A new computed tomography score-based staging for melioidosis pneumonia to predict progression.

Background: Melioidosis pneumonia, caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is a serious infectious disease prevalent in tropical regions. Chest computed tomography (CT) has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing the severity and progression of lung involvement in melioidosis pneumonia. However, there persists a need for the quantitative assessment of CT characteristics and staging methodologies to precisely anticipate disease progression. This study aimed to quantitatively extract CT features and evaluate a CT score-based staging system in predicting the progression of melioidosis pneumonia. Methods: This study included 97 patients with culture-confirmed melioidosis pneumonia who presented between January 2002 and December 2021. Lung segmentation and annotation of lesions (consolidation, nodules, and cavity) were used for feature extraction. The features, including the involved area, amount, and intensity, were extracted. The CT scores of the lesion features were defined by the feature importance weight and qualitative stage of melioidosis pneumonia. Gaussian process regression (GPR) was used to predict patients with severe or critical melioidosis pneumonia according to CT scores. Results: The melioidosis pneumonia stages included acute stage (0-7 days), subacute stage (8-28 days), and chronic stage (>28 days). In the acute stage, the CT scores of all patients ranged from 2.5 to 6.5. In the subacute stage, the CT scores for the severe and mild patients were 3.0-7.0 and 2.0-5.0, respectively. In the chronic stage, the CT score of the mild patients fluctuated approximately between 2.5 and 3.5 in a linear distribution. Consolidation was the most common type of lung lesion in those with melioidosis pneumonia. Between stages I and II, the percentage of severe scans with nodules dropped from 72.22% to 47.62% (P<0.05), and the percentage of severe scans with cavities significantly increased from 16.67% to 57.14% (P<0.05). The GPR optimization function yielded area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.71 for stage I, 0.92 for stage II, and 0.87 for all stages. Conclusions: In patients with melioidosis pneumonia, it is reasonable to divide the period (the whole progression of melioidosis pneumonia) into three stages to determine the prognosis.

α5-nAChR/ADAM10 signaling mediates nicotine-related cutaneous melanoma progression via STAT3 activation.

Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is the skin malignancy with the highest mortality rate, and its morbidity rate is on the rise worldwide. Smoking is an independent marker of poor prognosis in melanoma. The α5-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α5-nAChR), one of the receptors for nicotine, is involved in the proliferation, migration and invasion of SKCM cells. Nicotine has been reported to promote the expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10), which is the key gene involved in melanoma progression. Here, we explored the link between α5-nAChR and ADAM10 in nicotine-associated cutaneous melanoma. α5-nAChR expression was correlated with ADAM10 expression and lower survival in SKCM. α5-nAChR mediated nicotine-induced ADAM10 expression via STAT3. The α5-nAChR/ADAM10 signaling axis was involved in the stemness and migration of SKCM cells. Furthermore, α5-nAChR expression was associated with ADAM10 expression, EMT marker expression and stemness marker expression in nicotine-related mice homograft tissues. These results suggest the role of the α5-nAChR/ADAM10 signaling pathway in nicotine-induced melanoma progression.

6-Pentyl-α-Pyrone from Trichoderma gamsii Exert Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Mouse Macrophages.

Filamentous fungi produce several beneficial secondary metabolites, including bioactive compounds, food additives, and biofuels. Trichoderma, which is a teleomorphic Hypocrea that falls under the taxonomic groups Ascomycota and Dikarya, is an extensively studied fungal genus. In an ongoing study that seeks to discover bioactive natural products, we investigated potential bioactive metabolites from the methanolic extract of cultured Trichoderma gamsii. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), one major compound was isolated and structurally identified as 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6PP) based on nuclear magnetic resonance data and LC-MS analysis. To determine its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, as well as the underlying mechanisms, we treated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Raw264.7 mouse macrophages with 6PP. We found that 6PP suppresses LPS-induced increase in the levels of nitric oxide, a mediator of oxidative stress and inflammation, and restores LPS-mediated depletion of total glutathione by stabilizing nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), an antioxidative factor, and elevating heme oxygenase-1 levels. Furthermore, 6PP inhibited LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines, which are, at least in part, regulated by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). 6PP suppressed proinflammatory responses by inhibiting the nuclear localization of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), as well as by dephosphorylating the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). These results indicate that 6PP can protect macrophages against oxidative stress and LPS-induced excessive inflammatory responses by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway while inhibiting the proinflammatory, NF-κB, and MAPK pathways.

