Single-incision plus one-port laparoscopy surgery versus conventional multi-port laparoscopy surgery for colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The efficacy of single-incision plus one-port laparoscopic surgery (SILS + 1) versus conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) for colorectal cancer treatment remains unclear. This study compares the short-term and long-term outcomes of SILS + 1 and CLS using a high-quality systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHOD

Literature search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, drawing from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library until December 10, 2023. Statistical analysis was conducted using RevMan and Stata.

RESULT

The review and meta-analysis included seven studies with 1740 colorectal cancer patients. Compared to CLS, SILS + 1 showed significant improvements in operation time (WMD =  - 18.33, P < 0.00001), blood loss (WMD =  - 21.31, P < 0.00001), incision length (WMD =  - 2.07, P < 0.00001), time to first defecation (WMD =  - 14.91, P = 0.009), time to oral intake (WMD =  - 11.46, P = 0.04), and time to ambulation (WMD =  - 11.52, P = 0.01). There were no significant differences in lymph node harvest, resection margins, complications, anastomotic leakage, hospital stay, disease-free survival, overall survival, and postoperative recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to CLS, SILS + 1 demonstrates superiority in shortening the surgical incision and promoting postoperative recovery. SILS + 1 can provide a safe and feasible alternative to CLS.

Adjusted green spectrophotometric determination of favipiravir and remdesivir in pharmaceutical form and spiked human plasma sample using different chemometric supported models

The environmentally friendly design of analytical methods is gaining interest in pharmaceutical analysis to reduce hazardous environmental impacts and improve safety and health conditions for analysts. The adaptation and integration of chemometrics in the development of environmentally friendly analytical methods is strongly recommended in the hope of promising benefits. Favipiravir and remdesivir have been included in the COVID-19 treatment guidelines panel of several countries. The main objective of this work is to develop green, tuned spectrophotometric methods based on chemometric based models for the determination of favipiravir and remdesivir in spiked human plasma. The UV absorption spectra of favipiravir and remdesivir has shown overlap to some extent, making simultaneous determination difficult. Three advanced chemometric models, classical least squares, principal component regression, and partial least squares, have been developed to provide resolution and spectrophotometric determination of the drugs under study. A five-level, two-factor experimental design has been used to create the described models. The spectrally recorded data of favipiravir and remdesivir has been reviewed. The noise region has been neglected as it has a negative impact on the significant data. On the other hand, the other spectral data provided relevant information about the investigated drugs. A comprehensive evaluation and interpretation of the results of the described models and a statistical comparison with accepted values have been considered. The proposed models have been successfully applied to the spectrophotometric determination of favipiravir and remdesivir in pharmaceutical form spiked human plasma. In addition, the environmental friendliness of the described models was evaluated using the analytical eco-scale, the green analytical procedure index and the AGREE evaluation method. The results showed the compliance of the described models with the environmental characteristics.

The anti-inflammatory and bioregulatory effects of habitual exercise in high-fat diet-induced obesity involve crown-like structures and MCP-1 in white adipose tissue

Macrophage accumulation in the adipose tissue and changes in their inflammatory phenotype is a hallmark of obesity-induced inflammation, notably forming inflammatory structures known as "crown-like structures (CLS)". Exercise can be a key strategy to improve inflammation-related complications, but it is crucial to consider that, although exercise generally exerts systemic and local anti-inflammatory effects, this depends on the basal inflammatory status and exercise modality. In this context, the "bioregulatory effect of exercise" implies to achieve the reduction or prevention of an excessive inflammatory response and also the preservation or stimulation of the innate response. In the present work, our aim was to evaluate the effect of regular exercise on adipose tissue inflammation in high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice, as reflected by macrophage infiltration and phenotype, and CLS formation, together with a potential role for the chemokine MCP-1 in this process. Results showed that obesity is associated with greater MCP-1 expression (p<0.05), macrophage accumulation (p<0.05), and CLS presence (p<0.001). Regular exercise reduced macrophage accumulation (p<0.05), MCP-1 expression (p<0.01), and CLS presence (p<0.05) in obese mice; while it increased macrophage and CLS presence (p<0.01), MCP-1 expression (p<0.05), and M2 polarization (p<0.05) in lean mice. MCP-1 was associated with the proliferation of CLS, showing the first image demonstrating a potential role of this chemokine in the development of these structures. Altogether, these results confirm, for the first time, the "bioregulatory effect of exercise" in the adipose tissue: reducing inflammation in individuals with an elevated inflammatory setpoint, but stimulating this response of the immune system in healthy individuals.

Comparative Effectiveness of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program Combined With Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery in Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has been widely used in the perioperative management of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of ERAS combined with single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) in CRC surgery.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of patients with CRC who underwent surgery between April 2018 and April 2020 in Ruijin Hospital(North), Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine. The patients were divided into three groups: group A (n=138), patients who underwent traditional multiport laparoscopic colectomy with conventional perioperative management; group B (n=63), patients who underwent SILS; and group C (n=51), patients who underwent SILS with ERAS.

