Ethanol foam: a novel type of foam sclerosant for treating venous malformations.

Introduction: Sclerotherapy is a commonly utilized treatment approach for venous malformations. Absolute ethanol is renowned for its remarkable efficacy as a potent sclerosants, but it is potentially associated with severe complications. Foam sclerotherapy is considered superior to liquid sclerotherapy owing to its heightened efficacy and diminished incidence of complications. Thus, our objective was to devise an ethanol foam sclerosant that delivers exceptional efficacy while mitigating complications. Methods: In the first set of experiments, we identified the suitable range of ethanol concentrations for sclerotherapy through human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation assays and blood clotting experiments. Next, the surfactants polysorbate 80, egg yolk lecithin, and hyaluronic acid were added to create stable ethanol foam, with their ratios meticulously optimized. Results: The optimal concentration range of ethanol was determined to be 30-60%. Eventually, a 48% ethanol foam was successfully produced with excellent stability. Other than ethanol, the formulation included 5 × 10-3 g/mL polysorbate 80, 10-2 g/mL egg yolk lecithin, and 0.04 mL/mL hyaluronic acid. Discussion: The novel ethanol foam produced here could be a promising candidate for the treatment of venous malformations.

Impact of competition on reimbursement decisions for cancer drugs in China: an observational study.

Background: Annual Chinese National negotiations for including innovative drugs in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) reveal an increasing number of new drugs with overlapping action mechanisms of action and similar indications. Yet, it is unclear if competition affects reimbursement decisions. Thus, we explored the impact of competition on reimbursement decisions for cancer drugs in China. Methods: We identified the cancer drugs involved in NRDL negotiations from 2017 to 2022 and focused on the initial reimbursement decision for eligible newly negotiated drugs. Drugs were classified as within-class competitors based on their equivalent biological mechanisms of action and approved indications, including identified and potential competitors. Other variables included drug type, clinical benefit and safety, monthly drug cost, and disease incidence rate. We employed traditional univariate and multivariate Firth's penalized logistic regression to assess the association between reimbursement decisions and variables at the indication and drug levels. Findings: Between 2017 and 2022, 102 cancer drugs corresponding to 141 indications were studied, and 66 drugs (64.7%) covering 95 indications (67.4%) were added to the NRDL. The proportion of reimbursements for indications with identified competition was significantly higher than that for indications without identified competition (84.6% vs 52.6%, p < 0.0001). However, the difference in reimbursement proportions between groups with and without potential competition was not statistically significant (66.7% vs 68.3%, p = 0.84). Firth's penalized logistic regression showed that identified competition was positively correlated with successful NRDL inclusion, whereas potential competition had no significant effect on negotiation outcomes. Improved overall survival or progression-free survival were positively associated with NRDL inclusion, whereas disease incidence negatively impacted reimbursement decisions. Interpretation: Improved clinical benefit and identified competition were positively correlated with NRDL inclusion. In China's value-based negotiation model, clinical benefits served as a crucial foundation of price negotiation for cancer drugs, and market competition helped these drugs enter the NRDL at more reasonable prices. This has important implications for reimbursement decisions and accessibility and affordability improvement for innovative drugs worldwide. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 72104151).

Electrostatic-Field-Induced Collapse of Nanobubbles in Nanochannels.

The adsorbed nanobubbles inside the nanochannels can cause fluid transport blockages, which will obviously degrade the nanodevice performance and reduce the lifetime. However, due to small-scale effects, the removal of nanobubbles is a huge challenge at the nanoscale. Herein, molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to study the effect of the electrostatic field on underwater nitrogen nanobubbles confined in nanochannels. It is found that the nanobubbles will collapse under an appropriate electrostatic field, thereby unblocking the transport of water in the nanochannels. The formation of ordered water structures induced by electrostatic fields plays an important role in the removal of nanobubbles from the nanochannels. Our findings provide a convenient, controllable, and remote way to address the blockage problem of nanobubbles in nanochannels, which may have potential applications in improving the performance of fuel cells.

