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Background: Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a highly malignant tumor with a dismal prognosis. Presently, the dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism has received increasing attention in tumor research, but fewer reports are relevant to STS.Methods: Based on fatty acid metabolism-related genes (FRGs), a novel risk score for STS was developed utilizing univariate analysis and least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analyses in the STS cohort, which were further validated using the external validation cohort from other databases. Furthermore, independent prognostic analysis, C-index, ROC curves, and nomogram were carried out to investigate the predictive performance of fatty acid-related risk scores. We also analysed the differences in enrichment pathways, the immune microenvironment, gene mutations, and immunotherapy response between the two distinct fatty acid score groups. Moreover, the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to further verify the expression of FRGs in STS.Results: A total of 153 FRGs were retrieved in our study. Next, a novel fatty acid metabolism-related risk score (FAS) was constructed based on 18 FRGs. The predictive performance of FAS was also verified in external cohorts. In addition, the independent analysis, C-index, ROC curve, and nomograph also revealed that FAS could serve as an independent prognostic factor for the STS patients. Meanwhile, our results demonstrated that the STS cohort in two distinct FAS groups had different copy number variations, immune cell infiltration, and immunotherapy responses. Finally, the in vitro validation results demonstrated that several FRGs included in the FAS exhibited abnormal expression in STS.Conclusion: Altogether, our work comprehensively and systematically clarifies fatty acid metabolism’s potential roles and clinical significance in STS. The novel individualized score based on fatty acid metabolism may be provided as a potential marker and treatment strategy in STS.

BackgroundCopper is an indispensably mineral element involved in various metabolic processes and functions in the active sites of many metalloproteins. Copper dysregulation is associated with cancers such as osteosarcoma (OS), the most common primary bone malignancy with invasiveness and metastasis. However, the causality between cuproptosis and OS remains elusive. We aim to identify cuproptosis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) for osteosarcomatous prognosis, immune microenvironment response, and immunotherapy.MethodsThe Person correlation and differential expression analysis were used to identify differentially expressed cuproptosis-related lncRNAs (CRLs). The univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to construct the CRL signature. The Kaplan–Meier (K-M) survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, internal validation, independent prognostic analysis, and nomograph were used to evaluate the prognostic value. The functional enrichment, tumor microenvironment, immunotherapy and chemotherapy response between the two distinct groups were further explored using a series of algorithms. The expression of signature CRLs was verified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in OS cell lines.ResultsA novel CRL signature consisting of four CRLs were successfully identified. The K-M survival analysis indicated that the OS patients in the low-risk groups had a better prognosis than that in the high-risk group. Then, the ROC curve and subgroup survival analysis confirmed the prognostic evaluation performance of the signature. Equally, the independent prognostic analysis demonstrated that the CRL signature was an independently predicted factor for OS. Friends analysis determined the hub genes that played a critical role in differentially expressed genes between two distinct risk groups. In addition, the risk score was related to immunity status, immunotherapy response, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. Finally, the expression of these signature CRLs detected by RT-qPCR was consistent with the bioinformatic analysis results.ConclusionIn summary, our study confirmed that the novel CRL signature could effectively evaluate prognosis, tumor immune microenvironment, and immunotherapy response in OS. It may benefit for clinical decision-making and provide new insights for personalized therapeutics.

