Modern medicine is reliant on various medical imaging technologies for non-invasively observing patients’anatomy.However,the interpretation of medical images can be highly subjective and dependent on the expertise of...Modern medicine is reliant on various medical imaging technologies for non-invasively observing patients’anatomy.However,the interpretation of medical images can be highly subjective and dependent on the expertise of clinicians.Moreover,some potentially useful quantitative information in medical images,especially that which is not visible to the naked eye,is often ignored during clinical practice.In contrast,radiomics performs high-throughput feature extraction from medical images,which enables quantitative analysis of medical images and prediction of various clinical endpoints.Studies have reported that radiomics exhibits promising performance in diagnosis and predicting treatment responses and prognosis,demonstrating its potential to be a non-invasive auxiliary tool for personalized medicine.However,radiomics remains in a developmental phase as numerous technical challenges have yet to be solved,especially in feature engineering and statistical modeling.In this review,we introduce the current utility of radiomics by summarizing research on its application in the diagnosis,prognosis,and prediction of treatment responses in patients with cancer.We focus on machine learning approaches,for feature extraction and selection during feature engineering and for imbalanced datasets and multi-modality fusion during statistical modeling.Furthermore,we introduce the stability,reproducibility,and interpretability of features,and the generalizability and interpretability of models.Finally,we offer possible solutions to current challenges in radiomics research.展开更多
Background Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)are more vulnerable to social disconnection compared with the general population;however,there are few relevant studies investigating this issue.Aims To invest...Background Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)are more vulnerable to social disconnection compared with the general population;however,there are few relevant studies investigating this issue.Aims To investigate whether social isolation or loneliness may be associated with subsequent risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events,whether these associations vary according to fatal and non-fatal outcomes and how behavioural,psychological and physiological factors mediate these associations.Methods This longitudinal analysis included data from 19360 individuals with T2DM at baseline(2006-2010)from the UK Biobank.Social isolation and loneliness were measured using self-report questionnaires.The study outcomes included the first events of myocardial infarction(MI)or stroke(n=2273)and all-cause(n=2820)or cardiovascular disease-related mortality through linked hospital data ordeath registries.Results Over a median follow-up of 12.4 years(interquartile range(IQR):11.6-13.3 years),participants who were more socially isolated(most social isolation vs least social isolation)experienced increased risks for all-cause(hazard ratio(HR):1.33,95%confidence interval(Cl):1.19 to 1.47)and cardiovascular disease(HR:1.36,95%Cl:1.17 to 1.59)mortality but not first Ml or stroke.Loneliness(yes vs no)was associated with a greater risk for a composite of incident MI or stroke(HR:1.37,95%Cl:1.19 to 1.57)but not mortality.Social isolation was associated with fatal Ml and stroke,whereas loneliness was associated with non-fatal Ml and stroke.The significant associations of social isolation and loneliness with outcomes were mainly mediated by behavioural factors(mediating proportion:17.8%-28.2%and 17.6%-17.8%,respectively).Conclusions Among individuals with T2DM,social isolation and loneliness are associated with a greater risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events,with differences in both risks stratified according to fatal and non-fatal events and underlying mediating factors.展开更多
Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of most common and deadliest malignancies.Celastrol(Cel),a natural product derived from the Tripterygium wilfordii plant,has been extensively researched for its potential effectiven...Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of most common and deadliest malignancies.Celastrol(Cel),a natural product derived from the Tripterygium wilfordii plant,has been extensively researched for its potential effectiveness in fighting cancer.However,its clinical application has been hindered by the unclear mechanism of action.Here,we used chemical proteomics to identify the direct targets of Cel and enhanced its targetability and antitumor capacity by developing a Cel-based liposomes in HCC.We demonstrated that Cel selectively targets the voltage-dependent anion channel 2(VDAC2).Cel directly binds to the cysteine residues of VDAC2,and induces cytochrome C release via dysregulating VDAC2-mediated mitochondrial permeability transition pore(mPTP)function.We further found that Cel induces ROS-mediated ferroptosis and apoptosis in HCC cells.Moreover,coencapsulation of Cel into alkyl glucoside-modified liposomes(AGCL)improved its antitumor efficacy and minimized its side effects.AGCL has been shown to effectively suppress the proliferation of tumor cells.In a xenograft nude mice experiment,AGCL significantly inhibited tumor growth and promoted apoptosis.Our findings reveal that Cel directly targets VDAC2 to induce mitochondria-dependent cell death,while the Cel liposomes enhance its targetability and reduces side effects.Overall,Cel shows promise as a therapeutic agent for HCC.展开更多
In spite of ill-effects of high heel shoes, they are widely used for women. Hence, it is essential to understand the load transfer biomechanics in order to design better fit and comfortable shoes. In this study, both ...In spite of ill-effects of high heel shoes, they are widely used for women. Hence, it is essential to understand the load transfer biomechanics in order to design better fit and comfortable shoes. In this study, both experimental measurement and finite element analysis were used to evaluate the biomechanical effects of heel height on foot load transfer. A controlled experiment was conducted using custom-designed platforms. Under different weight-bearing conditions, peak plantar pressure, contact area and center of pressure were analyzed. A three-dimensional finite element foot model was used to simulate the high-heel support and to predict the internal stress distributions and deformations for different heel heights. Results from both experiment and model indicated that heel elevations had significant effects on all variables. When heel elevation increased, the center of pressure shifted from the midfoot region to the forefoot region, the contact area was reduced by 26% from 0 to 10.2 cm heel and the internal stress of foot bones increased. Prediction results also showed that the strain and total tension force of plantar fascia was minimum at 5.1 cm heel condition. This study helps to better understand the biomechanical behavior of foot, and to provide better suggestions for design parameters of high heeled shoes.展开更多
