The fusiform skin paddle in fibula free flap: a fusiform-designed skin paddle for maxillofacial soft defect reconstruction and reducing leg wound tension.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of leg wound closure and reconstruction of maxillofacial soft defect by a fusiform-designed skin paddle in fibula free flap (FFF). Methods: Fifty patients who underwent FFF for reconstruction of maxillofacial soft defect were divided into two groups. The fusiform group (20 patients) was treated using a fusiform-designed skin paddle in FFF (skin paddle width less than 2 cm), and leg wound was closed using primary suturing. Reconstruction of the maxillofacial soft defect or filling of dead space was achieved by folding the fusiform skin paddle. The conventional group (30 patients) was treated using the conventional-designed skin paddle (skin paddle width no less than 2.5 cm). The leg wound was closed using mattress suturing or skin graft, while reconstruction of the maxillofacial soft defect or filling of dead space by conventional way. The average postoperative length of hospital stay, healing time of leg wound, and post-surgical complications were recorded at least 6 months after the surgery. Results: Compared with traditional method, the fusiform-designed skin paddle reduced the average healing time of the leg wound (fusiform group: 11.05 days, conventional group: 14.77 days, P < 0.05). The average length-to-width ratio in fusiform group was significantly greater than that of in conventional group (fusiform group: 5.85, conventional group: 2.93, P < 0.05), and no difference was observed on the graft size of skin paddle between two groups (fusiform group: 23.13, conventional group: 27.13, P > 0.05). The post-surgical early complications of the leg wound in the conventional group were higher than that of in the fusiform group (fusiform group: 0%, conventional group: 6.67%), while the post-surgical late complication of the donor site between the two groups showed no case. Healing disorders of maxillofacial soft reconstruction in the conventional group were higher than that of in the fusiform group (fusiform group: 5.26%, conventional group: 20.69%). Conclusions: Fusiform-designed skin paddle for closure of the leg wound and maxillofacial soft defect is a feasible alternative to the conventional- designed skin paddle. The fusiform- designed skin paddle resulted in the less postoperative length of hospital stay, shorter healing time of leg wound and less complication.

Pristimerin exhibits anti-cancer activity by inducing ER stress and AKT/GSK3ß pathway through increasing intracellular ROS production in human esophageal cancer cells.

Pristimerin (Pris), a bioactive triterpenoid compound extracted from the Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae families, has been reported to exhibit an anti-cancer property on various cancers. However, the effects of Pris on esophageal cancer are poorly investigated. This current study sought to explore the activity and underlying mechanism of Pris against human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells. We demonstrated that Pris showed cytotoxicity in TE-1 and TE-10 ESCC cell lines, and significantly inhibited cell viability in a concentration dependent manner. Pris induced G0/G1 phase arrest and triggered apoptosis. It was also observed that the intracellular ROS level was remarkedly increased by Pris treatment. Besides, the function of Pris mediating the activation of ER stress and the inhibition of AKT/GSK3ß signaling pathway in TE-1 and TE-10 cells was further confirmed, which resulted in cell growth inhibition. And moreover, we revealed that all of the above pathways were regulated through ROS generation. In conclusion, our findings suggested that Pris might be considered as a novel natural compound for the developing anti-cancer drug candidate for human esophageal cancer.

Effects of Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide on ß-cell Function, Insulin Sensitivity, and Glucose Control During a Meal Test.

