Optimization of mechanical properties and dimensional stability of densified wood using response surface methodology.

Wood has gained popularity as a building and decorative material due to its environmentally friendly and sustainable characteristics. Yet, its long maturation time poses a limitation on meeting the growing demand for wood products. This challenge has led to the plantation of fast-growing wood as an alternative solution. Unfortunately, the poor mechanical properties of fast-growing wood hinder its application. In this study, we developed novel densification-modified wood by combining alkali chemical pretreatment, cyclic impregnation, and mechanical hot-pressing techniques. Additionally, the response surface method was employed to rapidly determine the optimal preparation parameters, reducing the cost of preparation under various conditions. The optimized parameters resulted in densification-modified wood with a flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of 337.04 MPa and 27.43 GPa, respectively. Furthermore, the densified wood achieved excellent dimensional stability by reducing the water-absorbing thickness swelling to 1.15 % for 72-h water soaking. The findings indicated that the densification-modified wood possessed high tensile strength and elastic modulus, along with excellent dimensional stability. The proposed densified wood modification technology in this study offers new perspectives and design guidance for the application of outdoor engineering structures, energy-efficient buildings, and decorative materials.

Evaluation of Major Physical and Mechanical Properties of Trembling Aspen Lumber.

Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) is one of the major species within Populus, a predominant genus of hardwoods in North America. However, its utilization has been limited to pulp and paper or wood-based composite boards. This study aimed at evaluating the major physical and mechanical properties of trembling aspen lumber, with an ultimate objective of using this species to produce engineered wood products (EWPs). The testing materials consisted of 2 × 4 (38 mm × 89 mm) trembling aspen lumber pieces in lengths of 8, 10, and 12 feet (2.44, 3.05, and 3.66 m) with two visual grades, select structural (SS) and No. 2. Machine Stress-Rated (MSR), and longitudinal stress wave (LSW), edgewise third-point bending (EWB), and axial tension tests were conducted on the lumber. It was found that, (1) by increasing the maximum knot size by a half-inch from one-quarter inch, the minimum modulus of elasticity (MOE) measured using the MSR, the mean, and the fifth-percentile ultimate tensile strength (UTS) decreased by about 8.8%, 20.1%, and 29.8%, respectively. (2) Approximately 44% of the trembling aspen lumber met the 1450f-1.3E grade for MSR lumber, and 62% qualified for the 1200f-1.2E grade. (3) There was a great potential for manufacturing cross-laminated timber (CLT) of grade E3, with a rejection rate of about 29%. (4) The mean UTS and MOE values of the SS-grade trembling aspen lumber were 22.88 MPa and 9519 MPa, respectively, being 25.5% and 11.3% lower than that of Spruce-Pine-Fir (S-P-F) lumber. The fifth-percentile UTS and MOE values were 11.57 MPa and 7404 MPa, respectively, marking a decrease of 13.3% and 1.5% compared to the S-P-F lumber. (5) The oven-dried specific gravity (SG) of the trembling aspen wood was 0.40, which was about 3.5% larger than the value provided in the Wood Handbook.

Gestational giant panda plasma metabolomics: amino acid metabolism characteristic may predict panda pregnancy outcomes.

There has been remarkable progress in the conservation and reproduction of giant pandas. However, the physiology of the gestation period in pandas remains poorly understood. The metabolic processes from estrus to pregnancy are dynamic and precisely regulated, playing a crucial role in pregnancy and related dysfunctions. In this study, we conducted a metabolomic analysis of 37 blood samples collected from pandas in estrus, acyclic, potential pregnant states, employing rigorous screening to minimize the influence of diet. Our findings suggest that a reduced appetite can serve as an indicator for evaluating implantation time, representing a characteristic response to pregnancy and aiding in the prediction of delivery time in pregnant pandas. Metabolomic results indicate great metabolism variation from estrus to pregnancy, and highlight the association between amino acid metabolism and pregnancy outcomes. Compared to other pandas, individuals which successfully bred exhibit significantly elevated levels of arginine and histidine, even 2 months before experiencing reduced appetite. Furthermore, the lipid profile undergoes distinct dynamic changes only in estrus samples. In summary, our study comprehensively characterizes the metabolism of giant pandas during gestation and proposes arginine and histidine as potential novel biomarkers for detecting the pregnancy state of giant pandas.

