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Abstract The prevalence and dynamics of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with breast cancer recurrence or de novo metastatic cancer were examined in a retrospective analysis of a prospective observational cohort. Twenty-three recurrent/metastatic breast cancer cases (8 locoregional, 15 distant metastasis) were enrolled, and sequential plasma samples were obtained. Anchor mutations were selected from the target sequencing of each patient’s primary and/or metastatic tumor. An in-house developed assay (UHS assay) was employed for a tumor-informed ctDNA assay during treatment and follow-up. A median of three (range 1–5) anchor mutations per case were applied for ctDNA detection. ctDNA was detected in 14 (63.6%, 14/22) cases at the time of enrollment and 18 (78.5%, 18/23) cases during follow-up. More anchor mutations and higher tumor burden were significantly related to higher ctDNA positive rates (p-value 0.036, 0.043, respectively). The mean enriched variant allele frequency (eVAF) at each time point was significantly higher for stable or progressive disease responses (ANOVA test p-value

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed) is an invasive species that causes habitat destruction and competitively excludes native plants in many parts of Europe and Asia. In this study, we evaluated the effects of selective cutting and uprooting on A. trifida and native plant diversity, as well as the effects of sowing the seeds of native annual, perennial and woody species after eradication. We hypothesised that: (i) selective uprooting will be more effective than cutting in controlling invasion by A. trifida because fewer propagules would be left behind, with no increase in the number of existing invasive propagules and (ii) sowing native seeds will increase invasion resistance and accelerate the recovery of native plant diversity. The eradication methods were applied in July 2022, seeds were sown in March 2023 and the response variables (i.e. importance values (%) of A. trifida and diversity index (H') of native species) were measured in September 2023. The importance values of A. trifida were lowest and diversity index of native species was highest in the uprooting treatment, supporting the first hypothesis. Sowing native seeds following invasion removal did not exert significant additional suppressive effects on invasion or increase native species diversity. These results reveal that selective uprooting is a promising tool to control A. trifida and to support the recovery of native diversity, while sowing native seeds does not improve the quality of restoration.

Abstract Purpose This research aimed to clarify the impact of residual ductal carcinoma in situ(DCIS) in surgical specimens obtained after neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC) for breast cancer on the associated prognosis outcomes. Methods This retrospective study was performed on a cohort of 1,009 patients who achieved pCR following NAC for breast cancer and underwent subsequent breast surgery at a single institution between January 2008 and December 2019. Overall survival, local recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and disease-free survival of the residual and non-residual DCIS groups were the outcomes compared, with further subgroup analysis performed according to hormone receptor status. Results 260 individuals (25.8%) presented with residual DCIS. Based on a median follow-up of 54.0 months, no significant differences in outcomes were observed between the two groups. Patients with residual DCIS and hormone receptor-negative (HR-) breast cancer demonstrated a significant decrease in distant metastasis-free survival (p = 0.030) compared to those without residual DCIS. In the HR + cohort, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. Multivariate analysis of the HR- cohort demonstrated a significant association between residual DCIS and an elevated risk for distant recurrence (hazard ratio = 2.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.01–5.20, p = 0.047). Conclusions Residual DCIS following NAC may impact breast cancer outcomes, particularly with respect to the occurrence of distant metastasis in HR- patients. Therefore, clinicians must vigilantly monitor patients with residual DCIS after NAC, and further research is needed to expand our understanding of the clinical implications of residual DCIS.

In the majority of cases, pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Therefore, adenotonsillectomy is typically considered as the first line of treatment. However, the severity of pediatric OSA is not always directly correlated with the size of the adenoids and tonsils. Other factors, such as upper airway anatomy or obesity, may interact in a multifactorial manner to contribute to its occurrence. For these reasons, sleep apnea in obese children may resemble the condition in adults. Furthermore, in these cases, if adenotonsillar hypertrophy is present, adenotonsillectomy is likely to be prioritized. Reevaluation should be conducted 6 to 8 weeks post-surgery, and additional treatment for residual sleep apnea should be performed thereafter when necessary.

