Tuning the high-entropy perovskite as efficient and reliable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction

Due to their unique electronic structure, atomic arrangement and synergistic effect, high-entropy materials are being actively pursued as electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water splitting. However, a relevant strategy to improve high-entropy materials is still lacking. Herein, substitutional doping on the La-site in high-entropy perovskite La1-x Sr x (CrMnFeCoNi)0.2O3 is reported as an efficient OER catalyst. Sr doping is found to be crucial to enhancing the OER activity. The overpotential for the best catalyst La0.3Sr0.7(CrMnFeCoNi)0.2O3 is only 330 mV at 10 mA cm-2, achieving a reduction of 120 mV in overpotential compared to La(CrMnFeCoNi)0.2O3, which is attributed to the enhancement in intrinsic catalytic activity. Experimental evidences including in situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate Sr doping induces the formation of high-valence Cr6+, Mn4+, Fe4+, Co4+ and Ni3+ species, which can accelerate the faster charge transfer at the interface, thereby increasing the intrinsic catalytic activity. The assembled two-electrode overall water splitting system operates stably at 10 mA cm-2 for 200 h without attenuation. This work offers an important method for developing a high-performance, high-entropy perovskite OER catalyst for hydrogen production by electrochemical water splitting.

Au-Fe3O4 Janus nanoparticles for imaging-guided near infrared-enhanced ferroptosis therapy in triple negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is insensitive to conventional therapy due to its highly invasive nature resulting in poor therapeutic outcomes. Recent studies have shown multiple genes associated with ferroptosis in TNBC, suggesting an opportunity for ferroptosis-based treatment of TNBC. However, the efficiency of present ferroptosis agents for cancer is greatly restricted due to lack of specificity and low intracellular levels of H2O2 in cancer cells. Herein, we report a nano-theranostic platform consisting of gold (Au)-iron oxide (Fe3O4) Janus nanoparticles (GION@RGD) that effectively enhances the tumor-specific Fenton reaction through utilization of near-infrared (NIR) lasers, resulting in the generation of substantial quantities of toxic hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Specifically, Au nanoparticles (NPs) converted NIR light energy into thermal energy, inducing generation of abundant intracellular H2O2, thereby enhancing the iron-induced Fenton reaction. The generated •OH not only lead to apoptosis of malignant tumor cells but also induce the accumulation of lipid peroxides, causing ferroptosis of tumor cells. After functionalizing with the activity-targeting ligand RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp), precise synergistic treatment of TNBC was achieved in vivo under the guidance of Fe3O4 enhanced T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This synergistic treatment strategy of NIR-enhanced ferroptosis holds promise for the treatment of TNBC.

The predictive value of PI3K signaling pathway in ovarian cancer prognosis: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to comprehensively assess the clinical significance of the Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway in ovarian cancer patients, we conducted a meticulous meta-analysis utilizing individual studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this meta-analysis, publications through PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to December 2022. In this study, only published studies related to the PI3K signaling pathway and prognosis of ovarian cancer patients were included, excluding unpublished literature, incomplete data, animal experiments, literature reviews, and systematic studies. All data were processed by STATA15.1 statistical software.

RESULTS

Previous studies found that PI3K activation was closely related to poor prognosis of ovarian cancer cells [Hazard Ratio (HR)=1.67, 95% CI: 1.03-2.69, p=0.038], but not significantly related to disease-free prognosis (HR=1.07, 95% CI: 0.12-9.54, p=0.950). Our previous study found that PI3K pathway activation significantly reduced survival in >50% of stage II/III ovarian cancer cells (HR=2.07, 95% CI: 1.17-3.66, p=0.012). Our previous study found that PI3K activation level was not strongly associated with the survival of osteosarcoma in the European population (HR=1.35, 95% CI: 0.24-7.60, p=0.733), while in the Asian population, PI3K activation level was not strongly associated with the survival of osteosarcoma (HR=1.47, 95% CI: 1.15-1.87, p=0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

PI3K can be used as a predictor of prognosis for ovarian cancer, especially in advanced ovarian cancer and Asian patients. Activation of PI3K signaling is associated with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer.

