Establishment and validation of a risk score model based on EUS: assessment of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Lymph node metastasis significantly affects the prognosis of early gastric cancer patients. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) plays a crucial role in the preoperative assessment of early gastric cancer. This study evaluated the efficacy of EUS in identifying lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer patients and developed a risk score model to aid in choosing the best treatment options. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the effectiveness of EUS for detecting lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer patients. A risk score model for predicting lymph node metastasis preoperatively was created using independent risk factors identified through binary logistic regression analysis and subsequently validated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for both the development and validation cohorts. RESULTS: The overall accuracy of EUS in identifying lymph node metastasis was 85.3%, although its sensitivity (29.2%) and positive predictive value (38.7%) were relatively low. Patients were categorized based on preoperative risk factors for lymph node metastasis, including tumor size ≥20 mm, lymph nodes ≥10 mm, BMI ≥24 kg/m2, and lymph node metastasis on CT scans. A 7-point risk score model was developed to assess the likelihood of lymph node metastasis. The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) for the development and validation sets were 0.842 and 0.837, respectively, with sensitivities of 64% and 79%, respectively. CONCLUSION: We developed a practical risk score model based on preoperative factors to help EUS predict lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer patients, guiding the selection of optimal treatment approaches for these patients.

Enrichment of linoleic acid from yellow horn seed oil through low temperature crystallization followed by urea complexation method and hypoglycemic activities.

Yellow horn (Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge) contained abundant linoleic acid (LA), accounting for about 44% of its lipid. Here, LA was enriched by low temperature crystallization followed by urea complexation, and the optimal enrichment conditions were optimized with response surface methods (3:1 ratio of EtOH/FFA, crystallization at - 25 °C for 24.5 h; 2:1 ratio of urea/FFA1, 6.6:1 ratio of EtOH/urea, crystallization at - 10 °C for 22.4 h). Under these conditions, the final LA content and recovery were 97.10% and 62.09%, respectively. In vitro hypoglycemic studies suggested that the LA extract with stronger inhibition on α-glucosidase and lower one on α-amylase than acarbose exhibited a positive control for carbohydrate digestion with lower adverse effects. The enzyme kinetics and Lineweaver-Burk plots analyses revealed a reversible competitive inhibition on α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The findings of this research provided insights for the development of the LA extract as the functional component of health food. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01327-9.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the NRT genes in Ginkgo biloba under nitrate treatment reveal the potential roles during calluses browning.

Nitrate is a primary nitrogen source for plant growth, and previous studies have indicated a correlation between nitrogen and browning. Nitrate transporters (NRTs) are crucial in nitrate allocation. Here, we utilized a genome-wide approach to identify and analyze the expression pattern of 74 potential GbNRTs under nitrate treatments during calluses browning in Ginkgo, including 68 NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1 (NRT1)/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER (PTR) (NPF), 4 NRT2 and 2 NRT3. Conserved domains, motifs, phylogeny, and cis-acting elements (CREs) were analyzed to demonstrate the evolutionary conservation and functional diversity of GbNRTs. Our analysis showed that the NPF family was divided into eight branches, with the GbNPF2 and GbNPF6 subfamilies split into three groups. Each GbNRT contained 108-214 CREs of 19-36 types, especially with binding sites of auxin and transcription factors v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) and basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH). The E1X1X2E2R motif had significant variations in GbNPFs, indicating changes in the potential dynamic proton transporting ability. The expression profiles of GbNRTs indicated that they may function in regulating nitrate uptake and modulating the signaling of auxin and polyphenols biosynthesis, thereby affecting browning in Ginkgo callus induction. These findings provide a better understanding of the role of NRTs during NO3- uptake and utilization in vitro culture, which is crucial to prevent browning and develop an efficient regeneration and suspension production system in Ginkgo.

Morphological Characteristics, Ultrastructure, and Chemical Constituents of the Endotesta in Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.).