CONTEXT: In a clinical study, tirzepatide, a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide/glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GIP/GLP-1RA), provided superior glycemic control vs the GLP-1RA semaglutide. The physiologic mechanisms are incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate treatment effects by model-based analyses of mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT) data. DESIGN: A 28-week double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Two clinical research centers in Germany. PATIENTS: Patients with type 2 diabetes treated with metformin. INTERVENTIONS: Tirzepatide 15 mg, semaglutide 1 mg, placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Glycemic control, model-derived ß-cell function indices including insulin secretion rate (ISR) at 7.2-mmol/L glucose (ISR7.2), ß-cell glucose (ß-CG) sensitivity, insulin sensitivity, and estimated hepatic insulin-to-glucagon ratio. RESULTS: Tirzepatide significantly reduced fasting glucose and MMTT total glucose area under the curve (AUC) vs semaglutide (P < 0.01). Incremental glucose AUC did not differ significantly between treatments; therefore, greater total glucose AUC reduction with tirzepatide was mainly attributable to greater suppression of fasting glucose. A greater reduction in total ISR AUC was achieved with tirzepatide vs semaglutide (P < 0.01), in the context of greater improvement in insulin sensitivity with tirzepatide (P < 0.01). ISR7.2 was significantly increased with tirzepatide vs semaglutide (P < 0.05), showing improved ß-CG responsiveness. MMTT-derived ß-CG sensitivity was increased but not significantly different between treatments. Both treatments reduced fasting glucagon and total glucagon AUC, with glucagon AUC significantly reduced with tirzepatide vs semaglutide (P < 0.01). The estimated hepatic insulin-to-glucagon ratio did not change substantially with either treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the greater glycemic control observed for tirzepatide manifests as improved fasting glucose and glucose excursion control, due to improvements in ISR, insulin sensitivity, and glucagon suppression.

Comparing surgical site wound infection after laparoscopic and open radical cystectomies in patients with bladder cancer.

This study comprehensively compared the effects of laparoscopic and open radical cystectomies on postoperative wound infections and complications in patients with bladder cancer. We conducted a systematic search for relevant studies in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases, from database inception to October 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the quality based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data analysis was performed using Stata 17.0 software. Overall, 16 studies involving 1427 patients with bladder cancer were included. The analysis revealed that, compared with open radical cystectomy, laparoscopic radical cystectomy significantly reduced the incidence of wound infections (odds ratio [OR] = 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23-0.64, p < 0.001) and complications (OR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.26-0.47, p < 0.001) and significantly shortened the hospital stay duration (standardised mean difference [SMD] = -1.85, 95%CI: -2.34 to -1.36, p < 0.001). Thus, this study determined that laparoscopic radical cystectomy for the treatment of bladder cancer effectively reduced the occurrence of wound infections and complications, and significantly shortened the patient's hospital stay, demonstrating notable therapeutic effectiveness worthy of clinical application.

Arterial chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in China: consensus recommendations.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) treatment is widely accepted as one of the alternative therapeutic modalities for HCC owing to its local control effect and low systemic toxicity. Nevertheless, although accumulating high-quality evidence has displayed the superior survival advantages of HAIC of oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin (HAIC-FOLFOX) compared with standard first-line treatment in different scenarios, the lack of standardization for HAIC procedure and remained controversy limited the proper and safe performance of HAIC treatment in HCC. Therefore, an expert consensus conference was held on March 2023 in Guangzhou, China to review current practices regarding HAIC treatment in patients with HCC and develop widely accepted statements and recommendations. In this article, the latest evidence of HAIC was systematically summarized and the final 22 expert recommendations were proposed, which incorporate the assessment of candidates for HAIC treatment, procedural technique details, therapeutic outcomes, the HAIC-related complications and corresponding treatments, and therapeutic scheme management.

Multidisciplinary Taiwan consensus for the use of conventional TACE in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Developed in early 1980s, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with Lipiodol was adopted globally after large-scale randomized control trials and meta-analyses proving its effectiveness were completed. Also known as "conventional TACE" (cTACE), TACE is currently the first-line treatment for patients with unresectable intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and delivers both ischemic and cytotoxic effects to targeted tumors. Although new technology and clinical studies have contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of when and how to apply this widely-adopted therapeutic modality, some of these new findings and techniques have yet to be incorporated into a guideline appropriate for Taiwan. In addition, differences in the underlying liver pathologies and treatment practices for transcatheter embolization between Taiwan and other Asian or Western populations have not been adequately addressed, with significant variations in the cTACE protocols adopted in different parts of the world. These mainly revolve around the amount and type of chemotherapeutic agents used, the type of embolic materials, reliance on Lipiodol, and the degree of selectiveness in catheter positioning. Subsequently, interpreting and comparing results obtained from different centers in a systematic fashion remain difficult, even for experienced practitioners. To address these concerns, we convened a panel of experts specializing in different aspects of HCC treatment to devise modernized recommendations that reflect recent clinical experiences, as well as cTACE protocols which are tailored for use in Taiwan. The conclusions of this expert panel are described herein.

