Overall clinical course of indeterminate dendritic cell tumor patients without skin lesions: A rare case report.

BACKGROUND: Indeterminate dendritic cell tumor (IDCT) is a rare tumor of immune cells, and IDCT patients without skin lesions are rarely reported. Therefore, the clinical course in this type of patient is unclear, and further research on the underlying pathological mechanisms and appropriate treatments is needed. CASE SUMMARY: This study describes a female IDCT patient with bile duct lesions. The strong mimicry of IDCT lesions confused doctors, and consequently, this patient, who had no skin lesions, was first diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. Then, she presented with persistent abdominal distension without jaundice. Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes along with massive ascites were observed in the subsequent imaging examination. However, no tumor cells or pathogens were found in the three subsequent ascites analyses. It took 2 years to reach the correct diagnosis, which was eventually obtained by performing surgery for biopsy of the patient's abdominal lymph nodes. However, by then, she was already in a cachexic state. Finally, she received a cycle of cyclophosphamide therapy and was advised to visit a hospital specializing in rare diseases. CONCLUSION: For IDCT patients without skin lesions, early biopsy is the key to obtaining a correct diagnosis. Moreover, the collective management of IDCT patients is important. Further histological and molecular biology studies based on human specimens are critical for understanding the pathological mechanism of dendritic cell tumors in the future.

A Laboratory Experimental Study on Enhancing the Oil Recovery Mechanisms of Polymeric Surfactants.

In order to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of polymer surfactants and analyze their oil displacement mechanisms, three types of poly-surfactant used in the Daqing oil field were chosen to be researched, and the oil displacement effects were studied using poly-surfactants of different viscosity, dehydrating rate, and core permeability. The main purpose is to determine the reasonable range of different characteristic indexes of polymeric surfactant flooding. The oil displacement effect of 15 cores was analyzed, and the effects of viscosity, the dehydrating rate of emulsion, and permeability on EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) were analyzed. The oil displacement mechanisms of polymeric surfactants were researched using a photolithographic glass core. This paper explores the mechanism underlying production enhancement as an EOR target, while simultaneously conducting laboratory tests to assess the physical and chemical properties of polymeric surfactants. The poly-surfactant agents exhibit a notable increase in viscosity, with the optimal displacement effect observed at a core effective permeability exceeding 400 mD, resulting in a potential EOR of 15% or higher. Moreover, at a viscosity ranging between 40 and 70 mPa·s, the total EOR can reach 73%, with the peak efficiency occurring at a viscosity of 60 mPa·s. The water loss rate of the emulsion, ranging between 30% and 70%, achieves optimal performance at 50%. The poly-surfactants' higher viscosity extends the oil sweep area, enhancing recovery efficiency, and noticeably reducing residual oil compared to water flooding. During poly-surfactant flooding, a substantial amount of residual oil is extracted and transformed into droplets. The rapid emulsification of the polymeric surfactant solution with crude oil forms a stable emulsion, contributing to its significant oil recovery effect. This research provides valuable technical support for EOR in thin and low-quality reservoirs of onshore multi-layered sandstone reservoirs.

Dual-monomer solvatochromic probe system (DSPS) for effectively differentiating lipid raft cholesterol and active membrane cholesterol in the inner-leaflet plasma membrane.

Monitoring active membrane cholesterol and lipid raft cholesterol in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane is significant for understanding the membrane function and cellular physiopathological processes. Limited by existing methods, it is difficult to differentiate active membrane cholesterol and lipid raft cholesterol. A novel dual-monomer solvatochromic probe system (DSPS) that targets two types of cholesterol was developed. Acrylodan-BG/SNAP-D4 composed of SNAP-D4 cholesterol-recognizing monomers and solvatochromic acrylodan-BG-sensing monomers exhibits excellent cholesterol detecting properties in terms of selectivity, accuracy, convenience and economic benefits. Cell imaging revealed that lipid raft cholesterol emitted blue fluorescence, whereas active membrane cholesterol (which partially bobbed in aqueous cytosol) displayed green fluorescence; both the fluorescence emissions increased or decreased in a cholesterol-dependent manner. This system provides a new technology for the determination of two types of cholesterol, which is beneficial for the further study of membrane function, intracellular cholesterol trafficking, and cell signaling.

Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) based on celastrol induce multiple protein degradation for triple-negative breast cancer treatment.

