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Heyuan Niu,1,* Kai Yu Li,1,* Tao Yu,2,* Maorun Zhang,1 Zhe Ji,1 Ping Yu,3 Xianfu Yi,4 Gang Liu1 1Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medical Oncology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 3Library of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Gang Liu, Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300070, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 133 8909 8101, Email lg1059@tmu.edu.cn Ping Yu, Library of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 185 2681 6935, Email yuping@tmu.edu.cnBackground: Precision medicine is an innovative approach that integrates genomics, clinical informatics, and proteomics to address both genetic and environmental factors in disease prevention and treatment. This bibliometric study analyzes research trends, collaboration patterns, and the unique characteristics of precision medicine across countries to inform future research directions.Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection (1999– 2022) database to identify publications related to precision medicine. The analysis of publication patterns, collaborations, institutions, authors, and research hotspots was performed utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint 2019 in conjunction with the Bibliometrix package in R.Results: A total of 30,777 publications on precision medicine were identified. The United States and the United Kingdom were recognized as the primary contributors, while European countries exhibited substantial collaborative efforts. Harvard University and the University of California System have played pivotal roles in advancing the field. The keywords analysis showed that in the early 2000s, “gene expression” and “personalized outcomes” were key themes. Since 2015, there’s been a significant shift towards advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, liquid biopsy, highlighting their growing importance in precision medicine. Research topics across various countries exhibit certain global similarities. However, different nations exhibit distinct thematic research focuses. China emphasizes “Informatics”, “Hepatocellular Carcinoma”, “Photothermal Therapy”, and “Lung Adenocarcinoma”, while the United States prioritizes “Informatics”, “Treatment Rules”, and “Consortium Guidelines”. Germany and France share similar interests in particular research domains.Conclusion: Precision medicine is rapidly globalizing, with significant contributions from multiple countries and emerging technologies acting as catalysts for further development. Greater international cooperation is essential to elevate the quality and impact of research. These advancements hold great potential for transforming personalized healthcare by integrating cutting-edge scientific disciplines.Keywords: precision medicine, bibliometric analysis, international collaboration, research topic

Kar Yan Li,1 Christopher E Okunseri,2 Colman McGrath,3 May CM Wong3 1Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Clinical Services, School of Dentistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA; 3Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: May CM WongDental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, 34 Hospital Road, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +852-2859-0422Fax +852-2858-7874Email mcmwong@hku.hkObjective: To assess self-reported general health (SRGH) and self-reported oral health (SROH), and to identify factors associated with these self-health reports among adults in the United States.Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 1999 to 2014 were analyzed. Survey-weighted descriptive statistics were computed and Pearson correlations between the two self-reported health status measures were tested. Separate multivariable logistic regressions in SROH and SRGH were performed. Measures of inequality-absolute inequality (AI) and relative inequality (RI) in SRGH and SROH were investigated.Results: The sample consisted of 37,904 adults. Survey-weighted proportions of “excellent or very good” general health decreased from 54% in 1999–2000 to 45% in 2013–2014 and that of oral health increased from 27% in 1999–2000 to 38% in 2013–2014. Whites, participants with college degrees and those ≥400% of family poverty income ratio (PIR) had a higher probability of reporting “excellent or very good” general and oral health. Young people had a higher probability of reporting “excellent or very good” general health and the probability of reporting “excellent or very good” oral health fluctuated among the different age groups. There was a slight increase in both AI and RI by sociodemographic factors for SRGH (except for gender). For SROH, AI increased slightly, and RI decreased slightly (except for education) over the same period.Conclusion: Self-reported general health had higher ratings than self-reported oral health. Survey period, age, race/ethnicity, education and family PIR were significantly associated with SRGH and SROH, but gender was only significant in the SROH model. SRGH was significantly associated with SROH after adjusting for other sociodemographic factors.Keywords: adults, epidemiology, oral health, public health

Kuan-yi Li,1 Yi-hui Wu2 1Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Kwei-shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; 2Department of Rehabilitation, Taoyuan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kwei-shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan Abstract: The purpose of this study was to measure kinesthetic accuracy in healthy older adults by using arm position and motion matching tests. We investigated the effect of task type, joint angle, and matching arm results on kinesthetic accuracy in the upper extremities of 17 healthy right-handed older adults. Blinded subjects were asked to match positions and motions at four reference joint angles: 1) shoulder flexion, 0°–60°; 2) elbow flexion, 90°–135°; 3) wrist extension, 0°–50° in the sagittal plane; and 4) shoulder abduction, 0°–60° in the frontal plane. The absolute difference in angular displacement between the reference and matching arms was calculated to determine kinesthetic accuracy. Results showed that subjects were more accurate at matching motion than position tasks (P=0.03). Shoulder and elbow joints were more sensitive than wrist joints in perceiving passive positions and motions (P

We present a 6.5mm3, 10mg, wireless peripheral nerve stimulator. The stimulator is powered and controlled through ultrasound from an external transducer and utilizes a single 750×750×750μm3 piezocrystal for downlink communication, powering, and readout, reducing implant volume and mass. An IC with 0.06mm2 active circuit area, designed in TSMC 65nm LPCMOS process, converts harvested ultrasound to stimulation charge with a peak efficiency of 82%. A custom wireless protocol that does not require a clock or memory circuits reduces on-chip power to 4μW when not stimulating. The encapsulated stimulator was cuffed to the sciatic nerve of an anesthetized rodent and demonstrated full-scale nerve activation in vivo. We achieve a highly efficient and temporally precise wireless peripheral nerve stimulator that is the smallest and lightest to our knowledge.

Galicia I inch up the staircase on Puerta de Aires & am bitch'slapped by a Hitler graffiti: here, where Harvey's lover was butchered by Franco & clothespinned on a balcony [...]