Abstract Dihydroxyacetone is the most desired product in glycerol oxidation reaction because of its highest added value and large market demand among all possible oxidation products. However, selectively oxidative secondary hydroxyl groups of glycerol for highly efficient dihydroxyacetone production still poses a challenge. In this study, we engineer the surface of BiVO4 by introducing bismuth-rich domains and oxygen vacancies (Bi-rich BiVO4-x) to systematically modulate the surface adsorption of secondary hydroxyl groups and enhance photo-induced charge separation for photoelectrochemical glycerol oxidation into dihydroxyacetone conversion. As a result, the Bi-rich BiVO4-x increases the glycerol oxidation photocurrent density of BiVO4 from 1.42 to 4.26 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode under AM 1.5 G illumination, as well as the dihydroxyacetone selectivity from 54.0% to 80.3%, finally achieving a dihydroxyacetone production rate of 361.9 mmol m−2 h−1 that outperforms all reported values. The surface atom customization opens a way to regulate the solar-driven organic transformation pathway toward a carbon chain-balanced product.

Abstract Background Iatrogenic mandibular nerve damage resulting from oral surgeries and dental procedures is painful and a formidable challenge for patients and oral surgeons alike, mainly because the absence of objective and quantitative methods for diagnosing nerve damage renders treatment and compensation ambiguous while often leading to medico-legal disputes. The aim of this study was to examine discriminating factors of traumatic mandibular nerve within a specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol and to suggest tangible diagnostic criteria for peripheral trigeminal nerve injury. Methods Twenty-six patients with ipsilateral mandibular nerve trauma underwent T2 Flex water, 3D short tau inversion recovery (STIR), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) acquired by periodically rotating overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) pulse sequences; 26 injured nerves were thus compared with contra-lateral healthy nerves at anatomically corresponding sites. T2 Flex apparent signal to noise ratio (FSNR), T2 Flex apparent nerve-muscle contrast to noise ratio (FNMCNR) 3D STIR apparent signal to noise ratio (SSNR), 3D STIR apparent nerve-muscle contrast to noise ratio (SNMCNR), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and area of cross-sectional nerve (Area) were evaluated. Results Mixed model analysis revealed FSNR and FNMCNR to be the dual discriminators for traumatized mandibular nerve (p

Abstract In our previous study, we developed a triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype classification that correlated with the TNBC molecular subclassification. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the predictor variables of this subtype classification on the whole slide and to validate the model’s performance by using an external test set. We explored the characteristics of this subtype classification and investigated genomic alterations, including genomic scar signature scores. First, TNBC was classified into the luminal androgen receptor (LAR) and non-luminal androgen receptor (non-LAR) subtypes based on the AR Allred score (≥ 6 and 20% but

While teacher leadership is novel in the context of social work education, it has been studied in educational literature for decades as an effective characteristic to improve both teachers’ competence and student learning outcomes. This paper suggests that social work education adopt teacher leadership in the classroom by viewing a classroom as a learning community in order to train social work students and those who pursue continuous education in community organizations, including nonprofit organizations such as grassroots agencies and social administration. Among leadership models, the transformational leadership style is recommended as an effective teacher-leader model. This paper demonstrates how the four components of transformational leadership can help social work teachers motivate, encourage, and improve student learning.

This study introduces the time-gated analysis of room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) for the in-situ analysis of the visible and spectral information of photons. Time-gated analysis is performed using a microscopic system consisting of a spectrometer, which is advantageous for in-situ analysis since it facilitates the real-time measurement of luminescence signal changes. An RTP material hybridized with a DNA aptamer that targets a specific protein enhances the intensity and lifetime of phosphorescence after selective recognition with the target protein. In addition, time-gated analysis allows for the millisecond-scale imaging of phosphorescence signals, excluding autofluorescence, and improves the signal-to-background ratio (SBR) through the accumulation of signals. While collecting the time-gated images and spectra of RTP and autofluorescent materials simultaneously, we develop a method for obtaining phosphorescence signals by means of selective exclusion of autofluorescence signals in simulated or real cell conditions. It is confirmed that the accumulated time-gated analysis can provide ample information about luminescence signals for bioimaging and biosensing applications.

