Abstract Background Globally, gastric cancer is the third most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death. Proximal and distal gastric cancers have distinct clinical and biological behaviors. The microbial composition and metabolic differences in proximal and distal gastric cancers have not been fully studied and discussed. Methods In this study, the gastric microbiome of 13 proximal gastric cancer tissues, 16 distal gastric cancer tissues, and their matched non-tumor tissues were characterized using...

The coupled cavity-waveguide approach provides a flexible platform to design integrated photonic devices that are widely applied in optical communications and information processing. Topological photonic crystals that can excite the nontrivial edge state (ES) and corner state (CS), have unprecedented capability in manipulating electromagnetic (EM) waves, leading to a variety of unusual functionalities that are impossible to achieve with conventional cavity-waveguide systems. In this paper, two-dimensional photonic crystals consisting of a topological ES waveguide, a...

Abstract Background Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is the ninth member of the proprotein convertase family that regulates lipoprotein homeostasis and altered PCSK9 expression was reportedly associated with tumor development and progression. This study assessed PCSK9 expression and functions in human colon cancer and then explored the underlying molecular events. Methods Colon cancer tissues were utilized for analysis of PCSK9 expression for association with clinicopathological factors from patients by immunohistochemistry assay. Manipulation of PCSK9...

Abstract Background Diet is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but there is still a lack of tools to assess dietary intakes of this high-risk population in Ningxia, China. Objective We aim to evaluate the validity and reliability of the semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) in the groups in Ningxia using a 24-hour dietary recall method. Method Two hundred five participants were included in the analysis. The two FFQs were 6 months apart,...

Abstract Background Irisin has been proposed to have a beneficial influence on the metabolic status of animals and humans. However, the relationship between circulating irisin levels and the risks of metabolic components in humans remains unclear. In the present meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the association between circulating irisin and metabolic parameters in nonobese, nondiabetic adults. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and ClinicalTrial.gov using the main search terms and...

Mid-infrared (MIR) single-photon detection is emerging as an important technology for various applications. Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) fabricated with superconducting films with energy gaps of a few meV are natural broadband single-photon detectors. Recently, extending SNSPDs’ operation wavelengths into the MIR region is highly attractive. γ-Nb₄N₃ has a reduced N content and lower energy gap than the commonly used δ-NbN, making SNSPDs based on γ-Nb₄N₃ film more sensitive to low energy photons. We...

ObjectiveLupus nephritis (LN) is the main complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), causing huge financial burden and poor quality of life. Due to the low compliance of renal biopsy, we aim to find a non-invasive biomarker of LN to optimize its predictive, preventive, and personalized medical service or management.MethodHerein, we provided a bioinformatic screen combined clinical validation strategy for rapidly mining exosomal miRNAs for LN diagnosis and management. We screened out differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs)...

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate the artificial intelligence (AI)-based coronary artery calcium (CAC) quantification and regional distribution of CAC on non-gated chest CT, using standard electrocardiograph (ECG)-gated CAC scoring as the reference. Methods In this retrospective study, a total of 405 patients underwent non-gated chest CT and standard ECG-gated cardiac CT. An AI-based algorithm was used for automated CAC scoring on chest CT, and Agatston score on cardiac CT was manually quantified. Bland-Altman...

Background:Sepsis is defined as organ dysfunction caused by an uncontrolled response to infection and is followed by a high incidence of cognitive dysfunction, which can severely affect patients’ quality of life. Previous studies have suggested that electroacupuncture (EA) is protective against sepsis-associated cognitive dysfunction and that pyroptosis plays a vital role in cognitive function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of EA on cognition and neuronal pyroptosis in a mouse model...

Abstract Background The possible impact of ovarian endometriomas (OMAs) on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes remains controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of OMAs on IVF cycle parameters, including ovarian reserve and response to stimulation, embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 2067 patients undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycles between January 2018 and December 2020. The study group included 154 infertile women who had OMAs. The control group...

Dynamic treatment regimes are a set of time-adaptive decision rules that can be used to personalize treatment across multiple stages of care. Grounded in causal inference methods, dynamic treatment regimes identify variables that differentiate the treatment effect and may be used to tailor treatments across individuals based on the patient’s own characteristics – thereby representing an important step toward personalized medicine. In this manuscript we introduce Penalized Spline-Involved Tree-based Learning, which seeks to improve upon...

Abstract Background Limb salvage reconstruction for pelvic tumors, especially periacetabular tumors, is challenging. We combined the use of dual mobility bearing and 3D-printed hemipelvic prosthesis to improve function and reduce the probability of complications after hemi-pelvic resection in patients with primary acetabular malignancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this combination. Methods Between October 2011 and May 2021, 11 patients with malignancies involving the acetabulum received hemipelvic replacement...

Abstract Background The functional alterations of eRNAs have been reported to be correlated with tumorigenesis. However, the roles of eRNAs in thyroid cancer (THCA) remain still unclear. This study aimed to construct an immune-related eRNA prognostic signature that could effectively predict the survival and prognosis for THCA. Methods The Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify THCA-specific immune-related hub genes and immune-related eRNAs were obtained using Pearson correlation analysis. Univariate and least...

