[Correlation of hematocrit and cardiovascular events in peritoneal dialysis patients]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between hematocrit (HCT) and cardiovascular events in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods: Patients undergoing maintenance PD in the PD center of Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital from March 19, 2012 to July 9, 2020 were included. Demographic, baseline clinical and laboratory data of the patients were collected and patients were followed up until April 8, 2022. The primary endpoint was the first occurrence of a cardiovascular event. According to the tertiles of baseline HCT, the patients were divided into group Q1 (HCT≤26.6%), group Q2 (HCT>26.6%-32.4%), and group Q3 (HCT>32.4%). Laboratory indexes and cardiovascular events were compared among the three groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curve, Cox regression analysis and sensitivity analysis were used to analyze the effect of HCT on cardiovascular outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of HCT for cardiovascular events in PD patients. Results: A total of 860 PD patients were included, including 494 males (57.4%) and 366 females (42.6%), with a mean age of (41.5±15.0) years. There were 287 cases in group Q1, 289 cases in group Q2, and 284 cases in group Q3, respectively. A total of 265 (30.8%) patients experienced first cardiovascular events during the follow-up period. The incidence of cardiovascular events in groups Q1, Q2 and Q3 was 36.2% (104/287), 34.3% (99/289), and 21.8% (62/284), respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The incidence of cardiovascular events decreased with the increase of HCT. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis showed that decreased HCT was a risk factor for cardiovascular events. Compared with group Q3, the risk of cardiovascular events in group Q1 increased by 50.7% (group Q2: HR=1.444, 95%CI: 1.029-2.028, P=0.034; group Q1: HR=1.570, 95%CI: 1.096-2.250, P=0.014). In the sensitivity analysis, using kidney transplantation as the competition event, the risk of cardiovascular events was lower in group Q3 than that in group Q1 (subdistributional HR=1.413, 95%CI: 1.006-1.990, P=0.046). Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that compared with the other two groups, the cardiovascular events-free survival rate of patients in group Q1 was significantly lower (log-rank χ2=9.722, P=0.008). ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of HCT for predicting cardiovascular events in PD patients was 0.583 (95%CI: 0.542-0.623, P<0.001), with the sensitivity of 40.6% and the specificity of 75.1%. Conclusion: Low-level HCT is associated with an increased risk of the first cardiovascular event in PD patients.

Large Fermi surface in pristine kagome metal CsV3Sb5 and enhanced quasiparticle effective masses

The kagome metal CsV[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text] is an ideal platform to study the interplay between topology and electron correlation. To understand the fermiology of CsV[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text], intensive quantum oscillation (QO) studies at ambient pressure have been conducted. However, due to the Fermi surface reconstruction by the complicated charge density wave (CDW) order, the QO spectrum is exceedingly complex, hindering a complete understanding of the fermiology. Here, we directly map the Fermi surface of the pristine CsV[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text] by measuring Shubnikov-de Haas QOs up to 29 T under pressure, where the CDW order is completely suppressed. The QO spectrum of the pristine CsV[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text] is significantly simpler than the one in the CDW phase, and the detected oscillation frequencies agree well with our density functional theory calculations. In particular, a frequency as large as 8,200 T is detected. Pressure-dependent QO studies further reveal a weak but noticeable enhancement of the quasiparticle effective masses on approaching the critical pressure where the CDW order disappears, hinting at the presence of quantum fluctuations. Our high-pressure QO results reveal the large, unreconstructed Fermi surface of CsV[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text], paving the way to understanding the parent state of this intriguing metal in which the electrons can be organized into different ordered states.

Unveiling hormone-stimulated gene mechanisms in prostate cancer: A prognostic model, immune infiltration analysis, and drug sensitivity study

Hormones promote the progression of prostate cancer (PRCA) through the activation of a complex regulatory network. Inhibition of hormones or modulation of specific network nodes alone is insufficient to suppress the entire oncogenic network. Therefore, it is imperative to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the occurrence and development of PRCA in order to identify reliable diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. To this end, we used publicly available data to analyze the potential mechanisms of hormone-stimulated genes in PRCA, construct a prognostic model, and assess immune infiltration and drug sensitivity. The single-cell RNA-sequencing data of PRCA were subjected to dimensionality reduction clustering and annotation, and the cells were categorized into two groups based on hormone stimulus-related scores. The differentially expressed genes between the two groups were screened and incorporated into the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator machine learning algorithm, and a prognostic model comprising six genes (ZNF862, YIF1A, USP22, TAF7, SRSF3, and SPARC) was constructed. The robustness of the model was validation through multiple methods. Immune infiltration scores in the two risk groups were calculated using three different algorithms. In addition, the relationship between the model genes and immune cell infiltration, and that between risk score and immune cell infiltration were analyzed. Drug sensitivity analysis was performed for the model genes and risk score using public databases to identify potential candidate drugs. Our findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms of hormone-stimulated genes in PRCA progression, prognosis, and drug screening.

Predictive value of machine learning for the severity of acute pancreatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) early poses a challenge in clinical practice. While there are well-established clinical scoring tools, their actual predictive performance remains uncertain. Various studies have explored the application of machine-learning methods for early AP prediction. However, a more comprehensive evidence-based assessment is needed to determine their predictive accuracy. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the predictive accuracy of machine learning in assessing the severity of AP.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were systematically searched until December 5, 2023. The risk of bias in eligible studies was assessed using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST). Subgroup analyses, based on different machine learning types, were performed. Additionally, the predictive accuracy of mainstream scoring tools was summarized.

Results

This systematic review ultimately included 33 original studies. The pooled c-index in both the training and validation sets was 0.87 (95 % CI: 0.84-0.89) and 0.88 (95 % CI: 0.86-0.90), respectively. The sensitivity in the training set was 0.81 (95 % CI: 0.77-0.84), and in the validation set, it was 0.79 (95 % CI: 0.71-0.85). The specificity in the training set was 0.84 (95 % CI: 0.78-0.89), and in the validation set, it was 0.90 (95 % CI: 0.86-0.93). The primary model incorporated was logistic regression; however, its predictive accuracy was found to be inferior to that of neural networks, random forests, and xgboost. The pooled c-index of the APACHE II, BISAP, and Ranson were 0.74 (95 % CI: 0.68-0.80), 0.77 (95 % CI: 0.70-0.85), and 0.74 (95 % CI: 0.68-0.79), respectively.

Conclusions

Machine learning demonstrates excellent accuracy in predicting the severity of AP, providing a reference for updating or developing a straightforward clinical prediction tool.

[Effect of intestinal nitrate on growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae and its regulatory mechanism]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of intestinal nitrates on the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae and its regulatory mechanisms.

