BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with glioma experience a high symptom burden and have diverse palliative care needs. However, the assessment scales used in palliative care remain non-standardized and highly heterogeneous. To evaluate the application patterns of the current scales used in palliative care for glioma, we aim to identify gaps and assess the need for disease-specific scales in glioma palliative care. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of five databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL for quantitative studies that reported scale-based assessments in glioma palliative care. We extracted data on scale characteristics, domains, frequency, and psychometric properties. Quality assessments were performed using the Cochrane ROB 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools. RESULTS: Of the 3,405 records initially identified, 72 studies were included. These studies contained 75 distinct scales that were used 193 times. Mood (21.7%), quality of life (24.4%), and supportive care needs (5.2%) assessments were the most frequently assessed items, exceeding half of all scale applications. Among the various assessment dimensions, the Distress Thermometer (DT) was the most frequently used tool for assessing mood, while the Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) was the most frequently used tool for assessing quality of life. The Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) was the most common tool for cognitive assessment. Performance status (5.2%) and social support (6.8%) were underrepresented. Only three brain tumor-specific scales were identified. Caregiver-focused scales were limited and predominantly burden-oriented. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant heterogeneity, domain imbalances, and validation gaps in the current use of assessment scales for patients with glioma receiving palliative care. The scale selected for use should be comprehensive and user-friendly.
Humans ; Glioma/psychology* ; Palliative Care/methods* ; Quality of Life ; Psychometrics ; Brain Neoplasms/psychology*

PURPOSE: We carried out the study aiming to explore and analyze the risk factors, the distribution of pathogenic bacteria, and their antibiotic-resistance characteristics influencing the occurrence of surgical site infection (SSI), to provide valuable assistance for reducing the incidence of SSI after traumatic fracture surgery. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study enrolling 3978 participants from January 2015 to December 2019 receiving surgical treatment for traumatic fractures was conducted at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University. Baseline data, demographic characteristics, lifestyles, variables related to surgical treatment, and pathogen culture were harvested and analyzed. Univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to reveal the independent risk factors of SSI. A bacterial distribution histogram and drug-sensitive heat map were drawn to describe the pathogenic characteristics. RESULTS: Included 3978 patients 138 of them developed SSI with an incidence rate of 3.47% postoperatively. By logistic regression analysis, we found that variables such as gender (males) (odds ratio (OR) = 2.012, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.235 - 3.278, p = 0.005), diabetes mellitus (OR = 5.848, 95% CI: 3.513 - 9.736, p < 0.001), hypoproteinemia (OR = 3.400, 95% CI: 1.280 - 9.031, p = 0.014), underlying disease (OR = 5.398, 95% CI: 2.343 - 12.438, p < 0.001), hormonotherapy (OR = 11.718, 95% CI: 6.269 - 21.903, p < 0.001), open fracture (OR = 29.377, 95% CI: 9.944 - 86.784, p < 0.001), and intraoperative transfusion (OR = 2.664, 95% CI: 1.572 - 4.515, p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for SSI, while, aged over 59 years (OR = 0.132, 95% CI: 0.059 - 0.296, p < 0.001), prophylactic antibiotics use (OR = 0.082, 95% CI: 0.042 - 0.164, p < 0.001) and vacuum sealing drainage use (OR = 0.036, 95% CI: 0.010 - 0.129, p < 0.001) were protective factors. Pathogens results showed that 301 strains of 38 species of bacteria were harvested, among which 178 (59.1%) strains were Gram-positive bacteria, and 123 (40.9%) strains were Gram-negative bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus (108, 60.7%) and Enterobacter cloacae (38, 30.9%) accounted for the largest proportion. The susceptibility of Gram-positive bacteria to Vancomycin and Linezolid was almost 100%. The susceptibility of Gram-negative bacteria to Imipenem, Amikacin, and Meropenem exceeded 73%. CONCLUSION Orthopedic surgeons need to develop appropriate surgical plans based on the risk factors and protective factors associated with postoperative SSI to reduce its occurrence. Meanwhile, it is recommended to strengthen blood glucose control in the early stage of admission and for surgeons to be cautious and scientific when choosing antibiotic therapy in clinical practice.
Humans ; Surgical Wound Infection/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Risk Factors ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Fractures, Bone/surgery* ; Aged ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Logistic Models ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Incidence ; Bacteria/drug effects*