Application Analysis of Low-Pressure Perfusion Combined with Occluder in Holmium Laser Lithotripsy for Patients with Middle and Upper Ureteral Calculi

BACKGROUND

Ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy has become one of the main methods of treating ureteral calculi. However, in the treatment of middle and upper ureteral calculi, ureteroscopy is difficult to operate owing to the high location of calculi. Thus, how to improve the treatment effect and reduce the stone migration has become the focus in clinical settings. On this basis, we evaluated the application effect of low-pressure perfusion combined with occluder in holmium laser lithotripsy for patients with middle and upper ureteral calculi.

METHODS

This retrospective study selected 107 patients with middle and upper ureteral calculi who underwent low-pressure perfusion combined with ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy from January 2021 to December 2022. We excluded 7 patients who did not meet the criteria, and ultimately included 100 patients. According to whether the occluder was used during the surgery, 100 patients were divided into groups A (n = 52, occluder) and B (n = 48, without occluder). The stone-migration rate during surgery, stone-clearance rate at 3 months after surgery, perioperative indicators, postoperative complication rate, and postoperative quality of life between the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

The stone-migration rate in group A was significantly lower than that in group B, with statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). Both groups had no significant difference in stone-clearance rate at 3 months after surgery (p > 0.05). Group A had a significantly lower index of EuroQol (EQ) Five Dimensions Questionnaire and significantly higher score of EQ-Visual Analogue Scale than group B (all p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the simple application of low-pressure perfusion, the combined application of low-pressure perfusion and occluder in ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy can effectively reduce the stone migration and improve the postoperative quality of life.

Engineering iron-based nanomaterials for breast cancer therapy associated with ferroptosis

Ferroptosis has received increasing attention as a novel nonapoptotic programmed death. Recently, iron-based nanomaterials have been extensively exploited for efficient tumor ferroptosis therapy, as they directly release high concentrations of iron and increase intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. Breast cancer is one of the commonest malignant tumors in women; inhibiting breast cancer cell proliferation through activating the ferroptosis pathway could be a potential new target for patient treatment. Here, we briefly introduce the background of ferroptosis and systematically review the current cancer therapeutic strategies based on iron-based ferroptosis inducers. Finally, we summarize the advantages of these various ferroptosis inducers and shed light on future perspectives. This review aims to provide better guidance for the development of iron-based nanomaterial ferroptosis inducers.

P-Incorporation Induced Enhancement of Lattice Oxygen Participation in Double Perovskite Oxides to Boost Water Oxidation

Activating the lattice oxygen in the catalysts to participate in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which can break the scaling relation-induced overpotential limitation (> 0.37 V) of the adsorbate evolution mechanism, has emerged as a new and highly effective guide to accelerate the OER. However, how to increase the lattice oxygen participation of catalysts during OER remains a major challenge. Herein, P-incorporation induced enhancement of lattice oxygen participation in double perovskite LaNi0.58 Fe0.38 P0.07 O3-σ (PLNFO) is studied. P-incorporation is found to be crucial for enhancing the OER activity. The current density reaches 1.35 mA cmECSA -2 at 1.63 V (vs RHE), achieving a sixfold increase in intrinsic activity. Experimental evidences confirm the dominant lattice oxygen participation mechanism (LOM) for OER pathway on PLNFO. Further electronic structures reveal that P-incorporation shifts the O p-band center by 0.7 eV toward the Fermi level, making the states near the Fermi level more O p character, thus facilitating LOM and fast OER kinetics. This work offers a possible method to develop high-performance double perovskite OER catalysts for electrochemical water splitting.

