Lactobacillus rhamnosus 069 and Lactobacillus brevis 031: Unraveling Strain-Specific Pathways for Modulating Lipid Metabolism and Attenuating High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice.

Obesity is a global health crisis, marked by excessive fat in tissues that function as immune organs, linked to microbiota dysregulation and adipose inflammation. Investigating the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus SG069 (LR069) and Lactobacillus brevis SG031 (LB031) on obesity and lipid metabolism, this research highlights adipose tissue's critical immune-metabolic role and the probiotics' potential against diet-induced obesity. Mice fed a high-fat diet were treated with either LR069 or LB031 for 12 weeks. Administration of LB031 boosted lipid metabolism, indicated by higher AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation, and increased the M2/M1 macrophage ratio, indicating LB031's anti-inflammatory effect. Meanwhile, LR069 administration not only led to significant weight loss by enhancing lipolysis which evidenced by increased phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) but also elevated Akkermansia and fecal acetic acid levels, showing the gut microbiota's pivotal role in its antiobesity effects. LR069 and LB031 exhibit distinct effects on lipid metabolism and obesity, underscoring their potential for precise interventions. This research elucidates the unique impacts of these strains on metabolic health and highlights the intricate relationship between gut microbiota and obesity, advancing our knowledge of probiotics' therapeutic potential.

Efficacy and Mechanism of the Action of Live and Heat-Killed Bacillus coagulans BC198 as Potential Probiotic in Ameliorating Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice.

Inflammatory bowel disease alters the gut microbiota, causes defects in mucosal barrier function, and leads to dysregulation of the immune response to microbial stimulation. This study investigated and compared the efficacy of a candidate probiotic strain, Bacillus coagulans BC198, and its heat-killed form in treating dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Both live and heat-killed B. coagulans BC198 increased gut barrier-associated protein expression, reduced neutrophil and M1 macrophage infiltration of colon tissue, and corrected gut microbial dysbiosis induced by colitis. However, only live B. coagulans BC198 could alleviate the general symptoms of colitis, prevent colon shortening, and suppress inflammation and tissue damage. At the molecular level, live B. coagulans BC198 was able to inhibit Th17 cells while promoting Treg cells in mice with colitis, reduce pro-inflammatory MCP-1 production, and increase anti-inflammatory IL-10 expression in the colonic mucosa. The live form of B. coagulans BC198 functioned more effectively than the heat-killed form in ameliorating colitis by enhancing the anti-inflammatory response and promoting Treg cell accumulation in the colon.

99mTc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography parathyroid imaging in the diagnosis of functional parathyroid cysts: an initial experience.

Background: Functional parathyroid cysts (FPCs) are rare and difficult to diagnose with noninvasive methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of 99mTc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (99mTc-MIBI) single-photon emission computed tomography/computerized tomography (SPECT/CT) parathyroid imaging in the diagnosis of FPCs and to account for its performance. Methods: The data from 10 patients with suspected parathyroid cysts (PCs) who underwent 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT parathyroid imaging between 2012 and 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. The diagnostic value of 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT parathyroid imaging for FPCs was analyzed. Results: Surgical resection was performed in six cases and parathyroid puncture was performed in four cases. The sensitivity of 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT for FPCs was 100.0% (3/3), with a specificity of 100.0% (7/7) and an accuracy of 100.0% (10/10). The postoperative pathological findings in three cases of FPCs were parathyroid adenoma, parathyroid adenoma with hemorrhage, and parathyroid adenoma with cystic degeneration, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and CT for PCs was only 22.22% (2/9) and 25.0% (1/4), respectively, and neither modality could indicate whether the cysts were functional or not. Conclusions: 99mTc-MIBI parathyroid SPECT/CT imaging has a high value in the diagnosis of FPCs in patients with suspected PCs, and an intense ring-shaped accumulation of radioactivity in the cyst wall on 99mTc-MIBI imaging suggests that the patient may have FPCs.

Characteristics and Clinical Prognosis of Septic Patients With Persistent Lymphopenia.

