Common Reactions Research Articles

An algorithmic framework for synthetic cost-aware decision making in molecular design.

Small molecules exhibiting desirable property profiles are often discovered through an iterative process of designing, synthesizing and testing sets of molecules. The selection of molecules to synthesize from all possible candidates is a complex decision-making process that typically relies on expert chemist intuition. Here we propose a quantitative decision-making framework, SPARROW, that prioritizes molecules for evaluation by balancing expected information gain and synthetic cost. SPARROW integrates molecular design, property prediction and retrosynthetic planning to balance the utility of testing a molecule with the cost of batch synthesis. We demonstrate, through three case studies, that the developed algorithm captures the non-additive costs inherent to batch synthesis, leverages common reaction steps and intermediates, and scales to hundreds of molecules.

Lived experiences of Arabic working mothers raising children with disabilities: navigating rehabilitation and support services

This article explores the experiences of working mothers raising children with disabilities. The study was conducted in the United Arab Emirates, which has a raft of policies empowering and facilitating the development of children with disabilities and their families. Drawing on the social model of disability, this article presents findings from qualitative data collected from both national and expatriate working mothers. It aims to provide insights into their work–caregiving balance and the development of their children with disabilities. Furthermore, this article identifies common reactions, coping strategies and expressed needs among both national and expatriate mothers. However, it highlights significant differences between the two groups in terms of access to rehabilitation and support services for children with disabilities. This research contributes to existing literature on caregiving experiences and offers recommendations for tailoring support services to meet the needs of working mothers raising children with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates.

GASP: A Pan-Specific Predictor of Family 1 Glycosyltransferase Acceptor Specificity Enabled by a Pipeline for Substrate Feature Generation and Large-Scale Experimental Screening.

Glycosylation represents a major chemical challenge; while it is one of the most common reactions in Nature, conventional chemistry struggles with stereochemistry, regioselectivity, and solubility issues. In contrast, family 1 glycosyltransferase (GT1) enzymes can glycosylate virtually any given nucleophilic group with perfect control over stereochemistry and regioselectivity. However, the appropriate catalyst for a given reaction needs to be identified among the tens of thousands of available sequences. Here, we present the glycosyltransferase acceptor specificity predictor (GASP) model, a data-driven approach to the identification of reactive GT1:acceptor pairs. We trained a random forest-based acceptor predictor on literature data and validated it on independent in-house generated data on 1001 GT1:acceptor pairs, obtaining an AUROC of 0.79 and a balanced accuracy of 72%. The performance was stable even in the case of completely new GT1s and acceptors not present in the training data set, highlighting the pan-specificity of GASP. Moreover, the model is capable of parsing all known GT1 sequences, as well as all chemicals, the latter through a pipeline for the generation of 153 chemical features for a given molecule taking the CID or SMILES as input (freely available at https://github.com/degnbol/GASP). To investigate the power of GASP, the model prediction probability scores were compared to GT1 substrate conversion yields from a newly published data set, with the top 50% of GASP predictions corresponding to reactions with >50% synthetic yields. The model was also tested in two comparative case studies: glycosylation of the antihelminth drug niclosamide and the plant defensive compound DIBOA. In the first study, the model achieved an 83% hit rate, outperforming a hit rate of 53% from a random selection assay. In the second case study, the hit rate of GASP was 50%, and while being lower than the hit rate of 83% using expert-selected enzymes, it provides a reasonable performance for the cases when an expert opinion is unavailable. The hierarchal importance of the generated chemical features was investigated by negative feature selection, revealing properties related to cyclization and atom hybridization status to be the most important characteristics for accurate prediction. Our study provides a GT1:acceptor predictor which can be trained on other data sets enabled by the automated feature generation pipelines. We also release the new in-house generated data set used for testing of GASP to facilitate the future development of GT1 activity predictors and their robust benchmarking.

