The VEGF expression associated with prognosis in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by meta-analysis. METHODS: We systematically searched relevant studies in the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wangfang, and Web of Science, with search dates limited to September 1, 2021. We extracted relevant data, including prognosis and clinicopathological features of patients with different expressions of VEGF in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The combined hazard ratio (HR), odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to evaluate the link strength between VEGF and prognosis of cholangiocarcinoma patients. RESULTS: A total of 7 eligible studies with 495 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that the high expression of VEGF was significantly related to poor overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.52-2.46, P < 0.05) in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Moreover, high expression of VEGF in tumor tissues associated with lymph node metastasis (LNM) (OR = 6.79, 95% CI 3.93-11.73, P < 0.05) and advanced TNM stage (OR = 4.35, 95% CI 2.34-8.07, P < 0.05) in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Sensitivity analysis shows that the meta-analysis results are stable and reliable. CONCLUSION: The expression of VEGF is related to the OS of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and the OS of patients with high expression of VEGF is shorter. VEGF may be a novel predictor of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO ( CRD42022297443 ).

Dynamic change of oligopeptides and free amino acids composition in five types of tea with different fermentation degree processed from the same batch of fresh tea (Camelilia Sinensis. L.) leaves.

Our previous studies have confirmed oligopeptides could be meaningful to tea taste and biofunction. As the total content of oligopeptide among different tea types were varied. It is a natural speculation that certain tea processing step could be vital for oligopeptides enrichment. In current study, five types of traditional Chinese tea were produced from the same batch of fresh leaves. Step processing samples were acquired through which to profile the oligopeptides and free amio acids composition change during tea processed. As a result, firstly, withering was the vital step for oligopeptide enrichment, followed by fermentation, yellowing and drying. Secondly, as the enrichment of oligopeptides was often accompanied by the increase of protein amino acids, suggesting certain proteins degradation in fresh leaves could be the main source of oligopeptides. Thirdly, a total of 166 abundant oligopeptides were screened out, through which 14 high degradation protein were also located by protomic approaching.

Safety and efficacy of laparoscopic hepatectomy versus open hepatectomy for giant hepatic cysts: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: With advances in technology and medical treatment, laparoscopy is increasingly used in hepatic cyst surgery. We hope that the analysis the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic hepatectomy versus open hepatectomy in giant hepatic cyst surgery will provide a theoretical basis for the choice of treatment means for clinicians. Methods: By searching CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang, VIP (China Science and Technology Journal Database), CBM (China Biology Medicine disc), PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases, all Chinese- and English-language articles on the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic hepatectomy and open hepatectomy for hepatic cysts were collected from database establishment to December 2021. Endnote X9 software was used for data checking and screening. Stata 15.1 software was used to analyze the relevant data. Sensitivity analysis was used to assess heterogeneity and funnel plots were used to detect bias in the results. Results: A total of 43 relevant studies covering 3,375 patients with hepatic cysts were included: 1,733 patients in the laparoscopic hepatectomy group and 1,642 in the open hepatectomy group. Meta-analysis showed that the laparoscopic hepatectomy group had shorter operation time [standard mean difference (SMD) =-2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.63 to -1.92, P<0.001], less intraoperative blood loss (SMD =-3.62, 95% CI: -4.22 to -3.02, P<0.001), shorter hospital stay (SMD =-2.09, 95% CI: -2.41 to -1.78, P<0.001), faster postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery (SMD =-3.94, 95% CI: -4.68 to -3.20, P<0.001), and less postoperative complications [odds ratio (OR) =0.45, 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.58, P<0.001] than the open hepatectomy group, with significant statistical differences. Sensitivity analyses were largely centered, and it indicates that the results have a high stability. The funnel plot was left-right symmetrical. It indicates that the intervention group was better than the control group and the results were reliable. Discussion: There are significant differences in the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic hepatectomy compared with open hepatectomy. Laparoscopic hepatectomy can be selected to reduce postoperative pain. There were few foreign studies included, so whether our results apply to European and American populations still needs further study.

Rapid varietal authentication of oolong tea products by microfluidic-based SNP genotyping.

Oolong tea is one of the most popular Chinese teas, and its quality is significantly affected by the variety of tea plant. The growing demands lead to the adulteration of premium oolong tea products, e.g., Tieguanyin oolong tea. In this study, microfluidic technology and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) biomarkers were used to authenticate the varieties of oolong tea products. Forty-eight pairs of primers were screened, and they can be used to authenticate Tieguanyin oolong tea via high-throughput microfluidic SNP chips. Through the combination of the NJ tree and PCoA plot methods, the study found that the most frequent adulterant of Tieguanyin oolong tea on the market is Benshan. For the first time, the commercial behavior of using Fuyun6 and Jinguanyin as adulterants or contamination in the production of Tieguanyin oolong tea was reported. This research has proposed rapid authentication technology for oolong tea to provide food quality supervision and promote consumer trust.

