Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) has been reported to play an important role in cancer and is secreted and involved in the progression of various cancers, including ovarian cancer, prostate ...cancer, and thyroid cancer. Nevertheless, the functional mechanism of GDF15 in gastric cancer is still unclear. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to estimate the expression of GDF15 in 178 gastric cancer tissues. The biological role and action mechanism of GDF15 were investigated by examining the effect of GDF15 knockdown in AGS and SNU216 gastric cancer cells. Here, we report that the high expression of GDF15 was associated with invasion depth (
= 0.002), nodal involvement (
= 0.003), stage III/IV (
= 0.01), lymphatic invasion (
= 0.05), and tumor size (
= 0.049), which are related to poor survival in gastric cancer patients. GDF15 knockdown induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and remarkably inhibited cell proliferation and reduced cell motility, migration, and invasion compared to the control. GDF15 knockdown inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition by regulating the STAT3 phosphorylation signaling pathways. Taken together, our results indicate that GDF15 expression is associated with aggressive gastric cancer by promoting STAT3 phosphorylation, suggesting that the GDF15-STAT3 signaling axis is a potential therapeutic target against gastric cancer progression.
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•The production of green H2 from biomass valorization by gasification was explained.•The gaseous product of gasification is intensely affected by experimental conditions.•Steam has ...been known as the most efficient gasifying agent for the H2 production.•Functional mechanism of catalyst affects the gasification efficiency and H2 yield.•Technical and economic obstacles should be solved for gasification commercialization.
Green and sustainable hydrogen from biomass gasification processes is one of the promising ways to alternate fossil fuels-based hydrogen production. First off, an overview of green hydrogen generation from biomass gasification processes is presented and the corresponding possible gasification reactions and the effect of respective experimental criteria are explained in detail. In addition, a comprehensive explanation of the catalytic effect on tar reduction and hydrogen generation via catalytic gasification is presented regarding the functional mechanisms of various types of catalysts. Furthermore, the commercialization aspects, the associated technical challenges and barriers, and the prospects of a biomass gasification process for green hydrogen generation are discussed. Finally, this comprehensive review provides the related advancements, challenges, and great insight of biomass gasification for the green hydrogen generation to realize a sustainable hydrogen society via biomass valorization.
Despite the recent considerable progress, the reversibility and cycle life of silicon anodes in lithium-ion batteries are yet to be improved further to meet the commercial standards. The current ...major industry, instead, adopts silicon monoxide (SiO x , x ≈ 1), as this phase can accommodate the volume change of embedded Si nanodomains via the silicon oxide matrix. However, the poor Coulombic efficiencies (CEs) in the early period of cycling limit the content of SiO x , usually below 10 wt % in a composite electrode with graphite. Here, we introduce a scalable but delicate prelithiation scheme based on electrical shorting with lithium metal foil. The accurate shorting time and voltage monitoring allow a fine-tuning on the degree of prelithiation without lithium plating, to a level that the CEs in the first three cycles reach 94.9%, 95.7%, and 97.2%. The excellent reversibility enables robust full-cell operations in pairing with an emerging nickel-rich layered cathode, LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2, even at a commercial level of initial areal capacity of 2.4 mAh cm–2, leading to a full cell energy density 1.5-times as high as that of graphite-LiCoO2 counterpart in terms of the active material weight.
Background
Complex‐based chemical shift imaging‐based magnetic resonance imaging (CSE‐MRI) is emerging as a preferred method for noninvasively quantifying proton density fat fraction (PDFF), a ...promising quantitative imaging biomarker (QIB) for longitudinal hepatic steatosis measurement.
Purpose
To determine linearity, bias, repeatability, and reproducibility of the PDFF measurement using CSE‐MRI (CSE‐PDFF) across scan intervals, MR field strengths, and readers in phantom and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.
Study Type
Institutional Review Board (IRB)‐approved prospective.
Subjects
Fat‐water phantom and 20 adult patients.
Field Strength/Sequence
1.5 T and 3.0 T MR systems and a commercially available CSE‐MRI sequence (IDEAL‐IQ).
Assessment
Two independent readers measured CSE‐PDFF of fat‐water phantom and NAFLD patients across two field strengths and scan intervals (same‐day and 2‐week) each and in a combination of both. MR spectroscopy‐based PDFF (MRS‐PDFF) was used as the reference standard for phantom PDFF.
Statistical Tests
Linearity and bias of measurement were evaluated by linear regression analysis and Bland–Altman plots, respectively. Repeatability and reproducibility were assessed by coefficient of variance and repeatability / reproducibility coefficients (RC). The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to validate intra‐ and interobserver agreements.
Results
CSE‐PDFF showed high linearity and small bias (–0.6–0.4 PDFF%) with 95% limits of agreement within ±2.9 PDFF% across field strengths, 2‐week interscan period, and readers in the clinical scans. CSE‐PDFF was highly repeatable and reproducible both in phantom and clinical scans, with the largest observed RC across field strengths and 2‐week interscan period being 3 PDFF%.
Data Conclusion
CSE‐PDFF is a robust QIB with high linearity, small bias, and excellent repeatability/reproducibility. A change of more than 3 PDFF% across field strengths within 2 weeks of scan interval likely reflects a true change, which is well within the clinically acceptable range.
Level of Evidence: 3
Technical Efficacy: Stage 2
J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:305–314.
Objective We retrospectively analyzed the prevalence and clinical features of splenic infarctions in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (Ph- MPNs). Patients ...Patients diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis (pre-PMF), or PMF from January 1996 to October 2020 in Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea, were reviewed. Results A total of 347 patients (143 ET, 129 PV, 44 pre-PMF, and 31 PMF patients; 201 men and 146 women) with a median age of 64 (range 15-91) years old were followed up for a median of 4.7 (range 0.1-26.5) years. Fifteen (4.3%) patients exhibited splenic infarctions at the diagnosis. These were most common in PMF patients (12.9%), followed by pre-PMF (9.1%) and PV (5.4%) patients. Multifocal infarcts (60.0%) were most common, followed by solitary (33.3%) and extensive infarcts (6.7%). The cumulative incidence of thrombosis in patients with splenic infarctions tended to be higher than in those lacking infarctions (10-year incidence 46.7% vs. 21.0% in PV; p=0.215; 33.3% vs. 17.9% in pre-PMF; p=0.473) patients, but statistical significance was lacking. Palpable splenomegaly (hazard ratio 14.89; 95% confidence interval 4.00-55.35; p<0.001) was the only independent risk factor for splenic infarction. During follow-up, 5 (1.4%) patients developed splenic infarctions. Conservative treatment adequately controlled the symptoms; no serious complications were noted in any patient. Conclusion Splenic infarctions occurred most frequently in patients with PMF; it was rare in patients with ET. The clinical courses were generally mild.
Retinal bound to protein is a chromophore whose absorption wavelength changes considerably depending on the protein environment. It is the key component for animal vision and plays an important role ...in converting light to metabolic energy in certain microorganisms. In the present study, we used time‐dependent density functional theory to compute the absorption wavelength of all‐trans‐retinal in the form of protonated Schiff base under various conditions and show that electrostatic interactions are important in color‐tuning, while structural change also affects the absorption wavelength to some extent.
Retinal in the form of protonated Schiff base is the chromophore in many proteins called rhodopsins. The absorption wavelength of this chromophore can be readily tuned by modifying the environment of the molecule. Our calculations demonstrate that electrostatic interactions are very important in spectral tuning. In addition, we also show that the geometry of retinal also affects the absorption wavelength to some extent.
•Recent progress in the catalytic thermochemical conversion processes are reviewed.•Potential of biomass as a biofuel for renewable energy applications is addressed.•Use of catalyst in gasification ...can reduce reaction time and increase gas yield.•Activity and stability of the catalyst should be overcome for bio-oil production.•Optimization of process and reactor design needs to be also considered.
This review paper introduces various biomasses (e.g., agricultural, woody biomass waste) used in thermochemical conversion processes, including gasification, pyrolysis, and hydrothermal liquefaction. The recent advances and progress in catalytic thermochemical conversion technologies are analyzed. In particular, the role of catalysts in different reactors on the major products (bio-oil and syngas) is discussed with respect to the product yield and property. Various catalytic reaction mechanisms during the thermochemical conversion reaction are discussed to explain the conditions to enhance the desired pyrolysis product quality. Furthermore, different types of reactors for each thermochemical process are reviewed. Further processing technologies using biomass pyrolytic bio-oil products are also introduced. Finally, this review paper presents the related challenges and opportunities encountered in thermochemical conversion processes to understand better the future of thermochemical conversion processes in biorefineries.
•Carbonization characteristics of biomass and coking coal blends were examined.•CH4 and H2 were the main gases of coal and biomass/coal blends during carbonization.•Calorific value of the bio-coke ...was higher than 7000 kcal/kg.•Ignition temperature of the bio-cokes was 400–600 °C, meeting coke standards.•Resultant bio-coke is a good substitute for coal, reducing CO2 emissions.
Carbonization is a low-temperature thermochemical process that converts organic matter in the absence of oxygen mainly into char, gas, and liquids. Bio-coke is a char prepared from a mixture of biomass/charcoal and a coal blend. It can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing coke and reducing coal consumption in the ironmaking process. In this study, the carbonization characteristics such as char conversion, gas and tar composition of bio-coke were determined using a batch-type carbonization reactor. Yellow poplar wood used as a biomass was added to a coking coal in different ratios (0, 10, 15, 20, and 30 wt%) and the resulting raw bio-coke was carbonized at different final temperatures (500–800 °C). The calorific value of bio-coke was higher than 7000 kcal/kg, exceeding the standard value. Moreover, the initiation combustion temperature of the resultant bio-coke determined using TGA was in the range of 400–600 °C. It is concluded that bio-coke is a suitable substitute for conventional fossil fuels reducing CO2 emissions.
The chemokine receptor CXCR7 has been suggested to play important roles in the progression of several types of cancers. However, few studies have investigated the biological roles of CXCR7 in head ...and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). CXCR7 expression and its clinical implications were examined in 103 HNSCC tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The biological roles and mechanisms of CXCR7-mediated signaling pathways were investigated in HNSCC cells through CXCR7 overexpression in vitro and in vivo. High expression of CXCR7 was significantly associated with tumor size (P = 0.007), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.004), and stage (P = 0.020) in HNSCC. Overexpression of CXCR7 in HNSCC cells enhanced cell migration and invasion in vitro and promoted lymph node metastasis in vivo. CXCR7 also induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition through PI3K/AKT. CXCR7 increased secretion of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and promoted EMT through phosphorylated Smad2/3. Taken together, our results provide functional and mechanistic roles of CXCR7 as a master regulator of oncogenic TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling in HNSCC, suggesting that CXCR7 might be a therapeutic target for the treatment of HNSCC.
To analyze the correlation between intestinal ultrasound (IUS) and serum and fecal biomarkers, and the characteristics of small bowel disease, for the assessment of active bowel inflammation.
...Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) who underwent an initial IUS examination between July 2018 and November 2022 at our institution were included retrospectively. We divided small and large bowels into seven segments, and recorded the presence of active inflammation according to following criteria: bowel wall thickness ≥ mm with ≥1 of feature of active disease on IUS. The correlations between IUS-assessed activity and serum C-reactive protein (CRP, mg/dL) and fecal calprotectin (FC, μg/g) levels were analyzed.
A total of 127 patients were included (mean age: 32.42 ± 12.07, M:F = 90:37, median disease duration 6 years 0-35). Of them, 78 showed active bowel inflammation (61.4%), with inflammation distal to the terminal ileum being the most common disease location (n = 61, 78.2%). FC and serum CRP levels were significantly correlated with the number of segments with active inflammation (rho = 0.58, 0.48), number of segments with complications (r = 0.35, 0.31), and US activity score (r = 0.62, 0.54). With FC cutoff values of 100 and 150 μg/g, the concordance rates for patients with active small bowel disease were 78.7% (26/33) and 72.7% (24/33), respectively, which were better than those for other disease locations.
Disease activity determined by IUS was significantly correlated with the biomarkers, with a better concordance rate in patients with active small bowel disease than in those with other disease locations with FC cut-off values of 100 and 150 μg/g.
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