Modulation of Performance, Plasma Constituents, Small Intestinal Morphology, and Cecum Microbiota in Growing Geese by Dietary Citric Acid Supplementation

To investigate the efficiency and optimum inclusion level of CA in growing geese diets on performance, plasma constituents, and intestinal health, 240 healthy female geese at the age of 28d were randomly allotted six treatment diets incorporated with 0, 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, 3.2, and 4% CA. Each treatment group consisted of five replicates and eight birds per replicate. The findings demonstrated that 3.2% CA supplementation resulted in improved growth performance (ADG, ADFI, and FBW) (p = 0.001), and geese who received CA also showed lower body fat contents (p < 0.05) than the control group. Moreover, geese from the 2.4% and 3.2% CA group had the highest plasma glutathione peroxidase and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). A microbial diversity analysis of the cecum conducted by 16S rDNA sequencing revealed that 3.2% CA supplementation showed a significantly higher abundance of beneficial bacteria (Muribaculaceae, CHKCI001, Erysipelotricha-ceae_UCG_003, and UCG_009) (p < 0.05) and a lower abundance of harmful bacteria (Atopobiaceae, Streptococcus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Alistipes) (p < 0.10). Collectively, our results revealed that dietary supplementation with 3.2% CA had several benefits on the performance and physiological health of growing geese by promoting nutrients metabolism, improving antioxidant capacity, and modulating cecum microbiota.

[Overexpression of tuftelin and KLF-5 and its clinicopathological features in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma]

Objective: To analyze and evaluate the expressions and clinical value of tuftelin (TUFT1) and Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues. Method: KLF5 mRNA and TUFT1 mRNA transcriptional status in cancer and non-cancer groups were compared according to the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The differences and prognostic value between the groups were analyzed. Postoperative liver cancer and its paired pericancerous tissues, with the approval of the ethics committee, were collected to build tissue chips. The expression of KLF5 and TUFT1 and their intracellular localization were verified by immunohistochemistry. Tissue expression and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed by immunoblotting. SPSS software was used to analyze the relationship between SPSS and patient prognosis. Results: The transcription level of TUFT1 or KLF5 mRNA was significantly higher in the HCC group than the non-cancer group (P < 0.001), according to TCGA data. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting examination confirmed the overexpression of TUFT1 and KLF5 in human HCC tissues, which were mainly localized in the cytoplasm and cell membrane. The positivity rates of TUFT1 and KLF5 were 87.1% ( χ(2) = 18.563, P < 0.001) and 95.2% ( χ(2) = 96.435, P < 0.001) in HCC tissues, and both were significantly higher than those in the adjacent group. The expression intensity was higher in stage III-IV than stage I-II of the International Union Against Cancer standard (P < 0.01). The clinicopathological features showed that the abnormalities of the two were significantly related to HBV infection, tumor size, extrahepatic metastasis, TNM stage, and ascites. Univariate analysis was related to tumor size, HBV infection, and survival. Multivariate analysis was an independent prognostic factor for patients with HCC. Conclusion: TUFT1 and KLF5 may both be novel markers possessing clinical value in the diagnosis and prognosis of HBV-related HCC.

Sodium fluoride-induced autophagy of ameloblast-like cells via the p-ULk1/ATG13/LC3B pathway in vitro

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of sodium fluoride on the ameloblast and reveal the mechanism of dental fluorosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mouse ameloblast-like cell line (ALC) cells were treated with various concentrations of NaF, and subjected to Incucyte, fluorescence immunoassay, transmission electron microscopy, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blot for autophagy examination, alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red staining for mineralization after osteogenic induction.

RESULTS

NaF exerts a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on ALC cell growth. TEM and fluorescence immunoassay showed that 1.5 mM or higher concentrations of NaF could induce a fusion of lysosome and mitochondria, finally increasing the number of autophagosome. RT-qPCR and western blot showed that the upregulation of autophagy related gene 13 (ATG13), downregulation of phosphorylated Unc-51-like kinase 1 (p-ULK1) were found in NaF-induced autophagy of ALC cells. The knockdown of ATG13 could rescue it as well as the expression of p-ULK1 and LC3B. Besides, alizarin red staining showed that fluoride under these concentrations could promote the mineralization of ALC.

CONCLUSIONS

The data show that fluoride in higher concentration can induce autophagy via the p-ULk1/ATG13/LC3B pathway of ALCs than lower ones promote mineralization in vitro, which provides insight into the function of NaF in the autophagy and mineralization of ameloblast.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of goserelin 10.8-mg depot in Chinese patients with localized or locally advanced prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE

Real-word data on long-acting luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists in Chinese patients with prostate cancer are limited. This study aimed to determine the real-world effectiveness and safety of the LHRH agonist, goserelin, particularly the long-acting 10.8-mg depot formulation, and the follow-up patterns among Chinese prostate cancer patients.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study in hormone treatment-naïve patients with localized or locally advanced prostate cancer who were prescribed goserelin 10.8-mg depot every 12 weeks or 3.6-mg depot every 4 weeks with or without an anti-androgen. The patients had follow-up evaluations for 26 weeks. The primary outcome was the effectiveness of goserelin in reducing serum testosterone and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. The secondary outcomes included testosterone and PSA levels, attainment of chemical castration (serum testosterone <50 ng/dL), and goserelin safety. The exploratory outcome was the monitoring pattern for serum testosterone and PSA. All analyses were descriptive.

RESULTS

Between September 2017 and December 2019, a total of 294 eligible patients received ≥ 1 dose of goserelin; 287 patients (97.6%) were treated with goserelin 10.8-mg depot. At week 24 ± 2, the changes from baseline [standard deviation (95% confidence interval)] in serum testosterone (n = 99) and PSA (n = 131) were -401.0 ng/dL [308.4 ng/dL (-462.5, -339.5 ng/dL)] and -35.4 ng/mL [104.4 ng/mL (-53.5, -17.4 ng/mL)], respectively. Of 112 evaluable patients, 100 (90.2%) achieved a serum testosterone level < 50 ng/dL. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and severe TEAEs occurred in 37.1% and 10.2% of patients, respectively. The mean testing frequency (standard deviation) was 1.6 (1.5) for testosterone and 2.2 (1.6) for PSA.

CONCLUSIONS

Goserelin 10.8-mg depot effectively achieved and maintained castration and was well-tolerated in Chinese patients with localized and locally advanced prostate cancer.

[A preliminary study on the establishment of a subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy center]

Allergic diseases can notably affect a patient's quality of life. World Health Organization (WHO) has identified these diseases as one of the key areas for research and prevention in the 21st century. Currently, allergen-specific immunotherapy is viewed as a potential treatment approach that could modify the natural progression of allergic diseases, thus being recognized as a crucial tactic in their prevention and treatment. Nonetheless, the broad implementation of allergen-specific immunotherapy in clinical settings continues to confront challenges. One significant issue is the absence of standardized centers for subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy. This article presents several perspectives and recommendations for establishing a standardized subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy center.

