A CLIC1 network coordinates matrix stiffness and the Warburg effect to promote tumor growth in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) features substantial matrix stiffening and reprogrammed glucose metabolism, particularly the Warburg effect. However, the complex interplay between these traits and their impact on tumor advancement remains inadequately explored. Here, we integrated clinical, cellular, and bioinformatics approaches to explore the connection between matrix stiffness and the Warburg effect in PDAC, identifying CLIC1 as a key mediator. Elevated CLIC1 expression, induced by matrix stiffness through Wnt/ß-catenin/TCF4 signaling, signifies poorer prognostic outcomes in PDAC. Functionally, CLIC1 serves as a catalyst for glycolytic metabolism, propelling tumor proliferation. Mechanistically, CLIC1 fortifies HIF1α stability by curbing hydroxylation via reactive oxygen species (ROS). Collectively, PDAC cells elevate CLIC1 levels in a matrix-stiffness-responsive manner, bolstering the Warburg effect to drive tumor growth via ROS/HIF1α signaling. Our insights highlight opportunities for targeted therapies that concurrently address matrix properties and metabolic rewiring, with CLIC1 emerging as a promising intervention point.

Exploring the antimicrobial activity of rare ginsenosides and the progress of their related pharmacological effects.

BACKGROUND: Panax ginseng C. A. Mey is a precious medicinal resource that could be used to treat a variety of diseases. Saponins are the most important bioactive components of, and rare ginsenosides (Rg3, Rh2, Rk1 and Rg5, etc.) refer to the chemical structure changes of primary ginsenosides through dehydration and desugarization reactions, to obtain triterpenoids that are easier to be absorbed by the human body and have higher activity. PURPOSE: At present, the research of P. ginseng. is widely focused on anticancer related aspects, and there are few studies on the antibacterial and skin protection effects of rare ginsenosides. This review summarizes the rare ginsenosides related to bacterial inhibition and skin protection and provides a new direction for P. ginseng research. METHODS: PubMed and Web of Science were searched for English-language studies on P. ginseng published between January 2002 and March 2024. Selected manuscripts were evaluated manually for additional relevant references. This review includes basic scientific articles and related studies such as prospective and retrospective cohort studies. CONCLUSION: This paper summarizes the latest research progress of several rare ginsenosides, discusses the antibacterial effect of rare ginsenosides, and finds that ginsenosides can effectively protect the skin and promote wound healing during use, so as to play an efficient antibacterial effect, and further explore the other medicinal value of ginseng. It is expected that this review will provide a wider understanding and new ideas for further research and development of P. ginseng drugs.

Surgical treatment for medium-sized cystic osteochondral lesions of the talus: Autologous osteoperiosteal transplantation provides better clinical outcomes than bone marrow stimulation when cysts are deeper than 6 mm.

PURPOSE: To compare clinical outcomes of autologous osteoperiosteal transplantation versus bone marrow stimulation (BMS) for medium-sized (100-150 mm2) cystic osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs) and assess the correlation between patient demographics and outcomes. It was hypothesised that autologous osteoperiosteal transplantation would provide better clinical outcomes than BMS for medium-sized cystic OLTs. METHODS: Patients who underwent autologous osteoperiosteal transplantation or BMS for medium-sized cystic OLTs between 2014 and 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. According to their characteristics, a 1:1 propensity-score matching was performed and 33 pairs of patients were matched. The visual analogue scale, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Foot Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and Ankle Activity Score were collected preoperatively and at the last follow-up. In addition, a general linear model analysis was performed between patient demographics and clinical outcomes in two groups separately to detect potential risk factors. RESULTS: Finally, 28 patients in the grafted group and 27 patients in the BMS group completed the follow-up and were enrolled with a mean follow-up period of 63.5 ± 13.9 months. Both groups showed significant improvement in all patient-reported outcomes (p < 0.01). At the final follow-up, no significant differences between groups were found in all postoperative scores except FAOS Pain (p = 0.02). Correlation analysis showed a moderate correlation between cyst depth and the postoperative AOFAS score in the BMS group (r = -0.48, p = 0.01). Based on the regression line, the patients in the BMS group with a cyst deeper than 6 mm showed a lower AOFAS score than the mean score (88.7 ± 9.5) of the grafted group. CONCLUSION: Autologous osteoperiosteal transplantation and BMS are both safe and effective for medium-sized cystic OLTs. However, autologous osteoperiosteal transplantation is expected to provide better clinical outcomes than BMS when the cysts are deeper than 6 mm. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Screening of Diagnostic Biomarkers and Immune Infiltration Characteristics Linking Rheumatoid Arthritis and Rosacea Based on Bioinformatics Analysis.

