A novel mycelial pellet applied to remove polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: High adsorption performance & its mechanisms.

Mycelial pellets formed by Penicillium thomii ZJJ were applied as efficient biosorbents for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are a type of ubiquitous harmful hydrophobic pollutants. The live mycelial pellets were able to remove 93.48 % of pyrene at a concentration of 100 mg/L within 48 h, demonstrating a maximum adsorption capacity of 285.63 mg/g. Meanwhile, the heat-killed one also achieved a removal rate of 65.01 %. Among the six typical PAHs (pyrene, phenanthrene, fluorene, anthracene, fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene), the mycelial pellets preferentially adsorbed the high molecular weight PAHs, which also have higher toxicity, resulting in higher removal efficiency. The experimental results showed that the biosorption of mycelial pellets was mainly a spontaneous physical adsorption process that occurred as a monolayer on a homogeneous surface, with mass transfer being the key rate-limiting step. The main adsorption sites on the surface of mycelia were carboxyl and N-containing groups. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by mycelial pellets could enhance adsorption, and its coupling with dead mycelia could achieve basically the same removal effect to that of living one. It can be concluded that biosorption by mycelial pellets occurred due to the influence of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, consisting of five steps. Furthermore, the potential applicability of mycelial pellets has been investigated considering diverse factors. The mycelia showed high environmental tolerance, which could effectively remove pyrene across a wide range of pH and salt concentration. And pellets diameters and humic acid concentration had a significant effect on microbial adsorption effect. Based on a cost-effectiveness analysis, mycelium pellets were found to be a low-cost adsorbent. The research outcomes facilitate a thorough comprehension of the adsorption process of pyrene by mycelial pellets and their relevant applications, proposing a cost-effective method without potential environmental issues (heat-killed mycelial pellets plus EPS) to removal PAHs.

Recent advances in recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent form of primary liver cancer, accounting for 75%-85% of cases. Although treatments are given to cure early-stage HCC, up to 50%-70% of individuals may experience a relapse of the illness in the liver after 5 years. Research on the fundamental treatment modalities for recurrent HCC is moving significantly further. The precise selection of individuals for therapy strategies with established survival advantages is crucial to ensuring better outcomes. These strategies aim to minimize substantial morbidity, support good life quality, and enhance survival for patients with recurrent HCC. For individuals with recurring HCC after curative treatment, no approved therapeutic regimen is currently available. A recent study presented novel approaches, like immunotherapy and antiviral medication, to improve the prognosis of patients with recurring HCC with the apparent lack of data to guide the clinical treatment. The data supporting several neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies for patients with recurring HCC are outlined in this review. We also discuss the potential for future clinical and translational investigations.

Effectiveness of acupuncture-related therapies on schizophrenia: a Bayesian network Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To create the hierarchical model for the comparison of efficacy of different ATs for schizophrenia. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, The Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and SinoMed were searched using a specified search strategy to identify relevant studies up to December 2021. The data were extracted independently by two reviewers. The quality of included trials was evaluated based on the guidelines of "Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions". Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted by statistical analysis software Addis 1.16.6 and Stata 15.1. RESULTS: In total, 60 randomized controlled trials covering 4810 patients were enrolled. The network meta-analysis result showed that Body Acupuncture (BA), BA + Electro-acupuncture (EA), Scalp Acupuncture (SA) + EA, Auricular Acupuncture (AA), Low-dose medication and Acupuncture (LA), Acupoint Injection (AI), and Acupoint Catgut Embedding (ACE), when combined with Western Medications (WM), demonstrated a better clinical effect at improving the symptoms of schizophrenia, compared to WM alone. Results of rank probability showed that BA, when combined with WM, was the most optimal AT for schizophrenia at decreasing three aspects of PANSS scale score. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture-related therapies help improve the symptoms of schizophrenia, and BA combined with WM may be a better therapy for schizophrenia. This study has been registered on the "PROSPERO" website, and the registration number is CRD42021227403.

Analysis of Immune and Inflammatory Microenvironment Characteristics of Noncancer End-Stage Liver Disease.

