Impact of Body Composition on Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Receiving Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy Plus Chemotherapy.

AIM: Some studies have reported that body composition profiles affect clinical outcomes of multidisciplinary treatments in several types of cancers; however, a paucity of data exists on the association in neoadjuvant immunotherapy. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of body composition on the clinical outcomes of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy (nICT). METHODS: Clinicopathological data and computed tomography (CT) images of 85 patients with locally advanced ESCC who underwent esophagectomy after nICT were collected. At diagnosis and before surgery, the CT scan of the third lumbar vertebra was chosen to evaluate the skeletal muscle index (SMI), skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD), the subcutaneous and the visceral adiposity index. The relationships between body composition and tumor response after nICT and postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS: The clinical stage (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.345, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.141-0.844, p = 0.020) and change in SMI (∆SMI, OR 1.394, 95% CI 1.061-1.832, p = 0.017) were associated with tumor remission after nICT. Moreover, the multivariate logistic analysis revealed that ∆SMI (OR 0.598, 95% CI 0.433-0.828, p = 0.002) was associated with the incidence of postoperative complications. Patients with ∆SMI <-1 had a higher rate of postoperative complications (56% vs 15%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: For ESCC, ∆SMI is associated with the pathological response after nICT and postoperative complications. Further analysis is needed to clarify whether nutritional intervention during neoadjuvant therapy increases SMI and thus improves clinical outcomes.

Angiogenesis in heterotopic ossification: From mechanisms to clinical significance.

Heterotopic ossification (HO) refers to the formation of pathologic bone in nonskeletal tissues (including muscles, tendons or other soft tissues). HO typically occurs after a severe injury and can occur in any part of the body. HO lesions are highly vascularized. Angiogenesis, which is the formation of new blood vessels, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of HO. Surgical resection is considered an effective treatment for HO. However, it is difficult to completely remove new vessels, which can lead to the recurrence of HO and is often accompanied by significant problems such as intraoperative hemorrhage, demonstrating the important role of angiogenesis in HO. Here, we broadly summarize the current understanding of how angiogenesis contributes to HO; in particular, we focus on new insights into the cellular and signaling mechanisms underlying HO angiogenesis. We also review the development and current challenges associated with antiangiogenic therapy for HO.

Regulation of TMEM100 expression by epigenetic modification, effects on proliferation and invasion of esophageal squamous carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent malignancy with a high morbidity and mortality rate. TMEM100 has been shown to be suppressor gene in a variety of tumors, but there are no reports on the role of TMEM100 in esophageal cancer (EC). AIM: To investigate epigenetic regulation of TMEM100 expression in ESCC and the effect of TMEM100 on ESCC proliferation and invasion. METHODS: Firstly, we found the expression of TMEM100 in EC through The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The correlation between TMEM100 gene expression and the survival of patients with EC was further confirmed through Kaplan-Meier analysis. We then added the demethylating agent 5-AZA to ESCC cell lines to explore the regulation of TMEM100 expression by epigenetic modification. To observe the effect of TMEM100 expression on tumor proliferation and invasion by overexpressing TMEM100. Finally, we performed gene set enrichment analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes Orthology-Based Annotation System database to look for pathways that might be affected by TMEM100 and verified the effect of TMEM100 expression on the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway. RESULTS: In the present study, by bioinformatic analysis we found that TMEM100 was lowly expressed in EC patients compared to normal subjects. Kaplan-meier survival analysis showed that low expression of TMEM100 was associated with poor prognosis in patients with EC. Then, we found that the demethylating agent 5-AZA resulted in increased expression of TMEM100 in ESCC cells [quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting]. Subsequently, we confirmed that overexpression of TMEM100 leads to its increased expression in ESCC cells (qRT-PCR and western blotting). Overexpression of TMEM100 also inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration of ESCC cells (cell counting kit-8 and clone formation assays). Next, by enrichment analysis, we found that the gene set was significantly enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway. The involvement of TMEM100 in the regulation of MAPK signaling pathway in ESCC cell was subsequently verified by western blotting. CONCLUSION: TMEM100 is a suppressor gene in ESCC, and its low expression may lead to aberrant activation of the MAPK pathway. Promoter methylation may play a key role in regulating TMEM100 expression.

