Category: Statistics

J Genet Eng Biotechnol. 2026 Mar;24(1):100653. doi: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2025.100653. Epub 2026 Jan 14.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent malignancy, and a prime cause of lethality related to cancer worldwide. Genetic research, particularly on lncRNA, shows prospects for BC management. PVT1 can activate many tumorigenic pathways. This contributes to angiogenesis and pathological progression. This study examined the association between the PVT1 rs13255292 variants and serum E-cadherin levels with BC risk, hormone receptor status, and tumor grade.

METHODOLOGY: Genotyping was performed on 120 blood samples (20 controls, 100 BCE patients, 100 stratified by histological grade: G1 = 3, G2 = 74, G3 = 23) using TaqMan assays. Also, Patients were classified as luminal A (n = 79) or non-luminal A (luminal B, HER2-enriched, TNBC) (n = 21). Serum E-cadherin was evaluated by an ELISA kit.

RESULTS: Findings revealed a statistically significant association between the PVT1 rs13255292 non-risk CC genotype and luminal A subtype patients, suggesting a potential protective effect. E-cadherin levels were significantly declined in BC patients compared to controls. Based on the histological grades, a notable reduction was detected in advanced G3 compared to G2. While serum E-cadherin showed promise as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker. Also, the genotype-specific analysis indicated a trend toward higher E-cadherin expression in CC carriers’ group, though without statistical significance.

CONCLUSION: The current finding underscores that the CC genotype is associated with less aggressive luminal A tumors. It also reveals an inverse link between tumor grade and E-cadherin serum levels. These findings suggest that combining genetic screening of PVT1 variants with E-cadherin surveillance could enhance prognostic stratification in BC management. Further validation in larger cohorts is required to confirm clinical utility.

PMID:41839675 | DOI:10.1016/j.jgeb.2025.100653

J Genet Eng Biotechnol. 2026 Mar;24(1):100650. doi: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2025.100650. Epub 2025 Dec 24.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 causes mortality in a considerable number of patients with COVID-19. The association of comorbidities and gender with the expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs in COVID-19 patients is not fully understood. The purpose of the present study was to explore this association.

METHOD: We used Transcriptomics data for lncRNAs and mRNAs from the integrated Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to identify Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) using R software for statistical and data analysis. Then, we carried out Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and constructed a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network to identify interactions between the genes.

RESULTS: In this study, we divided samples into four groups and compared Differentially Expressed lncRNAs (DEls) and DEGs. Genes enriched in immune response and cytokine pathways were identified by GO analysis. By considering the protein-protein interaction network, the hub genes were ALAS2, CCL2, AHSP, and IL5.

CONCLUSION: mRNAs and lncRNAs could be used to identify the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on defined parameters (such as gender, main comorbidities in recovery, and treatment stages). Heme/hemoglobin metabolism was enriched in groups 1, 2, and 4, with four common genes (ALAS2, AHSP, HBD, and CA1) that are associated with the immune response to infection. CCL2 was enriched in group 3 and its expression was remarkably high in patients with an unfavorable outcome compared to other cases. Also, while both IL-5 and ALAS2 were enriched in group 4, IL-5 appeared to have no significant role in COVID-19. Overall, we conducted a bioinformatics analysis to predict how mRNAs and lncRNAs interact in patients with different characteristics such as gender, underlying disease, and treatment or recovery stages. mRNAs and lncRNAs can be potential biomarkers to examine the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on defined parameters.

PMID:41839673 | DOI:10.1016/j.jgeb.2025.100650

J Infect Dis. 2026 Mar 16:jiag166. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiag166. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Microbiomes resist or facilitate pathogen invasion and modulate host immune responses and infection susceptibility. We describe nose/throat bacteriome composition and predicted functional changes associated with Candida albicans colonization, antibiotic use, and medical devices among adults receiving short-term sub-acute care in a skilled nursing facility (SNF).