RESULTS

Overall, 252 participants were included in the retrospective study. The median operation time (min) in group B and group C was shorter than that in group A (group A 134.0 ± 42.5; group B 117 ± 38.9; group C 111.7 ± 35.4, p=0.004). The estimated surgical blood loss (ml) was lower in groups B and C than in group A (group A 165.1 ± 142.2; group B 122.0 ± 79.4; group C 105.2 ± 55.8, p=0.011). The length of surgical incision (cm) was shorter in groups B and C than in group A (group A 7.34 ± 1.05; group B 5.60 ± 0.80; group C 5.28 ± 0.52, p<0.001). The time before first flatus (hours) in group C was shorter than in groups A and B (group A 61.85 ± 21.14; group B 58.30 ± 20.08; group C 42.06 ± 23.72; p<0.001). The days prior to the administration of free oral fluids in group C was shorter than in groups A and B (group A 4.79 ± 1.28; group B 4.67 ± 1.11; group C 2.62 ± 0.64; p<0.001). The days of prior solid diet was less in group C than in groups A and B (group A 7.22 ± 3.87; group B 7.08 ± 3.18; group C 5.75 ± 1.70; p=0.027). The postoperative length of stay (LOS) was less in group C compared with that in groups A and B (group A 9.46 ± 4.84 days; group B 9.52 ± 7.45 days; group C 7.20 ± 2.37 days; p=0.023). The visual analog scale (VAS) scores on day 0, 1, and 2 in groups B and C were lower than those in group A (day 0, p<0.001; day 1, p<0.001; day 2, p=0.002), while the VAS score on day 3 showed no differences in the three groups (group A 1.29 ± 1.38; group B 0.98 ± 1.24; group C 0.75 ± 0.64, p=0.018).

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that SILS combined with ERAS may be a feasible and safe procedure for CRC surgery because it provides favorable cosmetic results, early dietary resumption, shorter hospital stays, and appropriate control of postoperative pain without increases in complications or readmission rates compared to conventional perioperative care with SILS or conventional laparoscopic surgery(CLS) of CRC. Further prospective randomized controlled studies are needed to enhance evidence-based medical evidence.

Performance assessment of linear iterative optimization technology (IOT) for Raman chemical mapping of pharmaceutical tablets

Raman chemical mapping is an inherently slow analysis tool. Accurate and robust multivariate analysis algorithms, which require least amount of time and effort in method development are desirable. Calibration-free regression and resolution approaches such as classical least squares (CLS) and multivariate curve resolution using alternating least squares (MCR-ALS), respectively, help in reducing the resources required for method development. However, conventional CLS does not consider appropriate constraints, which may result in negative and/or greater than 100 % Raman concentration scores, while MCR-ALS may not always be as accurate as regression-based algorithms. Linear iterative optimization technology (IOT) is another calibration-free algorithm, which with appropriate constraints has previously shown promise in online and offline pharmaceutical mixture composition determination. This paper aims to evaluate the performance of the linear IOT algorithm for Raman chemical mapping of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), diluent, and lubricant in pharmaceutical tablets. Two pre-processing strategies were applied to the raw Raman mapping spectra. The results were compared with CLS (current reference method) and MCR-ALS. Special emphasis was given to mapping at low Raman exposure times to enable feasible total acquisition times (< 5 h). The quality of IOT/CLS/MCR-ALS estimated Raman concentration predictions were assessed by calculating a correlation factor between the spectrum corresponding to the maximum predicted concentration (or resolved spectra) of a component for IOT/CLS (or MCR-ALS) and the pure powder component spectrum. The Raman chemical maps were visualized, and the average Raman concentrations scores were compared. The results demonstrated the utility of IOT in Raman chemical mapping of pharmaceutical tablets. The diluent (lactose) and API (semi-fine APAP) used in this study were reliably estimated by IOT at relatively short Raman exposure times. On the other hand, as expected, the lubricant (magnesium stearate) could not be detected in any of the cases investigated here, irrespective of the algorithm used. Overall, for the API and diluent used in this formulation as well as the chemical mapping conditions, linear IOT seemed to better estimate the pure spectrum intensities and the average Raman scores (closer to CLS) in comparison to MCR-ALS. Moreover, application of appropriate constraints in linear IOT avoided the presence of negative and/or greater than 100 % Raman concentration scores, as observed in CLS-based Raman chemical maps.

A Yeast Chronological Lifespan Assay to Assess Activity of Proteasome Stimulators

Aging is characterized by changes in several cellular processes, including dysregulation of proteostasis. Current research has shown long-lived rodents display elevated proteasome activity throughout life and proteasome dysfunction is linked to shorter lifespans in a transgenic mouse model. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is one of the main pathways leading to cellular protein clearance and quality maintenance. Reduction in proteasome activity is associated with aging and its related pathologies. Small molecule stimulators of the proteasome have been proposed to help alleviate cellular stress related to unwanted protein accumulation. Here we have described the development of techniques to monitor the impact of proteasome stimulation in wild-type yeast and a strain that has impaired proteasome expression. We validated our chronological lifespan assay using both types of yeast with a variety of small molecule stimulators at different concentrations. By modifying the media conditions for the yeast, molecules can be evaluated for their potential to increase chronological lifespan in five days. Additionally, our assay conditions can be used to monitor the activity of proteasome stimulators in modulating the degradation of a YFP-α-synuclein fusion protein produced by yeast. We anticipate these methods to be valuable for those wishing to study the impact of increasing proteasome-mediated degradation of proteins in a eukaryotic model organism.

