A robust transformer-based pipeline of 3D cell alignment, denoise and instance segmentation on electron microscopy sequence images

Germline cells are critical for transmitting genetic information to subsequent generations in biological organisms. While their differentiation from somatic cells during embryonic development is well-documented in most animals, the regulatory mechanisms initiating plant germline cells are not well understood. To thoroughly investigate the complex morphological transformations of their ultrastructure over developmental time, nanoscale 3D reconstruction of entire plant tissues is necessary, achievable exclusively through electron microscopy imaging. This paper presents a full-process framework designed for reconstructing large-volume plant tissue from serial electron microscopy images. The framework ensures end-to-end direct output of reconstruction results, including topological networks and morphological analysis. The proposed 3D cell alignment, denoise, and instance segmentation pipeline (3DCADS) leverages deep learning to provide a cell instance segmentation workflow for electron microscopy image series, ensuring accurate and robust 3D cell reconstructions with high computational efficiency. The pipeline involves five stages: the registration of electron microscopy serial images; image enhancement and denoising; semantic segmentation using a Transformer-based neural network; instance segmentation through a supervoxel-based clustering algorithm; and an automated analysis and statistical assessment of the reconstruction results, with the mapping of topological connections. The 3DCADS model's precision was validated on a plant tissue ground-truth dataset, outperforming traditional baseline models and deep learning baselines in overall accuracy. The framework was applied to the reconstruction of early meiosis stages in the anthers of Arabidopsis thaliana, resulting in a topological connectivity network and analysis of morphological parameters and characteristics of cell distribution. The experiment underscores the 3DCADS model's potential for biological tissue identification and its significance in quantitative analysis of plant cell development, crucial for examining samples across different genetic phenotypes and mutations in plant development. Additionally, the paper discusses the regulatory mechanisms of Arabidopsis thaliana's germline cells and the development of stamen cells before meiosis, offering new insights into the transition from somatic to germline cell fate in plants.

Effectiveness of cannulated screw fixation for femoral neck fracture assisted by three-dimensional printing navigation template in middle-aged and elderly patients

OBJECTIVE

We sought to explore the effectiveness of cannulated screw fixation for femoral neck fractures in middle-aged and elderly patients assisted by a three-dimensional printing navigation template.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 98 middle-aged and elderly patients who underwent cannulated screw fixation for femoral neck fractures were retrospectively analyzed. They were allocated into two groups, each comprising 49 patients. Surgical indexes, hip function, and pain levels were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The study group, assisted by the three-dimensional printing navigation template, exhibited significantly reduced nail insertion, fewer instances of C-arm fluoroscopy, shorter operation time, quicker time to bone union, earlier initiation of walking exercise, shorter time to weight-bearing walking, and reduced hospital stay than those in the control group (all p<0.001). However, the study group also experienced higher blood loss compared to the control group (p<0.001). Postoperatively, at 3 months and 12 months, the study group demonstrated significantly higher scores compared to the control group (both p<0.001) and reported significantly lower pain scores than that in the other group at 1 week and 12 months post-surgery (both p<0.001). Furthermore, the study group experienced significantly fewer postoperative complications than the control group (p=0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

Cannulated screw fixation for femoral neck fractures assisted by a 3D printing navigation template is more effective and safer than traditional fixation methods. This approach represents a promising alternative for surgical management.

Efficacy and safety of intrathecal pemetrexed for TKI-failed leptomeningeal metastases from EGFR+ NSCLC: an expanded, single-arm, phase II clinical trial

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intrathecal pemetrexed (IP) for treating patients with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who progressed from epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in an expanded, prospective, single-arm, phase II clinical study (ChiCTR1800016615).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with confirmed NSCLC-LM who progressed from TKI received IP (50 mg, day 1/day 5 for 1 week, then every 3 weeks for four cycles, and then once monthly) until disease progression or intolerance. Objectives were to assess overall survival (OS), response rate, and safety. Measurable lesions were assessed by investigator according to RECIST version 1.1. LM were assessed according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria.

RESULTS

The study included 132 patients; 68% were female and median age was 52 years (31-74 years). The median OS was 12 months (95% confidence interval 10.4-13.6 months), RANO-assessed response rate was 80.3% (106/132), and the most common adverse event was myelosuppression (n = 42; 31.8%), which reversed after symptomatic treatment. The results of subgroup analysis showed that absence of brain parenchymal metastasis, good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, good response to IP treatment, negative cytology after treatment, and patients without neck/back pain/difficult defecation had longer survival. Gender, age, previous intrathecal methotrexate/cytarabine, and whole-brain radiotherapy had no significant influence on OS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study further showed that IP is an effective and safe treatment method for the EGFR-TKI-failed NSCLC-LM, and should be recommended for these patients in clinical practice and guidelines.

Flavor characteristics of large yellow croaker soup served with different dried edible fungi

The effects of different edible fungi on the flavor profiles of fish soups were analyzed by sensory evaluation, non-volatile and volatile flavor compounds. The sensory attributes of fish soups were modified by adding edible fungi, with the highest total scores obtained for AAFS and DFS. Compared with pure fish soup, the amounts of free amino acids, nucleotides, organic acids and inorganic ions were increased with fungi addition, especially AAFS. The different mushroom fish soups could be clearly distinguished by E-nose analysis, and a total of 52 flavor compounds, mainly composed of aldehydes (27), ketones (11), alcohols (8), esters (4), and others (2), were then identified by GC-IMS. Eventually, fish soup samples were classified into three groups based on OPLS-DA analysis: Ⅰ (LEFS), Ⅱ (BFS and BEFS) and Ⅲ (ABFS, AAFS and DFS). The results showed that Agrocybe aegerita had high suitability for improving the flavor of Large yellow croaker soups.

Dexamethasone relieves the inflammatory response caused by inguinal hernia meshes through miR-155

BACKGROUND

Inguinal hernia is a relatively common condition. Most patients with inguinal hernia require surgery. At present, mesh repair is one of the most effective methods to treat inguinal hernia, but insertion of the mesh can cause inflammation. Dexamethasone (DEX) can treat inflammation, but the mechanism by which DEX alleviates inflammation caused by inguinal hernia mesh placement remains unclear.

METHOD

We randomly divided rats into groups: negative control (NC), inguinal hernia (IH), polypropylene mesh (PM), DEX treatment, and miR-155 treatment groups. RT-qPCR was performed to determine the expression of miR-155. ELISA was implemented to determine the secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18. Western blotting was used to detect caspase-1, JAK1, p-JAK1, STAT3, and p-STAT3 expression. A dual-luciferase reporter gene array identified a connection between miR-155 and JAK1.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the expression of miR-155, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 was upregulated in the PM group. After DEX treatment, the secretion of miR-155, caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 decreased. Dual luciferase results confirmed that miR-155 induced the targeted downregulation of JAK1, while a miR-155 mimic reversed the therapeutic effect of DEX, and the expression levels of p-JAK1 and p-STAT3 increased.

CONCLUSION

DEX regulates the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway through miR-155 to relieve inflammation caused by inguinal hernia meshes.

Triglyceride-glucose index in the prediction of new-onset arthritis in the general population aged over 45: the first longitudinal evidence from CHARLS

OBJECTIVE

Insulin resistance (IR) imposes a significant burden on inflammatory diseases, and the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, which is an easily accessible indicator for detecting IR, holds great application potential in predicting the risk of arthritis. The aim of this study is to analyze the association between the TyG index and the risk of new-onset arthritis in the common population aged over 45 using a prospective cohort study design.

