MRI-based bone marrow radiomics for predicting cytogenetic abnormalities in multiple myeloma

AIM

To develop a radiomics signature applied to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-images to predict cytogenetic abnormalities in multiple myeloma (MM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with newly diagnosed MM were enrolled retrospectively from March 2019 to September 2022. They were categorised into the high-risk cytogenetics (HRC) group and standard-risk cytogenetics (SRC) group. The patients were allocated randomly at a ratio of 7:3 into training and validation cohorts. Volumes of interest (VOI) was drawn manually on fat suppression T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI) and copied to the same location of the T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) sequence. Radiomics features were extracted from two sequences and selected by reproducibility and redundant analysis. The least absolute shrinkage selection operation (LASSO) algorithm was applied to build the radiomics signatures. The performance of the radiomics signatures to distinguish HRC with SRC was evaluated by ROC curves. The area under the curve (AUC), specificity, and sensitivity were also calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 105 MM patients were enrolled in this study. The four and 11 most significant and relevant features were selected separately from T1WI and FS-T2WI sequences to build the radiomics signatures based on the training cohort. Compared to the T1WI sequence, the radiomics signature based on the FS-T2WI sequence achieved better performance with AUCs of 0.896 and 0.729 in the training and validation cohorts respectively. A sensitivity of 0.833, specificity of 0.667, and Youden index of 0.500 were achieved for the FS-T2WI radiomics signature in the validation cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The radiomics signature based on MRI provides a non-invasive and convenient tool to predict cytogenetic abnormalities in MM patients.

FURION: modeling of FEL pulses propagation in dispersive soft X-ray beamline systems

Modern X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) can generate pulses with durations ranging from femtoseconds to attoseconds. The numerical evaluation of ultra-short XFEL pulses through beamline systems is a critical process of beamline system design. However, the bandwidth of such ultra-short XFEL pulses is often non-negligible, and the propagation cannot be simply approximated using the central wavelength, especially in dispersive beamline systems. We developed a numerical model which is called Fourier optics based Ultrashort x-Ray pulse propagatION tool (FURION). This model can not only be used to simulate dispersive beamline systems but also to evaluate non-dispersive beamline systems. The FURION model utilizes Fresnel integral and angular spectrum integral to perform ultra-short XFEL pulse propagation in free space. We also present the method for XFEL pulse propagation through different types of dispersive gratings, which are commonly used in soft X-ray beamline systems. By using FURION, a start-to-end simulation of the FEL-1 beamline system at Shenzhen superconducting soft X-ray free electron laser (S3FEL) is carried out. This model can also be used to evaluate gratings-based spectrometers, beam splitters, pulse compressors, and pulse stretchers. This work provides valuable insights into the start-to-end simulation of X-ray beamline systems.

Acupuncture and moxibustion for irritable bowel syndrome: An umbrella systematic review

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disease characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort associated with altered bowel habits. Several clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of acupuncture and moxibustion for IBS. Many systematic reviews of acupuncture and moxibustion for IBS have been published in recent years, but their results are not entirely consistent.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of systematic reviews of acupuncture and moxibustion for IBS.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Systematic reviews of acupuncture and moxibustion for IBS published before February 20, 2023 were searched in eight databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, and China Biology Medicine. The keywords used for literature search were acupuncture, moxibustion, systematic review, meta-analysis, and irritable bowel syndrome.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion for IBS were included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS

Relevant information was independently extracted by two investigators. The A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2), Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020), and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) were used to evaluate the methodological quality, reporting quality and evidence quality, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 342 studies were retrieved and 15 systematic reviews were included. The results of AMSTAR 2 showed low methodological quality in 2 studies and very low methodological quality in the remaining 13 studies, with main issues being failure to register a protocol, incomplete search strategy, not providing a list of excluded studies, incomplete consideration of the risk of bias in the included studies, and a failure to assess the publication bias. The results of PRISMA 2020 showed seriously deficient reporting quality of 2 studies, somewhat deficient reporting quality of 12 studies, and relatively complete reporting quality of 1 study, with the main problems being lack of a complete search strategy, non-availability of a list of excluded studies with justification for their exclusion, not conducting heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses, not evaluating the credibility of the evidence, and not registering the protocol. The results of GRADE showed that the quality of the evidence is low or very low.