Dose-related effects of early-life intake of sn-2 palmitate, a specific positionally distributed human milk fatty acid, on the composition and metabolism of the intestinal microbiota

sn2 Palmitate in human milk plays an important role in the physiological health of infants by reducing mineral loss, improving stool hardness, and relieving constipation. Also, sn-2 palmitate modulates intestinal microbiota. However, it remains unclear whether the effects of sn-2 palmitate on infant gut microbiota are dose-dependent. In this study, we investigated the effects of low, medium, and high doses (600, 1,800, and 5,400 mg/kg body weight, respectively) of sn-2 palmitate on the structure, composition, and metabolic function of intestinal microbes in mice. Our results showed that high doses of sn-2 palmitate significantly modulated α- and β-diversity of the intestinal microbiota. The relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group decreased with increasing doses of sn-2 palmitate. In contrast, the abundances of Bacteroidetes phylum, Bacteroides, uncultured_Lachnospiraceae, and uncultured_Muribaculaceae were positively correlated with sn-2 palmitate doses. The number of genes predicted encoding autophagy-yeast, phospholipase D signaling pathway, and pentose and glucuronate interconversion metabolic functions of intestinal microbiota increased with increasing doses of sn-2 palmitate. In addition, low and medium doses of sn-2 palmitate significantly upregulated the arginine and proline metabolic pathways, and high doses of sn-2 palmitate significantly increased purine metabolism. Our results revealed that the effects of sn-2 palmitate intake early in life on the composition and metabolism of the intestinal microbiota of mice showed dose-related differences. The study is expected to provide a scientific basis for the development of infant formulas.

Analysis of risk factors for community-acquired Clostridioides difficile diarrhea in children: a case-control study in Chenzhou, China

Background

Most previous studies on Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) mainly focused on adults with underlying diseases or critical illnesses. However, the number of CDI cases in children has also significantly increased, especially the growth of community-acquired CDI, which has attracted attention. This study was conducted to examine the toxin gene characteristics and the risk factors associated with community-acquired CDI (CA-CDI) in children with diarrhea.

Methods

Children with diarrhea before admission or within 48 hours of hospitalization were included in the study. Stool samples were collected from children with community-acquired diarrhea who were treated at the Children's Hospital of the First People's Hospital of Chenzhou, China from June of 2021 to June of 2022. Fluorescence real-time polymerase chain reaction was utilized to detect Clostridioides difficile (CD) toxins A (tcdA) and B (tcdB) genes as well as binary toxin gene A (cdtA) and B (cdtB) in the specimens cultured for CD. Each child with CA-CDI was matched with four control children of the same sex, age, and place of residence. Necessary clinical data were extracted from the hospital's electronic medical record system. Then, a multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis was applied to identify potential risk factors for CA-CDI.

Results

Sixteen (8.3%) of the 193 stool specimens who tested positive for CD were selected for the case group, and their matching 64 control patients were in the study cohort. The breakdown of the CD genotypes of the 16 positive cases were follows: 14 (tcdA+ and tcdB+) (7.25%) and 2 (tcdA+ and tcdB-) (1.04%). The cdtA and cdtB binary toxin genes were negative in all. The results of multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis identified antibiotic use within the previous month [odds ratio (OR) =5.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.65-15.91] and non-breastfeeding (OR =4.89; 95% CI: 1.11-21.53) as independent risk factors for CDI in pediatric patients experiencing community-acquired diarrhea.

Conclusions

Children who had been treated with antibiotics and not breastfed were more susceptible to CDI. Therefore, in order to prevent and to control the spread of CD infection, being prudent to the aforementioned high-risk factors is strongly advocated in clinical practice.

Dual interfaces and confinements on Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN heterojunction toward high-efficient lithium storage

Ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) as an anode material of lithium-ion battery has been widely investigated due to its high theoretical capacity, environmental friendliness, natural abundance, and low cost. However, it suffers from severe aggregation and volume expansion during energy storage. Herein, we rationally construct an advanced Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN heterostructure via a hydrothermal and followed nitridation process, where the wrapping of conductive Fe2N on the surface of Fe3O4 effectively improves the electron conductivity and alleviates the volume expansion, and VN inhibits the agglomeration of Fe2N@Fe3O4. Benefiting from the dual conductive confinements and promoted interfacial charge transfer, the Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN heterojunction exhibits excellent rate capability and cycling stability. It possesses the highest reversible capacity of 420.8 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 after 600 cycles, which is three times that of Fe3O4. Furthermore, a full cell based on a Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN anode and a LiFePO4 cathode delivers considerable electrochemical performance. This work demonstrates that Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN is a potential anode material and provides a model in constructing other high-performance electrode materials.

[Chinese expert guidance on overall application of lenvatinib in hepatocellular carcinoma]

Lenvatinib mesylate is an oral receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor against targets of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1-3, fibroblast growth factor receptors 1-4, platelet-derived growth factor receptor α, stem cell growth factor receptor, and rearranged during transfection, et al. Lenvatinib has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China on September 4, 2018, for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who have not received systematic treatment before. Up to February 2023, Lenvatinib has been listed in China for more than 4 years, accumulating a series of post-marketing clinical research evidences. Based on the clinical practice before and after the launch of lenvatinib and referring to the clinical experience of other anti-angiogenesis inhibitors, domestic multidisciplinary experts and scholars adopt the Delphi method to formulate the Chinese Expert Guidance on Overall Application of Lenvatinib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma after repeated discussions and revisions, in order to provide reference for reasonable and effective clinical application of lenvatinib for clinicians.

Personalized music therapy combined with medication as treatment for tinnitus

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effects of personalized music therapy in combination with medication as a treatment for tinnitus.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed a total of 200 patients who were admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology in our hospital from June 2018 to June 2019, with tinnitus as their primary complaint. Patients were divided into four groups based on their individual treatment methods: medication group (patients received medication only, n=40), tinnitus masking (TM) group (patients received medication plus TM, n=38), tinnitus re-training (TRT) group (patients received medication plus TRT, n=35), and personalized group (patients received medication plus personalized music therapy, n=30). The pure-tone audiometry (PTA), loudness visual analogue scale (VAS), and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) for each patient were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were statistically significant differences in the THI and VAS scores of all groups before and after treatment (p<0.05). Following nine and twelve months of treatment, the THI and VAS scores of the TRT group and the personalized group were significantly lower than those of the other two groups (p<0.05). The THI and VAS scores of the personalized group were significantly lower than those of the TRT group (p<0.05). Additionally, THI and VAS scores were statistically different at various measurement time points in each group (p<0.05). The clinical effective rate (85.37%) of the personalized group was higher than that of the other three groups (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

TM, TRT, or personalized music therapy, when combined with medication, are effective in treating patients with tinnitus. Among these methods, personalized music therapy may be the superior treatment after nine months of treatment.