Introduction: Both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and rosacea represent common chronic systemic autoimmune conditions. Recent research indicates a heightened RA risk among individuals with rosacea. However, the molecular mechanisms linking these diseases remain largely unknown. This study aims to uncover shared molecular regulatory networks and immune cell infiltration patterns in both rosacea and RA. Methods: The gene expression profiles of RA (GSE12021, GSE55457), and the rosacea gene expression profile (GSE6591), were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, and obtained to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by using "limma" package in R software. Various analyses including GO, KEGG, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and weighted gene co-expression network analyses (WGCNA) were conducted to explore potential biological functions and signaling pathways. CIBERSORT was used to assess the abundance of immune cells. Pearson coefficients were used to calculate the correlations between overlapped genes and the leukocyte gene signature matrix. Flow cytometry (FCM) analysis confirmed the most abundant immune cells detected in rheumatoid arthritis and rosacea. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and qRT-PCR were used to confirm biomarkers and functions. Results: Two hundred seventy-seven co-expressed DEGs were identified from these datasets. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that these DEGs were associated with immune processes and chemokine-mediated signaling pathways. Fourteen and 17 hub genes overlapped between cytoHubba and WGCNA were identified in RA and rosacea, respectively. Macrophages and dendritic cells were RA and rosacea's most abundant immune cells, respectively. The ROC curves demonstrated potential diagnostic values of CXCL10 and CCL27, showing higher levels in the serum of patients with RA or rosacea, and suggesting possible regulation in the densities and functions of macrophages and dendritic cells from RA and rosacea, which were validated by FCM and qRT-PCR. Conclusion: Importantly, our findings may contribute to the scientific basis for biomarkers and therapeutic targets for patients with RA and rosacea in the future.

Genomic mutation patterns and prognostic value in de novo and secondary acute myeloid leukemia: A multicenter study from China.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can manifest as de novo AML (dn-AML) or secondary AML (s-AML), with s-AML being associated with inferior survival and distinct genomic characteristics. The underlying reasons for this disparity remain to be elucidated. In this multicenter study, next-generation sequencing (NGS) was employed to investigate the mutational landscape of AML in 721 patients from June 2020 to May 2023.Genetic mutations were observed in 93.34% of the individuals, with complex variations (more than three gene mutations) present in 63.10% of them. TET2, ASXL1, DNMT3A, TP53 and SRSF2 mutations showed a higher prevalence among older individuals, whereas WT1 and KIT mutations were more commonly observed in younger patients. BCOR, BCORL1, ZRSR2, ASXL1 and SRSF2 exhibited higher mutation frequencies in males. Additionally, ASXL1, NRAS, PPMID, SRSF2, TP53 and U2AF1 mutations were more common in patients with s-AML, which PPM1D was more frequently associated with therapy-related AML (t-AML). Advanced age and hyperleukocytosis independently served as adverse prognostic factors for both types of AML; however, s-AML patients demonstrated a greater number of monogenic adverse prognostic factors compared to dn-AML cases (ASXL1, PPM1D, TP53 and U2AF1 in s-AML vs. FLT3, TP53 and U2AF1 in dn-AML). Age and sex-related gene mutations suggest epigenetic changes may be key in AML pathogenesis. The worse prognosis of s-AML compared to dn-AML could be due to the older age of s-AML patients and more poor-prognosis gene mutations. These findings could improve AML diagnosis and treatment by identifying potential therapeutic targets and risk stratification biomarkers.

