Systemic Metabolic and Volumetric Assessment via Whole-Body [18F]FDG-PET/CT: Pancreas Size Predicts Cachexia in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background/Objectives: Cancer-associated cachexia in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is challenging to diagnose due to its complex pathophysiology. This study aimed to identify metabolic biomarkers linked to cachexia and survival in HNSCC patients using [18F]FDG-PET/CT imaging and machine learning (ML) techniques. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 253 HNSCC patients from Vienna General Hospital and the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Automated organ segmentation was employed to quantify metabolic and volumetric data from [18F]FDG-PET/CT scans across 29 tissues and organs. Patients were categorized into low weight loss (LoWL; grades 0-2) and high weight loss (HiWL; grades 3-4) groups, according to the weight loss grading system (WLGS). Machine learning models, combined with Cox regression, were used to identify survival predictors. Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) analysis was conducted to determine the significance of individual features. Results: The HiWL group exhibited increased glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue (p = 0.01), while the LoWL group showed higher lung metabolism. The one-year survival rate was 84.1% in the LoWL group compared to 69.2% in the HiWL group (p < 0.01). Pancreatic volume emerged as a key biomarker associated with cachexia, with the ML model achieving an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.77-0.80) and an accuracy of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.81-0.83). Multivariate Cox regression confirmed pancreatic volume as an independent prognostic factor (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46-0.95; p < 0.05). Conclusions: The integration of metabolic and volumetric data provided a strong predictive model, highlighting pancreatic volume as a key imaging biomarker in the metabolic assessment of cachexia in HNSCC. This finding enhances our understanding and may improve prognostic evaluations and therapeutic strategies.

A cross-cultural comparison of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational drives for learning.

Intrinsic motivational drives, like the autonomous feeling of control, and extrinsic motivational drives, like monetary reward, can benefit learning. Extensive research has focused on neurobiological and psychological factors that affect these drives, but our understanding of the sociocultural factors is limited. Here, we compared the effects of autonomy and rewards on episodic recognition memory between students from Dutch and Chinese universities. In an exploratory learning task, participants viewed partially obscured objects that they needed to subsequently remember. We independently manipulated autonomy, as volitional control over an exploration trajectory, as well as the chance to receive monetary rewards. The learning task was followed by memory tests for objects and locations. For both cultural groups, we found that participants learned better in autonomous than non-autonomous conditions. However, the beneficial effect of reward on memory performance was stronger for Chinese than for Dutch participants. By incorporating the sociocultural brain perspective, we discuss how differences in norms and values between Eastern and Western cultures can be integrated with the neurocognitive framework about dorsal lateral and ventral medial prefrontal cortex and dopaminergic reward modulations on learning and memory. These findings have important implications for understanding the neurocognitive mechanisms in which both autonomy and extrinsic rewards are commonly used to motivate students in the realm of education and urge more attention to investigate cultural differences in learning.

Same-Day Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography with 68Ga-Radiolabeled Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitors and 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Imaging for Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Objective: We investigated the clinical practicability of same-day 68Ga-radiolabeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitors (68Ga-FAPI)-first and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) imaging and compared it with same-day 18F-FDG-first or 2-day procedures in diagnosing gastrointestinal cancers. Materials and Methods: Sixty-five patients with confirmed gastrointestinal cancers were divided into same-day 68Ga-FAPI-first group (Group A), same-day 18F-FDG-first group (Group B), and 2-day group (Group C). Low-dose CT and low injection activity were performed on 68Ga-FAPI positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Interval times, radiation dose, diagnostic performance, and detectability were assessed among groups. Additionally, the uptake, tumor-to-liver ratio (TLR), diagnostic efficacy, and TNM stage were compared between the two modalities. Results: The total waiting time for Group C was significantly longer than that for Group A or B (both p < 0.001). The total dose-length product and effective dose decreased in all groups. There were comparable detectability and diagnostic performance among groups (all p > 0.05). The within-group analysis in Group B indicated that 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT had higher uptake in the primary and recurrent lesions than 18F-FDG without differences in TLR, due to higher liver background on 68Ga-FAPI PET than Group A or C (both p < 0.001).68Ga-FAPI PET/CT possessed higher accuracy than 18F-FDG and changed staging in 14 patients (14/65, 21.54%). Conclusions: The same-day 68Ga-FAPI-first and 18F-FDG imaging reduced examination waiting time without increased radiation dose, simultaneously achieving excellent diagnostic performance and improving clinical staging in diagnosing gastrointestinal cancers.

