Dose-Dependent Effect on Plant Growth of Exposure to Metal-Organic Framework MIL-101(Cr)

With the increasing use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), they will inevitably enter the environment intentionally or unintentionally. However, the effects of MOFs on plant growth are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of exposure of the rhizosphere to MOFs on plant growth. MIL-101(Cr) was selected as a research model due to its commercial availability and wide use. Soybean plants at the two-leaf stage were subjected to various durations (1-7 days) and concentrations (0-1000 mg/L) of exposure in hydroculture with a control group treated with ultrapure water. We found that MIL-101(Cr) had a positive effect on soybean growth at a lower dose (i.e., 200 mg/L); however, at higher doses (i.e., 500 and 1000 mg/L), it exhibited significant toxicity to plant growth, which is evidenced by leaf damage. To investigate the mechanism of this effect, we used Cr as an indicator to quantify, track, and image MIL-101(Cr) in the plant with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Results indicated that MIL-101(Cr) primarily accumulated in the cortex of roots (up to 40 times higher than that in stems), with limited translocation to stems and negligible presence in leaves and cotyledons. In addition, metabolomic analysis of soybeans indicated that low-dose MIL-101(Cr) could increase the sucrose content of soybean roots to promote plant growth, while a high dose could induce lipid oxidation in roots. This study provides valuable insights into the ecological toxicology of MOFs and underscores the importance of assessing their environmental impact for sustainable agricultural practices.

Probing the stability of metal-organic frameworks by structure-responsive mass spectrometry imaging

The widespread application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is seriously hindered by their structural instability and it is still very challenging to probe the stability of MOFs during application by current techniques. Here, we report a novel structure-responsive mass spectrometry (SRMS) imaging technique to probe the stability of MOFs. We discovered that intact CuBTC (as a model of MOFs) could generate the characteristic peaks of organic ligands and carbon cluster anions in laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, but these peaks were significantly changed when the structure of CuBTC was dissociated, thus enabling a label-free probing of the stability. Furthermore, SRMS can be performed in imaging mode to visualize the degradation kinetics and reveal the spatial heterogeneity of the stability of CuBTC. This technique was successfully applied in different application scenarios (in water, moist air, and CO2) and also validated with different MOFs. It thus provides a versatile new tool for better design and application of environment-sensitive materials.

Tracing the plasma kallikrein-kinin system-activating component in the atmospheric particulate matter with different origins

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) perturbs hematological homeostasis by targeting the plasma kallikrein-kinin system (KKS), causing a cascade of zymogen activation events. However, the causative components involved in PM-induced hematological effects are largely unknown. Herein, the standard reference materials (SRMs) of atmospheric PM, including emissions from the diesel (2975), urban (1648a), and bituminous coal (2693), were screened for their effects on plasma KKS activation, and the effective constituent contributing to PM-induced KKS activation was further explored by fraction isolation and chemical analysis. The effects of three SRMs on KKS activation followed the order of 2975 > 1648a > 2693, wherein the fractions of 2975 isolated by acetone and water, together with the insoluble particulate residues, exerted significant perturbations in the hematological homeostasis. The soot contents in the SRMs and corresponding isolated fractions matched well with their hematological effects, and the KKS activation could be dependent on the soot surface oxidation degree. This study, for the first time, uncovered the soot content in atmospheric PM with different origins contributed to the distinct effects on plasma KKS activation. The finding would be of utmost importance for the health risk assessment on inhaled airborne fine PM, given its inevitable contact with human circulatory system.

Particle Size Determines the Phytotoxicity of ZnO Nanoparticles in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Revealed by Spatial Imaging Techniques

To understand the nanotoxicity effects on plants, it is necessary to systematically study the distribution of NPs in vivo. Herein, elemental and particle-imaging techniques were used to unravel the size effects of ZnO NPs on phytotoxicity. Small-sized ZnO NPs (5, 20, and 50 nm) showed an inhibitory effect on the length and biomass of rice (Oryza sativa L.) used as a model plant. ZnO NP nanotoxicity caused rice root cell membrane damage, increased the malondialdehyde content, and activated antioxidant enzymes. As a control, the same dose of Zn2+ salt did not affect the physiological and biochemical indices of rice, suggesting that the toxicity is caused by the entry of the ZnO NPs and not the dissolved Zn2+. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy analysis revealed that ZnO NPs accumulated in the rice root vascular tissues of the rhizodermis and procambium. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy confirmed that the NPs were internalized to the root tissues. These results suggest that ZnO NPs may exist in the rice root system and that their particle size could be a crucial factor in determining toxicity. This study provides evidence of the size-dependent phytotoxicity of ZnO NPs.