Development and validation of a gene model predicting lymph node metastasis and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma based on single-cell and bulk RNA-seq analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node metastasis can independently predict oral squamous cell carcinoma patients' survival. This study would investigate the genetic and cellular differences between oral squamous cell carcinoma with positive and negative lymph node metastases. METHODS: We gathered single-cell RNA sequencing and bulk gene expression data from the Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Sixty lymph node-metastasis-related genes were discovered with refined single-cell RNA sequencing data analysis, and consensus clustering provided three molecular subtypes of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analyses were then utilized to establish a five-gene risk model. CIBERSORT analysis revealed the immune infiltration profile of different risk subgroups. RESULTS: Oral squamous cell carcinoma patients were classified into three subtypes based on the 60 lymph node-metastasis-related key genes identified by single-cell RNA sequencing data. Patients in Subtype 3 showed a tendency for lymph node metastasis and poorer prognosis. Moreover, five biomarkers were selected from the 60 genes to construct a five-gene risk model evaluating the risk of lymph node metastasis. A lower probability of lymph node metastasis and a better prognosis was observed in the low-risk group. The immune infiltration of three different risk groups was explored with CIBERSORT. Besides, further analysis implied different sensitivities of anticancer drugs, including immunotherapy drugs and targeted compounds, in the three risk groups. CONCLUSION: In view of intratumoral heterogeneity, we found 60 genes associated with lymph node metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Subsequently, we constructed a five-gene signature that could improve the prediction of lymph node metastasis, clinical outcome, and promote individualized treatment strategies for oral squamous cell carcinoma.

[The prognosis of neck dissection with sternocleidomastoid muscle preservation and resection in advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective cohort analysis].

PURPOSE: To investigate the prognosis of advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (AOSCC) patients undergoing neck dissection with sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) preservation and resection. METHODS: From January 2013 to June 2017, a total of 235 AOSCC patients(stage Ⅲ and stage Ⅳ) who were diagnosed and underwent neck dissection at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College and Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, were collected and followed-up. The differences in overall survival（OS）, local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and regional recurrence-free survival (RRFS) were compared between different surgical procedures. SPSS 25.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Among 235 patients with postoperative follow-up, 101 patients retained the SCM during operation, and 134 patients had SCM removed. There was no significant difference in 5-year survival rate and 5-year regional recurrence rate between the SCM preservation group and the SCM resection group. Kaplan-Meier method of univariate analysis showed that SCM preservation or resection had no significant difference in OS, LRFS and RRFS. Cox multivariate regression analysis results showed that there was no significant difference between different surgical procedures in OS, LRFS and RRFS, while N stage and postoperative chemoradiotherapy were independent influencing factors for OS, LRFS and RRFS in AOSCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Neck dissection with SCM preservation in AOSCC patients has no effect on survival and recurrence (including local recurrence and regional recurrence). It is feasible for AOSCC patients to undergo SCM-preserving neck dissection when metastatic cervical lymph nodes do not invade SCM. N stage and postoperative chemoradiotherapy affect the prognosis of AOSCC patients.

Determination of estrogens in human serum using a novel chemical derivatization-assisted liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method.

