Clinical, endoscopic, pathological characteristics and management of cap polyposis: experience from a Tertiary Hospital in China.

Background and aims: Cap polyposis (CP) is a rare kind of benign disease, and the majority of previously published relevant articles involve a small number of patients. Hence, we summarized our experience to contribute additional data, hoping to raise awareness of this disease. Methods: From 1 January 2017 to 1 November 2021, consecutive patients diagnosed with CP were retrospectively reviewed. Their medical histories, and laboratory, imaging, endoscopic, and pathology results were analyzed. We made telephone calls to the patients and searched for the information in our electronic medical records to obtain the follow-up results. Results: Forty-one patients were chosen for analysis. The median age of the patients was 20 years old, and 90.24% (37 patients) of the patients were male. The majority of the patients presented with hematochezia. The rectum was the most commonly affected site, and the Helicobacter pylori infection rate was high. There were multiple and combined treatments for these patients. These treatments can be divided into 3 main categories: medical therapy, endotherapy and surgery. Medical therapy helped to diminish the size of but the polyps were difficult to resolve; however, the patients' symptoms could be diminished. Twenty-three patients underwent surgical resection, and 12 patients received endotherapy. We further compared the two methods of polyp resection. Both endotherapy and surgery were safe, and the recurrence risk was not significantly different between the two kinds of therapy (p = 0.321). Conclusion: The clinical improvement of medical treatments was not satisfactory, and endotherapy or surgical resection could remove the polyposis and provide temporary relief, but the recurrence rates were high.

Lysis-Free Isolation and Direct Amplification of Pathogenic Bacterial DNA Using Diatom Frustules.

DNA has been implicated as an important biomarker for the diagnosis of bacterial infections. Herein, we developed a streamlined methodology that uses diatom frustules (DFs) to liberate and capture bacterial DNA and allows direct downstream amplification tests without any lysis, washing, or elution steps. Unlike most conventional DNA isolation methods that rely on cell lysis to release bacterial DNA, DFs can trigger the oxidative stress response of bacterial cells to promote bacterial membrane vesicle formation and DNA release by generating reactive oxygen species in aqueous solutions. Due to the hierarchical porous structure, DFs provided high DNA capture efficiency exceeding 80% over a wide range of DNA amounts from 10 pg to 10 ng, making only 10 µg DFs sufficient for each test. Since laborious liquid handling steps are not required, the entire DNA sample preparation process using DFs can be completed within 3 min. The diagnostic use of this DF-based methodology was illustrated, which showed that the DNA of the pathogenic bacteria in serum samples was isolated by DFs and directly detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at concentrations as low as 102 CFU/mL, outperforming the most used approaches based on solid-phase DNA extraction. Furthermore, most of the bacterial cells were still alive after DNA isolation using DFs, providing the possibility of recycling samples for storage and further diagnosis. The proposed DF-based methodology is anticipated to simplify bacterial infection diagnosis and be broadly applied to various medical diagnoses and biological research.

Codonopsis radix: a review of resource utilisation, postharvest processing, quality assessment, and its polysaccharide composition.

Codonopsis radix is the dried root of C. pilosula (Franch.) Nannf., C. pilosula Nannf. var. modesta (Nannf.) L. T. Shen, or C. tangshen Oliv., constitutes a botanical medicine with a profound historical lineage. It encompasses an array of bioactive constituents, including polyacetylenes, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, triterpenoids, and polysaccharides, conferring upon it substantial medicinal and edible values. Consequently, it has garnered widespread attention from numerous scholars. In recent years, driven by advancements in modern traditional Chinese medicine, considerable strides have been taken in exploring resources utilization, traditional processing, quality evaluation and polysaccharide research of Codonopsis radix. However, there is a lack of systematic and comprehensive reporting on these research results. This paper provides a summary of recent advances in Codonopsis research, identifies existing issues in Codonopsis studies, and offers insights into future research directions. The aim is to provide insights and literature support for forthcoming investigations into Codonopsis.

Boron Nitride/Carbon Fiber High-Oriented Thermal Conductivity Material with Leaves-Branches Structure.

