High Occurrence Rate Research Articles

Risk factors of the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) after ileostomy reversal in rectal cancer patient

This study is aimed at identifying risk factors of Low Anterior Resection Syndrome following ileostomy reversal in rectal cancer patients who had undergone preventive ileostomy. This retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 605 patients treated at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University between January 2018 and December 2021. These patients were grouped based on LARS score, and Clinical and follow-up data were collected to conduct univariate analyses of potential factors influencing LARS occurrence based on variable type. Variables with statistical significance were included in a logistic regression model to analyze potential influences on the occurrence of LARS. Univariate and Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that N2 stage (OR = 2.290 95%CI: 1.076–4.873, P = 0.031), chemoradiotherapy (OR = 2.271, 95%CI: 1.246–4.138, P = 0.007), and anastomosis height (OR = 0.836, 95%CI: 0.717–0.975, P = 0.022) were independent influences on the occurrence of LARS. In model 3 (adjusting for all covariates), the relationship between anastomotic height and patient LARS status showed a negative correlation. In subgroup analyses, there were significant differences in the effect of anastomotic height on LARS in subgroups with different hemoglobin concentrations. A high occurrence rate of LARS is observed in rectal cancer patients with preventive ileostomy reversal. N2 stage, history of chemoradiotherapy, and anastomotic height are independent influence factors for the occurrence of major LARS after ileostomy reversal.

Reduced brain oxygen response to spreading depolarization predicts worse outcome in ischaemic stroke.

Spreading depolarization (SD) describes a propagating neuronal mass depolarization within the cerebral cortex that represents a mediator of infarct development and strongly stimulates the metabolic rate of O2 consumption. Here, we investigated the influence of Spreading Depolarization (SD) on brain tissue partial pressure of O2 (ptiO2) within the peri-infarct tissue of patients suffering malignant hemispheric stroke (MHS). This prospective observational trial included 25 patients with MHS that underwent decompressive hemicraniectomy followed by subdural placement of electrodes for electrocorticography (ECoG) and neighboring implantation of a ptiO2 probe within the peri-infarcted cortex. Continuous side-by-side ECoG + ptiO2 recordings were obtained for 3-6 days postoperatively and analyzed for the occurrence of SD-independent and SD-coupled ptiO2 changes, radiological findings, as well as their association with clinical outcome at 6 months. During the combined ECoG + ptiO2 monitoring period of 2,604 hours and among 1,022 SDs, 483 (47%) SD-coupled ptiO2 variations were identified as biphasic (59%), hypoxic (36%) or hyperoxic (5%) ptiO2 responses that differed significantly (*p<0.0001). Among the remaining 538/1,022 (53%) SDs, no SD-coupled ptiO2 response was detected, which we categorized as 'No response'. The overall infarct progression was 1.7% (IQR -2.5-10.9). Spreading Depolarization characteristics regarding type, duration and frequency, as well as SD-independent baseline ptiO2 had no association with outcome. In contrast, a high occurrence rate and amplitude of SD-coupled variations in ptiO2 were associated with improved outcome at 6 months (occurrence: r=-0.62, *p=0.035; amplitude: r=-0.57, *p=0.024; Spearman correlation). In conclusion, an absent or reduced ptiO2 response to SD could indicate tissue-at-risk and help direct targeted treatment strategies in ischemic stroke, which is further evidence that not all SDs are the same, but that tissue responses coupled to SD such as ptiO2 contain prognostic information. In particular, a lack of SD-coupled ptiO2 variations appears to be a predictor of worse outcome in large hemispheric stroke.

LncRNAs'p potential roles in the pathogenesis of cancer via interacting with signaling pathways; special focus on lncRNA-mediated signaling dysregulation in lung cancer.