Background: It is well documented that several general anesthetics, including propofol, potentiate glycine receptor function. Furthermore, glycine receptors exist throughout the central nervous system, including areas of the brain thought to be involved in sleep. However, the role of glycine receptors in anesthetic-induced hypnosis has not been determined.Methods: Experiments were conducted in rats where the loss of righting reflex (LORR) was used as a marker of the hypnotic state. Propofol-induced LORR was examined in the presence and absence of strychnine (a glycine receptor antagonist), GABAzine (a gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor antagonist), as well as ketamine (an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid subtype of glutamate receptors). Furthermore, the effects of propofol on the currents elicited by glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid were analyzed in neurons isolated from the posterior hypothalamus of rats. The effects of strychnine and GABAzine on propofol-induced currents were also evaluated.Results: Strychnine and GABAzine dose-dependently reduced the percentage of rats exhibiting LORR induced by propofol. Furthermore, strychnine significantly increased the onset time and reduced the duration of LORR induced by propofol. In contrast, strychnine did not affect the LORR induced by ketamine. In addition, propofol markedly increased the currents elicited by glycine and GABA of hypothalamic neurons. Conversely, strychnine and GABAzine both profoundly attenuated the current induced by propofol.Conclusion: Strychnine, the glycine receptor antagonist, dose-dependently reduced propofol-induced LORR in rats and propofol-induced current of rat hypothalamic neurons. These results suggest that neuronal glycine receptors partially contribute to propofol-induced hypnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acceleration of industrial development and urban expansion has led to a significant increase in flue gas emissions, posing a significant risk to human health and ecosystems. Recent studies have elucidated the significant potential of microalgae in the domain of sustainable industrial flue gas treatment. However, the inherent multifaceted factors within flue gas exert inhibitory effects on microalgal growth, thereby diminishing the overall system efficacy. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically analyze the flue gas components and propose complete intermediate treatment steps to alleviate their stressful effects on microalgae. Concurrently, to address the intrinsic limitations of the systemic functionality and enhance the applicability of microalgal biotechnology in industrial flue gas treatment, this review proposes a series of innovative solutions and strategies aimed at improving carbon fixation efficiency and lipid productivity of microalgae during flue gas treatment. In addition, the feasibility and potential limitations of these strategies in industrial applications are also discussed. Furthermore, through systematic comparative analysis, the optimal scheme and development trend of industrial flue gas emission reduction technology are explored. This comprehensive review not only establishes a theoretical foundation for the application of microalgae in industrial flue gas treatment, but also offers valuable insights for future research directions in related fields., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hot-pressed flaxseed oil is favored in Northwest China as cooking oil due to its flavor and oxidative stability. The mechanism of enhancing oxidation stability of hot-pressed flaxseed oil by neoformed Maillard reaction products (MRPs) remains mysterious. Maillard model reaction between phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and reducing sugar of flaxseed, glucose (Glu)/fructose (Fru)/xylose (Xyl), was conducted to investigate the antioxidant characteristics of products. MRPs of PE-Xyl had a superior reactivity and anti-oxidative capabilities, which could improve the oxidative stability of flaxseed oil and inhibited the formation of aldehydes in the accelerated oxidation. Phosphatidylethanolamine-linked pyrrolecarbaldehyde (PLP) was the main antioxidant component in MRPs of Xyl-PE by MS and NMR analysis and verification of antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the results of quantum chemical calculation show that the antioxidant activity center of PLP is the pyrrole group. The findings of this study provide insights into the chemical basis underlying the improved oxidative stability of hot-pressed oils., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Yellow soil, predominant in the southern regions of China, constitutes 28% of the nation's cultivated land. Exploring the regulatory mechanisms of biochar on nutrient levels and key enzyme activities in yellow soil holds significance for soil health restoration and food security. This study investigated the effects of different amounts and frequencies of biochar application on yellow soil nutrients and enzyme activities. The experiment involved two biochar application frequencies： ① a once'application amount of biochar at rates of 5 （B5）, 10 （B10）, 20 （B20）, and 50 （B50） t·hm -2 , and ② a consistent application of an equivalent total amount of biochar over three years at rates of 5 （B5-3）, 10 （B10-3）, 20 （B20-3）, and 50 （B50-3） t·hm -2 . A control treatment （CK） without biochar application （0 t·hm -2 ） was included. The results of the study showed that the application of biochar in the yellow soil agriculture ecosystem significantly increased soil pH and electrical conductivity （EC）. Moreover, it improved the contents of alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen （AN）, available phosphorus （AP）, and organic carbon （SOC）. Furthermore, the activities of urease, phosphatase, sucrase, and catalase in the soil were increased by the application of biochar. A comparison between the two application modes showed that the continuous application of biochar resulted in higher soil nutrient levels and enzyme activities. No significant interactive effects of different biochar amounts and frequencies exist on soil pH, EC, AN, SOC, phosphatase, sucrase, and catalase activities. However, interactive effects were observed on AP, available potassium （AK）, and urease activity. The structural equation model elucidated that biochar had a direct negative effect on the activities of soil urease, catalase, phosphatase, and sucrase. Nevertheless, it indirectly promoted enzyme activity by enhancing soil nutrient levels. The application of biochar in yellow soil agriculture ecosystems consistently enhanced the soil's comprehensive fertility under both application modes. Among the once-application models, B10 emerged as the most effective treatment, exhibiting a higher comprehensive fertility score than that of other treatments. Specifically, compared to those in the control （CK）, soil pH, EC, AN, AP, AK, SOC, urease, phosphatase, sucrase, and catalase activities in B10 increased by 8.31%, 13.28%, 22.18%, 10.68%, 21.49%, 15.40%, 44.79%, 16.62%, 35.68%, and 16.62%, respectively. In contrast, for the continuous three-year application of biochar, treatment B50-3 had the highest comprehensive fertility score. Compared to that in CK, soil pH in B50-3 increased by 15.11%, EC by 26.26%, AN by 11.02%, AP by 43.30%, AK by 17.29%, SOC by 36.68%, urease by 20.44%, phosphatase by 3.71%, sucrase by 18.38%, and catalase activities by 16.62%. In summary, the application of biochar in yellow soil farmland could effectively enhance soil fertility by increasing soil nutrient content and enzyme activities. Further, this study revealed that the effect of continuous annual application of biochar surpassed that of once-application of biochar, indicating the long-term benefits of this practice in maintaining and improving soil health and food security.