Association between plasma trans fatty acids and serum α-klotho levels in adults in the United States of America: an analysis of the NHANES 2009-2010 datasets.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the potential associations between trans fatty acid (TFA) and α-klotho levels. METHODS: Datasets from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analysed for this study. Multivariable linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were performed to examine the relationships between plasma TFA and serum α-klotho levels. RESULTS: A total of 1,205 participants were included, with a geometric mean (GM) of 803.60 (95% CI: 787.45, 820.00) pg/mL for serum α-klotho levels. RCS analysis revealed L-shaped relationships between TFA and α-klotho levels. The inflection points for palmitelaidic acid (PA), vaccinic acid (VA), elaidic acid (EA), and total TFA levels were 4.55, 20.50, 18.70, and 46.40 µmol/L, respectively. Before reaching the inflection point, serum α-klotho levels were negatively correlated with plasma PA, VA, EA and total TFA levels, with ß values (95% CI) of -0.15 (-0.24, -0.06), -0.16 (-0.23, -0.09), -0.14 (-0.22, -0.05) and - 0.19 (-0.27, -0.11), respectively. Linolelaidic acid (LA) levels exhibited an inverse and linear association with α-klotho levels ( Pnonlinearity=0.167, Poverall<0.001). L-shaped relationships between TFA and α-klotho levels were also observed in the subgroups of participants who were aged < 65 years, were male, did not exercise, were ex-smokers, and were overweight/obese. CONCLUSIONS: L-shaped correlations between plasma PA, VA, EA, and total TFA levels and serum α-klotho levels were observed among adults in the United States.

Effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba mill.) fruit extracts on oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent studies.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) fruit extracts on oxidative stress levels in rodent models. Animal studies meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and VIP Periodical Service Platform. The Systematic Review Center for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies. A meta-analysis was performed based on the guidelines provided in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (CHSRI) by using Stata 17.0 software. Nineteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Jujube fruit extracts significantly decreased the level of malonaldehyde (MDA) and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Meanwhile, there was no significant improvement in the catalase (CAT) levels. In addition, there was considerable heterogeneity in the results of the meta-analysis. The results of the subgroup analysis indicated that the animal model, type of extracts, and source of target parameters may have contributed to the heterogeneity. Jujube fruit extracts are healthy and effective antioxidant dietary supplements that may be an effective adjunctive therapy for diseases in which oxidative stress is a major pathological factor. However, the overall methodological quality of the included studies was low, and additional research is warranted.

Three-dimensional visualized technology-guided surgical resection for giant hepatic hemangioma with hemorrhagic necrosis: A case report and literature review.

Background: Hepatic hemangioma is the most common type of benign mesenchymal liver tumor and often has a good prognosis. However, giant hepatic hemangioma larger than 10 cm is an unusual event, and accompanying symptoms of internal hemorrhagic necrosis are extremely rare. There are only a few cases reported. Case summary: Herein, we report the case of a 52-year-old man with hemorrhagic necrosis of a giant hepatic hemangioma. The patient presented to the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery with a complaint of distending pain on the right abdomen. The patient underwent hepatic artery embolization for giant hepatic hemangioma 2 weeks before presentation. During hospitalization, abdominal computed tomography revealed a mass (15.8 × 14.2 × 14.7 cm) with high density below the right lobe of the liver. The patient subsequently underwent irregular right hepatectomy with the guidance of three-dimensional visualization technology. The surgical anatomy confirmed the diagnosis of internal hemorrhagic necrosis. There was no recurrence or complications in a 4-month follow-up. Previous cases were reviewed to characterize the clinical features of giant hepatic hemangioma with internal hemorrhage necrosis. Conclusion: Cases of giant hepatic hemangioma with internal hemorrhagic necrosis are rare and usually only exhibit fever or epigastric pain. All patients in reviewed cases finally underwent surgical resection. Under these circumstances, the healing effect of transhepatic arterial treatment is not very satisfactory. Patients are deemed poor laparoscopic surgical candidates due to limited abdominal cavity. In order to standardize the diagnosis of these rare cares, the aggregation of existing and future case data is certainly warranted. If diagnosed, consideration should be given to implementing surgical resection according to patients' condition by three-dimensional visualized technology.