Quantifying reaction rates in methane oxidation: atomistic simulations at high temperature

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of methane oxidation at high temperatures (2500 K–3500 K)—a critical process in atmospheric chemistry and energy production. Employing reactive molecular dynamics simulations, the research bridges the knowledge gap in understanding the complex reaction networks at these elevated temperatures. Key features include the identification of intermediate species and the simplification of the reaction networks through advanced simulation and post-processing techniques. Another focus of the study is on employing the Arrhenius equation for nonlinear curve fitting to determine activation energy and pre-exponential factors for various reactions. The analysis reveals that, despite temperature variations, there are 121 common reactions among the reduced reaction systems. This discovery revealed the underlying consistency in methane oxidation pathways across a range of high temperatures. The results of this research are vital for enhancing current models of methane oxidation, particularly in the context of improving combustion processes and deepening our understanding of atmospheric dynamics involving methane.

Dealing with uncertainty in cyberspace

While cyberspace as a globally interconnected network offers economic, social and informational potential, at the same time this space also produces a wide variety of risks, for which no easy solutions exist. For the international community, for nation states, for organizations and even for individuals, uncertainty is a common thread for interaction, communication and the general use of (systems connected to) cyberspace. This research shows that there are five different common reactions to dealing with this uncertainty in cyberspace: (1) using risk management to control uncertainty; (2) recovering from uncertainty through resilience; (3) influencing uncertainty with laws and regulation; (4) suspending uncertainty by engaging in trust; and (5) ignoring uncertainty through inaction. Some of these approaches are used more often than others. For instance, risk management is currently the dominant way of responding to uncertainty in cyberspace, with resilience gaining prominence. Other strategies, such as relying on trust or inaction, are less common. Oftentimes, using a mixture of strategies may be helpful, because some strategies may strengthen one another, for instance when a combination of risk management and resilience approaches is used. Each strategy has particular use for specific contexts, but since we lack an overview of which strategies are being used, we also cannot establish under which conditions which strategy is most beneficial. Solving this lack of knowledge can help us be more effective in dealing with uncertainties of a wide variety in cyberspace.

The future of language education: Teachers’ perceptions about the surge of AI writing tools

Machine translation (MT) tools have been causing language educators distress since 2006, when GoogleTranslate was first launched. With its ever-increasing efficiency, it has become a reference for language learners looking for shortcuts, and the bane of second language (L2) educators concerned with academic honesty. Henshaw (2020) notes that, over the years, educators have developed a range of approaches for dealing with MT, from incorporating translation activities to outright bans. Educators' anxiety over the surge of new tools is completely normal. “When confronted with a new phenomenon, especially one that can be perceived as an existential threat, a common human reaction is to wish the problem away” (Urlaub & Dessein, 2022, p. 52). While many would seem to wish away ChatGPT and other AI writing tools, they are here to stay. Proliferating at an astronomical rate (ChatGPT garnered over 100 million users just two months after its release) and armed with the ability to imitate natural speech in any genre and language, these tools are poised to accelerate the academic disruption MT tools started. The goal of this study is to examine the perceptions and solutions of L2 educators facing a tool that is arguably more powerful than GoogleTranslate. We surveyed over 100 language instructors, asking questions about their ideas for AI-proofing assignments, their policies, and their perceptions of how this tool will impact the profession. Data was collected through an anonymous survey and analyzed through a constructivist lens. Preliminary results show a mixture of sentiments toward the use of these tools in the language classroom, with some fearful for their job security and others excited about the tools’ potentialities. The second part of this article looks towards the future and seeks to provide an overview of faculty approaches to AI tools, including ideas for assignments and policies.

Messaging About HIV Transmission Risk When Viral Load Is Undetectable: Reactions and Perceived Accuracy Among US Sexual Minority Men.