CONCLUSION

Most included systematic reviews interpreted findings to suggest that acupuncture and moxibustion have benefits for IBS. However, there is a need to improve the methodological, reporting and evidence quality of the systematic reviews. Larger, multicenter, rigorously designed randomized controlled trials and high-quality systematic reviews are required to obtain more robust evidence.

PLEASE CITE THIS ARTICLE AS

Ma YY, Hao Z, Chen ZY, Shen YX, Liu HR, Wu HG, Bao CH. Acupuncture and moxibustion for irritable bowel syndrome: An umbrella systematic review. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(1): 22-31.

Hidden magnetism uncovered in a charge ordered bilayer kagome material ScV6Sn6

Charge ordered kagome lattices have been demonstrated to be intriguing platforms for studying the intertwining of topology, correlation, and magnetism. The recently discovered charge ordered kagome material ScV6Sn6 does not feature a magnetic groundstate or excitations, thus it is often regarded as a conventional paramagnet. Here, using advanced muon-spin rotation spectroscopy, we uncover an unexpected hidden magnetism of the charge order. We observe an enhancement of the internal field width sensed by the muon ensemble, which takes place within the charge ordered state. More importantly, the muon spin relaxation rate below the charge ordering temperature is substantially enhanced by applying an external magnetic field. Taken together with the hidden magnetism found in AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs) and FeGe kagome systems, our results suggest ubiqitous time-reversal symmetry-breaking in charge ordered kagome lattices.

Seroprevalence of antibodies to classical swine fever virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in healthy pigs in Hunan Province, China

Classical swine fever (CSF) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) are responsible for major economic losses and represent a threat to the swine industry worldwide. Routine surveillance serology for CSF and PRRS viruses is critical to maintaining the health status of sow farms in Hunan Province, which is one of the top pig production provinces in China. The aim of our study was to investigate the serological statistics of CSF virus (CSFV) and PRRS virus (PRRSV) in Hunan Province. The cohort serum samples were collected from vaccinated and unvaccinated pigs. Our findings showed that the average rates of CSFV and PRRSV antibody seropositivity were 82.2% (95% CI: 80.1-84.3) and 84.8% (95% CI: 82.5-87.1), respectively, in the immunized group and that these rates were higher than those in the unvaccinated group (58.6% for CSFV and 47.8% for PRRSV). Additionally, the level of CSFV antibody in piglet serum declined gradually with age, whereas PRRSV-specific antibody level increased initially (1 to 2 weeks old) and then declined with age (2 to 4 weeks old). In summary, we investigated the difference in CSFV/PRRSV antibody levels among piglets at various weeks old (1 to 4 weeks) to further establish the duration of maternal immunity in piglets. In addition, routine monitoring of CSFV/PRRSV antibodies in immunized pigs was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of vaccination.

The Roles of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were reported to have strong immunomodulatory ability, and inhibit the proliferation of T cells and their immune response through cell-to-cell interactions and the generation of cytokines. With high differentiation potential and self-renewal ability, MSCs are considered to function in alleviating inflammatory responses, promoting tissue regeneration and inhibiting tissue fibrosis formation. As the most common malignancies, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers have high incidence and mortality. The accurate diagnosis, exact prognosis and treatment of GI cancers have always been a hot topic. Therefore, the potential applications of MSCs in terms of GI cancers are receiving more and more attention. Recently, there is increasing evidence that MSCs may serve as a key point in the growth, metastasis, inhibition, treatment and prognosis of GI cancers. In this review, we summarized the roles of MSCs in GI cancers, mainly focusing on esophageal cancer (EC), gastric cancer (GC), liver cancer (LC), colorectal cancer (CRC) and pancreatic cancer. Besides, we proposed MSCs as potential targets and treatment strategies for the effective treatment of GI cancers, which may provide better guidance for the clinical treatment of GI cancers.

Hypoxia-mediated down-regulation of miRNAs' biogenesis promotes tumor immune escape in bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

The study examines the function of hypoxia-mediated down-regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) (mir-30c, mir-135a, and mir-27a) in the process of bladder cancer immune escape.

