Search

Abstract Purpose This study explores integrating clinical features with radiomic and dosiomic characteristics into AI models to enhance the prediction accuracy of radiation dermatitis (RD) in breast cancer patients undergoing volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Materials and methods This study involved a retrospective analysis of 120 breast cancer patients treated with VMAT at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital from 2018 to 2023. Patient data included CT images, radiation doses, Dose-Volume Histogram (DVH) data, and clinical information. Using a Treatment Planning System (TPS), we segmented CT images into Regions of Interest (ROIs) to extract radiomic and dosiomic features, focusing on intensity, shape, texture, and dose distribution characteristics. Features significantly associated with the development of RD were identified using ANOVA and LASSO regression (p-value

Atemoya (Annona cherimola × Annona squamosa) is a specialty crop in Taiwan. Thermal treatment induces bitterness, complicating seasonal production adjustments and surplus reduction. In this research, sensory-guided separation, metabolomics, and orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) are used for identifying the bitterness in atemoya which originates from catechins, epicatechin trimers, and proanthocyanidins. Different thermal treatments (65 °C, 75 °C, and 85 °C) revealed that the glucose and fructose contents in atemoya significantly decreased, while total phenols, flavonoids, and tannins significantly increased. The concentration of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) increased from 23.16 ng/g in untreated samples to 400.71 ng/g (AP-65), 1208.59 ng/g (AP-75), and 2838.51 ng/g (AP-85). However, these levels are below the 5-HMF bitterness threshold of 3780 ng/g. Combining mass spectrometry analysis with sensory evaluation, OPLS-DA revealed that atemoya treated at 65 °C, 75 °C, and 85 °C exhibited significant bitterness, with the main bitter components being proanthocyanidin dimers and trimers.

The THαβ host immunological pathway contributes to the response to infectious particles (viruses and prions). Furthermore, there is increasing evidence for associations between autoimmune diseases, and particularly type 2 hypersensitivity disorders, and the THαβ immune response. For example, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus often produce anti-double stranded DNA antibodies and anti-nuclear antibodies and show elevated levels of type 1 interferons, type 3 interferons, interleukin-10, IgG1, and IgA1 throughout the disease course. These cytokines and antibody isotypes are associated with the THαβ host immunological pathway. Similarly, the type 2 hypersensitivity disorders myasthenia gravis, Graves’ disease, graft-versus-host disease, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune thrombocytopenia, dermatomyositis, and Sjögren’s syndrome have also been linked to the THαβ pathway. Considering the potential associations between these diseases and dysregulated THαβ immune responses, therapeutic strategies such as anti-interleukin-10 or anti-interferon α/β could be explored for effective management.

Abstract This study introduces a novel paradigm for achieving widely tunable many‐body Fano quantum interference in low‐dimensional semiconducting nanostructures, beyond the conventional requirement of closely matched energy levels between discrete and continuum states observed in atomic Fano systems. Leveraging Floquet engineering, the remarkable tunability of Fano lineshapes is demonstrated, even when the original discrete and continuum states are separated by over 1 eV. Specifically, by controlling the quantum pathways of discrete phonon Raman scattering using femtosecond laser pulses, the Raman intermediate states across the excitonic Floquet band are tuned. This manipulation yields continuous transitions of Fano lineshapes from antiresonance to dispersive and to symmetric Lorentzian profiles, accompanied by significant variations in Fano parameter q and Raman intensity spanning 2 orders of magnitude. A subtle shift in the excitonic Floquet resonance is further shown, achieved by controlling the intensity of the femtosecond laser, which profoundly modifies quantum interference strength from destructive to constructive interference. The study reveals the crucial roles of Floquet engineering in coherent light‐matter interactions and opens up new avenues for coherent control of Fano quantum interference over a broad energy spectrum in low‐dimensional semiconducting nanostructures.

This study explored the application of meta-analysis and convolutional neural network-natural language processing (CNN-NLP) technologies in classifying literature concerning radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. It aims to enhance both the efficiency and accuracy of literature reviews. By integrating statistical analysis with deep learning, this research successfully identified key studies related to the probability of normal tissue complications (NTCP) from a vast corpus of literature. This demonstrates the advantages of these technologies in recognizing professional terminology and extracting relevant information. The findings not only improve the quality of literature reviews but also offer new insights for future research on optimizing medical studies through AI technologies. Despite the challenges related to data quality and model generalization, this work provides clear directions for future research.