Background:Administration of propofol,an intravenous anesthetic with antioxidant property,immediately at the onset of post-ischemic reperfusion(propofol postconditioning,P-PostC) has been shown to confer cardioprotect...Background:Administration of propofol,an intravenous anesthetic with antioxidant property,immediately at the onset of post-ischemic reperfusion(propofol postconditioning,P-PostC) has been shown to confer cardioprotection against ischemia–reperfusion(I/R) injury,while the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood.The forkhead box O(FoxO) transcription factors are reported to play critical roles in activating cardiomyocyte survival signaling throughout the process of cellular injuries induced by oxidative stress and are also involved in hypoxic postconditioning mediated neuroprotection,however,the role of FoxO in postconditioning mediated protection in the heart and in particular in high glucose condition is unknown.Methods:Rat heart-derived H9c2 cells were exposed to high glucose(HG) for 48 h,then subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R,composed of 8 h of hypoxia followed by 12 h of reoxygenation) in the absence or presence of postconditioning with various concentrations of propofol(P-PostC) at the onset of reoxygenation.After having identified the optical concentration of propofol,H9c2 cells were subjected to H/R and P-PostC in the absence or presence of FoxO1 or FoxO3a gene silencing to explore their roles in P-PostC mediated protection against apoptotic and autophagic cell deaths under hyperglycemia.Results:The results showed that HG with or without H/R decreased cell viability,increased lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) leakage and the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in H9c2 cells,all of which were significantly reversed by propofol(P-PostC),especially at the concentration of 25 μmol/L(P25)(P<0.05,NC vs.HG;HG vs.HG+HR;HG+HR+P12.5 or HG+HR+P25 or HG+HR+P50 vs.HG+HR).Moreover,we found that propofol(P25) decreased H9c2 cells apoptosis and autophagy that were concomitant with increased FoxO1 and FoxO3a expression(P<0.05,HG+HR+P25 vs.HG+HR).The protective effects of propofol(P25) against H/R injury were reversed by silencing FoxO1 or FoxO3a(P<0.05,HG+HR+P25 vs.HG+HR+P25+siRNA-1 or HG+HR+P25+siRNA-5).Conclusions:It is concluded that propofol postconditioning attenuated H9c2 cardiac cells apoptosis and autophagy induced by H/R injury through upregulating FoxO1 and FoxO3a under hyperglycemia.展开更多
The objective of this study was to study the age-related adaptation of lumbar vertebral trabecular bone at the apparent level, as well as the tissue level in three orthogonal directions. Ninety trabecular specimens we...The objective of this study was to study the age-related adaptation of lumbar vertebral trabecular bone at the apparent level, as well as the tissue level in three orthogonal directions. Ninety trabecular specimens were obtained from six normal L4 vertebral bodies of six male cadavers in two age groups, three aged 62 years and three aged 69 years, and were scanned using a high-resolution micro-computed tomography （micro-CT） system, then converted to micro- finite element models to do micro-finite element analyses. The relationship between apparent stiffness and bone volume fraction, and the tissue level yon Mises stress distribution for each trabecular specimen when compressed separately in the longitudinal direction, medial-lateral and anterior-posterior directions （transverse directions） were derived and compared between two age groups. The results showed that at the apparent level, trabecular bones from 69-year group had stiffer bone structure relative to their volume fractions in all three directions, and in both age groups, changes in bone volume fraction could explain more variations in apparent stiffness in the longitudinal direction than the transverse directions; at the tissue level, aging had little effect on the tissue von Mises stress distributions for the compressions in all the three directions. The novelty of the present study was that it provided quantitative assessments on the age and direction- related adaptation of Chinese male lumbar vertebral trabecular bone from two different levels： stiffness at the apparent level and stress distribution at the tissue level. It may help to understand the failure mechanisms and fracture risks of vertebral body associated with aging and direction for the prevention of fracture risks in elder individuals.展开更多
Background:The prevalence of MRSA(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)colonized wounds in home care residents is expected to grow continuously as a result of the substantial proportion of older people requirin...Background:The prevalence of MRSA(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)colonized wounds in home care residents is expected to grow continuously as a result of the substantial proportion of older people requiring institutionalized care due to chronic disease and declining functional status,which contribute to more frequent skin breakdown and wound formation.Tea tree oil has been claimed to have anti-bacterial,analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects that have been suggested in many in-vitro studies to have good efficacy against MRSA.The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of 10%topical tea tree preparation to eradicateMRSA and to ascertain its influence on wound healing forMRSA-colonized wounds.Methods:It was a randomized controlled trial,single-blind study.Those with stage II or above MRSA-colonized wounds and who had given their informed consent formed the sample.The determined sample sizewasbasedonthe effect size of our previouspilot study,whichwas 0.46.Five outcome measurements were taken for the MRSA bacterial count and wound healing condition at baseline and at 1-week intervals during the 4-week dressing intervention period.Results:Thirty-two participants were recruited from two non-government nursing homes,16 in the control group and 16 in the tea tree oil group.The control group residents received routine saline gauze dressing,while the tea tree oil group residents received the 10%topical tea tree preparation dressing.In the tea tree oil group,all chronic wounds that had previously been delayed in healing were healed within 28 days without adverse reaction.MRSA was also completely eradicated in 14(87.5%)out of 16 wounds in the group receiving the 10%topical tea tree preparation.展开更多
Using the software Anybody Modeling System, a human static-standing musculoskeletal model based on inverse dynamics is presented, which are defined as segments, muscles and joints as dements. Simulation is based on da...Using the software Anybody Modeling System, a human static-standing musculoskeletal model based on inverse dynamics is presented, which are defined as segments, muscles and joints as dements. Simulation is based on data obtained from experiments using motion capture system VICADN and force plate AMTI. In the model AnyBody Modeling System is introduced to help solve the redundancy problem and obtain results of muscle activities, muscle forces and joint forces. From the model, hip and knee joint forces could be analyzed under normal standing posture. Also, activities of the musculus rectus femoris and several other muscles of the lower limbs can be obtained. From the results it could be concluded that stresses at joints are much stronger than theoretical reasoning because of the functions of relevant soft tissues such as muscles, tendons and so on. Results show that joint forces from the simulations are in good conformation with previous experimental researches. And this complicated model would be of use for better understanding human body functions.展开更多
Metabolic changes together with cardiovascular and hepatic factors are related to the development of diseases like myocardial lipidosis,heart disease,and profound toxicity.The aim of this animal study is to determine ...Metabolic changes together with cardiovascular and hepatic factors are related to the development of diseases like myocardial lipidosis,heart disease,and profound toxicity.The aim of this animal study is to determine the effects of high erucic acid containing rapeseed oil(Brassica napus L.)varieties on liver,kidney and heart muscles in Wistar rats.Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups where each group containing four rats.Group A was considered as control diet group,while Group B rapeseed wild oil group and Group C rapeseed hybrid oil group were considered as experimental diet groups.The levels of aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB)and creatinine of two experimental groups were significantly elevated while compared to the control groups(p<0.05–0.001).Nevertheless,an increment in weight retardation(p<0.05)was also observed in rapeseed hybrid oil treated groups.No significant weight retardation found in other two groups(p>0.05).Noticeable tissue injury observed in this study is a sign of the relative toxicity of erucic acid containing rapeseed oil to mammalian species.The use of Brassica napus as a supplementary feed ingredient should be,therefore,thoroughly considered.展开更多