Ginkgo biloba L. is a tree species of significant economic and ecological importance. Prior studies of the Ginkgo biloba seed coat have predominantly focused on the sarcotesta and sclerotesta, with less attention paid to the endotesta. In this study, the development and formation of Ginkgo endotesta were examined using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The structural properties of the mature endotesta were analyzed using micro-CT imaging and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that the endotesta possess a membranous structure primarily originating from the inner bead peridium, a segment of bead core tissue, and the macrospore membrane. The endotesta from the middle constriction line to the chalazal end comprises a single layer with a greyish-white papery structure. In contrast, the endotesta was divided into two inner and two outer layers, from the middle constriction line to the micropylar end. The outer endosperm adheres closely to the sclerotesta, while the inner endosperm adheres to the seed kernel. The surface of the endotesta was irregularly raised, with thicker wax at the chalazal end, whereas the micropylar end demonstrated similar characteristics with thinner wax and tumor layers. The endotesta contained 17 amino acids, 18 fatty acids, 10 trace elements, and 7 vitamins. Overall, its nutritional value was relatively well balanced.

Dietary Polysaccharides Exert Anti-Fatigue Functions via the Gut-Muscle Axis: Advances and Prospectives.

Due to today's fast-paced lifestyle, most people are in a state of sub-health and face "unexplained fatigue", which can seriously affect their health, work efficiency, and quality of life. Fatigue is also a common symptom of several serious diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cancer, etc. However, the contributing mechanisms are not clear, and there are currently no official recommendations for the treatment of fatigue. Some dietary polysaccharides are often used as health care supplements; these have been reported to have specific anti-fatigue effects, with minor side effects and rich pharmacological activities. Dietary polysaccharides can be activated during food processing or during gastrointestinal transit, exerting unique effects. This review aims to comprehensively summarize and evaluate the latest advances in the biological processes of exercise-induced fatigue, to understand dietary polysaccharides and their possible molecular mechanisms in alleviating exercise-induced fatigue, and to systematically elaborate the roles of gut microbiota and the gut-muscle axis in this process. From the perspective of the gut-muscle axis, investigating the relationship between polysaccharides and fatigue will enhance our understanding of fatigue and may lead to a significant breakthrough regarding the molecular mechanism of fatigue. This paper will provide new perspectives for further research into the use of polysaccharides in food science and food nutrition, which could help develop potential anti-fatigue agents and open up novel therapies for sub-health conditions.

Predictive and prognostic markers from endoscopic ultrasound with biopsies during definitive chemoradiation therapy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) may play a role in evaluating treatment response after definitive chemoradiation therapy (dCRT) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study explored the prognostic markers of EUS with biopsies and developed two nomograms for survival prediction. METHODS: A total of 821 patients newly diagnosed with ESCC between January 2015 and December 2019 were reviewed. We investigated the prognostic value of the changes in tumor imaging characteristics and histopathological markers by an interim response evaluation, including presence of stenosis, ulceration, tumor length, tumor thickness, lumen involvement, and tumor remission. Independent prognostic factors of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined using Cox regression analysis and further selected to build two nomogram models for survival prediction. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to respectively assess its discriminatory capacity, predictive accuracy, and clinical usefulness. RESULTS: A total of 155 patients were enrolled in this study and divided into the training (109 cases) and testing (46 cases) cohorts. Tumor length, residual tumor thickness, reduction in tumor thickness, lumen involvement, and excellent remission (ER) of spatial luminal involvement in ESCC (ER/SLI) differed significantly between responders and non-responders. For patients undergoing dCRT, tumor stage (P = 0.001, 0.002), tumor length (P = 0.013, 0.008), > 0.36 reduction in tumor thickness (P = 0.004, 0.004) and ER/SLI (P = 0.041, 0.031) were independent prognostic markers for both PFS and OS. Time-dependent ROC curves, calibration curves, and DCA indicated that the predicted survival rates of our two established nomogram models were highly accurate. CONCLUSION: Our nomogram showed high accuracy in predicting PFS and OS for ESCC after dCRT. External validation and complementation of other biomarkers are needed in further studies.

Spatial distribution of tumor-infiltrating T cells indicated immune response status under chemoradiotherapy plus PD-1 blockade in esophageal cancer.

