[Consensus of experts on the medical risk prevention for the patients with cardiovascular diseases during dental treatment (2022 edition)]

With the aging process of population in the society, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in China is increasing continuously and the number of dental patients with CVD is increasing gradually too. Due to the lack of guidelines for dental patients with CVD in our country, how to implement standardized preoperative evaluation and perioperative risk prevention remains a problem to be solved for dentists at present. The present expert consensus was reached by combining the clinical experiences of the expert group of the Fifth General Dentistry Special Committee, Chinese Stomatological Association and respiratory and cardiology experts in diagnosis and treatment for CVD patients, and by systematically summarizing the relevant international guidelines and literature regarding the relationship between CVD and oral diseases and the diagnosis and treatment of dental patients with heart failure, hypertension and antithrombotic therapy. The consensus aims to provide, for the dental clinicians, the criteria on diagnosis and treatment of CVD in dental patients in China so as to reduce the risk and complications, and finally to improve the treatment levels of dental patients with CVD in China.

[Pretreatment evaluation of 18F-FDG PET-CT in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of pretreatment ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxy glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT) in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma. Methods: Eighty-one patients with pathologically confirmed extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma and pretreatment with PET-CT scan in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from August 2006 to December 2017 were enrolled in the study. The clinical, follow-up and imaging data were analyzed retrospectively. The relationship between maximum standard uptake value (SUV_max) and prognosis were evaluated by Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman rank correlation analysis. Results: Among the 81 patients, 98.8% (80/81) were upper aerodigestive tract (UAT) involved. Lesions at extra-UAT sites were detected in 7 cases, involving parotid gland (n=1), breast (n=1), spleen (n=1), pancreas (n=1), skin and subcutaneous soft tissue (n=1), muscle (n=1), lung (n=2) and bone (n=3). Lymph node involvement were demonstrated in 33 cases. All of the lesions had increased uptake of PET, the median SUV_max was 8.6. PET-CT changed staging in 15 cases, and 12 cases were adjusted treatment methods. 21 cases were changed radiotherapy target because of PET-CT. The 1-, 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 88.7% and 80.3% while 1-, 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were 97.2% and 94.4% respectively. The median SUV_max of patients with local lymph nodes involvement was significantly higher than those without local lymph nodes involvement (P=0.007). The SUV_max was positively associated with Ann Arbor stage (r=0.366, P=0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (r=0.308, P=0.005) and Ki-67 level (r=0.270, P=0.017). The SUV_max was inversely associated with lymphocyte count (r=-0.324, P=0.003) and hemoglobin content (r=-0.225, P=0.043). Conclusions: Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma predominantly occurs in extra-nodal organs, mainly in the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, with marked FDG-addiction. Compared with conventional imaging, ¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT is sensitive and comprehensive in detecting extra-nodal NK/T-cell lymphoma involvement, assisting in accurate clinical staging and treatment planning. Pretreatment SUV_max is potential for prognosis evaluation since it is correlated with prognostic factors.

Dual Functions of MDP Monomer with De- and Remineralizing Ability

Methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) has been speculated to induce mineralization, but there has been no convincing evidence of its ability to induce intrafibrillar mineralization. Polymers play a critical role in biomimetic mineralization as stabilizers/inducers of amorphous precursors. Hence, MDP-induced biomimetic mineralization without polymer additives has not been fully verified or elucidated. By combining 3-dimensional stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, surface zeta potentials, contact angle measurements, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with circular dichroism, we show that amphiphilic MDP can not only demineralize dentin by releasing protons as an acidic functional monomer but also infiltrate collagen fibrils (including dentin collagen), unwind the triple helical structure by breaking hydrogen bonds, and finally immobilize within collagen. MDP-bound collagen functions as a huge collagenous phosphoprotein (HCPP), in contrast to chemical phosphorylation modifications. HCPP can induce biomimetic mineralization itself without polymer additives by alternatively attracting calcium and phosphate through electrostatic attraction. Therefore, we herein propose the dual functions of amphiphilic MDP monomer with de- and remineralizing ability. MDP in the free state can demineralize dentin substrates by releasing protons, whereas MDP in the collagen-bound state as HCPP can induce intrafibrillar mineralization. The dual functions of MDP monomer with de- and remineralization properties might create a new epoch in adhesive dentistry and preventive dentistry.