Naoxueshu Oral Liquid Accelerates Post-Craniotomy Hematoma Absorption in Patients: An Open-Label, Multicenter, and Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Naoxueshu Oral Liquid (NXS) could promote hematoma absorption in post-craniotomy hematoma (PCH) patients. METHODS: This is an open-label, multicenter, and randomized controlled trial conducted at 9 hospitals in China. Patients aged 18-80 years with post-craniotomy supratentorial hematoma volume ranging from 10 to 30 mL or post-craniotomy infratentorial hematoma volume less than 10 mL, or intraventricular hemorrhage following cranial surgery were enrolled. They were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to the NXS (10 mL thrice daily for 15 days) or control groups using a randomization code table. Standard medical care was administered in both groups. The primary outcome was the percentage reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 15. The secondary outcomes included the percentage reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 7, the absolute reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 7 and 15, and the change in neurological function from day 1 to day 7 and 15. The safety was closely monitored throughout the study. Moreover, subgroup analysis was performed based on age, gender, history of diabetes, and etiology of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). RESULTS: A total of 120 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned between March 30, 2018 and April 15, 2020. One patient was lost to follow-up in the control group. Finally, there were 119 patients (60 in the NXS group and 59 in the control group) included in the analysis. In the full analysis set (FAS) analysis, the NXS group had a greater percentage reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 15 than the control group [median (Q1, Q3): 85% (71%, 97%) vs. 76% (53%, 93%), P<0.05]. The secondary outcomes showed no statistical significance between two groups, either in FAS or per-protocol set (P>0.05). Furthermore, no adverse events were reported during the study. In the FAS analysis, the NXS group exhibited a higher percentage reduction in hematoma volume on day 15 in the following subgroups: male patients, patients younger than 65 years, patients without diabetes, or those with initial cranial surgery due to ICH (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The administration of NXS demonstrated the potential to promote the percentage reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 15. This intervention was found to be safe and feasible. The response to NXS may be influenced by patient characteristics. (Registration No. ChiCTR1800017981).

Multimodal image fusion-assisted endoscopic evacuation of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: Although traditional craniotomy (TC) surgery has failed to show benefits for the functional outcome of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, a minimally invasive hematoma removal plan to avoid white matter fiber damage may be a safer and more feasible surgical approach, which may improve the prognosis of ICH. We conducted a historical cohort study on the use of multimodal image fusion-assisted neuroendoscopic surgery (MINS) for the treatment of ICH, and compared its safety and effectiveness with traditional methods. METHODS: This is a historical cohort study involving 241 patients with cerebral hemorrhage. Divided into MINS group and TC group based on surgical methods. Multimodal images (CT skull, CT angiography, and white matter fiber of MRI diffusion-tensor imaging) were fused into 3 dimensional images for preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance of endoscopic hematoma removal in the MINS group. Clinical features, operative efficiency, perioperative complications, and prognoses between 2 groups were compared. Normally distributed data were analyzed using t-test of 2 independent samples, Non-normally distributed data were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Meanwhile categorical data were analyzed via the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. All statistical tests were two-sided, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients with ICH were enrolled, who underwent TC surgery or MINS. Patients who underwent MINS had shorter operative time (p < 0.001), less blood loss (p < 0.001), better hematoma evacuation (p = 0.003), and a shorter stay in the intensive care unit (p = 0.002) than patients who underwent TC. Based on clinical characteristics and analysis of perioperative complications, there is no significant difference between the 2 surgical methods. Modified Rankin scale scores at 180 days were better in the MINS than in the TC group (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with TC for the treatment of ICH, MINS is safer and more efficient in cleaning ICH, which improved the prognosis of the patients. In the future, a larger sample size clinical trial will be needed to evaluate its efficacy.

Integrated analysis of transcriptomic and protein-protein interaction data reveals cadmium stress response in Geobacter sulfurreducens.