METHODS

K. pneumoniae strains with nitrate reductase narG and narZ single or double gene knockout or with NarXL gene knockout were constructed and observed for both aerobic and anaerobic growth in the presence of KNO3 using an automated bacterial growth analyzer and a spectrophotometer, respectively. The mRNA expressions of narG and narZ in K. pneumoniae in anaerobic cultures in the presence of KNO3 and the effect of the binary regulatory system NarXL on their expresisons were detected using qRT-PCR. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and MST analysis were performed to explore the specific regulatory mechanisms of NarXL in sensing and utilizing nitrates. Competitive experiments were conducted to examine anaerobic growth advantages of narG and narZ gene knockout strains of K. pneumoniae in the presence of KNO3.

RESULTS

The presence of KNO3 in anaerobic conditions, but not in aerobic conditions, promoted bacterial growth more effectively in the wild-type K. pneumoniae strain than in the narXL gene knockout strain. In anaerobic conditions, the narXL gene knockout strain showed significantly lowered mRNA expressions of narG and narZ (P < 0.0001). EMSA and MST experiments demonstrated that the NarXL regulator could directly bind to narG and narZ promoter regions. The wild-type K. pneumoniae strain in anaerobic cultures showed significantly increased expressions of narG and narZ mRNAs in the presence of KNO3 (P < 0.01), and narG gene knockout resulted in significantly attenuated anaerobic growth and competitive growth abilities of K. pneumoniae in the presence of KNO3 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The binary regulatory system NarXL of K. pneumoniae can sense changes in intestinal nitrate concentration and directly regulate the expression of nitrate reductase genes narG and narZ to promote bacterial growth.

[Dynamic observation on capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells induced by Echinococcus multilocularis infection]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and its association with hepatic fibrosis during the development of alveolar echinococcosis, so as to provide the basis for unraveling the mechanisms underlying the role of LSEC in the development and prognosis of hepatic injuries and hepatic fibrosis caused by alveolar echinococcosis.

METHODS

Forty C57BL/6 mice at ages of 6 to 8 weeks were randomly divided into a control group and 1-, 2- and 4-week infection groups, of 10 mice in each group. Each mouse in the infection groups was intraperitoneally injected with 2 000 Echinococcus multilocularis protoscoleces, while each mouse in the control group was given an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline using the same method. All mice were sacrificed 1, 2 and 4 weeks post-infection and mouse livers were collected. The pathological changes of livers were observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and hepatic fibrosis was evaluated through semi-quantitative analysis of Masson's trichrome staining-positive areas. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition were examined using immunohistochemical staining of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), and the fenestrations on the surface of LSECs were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Primary LSECs were isolated from mouse livers, and the mRNA expression of LSEC marker genes Stabilin-1, Stabilin-2, Ehd3, CD209b, GATA4 and Maf was quantified using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay.

RESULTS

Destruction of local liver lobular structure was observed in mice 2 weeks post-infection with E. multilocularis protoscoleces, and hydatid cysts, which were surrounded by granulomatous tissues, were found in mouse livers 4 weeks post-infection. Semi-quantitative analysis of Masson's trichrome staining showed a significant difference in the proportion of collagen fiber contents in mouse livers among the four groups (F = 26.060, P < 0.001), and a higher proportion of collagen fiber contents was detected in mouse livers in the 4-week infection group [(11.29 ± 2.58)%] than in the control group (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining revealed activation of a few HSCs and ECM deposition in mouse livers 1 and 2 weeks post-infection, and abundant brown-yellow stained α-SMA and COL1A1 were deposited in the lesion areas in mouse livers 4 weeks post-infection, which spread to surrounding tissues. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed significant differences in α-SMA (F = 7.667, P < 0.05) and COL1A1 expression (F = 6.530, P < 0.05) in mouse levers among the four groups, with higher α-SMA [(7.13 ± 3.68)%] and COL1A1 expression [(13.18 ± 7.20)%] quantified in mouse livers in the 4-week infection group than in the control group (both P values < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant differences in the fenestration frequency (F = 37.730, P < 0.001) and porosity (F = 16.010, P < 0.001) on the surface of mouse LSECs among the four groups, and reduced fenestration frequency and porosity were observed in the 1-[(1.22 ± 0.48)/μm2 and [(3.05 ± 0.91)%] and 2-week infection groups [(3.47 ± 0.10)/μm2 and (7.57 ± 0.23)%] groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the average fenestration diameter on the surface of mouse LSECs among the four groups (F = 15.330, P < 0.001), and larger average fenestration diameters were measured in the 1-[(180.80 ± 16.42) nm] and 2-week infection groups [(161.70 ± 3.85) nm] than in the control group (both P values < 0.05). In addition, there were significant differences among the four groups in terms of Stabilin-1 (F = 153.100, P < 0.001), Stabilin-2 (F = 57.010, P < 0.001), Ehd3 (F = 31.700, P < 0.001), CD209b (F = 177.400, P < 0.001), GATA4 (F = 17.740, P < 0.001), and Maf mRNA expression (F = 72.710, P < 0.001), and reduced mRNA expression of Stabilin-1, Stabilin-2, Ehd3, CD209b, GATA4 and Maf genes was quantified in three infection groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

E. multilocularis infections may induce capillarization of LSECs in mice, and result in a reduction in the expression of functional and phenotypic marker genes of LSECs, and capillarization of LSECs occurs earlier than activation of HSC and development of hepatic fibrosis.

Well plate-based LF-NMR/colorimetric dual-mode homogeneous immunosensor for Vibrio parahaemolyticus detection

A 96-well plate-based low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR)/colorimetric dual-mode homogeneous immunosensor was developed for the detection of pathogen bacteria, using Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) as a detection template. The signal unit MNS@Ab2 is graphene oxide (GO) simultaneously loaded with VP antibody and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. A 96-well plate coated with VP antibody captures the target VP, which then binds the signal unit to form the immunocomplex. After acidolysed, Fe3O4 nanoparticles are transformed into Fe3+ and Fe2+, so the non-homogeneous system is transformed into a homogeneous one. The addition of KMnO4 can not only convert Fe2+ into Fe3+ but also provide Mn2+, improving the detection sensitivity. And, colorimetric analysis can be achieved by the quantitative reduction of KMnO4. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the limit of detection was 60 CFU/mL with good selectivity, stability, precision, accuracy, and consistency, providing a simple and reliable detection platform for pathogenic bacteria in food.