Short-peptide-based enteral nutrition affects rats MDP translocation and protects against gut-lung injury via the PepT1-NOD2-beclin-1 pathway in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Peptide transporter 1 (PepT1) transports bacterial oligopeptide products and induces inflammation of the bowel. Nutritional peptides compete for the binding of intestinal bacterial products to PepT1. We investigated the mechanism of short-peptide-based enteral nutrition (SPEN) on the damage to the gut caused by the bacterial oligopeptide product muramyl dipeptide (MDP), which is transported by PepT1. The gut-lung axis is a shared mucosal immune system, and immune responses and disorders can affect the gut-respiratory relationship. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged with solutions containing MDP, MDP + SPEN, MDP + intact-protein-based enteral nutrition (IPEN), glucose as a control, or glucose with GSK669 (a NOD2 antagonist). Inflammation, mitochondrial damage, autophagy, and apoptosis were explored to determine the role of the PepT1-nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2)-beclin-1 signaling pathway in the small intestinal mucosa. MDP and proinflammatory factors of lung tissue were explored to determine that MDP can migrate to lung tissue and cause inflammation. Induction of proinflammatory cell accumulation and intestinal damage in MDP gavage rats was associated with increased NOD2 and Beclin-1 mRNA expression. IL-6 and TNF-α expression and apoptosis were increased, and mitochondrial damage was severe, as indicated by increased mtDNA in the MDP group compared with controls. MDP levels and expression of proinflammatory factors in lung tissue increased in the MDP group compared with the control group. SPEN, but not IPEN, eliminated these impacts. CONCLUSIONS: Gavage of MDP to rats resulted in damage to the gut-lung axis. SPEN reverses the adverse effects of MDP. The PepT1-NOD2-beclin-1 pathway plays a role in small intestinal inflammation, mitochondrial damage, autophagy, and apoptosis.

Momordica charantia L.-derived exosome-like nanovesicles stabilize p62 expression to ameliorate doxorubicin cardiotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a first-line chemotherapeutic drug for various malignancies that causes cardiotoxicity. Plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (P-ELNs) are growing as novel therapeutic agents. Here, we investigated the protective effects in DOX cardiotoxicity of ELNs from Momordica charantia L. (MC-ELNs), a medicinal plant with antioxidant activity. RESULTS: We isolated MC-ELNs using ultracentrifugation and characterized them with canonical mammalian extracellular vesicles features. In vivo studies proved that MC-ELNs ameliorated DOX cardiotoxicity with enhanced cardiac function and myocardial structure. In vitro assays revealed that MC-ELNs promoted cell survival, diminished reactive oxygen species, and protected mitochondrial integrity in DOX-treated H9c2 cells. We found that DOX treatment decreased the protein level of p62 through ubiquitin-dependent degradation pathway in H9c2 and NRVM cells. However, MC-ELNs suppressed DOX-induced p62 ubiquitination degradation, and the recovered p62 bound with Keap1 promoting Nrf2 nuclear translocation and the expressions of downstream gene HO-1. Furthermore, both the knockdown of Nrf2 and the inhibition of p62-Keap1 interaction abrogated the cardioprotective effect of MC-ELNs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated the therapeutic beneficials of MC-ELNs via increasing p62 protein stability, shedding light on preventive approaches for DOX cardiotoxicity.

Mechanisms of bacterial and fungal community assembly in leaf miners during transition from natural to laboratory environments.