Myopia and astigmatism, two common refractive errors frequently co-exist, are degrading vision at all working distances in populations worldwide. Eyeballs having high degrees of myopia and astigmatism are known to exh...Myopia and astigmatism, two common refractive errors frequently co-exist, are degrading vision at all working distances in populations worldwide. Eyeballs having high degrees of myopia and astigmatism are known to exhibit abnormal eye shape at the anterior and posterior eye segments, but whether the outer coats of these abnormal eyeballs, cornea anteriorly and sclera posteriorly, are regulated by region-specific molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here we presented the changes in eye shape and mRNA expression levels of three genes (MMP2, TIMP2, and TGFB2), all known to participate in extracellular matrix organization, at five regions of the cornea and sclera in chickens developing high myopia and astigmatism induced by form deprivation. Our results showed that, compared to normal chicks, the highly myopic-astigmatic chicks had significantly astigmatic cornea, deeper anterior chamber, longer axial length, and higher expressions of all three genes in the superior sclera. These results imply that local molecular mechanism may manipulate the eye’s structural remodeling across the globe during refractive eye growth.展开更多
The literature is full of claims regarding the consumption of polyphenol or polyamine-rich foods that offer some protection from developing cardiovascular disease(CVD). This is achieved by preventing cardiac hypertrop...The literature is full of claims regarding the consumption of polyphenol or polyamine-rich foods that offer some protection from developing cardiovascular disease(CVD). This is achieved by preventing cardiac hypertrophy and protecting blood vessels through improving the function of endothelium. However, do these interventions work in the aged human hearts? Cardiac aging is accompanied by an increase in left ventricular hypertrophy, along with diastolic and systolic dysfunction. It also confers significant cardiovascular risks for both sexes. The incidence and prevalence of CVD increase sharply at an earlier age in men than women. Furthermore, the patterns of heart failure differ between sexes, as do the lifetime risk factors. Do caloric restriction(CR)-mimetics, rich in polyphenol or polyamine, delay or reverse cardiac aging equally in both men and women? This review will discuss three areas:(1) mechanisms underlying age-related cardiac remodeling;(2) gender-related differences and potential mechanisms underlying diminished cardiac response in older men and women;(3) we select a few polyphenol or polyamine rich compounds as the CRmimetics, such as resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate and spermidine, due to their capability to extend health-span and induce autophagy. We outline their abilities and issues on retarding aging in animal hearts and preventing CVD in humans. We discuss the confounding factors that should be considered for developing therapeutic strategies against cardiac aging in humans.展开更多
The objective of this paper is to identify the effects of mechanical disuse and basic multi-cellular unit （BMU） activation threshold on the form of trabecular bone during menopause. A bone adaptation model with mech...The objective of this paper is to identify the effects of mechanical disuse and basic multi-cellular unit （BMU） activation threshold on the form of trabecular bone during menopause. A bone adaptation model with mechanical- biological factors at BMU level was integrated with finite element analysis to simulate the changes of trabecular bone structure during menopause. Mechanical disuse and changes in the BMU activation threshold were applied to the model for the period from 4 years before to 4 years after menopause. The changes in bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness and fractal dimension of the trabecular structures were used to quantify the changes of trabecular bone in three different cases associated with mechanical disuse and BMU activation threshold. It was found that the changes in the simulated bone volume fraction were highly correlated and consistent with clinical data, and that the trabecular thickness reduced signi-ficantly during menopause and was highly linearly correlated with the bone volume fraction, and that the change trend of fractal dimension of the simulated trabecular structure was in correspondence with clinical observations. The numerical simulation in this paper may help to better understand the relationship between the bone morphology and the mecha-nical, as well as biological environment; and can provide a quantitative computational model and methodology for the numerical simulation of the bone structural morphological changes caused by the mechanical environment, and/or the biological environment.展开更多
Atherosclerosis is the early stage of arterial disease, and underlies development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke. Although sophisticated models for assessing CVD and stroke risk have been derived based on ...Atherosclerosis is the early stage of arterial disease, and underlies development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke. Although sophisticated models for assessing CVD and stroke risk have been derived based on large-scale prospective studies, their abilities in detecting the presence or absence of atherosclerotic plaque have not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate and compare discriminatory and risk stratifying abilities of 13 CVD risk assessment models against the ultrasound detection of carotid plaques in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Forty-nine T2DM subjects were recruited with informed consent, and major anthropomorphic and biomarker data for these models were collected. The model risk scores were evaluated against the carotid plaques detected by Doppler ultrasound. Only the FHS-Lpts-CHD-10Y model, which is a variant of the Framingham model, revealed an area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) that was significantly different from a random scoring approach (AUROC: 0.681, p was able to stratify the risk levels of carotid plaque presence (Chi-Square statistic: 5.99,展开更多
Retinitis pigmentosa(RP)is a group of heredofamilial retinal diseases which is characterized by night blindness and progressive visual field loss.This study aims to study the treatment effect of Lycium barbarum(LB)on ...Retinitis pigmentosa(RP)is a group of heredofamilial retinal diseases which is characterized by night blindness and progressive visual field loss.This study aims to study the treatment effect of Lycium barbarum(LB)on retinal functions and structure of RP patients.The study is a double-masked randomized controlled trial.RP subjects received scheduled eye examination including visual acuity(VA),Humphrey field analysis(HFA),ganzfeld flash electroretinogram(ffERG)and optical coherence tomography(OCT).The suitable subjects were randomly allocated to either LB-treatment or placebo groups with the supply of LB or placebo for 12 months.There were total 41 RP subjects(22 in LB group and 19 in placebo group)completed the 12 months intervention.The compliance rates for LB and placebo groups were 89.8%±12.5%and 85.3%±7.7%respectively.As compared with placebo group,there were no deteriorations of both high and low contrast VA in LB group(P<0.01).In addition,certain improvements of scotopic rod response and photopic cone response of ffERG were obtained in LB group(P<0.05).In the OCT measurement,an obvious thinning of macular thickness was observed in placebo group but not found in LB group(P<0.05).However,there were no changes found in the sensitivity of central visual field between two groups.Our results confirm that the 12-month LB treatment for RP patients had neuroprotective effect on retina and is believed to delay or minimize the deterioration of visual function in RP.展开更多
