Endoscopic ultrasound-guided injection of carbon nanoparticles suspension to label rectal cancer before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Localization of the primary tumor and ensuring safe distal surgical margins (DSMs) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) are challenging in locally advanced rectal cancers (LARCs). This study investigated the effectiveness of carbon nanoparticles suspension (CNS) for labeling the primary tumor and allowing precise tumor resection after nCRT. Methods: Clinicopathological data of LARC patients who underwent nCRT followed by laparoscopic radical anal preservation surgery at our center between January 2018 and February 2023 were prospectively collected. The patients were divided into the CNS tattooed (CNS) and non-tattooed (control) groups. In the CNS group, CNS was injected in four quadrants on the anal side 1 cm away from the lower tumor margin. DSMs were determined through intraoperative distal rectal examination in the control group and observation of CNS tattoos in the CNS group. DSM lengths and positive DSM rates were compared between the two groups to analyse the feasibility and effectiveness of CNS for labeling LARCs before nCRT. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the basic demographic data, effectiveness of nCRT, or post-operative recovery rates between the two groups (all P > 0.05). In the CNS group, CNS tattoos were observed on the outside of the rectal wall, with an overall efficiency of 87.1% (27/31). The CNS group had fewer positive DSMs and safer DSM lengths (2.73 ± 0.88 vs 2.12 ± 1.15 cm, P = 0.012) than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided injection of CNS tattoos before nCRT could effectively label the LARCs, ensuring safe DSMs during anus-preserving surgeries (Chictr.org.cn No.: ChiCTR2300068991).

DISC1 as a prognostic biomarker correlated with immune infiltrates in gastric cancer.

Multiple mental diseases could arise in people who have the disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene. However, it was unknown how DISC1 might contribute to the development of tumors and immune responses. We extracted data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and TISIDB databases from stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) patients, which revealed that DISC1 overexpression was closely associated with tumor histological type (mucinous vs. tubular, OR = 2.860, CI = 1.423-5.872, p = 0.004), as well as tumor stage and grade. Furthermore, the higher the DISC1 expression, the lower the overall 10-year survival rate. Patients with low DISC1 expression had a significantly longer progression-free interval (PFI) and disease-specific survival (DSS) than patients with high DISC1 expression. However, patients with higher DISC1 expression in the T3&T4, N0&N1 and M0 subgroups had poorer prognosis in terms of OS, DSS and PFI, as could be seen in the subgroup survival analysis. Public datasets were used to predict lncRNA-miRNA-DISC1 regulation. DISC1 was significantly up-regulated in GC(gastric cancer), and its expression levels showed a moderate to strong positive correlation with infiltration levels of effector memory T cells (Tem) and central memory T cells (Tcm), and a negative correlation was observed with Th17 cells and NK CD56bright cells. In addition, concomitant with the high expression of the DISC1 gene was a decrease in MHC-I (Major Histocompatibility Complex-I)expression and an increase in MHC-II expression, and altered chemokine expression. The upregulation of CXCL12 and CXCR4 expression could be caused by an increase in DISC1 expression. The above expression variability and correlation suggest a role for DISC1 in regulating tumor immunity in GC. These findings suggest that high expression of DISC1 could be an independent prognostic factor for GC.

Identifying a novel serum microRNA biomarker panel for the diagnosis of childhood asthma.

The pathological mechanism of childhood asthma is complex, and timely diagnosis is the key to effective prevention and control of childhood asthma. We collected 170 serum samples from 95 children with asthma and 75 healthy children. Serum miRNA biomarkers were analyzed by Illumina sequencing for childhood asthma. Differentially serum miRNAs were confirmed with quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay. The Illumina sequencing data showed the differential expression of 111 serum miRNAs among asthmatic and healthy children. After confirmation of miRNAs expression through qRT-PCR, four of them (namely hsa-miR-106a-5p, hsa-miR-18a-5p, hsa-miR-144-3p, and hsa-miR-375) manifested significant differential expression between asthmatic children and healthy controls. The biomarkers classification tree model created with these four miRNAs using the Biomarker Patterns Software could effectively separate childhood asthma and healthy children, with a specificity of 88.3%, a sensitivity of 95.0%, and an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.942. The regulatory networks containing miRNAs and their gene targets suggested that the four miRNAs might have gene targets implicated in inflammation, immunity, and transcriptional efficiency. Taken together, this four-serum-miRNA panel is a promising biomarker to diagnose childhood asthma noninvasively.

Comparison of photoluminescence quantum yield of single gold nanobipyramids and gold nanorods.

Fluorescent gold nanoparticles with high quantum yield are highly desirable for optical imaging in the fields of biology and materials science. We investigate the one-photon photoluminescence (PL) properties of individual gold nanobipyramids (GNBs) and find they are analogous to those of the extensively studied gold nanorods (GNRs). By combining PL and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements with discrete dipole approximation (DDA) simulations, we obtain the PL quantum yield of single GNRs and GNBs. Compared to GNRs in the similar surface plasmon resonance range, the PL quantum yield of GNBs is found to be doubled. The stronger field intensity around GNBs can explain their higher PL quantum yields. Our research would provide deeper understanding of the mechanism of PL from gold nanoparticles as well as be beneficial for finding out optical imaging labels with high contrast.