Personalized optimization strategy for electrode array layout in TTFields of glioblastoma.

Tumor treating fields (TTFields) is a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of glioblastoma. The electric field intensity is a critical factor in the therapeutic efficacy of TTFields, as stronger electric field can more effectively impede the proliferation and survival of tumor cells. In this study, we aimed to improve the therapeutic effectiveness of TTFields by optimizing the position of electrode arrays, resulting in an increased electric field intensity at the tumor. Three representative head models of real glioblastoma patients were used as the research subjects in this study. The improved subtraction-average-based optimization (ISABO) algorithm based on circle chaos mapping, opposition-based learning and golden sine strategy, was employed to optimize the positions of the four sets of electrode arrays on the scalp. The electrode positions are dynamically adjusted through iterative search to maximize the electric field intensity at the tumor. The experimental results indicate that, in comparison to the conventional layout, the positions of the electrode arrays obtained by the ISABO algorithm can achieve average electric field intensity of 1.7887, 2.0058, and 1.3497 V/cm at the tumor of three glioblastoma patients, which are 23.6%, 29.4%, and 8.5% higher than the conventional layout, respectively. This study demonstrates that optimizing the location of the TTFields electrode array using the ISABO algorithm can effectively enhance the electric field intensity and treatment coverage in the tumor area, offering a more effective approach for personalized TTFields treatment.

Prophylactic nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) mitigates CSDS-induced depressive-like behaviors in mice via preserving of ATP level in the mPFC.

Depression is a prevalent psychiatric disorder with accumulating evidence implicating dysregulation of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). It remains unclear whether facilitating endogenous ATP production and subsequently increasing extracellular ATP level in the mPFC can exert a prophylactic effect against chronic social defeat stress (CSDS)-induced depressive-like behaviors and enhance stress resilience. Here, we found that nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) treatment effectively elevated nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) biosynthesis and extracellular ATP levels in the mPFC. Moreover, both the 2-week intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection and 3-week oral gavage of NMN prior to exposure to CSDS effectively prevented the development of depressive-like behavior in mice. These protective effects were accompanied with the preservation of both NAD+ biosynthesis and extracellular ATP level in the mPFC. Furthermore, catalyzing ATP hydrolysis by mPFC injection of the ATPase apyrase negated the prophylactic effects of NMN on CSDS-induced depressive-like behaviors. Prophylactic NMN treatment also prevented the reduction in GABAergic inhibition and the increase in excitability in mPFC neurons projecting to the lateral habenula (LHb). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the prophylactic effects of NMN on depressive-like behaviors are mediated by preventing extracellular ATP loss in the mPFC, which highlights the potential of NMN supplementation as a novel approach for protecting and preventing stress-induced depression in susceptible individuals.

Clinical manifestation, lifestyle, and treatment patterns of chronic erosive gastritis: A multicenter real-world study in China.

BACKGROUND: Although chronic erosive gastritis (CEG) is common, its clinical characteristics have not been fully elucidated. The lack of consensus regarding its treatment has resulted in varied treatment regimens. AIM: To explore the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and short-term outcomes in CEG patients in China. METHODS: We recruited patients with chronic non-atrophic or mild-to-moderate atrophic gastritis with erosion based on endoscopy and pathology. Patients and treating physicians completed a questionnaire regarding history, endoscopic findings, and treatment plans as well as a follow-up questionnaire to investigate changes in symptoms after 4 wk of treatment. RESULTS: Three thousand five hundred sixty-three patients from 42 centers across 24 cities in China were included. Epigastric pain (68.0%), abdominal distension (62.6%), and postprandial fullness (47.5%) were the most common presenting symptoms. Gastritis was classified as chronic non-atrophic in 69.9% of patients. Among those with erosive lesions, 72.1% of patients had lesions in the antrum, 51.0% had multiple lesions, and 67.3% had superficial flat lesions. In patients with epigastric pain, the combination of a mucosal protective agent (MPA) and proton pump inhibitor was more effective. For those with postprandial fullness, acid regurgitation, early satiety, or nausea, a MPA appeared more promising. CONCLUSION: CEG is a multifactorial disease which is common in Asian patients and has non-specific symptoms. Gastroscopy may play a major role in its detection and diagnosis. Treatment should be individualized based on symptom profile.

