Changes in acute and late toxicity and patient-reported health-related quality of life following radiotherapy in women with breast cancer:A 1-year longitudinal study

Objective:The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of acute and late toxicities,as well as changes in the quality of life(QOL)for breast cancer patients following radiotherapy(RT).Materials and Methods:A total of 108 breast cancer women were recruited for this prospective study.Data were collected at various intervals;prior to,and 1,3,6 months,and 1 year after radiation therapy.The primary outcomes were toxicity radiation therapy oncology group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer(EORTC)criteria.Our secondary outcome was QOL,measured using EORTC QLQ-C30 and Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale.We employed Friedman’s two-way analysis to evaluate the changes in QOL over the course of 1 year.Results:The early toxicities that are most commonly experienced include pharyngeal,skin,and mucous membrane toxicity.Late toxicities frequently involve skin and submucosal toxicity.To measure patient functionality,all functional subscale scores except for the patient’s emotional state increased over time compared to pre-RT.Symptoms of the patients,which were included in the QOL symptom scale,decreased during the follow-up period,except for fatigue;however,changes in pain,insomnia,and loss of appetite did not significantly change.We identified the analogous symptom profiles in Edmonton.Although patients’overall health scores declined in the 1st and 3rd months after radiotherapy(RT),they rebounded at 6 and 12 months.Conclusion:For breast cancer patients,RT did not adversely affect functional capacity or exacerbate symptoms,but persistent fatigue did increase during the observation period.Health-care professionals ought to devise strategies to assist patients with skin toxicity and fatigue.

A Cross-Sectional Study on The Prevalence of Anemia in Maintenance Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Patients and Its Related Factors

Objective:To study the prevalence of anemia,the proportion of hemoglobin(Hb)levels,the treatment methods,and the influencing factors of Hb levels in maintenance hemodialysis(MHD)and peritoneal dialysis patients.Methods:In this study,602 patients with maintenance hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis were enrolled from December 2020 to December 2022 in our hospital,and their medical records were collected and summarized.The main contents included the patient’s gender,age,primary disease,dialysis duration,dialysis method,the use of erythropoietic stimulating agents(ESA),intravenous iron,and laboratory tests.A Hb index exceeding 110 g/L was set as the standard for the prevalence of anemia.Results:The rate of anemia in patients undergoing blood purification was 83%.The proportion of ESA use was 84.1%,and the proportion of iron use was 76.7%,of which the proportion of intravenous iron used was 17.0%,and the proportion of folic acid used was 28.3%.Conclusion:The incidence of anemia in MHD patients was relatively high,with a low proportion of patients reaching the standard Hb levels.Risk factors include albumin(ALB)levels,iron storage,white blood cells,C-reactive protein,cholesterol,etc.Nutritional support,iron supplementation,and prevention of micro-inflammatory reactions can effectively promote the improvement of Hb indicators in dialysis patients to prevent anemia.

Evidence-Based Nursing Practice of Reducing Immune-Related Skin Toxicity of Tumor Patients Guided by Sensitive Indicators

Purpose research on nursing sensitive indicators in tumor Patients application effect in immune-related skin toxicity management. Method select our hospital April to June, 202360 cases patients with immune therapy settings as the control group. August-October, 2023 60 cases the patients treated with immune therapy were the experimental group. The control group adopted regular nursing methods, while the experimental group sensitive Indicators, evidence-based give preventive care. The social situation, psychological state, physical function, quality of life score, incidence of skin toxicity caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors, moderate and above of the two groups of patients were compared. Incidence of skin toxicity. Result: experience group SAS score, SDS score higher than the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05);The incidence of skin toxic reactions caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors and the incidence of moderate and above skin toxic reactions in the experimental group are lower than those in the control group, and the difference is statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: sensitive indicator guidance evidence-based preventive care can reduce the degree of immune-related skin toxicity, improve the psychological state and quality of life of tumor patients treated with immune therapy and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions, improve nursing quality and patient satisfaction.

