Transarterial Chemoembolization Plus Tyrosinkinase Inhibitors and PD-1 Inhibitors for Spontaneously Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in combination with tyrosinkinase inhibitors (TKI) and PD-1 inhibitors, versus TACE monotherapy for the treatment of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 104 patients with ruptured HCC receiving either combination therapy or TACE monotherapy at two centers between June 2015 and June 2022. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used at a 1:2 ratio to reduce bias between the two groups. The primary outcome measures were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary outcome measures were the occurrence of adverse events (AEs, Common Terminology Criteria for AEs, version 5.0.) and the peritoneal metastasis rate. RESULTS: A total of 69 patients were enrolled after PSM, including 23 patients in the combination group and 46 patients in the monotherapy group. The combination group exhibited a significantly longer median OS (553 days, 95% confidence interval [CI] 222.6-883.9) compared to the monotherapy group (105 days, 95% CI 81.2-128.7; P < 0.001). Similarly, the combination group showed a better median PFS (356 days, 95% CI 299.5-412.4) compared to the monotherapy group (97 days, 95% CI 75.9-118.1; P < 0.001). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the peritoneal metastasis rate (combination group: 8.6% vs. monotherapy group: 26.1%, P = 0.119). Grade 3 AEs occurred at a rate of 21.7% and 13% in combination and monotherapy groups, respectively. No Grade 4/5 AEs were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that the combination of TACE with TKI and PD-1 inhibitors significantly enhances OS and PFS compared to TACE monotherapy in ruptured HCC patients. Furthermore, this combined approach exhibited an acceptable safety profile.

Optimal Design of Array Coils for Multi-Target Adjustable Electromagnetic Brain Stimulation System.

Temporal interference magnetic stimulation is a novel noninvasive deep brain neuromodulation technology that can solve the problem of balance between focus area and stimulation depth. However, at present, the stimulation target of this technology is relatively single, and it is difficult to realize the coordinated stimulation of multiple brain regions, which limits its application in the modulation of multiple nodes in the brain network. This paper first proposes a multi-target temporal interference magnetic stimulation system with array coils. The array coils are composed of seven coil units with an outer radius of 25 mm, and the spacing between coil units is 2 mm. Secondly, models of human tissue fluid and the human brain sphere are established. Finally, the relationship between the movement of the focus area and the amplitude ratio of the difference frequency excitation sources under time interference is discussed. The results show that in the case of a ratio of 1:5, the peak position of the amplitude modulation intensity of the induced electric field has moved 45 mm; that is, the movement of the focus area is related to the amplitude ratio of the difference frequency excitation sources. The conclusion is that multi-target temporal interference magnetic stimulation with array coils can simultaneously stimulate multiple network nodes in the brain region; rough positioning can be performed by controlling the conduction of different coils, fine-tuning the position by changing the current ratio of the conduction coils, and realizing accurate stimulation of multiple targets in the brain area.

A well-fabricated Ru@C material derived from Ru/Zn-MOF with high activity and stability in the hydrogenation of 4-chloronitrobenzene.

4-Chloroaniline (4-CAN) plays an important role in chemical and industrial production. However, it remains a challenge to avoid the hydrogenation of the C-Cl bond in the synthesis process to improve selectivity under high activity conditions. In this study, we in situ fabricated ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru NPs) containing vacancies inserted into porous carbon (Ru@C-2) as a highly efficient catalyst for the catalytic hydrogenation of 4-chloronitrobenzene (4-CNB) with remarkable conversion (99.9%), selectivity (99.9%), and stability. Experiments and theoretical calculations indicate that the appropriate Ru vacancies affect the charge distribution of the Ru@C-2 catalyst, promote the electron transfer between the Ru metal and support, and increase the active sites of the Ru metal, thus facilitating the adsorption of 4-CNB and the desorption of 4-CAN to improve the activity and stability of the catalyst. This study can provide some enlightenment for the development of new 4-CNB hydrogenation catalysts.

Spermatophore development in drones indicates the metabolite support for sperm storage in honey bees (Apis cerana).

Developing effective long-term sperm storage strategies to maintain activity requires an understanding of the underlying spermatophore developmental phase in drones. Here we compared the developmental processes and metabolites about seminal vesicles of drones from different parentages (0-24 d)in honeybee colonies, including mated queens, virgin queens, and worker bees. The results showed a similar developmental trend of seminal vesicles in thethree groups of drones on the whole, although there were significant differences in developmental levels, as well as in other indicators. Correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between seminal vesicle width and sperm viability. The metabolomics of the seminal vesicles in drones from mated queens showed differences of the metabolites in each stage. Particularly, squalene identified among them was validated a protective effect on sperm vitality in vitro experiments. Together the results of these assays support that there were significant differences in the developmental levels of seminal vesicles among the three groups of drones in honeybees, wherein a significant correlation between sperm viability and the developmental levels of seminal vesicles were dissected. The metabolomics analysis and semen storage experiments in vitro display signatures of squalene that may act as an effective protective agent in maintaining sperm viability. Collectively, our findings indicate that spermatophore development in drones provides metabolite support, which contributes to research on the differences of sperm viability among drones in the future.

CD36 accelerates the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by promoting FAs absorption.