Background: Septic patients with persistent lymphopenia may be in an immunosuppressed state. Therefore, we evaluated and compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of septic patients with persistent lymphopenia (≥2d) and those with nonpersistent lymphopenia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed. A total of 1306 patients with sepsis who were attended to the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from March 2016 to August 2022 were included. The primary clinical outcome was 90d mortality. The secondary clinical outcomes were the length of stay, hospital mortality, 28d mortality, the incidence of secondary infection, and differences in clinical characteristics. Results: Among 1306 patients with sepsis, 913 (69.9%) patients developed persistent lymphopenia. Compared with patients with nonpersistent lymphopenia, patients with persistent lymphocytopenia were admitted to intensive care unit (75.7% vs 52.7%, P < .05), treated with mechanical ventilation (67.6% vs 39.2%, P < .05), positive rate of microbial culture pathogens (86.7% vs 71.2%, P < .05), SOFA [8.0 (6.0-10.0) vs 6.0 (4.0-8.0), P < .05], length of stay [17.0d (12.0-27.0) vs 13.0d (10.0-21.0), P < .05], hospital mortality (37.7% vs 24.2%, P < .05), 28d mortality (38.0% vs 22.9%, P < .05), and 90d mortality (51.2% vs 31.3%, P < .05) were higher. As the duration of lymphocytopenia increased, so did the mortality rate in hospital. In addition, the onset time of persistent lymphopenia was not associated with SOFA. But we found that the frequency of persistent lymphopenia during hospitalization was positively associated with SOFA. Conclusion: Septic patients with persistent lymphopenia have higher mortality, worse conditions, increased risk of secondary infection, and poor prognosis regardless of shock.

Effect of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel after implantation of drug-eluting stents guided by either intravascular ultrasound or angiography in patients with acute coronary syndrome-propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effect of different dual antiplatelet therapies on thrombotic events on the background of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance is unclear. We investigated whether ticagrelor can provide any additional benefit to clopidogrel in reducing thrombotic events in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) treated with drug- eluting stent (DES), when guided by IVUS or not. METHODS: A total of 5,666 ACS patients who underwent DES implantation and who were discharged on dual antiplatelet therapy were enrolled and grouped according to the use of IVUS or not. Each group was subdivided into two subgroups according to the type of P2Y12 inhibitor used after discharge. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used between the IVUS and no-IVUS groups. Covariate adjustment of Cox proportional hazards model was used between the ticagrelor and clopidogrel groups. Thrombotic event at 12 months was compared in groups separately. RESULTS: After PSM, 12-month follow-up data were available for 1,174 patients. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were less frequent in the IVUS-guided group (2.2% vs. 4.3%, P = 0.081) with a trend toward statistical significance. Comparison of antiplatelet regimens revealed significantly fewer major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) with ticagrelor in the entire PSM cohort and angiography-guided subgroup (2.9% vs. 5.7%, P = 0.035; 3.1% vs. 6.4%, P = 0.020, respectively). Among patients in the IVUS-guided group the outcome was comparable (2.5% vs. 4.4%, P = 0.312). Ticagrelor was associated with increasing bleeding incidence in the entire PSM cohort (1.3% vs. 3.3%, P = 0.030), mainly due to Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2 bleeding (0.7% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.010). The results were consistent after covariate adjustment of Cox proportional hazards model. CONCLUSION: The comparison of ischemic benefit between ticagrelor and clopidogrel was similar in patients receiving IVUS guidance during stent implantation, probably due to the precise implantation of IVUS. Multicenter, randomized studies should be performed to validate this conclusion.

Refining prediction of stroke in sinus node dysfunction patients without atrial fibrillation using a P-combined score: a multi-centre study.

AIMS: Isolated sinus node dysfunction (ISND) is a sinus node dysfunction without atrial fibrillation. A high risk of ischaemic stroke (IS) has been reported in ISND populations. However, current guidelines do not recommend anticoagulation in ISND management. P-wave indicates ISND-related atrial remodelling. P-wave indices and the CHA2DS2-VASc score may contribute to risk stratification for ISND-related IS. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this multi-centre longitudinal cohort, ISND patients were divided into development (n = 1185) and external validation (n = 988) cohorts. Ischaemic stroke prediction capacity of the P-combined score was assessed with regard to discrimination, calibration, and clinical effectiveness. The cut-off value of the score was confirmed by using a restricted cubic spline curve. One hundred and twenty-four (10.46%) ISND patients developed IS [1.63%/year; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.49-1.78%/year] after a median 3.02-year follow-up in the development cohort. The P-wave terminal force in electrocardiogram-lead V1 (PTFV1) was the only significantly abnormal P-wave index (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.72-3.80). Therefore, we incorporated the PTFV1 with the CHA2DS2-VASc score to generate a P-combined score. For a 5-year IS risk, the P-combined score improved Harrell's C-statistic (95% CI) from 0.678 (0.618-0.738) to 0.716 (0.657-0.774) and 0.747 (0.677-0.816) to 0.808 (0.747-0.868) in the development and validation cohorts, respectively, along with calibration and decision curve analyses. The cut-off value of the score was 3 in the development cohort and well-discriminated in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: Chinese ISND patients have a higher IS risk than the general population. Compared with the CHA2DS2-VASc score, the PTFV1-combined CHA2DS2-VASc score shows a better risk-stratification capacity for ISND-related IS.