Biological activities, Peptidomics and in silico analysis of low-fat Cheddar cheese after in vitro digestion: Impact of blending camel and bovine Milk.

Cheesemaking with camel milk (CM) presents unique challenges and additional health benefits. This study involved preparing low-fat Cheddar cheese (LFCC) by blending bovine milk (BM) with varying levels of CM. Control cheese was made exclusively with BM. After 180 days of ripening, LFCC samples underwent in vitro digestion to determine antioxidant capacities, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition. The peptide profile of LFCC treatments was analyzed using liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry. Antioxidant and biological activities were influenced by BM-CM blends and digestion. At days 120 and 180, the number of αs1-casein-derived peptides increased in all samples except for LFCC made with 15% CM. Generally, 88 peptides exhibited ACE inhibition activity after 120 days of ripening, increasing to 114 by day 180. These findings suggest that ripening time positively affects the health-promoting aspects of functional cheese products.

Binding uric acid: a pure chemical solution for the treatment of hyperuricemia.

Hyperuricemia, characterized by elevated uric acid levels and subsequent crystal deposition, contributing to conditions such as gout, cardiovascular events, and kidney injury, poses a significant health threat, particularly in developed countries. Current drug options for treatment are limited, with safety concerns, leading to suboptimal therapeutic outcomes in symptomatic hyperuricemia patients and a lack of pharmaceutical interventions for asymptomatic cases. Distinguishing from the previous drug design strategies, we directly target uric acid, the pathological molecule of hyperuricemia, resulting in a pyrimidine derivative capable of increasing the solubility and excretion of uric acid by forming a complex with it. Its prodrug showed an anti-hyperuricemia activity comparable to benzbromarone and a favorable safety profile in vivo. Our finding provides a strategy purely based on organic chemistry to address the largely unmet therapeutic needs on novel anti-hyperuricemia drugs.

P300 regulates histone crotonylation and preimplantation embryo development.

Histone lysine crotonylation, an evolutionarily conserved modification differing from acetylation, exerts pivotal control over diverse biological processes. Among these are gene transcriptional regulation, spermatogenesis, and cell cycle processes. However, the dynamic changes and functions of histone crotonylation in preimplantation embryonic development in mammals remain unclear. Here, we show that the transcription coactivator P300 functions as a writer of histone crotonylation during embryonic development. Depletion of P300 results in significant developmental defects and dysregulation of the transcriptome of embryos. Importantly, we demonstrate that P300 catalyzes the crotonylation of histone, directly stimulating transcription and regulating gene expression, thereby ensuring successful progression of embryo development up to the blastocyst stage. Moreover, the modification of histone H3 lysine 18 crotonylation (H3K18cr) is primarily localized to active promoter regions. This modification serves as a distinctive epigenetic indicator of crucial transcriptional regulators, facilitating the activation of gene transcription. Together, our results propose a model wherein P300-mediated histone crotonylation plays a crucial role in regulating the fate of embryonic development.

Cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock complicating ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in China: A retrospective multicenter study.

Background: Data on the effect of cardiac arrest (CA), cardiogenic shock (CS), and their combination on the prognosis of Chinese patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are limited. The present study sought to evaluate the clinical outcomes of STEMI complicated by CA and CS, and to identify the risk factors for CA or CS. Methods: This study included 7468 consecutive patients with STEMI in China. The patients were divided into 4 groups (CA + CS, CA only, CS only, and No CA or CS). The endpoints were 30-day all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed. Results: CA, CS, and their combination were noted in 332 (4.4 %), 377 (5.0 %), and 117 (1.6 %) among all patients. During the 30-day follow-up, 817 (10.9 %) all-cause deaths and 964 (12.9 %) major adverse cardiovascular events occurred, and the incidence of all-cause mortality (3.6 %, 62.3 %, 74.1 %, 83.3 %) and major adverse cardiovascular events (5.4 %, 67.1 %, 75.0 %, and 87.2 %) significantly increased in the No CA or CS, CS only, CA only, and CA + CS groups, respectively. In the multivariate Cox regression models, compared with the No CA or CS group, the CA + CS, CA, and CS-only groups were associated with an increased risk of all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events. Patients with CA + CS had the highest risk of all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR], 25.259 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 19.221-33.195]) and major adverse cardiovascular events (HR 19.098, 95%CI 14.797-24.648). Conclusions: CA, CS, and their combination were observed in approximately 11 % of Chinese patients with STEMI, and were associated with increased risk for 30-day mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events in Chinese patients with STEMI.

