FAM family gene prediction model reveals heterogeneity, stemness and immune microenvironment of UCEC.

Background: Endometrial cancer (UCEC) is a highly heterogeneous gynecologic malignancy that exhibits variable prognostic outcomes and responses to immunotherapy. The Familial sequence similarity (FAM) gene family is known to contribute to the pathogenesis of various malignancies, but the extent of their involvement in UCEC has not been systematically studied. This investigation aimed to develop a robust risk profile based on FAM family genes (FFGs) to predict the prognosis and suitability for immunotherapy in UCEC patients. Methods: Using the TCGA-UCEC cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we obtained expression profiles of FFGs from 552 UCEC and 35 normal samples, and analyzed the expression patterns and prognostic relevance of 363 FAM family genes. The UCEC samples were randomly divided into training and test sets (1:1), and univariate Cox regression analysis and Lasso Cox regression analysis were conducted to identify the differentially expressed genes (FAM13C, FAM110B, and FAM72A) that were significantly associated with prognosis. A prognostic risk scoring system was constructed based on these three gene characteristics using multivariate Cox proportional risk regression. The clinical potential and immune status of FFGs were analyzed using CiberSort, SSGSEA, and tumor immune dysfunction and rejection (TIDE) algorithms. qRT-PCR and IHC for detecting the expression levels of 3-FFGs. Results: Three FFGs, namely, FAM13C, FAM110B, and FAM72A, were identified as strongly associated with the prognosis of UCEC and effective predictors of UCEC prognosis. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the developed model was an independent predictor of UCEC, and that patients in the low-risk group had better overall survival than those in the high-risk group. The nomogram constructed from clinical characteristics and risk scores exhibited good prognostic power. Patients in the low-risk group exhibited a higher tumor mutational load (TMB) and were more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. Conclusion: This study successfully developed and validated novel biomarkers based on FFGs for predicting the prognosis and immune status of UCEC patients. The identified FFGs can accurately assess the prognosis of UCEC patients and facilitate the identification of specific subgroups of patients who may benefit from personalized treatment with immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

Efficient removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution by a novel phosphate-modified biochar supporting zero-valent iron composite.

Uranium (U) is an important strategic resource as well as a heavy metal element with both chemical and radiotoxicity. At present, the rapid and efficient removal of uranium from wastewater remains a huge challenge for environmental protection and ecological security. In this paper, phosphate-modified biochar supporting nano zero-valent iron (PBC/nZVI) was triumphantly prepared and fully characterized. The introduction of polyphosphate can greatly increase the specific surface area of biochar pores, and then the zero-valent iron can be evenly distributed on the surface of material, thus leading to excellent removal performance of the PBC/nZVI for U(VI). The theoretical maximum U(VI) removal capacity of PBC/nZVI was up to 967.53 mg/g at pH 5. The results of adsorption kinetics, isotherm, and thermodynamics showed that the adsorption of uranium by PBC/nZVI was a monolayer physical adsorption and endothermic reaction. And the PBC/nZVI has favorable selectivity toward uranium against the interference of coexisting metal ions. Further mechanism studies show that the excellent uranium removal performance of PBC/nZVI is mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of physical adsorption and chemical reduction. This work proves that the PBC/nZVI has a wide application prospect in the field of uranium wastewater treatment.

[Research progress on chemical constituents and biological activities of Arisaematis Rhizoma].

Arisaematis Rhizoma included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia is the dried tuber of Arisaema erubescens, A. heterophyllum or A. amurense in the family Araceae. This paper mainly focuses on the classification and summary of the chemical components and structures reported in recent years in the above three varieties of this medicinal material included in the pharmacopoeia, including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, lignans and benzene ring derivatives, steroids and terpenes, glycosides and esters, etc. Then we reviewed the reported biological activities of these chemical components, including cytotoxicity, antitumor activity, antibacterial activity, nematicidal activity, etc. Although there have been reports on the review of the chemical composition of the medicinal material, the structure and classification of the chemical composition in these reviews are not clear enough. This review provides a basis for the later study of the chemical composition of this medicinal material, especially the identification of the chemical structures. And most of the current reviews on the biological activity of this medicinal material are mainly for the crude extract. This paper mainly summarized the biological activity of related monomer compounds and expected to lay a foundation for the development of novel high-efficiency and low-toxicity active leading compounds from Arisaematis Rhizoma.