Scientific evidence indicates that HIV viral suppression to an undetectable level eliminates sexual transmission risk ("Undetectable=Untransmittable" or "U=U"). However, U=U messaging has been met with skepticism among sexual minority men (SMM) and others. In this survey-based experiment, we manipulated messaging about HIV risk and examined reactions and perceived message accuracy among US SMM. SMM living with HIV (n = 106) and HIV-negative/status-unknown SMM (n = 351) participated in an online survey (2019-2020). Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 messaging conditions, which varied by level of HIV sexual transmission risk associated with an undetectable viral load (No Risk [U=U]/Low Risk/Control). Participants reported reactions, message accuracy, and reasons for perceiving inaccuracy. We coded open-response data (reactions and reasons) into conceptual categories (eg, "Enthusiasm"). We compared reactions, accuracy ratings, and reasons by condition and serostatus. In the No Risk Condition, common reactions were Enthusiasm (40.0%), Skepticism/Disagreement (20.0%), and Agreement (19.4%), reactions common to comparison conditions. A higher percentage of HIV-negative/status-unknown participants (24.1%) expressed Skepticism/Disagreement in the No Risk Condition compared with other conditions (3.2%-9.7%). Participants living with HIV were more likely than HIV-negative/status-unknown participants to perceive the message as accurate in all conditions. In the No Risk Condition, common reasons for perceiving inaccuracy were Risk Misstated (46.1%), Oversimplified/Caveats Needed (17.1%), and Personal Unfamiliarity/Uncertainty (14.5%), reasons common to comparison conditions. Across conditions, 10.3% of participants attributed message inaccuracy to undetectable being misdefined. Most SMM reacted favorably to U=U messaging. However, many-especially HIV-negative/status-unknown SMM-expressed skepticism. Interventions are needed to enhance U=U understanding and acceptance.

Recent safety and efficacy findings from a phase 1b/2 open-label combination study of ASP-1929 photoimmunotherapy with anti-PD-1 therapy in EGFR-expressing advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

6083 Background: In the challenging landscape of advanced HNSCC, patients (pts) have overall low survival and high locoregional (LR) recurrence rates. While LR progression is a key contributor to morbidity and mortality, LR control remains low despite aggressive therapy including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. ASP-1929 photoimmunotherapy (PIT) combines EGFR-targeting cetuximab, with a light-activatable dye, IRDye 700DX, and a laser light for localized drug activation. This novel approach has demonstrated rapid and selective tumor necrosis in preclinical studies, and a manageable safety profile in HNSCC early clinical trials. Phase I/II and preclinical data indicate a potential synergy in anti-tumor activity of PIT when combined with anti-PD-1 therapy. Here we present updated interim evaluation findings based on a recent data cut from this study initially presented at the 2023 American Head and Neck Society meeting. Methods: A phase 1b/2 open-label study of pts with recurrent locally advanced (rLA) and/or metastatic (m) HNSCC evaluating the safety and efficacy of ASP-1929 PIT in combination with anti-PD-1 (pembrolizumab) therapy (NCT04305795). Pts with measurable disease by modified RECIST 1.1, at least 1 lesion accessible to light illumination, combined positive score (CPS) ≥1, and who were not candidate for LR therapy could be eligible for the study. Treatment included ASP-1929 PIT (infusion day 8, target tumors illuminated 24±4 hours later) plus anti-PD-1 (days 1&22) during a 6-week cycle for up to 24 months. Primary objectives: safety/tolerability; objective response rate (ORR). Secondary objectives: overall survival (OS); progression-free survival (PFS); duration of response (DOR). Planned sample size: 26 HNSCC pts. Results: Of the 19 r/m HNSCC pts enrolled, 18 pts received both study therapies (PIT-evaluable). Data cut-off was August 31, 2023 (previously reported data cut-off: October 4, 2022). Efficacy results updated for the 18 PIT-evaluable pts: ORR of 33.3% (95% CI 13.3-59.0), including 4 CRs (22.2%) and 2 PRs (11.1%). Median OS not reached; 24-month OS rate estimate was 52.4% (95%CI 25.9-73.4). No change in median PFS, 2.9 months (95%CI 1.4-14.6). Median DOR was not reached at data cut-off (range 2.8+ to 18.0+ months). Safety data remained consistent with the data previously presented. Most common serious adverse reactions were dysphagia (10.5%) and tongue edema (10.5%). There were two grade 4 events: laryngeal edema (PIT-related) and tumor hemorrhage due to advanced disease, and no fatal events. Conclusions: ASP-1929 PIT in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy was generally well tolerated. Initial data demonstrate promising overall survival and response rates with this combination therapy in pts with rLA and/or m HNSCC lacking LR treatment options. Clinical trial information: NCT04305795 .