Chronic liver injury eventually progresses to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease (ESLD), which are the leading causes of death in patients with liver disease worldwide. ESLD has a variety of etiologies and a complex pathogenesis. This study analyzed the characteristics of ESLD by studying the immune microenvironment and inflammatory microenvironment of ESLD caused by 4 noncancer diseases, including HBV-ALF, ALF, AILD, and AH. We collected transcriptome data from noncancer ESLD patients, collected liver tissue samples and blood samples from ESLD liver transplant patients, and analyzed the immune and inflammatory microenvironments in the liver and blood. The results showed that with the exception of HBV-induced ESLD, there were no significant differences in immune microenvironment scores among patients with ESLD caused by other noncancer diseases. Moreover, there were no significant differences in the inflammatory microenvironment in the liver and blood of patients with ESLD caused by the 4 noncancer diseases. Furthermore, we found that the cytokine, IL-15, could predict the prognosis of ESLD patients.

Emodin inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pulmonary fibrosis through the c-MYC/miR-182-5p/ZEB2 axis.

Emodin is a natural anthraquinone compound, which is the main component found in the traditional Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum. The anti-fibrosis effects of Emodin have been reported. This study aimed to explore the specific mechanism of Emodin in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pulmonary fibrosis. The pulmonary fibrosis mice models were constructed with bleomycin, the EMT models of alveolar epithelial cells were stimulated by TGF-ß1, and Emodin was used for intervention. c-MYC and miR-182-5p were overexpressed or silenced by cell transfection. Our results demonstrated that Emodin attenuated pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin in mice, and inhibited EMT, meanwhile downregulated c-MYC, upregulated miR-182-5p, and downregulated ZEB2 in vitro and vivo. Next, overexpression of c-MYC promoted EMT, while silencing c-MYC and overexpressing miR-182-5p inhibited EMT. Then, c-MYC negatively regulated the expression of miR-182-5p with a direct binding relationship. And miR-182-5p inhibited ZEB2 expression in a targeted manner. Finally, Emodin inhibited EMT that had been promoted by overexpression of c-MYC. In conclusion, Emodin could attenuate pulmonary fibrosis and EMT by regulating the c-MYC/miR-182-5p/ZEB2 axis, which might provide evidence for the application of Emodin in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.

Acupotomy inhibits aberrant formation of subchondral bone through regulating osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand pathway in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis induced by modified Videman method.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupotomy on inhibiting abnormal formation of subchondral bone in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: A total of 24 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into four groups of 6 rabbits each [control, model, electroacupuncture (EA) and acupotomy]. Eighteen KOA model rabbits were established using a modified Videman method. Rabbits in EA and acupotomy groups received the intervention for 3 weeks. Then, the cartilage and subchondral bone unit were obtained and the histomorphological changes were recorded. Osteo-protegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) in subchondral bone were evaluated by Western blotting, real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, both the acupotomy and EA groups showed a significant decrease in the Lequesne index (both 0.01) and Mankin score ( 0.01, < 0.05). In addition, both EA and acupotomy groups had a higher expression of total articular cartilage (TAC) ( 0.05, < 0.01) and lower expression of articular calcified cartilage (ACC)/TAC ( 0.05, < 0.05) compared with the model group. The thickness of the subchondral bone plate in EA and acupotomy groups were decreased (both 0.01) compared to the model group. Moreover, trabecular bone volume (BV/TV), protein and relative expression of OPG and the ratio of OPG/RANKL in the subchondral bone of acupotomy group were decreased statistically significant, while these parameters were not significantly changed in the EA group compared with the model group. CONCLUSIONS: In the rabbit model of KOA, acupotomy inhibits aberrant formation of subchondral bone by suppressing OPG/RANKL ratio as a potential therapy for KOA.

Bisphenol A induces ovarian cancer cell proliferation and metastasis through estrogen receptor-α pathways.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used raw material that can be detected both in the environment and in the human body. Due to its estrogen-like effects, wide concerns have been raised about the potential role of BPA in the initiation and development of hormone-dependent cancers. Ovarian cancer is the most common reproductive system cancer and has a high mortality rate in women. Despite recent investigations into BPA's carcinogenic effects, studies on its role in ovarian cancer development remain limited. In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of BPA at various environmentally relevant concentrations on proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells. We discovered that BPA can stimulate proliferation of OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells after exposure for up to 5 days. Strikingly, BPA enhanced ovarian cancer cell migration, invasion, and adhesion (to vascular endothelial cells) through upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (IMAC-1). The stimulatory effects of BPA on cancer cell proliferation and metastasis were reversed by treatment with an ERα inhibitor, but not by treatment with an ERß inhibitor. Together, these results suggest that BPA induces proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells through ERα signaling pathways. This study provides new insights into the carcinogenic effects of BPA with regard to ovarian cancer.

Diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT and MRI for intraspinal lesions: A comparative study.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the value of the use of fluorine-18 (18F)-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) vs. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of and differentiation between benign and malignant lesions in the spinal canal. For this purpose, a retrospective analysis was performed on the use of MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT from January, 2017 to December, 2020, and the final diagnosis was obtained by performing a post-operative pathological examination or following a tissue biopsy (gold standard). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the two examination techniques were calculated and comparisons between them were made. The PET metabolic parameters, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), peak standardized uptake value (SUVpeak), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) in the benign and malignant groups were calculated and compared, and the corresponding ROC curves were plotted. A total of 58 patients were enrolled, including 30 patients with malignant and 28 with benign lesions. The specificity of MRI was significantly higher than that of PET/CT (P<0.05). The sensitivity and negative predictive value of PET/CT were higher than those of MRI, although with no significant difference (P>0.05). The mean ± tandard deviation values of the PET metabolic parameters, SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVmean, MTV and TLG, were 4.27±1.25, 3.49±1.07, 2.49±0.84, 6.58±5.36 and 17.12±15.50 in the benign, and 8.99±3.75, 7.35±3.26, 5.43±2.40, 12.25±12.18 and 112.41±85.98 in the malignant groups, respectively. The SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVmean and TLG in the malignant group were higher than those in the benign group. The differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.0001). In distinguishing benign from malignant lesions, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for SUVmax was 0.919, which was the largest, and the Youden index was 0.762, indicating 83.3% sensitivity and 92.9% specificity. The AUC for SUVpeak was 0.905 and that for SUVmean was 0.899. The aforementioned AUCs were significantly higher than those for MTV and TLG (0.609 and 0.786, respectively) (P<0.001). On the whole, the present study demonstrates that MRI is a reliable imaging technique for the diagnosis of intravertebral lesions. 18F-FDG PET/CT, as a noteworthy supplement to MRI, has a high sensitivity and accuracy for the qualitative diagnosis and identification of lesions. The synergistic effect of the two examination techniques may be helpful for a more accurate diagnosis.

Progress and prospects of biomarkers in primary liver cancer (Review).

Tumor biomarkers are important in the early screening, diagnosis, therapeutic evaluation, recurrence and prognosis prediction of tumors. Primary liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors; it has high incidence and mortality rates and seriously endangers human health. The main pathological types of primary liver cancer include hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and combined HCC­cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC­CC). In the present review, a systematic outline of the current biomarkers of primary liver cancer is presented, from conventional blood biomarkers, histochemical biomarkers and potential biomarkers to resistance­associated biomarkers. The important relationships are deeply elucidated between biomarkers and diagnosis, prognosis, clinicopathological features and resistance, as well as their clinical significance, in patients with the three main types of primary liver cancer. Moreover, a summary of several important biomarker signaling pathways is provided, which is helpful for studying the biological mechanism of liver cancer. The purpose of this review is to provide help for clinical or medical researchers in the early diagnosis, differential diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of HCC.

Aislamiento y caracterización de una bacteria marina degradadora de testosterona: Vibrio sp. N3 / Isolation and characterization of a marine testosterone-degrading bacterium: Vibrio sp. N3

Steroids, including testosterone, estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol and 17β-ethinyl estradiol, are harmful not only to the population dynamics of aquatic life forms but also to public health. In this study, a marine testosterone-degrading bacterium (strain N3) was isolated from Nanao Island in the South China Sea. In addition, the strain could also use 17β-estradiol (E2), 17β-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), estriol (E3) or cholesterol as a sole carbon source. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain N3 was identified as Vibrio sp. Further characterization showed that the strain is aerobic, gram-negative, and mobile and exhibits resistance to ampicillin, carbenicillin, penicillin and spectinomycin. For enhancing its capacity of testosterone degradation, the Plackett-Burman factorial design and the central composite design were used to optimize the culture condition. Under optimal conditions, 92% of testosterone was degraded by Vibrio sp. N3 in 48 h.

