Constructing Ultra-Strong SERS Tags in the Cellular Raman-Silent Region by Orthogonal Array Testing Strategy.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) tags have the advantages of unique fingerprint vibration spectrum, ultranarrow spectral line widths, and weak photobleaching effect, showing great potential for bioimaging. However, SERS imaging is still hindered for further application due to its weak spontaneous Raman scattering, biomolecular signal interference, and long acquisition times. Here, we develop a novel SERS tag of the core (Au)-shell (N-doped graphene) structure (Au@NGs) with ultrastrong and stable Raman signal (2180 cm-1) in the cellular Raman-silent region (1800-2800 cm-1) through base-promoted oxidative decarboxylation of amino acids. Exploring the factors (metal salts, amino acids, catalysts, temperature, etc.) to obtain Au@NGs with the strongest Raman signal commonly requires more than 100,000 separate experiments, while that using an orthogonal array testing strategy is reduced to 56. The existence of deep charge transfer between the Au surface and C≡N-graphene is proved by theoretical calculations, which means the ultrastrong signal of Au@NGs is the joint effect of electromagnetic and chemical enhancement. The Au@NGs have a detection sensitivity down to a single-nanoparticle level, and high-speed and high-resolution cellular imaging (4453 pixels) is obtained within 10 s by global Raman imaging. The combination of Au@NGs-based tags with ultrastrong intrinsic Raman imaging capability and global imaging technology holds great promise for high-speed Raman imaging.

Computer-assisted three-dimensional individualized extreme liver resection for hepatoblastoma in proximity to the major liver vasculature.

BACKGROUND: The management of hepatoblastoma (HB) becomes challenging when the tumor remains in close proximity to the major liver vasculature (PMV) even after a full course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). In such cases, extreme liver resection can be considered a potential option. AIM: To explore whether computer-assisted three-dimensional individualized extreme liver resection is safe and feasible for children with HB who still have PMV after a full course of NAC. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from children with HB who underwent surgical resection at our center from June 2013 to June 2023. We then analyzed the detailed clinical and three-dimensional characteristics of children with HB who still had PMV after a full course of NAC. RESULTS: Sixty-seven children diagnosed with HB underwent surgical resection. The age at diagnosis was 21.4 ± 18.8 months, and 40 boys and 27 girls were included. Fifty-nine (88.1%) patients had a single tumor, 39 (58.2%) of which was located in the right lobe of the liver. A total of 47 patients (70.1%) had PRE-TEXT III or IV. Thirty-nine patients (58.2%) underwent delayed resection. After a full course of NAC, 16 patients still had close PMV (within 1 cm in two patients, touching in 11 patients, compressing in four patients, and showing tumor thrombus in three patients). There were 6 patients of tumors in the middle lobe of the liver, and four of those patients exhibited liver anatomy variations. These 16 children underwent extreme liver resection after comprehensive preoperative evaluation. Intraoperative procedures were performed according to the preoperative plan, and the operations were successfully performed. Currently, the 3-year event-free survival of 67 children with HB is 88%. Among the 16 children who underwent extreme liver resection, three experienced recurrence, and one died due to multiple metastases. CONCLUSION: Extreme liver resection for HB that is still in close PMV after a full course of NAC is both safe and feasible. This approach not only reduces the necessity for liver transplantation but also results in a favorable prognosis. Individualized three-dimensional surgical planning is beneficial for accurate and complete resection of HB, particularly for assessing vascular involvement, remnant liver volume and anatomical variations.

Streptomyces albipurpureus sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium with antimicrobial activity isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don.

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain CWNU-1T, was isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don and examined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The organism developed pale blue aerial mycelia that was simply branched and terminated in open or closed coils of three or more volutions on International Streptomyces Project 3 agar. Spores were ellipsoidal to cylindrical with wrinkled surfaces. The strain showed high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Streptomyces kurssanovii NBRC 13192T (98.8 %), Streptomyces xantholiticus NBRC 13354T (98.7 %) and Streptomyces peucetius JCM 9920T (98.6 %). The phylogenetic result based on 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences clearly demonstrated that strain CWNU-1T formed an independent phylogenetic lineage. On the basis of orthologous average nucleotide identity, CWNU-1T was most closely related to Streptomyces inusitatus NBRC 13601T with 79.3 % identity. The results of the digital DNA-DNA hybridization analysis also indicated low levels of relatedness with other species, as the highest value was observed with S. inusitatus NBRC 13601T (25.3 %). With reference to phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic data, orthologous average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization results, strain CWNU-1T was readily distinguished from its most closely related strains and classified as representing a novel species, for which the name Streptomyces albipurpureus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CWNU-1T (=CGMCC 4.7758T=MCCC 1K07402T=JCM 35391T).

Association of Triglyceride Glucose-Derived Indexes with Recurrent Events Following Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.

Background: Triglyceride glucose (TyG) and TyG-body mass index (TyG-BMI) are reliable surrogate indexes of insulin resistance and used for risk stratification and outcome prediction in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Here, we inserted estimated average glucose (eAG) into the TyG (TyAG) and TyG-BMI (TyAG-BMI) as derived parameters and explored their clinical significance in cardiovascular risk prediction. Methods: This was a population-based cohort study of 9,944 Chinese patients with ASCVD. The baseline admission fasting glucose and A1C-derived eAG values were recorded. Cardiovascular events (CVEs) that occurred during an average of 38.5 months of follow-up were recorded. We stratified the patients into four groups by quartiles of the parameters. Baseline data and outcomes were analyzed. Results: Distribution of the TyAG and TyAG-BMI indexes shifted slightly toward higher values (the right side) compared with TyG and TyG-BMI, respectively. The baseline levels of cardiovascular risk factors and coronary severity increased with quartile of TyG, TyAG, TyG-BMI, and TyAG-BMI (all P<0.001). The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios for CVEs when the highest and lowest quartiles were compared from low to high were 1.02 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77 to 1.36; TyG), 1.29 (95% CI, 0.97 to 1.73; TyAG), 1.59 (95% CI, 1.01 to 2.58; TyG-BMI), and 1.91 (95% CI, 1.16 to 3.15; TyAG-BMI). The latter two showed statistical significance. Conclusion: This study suggests that TyAG and TyAG-BMI exhibit more information than TyG and TyG-BMI in disease progression among patients with ASCVD. The TyAG-BMI index provided better predictive performance for CVEs than other parameters.

The function and application of edible fungal polysaccharides.

Edible fungi, commonly known as mushrooms, are precious medicinal and edible homologous gifts from nature to us. Edible fungal polysaccharides (EFPs) are a variety of bioactive macromolecular which isolated from fruiting bodies, mycelia or fermentation broths of edible or medicinal fungus. Increasing researches have confirmed that EFPs possess multiple biological activities both in vitro and in vivo settings, including antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and regulating intestinal flora activities. As a result, they have emerged as a prominent focus in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Fungal EFPs have safe, non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible properties with low immunogenicity, bioadhesion ability, and antibacterial activities, presenting diverse potential applications in the food industries, cosmetic, biomedical, packaging, and new materials. Moreover, varying raw materials, extraction, purification, chemical modification methods, and culture conditions can result in variances in the structure and biological activities of EFPs. The purpose of this review is to provide comprehensively and systematically organized information on the structure, modification, biological activities, and potential applications of EFPs to support their therapeutic effects and health functions. This review provides new insights and a theoretical basis for prospective investigations and advancements in EFPs in fields such as medicine, food, and new materials.

Piezoelectric Polarization and Sulfur Vacancy Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Performance of Bi2S3/ZnSn(OH)6 Piezo-photocatalyst.

The combination of piezoelectric catalysis and photocatalysis could effectively enhance the carrier separation efficiency and further improve the hydrogen production activity. However, piezoelectric polarization always suffers from a low polarization strength, which severely restricts its actual applications. In this study, we successfully synthesized a novel sulfur vacancy-rich Bi2S3/ZnSn (OH)6 (BS-12/ZSH) piezo-photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution through water splitting. Notably, the piezo-photocatalytic hydrogen generation rate of the 8% BS-12/ZSH catalyst (336.21 µmol/g/h) was superior to that of pristine ZSH (29.71 µmol/g/h) and BS-12 (21.66 µmol/g/h). In addition, the hydrogen generation for 8% BS-12/ZSH (336.21 µmol/g/h) under ultrasonic coupling illumination was significantly higher than that under single illumination (52.09 µmol/g/h) and ultrasound (121.90 µmol/g/h), owing to the cooperative interaction of the sulfur vacancy and piezoelectric field. Various characterization analyses confirmed that (1) the introduction of sulfur vacancies in BS-12 provided more active sites, (2) BS-12 with sulfur vacancies acted as a co-catalyst to accelerate the hydrogen production rate, and (3) the piezoelectric field eliminated the electrostatic shielding and offered an additional driving force, which effectively promoted the separation of electron-hole pairs. This research clearly reveals the synergistic effect between piezocatalysis and photocatalysis as well as offers a promising sight for the rational design of high-efficiency piezo-photocatalysts.

CEBPB-mediated upregulation of SERPINA1 promotes colorectal cancer progression by enhancing STAT3 signaling.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly malignant carcinoma associated with poor prognosis, and metastasis is one of the most common causes of death in CRC. Serpin Family A Member 1 (SERPINA1) is a serine protease inhibitor from the Serpin family. Till now, the function and mechanism of SERPINA1 in CRC progression have not been fully illustrated. We established highly metastatic colorectal cancer cells named as RKO-H and Caco2-H by mice liver metastasis model. By integrative bioinformatic approaches, we analyzed the prognostic value and clinical significance of SERPINA1 in CRC, and predicted potential transcription factors. Colony formation, EDU, MTS, Transwell and wound healing assay were performed to evaluate the biological functions of SERPINA1 in CRC in vitro. Experiments in vivo were conducted to explore the effects of SERPINA1 on liver metastasis of CRC. ChIP and luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to identify the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of SERPINA1 by CEBPB. Our results show that SERPINA1 is highly expressed in CRC and correlated with poor clinical outcomes. SERPINA1 promotes the proliferation, migration by activating STAT3 pathway. Mechanistically, CEBPB binds SERPINA1 gene promoter sequence and promotes the transcription of SERPINA1. SERPINA1 drives CEBPB-induced tumor cell growth and migration via augmenting STAT3 signaling. Our results suggest that SERPINA1 is a potential prognostic marker and may serve as a novel treatment target for CRC.

Characteristics and prognostic impact of cancer cachexia defined by the Asian Working Group for Cachexia consensus in patients with curable gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cachexia is prevalent in cancer patients. The conventional diagnostic criteria for cachexia are often based on Western evidence, lacking consensus for Asian populations. This study aims to compare Asian Working Group for Cachexia (AWGC) criteria with Fearon's criteria, assessing their differences in population characteristics and prognostic impact. METHODS: The clinical data of patients who underwent radical gastrectomy between 2013 and 2019 were prospectively collected. Cachexia diagnosis involves the utilization of either AWGC criteria and the previous international consensus proposed by Fearon et al. A scoring model is established based on the optional criteria according to the AWGC criteria. Univariate and multivariate logistic and Cox regression analysis were conducted to determine the independent effect factors for postoperative complications and overall survival. RESULTS: In a total of 1330 patients, 461 met AWGC cachexia criteria and 311 met Fearon's criteria. Excluding 262 overlapping cases, those diagnosed solely with AWGC-cachexia had higher age and lower BMI, albumin, hemoglobin, and handgrip strength compared to those by Fearon's criteria alone. AWGC-cachexia independently increased the risk of postoperative complications, whereas Fearon's criteria did not. Patients with AWGC-cachexia also exhibited shorter overall survival than Fearon's criteria. The AWGC-based cachexia grading system effectively stratifies the risks of postoperative complications and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The AWGC criteria is more effective in diagnosing cancer cachexia in the Asian population and provide better prognostic indicators.

Acacetin alleviates autoimmune myocarditis by regulating CD4+ T cell mitochondrial respiration.

BACKGROUND: Myocarditis refers to an autoimmune inflammatory response of the myocardium with characterization of self-reactive CD4+ T cell activation, which lacks effective treatment and has a poor prognosis. Acacetin is a natural flavonoid product that has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. However, acacetin has not been investigated in myocarditis. METHODS: Oral acacetin treatment was administered in an experimental autoimmune myocarditis model established with myosin heavy chain-alpha peptide. Echocardiography, pathological staining, and RT-qPCR were used to detect cardiac function, myocardial injury, and inflammation levels. Flow cytometry was utilized to detect the effect of acacetin on CD4+ T cell function. RNA-seq, molecular docking, and microscale thermophoresis (MST) were employed to investigate potential mechanisms. Seahorse analysis, mitoSOX, JC-1, and mitotracker were utilized to detect the effect of acacetin on mitochondrial function. RESULTS: Acacetin attenuated cardiac injury and fibrosis as well as heart dysfunction, and reduced cardiac inflammatory cytokines and ratio of effector CD4+ T and Th17 cells. Acacetin inhibited CD4+ T cell activation, proliferation, and Th17 cell differentiation. Mechanistically, the effects of acacetin were related to reducing mitochondrial complex II activity thereby inhibiting mitochondrial respiration and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSION: Acacetin may be a valuable therapeutic drug in treating CD4+ T cell-mediated myocarditis.

Joint Association of Lipoprotein(a) and a Family History of Coronary Artery Disease with the Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Coronary Syndrome.

AIM: No data are currently available regarding the association between Lp(a) and the cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) according to their family history (FHx) of CAD. This study aimed to evaluate the significance of Lp(a) in predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) with or without FHx. METHODS: A total of 6056 patients with CCS were enrolled. Information on FHx was collected, and the plasma Lp(a) levels were measured. All patients were followed up regularly. The independent and joint associations of Lp(a) and FHx with the risk of MACEs, including cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and stroke, were analyzed. RESULTS: With over an average of 50.35±18.58 months follow-up, 378 MACEs were recorded. A Cox regression analysis showed an elevated Lp(a) level to be an independent predictor for MACEs in patients with [hazard ratio (HR): 2.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.38-5.54] or without FHx (HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.02-1.77). In comparison to subjects with non-elevated Lp(a) and negative FHx, patients with elevated Lp(a) alone were at a nominally higher risk of MACEs (HR: 1.26, 95% CI: 0.96-1.67), while those with both had the highest risk (HR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.14-3.28). Moreover, adding Lp(a) to the original model increased the C-statistic by 0.048 in subjects with FHx (p=0.004) and by 0.004 in those without FHx (p=0.391). CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first to suggest that Lp(a) could be used to predict MACEs in CCS patients with or without FHx; however, its prognostic significance was more noteworthy in patients with FHx.

Cholangiocarcinoma identified in perforated choledochal cyst in a 3-year-old boy.

Cholangiocarcinoma in patients with Choledochal cysts is rare in childhood; however, it seriously affects the prognosis of the disease. The key to addressing this situation lies in completely removing the extrahepatic cyst. We herein present a case report of a 3-year-old boy with cholangiocarcinoma associated with a choledochal cyst (CDC). Preoperative 3D simulation, based on CT data, played an important role in the treatment of this patient.

Low Initial Cell Density Promotes the Differentiation and Maturation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Erythrocytes.

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived red blood cells (RBCs) possess great potential for compensating shortages in transfusion medicine. For better RBC generation from hPSCs, we compared the cell seeding density in the embryoid body formation-based hPSC induction protocol. In the selection of low- and high-density inoculation conditions, we found that low-density culture performed better in the final RBC product with more cell output and increased average cellular hemoglobin content. An elaborate study using flow cytometry demonstrated that low inoculation density promoted endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition, followed by improved hematopoietic progenitor formation and erythrocyte generation. The improved transformation from glycolysis to mitochondrial oxidation and reduced apoptosis might be responsible for this effect. Hints from RNA sequencing suggested that molecules involved in microenvironment interaction and metabolic regulation might respond for the different developmental potential. The possible mediators between outer message and intracellular response could be the nutrition sensors FOXO, PRKAA1 (AMPK), and MTOR genes. It is possible that low inoculation density triggered metabolic regulation signals, promoted mitochondrial oxidation, and resulted in enhanced cell amplification and hematopoietic differentiation. The low cell culture density will improve RBC generation from hPSCs.

Association between kidney stones and life's essential 8: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Kidney stones exhibit a robust correlation with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this research is to investigate the correlation between kidney stones and Life's Essential 8 (LE8), a newly updated assessment of cardiovascular health (CVH), among adults in the United States. METHODS: In this study, which analyzed data from the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we employed LE8 scores (ranging from 0 to 100) as the independent variable, classifying them into low, moderate, and high CVH categories. The research examined the relationship between LE8 scores and kidney stones by using multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models, with kidney stones as the dependent variable. RESULTS: Out of the 14,117 participants in this research, the weighted mean LE8 score was 69.70 ± 0.27. After accounting for confounding factors, there was an inverse association between higher LE8 scores and the likelihood of developing kidney stones (OR of 0.81 per 10-point increase, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.77-0.85), demonstrating a non-linear dose-response pattern. Similar patterns were observed for health behaviors, health factor scores, and kidney stones. Stratified analyses demonstrated a stable negative correlation between LE8 scores and kidney stones across different subgroups. CONCLUSION: LE8 and its subscale scores exhibited a robust and inverse correlation with the occurrence of kidney stones. Encouraging adherence to optimal CVH levels has the potential to serve as an effective strategy in preventing and minimizing the occurrence of kidney stones.

A cost-effective, machine learning-driven approach for screening arterial functional aging in a large-scale Chinese population.

Introduction: An easily accessible and cost-free machine learning model based on prior probabilities of vascular aging enables an application to pinpoint high-risk populations before physical checks and optimize healthcare investment. Methods: A dataset containing questionnaire responses and physical measurement parameters from 77,134 adults was extracted from the electronic records of the Health Management Center at the Third Xiangya Hospital. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and recursive feature elimination-Lightweight Gradient Elevator were employed to select features from a pool of potential covariates. The participants were randomly divided into training (70%) and test cohorts (30%). Four machine learning algorithms were applied to build the screening models for elevated arterial stiffness (EAS), and the performance of models was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Results: Fourteen easily accessible features were selected to construct the model, including "systolic blood pressure" (SBP), "age," "waist circumference," "history of hypertension," "sex," "exercise," "awareness of normal blood pressure," "eat fruit," "work intensity," "drink milk," "eat bean products," "smoking," "alcohol consumption," and "Irritableness." The extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model outperformed the other three models, achieving AUC values of 0.8722 and 0.8710 in the training and test sets, respectively. The most important five features are SBP, age, waist, history of hypertension, and sex. Conclusion: The XGBoost model ideally assesses the prior probability of the current EAS in the general population. The integration of the model into primary care facilities has the potential to lower medical expenses and enhance the management of arterial aging.

Health-Related quality of life and DNA Methylation-Based aging biomarkers among survivors of childhood cancer.

BACKGROUND: Childhood cancer survivors are at high risk for morbidity and mortality and poor patient-reported outcomes, typically health-related-quality-of-life (HRQOL). However, associations between DNA methylation (DNAm)-based aging biomarkers and HRQOL have not been evaluated. METHODS: DNAm was generated with Infinium EPIC BeadChip on blood-derived DNA (median[range] for age at blood draw = 34.5[18.5-66.6] years) and HRQOL was assessed with age at survey (32.3[18.4-64.5] years) from 2,206 survivors in the St Jude Lifetime Cohort. DNAm-based aging biomarkers, including epigenetic age using multiple clocks (eg, GrimAge) and others (eg, DNAmB2M beta-2-microglobulin; DNAmADM: adrenomedullin), were derived from the DNAm Age Calculator (https://dnamage.genetics.ucla.edu). HRQOL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey to capture eight domains, and physical and mental component summaries (PCS and MCS). General linear models evaluated associations between HRQOL and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA, eg, EAA_GrimAge) or other age-adjusted DNAm-based biomarkers (eg, ageadj_DNAmB2M) after adjusting for age at blood draw, sex, cancer treatments, and DNAm-based surrogate for smoking pack-years. All P values were 2-sided. RESULTS: Worse HRQOL was associated with greater EAA_GrimAge (PCS ß[95%CI]=-0.18[-0.251,-0.11] years, P = 1.85 × 10-5; and four individual HRQOL domains), followed by ageadj_DNAmB2M (PCS: -0.08[-0.124,-0.037], P = .003; and three individual HRQOL domains), and ageadj_DNAmADM (PCS: -0.082[-0.125,-0.039], P = .002; and two HRQOL domains). EAA_Hannum (Hannum clock) was not associated with any HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS: Overall and domain-specific measures of HRQOL are associated with DNAm measures of biological aging. Future longitudinal studies should test biological aging as a potential mechanism underlying the association between poor HRQOL and increased risk of clinically assessed adverse health outcomes.

Understanding adefovir pharmacokinetics as a component of a transporter phenotyping cocktail.

PURPOSE: Adefovir (as dipivoxil) was selected as a probe drug in a previous transporter cocktail phenotyping study to assess renal organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), with renal clearance (CLR) as the primary parameter describing renal elimination. An approximately 20% higher systemic exposure of adefovir was observed when combined with other cocktail components (metformin, sitagliptin, pitavastatin, and digoxin) compared to sole administration. The present evaluation applied a population pharmacokinetic (popPK) modeling approach to describe adefovir pharmacokinetics as a cocktail component in more detail. METHODS: Data from 24 healthy subjects were reanalyzed. After establishing a base model, covariate effects, including the impact of co-administered drugs, were assessed using forward inclusion then backward elimination. RESULTS: A one-compartment model with first-order absorption (including lag time) and a combination of nonlinear renal and linear nonrenal elimination best described the data. A significantly higher apparent bioavailability (73.6% vs. 59.0%) and a lower apparent absorption rate constant (2.29 h-1 vs. 5.18 h-1) were identified in the combined period compared to the sole administration period, while no difference was seen in renal elimination. The population estimate for the Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) of the nonlinear renal elimination was 170 nmol/L, exceeding the observed range of adefovir plasma maximum concentration, while the maximum rate (Vmax) of nonlinear renal elimination was 2.40 µmol/h at the median absolute estimated glomerular filtration rate of 105 mL/min. CONCLUSION: The popPK modeling approach indicated that the co-administration primarily affected the apparent absorption and/or prodrug conversion of adefovir dipivoxil, resulting in the minor drug-drug interaction observed for adefovir as a victim. However, renal elimination remained unaffected. The high Km value suggests that assessing renal OAT1 activity by CLR has no relevant misspecification error with the cocktail doses used.

Overexpression of aquaporin-1 plays a vital role in proliferation, apoptosis, and pyroptosis of Wilms' tumor cells.

BACKGROUND: Nephroblastoma, also known as Wilms' tumor (WT), is an embryonic malignant tumor and one of the most common malignant tumors in the abdominal region of children. The exact role and underlying mechanisms of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) in the occurrence and development of nephroblastoma remain unclear. METHODS: After overexpression of AQP1, cell proliferation was assessed using the CCK-8 proliferation assay and EdU staining. Flow cytometry was employed to assess cell apoptosis, and Western blotting (WB) analysis was conducted to validate the expression of relevant protein markers. mRNA sequencing (mRNA-Seq) was performed on WT cells overexpressing AQP1 to predict and characterize the associated mechanisms. Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to observe changes in the ultrastructure of WT cells undergoing apoptosis and pyroptosis following AQP1 overexpression. Functional in vivo validation was conducted through animal experiments. RESULTS: We validated that overexpression of AQP1 inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis and pyroptosis both in vitro and in vivo. mRNA-Seq analysis of WT cells with AQP1 overexpression suggested that these effects might be mediated through the inhibition of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Additionally, we discovered that overexpression of AQP1 activated the classical pyroptosis signaling pathway dependent on caspase-1, thereby promoting pyroptosis in WT. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the important functional role of AQP1 in the pathobiology of nephroblastoma, providing novel insights into the development of this disease. Moreover, these results offer new perspectives on the potential therapeutic targeting of AQP1 as a treatment strategy for nephroblastoma.