The pursuit of single drugs targeting multiple targets has become a prominent trend in modern cancer therapeutics. Natural products, known for their multi-targeting capabilities, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness, hold great potential for the development of multi-target drugs. However, their therapeutic efficacy is often hindered by complex structural modifications and limited anti-tumor activity. In this study, we present a novel approach using celastrol (CST)-based Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) for breast cancer therapy. Through rational design, we have successfully developed compound 6a, a potent multiple protein degrader capable of selectively degrading GRP94 and CDK1/4 in tumor cells via the endogenous ubiquitin-proteasome system. Furthermore, compound 6a has demonstrated remarkable inhibitory effects on cell proliferation and migration, and induction of apoptosis in 4T1 cells through cell cycle arrest and activation of the Bcl-2/Bax/cleaved Caspase-3 apoptotic pathway. In vivo administration of compound 6a has effectively suppressed tumor growth with an acceptable safety profile. Our findings suggest that the CST-based PROTACs described herein can be readily extended to other natural products, offering a potential avenue for the development of natural product-based PROTACs for cancer treatment.

A rare presentation of primary cardiac diffuse large B­cell lymphoma: A case report.

Primary cardiac lymphomas display a low frequency, sudden onset, swift progression of illness and elevated mortality rates. The current study presents a unique instance of primary cardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and examines its clinical manifestations, pathological characteristics and differential diagnosis. A 64-year-old male patient sought medical attention due to cardiac debility and exertional dyspnea persisting for >10 days. Chest enhanced computed tomography revealed a moderately enhancing irregular mass in the ventricular area, exhibiting limited demarcation from the pericardium and left atrium, accompanied by irregular thickening of the interventricular septum. The postoperative specimen showed the presence of yellow fish-like tumor tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed the presence of lymphocytes positive for CD20, BCL-2, BCL-6, c-Myc-binding protein, mutated melanoma-associated antigen 1 and CD79a, along with a high Ki-67 proliferation index of 80%. Conversely, CD10, CD30, CD3, pan cytokeratin, cyclin D1, desmin and vimentin marker results were found to be negative. Additionally, in situ hybridization demonstrated a lack of Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNA expression. The present case report emphasizes the significance of conducting a thorough analysis of the clinical manifestations of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma to assist clinicians in establishing a diagnosis and determining an effective treatment approach, thereby enhancing the patient's prognosis.

Amorphous 1-D nanowires of calcium phosphate/pyrophosphate: A demonstration of oriented self-growth of amorphous minerals.

Amorphous inorganic solids are traditionally isotropic, thus, it is believed that they only grow in a non-preferential way without the assistance of regulators, leading to the morphologies of nanospheres or irregular aggregates of nanoparticles. However, in the presence of (ortho)phosphate (Pi) and pyrophosphate ions (PPi) which have synergistic roles in biomineralization, the highly elongated amorphous nanowires (denoted ACPPNs) form in a regulator-free aqueous solution (without templates, additives, organics, etc). Based on thorough characterization and tracking of the formation process (e.g., Cryo-TEM, spherical aberration correction high resolution TEM, solid state NMR, high energy resolution monochromated STEM-EELS), the microstructure and its preferential growth behavior are elucidated. In ACPPNs, amorphous calcium orthophosphate and amorphous calcium pyrophosphate are distributed at separated but close sites. The ACPPNs grow via either the preferential attachment of ∼2 nm nanoclusters in a 1-dimension way, or the transformation of bigger nanoparticles, indicating an inherent driving force-governed process. We propose that the anisotropy of ACPPNs microstructure, which is corroborated experimentally, causes their oriented growth. This study proves that, unlike the conventional view, amorphous minerals can form via oriented growth without external regulation, demonstrating a novel insight into the structures and growth behaviors of amorphous minerals.

Treatment effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with motor relearning procedure on spasticity and limb motor function in stroke patients.

