Safety and Efficacy Analysis of Radical Surgery for 403 Patients with Colon Cancer over 80 Years Old.

Aim: To investigate the safety and efficacy of radical surgery in colon cancer patients over 80 years old. Methods: Data from colon cancer patients aged ≥80 years who underwent radical surgery at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and affiliated Heji Hospital of Changzhi Medical College from January 2011 to December 2022 were retrospectively analysed. Data on clinical characteristics, pathological features, perioperative data, and long-term prognosis were collected. Severe complications were classified as grade III-V. Logistic regression models were used to identify the risk factors for severe postoperative complications, and a Cox regression model was used to determine prognostic variables. Results: A total of 403 eligible patients were included in the study. A total of 118 (29.3%) patients developed postoperative complications, of which 51 (12.7%) experienced grade 3-5 severe complications. Two (0.5%) patients died of pulmonary embolism and myocardial infarction during the perioperative period. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative albumin levels <35 g/L and right colon cancer were independent risk factors for grade 3-5 postoperative complications. In terms of prognosis, multivariate analysis revealed that overall survival was significantly affected by TNM stage III and grade 3-4 postoperative complications. In addition, TNM stage III and perineural invasion were the independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival. Conclusion: Radical surgery can be performed safely in elderly colon cancer patients aged over 80 years, with an acceptable morbidity and mortality. Patients with preoperative albumin levels <35 g/L or tumors in the right colon should be alerted to the development of severe postoperative complications. In addition, the occurrence of severe complications can significantly affect the prognosis of elderly colon cancer patients.

Mechanism of miR-98-5p in gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through the USP44/CTCFL axis.

Objectives: Gastric cancer (GC) is the leading digestive malignancy with high incidence and mortality rate. microRNAs (miRs) play an important role in GC progresssion. This study aimed to investigate the effect of miR-98-5p on proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Methods: The expression levels of miR-98-5p, ubiquitin specific peptidase 44 (USP44), and CCCTCbinding factor-like (CTCFL) in GC tissues and cells were identified using reversetranscription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot assay. The relationship between miR-98-5p expression/USP44 and the clinicopathological features in GC patients was analyzed. GC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 and clone formation assays and Transwell assays. The bindings of miR-98-5p to USP44 and USP44 to CTCFL were examined using dualluciferase assay and co-immunoprecipitation. GC cells were treated with MG132 and the ubiquitination level of CTCFL was examined using ubiquitination assay. Rescue experiments were performed to verify the roles of USP44 and CTCFL in GC cells. Results: miR-98-5p was downregulated in GC. miR-98-5p overexpression inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells. miR-98-5p inhibited USP44 expression. USP44 bound to CTCFL and limited ubiquitination degradation of CTCFL. Overexpression of USP44 and CTCFL attenuated the inhibitory effects of miR-98-5p overexpression on GC cell progression. Conclusion: miR-98-5p overexpression limited USP44-mediated CTCFL deubiquitination, and suppressed CTCFL expression, mitigating GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Hypermethylated genome of a fish vertebrate iridovirus ISKNV plays important roles in viral infection.

Iridoviruses are nucleocytoplasmic large dsDNA viruses that infect invertebrates and ectothermic vertebrates. The hypermethylated genome of vertebrate iridoviruses is unique among animal viruses. However, the map and function of iridovirus genomic methylation remain unknown. Herein, the methylated genome of Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV, a fish iridovirus), and its role in viral infection, are investigated. The methylation level of ISKNV is 23.44%. The hypermethylated genome is essential for ISKNV amplification, but there is no correlation between hypermethylation and viral gene expression. The hypomethylated ISKNV (obtained via 5-Azacytidine) activates a strong immunoreaction in vitro and reduces its pathogenicity in vivo. The unmethylated viral DNA can induce a stronger immunoreaction in vitro, whereas inactivated hypomethylated ISKNV can induce a stronger immunoreaction in vivo, suggesting ISKNV may evade from immune system by increasing its genome methylation level. Our work provides new insights into the role of genome methylation in viral infection.

Pipermotuoense, a new species of Piperaceae from Xizang, China.

