Impact of sarcopenia on postoperative outcomes after hepatectomy in older patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A multicentre cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sarcopenia is associated with poor prognosis, but its role in older patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis of older patients with ICC undergoing hepatectomy. METHODS: A total of 363 patients with ICC following hepatectomy from 2015 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed at five institutions. Sarcopenia was evaluated using skeletal muscle index by computed tomography images. Patients were divided into four subgroups according to sarcopenia and age. Postoperative outcomes including complication, overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were evaluated. Risk factors were identified through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: 302 patients were included in the analysis. The median age was 63 years and there were 128 patients (42.4%) aged over 65 years. 192 patients (63.6%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia, while 180 patients (59.6%) experienced myosteatosis. Older patients experienced a higher incidence of sarcopenia and myosteatosis, and worse postoperative outcomes than younger patients. In the subgroup of patients with sarcopenia, older patients experienced a significant shorter OS than younger patients, which was not observed in patients without sarcopenia. According to the multivariate Cox regression analysis, lymphatic metastasis (p < .001), blood transfusion (p = .004), low serum albumin (p = .051), sarcopenia (p = .024), and myosteatosis (p = .004) were identified as independent risk factors of OS in older patients, meanwhile tumour size (p = .013) and lymphatic metastasis (p < .001) were independent risk factors of RFS. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia and myosteatosis have a significant adverse impact on postoperative outcomes in older patients with ICC undergoing hepatectomy.

Membrane fusion, potential threats, and natural antiviral drugs of pseudorabies virus.

Pseudorabies virus (PrV) can infect several animals and causes severe economic losses in the swine industry. Recently, human encephalitis or endophthalmitis caused by PrV infection has been frequently reported in China. Thus, PrV can infect animals and is becoming a potential threat to human health. Although vaccines and drugs are the main strategies to prevent and treat PrV outbreaks, there is no specific drug, and the emergence of new PrV variants has reduced the effectiveness of classical vaccines. Therefore, it is challenging to eradicate PrV. In the present review, the membrane fusion process of PrV entering target cells, which is conducive to revealing new therapeutic and vaccine strategies for PrV, is presented and discussed. The current and potential PrV pathways of infection in humans are analyzed, and it is hypothesized that PrV may become a zoonotic agent. The efficacy of chemically synthesized drugs for treating PrV infections in animals and humans is unsatisfactory. In contrast, multiple extracts of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have shown anti-PRV activity, exerting its effects in different phases of the PrV life-cycle and suggesting that TCM compounds may have great potential against PrV. Overall, this review provides insights into developing effective anti-PrV drugs and emphasizes that human PrV infection should receive more attention.

A multi-omic approach reveals utility of CD45 expression in prognosis and novel target discovery.

CD45, the leukocyte common antigen, is expressed on almost all cells of the immunological and hematological systems. CD45 expression is related to a variety of diseases, including leukemia and lymphoma. In this study, we analyzed the expression level of CD45 across cancers and evaluated the relationship between its expression and patient prognosis. We further integrated methylation data to explore the differences in CD45 across cancers from a multi-omics perspective. We also analyzed the relationship between CD45 expression and levels of immune cell infiltrates and immune modifiers. Our results revealed the distinct expression characteristics and prognostic value of CD45 across multiple tumors. In addition, we screened drug targets based on the immune index defined by CD45 expression and identified that GPR84 affected the proliferation of tumor cells and was associated with the inflammation caused by immunotherapy. In summary, our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of CD45 in oncogenesis and its prognostic significance across cancers.

PRRS virus receptors and an alternative pathway for viral invasion.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has a highly restricted cell tropism, which is closely related to the specific receptors associated with PRRSV infection. At least nine cellular molecules have been identified as putative receptors for PRRSV, including CD163, a cysteine-rich scavenger receptor. With the participation of the CD163 receptor and other cofactors, PRRSV invades cells via low pH-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In addition, PRRSV utilizes viral apoptotic mimicry to infect cells though macropinocytosis as an alternative pathway. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the studies on receptors and pathways that play an important role in PRRSV invasion, and simultaneously explore the use of specific antibodies, small molecules, and blockers targeting receptor-ligand interactions, as a potential strategy for controlling PRRSV infection. Novel antiviral strategies against PRRSV could be developed by identifying the interaction between receptors and ligands.

Remyelination is enhanced by Astragalus polysaccharides through inducing the differentiation of oligodendrocytes from neural stem cells in cuprizone model of demyelination.

