Exogenous methyl jasmonate induced cassava defense response and enhanced resistance to Tetranychus urticae.

Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) could activate plant defense response against the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch, in different plants. However, whether MeJA can also serve as an elicitor in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) remains unknown. In this study, induced defense responses were investigated in TSSM-resistant cassava variety C1115 and TSSM-susceptible cassava variety KU50 when applied with MeJA. The performance of TSSM feeding on cassava plants that were pre-treated with various concentrations of MeJA was first evaluated. Subsequently, the activities of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase), detoxification enzymes (glutathione S-transferase, cytochrome P450 and carboxylesterase) and digestive enzymes (protease, amylase and invertase) in TSSM were analyzed at days 1, 2, 4 and 8 post-feeding. The results showed that MeJA treatment can induce cassava defense responses to TSSM in terms of reducing egg production and adult longevity as well as slowing development and prolonging the egg stage. Noticeably, C1115 exhibited stronger inhibition of TSSM development and reproduction than KU50. In addition, the activities of all the tested enzymes were induced in both C1115 and KU50, the most in C1115. We conclude that exogenous methyl jasmonate can induce cassava defense responses and enhance resistance to TSSM.

Association between Helicobacter pylori and risk of childhood asthma: a meta-analysis of 18 observational studies.

Objective: The association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and childhood asthma is unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the association between H. pylori and childhood asthma.Methods: A literature search, study selection, and data extraction were performed independently and in duplicate. Data were analyzed using STATA software.Results: Eighteen studies enrolling 17,196 children were analyzed. All studies were of moderate-to-high quality. Four studies subcategorized H. pylori infection according to CagA status. Overall, there was a significant negative association between H. pylori and risk for childhood asthma (OR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54-0.87; P = 0.002), with no/marginal publication bias identified by the Egger's test and the Begg's test (P = 0.162 and P = 0.198, respectively). The observed inverse association persisted for CagA(+) strains of H. pylori (OR = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.35-0.96; P = 0.034) but not for CagA(-) strains (OR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.12-2.28; P = 0.387). There was no significant difference between studies with respect to study design, participant age, geographical region, and method of measuring H. pylori.Conclusion: The evidence suggests that H. pylori infection, particularly CagA(+) H. pylori infection, is inversely associated with the risk of childhood asthma. Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at publisher's website.

Dietary phillygenin supplementation ameliorates aflatoxin B1-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in chicken liver.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a mycotoxin contaminating food and feed, can trigger liver immune toxicity and threaten the poultry industry. Phillygenin (PHI) is a natural lignan derived primarily from Forsythia suspensa with hepatoprotective pharmacological and medicinal properties. This research aimed to investigate the preventive effects of PHI on the toxicity of AFB1 in the liver of chickens. Chickens were administered with AFB1 (2.8 mg/kg) and/or treated with PHI (24 mg/kg) for 33 days. The histopathological changes, serum biochemical indices, oxidative damage, inflammatory mediators, apoptosis, and activation of the NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling pathways were measured. Results revealed that dietary PHI ameliorated liver function indicators, reduced the malondialdehyde and inflammatory mediator production and the apoptotic cell number, and increased the antioxidant enzyme contents and Bcl-2 level. The quantitative realtime PCR and Western blot results revealed that PHI reduced p53, cytochrome c, Bax, caspase-9, and caspase-3 levels, normalized the NF-κB p65 phosphorylation, and upregulated the Nrf2 and its downstream genes expression in chicken liver. These results indicated that PHI has beneficial effects on AFB1-induced liver damage, oxidative damage, inflammatory response, apoptosis, and immunotoxicity by inhibiting NF-κB and activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway in chickens. This study provides new insight into the therapeutic uses of PHI.

Methyl Jasmonate-Treated Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Depresses Performance and Alters Activities of Protective, Detoxification and Digestive Enzymes of Green Peach Aphid [Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)].

