Metabolic diversity in commensal protists regulates intestinal immunity and trans-kingdom competition

The microbiota influences intestinal health and physiology, yet the contributions of commensal protists to the gut environment have been largely overlooked. Here, we discover human- and rodent-associated parabasalid protists, revealing substantial diversity and prevalence in nonindustrialized human populations. Genomic and metabolomic analyses of murine parabasalids from the genus Tritrichomonas revealed species-level differences in excretion of the metabolite succinate, which results in distinct small intestinal immune responses. Metabolic differences between Tritrichomonas species also determine their ecological niche within the microbiota. By manipulating dietary fibers and developing in vitro protist culture, we show that different Tritrichomonas species prefer dietary polysaccharides or mucus glycans. These polysaccharide preferences drive trans-kingdom competition with specific commensal bacteria, which affects intestinal immunity in a diet-dependent manner. Our findings reveal unappreciated diversity in commensal parabasalids, elucidate differences in commensal protist metabolism, and suggest how dietary interventions could regulate their impact on gut health.

[Pancreas multidisciplinary team optimizes the diagnosis and treatment of pancreas-related diseases and improves the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients]

Objectives: To evaluate the role of pancreas multidisciplinary team(MDT) clinic in the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases,patient compliance with MDT advice,and the impact of MDT on the postoperative survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. Methods: The study included 927 patients(554 males,373 females,aged (58.1±13.3)years (range: 15 to 89 years)) that had visited the pancreas MDT clinic of Zhongshan Hospital from May 2015 to December 2021,and 677 patients(396 males, 281 females, aged (63.6±8.9)years(range: 32 to 95 years)) who underwent radical surgery and with pathologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma from January 2012 to December 2020,of whom 79 patients had attended the pancreas MDT. The clinical and pathological data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Diseases were classified in accordance with 2010 WHO classification of tumors of the digestive system and usual clinical practices. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for drawing the survival curve and calculating the survival rate. The univariate analysis was done by Log-rank test and the multivariate analysis was done by COX proportional hazards model. Survival rates were compared using χ2 test. Results: Among the 927 patients that had visited the MDT clinic,233 patients(25.1%) were referred due to undetermined diagnosis. A direct diagnosis was made in 109 cases (46.8%,109/233) by the MDT clinic, of which 98 were consistent with the final diagnosis,resulting in an accuracy of 89.9%(98/109). The direct diagnosis rate in the recent years(36.6%(41/112),from June 2019 to December 2021) decreased compared to that in the previous years(56.2%(68/121),from May 2015 to May 2019),yet the accuracy in the recent years(90.2%,37/41) was basically the same as before (89.7%,61/68). The rate of compliance of the entire cohort was 71.5%(663/927), with the compliance rate in the recent two and a half years(81.4%,338/415) remarkably higher than that in the previous four years(63.4%,325/512). Patients with pancreatic cancer that attended the MDT exhibited a trend toward longer median postoperative survival than patients that did not attend the MDT,but the difference was not statistically significant(35.2 months vs.30.2 months,P>0.05). The 1-year and 3-year survival rates of patients that attended the MDT were significanly higher than patients that did not attend the MDT(88.6% vs. 78.4%,P<0.05;32.9% vs. 21.9%,P<0.05,respectively),but the 5-year survival rate was not statistically different(7.6% vs. 4.8%,P>0.05). Conclusions: The pancreas MDT clinic is an accurate and convenient way to diagnose intractable pancreatic diseases,and in the recent years the patients' compliance rate with MDT advice has increased. Pancreatic cancer patients that have attended the MDT have higher 1-year and 3-year postoperative survival rates,but the long-term survival benefits of MDT still needs to be proved by clinical studies on a larger scale.

