Search Results (1,488)

Background: Combination chemotherapy using nanotechnology-based delivery is a promising approach to improve cancer treatment, but the added value of co-loaded polymeric nanocarriers has not been comprehensively appraised. This review synthesizes preclinical evidence on polymeric systems co-encapsulating antitumor agents. Methods: A narrative literature review identified 33 preclinical studies (2015–2025) employing polymer-based nanocarriers to co-load at least two antitumor drugs. Study characteristics and in vitro and in vivo outcomes were qualitatively analyzed. Results: Most studies addressed breast, lung, or ovarian cancer and used micelles or nanospheres. Co-loaded formulations consistently enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity and, in vivo, produced marked tumor growth inhibition relative to free drugs or single-loaded systems; in several reports, near-complete or complete tumor regression was achieved. Synergy was frequently suggested but not consistently quantified, more than half of the studies did not report a combination index. Most formulations showed favorable tolerability, with few reports including mild hepatic toxicity, renal, or weight-related effects. Beyond conventional drug pairs, examples of co-delivering chemotherapeutics with resistance modulators, gene therapy agents, or targeted ligands illustrated how tailored release profiles and active targeting can potentiate efficacy. Nevertheless, heterogeneity in models, dosing schedules, endpoints, and limited long-term safety data hamper cross-study comparison and translation. Conclusions: Co-loaded polymeric nanocarriers constitute a promising platform to optimize combination chemotherapy, improving preclinical antitumor efficacy with generally limited toxicity, but more standardized and mechanistically driven studies are required to support clinical development. Full article

Within the framework of a discrete-time chronon model, we consider a dual description of physical time. In this description, macroscopic time is a continuous parameter, while a microscopic integer chronon index labels elementary updates of the system. On this basis, a hierarchy of temporal layers ${\mathrm{Ch}}_N$ (Chronon) is introduced. The simple layers $\mathrm{Ch}2$, $\mathrm{Ch}3$ and $\mathrm{Ch}4$ are analysed, and it is shown that they naturally support $U\left(1\right)$ (Unitary group), $SU\left(3\right)$ (Special Unitary group) and a pair-locked $SU\left(2\right)$ (Special Unitary group) symmetry, respectively. Special attention is paid to the twelve-slot layer $\mathrm{Ch}12$. This layer is the minimal one which simultaneously separates partitions into four triads and three quartets. For $\mathrm{Ch}12$, we demonstrate that the intersection of the corresponding commutants in ${\mathbb{C}}^3\otimes {\mathbb{C}}^4$ reproduces the Standard Model gauge algebra $SU{\left(3\right)}_C\times SU{\left(2\right)}_L\times U{\left(1\right)}_Y$ and the pattern of hypercharges and anomaly cancellation. The appearance of three fermion generations is interpreted in terms of three inequivalent embeddings of a triad into the dodecad which preserve the quartet structure. Possible connections of the chronon dynamics with the hierarchy of masses (via Floquet-type quasi-energies), with dark sectors associated with misaligned layers, and with a temporal interpretation of entanglement are briefly discussed on a qualitative level. These questions are formulated as open problems for further study. Full article