Plastic offers a new niche for microorganisms,the plastisphere.The everincreasing emission of plastic waste makes it critical to understand the microbial ecology of the plastisphere and associated effects.Here,we pres...Plastic offers a new niche for microorganisms,the plastisphere.The everincreasing emission of plastic waste makes it critical to understand the microbial ecology of the plastisphere and associated effects.Here,we present a global fingerprint of the plastisphere,analyzing samples collected from freshwater,seawater,and terrestrial ecosystems.The plastisphere assembles a distinct microbial community that has a clearly higher heterogeneity and a more deterministically dominated assembly compared to natural habitats.New coexistence patterns—loose and fragile networks with mostly specialist linkages among microorganisms that are rarely found in natural habitats—are seen in the plastisphere.Plastisphere microbiomes generally have a great potential to metabolize organic compounds,which could accelerate carbon turnover.Microorganisms involved in the nitrogen cycle are also altered in the plastisphere,especially in freshwater plastispheres,where a high abundance of denitrifiers may increase the release of nitrite(aquatic toxicant)and nitrous oxide(greenhouse gas).Enrichment of animal,plant,and human pathogens means that the plastisphere could become an increasingly mobile reservoir of harmful microorganisms.Our findings highlight that if the trajectory of plastic emissions is not reversed,the expanding plastisphere could pose critical planetary health challenges.展开更多
Colorectal cancer(CRC)is one of the most prevalent cancers in developed countries.On the other hand,CRC is also one of the most curable cancers if it is detected in early stages through regular colonoscopy or sigmoido...Colorectal cancer(CRC)is one of the most prevalent cancers in developed countries.On the other hand,CRC is also one of the most curable cancers if it is detected in early stages through regular colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.Since CRC develops slowly from precancerous lesions,early detection can reduce both the incidence and mortality of the disease.Fecal occult blood test is a widely used non-invasive screening tool for CRC.Although fecal occult blood test is simple and cost-effective in screening CRC,there is room for improvement in terms of the accuracy of the test.Genetic dysregulations have been found to play an important role in CRC development.With better understanding of the molecular basis of CRC,there is a growing expectation on the development of diagnostic tests based on more sensitive and specific molecular markers and those tests may provide a breakthrough to the limitations of current screening tests for CRC.In this review,the molecular basis of CRC development,the characteristics and applications of different non-invasive molecular biomarkers,as well as the technologies available for the detection were discussed.This review intended to provide a summary on the current and future molecular diagnostics in CRC and its pre-malignant state,colorectal adenoma.展开更多
As a complex disease,myopia is the most common eye disease worldwide.Many myopia susceptibility genes or variants have been successfully identified in the past years by genome-wide genetic association studies(GWAS),wh...As a complex disease,myopia is the most common eye disease worldwide.Many myopia susceptibility genes or variants have been successfully identified in the past years by genome-wide genetic association studies(GWAS),which focus mainly on the single-nucleotide polymorphisms.Little attention has been paid to examine the role of copy number variations(CNVs)in refractive error and myopia.This study adopted a systematic strategy to investigate the role of CNVs in high myopia.In the discovery phase,a pilot GWAS suggests putative CNVs for follow-up.Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification was then used to quantify the copy number of 89 CNV segments in 737 case-control samples in the second phase and then 24 top-ranking CNVs in a second group of 1,029 case-control samples in the final validation phase.This validation phase identified 22 significant CNVs.Further work is needed to examine the role of these few CNVs in myopia development.展开更多
Introduction:Although many studies have shown the vast potential of circulating tumor cells(CTCs)detection in cancer diagnosis and prognosis,our understanding of their clinical significance is still far from complete....Introduction:Although many studies have shown the vast potential of circulating tumor cells(CTCs)detection in cancer diagnosis and prognosis,our understanding of their clinical significance is still far from complete.A major obstacle arises from the lack of well-established tumor or tissue-specific markers to detect CTCs by immunocytochemical staining after immunomagnetic enrichment(IE).Methods:We have established the utility of cytokeratin 20(CK20),a gastrointestinal tract specific marker,for the specific detection and identification of colorectal cancer(CRC)CTCs.This breakthrough was successfully validated in spike-in experiments using CRC cell line models followed by a pilot study which recruited 32 metastatic CRC patients,25 benign colorectal diseases patients and 27 normal subjects.Results:CK20-positive CTCs were detected in 90%metastatic CRC patients but not in benign colorectal diseases patients and normal subjects using this refined assay.Conclusions:These impressive results have laid the foundation for further development of CK20-positive CTCs as a promising marker in diagnosis,prognostication and treatment monitoring of metastatic CRC.展开更多
Objectives:To assess the awareness and coping skills of the informal and formal caregivers of people living with dementia(PLWD).Dementia is a condition,which leads to memory loss and gradual deterioration of cognitive...Objectives:To assess the awareness and coping skills of the informal and formal caregivers of people living with dementia(PLWD).Dementia is a condition,which leads to memory loss and gradual deterioration of cognitive abilities in the affected person.The lack of awareness regarding the care of people with dementia and the caregivers'poor coping strategies can negatively impact caregivers'experiences.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the 80 caregivers of PLWD from the psychiatric units of the selected hospitals of Udupi district,Karnataka,India.The baseline data were collected by a self-reported sociodemographic questionnaire.The“Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale”was used to gauge participants'awareness of the care of people with dementia,while the“Brief COPE inventory,”a 28-item questionnaire,was used to gauge carers'coping mechanisms.Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the data analysis using Jamovi(2.3.24),a graphical user interface for R programming,and Microsoft Excel.Results:Most of the caregivers(n=68,85%)had lesser awareness regarding the care of people with dementia.The mean coping strategies score was 60.9±7.71.There was a positive correlation between the awareness and the coping strategies scores among the caregivers(r=0.659,P<0.05).Conclusions:The caregivers of people with dementia often lack awareness about dementia and hence experience poor coping due to their high workload and stress.The frontline healthcare professionals and nurses need to provide appropriate interventions to the caregivers to improve their awareness about dementia and its care.展开更多
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82072019)the Shenzhen Basic Research Program(JCYJ20210324130209023)+5 种基金the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao S&T Program(Category C)(SGDX20201103095002019)the Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme(MHKJFS)(MHP/005/20),the Project of Strategic Importance Fund(P0035421)the Projects of RISA(P0043001)from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University,the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20201441)the Provincial and Ministry Co-constructed Project of Henan Province Medical Science and Technology Research(SBGJ202103038,SBGJ202102056)the Henan Province Key R&D and Promotion Project(Science and Technology Research)(222102310015)the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province(222300420575),and the Henan Province Science and Technology Research(222102310322).