In the realm of thermal interface materials (TIMs), high thermal conductivity and low density are key for effective thermal management and are particularly vital due to the growing compactness and lightweight nature of electronic devices. Efficient directional arrangement is a key control strategy to significantly improve thermal conductivity and comprehensive properties of thermal interface materials. In the present work, drawing inspiration from natural leaf and branch structures, a simple-to-implement approach for fabricating oriented thermal conductivity composites is introduced. Utilizing carbon fibers (CFs), known for their ultra-high thermal conductivity, as branches, this design ensures robust thermal conduction channels. Concurrently, boron nitride (BN) platelets, characterized by their substantial in-plane thermal conductivity, act as leaves. These components not only support the branches but also serve as junctions in the thermal conduction network. Remarkably, the composite achieves a thermal conductivity of 11.08 W/(m·K) with just an 11.1 wt% CF content and a 1.86 g/cm3 density. This study expands the methodologies for achieving highly oriented configurations of fibrous and flake materials, which provides a new design idea for preparing high-thermal conductivity and low-density thermal interface materials.

Droplet Hi-C for Fast and Scalable Profiling of Chromatin Architecture in Single Cells.

Comprehensive analysis of chromatin architecture is crucial for understanding the gene regulatory programs during development and in disease pathogenesis, yet current methods often inadequately address the unique challenges presented by analysis of heterogeneous tissue samples. Here, we introduce Droplet Hi-C, which employs a commercial microfluidic device for high-throughput, single-cell chromatin conformation profiling in droplets. Using Droplet Hi-C, we mapped the chromatin architecture at single-cell resolution from the mouse cortex and analyzed gene regulatory programs in major cortical cell types. Additionally, we used this technique to detect copy number variation (CNV), structural variations (SVs) and extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) in cancer cells, revealing clonal dynamics and other oncogenic events during treatment. We further refined this technique to allow for joint profiling of chromatin architecture and transcriptome in single cells, facilitating a more comprehensive exploration of the links between chromatin architecture and gene expression in both normal tissues and tumors. Thus, Droplet Hi-C not only addresses critical gaps in chromatin analysis of heterogeneous tissues but also emerges as a versatile tool enhancing our understanding of gene regulation in health and disease.

Recent advances in metal halide perovskite based photocatalysts for artificial photosynthesis and organic transformations.

Metal halide perovskites (MHP) emerged as highly promising materials for photocatalysis, offering significant advancements in the degradation of soluble and airborne pollutants, as well as the transformation of functional organic compounds. This comprehensive review focuses on recent developments in MHP-based photocatalysts, specifically examining two major categories: lead-based (such as CsPbBr3) and lead-free variants (e.g. Cs2AgBiX6, Cs3Bi2Br9 and others). While the review briefly discusses the contributions of MHPs to hydrogen (H2) production and carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction, the main emphasis is on the design principles that determine the effectiveness of perovskites in facilitating organic reactions and degrading hazardous chemicals through oxidative transformations. Furthermore, the review addresses the key factors that influence the catalytic efficiency of perovskites, including charge recombination, reaction mechanisms involving free radicals, hydroxyl ions, and other ions, as well as phase transformation and solvent compatibility. By offering a comprehensive overview, this review aims to serve as a guide for the design of MHP-based photocatalysis and shed light on the common challenges faced by the scientific community in the domain of organic transformations.

Case report: A cystic capillary hemangioma located at the conus medullaris mimicking hemangioblastoma.

Capillary hemangiomas, usually found in skin and mucosal tissues, are rarely encountered within the spinal cord, presenting a significant diagnostic challenge. We report a rare case of intradural extramedullary capillary hemangioma at the conus medullaris in a 66-year-old female patient. Our initial diagnosis leaned towards a cystic hemangioblastoma based on MRI findings due to the presence of cystic formation with an enhanced mural nodule. However, surgical exploration and subsequent pathological examination revealed the lesion as a capillary hemangioma. To the authors' knowledge, this case may represent the first documented instance of a spinal capillary hemangioma that mimics a cystic hemangioblastoma.

