Browse Articles

Autophagy and extracellular vesicles mediate cisplatin resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma with LC3B-II as a potential non-invasive biomarker

Broussonetia papyrifera ameliorates imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation in mice by modulating the TLR4/NF-κB and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease, and the inflammatory response plays an important role in its development and progression. Psoriasis can appear at any age and occurs around the world. The pathogenesis of psoriasis has not been fully elucidated, and there is currently no effective treatment method in clinical practice. Broussonetia papyrifera is a traditional Chinese medicine that exhibited a significant therapeutic effect on psoriasis in our previous study due to its remarkable anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. However, its mechanism of action in treating psoriasis is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the anti-psoriasis effect of the B. papyrifera leaves extract (PLE) in vivo and to explore its potential effects. PLE effectively alleviated imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like lesions, reduced psoriasis lesion area and severity index, decreased epidermal hyperplasia, ameliorated the oxidative stress-induced changes in the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced the levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-17A. PLE can also reduce the protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, p-NF-κBp65, p-IκBα, p-PI3K and p-AKT induced by IMQ model. Our findings suggest that PLE is effective in improving psoriasis-like symptoms, which might be ascribed to the inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB and PI3K/AKT inflammation pathway. Our study demonstrates the potential mechanism of a natural source of PLE for the treatment of psoriasis. However, it is important to note that these findings lack clinical validation, and further studies are required to validate these results in clinical settings. Additionally, PLE shows potential in being a cost-effective alternative compared to existing biologics, which could have broader implications for psoriasis treatment in the future.

Author Correction: Placenta-specific1 (PLAC1) is a potential target for antibody-drug conjugate-based prostate cancer immunotherapy

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy for temporomandibular disorder: A randomized clinical trial

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy (CMT) for temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) remain unclear. Here, we compared the effectiveness of CMT and usual care for treating myofascial TMD. A 26-week randomized controlled trial was conducted from 2018 to 2019 with 80 patients across five hospitals in Korea who were diagnosed with myofascial TMD and had temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain lasting more than three months. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the CMT group, which underwent eight sessions of CMT over four weeks, or the usual care (UC) group, which received physical therapy for the same period. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated in terms of pain, function, and quality of life over 26 weeks. For determining cost-effectiveness, quality-adjusted life years (QALY) were analyzed, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios from the societal and healthcare system perspectives were calculated. At week 5, the visual analog scale (VAS) scores decreased more in the CMT group than in the control group, although the difference was statistically insignificant. The CMT group showed significant improvement in specific functional and quality of life measures, particularly in the EuroQoL-VAS (-13.21 (95% confidence interval [CI] -20.03 to -6.38) and the Jaw Functional Limitation Scale-Global score of 0.59 (95% CI 0.13 to 1.05), through improvements were not consistent across all indices. The CMT group showed a slightly higher QALY, and the 26-week incremental cost in the CMT group was $338 lower than that of the usual care group. The cost of CMT was $150 higher than that of usual care, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per utility ranged from $4,011 to $17,851. When a “willingness to pay for treatment ($26,375)” threshold was applied, the probability of CMT being cost-effective was 68.1%–98.3%. Despite no significant differences in pain reduction at week 5, CMT was found to be a cost-effective treatment for TMD, particularly for improving function and quality of life. These findings may serve as a basis for considering the expansion of national health insurance coverage for Chuna therapy in Korea. Trial Registration: Clinical Research Information Service KCT0003192

Synchrony perception of audiovisual speech is a reliable, yet individual construct

