Identification of novel mammalian viruses in tree shrews ( Tupaia belangeri chinensis).

The Chinese tree shrew ( Tupaia belangeri chinensis), a member of the mammalian order Scandentia, exhibits considerable similarities with primates, including humans, in aspects of its nervous, immune, and metabolic systems. These similarities have established the tree shrew as a promising experimental model for biomedical research on cancer, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and mental health conditions. Herein, we used meta-transcriptomic sequencing to analyze plasma, as well as oral and anal swab samples, from 105 healthy asymptomatic tree shrews to identify the presence of potential zoonotic viruses. In total, eight mammalian viruses with complete genomes were identified, belonging to six viral families, including Flaviviridae, Hepeviridae, Parvovirinae, Picornaviridae, Sedoreoviridae, and Spinareoviridae. Notably, the presence of rotavirus was recorded in tree shrews for the first time. Three viruses - hepacivirus 1, parvovirus, and picornavirus - exhibited low genetic similarity (<70%) with previously reported viruses at the whole-genome scale, indicating novelty. Conversely, three other viruses - hepacivirus 2, hepatovirus A and hepevirus - exhibited high similarity (>94%) to known viral strains. Phylogenetic analyses also revealed that the rotavirus and mammalian orthoreovirus identified in this study may be novel reassortants. These findings provide insights into the diverse viral spectrum present in captive Chinese tree shrews, highlighting the necessity for further research into their potential for cross-species transmission.

Cognitive Deficits and Alzheimer's Disease-Like Pathologies in the Aged Chinese Tree Shrew.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease in the elderly. It has an increasing prevalence and a growing health burden. One of the limitations in studying AD is the lack of animal models that show features of Alzheimer's pathogenesis. The tree shrew has a much closer genetic affinity to primates than to rodents and has great potential to be used for research into aging and AD. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether tree shrews naturally develop cognitive impairment and major AD-like pathologies with increasing age. Pole-board and novel object recognition tests were used to assess the cognitive performance of adult (about 1 year old) and aged (6 years old or older) tree shrews. The main AD-like pathologies were assessed by Western blotting, immunohistochemical staining, immunofluorescence staining, and Nissl staining. Our results showed that the aged tree shrews developed an impaired cognitive performance compared to the adult tree shrews. Moreover, the aged tree shrews exhibited several age-related phenotypes that are associated with AD, including increased levels of amyloid-ß (Aß) accumulation and phosphorylated tau protein, synaptic and neuronal loss, and reactive gliosis in the cortex and the hippocampal tissues. Our study provides further evidence that the tree shrew is a promising model for the study of aging and AD.

Letter to editor 'Non-invasive model for predicting high-risk esophageal varices based on liver and spleen stiffness'.

This letter to the editor relates to the study entitled "Non-invasive model for predicting high-risk esophageal varices based on liver and spleen stiffness". Acute bleeding caused by esophageal varices is a life-threatening complication in patients with liver cirrhosis. Due to the discomfort, contraindications, and associated complications of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy screening, it is crucial to identify an imaging-based non-invasive model for predicting high-risk esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis.

Impact of interventions on the quality of life of cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal research.

The impact of cancer interventions has been conducted in several research due to the significant burden of this non-communicable disease. The interventions that played an important role in the improvement of the patient's quality of life (QoL) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) can be classified into two main groups: pharmaceutical and non-pharmacological methods. However, studies so far often analyze a specific group of interventions for specific types of cancer. Thus, in this systematic review and meta-analysis, we synthesized the overall impact of cancer interventions on patients' quality of life in several cancers.In this research, we followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) to search the longitudinal original research on the Web of Science (WOS) database. After that, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Jadad Scale were used to assess the quality of non-randomized control trials and randomized control trials, respectively. Then, the characteristics of the included studies were described in the six main fields table and the random effect model with robust estimation was applied to analyze the impact of interventions on the health utility of patients.From the database, 122 longitudinal original research were included in the meta-regression, with most of them having high or fair quality. The European Organization for the research and treatment of cancer scale for quality of life (EORTC-QLQ) was the most used health utility measurement at 65.15%. In the adjusted effect models, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) had significant statistics in all models when we compared it with the EQ-5D Scale (p < 0.05) and several types of cancer such as breast, lung, and prostate cancer had significant statistics when comparing with hematological cancer in the model types of cancer (p < 0.01). Moreover, radiotherapy, screening, and a combination of chemotherapy and best supportive care also had significant statistics (p < 0.01) in the model of interventions when compared with radiotherapy applied only. Our research can suggest a vital combination of both pharmaceutical and non-pharmacological interventions to improve the quality of life of some common types of cancer patients.