Background: The spatial distribution of tumor-infiltrating T cells and its dynamics during chemoradiotherapy combined with PD-1 blockade is little known in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: We applied the multiplex immunofluorescence method to identify T cells (CD4+, CD8+ T cells, and their PD-1- or PD-1+ subsets) and myeloid-derived cells (CD11c+ dendritic cells, CD68+ macrophages, and their PD-L1+ subpopulations) in paired tumor biopsies (n = 36) collected at baseline and during combination (40 Gy of radiation) from a phase Ib trial (NCT03671265) of ESCC patients treated with first-line chemoradiotherapy plus anti-PD-1 antibody camrelizumab. We used the FoundationOne CDx assay to evaluate tumor mutational burden (TMB) in baseline tumor biopsies (n = 14). We dynamically assessed the nearest distance and proximity of T-cell subsets to tumor cells under combination and estimated the association between T-cell spatial distribution and combination outcome, myeloid-derived subsets, TMB, and patient baseline characteristics. Findings: We found that the tumor compartment had lower T-cell subsets than the stromal compartment but maintained a comparable level under combination. Both before and under combination, PD-1- T cells were located closer than PD-1+ T cells to tumor cells; T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages showed the highest accumulation in the 5-10-µm distance. Higher CD4+ T cells in the tumor compartment and a shorter nearest distance of T-cell subsets at baseline predicted poor OS. Higher baseline CD4+ T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages were associated with worse OS in less than 10-µm distance to tumor cells, but related with better OS in the farther distance. Higher on-treatment PD-1-positive-expressed CD4+ and CD8+ T cells within the 100-µm distance to tumor cells predicted longer OS. T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages showed a positive spatial correlation. Both high TMB and smoking history were associated with a closer location of T cells to tumor cells at baseline. Conclusions: We firstly illustrated the T-cell spatial distribution in ESCC. Combining chemoradiotherapy with PD-1 blockade could improve the antitumor immune microenvironment, which benefits the treatment outcome. Further understanding the precision spatiality of tumor-infiltrating T cells would provide new evidence for the tumor immune microenvironment and for the combination treatment with immunotherapy.

Nervonic acid improves liver inflammation in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease by inhibiting proinflammatory signaling pathways and regulating metabolic pathways.

BACKGROUND: Nervonic acid (NA) - a type of bioactive fatty acid that is found in natural sources - can inhibit inflammatory reactions and regulate immune system balance. Therefore, the use of NA for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases has received considerable attention. Our previous study found that NA inhibited inflammatory responses in the brain of Parkinson's disease (PD) mouse models. In addition to the brain, PD is also associated with visceral organ dysfunction, especially impaired liver function. Thus, studying the role of NA in PD-mediated inflammation of the liver is particularly important. METHODS: A combined transcriptome and metabolomic approach was utilized to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of NA on the liver of PD mice. Inflammatory signaling molecules and metabolic pathway-related genes were examined in the liver using real-time PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: Liver transcriptome analysis revealed that NA exerted anti-inflammatory effects by controlling several pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, such as the down-regulation of the tumor necrosis factor and nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathways, both of which were essential in the development of inflammatory disease. In addition, liver metabolomic results revealed that metabolites related to steroid hormone biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, and linoleic acid metabolism were up-regulated and those related to valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation pathways were down-regulated in NA treatment groups compared with the PD model. The integration of metabolomic and transcriptomic results showed NA significantly exerted its anti-inflammatory function by regulating the transcription and metabolic pathways of multiple genes. Particularly, linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis were the crucial pathways of the anti-inflammatory action of NA. Key genes in these metabolic pathways and key molecules in inflammatory signaling pathways were also verified, which were consistent with transcriptomic results. CONCLUSION: These findings provide novel insights into the liver protective effects of NA against PD mice. This study also showed that NA could be a useful dietary element for improving and treating PD-induced liver inflammation.

The Metasequoia genome and evolutionary relationships among redwoods.