METHODS

Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was carried out to determine gene expression levels of Drosha and Dicer under hypoxia treatment, while western blotting and flow cytometry were used to determine protein expression. Seven reported miRNAs were identified via qRT-PCR assay. Flow cytometry detection of CD3/CD4/CD8-positive expression and statistics. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detected cellular immune factors content. Cell apoptosis was checked via flow cytometry assay. Luciferase report assay and western blot assays were both used to verify the relationship between miRNAs and Casitas B-lineage lymphoma proto-oncogene b (Cbl-b). The animal model was established and Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays were separately used to verify the conclusions.

RESULTS

The CD3 + /CD4 + expression was increased in the hypoxia group, while CD3 + /CD8 + expression, the cellular immune factors content Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNFα) along with the cell apoptosis were suppressed. The protein expression of Cbl-b was found to be up-regulated in the hypoxia group. After constructing the overexpression/ knockdown of Cbl-b in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), Cbl-b has been found to promote tumor immune escape in bladder cancer. Furthermore, Cbl-b had been identified as the co-targets of mir-30c, mir-135a, and mir-27a and down-regulation of miRNA biogenesis promotes Cbl-b expression and deactivating T cells in vitro/in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Hypoxia-mediated down-regulation of miRNAs' biogenesis promotes tumor immune escape in bladder cancer, which could bring much more advance to the medical research on tumors.

[Curcumin induces human lens epithelial cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of curcumin on cell cycle and apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells and the possible molecular mechanism.

OBJECTIVE

Cultured human lens epithelial cell line HLEC-SRA01/04 was treated with 20, 40 and 60 μmol/L curcumin for 24 or 48 h. The cell proliferation inhibition rate was determined using MTT assay, and the changes in cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis rate were analyzed with flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of caspase-9, caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax, cyclin B1, CDK1, β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclin D1 in the cells.

OBJECTIVE

Curcumin concentration- and time-dependently inhibited the proliferation of in HLEC-SRA01/04 cells as compared with the control cells (P < .05). Flow cytometric analysis showed that curcumin significantly increased apoptosis rate and cell percentage in G2/M phase and lowered mitochondrial membrane potential of HLEC-SRA01/04 cells in a concentrationdependent manner (P < 0.05). The results of Western blotting showed that curcumin also concentration-dependently increased the cellular expressions of caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bax and lowered the expressions of Bcl-2, cyclin B1, CDK1 and β-catenin along with the downstream proteins cyclin D1 and c-myc in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway (P < 0.05).

OBJECTIVE

Curcumin inhibits the proliferation of HLEC-SRA01/04 cells possibly by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and causing cell cycle arrest to induce cell apoptosis.

On-Orbit Robotic Grasping of a Spent Rocket Stage: Grasp Stability Analysis and Experimental Results

The increased complexity of the tasks that on-orbit robots have to undertake has led to an increased need for manipulation dexterity. Space robots can become more dexterous by adopting grasping and manipulation methodologies and algorithms from terrestrial robots. In this paper, we present a novel methodology for evaluating the stability of a robotic grasp that captures a piece of space debris, a spent rocket stage. We calculate the Intrinsic Stiffness Matrix of a 2-fingered grasp on the surface of an Apogee Kick Motor nozzle and create a stability metric that is a function of the local contact curvature, material properties, applied force, and target mass. We evaluate the efficacy of the stability metric in a simulation and two real robot experiments. The subject of all experiments is a chasing robot that needs to capture a target AKM and pull it back towards the chaser body. In the V-REP simulator, we evaluate four grasping points on three AKM models, over three pulling profiles, using three physics engines. We also use a real robotic testbed with the capability of emulating an approaching robot and a weightless AKM target to evaluate our method over 11 grasps and three pulling profiles. Finally, we perform a sensitivity analysis to demonstrate how a variation on the grasping parameters affects grasp stability. The results of all experiments suggest that the grasp can be stable under slow pulling profiles, with successful pulling for all targets. The presented work offers an alternative way of capturing orbital targets and a novel example of how terrestrial robotic grasping methodologies could be extended to orbital activities.