METHODS: We collected combined nose/throat swabs from 301 adults every three days for up to five visits. Bacteriome composition was detected via 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and C. albicans colonization by qPCR. Functional potential was inferred using PICRUSt2. We used ADAPT software to evaluate bacteriome compositional and functional differences by C. albicans colonization adjusting for age, sex, antibiotic exposure, and medical device presence.

RESULTS: C. albicans colonization was more common among participants with devices and antibiotic use, but not statistically significantly. Participants had mean age 77 years, 63.8% female, 48.5% received antibiotics, and 20.3% had device at entry. Nose/throat bacteriome was significantly less diverse and rich in the presence of C. albicans, antibiotic exposure, and device use (p<0.05), but composition varied little during follow-up. With C. albicans, predicted bacteriome function favored acid-tolerant, biofilm-forming species (S. wiggsiae, L. fermentum; p<0.01), and depleted glycolate degradation (log10fold change -0.45; adjusted p=0.01).

CONCLUSION: Nose/throat bacteriome composition and function were significantly associated with C. albicans colonization and C. albicans colonization was strongly associated with antibiotic exposure and medical device use. These findings underline the importance of integrating fungal colonization assessment and clinical factors into microbiome studies aimed at preserving bacteriome resilience and reducing infection risk in vulnerable populations.

PMID:41839646 | DOI:10.1093/infdis/jiag166

Muscle Nerve. 2026 Mar 16. doi: 10.1002/mus.70204. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: .: Primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized frequently by sensory neuropathy (SN). Carbonic Anhydrase-6 (CA-6), Parotid Secretory Protein (PSP), and Salivary Protein-1 (SP-1) antibodies (Early Sjögren antibodies [ESA]) are found in 45% of SS patients who lack traditional antibodies (Ro/La). But there is a lack of information regarding whether ESA are associated with SN, and if there are any identifying characteristics associated with ESA in SN. Our goal was to close this knowledge gap.

METHODS: All SN patients tested for ESA from May 2023-October 2024 were retrospectively analyzed for clinical features such as sicca symptoms, onset acuity, small fiber neuropathy (SFN)-questionnaire scores, and pathological features such as length-dependence/vasculitis on skin biopsies, as well as lip biopsy confirmation of SS. Seropositive/seronegative groups were separated for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Thirty-three adult patients (73% female) with cryptogenic SN had ESA testing. Eighteen (55%) had abnormal ESA. Twelve (100%) seropositive patients had significant sicca symptoms versus four seronegative patients (29%) (p = 0.0002). There were no significant associations between ESA seropositivity and SFN-questionnaires, pathological nonlength dependence (NLD)/vasculitis, or onset acuity.

DISCUSSION: ESA may be seen in more than half of cryptogenic SN patients, but whether these patients have confirmed SS is unclear. Seropositive patients more frequently have significant sicca symptoms than seronegative patients, but no other significant identifying characteristics were seen. Further work on a larger population should be done to confirm these findings, but this study suggests the utility of checking ESA in cryptogenic SN patients with significant sicca symptoms.

PMID:41839642 | DOI:10.1002/mus.70204

Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken). 2026 Mar;50(3):e70279. doi: 10.1111/acer.70279.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although men have historically exhibited the higher levels of alcohol use and alcohol-related harm, sex differences in alcohol consumption have narrowed in recent decades. Whether similar convergence has occurred in the proportion of substance-related acute care encounters involving alcohol remains unclear.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal cohort study using national administrative claims from the Merative MarketScan Commercial and Multi-State Medicaid databases (January 2016 to December 2023). Individuals aged 16-64 years with at least one emergency department (ED) or inpatient encounter involving a non-nicotine substance-related diagnosis (ICD-10-CM F10-F19, excluding F17) were included. Alcohol involvement was defined using multiple classifications: any alcohol-related diagnosis, alcohol-only encounters, inpatient admissions with alcohol as the primary diagnosis, and acute alcohol-related morbidity identified using CDC external cause codes. We estimated monthly sex-specific trends in the proportion of substance-related encounters involving alcohol using generalized estimating equation models with quadratic time terms.