Optimal investment based on relative performance and weighted utility

This paper studies the optimal portfolio allocation of a fund manager when he bases decisions on both the absolute level of terminal relative performance and the change value of terminal relative performance comparison to a predefined reference point. We find the optimal investment strategy by maximizing a weighted average utility of a concave utility and an Sshaped utility via a concavification technique and the martingale method. Numerical results are carried out to show the impact of the extent to which the manager pays attention to the change of relative performance related to the reference point on the optimal terminal relative performance.

Evaluation of internal void related defects in reinforced concrete slab using electromagnetic wave properties

This study aims to develop a damage-detection algorithm based on the electromagnetic wave properties inside a reinforced concrete structure.The proposed method involves employing two algorithms based on data measured using ground-penetrating radar—a common electromagnetic wave method in civil engineering.The possible defect area was identified based on the energy dissipated by the damage in the frequency-wavenumber domain,with the damage localized using the calculated relative permittivity of the measurements.The proposed method was verified through a finite difference time-domain-based numerical analysis and a testing slab with artificial damage.As a result of verification,the proposed method quickly identified the presence of damage inside the concrete,especially for honeycomb-like defects located at the top of the rebar.This study has practical significance in scanning structures over a large area more quickly than other non-destructive testing methods,such as ultrasonic methods.

The Impact of Finerenone on Changes in Pulse Wave Velocity, Arterial Pressure and Heart Related Deaths in Hemodialysis Patients—Study Perspective

The description in the abstract lacks clear logic and a comprehensive summary of this study, so please revise and improve it according to the design theme and main content of this study, and describe it in the order of (research background), purpose/aim, method, results and conclusions. The introduction of the abstract and preface is rather lengthy, but the summary of the whole study and the presentation of the research background are not perfect (mainly because the logic of the context is not clear and orderly), so it will appear a bit messy. Hope to be able to modify (this has been mentioned in the preliminary opinion). Cardiovascular events (CVE) pose a significant threat to individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), yet these patients are often excluded from cardiovascular clinical trials, leaving prognostic factors associated with CVE in ESRD patients largely unexplored. Recent human studies have demonstrated elevated circulating aldosterone levels in ESRD patients, correlating with left ventricular hypertrophy. Additionally, animal models have shown improvements in uremic cardiomyopathy with spironolactone therapy, prompting interest in assessing the efficacy of spironolactone or eplerenone in reducing mortality and improving cardiovascular function in dialysis patients. Clinicians have historically been cautious about prescribing mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) to congestive heart failure patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to hyperkalemia risk. However, the emergence of finerenone, a novel MR antagonist with a favorable safety profile and lower hyperkalemia risk, has renewed interest in MRA therapy in this population. Heart disease, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and left ventricular failure, is alarmingly prevalent in dialysis patients, contributing significantly to elevated mortality rates compared to the general population. Arterial stiffness, as indicated by pulse wave velocity (PWV), progressively worsens with advancing CKD stages, peaking in severity among ESRD patients undergoing dialysis. High PWV serves as a crucial risk stratification tool in ESRD. Elevated NT-proBNP and BNP levels in ESRD patients are well-documented, with significant associations observed between baseline peptide concentrations and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. By incorporating finerenone into our study, we aim to investigate its potential benefits in reducing arterial stiffness, lowering blood pressure, and ultimately mitigating heart-related mortality among hemodialysis patients. This study holds substantial implications for hypertension and cardiovascular risk management in this vulnerable patient population. Eligible participants must have been on chronic hemodialysis for at least three months, with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers included in their therapy at maximum tolerable doses. Serum potassium levels 5.7 mmol/L, left ventricular ejection fraction 50%, and PWV higher than age-estimated values are also prerequisites for study entry. Randomized allocation will be conducted using a permuted block design, stratified by center, with allocation communicated via signed study forms during initial examinations. All steps of this research will be conducted in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration.