Abstract Audiovisual (AV) (a)synchrony perception, measured by a simultaneity judgment task, provides a proxy measure for the temporal binding window (TBW), the interval of time within which participants perceive individual auditory and visual events as synchronous. The TBW is a sensitive measure showing group level differences across the lifespan. However, the significance of these findings hinges on whether AV synchrony perception is characteristic to an individual and whether it is reliable across sessions. As there is little evidence to this latter assumption, this work aimed to establish test-retest reliability of the TBW. Eighteen participants completed a simultaneity judgment task, twice, on different days, where they judged whether or not the audio and video of word-length speech stimuli were presented at the same or different times. Results showed effects of task familiarity indicated by significantly faster response times observed at the second timepoint. The slope and amplitude asymptote of the TBW also increased, however no change in TBW suggests no change in sensitivity to AV (a)synchrony. The combination of high within-subject correlations (R = 0.71) and substantial intersubject variability provide strong support for the TBW as a robust measure of AV temporal perception, and suggest a conserved mechanistic underpinning within individuals.

Retraction: Digital inclusive finance, R&D investment, and green technology innovation nexus

Reliable investigation of DNA methylation using Oxford nanopore technologies

Performance of BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv lactate dehydrogenase-based malaria rapid diagnostic test among pregnant women with suspected malaria infection in Bahir Dar City Administration, northwest Ethiopia

Background Malaria during pregnancy is a common public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. It poses a double burden as it affects the health of mothers, their fetuses and neonates. Moreover, due to malaria parasites sequestration in the placenta, microscopy might miss infections. Hence, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are good alternatives for diagnosing malaria in pregnancy even at health facilities or periphery or lower-level healthcare facilities (e.g., health posts). However, performance of RDTs should be closely monitored as their sensitivity and specificity are affected by many factors. Methods A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 302 pregnant women with suspected malaria infection to evaluate the performance of the newly introduced BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv plasmodial lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) RDT. Venous blood samples were collected from all eligible pregnant women and tested for Plasmodium infection using BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv and CareStart™ Pf/Pv RDTs, microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) following standard protocols. The performance of BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv was evaluated using the following parameters: sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and kappa-value. These parameters were calculated using online SISA software. Results Of the 302 pregnant women with complete data, 166 (55.0%), 180 (59.6%), 191 (63.2%) and 207 (68.5%) tested positive by CareStart™ Pf/Pv, BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv, microscopy and PCR, respectively. The sensitivity of BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv in detecting P. falciparum was 89.4%, 75.4% and 55.6% as compared to CareStart™ Pf/Pv, microscopy and PCR tests, respectively, while the sensitivity for P. vivax was 81.8%, 84.3% and 86.7%, respectively. The specificity of BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv was > 90% when compared to all the three diagnostic tests. When considering PCR as a reference test, BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv was more sensitive (55.6%) than CareStart™ Pf/Pv (37.6%) for detecting P. falciparum but had similar sensitivity (86.7%) in detecting P. vivax. Conclusions BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv performed better for the diagnosis of P. falciparum infection in pregnant women than the previously in-use CareStart™ Pf/Pv. We recommend using the BIOCREDIT Pf/Pv RDT in Ethiopia for the diagnosis of both species given the high prevalence and widespread nature of the hrp2/3 gene deletion in the country.

Exploiting tethered and untethered UAVs: a hybrid aerial communication system

Comprehensive assessment of snow leopard distribution and population in the Indian Trans-Himalaya, Ladakh: Standardizing methods for evidence-based conservation