Planting gold nanoflower for harvesting reproducible SERS substrate

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an ultrasensitive analytical method which has been applied in many fields, and the reproducibility of the substrate is important for reliable SERS analysis. In present work, an innovative method inspired by the flower planting process is put forward to acquire gold nanoflower (AuNF) SERS substrate. Three steps (digging holes, sowing the gold nanoseeds and seeds grow into gold nanoflowers) are included in the substrate fabrication process, and the influence of preparing conditions (like reacting time and Na3Au(SO3)2 concentration) on the substrate morphology and SERS performance are investigated. The acquired AuNF substrate not only exhibits good SERS performance but also possesses excellent reproducibility while being used to detect the rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecular. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of Raman signals among substrates acquired in distinct batches (substrate-to-substrate) is as low as 6.67 %. Since the AuNF substrate is prepared by the wet chemistry route based on seed-mediated growth and there are no expensive reagents or complicated process used, the new process to obtain AuNF substrate is cost-effective and easy to scale up.

Identification of PANoptosis-related signature reveals immune infiltration characteristics and immunotherapy responses for renal cell carcinoma

PANoptosis is a specific type of inflammatory programmed cell death (PCD) modality that can be involved in three key modes of cellular programmed cell death-pyroptosis, apoptosis and necroptosis. We analyzed PANoptosis activity in three common renal cell carcinoma subtypes (Clear cell renal cell carcinoma, Papillary renal cell carcinoma, and Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma) separately and constructed a new PANoptosis immunity index (PANII). In three renal cell carcinomas, we found that PANII was an effective predictor of immunotherapy efficacy in KIRC, KIRP and KICH, and the high PANII group was characterized by high immune infiltration and sensitivity to immunotherapy, while the low PANII group was prone to immune escape and immunotherapy resistance. We performed molecular docking prediction of each core protein comprising PANII and identified natural small molecule compounds with the highest affinity to target proteins. In addition, we found that down-regulation of PYCARD inhibited the proliferation and migration of renal clear cell carcinoma cells by in vitro functional assays, suggesting that PYCARD could be a novel target for renal clear cell carcinoma therapy. Our findings that the PANoptosis characterization-based index (PANII) helps to elucidate the tumor microenvironmental features of three common renal cell carcinoma subtypes and identify patient populations that will benefit from immunotherapy, providing a new tool for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients with intermediate- and advanced-stage renal cell carcinoma.

Retraction Note: MiR-221 inhibits proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells via down regulation of SOCS3

The article "MiR-221 inhibits proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells via down regulation of SOCS3", by J. Xie, J.-T. Wen, X.-J. Xue, K.-P. Zhang, X.-Z. Wang, H.-H. Cheng, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2018; 22 (7): 1914-1921-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201804_14714-PMID: 29687843 has been retracted by the Editor in Chief for misconduct and data fabrication. An investigation conducted by the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, determined that the information and images presented in the paper have been manipulated, pieced together, and subjected to various fraudulent alterations. Consequently, the Editor in Chief mistrusts the results presented and has decided to withdraw the articles. The corresponding authors did not respond to journal correspondence about the investigation and retraction of this article. This article has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/14714.

The combination treatment of oncolytic adenovirus H101 with nivolumab for refractory advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: an open-label, single-arm, pilot study

BACKGROUND

H101, an innovative oncolytic adenovirus, has shown potential in modifying the tumor microenvironment from immunologically 'cold' to 'hot'. When combined with nivolumab, a programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor, this synergy may offer substantial therapeutic benefits beyond the capabilities of each agent alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this pilot study, we assessed the efficacy and safety of combining H101 with nivolumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who failed prior systemic therapy. The participants received initial oncolytic virus (OV) pretreatment with intratumoral H101 injections (5.0 × 1011 vp/0.5 ml/vial, two vials per lesion) on days 1 and 3. Combination therapy started on day 8, with H101 administered every 2 or 4 weeks and nivolumab (240 mg) injections every 2 weeks. Treatment continued up to 12 months or until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, consent withdrawal, or study conclusion. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR).

RESULTS

Between March 2020 and March 2022, 18 of 21 screened patients were assessable, showing an ORR of 11.1% [two cases of partial response (PR) and five cases of stable disease], with extrahepatic injections often leading to favorable outcomes. The disease control rate stood at 38.9%, with a 6-month survival rate of 88.9%. Median progression-free survival was 2.69 months, and overall survival (OS) was 15.04 months. Common adverse events included low-grade fever (100%) and pain related to centesis (33.3%), and no grade 3/4 events were reported. Significantly, local H101 injection showed potential in reversing immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance, evidenced by over 2.5 years of extended OS in PR cases with low α-fetoprotein. Additionally, decreasing neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio during OV pretreatment may predict positive outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the potential efficacy of combining H101 with nivolumab in treating refractory advanced HCC, with well-tolerated toxicities.

Bladder Cancer: Immunotherapy and Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection

Bladder cancer, a common malignancy of the urinary system, is routinely treated with radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical excision. However, these strategies have inherent limitations and may also result in various side effects. Immunotherapy has garnered considerable attention in recent years as a novel therapeutic approach. It harnesses and activates the patient's immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, which not only prolongs therapeutic efficacy but also minimizes the toxic side effects. Several immune checkpoint inhibitors and cancer vaccines have been developed for the treatment of bladder cancer. Whereas blocking immune checkpoints on the surface of tumor cells augments the effect of immune cells, immunization with tumor-specific antigens can elicit the production of anti-tumor immune effector cells. However, there are several challenges in applying immunotherapy against bladder cancer. For instance, the efficacy of immunotherapy varies considerably across individual patients, and only a small percentage of cancer patients are responsive. Therefore, it is crucial to identify biomarkers that can predict the efficacy of immunotherapy. Pelvic lymph nodes are routinely dissected from bladder cancer patients during surgical intervention in order to remove any metastatic tumor cells. However, some studies indicate that pelvic lymph node dissection may reduce the efficacy of immunotherapy by damaging the immune cells. Therefore, the decision to undertake pelvic lymph node removal should be incumbent on the clinical characteristics of individual patients. Thus, although immunotherapy has the advantages of lower toxic side effects and long-lasting efficacy, its application in bladder cancer still faces challenges, such as the lack of predictive biomarkers and the effects of pelvic lymph node dissection. Further research is needed to explore these issues in order to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for bladder cancer.

Amivantamab plus chemotherapy with and without lazertinib in EGFR-mutant advanced NSCLC after disease progression on osimertinib: primary results from the phase III MARIPOSA-2 study

BACKGROUND

Amivantamab plus carboplatin-pemetrexed (chemotherapy) with and without lazertinib demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with refractory epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in phase I studies. These combinations were evaluated in a global phase III trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 657 patients with EGFR-mutated (exon 19 deletions or L858R) locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC after disease progression on osimertinib were randomized 2 : 2 : 1 to receive amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy, chemotherapy, or amivantamab-chemotherapy. The dual primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) of amivantamab-chemotherapy and amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy versus chemotherapy. During the study, hematologic toxicities observed in the amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy arm necessitated a regimen change to start lazertinib after carboplatin completion.