Pipermotuoense X.W.Qin, F.Su & C.Y.Hao, a new species of Piperaceae from Xizang, China, is described and illustrated in this paper. The new species resembles P.yinkiangense and P.anisotis, but it can be readily distinguished from the compared species by several characteristics. Gonophyll leaves are chartaceous and the leaf secondary vein count is 7-9, with the outermost pair being very weak when there are nine veins. Additionally, the apical pair arises 2-4 cm above the base and the leaf base is asymmetrical, with bilateral petioles that cling and heal together. Pistillate floral bracts are sessile, with 3, 4 or 5 stigmas. The description of the new species includes photographs, detailed descriptions, notes on etymology, distribution and habitat, as well as comparisons with morphologically similar species.

Integrating shotgun metagenomics and metabolomics to elucidate the dynamics of microbial communities and metabolites in fine flavor cocoa fermentation in Hainan.

The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamic profile of microorganisms and metabolites in Hainan Trinitario cocoa during a six-day spontaneous box fermentation process. Shotgun metagenomic and metabolomic approaches were employed for this investigation. The potential metabolic functions of microorganisms in cocoa fermentation were revealed through a joint analysis of microbes, functional genes, and metabolites. During the anaerobic fermentation phase, Hanseniaspora emerged as the most prevalent yeast genus, implicated in pectin decomposition and potentially involved in glycolysis and starch and sucrose metabolism. Tatumella, possessing potential for pyruvate kinase, and Fructobacillus with a preference for fructose, constituted the primary bacteria during the pre-turning fermentation stage. Upon the introduction of oxygen into the fermentation mass, acetic acid bacteria ascended to dominant within the microflora. The exponential proliferation of Acetobacter resulted in a decline in taxonomic richness and abundance. Moreover, the identification of novel species within the Komagataeibacter genus suggests that Hainan cocoa may serve as a valuable reservoir for the discovery of unique cocoa fermentation bacteria. The KEGG annotation of metabolites and enzymes also highlighted the significant involvement of phenylalanine metabolism in cocoa fermentation. This research will offer a new perspective for the selection of starter strains and the formulation of mixed starter cultures.

Staurantherafloribunda, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Yunnan, China.

Staurantherafloribunda F.Su, C.Y.Hao & K.Tan, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated here. It is morphologically similar to S.grandifolia Benth. in the shape of corolla, stigma, leaves and the number of stamens. However, it can be readily distinguished from the compared species by its dense cymes, leaf indumentum, lack of a corolla spur, calyx colour and stamen shape. The description of the new species, photographs, detailed descriptions, notes on etymology, distribution and habitat, as well as comparisons with morphologically similar species, are provided.

Interaction of Teleost Fish TRPV4 with DEAD Box RNA Helicase 1 Regulates Iridovirus Replication.

Viral diseases are a significant risk to the aquaculture industry. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) has been reported to be involved in regulating viral activity in mammals, but its regulatory effect on viruses in teleost fish remains unknown. Here, the role of the TRPV4-DEAD box RNA helicase 1 (DDX1) axis in viral infection was investigated in mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi). Our results showed that TRPV4 activation mediates Ca2+ influx and facilitates infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) replication, whereas this promotion was nearly eliminated by an M709D mutation in TRPV4, a channel Ca2+ permeability mutant. The concentration of cellular Ca2+ increased during ISKNV infection, and Ca2+ was critical for viral replication. TRPV4 interacted with DDX1, and the interaction was mediated primarily by the N-terminal domain (NTD) of TRPV4 and the C-terminal domain (CTD) of DDX1. This interaction was attenuated by TRPV4 activation, thereby enhancing ISKNV replication. DDX1 could bind to viral mRNAs and facilitate ISKNV replication, which required the ATPase/helicase activity of DDX1. Furthermore, the TRPV4-DDX1 axis was verified to regulate herpes simplex virus 1 replication in mammalian cells. These results suggested that the TRPV4-DDX1 axis plays an important role in viral replication. Our work provides a novel molecular mechanism for host involvement in viral regulation, which would be of benefit for new insights into the prevention and control of aquaculture diseases. IMPORTANCE In 2020, global aquaculture production reached a record of 122.6 million tons, with a total value of $281.5 billion. Meanwhile, frequent outbreaks of viral diseases have occurred in aquaculture, and about 10% of farmed aquatic animal production has been lost to infectious diseases, resulting in more than $10 billion in economic losses every year. Therefore, an understanding of the potential molecular mechanism of how aquatic organisms respond to and regulate viral replication is of great significance. Our study suggested that TRPV4 enables Ca2+ influx and interactions with DDX1 to collectively promote ISKNV replication, providing novel insights into the roles of the TRPV4-DDX1 axis in regulating the proviral effect of DDX1. This advances our understanding of viral disease outbreaks and would be of benefit for studies on preventing aquatic viral diseases.

