG1 methylation level had a little correlation trends with family history of psychosis (P=0.05). We also found that POMC methylation level at CpG17 in female patients was significantly higher than that of the female HC (P< 0.05).Conclusion: There was abnormal methylation in the POMC promoter region of adolescent depressive disorder patients with NSSI behaviors, the methylation of CpG1 may act as epigenetic markers for those adolescents.Keywords: adolescent, depressive disorder, POMC, methylation, nonsuicidal self-injury behavior

Ran Zhang,1,2 Changbin Wang,2,3 Kai Cui,3,4 Yicong Chen,1,2 Fenghao Sun,2,5 Xiaorong Sun,4 Ligang Xing2 1Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Medicine, Jinan University, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shandong Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaorong SunDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Shandong Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan, Jinan, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86 531 6762 6419Email 251400067@qq.comPurpose: The imaging features of patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) are crucial for the decision-making process to establish a treatment plan. The purpose of this study was to predict the clinical outcomes of SBRT from the textural features of pretreatment computed tomography (CT) images.Patients and methods: Forty-one early-stage NSCLC patients who received SBRT were included in this retrospective study. In total, 72 textural features were extracted from the pretreatment contrast-enhanced CT images. Survival analysis was used to identify high-risk groups for progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized to estimate the diagnostic abilities of the textural parameters. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the predictors of PFS and DSS.Results: Four parameters, including entropy (P=0.003), second angular moment (SAM) (P=0.04), high-intensity long-run emphasis (HILRE) (P=0.046) and long-run emphasis (LRE) (P=0.042), were significant prognostic features for PFS. In addition, contrast (P=0.008), coarseness (P=0.017), low-intensity zone emphasis (LIZE) (P=0.01) and large number emphasis (LNE) (P=0.046) were significant prognostic factors for DSS. In the ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) of coarseness for local recurrence (LR) was 0.722 (0.528–0.916), and the AUC of entropy for lymph node metastasis (LNM) was 0.771 (0.556–0.987). The four highest AUCs for distant metastasis (DM) were 0.885 (0.784–0.985) for LNE, 0.846 (0.733–0.959) for SAM, 0.731 (0.500–0.961) for LRE and 0.731 (0.585–0.876) for contrast. In the multivariable analysis, smoking and entropy were independent prognostic factors for PFS.Conclusion: This exploratory study reveals that textual features derived from pretreatment CT scans have prognostic value in early-stage NSCLC patients treated with SBRT.Keywords: computed tomography imaging, clinical outcomes, non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC, stereotactic body radiation therapy, textural analysis

Rong Qiang,1,2 Na Cai,2 Xiaobin Wang,2 Lin Wang,2 Ke Cui,2 Xiang Wang,1 Xu Li11Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, 2Medical Heredity Research Center, Northwest Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: MLL protein genes encode a family of crucial transcription factors that play a key role in multiple cancer development. The functions of different MLL proteins have not been definitively studied. MLL1 is a histone methyltransferase that mediates histone H3 lysine 4, and it has been found to have aberrant expression in several tumors. However, the function of MLL1 in cervical carcinoma is little known. We used tissue analysis, cell culture experiments, and molecular profiling to investigate the mechanism of MLL1 in cervical carcinoma development. We report here that MLL1 is overexpressed in cervical carcinoma tissues and cell lines, and its overexpression is correlated with the tumor grade. Through FACScan flow cytometry assay, we found that MLL1 promotes cell proliferation by promoting the G1/S transition through transcriptional activation of CCND1 in cervical carcinoma cells. Furthermore, we utilized co-immunoprecipitation and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays to identify β-catenin as the transcription partner for MLL1 and demonstrated that MLL1 and β-catenin act in synergy in the transcriptional activation of CCND1 in cervical carcinoma cells. In addition, transwell assay and anchorage-independent cell growth assay also revealed that MLL1 promotes metastasis of cervical carcinoma cells through interaction with β-catenin. Our study not only demonstrated a role for MLL1 in the proliferation and metastasis of cervical carcinoma cells but also revealed the interaction of MLL1 with β-catenin to play a different role. Keywords: MLL1, cell cycle, β-catenin, metastasis

The effect of tempering temperature on microstructure and properties of 45 steel was studied. The string of 45 steel was tempered in the temperature range of 820°C-880 °C by means of metallographic observation and microstructure performance test. The results show that with the increase of tempering temperature, the hardness and yield strength of the sample increase first and then decrease, the tensile strength increases, the impact toughness jumps, and the elongation and reduction of area show an upward trend. The experimental results provide theoretical guidance for 45 steel in the process of making piano strings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-order wave mixing in solid-state platforms gather increasing importance due to the development of advanced lasers and integrated photonic circuit for both classical and quantum information. However, the high-order wave mixing is generally inefficient in solids under weak pump. Here, we observed the presence of phase matching of five-wave mixing (5WM) propagating in a zinc oxide (ZnO) microwire. The 5WM signal is enhanced by 2–3 orders of magnitude under the phase matching conditions, reaching an absolute conversion efficiency of 1.7 × 10−13 when the peak pumping power density is about 106 W/cm2. The propagation of multiple nonlinear signals, including sum frequency generation, third harmonic generation, four-wave mixing etc., benefited from both the large nonlinear coefficients and the wide transparent window of ZnO, implies the possibility of developing cascaded nonlinear process under higher pumping. This study enriches the ZnO platform for integrated nonlinear nanophotonics.