RESULTS

All baseline characteristics were well balanced across the three arms, including by history of brain metastases and prior brain radiation. PFS was significantly longer for amivantamab-chemotherapy and amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy versus chemotherapy [hazard ratio (HR) for disease progression or death 0.48 and 0.44, respectively; P < 0.001 for both; median of 6.3 and 8.3 versus 4.2 months, respectively]. Consistent PFS results were seen by investigator assessment (HR for disease progression or death 0.41 and 0.38 for amivantamab-chemotherapy and amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy, respectively; P < 0.001 for both; median of 8.2 and 8.3 versus 4.2 months, respectively). Objective response rate was significantly higher for amivantamab-chemotherapy and amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy versus chemotherapy (64% and 63% versus 36%, respectively; P < 0.001 for both). Median intracranial PFS was 12.5 and 12.8 versus 8.3 months for amivantamab-chemotherapy and amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy versus chemotherapy (HR for intracranial disease progression or death 0.55 and 0.58, respectively). Predominant adverse events (AEs) in the amivantamab-containing regimens were hematologic, EGFR-, and MET-related toxicities. Amivantamab-chemotherapy had lower rates of hematologic AEs than amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Amivantamab-chemotherapy and amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy improved PFS and intracranial PFS versus chemotherapy in a population with limited options after disease progression on osimertinib. Longer follow-up is needed for the modified amivantamab-lazertinib-chemotherapy regimen.

Analysis of the mechanism of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix in the treatment of intractable itching based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

OBJECTIVE

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix (Kuh-seng, SFR), a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is widely used alone or within a TCM formula to treat pruritus, especially histamine-independent intractable itching. In the previous study, potential antipruritic active components of the SFR were screened based on cell membrane immobilized chromatography (CMIC), revealing oxymatrine (OMT) as an antipruritic agent. However, the low oral bioavailability (OB) of OMT cannot explain the antipruritic effect of SFR when administered orally in clinic. In this study, we investigated the antipruritic effects and underlying mechanisms of orally administered SFR.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to screen the active components of SFR and predict their binding to disease-related target proteins, while the potential mechanisms were explored with Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. The binding energy between components and target proteins was calculated by molecular docking.

RESULTS

The SFR-components-targets-intractable itching Protein-Protein Interactions (PPI) network was established, and 22 active components and 42 targets were screened. The GO enrichment analysis showed that the key target genes of SFR were related to nuclear receptors, transcription factors, and steroid hormone receptors. The results of the KEGG enrichment pathway analysis include Hepatitis B, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, advanced glycation end product (AGE)-receptor for AGE (RAGE) signaling pathway in diabetic complications, etc. Molecular docking showed that three key target proteins in the network, the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and caspase-3 (CASP3), have higher binding activities with inermine, phaseolin and kushenol O, respectively; the binding energy of each pair is stronger than that of the target protein-corresponding inhibitors.

CONCLUSIONS

The complexity of the SFR-components-targets-intractable itching network demonstrated the holistic treatment effect of SFR on intractable itching. The partial coherence between results screened by CMIC in the previous study and network pharmacology demonstrated the potential of network pharmacology in active component screening. Inermine screened from both CMIC and network pharmacology is a VEGFA inhibitor, which possibly accounts for the antipruritic effect of orally administered SFR.

[Advances in targeted delivery of proteolysis targeting chimeras in cancer therapy]

Small-molecule anticancer drugs inhibited tumor growth based on targeted inhibition of specific proteins, while most of oncogenic proteins are "undruggable". Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) is an attractive and general strategy for treating cancer based on targeted degradation of oncogenic proteins. This review briefly describes the peptide-based PTOTAC and small molecule-based PROTAC. Subsequently, we summarize the development of targeted delivery of PROTAC, such as targeting molecule-mediated targeted delivery of PROTAC, nanomaterial-mediated targeted delivery of PROTAC and controllable activation of small-molecular PROTAC prodrug. Such strategies show potential application in improving tumor selectivity, overcoming off-target effect and reducing biotoxicity. At the end, the druggability of PROTAC is prospected.

Extracellular fibrin promotes non-small cell lung cancer progression through integrin β1/PTEN/AKT signaling

The extracellular matrix (ECM) has been strongly correlated with cancer progression in various tumor types. However, the specific mechanisms underlying ECM-associated tumor behaviors remain unclear. In this study, we found an enriched distribution of fibrin in tumor tissues obtained from high-grade non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. For further investigation, we established an in vitro 3D culture system using fibrin gel and found that NSCLC cells grown in this system exhibited increased stemness and tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that fibrin facilitated the activation of the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway through integrin β1. Furthermore, we found that blocking integrin β1 signals enhanced the tumor suppressive effects of chemotherapy, providing a novel approach for clinical therapy for NSCLC.

Spatial transcriptomics reveals heterogeneity of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment of granulomatous slack skin

Granulomatous slack skin (GSS) is an extremely rare subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma accompanied by an abundant number of macrophages and is clinically characterized by the development of pendulous skin folds. However, the characteristics of these macrophages in GSS remain unclear. Here, we conducted a spatial transcriptomic study on one frozen GSS sample and drew transcriptomic maps of GSS for the first time. Gene expression analysis revealed the enrichment of three clusters with macrophage transcripts, each exhibiting distinct characteristics suggesting that their primary composition consists of different subpopulations of macrophages. The CD163+ /CD206+ cluster showed a tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) M2-like phenotype and highly expressed ZFP36, CCL2, TNFAIP6, and KLF2, which are known to be involved in T-cell interaction and tumor progression. The APOC1+ /APOE+ cluster presented a non-M1 or -M2 phenotype and may be related to lipid metabolism. The CD11c+ /LYZ+ cluster exhibited an M1-like phenotype. Notably, these cells strongly expressed MMP9, MMP12, CHI3L1, CHIT1, COL1A1, TIMP1, and SPP1, which are responsible for extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and tissue remodeling. This may partially explain the symptoms of cutaneous relaxation in GSS. Further immunohistochemistry on four GSS cases demonstrated that CD11c predominantly marked granulomas and multinucleated giant cells, whereas CD163 was mainly expressed on scattered macrophages, appearing as a mutually exclusive pattern. The expression pattern of MMP9 overlapped with that of CD11c, implying that CD11c+ macrophages may be a source of MMP9. Our data shed light on the characteristics of macrophages in the GSS microenvironment and provide a theoretical basis for the application of MMP9 inhibitors to prevent cutaneous relaxation of GSS. © 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

