Polyphenol nanoparticles based on bioresponse for the delivery of anthocyanins

Anthocyanin (AN) has good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivities, but its poor biocompatibility and low stability limit the application of AN in the food industry. In this study, core-shell structured carriers were constructed by noncovalent interaction using tannic acid (TA) and poloxamer 188 (F68) to improve the biocompatibility, stability and smart response of AN. Under different treatment conditions, TA-F68 and AN were mainly bound by hydrophobic interaction. The PDI is less than 0.1, and the particle size of nanoparticles (NPs) is uniform and concentrated. The retention of the complex was 15.50 % higher than that of AN alone after 9 d of light treatment. After heat treatment for 180 min, the retention rate after loading was 13.87 % higher than that of AN alone. The carrier reduce the damage of AN by the digestive environment, and intelligently and sustainedly release AN when the esterase is highly expressed. In vitro studies demonstrated that the nanocarriers had good biocompatibility and significantly inhibited the overproduction of reactive oxygen species induced by oxidative stress. In addition, AN-TA-F68 has great potential for free radical scavenging at sites of inflammation. In conclusion, the constructed nano-delivery system provides a potential application for oral ingestion of bioactive substances for intervention in ulcerative colitis.

Mitofilin in cardiovascular diseases: Insights into the pathogenesis and potential pharmacological interventions

The impact of mitochondrial dysfunction on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease is increasing. However, the precise underlying mechanism remains unclear. Mitochondria produce cellular energy through oxidative phosphorylation while regulating calcium homeostasis, cellular respiration, and the production of biosynthetic chemicals. Nevertheless, problems related to cardiac energy metabolism, defective mitochondrial proteins, mitophagy, and structural changes in mitochondrial membranes can cause cardiovascular diseases via mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitofilin is a critical inner mitochondrial membrane protein that maintains cristae structure and facilitates protein transport while linking the inner mitochondrial membrane, outer mitochondrial membrane, and mitochondrial DNA transcription. Researchers believe that mitofilin may be a therapeutic target for treating cardiovascular diseases, particularly cardiac mitochondrial dysfunctions. In this review, we highlight current findings regarding the role of mitofilin in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and potential therapeutic compounds targeting mitofilin.

Dual-function β-cyclodextrin/starch-based intelligent film with reversible responsiveness and sustained bacteriostat-releasing for food preservation and monitoring

The full combination of high sensitivity indication and long-lasting bacteriostatic function is an innovative need to meet the practicality of intelligent film packaging systems for food products. Hence, Blueberry anthocyanins (BA) copigmentated by ferulic acid (FA) was used as an indicator, and cinnamon essential oil (CO) encapsulated by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as a bacteriostat, potato starch (PS) as a film-forming substrate to prepared a dual-function starch-based intelligent active packaging film with pH indicator and antibacterial function. FA had the best copigmentation effect with a threefold increase in a value compared to other phenolic acids. The ΔE value increased from 3.24 to 5.13 at pH 2-8, and the change was still prominent in acid-base alternating test, indicating a high response sensitivity. Notably, the yellow gamut of indicating terminus increased its visibility to the naked eye. The release behavior of CO from film was in line with Fick's diffusion. Meanwhile, the release of CO delayed to about 90 h through β-cyclodextrin encapsulation, showing a high growth-inhibition rate in E. coli and S. aureus of almost 100 %. In this study, a dual-function film with indication and bacteriostasis was prepared and enhanced with both, expanding its wide application in intelligent packaging of fresh food.

Development of a multi-needle fiberoptic Raman spectroscopy technique for simultaneous multi-site deep tissue Raman measurements in the brain

We report on the development of a multi-needle fiberoptic Raman spectroscopy (MNF-RS) technique for simultaneous multi-site deep Raman measurements in brain tissue. The multi-needle fiberoptic Raman probe is designed and fabricated using a number of 100 µm core diameter, aluminum-coated fibers under a coaxial laser excitation and Raman collection scheme, enabling simultaneous collection of deep tissue Raman spectra from a number of tissue sites. We have also developed a Raman retrieval algorithm based on the transformation matrix of each individual needle fiber probe projected to different pixels of a charge-coupled device (CCD) for recovering the tissue Raman spectra collected by each needle fiber probe, allowing simultaneous multi-channel detection by a single Raman spectrometer. High-quality tissue Raman spectra of different tissue types (e.g., muscle, fat, gray matter, and white matter in porcine brain) can be acquired in both the fingerprint (900-1800 cm-1) and high-wavenumber (2800-3300 cm-1) regions within sub-second times using the MNF-RS technique. We also demonstrate that by advancing the multi-needle fiberoptic Raman probe into deep porcine brain, tissue Raman spectra can be acquired simultaneously from different brain regions (e.g., cortex, thalamus, midbrain, and cerebellum). The significant biochemical differences across different brain tissues can also be distinguished, suggesting the promising potential of the MNF-RS technique for label-free neuroscience study at the molecular level.

Health benefits of anthocyanin-containing foods, beverages, and supplements have unpredictable relation to gastrointestinal microbiota: A systematic review and meta-analysis of random clinical trials

Anthocyanins are a type of natural pigment that has numerous health benefits. In recent years, the interaction of anthocyanins with gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota has been presented as a viable paradigm for explaining anthocyanin activities. The current study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the potential modulation of GI microbiota by anthocyanins in human health improvement. Clinical trials were retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Knowledge, China Biology Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and ClinicalTrials.gov with no language restrictions. Eight clinical trials (252 participants) were selected from the 1121 identified studies and the relative phylum abundance extracted from the trials was analyzed using a random-effects model. Based on the analysis, anthocyanins had no effect on the relative abundance of Firmicutes (standard mean difference [SMD]: -0.46 [-1.25 to 0.34], P = .26), Proteobacteria (SMD, -0.32 [-0.73 to 0.09], P = .13), nor Actinobacteria (SMD, -0.19 [-0.50 to 0.12], P = 0.24), but influenced the abundance of Bacteroidetes (SMD, 0.84 [0.17 to 1.52], P = .01) when compared with placebo/control. No significant influence on the relative abundance was detected when the data were analyzed following the "posttreatment vs. pretreatment" strategy. Our preliminary analysis revealed that the effects of anthocyanins on human GI microbiota vary between studies and individuals, and at the current stage, the clinical trials regarding the effects of anthocyanin interventions on human GI microbiota are lacking. More trials with larger sample sizes are needed to promote the clinical application of anthocyanins.