Enhancing insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes mellitus using apelin-loaded small extracellular vesicles from Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells: a novel therapeutic approach.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), characterized by ß-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance (IR), presents considerable treatment challenges. Apelin is an adipocyte-derived factor that shows promise in improving IR; however, it is limited by poor targeting and a short half-life. In the present study, engineered small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) loaded with apelin were used to address the limitations of the therapeutic application of apelin. METHODS: WJ-MSCs were transduced to obtain engineered sEVs loaded with overexpressed apelin (apelin-MSC-sEVs) and the control sEVs (MSC-sEVs). T2DM mice were injected with apelin-MSC-sEVs and MSC-sEVs, and blood glucose monitoring, glucose and insulin tolerance tests, confocal microscopy, and immunocytochemical analysis were performed. IR models of 3T3-L1 adipocytes were employed to detect GLUT4 expression in each group using western blotting; the affected pathways were determined by measuring the changes in Akt and AMPK signaling and phosphorylation. RESULTS: Upon successful engineering, WJ-MSCs demonstrated significant overexpression of apelin. The genetic modification did not adversely impact the characteristics of sEVs, ranging from surface protein markers, morphology, to particle size, but generated apelin-overexpressed sEVs. Apelin-MSC-sEVs treatment resulted in notable enhancement of Akt and AMPK pathway activities within 3T3-L1 adipocytes and adipose tissues of T2DM mice. Furthermore, the apelin-loaded sEVs significantly reduced plasma glucose levels, increased pancreatic ß-cell proliferation, improved insulin and glucose tolerance, and modulated pro-inflammatory cytokine profiles, compared to mice treated with the control sEVs. CONCLUSION: Our study developed novel genetically engineered apelin-loaded sEVs derived from WJ-MSCs, and demonstrated their potent role in augmenting insulin sensitivity and regulating inflammatory responses, highlighting their therapeutic promise in T2DM management. The findings open new avenues for the development of clinically viable treatments for T2DM in humans using the apelin-loaded sEVs.

Reconstructing the evolution history of networked complex systems.

The evolution processes of complex systems carry key information in the systems' functional properties. Applying machine learning algorithms, we demonstrate that the historical formation process of various networked complex systems can be extracted, including protein-protein interaction, ecology, and social network systems. The recovered evolution process has demonstrations of immense scientific values, such as interpreting the evolution of protein-protein interaction network, facilitating structure prediction, and particularly revealing the key co-evolution features of network structures such as preferential attachment, community structure, local clustering, degree-degree correlation that could not be explained collectively by previous theories. Intriguingly, we discover that for large networks, if the performance of the machine learning model is slightly better than a random guess on the pairwise order of links, reliable restoration of the overall network formation process can be achieved. This suggests that evolution history restoration is generally highly feasible on empirical networks.

Real-world efficacy of 2% crisaborole ointment on chronic hyperplasia lesions in 49 patients with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Crisaborole, as a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor (PDE4i), effectively inhibits inflammatory pathways, showing promising results in atopic dermatitis (AD), particularly in chronic hyperplasia lesions. OBJECTIVES: Based on real-world data from China, this study assesses the effectiveness and safety of 2% PDE4i ointment as monotherapy for chronic hyperplastic AD lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 49 AD patients aged 12 and above with chronic hyperplastic lesions and Investigator's Static Global Assessment scores of mild or moderate were enrolled. They received 2% PDE4i ointment twice daily until the lesions completely cleared. The effectiveness endpoints comprised the onset time of pruritus and lesion remission and the time of complete lesion clearance. RESULTS: PDE4i demonstrated high effectiveness with minimal irritation, notable improvement in hyperpigmentation, and early remission of pruritus and lesions. The response varied across age groups; elderly patients experienced quicker pruritus relief compared to adolescents and adults, while adolescents showed earlier lesion remission by about 3 days. No significant difference was observed across age groups in the time for complete lesion clearance. Additionally, AD duration (less or more than 3 years) did not significantly impact pruritus or lesion remission. CONCLUSIONS: PDE4i monotherapy is effective and safe for chronic hyperplasia lesions in AD across all age groups, and its effectiveness appears to be independent of AD duration.

Tissue damage, antioxidant capacity, transcriptional and metabolic regulation of red drum Sciaenops ocellatus in response to nanoplastics exposure and subsequent recovery.

Nanoplastics are recognized as emerging contaminants that can cause severe toxicity to marine fishes. However, limited researches were focusing on the toxic effects of nanoplastics on marine fish, especially the post-exposure resilience. In this study, red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) were exposed to 5 mg/L polystyrene nanoplastics (100 nm, PS-NPs) for a 7-day exposure experiment, and a 14-day recovery experiment that followed. The aim was to evaluate the dynamic alterations in hepatic and branchial tissue damage, hepatic antioxidant capacity, as well as hepatic transcriptional and metabolic regulation in the red drum during exposure and post-exposure to PS-NPs. Histopathological observation found that PS-NPs primarily triggered hepatic lipid droplets and branchial epithelial liftings, a phenomenon persistently discernible up to the 14 days of recovery. Although antioxidant capacity partially recovered during recovery periods, PS-NPs resulted in a sustained reduction in hepatic antioxidant activity, causing oxidative damage throughout the entire exposure and recovery phases, as evidenced by decreased total superoxide dismutase activities and increased malondialdehyde content. At the transcriptional and metabolic level, PS-NPs primarily induced lipid metabolism disorders, DNA damage, biofilm disruption, and mitochondrial dysfunction. In the gene-metabolite correlation interaction network, numerous CcO (cytochrome c oxidase) family genes and lipid metabolites were identified as key regulatory genes and metabolites in detoxification processes. Among them, the red drum possesses one additional CcO6B in comparison to human and zebrafish, which potentially contributes to its enhanced capacity for maintaining a stable and positive regulatory function in detoxification. This study revealed that nanoplastics cause severe biotoxicity to red drum, which may be detrimental to the survival of wild populations and affect the economics of farmed populations.

