p53-Dependent ferroptosis pathways in sepsis

Sepsis is caused by complex infections, trauma, and major surgery that results in high morbidity and mortality. As one of the leading causes of death in the intensive care unit (ICU）, sepsis causes organ dysfunction and death via a vicious cycle of uncontrolled inflammatory responses and immunosuppression. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent cellular death pathway driven by the accumulation of lipid peroxides, which occurs in sepsis. p53 is an important regulator of ferroptosis. Under intracellular/extracellular stimulation and pressure, p53 acts as a transcription factor to regulate the expression of downstream genes, which help cells/bodies to resist stimuli. p53 can also function independently as an important mediator. The understanding of key cellular and molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis facilitates the prognosis of sepsis. This article describes the molecular mechanism and role of p53 in sepsis-induced ferroptosis, and introduces some potential therapeutic targets for sepsis-induced ferroptosis, which highlights the dominant and potential therapeutic role of p53 in sepsis. Keywords: p53, acetylation, Sirt3, ferroptosis, sepsis, therapy.

[Safety and efficacy of the early administration of levosimendan in patients with acute non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and elevated NT-proBNP levels: An Early Management Strategy of Acute Heart Failure (EMS-AHF)]

Objectives: To investigated the safety and efficacy of treating patients with acute non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and elevated levels of N-terminal pro-hormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with levosimendan within 24 hours of first medical contact (FMC). Methods: This multicenter, open-label, block-randomized controlled trial (NCT03189901) investigated the safety and efficacy of levosimendan as an early management strategy of acute heart failure (EMS-AHF) for patients with NSTEMI and high NT-proBNP levels. This study included 255 patients with NSTEMI and elevated NT-proBNP levels, including 142 males and 113 females with a median age of 65 (58-70) years, and were admitted in the emergency or outpatient departments at 14 medical centers in China between October 2017 and October 2021. The patients were randomly divided into a levosimendan group (n=129) and a control group (n=126). The primary outcome measure was NT-proBNP levels on day 3 of treatment and changes in the NT-proBNP levels from baseline on day 5 after randomization. The secondary outcome measures included the proportion of patients with more than 30% reduction in NT-proBNP levels from baseline, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during hospitalization and at 6 months after hospitalization, safety during the treatment, and health economics indices. The measurement data parameters between groups were compared using the t-test or the non-parametric test. The count data parameters were compared between groups using the χ² test. Results: On day 3, the NT-proBNP levels in the levosimendan group were lower than the control group but were statistically insignificant [866 (455, 1 960) vs. 1 118 (459, 2 417) ng/L, Z=-1.25,P=0.21]. However, on day 5, changes in the NT-proBNP levels from baseline in the levosimendan group were significantly higher than the control group [67.6% (33.8%,82.5%)vs.54.8% (7.3%,77.9%), Z=-2.14, P=0.03]. There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients with more than 30% reduction in the NT-proBNP levels on day 5 between the levosimendan and the control groups [77.5% (100/129) vs. 69.0% (87/126), χ²=2.34, P=0.13]. Furthermore, incidences of MACE did not show any significant differences between the two groups during hospitalization [4.7% (6/129) vs. 7.1% (9/126), χ²=0.72, P=0.40] and at 6 months [14.7% (19/129) vs. 12.7% (16/126), χ²=0.22, P=0.64]. Four cardiac deaths were reported in the control group during hospitalization [0 (0/129) vs. 3.2% (4/126), P=0.06]. However, 6-month survival rates were comparable between the two groups (log-rank test, P=0.18). Moreover, adverse events or serious adverse events such as shock, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia were not reported in both the groups during levosimendan treatment (days 0-1). The total cost of hospitalization [34 591.00(15 527.46,59 324.80) vs. 37 144.65(16 066.90,63 919.00)yuan, Z=-0.26, P=0.80] and the total length of hospitalization [9 (8, 12) vs. 10 (7, 13) days, Z=0.72, P=0.72] were lower for patients in the levosimendan group compared to those in the control group, but did not show statistically significant differences. Conclusions: Early administration of levosimendan reduced NT-proBNP levels in NSTEMI patients with elevated NT-proBNP and did not increase the total cost and length of hospitalization, but did not significantly improve MACE during hospitalization or at 6 months.