Enhancing Relational Triple Extraction in Specific Domains:Semantic Enhancement and Synergy of Large Language Models and Small Pre-Trained Language Models

In the process of constructing domain-specific knowledge graphs,the task of relational triple extraction plays a critical role in transforming unstructured text into structured information.Existing relational triple extraction models facemultiple challenges when processing domain-specific data,including insufficient utilization of semantic interaction information between entities and relations,difficulties in handling challenging samples,and the scarcity of domain-specific datasets.To address these issues,our study introduces three innovative components:Relation semantic enhancement,data augmentation,and a voting strategy,all designed to significantly improve the model’s performance in tackling domain-specific relational triple extraction tasks.We first propose an innovative attention interaction module.This method significantly enhances the semantic interaction capabilities between entities and relations by integrating semantic information fromrelation labels.Second,we propose a voting strategy that effectively combines the strengths of large languagemodels(LLMs)and fine-tuned small pre-trained language models(SLMs)to reevaluate challenging samples,thereby improving the model’s adaptability in specific domains.Additionally,we explore the use of LLMs for data augmentation,aiming to generate domain-specific datasets to alleviate the scarcity of domain data.Experiments conducted on three domain-specific datasets demonstrate that our model outperforms existing comparative models in several aspects,with F1 scores exceeding the State of the Art models by 2%,1.6%,and 0.6%,respectively,validating the effectiveness and generalizability of our approach.

Health Related Physical Fitness Measures: Reference Values and Predictive Equations for Saudi Female College Students

Health related-physical fitness (HRPF) is critical for maintaining and enhancing health and quality of life. Purposes: To estimate the reference values and predictive equations for frequently used clinical field HRPF measures in a sample of Saudi female college students aged 18 - 24 years. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, body fat percentage (BF %) was estimated. Curl-up test (CUT) and sit and reach test (SRT) were applied in 216 students. The Queen’s College Step Test (QCST) was used to predict maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max). Physical activity (PA) level was also measured using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Results: The mean of BF %, SRT, CUT, and predicted VO2 max were 23.98% ± 6.13%, 17.10 ± 7.50 cm, 28.17 ± 7.72 number/min, and 39.58 ± 4.01 ml/kg/min respectively. There was no significant effect of age on all HRPF measures except for BF % (F (6,215) = 3.25, p (6,215) = 4.01, p strated that BMI was the predictor for BF % and SRT and explained 65% and 4% of total variance respectively. IPAQ score, age, and height were the predictors of CUT counting 17% of total variance. While, BMI and IPAQ score were the predictors for VO2 max and explained 13% of the total variance. Conclusion: Reference values can be used clinically in the evaluation of HRPF, in the rehabilitation process as well as in designing a program to improve the HRPF for female college students with consideration of age, height, BMI, and PA level for a particular population.

Clinical Presentation and Treatment Outcomes of Pregnancy-Related Acute Kidney Injury among Pregnant Women Admitted at the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital in Tanzania

Background: Globally, PRAKI is among the leading causes of death in pregnant women. The prevalence, causes and outcome of this condition vary among countries due to differences in environmental, socioeconomic, and health delivery systems. The common causes that have been reported in several studies are PIH, Haemorrhages and Sepsis while the outcomes may be either complete renal recovery, progression to CKD and hence dialysis dependency or death. This study aimed at determining clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of Pregnancy-Related Acute Kidney Injury in Pregnant women admitted at the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania. Results: Out of 4007 pregnant women who were admitted to the maternity ward 51 pregnant women were found to have PRAKI. Of those with PRAKI, 74.5% were between 21 to 25 years. The leading causes of PRAKI were PPH 12 (23.53%), Eclampsia 12 (23.53%), and pre-eclampsia 12 (23.5%). Hemodialysis therapy was provided to 22 (43.1%) patients, 15 (29.4%) individuals recovered spontaneously with medical management and 14 (27.5%) missed haemodialysis therapy due to various reasons. The mortality due to PRAKI was 17 (33.3%). Conclusion and Recommendation: Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia and post-partum haemorrhage were found to be the main causes of PRAKI. The mortality related to PRAKI is high and Hemodialysis therapy is vital help to prevent deaths for pregnant women with PRAKI. Pregnant women who develop acute kidney injury should be followed closely and a nephrologist should be consulted early. Early referral should be done by the lower level facilities for all at-risk pregnant women to a specialized multidisciplinary health facility.