Demyelination is the hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS). Promoting remyelination is an important strategy to treat MS. Our previous study showed that Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), the main bioactive component of Astragalus membranaceus, could prevent demyelination in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice. To investigate the effects of APS on remyelination and the underlying mechanisms, in this study we set up a cuprizone-induced demyelination model in mice and treated them with APS. It was found that APS relieved the neurobehavioral dysfunctions caused by demyelination, and efficaciously facilitated remyelination in vivo. In order to determine whether the mechanism of enhancing remyelination was associated with the differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs), biomarkers of NSCs, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and neurons were measured in the corpus callosum tissues of mice through Real-time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry assays. Data revealed that APS suppressed the stemness of NSCs, reduced the differentiation of NSCs into astrocytes, and promoted the differentiation into oligodendrocytes and neurons. This phenomenon was confirmed in the differentiation model of C17.2 NSCs cultured in vitro. Since Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway has been proven to be crucial to the differentiation of NSCs into oligodendrocytes, we examined expression levels of the key molecules in this pathway in vivo and in vitro, and eventually found APS activated this signaling pathway. Together, our results demonstrated that APS probably activated Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway first, then induced NSCs to differentiate into oligodendrocytes and promoted remyelination, which suggested that APS might be a potential candidate in treating MS.

Research Progress of Bioactive Proteins from the Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms.

For centuries, mushrooms have been widely used as traditional Chinese medicine in Asia. Apart from polysaccharides and some small-molecule components, such as flavones, polyphenols and terpenes, mushrooms produce a large number of pharmaceutically active proteins, which have become popular sources of natural antitumor, antimicrobial, immunoenhancing agents. These bioactive proteins include lectins, laccases, Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs), nucleases, and Fungal Immunomodulatory Proteins (FIPs). The review is to summarize the characterstics of structure and bioactivities involved in antitumor, antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and immunoenhancing activities of proteins from edible mushrooms, to better understand their mechanisms, and to direct research.

Upscaling fixed bed adsorption behaviors towards emerging micropollutants in treated natural waters with aging activated carbon: Model development and validation.

A scale-up procedure was assessed in this study to predict the fixed bed adsorption behaviors with aging granular activated carbon (GAC) for various micropollutants (pesticides, pharmaceuticals). Two assumptions of this upscaling methodology (i.e., involving equal adsorption capacities and surface diffusivities between the batch test and the fixed bed) were studied for the first time to investigate the aging effect on the adsorption capacity and kinetics of carbon at full scale. This study was conducted in natural waters (the Seine River) treated by Veolia Eau d'Ile de France in Choisy-Le-Roi, a division of Syndicat des Eaux d'Ile de France, aiming to monitor real industrial conditions. The isotherms showed that the adsorption capacity for most compounds was significantly affected by aging. For the mass transfer coefficients (i.e., as determined by the homogeneous surface diffusion model (HSDM)), different patterns of adsorbate/adsorbent behaviors were observed, suggesting different competition mechanisms. The model predictions (i.e., HSDM) performed with all parameters obtained during the batch tests tended to overestimate the full-scale pilot adsorption performance. This overestimation could be compensated for by applying a scaling factor. Finally, an empirical pseudo-first order function was used to model the impact of the GAC service time on the characteristic adsorption parameters. Thus, our scale-up procedure may enable the prediction of long-term fixed bed adsorption behaviors and increase the model efficiency for practical implementation.

Application of Metal Implant 16-Bit Imaging: New Technique in Radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the computed tomography number and the variation of dose distribution based on 12-bit, 16-bit, and revised 16-bit images while the metal bars were inserted. METHODS: The phantoms containing stainless steel, titanium alloy, and aluminum bar were scanned with computed tomography. These images were reconstructed with 12-bit and 16-bit imaging technologies. The "cupping artifacts" computed tomography value of the metal object revised by Matlab software was called the revised 16-bit image. The computed tomography values of these metal materials were analyzed. Two radiotherapy treatment plans were designed using the treatment plan system: (1) gantry was of 0° irradiation field and (2) gantry was of 90° and 270° for 2 opposed irradiation fields. The dose profile and dose-volume histogram of a structure of interest were analyzed in various images. The analysis was based on the radiotherapy plan differences between 3 different imaging techniques (12-bit imaging, 16-bit imaging, and revised 16-bit imaging technologies). RESULTS: For low-density metal object (computed tomography value <3071 Hounsfield unit, HU), the radiotherapy plan results were consistent based on 3 different imaging techniques. For high-density metal object (computed tomography value >3071 HU), the difference in radiotherapy plan results was obvious. The dose of 12-bit was 15.9% higher than revised 16-bit on average for the downstream of titanium rod. For stainless steel, this number reached up to 42.7%. CONCLUSION: A 16-bit imaging technology of metal implants can distinguish the computed tomography value of different metal materials. Furthermore, the revised 16-bit imaging technology can improve the dose computational accuracy of radiotherapy plan with high-density metal implants.