Objective·To construct a probiotic (Escherichia coli Nissle1917,EcN) system (EcN@PVA-ALG) loaded on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) / alginate (ALG) hydrogel (PVA-ALG) rich in negative hydroxyl groups, and to explore its colonization in the inflammatory site of colon and its therapeutic effect on dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Methods·EcN suspension was added to the PVA-ALG hydrogel, and then EcN@PVA-ALG hydrogel probiotic complex was obtained after screening and centrifugation. The synthesis of PVA-ALG hydrogel was verified by rheometer. The surface charge of EcN@PVA-ALG was detected by potentiometer and the load of EcN on PVA-ALG was observed by fluorescence microscope. The absorbance of EcN@PVA-ALG at 600 nm was detected by enzyme labeling instrument. Meanwhile, the bacterial plate count of EcN@PVA-ALG complex suspension was taken to study the growth activity of EcN in EcN@PVA-ALG. The CCK-8 kit was used to assess the inhibitory ability of EcN@PVA-ALG on HEK cell proliferation. In vivo imaging system (IVIS) was used to firstly analyze the enrichment of PVA-ALG on inflammatory colon to study its inflammatory targeting property; then EcN was loaded on PVA-ALG, and IVIS was used to observe the enrichment of EcN@PVA-ALG on inflammatory colon to study its ability to colonize the inflammatory site. To establish the model of IBD mice induced by DSS, EcN@PVA-ALG group (n=5) was given 1×108CFU EcN@PVA-ALG every day for 5 d, and PVA-ALG group, EcN group, PBS group and healthy control group with 5 mice were set up. During the treatment, the body mass of the mice was recorded every day. After treatment, the colonic tissue was taken, and the length of colon was measured. The disease activity index (DAI) score was graded. The levels of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were detected, and the pathological evaluation of colonic tissue was made by H-E staining.Results·Both PVA-ALG and EcN@PVA-ALG were negatively charged. EcN was successfully loaded onto PVA-ALG and PVA-ALG did not affect the growth viability of EcN, which contributed to the subsequent colonization of inflammatory colons. PVA-ALG had a favorable safety profile on normal cells. Compared with healthy controls, PVA-ALG had more than 2-fold enrichment effect on inflammatory colon tissue. In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that EcN@PVA-ALG complex loaded with EcN had 8 times higher enrichment effect on inflammatory tissue than EcN without any modification. After EcN@PVA-ALG treatment, the body weight of mice recovered rapidly. The increase of DAI was significantly inhibited. The length of colon was similar to that of healthy mice. The levels of TNF- α and IL-6 decreased, while the levels of IL-10 and TGF- β increased. The crypt structure of colon tissue recovered.Conclusion·Compared to unmodified EcN, EcN@PVA-ALG promotes the colonization of EcN at inflammatory sites of colon and allows it to exert better efficacy on treating DSS-induced IBD.

Background The incidence of infections among cancer patients is as high as 23.2–33.2% in China. However, the lack of information and data on the number of antibiotics used by cancer patients is an obstacle to implementing antibiotic management plans. Aim This study aimed to investigate bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance in Chinese cancer patients to provide a reference for the rational use of antibiotics. Design This was a 5-year retrospective study on the antibiotic resistance of cancer patients. Methods In this 5-year surveillance study, we collected bacterial and antibiotic resistance data from 20 provincial cancer diagnosis and treatment centers and three specialized cancer hospitals in China. We analyzed the resistance of common bacteria to antibiotics, compared to common clinical drug-resistant bacteria, evaluated the evolution of critical drug-resistant bacteria and conducted data analysis. Findings Between 2016 and 2020, 216 219 bacterial strains were clinically isolated. The resistance trend of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, piperacillin/tazobactam and imipenem was relatively stable and did not significantly increase over time. The resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to all antibiotics tested, including imipenem and meropenem, decreased over time. In contrast, the resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii strains to carbapenems increased from 4.7% to 14.7%. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) significantly decreased from 65.2% in 2016 to 48.9% in 2020. Conclusions The bacterial prevalence and antibiotic resistance rates of E. coli , K. pneumoniae , P. aeruginosa , A. baumannii , S. aureus and MRSA were significantly lower than the national average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundAdolescent Internet gaming addiction (IGA) is an pincreasing global concern. Drawing on self-control theory, social support theory, and problem behavior theory, this study aimed to examine the relationships between low self-control, perceived social support, and IGA among Chinese Yi and Non-Yi adolescents, with a focus on the moderating role of perceived social support and ethnic differences.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,997 adolescents (53.78% female, mean age 14.70 years) in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, using a multi-stage cluster random sampling method. Participants completed questionnaires assessing IGA (Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form), low self-control (Low Self-Control Scale), and perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, OLS regression, and the seemingly unrelated estimator (SUE).ResultsLow self-control was positively associated with IGA (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), while perceived social support was negatively associated with IGA (β = -0.27, p < 0.001). Perceived social support, particularly from family (β = -0.43, p < 0.05) and significant others (β = -0.49, p < 0.01), moderated the relationship between low self-control and IGA. These associations were more salient among Yi adolescents compared to non-Yi adolescents.ConclusionsThis study highlights the protective role of perceived social support, especially from family and significant others, in buffering the risk of low self-control on IGA. The findings extend self-control theory and social support theory, and provide empirical support for problem behavior theory in a cross-cultural context. The results underscore the importance of considering cultural contexts in understanding IGA and developing targeted interventions for ethnic minority adolescents.