Preliminary results indicated that pretreatment WTLG measured by F-FDG-PET/CT could independently predict survival in patients with locally advanced SCCC.

This study aimed to investigate the immunogenicity to SARS‐CoV‐2 and evasive subvariants BA.4/5 in people living with HIV (PLWH) following a third booster shot of inactivated SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine. We conducted a cross‐sectional study in 318 PLWH and 241 healthy controls (HC) using SARS‐CoV‐2 immunoassays. Vaccine‐induced immunological responses were compared before and after the third dose. Serum levels of IgG anti‐RBD and inhibition rate of NAb were significantly elevated at the “post‐third dose” sampling time compared with the pre‐third dose in PLWH, but were relatively decreased in contrast with those of HCs. Induced humoral and cellular responses attenuated over time after triple‐dose vaccination. The neutralizing capacity against BA.4/5 was also intensified but remained below the positive inhibition threshold. Seropositivity of SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific antibodies in PLWH was prominently lower than that in HC. We also identified age, CD4 cell counts, time after the last vaccination, and WHO staging type of PLWH as independent factors associated with the seropositivity of antibodies. PLWH receiving booster shot of inactivated vaccines generate higher antibody responses than the second dose, but lower than that in HCs. Decreased anti‐BA.4/5 responses than that of WT impede the protective effect of the third dose on Omicron prevalence.

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) constitute more than 90% of the RNAs in the human genome. In the past decades, studies have changed our perception of ncRNAs from “junk” transcriptional products to functional regulatory molecules that mediate critical processes, including chromosomal modifications, mRNA splicing and stability, and translation, as well as key signaling pathways. Emerging evidence suggests that ncRNAs are abnormally expressed in not only cancer but also autoimmune diseases, such as systemic sclerosis (SSc), and may serve as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the diagnosis and treatment of SSc. However, the functions and underlying mechanisms of ncRNAs in SSc remain incompletely understood. In this review, we discuss the current findings on the biogenetic processes and functions of ncRNAs, including microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs, as well as explore emerging ncRNA-based diagnostics and therapies for SSc.

Background: Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5)-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5 + DM) is significantly associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD), especially rapidly progressive ILD (RPILD) due to poor prognosis, resulting in high mortality rates. However, the pathogenic mechanism of MDA5 + DM-RPILD is unclear. Although some MDA5 + DM patients have a chronic course of ILD, many do not develop RPILD. Therefore, the related biomarkers for the early diagnosis, disease activity monitoring, and prediction of the outcome of RPILD in MDA5 + DM patients should be identified. Blood-based biomarkers are minimally invasive and can be easily detected. Methods:Recent relative studies related to blood biomarkers in PubMed were reviewed.Results: An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that dysregulated expression of blood biomarkers related to ILD such as ferritin, Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), surfactant protein-D (SP-D), and cytokines, and some tumor markers in MDA5 + DM may provide information in disease presence, activity, treatment response, and prognosis. These studies have highlighted the great potentials of blood biomarker values for MDA5 + DM-ILD and MDA5 + DM-RPILD. This review provides an overview of recent studies related to blood biomarkers, besides highlighted protein biomarkers, including antibody (anti-MDA5 IgG subclasses and anti-Ro52 antibody), genetic (exosomal microRNAs and neutrophil extracellular traps related to cell-free DNA), and immune cellular biomarkers in MDA5 + DM, MDA5 + DM-ILD, and MDA5 + DM-RPILD patients, hopefully elucidating the pathogenesis of MDA5 + DM-ILD and providing information on the early diagnosis, disease activity monitoring, and prediction of the outcome of the ILD, especially RPILD. Conclusions: Therefore, this review may provide insight to guide treatment decisions for MDA5 + DM-RPILD patients and improve outcomes.

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Modern conformal beam delivery techniques require image-guidance to ensure the prescribed dose to be delivered as planned. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have greatly augmented our ability to accurately localize the treatment target while sparing the normal tissues. In this paper, we review the applications of AI-based algorithms in image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), and discuss the indications of these applications to the future of clinical practice of radiotherapy. The benefits, limitations and some important trends in research and development of the AI-based IGRT techniques are also discussed. AI-based IGRT techniques have the potential to monitor tumor motion, reduce treatment uncertainty and improve treatment precision. Particularly, these techniques also allow more healthy tissue to be spared while keeping tumor coverage the same or even better.

Background: Currently, there are few literature reports on the CT features of pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma, most of which exist in the form of case reports, and some literature reports have suggested that CT features of pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma lack specificity. This study was designed to investigate the CT features of pelvic RMS in children to provide imaging evidence for clinical diagnosis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed radiographic and clinical data of all paediatric patients with pelvic neoplastic lesions pathologically proven to be malignant in our hospitals from January 2012 through March 2021. The data of the included paediatric patients were divided into two groups according to whether the pathology results indicated RMS. CT features of RMS (n= 37) and non-RMS (n= 91) were compared by two abdominal radiologists. Results: A total of 9 CT features were statistically significant for the diagnosis of pelvic RMS in children (p＜0.05). The sensitivity (range, 0.64–0.74) and specificity (range, 0.86–0.93) of the CT features showing multinodular fusion, surrounding blood vessels, and heterogeneous progressive centripetal enhancement were both relatively high. The CT features indicating lower than muscle density, necrosis, non-calcification and non-haemorrhage exhibited high specificity (range, 0.86–0.97), but the sensitivity (range, 0.32–0.40) was relatively low, while the sensitivity (range, 0.37–0.46) and specificity (range, 0.75–0.83) of other CT features used for diagnosing pelvic RMS, namely, lobulated and lymphatic metastasis, were both relatively low. Conclusion: Pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma in children has its own specific CT features.

IntroductionBreast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, vaccination data of this population are limited.MethodsA cross-sectional study of COVID-19 vaccination was conducted in China. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination status.ResultsOf 2,904 participants, 50.2% were vaccinated with acceptable side effects. Most of the participants received inactivated virus vaccines. The most common reason for vaccination was “fear of infection” (56.2%) and “workplace/government requirement” (33.1%). While the most common reason for nonvaccination was “worry that vaccines cause breast cancer progression or interfere with treatment” (72.9%) and “have concerns about side effects or safety” (39.6%). Patients who were employed (odds ratio, OR = 1.783, p = 0.015), had stage I disease at diagnosis (OR = 2.008, p = 0.019), thought vaccines could provide protection (OR = 1.774, p = 0.007), thought COVID-19 vaccines were safe, very safe, not safe, and very unsafe (OR = 2.074, p < 0.001; OR = 4.251, p < 0.001; OR = 2.075, p = 0.011; OR = 5.609, p = 0.003, respectively) were more likely to receive vaccination. Patients who were 1–3 years, 3–5 years, and more than 5 years after surgery (OR = 0.277, p < 0.001; OR = 0.277, p < 0.001, OR = 0.282, p < 0.001, respectively), had a history of food or drug allergies (OR = 0.579, p = 0.001), had recently undergone endocrine therapy (OR = 0.531, p < 0.001) were less likely to receive vaccination.ConclusionCOVID-19 vaccination gap exists in breast cancer survivors, which could be filled by raising awareness and increasing confidence in vaccine safety during cancer treatment, particularly for the unemployed individuals.