Simultaneous confidence interval construction for many-to-one of proportion ratios of bilateral correlated data.

In ophthalmology and otolaryngology, data collected from paired body parts are typically reformatted into categorical bilateral data structures for subsequent research. This article applies Donner's equal correlation coefficient model and obtains nine simultaneous confidence intervals (SCI) of proportion ratios under three asymptotic statistical methods and three ways of multiplicity adjustment. The empirical coverage probability and mean interval width are evaluated through Monte Carlo simulations. A real example is used to demonstrate the proposed methods.

Identification and characterization of a key LcTPS in the biosynthesis of volatile monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in Litchi fruit.

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) has a desirable sweet taste and exotic aroma, making it popular in the markets. However, the biosynthesis of aroma volatiles in litchi fruit has rarely been investigated. In this study, the content and composition of volatile compounds were determined during litchi fruit ripening. In the mature green and mature red stages of litchi, 49 and 45 volatile compounds were detected, respectively. Monoterpenes were found to be the most abundant volatile compounds in mature red fruit, and their contents significantly increased compared to green fruit, mainly including citronellol, geraniol, myrcene, and D-limonene, which contributed to the aroma in litchi fruit. By comparing the expression profiles of the genes involved in the terpene synthesis pathway during fruit development, a terpene synthesis gene (LcTPS1-2) was identified and characterized as a major player in the synthesis of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. A subcellular localization analysis found LcTPS1-2 to be present in the plastid and cytoplasm. The recombinant LcTPS1-2 enzyme was able to catalyze the formation of three monoterpenes, myrcene, geraniol and citral, from geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP) and to convert farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) to a sesquiterpene, caryophyllene in vitro. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants overexpressing LcTPS1-2 exclusively released one monoterpene D-limonene, and three sesquiterpenes cis-thujopsene, (E)-ß-famesene and trans-ß-ionone. These results indicate that LcTPS1-2 plays an important role in the production of major volatile terpenes in litchi fruit and provides a basis for future investigations of terpenoid biosynthesis in litchi and other horticultural crops.

Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT-based radiomics features for differentiating primary lung cancer and solitary lung metastasis in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value and applicability of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) radiomics in differentiating primary lung cancer (PLC) from solitary lung metastasis (SLM) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 103 patients with CRC and solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to screen for optimal radiomics features and establish a PET/CT radiomics model. PET/CT Visual and complex models (combining radiomics with PET/CT visual features) were developed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was used to determine the predictive value and diagnostic efficiency of the models. RESULTS: The AUC of the PET/CT radiomics model for differentiating PLC from SLM was 0.872 (95% CI: 0.806-0.939), which was not different from that of the visual (0.829 [95% CI: 0.749-0.908; p = .352]). However, the AUC of the complex model (0.936 [95% CI:0.892-0.981]) was significantly higher than that of the PET/CT radiomics (p = .005) and visual model (p = .001). The sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), accuracy (ACC), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of PET/CT radiomics for differentiating PLC from SLM were 0.720, 0.887, 0.806, 0.857, and 0.770, respectively. CONCLUSION: PET/CT radiomics can effectively distinguish PLC and SLM in patients with CRC and SPNs and guide the implementation of personalized treatment.

Characterization of a longan pericarp browning related peroxidase with a focus on its role in proanthocyanidin and lignin polymerization.

The longan pericarp turns brown dramatically after harvesting, but the mechanism is not well understood. In this work, two peroxidases were purified from longan pericarp and found to be identical to the class III peroxidases PRX53-2 and PRX53-3. In vitro, PRX53-2/3 catalyzed the browning of several pericarp abundant proanthocyanidin and lignin monomers, such as (-)-epicatechin (EC), (+)-catechin (CT) and coniferyl alcohol (ConA). PRX53-2 was upregulated and highly-expressed, while PRX53-3 was expressed at low levels after harvesting; thus, PRX53-2 was considered a browning-related gene. The reaction with both proanthocyanidin and lignin presented a greater degree of brown coloration compared to the single substrate reactions. Several procyanidins isomers, EC-ConA and CT-ConA were detected in the double-substrate reaction. These results not only demonstrate that the effects of PRX53-2 on proanthocyanidin and lignin polymerization may be crucial for longan pericarp browning, but also help in developing new strategies or preservatives to delay pericarp browning.