Ulcerative colitis complicated with hypermucinous dysplasia.

Patients with ulcerative colitis are at increased risk for colorectal neoplasia compared to the general population. The risk factors include family history of colorectal cancer, wide extent of colitis, disease duration, cumulative inflammatory burden, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Here, we report a case of colorectal neoplasia developed in a patient with ulcerative colitis.

Selenomethionine in gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels: Modulating ferroptosis to attenuate skin aging.

During skin aging, the degeneration of epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) leads to diminished wound healing capabilities and epidermal disintegration. This study tackles this issue through a comprehensive analysis combining transcriptomics and untargeted metabolomics, revealing age-dependent alterations in the Gpx gene family and arachidonic acid (AA) metabolic networks, resulting in enhanced ferroptosis. Selenomethionine (Se-Met) could enhance GPX4 expression, thereby assisting EpiSCs in countering AA-induced mitochondrial damage and ferroptosis. Additionally, Se-Met demonstrates antioxidative characteristics and extensive ultraviolet absorption. For the sustained and controllable release of Se-Met, it was covalently grafted to UV-responsive GelMA hydrogels via AC-PEG-NHS tethers. The Se-Met@GelMA hydrogel effectively accelerated wound healing in a chronological aging mice model, by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis with augmented GPX4 expression. Moreover, in a photoaging model, this hydrogel significantly mitigated inflammatory responses, extracellular matrix remodeling, and ferroptosis in UV-exposed mice. These characteristics render Se-Met@GelMA hydrogel valuable in practical clinical applications.

Endoscopic treatment for a huge self-inserted foreign body impacted in colon.

A 37-year-old male suffered from abdominal pain and distention for 8 hours after a huge long foreign body was inserted through anorectum by self-masturbation. The colonoscope with the polypectomy snare griped the foreign body was pulled out slowly along with the dragged foreign body. However, when we reached at 20 cm from the anal margin, it got stuck because of the turn point in the sigmoid colon. Different methods were tried to remove the foreign body. At last, We asked the patient to turn to supine position, take deep breath and defecation. More air was insufflated to make the colon cavity larger to facilitate removal, and slowly the colonoscope dragged the foreign body (35 cm in length) out from the anus successfully. No bleeding or perforation occurred during the procedure. Although the foreign body was huge, effort was made to help the patient avoid taking operation.

Delayed Wound Healing in the Elderly and a New Therapeutic Target: CD271.

With the development of society, the global population is showing a trend of aging. It is well known that age is one of the factors affecting wound healing. Aging compromises the normal physiological process of wound healing, such as the change of skin structure, the decrease of growth factors, the deceleration of cell proliferation, and the weakening of migration ability, hence delaying wound healing. At present, research in adult stem cell-related technology and its derived regenerative medicine provides a novel idea for the treatment of senile wounds. Studies have confirmed that CD271 (P75 neurotropism receptor/P75NTR)-positive cells (CD271+ cells) are a kind of stem cells with a stronger ability of proliferation, differentiation, migration and secretion than CD271 negative (CD271- cells). Meanwhile, the total amount and distribution of CD271 positive cells in different ages of skin are also different, which may be related to the delayed wound healing of aging skin. Therefore, this article reviews the relationship between CD271+ cells and senile wounds and discusses a new scheme for the treatment of senile wounds.

Diallyl trisulfide inhibits 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-induced lung cancer via modulating gut microbiota and the PPARγ/NF-κB pathway.

Smoking is the primary risk factor for developing lung cancer. Chemoprevention could be a promising strategy to reduce the incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer. Recently, we reported that A/J mice exposed to tobacco smoke carcinogens displayed the reshaping of gut microbiota. Additionally, garlic oil was found to effectively inhibit the carcinogenic effects of tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in lung tumorigenesis. Diallyl trisulfide (DATS), which is the predominant compound in garlic oil, exhibits various biological activities. To further explore the chemopreventive action and potential mechanism of DATS on lung tumorigenesis, we established a lung adenocarcinoma model in A/J mice stimulated by NNK. Subsequently, we employed multi-omics combined molecular biology technologies to clarify the mechanism. The results indicated that DATS significantly decreased the number of lung tumors in NNK induced A/J mice. Interestingly, we discovered that DATS could modulate gut microbiota, particularly increasing the abundance of F. rodentium, which has inhibitory effects on tumor growth. Mechanistically, DATS could activate the PPARγ pathway, leading to the negative regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and subsequent suppression of NF-κB-mediated inflammatory factors. Collectively, these findings provide support for DATS as a potential novel chemopreventive agent for tobacco carcinogen-induced lung cancer.