Nanometabolomics Elucidated Biological Prospective of Mo4/3B2-x Nanosheets: Toward Metabolic Reprogramming of Amino Acid Metabolism.

Mo4/3B2-x nanosheets are newly developed, and 2D transition metal borides (MBene) were reported in 2021, but there is no report on their further applications and modification; hence, this article sheds light on the significance of potential biological prospects for future biomedical applications. Therefore, elucidation of the biocompatibility, biotoxicology, and bioactivity of Mo4/3B2-x nanosheets has been an urgent need to be fulfilled. Nanometabolomics (also referred as nanomaterials-based metabolomics) was first proposed and utilized in our previous work, which specialized in interpreting nanomaterials-induced metabolic reprogramming through aqueous metabolomics and lipidomics approach. Hence, nanometabolomics could be considered as a novel concept combining nanoscience and metabolomics to provide bioinformation on nanomaterials' biomedical applications. In this work, the safe range of concentration (<50 mg/L) with good biosafety toward human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was discovered. The low concentration (5 mg/L) and high concentration (50 mg/L) of Mo4/3B2-x nanosheets were utilized for the in vitro Mo4/3B2-x-cell interaction. Nanometabolomics has elucidated the biological prospective of Mo4/3B2-x nanosheets via monitoring its biocompatibility and metabolic shift of HUVECs. The results revealed that 50 mg/L Mo4/3B2-x nanosheets could lead to a stronger alteration of amino acid metabolism with disturbance of the corresponding amino acid-related pathways (including amino acid metabolism, amino acid degradation, fatty acid biosynthesis, and lipid biosynthesis and metabolism). These interesting results were closely involved with the oxidative stress and production of excess ROS. This work could be regarded as a pathbreaking study on Mo4/3B2-x nanosheets at a biological level, which also designates their further biochemical, medical, and industrial application and development based on nanometabolomics bioinformation.

Therapeutic potential of urine-derived stem cells in renal regeneration following acute kidney injury: A comparative analysis with mesenchymal stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical syndrome with high morbidity and mortality rates. The use of pluripotent stem cells holds great promise for the treatment of AKI. Urine-derived stem cells (USCs) are a novel and versatile cell source in cell-based therapy and regenerative medicine that provide advantages of a noninvasive, simple, and low-cost approach and are induced with high multidifferentiation potential. Whether these cells could serve as a potential stem cell source for the treatment of AKI has not been determined. AIM: To investigate whether USCs can serve as a potential stem cell source to improve renal function and histological structure after experimental AKI. METHODS: Stem cell markers with multidifferentiation potential were isolated from human amniotic fluid. AKI severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) mice models were induced by means of an intramuscular injection with glycerol. USCs isolated from human-voided urine were administered via tail veins. The functional changes in the kidney were assessed by the levels of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. The histologic changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining and transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining. Meanwhile, we compared the regenerative potential of USCs with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). RESULTS: Treatment with USCs significantly alleviated histological destruction and functional decline. The renal function was rapidly restored after intravenous injection of 5 × 105 human USCs into SCID mice with glycerol-induced AKI compared with injection of saline. Results from secretion assays conducted in vitro demonstrated that both stem cell varieties released a wide array of cytokines and growth factors. This suggests that a mixture of various mediators closely interacts with their biochemical functions. Two types of stem cells showed enhanced tubular cell proliferation and decreased tubular cell apoptosis, although USC treatment was not more effective than MSC treatment. We found that USC therapy significantly improved renal function and histological damage, inhibited inflammation and apoptosis processes in the kidney, and promoted tubular epithelial proliferation. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated the potential of USCs for the treatment of AKI, representing a new clinical therapeutic strategy.

LncRNA TubAR complexes with TUBB4A and TUBA1A to promote microtubule assembly and maintain myelination.