文摘Modern medicine is reliant on various medical imaging technologies for non-invasively observing patients’anatomy.However,the interpretation of medical images can be highly subjective and dependent on the expertise of clinicians.Moreover,some potentially useful quantitative information in medical images,especially that which is not visible to the naked eye,is often ignored during clinical practice.In contrast,radiomics performs high-throughput feature extraction from medical images,which enables quantitative analysis of medical images and prediction of various clinical endpoints.Studies have reported that radiomics exhibits promising performance in diagnosis and predicting treatment responses and prognosis,demonstrating its potential to be a non-invasive auxiliary tool for personalized medicine.However,radiomics remains in a developmental phase as numerous technical challenges have yet to be solved,especially in feature engineering and statistical modeling.In this review,we introduce the current utility of radiomics by summarizing research on its application in the diagnosis,prognosis,and prediction of treatment responses in patients with cancer.We focus on machine learning approaches,for feature extraction and selection during feature engineering and for imbalanced datasets and multi-modality fusion during statistical modeling.Furthermore,we introduce the stability,reproducibility,and interpretability of features,and the generalizability and interpretability of models.Finally,we offer possible solutions to current challenges in radiomics research.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32100880)Guangzhou Municipal Key Discipline in Medicine(2021-2023)Guangzhou High-level Clinical Key Specialty and Guangzhou Research-oriented Hospital.
文摘Background Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)are more vulnerable to social disconnection compared with the general population;however,there are few relevant studies investigating this issue.Aims To investigate whether social isolation or loneliness may be associated with subsequent risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events,whether these associations vary according to fatal and non-fatal outcomes and how behavioural,psychological and physiological factors mediate these associations.Methods This longitudinal analysis included data from 19360 individuals with T2DM at baseline(2006-2010)from the UK Biobank.Social isolation and loneliness were measured using self-report questionnaires.The study outcomes included the first events of myocardial infarction(MI)or stroke(n=2273)and all-cause(n=2820)or cardiovascular disease-related mortality through linked hospital data ordeath registries.Results Over a median follow-up of 12.4 years(interquartile range(IQR):11.6-13.3 years),participants who were more socially isolated(most social isolation vs least social isolation)experienced increased risks for all-cause(hazard ratio(HR):1.33,95%confidence interval(Cl):1.19 to 1.47)and cardiovascular disease(HR:1.36,95%Cl:1.17 to 1.59)mortality but not first Ml or stroke.Loneliness(yes vs no)was associated with a greater risk for a composite of incident MI or stroke(HR:1.37,95%Cl:1.19 to 1.57)but not mortality.Social isolation was associated with fatal Ml and stroke,whereas loneliness was associated with non-fatal Ml and stroke.The significant associations of social isolation and loneliness with outcomes were mainly mediated by behavioural factors(mediating proportion:17.8%-28.2%and 17.6%-17.8%,respectively).Conclusions Among individuals with T2DM,social isolation and loneliness are associated with a greater risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events,with differences in both risks stratified according to fatal and non-fatal events and underlying mediating factors.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.82304827,82074098,81841001)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central public welfare research institutes(ZZ13-ZD-07),the National Key Research and Development Programof China(2020YFA0908000,2022YFC2303600)+7 种基金the Innovation Team and Talents Cultivation Program of National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine(No:ZYYCXTD-C-202002)The Shenzhen Medical Research Fund of Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation(B2302051)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Public Welfare Research Institutes(Grants No.ZZ13-YQ-108)the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission(Grants No.JCYJ20210324115800001)the Science and Technology Foundation of Shenzhen(Shenzhen Clinical Medical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases),the Distinguished Expert Project of Sichuan Province Tianfu Scholar(CW202002)Supported by Shenzhen Governmental Sustainable Development Fund(KCXFZ20201221173612034)Supported by Shenzhen key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases(ZDSYS201504301616234)Supported by Shenzhen Fund for Guangdong Provincial High-level Clinical Key Specialties(NO.SZGSP001).
文摘Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of most common and deadliest malignancies.Celastrol(Cel),a natural product derived from the Tripterygium wilfordii plant,has been extensively researched for its potential effectiveness in fighting cancer.However,its clinical application has been hindered by the unclear mechanism of action.Here,we used chemical proteomics to identify the direct targets of Cel and enhanced its targetability and antitumor capacity by developing a Cel-based liposomes in HCC.We demonstrated that Cel selectively targets the voltage-dependent anion channel 2(VDAC2).Cel directly binds to the cysteine residues of VDAC2,and induces cytochrome C release via dysregulating VDAC2-mediated mitochondrial permeability transition pore(mPTP)function.We further found that Cel induces ROS-mediated ferroptosis and apoptosis in HCC cells.Moreover,coencapsulation of Cel into alkyl glucoside-modified liposomes(AGCL)improved its antitumor efficacy and minimized its side effects.AGCL has been shown to effectively suppress the proliferation of tumor cells.In a xenograft nude mice experiment,AGCL significantly inhibited tumor growth and promoted apoptosis.Our findings reveal that Cel directly targets VDAC2 to induce mitochondria-dependent cell death,while the Cel liposomes enhance its targetability and reduces side effects.Overall,Cel shows promise as a therapeutic agent for HCC.
