Glycoproteomic contributions to hepatocellular carcinoma research: a 2023 update.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant burden globally, which ranks sixth among the most frequently diagnosed cancers and stands as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Glycoproteomics, as an important branch of proteomics, has already made significant achievements in the field of HCC research. Aberrant protein glycosylation has shown to promote the malignant transformation of hepatocytes by modulating a wide range of tumor-promoting signaling pathways. The glycoproteome provides valuable information for understanding cancer progression, tumor immunity, and clinical outcome, which could serve as potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools in HCC. AREAS COVERED: In this review, recent advances of glycoproteomics contribute to clinical applications (diagnosis and prognosis) and molecular mechanisms (hepatocarcinogenesis, progression, stemness and recurrence, and drug resistance) of HCC are summarized. EXPERT OPINION: Glycoproteomics shows promise in HCC, enhancing early detection, risk stratification, and personalized treatments. Challenges include sample heterogeneity, diverse glycans structures, sensitivity issues, complex workflows, limited databases, and incomplete understanding of immune cell glycosylation. Addressing these limitations requires collaborative efforts, technological advancements, standardization, and validation studies. Future research should focus on targeting abnormal protein glycosylation therapeutically. Advancements in glycobiomarkers and glycosylation-targeted therapies will greatly impact HCC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

Feasibility and reproducibility of semi-automated longitudinal strain analysis: a comparative study with conventional manual strain analysis.

BACKGROUND: Conventional approach to myocardial strain analysis relies on a software designed for the left ventricle (LV) which is complex and time-consuming and is not specific for right ventricular (RV) and left atrial (LA) assessment. This study compared this conventional manual approach to strain evaluation with a novel semi-automatic analysis of myocardial strain, which is also chamber-specific. METHODS: Two experienced observers used the AutoStrain software and manual QLab analysis to measure the LV, RV and LA strains in 152 healthy volunteers. Fifty cases were randomly selected for timing evaluation. RESULTS: No significant differences in LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) were observed between the two methods (-21.0% ± 2.5% vs. -20.8% ± 2.4%, p = 0.230). Conversely, RV longitudinal free wall strain (RVFWS) and LA longitudinal strain during the reservoir phase (LASr) measured by the semi-automatic software differed from the manual analysis (RVFWS: -26.4% ± 4.8% vs. -31.3% ± 5.8%, p < 0.001; LAS: 48.0% ± 10.0% vs. 37.6% ± 9.9%, p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis showed a mean error of 0.1%, 4.9%, and 10.5% for LVGLS, RVFWS, and LASr, respectively, with limits of agreement of -2.9,2.6%, -8.1,17.9%, and -12.3,33.3%, respectively. The semi-automatic method had a significantly shorter strain analysis time compared with the manual method. CONCLUSIONS: The novel semi-automatic strain analysis has the potential to improve efficiency in measurement of longitudinal myocardial strain. It shows good agreement with manual analysis for LV strain measurement.

Effects of precipitation seasonal distribution on net ecosystem CO2 exchange over an alpine meadow in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.

Ecosystem carbon balance might be affected by the variability of seasonal distribution of precipitation under global climate change. Using the eddy covariance (EC) technique, long-term observations of ecosystem net CO2 exchange (NEE) were acquired over Lijiang alpine meadow in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau from January 2014 to August 2019. During the wet season (from June to October), Lijiang meadow functioned as a carbon sink (- 37.6 ± 22.5 g C m-2 month-1), while in dry season, the meadow varied between a weak carbon source and sink with an average monthly NEE of - 3.9 ± 11.9 g C m-2 month-1. Monthly CO2 fluxes were mainly controlled by air temperature and soil water content. A large annual variation of CO2 uptake was observed. The annual NEE was - 140.3 g C m-2 year-1 in 2014 while - 247.0 g C m-2 year-1 in 2016. Correspondingly, the precipitation in wet season accounted 90% of annual precipitation in 2014 and 74% of that in 2016 despite the annual precipitation was larger than 1200 mm in both years. More precipitation in dry season can lead to longer period of net CO2 uptake, while more precipitation concentrated in wet season depressed the meadow's light response through the decrease of the magnitude of light-saturated net CO2 exchange (NEEsat) at the onset and the end of growing season.

Carbon-Bridged 1,2-Bis(2-thienyl)ethylene: An Extremely Electron Rich Dithiophene Building Block Enabling Electron Acceptors with Absorption above 1000 nm for Highly Sensitive NIR Photodetectors.

The emerging donor-acceptor-donor (A-D-A)-type nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) featuring near-infrared (NIR) photoresponsivity have greatly boosted the development of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and display great potential for sensitive NIR organic photodetectors (OPDs). However, NIR NFAs with absorption above 1000 nm, which is of great importance for application in NIR OPDs for bioimaging, remote communication, night surveillance, etc., are still rare due to the scarcity of strong electron-rich cores. We report herein a new dithiophene building block, namely PDT, which exhibits the strongest electron-donating ability among the widely used dithiophene building blocks. By applying PDT and PDTT as the electron-donating cores and DFIC as the electron-accepting terminals, we developed two new NIR electron acceptors, PDTIC-4F and PDTTIC-4F, with optical absorptions up to 1030 nm, surpassing that of the well-known O6T-4F acceptor. In comparison with the carbon-oxygen-bridged core COi8 in O6T-4F, the synthetic complexity of PDT and PDTT is significantly reduced. Conventional OPV devices based on PM6:PDTTIC-4F display power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of up to 10.70% with a broad external quantum efficiency (EQE) response from the ultraviolet-visible to the infrared, leading to a high short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 25.90 mA cm-2. Encouraged by these results, we investigated inverted PM6:PDTTIC-4F-based OPD devices by suppressing the dark current via modulation of the film thickness. The optimal OPD device exhibits compelling performance metrics that can compete with those of commercial silicon photodiodes: a record responsivity of 0.55 A W-1 (900 nm) among photodiode-type OPDs and excellent shot-noise-limited specific detectivity (Dsh*) of over 1013 jones.

Lysine lactylation in the regulation of tumor biology.

Lysine lactylation (Kla), a newly discovered post-translational modification (PTM) of lysine residues, is progressively revealing its crucial role in tumor biology. A growing body of evidence supports its capacity of transcriptional regulation through histone modification and modulation of non-histone protein function. It intricately participates in a myriad of events in the tumor microenvironment (TME) by orchestrating the transitions of immune states and augmenting tumor malignancy. Its preferential modification of metabolic proteins underscores its specific regulatory influence on metabolism. This review focuses on the effect and the probable mechanisms of Kla-mediated regulation of tumor metabolism, the upstream factors that determine Kla intensity, and its potential implications for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of tumors.

Paragonimiasis misdiagnosed as liver abscess: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Paragonimiasis is a typical food-borne zoonotic disease. Hosts acquire Paragonimus infection through the ingestion of raw or undercooked crayfish and crab. The clinical manifestations of the disease are varied, and it is often misdiagnosed or missed. The diagnosis of paragonimiasis should be considered comprehensively. Praziquantel is the first choice for treatment, and albendazole can be used in combination with repeated courses in severe cases. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of liver paragonimiasis that was misdiagnosed as an abscess. The patient presented with fatigue and poor appetite for 2 months, and was diagnosed with liver abscess in the local hospital. After 6 months, the patient visited our hospital because of recurrent abdominal pain and was diagnosed with liver paragonimiasis based on epidemiological history, clinical presentations, and laboratory findings. He was treated with praziquantel (25 mg/kg) three times a day for 3 days; however, the symptoms still presented after treatment. He was treated with oral praziquantel and albendazole for one further course. Follow-up suggested that the treatment was effective and the symptoms improved. CONCLUSION: The combination of albendazole and praziquantel may improve the therapeutic efficacy of paragonimiasis.

Ultranarrow-bandgap small-molecule acceptor enables sensitive SWIR detection and dynamic upconversion imaging.

Short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) light detection plays a key role in modern technologies. Emerging solution-processed organic semiconductors are promising for cost-effective, flexible, and large-area SWIR organic photodiodes (OPDs). However, the spectral responsivity (R) and specific detectivity (D*) of SWIR OPDs are restricted by insufficient exciton dissociation and high noise current. In this work, we synthesized an SWIR small molecule with a spectral coverage of 0.3 to 1.3 micrometers peaking at 1100 nanometers. The photodiode, with optimized exciton dissociation, charge injection, and SWIR transmittance, achieves a record high R of 0.53 ampere per watt and D* of 1.71 × 1013 Jones at 1110 nanometers under zero bias. The D* at 1 to 1.2 micrometers surpasses that of the uncooled commercial InGaAs photodiode. Furthermore, large-area semitransparent all-organic upconversion devices integrating the SWIR photodiode realized static and dynamic SWIR-to-visible imaging, along with excellent upconversion efficiency and spatial resolution. This work provides alternative insights for developing sensitive organic SWIR detection.

Left atrial reservoir and pump function after catheter ablation with persistent atrial fibrillation: a two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging study.