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a phytohormone that has been used to artificially induce plant resistance against multiple arthropod herbivores. However, it is still uncertain whether MeJA can trigger pepper plant resistance against Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (green peach aphid, GPA). In this study, we assessed the effects of different concentrations (0, 0.008, 0.04, 0.2, 1.0, and 5.0 mM) of MeJA-treated pepper on the development and reproduction performance of GPA to identify an appropriate concentration for vigorous resistance enhancement. MeJA dose was applied on the pepper to investigate the changes in activities of protective enzyme (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; peroxidase, POD and polyphenol oxidase, PPO), detoxification enzymes (acetylcholinesterase, AchE; glutathione S-transferase, GSTs; cytocrome P450, CYP450, and carboxylesterase, CarE), and digestive enzymes (protease, PRO and amylase, AMY) in GPA. The results showed that all concentrations of MeJA-treated pepper significantly suppressed GPA performance, wherein 0.2 mM was the optimal concentration, as it presented the lowest intrinsic rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (λ), and the highest population doubling time (Dt) values. Furthermore, the protective enzymes (SOD and CAT), detoxification enzymes (GSTs, CYP450, and CarE), and AMY activities increased significantly in MeJA-treated groups than the control group, while the POD and PPO activities were remarkly inhibited under 0.2 mM treatment. These findings indicate that exogenous spraying of 0.2 mM of MeJA significantly enhanced pepper resistance against GPA. The result of this study suggests MeJA application can be used as a promising strategy in integrative management of this insect pest.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: Probiotics for treating acute diarrhoea in children with dehydration.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of probiotics in treating children with acute diarrhoea and dehydration. METHODS: Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 17 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2861 participants met the inclusion criteria. Compared with placebo, probiotics reduced the duration of diarrhoea (12 RCTs [15, 17], n = 1907, mean difference - 21.33 h, confidence interval (CI) -29.74 to -12.91, high heterogeneity, I2 = 86%), the duration of hospitalisation when compared with placebo (eight RCTs [19, 20], n = 1606, mean difference - 0.83 days, CI -1.53 to -0.12, high heterogeneity, I2 = 96%) and reduced risk of diarrhoea on day 4 or more days (six RCTs [19, 20], n = 1093, risk difference - 0.13, 95% CI -0.17- -0.09, no heterogeneity). CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics alongside rehydration therapy appear to be safe and have clear beneficial effects in shortening the duration of diarrhoea in children with acute diarrhoea and dehydration.

Effect of ondansetron on vomiting associated with acute gastroenteritis in a developing country: a meta-analysis.

In high-income countries. ondansetron is an effective antiemetic in children with gastroenteritis, but data from low- and middle-income countries are sparse. This study aimed to evaluate evidences of the effectiveness of ondansetron in preventing vomiting and reducing the use of intravenous fluids in children with gastroenteritis in developing countries. A total of nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2313 participants met the inclusion criteria. Compared with placebo, ondansetron reduced the use of intravenous rehydration (three RCTs, n = 1126, relative risk (RR) 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.95, no significant heterogeneity, I2 = 43%), the risk of failure of oral rehydration therapy among children with gastroenteritis-associated vomiting and dehydration (four RCTs, n = 1370, RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.43-0.79; no significant heterogeneity was found, I2 = 39%) and risk of hospitalization (2 RCTs, n = 264, RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.73, no heterogeneity, I2 = 0).Conclusions: Compared with placebo, ondansetron reduced the use of intravenous fluids in children with gastroenteritis and dehydration. It has no effect on children with gastroenteritis who do not present with dehydration in developing countries. While ondansetron is effective in controlling vomiting and reducing the rate of hospitalization, there is no evidence that it is effective in reducing the rate of readmission. What is Known: • In high-income countries, ondansetron can reduce the use of intravenous fluids in children with gastroenteritis and dehydration. • No systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were done in a developing country setting. What is New: • In developing countries, ondansetron reduces the use of intravenous fluids in children with gastroenteritis and dehydration. • It has no effect on children with gastroenteritis but without dehydration.

De novo sequence of the mitochondrial genome of Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Sarcoptiformes) including 22 tRNA sequences and the largest non-coding region.

In this study, we de novo sequenced and analyzed the circular mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Tyrophagus putrescentiae. It was 14,156 bp long and contained a complete set of 37 genes, contrary to the initial published sequences; it included 22 tRNA sequences and the largest non-coding region. The mtDNA gene order of T. putrescentiae was found to be identical to that of Aleuroglyphus ovatus, Caloglyphus berlesei, and Rhizoglyphus robini (all Acaroidea). Most tRNAs of T. putrescentiae lack at least a D-arm or T-arm. Tyrophagus putrescentiae tRNAs also shared considerable structural and sequence similarity with the tRNAs of other reported Acaroidea species that have the full set of tRNAs. The largest non-coding region was located between trnF and trnS1, and it contained a microsatellite-like (AT)n sequence, short palindromic sequences, and several hairpin loops, as observed in other reported Acaroidea species (excepting Tyrophagus longior).

Dietary patterns and the risk of metabolic syndrome in Chinese adults: a population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Data on dietary patterns in relation to the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a middle-aged Chinese population are sparse. The present study was performed to determine the major dietary patterns among a population aged 45-59 years and to evaluate their associations with MetS risk in China. DESIGN: Cross-sectional examination of the association between dietary patterns and MetS. Face-to-face interviews were used to assess dietary intake using a validated semi-quantitative FFQ. OR and 95 % CI for MetS were calculated across quartiles of dietary pattern scores using multivariate logistic regression analysis models. SETTING: City of Linyi, Shandong Province, China. SUBJECTS: Adults (n 1918) aged 45-59 years. RESULTS: Three major dietary patterns were identified: traditional Chinese, animal food and high-energy. After adjustment for potential confounders, individuals in the highest quartile of the traditional Chinese pattern had a reduced risk of MetS relative to the lowest quartile (OR=0·72, 95 % CI 0·596, 0·952; P<0·05). Compared with those in the lowest quartile, individuals in the highest quartile of the animal food pattern had a greater risk of MetS (OR=1·28; 95 % CI 1·103, 1·697; P<0·05). No significant association was observed between the high-energy pattern and risk of MetS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the traditional Chinese pattern was associated with a reduced risk, while the animal food pattern was associated with increased risk of MetS. Given the cross-sectional nature of our study, further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

BRM/SMARCA2-negative clear cell renal cell carcinoma is associated with a high percentage of BRM somatic mutations, deletions and promoter methylation.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate potential molecular mechanisms associated with loss of BRM expression in poorly differentiated clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). METHODS AND RESULTS: Nineteen previously selected BRM-negative RCC tissues were examined by DNA sequencing, fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the BRM gene. BRM mutation was identified in 78.9% (15 of 19) cases, chromosome 9 monosomy or BRM deletion in 43.8% (seven of 16) and BRM promoter region cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) methylation in 42.8% (six of 14). These results indicated that 89.5% (17 of 19) of the cases harboured at least one type of BRM genetic alteration, with two or more types of alteration in 47.4% (nine of 19). Such alterations were found rarely in adjacent non-neoplastic tissues and low-grade areas of composite tumours. CONCLUSIONS: BRM gene mutation, chromosome 9 monosomy or BRM deletion and CpG methylation contribute collectively to the loss of BRM expression in ccRCC. This work focusing on composite tumours indicated that BRM abnormality occurred during tumour progression.

Size-dependent one-photon- and two-photon-pumped amplified spontaneous emission from organometal halide CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite cubic microcrystals.

In the past few years, organometal halide light-emitting perovskite thin films and colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted significant research interest in the field of highly purified illuminating applications. However, knowledge of photoluminescence (PL) characteristics, such as amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) of larger-sized perovskite crystals, is still relatively scarce. Here, we presented room-temperature size-dependent spontaneous emission (SE) and ASE of the organometal halide CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite cubic microcrystals pumped through one-photon-(1P) and two-photon-(2P) excitation paradigms. The results showed that the optical properties of SE and ASE were sensitively dependent on the sizes of perovskite microcrystals irrespective of whether 1P or 2P excitation was used. Moreover, by comparing the spectral results of 1P- and 2P-pumped experiments, 2P pumping was found to be an effective paradigm to reduce thresholds by one order of magnitude. Finally, we carried out fluences-dependent time-resolved fluorescence dynamics experiments to study the underlying effects of these scale-dependent SE and ASE. We found that the photoluminescence (PL) recombination rates sensitively became faster with increasing carriers' densities, and that the ASE pumped from larger-sized CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite cubic microcrystals showed faster lifetimes. This work shows that micro-sized perovskite cubic crystals could be the ideal patterns of perovskite materials for realizing ASE applications in the future.

[Application of DOSC combined with SBC in batches transfer of NIR quantitative model].

Near infrared model established under a certain condition can be applied to the new samples status, environmental conditions or instrument status through the model transfer. Spectral background correction and model update are two types of data process methods of NIR quantitative model transfer, and orthogonal signal regression (OSR) is a method based on spectra background correction, in which virtual standard spectra is used to fit a linear relation between master batches spectra and slave batches spectra, and map the slave batches spectra to the master batch spectra to realize the transfer of near infrared quantitative model. However, the above data processing method requires the represent activeness of the virtual standard spectra, otherwise the big error will occur in the process of regression. Therefore, direct orthogonal signal correction-slope and bias correction (DOSC-SBC) method was proposed in this paper to solve the problem of PLS model's failure to predict accurately the content of target components in the formula of different batches, analyze the difference between the spectra background of the samples from different sources and the prediction error of PLS models. DOSC method was used to eliminate the difference of spectral background unrelated to target value, and after being combined with SBC method, the system errors between the different batches of samples were corrected to make the NIR quantitative model transferred between different batches. After DOSC-SBC method was used in the preparation process of water extraction and ethanol precipitation of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos in this paper, the prediction error of new batches of samples was decreased to 7.30% from 32.3% and to 4.34% from 237%, with significantly improved prediction accuracy, so that the target component in the new batch samples can be quickly quantified. DOSC-SBC model transfer method has realized the transfer of NIR quantitative model between different batches, and this method does not need the standard samples. It is helpful to promote the application of NIR technology in the preparation process of Chinese medicines, and provides references for real-time monitoring of effective components in the preparation process of Chinese medicines.

Effect of vitamin A and Zn supplementation on indices of vitamin A status, haemoglobin level and defecation of children with persistent diarrhea.

To investigate the effect of vitamin A and Zn supplementation on vitamin A status, haemoglobin level and defecation of children with persistent diarrhea, a total of 160 paediatric patients were randomly assigned to one of four intervention groups: daily supplementation of 1,500 IU VA for 14 days; daily Zn supplementation for 14 days; daily supplementation with both VA and Zn for 14 days; no supplementation. One hundred twenty-seven children with persistent diarrhea finished intervention (33 were lost to follow-up). Among the 127 children, 41 (32.28%) had anaemia, 104 (81.89%) had a VA deficiency and 38 (29.92%) had an iron insufficiency. Supplementation with VA or VA + Zn enhanced the serum VA levels and ameliorated anaemia. Supplementation with Zn and VA + Zn for 5 days significantly improved defecation, where the VA + Zn treatment resulted in superior outcomes. After 14 days of intervention, the total effectiveness rates were 93.94%, 96.77% and 96.67% in the three groups, significantly greater than that of the non-supplementation group (72.73%). These results indicate that single VA or concurrent VA + Zn supplementation can improve vitamin A status, haemoglobin level and defecation. However, concurrent VA + Zn supplementation is the optimal option and can shorten the duration of persistent diarrhea and markedly improve nutritional status. (www.clinicaltrials.gov registration number: ChiCTR-IOR-14005498).

Vitamin A deficiency impacts the structural segregation of gut microbiota in children with persistent diarrhea.

To investigate whether gut microbiota is associated with vitamin A nutritional levels in children with persistent diarrhea, a total of 59 pediatric patients with persistent diarrhea aged 1-12 months were selected from the Department of Gastroenterology at the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China. Subjects were hospitalized and divided into VA-deficient (n = 30) and VA-normal (n = 29) groups according to their venous serum retinol levels. Fecal samples from all 59 subjects were collected immediately after admission and analyzed by Illumina MiSeq for 16S rRNA genes to characterize the overall microbiota of the samples. The gut microbiota of the VA-deficient and VA-normal groups were compared using a bioinformatic statistical approach. The Shannon index (p = 0.02), Simpson index (p = 0.01) and component diagram data indicated significantly lower diversity in the VA-deficient than the VA-normal group. A metagenome analysis (LEfSe) and a differentially abundant features approach using Metastats revealed that Escherichia coli and Clostridium butyricum were the key phylotypes of the VA-normal group, while Enterococcus predominated the VA-deficient group. In conclusion, the diversity of gut microbiota and the key phylotypes are significantly different in children with persistent diarrhea at different VA nutritional levels.

[Feature Selection and Interpretation in Infrared Quantitative Models of Liquiritin and Glycyrrhizin in Radix Glycyrrhizae].

Feature selection can improve the interpretation of the modeling variables to a certain extent by selecting variables from the complex spectra backgrounds. However, the improvement of models interpretation does not mean that the modeling variables have the exact physical or chemical significance. In this paper, We explore the relation between the chemical characteristics of target components and the spectrum variables selected with 3 kinds of variables selection methods which are moving window partial least squares regression (mwPLS), synergy interval partial least squares regression (siPLS) and competitive adaptive re-weighted sampling (CARS), and compare the interpretation difference of the variables selected with the above variables selection methods. The results show that the variables selected with mwPLS accord with ν(φ)C=C of liquiritin and δCH3 or δCH2 of glycyrrhizin, which are the obvious spectra differences between the flavonoids and saponins in Radix Glycyrrhizae, and the variables selected with siPLS are the characteristic intervals combinations of the flavonoids or saponins in Radix Glycyrrhizae, which is the combination of ν(ø)C=C, ν(ø)C-O, ν(ø)C-H of flavonoids or the combination of νC-O vC-H, νO-H of saponins while the variables selected with CARS can better accord with most of the characteristic peaks from 1000 to 4000 cm(-1) of liquiritin or glycyrrhizin in Radix Glycyrrhizae, and the predict performance of the infrared quantitative model established on the spectroscopic variables selected with CARS can be improved. Therefore, most of the variables selected with CARS can be interpreted by the characteristic peaks in the infrared characteristic region of the target components, which is beneficial to improve the interpretation of the quantitative model.

miR-125b inhibits hepatitis B virus expression in vitro through targeting of the SCNN1A gene.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that modulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level, playing an important role in many diseases. However, reports concerning the role of miRNA in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are limited. miRNA chips were used to investigate miRNA changes during HBV infection in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis was used to explore possible miRNA and target genes during HBV infection. The expression of miR-125b and its potential target gene, sodium channel, non-voltage-gated 1 alpha (SCNN1A), was further analyzed. A total of 136 miRNAs were analyzed in an HBV transient transfection model (HepG2-HBV1.3), and 78 miRNAs were differentially expressed in HepG2.2.15 cells compared with HepG2 cells. miR-125b expression was decreased in both HepG2-HBV1.3 and HepG2.2.15 cells, and ectopic expression of miR-125b inhibited HBV DNA intermediates and secretion of HBsAg and HBeAg. miR-125b also inhibited the mRNA and protein levels of SCNN1A. Using a dual luciferase reporter system, we found that SCNN1A was one of the targets of miR-125b. In this study, we found that miR-125b inhibits HBV expression in vitro by regulating SCNN1A expression.

[Effect of algorithms for calibration set selection on quantitatively determining asiaticoside content in Centella total glucosides by near infrared spectroscopy].

The appropriate algorithm for calibration set selection was one of the key technologies for a good NIR quantitative model. There are different algorithms for calibration set selection, such as Random Sampling (RS) algorithm, Conventional Selection (CS) algorithm, Kennard-Stone(KS) algorithm and Sample set Portioning based on joint x-y distance (SPXY) algorithm, et al. However, there lack systematic comparisons between two algorithms of the above algorithms. The NIR quantitative models to determine the asiaticoside content in Centella total glucosides were established in the present paper, of which 7 indexes were classified and selected, and the effects of CS algorithm, KS algorithm and SPXY algorithm for calibration set selection on the accuracy and robustness of NIR quantitative models were investigated. The accuracy indexes of NIR quantitative models with calibration set selected by SPXY algorithm were significantly different from that with calibration set selected by CS algorithm or KS algorithm, while the robustness indexes, such as RMSECV and |RMSEP-RMSEC|, were not significantly different. Therefore, SPXY algorithm for calibration set selection could improve the predicative accuracy of NIR quantitative models to determine asiaticoside content in Centella total glucosides, and have no significant effect on the robustness of the models, which provides a reference to determine the appropriate algorithm for calibration set selection when NIR quantitative models are established for the solid system of traditional Chinese medcine.

Modeling the association between functional connectivity and lateralization with the activity flow framework.

The human brain is localized and distributed. On the one hand, each cognitive function tends to involve one hemisphere more than the other, also known as the principle of lateralization. On the other hand, interactions among brain regions in the form of functional connectivity (FC) are indispensable for intact function. Recent years have seen growing interest in the association between lateralization and FC. However, FC metrics vary from spurious correlation to causal associations. If lateralization manifests local processing and causal network interactions, more causally valid FC metrics should predict lateralization index (LI) better than FC based on simple correlations. The present study directly investigates this hypothesis within the activity flow framework to compare the association between lateralization and four brain connectivity metrics: correlation-based FC, multiple-regression FC, partial-correlation FC, and combinedFC. We propose two modeling approaches: the one-step approach, which models the relationship between LI and FC directly, and the two-step approach, which predicts the brain activation and calculates the LI. Our results indicated that multiple-regression FC, partial-correlation FC, and combinedFC could significantly improve the model prediction compared to correlation-based FC, which was consistent in a spatial working memory task (typically right-lateralized) and a language task (typically left-lateralized). The one-step and two-step approach yielded similar conclusions. In addition, the finding was replicated in a clinical sample of schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BP), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study suggests that the causal interactions among brain regions help shape the lateralization pattern.

Application of small bowel capsule endoscopy in children with Meckel's diverticulum.

BACKGROUND: Meckel diverticulum (MD) is an important cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in children. Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is a first-line examination method applied to patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, but there are few studies on its application in children with MD. This article aims to provide evidence in favor of the auxiliary diagnosis of MD in children by analyzing its characteristics using SBCE. METHODS: We retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients with suspected MD. RESULTS: A total of 58 children were included in this study. All 58 children presented overt gastrointestinal bleeding (bloody stool or melena). Capsule endoscopy identified protruding lesions in 2 cases, double-lumen changes in 30 cases (all considered as MD), vascular lesions in 7 cases, intestinal mucosal inflammatory lesions in 3 cases, ulcers or erosion in 3 cases, and no obvious abnormalities in SBCE in 12 cases. Both SBCE and technetium-99 scans were performed for 24 cases, 22 of which were diagnosed MD by their combined results, giving a diagnostic coincidence rate of 91.7%. Eight cases were highly suspected as MD but were negative for the technetium-99 scan and positive for SBCE. CONCLUSION: SBCE has high accuracy in the diagnosis of MD in children, especially when performed in combination with a technetium-99 scan, which can greatly improve the diagnostic rate of MD in children.