With the acceleration of urbanization, the relationship between an area's population and its economy has become the main indicator of regional differences. Therefore, a comprehensive study of population-economy spatial dispersion changes and their influencing factors will help identify the driving force of population change and economic development. Moreover, it will facilitate measurement of the coupling and coordination relationship between industrial layout and the environment. Accordingly, based on the 2018 population and economic data of Anhui Province, China, this study used a land use impact model to spatialize socioeconomic indicators, and considered the population–economic spatial relationship of Anhui Province with its terrain. By doing so, the study hopes to promote the construction of new urbanization in Anhui Province and provide a reference for the development of central provinces in China. The results indicated that: 1) The predicted population and economic densities of the study area fit well with the actual statistical values, which suggests that the spatialization results could reflect the actual situation of population and economic distribution. Based on the simulation data, the spatial relationship between the population and economy can be divided into three types: leading, lagging, and coordinating. The overall distribution characteristics of the spatial relationship between population and economy in the study area were as follows: in the mountainous area of Southern Anhui, the lag type was dominant, and economic agglomeration lagged behind that of population; in northern Anhui, the coordination type was dominant, and population and economic development were in balance; finally, in central Anhui, the lead type was dominant, and economic agglomeration was greater than population agglomeration. 2) The correlation between terrain factors and the population was higher than that with the economy, with changes in the terrain factors strengthening the influence of terrain on population, compared to on the economy. The areas with an altitude gradient of > 100 m, a slope > 6⁰, and a relief of > 50 m can be considered focus areas, where economic agglomeration lags behind population agglomeration. They are mainly distributed in the core areas of the Dabie Mountains such as Jinzhai County, Huoshan County, Yuexi County, and Taihu County, and the mountainous areas of Southern Anhui, such as Chizhou City, Huangshan City, and Xuancheng City. In the future, efforts should be made to improve the economic level of this area. 3) The spatial relationship between the population and economy had a certain spatial correlation with topography. In general, with an increase in altitude, slope, and topographic relief, the proportion of leading-type areas reduced, while that of lagging-type areas grew, with the proportion of coordinating-type areas remaining stable. Specifically, with a rise in elevation from 0 m to 1,800 m, the proportion of leading-type areas increased from 54.46% to 58.06%, and then decreased to 4.17%; that of lagging-type areas increased from 26.11% to 79.17%; while the ratio of coordinating-type areas remained stable. With an increase in slope from 0⁰ to 60⁰, the proportion of leading-type areas increased from 48.66% to 50.31%, and then decreased to 23.77%; that of lagging-type areas increased from 37.45% to 64.83%; while that of coordinating-type areas remained stable. With a topographic relief increase in fluctuation from 0 m to 450 m, the proportion of leading-type areas decreased from 49.69% to 18.03%, that of lagging-type areas increased from 36.66% to 72.13%, and the proportion of coordinating-type areas remained stable. Combined with the economic development of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, the undulating surface characteristics could have a significant barrier effect on agricultural mechanization, reducing the convenience of farming and restricting the development of the primary industry. Moreover, due to the dependence of enterprise profits and industrial layout on location, the secondary and tertiary industries are mostly reluctant to invest in regions with complex terrain. A complex terrain, thus, has a significant impact on infrastructure construction, investment, and industrial layout; hinders the development of the secondary and tertiary industries; and weakens regional economic advantages.

BackgroundIn this trial, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of radiotherapy with nedaplatin or cisplatin in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.MethodsWe conducted an open-label, non-inferiority, phase III, randomized, controlled trial. Eligible patients with stage IIB-IVA cervical carcinoma were randomly assigned to receive either nedaplatin or cisplatin for two cycles concurrently with radiotherapy. We reported the therapy-associated harms and survival. The study was registered with chictr.org.cn, number ChiCTR1800020527.ResultsWe randomly assigned 68 patients to nedaplatin-based or cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Study treatment was stopped early after a data analysis found a higher number of patients suffered severe hematologic harms in the nedaplatin group than in the cisplatin group. Patients in the nedaplatin group had a significantly higher frequency of grade 3-4 neutropenia (19·4% vs. 13%; P < 0·001), severe thrombocytopenia (16·1% vs. 4·3%), and grade 1-2 anemia (51·6% vs. 43·5%) than patients in the cisplatin group. The 1-year PFS and OS in the nedaplatin and cisplatin groups were similar.ConclusionOur findings showed that nedaplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy expressed remarkably higher severe hematologic harms which were mortal. Though the results were negative, the experiences and lessons we learned from it were important.

Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common female genital tract malignancy, with repercussions on the psychophysiological health of female patients. Patients with CC are faced with a high risk of postoperative recurrence and metastases. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) combined with serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) in the diagnosis of postoperative recurrence/metastases in patients with early stage CC. This was a prospective follow-up study on 246 patients who received surgery for early stage CC. The results of clinical follow-up and pathological examination were taken as the gold standard. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were calculated for PET/CT, serum SCC-Ag determination and the combined PET/CT and serum SCC-Ag method. Results demonstrated that 90.11% patients completed the follow-up, and the median follow-up time was 22 months (range, 7-42 months). Tumor recurrence or metastasis was confirmed in a total of 137 patients (55.7%), including 18 deaths. The diagnostic sensitivity of PET/CT scan combined with serum SCC-Ag determination for postoperative metastases/recurrence in patients with early stage CC was 93.43% (95% CI, 0.875-0.967). The specificity was 92.67% (95% CI, 0.856-0.965), the positive predictive value was 94.12% (95% CI, 0.884-0.972), the negative predictive value was 91.81% (95% CI, 0.846-0.959) and the area under the ROC curve was 0.930±0.019 (95% CI, 0.893-0.968; P