Flavonoids mitigation of typical food thermal processing contaminants: Potential mechanisms and analytical strategies

Due to unique chemical structure, flavonoids are secondary metabolites with numerous biological activities. Thermal processing of food usually produces some chemical contaminants, which cause an adverse effect on food quality and nutrition. Therefore, it is vital to reduce these contaminants in food processing. In this study, current researches around the inhibitory effect of flavonoids on acrylamide, furans, α-dicarbonyl compounds and heterocyclic amines (HAs) were summarized. It has been shown that flavonoids inhibited the formation of these contaminants to varying degrees in chemical or food models. The mechanism was mainly associated with natural chemical structure and partly with antioxidant activity of flavonoids. Additionally, methods and tools of analyzing interactions between flavonoids and contaminants were discussed. In summary, this review demonstrated potential mechanisms and analytical strategies of flavonoids in food thermal processing, providing new insight of flavonoids applying on the food engineering.

Discrete unified gas-kinetic wave-particle method for flows in all flow regimes

This work proposes a discrete unified gas-kinetic wave-particle (DUGKWP) method for simulation of flows in all flow regimes. Unlike the discrete velocity method (DVM) and the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method which solve the governing equations by either the deterministic method or the stochastic method, the DUGKWP combines the advantages of these two methods. In the DUGKWP, the information of microscopic particles as well as macroscopic flow variables are both evolved. Specifically, the microscopic particles are updated by the free-transport and resampling processes, while the macroscopic flow properties are evolved via solving the macroscopic governing equations of conservation laws with the finite volume method. According to the discrete characteristic solution to the Boltzmann-BGK equation utilized in the DUGKWP, in the highly rarefied flow regime, the motion of microscopic particles greatly determines the fluxes for the macroscopic governing equations. Conversely, for the continuum flow, no microscopic particle exists in the computational domain and the DUGKWP is degraded to the Navier-Stokes solver. Numerical studies validate that the DUGKWP can accurately predict the flow properties in all flow regimes. Furthermore, compared with the deterministic method, the DUGKWP enjoys superior efficiency with less memory consumption for both high-speed rarefied flows and flows close to the continuum regime.

Improving metrology with quantum scrambling

Quantum scrambling describes the spreading of information into many degrees of freedom in quantum systems, such that the information is no longer accessible locally but becomes distributed throughout the system. This idea can explain how quantum systems become classical and acquire a finite temperature, or how in black holes the information about the matter falling in is seemingly erased. We probe the exponential scrambling of a multiparticle system near a bistable point in phase space and utilize it for entanglement-enhanced metrology. A time-reversal protocol is used to observe a simultaneous exponential growth of both the metrological gain and the out-of-time-order correlator, thereby experimentally verifying the relation between quantum metrology and quantum information scrambling. Our results show that rapid scrambling dynamics capable of exponentially fast entanglement generation are useful for practical metrology, resulting in a 6.8(4)-decibel gain beyond the standard quantum limit.

Real-time in vivo cancer staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with rapid fiberoptic Raman endoscopy

Cancer staging is important to guide treatment and for prognostication. This work aims to demonstrate the ability of rapid fiberoptic Raman endoscopy for real-time in vivo cancer staging of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients. We interrogate 278 tissue sites on the primary NPC with different cancer stages from 61 NPC patients and 50 healthy volunteers using rapid fiberoptic Raman endoscopy examination. Distinct Raman spectral differences of NPC at different cancer stages are observed through simultaneous fingerprint and high-wavenumber (FP/HW) Raman spectral measurements, reflecting the biomolecular differences of NPC tumor across various cancer stages. Raman staging model is established based on in vivo FP/HW tissue Raman spectra together with partial-least-squares linear-discriminant-analysis (PLS-LDA) and leave-one-tissue-site-out cross-validation (LOOCV). In vivo FP/HW Raman endoscopy provides an overall diagnostic accuracy of 92.81% for identifying different stages of NPC (i.e., NPC stage I&II and NPC stage III&IV) from normal nasopharynx. Specifically, the diagnostic sensitivity of 91.18% is obtained for identifying NPC stage I& II; and the sensitivity of 93.04% is achieved for classifying NPC stage III&IV from normal tissue. The key tissue biomolecular variations responsible for different NPC stages have been identified using biomolecular Raman modeling developed based on non-negative linear regression. The essential biomolecules (chondroitin sulfate, glucose, hemoglobin, oleic acid and triolein) are uncovered from the Raman spectra of NPC tissues through biomolecular modeling with significant variations (p < 0.05) between early-stage NPC (stage I and stage II) and late-stage NPC patients (stage III and stage IV). Our pivotal work demonstrates for the first time that fiberoptic Raman endoscopy is a robust analytical tool for real-time in vivo NPC staging in clinical settings.

Release of Interface Confined Water Significantly Improves Dentin Bonding

Water residue and replacement difficulty cause insufficient adhesive infiltration in demineralized dentin matrix (DDM), which produces a defective hybrid layer and thus a bonding durability problem, severely plaguing adhesive dentistry for decades. In this study, we propose that the unique properties of a highly hydrated interface of the porous DDM can give rise to 1 new type of interface, confined liquid water, which accounts for most of the residue water and may be the main cause of insufficient infiltration. To prove our hypothesis, 3 metal ions with increasing binding affinity and complex stability (Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Cu²⁺) were introduced respectively to coordinate negatively charged groups such as -PO₄^3-, -COO^- abundant in the DDM interface. Strong chelation of Ca²⁺ and Cu²⁺ rapidly released the confined water, significantly improving penetration of hydrophobic adhesive monomers, while Na⁺ had little effect. A significant decrease of defects in the hybrid layer and a much decreased modulus gap between the hybrid layer and the adhesive layer greatly optimized the microstructure and micromechanical properties of the tooth-resin bonding interface, thus improving the effectiveness and durability of dentin bonding substantially. This study paves the way for a solution to the core scientific issue of contemporary adhesive dentistry: water residue and replacement in dentin bonding, both theoretically and practically.

CircNDST1 promotes papillary thyroid cancer progression via its interaction with CSNK2A1 to activate the PI3K-Akt pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND

Multiple studies have established a strong relationship between circRNA and cancer progression. Cervical lymph node metastasis is a key factor influencing the surgical approach and distant metastasis of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). However, the role of circNDST1 in PTC has not been investigated. Our research focused on revealing the function and mechanism of action of circNDST1 in PTC.