[Analysis of respiratory syncytial virus nonstructural protein 1 amino acid variation and clinical characteristics]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between amino acid variations of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) nonstructural protein (NS) 1 and the clinical characteristics. Method: A retrospective case review was conducted. From December 2018 to January 2020, a total of 81 cases of hospitalized children who were tested only positive for RSV by RT-PCR or PCR at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were included in the study. The NS1 genes of RSV subtype A and subtype B were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The amino acid sequences were analyzed. The Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney rank sum test were used to compare the clinical characteristics and type Ⅰ interferon levels of children with or without NS1 variation in the variation and non-variation groups. Results: Among 81 cases, there were 58 males and 23 females. There were 11 cases in the variation group, the age of onset was 2.0 (1.0, 11.0) months, included 4 cases of subtype A (variant sites were: 2 cases for Lys33Gln, one case for Gly2Asp, Pro67Ser, Leu137Phe, respectively) and 7 cases of subtype B (variant sites were: two cases for Val121Ile, one case for Tyr30Cys, Val65Met, Asn85Ser, Ser118Asn, Asp124Asn, respectively). These variant sites all appeared at a very low frequency 0.08 (0.04, 0.29) % in the NCBI PROTEIN database. There were 70 cases in non-variation group, the onset age was 3.5 (1.0, 7.0) months. The proportion of dyspnea in the variation group was higher than that in the non-variation group (10/11 vs. 47% (33/70), χ²=7.31, P<0.01). Conclusions: There are some variant sites in nonstructural protein NS1 of RSV. Children may be prone to have dyspnea with NS1 variations.

A pretreatment scheme for plasmid extraction contained sugar, high concentration lysozyme and mild lysozyme removal

To address the issue of low efficiency in extracting plasmid DNA (pDNA) from Lactobacillus plantarum by breaking the cell wall, we proposed an effective pretreatment scheme. This study investigated the impacts of lysozyme concentrations and glucose, as well as centrifugal forces during lysozyme removal in the pretreatment system. The efficiency of pDNA extraction was assessed using non-staining method, acridine orange staining method (AO staining) and agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE). Furthermore, the glucose high lysozyme method was compared to the commercial kit method and the lysozyme removal method using L. plantarum PC518, 9L15, JS193 and Staphylococcus aureus USA300. The results indicated that the pDNA extraction concentrations from the four tested strains were increased by 8.9, 7.2, 8.5 and 3.6 times, respectively, compared to the commercial kit method. Furthermore, they increased by 1.9, 1.5, 1.8, and 1.4 times, respectively, compared to the lysozyme removal method. The maximum average concentration of pDNA extraction (from L. plantarum PC518) reached 590.8 ± 31.9 ng/ul. In conclusion, the incorporation of sugar, high concentration lysozyme and mild lysozyme removal proved to be effective enhancements in improving the efficiency of pDNA extraction from L. plantarum. Using the pretreatment scheme, the concentration of pDNA extraction was significantly increased, approaching levels comparable to pDNA extraction from Gram-negative bacteria.

Application of lung ultrasound in monitoring bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary arterial pressure in preterm infants

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the application value of lung ultrasound in monitoring bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and pulmonary artery pressure in premature infants.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 98 preterm infants diagnosed with BPD in the Fourth Hospital in Shijiazhuang were recruited, and their disease severity was classified as mild (n=32), moderate (n=33), or severe BPD (n=33) based on gestational age and oxygen concentration. Lung ultrasonography of the children was performed. The correlation between lung ventilation scores and disease severity was statistically analyzed, and the discrete optimization results were documented. The pulmonary hypertension indexes of the three groups of children were compared.

RESULTS

Aberrant alterations of the pleural line were observed in all included children, and the B-line rose as the disease progressed. The duration of invasive ventilation, medication, and hospital stay increased with disease exacerbation (p<0.05). The three groups significantly differed in terms of ultrasound pulmonary ventilation scores and clinical severity (p<0.05). Only mild BDP was identified by lung ultrasound on the first day of birth (T1), and severe BDP was detectable during the first and second week (T2-T3) as well as the third and fourth week (T4-T5). Severe BPD was associated with significantly higher levels of pulmonary hypertension indices vs. mild and moderate BPD (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary ultrasonography demonstrates great potential to predict pulmonary hypertension in children and assesses the disease severity. Pulmonary ultrasound allows for dynamical real-time observation of the pulmonary lesions in children with pulmonary hypertension, thereby revealing the severity of pulmonary hypertension in premature children.

Megalocytivirus and Other Members of the Family Iridoviridae in Finfish: A Review of the Etiology, Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Prevention and Control

Aquaculture has expanded to become the fastest growing food-producing sector in the world. However, its expansion has come under threat due to an increase in diseases caused by pathogens such as iridoviruses commonly found in aquatic environments used for fish farming. Of the seven members belonging to the family Iridoviridae, the three genera causing diseases in fish comprise ranaviruses, lymphocystiviruses and megalocytiviruses. These three genera are serious impediments to the expansion of global aquaculture because of their tropism for a wide range of farmed-fish species in which they cause high mortality. As economic losses caused by these iridoviruses in aquaculture continue to rise, the urgent need for effective control strategies increases. As a consequence, these viruses have attracted a lot of research interest in recent years. The functional role of some of the genes that form the structure of iridoviruses has not been elucidated. There is a lack of information on the predisposing factors leading to iridovirus infections in fish, an absence of information on the risk factors leading to disease outbreaks, and a lack of data on the chemical and physical properties of iridoviruses needed for the implementation of biosecurity control measures. Thus, the synopsis put forth herein provides an update of knowledge gathered from studies carried out so far aimed at addressing the aforesaid informational gaps. In summary, this review provides an update on the etiology of different iridoviruses infecting finfish and epidemiological factors leading to the occurrence of disease outbreaks. In addition, the review provides an update on the cell lines developed for virus isolation and culture, the diagnostic tools used for virus detection and characterization, the current advances in vaccine development and the use of biosecurity in the control of iridoviruses in aquaculture. Overall, we envision that the information put forth in this review will contribute to developing effective control strategies against iridovirus infections in aquaculture.

Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis by Inhaled Silybin Dry Powder Prepared via the Nanosuspension Spray Drying Technology

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a kind of life-threatening interstitial lung disease characterized by progressive dyspnea with accurate pathogenesis unknown. At present, heat shock protein inhibitors are gradually used to treat IPF. Silybin, a heat shock protein C-terminal inhibitor, has high safety and good application prospects. In this work, we have developed a silybin powder able to be used for inhalation administration for the treatment of IPF. Silybin powder was prepared by the spray drying method and identified using cascade impactometry, particle size, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. A rat model of bleomycin-induced IPF was used to assess the effect of inhaled silybin spray-dried powder. Lung hydroxyproline content, wet weight, histology, inflammatory factor expression, and gene expression were examined. The results showed that inhaled silybin spray-dried powder alleviated inflammation and fibrosis, limited hydroxyproline accumulation in the lungs, modulated gene expression in the development of IPF, and improved postoperative survival. The results of this study suggest that silybin spray-dried powder is an attractive candidate for the treatment of IPF.