Monitoring the adsorption of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on carbon black by LDI-MS capable of simultaneous analysis of elemental and organic carbon

Elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) exist ubiquitously and interact mutually in the environment. Simultaneous analysis of EC and OC will greatly advance our understanding of the behavior and fate of EC and OC, but is however still a great challenge due to the lack of suitable analytical tools. Here, we report a matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) method capable of simultaneous analysis of EC and OC by monitoring two independent groups of specific MS fingerprint peaks. We found that EC itself can generate carbon cluster peaks in the low mass range under laser excitation, and meanwhile it can also serve as a matrix to assist the ionization of OC in LDI-MS. By using per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) as a typical set of OC and carbon black (CB) as a model EC, we successfully monitored the adsorption process of PFASs on CB enabled by LDI-MS. We show that hydrophobic interaction dominates the sorption of PFASs to CB, which was affected by the functional groups and carbon chain length of PFASs. Furthermore, environmental substances in water such as humic acid (HA) and surfactants can significantly affect the adsorption of PFASs on CB probably by changing the adsorption sites of CB. Overall, we demonstrate that LDI-MS offers a versatile and high-throughput tool for simultaneous analysis of EC and OC species in real environmental samples, which makes it promising for investigating the environmental behaviors and ecological risks of pollutants.

Snail inhibits metastasis via regulation of E‑cadherin and is associated with prognosis in colorectal cancer

The overall survival (OS) rate of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) remains low due to the lack of clear prognostic markers. Therefore, the identification of valuable prognostic markers is urgently required. Snail and E-Cadherin (E-Cad) are important protein molecules in the EMT process and play a crucial role in tumor invasion and metastasis. The present study investigated the clinical significance of Snail and E-cad expression in CRC. Compared with those in adjacent tissue, the expression levels of Snail and E-cad were significantly increased and decreased, respectively, in CRC. Moreover, low Snail and high E-cad expression were associated with clinicopathological features and longer OS time. Furthermore, Snail and E-cad could predict the prognosis of patients with CRC. Reverse transcription-qPCR, Western blotting, Wound scratch assay, High content cell migration experiment, which showed that low Snail or high E-cad expression inhibited invasion and metastasis of CRC. In conclusion, Snail can promote CRC invasion and metastasis by regulating E-cad. Snail and E-cad expression constitute a novel prognostic marker for CRC, and the present study revealed a greater combined effect of Snail and E-cad as effective prognostic markers in CRC for the first time.

Studying paraben-induced estrogen receptor- and steroid hormone-related endocrine disruption effects via multi-level approaches

Increasing concerns have been raised on the health risks of parabens in the regard of their widespread applications and potential endocrine disrupting activities. In this study, four typical parabens, including methyl paraben (MeP), ethyl paraben (EtP), propyl paraben (PrP), and butyl paraben (BuP) were systematically investigated for their estrogen receptor- and steroid hormone-related endocrine disruptions using multi-level approaches. Paraben exposure promoted the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, increased the luciferase activity in MVLN cells, and induced the vitellogenin (vtg) expression in zebrafish larvae, showing the typical estrogenic effects. The in vitro protein assays further revealed that PrP and BuP could bind with two isoforms of estrogen receptors (ERs). The estrogenic activities of parabens were predicted to be positively correlated with their chemical structure complexity by using molecular docking analysis. Furthermore, the synthesis and secretion of estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) were significantly disturbed in H295R cells and zebrafish larvae, which could be regulated by paraben-induced transcriptional disturbance in both in vitro steroidogenesis and in vivo hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Parabens could disturb the endocrine system by activating the ERs and disrupting the steroid hormone synthesis and secretion, suggesting their potential deleterious risks to the environment and human health.

Sub-Tenon's bupivacaine injection is superior to placebo for pediatric strabismus surgery: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The effect of post-operation sub-Tenon's bupivacaine injection for pediatric strabismus surgery is controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis is to compare the outcome of sub-Tenon injection of bupivacaine and placebo duringstrabismus surgery.

METHODS

We searched the databases (Pubmed, Cochrane library and EMBASE) and reference lists systematically. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing sub-Tenon's bupivacaine and placebo injection for pediatric strabismus surgery were included. The methodological quality was evaluated by the Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) tool. Outcome measurements were pain score, oculocardiac reflex (OCR), additional drug consumption and related complications. RevMan 5.4 was used for the statistical analysis and graph preparation. For the outcomes that are not suitable for statistical analysis, descriptive analysis was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 5 RCTs with 217 patients were finally identified and analyzed. Sub-Tenon's bupivacaine injection showed pain relief within 30 min after operation. But with the extension of time, the analgesic effect gradually disappeared at 1 h. It can reduce the incidence of OCR, vomiting and supplementary drug requirements. However, in terms of nausea, there is no difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Sub-Tenon's bupivacaine injection can relieve short-term postoperative pain, reduce the incidence of OCR and vomiting, and reduce the use of supplementary drugs in strabismus surgery.

Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy combined with stereotactic body radiation therapy and GM-CSF for the treatment of advanced malignant PEComa: A case report

Background

Perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasm (PEComa) is a rare mesenchymal tumour. Due to its low incidence, a standard treatment regimen for PEComa has not yet been established. Radiotherapy has a synergistic effect with PD-1 inhibitors and GM-CSF. We treated advanced malignant PEComa with a triple regimen of PD-1 inhibitor, SBRT and GM-CSF to provide better therapeutic effect.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old woman was diagnosed with malignant PEComa after presenting with postmenopausal vaginal bleeding. Despite two surgeries, the neoplasm eventually metastasized throughout the body. We formulated triple therapy with SBRT, a PD-1 inhibitor, and GM-CSF for the patient. The patient's local symptoms were controlled at the radiotherapy site, and the lesions at the unirradiated sites were also relieved.