Environmental heterogeneity partly drives microbial succession in arthropods, while the microbial assembly mechanisms during environmental changes remain largely unknown. Here, we explored the temporal dynamics and assembly mechanisms within both bacterial and fungal communities in Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) during the transition from field to laboratory conditions. We observed a decrease in bacterial diversity and complexity of bacterial-fungal co-occurrence networks in leaf miners transitioning from wild to captive environments. Both neutral and null models revealed that stochastic processes, particularly drift (contributing over 70%), play a crucial role in governing bacterial and fungal community assembly. The relative contribution of ecological processes such as dispersal, drift, and selection varied among leaf miners transitioning from wild to captive states. Furthermore, we propose a hypothetical scenario for the assembly and succession of microbial communities in the leaf miner during the short- and long-term transition from the wild to captivity. Our findings suggest that environmental heterogeneity determines the ecological processes governing bacterial and fungal community assembly in leaf miners, offering new insights into microbiome and mycobiome assembly mechanisms in invasive pests amidst environmental change.

[Genetic diversity of SP1 population of space mutagenized Pueraria montana].

To explore the mutagenic effect of the space environment on Pueraria montana and select the elite germplasm with good growth conditions and high isoflavone content, this study observed the agronomic traits, determined the flower isoflavone content, and labeled amplified fragment length polymorphism(AFLP) fluorescent molecular markers of 79 P. montana plants exposed to space mutagenesis(SP1 group) and 10 control plants of P. montana(CK group). Excel 2019, SPSS 25.0, NTSYSpc-2.11F, and Popgen 32 were employed to analyze the genetic diversity and perform the cluster analysis. The results showed that the SP1 group presented changed leaf hairy attitude and flower structure and higher CV and H' of quantitative traits than the CK group. The cluster analysis screened out five plants in the SP1 group. Ten P. montana plants in the SP1 group had higher content of 6″-O-xylosyl-tectoridin and tectoridin in the flowers than the control group, with the total content of both exceeding 11%. After clustering, 9 plants in the SP1 group were separated. Nine pairs of polymorphic primers were screened out frrom 64 pairs of primers. A total of 1 620 polymorphic loci were detected, with the average percentage of polymorphic loci(PPL) of 83.33%. The average Nei's gene diversity index(H) and Shannon's information index(I) were 0.192 2 and 0.305 2, respectively. After clustering, 4 plants in the SP1 group were screened out. According to the above results, plants No. 30, No. 66, and No. 89 in the SP1 group were subjected to greater mutagenic effect by the space environment and presented better growth and higher flower isoflavone content. Moreover, plant No. 30 showed the flower structure variation and flower weight two times of that in the CK group. These plants can be used as key materials for the subsequent experiments.

Stochastic processes drive divergence of bacterial and fungal communities in sympatric wild insect species despite sharing a common diet.

Arthropods harbor complex microbiota that play a pivotal role in host fitness. While multiple factors, like host species and diet, shape microbiota in arthropods, their impact on community assembly in wild insects remains largely unknown. In this study, we surveyed bacterial and fungal community assembly in nine sympatric wild insect species that share a common citrus fruit diet. Source tracking analysis suggested that these insects acquire some bacteria and fungi from the citrus fruit with varying degrees. Although sharing a common diet led to microbiota convergence, the diversity, composition, and network of both bacterial and fungal communities varied significantly among surveyed insect groups. Null model analysis indicated that stochastic processes, particularly dispersal limitation and drift, are primary drivers of structuring insect bacterial and fungal communities. Importantly, the influence of each community assembly process varied strongly depending on the host species. Thus, we proposed a speculative view that the host specificity of the microbiome and mycobiome assembly is widespread in wild insects despite sharing the same regional species pool. Overall, this research solidifies the importance of host species in shaping microbiomes and mycobiomes, providing novel insights into their assembly mechanisms in wild insects. IMPORTANCE: Since the microbiome has been shown to impact insect fitness, a mechanistic understanding of community assembly has potentially significant applications but remains largely unexplored. In this paper, we investigate bacterial and fungal community assembly in nine sympatric wild insect species that share a common diet. The main findings indicate that stochastic processes drive the divergence of microbiomes and mycobiomes in nine sympatric wild insect species. These findings offer novel insights into the assembly mechanisms of microbiomes and mycobiomes in wild insects.

Endothelial cell Notch signaling programs cancer-associated fibroblasts to promote tumor immune evasion.