Quantification, identification and comparison of oligopeptides on five tea categories with different fermentation degree by Kjeldahl method and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry.

Peptides with different lengths or amino sequences could have specific tastes or bio-activities. So far, either the quantity or pattern differences of peptide among various of teas were unknown. Here, firstly, we developed a method for tea oligopeptide quantification and made comparison of their contents. Secondly, we applied ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Quadrupole-Orbitrap-UHRMS) to sequence oligopeptides. As a result, the total amount of oligopeptides in white tea and dark tea were higher, followed by black tea and green tea, finally with oolong tea. It suggested that withering which undergoes with endogenous protease and post-fermented that undergoes with a participation of exotic micro-organisms were key in oligopeptide enrichment. Thirdly, a total of 902 abundant identified peptides, most of which were tripeptide, tetrapeptide, pentapeptide, and hexapeptide were screened against several existing peptide databases. There were a series of taste peptides and bio-active peptides existing.

Comparison of the Safety and Efficacy of Laparoscopic Left Lateral Hepatectomy and Open Left Lateral Hepatectomy for Hepatolithiasis: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Intrahepatic duct (IHD) stones, also known as hepatolithiasis, refers to any intrahepatic stones of the left and right hepatic ducts. It is a benign biliary tract disease with a high recurrence rate, with many complications, and difficulty in radical cure. The aim of this review and meta-analysis is to compare the safety and efficacy of the laparoscopic left lateral hepatectomy (LLLH) and open left lateral hepatectomy (OLLH) for IHD stones. Methods: Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, WangFang Data, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the comparison of LLLH and OLLH in the treatment of hepatolithiasis. Standard mean difference (SMD), odds ratio (OR), and 95% CI were calculated using the random-effects model or fixed-effects model according to the heterogeneity between studies. Results: From January 01, 2001 to May 30, 2021, 1,056 articles were retrieved, but only 13 articles were finally included for the meta-analysis. The results showed that compared to the OLLH group, LLLH resulted in smaller surgical incision, less intraoperative blood loss, faster postoperative recovery, and fewer postoperative complications (surgical incision: SMD = -3.76, 95% CI: -5.40, -2.12; intraoperative blood loss: SMD = -0.95, 95% CI: -1.69, -0.21; length of hospital stay: SMD = -1.56, 95% CI: -2.37, -0.75; postoperative complications: OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.78). Conclusions: In the treatment of hepatolithiasis, compared with OLLH, LLLH has the advantages of less intraoperative blood loss, smaller incisions, less postoperative complications, shorter hospital stay, shorter time to first postoperative exhaust, and postoperative ambulation, and rapid postoperative recovery.

Development and application of a method for the analysis of N-acylhomoserine lactones by solid-phase extraction and ultra high pressure liquid chromatography.

A robust method based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by ultra high pressure liquid chromatography (with trade name of Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography: UPLC; Waters, Milford, MA, USA) is proposed for the determination of five derivatives of N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) that play a biological role as signal molecules of several gram-negative bacteria. Different commercial SPE cartridges were tested for sample extraction, clean-up and preconcentration. Since the sample matrix was a complex growth media, careful optimization of the SPE with respect to washing procedure, elution solvent and sample solvent was necessary. No sample loss was observed when up to 100 mL spiked full media was added onto the cartridge. Applying UPLC for the determination of AHLs, the performance characteristics of the method showed good separation efficiency and high speed. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the method, supernatants with the known AHL producer Burkholderia cepacia LA3 grown in different media were investigated. Additionally, the method was successfully used for the degradation/uptake study of AHLs from a liquid matrix in which barley was grown under controlled condition.

[Mechanism study of anti-influenza effects of Radix Isatidis water extract by red blood cells capillary electrophoresis].

OBJECTIVE: To research the mechanism of the inhibition effects of BWE on cell attachment of influenza virus by capillary electrophoresis. METHOD: The morphologic difference of red cells after treating with BWE infected by influenza virus was detected with microscope, capillary electrophoresis and HA. RESULT: The pretreatment of the normal cells with BWE inhibited the attachment of influenza to the cells, while no meaningful inhibition was observed when influenza virus was pretreated before being inoculated to cells. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the inhibition effects of BWE on cell attachment of influenza virus may be an important mechanism of anti-influenza activity of Radix Isatidis Extracts.

[Determination of flumorph and dimethomorph residues in vegetables by improved QuEChERS-gas chromatography-mass spectromery].