[Analysis of the causes of long-standing pelvic anterior sacral space infection and discussion of management techniques]

Objective: To investigate the causes and management of long-term persistent pelvic presacral space infection. Methods: Clinical data of 10 patients with persistent presacral infection admitted to the Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2015 to October 2020 were collected. Different surgical approaches were used to treat the presacral infection according to the patients' initial surgical procedures. Results: Among the 10 patients, there were 2 cases of presacral recurrent infection due to rectal leak after radiotherapy for cervical cancer, 3 cases of presacral recurrent infection due to rectal leak after radiotherapy for rectal cancer Dixons, and 5 cases of presacral recurrent infection of sinus tract after adjuvant radiotherapy for rectal cancer Miles. Of the 5 patients with leaky bowel, 4 had complete resection of the ruptured nonfunctional bowel and complete debridement of the presacral infection using an anterior transverse sacral incision with a large tipped omentum filling the presacral space; 1 had continuous drainage of the anal canal and complete debridement of the presacral infection using an anterior transverse sacral incision. 5 post-Miles patients all had debridement of the presacral infection using an anterior transverse sacral incision combined with an abdominal incision. The nine patients with healed presacral infection recovered from surgery in 26 to 210 days, with a median time of 55 days. Conclusions: Anterior sacral infections in patients with leaky gut are caused by residual bowel secretion of intestinal fluid into the anterior sacral space, and in post-Miles patients by residual anterior sacral foreign bodies. An anterior sacral caudal transverse arc incision combined with an abdominal incision is an effective surgical approach for complete debridement of anterior sacral recalcitrant infections.

Alterations in Epidermal Biophysical Properties in Autistic Children

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Individuals with autism can exhibit multiple neurological symptoms such as deficit in social communication, restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Recent study showed that murine model of autism displays an increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and dry skin. But whether epidermal functions are also altered in children with autism is unknown. In the present study, TEWL, stratum corneum hydration and skin surface pH were compared between children with autism (N=56) and normal controls (N=48). Our results showed that children with autism exhibited lower stratum corneum hydration levels, higher TEWL and elevated skin surface pH in comparison to normal controls (p<0.0001 for all). These results demonstrate that children with autism exhibit epidermal dysfunction.

Population-Based Mini-Mental State Examination Norms in Adults of Mexican Heritage in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort

BACKGROUND

Accurately identifying cognitive changes in Mexican American (MA) adults using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) requires knowledge of population-based norms for the MMSE, a scale which has widespread use in research settings.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the distribution of MMSE scores in a large cohort of MA adults, assess the impact of MMSE requirements on their clinical trial eligibility, and explore which factors are most strongly associated with their MMSE scores.

METHODS

Visits between 2004-2021 in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort were analyzed. Eligible participants were ≥18 years old and of Mexican descent. MMSE distributions before and after stratification by age and years of education (YOE) were assessed, as was the proportion of trial-aged (50-85- year-old) participants with MMSE <24, a minimum MMSE cutoff most frequently used in Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials. As a secondary analysis, random forest models were constructed to estimate the relative association of the MMSE with potentially relevant variables.

RESULTS

The mean age of the sample set (n = 3,404) was 44.4 (SD, 16.0) years old and 64.5% female. Median MMSE was 28 (IQR, 28-29). The percentage of trial-aged participants (n = 1,267) with MMSE <24 was 18.6%; 54.3% among the subset with 0-4 YOE (n = 230). The five variables most associated with the MMSE in the study sample were education, age, exercise, C-reactive protein, and anxiety.

CONCLUSION

The minimum MMSE cutoffs in most phase III prodromal-to-mild AD trials would exclude a significant proportion of trial-aged participants in this MA cohort, including over half of those with 0-4 YOE.

A hierarchical strategy to minimize privacy risk when linking "De-identified" data in biomedical research consortia

Linking data across studies offers an opportunity to enrich data sets and provide a stronger basis for data-driven models for biomedical discovery and/or prognostication. Several techniques to link records have been proposed, and some have been implemented across data repositories holding molecular and clinical data. Not all these techniques guarantee appropriate privacy protection; there are trade-offs between (a) simple strategies that can be associated with data that will be linked and shared with any party and (b) more complex strategies that preserve the privacy of individuals across parties. We propose an intermediary, practical strategy to support linkage in studies that share de-identified data with Data Coordinating Centers. This technology can be extended to link data across multiple data hubs to support privacy preserving record linkage, considering data coordination centers and their awardees, which can be extended to a hierarchy of entities (e.g., awardees, data coordination centers, data hubs, etc.) b.