Circadian rhythm is an endogenous biological clock mechanism that enables organisms to adapt to the earth’s alternation of day and night. It plays a fundamental role in regulating physiological functions and behavioral patterns, such as sleep, feeding, hormone levels and body temperature. By aligning these processes with environmental changes, circadian rhythm plays a pivotal role in maintaining homeostasis and promoting optimal health. However, modern lifestyles, characterized by irregular work schedules and pervasive exposure to artificial light, have disrupted these rhythms for many individuals. Such disruptions have been linked to a variety of health problems, including sleep disorders, metabolic syndromes, cardiovascular diseases, and immune dysfunction, underscoring the critical role of circadian rhythm in human health. Among the numerous systems influenced by circadian rhythm, the skin—a multifunctional organ and the largest by surface area—is particularly noteworthy. As the body’s first line of defense against environmental insults such as UV radiation, pollutants, and pathogens, the skin is highly affected by changes in circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm regulates multiple skin-related processes, including cyclic changes in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, as well as DNA repair mechanisms and antioxidant defenses. For instance, studies have shown that keratinocyte proliferation peaks during the night, coinciding with reduced environmental stress, while DNA repair mechanisms are most active during the day to counteract UV-induced damage. This temporal coordination highlights the critical role of circadian rhythms in preserving skin integrity and function. Beyond maintaining homeostasis, circadian rhythm is also pivotal in the skin’s repair and regeneration processes following injury. Skin regeneration is a complex, multi-stage process involving hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling, all of which are influenced by circadian regulation. Key cellular activities, such as fibroblast migration, keratinocyte activation, and extracellular matrix remodeling, are modulated by the circadian clock, ensuring that repair processes occur with optimal efficiency. Additionally, circadian rhythm regulates the secretion of cytokines and growth factors, which are critical for coordinating cellular communication and orchestrating tissue regeneration. Disruptions to these rhythms can impair the repair process, leading to delayed wound healing, increased scarring, or chronic inflammatory conditions. The aim of this review is to synthesize recent information on the interactions between circadian rhythms and skin physiology, with a particular focus on skin tissue repair and regeneration. Molecular mechanisms of circadian regulation in skin cells, including the role of core clock genes such as Clock, Bmal1, Per and Cry. These genes control the expression of downstream effectors involved in cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, oxidative stress response and inflammatory pathways. By understanding how these mechanisms operate in healthy and diseased states, we can discover new insights into the temporal dynamics of skin regeneration. In addition, by exploring the therapeutic potential of circadian biology in enhancing skin repair and regeneration, strategies such as topical medications that can be applied in a time-limited manner, phototherapy that is synchronized with circadian rhythms, and pharmacological modulation of clock genes are expected to optimize clinical outcomes. Interventions based on the skin’s natural rhythms can provide a personalized and efficient approach to promote skin regeneration and recovery. This review not only introduces the important role of circadian rhythms in skin biology, but also provides a new idea for future innovative therapies and regenerative medicine based on circadian rhythms.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Objective:To assess the capability of seven reference medical laboratories to detect BCR::ABL1 p210 transcription levels and to compare the results among those laboratories.Methods:The interlaboratory comparison was carried out in two stages. The samples were prepared by the reference laboratory. The quantitative values of BCR::ABL1 p210 of the comparison samples covered 0.001%-0.01%, 0.01%-0.1%, 0.1%-1%, 1%-10% and>10% in each stage. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) and dPCR (digital PCR) were used to examine the samples. The conversion factor (CF) was calculated and validated for each laboratory.Results:In the RT-PCR comparison, one laboratory was failed to detect BCR::ABL1 p210 in fourteen samples at the first stage. The results of the other six laboratories were qualified with the bias <±1.2 folds (-0.133-0.338) and 95% limits of agreement within ±5 folds (upper limit 0.147-0.785, lower limit -0.770--0.109), and the corresponding CF values were calculated and validated. In the dPCR comparison, one laboratory did not report results at the second stage. The results of the other six laboratories were qualified with the bias <±1.2 folds (-0.026-0.267) and 95% limits of agreement within±5 folds (upper limit 0.084-0.991, lower limit -0.669--0.135), and the corresponding CF values were calculated and validated. The samples with BCR::ABL1 p210 quantitative values of 0.01%-0.1%, 0.1%-1%, 1%-10% and >10% could be detected by both RT-PCR and qPCR. When the quantitative value of BCR::ABL1 p210 was 0.001%-0.01%, the detection rate of dPCR was higher than that of RT-PCR (85.56% vs. 68.00%).Conclusions:A good consistency is present among various laboratories. The quantitative value of BCR::ABL1 p210 is comparable among laboratories as shown by the CF value conversion. For quantitative detection of BCR::ABL1 p210 deep molecular reaction, dPCR has a higher positive detection rate and more advantages than RT-PCR. To ensure the accuracy and reproducibility of the BCR::ABL1 p210 test, it is imperative for every laboratory to enhance their daily quality control practices.