Graveoline attenuates D-GalN/LPS-induced acute liver injury via inhibition of JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Graveoline exhibits various biological activities. However, only limited studies have focused on its hepatoprotective properties. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of graveoline, a minor 2-phenylquinolin-4-one alkaloid isolated from Ruta graveolens L., in a liver injury model in vitro and in vivo. A network pharmacology approach was used to investigate the potential signaling pathway associated with the hepatoprotective activity of graveoline. Subsequently, biological experiments were conducted to validate the findings. Topological analysis of the KEGG pathway enrichment revealed that graveoline mediates its hepatoprotective activity through genes associated with the hepatitis B viral infection pathway. Biological experiments demonstrated that graveoline effectively reduced the levels of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced HepG2 cells. Graveoline exerted antihepatitic activity by inhibiting the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and elevated the anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, graveoline exerted its hepatoprotective activity by inhibiting JAK1 and STAT3 phosphorylation both in vitro and in vivo. In summary, graveoline can attenuate acute liver injury by inhibiting the TNF-α inflammasome, activating IL-4 and IL-10, and suppressing the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. This study sheds light on the potential of graveoline as a promising therapeutic agent for treating liver injury.

Wnt5a-mediated autophagy contributes to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human bronchial epithelial cells during asthma.

BACKGROUND: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) is essential for airway remodeling during asthma. Wnt5a has been implicated in various lung diseases, while its role in the EMT of HBECs during asthma is yet to be determined. This study sought to define whether Wnt5a initiated EMT, leading to airway remodeling through the induction of autophagy in HBECs. METHODS: Microarray analysis was used to investigate the expression change of WNT5A in asthma patients. In parallel, EMT models were induced using 16HBE cells by exposing them to house dust mites (HDM) or interleukin-4 (IL-4), and then the expression of Wnt5a was observed. Using in vitro gain- and loss-of-function approaches via Wnt5a mimic peptide FOXY5 and Wnt5a inhibitor BOX5, the alterations in the expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and the mesenchymal marker protein were observed. Mechanistically, the Ca2+/CaMKII signaling pathway and autophagy were evaluated. An autophagy inhibitor 3-MA was used to examine Wnt5a in the regulation of autophagy during EMT. Furthermore, we used a CaMKII inhibitor KN-93 to determine whether Wnt5a induced autophagy overactivation and EMT via the Ca2+/CaMKII signaling pathway. RESULTS: Asthma patients exhibited a significant increase in the gene expression of WNT5A compared to the healthy control. Upon HDM and IL-4 treatments, we observed that Wnt5a gene and protein expression levels were significantly increased in 16HBE cells. Interestingly, Wnt5a mimic peptide FOXY5 significantly inhibited E-cadherin and upregulated α-SMA, Collagen I, and autophagy marker proteins (Beclin1 and LC3-II). Rhodamine-phalloidin staining showed that FOXY5 resulted in a rearrangement of the cytoskeleton and an increase in the quantity of stress fibers in 16HBE cells. Importantly, blocking Wnt5a with BOX5 significantly inhibited autophagy and EMT induced by IL-4 in 16HBE cells. Mechanistically, autophagy inhibitor 3-MA and CaMKII inhibitor KN-93 reduced the EMT of 16HBE cells caused by FOXY5, as well as the increase in stress fibers, cell adhesion, and autophagy. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates a new link in the Wnt5a-Ca2+/CaMKII-autophagy axis to triggering airway remodeling. Our findings may provide novel strategies for the treatment of EMT-related diseases.

Effectiveness of Short-Acting Opioid Escalation vs Initiation of a Long-Acting Opioid in Nursing Home Residents.