Bacteria have evolved several mechanisms to resist Cd toxicity, which are crucial for Cd detoxication and have the potential to be used for bioremediation of Cd. Geobacter species are widely found in anaerobic environments and play important roles in natural biogeochemical cycles. However, the transcriptomic response of Geobacter sulfurreducens under Cd stress have not been fully elucidated. Through integrated analysis of transcriptomic and protein-protein interaction (PPI) data, we uncovered a global view of mRNA changes in Cd-induced cellular processes in this study. We identified 182 differentially expressed genes (|log2(fold change)| > 1, adjusted P < 0.05) in G. sulfurreducens exposed to 0.1 mM CdCl2 using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses showed that CdCl2 significantly affected sulfur compound metabolic processes. In addition, through PPI network analysis, hub genes related to molecular chaperones were identified to play important role in Cd stress response. We also identified a Cd-responsive transcriptional regulator ArsR2 (coded by GSU2149) and verified the function of ArsR2-ParsR2 regulatory circuit in Escherichia coli. This study provides new insight into Cd stress response in G. sulfurreducens, and identified a potential sensor element for Cd detection.

Does Early Endoscopy Affect the Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Acute Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background/Aims: In patients with acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (ANVUGIB), the optimal timing of endoscopy is still a matter of dispute. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the clinical benefit of early endoscopy. Methods: A literature search of the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases was conducted to identify publications from inception to March 1, 2022. Eligible studies included observational cohort studies and randomized controlled trials that reported clinical outcomes of endoscopy in patients with ANVUGIB. ANVUGIB patients who underwent endoscopy within 24 hours of admission were considered to have had an early endoscopy. The primary outcome was the mortality rate in ANVUGIB patients who had early or nonearly endoscopy. Results: The final analysis included five randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and 20 observational studies from the 1,206 identified articles. The mortality rate was not significantly reduced among patients who received endoscopy performed within 24 hours, whether in cohort studies nor in RCTs. For subgroup analysis, a higher mortality rate was found only among patients who received very early endoscopy within 12 hours (odds ratio, 1.66; p<0.001, I2=0) in cohort studies. No significant difference in mortality rates was found among patients at high risk of bleeding who received early versus nonearly endoscopy. Conclusions: Early endoscopy within 24 hours does not appear to significantly reduce the mortality rates of patients with ANVUGIB. Further well-designed studies are warranted to address if very early endoscopy within 12 hours can provide a clinical benefit for patients at high risk of bleeding.

Epidemic, risk factors of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infection and its effect on the early prognosis of liver transplantation.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) infection remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in early-stage post-liver transplantation (LT). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the demographic and clinical infections characteristics of all LT recipients in our hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Results: Among the 272 LT recipients who received LT between January 2019 and December 2021, sixty-two patients had at least one infection within 3-months post-LT, with a prevalence of 22.8% (62/272). The prevalence of CRKP infections was 7.0% (19/272), and the 3-months post-LT mortality was 19.4% (12/62). The risk factors independently related to 3-months mortality were age (Odds ratio (OR)= 1.126, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 1.009~1.257; P=0.034), mechanical ventilation (MV) (OR=1.206, 95% CI: 1.039~1.401; P =0.014), and CRKP infection (OR=18.240, 95% CI: 2.206~150.842; P =0.007). In CRKP infection, the length of ICU stay (OR=1.067, 95% CI: 1.015~1.122; P=0.011), pre-operation infection (POI) (OR=6.733, 95% CI: 1.160~39.088; P=0.034), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (OR=26.772, 95% CI: 1.747~410.187; P=0.018) were the independent risk factors. With COX multivariate regression analysis, the 3-months survival rate of CRKP infected patients was significantly lower than that without CRKP infection post-LT. Conclusions: CRKP infection is closely correlated with poor prognosis in 3-months post-LT.

When should endovascular gastrointestinal anastomosis transection Glissonean pedicle not be used in hepatectomy? A case report.