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) can be transformed into quasi-bound states (quasi-BICs) via intentional symmetry breaking, thereby enabling ultrahigh-Q resonances critical for refractometric sensing applications. To advance detection capabilities for organic analytes, we proposed an all-dielectric metasurface monolithically integrated within a microfluidic channel. Mirror symmetry was intentionally disrupted through a cylindrical perturbation applied to one of two identical elliptical resonators, which excited a quasi-BIC mode at 1.9591 THz with a numerically validated Q-factor of 1959. This resonance manifested an absorption peak approaching unity, featuring a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of merely 1 GHz. Multipolar decomposition revealed that the mode originated from a synergistic electric-quadrupole (EQ)–magnetic-dipole (MD) pair, wherein the EQ contribution exceeded the MD counterpart by 20%. Capitalizing on this high-Q resonance, the sensor attained a sensitivity of 240 GHz per refractive-index unit (GHz RIU⁻¹) and a figure of merit (FOM = S/FWHM) of 240, while demonstrating robust performance against fabrication tolerances spanning −4% to +4%. Additionally, we verified that oblique-incidence illumination could activate a quasi-BIC within the identical spectral band, circumventing the need for structural asymmetry and thus expanding operational versatility. Benefiting from its geometric simplicity and competitive performance, this architecture exhibited substantial potential for on-chip sensing of organic compounds. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nutrition and the gut microbiota influence treatment tolerance and recovery in patients with colon cancer receiving chemotherapy. This pilot study examined changes in diet quality and fecal microbiota over 6 months of chemotherapy and evaluated longitudinal associations between diet quality and gut microbiota diversity and taxa. Methods: 48 adults with stage II–III colon cancer receiving 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy were assessed at baseline and 6 months post-initiation. Diet quality was measured using 3-day dietary recalls to calculate Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores. Stool samples underwent 16S rRNA sequencing to assess Shannon diversity, Beta and taxonomic composition. Pre–post changes were analyzed using paired tests, and associations between HEI and microbiota measures were evaluated using multivariable linear regression adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates. Results: Diet quality declined during chemotherapy, with reduced intake of fiber, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Gut microbial alpha diversity decreased over time. At the phylum level, Actinobacteriota decreased, while Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria increased. At the genus level, only Streptococcus (decreased) and Escherichia (increased) remained significantly altered after multiple testing correction. Higher baseline diet quality and improvements over time were associated with greater microbial diversity and lower Proteobacteria abundance. Diet quality was inversely associated with Streptococcus and Escherichia and positively associated with short-chain fatty acid-producing, fiber-responsive genera (Faecalibacterium, Mediterraneibacter, Ruminococcus_E, Fusicatenibacter). Baseline gut microbiota did not significantly associate with changes in diet quality. Conclusions: Chemotherapy was associated with declines in diet quality, gut microbial alpha diversity, along with shifts in beta diversity and microbial taxa. Higher diet quality appeared protective against microbial disruption, supporting a bidirectional relationship between diet and the gut microbiome during chemotherapy. Nutritional and microbiota-focused approaches warrant further investigation in the context of chemotherapy. Full article

(1) Background: Energy-based transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) generates surgical smoke that may contain hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), yet surgeon breathing-zone exposure during transurethral surgery remains insufficiently characterized. (2) Methods: We conducted a prospective paired-exposure study during 28 TURBT procedures over 10 operating days using personal sampling at the surgeon’s breathing zone and simultaneous intraoperative background sampling at three predefined locations (~1.5 m from the surgeon). VOCs were measured by active sampling onto Tenax TA sorbent tubes followed by thermal desorption Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS), and formaldehyde was measured by 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) cartridges with high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet detection (HPLC/UV). Breathing-zone versus background contrasts were summarized as paired geometric mean ratios (GMRs), and a dose index was calculated as concentration × operative time (µg·h/m³). (3) Results: Breathing-zone concentrations consistently exceeded background levels, including total VOCs (GMR 4.31; 95% CI 2.92–6.38), ΣBTEXS (sum of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and styrene; GMR 2.10; 1.69–2.60), and styrene (GMR 8.51; 6.25–11.60); formaldehyde showed a smaller but significant elevation (GMR 1.20; 1.07–1.35). ΣBTEXS dose increased with operative time (Spearman ρ = 0.80, p < 0.001) and resection mass where available (ρ = 0.62, p = 0.0038; n = 20) and scaled with operative time (β = 0.86; R² = 0.69; n = 28). (4) Conclusions: TURBT is associated with marked enrichment of aromatic VOCs in the surgeon’s breathing zone, supporting routine implementation of effective source-level smoke evacuation and filtration to reduce occupational exposure. Full article

Background and Purpose: Based on the distortion of the current conformity index (CI) formula in handling multi-target plans, the $V_{TV}$ parameter in the current CI formula has been redefined to more accurately calculate the CI value of multi-target plans, providing a reference for clinical applications. Methods and Materials: Considering the limitations of the current $V_{TV}$ calculation formula in CI proposed by van’t Riet and Paddick, a new $V_{TV}$ has been defined to better reflect the true conformity of the target volume in multi-target planning. We selected 15 breast cancer (BC) plans with PTVsc and PTVcw as the target volumes, and 15 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) plans with PTVp, PTVn, PTVrpn, PTV1, and PTV2 as target volumes. $V_{TV}^{new}$ and $C{I}_{new}$ were calculated using the proposed formulas, while $V_{TV}^{old}$ and $C{I}_{old}$ were calculated using traditional formulas based on van’t Riet and Paddick. A paired, two-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted to compare $V_{TV}^{new}$ with $V_{TV}^{old}$, and $C{I}_{new}$ with $C{I}_{old}$ across all target volumes. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed between $C{I}_{new}$ and $C{I}_{old}$. Results: For BC, the $V_{TV}$ values calculated by the two methods for PTVsc and PTVcw showed statistically significant differences; the values calculated in this study were significantly lower than those calculated by van’t Riet and Paddick (p < 0.05). Consequently, the $C{I}_{new}$ values for BC were significantly higher than $C{I}_{old}$. These results were consistent with those for PTVp, PTVn, PTVrpn, and PTV2 in NPC. For PTV1 in NPC, the results calculated by the two formulas were identical. Conclusions: The new $V_{TV}$ calculation formula eliminates the influence of dose spillage from adjacent targets, retaining only the prescription dose range of the specific target under analysis. This makes the calculated CI more reflective of true conformity compared to traditional formulas. We recommend using the proposed formula to calculate CI values for multi-target plans such as those for BC and NPC. Full article

