Development of a novel staging classification for Siewert II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Stage classification for Siewert II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has not been established. AIM: To investigate the optimal stage classification for Siewert II AEG with NAC. METHODS: A nomogram was established based on Cox regression model that analyzed variables associated with overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). The nomogram performance in terms of discrimination and calibration ability was evaluated using the likelihood-ratio test, Akaike information criterion, Harrell concordance index, time-receiver operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis. RESULTS: Data from 725 patients with Siewert type II AEG who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and gastrectomy were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that sex, marital status, race, ypT stage, and ypN stage were independent prognostic factors of OS, whereas sex, race, ypT stage, and ypN stage were independent prognostic factors for DSS. These factors were incorporated into the OS and DSS nomograms. Our novel nomogram model performed better in terms of OS and DSS prediction compared to the 8th American Joint Committee of Cancer pathological staging system for esophageal and gastric cancer. Finally, a user-friendly web application was developed for clinical use. CONCLUSION: The nomogram established specifically for patients with Siewert type II AEG receiving NAC demonstrated good prognostic performance. Validation using external data is warranted before its widespread clinical application.

Diagnosis of a cystic lymphocyte-rich thymoma in a young cat.

Thymoma is one of the thymic epithelial tumors arising from the thymic epithelial cells of a variety of animal species including cat, cattle, dog, goat, horse, and pig. The cancer cells of thymoma are always localized within thymus. Feline thymoma was usually identified in the cranial mediastinum of elder cats. In this report, we present the full diagnostic characteristics of a young cat with a cranial mediastinal mass diagnosed as a cystic type B1 thymoma. A 3-year-old male neutered domestic short-haired cat was referred for further diagnosis due to the shortness of breath and pleural accumulation. One single cystic extra-pericardial mass was seen and the boundary between the mass and the surrounding tissue was clearly demarcated in three-view thoracic radiographs. Ultrasound showed pleural effusion and intra-thoracic mass. Pleural fluid biochemistry showed high level of triglycerides and complete blood count revealed the elevated number of basophils and high level of feline serum amyloid A (fSAA). Pleural effusion sediment cytology showed a large number of round cells, mainly small lymphocytes, as well as a moderate number of neutrophils and a small number of large lymphocytes. The high level of triglycerides in pleural fluid instead of serum and high level of fSAA seem to provide informative clues to the diagnosis of thymoma and are worthy of further investigation.

Discovery and identification of natural alkaloids with potential to impact insulin resistance syndrome in Cyclocarya paliurus. (Batal) leaves by UPLC-QTOF-MS combined with HepG2 cells.

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) leaves, which contain a range of bioactive compounds, have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine homologous food since ancient times. However, there is a paucity of literature on comprehensive studies of alkaloids in the leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.). For the first time, this study aimed to discover and identify alkaloids extracted from Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) leaves by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS). A total of ten alkaloids have been identified from Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) leaves based on accurate mass spectra (mass accuracy, isotopic spacing and distribution) and comparison to fragmentation spectra reported in the literature. In vitro, alkaloids alleviated insulin resistance by increasing glucose consumption and glycogen content in insulin resistance HepG2 cells. The RNA-seq and western blotting results showed that alkaloids could upregulate the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and increase the phosphorylation of insulin receptor protein kinase B (AKT). This study not only clarified the chemical constituents and revealed that diverse alkaloids also presented from Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) leaves, also, it will provide chemical information on potential compounds for developing new drugs.

Spatial metabolome of biosynthesis and metabolism in Cyclocarya paliurus leaves.

A large number of plant metabolites were discovered, but their biosynthetic and metabolic pathways are still largely unknown. However, the spatial distribution of metabolites and their changes in metabolic pathways can be supplemented by mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) techniques. For this purpose, the combination of desorption electrospray ionization (DESI)-MSI and non-targeted metabolomics was used to obtain the spatial distribution information of metabolites in the leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja (C. paliurus). The sample pretreatment method was optimized to have higher detection sensitivity in DESI. The changes of metabolites in C. paliurus were analyzed in depth with the integration of the spatial distribution information of metabolites. The main pathways for biosynthesis of flavonoid precursor and the effect of changes in compound structure on the spatial distribution were found. Spatial metabolomics can provide more metabolite information and a platform for the in-depth understanding of the biosynthesis and metabolism in plants.