BACKGROUND: The literature on post-hepatectomy bile duct injury (PHBDI) is limited, lacking large sample retrospective studies and high-quality experience summaries. Therefore, we reported a special case of iatrogenic bile duct injury caused by Glissonean pedicle transection with endovascular gastrointestinal anastomosis (endo-GIA) during a right hepatectomy, analyzed the causes of this injury, and summarized the experience with this patient. CASE SUMMARY: We present the case of a 66-year-old woman with recurrent abdominal pain and cholangitis due to intrahepatic cholangiectasis (Caroli's disease). Preoperative evaluation revealed that the lesion and dilated bile ducts were confined to the right liver, with right hepatic atrophy, left hepatic hypertrophy, and hilar translocation. This problem can be resolved by performing a standard right hepatectomy. Although the operation went well, jaundice occurred soon after the operation. Iatrogenic bile duct injury was considered after magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography review, and the second operation were performed 10 d later. During the second operation, it was found that the endo-GIA had damaged the lateral wall of the hepatic duct and multiple titanium nails remained in the bile duct wall. This led to severe stenosis of the duct wall, and could not be repaired. Therefore, the injured bile duct was transected, and a hepatic-jejunal-lateral Roux-Y anastomosis was performed at the healthy part of the left hepatic duct. After this surgery, the patient had a smooth postoperative recovery, and the total bilirubin gradually decreased to normal. The patient was discharged 41 d after operation. No anastomotic stenosis was found at the 6 mo of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Not all cases are suitable for endo-GIA transection of Glissonean pedicle, especially in cases of intrahepatic bile duct lesions. PHBDI caused by endo-GIA is very difficult to repair due to extensive ischemia, which requires special attention.

Efficient phosphorus recovery as struvite by microbial electrolysis cell with stainless steel cathode: Struvite purity and experimental factors.

Phosphorus (P) recovery from waste streams is an essential choice due to the coming global P crisis. One promising solution is to recover P by microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). Both the P recovery effectiveness and product quality are of critical importance for application. In this study, a two-chamber MEC was constructed and the effects of applied voltage, NaAc concentration, Mg/P molar ratio, N/P molar ratio, and initial P concentration on P recovery and product purity were explored. The maximum P recovery efficiency of 99.64 % and crystal accumulation rate over 106.49 g/m3-d were achieved. Struvite (MAP) was confirmed as the final recovered product and the purity obtained could reach up to 99.95 %. Besides, higher applied voltage, N/P molar ratio and initial P concentration could promote P recovery efficiency, while the purity of MAP showed correlation with applied voltage, Mg/P molar ratio, N/P molar ratio and initial P concentration. The correlation between NaAc concentration and both of the above was not very significant. A lower energy consumption of 4.1 kWh/kg P was observed at the maximum P recovery efficiency. In addition, the efficiency of P recovery from real wastewater also could reach nearly 88.25 %. These results highlight the promising potential of efficient phosphorus recovery from P-rich wastewater by MEC.

Enhancing nitrate removal efficiency of micro-sized zero-valent iron by chitosan gel balls encapsulating.

The activity of micro-sized zero-valent iron (MZVI) material for nitrate removal in neutral pH and low C/N ratios water needs to be improved. In this study, micro-sized zero-valent iron@chitosan (MZVI@CS) material was synthesized through embedding MZVI particles into chitosan (CS) gel by sol-gel method, and was used for deep removal of NO3--N in the absence of organic carbon sources and neutral pH. The NO3--N removal rate of MZVI@CS was 0.37 mg-N·L-1·d-1 (dosage of 1%, initial pH = 7, 25 °C, initial nitrate concentration = 15 mg-N·L-1), which was 11.33 times higher than that of MZVI. The apparent activation energy (Ea) of MZVI@CS with nitrate was 38.23 kJ·mol-1. MZVI@CS can remove nitrate effectively at a low concentration (15 mg-N·L-1). A stable denitration rate (0.37-2.28 mg-N·L-1·d-1) could be maintained under weak acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions (pH = 5-9). More than 80% of reduced nitrate was converted to N2, and only a small amount was converted to NH4+ or NO2-. The gel structure of MZVI@CS eliminated the agglomeration between MZVI particles while the forming of Fe-CS chelates reduced the formation of iron oxide and solved the problems of passivation, hence successfully strengthened the NO3--N removal efficiency of MZVI. Therefore MZVI@CS has great application potential in NO3--N deep removal of water bodies with neutral pH and low C/N ratios.