Stromal cells within the tumor tissue promote immune evasion as a critical strategy for cancer development and progression, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we explore the role of endothelial cells (ECs) in the regulation of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Using mouse pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) models, we found that canonical Notch signaling in endothelial cells suppresses the recruitment of antitumor T cells and promotes tumor progression by inhibiting the pro-inflammatory functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Abrogation of endothelial Notch signaling modulates EC-derived angiocrine factors to enhance the pro-inflammatory activities of CAFs, which drive CXCL9/10-CXCR3-mediated T cell recruitment to inhibit tumor growth. Additionally, abrogation of endothelial Notch unleashed interferon gamma responses in the tumor microenvironment, upregulated PDL1 expression on tumor cells, and sensitized PDAC to PD1-based immunotherapy. Collectively, these data uncover a pivotal role of endothelial cells in shaping the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and suggest the potential of targeting EC-CAF interaction as a novel therapeutic modality to boost antitumor immunity.

Laparoscopy is non-inferior to open surgery for rectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery has been endorsed by clinical guidelines for colon cancer, but not for rectal cancer on account of unapproved oncologic equivalence with open surgery. AIMS: We started this largest-to-date meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopy in the treatment of rectal cancer compared with open surgery. MATERIALS & METHODS: Both randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials comparing laparoscopic proctectomy and open surgery between January 1990 and March 2020 were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase Databases (PROSPERO registration number CRD42020211718). The data of intraoperative, pathological, postoperative and survival outcomes were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Twenty RCTs and 93 NRCTs including 216,615 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with 48,888 patients received laparoscopic surgery and 167,727 patients underwent open surgery. Compared with open surgery, laparoscopic surgery group showed faster recovery, less complications and decreased mortality within 30 days. The positive rate of circumferential margin (RR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.72 to 0.85, p < 0.0001) and distal margin (RR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.66 to 0.85 p < 0.0001) was significantly reduced in the laparoscopic surgery group, but the completeness of total mesorectal excision showed no significant difference. The 3-year and 5-year local recurrence, disease-free survival and overall survival were all improved in the laparoscopic surgery group, while the distal recurrence did not differ significantly between the two approaches. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy is non-inferior to open surgery for rectal cancer with respect to oncological outcomes and long-term survival. Moreover, laparoscopic surgery provides short-term advantages, including faster recovery and less complications.

Clostridium perfringens sepsis after comprehensive multicourse treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report and review.

Introduction: Clostridium perfringens sepsis is a rare but serious clinical syndrome that is typically triggered by gastrointestinal disorders. We present a case of bloodstream infection caused by Clostridium perfringens in a liver cancer patient after comprehensive multicourse treatment. Case presentations: The patient, a 68-year-old male, experienced nausea, decreased appetite, and abdominal distension on the 15th day after receiving comprehensive multicourse treatment and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). During admission, he developed fever, and blood culture results confirmed the presence of Clostridium perfringens. The patient was discharged with improved symptoms. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the rarity of Clostridium perfringens sepsis. For liver cancer patients, particularly those who have undergone TACE or radiofrequency ablation and who experience post treatment fever, vigilance for Clostridium perfringens bloodstream infection is crucial. Timely diagnostic assessments and proactive treatment can significantly enhance the survival prospects of these patients.

The role of SPI1/VSIG4/THBS1 on glioblastoma progression through modulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