Biological aging mediates the association between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease: results from a national population study and Mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been extensively studied, but the role of biological aging in this relationship remains poorly understood. This study is dedicated to investigating the effect of periodontitis on the incidence of CVD and to elucidating the potential mediating role of biological aging. Furthermore, this study will seek to elucidate the causal association between periodontitis, CVD, and biological aging. METHODS: We included 3269 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2009-2014) with diagnostic information on periodontitis and composite CVD events. Biological aging was evaluated by utilizing both the Klemera-Doubal method's calculated biological age (KDMAge) and phenotypic age (PhenoAge). Logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis, and subgroup analysis were used for data analysis. Mediation analysis was employed to explore the mediating role of biological aging. Subsequently, Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed using genome-wide association study databases to explore potential causal relationships between periodontitis, CVD, and biological aging. RESULTS: Periodontitis was associated with a higher risk of CVD. Participants with periodontitis were found to have increased levels of biological aging, and elevated levels of biological aging were associated with increased CVD risk. Mediation analyses showed a partial mediating effect of biological aging (PhenoAge: 44.6%; KDMAge: 22.9%) between periodontitis and CVD risk. MR analysis showed that periodontitis played a causal role in increasing the risk of small vessel stroke, while myocardial infarction was found to increase the risk of periodontitis. In addition, reverse MR analysis showed that phenotypic aging can increase the risk of periodontitis, and there is a two-way causal relationship between CVD and biological aging. CONCLUSIONS: Periodontitis is associated with an increased CVD risk, partially mediated by biological aging, with a complex causal interrelationship. Targeted interventions for periodontal health may slow the biological aging processes and reduce CVD risk.

Human Biodistribution and Radiation Dosimetry of the Targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1-Positive Tumors Tracer [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FGFR1-Peptide.

Objective: [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FGFR1-peptide is a novel positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer targeting fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1). This study aimed to evaluate the safety, biodistribution, radiation dosimetry, and imaging potential of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FGFR1-peptide. Methods: The FGFR1-targeting peptide DOTA-(PEG2)-KAEWKSLGEEAWHSK was synthesized by manual solid-phase peptide synthesis and high-performance liquid chromatography purification, and labeled with 68Ga with DOTA as chelating agent. We recruited 14 participants and calculated the radiation dose of 4 of these pathologically confirmed nontumor subjects using OLINDA/EXM 2.2.0 software. At the same time, the imaging potential in 10 of these lung cancer patients was evaluated. Results: The biodistribution of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FGFR1-peptide in 4 subjects showed the highest uptake in the bladder and kidney. Dosimetry analysis indicated that the bladder wall received the highest effective dose (3.73E-02 mSv/MBq), followed by the lungs (2.36E-03 mSv/MBq) and red bone marrow (2.09E-03 mSv/MBq). No normal organs were found to have excess specific absorbed doses. The average systemic effective dose was 4.97E-02 mSv/MBq. The primary and metastatic tumor lesions were clearly visible on PET/computed tomography (CT) images in 10 patients. Conclusion: Our results indicate that [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-FGFR1-peptide has a good dosimetry profile and can be used safely in humans, and it has significant potential value for clinical PET/CT imaging.

Causal association between skin cancer and immune cells: mendelian randomization (MR) study.

BACKGROUND: Numerous meta-analyses and clinical studies have shown that subtypes of immune cells are associated with the development of skin cancer, but it is not clear whether this association is causal or biased. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis reduces the effect of confounding factors and improves the accuracy of the results when compared to traditional studies. Thus, in order to examine the causal relationship between various immune cell and skin cancer, this study employs two-sample MR. METHODS: This study assesses the causal association between 731 immune cell characteristics and skin cancer using a two-sample Mendel randomization (MR) methodology. Multiple MR methods were used to bias and to derive reliable estimates of causality between instrumental variables and outcomes. Comprehensive sensitivity analyses were used to validate the stability, heterogeneity and horizontal multiplicity of the results. RESULTS: We discovered that potential causal relationships between different types of immune cells and skin cancer disease. Specifically, one type of immune cell as potentially causal to malignant melanoma of skin (MM), eight different types of immune cells as potentially causal to basal cell carcinoma (BCC), four different types of immune cells as potentially causal to actinic keratosis (AK), and no different types of immune cells were found to have a potential causal association with squamous cell carcinoma(SCC), with stability in all of the results. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the close connection between immune cells and skin cancer disease by genetic means, which enriches the current knowledge about the role of immune cells in skin cancer and also contributes to the design of therapeutic strategies from an immunological perspective.

Baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT radiomics for prognosis prediction in diffuse large B cell lymphoma with extranodal involvement.

PURPOSE: The objective of this investigation is to explore the capability of baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT radiomics to predict the prognosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with extranodal involvement (ENI). METHODS: 126 patients diagnosed with DLBCL with ENI were included in the cohort. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression was utilized to refine the optimum subset from the 1328 features. Cox regression analyses were employed to discern significant clinical variables and conventional PET parameters, which were then employed with radiomics score to develop combined model for predicting both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The fitness and the predictive capability of the models were assessed via the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and concordance index (C-index). RESULTS: 62 patients experienced disease recurrence or progression and 28 patients ultimately died. The combined model exhibited a lower AIC value compared to the radiomics model and SDmax/clinical variables for both PFS (507.101 vs. 510.658 vs. 525.506) and OS (215.667 vs. 230.556 vs. 219.313), respectively. The C-indices of the combined model, radiomics model, and SDmax/clinical variables were 0.724, 0.704, and 0.615 for PFS, and 0.842, 0.744, and 0.792 for OS, respectively. Kaplan--Meier curves showed significantly higher rates of relapse and mortality among patients classified as high-risk compared to those classified as low-risk (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The combined model of clinical variables, conventional PET parameters, and baseline PET/CT radiomics features demonstrates a higher accuracy in predicting the prognosis of DLBCL with ENI.

Comparison of 68Ga-FAPI-04 and 18F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosing ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE: This study assesses the diagnostic performance of 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT in primary, recurrent, and metastatic ovarian cancer. METHODS: Seventy-nine ovarian cancer patients who performed 68Ga-FAPI-04 and 18F-FDG PET/CT were recruited. The target-to-background ratio (TBR), maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), the number of positive lesions, visual assessment, the peritoneal cancer index (PCI) score, staging/restaging, and treatment strategies were compared from the corresponding PET/CT. Additionally, we analyzed and contrasted the diagnostic efficacy in both scans. RESULTS: Among all patients, 6 were assessed for initial assessment and 73 for recurrence and metastasis detection. For all lesions, 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT demonstrated greater TBR than 18F-FDG PET/CT. 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT demonstrated higher sensitivity for peritoneal metastases including patient-based and lesion-based analysis (95.00% vs. 83.33%, P = 0.065; 90.16% vs. 60.66%, P < 0.001) and a higher PCI score [median PCI: 6 (4, 12) vs. 4 (2, 8), P < 0.001]. According to the visual assessment, 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET revealed larger extent metastases in 55.93% (33/59) of the patients with peritoneal metastases. 68Ga-FAPI-04 was upstaged in 7 patients (8.86%, 7/79) and discrepancies in both scans caused treatment strategies to change in 11 patients (13.92%, 11/79). CONCLUSION: 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT outperforms 18F-FDG PET/CT in identifying metastases and can be a potential supplement for managing ovarian cancer patients.

The role of [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT in diagnostic and prognostic assessment of medullary thyroid cancer: a 15-year experience with 109 patients.

Objective: Correct diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) are crucial to treat patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT in patients with MTC. Methods: We reviewed MTC patients who underwent [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT from June 2008 to November 2023. Clinical characteristics, follow-up data, and the following [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT parameters were recorded: maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and SUVmean of multiple organs. The diagnostic value of PET/CT for the detection of tumor lesions was calculated. Serum basal calcitonin (bCt) and stimulated calcitonin (sCt) were determined. Receiver operating characteristics, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression analyses were performed. Results: In total, 109 patients (50 women, 59 men; average age, 55 ± 14 years) were included in the analysis. The patient-related sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT were 95%, 93%, and 94%, respectively. The lesion-related sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 65%, 99%, and 72%, respectively. The optimal cutoff values of bCt, sCt, and CEA to obtain positive [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT results were 64 pg/mL, 1808 pg/mL, and 4 µg/L, respectively. Patients with negative [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT had longer overall survival than patients with positive [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT results (P = 0.017). Significant positive correlations were found between bCt, sCt, and CEA with SUVmax, SUVmean, and MTV of [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT (P < 0.001). [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT results and MTV may be useful for the evaluation of the prognosis of patients with recurrent MTC, while age and MTV were independent prognostic factors in patients with primary MTC. For all patients, SUVmean of the left kidney, liver, aorta, and pancreas might be used to independently predict OS. Conclusion: [18F]F-DOPA PET/CT had great value for diagnosis and prognostic assessment in patients with MTC. The DOPA PET/CT parameter SUVmean and MTV showed significant association with OS.