Conclusions

For the first time, a triple regimen of PD-1 inhibitor, SBRT and GM-CSF was used in the treatment of malignant PEComa and achieved good efficacy. Considering the lack of prospective clinical studies in PEComa, we believe that this triple therapy is a good-quality regimen for advanced malignant PEComa.

pH as a Key Factor for the Quality Assurance of the Preparation of Gastrodiae Rhizoma Formula Granules

Gastrodiae rhizoma (GR) formula granules and preparations have been used as a popular traditional Chinese medicine for clinical treatment since they have good pharmacological activity to treat nervous system diseases. Gastrodin and parishins have been the main active components in aqueous extracts for GR formula granules, but their pharmacological activities and metabolism are different. For quality control of the extracts, the extraction conditions should be investigated to accurately control the contents of two kinds of components. In this paper, the transfer rate of six index components (including gastrodin, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, parishin A, parishin B, parishin C, and parishin E) obtained by HPLC were used as indicators to investigate the effect of pH on the GR extraction process. The results demonstrated that pH is a key factor for preventing transforming parishins into gastrodin and maintaining high content of parishins in the extracts. It can be concluded that the weak acid environment could improve the transfer rate of parishins, thus ensuring the gastrodin and parishins consistency between GR raw materials and its aqueous extracts. Therefore, pH is an essential condition for accurate quality control of the extracts.

Semiquantitative Screening of THC Analogues by Silica Gel TLC with an Ag(I) Retention Zone and Chromogenic Smartphone Detection

With the ever-evolving cannabis industry, low-cost and high-throughput analytical methods for cannabinoids are urgently needed. Normally, (potentially) psychoactive cannabinoids, typically represented by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), and nonpsychoactive cannabinoids with therapeutic benefits, typically represented by cannabidiol (CBD), are the target analytes. Structurally, the former (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabinol (CBN), and THC) have one olefinic double bond and the latter (cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabigerol (CBG), and CBD) have two, which results in different affinities toward Ag(I) ions. Thus, a silica gel thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plate with the lower third impregnated with Ag(I) ions enabled within minutes a digital chromatographic separation of strongly retained CBD analogues and poorly retained THC analogues. The resolution (R_s) between the closest two spots from the two groups was 4.7, which is almost 8 times higher than the resolution on unmodified TLC. After applying Fast Blue BB as a chromogenic reagent, smartphone-based color analysis enabled semiquantification of the total percentage of THC analogues (with a limit of detection (LOD) of 11 ng for THC, 54 ng for CBN, and 50 ng for THCA when the loaded volume is 1.0 μL). The method was validated by analyzing mixed cannabis extracts and cannabis extracts. The results correlated with those of high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) (R² = 0.97), but the TLC approach had the advantages of multi-minute analysis time, high throughput, low solvent consumption, portability, and ease of interpretation. In a desiccator, Ag(I)-TLC plates can be stored for at least 3 months. Therefore, this method would allow rapid distinction between high and low THC varieties of cannabis, with the potential for on-site applicability.

LncRNA-ENST00000543604 exerts a tumor-promoting effect via miRNA 564/AEG-1 or ZNF326/EMT and predicts the prognosis of and chemotherapeutic effect in colorectal cancer

Objectives

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is a common malignant tumor. Recent studies have found that lncRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer.

Methods

Based on high-throughput sequencing results of fresh CRC tissues and adjacent tissues, we identified lncRNA-ENST00000543604 (lncRNA 604) as the research object by qRT-PCR in CRC tissues and cells. We explored the mechanism of lncRNA 604 action by using luciferin reporter, qRT-PCR and Western blot assays. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and a Cox regression model were used to analyze the correlation of lncRNA 604 and its regulatory molecules with the prognosis of and chemotherapy efficacy in CRC patients.

Results

In this study, we found that the expression levels of lncRNA 604 were increased in CRC. LncRNA 604 could promote CRC cell proliferation and metastasis through the miRNA 564/AEG-1 or ZNF326/EMT signaling axis in vivo and in vitro. LncRNA 604 could predict the prognosis of CRC and was an independent negative factor. LncRNA 604 exerted a synergistic effect with miRNA 564 or ZNF326 on the prognosis of CRC. LncRNA 604 could improve chemoresistance by increasing the expression of AEG-1, NF-κB, and ERCC1.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that lncRNA 604 could promote the progression of CRC via the lncRNA 604/miRNA 564/AEG-1/EMT or lncRNA 604/ZNF326/EMT signaling axis. LncRNA 604 could improve chemoresistance by increasing drug resistance protein expression.

Study of CT-Guided Localization in Pulmonary Nodule Resection

Objective

In recent years, with the attention of the general people to health, the surgical treatment of small nodules has become necessary. However, some nodules are too small, too deep, or difficult to reach, and it is difficult to accurately locate small nodules in the process of routine resection. In order to solve this problem and increase the success rate of puncture surgery, this study analyzed the application value of zoning localization method guided by CT in patients with pulmonary nodules.