RESULTS: The cohort comprised 1,355,161 individuals (54.7% male, 45.3% female) with 5,190,680 substance-related ED and inpatient encounters. Among individuals with substance-related encounters, alcohol involvement was more common among males than females (61.5% vs. 43.2%). Across all alcohol-related outcomes, models demonstrated accelerating convergence in the sex gap over time (all p < 0.001). From 2016 to 2023, the male-female gap in the proportion of substance-related encounters involving alcohol narrowed by 6.0 percentage points (95% CI, 4.9-7.1), 4.7 points (95% CI, 3.6-5.8) for alcohol-only encounters, and 4.9 points (95% CI, 4.0-5.8) for inpatient admissions with alcohol as the primary diagnosis. Trends in total substance-related encounter volume did not differ by sex.

CONCLUSIONS: From 2016 to 2023, alcohol accounted for an increasing proportional share of substance-related acute care encounters among women relative to men, independent of changes in overall substance-related healthcare utilization volume.

PMID:41839640 | DOI:10.1111/acer.70279

Zhonghua Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi. 2026 Feb 14;47(2):160-165. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121090-20250723-00345.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate whether the physiological hypercoagulable state of pregnancy affects the risk and severity of bleeding in pregnant patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and severe thrombocytopenia (PLT<20×10(9)/L) , compared to non-pregnant ITP patients with a comparable degree of thrombocytopenia. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of pregnant patients with ITP who were hospitalized at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University between January 1, 2013, and April 30, 2024, excluding patients with secondary thrombocytopenia due to pathological pregnancy. Non-pregnant ITP patients were matched as a control group at a 1∶2 ratio based on three criteria (age, ITP disease duration, and nadir PLT) , after which bleeding events and severity were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 23 pregnant ITP patients with a PLT<20×10(9)/L during pregnancy were included and matched to 46 non-pregnant ITP patients. Pregnant ITP patients had significantly shorter activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) than non-pregnant ITP patients (both P<0.05) . No statistically significant differences were found between the pregnant and non-pregnant ITP groups in the incidence of bleeding events (73.9% vs 89.1% , P=0.161) or in their overall bleeding score (P=0.072) . In the pregnant ITP group, the maximum bleeding score was 5, occurring in only 2 cases, 8.7% , while 91.3% of cases had a bleeding score of ≤3. In the non-pregnant ITP group, 3 patients (6.5% ) experienced life-threatening major bleeding (maximum score: 8) , comprising 1 case of hemorrhagic shock and 2 cases of cerebral hemorrhage, one of which was fatal. Additionally, 19.6% of patients in this group had a bleeding score of 5, and 73.9% had a score of ≤3. The incidence of bleeding events with a score of ≥5 was three times higher in the non-pregnant group than in the pregnant group (26.1% vs 8.7% ) . Conclusion: Pregnant patients with ITP, even those with a PLT count <20×10(9)/L, have a lower incidence of severe bleeding compared to non-pregnant ITP patients with a comparable degree of thrombocytopenia; furthermore, they exhibit shorter APTT and PT, suggesting that the relative hypercoagulable state during pregnancy may be the potential reason for the reduced bleeding severity in these patients.

PMID:41839630 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn121090-20250723-00345

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2026 Mar 12;46(3):353-360. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250109-k0004. Epub 2025 Dec 25.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of Longsha Kaihe Liuqi acupuncture on primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

METHODS: A total of 78 POAG patients were randomized into an observation group (39 cases, 4 cases eliminated) and a control group (39 cases, 1 case dropped out, 3 cases eliminated). In the control group, the eye drops for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) were administered. In the observation group, besides the intervention as the control group, Longsha Kaihe Liuqi acupuncture was delivered. According to the 24 h intraocular pressure curve peak and in association with syndrome differentiation, 2 or 3 lesion grades were determined. Centered at Baihui (GV20), a circle with a diameter of 5 cm to 8 cm was drawn. Based on Gu‘s “three-yin, three-yang, open, close and pivot” diagram, the tender points were detected along the distribution of the affected meridians and stimulated with acupuncture. The needles were retained for 1 h and the intervention was operated once weekly. The duration of treatment was 4 weeks in the two groups. The 24 h IOP before and after treatment in the two groups, and the immediate IOP before and after acupuncture in the observation group were observed. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), visual field-related indexes such as visual field index (VFI), mean deviation (MD), and pattern standard deviation (PSD), optic disc blood flow density and TCM syndrome score were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.