Characterization of primary small intestinal lymphoma: a retrospective study based on double balloon endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of primary small intestinal lymphoma (PSIL) is difficult. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, radiological and endoscopic characteristics of PSIL and provide clue for diagnosis. METHODS: A total of 30 patients diagnosed with PSIL who underwent double balloon endoscopy (DBE) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical, radiological and endoscopic data were collected. Univariate analysis was used to determine significant indicators for differentiating three main subtypes of PSIL. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the risk factors for survival. RESULTS: In this study, 10 patients were pathologically diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 11 were indolent B-cell lymphoma (BCL) and 9 were T-cell lymphoma (TCL). Compared with DLBCL patients, the body mass index (BMI) of TCL patients was significantly lower (p = 0.004). Meanwhile, compared with patients with DLBCL, the patients with indolent BCL had lower levels of C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), fibrinogen and D-Dimer (p = 0.004, p = 0.004, p = 0.006, and p = 0.002, respectively), and lower proportion of thicker intestinal wall and aneurysmal dilation in CT scan (p = 0.003 and p = 0.020, respectively). In terms of ulcer morphology, patients with DLBCL had significantly higher proportion of deep ulcers than patients with indolent BCL (p = 0.020, respectively). Cox regression analysis showed that drink (p = 0.034), concomitant colonic ulcers (p = 0.034) and elevated LDH (p = 0.043) are risk factors for mortality in patients with PSIL. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides clinical characteristics of patients with PSIL. Thicker intestinal wall and aneurismal dilation detected on CT scan and deeper ulcer on DBE examination helps to establish a diagnosis of DLBCL.

Elevated dorsal medial prefrontal cortex to lateral habenula pathway activity mediates chronic stress-induced depressive and anxiety-like behaviors.

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) sends projections to numerous brain regions and is believed to play a significant role in depression and anxiety. One of the key downstream targets of the mPFC, the lateral habenula (LHb), is essential for chronic stress (CS)-induced depressive and anxiety-like behaviors. Nevertheless, whether the mPFC-LHb pathway mediates the co-occurrence of depression and anxiety and the underlying mechanism remain incompletely understood. Here, using chemogenetics, we first determined that activation of LHb-projecting mPFC neurons is essential for the development of depressive and anxiety-like behaviors induced by CS. Subsequently, we identify the extent and distribution of LHb-projecting neurons originating from the mPFC subregion. Through circuit-specific in vivo fiber photometry, we found that Ca2+ activity in dorsal mPFC (dmPFC) axon terminals within the LHb was increased during exposure to stressful and anxiety-related stimuli, highlighting the potential role of LHb-projecting dmPFC neurons in conveying stressful and anxiety-related information to the LHb. Finally, we observed that activation of both LHb-projecting dmPFC neurons and their postsynaptic counterparts in the LHb was necessary for CS-induced depressive and anxiety-like behaviors. Overall, this study provides multiple lines of evidence demonstrating that activation of the dmPFC-LHb pathway is a crucial neural circuitry for CS-induced depressive and anxiety-like behaviors.

Assays on 3D tumor spheroids for exploring the light dosimetry of photodynamic effects under different gaseous conditions.

The multifaceted nature of photodynamic therapy (PDT) requires a throughout evaluation of a multitude of parameters when devising preclinical protocols. In this study, we constructed MCF-7 human breast tumor spheroid assays to infer PDT irradiation doses at four gradient levels for violet light at 408 nm and red light at 625 nm under normal and hypoxic oxygen conditions. The compacted three-dimensional (3D) tumor models conferred PDT resistance as compared to monolayer cultures due to heterogenous distribution of photosensitizers along with the presence of internal hypoxic region. Cell viability results indicated that the violet light was more efficient to kill cells in the spheroids under normal oxygen conditions, while cells exposed to the hypoxic microenvironment exhibited minimal PDT-induced death. The combination of 3D tumor spheroid assays and the multiparametric screening platform presented a solid framework for assessing PDT efficacy across a wide range of different physiological conditions and therapeutic regimes.