α5-nAChR/STAT3/CD47 axis contributed to nicotine-related lung adenocarcinoma progression and immune escape.

OBJECTIVES: The CHRNΑ5 gene, which encodes the α5-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α5-nAChR), is related to lung cancer and nicotine addiction. Smoking is closely related to the immunosuppressive effect of macrophages. CD47, a phagocytosis checkpoint in macrophages, is a therapeutic target in various cancer types. Nevertheless, the relationship between α5-nAChR and CD47 in lung cancer is still unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: The present study showed that α5-nAChR-mediated CD47 expression via STAT3 signaling, consequently leading to tumor progression and immune suppression in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). α5-nAChR expression was correlated with STAT3 expression, CD47 expression, smoking status and poor prognosis of LUAD in vivo. In vitro, α5-nAChR expression mediated the phosphorylation of STAT3, and phosphorylated STAT3 bound to the CD47 promoter and mediated CD47 expression. Downregulation of α5-nAChR and/or CD47 significantly reduced cell proliferation, migration, invasion, stemness and IL-10 expression, but increased TNF-α expression and phagocytosis of macrophages in LUAD. Furthermore, α5-nAChR/CD47 signaling contributed to the growth of subcutaneous xenograft tumors and liver metastasis of tumors in mice. CONCLUSION: The α5-nAChR/STAT3/CD47 axis contributed to the progression and immune escape of lung cancer and may be a potential target for LUAD immunotherapy.

Fractional carbon dioxide laser combined with subcision for the treatment of three subtypes of atrophic acne scars: a retrospective analysis.

Fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser combined with subcision has been widely used for the clinical treatment, but the efficacy of the combined therapy on three types of atrophic acne scars remains unreported. This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 413 patients with atrophic acne scars, treated with fractional CO2 laser combined with subcision in the combined group and with fractional CO2 laser in the control group. The treatment efficacy was evaluated by the Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) and the Échelle d'évaluation clinique des cicatrices d'acné (ECCA). We reported adverse reactions such as erythema, lump, skin sensitivity, acne recurrence, and hyperpigmentation that occurred in both treatment groups. The treatment efficiency of the combined group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.001). Among the three subtypes of atrophic acne scars, the ECCA scores in the combined group of boxcar-type and rolling-type scars after treatment were lower than those in the control group (P = 0.041, P < 0.001, respectively), and no statistical difference in scores between the two groups for icepick-type scars was seen (P = 0.062). There was no statistical difference in adverse reactions between the two groups (P = 0.361). Fractional CO2 laser combined with subcision is more effective than fractional CO2 laser in the treatment of boxcar-type and rolling-type scars, but there is no significant difference in the treatment of icepick-type scars.

Acetylcholine promotes chronic stress-induced lung adenocarcinoma progression via α5-nAChR/FHIT pathway.

Chronic stress significantly elevates the expression levels of various neurotransmitters in the tumour microenvironment, thereby promoting the cell growth and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the role of chronic stress in the progression of LUAD remains unclear. In this study, we found that chronic restraint stress increases the levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh), and the α5-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α5-nAChR) and decreased fragile histidine triad (FHIT) expression in vivo. Crucially, the increased ACh levels promoted LUAD cell migration and invasion via modulation of the α5-nAChR/DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1)/FHIT axis. In a chronic unpredictable stress (CUMS) mouse model, chronic stress promotes tumour development, accompanied by changes in α5-nAChR, DNMT1, FHIT, and vimentin. Together, these findings reveal a novel chronic stress-mediated LUAD signalling pathway: chronic stress enforces lung adenocarcinoma cell invasion and migration via the ACh/α5-nAChR/FHIT axis, which could be a potential therapeutic target for chronic stress-related LUAD.