Telegram, along with WhatsApp and Signal, has become very popular due to its hybrid capabilities, including both instant private and public messaging, making it an effective tool for quickly broadcasting content to a wide audience. This article presents TGEconomicDataset, a new dataset containing more than 2.9 million messages from the most popular Russian-language Telegram channels in the field of economics, as well as synthetically generated labeled mixtures of these channels. These mixtures are specifically designed to model authorship change scenarios for testing various methods for solving the problem of continuous authentication, which is of particular interest due to the need for organizations and companies to rely on data posted on social media. The presented dataset is enriched with quotes of important financial instruments such as gold futures, the USD/RUB currency pair, BRENT oil, the dollar index (DXY), and bitcoin (BTC), synchronized with the message timestamps. A detailed joint analysis of the collected data is provided. In addition to the presented dataset, we publish the scripts used to collect the data, integrate the financial indicators, and generate the synthetic mixtures for the continuous authentication task, ensuring full reproducibility of the research. Full article

Background: Innovative training strategies aimed at improving physiological efficiency are of growing interest in kinesiology and sports performance. Elevation training masks (ETMs) offer a practical means of inducing hypoxia-like stress. However, evidence of their effectiveness in recreationally active populations remains limited. This pilot study examined the efficiency of a five-week progressive ETM protocol combined with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in eliciting physiological, hematological, and body-composition adaptations relevant to endurance performance. Methods: Nine recreationally active men completed a five-week intervention consisting of three treadmill-based sessions per week: one weekly incremental Conconi test and two structured aerobic–anaerobic HIIT sessions performed with an ETM. Mask resistance was progressively increased to simulate altitudes of approximately 900–3600 m. Hematological variables (erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocyte indices, leukocytes, and platelets), body composition, maximal heart rate (HRmax), and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) were assessed pre- and post intervention. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA, with effect sizes reported (Cohen’s d, ω²). Results: A significant main effect of time on SpO₂ was observed (F(1, 8) = 130.61, p < 0.001, ω² = 0.69), along with a significant effect of training week (F(4, 32) = 17.41, p < 0.001, ω² = 0.43), and a significant Time × Week interaction (F(4, 32) = 15.20, p < 0.001, ω² = 0.42), indicating progressively greater post-exercise oxygen desaturation with increasing simulated altitude. Significant post-intervention increases were found in erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit (p ≤ 0.009, d = 1.15–1.55), alongside increases in mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. Platelet count increased significantly (p = 0.001, d = 1.68), while leukocyte values remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Body mass index (p = 0.049, d = 0.77) and body fat percentage (p = 0.012, d = 1.08) decreased following the intervention. HRmax tended to be lower at higher simulated altitudes. Conclusions: A five-week progressive ETM-HIIT protocol efficiently induced hematological and body-composition adaptations associated with improved oxygen transport and metabolic efficiency in recreationally active men. These findings support ETM-based training as an accessible strategy for enhancing physiological efficiency in endurance-oriented kinesiology practice, warranting confirmation in larger randomized controlled studies. Full article

Urban air pollution remains a critical public health issue, especially in densely populated cities where pedestrians experience direct exposure to traffic-related and environmental emissions. This study develops and tests a pollution-aware pedestrian routing framework for Thessaloniki, Greece, designed to minimize environmental exposure while maintaining route efficiency. The framework combines high-resolution air-quality data and computational techniques to represent pollution patterns at pedestrian scale. Air-quality is expressed as a continuous European Air Quality Index (EAQI) and is embedded in a network-based routing engine (OSRM) that balances exposure and distance through a weighted optimization function. Using 3000 randomly sampled origin-destination pairs, exposure-aware routes are compared with conventional shortest-distance paths across short, medium, and long walking trips. Results show that exposure-aware routes reduce cumulative AQI exposure by an average of 4% with only 3% distance increase, while maintaining stable scaling across all route classes. Exposure benefits exceeding 5% are observed for approximately 8% of medium-length routes and 24% of long routes, while short routes present minimal or no detours, but lower exposure benefits. These findings confirm that integrating high-resolution environmental data into pedestrian navigation systems is both feasible and operationally effective, providing a practical foundation for future real-time, pollution-aware mobility services in smart cities. Full article