Intelligent Spacecraft Visual GNC Architecture With the State-Of-the-Art AI Components for On-Orbit Manipulation

Conventional spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) architectures have been designed to receive and execute commands from ground control with minimal automation and autonomy onboard spacecraft. In contrast, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based systems can allow real-time decision-making by considering system information that is difficult to model and incorporate in the conventional decision-making process involving ground control or human operators. With growing interests in on-orbit services with manipulation, the conventional GNC faces numerous challenges in adapting to a wide range of possible scenarios, such as removing unknown debris, potentially addressed using emerging AI-enabled robotic technologies. However, a complete paradigm shift may need years' efforts. As an intermediate solution, we introduce a novel visual GNC system with two state-of-the-art AI modules to replace the corresponding functions in the conventional GNC system for on-orbit manipulation. The AI components are as follows: (i) A Deep Learning (DL)-based pose estimation algorithm that can estimate a target's pose from two-dimensional images using a pre-trained neural network without requiring any prior information on the dynamics or state of the target. (ii) A technique for modeling and controlling space robot manipulator trajectories using probabilistic modeling and reproduction to previously unseen situations to avoid complex trajectory optimizations on board. This also minimizes the attitude disturbances of spacecraft induced on it due to the motion of the robot arm. This architecture uses a centralized camera network as the main sensor, and the trajectory learning module of the 7 degrees of freedom robotic arm is integrated into the GNC system. The intelligent visual GNC system is demonstrated by simulation of a conceptual mission-AISAT. The mission is a micro-satellite to carry out on-orbit manipulation around a non-cooperative CubeSat. The simulation shows how the GNC system works in discrete-time simulation with the control and trajectory planning are generated in Matlab/Simulink. The physics rendering engine, Eevee, renders the whole simulation to provide a graphic realism for the DL pose estimation. In the end, the testbeds developed to evaluate and demonstrate the GNC system are also introduced. The novel intelligent GNC system can be a stepping stone toward future fully autonomous orbital robot systems.

Autonomous Robots for Space: Trajectory Learning and Adaptation Using Imitation

This paper adds on to the on-going efforts to provide more autonomy to space robots and introduces the concept of programming by demonstration or imitation learning for trajectory planning of manipulators on free-floating spacecraft. A redundant 7-DoF robotic arm is mounted on small spacecraft dedicated for debris removal, on-orbit servicing and assembly, autonomous and rendezvous docking. The motion of robot (or manipulator) arm induces reaction forces on the spacecraft and hence its attitude changes prompting the Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) to take large corrective action. The method introduced here is capable of finding the trajectory that minimizes the attitudinal changes thereby reducing the load on ADCS. One of the critical elements in spacecraft trajectory planning and control is the power consumption. The approach introduced in this work carry out trajectory learning offline by collecting data from demonstrations and encoding it as a probabilistic distribution of trajectories. The learned trajectory distribution can be used for planning in previously unseen situations by conditioning the probabilistic distribution. Hence almost no power is required for computations after deployment. Sampling from a conditioned distribution provides several possible trajectories from the same start to goal state. To determine the trajectory that minimizes attitudinal changes, a cost term is defined and the trajectory which minimizes this cost is considered the optimal one.

Comparative Analysis of Stylet Penetration Behaviors of Eriosoma lanigerum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Main Apple Cultivars in China

The preference and behavioral mechanism of the feeding behavior of the woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann), on Chinese apple cultivars was investigated using the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique. Feeding of adult aphids was assessed for the four main cultivars of apple in China (Red Fuji, Ralls Genet, Starkrimson, and Jonagold) over an 8-h monitoring period, what that of fourth-instar nymphs was assessed for 8 h on Jonagold only. EPG waveforms representing the details of probing behaviors, parameters were measured for analysis. We found that at the nonphloem phase, the total duration of the nonpenetration (np) waveform and the total duration of the stylet pathway phase (the 'C wave') on Ralls Genet and Starkrimson were significantly longer than on Red Fuji. In addition, the phloem-feeding phase, the total duration of 'release of saliva into the phloem', (the E1 waveform) was significantly longer on Ralls Genet and Jonagold than on Red Fuji. The total duration of the 'ingestion from sieve cells' phase (the E2 waveform) on Red Fuji, meanwhile, was significantly longer than on Ralls Genet or Starkrimson. At the same time, when combined with EPG parameters, Red Fuji was found to have no obvious resistance to woolly apple aphid and to be a susceptible cultivar. This experiment also recorded the feeding waveform of fourth-instar aphid nymphs. Based on the phloem and nonphloem parameters recorded in this study, it was inferred that adult aphids are more likely than nymphs to feed on apple trees.