[Prevalence rate and risk factor analysis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in 115 female patients with schizophrenia]

Objective: To investigate the incidence rate and risk factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). Methods: The incidence rate of NAFLD in 115 females with SCZ over 40 years of age with complete clinical data was analyzed with the consent of the Ethics Committee of Nantong Fourth People's Hospital. A physical examination report of healthy subjects (n = 95, female, age 40 years old or older) was taken as the control group. Natural language processing technology was used to extract relevant data from the patient's electronic medical record system. Body mass index, alanine aminotransferase, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, leptin, and adiponectin were used to establish a human NAFLD-related model. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the psychiatric symptoms, and physiological and biochemical indexes for the predictive value of NAFLD in female patients with SCZ. Results: The prevalence of NAFLD was significantly higher in the SCZ group (55.7%, 64/115) than that in the control group (26.3%, 25/95) (χ (2) = 18.335, P < 0.001). The prediction model showed that age, alanine aminotransferase, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, leptin, adiponectin, and body mass index were significantly correlated with NAFLD in females with SCZ. In the natural language processing search language model, arousal intensity (movements: uncontrolled running behavior) and emotional apathy were strongly linked to female patients with SCZ with NAFLD. Age, alanine aminotransferase, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, leptin, and body mass index were risk factors for SCZ to develop NAFLD, and adiponectin levels and uncontrolled running behavior were protective factors. Conclusion: The incidence rate of NAFLD is high in middle-aged and elderly females with SCZ. Natural language processing can help to automatically identify the risk factors for SCZ combined with NAFLD and has predictive and auxiliary diagnostic value.

Circadian gene ARNTL initiates circGUCY1A2 transcription to suppress non-small cell lung cancer progression via miR-200c-3p/PTEN signaling

BACKGROUND

As a subclass of endogenous stable noncoding RNAs, circular RNAs are beginning to be appreciated for their potential as tumor therapeutics. However, the functions and mechanisms by which circRNAs exert protective functions in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain largely elusive.

METHODS

The prognostic role of circGUCY1A2 was explored in lung adenocarcinoma specimens. The overexpressed and knockdown plasmids were used to evaluate the effect of circGUCY1A2 on NSCLC cell proliferation and apoptosis efficacy. Luciferase reporter system is used to prove that circGUCY1A2 could bind to miRNA. Chip-PCR was used to prove that circGUCY1A2 could be initiated by transcription factors ARNTL. Subcutaneous tumorigenicity grafts models were established to validate findings in vivo.

RESULTS

The expression of circGUCY1A2 were significantly reduced (P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with tumor size (P < 0.05) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). CircGUCY1A2 upregulation promoted apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation and growth of subcutaneous tumorigenicity grafts in nude mice (P < 0.01). In addition, intra-tumor injection of pLCDH-circGUCY1A2 inhibited tumor growth in patient-derived NSCLC xenograft models (PDX). Mechanism studies showed that circGUCY1A2 could act as a sponge to competitively bind miR-200c-3p, promote PTEN expression, and thereby inhibit PI3K/AKT pathway. In addition, we found that the circadian gene ARNTL, which was reduced in NSCLC and prolonged the overall survival of patients, could bind to the promoter of circGUCY1A2, thereby increasing its expression.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is an original demonstration that ARNTL can inhibit the development of lung adenocarcinoma through the circGUCY1A2/miR-200c-3p/PTEN axis, and this finding provides potential targets and therapeutic approaches for the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.

The role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in bladder cancer progression

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that critically contribute to cancer initiation and progression. In bladder cancer (BCa), there is emerging evidence that BCa CAFs are actively involved in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance. This review outlines the present knowledge of BCa CAFs, with a particular emphasis on their origin and function in BCa progression, and provides further insights into their clinical application.

Efficacy and safety of LY01005 versus goserelin implant in Chinese patients with prostate cancer: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III, non-inferiority trial

BACKGROUND

LY01005 (Goserelin acetate sustained-release microsphere injection) is a modified gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist injected monthly. This phase III trial study aimed to evaluated the efficacy and safety of LY01005 in Chinese patients with prostate cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a randomized controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial across 49 sites in China. This study included 290 patients with prostate cancer who received either LY01005 or goserelin implants every 28 days for three injections. The primary efficacy endpoints were the percentage of patients with testosterone suppression ≤50 ng/dL at day 29 and the cumulative probability of testosterone ≤50 ng/dL from day 29 to 85. Non-inferiority was prespecified at a margin of -10%. Secondary endpoints included significant castration (≤20 ng/dL), testosterone surge within 72 h following repeated dosing, and changes in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and prostate specific antigen levels.

RESULTS

On day 29, in the LY01005 and goserelin implant groups, testosterone concentrations fell below medical-castration levels in 99.3% (142/143) and 100% (140/140) of patients, respectively, with a difference of -0.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], -3.9% to 2.0%) between the two groups. The cumulative probabilities of maintaining castration from days 29 to 85 were 99.3% and 97.8%, respectively, with a between-group difference of 1.5% (95% CI, -1.3% to 4.4%). Both results met the criterion for non-inferiority. Secondary endpoints were similar between groups. Both treatments were well-tolerated. LY01005 was associated with fewer injection-site reactions than the goserelin implant (0% vs . 1.4% [2/145]).

CONCLUSION

LY01005 is as effective as goserelin implants in reducing testosterone to castration levels, with a similar safety profile.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04563936.

Adsorption of heavy metals on biodegradable and conventional microplastics in the Pearl River Estuary, China

In recent years, microplastics (MPs) as emerging carriers for environmental pollutants have attracted increasing worldwide attention. However, the adsorption of heavy metals on MPs, especially for biodegradable MPs, has been still poorly understood in estuarine environments. In this study, we investigated the aging of biodegradable and conventional MPs in the Pearl River Estuary after long-term exposure and their impacts on the adsorption of heavy metals from seawater. The results showed that the changes in surface characteristics were more prominent on biodegradable MPs than on conventional MPs after aging. Both biodegradable and conventional MPs could adsorb heavy metals, and their adsorption capacities fluctuated greatly on different MPs and different exposure times. The adsorption capacities of Cu, Pb, and As on biodegradable MPs were higher than those on conventional MPs, whereas Mn, Cr, and Co had lower adsorption on biodegradable MPs after 9-12 months by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The aging characteristics (CI, O/C, and X_c) of MPs accounted for a contribution of 51.0% on heavy metal adsorption, while the environmental factors (temperature, salinity, pH, and heavy metal concentration) only contributed to 13.2%. Therefore, the present study can provide important evidence on the environmental behaviors and ecological risks of biodegradable and conventional MPs in estuarine systems.