A long-standing hypothesis proposes that certain RNA(s) must exhibit structural roles in microtubule assembly. Here, we identify a long noncoding RNA (TubAR) that is highly expressed in cerebellum and forms RNA-protein complex with TUBB4A and TUBA1A, two tubulins clinically linked to cerebellar and myelination defects. TubAR knockdown in mouse cerebellum causes loss of oligodendrocytes and Purkinje cells, demyelination, and decreased locomotor activity. Biochemically, we establish the roles of TubAR in promoting TUBB4A-TUBA1A heterodimer formation and microtubule assembly. Intriguingly, different from the hypomyelination-causing mutations, the non-hypomyelination-causing mutation TUBB4A-R2G confers gain-of-function for an RNA-independent interaction with TUBA1A. Experimental use of R2G/A mutations restores TUBB4A-TUBA1A heterodimer formation, and rescues the neuronal cell death phenotype caused by TubAR knockdown. Together, we uncover TubAR as the long-elusive structural RNA for microtubule assembly and demonstrate how TubAR mediates microtubule assembly specifically from αß-tubulin heterodimers, which is crucial for maintenance of cerebellar myelination and activity.

Distinctive Lipid Characteristics of Colorectal Cancer Revealed through Non-targeted Lipidomics Analysis of Tongue Coating.

The metabolites and microbiota in tongue coating display distinct characteristics in certain digestive disorders, yet their relationship with colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unexplored. Here, we employed liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the lipid composition of tongue coating using a nontargeted approach in 30 individuals with colorectal adenomas (CRA), 32 with CRC, and 30 healthy controls (HC). We identified 21 tongue coating lipids that effectively distinguished CRC from HC (AUC = 0.89), and 9 lipids that differentiated CRC from CRA (AUC = 0.9). Furthermore, we observed significant alterations in the tongue coating lipid composition in the CRC group compared to HC/CRA groups. As the adenoma-cancer sequence progressed, there was an increase in long-chain unsaturated triglycerides (TG) levels and a decrease in phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogen (PE-P) levels. Furthermore, we noted a positive correlation between N-acyl ornithine (NAOrn), sphingomyelin (SM), and ceramide phosphoethanolamine (PE-Cer), potentially produced by members of the Bacteroidetes phylum. The levels of inflammatory lipid metabolite 12-HETE showed a decreasing trend with colorectal tumor progression, indicating the potential involvement of tongue coating microbiota and tumor immune regulation in early CRC development. Our findings highlight the potential utility of tongue coating lipid analysis as a noninvasive tool for CRC diagnosis.

Core training for pain management and functional improvement in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of core strengthening exercises on pain, mobility, and lower extremity muscle strength in patients with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFP). DESIGN: Six databases were searched from inception until August 11, 2023. Pain, function and muscle strength related outcomes were extracted and the quality of the studies was assessed using the PEDro scale and the level of evidence was assessed using the GRADE. RESULTS: Nineteen studies involving 1138 patients were included. Very low-grade evidence supported the short-term pain-relieving effect of core training (SMD = -0.60 95% CI [-0.95, -0.25]), high-grade evidence supported the short-term functional improvement effects of core training (WMD = 3.61 95% CI [1.44, 5.78]), which was similarly significant within 3-12 months of follow-up. The results of the subgroup analyses suggested that hip-knee training was most advantageous in relieving pain and enhancing motor function. CONCLUSIONS: Although training that includes trunk core is clearly superior to knee strengthening alone, the effectiveness of hip-knee training, which is also a core training program for pain and function, is more pronounced. The available evidence supports that hip-knee training is the most valuable treatment option for patients with PFP.

A case of fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor that is prone to be confused with liposarcoma.

Fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor is a rare and specific subtype of solitary fibrous tumor. In this case, a mass of 8.3 cm in diameter was found in a 59-year-old male patient's right retroperitoneum, as revealed by abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images. The tumor exhibited a well-circumscribed nature and histological features characterized by a combination of hemangiopericytomatous vasculature and mature adipose tissue, comprising around 70% of the total tumor composition. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed diffuse positive expression of STAT6 and CD34 in the tumor cells. Based on these findings, the final diagnosis was determined to be a fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor located in the retroperitoneum. It is important to consider other potential differential diagnoses, including angiomyolipoma, dedifferentiated liposarcoma, spindle cell lipoma, and atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma.