[Efficacy and safety of intraoperative ultrasound-assisted neuroendoscopy in the treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage via transsylvian approach]

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of intraoperative ultrasound-assisted neuroendoscopy for treating hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH) via lateral fissure and insula approach. Methods: The clinical data of 66 patients with HICH in basal ganglia who underwent intraoperative ultrasound-assisted neuroendoscopy via lateral fissure and insula approach for hematoma evacuation were retrospectively analyzed, including operative data and follow-up results. All patients had no brain hernia before operation. The hematoma was located by the ultrasound and then the path into the hematoma cavity was determined. Meanwhile, the residual hematoma was also detected by using the ultrasound. The clearance rate of hematoma was observed by CT. Barthel index was used to evaluate the activity of daily living. Results: The amount of residual hematoma was less than 10% in 63 ases and 10%-20% in 3 cases. There were 11 cases of postoperative pneumonia, of whom 9 cases underwent percutaneous tracheotomy. Rebleeding occurred in 2 cases, but the amount was small, and there was no need for reoperation. Meanwhile, there was 1 case of secondary intracranial infection and 1 case of secondary hydrocephalus. No case of cerebral contusion was reported. Half a year after the operation, Barthel Index grading showed that there were 3 cases of grade I, 25 cases of grade Ⅱ, 34 cases of grade Ⅲ, 3 cases of grade Ⅳ and 1 case of death, respectively. Conclusions: Intraoperative ultrasound-assisted neuroendoscopy via lateral fissure and insula approach can improve the efficacy and safety of treatment for HICH.

The Taste Receptor TAS1R3 Regulates Small Intestinal Tuft Cell Homeostasis

Tuft cells are an epithelial cell type critical for initiating type 2 immune responses to parasites and protozoa in the small intestine. To respond to these stimuli, intestinal tuft cells use taste chemosensory signaling pathways, but the role of taste receptors in type 2 immunity is poorly understood. In this study, we show that the taste receptor TAS1R3, which detects sweet and umami in the tongue, also regulates tuft cell responses in the distal small intestine. BALB/c mice, which have an inactive form of TAS1R3, as well as Tas1r3-deficient C57BL6/J mice both have severely impaired responses to tuft cell–inducing signals in the ileum, including the protozoa Tritrichomonas muris and succinate. In contrast, TAS1R3 is not required to mount an immune response to the helminth Heligmosomoides polygyrus, which infects the proximal small intestine. Examination of uninfected Tas1r3^−/− mice revealed a modest reduction in the number of tuft cells in the proximal small intestine but a severe decrease in the distal small intestine at homeostasis. Together, these results suggest that TAS1R3 influences intestinal immunity by shaping the epithelial cell landscape at steady-state. ImmunoHorizons, 2020, 4: 23–32.

[Diagnostic value and patient compliance of a pancreas-oriented multidisciplinary clinic: a retrospective analysis from a Chinese pancreatic disease center]

Objective: To evaluate the role of multidisciplinary team (MDT) clinic in the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases and patient compliance with MDT advice in the current medical system. Methods: The study included 512 patients that had visited the pancreas-oriented MDT clinic of Zhongshan Hospital between May 2015 and May 2019.The clinical and pathological data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Diseases were classified in accordance with 2010 WHO classification of tumors of the digestive system and usual clinical practices. Compliance was determined according to whether a patient received corresponding therapies or undergoing further checks or follow-ups. Results: Among the 512 patients that had visited the MDT clinic, 121 patients were referred due to undetermined diagnosis. Classified according to the final diagnosis, the rate of undetermined diagnosis in different disease categories from high to low in order was inflammatory diseases of the pancreas (75.0%, 24/32), other lesions of the pancreas (56.1%,23/41), pancreatic cystic lesions (19.1%,17/89), pancreatic carcinomas (18.3%,48/262) and pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNEN)(10.2%,9/88). The MDT clinic made diagnosis to 68 patients directly with an accuracy of 89.7%. The rate of compliance in the entire cohort was 63.4%. The rate of compliance of patients from June 2017 to May 2019 (68.4%) was higher than that of patients from May 2015 to May 2017(59.6%). The compliance rate of patients in different disease categories from high to low in order was inflammatory diseases of the pancreas(84.4%, 27/32), pancreatic carcinomas (67.9%, 178/262), pNEN(60.2%,53/88), other lesions of the pancreas (56.1%,23/41), and pancreatic cystic lesions(49.4%, 44/89). The compliance rate of patients with different MDT advice from high to low in order was best supportive care(78.6%,22/28), antitumor approaches beyond surgery(71.6%,159/222), further tests(62.6%, 77/123), surgery(53.7%, 65/121) and follow-up(49.2%, 31/63). In patients suggested for surgery, the compliance rate of patients with carcinomas(67.4%, 33/49) was higher than patients with other kinds of neoplasms. Conclusions: MDT clinic could facilitate the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases conveniently and inexpensively. The overall compliance rate of MDT clinic patients is rather low, and patients with carcinomas have a relative high rate of compliance with the suggestion of surgery.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for treating gastritis cystica profunda