Immunotoxin SS1P is rapidly removed by proximal tubule cells of kidney, whose damage contributes to albumin loss in urine

Recombinant immunotoxins (RITs) are chimeric proteins composed of an Fv and a protein toxin being developed for cancer treatment. The Fv brings the toxin to the cancer cell, but most of the RITs do not reach the tumor and are removed by other organs. To identify cells responsible for RIT removal, and the pathway by which RITs reach these cells, we studied SS1P, a 63-kDa RIT that targets mesothelin-expressing tumors and has a short serum half-life. The major organs that remove RIT were identified by live mouse imaging of RIT labeled with FNIR-Z-759. Cells responsible for SS1P removal were identified by immunohistochemistry and intravital two-photon microscopy of kidneys of rats. The primary organ of SS1P removal is kidney followed by liver. In the kidney, SS1P passes through the glomerulus, is taken up by proximal tubular cells, and transferred to lysosomes. In the liver, macrophages are involved in removal. The short half-life of SS1P is due to its very rapid filtration by the kidney followed by degradation in proximal tubular cells of the kidney. In mice treated with SS1P, proximal tubular cells are damaged and albumin in the urine is increased. SS1P uptake by kidney is reduced by coadministration of l-lysine. Our data suggests that l-lysine administration to humans might prevent SS1P-mediated kidney damage, reduce albumin loss in urine, and alleviate capillary leak syndrome.

Can a contact lens sensor predict the success of trabectome surgery?

PURPOSE

We examined whether a contact lens sensor (CLS) is useful for the postoperative evaluation of trabectome surgery. We investigated the correlations between the outcomes of trabectome surgery and the output of a CLS.

METHODS

We examined 24 consecutive eyes of patients with pseudo-exfoliation glaucoma. In each eye, the intraocular pressure (IOP) fluctuations over 24 h were measured with the SENSIMED Triggerfish CLS before and at 3 months after the trabectome surgery. We divided the patients into success (n = 12 eyes) and failure (n = 12 eyes) groups; success was defined as a postoperative IOP level ≤ 21 mmHg plus an IOP reduction ≥ 20% relative to the preoperative IOP value with or without anti-glaucoma medications. We investigated CLS parameters that correlate with surgical outcomes by performing a Cox hazard regression analysis. We determined the maximum value, minimum value, and range of IOP fluctuation as CLS parameters.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up period was 38.0 ± 3.0 months. The success rate was 50%. The postoperative range of IOP fluctuation during the nocturnal period with the CLS was significantly correlated with the surgical results (p = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

A smaller range of IOP fluctuation was significantly correlated with better surgical outcomes. We were able to predict the surgical success after trabectome surgery at 3 months using the CLS. Thus, CLS results could be a new surgical evaluation parameter.

Effective Pacing Intervention by Closed-loop Stimulation Using a Coronary Vein Lead in a Post-tricuspid Valve Replacement Patient

To avoid the negative effects associated with pacing, pacemakers are designed to achieve a pacing cadence as close to physiological pacing as possible. In closed-loop stimulation (CLS; a type of rate-responsive functionality used in pacemakers), the changes in impedance (which correlates with the contractility of the myocardium around the lead tip electrode) are tracked, and the paced heart rate is adjusted accordingly. We herein report a case in which we implanted a pacemaker in a post-tricuspid valve replacement patient. A ventricular lead positioned in the coronary vein exhibited good CLS functionality, and the patient's dizziness and heart failure improved.

Consuming cholera toxin counteracts age-associated obesity

During the past forty years there has been an inexplicable increase in chronic inflammatory disorders, including obesity. One theory, the ‘hygiene hypothesis’, involves dysregulated immunity arising after too few beneficial early life microbe exposures. Indeed, earlier studies have shown that gut microbe-immune interactions contribute to smoldering inflammation, adiposity, and weight gain. Here we tested a safe and well-established microbe-based immune adjuvant to restore immune homeostasis and counteract inflammation-associated obesity in animal models. We found that consuming Vibrio cholerae exotoxin subunit B (ctB) was sufficient to inhibit age-associated obesogenic outcomes in wild type mice, including reduced crown-like structures (CLS) and granulomatous necrosis histopathology in fat depots. Administration of cholera toxin reduced weight gain irrespective of age during administration; however, exposure during youth imparted greater slenderizing effects when compared with animals receiving ctB for the first time during adulthood. Beneficial effects were transplantable to other obesity-prone animals using immune cells alone, demonstrating an immune-mediated mechanism. Taken together, we concluded that oral vaccination with cholera toxin B helps stimulate health-protective immune responses that counteract age-associated obesity.

Zinc encapsulated chitosan nanoparticle to promote maize crop yield

Zinc deficient/or alkaline soil is globally widespread issue and cultivation of cereals in such soil results in severe depression in plant growth, higher disease incidence and lower grain yield. To address such problems, laboratory synthesized Zn-chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) were evaluated via seed priming and foliar application in maize plants. Zn-chitosan NPs (0.01-0.16%) showed strong in vitro antifungal and seedling growth promotry activities. Further, Zn-chitosan NPs exhibited significant disease control through strengthening of plant innate immunity by elevating antioxidant and defense enzymes, balancing of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhancing lignin accumulation. In field, seed treatment and foliar application of developed NPs (0.01-0.16%) significantly controlled Curvularia leaf spot (CLS) disease, increased grain yield from 20.5 to 39.8% and enriched the grain with zinc micronutrient from 41.27 to 62.21 μg/g dw. Results claim that Zn-chitosan NPs could be an effective growth promotry, disease controlling and micronutrient fortifying agent in maize crop.