Adaptive Ultra-Hypofractionated Whole-Pelvic Radiotherapy in High-Risk and Very High-Risk Prostate Cancer on 1.5-1.5 MR Linac: The Estimated Delivered Dose and Early Toxicity Results

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To study the feasibility and safety for patients with high-risk (HR) and very high-risk (VHR) prostate cancer treated with adaptive ultra-hypofractionated whole-pelvic radiotherapy (UHF-WPRT) on 1.5 magnetic resonance (MR)-Linac.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Sevenpatients with clinical stage T3a-4N0-1M0-1c consecutively treated with UHF-WPRT on a 1.5-T MR-Linac were recruited prospectively in a phase II trial (NCT05183074, ChiCTR2000033382). A 36.25 Gy dose in five fractions was delivered every other day with a boost of 40 Gy to the whole prostate, as well as 25 Gy to whole pelvic nodal area with a concomitant boost of 35 Gy to metastatic regional nodes. To estimate the delivered dose, we collected data by 3D-MR for the following stages: pre-MR, position verification-MR (PV-MR) in the Adapt-To-Shape (ATS) workflow, and 3D-MR during the beam-on phase (Bn-MR) and at the end of RT (post-MR). The target and organ-at-risk contours in the PV-MR, Bn-MR, and post-MR stages were projected from the pre-MR data by deformable image registration and manually adapted by the physician, followed by dose recalculation for the ATS plan. The cumulative acute genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities were evaluated as per NCI-CTCAE 5.0 criteria. The primary endpoints were acute ≥grade 3 genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities during the first 3 months.

RESULTS

Overall, 133 MR scans were collected (35 pre-MR, 35 PV-MR, 31 Bn-MR and 32 post-MR scans). With a median on-couch time of 61 minutes, the mean prostate and pelvic planning target volume (PTV)-V95% of all scans was 96.98 ± 3.06% and 96.44 ± 2.85%, respectively. The corresponding mean prostate clinical target volume (CTV)-V100% was 99.89 ± 0.32%, 98.71 ± 1.90%, 97.77 ± 2.89%, and 98.56 ± 1.72%, and the mean pelvic CTV-V100% was 97.57% ± 3.70%, 96.54 ± 3.80%, 95.43 ± 4.31%, and 94.39 ± 4.47% on pre-MR, PV-MR, Bn-MR and post-MR scans, respectively. For the 4 patients with positive nodes, the mean V100% of metastatic regional nodes was 99.89 ± 0.81%. The median V29 Gy change in the rectal wall was -1% (-18%-20%). The V29 Gy of the rectal wall increased by >15% was observed in one scan. A slight increase in the high dose of bladder wall was noted due to gradual bladder growth during the workflow. With median follow-up time of 7.3 (4.6-12.2) months, all patients were followed-up for more than 3 months. No patient was observed with acute CTCAE grade 2 or more severe GU or GI toxicities (0%).

CONCLUSION

UHF-RT to prostate and pelvic with ATS workflow is well tolerated by patients with HR and VHR prostate cancer, with only mild GU and GI toxicities. The 3D-MR-based dosimetry analysis demonstrated clinically acceptable estimated dose coverage of target volumes during the beam-on period.

[The surgical classification and surgical strategy for en bloc resection of spine tumor]

En bloc resection of spine tumor is the essential treatment method for primary malignant spine tumor,primary aggressive spine tumor and solitary spine metastasis.It can achieve good local control and improve the prognosis.However,given the complex anatomic structure and major adjacent tissue and organ of the spine,en bloc resection of spine tumor remains the research hotspot in surgical treatment of spine tumor.On the basis of adequate surgical classification and surgical strategy,experienced surgical team for spine tumor can achieve good surgical margin while decreasing the morbidity of the en bloc resection of spine tumor.However,the details of surgical classification and surgical strategy require further study.

Burden and trends of iodine deficiency in Asia from 1990 to 2019

OBJECTIVES

Understanding iodine deficiency (ID) burdens and trends in Asia can help guide effective intervention strategies. This study aims to report the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of ID in 48 Asian countries during the period 1990-2019.

STUDY DESIGN

Data on ID were retrieved from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 and estimated by age, sex, geographical region, and sociodemographic index (SDI).

METHODS

The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to evaluate the changing trend of age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) related to ID during the period 1990-2019.

