• Neuroimaging insights into Borderline Personality Disorder patients with and without suicide attempts: A multi-modal structural MRI study.
    1 week ago
    Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by emotional dysregulation and high-risk behaviors, including self-harm and suicide attempts. Despite the high prevalence of suicidal behavior in BPD, the neurobiological substrates underlying suicide vulnerability remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate differences in BPD and a history of suicide attempt (BPD-SA) with those without such a history (BPD-NA) using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

    Neuroimaging data from 60 individuals with BPD were analyzed. Acquisitions included high-resolution T1-weighted, Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery sequences, and Diffusion Weighted Imaging. Imaging features were compared between BPD-SA (n = 30) and BPD-NA (n = 30) subgroups, adjusting for alcohol and substance abuse. Pearson's correlation was used to examine associations between imaging features and clinical questionnaires, including childhood trauma and symptom severity.

    Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between BPD-SA and BPD-NA in brain volume, cortical thickness, and Fractional Anisotropy. The most pronounced changes were localized to limbic structures (hippocampus and fornix), the frontal cortex, corpus callosum, and cortico-thalamic pathways, with BPD-SA showing more severe white matter alterations. Correlation analyses revealed that imaging abnormalities in BPD-SA were negatively correlated with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). In contrast, Zanarini Rating Scale (ZAN-BPD) scores were negatively correlated with MRI-assessed neurobiological alterations only in the BPD-NA subgroup.

    This study provides preliminary evidence that BPD-SA may exhibit distinct patterns of structural and white matter alterations compared to BPD-NA. Such neuroimaging differences may reflect underlying neurobiological dimensions related to vulnerability, illness severity, and developmental risk exposure.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • Bibliometric analysis of visual-motor integration skills in early childhood.
    1 week ago
    This study aimed to analyze 490 existing studies on visual-motor integration in early childhood using bibliometric methods and to reveal the accumulated knowledge, research orientation, and thematic areas in this field of research. The data were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection database and analyzed using Bibliometrix (Rpackage) and VOSviewer software. Our findings indicate that research on visual-motor integration in early childhood spans approximately 40 years and has shown an uneven but overall increasing trend since 2010, with an annual growth rate of 6.49%. Our analyses indicate that the most productive countries in terms of publications are the United States and China. Thematic analysis revealed that intelligence, psychomotor performance, grip strength, academic achievement, autism, and handwriting fluency are the main research areas of the study. When examining the most recent topics studied, themes such as developmental coordination disorder, obesity, self-regulation, physical activity, early childhood education, mental disability, and hand-eye coordination emerged. Our study emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of visual-motor integration skills in early childhood and highlights the importance of focusing on these skills because they play a critical role in developmental stages.
    Mental Health
    Policy
  • Neural characteristics of emotion regulation and derived machine learning classification in high negative affectivity: Based on event-related potentials and nonlinear analysis.
    1 week ago
    As a core component of negative affectivity, high trait anxiety (HTA) elevates the risk of the onset of depressive disorders through impaired emotion regulation processes. However, its underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear due to methodological constraints. This study addressed these gaps by integrating event-related potential (ERP), nonlinear analysis, and machine learning (ML), while controlling for emotion regulation strategy use habits. We recruited 33 college students with HTA and 30 with low trait anxiety (LTA), who performed cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression during emotion regulation. ERP results showed that both groups reduced P2 amplitudes for negative stimuli via the two regulation strategies. However, HTA individuals only downregulated centro-parietal LPP in the early stage (500-1000 ms) and failed to maintain this effect in the late stage, indicating impaired sustained emotion regulation. Nonlinear and correlation analyses revealed that lower wavelet entropy (reflecting less flexible brain states) was associated with poorer sustained reappraisal in HTA individuals, implying that reduced neural complexity may underlie deficits in prolonged regulation. Group differences vanished after controlling for depressive symptoms, implying such neural abnormalities stem from a general negative affectivity predisposition rather than trait anxiety alone. ML further identified reappraisal-related LPP and wavelet entropy modulation as the most discriminative features for this negative affectivity phenotype. These results provide a theoretical foundation for translational research and may aid in the early identification of individuals at high risk for such disorders.
    Mental Health
    Policy
  • Age-Associated Targetable Genomic Alterations and PD-L1 Expression in 2509 Patients With Pulmonary Ground-Glass Opacities.
    1 week ago
    To investigate the landscape of targetable genomic alterations and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in pulmonary ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and their association with age.