METHOD

This population-based cohort study involved 4418 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (from Wave 1 to Wave 4). Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to investigate the association between the TyG index and new-onset arthritis, and RCS analyses were used to investigate potential non-linear relationships. Moreover, decision trees were utilized to identify high-risk populations for incident arthritis.

RESULT

Throughout a 7-year follow-up interval, it was found that 396 participants (8.96%) developed arthritis. The last TyG index quartile group (Q4) presented the highest risk of arthritis (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.01, 1.91). No dose-response relationship between the TyG index and new-onset arthritis was identified (Poverall=0.068, Pnon-linear=0.203). In the stratified analysis, we observed BMI ranging from 18.5 to 24 exhibited a heightened susceptibility to the adverse effects of the TyG index on the risk of developing arthritis (P for interaction = 0.035).

CONCLUSION

The TyG index can be used as an independent risk indicator for predicting the start of new-onset arthritis within individuals aged 45 and above within the general population. Improving glucose and lipid metabolism, along with insulin resistance, may play a big part in improving the primary prevention of arthritis.

Diacylglycerol emulsion with different droplet size improves the gelation properties of Nemipterus virgatus myofibrillar protein

Effects of diacylglycerol (DAG) emulsions with different particle sizes on gel properties, microstructures and chemical forces of myofibrillar protein (MP) gels were investigated. DAG emulsions addition significantly improved the whiteness of MP gels. With the decrease of emulsion droplet size, G', G" and immovable water content of MP gels gradually increased, and cooking loss decreased, in which, emulsion prepared under 200 W reduced the cooking loss to the minimum value of 2.57 %. Furthermore, the gel strength and texture properties of MP gels were enhanced as the decreasing emulsion droplet size, and significant improvement (P < 0.05) appeared in gel strength and hardness when ultrasonic power reached 200 W, and then texture indexes tended to be stable as power continued to increase. Reducing the emulsion particle size facilitated the uniform distribution of DAG in the gel network and enhanced the chemical forces of composite gel, forming the more compact network structure.

Infection-specific transcriptional patterns of the maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus unravel genes involved in asexual development and virulence

Southern corn leaf blight (SCLB) caused by Cochliobolus heterostrophus is a destructive disease that threatens global maize (Zea mays) production. Despite many studies being conducted, very little is known about molecular processes employed by the pathogen during infection. There is a need to understand the fungal arms strategy and identify novel functional genes as targets for fungicide development. Transcriptome analysis based on RNA sequencing was carried out across conidia germination and host infection by C. heterostrophus. The present study revealed major changes in C. heterostrophus gene expression during host infection. Several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced during C. heterostrophus infection could be involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, peroxisome, energy metabolism, amino acid degradation and oxidative phosphorylation. In addition, histone acetyltransferase, secreted proteins, peroxisomal proteins, NADPH oxidase and transcription factors were selected for further functional validation. Here, we demonstrated that histone acetyltransferases (Hat2 and Rtt109), secreted proteins (Cel61A and Mep1), peroxisomal proteins (Pex11A and Pex14), NADPH oxidases (NoxA, NoxD and NoxR) and transcription factors (Crz1 and MtfA) play essential roles in C. heterostrophus conidiation, stress adaption and virulence. Taken together, our study revealed major changes in gene expression associated with C. heterostrophus infection and identified a diverse repertoire of genes critical for successful infection.

Prenatal exome sequencing analysis in fetuses with central nervous system anomalies

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the utility of prenatal exome sequencing (pES) in fetuses with central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of fetuses identified to have CNS abnormality on prenatal ultrasound and/or magnetic resonance imaging. All fetuses were first analyzed by chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA). Fetuses with a confirmed aneuploidy or causal pathogenic copy-number variant (CNV) on CMA did not undergo pES analysis and were excluded, while those with a negative CMA result were offered pES testing.

RESULTS

Of the 167 pregnancies included in the study, 42 (25.1%) were identified to have a pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) variant. The diagnostic rate was significantly higher in fetuses with a non-isolated CNS abnormality than in those with a single CNS abnormality (35.7% (20/56) vs 14.5% (8/55); P = 0.010). Moreover, when a fetus had three or more CNS abnormalities, the positive diagnostic rate increased to 42.9%. A total of 25/42 (59.5%) cases had de-novo mutations, while, in the remaining cases, mutations were inherited and carried a significant risk of recurrence. Families whose fetus carried a P/LP mutation were more likely to choose advanced pregnancy termination than those with a variant of uncertain significance, secondary/incidental finding or negative pES result (83.3% (25/30) vs 41.3% (38/92); P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

pES improved the identification of genetic disorders in fetuses with CNS anomalies without a chromosomal abnormality or CNV identified on CMA, regardless of the number of CNS anomalies and presence of extracranial abnormality. We also demonstrated that pES findings can significantly impact parental decision-making. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Host response of Nicotiana benthamiana to the parasitism of five populations of root-lesion nematode, Pratylenchus coffeae, from China

In a recent survey of nematodes associated with tobacco in Shandong, China, the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus coffeae was identified using a combination of morphology and molecular techniques. This nematode species is a serious parasite that damages a variety of plant species. The model plant benthi, Nicotiana benthamiana, is frequently used to study plant-disease interactions. However, it is not known whether this plant species is a host of P. coffeae. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the parasitism and pathogenicity of five populations of the root-lesion nematode P. coffeae on N. benthamiana.N. benthamiana seedlings with the same growth status were chosen and inoculated with 1,000 nematodes per pot. At 60 days after inoculation, the reproductive factors (Rf = final population densities (Pf)/initial population densities (Pi)) for P. coffeae in the rhizosphere of N. benthamiana were all more than 1, suggesting that N. benthamiana was a good host plant for P. coffeae.Nicotiana. benthamiana infected by P. coffeae showed weak growth, decreased tillering, high root reduction, and noticeable brown spots on the roots. Thus, we determined that the model plant N. benthamiana can be used to study plant-P. coffeae interactions.

Plateau pika fecal microbiota transplantation ameliorates inflammatory bowel disease manifestations in a mouse model of colitis

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a serious global public health concern. Although the pathogenesis of the disease is currently unknown, it has been reported to be associated with both intestinal microbiota and inflammatory mediators. There is evidence suggesting that the feces of the Plateau pika is useful for treating gastrointestinal injuries and pain. Although fecal microbiota transplantation is highly efficacious intervention for IBD prevention, however, potential the transfer of pathogenic microbes or toxic substances is potentially hazardous. Fortunately, micropore filtering of the donor feces can minimize the risk of bacterial infection allowing retention of the therapeutic effects of the residual bacteriophages. Here, we demonstrated that Plateau pika feces not only alleviated the IBD symptoms but also promoted optimal structure and composition of the intestinal microbiota. Additionally, Plateau pika feces transfer also enhanced phenotypic features, such as, body-weight, disease activity index, and histological scores. In conclusion, Plateau pika feces was found to protect mice against colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate by reducing inflammation and regulating microbial dysbiosis. These findings suggest the potential of Plateau pika feces as an alternative therapy for IBD.

A novel registration method for long-serial section images of EM with a serial split technique based on unsupervised optical flow network

MOTIVATION

The registration of serial section electron microscope images is a critical step in reconstructing biological tissue volumes, and it aims to eliminate complex nonlinear deformations from sectioning and replicate the correct neurite structure. However, due to the inherent properties of biological structures and the challenges posed by section preparation of biological tissues, achieving an accurate registration of serial sections remains a significant challenge. Conventional nonlinear registration techniques, which are effective in eliminating nonlinear deformation, can also eliminate the natural morphological variation of neurites across sections. Additionally, accumulation of registration errors alters the neurite structure.