MNQ derivative D21 protects against LPS-induced inflammatory damage in bovine ovarian follicular GCs in vitro via the steroid biosynthesis signaling pathway.

Bacterial infections of the reproductive system of dairy cows lead to inflammation, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria is the main pathogenic component of inflammation. LPS inhibits follicular growth and development and alters the expression of follicular granulosa cells (GCs) genes in the ovary, leading to their functional disorders. Naphthoquinones have anti-inflammatory effects. In this experiment, 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (MNQ), an extract of Impatiens balsamina L, and its derivative D21 were used to eliminate the inflammatory response of GCs exposed to LPS in vitro and to restore functional disorders in GCs. The anti-inflammatory effects of the two compounds were compared and their mechanism of action was investigated. The cytotoxicity of MNQ and its derivative D21 on follicular GCs was determined by MTT method. The relative expression of inflammatory factors and steroid synthesis-related genes were determined by qRT-PCR. The protective effects of MNQ and D21 on cellular inflammatory damage were observed by TEM. ELISA were performed to detect the levels of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) in the culture supernatant. The expression of differential genes was analyzed by RNA-seq, and GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of differential genes were performed to investigate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect of D21. The results showed that the maximum no-cytotoxic concentrations of MNQ and D21 acting on GCs for 12 h were 4 µM and 64 µM, respectively. LPS concentration of 10 µg/mL had little effect on the survival of follicular GCs, but the relative expressions of IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF-α were significantly higher (P < 0.05). The results of qRT-PCR, ELISA and TEM observations showed that the anti-inflammatory effect of D21 was stronger than that of MNQ. RNA-seq analysis revealed a total of 341 differential genes between the LPS vs CK group (Control group) and the D21+L vs LPS group, which were mainly enriched in signaling pathways such as steroid biosynthesis. Nine genes in this signaling pathway were analyzed, and the RNA-seq and qRT-PCR results were found to be basically consistent. In this study, we confirmed that derivative D21 has stronger in vitro anti-inflammatory effects and better efficacy in protecting bovine follicular GCs from inflammatory damage than MNQ and acts through the steroid biosynthesis signaling pathway.

Effects of Hevea brasiliensis Intercropping on the Volatiles of Pandanus amaryllifolius Leaves.

Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb. is a special tropical spice crop resource with broad development prospects. It is widely cultivated under a Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Muell. Arg. canopy to improve the comprehensive benefits to Hevea brasiliensis plantations in Hainan Provence, China. However, the effects of intercropping with Hevea brasiliensis on the component number and relative contents of volatile substances in different categories in the Pandanus amaryllifolius leaves are still unknown. Therefore, a Hevea brasiliensis and Pandanus amaryllifolius intercropping experiment was set up to clarify the differences between several cultivated patterns on volatile substances in the Pandanus amaryllifolius leaves, and the key regulatory factors of volatile substances. The results showed that the soil pH was significantly decreased, while soil bulk density, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and available phosphorus contents were significantly increased under the intercropping pattern. The component numbers of esters in volatile substances were increased by 6.20%, while the component numbers of ketones were decreased by 4.26% under the intercropping pattern. Compared with the Pandanus amaryllifolius monoculture, the relative contents of pyrroles, esters and furanones were significantly increased by 8.83%, 2.30% and 8.27%, respectively, while the relative contents of ketones, furans and hydrocarbons were decreased by 1.01%, 10.55% and 9.16% under the intercropping pattern, respectively. The relative contents of pyrroles, esters, furanones, ketones, furans and hydrocarbons were associated with changes in soil pH, soil available phosphorus content and air temperature. The results indicated that the reduction in soil pH and enhancement in soil-available phosphorus may be the main reasons for promoting the relative content of pyrroles and reducing the relative content of hydrocarbons under an intercropping pattern. Overall, Hevea brasiliensis intercropping with Pandanus amaryllifolius could not only improve soil properties, but also significantly increase the relative contents of the main volatile substances in Pandanus amaryllifolius leaves, which could provide a theoretical basis for the application and promotion of high-quality production patterns of Pandanus amaryllifolius.