RATIONALE: Assessing estrogen concentrations in biological systems can provide valuable information on physiological processes, which is crucial for the early diagnosis of many diseases. Because estrogens are present in the human body in low concentrations and in a wide dynamic range, analytical methods with high sensitivity and specificity are required for their determination in complex biological matrices. METHODS: To discover an appropriate derivatization reagent for estrogen mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, we compared five sulfonyl chloride derivatization reagents, namely 3-methyl-8-quinolinesulfonyl chloride (MQSCl) and 8-quinolinesulfonyl chloride (QSCl), 1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-sulfonyl chloride, 1,2-methyl-imidazole-5-sulfonyl chloride, and dansyl chloride. By selecting the derivatization reagent with the best performance, we developed and validated a novel chemical derivatization-assisted-liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (CD-LC-ESI-MS/MS) method to simultaneously determine the concentrations of estrone, estradiol, and estriol (E1, E2, and E3) in human serum. RESULTS: It was found that among the five investigated reagents, MQSCl-derivatized estrogens presented the highest sensitivity using LC-ESI-MS/MS. Based on this discovery, MQSCl was chosen to derivatize the analyzed estrogens to assist LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. The limit of quantification of E1, E2, and E3 was measured as 2.7, 4.6, and 5.1 pg/mL, respectively. Inter- and intra-day precision, expressed as the coefficient of variation, was shown to be lower than 13.2% for all concentrations. The mean recovery was 72.4% overall, with good reproducibility at low, medium, and high concentrations in the calibration range. CONCLUSIONS: The developed method was successfully applied to the quantitative determination of estrogens in clinical human serum from pediatric and adult women, demonstrating the suitability of estrogen analysis in the biological matrix at low concentration (pg/mL).

Morphological Characterization and Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of Kudoa iwatai from Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea) as a New Host in China.

Kudoa (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) parasites are critical pathogens in marine and freshwater fish associated with significant economic losses and reduced market prices caused by post-mortem myoliquefaction or numerous cysts on muscles. In the present study, large yellow croakers infected by Kudoa were found during fish disease surveillance in China in November 2020 and used for morphological observation and characterization using light DIC microscopy and electron microscopy. Numerous creamy-white oval plasmodia were observed in muscles and on the surface of brain cartilage, gill arches, and serosal surfaces. The spores were considerably longer and thicker than previously reported Kudoa, with protruding polar filaments (PFs) in the mature spores, fingertip-shaped apical projections (APs), and polar capsules. Phylogenetic analyses with SSU rDNA, LSU rDNA, and mitochondrial DNA showed that the Kudoa-infected sample (LcK-2020) had the highest similarity to Kudoa iwatai reported in Japan. Based on the morphological characterization and phylogenetic analysis, it could be concluded that the sample LcK-2020 was infected by Kudoa iwatai, which would be the first report of Kudoa iwatai infection in large yellow croaker in China.

The breakdown of protein hydrogen bonding networks facilitates biotransformation of protein wastewaters during anaerobic digestion methanogenesis: Focus on protein structure and conformation.

The low methanogenic efficiency of protein wastewater during anaerobic digestion can be attributed to the hydrolysis rate-limiting caused by the complex native structure of protein. In this study, the characterization of secondary structure alterations of protein molecules under acid-base stress was investigated and the effect of structure and conformation alterations on the methanogenic efficiency of protein wastewater biotransformation was analyzed. The optimal methane yields were obtained for protein wastewater pretreated with acid and base at pH = 3 and pH = 12, which was 29.4% and 35.7% higher than that of the control group (without pretreatment), reaching 142.6 ± 4.0 mL/g protein and 149.6 ± 16.1 mL/g protein, respectively. The time economy evaluation showed that 6 h pretreatment time was scientific and reasonable whether pH = 3 or pH = 12, since the methane gain effect reached 74.4% and 82.2% longing with the anaerobic digestion proceeded to 120 h, respectively. Endogenous fluorescence characteristics illustrated that the microenvironment of protein molecules has changed regardless of acid or alkali pretreatment. The circular dichroism (CD) analysis revealed that only the content of α-helix in the secondary structure of the protein at pH = 12 decreased by 46.3%, while the contents of ß-sheet, ß-turn and unordered structure were 29.5 ± 0.8%, 18.9 ± 0.6% and 32.2 ± 1.3%, respectively. The increase in the composition of the unordered structure demonstrated an irreversible damage to the hydrogen bonding network in the protein. FTIR spectroscopy further confirmed that the stretching vibrations of CO in amide I led to the destruction of the hydrogen bonding network and the unfolding of the protein structure. Thus, the above work provides new insights into the anaerobic digestion of protein wastewater for methanogenic processes from the perspective of protein structure and conformational changes.