Most previous studies on the bioactive substances from the edible red macroalga (Bangia fuscopurpurea) have concentrated on the polysaccharides and proteins. We explored the possible effects of two phenolic acids (HBP2—3) and two derivatives (HBP1 and HBP4) originated from Bangia fuscopurpurea and two structural analogues in an in vitro model of Parkinson’s disease. We also performed in silico evaluation of the pharmacological potential of these six compounds. Our present study showed that HBP1—3 had neuroprotective effects. Moreover, HBP3 (10 nM) could protect SH-SY5Y cells from 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) damage via activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) cascade, and the up-regulation of this pathway could inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In addition, we speculated the preliminary structure–activity relationships on the neuroprotective effects of HBP1—3. This study demonstrated that neuroprotective effects of HBP1—3 originated from Bangia fuscopurpurea.

Resveratrol butyrate ester (RBE), synthesized via the esterification of resveratrol and butyric acid, demonstrates better bioactivity than resveratrol. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of two RBE monomers with different numbers of ester, mono-ester derivative (3-O-butanoylresveratrol, ED4) and di-ester derivative (3,4′-di-O-butanoylresveratrol, ED2) in obese rats. Animals were assigned to the control diet, high-fat diet (HFD), HFD with ED4 (HFDM), and HFD with ED2 (HFDD) groups. After 6 weeks of treatment, the groups treated with ED4 and ED2 effectively regulated their basic biochemical indicators, including body weight and lipid parameters in serum and liver. Moreover, supplementation with ED4 and ED2 decreased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and altered the levels of short-chain fatty acids, which may contribute to the anti-obesity effects. This research showcases the potential of RBE monomers in obesity prevention, particularly highlighting the greater efficacy of mono-ester RBE (ED4) compared to its di-ester form (ED2).

Overall diet, lifestyle choices, genetic predisposition, and other underlying health conditions may contribute to higher trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO) levels and increased cardiovascular risk. This review explores the potential therapeutic ability of RSV to protect against cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and affect TMAO levels. This review considers recent studies on the association of TMAO with CVD. It also examines the sources, mechanisms, and metabolism of TMAO along with TMAO‐induced cardiovascular events. Plant polyphenolic compounds, including resveratrol (RSV), and their cardioprotective mechanism of regulating TMAO levels and modifying gut microbiota are also discussed here. RSV's salient features and bioactive properties in reducing CVD have been evaluated. The close relationship between TMAO and CVD is clearly understood from currently available data, making it a potent biomarker for CVD. Precise investigation, including clinical trials, must be performed to understand RSV's mechanism, dose, effects, and derivatives as a cardioprotectant agent.

Abstract This study compared the visual outcomes and complications between sutureless scleral-fixated intraocular lens and iris claw intraocular lens implantation in aphakia without adequate capsule and/or zonule support. Studies comparing the clinical outcomes of scleral-fixated intraocular lens and iris claw intraocular lens implantation published until April 2022 were retrieved from the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases. The outcomes included postoperative final visual acuity, surgical time, surgery-induced astigmatism, and complications. The weighted mean difference and odds ratio were calculated. Two randomized controlled trials and five cohort studies, including 244 and 290 eyes in the scleral-fixated intraocular lens group and iris claw group, respectively, were included. Scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantation results in a better postoperative final corrected distance visual acuity compared with iris claw intraocular lens implantation; however, it is more time-consuming. Scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantation seems to have lesser incidences of surgery-induced astigmatism. Furthermore, both procedures have a similar complication rate. Therefore, based on current best evidence, these two procedures should be considered according to patient’s conditions.

Abstract Purpose The study aims to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of literature reviews on normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) in head and neck cancer patients using radiation therapy. It employs meta-analysis (MA) and natural language processing (NLP). Material and methods The study consists of two parts. First, it employs MA to assess NTCP models for xerostomia, dysphagia, and mucositis after radiation therapy, using Python 3.10.5 for statistical analysis. Second, it integrates NLP with convolutional neural networks (CNN) to optimize literature search, reducing 3256 articles to 12. CNN settings include a batch size of 50, 50–200 epoch range and a 0.001 learning rate. Results The study's CNN-NLP model achieved a notable accuracy of 0.94 after 200 epochs with Adamax optimization. MA showed an AUC of 0.67 for early-effect xerostomia and 0.74 for late-effect, indicating moderate to high predictive accuracy but with high variability across studies. Initial CNN accuracy of 66.70% improved to 94.87% post-tuning by optimizer and hyperparameters. Conclusion The study successfully merges MA and NLP, confirming high predictive accuracy for specific model-feature combinations. It introduces a time-based metric, words per minute (WPM), for efficiency and highlights the utility of MA and NLP in clinical research.