Celeribacter litoreus sp. nov., isolated from intertidal sediment.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-flagellated and rod-shaped bacterium, strain ASW11-22T, was isolated from an intertidal sediment collected from a coastal area of Qingdao, PR China. The strain grew at 15-40 °C (optimum, 37 °C), at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with 0.5-10 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1.0 %). It hydrolysed gelatin and aesculin but did not reduce nitrate to nitrite. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain ASW11-22T belonged to the genus Celeribacter, showing the highest sequence similarity to the type strains of Celeribacter halophilus MCCC 1A06432T (98.20 %) and Celeribacter ethanolicus NH195T (97.84 %). The genomic DNA G+C content was 59.1 mol%. The major cellular fatty acid (>10 %) of the strain was summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c) and its main polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol and one unidentified aminolipid. The sole respiratory quinone of strain ASW11-22T was ubiquinone-10. On the basis of the polyphasic evidence presented in this paper, strain ASW11-22T represents a novel Celeribacter species, for which the name Celeribacter litoreus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ASW11-22T (=KCTC 82495T=MCCC 1K05584T).

State-of-the-Art: Exosomes in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high prevalence and mortality rate globally. To date, the progression mechanisms of CRC are still elusive. Exosomes (~100 nm in diameter) correspond to a subset of extracellular vesicles formed by an array of cancerous cells and stromal cells. These particular nanovesicles carry and transmit bioactive molecules, like proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, which mediate the crosstalk between cancer cells and the microenvironment. Accumulating evidence has shown the decisive functions of exosomes in the development, metastasis, and therapy resistance of CRC. Furthermore, some recent studies have also revealed the abilities of exosomes to function as either biomarkers or therapeutic targets for CRC. This review focuses on the specific mechanisms of exosomes in regulating CRC progression and summarizes the potential clinical applications of exosomes in the diagnosis and therapy of CRC.

Two cases of bronchial anthracofibrosis combined with tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Bronchial anthracofibrosis is a common disease that has been reported in the past. We aim to summarize the clinical characteristics of bronchial anthracofibrosis combined with tuberculosis infection to reduce missed diagnosis. METHODS: The clinical features of two cases of bronchial anthracofibrosis combined with tuberculosis were analyzed retrospectively, and relevant studies were reviewed. RESULTS: The two patients were both elderly individuals who presented with chronic cough and expectoration. Pigmentation in the bronchus mucosa and stenosis of lumen were observed during bronchoscopy. Tuberculosis infection was confirmed by biopsy. The symptoms were remarkably relieved and no recurrence was found after anti-tuberculosis treatment. CONCLUSION: Bronchial anthracofibrosis may be combined with tuberculosis. To avoid misdiagnosis, we should be aware of possible tuberculosis infection when patients are diagnosed with bronchial anthracofibrosis.