Surveillance and treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (aka. STOP HCC): protocol for a prospective cohort study of high-risk patients for HCC using GALAD-score.

BACKGROUND: Vietnam and Saudi Arabia have high disease burden of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Early detection in asymptomatic patients at risk for HCC is a strategy to improve survival outcomes in HCC management. GALAD score, a serum-based panel, has demonstrated promising clinical utility in HCC management. However, in order to ascertain its potential role in the surveillance of the early detection of HCC, GALAD needs to be validated prospectively for clinical surveillance of HCC (i.e., phase IV biomarker validation study). Thus, we propose to conduct a phase IV biomarker validation study to prospectively survey a cohort of patients with advanced fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis, irrespective of etiologies, using semi-annual abdominal ultrasound and GALAD score for five years. METHODS: We plan to recruit a cohort of 1,600 patients, male or female, with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis (i.e., F3 or F4) and MELD ≤ 15, in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia (n = 800 each). Individuals with a liver mass ≥ 1 cm in diameter, elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (≥ 9 ng/mL), and/or elevated GALAD score (≥ -0.63) will be scanned with dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a diagnosis of HCC will be made by Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LiRADS) assessment (LiRADS-5). Additionally, those who do not exhibit abnormal imaging findings, elevated AFP titer, and/or elevated GALAD score will obtain a dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI annually for five years to assess for HCC. Only MRI nearest to the time of GALAD score measurement, ultrasound and/or AFP evaluation will be included in the diagnostic validation analysis. MRI will be replaced with an abdominal computed tomography scan when MRI results are poor due to patient conditions such as movement etc. Gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced MRI will not be carried out in study sites in both countries. Bootstrap resampling technique will be used to account for repeated measures to estimate standard errors and confidence intervals. Additionally, we will use the Cox proportional hazards regression model with covariates tailored to the hypothesis under investigation for time-to-HCC data as predicted by time-varying biomarker data. DISCUSSION: The present work will evaluate the performance of GALAD score in early detection of liver cancer. Furthermore, by leveraging the prospective cohort, we will establish a biorepository of longitudinally collected biospecimens from patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis to be used as a reference set for future research in early detection of HCC in the two countries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Name of the registry: ClinicalTrials.gov Registration date: 22 April 2022 Trial registration number: NCT05342350 URL of trial registry record.

Distribution and 24-hour transition of SCAI shock stages and their association with 30-day mortality in acute myocardial infarction.

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) shock classification has been shown to predict mortality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, data on the transition of SCAI stages and their association with mortality after AMI are limited. All patients with AMI admitted to Vietnam National Heart Institute between August 2022 and February 2023 were classified into SCAI stages A, B, and C/D/E at admission and were reevaluated in 24 hours. We used Kaplan-Meier estimate and multivariable Cox regression analysis to assess the association between SCAI stages transition and 30-day mortality. We included 139 patients (median age 69 years, 29.5% female). On admission, 50.4%, 20.1%, and 29.5% of patients were classified as SCAI stage A, B, and C/D/E, respectively. The proportion of patients whose SCAI stage improved, remained stable, or worsened after 24 hours was 14.4%, 66.2%, and 19.4%, respectively. The 30-day mortality in patients with initial SCAI stages A, B, and C/D/E on admission was 2.9%, 21.4%, and 61.0%, respectively (P < .001). The 30-day mortality was 2.4% for patients with baseline SCAI stage A/B who remained unchanged or improved, 30.0% for patients with baseline SCAI stage C/D/E who remained unchanged or improved, and 92.6% for patients with SCAI stage B/C/D/E who worsened at 24 hours after admission (log-rank P < .001). In patients with AMI, evaluating the SCAI stage shock stage on admission and reevaluating after 24 hours added more information about 30-day mortality.

Non-invasive model for predicting high-risk esophageal varices based on liver and spleen stiffness.

