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OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of microwave ablation in treating follicular thyroid neoplasms and suspicious follicular thyroid neoplasms. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the data of patients treated with microwave ablation for follicular neoplasms from December 2016 to January 2024 were summarized. The changes in nodule size, volume, technical success rate, disease progression, complete tumor resolution, thyroid function, and complications post-ablation were evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients (15 men, 59 women; mean age 46.3 ± 15.2 years) with follicular neoplasms were included. Over a median follow-up of 13 months, complete ablation was achieved, giving a 100% technical success rate. At the first month post-ablation, the maximum diameter of nodules showed no significant change (p = 0.287). From the third month, both maximum diameter and volume significantly decreased (p < 0.005 for all). Volume reduction rates remained stable at one and three months (p = 0.389 and 0.06, respectively) but increased significantly thereafter (p < 0.005 for all). By 24 months, the median maximum diameter had reduced from 2.3 cm to 0 cm, achieving a median volume reduction rate of 100%. Nodules disappeared completely in 20.3% (15/74). Local recurrence was noted in 2.7% of cases (2/74), with no metastasis or neoplasm-related deaths reported. Thyroid function remained unchanged post-treatment (p > 0.05). The complication and side effect rates were 8.1% and 4.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Initial findings suggest microwave ablation is an effective and safe treatment for follicular neoplasms, with low incidences of disease progression and complications, while maintaining thyroid function.

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Improving the availability of soil phosphorus (P) and promoting tree growth through tree species selection and assembly are the critical issue. We conducted an afforestation experiment following randomized block experimental design with 1, 2, 4, and 6 tree species richness in south subtropics, including Pinus massoniana, Mytilaria laosensis, Erythrophleum fordii, Castanopsis hystrix, Michelia macclurei, Manglietia glauca, Aquilaria sinensis, and Dalbergia odorifera. We measured the bioavailable P components (CaCl2-P, citrate-P, enzyme-P and HCl-P) and examined the effects of different tree species assembly on bioavailable P components and tree growth. The results showed that, compared with non-nitrogen-fixing tree species, the mixing of nitrogen-fixing tree species (E. fordii and D. odorifera) effectively increased the contents of soil water, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and microbial biomass P (MBP). The assembly of specific tree species improved the accumulation of bioavailable P. Mixing of nitrogen-fixing tree species significantly increased CaCl2-P content by 46.2% to 160.3%, the enzyme-P content produced by microbial mineralization by 69.3% to 688.2%, and HCl-P by 31.5% to 81.3%, increased MBP by 81.8% to 149.4%, and microbial biomass N (MBN) by 88.1% to 160.6%, respectively. Redundancy and correlation analysis results showed that MBP, available P, total phosphorus, L-leucine aminopeptidase, cellobiose, acid phosphatase, MBN and soil organic carbon were key factors driving the variation of rhizosphere soil bioavailable P. Mixing of nitrogen-fixing tree species increased enzyme-P and citrate-P, and the availability of which were positively correlated to tree basal area. In this study, mixing of nitrogen-fixing tree species increased the rhizosphere soil bioavailable P content, which facilitates tree growth.

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury after microwave ablation (MWA) of thyroid nodules and to identify factors influencing the recovery time of post-procedure hoarseness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who underwent MWA for thyroid nodules at five hospitals between November 2018 and July 2022. Patients were divided into malignant and benign nodule groups. Variables analyzed included nodule size and location, the shortest distance from nodules to the thyroid capsule and tracheoesophageal groove (TEG-D), and ablation parameters. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors. Kaplan-Meier and Cox analyses were used to evaluate the recovery time of hoarseness after MWA. RESULTS: The study included 1,216 patients (mean age 44 ± 12 [SD] years; 901 women) with 602 malignant nodules and 614 benign nodules. The posterior capsule distance (PCD) and TEG-D were identified as independent influencing factors for hoarseness in all patients (P = 0.014, OR = 0.068; P < 0.001, OR = 0.005; AUC = 0.869). TEG-D was a significant risk factor for hoarseness, with safe thresholds identified at 4.9 mm for malignant nodules and 2.2 mm for benign nodules. Among patients who developed hoarseness, those in the close-distance group (TEG-D≤2 mm) had a longer recovery time compared to the distant-distance group. TEG-D was an independent factor influencing recovery time (P = 0.008, HR = 11.204). CONCLUSION: Clinicians should consider several factors, particularly TEG-D and PCD, when assessing the risk of RLN injury before MWA. TEG-D was a vital independent factor influencing recovery time. SUMMARY: Clinicians should pay attention to several influencing factors for RLN injury before MWA and TEG-D was an independent influencing factor for recovery time of hoarseness after MWA.