Effective conservation of threatened species depends on accurate scientific assessment of their occurrence and population status. This information is often lacking or has poor scientific reliability for low-density carnivores, such as snow leopards (Panthera uncia) that inhabit remote and challenging habitats. We address prevalent sampling and study design limitations and evaluate the population and distribution of snow leopards and their prey using a double sampling approach across the Trans-Himalayan Ladakh (~59,000 km2), India. We used spatial data on the sign occurrence of snow leopards, collected by replicate sign surveys of 6,149 km to model occupancy and potential distribution. Regions representing varying occupancy were used to stratify density-estimation using spatially explicit capture-recapture by sampling 956 camera trap locations with an effort of 97,313 trap nights. Camera traps captured 26,130 images of 126 unique snow leopards identified by a pattern recognition program using their distinctive forehead pelage patterns. Low-elevation grassy and resource-rich regions, with moderate climatic conditions and complex terrain had higher presence of herbivores and consequently higher occupancy of snow leopards. Density of snow leopards was estimated at ~ 1 per 100 km2 with a large movement parameter (σ) of 4.09 (SE 0.15) km and detection at home-range centre (g0) of 0.003 (SE 0.0003). Snow leopard density reached up to 3.18 per 100 km2 and was driven by the distribution of their wild and domestic prey in suitable habitats. The snow leopards in Ladakh occupied 47,572 km2, holding globally highest extensive densities of snow leopards in Hemis National Park (2.073 ± 0.278 per 100 km²), Kargil (1.257 ± 0.480 per 100 km²), and Leh (1.029 ± 0.434 per 100 km²), and making one of the world’s largest contiguous populations of 477 (CI 380–598) snow leopards. This population holds global significance as an important source of snow leopards, predominantly (61%) occurring in multi-use areas and closely linked with wild and domestic herbivores. We offer a robust and comprehensive method for large-scale population estimation of snow leopards, applicable globally. The co-occurrence of humans and wildlife across the landscape underscores the need for inclusive and evidence-based conservation planning, especially considering the impending large-scale infrastructural development and escalating global climatic changes.

The relationship between physical activity, life satisfaction, emotional regulation, and physical self esteem among college students

Nerve injury induces pain hypersensitivity and anxiety-related behaviours and is associated with amygdala activation in male mice

Background Neuropathic pain is a common health problem, often accompanied by anxiety. The amygdala plays a crucial role in emotional processing and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the central amygdala (CeA) are primary components of the amygdala. The c-Fos is considered indicative of neuronal activation. We studied whether BLA and CeA are activated and their internal activation when chronic neuralgia occurs. Methods The spared nerve injury (SNI) model was employed for this investigation. Mechanical paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) were utilized for assessing pain hypersensitivity, followed by observation of anxiety-like behaviors using the elevated plus maze test (EPMT) and the open field test (OFT). The c-Fos in BLA and CeA were measured by immunofluorescence staining. Results We found that SNI mice exhibit pain hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behaviors. The expression of c-Fos in the BLA and CeA was upregulated in SNI mice. Besides, there were spatial differences in c-Fos expression between BLA and CeA. Conclusion The BLA and CeA showed activation in chronic pain and associated anxiety, and there were spatial differences in this activation. Targeting the amygdala may hold promise for treating chronic nerve pain with anxiety-like behaviors.

Clinical implication of aberrant choroidal feeding artery in type 1 macular neovasculopathy

Visual fields after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for retinopathy of prematurity

It is known that laser photocoagulation for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can cause visual field defects. There are no reports comparing the visual fields of ROP patients treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy and those of normal controls. A retrospective cohort study was conducted for the anti-VEGF therapy group and a prospective study was carried out for the normal control group. Visual fields were tested using Goldmann perimetry. The viewing angles in eight directions (upper, nasal-upper, nasal, nasal-lower, lower, temporal-lower, temporal and temporal-upper) and the total angle were compared between the two groups. Children aged 4 years and older who could undergo a visual field test were included. The anti-VEGF therapy group comprised children treated for Type 1 ROP with intravitreal injections of bevacizumab or ranibizumab between April 2010 and September 2019. The normal control group comprised children with best-corrected visual acuity of 1.0 or better, and without a history of any ophthalmologic diseases that cause visual field defects. Thirteen eyes of 7 patients in the anti-VEGF therapy group and 10 eyes of 5 patients in the normal control group met the criteria. The visual field angles were significantly narrower in the anti-VEGF therapy group, compared with the normal control group, for the total, and the upper, nasal-upper, nasal-lower, lower, temporal-lower, temporal and temporal-upper directions (502 versus 540 degrees, P = 0.002; 53 versus 57 degrees, P = 0.02; 55 versus 62 degrees, P = 0.04; 56 versus 61 degrees, P = 0.005; 60 versus 66 degrees, P = 0.005; 72 versus 77 degrees, P = 0.04; 82 versus 90 degrees, P = 0.005; and 62 versus 72 degrees, P = 0.002, respectively). Patients with ROP may exhibit narrower-than-normal visual fields after anti-VEGF therapy.