To understand the occurrence characteristics of microplastics in the soil of the Xinxiang section of the Weihe River Basin, the soil samples of different soil types and different soil layers were collected, soil microplastics were identified using the Agilent 8700 laser direct infrared （LDIR） chemical imaging system, and the ecological risks of soil microplastics were assessed using the polymer risk index （ H ） and pollution load index （PLI）. The results showed that the proportions of polyurethane （PU） and polyethylene （PE） were 17.57% and 15.97%, respectively, in the soil of the Xinxiang section of Weihe River Basin； the particle diameter of microplastics mainly ranged from 20 to 100 μm, and the proportions of 20 to 50 μm and 50 to 100 μm were 76.17% and 15.56%, respectively； and the average abundance of microplastics was （4 629±683） n·kg -1 . Significant differences exist in soil microplastic type （ P <0.001） and microplastic abundance at different soil depths （ P <0.05）. The microplastic particle diameter （ P <0.05） at each sampling site and the microplastic abundance at each sampling site decreased with the increase in soil depth. The abundance of PU and PE at sampling sites S7 and S3 was 1 587 n·kg -1 and 960 n·kg -1 , respectively. The ecological risk of soil microplastics at each sampling site decreased with the increase in soil depth； the ecological risk of soil microplastics at sampling site S7 was at high risk, sampling site S6 was at low risk, and other sampling sites were at medium risk.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the value of Kupffer phase imaging with Sonazoid-Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) in differentiating atypical Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) from Focal Nodular Hyperplasia (FNH), compared to the efficacy of Gadodiamide-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CEMRI)., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a total of 56 focal liver lesions, comprising 36 atypical HCC and 20 FNH lesions, which were examined pre-operatively using both CEUS and CEMRI. Features were extracted from the images obtained from both modalities. The diagnostic performance of these features was evaluated using the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC)., Results: In the multivariate analysis, HBsAg-positive status (OR = 8.395, p = 0.021) and hypo-enhancement in the Kupffer phase (OR = 5.276, p = 0.042) were identified as independent predictors of atypical HCC. The specificity and sensitivity of HBsAg-positive for diagnosing atypical HCC are 65.0 % and 91.7 %, respectively. The specificity and sensitivity of hypo-enhancement in the Kupffer phase for diagnosing atypical HCC are 95.0 % and 63.9 %, respectively. Significantly, by integrating CEUS diagnostic characteristics to distinguish atypical HCC from FNH, we attained a specificity of 100.0 %, a sensitivity of 63.9 %, and a diagnostic accuracy of 76.8 %. Similarly, the combination of CEMRI diagnostic features resulted in a specificity of 100.0 %, a sensitivity of 47.2 %, and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 66.1 %. CEUS's diagnostic accuracy is superior to CEMRI and this difference is statistically significant (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Sonazoid-CEUS demonstrates significant clinical potential and is a viable tool for the differential diagnosis of atypical HCC and FNH., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Redox imbalance induced by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accelerates age-related processes, often accompanied by a decrease in circadian rhythm amplitude. However, the underlying mechanisms by which ROS modulate circadian rhythms remain poorly understood. In this study, we found that ROS disrupt circadian rhythms in both zebrafish, as indicated by changes in diurnal behavior and clock gene expression, and in a human cell model. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning approaches (RF, LASSO, SVM), EZH2 was identified as a key gene involved in regulating circadian rhythms under oxidative stress conditions. To further investigate the role of EZH2, we employed ezh2 -/- mutants, Morpholino injection, and overexpression treatment and discovered that EZH2 is crucial in mediating the effect of ROS on circadian rhythms. Furthermore, EZH2 interacts with the CLOCK-BMAL1 complex to regulate the transcription of clock genes, as demonstrated through co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Our study revealed that ROS disrupt circadian rhythms by regulating the interaction between EZH2 and the CLOCK-BMAL1 complex, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms of circadian rhythm disruption under oxidative stress and suggesting potential targets for age-related and circadian disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Transfer of patients between hospitals is common, costly, and over 20 % are estimated to be avoidable, meaning patients do not receive specialized interventions once transferred. Older adults are more likely to be transferred and may be at increased risk for developing delirium or other complications due to transfer. We aimed to determine the frequency of potentially avoidable transfer (PAT) among older adults; identify conditions most likely to involve a PAT; and describe factors associated with PAT., Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of ED visits resulting in transfer to another hospital from 2008 to 2019 among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries 65 years and older. We defined PAT based on resource use at the receiving hospital - transfers resulting in a treat-and-release ED visit, observation stay, or inpatient hospitalization for 2 days or less who received no intensive care or advanced procedure and were discharged alive. We identified conditions with the highest rates of PAT and used multivariable logistic regression to identify the independent association of patient, diagnosis, hospital, and community-linked characteristics with PAT., Results: Among ∼3 million transfers, 11.3 % met criteria for PAT. Transferring hospitals varied in their rates of PAT, with a median (IQR) rate of 10.3 % (7.2-14.6). Conditions with high rates of PAT included transient cerebral ischemia (35.3 %), nonspecific chest pain (25.5 %), syncope (22.9 %), other fractures (18.4 %), and intracranial injury (16.9 %). These conditions were also associated with PAT in multivariable logistic regression (average marginal effect [AME] 28.2 % (95 %CI 27.4-29.1), 20.6 % (19.8-21.5), 19.2 % (18.5-19.9), 13.4 % (12.9-13.9), and 12.8 % (12.2-13.4), respectively, compared to transfers for sepsis). Patients who were age 85 and older, female, non-White, had fewer comorbidities, and large, for-profit, teaching, and critical access hospitals, and counties with high uninsurance rates were associated with higher likelihood of PAT. Safety net and rural hospitals, and hospitals in counties with high poverty rates were associated with lower likelihood of PAT., Discussion: PATs were common in transfers of older adults, particularly among a subset of neurologic, cardiovascular, and injury-related conditions. These conditions may represent ideal targets for intervention to decrease rates of avoidable transfer. Research exploring hospital variation in transfer practices and the impact of PAT on older adults' health outcomes are also needed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Amber Sabbatini reports financial support was provided by National Institute of Health. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Public health professionals (PHPs) have increasing information needs to inform evidence-based public health decisions and practice, which requires good information literacy. A comprehensive and reliable assessment tool is necessary to assess PHPs' literacy and guide future promotion programs. However, there is a lack of measurement tools specifically for the information literacy of PHPs., Objectives: This study aimed to develop an information literacy assessment tool for PHPs and test its psychometric properties among PHPs., Methods: A 34-item Information Literacy Measurement Scale (ILMS-34) for PHPs was developed based on an extensive literature review, the Delphi method, and pilot testing. The ILMS-34 was further validated among 526 PHPs recruited from four cities in Guangdong Province, China, using convenience sampling. The sample was randomly divided into two equal groups for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), respectively. Other psychometric testing included item analysis, Cronbach's α coefficient, three-week test-retest reliability, and known-group validity., Results: EFA yielded four dimensions for the ILMS-34: information consciousness, information knowledge, information ability, and information ethics. Subsequent CFA showed a good model fit of the four-factor structure (χ 2 /df = 1.485, RMSEA = 0.043, SRMR = 0.038, TLI = 0.977, CFI = 0.979). There were significant differences in each item between the high and low-scoring groups (p < 0.001), indicating good item discrimination. The ILMS-34 demonstrated good internal consistency with a Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.97 for the total scale (four subscales: 0.92, 0.92, 0.98, and 0.91, respectively). It also showed good test-retest reliability after three weeks with an ICC coefficient of 0.67. The DSE-MS scores varied by various sample characteristics, verifying the known-group validity., Conclusion: The ILMS-34 is a multidimensional instrument with good psychometric properties and can be used as an effective tool to measure information literacy among PHPs. Further validation in other samples across various cultures is needed to test its broad application., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committees of Dongguan People's Hospital (No. KYKT2024-023). The participants provided their electronic informed consent to participate in this study. The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Objective: Utilizing two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR), this study seeks to determine the causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and five prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders. By exploring the genetic associations between IgA nephropathy and neuropsychiatric disorders, this research aims to contribute to the prevention of neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with IgA nephropathy., Methods: Public genome-wide association study databases were searched, with IgA nephropathy as the exposure factor, including 15,587 patients with IgA nephropathy and 462,197 healthy controls. The outcome factors were five common neuropsychiatric disorders (bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, and Alzheimer's disease), with outcome data drawn from five datasets in the PGC and GWAScatalog databases. Inverse-variance weighting served as the primary method for causal effect estimation, supplemented by MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode methods. Heterogeneity was tested using Cochran's Q test, and sensitivity analysis was conducted using MR-Egger and MR-presso., Results: MR analysis indicated a positive causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and depressive disorder (OR = 1.010, 95%CI: 1.003-1.017, P = 3.27 × 10 -3 ), and a potential positive causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and anorexia nervosa (OR = 1.165, 95%CI: 1.030-1.319, P = 0.015)., Conclusion: There is a positive causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and depressive disorder, and a potential positive causal relationship with anorexia nervosa. No causal relationship was found with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or Alzheimer's disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: COVID-19 necessitated a shift from in-person to virtual care for all patients, particularly older adults. It is unknown how older individuals' views of telehealth changed during this time and how this may affect their future use of telehealth services., Methods: We used data from a cross-sectional online survey of a nationally representative sample of 2074 U.S. adults ages 50-80 who were participants in the National Poll on Healthy Aging. We performed a descriptive and multivariable analysis of individuals' perspectives on past and future telehealth visits, sociodemographics, and health status., Results: Before March 2020, 5.8% of respondents had used telehealth, compared to 32.0% by June 2020. Of telehealth users, 36.1% indicated their most recent telehealth visit used audio-only (i.e., without video) technology. In multivariable analysis, those who never used video technology compared to those who were "very comfortable" (average marginal effect (AME) 49%, 95% CI: 36-63), identified as Hispanic (AME 19% vs White, non-Hispanic, 95% CI: 5-32), or were female (AME 9%, 95% CI: 1-17) were more likely to report audio-only use. Concerns remained about the inability to conduct physical exams (75%) and telehealth quality of care (67%), though most (64%) older adults indicated an interest in future telehealth visits., Discussion: Telehealth use increased substantially among older U.S. adults during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, many reported using audio-only telehealth, an important consideration for policymakers and providers. Addressing older adults' concerns about and barriers to telehealth visits is needed to ensure telehealth does not exacerbate disparities in their care., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Dr. Kullgren has received grant funding from the US National Institutes of Health, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Donaghue Foundation, Healthwell Foundation, and State of Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs; consulting fees from SeeChange Health, HealthMine, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, and Washington State Office of the Attorney General; and honoraria from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AbilTo, Inc., Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, American Diabetes Association, Luxembourg National Research Fund, and Donaghue Foundation. All other authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignancies. However, there is no effective treatment for OSCC., Purpose: This study aimed to identify a natural compound with significant efficacy against OSCC and elucidate its primary mechanism of action., Methods: An FDA-approved drug library and an MCE autophagy-related molecular compound library were screened through high-throughput screening to identify an effective natural compound against OSCC. The IC50 value of sanguinarine (Sang) in OSCC cells was determined using a CCK8 assay. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence staining were used to assess the effect of Sang on autophagic flux in OSCC cells. Changes in the acidic lysosomal environment were evaluated using RFP-GFP-LC3B and LysoSensor Green DND-189. Furthermore, limited proteolysis-coupled mass spectrometry (LiP-MS) and virtual screening techniques were utilized to identify direct binding targets of Sang, which were subsequently validated by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and microscale thermophoresis (MST). Molecular docking combined with molecular dynamics analysis identified the binding site between the target protein and Sang. In vitro and in vivo investigations with mutant plasmids confirmed this finding., Results: Screening led to the identification of the naturally occurring autophagy modulator Sang as a potent inhibitor of OSCC progression. Moreover, Sang impaired lysosomal function through reducing lysosomal-associated membrane proteins, inhibiting lysosomal proteolysis, and altering the lysosomal pH. These effects contributed to defects in autophagic clearance and subsequently suppressed OSCC progression. Notably, Sang bound the phenylalanine 26 (F26) residue in pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) and inhibited PKM2 enzymatic activity, subsequently suppressing transcription factor EB (TFEB) expression to inhibit lysosomal function and blocking autophagic flux in OSCC cells., Conclusion: Our results demonstrate for the first time that Sang can suppress the PKM2/TFEB axis, and influence lysosomal function, thereby blocking autophagy and inhibiting the progression of OSCC, making it a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of OSCC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