Redwood trees (Sequoioideae), including Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood), Sequoiadendron giganteum (giant sequoia), and Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood), are threatened and widely recognized iconic tree species. Genomic resources for redwood trees could provide clues to their evolutionary relationships. Here, we report the 8-Gb reference genome of M. glyptostroboides and a comparative analysis with two related species. More than 62% of the M. glyptostroboides genome is composed of repetitive sequences. Clade-specific bursts of long terminal repeat retrotransposons may have contributed to genomic differentiation in the three species. The chromosomal synteny between M. glyptostroboides and S. giganteum is extremely high, whereas there has been significant chromosome reorganization in S. sempervirens. Phylogenetic analysis of marker genes indicates that S. sempervirens is an autopolyploid, and more than 48% of the gene trees are incongruent with the species tree. Results of multiple analyses suggest that incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) rather than hybridization explains the inconsistent phylogeny, indicating that genetic variation among redwoods may be due to random retention of polymorphisms in ancestral populations. Functional analysis of ortholog groups indicates that gene families of ion channels, tannin biosynthesis enzymes, and transcription factors for meristem maintenance have expanded in S. giganteum and S. sempervirens, which is consistent with their extreme height. As a wetland-tolerant species, M. glyptostroboides shows a transcriptional response to flooding stress that is conserved with that of analyzed angiosperm species. Our study offers insights into redwood evolution and adaptation and provides genomic resources to aid in their conservation and management.

Effects of PEG in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma during concurrent chemoradiotherapy: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This prospective study aimed to compare the changes in nutritional status and adverse events among patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received enteral nutrition through oral intake, PEG, and an enteral nasogastric tube (NGT) during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: Of 141 included patients, 38, 74, and 29 patients were fed through oral intake, PEG, and NGTs, respectively. The clinical characteristics and baseline nutritional status of the 3 groups were recorded and analyzed. The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score, skeletal muscle index, and quality of life were evaluated before and after CCRT; the incidence of adverse events during feeding using PEG and NGTs was also recorded. The correlations among the different nutritional pathways and the CCRT-related adverse events (eg, radiation esophagitis and myelosuppression) were assessed. RESULTS: At baseline, the oral intake group had a significantly better nutritional status and lower disease stage than those in the PEG and NGT groups. However, during CCRT, the oral intake group exhibited the most significant decreases in weight and skeletal muscle index. The synchronous chemotherapy completion rate was the highest in the PEG group. Multivariate analysis showed that the planning tumor volume and oral intake and NGT feeding pathways were associated with radiation esophagitis of at least grade 2. CONCLUSIONS: We found that PEG effectively maintained the body weight and skeletal muscle index of patients with esophageal cancer during CCRT. PEG also improved the synchronous chemotherapy completion rate and reduced the occurrence of at least grade 2 radiation esophagitis. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT04199832.).

Tumor dormancy is closely related to prognosis prediction and tumor immunity in neuroblastoma.

Background: Neuroblastoma (NB), which is the most frequent and fatal solid tumor in early childhood, lacks an accurate approach to prevent or forecast its recurrence. Dormant NB cells are responsible for metastasis, drug resistance, and suppressive activity in the immune system. However, there is a lack of systematic research on the interaction between dormancy and NB prognosis and its potential associations with tumor immunity. Methods: We downloaded NB gene expression data and clinical information from the Gene Expression Omnibus and ArrayExpres databases. Based on consensus clustering of the expression of dormancy-associated genes, the NB samples were classified into different groups, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were explored in each group. Functional analyses of DEGs were performed, followed by the establishment of a predictive dormancy signature and the assessment of tumor immunity. Finally, sex, age, International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage, and MYCN status were identified as independent overall survival-related variables, which were incorporated into the nomogram. Results: A dormancy-associated gene signature, including CDKN2A, BHLHB3, CDKN2B, MAPK14, CDKN1B, and BMP7, was established. The gene signature showed a strong correlation with NB immune infiltration and capacity to predict NB patient prognosis. A nomogram including MYCN status, INSS stage, age and gene signature risk score was established which further divided NB into high, medium and low-risk groups. This nomogram had certain guiding significance in decision-making for clinical treatment. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the 6-gene genetic signature for NB based on dormancy could predict NB survival and response to immunotherapy.