On Answering the Question Related to the Legal Regulation of Working Hours in the New Era:Western Experience and Chinese Approach

The popularity of flexible working hours around the world has slowed down the historical trend of reducing working hours.It even shows signs of regression.Whether and how to guide the cur-rent society with flexible working hours to return to the historical track of reducing working hours,improve the quality of working hours,and promote a smooth transition from the era of traditional standard work-ing hours to the era of flexible working hours has become a question related to the legal regulation of working hours in the new era.In this regard,although Western countries have proposed new regulatory concepts and carried out legislative practices with distinctive charac-teristics,the limitations of legal regulation capabilities have prevented them from proposing a package of institutional solutions.The advan-tage of China in the ability of legal regulation of working hours has been gradually formed in the legislation on working hours unnder the leadership of the CPC in the past century.It enables China to break through the limitations of the West and propose a Chinese approach to answer the question of the legal regulation of working hours in the new era from three aspects:limiting the extension of working hours,improving the quality of flexible working hours,and optimizing the funnctions of the multi-funnctional regulatory system for working hours.

Epidemiological Patterns of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Healthcare Workers in Five Reference Hospitals in the City of Douala, Cameroon

Introduction: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are a public health problem and have forced many workers to quit their jobs prematurely. This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of WRMSDs among Healthcare workers in five reference hospitals in the City of Douala-Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 among 561 healthcare workers working in five reference hospitals in the city of Douala, Cameroon. Participants were selected using a convenient sampling technique. Data were collected with structured questionnaires;data on the demographics and risk factors were collected using a well-designed questionnaire, while estimation of the prevalence of WRMSDs was done using the Modified Nordic questionnaire. Results: The overall prevalence rate of WRMSDs among healthcare workers in Douala hospitals was 83.4% (468/561). The prevalence per professional groups was as follows: 88.8% (71) for Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS), 81.9% (289) for nurses, 21 (80.8%) for Physiotherapists (PTs) and 78.8% (41) for Medical Doctors (MDs). There was a significant difference (p = 0.001) in the prevalence of WRMSDs with respect to place of work where healthcare workers from HLD recorded the highest prevalence 89.9%, while Healthcare workers from NBDH were 2.91 times at risk (AOR = 2.91;95% CI: 1.32 - 6.41;p = 0.001) to develop WRMSDs than healthcare workers in the other hospitals. With respect to body region, the highest prevalence of WRMSDs was recorded on the lower back, 58.8% with the lowest at the elbows 11.2%. The age group 30 to 39 years was significantly associated with WRMSDs at level of the shoulder (p = 0.002), upper back (p = 0.019), elbows (p Conclusion: The overall prevalence rate of WRMSDs among healthcare workers in Douala hospitals was high. The prevalence of WRMSDs is highest among MLS and nurses and the most affected body parts are;lower back, neck and upper back. Working on the same posture, stressful job, and repetitive tasks were the major risk factors associated to WRMSDs among healthcare workers in Douala hospitals.

A Case Report of Concurrent Acne-Related Occurrence Complications: Telangiectasia, Post-Inflammatory Erythema, Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation, and Atrophic and Hypertrophic Scars

Prior to his initial diagnosis, a 21-year-old male had been experiencing facial acne for two years and had been treated by a doctor in private practice. The patient visited our department because the clinical manifestations of mandibular acne did not improve. At the time of initial examination, telangiectasia (TE), post-inflammatory erythema (PIE), post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), atrophic scars (ASs), and a hypertrophic scar (HS) with induration were observed on the right neck. We diagnosed this as an acne vulgaris complication. HS lesions were topically treated by injecting triamcinolone acetonide, and the patient was prescribed 8.1 g/day of oral Saireito (Japanese herb). Adapalene benzoyl peroxide gel and topical tacrolimus hydrate ointment were used to treat PIE and TE. Both HSs and PIE improved;however, TE and AS did not improve. Currently, the patient is under observation. We consider this to be a very rare concurrent occurrence of diverse complications of acne vulgaris, and present the following case study.