By screening the risk factors of ischaemic stroke for isolated sinus node dysfunction (sinus node dysfunction without atrial fibrillation), we developed and validated a new scoring system­P-combined score, which is a combination of an abnormal P-wave terminal force in electrocardiogram-lead V1 (PTFV1) and the CHA2DS2-VASc score. We constructed the P-combined score in the following way: abnormal PTFV1 (2 points), age (1 point for 65­74 years and 2 points for ≥75 years), sex (1 point for female), congestive heart failure (1 point), hypertension (1 point), diabetes mellitus (1 point), vascular disease (1 point), and thrombotic event (2 points). Based on our analysis, we found that the P-combined score showed a strong performance (with a C-statistic of 0.716 for 5 years), which was better than the CHA2DS2-VASc score (C-statistic of 0.678 for 5 years). We also found that the performance of the P-combined score was rigorous in an independent cohort from two external centres (with a C-statistic of 0.808 for 5 years) and outperformed the CHA2DS2-VASc score (C-statistic of 0.747 for 5 years).

Research status and prospects of organic photocatalysts in algal inhibition and sterilization: a review.

An increasing amount of sewage has been discharged into water bodies in the progression of industrialization and urbanization, causing serious water pollution. Meanwhile, the increase of nutrients in the water induces water eutrophication and rapid growth of algae. Photocatalysis is a common technique for algal inhibition and sterilization. To improve the utilization of visible light and the conversion efficiency of solar energy, more organic photocatalytic materials have been gradually developed. In addition to ultraviolet light, partial infrared light and visible light could also be used by organic photocatalysts compared with inorganic photocatalysts. Simultaneously, organic photocatalysts also exhibit favorable stability. Most organic photocatalysts can maintain a high degradation rate for algae and bacteria after several cycles. There are various organic semiconductors, mainly including small organic molecules, such as perylene diimide (PDI), porphyrin (TCPP), and new carbon materials (fullerene (C60), graphene (GO), and carbon nanotubes (CNT)), and large organic polymers, such as graphite phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4), polypyrrole (PPy), polythiophene (PTH), polyaniline (PANI), and polyimide (PI). In this review, the classification and synthesis methods of organic photocatalytic materials were elucidated. It was demonstrated that the full visible spectral response (400-750 nm) could be stimulated by modifying organic photocatalysts. Moreover, some problems were summarized based on the research status related to algae and bacteria, and corresponding suggestions were also provided for the development of organic photocatalytic materials.

"Needle" hidden in silk floss: Inactivation effect and mechanism of melamine sponge loaded bismuth oxide composite copper-metal organic framework (MS/Bi2O3@Cu-MOF) as floating photocatalyst on Microcystis aeruginosa.

Photocatalytic technology showed significant potential for addressing the issue of cyanobacterial blooms resulting from eutrophication in bodies of water. However, the traditional powder materials were easy to agglomerate and settle, which led to the decrease of photocatalytic activity. The emergence of floating photocatalyst was important for the practical application of controlling harmful algal blooms. This study was based on the efficient powder photocatalyst bismuth oxide composite copper-metal organic framework (Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF), which was successfully loaded onto melamine sponge (MS) by sodium alginate immobilization to prepare a floating photocatalyst MS/Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF for the inactivation of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) under visible light. When the capacity was 0.4 g (CA0.4), MS/Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF showed good photocatalytic activity, and the inactivation rate of M. aeruginosa reached 74.462% after 120 h. MS/Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF-CA0.4 showed a large specific surface area of 30.490 m2/g and an average pore size of 22.862 nm, belonging to mesoporous materials. After 120 h of treatment, the content of soluble protein in the MS/Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF-CA0.4 treatment group decreased to 0.365 mg/L, the content of chlorophyll a (chla) was 0.023 mg/L, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased to 3.168 nmol/mgprot, and the contents of various antioxidant enzymes experienced drastic changes, first increasing and then decreasing. The photocatalytic process generated·OH and·O2-, which played key role in inactivating the algae cells. Additionally, the release of Cu2+ and adsorption of the material also contributed to the process.