[Percutaneous fixation with helical bridge combined fixation system for long split fractures involving the middle and upper humerus].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of percutanous fixation with helical bridge combined fixation system (BCFS) for treatment of long split fractures involving the middle and upper humerus. METHODS: Between February 2018 and February 2020, 15 patients of long split fractures involving the middle and upper humerus were treated. There were 6 males and 9 females, with an average age of 62 years (range, 37-82 years). The fractures were caused by slipping in 7 cases, falling from height in 3 cases, and traffic accident in 5 cases. According to AO classification, the shaft fractures were rated as type A in 4 cases, type B in 9 cases, and type C in 2 cases. And all fractures extended to proximal humerus; and the proximal fractures were rated as one-part fracture in 11 cases and two-part fracture in 4 cases according to Neer classification. The interval between injury and operation was 1-7 days (mean, 3.2 days). Nine patients underwent closed reduction and 6 patients underwent open reduction after lengthening the incisions. All fractures were percutaneously internal fixated with helical BCFS after reduction. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision healing, and fracture healing were recorded. Constant-Murley score was used to evaluate shoulder joint function, and Mayo score was used to evaluate elbow joint function. RESULTS: The operation time ranged from 55 to 175 minutes, with an average of 76.5 minutes; the intraoperative blood loss ranged from 80 to 300 mL, with an average of 185.5 mL. All incisions healed by first intention, without infection or radial nerve injury. All patients were followed up 12-23 months, with an average of 16 months. The fractures all reached clinical healing, and the healing time was 12-20 weeks, with an average of 14.5 weeks. At 1 year after operation, the Constant-Murley score of the affected side was 88.7±7.6, and there was no significant difference when compared with that of the healthy side (90.8±8.3) ( t=1.421, P=0.052). According to the elbow Mayo score, the score of the affected side was 97.6±6.5, and there was no significant difference when compared with the healthy side (97.7±7.3) ( t=0.433, P=0.913). CONCLUSION: The helical BCFS can avoid the dissection of deltoid insertion and prevent the iatrogenic radial nerve injury. With satisfied effectiveness, it is suggested for minimally invasive surgical treatment of long split fractures involving the middle and upper humerus.

[Anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin].

OBJECTIVE: To study and compare the anti-inflammatory effect and molecular mechanism of artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin. METHOD: Mouse mononuclear macrophage RAW264.7 cells were stimulated to release inflammatory mediators such as TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO, in order to assess the drugs' inhibitory effect on macrophage's release of above inflammatory mediators. The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were determined by ELISA and the cytotoxicity was determined by MTT method. The protein expression of iNOS, COX-2 and beta-actin were tested by Western blot. The enzymatic activity of COX-2 was determined by colorimetric method. RESULT: Dihydroartemisinin significantly inhibited LPS-induced release of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NO from RAW264.7 in mice with the concentration range of 12.5 - 100 micromol x L(-1), and showed good dose dependence. Artemisinin only inhibited the IL-6 release to a certain extent. CONCLUSION: Dihydroartemisinin inhibits macrophages from releasing inflammatory factors TNF-alpha and IL-6 and inflammatory mediators NO by down-regulating iNOS protein. Artemisinin may help dihydroartemisinin to show its anti-inflammatory effect through metabolism.

[Analysis of the impurity of bacterium source of standard endotoxin by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry].

To analyse the impurity of bacterium source of standard endotoxin, 3-hydroxy fatty acid species in different endotoxin standards was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using N, O-bis (trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide as the silanizing reagent. GC/MS analysis was performed using a gas chromatograph equipped with a 60 m x 0.25 mm i. d. DB-5 fused silica capillary column and an injector at 250 degrees C. Helium was used as the carrier gas under a constant pressure of 206 kPa. The oven was programmed at a rate of 5 degrees C /min from 90 degrees C (held for 5 min) to 280 degrees C (held for 5 min). The sample size was 1 microL. The transfer line was kept at 280 degrees C. The quadrupole mass spectrometer was operated in electron impact (EI) ionization mode, and the temperature of the source was kept at 250 degrees C. The kind of 3-hydroxy fatty acids in 9 000 EU/tube national standard endotoxin, 20 EU/tube working standard endotoxin, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and deionized water were determined to study the purity of bacterium source of the standard endotoxin. It was shown that 9 000 EU/tube endotoxin standard and Escherichia coli only contained 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid. There was 3-hydroxydodecanoic acid in 20 EU/tube working standard endotoxin, which indicated the presence of impurity of bacterium source.

[Classification of terpenes and terpene oxides in volatile oil of Fruit of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. Et Maxim) Harms with gas chromatographic retention parameters].

Gas chromatographic (GC) retention parameters (A and B values) for 24 volatile compounds in volatile oil of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. Et Maxim) Harms were obtained from the retention times under five temperature-programming conditions with self-developed GC_AB software based on Levenberg-Marquardt method. The correlation analysis between A and B parameters of terpene and its oxides was carried out. Good linear relationships between A and B parameters were built for seven monoterpenes (C10H16) , nine sesquiterpenes (C15H24), three monoterpene oxides (C10HnO) and three sesquiterpene oxides (C15HnOx) at the same carbon number, respectively. But poor A-B linearity was built for the group formed from monoterpenes and monoterpene oxides or that formed from sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene oxides at the same carbon number. At the same time the A-B relationships for monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and their oxides are not collinear. Therefore, this discipline is applied in the assistant identification for terpenes with different carbon numbers and in the classification between terpenes and their oxides. It shows that GC retention parameters calculated from retention times under several temperature-programming conditions are useful for the classification of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and their oxides in the analysis of volatile oils from traditional Chinese herbs.

[Analysis of the volatile oil from the stem of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Harms with several hyphenated methods of gas chromatography].

Gas chromatography/quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC/qMS), gas chromatography/Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (GC/FTIR) and gas chromatography/orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/oaTOFMS) were applied to analyze the volatile oil from the stem of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Harms. Based on the spectra search function of GC/qMS with the aid of the discriminability of the geometrical isomer by GC/FTIR and the ability to determine the accurate mass charge ratio (m/z) by GC/oaTOFMS, 68 GC eluants were identified successfully. Compared with the results obtained by GC/qMS only, the analytical results obtained by these hyphenated methods of gas chromatography are more reliable.