BACKGROUND: Acute bleeding due to esophageal varices (EVs) is a life-threatening complication in patients with cirrhosis. The diagnosis of EVs is mainly through upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, but the discomfort, contraindications and complications of gastrointestinal endoscopic screening reduce patient compliance. According to the bleeding risk of EVs, the Baveno VI consensus divides varices into high bleeding risk EVs (HEVs) and low bleeding risk EVs (LEVs). We sought to identify a non-invasive prediction model based on spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) as an alternative to EVs screening. AIM: To develop a safe, simple and non-invasive model to predict HEVs in patients with viral cirrhosis and identify patients who can be exempted from upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. METHODS: Data from 200 patients with viral cirrhosis were included in this study, with 140 patients as the modelling group and 60 patients as the external validation group, and the EVs types of patients were determined by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and the Baveno VI consensus. Those patients were divided into the HEVs group (66 patients) and the LEVs group (74 patients). The effect of each parameter on HEVs was analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses, and a non-invasive prediction model was established. Finally, the discrimination ability, calibration ability and clinical efficacy of the new model were verified in the modelling group and the external validation group. RESULTS: Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that SSM and LSM were associated with the occurrence of HEVs in patients with viral cirrhosis. On this basis, logistic regression analysis was used to construct a prediction model: Ln [P/(1-P)] = -8.184 -0.228 × SSM + 0.642 × LSM. The area under the curve of the new model was 0.965. When the cut-off value was 0.27, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the model for predicting HEVs were 100.00%, 82.43%, 83.52%, and 100%, respectively. Compared with the four prediction models of liver stiffness-spleen diameter to platelet ratio score, variceal risk index, aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio, and Baveno VI, the established model can better predict HEVs in patients with viral cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: Based on the SSM and LSM measured by transient elastography, we established a non-invasive prediction model for HEVs. The new model is reliable in predicting HEVs and can be used as an alternative to routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy screening, which is helpful for clinical decision making.

Developing mango powders by foam mat drying technology.

Using mango purée from overripe mangoes to produce powders helped to solve agricultural product stagnation. The research investigates the effect of thickening additives, convection drying, and heat pump drying on bioactive compounds such as total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), color, and solubility of the final product. The obtained results showed that the mixture (gum arabic and maltodextrin in the ratio 50:50 w/w) at a concentration of 15% gave a good quality powder texture when dried by hot air convection at 55°C with TPC (21.24 ± 1.58 mg GAE/g dry weight [DW]) and TFC (0.34 ± 0.02 mg QE/g DW), respectively. In addition, the product has a high solubility of 64.35%, with the highest pass-through point of 17.11.

Yersiniabactin-Producing E. coli Induces the Pyroptosis of Intestinal Epithelial Cells via the NLRP3 Pathway and Promotes Gut Inflammation.

The high-pathogenicity island (HPI) was initially identified in Yersinia and can be horizontally transferred to Escherichia coli to produce yersiniabactin (Ybt), which enhances the pathogenicity of E. coli by competing with the host for Fe3+. Pyroptosis is gasdermin-induced necrotic cell death. It involves the permeabilization of the cell membrane and is accompanied by an inflammatory response. It is still unclear whether Ybt HPI can cause intestinal epithelial cells to undergo pyroptosis and contribute to gut inflammation during E. coli infection. In this study, we infected intestinal epithelial cells of mice with E. coli ZB-1 and the Ybt-deficient strain ZB-1Δirp2. Our findings demonstrate that Ybt-producing E. coli is more toxic and exacerbates gut inflammation during systemic infection. Mechanistically, our results suggest the involvement of the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway in E. coli infection. Ybt promotes the assembly and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to GSDMD cleavage into GSDMD-N and promoting the pyroptosis of intestinal epithelial cells, ultimately aggravating gut inflammation. Notably, NLRP3 knockdown alleviated these phenomena, and the binding of free Ybt to NLRP3 may be the trigger. Overall, our results show that Ybt HPI enhances the pathogenicity of E. coli and induces pyroptosis via the NLRP3 pathway, which is a new mechanism through which E. coli promotes gut inflammation. Furthermore, we screened drugs targeting NLRP3 from an existing drug library, providing a list of potential drug candidates for the treatment of gut injury caused by E. coli.