Photoperiod-regulated mitophagy in the germ cells of Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii).

Photoperiod is a pivotal factor in affecting testicular function and spermatogenesis in seasonal-breeding animals. Mitophagy is essential for spermatogenesis, but its association with seasonal photoperiods has not been studied extensively. To explore this, we exposed male Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) to long-photoperiod (LP, 16 h/day) and short-photoperiod (SP, 8 h/day) conditions from their embryonic stages. Our results indicated that testis weight, volume, and relative testes weight were all significantly increased in LP compared to SP. Additionally, blood testosterone levels were markedly higher in LP than SP. Histological examination revealed that seminiferous diameter and epithelium thickness were greater in LP, with an increased abundance of germ cell types and cell numbers compared to SP. RT-qPCR analysis showed that mitophagy-promoting genes, such as Pink1, Prkn, Tomm7, Mnf2, Lc3, Optn, Gabarap, and Nbr1 were all upregulated in LP. Fluorescence in situ hybridization indicated that Pink1 expression was present in spermatogonia in SP, while in LP, Pink1 expression extended to almost all germ cell types with significantly higher mean optical density. Prkn expression was found in all germ cell types in both LP and SP, with a significantly higher mean optical density of 10-week-old LP males. Transmission electron microscopy showed normal mitochondrial morphology with clear membranes in SP, while the LP group had reduced cristae in mitochondria and damaged mitochondria undergoing autophagy. This study suggests that mitophagy may be involved in the photoperiodic spermatogenesis in Brandt's voles, providing insights into the role of photoperiod in seasonal reproduction in wild animals.

A novel predict method for muscular invasion of bladder cancer based on 3D mp-MRI feature fusion.

Objective. To assist urologist and radiologist in the preoperative diagnosis of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), we proposed a combination models strategy (CMS) utilizing multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging.Approach. The CMS includes three components: image registration, image segmentation, and multisequence feature fusion. To ensure spatial structure consistency of T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging (DCE), a registration network based on patch sampling normalized mutual information was proposed to register DWI and DCE to T2WI. Moreover, to remove redundant information around the bladder, we employed a segmentation network to obtain the bladder and tumor regions from T2WI. Using the coordinate mapping from T2WI, we extracted these regions from DWI and DCE and integrated them into a three-branch dual-channel input. Finally, to fully fuse low-level and high-level features of T2WI, DWI, and DCE, we proposed a distributed multilayer fusion model for preoperative MIBC prediction with five-fold cross-validation.Main results. The study included 436 patients, of which 404 were for the internal cohort and 32 for external cohort. The MIBC was confirmed by pathological examination. In the internal cohort, the area under the curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity achieved by our method were 0.928, 0.869, 0.753, and 0.929, respectively. For the urologist and radiologist, Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System score >3 was employed to determine MIBC. The urologist demonstrated an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.842, 0.737, and 0.895, respectively, while the radiologist achieved 0.871, 0.803, and 0.906, respectively. In the external cohort, the accuracy of our method was 0.831, which was higher than that of the urologist (0.781) and the radiologist (0.813).Significance. Our proposed method achieved better diagnostic performance than urologist and was comparable to senior radiologist. These results indicate that CMS can effectively assist junior urologists and radiologists in diagnosing preoperative MIBC.

Crohn's disease as the intestinal manifestation of pan-lymphatic dysfunction: An exploratory proposal based on basic and clinical data.