Classical Least Squares-Assisted Mid-Infrared (MIR) Laser Spectroscopy Detection of High Explosives on Fabrics

Mid-infrared (MIR) laser spectroscopy was used to detect the presence of residues of high explosives (HEs) on fabrics. The discrimination of the vibrational signals of HEs from a highly MIR-absorbing substrate was achieved by a simple and fast spectral evaluation without preparation of standards using the classical least squares (CLS) algorithm. Classical least squares focuses on minimizing the differences between the spectral features of the actual spectra acquired using MIR spectroscopy and the spectral features of calculated spectra modeled from linear combinations of the spectra of neat components: HEs, fabrics, and bias. Samples in several combinations of cotton fabrics/HEs were used to validate the methodology. Several experiments were performed focusing on binary, ternary, and quaternary mixtures of TNT, RDX, PETN, and fabrics. The parameters obtained from linear combinations of the calculated spectra were used to perform discrimination analyses and to determine the sensitivity and selectivity of HEs with respect to the substrates and to each other. However, discrimination analysis was not necessary to achieve successful detection of HEs on cotton fabric substrates. The RDX signals ( m_RDX > 0.02 mg) on cotton were used to calculate the limit of detection (LOD). The signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) calculated from the spectra of cotton dosed with decreasing masses of RDX until S/N ≈ 3 resulted in a LOD of 15-33 µg, depending on the vibrational band used. Linear fits generated by comparing the mass dosed RDX with the fraction predicted were also used to calculate the LOD based on the uncertainty of the blank and the slope. This procedure resulted in a LOD of 58 µg. Probably the most representative value of the method LOD was calculated using an interpolation of a threshold determined using the predicted average value for the blank plus 3.28 times the standard deviations ( p-value threshold) for low surface dosages of RDX (LOD = 40 µg). The contribution demonstrates that to achieve HE detection on fabrics using the proposed algorithm, i.e., determining the presence/absence of HEs on the substrates, the library must contain the spectra of HEs, substrates, and potential interferents or that these spectra be added to the models in the field. If the model does not contain the spectra of the fabric components, there is a high probability of finding false positives for clean samples (no HEs) and a low probability for failed detection in samples with HEs. More work will be required to demonstrate that these new approaches to HE detection work on real-world samples and when contaminating materials are present in the samples.

Melatonin Supplementation Decreases Hypertrophic Obesity and Inflammation Induced by High-Fat Diet in Mice

Obesity results from critical periods of positive energy balance characterized by caloric intake greater than energy expenditure. This disbalance promotes adipose tissue dysfunction which is related to other comorbidities. Melatonin is a low-cost therapeutic agent and studies indicate that its use may improve obesity-related disorders. To evaluate if the melatonin is efficient in delaying or even blocking the damages caused by excessive ingestion of a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice, as well as improving the inflammatory profile triggered by obesity herein, male C57BL/6 mice of 8 weeks were induced to obesity by a HFD and treated for 10 weeks with melatonin. The results demonstrate that melatonin supplementation attenuated serum triglyceride levels and total and LDL cholesterol and prevented body mass gain through a decreased lipogenesis rate and increased lipolytic capacity in white adipocytes, with a concomitant increment in oxygen consumption and Pgc1a and Prdm16 expression. Altogether, these effects prevented adipocyte hypertrophy caused by HFD and reflected in decreased adiposity. Finally, melatonin supplementation reduced the crown-like-structure (CLS) formation, characteristic of the inflammatory process by macrophage infiltration into white adipose tissue of obese subjects, as well as decreased the gene expression of inflammation-related factors, such as leptin and MCP1. Thus, the melatonin can be considered a potential therapeutic agent to attenuate the metabolic and inflammatory disorders triggered by obesity.

Five modified classical least squares based models for stability indicating analysis of cyclobenzaprine HCl with its major degradation products: A comparative study

Five modified multivariate calibration models based on classical least squares (CLS) in addition to traditional CLS model are developed and validated for assaying cyclobenzaprine HCl (CZ) with its major degradants; dibenzocycloheptatrienone (DZ) and anthraquinone (AQ), whether in its pure form or in pharmaceutical dosage form. The five models are net analyte processing CLS (NAP-CLS), orthogonal signal correction CLS (OSC-CLS), direct orthogonal signal correction CLS (DOSC-CLS) and hybrid linear analysis following the strategy of Xu and Schechter (HLA-XS) or Goicoechea et al. (HLA-GO). The five modified CLS models in addition to traditional CLS were subjected to a comparative study through manipulation of ultra-violet absorption data in the region of 220-350 nm. Three factor four level experimental design was adopted which results in 16 mixtures calibration set covering various concentrations of CZ, DZ and AQ. An extra validation set, composed of nine mixtures, was prepared for validation of the prediction power of the presented models. Experimental results showed high capability of the proposed modified CLS models for assaying CZ successfully without any interference from the co-existing degradation products (DZ and AQ). A statistical comparison between the results of CZ analysis in its dosage form by the six CLS based models and the reported HPLC method was carried out presenting no significant difference in regards to precision and accuracy. Significance of CLS based models is a consequent of their high quantitative and qualitative power for assaying multi-components mixtures.

