A systematic review of blunt abdominal aortic injury and analysis of predictors of death

At present, research on blunt abdominal aortic injury (BAAI) is limited, with the majority being case reports. Consequently, there is a significant knowledge gap concerning this condition. To address this, we conducted a systematic review by extensively searching major databases. We included all literature that provided individual (non-identifiable) data on BAAI patients, irrespective of the study design. Furthermore, we undertook regression analyses to identify predictors of death after BAAI. The search yielded 2,099 results, leading to the inclusion of 102 case reports and one conference abstract. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist for assessment, all studies were deemed of medium to high quality. In total, 133 patients were included, with a median age of 34 years, and 73.7% being male. The predominant clinical manifestation was pain, reported in 65.6% of patients. The most frequently observed aortic lesion severity was grade A (intimal tear or intramural hematoma) at 46.9%, and the most common lesion location was zone III (infrarenal aorta) in 88.3% of cases.  The overall mortality after BAAI was 15.3%. Multivariate regression analyses revealed the following predictors of death after BAAI: lower limb ischemia (relative risk [RR] = 7.137, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.154 - 44.161), cardiopulmonary arrest (RR = 10.250, 95% CI 1.452 - 72.344), and injuries to body parts other than the abdomen and lumbar spine (RR = 2.593, 95% CI 1.189 - 5.655). In conclusion, this review provides a detailed quantitative summary of BAAI's clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, emphasizing its high mortality rate and identifying three critical variables as predictors of death

Extracts of Cistanche deserticola

The senescence accelerated mouse prone 8 substrain (SAM-P8), widely accepted as an animal model for studying aging and antiaging drugs, was used to examine the effects of dietary supplementation with extracts of Cistanche deserticola (ECD) which has been used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine because of its perceived ability to promote immune function in the elderly. Eight-month-old male SAM-P8 mice were treated with ECD by daily oral administrations for 4 weeks. The results showed that dietary supplementation of 150 mg/kg and 450 mg/kg of ECD could extend the life span measured by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis in dose-dependent manner. Dietary supplementation of SAM-P8 mice for 4 weeks with 100, 500, and 2500 mg/kg of ECD was shown to result in significant increases in both naive T and natural killer cells in blood and spleen cell populations. In contrast, peripheral memory T cells and proinflammatory cytokine, IL-6 in serum, were substantially decreased in the mice that ingested 100 and 500 mg/kg of ECD daily. Additionally, Sca-1 positive cells, the recognized progenitors of peripheral naive T cells, were restored in parallel. Our results provide clear experimental support for long standing clinical observational studies showing that Cistanche deserticola possesses significant effects in extending life span and suggest this is achieved by antagonizing immunosenescence

At-home disposal practices of used insulin needles among patients with diabetes in China: A single-center, cross-sectional study

BackgroundMost insulin injections for people with diabetes are administered at home, thus generating many used needles. Unsafe disposal of these at-home needles can lead to needle stick injuries, blood-borne disease transmission, and environmental contamination. Previous studies have shown varying results on the prevalence of and factors associated with safe sharps disposal practices of people with diabetes.ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of and the factors associated with the safe disposal of used insulin needles among patients with diabetes.MethodsWe collected data from 271 insulin-using patients at a tertiary care hospital in China. A self-designed instrument was used to assess sociodemographic data, disease- and treatment-related characteristics, sharps disposal practices, education on diabetes self-management and sharps disposal, and awareness of the potential risks associated with unsafe sharps disposal. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore factors associated with safe sharps disposal practices.ResultsOnly 10.3% (28/271) of participants disposed of used at-home insulin needles in a safe manner, and 14.8% (45/271) of participants had received previous instruction on sharps disposal. Previous sharps disposal instruction (AOR = 4.143, 95% CI = 1.642–10.450) and awareness of the risk of blood-borne pathogen transmission (AOR = 3.064, 95% CI = 1.332–7.046) were associated with safe disposal of used insulin needles.ConclusionIn our study, the prevalence of safe sharps disposal practices was low, and a minority of respondents had received previous instruction on sharps disposal. Participants who had previously received instruction and were aware of the risk of blood-borne pathogen transmission were more likely to handle sharps safely. Our study findings suggest that health care professionals should pay attention to sharps disposal practices of patients with diabetes and conduct diabetes education programs that include information on safe sharps disposal methods and potential hazards of unsafe sharps disposal

A laser-engraved wearable sensor for sensitive detection of uric acid and tyrosine in sweat

Wearable sweat sensors have the potential to provide continuous measurements of useful biomarkers. However, current sensors cannot accurately detect low analyte concentrations, lack multimodal sensing or are difficult to fabricate at large scale. We report an entirely laser-engraved sensor for simultaneous sweat sampling, chemical sensing and vital-sign monitoring. We demonstrate continuous detection of temperature, respiration rate and low concentrations of uric acid and tyrosine, analytes associated with diseases such as gout and metabolic disorders. We test the performance of the device in both physically trained and untrained subjects under exercise and after a protein-rich diet. We also evaluate its utility for gout monitoring in patients and healthy controls through a purine-rich meal challenge. Levels of uric acid in sweat were higher in patients with gout than in healthy individuals, and a similar trend was observed in serum