Objective: Limb paralysis, which is a sequela of stroke, limits patients' activities of daily living and lowers their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with a motor relearning procedure (MRP) on motor function and limb spasticity in stroke patients. Methods: Stroke patients were randomly divided into a combined treatment group (rTMS + MRP) and a control group (MRP) (n = 30 per group). The control group was given MRP in addition to conventional rehabilitation, and the combined treatment group was given 1 Hz rTMS combined with MRP. The treatment efficacy was assessed by the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), Fugl-Meyer motor function scale, and motor evoked potential (MEP) testing. Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, the Brunnstrom score, Fugl-Meyer lower extremity motor function, and Fugl-Meyer balance function were significantly higher in the combination treatment group compared to the control group, while the MAS score was lower in the combination treatment group compared to the control group. The MEP extraction rate was higher in the combined treatment group compared to the control group, while the threshold and central motor conduction time (CMCT) were lower in the combined treatment group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Low-frequency rTMS combined with MRP had better efficacy on spasticity and motor function in stroke patients with hemiparesis than MRP alone.

Moyamoya disease with distal anterior choroidal artery aneurysm resected via transcallosal approach: A case report and review.

RATIONALE: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a cerebrovascular structural disorder characterized by bilateral stenosis and obstruction of the internal carotid artery, anterior cerebral artery, and initial segment of a middle cerebral artery, as well as the aberrant formation of collateral arteries at the base of the brain. Moyamoya disease with distal anterior choroidal artery (AChA) aneurysm is extremely uncommon. At present, the treatment of Moyamoya disease with aneurysm mainly includes conservative treatment and surgical treatment, including revascularization, endovascular therapy and microsurgical clipping or resection. Interventional therapy is the first treatment of choice. For those whose paths are tortuous and inaccessible and intervention fails, I successfully excised them through craniotomy. PATIENT CONCERNS: The 38-year-old male patient, diagnosed with Moyamoya disease 11 years ago and was hospitalized for multiple intraventricular hemorrhages throughout that time. During the 11 years, the patient was hospitalized for intra ventricular hemorrhage for several times. The patient was diagnosed as moyamoya disease for many times by digital subtraction angiography, but he was recommended to come to our hospital for cerebrovascular bypass surgery 3 months after each hemorrhage, but he did not come to our hospital until the next intraventricular hemorrhages. DIAGNOSES: This recurrent intraventricular bleeding was suspected to be caused by MMD, and a digital subtraction angiography of the brain revealed an aneurysm of the distal AChA. INTERVENTIONS: Interventional therapy was the first choice. During the operation, transcatheter aneurysm embolization was tried. Finally, interventional therapy was abandoned because the vessels were too thin and tortuous and the guide wire could not pass through. After detecting the aneurysm using computerized tomography angiography, the distal AChA aneurysm was resected through the lateral interventricular foramen of the corpus callosum, and the corpus callosum was parted along the interhemispheric fissure to access the third ventricle. OUTCOMES: On the 21st postoperative day, the patient improved, recovered to a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15. LESSONS: We conclude that craniotomy is a satisfying alternative in patients with MMD complicated by perforated distal AChA aneurysm hemorrhage if the vascular prerequisites for endovascular treatment are not accessible and the patient has a favorable prognosis.

CES1-Triggered Liver-Specific Cargo Release of CRISPR/Cas9 Elements by Cationic Triadic Copolymeric Nanoparticles Targeting Gene Editing of PCSK9 for Hyperlipidemia Amelioration.

The broad application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 genome editing tools is hindered by challenges in the efficient delivery of its two components into specific cells and intracytoplasmic release. Herein, a novel copolymer for delivery of Cas9-mRNA/ single-guide RNA (Cas9-mRNA/sgRNA) in vitro and vivo, using carboxylesterase-responsive cationic triadic copolymeric nanoparticles targeted proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) for hyperlipidemia amelioration is reported. A dimethyl biguanide derivative is designed and synthesized to form cationic block, and copolymerization onto prepolymer with propyl methacrylate, to fabricate a triadic copolymer mPEG-b-P(Met/n-PMA). The copolymer can self-assemble with Cas9-mRNA/sgRNA, indicating the excellent potential of nanoparticles to form a delivery carrier. This vehicle can efficiently release RNA in response to the hepatocytes carboxylesterase for genome editing. It was demonstrated that the mPEG-b-P(Met/n-PMA)/Cas9 mRNA/sgRNA nanoparticles effectively accumulated in hepatocytes, lead to the inhibition of PCSK9, and lowered the levels of Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol in mouse serum down 20% of nontreatment. Interestingly, the nanoparticles even enable multiple functions in the regulation of blood glucose and weight. This study establishes a novel method to achieve complex CRISPR components stable loading, safe delivery, and fixed-point release, which expand the application of CRISPR delivery systems.