Objective:To construct a signature for identifying active tuberculosis (TB) based on the relative expression orderings (REOs) of gene expression within a single sample.Methods:Using peripheral whole blood samples from 75 active TB and 69 latently infected individuals from four datasets as the training set, and highly stable REO patterns were extracted from the gene expression profile of the two groups of samples. Then, the gene pairs that reversed the REO pattern between the two groups were selected, and each gene pair was ranked in descending order based on their reversal degree. Finally, the top k gene pairs with the highest classification accuracy were selected as the signature for independent dataset validation. Results:A signature composed of seven gene pairs, denoted as 7-GPS, was constructed from the training set. The accuracy rate for 7-GPS to distinguish active TB from latently infected samples was 88.89%, and the accuracy rate for distinguishing active TB from normal samples was 90.09%. In the mixed validation data from different detection platforms, the AUC value for distinguishing active TB from latently infected samples was 0.914 (95% CI: 0.881-0.948), and the AUC value for distinguishing active TB from normal samples was 0.934 (95% CI: 0.904-0.964). In addition, the four genes ETV7, BATF2, ANKRD22 and CARD17P from this signature tended to be highly expressed in peripheral blood samples of active TB, and their expression values were significantly related to the duration of anti-tuberculosis treatment in clinical. Conclusion:The 7-GPS signature is robust and suitable for individualized analysis of a single peripheral blood sample. It has certain clinical application potential.

Regenerating tissues similar to dental structure with normal function are putatively to be the aim in tooth regeneration filed. Currently, researchers preliminarily achieved tooth regeneration by applying dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED). However, the regeneration efficiency remains unstable and needs further investigation. The development of single-cell RNA sequencing and organoid culture system provide potential of precise, targeted and controllable functional regeneration. This article reviews the current state of DPSC/SHED on tooth regeneration, and analyzes characteristics and hotspots of them, aiming to shed light on clinical translational application of stable and efficient tooth regeneration.

Objective:To construct a signature for identifying active tuberculosis (TB) based on the relative expression orderings (REOs) of gene expression within a single sample.Methods:Using peripheral whole blood samples from 75 active TB and 69 latently infected individuals from four datasets as the training set, and highly stable REO patterns were extracted from the gene expression profile of the two groups of samples. Then, the gene pairs that reversed the REO pattern between the two groups were selected, and each gene pair was ranked in descending order based on their reversal degree. Finally, the top k gene pairs with the highest classification accuracy were selected as the signature for independent dataset validation. Results:A signature composed of seven gene pairs, denoted as 7-GPS, was constructed from the training set. The accuracy rate for 7-GPS to distinguish active TB from latently infected samples was 88.89%, and the accuracy rate for distinguishing active TB from normal samples was 90.09%. In the mixed validation data from different detection platforms, the AUC value for distinguishing active TB from latently infected samples was 0.914 (95% CI: 0.881-0.948), and the AUC value for distinguishing active TB from normal samples was 0.934 (95% CI: 0.904-0.964). In addition, the four genes ETV7, BATF2, ANKRD22 and CARD17P from this signature tended to be highly expressed in peripheral blood samples of active TB, and their expression values were significantly related to the duration of anti-tuberculosis treatment in clinical. Conclusion:The 7-GPS signature is robust and suitable for individualized analysis of a single peripheral blood sample. It has certain clinical application potential.