RESULTS

This article proposes a novel method for serial section registration that utilizes an unsupervised optical flow network to measure feature similarity rather than pixel similarity to eliminate nonlinear deformation and achieve pairwise registration between sections. The optical flow network is then employed to estimate and compensate for cumulative registration error, thereby allowing for the reconstruction of the structure of biological tissues. Based on the novel serial section registration method, a serial split technique is proposed for long-serial sections. Experimental results demonstrate that the state-of-the-art method proposed here effectively improves the spatial continuity of serial sections, leading to more accurate registration and improved reconstruction of the structure of biological tissues.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION

The source code and data are available at https://github.com/TongXin-CASIA/EFSR.

Effect of oat β-glucan on gel properties and protein conformation of silver carp surimi

BACKGROUND

Polysaccharides are the most widely used additives to enhance the quality of surimi gels. Oat β-glucan (OG), a functional polysaccharide, is known to affect the gelation characteristics of surimi. However, it has been rarely reported. Therefore, the effect of OG at different levels on gelling properties, protein conformation, and microstructures of silver carp surimi gels were investigated.

RESULTS

An increase in the OG content from 0 to 1.0% significantly improved the hardness, springiness, chewiness, puncture properties, storage modulus, and loss modulus of surimi gels. Moreover, the incorporation of OG (0-1.0%) facilitated the unfolding of proteins, resulting in the conformational transformation from α-helix to β-sheet and β-turn. Consequently, surimi-OG gels displayed a denser network structure with smaller and more uniform voids. Furthermore, partial free water in the gel network was converted into immobile water, increasing the water-holding capacity. However, a further increase in the OG concentration (1.0-2.0%) resulted in a looser and more uneven network structure with large and numerous cavities. In addition, the whiteness of composite gels decreased with increasing content of OG.

CONCLUSION

The addition of 1.0% OG dramatically improved the gelation performance of silver carp surimi, providing a theoretical foundation for the exploitation and manufacture of functional surimi products. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The effect of surgical repair of hiatal hernia (HH) on pulmonary function: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Hiatal hernia is renowned for the symptom of reflux, and few physicians associate a hiatal hernia with pulmonary issues. It is widely acknowledged that a hiatal hernia can be treated with surgery. However, less is known about how the surgical procedure would benefit pulmonary function. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether surgical repair can improve pulmonary function in patients with hiatal hernias.

METHODS

We registered the protocol on the PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews) platform (no. CRD42022369949). We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for cohort studies that reported on the pulmonary function of patients with hiatal hernias. The quality of each cohort study was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). We then calculated mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals for these continuous outcomes. Each study's consistency was appraised using the I² statistic. The sensitivity analysis was performed using the trim-and-fill method. Publication bias was confirmed using the funnel plot visually and Egger regression test statistically.

RESULTS

A total of 262 patients from 5 cohorts were included in the meta-analysis. The quality evaluation revealed that, of these 5 papers, 3 received 8 NOS stars out of 9 stars, 1 received 9, and the other received 7, meaning all included cohort studies were of high quality. The results showed that surgical repair for a hiatal hernia significantly improved forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1; weighted mean difference [WMD]:0.200; 95% CI 0.047-0.353; I² = 71.6%; P = 0.010), forced vital capacity (FVC; WMD: 0.242; 95% CI 0.161-0.323; I² = 7.1%; P = 0.000), and total lung capacity (TLC; WMD: 0.223; 95% CI 0.098-0.348; I² = 0.0%; P = 0.000) but had little effect on residual volume (RV; WMD: -0.028; 95% CI -0.096 to 0.039; I² = 8.7%; P = 0.411) and the diffusing capacity carbon monoxide (DLCO; WMD: 0.234; 95% CI -0.486 to 0.953; I² = 0.0%; P = 0.524).

CONCLUSION

For individuals with hiatal hernias, surgical repair is an efficient technique to improve respiratory function as measured by FEV1, FVC, and TLC.

Prevalence and Characterization of Serratia marcescens Isolated from Clinical Bovine Mastitis Cases in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and genetic characterization of Serratia marcescens isolates from clinical bovine mastitis in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China.

Methods

S. marcescens was identified by the polymerase-chain reaction of 16S rRNA gene and sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by the disk diffusion method. Genes of resistance and virulence were determined by the PCR.

Results

Overall, S. marcescens were confirmed from 32 of 2897 (1.1%) mastitis milk samples. These isolates showed high resistance to cefazolin (30/32, 93.8%) and chloramphenicol (28/32, 87.5%). A 12.5% (4/32) of the isolates displayed multidrug resistance (MDR). The most prevalent resistant genes found in S. marcescens were TEM (32/32, 100%) and CTX-M (24/32, 75.0%; CTX-M-15, 14/32, 43.8%; CTX-M-14, 8/32, 25.0%; CTX-M-65, 2/32, 6.3%) for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, cmlA (28/32, 87.5%) and floR (16/32, 50.0%) for chloramphenicol resistance, SIM-1 (2/32, 6.3%) for carbapenemases, and sdeB (28/32, 87.5%), sdeY (26/32, 81.3%), sdeR (26/32, 81.3%) and sdeD (20/32, 62.5%) for efflux pumps. Moreover, all isolates carried virulence genes flhD, entB, and kpn, and most of them contained mrkD (30/32, 93.8%), ycfM (26/32, 81.3%), bsmB (26/32, 81.3%), pigP (26/32, 81.3%), kfu (24/32, 75.0%) and shlB (24/32, 75.0%).

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first report of genetic determinants for antimicrobial resistance and virulence in S. marcescens isolated from bovine mastitis cases in China. These findings are useful for developing strategies for prevention and treatment of bovine mastitis caused by S. marcescens in China.

A Novel Technique for the Preparation of Iron Carbide and Carbon Concentrate from Blast Furnace Dust

Blast furnace (BF) dust is a typical refractory iron resource. A novel technology-based utilization of BF dust as iron carbide and carbon concentrate by applying carburization roasting followed by magnetic separation and acid leaching is proposed. Under optimized conditions, an electric arc furnace (EAF) burden assaying 80.79% Fe and 7.63% C with a corresponding iron recovery rate of 87.26% and a carbon concentrate assaying 67.06% C with a corresponding carbon recovery rate of 81.23% were prepared. Furthermore, the carburization behavior and separation mechanism were revealed using X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and optical microscopy. The results show that the separation efficiency of iron carbide, gangue, and carbon is very low. Na₂SO₄ is a highly effective additive to strengthen the separation efficiency as it can enhance the carburization index, enlarge the iron carbide particle size, improve the embed embedded relationship of iron carbide and gangue, and promote the gangue leaching efficiency. The study demonstrates that preparation of iron carbide and carbon concentrate from BF dust using the proposed technology is a feasible method.

The association of coffee consumption with the risk of osteoporosis and fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To elucidate the association of coffee and bone health would help fracture risk reduction via dietary intervention. Although those who had higher coffee consumption were less likely to have osteoporosis, the associations between coffee consumption and fracture risk need further investigations with better study designs.

INTRODUCTION

The associations between coffee consumption and the risk of osteoporosis and fracture remain inconclusive. We aimed to better quantify these associations by conducting meta-analyses of observational studies.