Crohn's disease (CD) is caused by immune, environmental, and genetic factors. It can involve the entire gastrointestinal tract, and although its prevalence is rapidly increasing its etiology remains unclear. Emerging biological and small-molecule drugs have advanced the treatment of CD; however, a considerable proportion of patients are non-responsive to all known drugs. To achieve a breakthrough in this field, innovations that could guide the further development of effective therapies are of utmost urgency. In this review, we first propose the innovative concept of pan-lymphatic dysfunction for the general distribution of lymphatic dysfunction in various diseases, and suggest that CD is the intestinal manifestation of pan-lymphatic dysfunction based on basic and clinical preliminary data. The supporting evidence is fully summarized, including the existence of lymphatic system dysfunction, recognition of the inside-out model, disorders of immune cells, changes in cell plasticity, partial overlap of the underlying mechanisms, and common gut-derived fatty and bile acid metabolism. Another benefit of this novel concept is that it proposes adopting the zebrafish model for studying intestinal diseases, especially CD, as this model is good at presenting and mimicking lymphatic dysfunction. More importantly, the ensuing focus on improving lymphatic function may lead to novel and promising therapeutic strategies for CD.

Revisiting hemodynamics and blood oxygenation in a microfluidic microvasculature replica.

The complexity of microvascular circulation has led to the development of advanced imaging techniques and biomimetic models. This study developed a multifaceted microfluidic-based microdevice as an in vitro model of microvasculature to replicate important geometric and functional features of in vivo perfusion in mice. The microfluidic device consisted of a microchannel for blood perfusion, mirroring the natural hierarchical branching vascular structures found in mice. Additionally, the device incorporated a steady gradient of oxygen (O2) which diffused through the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer, allowing for dynamic blood oxygenation. The assembled multi-layered microdevice was accompanied by a dual-modal imaging system that combined laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) and intrinsic signal optical imaging (ISOI) to visualize full-field blood flow distributions and blood O2 profiles. By closely reproducing in vivo blood perfusion and oxygenation conditions, this microvasculature model, in conjunction with numerical simulation results, can provide quantitative information on physiologically relevant hemodynamics and key O2 transport parameters that are not directly measurable in traditional animal studies.

Development and experimental validation of a folate metabolism-related gene signature to predict the prognosis and immunotherapeutic sensitivity in bladder cancer.

Folate metabolism is critical for the maintenance of genomic stability due to its regulatory ability to methylation, nucleotide metabolism, and reduction capabilities in cancer cells. However, the prognostic value of folate metabolism-related genes has not been clarified, especially in bladder cancer (BLCA). 91 folate metabolism-related genes were retrieved from the public database. TCGA-BLCA cohort, obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas, was selected for training, while GSE13507, GSE31684, and GSE32894, downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus, and 35 BLCA samples collected from the local hospital were used for external validation. Through genomic difference detection, protein-protein interaction network analysis, LASSO regression, and Cox regression, a three-gene signature, including ATIC, INS, and MTHFD1L, was constructed. The signature was a reliable prognosis predictor across multiple independent cohorts (pooled hazard ratio = 2.79, 95% confidence interval = 1.79-4.33). The signature was associated with the BLCA malignant degree, which was validated in the local clinical samples (P < 0.01) and multiple cell lines (all P < 0.05). Additionally, the TIDE algorithm, GSE111636 cohort, and IMvigor210 cohort indicated that the signature was a promising tool to evaluate the immunotherapeutic response. Collectively, a folate metabolism-related gene signature was constructed to predict the prognosis and immunotherapeutic sensitivity in BLCA, which was verified in multiple large-scale cohorts, clinical samples, and cellular experiments, providing novel insights into the biological mechanisms.

Impact of antibiotic cured chronic endometritis on perinatal outcomes: Re-evaluation of a cohort study with a detailed follow-up.