The distribution of secondary metabolites in plant tissues plays a crucial role in determining their pharmacological properties. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of the bioactive compounds in Adenophora triphylla, a medicinal herb with diverse therapeutic applications.The anti-inflammatory properties of the EtOAc fraction from the aerial part extract (A_ EtF) exhibited an IC50 value of 27.2 ± 2.3 μg/mL, significantly surpassing that of the EtOAc fraction from the root extract (R_EtF) with an IC50 of 38.9 ± 2.9 μg/mL. Similarly, the anti-melanogenic activity of A_EtF (IC50 = 68.9 ± 2.3 μg/mL) outperformed that of R_EtF (IC50 = 90.0 ± 5.5 μg/mL). Analysis of the distinct chemical profiles of these tissues using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS revealed that the distribution of secondary metabolites contributes to the observed variations in pharmacological properties between the aerial parts and roots. Transcriptome analysis further elucidated spatially regulated genes associated with secondary metabolism, highlighting the role of AbtYABBYs as potential regulators of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. To validate their function, these genes were transiently expressed in tobacco leaves via agro-infiltration, confirming their role in modulating polyphenolic compound biosynthesis. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding spatial gene expression patterns for harnessing the complete pharmacological potential of medicinal plants. This study provides valuable insights into the spatial regulation of secondary metabolism and lays the groundwork for targeted manipulation of plant bioactivity for therapeutic and industrial applications.

Waterlogging caused by climate change has threatened the growth and production yield of crops. Although morphological and physiological changes in major crops under waterlogging have been well-defined, the effect of waterlogging on the quality of medicinal plants remains largely unknown. In this study, we analysed waterlogging-induced variations in the anti-melanogenic properties of Platycodon grandiflorus roots. Based on the analysis of melanin production and the expression levels of melanogenic enzymes, we found that waterlogging negatively impacted the anti-melanogenic properties of P. grandiflorus roots. Using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOFMS, we identified 12 compounds including platycodin D3 and platycodin A, which showed differences between untreated and waterlogging-treated roots. In addition, waterlogging led to the suppression of the triterpenoid saponin biosynthetic pathway. Taken together, our results will form an important basis for understanding the impact of climate change on the quality of medicinal plants.

Abstract Anode-free (or lithium-metal-free) batteries with garnet-type solid-state electrolytes are considered a promising path in the development of safe and high-energy-density batteries. However, their practical implementation has been hindered by the internal strain that arises from the repeated plating and stripping of lithium metal at the interlayer between the solid electrolyte and negative electrode. Herein, we utilize the titanium nitrate nanotube architecture and a silver-carbon interlayer to mitigate the anisotropic stress caused by the recurring formation of lithium deposition layers during the cycling process. The mixed ionic-electronic conducting nature of the titanium nitrate nanotubes effectively accommodates the entry of reduced Li into its free volume space via interfacial diffusion creep, achieving near-strain-free operation with nearly tenfold volume suppressing capability compared to a conventional Cu anode counterpart during the lithiation process. Notably, the fabricated Li6.4La3Zr1.7Ta0.3O12 (LLZTO)-based initial-anode-free quasi-solid-state battery full cell, coupled with an ionic liquid catholyte infused high voltage LiNi0.33Co0.33Mn0.33O2-based cathode with an areal capacity of 3.2 mA cm−2, exhibits remarkable room temperature (25 °C) cyclability of over 600 cycles at 1 mA cm−2 with an average coulombic efficiency of 99.8%.

Abstract Background The risk of heart failure (HF) in underweight diabetes mellitus (DM) patients has rarely been studied. We conducted a cohort study to investigate the association between underweight (BMI

Background The association between low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in different age groups within the diabetes mellitus (DM) population remains unclear. The cohort study was conducted to investigate this relationship. Methods We assessed the 2009 to 2012 Korean National Health Screening and National Health Insurance Service records, with follow-up to the primary outcome (myocardial infarction [MI] or stroke) or December 2018. After excluding the participants with a history of MI or stroke, 2,227,394 participants with DM were included and categorized according to baseline LDL-C levels and age. Cox proportional hazards modeling was conducted. The CVD risk of age

PURPOSE The first aim of this study is to change autistic behavior in Shank3B Knock-Out (KO) mice through treadmill exercise (TD), and the second aim is to alter SHANK protein receptors in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mice through TD. METHODS Male mice were divided into Control (11-week-old, n=8), Control+TD (n=8), Shank3B KO (n=8), and Shank3B KO+TD (n=8). Control and Shank3B KO mice were exercised using TD for 2 weeks for 30 minutes each to observe the effects of exercise. RESULTS Compared to the control group (C57BL/6J), Shank3B KO mice showed excessive self-grooming behavior; however, TD reduced repetitive behavior (p