METHODS

Relevant studies were systematically searched on PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane library, and Embase Database up to November 25, 2021. The odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was pooled and a dose-response analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Four studies with 7114 participants for osteoporosis and thirteen studies with 391,956 participants for fracture incidence were included in the meta-analyses. High versus low coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis [pooled OR (95% CI): 0.79 (0.65-0.92)], while it was non-significantly associated with fracture incidence [pooled OR (95% CI): 0.86 (0.67-1.05) at hip and 0.89 (0.42-1.36) at non-hip]. A non-linear association between the level of coffee consumption and hip fracture incidence was shown (P = 0.004). The pooled RR (95% CI) of hip fracture risk in those who consumed 1, 2-3, 4, and ≥ 9 cups of coffee per day was 0.92 (0.87-0.97), 0.89 (0.83-0.95), 0.91 (0.85-0.98), and 1.10 (0.76-1.59), respectively. The significance in the association between coffee consumption and the hip fracture incidence decreased in those studies that had larger sample size, higher quality, and more adjustments.

CONCLUSIONS

A dose-dependent relationship may exist between coffee consumption and hip fracture incidence. The effect of high versus low coffee consumption was influenced by study designs. Further studies with dedicated designs are needed to confirm the independent effects of coffee consumption on bone health.

Temozolomide hexadecyl ester targeted plga nanoparticles for drug-resistant glioblastoma therapy via intranasal administration

Introduction: Temozolomide (TMZ) is the first-line drug for glioblastoma (GBM), but it is limited in clinical use due to the drug resistance, poor brain targeting, and side effects. Temozolomide hexadecyl ester (TMZ16e), a TMZ derivative with high lipophilicity, membrane permeability, and high anti-glioma properties, has the potential to reverse drug resistance. In this study, anti-ephrin type-A receptor 3 (EphA3) modified TMZ16e loaded nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared for targeted GBM therapy via intranasal administration to deliver TMZ16e to the brain, treat drug-resistant glioma effectively, and reduce peripheral toxicity.

Methods: TMZ16e loaded NPs were prepared by emulsion solvent evaporation method followed by modified with anti-EphA3 (anti-EphA3-TMZ16e-NPs). In vitro evaluations were performed by an MTT assay and flow cytometry analysis. The orthotopic nude mice models were used to evaluate the anti-glioma effect in vivo. Additionally, we investigated the anti-drug resistant mechanism by western blot analysis.

Results: The particle size of the prepared NPs was less than 200 nm, and the zeta potential of TMZ16e-NPs and anti-EphA3-TMZ16e-NPs were -23.05 ± 1.48 mV and -28.65 ± 1.20mV, respectively, which is suitable for nasal delivery. In vitro studies have shown that anti-EphA3 modification increased the cellular uptake of nanoparticles in T98G cells. The cytotoxicity in the anti-EphA3-TMZ16e-NPs treated group was significantly higher than that of the TMZ16e-NPs, TMZ16e, and TMZ groups (p < 0.01), and the cell cycle was blocked. Western blotting analysis showed that the TMZ16e-loaded NPs were able to effectively downregulate the expression level of O6-methylguanine-deoxyribonucleic acid-methyltransferase (MGMT) protein in T98G cells and reverse drug resistance. In vivo studies showed that the median survival time of tumor-bearing nude mice in the anti-EphA3-TMZ16e-NPs group was extended to 41 days, which was 1.71-fold higher than that of the saline group and the TUNEL staining results of the brain tissue section indicated that the TMZ16e-loaded NPs could elevate apoptosis in T98G cells.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the TMZ16e-loaded NPs can be effectively delivered to the brain and targeted to gliomas, exhibiting better anti-glioma activity, indicating they possess great potential in the treatment of drug-resistant glioma.

Improvement of the gel properties and flavor adsorption capacity of fish myosin upon yeast β-glucan incorporation

The potential effects of yeast β-glucan (YG) on heat-induced gel properties, microstructure and flavor adsorption capacity of fish myosin at different NaCl concentrations were investigated in this study. The incorporation of YG significantly improved the texture properties, gel strength, water holding capacity (WHC), storage modulus and loss modulus of myosin gels, especially at a high salt level, whereas the whiteness declined. Furthermore, myosin gels containing YG displayed a more compact and ordered three-dimensional network structure, accompanied by the increasing immobilization of water in gels. The binding abilities of gels to selected flavor compounds at high salt content were inferior to those at the low salt content. Regardless of the salt level, YG addition boosted the flavor binding capacity of gels, which might be attributed to the unfolding of the protein conformation by exposing more flavor-binding sites, as well as the porous sponge structure of YG with unique adsorption capacity.

Improvement of human myeloid and natural killer cell development in humanized mice via hydrodynamic injection of transposon plasmids containing multiple human cytokine genes

Humanized mice reconstituted with a functional human immune system (HIS) are instrumental in studying human immunity and immune disorders in vivo. The poor or lack of cross-reactivity between mouse cytokines and human cells limits the development and/or function of human immune cell subsets including human myeloid, natural killer and B cells. Here we explored the potential to achieve long-term production of human cytokines in immunodeficient mice using a transposon-plasmid-based hydrodynamic injection approach. We constructed a transposon-plasmid carrying five human cytokine coding sequences (named PB-5F), and observed that four of the cytokines (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin (IL)-15, IL-6 and IL-3) were detectable in sera and three (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, IL-15 and IL-6) showed long-term production in immunodeficient mice that received a single hydrodynamic injection of PB-5F plus the transposase plasmid (Super PB). Furthermore, a single injection of PB-5F/Super PB markedly enhanced the reconstitution of human myeloid cells and natural killer cells, and promoted human B-cell maturation in HIS mice. Taken together, our data revealed that hydrodynamic injection of the PB-5F/Super PB vectors may serve as a convenient and efficacious means to promote human immune function in HIS mice.

AB0066 EFFECT AND MECHANISM OF QINXITONG ON BIOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF SYNOVIAL FIBROBLASTS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Background

Chinese medicine has been used widely for the treatment of RA for a long history in China. The Fifth Hospital of Xi’an has treated patients of RA with QinXiTong(QXT) for 40 years which is mainly based on the water extract from Caulis Sinomenii(CS). However, the molecular mechanism of its anti-rheumatism effect remains unclear.

Objectives

To investigate the effects of Qinxitong on proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis and its mechanism.

Methods

Taking rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblast cell line MH7A as the research object. The cells were divided into four groups according to the different dosage of Qinxitong intervention, namely control group, low dose group (QXT-20), medium dose group (QXT-50) and high dose group (QXT-100). CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation, flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis, Transwell assay was used to detect cell migration and invasion, and Western blotting was used to detect total Erk protein (t-Erk) and phosphorylated Erk protein (p-Erk) expression levels.

Results

CCK-8 assay showed that Qinxitong could inhibit the proliferation of MH7A cells, compared with the control group, cell proliferation in QXT-50 and QXT-100 groups was significantly reduced (p<0.05) after 24h, 48, and 72h intervention, the effect of QXT-100 was even more significant (p<0.001); flow cytometry showed that QXT could promote apoptosis of MH7A cells, compared with the control group, the apoptosis rate of QXT-50 and QXT-100 groups was significantly increased (p<0.05); Transwell assay showed that QXT could inhibit the migration and invasion of MH7A cells, compared with the control group, the QXT-50 and QXT-100 groups showed significantly higher inhibition of migration and invasion of MH7A cells (p<0.05); Western blotting showed that QXT could reduced p-Erk expression level, compared with the control group, the decrease of p-Erk expression level in QXT-50 and QXT-100 groups was statistically significant (p<0.001).