RESULTS: In the observation group, the mean, peak, valley, fluctuation value of 24 h IOP, and absolute MD were all reduced after treatment when compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05), while VFI increased (P<0.05). At the time points of 0: 00, 2: 00, 5: 00, and 22: 00 after treatment, IOP was lower than that at each corresponding time point before treatment (P<0.05) in the observation group, and the immediate IOP after each acupuncture session was lower than that before acupuncture (P<0.05). After treatment, the score of each TCM syndrome (eye swelling and pain, dry eyes, headache, irritability and sleep disturbance) and the total score were reduced when compared with those before treatment in the observation group (P<0.05), and lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the differences in BCVA, PSD and optic disc blood flow density were not statistically significant between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Longsha Kaihe Liuqi acupuncture combined with intraocular pressure-lowering eye drops can reduce IOP and regulate 24 h intraocular pressure rhythm, improve visual field and ameliorate TCM syndromes of POAG patients.

PMID:41839594 | DOI:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250109-k0004

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2025 Nov 17;51(3):396-404. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.20250119.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the rules of clinical application of acupuncture in the prevention and treatment of perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) by using data mining method.

METHODS: Randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for preventing and treating PND from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP Database, and Wanfang Database were retrieved, with the retrieval time ranging from the establishment of each database to July 16, 2024. A relevant database was established to statistically analyze the application of acupuncture methods, selected acupoints, timing of acupuncture intervention, acupuncture stimulation parameters, and stimulation intensity. Additionally, association rules and cluster analysis of acupoints were carried out.

RESULTS: A total of 69 articles were included, with 69 acupuncture prescriptions extracted, involving 40 acupoints. The top 5 acupoints in terms of usage frequency were Neiguan (PC6), Baihui (GV20), Zusanli (ST36), Hegu (LI4), and Sanyinjiao (SP6). The top 3 meridians by usage frequency were the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin (49 times, 21.68%), Governor Vessel (44 times, 19.47%), and Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming (30 times, 13.27%). The top 3 specific acupoints in terms of usage frequency were the crossing acupoints (66 times, 29.20%), confluence points of the eight vessels (50 times, 22.12%), and luo-connecting acupoints (49 times, 21.68%). Regarding acupoints compatibility, the top 3 high-frequency acupoint pairs were PC6-ST36, PC6-GV20, and PC6-LI4. The high-frequency acupoints could be classified into 4 categories:Category 1 includes PC6, ST36, GV20, SP6, and LI4;Category 2 includes Shenmen (HT7) and Yintang (GV24⁺);Category 3 includes Benshen (GB13), Taichong (LR3), Sishencong (EX-HN1), and Shenting (GV24);Category 4 is Fengchi (GB20). The top 2 acupuncture treatment methods by usage frequency and times were transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) and electroacupuncture (EA). The intervention timing was mostly selected during and before surgery. For EA stimulation, sparse-dense waves were commonly used, with a frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz, adjusted to the patient’s tolerance.

CONCLUSIONS: PC6, GV20, ST36, LI4 and SP6 are the core acupoints for the prevention and treatment of PND, and TEAS or EA is usually performed during or before the operation.

PMID:41839588 | DOI:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20250119

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2026 Jan 22;51(3):381-387. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.20250755.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To observe the improvement effect of preoperative percutaneous auricular point electrical stimulation (PAES) on preoperative anxiety state and postoperative quality of recovery in breast cancer patients.

METHODS: A total of 60 patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery or radical mastectomy for breast cancer in Guang’anmen hospital from August 2023 to August 2024 were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group received 30 minutes of PAES daily for 3 days before surgery until the day of operation;the control group had electrical stimulation electrodes clamped at the same auricular points without any stimulation. The 15-item Quality of Recovery Score (QoR-15) was used to evaluate patients’ postoperative recovery;the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) was applied to assess their preoperative anxiety state;the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate their preoperative sleep quality;the number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administrations within 48 hours after surgery was statistically analyzed to assess postoperative pain.