METHODS

High-throughput sequencing and qPCR were used to assess the expression of circRNA in PTC tissues with extensive cervical lymph node metastasis and circNDST1 in cell lines, respectively. The proliferative effects of circNDST1 in vitro and in vivo were analyzed using CCK8, clone formation assay, EdU, and nude mouse tumorigenesis assay. The transwell scratch assay was employed in the scrutiny of the effect of circNDST1 on the migration and invasion abilities of thyroid cancer cells, while circNDST1's influence on the PI3K-Akt pathway and the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) key protein expression was evaluated utilizing RNA sequencing and western blot. RNA pull-down and RIP were used to examine the binding of circNDST1 to CSNK2A1.

RESULTS

CircNDST1 was highly expressed in PTC cell lines, but knocking it down inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasive abilities of TPC1 and KTC1 cell lines. CircNDST1 bonded with CSNK2A1 and promoted the interaction between CSNK2A1 and Akt, leading to the activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway and EMT.

CONCLUSION

CircNDST1's high expression boosted thyroid cancer progression through the activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway and EMT in a CSNK2A1-dependent manner.

Survival outcomes of stage I colorectal cancer: development and validation of the ACEPLY model using two prospective cohorts

BACKGROUND

Approximately 10% of stage I colorectal cancer (CRC) patients experience unfavorable clinical outcomes after surgery. However, little is known about the subset of stage I patients who are predisposed to high risk of recurrence or death. Previous evidence was limited by small sample sizes and lack of validation.

METHODS

We aimed to identify early indicators and develop a risk stratification model to inform prognosis of stage I patients by employing two large prospective cohorts. Prognostic factors for stage II tumors, including T stage, number of nodes examined, preoperative carcinoma embryonic antigen (CEA), lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion (PNI), and tumor grade were investigated in the discovery cohort, and significant findings were further validated in the other cohort. We adopted disease-free survival (DFS) as the primary outcome for maximum statistical power and recurrence rate and overall survival (OS) as secondary outcomes. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated from Cox proportional hazard models, which were subsequently utilized to develop a multivariable model to predict DFS. Predictive performance was assessed in relation to discrimination, calibration and net benefit.

RESULTS

A total of 728 and 413 patients were included for discovery and validation. Overall, 6.7% and 4.1% of the patients developed recurrences during follow-up. We identified consistent significant effects of PNI and higher preoperative CEA on inferior DFS in both the discovery (PNI: HR = 4.26, 95% CI: 1.70-10.67, p = 0.002; CEA: HR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.13-1.87, p = 0.003) and the validation analysis (PNI: HR = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.01-10.89, p = 0.049; CEA: HR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.10-2.28, p = 0.014). They were also significantly associated with recurrence rate. Age at diagnosis was a prominent determinant of OS. A prediction model on DFS using Age at diagnosis, CEA, PNI, and number of LYmph nodes examined (ACEPLY) showed significant discriminative performance (C-index: 0.69, 95% CI:0.60-0.77) in the external validation cohort. Decision curve analysis demonstrated added clinical benefit of applying the model for risk stratification.

CONCLUSIONS

PNI and preoperative CEA are useful indicators for inferior survival outcomes of stage I CRC. Identification of stage I patients at high risk of recurrence is feasible using the ACEPLY model, although the predictive performance is yet to be improved.

'Stress hyperglycemia ratio and in-hospital prognosis in non-surgical patients with heart failure and type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of stress hyperglycemia on the in-hospital prognosis in non-surgical patients with heart failure and type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We identified non-surgical hospitalized patients with heart failure and type 2 diabetes from a large electronic medical record-based database of diabetes in China (WECODe) from 2011 to 2019. We estimated stress hyperglycemia using the stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) and its equation, say admission blood glucose/[(28.7 × HbA1c)- 46.7]. The primary outcomes included the composite cardiac events (combination of death during hospitalization, requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiogenic shock, and the new episode of acute heart failure during hospitalization), major acute kidney injury (AKI stage 2 or 3), and major systemic infection.

RESULTS

Of 2875 eligible Chinese adults, SHR showed U-shaped associations with composite cardiac events, major AKI, and major systemic infection. People with SHR in the third tertile (vs those with SHR in the second tertile) presented higher risks of composite cardiac events ([odds ratio, 95% confidence interval] 1.89, 1.26 to 2.87) and major AKI (1.86, 1.01 to 3.54). In patients with impaired kidney function at baseline, both SHR in the first and third tertiles anticipated higher risks of major AKI and major systemic infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Both high and low SHR indicates poor prognosis during hospitalization in non-surgical patients with heart failure and type 2 diabetes.

Research progress on effects of traditional Chinese medicine on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury: A review

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a high-risk disease in the middle-aged and elderly population. The ischemic heart may be further damaged after reperfusion therapy with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and other methods, namely, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI), which further affects revascularization and hinders patient rehabilitation. Therefore, the investigation of new therapies against MIRI has drawn great global attention. Within the long history of the prevention and treatment of MIRI, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has increasingly been recognized by the scientific community for its multi-component and multi-target effects. These multi-target effects provide a conspicuous advantage to the anti-MIRI of TCM to overcome the shortcomings of single-component drugs, thereby pointing toward a novel avenue for the treatment of MIRI. However, very few reviews have summarized the currently available anti-MIRI of TCM. Therefore, a systematic data mining of TCM for protecting against MIRI will certainly accelerate the processes of drug discovery and help to identify safe candidates with synergistic formulations. The present review aims to describe TCM-based research in MIRI treatment through electronic retrieval of articles, patents, and ethnopharmacology documents. This review reported the progress of research on the active ingredients, efficacy, and underlying mechanism of anti-MIRI in TCM and TCM formulas, provided scientific support to the clinical use of TCM in the treatment of MIRI, and revealed the corresponding clinical significance and development prospects of TCM in treating MIRI.

Development of a coaxial DCF-GRIN fiberoptic Raman probe for enhancing in vivo epithelial tissue Raman measurements

We report on the development of a novel, to the best of our knowledge, coaxial double-clad-fiber (DCF) and graded-index (GRIN) fiberoptic Raman probe for enhancing epithelial tissue Raman measurements in vivo. The ultra-thin (140 µm outer diameter) DCF-GRIN fiberoptic Raman probe is designed and fabricated with an efficient coaxial optical configuration, whereby a GRIN fiber is spliced onto the DCF to enhance both the excitation/collection efficiency and depth-resolved selectivity. We demonstrate that the DCF-GRIN Raman probe can be used to acquire high-quality in vivo Raman spectra from various oral tissues (e.g., buccal mucosa, labial mucosa, gingiva, mouth floor, palate, and tongue) covering both the fingerprint (800-1800 cm^-1) and high-wavenumber (2800-3600 cm^-1) regions within sub-seconds. The subtle biochemical differences between different epithelial tissues in the oral cavity can also be detected with high sensitivity, suggesting the potential of the DCF-GRIN fiberoptic Raman probe for in vivo diagnosis and characterization in epithelial tissue.