Background: Overweight and metabolic disorders are strongly associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis. Probiotics represent a safe dietary strategy to improve metabolic health, although strain-specific effects remain unclear. This study evaluated the metabolic and gut microbiota-modulating effects of Lactobacillus helveticus (UA881) in overweight adults. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 50 overweight adults (Body mass index, BMI 25–27 kg/m²) were assigned to receive UA881 (5 × 10⁹ CFU/day) or placebo for 28 days. Anthropometric parameters, body composition, serum biochemical markers, inflammatory cytokines, fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and gut microbiota composition (16S rRNA sequencing) were assessed at baseline and after 28 days. Statistical analyses included paired t-tests and ANCOVA adjusted for baseline values. Results: After 28 days of supplementation, UA881 significantly reduced body weight, BMI, and body fat mass. The primary endpoint, serum triglycerides, was significantly decreased, and the increases in uric acid, total cholesterol, and Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) observed in the placebo group were attenuated. No significant changes were observed in interleukin-6 (IL-6) or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. Fecal butanoic acid showed an increasing trend, and gut microbiota alpha diversity was significantly improved. At the genus level, Anaerostipes and Blautia were enriched, while Collinsella was reduced. Conclusions: A 28-day supplementation with L. helveticus UA881 (5 × 10⁹ CFU/day) improved body composition and lipid-related metabolic parameters and favorably modulated gut microbiota composition in overweight adults, supporting its potential as a probiotic candidate for metabolic health. Full article

This study evaluated the fruit quality of 12 apple cultivars grafted onto the cold-resistant dwarfing interstock SH40 in the arid region of Lingwu, Ningxia, to identify well-adapted varieties for local production. A total of 21 indicators were measured, encompassing three major aspects: external quality (e.g., fruit size, shape index, peel color), internal flavor (e.g., soluble solids, soluble sugars, titratable acids, vitamin C content), and textural attributes (e.g., hardness, crispness, chewiness), and data were analyzed using principal component analysis and membership function methodology. The cultivars exhibited distinct quality profiles under identical management: ‘Red General’ performed well in fruit size, weight, and sugar–acid balance; ‘Yanfu 6’ showed the highest firmness and crispness; ‘Shengli’ had the greatest soluble solids content; and ‘Granny Smith’ was richest in vitamin C. Four principal components were extracted, explaining 80.06% of the total variance and simplifying the quality evaluation system. Based on the comprehensive membership function scores, ‘Red General’, ‘White Winter Pearmain’, and ‘Huashuo’ ranked highest in overall fruit quality. In conclusion, these three cultivars perform excellently on SH40 and are recommended for promotion, whereas ‘Red Delicious’ is not recommended due to poor performance. These findings offer a practical reference for selecting apple cultivars paired with SH40 in similar arid regions. Full article

Background: Sleep is a key determinant of recovery and performance in elite athletes, yet its optimization extends beyond sleep duration alone and encompasses multiple subjective and physiological dimensions. Environmental factors, including the sleep surface, represent modifiable components of sleep that may influence perceived sleep quality. This study aimed to examine whether an individually adjustable modular sleep system improves subjective sleep quality in elite athletes and whether alterations in objective sleep metrics, circadian timing, or nocturnal autonomic physiology accompany such changes. Methods: Forty-three elite athletes participated in this pre–post-intervention study (without a control group). Subjective sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while objective sleep and physiological parameters were recorded using a wearable device (Oura Ring, 3rd generation). Outcomes were averaged across three consecutive nights at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1). Baseline values were derived from the final three nights of a standardized pre-intervention monitoring period (minimum 7 nights), and post-intervention values from the final three nights following a standardized intervention exposure period (minimum 14 nights). Statistical analyses included paired frequentist tests and complementary Bayesian paired-sample analyses. Results: Subjective sleep quality improved significantly following the intervention, with a mean reduction in PSQI score of 0.67 points (p < 0.001). In contrast, no meaningful changes were observed in total sleep time (p = 0.28), REM duration (p = 0.26), circadian timing (p = 0.47), or nocturnal minimum heart rate (p = 0.42), as supported by the absence of physiological changes in these parameters. Conclusions: It seems that an individually adjustable sleep system can be able to improve perceived sleep quality in elite athletes without disrupting sleep architecture, circadian regulation, or nocturnal autonomic function. In athletes whose sleep duration and physiological sleep metrics are already near optimal, such micro-environmental interventions may offer a feasible, low-risk means of enhancing recovery by targeting subjective sleep quality. This dimension dissociates from objective sleep measures. Optimizing the sleep surface may therefore represent a practical adjunct to existing recovery strategies in high-performance sport. Full article