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a key role in inflammation. It is partly produced by three forms of NOS: eNOS of inflammatory cells, nNOS of neural cells and iNOS (inducible isoform). Estrogens can cause an anti-inflammatory effect, although it is not yet clear through which NOS isoforms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the different NOS isoforms, as well as estrogen receptors (ERs) α and β, on the anti-inflammatory effects of estrogens. To avoid the influence of endogenous glucocorticoids or sexual hormones, male rats were hypophysectomized. Animals were segregated into two control groups (no-treatment control group and SHAM-operated animals) and three hypophysectomized groups (no-hormonal treatment, with estradiol-17β, or with testosterone replacement treatment). Freund's complete adjuvant (1 mg) was administered to the footpad of all animals. Measurements were made based on footpad inflammation (with a plethysmometer) such as eNOS, nNOS, iNOS and ER α and β protein expression (by immunohistochemistry principle/method) on days 1, 7 and 14. Only estradiol decreased inflammation, accompanied by increased levels of eNOS and nNOS and differential expression of ERs α and β in the inflammatory infiltrate. The higher levels of estradiol-induced eNOS and nNOS ocurred perhaps through the activation of ER β.

[The value of preoperative CA19-9 combined with platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting invasive malignancy in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms]

Objective: To explore preoperative predictive markers for invasive malignancy in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm(IPMN). Methods: The retrospective case-controlled study was adopted.Seventy-nine patients who underwent surgery and with pathologically confirmed IPMN from January 2005 to December 2014 at Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University were enrolled.Forty-six patients were male and 33 were female,with an average age of (62.9±8.9)years (range:37-82 years).Tumor sites:56 tumors were located at the head of the pancreas,22 were located at the body and tail of the pancreas,and 1 was located across the whole pancreas.Surgical procedures: 51 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, 22 patients underwent distal pancreatectomy, 4 patients underwent segmental pancreatectomy and 2 patients underwent total pancreatectomy.IPMNs were classified into non-invasive lesions and invasive carcinomas according to the histopathological findings of the tumor.Thirty-two tumors were non-invasive lesions and 47 were invasive carcinomas.The preoperative findings were compared between patients with non-invasive IPMN and patients with invasive carcinoma by univariate analysis using t test and χ(2) test accordingly,and factors with statistically significance were subsequently submitted to multivariate analysis. Results: Univariate analysis showed that tumor size(P=0.022), carcinoembryonic antigen(P=0.012), CA19-9(P=0.011), lymphocytes(P=0.034), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(P=0.010)and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)(P=0.004)were predictive markers with statistical significance.Multivariate analysis showed that CA19-9(P=0.012)and PLR(P=0.025) were independent predictive markers for invasive malignancy in IPMN.The area under curve of the combination factor of CA19-9 and PLR(0.864) was larger than that of CA19-9(0.806) or PLR(0.685) alone, and all the authentic indicators of the combination factor were better than those of each alone. Conclusions: CA19-9 and PLR are independent predictive markers for invasive malignancy in IPMN.The combination of CA19-9 and PLR has improved efficacy than each alone.

