Fatty acids and lipid mediators in inflammatory bowel disease: from mechanism to treatment

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Though the pathogenesis of IBD remains unclear, diet is increasingly recognized as a pivotal factor influencing its onset and progression. Fatty acids, essential components of dietary lipids, play diverse roles in IBD, ranging from anti-inflammatory and immune-regulatory functions to gut-microbiota modulation and barrier maintenance. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), products of indigestible dietary fiber fermentation by gut microbiota, have strong anti-inflammatory properties and are seen as key protective factors against IBD. Among long-chain fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids exhibit pro-inflammatory effects, while oleic acid and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids display anti-inflammatory actions. Lipid mediators derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids serve as bioactive molecules, influencing immune cell functions and offering both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory benefits. Recent research has also highlighted the potential of medium- and very long-chain fatty acids in modulating inflammation, mucosal barriers, and gut microbiota in IBD. Given these insights, dietary intervention and supplementation with short-chain fatty acids are emerging as potential therapeutic strategies for IBD. This review elucidates the impact of various fatty acids and lipid mediators on IBD and delves into potential therapeutic avenues stemming from these compounds

Kinetic 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma: a dual input four-compartment model

Abstract Background The endoplasmic reticulum plays an important role in glucose metabolism and has not been explored in the kinetic estimation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose PET/CT. Methods A dual-input four-compartment (4C) model, regarding endoplasmic reticulum was preliminarily used for kinetic estimation to differentiate 28 tumours from background liver tissue from 24 patients with HCC. Moreover, parameter images of the 4C model were generated from one patient with negative findings on conventional metabolic PET/CT. Results Compared to the dual-input three-compartment (3C) model, the 4C model has better fitting quality, a close transport rate constant (K 1) and a dephosphorylation rate constant (k 6/k 4), and a different removal rate constant (k 2) and phosphorylation rate constant (k 3) in HCC and background liver tissue. The K 1, k 2, k 3, and hepatic arterial perfusion index (HPI) from the 4C model and k 3, HPI, and volume fraction of blood (V b ) from the 3C model were significantly different between HCC and background liver tissues (all P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the 4C model yielded additional kinetic parameters for differentiating HCC. The diagnostic performance of the top ten genes from the most to least common was HPI(4C), V b (3C), HPI(3C), SUVmax, k 5 (4C), k 3 (3C), k 2 (4C), v(4C), K 1 (4C) and V b (4C). Moreover, a patient who showed negative findings on conventional metabolic PET/CT had positive parameter images in the 4C model. Conclusions The 4C model with the endoplasmic reticulum performed better than the 3C model and produced additional useful parameters in kinetic estimation for differentiating HCC from background liver tissue

Optimization of Deep Eutectic-like Solvent-based Ultrasound-assisted Extraction of Polysaccharides from Leonurus Residues

Effects of the different types of deep eutectic-like solvents (DESs), molar ratio, water content, extraction temperature, extraction time, and ratio of liquid to solid were studied relative to the yield of Leonurus residue crude polysaccharide (LRCP). Extraction amounts of LRCP were determined. The extraction process parameters were optimized by response surface methodology, and an optimal extraction process was achieved. The results showed that DESs comprising choline chloride and ethylene glycol (CCEG) were suitable for the extraction. The optimum extraction process was as follows: water content, 27%; extraction temperature, 62 °C; and extraction time, 48 min. With the abovementioned parameters, the predicted extraction yield of LRCP was 14.1%. It was found that with these optimal extraction conditions, a 52.9% higher extraction yield could be achieved compared with hot water extraction. Therefore, a type of DES was found to be an excellent extraction solvent alternative for the extraction of polysaccharides and has a practical value

Photodynamic Controls of Harmful Algal Blooms by an Ultra-efficient and Degradable AIEgen-based Photosensitizer

Harmful algal blooms (HAB) have severe impacts on human health, aquatic ecosystems, and economy. There is still a lack of effective means to control the algal blooms. Herein, a positively charged photosensitizer with aggregation induced emission (AIE) characteristics, namely TVP-A, is reported for its super-efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly governance of HAB. TVP-A possesses a characteristically high quantum yield of harvesting white light into reactive oxygen species (ROS). Attributed to its positive charges, TVP-A has good water solubility and can quickly adsorb onto algal cells floating on the water surface. It effectively triggers cell death through oxidative destruction of the nuclei and chloroplasts of algae. The extremely low effective concentration of TVP-A and the short irradiation time by natural light in removing algal blooms ensure its application at large scales under most weather conditions, without affecting other existing organisms. The slow but consistent self-degradation of TVP-A during the photodynamic controls of algal blooms avoids generating any environmental residues or secondary pollution to environmental systems. TVP-A thereby serves as an excellent candidate for the green governance of HAB, and this work represents a new paradigm for the development of efficient and degradable AIEgens for future environmental applications