Recent advances in isolation, identification, and culture of mammalian spermatogonial stem cells.

Continuous spermatogenesis depends on the self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). SSCs, the only male reproductive stem cells that transmit genetic material to subsequent generations, possess an inherent self-renewal ability, which allows the maintenance of a steady stem cell pool. SSCs eventually differentiate to produce sperm. However, in an in vitro culture system, SSCs can be induced to differentiate into various types of germ cells. Rodent SSCs are well defined, and a culture system has been successfully established for them. In contrast, available information on the biomolecular markers and a culture system for livestock SSCs is limited. This review summarizes the existing knowledge and research progress regarding mammalian SSCs to determine the mammalian spermatogenic process, the biology and niche of SSCs, the isolation and culture systems of SSCs, and the biomolecular markers and identification of SSCs. This information can be used for the effective utilization of SSCs in reproductive technologies for large livestock animals, enhancement of human male fertility, reproductive medicine, and protection of endangered species.

Assessing the fractionation and bioavailability of heavy metals in soil-rice system and the associated health risk.

This study developed a method to build relationships between chemical fractionations of heavy metals in soils and their accumulations in rice and estimate the respective contribution of each geochemical speciation in the soils from the Yangtze River Delta, China. In contaminated areas, residue and humic acid-bound fractions in soils were the main phases for most heavy metals. The mobility of heavy metals was in this following order: Cd > Pb ≈ Zn > Ni > As ≈ Cr > Hg. Transfer factors calculated by the ratios of specific fractionations of heavy metals in the soil-rice system were used to assess the capability of different metal speciation transfer from soil to rice. The carbonate and Fe/Mn oxyhydroxides bound phase had significant positive correlations with total metal concentrations in rice. Hg uptake by rice might be related to the exchangeable and carbonate-bound fractions of soil Hg. Results of PCA analysis of transfer factors estimated that the labile fractions (i.e. water soluble, exchangeable and carbonate bound) contributed more than 40% of the heavy metal accumulations in rice. Effect of organic matter and residue fraction on metals transfer was estimated to be ~ 25 to ~ 30% while contribution of humic acid and Fe/Mn oxyhydroxides-bound fractions was estimated to be ~ 20 to ~ 30%. Modified risk assessment code (mRAC) and ecological contamination index (ECI) confirmed that the soil samples were polluted by heavy metals. Soil Cd contributed more than 80% of mRAC. Contrarily, the main contributors to ECI were identified as As, Hg, Pb and Zn. The average values of total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) and Risktotal were above 1 and 10-4 respectively, implying people living in the study area were exposed to both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk. As and Pb were the main contributor to high TTHQ value while As, Cd and Cr in rice contributed mostly to Risktotal value. Spatial changes of ecological risk indexes and human health risk indexes showed that the samples with high TTHQ values distributed in the area with high values of mRAC. Likewise, the area with high ECI values and with high carcinogenic risk overlapped.

Cold or Hot Snare with Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for 6-9 mm Colorectal Polyps: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of cold snare endoscopic mucosal resection (CS-EMR) and hot snare endoscopic mucosal resection (HS-EMR) for colorectal polyps with diameters of 6-9 mm. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 485 patients with colorectal polyps (6-9 mm in size) who were treated with CS-EMR or HS-EMR in the endoscopy center of Hangzhou Third People's Hospital from January 2017 to December 2019. Colorectal polyps were lifted by submucosal injection of normal saline. The CS-EMR group used a cold snare to remove the lifting polyps, while the HS-EMR group used a hot snare. Propensity score matching analysis with 1:1 matching and the nearest neighbor matching method were performed to ensure well-balanced characteristics of the CS-EMR and HS-EMR groups. Matching factors included age, gender, body mass index, blood routine, coagulation indicators, polyp site, size, number, and morphology. This resulted in a balanced cohort of 128 patients per group. Polyp recovery, complications, clipping for disclosure, and length of hospital stay were compared after matching. t-Tests, χ2 tests, McNemar's tests, and Fisher's exact test were used for comparison between the two groups before and after matching. Results: There were no differences between the two groups of intraoperative and postoperative bleeding (P > .05), but the CS-EMR clipping rate was lower than the HS-EMR group (P < .01). There was a higher incidence of post-polypectomy syndrome (PPS) (P = .03) and longer hospital stays (P < .01) in the HS-EMR group than the CS-EMR group. Conclusions: Compared with HS-EMR, CS-EMR is more convenient to operate, with a low incidence of PPS, clipping rates, and short hospital stays. It is a safe and effective removal method for 6-9 mm colorectal polyps.