[Early antiviral treatment response in HBeAg-positive chronic HBV infected-patients with high viral load and normal ALT]

The diagnosis and treatment rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in China in 2020 were 22.1% and 15.0%, respectively, according to the Polaris Observatory HBV Collaborators report. This is still far below the World Health Organization's 2030 hepatitis B elimination target (90% and 80%, respectively, for the diagnosis and treatment rates). Although China has promulgated and implemented a series of policies to eliminate the hepatitis B virus, there are still many HBV infected patients who need to be detected and treated. It has been contoversial whether HBeAg-positive chronic HBV infected-patients with high viral load and normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT), also known as the "immune-tolerant phase," should receive anti-HBV therapy. Hepatologists should pay attention to the patient population known as "immune tolerant," as well as the continuous accumulation of evidence-based medical evidence for early antiviral therapy response. The current focus is on discussing the pros and cons of receiving and recommending anti-HBV therapy at this time for the management of these patients.

Neuropilin-2 inhibits drug resistance and progression of melanoma involving the miR-331-3p regulated cascade

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small noncoding RNAs that are crucial in the development and progression of tumours. Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer and is resistant to most of the chemotherapeutic agents. However, the role of miRs in melanoma remains poorly studied.

Objective:

The work aimed to demonstrate that miR-331-3p is downregulated in melanoma against the benign melanocytic nevi.

Methods:

RT-PCR analysis was performed for the expression of proteins; cell proliferation and wound healing assays were carried out. Flow cytometry study was conducted for cell cycle analysis; colony formation assay was performed by soft agar method. For developing a tumour xenograft model, nu/nu mice were selected.

Results:

Up-regulation of miR-331-3p in melanoma cells decreased cell proliferation, cell migration, and also drug resistance. Over-expression of miR-331-3p resulted in suppression of NRP2 and up-regulation of E-cadherin levels. Moreover, the levels of MDR1, ABCG-2, and ABCG-5 were decreased. However, the knockdown of NRP2 demonstrated similar effects as that of miR-331-3p overexpression in tumour cells. Overexpression of miR-331-3p caused significant inhibition of tumour growth and its metastasis in mice model of melanoma, which was associated with depletion of NRP2 protein and increased expression of E-cadherin. However, the effects of miR-331-3p on the migration, cell proliferation, and self-renewal were overturned by the upregulation of NRP2, which also resulted in the inhibition of E-cadherin and overexpression of MDR-1, ABCG-2, and ABCG-5.

Conclusion:

The findings point out the key role of miR-331-3p in the progression and drug resistance of melanoma involving NRP2.

[Regulatory mechanism and potential value of circular RNA in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease progression]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD) or metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, has become the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. In recent years, the relationship between NAFLD and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) has attracted the attention of basic and clinical researchers. Circular RNA (circRNA) is a lipid metabolism-related non-coding RNA (ncRNA) that is highly conserved in eukaryotic cells and resembles but differs from linear ncRNAs at their 5'- and 3'-terminal ends. With tissue-specific and steady expression of endogenous ncRNA, miRNA binding sites are contained on closed and circular nucleoside chains, forming the circRNA-miR-mRNA axis or network with proteins, competing with endogenous RNA sponge-like mechanisms, playing a role in inhibiting or promoting the expression of related target genes, and participating in the progression of NAFLD. This paper reviews the circRNA regulatory mechanism, detection technology, and potential clinical value in NAFLD.

[Progress in research of Clostridium perfringens toxin]

Clostridium perfringens can produce many kinds of toxins and hydrolase, causing gas gangrene, enteritis and enterotoxemia in both human and animals. It is known that C. perfringens can produce more than 20 toxins and hydrolases. The different toxin types are associated with specific disease types. At present, molecular toxin-typing method by PCR has replaced the traditional serological typing method. In this study, we systematically summarize the types, basic characteristics, pathogenic mechanism and the relationship with disease of C. perfringens toxins to provide evidence for the establishment of rapid detection method, immune antigen screening, antibody preparation and research of related pathogenic mechanism.

Dual-controlled tunable dual-band and ultra-broadband coherent perfect absorber in the THz range

This paper proposes a vanadium dioxide metamaterial-based tunable, polarization-independent coherent perfect absorber (CPA) in the terahertz frequency range. The designed CPA demonstrates intelligent reconfigurable switch modulation from an ultra-broadband absorber mode to a dual-band absorber mode via the thermally controlled of VO₂. The mode of ultra-broadband absorber is realized when the conductivity of VO₂ reaches 11850 S/m via controlling its temperature around T = 328 K. In this mode, the CPA demonstrates more than 90% absorption efficiency within the ultra-wide frequency band that extends from 0.1 THz to 10.8 THz. As the conductivity of VO₂ reaches 2×10⁵ S/m (T = 340 K), the CPA switches to a dual-band absorber mode where a relatively high absorption efficiency of 98% and 99.7% is detected at frequencies of 4.5 THz and 9.8 THz, respectively. Additionally, using phase modulation of the incident light, the proposed CPA can regulate the absorption efficiency, which can be intelligently controlled from perfect absorption to high pass-through transmission. Owing to the ability of the proposed CPA to intelligently control the performance of light, this study can contribute towards enhancing the performance of stealth devices, all-optical switches and coherent photodetectors.

Caspase-8 Blocks Receptor-Interacting Protein Kinase-1 Kinase-Independent Necroptosis during Embryogenesis

Caspase-8 (Casp8) suppresses receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3)/mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL)-dependent necroptosis, demonstrated by the genetic evidence that deletion of Ripk3 or Mlkl prevented embryonic lethality of Casp8-deficient mice. However, the detailed mechanisms by which Casp8 deficiency triggers necroptosis during embryonic development remain unclear. In this article, we show that Casp8 deletion caused formation of the RIPK1-RIPK3 necrosome in the yolk sac, leading to vascularization defects, prevented by MLKL and RIPK3 deficiency, or RIPK3 RHIM mutant (RIPK3 V448P), but not by the RIPK1 kinase-dead mutant (RIPK1 K45A). In addition, Ripk1^K45A/K45ACasp8 ^-/- mice died on embryonic day 14.5, which was delayed to embryonic day 17.5 by ablation of one allele in Ripk1 and was completely rescued by ablation of Mlkl Our results revealed an in vivo role of RIPK3 RHIM and RIPK1^K45A scaffold-mediated necroptosis in Casp8 deficiency embryonic development and suggested that the Casp8-deficient yolk sac might be implicated in identifying novel regulators as an in vivo necroptotic model.