Conclusion

Qinxitong can inhibit the proliferation, promote apoptosis, inhibit migration and invasion of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts by regulating Erk signaling pathway, providing scientific basis for clinical application of Qixintong.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Cangpu Oral Liquid as a Possible Alternative to Antibiotics for the Control of Undifferentiated Calf Diarrhea

Antibiotics are essential in the prevention of calf diarrhea epidemics. As more antibiotics become ineffective due to drug-resistant bacteria, attention must be directed toward alternative treatments for calf diarrhea. Natural antibiotic alternatives, such as Chinese herbal medicine, have become a research hotspot in the clinical treatment of diseases such as calf diarrhea due to their characteristics of fewer side effects, low cost, little residue, and no drug resistance. The Cangpu Oral Liquid (CP) was modified from a traditional herbal formula that had been widely used in ancient China to treat gastrointestinal diseases in animals. In order to evaluate the treatment effect of CP on neonatal calf diarrhea, a randomized controlled field trial was performed. Two hundred and forty-six diarrheal Holstein calves of 2–15 days old were selected and randomly divided into two treatment groups receiving either apramycin or CP. 101 out of 123 calves recovered from diarrhea in the CP group, whereas 77 out of 123 calves showed recovery after antibiotic therapy. There were no differences in initial weight between both groups, while the final weight was significantly different (P = 0.892, P = 0.025, respectively). The mean average daily gain (ADG) of calves (211.45 gram/day) in the CP group was significantly higher compared to the antibiotic group (164.56 gram/day) (P = 0.001). The CP group also showed a shorter recovery time from diarrhea (3.90 days vs. 6.62 days, P = 0.001). The current results indicate that the CP has a beneficial clinical effect on the treatment of diarrhea in neonatal calves and is an effective alternative treatment option.

Investigation and Analysis of Blood Biochemical Indexes and Molecular Biology of Methylmalonic Acidemia

BACKGROUND

To compare MMA-related gene mutations in MMA children and the population in Qingdao, discuss the blood propionyl carnitine (C3), free carnitine (C0) methionine (MET), the mutual ratio and division difference in normal group, carrier group, and MMA group to analyze the relationship between some hotspot mutations and biochemical indicators.

METHODS

In total 3,700 newborns testing negative in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) were selected at random and submitted for testing 8 pathogenic sites in MMACHC and 10 in MMUT. The gene mutations in 84 cases with detected mutation genes and 42 diagnosed children were compared. The levels and concentration distribution of C3, C0, MET, C3/C2, C3/C0, C3/MET in the blood samples of three groups were analyzed as well as the difference of biochemical indicators in newborns with hotspot mutations (c.609A>G, c.482G>A, and c.658-660delAAG).

RESULTS

All 8 pathogenic mutations in MMACHC in the population were detected and were basically consistent with the mutation types and frequency order in MMA group. The first three were c.609G>A, c.482G>A, and c.658_660delAAG. There were more types of mutation sites detected in MMA group than carrier group. Five out of 10 MMUT gene mutations were detected in the population, and 9 MMUT gene mutation sites were detected in MMA group. The findings in the two groups and the preset sites were not completely consistent. C3, C0, C3/C2, C3/C0, C3/MET in MMA group were higher than carrier and normal groups, and the difference was statistically significant; the MET in MMA group was lower than carrier and normal groups, and the difference was statistical¬ly significant. Based on the three sets of data distribution graphs, C3, C3/C2, C3/C0, and C3/MET were well distinguished. There were differences in the average C3 and C0 levels between carrier and normal groups, but with an obvious cross distribution in the graphs, and no difference in other indicators. In contrast to non-carrier group, C0, C3, C3/C0, C3/C2, and C3/MET concentration levels were higher in 609A>G mutation group, while MET level was lower, with statistical significance; in c.482G>A mutation group, C3, C3/C0, C3/C2, and C3/MET concentration levels were lower than non-carrier group, while MET level was higher, with statistical significance; in c.658-660delAAG mutation group, C0, C3, C3/C0, C3/C2, MET, and C3/MET concentration levels were not statistically different in contrast to other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The top three mutations in MMA children in Qingdao area are c.609A>G, c.482G>A, c.658-660del AAG mutations in MMAHC; C3, C3/C2, C3/C0 can be used as specific prompt indicators for MMA screening; C3, C3/C2, C3/C0, C3/MET can be used as specific prompt indicators for combined MMA screening; abnormalities in biochemical indicators in hotspot mutation group intuitively explains c.609A>G mutation and early-onset MMA. c.482G>A mutation links with late-onset MMA.

Improvement of gelation properties of silver carp surimi through ultrasound-assisted water bath heating

The present work investigated the effects of water bath heating coupled with different ultrasound treatments on the gel properties, protein conformation, microstructures and chemical interactions of silver carp surimi at low/high salt levels. Results showed that the gel strength, hardness, springiness and water holding capacity (WHC) of surimi gels at low salt concentration were inferior to those at high salt content, regardless of the treatments. Compared with the traditional water bath heating, ultrasonic-assisted treatments significantly improved the gelation properties of surimi at the same salt level. In fact, ultrasound treatment also facilitated the unfolding of α-helix structure of the protein, with the resulting exposure of internal groups further enhancing hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds between protein molecules, thereby leading to the formation of denser microstructures with smaller holes. Furthermore, the most noteworthy ultrasonic treatment group was ultrasound-assisted preheating (U + W) group, whose gelation performance under low salt condition, was comparable with that of the traditional two-stage heating (W + W) group with high salt content. Overall, ultrasound-assisted water bath preheating proved to be a feasible approach to improve the gel properties and microstructures of low-salt surimi gels.

MicroRNA miR-24-3p Mediates the Negative Regulation of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Endometrial Inflammatory Response by Targeting TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6 (TRAF6)

Purpose

Endometritis is a female reproductive disease that affects the cattle industries development and microRNAs (miRNAs) play a pivotal role and critical regulators of the innate immune response in varieties of diseases. The present study intends to investigate the regulatory role of miR‐24-3p in the innate immune response involved in endometritis and evaluate its therapeutic potential.

Methods

Whole mice uteri and bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEECs) were separately stimulated with LPS. The BEECs were also transfected with miR-24-3p mimic and negative control; siTRAF6 and siNC; pcDNA3.1 empty and pcDNA3.1(+)TRAF6 separately with LPS stimulation. The expression levels of miR‐24-3p and TRAF6 were measured via quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively. LPS‐induced inflammatory response assessed by inflammatory cytokines secretion and expression via ELISA and qRT-PCR. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay validated the interaction between miR‐24-3p and TRAF6. The activation of the NF‐ĸB/MAPK pathway and p65 phosphorylation was investigated by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay, respectively.

Results

The expression of miR‐24-3p was decreased, and TRAF6 was elevated with an increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS‐treated BEECs and mice uterus. The overexpression of miR‐24-3p suppressed LPS‐induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL-8 and TNF-α) and deactivation of NF‐ĸB/MAPK pathways. The downregulation of TRAF6 inhibited LPS‐induced inflammatory response in BEECs. TRAF6 is validated as a target of miR‐24-3p, and miR‐24-3p reversed the overexpression of cloned TRAF6 on inflammation response in BEECs.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that the overexpression of miR‐24-3p attenuates endometrial inflammation and the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators via suppressing TRAF6. Therefore, modulating the pathogenesis of endometritis and possibly, a therapeutic potential against endometritis.

Diacylglycerol pre-emulsion prepared through ultrasound improves the gel properties of golden thread surimi

This study determined the influence of diacylglycerol (DAG) pre-emulsion on the gel properties and microstructure of golden thread surimi gels. DAG emulsion stabilized using sodium caseinate was pre-emulsified through ultrasound. The average particle size of DAG pre-emulsion decreased from 1324.15 nm to 41.19 nm, with notable improvements in apparent viscosity and storage stability. The surimi gels with different amounts (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 7% w/w) of DAG pre-emulsion were prepared under heat induction. The whiteness of the composite gels markedly increased with the incorporation of DAG pre-emulsion. The peak T₂₂ value of immobilized water, the gel strength, and water-holding capacity increased gradually, but it slightly decreased with the addition of 7% pre-emulsion. The curve of G' and G″ kept climbing as the concentration of pre-emulsion, and the microstructure of the gel network tended to become denser and more orderly. Principal component analysis (PCA) of electronic nose results showed that the surimi gels containing pre-emulsion could be clearly distinguished from the control group. In conclusion, the addition of 5% DAG pre-emulsion to surimi not only improved gel properties to the highest extent but also be compensated for lipid loss during the rinsing of surimi.