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Climatic oscillations affect fish population dynamics, ecological processes, and fishing operations in maritime habitats. This study examined how climatic oscillations affect catch rates for striped, blue, and silver marlins in the Atlantic Ocean. These oscillations are regarded as the primary factor influencing the abundance and accessibility of specific resources utilized by fishers. Logbook data were obtained from Taiwanese large-scale fishing vessels for climatic oscillations during the period 2005-2016. The results indicated that the effect of the Subtropical Indian Ocean Dipole on marlin catch rates did not have a lag, whereas those of the North Atlantic Oscillation, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and Indian Ocean Dipole had various lags. Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted to examine the correlations between atmospheric oscillation indices and marlin catch rates, and wavelet analysis was employed to describe the influences of the most relevant lags. The results indicated that annual atmospheric fluctuations and their lags affected the abundance and catchability of striped, blue, and silver marlins in the study region. This, in turn, may affect the presence of these species in the market and lead to fluctuations in their prices in accordance with supply and demand. Overall, understanding the effects of climatic oscillations on fish species are essential for policymakers and coastal communities seeking to manage marine resources, predict changes in marine ecosystems, and establish appropriate methods for controlling the effects of climate variability.

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of thermal ablation in treating solitary low-risk T2N0M0 papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and compare the outcomes of microwave ablation (MWA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, single center study involved 34 patients (age: 40.0 ± 13.9 years; 28 female) who had low-risk T2N0M0 PTC with a maximum diameter >2 cm and ≤4 cm and underwent MWA (n = 15) or RFA (n = 19) from November 2016 to April 2023. The primary outcomes were the cumulative rate of disease progression and delayed surgery rates. In contrast, the secondary outcomes included changes in tumor size, cumulative rate of complete tumor disappearance, and complication rates. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 18.0 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 9.0-40.0 months). At 12 months, the median volume reduction rate of the ablation zone was 74.2% (IQR: 53.7%-86.0%). Disease progression was noted in two patients within 1 year, including one patient with local tumor progression post-RFA and one with a new tumor post-MWA, resulting in a constant cumulative disease progression rate of 8.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0%-19.8%) throughout the remaining follow-up period. Both patients were subsequently treated with additional ablation and did not require surgery. The cumulative rates of complete tumor disappearance at 1, 3, and 5 years were 4.0% (95% CI: 0%-11.4%), 26.8% (95% CI: 2.7%-44.9%), and 51.2% (95% CI: 0%-79.1%), respectively. No significant differences were observed in the disease progression (P = 0.829) or complete tumor disappearance (P = 0.633) rates between the MWA and RFA groups. Complications occurred in 14.7% (5/34) of patients presenting with transient hoarseness. RFA had a higher but not statistically significant complication rate than MWA did (21.1% [4/19] vs. 6.7% [1/15]; P = 0.355). CONCLUSION: Both MWA and RFA demonstrated promising short-term outcomes in terms of efficacy and safety in treating solitary low-risk T2N0M0 PTC, with no significant differences.

