Less polar ginsenosides have better protective effects on mice infected by Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes widely exists in the natural environment and does great harm, which can cause worldwide public safety problem. Infection with L. monocytogenes can cause rapid death of Kupffer cell (KCs) in liver tissue and liver damage. American ginseng saponins is a natural compound in plants, which has great potential in inhibiting L. monocytogenes infection. Therefore, American ginseng stem-leaf saponins (AGS) and American ginseng heat-transformed saponins (HTS) were used as raw materials to study their bacteriostatic experiments in vivo and in vitro. In this experiment, female Kunming mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group, negative group, AGS group, HTS group (10 mg/kg/day in an equal volume via gastric administration) and penicillin group, each group containing six mice. Profiles AGS and HTS components were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The bacteriostatic effect of AGS and HTS on L. monocytogenes was evaluated by inhibition zone test, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The bacteriostatic effect of AGS and HTS pretreatment on mice infected with L. monocytogenes were studies by animal experimental. The results showed that the content of polar saponins in AGS was 0.81 ± 0.003 mg/mg, less polar saponins was 0.08 ± 0.02 mg/mg, the content of polar saponins in HTS was 0.10 ± 0.01 mg/mg, less polar saponins was 0.76 ± 0.02 mg/mg. The in vitro bacteriostatic diameter of HTS (16.6 ± 0.8 mm) is large than that of AGS (10.2 ± 1.2 mm). AGS and HTS pretreatment could reduce the colony numbers in the livers of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ in the livers of mice in the pretreatment group were significantly lower than those in the negative group. There were obvious leukoplakia, calcification and other liver damage on the liver surface in the negative control group, and obvious inflammatory cell infiltration in HE sections. AGS and HTS pretreatment can reduce liver injury caused by L. monocytogenes and protect the liver. Compared with AGS, HTS has higher content of less polar saponins and better bacteriostatic effect in vitro. The count of bacterial in liver tissue of HTS group was significantly lower, the survival rate was significantly higher than that of AGS group. Less polar saponins had better bacteriostatic effect. Collectively, less polar saponins pretreatment has a protective effect on mice infected with L. monocytogenes, to which alleviated liver damage, improved anti-inflammatory ability and immunity of the body, protected liver may contribute.

Synthesis, characteristics and medical applications of plant nanomaterials.

MAIN CONCLUSION: The recent preparations of metal nanoparticles using plant extracts as reducing agents are summarized here. The synthesis and characterization of plant-metal nanomaterials and the progress in antibacterial and anti-inflammatory medical applications are detailed, providing a new vision for plant-based medical applications. The medical application of plant-metal nanoparticles is becoming a research hotspot. Compared with traditional preparation methods, the synthesis of plant-metal nanoparticles is less toxic and more eco-friendly, increasing application potential. Highly efficient plant-metal nanoparticles are usually smaller than 100 nm. This review describes the synthesis, characterization and bioactivities of gold- and silver-plant nanoparticles as examples and clearly explained their antibacterial and anticancer mechanisms. An analysis of actual cases shows that the synthetic method and type of plant extract affect the activities of the products.

Ovarian carcinosarcoma with lung metastasis characterized by persistent fever: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Ovarian carcinosarcoma (OCS) is a rare malignant tumor prone to distant metastasis. Primary manifestations include pelvic and/or abdominal pain, bloating, and compression. Nevertheless, it is uncommon for OCS to present primarily with persistent fever. This is the first reported case of OCS with lung metastasis characterized by persistent fever. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 61-year-old female patient complaining of abdominal pain and fever was admitted to our hospital. Computed tomography showed an irregular, slightly low-density mass on the left side of the uterus and multiple solid nodules in both lungs. DIAGNOSES: She underwent cytoreductive surgery for pathologically confirmed stage IVB OCS. INTERVENTIONS: She was administered chemotherapy after cytoreductive surgery. Given the patient's history of persistent fever and progressively enlarged pulmonary nodules, a pulmonary abscess was considered as a possible diagnosis. Following antibiotic therapy, the patient's high body temperature did not decrease; however, following nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy, it quickly decreased. These symptoms were eventually considered the consequence of neoplastic fever caused by lung metastases. OUTCOMES: Owing to the rapid progression of the disease, the patient ultimately died. LESSONS: This study suggests that, for patients with pelvic and/or abdominal pain, bloating, and pelvic masses, especially those with suspicious lesions in other organs accompanied by fever of unknown origin, a diagnosis of cancer or sarcoma with metastasis should be considered after ruling out infectious fever.