RESULTS

In Asia, there were 126,983,965.8 cases with 5,466,213.1 new incidence and 1,765,995.5 DALYs of ID in 2019. Between 1999 and 2019, the EAPC in ASIR, ASPR and ASDR were -0.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.8 to -0.4), -0.9 (95% CI, -1.2 to -0.7), and -1.6 (95% CI, -1.8 to -1.5), respectively. Malaysia charted the largest decrease in ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR (82.4%, 85.3%, and 80.9% separately), whereas the Philippines and Pakistan were the only two countries that witnessed an increase in ASIR and ASPR. ID burdens were more pronounced in women, countries located to the south of the Himalayas, and low-middle SDI regions.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence, prevalence, and DALYs of ID in Asia substantially decreased from 1990 to 2019. Women and low-middle SDI countries have relatively high ID burdens. Governments need to pay constant attention to the implementation and monitoring of universal salt iodization.

Application of nanomaterials in the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a non-traumatic hemorrhage caused by the rupture of blood vessels in the brain parenchyma, with an acute mortality rate of 30%‒40%. Currently, available treatment options that include surgery are not promising, and new approaches are urgently needed. Nanotechnology offers new prospects in ICH because of its unique benefits. In this review, we summarize the applications of various nanomaterials in ICH. Nanomaterials not only enhance the therapeutic effects of drugs as delivery carriers but also contribute to several facets after ICH such as repressing detrimental neuroinflammation, resisting oxidative stress, reducing cell death, and improving functional deficits.

The Important Role of Zinc in Neurological Diseases

Zinc is one of the most abundant metal ions in the central nervous system (CNS), where it plays a crucial role in both physiological and pathological brain functions. Zinc promotes antioxidant effects, neurogenesis, and immune system responses. From neonatal brain development to the preservation and control of adult brain function, zinc is a vital homeostatic component of the CNS. Molecularly, zinc regulates gene expression with transcription factors and activates dozens of enzymes involved in neuronal metabolism. During development and in adulthood, zinc acts as a regulator of synaptic activity and neuronal plasticity at the cellular level. There are several neurological diseases that may be affected by changes in zinc status, and these include stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, traumatic brain injuries, and depression. Accordingly, zinc deficiency may result in declines in cognition and learning and an increase in oxidative stress, while zinc accumulation may lead to neurotoxicity and neuronal cell death. In this review, we explore the mechanisms of brain zinc balance, the role of zinc in neurological diseases, and strategies affecting zinc for the prevention and treatment of these diseases.

Acid-triggered in vivo aggregation of Janus nanoparticles for enhanced imaging-guided photothermal therapy

Poor tumor delivery efficiency remains a significant challenge for the integrated nanoplatform for diagnosis and treatment. Nanotherapeutics capable of aggregation in response to the tumor microenvironment has received considerable attention because of its ability to enhance tumor delivery efficiency and accumulation. We prepared smart Au-Fe₃O₄ Janus nanoparticles (GIJ NPs) modified with mixed-charged ligands (3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid [DHCA] and trimethylammonium dopamine [TMAD]). The obtained GIJ@DHCA-TMAD could be stable at the pH of the blood and normal tissues, but aggregated into larger particles in response to the tumor acidic microenvironment, leading to greatly enhanced accumulation in cancer cells. The hydrodynamic diameters of GIJ@DHCA-TMAD increased from 28.2 to 105.7 nm when the pH decreased from 7.4 to 5.5. Meanwhile, the T ₂ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast capability, photoacoustic imaging (PAI) performance, and photothermal conversion efficiency of GIJ@DHCA-TMAD were also enhanced with increasing diameter. Tumor-specific enhanced MRI and PAI can precisely locate tumor boundaries and can be used to perform preliminary photothermal tumor ablation therapy: the pH-sensitive GIJ@DHCA-TMAD can be used in dual-mode, tumor-specific imaging-guided photothermal therapy to better meet the multiple requirements for in vivo applications.