Effects of warming on seed germination of woody species in temperate secondary forests

Seed germination, a critical stage of the plant life cycle providing a link between seeds and seedlings, is commonly temperature-dependent. The global average surface temperature is expected to rise, but little is known about the responses of seed germination of woody plants in temperate forests to warming. In the present study, dried seeds of 23 common woody species in temperate secondary forests were incubated at three temperature sequences without cold stratification and after experiencing cold stratification. We calculated five seed germination indices and the comprehensive membership function value that summarized the above indicators. Compared to the control, +2 and +4 °C treatments without cold stratification shortened germination time by 14% and 16% and increased the germination index by 17% and 26%, respectively. For stratified seeds, +4 °C treatment increased germination percentage by 49%, and +4 and +2 °C treatments increased duration of germination and the germination index, and shortened mean germination time by 69%, 458%, 29% and 68%, 110%, 12%, respectively. The germination of Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Larix kaempferi were most sensitive to warming without and with cold stratification, respectively. Seed germination of shrubs was the least sensitive to warming among functional types. These findings indicate warming (especially extreme warming) will enhance the seedling recruitment of temperate woody species, primarily via shortening the germination time, particularly for seeds that have undergone cold stratification. In addition, shrubs might narrow their distribution range.

In situ gelling hydrogel loaded with berberine liposome for the treatment of biofilm-infected wounds

Background: In recent years, the impact of bacterial biofilms on traumatic wounds and the means to combat them have become a major research topic in the field of medicine. The eradication of biofilms formed by bacterial infections in wounds has always been a huge challenge. Herein, we developed a hydrogel with the active ingredient berberine hydrochloride liposomes to disrupt the biofilm and thereby accelerate the healing of infected wounds in mice. Methods: We determined the ability of berberine hydrochloride liposomes to eradicate the biofilm by means of studies such as crystalline violet staining, measuring the inhibition circle, and dilution coating plate method. Encouraged by the in vitro efficacy, we chose to coat the berberine hydrochloride liposomes on the Poloxamer range of in-situ thermosensitive hydrogels to allow fuller contact with the wound surface and sustained efficacy. Eventually, relevant pathological and immunological analyses were carried out on wound tissue from mice treated for 14 days. Results: The final results show that the number of wound tissue biofilms decreases abruptly after treatment and that the various inflammatory factors in them are significantly reduced within a short period. In the meantime, the number of collagen fibers in the treated wound tissue, as well as the proteins involved in healing in the wound tissue, showed significant differences compared to the model group. Conclusion: From the results, we found that berberine liposome gel can accelerate wound healing in Staphylococcus aureus infections by inhibiting the inflammatory response and promoting re-epithelialization as well as vascular regeneration. Our work exemplifies the efficacy of liposomal isolation of toxins. This innovative antimicrobial strategy opens up new perspectives for tackling drug resistance and fighting wound infections.

Imaging diagnosis of intravenous leiomyomatosis: an institutional experience

AIM

To review and summarise the clinical and imaging characteristics of intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL), a rare smooth muscle tumour originating from the uterus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-seven patients with a histopathological diagnosis of IVL who underwent surgery were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent pelvic ultrasonography, inferior vena cava (IVC) ultrasonography, and echocardiography before surgery. Computed tomography (CT) with contrast enhancement was performed in patients with extrapelvic IVL. Some patients underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

RESULTS

Mean age was 44.81 years. Clinical symptoms were non-specific. IVL was intrapelvic in seven patients and extrapelvic in 20. Preoperative pelvic ultrasonography missed the diagnosis in 85.7% of patients with intrapelvic IVL. Pelvic MRI was useful to evaluate the parauterine vessels. Incidence of cardiac involvement was 59.26%. Echocardiography showed a highly mobile sessile mass in the right atrium with moderate-to-low echogenicity that originates from the IVC. Ninety per cent of extrapelvic lesions showed unilateral growth. The most common growth pattern was via the right uterine vein-internal iliac vein-IVC pathway.

CONCLUSION

The clinical symptoms of IVL are non-specific. For patients with intrapelvic IVL, early diagnosis is difficult. Pelvic ultrasound should focus on the parauterine vessels, the iliac and ovarian veins should be explored carefully. MRI has obvious advantages in evaluating parauterine vessel involvement, which is helpful for early diagnosis. For patients with extrapelvic IVL, CT should be performed before surgery as part of a comprehensive evaluation. IVC ultrasonography and echocardiography are recommended when IVL is highly suspected.

Cluster-bomb type magnetic biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus based on low field nuclear magnetic resonance

Herein, a novel cluster-bomb type signal sensing and amplification strategy in low field nuclear magnetic resonance was proposed, and a magnetic biosensor for ultrasensitive homogeneous immunoassay of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) was developed. The capture unit MGO@Ab was magnetic graphene oxide (MGO) immobilized by VP antibody (Ab) to capture VP. And, the signal unit PS@Gd-CQDs@Ab was polystyrene (PS) pellets covered by Ab to recognize VP and Gd-CQDs i.e. carbon quantum dots (CQDs) containing lots of magnetic signal labels Gd³⁺. In presence of VP, the immunocomplex signal unit-VP-capture unit could be formed and separated by magnetic force conveniently from the sample matrix. With the successive introduction of disulfide threitol and hydrochloric acid, signal units were cleaved and disintegrated, resulting in a homogeneous dispersion of Gd³⁺. Thus, cluster-bomb type dual signal amplification was achieved through increasing the amount and the dispersity of signal labels simultaneously. Under optimal experimental conditions, VP could be detected in the concentration range of 5-1.0 × 10⁶ CFU/mL, with a limit of quantitation (LOQ) 4 CFU/mL. In addition, satisfactory selectivity, stability and reliability could be obtained. Therefore, this cluster-bomb type signal sensing and amplification strategy is powerful in designing magnetic biosensor and detecting pathogenic bacteria.

Exploring Simultaneous Upgrading and Purification of Biomass−Gasified Gases Using Plasma Catalysis

Tar and substantial CH4 and CO2 are contained in gasified fuels, which pose an obstacle to direct chemical synthesis, and this is a predominant challenge for biomass gasification technology. Herein, a packed−bed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor was built for simultaneous CH4 dry reforming and tar removal with a La−Ni/γ−Al2O3 catalyst. The interaction between CH4 dry reforming and tar removal in plasma catalysis was investigated. The results indicated that plasma catalysis can achieve high−efficiency simultaneous tar removal and CH4 dry reforming, as indicated by the reactants’ conversion (14% increase for CCH4 and CCO2 at 450 °C in the presence of tar and a 37% increase for the tar removal rate at 360 °C when CH4 and CO2 were introduced), and the mechanism for mutual promotion of CH4 dry reforming and tar removal was elucidated through catalyst characterization results. In addition, a possible reaction mechanism for tar removal via plasma catalysis was proposed. These findings provide valuable insights for simultaneous upgrading and purification of gases generated by biomass gasification.