Recurrent squamous cell carcinoma arising in ovary mature cystic teratoma: A case report.

RATIONALE: Malignant transformation of mature cystic teratoma is very rare, of which squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common type. Prognosis of SCC arising in mature cystic teratoma of the ovary is very poor. Our experience may provide new ideas for the treatment of this disease. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient was a 56-year-old woman and was admitted for a lower abdominal pain. She underwent a laparoscopic surgery with 4 cycles of chemotherapy and had achieved a complete response; 10 months after the completion of initial treatment, her cancer relapsed. She underwent a cytoreductive surgery with concurrent chemoradiotherapy and has achieved a complete response again. DIAGNOSES: This patient was initially diagnosed with ovarian cancer (stage IIIB) arising from malignant transformation of mature teratoma; 10 months after the completion of initial treatment, she was diagnosed with recurrent ovarian cancer. INTERVENTIONS: This patient was initially treated with laparoscopic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. After histopathological confirmation that she had ovarian cancer, she underwent laparoscopic total hysterectomy and omentectomy with 4 cycles of chemotherapy. After her ovarian cancer recurred, she underwent open cytoreductive surgery and concurrent chemoradiotherapy. OUTCOMES: The patient achieved complete response after both initial and relapsed treatment. LESSONS: Optimal cytoreduction and concurrent chemoradiotherapy may be an option to improve the prognosis of patients with recurrent SCC arising in ovary mature cystic teratoma.

Managing Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Uterus: A Case Report and Comprehensive Review of Pathological and Therapeutic Approaches.

BACKGROUND Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare disease, and uterine IMT is even rarer. IMT is hard to distinguish from endometrial polyp and submucous myoma. The treatment of IMT is still controversial. Here, we report a case of uterine IMT, discussing both pathological and therapeutic aspects. CASE REPORT A 32-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for a uterine mass, hypermenorrhea, and anemia. She had been suffering from these symptoms for almost a year. Pelvic ultrasound and MRI revealed a mass about 7 cm in diameter at the bottom of the uterus. Serum tumor markers were negative. She was diagnosed with submucous fibroids of the uterus. Then she underwent hysteroscopic mass resection. Histopathological and immunohistochemistry stain analysis revealed IMT of the uterus. Due to the malignant potential of IMT, she was advised to undergo a total hysterectomy, but she refused because she wanted to retain the uterus and fertility. A watch-and-wait strategy without any therapy was chosen, and the patient is currently disease-free after 18-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS IMT is a disease with malignant potential and may recur at a late stage; hence, a correct diagnosis is essential for patients with IMT. Surgery is the preferred treatment for IMT. For early-stage, young women who want to preserve fertility, conservative surgery is acceptable, but close follow-up is required to avoid recurrence and metastasis. If a patient cannot undergo surgery or the disease has metastasized extensively, targeted therapy for ALK gene, immunotherapy, and other methods can be considered.

Coupling iron-carbon micro-electrolysis with persulfate advanced oxidation for hydraulic fracturing return fluid treatment.

Improving the sustainability of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle of unconventional oil and gas development needs an advanced water treatment that can efferently treat flowback and produced water (FPW). In this study, we developed a robust two-stage process that combines flocculation, and iron-carbon micro-electrolysis plus sodium persulfate (ICEPS) advanced oxidation to treat field-based FPW from the Sulige tight gas field, China. Influencing factors and optimal conditions of the flocculation-ICEPS process were investigated. The flocculation-ICEPS system at optimal conditions sufficiently removed the total organic contents (95.71%), suspended solids (92.4%), and chroma (97.5%), but the reaction stoichiometric efficiency (RSE) value was generally less than 5%. The particles and chroma were effectively removed by flocculation, and the organic contents was mainly removed by the ICEPS system. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was performed to track the changes in FPW chemical compositions through the oxidation of the ICEPS process. Multiple analyses demonstrated that PS was involved in the activation of Fe oxides and hydroxides accreted on the surface of the ICE system for FPW treatment, which led to increasing organics removal rate of the ICEPS system compared to the conventional ICE system. Our study suggests that the flocculation-ICEPS system is a promising FPW treatment process, which provides technical and mechanistic foundations for further field application.