    A total of 2509 patients with GGOs were retrospectively analyzed. Tumor characteristics, PD-L1 expression, and prevalence of targetable alterations were compared across age groups.

    In GGOs, the mutation rates of EGFR (61.5%) and ERBB2 (12.0%) were relatively high, whereas those of KRAS (8.2%) and ALK rearrangements (2.3%) were relatively low. The patients exhibited a low tumor mutational burden (TMB), and PD-L1 expression was negative in 86.7% of cases. TMB, PD-L1 expression, and the mutation rates of EGFR, KRAS, and MET increased significantly with age, whereas the rates of ERBB2 mutations, ALK rearrangements, and RET rearrangements decreased significantly with age. Age was identified as an independent predictor for the above eight variables. The optimal age cutoff was determined to be 53 years. Compared with the younger age group (< 53 years), the older age group (≥ 53 years) showed a 31.6%, 130.4%, and 800.0% higher likelihood of harboring EGFR, KRAS, and MET mutations, respectively. Conversely, compared with the older age group, the younger age group showed a 289.1%, 94.1%, and 108.7% higher likelihood of harboring ERBB2 mutations, ALK rearrangements, and RET rearrangements, respectively.

    GGOs exhibit a distinct genomic and PD-L1 profile with significant age-related heterogeneity, providing insights for age-stratified therapeutic strategies.
    Non-Communicable Diseases
    Cancer
    Chronic respiratory disease
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  • Different Immune Cells Modified With Chimeric Antigen Receptors Are Being Applied to Ovarian Cancer: Which Is the Most Effective?
    1 week ago
    Ovarian Cancer (OC), the deadliest gynecological malignancy, poses a major therapeutic challenge in advanced stages owing to its high recurrence rate and metastatic potential. In this regard, it is noteworthy that immunotherapy has recently gained significant attention in OC treatment, a phenomenon attributable to notable advances in over-the-counter Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-based cell therapy. At the heart of CAR-T Cell (CAR-T) immunotherapy is genetically modified CAR molecules that enable immune cells to target and recognize tumor antigens. Based on such strategies, CAR-T therapies have developed rapidly in hematological oncology and are gradually being extended to solid tumors. Despite their potential in OC treatment, several factors, including off-target effects attributable to the lack of Tumor-Specific Antigens (TSAs), as well as severe side effects such as tumor immune barriers, Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), and neurotoxicity, have been established to limit the clinical use of CAR-T therapies. Moreover, compared to CAR-T, CAR-Natural Killer (NK) and CAR-Macrophage (M) therapies have distinct advantages. The killing mechanism of NK cells integrates both CAR-dependent and non-dependent pathways, avoiding severe CRS and neurotoxicity. Furthermore, besides directly phagocytosing tumors due to its strong ability to infiltrate tumors, CAR-M therapy could also effectively improve the Immunosuppressive Microenvironment (IME) via immunomodulatory factor secretion to remodel M2-type Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) into the M1 phenotype with anti-tumor function. In this review, we systematically describe the research progress in CAR-T therapy for OC and compare the similarities and differences of three types of cellular therapies (CAR-T, CAR-NK, and CAR-M) regarding their mechanisms of action, clinical advantages, and technological bottlenecks. We hope that our findings will provide a theoretical basis for optimizing immunotherapeutic strategies for OC. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03585764.
    Cancer
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  • Differentiation of Fat-Poor Renal Angiomyolipoma From Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Diagnostic Performance of a Novel Type of Color Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound.
    1 week ago
    The similar imaging characteristics of renal angiomyolipoma without visible fat (RAML.wvf) and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) are notable. Color Parameter Imaging (CPI) has emerged as an advanced contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) analysis tool that quantifies temporal perfusion dynamics.