Evaluation of adverse events of bamlanivimab, bamlanivimab/etesevimab used for COVID-19 based on FAERS database.

BACKGROUND: We study the adverse events (AEs) of bamlanivimab (BAM), bamlanivimab/etesevimab (BAM/ETE) to alert risk factors during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment and provide references for drug safety. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Extract AEs from the COVID-19 Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard. Disproportionality analysis was performed to discover the potential risks of BAM and BAM/ETE. RESULTS: With COVID-19 drugs as the research background, the number of BAM/ETE signals is about half that of BAM, and 80% of signals overlap with BAM. Signals such as atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, and confusional state are present in BAM but not in BAM/ETE. With BAM and BAM/ETE as the research background, potential safety signals of BAM/ETE such as acute respiratory failure, hypersensitivity, and infusion-related reaction require long-term observation, especially acute respiratory failure which is not in the label. CONCLUSIONS: The AEs report on this study confirm most of the label information of BAM and BAM/ETE. BAM/ETE is relatively safe, while the risk signals such as acute respiratory failure and infusion-related reaction require to be monitored.

Pain in neuromyelitis optic spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a common symptom of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), but there are relatively few studies on NMOSD pain. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 145 patients with NMOSD admitted to our hospital between July 2016 and June 2019. RESULTS: The clinical characteristics of pain and factors related to NMOSD were analyzed, revealing that the incidence of pain in NMOSD is high and can be used for disease localization. CONCLUSION: Different types of pain occur at different stages of the disease, and serum aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-ab) positivity is an independent risk factor for NMOSD pain. Hormones and biological immune agents may also be effective in some cases.

Case report: Primary pleural squamous cell carcinoma in a 68-year-old male.

Introduction: Primary pleural squamous cell carcinoma (PPSCC) is a sporadic disease that is rarely reported in the literature. Due to its low incidence, the pathogenesis of PPSCC is unknown. Case summary: We report a case of a 68-year-old male with PPSCC and sizable pulmonary bullae. Two months after complete resection of both lesions, a total dose of 50 Gy radiotherapy was administered over the operative field. After more than a year of follow-up, the patient is in steady condition without any sign of recurrence. Conclusion: Since PPSCC is rarely reported, our case proposed that complete surgical resection combined with radiotherapy may be a promising therapeutic approach.

Abnormal hubs in global network as neuroimaging biomarker in right temporal lobe epilepsy at rest.

While abnormal neuroimaging features have been reported in patients suffering from right temporal lobe epilepsy (rTLE), the value of altered degree centrality (DC) as a diagnostic biomarker for rTLE has yet to be established. As such, the present study was designed to examine DC abnormalities in rTLE patients in order to gauge the diagnostic utility of these neuroimaging features. In total, 68 patients with rTLE and 73 healthy controls (HCs) participated in this study. Imaging data were analyzed using DC and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methods. Ultimately, rTLE patients were found to exhibit reduced right caudate DC and increased left middle temporal gyrus, superior parietal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, right precuneus, frontal gyrus Inferior gyrus, middle-superior frontal gyrus, and inferior parietal gyrus DC relative to HC. ROC analyses indicated that DC values in the right caudate nucleus could be used to differentiate between rTLE patients and HCs with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. Together, these results thus suggest that rTLE is associated with abnormal DC values in the right caudate nucleus, underscoring the relevance of further studies of the underlying pathophysiology of this debilitating condition.

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Shrubs are the major components of vegetation in arid and semi-arid areas, and play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem stability and function. The nurse effects of shrubs can help with the regeneration of native target plant species by alleviating the adverse influences that limit their growth and reproduction in degraded habitats. We summarized the main research results and application of shrub nurse effects in the last 20 years. We discussed several facilitation mechanisms of nurse shrubs, including microhabitat amelioration, fertile island formation, defense and resistance against herbivores, introduction of beneficial microorganism and propagule propagation or preservation, as well as changes in the patterns of interspecific competitive networks. Key factors affecting nurse effects were analyzed, including abiotic environments, biological disturbances, plant life history as well as growth and reproductive strategies. Prospects for future research were also considered from the aspects of improving theore-tical mechanisms of nurse effects by shrubs and building models involved in multiple plant species interaction affec-ted by multifactors.