A sub-freshness monitoring chitosan/starch-based colorimetric film for improving color recognition accuracy via controlling the pH value of the film-forming solution

The demand for intelligent packaging in food sub-freshness monitoring is increasing. Herein, a pH and NH3 responsing colorimetric film (PS-CH-LCA) was fabricated based on potato starch (PS), chitosan (CH) and Lonicera caerulea L. anthocyanins (LCA) via controlling the pH value of the film-forming solution, and was applied to the real-time monitoring of shrimp freshness. The PS-CH-LCA pH 2.5 film exhibited the highest tensile strength (6.43 MPa), the lowest water solubility (33.11%) and the most sensitive color responsiveness. Morphological and structural results revealed that CH was attached to the surface of PS via hydrogen bond, and anthocyanins were well immobilized in the film-forming matrix. The sensitive color change and its high correlation with spoilage indices demonstrated the PS-CH-LCA pH 2.5 film well indicated fresh, sub-fresh, spoiled level of shrimp. The results solved the limitation of chitosan-based packaging films in undistinguishable colorimetric endpoints, providing a new strategy for indicating the sub-freshness of food packaging.

An updated review on the stability of anthocyanins regarding the interaction with food proteins and polysaccharides

The health benefits of anthocyanins are compromised by their chemical instability and susceptibility to external stress. Researchers found that the interaction between anthocyanins and macromolecular components such as proteins and polysaccharides substantially determines the stability of anthocyanins during food processing and storage. The topic thus has attracted much attention in recent years. This review underlines the new insights gained in our current study of physical and chemical properties and functional properties in complex food systems. It examines the interaction between anthocyanins and food proteins or polysaccharides by focusing on the "structure-stability" relationship. Furthermore, multispectral and molecular computing simulations are used as the chief instruments to explore the interaction's mechanism. During processing and storage, the stability of anthocyanins is generally influenced by the adverse characteristics of food and beverage, including temperature, light, oxygen, enzymes, pH. While the action modes and types between protein/polysaccharide and anthocyanins mainly depend on their structures, the noncovalent interaction between them is the key intermolecular force that increases the stability of anthocyanins. Our goal is to provide the latest understanding of the stability of anthocyanins under food processing conditions and further improve their utilization in food industries. Practical Application: This review provides support for the steady-state protection of active substances.

[Clinical characteristics of Wilson's disease with onset of acute liver failure in 19 children]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of Wilson's disease (WD) with onset of acute liver failure (ALF) in children. Methods: Clinical data of 19 children diagnosed with WD presented with ALF in Xi'an Children's Hospital from January 2016 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including general condition, clinical manifestation, laboratory examination, and gene detection. The children were divided into the death group and survival group according to the clinical outcome. The children who had hepatic WD with non-ALF onset during the same period were selected as the control. The general conditions and laboratory indexes were compared between death group and survival group, ALF group and non-ALF group. T-test, Mann Whitney U test or χ² test were used to compare the differences between the two groups. Results: Of the 19 WD children with ALF onset, 10 were females and 9 were males. The age of admission was (10.1±2.6) years and time to onset of first visit was 9 (4, 15) days. Among the WD children with ALF onset, 4 children were lost to follow-up, 5 cases death (death group) and 10 cases survived (survival group). The ceruloplasmin in the death group was higher than that in the survival group (0.078 (0.055, 0.105) vs. 0.033 (0.027, 0.058) g/L, Z=-2.33, P=0.020). There were 95 children who had hepatic WD with non-ALF onset. The WD patients with ALF onset were older at admission (9.9 (8.0, 11.1) vs. 5.4 (3.7, 6.9) years, Z=-5.25, P<0.001), had higher ceruloplasmin (0.060 (0.030, 0.078) vs. 0.024 (0.006, 0.060) g/L, Z=-3.11, P=0.002), 24 h urinary copper (674 (205, 1 803) vs. 149 (108, 206) μg, Z=-4.25, P<0.001), and positive rate of K-F ring [17/19 vs. 7%(7/95), χ²=50.17, P<0.001] while shorter onset time at initial visit (0.3 (0.1, 0.5) vs. 1.0 (0.7, 6.0) months, Z=-4.28, P<0.001). There was no gender difference between the two groups [9/19 vs. 61%(58/95), χ²=1.22, P=0.269]. Of the 19 WD children with ALF onset, 13 had the ATP7B gene tested, and 15 reported variants were detected. The main variations were c.2333G>T (p. Arg778Leu), c.2621C>T (p. Ala874Val) and c.2975C>T (p. Pro992Leu). The allele frequencies were 6/26(23%), 4/26(15%) and 3/26(12%), respectively. Conclusions: Children of WD onset with ALF are school-aged and above. They have an acute onset, a short course of the disease, and poor prognosis. The positive rate of K-F ring, ceruloplasmin and urinary copper are higher than those of the hepatic WD children with non-ALF onset.

Development of explicit formulations of G45-based gas kinetic scheme for simulation of continuum and rarefied flows

In this work, the explicit formulations of the Grad's distribution function for the 45 moments (G45)-based gas kinetic scheme (GKS) are presented. Similar to the G13 function-based gas kinetic scheme (G13-GKS), G45-GKS simulates flows from the continuum regime to the rarefied regime by solving the macroscopic governing equations based on the conservation laws, which are widely used in conventional Navier-Stokes solver. These macroscopic governing equations are discretized by the finite volume method, where the numerical fluxes are evaluated by the local solution to the Boltzmann equation. The initial distribution function is reconstructed by the G45 distribution function, which is a higher order truncation of the Hermite expansion of distribution function compared with the G13 distribution function. Such high order truncation of Hermite expansion helps the present solver to achieve a better accuracy than G13-GKS. Moreover, the reconstruction of distribution function makes the development of explicit formulations of numerical fluxes feasible, and the evolution of the distribution function, which is the main reason why the discrete velocity method is expensive, is avoided. Several numerical experiments are performed to examine the accuracy of G45-GKS. Results show that the accuracy of the present solver for almost all flow problems is much better than G13-GKS. Moreover, some typical rarefied effects, such as the direction of heat flux without temperature gradients and thermal creep flow, can be well captured by the present solver.