Leukocyte Esterase Strip Quantitative Detection Based on RGB Photometry is a Probable Method to Diagnose Periprosthetic Joint Infection: An Exploratory Study

OBJECTIVE

Leucocyte esterase (LE) strip test is the most rapid, convenient, and cheap method to diagnose chronic periprosthesis joint infection (PJI). However, the determination of LE strip mainly relies on colorimetric method with strong subjectivity, which leads to low diagnostic accuracy. Therefore, we try to convert LE strip images into digital data through the RGB photometric system to achieve objective diagnosis. This method will greatly improve the accuracy of LE strip detection and diagnosis of PJI.

METHODS

From January 2021 to September 2021, 46 patients with suspected PJI after total hip and knee arthroplasty underwent diagnostic joint puncture. After effective joint fluid samples were harvested, they were divided into original fluid and centrifuged fluid for LE strip detection. Real-time images of LE strip were taken at 90 s, 3 min, 5 min, 10 min, and 15 min after sampling, and their brightness (Y) was obtained after they were input into an RGB photometric system. Grouping was based on centrifugation, infection, and time points, and then the differences in brightness among groups were compared. The correlation between LE strip image brightness and WBC count was evaluated. Student t-test was used for the parametric data and chi-square test for qualitative data. Simple linear regression was utilized to analyze the correlation between brightness and WBC count in each group.

RESULTS

Included were 19 cases of PJI and 27 Non-PJI subjects diagnosed against ICM2018 diagnostic criteria. The brightness was lower in the PJI group than in Non-PJI group (p < 0.05). The brightness of the uncentrifuged group was lower than that of the centrifuged group (p < 0.05). Irrespective of centrifugation or infection, the brightness of LE strip decreased with the exposure time after sampling. The brightness of LE strip was correlated with WBC count at different time points, with the correlation being strongest 5 min after sampling (R² (5 min) = 0.86, p < 0.0001). The correlation between LE strip brightness and WBC count was also found in the centrifugation group, with the correlation being most robust 15 min after sampling (R² (15 min) = 0.73, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

A remarkable correlation was found between LE strip brightness and the WBC count. It is feasible to directly quantify LE strip image on a RGB photometer to achieve quantitative detection of LE strip to diagnose PJI.

Elucidating the molecular determinants in the process of gastrin C-terminal pentapeptide amide end activating cholecystokinin 2 receptor by Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulations

Gastrin plays important role in stimulating the initiation and development of many gastrointestinal diseases through interacting with the cholecystokinin 2 receptor (CCK2R). The smallest bioactive unit of gastrin activating CCK2R is the C-terminal tetrapeptide capped with an indispensable amide end. Understanding the mechanism of this smallest bioactive unit interacting with CCK2R on a molecular basis could provide significant insights for designing CCK2R antagonists, which can be used to treat gastrin-related diseases. To this end, we performed extensive Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interaction between gastrin C-terminal pentapeptide capped with/without amide end and CCK2R. The amide cap influences the binding modes of the pentapeptide with CCK2R by weakening the electrostatic attractions between the C-terminus of the pentapeptide and basic residues near the extracellular domain in CCK2R. The C-terminus with the amide cap penetrates into the transmembrane domain of CCK2R while floating at the extracellular domain without the amide cap. Different binding modes induced different conformational dynamics of CCK2R. Residue pairs in CCK2R had stronger correlated motions when binding with the amidated pentapeptide. Key residues and interactions important for CCK2R binding with the amidated pentagastrin were also identified. Our results provide molecular insights into the determinants of the bioactive unit of gastrin activating CCK2R, which would be of great help for the design of CCK2R antagonists.

A hybrid unsupervised and supervised learning approach for postictal generalized EEG suppression detection

Sudden unexpected death of epilepsy (SUDEP) is a catastrophic and fatal complication of epilepsy and is the primary cause of mortality in those who have uncontrolled seizures. While several multifactorial processes have been implicated including cardiac, respiratory, autonomic dysfunction leading to arrhythmia, hypoxia, and cessation of cerebral and brainstem function, the mechanisms underlying SUDEP are not completely understood. Postictal generalized electroencephalogram (EEG) suppression (PGES) is a potential risk marker for SUDEP, as studies have shown that prolonged PGES was significantly associated with a higher risk of SUDEP. Automated PGES detection techniques have been developed to efficiently obtain PGES durations for SUDEP risk assessment. However, real-world data recorded in epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs) may contain high-amplitude signals due to physiological artifacts, such as breathing, muscle, and movement artifacts, making it difficult to determine the end of PGES. In this paper, we present a hybrid approach that combines the benefits of unsupervised and supervised learning for PGES detection using multi-channel EEG recordings. A K-means clustering model is leveraged to group EEG recordings with similar artifact features. We introduce a new learning strategy for training a set of random forest (RF) models based on clustering results to improve PGES detection performance. Our approach achieved a 5-second tolerance-based detection accuracy of 64.92%, a 10-second tolerance-based detection accuracy of 79.85%, and an average predicted time distance of 8.26 seconds with 286 EEG recordings using leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation. The results demonstrated that our hybrid approach provided better performance compared to other existing approaches.

Poricoic acid A suppresses renal fibroblast activation and interstitial fibrosis in UUO rats via upregulating Sirt3 and promoting β-catenin K49 deacetylation

Renal interstitial fibrosis is the common pathological process of various chronic kidney diseases to end-stage renal disease. Inhibition of fibroblast activation attenuates renal interstitial fibrosis. Our previous studies show that poricoic acid A (PAA) isolated from Poria cocos is a potent anti-fibrotic agent. In the present study we investigated the effects of PAA on renal fibroblast activation and interstitial fibrosis and the underlying mechanisms. Renal interstitial fibrosis was induced in rats or mice by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). UUO rats were administered PAA (10 mg·kg−1·d−1, i.g.) for 1 or 2 weeks. An in vitro model of renal fibrosis was established in normal renal kidney fibroblasts (NRK-49F cells) treated with TGF-β1. We showed that PAA treatment rescued Sirt3 expression, and significantly attenuated renal fibroblast activation and interstitial fibrosis in both the in vivo and in vitro models. In TGF-β1-treated NRK-49F cells, we demonstrated that Sirt3 deacetylated β-catenin (a key transcription factor of fibroblast activation) and then accelerated its ubiquitin-dependent degradation, thus suppressing the protein expression and promoter activity of pro-fibrotic downstream target genes (twist, snail1, MMP-7 and PAI-1) to alleviate fibroblast activation; the lysine-49 (K49) of β-catenin was responsible for Sirt3-mediated β-catenin deacetylation. In molecular docking analysis, we found the potential interaction of Sirt3 and PAA. In both in vivo and in vitro models, pharmacological activation of Sirt3 by PAA significantly suppressed renal fibroblast activation via facilitating β-catenin K49 deacetylation. In UUO mice and NRK-49F cells, Sirt3 overexpression enhanced the anti-fibrotic effect of PAA, whereas Sirt3 knockdown weakened the effect. Taken together, PAA attenuates renal fibroblast activation and interstitial fibrosis by upregulating Sirt3 and inducing β-catenin K49 deacetylation, highlighting Sirt3 functions as a promising therapeutic target of renal fibroblast activation and interstitial fibrosis.

Tenofovir Alafenamide for Pregnant Chinese Women With Active Chronic Hepatitis B: A Multicenter Prospective Study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Data on long-term tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) therapy for pregnant women with active chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (immune clearance and reactivation phases, currently and previously diagnosed) and their infants are lacking.

METHODS

Pregnant women with active CHB treated with TAF and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) were enrolled in this multicenter prospective study, and infants received immunoprophylaxis. The primary outcomes were rates of adverse (safety) events in pregnant women and defects in infants and fetuses. The secondary outcomes were virologic responses in pregnant women, infants' safety, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status, and growth conditions.

RESULTS

One hundred three and 104 pregnant women were enrolled and 102 and 104 infants were born in the TAF and TDF groups, respectively. In the TAF group, the mean age, gestational age, alanine aminotransferase level, and viral loads at treatment initiation were 29.3 years, 1.3 weeks, 122.2 U/L, and 5.1 log₁₀ IU/mL, respectively. TAF was well-tolerated, and the most common adverse event was nausea (29.1%) during a mean of 2 years of treatment. Notably, 1 (1.0%) TAF-treated pregnant woman underwent induced abortion due to noncausal fetal cleft lip and palate. No infants in either group had birth defects. In the TAF group, the hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion rate was 20.7% at postpartum month 6, infants had normal growth parameters, and no infants were positive for HBsAg at 7 months. The TDF group had comparable safety and effectiveness profiles.