    Evaluate the diagnostic value of CPI in distinguishing AML.wovf from ccRCC.

    In this prospective study, 88 patients (35 with AML and 53 with ccRCC) underwent CEUS and CPI. Junior and senior radiologists independently analyzed the CEUS and CPI images. Three diagnostic approaches were compared: (1) CPI alone, (2) CEUS alone, and (3) CEUS combined with CPI. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of resident and staff radiologists were analyzed.

    The CPI features of ccRCC and AML.wovf analyzed by the junior and senior radiologist groups showed significant differences: the mosaic sign and the Cold sign (both p < 0.001) were more indicative of AML.wovf, whereas the Warm sign was more suggestive of ccRCC (both p < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for the combined CEUS+CPI diagnosis in the junior radiologist group was higher than that for CEUS alone (p = 0.012). Regarding diagnostic confidence between the two radiologist groups, the proportion of uncertain cases in the CPI group was significantly lower than in the CEUS group for both the senior radiologist group and the junior radiologist group (both p < 0.05).

    CPI technology can enhance the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differentiating ccRCC from AML.wovf, particularly offering an advantage in improving the diagnostic accuracy of junior radiologists.
    Cancer
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  • Predicting Prognosis for Gastric Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Treatment With Body Composition-Based Deep Learning.
    1 week ago
    This study sought to develop an innovative body composition (BC)-based deep learning (DL) model to precisely evaluate survival in gastric cancer (GC) patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment (NT).

    This retrospective study included GC patients undergoing NT from two centers. CT images both pre-NT and post-NT were preprocessed, focusing on the automatic segmentation of subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, and skeletal muscle regions using TotalSegmentator. Delta Radiomics features were extracted using Pyradiomics. After feature fusion and selection, the optimal model is Naive Bayes (Rad model). A hybrid DL model was developed by combining ResNet18 and Transformer networks for feature extraction. The Clinic_Rad_DL model was constructed by combining clinical features, radiomic signatures, and DL signatures. The ExtraTree classifier was used for the Clinic_Rad_DL model, while a separate Cox regression model was developed for survival analysis using the same features.

    A total of 356 patients (mean age, 59 ± 10 years; 264 males [74.2%]) were enrolled and divided into training, validation, and test sets in a 7:2:1 ratio. The DL model outperformed the Rad model. The Clinic_Rad_DL model outperformed both Rad model and DL model, with AUC of 0.915, 0.890, and 0.890 in training, validation, and test sets, respectively. The Cox proportional hazards model showed C-index of 0.806, 0.803, and 0.819, effectively stratifying patients into high- and low-risk groups with significant survival differences.

    The study developed and validated a BC-based DL model to predict survival in GC patients undergoing NT, offering potential for personalized treatment strategies in clinical practice.
    Cancer
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  • Extent of Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection at Partial Cystectomy: Effect on Cancer-Specific Mortality.
    1 week ago
    We assessed the extent of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) at partial cystectomy (PC) according to PC eligibility (≤cT2 stage, tumor ≤ 3 cm and segmental resection possible) and tested its effect on cancer-specific mortality (CSM).

    Within the SEER database (2004-2021), we identified PC patients undergoing PLND and tabulated the number of lymph nodes (LNs) removed according to PC eligibility. Multivariable Cox-regression models tested the effect of PLND extent on CSM after adjusting for age, sex, T stage, N stage, and chemotherapy.

    Of 1017 PC patients undergoing PLND, 197 (19.4%) were eligible vs. 820 (80.6%) ineligible according to PC eligibility criteria. Median number of LNs removed at PLND was 6 (IQR: 3-11) in eligible versus 7 (IQR: 3-14) in ineligible patients (p = 0.09). Mean numbers of LNs removed at PLND increased over the study period, from 7 to 16 (p = 0.007) in PC-eligible and from 8 to 13 (p = 0.001) in PC-ineligible patients. In 1017 patients regardless of PC eligibility, 5-year CSM-free survival rate was 65.6%, and PLND extent predicted lower CSM (multivariable hazard ratio [mHR]: 0.99, p = 0.036). In 197 PC-eligible patients, 5-year CSM-free survival rate was 84.2%, and the PLND extent was not associated with CSM (mHR: 0.96, p = 0.2). Conversely, in 820 PC-ineligible patients, 5-year CSM-free survival rate was 61.1%, and PLND extent predicted lower CSM (mHR: 0.99, p = 0.043).