Clinical influencing factors affecting pulmonary hypertension in hemodialysis patients

Background: The fluid status and rate of blood flow through the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) are two important factors affecting hemodynamic in hemodialysis patients; however, their effects on pulmonary hypertension have rarely been studied. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the effects of these factors in hemodialysis patients with pulmonary hypertension. Methods: This single-center cross-sectional survey included 219 maintenance hemodialysis patients (139 [63.5%] male). The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension was 13.6% (30 of 219). Pulmonary artery pressure was measured by echocardiography, fluid status was measured objectively using bioimpedance spectroscopy, and blood flow rate in the AVF (Qa) was determined using Doppler ultrasound. Results: The overall mean overhydration before hemodialysis was 1.5 L (range, 0.6-2.8 L). The mean overhydration in patients with and without pulmonary hypertension was 3.6 L (range, 2.3-4.6 L) and 1.4 L (range, 0.6-2.4 L), respectively (p < 0.001). The overall mean Qa was 780 mL/min (range, 570-1,015.5 mL/min). The mean Qa of patients with and without pulmonary hypertension was 672 mL/min (range, 505.7-982.2 mL/min) and 790 mL/min (range, 591-1,026 mL/min), respectively (p = 0.27). Overhydration (odds ratio [OR], 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.97; p = 0.01), N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP; OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.09-1.71; p = 0.007), and left atrial diameter (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01-1.28; p = 0.03) were risk factors. Conclusion: Pulmonary hypertension is strongly associated with overhydration, NT-proBNP, and left atrial diameter in hemodialysis patients.

Discovery of a novel lipid metabolism-related gene signature to predict outcomes and the tumor immune microenvironment in gastric cancer by integrated analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a pressing global clinical issue, with few treatment options and a poor prognosis. The onset and spread of stomach cancer are significantly influenced by changes in lipid metabolism-related pathways. This study aimed to discover a predictive signature for GC using lipid metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) and examine its correlation with the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Transcriptome data and clinical information from patients with GC were collected from the TCGA and GEO databases. Data from GC samples were analyzed using both bulk RNA-seq and single-cell sequencing of RNA (scRNA-seq). To identify survival-related differentially expressed LMRGs (DE-LMRGs), differential expression and prognosis studies were carried out. We built a predictive signature using LASSO regression and tested it on the TCGA and GSE84437 datasets. In addition, the correlation of the prognostic signature with the TIME was comprehensively analyzed. In this study, we identified 258 DE-LMRGs in GC and further screened seven survival-related DE-LMRGs. The results of scRNA-seq identified 688 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the three branches. Two critical genes (GPX3 and NNMT) were identified using the above two gene groups. In addition, a predictive risk score that relies on GPX3 and NNMT was developed. Survival studies in both the TCGA and GEO datasets revealed that patients categorized to be at low danger had a significantly greater prognosis than those identified to be at high danger. Additionally, by employing calibration plots based on TCGA data, the study demonstrated the substantial predictive capacity of a prognostic nomogram, which incorporated a risk score along with various clinical factors. Within the high-risk group, there was a noticeable abundance of active natural killer (NK) cells, quiescent monocytes, macrophages, mast cells, and activated CD4 + T cells. In summary, a two-gene signature and a predictive nomogram have been developed, offering accurate prognostic predictions for general survival in GC patients. These findings have the potential to assist healthcare professionals in making informed medical decisions and providing personalized treatment approaches.

The selection of floating photocatalyst carrier and algae inhibition effect of Karenia mikimotoi based on SNP-TiO2@Cu-MOF under visible light.