Protective effects of MNQ against Lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory damage in bovine ovarian follicular granulosa cells in Vitro.

Inflammation of the reproductive tract in dairy cows lead to functional disorders of follicular granulosa cells (GCs) in mammalian ovaries resulting in infertility and serious losses to the livestock industry. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can induce an inflammatory response in follicular granulosa cells in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate the cellular regulatory mechanism of MNQ (2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) on eliminating the inflammatory response and restoring normal functions for bovine ovarian follicular GCs cultured in vitro exposed to LPS. The cytotoxicity of MNQ and LPS on GCs were detected by MTT method to determine the safe concentration. The relative expression of inflammatory factors and steroid synthesis-related genes were detected by qRT-PCR. The concentration of steroid hormones in the culture broth were detected by ELISA. Differential gene expressions were analyzed by RNA-seq. There were no toxic effects on GCs at MNQ and LPS concentrations of less than 3 µM and 10 µg/mL, respectively and treated in 12 h. The relative expressions of IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF-α were significantly higher in the LPS group compared with the CK group when GCs cultured in vitro were treated with the above concentrations and times (P < 0.05), but significantly lower in the MNQ+LPS group compared with the LPS group (P < 0.05). The levels of E2 and P4 in the culture solution were significantly reduced in the LPS group compared to the CK group (P < 0.05), and restored in the MNQ+LPS group. The relative expressions of CYP19A1, CYP11A1, 3ß-HSD, and STAR were significantly decreased in the LPS group compared with the CK group (P < 0.05), while the MNQ+LPS group also recovered to some extent. There were 407 differential genes shared by LPS vs CK and MNQ+LPS vs LPS by RNA-seq analysis, which were mainly enriched in steroid biosynthesis and TNF signaling pathway. We screened 10 genes for analysis and found consistent results for RNA-seq and qRT-PCR. In this study, we confirmed the protective effect of MNQ, an extract from Impatiens balsamina L, on LPS-induced inflammatory responses in bovine follicular granulosa cells in vitro as well as functional damage, and acted through steroid biosynthesis and TNF signaling pathways.

Nodular Fasciitis of the Nose and External Auditory Canal: Two Rare Case Reports.

Nodular fasciitis(NF) is a proliferative disease of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts that generally affects subcutaneous tissue, muscle tissue, and fascia. NF usually occurs in young adults aged 20-40 and is more common in the upper extremities and relatively rare in the region of the head and neck. Here, we report on two patients with NF in the ear and nose. Under general anesthesia, the masses of NF were completely resected along the safety margin. The patients recovered well after surgery and there was no recurrence after more than half a year of follow-up.

The complex genome and adaptive evolution of polyploid Chinese pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum and Zanthoxylum bungeanum).

Zanthoxylum armatum and Zanthoxylum bungeanum, known as 'Chinese pepper', are distinguished by their extraordinary complex genomes, phenotypic innovation of adaptive evolution and species-special metabolites. Here, we report reference-grade genomes of Z. armatum and Z. bungeanum. Using high coverage sequence data and comprehensive assembly strategies, we derived 66 pseudochromosomes comprising 33 homologous phased groups of two subgenomes, including autotetraploid Z. armatum. The genomic rearrangements and two whole-genome duplications created large (~4.5 Gb) complex genomes with a high ratio of repetitive sequences (>82%) and high chromosome number (2n = 4x = 132). Further analysis of the high-quality genomes shed lights on the genomic basis of involutional reproduction, allomones biosynthesis and adaptive evolution in Chinese pepper, revealing a high consistent relationship between genomic evolution, environmental factors and phenotypic innovation. Our study provides genomic resources and new insights for investigating diversification and phenotypic innovation in Chinese pepper, with broader implications for the protection of plants under severe environmental changes.

Mechanism of miR-548b-5p down-regulating FZD7 to impede the migratory and invasive behavior of gastric carcinoma cells.