CD36 is emerging as a potential strategy for cancer treatment because of its function of regulating fatty acid intake. The purpose of this study was to clarify the molecular mechanism of CD36 in the progression of HCC. TCGA database was used to analyze the relationship of CD36 with HCC. The expression of CD36 in HCC clinical samples and cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. Huh7 cells and HCCLM3 cells were transfected and treated into different group. CCK-8 and clone formation assay were used to detect the cell proliferation ability. Wound healing and transwell experiment were used to detect the metastatic ability. HCC xenografts were constructed in nude mice by subcutaneous injection of stably transfected Huh7 cells. The expression of CD36 in HCC was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The contents of phospholipids and triglycerides in HCC cells were detected by ELISA. And the content of neutral lipids in HCC cells was detected by staining with BODIPY 493/503 and DAPI dye. Then transcriptional sequencing was used to determine the downstream mechanism of CD36 in HCC, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed. CD36 was upregulated in HCC. Knockdown of CD36 could suppress the proliferation and metastasis of HCC in vitro and in vivo by regulating FAs intake in HCC. In addition, the expression of AKR1C2 was suppressed by sh-CD36, and which was also involved in the regulation of FAs intake. The molecular mechanism by which CD36 accelerated the progression of HCC was to promote the expression of AKR1C2 and thus enhance fatty acids (FAs) intake.

Research Progress on Therapeutic Effect and Mechanism of Propolis on Wound Healing.

Propolis is a kind of reduct collected by bees from various plant sources. Because propolis is a mixture, it has a variety of biological activities, excellent anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects. Especially in the treatment of infectious wounds, acute wounds, burns, and scalds and promoting wound healing, more and more scientists began to apply it to the research field of wound healing. The standard preparation of propolis combined with other compound components has a safer and less toxic effect in the treatment of trauma. In order to more effectively use propolis products in wound treatment. This paper reviews the effect and treatment mechanism of propolis on different types of wound healing, as well as the synergistic effect of propolis and other compounds, in order to provide ideas for the further exploration of the biological activity and pharmacological function of propolis in the future, as well as its in-depth development in the field of wound healing. It will also provide a theoretical reference for the further development and utilization of propolis.

NLR1 is a strong candidate for the Rm3 dominant green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) resistance trait in peach.

The green peach aphid (GPA), Myzus persicae, is a polyphagous, sap-sucking aphid and a vector of many plant viruses. In peach, Prunus persica, three individual dominant GPA resistance loci have been genetically defined (Rm1-3), but knowledge of the underlying genes is limited. In this study, we focused on the Rm3 locus. Bulk segregant analysis (BSA) mapping in segregating progeny populations delimited Rm3 to an interval spanning 160 kb containing 21 genes on chromosome 1. RNA-seq data provided no evidence of candidate genes, but chromosomal structural variations were predicted around a nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NLR) gene (ppa000596m) within the Rm3 fine-mapping interval. Following bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library construction for a GPA-resistant peach cultivar and the sequencing of three target BAC clones, a chromosomal structural variation encompassing two novel TIR-NLR-class disease resistance (R) protein-coding genes was identified, and the expressed NLR gene (NLR1) was identified as a candidate for M. persicae resistance. Consistent with its proposed role in controlling GPA resistance, NLR1 was only expressed in the leaves of resistant peach phenotypes. A molecular marker that was designed based on the NLR1 sequence co-segregated with the GPA-resistant phenotype in four segregating populations, 162 peach cultivars, and 14 wild relatives, demonstrating the dominant inheritance of the Rm3 locus. Our findings can be exploited to facilitate future breeding for GPA-resistance in peach.

Solubilization of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Single and Binary Mixed Rhamnolipid-Sophorolipid Biosurfactants.

Biosurfactants are promising additives for surfactant enhanced remediation (SER) technologies due to their low toxicity and high biodegradability. To develop green and efficient additives for SER, the aqueous solubility enhancements of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene) by rhamnolipid (RL) and sophorolipid (SL) biosurfactants were investigated in single and binary mixed systems. The solubilization capacities were quantified in terms of the solubility enhancement factor, molar solubilization ratio (MSR), and micelle-water partition coefficient (). Rughbin's model was applied to evaluate the interaction parameters (ß) in the mixed RL-SL micelles. The solubility of the PAHs increased linearly with the glycolipid concentration above the critical micelle concentration (CMC) in both single and mixed systems. Binary RL-SL mixtures exhibited greater solubilization than individual glycolipids. At a SL molar fraction of 0.7 to 0.8, the solubilization capacity was the greatest, and the MSR and reached their maximum values, and ß values became positive. These results suggest that the two biosurfactants act synergistically to increase the solubility of the PAHs. The solubilization capacity of the RL-SL mixtures increased with increasing temperature and decreased with increasing salinity. The aqueous solubility of phenanthrene reached a maximum value at pH of 5.5. Moreover, the mixed RL-SL systems exhibited a strong ability to solubilize PAHs, even in the presence of heavy metal ions. These mixed biosurfactant systems have the potential to improve the performance of SER technologies using biosurfactants to solubilize hydrophobic organic contaminants by decreasing the applied biosurfactant concentration, which reduces the costs of remediation.