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Nutrient sensing and adaptation in the placenta are essential for pregnancy viability and proper fetal growth. Our recent study demonstrated that the placenta adapts to nutrient insufficiency through mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition-mediated trophoblast differentiation toward syncytiotrophoblasts (STBs), a highly specialized multinucleated trophoblast subtype mediating extensive maternal-fetal interactions. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we unravel the indispensable role of the mTORC1 downstream transcriptional factor TFEB in STB formation both in vitro and in vivo. TFEB deficiency significantly impaired STB differentiation in human trophoblasts and placenta organoids. Consistently, systemic or trophoblast-specific deletion of Tfeb compromised STB formation and placental vascular construction, leading to severe embryonic lethality. Mechanistically, TFEB conferred direct transcriptional activation of the fusogen ERVFRD-1 in human trophoblasts and thereby promoted STB formation, independent of its canonical function as a master regulator of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated that TFEB directed the trophoblast syncytialization response driven by mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. TFEB expression positively correlated with the reinforced trophoblast syncytialization in human fetal growth-restricted placentas exhibiting suppressed mTORC1 activity. Our findings substantiate that the TFEB-fusogen axis ensures proper STB formation during placenta development and under nutrient stress, shedding light on TFEB as a mechanistic link between nutrient-sensing machinery and trophoblast differentiation.

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Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have become reliable green energy harvesters by converting biomechanical motions into electricity. However, the inevitable charge leakage and poor electric field (EF) of conventional TENG result in inferior tribo-charge density on the active layer. In this paper, TiO2-MXene incorporated polystyrene (PS) nanofiber membrane (PTMx NFM) charge trapping interlayer is introduced into single electrode mode TENG (S-TENG) to prevent electron loss at the electrode interface. Surprisingly, this charge-trapping mechanism augments the surface charge density and electric output performance of TENGs. Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) mixed polyurethane (PU) NFM is used as tribo-active layer, which improves the crystallinity and mechanical property of PVDF to prevent delamination during long cycle tests. Herein, the effect of this double-layer capacitive model is explained experimentally and theoretically. With optimization of the PTMx interlayer thickness, S-TENG exhibits a maximum open-circuit voltage of (280 V), short-circuit current of (20 µA) transfer charge of (120 nC), and power density of (25.2 µW cm-2). Then, this energy is utilized to charge electrical appliances. In addition, the influence of AC/DC EF simulation in wound healing management (vitro L929 cell migration, vivo tissue regeneration) is also investigated by changing the polarity of trans-epithelial potential (TEP) distribution in the wounded area.

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Pollution of farmland by heavy metals threatens food security and human health. In addition, heavy metals in soil could infiltrate into groundwater to influence the water quality and safety of drinking water. However, the relationship between heavy metal pollution in soil and groundwater is still not clear. In this study, we investigated the soil and groundwater in the Guanzhong Plain region, which is a significant grain production base in China, and determined the spatial distributions, ecological risk, sources, and migration fates of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn). The results showed that the mean values (0-20 cm) in the soil were 19.57 mg kg-1 for As, 0.71 mg kg-1 for Cd, 69.65 mg kg-1 for Cr, 21.97 mg kg-1 for Cu, 28.67 mg kg-1 for Ni, 17.54 mg kg-1 for Pb, and 73.77 mg kg-1 for Zn, and the corresponding mean values in groundwater were 1.2, 0.04, 4.69, 0.15, 0.07, 0.3, and 3.6 µg L-1, respectively. The mean values for As, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn in soil exceeded the background values, and the mean values for As, Cd and Pb exceeded those in groundwater. Positive matrix factorization models identified five sources (fertilizers and organic fertilizers, natural sources, pesticides and herbicides, industrial activities, and sedimentation caused by transportation) for heavy metal pollution in soil and four sources (industry activity, atmospheric sedimentation caused by transportation, natural sources, and agriculture) for heavy metal pollution in groundwater. The soil particle composition and soil organic carbon content were important factors that affected the vertical distribution of heavy metals in the soil. The migration modes (convection and diffusion) were not found for all heavy metals. These results help to understand the relationships between heavy metals in soil and groundwater in farmland ecosystems regionally.