The study employed network Meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines combined with recombinant human interferon α-2b(interferon) in the treatment of cervical human papillomavirus(HPV) infections. The relevant randomized controlled trial(RCT) published from inception to May 8, 2024 were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, and Web of Science. The modified Jadad scale and the Cochrane risk of bias tool were used to evaluate the quality of the included studies, and RevMan 5.4, R 4.3.3, and Stata 17 were used for data analysis. A total of 105 RCTs were included, involving 12 732 participants and 7 Chinese patent medicines: Baofukang Suppository, Compound Seabuckthorn Seed Oil Suppository, Huangqi Shengmai Decoction, Kangfu Gel, Kangfuyan Capsules, Kushen Gel, and Puling Penyankang Granules. Network Meta-analysis yielded the following results:(1)For improving the negative conversion rate of HPV, SUCRA top-ranked intervention was Puling Penyankang Granules + interferon.(2) For shortening vaginal discharge time, SUCRA top-ranked intervention was Compound Seabuckthorn Seed Oil Suppository + interferon.(3) For reducing the serum level of hypersensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP), SUCRA top-ranked intervention was Baofukang Suppository + interferon.(4) For elevating the serum level of CD~+_4 T cells, SUCRA top-ranked intervention was Baofukang Suppository + interferon.(5) For elevating the serum level of CD~+_8 T cells, SUCRA top-ranked intervention was Kangfuyan Capsules + interferon.(6) For improving the CD~+_4/CD~+_8 ratio, SUCRA top-ranked intervention was Compound Seabuckthorn Seed Oil Suppository + interferon.(7)In terms of reducing serum tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6), recurrence rate at 6 months after treatment, and incidence of adverse events, there were no significant differences between the interventions when compared pairwise. The cluster analysis revealed that Puling Penyankang Granules + interferon, Baofukang Suppository + interferon, Kangfu Gel + interferon, and Huangqi Shengmai Decoction + interferon simultaneously improved the negative conversion rate of HPV and reduced the incidence of adverse events. The findings suggested that Chinese patent medicines combined with interferon were effective in treating cervical HPV infection by enhancing the negative conversion rate, shortening the vaginal discharge time, and improving the levels of hs-CRP and T lymphocyte subsets. However, due to the limitations of sample size and quality of the included studies, these conclusions require further validation by studies with larger sample sizes and higher quality.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Female ; Papillomavirus Infections/virology* ; Interferon alpha-2/administration & dosage* ; Recombinant Proteins ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Antiviral Agents/administration & dosage* ; Interferon-alpha ; Papillomaviridae/physiology*

Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), as a hypoxia inducible factor, affects women's reproductive function by regulating the development and excretion of follicles. HIF-1α induces glycolysis and autophagy in the granule cells by promoting oocyte development, regulating the secretion of related angiogenic factors, and improving follicle maturity. In addition, HIF-1α promotes the process of luteinization of follicular vesicles, maintains luteal function, and finally completes physiological luteal atrophy through cumulative oxidative stress. Dysfunction of HIF-1α will cause a series of pathological consequences, such as angiogenesis defect, energy metabolism abnormality, excessive oxidative stress and dysregulated autophagy and apoptosis, resulting in ovulation problem and infertility. This article summarizes the previous studies on the regulation of follicle development and excretion and maintenance of luteal function and structural atrophy by HIF-1α. We also describe the effective intervention mechanism of related drugs or bioactive ingredients on follicular dysplasia and ovulation disorders through HIF-1α, in order to provide a systematic and in-depth insights for solving ovulation disorder infertility.
Female ; Humans ; Atrophy/metabolism* ; Hypoxia ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Infertility/metabolism* ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovulation