Artificial Neural Network Analysis of Xinhui Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae Using Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometer - Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution and Identification System

Purpose: To develop an effective analytical method to distinguish old peels of Xinhui Pericarpium citri reticulatae (XPCR) stored for > 3 years from new peels stored for < 3 years.Methods: Artificial neural networks (ANN) models, including general regression neural network (GRNN) and multi-layer feedforward neural network (MLFN), were used to analyze the Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometer - Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution and Identification System (GC-MSAMDIS) data of the essential oils of the XPCR. The Root Mean Square (RMS) errors of each ANN model was obtained through judging the characteristic of old peels and new peels.Results: The Root Mean Square (RMS) error of GRNN was 0.22, less than the error MLFN at different levels, indicating that GRNN model is more reliable and accurate for judging the characteristics of old peels and new ones.Conclusion: The general regression neural network model is established to reliably distinguish between old peels and new peels.Keywords: Artificial neural networks, Xinhui, Pericarpium, Citri reticulatae, Gas Chromatography, Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution and Identification System, Peel

The footprint of gut microbiota in gallbladder cancer: a mechanistic review

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common malignant tumor of the biliary system with the worst prognosis. Even after radical surgery, the majority of patients with GBC have difficulty achieving a clinical cure. The risk of tumor recurrence remains more than 65%, and the overall 5-year survival rate is less than 5%. The gut microbiota refers to a variety of microorganisms living in the human intestine, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, which profoundly affect the host state of general health, disease and even cancer. Over the past few decades, substantial evidence has supported that gut microbiota plays a critical role in promoting the progression of GBC. In this review, we summarize the functions, molecular mechanisms and recent advances of the intestinal microbiota in GBC. We focus on the driving role of bacteria in pivotal pathways, such as virulence factors, metabolites derived from intestinal bacteria, chronic inflammatory responses and ecological niche remodeling. Additionally, we emphasize the high level of correlation between viruses and fungi, especially EBV and Candida spp., with GBC. In general, this review not only provides a solid theoretical basis for the close relationship between gut microbiota and GBC but also highlights more potential research directions for further research in the future

Effect of BRCA1 R1325K mutation on proliferation and apoptosis of gallbladder cancer cells

Objective·To investigate the effects of breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) R1325K mutation [arginine (R) to lysine (K) mutation at amino acid 1325] on the proliferation and apoptosis of gallbladder cancer cell lines GBC-SD and NOZ.Methods·BRCA1 wild-type overexpression lentivirus, BRCA1 R1325K mutation overexpression lentivirus, and negative control lentivirus were used to construct the stable transgenic strains of gallbladder carcinoma, cell lines GBC-SD and NOZ. The cells were divided into the control group without the target gene, the BRCA1 wild-type group, and the BRCA1 R1325K mutation group. The expression of target protein was verified by Western blotting. The BRCA1 R1325K mutant gallbladder cancer cells were treated with 20 μmol/L Olaparib, a BRCA1 mutation inhibitor. Gallbladder cancer cell lines were divided into the control group, the BRCA1 wild-type group, the BRCA1 R1325K mutation group, and the BRCA1 R1325K mutation+Olaparib group according to the target gene expression and whether or not the inhibitor was added. The effect of BRCA1 R1325K mutation on proliferation and clonogenesis ability of gallbladder cancer cell lines GBC-SD and NOZ was observed by CCK8 assay and clonogenesis assay, respectively. The effect of BRCA1 R1325K mutation on apoptosis of gallbladder cancer cell lines GBC-SD and NOZ was observed by TUNEL assay. The expressions of apoptosis-related proteins, cleaved PARP, Bcl-2 and Bax, were detected by Western blotting. The inhibitor Olaparib was used to treat the BRCA1 R1325K mutant gallbladder cancer cell lines GBC-SD and NOZ. The phenotypic changes (promoting proliferation, enhancing clonogenesis and inhibiting apoptosis) induced by BRCA1 R1325K mutation were tested in the presence of Olaparib to determine whether the changes could be reversed by the inhibitor.Results·The results of CCK8 assay and clonogenesis assay showed that BRCA1 R1325K mutation could promote the proliferation of gallbladder cancer cell lines GBC-SD and NOZ, and improve their clonal formation ability, compared with the control group and the BRCA1 wild-type group. Olaparib inhibited the proliferation of gallbladder cancer cell lines overexpressing BRCA1 R1325K mutation (P<0.05). Through TUNEL and Western blotting, it was found that overexpression of wild-type BRCA1 could induce the apoptosis of gallbladder cancer cell lines GBC-SD and NOZ, compared with the control group. Compared with the control group and the BRCA1 wild-type group, the BRCA1 R1325K mutation group had anti-apoptotic effect, in which the expression of apoptosis-inhibiting protein Bcl-2 increased and the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax decreased (P<0.05).Conclusion·BRCA1 R1325K mutation can promote the proliferation of GBC-SD and NOZ cell lines and inhibit their apoptosis