Adsorption of organic pollutants from real refinery wastewater on prepared cross-linked starch by epichlorohydrin

The presented data shows how cornstarch can be modified to a material that can effectively remove organics pollutants from a real wastewater. A low-cost adsorbent obtained from cornstarch by the crosslinking with epichlorohydrin. The prepared crossed linked starch (CLS) adsorbent characterized by X-ray diffraction, zeta potential, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area. The effects of initial chemical oxygen demand of the real wastewater, temperature and time of the adsorption of the organics on the prepared CLS were analyzed. The removal of the highest organics concentration was 89.85%. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models have been applied to investigate the adsorption equilibrium. The maximum adsorption capacity of the organics pollutants on the prepared CLS was 256.41 mg/g. Thermodynamic parameters show that the adsorption process of organics on CLS is more favorable at low temperature.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases, Fus3 and Kss1, regulate chronological lifespan in yeast

Using a systems-based approach, we have identified several genes not previously evaluated for a role(s) in chronological aging. Here, we have thoroughly investigated the chronological lifespan (CLS) of three of these genes (FUS3, KSS1 and HOG1) and their protein products, each of which have well-defined cell signaling roles in young cells. The importance of FUS3 and KSS1 in CLS are largely unknown and analyzed here for the first time. Using both qualitative and quantitative CLS assays, we show that deletion of any of the three MAPK's increases yeast lifespan. Furthermore, combined deletion of any MAPK and TOR1, most prominently fus3Δ/tor1Δ, produces a two-stage CLS response ending in lifespan increase greater than that of tor1Δ. Similar effects are achieved upon endogenous expression of a non-activatable form of Fus3. We speculate that the autophagy-promoting role of FUS3, which is inherently antagonistic to the role of TOR1, may in part be responsible for the differential aging phenotype of fus3Δ/tor1Δ. Consistent with this notion we show that nitrogen starvation, which promotes autophagy by deactivating Tor1, results in decreased CLS if FUS3 is deleted. Taken together, these results reveal a previously unrealized effect of mating-specific MAPKs in the chronological lifespan of yeast.

Selective Weighted Least Squares Method for Fourier Transform Infrared Quantitative Analysis

Classical least squares (CLS) regression is a popular multivariate statistical method used frequently for quantitative analysis using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry. Classical least squares provides the best unbiased estimator for uncorrelated residual errors with zero mean and equal variance. However, the noise in FT-IR spectra, which accounts for a large portion of the residual errors, is heteroscedastic. Thus, if this noise with zero mean dominates in the residual errors, the weighted least squares (WLS) regression method described in this paper is a better estimator than CLS. However, if bias errors, such as the residual baseline error, are significant, WLS may perform worse than CLS. In this paper, we compare the effect of noise and bias error in using CLS and WLS in quantitative analysis. Results indicated that for wavenumbers with low absorbance, the bias error significantly affected the error, such that the performance of CLS is better than that of WLS. However, for wavenumbers with high absorbance, the noise significantly affected the error, and WLS proves to be better than CLS. Thus, we propose a selective weighted least squares (SWLS) regression that processes data with different wavenumbers using either CLS or WLS based on a selection criterion, i.e., lower or higher than an absorbance threshold. The effects of various factors on the optimal threshold value (OTV) for SWLS have been studied through numerical simulations. These studies reported that: (1) the concentration and the analyte type had minimal effect on OTV; and (2) the major factor that influences OTV is the ratio between the bias error and the standard deviation of the noise. The last part of this paper is dedicated to quantitative analysis of methane gas spectra, and methane/toluene mixtures gas spectra as measured using FT-IR spectrometry and CLS, WLS, and SWLS. The standard error of prediction (SEP), bias of prediction (bias), and the residual sum of squares of the errors (RSS) from the three quantitative analyses were compared. In methane gas analysis, SWLS yielded the lowest SEP and RSS among the three methods. In methane/toluene mixture gas analysis, a modification of the SWLS has been presented to tackle the bias error from other components. The SWLS without modification presents the lowest SEP in all cases but not bias and RSS. The modification of SWLS reduced the bias, which showed a lower RSS than CLS, especially for small components.

Methods to Assess Autophagy and Chronological Aging in Yeast

Autophagy is a catabolic process that is crucial for cellular homeostasis and adaptive response to changing environments. Importantly, autophagy has been shown to be induced in many longevity-associated scenarios and to be required to maintain lifespan extension. Notably, autophagy is a highly conserved cellular process among eukaryotes, and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has become a universal model system for unraveling the molecular machinery underlying autophagic mechanisms. Here, we discuss different protocols to monitor survival and autophagy of yeast cells upon chronological aging. These include the use of propidium iodide to assess the loss of cell membrane integrity, as well as clonogenic assays to directly determine survival rates. Additionally, we describe methods to quantify autophagic flux, including the alkaline phosphatase activity or the GFP liberation assays, which measure the delivery of autophagosomal cargo to the vacuole. In sum, we have recapped established protocols used to evaluate a link between lifespan extension and autophagy in yeast.

Clinical outcome of design modifications to the CLS Spotorno Stem in total hip replacement

PURPOSE

historically, the original CLS Spotorno Stem has demonstrated excellent survival. The design of this stem was recently modified, resulting in the introduction of a shorter, modular version (CLS Brevius). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the functional, radiological and survivorship outcomes of the cementless CLS Brevius Stem in a multi-surgeon, single center, consecutive series study at two years post-surgery.