基金supported by the Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (PolyU5317/05E, PolyU5331/07E, PolyU5352/08E)
文摘In spite of ill-effects of high heel shoes, they are widely used for women. Hence, it is essential to understand the load transfer biomechanics in order to design better fit and comfortable shoes. In this study, both experimental measurement and finite element analysis were used to evaluate the biomechanical effects of heel height on foot load transfer. A controlled experiment was conducted using custom-designed platforms. Under different weight-bearing conditions, peak plantar pressure, contact area and center of pressure were analyzed. A three-dimensional finite element foot model was used to simulate the high-heel support and to predict the internal stress distributions and deformations for different heel heights. Results from both experiment and model indicated that heel elevations had significant effects on all variables. When heel elevation increased, the center of pressure shifted from the midfoot region to the forefoot region, the contact area was reduced by 26% from 0 to 10.2 cm heel and the internal stress of foot bones increased. Prediction results also showed that the strain and total tension force of plantar fascia was minimum at 5.1 cm heel condition. This study helps to better understand the biomechanical behavior of foot, and to provide better suggestions for design parameters of high heeled shoes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China grant (NSFC81970247)。
文摘Background:Administration of propofol,an intravenous anesthetic with antioxidant property,immediately at the onset of post-ischemic reperfusion(propofol postconditioning,P-PostC) has been shown to confer cardioprotection against ischemia–reperfusion(I/R) injury,while the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood.The forkhead box O(FoxO) transcription factors are reported to play critical roles in activating cardiomyocyte survival signaling throughout the process of cellular injuries induced by oxidative stress and are also involved in hypoxic postconditioning mediated neuroprotection,however,the role of FoxO in postconditioning mediated protection in the heart and in particular in high glucose condition is unknown.Methods:Rat heart-derived H9c2 cells were exposed to high glucose(HG) for 48 h,then subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R,composed of 8 h of hypoxia followed by 12 h of reoxygenation) in the absence or presence of postconditioning with various concentrations of propofol(P-PostC) at the onset of reoxygenation.After having identified the optical concentration of propofol,H9c2 cells were subjected to H/R and P-PostC in the absence or presence of FoxO1 or FoxO3a gene silencing to explore their roles in P-PostC mediated protection against apoptotic and autophagic cell deaths under hyperglycemia.Results:The results showed that HG with or without H/R decreased cell viability,increased lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) leakage and the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in H9c2 cells,all of which were significantly reversed by propofol(P-PostC),especially at the concentration of 25 μmol/L(P25)(P<0.05,NC vs.HG;HG vs.HG+HR;HG+HR+P12.5 or HG+HR+P25 or HG+HR+P50 vs.HG+HR).Moreover,we found that propofol(P25) decreased H9c2 cells apoptosis and autophagy that were concomitant with increased FoxO1 and FoxO3a expression(P<0.05,HG+HR+P25 vs.HG+HR).The protective effects of propofol(P25) against H/R injury were reversed by silencing FoxO1 or FoxO3a(P<0.05,HG+HR+P25 vs.HG+HR+P25+siRNA-1 or HG+HR+P25+siRNA-5).Conclusions:It is concluded that propofol postconditioning attenuated H9c2 cardiac cells apoptosis and autophagy induced by H/R injury through upregulating FoxO1 and FoxO3a under hyperglycemia.
基金The project supported by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Research Grants(G-U273) the National Natural Science Foundation of China(10502021 and 10529202)
文摘The objective of this study was to study the age-related adaptation of lumbar vertebral trabecular bone at the apparent level, as well as the tissue level in three orthogonal directions. Ninety trabecular specimens were obtained from six normal L4 vertebral bodies of six male cadavers in two age groups, three aged 62 years and three aged 69 years, and were scanned using a high-resolution micro-computed tomography （micro-CT） system, then converted to micro- finite element models to do micro-finite element analyses. The relationship between apparent stiffness and bone volume fraction, and the tissue level yon Mises stress distribution for each trabecular specimen when compressed separately in the longitudinal direction, medial-lateral and anterior-posterior directions （transverse directions） were derived and compared between two age groups. The results showed that at the apparent level, trabecular bones from 69-year group had stiffer bone structure relative to their volume fractions in all three directions, and in both age groups, changes in bone volume fraction could explain more variations in apparent stiffness in the longitudinal direction than the transverse directions; at the tissue level, aging had little effect on the tissue von Mises stress distributions for the compressions in all the three directions. The novelty of the present study was that it provided quantitative assessments on the age and direction- related adaptation of Chinese male lumbar vertebral trabecular bone from two different levels： stiffness at the apparent level and stress distribution at the tissue level. It may help to understand the failure mechanisms and fracture risks of vertebral body associated with aging and direction for the prevention of fracture risks in elder individuals.
文摘Background:The prevalence of MRSA(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)colonized wounds in home care residents is expected to grow continuously as a result of the substantial proportion of older people requiring institutionalized care due to chronic disease and declining functional status,which contribute to more frequent skin breakdown and wound formation.Tea tree oil has been claimed to have anti-bacterial,analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects that have been suggested in many in-vitro studies to have good efficacy against MRSA.The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of 10%topical tea tree preparation to eradicateMRSA and to ascertain its influence on wound healing forMRSA-colonized wounds.Methods:It was a randomized controlled trial,single-blind study.Those with stage II or above MRSA-colonized wounds and who had given their informed consent formed the sample.The determined sample sizewasbasedonthe effect size of our previouspilot study,whichwas 0.46.Five outcome measurements were taken for the MRSA bacterial count and wound healing condition at baseline and at 1-week intervals during the 4-week dressing intervention period.Results:Thirty-two participants were recruited from two non-government nursing homes,16 in the control group and 16 in the tea tree oil group.The control group residents received routine saline gauze dressing,while the tea tree oil group residents received the 10%topical tea tree preparation dressing.In the tea tree oil group,all chronic wounds that had previously been delayed in healing were healed within 28 days without adverse reaction.MRSA was also completely eradicated in 14(87.5%)out of 16 wounds in the group receiving the 10%topical tea tree preparation.
文摘Using the software Anybody Modeling System, a human static-standing musculoskeletal model based on inverse dynamics is presented, which are defined as segments, muscles and joints as dements. Simulation is based on data obtained from experiments using motion capture system VICADN and force plate AMTI. In the model AnyBody Modeling System is introduced to help solve the redundancy problem and obtain results of muscle activities, muscle forces and joint forces. From the model, hip and knee joint forces could be analyzed under normal standing posture. Also, activities of the musculus rectus femoris and several other muscles of the lower limbs can be obtained. From the results it could be concluded that stresses at joints are much stronger than theoretical reasoning because of the functions of relevant soft tissues such as muscles, tendons and so on. Results show that joint forces from the simulations are in good conformation with previous experimental researches. And this complicated model would be of use for better understanding human body functions.
基金The work was supported by a grant from Ministry of Human Resource Development,Government of India,through the University Grants Commission to University of Mysore,under the Institution of Excellence scheme.
基金This research received funding from Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering,Faculty of Applied Science and Technology,Islamic University,Kushtia,7003,Bangladesh.The authors would like to thank Dr.Jahangir Alam and Professor Dr.Md.Anwarul Haque who helped with sample collection,analysis and critical revision of the manuscript.