Relationship Between Heterosis and Parental Genetic Distance Based on Molecular Markers for Functional Genes Related to Yield Traits in Rice

The genetic distances among 18 cytoplasmic male sterile lines and 11 restorer lines were analyzed with molecular markers derived from yield-related functional genes. The correlation between parental genetic distance and heterosis was investigated by analyzing the performance of 47 combinations. The results showed that the genetic distance was significantly correlated with yield heterosis （r=0.29^＊）, but not significantly correlated with heterosis for other traits, such as number of effective panicles per plant, seed setting rate, 1000-grain weight, number of grains per panicle and theoretical yield. However, the correlation coefficient was so small that the parental genetic distance could not to be used to predict heterosis.

NIMA related kinase 2 promotes gastric cancer cell proliferation via ERK/MAPK signaling

BACKGROUND NIMA related kinase 2(NEK2) is closely related to mitosis, and it is currently considered to be over-expressed frequently in many poorly prognostic cancers.However, the effect of the up-regulated NEK2 on cellular signaling in tumors,such as gastric cancer(GC), is con-fusing.AIM To determine the role of the up-regulation of NEK2 in GC.METHODS To investigate the pathological significance of NEK2 in GC, the expression pattern of NEK2 in GC was investigated based on the 'Oncomain' database and compared between 30 pairs of cancer samples and adjacent tissues. The coexpression of NEK2 and ERK in GC was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) database and confirmed in clinical samples by quantitative realtime PCR(qRT-PCR), and the survival curve was also plotted. Western blot or qRT-PCR was used to analyze the effect of NEK2 on the phosphorylation levels of ERK and c-JUN in two GC cell lines(BGC823 and SGC7901) with NEK2 overexpression, and the expression of the downstream effector cyclin D1.Furthermore, CCK8, EdU incorporation assay, and flow cytometry were used to detect the proliferative ability of BGC823 and SGC7901 cells with stably silenced ERK.RESULTS NEK2 was significantly up-regulated in human GC tissues. ERK was significantly associated with NEK2 expression in human clinical specimens, and combined overexpression of NEK2 and ERK potentially forecasted a poor prognosis andsurvival in GC patients. NEK2 knockdown in GC cells inhibited ERK and c-JUN phosphory-lation and reduced the transcription of cyclin D1. More interestingly,NEK2 can rescue the inhibition of cellular viability, proliferation, and cell cycle progression due to ERK knockdown.CONCLUSION Our results indicate that NEK2 plays a carcinogenic role in the malignant proliferation of GC cells via the ERK/MAPK signaling, which may be important for treatment and improving patient survival.

Analysis of bacitracin and its related substances by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

A suitable liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometric(LC–Q-TOF–MS) method was developed for separation and characterization of related substances in bacitracin test drug. The separation was performed on Li Chrospher RP-18 column using methanol as mobile phase A and 0.2% ammonium acetate buffer solution as mobile phase B in gradient elution. A total of 12 related substances were detected through high resolution mass spectrometric determination in a positive electrospray ionization mode. They were identified as co-existing active components and degradation products of bacitracin through the analysis and elucidation of both the protonated parents and the product ions of all the related substances and their fragmentation pathways were also proposed.