Penthorum chinense Pursh leaf tea debittering mechanisms via green tea manufacturing process and its influence on NAFLD-alleviation activities.

The green-tea manufacturing process showed good effect of flavor improving, debittering and shaping in making Penthorum chinensePursh leaf (PL) tea (PLT), which serves as a polyphenol dietary supplement and beverage raw material. GC-MS results showed that its unpleasant grassy odor decreased by 42.8% due to dodecanal, geranylacetone, and (E)-2-nonenal reduction, coupled with 1-hexadecanol increasing. UPLC-ESI-TOF-MS identified 95 compounds and showed that the debittering effect of green-tea manufacturing process was attributed to decreasing of flavonols and lignans, especially quercetins, kaempferols and luteolins, and increasing of dihydrochalcones which act as sweeteners bitterness-masking agents, while astringency was weakened by reducing delphinidin-3,5-O-diglucoside chloride, kaempferol-7-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside, and tannins. The increase of pinocembrins and catechins in aqueous extracts of PLT, maintained its hepatoprotective, NAFLD-alleviation, and hepatofibrosis-prevention activities similar to PL in high fat-diet C57BL/6 mice, with flavonoids, tannins, tannic acids, and some newfound chemicals, including norbergenin, gomisin K2, pseudolaric acid B, tanshinol B, as functional ingredients.

A novel therapeutic approach to modulate the inflammatory cascade: A timely exogenous local inflammatory response attenuates the sepsis-induced cytokine storm.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of severe sepsis is contingent upon the occurrence of a cytokine storm (CS), a multifaceted process intricately entwined with the temporal dimension, thereby rendering the infection response remarkably intricate. Consequently, it becomes imperative to discern and accurately identify the optimal timing for interventions, predicated upon the dynamic timeline of inflammatory changes. Moreover, the administration of exogenous low-dose pro-inflammatory agents has exhibited the potential to impede the relentless progression of the inflammatory cascade. Hence, the present study aims to scrutinize the impact of exogenous Local Inflammatory Response (eLIR) on the body surface in the context of the inflammatory cascade during sepsis, within a temporal framework, with a particular emphasis on the point of exacerbation of inflammation. METHODS: Rats were induced sterile sepsis by intraperitoneal injection of zymosan (ZY) at an appropriate dosage. The temporal progression of inflammatory changes and eLIR effects were described based on the trend of serum crucial inflammatory cytokines, tring to quest time-point of inflammatory aggravation in sepsis. Then, the varying degrees of surface inflammation caused by eLIR on this time point leading to the final effects on the inflammatory cascade response were explored. In addition, given the authentic pathological progression of sepsis, further observation was conducted on the impact of another intervention timing of eLIR on the inflammatory cascade. The survival rate was measured. Serum and organ related inflammatory cytokines were detected, and organ histopathology was investigated. RESULTS: In present study, a dosage of 600 mg/kg ZY was found to be optimal for the sterile sepsis model. Initiating eLIR 6 h prior to ZY injection, the maximum effect point of eLIR could be precisely align with the inflammatory aggravation point of sterile sepsis. Initiating eLIR at this time, 3 sessions of eLIR were found to be more effective than 1 or 2 sessions in mitigating inflammatory responses during the initial stage of inflammation and the peak of inflammation. Notably, the findings also suggested that this intervention improve survival rate. In addition, the anti-inflammatory efficacy has been substantially diminished by the prompt initiation of 3 sessions of eLIR immediately after ZY injection at the onset of sepsis. Similarly, the current findings did not demonstrate a statistically significant enhancement in survival rates with eLIR at this time point. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the initial stage of inflammation, low-scale inflammation caused by a certain intensity of eLIR (3 sessions) on the body surface can more effectively pry the inflammation aggravation time-point, thereby shifting the pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory milieu, impeding the disproportionate cytokines release in inflammatory diseases, slowing down the inflammatory cascade, and improving the survival rate of sepsis.