OBJECTIVES: Modifications to opioid regimens for persistent pain are typically made after an initial period of short-acting opioid (SAO) use. Regimen changes may include an escalation of the SAO dosage or an initiation of a long-acting opioid (LAO) as a switch or add-on therapy. This study evaluates the comparative effectiveness between these alternative regimens in nursing home residents. DESIGN: A retrospective observational cohort analysis of US long-stay nursing home residents. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Nursing home resident data were obtained from the national Minimum Dataset (MDS) version 3.0 and linked Medicare data, 2011-2016. METHODS: Opioid regimen changes were identified using Part D dispensing claims to identify dosage escalation of SAOs, initiation of an LAO, or a switch to an LAO. Outcomes included indices of pain occurrence, frequency, and severity reported on the earliest MDS assessment within 3 months following the opioid regimen change. Resident attributes were described by opioid regimen cohort. Prevalence ratios of pain and depression indices were quantified using doubly robust inverse probability of treatment (IPT)-weighted log-binomial regression. RESULTS: The study cohorts included 2072 SAO dose escalations, 575 LAO add-on initiations, and 247 LAO switch initiations. After IPT weighting, we observed comparable effects on pain and mood across the opioid regimen cohorts. A substantial number of residents continued to report frequent/constant pain (36% in SAO Escalation Cohort, 42% in LAO Add-on Cohort, 42% in the LAO Switch Cohort). The distribution of depressive symptoms was similar regardless of the opioid regimen change. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Initiation of an LAO as an add-on to SAO or a switch from SAO had comparable effects on pain and mood to SAO dose escalation without initiation of an LAO. Although fewer residents reported any pain after the regimen change, persistent pain was reported by most residents.

Enhancing strategies of photosynthetic hydrogen production from microalgae: Differences in hydrogen production between prokaryotic and eukaryotic algae.

Hydrogen production through the metabolic bypass of microalgae photosynthesis is an environmentally friendly method. This review examines the genetic differences in hydrogen production between prokaryotic and eukaryotic microalgae. Additionally, the pathways for enhancing microalgae-based photosynthetic hydrogen generation are summarized. The main strategies for enhancing microalgal hydrogen production involve inhibiting the oxygen-generating process of photosynthesis and promoting the oxygen tolerance of hydrogenase. Future research is needed to explore the regulation of physiological metabolism through quorum sensing in microalgae to enhance photosynthetic hydrogen production. Moreover, effective evaluation of carbon emissions and sequestration across the entire photosynthetic hydrogen production process is crucial for determining the sustainability of microalgae-based production approaches through comprehensive lifecycle assessment. This review elucidates the prospects and challenges associated with photosynthetic hydrogen production by microalgae.

Comprehensive profiling of the chemical constituents in Dayuanyin decoction using UPLC-QTOF-MS combined with molecular networking.

CONTEXT: Dayuanyin decoction is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation that is commonly used in modern clinical practice to treat viral infections such as viral pneumonia, viral fever, influenza, and hepatitis. Although the usage rate of Dayuanyin decoction is gradually increasing in clinical practice, its pharmacological constituents are still unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study comprehensively characterized the chemical constituents in Dayuanyin decoction using ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) and molecular networking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The overall strategy involved retrieving structural information, such as fragment ions and precursor ion masses, from self-built databases to identify the target constituents of the Dayuanyin decoction extract. The identification of non-targeted constituents was achieved by analyzing different categories, fragment pathways, mass spectrometry data, and the relationships between clusters of structures in molecular networking. Unannotated constituents were inferred from secondary mass spectrometry similarity and molecular weight differences and annotated constituents in the same constituent cluster. A few predicted constituents were selected and validated by comparing them to reference standards under identical mass spectrometry conditions. RESULTS: This study preliminarily identified 216 constituents, including flavonoids, amino acids, alkaloids, triterpenes, steroidal saponins, phenylpropanoids, and other constituents. CONCLUSIONS: This integrated strategy using UPLC-QTOF-MS and molecular networking lays the foundation for clinical research on pharmacologically active substances in Dayuanyin decoction and could be popularized for the comprehensive profiling of chemical constituents of other traditional Chinese medicines.