Results of the COMPARE-GPT study: Comparison of medication package inserts and GPT-4 cancer drug information.

e13646 Background: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has opened new avenues for information dissemination. GPT-4 (GPT) is a large language model developed by open AI. Concerns about its accuracy exist, especially in health communications. We conducted a study to evaluate the accuracy of GPT responses to questions about anti-neoplastic agents for solid tumor malignancies. Methods: We evaluated GPT responses to four questions (Table 1) for each solid tumor drug newly approved or approved for a new indication between 2020 and 2022. The responses from GPT were saved and then compared to the information provided in the medication package insert. For discordant results, a second search was run using a new GPT session. The study was performed by two physicians who ensured that the comparison was both rigorous and unbiased. Results: 53 unique antineoplastic agents were included. GPT responses regarding FDA approval & mechanism of action were correct for each drug (100%). When asked about common adverse reactions, GPT provided incorrect responses for 47% (25/53) of the medications and correct responses for 53% (28/43). The inaccurate responses were either missing certain side effects (88%), provided inaccurate incidence rates (8%), and/or included side effects not listed on the package insert (20%). When a second search was conducted with the same question, GPT provided different responses in 76% (19/25), same responses in 16% (4/25) and now correct responses in 8% (2/25). When asked about drug warnings and precautions, GPT provided incorrect responses for 68% (36/53) of the medications and correct responses for 32% (17/53). The inaccurate responses were missing certain warnings and precautions (89%) and/or included warnings and precautions not listed on the package insert (25%). When a second search was conducted with the same question, GPT provided different responses in 53% (19/36), same responses in 39% (14/36) and now correct responses in 8% (3/36). Conclusions: Analysis of solid tumor drugs approved for use in 2020-2022 evaluated GPT's ability to provide drug information. GPT accurately identified FDA approved indications & mechanisms of action but had significant limitations in accurately reporting a comprehensive list of adverse reactions, drug warnings and precautions. GPT occasionally included drug side effects that are not listed in the package insert. Significant variability in output was demonstrated in repeated searches. Given the inconsistencies in the data identified, GPT should not be used as a primary source of medical information and may potentially cause harm. [Table: see text]

Neoadjuvant pamiparib in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer: A single-arm, prospective phase II trial.

e17555 Background: PARP inhibitors have been validated for their efficacy as maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer, but their effectiveness as neoadjuvant therapy remains uncertain. The aim of this study is to explore the efficacy and safety of the combination of pamiparib with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and bevacizumab in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer. Methods: This is a single-arm prospective phase II study that includes patients who meet the following criteria: newly diagnosed ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer with FIGO stages III-IV; histologically confirmed high-grade serous or endometrioid adenocarcinoma and ineligible for satisfactory debulking surgery. The treatment consists of paclitaxel 175mg/m2 on Day 1 and carboplatin AUC 5 on Day 2, every 3 weeks, for a maximum of 6 cycles. Bevacizumab is administered at a dose of 15mg/kg on Day 1, every 3 weeks, with discontinuation 6 weeks prior to surgery. Pamiparib is given at a dose of 40mg twice daily for a maximum of 6 cycles. Patients who tolerate the treatment and are deemed suitable for surgery undergo interval debulking surgery. After surgery, patients will receive consolidation and maintenance therapy based on the investigator's choice. The chemotherapy response score will be determined based on postoperative pathology evaluation. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a Chemotherapy Response Score 3 (CRS 3). The second endpoints were proportion of patients with pathological complete response (pCR), proportion of patients with satisfactory debulking surgery (R0), progression-free survival (PFS) and safety. The trial is ongoing. Results: Between March 2023 and January 2024, thirteen patients with a median age of 60 years (range: 46 - 73), FIGO stage IIIB (1/13, 7.6%), IIIC (6/13, 46.2%) and IVB (6/13 46.2%) were enrolled. Among the 13 patients, 12 had high-grade serous adenocarcinoma, and 1 had endometrioid adenocarcinoma. 2 patients withdrew their informed consent after receiving 1 cycle of neoadjuvant therapy. Ten patients received four cycles of neoadjuvant therapy, while one patient received three cycles. 8 patients received interval debulking surgery and all of them achieved a R0 resection. Postoperative pathological evaluation showed ovarian CRS3 in 5 patients (62.5%), CRS2 in 2 patients (25%), and CRS1 in 1 patient (12.5%). All of these patients did not achieve a pCR. The most common adverse reactions were neutropenia (92.4%), leukopenia(92.4%), thrombocytopenia(77.0%), and anemia (100%), with grade 3-4 incidence rates of 76.1%, 53.7%, 30.7%, and 38.3%, respectively. No treatment-related death were observed. Conclusions: The combination of pamiparib with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and bevacizumab showed promising efficacy and acceptable toxicity in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer. We will report more data in the future. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2200059119.