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between clinical assessment scales, self-assessment scales, and surface electromyography (SEMG) for facial nerve palsy. Methods: This study assessed 32 cases of facial nerve palsy on the first visit, 11 cases on the second visit, and 9 cases on the third visit to the Korean medicine hospital, university. This study was conducted from October 22, 2022, to December 22, 2022. The patients were evaluated using SEMG, clinical assessment scales, and self-assessment scales 3 times. The House–Brackmann grading systems (HBGS), Yanagihara unweighted grading system (Y-score), facial disability index, numerous rating scale, and accompanying symptoms of facial nerve palsy were used for assessment. Moreover, statistical correlation was analyzed using Pearson correlation. Results: On Visit 1, Significant correlations were observed between the results of SEMG and other clinical assessment scales as well as between SEMG-F (frontalis) and different parts of the Y-score. On Visit 2, significant correlations were observed between the results of SEMG and HBGS as well as between SEMG-F and the detailed parts of the Y-score. On Visit 3, significant correlations were observed only between SEMG-F and the detailed parts of the Y-score. A significant correlation was also observed between the changes in the clinical assessment scales on Visits 1 and 3 and between the changes in SEMG-F and those in the patient self-assessment scales. Conclusion: These findings suggest that SEMG can be used to evaluate facial nerve palsy in conjunction with the use of other clinical assessment scales.

This study evaluated a case of trigeminal nerve stimulation during acupotomy at a site 5 pun left of GV16. The study participant was a 52-year-old male suffering from upper neck pain and numbness, which was managed by acupotomy at a site 5 pun left of GV16. During acupotomy, the patient experienced unexpected numbness and stiffness of the left zygomatic bone. This area corresponds to the distribution of the maxillary nerve, which is the second branch of the trigeminal nerve. After approximately one month, symptoms of numbness and stiffness disappeared without rendering medical treatment. These side effects are presumed to be associated with the trigeminocervical complex and stimulation of the trigeminal nucleus within the spinal cord. Thus, during the acupotomy of the upper neck, especially at GV16, the needles should be inserted slowly, and the patient’s response should also be monitored.

The clinical progression of neurodegenerative diseases correlates with the spread of proteinopathy in the brain. The current understanding of the mechanism of proteinopathy spread is far from complete. Here, we propose that inflammation is fundamental to proteinopathy spread. A sequence variant of α-synuclein (V40G) was much less capable of fibril formation than wild-type α-synuclein (WT-syn) and, when mixed with WT-syn, interfered with its fibrillation. However, when V40G was injected intracerebrally into mice, it induced aggregate spreading even more effectively than WT-syn. Aggregate spreading was preceded by sustained microgliosis and inflammatory responses, which were more robust with V40G than with WT-syn. Oral administration of an anti-inflammatory agent suppressed aggregate spreading, inflammation, and behavioral deficits in mice. Furthermore, exposure of cells to inflammatory cytokines increased the cell-to-cell propagation of α-synuclein. These results suggest that the inflammatory microenvironment is the major driver of the spread of synucleinopathy in the brain.

Abstract Ice crystals at low temperatures exhibit structural polymorphs including hexagonal ice, cubic ice, or a hetero-crystalline mixture of the two phases. Despite the significant implications of structure-dependent roles of ice, mechanisms behind the growths of each polymorph have been difficult to access quantitatively. Using in-situ cryo-electron microscopy and computational ice-dynamics simulations, we directly observe crystalline ice growth in an amorphous ice film of nanoscale thickness, which exhibits three-dimensional ice nucleation and subsequent two-dimensional ice growth. We reveal that nanoscale ice crystals exhibit polymorph-dependent growth kinetics, while hetero-crystalline ice exhibits anisotropic growth, with accelerated growth occurring at the prismatic planes. Fast-growing facets are associated with low-density interfaces that possess higher surface energy, driving tetrahedral ordering of interfacial H2O molecules and accelerating ice growth. These findings, based on nanoscale observations, improve our understanding on early stages of ice formation and mechanistic roles of the ice interface.