Diagnosis of mediastinal cysts: the role and safety of EUS-FNA with 19-gauge needle: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Mediastinal cysts are uncommon, and their diagnosis remains a clinical challenge, especially for patients with a solid mass on computed tomography (CT). Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is considered a valuable method to differentiate mediastinal cysts and EUS-fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a strategy for obtaining specimens from the cysts for cytological diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the safety and utility of EUS-FNA for diagnosis of mediastinal cysts. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent EUS-FNA with 19-gauge needle at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital and were further diagnosed with mediastinal cysts confirmed by cytological and surgical pathological results between January 2016 and December 2020. Safety was estimated by the incidence of reported adverse events (AEs). Patients were followed for 48 hours and 1 week after the EUS-FNA procedure to evaluate AEs. Results: A total of 20 patients were diagnosed with mediastinal cysts using EUS-FNA, yet only 5 were diagnosed by CT. There were 15 patients diagnosed with bronchogenic cyst, 4 with enteric cyst, and 1 with pericardial cyst. The EUS appearance of cyst content varied, ranging from anechoic (4 cases) to hypoechoic (16 cases). AEs occurred in 2/20 (10%) patients after the EUS-FNA indicating an acceptable low rate of AEs. For all anechoic cysts that underwent complete FNA drainage, 3 patients had good prognosis, whereas 1 experienced recurrence. For 16 patients with hypoechoic cysts, adequate tissue was obtained for cytological examination. No patient developed an infection-related complication. Conclusions: For the diagnosis of mediastinal cysts, EUS-FNA was more accurate than CT. The EUS-FNA of mediastinal cysts is safe with an acceptable low rate of AEs when antibiotic prophylaxis is used postoperatively. Cysts containing free-flowing fluid can be achieved with complete needle drainage by a single pass with a 19-gauge needle.

The prognostic benefit from intermediate-dose cytarabine as consolidation therapy varies by cytogenetic subtype in t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Patients with different karyotypes had different prognosis in t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Cytarabine (Ara-C) plays an important role as consolidation therapy in t(8;21) AML. T(8;21) AML patients with different karyotypes responded differently to post-remission therapy with Ara-C. However, the optimum dose of Ara-C in patients with different karyotypes remains unclear. Methods: From January 2002 to September 2018, a total of 188 younger adult (14-60 years) patients with t(8;21) AML were enrolled in this retrospective study. Cytogenetic analysis and aberration descriptions followed the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature. All the patients achieved first complete remission (CR1) after induction chemotherapy. Patients received low-dose Ara-C [LDAC (<1 g/m2)], intermediate-dose Ara-C [IDAC (1-1.5 g/m2)], or high-dose Ara-c [HiDAC (2-3 g/m2)] regimens as consolidation therapy after CR1. All patients were followed for survival or relapse until death, or study completion. We analyzed the prognosis of LDAC, IDAC, and HiDAC regimens as consolidation therapy in patients with different karyotypes. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) and the secondary endpoint was relapse-free survival (RFS). Results: The results showed IDAC significantly improved OS compared with LDAC [hazard rate (HR) =0.55, P=0.0375] when the clinical factors were adjusted. However, no significant difference between HiDAC and IDAC was found. Subgroup analysis further showed that the OS advantage of IDAC was focused on patients with additional cytogenetic abnormalities, including loss of X chromosome (-X), del(9q), or complex karyotype (group B, HR =0.21, P=0.0125), but not on patients with t(8;21)-only or additional loss of Y chromosome (-Y) cytogenetics (group A, HR =0.77, P=0.4804) in multivariate analysis. Similarly, better OS was shown after IDAC than LDAC consolidation in patients in group B, whether they received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) or not, but not in group A. Conclusions: IDAC was suitable for patients with additional -X, del(9q), or complex karyotype, while LDAC might be sufficient for patients with t(8;21)-only or additional -Y cytogenetics. It suggested that t(8;21) AML patients with different karyotypes should use different consolidation regimens.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration for smooth benign appearing malignant esophageal stricture: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Endoscopic biopsy is standard for the diagnosis of esophageal malignancy. However, few cases are difficult to diagnose as they present with smooth esophageal stricture with negative biopsy results. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in the diagnosis of biopsy-negative suspected malignant esophageal strictures. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed cases of esophageal stricture with negative biopsies. From September 2016 to November 2021, 50 patients were enrolled. All the patients accepted the EUS-FNA examination. And histological and cytological specimens were obtained from all patients. Clinical, endoscopic, imaging, cytological, and histopathological results were noted and analyzed. Results: A total of 50 patients (40 male and 10 female) were enrolled in this study. The 19G puncture needle was used in 6 cases and the 22G puncture needle was used in 44 cases; an average of 2.7 needles were used per case. Satisfactory specimens were obtained by EUS-FNA for all subjects. All patients were diagnosed as malignant tumor. The diagnosis was confirmed by EUS-FNA biopsies in 98% of patients. Based on the surgical pathology results, there were 16 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 2 cases of esophageal metastatic carcinoma, 1 case of esophageal sarcoma, 22 cases of lung cancer, 6 cases of mediastinal lymph node metastasis, and 3 cases of mediastinal tumor. No obvious complications were observed. A total of 5 cases were treated with surgery, 28 with chemotherapy, 3 with chemotherapy + surgery, and 12 with radiotherapy; 2 patients ceased treatment. No obvious complications, such as bleeding and mediastinal infection, were observed. Conclusions: EUS-FNA is effective and safe for the diagnosis of malignant esophageal strictures with smooth overlying esophageal mucosa. EUS-FNA is effective and safe for patients with smooth esophagus stenosis for whom satisfactory cytological and histological specimens can be obtained, and the diagnosis can be confirmed by cytological, histological, and immunohistochemical examinations. It can be used as the first choice for diagnosis and treatment.