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Numerous shelter forests have been established to combat desertification in the Mu Us Sandy Land, China. Shelter forests modify the characteristics of the underlying surface and affect the regional water cycle by altering rainfall partitioning. Understanding the rainfall partitioning process and its controlling factors for indigenous and exotic species is crucial for vegetation restoration and sustainable soil water management. This study developed an event-based rainfall partitioning process for three typical shelter forests. Indigenous vegetation, Amygdalus pedunculata Pall. (A. pedunculata), and two exotic species, Amorpha fruticosa L. (A. fruticose) and Pinus sylvestris var. mongholica Litv. (P. sylvestris), were observed during the rainy seasons (July and August) of 2021 and 2022. The results showed that throughfall, stemflow, and interception loss constituted 71.01 %, 8.23 %, and 20.76 % of rainfall, respectively, for A. pedunculata. The corresponding values were 74.65 %, 8.47 %, and 16.88 % for A. fruticose and 73.27 %, 1.44 %, and 25.29 % for P. sylvestris. Compared with the introduced P. sylvestris, the shrub canopy showed a greater funneling ratio and was conducive to recharging soil water by precipitation. The amount and intensity of rainfall were significantly correlated with the rainfall partitioning characteristics, whereas the correlation between rainfall duration and partitioning was insignificant. Based on the results of the revised Gash model, the stemflow was primarily influenced by the percentage of rainfall diverted to the stemflow. The interception loss for P. sylvestris was primarily influenced by the canopy storage capacity. However, the canopy storage capacity and the ratio of mean evaporation rate to mean rainfall intensity had significant effects on the interception loss in A. pedunculata and A. fruticose. It is necessary to comprehensively consider the vegetation type (tree/shrub and indigenous/exotic species) and the corresponding rainfall partitioning characteristics of shelter forests for the scientific construction and management of shelter forests in the Mu Us Sandy Land.

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Transposable elements (TEs) are abundant in the genomes of various eukaryote organisms. Increasing evidence suggests that TEs can play crucial regulatory roles-usually by creating cis-elements (e.g. enhancers and promoters) bound by distinct transcription factors (TFs). TE-derived cis-elements have gained unprecedented attentions recently, and one key step toward their understanding is to identify the enriched TEs in distinct genomic intervals (e.g. a set of enhancers or TF binding sites) as candidates for further study. Nevertheless, such analysis remains challenging for researchers unfamiliar with TEs or lack strong bioinformatic skills. Here, we present TEENA (Transposable Element ENrichment Analyzer) to streamline TE enrichment analysis in various organisms. It implements an optimized pipeline, hosts the genome/gene/TE annotations of almost one hundred species, and provides multiple parameters to enable its flexibility. Taking genomic interval data as the only user-supplied file, it can automatically retrieve the corresponding annotations and finish a routine analysis in a couple minutes. Multiple case studies demonstrate that it can produce highly reliable results matching previous knowledge. TEENA can be freely accessed at: https://sun-lab.yzu.edu.cn/TEENA. Due to its easy-to-use design, we expect it to facilitate the studies of the regulatory function of TEs in various model and non-model organisms.

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Introduction: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy is a widely accepted method for diagnosing thyroid nodules. However, the influence of maximum diameter (MD) of ACR TIRADS 5 (TR5) thyroid nodules on the FNA outcomes remains debated. This study examined the influence of MD on the FNA outcomes and investigated the optimal MD threshold for FNA in TR5 nodules. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 280 TR5 thyroid nodules from 226 patients who underwent FNA from January to June 2022 in our department. Probably malignant (PM) group was defined as Bethesda V in cytopathology with confirmed BRAF V600E mutation or Bethesda VI, the other cytopathology outcomes were defined as probably benign (PB) group. We examined factors influencing malignant cytopathology outcomes and determined the optimal MD threshold for FNA in TR5 nodules using logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis. Results: Among these nodules, 58.2% (163/280) had PM outcomes. The PM group had a significantly larger MD than the PB group [6.5mm (range 5.0-8.4) vs. 5.3mm (range 4.0-7.0), p < 0.001]. In multivariate logistic regression fully adjusted for confounders, MD was significantly associated with PM outcomes [odds ratio 1.16, 95%CI 1.05-1.31; p = 0.042]. The highest quartile of MD had a greater likelihood of PM outcomes compared to the lowest quartile [odds ratio 4.71, 95% CI 1.97-11.69, p = 0.001]. The RCS analysis identified 6.2 mm as the optimal MD threshold for FNA in TR5 nodules. Conclusion: MD significantly affects the probability of malignant outcomes in FNA of TR5 thyroid nodules. A MD threshold of ≥6.2mm is suggested for FNA in these nodules.