Objective Technologically adapted mirror therapy shows promising results in improving motor function for stroke survivors. The treatment effects of a newly developed multi-mode stroke rehabilitation system offering multiple training modes in digital mirror therapy remain unknown. This study aimed to examine the effects of unilateral mirror visual feedback (MVF) with unimanual training (UM-UT), unilateral MVF with bimanual training (UM-BT), and bilateral MVF with bimanual training (BM-BT) on clinical outcomes in stroke survivors, compared to classical mirror therapy (CMT). Methods Thirty-five participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups receiving fifteen 60-minute training sessions for 3–4 weeks. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory (CAHAI), Revised Nottingham Sensory Assessment (rNSA), Motor Activity Log (MAL), and EQ-5D-5L were administered at pre- and post-intervention and at 1-month follow-up. Results After intervention and follow-up, significant within-group treatment efficacies were found on most primary outcomes of the FMA-UE and CAHAI scores in all four groups. Significant within-group improvements in the secondary outcomes were found on the MAL and EQ-5D-5L index in the UM-BT group, and the rNSA tactile sensation and MAL quality of movement subscales in the BM-BT group. No significant between-group treatment efficacies were found. Conclusions UM-UT, UM-BT, BM-BT, and CMT led to similar clinical effects on the FMA-UE and can be considered effective alternative interventions for post-stroke upper-limb motor rehabilitation. UM-BT and BM-BT showed within-group improvements in functional performance in the patients’ affected upper limbs in real-life activities.

Dried boat-fruited ripped seeds of Sterculia lychnophora, commonly known as Pangdahai, are frequently used in traditional Chinese medicines and functional foods. However, research on these constituents is limited. In this study, the extraction of Pangdahai polysaccharide (PP) was investigated using different solvents (deionized water, 50 % methanol, and 50 % ethanol), and its chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory activity were analyzed. Additionally, the Ames test was used to evaluate PPs’ food safety and mutagenicity. The results showed that the yields of PPs extracted with the three solvents ranged from ∼ 19 % to 21 % and that their monosaccharide compositions (rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, and glucose) were similar, with slightly different proportions. Moreover, the antioxidant capacity of all three PPs showed concentration-dependent effects. The EC50 values for each antioxidant were approximately 0.71–1.35 mg/mL for 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging ability, 1.88–46.13 µg/mL for 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging ability, 2.22–3.61 mg/mL for ferric reducing antioxidant power, and 0.52–3.11 mg/mL for hydroxyl radical scavenging ability. At concentrations below 500 µg/mL, the anti-inflammator activity of PPs promoted cell proliferation while inhibiting nitric oxide production at concentrations ranging from 31.25 to 125 µg/mL. In the Ames test, PPs (1–5 mg/plate) exhibited no toxicity or mutagenicity against the five strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA98, TA100, TA102, TA1535, and TA1537). These findings will particularly be of interest to individuals involved in PP-related research or commercial enterprises. Thus, the findings of this study will elucidate the bioactive components and potential benefits of PP, making it especially valuable to researchers and practitioners in the Pangdahai industry and expanding opportunities for industrial development.

Patients with scars face a grave threat to their mental and physical health. Negative pressure has been used for scar therapy in medical care and provides a microenvironment conducive to scar healing while stimulating cell regeneration. Negative pressure may disrupt scar tissue regeneration when the pressure is too high or too low, so finding a suitable negative pressure is important. We hypothesized that different negative pressure magnitudes would affect scar tissue properties differently. This research aimed to provide practical recommendations for scar therapy. This study used three negative pressures (−105 mmHg, −125 mmHg, and −145 mmHg) to compare scar material properties. We measured scar tissue thickness and viscoelasticity with a motor-driven ultrasound indentation system. According to the results of this study, scar thickness is most effectively reduced at a negative pressure of −105 mmHg. In comparison, scar viscoelasticity continuously increases at a negative pressure of −125 mmHg. Negative pressure therapy can be recommended to scar care clinics based on the results of this study.