Effect of amendments on bioavailability of cadmium in soil-rice system: a field experiment study.

The field experiment study investigated the effect of lime (L), manure compost (M), combination of lime and manure (LM), and combinations of lime with four kinds of passivators (LP1, LP2, LP3, and LP4) on the bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) in soil and Cd accumulation in rice plants. These four passivating products were composed of organic and inorganic compounds such as silicon-sulfhydryl group, CaO, SiO2, and so on. The results indicated that the application of these amendments improved soil pH, organic matter content, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) by 0.19-0.73 unit, 0.6-8.2%, and 5.7-38.9%, respectively; meanwhile, decreased soil acid-extractable Cd by 4.0-13.9% compared with before remediation. Alleviating Cd stress to rice also resulted in a significant increase in rice grains yield, whereas the LP4 showed an increment of 15.8-27.6%. Among these amendments, LP4 had a relatively high effectiveness, it promoted the decrease of extractable Cd by 13.9% and the increase of residual Cd by 8.1%; meanwhile, the bioconcentration factor of rice grain in LP4 decreased by 71.3%. The high pH, CEC, and rich functional groups in amendments might cause soil Cd transform from mobile fraction to residual fraction, and the cation ions in amendments also competed with Cd ions due to the antagonism. Taken all of these effects, the amendments alleviated Cd pollution in soil-rice system, decreasing Cd migration from soil to grain. In future, the long-term field experiment will need to be done for verify the long-term effect of soil amendments.

Effect of AGEs-RAGE system on the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in the treatment of driver-gene mutation negative advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

To observe the therapeutic effect of PD-1 inhibitors on driver-gene mutation negative advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (nsNSCLC) and the role of the AGEs-RAGE system in the disease, provide more reliable treatment for future nsNSCLC patients. In this study, we selected 130 nsNSCLC patients admitted between January 2021 and April 2022 were selected as the study subjects, 61 of whom received pemetrexed plus carboplatin (control group) and 69 received PD-1 inhibitors, pemetrexed and carboplatin (research group). The clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of the two groups were compared, and the prognostic survival time was calculated. The results show that two groups were not statistically different in objective response rate (ORR) and incidence of adverse reactions, but the disease control rate (DCR) was higher in the research group (P<0.05). Besides, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was prolonged in the research group compared with the control group (P<0.05). In addition, changes in the levels of T lymphocyte subsets, AGEs and RAGE before and after treatment were detected, and the relationship between AGEs-RAGE and the therapeutic effect of PD-1 inhibitors was analyzed. The research group also showed higher CD3+, CD4+ and lower CD8+, AGEs and RAGE levels than the control group after treatment (P<0.05). Finally, we found that in addition, the efficacy of the study group was inversely related to AGEs and RAGE levels (P<0.05). With these results, we concluded that PD-1 inhibitors are effective in the treatment of driver-gene mutation negative advanced nsNSCLC, and the AGEs-RAGE system may provide a more reliable guarantee for the treatment outcomes of patients in the future.

Machine learning-based combined nomogram for predicting the risk of pulmonary invasive fungal infection in severely immunocompromised patients.