Mistletoe Extract in Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Tial (MISTRAL)

Patients with advanced pancreatic cancer have limited survival and few treatment options. We studied whether mistletoe extract (ME), in addition to comprehensive oncological treatment and palliative care, prolongs overall survival (OS) and improves health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The double-blind, placebo-controlled MISTRAL trial was conducted in Swedish oncology centers. The main inclusion criteria were advanced exocrine pancreatic cancer and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2. The subjects were randomly assigned to ME (n=143) or placebo (n=147) and were stratified by study site and by eligibility (yes/no) for palliative chemotherapy (June 2016-December 2021). ME or placebo was injected subcutaneously three times a week for nine months. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS); one of the secondary endpoints was the HRQoL dimension global health/QoL (EORTC-QLQ-C30), as assessed at seven time points over nine months. Trial registration: EudraCT 2014-004552-64, NCT02948309. No statistically significant benefit of adding ME to standard treatment was seen with respect to either OS or global health/ QoL. The adjusted hazard ratio for OS was 1.13 [0.89; 1.44], with a median survival time of 7.8 and 8.3 months for ME and placebo, respectively. The figures for the HRQoL dimension "global health/QoL" were similar in the two groups (p=0.86). The number, severity, and outcome of the reported adverse events were similar as well, except for more common local skin reactions at ME injection sites (66% vs. 1%). ME is unlikely to have a clinically significant effect on OS or the HRQoL dimension global health/QoL when administered in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in addition to comprehensive cancer care.

Parental Coping Strategies as Predictors and Outcomes of Bullying: Longitudinal Relationships Between Child Victimization, Parent-Child Communication, and Parent-Teacher Consultation.

Parental actions, such as parent-child communication and parent-teacher consultation about a child's social adjustment, have been addressed as predictors, but not as outcomes of victimization. This study, based on the Bronfenbrenner's social-ecological model, considered them as outcomes as well as predictors of child victimization and examined their longitudinal bi-directional relationship with child victimization. Data were drawn from the Seoul Education Longitudinal Study, where a total of 4005 Korean youth (female = 43.6%, age mean = 12.43, SD = 1.48 in the first wave), and their parents (female = 87%) were surveyed for six waves (when the youth were 7th to 12th grade). Autoregressive cross-lagged analyses revealed that child victimization positively predicted parent-teacher consultation and negatively predicted parent-child communication, and of these strategies, only parent-child communication was a statistically significant negative predictor of subsequent victimization. The results of this study suggest that parents tend to talk with teachers instead of their own children when bullying occurs, but it is ineffective in preventing further victimization. Communicating with one's children, which is a less common reaction, appears to be a better preventative measure.

Factors affecting anticipatory grief of family carers supporting people living with Motor Neurone disease: the impact of disease symptomatology

Objective To investigate the effect of carer- and disease-related factors on anticipatory grief (AG) in family carers supporting people living with Motor Neurone Disease. Methods Seventy-five carers from the UK and USA participated in this cross-sectional study, between July 2021 and February 2023. Participants completed assessments on: anticipatory grief (MMCGI-SF, comprising three sub-scales: Personal Sacrifice Burden, Heartfelt Sadness and Longing, Worry and Felt Isolation); person with MND (pwMND) behavioral changes (MiND-B) and disease severity (ALSFRS-R); carer-pwMND emotional bond (Relationship Closeness Scale), familism levels (Familism Scale), and reported hours of care provided. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to explore factors impacting carer AG. Results AG total scores showed that 50.7% of carers were experiencing common grieving reactions, 22.6% presented intense grieving emotions, and 26.7% presented low grieving responses. Disease severity (regression coefficient, β = −0.31, p = 0.01, 95%CI −0.91 to −0.13) and behavioral changes (β = −0.34, p = 0.002, 95%CI −1.45 to −0.33) predicted AG total scores (proportion of explained variation, R 2=0.38, p < 0.001). Regarding AG subscales, Personal Sacrifice Burden (R 2=0.43, p < 0.001) was predicted by disease severity (β = −0.39, p < 0.001, 95%CI −0.42 to −0.11). Behavioral changes predicted Heartfelt Sadness and Longing (β = −0.27, p = 0.03, 95%CI −0.49 to −0.03; R 2 = 0.21, p = 0.01) and Worry and Felt Isolation (β = −0.42, p < 0.001, 95%CI −0.63 to −0.20; R 2=0.33, p < 0.001). Conclusion This study suggests that disease-related factors may be the strongest predictors of carer AG. Interventions addressing carers’ understanding and management of MND symptoms seem crucial to support their experiences of loss and their acceptance of MND. Evidence-based support for carers in MND services is required.