Identification of novel and differentially expressed MicroRNAs in goat enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) post-transcriptionally regulate a variety of genes involved in eukaryotic cell growth, development, metabolism and other biological processes, and numerous miRNAs are implicated in the initiation and progression of cancer. Enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma (ENA), an epithelial tumor induced in goats and sheep by enzootic nasal tumor virus (ENTV), is a chronic, progressive, contact transmitted disease. METHODS: In this work, small RNA Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to construct a goat nasal miRNA library. This study aimed to identify novel and differentially expressed miRNAs in the tumor and para-carcinoma nasal tissues of Nanjiang yellow goats with ENA. RESULTS: Four hundred six known miRNAs and 29 novel miRNAs were identified. A total of 116 miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed in para-carcinoma nasal tissues and ENA (54 downregulated; 60 upregulated; two only expressed in control group); Target gene prediction and functional analysis revealed that 6176 non-redundancy target genes, 1792 significant GO and 97 significant KEGG pathway for 121 miRNAs (116 significant expression miRNAs and five star sequence) were predicted. GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed the majority of target genes in ENA are involved in cell proliferation, signal transduction and other processes associated with cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first large-scale identification of miRNAs in Capra hircus ENA and provides a theoretical basis for investigating the complicated miRNA-mediated regulatory networks involved in the pathogenesis and progression of ENA.

A Novel Strategy for Preparation of Si-HA Coatings on C/C Composites by Chemical Liquid Vaporization Deposition/Hydrothermal Treatments.

A novel strategy for the preparation of Si-doped hydroxyapatite (Si-HA) coatings on H2O2-treated carbon/carbon composites (C/C) was developed. HA coating was prepared on C/C through chemical liquid vaporization deposition (CLVD)/hydrothermal treatment. HA coating was immersed in an H2SiO3 solution at an autoclave at 413 K for transformation into Si-HA coating. The effects of H2SiO3 mass contents on the phase, morphology, and composition of the Si-HA coatings were studied through SEM, EDS,XRD, and FTIR. Their bonding performance to C/C was measured through a scratch test. Under the optimal content condition, the in vitro skull osteoblast response behaviors of the Si-HA coating were evaluated. Results showed that SiO3(2-) could enter into the HA lattice and occupy the PO4(3-) sites. Doped SiO3(2-) significantly improved the bonding performance of the HA coating to C/C in comparison with the untreated HA. The adhesive strength of the coatings initially increased and then decreased with increasing H2SiO3 content. Meanwhile, the cohesive strength of the Si-HA coatings was almost nearly identical. The Si-HA coating achieved at a content of 90% H2SiO3 exhibited the best bonding performance, and its osteoblast compatibility in vitro was superior to that of the untreated HA coating on C/C through CLVD/hydrothermal treatment.