Polycaprolactone (PCL) implants in large animals show great promise for tracheal transplantation. However, the longest survival time achieved to date is only about three weeks. To meet clinical application standards, it is essential to extend the survival time and ensure the complete integration and functionality of the implant. Our study investigates the use of three-dimensional (3D)-printed, biodegradable, PCL-based tracheal grafts for large-scale porcine tracheal transplantation, assessing the feasibility and early structural integrity crucial for long-term survival experiments. A biodegradable PCL tracheal graft was fabricated using a BIOX bioprinter and transplanted into large-scale porcine models. The grafts, measuring 20 × 20 × 1.5 mm, were implanted following a 2 cm circumferential resection of the porcine trachea. The experiment design was traditionally implanted in eight porcines to replace four-ring tracheal segments, only two of which survived more than three months. Data were collected on the graft construction and clinical outcomes. The 3D-printed biosynthetic grafts replicated the native organ with high fidelity. The implantations were successful, without immediate complications. At two weeks, bronchoscopy revealed significant granulation tissue around the anastomosis, which was managed with laser ablation. The presence of neocartilage, neoglands, and partial epithelialization near the anastomosis was verified in the final pathology findings. Our study demonstrates in situ regenerative tissue growth with intact cartilage following transplantation, marked by neotissue formation on the graft’s exterior. The 90-day survival milestone was achieved due to innovative surgical strategies, reinforced with strap muscle attached to the distal trachea. Further improvements in graft design and granulation tissue management are essential to optimize outcomes.

ABSTRACTAtemoya (Annona squamosa x A. cherimola hybrid) is a typical climacteric fruit that has a high respiration rate after harvest, short storage life, and is highly susceptible to fruit cracking and rot. Therefore, this study was intended to apply D-limonene nanoemulsion coating on fruit to prolong the storage life, reduce spoilage, and facilitate the expansion of the market. Green mature atemoya fruit coated with different concentrations of D-limonene nanoemulsion (0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and control) was stored in a 14°C refrigerator for relevant analysis and investigation. The results showed that the use of 0.25% D-limonene nanoemulsion inhibited the browning on the fruit surface, and reduced physiological metabolisms. The browning phenomenon on the fruit surface increased as the D-limonene concentration ratio increases. Since the high concentration caused damage to the peel cells, 0.25% D-limonene was chosen as optimum for atemoya coating. The fruit of atemoya maintained green peel color (L × 28.6, a × 6.63, b × 12.3) after storage at 14°C for 21 days with 0.25% D-limonene nanoemulsion coating. At the same time, after 0.2% D-limonene nanoemulsion coating, the weight loss rate was about % less than that of the control group (0.25% treatment was 11.3%; control was 14.2%) and high pectin content (0.25% treatment was 16.9 mg AGA g−1AIS−1; control was 9.89 mg AGA g−1AIS−1). Coating of D-limonene nanoemulsion can reduce the physiological response of atemoya fruits after harvesting, prolong the storage time, and increase the feasibility of their export. From the experimental results, D-limonene showed the potential to be widely used in fruit preservation agents in the future.

Clinically, air insoles may be applied to shoes to decrease plantar pressure gradient (PPG) and increase plantar gradient angle (PGA) to reduce foot ulcers. PPG and PGA may cause skin breakdown. The effects of different inner pressures of inflatable air insoles on dynamic PPG and PGA distributions are largely unknown in non-diabetics and people with diabetes. This study aimed to explore the impact of varying inner air insole pressures on PPG and PGA to establish early mitigation strategies for people at risk of foot ulcers. A repeated measures study design, including three air insoles (80 mmHg, 160 mmHg, and 240 mmHg) and two walking durations (10 and 20 min) for a total of six walking protocols, was tested on 13 healthy participants (height, 165.8 ± 8.4 cm; age, 27.0 ± 7.3 years; and weight, 56.0 ± 7.9 kg, BMI: 20.3 ± 1.7 kg/m^2) over three consecutive weeks. PPG, a measurement of the spatial variation in plantar pressure around the peak plantar pressure (PPP) and PGA, a variation in the gradient direction values at the three plantar regions, big toe (T1), first metatarsal head (M1), and second metatarsal head (M2), were calculated. This study indicated that PPG was lower at 80 mmHg air insoles after 20 min of walking in the M1 region (p = 0.010). The PGA in the M2 increased at an air insole of 80 mmHg compared to 240 mmHg (p = 0.015). Compared to 20 min, the 10 min walking duration at 240 mmHg of air insole had the lowest PPG in the M1 (p = 0.015) and M2 (p = 0.034) regions. The 80 mmHg air insole significantly lowered the PPG compared to a 160 mmHg and 240 mmHg air insole. Moreover, the 80 mmHg air insole significantly decreased PPP and increased PGA compared to the 160 mmHg and 240 mmHg air insole. A shorter walking period (10 min) significantly lowered PPG. The findings of this study suggest that people with a higher risk of foot ulcers should wear softer air insoles to have a lower PPG, as well as an increased PGA.

