The University of Kansas: Journals@KU
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"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times": Threats to the public\u27s health from Medicaid cuts, MAHA, and others
Full text linkUPPER THERMAL LIMITS IN THE EXOTIC GECKO HEMIDACTYLUS MABOUIA FROM FLORIDA
Full text linkAs climate change continues to threaten biodiversity around the world, time is running out to protect many species from extinction. Lizards are among the most threatened species, and over twenty percent of all lizard species are expected to face extinction as temperatures increase globally. An open question is whether invasive species will suffer the same consequences of climate warming as endemic species. Hemidactylus mabouia, the Tropical House Gecko, is an exotic and highly abundant species of gecko in Florida and limited information is available on their thermal tolerance in the invaded range. We collected H. mabouia in Sarasota, Florida, where we measured critical thermal maximum (CTmax) by two commonly employed methods to determine the loss of normal function: pants and muscular spasms. We hypothesized that the two methods of measuring CTmax would produce similar results in H. mabouia. We found that the mean for CTmax (pant = 38.5 °C) was significantly different than the mean for CTmax (spasm = 41.9 °C). Hemidactylus mabouia had high CTmax estimates, higher than temperatures predicted from global warming. Based on these findings, climate warming is not likely to contribute to the population decline of H. mabouia in Florida in the near future, and there is a strong relationship between CTmax and method of measurement
First observation of predation on an amphibian by a Coin-marked Snake Hemorrhois nummifer in Iran
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Accidental Trismus Leading to Failed Endotracheal Intubation and Abandoned Surgery Following Rapid Sequential Induction of General Anesthesia: A Case Report
Full text linkA 64-year-old female patient, weighing 46 kg, 156 cm tall, and BMI of 18.9 kg/m², was scheduled to have the left tibial intramedullary needle under general anesthesia. General anesthesia induction was performed sequentially using sufentanyl 15 μg, propofol 120 mg, and cis-atracurium 10 mg intravenously. 2.5 minutes after good mask administration of oxygen by artificial ventilation, the anesthesiologist planned to intubate the trachea and found that her mandible and jaw joint were fixed, the masseter muscle was stiff, and the mouth could not open. Propofol 50 mg was added to deepen the anesthesia, which remained so. The surgery was cancelled. After waking up from anesthesia, the patient recovered her spontaneous mouth opening activity with a maximum mouth opening of 3.3 cm. During this period, the patient\u27s nasopharyngeal body temperature monitoring was unchanged. In recent years, there have been a few cases of masseter muscle spasm (MMS) induced by general anesthesia, and the mechanism of which is still unclear. This sudden MMS after general anesthesia induction led to the anesthesiologist’s mental tension and failure of endotracheal intubation. In such an emergency, if the anesthesiologist\u27s skills and associated equipment are inadequate, the patient should be decisively awakened from anesthesia and the abandoned operation
Ground Water from Lower Cretaceous Rocks in Kansas
No full textSandstones in Lower Cretaceous rocks contain supplies of water that may be adequate to meet increasing present and future demands for supplemental municipal and domestic use in central and western Kansas. An estimated 70 to 80 million acre-feet of water containing less than 1,000 milligrams per liter dissolved solids may be acceptable for use at the present (1976). An additional 10 to 15 million acre-feet containing 1,000 to 3,000 milligrams per liter dissolved solids is estimated to be available for use in the future with appropriate desalinization.
Lower Cretaceous rocks crop out from Washington County on the north to Comanche County on the south. The rocks dip from a structural high in the southwest part of the State to structural lows in the northwest and north-central part. Depth below land surface increases generally northwestward to about 2,600 feet; thickness of the rocks increases westward from nearly zero to about 850 feet.
The rocks consist chiefly of marine to nonmarine shale and siltstone interbedded with coastal to deltaic sandstone. The interbedded sandstone, which composes about one-third of the rocks, consists of one or more lenses that thicken westward to about 400 feet in the central part of western Kansas.
The yield of water to individual wells is related to area] extent, thickness, and interconnection of the sand lenses and to grain size and cementation of the sand. Large amounts of water may be pumped by wells where loosely cemented sand lenses are interconnected. Wells commonly yield adequate supplies for domestic and stock use; reported yields from municipal and irrigation wells range from about 100 to 2,000 gallons per minute.
Recharge to the Lower Cretaceous rocks occurs in the area of outcrop and from hydraulically connected saturated Cenozoic rocks, especially in the southern part of the State. Movement of water is principally northeastward from areas of recharge to areas of discharge where streams intersect the sandstone outcrops.
Water in the sandstone aquifers commonly is confined between beds of relatively impermeable shale, causing water in wells to rise above the top of the aquifer. Water levels fluctuate in response to changes in atmospheric pressure, recharge, and discharge; greatest fluctuations result from discharge to wells for municipal and irrigation use. Progressive declines in water levels have occurred where irrigation withdrawals exceed recharge.