Blueberry anthocyanin extracts protect against Helicobacter pylori-induced peptic epithelium injuries both in vitro and in vivo: the key role of MAPK/NF-κB pathway

PURPOSE

Anthocyanins are well-characterized by anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory potentials. Peptic ulcers contribute to the development of severe gastric disorders. In the current study, the effects of blueberry anthocyanin extracts (BE) on the Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced peptic epithelium injures were assessed and the associated mechanism driving the effects was explored by focusing on MAPK/NF-κB pathway.

METHODS

Peptic injures were induced in a mouse model using LPS plus ligation method and then the mice were treated with BE. Then changes in gastric histology, inflammatory response, and MAPK/NF-κB axis were detected. To reveal the role of MAPK/NF-κB axis in the effects of BE, human gastric epithelial cells (HGECs) were further subjected to co-treatment of BE, LPS, and MAPK activator.

RESULTS

The assays of mouse model showed that BE attenuated gastric epithelial injuries by improving epithelial structure and suppressing gastric inflammatory response, which was associated with the inhibition of MAPK/NF-κB axis. In in vitro assays, BE suppressed viability and production of cytokines, and induced apoptosis in LPS-treated HGECs. The re-activation of MAPK pathway counteracted the effects of BE by re-inducing cell viability and suppressing cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The protective effects of BE against LPS-induced injuries in mouse stomach depended on the inhibition of both MAPK pathway and the downstream NF-κB signaling.

Synergistic Effects of Combined Anthocyanin and Metformin Treatment for Hyperglycemia In Vitro and In Vivo

The mechanism underlying the hypoglycemic effect of the simultaneous use of metformin and anthocyanin-rich foods is not yet clear. Hence, the effects and possible mechanisms of action of these substances, alone and in combination, were evaluated in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells and a diabetic mouse model. The results indicated that anthocyanin and metformin had a significant synergistic effect on glucose consumption (CI < 0.9) compared with metformin alone in HepG2 cells. In the mouse model, combined treatment (50 and 100 mg/kg metformin + anthocyanin groups) demonstrated synergistic restorative effects on the blood glucose level, insulin resistance, and organ damage in the liver, pancreas, and ileum. Additionally, combined metformin and anthocyanin treatment suppressed protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B expression and regulated the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway. Combined treatment also altered the gut microbial composition and structure by increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria and the short-chain fatty acid content. These results suggest that the use of anthocyanins can enhance the efficacy of metformin treatment for hyperglycemia and provide a reference for further clinical research regarding nutrition and supplementary treatment.

Current knowledge of anthocyanin metabolism in the digestive tract: absorption, distribution, degradation, and interconversion

Potential roles for anthocyanins in preventing various chronic diseases have been reported. These compounds are highly sensitive to external conditions and are susceptible to degradation, which increases the complexity of their metabolism in vivo. This review discusses anthocyanin metabolism in the digestive tract, phase I and II metabolism, and enterohepatic circulation (EHC), as well as their distribution of anthocyanins in blood, urine, and several organs. In the oral cavity, anthocyanins are partly hydrolyzed by microbiota into aglycones which are then conjugated by glucuronidase. In stomach, anthocyanins are absorbed without deglycosylation via specific transporters, such as sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter 1 and facilitative glucose transporters 1, while in small intestine, they are mainly absorbed as aglycones. High polymeric anthocyanins are easily degraded into low-polymeric forms or smaller phenolic acids by colonic microbiota, which improves their absorption. Anthocyanins and their derivatives are modified by phase I and II metabolic enzymes in cells and are released into the blood via the gastrovascular cavity into EHC. Notably, interconversion can be occurred under the action of enzymes such as catechol-O-methyltransferase. Taking together, differences in anthocyanin absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion largely depend on their glycoside and aglycone structures.

Variant of gas kinetic flux solver for flows beyond Navier-Stokes level

In this paper, a variant of gas kinetic flux solver (GKFS) is presented for simulation of flows beyond the Navier-Stokes (NS) level. The method retains the framework of GKFS and reconstructs the numerical fluxes by the moments of distribution function at the cell interface, which is given from the local solution of the Boltzmann equation. In the conventional GKFS, the first-order Chapman-Enskog (CE) expansion is utilized to approximate the initial distribution function. By using the differential chain rule, it was found that the CE expansion form could be linked to the stress tensor and the heat flux. For flows in the NS level, the stress tensor and heat flux can be simply calculated from the linearized constitutive relationship and Fourier's law, respectively. However, for flows beyond the NS level, due to the strong nonequilibrium effect, the linearized constitutive relationship and Fourier's law are insufficient to predict the stress tensor and the heat flux. To overcome this difficulty, this paper introduces correction terms to the stress tensor and heat flux in the initial distribution function. These correction terms will take effect in the strong nonequilibrium region for flows beyond the NS level. To avoid finding complex expressions or solving complicated partial differential equations for the correction terms, a simple and iterative procedure is proposed to update the correction terms based on the framework of GKFS. The proposed method is validated by three benchmark cases which cover the flow from the continuum regime to the transition regime. Numerical results show that the present solver can provide accurate solution in the continuum regime. It is indeed the correction terms that take effect in the strong nonequilibrium region for flows beyond the NS level, which enables the present solver to capture the nonequilibrium phenomenon with reasonable accuracy for rarefied flows at moderate Knudsen number.

Efficient high-order radial basis-function-based differential quadrature-finite volume method for incompressible flows on unstructured grids

This paper presents an efficient high-order radial basis-function-based differential quadrature-finite volume method for incompressible flows on unstructured grids. In this method, a high-order polynomial based on the Taylor series expansion is applied within each control cell to approximate the solution. The derivatives in the Taylor series expansion are approximated by the mesh-free radial basis-function-based differential quadrature method. The recently proposed lattice Boltzmann flux solver is applied to simultaneously evaluate the inviscid and viscous fluxes at the cell interface by the local solution of the lattice Boltzmann equation. In the present high-order method, a premultiplied coefficient matrix appears in the time-dependent term, reflecting the implicit nature. The implicit time-marching techniques, i.e., the lower-upper symmetric Gauss-Seidel and the explicit first stage, singly diagonally implicit Runge-Kutta schemes, are incorporated to efficiently solve the resultant ordinary differential equations. Several numerical examples are tested to validate the accuracy, efficiency, and robustness of the present method on unstructured grids. Compared with the k-exact method, the present method enjoys higher accuracy and better computational efficiency.