Methods

The clinical history of patients with pulmonary nodules treated in Anhui Third Affiliated Hospital was retrospectively studied and analyzed. 97 patients with solitary pulmonary nodules treated in Anhui Third Affiliated Hospital from June 2021 to August 2021 were divided into observation group and reference group according to whether CT-guided localization method was used during operation. The operation rate, 1-year survival rate, recurrence rate, and pulmonary nodule metastasis rate of the two groups were compared; the results showed that the CT-guided zonal localization method was long and short, accurate, safe, and reliable. Comprehensive comparison through market survey on postoperative recovery compares the variability of patient data by using the statistical bivariatet-calibration method and using sensitivity specificity to analyze whether the CT-guided positioning method has advantages.

Results

The data underlying the results presented in the study are available within the manuscript. The results showed that there were 37 cases of pulmonary nodules, accounting for 38.14%; there were 8 patients with lung cancer, accounting for 8.24%; the proportion of diagnosis and analysis results of pulmonary nodules in hospitalized patients was significant; the medical history and clinical diagnosis information of 37 patients with pulmonary nodules were tracked and analyzed in detail. The diagnostic results were as follows: 8 patients (21.62%) with stage I, 11 patients (29.72%) with stage II, and 18 patients (48.64%) with stage III. The proportion of severe patients in the third stage was significantly higher than that in the first two stages; the results of CT-guided localization and conventional surgical resection were T < 10.000 and P < 0.05; the observation of prognosis and quality of life in the later stage of resection treatment showed that the observation group had obvious advantages over the reference group in terms of postoperative survival rate, recurrence rate, and nodule deterioration rate. The results show that the CT-guided zoning positioning operation is accurate, safe, and reliable.

Conclusion

The application of the CT-guided localization in the surgical treatment of pulmonary nodules is more safe and reliable. It can not only reduce the trauma but also improve the success rate of operation and reduce postoperative complications. It has the value of clinical promotion.

A pandemic-induced environmental dilemma of disposable masks: solutions from the perspective of the life cycle

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has swept the world and still afflicts humans. As an effective means of protection, wearing masks has been widely adopted by the general public. The massive use of disposable masks has raised some emerging environmental and bio-safety concerns: improper handling of used masks may transfer the attached pathogens to environmental media; disposable masks mainly consist of polypropylene (PP) fibers which may aggravate the global plastic pollution; and the risks of long-term wearing of masks are elusive. To maximize the utilization and minimize the risks, efforts have been made to improve the performance of masks (e.g., antivirus properties and filtration efficiency), extend their functions (e.g., respiration monitoring and acting as a sampling device), develop new disinfection methods, and recycle masks. Despite that, from the perspective of the life cycle (from production, usage, and discard to disposal), comprehensive solutions are urgently needed to solve the environmental dilemma of disposable masks in both technologies (e.g., efficient use of raw materials, prolonging the service life, and enabling biodegradation) and policies (e.g., stricter industry criteria and garbage sorting).

PUM1 is upregulated by DNA methylation to suppress antitumor immunity and results in poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer

Background

Pancreatic carcinoma (PAAD) is a highly malignant cancer with a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. Pumilio homologous protein 1 (PUM1) promotes cell growth, invasion, and metastasis and suppresses apoptosis in many different kinds of cancers, such as non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), ovarian cancer and lymphocyte leukemia. However, the underlying mechanism and potential role of PUM1 in PAAD have not been investigated.

Methods

Bioinformatics analysis was performed using multiple databases [The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), BBCancer, Human Protein Atlas (HPA), MethSurv, cBioPortal, The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA), xCell, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)] to explore the diagnostic and prognostic role of PUM1, and the relationship between expression of PUM1 and prognosis of patients with PAAD. The analysis was further validated using the Kaplan-Meier plotter.

Results

PUM1 plays a role in both diagnostic and prognostic prediction. The PUM1 mRNA expression level correlates with both the prognosis and incidence of pancreatic cancer. PUM1 can serve as a potential diagnostic indicator for pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, the DNA methylation levels of PUM1 affects its oncogene function in pancreatic cancer. PUM1 can also inhibit the immune microenvironment by altering immune cell infiltration, which affects immunotherapy response in pancreatic cancer.

Conclusions

PUM1 takes a crucial part in the immune microenvironment and immunotherapy response of PAAD and is potentially useful for the development of novel diagnostic and treatment strategies.

Rapid semi-quantitative analysis of hemolytic triterpenoid saponins in Lonicerae Flos crude drugs and preparations by paper spray mass spectrometry

Hemolytic triterpenoid saponins, as one of the index components of Lonicerae Flos (LF), are also the main components causing hemolytic risk of LF. In order to evaluate the quality and hemolytic risk of LF crude drugs and preparations, it was a key to establish a method for quantitative analysis of hemolytic triterpenoid saponins in LF. Here, a rapid method for quantitative determining hemolytic triterpenoid saponins had been developed via paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS), taking macranthoidin B (MaB), macranthoidin A (MaA) and dipsacoside B (DiB) as three target model compounds, and asperosaponin VI (ASA VI, a structural analogue) was used as internal standard. The sample solution was directly loaded and separated on chromatographic paper, sprayed and ionized by a high positive voltage, and ultimately analyzed by mass spectrometry. All analytes were detected with good linearity, precision, repeatability and accuracy. Compared with traditional high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) method, PS-MS method had no significant difference in the semi-quantitative analysis of the actual samples, adding the advantages of shorter analysis time, lower reagent consumption and no-need chromatography separation process. This work provides a new strategy for fast determining hemolytic triterpenoid saponins in LF crude drugs and preparations.