东方蜜蜂微孢子虫侵染过程中nce-miR-15338及候选靶基因的表达谱

【目的】本研究旨在为探究nce-miR-15338调控东方蜜蜂微孢子虫(Nosema ceranae)侵染意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera ligustica)工蜂的功能及作用机制提供参考和依据。【方法】采用Stem-loop RT-PCR和Sanger测序验证nce-miR-15338的存在和表达。利用相关软件预测nce-miR-15338的靶基因并进行数据库注释。通过RT-qPCR检测nce-miR-15338及其候选靶基因在东方蜜蜂微孢子虫侵染过程中的表达谱。【结果】nce-miR-15338在东方蜜蜂微孢子虫孢子中真实存在和表达;nce-miR-15338共靶向LCFAL 2和20s PS等16个基因;分别有16、7、8、3个靶基因可注释到Nr、Swiss-Prot、GO和KEGG数据库;相较于接种后1 d,nce-miR-15338的表达量在2 d极显著上调,在4、6、8 d均极显著下调;LCFAL 2的表达量在接种2、4、6、8 d后皆为极显著下调;20s PS在接种2、4、6、8 d的表达水平均为极显著下调。【结论】研究结果证实了nce-miR-15338的真实存在和表达,并明确了东方蜜蜂微孢子虫侵染意大利蜜蜂工蜂过程中nce-miR-15338及其候选靶基因LCFAL 2和20s PS的表达规律。

Effects of Exercise on Cancer-related Fatigue and Quality of Life in Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Objective To gain insight on how exercise affects the outcomes of prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy,specifically cancer-related fatigue(CRF) and quality of life(QoL). Methods Systematic searches for randomized clinical trials(RCTs) evaluating the effects of exercise on CRF and QoL of prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy were carried out to identify the eligible studies from EMBASE,Pub Med and Cochrane library. Related data were extracted from eligible studies and then subjected to Reviewer Manage 5.3 for analysis. Standardized mean differences(SMD) and its 95% confidence interval(CI) were calculated. Results In all,10 RCTs involving 841 prostate cancer patients(448 of whom exercised and 393 did not) were included in this study. With respect to CRF,there was good consistency among different studies,and it was remarkably reduced in the exercise group(SMD=-0.32,95% CI:-0.45 to-0.18,P<0.00001,n=784). In regards to QoL,there was also good consistency among different studies,and it was also improved significantly in the exercise group(SMD=0.21,95% CI:0.08 to 0.34,P=0.002,n=841). Conclusion Exercise both reduced CRF and improved QoL in prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy.

Validated gradient stability indicating HPLC method for determining Diltiazem Hydrochloride and related substances in bulk drug and novel tablet formulation

A stability-indicating liquid chromatographic method has been developed and validated for the determination of Diltiazem Hydrochloride(DTZ) together with its six related substances(Diltiazem sulphoxide,Imp-A,Imp-B,Imp-D,Imp-E,and Imp-F) in a laboratory mixture as well as in a novel tablet formulation developed in-house.Efficient chromatographic separation was achieved on a Hypersil BDS C18(150 mm*4.6 mm,5.0 μm) with mobile phase containing 0.2% Triethylamine(TEA) in gradient combination with acetonitrile(ACN) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and the eluent was monitored at 240 nm.In the developed method,the resolution of DTZ from any pair of impurities was found to be greater than 2.0.The test solution and related substances were found to be stable in the diluent for 24 h.The developed method resolved the drug from its known impurities,stated above,and also from additional impurities generated when the formulation was subjected to forced degradation;the mass balance was found close to 99.9%.Regression analyses indicate correlation coefficient value greater than 0.997 for DTZ and its six known impurities.The LOD for DTZ and the known impurities was at a level below 0.02%.The method has shown good,consistent recoveries for DTZ(99.8-101.2%) and also for its six known impurities(97.2-101.3%).The method was found to be accurate,precise,linear,specific,sensitive,rugged,robust,and stability-indicating.

Effect of Lanthanum on Disease Resistance Related Enzymes of Rape

The effects of lanthanum on the protective enzymes of rape ( Brassica juncea ) were studied in hydroponics experiment. Results show that when treated with 0.3 mg·kg -1 La, the content of chlorophyll and the activities of peroxidase(POD), catalase(CAT), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and polyphenoloxidase(PPO) in rape increase, but the content of malondialdehyde(MDA) in rape decreases. However, the treatments do not change the content of soluble protein in rape significantly.