This study aimed to investigate the possible mechanism of Micro RNA-548b-5p (miR-548b-5p) down-regulating frizzled (FZD) 7 to suppress the migration and invasion of gastric carcinoma cells. For this purpose, HGCC (Human gastric carcinoma cell) lines were selected (Hs-746T, NCI-N87, SGC-7901, MKN-45, SNU-1), and human normal gastric mucosa cells GES-1. QRT PCR was adopted to reveal and screen the cell line with low expression of mir-548b-5p (hs-746t) for research; the Hs-746T cells were randomly assigned into control group, miR-548b-5p NC group, miR-548b-5p mimic group, miR-548b-5p mimic+pc-FZD7 group. The CCK-8 assay was utilized to measure Hs-746T cell viability, while flow cytometry, Trans well chamber, and scratch test were utilized to examine the apoptotic, invasive, and migratory properties of the cells, respectively. WB was used to detect the SATB1, as well as the expression levels of proteins involved in apoptosis, including Caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2, as well as Matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in SW620 cells. The binding of miR-548b-5p to FZD7 was evaluated through the dual-luciferase reporter assay. The results indicate that MiR-548b-5p showed low expression in HGCCs; in contrast to the control group (P>0.05), the Hs-746T cell viability, invasion, migration ability, MMP-2, MMP-9 protein significantly downregulated in miR-548b-5p mimic group (P<0.05), the apoptosis rate, Caspase-3, Bax protein expression were upregulated markedly, and Bcl-2 protein expression was downregulated significantly (P<0.05); in contrast to miR-548b-5p mimic group, the Hs-746T cell viability, invasion, migration ability, MMP-2, MMP-9 protein significantly were upregulated in miR-548b-5p mimic+pc-FZD7 group (P<0.05), the apoptosis rate, Caspase-3, Bax protein expression were significantly, and the level of Bcl-2 was down-regulated significantly (P<0.05); Double Luciferase Report shows that mir-548b-5p can target and regulate fzd7. It was concluded that MiR-548b-5p can suppress cell growth and migration of HGCC Hs-746T, which may be achieved by targeted down-regulation of FZD7.

The effect of thalidomide on the invasive ability of gastric cancer cells by regulating miR-524-5p/FSTL1.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of thalidomide (Thal) regulating microRNA (miR)-524-5p/follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) on the invasion ability of gastric cancer cells. For this purpose, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the level of miR-524-5p in GES1, SUN-16, MGC-803, SGC-7901, MKN-28, and MKN-45 cells. Then the MGC-803 and MKN-45 cells would proceed to the next research. The MGC-803 and MKN-45 cells were cultured in vitro and added Thal to the final concentration of (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100) µg/mL. The blank control group only added 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) culture medium, and cultured for 48 hours. CCK8 was used to detect cell proliferation, and Transwell was used to detect cell invasion. The experiment was divided into a blank control group, Thal group (25 µg/mL Thal-treated cells), Thal+inhibitor NC group, and Thal+miR-524-5p inhibitor group (transfected with inhibitor NC and miR-524-5p inhibitor respectively on the basis of Thal group), cultivated for 48 h. The level of miR-524-5p in the cells was detected by RT-qPCR; the cell invasion was detected by Transwell; the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, FSTL1 protein in the cells was detected by Western blot. The targeting relationship between miR-524-5p and FSTL1 was verified by dual luciferase. Results showed that compared with GES1 cells, the level of miR-524-5p in SUN-16, MGC-803, SGC-7901, MKN-28, and MKN-45 cells decreased (P<0.05). In MGC-803 and MKN-45 cells, compared with the blank control group, the cell proliferation rate and the number of invasions in the (50, 100) µg/mL Thal treatment groups, and the number of invasions in (6.25, 12.5, 25) µg/mL Thal treatment groups decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the blank control group, the level of miR-524-5p in the cells of the Thal group, Thal+inhibitor NC group, and Thal+miR-524-5p inhibitor group increased (P<0.05), the number of invasions, the levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and FSTL1 proteins in cells decreased (P<0.05); compared with the Thal group and the Thal+inhibitor NC group, the level of miR-524-5p in the cells of the Thal+miR-524-5p inhibitor group decreased (P<0.05), the number of invasions, the levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and FSTL1 proteins in the cells increased (P<0.05). Dual luciferase verification revealed that there was a targeting relationship between miR-524-5p and FSTL1. In conclusion, that can up-regulate the expression of miR-524-5p to reduce the expression of FSTL1 protein, inhibit the invasion of gastric cancer cells, and achieve alleviation of the disease.

Neddylation inactivation affects cell cycle and apoptosis in sheep follicular granulosa cells.

Protein neddylation inactivation is a novel topic in cancer research. However, there are few studies on the mechanism of neddylation underlying the development of sheep follicular granulosa cells (GCs). In this study, the development of follicular GCs in sheep was inactivated by MLN4924, a neddylation-specific inhibitor, which significantly attenuated the proliferation and cell index of sheep follicular GCs. Further, the inactivation of neddylation by MLN4924 caused the accumulation of the cullin ring ligase (CRLs) substrates Wee1 and c-Myc, which could upregulate NOXA protein expression. Meanwhile, the B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 2 (BCL2) family members Bcl-2 and MCL-1 were downregulated, subsequently inducing apoptosis in follicular GCs of sheep. Increasing Wee1 levels caused G2/M-phase arrest. The effects of neddylation inactivation on Akt, the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, and Forkhead box class O(FOXO) family members were evaluated. Neddylation inactivation by MLN4924 increased the levels of phospho-Akt, JAK2, phospho-STAT3, and FOXO1 (p < 0.05) and decreased the levels of phospho-FOXO3a and STAT3 (p < 0.05). In addition, MLN4924 could alter the mitochondrial morphology of GCs, increase cellular glucose utilization and lactate production, increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and promote sheep follicular GCs glycolysis, thus causing changes in mitochondrial functions. Together, these findings point to an unrecognized role of neddylation in regulating follicular GCs proliferation in sheep.

Epidemiology and Survival of Patients With Optic Pathway Gliomas: A Population-Based Analysis.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to analyze the epidemiology and outcomes of pediatric patients and adult patients with optic pathway gliomas in the United States using a population-based method. METHODS: Data for patients with optic pathway gliomas diagnosed between 2000 and 2018 were extracted from the SEER database. We divided the patients into a pediatric group and an adult group. Descriptive analyses were conducted to analyze demographic and clinical characteristics and treatment. We used the chi-square test to evaluate differences between pediatric and adult patients with optic pathway gliomas. The possible prognostic indicators were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Optic pathway gliomas represented 86.6% of all lesions originating from the optic pathway. In total, 1257 cases of optic pathway gliomas were included in our study. Pediatric patients accounted for 83.7% in this cohort, and most of the patients were diagnosed at 1-4 years old. Chemotherapy was chosen most often for pediatric patients, but radiation therapy was chosen most often for adult patients. Pilocytic astrocytoma accounted for 59.1% of pediatric patients and 37.5% of adult patients. The overall survival (OS) rates were 94.8% 5 years after diagnosis and 93.0% 10 years after diagnosis. Survival analysis showed that surgery, radiation and chemotherapy did not help patients obtain a better prognosis. Overall, pediatric patients had a better prognosis. CONCLUSION: Optic pathway gliomas are relatively rare lesions with good prognosis. They mostly affect children, and pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common histological diagnosis. Highly individualized treatment is essential for such patients.

The Interaction of Mandarin Fish DDX41 with STING Evokes type I Interferon Responses Inhibiting Ranavirus Replication.

DDX41 is an intracellular DNA sensor that evokes type I interferon (IFN-I) production via the adaptor stimulator of interferon gene (STING), triggering innate immune responses against viral infection. However, the regulatory mechanism of the DDX41-STING pathway in teleost fish remains unclear. The mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) is a cultured freshwater fish species that is popular in China because of its high market value. With the development of a high-density cultural mode in mandarin fish, viral diseases have increased and seriously restricted the development of aquaculture, such as ranavirus and rhabdovirus. Herein, the role of mandarin fish DDX41 (scDDX41) and its DEAD and HELIC domains in the antiviral innate immune response were investigated. The level of scDDX41 expression was up-regulated following treatment with poly(dA:dT) or Mandarin fish ranavirus (MRV), suggesting that scDDX41 might be involved in fish innate immunity. The overexpression of scDDX41 significantly increased the expression levels of IFN-I, ISGs, and pro-inflammatory cytokine genes. Co-immunoprecipitation and pull-down assays showed that the DEAD domain of scDDX41 recognized the IFN stimulatory DNA and interacted with STING to activate IFN-I signaling pathway. Interestingly, the HELIC domain of scDDX41 could directly interact with the N-terminal of STING to induce the expression levels of IFN-I and ISGs genes. Furthermore, the scDDX41 could enhance the scSTING-induced IFN-I immune response and significantly inhibit MRV replication. Our work would be beneficial to understand the roles of teleost fish DDX41 in the antiviral innate immune response.

