PDCL3 as a prognostic factor and associated with the VEGF signaling pathway in glioma.

BACKGROUND: New targeted drugs about angiogenesis could develop the treatment of glioma. We aimed to explore the role of phosducin like 3 (PDCL3) in angiogenesis of glioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RNA sequencing data and matched clinical data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. To screen for the reliable genes with the filtering analyses, survival, multivariate Cox, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve filtration, and clinical correlation analyses were performed. The PDCL3 gene was validated by immunohistochemistry as a reliable gene for further analysis. Then we used the combined data of TCGA and Genotype-Tissue Expression from UCSC to detect the differential gene expression of PDCL3. Related signal pathways in glioma were explored by the gene set enrichment analysis and co-expression analysis. Lastly, we performed in vitro experiments to verify the gene functions and related mechanisms. RESULTS: The three filtering analyses and immunostaining indicated that the expression of PDCL3 in glioma tissues was higher than the normal tissues. Gene function analysis showed that PDCL3 activated the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signal pathway, and its mechanism was related to pathways in cancer, like NOD like receptor signaling pathway, the RIG-I like receptor signaling pathway and the P53 signaling pathway by MAPK/AKT in gliomas. This suggested that the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells might be inhibited by the downregulation of PDCL3 in vitro, which may be related to the activation of VEGF signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that PDCL3 could function as an independent adverse prognostic marker in glioma. Its pro-oncogenic mechanism may be related to the VEGF signaling pathway.

Cost-effective Bi2WO6 for efficient degradation of rhodamine B and tetracycline.

The morphology-controlled synthesis of nanostructured photocatalysts by an environmentally friendly and low-cost method provides a feasible way to realize practical applications of photocatalysts. Herein, Bi2WO6 (BWO) nanophotocatalysts with mulberry shape, sheet-like, and round-cake morphologies have been successfully synthesized through a highly facile solvothermal process by simply adjusting the solvothermal temperature or utilizing selective addition of ethylene glycol as an orientation agent without using strong acids and bases and/or hazardous chemicals. The ratio of ethylene glycol and glacial acetic acid can affect the morphology and oxygen vacancy content of BWO, thereby influencing the photocatalytic performance. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples was evaluated by degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline under visible-light irradiation. The results indicated that all the BWO samples exhibited morphology-associated photocatalytic activity, and the sheet-like structure of BWO obtained via solvothermal treatment at 120 °C with ethylene glycol and glacial acetic acid ratio of 1:3 achieved the maximum specific surface area and possessed abundant oxygen vacancies, exhibiting outstanding photocatalytic activity for degradation of RhB and tetracycline. The degradation rate of RhB reached 100% within 20 min. To the best of our knowledge, this value is one of the most remarkable values for pristine BWO photocatalysts. Radical capture experiments demonstrated that hydroxyl radicals (·OH) play major roles compared with electrons (e-) and holes (h+) in the photocatalytic degradation process. A possible mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants was proposed to better understand the reaction process. We believe that the more economical, efficient and greener methodology can provide guidance to develop highly efficient photocatalysts with favourable morphology and structure. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10854-022-09654-z.

Over-the-scope-clip applications for perforated peptic ulcer.

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of over-the-scope-clip (OTSC)-based endoscopic closure in patients with perforated peptic ulcer (PPU). METHODS: One hundred six patients diagnosed with PPU were treated with either OTSC (n = 26) or conservative treatments (n = 80), respectively. The outcome assessments included technical success rate, clinical success rate, post-treatment complications after 1 month, mortality rate, time to resume oral feeding, length of hospital stay, and the administration of antibiotics. RESULTS: In the OTSC group, technical and clinical success was achieved in 100% of patients without any complications, including death, incomplete closure, duodenal obstruction, and gastrointestinal bleeding, with a median operation time of 10 min. All patients in the OTSC group were discharged, while the mortality rate in the control group was 13.8%. Subsequent surgeries were required in 30% of patients in the control group. The median times to resume oral feeding were 3.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.0-5.25) days in the OTSC group and 7.0 (IQR 5.0-9.0) days in the control group (p < 0.001). One month post-procedure, 30% (24/80) of patients in the control group and 0 (0/26) in the OTSC group required additional operations (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found in the length of the hospital stay and the administration of antibiotics between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: OTSC-based endoscopic technique, with a high clinical success rate and a shorter time to resume oral feeding, was effective in achieving closure of PPU with a diameter < 15 mm.

