Management of type 1 gastric neuroendocrine tumors: an 11-year retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: Type 1 gastric neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are relatively rare to the extent that some physicians have little experience in diagnosing and treating them. The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of the disease by analyzing and summarizing the management and prognoses of patients with type 1 gastric NETs at our center. METHODS: The data of 229 patients (59.4% female) with type 1 gastric NETs who were treated at our center during 2011-2022 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The average patient age was 50.5 ± 10.8 years. Multiple tumors affected 72.5% of the patients; 66.4% of the tumors were < 1 cm, 69.4% were NET G1, and 2.2% were stage III-IV. A total of 76.9% of the patients had received endoscopic management, 60.7% had received traditional Chinese medicine treatment, 10.5% received somatostatin analogues treatment, and 6.6% underwent surgical resection. Seventy patients (41.2%) experienced the first recurrence after a median follow-up of 31 months (range: 2-122 months), and the median recurrence-free time was 43 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative recurrence-free survival rates were 71.8%, 56.8%, and 50.3%, respectively. During a median follow-up of 39 months (range: 2-132 months), one patient had bilateral pulmonary metastasis, and no disease-related deaths were observed. CONCLUSION: Type 1 gastric NETs have a high recurrence rate and a long disease course, underscoring the importance of long-term and comprehensive management.

Effects of feeding on different parts of Ailanthus altissima on the intestinal microbiota of Eucryptorrhynchus scrobiculatus and Eucryptorrhynchus brandti (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Eucryptorrhynchus brandti and Eucryptorrhynchus scrobiculatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are two monophagous weevil pests that feed on Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle but differ in their diet niche. In the field, adults of E. brandti prefer to feed on the trunk of A. altissima, whereas adults of E. scrobiculatus prefer to feed on the tender parts. We conducted Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA to examine changes in bacterial diversity in the adults of these two weevil species after they fed on different parts of A. altissima (trunk, 2-3-year-old branches, annual branches, and petioles). Proteobacteria, Tenericutes, and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in E. brandti (relative abundance was 50.64, 41.56, and 5.63%, respectively) and E. scrobiculatus (relative abundance was 78.63, 11.91, and 7.41%, respectively). At the genus level, Spiroplasma, endosymbionts2, Unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, and Lactococcus were dominant in E. brandti, and Unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, Wolbachia and Spiroplasma, and endosymbionts2 were dominant in E. scrobiculatus. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis revealed microbial biomarkers in the different treatment group of adults of both weevil species. Adults of E. brandti may require the trunk, and adults of E. scrobiculatus may require the petioles and annual branches to maintain the high diversity of their gut microbes. The results of this study indicate that feeding on different parts of A. altissima affects the composition and function of the microbes of E. brandti and the microbial composition of E. scrobiculatus. Variation in the abundance of Wolbachia and Spiroplasma in E. brandti and E. scrobiculatus is associated with dietary niche changes, and this might explain the evolution of reproductive isolation between these two sibling weevil species.

Intraoperative thromboelastography-guided transfusion in a patient with factor XI deficiency: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Factor XI (FXI) deficiency, also known as hemophilia C, is a rare bleeding disorder of unpredictable severity that correlates poorly with FXI coagulation activity. This often poses great challenges in perioperative hemostatic management. Thromboelastography (TEG) is a method for testing blood coagulation using a viscoelastic hemostatic assay of whole blood to assess the overall coagulation status. Here, we present the successful application of intraoperative TEG monitoring in an FXI-deficient patient as an individualized blood transfusion strategy. CASE SUMMARY: A 21-year-old male patient with FXI deficiency was scheduled to undergo reconstructive surgery for macrodactyly of the left foot under general anesthesia. To minimize his bleeding risk, he was scheduled to receive fresh frozen plasma (FFP) as an empirical prophylactic FXI replacement at a dose of 15-20 mL/kg body weight (900-1200 mL) before surgery. Subsequent FFP transfusion was to be adjusted according to surgical need. Instead, TEG assessment was used at the beginning and toward the end of his surgery. According to intraoperative TEG results, the normalization of coagulation function was achieved with an infusion of only 800 mL FFP, and blood loss was minimal. The patient showed an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged on postoperative day 8. CONCLUSION: TEG can be readily applied in the intraoperative period to individualize transfusion needs in patients with rare inherited coagulopathy.