[Analysis of upper airway morphology and laryngopharyngeal reflux in obese patients with OSA]

Objective: To investigate the morphological characteristics of upper airway and laryngopharyngeal reflux in obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 284 adult patients who underwent polysomnography (PSG) from April 2020 to April 2021 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, including 83 males and 201 females, aged (32.70±7.74) years. Patients were divided into obese group (n=234) and non-obese group (n=50) according to body mass index (BMI). Patients were divided into mild OSA group, moderate OSA group, severe OSA group and extremely severe OSA group by PSG.The results of sleepiness and laryngopharyngeal reflux questionnaire, nasolaryngoscopy and polysomnography were compared in each group. SPSS (version 22.0) software was used in data analysis. Results: Compared with the non-obese OSA group, the lymphoid hyperplasia of tongue root was more heavy in the obese OSA group, and Mueller's maneuver showed that the left-right lateral collapse of the velopharyngeal plane was more serious. Meanwhile, the scores of reflux symtom index (RSI) and reflux finding score (RFS) in the obese OSA group were significantly increased, and the scores of RSI and RFS increased with the increase of OSA severity. The main respiratory events in obese patients with OSA were obstructive hypopnea, their apnea-hypopnea indices(AHI) during REM (AHI_REM) was significantly higher than non-REM (AHI_NREM), and they had lower average blood oxygen saturation. Yet, there was no significant difference in the lowest blood oxygen saturation between the two groups. Conclusions: Our study suggests that lateral pharyngeal wall stenosis in velopharyngeal plane and the lymphoid hyperplasia of tongue root in glossopharyngeal plane occurs more frequently in obese patients with OSA. Laryngopharyngeal reflux is significantly increased in obese patients, and OSA increases laryngopharyngeal reflux in obese patients.

Apigenin inhibits growth of melanoma by suppressing miR-512-3p and promoting the G1 phase of cell cycle involving the p27 Kip1 protein

In the present study, we screened multiple melanoma cell lines for treatment of Apigenin and miRNA expression, also studied the role of miR-512-3p in melanoma. RT-PCR analysis was done for screening miRNA in melanoma cell lines (WM1361B, WM983A, WM1341D, SK-MEL-3, SH-4, SK-MEL-24 and RPMI-7951) compared to normal human epidermal melanocytes. Colony formation assay for cell viability studies, cell cycle by flowcytometry and protein expression by immunoblot analysis. For in vivo analysis tumour xenograft mouse model was created. Immunohistochemistry was done for PCNA positive cells. For expression of miR-512-3p in tumour tissues fluorescence in situ hybridization was done. In silico studies were done by molecular docking studies. The WM1361B and WM983A cell lines showed overexpression of miR-512-3p and increased cell proliferation compared to normal human epidermal melanocytes. Treatment of anti-miR-512-3p to WM1361B and WM983A cells halted cell proliferation and also caused G1-phase arrest. We studied the effect of Apigenin on the expression levels of miR-512-3p and associated molecular targets. Apigenin treatment in WM1361B and WM983A cells showed inhibition in expression of miR-512-3p, arrest of G1 phase of cell cycle, cytotoxicity and revival of p27 Kip1. Apigenin treatment significantly suppressed the growth of WM1361B in tumour induced mice, the activity was associated with decreased levels of miR-512-3p, tumour cell proliferation and increased levels of p27 Kip1 protein. Docking studies confirm potential affinity of Apigenin for p27 Kip1. Apigenin acts as an inhibitor of miR-512-3p by suppressing growth of melanoma both in vitro and in vivo targeting the p27 Kip1 axis.

Plasma tRNA-derived small RNAs signature as a predictive and prognostic biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

The prevalence of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has increased, thus novel biomarkers for its early diagnosis is becoming more important than ever. tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA) is a new class of non-coding RNA which has important regulatory roles in cancer biology. This study was designed to identify novel predictive and prognostic tsRNA biomarkers.

Methods

tsRNAs were identified and performed differential expression analysis from 10 plasma samples (6 LUAD and 4 normal, SRP266333) and 96 tissue samples (48 LUAD and 48 normal, SRP133217). Then a tsRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed to find hub tsRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to infer the potential pathways associated with tsRNAs. Afterwards, a Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm was used to explore the potential biomarkers for diagnosing LUAD. Lastly, the function of tRF-21-RK9P4P9L0 was explored in A549 and H1299 cell lines.

Results

A significant difference of read distribution was observed between normal people and LUAD patients whether in plasma or tissue. A tsRNA-mRNA regulatory network consisting of 155 DEtsRNAs (differential expression tsRNAs) and 406 DEmRNAs (differential expression mRNAs) was established. Three tsRNAs (tRF-16-L85J3KE, tRF-21-RK9P4P9L0 and tRF-16-PSQP4PE) were identified as hub genes with degree > 100. We found Co-DEmRNAs (intersection of DEtsRNAs target mRNAs and differentially expressed mRNAs in LUAD) were engaged in a number of cancer pathways. The AUC of the three hub tsRNAs’ expression for diagnosing LUAD reached 0.92. Furthermore, the qPCR validation of the three hub tsRNAs in 37 paired normal and LUAD tissues was consistent with the RNA-Seq results. In addition, tRF-21-RK9P4P9L0 was negatively associated with LUAD prognosis. Inhibition of tRF-21-RK9P4P9L0 expression reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion ability of A549 and H1299 cell lines.

Conclusion

These findings will help us further understand the molecular mechanisms of LUAD and contribute to novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic target discovery.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02481-6.

Aligning tumor mutational burden (TMB) quantification across diagnostic platforms: phase II of the Friends of Cancer Research TMB Harmonization Project

BACKGROUND

Tumor mutational burden (TMB) measurements aid in identifying patients who are likely to benefit from immunotherapy; however, there is empirical variability across panel assays and factors contributing to this variability have not been comprehensively investigated. Identifying sources of variability can help facilitate comparability across different panel assays, which may aid in broader adoption of panel assays and development of clinical applications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-nine tumor samples and 10 human-derived cell lines were processed and distributed to 16 laboratories; each used their own bioinformatics pipelines to calculate TMB and compare to whole exome results. Additionally, theoretical positive percent agreement (PPA) and negative percent agreement (NPA) of TMB were estimated. The impact of filtering pathogenic and germline variants on TMB estimates was assessed. Calibration curves specific to each panel assay were developed to facilitate translation of panel TMB values to whole exome sequencing (WES) TMB values.

RESULTS

Panel sizes >667 Kb are necessary to maintain adequate PPA and NPA for calling TMB high versus TMB low across the range of cut-offs used in practice. Failure to filter out pathogenic variants when estimating panel TMB resulted in overestimating TMB relative to WES for all assays. Filtering out potential germline variants at >0% population minor allele frequency resulted in the strongest correlation to WES TMB. Application of a calibration approach derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas data, tailored to each panel assay, reduced the spread of panel TMB values around the WES TMB as reflected in lower root mean squared error (RMSE) for 26/29 (90%) of the clinical samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Estimation of TMB varies across different panels, with panel size, gene content, and bioinformatics pipelines contributing to empirical variability. Statistical calibration can achieve more consistent results across panels and allows for comparison of TMB values across various panel assays. To promote reproducibility and comparability across assays, a software tool was developed and made publicly available.