Value of Semi-Quantitative Parameters of 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT in Primary Malignant and Benign Diseases: A Comparison with 18F-FDG.

Objectives: We aimed to compare the value of the semiquantitative parameters of 68Ga-labeled FAP inhibitor (68Ga-FAPI)-04 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) in diagnosing primary malignant and benign diseases. Materials and Methods: 18F-FDG and 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT images of 80 patients were compared. Semiquantitative parameters, including maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean SUV (SUVmean), peak SUV (SUVpeak), peak SUV by lean body mass (SULpeak), metabolic tumor volume (or tumor volume of FAPI; FAPI-TV), and TLG (or total lesion activity of FAPI; FAPI-TLA), were automatically obtained using the IntelliSpace Portal image processing workstation with a threshold of 40% SUVmax. The liver blood pool was measured as the background, and the tumor-to-background ratio (TBRliver) was calculated. Results: In all malignant lesions, FAPI-TV and FAPI-TLA were higher in 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT than in 18F-FDG. In the subgroup analysis, 68Ga-FAPI-04 had higher FAPI-TV and FAPI-TLA and lower SUVmax than 18F-FDG had in group A, including gynecological tumor, esophageal, and colorectal cancers. However, six semiquantitative parameters were higher in group B (the other malignant tumors). For the benign diseases, SUVmax, SUVmean, SUVpeak, and SULpeak were lower in 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT than in 18F-FDG. 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT showed a lower liver background and a higher TBRliver than 18F-FDG did. 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT had higher accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity than 18F-FDG had. Conclusion: More accurate semiquantitative parameters and lower abdominal background in 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT make it more competitive in the differential diagnosis of malignant and benign diseases than in 18F-FDG.

Electrochemical Synthesis of Phosphorylated Indoles and Trp-Containing Oligopeptides.

Cp2Fe-mediated electrochemical synthesis of phosphorylated indoles and Trp-containing oligopeptides has been developed, which eliminates the need for external oxidants and yields the desired products in moderate to excellent yields under mild conditions. Importantly, the synthetic applicability was further demonstrated through its easy scalability and the anticancer activity of the product. Remarkably, it presents the first electrochemical protocol to access the phosphorylation of indoles and Trp-containing oligopeptides.

The dual role of mesenchymal stem cells in apoptosis regulation.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely distributed pluripotent stem cells with powerful immunomodulatory capacity. MSCs transplantation therapy (MSCT) is widely used in the fields of tissue regeneration and repair, and treatment of inflammatory diseases. Apoptosis is an important way for tissues to maintain cell renewal, but it also plays an important role in various diseases. And many studies have shown that MSCs improves the diseases by regulating cell apoptosis. The regulation of MSCs on apoptosis is double-sided. On the one hand, MSCs significantly inhibit the apoptosis of diseased cells. On the other hand, MSCs also promote the apoptosis of tumor cells and excessive immune cells. Furthermore, MSCs regulate apoptosis through multiple molecules and pathways, including three classical apoptotic signaling pathways and other pathways. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on the regulation of apoptosis by MSCs.

Comparison of 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT with 18 F-FDG PET/CT for diagnosis and staging of gastric and colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/computed tomography (CT) for the diagnosis of primary and metastatic gastric cancer and colorectal cancer lesions as compared with 18 F-FDG PET/CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine patients who underwent both 18 F-FDG and 68 Ga-FAPI-04 for initial staging or restaging were enrolled. Histopathological findings and clinical imaging follow-up were used as the reference standard. The diagnostic performance and TNM staging of the two tracers were calculated and compared. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ), tumour-to-mediastinal blood pool ratio (TBR) (lesions SUV max /ascending aorta SUV mean ), and tumour-to-normal liver parenchyma ratio (TLR) (lesions SUV max /liver SUV mean ) of primary and metastatic lesions between two imaging modalities were measured and compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and paired t -test. RESULTS: The two imaging agents are comparable for the detection of primary tumors. The sensitivity of 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT was higher than that of 18 F-FDG PET/CT for detecting lymph node metastases, peritoneal metastases, liver metastases, and bone metastases. In the patient-based analysis, the TLR for all lesions was significantly higher with 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT than with 18 F-FDG PET/CT (all P  < 0.05). The accuracy (92.2 vs. 70.3%, P  = 0.002) and sensitivity of 68 Ga-FAPI-04 were significantly higher than that of 18 F-FDG (78.6 vs. 71.4%, P  = 0.011) in determining the lymph node status. 68 Ga-FAPI-04 has a higher accuracy in staging ( P  = 0.041), which is mainly due to the ability of distant metastases detection. CONCLUSION: 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT may be superior in evaluating the diagnostic efficiency and staging accuracy of gastric and colorectal cancer.