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Soil moisture (SM) is essential for sustaining services from Earth's critical zone, a thin-living skin spanning from the canopy to groundwater. In the Anthropocene epoch, intensive afforestation has remarkably contributed to global greening and certain service improvements, often at the cost of reduced SM. However, attributing the response of SM in deep soil to such human activities is a great challenge because of the scarcity of long-term observations. Here, we present a 37 y (1985 to 2021) analysis of SM dynamics at two scales across China's monsoon loess critical zone. Site-scale data indicate that land-use conversion from arable cropland to forest/grassland caused an 18% increase in SM deficit over 0 to 18 m depth (P < 0.01). Importantly, this SM deficit intensified over time, despite limited climate change influence. Across the Loess Plateau, SM storage in 0 to 10 m layer exhibited a significant decreasing trend from 1985 to 2021, with a turning point in 1999 when starting afforestation. Compared with SM storage before 1999, the relative contributions of climate change and afforestation to SM decline after 1999 were -8% and 108%, respectively. This emphasizes the pronounced impacts of intensifying land-use conversions as the principal catalyst of SM decline. Such a decline shifts 18% of total area into an at-risk status, mainly in the semiarid region, thereby threatening SM security. To mitigate this risk, future land management policies should acknowledge the crucial role of intensifying land-use conversions and their interplay with climate change. This is imperative to ensure SM security and sustain critical zone services.

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Background Microwave ablation (MWA) is currently under preliminary investigation for the treatment of multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and has shown promising treatment efficacy. Compared with surgical resection (SR), MWA is minimally invasive and could preserve thyroid function. However, a comparative analysis between MWA and SR is warranted to draw definitive conclusions. Purpose To compare MWA and SR for preoperative US-detected T1N0M0 multifocal PTC in terms of overall and 1-, 3-, and 5-year progression-free survival rates and complication rates. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, 775 patients with preoperative US-detected T1N0M0 multifocal PTC treated with MWA or SR across 10 centers between May 2015 and December 2021 were included. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed for patients in the MWA and SR groups, followed by comparisons between the two groups. The primary outcomes were overall and 1-, 3-, and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates and complication rates. Results After PSM, 229 patients (median age, 44 years [IQR 36.5-50.5 years]; 179 female) in the MWA group and 453 patients (median age, 45 years [IQR 37-53 years]; 367 female) in the SR group were observed for a median of 20 months (range, 12-74 months) and 26 months (range, 12-64 months), respectively. MWA resulted in less blood loss, shorter incision length, and shorter procedure and hospitalization durations (all P < .001). There was no evidence of differences in overall and 1-, 3-, or 5-year PFS rates (all P > .05) between MWA and SR (5-year rate, 77.2% vs 83.1%; P = .36) groups. Permanent hoarseness (2.2%, P = .05) and hypoparathyroidism (4.0%, P = .005) were encountered only in the SR group. Conclusion There was no evidence of a significant difference in PFS rates between MWA and SR for US-detected multifocal T1N0M0 PTC, and MWA resulted in fewer complications. Therefore, MWA is a feasible option for selected patients with multifocal T1N0M0 PTC. © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Georgiades in this issue.