RESULTS: The QoR-15 scores of both groups at 48 hours after surgery were significantly lower than those at admission (P<0.01), and the QoR-15 score of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.01). Compared with admission, the APAIS anxiety scores of both groups increased before treatment and before surgery (P<0.05), while the information demand scores before surgery decreased (P<0.05). The anxiety scores and information demand scores of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group before surgery (P<0.05). The PSQI scores of both groups before surgery were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the PSQI score of the treatment group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). After surgery, the number of oral NSAID administrations in the treatment group within 48 hours postoperatively was less than that in the control group (P<0.05). No PAES (or sham stimulation) related adverse reactions were reported in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative PAES can significantly improve the perioperative quality of recovery in breast cancer patients, alleviate anxiety caused by the disease and surgery, improve sleep quality, relieve postoperative pain and reduce the use of analgesics, with good safety.

PMID:41839587 | DOI:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20250755

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2025 Nov 11;51(3):310-322. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.20241347.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effects of acupuncture on the KAT3B/ACSL4 pathway in the cerebral cortex of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) rats, and to explore the mechanisms by which acupuncture mitigates ferroptosis and ferritinophagy in CIRI.

METHODS: Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model, acupuncture, and western medicine groups, with 10 rats in each group. The CIRI rat model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion. The rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture at “Baihui” (GV20), “Sishencong” (EX-HN1), and “Shuigou” (GV26) acupoints, with the needles retained for 30 min once daily for 7 consecutive days. The rats in the western medicine group received intraperitoneal injections of 0.29 mL·100 g^-1·d^-1 edaravone dexborneol for 7 consecutive days. Neurological deficit was assessed using the neurological deficit score. Infarct volume was measured by 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Blood-brain barrier permeability was assessed by Evans blue assay. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were applied to assess histopathological alterations in the ischemic cerebral cortex. TUNEL staining was used for apoptosis detection in the ischemic cerebral cortex. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression levels of neuronal nuclei (NeuN), nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4), and autophagy-related protein light chain 3B (LC3B) in the ischemic cerebral cortex. Dihydroethidium (DHE) fluorescence probe was used to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the ischemic cerebral tissue. Colorimetric assay was used to quantify the contents of ferrous iron (Fe²⁺), lipid peroxidation (LPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH), along with superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the ischemic cerebral tissue. Transmission electron microscopy was used to assess mitochondrial damage in neurons of the ischemic cerebral cortex. Western blot was performed to evaluate the protein expression levels of KAT3B, ACSL4, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), NCOA4, transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), and ferroportin-1 (FPN-1) in the ischemic cerebral tissue.

RESULTS: Compared with the sham operation group, the model group showed significant increases in neurological deficit score, cerebral infarction volume, and Evans blue permeability (P<0.01);neuronal structure damage, with cell necrosis, nuclear shrinkage, loss of cytoplasm, and a decrease in Nissl bodies (P<0.01). TUNEL-positive cells were increased (P<0.01). Mitochondrial integrity was lost, mitochondria enlarged with cristae rupture and vacuolization. Expression of NeuN was decreased, while NCOA4 and LC3B expressions were increased (P<0.01). In the ischemic cerebral tissue, contents of ROS, Fe²⁺, LPO, and MDA were increased, as well as the protein expression levels of KAT3B, ACSL4, NCOA4, and TfR1 were elevated (P<0.01). By contrast, GSH content, SOD activity, and the expressions of GPX4, SLC7A11, FTH1, and FPN-1 were reduced (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the acupuncture and western medicine groups demonstrated reversal of these indicators (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the acupuncture and western medicine groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture can improve cerebral injury in CIRI rats and reduce ferroptosis and ferritinophagy, potentially through inactivation of the KAT3B/ACSL4 pathway.

PMID:41839581 | DOI:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20241347