Unraveling the nuclear isotope tapestry: Applications, challenges, and future horizons in a dynamic landscape.

Nuclear isotopes, distinct atoms characterized by varying neutron counts, have profoundly influenced a myriad of sectors, spanning from medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions to energy production and defense strategies. Their multifaceted applications have been celebrated for catalyzing revolutionary breakthroughs, yet these advancements simultaneously introduce intricate challenges that warrant thorough investigation. These challenges encompass safety protocols, potential environmental detriments, and the complex geopolitical landscape surrounding nuclear proliferation and disarmament. This comprehensive review embarks on a deep exploration of nuclear isotopes, elucidating their nuanced classifications, wide-ranging applications, intricate governing policies, and the multifaceted impacts of their unintended emissions or leaks. Furthermore, the study meticulously examines the cutting-edge remediation techniques currently employed to counteract nuclear contamination while projecting future innovations in this domain. By weaving together historical context, current applications, and forward-looking perspectives, this review offers a panoramic view of the nuclear isotope landscape. In conclusion, the significance of nuclear isotopes cannot be understated. As we stand at the crossroads of technological advancement and ethical responsibility, this review underscores the paramount importance of harnessing nuclear isotopes' potential in a manner that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and the greater good of humanity.

Can new urbanization and ecological environment achieve synergistic development? Empirical evidence from 63 counties in Zhejiang, China.

As China's urbanization accelerates, ecological environmental issues have become increasingly prominent, and how to achieve the synergistic development of urbanization and ecological environment is worth exploring. The paper uses the Super-SBM model and the improved entropy method to calculate the ecological efficiency and the new urbanization in 63 counties in Zhejiang Province from 2000 to 2019. Furthermore, the coupling coordination degree between new urbanization and ecological efficiency is discussed with the coupling degree model, Markov chain, and spatial correlation methods, and its influencing factors are explored by the geographic detector. The results show that: (1) The development trends of new urbanization and ecological efficiency in Zhejiang Province counties both present a "U" shape. Their inflection points appeared in 2005 and 2006, respectively. The gap between counties is gradually narrowing. (2) The coupling coordination degree between new urbanization and ecological efficiency in Zhejiang Province counties also develops in a "U" shape with the minimum value appearing in 2006. Its temporal evolution is dominated by advancement towards a higher level and maintenance of the original type, with most countries advancing from General Disorder to Preliminary Coordination. There is a good positive correlation in the spatial distribution, showing significant High-High and Low-Low agglomeration. (3) In detecting the driving factors, the explanatory power of economic development, natural conditions and social conditions diminishes sequentially. The interaction groups mostly are nonlinear enhancements, and the rest are all two-factor enhancements. Social factors are the main interaction objects. (4) The empirical analysis verified the efficacy of the "Two Mountains" theory and the importance of government investment in the regional coordinated development.

ECBC: Efficient Convolution via Blocked Columnizing.

Direct convolution methods are now drawing increasing attention as they eliminate the additional storage demand required by indirect convolution algorithms (i.e., the transformed matrix generated by the im2col convolution algorithm). Nevertheless, the direct methods require special input-output tensor formatting, leading to extra time and memory consumption to get the desired data layout. In this article, we show that indirect convolution, if implemented properly, is able to achieve high computation performance with the help of highly optimized subroutines in matrix multiplication while avoid incurring substantial memory overhead. The proposed algorithm is called efficient convolution via blocked columnizing (ECBC). Inspired by the im2col convolution algorithm and the block algorithm of general matrix-to-matrix multiplication, we propose to conduct the convolution computation blockwisely. As a result, the tensor-to-matrix transformation process (e.g., the im2col operation) can also be done in a blockwise manner so that it only requires a small block of memory as small as the data block. Extensive experiments on various platforms and networks validate the effectiveness of ECBC, as well as the superiority of our proposed method against a set of widely used industrial-level convolution algorithms.