Use of bioinformatic database analysis and specimen verification to identify novel biomarkers predicting gastric cancer metastasis

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a common gastrointestinal tumor, and its metastasis has led to a significant increase in the death rate. The mechanisms of GC metastasis remain unclear.

Methods: The differentially expressed genes (DmRs) and lncRNAs (DlncRs) of GC were selected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We applied the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to construct co-expression modules related with GC metastasis. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) method analyzed the functional regions and signal pathways of genes in vital modules. DmRs-DlncRs co-expression network were drawn for finding out hub nodes. Survival analyses of significant biomarkers were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier (KM) method. Finally, the expressions of selected biomarkers were validated in cell lines and caner tissues by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), in GC tissue microarray by Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Results: 4776 DmRs and 213 DlncRs were involved the construction of WGCNA network, and MEyellow module was identified to have more significant correlation with GC metastasis. DmRs and DlncRs of MEyellow module were proved to be involved in the processes of cancer pathogenesis by GO and KEGG pathway analysis. Through the DmRs-DlncRs co-expression network, 7 DmRs and 1 DlncRs were considered as hub nodes. Besides, the high expression of TIMD4, CETP, KRT27, PTGDS, FAM30A was worse than low expression in GC patients survival, respectively; However, LRRC26 was opposite trend. FAM30A and TIMD4 were all significant biomarkers of GC survival and hub genes. Simultaneously, TIMD4, CETP, KRT27, PTGDS, FAM30A were increased in GC cell lines and tissues compared with GES-1 and normal tissues, respectively; the expression of LRRC26 was reduced in GC cell lines and tissues.

Conclusion: This study identified 6 genes as new biomarkers affecting the metastasis of GC. Especially, FAM30A and TIMD4 might be an effective marker for predicting the prognosis and a potential-therapeutic target in GC.

Potential value of tripartite motif-containing 59 as a biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients with lung cancer: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In recent years, related studies have revealed that tripartite motif-containing 59 (TRIM59) is related to the prognosis of lung cancer. However, these results have not been proved by any evidence. Therefore, this study evaluated the relationship between TRIM59 and the prognosis of lung cancer by carrying out meta-analysis. In addition, we explored the mechanism and related pathways of TRIM59 in lung cancer through bioinformatics analysis.

METHODS

Comprehensive literature search was performed in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical literature Database, Chinese Scientific and Journal Database, Wan Fang, Web of Science, PubMed, and EMBASE databases, and eligible studies were obtained based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The pooled hazard ratios and odds ratios were applied to assess the clinical value of TRIM59 expression for overall survival and clinicopathological features. Meanwhile, meta-analysis was conducted on the Stata 16.0. The mRNA expression level of TRIM59 in lung cancer was analyzed using Oncomine and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was used to predict the signaling pathways that TRIM59 might be involved in. The correlation between the expression level of TRIM59 in lung cancer and the abundance of immune cell invasion was analyzed by TIMER database. The survival analysis was verified by Kaplan-Meier Plotter database.

RESULTS

The results of this meta-analysis would be submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the application of meta-analysis and bioinformatics analysis will provide evidence support for the study on the prognosis and mechanism of TRIM59 in lung cancer.

Ionization of glycans from alkali metal salt-impregnated paper

Ambient ionization of glycans is simply and efficiently achieved by spraying from an alkali metal salt-impregnated paper surface. Monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and ring glycans easily form abundant alkali metal adduct ions, and give simple and clean high-quality mass spectra. The enhancement is specific for glycans, compared to a wide variety of non-glycan compounds present in a matrix. In addition, molecular weight of unknown glycans can be further identified based on the ion mass difference of various alkali metal adduct ions from a certain compound when using a mixed salt-impregnated paper containing five cation salts. Successful determination of glycans and glycoconjugates in plant extracts, honey, blood and urine demonstrates the practicability of this approach to complicated matrices, especially biological matrices.

Selective adsorption of flavonoids on cerium-doped ferroferric oxide magnetic particles

Ce-doped Fe₃O₄ magnetic particles (Ce-Fe₃O₄ MPs) were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The coordination and adsorption properties of Ce-Fe₃O₄ MPs to different natural products were investigated. The results verified that the "catechol-like","maltol-like" and "acetylacetone-like" donor sets of flavonoids were the binding sites with Ce-Fe₃O₄ MPs. The adsorption was conformed to be pseudo-second-order model and single-layer adsorption after being characterized by adsorption kinetics and adsorption thermodynamics. The adsorption and desorption conditions were optimized. It was found that different components adsorbed on the Ce-Fe₃O₄ MPs surface can be selective desorbed in different solvents, which was helpful for the selective separation to adsorbed components. The Ce-Fe₃O₄ MPs were successfully applied to selective adsorption of compounds containing "catechol-like", "maltol-like" and "acetylacetone-like" donor sets in the crude extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Rheum palmatum L. The results demonstrated that the magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) method based on Ce-Fe₃O₄ MPs has the advantages of high structural selectivity, high efficiency and low consumption, and can be used for efficient separation of flavonoids with specific structures from natural products.