Role of HDL cholesterol in anthracycline-induced subclinical cardiotoxicity: a prospective observational study in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP.

OBJECTIVES: Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is a debilitating cardiac dysfunction for which there are no effective treatments, making early prevention of anthracycline-induced subclinical cardiotoxicity (AISC) crucial. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) plays a role in cardioprotection, but its impact on AISC remains unclear. Our study aims to elucidate the protective capacity of HDL-C in AISC in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with R-CHOP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisone and rituximab). DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Conducted in China from September 2020 to September 2022. PARTICIPANTS: 70 chemotherapy-naïve patients newly diagnosed with DLBCL who were scheduled to receive the standard dose of R-CHOP; 60 participants included in a case-control study (DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10085-6). PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum biomarkers, 2D speckle tracking echocardiography and conventional echocardiography were measured at baseline, at the end of the third and sixth cycles of R-CHOP and 6 and 12 months after chemotherapy. RESULTS: 24 patients experienced AISC, while 10 did not. 36 patients were lost to follow-up and death. Cox regression analysis showed that higher levels of HDL-C were associated with a significantly lower risk of AISC (unadjusted HR=0.24, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.67, p=0.006; adjusted HR=0.27, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.79, p=0.017). Patients without AISC had a more stable and higher HDL-C level during the follow-up period. HDL-C levels significantly decreased from the end of the third cycle of chemotherapy to the end of the sixth cycle of chemotherapy in all patients (p=0.034), and particularly in the AISC group (p=0.003). The highest level of HDL-C was significantly higher in patients without AISC than in those with AISC (1.52±0.49 vs 1.22±0.29, p=0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that higher HDL-C levels may associate with lower AISC risk in patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP. HDL-C could be a cardioprotective target, but further research is needed to confirm its benefits and limitations. STUDY REGISTRATION NUMBER: Study registration number: ChiCTR2100054721.

In-sewer stability assessment of 140 pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides and their metabolites: Implications for wastewater-based epidemiology biomarker screening.

The monitoring of pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PCPs), pesticides, and their metabolites through wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides timely information on pharmaceutical consumption patterns, chronic disease treatment rates, antibiotic usage, and exposure to harmful chemicals. However, before applying them for quantitative WBE back-estimation, it is necessary to understand their stability in the sewer system to screen suitable WBE biomarkers thereby reducing research uncertainty. This study investigated the in-sewer stability of 140 typical pharmaceuticals, PCPs, pesticides, and their metabolites across 15 subcategories, using a series of laboratory sewer sediment and biofilm reactors. For the first time, stability results for 89 of these compounds were reported. Among the 140 target compounds, 61 biomarkers demonstrated high stability in all sewer reactors, while 41 biomarkers were significantly removed merely by sediment processes. For biomarkers exhibiting notable attenuation, the influence of sediment processes was generally more pronounced than biofilm, due to its stronger microbial activities and more pronounced diffusion or adsorption processes. Adsorption emerged as the predominant factor causing biomarker removal compared to biodegradation and diffusion. Significantly different organic carbon-water partitioning coefficient (Koc) and distribution coefficient at pH = 7 (logD) values were observed between highly stable and unstable biomarkers, with most hydrophobic substances (Koc > 100 or logD > 2) displaying instability. In light of these findings, we introduced a primary biomarker screening process to efficiently exclude inappropriate candidates, achieving a commendable 77 % accuracy. Overall, this study represents the first comprehensive report on the in-sewer stability of 89 pharmaceuticals, PCPs, pesticides, and their metabolites, and provided crucial reference points for understanding the intricate sewer sediment processes.