A pot experiment was conducted on arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) co-contaminated soil to discern the influence of varying proportions of pig manure compost (PM) vis-à-vis chemical fertilizers (NPK) on the mitigation of Cd and As absorption by rice. Our findings illustrated that by increasing the PM proportions from 25 to 100%, it manifested a statistically significant reduction in the mobilized fractions of Cd, accounting for up to 77% reduction in soil CaCl 2 -Cd concentrations. Conversely, the NaHCO 3 -As reactions were contingent on the distinct PM application rates. Furthermore, augmented PM application rates correlated with a substantial surge in Cd and As concentrations within the iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) plaques, ranging from up to 116.6% and 85.9%, respectively. This led to a concomitant decline in Cd and As concentrations within the grains, up to 72.6% and 74.5%, respectively. Notably, grain concentrations of As and Cd diminished progressively with increased PM application, reaching a nadir with the 75% PM treatment. In summary, the observed mitigation in contamination is postulated to stem from the modulation of soil attributes via PM addition, which curtails Cd availability, combined with the bolstered immobilization of As and Cd by the Fe/Mn plaques., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Per., named as May Cang, is a rare deciduous evergreen tree and cultivated for its ethnopharmacological properties and medicinal uses. In 2020-2023, an outbreak of dieback disease was observed on the stems and branches of L. cubeba with above 80% disease incidence in a 150 hectare plantation in Yiyang, Hunan (N28°39'24"; E112°12'48"). In the early stages, water-soaked lesions appeared on the stems and branches. The infected sites turned elliptical in shape, dark brown, and swelled. The infected branches and stems died gradually. After scraping the bark from the diseased stems and branches under aseptic conditions, diseased tissues (5 mm2) from the diseased-healthy junction were cut off and placed on PDA containing penicillin (50 mg/L) at 25 ℃ to 28 ℃ in the dark for 3 to 4 days. Colonies from different tissues were subcultured by transferring the hyphal tip onto fresh PDA. Colonies with regular margin on PDA reached 60 mm diam after 3 d at 25℃ to 28℃, the aerial mycelia were woolly, grayish-white at first, gradually turned gray black after 14 days. No fruiting bodies were found on medium. On disease stems, conidia were hyaline, aseptate, granular, ellipsoid to obovoid, 18.0 to 33.4 × 5.5 to 9.8 μm (av. 25.6 × 7.4 μm, n=55). The internal transcribed spacers (ITS), 28S nrDNA (LSU), elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1), and β-tubulin (TUB2) of isolate ACCC35248 and ACCC35249 (stored in the Agricultural Culture Collection of China) were PCR amplified and sequenced for further identification with primer pairs: .ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), LROR/LR7 (Rehner et al. 1994), EF1-728F/EF-2 (Zhao et al. 2021) and TUB4Rd/TUB2Fd (Woudenberg et al. 2009), respectively. Obtained sequences of ITS, LSU, TEF1 and TUB2 (Genebank accessions nos. PP577627 and PP577624, PP588412 and PP588413, PP584319 and PP584320, PP584321 and PP584322) showed above 99% homology with these sequences of Cophinforma tumefaciens ex-type culture IMI 76762 (ITS: MW810287, TEF: MZ073950 and TUB: MZ073935) and MFLUCC 11-0425 (ITS: JX64680, LSU: JX646817, TEF: JX646865 and TUB: JX646848) (Liu et al, 2012). Phylogenetic analysis with maximum likelihood in MEGA 10.0 using the concatenated ITS-TEF-TUB sequences placed the isolates within the C. tumefaciens clade with 100% bootstrap support. Therefore, the fungus was identified as C. tumefaciens. One-year-old healthy L. cubeba seedlings were surface-sterilized with 75% ethanol, then wounded with sterile needles and a 6-mm-diameter fungal plug of 14-day-old cultures grown on PDA was put on the wound. Sterile PDA plugs were used as controls, and all inoculated sites were wrapped with plastic film. The tests were repeated twice. At 7 days post-inoculation, symptoms were observed at the inoculated sites and the upper branches of the inoculation site died back two months later, while no symptoms were observed on the control plants. C. tumefaciens was re-isolated from the inoculated stems. C. tumefaciens can infect various plants and cause disease worldwide (Zhao et al. 2021), and this is the first report of a quarantine pathogen causing dieback on L. cubeba in China. This information will assist in preventing further spread of this pathogen.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the accuracy of detection methods for the diagnosis of secondary caries around direct restorations in posterior teeth., Data: Accuracy parameters including sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), area under curve (AUC), and partial AUC (pAUC) are generated from studies assessing the accuracy of detection methods for secondary caries., Sources: Publications from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases., Study Selection/results: This review included 25 studies evaluating visual examination (V(laboratory); n = 9 & V(clinical); n = 2), tactile examination (T; n = 3), intra-oral radiography (IR; n = 14), cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT; n = 4), quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF; n = 4), laser fluorescence (LF; n = 8) and digital imaging fiber-optic transillumination (DIFOTI; n = 1). The pooled sensitivity [95 % Confidence Interval, CI] and specificity [95 % CI] of detection methods for secondary caries were 0.60[0.45-0.73] and 0.67[0.53-0.78] for V(laboratory); 0.82[0.23-0.99] and 0.77[0.15-0.98] for V(clinical); 0.31[0.25-0.39] and 0.95[0.78-0.99] for T; 0.59[0.52-0.66] and 0.82[0.75-0.88] for IR; 0.61[0.48-0.73] and 0.82[0.64-0.92] for CBCT; 0.71[0.64-0.78] and 0.51[0.40-0.62] for QLF; 0.57[0.43-0.71] and 0.81[0.76-0.85] for LF; and 0.63[0.47-0.76] and 0.95[0.90-0.98] for DIFOTI. DOR values [95 % CI] of the secondary caries detection methods were V(laboratory)-2.88[2.18-3.80]; V(clinical)-16.66[3.84-72.28]; T-6.36[1.12-36.28]; IR-6.55[3.44-12.46]; CBCT-6.18[1.42-26.91]; QLF-2.25[1.39-3.63]; LF-4.86[2.40-9.82]; and DIFOTI-30.00[11.94-75.36], respectively. Respective AUC (pAUC) were V-0.645(0.535); T-0.379(0.315); IR-0.767(0.693); CBCT-0.887(0.820); QLF-0.581(0.633) and LF-0.828(0.590). AUC values were not available for DIFOTI and V(clinical)., Conclusions: Among the seven types of detection method for secondary caries diagnosis, none of the detection methods demonstrate satisfactory accuracy in detecting secondary caries around direct restorations in posterior teeth., Clinical Significance: This systematic review provides insights for the clinician and researcher in selecting the clinical detection method for secondary caries diagnosis and facilitates clinical decision making., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors state that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of our study is to develop a deep learning (DL) model based on MRI and analyze its consistency with the treatment recommendations for degenerative cervical spine disorders provided by the spine surgeons at our hospital., Methods: In this study, MRI of patients who were hospitalized for cervical spine degenerative disorders at our hospital from July 2023 to July 2024 were primarily collected. The dataset was divided into a training set, a validation set, and an external validation set. Four versions of the DL model were