Comparative Toxicity Analyses from Different Endpoints: Are New Cyclic Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) More Toxic than Common Aliphatic DBPs?

In recent years, dozens of halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) with cyclic structures were identified and detected in drinking water globally. Previous in vivo toxicity studies have shown that a few new cyclic DBPs possessed higher developmental toxicity and growth inhibition rate than common aliphatic DBPs; however, in vitro toxicity studies have proved that the latter exhibited higher cytotoxicity and genotoxicity than the former. Thus, to provide a more comprehensive toxicity comparison of DBPs from different endpoints, 11 groups of cyclic DBPs and nine groups of aliphatic DBPs were evaluated for their comparative in vitro and in vivo toxicity using human hepatoma cells (Hep G2) and zebrafish embryos. Notably, results showed that the in vitro Hep G2 cytotoxicity index of the aliphatic DBPs was nearly eight times higher than that of the cyclic DBPs, whereas the in vivo zebrafish embryo developmental/acute toxicity indexes of the cyclic DBPs were roughly 48-50 times higher than those of the aliphatic DBPs, indicating that the toxicity rank order differed when different endpoints were applied. For a broader comparison, a Pearson correlation analysis of DBP toxicity data from nine different endpoints was conducted. It was found that the observed Hep G2 cytotoxicity and zebrafish embryo developmental/acute toxicity in this study were highly correlated with the previously reported in vitro CHO cytotoxicity and in vivo toxicity in aquatic organisms (P < 0.01), respectively. However, the observed in vitro toxicity had no correlation with the in vivo toxicity (P > 0.05), suggesting that the toxicity rank orders obtained from in vitro and in vivo bioassays had large discrepancies. According to the observed toxicity data in this study and the candidate descriptors, two quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were established, which help to further interpret the toxicity mechanisms of DBPs from different endpoints.

[Maintenance of the stemness in CD133+primary oral squamous cell carcinoma cells under different culture conditions].

PURPOSE: CD133+/-cells were isolated and purified from primary oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) to explore the effects of different culture conditions on the maintenance and biological characteristics of CD133+ primary OSCC. METHODS: CCK-8 was used to detect the ability of proliferation and cisplatin resistance between CD133+/-cell subsets. Transwell assay was used to compare the invasive ability of two cell subsets under the action of cisplatin. Flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of CD133+ cells cultured by serum free medium(SFM) (with or without leukemia inhibitory factor, LIF) or serum supplied medium (SSM). Subcutaneous tumor model in nude mice was used to verify the difference in tumorigenicity of CD133+/- cell subsets. The transplanted tumor was removed for H-E staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). SPSS 25.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared with CD133- cell subsets, CD133+ cell subsets had stronger ability of proliferation in vitro(P<0.05) and cisplatin tolerance(P<0.001). Cisplatin had a stronger effect on the invasive ability of CD133- cell subsets than CD133+ cell subsets (P<0.01). No significant difference in the proportion of CD133+ cell between LIF-SFM and no-LIF-SFM was found (P>0.05); but compared with SSM culture method, SFM culture method could maintain the proportion of CD133+ cell better(P<0.05). CD133+ cell subsets showed stronger tumorigenic ability with fewer cells than CD133- cell subsets in nude mice(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Serum free culture method can better maintain the characteristics of primary OSCC stem cells, but the addition of LIF has no significant effect on the maintenance of stemness of primary OSCC cells.