Lung cancer ranks among the most lethal types of cancer globally, with a high occurrence and fatality rate. The spread of cancer to other parts of the body, known as metastasis, is the primary cause of treatment failure and death in lung cancer cases. Current approaches for treating advanced lung cancer typically involve a combination of chemotherapy and targeted therapy. However, the majority of patients ultimately develop resistance to these treatments, leading to a worsened prognosis. In recent years, cancer biology research has predominantly focused on the role of protein-encoding genes in cancer development. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts over 200 nucleotides in length that do not encode proteins but are crucial RNA molecules involved in numerous biological functions. While many functions of lncRNAs remain unknown, some have been linked to human diseases, including cancer. Studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs interact with other large molecules in the cell, such as proteins, DNA, and RNA, influencing various critical aspects of cancer. LncRNAs play a significant role in regulating gene expression and have a crucial function in the transcriptional regulation of cancer cells. They mediate various biological and clinical processes such as invasion, metastasis, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been found to impact the process of carcinogenesis through advanced technologies like RNA sequencing and microarrays. Collectively, these long non-coding RNAs hold promise as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for human cancers. In this segment, we provide a comprehensive summary of the literature on the characteristics and formation of lncRNAs, along with an overview of their current known roles in lung cancer.

Occurrence of mycotoxins of the beauvericin and enniatin groups in infant foods and risk assessment study

The aim of this study was the determination of mycotoxins belonging to beauvericin and enniatin groups in infant foods to be considered for the assessment of dietary exposure. The extraction phase with acetonitrile was followed by a purification step before liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The method was suitable to detect these mycotoxins in different categories of infant foods (cereal-based creams, biscuits, and pasta) at concentrations between 0.30 μg/kg for beauvericin and enniatin A and 0.60 μg/kg for the remaining enniatins (A1, B and B1) up to a maximum of 20 μg/kg. Beauvericin was the most detected mycotoxin in pasta samples (15%) at a maximum concentration of 1.1 μg/kg, while enniatin B showed the highest presence (90%) in biscuits, at levels ranging from 0.63 to 11 μg/kg. Enniatin B1 was found in all matrices at comparable ranks of positivity, with the highest occurrence rate (30%) in biscuits. The highest estimated daily intake was observed in infant consumers aged 1–3 years and was associated with the consumption of biscuits, followed by samples of pasta and cereal-based creams. It was higher in infants than in children aged 4–9 years due to consumption data expressed per kg of body weight. The lowest estimated daily intake was obtained for beauvericin in all matrices as its concentrations were lower than those of the enniatin group. The results of this study highlighted the need to implement monitoring also for these mycotoxin groups, paying particular attention to infants as a high-risk category.

Whole-genome comparative analysis of the genetic, virulence and antimicrobial resistance diversity of Campylobacter spp. from Spain

Whole-Genome Sequencing has the potential to be an effective method for surveillance of foodborne diseases. This study aims to determine the genetic relatedness and prevalence of virulence-associated genes and antimicrobial resistance determinants in 135 Campylobacter jejuni, seven Campylobacter coli and three Campylobacter lari isolates from the poultry supply chain and a hospital in Spain. The isolates showed a wide genetic diversity between and within species with Clonal Complex 21 the most frequent lineage found. Among species, C. jejuni showed the highest prevalence of virulence genes (287/333) in which a high occurring variability was observed in the capsule biosynthesis and transport, O-linked flagellar glycosylation and lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis loci, with a great impact of phase-variation that led to 72 different virulence gene patterns among all isolates. High prevalence (> 90 %) of blaOXA-type β-lactamase genes and mutations in DNA gyrase gene associated with fluoroquinolones resistance were observed, and at a frequency similar to the tet(O) gene in C. jejuni (93 %) and C. coli (86 %), both of which also harboured resistance determinants to aminoglycosides with a higher occurrence rate in C. coli (43 %), that was the only species in which mutations in the 23S ribosomal subunit conferring resistance to erythromycin were identified (43 %). The present study constitutes the largest genomic survey of Campylobacter isolates in Spain providing insight into the prevalence and diversity of the pathogen along the poultry supply chain in the country.

