Background
Neutrophils play substantial roles in cancer progression. Previous reports demonstrated the prognostic impact of the pretreatment neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in various types of ...solid cancers. The purpose of this study was to quantify the prognostic impact of NLR on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
Methods
We systematically searched electronic databases, identified articles regarding NLR and HNSCC mortality, and extracted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Pooled HRs for overall survival (OS) and disease‐specific survival (DSS) were estimated using random effect models.
Results
Nineteen studies enrolling 3770 patients were included in the analyses. Overall, NLR greater than the cutoff value was associated with poorer OS and DSS (HR 1.69; 95% CI 1.47‐1.93; P < .001 and HR 1.88; 95% CI 1.20‐2.95; P = .006, respectively).
Conclusion
Elevated NLR predicts worse outcomes in patients with HNSCC.
With the help of circular strategies, products can be used longer (i.e., reuse, repair, and refurbish). Products that are difficult to use will be recycled efficiently. The present paper provides ...actionable guidelines for reducing environmental impact at all stages of a product’s life cycle, including the manufacture and assembly of the materials that make up the product, environmental impacts during use, and environmental impacts at final disposal, as well as specific actions and evaluation mechanisms. The circular economy is a concept that encompasses specific actions and their evaluations. To clarify the contribution of this circular economy to carbon neutrality, the present paper highlights how it is important to recognize the role of carbon as both an energy carrier and a material. CO2 is a waste product from burning and powering carbon. CO2 must be disposed of like any other waste product, but carbon itself is also an energy carrier. Thus, when promoting the carbon cycle, it is important to harmonize carbon’s function as a material with its role as an energy carrier. The further introduction of renewable energy and societal shift towards circular economy would contribute to carbon neutrality and more resource efficient use in a mutually complementary manner.
Superpositions of spin helices can yield topological spin textures, such as two-dimensional vortices and skyrmions and three-dimensional hedgehogs. Their topological nature and spatial dimensionality ...depend on the number and relative directions of the constituent helices. This allows mutual transformation between the topological spin textures by controlling the spatial anisotropy. Here, we theoretically study the effect of anisotropy of the magnetic interactions in an effective spin model for chiral magnetic metals. By variational calculations for both triple and quadruple superpositions, we find that the hedgehog lattices, which are stable in the isotropic case, are deformed by the anisotropy and eventually changed into other spin textures with reduced dimension, such as helices and vortices. We also clarify the changes in topological properties by tracing the real-space positions of emergent magnetic monopoles and antimonopoles as well as the emergent magnetic field generated by the noncoplanar spin textures. Our results suggest possible control of the topological spin textures, e.g., by uniaxial pressure and chemical substitution in chiral materials.
Inflammatory markers are used to predict prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Previous reports of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and NPC mortality are inconsistent. This study aimed to ...quantify the prognostic impact of NLR on NPC.
The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were disease-specific survival (DSS), progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). We systematically searched electronic databases, identified articles reporting an association between NLR and NPC prognosis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted, and pooled HRs for each outcome were estimated using random effect models.
Nine studies enrolling 5397 patients were included in the analyses. NLR greater than the cutoff value was associated with poor overall survival (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.27-1.78), disease-specific survival (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.22-1.71), progression-free survival (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.22-1.90), and distant metastasis-free survival (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.14-2.95).
Elevated NLR predicts worse OS, DSS, PFS and DMFS in patients with NPC.
Moiré is an interference fringe generated by a superposition of waves. Here, we extend this idea to superpositions of spin density waves in magnets. By using an analogy with moiré in optics, we have ...studied the effects of three control parameters: amplitudes, twist angles, and phases of superposed spin waves. We clarified that the changes in these parameters bring about various topological spin textures and the emergent electromagnetic field. Our results would pave a way for future studies of investigating and controlling novel magnetic and electronic states through the spin moiré picture.