Development and characterization of a disposable submillimeter fiber optic Raman needle probe for enhancing real-time in vivo deep tissue and biofluids Raman measurements

We report on the development and characterization of disposable submillimeter fiber optic Raman needle probe for enhancing real-time in vivo tissue and biofluids Raman measurements. The submillimeter Raman probe is designed and fabricated using an aluminum-coated multimode fiber tapered with a semispherical lens, resulting in the coaxial laser excitation/Raman collection configuration for maximizing tissue and biofluid Raman measurements. We demonstrate that, with the use of the Raman needle probe associated with the structured background subtraction algorithms developed, high quality tissue Raman spectra covering both the fingerprint (FP) (800-1800cm^-1) and high-wavenumber (HW) (2800-3300cm^-1) regions can be acquired within subseconds from different tissue types (e.g., skin, muscle, fat, cartilage, liver, and brain) and biofluids (e.g., blood, urine). By advancing the Raman needle probe into the murine brain tissue model, high quality depth-resolved deep tissue Raman spectra can also be acquired rapidly. This work shows that the submillimeter fiberoptic Raman needle probe is capable of achieving real-time collection of deep tissue and biofluids FP/HW Raman spectra with high signal to noise ratios. This opens a new avenue with dual functioning of Raman optical biopsy and fine needle aspiration biopsy for enhancing in vivo deep tissue and biofluids diagnosis and characterization in different organs.

Surgical clinical trials with non-inferiority design: a cross-sectional bibliometric analysis

Background

Wide-spread concerns have been raised about possible bias in published surgical non-inferiority trials. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to identify the existence of bias, and provided recommendations for future non-inferiority trials.

Methods

Databases including MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched (last update on 27 April 2020) to include published phase II and phase III non-inferiority surgical trials. We collected general information and parameters associated with trial design. The association between extracted factors and establishment of non-inferiority was then analyzed.

Results

A total of 347 trials were included in this study. Only 13 (3.7%) trials reported the pre-specified non-inferiority margin in registration, and 99 (28.5%) trials justified margin selection in ultimate trial publications. A significant association was found between industry funding and increased odds of achieving non-inferiority [odds ratio (OR): 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06 to 1.30, P=0.001]. Moreover, trials which had been presented in conferences were less likely to claim non-inferiority (OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.99, P=0.035).

Conclusions

Our study was the first quantitative analysis revealing the presence of biases in findings of existing surgical non-inferiority trials, which could possibly mislead surgeons’ clinical decision making. We suggest improving reporting of detailed study design especially funding sources as well as margin justification for future trials. We also encourage conference presentation of ongoing trials prior to the ultimate publication.

Non-inferiority in cancer clinical trials was associated with more lenient margins and higher hypothesized outcome event rates

OBJECTIVE

To identify potential bias in non-inferiority design of published cancer trials, and to provide suggestions for future practice.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL databases (until April 17, 2020) to obtain non-inferiority phase III cancer trials and protocols. Distribution of essential characteristics and study design parameters was compared between trials with and without concluding non-inferiority using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 291 eligible trials were included. We observed that increased odds of concluding non-inferiority was significantly associated with more lenient non-inferiority margins (OR = 1•94, 95% CI 1•02-3•69) and higher hypothesized event rate (OR = 1•24, 95% CI 1•06-1•47). Trials that established non-inferiority adopted margins that were more dispersedly distributed (dispersion OR = 2•90, 95% CI 1•88-4.48).

CONCLUSION

Although limited by the exploratory nature, our study demonstrated existence of possible distorted non-inferiority design which could incur excess non-inferiority in cancer clinical trials. Pre-registration and transparent reporting of detailed non-inferiority design is imperative for future research.

Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and its phenolic metabolites ameliorate intestinal diseases via modulating intestinal mucosal immune system: potential mechanisms and therapeutic strategies

The incidence of the intestinal disease is globally increasing, and the intestinal mucosa immune system is an important defense line. A potential environmental cause to regulate gut health is diet. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside is a natural plant bioactive substance that has shown rising evidence of improving intestinal disease and keeping gut homeostasis. This review summarized the intestinal protective effect of Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside in vivo and in vitro and discussed the potential mechanisms by regulating the intestinal mucosal immune system. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and phenolic metabolites inhibited the presence and progression of intestinal diseases and explained from the aspects of repairing the intestinal wall, inhibiting inflammatory reaction, and regulating the gut microbiota. Although the animal and clinical studies are inadequate, based on the accumulated evidence, we propose that the interaction of Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside with the intestinal mucosal immune system is at the core of most mechanisms by which affect host gut diseases. This review puts forward the potential mechanism of action and targeted treatment strategies.

Deep Learning-Guided Fiberoptic Raman Spectroscopy Enables Real-Time In Vivo Diagnosis and Assessment of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Post-treatment Efficacy during Endoscopy

In this work, we develop a deep learning-guided fiberoptic Raman diagnostic platform to assess its ability of real-time in vivo nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) diagnosis and post-treatment follow-up of NPC patients. The robust Raman diagnostic platform is established using innovative multi-layer Raman-specified convolutional neural networks (RS-CNN) together with simultaneous fingerprint and high-wavenumber spectra acquired within sub-seconds using a fiberoptic Raman endoscopy system. We have acquired a total of 15,354 FP/HW in vivo Raman spectra (control: 1761; NPC: 4147; and post-treatment (PT): 9446) from 888 tissue sites of 418 subjects (healthy control: 85; NPC: 82; and PT: 251) during endoscopic examination. The optimized RS-CNN model provides an overall diagnostic accuracy of 82.09% (sensitivity of 92.18% and specificity of 73.99%) for identifying NPC from control and post-treatment patients, which is superior to the best diagnosis performance (accuracy of 73.57%; sensitivity of 89.74%; and specificity of 58.10%) using partial-least-squares linear-discriminate-analysis, proving the robustness and high spectral information sensitiveness of the RS-CNN model developed. We further investigate the saliency map of the best RS-CNN models using the correctly predicted Raman spectra. The specific Raman signatures that are related to the cancer-associated biomolecular variations (e.g., collagens, lipids, and nucleic acids) are uncovered in the map, validating the diagnostic capability of RS-CNN models to correlate with biomolecular signatures. Deep learning-based Raman spectroscopy is a powerful diagnostic tool for rapid screening and surveillance of NPC patients and can also be deployed for longitudinal follow-up monitoring of post-treatment NPC patients to detect early cancer recurrences in the head and neck.