The Role of Hearing Difficulty: Cognitive-Communication and Speech-in-Noise Deficits in Adults Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Purpose: Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) has a high rate of occurrence across the lifespan. Following mild TBI (mTBI), perceived deficits in cognitive communication and hearing may be noted. This study aimed to determine if adults with a history of mTBI and hearing difficulty perceived greater degrees of cognitive-communication difficulty and performed poorer on a speech-in-noise task when compared to participants with mTBI and controls without reported hearing difficulty. Method: Adults aged 19–77 years with and without a history of mTBI were analyzed. Participants were divided into three groups: control ( n = 49), mTBI ( n = 22), and mTBI with hearing difficulty (mTBI-HD, n = 26). Perception of hearing difficulty was based on a score of ≥ 20 on the Hearing Handicap Inventory or a score ≥ 2 on the Adult Auditory Performance Scale. Self-perceived cognitive communication was measured using the Cognitive Difficulties Scale (CDS) and the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ). Speech-in-noise performance was measured using the low-cue speech recognition threshold (SRT) from the Listening in Spatialized Noise–Sentences (LiSN-S) test. Results: Adults in the mTBI-HD group reported significantly greater degrees of cognitive-communication difficulties (higher CDS and LCQ scores) and exhibited significantly poorer speech-in-noise performance on the low-cue LiSN-S condition when compared to the control and mTBI groups. Results also revealed significant correlations between the LiSN-S low-cue SRT and perceived cognitive communication on the CDS. Conclusions: Results of the current study indicate that adults with a history of mTBI and hearing difficulty experience greater subjective cognitive-communication difficulties and perform more poorly on difficult speech-in-noise tasks than adults who do not experience self-perceived hearing difficulties. The results of this study support the consideration of hearing and cognitive-communication difficulties when determining appropriate speech, language, and hearing assessment, treatment, and intervention strategies for individuals following mTBI.

Reliability of the Lever Sign Test in the Diagnosis of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: A Cross-Sectional Study with Interobserver Analysis

Introduction: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are known to have a high rate of occurrence among athletes. The growing prevalence of these injuries demands research in this field to determine clinically reliable diagnostic techniques. Aims: The goal of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the lever sign test with other frequently used manual tests, such as the anterior drawer and Lachman test, and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the lever sign test in the diagnosis of ACL injuries. Study Design: The study was conducted for a period of 1 year, from November 2021 to November 2022, among 100 patients presenting to orthopedic outpatient department in a tertiary care center with complaints of acute knee pain after a trauma to the knee. Materials and Methods: A thorough history, physical examination, and three manual tests for diagnosing an ACL tear were performed by an intern, orthopedic resident, and consultant after obtaining consent. Arthroscopy of the injured knee was taken as the reference standard. Results: Of 100 patients, 53 were surgical and 67 were nonsurgical; the mean patient age was 33 years (range, 16 + 6.38 years). The overall accuracy of the lever sign test was 83% (85% sensitivity and 81% specificity); the accuracy was almost similar at arrival and under anesthesia (at arrival 86%, under anesthesia 80%), when performed by interns, postgraduates, and consultants. Conclusion: The lever sign test is easier to perform, equally efficacious, and reliable in diagnosing ACL injuries when compared to the other conventionally used manual tests.

The DECam Ecliptic Exploration Project (DEEP). VII. The Strengths of Three Superfast Rotating Main-belt Asteroids from a Preliminary Search of DEEP Data

Superfast rotators (SFRs) are small solar system objects that rotate faster than generally possible for a cohesionless rubble pile. Their rotational characteristics allow us to make inferences about their interior structure and composition. Here, we present the methods and results from a preliminary search for SFRs in the DECam Ecliptic Exploration Project (DEEP) data set. We find three SFRs from a sample of 686 main-belt asteroids, implying an occurrence rate of 0.4−0.3+0.1 %—a higher incidence rate than has been measured by previous studies. We suggest that this high occurrence rate is due to the small sub-kilometer size regime to which DEEP has access: the objects searched here were as small as ∼500 m. We compute the minimum required cohesive strength for each of these SFRs and discuss the implications of these strengths in the context of likely evolution mechanisms. We find that all three of these SFRs require strengths that are more than that of weak regolith but consistent with many cohesive asteroid strengths reported in the literature. Across the full DEEP data set, we have identified ∼70,000 Main-Belt Asteroids and expect ∼300 SFRs—a result that will be assessed in a future paper.