Utilizing phenotypic characteristics of metastatic brain tumors to improve the probability of detecting circulating tumor DNA from cerebrospinal fluid in non-small-cell lung cancer patients: development and validation of a prediction model in a prospective cohort study

Background

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has become a promising surrogate for genomic profiling of central nervous system tumors. However, suboptimal ctDNA detection rates from CSF limit its clinical utility. Thus precise screening of suitable patients is needed to maximize the clinical benefit.

Patients and methods

Between February 2017 and December 2020, 66 newly diagnosed non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain parenchymal metastases were prospectively enrolled as a training cohort and 30 additional patients were enrolled as an external validation cohort. CSF samples and matched primary tumor tissues were collected before treatment and subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS). The imageological characteristics of patients’ brain tumors were evaluated by radiologists using enhanced magnetic resonance imaging images. The clinical and imageological characteristics were evaluated by complete subsets regression, Akaike information criteria, and Bayesian information criteria methods to establish the prediction model. A nomogram was then built for CSF ctDNA detection prediction.

Results

The somatic mutation detection rate of genes covered by our targeted NGS panel was significantly lower in CSF ctDNA (59.09%) than tumor tissue (91.84%). The T_size (diameter of the largest intracranial lesion) and LVD_min (minimum lesion–ventricle distance for all intracranial lesions) were significantly associated with positive CSF ctDNA detection, and thus, were selected to establish the prediction model, which achieved an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.819 and an accuracy of 0.800. The model’s predictive ability was further validated in the independent external cohort (AUC of 0.772, accuracy of 0.767) and by internal cross-validation. The CSF ctDNA detection rate was significantly improved from 58.18% (32/55) to 81.81% (27/33) in patients after model selection (P = 0.022).

Conclusions

This study developed a regression model to predict the probability of detecting CSF ctDNA using the phenotypic characteristics of metastatic brain lesions in NSCLC patients, thus, maximizing the benefits of CSF liquid biopsies.

•

Intracranial tumor size and distance to nearest ventricle were significantly correlated with positive CSF ctDNA detection.

•

A prediction model incorporating T_size and LVD_min was developed and validated to evaluate the odds of CSF ctDNA positivity.

•

The CSF ctDNA detection rate was significantly improved in patients after model selection.

Nomogram to predict survival of patients with advanced and metastatic pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND

Nomograms are rarely employed to estimate the survival of patients with advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer (PC). Herein, we developed a comprehensive approach to using a nomogram to predict survival probability in patients with advanced and metastatic PC.

METHODS

A total of 323 patients with advanced and metastatic PC were identified from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital. A baseline nomogram was constructed using baseline variables of 323 patients. Additionally, 233 patients, whose tumors showed initial responses to first-line chemotherapy, were enrolled in the chemotherapy response-based model. 128 patients and 108 patients with advanced and metastatic PC from January 2019 to April 2021 were selected for external validating baseline model and chemotherapy response-based model. The 1-year and 2-year survival probability was evaluated using multivariate COX regression models. The discrimination and calibration capacity of the nomograms were assessed using C-statistic and calibration plots. The predictive accuracy and net benefit of the nomograms were evaluated using ROC curve and DCA, respectively.

RESULTS

In the baseline model, six variables (gender, KPS, baseline TB, baseline N, baseline WBC and baseline CA19-9) were used in the final model. In the chemotherapy response-based model, nine variables (KPS, gender, ascites, baseline N, baseline CA 19-9, baseline CEA, change in CA 19-9 level at week, change in CEA level at week and initial response to chemotherapy) were included in the final model. The C-statistics of the baseline nomogram and the chemotherapy response-based nomogram were 0.67 (95% CI, 0.62-0.71) and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.69-0.77), respectively.

CONCLUSION

These nomograms were constructed to predict the survival probability of patients of advanced and metastatic PC. The baseline model and chemotherapy response-based model performed well in survival prediction.

The analysis of osteosarcopenia as a risk factor for fractures, mortality, and falls

Osteosarcopenia is defined as the concomitant occurrence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis/osteopenia. This study aimed to clarify whether osteosarcopenia implies a greater risk of fractures, mortality, and falls and to draw attention to osteosarcopenia.

INTRODUCTION

Osteosarcopenia, which is characterized by the co-existence of osteoporosis/osteopenia and sarcopenia, is one of the most challenging geriatric syndromes. However, the association between osteosarcopenia and the risk of falls, fractures, disability, and mortality is controversial.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, from their inception to March 18, 2021, for cohort studies on the relationship between osteosarcopenia and fractures, falls, and mortality. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality. A pooled analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using fixed or random-effects models.

RESULTS

Eight cohort studies including 19,836 participants showed that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of fracture (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.83-3.30, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.006, I² = 63.0%), three cohort studies involving 2601 participants indicated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of mortality (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.23-2.26, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.214, I² = 35.2%), and three cohort studies involving 3144 participants indicated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of falls (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.28-2.04, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.219, I² = 34.1%). No publication bias existed among the studies regarding the association between osteosarcopenia and fractures. The findings were robust according to the subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This pooled analysis demonstrated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of fractures, falls, and mortality, thus highlighting its relevance in daily life. Therefore, we suggest that elderly persons should be aware of the risks associated with osteosarcopenia.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factor of Streptococcus dysgalactiae Isolated from Clinical Bovine Mastitis Cases in Northwest China

Objective

Streptococcus dysgalactiae is a major pathogen in bovine mastitis. The purpose of this study was to survey the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, as well as the spread of resistance and virulence-associated gene of S. dysgalactiae.

Methods

A total of 60 S. dysgalactiae strains were obtained from 830 milk samples from Holstein cows with clinical mastitis. Antimicrobial resistance was examined by the disk diffusion method. Antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes were investigated by PCR, agarose gel electrophoresis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Results

All isolates were resistant to tetracycline and showed a high level of resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics, where 81.67% of the strains were multi-resistant to these ten sorts of antibiotics. In addition, the most prevalent resistance gene in S. dysgalactiae was aphA-1 (98.33%), followed by blaTEM (96.67%), ermB (83.3%), aadA1/aadA2 (78.33%) and tetL (73.33%). Totally, seven virulence genes with 25 combination patterns were detected in these isolates, and each isolates harbored at least one virulence gene. 21.67% of the isolates carried three or more virulence genes, while one strain with seven virulence-related genes and belonged to cfb+lmb+eno+napr+bca+scpB+cyl.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that S. dysgalactiae isolated from clinical bovine mastitis cases in Northwest China show a variety of molecular ecology and are highly resistant to antibiotics commonly used in dairy farms. This research will help investigators better understand the pathophysiology S. dysgalactiae in bovine mastitis and choose the appropriate antibiotics to treat mastitis.

