To assess survival between subgroups (T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1) of patients with stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This retrospective cohort study evaluated pathologically confirmed stage II NPC ...patients from The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2016. The included patients were divided into three subgroups: T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method among the three subgroups. This study investigated 836 patients: 383 (45.8%) patients were in the T1N1 subgroup, 175 (20.9%) patients were in the T2N0 subgroup, and 278 (33.3%) patients were in the T2N1 subgroup. The 5-year OS (75.7%, 68.6%, and 75.7%) and CSS (85.3%, 83.4%, and 84.5%) were similar among the T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1 subgroups. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed that the subgroup (T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1) of stage II NPC was not an independent prognostic factor for OS or CSS. Survival was comparable among subgroups (T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1) of stage II NPC patients. However, patients with T1N1, T2N0, and T2N1 stage disease who receive different treatments might have different prognoses.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a non‐specific chronic intestinal inflammatory disease, often presenting with abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, anorexia, and body loss. It is difficult to ...cure completely and a promising treatment is urgently needed. Natural compounds can offer promising chemical agents for treatment of diseases. Polydatin is a natural ingredient extracted from the dried rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum, which has anti‐inflammatory, anti‐tumor, and dementia protection activities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of polydatin on IBD and explore its possible mechanism. We found that polydatin could effectively suppress the differentiation of Th17 cells in vitro, but had no effect on the differentiation of Treg cells. Polydatin significantly alleviated colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and 2, 4, 6‐trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) in mice, and dramatically decreased the proportion of Th17 cells in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Mechanism investigations revealed that polydatin specifically inhibited signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation by directly binding to STAT3, leading to Th17 cell reduction and thereby alleviating colitis. These findings provide novel insights into the anti‐colitis effect of polydatin, which may be a promising drug candidate for the treatment of IBD.
AIM To develop and validate a risk estimation of tumor recurrence following curative resection of operable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS Data for 128 patients with operable HCC(according to ...Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer imaging criteria) who underwent preoperative computed tomography(CT) evaluation at our hospital from May 1, 2013 through May 30, 2014 were included in this study. Follow-up data were obtained from hospital medical records. Follow-up data through May 30, 2016 were used to retrospectively analyze preoperative multiphasic CT findings, surgical histopathology results, and serum α-fetoprotein and thymidine kinase-1 levels. The χ~2 test, independent t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze data. A P-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS During the follow-up period, 38 of 128 patients(29.7%) had a postoperative HCC recurrence. Microvascular invasion(MVI) was associated with HCC recurrence(χ~2 = 13.253, P < 0.001). Despite postoperative antiviral therapy and chemotherapy, 22 of 44 patients with MVI experienced recurrence after surgical resection. The presence of MVI was 57.9% sensitive, 75.6% specific and 70.3% accurate in predicting postoperative recurrence. Of 84 tumors without MVI, univariate analysis confirmed that tumor margins, tumor margin grade, and tumor capsule detection on multiphasic CT were associated with HCC recurrence(P < 0.05). Univariate analyses showed no difference between groups with respect to hepatic capsular invasion, Ki-67 proliferation marker value, Edmondson-Steiner grade, largest tumor diameter, necrosis, arterial phase enhanced ratio, portovenous phase enhanced ratio, peritumoral enhancement, or serum α-fetoprotein level.CONCLUSION Non-smooth tumor margins, incomplete tumor capsules and missing tumor capsules correlated with postoperative HCC recurrence. HCC recurrence following curative resection may be predicted using CT.
Abstract
Background
Through this prospective study, we aimed to explore the change of molecular modification after the transient scrotal hyperthermia on human sperm.
Methods
Ten healthy subjects ...selected with strict screening criteria underwent testicular warming in a 43 °C water bath for 30 min a day for 10 consecutive days. Semen samples were collected 2 weeks before the first heat treatment and 6 weeks after the first heat treatment. Proteins from the samples were labeled with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation and analyzed by two-dimensional liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry.
Results
In contrast to the control, of the 3446 proteins identified, 61 proteins were deregulated: 28 were up-regulated and 33 were down-regulated. Approximately 95% of the differentially expressed proteins were found to participate in spermatogenesis, fertilization, or other aspects of reproduction. In particular, the expression of sperm motility and energy metabolism-related proteins AKAP4, SPESP1, ODF1, ODF2, GAPDHS, and ACTRT2, validated by western blotting of the proteins obtained from human and mouse samples, tended to be reduced under scrotal hyperthermia.