Kokusaginine attenuates renal fibrosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Kokusaginine is an active ingredient alkaloid that has been isolated and extracted from Ruta graveolens L. Some researches have indicated that alkaloids possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Nevertheless, the potential nephroprotective effects of kokusaginine on renal fibrosis remain undetermined. This study was conducted to examine the protective effect of kokusaginine on renal fibrosis and to explore the underlying mechanisms using both in vivo and in vitro models. Renal fibrosis was induced in male C57BL/6 J mice by feeding with 0.2% adenine-containing food and UUO surgery. Kokusaginine was administered orally simultaneously after the establishment of renal fibrosis. Renal function was measured by serum levels of creatinine and urea nitrogen. Renal pathological changes were assessed by HE staining and Masson staining. Western blotting was employed to detect the expression levels of fibrosis-related proteins in mice and cells. Additionally, network pharmacology analysis and RNA-seq were utilized to predict the pathways through which kokusaginine could exert its anti-fibrotic effects. The treatment with kokusaginine enhanced renal function, alleviated renal histoarchitectural lesions, and mitigated renal fibrosis in the renal fibrosis models. The network pharmacology and RNA-seq enrichment analysis of the KEGG pathway demonstrated that kokusaginine could exert anti-renal fibrosis activity via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. And the results were verified in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In conclusion, our data implied that kokusaginine inhibited the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway both in vitro and in vivo, and suppressed the formation of renal fibrosis. Thus, the kokusaginine-mediated PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may represent a novel approach for the treatment of renal fibrosis.

The thermal degradation of glucomoringin and changes of phenolic compounds in moringa seed kernels during different degrees of roasting.

The effect of heat treatment on the abundant bioactive compounds in moringa seed kernels (MSKs) during different degrees of roasting remains sparingly explored despite the flour of roasted MSKs has been incorporated into the human diet (e.g., cakes, cookies, and burgers) as a substitute to enrich the nutritional content. Therefore, we investigated the impacts of different roasting conditions (e.g., temperature and duration) on bioactive compounds (e.g., glucosinolates (GSLs), phenolic acids and alkaloids) and antioxidant capacity of MSKs. Our results showed that light and medium roasting increased the glucomoringin (GMG, the main GSL in MSKs) content from 43.7 (unroasted MSKs) to 69.7-127.3 µmol/g MSKs (dry weight), while excessive/dark roasting caused thermally-induced degradation of GMG (trace/undetectable level) in MSKs, resulting in the formation of various breakdown products (e.g., thiourea, nitrile, and amide). In addition, although roasting caused a significant reduction of some phenolic compounds (e.g., gallic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric acids, and trigonelline), other phenolic acids (e.g., caffeic and ferulic acids) and alkaloids (e.g., caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline) remarkably increased after roasting, which may contribute to the enhanced total phenolic content (up to 2.9-fold) and antioxidant capacity (up to 5.8-fold) of the roasted MSKs.

Germination Increases the Glucomoringin Content in Moringa Sprouts via Transforming Tyrosine.

Moringa seeds are an excellent dietary source of phytochemicals (i.e., glucosinolates, GSLs; isothiocyanates, ITCs) with health-beneficial effects. Although numerous studies have been conducted on moringa seeds, the effect of germination on the regulation of GSLs remains scarcely explored. The present study investigated the dynamic changes of GSLs in moringa seeds during germination (at 25, 30, and 35 °C for 6 days in the dark) through an untargeted metabolomics approach and compared the antioxidant capacity of ungerminated and germinated moringa seeds. Our results showed that germination significantly increased the total GSL content from 150 (day 0) to 323 µmol/g (35 °C, day 6) on a dry weight (DW) basis, especially glucomoringin (GMG), the unique glucosinolate in moringa seeds, which was significantly upregulated from 61 (day 0) to 149 µmol/g DW (35 °C, day 4). The upregulation of GMG corresponded to the metabolism of tyrosine, which might be the initial precursor for the formation of GMG. In addition, germination enhanced the total ITC content from 85 (day 0) to 239 µmol SE/g DW (35 °C, day 6), indicating that germination may have also increased the activity of myrosinase. Furthermore, germination remarkably increased the total phenolic content (109-507 mg GAE/100 g DW) and antioxidant capacity of moringa seeds. Our findings suggest that moringa sprouts could be promoted as a novel food and/or ingredient rich in GMG.