[Postoperative acute laryngeal spasm in 1 cases of thyroid cancer]

Thirty-eight years old male patient. Accepted the radical thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer in our department. When surgery was ended, laryngeal spasm occurred during pulling out the tracheal intubation, the quick check of calcium was 1.87 mmol/L, after intravenous injection the calcium gluconate the laryngeal spasm was relieved. After surgery, we gave calcium gluconate intravenously and oral Caltrate D, the patient did not appear the presence of numbness, convulsions and other symptoms. The fasting serum calcium was 2.28 mmol/L and the parathyroid hormone was 18 pg/ml before the patient discharge. In this case, we should be alert to the occurrence of low calcium and laryngeal spasm.

Generation of Individual Whole-Brain Atlases With Resting-State fMRI Data Using Simultaneous Graph Computation and Parcellation

The human brain can be characterized as functional networks. Therefore, it is important to subdivide the brain appropriately in order to construct reliable networks. Resting-state functional connectivity-based parcellation is a commonly used technique to fulfill this goal. Here we propose a novel individual subject-level parcellation approach based on whole-brain resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. We first used a supervoxel method known as simple linear iterative clustering directly on resting-state fMRI time series to generate supervoxels, and then combined similar supervoxels to generate clusters using a clustering method known as graph-without-cut (GWC). The GWC approach incorporates spatial information and multiple features of the supervoxels by energy minimization, simultaneously yielding an optimal graph and brain parcellation. Meanwhile, it theoretically guarantees that the actual cluster number is exactly equal to the initialized cluster number. By comparing the results of the GWC approach and those of the random GWC approach, we demonstrated that GWC does not rely heavily on spatial structures, thus avoiding the challenges encountered in some previous whole-brain parcellation approaches. In addition, by comparing the GWC approach to two competing approaches, we showed that GWC achieved better parcellation performances in terms of different evaluation metrics. The proposed approach can be used to generate individualized brain atlases for applications related to cognition, development, aging, disease, personalized medicine, etc. The major source codes of this study have been made publicly available at https://github.com/yuzhounh/GWC.

Effect of Spin-Draw Rate and Stretching Ratio on Polypropylene Hollow Fiber Membrane Made by Melt-Spinning and Stretching Method

A series of polypropylene hollow fiber membranes was fabricated by melt-spinning and stretching. The crystalline behavior and hard elasticity of precursor hollow fibers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), elastic recovery and strain-stress curves. The structure and properties of membranes were investigated in detail by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, pure water flux, and so on. The results showed that membranes with excellent structure and properties can be obtained at a spin-draw rate of 350 m/min and a stretching ratio of 200 %. The evolution of crystal structure was explored during the annealing and stretching processes by two-dimensional small-angle X-ray scattering (2D-SAXS). Shish-kebab structure was obtained during annealing for hollow fibers at a spin-draw rate of 350 m/min. The crystalline lamellae were destroyed and micropores were formed during the fabrication of membranes by stretching.

Effect of Cdc42 on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion of rats