PROBLEM: The impact of antibiotic-cured chronic endometritis (CE) on perinatal outcomes of patients conceived with frozen embryo transfer (FET) was unclear. METHOD: This study was to re-evaluate the perinatal outcomes of a cohort of infertile patients who had undergone endometrial biopsy for CE detection from February 2018 to December 2019 and successfully delivered babies after FET. The study population was divided into two groups: the non-CE (NCE) group (0-4/HPF CD138) and the cured-CE (CCE) group (CD138+/HPF≥5 and has been cured after one or two rounds of antibiotic treatment). For subgroup analysis, the NCE group was further divided into subgroup 1 (CD138+/HPF = 0), subgroup 2 (CD138+/HPF = 1-4 with antibiotic treatment), and subgroup 3 (CD138+/HPF = 1-4 without antibiotic treatment) RESULTS: A total of 321 live births, including 210 in the NCE group and 111 in the CCE group were analyzed. The prevalence rates of premature rupture of the membrane and preterm birth were comparable between NCE and CCE (6.2% vs. 7.1% and 10.8% vs. 10.1%, respectively) groups. In addition, no differences were detected in the rates of placenta-mediated complications, such as preeclampsia, placenta abruption, or low birthweight. Multiple logistic analyses confirmed that CCE was not associated with an increased risk of any adverse perinatal outcomes. Subgroup analysis in NCE failed to find any significant differences in the incidences of obstetrical and neonatal complications. CONCLUSIONS: CCE might not increase the risks of adverse perinatal outcomes after antibiotic treatment.

Mechanism of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in the treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy based on a protein interaction network and molecular docking.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a severe manifestation or intermediate stage of cardiovascular disease progression with a significantly poor prognosis. Based on a protein interaction network and molecular docking, the present study determined the genes and mechanism of action of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in the treatment of DCM, providing a direction for future studies on ACEI drugs for DCM. Methods: This is a retrospective study. DCM samples and healthy controls were downloaded from the GSE42955 dataset, and the targets of the potential active ingredients were obtained from PubChem. Hub genes in ACEIs were analyzed by constructing network models and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network using the STRING database and Cytoscape software. Molecular docking was performed using Autodock vina software. Results: Twelve DCM samples and five control samples were finally included. A total of 62 intersected genes were obtained by intersecting the differentially expressed genes with six ACEI target genes. PPI analysis identified 15 intersecting hub genes from these 62 genes. Enrichment analysis showed that the hub genes were associated with T helper type 17 (Th17) cell differentiation as well as the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappa B), interleukin 17 (IL-17), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) (PI3K-Akt), and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways. Molecular docking indicated that the compound Benazepril to produce favorable interactions with TNF proteins with a relatively higher score (-8.3). Conclusions: This study primarily revealed that the preventive and curative effects of ACEI treatment on DCM could be realized through multiple targets and pathways, and its mechanism of action is related to genes such as TNF, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), interleukin 6 (IL6), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), Cyclin D1 (CCND1), and AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), with immune- and inflammation-related signaling pathways involvement.

Progressive pre-disconnection of urethral mucosal flap during transurethral plasmakinetic enucleation of prostate improves postoperative urinary continence. / å°¿é“é»è†œç“£æ¸è¿›å¼é¢„ç¦»æ–­å¯æ”¹å–„ç»å°¿é“å‰åˆ—è ºç­‰ç¦»å­å‰œé™¤æœ¯æ‚£è€ å°¿æŽ§åŠŸèƒ½.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of progressive pre-disconnection of urethral mucosal flap during transurethral plasmakinetic enucleation of prostate (TUPEP) on early recovery of urinary continence. METHODS: Clinical data of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) admitted in Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University during February and May 2022 were collected. All the patients underwent TUPEP, and the progressive pre-disconnection of urethral mucosal flap was performed in the procedure. The total operation time, enucleation time, postoperative bladder irrigation time and catheter indwelling time were recorded. Urinary continence was evaluated 24 h, 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 months after the removal of urinary catheter. RESULTS: All surgeries were successfully completed at one time with less intraoperative bleeding, and there were no complications such as rectal injury, bladder injury or perforation of prostate capsule. The total operation time was (62.2±6.5) min, the enucleation time was (42.8±5.2) min, the postoperative hemoglobin decrease by (9.5±4.5) g/L, the postoperative bladder irrigation time was (7.9±1.4) h, and the postoperative catheter indwelling time was 10.0 (9.2, 11.4) h. Only 2 patients (3.6%) had transient urinary incontinence within 24 h after catheter removal. No urinary incontinence occurred at 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 months after operation, and no safety pad was needed. The Qmax at 1 month after operation was 22.3 (20.6, 24.4) mL/s, international prostate symptom scores were 8.0 (7.0, 9.0), 5.0 (4.0, 6.0) and 4.0 (3.0, 4.0) at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery, and quality of life scores at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery were 3.0 (2.0, 3.0), 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) and 1.0 (1.0, 2.0), all of these indicators were better than those before surgery (all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of BPH, the application of progressive pre-disconnection of urethral mucosal flap in TUPEP can completely remove the hyperplastic glands and promote early recovery of postoperative urinary continence with less perioperative bleeding and decreased surgical complications.