CircRNA_0084927 promotes colorectal cancer progression by regulating miRNA-20b-3p/glutathione S-transferase mu 5 axis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The 5-year survival rate of patients with early-stage CRC could reach 90%, but it is very low in patients with advanced-stage CRC. Recent studies have shown that circular RNAs play important roles in regulating the migration and invasion of CRC cells. AIM: To elucidate the role of circRNA_0084927 (circ_0084927) in the migration and invasion of CRC cells and its underlying mechanism. METHODS: Clinical tissue samples and cells were collected, and the expression of circ_0084927 was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The diagnostic performance of circ_0084927 was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The role of circ_0084927 in CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was determined using cell counting kit-8 assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay, respectively. The regulatory relationship among circ_0084927, miRNA-20b-3p (miR-20b-3p), and glutathione S-transferase mu 5 (GSTM5) was identified using databases, luciferase reporter assay, qPCR, and Western blot analysis. AKT-mTOR signaling was also verified after circ_0084927 knockdown or miR-20b-3p mimic treatment. RESULTS: The expression of circ_0084927 was significantly increased in CRC tissues and cells, and it was higher in advanced-stage CRC compared with early-stage CRC. The area under the curve (AUC) of circ_0084927 was 0.806 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.683-0.896]. In addition, the AUC was 0.874 (95%CI: 0.738-0.956) in patients with advanced-stage CRC and 0.713 (95%CI: 0.555-0.840) in those with early-stage CRC. Knockdown of circ_0084927 inhibited the migration and invasion of HCT116 cells. Moreover, circ_0084927 was found to act as a sponge of miR-20b-3p. MiR-20b-3p activation reduced the circ_0084927 level, whereas miR-20b-3p inhibition increased the circ_0084927 level. But the effect was not found after circ_0084927 mutation. In addition, miR-20b-3p expression in CRC patients was also reduced and negatively correlated with circ_0084927 expression. The function of circ_0084927 in HCT116 cells with circ_0084927 knockdown was rescued by miR-20b-3p. Moreover, GSTM5 expression was significantly decreased after overexpressing miR-20b-3p or inhibiting circ_0084927, but its expression was rescued when circ_0084927 and miR-20b-3p were both inhibited. Finally, AKT-mTOR signaling was markedly regulated by circ_0084927 and miR-20b-3p. CONCLUSION: The expression of circ_0084927 is significantly increased in CRC and higher in advanced-stage CRC than in early-stage CRC. Moreover, circ_0084927 potentially regulates CRC cell migration and invasion via the miR-20b-3p/GSTM5/ AKT/mTOR pathway.

Rare isolated extra-hepatic bile duct injury: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Extra-hepatic bile duct injury (EHBDI) is very rare among all blunt abdominal injuries. According to literature statistics, it only accounts for 3%-5% of abdominal injuries, most of which are combined injuries. Isolated EHBDI is more rare, with a special injury mechanism, clinical presentation and treatment strategy, so missed diagnosis easily occurs. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of unexplained abdominal effusion and jaundice following blunt abdominal trauma in our department. Of which, surgical exploration of the case was performed and a large amount of bile leakage in the abdominal cavity was found. No obvious abdominal organ damage or bile duct rupture was found. Surgery was terminated after the common bile duct indwelled with a T tube. After 2 wk, a T-tube angiography revealed the lesion in the common bile duct pancreatic segment, confirming isolated EHBDI. And 2 mo later, the T tube was pulled out with re-examined magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, indicating narrowing of the common bile duct injury, with no special treatment due to no clinical symptoms and no abnormality in the current follow-up. CONCLUSION: This case was featured by intraoperative bile leakage and no EHBDI. This type of rare isolated EHBDI is prone to missed and delayed diagnosis due to its atypical clinical manifestations and imaging features. Surgery is still the main treatment, and the indications and principles of bile duct injury repair must be followed.

Enhanced delivery of peptide-morpholino oligonucleotides with a small molecule to correct splicing defects in the lung.

Pulmonary diseases offer many targets for oligonucleotide therapeutics. However, effective delivery of oligonucleotides to the lung is challenging. For example, splicing mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) affect a significant cohort of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients. These individuals could potentially benefit from treatment with splice switching oligonucleotides (SSOs) that can modulate splicing of CFTR and restore its activity. However, previous studies in cell culture used oligonucleotide transfection methods that cannot be safely translated in vivo. In this report, we demonstrate effective correction of a splicing mutation in the lung of a mouse model using SSOs. Moreover, we also demonstrate effective correction of a CFTR splicing mutation in a pre-clinical CF patient-derived cell model. We utilized a highly effective delivery strategy for oligonucleotides by combining peptide-morpholino (PPMO) SSOs with small molecules termed OECs. PPMOs distribute broadly into the lung and other tissues while OECs potentiate the effects of oligonucleotides by releasing them from endosomal entrapment. The combined PPMO plus OEC approach proved to be effective both in CF patient cells and in vivo in the mouse lung and thus may offer a path to the development of novel therapeutics for splicing mutations in CF and other lung diseases.