A systematic review of biochar aging and the potential eco-environmental risk in heavy metal contaminated soil.

Biochar is widely accepted as a green and effective amendment for remediating heavy metals (HMs) contaminated soil, but its long-term efficiency and safety changes with biochar aging in fields. Currently, some reviews have qualitatively summarized biochar aging methods and mechanisms, aging-induced changes in biochar properties, and often ignored the potential eco-environmental risk during biochar aging process. Therefore, this review systematically summarizes the study methods of biochar aging, quantitatively compares the effects of different biochar aging process on its properties, and discusses the potential eco-environmental risk due to biochar aging in HMs contaminated soil. At present, various artificial aging methods (physical aging, chemical aging and biological aging) rather than natural field aging have been applied to study the changes of biochar's properties. Generally, biochar aging increases specific surface area (SSA), pore volume (PV), surface oxygen-containing functional group (OFGs) and O content, while decreases pH, ash, H, C and N content. Chemical aging method has a greater effect on the properties of biochar than other aging methods. In addition, biochar aging may lead to HMs remobilization and produce new types of pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) and colloidal/nano biochar particles, which consequently bring secondary eco-environmental risk. Finally, future research directions are suggested to establish a more accurate assessment method and model on biochar aging behavior and evaluate the environmental safety of aged biochar, in order to promote its wider application for remediating HMs contaminated soil.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma of different etiologies: a retrospective study.

AIMS: This study compared the prevalences of metabolic syndrome and of cardiac or kidney comorbidities among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with metabolic dysfunction-related fatty liver disease (MAFLD), chronic infection with hepatitis B or C virus (HBV or HCV), or the combination of MAFLD and chronic HBV infection. METHODS: Medical records were retrospectively analyzed for patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy between March 2013 and March 2023. Patients with HCC of different etiologies were compared in terms of their clinicodemographic characteristics and laboratory data before surgery. RESULTS: Of the 2422 patients, 1,822 (75.2%) were chronically infected with HBV without MAFLD and HCV, 415 (17.2%) had concurrent MAFLD and chronic HBV infection but no HCV infection, 121 (5.0%) had MAFLD without hepatitis virus infection, and 64 (2.6%) were chronically infected with HCV in the presence or absence of MAFLD and HBV infection. Compared to patients chronically infected with HBV without MAFLD and HCV, those with MAFLD but no hepatitis virus infection showed significantly lower prevalence of cirrhosis, ascites, portal hypertension, alpha-fetoprotein concentration ≥ 400 ng/mL, tumor size > 5 cm, multinodular tumors and microvascular invasion. Conversely, they showed significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, abdominal obesity, history of cardiovascular disease, T-wave alterations, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperuricemia, as well as higher risk of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Compared to patients with MAFLD but no hepatitis virus infection, those with concurrent MAFLD and chronic infection with HBV showed significantly higher prevalence of cirrhosis, ascites and portal hypertension, but significantly lower prevalence of hypertension and history of cardiovascular disease. Compared to patients with other etiologies, those chronically infected with HCV in the presence or absence of MAFLD and HBV infection, showed significantly higher prevalence of cirrhosis, portal hypertension, ascites, and esophagogastric varices. CONCLUSION: Patients with HCC associated with MAFLD tend to have a background of less severe liver disease than those with HCC of other etiologies, but they may be more likely to suffer metabolic syndrome or comorbidities affecting the heart or kidneys.

Accumulation and bio-oxidation of arsenite mediated by thermoacidophilic Cyanidiales: innate potential biomaterials toward arsenic remediation.