INTRODUCTION: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) poses a significant challenge in terms of treatment due to its high malignancy, necessitating the identification of additional molecular targets. VSIG4, an oncogenic gene participates in tumor growth and migration in various cancer types. Nevertheless, the precise process through which VSIG4 facilitates the malignant progression of glioma remains to be elucidated. OBJECTIVES: This research aims to explore the function and molecular mechanism involving VSIG4 in the malignant progression of glioma. METHODS: The amount of VSIG4 was measured using qPCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Lentivirus infections were applied for upregulating or downregulating molecules within glioma cells. The incorporation of 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine, Transwell, cell counting kit-8, and clone formation experiments, were applied to assess the biological functions of molecules on glioma cells. Dual luciferase reporter gene, RNA immunoprecipitation, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were used to explore the functional relationship among relevant molecules. RESULTS: The upregulation of VSIG4 was observed in GBM tissues, indicating an adverse prognosis. Silencing VSIG4 in glioma cells resulted in a decrease in cell viability, invasion, proliferation, and tumorigenesis, an increase in cell apoptosis, and a stagnation in the cell cycle progression at the G0/G1 phase. Mechanistically, SPI1-mediated upregulation of VSIG4 expression led to binding between VSIG4 and THBS1 protein, ultimately facilitating the malignant progression of glioma cells through the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. The inhibited proliferative and invasive capabilities of glioma cells were reversed by overexpressing THBS1 following the knockdown of VSIG4. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide evidence for the role of VSIG4 as an oncogene and reveal the previously unidentified contribution of the SPI1/VSIG4/THBS1 axis in the malignant progression of glioma. This signaling cascade enhances tumor growth and invasion by modulating the PI3K/AKT pathway. VSIG4 as a potential biomarker may be a viable strategy in the development of tailored molecular therapies for GBM.

Impact of dietary inflammatory index on gestational diabetes mellitus in normal and overweight women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To systematically investigate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), with a focus on the role of BMI in this relationship. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Medline, CINAHL Complete, Chinese Periodical Full-text Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China Wanfang Database for rele-vant observational studies published up to August 2023. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The pooled effect size was calculated using a random-effects model. Sub-group and meta-regression analyses were performed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: The study included 54,058 participants from 10 studies. Pregnant women with a higher DII, indicating a pro-inflammatory diet, had a significantly increased risk of GDM compared to those with a lower DII, indicating an anti-inflammatory diet (pooled OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01-1.36; I²=70%, p <0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed a stronger association in normal weight stratification (OR: 1.25, 95%CI: 1.04-1.51), case-control studies (OR: 1.45, 95%CI: 1.03-2.05), Asia (OR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.10-1.43), Europe (OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.09-1.48), 3-day dietary record as a dietary assessment tool (OR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.16-1.46), physical activity adjustment (OR: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.13-1.46), and energy intake adjustment (OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.19-1.48). Meta-regression analysis confirmed that geographical region significantly influenced heterogeneity between studies (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated DII is independently linked to a higher risk of GDM, especially in women of normal weight.

Predicting distant metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma using gradient boosting tree model based on detailed magnetic resonance imaging reports.

BACKGROUND: Development of distant metastasis (DM) is a major concern during treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, studies have demonstrated improved distant control and survival in patients with advanced NPC with the addition of chemotherapy to concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Therefore, precise prediction of metastasis in patients with NPC is crucial. AIM: To develop a predictive model for metastasis in NPC using detailed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports. METHODS: This retrospective study included 792 patients with non-distant metastatic NPC. A total of 469 imaging variables were obtained from detailed MRI reports. Data were stratified and randomly split into training (50%) and testing sets. Gradient boosting tree (GBT) models were built and used to select variables for predicting DM. A full model comprising all variables and a reduced model with the top-five variables were built. Model performance was assessed by area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: Among the 792 patients, 94 developed DM during follow-up. The number of metastatic cervical nodes (30.9%), tumor invasion in the posterior half of the nasal cavity (9.7%), two sides of the pharyngeal recess (6.2%), tubal torus (3.3%), and single side of the parapharyngeal space (2.7%) were the top-five contributors for predicting DM, based on their relative importance in GBT models. The testing AUC of the full model was 0.75 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-0.82). The testing AUC of the reduced model was 0.75 (95%CI: 0.68-0.82). For the whole dataset, the full (AUC = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.72-0.82) and reduced models (AUC = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.71-0.81) outperformed the tumor node-staging system (AUC = 0.67, 95%CI: 0.61-0.73). CONCLUSION: The GBT model outperformed the tumor node-staging system in predicting metastasis in NPC. The number of metastatic cervical nodes was identified as the principal contributing variable.