Acute skin toxicity and self-management ability among Chinese breast cancer radiotherapy patients: a qualitative study

ObjectivesRadiation dermatitis is the most common reaction to radiotherapy, almost all breast cancer patients receive radiotherapy on an outpatient basis. Currently, there are no studies on the experience of radiation dermatitis and the ability to self-manage it. Therefore, we aimed to use qualitative approaches to gain a deeper understanding of the actual experiences and self-management ability in order to provide a reference for further improving the effectiveness of self-management and to optimize symptom management strategies.MethodsA descriptive qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling to select 17 breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from September to November 2023. The Colaizzi seven-step analysis method was used to classify the data into summarized themes.ResultsFour themes were identified from the interview responses: (1) multiple self-reported skin symptoms in breast cancer patients with radiation dermatitis; (2) the multidimensional impact on patient’s quality of life, especially pruritus, ulceration; (3) the ability to self-manage radiation dermatitis: strong mental toughness, positive response, and self-doubt; (4) challenges faced: concerns about radiotherapy side effects and recurrence, targeted symptom management and continuity of care after the radiotherapy.ConclusionsHealthcare professionals should consider patients’ self-reported symptoms when assessing radiation dermatitis. For pruritus and pain, we can enhance precision symptom management to improve patients’ quality of life. By utilizing information technology tools, we can increase breast cancer patients’ ability and confidence in managing radiation dermatitis effectively while enhancing accurate symptom management during radiotherapy.

Genuine carbene versus carbene‐like reactivity

AbstractSinglet carbenes are not always isolable and often even elude direct detection. When they escape observation, their formation can sometimes be evidenced by in situ trapping experiments. However, is carbene‐like reactivity genuine evidence of carbene formation? Herein, using the first example of a spectroscopically characterized cyclic (amino)(aryl)carbene (CAArC), we cast doubt on the most common carbene trapping reactions as sufficient proof of carbene formation.

Genuine carbene versus carbene-like reactivity.

Singlet carbenes are not always isolable and often even elude direct detection. When they escape observation, their formation can sometimes be evidenced by in situ trapping experiments. However, is carbene-like reactivity genuine evidence of carbene formation? Herein, using the first example of a spectroscopically characterized cyclic (amino)(aryl)carbene (CAArC), we cast doubt on the most common carbene trapping reactions as sufficient proof of carbene formation.

Efficacy and Safety of Semaglutide in Weight Loss of Non-diabetic People.

The study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of semaglutide in weight loss in non-diabetic people. In this study, 84 non-diabetic people who used semaglutide to lose weight in the outpatient department of our hospital from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2022, were enrolled and compared for changes in body weight, waist circumference, Body Mass Index (BMI), fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, pulse, and body composition (body fat ratio, visceral fat area, and skeletal muscle) before treatment and 12 weeks after the treatment to analyze the weight loss efficacy and safety. After administering semaglutide 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 0.75 mg, or 1 mg subcutaneously once a week for 12 weeks, 84 participants in this study obtained an average weight loss of 5.91 ± 3.37 kg, equivalent to 6.15 ± 4.28% of baseline body weight, and there was also a significant reduction in visceral fat area and a slight reduction in blood pressure. The most common adverse reactions included gastrointestinal reactions (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea), which were mild and subsided within 1-2 days. No severe adverse reaction, such as hypoglycemia and hypotension, was observed. Low-dose semaglutide has been found to be effective and safe for short-term weight loss in non-diabetic people.