文摘Metabolic changes together with cardiovascular and hepatic factors are related to the development of diseases like myocardial lipidosis,heart disease,and profound toxicity.The aim of this animal study is to determine the effects of high erucic acid containing rapeseed oil(Brassica napus L.)varieties on liver,kidney and heart muscles in Wistar rats.Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups where each group containing four rats.Group A was considered as control diet group,while Group B rapeseed wild oil group and Group C rapeseed hybrid oil group were considered as experimental diet groups.The levels of aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB)and creatinine of two experimental groups were significantly elevated while compared to the control groups(p<0.05–0.001).Nevertheless,an increment in weight retardation(p<0.05)was also observed in rapeseed hybrid oil treated groups.No significant weight retardation found in other two groups(p>0.05).Noticeable tissue injury observed in this study is a sign of the relative toxicity of erucic acid containing rapeseed oil to mammalian species.The use of Brassica napus as a supplementary feed ingredient should be,therefore,thoroughly considered.
文摘Myopia and astigmatism, two common refractive errors frequently co-exist, are degrading vision at all working distances in populations worldwide. Eyeballs having high degrees of myopia and astigmatism are known to exhibit abnormal eye shape at the anterior and posterior eye segments, but whether the outer coats of these abnormal eyeballs, cornea anteriorly and sclera posteriorly, are regulated by region-specific molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here we presented the changes in eye shape and mRNA expression levels of three genes (MMP2, TIMP2, and TGFB2), all known to participate in extracellular matrix organization, at five regions of the cornea and sclera in chickens developing high myopia and astigmatism induced by form deprivation. Our results showed that, compared to normal chicks, the highly myopic-astigmatic chicks had significantly astigmatic cornea, deeper anterior chamber, longer axial length, and higher expressions of all three genes in the superior sclera. These results imply that local molecular mechanism may manipulate the eye’s structural remodeling across the globe during refractive eye growth.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81800245,81970228,82102306,81900779)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020M670030ZX)+1 种基金the Shaoguan Science and Technology Program(2019sn078)the Start-up Fund for RAPs under the Strategic Hiring Scheme(P0035913)。
文摘The literature is full of claims regarding the consumption of polyphenol or polyamine-rich foods that offer some protection from developing cardiovascular disease(CVD). This is achieved by preventing cardiac hypertrophy and protecting blood vessels through improving the function of endothelium. However, do these interventions work in the aged human hearts? Cardiac aging is accompanied by an increase in left ventricular hypertrophy, along with diastolic and systolic dysfunction. It also confers significant cardiovascular risks for both sexes. The incidence and prevalence of CVD increase sharply at an earlier age in men than women. Furthermore, the patterns of heart failure differ between sexes, as do the lifetime risk factors. Do caloric restriction(CR)-mimetics, rich in polyphenol or polyamine, delay or reverse cardiac aging equally in both men and women? This review will discuss three areas:(1) mechanisms underlying age-related cardiac remodeling;(2) gender-related differences and potential mechanisms underlying diminished cardiac response in older men and women;(3) we select a few polyphenol or polyamine rich compounds as the CRmimetics, such as resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate and spermidine, due to their capability to extend health-span and induce autophagy. We outline their abilities and issues on retarding aging in animal hearts and preventing CVD in humans. We discuss the confounding factors that should be considered for developing therapeutic strategies against cardiac aging in humans.
基金The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Research Grants (1-BB 81 and G-YX64)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10502021 and 10529202)
文摘The objective of this paper is to identify the effects of mechanical disuse and basic multi-cellular unit （BMU） activation threshold on the form of trabecular bone during menopause. A bone adaptation model with mechanical- biological factors at BMU level was integrated with finite element analysis to simulate the changes of trabecular bone structure during menopause. Mechanical disuse and changes in the BMU activation threshold were applied to the model for the period from 4 years before to 4 years after menopause. The changes in bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness and fractal dimension of the trabecular structures were used to quantify the changes of trabecular bone in three different cases associated with mechanical disuse and BMU activation threshold. It was found that the changes in the simulated bone volume fraction were highly correlated and consistent with clinical data, and that the trabecular thickness reduced signi-ficantly during menopause and was highly linearly correlated with the bone volume fraction, and that the change trend of fractal dimension of the simulated trabecular structure was in correspondence with clinical observations. The numerical simulation in this paper may help to better understand the relationship between the bone morphology and the mecha-nical, as well as biological environment; and can provide a quantitative computational model and methodology for the numerical simulation of the bone structural morphological changes caused by the mechanical environment, and/or the biological environment.
文摘Atherosclerosis is the early stage of arterial disease, and underlies development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke. Although sophisticated models for assessing CVD and stroke risk have been derived based on large-scale prospective studies, their abilities in detecting the presence or absence of atherosclerotic plaque have not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate and compare discriminatory and risk stratifying abilities of 13 CVD risk assessment models against the ultrasound detection of carotid plaques in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Forty-nine T2DM subjects were recruited with informed consent, and major anthropomorphic and biomarker data for these models were collected. The model risk scores were evaluated against the carotid plaques detected by Doppler ultrasound. Only the FHS-Lpts-CHD-10Y model, which is a variant of the Framingham model, revealed an area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) that was significantly different from a random scoring approach (AUROC: 0.681, p was able to stratify the risk levels of carotid plaque presence (Chi-Square statistic: 5.99,
基金Health and Medical Research Fund(01121876)and PolyU Internal Grants(G-YBBS,G-YBGS,Z-0GF).
文摘Retinitis pigmentosa(RP)is a group of heredofamilial retinal diseases which is characterized by night blindness and progressive visual field loss.This study aims to study the treatment effect of Lycium barbarum(LB)on retinal functions and structure of RP patients.The study is a double-masked randomized controlled trial.RP subjects received scheduled eye examination including visual acuity(VA),Humphrey field analysis(HFA),ganzfeld flash electroretinogram(ffERG)and optical coherence tomography(OCT).The suitable subjects were randomly allocated to either LB-treatment or placebo groups with the supply of LB or placebo for 12 months.There were total 41 RP subjects(22 in LB group and 19 in placebo group)completed the 12 months intervention.The compliance rates for LB and placebo groups were 89.8%±12.5%and 85.3%±7.7%respectively.As compared with placebo group,there were no deteriorations of both high and low contrast VA in LB group(P<0.01).In addition,certain improvements of scotopic rod response and photopic cone response of ffERG were obtained in LB group(P<0.05).In the OCT measurement,an obvious thinning of macular thickness was observed in placebo group but not found in LB group(P<0.05).However,there were no changes found in the sensitivity of central visual field between two groups.Our results confirm that the 12-month LB treatment for RP patients had neuroprotective effect on retina and is believed to delay or minimize the deterioration of visual function in RP.