To investigate the effects and their possible mechanisms of cell division cycle 42 (Cdc42) to neonatal rat myocardial cells subjected to the ischemia-repefusion. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were cultured and then subjected to the ischemia-reperfusion. Experimental groups 1. Control group; 2. Ischemia-repefusion group (I/R group); 3. Oligofectamine group (Oli group); 4. Oligofectamine and antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS-ODN) group (As group); 5. Oligofectamine and missense oligodeoxynucleotide (MS-ODN) group (Ms group); 6. SP600125 and Oligofectamine and AS-ODN group (SP600125/As group); 7. SP600125 and Oligofectamine and MS-ODN group (SP600125/Ms group). The cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate was detected by AnnexinV/PI with flow cytometry. Cdc42, JNK, p-JNK, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by western blot. In comparison with control group, Cdc42, the cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate and phosphorylation of JNK were increased and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was reduced in the I/R group; Cdc42, the cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate and phosphorylation of JNK in As group was lower than the I/R group, Oli group and the Ms group, and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was the highest in the four groups; Cdc42, cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate, phosphorylation of JNK and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax showed no differences in the I/R group, Oli group and the Ms group. Compared with As group, phosphorylation of JNK was lower in the SP600125/As group, phosphorylation of JNK in SP600125/Ms group was lower than the Ms group, and it showed no differences between the SP600125 &amp; As group and the SP600125 &amp; Ms group. Cdc42 in myocardial I/R can promote cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate. AS-ODN of Cdc42 can decrease the cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate in I/R. Cdc42 may played a role in myocardial I/R via JNK , Bcl-2 and Bax signal pathway.

Plasma pharmacokinetics of quinocetone in ducks after oral and intravenous administration

Quinocetone (QCT), an antimicrobial growth promoter, is widely used in food-producing animals. However, information about pharmacokinetics (PK) of QCT in ducks still remains unavailable up to now. In this study, QCT and its major metabolites (1-desoxyquinocetone, di-desoxyquinocetone and 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic) in ducks were studied using a simple and sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS assay. Twenty ducks were divided into two groups. (n = 10/group). One group received QCT by oral administration at dose of 40 mg/kg while another group received QCT intravenously at 10 mg/kg. Plasma samples were collected at various time points from 0 to 96 hr. QCT and its major metabolites in duck plasma samples were extracted by 1 ml acetonitrile and detected by UHPLC-MS/MS, with the gradient mobile phase that consisted of 0.1% formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (B). A noncompartment analysis was used to calculate the PK parameters. The results showed that following oral dosing, the peak plasma concentration (C_max ) of QCT was 32.14 ng/ml and the area under the curve (AUCINF_obs) was 233.63 (h ng)/ ml. Following intravenous dosing, the C_max , AUCINF_obs and Vss_obs were 96.70 ng/ml, 152.34 (h ng)/ ml and 807.00 L/kg, respectively. These data indicated that the QCT was less absorbed in vivo following oral administration, with low bioavailability (38.43%). QCT and its major metabolites such as 1-desoxyquinocetone and 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic were detected at individual time points in individual ducks, while the di-desoxyquinocetone was not detected in all time points in all ducks. This study enriches basic scientific data about pharmacokinetics of QCT in ducks after oral and intravenous administration and will be beneficial for clinical application in ducks.

Treatment of a subdural empyema complicated by intracerebral abscess due to Brucella infection

A 55-year-old male presented with fever, stupor, aphasia, and left hemiparesis. A history of head trauma 3 months before was also reported. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed slight contrast enhancement of lesions under the right frontal skull plate and right frontal lobe. Because of deterioration in nutritional status and intracranial hypertension, the patient was prepared for burr hole surgery. A subdural empyema (SDE) recurred after simple drainage. After detection of Brucella species in SDE, craniotomy combined with antibiotic treatment was undertaken. The patient received antibiotic therapy for 6 months (two doses of 2 g ceftriaxone, two doses of 100 mg doxycycline, and 700 mg rifapentine for 6 months) that resulted in complete cure of the infection. Thus, it was speculated that the preexisting subdural hematoma was formed after head trauma, which was followed by a hematogenous infection caused by Brucella species.

Metabolites from Penicillium sp. Associated with Paris polyphylla

One new gentisyl alcohol derivative and-seven known compounds were isolated from the culture of Penicillium sp. Their chemical structures were.elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 1, 4, and 6 inhibited Bacillus, subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli with MICs of 32-128 μg/mL.

Does gastric bypass surgery change body weight set point?