    In all PC patients regardless of eligibility status, more extensive PLND was associated with improved cancer-specific survival.
    Cancer
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  • Efficacy of Fertility-Sparing Treatment With Progestin Is Associated With Different Molecular Classification in Endometrial Carcinoma and Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia.
    1 week ago
    To investigate the impact of various molecular characteristics on the outcomes of fertility-preserving therapy in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) and atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH).

    A total of 14 EC cases and 60 AEH cases were retrospectively analyzed at the Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University from January 2013 to October 2022.

    This study investigated the molecular profiles and outcomes of fertility preservation in 74 cases. The most prevalent molecular profile was NSMP type (63.9%), followed by p53abn type (21.3%) and MMRd type (14.8%). After 6 months of progesterone therapy, the cumulative CR rates were 100% for NSMP type, 83.3% for MMRd type, and 33.3% for p53abn type (p = 0.006). The CR rate in the p53abn group was significantly lower than in the other two groups (p = 0.006), with a notably higher recurrence rate (p = 0.006). ER and PR expression was significantly lower in the MMRd and p53abn groups (p = 0.002). A total of 26 pregnancies (42.6%) were observed. In the EC group, the pregnancy rate of p53abn was lower than that of the NSMP group (0% vs. 83.3%, p = 0.02). In the AEH group, pregnancy rates of p53abn and MMRd were not significantly different from the NSMP group (0% vs. 50%, p = 0.16; 33.3% vs. 50%, p = 0.20).

    Molecular classification may serve as a predictive tool for the efficacy of fertility preservation therapy in patients with EC and AEH and was found to be particularly useful for identifying p53 mutants, which are associated with a high risk of recurrence, as well as MMRd types, which are known to lead to poor responses to progesterone treatment.
    Cancer
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  • The Clinical Benefits of Nutritional Supplementation Across the Chemotherapy Journey in Cancer Patients: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.
    1 week ago
    This study aimed to explore the clinical benefits of receiving nutritional supplementation (NS) throughout the whole course of chemotherapy.

    This multicenter prospective cohort study totally included 251 cancer patients requiring nutritional support and scheduled for chemotherapy. Primary outcomes included energy intake (EI), protein intake (PI), body mass index (BMI), NRS 2002 and PG-SGA scores. Short-term efficacy was the secondary outcome.

    Among the study participants, 168 received NS, whereas 83 opted for dietary advice (DA) alone. In the NS group, EI and PI demonstrated a gradual upward trend across the six cycles of chemotherapy, with no significant changes in the DA group. The BMI remained stable in both groups. The proportion of patients with or at risk of malnutrition showed a declining trend in the NS group but an increasing trend in the DA group. The generalized estimating equation results indicated that NS significantly improved PI (coefficient = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.27, p < 0.001), NRS 2002 (coefficient = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.23 to -0.03, p = 0.005), and PG-SGA (coefficient = -0.18, 95% CI: -0.28 to -0.08, p < 0.001). The improvements in PI, NRS 2002, and PG-SGA scores occurred from cycle 1, cycle 3, and cycle 2, respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis confirmed NS as a favorable factor associated with higher disease control rate (OR = 4.65, 95% CI: [1.88, 12.01], p = 0.001).

    The incorporation of NS yielded several clinical benefits beyond adequate EI and stable weight. It contributes to higher protein intake and good nutritional status in patients with cancer throughout the whole course of chemotherapy, ultimately improving treatment efficacy.

    Patient-Reported Outcome Management Including Surveillance and Intervention in Nutritional Group (PROMISING) Study (registration number: ChiCTR2100047535).
    Cancer
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