Effect of visceral fat area on the accuracy of preoperative CT-N staging of colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of visceral fat area (VFA) on the accuracy of preoperative CT-N staging of colorectal cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and imaging data of 385 CRC patients who underwent surgical resection for colorectal cancer between January 2018 and July 2021. Preoperative CT-N staging and imaging features were determined independently by two radiologists. Using postoperative pathology as the gold standard, patients were divided into accurately and incorrectly staged groups, and clinical and imaging characteristics were compared between the two groups. VFA and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) at the L3 vertebral level, sex, age, BMI, tumor location, size, and tumor circumference ratio (TCR) were included. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent factors influencing the accuracy of preoperative N staging of colorectal cancer. RESULTS: Of the 385 patients enrolled, 259 (67.27%) were in the preoperative N-stage accurate staging group, and 126 (32.73%) were in the incorrectly staged group. Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in BMI, tumor location, VFA, SFA, size and TCR between the two groups (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that VFA (95% CI: 1.277, 3.813; P=0.005) and TCR (95% CI: 1.649, 17.545; P=0.005) were independent factors affecting the accuracy of N staging. The optimal cutoff points for VFA and TCR in predicting incorrect staging were 110 cm2 and 0.675, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal cancer patients with lower VFA and higher TCR and preoperative CT-N staging had an increased risk for diagnostic errors.

Neutrophil Heterogeneity and its Roles in the Inflammatory Network after Ischemic Stroke.

As the first peripheral immune cells to enter the brain after ischemic stroke, neutrophils are important participants in stroke-related neuroinflammation. Neutrophils are quickly mobilized from the periphery in response to a stroke episode and cross the blood-brain barrier to reach the ischemic brain parenchyma. This process involves the mobilization and activation of neutrophils from peripheral immune organs (including the bone marrow and spleen), their chemotaxis in the peripheral blood, and their infiltration into the brain parenchyma (including disruption of the blood-brain barrier, inflammatory effects on brain tissue, and interactions with other immune cell types). In the past, it was believed that neutrophils aggravated brain injuries through the massive release of proteases, reactive oxygen species, pro-inflammatory factors, and extracellular structures known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). With the failure of early clinical trials targeting neutrophils and uncovering their underlying heterogeneity, our view of their role in ischemic stroke has become more complex and multifaceted. As neutrophils can be divided into N1 and N2 phenotypes in tumors, neutrophils have also been found to have similar phenotypes after ischemic stroke, and play different roles in the development and prognosis of ischemic stroke. N1 neutrophils are dominant during the acute phase of stroke (within three days) and are responsible for the damage to neural structures via the aforementioned mechanisms. However, the proportion of N2 neutrophils gradually increases in later phases, and this has a beneficial effect through the release of anti-inflammatory factors and other neuroprotective mediators. Moreover, the N1 and N2 phenotypes are highly plastic and can be transformed into each other under certain conditions. The pronounced differences in their function and their high degree of plasticity make these neutrophil subpopulations promising targets for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Investigation on the surface-active and antimicrobial properties of a natural glycolipid product.

Glycolipids are a group of sugar-containing lipids with versatile functions. In this study, a natural glycolipid product was obtained from soy lecithin, and its emulsifying, oil-gelling, antibacterial and antiviral properties were investigated. A silica-based extraction method on a preparative scale was used to recover the glycolipid product (GLP) from soy lecithin. The GLP consisted of three different glycolipid classes: acylated sterol glucoside (64.16%), sterol glucoside (25.57%) and cerebroside (6.71%). As an emulsifier, the GLP was able to form a stable water-in-oil emulsion. The GLP exhibited a good oil-gelling property, capable of gelling rapeseed oil at a concentration of 6%. For the investigated microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus), the GLP did not show any antibacterial effects. The GLP exerted antiviral activity against lentivirus, but not adenovirus. The results of this study help in enriching the knowledge on the properties of naturally occurring glycolipids, which may find potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical and related industries.

Oil-gelling properties of soy lecithin fractions.

Lecithin is a mixture of amphiphilic lipids with health benefits. In this study, four different fractions (ethanol soluble, ethanol insoluble, phospholipid and glycolipid fractions) from soy lecithin were obtained and evaluated as oleogelators. As with the parent lecithin, the ethanol insoluble fraction (EIF) was unable to function as an oleogelator. The ethanol soluble fraction (ESF) and phospholipid fraction (PLF) formed oleogels at 30% (wt%), while the glycolipid fraction (GLF) formed oleogels at 15%. ESF resulted in an oleogel with a similar appearance and microstructure, but a harder and less cohesive texture than the PLF-supported oleogel. The oleogels formed with GLF were different from those formed with ESF and PLF in appearance and microstructure. GLF at 20% formed an oleogel with better texture characteristics (in the light of hardness) and oil-holding capacity than those formed with 30% of ESF and PLF. This is the first study to investigate the oil-gelling properties of fractions from soy lecithin. Our results show that the naturally occurring glycolipids from soy lecithin exhibit great potential as oleogelators.

Visual determination of oxidation of edible oil by a nanofiber mat prepared from polyvinyl alcohol and Schiff's reagent.

A fiber mat was developed to visually determine the oxidation of edible oils, based on the colorimetric reaction of Schiff's reagent and aldehydes - the major volatile formed during lipid oxidation. The mixtures of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Schiff's reagent containing various amounts of glycerol were electrospun to form the fiber mats. The response of the PVA/Schiff's reagent fiber mats to gaseous hexanal (model aldehyde) was investigated. Oxidized soybean oils were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the PVA/Schiff's reagent fiber mat for indicating oxidation of the oils. The results showed that the fiber mats obtained had average fiber diameters of less than 100 nm. Upon hexanal exposure, the fiber mats turned from white to purple. Higher amount of glycerol led to larger color change of the fiber mats and shorter response time to hexanal. A linear relationship (R2 = 0.96) was observed between the color change of the mat and hexanal concentration (15-117 µmol L-1). The visual determination limit of the mat for hexanal was 29 µmol L-1. The color change of the PVA/Schiff's reagent fiber mat was increased with an increase of soybean oil oxidation. Out of the seven soybean oils tested, the PVA/Schiff's reagent fiber mat was able to correctly indicate the oxidation states of six oils. The result suggested that the visual determination method developed is a promising method to indicate the oxidation of edible oils, which can be performed easily by non-experts.Graphical abstract.