Effectiveness of using a patient education mobile application to improve the quality of bowel preparation: a randomised controlled trial.

AIMS: To determine the effectiveness of a mobile application (app) in improving the quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy. METHOD: An endoscopist-blinded randomised controlled trial enrolled patients who were undergoing a colonoscopy on the same day of bowel preparation. The intervention used a Vietnamese mobile app that provides instructions on bowel preparation while patients in the comparison group received conventional instructions. Outcomes included the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) to assess the quality of bowel preparation and the polyp detection rate (PDR) and adenoma detection rate (ADR). RESULTS: The study recruited 515 patients (256 in the intervention group). The median age was 42 years, 50.9% were females, 69.1% high school graduates and higher, and 45.2% from urban area. Patients in the intervention group had higher adherence to instructions (60.9% vs 52.4%, p=0.05) and longer length of taking laxatives (mean difference 0.17 hours, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.27). The intervention did not reduce the risk of poor bowel cleansing (total BBPS<6) in both overall (7.4% vs 7.7%; risk ratio 0.96, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.76) and subgroup analysis. PDR and ADR were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The mobile app providing instructions on proper bowel preparation improved the practice during bowel preparation but did not improve the quality of bowel cleansing or PDR.

High Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Psychological Distress Among Healthcare Workers in COVID-19 Field Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study from Vietnam.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological disturbances in the Vietnamese healthcare workers (HCWs) at COVID-19 field hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) to measure PTSD and the Depression Anxiety Stress scale (DASS) to measure other psychological disturbances. The anxiety about COVID-19 was evaluated by the fear of COVID-19 (FOC) scale. A self-developed questionnaire was used to assess work conditions and HCW's major concerns and preparedness. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the severity of PTSD. A structural modeling equation (SEM) model was fitted to examine the correlation between PTSD and other psychological disturbances. Results: A total of 542 HCWs participated in this study. The prevalence of PTSD was 21.2%, most cases were mild. In the ordinal logistic regression analysis, a history of mental illness, poor preparedness, working in a condition with poor resources, a greater number of concerns, and greater fear of COVID-19 were independently associated with higher severity of PTSD. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 46.8%, 38.3%, and 60.2, respectively. In the SEM model, PTSD and psychological disturbances had a strong correlation (standardized covariance 0.86). Conclusion: The prevalence of PTSD and other psychological disturbances was alarmingly high among HCWs who worked at COVID-19 field hospitals. The reported associated factors can be useful for policymakers and health authorities in the preparation for future pandemics.

Esophageal Mucosal Admittance: A New Technique to Diagnose Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - Is It Feasible?

Purpose: Esophageal mucosal admittance (MA) is a promising diagnostic method for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We conducted a study to describe the esophageal MA in patients with reflux symptoms and determine its diagnostic accuracy. Patients and Methods: We recruited 92 patients with ambulatory pH-impedance monitoring, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and MA measured by the tissue conductance meter. MA was measured during endoscopy at 5cm (distal esophagus) and 15cm above the Z line (middle esophagus), repeated at least five times at each position, and median MA was obtained. Afterwards, two biopsies were taken 5cm above the Z line for histopathological evaluation using the Esohisto criteria. Patients were classified as GERD or non-GERD according to the 2018 Lyon consensus. Results: The mean age was 43.2 years, and 42 patients were males. The most common symptoms were regurgitation (75.0%), belching (65.2%), and heartburn (46.7%). Twenty-three (32.3%) were diagnosed with GERD using the Lyon consensus, and 24 (26.1%) had esophagitis on histopathology. The median MA at the distal and middle esophagus was moderately correlated. The median MA at both positions was higher in the GERD group but only statistically significant in the middle esophagus. MA was not associated with pH-impedance parameters and esophagitis on histopathology. The diagnostic model developed using the logistic regression did not have good accuracy. Conclusion: MA was not different between GERD and non-GERD patients.