CONCLUSIONS

TAF administered throughout or beginning in early pregnancy is generally safe and effective for pregnant women with active CHB and their infants.

Comparison between chronic spontaneous urticaria and chronic induced urticaria on the efficacy of omalizumab treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of omalizumab in the treatment of refractory-to-antihistamines chronic induced urticaria (CIndU) in comparison with that of refractory-to-antihistamines chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). We retrieved interventional studies and observational studies on omalizumab efficacy to CIndU patients and efficacy comparison between CSU and CIndU both refractory to H1-antihistamines in electronic databases (accessed till May 2022). The odd ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated with a random-effect model in this meta-analysis. The majority of patients with different CIndU subtypes gained complete or partial response and good safety after omalizumab treatment. A total of five studies with 355 CSU patients and 103 CIndU patients were included for the meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in the efficacy of omalizumab in the treatment of CSU and CIndU (OR -0.83, 95% CI [0.84, 2.21], P > 0.05). Based on the validity of omalizumab in the treatment of various CIndU subtypes and non-differential efficacy between CSU and CIndU, it is reasonable to list omalizumab as a third-line treatment of refractory CIndU.

Metabolomic analysis reveals the quality characteristics of Yi Gong tea leaves at different harvesting periods

To obtain a theoretical reference for understanding the changes in metabolites of Yigong tea leaves during different harvesting periods and to determine the optimal harvesting period, we performed a metabolome comparison using UPLC-Q-Exactive MS on Yigong tea leaves from different harvesting periods. The results indicated that a total of 41 metabolites were significantly altered during the growth of Yi Gong tea leaves. These involved 7 amino acids and their derivatives, 16 flavonols and flavonol glycosides, 4 organic acids, 3 catechins, 3 carbohydrates, 7 fatty acid esters, 1 terpene, and 3 substances from others. In particular, the levels of arginine and glutamine were higher in early-harvested tea leaves than in late-harvested tea leaves; the levels of flavonoids and flavonols were higher in late-harvested tea leaves. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed that the caffeine metabolism and the flavonoid biosynthesis perform key roles in Yigong tea leaves from different harvesting periods. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: At present, the application of metabolomics in tea research is focused on the study of pesticide residues, processing processes, environmental stresses, and regional differences. This study is to focus on the effect of the tea harvesting period on tea quality through metabolomics. Through metabolomics, we can better determine the optimal tea harvesting period, and this study can improve the quality of this tea product and may be able to bring some favourable favorable contributions contribution to the local tea marketing in the future.

An enzyme-activatable dual-readout probe for sensitive β-galactosidase sensing and Escherichia coli analysis

Rapid and accurate sensing of β-galactosidase (β-gal) activity is particularly critical for the early detection of many diseases and has become a topic of interest in recent years. However, most traditional probes for β-gal sensing often suffer from the disadvantages of narrow dynamic range, low reaction efficiency and are only employed with either colorimetric or fluorescence sensing. Furthermore, β-galactosidase sensing based assay for efficient detection and antibiotic resistance analysis of Escherichia coli (E.coli) is not available. Here, an enzyme-induced probe assay was reported for dual sensitive fluorescence and colorimetric measurement of β-gal activity, and was further employed for detection of Escherichia coli and their antibiotic resistance analysis. The DCM-βgal probe was virtually non-emissive in aqueous solution, while it could be activated by β-gal to produce bright emission. Under optimized conditions, DCM-βgal displayed high sensitivity, selectivity and rapid response to β-gal with a low detection limit of 1.5 × 10⁻³ U ml⁻¹. Importantly, this assay was successfully applied to sensitive detection of E. coli cells with a fast detection process within 5 h and a low detection concentration of 1 × 10³ CFU ml⁻¹. Furthermore, the enzyme-activatable assay was also successfully applied for high throughput E. coli antibiotic resistance analysis. The DCM-βgal strategy is applied for the first time on the detection of E. coli cells and their antibiotic resistance analysis. It is provided with the advantages of high selectively, a simple operation, low cost and rapid detection. The detection platform can also be extended to analyze the level of β-gal in other types of cells or biological samples. Overall, the simple, effective and dual-readout assay holds promise for efficient sensing of β-gal activity and provides a potential tool for E. coli detection and their antibiotic resistance analysis.

