Latent profile analysis of adverse effects associated with endocrine therapy in prostate cancer patients based on the theory of unpleasant symptoms

Objective·Based on the theory of unpleasant symptoms, to investigate the current status of adverse effects associated with endocrine therapy in prostate cancer patients, and identify the difference of population specificity in each latent category.Methods·From June 2022 to September 2022, 274 patients with endocrine therapy for prostate cancer in the Urology Department of Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were selected by convenience sampling method. Adverse reactions associated with endocrine therapy were investigated by basic information questionnaire and simplified Chinese version of the aging male′s symptoms scale. Latent profile analysis was conducted and the differences of population characteristics among categories were assessed based on t-test, variance analysis and multiple Logistic regression. Perform latent profile analysis was performed by using Mplus 8.3 to identify latent classes of endocrine treatment-related adverse events in prostate cancer patients.Results·Adverse reactions associated with endocrine therapy in patients with prostate cancer could be divided into three groups: mild-symptom group (n=96, 35.0%), moderate-symptom group (n=111, 40.5%) and severe-symptom group (n=67,24.5%). Compared to patients with mild symptoms, those in the moderate-symptom group had significant differences in psychosocial adaptation (OR=1.038, 95%CI 1.018‒1.060, P=0.000), and whether genetic detection was performed (OR=0.336, 95%CI 0.129‒0.879, P=0.026). Compared to patients with mild symptoms, those in the severe-symptom group had significant differences in psychosocial adaptation (OR=1.027, 95%CI 1.003‒1.051, P=0.024), disease uncertainty (OR=1.021, 95%CI 1.005‒1.038, P=0.011), M stage (OR=0.354, 95%CI 0.136‒0.924, P=0.034), and prostate specific antigen (PSA) (OR=0.142, 95%CI 0.042‒0.480, P=0.002; OR=0.275, 95%CI 0.083‒0.914, P=0.035).Conclusion·The incidence of adverse reactions associated with endocrine therapy for prostate cancer is high. Adverse effects associated with endocrine therapy in prostate cancer patients can be classified into three categories. There are significant differences in disease metastasis, PSA levels, genetic testing, disease uncertainty, and psychosocial adaptation among prostate cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy in different categories. Healthcare professionals should assess the diverse sociodemographic background, disease-specific factors, and psychosocial status of prostate cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy, and provide targeted support according to their characteristics to help them acquire self-management skills and cope with adverse treatment effects proactively, in line with the precision medicine framework

The mutual interactions among Helicobacter pylori, chronic gastritis, and the gut microbiota: a population-based study in Jinjiang, Fujian

ObjectivesHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of bacteria that infects the stomach lining, and it is a major cause of chronic gastritis (CG). H. pylori infection can influence the composition of the gastric microbiota. Additionally, alterations in the gut microbiome have been associated with various health conditions, including gastrointestinal disorders. The dysbiosis in gut microbiota of human is associated with the decreased secretion of gastric acid. Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and H. pylori infection are also causes of reduced gastric acid secretion. However, the specific details of how H. pylori infection and CG, especially for CAG, influence the gut microbiome can vary and are still an area of ongoing investigation. The incidence of CAG and infection rate of H. pylori has obvious regional characteristics, and Fujian Province in China is a high incidence area of CAG as well as H. pylori infection. We aimed to characterize the microbial changes and find potential diagnostic markers associated with infection of H. pylori as well as CG of subjects in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China.ParticipantsEnrollment involved sequencing the 16S rRNA gene in fecal samples from 176 cases, adhering to stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria. For our study, we included healthy volunteers (Normal), individuals with chronic non-atrophic gastritis (CNAG), and those with CAG from Fujian, China. The aim was to assess gut microbiome dysbiosis based on various histopathological features. QIIME and LEfSe analyses were performed. There were 176 cases, comprising 126 individuals who tested negative for H. pylori and 50 who tested positive defined by C14 urea breath tests and histopathological findings in biopsies obtained through endoscopy. CAG was also staged by applying OLGIM system.ResultsWhen merging the outcomes from 16S rRNA gene sequencing results, there were no notable variations in alpha diversity among the following groups: Normal, CNAG, and CAG; OLGIM I and OLGIM II; and H. pylori positive [Hp (+)] and H. pylori negative [Hp (–)] groups. Beta diversity among different groups show significant separation through the NMDS diagrams. LEfSe analyses confirmed 2, 3, and 6 bacterial species were in abundance in the Normal, CNAG, and CAG groups; 26 and 2 species in the OLGIM I and OLGIM II group; 22 significant phylotypes were identified in Hp (+) and Hp (–) group, 21 and 1, respectively; 9 bacterial species exhibited significant differences between individuals with CG who were Hp (+) and those who were Hp (–).ConclusionThe study uncovered notable distinctions in the characteristics of gut microbiota among the following groups: Normal, CNAG, and CAG; OLGIM I and OLGIM II; and Hp (+) and Hp (–) groups. Through the analysis of H. pylori infection in CNAG and CAG groups, we found the gut microbiota characteristics of different group show significant difference because of H. pylori infection. Several bacterial genera could potentially serve as diagnostic markers for H. pylori infection and the progression of CG