To determine the residues of flumorph and dimethomorph in vegetables, a method was established with improved QuEChERS-gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). With acetonitrile as the extraction solvent, the samples were pretreated with the improved QuEChERS method including extraction, salting-out and purification processes. Then all the sample extracts were analyzed with GC-MS in selected-ion monitoring (SIM) mode, and quantified by matrix-matched standard solution in external standard method. Under electron ionization conditions, the analysis was carried out with a capillary column (DB-5 MS, 30 mx 0. 25 mm x 0. 25 µm) at a flow rate of 1. 1 mL/min. The quantitation was performed to detect ions of m/z 285, 371, 165 for flumorph and m/z 301, 387, 165 for dimethomorph. Good linearity was obtained in the range of 10-1 000 µg/kg for both pesticides with correlation coefficients greater than 0. 999. The recovery experiments were carried out by spiking blank samples of ginger, tomato, carrot, spinach, cabbage and tremella at the three levels of 10, 20 and 100 µg/kg. For both pesticides in different matrices, the limits of detection (S/N=3) were in the range of 0. 67-2. 42 µg/kg. The average recoveries of flumorph and dimethomorph ranged from 71% to 116% with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) in the range of 1. 8%- 14. 7%. Meanwhile, the pyrolysis mechanism and matrix effect for the determination of flumorph and dimethomorph in vegetables were investigated in this study. The method is simple, rapid and accurate, and can be used for the routine analysis of flumorph and dimethomorph in vegetables.

[Determination of indicator polychlorinated biphenyls in vegetable oils by double clean-up-gas chromatography].

To investigate the residues of seven indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in vegetable oils, a method was established for the determination of trace PCBs in vegetable oils by double clean-up coupled with gas chromatography (GC). After extracted with acetonitrile, the sample extract was concentrated to dryness followed by re-dissolving with hexane. And the solution was pretreated by adding concentrated sulfuric acid followed cleaned-up with silica gel in dispersive solid-phase extraction protocol, then analyzed by GC with external standard meth- od. Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, the analysis was carried out with a capillary column (HP-5, 30 m x 0.32 mm x 0.25 µm) at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min, and the sample volume was 1.00 µL. Monitoring with an electron-capture detector, all the target analytes were separated by temperature-programming of the column. Good linearities were obtained in the range of 10-500 µg/L for the seven indicator PCBs with the correlation coefficients greater than 0. 999. For different matrices, the limits of detection (S/N = 3) and limits of quantitation (S/N = 10) were in the range of 1.8-8.9 pg/kg and 5.9-29.8 µg/kg, respectively. At three spiked levels of 10, 20 and 100 µg/kg of the seven indicator PCBs in olive oil, palm oil and peanut oil blank samples, the average recoveries ranged from 71.0% to 105.5% with the RSDs of 4.0%-11.3%. The method is simple, rapid and accurate, and can be used for the routine analysis of the indicator PCBs in vegetable oils.

[Determination of trace musk xylene and musk ketone in aquatic products by multiple adsorption synchronous purification-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

In order to investigate the residues of musk xylene and musk ketone in aquatic products, a method was established for the determination of the trace musk xylene and musk ketone in aquatic products by multiple adsorption synchronous purification (MASP) -gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). After extracted with acetonitrile, the samples were pretreated using MASP method including extraction, salting-out and purification processes, analyzed with GC-MS in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, and then quantified by matrix-matched standard solution in external standard method. The analysis was carried out with a capillary column (DB-5 MS, 30 m x 0.25 mm x 0.25 microm) under electron ionization conditions. The quantification was performed using monitoring ions of m/z 282, 297, 265 for musk xylene and m/z 279, 294, 191 for musk ketone. The results showed good linearity in the range of 1-100 microg/kg for musk xylene and musk ketone with the correlation coefficients not less than 0.999, and the limits of detection (S/N = 3) of 0.30 microg/kg. The average recoveries of musk xylene and musk ketone spiked in prawn, clam and sea eel blank samples at three spiked levels of 1.0, 2.0 and 10.0 microg/kg ranged from 79% to 104% and the RSDs were in the range of 1.6%-13.3%. The method is simple, rapid and accurate, and can be used for the routine analysis of musk xylene and musk ketone in aquatic products.

[Analysis of terpineol and improvement of technology process in terpineol production].

A method for the separation and determination of terpineol oil by temperature programming capillary gas chromatography has been established. An OV-1 fused silica capillary column (30 m x 0.32 mm i.d. x 0.25 microns) was used with a temperature increase rates of 1.5 degrees C/min from 70 degrees C to 100 degrees C, 5 degrees C/min from 100 degrees C to 160 degrees C, 10 degrees C/min from 160 degrees C to 220 degrees C and then hold for 2 min. The main chemical components and their relative contents of the terpineol oil, terpinene oil, red and yellow oils of middle oils in the terpineol production and natural terpineol were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (GC-FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The typical chromatograms of these oils are given. It has offered the information of the boiling points of the chemical compounds, and it is helpful to reutilize them after their separation by rectification. The results showed that the main compounds of the heavy cut of terpineol were longifolene and beta-caryophyllene. They are from the raw material, terpinene oil. The main compounds in the natural terpineol oil were eucalyptol, trans-4-thujanol, p-isopropenyl toluene, cis-4-thujanol, linalool, camphor, borneol, 4-terpineol, alpha-terpineol and safrole. The contents of beta-terpineol and gamma-terpineol were not so high as in synthetic terpineol.