Beyond stiffness: Multiscale viscoelastic features as biomechanical markers for assessing cell types and states.

Cell mechanics are pivotal in regulating cellular activities, diseases progression, and cancer development. However, the understanding of how cellular viscoelastic properties vary in physiological and pathological stimuli remains scarce. Here, we develop a hybrid self-similar hierarchical theory-microrheology approach to accurately and efficiently characterize cellular viscoelasticity. Focusing on two key cell types associated with livers fibrosis-the capillarized liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and activated hepatic stellate cells-we uncover a universal two-stage power-law rheology characterized by two distinct exponents, αshort and αlong. The mechanical profiles derived from both exponents exhibit significant potential for discriminating among diverse cells. This finding suggests a potential common dynamic creep characteristic across biological systems, extending our earlier observations in soft tissues. Using a tailored hierarchical model for cellular mechanical structures, we discern significant variations in the viscoelastic properties and their distribution profiles across different cell types and states from the cytoplasm (elastic stiffness E1 and viscosity η), to a single cytoskeleton fiber (elastic stiffness E2), and then to the cell level (transverse expansion stiffness E3). Importantly, we construct a logistic-regression-based machine-learning model using the dynamic parameters that outperforms conventional cell-stiffness-based classifiers in assessing cell states, achieving an area under the curve of 97% vs. 78%. Our findings not only advance a robust framework for monitoring intricate cell dynamics but also highlight the crucial role of cellular viscoelasticity in discerning cell states across a spectrum of liver diseases and prognosis, offering new avenues for developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on cellular viscoelasticity.

Comparison of O-RADS, GI-RADS, and ADNEX for Diagnosis of Adnexal Masses: An External Validation Study Conducted by Junior Sonologists.

OBJECTIVE: To externally validate the Ovarian-adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) and evaluate its performance in differentiating benign from malignant adnexal masses (AMs) compared with the Gynecologic Imaging Reporting and Data System (GI-RADS) and Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adneXa (ADNEX). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 734 cases from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University. All patients underwent transvaginal or transabdominal ultrasound examination. Pathological diagnoses were obtained for all the included AMs. O-RADS, GI-RADS, and ADNEX were used to evaluate AMs by two sonologists, and the diagnostic efficacy of the three systems was analyzed and compared using pathology as the gold standard. We used the kappa index to evaluate the inter-reviewer agreement (IRA). RESULTS: A total of 734 AMs, including 564 benign masses, 69 borderline masses, and 101 malignant masses were included in this study. O-RADS (0.88) and GI-RADS (0.90) had lower sensitivity than ADNEX (0.95) (P < .05), and the PPV of O-RADS (0.98) was higher than that of ADNEX (0.96) (P < .05). These three systems showed good IRA. CONCLUSION: O-RADS, GI-RADS, and ADNEX showed little difference in diagnostic performance among resident sonologists. These three systems have their own characteristics and can be selected according to the type of center, access to patients' clinical data, or personal comfort.

Hepatocyte-specific deletion of BAP31 promotes SREBP1C activation, promotes hepatic lipid accumulation, and worsens IR in mice.

Conditional knockout mice with targeted disruption of B-cell associated protein (BAP)31 in adult mouse liver were generated and challenged with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 36 or 96 days and markers of obesity, diabetes, and hepatic steatosis were determined. Mutant mice were indistinguishable from WT littermates, but exhibited increased HFD-induced obesity. BAP31-deletion in hepatocytes increased the expression of SREBP1C and the target genes, including acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, and increased hepatic lipid accumulation and HFD-induced liver steatosis. Immunoprecipitation assay showed that BAP31 interacts with SREBP1C and insulin-induced gene 1 (INSIG1), and BAP31-deletion reduces INSIG1 expression, suggesting that BAP31 may regulate SREBP1C activity by modulating INSIG1 protein levels. Additionally, BAP31-deletion induced glucose and insulin intolerance, decreased Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3ß phosphorylation, and enhanced hepatic glucose production in mice. Expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers was significantly induced in BAP31-mutant mice. HFD-induced inflammation was aggravated in mutant mice, along with increased c-Jun N-terminal kinase and nuclear factor-κB activation. These findings demonstrate that BAP31-deletion induces SREBP activation and promotes hepatic lipid accumulation, reduces insulin signaling, impairs glucose/insulin tolerance, and increases ER stress and hepatic inflammation, explaining the protective roles of BAP31 in the development of liver steatosis and insulin resistance in HFD-induced obesity in animal models.

[Screening, identification and activity evaluation of pancreatic lipase inhibition in Prunella vulgaris].

Pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitors were firstly screened from Prunella vulgaris with PL immobilized on carboxylic acid-terminated magnetic nanoparticles, then these possible inhibitors were identified by LC-MS/MS and mixed standards. Finally, their inhibitory effects and types on PL were tested by p-nitrophenol method. The results showed that four PL inhibitors were screened out from P. vulgaris and confirmed by LC-MS/MS and mixed standards. The IC58 and inhibition types were as follows: caffeic acid [(252.3±3.6) mg·L⁻¹, anti-competitive inhibition], rutin [(91.2±1.6)mg·L⁻¹, competitive inhibition], hesperidin [(31.5±4.4) mg·L⁻¹, competitive inhibition] and ursolic acid [(41.3±2.2) mg·L⁻¹, competitive inhibition]. Their inhibitive types and abilities on PL were related to their molecular size, hydrophobicity and the number of hydrogen bond with PL triplet.

Gut microbiota-derived metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide aggravates cognitive dysfunction induced by femoral fracture operation in mice.

An increasing number of elderly individuals are experiencing postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) problems after undergoing hip replacement surgery, with gut microbiota metabolites playing a role in its pathogenesis. Among these, the specific effects of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) on POCD are still unclear. This study aimed to explore the role of TMAO on cognitive dysfunction and underlying mechanisms in mice. The POCD model was created through femoral fracture surgery in elderly mice, followed by cognitive function assessments using the Morris Water Maze and Novel Object Recognition tests. The gut microbiota depletion and fecal microbiota transplantation were performed to examine the relationship between TMAO levels and cognitive outcomes. The effects of TMAO treatment on cognitive dysfunction, microglial activation, and inflammatory cytokine levels in the brain were also evaluated, with additional assessment of the role of microglial ablation in reducing TMAO-induced cognitive impairment. Elevated TMAO levels were found to be associated with cognitive decline in mice following femoral fracture surgery, with gut microbiota depletion mitigating both TMAO elevation and cognitive dysfunction. In contrast, fecal microbiota transplantation from postoperative mice resulted in accelerated cognitive dysfunction and TMAO accumulation in germ-free mice. Furthermore, TMAO treatment worsened cognitive deficits, neuroinflammation, and promoted microglial activation, which were reversed through the ablation of microglia. TMAO exacerbates cognitive dysfunction and neuroinflammation in POCD mice, with microglial activation playing a crucial role in this process. Our findings may provide new therapeutic strategies for managing TMAO-related POCD and improving the quality of life for elderly patients.

Stroke risk prediction by color Doppler ultrasound of carotid artery-based deep learning using Inception V3 and VGG-16.

Purpose: This study aims to automatically classify color Doppler images into two categories for stroke risk prediction based on the carotid plaque. The first category is high-risk carotid vulnerable plaque, and the second is stable carotid plaque. Method: In this research study, we used a deep learning framework based on transfer learning to classify color Doppler images into two categories: one is high-risk carotid vulnerable plaque, and the other is stable carotid plaque. The data were collected from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, including stable and vulnerable cases. A total of 87 patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis in our hospital were selected. We used 230 color Doppler ultrasound images for each category and further divided those into the training set and test set in a ratio of 70 and 30%, respectively. We have implemented Inception V3 and VGG-16 pre-trained models for this classification task. Results: Using the proposed framework, we implemented two transfer deep learning models: Inception V3 and VGG-16. We achieved the highest accuracy of 93.81% by using fine-tuned and adjusted hyperparameters according to our classification problem. Conclusion: In this research, we classified color Doppler ultrasound images into high-risk carotid vulnerable and stable carotid plaques. We fine-tuned pre-trained deep learning models to classify color Doppler ultrasound images according to our dataset. Our suggested framework helps prevent incorrect diagnoses caused by low image quality and individual experience, among other factors.

Inhibitory activity and mechanism of guavinoside B from guava fruits against α-glucosidase: Insights by spectroscopy and molecular docking analyses.

Guavinoside B (GUB) is the main active substance in guava fruit and shows promising biological activities. In this study, the inhibitory activity and mechanism of GUB on α-glucosidase were studied by using spectroscopic techniques, kinetic analysis, and molecular docking. Results indicated that GUB possessed significant inhibition ability on α-glucosidase, which was about 10 times that of acarbose. The GUB was a mixed-type inhibitor, which suppressed the activity of α-glucosidase through a reversible process. Fluorescence analysis revealed that GUB quenched the fluorescence of α-glucosidase statically, the formation of GUB-α-glucosidase complex was a spontaneous and exothermic process, van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interaction were the predominant driving forces, only one single-binding site on α-glucosidase was involved in the binding process. GUB inserted into the hydrophobic pocket of α-glucosidase with 11 hydrogen bonds and two π-π stacking formed. The presence of GUB changed the microenvironment near the fluorescent amino acids of α-glucosidase, and the structure of α-glucosidase was slightly changed, eventually leading to the decrease of α-glucosidase activity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a worldwide chronic metabolic disease threatening human health seriously. Guava fruit is a popular fruit, and its extracts were reported to show many biological activities. GUB is the main benzophenone glycoside in guava fruits. However, the inhibitory activity and mechanism of its specific active compound GUB are still unclear. Studies have shown that GUB could reversibly inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase, and its inhibitory ability was about 10 times that of acarbose. The kinetics and mechanism of inhibition were revealed. These will facilitate the further research and application of guava fruit and GUB in functional and healthy foods against hyperglycinaemia or even DM.

Overexpression of AtFRO6 in transgenic tobacco enhances ferric chelate reductase activity in leaves and increases tolerance to iron-deficiency chlorosis.

The Arabidopsis gene FRO6(AtFRO6) encodes ferric chelate reductase and highly expressed in green tissues of plants. We have expressed the gene AtFRO6 under the control of a 35S promoter in transgenic tobacco plants. High-level expression of AtFRO6 in transgenic plants was confirmed by northern blot analysis. Ferric reductase activity in leaves of transgenic plants grown under iron-sufficient or iron-deficient conditions is 2.13 and 1.26 fold higher than in control plants respectively. The enhanced ferric reductase activity led to increased concentrations of ferrous iron and chlorophyll, and reduced the iron deficiency chlorosis in the transgenic plants, compared to the control plants. In roots, the concentration of ferrous iron and ferric reductase activity were not significantly different in the transgenic plants compared to the control plants. These results suggest that FRO6 functions as a ferric chelate reductase for iron uptake by leaf cells, and overexpression of AtFRO6 in transgenic plants can reduce iron deficiency chlorosis.

Antiretroviral Long-Term Efficacy and Resistance of Lopinavir/Ritonavir Plus Lamivudine in HIV-1-Infected Treatment-Naïve Patients (ALTERLL): 144-Week Results of a Randomized, Open-Label, Non-Inferiority Study From Guangdong, China.

Dual therapy with lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) plus lamivudine (3TC) has been demonstrated to be non-inferior to the triple drug regimen including LPV/r plus two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in 48-week studies. However, little is known about the long-term efficacy and drug resistance of this simplified strategy. A randomized, controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial (ALTERLL) was conducted to assess the efficacy, drug resistance, and safety of dual therapy with LPV/r plus 3TC (DT group), compared with the first-line triple-therapy regimen containing tenofovir (TDF), 3TC plus efavirenz (EFV) (TT group) in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve HIV-1-infected adults in Guangdong, China. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with plasma HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/ml at week 144. Between March 1 and December 31, 2015, a total of 196 patients (from 274 patients screened) were included and randomly assigned to either the DT group (n = 99) or the TT group (n = 97). In the primary intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis at week 144, 95 patients (96%) in the DT group and 93 patients (95.9%) in the TT group achieved virological inhibition with plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/ml (difference: 0.1%; 95% CI, -4.6-4.7%), meeting the criteria for non-inferiority. The DT group did not show significant differences in the mean increase in CD4+ cell count (247.0 vs. 204.5 cells/mm3; p = 0.074) or the CD4/CD8 ratio (0.47 vs. 0.49; p = 0.947) from baseline, or the inflammatory biomarker levels through week 144 compared with the TT group. For the subgroup analysis, baseline high viremia (HIV-1 RNA > 100,000 copies/ml) and genotype BC did not affect the primary endpoint or the mean increase in CD4+ cell count or CD4/CD8 ratio from baseline at week 144. However, in patients with genotype AE, the DT group showed a higher mean increase in CD4+ cell count from baseline through 144 weeks than the TT group (308.7 vs. 209.4 cells/mm3; p = 0.038). No secondary HIV resistance was observed in either group. Moreover, no severe adverse event (SAE) or death was observed in any group. Nonetheless, more patients in the TT group (6.1%) discontinued the assigned regimen than those in the DT group (1%) due to adverse events. Dual therapy with LPV/r plus 3TC manifests long-term non-inferior therapeutic efficacy, low drug resistance, good safety, and tolerability compared with the first-line triple-therapy regimen in Guangdong, China, indicating dual therapy is a viable alternative in resource-limited areas. Clinical Trial Registration: [http://www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR1900024611].

Differential radiation sensitivity to morphological, functional and molecular changes of human thyroid tissues and bone marrow cells maintained in SCID mice.

Morphology and function of human organs and tissues are well maintained in the improved SCID (severe combined immunodeficient) mice for a long period (approximately 3 years). To study the radiation-induced damage on human thyroid gland, human thyroid tissues transplanted to SCID mice were consecutively exposed to X-rays or 137Cs gamma-rays at high and low dose rates for approximately 2 years. Consecutive irradiation resulted in the disappearance of follicles and significant decrease of thyroid hormone secretion. Mutations in p53 and c-kit genes were induced significantly in human thyroid tissues from old head and neck cancer patients (av. 56.8 years, 4 males) and a Graves' disease patient (20 years, male) over the dose of 24 Gy (44.7+/-5.9 Gy, mean+/-S.E) and 11 Gy (20.2+/-7.8 Gy), respectively, while mutations were not detected at lower doses nor in unexposed matched controls (p < 0.01). There were significant differences in mutation frequency in the transplanted human thyroid tissues (31 years, female) between high dose rate (1.19 Gy/min; 8 in 20 tissues) and low dose rate (0.00023 Gy/min; 0 in 14 tissues) exposures (p < 0.01). Mutations were not detected in RET, K-ras and beta-catenin genes. Expression analysis by GeneChip indicated that gene expression was also well maintained in the transplanted human thyroid tissues. However, lower doses (1 or 3 Gy) of 137Cs gamma-rays can induce changes in gene expression in the transplanted human thyroid tissues. Furthermore, fatally irradiated SCID mice could survive with human bone marrow cell transplantation. When about half of mouse bone marrows were replaced by human bone marrow cells, the human bone marrow cells showed high sensitivity to gamma-irradiation; 28.0% and 0.45% survival after 0.5 and 2.0 Gy exposures, respectively.