Computational phenotyping of obstructive airway diseases: protocol for a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Over the last decade, computational sciences have contributed immensely to characterization of phenotypes of airway diseases, but it is difficult to compare derived phenotypes across studies, perhaps as a result of the different decisions that fed into these phenotyping exercises. We aim to perform a systematic review of studies using computational approaches to phenotype obstructive airway diseases in children and adults.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will search PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for papers published between 2010 and 2020. Conferences proceedings, reference list of included papers, and experts will form additional sources of literature. We will include observational epidemiological studies that used a computational approach to derive phenotypes of chronic airway diseases, whether in a general population or in a clinical setting. Two reviewers will independently screen the retrieved studies for eligibility, extract relevant data, and perform quality appraisal of included studies. A third reviewer will arbitrate any disagreements in these processes. Quality appraisal of the studies will be undertaken using the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool. We will use summary tables to describe the included studies. We will narratively synthesize the generated evidence, providing critical assessment of the populations, variables, and computational approaches used in deriving the phenotypes across studies CONCLUSION: As progress continues to be made in the area of computational phenotyping of chronic obstructive airway diseases, this systematic review, the first on this topic, will provide the state of the art on the field and highlight important perspectives for future works.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

No ethical approval is needed for this work is based only on the published literature and does not involve collection of any primary or human data.

REGISTRATION AND REPORTING

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020164898.

[CircRNA circTNPO1 promotes the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma by sponging miR-338-3p]

Objective: To explore the effects of circTNPO1 on the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma (OS) by sponging miR-338-3p. Methods: The expression of circTNPO1 on osteoblasts and multiple OS cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR. CircTNPO1 stable knockdown 143B cell line was constructed by sh-circTNPO1. Cell count kit 8 (CCK-8) assay and wound healing assay were applied to evaluate the proliferation and metastasis of this cell. Luciferase reporter assay was used to explore the binding between circTNPO1 and miR-338-3p. In xenograft tumor model, miR-338-3p inhibitor or its control was injected into the circTNPO1 knockdown tumors. The weight and size of the tumors were evaluated and Ki-67 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results: The RNA expression of circTNPO1 in OS cell lines U2OS, HOS, MG63, 143B, ZOS and ZOSM were 2.73±0.27, 3.18±0.54, 4.33±0.52, 5.75±0.65, 4.50±0.49 and 3.96±0.35, respectively, higher than 1.00±0.09 in hFOB1.19 (P<0.001). CCK-8 assay revealed that after 48 h and 72 h, the absorbance of sh-circTNPO1 #1 was 0.81±0.05 and 1.09±0.06, while sh-circTNPO1 #2 143B cells was 0.84±0.04 and 1.2±0.04, which were sharply reduced compared with the control (1.00±0.06 and 1.49±0.06, P<0.001); after 48 h and 72 h, the absorbance of 143B cells transfected with circTNPO1 #1 and miR-338-3p (0.92±0.06 and 1.32±0.07) were higher than those of cells transfected with sh-circTNPO1 cells and miR NC (0.92±0.06 and 1.32±0.07, P<0.050). Wound healing assay demonstrated that the 24 hour-migration rates of sh-circTNPO1 #1 and sh-circTNPO1 #2 cells were (24.43±2.15)% and (39.70±4.20)% respectively, which were significantly lower than that of the control [(56.51±3.27)%, P<0.010]; the migration rates of sh-circTNPO1 #1+ miR NC and sh-circTNPO1 #1+ miR-338-3p inhibitor were (26.70±2.21)% and (46.10±5.71)%, with a significant difference (P<0.005). In xenograft tumor model, the weight and size of tumors in control, sh-circTNPO1 #1+ miR NC and sh-circTNPO1 #1+ miR-338-3p inhibitor mice were (458.80±158.10) mg, (262.50±82.09) mg, (395.40±137.60) mg and (593.00±228.40) mm(2,) (203.30±144.20) mm(2,) (488.60±208.60) mm(2,) respectively. Compared with control, sh-circTNPO1 tumors were significantly smaller (P<0.01). Injection with miR-338-3p inhibitor significantly reversed both the weight and size of tumors (P<0.05). Conclusion: CircTNPO1 promotes the proliferation and metastasis of OS by sponging miR-338-3p, which could be a new target for OS treatments.