Potential probiotics Lactobacillus casei K11 combined with plant extracts reduce markers of type 2 diabetes mellitus in mice

AIMS

Probiotics and plant extracts have been used to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The study aimed to explore the effect of the interaction between potential probiotics and bitter gourd extract (BGE) or mulberry leaf extract (MLE) on T2DM.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Potential probiotics were tested for their gastrointestinal tract viability and growth situation combined with BGE and MLE in vitro. The diabetes model was constructed in C57BL/6 mice, and the potential effect and mechanism of regulating blood glucose were verified. Hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE), gas chromatography (GC), ELISA, and RT-PCR were also used for analysis. The results showed that Lactobacillus casei K11 had outstanding gastrointestinal tract viability and growth situation with plant extracts. Administration of L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE significantly reduced blood glucose levels and ameliorated insulin resistance in diabetic mice than the administration of Lactobacillus paracasei J5 combined with BGE and MLE. Moreover, in L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE groups, lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory cytokine levels were regulated. Furthermore, the results indicated that L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE improved free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2) upregulation, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings showed that L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE modified the SCFA-FFAR2-GLP-1 pathway to improve T2DM.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study identified a new modality for evaluating interactions between potential probiotics and plant extracts. Our findings revealed that L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE significantly promoted the SCFA-FFAR2-GLP-1 pathway to inhibit T2DM.

Intranasal Delivery of Temozolomide-Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles Functionalized with Anti-EphA3 for Glioblastoma Targeting

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly lethal and aggressive tumor of the brain that carries a poor prognosis. Temozolomide (TMZ) has been widely used as a first-line treatment for GBM. However, poor brain targeting, side effects, and drug resistance limit its application for the treatment of GBM. We designed a Temozolomide-conjugated gold nanoparticle functionalized with an antibody against the ephrin type-A receptor 3 (anti-EphA3-TMZ@GNPs) for targeted GBM therapy via intranasal administration. The system can bypass the blood-brain barrier and target active glioma cells to improve the glioma targeting of TMZ and enhance the treatment efficacy, while reducing the peripheral toxicity and drug resistance. The prepared anti-EphA3-TMZ@GNPs were 46.12 ± 2.0 nm and suitable for intranasal administration, which demonstrated high safety to the nasal mucosa in a toxicity assay. In vitro studies showed that anti-EphA3-TMZ@GNPs exhibited significantly enhanced cellular uptake and toxicity, and a higher cell apoptosis ratio has been seen compared with that of TMZ (54.9 and 14.1%, respectively) toward glioma cells (C6). The results from experiments on TMZ-resistant glioma cells (T98G) demonstrated that the IC₅₀ of anti-EphA3-TMZ@GNPs (64.06 ± 0.16 μM) was 18.5-fold lower than that of TMZ. In addition, Western blot analysis also revealed that anti-EphA3-TMZ@GNPs effectively down-modulated expression of O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase and increased chemosensitivity of T98G to TMZ. The antiglioma efficacy in vivo was investigated in orthotopic glioma-bearing rats, and the results demonstrated that the anti-EphA3-TMZ@GNPs prolonged the median survival time to 42 days and increased tumor-cell apoptosis dramatically compared with TMZ. In conclusion, anti-EphA3-TMZ@GNPs could serve as an intranasal drug delivery system for efficacious treatment of GBM.

Incompatibility between recipient CD47 and donor SIRPα is not a key risk factor for thrombocytopenia or anemia following rat liver xenotransplantation in mice

Liver xenotransplantation (LXT) is greatly impeded by severe thrombocytopenia, anemia, and coagulopathy. Hepatic phagocytic cells are thought to play an important role in LXT-induced thrombocytopenia and anemia. In this study, we investigated whether the lack of recipient CD47-donor SIRPα interaction, which is known to induce xenograft rejection by macrophages, exacerbates platelet and RBC depletion following LXT. We first addressed this question in the absence of anti-donor immune responses using a syngeneic mouse liver transplantation (LT) model. Neither wild-type (WT) nor CD47KO B6 mice developed thrombocytopenia following LT from WT B6 donors. Although a moderate decline in RBCs was detected following LT, there was no significant difference in RBC counts between WT and CD47KO recipients. Because mouse CD47 is cross-reactive with rat SIRPα, we then compared thrombocytopenia and anemia between WT and CD47KO mice following rat LXT. Unlike syngeneic mouse LT, significant thrombocytopenia and anemia were detected following rat LXT. However, the severities of both platelet and RBC depletions were comparable between WT and CD47KO recipients. Furthermore, WT and CD47KO recipients showed a similar extent of early platelet activation. Our results indicate that CD47-SIRPα signaling does not significantly affect the loss of platelets or RBCs following LXT, suggesting that the limited cross-reactivity between recipient CD47 and donor SIRPα is not a significant risk factor for LXT-induced thrombocytopenia and anemia.

Bedaquiline in the treatment of multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in China

BACKGROUND: Multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/XDR-TB) continues to be a challenge in China. Bedaquiline (BDQ) is associated with accelerated sputum culture conversion and favourable treatment outcomes when added to a preferred background regimen. This post-hoc study aimed to assess the outcomes of BDQ treatment in Chinese patients with MDR/XDR-TB.METHODS: Data from 51 Chinese patients who participated in a global Phase 2, open-label, single-arm study (TMC207-C209) were analysed for effectiveness and safety of the BDQ-containing regimen.RESULTS: During the 24-week BDQ treatment, adverse events (AEs) occurred in 48 patients (94.1%), with the most common AE being hyperuricemia. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) was reported in 13 patients (25.5%); serious DILI was reported in one patient (2.0%). Seven (13.7%) AEs were considered to be possibly related to BDQ by the investigators. Only one Grade 1 QTc prolongation was reported; no QTcF >500 ms was reported. One death occurred after BDQ treatment due to progressive TB. The median time to sputum culture conversion was 85 days based on the 24-week data. The sputum culture conversion rate was 82% at 24 weeks and 78% at 120 weeks; 66% of patients achieved a cure.CONCLUSIONS: BDQ was well-tolerated and effective for treating MDR-TB among Chinese patients.

Structural analysis of pulsed magnets considering interface characteristics

The aim of traditional designs of pulsed magnets is to keep the von-Mises stress on the midplane less than the ultimate tensile strength of materials. However, recently failed high-field experiments showed that some short circuits occurred at the magnet end, which is most possibly caused by the axial displacement of wires. This indicates that the former design is inadequate and accurate axial mechanical analysis of magnets is necessary. In this paper, a finite element model of pulsed magnets considering interface characteristics is proposed. Both the contact status and interfacial friction between the conductor layers and reinforcements can be accounted for Simulations are conducted with a failed 95 T dual-coil prototype, which was originally designed with the self-developed Pulsed Magnet Design Software (PMDS) software. The simulation results show that all the originally expected separations calculated by the PMDS software disappear due to the compression. This makes the calculated maximal von-Mises stress of the inner four reinforcement layers about 600 MPa less than the former designs. The influence of the interfacial friction is also presented. Besides, the simulations show that the maximum axial displacement at the magnet end is up to 8 mm at the designed peak field, which is deadly to the insulations. Hence, we suggest that the axial displacement at the magnet end should also be one design objective of pulsed magnets. At last, the factors affecting the axial displacement are analyzed.

Virus Disinfection from Environmental Water Sources Using Living Engineered Biofilm Materials

Waterborne viruses frequently cause disease outbreaks and existing strategies to remove such viral pathogens often involve harsh or energy-consuming water treatment processes. Here, a simple, efficient, and environmentally friendly approach is reported to achieve highly selective disinfection of specific viruses with living engineered biofilm materials. As a proof-of-concept, Escherichia coli biofilm matrix protein CsgA was initially genetically fused with the influenza-virus-binding peptide (C5). The resultant engineered living biofilms could correspondingly capture virus particles directly from aqueous solutions, disinfecting samples to a level below the limit-of-detection for a qPCR-based detection assay. By exploiting the surface-adherence properties of biofilms, it is further shown that polypropylene filler materials colonized by the CsgA-C5 biofilms can be utilized to disinfect river water samples with influenza titers as high as 1 × 107 PFU L-1. Additionally, a suicide gene circuit is designed and applied in the engineered strain that strictly limits the growth of bacterial, therefore providing a viable route to reduce potential risks confronted with the use of genetically modified organisms. The study thus illustrates that engineered biofilms can be harvested for the disinfection of pathogens from environmental water samples in a controlled manner and highlights the unique biology-only properties of living substances for material applications.