Relationship between shift work, night work, and headache and migraine risk: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: To date, there is insufficient research on whether shift work and night work increase the risk of experiencing headaches and migraines. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the potential association between shift work, night shift work, and headache/migraine. METHODS: We conducted a thorough search of the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases up until October 2023 to identify relevant studies. Our inclusion criteria focused on observational studies that investigated the association between shift work exposure and headache/migraine outcomes. We extracted adjusted risk estimates from each study and calculated pooled odds ratios using either fixed or random-effects models. Our methodology followed the Meta-Analysis Group guidelines for observational studies in epidemiology. To ensure accuracy and consistency, two investigators independently reviewed the retrieved records and extracted data based on the predefined inclusion criteria. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included a total of seven studies involving 422,869 participants. The pooled analysis revealed a significant association between shift work and an increased risk of headaches (HR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.15-1.52, P < 0.001). Specifically, individuals working night shifts had a 44% higher risk of developing headaches (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.09-1.90, P = 0.011). Furthermore, shift work was also found to be associated with a higher incidence of migraines (HR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.27-2.08, P < 0.001). Interestingly, night shift work was associated with a decreased incidence of migraines (HR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.57-0.96, P = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Our study found a noteworthy association between shift work/night work and the occurrence of headaches and migraines. However, it is important to note that our study does not establish a causal relationship. Future research should investigate potential common vulnerability factors, such as genetics or health behaviors. This knowledge can help inform the implementation of preventive measures and interventions to mitigate the health risks associated with shift work.

Abnormal functional connectivity within the prefrontal cortex is associated with multiple plasma lipid species in major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in functional connectivity (FC) in major depressive disorder (MDD) have been widely reported. Analysis of the relationship between FC and plasma lipid profiles would be meaningful in the exploration of pathophysiological mechanisms and helpful for the identification of biomarkers for MDD. METHODS: Patients with MDD (n = 49) and healthy controls (HC, n = 87) were recruited. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were collected for FC construction. The plasma lipid profiles were acquired using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis and clustered as co-expression modules. The differential FC and lipid modules between HCs and patients with MDD were identified, and then the association between FC and lipid co-expression modules was analyzed using correlation analysis. The modules associated molecular function was explored using metabolite set enrichment analysis (MSEA). RESULTS: MDD-associated FC and lipid co-expression modules were identified. One module was associated with FC values between the right orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus and the opercular part of the left inferior frontal gyrus, which was enriched in lipid sets of diacylglycerols and fatty alcohols; another module was associated with FC values between the right middle frontal gyrus and the right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri, which was enriched in lipid sets of glycerophosphocholines and glycerophosphoethanolamines. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that abnormal FC in the prefrontal cortex is associated with multiple plasma lipid species, which may provide novel clues for exploring the pathophysiology of MDD.

Integrated metabolomics revealed the photothermal therapy of melanoma by Mo2C nanosheets: toward rehabilitated homeostasis in metabolome combined lipidome.

Melanoma, the most aggressive and life-threatening form of skin cancer, lacks innovative therapeutic approaches and deeper bioinformation. In this study, we developed a photothermal therapy (PTT) based on Mo2C nanosheets to eliminate melanoma while utilizing integrated metabolomics to investigate the metabolic shift of metabolome combined lipidome during PTT at the molecular level. Our results demonstrated that 1 mg ml-1 Mo2C nanosheets could efficiently convert laser energy into heat with a strong and stable photothermal effect (74 ± 0.9 °C within 7 cycles). Furthermore, Mo2C-based PTT led to a rapid decrease in melanoma volume (from 3.299 to 0 cm2) on the sixth day, indicating the effective elimination of melanoma. Subsequent integrated metabolomics analysis revealed significant changes in aqueous metabolites (including organic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, and amines) and lipid classes (including phospholipids, lysophospholipids, and sphingolipids), suggesting that melanoma caused substantial fluctuations in both metabolome and lipidome, while Mo2C-based PTT helped improve amino acid metabolism-related biological events (such as tryptophan metabolism) impaired by melanoma. These findings suggest that Mo2C nanosheets hold significant potential as an effective therapeutic agent for skin tumors, such as melanoma. Moreover, through exploring multidimensional bioinformation, integrated metabolomics technology provides novel insights for studying the metabolic effects of tumors, monitoring the correction of metabolic abnormalities by Mo2C nanosheet therapy, and evaluating the therapeutic effect on tumors.