constructed. The external validation set was used to assess the consistency between the DL model and spine surgeons' recommendations about indication of cervical spine surgery regarding the dataset., Results: This study collected a total of 756 MR images from 189 patients. The external validation set included 30 patients and a total of 120 MR images, consisting of 43 images for grade 0, 20 images for grade 1, and 57 images for grade 2. The region of interest (ROI) detection model completed the ROI detection task perfectly. For the binary classification (grades 0 and 1, 2), DL version 1 showed the best consistency with the spine surgeons, achieving a Cohen's Kappa value of 0.874. DL version 4 also achieved nearly perfect consistency, with a Cohen's Kappa value of 0.811. For the three-class classification, DL version 1 demonstrated the best consistency with the spine surgeons, achieving a Cohen's Kappa value of 0.743, while DL version 2 and DL version 4 also showed substantial consistency, with Cohen's Kappa values of 0.615 and 0.664, respectively., Conclusion: We initially developed deep learning algorithms that can provide clinical recommendations based on cervical spine MRI. The algorithm shows substantial consistency with experienced spine surgeons., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Li, Lu, Tian, Liu, Zhang, Qiu, Li, Zhang, Huang, Ye and Tian.)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the clinical performance of zirconia-based fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) in comparison to metal-ceramic (MC) FDPs., Methods: A comprehensive search on MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science (Core Collection), Scopus up to June 2024 was conducted. Studies that compared the success, survival and complication rates between zirconia based FDPs and MC FDPs were eligible for inclusion., Results: Thirty-one articles were identified, of which 22 were included for systematic review and 7 RCTs were included for meta-analysis. 10, 9 and 3 studies were classified to mean follow-up ≤ 5 years, 5 years < mean Follow-up ≤ 10 years, mean Follow-up >10 years, respectively. In the pooled analysis, 180 bilaminar zirconia (ZC) FDPs and 206 MC FDPs were included. ZC FDPs were significantly associated with more failures (RR=3.64, p = 0.009) and more Ceramic Chipping (RR=2.92, p < 0.0001) when compared to MC FDPs. Higher risks of Framework Fracture (RR=4.57, p = 0.18), Loss of Retention (RR=4.79, p = 0.17), Secondary Caries (RR=1.25, p = 0.68), Endodontic complications (RR=1.30, p = 0.74) and Marginal Integrity (RR=1.07, p = 0.88) were also found in ZC FDPs when compared to those of MC FDPs, but with no statistical difference., Conclusion: The current evidence continues to support the preference for traditional MC FDPs over ZC FDPs. Studies indicate that ZC FDPs have higher failure rates and more complications compared to MC FDPs, with ceramic chipping being a significant concern. There is lack of long term (>10 years follow-up) evidence of the clinical performance of ZC FDPs and monolithic zirconia FDPs., Clinical Significance: The study suggests that despite the growing popularity of zirconia, evidence shows MC FDPs may still be considered preferable to ZC FDPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest This study did not receive any grants from public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The aim of this superiority trial was to investigate the clinical outcomes of arthrocentesis as an early treatment supported by use of an occlusal splint vs use of an occlusal splint only in the management of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthralgia., Methods: Ninety-five adults presenting with TMJ arthralgia were recruited into the study and randomised into 2 groups: Group 1 received arthrocentesis as an early treatment supported by use of an occlusal splint, whereas group 2 received treatment with an occlusal splint only. Seventy-four patients (group 1: n = 37; group 2: n = 37) completed the 1-year follow-up schedule and were included in the final analysis. Reduction of pain intensity measured by a numeric rating scale and increase in mouth opening distance (unassisted maximal, assisted maximal, and pain-free) was seen in both treatment groups., Results: In group 1, pain intensity significantly decreased at 6 weeks and all subsequent time points compared with group 2. In terms of mouth opening distance, a significant improvement was observed in both groups during the course of treatment, but statistical significance was not seen between the 2 treatment groups., Conclusions: Early arthrocentesis supported by use of an occlusal splint is superior to use of an occlusal splint alone in the treatment of TMJ arthralgia. Arthrocentesis with occlusal splint support could be discussed as first-line treatment for arthralgia of the TMJ, which may co-occur with various painful and nonpainful conditions of TMJ disorders., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The effect of delignification on the adsorption capacity of loofah sponge-based immobilized metal affinity chromatography adsorbents was investigated with recombinant His-tagged trehalose synthase as the model protein. Pretreatments with [EMIM][Ac] ionic liquid at 80 °C for 5 h and with sodium chlorite/acetic acid at 80 °C for 2 h were found effective for the removal of lignin, leading to a loss in biomass of 15.7% and 25.2%, respectively. Upon delignification, the metal chelating capacities of the loofah sponge-based adsorbents prepared with 5-h ionic liquid pretreatment (712 ± 82 μmole Cu(II)/g) and with 2-h sodium chlorite/acetic acid pretreatment (1012 ± 18 μmole Cu(II)/g) were 38% and 97% higher than that of the control (514 ± 55 μmole Cu(II)/g), adsorbent prepared with untreated loofah sponge, respectively. Results of protein adsorption study indicated that the Co(II)-loaded adsorbent prepared with 2-h sodium chlorite/acetic acid pretreatment exhibited the highest adsorption capacity and selectivity for the recombinant His-tagged trehalose synthase, giving a purification product with a specific activity of 7.62 U/mg protein. The predicted maximum adsorption capacity of the delignified loofah sponge-based adsorbent, 2.04 ± 0.14 mg/g, was 73% higher than that of the control., (Copyright © 2024 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aims to assess the diagnostic performance of Sonazoid-contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in identifying definitive HCC within hepatic nodules in cirrhotic patients, comparing the KLCA-NCC 2022 and APASL 2017 diagnostic guidelines., Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed cirrhotic patients who underwent Sonazoid-CEUS for liver lesion evaluation between October 2019 and October 2023. HCC diagnosis was based on the KLCA-NCC 2022 and APASL 2017 guidelines. Inter-reader agreement on CEUS imaging features and the diagnostic accuracy of the guidelines were evaluated. Sensitivity and specificity comparisons were made using McNemar's test., Results: Among 400 patients with 432 lesions, CEUS showed excellent inter-reader consistency in detecting arterial phase hyperenhancement and Kupffer defects. The KLCA-NCC 2022 criteria notably enhanced sensitivity to 96.2%, with specificity and accuracy of 93.8% and 95.8%, respectively. APASL 2017 achieved the highest sensitivity at 97.8%, although specificity dropped to 46.9%, resulting in an accuracy of 90.3%. The KLCA-NCC 2022 guidelines demonstrated significantly higher specificity than APASL 2017 (p < 0.001), while APASL 2017 exhibited the highest sensitivity at 97.8%. Notably, the KLCA-NCC 2022 guidelines also demonstrated an impressive positive predictive value of 98.9%., Conclusion: Sonazoid-enhanced CEUS, particularly when applied using the KLCA-NCC 2022 guidelines, is an effective diagnostic tool for HCC., Critical Relevance Statement: Perfluorobutane CEUS, particularly in accordance with the KLCA-NCC 2022 guidelines, emerges as a valuable adjunct for diagnosing HCC in cirrhotic patients. It demonstrates superior