Mineralized Enzyme-Based Biomaterials with Superior Bioactivities for Bone Regeneration.

The formation and metabolic balance of bone tissue is a controllable process of biomineralization, which is regulated by various cells, biomolecules, and ions. Enzyme molecules play an important role in this process, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is one of the most critical factors. In this study, inspired by the process of bone biomineralization, a biomimetic strategy is achieved for the preparation of mineralized ALP nanoparticles (MALPNs), by taking advantages of the unique reaction between ALP and calcium ions in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. Benefiting from the mild biomineralization reaction, the MALPN system highly maintains the activity of ALP. Furthermore, the in vitro studies show that the MALPN system significantly enhances the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and upregulates their osteogenic differentiation. When evaluated as synthetic graft materials for bone regeneration, the MALPN-incorporated gelatin methacryloyl graft shows excellent mechanical properties, a sustained release profile of ALP, and high biocompatibility and efficacy in guiding bone regeneration and vascularization for critical-sized rat calvarial defect. Moreover, we also demonstrate that the biomimetic mineralization strategy can be adopted for other proteins such as acid phosphatase, bovine serum albumin, fibrinogen, and gelatin, suggesting its universality for constructing mineralized protein-/enzyme-based bioactive materials for the application of tissue regeneration.

Clostridium butyricum Inhibits Fat Deposition via Increasing the Frequency of Adipose Tissue-Resident Regulatory T Cells.

SCOPE: Clostridium butyricum (CB) exerts beneficial actions in several disorders. However, the impact and molecular cues of CB in fat metabolism remain elusive. This study demonstrates the CB inhibition of fat deposition by increasing the relative number of adipose tissue-resident Treg cells (aTregs). METHODS AND RESULTS: CB is administered orally to wild type (WT) mice fed with chow diet, which decrease fat deposition and adipogenic gene expression, associating with elevated serum levels of butyrate. Sodium butyrate (SB) feeding mimics the CB suppression of fat accumulation. Of note, the frequency of aTregs in both the CB and SB treatments, analyzed by flow cytometry, is markedly increased, accompanied by activated Wnt10b expression in white adipose tissues. However, CB and SB fail to inhibit fat deposition in Wnt10b-KO mice. Intriguingly, CB and SB are able to alleviate the obesity, fatty liver, and glucose abnormalities in high fat diet (HFD)-fed WT mice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that CB, through its metabolite butyrate, inhibits fat deposition via potentiating aTreg cell generation, and support the option of CB and SB for therapeutic interventions in obesity and related disorders.

Pyrolysis behaviors of anaerobic digestion residues in a fixed-bed reactor with rapid infrared heating.

Fast pyrolysis via rapid infrared heating may significantly enhance the heat transfer and suppress the secondary reaction of the volatiles. The effects of various pyrolysis temperatures on pyrolysis behaviors of anaerobic digestion residues (ADR) were studied in this research utilizing a fixed-bed reactor equipped with rapid infrared heating (IH), as well as to compare the pyrolysis products produced by rapid infrared heating (IH) to those produced by conventional electric heating (EH). Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis revealed that pyrolysis of ADR occurred in three decomposition stages. The results of pyrolysis experiments showed that increasing temperature first raised the bio-oil yield for IH and EH, peaking at 500-600 °C, but thereafter decreased the yield. In contrast to the findings achieved with EH, infrared heating (IH) presented a greater overall bio-oil yield but a lower gas yield. The bio-oil produced by IH increased from 8.35 wt.% at 400 °C to 12.56 wt.% at 500 °C before dropping to 11.22 wt.% at 700 °C. Gaseous products produced by IH have a higher heating value than those generated by EH. Nitrogenous compounds, ketones, and phenols make up the majority of the bio-oil. In the IH bio-oil, nitrogen compounds rose with increasing temperature, while those varied slightly in the EH bio-oil. The phenols content in IH bio-oil was much more than that of EH, exhibiting values of 8.63% and 2.95%, respectively. The findings of the FTIR spectra of biochar indicated that as the temperature increased, the chains of aliphatic side professedly reduced and the structure of biochar became considerably ordered for both heating techniques. The Raman spectra of IH biochar showed that the ratio of AG/AD rose progressively from 0.17 to 0.20 as pyrolysis temperature rose from 500 to 700 °C.