Leveraging AI-enabled mobile learning platforms to enhance the effectiveness of English teaching in universities

Serum uric acid level as a prognostic biomarker in critically ill patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury: A retrospective single-center study

Background The predictive value of serum uric acid (SUA) for clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) remained unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of SUA in predicting all-cause mortality among critically ill patients diagnosed with SA-AKI. Methods This retrospective study examined 483 patients with SA-AKI at the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from January 2015 to July 2023. The primary outcome evaluated in this study was in hospital all-cause mortality. To assess the prognostic value of SUA, we employed receiver operating characteristic curves, restricted cubic splines, Cox regression models, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results The hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality reached 43.3% and 42.2%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the risk of 30-day mortality (log-rank test, P < 0.001) and 60-day mortality (log-rank test, P = 0.001) was significantly higher in patients with hyperuricemia (HUA). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that elevated SUA levels were significantly related to all-cause mortality. After accounting for potential confounding factors, patients with HUA maintained a significant correlation with both hospital mortality [HR (95%CI): 1.462 (1.094-1.952); P = 0.010] and ICU mortality [HR (95%CI): 1.474 (1.096-1.983); P = 0.010]. Further examination using restricted cubic splines revealed a progressively increasing risk of all-cause mortality with rising SUA levels. Conclusions Higher levels of SUA were associated with an increased risk of both hospital mortality and ICU mortality in critically ill patients with SA-AKI. These findings suggested that SUA may serve as an independent prognostic marker for these patients.

In silico design of novel pyridazine derivatives as balanced multifunctional agents against Alzheimer’s disease

Phase-Migrating Z-Scheme Charge Transportation Enables Photoredox Catalysis Harnessing Water as an Electron Source

Transfer Learning-Enabled Ligand Prediction for Ni-Catalyzed Atroposelective Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Based on Mechanistic Similarity: Leveraging Pd Knowledge for Ni Discovery

Evaluation of scientific and technological innovation efficiency at Shandong Vocational and Technical University of international studies: A two-stage DEA model approach

Vocational undergraduate education is an important part of the higher education system, and science and technology innovation is a major function of vocational undergraduate education. Based on the theory of innovation value chain, the scientific and technological innovation activities of colleges and universities can be divided into two stages: knowledge innovation and results transformation. In this paper, we built the shared-input-type correlation DEA (Data envelopment analysis) model of additional inputs, measured the basic data of Shandong Vocational and Technical University of International Studies during the period of 2013–2022 after its schooling went into a formalized way, and estimated the trend information of the scientific and technological research efficiency of Shandong Vocational and Technical University of International Studies based on the comprehensive consideration of the intermediate output reinvestment, the distribution of initial inputs in the sub-stage and the new inputs in the second stage. Our key findings are: the scientific research input-output efficiency of Shandong Vocational and Technical University of International Studies shows a rapid growth trend, from 0.6194 in 2013 to 0.9091 in 2022, and its scientific research efficiency growth rate has increased by 46.77%, with an average annual growth rate of 4.68%. This increase in research efficiency is crucial, as it enhances the institution’s ability to contribute to regional economic development, improves research productivity, and strengthens its role in advancing vocational education. On this basis, we propose targeted policy recommendations, including increasing funding allocation for R&D activities, improving resource utilization efficiency, introducing high-level research talents, and enhancing the alignment between research outputs and industry needs through curriculum adjustments and stronger university-industry collaboration.