positive predictive value and specificity compared to APASL 2017, underscoring its potential as an effective diagnostic tool., Key Points: Contrast-enhanced (CE)US using Sonazoid with KLCA-NCC 2022 guidelines is highly effective for HCC diagnosis. KLCA-NCC 2022 criteria showed high accuracy, 96.2% sensitivity, and 98.9% PPV. CEUS demonstrated excellent inter-reader consistency in detecting arterial phase hyperenhancement and Kupffer defects., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Study Design: Retrospective study., Objectives: The study aimed to develop and authenticated a deep learning model based on X-ray images to accurately diagnose fresh thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures., Summary of Background Data: In clinical practice, diagnosing fresh vertebral compression fractures often requires MRI. However, due to the scarcity of MRI resources and the high time and economic costs involved, some patients may not receive timely diagnosis and treatment. Using a deep learning model combined with X-rays for diagnostic assistance could potentially serve as an alternative to MRI., Methods: In this study, the main collection included X-ray images suspected of thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures from the municipal shared database between December 2012 and February 2024. Deep learning models were constructed using frameworks of EfficientNet, MobileNet, and MnasNet respectively. We conducted a preliminary evaluation of the deep learning model using the validation set. The diagnostic performance of the models was evaluated using metrics such as AUC value, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1 score, precision, and ROC curve. Finally, the deep learning models were compared with evaluations from two spine surgeons of different experience levels on the control set., Results: This study included a total of 3025 lateral X-ray images from 2224 patients. The dataset was divided into a training set of 2388 cases, a validation set of 482 cases, and a control set of 155 cases. In the validation set, the three groups of DL models had accuracies of 83.0%, 82.4%, and 82.2%, respectively. The AUC values were 0.861, 0.852, and 0.865, respectively. In the control set, the accuracies of the three groups of DL models were 78.1%, 78.1%, and 80.7%, respectively, all higher than spinal surgeons and significantly higher than junior spine surgeon., Conclusion: This study developed deep learning models for detecting fresh vertebral compression fractures, demonstrating high accuracy., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest declaration: The authors declare that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Computational enhancement is an important strategy for inferring high-resolution features from genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) data, which typically have limited resolution. Deep learning has been highly successful in this task but we show that it creates prevalent artificial structures in the enhanced data due to the need to divide the large contact matrix into small patches. In addition, previous deep learning methods largely focus on local patterns, which cannot fully capture the complexity of Hi-C data. Here we propose Smooth, High-resolution, and Accurate Reconstruction of Patterns (SHARP) for enhancing Hi-C data. It uses the novel approach of decomposing the data into three types of signals, due to one-dimensional proximity, contiguous domains, and other fine structures, and applies deep learning only to the third type of signals, such that enhancement of the first two is unaffected by the patches. For the deep learning part, SHARP uses both local and global attention mechanisms to capture multi-scale contextual information. We compare SHARP with state-of-the-art methods extensively, including application to data from new samples and another species, and show that SHARP has superior performance in terms of resolution enhancement accuracy, avoiding creation of artificial structures, identifying significant interactions, and enrichment in chromatin states.

Objectives: To investigate the rate and risk factors of tip displacement of umbilical venous catheterization (UVC) in preterm infants. Methods: This was a multicenter cohort study. Study population were preterm infants admitted to 44 tertiary hospitals in China between October 2019 and August 2021. Demographic information, general clinical data, UVC indwelling conditions and related complications were collected. The primary outcome was the rate of UVC tip displacement. The observation time points were 2 d and 7 d after UVC. They were grouped according to UVC displacement, gestational age, and birth weight. Binary Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of UVC tip displacement. Results: The 2 086 preterm infants had a gestational age of (29.9±2.3) weeks and a birth weight of (1 248±298) g. There were 1 106 male preterm infants (53.0%). The rate of UVC displacement at 2 d and 7 d were 34.6% (721/2 086) and 33.6% (494/1 470), respectively, with no statistically significant difference ( χ 2 =0.35, P =0.533). Univariate analysis indicated that male infants, small gestational age, low birth weight and small catheter diameter were all risk factors for UVC tip displacement at the 2 d time point (all P <0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that small catheter diameter was an independent risk factor for tip displacement at both 2 d ( OR= 0.47, 95% CI 0.34-0.66) and 7 d ( OR= 0.39, 95% CI 0.25-0.59) time points (both P <0.001). Conclusions: The rate of UVC tip displacement is high in preterm infants. It should be avoided to deliberately select a small diameter catheter for UVC, and pay attention to the imaging monitoring of the tip position after UVC.

In recent years, with the continuous deepening of the theory of Wu Yun Liu Qi, the application of Zitan in Shenping Decoction and Shengming Decoction has gradually become widespread. Because Zitan is an imported herbal medicine, it is not commonly used in modern medicine and known as an unusual medicinal material. The unclear original plants may affect the clinical application of this medicine. This study reviewed the ancient Chinese books of materia medica and analyzed the records about Zitan in various aspects with consideration to the introduction and cultivation of Santalum album and leguminous rosewood and the history of furniture in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Comprehensive textual research was carried out regarding the nomenclature, producing area, original plant, and efficacy. The results indicated that Zitan had a long history of application. The ancient Chinese books of materia medica recorded that Zitan was mainly distributed in Southeast Asian countries, with a salty taste and a cold nature, entering the blood. It was primarily used to treat toxin-and wind-related conditions and wounds and stop bleeding. With the rise of hardwood furniture in the Ming Dynasty, various leguminous rosewood species were imported into China. Because of the purple color, Pterocarpus santalinus and P. indicus were mistakenly named Zitan, leading to confused original plants of this medicine. Consequently, after the Qing Dynasty, these leguminous rosewood plants started to be used medicinally. This textual research confirms that the Zitan used as a traditional Chinese medicine refers to a purple variant of S. album rather than P. santalinus or P. indicus. This clarification narrows the scope of identification and supports the clinical application of Zitan.

Post-radiation nasopharyngeal necrosis (PRNN) is a rare but life-threatening condition that often poses a diagnostic challenge in imaging studies owing to its overlapping features with recurrent nasopharyngeal tumours. We herein describe the characteristic imaging appearance of PRNN on post-contrast T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/CT which may provide insights into its pathological findings., (© 2024 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.)