Electrochemical sensor for single-cell determination of bacteria based on target-triggered click chemistry and fast scan voltammetry

Herein, an electrochemical sensor for single-cell determination of bacteria was developed based on target-triggered click chemistry and fast scan voltammetry (FSV). In it, bacteria not only are the detection target, but also can use their own metabolism to achieve first-level signal amplification. More electrochemical labels were immobilized on functionalized 2D nanomaterials to achieve second-level signal amplification. At 400 V/s, FSV can achieve third-level signal amplification. The linear range and limit of quantification (LOQ) are 1 ∼ 10⁸ CFU/mL and 1 CFU/mL, respectively. When the reaction time of E. coli-instructed Cu²⁺ reduction is extended to 120 min, PCR-free single-cell determination of E. coli was achieved by electrochemical method first time. The feasibility of the sensor was verified by analysis of E. coli in seawater and milk samples with recoveries ranging from 94% to 110%. This detection principle is widely applicable, providing a new path for the establishment of single-cell detection strategy for bacteria.

Determining the gluonic gravitational form factors of the proton

The proton is one of the main building blocks of all visible matter in the Universe¹. Among its intrinsic properties are its electric charge, mass and spin². These properties emerge from the complex dynamics of its fundamental constituents-quarks and gluons-described by the theory of quantum chromodynamics^3-5. The electric charge and spin of protons, which are shared among the quarks, have been investigated previously using electron scattering². An example is the highly precise measurement of the electric charge radius of the proton⁶. By contrast, little is known about the inner mass density of the proton, which is dominated by the energy carried by gluons. Gluons are hard to access using electron scattering because they do not carry an electromagnetic charge. Here we investigated the gravitational density of gluons using a small colour dipole, through the threshold photoproduction of the J/ψ particle. We determined the gluonic gravitational form factors of the proton^7,8 from our measurement. We used a variety of models^9-11 and determined, in all cases, a mass radius that is notably smaller than the electric charge radius. In some, but not all cases, depending on the model, the determined radius agrees well with first-principle predictions from lattice quantum chromodynamics¹². This work paves the way for a deeper understanding of the salient role of gluons in providing gravitational mass to visible matter.

[Prognostic analysis of acute pulmonary thromboembolism with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and to explore the prognostic factors of acute pulmonary embolism(APE) with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation(AF). Methods: The medical records of inpatients with APE discharged from Beijing Anzhen Hospital between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical symptoms, complications, laboratory results, echocardiographic parameters, simplified pulmonary embolism severity index (sPESI) and adverse in-hospital outcome were compared between the newly diagnosed AF group and the sinus rhythm group. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk factors of adverse in-hospital outcome with APE. Results: Fifty-one patients were included in newly diagnosed AF group and 102 cases in the sinus rhythm group. The patients in newly diagnosed AF group had greater sPESI scores, higher proportion of sPESI≥2 scores, higher incidence of adverse in-hospital outcome as well as longer hospital stay days. Newly diagnosed AF and sPESI≥2 scores were independent predictors affecting adverse in-hospital outcome. The area under ROC curve in newly diagnosed AF combined with sPESI≥2 scores was largest. Conclusions: The APE patients with newly diagnosed AF were more severely ill and prone to in-hospital adverse outcome. Newly diagnosed AF was an independent predictor affecting adverse in-hospital outcome. sPESI≥2 combined with newly diagnosed AF scores had a high predictive value for the occurrence of in-hospital adverse outcome.

Complete genome sequence and characterization of four Decapod iridescent virus 1 isolates from crab and shrimp

Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1) is an emerging viral pathogen that infects diverse freshwater and marine crustacean species and causes considerable economic losses that seriously threaten crustacean farming and has caused enormous financial losses in recent years. In this study, we detected DIV1 from diseased crabs, with clinical symptoms such as loss of vitality and white gill filaments with edema, in a Marsupenaeus japonicus and Portunus trituberculatus polyculture pond. Four DIV1 isolates from crab samples (two isolates) and shrimp samples (two isolates) were sequenced and assembled successfully. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the four DIV1 isolates were conducted. The DIV1 isolates from crab samples have a close genetic relationship with shrimp DIV1s, indicating the viruses share the same ancestor with those from shrimps. Our study provides valuable insights into disease prevention and control of the shrimp-crab polyculture system.

[New pathological classification and clinical implications of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors of the 2022 WHO version]

In 2022, the World Health Organization proposed a new classification for pituitary adenomas. The major nomenclature change from the previous edition was the transition from"adenoma"to"pituitary neuroendocrine tumor"(PitNETs). The new classification provided the detailed histological subtypes of PitNETs for routine use of antibodies such as pituitary transcription factors (PIT1, TPIT, SF1, GATA3, and ERα) and hormones. The major PIT1, TPIT, and SF1 lineage-defined PitNETs types and subtypes featured distinct morphologic, molecular, and clinical differences. Unlike the 2017 WHO classification, the 2022 WHO version updated some concepts as follows: (1) Mammosomatotroph, acidophil stem cell tumors and mixed somatotroph/lactotroph tumor represented distinct PIT1-lineage PitNETs; (2) The diagnostic category of PIT1-positive plurihormonal tumor was replaced by the immature PIT1-lineage tumor and the mature plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumor; (3) The term"metastatic PitNET"was advocated to replace the previous terminology"pituitary carcinoma". The new classification emphasizes the importance of pathological classification of PitNETs. Obviously, accurate pathological interpretation is the key to judge the clinical treatment pathway and prognosis of patients.