Simultaneous determination of short-chain fatty alcohols in aged oil and biodiesels by stable isotope labeling assisted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Short-chain fatty alcohols (SCFAs) are one of the reactants for the production of biodiesels. The SCFA residues at the trace level have a significant impact on biodiesel quality. However, the analysis of SCFAs in aged biodiesels has not been reported so far, which is probably due to the unavailability of an appropriate analytical method for the simultaneous determination of SCFAs. Herein, we developed a novel analytical approach with high sensitivity and selectivity for the simultaneous identification and determination of SCFAs in seed oil and biodiesel samples during the simulated real-time aging by stable isotope labeling assisted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (SIL-LC-MS). A pair of isotope labeling reagents, pyridine (Py) and [2H5]pyridine ([2H5]Py), were used to label SCFAs in biodiesels and standards, respectively. The [2H5]Py labeled SCFAs were used as internal standards to compensate for the detection of variances. The simultaneous determination of SCFAs was performed by LC-MS with an improved detection selectivity and sensitivity. The limits of detection (LODs) values were ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 ng mL-1 for the investigated SCFAs. Good linearity was observed in the studied ranges (R2 > 0.99) and good precision with relative standard deviations (RSDs) was in the range of 4.9-18.1%. Average recoveries were obtained in the range of 80.3%-115.4%. The matrix effects were in the range of 70.0-104.3%. The validated SIL-LC-MS method was applied to the simultaneous quantitative analysis of SCFAs in seed oil and biodiesel samples and the LC-MS analysis could be done within 3 min. The formation mechanism of SCFAs in aged oil and biodiesel samples was also investigated by this method. The results suggest that SCFAs were formed and their composition changed during the simulated real-time aging of long-chain fatty acid (LCFA), long-chain fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), seed oil, and biodiesels. Moreover, we found that the formation of 1-pentanol and 1-hexanol was associated with the number and position of double bonds in LCFAs and FAMEs.

Retracted: Taxol-Resistant Gene 1 (Txr1) Mediates Oxaliplatin Resistance by Inducing Autophagy in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells.

An editorial decision has been made to retract this manuscript due to breach of publishing guidelines, following the identification of non-original and manipulated figures. Reference: Hua-ming Chi, Jing-dong Du, Jie Cheng, Hua-dong Mao: Taxol-Resistant Gene 1 (Txr1) Mediates Oxaliplatin Resistance by Inducing Autophagy in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells. Med Sci Monit 2019; 25:475-483. 10.12659/MSM.913180.

A novel charge derivatization-direct infusion mass spectrometry method for the quantitative analysis of C1-C8 fatty acids in rubber seed oil-based biodiesel.

The free fatty acids that contain one to eight carbons (C1-C8) in biodiesel would affect the quality of biodiesel. It is still a matter of challenge to simultaneously determine the composition of C1-C8 fatty acids in seed oil and seed oil-based biodiesel. Herein, a novel method of charge derivatization coupling with direct infusion mass spectrometry (CD-DIMS) was developed for the determination of the C1-C8 fatty acids in biodiesels. A fixed-charge derivatization reagent, 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide (CMCT), was used to convert fatty acids into their cationic derivatives, which significantly improved the sensitivity and selectivity of detection. Good linearity was observed with the limits of detection (LODs) in the range of 0.0002-0.001 µg mL-1 for the investigated fatty acids. The recovery was in the range of 85.1%-101.9% and the matrix effect was within the range of 75.5-93.2%. The developed method was carried out to analyze C1-C8 fatty acids in rubber seed oil (RSO) and RSO-based biodiesels produced by different catalysts, including NaOH, TiO2, and carbodiimide. It was also applied to the dynamic monitoring of C1-C8 fatty acids in RSO and produced RSO biodiesels during the oxidation process. As results, formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid were detected in aged RSO and biodiesel samples. The contents of formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid all increased in aged RSO and biodiesels, but with different growth rates. These results demonstrated that the developed CD-DIMS method can provide a quick, accurate, and sensitive analysis of C1-C8 fatty acids in seed oil and biodiesel samples.