National Cheng Kung University Hospital

In this study, a self-regularized approach was employed to determine the thermal stress in a free-free truss, which results in a singular stiffness matrix. Physically, the stiffness and flexibility matrices of structure with proper constraints are mutually inverse to each other. However, they are not invertible for a free-free truss from the mathematical point of view if the generalized inverse is not considered. To deal with the problem, the self-regularized approach is utilized to find the generalized flexibility matrix, which are the submatrices of the inverse of the bordered matrix for the singular stiffness matrix. The validity of this approach was confirmed through different methods such as the generalized inverse and Moore–Penrose inverse. Two analytical examples of continuous system, a rod and a beam, were given to demonstrate that the obtained inverse satisfy the Moore–Penrose inverse. Numerically speaking, two illustrative examples of a discrete system, a three-bar simple truss and a six-bar complex truss subject to uniform and nonuniform temperature change were provided. Three-bar simple truss yielded zero thermal stress under all conditions, whereas the six-bar complex truss produced thermal stress under nonuniform temperature change. The study also employed ABAQUS software for numerical analysis to validate previous results.

Areca nut is a significant risk factor for head and neck cancer (HNC), yet its molecular mechanisms, particularly miRNA-mediated regulation, remain poorly understood. This study investigates the regulatory networks underlying areca nut-induced HNC and explores therapeutic strategies through computational drug repurposing. Arecoline was used to assess its effects on invasion, migration, and cisplatin resistance in HNC cells and normal keratinocytes. Differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs were identified using high-throughput profiling, followed by integrative network analysis using the TCGA-HNSC dataset and multiMiR. OncoPredict was used for drug repurposing to identify therapeutic agents targeting dysregulated miRNA-mRNA networks. Arecoline exposure promoted invasion and cisplatin resistance, with more pronounced effects in normal keratinocytes, indicating a potential role in early tumorigenesis. Integrative transcriptomic analysis revealed a miRNA-mRNA regulatory network comprising 1971 oncogenes, 604 tumor suppressors, 35 oncogenic miRNA (OncomiRs), and 36 tumor suppressor miRNA (TSmiRs) regulating pathways related to cell motility and stress response. A tumor-suppressive network with miR-212-3p as a central hub and an oncogenic network modulated by miR-410 and miR-1-3p as critical hubs were identified. Drug repurposing analysis identified four potential therapeutic candidates (MK-2206, BYL-719, MG-132, and FGIN-1-27), with MK-2206 emerging as the most promising. MK-2206 effectively reversed arecoline-induced miRNA-mRNA dysregulation, mitigated malignant phenotypes, and selectively targeted HNC cells while sparing normal keratinocytes. This integrative approach elucidates areca nut-driven carcinogenesis through miRNA-mRNA interactions and highlights MK-2206 as a promising therapeutic strategy for areca nut-associated HNC.

Burnout among Algerian public healthcare workers remains understudied despite staffing shortages, limited resources, and heavy workloads. The present study examined the prevalence and predictors of burnout, focusing on self-compassion and communication skills. A cross-sectional survey of 387 practitioners from public hospitals used validated Arabic measures: Burnout Assessment Tool-Short Version, Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, and Health Professionals Communication Skills Scale-Short Form. Practitioners aged 31-40 reported the highest burnout and exhaustion (p<0.05). Females showed greater exhaustion than males (p<0.05). Emergency/ICU/surgery staff reported lower burnout (p<0.05). Burnout correlated positively with self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification, and negatively with empathy, respect, and social skills (p<0.05). In regressions, self-judgment (β=0.21) and over-identification (β=0.12) predicted burnout, while empathy (β=-0.14) and social skills (β=-0.10) were protective. Self-judgment was the strongest risk factor, while empathy and social skills were protective. Interventions fostering self-compassion and communication skills may help reduce burnout.

Chronic inflammation is a well-established risk factor in the development of gastric cancer (GC). Tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3, also known as A20) is an inflammation-associated protein that functions as an oncogene in various cancers, but the role of A20 in GC progression remains unclear. In this study, clinical analyses revealed that elevated A20 expression in GC patients was significantly associated with increased tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential. Functionally, A20 overexpression enhanced GC cell migration, whereas its knockdown suppressed this effect. Moreover, A20 promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition and reduced the tight junction protein occludin. Mechanistically, A20 induced occludin endocytosis and lysosomal degradation via its ovarian tumor (OTU) domain. Pull-down assays revealed that A20 interacts with the migration-related protein RhoA, increasing its stability and thereby sustaining ROCK2 phosphorylation, which contributes to occludin degradation. PLA further showed that mutation of the OTU domain disrupted the interaction between A20 and RhoA in AGS cells, indicating the necessity of the OTU domain for this interaction. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that A20 promotes GC cell migration by stabilizing RhoA and facilitating occludin degradation, underscoring A20 as a potential therapeutic target to inhibit GC metastasis.

This case report describes 2 otherwise healthy patients who presented with acquired idiopathic generalized anhidrosis and were treated with baricitinib.