Effects of Storm‐Time Winds on Ionospheric Pre‐Midnight Equatorial Plasma Bubbles Over South America as Observed by ICON and GOLD

AbstractThis study uses satellite measurements of plasma densities and thermospheric winds to analyze the effects of the November 2021 geomagnetic storm on ionospheric pre‐midnight topside plasma bubbles over South America. Using observations from the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) and the Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) satellites, we find that pre‐midnight topside plasma bubbles were inhibited over eastern South America during the recovery phase of the storm. This is particularly notable because of the otherwise high occurrence rate of plasma bubbles at these longitudes during this season. This inhibition coincided with the recovery phase of the geomagnetic storm, marked by a northward turning of the z‐component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMFBz) and quiet‐time values of the SuperMAG Auroral Electrojet Index (SME). We observed a westward turning of the zonal wind before the bubble inhibition, so we conclude the inhibition of topside plasma bubbles is likely related to a westward disturbance dynamo electric field (DDEF) causing a downward drift and suppress the growth of the instability responsible for bubble development. Contrary to theoretical predictions, we do not observe notable changes to the meridional wind during the event. These results provide new insights into the ionosphere‐thermosphere system's response to geomagnetic storms and highlight the role of wind patterns in inhibiting ionospheric irregularities, contributing to better predictive models for these phenomena.

First-line antibiotic treatment of Salmonella Typhi isolated from Enteric Fever Children in Iraq

The rise of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica subsp enterica worsened the high rate of occurrence of typhoid fever, particularly in developing nations with inadequate hygienic conditions, medical infrastructure and financial levels. Blood samples were taken from 110 children (36 male and 74 female) who attended Al-Elwya Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. The isolates were processed and identified based on culturing in MacConkey agar and xylose lysine deoxycholate agar and the diagnosis was confirmed using the Vitek 2 compact system. The antibiotics susceptibility pattern was determined using the disc diffusion method. Out of 110 samples 79 (71.8%) isolates were identified as S. Typhi. Among the tested antibiotics, ceftazidime showed the highest resistance against S. Typhi (84.8%) followed by cefepime (75.9%). The results also revealed that 21 (26.5%) were shown to be MDR and 9 (11.3%) were XDR. Our study concluded that the highest incidence of infection occurs in children aged 4-6 years. We have also found that antibiotics, like meropenem and piperacillin-tazobactam are now effective against S. Typhi. There is a potential possibility of repurposing these antibiotics to treat typhoid in Baghdad.

Some risk factors for recurrent ischemic stroke caused by middle cerebral artery damage

Background and Purpose: Recurrent ischemic stroke due to damage to the middle cerebral artery causes deterioration of neurological function and increases the rate of disability, death, and treatment costs many times compared to the first ischemic stroke. Assessing risk factors plays an extremely important role in preventing recurrent ischemic stroke. We have discuss some risk factors for recurrent ischemic stroke caused by middle cerebral artery damage. Research subjects and methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study on 77 patients with recurrent ischemic stroke due to middle cerebral artery damage at the Neurology Center - Bach Mai Hospital from July 2021 to August 2022. Summary of review: There were 22 female patients and 55 male patients with an average age of 65 ± 11 years old, predominantly in the age group of 61 - 70 years old (making up 44.2% of the total). The majority of patients experienced their first recurrence (64.9%). The timeframe between the most recent ischemic stroke and the recurrent event ranged from 12 months to 5 years, with the highest occurrence rate at 33.8%. Hypertension has the highest rate among risk factors (88.3%); Hyperlipidemia follows as the second leading risk factor (49.4%). Patients with recurrent ischemic stroke caused by middle cerebral artery damage showed limited effectiveness in recurrence prevention treatment: 68.8% did not adhere to antiplatelet medication or had recently stopped taking them. 81.8% did not consistently receive statin treatment as prescribed. There is a significant difference in clinical recovery levels based on the mRS among patients with and without hypertension (p=0.023); with and without hyperlipidemia (p=0.044); among patients receiving regular and irregular antithrombotic therapy (p &lt; 0.005); among patients receiving regular and irregular statin therapy (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Our research indicates that recurrent ischemic stroke resulting from middle cerebral artery damage presents a higher number of risk factors, and the efficacy of recurrence prevention treatment is suboptimal.