A retrospective study on expression and clinical significance of PHH3, Ki67 and P53 in bladder exophytic papillary urothelial neoplasms.

Background: Exophytic papillary urothelial neoplasms (EPUN) are difficult to diagnose pathologically and are well-known for their heterogeneous prognoses. Thus, searching for an objective and accurate diagnostic marker is of great clinical value in improving the outcomes of EPUN patients. PHH3 was reported to be expressed explicitly in the mitotic phase of the cell cycle, and recent studies have shown that PHH3 expression was associated with the differential diagnosis and prognosis of many tumors. However, its significance in EPUN remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the expression of PHH3 in different EPUN, compare its expression with cell-cycle related proteins Ki67 and P53, and analyze its significance in the differential diagnosis and prognostic value for high-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (HGPUC), low-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (LGPUC), papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (PUNLMP) and urothelial papilloma (UP). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the pathological diagnosis and clinical features of 26 HGPUC cases, 43 LGPUC cases, 21 PUNLMP cases and 11 UP cases. PHH3, Ki67 and P53 were detected by immunohistochemistry in 101 EPUN cases samples. The cut-off values of PHH3 mitosis count (PHMC), HE mitosis count (HEMC), Ki67 and P53 in the different EPUN were determined using the ROC curve. The distribution of counts in each group and its relationship with clinical parameters and prognosis of EPUN patients were also analyzed. Results: The determination coefficient (R2 = 0.9980) of PHMC were more potent than those of HEMC (R2 = 0.9734) in the EPUN mitotic counts microscopically by both pathologists. Of the 101 EPUN cases investigated, significant positive linear correlations were found between PHMC and HEMC, PHMC and Ki67, and HEMC and Ki67 (P < 0.0001). In HGPUC, LGPUC, PUNLMP and UP, a decreasing trend was observed in the median and range of PHMC/10HPFs, HEMC/10HPFs, Ki67 (%) and P53 (%). PHMC, HEMC, Ki67 and P53 were associated with different clinical parameters of EPUN. PHMC, HEMC, Ki67 and P53 were found to exhibit substantial diagnostic values among different EPUN and tumor recurrence. Based on the ROC curve, when PHMC was >48.5/10HPFs, a diagnosis of HGPUC was more likely, and when PHMC was >13.5/10HPFs, LGPUC was more likely. In addition, when PHMC was >5.5/10HPFs, the possibility of non-infiltrating LGPUC was greater. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the median recurrence-free survival (RFS) for cases with PHMC > 13.5/10HPFs and HEMC > 14.5/10HPFs were 52.5 and 48 months, respectively, and their respective hazard ratio was significantly higher (Log-rank P < 0.05). Conclusion: PHH3 exhibited high specificity and sensitivity in diagnosing EPUN. Combined with HEMC, Ki67 and P53, it can assist in the differential diagnosis of EPUN and estimate its clinical progression with high predictive value to a certain extent.

Acupuncture-related therapies for the poststroke cognitive impairment patients: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To compare and rank the clinical effects of different acupuncture and acupuncture-related therapies on patients with poststroke cognitive impairment. METHODS: We evaluated the direct and indirect evidence from relevant studies using network meta-analysis. Eight databases were examined in order to find randomized controlled trials of acupuncture-related therapies for individuals with poststroke cognitive impairment. After 2 researchers independently scanned the literature, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies, the data were analyzed using RevMan5.4, Stata15.0, and WinBUGS1.4.3 software. RESULTS: We assess the benefits and drawbacks of various acupuncture-related therapies, rank the efficacy of various acupuncture-related therapies in the treatment of poststroke cognitive impairment, and describe the best acupuncture intervention approaches or combinations based on the available data. CONCLUSION: This study will contribute to the existence of data on the safety and efficacy of acupuncture-related therapies in the treatment of poststroke cognitive impairment, and it may aid clinical guideline makers in selecting the best acupuncture treatment for poststroke cognitive impairment. REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY2021120117.