Radiological Imaging for Assessing the Respectability of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most difficult tumors to stage and treat. The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic efficiency of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET/CT) in evaluating the resectability of HCC. A systematic search was performed of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy were calculated for individual studies and pooled data as well as test for heterogeneity and public bias. Our data showed that CT had the highest pooled sensitivity at 95% (95% CI: 91-97), whereas PET/CT had the highest pooled specificity at 81% (95% CI: 69-90). The area under the curve (AUC) of CT, MRI, and PET/CT was 0.9269, 0.9194, and 0.9218, respectively. In conclusion, CT is the most frequently used imaging modality to assess HCC resectability with a good sensitivity and specificity. MRI was generally comparable with that of CT and can be used as an alternative imaging technique. PET/CT appears to be the best technique in detecting lymph node and distant metastasis in HCC but has no clear role in helping to evaluate issues of local resectability

Transcriptomic profiling revealed important roles of amino acid metabolism in fruiting body formation at different ripening times in Hypsizygus marmoreus

IntroductionHypsizygus marmoreus is an industrial mushroom that is widely cultivated in East Asia. Its long postripening stage before fruiting severely limits its industrialized production.MethodsFive different mycelial ripening times (30, 50, 70, 90, and 100 d) were chosen and primordia (30P, 50P, 70P, 90P, and 110P) were collected for comparative transcriptomic analyses. The corresponding substrates (30F, 50F, 70F, 90F, and 110F) were used for nutrient content and enzyme activity determination.ResultsIn pairwise comparisons between 110P and other primordia, a total of 1,194, 977, 773, and 697 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in 30P_110P, 50P_110P, 70P_110P, and 90P_110P, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses revealed that the DEGs were mainly associated with amino acid metabolism, and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism pathways. Tyrosine, tryptophan, phenylalanine and histidine metabolism were enriched in all groups. Among the main carbon nutrients, the contents of cellulose and hemicellulose were high, and the lignin content decreased with the extension of the ripening time. Laccase had the highest activity, and acid protease activity decreased with the extension of the ripening time.DiscussionThe highly enrichment for amino acid metabolic pathways in primordia reveals that these pathways are essential for fruiting body formation in H. marmoreus, and these results will provide a basis for the optimization of its cultivation

Study on the Algae Lysis Method of White Rot Fungi Algae Control System

At present, there are few studies on known bacterial species and even less on fungi in biological algae control technology. In this paper, the green eutrophic shallow water lake Scenedesmus quadricauda (Turpin) was used as the research object, and white rot fungi, which has a high removal effect on water pollutants, algae and biological toxins, was used for algae control. The extent of the removal effect, physiological characteristics and the internal functional groups of the algae cells in the white rot fungi solution, the supernatant of the white rot fungi solution after centrifugation and the sterilized white rot fungi solution were investigated. The results showed that the best algae solubilization effect of the algae control system was achieved at 250 mg/L, with 8 mg/L of dissolved oxygen and a hydraulic retention time of 48 h. The average algae lysis rate was 85.48%, the average dehydrogenase activity reduction rate was 59.23%, the average soluble protein reduction rate was 65.16% and the average malondialdehyde content increased to 0.128 umol/L. After treatment with the white rot algae control system, the spatial structure of the Turpin cells was severely disrupted, and significant lysis occurred within the algal cells, forcing the release of intracellularly soluble substances, and reducing the dehydrogenase activity of the Turpin cells, thus inhibiting the growth activity of the algae cells. A further reduction in the soluble protein content reduces the nutrients required for the growth of Turpin, exacerbating the rate of reduction in the physiological metabolic activity of the Turpin cells and, ultimately, the inhibition or killing of the algal cells. The results of this research may provide theoretical guidance for the microbial control of water eutrophication; however, whether there will be secondary pollution after the algae dissolution of this process is worthy of further study

Study on the Algae Lysis Method of White Rot Fungi Algae Control System

At present, there are few studies on known bacterial species and even less on fungi in biological algae control technology. In this paper, the green eutrophic shallow water lake Scenedesmus quadricauda (Turpin) was used as the research object, and white rot fungi, which has a high removal effect on water pollutants, algae and biological toxins, was used for algae control. The extent of the removal effect, physiological characteristics and the internal functional groups of the algae cells in the white rot fungi solution, the supernatant of the white rot fungi solution after centrifugation and the sterilized white rot fungi solution were investigated. The results showed that the best algae solubilization effect of the algae control system was achieved at 250 mg/L, with 8 mg/L of dissolved oxygen and a hydraulic retention time of 48 h. The average algae lysis rate was 85.48%, the average dehydrogenase activity reduction rate was 59.23%, the average soluble protein reduction rate was 65.16% and the average malondialdehyde content increased to 0.128 umol/L. After treatment with the white rot algae control system, the spatial structure of the Turpin cells was severely disrupted, and significant lysis occurred within the algal cells, forcing the release of intracellularly soluble substances, and reducing the dehydrogenase activity of the Turpin cells, thus inhibiting the growth activity of the algae cells. A further reduction in the soluble protein content reduces the nutrients required for the growth of Turpin, exacerbating the rate of reduction in the physiological metabolic activity of the Turpin cells and, ultimately, the inhibition or killing of the algal cells. The results of this research may provide theoretical guidance for the microbial control of water eutrophication; however, whether there will be secondary pollution after the algae dissolution of this process is worthy of further study