OCCURRENCE OF SMALL RUMINANT GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES IN ENUGU NORTH, NIGERIA

Small ruminants such as sheep and goats are highly susceptible to various parasitic infections, which can have a significant impact on their overall health and productivity. These parasites can cause a range of health issues, including the transmission of other diseases, and can also weaken the immune system of their hosts, leaving them more vulnerable to secondary bacterial infections. Hence, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of these parasites for effective management of small ruminants and to prevent disease outbreaks. Therefore, the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in small ruminants (sheep and goats) in Enugu North Senatorial Zone, Enugu State, Nigeria, was determined. A total of 120 faecal samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites using standard laboratory techniques. The parasite eggs were identified based on their morphological features using a parasitological atlas. An overall occurrence rate of 40% (n = 48) was recorded. Based on species, an occurrence rate of 40.2% (n = 45) and 37.5% (n = 3) were obtained for goats and sheep, respectively. Among the parasites detected, strongyles had the highest rate of occurrence (85.42%; n = 41), while the parasites with the least occurrence were paramphistomum and trichuris (2%; n = 1), respectively. The parasite had the highest occurrence in the males (ram: 50% and buck: 50%), 4½-year-old (52%) animals, and as a single infection (67%). Chi-square analysis showed that there was no association (p &gt; 0.01) between the occurrence rate in relation to species, sex, age, and type of infection, but a significant difference was found between breed and occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites.

Association between gynecologic cancer and Alzheimer’s disease: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study

BackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) manifests with a higher rate of occurrence in women. Previous epidemiological studies have suggested a potential association between AD and gynecological cancers, but the causal relationship between them remains unclear. This study aims to explore the causal link between 12 types of gynecological cancers and AD using a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.MethodsWe obtained genetic correlation tools for AD using data from the most extensive genome-wide association study. Genetic correlation data for 12 types of gynecological cancers were also sourced from the Finnish Biobank. These cancers include breast cancer (BC), cervical adenocarcinoma (CA), cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), cervical cancer (CC), endometrial cancer (EC), ovarian endometrioid carcinoma (OEC), ovarian cancer (OC), ovarian serous carcinoma (OSC), breast carcinoma in situ (BCIS), cervical carcinoma in situ (CCIS), endometrial carcinoma in situ (ECIS), and vulvar carcinoma in situ (VCIS). We used the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) model for causal analysis and conducted horizontal pleiotropy tests, heterogeneity tests, MR-PRESSO tests, and leave-one-out analyses to ensure the robustness of our results. We also applied replication analysis and meta-analysis to further validate our experimental results.ResultsThe study found that EC (P_IVW =0.037, OR [95% CI] = 1.032 [1.002, 1.064]) and CCIS (P_IVW = 0.046, OR [95% CI] = 1.032 [1.011, 1.064]) increase the risk of AD, whereas OC was negatively correlated with AD (P_IVW = 0.016, OR [95% CI] = 0.974[0.954, 0.995]). In reverse MR analysis, AD increased the risk of CC (P_IVW = 0.039, OR [95% CI] = 1.395 [1.017, 1.914]) and VCIS (P_IVW = 0.041, OR [95% CI] = 1.761 [1.027, 2.021]), but was negatively correlated with OEC (P_IVW = 0.034, OR [95% CI] = 0.634 [0.417, 0.966]). Sensitivity analysis results demonstrated robustness. These findings were further substantiated through replication and meta-analyses.ConclusionsOur MR study supports a causal relationship between AD and gynecological cancers. This encourages further research into the incidence of gynecological cancers in female Alzheimer’s patients and the active prevention of AD.