Photocatalytic technology for inactivating harmful algae has shown great research potential, in previous work, a kind of non-noble metal modified TiO2 loading onto copper metal organic framework (SNP-TiO2@Cu-MOF) was proved to show high removal efficiency against Karenia mikimotoi (K. mikimotoi). However, the recovery problem of powdered photocatalysts and its potential ecological hazards were still existed. In order to solve this, this study selected four macro-floating carriers and loaded photocatalyst on their surface. The floating photocatalyst with luffa sponge and expanded perlite as carriers were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis, and the floating photocatalyst with melamine sponge and polyurethane sponge as carriers were prepared by sodium alginate fixation method. The photocatalyst was firmly supported on the carriers, and the octahedral structure of SNP-TiO2@Cu-MOF photocatalyst could be well retained by hydrothermal synthesis. The advantages of sodium alginate fixation method were simple preparation process and low cost. The specific surface area of melamine foam photocatalyst (MF-P) was the highest, 28.47 m2/g, and the algae inactivation rate was also the best, which was 98.68% in 6 h. The MF-P group showed a decrease of 81.8% in soluble protein content and 81.4% in chlorophyll-a content of K. mikimotoi after 1 h of photocatalysis, respectively. The four photocatalysts showed good recyclability, and especially in MF-P group. The inactivation efficiency was still as high as 94.12% after four experiments. The floating photocatalyst would lay the foundation for further application of photocatalytic materials for algae removal.

Links between oral microbiome and insulin resistance: Involvement of MAP kinase signaling pathway.

Oral dysbiosis contributes to periodontitis and has implications for systemic diseases. Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder characterized by impaired glucose regulation. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a vital role in regulating glucose uptake and glycogenesis in the liver. This study aimed to investigate the association between periodontal bacteria and diabetes mellitus. A clinical trial was conducted to explore the association between oral bacteria and hyperglycemia. Additionally, we elucidated the molecular mechanisms by which periodontal bacteria cause insulin resistance. In the clinical trial, we discovered significant alterations in the expression levels of Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) and Tannerella forsythia (Tf) in patients with diabetes compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, Fn and Tf levels positively correlated with fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) levels. Moreover, we explored and elucidated the molecular mechanism by which Fusobacterium nucleatum culture filtrate (FNCF) induces cytokine release via the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling pathway in human gingival epithelial Smulow-Glickman (S-G) cells. This study investigated the effects of cytokines on insulin resistance pathways in liver cells. The use of an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor (U0126) demonstrated that FNCF regulates the insulin receptor substrate 1 and protein kinase B (IRS1/AKT) signaling pathway, which affects key proteins involved in hepatic glycogen synthesis, including glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3ß) and glycogen synthase (GS), ultimately leading to insulin resistance. These findings suggest that ERK plays a crucial role in hepatocyte insulin resistance.

Trace N-doped manganese dioxide cooperated with Ping-pong chrysanthemum-like NiAl-layered double hydroxide on cathode for improving bioelectrochemical performance of microbial fuel cell.

Trace N-doped manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanoparticles were attached to NiAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nano sheets by a simple two-step hydrothermal reaction, and N-MnO2@NiAl-LDH was successfully prepared as cathode catalyst of microbial fuel cell (MFC). N-MnO2@NiAl-LDH was Ping-pong chrysanthemum-like structure formed by overlapping lamellar structures, with spherical MnO2 particles attached on. The unique Ping-pong chrysanthemum-like structure and pore size distribution provided large number of electrochemical active sites. The recombination of trace N and MnO2 reduced the charge transfer resistance, accelerated the electron transfer rate, and N-MnO2@NiAl-LDH showed high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) capability. The maximum output power density of N-MnO2@NiAl-LDH-MFC was 698 mW/m2, about 4.59 times of NiAl-LDH (152.1 mW/m2). The maximum voltage was about 320 mV, and the stability was good for about 7 d. This would provide technical reference for the utilization of cathode catalyst for fuel cells.

