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Summary: Meat is widely regarded as the optimal source of protein for human consumption. However, meat is susceptible to spoilage and microbial contamination throughout processing, transportation and storage stages. Traditional thermal processing techniques are commonly employed in the global meat industry. While these methods ensure microbiological safety, they may also impact the sensory and functional attributes of meat products. To address these limitations, non‐thermal processing technologies are progressively replacing conventional thermal approaches. This review will primarily focus on the potential application of non‐thermal processing technologies as alternatives to traditional methods in meat and meat product processing. Various technologies exhibiting promising performance in this field will be presented. Additionally, the mechanisms, advantages and limitations of these non‐thermal technologies in recent years will be summarised, along with a discussion on the challenges and prospects they present. This study provides an overview of non‐thermal processing technology specifically applied to meat products, emphasising the underlying mechanisms associated with different approaches. By employing diverse technical combinations, it is possible to address existing processing limitations and expand their applicability range. Non‐thermal processing technology demonstrates significant potential for enhancing meat processing practices; however, concerns regarding safety aspects and limited clinical verification about to environmental pollution have impeded its widespread adoption within the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To study the value of autotaxin (an autocrine motility factor) lcvcl in scrum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in predicting refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in children and its correlation with interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and C-rcactivc protein (CRP). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 238 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia who were admitted from January 2019 to December 2021. According to disease severity, they were divided into two groups: RMPP (n=82) and general Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (GMPP; n=156). The two groups were compared in terms of the levels of autotaxin, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP in scrum and BALF to study the value of autotaxin level in serum and BALF in predicting RMPP in children, as well as the correlation of autotaxin level with IL-6, IL-8, and CRP in children with RMPP. Results Compared with the GMPP group, the RMPP group had significantly higher levels of autotaxin, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP in scrum and BALF (P<0.05). For the children with RMPP, the levels of autotaxin, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP in scrum and BALF in the acute stage were significantly higher than those in the convalescent stage (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the level of autotaxin in scrum and BALF had a good value in predicting RMPP in children, with an area under the curve of 0.874 (95%CI: 0.8160.935) and 0.862 (95%CI: 0.802-0.924), respectively. The correlation analysis showed that the lcvcl of autotaxin in scrum and BALF was positively correlated with IL-6, IL-8, and CRP levels (P<0.001). Conclusions The lcvcl of autotaxin in scrum and BALF incrcascs and is correlated with the degree of disease recovery and inflammatory cytokines in children with RMPP. Autotaxin can be used as a predictive indicator for RMPP in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: CHD4 gene, encoding chromodomain helicase DNA‐binding protein 4, is a vital gene for fetal development. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between CHD4 variants and idiopathic epilepsy. Methods: Trios‐based whole‐exome sequencing was performed in a cohort of 482 patients with childhood idiopathic epilepsy. The Clinical Validity Framework of ClinGen and an evaluating method from five clinical‐genetic aspects were used to determine the association between CHD4 variants and epilepsy. Results: Four novel heterozygous missense mutations in CHD4, including two de novo mutations (c.1597A>G/p.K533E and c.4936G>A/p.E1646K) and two inherited mutations with co‐segregation (c.856C>G/p.P286A and c.4977C>G/p.D1659E), were identified in four unrelated families with eight individuals affected. Seven affected individuals had sinus arrhythmia. From the molecular sub‐regional point of view, the missense mutations located in the central regions from SNF2‐like region to DUF1087 domain were associated with multisystem developmental disorders, while idiopathic epilepsy‐related mutations were outside this region. Strong evidence from ClinGen Clinical Validity Framework and evidences from four of the five clinical‐genetic aspects suggested an association between CHD4 variants and epilepsy. Conclusions: CHD4 was potentially a candidate pathogenic gene of childhood idiopathic epilepsy with arrhythmia. The molecular sub‐regional effect of CHD4 mutations helped explaining the mechanisms underlying phenotypic variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary adrenal lymphoma (PAL) is an exceedingly rare disease. Because of its rareness, uncertain etiology, variable duration of survival, unremarkable clinical presentations and unsatisfied therapeutic strategies, its treatment has always been unsatisfactory. Here we report a 50-year-old male patient with primary bilateral adrenal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. He was treated with surgery followed by combined chemotherapy using R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone). He achieved complete remission after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. At present, he is considered free of tumor at 3 years after chemotherapy. Our case report demonstrates that patients with primary bilateral adrenal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma may achieve a good outcome using R-CHOP chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, our patient who achieved complete remission after R-CHOP chemotherapy has had the longest survival as published in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the expression and significance of NEK2 and EMT-related molecules in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)., Methods: The expression levels of NEK2 and EMT-related molecules (E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin, Vimentin) in 60 cases of primary OSCC tissues and normal oral mucosa tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry(IHC). NEK2 mRNA expression in 25 OSCC tissues and 10 normal oral mucosa tissues was detected by qRT-PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software package., Results: The expression of NEK2, N-Cadherin, and Vimentin increased in OSCC tissues, while the expression of E-Cadherin decreased(P＜0.05). The worse the differentiation, the higher the expression of NEK2 and the lower the expression of E-Cadherin(P＜0.05)., Conclusions: NEK2 can be used as a prognostic marker for OSCC. The up-regulation of NEK2 and the changes in the expression levels of EMT related molecules can promote the occurrence and development of OSCC.