Rapid in-situ analysis of phthalates in face masks by desorption corona beam ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Phthalates (PAEs) are known as endocrine disruptors that can have adverse effects on human hormonal balance and development. Due to PAEs being semi-volatile chemical compounds, they can sustainably emit from the surfaces of objects containing PAEs. Face masks are commonly used to safeguard human health especially during periods of high prevalence of infectious diseases. As masks come into direct contact with the human respiratory system, PAEs from masks will enter the human body directly from the respiratory system thus potentially threatening human health. In this study, the desorption corona beam ionization (DCBI)-MS/MS method for the rapid in-situ detection of PAEs in face masks was established, which could perform ultra-fast, high-throughput identification and quantitative analysis on 13 kinds of PAEs, and the limits of detection (LODs) were 0.7 μg m^-2 for DAP, BBP, DBP, DPP, DHXP, DEHP, DINP and DDP, 1.4 μg m^-2 for DMEP, DEP, DPhP, DBEP and DNOP. Compared with the traditional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, this study shows that the DCBI-MS/MS method has the following advantages: 1) short analysis time, less than 1 min; 2) small solvent consumption, less than 10 μL; 3) the PAEs in face masks can be quickly in-situ screened.

Rapid analysis of anionic and cationic surfactants in water by paper spray mass spectrometry

The discharge of wastewater containing surfactants and other industrial pollutants is contaminating the world's water resources which should be taken seriously. This paper describes a paper spray mass spectrometric (PS-MS) method for rapid and quantitative analysis of anionic and cationic surfactants in water samples. Eight cationic surfactants and four anionic surfactants can be simultaneously determined in positive or negative mode without sample pretreatment and chromatographic separation. The PS-MS analysis time was only 10 s. Under optimized conditions, the method presented a suitable linear range (1-80 μg mL^-1, linear regression coefficients (R²) higher than 0.995 for cationic surfactants, R² higher than 0.990 for anionic surfactants), a low limit of detection (0.05-0.35 μg mL^-1 for cationic surfactants and 0.20-0.35 μg mL^-1 for anionic surfactants), and satisfactory recovery values (97.3-106.1%). The method validation indicated that the method precision and accuracy were satisfactory. The results demonstrated that PS-MS is especially suitable for the high-throughput analysis of surfactants in water samples.

Human Positive Coactivator 4 Affects the Progression and Prognosis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma via the mTOR/P70s6k Signaling Pathway

Introduction

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the world, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) accounts for 90% of all cases. Human positive coactivator 4 (PC4) is a transcriptional coactivator that has been associated with the development and progression of several tumors. However, no studies investigated the potential role of PC4 in PDAC.

Methods

We investigated PC4 expression in 81 PDAC tissue samples using immunohistochemistry and studied the impact of PC4 expression and the molecular mechanisms of this altered expression on PDAC tumorigenesis and proliferation both in vitro and in vivo.

Results

PC4 overexpression was correlated with a poor outcome in PDAC patients. The RNAi-mediated knockdown of PC4 expression in CFPAC-1 and AsPC-1 cell lines reduced cell proliferation and tumor growth. The loss of PC4 in PDAC inhibits cell growth by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1/S transition and suppressing the mTOR/p70s6k pathway.

Discussion/Conclusion

Our findings reveal for the first time that PC4 exerts oncogenic functions by activating mTOR/p70s6k signaling pathway-mediated cell proliferation, implying that PC4 is a promising therapeutic target for PDAC.

Direct and quantitative in-situ analysis of third-hand smoke in and on various matrices by ambient desorption corona beam ionization mass spectrometry

Third-hand smoke (THS) is composed of surface-deposited remnants resulting from tabacco-smoking. Because THS components have properties of remaining on, re-emitting from and reacting on and with surfaces, in-situ analysis of the components on different surfaces is both in high demand and challenging. The aim of this study is to establish desorption corona beam ionization (DCBI)-MS/MS as an analytical tool for THS research. To this end, an in-situ DCBI-MS/MS approach was developed for the quantitative analysis of typical THS environmental markers, i.e. nicotine and cotinine on different surfaces such as fruits, cotton clothing, glass, and toys etc. The limits of detection of nicotine and cotinine were both 1.4 μg m-2. Low-temperature DCBI-MS/MS was applied to the direct detection of THS on fingers without any skin damage. Smoking-related biomarkers analyses in urine were accomplished, with a 10 s DCBI analysis time. The on-surface tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), such as 1-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridinyl)-4-butanal) (NNA), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridinyl)-1-butanone (NNK), and N-nitroso nornicotine (NNN) were in-situ successfully detected in dust samples.

Rapid microwave-assisted Porter method for determination of proanthocyanidins

INTRODUCTION

Proanthocyanidins have been widely developed and utilised in food, medicine, health care products and cosmetics. Porter-high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a quantitative method often utilised in many fields. This method uses a water bath to reflux the proanthocyanidins, but the process is cumbersome, the reagent consumption is large, and multiple batches of simultaneous treatments cannot be evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a more convenient, rapid and high-batch processing method for determining the content of proanthocyanidins in functional food by HPLC.

METHODS

N-Butanol-hydrochloric acid and iron salt are used as the reaction medium in the Porter method. After investigating the optimal conditions, the hydrolysis of proanthocyanidins can be performed in a microwave reactor at a power of 640 W for 75 s in the Porter reaction system. The content of proanthocyanidins was determined by HPLC with external standards.