Prevalence and diversity of enteric Helicobacter spp. in healthy and diarrheic cats.

Helicobacters are gastric and enterohepatic and live in the gut. The role of enterohepatic Helicobacters as intestinal pathogens is uncertain, while stomach Helicobacters are well-known. The prevalence of Helicobacter species in cat feces helps us understand their impact on cat health and human disease transmission. This study used PCR to identify Helicobacter spp. in feces samples from healthy and diarrhoeic cats, independent of the reason. The study also compared intestinal and stomach Helicobacter species. PCR analysis was performed on fecal samples from 40 cats, with 20 cats having diarrhea and 20 cats showing no symptoms. The PCR analysis aimed to detect Helicobacter's presence using a method that identifies the bacteria through the 16S rRNA gene. The diarrhoeic group had a greater prevalence of infection (17:9 ratio), with an overall 65% infection rate detected. Cats that were older than 2 years showed a higher incidence of disease. H. canis had the highest occurrence rate (69.2%), followed by H. bilis, H. bizzozeronii, and H. salomonis. Significantly, H. pylori, H. felis, and H. heilmannii were not reported. H. canis was the predominant species found in both healthy and diarrheic cats, indicating the need for more investigation. The detection of the gastric species H. salomonis and H. bizzozeronii further complicates the classification. This highlights the complex nature of Helicobacter infections in cats, emphasizing the need for further investigation to guide the development of preventative measures and treatment techniques for both veterinary and public health purposes.

First climatology of F-region UHF echoes observed by the AMISR-14 system at the Jicamarca radio observatory and comparison with the climatology of VHF echoes observed by the collocated JULIA radar

Coherent backscatter radar observations made at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory (JRO) have contributed significantly to our understanding of equatorial F-region irregularities. Radar observations, however, have been made predominantly at the Very-High Frequency (VHF) band (50 MHz), which corresponds to measurements of 3-m field-aligned irregularities. The deployment of the 14-panel version of the Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR-14) at Jicamarca provided an opportunity for observations of Ultra-High Frequency (UHF - 445 MHz) echoes which correspond to measurements of irregularities with 0.34 m scale sizes. Here, we present what we believe to be the first report describing the quiet-time climatology of sub-meter equatorial F-region irregularities derived from UHF radar measurements. The measurements were made between August 2021 and February 2023 using a 10-beam AMISR-14 mode that scanned the F-region in the magnetic equatorial plane. The results show how F-region sub-meter irregularities respond to variations in season and solar flux conditions. The results also confirm, experimentally, that the occurrence of UHF F-region echoes is controlled by the occurrence of equatorial spread F (ESF). Higher occurrence rates were observed during pre-midnight hours and during Equinox and December solstice. Reduced occurrence rates were observed during June solstice. The results show that an increase in solar flux was followed by an increase in the altitude where noticeable occurrence rates (≳ 10%) start and in the maximum altitude of these occurrence rates. The observations also show that occurrence rates lasted longer (in local time) during low solar flux conditions. Comparisons with collocated VHF radar observations showed that, despite differences in radar parameters, observation days, and the scale size (one order of magnitude) of the scattering irregularities, the two systems show similar climatological variations with only minor differences in the absolute occurrence rates. Finally, the analysis of the occurrence rates for different beams did not show substantial climatological variations over local (within a few 100s of km) zonal distances around JRO. We point out, however, that observations on a single day can show strong local variations in echo detection and intensity within the AMISR-14 field of view due to the intrinsic development and decay of ESF structures.