Reproductive Dormancy in Overwintering Adult Eucryptorrhynchus brandti (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Dormancy is important for overwintering insects to resist and adapt to adverse conditions. Dormancy generally contains quiescence and diapause. Eucryptorrhynchus brandti Harold (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), tree-of-heaven trunk weevil (TTW), is a destructive pest and highly host-specific to Ailanthus altissima in China. TTW has one generation per year and overwinters as both larvae and adults. In this study, to examined dormancy type of adults and find a method to store overwintering adults, we collected adults from 20 October 2018 to 13 March 2019. We studied the behavior and reproductive development of adults under field cold conditions for 0 and 10 d and laboratory warm conditions for 5 and 10 d. We recorded developing eggs in females, and the clarity of the testis edge, the yellow point in the testis lobe, the ratio of the inner content in the accessory gland, and the accessory gland color in males. Adults transferred from the field to the laboratory had resumed reproductive development directly. Results indicated that the dormancy type of TTW adults was quiescence. Adults stored in the field were still in a dormant state and the field-storage method was effective. Current study provided basic data for controlling overwintering TTW adults and solve the storage of insect sources during the winter.

A theta-scheme approximation of basic reproduction number for an age-structured epidemic system in a finite horizon.

This paper focuses on numerical approximation of the basic reproduction number R0, which is the threshold defined by the spectral radius of the next-generation operator in epidemiology. Generally speaking, R0 cannot be explicitly calculated for most age-structured epidemic systems. In this paper, for a deterministic age-structured epidemic system and its stochastic version, we discretize a linear operator produced by the infective population with a theta scheme in a finite horizon, which transforms the abstract problem into the problem of solving the positive dominant eigenvalue of the next-generation matrix. This leads to a corresponding threshold R0,n . Using the spectral approximation theory, we obtain that R0,n → R0 as n → +∞. Some numerical simulations are provided to certify the theoretical results.

Comparison of McGrath Series 3 and Macintosh Laryngoscopes for Tracheal Intubation in Patients With Normal Airway by Inexperienced Anesthetists: A Randomized Study.

Difficult and failed intubations account for the major causes of morbidity and mortality in current anesthetic practice. Several devices including McGrath Series 3 videolaryngoscope are available which may facilitate tracheal intubation by improving view of the larynx compared with Macintosh blade laryngoscopy. But no studies demonstrate whether McGrath Series 3 performs better than Macintosh laryngoscope in normal airway intubations by inexperienced anesthetists so far. We therefore designed this randomized controlled study to compare McGrath with Macintosh in routine tracheal intubation performed by inexperienced anesthetists.In total, 180 adult patients with normal-appearing airways requiring orotracheal intubation for elective surgery were randomly allocated to be intubated by 9 inexperienced anesthetists with McGrath or Macintosh. The primary outcome was time to intubation. Ease of intubation was assessed by a 5-point ordinal scale. Intubation attempts/failures, best laryngoscopy view using the Cormack-Lehane grade, associated complications and hemodynamic changes during intubation were recorded.We found that there was no significant difference between McGrath and Macintosh in the median time to intubation (P = 0.46); the Cormack-Lehane views attained using McGrath were superior (P < 0.001); the difference of ease of intubation was statistically significant (P = 0.01). No serious trauma occurred in both groups. And there was statistically significant difference in the systolic blood pressure changes between 2 groups (P < 0.05).We demonstrated that in orotracheal intubation in patients with normal airway by inexperienced anesthetists, McGrath compared with the Macintosh allows superior glottis views, greater ease of intubation, less complications, and hemodynamic changes with noninferior intubation time. And it remained a potential selection for inexperienced anesthetists in uncomplicated intubation.