Flower-, wire-, and sheet-like MnO2-deposited diatomites: Highly efficient absorbents for the removal of Cr(VI).

Flower-, wire-, and sheet-like MnO2-deposited diatomites have been prepared using a hydrothermal method with Mn(Ac)2, KMnO4 and/or MnSO4 as Mn source and diatomite as support. Physical properties of the materials were characterized by means of numerous analytical techniques, and their behaviors in the adsorption of chromium(VI) were evaluated. It is shown that the MnO2-deposited diatomite samples with different morphologies possessed high surface areas and abundant surface hydroxyl groups (especially the wire-like MnO2/diatomite sample). The wire-like MnO2/diatomite sample showed the best performance in the removal of Cr(VI), giving the maximum Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of 101 mg/g.

The role of NPC2 gene in glioma was investigated based on bioinformatics analysis.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most malignant primary brain tumors in adults. The NPC2 gene (Niemann-Pick type C intracellular cholesterol transporter 2) is a protein-coding gene with a lipid recognition domain. The NPC2 gene was found to be significantly increased in gliomas (LGG and GBM), and it is now thought to be a risk factor. COX analysis demonstrated that NPC2 was a significant risk factor for glioma. Functional enrichment analysis of genes that were differentially expressed between high and low expression groups revealed that genes were primarily enriched in the regulation of trans-synaptic signaling, Retrograde endocannabinoid signaling and other pathways. According to the findings of the immunoinfiltration investigation, the NPC2 gene and macrophage, DC, etc. have a strong positive association. In addition, patients with high NPC2 expression had higher levels of immune cell expression. Medication sensitivity research revealed that NPC2's differential expression had some bearing on patients' medication sensitivity. There was a strong correlation between the prognosis of glioma patients and the gene sets NUDT19 and NUME. In brief, the NPC2 gene was identified to be a possible biomarker of glioma, and preliminary analysis was done on the role of the NPC2 gene in immunological microenvironment of glioma.

Miltirone induces GSDME-dependent pyroptosis in colorectal cancer by activating caspase 3.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common and malignant tumor, ranking as the third most common cancer in men and the second most common cancer in women. Pyroptosis, a recently described programmed cell death mechanism mediated by the GSDM family, has emerged as an immunogenic mechanism for chemotherapy drugs in tumor treatment. In this study, we discovered that Miltirone has the ability to reduce the viability of CRC cells (SW620 and HCT116) and cause the proteolytic cleavage of gasdermin E (GSDME) in CRC cells. It was also observed that inhibiting GSDME prevented pyroptotic cell death induced by Miltirone in SW620 and HCT116 cells. Furthermore, the main active component of Miltirone was found to effectively bind with caspase 3. SiRNA-mediated caspase 3 silencing and specific caspase 3 inhibitor Z-DEVD-FMK were shown to weaken Miltirone-induced GSDME-dependent cell death. The findings of the study suggest that Miltirone has the potential to inhibit the growth of CRC tumors in vivo by inducing pyroptotic cell death. This indicates that Miltirone could be a viable therapeutic agent for the treatment of CRC through GSDME-dependent pyroptosis. These results offer a promising new option for the clinical treatment of CRC.

Lanthanum-based dendritic mesoporous nanoplatform for tumor microenvironment activating synergistic anti-glioma efficacy.