Sonographic Features of Cervical Lymph Nodes in Patients With Hashimoto Thyroiditis and the Impacts From the Levothyroxine With Prednisone Therapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the ultrasonographic pattern of cervical lymph nodes (CLNs) and whether levothyroxine with prednisone therapy is effective for lymphadenopathy in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT). METHODS: This retrospective study was looking at patients with confirmed diagnosis of HT who underwent comprehensive neck ultrasound examination. We reviewed sonographic findings in 127 patients with HT, 234 euthyroid patients with goiter, and 122 healthy subjects. In addition, 30 untreated HT patients with cervical lymphadenopathy were recruited for the levothyroxine with prednisone therapy. We rescanned the patients 9 months after treatment with levothyroxine and prednisone. RESULTS: Patients with HT had a higher rate of CLN detection on ultrasound than euthyroid patients with goiter and healthy subjects at cervical levels III, IV, and VI (P < 0.01). In addition, patients with HT had a higher rate of detection of CLNs with abnormal sonographic features than the other 2 groups, most notably at cervical levels III, IV, and VI (P < 0.01). After the treatment, the mean thyroid volume, thyroid nodule volume, CLN volume, symptom score, and cosmetic grade of 30 HT patients were remarkably decreased (P < 0.01 or P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hashimoto thyroiditis seems to be associated with an increased rate of detection of CLNs with abnormal sonographic features, particularly at cervical levels III, IV, and VI. Therapy with levothyroxine with prednisone is effective for cervical lymphadenopathy in patients with HT.

Risk factors for late dysphagia after (chemo)radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: A systematic methodological review.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the risk factors for late dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer after (chemo)radiotherapy. METHODS: The review was performed using search strategies, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. The effects of studies were combined with the study quality score using a best-evidence synthesis model. RESULTS: Twenty observational studies were evaluated. According to the best-evidence synthesis criteria, there were 2 strong-evidence risk factors for late dysphagia, including the use of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and the presence of hypopharyngeal carcinoma. We also identified 8 moderate-evidence, 17 limited-evidence, and 1 conflicting-evidence risk factors. CONCLUSION: Although there is no conclusive evidence for dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer after (chemo)radiotherapy, these data provide evidence to guide clinicians in patients who will have late dysphagia and to choose an optimal prophylactic strategy.

Neuronal-derived Ccl7 drives neuropathic pain by promoting astrocyte proliferation.

Recent studies suggest that peripheral nerve injury converts resting spinal cord astroglial cells into an activated state, which is required for the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms of how resting astrocytes are activated after nerve injury remain largely unknown. Astroglial cell proliferation and activation could be affected by endogenous factors including chemokines, growth factors, and neurotropic factor. Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 7 (Ccl7) is essential in facilitating the development of neuropathic pain; however, the mechanism is unknown. In the present study, we found that Ccl7 promoted astrocyte proliferation and thus contributed toward neuropathic pain. Spinal nerve ligation increased the expression in the spinal cord of neuronal Ccl7. Behavioral analyses showed that knockdown of Ccl7 alleviated spinal nerve ligation-induced neuropathic pain. Further in-vitro study showed that neuronal-derived Ccl7 was sufficient for the proliferation and activation of astroglial cells. We found a novel mechanism of Ccl7 stimulating the proliferation and activation of spinal cord astrocytes that contributes toward neuropathic pain.

Mutations of p53 gene exons 4-8 in human esophageal cancer.