[Clinical analysis of 16 cases of pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma]

Objective: To improve the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (P-EHE). Methods: Sixteen patients diagnosed with P-EHE in Fuzhou Pulmonary Hospital of Fujian Province from January 2009 to July 2020 were collected. Their gender, age, imaging findings, pathological characteristics, treatment protocols, survival and other clinical data were summarized and analyzed. Results: The ratio of male to female among the 16 patients was 1∶1; and the average age of onset was 47.75 years. Most cases of PEHE (9/16) were found by physical examination, while some cases developed respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, chest pain, etc. (7/16). In most patients the lesions were localized to the lungs (11/16), while bone metastasis (1/16), lymph node metastasis (1/16), and pleural metastasis (4/16) also occurred. The pathological tissues were obtained mainly through surgical thoracoscopy. Chest CT images showed multiple nodules in both lungs, with most of the nodules less than 2.0 cm in diameter, and calcifications were seen, while solitary nodules and masses were rare, and pleural metastases could be manifested as pleural thickening and pleural effusion. The pathological findings were well-defined eosinophilic nodules with irregularly arranged nest-like structures. Those eosinophilic nodules had few central cells and abundant peripheral cells, which extended into the alveolar cavity like papillae. The tumor cells were epithelioid with small atypia, and vacuoles and red blood cells could be seen in the cytoplasm of individual tumor cells. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive to CD34, CD31, Factor Ⅷ andvimentin (VIM). Follow-up of 0.5 to 11 years showed that four patients died, two lost to follow-up, and the rest of the patients were in good condition, with a median overall survival (OS) of 4.58 years. Conclusions: PEHE is a rare low-grade lung tumor with no specific clinical manifestations. It can be diagnosed with chest imaging and pathological immunohistochemistry. Moreover, there is currently no standard treatment for PEHE, and most patients have a good prognosis.

Effect of Health Belief Model Education on Increasing Cognition and Self-Care Behaviour among Elderly Women with Malignant Gynaecological Tumours in Fujian, China

Objective

This study evaluated the effect of a health belief model (HBM) educational intervention on the self-perception of and complications related to disease in elderly gynaecological malignancy patients.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Fujian Maternal and Child Health Hospital, China. A total of 301 women aged 60 years and older who were diagnosed with gynaecological malignancies from January 2019 to August 2020 were recruited. Participants were randomly divided into the HBM education and basic nursing groups. The participants in the HBM education group received perioperative rehabilitation education based on the HBM, and the participants in the basic nursing group received routine basic nursing. Rehabilitation training compliance, psychological resilience, psychological flexibility, self-efficacy, self-care ability, and lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LEDVT) incidence were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results

Thirty-three women were excluded based on the exclusion criteria, and 268 participants were eventually included and randomly divided into two groups: 134 participants in the HBM education group and 134 participants in the basic nursing group. Before HBM education, there were no significant differences in the mean scores of psychological resilience (50.43 ± 3.29 vs. 50.55 ± 2.29, P = 0.738), psychological flexibility (48.98 ± 3.45 vs. 49.29 ± 3.59, P = 0.465), self-efficacy (26.49 ± 5.26 vs. 26.29 ± 6.41, P = 0.781), or rehabilitation training compliance (28.4% vs. 27.8%, P = 0.922) between the two groups. After HBM education, the scores of training compliance (80.6% vs. 30.1%, P < 0.001), psychological resilience (55.47 ± 5.01 vs. 50.46 ± 2.62, P < 0.001), psychological flexibility (56.53 ± 4.51 vs. 49.13 ± 3.62, P < 0.001), self-efficacy (30.79 ± 4.56 vs. 26.41 ± 6.37, P < 0.001), self-care knowledge (43.36 ± 7.60 vs. 34.05 ± 6.99, P < 0.001), self-concept (29.57 ± 5.67 vs. 20.11 ± 3.86, P < 0.001), self-care responsibility (27.54 ± 5.09 vs. 20.86 ± 4.53, P < 0.001), and self-care skills (34.51 ± 5.62 vs. 21.62 ± 5.64, P < 0.001) were higher in the HBM education group than those in the basic nursing group. Additionally, the incidence of LEDVT was lower in the HBM group than that in the basic nursing group (2.2% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.027).

Conclusion

This study indicated that perioperative HBM education can improve the cognition and self-care ability of elderly gynaecological malignancy patients and reduce postoperative complications.

Characteristics of expanded polystyrene microplastics on island beaches in the Pearl River Estuary: abundance, size, surface texture and their metals-carrying capacity

While expanded polystyrene (EPS) microplastics have been widely recognized as one of the most important components of plastic litter in the intertidal zones of the global ocean, our understanding of their environmental fate on island beaches is insufficient. In this study, we intended to reveal that the latest EPS microplastic pollution status on 5 island beaches in the Pearl River Estuary, China, by comprehensively assessing the abundance, distribution, size, surface texture and carrying capacity of heavy metals (Cd, As, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, Mn, Fe, Al). High level of EPS microplastic abundance ranged from 328 to 82,276 particles m^-2 was found, with the highest abundance at Guishan Island and the lowest at Dong'ao Island. Spatial distribution of EPS microplastic abundance was significantly different among different islands. EPS microplastics in the size range of 1-2 mm were the most abundant. The content of heavy metals in EPS microplastics collected on the beaches was greater than that in the new EPS products. The average concentrations of heavy metals in EPS microplastics from 5 islands are Cd (0.27 ± 0.19 μg g^-1), As (5.50 ± 3.84 μg g^-1), Cr (14.9 ± 8.25 μg g^-1), Cu (15.0 ± 7.66 μg g^-1), Ni (17.2 ± 17.6 μg g^-1), Pb (24.8 ± 7.39 μg g^-1), Mn (730 ± 797 μg g^-1), Fe (8340 ± 4760 μg g^-1), and Al (9624 ± 6187 μg g^-1), respectively. The correlation between heavy metals in EPS microplastics and sediments was better than that between heavy metals in EPS microplastics and seawater. The study results indicated that EPS microplastics could act as a carrier for the transport of heavy metals, which might pose a threat to biological and human health.

Significance of KDM6A mutation in bladder cancer immune escape

Background

Bladder cancer (BC) is the fourth most prevalent neoplasm in men and is associated with high tumour recurrence rates, leading to major treatment challenges. Lysine-specific demethylase 6A (KDM6A) is frequently mutated in several cancer types; however, its effects on tumour progression and clinical outcome in BC remain unclear. Here, we explored the potential role of KDM6A in regulating the antitumor immune response.

Methods

We mined The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases for somatic mutation and clinical data in patients with BC.