METHODS

the Authors performed 170 total hip arthroplasties in 155 patients using the shorter, triple-taper stem design (CLS Brevius). The patients' diagnoses were primary hip osteoarthritis (OA) in 74.4%, secondary hip OA in 22.6%, and post-traumatic hip OA in 3%. All operations were performed through a mini-posterior approach, with the patient in the lateral decubitus position. The mean follow-up was 32 months (24-44 months). Outcome was assessed using the Harris Hip Score (HHS).

RESULTS

the mean HHS improved from 32 preoperatively to 92 points at final follow-up, while the stem survival rate was 99.4%. Overall, the results were excellent in148 hips (87%), good in 14 hips (8.2%), fair in six hips (3.6%), and poor in two hips (1.2%). Intraoperative complications included a calcar fissure in three hips (1.7%). Correct femoral offset was reproduced in 97% while the planned center of hip rotation was achieved in 98%. Only one hip underwent early stem revision; this was due to major subsidence.

CONCLUSIONS

the modified CLS stem design showed excellent short-term results with a low rate of early postoperative complications. One of the main findings of this study was the high correlation between the planned femoral offset and center of hip rotation and the final radiographic measurements. This high reproducibility, which indicates the ability of the system to restore normal hip anatomy, is indeed due to the extensive modularity that characterizes this stem system. Long-term follow-up studies are necessary to fully compare the outcomes of the new design with its highly successful predecessor.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, therapeutic cases series.

BRCA2 mediates centrosome cohesion via an interaction with cytoplasmic dynein

BRCA2 is responsible for familial breast and ovarian cancer and has been linked to DNA repair and centrosome duplication. Here we analyzed the mechanism by which the centrosomal localization signal (CLS) of BRCA2 interacts with cytoplasmic dynein 1 to localize BRCA2 to the centrosome. In vitro pull-down assays demonstrated that BRCA2 directly binds to the cytoplasmic dynein 1 light intermediate chain 2. A dominant-negative HA-CLS-DsRed fusion protein, the depletion of dynein by siRNA, and the inactivation of dynein by EHNA, inhibited the localization of BRCA2 at centrosomes and caused the separation of centrosome pairs during the S-phase. The double depletion of BRCA2 and C-Nap1 caused a larger dispersion of centrosome distances than the silencing of C-Nap1. These results suggest that cytoplasmic dynein 1 binds to BRCA2 through the latter's CLS and BRCA2 mediates the cohesion between centrosomes during the S phase, potentially serving as a cell-cycle checkpoint.

Elevated adiponectin expression promotes adipose tissue vascularity under conditions of diet-induced obesity

OBJECTIVE

Despite the clinical prevalence of obesity, only recently has the importance of adipose tissue microenvironment been addressed at a molecular level. Here, I focused on the fat-derived cytokine adiponectin as a model system to understand the mechanism underlying adipose tissue vascularity, perfusion, inflammation, and systemic metabolic function.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Wild type, adiponectin-deficient, and adiponectin transgenic-overexpressing mice were maintained on chow diet or high fat/high sucrose diet for 32weeks. Vascularization of adipose tissue was examined by confocal microscopy and perfusion was determined by recovery of injected microspheres. Adipose tissue inflammation and systemic metabolic function were also assessed.

RESULTS

Modest over-expression of adiponectin led to a marked increase in adipose tissue vascularity and perfusion, and this was associated with diminished hypoxia and an increase in vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) expression in the obese mice. Adiponectin over-expression in diet-induced obese mice also led to the virtual absence of macrophage infiltration and the elimination of crown-like structures. Adiponectin transgenic mice also displayed a remarkable sensitivity to insulin and diminished hepatic steatosis. Under the conditions of these experiments, adiponectin deficiency did not diminish adipose tissue perfusion or worsen metabolic function compared to wild type mice fed the high fat/high sucrose diet.

CONCLUSION

These data demonstrate that increased circulating adiponectin levels, and the obese environment, are associated with increased adipose tissue vascularization and perfusion, and improved metabolic function under conditions of long term diet-induced obesity.

Role of adipokines and cytokines in obesity-associated breast cancer: therapeutic targets

Obesity is the cause of a large proportion of breast cancer incidences and mortality in post-menopausal women. In obese people, elevated levels of various growth factors such as insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are found. Elevated insulin level leads to increased secretion of estrogen by binding to the circulating sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). The increased estrogen-mediated downstream signaling favors breast carcinogenesis. Obesity leads to altered expression profiles of various adipokines and cytokines including leptin, adiponectin, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β. The increased levels of leptin and decreased adiponectin secretion are directly associated with breast cancer development. Increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines within the tumor microenvironment promote tumor development. Efficacy of available breast cancer drugs against obesity-associated breast cancer is yet to be confirmed. In this review, we will discuss different adipokine- and cytokine-mediated molecular signaling pathways involved in obesity-associated breast cancer, available therapeutic strategies and potential therapeutic targets for obesity-associated breast cancer.

