Factors influencing accelerated aging in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.

Objective: To investigate the factors influencing accelerated aging in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: A total of 216 patients diagnosed with T2DM and CHD between August 2019 and August 2023 at Xuzhou Central Hospital were selected. Patients were divided into an aging group and a non-aging group, based on the positive or negative values of phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel). Logistic regression analysis was conducted. Variables that had a univariate analysis P< 0.05 were included in the multivariate analysis to identify factors influencing aging in patients with T2DM and CHD, and the area under the curve of the model was reported. Results: This study included 216 patients, with 89 in the accelerated aging group, and 127 in the non-accelerated aging group. The average age of patients was 70.40 (95% CI: 69.10-71.69) years, with 137 males (63.4%). Compared with the non-accelerated aging group, patients in the accelerated aging group were older, with a higher proportion of males, and a higher prevalence of hypertension, stable angina pectoris, and unstable angina pectoris. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that the absolute value of neutrophils (NEUT#), urea (UREA), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) were risk factors for accelerated aging, while cholinesterase (CHE) was a protective factor. For each unit increase in NEUT#, UREA, ADA, and TyG, the risk of aging increased by 64%, 48%, 10%, and 789%, respectively. The overall area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the model in the training set was 0.894, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.851-0.938. Conclusion: NEUT#, CHE, UREA, ADA, and TyG are predictors of accelerated aging in patients with T2DM and CHD, with the model showing favorable overall predictive performance.

Inhibition of Pck1 in intestinal epithelial cells alleviates acute pancreatitis via modulating intestinal homeostasis.

Intestinal barrier dysfunction usually occurred in acute pancreatitis (AP) but the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, RNA sequencing of ileum in L-arginine-induced AP mice demonstrated that phosphoenolpyruvate kinase 1 (Pck1) was significantly up-regulated. Increased Pck1 expression in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) was further validated in ileum of AP mice and duodenum of AP patients. In AP mice, level of Pck1 was positively correlated with pancreatic and ileal histopathological scores, serum amylase activity, and intestinal permeability (serum diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactate, and endotoxin). In AP patients, level of Pck1 had a positive correlation with Ranson scores, white blood cell count and C-reactive protein. Inhibition of Pck1 by 3-Mercaptopicolinic acid hydrochloride (3-MPA) alleviated pancreatic and ileal injuries in AP mice. AP + 3-MPA mice showed improved intestinal permeability, including less epithelial apoptosis, increased tight junction proteins (TJPs) expression, decreased serum DAO, D-lactate, endotoxin, and FITC-Dextran levels, and reduced bacteria translocation. Lysozyme secreted by Paneth cells and mucin2 (MUC2) secretion in goblet cells were also partly restored in AP + 3-MPA mice. Meanwhile, inhibition of Pck1 improved intestinal immune response during AP, including elevation of M2/M1 macrophages ratio and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and reduction in neutrophils infiltration. In vitro, administration of 3-MPA dramatically ameliorated inflammation and injuries of epithelial cells in enteroids treated by LPS. In conclusion, inhibition of Pck1 in IECs might alleviate AP via modulating intestinal homeostasis.

Risk stratification in gastric cancer lung metastasis: Utilizing an overall survival nomogram and comparing it with previous staging.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is prevalent and aggressive, especially when patients have distant lung metastases, which often places patients into advanced stages. By identifying prognostic variables for lung metastasis in GC patients, it may be possible to construct a good prediction model for both overall survival (OS) and the cumulative incidence prediction (CIP) plot of the tumour. AIM: To investigate the predictors of GC with lung metastasis (GCLM) to produce nomograms for OS and generate CIP by using cancer-specific survival (CSS) data. METHODS: Data from January 2000 to December 2020 involving 1652 patients with GCLM were obtained from the Surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program database. The major observational endpoint was OS; hence, patients were separated into training and validation groups. Correlation analysis determined various connections. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses validated the independent predictive factors. Nomogram distinction and calibration were performed with the time-dependent area under the curve (AUC) and calibration curves. To evaluate the accuracy and clinical usefulness of the nomograms, decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed. The clinical utility of the novel prognostic model was compared to that of the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system by utilizing Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) and Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI). Finally, the OS prognostic model and Cox-AJCC risk stratification model modified for the AJCC system were compared. RESULTS: For the purpose of creating the OS nomogram, a CIP plot based on CSS was generated. Cox multivariate regression analysis identified eleven significant prognostic factors (P < 0.05) related to liver metastasis, bone metastasis, primary site, surgery, regional surgery, treatment sequence, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, positive lymph node count, N staging, and time from diagnosis to treatment. It was clear from the DCA (net benefit > 0), time-dependent ROC curve (training/validation set AUC > 0.7), and calibration curve (reliability slope closer to 45 degrees) results that the OS nomogram demonstrated a high level of predictive efficiency. The OS prediction model (New Model AUC = 0.83) also performed much better than the old Cox-AJCC model (AUC difference between the new model and the old model greater than 0) in terms of risk stratification (P < 0.0001) and verification using the IDI and NRI. CONCLUSION: The OS nomogram for GCLM successfully predicts 1- and 3-year OS. Moreover, this approach can help to appropriately classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups, thereby guiding treatment.

Role of bran particles in the formation of dark spots on fresh wet noodle sheets: what are the dark spots?