Melatonin attenuates hypertension-induced renal injury partially through inhibiting oxidative stress in rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of melatonin (MLT) on hypertension-induced renal injury and identify its mechanism of action. Twenty-four healthy male Wistar rats were divided into a sham control group (n=8), which was subjected to sham operation and received vehicle treatment (physiological saline intraperitoneally at 0.1 ml/100 g), a vehicle group (n=8), which was subjected to occlusion of the left renal artery and vehicle treatment, and the MLT group (n=8), which was subjected to occlusion of the left renal artery and treated with MLT (10 mg/kg/day). Pathological features of the renal tissues were determined using hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson staining. Urine protein, serum creatinine (Scr), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to determine the expression of heme oxygenase­1 (HO­1), intercellular adhesion molecule­1 (ICAM­1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Furthermore, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was conducted to determine the mRNA expression of HO­1, ICAM­1, eNOS and iNOS. A marked decrease in blood pressure was noticed in the MLT group at week 4 compared with that of the vehicle group (P<0.01). Furthermore, MLT treatment attenuated the infiltration of inflammatory cells and oedema/atrophy of renal tubules. MLT attenuated hypertension-induced increases in urine protein excretion, serum creatinine and MDA as well as decreases in SOD activity in renal tissues. Furthermore, MLT attenuated hypertension-induced increases in iNOS and ICAM­1 as well as decreases in eNOS and HO­1 expression at the mRNA and protein level. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that MLT had protective roles in hypertension­induced renal injury. Its mechanism of action is, at least in part, associated with the inhibition of oxidative stress.

The Application of Quality Identification in Honey by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy.

The photoacoustic spectrum of glucose, sucrose and honey solutions in the visible range are measured by using the single-light photoacoustic spectrometer, and are compared with the spectra from spedtrophotometry method. The spectral characteristics of the above solutions show that the spectral background intensity and spectral profile have some differences for different kinds of solutions. The spectra of the three kinds of solutions all have strong peak value at 485 and 655 nm, but the intensity ratios between the two peaks are different. Besides, there are characteristic peak at 475, 576 and 630 nm for glucose, and the sucrose has apparent characteristic peak at 632 nm, these characteristic peaks can be used for detecting whether the natural honey has been added glucose or sucrose. By comparing two kinds of spectrum of the same solution, the intensity of photoacoustic spectrum is more responsive to the wavelength, indicating photoacoustic spectrometry has a higher sensitivity in the test of material composition.

[Adsorption of Cd2+ on biochar from aqueous solution].

Biomass-based materials such as biochar have a good performance in heavy metal adsorption. The adsorption of Cd2+ on biochar converted from cotton straw was studied. Adsorption isotherm, kinetics and effect factors such as temperature, pH and ionic strength were investigated. The adsorption of Cd2+ on biochar can be fitted by the Freundlich isotherm better than the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption amounts of Cd2+ at different temperatures were 9.738 mg x g(-1) (288.15 K), 10.14 mg x g(-1) (298.15 K), 10.40 mg x g(-1) (308.15 K) and 10.71 mg x g(-1) (318.15 K), respectively. The free energies AG(theta) were from -8.346 kJ x mol(-1) to -10.276 kJ x mol(-1) at different temperatures, indicating that the adsorption of Cd2+ onto biochar is spontaneous and is an endothermic process. The adsorption process can reach equilibrium within 40 minutes and can be fitted by the pseudo second order kinetic model. pH showed a significant effect on the adsorption of Cd2+ on biochar in the range of 2-8. The adsorption amount of Cd2+ on biochar shows a reducing trend with the increasing ionic strength.

[Expression of Bcl-w protein in human small intestinal adenocarcinoma and effect of Bcl-w siRNA on apoptosis in intestinal adenocarcinoma HuTu-80 cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of apoptosis-related protein Bcl-w in adenocarcinoma of the small intestine, and the apoptotic effect of Bcl-w siRNA on small intestinal adenocarcinoma cells HuTu-80. METHODS: Forty-two tissue samples were examined in our study, including 7 cases from human small intestinal adenocarcinoma, and 35 cases from normal small intestine served as control. The expression of Bcl-w was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Western blot analysis was performed to confirm whether Bcl-w siRNA could effectively down-regulate Bcl-w protein after HuTu-80 cells were transfected with Bcl-w siRNA. The cells were treated with chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fu to observe whether Bcl-w protein-silecing affects the pro-apoptotic effect of 5-Fu. Flow cytometry analysis was used for assessment of apoptotic rate of HuTu-80 cells cultured with Bcl-w siRNA alone, with 5-Fu alone, and with combination of Bcl-w siRNA and 5-Fu, using untreated HuTu-80 cells as control. RESULTS: The positive rate of Bcl-w expression was significantly higher in small intestinal adenocarcinoma than that in normal tissue (85.7% vs. 25.7%, P=0.005). Compared with the control group, Bcl-w siRNA transfection effectively down-regulated the expression of Bcl-w protein (P<0.05). The apoptosis in HuTu-80 cells was not increased significantly in Bcl-w-/-cells compared with that of control group (12.4±2.2)% vs. (8.6±1.7)% (P>0.05). However, compared with the 5-Fu group, the apoptosis in HuTu-80 cells was effectively enhanced after combination treatment with Bcl-w siRNA and 5-Fu (45.7±2.1)% vs. (71.6±3.2)% (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Bcl-w protein plays a significant role in the carcinogenesis of human small intestinal adenocarcinoma. Down-regulation of Bcl-w protein in small intestine adenocarcinoma HuTu-80 cells leads them susceptible to 5-Fu.