Cholesteatoma, which potentially results from tympanic membrane retraction, is characterized by intractable local bone erosion and subsequent hearing loss and brain abscess formation. However, the ...pathophysiological mechanisms underlying bone destruction remain elusive. Here, we performed a single-cell RNA sequencing analysis on human cholesteatoma samples and identify a pathogenic fibroblast subset characterized by abundant expression of inhibin βA. We demonstrate that activin A, a homodimer of inhibin βA, promotes osteoclast differentiation. Furthermore, the deletion of inhibin βA /activin A in these fibroblasts results in decreased osteoclast differentiation in a murine model of cholesteatoma. Moreover, follistatin, an antagonist of activin A, reduces osteoclastogenesis and resultant bone erosion in cholesteatoma. Collectively, these findings indicate that unique activin A-producing fibroblasts present in human cholesteatoma tissues are accountable for bone destruction via the induction of local osteoclastogenesis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target.
Purpose Adults with cerebral palsy often use a cane as a walking aid because of their decreased gait ability. However, it is unclear whether this affects lower limb muscle activity during walking. ...The purpose of this study was to clarify the influence of using a cane during walking on the spatio-temporal parameters of walking, lower limb muscle activity, and lower limb muscle coactivation in adults with spastic cerebral palsy. Participants and Methods Eleven participants with cerebral palsy were included. The spatio-temporal parameters of walking, lower limb muscle activity, and coactivation of lower limb muscle were measured during a 10 m trial with no cane, one cane, and two canes. Results Walking speed was lower and the stride time longer when using two canes than when using no cane. All muscle activities significantly reduced when using two canes. No significant difference was observed between using no cane and one cane, except for walking speed. In addition, there was no significant difference in coactivation between the conditions. Conclusion This study revealed that when two canes were used, the walking speed was reduced, and lower limb muscle activity was reduced, reducing the burden. In contrast, the movement pattern was not suggested to have changed.
In this study, we develop a new track having a belt made of a fiber and experimentally evaluate its traveling performance. The developed track has a belt made of a high strength and high modulus ...super fiber. In this track, the tension of the belt is adjustable and the misalignment of the belt along the track travel can be prevented. To evaluate the traveling performance of this fiber track, we conducted two types of experiments in a sandbox covered with loose silica. Traveling tests were first conducted using a single-track traveling test system. In the tests, tracks, which had belts made of various materials and different structures, traveled while pulling various traction loads, and the relationship between drawbar pull and slip ratio of each track were measured. From the experiments, it was shown that the track made of a para-aramid mesh had a high traveling performance. Subsequently, a mobile robot named VAMOS, which is equipped with four tracks made of the para-aramid mesh, was developed. Traction tests were conducted using VAMOS in the sandbox. In the tests, VAMOS traveled on a loose ground while pulling various traction loads. From the traveling tests using the VAMOS, it was quantitatively confirmed that the developed track had high traveling performance on a mobile robot.
Various serum biomarkers have been developed for predicting head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) prognosis. However, none of them have been proven to be clinically significant. A recent ...study reported that the ratio of aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) to alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) had a prognostic effect on non-metastatic cancers. This study aimed to examine the effect of the AST/ALT ratio on the survival of patients with HNSCC. Clinical data of 356 patients with locoregionally advanced HNSCC were collected. The effect of the AST/ALT ratio on overall survival was analyzed using a Cox proportional hazard model. Moreover, recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was used to divide the patients into groups on the basis of the clinical stage and AST/ALT ratio. The prognostic ability of this grouping was validated using an independent data set (N = 167). The AST/ALT ratio ranged from 0.42 to 4.30 (median, 1.42) and was a prognostic factor for overall survival that was independent of age, primary sites, and tumor stage (hazard ratio: 1.36, confidence interval: 1.08-1.68, P = 0.010). RPA divided patients with stage IVA into the following two subgroups: high AST/ALT (≥2.3) and low AST/ALT (<2.3) subgroups. The 5-year survival rate for patients with stage III, stage IVA with a low AST/ALT ratio, stage IVA with a high AST/ALT ratio, and stage IVB were 64.8%, 49.2%, 28.6%, and 33.3%, respectively (p < 0.001). Compared with the low AST/ALT group, the adjusted hazard ratio for death was 2.17 for high AST/ALT group (confidence interval: 1.02-.22 P = 0.045). The AST/ALT ratio was demonstrated to be a prognostic factor of HNSCC. The ratio subdivided patients with stage IVA into low- and high-risk groups. Moreover, intensified treatment for the high-risk group may be considered.
PDF