Los esferoides-que incluyen la testosterona, la estrona, el 17 β-estradiol, el estriol y el 17 p-etinilestradiol-son nocivos no solo para la población dinámica de las formas de vida acuática, sino también para la salud pública. En este estudio se aisló una bacteria marina degradadora de testosterona de la isla de Nanao, en el Mar del Sur de China, a la que se denominó cepa N3. Se determinó que esta cepa también podría usar 17 β-estradiol (E2), 17 p-etinilestradiol (EE2), estriol (E3) o colesterol como únicas fuentes de carbono. De acuerdo con el análisis de la secuencia del gen 16S rRNA, la cepa N3 se identificó como Vibrio sp. La caracterización adicional mostró que dicha bacteria es un organismo aerobio, gram negativo y móvil, y que presenta resistencia a ampicilina, carbenicilina, penicilina y espectinomicina. Para optimizar la condición de cultivo en relación con su capacidad de degradar la testosterona, se utilizaron el diseño factorial Plackett-Burman y el diseno compuesto central. En condiciones óptimas, el 92% de la testosterona fue degradada por Vibrio sp. N3 en 48 h.

Correlation between of small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with acute cerebral infarction and carotid atherosclerotic plaque stability.

BACKGROUND: Acute cerebral infarction (ACI) is seriously harmful to human health worldwide. However, at present, the risk of disease onset is still not accurately predicted for some people. METHODS: Five hundred and nineteen patients with ACI and 300 healthy controls were included in this study. We divided the patients into three groups according to the results of cervical artery contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Ninety-five patients were in the CAS without plaque group, 108 patients were in the stable plaque group, and 316 patients were in the unstable plaque group. TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, and sdLDL-C were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: The level of small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) in the ACI group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that sdLDL-C was an independent risk factor for ACI (OR = 1.067, 95% CI: 1.041-1.093, P < 0.001); serum sdLDL-C was significantly higher in the unstable plaque group than in the stable plaque group and plaque-free group (P < 0.05, P < 0.001); serum sdLDL-C was also higher in the stable plaque group than the plaque-free group (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that sdLDL-C was an independent risk factor for unstable carotid plaques (OR = 1.053, 95% CI: 1.038-1.068, P < 0.001); Spearman correlation analysis showed that sdLDL-C test results were positively correlated with carotid plaque stability (r = 0.363, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is an independent risk factor for the onset of ACI and may be an early serum marker for this disease.

Isolation and characterization of a marine testosterone-degrading bacterium: Vibrio sp. N3.

Steroids, including testosterone, estrone, 17ß-estradiol, estriol and 17ß-ethinyl estradiol, are harmful not only to the population dynamics of aquatic life forms but also to public health. In this study, a marine testosterone-degrading bacterium (strain N3) was isolated from Nanao Island in the South China Sea. In addition, the strain could also use 17ß-estradiol (E2), 17ß-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), estriol (E3) or cholesterol as a sole carbon source. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain N3 was identified as Vibrio sp. Further characterization showed that the strain is aerobic, gram-negative, and mobile and exhibits resistance to ampicillin, carbenicillin, penicillin and spectinomycin. For enhancing its capacity of testosterone degradation, the Plackett-Burman factorial design and the central composite design were used to optimize the culture condition. Under optimal conditions, 92% of testosterone was degraded by Vibrio sp. N3 in 48h.

Novel blood pressure estimation method using single photoplethysmography feature.

Continuous blood pressure (BP) monitoring has a significant meaning to the prevention and early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. However, existing continuous BP monitoring approaches, especially cuff-less BP monitoring approaches, are all contraptions which complex and huge computation required. For example, for the most sophisticated cuff-less BP monitoring method using pulse transit time (PTT), the simultaneous record of photoplethysmography (PPG) signal and electrocardiography (ECG) are required, and various measurement of characteristic points are needed. These issues hindered widely application of cuff less BP measurement in the wearable devices. In this study, a novel BP estimation method using single PPG signal feature was proposed and its performance in BP estimation was also tested. The results showed that the new approach proposed in this study has a mean error -0.91 ± 3.84 mmHg for SBP estimation and -0.36 ± 3.36 mmHg for DBP estimation respectively. This approach performed better than the traditional PTT based BP estimation, which mean error for SBP estimation was -0.31 ± 4.78 mmHg, and for DBP estimation was -0.18 ± 4.32 mmHg. Further investigation revealed that this new BP estimation approach only required measurement of one characteristic point, reducing much computation when implementing. These results demonstrated that this new approach might be more suitable implemented in the wearable BP monitoring devices.