Results

We found frequent mutations in 12 genes in both cohorts, including TP53, KDM6A, CSMD3, MUC16, STAG2, PIK3CA, ARID1A, RB1, EP300, ERBB2, ERBB3, and FGFR3. The frequency o KDM6A mutations in the TCGA and ICGC datasets was 25.97 and 24.27%, respectively. In addition, KDM6A mutation was associated with a lower number of tumour-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) and indicated a state of immune tolerance. KDM6A mutation was associated with lower KDM6A mRNA level compared with that in samples carrying the wild-type gene. Further, survival analysis showed that the prognosis of patients with low KDM6A expression was worse than that with high KDM6A expression. Using the CIBERSORT algorithm, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource site, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, we found that KDM6A mutation downregulated nine signalling pathways that participate in the immune system and attenuated the tumour immune response.

Conclusion

Overall, we conclude that KDM6A mutation is frequent in BC and promotes tumour immune escape, which may serve as a novel biomarker to predict the immune response.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08372-9.

Heterotrimeric G protein signalling in plant biotic and abiotic stress response

Heterotrimeric G proteins act as molecular switches to participate in transmitting various stimuli signals from outside of cells. G proteins have three subunits, Gα, Gβ and Gγ, which function mutually to modulate many biological processes in plants, including plant growth and development, as well as biotic and abiotic stress responses. In plants, the number of Gγ subunits is larger than that of the α and β subunits. Based on recent breakthroughs in studies of plant G protein signal perception, transduction and downstream effectors, this review summarizes and analyses the connections between different subunits and the interactions of G proteins with other signalling pathways, especially in plant biotic and abiotic stress responses. Based on current progress and unresolved questions in the field, we also suggest future research directions on G proteins in plants.

LiCl Promotes Recovery of Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis and Dysgeusia

Oral mucositis and taste dysfunction are frequently complained by patients with head and neck cancer receiving radiotherapy, challenging the clinical outcome of cancer treatment. Recent studies have indicated the protective role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM) and its pivotal role in the development and self-renewal of taste buds. The current study hypothesizes that lithium chloride (LiCl), a potent activator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, can promote the postirradiation restoration of oral mucosa integrity and taste function. To validate this hypothesis, we established a RIOM mouse model and evaluated the treatment efficacy of LiCl on oral mucositis and taste dysfunction in comparison with keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), an agent approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral mucositis. The results showed that LiCl alleviated the weight loss and tongue ulceration of RIOM mice, promoted proliferation of basal epithelial cells, and inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition in tongue mucosa. More important, elevated taste bud renewal and dysgeusia recovery toward sweetness were observed in RIOM mice treated with LiCl as compared to those treated by KGF. Collectively, our data demonstrate that LiCl can mitigate oral mucositis and rescue taste alteration induced by irradiation, and activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling may represent a promising therapy to improve the quality of life of patients receiving radiotherapy.

Development of a PET/EPRI combined imaging system for assessing tumor hypoxia

Precise quantitative delineation of tumor hypoxia is essential in radiation therapy treatment planning to improve the treatment efficacy by targeting hypoxic sub-volumes. We developed a combined imaging system of positron emission tomography (PET) and electron para-magnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) of molecular oxygen to investigate the accuracy of PET imaging in assessing tumor hypoxia. The PET/EPRI combined imaging system aims to use EPRI to precisely measure the oxygen partial pressure in tissues. This will evaluate the validity of PET hypoxic tumor imaging by (near) simultaneously acquired EPRI as ground truth. The combined imaging system was constructed by integrating a small animal PET scanner (inner ring diameter 62 mm and axial field of view 25.6 mm) and an EPRI subsystem (field strength 25 mT and resonant frequency 700 MHz). The compatibility between the PET and EPRI subsystems were tested with both phantom and animal imaging. Hypoxic imaging on a tumor mouse model using 18F-fluoromisonidazole radio-tracer was conducted with the developed PET/EPRI system. We report the development and initial imaging results obtained from the PET/EPRI combined imaging system.

Do sex hormone imbalances contribute to idiopathic condylar resorption?

Idiopathic condylar resorption (ICR) is an aggressive form of temporomandibular joint disease that most frequently presents in adolescent girls during the pubertal growth spurt. Although numerous studies have indicated that the etiopathogenesis of ICR may be related to estrogen deficiency, the decisive role of estrogens remains controversial, and other sex hormone disturbances have not yet been investigated in this regard. Therefore, the aim of this study was to ascertain the role of serum estrogen levels and also the roles of other sex hormones in the pathogenesis of ICR. Ninety-four ICR patients and 324 disc displacement (DD) patients, of both sexes, were enrolled. Information on menstruation and serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, 17β-estradiol (E2), testosterone, and progesterone were recorded and analyzed. The results showed that female ICR patients had normal puberty onset, within the average age range. Use of oral contraceptives and other menstruation-regulating pharmaceuticals was similar in the two groups. Of note, neither serum E2 levels nor those of the other sex hormones differed significantly between female ICR and DD patients. However, male ICR patients had significantly increased serum testosterone levels (P=0.002) and relatively higher E2 levels (P=0.095) compared to DD patients. This study found that reduced serum E2 did not contribute to ICR; instead, systemic testosterone disturbances were found to be related to ICR.

[Optimal timing of antiviral therapy for chronic HBV-infected patients with normal ALT]

Whether to initiate antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected population with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is hot and difficult issue. Improvements in drug availability and affordability have paved the way for more data, which may become a medium for confirming whether this population needs antiviral treatment. Regardless of whether HBeAg is positive or negative, there are still a considerable number of patients with chronic HBV infection with normal ALT, who have obvious liver inflammation, fibrosis or cirrhosis and need to start antiviral therapy. Liver biopsy or non-invasive techniques can be used as diagnostic tools to begin an early treatment in population with liver fibrosis and inflammation.

Effects of ET-1 and TNF-α levels on the cardiac function and prognosis in rats with chronic heart failure

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of ET-1 and TNF-α levels on cardiac function and prognosis in rats with chronic heart failure (CHF), to provide reference for clinical practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

120 SD rats were randomly divided into healthy group (n=60) and heart failure group (n=60). Rats from heart failure group were made into CHF models by an intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin. According to the average serum levels of ET-1 and TNF-α, 30 rats with higher level were enrolled in high expression subgroup, while 30 rats with lower level were enrolled in low expression subgroup. The sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to determine the ET-1 and TNF-α in rats from healthy group and heart failure group. Doppler echocardiography was used to measure the left ventricular ejection fraction, heart rate, and aortic diameter. After the death of heart failure rats, the total heart mass and left ventricle mass were measured and compared with those of the healthy rats. The serum levels of ET-1 and TNF-α were monitored to explore the influence of ET-1 and TNF-α levels on the prognosis of rats from study group.

RESULTS

The total heart mass and left ventricle mass of the heart failure group were higher than those of healthy group (p<0.05). The total heart mass and left ventricle mass of the low expression subgroup were lower than those of high expression subgroup (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The serum levels of ET-1 and TNF-α are higher than those in healthy rats. CHF rats with higher serum levels of ET-1 and TNF-α have a worse heart function and survival. Serum levels of ET-1 and TNF-α can be used as predictors of cardiac function and prognosis in CHF rats, providing references for clinical practice.