Practice regarding tuberculosis care among physicians at private facilities: A cross-sectional study from Vietnam.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the practice of TB care among physicians at private facilities. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using questionnaires on knowledge, attitude, and practice related to TB care. The responses to these scales were used to explore latent constructs and calculate the standardized continuous scores for these domains. We described the percentages of participant's responses and explored their associated factors using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: A total of 232 physicians were recruited. The most important gaps in practice included requesting chest imaging to confirm TB diagnosis (~80%), not testing HIV for confirmed active TB cases (~50%), only requesting sputum testing for MDR-TB cases (65%), only requesting follow-up examination at the end of the treatment course (64%), and not requesting sputum testing at follow-up (54%). Surgical mask was preferred to N95 respirator when examining TB patients. Prior TB training was associated with better knowledge and less stigmatizing attitude, which were associated with better practice in both TB management and precautions. CONCLUSION: There were important gaps in knowledge, attitude, and practice of TB care among private providers. Better knowledge was associated with positive attitude towards TB and better practice. Tailored training may help to address these gaps and improve the quality of TB care in the private sector.

Hemolysin Co-Regulatory Protein 1 Enhances the Virulence of Clinically Isolated Escherichia coli in KM Mice by Increasing Inflammation and Inducing Pyroptosis.

Hemolysin-coregulated protein 1 (Hcp1) is an effector released by the type VI secretion system (T6SS) in certain pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) that causes apoptosis and contributes to the development of meningitis. The exact toxic consequences of Hcp1 and whether it intensifies the inflammatory response by triggering pyroptosis are yet unknown. Here, utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing method, we removed the gene expressing Hcp1 from wild-type E. coli W24 and examined the impact of Hcp1 on E. coli virulence in Kunming (KM) mice. It was found that Hcp1-sufficient E. coli was more lethal, exacerbating acute liver injury (ALI) and acute kidney injury (AKI) or even systemic infections, structural organ damage, and inflammatory factor infiltration. These symptoms were alleviated in mice infected with W24Δhcp1. Additionally, we investigated the molecular mechanism by which Hcp1 worsens AKI and found that pyroptosis is involved, manifested as DNA breaks in many renal tubular epithelial cells. Genes or proteins closely related to pyroptosis are abundantly expressed in the kidney. Most importantly, Hcp1 promotes the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the expression of active caspase-1, thereby cleaving GSDMD-N and accelerating the release of active IL-1ß and ultimately leading to pyroptosis. In conclusion, Hcp1 enhances the virulence of E. coli, aggravates ALI and AKI, and promotes the inflammatory response; moreover, Hcp1-induced pyroptosis is one of the molecular mechanisms of AKI.

Associated factors with Premenstrual syndrome and Premenstrual dysphoric disorder among female medical students: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: The study aimed to determine potential risk factors associated with Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. METHODS: Three hundred two female student participants who were 18-45 years old completed a questionnaire including demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and a Vietnamese Premenstrual Syndrome Screening Tool. We then followed up participants during at least two menstrual cycles using the Daily Record of Severity of Problems. The Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder diagnosis was established using The Carolina Premenstrual Assessment Scoring System, based on the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. RESULTS: According to the Carolina Premenstrual Assessment Scoring System, 35 out of 302 students (11.6%; 95%CI: 8.2-15.7%) met the diagnosis of PMS (31 students) or PMDD (4 students). We found that age at menarche (PR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.63-0.96), having negative Rh blood type (PR = 4.43, 95%CI: 1.95 to 10.08), being moderately depressed or higher (PR = 2.81, 95%CI: 1.24 to 6.36), and consuming caffeine more than three times per week were statistically associated with having Premenstrual Syndrome or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder after adjusting for other variables. CONCLUSION: The prominent risk factors for Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder were negative Rhesus blood type, menarche age, caffeine consumption, and self-reported depression.

Antimicrobial ent-abietane diterpenoids from the leaves of Croton cascarilloide.

Three new ent-abietane diterpenoids, 6ß-hydroxy-ent-abieta-7,13-dien-3-one (1), 2ß,13α,15-trihydroxy-ent-abieta-8(14)-en-3-one (2), and 2ß,9α,13ß,15-tetrahydroxy-ent-abieta-7-en-3-one (3), were isolated from 90% ethanol extract of the leaves of Croton cascarilloide. Their structures were determined by spectral methods such as 1D and 2D (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, NOESY, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy, in addition to electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. The isolated diterpenoids were tested in vitro for antimicrobial activity against 6 pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, compounds 1-3 exhibited antimicrobial activity against the tested Gram positive bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentration values less than 50 µg/ml.

Zinc finger protein 671 has a cancer-inhibiting function in colorectal carcinoma via the deactivation of Notch signaling.