Sensitivity of 3D Dose Verification to Multileaf Collimator Misalignments in Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of Spinal Tumor.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to detect the sensitivity of Delt 4 on ordinary field multileaf collimator misalignments, system misalignments, random misalignments, and misalignments caused by gravity of the multileaf collimator in stereotactic body radiation therapy. METHODS: (1) Two field sizes, including 2.00 cm (X) × 6.00 cm (Y) and 7.00 cm (X) × 6.00 cm (Y), were set. The leaves of X1 and X2 in the multileaf collimator were simultaneously opened. (2) Three cases of stereotactic body radiation therapy of spinal tumor were used. The dose of the planning target volume was 1800 cGy with 3 fractions. The 4 types to be simulated included (1) the leaves of X1 and X2 in the multileaf collimator were simultaneously opened, (2) only X1 of the multileaf collimator and the unilateral leaf were opened, (3) the leaves of X1 and X2 in the multileaf collimator were randomly opened, and (4) gravity effect was simulated. The leaves of X1 and X2 in the multileaf collimator shifted to the same direction. The difference between the corresponding 3-dimensional dose distribution measured by Delt 4 and the dose distribution in the original plan made in the treatment planning system was analyzed with γ index criteria of 3.0 mm/3.0%, 2.5 mm/2.5%, 2.0 mm/2.0%, 2.5 mm/1.5%, and 1.0 mm/1.0%. RESULTS: (1) In the field size of 2.00 cm (X) × 6.00 cm (Y), the γ pass rate of the original was 100% with 2.5 mm/2.5% as the statistical standard. The pass rate decreased to 95.9% and 89.4% when the X1 and X2 directions of the multileaf collimator were opened within 0.3 and 0.5 mm, respectively. In the field size of 7.00 (X) cm × 6.00 (Y) cm with 1.5 mm/1.5% as the statistical standard, the pass rate of the original was 96.5%. After X1 and X2 of the multileaf collimator were opened within 0.3 mm, the pass rate decreased to lower than 95%. The pass rate was higher than 90% within the 3 mm opening. (2) For spinal tumor, the change in the planning target volume V18 under various modes calculated using treatment planning system was within 1%. However, the maximum dose deviation of the spinal cord was high. In the spinal cord with a gravity of -0.25 mm, the maximum dose deviation minimally changed and increased by 6.8% than that of the original. In the largest opening of 1.00 mm, the deviation increased by 47.7% than that of the original. Moreover, the pass rate of the original determined through Delt 4 was 100% with 3 mm/3% as the statistical standard. The pass rate was 97.5% in the 0.25 mm opening and higher than 95% in the 0.5 mm opening A, 0.25 mm opening A, whole gravity series, and 0.20 mm random opening. Moreover, the pass rate was higher than 90% with 2.0 mm/2.0% as the statistical standard in the original and in the 0.25 mm gravity. The difference in the pass rates was not statistically significant among the -0.25 mm gravity, 0.25 mm opening A, 0.20 mm random opening, and original as calculated using SPSS 11.0 software with P > .05. CONCLUSIONS: Different analysis standards of Delt 4 were analyzed in different field sizes to improve the detection sensitivity of the multileaf collimator position on the basis of 90% throughout rate. In stereotactic body radiation therapy of spinal tumor, the 2.0 mm/2.0% standard can reveal the dosimetric differences caused by the minor multileaf collimator position compared with the 3.0 mm/3.0% statistical standard. However, some position derivations of the misalignments that caused high dose amount to the spinal cord cannot be detected. However, some misalignments were not detected when a large number of multileaf collimator were administered into the spinal cord.

Spectral Imaging Technology-Based Evaluation of Radiation Treatment Planning to Remove Contrast Agent Artifacts.

OBJECTIVE: This study employs dual-source computed tomography single-spectrum imaging to evaluate the effects of contrast agent artifact removal and the computational accuracy of radiotherapy treatment planning improvement. METHOD: The phantom, including the contrast agent, was used in all experiments. The amounts of iodine in the contrast agent were 30, 15, 7.5, and 0.75 g/100 mL. Two images with different energy values were scanned and captured using dual-source computed tomography (80 and 140 kV). To obtain a fused image, 2 groups of images were processed using single-energy spectrum imaging technology. The Pinnacle planning system was used to measure the computed tomography values of the contrast agent and the surrounding phantom tissue. The difference between radiotherapy treatment planning based on 80 kV, 140 kV, and energy spectrum image was analyzed. RESULTS: For the image with high iodine concentration, the quality of the energy spectrum-fused image was the highest, followed by that of the 140-kV image. That of the 80-kV image was the worst. The difference in the radiotherapy treatment results among the 3 models was significant. When the concentration of iodine was 30 g/100 mL and the distance from the contrast agent at the dose measurement point was 1 cm, the deviation values (P) were 5.95% and 2.20% when image treatment planning was based on 80 and 140 kV, respectively. When the concentration of iodine was 15 g/100 mL, deviation values (P) were -2.64% and -1.69%. CONCLUSION: Dual-source computed tomography single-energy spectral imaging technology can remove contrast agent artifacts to improve the calculated dose accuracy in radiotherapy treatment planning.

[Detection and identification of major metabolites of clorprenaline in swine urine using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry].