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Polycomb group (PcG) proteins mediate epigenetic silencing of important developmental genes by modifying histones and compacting chromatin through two major protein complexes, PRC1 and PRC2. These complexes are recruited to DNA by CpG islands (CGIs) in mammals and Polycomb response elements (PREs) in Drosophila. When PcG target genes are turned OFF, PcG proteins bind to PREs or CGIs, and PREs serve as anchors that loop together and stabilize gene silencing. Here, we address which PcG proteins bind to PREs and whether PREs mediate looping when their targets are in the ON transcriptional state. While the binding of most PcG proteins decreases at PREs in the ON state, one PRC1 component, Ph, remains bound. Further, PREs can loop to each other and with presumptive enhancers in the ON state and, like CGIs, may act as tethering elements between promoters and enhancers. Overall, our data suggest that PREs are important looping elements for developmental loci in both the ON and OFF states.

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The escalating accumulation of plastic waste in ecosystems poses a significant health concern to soil environment, yet the environmental effects of plastics remains largely unexplored. Biodegradable plastics could offer a viable alternative to conventional persistent plastics, but our understanding of their potential benefits or detrimental effects on the decomposition of plant debris by soil biomass is limited. In this study, we conducted a year-long field experiment to examine the environmental response and impact on plant debris decomposition in the presence of varying quantities of persistent versus biodegradable plastics. Our findings indicate that the decomposition rate decreased by 2.8-4.9% for persistent plastics, while it increased by 1.3-4.2% for biodegradable plastics. Persistent plastics primarily induced adverse effects, including a reduction in soil nutrients, microbial diversity, bioturbation, enzyme activity, easily decomposable carbon, and microbial biomass carbon in plant debris. In contrast, biodegradable plastics resulted in beneficial effects such as an increase in enzyme activity, microbial biomass carbon, and easily decomposable carbon. We also observed that the decomposition rate of plant residues and nutrient release are closely associated with changes in the organic carbon chemical structure induced by different plastic film fragments. A significant shift in alkoxy carbon content facilitated the release of nutrients and soluble carbon, while modifications in carboxyl and aromatic carbon content hindered their release. Overall, our study reveals over one year that biodegradable plastics primarily induce positive effects on the decomposition of soil organic matter.

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Post-weaning diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli F18 introduces enormous losses to the porcine industry. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a ubiquitous epitranscriptomic biomarker that modulates host cell resistance to pathogen infection, however, its significance in E. coli F18-treated IPEC-J2 cells remains unexplored. Herein, we revealed that m6A and associated modulators strongly controlled E. coli F18 susceptibility. The data indicated an enhancement of METTL3 contents in E. coli F18-treated IPEC-J2 cells. METTL3 is known to be a major modulator of E. coli F18 adhesion within IPEC-J2 cells. As expected, METTL3 deficiency was observed to reduce m6A content at the IKBKG 5'-UTR, leading to critical suppression of YTHDF1-dependent IKBKG translation. Therefore, the activation of the NF-κB axis was observed, which enhanced IPEC-J2 resistance to E. coli F18 infection. Taken together, these findings uncover a potential mechanism underlying the m6A-mediated control of E. coli F18 susceptibility. This information may contribute to the establishment of new approaches for combating bacteria-induced diarrhea in piglets.

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the complications associated with microwave ablation (MWA) in treating persistent/recurrent hyperparathyroidism (HPT) post-surgical or ablative treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2015 to December 2022, 87 persistent/recurrent HPT patients (primary HPT [PHPT]: secondary HPT [SHPT] = 13:74) who underwent MWA after surgical or ablative treatment were studied. Grouping was based on ablation order (initial vs. re-MWA), prior treatment (parathyroidectomy [PTX] vs. MWA), and etiology (PHPT vs. SHPT). The study focused on documenting and comparing treatment complications and analyzing major complication risk factors. RESULT: Among the 87 patients, the overall complication rate was 17.6% (15/87), with major complications at 13.8% (12/87) and minor complications at 3.4% (3/87). Major complications included recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy (12.6%) and Horner syndrome (1.1%), while minor complications were limited to hematoma (3.4%). Severe hypocalcemia noted in 21.6% of SHPT patients. No significant differences in major complication rates were observed between initial and re-MWA groups (10.7% vs. 13.8%, p = 0.455), PTX and MWA groups (12.5% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.770), or PHPT and SHPT groups (15.4% vs. 13.5%, p > 0.999). Risk factors for RLN palsy included ablation of superior and large parathyroid glands (>1.7 cm). All patients recovered spontaneously except for one with permanent RLN palsy in the PTX group (2.1%). CONCLUSION: Complication rates for MWA post-surgical or ablative treatments were comparable to initial MWA rates. Most complications were transient, indicating MWA as a viable and safe treatment option for persistent/recurrent HPT patients.