Gas kinetic flux solver based high-order finite-volume method for simulation of two-dimensional compressible flows

In this work, a high-order gas kinetic flux solver (GKFS) is developed for simulation of two-dimensional (2D) compressible flows. Different from the conventional gas kinetic scheme, which uses the local integral solution to the Boltzmann equation to reconstruct the numerical fluxes of macroscopic governing equations, the GKFS evaluates the numerical fluxes by the local asymptotic solution to the Boltzmann equation. This local asymptotic solution consists of the equilibrium distribution function and its substantial derivative at the cell interface. To achieve high-order accuracy in the simulation, the substantial derivative is discretized by a difference scheme with second-order accuracy in time and fourth-order accuracy in space, which results in a polynomial of the equilibrium distribution function at different locations and time levels. The Taylor series expansion is then introduced to simplify this polynomial. As a result, a simple high-order accurate local asymptotic solution to the Boltzmann equation is obtained and the numerical fluxes of macroscopic governing equations are given explicitly. A series of numerical examples are presented to validate the accuracy and capability of the developed high-order GKFS. Numerical results demonstrate that the high-order GKFS can achieve the desired accuracy on both the quadrilateral mesh and the triangular mesh and it outperforms the second-order counterpart.

Phenolics Profile and Antioxidant Activity Analysis of Kiwi Berry (Actinidia arguta) Flesh and Peel Extracts From Four Regions in China

The kiwi berry (Actinidia arguta) has been widely studied because of its rich phenolic, flavonoid, and vitamin C contents. Numerous reports have demonstrated that fruit peels contain higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity than that of flesh. In this study, the phytochemical content and antioxidant activities of peel and flesh extracts of six kiwi berries were analyzed from four regions (namely, Dandong, Benxi, Taian, and Tonghua) in China. The antioxidant activity was determined using the peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC) and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays. The phenolic, flavonoid, and vitamin C contents of kiwi berry peel were 10.77, 13.09, and 10.38 times richer than that of kiwi berry flesh, respectively. In addition, the PSC and CAA values of kiwi berry peel were higher than those of kiwi berry flesh. The analysis of the separation and contents of phenolics were performed by the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode-array detectormass spectrometry/mass (DAD-MS/MS) system, and the results illustrated that protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and quinic acid were the major phenolic compounds. In conclusion, this study indicated that kiwi berry peel contains a rich source of antioxidants. These data are of great significance for the full development and utilization of kiwi berries in these four regions of China to produce nutraceutical and functional foods.

Effects of α-Casein on the Absorption of Blueberry Anthocyanins and Metabolites in Rat Plasma Based on Pharmacokinetic Analysis

Blueberry anthocyanins are well known for their beneficial biological activities. However, the poor bioavailability of anthocyanins limits their functional capacity in vivo. Our current study aimed to detect the effects of α-casein on the absorption of blueberry anthocyanins and their metabolites in rats. Blueberry anthocyanins with and without α-casein were intragastrically administered to two groups of rats and their blood samples were collected within 24 h. Results illustrated that rapid absorption of anthocyanins was observed in the rat plasma, but their concentration was relatively low. With the complexation of α-casein, the maximum concentration (C_max) of bioavailable anthocyanins and metabolites could increase by 1.5-10.1 times (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The promotional effect on the plasma absorption of malvidin-3-O-galactoside and vanillic acid was outstanding with the C_max increasing from 0.032 to 0.323 and from 0.360 to 1.902 μg/mL, respectively (P < 0.01). Besides, the molecular docking models presented that anthocyanins could enter the structural cavity and interact with amino acid residues of α-casein, which was in accordance with the improved bioavailability of anthocyanins. Therefore, α-casein could assist more blueberry anthocyanins and their metabolites to enter blood circulation.

Effect of Blueberry Anthocyanin-Rich Extracts on Peripheral and Hippocampal Antioxidant Defensiveness: The Analysis of the Serum Fatty Acid Species and Gut Microbiota Profile

The current study investigated the positive effects of blueberry anthocyanin-rich extracts (BAE) on either peripheral or hippocampal antioxidant defensiveness and established the connection of the improved antioxidant status with the altered fatty acid species and gut microbiota profile. High-fat diet-induced oxidative stress in C57BL/6 mice was attenuated by BAE administration, which was reflected by strengthened antioxidant enzymes, alleviated hepatic steatosis, and improved hippocampal neuronal status. Serum lipidomics analysis indicated that the fatty acid species were altered toward the elevated unsaturated/saturated ratio, along with phospholipid species toward enriched n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid compositions. The modulated antioxidant pattern could be attributed to the increased bacteria diversity, stimulated probiotics (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers (Roseburia, Faecalibaculum, and Parabacteroides) improved by anthocyanins and their metabolites, which improved the colon environment, characterized by promoted SCFAs, restored colonic mucosa, and reorganized microbial structure. Thus, anthocyanin-rich dietary intervention is a promising approach for the defensiveness in human oxidative damage and neurodegeneration.

Bioactive flavonoids from Rubus corchorifolius inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase to improve postprandial hyperglycemia

This research established an optimized method for the extraction and enrichment of flavonoids from R. corchorifolius fruit. Under the optimized extraction conditions, 12 flavonoids (1-12) were isolated, of which six (2-4, 9-10, 12) were obtained from R. corchorifolius for the first time. Compound 4 showed significant α-glucosidase (4.96 μM) and α-amylase (8.04 μM) inhibitory effects. Molecular modeling revealed that compound 4 exhibits strong binding with the active sites of α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Lineweaver-Burk plot analysis and surface plasmon resonance revealed the possible dynamic binding mechanism of the flavonoids with α-glucosidase and α-amylase. The enriched flavonoids and compound 4 showed significant hypoglycemic effects in mice administered a high dose of glucose. In this study, a variety of flavonoids with hypoglycemic activity were found for the first time, revealing the rich chemical composition of R. corchorifolius fruit and highlighting the potential value of R. corchorifolius fruit flavonoids as dietary supplements.

Combined effect of thermosonication and high hydrostatic pressure on bioactive compounds, microbial load, and enzyme activities of blueberry juice

The current study is aimed to evaluate the combined effect of thermosonication (TS) and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on enzyme activities (polyphenolase and peroxidase), microbial load and phenolic compounds (phenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins) of blueberry juice. Blueberry juice has been treated with TS (40 kHz and 240 W) at different temperatures (25 °C and 45 °C) for 15 mins with subsequent different HHP (200, 400 and 600 MPa) for 5 mins at room temperature. The results revealed that a combined use of HHP of 400 MPa and 600 MPa with TS at 45 °C not only reduced microorganisms below 1 logCFU/mL, but also significantly inactivated enzymes. The treatments also increased the phenolic compounds, peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC), and DPPH free radical scavenging activity to a higher level without causing any changes in soluble solids and pH. Therefore, the combination of HHP and TS can be used as a novel alternative nonthermal technology to improve the nutritional qualities of blueberry juice, which produces a desirable, healthy juice for consumers.