Occurrence, dietary influence and risks of selected trace metals in different coastal predatory species.

The global issue of ongoing trace metal emissions and legacy accumulation from diverse sources is posing threats to coastal wildlife. This study characterized the distribution of five metals in relation to dietary ecology (carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes: δ15N and δ13C) in representative predatory species (starfish, fish, and seabird) collected from the coast of Qingdao, northeastern China. Zinc (Zn) was the most abundant metal across species, followed by copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), total and methylated mercury (THg and MeHg). Among the studied species, black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) occupied the highest trophic position, followed by three predatory fish species, whereas the northern Pacific seastar (Asterias amurensis) had the lowest trophic position. The starfish exhibited high capacity to accumulate Cd, Cr and Cu. Conversely, black-tailed gulls exhibited high levels of Zn, while Hg was highest in predatory fishes. Across species, Cr, MeHg, THg and MeHg:THg showed significant positive correlations with δ13C, suggesting the influence of inshore food sources on their accumulation. Both MeHg and THg were significantly and positively correlated with δ15N, with MeHg demonstrating a greater slope, indicating their potential trophic magnification. We assessed health risks from the studied metals using established toxicity reference thresholds. Elevated risks of Hg were identified in three predatory fish species, while other metals and species remain within safe limits. These findings emphasize the significance of foraging patterns in influencing trace metal accumulation in coastal predators and highlight the importance of further monitoring.

T2-Weighted Imaging and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Histogram Parameters Predict Meningioma Consistency.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Preoperative prediction of meningioma consistency is of great clinical value for risk stratification and surgical approach selection. However, to date, objective quantitative criteria for predicting meningioma consistency have not been developed. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram parameters for meningioma consistency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, preoperative MRI, and pathological data of 103 patients with histopathologically confirmed meningiomas. Histogram parameters (mean, variance, skewness, kurtosis, Perc.01%, Perc.10%, Perc.50%, Perc.90%, and Perc.99%) were calculated automatically on the whole tumor using MaZda software. Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney's U test, or independent samples t-test was used to compare clinical, conventional MRI features, and histogram parameters between soft and hard meningiomas. Receiver operating characteristic curve and binary logistic regression analysis were employed to assess the predictive performance of T2WI and ADC histogram parameters. RESULTS: Tumor enhancement was the only conventional MRI feature that was statistically different between soft and hard meningiomas. ADCmean, ADCp1, ADCp10, and ADCp50 among ADC histogram parameters, and T2mean, T2p1, T2p10, T2p50, T2p90, and T2p99 among T2WI histogram parameters showed statistically significant differences between soft and hard meningiomas (all P < 0.05). We found that all combined variables (combinedall) had the best accuracy in predicting meningioma consistency, with area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive, and negative predictive values of 0.873 (0.804-0.941), 88.89%, 67.50%, 80.58%, 81.20%, and 79.40%, respectively. Among them, combinedT2 is the most beneficial for predicting meningioma consistency. CONCLUSION: CombinedT2 demonstrated better predictive performance for meningioma consistency than combinedADC. T2WI and ADC histogram parameters may be imaging markers for predicting meningioma consistency.

Phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate facilitates axonal vesicle transport and presynapse assembly.

Neurons relay information via specialized presynaptic compartments for neurotransmission. Unlike conventional organelles, the specialized apparatus characterizing the neuronal presynapse must form de novo. How the components for presynaptic neurotransmission are transported and assembled is poorly understood. Our results show that the rare late endosomal signaling lipid phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate [PI(3,5)P2] directs the axonal cotransport of synaptic vesicle and active zone proteins in precursor vesicles in human neurons. Precursor vesicles are distinct from conventional secretory organelles, endosomes, and degradative lysosomes and are transported by coincident detection of PI(3,5)P2 and active ARL8 via kinesin KIF1A to the presynaptic compartment. Our findings identify a crucial mechanism that mediates the delivery of synaptic vesicle and active zone proteins to developing synapses.