New insights into β-glucan-enhanced immunity in largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides by transcriptome and intestinal microbial composition

β-glucan is widely used in aquaculture due to its immunostimulatory effects, but the specific effect and potential regulatory mechanism on largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are still unclear. Here, we evaluated the effects of β-glucan on growth, resistance to Aeromonas schubertii, intestinal health, and transcriptome of largemouth bass to reveal the potential regulators, metabolic pathways, and altered differential microbiota. Four experimental diets were designed with β-glucan supplementation levels of 0 (control), 100 (LA-100), 200 (MA-200), and 300 (HA-300) mg kg^-1, and each diet was fed to largemouth bass (79.30 ± 0.50 g) in triplicate for 70 days, followed by a 3-day challenge experiment. Results showed that different β-glucan supplementations had no significant effects on growth performance and whole-body composition. Fish fed a diet with 300 mg kg^-1 β-glucan significantly increased the activity of lysozyme than those fed diets with 0 and 100 mg kg^-1 β-glucan. In addition, the survival rate of largemouth bass in β-glucan supplementation groups was significantly higher than the control group at 12- and 24-h challenge by Aeromonas schubertii. Transcriptome analysis showed that a total of 1,245 genes were differentially expressed [|log₂(fold change)| ≥1, q-value ≤0.05], including 109 immune-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Further analysis revealed that significantly upregulated and downregulated DEGs associated with immunity were mapped into 12 and 24 pathways, respectively. Results of intestinal microflora indicated that fish fed a diet with 300 mg kg^-1 β-glucan had higher bacterial richness and diversity as evaluated by Sobs, Chao, Ace, and Simpson indices, but no significant differences were found in the comparison groups. Furthermore, 300 mg kg^-1 β-glucan significantly increased the relative abundance of Mycoplasma and decreased Proteobacteria (mainly Escherichia-Shigella and Escherichia coli) and Bacillus anthracis in largemouth bass intestinal microflora. The findings of this study provided new insights that will be valuable in future studies to elucidate the mechanism of immunity enhancement by β-glucan.

Hippo signaling instructs ectopic but not normal organ growth

The Hippo signaling pathway is widely considered a master regulator of organ growth because of the prominent overgrowth phenotypes caused by experimental manipulation of its activity. Contrary to this model, we show here that removing Hippo transcriptional output did not impair the ability of the mouse liver and Drosophila eyes to grow to their normal size. Moreover, the transcriptional activity of the Hippo pathway effectors Yap/Taz/Yki did not correlate with cell proliferation, and hyperactivation of these effectors induced gene expression programs that did not recapitulate normal development. Concordantly, a functional screen in Drosophila identified several Hippo pathway target genes that were required for ectopic overgrowth but not normal growth. Thus, Hippo signaling does not instruct normal growth, and the Hippo-induced overgrowth phenotypes are caused by the activation of abnormal genetic programs.

Perinatal and neurodevelopmental outcome in complicated monochorionic pregnancy after selective fetal reduction: radiofrequency ablation vs microwave ablation

OBJECTIVES

To summarize our experience in the application of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) for selective fetal reduction in complicated monochorionic pregnancies and compare the perinatal outcome of the two techniques.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of data from a consecutive cohort of all monochorionic twin pregnancies that underwent selective fetal reduction with RFA or MWA at Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China from January 2012 to December 2018. All surviving cotwins were followed up to assess their neurodevelopment using the Age &amp; Stage Questionnaire, Chinese version. Perinatal and neurodevelopmental outcomes were compared between the RFA and MWA groups. We also fitted multivariable models to test the association between procedure-related factors and the main perinatal outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB) &lt; 37 weeks' gestation, intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) of the cotwin, adverse outcome (defined as occurrence of IUFD of the cotwin, termination of pregnancy or PTB &lt; 28 weeks) and overall survival.

RESULTS

In total, 45 cases (42 twin and three triplet pregnancies) underwent RFA and 126 cases (105 twin and 21 triplet pregnancies) underwent MWA. The overall survival rates in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies were similar between the RFA and MWA groups (61.0% vs 67.0%; P = 0.494). However, pregnancies whose indication for fetal reduction was selective intrauterine growth restriction or twin reversed arterial perfusion had higher overall survival rates (75.5% and 82.6%, respectively) compared with those in other indication groups. A total of 104 children were followed up (20 in the RFA group and 84 in the MWA group); four (20.0%) and eight (9.5%) children were assessed as having overall developmental delay in the RFA and MWA groups, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups. Multivariable analyses showed that procedure indication, number of ablation cycles and gestational age at procedure were associated significantly with the main perinatal outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

RFA and MWA for selective fetal reduction in complicated monochorionic pregnancies can achieve similar overall survival rate and neurodevelopmental outcome, but MWA is associated with a lower risk of preterm birth. Moreover, procedure-related factors are associated significantly with perinatal outcome. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Development of a mass spectrometry-based metabolomics workflow for traceability of wild and cultivated Cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis, as an expensive traditional Chinese medicine and edible fungus mycelium, lacks an effective quality evaluation method, especially and cultivated Cordyceps sinensis. In this study, a feasible workflow method was developed for traceability evaluation of wild and cultivated Cordyceps sinensis, based on mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Mass spectrometry data were firstly acquired from Cordyceps sinensis, samples by liquid chromatography-quadrupole and time of flight mass spectrometry. Characteristic mass spectrometry peaks were extracted by applying the MZmine. Then significant markers were obtained from Cordyceps sinensis samples by orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis. Then, identification of significant markers were identified by MS-FINDER data analytics. The results showed that Changdu, the other four wild origins (Naqu, Xinghai, Yushu and Guoluo) and cultivated samples could be significantly distinguished. This identified significant markers of Cordyceps sinensis, including 174 special significant markers for the wild samples, 204 special significant markers for the cultivated samples and 87 share significant markers. Number of 87 shared significant markers were identified in the wild and cultivated Cordyceps sinensis, especially 28 confident significant compounds, such as adenosine, riboflavin, tyrosine, arginine and glutamine. These shared significant markers might support the quality control of multi-targets of Cordyceps sinensis, compared with a single target in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The special significant markers indicated that cultivated Cordyceps sinensis was different from the wild based on mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. In the comparison of chromatographic fingerprint technology, it was found that the established feasible workflow method was easy to acquire significant markers and traceability of Cordyceps sinensis. This feasible workflow method has great potential to be successful for comprehensive and traceability evaluation of the wild and cultivated Cordyceps sinensis.

[Analysis of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome in 7 children]

Objective: To analyze the clinical features, treatment and prognosis of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) in children. Methods: The clinical data of 7 children who were diagnosed with SRUS in Department of Gastroenterology in Guangzhou Women and Children' Medical Center from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical data including general demographics, clinical presentations, endoscopic and histologic features, treatment and outcome were extracted from hospital medical records. Results: The 7 patients were all males, and the age of onset was 6-12 years. The course before diagnosis was 2-36 months. The most common symptom was rectal bleeding (6 cases) and most common findings at initial colonoscopy were ulcer in 3 cases and protuberance in 4 cases, both located only in rectum. The intestinal histopathology of 5 cases showed characteristic fibromuscular obliteration of lamina propria. Five children were treated with mesalamine granules or suppositories, and 2 cases underwent local excision. The follow-up lasted for 5-24 months and found symptoms relieved in 5 cases, improved in 1 case, and no remission in 1 case. Colonoscopy after the treatment was performed in 5 children, among whom 2 cases achieved mucosal healing. Conclusions: SRUS in children is mainly presented with rectal bleeding, and has characteristic histological change of ulcer and protuberance in endoscopy. Pathology is crucial for diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Both the medical and surgical treatment are effective for SRUS.