Objective: To observe the effects of catgut embedding and polyglycolic acid/poly-lactic acid (PGLA) embedding at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on the activation of local skin mast cells (MC), and expression of substance P (SP) and histamine (HA), and to explore the mechanism of the temporal stimulation effect of acupoint catgut embedding and provide a foundation for further research on the initiation mechanism of acupoint catgut embedding., Methods: One hundred and sixty male SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group (10 rats), a sham-embedding group (50 rats), a catgut group (50 rats), and a PGLA group (50 rats). Each intervention group was further randomly divided into five subgroups according to the time points after intervention: 8 hours, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days, with 10 rats in each subgroup. One-time sham-embedding, catgut embedding and PGLA embedding was given at left "Zusanli" (ST 36) in each intervention group, respectively. The skin and subcutaneous connective tissue of the left "Zusanli" (ST 36) were collected at the corresponding time points after intervention, except for the blank group (only one day before intervention). Toluidine blue staining was used to detect MC count and degranulation, and immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of SP and HA positive cells., Results: There was no significant difference in MC count between the subgroups of each intervention group and the blank group ( P >0.05). There was no significant difference in MC count between the subgroups of the catgut group and the PGLA group ( P >0.05). The MC count in the 8-hour subgroup of PGLA group was higher than that in the 8-hour subgroup of catgut group ( P <0.05), while the MC count in the 21-day subgroup of PGLA group was lower than that in the 21-day subgroup of catgut group ( P <0.05). Compared with the blank group, the degranulation rates of MC were increased in the 8-hour and 3-day subgroups of sham-embedding group, 8-hour, 3-day, and 7-day subgroups of catgut group, and 8-hour, 3-day, 7-day, and 14-day subgroups of PGLA group ( P <0.01, P <0.05, P <0.001). There was no significant difference in the degranulation rate of MC between the subgroups of the catgut group and the PGLA group ( P >0.05), and no significant difference in the degranulation rate of MC between the two embedding groups at the same time point ( P >0.05). Compared with the blank group, the expression of SP positive cells was increased in the 8-hour subgroup of sham-embedding group, 8-hour, 3-day, 7-day, and 14-day subgroups of catgut group, and 3-day, 7-day, and 14-day subgroups of PGLA group ( P <0.001, P <0.05). The expression of SP positive cells in the 7-day subgroup of catgut group was higher than that in the 8-hour subgroup of catgut group ( P <0.05), while the expression of SP positive cells in the 14-day subgroup of catgut group was lower than that in the 7-day subgroup of catgut group ( P <0.001). The expression of SP positive cells in the 7-day subgroup of PGLA group was higher than that in the 3-day subgroup of PGLA group ( P <0.05), while the expression of SP positive cells in the 14-day subgroup of PGLA group was lower than that in the 7-day subgroup of PGLA group ( P <0.01). There was no significant difference in the expression of SP positive cells between the subgroups of the two embedding groups at the same time point ( P >0.05). Compared with the blank group, the expression of HA positive cells was increased in the 8-hour, 3-day subgroups of sham-embedding group, 8-hour, 3-day, 7-day, and 14-day subgroups of catgut group, and 8-hour, 3-day, 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day subgroups of PGLA group ( P <0.001, P <0.01, P <0.05). The expression of HA positive cells in the 14-day subgroup of catgut group was lower than that in the 7-day subgroup of catgut group ( P <0.05), while the expression of HA positive cells in the 3-day subgroup of PGLA group was higher than that in the 8-hour subgroup of PGLA group ( P <0.05), and the expression of HA positive cells in the 14-day subgroup of PGLA group was lower than that in the 7-day subgroup of PGLA group ( P <0.05). The expression of HA positive cells in the 3-day subgroup of PGLA group was higher than that in the 3-day subgroup of catgut group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: Catgut and PGLA embedding at "Zusanli" (ST 36) in healthy rats could induce changes in local skin MC, SP, and HA, which may be one of the mechanisms of the temporal stimulation effect after acupoint embedding. There are certain differences between different suture materials. A moderate inflammatory response in the acupoint area, mediated by MC and involving SP and HA, may be one of the initiating factors for the effect of acupoint catgut embedding.

Objective: To observe the expression of local macrophages and related cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) after catgut implantation in "Zusanli"(ST 36) in rats, so as to explore its underlying mechanisms in inducing therapeutic effect., Methods: A total of 110 male SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group ( n =10), catgut embedding (CE) group ( n =50), and sham CE group ( n =50). The CE and sham CE groups were randomly divided into 8 h, 3 d, 7 d, 14 d and 21 d subgroups after the intervention ( n =10 in each time point group). Rats of the CE group were uniformly subjected into catgut embedding at ST36 once, and those of the sham CE group received embedding needle puncture at ST36 without catgut retention, and the blank control group was only grasped and fixed without other treatments. Tissues from the ST36 area in each group were collected at the corresponding time points, and the expression of CD68 in macrophages in the acupoint area was detected by immunofluorescence, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β in the acupoint area were detected by ELISA., Results: Following catgut embedment at ST36, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β, and macrophage CD68 expression level began to increase at 8 h, peaked at 3 d, and then gradually decreased at 7, 14, and 21 d, being still higher in the CE group than in the blank control group at 21 d ( P <0.05). Compared with the blank control group, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β, and macrophage CD68 expression were significantly increased at 8 h, and 3, 7, 14 and 21 d in the CE group ( P <0.05). Following sham CE at ST36, the content of TNF-α at 8 h and 3 d, IL-1β at 8 h and 3, 7 and 14 d, and expression of CD68 at 8 h were significantly increased in comparison with the blank control group ( P <0.05). Comparison between the CE and sham CE groups showed that the contents of IL-1β at 3, 7, 14 and 21 d, and contents of TNF-α，CD68 expression at 8 h, and 3, 7, 14 and 21 d were significantly higher in the CE group than in the sham CE group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: Catgut embedding at ST36 can induce an increase levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and macrophage CD68 in the local microenvironment in rats, which may contribute to its functions in initiating therapeutic effect.

Objectives: To study the value of autotaxin (an autocrine motility factor) level in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in predicting refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in children and its correlation with interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and C-reactive protein (CRP)., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 238 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia who were admitted from January 2019 to December 2021. According to disease severity, they were divided into two groups: RMPP ( n =82) and general Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (GMPP; n =156). The two groups were compared in terms of the levels of autotaxin, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP in serum and BALF to study the value of autotaxin level in serum and BALF in predicting RMPP in children, as well as the correlation of autotaxin level with IL-6, IL-8, and CRP in children with RMPP., Results: Compared with the GMPP group, the RMPP group had significantly higher levels of autotaxin, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP in serum and BALF ( P <0.05). For the children with RMPP, the levels of autotaxin, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP in serum and BALF in the acute stage were significantly higher than those in the convalescent stage ( P <0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the level of autotaxin in serum and BALF had a good value in predicting RMPP in children, with an area under the curve of 0.874 (95% CI : 0.816-0.935) and 0.862 (95% CI : 0.802-0.924), respectively. The correlation analysis showed that the level of autotaxin in serum and BALF was positively correlated with IL-6, IL-8, and CRP levels ( P <0.001)., Conclusions: The level of autotaxin in serum and BALF increases and is correlated with the degree of disease recovery and inflammatory cytokines in children with RMPP. Autotaxin can be used as a predictive indicator for RMPP in children.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common cancers in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the updated incidence rates and risk factors of EC in Nan'ao Island, where the EC incidence rate was chronically the highest in southern China. To calculate the annual incidence rate, data on 338 EC cases from Nan'ao Cancer Registry system diagnosed during 2005-2011 were collected. A case-control study was conducted to explore the EC risk factors. One hundred twenty-five alive EC patients diagnosed during 2005-2011 and 250 controls were enrolled into the case-control study. A pre-test questionnaire on demography, dietary factors, drinking water treatment, and behavioral factors was applied to collect information of all participants. The average EC incidence rates during 2005-2011 were 66.09/105, 94.62/105, 36.83/105 for both genders, males and females, respectively, in Nan'ao Island. The EC incidence rate in males was 2.40- to 4.55-fold higher than that in females in the period from 2006 to 2011 (P < 0.05). Considering the onset age, males tend to be much younger than females and reached peak incidence rate at a younger age (P < 0.05). Drinking water treatment by filter (odds ratio [OR] = 0.28, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.13-0.58) and fruit consumption (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.32-0.94) reduced the risk for EC. On the contrary, the pickled vegetables consumption (OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.46-4.76) and liquor drinking (OR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.21-4.44) increased the risk for EC. These results may be of importance for future research on EC etiology and prevention strategies., (© 2016 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.)