Global Landscape of m6A Methylation of Differently Expressed Genes in Muscle Tissue of Liaoyu White Cattle and Simmental Cattle.

Liaoyu white cattle (LYWC) is a local breed in Liaoning Province, China. It has the advantages of grow quickly, high slaughter ratew, high meat quality and strong anti-stress ability. N6 methyladenosine (m6A) is a methylation modification of N6 position of RNA adenine, which is an important modification mechanism affecting physiological phenomena. In this study, we used the longissimus dorsi muscle of LYWC and SIMC for m6A-seq and RNA-seq high-throughput sequencing, and identified the key genes involved in muscle growth and m6A modification development by bioinformatics analysis. There were 31532 m6A peaks in the whole genome of LYWC and 47217 m6A peaks in the whole genome of SIMC. Compared with Simmental cattle group, LYWC group had 17,351 differentially expressed genes: 10,697 genes were up-regulated, 6,654 genes were down regulated, 620 differentially expressed genes were significant, while 16,731 differentially expressed genes were not significant. Among the 620 significantly differentially expressed genes, 295 genes were up-regulated and 325 genes were down regulated. In order to explore the relationship between m6A and mRNA expression in the muscles of LYWC and SIMC, the combined analysis of MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq revealed that 316 genes were m6A modified with mRNA expression. To identify differentially methylated genes related to muscle growth, four related genes were selected for quantitative verification in LYWC and SIMC. GO enrichment and KEGG analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes modified by m6A are mainly involved in skeletal muscle contraction, steroid biosynthesis process, redox process, PPAR pathway and fatty acid metabolism, and galactose metabolism. These results provide a theoretical basis for further research on the role of m6A in muscle growth and development.

[Mucosa advancement flap anoplasty in treatment of chronic anal fissures: a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial].

BACKGROUND: Anal fissure is one of the most common anal-rectum diseases, and approximately 10 percent patients with chronic anal fissure ultimately receive surgery. Relieving postoperative pain and protecting functions of the sphincter are central issues for coloproctologists. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of anoplasty in the treatment of chronic anal fissures. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: In this prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial, 120 adult patients with chronic anal fissure were referred from Department of Coloproctology of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The patients were enrolled from January 2009 to April 2010 and randomly divided into study (mucosa advancement flap anoplasty, abbreviated as anoplasty) group and control (fissurectomy) group. The two groups were assessed separately, and the main outcome measures were observed for 2 weeks, with a short-term follow-up for 6 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Degree of pain, haemorrhage and anal canal pressure were observed and recorded preoperatively, and on the third day, the fourteenth day and the sixth week postoperatively. The wound healing time was also recorded. Surgical complications of the two groups were recorded and compared on the third day and the sixth week postoperatively. The curative effects associated with the surgery were analyzed on the fourteenth day and the sixth week after surgery and the therapeutic results were evaluated. RESULTS: Three patients were dropped out due to the early discharge from hospital and losing connection (1 in study group and 2 in control group). Overall the surgery showed that the anoplasty group had better results than the fissurectomy group in the curative effect on the sixth week after operation (P<0.05). Time of wound healing in the anoplasty group was (17.22 ± 4.41) d and was better than (21.24 ± 7.44) d of the fissurectomy group (P<0.05). Concerning the relief of wound pain, the anoplasty group achieved better results than the fissurectomy group at the third day, the fourteenth day and the sixth week after operation (P<0.05). Anoplasty reduced bleeding and had better efficacy than the fissurectomy at the third day and the fourteenth day after operation (P<0.05), however, there was no statistical difference at the sixth week after operation (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in relieving the anal canal pressure (P>0.05) and the surgical complications (dysuria, edema of anal margin, fever, infection, anal incontinence and anal deformation) between the two groups (P>0.05). None of the patients suffered postoperative complications by the sixth week after operation. Furthermore, there was no recurrence in either of the two groups at six weeks after operation. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that anoplasty for chronic anal fissures has advantages such as better therapeutic effects, less postoperative pain, a shorter healing time and no incidence of anal incontinence.