An Investigation of the Third Harmonic Power Line Emission in the Topside Ionosphere During the Recent Solar Minimum Period

AbstractPower line harmonic radiation (PLHR) events are radiated by electric power systems on the ground at harmonics of the base power system frequency (50 or 60 Hz, depending on the region). We analyze the global third harmonics PLHR at 150 and 180 Hz using electric field data collected by China Seismo‐Electromagnetic Satellite during the recent solar minimum between January 2019 and December 2022. The average frequency spectrum over industrialized areas shows that the third harmonic has a high occurrence rate in the U.S. region, as well as in western China and northern India, but is very low in the European region. In particular, in the China region and the U.S. region, more than 11,000 and 24,000 dayside and nightside third harmonic PLHR events have been detected from 2019 to 2022, respectively. Compared to the 150 Hz PLHR occurrence rate detected above the China region, the 180 Hz PLHR occurrence rate above the U.S. region is higher, which reveals a significant regional difference. In addition, both at nighttime and daytime, the PLHR electric field intensities at 180 Hz are higher than that at 60 Hz above the U.S. region, which is also different from the result above the China region.

Learning Curve Analysis of Single-Incision Ovarian Cystectomy: Comparative Study of Robotic and Conventional Laparoscopic Techniques.

Ovarian cystectomy, aimed at preserving fertility, has advanced through minimally invasive surgical techniques. This study evaluates the learning curves and surgical outcomes of three such approaches: DaVinci Robotic Single-Site (RSS), DaVinci Robotic Single-Port (RSP), and laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). To analyze the learning curves and surgical outcomes for these techniques, providing insights into their effectiveness and proficiency development. Retrospective analysis of 104 patients with ovarian tumors, divided into RSS (n = 52), RSP (n = 22), and LESS (n = 30) groups. Metrics analyzed included age, BMI, tumor size, hemoglobin drop, operative time, docking time, console time, and tumor location. No significant differences in age, BMI, transfusion rate, hemoglobin drop, or length of stay were found among the groups. RSS had larger tumors on average, and LESS had a higher occurrence rate on the right side. LESS demonstrated the shortest operative time, while RSS and RSP had comparable times. Docking and console times did not differ significantly between RSS and RSP. RSP reached proficiency faster than RSS in docking and console times, while LESS exhibited the greatest variability in operative time. RSP offers a faster and more consistent learning curve, making it advantageous for complex procedures, whereas LESS provides shorter operative times but with higher variability. These findings are crucial for surgical training and resource allocation in medical institutions.

Identifying relevant factors influencing cancer-related fatigue in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma during chemotherapy.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a rapidly growing malignant tumor, and chemotherapy is one of the treatments used to combat it. Although advancements of science and technology have resulted in more and more patients being able to receive effective treatment, they still face side effects such as fatigue and weakness. It is important to thoroughly investigate the factors that contribute to cancer-related fatigue (CRF) during chemotherapy. To explore the factors related to CRF, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness levels in patients with DLBCL during chemotherapy. General information was collected from the electronic medical records of eligible patients. Sleep quality and mindfulness level scores in patients with DLBCL during chemotherapy were evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form. The Piper Fatigue Scale was used to evaluate the CRF status. The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale were used to evaluate anxiety and depression status. Univariate analysis and multivariate regression analysis were used to investigate the factors related to CRF. The overall average CRF level in 62 patients with DLBCL during chemotherapy was 5.74 ± 2.51. In 25 patients, the highest rate of mild fatigue was in the cognitive dimension (40.32%), and in 35 patients the highest moderate fatigue rate in the behavioral dimension (56.45%). In the emotional dimension, severe fatigue had the highest rate of occurrence, 34 cases or 29.03%. The CRF score was positively correlated with cancer experience (all P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with cancer treatment efficacy (all P < 0.01). Tumor staging, chemotherapy cycle, self-efficacy level, and anxiety and depression level were related to CRF in patients with DLBCL during chemotherapy. There was a significant correlation between CRF and perceptual control level in patients. Tumor staging, chemotherapy cycle, self-efficacy level, and anxiety and depression level influenced CRF in patients with DLBCL during chemotherapy.