Multiple organelle-targeted near-infrared fluorescent probes toward pH and viscosity

Organelles, including mitochondria (mito), lysosomes (lyso), endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus (Golgi), and ribosome et al., play a vital role in maintaining the regular work of the cell. Viscosity is an essential parameter in the cellular microenvironment. Herein, four viscosity-sensitive near-infrared fluorescent probes DMPC, DEPC, DHDM and DHDV that can simultaneously target multiple organelles were synthesized. As the viscosity increased, the fluorescence intensity of the probes gradually increased due to the hindrance of the rotation of the carbon-carbon single bond. The fluorescence intensity of DHDV increased by about 453 times, and the fluorescence quantum yield also increased from 0.051 to 0.681. Cell experiments indicated the probes could simultaneously target four kinds of organelles, and the four probes could also track mitochondria with no dependence on membrane potential. Further experiments showed that the probes could detect viscosity changes in lyso and mito. In addition, the probes also demonstrated the advantages of low cytotoxicity, good anti-interference and stability, providing a simple and effective tool for studying the activity of organelles with changing viscosity signals.

Therapeutic strategies for intracerebral hemorrhage

Stroke is the second highest cause of death globally, with an increasing incidence in developing countries. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for 10-15% of all strokes. ICH is associated with poor neurological outcomes and high mortality due to the combination of primary and secondary injury. Fortunately, experimental therapies are available that may improve functional outcomes in patients with ICH. These therapies targeting secondary brain injury have attracted substantial attention in their translational potential. Here, we summarize recent advances in therapeutic strategies and directions for ICH and discuss the barriers and issues that need to be overcome to improve ICH prognosis.

P-017 A FRAMEWORK FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM MANAGEMENT OF ABDOMINAL WALL RECONSTRUCTION

Aim

Incisional hernias are common and can significantly impact a patient's quality of life. Traditionally, abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) has been performed by general surgeons, or those with special interest, often working in isolation. However, there is increasing awareness of pre-optimisation, risk stratification, enhanced training, and personalising treatment using a wide range of techniques.

Methods & Results

For complex and higher-risk procedures, Multidisciplinary team (MDT) management is considered the standard of care for optimising outcomes. The lack of standardised protocols and clear evidence in AWR means that surgical management can vary greatly. This makes the MDT process even more important due to the complexity of the decision-making involved. We describe a successful MDT process for complex abdominal wall reconstruction at a tertiary referral centre. Patients are reviewed at weekly AWR meetings with a multidisciplinary team, which includes consultants, advanced clinical practitioners and trainees. This is an opportunity for objective risk stratification, radiological review and assessment of the patient's goals before preoptimization and operative planning. Prospective data is collected on all patients to allow for quality improvement and service development.

Conclusion

MDT management of abdominal wall hernia is gaining popularity but remains poorly established in most regions. The involvement of surgical colleagues and other specialists is crucial in developing this growing field of surgery. We hope to expand our team to include Radiologists and Nutritionists, with the possibility of extending to regional networks, as we continue to explore new techniques and methods in managing complex abdominal wall hernias.

P-155 ROLE OF MDT IN CPIP MANAGEMENT: LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Chronic Post-operative Inguinal Pain (CPIP), is recognised as a long term condition and has a significant effect on patients’ quality of life. CPIP affects 18–30% of patients after an open inguinal hernia repair and 6% of patients after a laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. CPIP result from several causes such as a pre-operative nerve lesion in other area of the body, an intra-operative nerve injury, or due to the intensity of acute post-operative inflammation and healing. a multidisciplinary clinic would be considered the best approach in order to assess patients’ pain and identify an individual management plan. This review allowed the team to choose which literature could be used to support the implementation of the clinical practice change.

Method

Literature searches were performed using PubMed and Embase databases were searched using key terms to include all related articles in the last ten years. three independent reviewers to choose included and excluded articles with two steps.

Results

Out of 25 articles found by the research, 8 articles included in this review including MDT about CPIP, meeting including criteria after the full articles reviewed. it was important to understand the nature and mechanisms of Chronic Post-operative inguinal hernia. several risk factors have been identified, which may be causing CPIP such as young age, recurrent inguinal hernia repair procedure and presence of pain before the procedure. Because of the complexity of CPIP, many authors concluding that a multidisciplinary approach should be considered the more appropriate method to ensure an effective and safe treatment. This include the need of regular follow up after an inguinal hernia repair to identify the chronic pain and establish an appropriate management plan.

Conclusions

Although the literature review enabled the team to gather useful information about the topic of the clinical practice change; it was evident that more researches and studies need to be completed in order to identify the safest and effective treatment for patients presenting with CPIP.