Observation of a metastable periodic structure for the (001) surface of KTaO3 after cleaving in situ

Helium atom diffraction experiments carried out under ultrahigh vacuum conditions on a freshly cleaved (001) surface of KTaO3 reveal metastable features which decay over a period of several hours. The initial He diffraction pattern contains large scattering intensity satellite peaks very close to the specular reflection beam. As time from cleaving elapses, the satellite intensities diminish virtually to zero while the specular intensity increases, and the diffraction pattern evolves into one consistent with the (1x1) bulk termination surface. The data are compared with model calculations for scattering from a series of terraces at two heights with a distribution of terrace lengths [Surf. Sci. 384, 15 (1997)].

Immunofluorescent studies for alpha-actinin in cultured cardiomyopathic hamster heart cells

Primary cultures of cardiac myocytes from normal and genetically cardiomyopathic (CM) newborn hamsters (strain UM X7.1) were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescent microscopy after 3, 5, 7, and 9 days in culture. The cultures were fixed in cold acetone and immunostained by an indirect method using FITC-labelled anti-alpha-actinin to label the myofibrillar Z bands. Most normal and CM myocytes appeared round in shape after 3 days in culture. Normal cardiac myocytes began to exhibit cytoplasmic projections after 5 days in culture and their myofibrils usually showed parallel arrangements with respect to each other. The cardiac cells from CM hearts showed an obvious myofibril disarray. Moreover, projections formed later than normal. As the size of the cells increased, more and more projections formed in normal hamster myocytes during development. By contrast, most of the cardiomyopathic myocytes showed few projections even as late as 9 days in culture. Hence, the number of projections per cell was much less in cardiomyopathic myocytes than in normal, especially after 7 and 9 days in culture. These results suggest that cardiomyopathic cells have abnormal shapes in culture and, in particular, fail to form projections as in normal cells. Whether this unusual behavior is related to an abnormality of the membranes or cytoskeletal system in cardiomyopathic heart cells or to some other factor requires further study.

The expression of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus genome in insect cells

This report presents a synopsis of recently published work in our laboratory on the molecular biology of the insect baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV). The following studies have been summarized. (1) On the mode of transcription of the AcNPV genome in insect cells. (2) Translation of proteins encoded in the 81.2 to 85.0 map unit segment of AcNPV. (3) Inserts of insect cell DNA in the AcNPV genome. (4) Expression of influenza (fowl plague) virus haemagglutinin in Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells, and successful immunization of chickens. (5) Synthesis of the influenza virus haemagglutinin in insect larvae by recombinant AcNPV. This insect virus system will continue to serve as a model for research on the molecular biology of insects. Moreover, the baculovirus system has been recognized as a very efficient and safe eukaryotic expression vector.

Single camera photogrammetric technique for restricted 3D motion analysis

The purpose of this study was to use a single camera to determine the true elbow flexion angle with the arm plane oriented arbitrarily with respect to the camera. A mathematical theory was developed and a mechanical arm model was constructed to validate the theory. A static weightlifting skill was analysed to investigate the viability of the technique on the human subject. The validation of the theory showed the error associated with the elbow flexion angle was reduced from as high as 108 degrees when uncorrected to within 3 degrees when corrected by the technique. The elbow flexion angle of the human arm can be calculated to within 6 degrees of error for static weightlifting skill analysis.

[A study on the promotion of adhesion properties of adhesives to metals treated by positive oxidation]

The adhesion to three alloys: Durabond, GH30 and soft Co-Cr, by PE adhesive was investigated. The surfaces of metals were treated by polishing, sand-blasting, positive-oxidation and complex processing in order to test the tensile bond strengths between metals and PE adhesive; to study the effects of the surface treatment of metals on adhesive properties; and to compare the tensile strength with that from the control experiment with EB composite resin and Panavia-EX resin under the same conditions. The results showed the mean tensile bond strengths between PE adhesive and Durabond, GH30 and soft Co-Cr alloys after the treatment of sandblasting and positive oxidation were 214.65 +/- 51.68 kg/cm2, 372.88 +/- 21.88 kg/cm2 and 349.21 +/- 48.32 kg/cm2 respectively, displaying better adhesive properties and stability of resistance to water.