Background: Inflammatory activity in rheumatoid arthritis can be determined by normal blood count ratios such as Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Systemic Immune Inflammation Index (SII), and C-reactive Protein (CRP). Objective: The aim of this research is to determine how these markers change after therapy and whether their pre- and post-treatment differences follow patterns that allow for simple parametric analyses. Methods: A prospective cohort of 52 RA patients (30 females and 22 males) was examined. The patients’ blood samples were tested at baseline and at the end of their 6-month Infliximab treatment. Hematologic markers such as NLR, PLR, and SII were calculated from the complete blood count (CBC), and CRP levels were measured. The statistical methods of Shapiro–Wilk (SW), Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS), and Anderson–Darling (AD) were used, and later, paired t-tests were used to generate statistics where necessary. Results: Post-treatment measurements were consistently lower for all four biomarkers. QQ-plots and formal tests revealed that the differences between findings were essentially normal, allowing for paired t-tests. The mean decreases were as follows: NLR −1.10 (95% CI −1.48 to −0.71), PLR −43.0 (−55.4 to −30.7), SII −299 (−388 to −211), and CRP −11.36 (−13.18 to −9.54), all p < 0.001. CRP showed the greatest drop, with significant decreases in PLR and SII and a moderate decline in NLR, indicating therapy-related attenuation of systemic inflammation. Conclusions: The study shows that six months of infliximab therapy results in a consistent post-treatment decrease in all four biomarkers: NLR, PLR, SII, and CRP. Because the pre-post differences were roughly normal, CRP revealed the greatest decrease, with significant decreases in PLR and SII and a moderate decrease in NLR, consistent with systemic inflammation reduction. When combined, the CBC-derived indices track with CRP and can serve as practical, low-cost markers for monitoring therapy response in RA, despite the single-arm design. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly small lesions (<2 cm), which is crucial for curative treatment, remains challenging with conventional liver dynamic computed tomography (LDCT). We aimed to develop a deep learning algorithm to generate synthetic CT during hepatic arteriography (CTHA) from non-invasive LDCT and evaluate its lesion detection performance. Methods: A cycle-consistent generative adversarial network with an attention module [Unsupervised Generative Attentional Networks with Adaptive Layer-Instance Normalization (U-GAT-IT)] was trained using paired LDCT and CTHA images from 277 patients. The model was validated using internal (68 patients, 139 lesions) and external sets from two independent centers (87 patients, 117 lesions). Two radiologists assessed detection performance using a 5-point scale and the detection rate. Results: Synthetic CTHA significantly improved the detection of sub-centimeter (<1 cm) HCCs compared with LDCT in the internal set (69.6% vs. 47.8%, p < 0.05). This improvement was robust in the external set; synthetic CTHA detected a greater number of small lesions than LDCT. Quantitative metrics (structural similarity index measure and peak signal-to-noise ratio) indicated high structural fidelity. Conclusions: Deep-learning–based synthetic CTHA significantly enhanced the detection of small HCCs compared with standard LDCT, offering a non-invasive alternative with high detection sensitivity, which was validated across multicentric data. Full article

The lung-targeting characteristic of Hantavirus infection and the unclear mechanism underlying its interaction with the lung microbiome hampers the development of effective prevention and control strategies. In this study, lung tissues from Apodemus agrarius and Rattus norvegicus were collected at Hantavirus surveillance sites in Hunan Province. Metagenomic sequencing was subsequently applied to compare microbiome diversity, community structure, and function between infected and uninfected groups. Then the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was employed to identify key biomarkers. The results indicated that after infection with Hantaan virus (HTNV), Apodemus agrarius exhibited significantly increased evenness but markedly decreased richness of lung microbial communities, as reflected by consistent reductions in the number of observed species, Abundance-based Coverage Estimator (ACE) index, and Chao1 index. In contrast, Rattus norvegicus infected with Seoul virus (SEOV) showed no significant difference in microbial richness compared with uninfected controls, and even a slight increase was observed. These findings suggest that host species and virus type may play an important role in shaping microbial community responses. Furthermore, β-diversity analysis showed that the community structure was clearly separated by the host rodent species, as well as by their virus infection status. LEfSe analysis identified taxa with discriminatory power associated with infection status. Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus were associated with SEOV-infected Rattus norvegicus, while Chlamydia and Chlamydia abortus were relatively enriched in uninfected Apodemus agrarius. This exploratory study reveals preliminary association between specific host—Hantavirus pairings (HTNV—Apodemus agrarius and SEOV—Rattus norvegicus) and the rodent lung microbiome, offering potential insights for future research into viral pathogenesis. Full article