P-146 A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF IMAGING MARKERS FOR HIATUS HERNIA OUTCOMES

Hiatus hernia repair is a common operation with considerable variation in anatomy and technique. At present there are very few predictors of post-operative outcomes. Certain imaging characteristics may help in operative planning and predicting outcomes. The aim of this systematic review is to identify possible radiological markers associated with clinical outcomes in hiatal hernia repair.

A literature search was performed on the 7th December 2021 in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines of the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials using the following search term: ((hiatus) OR (paraesophageal)) AND (hernia) AND ((computed tomography) OR (CT) OR (imaging) OR (contrast) OR (swallow) OR (magnetic resonance) OR (ultrasound)). Inclusion criteria were studies (any design) testing the association of a radiological marker with any clinical outcome (either operative or non-operative) of hiatus hernia management. Exclusion criteria were case reports, non-English articles, non-human articles. Articles were screened by 2/3 authors on the basis of title and abstract. Full text articles were then retrieved for detailed analysis. Any disagreement was resolved by consultation with a 3rd/4th author.

Initial search identified 2768 papers, 9 of which were retrieved for full paper evaluation.

Preliminary review of the literature suggests that hernia recurrence is correlated with increased hernia size, although patients tend to be asymptomatic. Multidimensional CT can accurately measure hernia surface area and this could be useful in stratifying risk of re-herniation.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation effect on mRNA expression of skeletal muscle in elderly

Considering the increasing number of elderly in the world, this research aimed to investigate the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on changes in muscle mRNA abundance of a number of gene targets for improving the balance of the elderly. Twenty-six elderly undertook 30 minutes of quadriceps NMES (50 Hz, current at the limit of tolerance). Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained at rest immediately before and 24 hours after the intervention. The expression of 384 targeted mRNA transcripts was assessed by Real-time TaqMan PCR. A significant change in expression from baseline was determined using the ΔΔCT method with a false discovery rate (FDR) of <5%. The results showed that the biological functions of upregulated genes included muscle protein turnover, hypertrophy, inflammation, and muscle growth, while downregulated genes included mitochondrial and cell signaling functions. In general conclusion, it can be said that NMES can improve balance in the elderly. Therefore, considering the importance of balance in old people, it is suggested to use this method to improve the balance of the elderly.

RNA-seq reveals transcriptional differences in anthocyanin and vitamin biosynthetic pathways between black and white rice

Anthocyanins and vitamins in black rice are the micronutrients vital to human health, both of which predominantly accumulate in the bran fraction. Some studies have demonstrated that black rice contains more vitamins compared with common white rice, indicating potential association between anthocyanin and vitamin accumulation. In this study, transcriptomes of pericarps collected from 27 black rice accessions and 49 white rice accessions at 10 days after flowering (DAF) were sequenced and analyzed. We identified 830 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) including 58 transcription factors (TFs) between black and white rice. Among 58 differentially expressed transcription factors, OsTTG1 was confirmed to be the one and only WD40 repeat protein regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in the pericarp. Moreover, we identified 53 differentially expressed synthetic-related genes among 42 main synthesis enzymes in the biosynthesis pathway of seven vitamins including β-carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B5, vitamin B7, vitamin B9 and vitamin E. Collectively, our results provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanism of biosynthesis of anthocyanins and vitamins and the potential effect of anthocyanin biosynthesis on vitamin biosynthesis in black rice.

Iron Neurotoxicity and Protection by Deferoxamine in Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a subtype of stroke that is characterized by high morbidity and mortality, for which clinical outcome remains poor. An extensive literature indicates that the release of ferrous iron from ruptured erythrocytes in the hematoma is a key pathogenic factor in ICH-induced brain injury. Deferoxamine is an FDA-approved iron chelator that has the capacity to penetrate the blood-brain barrier after systemic administration and binds to iron. Previous animal studies have shown that deferoxamine attenuates ICH-induced brain edema, neuronal death, and neurological deficits. This review summarizes recent progress of the mechanisms by which deferoxamine may alleviate ICH and discusses further studies on its clinical utility.