Evaluation of chitosan hydrochloride-alginate as enteric micro-probiotic-carrier with dual protective barriers.

In this study, the cells-free and cells-loaded chitosan hydrochloride-alginate (CHC-Alg) microcapsules were firstly fabricated with polyelectrolyte complexes via an orifice-polymerization method. Scanning electron microscope images showed that the CHC-Alg microcapsules had a typical shell-core structure and the model probiotic cells (Bacillus licheniformis) were embedded in the core in cells-loaded microcapsules. The microcapsules prepared had good thermal stability and moisture property (3.89%). Cells survival and release studies showed that the number of probiotic cells released from the cells-loaded microcapsules (approx. 6.36logCFUml-1) was 6.19logCFUml-1 when they were performed in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 2.0) for 1h and subsequently in the simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, 0.3%) for 4h. The CHC-Alg microcapsules with favorable swelling performances were helpful to permeate the harsh acid to protect the cells in the SGF (pH 2.0). The CHC-Alg microcapsules effectively protected the model probiotic cells, which was attributed to the "dual protective barriers" of the shell-core structure, that is, the primary barrier of the Alg hydrogel layer formed with a compact polymer matrix and the secondary barrier of the PEC film formed on the surface. The microcapsules prepared could be used as an enteric micro-probiotic-carrier for designing potential probiotic delivery systems.

Effect of the cross-linking agent on performances of NaCS-CS/WSC microcapsules.

Based on the properties of oppositely charged natural polysaccharides, the polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) prepared with chitosan-related polycationic polyelectrolytes and cellulose-related polyanionic polyelectrolytes have been widely concerned for their potential applications as micro-drug-carriers for colon. However, the poor mechanical property of the PECs becomes the obstacle encountered in practical applications. This study investigated the effect of the cross-linking agent (sodium polyphosphate, PPS) on the performances of sodium cellulose sulfate -chitosan/water soluble chitosan (NaCS-CS/WSC) microcapsules. The results revealed that PPS could penetrate through the PEC film and form tighter interior structures compared with the microcapsules without the addition of cross-linking agent. The NaCS-CS microcapsules and NaCS-WSC microcapsules with or without PPS had distinct microstructures, which could be ascribed to the different physicochemical properties of CS and WSC. During the formation process, CS can be dissolved in water under acidic conditions, while WSC can be directly dissolved and protonated in acid-free aqueous providing NH3(+) groups quickly, which resulted in the microstructure's difference. Further analysis showed the NaCS-CS-PPS microcapsules and NaCS-WSC-PPS microcapsules had lower swelling ratios due to their tighter interior microstructures that formed. The cross-linking agent had important effect on the total mass of PECs that produced; moreover, the decline of zeta potential of NaCS-CS-PPS microcapsules was lower than that of NaCS-CS microcapsules, similar trend was found in the NaCS-WSC-PPS microcapsules compared with NaCS-WSC microcapsules, indicating the PPS participated in the interactions and played a role in the microcapsules' formation process.

[Effects of Hawley retainer and vacuum-formed retainer on articulation of Chinese speech of adult orthodontic patients: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the influence of Hawley retainer and vacuum-formed retainer on the articu-lation of Chinese speech of adult orthodontic patients. METHODS: A total of 20 volunteers were recruited in this randomized controlled trial in accordance with the inclusion criteria. Participants were randomly distributed into two groups, namely, the Hawley retainer group and the vacuum-formed retainer group. Speech performance was evaluated at the following time inter-vals: before wearing retainers (T0), immediately after wearing both upper and lower retainers (T1), 24 h later (T2), 1 week later (T3), and 1 month later (T4). The phonetic parameters were acquired through the use of computer-based voice analysis software Praat version 5.4.21, and the final data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: Both retainers can influence the phonetic parameters of vowels /e/, /i/, and /ü/ and consonants /s/, /f/, /x/, /t/, /j/, and /q/. However, the Hawley retainer showed a more remarkable effect on the articulation of Chinese speech, and the distortion of /i/, /ü/, and /s/ sounds can last for more than 1 month. Nevertheless, the recovery period of the patients' phonetic function in the vacuum-formed retainer group was within 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: Both retainers can induce distortion of some Chinese vowels and consonants in the speech of adult orthodontic patients, but the Hawley retainer can more significantly influence the articulation of Chinese speech than vacuum-formed retainer.
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