Purpose: Participation in acute leukemia clinical trials is inequitable across multiple sociodemographic categories. Tools that provide researchers with performance feedback on the representativeness of the patients they enroll are limited. We aimed to develop an electronic health record (EHR)-based dashboard to provide such feedback and to describe any enrollment inequities uncovered., Methods: We created a visual dashboard linking leukemia clinical trial registration and EHR data at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Accuracy of a patient inclusion and assignment algorithm was tested with a target area under the receiver-operator curve (AUROC) of >0.90 against manual review. Demographic metric identification, visualization construction, and dashboard refinement were performed through stakeholder cognitive testing. Analysis of a recent 5-year cohort generated by the final algorithm assessed bivariate associations between enrollment and demographic metrics. Multivariable logistic regression included significant bivariate results., Results: The final algorithm assignment AUROC was 0.98. Metrics were identified and visualizations successfully constructed. Fourteen individuals participated in testing and identified areas for revision: category mergers, denominator filters, and data delivery preferences. In the initial cohort of 1,315 patients, 1,020 (77.6%) had enrolled in any study protocol: 553 (42.1%) in a treatment trial and 936 (71.2%) in a biobanking study. In a multivariable model, older age (odds ratio [OR], 0.83 [95% CI, 0.73 to 0.94]) and Non-Hispanic Black race-ethnicity (OR, 0.38 [95% CI, 0.18 to 0.82]) were associated with lower enrollment, and English primary language with higher enrollment (OR, 2.50 [95% CI, 1.30 to 4.79])., Conclusion: We developed a research participation equity performance feedback dashboard for clinical researchers, and we identified actionable inequities. Next steps include feasibility and efficacy testing as well as implementation.

Background: Conventional transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (TV-ICD) is the standard device used for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Nonetheless its use is associated with lead-related complications including infection and malfunction. A subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) offers an alternative option without the need for a transvenous lead but has limitations. The decision to implant a TV-ICD or S-ICD in patients with impaired LVEF for primary prevention of SCD is controversial. Several randomised controlled trials and large observational studies have confirmed similar safety and efficacy of S-ICDs and TV-ICDs in such population., Methods: A literature review was conducted to compare the outcomes of subcutaneous (S-ICD) versus transvenous (TV-ICD) implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. Databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane were searched for relevant peer-reviewed articles. Studies were selected based on relevance and quality. Key outcomes like complication rates, efficacy, and patient survival were summarized in a comparative table., Results: Different factors that influence the choice between an TV-ICD and S-ICD for primary prevention of SCD in patients with LVEF are highlighted to guide selection of the appropriate device in different patient populations. Moreover, future perspective on the combination of SICD with leadless pacemaker, and the latest development of the extravascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator are also discussed., Conclusions: S-ICD offers a safe and efficacious option to primary prevention in reduced ejection fraction. Future development including incorporation of leadless pacemaker will add to the arsenal of choice to protect patients from sudden cardiac death., (© 2024 The Author(s). Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: We aimed to assess how daily-living-related contextual cueing (DLCC) affects memory performance in three groups: healthy older adults (HA), those with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), while accounting for age and education., Methods: After gathering demographic information, participants underwent neuropsychological assessments including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Everyday Cognition Scale (ECog-12), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Trail Making Test (TMT) to establish baseline characteristics. Participants were categorized into HA ( N = 47), SCD ( N = 54), and MCI ( N = 43) groups based on MoCA and ECog-12 scores. Memory performance was evaluated through two components of the Contextual Memory Test (CMT): one with non-contextual cues and the other with daily-living-related contextual cues., Results: Interaction effects between contextual cueing and group for immediate recall ( p < .001), delayed recall ( p < .001), and total recall ( p < .001) were found. All recall scores were lower in the MCI group than in the other two groups in the contextual cueing, not non-contextual. The post-hoc results revealed that scores on immediate recall, delayed recall, and total recall were lower in the MCI group than in the other two groups in the contextual cueing condition but not in the non-contextual cueing one., Conclusions: Daily-living-related contextual cueing benefited HA, SCD, and younger-adult MCI groups more than older-adult MCI group, particularly enhancing delayed and total memory performance., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Background: A high burden of respiratory pathogens colonizing removable prosthesis surfaces suggests the potential of association between removable prosthesis-wearing and respiratory infections. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the evidence from clinical studies concerning the association between removable prosthesis-wearing and respiratory infections., Methods: Clinical studies that reported respiratory infections associated with adult patients wearing removable prostheses in any centers (hospitals and nursing homes) or communities were included. Literature was searched across five electronic databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus) to 28 May 2024. An additional search was performed for unpublished trials and references cited in related studies. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was employed for the quality assessment. The certainty assessment was established using GRADE. The results were pooled using a frequentist random-effects meta-analysis and the odds ratios generated., Results: A total of 1143 articles were identified. Thirteen articles had full-text articles screening and an additional two articles were added through reference linkage. Ultimately, six non-randomized clinical studies reporting various types of pneumonia contributed to this review. Overall odds of having pneumonia among prosthesis wearers were 1.43 (95% CI: 0.76 to 2.69) and 1.27 (95% CI: 1.11 to 1.46) using the random- and fixed-effects models, respectively. The heterogeneity in the meta-analysis was substantial. In subgroup analysis according to the study design, the heterogeneity within prospective studies was much reduced, I 2  = 0% (p = 0.355). The certainty of the evidence evaluated using the GRADE approach was low to very low evidence for prosthesis wearers developing pneumonia based on studies., Conclusions: There was no conclusive evidence from the non-randomized clinical studies supporting whether prosthesis-wearing is a risk factor for pneumonia based on outcomes from this review., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: To explore the associations of computed tomography (CT) image features with the serum cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) titers measured by the lateral flow assay (LFA) in localized pulmonary cryptococcosis patients., Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with pathologically confirmed pulmonary cryptococcosis admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from January 2016 to December 2022 was performed. Clinical data, CT results, serum CrAg-LFA test results, and follow-up data were collected and analyzed., Results: A total of 107 patients with localized pulmonary cryptococcosis were included, of which 31 had a single lesion in chest CT and the other 76 had multiple lesions. The positivity rate was (94.74% vs 64.52%) and titers of serum CrAg-LFA (1.77 ± 0.87 vs 0.91 ± 0.98) in the multiple lesion group were higher than those in the single lesion group, respectively. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the serum CrAg titers were positively associated with the number of lesions (β, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.12) and the lesion size (β, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.50) after adjusting other covariates. The serum CrAg-LFA titers of 60 pulmonary cryptococcosis patients showed a decreasing trend with the reduction in pulmonary lesion size after effective therapy., Conclusion: In pulmonary cryptococcosis patients, the number and size of lung lesions are positively correlated with the titers of the serum CrAg-LFA test. The CrAg-LFA test could be a useful tool for the diagnosis, severity assessment, and therapeutic monitoring of localized pulmonary cryptococcosis patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)