Quercetin-induced pyroptosis in colon cancer through NEK7-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome-GSDMD signaling pathway activation.

Pyroptosis, a gasdermin-mediated lytic cell death, is a new hotspot topic in cancer research, and induction of tumor pyroptosis has emerged as a new target in cancer management. Quercetin (Que), a natural substance, demonstrates promising anticancer action. However, further information is required to fully comprehend the function and mechanism of Que in pyroptosis in colon cancer. This study revealed the underlying mechanism of Que-induced pyroptosis in colon cancer in vitro and in vivo. Que inhibited colon cancer cell growth through gasdermin D (GSDMD)-mediated pyroptosis. Depletion of GSDMD, rather than gasdermin E (GSDME), reversed the cytotoxic effects of Que on colon cancer cells. Que treatment upregulated NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) protein expression, thus facilitating the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome and cleavage of GSDMD. NEK7 silencing resulted in colon cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NEK7 depression restrained the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome-GSDMD pathway, thus attenuating pyroptosis triggered by Que in colon cancer cells. Furthermore, lower NEK7 and NLRP3 expression levels indicated colon cancer progression. Our results unveiled a novel pattern of anti-colon cancer activity of Que, and activation of NEK7-mediated pyroptosis is potentially a promising therapeutic target for colon cancer, which provides novel experimental proof for the clinical application of Que.

Thymoquinone affects hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression in pancreatic cancer cells via HSP90 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is associated with some of the worst prognoses of all major cancers. Thymoquinone (TQ) has a long history in traditional medical practice and is known for its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrosis and antioxidant pharmacological activities. Recent studies on hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and PC have shown that HIF-1α affects the occurrence and development of PC in many aspects. In addition, TQ could inhibit the development of renal cancer by decreasing the expression of HIF-1α. Therefore, we speculate whether TQ affects HIF-1α expression in PC cells and explore the mechanism. AIM: To elucidate the effect of TQ in PC cells and the regulatory mechanism of HIF-1α expression. METHODS: Cell counting kit-8 assay, Transwell assay and flow cytometry were performed to detect the effects of TQ on the proliferative activity, migration and invasion ability and apoptosis of PANC-1 cells and normal pancreatic duct epithelial (hTERT-HPNE) cells. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot assay were performed to detect the expression of HIF-1α mRNA and protein in PC cells. The effects of TQ on the HIF-1α protein initial expression pathway and ubiquitination degradation in PANC-1 cells were examined by western blot assay and co-immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: TQ significantly inhibited proliferative activity, migration, and invasion ability and promoted apoptosis of PANC-1 cells; however, no significant effects on hTERT-HPNE cells were observed. TQ significantly reduced the mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF-1α in PANC-1, AsPC-1, and BxPC-3 cells. TQ significantly inhibited the expression of the HIF-1α initial expression pathway (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) related proteins, and promoted the ubiquitination degradation of the HIF-1α protein in PANC-1 cells. TQ had no effect on the hydroxylation and von Hippel Lindau protein mediated ubiquitination degradation of the HIF-1α protein but affected the stability of the HIF-1α protein by inhibiting the interaction between HIF-1α and HSP90, thus promoting its ubiquitination degradation. CONCLUSION: The regulatory mechanism of TQ on HIF-1α protein expression in PC cells was mainly to promote the ubiquitination degradation of the HIF-1α protein by inhibiting the interaction between HIF-1α and HSP90; Secondly, TQ reduced the initial expression of HIF-1α protein by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.