Lanthanum (La)-based nanotherapeutics are therapeutically advantageous due to cytoplasmic oxygen species (ROS) levels for mediating intrinsic and extrinsic tumor cell apoptosis. While they have not been extensively explored for their potential to suppress malignancies in vivo. Correspondingly, we have formulated a unique lanthanum nanocarrier with high specific surface area, dendritic-divergent mesopores, importantly, exposing more active lanthanum sites. After surface PEGlytion and ICG loading in mesoporous channels, this fantastic nanoplatform can efficaciously enrich in malignant glioblastoma regions. Meaningfully, it can be sensitively dissociated for La ions release under weak acid (pH = 6.5) tumor microenvironment. Upon 808 nm light irradiation, high light-heat conversion efficiency is further proved, then this satisfied thermal in the tumor site progressively enhances ROS production by La ions. Owing to the synergistic oxidative therapy and photothermal therapy of our dendritic La nanoplatform, glioblastoma is efficaciously and synergistically prevented both in vitro and in vivo. All outcomes highlight the therapeutic potency of La based nanoplatform with radial mesopores to treat malignant cancer in vivo and encourage future translational exploration.

Analysis of appendicitis management during COVID-19 pandemic: A study of Chinese adult cohorts.

Background: Healthcare seeking behavior has been widely impacted due to the restricted movements of individuals during the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aims to perform risk stratification in patients requiring timely intervention during the recovery periods. Methods: Operation notes of acute appendicitis (AA) patients within a hospital were analyzed during three six-month periods (23 January-23 July in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively). Patient data were collected retrospectively including demographics, pre-emergency status, perioperative information, postoperative outcomes, and follow-up results. Results: 321 patients were included in this study, with 111, 86, and 124 patients in 2019, 2020, and 2021 groups, respectively. The median age of patients decreased by 4 years in 2020 as compared to that in 2019. The proportion of pre-hospitalization symptoms duration of more than 48 h in the 2020 group was higher (36.05% in 2020 vs. 22.52% in 2019). Length of hospital stay (LOS) in 2020 was shorter than it was during the same period in 2019 (4.77 vs. 5.64) and LOS in 2021 was shorter than in 2019 (4.13 vs. 5.64). Compared to the lockdown period, the proportion of patients with recurrent AA was higher in the post-lockdown period (15.1% vs. 27.4%). The median age was 34 years (vaccinated) vs. 37 years (unvaccinated). Logistic regression suggests that elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR = 1.018, CI = 1.010-1.028), white cell count (WBC) (OR = 1.207, CI = 1.079-1.350), female (OR = 2.958, CI = 1.286-6.802), recurrent (OR = 3.865, CI = 1.149-12.997), and fecalith (OR = 2.308, CI = 1.007-5.289) were associated with complicated appendicitis (CA). Conclusion: The lockdown measures during the COVID-19 epidemic are shown to be correlated with a reduction in the proportion of AA patients who underwent surgery, particularly in older adults. Risk factors for CA include elevated CRP, WBC, female, recurrent, and fecalith.

[Procedure and teaching verses of supraclavicular subclavian catheterization].

In order to improve the success rate of supraclavicular deep venous catheterization and reduce mechanical complications, we present an auxillary maneuver in regard to supraclavicular subclavian catheterization basing on the relatively fixed anatomy of subclavian vein and its adjacent surroundings, furthermore, we revised the standardized procedure of supraclavicular subclavian catheterization. The maneuver is summarized in the shape of verses (verses: thumb navigation is well designed according to anatomy. Needle penetrated into vein should be parallel to coronal plane. Fine needle in position should be immobilized. Is it difficult for parallel puncture? Pressure determination is required when needle is in place. It is critical to distinguish which vessel has been inserted. Guidewire is advanced smoothly. Check blood return after expansion of skin and catheterization.). For teaching convenience, verses are considered to be more concise and memorable, as well as applicable to clinical practice, in order to provide some help for clinical teaching.