Calcium bicarbonate water is dominant near recharge areas; mixed sodium and calcium bicarbonate water and sodium chloride water become successively dominant as the water moves downgradient from the recharge areas. The quality of water ranges from fresh to very saline (less than 1,000 to 35,000 milligrams per liter dissolved solids). In the areas of generally fresh water, localized areas of calcium sulfate water result from solution of gypsum in the Kiowa Formation, and areas of sodium chloride water result from contamination by oil-field brines
Identification of tumor microenvironment-based gene prognostic signature with promising predictive value for chemo‐immunotherapy outcomes in lung adenocarcinoma patients
Full text linkObjectives: The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a critical role in tumor progression and therapeutic response. We aimed to establish a TME-associated gene signature for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients.
Materials and Methods: We comprehensively analyzed the gene expression data of 513 LUAD patients deriving from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. To estimate the composition of TME, The Estimation of Stromal and Immune cells in malignant tumor tissue using the Expression data (ESTIMATE) algorithm was used. We then utilized protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, LASSO, and COX regression to explore the related candidate genes with survival. Eventually, a three-gene signature was constructed for risk stratification. Furthermore, we investigated its predictive value in advanced LUAD patients who received chemotherapy alone or combined with anti-PD-1 inhibitors.
Results: We identified three genes, namely CCR2, CD40LG, and CCL21, to construct a TME-associated risk stratification gene signature. This gene signature was independently linked to patients\u27 overall survival (OS) among the TCGA dataset (HR, 1.99; 95% CI 1.36-2.93, p < 0.001) and GEO dataset (HR, 1.62; 95%CI 1.19-2.20, p < 0.001). The addition of anti-PD-1 inhibitor Siltuximab to chemotherapy resulted in significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) in low-risk patients (HR, 0.33; 95% CI: 0.20 - 0.56, p < 0.001) but not in those with high- risk (HR, 0.56; 95% CI:0.24 - 1.31, p = 0.173). Moreover, in patients who received Sintilimab combined with chemotherapy, PFS was significantly different between the high- and low-risk group (HR,1.958; 95%CI:1.079-3.555, p = 0.024), whereas no significant difference was found in chemotherapy alone treated patients (HR, 1.303; 95%CI: 0.610-2.784, p = 0.492).
Conclusions: This study generated a three-gene prognostic signature based on TME-associated core genes in patients with LUAD. This gene signature has good value for prognosis prediction. In addition, this signature correlated with treatment outcomes among patients treated with chemotherapy combined with anti-PD1 therapy
Targeting Lin28: Insights into Biology and Advances with AI-Driven Drug Development
Full text linkLin28, a conserved RNA-binding protein, promotes cancer stem cell features, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and treatment resistance. Lin28 regulates mRNA translation, RNA stability, and transcription, which improve tumor plasticity and treatment resistance, in addition to suppressing let-7 microRNA production. Lin28 is an interesting cancer target due to its many functions; however, its structural complexity makes treatment development difficult. Lin28\u27s proven and new non-canonical activities in cancer biology are examined in this work, focusing on cancer stem cell maintenance, metastasis, and treatment resistance. We highlight computational drug discovery advances targeting Lin28 utilizing virtual screening and machine learning. Generative artificial intelligence has made it easier to develop inhibitors for challenging targets like Lin28. This work integrates current knowledge and technology to demonstrate Lin28\u27s therapeutic potential and outline future techniques to overcome RNA-binding protein targeting challenges
Comparative Analysis of the Incidence, Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer between China and the United States
Full text linkIn the context of globalization and an aging population, prostate cancer has emerged as a significant threat to male health, with its incidence and mortality rates on the rise worldwide. Particularly in comparison between China and the United States, two representative countries, there are notable differences in the incidence, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer due to variations in medical resource allocation, diagnostic techniques, lifestyles, and cultural perceptions. This article aims to compare and analyze the current status of prostate cancer in China and the U.S., explore the key factors influencing these differences, and provide references for the development of prostate cancer prevention and control strategies in China. We employ multi-dimensional data collection and analysis approaches including literature review, case-control studies, and statistical analysis. We focus on the epidemiological data, clinical practice guidelines, patient quality of life, and medical economic burden to comprehensively dissect the differences and their causes in prostate cancer management between China and the U.S. Our findings highlight the disparities between the two countries in the aspects of early screening, treatment preference, and long-term follow-up mechanisms, aiming to uncover the underlying reasons behind these differences and propose corresponding improvement suggestions. Conclusions drawn from our analyses indicate that the U.S. is relatively advanced in early diagnosis and personalized treatment of prostate cancer, benefiting from a more comprehensive healthcare system and advanced medical technologies. Although China has made a significant progress in recent years, it still faces many challenges due to the uneven distribution of medical resources, and there is space for improvement in public health awareness. The significance of our analysis lies in providing empirical evidence for formulating more scientifically sound and reasonable strategies for the prevention and control of prostate cancer in China, which will help promote further development and improvement in this field