Enhancement of mitochondrial function correlates with the extension of lifespan by caloric restriction and caloric restriction mimetics in yeast

Caloric restriction mimetics (CRMs) have been developed to mimic the effects of caloric restriction (CR). However, research reports for the effects of CRMs are often times inconsistent across different research groups. Therefore, in this study, we compared seven identified CRMs which extend the lifespans of various organisms including caffeine, curcumin, dapsone, metformin, rapamycin, resveratrol, and spermidine to CR for mitochondrial function in a single model, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this organism, rapamycin extended chronological lifespan (CLS), but other CRMs failed to extend CLS. Rapamycin enhanced mitochondrial function like CR did, but other CRMs did not. Both CR and rapamycin worked on mitochondrial function, but they worked at different windows of time during the chronological aging process.

Autophagy and leucine promote chronological longevity and respiration proficiency during calorie restriction in yeast

We have previously shown that autophagy is required for chronological longevity in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we examine the requirements for autophagy during extension of chronological life span (CLS) by calorie restriction (CR). We find that autophagy is upregulated by two CR interventions that extend CLS: water wash CR and low glucose CR. Autophagy is required for full extension of CLS during water wash CR under all growth conditions tested. In contrast, autophagy was not uniformly required for full extension of CLS during low glucose CR, depending on the atg allele and strain genetic background. Leucine status influenced CLS during CR. Eliminating the leucine requirement in yeast strains or adding supplemental leucine to growth media extended CLS during CR. In addition, we observed that both water wash and low glucose CR promote mitochondrial respiration proficiency during aging of autophagy-deficient yeast. In general, the extension of CLS by water wash or low glucose CR was inversely related to respiration deficiency in autophagy-deficient cells. Also, autophagy is required for full extension of CLS under non-CR conditions in buffered media, suggesting that extension of CLS during CR is not solely due to reduced medium acidity. Thus, our findings show that autophagy is: (1) induced by CR, (2) required for full extension of CLS by CR in most cases (depending on atg allele, strain, and leucine availability) and, (3) promotes mitochondrial respiration proficiency during aging under CR conditions.

Effect of adaptive paced cardiolocomotor synchronization during running: a preliminary study

Cardiolocomotor synchronization (CLS) has been well established for individuals engaged in rhythmic activity, such as walking, running, or cycling. When frequency of the activity is at or near the heart rate, entrainment occurs. CLS has been shown in many cases to improve the efficiency of locomotor activity, improving stroke volume, reducing blood pressure variability, and lowering the oxygen uptake (VO2). Instead of a 1:1 frequency ratio of activity to heart rate, an investigation was performed to determine if different harmonic coupling at other simple integer ratios (e.g. 1:2, 2:3, 3:2) could achieve any performance benefits. CLS was ensured by pacing the stride rate according to the measured heartbeat (i.e., adaptive paced CLS, or forced CLS). An algorithm was designed that determined the simplest ratio (lowest denominator) that, when multiplied by the heart rate will fall within an individualized, predetermined comfortable pacing range for the user. The algorithm was implemented on an iPhone 4, which generated a 'tick-tock' sound through the iPhone's headphones. A sham-controlled crossover study was performed with 15 volunteers of various fitness levels. Subjects ran a 3 mile (4.83 km) simulated training run at their normal pace on two consecutive days (randomized one adaptive pacing, one sham). Adaptive pacing resulted in faster runs run times, with subjects running an average of 26:03 ± 3:23 for adaptive pacing and 26:38 ± 3:31 for sham (F = 5.46, p < 0.05). The increase in heart rate from the start of the race as estimated by an exponential time constant was significantly longer during adaptive pacing, τ = 0.99 ± 0.30, compared to sham, τ = 1.53 ± 0.34 (t = -6.62, p < 0.01). Eighty-seven percent of runners found it easy to adjust their stride length to match the pacing signal with seventy-nine percent reporting that pacing helped their performance. These results suggest that adaptive paced CLS may have a beneficial effect on running performance and may be useful as a training aid. Key PointsSham-controlled crossover study using 15 experienced runners running 3 miles (4.83 km).Adaptive CLS pacing resulted in statistically significant 35 second average decrease in run-time (p < 0.05).Increase in heart rate during the run was significantly slower during adaptive pacing (p < 0.01).

Extreme nearly neutral evolution in mitochondrial genomes of laboratory mouse strains

Relaxation of the selective constraint during the domestication process is known. In this study, we report unexpected closeness to neutral evolution of mitochondrial genomes of laboratory mouse strains: estimated non-synonymous/synonymous rate ratio being very close to 1 (ω^=1.32). Probably it is due to the extreme inbreeding extending over 100 years as well as to their recent origin (middle of the last millennium). There is no rate difference observed among three codon positions as well as ribosomal RNA and control regions. However, the amino acid substitutions occurred not randomly, and substitutions were more frequent between physico-chemically similar amino acids than between dissimilar ones. Probably this is inevitable consequence caused by the codon table itself, but not by selections. This implies that a large portion of the new mutations are conservative, and most of them are slightly deleterious and not lethal. It seems that, even though the selection pressures do not hold normally, the function of genes may not be impaired in most cases.

Maintenance of cellular ATP level by caloric restriction correlates chronological survival of budding yeast

The free radical theory of aging emphasizes cumulative oxidative damage in the genome and intracellular proteins due to reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is a major cause for aging. Caloric restriction (CR) has been known as a representative treatment that prevents aging; however, its mechanism of action remains elusive. Here, we show that CR extends the chronological lifespan (CLS) of budding yeast by maintaining cellular energy levels. CR reduced the generation of total ROS and mitochondrial superoxide; however, CR did not reduce the oxidative damage in proteins and DNA. Subsequently, calorie-restricted yeast had higher mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and it sustained consistent ATP levels during the process of chronological aging. Our results suggest that CR extends the survival of the chronologically aged cells by improving the efficiency of energy metabolism for the maintenance of the ATP level rather than reducing the global oxidative damage of proteins and DNA.