Neuroprotection by Ozanimod Following Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Mice

The destruction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with poor prognosis. Modulation of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) may improve outcomes from ICH. Ozanimod (RPC-1063) is a newly developed S1PR regulator which can selectively modulate type 1/5 sphingosine receptors. Here, we studied the impact of Ozanimod on neuroprotection in an experimental mouse model of ICH, induced by injecting collagenase type VII into the basal ganglia. Ozanimod was administered by gavage 2 h after surgery and once a day thereafter until sacrifice. The results demonstrate that Ozanimod treatment improved neurobehavioral deficits in mice and decreased weight loss after ICH. Ozanimod significantly reduced the density of activated microglia and infiltrated neutrophils in the perihematoma region. Furthermore, Ozanimod reduced hematoma volume and water content of the ICH brain. The results of TUNEL staining indicate that Ozanimod mitigated brain cell death. The quantitative data of Evans blue (EB) staining showed that Ozanimod reduced EB dye leakage. Overall, Ozanimod reduces the destruction of the BBB and exert neuroprotective roles following ICH in mice.

Recent advances in engineering iron oxide nanoparticles for effective magnetic resonance imaging

Iron oxide nanoparticle (IONP) with unique magnetic property and high biocompatibility have been widely used as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent (CA) for long time. However, a review which comprehensively summarizes the recent development of IONP as traditional T₂ CA and its new application for different modality of MRI, such as T₁ imaging, simultaneous T₂/T₁ or MRI/other imaging modality, and as environment responsive CA is rare. This review starts with an investigation of direction on the development of high-performance MRI CA in both T₂ and T₁ modal based on quantum mechanical outer sphere and Solomon–Bloembergen–Morgan (SBM) theory. Recent rational attempts to increase the MRI contrast of IONP by adjusting the key parameters, including magnetization, size, effective radius, inhomogeneity of surrounding generated magnetic field, crystal phase, coordination number of water, electronic relaxation time, and surface modification are summarized. Besides the strategies to improve r₂ or r₁ values, strategies to increase the in vivo contrast efficiency of IONP have been reviewed from three different aspects, those are introducing second imaging modality to increase the imaging accuracy, endowing IONP with environment response capacity to elevate the signal difference between lesion and normal tissue, and optimizing the interface structure to improve the accumulation amount of IONP in lesion. This detailed review provides a deep understanding of recent researches on the development of high-performance IONP based MRI CAs. It is hoped to trigger deep thinking for design of next generation MRI CAs for early and accurate diagnosis.

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T₂ contrast capacity of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) could be improved based on quantum mechanical outer sphere theory.

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IONPs could be expand to be used as effective T₁ CAs by improving q value, extending τ_s, and optimizing interface structure.

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Environment responsive MRI CAs have been developed to improve the diagnosis accuracy.

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Introducing other imaging contrast moiety into IONPs could increase the contrast efficiency.

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Optimizing in vivo behavior of IONPs have been proved to enlarge the signal difference between normal tissue and lesion.

Short-Range Structural Connections Are More Severely Damaged in Early-Stage MS

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Long-range connections are more severely damaged and relevant for cognition in long-standing MS. However, the evolution of such coordinated network damage in patients with MS is unclear. We investigated whether short- and long-range structural connections sustained equal damage in early-stage MS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixteen patients with early-stage MS and 17 healthy controls were scanned by high-resolution, multishell diffusion imaging on 7T MR imaging and assessed cognitively. We investigated macrostructural properties in short- and long-range fibers and of microstructural metrics derived from 2 quantitative diffusion MR imaging models: DTI and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging.

RESULTS

Patients had significant WM integrity damage-that is, higher radial diffusivity and a lower intracellular volume fraction in the focal WM lesions. Compared with the healthy controls, the patients had noticeable microstructure changes in both short- and long-range fibers, including increased radial diffusivity, mean diffusivity, and axial diffusivity. Z scores further indicated greater damage in the short-range fibers than in the long-range fibers.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that more severe demyelination preceding axonal degeneration occurs in short-range connections but not in long-range connections in early-stage MS, suggesting the possibility that there are cortical lesions that are undetectable by current MR imaging.