AIM: To characterize the tumor suppressor gene p53 mutations in exon 4, esophageal cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. METHODS: We performed p53 (exons 4-8) gene mutation analysis on 24 surgically resected human esophageal cancer specimens by PCR, single-strand conformation polymorphism, and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: p53 gene mutations were detected in 9 of 22 (40.9%) esophageal cancer specimens and 10 of 17 (58.8%) adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Eight of sixteen (50.0%) point mutations detected were G-A transitions and 9 of 18 (50.0%) p53 gene mutations occurred in exon 4 in esophageal cancer specimens. Only 1 of 11 mutations detected was G-A transition and 4 of 11 (36.4%) p53 gene mutations occurred in exon 4 in adjacent non-cancerous tissues. CONCLUSION: Mutation of p53 gene in exon 4 may play an important role in development of esophageal cancer. The observation of p53 gene mutation in adjacent non-cancerous tissues suggests that p53 gene mutation may be an early event in esophageal carcinogenesis. Some clinical factors, including age, sex, pre-operation therapy and location of tumors, do not influence p53 gene mutation rates.

Predictors for Weight Loss in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer patients are at high risk of weight loss because of their disease process and the treatment of their disease. Recognition of predictors for weight loss may be able to give proactive or reactive nutritional treatment to patients at risk. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to identify the independent risk factors for head and neck cancer patients developing weight loss undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed on January 2014. Articles reporting studies of the predictors for weight loss in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy were included. These studies were published between 1982 and 2014. Study quality was assessed using a modified quality assessment tool that was designed previously for an observational study. The effects of studies were combined with the study quality score using a best-evidence synthesis model. RESULTS: Twenty-two observational studies involving 6159 patients were included. There was strong evidence for 3 predictors, including advanced tumor stage, a higher body mass index before treatment, and the use of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. We also identified 8 moderate evidence predictors and 30 limited evidence predictors. CONCLUSION: The scientific literature to date indicates that patients with advanced tumor stage, or a higher body mass index before treatment, or the use of concurrent chemotherapy are at high risk to have weight loss during radiotherapy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These data provide evidence to guide healthcare professionals in admitting patients who will have weight loss and choosing an optimal prophylactic strategy.

[Chemical constituents from Chinese marine sponge Cinachyrella australiensis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the secondary metabolites from Chinese marine Sponge Cinachyrella australiensis. METHODS: Column chromatography techniques including HPLC were used for the separation and purification of the compounds, and extensive spectral analyses including various 2D NMR spectra were employed for structure elucidation. RESULTS: Nineteen compounds were obtained,including 2-methyoxy-6,12,15-trien-8-yne-octadecanoic acid (1), 2-benzenedicarboxylic acid dibutyl ester(2), 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid bis(2-ethylhexyl)ester(3), (-) (3S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid(4), L-Tryptophan (5), p-hydroxylbenzaldehyde (6), p-hydroxyl-benzylethanol(7), p-hydroxyl-benzyl-propanol(8), cholesta-4-en-3-ol(9), 2-methyl-6-amino-9-(2-deoxy-beta-D- ribofuranosyl-purine(10), 2'-Deoxyadenosine (11), 6-amino-9-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-9H-purine (12),uracil(13), thymine(14), thymidine(15), 1-(2-deoxy-beta-D-Ribofuranosyl) uracil(16), 1-ethyl-alpha-(2-deoxy)-beta-D-ribofuranos(17),isolumichrome(18),and zarzissine(19). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1 and 18 are new natural products,and compounds 2 to 17 as well as 19 are isolated from this species for the first time.

Could acupuncture have a role in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder via modulation of BDNF expression and activation?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by early-onset difficulties in social communication and unusually restricted repetitive behaviour and interests. Multiple lines of evidence directly or indirectly suggest an involvement in autism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which plays a pivotal role in the development and plasticity of the brain. Recent studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture-induced activation of BDNF in many neurological disorders. In view of these findings, we hypothesise the potential therapeutic effect of acupuncture-induced activation of BDNF in the treatment of ASD.

Clinical determinants of weight loss in patients with esophageal carcinoma during radiotherapy: a prospective longitudinal view.