Background: Early and accurate diagnosis of invasive fungal infection (IFI) is pivotal for the initiation of effective antifungal therapy for patients with hematologic malignancies. Methods: This retrospective study involved 235 patients with hematologic malignancies and pulmonary infections diagnosed as IFIs (n=118) or bacterial pneumonia (n=117). Patients were randomly divided into training (n=188) and validation (n=47) datasets. Four feature selection methods with nine classifiers were implemented to select the optimal machine learning (ML) model using five-fold cross-validation. A radiomic signature was constructed using a linear ML algorithm, and a radiomic score (Radscore) was calculated. The combined model was developed with the Radscore, the significant clinical and radiologic factors were selected using multivariable logistic regression, and the results were presented as a clinical radiomic nomogram. A prospective pilot study was also conducted to compare the classification performance of the combined nomogram with practicing radiologists. Results: Significant differences were found in the Radscore between IFI and bacterial pneumonia patients in the training (0.683 vs. -0.724, P<0.001) and validation set (0.353 vs. -0.717, P=0.002). The combined model showed good discrimination performance in the validation cohort [area under the curve (AUC) =0.844] and outperformed the clinical (AUC =0.696) and radiomics (AUC =0.767) model alone (both P<0.05). Conclusions: The clinical radiomic nomogram can serve as a promising predictive tool for IFI in patients with hematologic malignancies.

CHRNA5 Is Overexpressed in Patients with Psoriasis and Promotes Psoriasis-Like Inflammation in Mouse Models.

It is well known that psoriasis is closely related to smoking, and CHRNA5 plays an important role in smoking-related diseases. However, studies on the relationship between CHRNA5 and psoriasis are limited. This study aimed to examine the role of CHRNA5 in psoriasis development and pathogenesis. Analysis in psoriatic tissues and imiquimod-induced mouse models showed that CHRNA5 was highly expressed in psoriatic lesional skin. To further verify the function of CHRNA5, we constructed Chrna5-knockout mice and induced the psoriasis model. We found that Chrna5 knockout significantly reduced the severity of psoriasis and could regulate inflammation through the MAPK kinase kinase-1/c-Jun N-terminal kinase‒MAPK/NF-κB pathway. The single-cell sequencing results revealed that after Chrna5 knockout, the keratinocyte subpopulation was significantly reduced and the related Jak/signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway was downregulated, further indicating the importance of CHRNA5 in psoriasis. Human keratinocytes were analyzed, and silencing CHRNA5 inhibited keratinocyte proliferation and migration. In summary, CHRNA5 played important roles in the development and pathogenesis of psoriasis, and targeting CHRNA5 may be an effective strategy for the treatment of psoriasis.

The α5-nAChR/PD-L1 axis facilitates lung adenocarcinoma cell migration and invasion.

α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α5-nAChR) is associated with the progression of smoking-related lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), but the molecular mechanism is unclear. Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is encoded by the CD274 gene, which not only inhibits the immune system, but also plays a unique role in tumor growth and metastasis. Here, we gained important insights into the underlying mechanism between α5-nAChR and PD-L1 in LUAD progression. α5-nAChR was overexpressed in various histological subtypes, cancer stages and metastasis statuses of LUAD. The group that coexpressed α5-nAChR and PD-L1 had a worse prognosis than the other subgroups at different stages of LUAD lymph node metastasis. The expression of α5-nAChR and PD-L1 was associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker CDH2. In vitro, α5-nAChR mediated nicotine-induced PD-L1 expression via STAT3 and the expression of EMT markers. Downregulation of α5-nAChR and/or PD-L1 inhibited EMT marker expression, cell proliferation, migration and invasion compared to silencing α5-nAChR or PD-L1 alone in LUAD cells. Furthermore, α5-nAChR expression was associated with PD-L1 and EMT marker expression in mouse xenograft models. These results highlight that α5-nAChR mediates STAT3/PD-L1 signaling, which contributes to cell migration and invasion. Therefore, our study may reveal a new interaction between α5-nAChR and PD-L1 that is involved in tumor cell growth and progression in LUAD, which may be a promising target for NSCLC diagnosis and immunotherapy.