Molecular characterization of immunogenic cell death indicates prognosis and tumor microenvironment infiltration in osteosarcoma

IntroductionOsteosarcoma (OS) is a highly aggressive bone malignancy with a poor prognosis, mainly in children and adolescents. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is classified as a type of programmed cell death associated with the tumor immune microenvironment, prognosis, and immunotherapy. However, the feature of the ICD molecular subtype and the related tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune cell infiltration has not been carefully investigated in OS.MethodsThe ICD-related genes were extracted from previous studies, and the RNA expression profiles and corresponding data of OS were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus database. The ICD-related molecular subtypes were classed by the "ConsensusclusterPlus" package and the construction of ICD-related signatures through univariate regression analysis. ROC curves, independent analysis, and internal validation were used to evaluate signature performance. Moreover, a series of bioinformatic analyses were used for Immunotherapy efficacy, tumor immune microenvironments, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity between the high- and low-risk groups.ResultsHerein, we identified two ICD-related subtypes and found significant heterogeneity in clinical prognosis, TME, and immune response signaling among distinct ICD subtypes. Subsequently, a novel ICD-related prognostic signature was developed to determine its predictive performance in OS. Also, a highly accurate nomogram was then constructed to improve the clinical applicability of the novel ICD-related signature. Furthermore, we observed significant correlations between ICD risk score and TME, immunotherapy response, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. Notably, the in vitro experiments further verified that high GALNT14 expression is closely associated with poor prognosis and malignant progress of OS.DiscussionHence, we identified and validated that the novel ICD-related signature could serve as a promising biomarker for the OS's prognosis, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy response prediction, providing guidance for personalized and accurate immunotherapy strategies for OS

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

<b>Profiling of lysine lactylation </b>

Tumor cells generate energy through glycolysis, and produces lactate as a byproduct. The lactate can be used as a substrate for lysine lactylation (Kla), a post-translational modification that may contribute to cell's survival and growth in certain tumors. However, the role of lactylation in colorectal cancer (CRC) is still unclear. Here, we found that Kla was higher in CRC cells.</p

Comparative Analysis of Visual Performance and Optical Quality with a Rotationally Asymmetric Multifocal Intraocular Lens and an Apodized Diffractive Multifocal Intraocular Lens

Purpose. To compare the short-term visual outcomes and intraocular optical performance of a rotationally asymmetric multifocal intraocular lens (MIOL) (SBL-3, Lenstec, Inc., Christ Church, Barbados) and an apodized diffractive MIOL (the Acrysof IQ ResTOR SN6AD1, Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, United States). Methods. A prospective, comparative, nonrandomized, and single-center study. Sixty-eight age-related cataract patients (81 eyes) after phacoemulsification cataract surgery and in-the-bag MIOL implantation were enrolled. Thirty-eight eyes received SBL-3, and 43 eyes received SN6AD1. Ophthalmological evaluation included uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (UIVA), uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), modulation transfer function (MTF), Strehl ratio (SR), intraocular aberrations (4 mm optical zone), and defocus curve at 3 months postoperatively. The Chinese version of the visual function index-14 (VF-12-CN) and spectacle independence were assessed in all patients. Results. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in postoperative UDVA (p=0.186). Postoperative UIVA and UNVA were significantly better for the SBL-3 group than for the SN6AD1 group (p0.05). Conclusions. Both MIOLs were able to successfully restore visual function after cataract surgery. SBL-3 provided better UIVA and UNVA with a wider range of intermediate vision

B, N co-doping graphene nanoribbons as effective oxygen reduction electrocatalyst

In this study, a facile method was used to synthesize B, N-co-doped graphene nanoribbons (BN-GNRs), with g-C _3 N _4 as a source of N and boric acid as a source of B, for use as an effective electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Numerous wavy edges are exposed in GNRs, and these exposed wavy edges provide doping positions for N and B atoms. Compared with single doping of B or N, co-doping of B and N with opposite electronegativity can increase the doping amounts. Thus, the obtained BN-GNRs catalyst has tremendous graphitic- and pyridinic-N active sites, which are beneficial to oxygen adsorption and desorption and to electron mass transfer. Additionally, the interaction between nearby N and B can promote the ORR’s catalytic process and conversion efficiency. BN-GNRs demonstrate strong ORR performance, better selectivity, and stability. Moreover, their half-wave potential can reach 0.852 V in alkaline electrolyte, similar to that for Pt/C. This study shows that BN-GNRs can be employed as an effective metal-free ORR catalyst to replace commercial Pt/C