Markedly elevated serum preoperative thyroglobulin predicts radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND

Repeated radiotherapy brings limited benefits and significant side effects for differentiated thyroid cancer patients (DTC) with radioiodine refractory (RAIR). However, the prognostic role of preoperative thyroglobulin (pre-Tg) in predicting RAIR is unclear.

METHODS

In the present study, data were retrospectively reviewed from 5173 patients who underwent radiotherapy in the Jiangyuan Hospital from January 2006 to December 2020.

RESULTS

A total of 1,102 patients with or without repeated radiotherapy were compared (repeated vs. single radiotherapy; n = 199 vs. n = 903). Pre-Tg was significantly elevated in patients with repeated radiotherapy. After the classification of RAIR (non-RAIR, n = 786 vs. RAIR, n = 90), elevated pre-Tg was also correlated with RAIR after univariate and multivariate analyses. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, elevated pre-Tg well predicted RAIR (AUC = 0.76, CI: 0.71-0.82, p < 0.0001). To control the selection bias, the propensity score matching was used. Pre-Tg level was found to be an independent predictor of RAIR (p < 0.001, HR = 7.25, CI: 2.55-20.62).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that markedly elevated pre-Tg level can be served as an independent predictor of RAIR-DTC, which can guide a more precise treatment strategy and/or an active surveillance during surgery and follow-ups.

[Investigating the effects of Modified Sijunzi Decoction on the diversity of intestinal microflora of severe scald rabbits based on 16S ribosomal RNA high-throughput sequencing]