基金This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB40020102)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22193063,32071523,and 42007229)+3 种基金the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution Collaborative Research Fund(SKLMP/CRF/0004 and SKLMP/SCRF/0030)the Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory(Guangzhou)Open Collaborative Research Fund(SMSEGL20SC02)the Hong Kong LNG Terminal Marine Conservation Enhancement Fund(MCEF20030)the Start-up Funds of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University(P0036173 and P0038311).C.L.acknowledges support from the Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University(1-YWCE).We are grateful to all of the principal investigators for uploading sequencing data as an open access resource.We also thank Mr.Lifei Wang of Shandong University for his contribution in the sampling process,Miss Yanfei Wang of Shanghai University of Electric Power for her input in programming,Prof.Beat Frey of Snow and Landscape Research(WSL)for kindly providing information on the samples,and Prof.Huijun Xie of Shandong University,Prof.Yong-Xin Liu of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,and Dr.Robyn J.Wright of Dalhousie University for their constructive comments on the manuscript.
文摘Plastic offers a new niche for microorganisms,the plastisphere.The everincreasing emission of plastic waste makes it critical to understand the microbial ecology of the plastisphere and associated effects.Here,we present a global fingerprint of the plastisphere,analyzing samples collected from freshwater,seawater,and terrestrial ecosystems.The plastisphere assembles a distinct microbial community that has a clearly higher heterogeneity and a more deterministically dominated assembly compared to natural habitats.New coexistence patterns—loose and fragile networks with mostly specialist linkages among microorganisms that are rarely found in natural habitats—are seen in the plastisphere.Plastisphere microbiomes generally have a great potential to metabolize organic compounds,which could accelerate carbon turnover.Microorganisms involved in the nitrogen cycle are also altered in the plastisphere,especially in freshwater plastispheres,where a high abundance of denitrifiers may increase the release of nitrite(aquatic toxicant)and nitrous oxide(greenhouse gas).Enrichment of animal,plant,and human pathogens means that the plastisphere could become an increasingly mobile reservoir of harmful microorganisms.Our findings highlight that if the trajectory of plastic emissions is not reversed,the expanding plastisphere could pose critical planetary health challenges.
文摘Colorectal cancer(CRC)is one of the most prevalent cancers in developed countries.On the other hand,CRC is also one of the most curable cancers if it is detected in early stages through regular colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.Since CRC develops slowly from precancerous lesions,early detection can reduce both the incidence and mortality of the disease.Fecal occult blood test is a widely used non-invasive screening tool for CRC.Although fecal occult blood test is simple and cost-effective in screening CRC,there is room for improvement in terms of the accuracy of the test.Genetic dysregulations have been found to play an important role in CRC development.With better understanding of the molecular basis of CRC,there is a growing expectation on the development of diagnostic tests based on more sensitive and specific molecular markers and those tests may provide a breakthrough to the limitations of current screening tests for CRC.In this review,the molecular basis of CRC development,the characteristics and applications of different non-invasive molecular biomarkers,as well as the technologies available for the detection were discussed.This review intended to provide a summary on the current and future molecular diagnostics in CRC and its pre-malignant state,colorectal adenoma.
文摘As a complex disease,myopia is the most common eye disease worldwide.Many myopia susceptibility genes or variants have been successfully identified in the past years by genome-wide genetic association studies(GWAS),which focus mainly on the single-nucleotide polymorphisms.Little attention has been paid to examine the role of copy number variations(CNVs)in refractive error and myopia.This study adopted a systematic strategy to investigate the role of CNVs in high myopia.In the discovery phase,a pilot GWAS suggests putative CNVs for follow-up.Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification was then used to quantify the copy number of 89 CNV segments in 737 case-control samples in the second phase and then 24 top-ranking CNVs in a second group of 1,029 case-control samples in the final validation phase.This validation phase identified 22 significant CNVs.Further work is needed to examine the role of these few CNVs in myopia development.
文摘Introduction:Although many studies have shown the vast potential of circulating tumor cells(CTCs)detection in cancer diagnosis and prognosis,our understanding of their clinical significance is still far from complete.A major obstacle arises from the lack of well-established tumor or tissue-specific markers to detect CTCs by immunocytochemical staining after immunomagnetic enrichment(IE).Methods:We have established the utility of cytokeratin 20(CK20),a gastrointestinal tract specific marker,for the specific detection and identification of colorectal cancer(CRC)CTCs.This breakthrough was successfully validated in spike-in experiments using CRC cell line models followed by a pilot study which recruited 32 metastatic CRC patients,25 benign colorectal diseases patients and 27 normal subjects.Results:CK20-positive CTCs were detected in 90%metastatic CRC patients but not in benign colorectal diseases patients and normal subjects using this refined assay.Conclusions:These impressive results have laid the foundation for further development of CK20-positive CTCs as a promising marker in diagnosis,prognostication and treatment monitoring of metastatic CRC.
文摘Objectives:To assess the awareness and coping skills of the informal and formal caregivers of people living with dementia(PLWD).Dementia is a condition,which leads to memory loss and gradual deterioration of cognitive abilities in the affected person.The lack of awareness regarding the care of people with dementia and the caregivers'poor coping strategies can negatively impact caregivers'experiences.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the 80 caregivers of PLWD from the psychiatric units of the selected hospitals of Udupi district,Karnataka,India.The baseline data were collected by a self-reported sociodemographic questionnaire.The“Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale”was used to gauge participants'awareness of the care of people with dementia,while the“Brief COPE inventory,”a 28-item questionnaire,was used to gauge carers'coping mechanisms.Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the data analysis using Jamovi(2.3.24),a graphical user interface for R programming,and Microsoft Excel.Results:Most of the caregivers(n=68,85%)had lesser awareness regarding the care of people with dementia.The mean coping strategies score was 60.9±7.71.There was a positive correlation between the awareness and the coping strategies scores among the caregivers(r=0.659,P<0.05).Conclusions:The caregivers of people with dementia often lack awareness about dementia and hence experience poor coping due to their high workload and stress.The frontline healthcare professionals and nurses need to provide appropriate interventions to the caregivers to improve their awareness about dementia and its care.