Selenium-enriched yeast reduces caecal pathological injuries and intervenes changes of the diversity of caecal microbiota caused by Ochratoxin-A in broilers.

We investigated the protective effect and mechanism of selenium-enriched yeast (SY) on caecal injury induced by ochratoxin A (OTA) in broilers. Eighty broiler chickens of 1-day-old with similar weight were randomly assigned to Control group, OTA group, SY group and OTA + SY group, and were intragastricaly administered with OTA and SY for 21 consecutive days. The results showed that SY could reduce the caecal pathological injuries and could inhibit oxidative stress caused by OTA exposure. The OTA + SY group showed a statistically significant (p < 0.01) reduction in the level of MDA, IL-1ß, IL-6 and IFN-γ, whereas the levels of GSH, SOD activity and IL-10 were significantly increased (p < 0.01). By regulating TLR4/MYD88 signaling pathway, SY inhibited the expression of NF-κB, increased the expression of tight junction-related genes Claudin-1, Occludin and ZO-1, and antagonized the intestinal barrier injury caused by OTA exposure. Moreover, the microbial diversity analyses indicated that SY could intervene changes in the diversity of gut microbiota and the imbalance of gut microbiota caused by OTA. SY could relieve caecal pathological injuries, alleviate OTA-induced caecal oxidative stress and inflammatory response, increase the gut microbial diversity and protect broiler's intestinal barrier from injury.

Astaxanthin Protects Ochratoxin A-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in the Heart via the Nrf2 Pathway.

This study assessed the protective mechanism of astaxanthin (ASX) against ochratoxin A- (OTA-) induced cardiac injury in mice. Four groups of mice were established: control group (0.1 mL olive oil + 0.1 mL NaHCO2), OTA group (0.1 mL OTA 5 mg/kg body weight), ASX group (0.1 mL ASX 100 mg/kg body weight), and ASX + OTA group (0.1 mL ASX 100 mg/kg body weight, 2 h later, 0.1 mL OTA 5 mg/kg body weight). The test period lasted for 27 days (7 days of dosing, 2 days of rest). Electrocardiogram, body weight, heart weight, tissue pathology, oxidative markers (malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH)), biochemical markers (creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)), electron microscopy, TUNEL, and Western blot tests were used to examine the effects of OTA on myocardial injury and ASX detoxification. The results showed that OTA exposure significantly decreased both body weight and heart weight. OTA induced a decrease in heart rate in mice and decreased tissue concentrations of SOD, CAT, and GSH, while increasing serum concentrations of cardiac enzymes (CK, CK-MB, and LDH) and tissue MDA. ASX improved heart rate, cardiac enzymes, and antioxidant levels in mice. The results of tissue pathology and TUNEL assay showed that ASX protects against OTA-induced myocardial injury. In addition, Western blot results showed that the OTA group upregulated Keap1, Bax, Caspase3, and Caspase9, while it downregulated Nrf2, HO-1, and Bcl-2 protein expression. ASX played a protective role by changing the expression of Keap1, Nrf2, HO-1, Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase3, and Caspase9 proteins. These results indicate that the protective mechanism of ASX on the myocardium works through the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway. This study provides a molecular rationale for the mechanism underlying OTA-induced myocardial injury and the protective effect of ASX on the myocardium.

A ZrO2-RGO composite as a support enhanced the performance of a Cu-based catalyst in dehydrogenation of diethanolamine.