BACKGROUND: Dark spots may affect the appearance of fresh noodles during storage, even when made from flour with low ash content. The effect of flour bran content on the degree of dark spot formation in fresh wet noodle sheets (FWNS) is investigated to explain this phenomenon. RESULTS: Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observation revealed that the wheat bran particles were responsible for the formation of dark spots on FWNS, with each bran particle core generating a single dark spot. In wheat flours with low ash content, the number of wheat bran particles causing dark spot formation on FWNS was limited, and these particles were not visible to the naked eye until their size exceeded approximately 50 µm. Tropolone, a polyphenol oxidase inhibitor (PubChem CID: 24900578) and dry heating treatment, which inactivates polyphenol oxidase, was found to inhibit or reduce the formation of dark spots. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that bran particles, rich in polyphenol oxidase, play a key role in dark spot formation. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Fecal microbiota transplantation versus glucocorticoids for the induction of remission in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) with glucocorticoid as induction therapy in ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: The patients with active mild to moderate UC were recruited into the single-center, prospective cohort study. The patients were treated with either FMT (FMT group) or glucocorticoids (GCs group). Patients received FMT administration for 3 days. The primary outcome was clinical and endoscopic remission at week 12. Inflammatory parameters were assessed by routine blood tests. Safety was assessed by adverse events recorded. The serum levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10 IL-8, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17A and IL-23 following FMT were measured by Luminex multiplex assay. RESULTS: Of the 122 patients, 62 patients were treated with FMT and 60 with glucocorticoids. 34 patients in FMT group (54.8%) and 29 in GCs group (48.3%) reached the primary outcome (p = 0.30). The incidence of adverse events in GCs group (35/60, 58.3%) was significantly higher than that in FMT group (14/62, 22.6%) and two serious adverse events were observed following GCs. Patients in FMT group were stratified into responders (RE) and non-responders (NR) groups. The level of TNF-α and IL-6 decreased significantly in RE group, while IL-10 decreased significantly in NR group. CONCLUSION: FMT therapy was as effective as glucocorticoids to induce remission in active mild to moderate UC, accompanied by fewer adverse events. The modification of serum TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 might be related to the efficacy of FMT in UC. Trial registration This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02435160). Registered on 6 April, 2015. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=NCT02435160&cntry=&state=&city=&dist=.

Inhibition of hexose oxidase on the dark spots in fresh wet noodle sheets: A feasible prevention of dark spots.

Hexose oxidase was a feasible prevention for the dark spots in the fresh wet noodle sheets (FWNS). The chemical mechanism that hexose oxidase recucing the melanins of dark spots was discussed basis on the UPLC-TOF-MS analysis of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO)-catechol system. In the process of PPO browning, hexose oxidase catalyzed the oxidation of o-benzoquinone derivatives and their oligomers, hindering the formation of melanins. Hexose oxidase was efficient in FWNS with low ash content when water addition was 24%~44% or pH range was 4 ~ 7.5. Hexose oxidase could inhubit dark spots in the presence of 10 metal ions. The recommended addition amount was 40 ~ 60 ppm, by which the dark spots could be compolitely inhibited. Hexose oxidase was also suitable for wholewheat and oat FWNS, ΔL6d of wholewheat and oat FWNS were reduced by 4 and 7.98, respectively.

Polyphenol oxidase browning in the formation of dark spots on fresh wet noodle sheets: How dark spots formed.

The role of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the browning of fresh wet noodle sheets (FWNS) was discussed. To release the chemical formation mechanism of the dark spots formed on FWNS, the reconstituted FWNS and PPO-catechol reaction systems were prepared. Different from the overall color change of FWNS, almost all the melanins in dark spots were indirect products of PPO catalysis. The PPO catalytic dehydrogenation was an essential step for the formation of dark spots, but once the phenol dehydrogenation products were formed, the dark spots could still form through a further polymerization process, even though the PPO was completely deactivated. The optimum pH for the phenolic dehydrogenation in FWNS was about 7, and the alkaline condition was advantageous to the progress of the polymerization. Comprehensively, the maximum amount of dark spots was formed at about pH 9.

Proportion of Uterine Malignant Tumors in Patients with Laparoscopic Myomectomy: A National Multicenter Study in China.

BACKGROUND: The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that the use of morcellation may cause fibroids or pelvic dissemination and metastasis of uterine sarcoma; therefore, the use of morcellation is limited in the USA. A large sample study is necessary to assess the proportion of uterine malignant tumors found in patients with laparoscopic myomectomy. METHODS: A national multicenter study was performed in China. From 2002 to 2014, 33,723 cases were retrospectively selected. We calculated the prevalence and recorded the clinical characteristics of the patients with malignancy after morcellation application. A total of 62 cases were finally pathologically confirmed as malignant postoperatively. Additionally, the medical records of the 62 patients were analyzed in details. RESULTS: The proportion of postoperative malignancy after morcellation application was 0.18% (62/33,723) for patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy. Nearly 62.9% (39/62) of patients had demonstrated blood flow signals in the uterine fibroids before surgery. And, 23 (37.1%) patients showed rapid growth at the final preoperative ultrasound. With respect to the pathological types, 38 (61.3%) patients had detectable endometrial stromal sarcoma, 13 (21.0%) had detectable uterine leiomyosarcoma, only 3 (3.2%) had detectable carcinosarcoma, and 5 (8.1%) patients with leiomyoma had an undetermined malignant potential. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of malignancy is low after using morcellation in patients who undergo laparoscopic myomectomy. Patients with fast-growing uterine fibroids and abnormal ultrasonic tumor blood flow should be considered for malignant potential, and morcellation should be avoided.