Conclusions
The results indicated that the proteins AKAP4, ODF1, ODF2, GAPDHS, SPESP1, and ACTRT2, play an important role in the heat-induced reversible reduction in sperm concentration and motility and have the potential to be the biomarkers and clinical targets for scrotal heat treatment induced male infertility.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Diets high in sugar are recognized as a serious health problem, and there is a drive to reduce their consumption. Steviol glycosides are natural zero-calorie sweeteners, but the most desirable ones ...are biosynthesized with low yields. UGT76G1 catalyzes the β (1-3) addition of glucose to steviol glycosides, which gives them the preferred taste. UGT76G1 is able to transfer glucose to multiple steviol substrates yet remains highly specific in the glycosidic linkage it creates. Here, we report multiple complex structures of the enzyme combined with biochemical data, which reveal that the enzyme utilizes hydrophobic interactions for substrate recognition. The lack of a strict three-dimensional recognition arrangement, typical of hydrogen bonds, permits two different orientations for β (1-3) sugar addition. The use of hydrophobic recognition is unusual in a regio- and stereo-specific catalysis. Harnessing such non-specific hydrophobic interactions could have wide applications in the synthesis of complex glycoconjugates.
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1) are cellularly and functionally diverse along their anterior-posterior and superficial-deep axes. Here, we find that anterior BLA ...(aBLA) and posterior BLA (pBLA) innervate deep-layer calbindin1-negative (Calb1-) and superficial-layer calbindin1-positive neurons (Calb1+) in vCA1, respectively. Photostimulation of pBLA-vCA1 inputs has an anxiolytic effect in mice, promoting approach behaviours during conflict exploratory tasks. By contrast, stimulating aBLA-vCA1 inputs induces anxiety-like behaviour resulting in fewer approaches. During conflict stages of the elevated plus maze task vCA1
neurons are preferentially activated at the open-to-closed arm transition, and photostimulation of vCA1
neurons at decision-making zones promotes approach with fewer retreats. In the APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, which shows anxiety-like behaviour, photostimulating the pBLA-vCA1
circuit ameliorates the anxiety in a Calb1-dependent manner. These findings suggest the pBLA-vCA1
circuit from heterogeneous BLA-vCA1 connections drives approach behaviour to reduce anxiety-like behaviour.
Over the past two decades, both transport modes as well as overweight/obesity have changed dramatically among students in China, but their relationships are not clear. This study aimed to investigate ...modes of transport to school and their associations with the weight status of Chinese students.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with non-resident students aged 6 to 17 years from all 16 districts across Shanghai, China in October and November 2019. Information about sociodemographic characteristics and the models of travel to school among students was investigated using an online, self-administered, structured questionnaire (or those assisted by their parents). Weight and height were measured by school health workers, and the Chinese standard age adjusted BMI (weight/height
) was used to classify students' weight status. Cumulative logistic regression modelling was used to examine the relationships.
The main mode of transport to school was an active mode (46.5%, defined as walking, bicycling, or public transport), followed by an inactive mode of transport (30.5%, defined as a car or bicycle as a passenger), and a combination of both modes (23%). About one-third of the students were overweight or obese and 5% were underweight. No statistically significant association between transport modes and weight status was found in this study.
In Shanghai, close to one-third of children travel to school by an inactive mode of transport. The findings of this study did not support the notion that an active mode to school could be beneficial for preventing overweight/obesity in students in China.
The exploration of personality traits in relation to psychological constructs has become increasingly relevant in understanding the mental health of university students (the emerging adulthood). ...Studies have focused on how dimensions intersect with various psychological parameters.
The study aims to identify distinct personality profiles among university students based on Eysenck's personality dimensions and investigate how these profiles differ across psychological constructs.
A quantitative methodology was utilized, involving 708 university students from Wenzhou and Nanjing in China as participants. The research employed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire along with other psychological measures. Latent Profile Analysis was applied to categorize the participants into distinct personality profiles.