This study was conducted to detect and identify the metabolites of clorprenaline in swine urine using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS), and the major metabolic pathways of clorprenaline were proposed. The swines were administered a single dose each of 10 mg/kg b. w. clorprenaline by oral gavage. The urine samples were collected before and after administration. After a simple preparation, the urine samples were analyzed using UPLC/Q-TOF MS. Combined with data processing techniques including extracted ion chromatography (EIC) and mass defect filtering (MDF), two phase I and seven phase II metabolites were detected in the urine samples collected 0-24 h after administration. The structures of detected metabolites were elucidated by comparing their characteristic product ions with those of the parent clorprenaline. Based on the identified metabolites, the metabolic pathways of clorprenaline included hydroxylation, glucuronidation and sulphate conjugates. Among those detected metabolites, hydroxylated-clorprenaline and its conjugates were responsible for over 60% of the total MS responses, much greater than those of clorprenaline, and were proposed as the primary metabolites in swine urine. This study can provide scientific basis for determining appropriate marker residues of clorprenaline, and facilitate to effectively control clorprenaline residues in animals.

Promoter methylation, mRNA expression of goat tumor­associated genes and mRNA expression of DNA methyltransferase in enzootic nasal tumors.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the promoter methylation status and mRNA expression of goat tumor­associated genes, in addition to the mRNA expression of DNA methyltransferase genes in enzootic nasal tumors (ENT). Methylation­specific polymerase chain reaction and SYBR Green reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the methylation status and the mRNA expression levels of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), O6­methylguanine­DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), the tumor suppressor genes P73, P53, GADD45G, CHFR and THBS1, the transcription factor CEBPA, the proto­oncogenes KRAS, NRAS and C­myc and EGFR in 24 nasal tumor tissue samples and 20 normal nasal epithelia tissue samples. The associations between promoter methylation and DNMT, and promoter methylation and mRNA expression of the genes were analyzed. The results indicated that the expression levels of DNMT1 increased by 56% compared with those in normal nasal epithelial tissues, while MGMT, DNMT3a and DNMT3b had similar expression levels in the two tissue types. The expression levels of P53 decreased by 36.8% and those of THBS1 by 43%, while C­myc increased by 2.9­fold and CEBPA by 2­fold compared with that in normal nasal epithelial tissues. GADD45G, P73, CHFR and NRAS were observed to have similar expression levels in the two tissue types. However, no expression was observed for EGFR and KRAS. CHFR, GADD45G and THBS1 were identified to be methylated in tumor suppressor genes. The methylation expression rate of the CHFR gene was ~60% in the two tissue types and for THBS1 it was 100% in the nasal tumor tissues as opposed to 20% in the normal nasal epithelial tissues. The exhaustive methylation expression rate of GADD45G was 62.5% and the partial methylation expression rate was 37.5% in nasal tumor tissue, while no methylation was observed in normal nasal epithelial tissues. C­myc was the only gene identified to be methylated amongst proto­oncogenes. The methylation expression rate of C­myc was 87.5% in nasal tumor tissues and 15% in normal nasal epithelial tissues. The methylation expression rate of CEBPA was 100% in nasal tumor tissues and 40% in normal nasal epithelial tissues. The methylation expression rate of the EGFR gene was ~80% in the two tissues. In summary, the present study identified abnormal methylation of the C­myc, CEBPA, GADD45G and THBS1 genes in nasal tumor tissues. The expression levels of DNMT1, C­myc and CEBPA were upregulated and the expression of P53 and THBSI were downregulated in nasal tumor tissues, with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Therefore, it is suggested that these six genes may be used as diagnostic marker candidates for ENT. The results may serve as a foundation for screening of tumor­specific markers for early diagnosis of ENT and further investigate the epigenetic mechanisms of enzootic nasal tumor virus (ENTV)­induced nasal epithelium cell carcinoma.

Stroke literacy in Singapore: data from a survey of public housing estate residents.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge of stroke symptoms is associated with seeking medical attention early, and knowledge of risk factors is an essential factor in stroke prevention. In this study, we evaluated the level of stroke literacy in Singapore. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 21 years and above was conducted in a public housing estate. Participants were randomly sampled using multi-stage stratified sampling. Assessment of awareness of stroke symptoms and risk factors was performed using open-ended questions. In total, 687 respondents were recruited, with a response rate of 69.7%. RESULTS: Overall, 52.4% of respondents identified the brain as the source of pathology, and 47.6% could cite at least 1 of the 3 FAST symptoms (facial droop, arm weakness and speech difficulty), while 40% could name 2 or more of 7 established risk factors for stroke (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, older age, previous heart attacks and stroke). Respondents at higher risk of stroke (older individuals and those with stroke risk factors) did not have greater awareness of stroke symptoms and risk factors. The majority of respondents reported they would seek immediate medical care if they experienced stroke symptoms. Only 59.4% knew the emergency ambulance service telephone number. CONCLUSION: In a sample of Singaporean adults residing in a public housing estate, we found evidence of poor stroke literacy, highlighting the need for comprehensive population-based education efforts. There is a role for opportunistic education among those at higher risk of stroke.