Objective: To investigate the effects of Modified Sijunzi Decoction on the diversity of intestinal microflora of in severe scald rabbits based on 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) high-throughput sequencing. Methods: The experimental research method was adopted. Ninety Japanese big-ear rabbits regardless gender, aged 6 to 8 months, were randomly divided into normal control group, scald alone group, scald+low-dose group, scald+medium-dose group, and scald+high-dose group, with 18 rabbits in each group. The rabbits in normal control group were free to eat and drink, and the rabbits in scald alone group, scald+low-dose group, scald+medium-dose group, and scald+high-dose group were intragastrically administered normal saline, 0.2 g/mL Modified Sijunzi Decoction, 1.0 g/mL Modified Sijunzi Decoction, and 5.0 g/mL Modified Sijunzi Decoction, respectively for 7 days after sustaining full-thickness scalding of 30% total body surface area. On the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping, the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in each group were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the number of samples in each group at each time point was 6. According to the above experimental results, another 9 rabbits were selected and divided into normal control group, scald alone group and scald+medium-dose group, with 3 rabbits in each group. The grouping and treatment methods of rabbits in each group were the same as before. On the 7th day after grouping, the V3, V4 region of 16S rRNA of ileum mucosa of rabbits in three groups were sequenced by high-throughput sequencing technology. The number of quality bacteria was counted by QIME software. The classifications of phylum, class, order, family and genus of microflora were analyzed by RDP Classifier software. The α diversity (Ace, Chao1, Simpson, and Shannon indexes) and β diversity were analyzed by Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology, and the number of experiment samples in each group was 3. Data were statistically analyzed with analysis for variance of factorial design, SNK test, and Bonferroni correction. Results: Compared with that in normal control group, the levels of TNF-α of ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald alone group, scald+low-dose group, and scald+high-dose group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping and scald+medium-dose group on the 1st and 3rd day after grouping were all significantly increased (P<0.01), the levels of IL-1β in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald alone group, scald+low-dose group, scald+medium-dose group and scald+high-dose group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping were all significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the levels of IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald alone group, scald+low-dose group, scald+medium-dose group, and scald+high-dose group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping were all significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with that in scald alone group, the levels of TNF-α in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+low-dose group, scald+medium-dose group, and scald+high-dose group on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping, and scald+medium-dose group on the 1st day after grouping were all significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the levels of IL-1β in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+low-dose group, scald+medium-dose group, and scald+high-dose group on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping and scald+medium-dose group on the 1st day after grouping were all significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the levels of IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+low-dose group on the 7th day after grouping and scald+medium-dose group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping and scald+high-dose group on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping were all significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with that in scald+low-dose group, the levels of TNF-α in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in medium-dose scald alone group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping and in high-dose scald alone group on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the levels of IL-1β in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in medium-dose scald alone group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping and in high-dose scald alone group on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping were all significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the levels of IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+medium-dose group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping and in scald+high-dose group on the 7th day after grouping were all significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with that in scald medium-dose group, the levels of TNF-α in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+high-dose group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping were all significantly increased (P<0.01), and the levels of IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+high-dose group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after grouping were all significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the levels of IL-1β in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+high-dose group on the 7th day after grouping was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with that on the 1st day after grouping, the levels of TNF-α in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald alone group on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping and in normal control group on the 3rd day after grouping were all significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the levels of IL-1β in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald alone group both on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the levels of IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in both scald+low-dose group and scald+high-dose group on the 7th day after grouping and scald+medium-dose group both on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping were significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the levels of TNF-α in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+high-dose group on the 3rd and 7th day after grouping and in scald+medium-dose group on the 7th day after grouping were all significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the level of IL-1β in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+medium-dose group on the 7th day after grouping was significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the level of IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald alone group on the 7th day after grouping was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with that on the 3rd day after grouping, the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald alone group and the levels of IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in normal control group, scald+low-dose group, scald+medium-dose group, and scald+high-dose group on the 7th day after grouping were all significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01); and the levels of TNF-α in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald+low-dose group, scald+medium-dose group, and scald+high-dose group on the 7th day after grouping were all significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the levels of IL-1β in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits both in scald+medium-dose group and scald+high-dose group on the 7th day after grouping were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the levels of IL-10 in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits in scald alone group on the 7th day after grouping was significantly decreased (P<0.01). On the 7th day after grouping, the high-quality sequences obtained from the microflora in ileum mucosa of rabbits in normal control group, scald alone group, and scald+medium-dose group were 96 023, 107 365, and 95 921, respectively. At the classification level of phylum, class, order, family, and genus of the microflora in ileum mucosa of rabbits in three groups were all Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, Clostridium and Bacteroidetes, Clostridium and Bacteroidetes, Rumenobacteriaceae and Clostridium and Bacteroideaceae, Clostridium and Bacteroidetes and rumen bacteria mainly, while the percentage of microflora in each group was different. There were no significant differences in Ace, Chao1, Simpson, Shannon indices (P>0.05), and no obvious difference in β diversity of microflora in ileal mucosa tissue of rabbits among three groups. Conclusions: After severe scalding, the inflammatory response of rabbit ileal mucosa tissue is obvious and increased in a time-dependent manner. Modified Sijunzi Decoction can reduce inflammation with optimal therapeutic concentration of 1.0 g/mL. The technology of high-throughput sequencing can reflect the structural composition of the intestinal microflora accurately. The ileal microflora of the severe scald rabbit can be regulated by the administration of Modified Sijunzi Decoction.

Achieving Stable Zinc-Ion Storage Performance of Manganese Oxides by Synergistic Engineering of the Interlayer Structure and Interface

Manganese oxide is a promising cathode material for rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). However, the low electronic conductivity and unstable structure evolution of manganese materials often result in poor rate performance and rapid capacity decay. Herein, we design N-doped Na₂Mn₃O₇ (N-NMO) by combining sodium preintercalation and nitridation treatment strategies to stabilize the crystalline structure and reaction interface. Sodium preintercalation not only enlarges the interlayer distance for fast Zn²⁺ ion diffusion but also serves as a robust pillar to stabilize the crystalline structure during cycling. Meanwhile, the nitridation layer on the surface of Na₂Mn₃O₇ particles is favorable for enhancing the electronic conductivity and inhibiting the cathode dissolution issue during repeated cycling. Consequently, the as-prepared N-NMO exhibits high reversible capacity (300 mAh g^-1 at 0.2 A g^-1), good rate capability (100 mAh g^-1 at 10 A g^-1), and outstanding long-term cycling stability (high capacity retention of 78.9% after 550 cycles at 2 A g^-1). Considering the facile and simple synthesizing methods, the synergistic engineering of the interlayer structure and interface is expected to provide new opportunities for the development of high-performance Mn-based cathode materials for aqueous ZIBs.