Abstract Background Non-inflamed tumors, including immune-excluded and immune-desert tumors, are commonly resistant to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 (α-PD-1/PD-L1) therapy. Our previous study reported the potent antitumor activity of anti-TGF-β/PD-L1 bispecific antibody YM101 in immune-excluded tumors. However, YM101 had limited antitumor activity in immune-desert models. MSA-2 is a novel oral stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist, which activates the innate immune system and may synergize with YM101 in overcoming immunotherapy resistance. Methods The dose-dependent effect of MSA-2 on STING...

Abstract Background The aim of the study were to analyze the lumbar volumetric bone mineral density (BMD), fat distribution and changes of skeletal muscle with quantitative computed tomography (QCT) in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to evaluate the relationship between body composition and BMD. Methods One hundred seventy-seven postmenopausal women with T2DM and 136 postmenopausal women without diabetes were included in the study and were divided into two groups according to...

Abstract Background Recently, several systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside (TWP) have reported significant benefits on diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the adoption of TWP for DKD remains uncommon. This study aimed to evaluate and summarize the current evidence on TWP for DKD. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, SINOMED, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI database, Wan Fang database, and VIP database, up to June 4, 2022. SRs of TWP on...

Optical projection tomography captures 2-D projections of rotating biological samples and computationally reconstructs 3-D structures from these projections, where hundreds of views with an angular range of π radian is desired for a reliable reconstruction. Limited-angle tomography tries to recover the structures of the sample using fewer angles of projections. However, the result is far from satisfactory due to the missing of wedge information. Here we introduce a novel view prediction technique, which is able...

Abstract Objective To analyze the characteristics of global β-lactamase-producing Enterobacter cloacae including the distribution of β-lactamase, sequence types (STs) as well as plasmid replicons. Methods All the genomes of the E. cloacae were downloaded from GenBank. The distribution of β-lactamase encoding genes were investigated by genome annotation after the genome quality was checked. The STs of these strains were analyzed by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). The distribution of plasmid replicons was further explored by submitting...

Stepped wedge designs have uni-directional crossovers at randomly assigned time points (steps) where clusters switch from control to intervention condition. Incomplete stepped wedge designs are increasingly used in cluster randomized trials of health care interventions and have periods without data collection due to logistical, resource and patient-centered considerations. The development of sample size formulae for stepped wedge trials has primarily focused on complete designs and continuous responses. Addressing this gap, a general, fast, non-simulation based...

Abstract Background Dual inhibition of PD-1/PD-L1 and TGF-β pathways is a rational therapeutic strategy for malignancies. SHR-1701 is a new bifunctional fusion protein composed of a monoclonal antibody against PD-L1 fused with the extracellular domain of TGF-β receptor II. This first-in-human trial aimed to assess SHR-1701 in pretreated advanced solid tumors and find the population who could benefit from SHR-1701. Methods This was a dose-escalation, dose-expansion, and clinical-expansion phase 1 study. Dose escalation was initiated...

Abstract Background Simiao pill module (SMM), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been widely used to treat gout and gouty arthritis. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of SMM on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and activation of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in a mouse model of potassium oxonate (PO)-induced chronic hyperuricemic nephropathy (HN). Methods Mice were randomly divided into the following four groups: control, HN model (PO), febuxostat...

Abstract Objective To analyze the characteristics of global β-lactamase-producing Enterobacter cloacae including the distribution of β-lactamase, sequence types (STs) as well as plasmid replicons. Methods All the genomes of the E. cloacae were downloaded from GenBank. The distribution of β-lactamase encoding genes were investigated by genome annotation after the genome quality was checked. The STs of these strains were analyzed by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). The distribution of plasmid replicons was further explored by submitting...

Abstract Background Zishen Yutai (ZSYT) pill, a patent Chinese medicine, has been widely used in the treatment of infertility, abortion, and adjunctive treatment of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for decades. Recently, the results of clinical observations showed that premature ovarian failure (POF) patients exhibited improved expression of steroids and clinical symptoms associated with hormone disorders after treatment with Zishen Yutai pills. However, the pharmacological mechanism of action of these pills remains unclear. Methods The compounds...

Abstract Background Associated with increased morbidity and mortality, postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) often occur after major abdominal surgery. Diaphragmatic dysfunction is suggested to play an important role in the development of PPCs and diaphragm echodensity can be used as an indicator of diaphragm function. This study aimed to determine whether diaphragm echodensity could predict the occurrence of PPCs in patients after major abdominal surgery. Methods Diaphragm ultrasound images of patients after major abdominal surgery were...

Abstract Background Exome sequencing (ES) is becoming more widely available in prenatal diagnosis. However, data on its clinical utility and integration into clinical management remain limited in practice. Herein, we report our experience implementing prenatal ES (pES) in a large cohort of fetuses with anomalies detected by ultrasonography using a hospital-based in-house multidisciplinary team (MDT) facilitated by a three-step genotype-driven followed by phenotype-driven analysis framework. Methods We performed pES in 1618 fetal cases with positive...