Composition, bioactive substances, extraction technologies and the influences on characteristics of Camellia oleifera oil: A review.

C. oleifera oil is one of the high-quality edible oils recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Pharmacological studies have shown that C. oleifera oil is the homology of medicine and food, and it possesses extensive beneficial health properties both in vivo and in vitro. C. oleifera oil found its application in the functional food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. In recent years, the need for high-quality and high-quantity production of C. oleifera oil for human consumption has increased. The present review examines the chemical composition of C. oleifera oil, bioactive substances, extraction technologies, and evidence supporting the health benefits of C. oleifera oil. From the reviewed studies, it appears that C. oleifera oil contains a significant proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (>85%) with oleic acid (>75%) as the major compound, and high contents of squalene, tea polyphenols, tocopherol and phytosterol. Some variations in C. oleifera oil composition can be found depending on the kernel's origin and the extraction method used. Emerging technologies such as aqueous extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction are highly efficient processes, and can achieve higher recovery while reducing solvent and energy consumption. This review provides an in-depth discussion on the various extraction technologies and factors affecting the extraction efficiency of C. oleifera oil using traditional and emerging methods. The influences of different extraction methods on the C. oleifera oil characteristics are also introduced. Furthermore, challenges and future prospects of the extraction of C. oleifera oil have been identified and discussed.

Definitive chemoradiotherapy versus neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who achieved clinical complete response when induction chemoradiation finished: A phase II random.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: More than 40% of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) exhibit pathological complete responses (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), and theoretically, these patients may be cured by CRT and omit surgery. This prospectively randomized pilot study compared definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) with nCRT in patients with locally advanced ESCC who achieved clinical complete responses (cCRs) to nCRT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single center, randomized, open phase 2 study of 256 patients with locally advanced ESCC enrolled between April 2016 and November 2018. Immediately when nCRT finished, patients enrolled underwent response evaluations within 1 week. Patients with cCR were randomly allocated to undergo surgery (arm A) or complete CRT up to the definitive radiation dose (arm B). The primary end point was 3-year disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: Finally, 71 patients were randomly assigned to the nCRT (n = 36) and dCRT (n = 35) arms. The median observation time was 35.7 months. The 3-year DFS rate was 56.43 % in arm A versus 54.73 % in arm B (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.862, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.452 to 1.645, P = 0.652). The 3-year overall survival (OS) rates in arms A and B were 69.5 % and 62.3 % (HR = 0.824, 95 % CI = 403-1.688, P = 0.597), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: According to our treatment response evaluation criteria, survival of the patients with cCR after nCRT was not significant different between nCRT group and dCRT group. An optimized response evaluation strategy soon after nCRT may guide next therapy decisions for patients with locally advanced ESCC.

The reference genome of camellia chekiangoleosa provides insights into camellia evolution and tea oil biosynthesis.