The Role of the Allergist in the Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Hypersensitivity Reactions

Chemotherapy-Induced Hypersensitivity Reactions are one of the main problems for oncology physicians and chemotherapy patients. The hypersensitivity reaction can either cause the cessation of the first-line treatment and it may impair the final result and impede or decrease the chances for successful treatment. Chemotherapy drugs are foreign substances that are capable to inducing the various hypersensitivity reactions from mild cutaneous symptoms to severe respiratory distress and cardiovascular collapse. The original Gell and Coomb’s classification categorizes hypersensitivity reactions into four types according to the type of immune response and the effector mechanism responsible for cell and tissue injury. The most common reactions are caused by platinum compounds, taxanes, epipodophyllotoxins, and asparaginase. The use of biologicals is increasing now, and these drugs are frequent causes of hypersensitivity reactions too. Skin testing is a method of diagnosing drug hypersensitivity, but it has not been developed enough in the field of medical oncology where a variety of the antineoplastic agents may be caused hypersensitivity reactions. Drug desensitization is the benefitial therapy in patients with chemotherapyinduced hypersensitivity reactions to chemotherapeutic drugs. This is useful for chemotherapy patients with malignancies and hematological diseases when no comparable alternative is available.

Recent progress and perspective on electrocatalysis in neutral media: Mechanisms, materials, and advanced characterizations

AbstractElectrocatalysis, which involves oxidation and reduction reactions with direct electron transfer, is essential for a variety of clean energy conversion devices. Currently, the vast majority of studies regarding electrocatalysis reactions focus on strong acidic or alkaline media because of the higher catalytic activity. Nevertheless, some inherent drawbacks, including the corrosive environment, expensive proton exchange membranes, and side effects, are still hard to break through. A sustainably promising way to overcome these shortcomings is to deploy neutral/near‐neutral electrolytes for electrocatalysis reactions. Unfortunately, insufficient research in this area due to the lack of attention to related issues has slowed down the development process. In this review, we systematically review the catalytic reaction mechanisms, neutral electrolytes, electrocatalysts, and modification strategies carried out in neutral media on the three most common electrocatalytic reactions, that is, hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, and oxygen evolution reaction. Furthermore, the advanced characterization tools for guiding catalyst synthesis and mechanistic studies are also summarized. Eventually, we propose some challenges and perspectives on electrocatalysis reactions in neutral media and hope it will attract more research interest and provide guidance in neutral electrocatalysis.

Efficacy and safety of chemotherapy as monotherapy in patients with recurrent intermediate/high-risk factors following radical hysterectomy for stage IB-IIA cervical cancer: a single-center retrospective analysis

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to explore the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy (CT) as a monotherapy in patients with recurrent intermediate/high-risk factors following radical hysterectomy for stage IB-IIA cervical cancer.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of patients diagnosed with stage IB-IIA cervical cancer who underwent radical hysterectomy at the People’s Hospital of Suzhou High-tech District between 2010 and 2020. A total of 66 patients with intermediate or high-risk factors for recurrence were treated exclusively with CT. This cohort included 42 patients in the intermediate-risk group and 24 in the high-risk group. Treatment protocols consisted of 4–6 cycles of paclitaxel and cisplatin drugs for the intermediate-risk group, and 6 cycles for the high-risk group. The relapse-free survival (RFS), recurrence rates, and common CT-related adverse reactions, including bone marrow suppression, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea, were assessed for both groups.Results(1) The cumulative 3-year RFS rates for the intermediate-risk and high-risk groups were 97.3% (36/37) and 82.4% (14/17), respectively, with cumulative 5-year RFS rates of 97.1% (34/35) and 82.4% (14/17), respectively. The Log rank test revealed no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05), (χ² = 2.718, P = 0.099). The 5-year recurrence rates in the intermediate-risk and high-risk groups were 2.38% (1/42) and 12.50% (3/24), respectively. (2) The incidence of grade III bone marrow suppression in the intermediate-risk and high-risk groups was 21.19% (11/42) and 25.00% (6/24), respectively, while the incidence of grade IV bone marrow suppression was 11.90% (5/42) and 8.33% (2/24), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in bone marrow suppression grades between the two groups (P > 0.05).ConclusionCT with paclitaxel and cisplatin, administered as monotherapy post-radical hysterectomy for stage IB-IIA cervical cancer, demonstrates satisfactory survival benefits with an acceptable safety profile. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in prognosis or adverse reactions between the different risk groups treated solely with CT.