A Rare Case of Primary Neuroendocrine Carcinomas in the Ear and Throat and Review of Literatures.

The neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) of the head and neck are rare. The purpose of this article is to explore the diagnosis and treatment of NECs in the ear and larynx. We report a case of a patient with NECs found in the ear and throat simultaneously, and the relevant literatures are reviewed. It is difficult to identify which is the original site. There is no specific clinical manifestation of NECs in the ear and throat, and carcinoid syndrome is a rare situation. Surgery is still the preferred treatment for this disease. For patients with metastasis, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy are required.

[Proximal incisal edge length and recent clinical observation of Siewert type â ¡ advanced esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of the radical resection with a proximal incisal edge length of 20-25 mm and 30-35 mm in Siewert type Ⅱ advanced esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma, to shorten the minimum safe distance of the proximal incisal edge to 20-25 mm. Methods: A retrospective cohort study method was used. The clinical data of 166 patients with Siewert type Ⅱ advanced esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma who underwent total gastrectomy from January 2017 to August 2020 in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Heji Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College were retrospectively collected. According to the proximal incisal edge length, the patients were divided into two groups: the proximal incisal edge length of 20-25 mm group (69 cases) and 30-35 mm group (97 cases). The perioperative conditions and the 6-month follow-up after the operation were compared between the two groups. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in baseline information between the patients in the two groups (P>0.05). The operations of both groups were completed. The intraoperative operation time of the proximal incisal edge length of 20-25 mm group was shorter than that in the proximal incisal edge length of 30-35 mm group ((172±24)and(206±27)min, P<0.001). There were no significant differences in the amount of intraoperative blood loss, the treatment of the diaphragm during the operation and the positive rate of intraoperative freezing of the upper incisal edge between the patients in the two groups (all P>0.05). And there was no significant differences in the first exhaust time, gastric tube removal time, first feeding time and hospital stay after the operation of the two groups (all P>0.05). There was no significant differences in the incidence of anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stenosis, reflux esophagitis and intestinal obstruction after the operation between the patients in the two groups (all P>0.05). And there was no anastomotic leakage case among the 69 cases in the proximal incisal edge length of 20-25 mm group. Postoperative pathological treatment showed no significant differences in the vascular tumor thrombus and nerve infiltration between the two groups (both P>0.05). During the 6-month follow-up, there was no death or tumor recurrence in the two groups, and there was no significant difference in body weight loss at 6 months after the operation between the two groups (P=0.178). Conclusion: When radical resection of Siewert type Ⅱ advanced esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma is performed, it is feasible to shorten the minimum safe distance of the proximal incisal edge to 20-25 mm under the premise of ensuring R0 resection. The operation time is shortened. Due to the shortening the incisal edge distance, the anastomotic tension is decreased, and the incidence of postoperative anastomotic leakage is also reduced.

Metabolome and transcriptome profiling of Theobroma cacao provides insights into the molecular basis of pod color variation.

The Theobroma cacao presents a wide diversity in pod color among different cultivars. Although flavonoid biosynthesis has been studied in many plants, molecular mechanisms governing the diversity of coloration in cacao pods are largely unknown. The flavonoid metabolite profiles and flavonoid biosynthetic gene expression in the pod exocarps of light green pod 'TAS 410' (GW), green pod 'TAS 166' (GF), and mauve pod 'TAS 168' (PF) were determined. Changes in flavonoid metabolites, particularly the anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, and cyanidin O-syringic acid) were significantly up-accumulated in the mauve phenotype (PF) compared to the light green or green phenotypes, endowing the pod color change from light green or green to mauve. Consistently, the PF phenotype showed different expression patterns of flavonoid biosynthetic structural genes in comparison with GW/GF phenotypes. The expression level of LAR and ANR in GW/GF was significantly higher than PF, while the expression level of UFGT in GW/GF was lower than PF. These genes likely generated more anthocyanins in the exocarps samples of PF than that of GW/GF. Simultaneously, colorless flavan-3-ols (catechin, epicatechin and proanthocyanidin) content in the exocarp samples of PF was lower than GW/GF. Additionally, MYB (gene18079) and bHLH (gene5045 and gene21575) may participate in the regulation of the pod color. This study sheds light on the molecular basis of cacao pod color variation, which will contribute to breeding cacao varieties with enhanced flavonoid profiles for nutritional applications.