Synthesis and characterization of an anti-caries and remineralizing fluorine-containing cationic polymer PHMB-F

Dental caries have become a major global public health problem. Plaque control and remineralization of initial enamel lesions are paramount for the prevention and control of caries. Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) is a type of cationic amphipathic antibacterial agent with broad-spectrum antibacterial properties and good biological safety. Fluoride delays demineralization and promotes the remineralization of hard dental tissues. However, a high concentration is needed for it to function as an antibacterial agent. In order to create a PHMB with the benefits associated with fluoride, we synthesized a fluorine-containing cationic polymer, PHMB-F. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance characterization confirmed the successful synthesis of PHMB-F. Antibacterial tests showed that PHMB-F had better antiseptic efficacy for Streptococcus mutans compared with just PHMB. Moreover, positively-charged PHMB-F allows fluoride ions to exist closer to the enamel surface with negative potential, which markedly lowers the ion concentrations in the microenvironment adjacent to hard dental tissues needed to maintain equilibrium. Thus, only low concentrations of PHMB-F are required for enamel remineralization.

Phase-field-simplified lattice Boltzmann method for modeling solid-liquid phase change

This article proposes a phase-field-simplified lattice Boltzmann method (PF-SLBM) for modeling solid-liquid phase change problems within a pure material. The PF-SLBM consolidates the simplified lattice Boltzmann method (SLBM) as the flow solver and the phase-field method as the interface tracking algorithm. Compared with conventional lattice Boltzmann modelings, the SLBM shows advantages in memory cost, boundary treatment, and numerical stability, and thus is more suitable for the present topic which includes complex flow patterns and fluid-solid boundaries. In contrast to the sharp interface approach, the phase-field method utilized in this work represents a diffuse interface strategy and is more flexible in describing complicated fluid-solid interfaces. Through abundant benchmark tests, comprehensive validations of the accuracy, stability, and boundary treatment of the proposed PF-SLBM are carried out. The method is then applied to the simulations of partially melted or frozen cavities, which sheds light on the potential of the PF-SLBM in resolving practical problems.

LncRNA CHRF promotes cell invasion and migration via EMT in gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been verified to involve in the development and progression of gastric cancer (GC). However, the expression of lncRNA CHRF level in GC has not been mentioned before. Here, we focused on the function of lncRNA CHRF played in GC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 103 GC tissues and paired para-tumor tissues from GC patients were collected. The quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was applied to measure the lncRNA CHRF level in these samples and GC cell lines. The Wound-healing experiment, transwell assay, and Matrigel assay were employed to study the migration and invasion abilities of GC cells. The underlying molecular of lncRNA CHRF was measured using Western-blot.

RESULTS

LncRNA CHRF expression was significantly higher in 103 GC tissue samples compared with the adjacent para-tumor samples. In GC cells, lncRNA CHRF showed increased expression levels than the human fetal gastric epithelial cells (GES-1). Inhibition of lncRNA CHRF reduced the invasion and migration of MKN-7 cells while the over-expression of lncRNA CHRF promoted HGC-27 cells metastasis. Furthermore, we found that lncRNA CHRF could promote the progression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to promote the GC cell metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our current study demonstrated that lncRNA CHRF functioned as an oncogene in GC and promoted cell invasion and migration via EMT. This might furnish a potential target for the GC biological diagnosis and therapy.

Label-Free Follow-Up Surveying of Post-Treatment Efficacy and Recurrence in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients with Fiberoptic Raman Endoscopy

Recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the main cause of poor prognosis for NPC patients after chemo- and radiotherapies. Subsequent long-term follow-ups of post-treatment patients are crucial for the early discovery of tumor recurrence with timely intervention. Current clinical imaging methods based on tissue morphology encounter difficulties in differentiating recurrent tumors from post-treatment inflammation and fibrosis. In this work, we apply a unique fiberoptic Raman endoscopy technique to address the challenges for label-free follow-up surveying of post-treatment NPC patients and accurate detection of tumor recurrence. Significant Raman spectral differences can be observed among normal, NPC, and nonrecurring post-treatment patients. Raman endoscopy provides diagnostic accuracy of 100% for detecting recurrent NPC from early post-treatment inflammation and diagnostic accuracy of 98.21% for separating recurrent NPC from long-term post-treatment fibrosis. Further quantitative Raman modeling on in vivo nasopharyngeal tissue Raman data acquired unveils the changes of major tissue biochemicals (e.g., triolein, elastin, keratin, fibrillar collagen, and type IV collagen) associated with primary NPC and post-treatment recurrent NPC tissue compared to normal nasopharyngeal tissue. This work demonstrates that fiberoptic Raman endoscopy can be a clinically powerful diagnostic tool for rapid, label-free post-treatment surveying and recurrent tumor detection in NPC patients at the molecular level.

Entanglement on an optical atomic-clock transition

State-of-the-art atomic clocks are based on the precise detection of the energy difference between two atomic levels, which is measured in terms of the quantum phase accumulated over a given time interval^1-4. The stability of optical-lattice clocks (OLCs) is limited both by the interrupted interrogation of the atomic system by the local-oscillator laser (Dick noise⁵) and by the standard quantum limit (SQL) that arises from the quantum noise associated with discrete measurement outcomes. Although schemes for removing the Dick noise have been recently proposed and implemented^4,6-8, performance beyond the SQL by engineering quantum correlations (entanglement) between atoms^9-20 has been demonstrated only in proof-of-principle experiments with microwave clocks of limited stability. The generation of entanglement on an optical-clock transition and operation of an OLC beyond the SQL represent important goals in quantum metrology, but have not yet been demonstrated experimentally¹⁶. Here we report the creation of a many-atom entangled state on an OLC transition, and use it to demonstrate a Ramsey sequence with an Allan deviation below the SQL after subtraction of the local-oscillator noise. We achieve a metrological gain of [Formula: see text] decibels over the SQL by using an ensemble consisting of a few hundred ytterbium-171 atoms, corresponding to a reduction of the averaging time by a factor of 2.8 ± 0.3. Our results are currently limited by the phase noise of the local oscillator and Dick noise, but demonstrate the possible performance improvement in state-of-the-art OLCs^1-4 through the use of entanglement. This will enable further advances in timekeeping precision and accuracy, with many scientific and technological applications, including precision tests of the fundamental laws of physics^21-23, geodesy^24-26 and gravitational-wave detection²⁷.