Marinifaba aquimaris gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel chitin-degrading gammaproteobacterium in the family Alteromonadaceae isolated from seawater of the Mariana Trench.

A novel Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic, oxidase-positive and catalase-negative bacterium, designated strain SM1970T, was isolated from a seawater sample collected from the Mariana Trench. Strain SM1970T grew at 15-37 oC and with 1-5% (w/v) NaCl. It hydrolyzed colloidal chitin, agar and casein but did not reduce nitrate to nitrite. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SM1970T formed a distinct lineage close to the genus Catenovulum within the family Alteromonadaceae, sharing the highest sequence similarity (93.6%) with type strain of Catenovulum maritimum but < 93.0% sequence similarity with those of other known species in the class Gammaproteobacteria. The major fatty acids of strain SM1970T were summed feature 3 (C16: 1 ω7c and/or C16: 1 ω6c), C16: 0 and summed feature 8 (C18: 1 ω7c and/or C18: 1 ω6c). The major polar lipids of the strain included phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol and its main respiratory quinone was ubiquinone 8. The draft genome of strain SM1970T consisted of 77 scaffolds and was 4,172,146 bp in length, containing a complete set of genes for chitin degradation. The average amino acid identity (AAI) values between SM1970T and type strains of known Catenovulum species were 56.6-57.1% while the percentage of conserved proteins (POCP) values between them were 28.5-31.5%. The genomic DNA G + C content of strain SM1970T was 40.1 mol%. On the basis of the polyphasic analysis, strain SM1970T is considered to represent a novel species in a novel genus of the family Alteromonadaceae, for which the name Marinifaba aquimaris is proposed with the type strain being SM1970T (= MCCC 1K04323T = KCTC 72844T).

Iron Transformation and Its Role in Phosphorus Immobilization in a UCT-MBR with Vivianite Formation Enhancement.

The formation of vivianite (Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O) in iron (Fe)-dosed wastewater treatment facilities has the potential to develop into an economically feasible method of phosphorus (P) recovery. In this work, a long-term steady FeIII-dosed University of Cape Town process-membrane bioreactor (UCT-MBR) system was investigated to evaluate the role of Fe transformations in immobilizing P via vivianite crystallization. The highest fraction of FeII, to total Fe (Fetot), was observed in the anaerobic chamber, revealing that a redox condition suitable for FeIII reduction was established by improving operational and configurational conditions. The supersaturation index for vivianite in the anaerobic chamber varied but averaged ∼4, which is within the metastable zone and appropriate for its crystallization. Vivianite accounted for over 50% of the Fetot in the anaerobic chamber, and its oxidation as it passed through the aerobic chambers was slow, even in the presence of high dissolved oxygen concentrations at circumneutral pH. This study has shown that the high stability and growth of vivianite crystals in oxygenated activated sludge can allow for the subsequent separation of vivianite as a P recovery product.

Magnetite enhances anaerobic digestion of high salinity organic wastewater.

Biological treatment of high salinity organic wastewater is a significant challenge because many microorganisms involved in the anaerobic digestion process cannot survive high osmotic pressures. In order to alleviate some of the stresses associated with the treatment of high salinity wastewater, two lab-scale up-flow anaerobic sludge bed reactors with or without magnetite (100 g/L) were used to treat high salinity organic wastewater. This study showed that the bioreactor amended with magnetite had higher chemical oxygen demand removal efficiencies (90.2% ± 0.54% vs 73.1% ± 1.9%) and methane production rates (4082 ± 334 ml (standard temperature and atmospheric pressure, STP)/d vs 2640 ± 120 ml (STP)/d) than the non-amended control reactor. In addition, the consumption of volatile fatty acids (20.9 ± 3.4 mM vs 61.7 ± 2.0 mM) was accelerated. Microbial community analysis revealed that the addition of magnetite caused the enrichment of many bacterial genera known to form robust biofilms (i.e. Pseudomonas) that are also capable of extracellular electron transfer and methanogens from the genus Methanosarcina which have been shown to participate in direct interspecies electron transfer. These results show that magnetite addition could enhance the performance of anaerobic digesters treating high salinity wastewater.