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This study investigated the potential effects of climatic oscillations on CPUE of Eleutheronema rhadinum (East Asian fourfinger threadfin), a commercially valuable fish species in East Asia. Fishery data from Chang-Yuen Ridge between 2015 and 2022 was analyzed in conjunction with four climatic oscillation indices that were lagged by up to 5 years. The results revealed a fluctuating CPUE associated with the 1-year-lagged Ocean Niño Index (ONI lag 1) and 1-year-lagged Southern Oscillation Index (SOI lag 1) suggesting a potential effect between climatic oscillation indices and East Asian fourfinger threadfin CPUE. These findings can provide insights into the association between East Asian fourfinger threadfin abundance and climatic oscillations in Chang-Yuen Ridge, Taiwan; the insights are valuable for fishery management amidst changing climate conditions.

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BACKGROUND: Aboriginal older adults residing in remote areas have poor oral function due to inadequate access to healthcare services. Lay health advisor (LHA) strategies can fill capacity shortages of healthcare professionals in rural communities and increase population acceptance of health care or healthy behaviours. OBJECTIVE(S): To evaluate the effectiveness the LHA program on oral function and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among older adults in aboriginal community. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG; n = 122) and a control group (CG; n = 118). All participants performed oral exercises, and the EG received additional one-on-one 30-min lessons by an LHA over 4 weeks. Data were collected through face-to-face interview and oral examination. The generalized estimating equation model was used to analyse changes in outcomes over time. RESULTS: The EG exhibited significantly greater improvement in swallowing (ß = .63) at the 6-month follow-up and in masticatory performance (ß = .52) and pronunciation of the syllable/pa/ (ß = 2.65) at the 2-week follow-up than the CG did. The EG had a significantly lower plaque control record (ß = -.14) and plaque index (ß = -.30) at the 3-month follow-up than the CG did. Moreover, the OHRQoL was significantly increased at 6-months follow-up in the EG (p = .010). CONCLUSION: The LHA program had positive effects on chewing, swallowing and plaque control in aboriginal older adults. LHA group also experienced positive long-term effect on OHRQoL after intervention.

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RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility, efficiency, and safety of microwave ablation (MWA) for multifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). METHODS: This was a retrospective study, and the data of patients who underwent MWA for multifocal PTMC from October 2016 to December 2021 were reviewed. After ablation, the changes in tumor size and volume, as well as the rates of technical success, tumor disappearance, disease progression, and complications, were assessed. According to the tumor location, the cases were further divided into a unilateral multifocal disease (UMD) subgroup and a bilateral multifocal disease (BMD) subgroup. Further analyses were carried out. RESULTS: There was a total of 94 cases enrolled in the present study, which included 24 males and 70 females. The median age was 40 years (22-66 years); the median follow-up time was 14 months (6-48 months). Complete ablation was achieved in all enrolled cases. Therefore, the technical success rate was 100%. Due to expanding ablation, the MD and volume of the ablation zone increased at the 1st and 3rd months after ablation and decreased from the 12th month after ablation (p < 0.05 for all). The total complete tumor disappearance rates were 45/94 (47.87%) overall, 40.625% (13/32) in the UMD subgroup and 51.61% (32/62) in the BMD subgroup (p = 0.312). The total disease progression rates were 4.26% (4/94) overall, 6.25% (2/32) in the UMD subgroup and 3.23% (2/62) in the BMD subgroup (p = 0.881). The overall complication rate was 4.26% (4/94). CONCLUSION: This preliminary study indicates that MWA is a safe and effective treatment for multifocal PTMC.

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