Background The implementation of early intervention (EI) in medical settings is time-consuming and resource-intensive, which limits its extensive use. In 2018, the Chinese Eugenics Association developed a home-based, post-discharge EI program. This study aims at evaluating the impact of this EI program on neurodevelopment and physical growth of early preterm infants. Methods This study was a prospective, partially blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT), followed by an open phase. A total of 73 infants born at 28+ 0 ~ 31+ 6 weeks’ gestation who were admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between December 1, 2019, and June 31, 2020, were enrolled. Another 33 infants were retrospectively recruited as the reference group. Thirty-seven infants randomized in the first early intervention, then standard care (EI-SC) group performed a 30-day EI during RCT period, while 36 infants allocated to SC-EI group were given EI in the following open phase. The test of infant motor performance (TIMP), development quotient (DQ), and anthropometric measures (length, weight, head circumference) were measured at the baseline (T0), termination of the RCT (T1), and termination of the open phase (T2). Repeated measures analysis was performed for comparison among groups. Results From T0 to T1, both groups had significant improvements in all outcome measures (all p p = 0.044). EI-SC group also had greater improvements in length, weight, and head circumference than SC-EI group (all p p > 0.05). At the endpoint of T2, the EI-SC and SC-EI group had similar TIMP and anthropometric measures, but much higher than the reference group (all p Conclusions These findings demonstrated that a home-based, post-discharge EI program in this study was a practical approach to promote motor development and physical growth in early preterm infants. Trial registration CHICTR, CTR1900028330, registered December 19, 2019, https:// http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=45706

Objective To investigate the distribution and proportion of M1/M2 macrophages in the periodontal tis⁃ sues of rats with and without periodontitis. Method Twelve Sprague⁃Dawley rats were randomly divided into a chronic periodontitis group (CP, n = 6) and a periodontal health group (PH, n = 6). The periodontitis model was induced at the first mandibular molar using a stainless steel ligature and was confirmed by histological analysis. M1 macrophages were labeled with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and M2 macrophages were labeled with CD163. The distributions of M1 and M2 macrophages in the two groups were determined via immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, and the M1/M2 ratios were compared between the two groups. Results The M1 type macrophage count in the PH group was 12.17 ± 1.40, and the M1 macrophage count in the CP group was 40.00 ± 3.20; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (t = 7.96, P < 0.0001). The M2 macrophage count in the PH group was 4.50 ± 1.09, and the M2 type macrophage count in the CP group was 5.33 ± 0.67. There was no statistically significant difference be⁃ tween the two groups (t = 0.65, P = 0.53). The M1/M2 ratio in the CP group was 3.72 ± 1.08, and the M1/M2 ratio in the PH group was 8.31 ± 1.37; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (t = 2.63, P =0.025). Conclusion During periodontitis, M1 macrophages increased significantly and were widely distributed; they may be involved in the progression of periodontitis and may be closely related to the destruction of the cementum.

A type of TiO2/WO3-coated magnetic nanoparticles was prepared as catalyst for photodegradation of sixteen organic dyes. The catalyst was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometer, and zeta potential analysis. The tested dyes included seven reactive dyes, one metal-complex dye, two base dyes, two direct dyes, and four acidic azo dyes. The photodegradation test showed that, in the presence of catalyst, the degradation rates of dyes were relative to both their chemical structures and adsorption ability. The dyes containing chlorotriazinyl/carbamide group and showing high adsorption ability can be degraded more easily. Most of the tested dyes were degraded rapidly by catalyst under a simulated visible light. Moreover, all the dyes were completely decolorized and satisfactorily mineralized under direct irradiation of solar light. Furthermore, the randomly-chosen ten dyes were completely decolorized and satisfactorily mineralized in a short time of 77–275 min under a focused solar light. In addition, the catalyst can be easily recycled by a magnet with a good reusability. The new catalyst can be potentially utilized as a universal catalyst for degradation of different kind of dyes in water using solar light as an environmentally friendly and low-cost energy resource.

Hypercholesterolemia, as one of the causes of obesity, affects vital organs in the body, such as the liver and kidney, resulting to oxidative stress. Germinated Brown Rice (GBR) as a food-based solution in dealing with this condition is highly recommended. In this study, the effects of GBR on hypercholesterolemia-induced rats were evaluated by measuring and analyzing the changes on body weight, serum lipid profiles (TC, TG, LDL and HDL), liver function (ALT and AST), kidney function (Crea and Urea) and its antioxidant capacity (MDA, SOD, GSH-PX and TAOC). Thirty (30) SD male rats were divided into 5 groups (6 rats per group); Group A was given normal basal diet, Group B (hypercholesterolemic group) was given a high fat diet, while Groups C, D, and E were given 12.5%, 25% and 50% GBR, respectively. Groups C, D and E were fed with high fat diet for 4 weeks, then fed with the GBR feeds, accordingly, for another 5 weeks. Sera and liver samples were collected for testing and evaluation. Hypercholesterolemia was successfully induced in Groups B, C, D, and E after 4 weeks. Noticeable responses were observed in groups fed with GBR after 5 weeks. Group E fed with 50% GBR showed the satisfactory results (significant at p