Development of super dimensional stable poplar structure with fire and mildew resistance by delignification/densification of wood with highly aligned cellulose molecules.

Wood is one of the most popular materials for construction purposes because of its environmentally friendly and sustainable characteristics. However, the use of wood is constrained by the lengthy time it takes for trees to mature. Consequently, fast-growing wood species have become popular as substitute options due to their ability to rapidly reach maturity and high yields. Although the problem of low density and strength has been effectively addressed in recent years by densifying wood, the problem of large thickness swelling due to moisture and water absorption has limited its application. Therefore, we reported an effective modification strategy to overcome the thickness swelling issue of densified wood by preparing a cellulosic reinforced material through the synergistic action of alkaline chemical pretreatment, multi-step cyclic impregnation and high-temperature densification. The results showed that the alkaline chemical pretreatment was effective for removing a large amount of lignin and hemicelluloses, creating a large number of hydrogen bonds among the remaining strong celluloses. The impregnated sodium silicate solution bonded celluloses tightly, and the densification treatment contributed to the production of Si-O-Si structure, forming the shuttle hybridized structure through Si-O-C bonds. The hardness, flexural strength, elastic modulus, and compressive strength of the modified wood increased by 3.9, 6.0, 3.4 and 28.2 times, respectively. In addition, 0 % thickness swelling for 30-day moisture absorption and 1.0 % thickness swelling for 72-hour water absorption were achieved, realizing super dimensional-stable poplar structures. Furthermore, the high-performance densified wood prepared by this method has excellent fire and mildew resistance properties, which lays the foundation for the application of fast-growing wood in outdoor engineering structures.

The accuracy of multiple regression models for predicting the individual risk of recurrent lateral patellar dislocation.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent lateral patellar dislocation (RLPD) poses a significant threat to patients' quality of life due to knee pain, patellofemoral cartilage damage, and potential traumatic arthritis. Predictive scoring systems have been developed to assess the risk of RLPD; however, their relative accuracy remains uncertain. PURPOSE: To investigate the accuracy of the multiple regression models to predict the individual risk of recurrent LPD. METHODS: The Patellar Instability probability calculator (PIP), Recurrent Instability of the Patella Score (RIP), and Patellar Instability Severity Score (PIS) scoring rules were measured in 171 patients with a history of patellar dislocation and 171 healthy individuals. Three prediction models were calculated based on the data to predict the risk of recurrent lateral patellar dislocation. The inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of each measurement parameter was evaluated. The predictive capacity of the three-prediction model was investigated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: In the case group of 171 patients, PIS accurately predicted recurrent lateral Patella dislocation in 143 patients. RIP was 96, and PIP was 83. The positive predictive values were 92.9%, 64%, and 68% respectively. In the control group of 171 patients, the PIS was validated in 160 patients who would not experience dislocations. RIP was 117, and PIP was 50. The negative predictive values were 85.1%, 60.9%, and 36.2%, respectively. The area under the curve score for the PIS was 0.866, and the RIP was 0.673. the PIP was 0.678. CONCLUSION: RIP and PIP did not work to predict LPD. PIS can accurately predict recurrent lateral patellar dislocation. It can aid doctors in making treatment decisions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Rethinking about acupuncture intervention opportunity based on dynamic perspective of inflammatory response. / åŸºäºŽç‚Žæ€§ååº”åŠ¨æ€æ€§è§†åŸŸä¸‹å¯¹é’ˆç¸ä»‹å ¥æ—¶æœºçš„å†æ€è€ƒ.

Acupuncture and moxibustion therapies are widely used in the field of anti-inflammation, but the dynamic characteristics of inflammatory response with time in the modern biological mechanism research has been ignored to some extent. Therefore, the body surface intervention system represented by acupuncture-moxibustion urgently needs to rebuild the research perspective oriented to the complex immune regulation model, and then to explore the opportunity of acupuncture-moxibustion anti-inflammatory intervention according to the dynamic change process of inflammatory response. Through comparative analysis on the ancient and modern acupuncture-moxibustion immune regulation, and starting from the construction of clinical body surface intervention system, we propose that grasping the appropriate "intervention opportunity" is an important entry point that cannot be ignored to effectively "pry" inflammatory response.