The sintering resistance of supported Cu nanoparticle (NP) catalysts is crucial to their practical application in the dehydrogenation of diethanolamine (DEA). In this paper, co-precipitation, hydrothermal synthesis, and sol-gel condensation are used to form a new support material through chemical bonding between graphene oxide and ZrO2. The composite carriers prepared by the three methods are mixed with copper nitrate and ground using a ball mill. A series of Cu/ZrO2-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composites were prepared by calcination under nitrogen at 450 °C for 3 h and hydrogen reduction at 250 °C for 4 h. The conversion of DEA to iminodiacetic acid (IDA) reached 96% with the Cu/ZrO2-RGO catalyst prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The conversion rate of DEA is more than 80% following the reuse of the CZG-2 catalyst for twelve cycles. The various physicochemical characterization techniques show that the Cu/ZrO2-RGO layered and wrinkled nanostructures can improve catalytic stability and suppress the sintering of the supported Cu NPs during the catalytic dehydrogenation of diethanolamine. A synergistic effect between the RGO and the Cu nanoparticles is observed. The Cu nanoparticles with RGO have a better dispersibility, and a new nano-environment is created, which is the key to improving the efficiency of diethanolamine dehydrogenation. These new Cu/ZrO2-RGO catalysts show increased durability compared to commercially produced Cu/ZrO2 catalysts and show promise for practical applications involving diethanolamine dehydrogenation.

Astaxanthin Protects OTA-Induced Lung Injury in Mice through the Nrf2/NF-κB Pathway.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the potential protective mechanism of astaxanthin (ASTA) against oxidative damage and inflammation caused by ochratoxin (OTA) in mouse lung. We divided mice into a control group (CG), an OTA group (PG), an astaxanthin group (AG), and an OTA+ASTA group (JG). Oxidative indices (malondialdehyde (MDA), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH)) and inflammatory markers (interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)) were assayed in the lung, and the lung-weight-to-body-weight ratio was calculated. Apoptosis was detected in pathological sections by the TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Oxidative damage and inflammation were detected in the lung of mice after exposure to OTA. Besides, Nrf2- and NF-κB-pathway-associated proteins were detected by Western blot. In contrast with OTA, ASTA significantly raised the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and MnSOD, while the expression of other proteins (Keap1, TLR4, and NF-κB) was significantly decreased. These results indicate that ASTA exerted protective effects against OTA-induced oxidative damage and inflammation in the lung by regulating the Nrf2 and NF-κB pathways.

Microsatellite markers for the critically endangered elm species Ulmus gaussenii (Ulmaceae).

The Anhui elm Ulmus gaussenii is listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is endemic to China, where its only population is restricted to Langya Mountain in Chuzhou, Anhui Province. To better understand the population genetics of U. gaussenii, we developed 12 microsatellite markers using an improved technique. The 12 markers were polymorphic, with the number of alleles per locus ranging from two to nine. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.021 to 0.750 and 0.225 to 0.744, respectively. The inbreeding coefficient ranged from -0.157 to 0.960. Significant linkage disequilibrium was detected for two pairs of loci, and significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found in nine loci. These microsatellite markers will contribute to the studies of population genetics in U. gaussenii, which in turn will contribute to species conservation and protection.

An extended affinity propagation clustering method based on different data density types.

Affinity propagation (AP) algorithm, as a novel clustering method, does not require the users to specify the initial cluster centers in advance, which regards all data points as potential exemplars (cluster centers) equally and groups the clusters totally by the similar degree among the data points. But in many cases there exist some different intensive areas within the same data set, which means that the data set does not distribute homogeneously. In such situation the AP algorithm cannot group the data points into ideal clusters. In this paper, we proposed an extended AP clustering algorithm to deal with such a problem. There are two steps in our method: firstly the data set is partitioned into several data density types according to the nearest distances of each data point; and then the AP clustering method is, respectively, used to group the data points into clusters in each data density type. Two experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance of our algorithm: one utilizes an artificial data set and the other uses a real seismic data set. The experiment results show that groups are obtained more accurately by our algorithm than OPTICS and AP clustering algorithm itself.