Four distinct personality profiles emerged: 'The Reserved Analyst,' 'The Social Diplomat,' 'The Unconventional Pragmatist,' and 'The Impulsive Truth-Teller.' Significant differences were found among these profiles on various psychological constructs. 'The Social Diplomat' exhibited the most adaptive psychological profile, with higher cognitive reappraisal (
= 45.818,
< 0.001,
= 0.163), meaning in life (
= 17.764,
< 0.001,
= 0.070), and positive coping (
= 40.765,
< 0.001,
= 0.148) compared to other profiles. Conversely, 'The Reserved Analyst' showed higher intolerance of uncertainty (
= 13.854,
< 0.001,
= 0.056) and state anxiety (
= 26.279,
< 0.001,
= 0.101).
This study enriches the understanding of personality traits in relation to psychological constructs within the context of university student populations. By identifying distinct personality profiles, it lays the groundwork for developing tailored mental health strategies that cater to the specific needs of different student groups.
Tapered coronary artery lesions (TCALs) are often seen clinically, optimal stenting of TCALs remains challengeable. This study sought to compare clinical outcomes between the modified single stenting ...(MSS) and conventional overlapped stenting (COS) in treatment of TCALs. 150 patients were treated with MSS (MSS group), another 150 patients were matched with propensity score matching from 5055 patients treated with COS (COS group). Quantitative coronary angiography was performed to measure minimal lumen diameter (MLD), late lumen loss (LLL). The primary endpoint was immediate angiographic success, one-year cumulative major cardiac adverse events (MACEs) composing cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (TVMI), target lesion/vessel revascularization (TLR/TVR) or stent thrombosis (ST). Post-procedural in-stent MLD (2.96 ± 0.34 versus 3.08 ± 0.33, P = 0.004) was smaller and diameter stenosis (11.7 ± 4.0% versus 9.0 ± 4.8%, P = 0.003) was higher in MSS group than COS group. At 1-year follow-up, in-stent MLD (2.76 ± 0.38 mm versus 2.65 ± 0.60 mm, P = 0.003) was reduced, LLL (0.20 ± 0.26 mm versus 0.42 ± 0.48 mm, P = 0.001), diameter stenosis (24.02 ± 20.94% versus 19.68 ± 11.75%, P = 0.028) and binary restenosis (18.7% versus 10.0%, P = 0.047) were increased in COS group. Angiographic success (96.7% versus 98.0%, P = 0.723) was similar between MSS group and COS group. At 1-year, the cumulative MACEs (12.0% versus 22.7%, P = 0.022) and TLR/TVR (10.0% versus 18.7%, P = 0.047) were reduced in MSS group as compared to COS group, there was no difference in cardiac death, TVMI and ST between the groups. Compared to conventional overlapped stenting, modified single stenting for TCALs is associated with similar angiographic success, fewer one-year cumulative MACEs and less treatment cost.
The objective of the current study was to investigate the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced cone-beam breast computed tomography (CE-CBBCT) for breast lesion with rim enhancement (RE).
All 36 ...patients were examined by non-contrast (NC-CBBCT) and contrast-enhanced CBBCT (CE-CBBCT) after contrast media (CM) injection. Qualitative morphological enhancement parameters and quantitative enhancement parameters were compared between malignant and benign groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors that could predict breast lesion with RE malignancy. Receiver operating curve (ROC) was used to evaluate prediction performance.
A total of 36 patients with 40 lesions underwent breast CE-CBBCT were enrolled. There were significant differences in most qualitative morphological enhancement parameters between the two groups. A multivariate logistic regression model showed that △standardized HU (INR
-INR
) odds ratio (OR) = 1.148, 95% CI = 1.034-1.276,
= 0.01 and △standardized HU (RP
- RP
) (OR = 0.891, 95% CI = 0.814-0.976,
= 0.013) were independent indicators in predicting breast lesion with RE malignancy. △standardized HU (INR
- INR
) combined with △standardized HU (RP
- RP
) showed significant larger area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) and higher sensitivity than each alone (
< 0.001, AUC = 0.932, sensitivity = 92.59%, specificity = 92.31%). The regression equation of the prediction model was as follows: Logit (
) = 0.351 + 0.138X × △standardized HU (INR
- INR
) - 0.115 × △standardized HU (RP
- RP
).
With the observation of qualitative morphological enhancement parameters and the comparison of quantitative enhancement parameters of CBBCT, a reliable basis for the diagnostic accuracy in predicting breast lesion with RE could be provided. These conclusions should be verified in large, well-designed studies.