[Clinical cure strategy for hepatitis B: immunomodulatory therapy]

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major world public health problem. Current guidelines of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) suggest the clinical cure as the ideal thearapeutic goal. Although the optimization of the existing antiviral treatment can make some patients achieve clinical cure, but for most patients with chronic hepatitis B, it is difficult to achieve clinical cure according to the existing antiviral treatment plan. The medical community has begun to work together to seek new treatment strategies, especially the immune intervention measures aimed at restoring the immune response in the liver microenvironment. Notably, immune antiviral response plays a crucial role in HBV clearance, and the clinical cure of chronic hepatitis B is finally achieved through the optimized combination of antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs.

Acupuncture in addition to budesonide does not further improve RQLQ apart from the sleep domain

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture can effectively alleviate the nasal symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR); however, the mechanism is unclear. Previous studies suggested it may be related to improve hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. MATERIALS and METHODS: The study was a randomised controlled trial including ninety patients with moderate to severe persis- tent AR. Subjects were randomised 1:1:1 to the 8-weeks treatment with mind-regulating acupuncture combined with intranasal glucocorticosteroids (INGC), conventional acupuncture combined with INGC and INGC alone (MA, CA, GC respectively). The primary outcome was the change from baseline in the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score of nasal symptoms. Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) score was a key secondary outcome. The levels of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH), cortisol (COR) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were also analysed. RESULTS: MA, CA and GC reduced VAS score and total RQLQ by a similar degree, but the sleep domain of RQLQ significantly impro- ved in MA and CA compared to GC. Meanwhile, the COR and ACTH level increased, and CRH level decreased after treatment in MA and CA, but the changes showed no difference among the three groups after Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSIONS: Although acupuncture combined with INGC may have potential effect on sleep quality, the combination therapy cannot further improve nasal symptoms or RQLQ compared to INGC alone in AR patients. The influence of acupuncture on HPA axis needs to be further explored.

A Fatal Case of Pediatric Primary Myxoid Liposarcoma of the Orbit: A Rare Tumor in an Unusual Location Presenting with Widespread Metastasis

Introduction/Objective

A liposarcoma is a tumor derived from primitive mesenchymal cells undergoing adipose differentiation. Liposarcomas are uncommon in childhood, representing only about 2% of childhood sarcomas. Among liposarcomas, is a very rare subtype, the so-called ‘pleomorphic myxoid liposarcoma’ which has extensive myxoid changes and scattered pleomorphic cells. Here we report an autopsy case of an extensively metastatic pleomorphic myxoid liposarcoma.

Methods

A 12 year-old, African-American boy presented in the ED with ascites and shortness of breath, who later expired despite resuscitation. Autopsy finding showed a primary lesion in the left superior orbital fissure with diffuse metastasis to liver, replacing most of the liver parenchyma (liver weigh 8500 g). Metastatic foci are also present in gallbladder, pancreas, large intestine, bilateral lungs, and inner and outer surfaces of cranium. Histologically, tumor at all sites shows similar morphology, revealing scattered pleomorphic lipoblasts and a myxoid background with arborizing vasculature. Lipoblasts show indented and distorted nuclei and cytoplasmic vacuoles.

Immunohistochemically the tumor cells are immunoreactive for p16 (diffusely and strongly) (Figure, D) and S100 (weakly) and negative for AE1/AE3, myogenin, synaptophysin, GFAP, EMA, and CD34. FISH was negative for MDM2 and t(12;16)(q13;p11.2) FUS-DDIT3 rearrangement, ruling out conventional myxoid liposarcoma.

Conclusion

This case shows the aggressive nature of a poorly studied entity in an uncommon age group and emphasize the need to study childhood liposarcomas in more detail.

“Duodenal Submucosal Glandular Lesion with Brunner and Paneth Cell Differentiation”: A Variant of Pyloric Gland Adenoma? Morphologic and Immunohistochemical Similarities and Differences

Introduction/Objective

Duodenal epithelial polyps are reported in up to 3% of patients referred for upper endoscopy. Most include non-neoplastic lesions such as Brunner gland nodule/polyp and pancreatic or gastric heterotopia.

Neoplastic lesions such as pyloric gland adenomas (PGA) are less frequently encountered and have the propensity to progress to adenocarcinoma. Herein we report a duodenal submucosal glandular lesion that has a morphologic resemblance to PGA, but very different in several aspects. We compare and contrast the characteristics of these two lesions.

Methods

This was a 63-year-old man referred for an upper GI endoscopy for complaints of indigestion, dyspepsia, and weight fluctuation. Endoscopy showed a 13 mm polypoid lesion in the second portion of the duodenum, opposite to and separate from the ampulla. An en-bloc hot snare was used to resect the polyp. Histopathologic examination showed features reminiscent of PGA, namely a complex submucosal proliferation of tightly packed variably dilated glands and villous fronds lined by a monolayer of columnar cells with basally located round nuclei and prominent nucleoli. In contrast, however, the columnar cells in most of the lesion contained abundant mucinous cytoplasm resembling Brunner’s glands as well as areas of prominent paneth cell differentiation. The characteristic amphophilic ground glass cytoplasm of PGAs was only noted in a minor component of the lesion. MUC6 and MUC5AC, immunostains that are typically expressed in PGA, were negative. Additionally, p53 showed a wild-type pattern, beta- catenin showed normal membranous staining, and the Ki-67 index was low.

Results

After review of the literature and expert consultation, we were not able to fully classify this lesion under any documented entity, however, we believe that it could be akin to PGA. Authors hypothesized that PGAs may originate from stem cells within Brunner glands as a response to chronic injury. These cells may then differentiate upwards, forming gastric foveolar metaplasia or downwards giving rise to Brunner gland hyperplasia.

Conclusion

Based on this hypothesis, the proliferating cells are prone to mutations resulting in a hyperplasia/metaplasia to dysplasia sequence that leads to the formation of PGAs or lesions such as the one demonstrated here.

Spatial variation of floatable plastic debris and microplastics in the Pearl River Estuary, South China

The estuaries of populated catchments have been documented as hotspots of plastic pollution. In this study, microplastics (0.355-5.0 mm) and large plastic debris (>5.0 mm) of surface water collected from the Inner Lingding Bay of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) were quantified and categorized according to their size, shape, colour and composition. Both microplastics and large plastic debris were detected at all sampling sites with mean abundances of 2.376 ± 0.700 n/m³ and 0.110 ± 0.039 n/m³, respectively. Microplastics constitute 95.4% of the total abundance by number. The average microplastic concentration in the inner PRE was almost 3.5 times higher than that in the central PRE, indicating a positive correlation between plastic concentration and proximity to the river mouth. This result reveals the important role of rivers in transporting plastic debris from land to the oceans.