The relatively stable body weight during adulthood is attributed to a homeostatic regulatory mechanism residing in the brain which uses feedback from the body to control energy intake and expenditure. This mechanism guarantees that if perturbed up or down by design, body weight will return to pre-perturbation levels, defined as the defended level or set point. The fact that weight re-gain is common after dieting suggests that obese subjects defend a higher level of body weight. Thus, the set point for body weight is flexible and likely determined by the complex interaction of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. Unlike dieting, bariatric surgery does a much better job in producing sustained suppression of food intake and body weight, and an intensive search for the underlying mechanisms has started. Although one explanation for this lasting effect of particularly Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) is simple physical restriction due to the invasive surgery, a more exciting explanation is that the surgery physiologically reprograms the body weight defense mechanism. In this non-systematic review, we present behavioral evidence from our own and other studies that defended body weight is lowered after RYGB and sleeve gastrectomy. After these surgeries, rodents return to their preferred lower body weight if over- or underfed for a period of time, and the ability to drastically increase food intake during the anabolic phase strongly argues against the physical restriction hypothesis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Although the mechanism involves central leptin and melanocortin signaling pathways, other peripheral signals such as gut hormones and their neural effector pathways likely contribute. Future research using both targeted and non-targeted 'omics' techniques in both humans and rodents as well as modern, genetically targeted, neuronal manipulation techniques in rodents will be necessary.

Nox1 promotes colon cancer cell metastasis via activation of the ADAM17 pathway

OBJECTIVE

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by endogenous metabolic enzymes are involved in a variety of pathology processes, including cancer. In particular, superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1), a member of Nox enzyme family, is highly expressed in the colon tissue and has been implicated in physiological and pathophysiological states of colon cancer. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of Nox1 in the regulation of colon cancer progression remains largely unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro scratch wound healing and invasion assays were used to compare the migration and invasion abilities of HT29 cells in which Nox1 protein levels were manipulated. Western blot assay was performed to detect the expression of key proteins of the EGFR-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Immunoprecipitation assay was performed to detect the interaction between Nox1 and ADAM17.

RESULTS

Nox1 overexpression promoted colon cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion through the EGFR-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. At the molecular level, Nox1 regulated the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) converting enzyme (TACE)/a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain 17 (ADAM17). Furthermore, Nox1 interacted with and stabilized ADAM17 from ubiquitin-mediated degradation, leading to the activation of the ADAM17 signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that Nox1 promotes colorectal cancer metastasis by modulating the stability of ADAM17.

Comparison of efficacy of different embolic agents on uterine leiomyoma

The aim of this study was to explore the efficacies, postoperative side effects, and complications of uterine artery embolization (UAE) treatments for uterine leiomyoma (UL) with different embolic agents. The study included 107 patients with UL that were treated with UAE with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA group) or pingyangmycin lipiodol emulsion and silk-segment (PLES group). Six months later, the improvement rate of anaemia, the menstrual improvement rate, the incidence rate of fever, the disappearance rates of compression symptoms and abdominal symptoms in the PVA group were 93.8%, 94.7%, 22.0%, 60.0%, and 88.9%, respectively, which showed no significant difference from those in the PLES group (90.5%, 92.3%, 84.8%, 53.3%, and 8 1.3%, respectively). The incidence rate of fever after embolization in PVA group was significantly lower than that in PLES group (c² = 41.958, p = 0.000). However, the efficacy, improvement rate of symptoms, and postoperative side effects of two groups showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). PVA and PLES have significant efficacy for UAE treatment on patients with UL.

Association between Longevity and Element Levels in Food and Drinking Water of Typical Chinese Longevity Area

OBJECTIVES

To carrying out an integrated analysis on regional environment and human health in China and to detect the association between longevity and daily element intake from food and drinking water.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

All the 18 cities and counties in Hainan Province.

MEASUREMENTS

The distribution of elderly population and longevity indexes at a county level in Hainan Province were investigated. Quality of food and drinking water in Hainan was evaluated by comparing the chemical elements with National Standards. In addition, the association between element concentrations in food and water and longevity was examined using spearman's rank correlation.

RESULTS

The proportion of elderly people is higher in the northern part of the province compared with southern counties. Food contributes a greater proportion of daily element intake than drinking water. Compared with the National Standards, reaching rates for elements were over 85% for both food and drinking water. There was a positive correlation between daily intake of Cu, Se, and Zn from food and water and aging and longevity indexes, and a negative correlation between Pb intake and these indexes.