A novel hybrid generative adversarial network for CT and MRI super-resolution reconstruction.

Objective. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are widely used in medical imaging modalities, and provide valuable information for clinical diagnosis and treatment. However, due to hardware limitations and radiation safety concerns, the acquired images are often limited in resolution. Super-resolution reconstruction (SR) techniques have been developed to enhance the resolution of CT and MRI slices, which can potentially improve diagnostic accuracy. To capture more useful feature information and reconstruct higher quality super-resolution images, we proposed a novel hybrid framework SR model based on generative adversarial networks.Approach. The proposed SR model combines frequency domain and perceptual loss functions, which can work in both frequency domain and image domain (spatial domain). The proposed SR model consists of 4 parts: (i) the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) operation transforms the image from the image domain to frequency domain; (ii) a complex residual U-net performs SR in the frequency domain; (iii) the inverse discrete Fourier transform (iDFT) operation based on data fusion transforms the image from the frequency domain to image domain; (iv) an enhanced residual U-net network is used for SR of image domain.Main results. Experimental results on bladder MRI slices, abdomen CT slices, and brain MRI slices show that the proposed SR model outperforms state-of-the-art SR methods in terms of visual quality and objective quality metric such as the structural similarity (SSIM) and the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), which proves that the proposed model has better generalization and robustness. (Bladder dataset: upscaling factor of 2: SSIM = 0.913, PSNR = 31.203; upscaling factor of 4: SSIM = 0.821, PSNR = 28.604. Abdomen dataset: upscaling factor of 2: SSIM = 0.929, PSNR = 32.594; upscaling factor of 4: SSIM = 0.834, PSNR = 27.050. Brain dataset: SSIM = 0.861, PSNR = 26.945).Significance. Our proposed SR model is capable of SR for CT and MRI slices. The SR results provide a reliable and effective foundation for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Pretreating mesenchymal stem cells with IL-6 regulates the inflammatory response of DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in rats.

The immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been broadly investigated in research on inflammatory diseases including ulcerative colitis. Treating MSCs with an inflammatory stimulus before transplantation is an adaptive strategy that helps MSCs survive in areas of inflammation and promotes the regulation of local immune responses. This study aimed to examine the effects of pretreating bone marrow MSCs (BMSCs) with Interleukin-6 (IL-6) on attenuation of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. Experimental ulcerative colitis was induced in Wistar rats by administering 2% DSS in their water for 7 days and normal water for the next 3 days. The experimental group received 1 × 106/0.4 ml of BMSCs that were treated with IL-6 for 24 h. Histological changes, colon length, and disease activity index were compared among groups, and the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in homogenate supernatants were evaluated using ELISA. IL-6-pretreated BMSCs significantly reduced the colonic damage score. The colon length shortened by 6.1 ± 0.14 cm for the rats that received IL-6-pretreated BMSCs, whereas the control group rats' value was 3.8 ± 0.14 cm on the 14th day. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly decreased in the colons of the IL-6-pretreated BMSCs group compared with those of the control group (p < 0.05). This study revealed that IL-6-pretreated BMSCs ameliorated DSS-induced colitis via local anti-inflammatory action and suggested that IL-6-pretreated BMSCs are a promising therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis treatment.