Zinc finger protein 671 (ZNF671) has been described as a vital cancer inhibitor in multiple neoplasms, yet the functional roles of ZNF671 in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remain unresolved. This project examined the possible link between ZNF671 and CRC. Lower levels of ZNF671 were observed in CRC tissue compared with noncancerous tissue, which were related to a worse survival rate in CRC patients. High methylation levels at the ZNF671 gene promoter region were shown in CRC tissue, which were inversely correlated with ZNF671 expression. Treatment with demethylation agents restored ZNF671 levels in CRC cell lines. Up-regulation of ZNF671 resulted in suppressive effects on the proliferative ability and metastatic potency of CRC cells. Moreover, the up-regulation of ZNF671 reinforced the chemosensitivity of CRC cells. A mechanism study determined ZNF671 to be a vital mediator of Notch signaling. The up-regulation of ZNF671 decreased the expression of Notch1 and lowered the levels of NICD, HES1, and HEY1. The overexpression of NICD1 diminished ZNF671-mediated antitumor effects. ZNF671 depletion reinforced Notch signaling, and Notch suppression reversed ZNF671-depletion-elicited protumor effects. Moreover, the overexpression of ZNF671 weakened the tumorigenicity of CRC cells in a xenograft model in vivo. In summary, ZNF671 exerts a cancer-inhibiting function in CRC via the deactivation of Notch signaling. Low ZNF671 levels caused by gene promoter hypermethylation contribute to the malignant transformation of CRC. This work underlines the interest of ZNF671 as a target candidate for exploiting novel anti-CRC therapies.

Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Combined with Warm Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Related Upper Limb Lymphedema: A Retrospective Cohort Study / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with warm acupuncture in treating breast cancer associated with upper limb lymphedema (BCRL).@*METHODS@#This was a retrospective cohort study using a paired control design. Fifty-two BCRL patients were assigned to the control group (27 cases) and the treatment group (25 cases). The patients in the control group were treated with lymphedema comprehensive detumescence treatment (CDT) for 4 weeks, including systematic therapy composed of manual lymphatic drainage, compression bandage, skincare, and functional exercise. The patients in the treatment group were treated with TEAS combined with warm acupuncture based on the control group methods. Each treatment lasted for 30 min and was applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The arm circumference (AC) of different positions of the affected limb and the degree of swelling of the affected limb were evaluated before the first treatment and after the last treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to the degree of edema before and after treatment. All adverse events during treatment were recorded.@*RESULTS@#The patients' AC and the swelling feeling of the affected limb in the treatment group and the control group were both reduced compared with those before treatment. Compared with the control group, AC of the wrist joint transverse stria, the midpoint between the wrist joint transverse stria and the elbow joint transverse stria in the treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). The decrease in AC diameter at the midpoint between the elbow joint transverse stria and the axillary transverse stria was the most significant (P<0.01). The swelling degree of the affected limbs in the treatment group was significantly lower than before treatment, and was significantly lower compared with the control group after treatment (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 72% in the treatment group, significantly higher than that in the control group (55.56%, P<0.05). No serious adverse events occured in either group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#TEAS combined with warm acupuncture can effectively reduce AC and swelling feeling of the affected limb in patients with BCRL. The effect is better than that of CDT therapy alone. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062075).

Global Mapping of Interventions to Improve Quality of Life of Patients with Cancer: A Protocol for Literature Mining and Meta-Analysis.

Cancer led to nearly 10 million deaths in 2020, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Consequently, both biomedical therapeutics and psychological interventions have been implemented to decrease the burden of this non-communicable disease. However, the research conducted so far has only described some aspects of these interventions, which may increase the health-related quality of life of cancer patients. Therefore, a systematic review is necessary to depict an overall picture of the cancer interventions globally. Then, the impact of these interventions on the preference-based health-related quality of life of cancer patients may be synthesized. The protocol is developed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The Web of Science database is used to retrieve the literature using four keyword terms: quality of life (QoL), cancer, interventions, and health utility. Then, we draw the global mapping diagram and conduct the meta-analysis for this research. Additionally, longitudinal measurements are used to estimate the changes in the health utility of patients during the interventions. Thus, this systematic review can provide insight into the impact of interventions on increasing the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of cancer patients.