Protocol to characterize target components of Gelsemium using an in-house herb database and high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Currently, the identification of herb metabolites is challenging due to a lack of clear standards. Here, using Gelsemium as an example, we present a protocol for characterizing target components of herbs. This approach utilizes high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry guided by an in-house herb metabolite database based on reported studies and mass spectrometry. We describe steps for creating an in-house database, preparing and detecting samples, processing data, and characterizing compounds. This approach offers a reference for future research on the identification of herb metabolites. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Liu et al. (2017).1.

MLK4 as an immune marker and its correlation with immune infiltration in Cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma(CESC).

Mixed pedigree kinase 4 (MLK4) is a member of the serine/threonine kinases mixed pedigree kinase (MLKs) family. Few reports on immune-related targets in Cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC), and the role of MLK4 in cervical cancer remains to be studied. The expression of MLK4 in CESC was analyzed by TCGA database containing 306 CESC tissues and 3 peritumoral tissue samples, and the effect of MLK4 on immune invasion was evaluated using the Deseq2 package(Benjamini-Hochberg corrected p-value < 0.05 and log2 fold change ≥|2|). Tissue microarray was used to verify the expression of MLK4 in CESC patients, and it was found that MLK4 was significantly overexpressed in CESC, and significantly correlated with WHO grade. Multiple analysis algorithms revealed that the high expression of MLK4 was negatively correlated with immune cell infiltration in CESC. Analysis showed that MLK4 expression was negatively correlated with the infiltration of various immune cells including CD8+T cells, and MLK4 mRNA expression was positively correlated with immune checkpoints PD-L1,CTLA4, LAG3, and negatively correlated with immune promotion genes CD86 and CD80. Furthermore, vitro assays were performed to investigate the biological characteristics of MLK4 in C33A cells. The EDU and transwell assays demonstrated that the decrease in MLK4 expression in C33A cells resulted in a decrease in cell proliferation and invasion. The silencing of MLK4 resulted in a significant increase in the expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß(p<0.05), TNF-α(p<0.01), and IL-6 (p<0.05). The results of cell assays indicate that knocking down MLK4 would inhibit the expression of established biochemical markers CEA, AFP and HCG. Hence, it is plausible that MLK4 could potentially exert a significant influence on the development and progression of Cervical cancer.

Prediction of coexisting invasive carcinoma on ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions by mass spectrometry imaging.

Due to limited biopsy samples, ~20% of DCIS lesions confirmed by biopsy are upgraded to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) upon surgical resection. Avoiding underestimation of IDC when diagnosing DCIS has become an urgent challenge in an era discouraging overtreatment of DCIS. In this study, the metabolic profiles of 284 fresh frozen breast samples, including tumor tissues and adjacent benign tissues (ABTs) and distant surrounding tissues (DSTs), were analyzed using desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) imaging. Metabolomics analysis using DESI-MS data revealed significant differences in metabolite levels, including small-molecule antioxidants, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and phospholipids between pure DCIS and IDC. However, the metabolic profile in DCIS with invasive carcinoma components clearly shifts to be closer to adjacent IDC components. For instance, DCIS with invasive carcinoma components showed lower levels of antioxidants and higher levels of free fatty acids compared to pure DCIS. Furthermore, the accumulation of long-chain PUFAs and the phosphatidylinositols (PIs) containing PUFA residues may also be associated with the progression of DCIS. These distinctive metabolic characteristics may offer valuable indications for investigating the malignant potential of DCIS. By combining DESI-MS data with machine learning (ML) methods, various breast lesions were discriminated. Importantly, the pure DCIS components were successfully distinguished from the DCIS components in samples with invasion in postoperative specimens by a Lasso prediction model, achieving an AUC value of 0.851. In addition, pixel-level prediction based on DESI-MS data enabled automatic visualization of tissue properties across whole tissue sections. Summarily, DESI-MS imaging on histopathological sections can provide abundant metabolic information about breast lesions. By analyzing the spatial metabolic characteristics in tissue sections, this technology has the potential to facilitate accurate diagnosis and individualized treatment of DCIS by inferring the presence of IDC components surrounding DCIS lesions. © 2023 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.