RESULTS

After the rapid pretreatment of samples, proanthocyanidins were determined by HPLC with a diode array detector at a detection wavelength of 525 nm with 0.53 μg/mL and 1.61 μg/mL limits of detection and quantification, respectively, for proanthocyanidin ions, and the linearity was 0.9999. Intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation values were between 1.5% and 3.1%, and the recovery was between 91.40% and 107.43% for the determination of different products, such as capsules, tablets and tea, which were similar to the values obtained with the conventional Porter method.

CONCLUSION

This method is a time-saving and low cost approach for quantitative analysis of various proanthocyanidin health products that offers the advantages of high-batch processing and environmental friendliness.

The Efficacy and Safety of First-line Chemotherapies for Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer: A Network Meta-analysis

Major chemotherapeutic drugs for advanced biliary tract cancer (ABTC) include gemcitabine, fluoropyrimidines and platinum compounds, but the optimum combination of them remains inconclusive. The main objective of this network meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of first-line chemotherapies for ABTC.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and Science Direct for relevant controlled trials until May 2017. We estimated the Hazard ratios (HRs) for survival time and odds ratios (ORs) for response rate and toxic effects among different therapies. All data were calculated by Aggregate Data Drug Information System (ADDIS) v2.0 online and STATA software.

Results: 16 trials involving 2245 patients and 10 regimens were included in this study. In terms of the objective response rate, Cap plus CIS (CapC) exhibited better performance than FU (OR 5.46, 95% CI 1.07-56.63). Gem plus S-1 (GS) was superior to Gem (OR 4.72, 95% CI 1.31-17.02) and FU (OR 9.08, 95% CI 1.56-89.20). Also, GS had an overall survival benefit compared to FU and Gem, with a HR of 0.51 (95% CI 0.28-0.96) and 0.43 (95% CI 0.20-0.93), respectively. Compared with FU, Gem plus OXA (Gemox) prolonged the OS (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.32-0.96). And FU was also inferior to FP (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.07-3.16). The PFS did not differ between all regiments. The incidence of grade 3 or 4 hematological toxic effects appeared to be higher in the Gem-based chemotherapies. In regard to nonhematological adverse events, grade 3 or 4 diarrhea and stomotitis occurred more frequently in S-1-based groups. In addition, the Cap plus CIS combination (CapC) were more likely to cause vomiting, stomotitis and hand-foot syndrome. As for peripheral neuropathy, Gem plus OXA (Gemox), CapC and GC were associated with higher risk. There was no difference among different treatments with respect to anorexia, fatigue, nausea, pigmentation, renal dysfunction and asthenia.

Conclusion: Physicians should discuss with the patients the different options outlining potential benefit and toxicity since no clear evidence of an approach of choice can be produced.

Surgery for lumbar disc herniation: Analysis of 500 consecutive patients treated in an interdisciplinary spine centre

Surgical removal of a symptomatic herniated lumbar disc is performed either with or without the support of a microscope. Up to the time of writing, the literature has reported similar clinical outcomes for the two procedures. Five hundred consecutive patients, operated upon for primary single-level lumbar disc herniation in our University Spine Center between 2003-2011, with (n=275), or without (n=225), the aid of a microscope were included. Data were retrospectively analyzed, comparing the primary endpoint of clinical outcome and the secondary endpoints of complications, surgical time and length of hospitalization. Clinical outcomes and reoperation rates were comparable in both groups. Surgical time was significantly shorter with a mean time of 47minutes without use of the microscope compared to the mean time of 87minutes (p<0.001) with the use of the microscope. Mean length of hospitalization was shorter in those operated with the microscope (5.3days) compared to those without (6.1days, p=0.004). There was no difference in rates of complications. Microdiscectomy versus open sequestrectomy and discectomy for surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation is associated with similar clinical outcomes and reoperation rates. Open sequestrectomy is associated with shorter operation times. Microdiscectomy is associated with shorter hospitalization stays.

Higher fibrinogen concentrations for reduction of transfusion requirements during major paediatric surgery: A prospective randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Hypofibrinogenaemia is one of the main reasons for development of perioperative coagulopathy during major paediatric surgery. The aim of this study was to assess whether prophylactic maintenance of higher fibrinogen concentrations through administration of fibrinogen concentrate would decrease the volume of transfused red blood cell (RBCs).

METHODS

In this prospective, randomised, clinical trial, patients aged 6 months to 17 yr undergoing craniosynostosis and scoliosis surgery received fibrinogen concentrate (30 mg kg(-1)) at two predefined intraoperative fibrinogen concentrations [ROTEM(®) FIBTEM maximum clot firmness (MCF) of <8 mm (conventional) or <13 mm (early substitution)]. Total volume of transfused RBCs was recorded over 24 h after start of surgery.