In food processing, freezing is vital in food preservation, specifically in preserving food quality, nutrition contents, and shelf-life. This study investigated the effects of different freezing equipment [such as cells alive system freezer (CAS) equipped with a weakly oscillating magnetic field (OMF), liquid nitrogen freezers (LNF), Air blow freezer (AF), and home freezer (HF)] on the preservation of giant tiger grouper [hybridized with giant grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) and tiger grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)] fillets with insight iaanto the changes in quality indexes and physicochemical properties of the fillets during the freezing process. This study showed that the CAS group could reduce the time it took for the sample to pass through the maximum icing crystal formation zone during freezing. It was determined by low-field pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that the water migration and the formation of numerous tiny, uniformly dispersed ice crystals in the CAS group, while also defined by the tissue sections, revealed less damage to the muscle tissue of the fillet. Moreover, it also provides the fillets with better freezing loss, thawing loss, water holding capacity (WHC), and several satisfactory quality indexes (such as total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), total plate count (TPC), color (L*, a* and b* values), hardness and elasticity, etc.) within 4 weeks. This study's findings were expected to contribute to developing more effective and efficient freezing strategies for hybrid giant tiger grouper fillet preservation, thus enabling the production of high-quality products that meet the demands of consumers.

Background/purpose: :Both periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus (DM) are long-term inflammatory disorders that are highly prevalent and have a significant health impact. Inflammaging, a state of pre-aging and hyperinflammatory state has been acknowledged for its role in DM patients to have heightened risk of periodontitis. Numerous evidences revealed that inflammaging contributed by cell senescence, acceleration of inflammation and oxidative stress participates in the destruction of periodontium in DM. Abilities of vitamin D in suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress have been revealed in a range of tissues, however in DM’s gingival cells, the effect remain undefined. Materials and methods: : Under the stimulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), we assessed the cell proliferation in human gingival fibroblast (HGF), IL-6 and IL-8 secretions, cellular senescence expression and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with or without vitamin D intervention. Following that, we examined the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 to see if vitamin D was able to modulate the anti-oxidant signaling. A knockdown experiment was then conducted to proof the participation of Nrf2 on the secretion of pro-inflammatory IL-6 and IL-8. Results: : Following the treatment of vitamin D, AGEs-elicited IL-6 and IL-8 production and cell senescence were dose-dependently repressed. Moreover, vitamin D attenuated AGEs-induced ROS in a dose-dependent pattern. Results from qRT-PCR demonstrated vitamin D reversed the suppression of Nrf2 and HO-1 induced by AGEs. Our findings revealed that the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effect in vitamin D was mediated via the upregulation of Nrf2 expression. Conclusion: : These data showed that high levels of AGEs in the gingiva lead to inflammaging reflected by increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, cell senescence expression and oxidative stress. Vitamin D supplementation can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation via the upregulation of Nrf2 signaling and hence, may be a potential approach for treatment of diabetes-associated periodontitis.

Strawberries are highly perishable products due to the presence of elevated water levels, thereby necessitating postharvest treatments to enhance physicochemical quality (PQ) and shelf-life. Although several studies have focused on the development of cold plasma processes as postharvest treatments, the effect of the processing parameters remains unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the use of low-pressure cold plasma (LP-CP) for microbial decontamination and physicochemical preservation of strawberries using Taguchi orthogonal array design (OAD). The results showed that optimizing LP-CP treatment power, exposure time, and reactor pressure delayed the deterioration rates of strawberries by approximately 10–60 %. Total plate count (TPC) showed that LP-CP treatment with 90 W for 90 s at 0.076 Torr was the optimum condition for microbial decontamination. Color change (CC) was optimally inhibited with 90 W for 60 s in 0.076 Torr. Meanwhile, the optimum condition for maintaining electrolyte leakage (EL) was 30 W for 30 s at 0.076 Torr. Optimal ascorbic acid (AA) content and antioxidant capacity (DPPH) were obtained at 30 W for 30 s in

Abstract To investigate the impact of an electronic medical record management system (EMRMS) on disease activity and the frequency of outpatient visits among patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We identified 652 patients with AS who were followed up for at least 1 year before and after the first Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) assessment and compared the number of outpatient visits and average visit time within 1 year before and after the initial ASDAS assessment. Finally, we analyzed 201 patients with AS who had complete data and received ≥ 3 continuous ASDAS assessments at an interval of 3 months, and we compared the results of the second and third ASDAS assessments with those of the first. The number of annual outpatient visits increased after ASDAS assessment (4.0 (4.0, 7.0) vs. 4.0 (4.0, 8.0), p