Treponema denticola Induces Alzheimer-Like Tau Hyperphosphorylation by Activating Hippocampal Neuroinflammation in Mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. Tau hyperphosphorylation and amyloid β (Aβ) deposition are the key pathological hallmarks of AD. Recent studies have shown that periodontitis is a significant risk factor for AD. The periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis and its virulence factors have been shown to initiate and promote the hallmark pathologies and behavioral symptoms of AD. A possible link between Treponema denticola, another main periodontal pathogen, and AD has been reported. However, the role of T. denticola in AD pathogenesis is still unclear, and whether T. denticola and P. gingivalis exert a synergistic effect to promote AD development needs to be further studied. In this study, we investigated whether oral infection with T. denticola caused tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampi of mice and explored the underlying mechanisms. Orally administered T. denticola induced alveolar bone resorption, colonized brain tissues, and increased the activity of the phosphokinase GSK3β by activating neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, thus promoting the hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein at Ser396, Thr181, and Thr231 in mice. An in vitro study with BV2 and N2a cell models of T. denticola invasion also verified the role of this pathogen in tau phosphorylation. T. denticola and P. gingivalis were not found to exert a synergistic effect on tau phosphorylation. In summary, these findings provide new insight into the important role of T. denticola in AD pathogenesis, providing biological connections between periodontal diseases and AD.

Capsaicin inhibits the stemness of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells by triggering autophagy-lysosome mediated OCT4A degradation

Capsaicin (CAP) is a well-known anti-cancer agent. Recently, we reported capsaicin-induced apoptosis in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) cells. It is well accepted that the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is responsible for the dedifferentiation of ATC, the most lethal subtype of thyroid cancer with highly dedifferentiation status. Whether CAP inhibited the ATC growth through targeting CSCs needed further investigation. In the present study, CAP was found to induce autophagy in ATC cells through TRPV1 activation and subsequent calcium influx. Meanwhile, CAP dose-dependently decreased the sphere formation capacity of ATC cells. The stemness-inhibitory effect of CAP was further by extreme limiting dilution analysis (ELDA). CAP significantly decreased the protein level of OCT4A in both 8505C and FRO cells. Furthermore, CAP-induced OCT4A degradation was reversed by autophagy inhibitors 3-MA and chloroquine, BAPTA-AM and capsazepine, but not proteasome inhibitor MG132. Collectively, our study firstly showed CAP suppressed the stemness of ATC cells partially via calcium-dependent autophagic degradation of OCT4A. Our study lent credence to the feasible application of capsaicin in limiting ATC stemness.

Effects of radial stress on piezoelectric ceramic tubes and transducers

Static analysis is performed for fiber windings to quantitatively control the radial stress at the outer radius of the piezoelectric ceramic tube. The radial stress is verified both experimentally and theoretically, and the dependence of the resonant and material properties of the piezoelectric ceramic tubes on the radial stress is clarified. The resonance frequencies and dielectric loss remain relatively stable, but the relative permittivity and the short circuit elastic constant decrease with the radial stress. The variations of the increased bandwidth and decreased electromechanical coupling coefficient (k₃₁), piezoelectric constant (d₃₁ and g₃₁), and mechanical quality factor (Q_m) are associated with the height-to-radius ratio. The properties of three cylindrical transducers applied with various radial stress show similar change tendencies, and a difference of 0.34 MPa radial stress results in a variation of approximately 13 in the bandwidth, 14 in Q_m, 15 in k₃₁, d₃₁, and g₃₁, and 16 in the amplitude of the first pulse. These results suggest that the consistency of the radial stress is essential, and it should be relatively small. These findings guide the design and preparation of the enhanced transducer.