Comparative Study of Coal Sample Stress Sensitivity Characterized by Different Methods

The stress sensitivity of pores and fractures in four groups of coal samples was measured and analyzed comprehensively by overburden nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) and permeability. The results show that the compression coefficient based on the overburden permeability increases with the increase of fracture development, the corresponding T2 spectral area of pore and fracture decreases exponentially with the increase of stress, in the same sample, the stress sensitivity of fracture is greater than that of seepage pore, and the adsorption pore is the lowest; compared with the pore developed samples, the compression coefficient of the fissure developed adsorption pore did not change significantly with the stress; in the same pressure range, the compressibility obtained by permeability is obviously greater than that obtained by NMR

Radiation pneumonitis after concurrent aumolertinib and thoracic radiotherapy in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer patients

Abstract Background The superior efficacy of concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has been proven in locally advanced and advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations. However, the high incidence of radiation pneumonitis (RP) reduced by concurrent TRT and TKIs has attracted widespread attention. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the rate and risk factors for RP in EGFR-positive NSCLC patients simultaneously treated with aumolertinib and TRT. Methods We retrospectively evaluated stage IIIA-IVB NSCLC patients treated with concurrent aumolertinib and TRT between May 2020 and December 2022 at Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong, China. RP was diagnosed by two senior radiologists and then graded from 1 to 5 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0. All risk factors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results A total of 49 patients were included, the incidence of grade ≥ 2 RP was 42.9%. Grade 2 and 3 RP were observed in 28.6% and 14.3% of patients, respectively. Grade 4 to 5 RP were not observed. the gross total volume (GTV) ≥ 21 ml and ipsilateral lung V20 ≥ 25% were risk factors for RP. The median progression-free survival (PFS) in the first-line therapy group and second-line therapy group were 23.5 months and 17.2 months, respectively (p = 0.10). Conclusions Better local control is achieved with concurrent TRT and aumolertinib, and special attention should be given to controlling ipsilateral lung V20 and GTV to reduce the risk of RP

Carbon Nanotube-Doped 3D-Printed Silicone Electrode for Manufacturing Multilayer Porous Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride Gel Artificial Muscles

Plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel has large deformation under an applied external electrical field and high driving stability in air and is a candidate artificial muscle material for manufacturing a flexible actuator. A porous PVC gel actuator consists of a mesh positive pole, a planar negative pole, and a PVC gel core layer. The current casting method is only suitable for manufacturing simple 2D structures, and it is difficult to produce multilayer porous structures. This study investigated the feasibility of a 3D-printed carbon nanotube-doped silicone electrode for manufacturing multilayer porous PVC gel artificial muscle. Carbon nanotube-doped silicone (CNT-PDMS) composite inks were developed for printing electrode layers of PVC gel artificial muscles. The parameters for the printing plane and mesh electrodes were explored theoretically and experimentally. We produced a CNT-PDMS electrode and PVC gel via integrated printing to manufacture multilayer porous PVC artificial muscle and verified its good performance

Transcriptomic signature defines two subtypes of locally advanced PCa with distinct neoadjuvant therapy benefits

BackgroundPatients with locally advanced prostate cancer (LAPCa) received docetaxel-based neoadjuvant chemo-hormonal therapy (NCHT) had better clinical outcomes after surgery compared to neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) groups, but not all patients experienced favorable clinical outcomes with NCHT, raising the necessity for potential biomarker assessment. The transcriptomic profiling offers a unique opportunity to interrogate the accurate response to NCHT and NHT treatment and to identify the predictive biomarkers for neoadjuvant therapy.MethodsThe whole transcriptomic profiling was performed on baseline biopsies and surgical tissue specimens from 64 patients with LAPCa at Renji Hospital between 2014 and 2018. Biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS)-based gene-by-treatment interaction effects were used to identify predictive biomarkers for guiding treatment selection.ResultsComparing the transcriptome profiling of pre- and post-treatment LAPCa specimens, NHT and NCHT shared 1917 up- and 670 down-regulated DEGs at least 2-fold. Pathway enrichment analysis showed up-regulated pathways in response to NHT and NCHT were both enriched in cytokine receptor interaction pathways, and down-regulated pathways in response to NCHT were enriched in cell cycle pathways. By comprehensive transcriptome profiling of 64 baseline specimens, ten predictive markers were identified. We integrated them into the signature to evaluate the relative benefits of neoadjuvant therapy, which categorizes patients into two subgroups with relative bPFS benefits from either NHCT or NHT. In the high-score (≥ -95.798) group (n = 37), NCHT treatment led to significantly longer bPFS (P< 0.0001), with a clear and early separation of the Kaplan–Meier curves. In the low-score (< -95.798) group (n = 27), NHT also led to significantly longer bPFS (P=0.0025).ConclusionsIn this study, we proposed the first predictive transcriptomic signature might potentially guide the effective selection of neoadjuvant therapy in LAPCa and might provide precise guidance toward future personalized adjuvant therapy.Trial registrationThe study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Renji Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Ky2019-087)