Identification and characterization of long non-coding RNAs as competing endogenous RNAs in the cold stress response of Triticum aestivum

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in plant development and stress responses. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation. It is not clear how lncRNA-mediated plant responses to cold stress and how lncRNAs, miRNAs and target mRNAs cooperate subject to the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). We interpreted the function of lncRNAs in the winter wheat cultivar Dongnongdongmai 1 (Dn1). A total of 9970 putative lncRNAs were initially identified from three Dn1 lncRNA libraries (5 °C, -10 °C and -25 °C) using high-throughput sequencing. Among the 14,626 genes detected via weighted gene co-expression network analysis, 7435 lncRNAs were co-expressed with 7191 mRNAs. We found six modules related to cold resistance in the lncRNA-mRNA weighted co-expression network, and the functions of mRNAs were similar in each module. Antioxidant systems and hormones played important roles in low-temperature responses. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that interactions between the 384 lncRNAs and 70 miRNAs were required for ceRNA activity. According to ceRNA activity, 225 lncRNAs, 60 miRNAs and 621 target mRNAs were involved in the regulatory networks of the cold stress response. Notably, a conserved region was found in the complementary regions of lncRNAs and miR164/408 but had reverse expression trends in the ceRNA network. Our results reveal possible roles of lncRNAs-mRNAs in the regulatory networks associated with tolerance to low temperature and provide useful information for more strategic use of genomic resources in wheat breeding.

Efficacy and safety of liposomal mitoxantrone (Lipo-MIT) in advanced breast cancer (ABC): A randomized, open label, active-controlled, single-center, phase II clinical trial

1093

Background: Anthracyclines are associated with cardiotoxicity and myelosuppression in breast cancer (BC) patients. A new drug delivery system, liposomal preparation has shown higher anti-cancer effect and lower toxicity due to modified drug release and particle shape. This trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Lipo-MIT in ABC. Methods: This is a randomized, open label, active-controlled, single-center, phase II clinical trial. Eligible patients were randomized in a ratio of 1:1 to receive Lipo-MIT or mitoxantrone hydrochloride injection (MIT) intravenously. The dosage was 20 mg/m2 for Lipo-MIT and 14 mg/m2 for MIT, once every four weeks (i.e., one treatment cycle). The primary endpoint was objective response rate(ORR). The secondary endpoints were progression free survival (PFS) and safety. Results: From Oct 2015 through Jul 2017, 60 patients were randomized to Lipo-MIT group (n = 30) or MIT group (n = 30). The Median (Q1,Q3) age was 56.0 (41.0,62.0) years in Lipo-MIT group and 54.5 (44.0,62.0) years in MIT group. Nineteen patients in Lipo-MIT group and 23 in MIT group received < 4 cycles of treatment, 11 patients in Lipo-MIT group and 7 in MIT group were treated for 4 or more cycles. When Lipo-MIT group was compared with MIT group, ORR was 13.3% (4/30) and 6.7% (2/30), disease control rate (PR+SD) was 50% (15/30) and 30% (9/30), median PFS was 2.30 (95% CI: 1.74-3.91) and 1.86 (95% CI: 1.74-2.40) months ( P> 0.05). Lipo-MIT showed significantly lower incidence of all-grade white blood cell decreased (86.7% vs 96.7%), neutrophil count decreased (80.0% vs 96.7%), conjugated bilirubin increased (53.3% vs 56.7%), aspartate aminotransferase increased (40.0% vs 53.3%), and troponin T increased (3.3% vs 36.7%) than MIT, but higher incidence of anemia (76.7% vs 46.7%), skin hyperpigmentation (66.7% vs 3.3%), and platelet count decreased (56.7% vs 53.3%) than MIT. Conclusions: Lipo-MIT provided numerically better ORR, DCR, and PFS than MIT in ABC. Lower incidence of troponin T increased might suggest lower cardiotoxicity of Lipo-MIT. It is worthwhile to further explore the clinical utility of Lipo-MIT in ABC. Clinical trial information: NCT02596373 .

Copper-catalyzed 1,1-alkynylalkylation of alkynes: access toward conjugated enynes

A copper-catalyzed 1,1-alkynylalkylation of alkynes with α-haloacetamides for the construction of conjugated enynes has been developed.

Are left ventricular muscle area and radiation attenuation associated with overall survival in advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with chemotherapy?

AIM

To evaluate whether cardiac muscle area and radiation attenuation, determined using pre-chemotherapy computed tomography (CT), are associated with therapeutic response and overall survival (OS) in chemotherapy-treated advanced pancreatic cancer (APC) patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ninety-eight chemotherapy-treated APC patients who underwent pre-chemotherapy CT between 2009 and 2018 were considered. Left ventricular muscle area (LVMA) and left ventricular muscle radiation attenuation (LVMRA) were measured using pre-chemotherapy arterial-phase CT. OS and progression-free survival (PFS) were analysed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to analyse potential factors affecting OS and PFS.

RESULTS

Patients with low LVMRA, low LVMA at baseline CT, and multiple metastases had a significantly shorter median OS than patients with high LVMRA, high LVMA, and without multiple metastases (8.8 versus 14 months, p=0.017; 12.2 versus 18.1 months, p=0.038; 7.3 versus 13.5 months, p<0.001, respectively). Patients with low LVMRA and distant metastasis had a shorter median PFS than patients with high LVMRA and those without distant metastasis (4.9 versus 8.3 months, p=0.032; 5.4 versus 9.9 months, p=0.002, respectively). Moreover, the mean LVMRA was the highest in the partial response group (p=0.028).

CONCLUSION

LVMRA could well predict PFS and OS in chemotherapy-treated APC patients.

Combined therapy of infusion of DC from rats with higher expression of IDO and CD40L on rejection post heart transplantation

OBJECTIVE

Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) can inhibit rejection of graft via inducing T cell apoptosis. CD40L monoclonal antibody (mAb) inhibits T cell activation. However, the effects of the combination of infusion of dendritic cell (DC) from IDO over-expressed donor mice and CD40L mAb on the treatment of graft rejection after heart transplantation have not been reported.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Allogeneic heart transplantation mouse model was established. Recipient mice were divided into three groups, including control group, IDO group (in which DC donors received adenoviral vector of IDO) and combined therapy group (which received both IDO over-expressed DC infusion and CD40L mAb injection post transplantation). Survival time and cardiac function were observed, with IDO expression being quantified. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to analyze T cell apoptosis, while enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to test the levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

RESULTS

IDO expression was significantly elevated in both IDO and combined therapy groups, with enhanced T cell apoptosis compared to control group (p < 0.05). Both groups had better survival time and cardiac functions compared to control group, along with increased IL-10/IL-6 expression and suppressed INF-γ and IL-2 expression (p < 0.05). However, combined therapy had a better efficiency compared to IDO group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Combined therapy of high IDO expressed mouse DC perfusion with CD40L mAb can elongate the survival time of recipient heart and inhibit rejection reaction via facilitating T cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, combined therapy could also regulate the expression of some immune suppressant factors and mediate the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance.