Interaction of rat ascites hepatoma cells with cultured mesothelial cell layers: a model for tumor invasion

Interactions of rat ascites hepatoma cells with primary cultured layers of rat mesentery-derived cells were studied. The mesentery-derived cells were isolated from rat mesentery and cultured in Eagle's minimum essential medium with a 2-fold concentration of amino acids and vitamins supplemented with 10% calf serum. The primary cultured cells, consisting mainly of mesothelial cells in polygonal shape, forms a "paving stone" sheet. Upon seeding the tumor cells on the mesentery-derived cell layers, three different types of tumor cell growth were observed. Type 1 was the formation of piled-up tumor cell nests on mesothelial cell layers. Type 2 was the formation of flattened tumor cell islands underneath mesothelial cell layers. This island formation was clearly observed under a phase contrast microscope 2 days after the tumor cell seeding. Protrusion of cellular processes of the tumor cells beneath mesothelial cells was occasionally seen. Type 3 was the growth of tumor cells in suspension. These types of tumor cell growth closely resemble those in the peritoneal cavity observed after i.p. implantation of the tumor cells. When the tumor cells recovered from the blood of tumor-bearing rats were seeded, flattened tumor cell islands were formed 15 times more frequently than when the tumor cells isolated from host peritoneal cavity were seeded. Shortly after the appearance of small flattened tumor cell islands, a distinct morphological change of mesothelial cells from polygonal to spindle shape was seen preferentially at the marginal area of the cell layers (a partial retraction of cell edges). The retraction of mesothelial cells was induced not only by seeding the tumor cells but by adding the tumor ascites fluid or the medium conditioned by the tumor cell culture. The morphological change was reversed by changing the culture medium to remove the effectors. These results indicate that the system described in this study can provide a useful model to study tumor cell invasion.     

Nutritional Assessment in Adult Patients with Dysphagia: A Scoping Review

Malnutrition negatively affects the quality of life of patients with dysphagia. Despite the need for nutritional status assessment in patients with dysphagia, standard, effective nutritional assessments are not yet available, and the identification of optimal nutritional assessment items for patients with dysphagia is inadequate. We conducted a scoping review of the use of nutritional assessment items in adult patients with oropharyngeal and esophageal dysphagia. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched to identify articles published in English within the last 30 years. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven nutritional assessment categories were identified: body mass index (BMI), nutritional screening tool, anthropometric measurements, body composition, dietary assessment, blood biomarkers, and other. BMI and albumin were more commonly assessed in adults. The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM), defining new diagnostic criteria for malnutrition, includes the categories of BMI, nutritional screening tool, anthropometric measurements, body composition, and dietary assessment as its required components, but not the blood biomarkers and the “other” categories. We recommend assessing nutritional status, including GLIM criteria, in adult patients with dysphagia. This would standardize nutritional assessments in patients with dysphagia and allow future global comparisons of the prevalence and outcomes of malnutrition, as well as of appropriate interventions.     

The Effects of Gold Kiwifruit Intake Timing with or without Pericarp on Postprandial Blood Glucose Level

The purpose of this study was to examine how gold kiwifruit pericarp (pericarp is defined as the skin of the fruit) consumption and the timing thereof affect the postprandial blood glucose profile. The study was conducted on twelve healthy volunteers (six men and six women). According to our results, the simultaneous intake of gold kiwifruit with bread and the prior intake of gold kiwifruit evidently suppressed the postprandial blood glucose elevation compared with exclusive bread intake. There was no significant difference in postprandial blood glucose changes between the ingestion of gold kiwifruit pericarp and pulp and that of gold kiwifruit pulp only. The highest postprandial blood glucose elevation was suppressed by 27.6% and the area under the blood glucose elevation curve by 29.3%, even with the exclusive ingestion of gold kiwifruit pulp. We predicted that the ingestion of both the pericarp and pulp of gold kiwifruit would reduce the postprandial blood glucose elevation to a greater extent than that of gold kiwifruit pulp only; however, there was no significant difference between the two. These results indicate that gold kiwifruit consumption significantly suppresses the postprandial blood glucose elevation regardless of pericarp presence or absence and the timing of ingestion.     

UK food and nutrition security during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic

The COVID‐19 pandemic is a major shock to society in terms of health and economy that is affecting both UK and global food and nutrition security. It is adding to the ‘perfect storm’ of threats to society from climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, at a time of considerable change, rising nationalism and breakdown in international collaboration. In the UK, the situation is further complicated due to Brexit. The UK COVID‐19 Food and Nutrition Security project, lasting one year, is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and is assessing the ongoing impact of COVID‐19 on the four pillars of food and nutrition security: access, availability, utilisation and stability. It examines the food system, how it is responding, and potential knock on effects on the UK’s food and nutrition security, both in terms of the cascading risks from the pandemic and other threats. The study provides an opportunity to place the initial lessons being learnt from the on‐going responses to the pandemic in respect of food and nutrition security in the context of other long‐term challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.     

上海地区青少年精神障碍患者非自杀性自伤行为现状及影响因素研究

目的 调查上海市青少年精神障碍患者非自杀性自伤行为（NSSI）现状,并探讨其相关影响因素。方法 以上海市精神卫生中心于2019年6月至2021年12月收治的青少年精神障碍患者为研究对象,参照《精神障碍诊断与统计手册》评定研究对象过去2年内非自杀性自伤行为发生情况,并采用自制调查问卷收集调查对象基本情况,采用Barratt冲动量表（BIS-11）对冲动状况进行评估,采用青少年生活事件量表（ASLEC）评估应激性生活事件发生的频率和强度。采用描述性分析方法对青少年精神障碍患者非自杀性自伤行为发生情况进行分析,并采用单、多因素分析方法对非自杀性自伤行为发生的影响因素进行分析。结果 1 683例青少年精神障碍患者中657例出现NSSI,发生率为39.03%。其中男262例,女395例,年龄13~20岁,平均年龄（14.63±; 3.09）岁,病程1~4年,平均病程（2.87±; 1.21）年; 268例为偶发NSSI,389例反复出现NSSI。下臂及腕部、手是发生NSSI患者的主要自伤部位（分别为40.03%、33.03%）。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示抑郁程度越严重（OR=2.255）、遭受校园暴力（OR=2.289）、母亲教育程度为大专及以上（OR=2.428）、抑郁障碍（OR=1.855）、双向障碍（OR=2.212）、冲动总分偏高（OR=1.401）、人际关系得分高（OR=1.398）和学习压力得分高（OR=2.098）等均是导致青少年精神障碍患者发生NSSI的危险因素。结论 NSSI在青少年精神障碍患者中的发生率较高,重度抑郁、遭受校园暴力、母亲教育程度高、抑郁障碍、双向障碍、冲动总分偏高、人际关系差和学习压力大等的患者更易出现NSSI,应提高具有以上特征患者的关注度,并及时制定相应的干预策略,尽可能避免NSSI的发生。     

老年糖尿病患者运动状况及血糖控制情况研究

目的 研究老年糖尿病患者运动状况及血糖控制情况。方法 以2020年1月至2021年12月商丘市某医院诊治的老年糖尿病患者为研究对象,自制调查问卷获取患者的基本资料（包括性别、年龄、文化程度、居住地、病程、糖尿病并发症和其他基础疾病）,采用老年糖尿病患者运动锻炼评估量表评估运动状况,采用血生化指标检测评估血糖控制达标情况,分析老年糖尿病患者运动状况、血糖控制达标情况及其影响因素。结果 共纳入有效研究对象1 173例,其中男645例（54.99%）,年龄60~84岁,以60~69岁为主（45.69%）,文化程度以初中及以下为主（51.66%）,居住地以农村为主（56.61%）,病程以<5年为主（65.47%）,无糖尿病并发症者占90.88%,无其他基础疾病者占79.71%。血糖控制达标389例,达标率33.16%。运动状况总分（114.39±; 20.53）分,血糖未达标患者的运动状况总分及运动知识、运动行为、专业支持维度评分均显著低于血糖达标患者（均P<0.01）。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,病程（OR=0.689）、糖尿病并发症（OR=0.498）、其他基础疾病（OR=0.842）是老年糖尿病患者血糖达标的影响因素。结论 老年糖尿病患者运动状况有待改善,应针对不同情况的老年糖尿病患者进行个体干预,通过宣传教育提高运动知识认知及运动意愿,改善运动行为,增强运动锻炼的社会支持和专业支持,以促进血糖达标。     

Possible Electromagnetic Interference with Electronic Medical Equipment by Radio Waves Coming from Outside the Hospital

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) with electronic medical equipment by radio waves from mobile telephone handsets has been reported and is currently receiving wide attention. The possibility of EMI with electronic medical equipment by radio waves coming into the hospital has also been pointed out. But so far, there are no reports measuring the frequency distribution of electric field intensity induced by incoming radio waves. Therefore, we measured electric field intensity induced by radio waves coming into our 11-floor hospital, which was under construction. The maximum intensity observed was about 200 V/m at 2.79 GHz, from airport surveillance radar waves. The maximum intensity induced by radio waves from cellular phone base stations was 1.78 V/m. These data show that various frequencies of radio waves are common in this urban area, and that they induce strong electric field intensity. This strong electric field intensity might cause EMI with electronic medical equipment. Measurement of the electromagnetic environment should be done by each hospital in urban areas to prevent EMI with electronic medical equipment.     

Optimal control problems with Atangana‐Baleanu fractional derivative

In this paper, we study fractional‐order optimal control problems (FOCPs) involving the Atangana‐Baleanu fractional derivative. A computational method based on B‐spline polynomials and their operational matrix of Atangana‐Baleanu fractional integration is proposed for the numerical solution of this class of problems. With this numerical technique, the FOCPs are reduced to a system of equations which are solved for the unknown parameters with the help of Mathematica® software. Our results show the applicability and usefulness of the numerical technique.     

Effects of cobalt and chromium ions on glycolytic flux and the stabilization of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α in macrophages in vitro

Implant wear and corrosion have been associated with adverse tissue reactions that can lead to implant failure. Wear and corrosion products are therefore of great clinical concern. For example, Co²⁺ and Cr³⁺ originating from CoCrMo‐based implants have been shown to induce a proinflammatory response in macrophages in vitro. Previous studies have also shown that the polarization of macrophages by some proinflammatory stimuli is associated with a hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α)‐dependent metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) towards glycolysis. However, the potential of Co²⁺ and Cr³⁺ to induce this metabolic shift, which plays a determining role in the proinflammatory response of macrophages, remains largely unexplored. We recently demonstrated that Co²⁺, but not Cr³⁺, increased oxidative stress and decreased OXPHOS in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. In the present study, we analyzed the effects of Co²⁺ and Cr³⁺ on glycolytic flux and HIF‐1α stabilization in the same experimental model. Cells were exposed to 6 to 24 ppm Co²⁺ or 50 to 250 ppm Cr³⁺. Glycolytic flux was determined by analyzing extracellular flux and lactate production, while HIF‐1α stabilization was analyzed by immunoblotting. Results showed that Co²⁺, and to a lesser extent Cr³⁺, increased glycolytic flux; however, only Co²⁺ acted through HIF‐1α stabilization. Overall, these results, together with our previous results showing that Co²⁺ increases oxidative stress and decreases OXPHOS, suggest that Co²⁺ (but not Cr³⁺) can induce a HIF‐1α‐dependent metabolic shift from OXPHOS towards glycolysis in macrophages. This metabolic shift may play an early and pivotal role in the inflammatory response induced by Co²⁺ in the periprosthetic environment.     

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Abductor Muscles Shortly After Curved Periacetabular Osteotomy

BackgroundCurved periacetabular osteotomy (CPO) is performed via an anterior approach without detachment of the hip abductor muscles. This study aimed to evaluate the abductor muscle status shortly after CPO on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).MethodsWe prospectively evaluated 38 hips in 38 patients 1 week and 3 months after CPO between October 2017 and July 2019. The status of the abductor muscles was assessed on MRI using the following criteria: grade 0, normal; grade I, strain/edema; grade II, partial tear; and grade III, complete tear. We also evaluated associations between muscle status and patients’ characteristics.ResultsOne week after CPO, the gluteus maximus was classified as grade 0 in all patients. The gluteus medius was grade 0 in 84.2% of patients and grade I in 15.8%. The gluteus minimus was grade I in 55.3% of patients and grade II in 44.7%. Three months after CPO, both the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius were grade 0 in all patients, while the gluteus minimus was still grade I in 47.4%. There were no significant differences between patients with a grade 0 and grade I gluteus minimus at 3 months after CPO in patients’ characteristics (age and body mass index) or clinical scores (Harris Hip Score and Japanese Orthopedics Association score).ConclusionBoth the gluteus minimus and medius showed abnormal appearances on MRI 1 week after CPO, whereas only the gluteus minimus showed abnormalities 3 months after CPO. This abductor muscle status did not affect the postoperative Harris Hip Score or Japanese Orthopedics Association score.