Comparing the effects of calcium and magnesium ions on accumulation and translocation of cadmium in rice.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of China's most important food crops, and it is considered the primary source of human exposure to cadmium (Cd) pollution. Adding calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) to the plant nutrient solutions reduces the accumulation of Cd in the rice, but under the same condition, which one has the better effect remains unclear. Thus, hydroponic experiments were performed to compare the effects of Ca and Mg ions with concentration gradients (0.10, 0.25, and 0.50 g/L, respectively) on the absorption, distribution, and translocation of Cd in rice. The Cd contents of roots, stems, leaves, panicles, husks, and grains in different growth stages were determined. The results revealed that the supplementation of both Ca and Mg influenced the Cd accumulation and translocation in rice tissues. The Cd concentrations of different patterns were in the following order: roots > stems > leaves ≈ panicles ≈ husks > grains. Both of Ca and Mg had an apparent antagonism with Cd in different parts of the rice plant, and the antagonism was more obvious in the high Cd stress treatments. With the addition of 0.1 g/L Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions, the grain Cd contents increased, while the application of 0.25 and 0.5 g/L Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions reduced grains Cd by 19.08-38.99%, with the average value of 26.75%. Under the same concentrations, the grain Cd content of Ca treatments was lower than that of Mg treatments by 8.74%. In the Ca (Mg)-deficient and Ca (Mg)-sufficient conditions, the husks and panicles accumulated Cd to hinder Cd translocation, respectively. Altogether, the results of this study indicated that Ca had a greater effect for decreasing rice Cd accumulation and translocation than Mg, and the panicle and husk were the important parts for reducing Cd translocation to grain, and these might be a focal point for the future research. It was possible to plant and grow rice in Cd-polluted soil and that the accumulation and translocation of Cd in rice plants could be reduced by optimizing soil nutrient elements.

Linear scleroderma in a child with central nervous system involvement: clinical and radiological features.

Linear scleroderma is the most common type of localized scleroderma in children. Lesions rarely involve areas other than the skin, and nervous system involvement is even rare. We reported a case of a 6-year-old girl who was admitted to the hospital with recurrent seizures for 4 weeks. Before that, she had left frontal plaques for more than 1 year. Radiological imaging of the brain showed multiple abnormal lesions and skin biopsy of the plaques indicated scleroderma. After drug therapy, the girl had no recurrence of epilepsy, and no obvious abnormalities were found in the reexamination of neuroimaging. We performed further radiological examination on this patient and reviewed the literatures for this rare case.

Cardioprotective effect of saffron total glycoside tablets in patients with breast cancer receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy: study protocol for a multicentre, randomised, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. Anthracyclines, alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents, are the most effective chemotherapy agents against breast cancer. However, the dose-dependent cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines is a serious drawback in clinical treatment. Considerable efforts have been made to establish suggestions to avoid anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. Crocin extracted from saffron has potential cardioprotective effects against anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. The aim of this study was to estimate the cardioprotective effects and safety of saffron total glycoside tablets relative to placebo in patients with breast cancer undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy. METHODS: This is a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A sample of 200 participants (100 per group) with breast cancer will be randomly assigned to receive either saffron total glycoside tablet or placebo (four tablets each time, three times each day) for 6 months. Each participant will be interviewed three times: baseline (visit 1), after 3 months (visit 2), and after 6 months (visit 3). The primary outcome is to confirm if administration of saffron total glycoside tablets reduces the rate of cardiotoxicity relative to that with placebo. Secondary outcomes include new arrhythmic events, and cardiac troponin I and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels. The quantity, quality, and severity of the adverse events will be carefully documented. DISCUSSION: We look forward to obtaining high-quality evidence that can be used to formulate clinical practice guidelines. Thus, the findings of this study are expected to help fill the current gap in cardiotoxicity prevention drugs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was published in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR2000041134, registered on 19th December 2020).