RESULTS

Thirty children who underwent craniosynostosis surgery and 19 children who underwent scoliosis surgery were treated per protocol. During craniosynostosis surgery, children in the early substitution group received significantly less RBCs (median, 28 ml kg(-1); IQR, 21 to 50 ml kg(-1)) compared with the conventional fibrinogen trigger of <8 mm (median, 56 ml kg(-1); IQR, 28 to 62 ml kg(-1)) (P=0.03). Calculated blood loss as per cent of estimated total blood volume decreased from a median of 160% (IQR, 110-190%) to a median of 90% (IQR, 78-110%) (P=0.017). No significant changes were observed in the scoliosis surgery population. No bleeding events requiring surgical intervention, postoperative transfusions of RBCs, or treatment-related adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative administration of fibrinogen concentrate using a FIBTEM MCF trigger level of <13 mm can be successfully used to significantly decrease bleeding, and transfusion requirements in the setting of craniosynostosis surgery, but not scoliosis.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01487837.

Down-regulation of miR-140 induces EMT and promotes invasion by targeting Slug in esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are reported to regulate cell invasion and functions by interfering with the translation of target mRNAs, but the role of miRNAs in esophageal cancer (EC) remains unclear.

METHODS

RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of miRNAs and candidate genes in EC samples (n=89). miR-140 mimics and inhibitor were tansfected in human TE-1 and Eca-109 cells. The transwell assay was used to examine the cell invasive ability. The regulation mechanism was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. The markers of EMT were detected by using Western blot.

RESULTS

miR-140 expression was decreased in the EC tissues compared with the corresponding adjacent tumor tissues. Low expression of miR-140 promotes cell invasion by using transwell assay, while the effect of miR-140 high expression is reverse. Slug, a target gene of miR-140, was examined by luciferase assay and Western blot.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-140 may regulate the cell invasion of EC via controlling Slug expression.

Semiautomatic superimposition improves radiological assessment of curve flexibility in scoliosis

OBJECTIVE

Assessment of scoliotic curve flexibility and stiffness is essential for planning surgical treatment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Measurement of curve flexibility is currently insufficiently precise. The purpose of this study was to introduce and validate a novel method of superimposing radiographs for more reliable measurement of curve flexibility.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Two independent radiologists measured Cobb angles separately on standard anterior-posterior (AP) (n = 48) and supine bending radiographs (n = 48), in patients with AIS, who were randomly included from a surgical database. The same readers repeated the measurements after the bending radiographs were semi-automatically superimposed on the AP radiographs by fusing the caudad end vertebra. Curve flexibility was calculated. Inter-reader agreement between the two independent readers was calculated using interclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTS

A moderate inter-reader agreement was achieved in the upper curve (ICC = 0.57) and a good agreement in the lower curve (ICC = 0.72) with the standard method of assessing curve flexibility. With the use of the semiautomatic superimposition, however, almost perfect agreement was achieved for both the upper and the lower curves flexibilities (ICC = 0.93 and 0.97, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The introduced semi-automatic superimposition technique for measurement of scoliotic curve flexibility in AIS is more precise and reliable than the current standard method.

S-1-based vs non-S-1-based chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer: A meta-analysis

AIM: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of S-1-based vs non-S-1-based chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

METHODS: We extracted reported endpoints, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), time-to-treatment failure (TTF), objective response rate (ORR) and adverse effects, from randomized controlled trials identified in PubMed, the Cochrane library, Science Direct, EMBASE and American Society of Clinical Oncology meetings. Stata software was used to calculate the pooled values.

RESULTS: Seven randomized controlled trials involving 2176 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to non-S-1-based regimens, the use of S-1-based regimens were associated with an increase in ORR (RR = 1.300; 95%CI: 1.028-1.645); OS (HR = 0.89; 95%CI: 0.81-0.99; P = 0.025), TTF (HR = 0.83; 95%CI: 0.75-0.92; P = 0.000), and a lower risk of febrile neutropenia (RR = 0.225; P = 0.000) and stomatitis (RR = 0.230; P = 0.032). OS, PFS and TTF were prolonged, especially in the Asian population. In subgroup analysis, statistically significant increases in ORR (RR = 1.454; P = 0.029), OS (HR = 0.895; P = 0.041) and TTF (HR = 0.832; P = 0.000) were found when S-1-based chemotherapy was compared to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy. The incidence of leukopenia (RR = 0.584; P = 0.002) and stomatitis (RR = 0.230; P = 0.032) was higher in the 5-FU-based arm. S-1-based regimens had no advantage in ORR, OS, PFS, TTF and grade 3 or 4 adverse events over capecitabine-based regimens.

CONCLUSION: S-1-based chemotherapy may be a good choice for AGC because of longer survival times, better tolerance and more convenient use.

Plasmablastic lymphoma following combination treatment with fludarabine and rituximab for nongastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a case report and review of literature

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an uncommon malignancy which predominantly occurs in the oral cavity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients. Sporadic cases have been published describing PBL in immunocompetent patients as well as in immunodeficient patients following immunosuppressive therapy or transplantation. We hereby reported a case of PBL in a 69-year-old, HIV-negative male subjected to combination treatment with fludarabine and rituximab for nongastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. The diagnosis of PBL was made with tumor cells of immunoblasts or plasmablasts morphology strongly positive for MUM-1, EMA and CD138, and partly positive for CD38, and negative for CD20, BCL-6, and CD56, and approximately 80% of which were positive for Ki-67. The case presented PBL after MALT, and a history of chemotherapy including fludarabine and rituximab led to the potential immunocompromised state. The patient died 5 months after the diagnosis of PBL.