Water Supply via Pedicel Reduces Postharvest Pericarp Browning of Litchi (Litchi chinensis) Fruit.

Pericarp browning is the key factor for the extension of shelf life and the maintenance of the commercial value of harvested litchi fruit. Water loss is considered a leading factor of pericarp browning in litchi fruit. In this study, based on the distinct structure of litchi fruit, which is a special type of dry fruit with the aril as the edible part, the effects of water supply via pedicel (WSP) treatment on pericarp browning and the fruit quality of litchi were investigated. Compared with the packaging of the control fruit at 25 °C or 4 °C, the WSP treatment was found to significantly reduce pericarp browning and the decay of litchi fruit. The WSP-treated fruit had a higher L* value, total anthocyanin content, and pericarp water content, and the pericarp was thicker. The WSP treatment significantly suppressed the increase in the electrolyte leakage of the pericarp and maintained higher ascorbic acid (AA) contents in the aril. In addition, the WSP treatment was effective in reducing the activity and gene expression of browning-related genes Laccase (ADE/LAC) and Peroxidase (POD) during the storage period. In conclusion, the WSP treatment could be an effective method to delay pericarp browning and maintain the quality of harvested litchi fruit, and this further supports that litchi fruit has dry fruit characteristics.

Neutrophil extracellular trap-mediated impairment of meningeal lymphatic drainage exacerbates secondary hydrocephalus after intraventricular hemorrhage.

Rationale: Hydrocephalus is a substantial complication after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) or intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) that leads to impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation. Recently, brain meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs) were shown to serve as critical drainage pathways for CSF. Our previous studies indicated that the degradation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) after ICH/IVH alleviates hydrocephalus. However, the mechanisms by which NET degradation exerts beneficial effects in hydrocephalus remain unclear. Methods: A mouse model of hydrocephalus following IVH was established by infusing autologous blood into both wildtype and Cx3cr1-/- mice. By studying the features and processes of the model, we investigated the contribution of mLVs and NETs to the development and progression of hydrocephalus following secondary IVH. Results: This study observed the widespread presence of neutrophils, fibrin and NETs in mLVs following IVH, and the degradation of NETs alleviated hydrocephalus and brain injury. Importantly, the degradation of NETs improved CSF drainage by enhancing the recovery of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). Furthermore, our study showed that NETs activated the membrane protein CX3CR1 on LECs after IVH. In contrast, the repair of mLVs was promoted and the effects of hydrocephalus were ameliorated after CX3CR1 knockdown and in Cx3cr1-/- mice. Conclusion: Our findings indicated that mLVs participate in the development of brain injury and secondary hydrocephalus after IVH and that NETs contribute to acute LEC injury and lymphatic thrombosis. CX3CR1 is a key molecule in NET-induced LEC damage and meningeal lymphatic thrombosis, which leads to mLV dysfunction and exacerbates hydrocephalus and brain injury. NETs may be a critical target for preventing the obstruction of meningeal lymphatic drainage after IVH.

The mechanism of internal and external efficacy influences residents' pro-environmental behavior through environmental willingness.

The Chinese government's environmental conservation efforts require the active participation of all society. This study investigated how internal and external efficacy influence pro-environmental behavior with environmental willingness as a mediator. This study employed a structural equation model to analyze the data from 1499 survey questionnaires. The analysis revealed that both internal and external efficacy can enhance individuals' pro-environmental behavior in the private and public spheres. External efficacy has a stronger impact on environmental willingness and public sphere environmental behavior, while internal efficacy more significantly influences private sphere environmental behavior. Additionally, environmental willingness only mediates efficacy and public sphere environmental behavior. The innovation of this study is the examination of internal and external efficacy from the perspective of different sources and the comparison of their differential impacts on pro-environmental behavior. Relevant policies should effectively enhance residents' internal and external efficacy to comprehensively improve their level of pro-environmental behavior.