Effect of left gastric artery embolization on obesity and ghrelin/leptin levels in pigs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of left gastric artery embolization (LGAE) on obesity and Ghrelin/Leptin levels in pigs. METHODS: Healthy female Wuzhishan piglets aged 3-4 months were allocated into obesity + LGAE group, obesity group, control group (fed with a normal diet; n=8 for each group). Body weight, serum Ghrelin, Leptin, glucose and insulin levels were compared before surgery, 1 month and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: Piglets in obesity group and obesity + LGAE group were heavier than those in control group before and 1 month after surgery (P<0.001), and in obesity group were heavier than those in obesity + LGAE group 1 month after surgery (P<0.05). A significant decrease in body weight was observed in obesity + LGAE group 3 months after surgery (P<0.05), and the obesity group showed heavier weight than the other two groups (P<0.001). Ghrelin levels in obesity group and obesity + LGAE group were higher than those in control group before and 1 month after surgery (P<0.001), and in obesity group were higher than those in obesity + LGAE group 1 month after surgery (P<0.05). They showed an evident decrease in obesity + LGAE group 3 months after surgery (P<0.05), and in obesity group were higher than that in the other two groups (P<0.01). Leptin levels in obesity group and obesity + LGAE group were higher than those in control group before surgery (P<0.01) and 1 month after surgery (P<0.05). They decreased significantly in obesity + LGAE group 3 months after surgery (P<0.01), and in obesity group were higher than those in the other two groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: LGAE greatly contributes to weight loss possibly by reducing the secretion of Ghrelin and Leptin.

The value of LncRNA SNHG5 as a marker for the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the value of serum lncRNA SNHG5 as a marker for the diagnosis and prognosis in gastric cancer. METHODS: From January 2017 to January 2018, serum samples were collected from 50 cases of gastric cancer patients and 50 cases of benign gastrosia who underwent operations in our hospital, and 50 cases of healthy person. We detected the expression level of serum lncRNA SNHG5 in all research targets and the expression levels of LncRNA SNHG5 in the cancer adjacent tissues and cancer tissues of gastric cancer patients to analyze the relationship between serum LncRNA SNHG5 level and clinicopathological parameters. ROC curve was used to analyze its prognostic value of patients with gastric cancer, while Cox regression model was used to analyze the survival predictors of short-term adverse events. RESULTS: The expression of lncRNA SNHG5 in the serum of gastric cancer was down-regulated, lower than that in the benign gastrosia group and healthy group (P < 0.05). The relative expression of lncRNA SNHG5 in cancer tissues was down-regulated compared with that in adjacent tissues (P < 0.05). lncRNA SNHG5 was correlated with drinking history and TNM stage (P < 0.05). The difference of serum lncRNA SNHG5 15 days and 1 month after operation was significant (P3 = 0.0001, P4 = 0.0135). The relative expression of serum lncRNA SNHG5 in the death group was noticeably lower than that in the survival group (P < 0.05). lncRNA SNHG5 is a survival predictor of short-term adverse events in patients with gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: The expression of lncRNA SNHG5 in gastric cancer patients before operation and those with poor prognosis decreased. Therefore, it is of high diagnostic value in prognosis prediction and is expected to become a new molecular marker for early diagnosis of gastric cancer.

Effect of left or right gastric artery interventional embolization on obesity and ghrelin/leptin expression in pigs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of left or right gastric artery interventional embolization on obesity and ghrelin/leptin expression in pigs. METHODS: Thirty-two female Wuzhishan pigs aged 3-4 months were randomly divided into four groups, with eight pigs in each group: obesity + left gastric artery embolization group, obesity + right gastric artery embolization group, obesity + sham surgery group and healthy control group. The body weight and serum levels of ghrelin, leptin, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) before the operation, one month and three months after the operation, and the gastric pathology three months after the operation were compared. RESULTS: The preoperative body weight, ghrelin level, leptin level, IL-6 level and TNF-α level of the obesity + sham surgery group, obesity + left gastric artery embolization group and obesity + right gastric artery embolization group were higher than those of the healthy control group (all P<0.05). One month after the operation, the body weight, ghrelin level, leptin level, IL-6 level and TNF-α level of the obesity + sham surgery group, obesity + left gastric artery embolization group and obesity + right gastric artery embolization group were higher than those of the healthy control group. The body weight, ghrelin level, IL-6 level and TNF-α level of the obesity + sham surgery group were higher than those of the obesity + left artery embolization group and obesity + right gastric artery embolization group (all P<0.05). Three months after the operation, the body weight, ghrelin level, leptin level, IL-6 level and TNF-α level of the obesity + sham surgery group were higher than those of the obesity + left artery embolization group, obesity + right artery embolization group and the healthy control group (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Left or right gastric artery interventional embolization in pigs can effectively reduce body weight, which may be related to the reduced secretion of ghrelin, leptin and inflammatory factors. However, the clinical application and safety of left or right gastric artery embolization still need further study.