OBJECTIVE: By using ultrasound strain rate (SR) imaging to evaluate the left atrial (LA) reservoir and pump function after catheter ablation (CA) with persistent atrial fibrillation (PAF). METHODS: A total of 45 patients with PAF underwent echocardiography examination before and after ablation as well as during 6 months of follow-up. Peak SR was measured at each LA segment (septal, lateral, anterior, inferior and posterior) during systole (LAs) and late diastole (LAa). RESULTS: During 6 months after CA, 30 patients were free of atrial fibrillation recurrence (AFR). left atrial area index (LAAI), left atrial maximum volume index (LAVImax), and E/Ea were obviously higher in patients with before CA, left atrial ejection fraction (LAEF), SR-LAs were lower than in normal cases, the SR-LAa was disappeared. Shortly after ablation, SR-LAa was recovered, and SR-LAs was reduced compared to those at baseline. At midterm follow-up, LAEF and SR-LAs were still lower than the control group, and LAAI and LAVImax were higher. SR-LAa was recovered slowly over time, but still lower. CONCLUSION: LA reservoir function was seriously damaged and LA pump function disappeared in patients with PAF. LA reservoir function impairment appeared shortly after ablation, it showed improvement at midterm follow-up, but some degree of damage to the LA reservoir and pump function was still present. Speckle tracking imaging is a feasible technique for the assessment of LA function in patients with PAF, which is a potentially valuable clinical tool to assist in the early detection of atrial remodelling and reverse remodelling.

Theory-Guided Material Design Enabling High-Performance Multifunctional Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics without Optical Modulations.

Semitransparent organic photovoltaics (ST-OPVs) have drawn great attention for promising applications in building-integrated photovoltaics, providing additional power generation for daily use. A previously proposed strategy, "complementary NIR absorption," is widely applied for high-performance ST-OPVs. However, rational material design toward high performance has not been achieved. In this work, an external quantum efficiency (EQE) model describing this strategy is developed to explore the full potential of material design on ST-OPV performance. Guided by the model, a novel nonfullerene acceptor (NFA), ATT-9, is designed and synthesized, which possesses optimal bandgap for ST-OPVs, achieving a record short-circuit current density of 30 mA cm-2 and a power conversion efficiency of 13.40%, the highest value among devices based on NFAs with bandgaps lower than 1.2 eV. It is notworthy that, at such a low bandgap, the energy loss of the device is only 0.58 eV, which is attributed to the low energetic disorder confirmed by an ultralow Urbach energy of 21.6 meV. Benefiting from the optimal bandgap and low energy loss, the ATT-9-based ST-OPV achieves a high light utilization efficiency of 3.33% without optical modulations, and meanwhile shows excellent thermal insulation, exceeding the commercial 3M heat-insulating window film, demonstrating the outstanding application prospects of multifunctional ST-OPVs.

Early assessment of subclinical myocardial injury in systemic lupus erythematosus by two-dimensional longitudinal layer speckle tracking imaging.

Background: To investigate the feasibility of quantitatively assessing left ventricular function and synchronization and diagnose subclinical myocardial injury in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using two-dimensional (2D) longitudinal layer speckle tracking imaging (STI). Methods: This was a single-center prospective study. A total of 69 patients with SLE were included in the case group and further divided into 2 subgroups, a nonactive and an active group, according to the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) 2000 scoring standard. We selected 30 healthy volunteers as the control group. The global longitudinal strain (GLSglobal), global endocardial longitudinal strain (GLSendo), global epicardial longitudinal strain (GLSepi), and peak strain dispersion (PSD) were obtained. The transmural gradient of longitudinal strain (TGLS) was calculated for the difference in strains between the inner and outer membranes. Results: (I) Compared with the control group, decreased speckle strain parameters and elevated PSD were observed in patients with SLE (GLSglobal: -18.80%±2.41% vs. -21.19%±2.16%, GLSendo: -21.15%±2.47% vs. -24.09±2.49%; GLSepi: -16.58%±2.39% vs. -18.50±1.77%; TGLS: -4.56%±1.24% vs. -5.59%±1.39%; and PSD: 36.61±10.85 vs. 30.00±8.54 ms). More severely impaired layer strains were observed in active-stage patients. Compared with the nonactive group, GLSendo, GLSglobal, GLSepi, TGLS, complement C3, and complement C4 were decreased in the active group, while SLEDAI, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) were elevated. (II) Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that subendocardial myocardial longitudinal strain was the most powerful tool for detecting myocardial insufficiency early in patients with SLE [area under the curve (AUC) =0.809], especially in patients in the active stage (AUC =0.734), and the optimal cut-off point was -21.35%, with a sensitivity of 71.9% and a specificity of 62.2%. (III) Correlation analysis revealed that GLSendo was moderately correlated with PSD, SLEDAI, ERS, Hs-CRP, and complement C3 (correlation coefficients: 0.535, 0.428, 0.659, 0.559, and -0.440, respectively). Conclusions: Subclinical myocardial injury in patients with SLE can be assessed early using 2D longitudinal STI, and the injury is more obvious in active-stage patients. Endocardial longitudinal strain is a more sensitive index than epicardial longitudinal strain for the early detection of subclinical myocardial injury in patients with SLE, which is a potentially valuable clinical tool to assist in the early detection of myocardial damage.