Metal modified hexaaluminates for syngas generation and CO2 utilization via chemical looping

Chemical looping CH4-CO2 reforming (CLDR) is an emerging technology for the generation of Fischer-Tropsch ready syngas and CO2 utilization, which is strongly dependent upon the improvement in the design of efficient oxygen carriers (OCs). In this present work, different metal additives (Si, Zr and Ce ions) were introduced into Fe-based hexaaluminates and used OCs for CLDR. The microstructure and reactivity of BaFe2.8M0.2Al9O19 (M = Fe, Si, Zr, and Ce) OCs were found greatly influenced by the metal additives and CH4/CO2 redox treatment. Pure Fe and Ce doped OCs showed the co-existence of both beta-Al2O3 and MP hexaaluminate phases, while the introduction of Si and Zr in the hexaaluminate structure led to the phase transformation from beta-Al2O3 into MP. During the CH4/CO2 redox process, large amounts of Fe species in both BaFe2.8Si0.2Al9O19 and BaFe2.8Zr0.2Al9O19 OCs were gradually stabilized in sintering FeAl2O4 with low oxygen-storage capacity, which resulted in low CH4 reactivity and weak cyclic stability. However, Ce-doped BaFe2.8Ce0.2Al9O19 OC showed good reactivity and stability during the 10 redox cycles with CH4 conversion of 93%, H-2/CO ratio of similar to 2, high syngas yield of 2.2 mmol/g, and high CO2 activation ability of 0.95 mmol/g, which was associated with the preservation of hexaaluminate main phase, the formation of CeFexAl1-xO3 and the abundant oxygen vacancies. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Mobile-based ecological momentary assessment and intervention: bibliometric analysis

ObjectiveThe aim of this article was to review existing documents in the field of mobile-based EMA and EMI, provide an overview of current hot topics, and predict future development trends.MethodsWe conducted a bibliometric study on mobile-based EMA and EMI publications that were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Biblioshiny and CiteSpace were utilized to analyze scientific productions, leading sources, authors, affiliations, documents, research hot topics, keywords, and trend topics.ResultsA total of 2222 documents related to EMA and EMI published between 1992 and 2023 were retrieved. In recent years, scholarly publications have generally increased in mobile-based EMA and EMI research, particularly in the last decade. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (n=86), as well as JMIR (n=73), showed the highest number of publications. The United States (n=1038), Germany (n=218) and Netherlands (n=175) were leading countries. Regarding keyword co-occurrence and trend topics analysis, mental health, health behaviors, and feasibility were hot topics in mobile-based EMA and EMI research. Future research trends included using EMA for tailoring EMI, just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAI), and digital phenotyping.ConclusionThis bibliometric study on mobile-based EMA and EMI is a valuable resource for understanding the field’s evolution and future trends. Our analysis indicates that EMA and EMI have great potential in health behaviors and mental health, but implementation should consider feasibility and reactivity issues carefully. Emerging trends include EMA-tailored EMI, JITAI, and digital phenotyping. In the future, strengthening multidisciplinary cooperation will be necessary to promote the continued development of the field

Mitochondrial Protease Oct1p Regulates Mitochondrial Homeostasis and Influences Pathogenicity through Affecting Hyphal Growth and Biofilm Formation Activities in <i>Candida albicans</i>

Mitochondria, as the core metabolic organelles, play a crucial role in aerobic respiration/biosynthesis in fungi. Numerous studies have demonstrated a close relationship between mitochondria and Candida albicans virulence and drug resistance. Here, we report an octapeptide-aminopeptidase located in the mitochondrial matrix named Oct1p. Its homolog in the model fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the key proteins in maintaining mitochondrial respiration and protein stability. In this study, we utilized evolutionary tree analysis, gene knockout experiments, mitochondrial function detection, and other methods to demonstrate the impact of Oct1p on the mitochondrial function of C. albicans. Furthermore, through transcriptome analysis, real-time quantitative PCR, and morphological observation, we discovered that the absence of Oct1p results in functional abnormalities in C. albicans, affecting hyphal growth, cell adhesion, and biofilm formation. Finally, the in vivo results of the infection of Galleria mellonella larvae and vulvovaginal candidiasis in mice indicate that the loss of Oct1p led to the decreased virulence of C. albicans. In conclusion, this study provides a solid theoretical foundation for treating Candida diseases, developing new targeted drugs, and serves as a valuable reference for investigating the connection between mitochondria and virulence in other pathogenic fungi