Response rates, survival status and adverse events of placebo in randomized control trials for hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis.

Background: In randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the placebo arm has often been ignored as the attention tends to be focused on the treatment arm. We undertook a meta-analysis based on the data from the placebo arm in RCTs of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the response rates and survival status, and adverse events (AEs) were summarized and evaluated.

Aim: To systematically evaluate the response rates, survival status and AEs in the placebo arms of RCTs for HCC.

A Genetically Encoded Biosensor for Characterizing Transport and Metabolism of Glutarate.

Glutarate is a platform chemical with diversified applications. It is also an endogenous metabolite involved in various physiological processes. Deficiency in glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GcdH) for glutarate catabolism induces the inherited metabolic disorder glutaric aciduria.

Machine learning-driven prediction of readmission risk in heart failure patients with diabetes: synergistic assessment of inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers.

Background: Heart failure (HF) and diabetes mellitus (DM) frequently coexist, exacerbating disease progression and increasing hospital readmission risk. Accurate prediction of readmission in HF patients with DM remains a clinical challenge. This study aims to develop and validate a machine learning (ML)-based model incorporating inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers to enhance risk stratification.

Assessment of microstructural abnormalities in gray and white matter of minimal hepatic encephalopathy patients using diffusion kurtosis imaging and their associations with neurocognitive dysfunction.

Aims: Although neural activity abnormalities have been reported in cirrhosis patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying microstructural brain alterations remain poorly understood. This prospective study aimed to assess microstructural abnormalities in both gray matter and white matter of MHE patients by using diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and to examine associations between these alterations and neurocognitive and clinical measurements.

Methods: Thirty-one Hepatitis B Virus-related cirrhotic patients without MHE (NMHE), thirty Hepatitis B Virus-related cirrhotic patients with MHE, and 59 gender-, age-, education-matched healthy controls underwent diffusional kurtosis imaging and neurocognitive assessments.

Machine Learning-Driven Prediction of One-Year Readmission in HFrEF Patients: The Key Role of Inflammation.

Background: Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a global health issue with high morbidity and frequent hospitalizations. Predicting one-year readmission risk is crucial for optimizing treatment and reducing costs.

Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective study on adult HFrEF patients admitted to the Cardiovascular Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine on January 2020 and March 2023.

Interpretable Machine Learning Model for Predicting Early Recurrence of Pancreatic Cancer: Integrating Intratumoral and Peritumoral Radiomics With Body Composition.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with a high rate of early recurrence (ER) after radical resection, which significantly affects long-term survival. Currently, no reliable system exists for predicting ER in these patients. This study aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model combining intratumoral and peritumoral radiomic features with body composition to predict the ER risk in patients with PDAC following radical resection.

Desmocollin 2 is a dominant entry receptor for Epstein-Barr virus infection of epithelial cells.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can infect B cells and epithelial cells, and cause lymphomas and various epithelial malignancies. During epithelial cell infection, EBV employs a complex combination of viral glycoproteins and host receptors. However, the exact mechanism and whether a dominant receptor exists remain unclear.

Corrigendum: Prognostic impact of nutritional indicators based on Lasso-Cox regression for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.

Interferon-responsive HEVs drive tumor tertiary lymphoid structure formation and predict immunotherapy response in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The outcome of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy largely hinges on the antitumor immunity of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), but drivers of tumor TLS formation remain exclusive. By integrating spatial transcriptomics and a pan-cancer single-cell atlas, we reveal the characteristics of TLSs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and identify a subset of interferon-responsive high endothelial venules (IFN-HEVs) that links to the emergence of tumor-specific chemokines, especially CXCL9. Functionally, CXCL9-secreting IFN-HEVs are associated with the recruitment of CXCR3CD4 T cells into TLSs.

Characteristics of ultrasound-induced sesamol-soybean peptide composite particles (SSPPs) and SSPP-stabilized Pickering emulsions.

To improve the properties of soybean peptide-based emulsifiers, non-covalent interactions between sesamol and soybean peptides were induced through ultrasound treatment. Accordingly, sesamol-soybean peptide composite particles (SSPPs) with excellent interfacial properties and antioxidant capacity were prepared to achieve the long-term stabilization of emulsion. In SSPPs, the secondary structure of the peptides was altered (increased β-sheet content) and the surface hydrophobicity was reduced owing to hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding between sesamol and soybean peptides.

R9AP is a common receptor for EBV infection in epithelial cells and B cells.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) persistently infects more than 90% of the human population, causing infectious mononucleosis, susceptibility to autoimmune diseases and multiple malignancies of epithelial or B cell-origin. EBV infects epithelial cells and B cells through interaction between viral glycoproteins and different host receptors, but it has remained unknown whether a common receptor mediates infection of its two major host cell targets. Here, we establish R9AP as a crucial EBV receptor for entry into epithelial and B cells.

Numerical Simulation of Combustion Characteristics in a Small-Scale Biomass Chain Grate Furnace under Different Primary Air Conditions.