Functional roles of long non-coding RNA in human breast cancer.

The discovery of long noncoding RNA (LncRNA) changes our view of transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. With application of new research techniques such as high-throughput sequencing, the biological functions of LncRNAs are gradually becoming to be understood. Multiple studies have shown that LncRNAs serve as carcinogenic factors or tumor suppressors in breast cancer with abnormal expression, prompts the question of whether they have potential value in predicting the stages and survival rate of breast cancer patients, and also as therapeutic targets. Focusing on the latest research data, this review mainly summarizes the tumorigenic mechanisms of certain LncRNAs in breast cancer, in order to provide a theoretical basis for finding safer, more effective treatment of breast cancer at the LncRNA molecular level.

The research progress of the interactions between miRNA and Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in breast cancer of human and mice .

MicroRNA expression is a research focus in studies of tumors. This article concentrates attention on potential links between tumors caused by mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) and human breast cancer, in order to provide theoretical basis for using mouse model to search for miRNA effects mediated by Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in human breast cancer. By analyzing interactions between miRNAs and the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in breast cancer, we hope to casts light on more biological functions of miRNAs in the process of tumor formation and growth and to explore their potential value in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Our endeavor aimed at providing theoretical basis for finding safer, more effective methods for treatment of human breast cancer at the miRNA molecular level.

Suicide ideation in stomach cancer survivors and possible risk factors.

PURPOSE: Although the suicide rate of cancer survivors is higher than that of the general population, few studies have examined the potential risk factors. We assessed suicide ideation (SI) and investigated its correlates among survivors of stomach cancer, which is one of the most prevalent cancers in Korea. METHODS: We surveyed 378 stage I-III stomach cancer survivors who had been disease free for at least 1 year. The survey contained demographic questions and quality of life assessments from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and its stomach cancer-specific module, the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Brief Fatigue Inventory, and one question from the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS: We found that 131/378 stomach cancer survivors (34.7 %) experienced SI. Univariate analyses showed that SI was significantly associated with income, comorbidity, smoking, and the following quality of life factors: general health status, emotional functioning, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, dyspnea, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea, financial problems, eating restriction, anxiety, dry mouth, trouble belching, hair loss, body image, existential well-being, and social support. Multivariate logistic regression confirmed that SI was independently associated with diarrhea (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.84; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.44-5.62), hair loss (aOR 2.77; 95 % CI 1.04-7.36), existential well-being (aOR 6.18; 95 % CI 2.91-13.1), and usual fatigue (aOR 2.29; 95 % CI 1.30-4.06). CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal a high prevalence of SI among stomach cancer survivors and identify health-related quality of life issues such as diarrhea, hair loss, existential well-being, and fatigue as important risk factors of SI.

Purification and characterization of antioxidant components from the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus abalonus including 9-beta-d-ribofuranosidoadenine, 5'-deoxy-5'-(methylthio)adenosine, and a triterpenoid.

Although Pleurotus abalonus is a well-known edible mushroom in Asia, there is a dearth of information on its antioxidant activity. The present report is the first one focused on the purification and characterization of 9-beta-d-ribofuranosidoadenine (ADO), 5'-deoxy-5'-(methylthio) adenosine (MTA) and a triterpenoid complex from P. abalonus. Different antioxidant activities including inhibitory effects on hemolysis and lipid peroxidation in brain and kidney homogenates as well as significant synergistic effect on scavenging of hydroxyl radicals were demonstrated, which lays a foundation for the development of P. abalonus as a natural antioxidant applied in medicine.

Separation and purification of the antioxidant compounds, caffeic acid phenethyl ester and caffeic acid from mushrooms by molecularly imprinted polymer.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and caffeic acid (CA), two naturally occurring phenolic antioxidants, have been reported to have a diversity of biological activities. In this investigation, a novel approach to separate and enrich CAPE and CA from 25 species of mushrooms using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as the sorbent material is reported. The MIPs were synthesized using CAPE as the template, and its adsorption behavior was investigated in detail. In comparison with C18-solid phase extraction (SPE), MIP-SPE displayed high selectivity and good affinity for CAPE and CA. The antioxidant potential of the mushroom extracts, before and after preconcentration using MIPs, was assayed by inhibition of erythrocyte hemolysis and lipid peroxidation. Application of MIPs with a high affinity toward CAPE and CA provides a novel method for obtaining active compounds from natural products.