Study on B16 Cell Cytotoxicity by High Frequency Reversible Electroporation with Bleomycin That Induces Hallmarks of Immunogenic Death

Hundreds of high frequency bipolar pulse bursts with ∼1 μs have been suggested to alleviate muscle contractions and pain during the irreversible electroporation (IRE) tumor treatment. This study is performed to verify whether eight bursts of high frequency reversible electroporation pulses (HFREs) with bleomycin could be used for electrochemotherapy (ECT) tumor treatment. Firstly, in vitro experiments on B16 cells are performed to determine the cytotoxicity of the HFREs with bleomycin. The result indicates that the protocol of HFREs with bleomycin has a significant killing effect compared with only bleomycin, in which the used HFRE pulses are set to induce high membrane permeabilization while maintaining high cell viability. The immunogenic cell death (ICD) that generates danger associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) could trigger an adaptive immune response against tumors. We demonstrated that HFREs with bleomycin could trigger the hallmarks of ICD with obvious up-regulation of DAMPs, including ATP, HMGB1, and CRT. The ICD process may begin at 3 h but perform at 6 h after HFREs with bleomycin stimulation. The in vivo experiment on mice tumor treatment also showed that the protocol of HFREs with bleomycin could inhibit tumor growth with more cytotoxic CD8+ T cells infiltration. The results obtained from in vitro and in vitro experiments preliminary confirmed that the HFREs with bleomycin could be used for ECT tumor treatment associated with the hallmarks of ICD and preliminary trigger the adaptive immune response.

Micro-arc oxidation-assisted sol-gel preparation of calcium metaphosphate coatings on magnesium alloys for bone repair

Calcium phosphate coating is an attractive surface modification strategy for magnesium alloys, since it can increase their corrosion resistance and endow them with osteogenic function simultaneously. Herein, a calcium metaphosphate (CMP) coating was fabricated on magnesium alloy by using sol-gel approach assisted with micro-arc oxidation pre-treatment. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the micro-pores and cracks in micro-arc oxidation inner layer generated during the pre-treatment process were sealed by the grainy sol-gel outer layer. Energy dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction results demonstrated the identity of the coating as CMP. The cross-cut test showed that the adhesion of CMP coating was strong. Applying bare magnesium alloy substrate as a control, the CMP coating surface was rougher and more hydrophilic. The potentiodynamic polarization test demonstrated that the corrosion resistance was significantly improved by using CMP coating. Hydrogen evolution in immersion test further confirmed that the degradation rate was decelerated within 14 days. Moreover, CMP coating facilitated the adhesion speed, spreading area, and focal adhesion formation of bone marrow stem cells. The number of cells in the active proliferating state and proliferated cells present on the CMP coating also increased. Additionally, CMP coating upregulated alkaline phosphatase activity and osteogenic gene expression in cells. In summary, the micro-arc oxidation assisted sol-gel CMP coatings increased the corrosion resistance and promoted the interfacial cell behavior for magnesium alloy implants, which might inform the further development of surface modifications on magnesium alloys for bone related applications.

A fundamental theoretical study on the different effect of electroporation on tumor blood vessels and normal blood vessels

Electroporation achieved by the application of pulsed electric field is successfully used for clinical tumor ablation. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) and irreversible electroporation (IRE), which are two protocols based on electroporation, have been shown to ablate only tumor cells while preserving the function of normal blood vessels. However, the mechanism of this unique advantage is still not fully understood. This study first built a multilayer dielectric model of both normal and tumor blood vessels to study the electroporation effect. Since endothelial cells are the main component of normal and tumor blood vessels, this study mainly analyzed the electroporation effect on endothelial cells. The rich vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), could play a protective function, allowing endothelial cells to suffer less electroporation effect in normal blood vessels. Interestingly, the endothelial cells in tumor blood vessel sustained a stronger electroporation effect than those in normal blood vessels due to the lack of VSMCs. This study may provide a conceivable explanation for why the structure of endothelial cells in normal blood vessels is preserved during electroporation treatment. This study also demonstrates that ECT or IRE may also damage both tumor blood vessels and cells while preserving normal blood vessels, which benefits complete tumor ablation.