Addressing geogenic and anthropogenic arsenic (As) pollution is critical for environmental health. This study explored arsenite [As(III)] removal using Cyanidiales, particularly Cyanidium caldarium (Cc) and Galdieria partita (Gp), under acidic to neutral pH, and determined As(III) detoxification mechanisms in relation to As speciation and protein secondary structure in Cyanidiales. Regarding As(III) sorption amounts, Cc outperformed Gp, reaching 83.2 mg g-1 of removal at pH 5.0. Wherein, 23.5 % of sorbed As on Cc presented as arsenate [As(V)] complexation with polysaccharides, alongside other predominant species including As(III)-cysteine (41.2 %) and As(III)-polysaccharides (35.3 %) complexes. This suggested that As(III) was directly transported into cells, rather than As(V). Coupled with the formation of As(III)-cysteine complexes within cells, these mechanisms may be key to efficiently accumulating As(III) in Cyanidiales during the 6-h incubation. These results highlight the potential of Cyanidiales for sustainable As(III) remediation and provide new insights into managing As(III) toxicity.

Effect of Orthodontic Treatment on the Outcomes of Endodontically Treated Teeth: A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Often there is the need of moving endodontically treated teeth. Orthodontic movement may have no effect on the prognosis of teeth with root canal treatment (RCT). To verify this subject, we evaluated the effect of orthodontic movement on the prognosis of RCT teeth using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and further explored the influence of orthodontic movement on the prognosis of RCT teeth with and without apical periodontitis (AP). METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted by evaluating 169 RCT teeth of 100 patients who had undergone fixed orthodontic treatment. AP was assessed and classified using the CBCT periapical index. Univariate analysis of RCT outcome was performed for the total RCT group, RCT without AP group and RCT with AP group. Multivariate logistic regression was performed for the total RCT group and RCT without AP group, respectively, but not for the RCT with AP group. Variables related to the prognosis of RCT were included, such as age, gender, tooth position, RCT quality, coronal restoration quality, periodontal condition, orthodontic traction distance, and orthodontic rotation angle. RESULTS: The orthodontic traction distance and rotation angle were not significantly correlated to the RCT outcomes, regardless of the presence of AP. Among the total RCT group, teeth with unqualified RCT (odds ratio = 3.42, P = .004) and inadequate coronal restoration (odds ratio = 4.40, P = .031) had a lower success rate. Of the 97 RCT teeth without AP, unqualified RCT was a risk factor for treatment failure (odds ratio = 3.55, P = .041). Of the 72 RCT teeth with AP, the univariate analysis showed that RCT quality were significantly related to the outcome (P = .042). CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic movement had no effect on the prognosis of RCT teeth regardless of the presence of AP.

Postbiotics-enriched flaxseed mucilage coating: A solution to improving postharvest quality and shelf life of strawberry.

This research aimed to assess the effects of flaxseed mucilage (Mu) coatings supplemented with postbiotics (P) obtained from Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 on various physical, biochemical, and microbial characteristics of strawberry fruits. Strawberry fruits were immersed for 2 min in Mu2.5 (2.5 % mucilage in distilled water), Mu5 (5 % mucilage in distilled water), P-Mu2.5 (2.5 % mucilage in undiluted postbiotics) and P-Mu5 (5 % mucilage in undiluted postbiotics) solutions and were stored at 4 °C and 85 RH for 12 days. All coatings were effective in reducing fungal count compared to the uncoated control fruits. Mu5 coating exhibited the highest efficacy, reducing fungal count by 2.85 log10 CFU/g, followed by Mu2.5 (1.47 log10 CFU/g reduction) and P-Mu2.5 groups (0.90 log10 CFU/g reduction). The fruits coated with edible coatings showed significant delays in the change of weight loss, pH, and total soluble solids as compared to the uncoated fruits. The coating containing postbiotics i.e., P-Mu5 also showed a significant increase in the total phenolic contents, total flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, and total anthocyanin content at the end of storage relative to the uncoated fruits. Thus, Mu and P-Mu coatings may be a useful approach to maintaining the postharvest quality of strawberry fruits during cold storage.