Time course of histomorphological changes in adipose tissue upon acute lipoatrophy

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Crown-like structures (CLS) are characteristic histopathology features of inflamed adipose tissues in obese mice and humans. In previous work, we suggested that these cells derived from macrophages primarily involved in the reabsorption of dead adipocytes. Here, we used a well-characterized transgenic mouse model in which the death of adipocytes in adult mice is inducible and highly synchronized. In this "FAT ATTAC" model, apoptosis is induced through forced dimerization of a caspase-8 fusion protein.

METHODS AND RESULTS

0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 10 days post induction of adipocyte cell death, we analyzed mesenteric and epididymal adipose depots by histology, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Upon induction of caspase-8 dimerization, numerous adipocytes lost immunoreactivity for perilipin, a marker for live adipocytes. In the same areas, we found adipocytes with hypertrophic mitochondria and signs of organelle degeneration. Neutrophils and lymphocytes were the main inflammatory cells present in the tissue, and the macrophages were predominantly Mac-2 negative. Over the course of ablation, Mac-2 positive macrophages substituted for Mac-2 negative macrophages, followed by CLS formation. All perilipin negative, dead adipocytes were surrounded by CLS structures. The time course of histopathology was similar in both fat pads studied, but occurred at earlier stages and was more gradual in mesenteric fat.

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrate that CLS formation results as a direct consequence of adipocyte death, and that infiltrating macrophages actively uptake remnant lipids of dead adipocytes. Upon induction of adipocyte apoptosis, inflammatory cells infiltrate adipose tissue initially consisting of neutrophils followed by macrophages that are involved in CLS formation.

Activin stimulates CYP19A gene expression in human ovarian granulosa cell-like KGN cells via the Smad2 signaling pathway

Activin, a transforming growth factor β family member, has a wide range of physiological roles during embryonic development and organogenesis. In the ovary, activin, secreted from ovarian granulosa cells, not only acts on the pituitary gland to regulate the gonadotropin secretion from the pituitary gland in an endocrine manner but also acts on granulosa cells in a paracrine/autocrine manner to regulate folliculogenesis. Previously, we showed that activin signals through activin type IB receptor (ActRIB) and up-regulates follicle-stimulating hormone receptor expression and P450 aromatase activity in human ovarian granulose cell-like KGN cells. In the current study, we demonstrate the direct involvement of Smad2 as a downstream signal mediator of ActRIB in the transcriptional regulation of the P450 aromatase gene (CYP19A) in KGN cells. Upon activin stimulation, Smad2 activation and an increase in P450 aromatase messenger RNA (mRNA) were observed in KGN cells. Interestingly, Smad2 phosphorylation correlated well with the increase in P450 aromatase mRNA. Reciprocally, knockdown of Smad2 mRNA in KGN cells led to a decrease in the P450 aromatase mRNA expression, suggesting that Smad2 regulates CYP19A gene expression. Further analysis of CYP19A promoter activity revealed that the 5' upstream region between -2069 and -1271bp is required for the activation by Smad2. Finally, we provide compelling evidence that Smad2 shows follicular stage-specific expression, which is high in granulosa cells of preantral or early antral follicles in mice. Our results suggest that activin signaling through the ActRIB-Smad2 pathway plays a pivotal role in CYP19A expression and thus in follicular development.

Defective synaptic transmission and structure in the dentate gyrus and selective fear memory impairment in the Rsk2 mutant mouse model of Coffin-Lowry syndrome

The Coffin-Lowry syndrome (CLS) is a syndromic form of intellectual disability caused by loss-of-function of the RSK2 serine/threonine kinase encoded by the rsk2 gene. Rsk2 knockout mice, a murine model of CLS, exhibit spatial learning and memory impairments, yet the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. In the current study, we examined the performance of Rsk2 knockout mice in cued, trace and contextual fear memory paradigms and identified selective deficits in the consolidation and reconsolidation of hippocampal-dependent fear memories as task difficulty and hippocampal demand increase. Electrophysiological, biochemical and electron microscopy analyses were carried out in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus to explore potential alterations in neuronal functions and structure. In vivo and in vitro electrophysiology revealed impaired synaptic transmission, decreased network excitability and reduced AMPA and NMDA conductance in Rsk2 knockout mice. In the absence of RSK2, standard measures of short-term and long-term potentiation (LTP) were normal, however LTP-induced CREB phosphorylation and expression of the transcription factors EGR1/ZIF268 were reduced and that of the scaffolding protein SHANK3 was blocked, indicating impaired activity-dependent gene regulation. At the structural level, the density of perforated and non-perforated synapses and of multiple spine boutons was not altered, however, a clear enlargement of spine neck width and post-synaptic densities indicates altered synapse ultrastructure. These findings show that RSK2 loss-of-function is associated in the dentate gyrus with multi-level alterations that encompass modifications of glutamate receptor channel properties, synaptic transmission, plasticity-associated gene expression and spine morphology, providing novel insights into the mechanisms contributing to cognitive impairments in CLS.