Safety and efficacy outcomes after intranasal administration of neural stem cells in cerebral palsy: a randomized phase 1/2 controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Neural stem cells (NSCs) are believed to have the most therapeutic potential for neurological disorders because they can differentiate into various neurons and glial cells. This research evaluated the safety and efficacy of intranasal administration of NSCs in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The functional brain network (FBN) analysis based on electroencephalogram (EEG) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis based on T1-weighted images were performed to evaluate functional and structural changes in the brain. METHODS: A total of 25 CP patients aged 3-12 years were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n = 15), which received an intranasal infusion of NSCs loaded with nasal patches and rehabilitation therapy, or the control group (n = 10) received rehabilitation therapy only. The primary endpoints were the safety (assessed by the incidence of adverse events (AEs), laboratory and imaging examinations) and the changes in the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88), the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC), and some adapted scales. The secondary endpoints were the FBN and VBM analysis. RESULTS: There were only four AEs happened during the 24-month follow-up period. There was no significant difference in the laboratory examinations before and after treatment, and the magnetic resonance imaging showed no abnormal nasal and intracranial masses. Compared to the control group, patients in the treatment group showed apparent improvements in GMFM-88 and ADL 24 months after treatment. Compared with the baseline, the scale scores of the Fine Motor Function, Sociability, Life Adaptability, Expressive Ability, GMFM-88, and ADL increased significantly in the treatment group 24 months after treatment, while the SDSC score decreased considerably. Compared with baseline, the FBN analysis showed a substantial decrease in brain network energy, and the VBM analysis showed a significant increase in gray matter volume in the treatment group after NSCs treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that intranasal administration of NSCs was well-tolerated and potentially beneficial in children with CP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03005249, registered 29 December 2016, https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT03005249 ) and the Medical Research Registration Information System (CMR-20161129-1003).

Sediment pollutant exposures caused hepatotoxicity and disturbed glycogenesis.

Liver metabolic syndrome, which involves impaired hepatic glycogen synthesis, is persistently increased by exposure to environmental pollutants. Most studies have investigated the pathogenesis of liver damage caused by single metal species or pure organics. However, under normal circumstances, the pollutants that we are exposed to are usually chemical mixtures that accumulate over time. Sediments are long-term repositories for environmental pollutants due to their environmental cycles, which make them good samples for evaluating the effect of environmental pollutants on the liver via bioaccumulation. This study aimed to clarify the effects of sediment pollutants on liver damage. Our results indicate that industrial wastewater sediment (downstream) is more cytotoxic than sediments from other zones. Downstream sediment extract (DSE) causes hepatotoxicity, stimulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, triggers mitochondrial dysfunction, induces cell apoptosis, and results in the release of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) proteins. Additionally, to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which sediment pollutants disturb hepatic glycogen synthesis, we investigated the effects of different sediment samples from different pollution situations on glycogen synthesis in liver cell lines. It was found that DSE induced multiple severe impairments in liver cells, and disturbed glycogen synthesis more than under other conditions. These impairments include decreased hepatic glycogen synthesis via inhibition and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) /AKT /glycogen synthase kinase3ß (GSK3ß)-mediated glycogen synthase (GYS) inactivation. To our knowledge, this study provides the first detailed evidence of in vitro sediment-accumulated toxicity that interferes with liver glycogen synthesis, leading to hepatic cell damage through apoptosis.

Fecal Protein Analysis of Dusp6 Knockout C57BL/6J Mice by Metaproteomics.

The research of obesity and gut microbiota has been carried out for years, yet the study process was in a slow pace for several challenges to conquer. As a complex status of disorder, the contributing factors refer to gut microbiota about obesity were controversial in a wide range. In terms of proteomics, 2D-DIGE technology is a powerful method for this study to identify fecal proteins from lean microbiota in Dusp6 knockout C57BL/6J mice, exploring the protein markers of the ability resisting to diet-induced obesity (DIO) transferred to the host mice after fecal microbiota transplantation. The results showed that the fecal microbiota expressed 289 proteins differentially with 23 proteins identified, which were considered to be the reasons to assist the microbiota exhibiting distinct behavior. By means of proteomics technology, we had found that differentially expressed proteins of lean microbiota determined the lean microbial behavior might be able to resist leaky gut. To sum up our study, the proteomics strategies offered as a tool to demonstrate and analyze the features of lean microbiota, providing new speculations in the behavior about the gut microbiota reacting to DIO.

Photocatalytic degradation effect and mechanism of Karenia mikimotoi by non-noble metal modified TiO2 loading onto copper metal organic framework (SNP-TiO2@Cu-MOF) under visible light.