PURPOSE: The prevalence of weight loss in esophageal carcinoma patients is high and associated with impairment of physical function, increased psychological distress and low quality of life. It is not known which factors may contribute to weight loss in patients with esophageal carcinoma during radiotherapy in China. The objective of this study was to identify the associated demographic and clinical factors influencing weight loss. METHODS: We evaluated 159 esophageal carcinoma patients between August 2010 and August 2013 in a cross- sectional, descriptive study. Patient characteristics, tumor and treatment details, psychological status, adverse effects, and dietary intake were evaluated at baseline and during radiotherapy. A multivariate logistic regression analyss was performed to identify the potential factors leading to weight loss. RESULTS: 64 (40.3%) patients had weight loss ≥ 5% during radiotherapy. According to logistic regression analysis, depression, esophagitis, and loss of appetite were adverse factors linked to weight loss. Dietary counseling, early stage disease and total energy intake ≥ 1,441.3 (kcal/d) were protective factors. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that dietary counseling, TNM stage, total energy intake, depression, esophagitis, and loss of appetite were the most important factors for weight loss. The results underline the importance of maintaining energy intake and providing dietary advice in EC patients during RT. At the same time, by identifying associated factors, medical staff can provide appropriate medical care to reduce weight loss. Further studies should determine the effect of these factors on weight loss and propose a predictive model.

Neuroprotective effects of sevoflurane against electromagnetic pulse-induced brain injury through inhibition of neuronal oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) causes central nervous system damage and neurobehavioral disorders, and sevoflurane protects the brain from ischemic injury. We investigated the effects of sevoflurane on EMP-induced brain injury. Rats were exposed to EMP and immediately treated with sevoflurane. The protective effects of sevoflurane were assessed by Nissl staining, Fluoro-Jade C staining and electron microscopy. The neurobehavioral effects were assessed using the open-field test and the Morris water maze. Finally, primary cerebral cortical neurons were exposed to EMP and incubated with different concentration of sevoflurane. The cellular viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were assayed. TUNEL staining was performed, and the expression of apoptotic markers was determined. The cerebral cortexes of EMP-exposed rats presented neuronal abnormalities. Sevoflurane alleviated these effects, as well as the learning and memory deficits caused by EMP exposure. In vitro, cell viability was reduced and LDH release was increased after EMP exposure; treatment with sevoflurane ameliorated these effects. Additionally, sevoflurane increased SOD activity, decreased MDA levels and alleviated neuronal apoptosis by regulating the expression of cleaved caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2. These findings demonstrate that Sevoflurane conferred neuroprotective effects against EMP radiation-induced brain damage by inhibiting neuronal oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Pu-erh tea powder preventive effects on cisplatin-induced liver oxidative damage in Wistar rats.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy is one of the major means for control of malignancies, with cisplatin (CDDP) as one of the main agents, widely used for the treatment of various malignant solid tumors. However, prevention of hepatotoxicity from cisplatin is one of the urgent issues in cancer chemotherapy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of pu-erh tea on hepatotoxicity through body weight and tissue antioxidant parameters like, liver coefficient, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), malondialdehyde(MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, and light microscopic evaluation by histological findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into five groups: Control (n=10), cisplatin (3 mg/kg p.i., n=10), cisplatin+pu-erh (0.32 g/kg/day i.g., n=10), cisplatin+pu-erh (0.8 g/kg/day i.g., n=10) and cisplatin+pu-erh (1.6 g/kg/day i.g., n=10). Pu-erh tea powder was administrated for 31 consecutive days. The rats were sacrificed at the end on the second day after a single dose of cisplatin treatment for measuring indices. RESULTS: Pu-erh tea powder exhibited a protective effect by decreasing MDA and GSH and increasing the SOD and GSH-PX levels and GSH-PX/MDA ratio in comparison with the control group. Besides, pu-erh tea was also able to alleviate the pathological damage to some extent. CONCLUSION: Pu-erh tea powder is protective against cisplatin-induced liver oxidative damages, especially at the medium dosage (0.8 g/kg/d).