Withdrawal Notice: STK33-Dependent Transcriptional Regulation of SFTA3 Induces Cisplatin-Resistance in Lung Adenocarcinoma

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A Vortex-Assisted Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Followed by UPLC-MS/MS for Simultaneous Determination of Pesticides and Aflatoxins in Herbal Tea.

A method for detecting the organophosphorus pesticides residue and aflatoxins in China herbal tea has been developed by UPLC-MS/MS coupled with vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME). The extraction conditions for vortex-assisted DLLME extraction were optimized using single-factor experiments and response surface design. The optimum conditions for the experiment were the pH 5.1, 347 µL of chloroform (extraction solvent) and 1614 µL of acetonitrile (dispersive solvent). Under the optimum conditions, the targets were good linearity in the range of 0.1 µg/L⁻25 µg/L and the correlation coefficient above 0.9998. The mean recoveries of all analytes were in the ranged from 70.06%⁻115.65% with RSDs below 8.54%. The detection limits were in the range of 0.001 µg/L⁻0.01µg/L. The proposed method is a fast and effective sample preparation with good enrichment and extraction efficiency, which can simultaneously detect pesticides and aflatoxins in China herbal tea.

The relationship between fractional anisotropy value and tumor microarchitecture in late-stage rat glioma.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (MR-DTI) features of in the late stage of Wistar rat C6 brain glioma, and the relationship between fractional anisotropy value and tumor microarchitecture. METHODS: The concentration of more than 1.0 × 106/10 µL glioma cells and complete medium were injected stereotactically into the right caudate nucleus of the experimental group (n = 35) and control group (n = 10), respectively. Conventional MRI, DTI, and enhanced T1WI scans were Performed using the GE Signa HD × 3.0T MRI scanner about 3-4 weeks after implantation for the rats. Postprocessing was done using the DTI specific software Function Tool to gain FA image. Many ROIs were drawn avoiding hemorrhage, necrosis areas in tumor parenchyma, the value of FA was recorded. Each surviving rat brain was examined histologically using HE and immunohistochemical staining for VEGF and CD34. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relationships between FA values and VEGF, MVD, cell density, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 35 tumor-bearing rats were confirmed the tumor formation by the subsequent MRI and pathological examination. The mean FA values of the tumor and the contralateral brain tissue were 0.17 ± 0.03 and 0.31 ± 0.05 respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (t = 12.80, P < 0.05). The mean FA value of grade III glioma (n = 12) was 0.16 ± 0.03, and the average FA value of grade IV glioma (n = 23) was about 0.18 ± 0.04. There was no significant difference between the two groups (t = 1.92, P > 0.05). FA value in the late stage of Wistar rat C6 brain glioma has significant positive correlation to VEGF, MVD, cell density. The correlation coefficients between FA and VEGF, MVD, and cell density were 0.67, 0.65 and 0.71 (P < 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The FA value of rat glioma tumor in the late stage can preoperatively provide an accurate, reliable and noninvasive imaging monitoring method to evaluate the microstructure of glioma (cell density, the extent of angiogenesis, fiber bundle integrity and tumor cell infiltration and so on), predict the biological behavior of the tumor and make out surgical plan.