Significance of decreased apoptosis, role of Bid expression and Bcl-Xl/Bid ratio in human jejunal stromal tumors.

Given that the studies on human small intestinal stromal tumors are very limited, our study was designed to determine the significance of apoptosis, the role of some apoptosis-related proteins, including Bax, Bad, Bid, Bcl-2, Bcl-Xl, and Bcl-W, in jejunal stromal tumors (JST). For this purpose, 52 samples were examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling and immunohistochemistry, including 40 cases from normal jejunum and 12 cases from the JST. The results showed that a significantly decreased apoptosis was observed in JST compared with normal jejunum (median of apoptotic index, 0.13% vs 15.17%, p < 0.001). In univariate analysis, statistically significant differences were shown in percentage of positive-expression of Bid (0.0% vs 77.5%, p < 0.001), Bcl-2 (91.7% vs 42.5%, p = 0.003), and Bcl-Xl (75.0% vs 35.0%, p = 0.014), but not in Bax, Bad, and Bcl-W. Moreover, Bcl-Xl was an independent parameter associated with JST by multivariate Logistic analysis. For the role of ratios of anti-apoptotic proteins to pro-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-Xl/Bid ratio was the most preferable index. In conclusion, decreased apoptosis and expression of Bid, increased level of Bcl-Xl may play some important roles in human JST, and Bcl-Xl/Bid ratio may be as a new potentially associated index, although they should be validated in more studies.

Preparation of gold nanoparticles modified with tetrathiafulvalene via direct sulfur bridge.

A new tetrathiafulvalene-modified gold colloid was prepared. The modification or coordination of 2-[4,5-ethylenedisulfanyl-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene]-1,3-dithiole-4-thiolate to the surface of gold nanoparticles was characterized by UV-Vis and Raman spectra, and cyclic voltammograms. The most valuable point of the modified gold nanoparticles is their redox activities. The cyclic voltammogram of the tetrathiafulvalene-modified gold colloid on a Pt electrode showed two pair of redox peaks, at E1/2 = +0.67 V and at +0.87 V (vs. a saturated calomel electrode, in MeCN-0.1 M Bu4NClO4), corresponding to TTF/TTF*+ and TTF*+/TTF2+, respectively. A gold electrode modified with a self-assembled monolayer of the tetrathiafulvalene was also prepared and its cyclic voltammogram behaviors were in accordance with those of the nano-Au system. The E1/2 data are higher than those of the neutral mother precursor and the separation of E1/2(1) to E1/2(2) becomes very narrow. The data of E1/2 also revealed that electrochemical behavior of the no-spacer system (TTF-S-Au) are different from that of a spacer system (TTF-S-(CH2)n-Au).

The first example of solvothermally synthesized thioantimonates(V) with ethylenediamine coordinated lanthanide(III): [Sm(en)4]SbS4 x 0.5en and [Sm(en)3(H2O)(micro-SbS4)]infinity.

Under mild solvothermal conditions two novel thioantimonates(V) [Sm(en)4]SbS4 x 0.5en (1) and [Sm(en)3(H2O)(micro-SbS4)]infinity (2) were synthesized; the structure of 1 contains discrete [Sm(en)4]3+ and [SbS4]3 ions, while 2 consists of neutral [Sm(en)3(H2O) (micro-SbS4)] one-dimensional chains.