On the properties of lower mid-latitudes ionospheric scintillation observed over Chengdu, China

Low and high-latitude ionospheric scintillations are well-documented, but data on lower mid-latitude scintillations are scarce. Moreover, there is limited public reporting for the Chengdu station, which makes the data for the consecutive three years particularly valuable. This paper analyzes three years of ionospheric scintillation data from Chengdu and compares it with Chongqing. GNSS receivers in Chengdu (104.07°E, 30.67°N) and Chongqing (106.55°E, 29.57°N) recorded the data from 2018 to 2020. A custom data processing program for GPS/BDS/Galileo monitors was used. Results show diurnal and seasonal variations in the occurrence rate (OR) of scintillation events, with higher OR in spring and autumn, predominantly at night. There is a positive correlation between the annual OR of weak, moderate, and strong scintillations. Besides, moderate scintillation and strong scintillation events mainly occur at azimuth angles of 30°-90°, 150°-210°, and 300°-330° due to the aspect sensitivity of ionospheric irregularities. Solar activity, mesospheric winds, and ionospheric tides also influence scintillations. Notably, intense events were observed in May 2018(a year of low solar activity) due to post-sunset occurrences influenced by neutral wind and ionospheric tides, suggesting that in addition to solar radiation, neutral wind and ionospheric tides may serve as substantial driving mechanisms for ionospheric scintillation. This study provides a reference for the construction of a scintillation prediction in lower mid-latitudes.

Exploring the ethnopharmacological significance of Cynara scolymus bracts: Integrating metabolomics, in-Vitro cytotoxic studies and network pharmacology for liver and breast anticancer activity assessment

Ethnopharmacological relevanceLiver and breast cancers are the most dominant cancer types with high occurrence rates. Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) has been reputed for its traditional use in alleviating many liver and gallbladder ailments beside its anticancer activity against various types of cancer cells. Aim of the studyTo demonstrate detailed chemical matrices of the different plant parts and evaluate their cytotoxic activities aiming to unveil the relationship between these activities and the intrinsic metabolites using metabolomic studies, in-vitro experiments and network pharmacology. Materials and methodsChemical profiling of extracts from the different plant parts (stems, leaves, bracts and receptacles) was performed using HPLC/QqQ/MS followed by unsupervised chemometric studies. In-vitro cytotoxic potentials of the extracts were evaluated on breast and liver cancer cell line then an OPLS study using linear regression was conducted. Consequently, a network pharmacology analysis on the most bioactive plant organ was applied. ResultsUnsupervised chemometric analysis revealed that kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside-7-O-β-D-galacturonopyranoside, chrysoeriol-7-rutinoside and 1-caffeoylquinic acid were responsible for the segregation of the bract (CSB) segregated from the rest of the plant organs. Interestingly, CSB extract possessed the highest potential in-vitro cytotoxic activity against both liver and breast cancer cells (IC50 = 1.65 and 1.77 μg/mL). As expected, the aforementioned biomarkers were observed to be the discriminatory cytotoxic metabolites in the constructed supervised chemometric model. Network pharmacology analysis on CSB revealed 27 liver cancer-related metabolites of which, 1-caffeoylquinic acid was the most enriched one contributing to 13% of the total interactions. Furthermore, 38 target genes were involved, the most enriched of which were Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B1 (AKR1B10) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). KEGG pathway analysis unveiled 23 significantly related pathways including metabolic pathways that possessed the lowest p-value (1.6E-5). ConclusionThe findings demonstrated that CSB is a significant source of cytotoxic metabolites against breast cancer and liver cancer cell lines, hence, drawing attention to the pharmaceutical and medicinal value of this negligible plant organ and paving the route for insightful research into its exact pharmacological cytotoxic mechanisms.