The synergistic or adjuvant effect of DINP combined with OVA as a possible mechanism to promote an immune response.

Diisononyl phthalate (DINP) is commonly used as a plasticizer in industrial and consumer product applications. Several studies have suggested a possible link between exposure to DINP and the development of allergic asthma, and the synergistic effect of DINP combined with Ovalbumin (OVA) is a possible way to promote an immune response. These findings are still speculative, since there is insufficient evidence to assess the ability of DINP to influence "allergic asthma pathology". This study was designed to determine any effects of OVA/DINP exposure on airway reactivity, particularly when combined with allergen exposure. Experiments to determine these effects were conducted after 15 days of combined exposure and a subsequent challenge with aerosolized ovalbumin for one week. Airway hyper-responsiveness (lung function), lung tissue pathology, cytokines and oxidative stress biomarkers were investigated. We showed that oral exposure to OVA/DINP could induce airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), and aggravate airway wall remodeling, and that this deterioration was concomitant with increased immunoglobulin-E and Th2 cytokines secretion. The data also demonstrated that DINP could promote oxidative damage in the lung. In summary, this study showed that DINP has an adjuvant effect on allergic asthma affecting lung function, lung histopathology, immune molecules and causes oxidative damage.

Tungsten oxide nanostructures and nanocomposites for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Hydrogen production from photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting using semiconductor photocatalysts has attracted great attention to realize clean and renewable energy from solar energy. The visible light response of WO3 with a long hole diffusion length (∼150 nm) and good electron mobility (∼12 cm2 V-1 s-1) makes it suitable as the photoanode. However, WO3 suffers from issues including rapid recombination of photoexcited electron-hole pairs, photo-corrosion during the photocatalytic process due to the formation of peroxo-species, sluggish kinetics of photogenerated holes, and slow charge transfer at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface. This work highlights the approaches to overcome these drawbacks of WO3 photoanodes, including: (i) the manipulation of nanostructured WO3 photoanodes to decrease the nanoparticle size to promote hole migration to the WO3/electrolyte interface which benefits the charge separation; (ii) doping or introducing oxygen vacancies to improve electrical conductivity; exposing high energy crystal surfaces to promote the consumption of photogenerated holes on the high-active crystal face, thereby suppressing the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes; (iii) decorating with co-catalysts to reduce the overpotential which inhibits the formation of peroxo-species; (iv) other methods such as coupling with narrow band semiconductors to accelerate the charge separation and controlling the crystal phase via annealing to reduce defects. These approaches are reviewed with detailed examples.

RETRACTED: Effect of transplantation of BMMSCs on pathological change of gastric precancerous lesions of rats.

OBJECTIVE: To build the rat model of gastric precancerous lesions and discuss the effect of transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) on the pathological change. METHODS: The rat model of gastric precancerous lesions was built using N-methyl-N'-nitro-N'-nitrosoguanidine. After the intravenous transplantation of BMMSCs, the migration and colonization location was then observed, as well as its effect on the related factors of gastric precancerous lesions, including VEGF, IL-10 and IFN-γ. RESULTS: BMMSCs were mainly colonized in the gastric body and gastric antrum, which could be differentiated into the epithelial and interstitial cells. The expression of VEGF in the transplantation group and non-transplantation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05); while the expression of VEGF in the transplantation group was significantly higher than that in the non-transplantation group (t = 3.88, P < 0.001). The expression of serum IL-10 and IFN-γ in the transplantation group and non-transplantation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05), while the expression of IL-10 and IFN-γ in the transplantation group was significantly lower than that in the non-transplantation group (t = 3.03, P = 0.004; t = 3.80, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: BMMSCs can be directionally differentiated into the epithelial and interstitial cells and can also regulate the related growth factors and inflammatory factors to reduce the injury of inflammation, relieve or reverse the process of gastric precancerous lesions.