Camellia oil extracted from Camellia seeds is rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) and secondary metabolites beneficial to human health. However, no oil-tea tree genome has yet been published, which is a major obstacle to investigating the heredity improvement of oil-tea trees. Here, using both Illumina and PicBio sequencing technologies, we present the first chromosome-level genome sequence of the oil-tea tree species Camellia chekiangoleosa Hu. (CCH). The assembled genome consists of 15 pseudochromosomes with a genome size of 2.73 Gb and a scaffold N50 of 185.30 Mb. At least 2.16 Gb of the genome assembly consists of repetitive sequences, and the rest involves a high-confidence set of 64 608 protein-coding gene models. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the CCH genome underwent a whole-genome duplication (WGD) event shared across the Camellia genus at ~57.48 MYA and a γ-WGT event shared across all core eudicot plants at ~120 MYA. Gene family clustering revealed that the genes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis have undergone rapid expansion. Furthermore, we determined the expression patterns of oleic acid accumulation- and terpenoid biosynthesis-associated genes in six tissues. We found that these genes tend to be highly expressed in leaves, pericarp tissues, roots, and seeds. The first chromosome-level genome of oil-tea trees will provide valuable resources for determining Camellia evolution and utilizing the germplasm of this taxon.

Enhancement of growth, antioxidative status, nonspecific immunity, and disease resistance in gibel carp (Carassius auratus) in response to dietary Flos populi extract.

This study investigated the effects of dietary Flos populi extract (FPE) on the growth, antioxidation capability, innate immune response, and disease resistance in gibel carp. A total of 480 fish were fed with five different diets containing 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 g kg-1 FPE (designated as control, D0.5, D1.0, D1.5, or D2.0 groups) for 45 days. The fish were challenged with A. hydrophila after the feeding trial. Compared with the control, the feed efficiency (FE), weight gain (WG), final body weight (FBW), and specific growth rate (SGR) were significantly improved in groups D1.0 and D1.5. Dietary FPE significantly increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as glutathione (GSH) content. The contents of protein carbonyl (PCC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum decreased significantly. Additionally, FPE supplementation in diets resulted in significant improvement in serum lysozyme (LZM) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities, as well as immunoglobulin M (IgM) and complement 3 (C3) concentrations. The hepatic antioxidant enzymes (CAT and SOD) activities increased, whereas content of MDA decreased in fish treated with dietary FPE than those of control both pre- and post-challenged. After 12 h-challenge, an obvious downregulation of hepatic Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), splenic tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1ß, and toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) mRNA levels was observed in fish treated with dietary FPE, whereas hepatic Nrf2 transcription level was upregulated compared to the control. Furthermore, compared to group D0.5, higher relative percent survival (RPS) was observed in gibel carp fed dietary 1.0-2.0 g/kg FPE. Our results reveal that FPE supplemented diet has a stimulatory effect on antioxidant capacity and nonspecific immune response, along with improved growth performance and enhanced resistance against A. hydrophila infection in juvenile gibel carp.

Time-spatial analysis of T cell receptor repertoire in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with combined radiotherapy and PD-1 blockade.

T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire as a biomarker for predicting immunotherapy efficiency has been widely studied. However, its dynamics during radiotherapy combined with PD-1 blockade is little known. Using paired tumor and blood samples from the phase Ib clinical study (NCT03222440), we investigate the time-spatial TCR repertoire in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients treated with first-line definitive radiotherapy concurrently with anti-PD-1 antibody camrelizumab, and also evaluate the association between TCR repertoire and clinical outcomes. TCR sequencing was performed on tumor biopsies (n = 34, 15 pairs) and peripheral CD8+ T cells (n = 36, 18 pairs) collected at baseline and during treatment (after 40 Gy radiation and 2 rounds of camrelizumab). Whole exome sequencing was applied to estimate genomic mutations and tumor mutation burden. We show that the intratumoral TCR repertoire at baseline was correlated with tumor microenvironment and presented heterogeneity inter-individually. T-cell clones inflowed mutually between tumors and peripheral blood under combination treatment, resulting in an elevation of intratumoral TCR diversity. The peripheral CD8+ TCR diversity at baseline, increased tumor-peripheral Morisita-Horn overlap during treatment, and expansion of persistent intratumoral T-cell clones during treatment predicted improved survival. While it is unclear whether radiation contributed to the TCR changes versus PD-1 therapy alone, our results firstly reveal radiotherapy combined with PD-1 blockade greatly promoted time-spatial alteration of TCR repertoire between tumor and peripheral blood, which demonstrate the peripheral CD8+ TCR diversity at baseline and dynamic alteration of intratumoral TCRs acted as potential effective biomarkers of radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy in ESCC.