Multi-task deep learning based on T2-Weighted Images for predicting Muscular-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

BACKGROUND: An accurate preoperative assessment of Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) and Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC) in Bladder Cancer (BCa) can help the urologist make diagnostic decisions. Considering the absence of multiparametric MRI for contrast medium allergy and economic reasons, this study aims to develop a deep learning method based on T2-Weighted (T2WI) images alone for predicting NMIBC and MIBC. METHOD: We propose a Multi-task BCa Muscular Invasion Prediction (MBMIP) model to discriminate MIBC from NMIBC. The three-channel-input including the original T2WI image, segmented bladder, and the region of interest can help the MBMIP model locate the bladder and pay more attention to the surrounding information of the tumor. Inception V3 is used as the feature extraction module, which uses multiple branches to extract high-level features with different degrees of abstraction. In addition, based on the idea of multi-task learning, a reconstruction block for T2WI images is also introduced to assist the backbone classification network to improve the classification performance. RESULTS: The entire data consist of retrospective data (390 cases), prospective data (39 cases), and multi-center data (39 cases). In the retrospective test, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the MBMIP model are 0.911, 0.889, and 0.920 respectively, while those of the prospective test are 0.923, 1.000, and 0.885. And in the muti-center test, the MBMIP model yields accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.846, 0.667, and 0.879. CONCLUSION: The MBMIP model could achieve a satisfactory prediction result in discriminating between NMIBC and MIBC, which may aid urologists in preoperative decision-making for BCa patients.

[Main hypotheses on mechanisms underlying plant invasion: A review.] / æ¤ç‰©å ¥ä¾µæœºåˆ¶çš„ä¸»è¦å‡è¯´.

Plant invasion is one of the most serious global problems, destroying ecosystem structure and function. With the severity of plant invasion, it is particularly important to understand the mechanisms of plant invasion in order to control and solve the problem. We summarized different mechanisms of plant invasion and the synergy among them, expounded the allelopathy, the plant-soil feedbacks, the reciprocal symbiosis, the effects of plant functional traits and phenotype plasticity in the process of plant invasion, and comprehensively analyzed the synergy of multiple mechanisms on plant invasion trajectory. According to the results, the invasion trajectory of alien plants in the invasive site was divided into four stages: introduction, colonization, establishment, and invasion. Integrating all kinds of obstacles and promoting factors encountered into it and putting forward the invasion curve of plants would contribute to the future research and management of invasive plants. We further highlighted the current research deficiencies and future research directions and objectives based on analyzing current research methods of plant invasion.

Long-term Follow-up of Detaenial Sigmoid Neobladder Reconstruction for Paediatric Patients with Bladder and Prostate Rhabdomyosarcoma: Technique and Results from a Single High-volume Centre.

BACKGROUND: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common paediatric soft-tissue sarcoma. Approximately 15-20% of RMS cases arise from the bladder and prostate (B/P). The optimal treatment strategy for B/P RMS remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the applicability of our procedure performed to treat paediatric patients with B/P RMS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This is a retrospective analysis from a single tertiary referral hospital. From August 2003 to March 2021, 62 children pathologically diagnosed with B/P RMS underwent radical cystectomy and orthotopic detaenial sigmoid neobladder reconstruction in our centre. SURGICAL PROCEDURE: Surgical procedures included laparoscopic radical cystectomy and detaenial sigmoid neobladder reconstruction, which is demonstrated in the accompanying video. MEASUREMENTS: Demographic, clinical, and follow-up data were collected. Perioperative and long-term oncological and functional outcomes were reported. A logistic regression analysis was also performed. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: All surgeries, including three intracorporeal laparoscopic surgeries, were completed successfully. Of the 62 patients, 54 were alive without evidence of disease recurrence or metastasis at the last follow-up. Five of the 14 >12-yr-old boys reported that they experienced erections. Two female patients >12 yr old reported that they menstruated. However, this was a retrospective study conducted at a single centre with limited surgeon experience. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirmed the safety and feasibility of primary orthotopic sigmoid neobladder reconstruction after radical cystectomy for paediatric patients with B/P RMS. Good outcomes in terms of oncological control and functional recovery were achieved. The high histocompatibility and tissue adaptability of children are inspiring. PATIENT SUMMARY: We describe our stepwise technique of radical cystectomy and detaenial sigmoid neobladder reconstruction for paediatric patients with bladder and prostate rhabdomyosarcoma. With this technique, we were able to achieve good functional recovery without compromising cancer control and significantly increasing complications.