CONCLUSION

The quality of food and water in Hainan Province are good and that, compared with water, food is a more important source of trace elements. An appropriate supply of Cu, Se, and Zn is important, whereas excessive intake of Pb should be avoided. The findings also provide basic data to support further studies on regional variations in longevity and their relationship to diet and drinking water.

Inhibition of EZH2 expression is associated with the proliferation, apoptosis and migration of SW620 colorectal cancer cells in vitro

Epigenetic changes have been recently recognized as important in many human cancers. Enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) gene has shown overexpression in various human cancers, consistent with a straightforward role of EZH2 as an oncogene, but its function in carcinogenesis is partly contradictory. The role of EZH2 in development of human colorectal cancer (CRC) has not yet been clarified. In present study, we observed up-regulation of EZH2 expression in tumor tissues from CRC patients. The expression of EZH2 in CRC cell lines is consistent with the trend in cancer tissues using RT-PCR. We showed that TNM stage and lymph node metastasis in CRC patients are significantly correlated with EZH2 expression levels. EZH2 level of transcription and protein was inhibited by small interfering RNA (siRNA). More importantly, EZH2-siRNA inhibited the proliferation and migration of SW620 cells while promoting their apoptosis, and inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest of CRC cells. Collectively, our results suggest that up-regulated EZH2 expression may contribute to the progression of the patients with CRC. A comprehensive study of epigenetic mechanisms and the relevance of EZH2 in CRC is important for fully understanding this disease and as a basis for developing new treatment options in patients with CRC.

Reduced expression of members of the mhc-i antigen processing machinery in ethnic Uighur women with cervical cancer in the Xinjiang region of China

OBJECTIVE

Cervical cancer is a major cause of mortality in Uighur women compared with Han women in the Xinjiang region of China. Although a reduction in the class i major histocompatibility complex (mhc-i) antigen processing machinery (apm) is associated with the development of cervical cancer, the mhc-i apm has not been studied in this particular group of women, who have the highest incidence rate of cervical cancer in China.

STUDY DESIGN

We used immunohistochemical staining and polymerase chain reaction amplification of viral dna from infection with the human papilloma virus (hpv) to study the expression of members of the mhc-i apm in cervical cancer sections collected from Uighur and Han women and in cervicitis samples from age-matched counterparts.

RESULTS

Expression of the molecules of interest was compared between two ethnic groups, and expression of transporter associated with antigen processing 1 and 2, heat shock protein 90, and calnexin were found to be reduced even more significantly in Han women with cervical cancer than in Uighur women with same disease. However, compared with Han women, Uighur women had a higher rate of infection with hpv 16.

CONCLUSIONS

The mhc-i apm were reduced in cervical cancer, with heterogeneity in the two ethnic groups. The reduction was more pronounced in Han women, who less frequently had hpv 16 infection, suggesting possible differences in the roles of members of the mhc-i apm and in the mechanisms of cervical cancer development in these two ethnic groups despite residence in the same region of China.

Prevalence and impact of premature ejaculation in outpatients complaining of ejaculating prematurely: using the instruments of intravaginal ejaculatory latency time and patient-reported outcome measures

This study was designed to assess the impact of premature ejaculation (PE) on a large population of men and their female partners using the instruments of intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) and patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. A non-interventional, observational and cross-sectional field survey enrolled 2704 men with self-reported PE and their female partners from January 2010 to January 2012. PE was diagnosed by the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) criterion. IELT and sexual dysfunction were measured using a stopwatch and PRO measures, respectively. The incidence of PE in this study was 19.27%. PE negatively impacted on subjects and their partners, including reduced ejaculatory control and sexual satisfaction, and increased personal distress and interpersonal difficulty (P<0.001 for all). The severity of PE was considered worse by subjects than by their female partners (P<0.001). Reduced ejaculatory control and sexual satisfaction were considered the central themes of PE. Furthermore, a correlation was observed among the outcomes of IELT and PRO measures for subjects and their partners (absolute correlation coefficient ranged from 0.33 to 0.67). This in-depth qualitative study provides valuable insight into the PE status in Chinese men. Further research is needed to confirm and extend these results.