A small-scale biomass chain grate boiler utilizing biomass as fuel plays a pivotal role in enhancing combustion efficiency and reducing emissions, directly contributing to energy conservation and emission reduction. This study employs FLIC-FLUENT to develop a multiphysics coupled model for the solid-phase combustion on the grate and gas-phase combustion in the furnace of a small-scale biomass chain grate boiler. The model enables the simulation of gas-side processes of the small-scale biomass boiler.

Associations of circadian syndrome with gout and hyperuricemia: a cross‑sectional analysis of NHANES 2007-2018.

Background: Gout and hyperuricemia, driven by elevated uric acid (UA). Circadian syndrome (CircS), a cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors related to circadian disruption, may interact with these conditions, but evidence remains limited. Understanding the potential associations of CircS with gout and hyperuricemia is crucial for effective health interventions.

Serum amyloid A1-induced intrahepatic regulatory T-cell dysfunction drives autoimmune hepatitis progression.

Background And Aims: Treatment of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) remains challenging and primarily relies on corticosteroid therapy. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), essential for maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing various autoimmune diseases, present a potential therapeutic target for AIH. However, the role of Tregs in AIH pathogenesis remains unclear.

Quantitative Evaluation of Acute Pancreatitis Based on Dual-Energy Computed Tomography.

Objective: To evaluate the value of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) parameters for the quantitative diagnosis of acute pancreatitis (AP) and classification of its severity.

Methods: Patients with AP underwent a plain CT scan and three contrast-enhanced DECT scans. We analyzed the group differences in iodine concentration (IC) and slope of the spectral Hounsfield unit curve (λHU) of the 3-phase enhanced scans (arterial, venous, and delayed phases).

Prognostic impact of nutritional indicators based on Lasso-Cox regression for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Background: There is a lack of prognostic models to predict the outcomes of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients receiving Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy. Existing nutritional risk indicators, such as the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) and Naples prognostic score (NPS), have demonstrated prognostic value in various malignancies. This study aimed to construct novel nutritional risk indexes (NRIs) using peripheral blood markers via Lasso-Cox regression and validate their prognostic value.

Occurrence and Ecological Risks of Neonicotinoids in Wheat, Corn and Rice Field Soils in China.

The global application of neonicotinoids (NEOs) has precipitated pervasive contamination of agricultural matrices, with China's staple crop lands representing critical exposure hotspots. The occurrence and ecological risks of ten NEOs in the field soils of three major crops (i.e.

The toxicological effects of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea): exploring the relationship between liver damage and gut microbiota dysbiosis.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are synthetic organofluorine compounds characterized by their persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulative properties, rendering them substantial environmental contaminants. However, limited research has investigated the effects of a short-term low-concentration PFAS exposure on the hepatic and intestinal systems of marine fish. In this study, large yellow croaker was selected as the experimental subject to explore the toxic effects of exposure to 1000 ng/L PFOA after 3, 7, and 14 days, with a focus on liver and gut microbiota.

Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis identifies PLAG1 as a key regulator of tumor immune microenvironment and prognostic biomarker.

Background: The literature on the role of pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) in malignant tumors is limited. This study aimed to perform pan-cancer analysis of PLAG1.

Methods: The expression of PLAG1 was analyzed by Human Protein Atlas (HPA).

Interrogation of Structure-Activity Relationships in Charge Variants of Therapeutic IgG2s Enabled by Free-Flow Isoelectric Focusing Fractionation.

Background: Recombinant immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) antibodies are effective neutralization agents or antagonists with high medical value because of their high specificity, long half-life, and absent effector functions. During biopharmaceutical process development, charge heterogeneity and bioactivity alternation related to charge variation should be investigated to understand the structure-activity relationship (SAR) in therapeutic antibodies. Isoelectric focusing can provide fine resolution for the charge heterogeneity profiling of IgG2, while ion exchange chromatography cannot achieve effective separation of IgG2 charge variants.

A Retrospective Analysis: CCTA TTE in Diagnosing Coronary Artery Fistula.

Objective This study aimed to compare and analyze the diagnostic performance of cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for coronary artery fistula (CAF) and evaluate the effectiveness of these two imaging modalities. Methods We retrospectively collected and analyzed imaging data from 200 patients diagnosed with CAF through surgery or digital subtraction angiography (DSA). These patients underwent CCTA and TTE examinations in our hospital.

Optical Coherence Tomography-Assisted Diagnosis and Optimal Treatment of Three Patients With Woven Coronary Artery.

Woven coronary artery (WCA) is an infrequent coronary artery anomaly characterized by the segmentation of one or more coronary artery portions into multiple small channels by intertwining small blood vessels, which reconverge into a normal lumen in the distal segment. Coronary angiography is not sufficiently accurate for the definitive diagnosis of "braid-like lesions." Optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination provides a clearer understanding of the coronary artery conditions.