In this study, the SNP-TiO2@Cu-MOF composite was prepared successfully by loading non-noble metal modified TiO2 (SNP-TiO2) on the surface of copper metal organic skeleton (Cu-MOF), and compared the inactivation efficiency of different photocatalysts to Karenia mikimotoi (K. mikimotoi) under visible light. The obtained photocatalyst had the characteristic crystal faces of Cu-MOF and SNP- TiO2, and contained functional groups such as Cu-O, -COOH, N-O, P-O, etc., which indicated the structural stability of the photocatalyst. The band gap of SNP-TiO2@Cu-MOF composite was 2.82 eV, and it had great light absorption ability in visible light region. It was proved to be a mesoporous adsorption material, which had a huge specific surface area (245 m2/g). Compared with other photocatalysts, SNP-TiO2@Cu-MOF composite showed the strongest photocatalytic activity. When the concentration of composite material was set to 100 mg/L and the exposure time was 6 h, the visible light photocatalytic inactivation efficiency of K. mikimotoi was 93.75 %. By measuring various metabolic indexes of K. mikimotoi under the action of different photocatalysts for 1 h, it was confirmed that cell inactivation was due to the increased membrane permeability and degradation of photosynthetic pigments and main life proteins. This research showed that SNP-TiO2@Cu-MOF composite material was full of great potential and application prospect in controlling the outbreak of eutrophication.

Age in combination with gender is a valuable parameter in differential diagnosis of solid pseudopapillary tumors and pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm.

BACKGROUND: The clinicopathological characteristics of solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) and pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (pNEN) are different. We, therefore, systematically investigated the performance of the clinicopathological characteristics in distinguishing SPT from pNEN. METHODS: We collected the cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. The International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, third edition (ICD-O-3) for tumors was used to identify patients with pNEN or patients with SPT. To determine the performance of age in combination with gender in distinguishing SPT from pNEN, a nomogram was developed and the performance of this nomogram was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: In the training cohort, 563 patients with pNENs and 30 patients with SPTs were recruited. The logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves suggest that age, gender, T-stage, N-stage, and M-stage could discriminate SPT and pNEN. The AUC of age, gender, T-stage, N-stage, and M-stage was 0.82, 0.75, 0.65, 0.69, and 0.70, respectively. Based on the nomogram, we observed that the AUC of age and gender is significantly high than that of the T-stage, N-stage, and M-stage. CONCLUSIONS: The present study proposes a non-invasive nomogram that could aid in the differential diagnosis of pNEN and SPT. This might help the clinicians to distinguish SPT from pNEN and choose the appropriate treatments for the patients.

A Nomogram to Accurately Identify Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors Metastasizing to Distant Organs: A Study Based on Two National Population-Based Cohorts From the United States and China.

Background: Distant organ metastasis is the leading cause of death in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET) patients. In the present study, we aimed to develop and validate a nomogram that could accurately identify pNET metastasizing to distant organs. Methods: The cases extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program were assigned to the training cohort and validation cohort. The cases from the Chinese Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors program were assigned to the external validation cohort. The strategy was developed with the support of a nomogram, and the predictive value of this strategy was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: In total, 2024 American cases were involved in the present study. Besides, 1450 and 574 patients were allocated into training and internal validation cohorts, respectively. In addition, 122 Chinese patients were assigned to the external validation cohort. The results of the univariate logistic regression analysis suggested that tumor grade, tumor size, and the number of metastatic lymph nodes were the risk of metastasis to distant organs, and these 3 clinicopathological characteristics were used to develop the nomogram. We observed that the accuracy of the nomogram for predicting metastasis to distant organs was 0.797, 0.819, and 0.837 in the training cohort, internal validation cohort, and external validation cohort, respectively. Conclusions: A predictive nomogram was developed and validated, and it showed an acceptable performance in predicting metastasis to distant organs. The results will enable clinicians to identify pNETs, metastasizing to distant organs, and develop an effective individualized therapeutic strategy for these patients.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease Increases the Risk of Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to explore the relationship between metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS). METHODS: The present study was a cross-sectional observational study. The study population was 3002 subjects from a single hospital who underwent a health checkup from September 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020. The diagnosis of MAFLD was based on the diagnosis of fatty liver in the subject by ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) and the presence of one of the following conditions: overweight or obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 23), type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic abnormalities. The subjects were divided into the GERS group (n = 305) and the non-GERS group (n = 2697) based on the presence or absence of GERS, based on the GerdQ score. RESULTS: The prevalence of MAFLD was significantly higher in the GERS group than in the non-GERS group (p = 0.001). In the univariate analysis of risk factors for GERS, MAFLD was identified as a risk factor for GERS (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.176-1.913; p = 0.001). With adjustment of confounding factors such as BMI, waist circumference, lipid levels, and blood pressure, the correlation between MAFLD and GERS was attenuated but still significant (OR 1.408; 95% CI 1.085-1.826; p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: MAFLD might be an independent risk factor for GERS.