[Analysis of the effect of microwave ablation in the treatment of small liver cancer]

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of microwave ablation in the treatment of early small liver cancer (≤3 cm). Methods: 103 cases with small liver cancer (tumor number < 3 and maximum tumor diameter < 3 cm) who underwent microwave ablation from November 2016 to November 2018 were retrospectively collected. The rate of residual lesions, recurrence rate one-year after the operation, and surgical complications were observed and grouped according to tumor size (< 2 cm and≥2 cm group) and tumor numbers (solitary and 2 ~ 3 lesion groups). The therapeutic effects of each group were compared and analyzed. Results: The tumor residual rate and one-year recurrence rate of small liver cancer after microwave ablation were 11.7% and 35.0%, respectively. The post-ablation syndrome incidence rate was 52.4%, with no serious adverse events. Compared with tumors < 2 cm, patients with≥2 cm had a higher postoperative residual rate (χ(2) = 7.651, P = 0.006), and the one-year recurrence rate of more solitary nodular tumors was lower (χ(2) = 10.125, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Microwave ablation is a safe and effective treatment for early small liver cancer, and it is more effective for small solitary nodules (< 2 cm).

Capsaicin restores sodium iodine symporter-mediated radioiodine uptake through bypassing canonical TSH‒TSHR pathway in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare but highly lethal disease. ATCs are resistant to standard therapies and are extremely difficult to manage. The stepwise cell dedifferentiation results in the impairment of the iodine-metabolizing machinery and the infeasibility of radioiodine treatment in ATC. Hence, re-inducing iodine-metabolizing gene expression to restore radioiodine avidity is considered as a promising strategy to fight against ATC. In the present study, capsaicin (CAP), a natural potent transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) agonist, was discovered to re-induce ATC cell differentiation and to increase the expression of thyroid transcription factors (TTFs including TTF-1, TTF-2, and PAX8) and iodine-metabolizing proteins, including thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR), thyroid peroxidase, and sodium iodine symporter (NIS), in two ATC cell lines, 8505C and FRO. Strikingly, CAP treatment promoted NIS glycosylation and its membrane trafficking, resulting in a significant enhancement of radioiodine uptake of ATC cells in vitro. Mechanistically, CAP activated TRPV1 channel and subsequently triggered Ca2+ influx, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) generation, and cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) signal activation. Next, CREB recognized and bound to the promoter of SLC5A5 to facilitate its transcription. Moreover, the TRPV1 antagonist CPZ, the calcium chelator BAPTA, and the PKA inhibitor H-89 effectively alleviated the re-differentiation exerted by CAP, demonstrating that CAP might improve radioiodine avidity through the activation of the TRPV1‒Ca2+/cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway. In addition, our study indicated that CAP might trigger a novel cascade to re-differentiate ATC cells and provide unprecedented opportunities for radioiodine therapy in ATC, bypassing canonical TSH‒TSHR pathway.

[Cd Pollution and Safe Planting Zoning in Paddy Soils: A Case Study in a District of Chongqing]

Rice has a strong ability to accumulate Cd in soil, and it is of great significance to study Cd pollution and safe planting zoning in paddy soils. In this work, 300 sets of paddy soil-rice samples were simultaneously collected in 22 towns in a District of Chongqing, and soil pH, soil total and available Cd contents, and brown rice Cd contents were determined. Soil Cd pollution was assessed using the geoaccumulation index, bioconcentration factor, and the single-factor pollution index. Based on the Cd pollution indices of soil and brown rice, safe planting zoning for rice was determined. The results showed that the paddy soils were generally acidic, and total Cd contents ranged from 0.09 mg·kg^-1 to 1.60 mg·kg^-1, with 35.0% of sites exceeding the risk screening value. The Cd contents of the brown rice ranged from 0.002 mg·kg^-1 to 0.808 mg·kg^-1 and exceeded the food safety limit in 13.7% of cases. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the Cd content of brown rice was significantly positively correlated with soil total and available Cd (P<0.01). The pollution evaluation indicated that significant Cd accumulation occurred in the paddy soils, with some areas showing light-to-moderate pollution levels. The enrichment coefficients of rice to soil Cd ranged from 0.004 to 1.72. Overall, the paddy soils in the studied area were considered generally safe with respect to Cd pollution, with low-risk areas distributed in the south, west, and east, whereas some medium-high risk areas were detected in eight towns.