Repeating fast radio burst 20201124A originates from a magnetar/Be star binary

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are cosmic sources emitting millisecond-duration radio bursts. Although several hundreds FRBs have been discovered, their physical nature and central engine remain unclear. The variations of Faraday rotation measure and dispersion measure, due to local environment, are crucial clues to understanding their physical nature. The recent observations on the rotation measure of FRB 20201124A show a significant variation on a day time scale. Intriguingly, the oscillation of rotation measure supports that the local contribution can change sign, which indicates the magnetic field reversal along the line of sight. Here we present a physical model that explains observed characteristics of FRB 20201124A and proposes that repeating signal comes from a binary system containing a magnetar and a Be star with a decretion disk. When the magnetar approaches the periastron, the propagation of radio waves through the disk of the Be star naturally leads to the observed varying rotation measure, depolarization, large scattering timescale, and Faraday conversion. This study will prompt to search for FRB signals from Be/X-ray binaries.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are bright millisecond or shorter duration transient events. Here, the authors propose that FRB 20201124A comes from a binary system of a magnetar and a Be star with a decretion disk.

The Comparison between Mini-Subvastus Approach and Medial Parapatellar Approach in TKA: A Prospective Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective

Minimal invasive approach has been increasingly used in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and more is expected of early rehabilitation in terms of pain release and recovery of knee function. The approach type is one of the major factors that determines the early rehabilitation after TKA. The purpose of this study is to determine whether mini‐subvastus approach (MSVA) is superior to the traditional medial parapatellar approach (MPA) in TKA.

Methods

From 2018 to 2019, a randomized double‐blinded prospective study was conducted on 58 patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral TKA. The subjects included eight men and 50 women, with an average age of 65 years. One side was randomized using MSVA and the other side using MPA. Visual analog scale (VAS), operative duration, recovery time to straight leg raising (SLR), range of motion (ROM), HSS score, release rate of lateral retinaculum, satisfaction rate were recorded and compared. Paired‐samples T test were used for quantitative data and chi‐square test for qualitative data.

Results

There was no statistical difference in the ratio of left and right sides, preoperative ROM, VAS, HSS score, muscular strength of lower limbs, KL grade, operative order, and operative duration between the two groups. The average ROM (118.91 ± 8.21 vs. 107.60 ± 7.99, t = 14.320, p = 0.0000) and HSS score (72.03 ± 4.55 vs. 61.22 ± 4.36, t = 13.095, p = 0.0000) on POD 3, VAS in rest and motion on POD 1 and 3, the recovery time to SLR (1.17 ± 0.38 vs. 3.09 ± 0.76, t = 19.902, p = 0.0000), and the satisfaction rate on POD 1 (96.55% vs. 74.14%, χ² = 9.9251, p = 0.0016) were superior in the MSVA group over MPA group. ROM in rest and motion and HSS score on POD 30 had no difference. The release rate of lateral retinaculum was less in the MSVA group than in the MPA group. The mean value of HKA, FFC, and FTC and the proportion of outliers did not differ significantly between the two groups.

Conclusions

Compared with MPA, MSVA can make ROM of knee and SLR recover earlier, reduce postoperative pain after TKA, improve the early postoperative satisfaction and reduce the lateral release rate. MSVA can be used as a favorable measure in the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS).

Protoplast technology enables the identification of efficient multiplex genome editing tools in Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis orchids are popular ornamental plants worldwide. The application and optimization of efficient CRISPR-Cas genome editing toolkits in Phalaenopsis greatly accelerate the development of orchid gene function and breeding research. However, these methods are greatly hindered by the deficiency of a rapid screening system. In this study, we established a fast and convenient Phalaenopsis protoplast technology for the identification of functional genome editing tools. Two multiplex genome editing tools, PTG-Cas9-HPG (PTG, polycistronic tRNA-gRNA) system and RMC-Cpf1-HPG (RMC, ribozyme-based multi-crRNA) system, were developed for Phalaenopsis genome editing and further evaluated by established protoplast technology. We successfully detected various editing events comprising substitution and indel at designed target sites of the PDS gene and MADS gene, showing that both PTG-Cas9-HPG and RMC-Cpf1-HPG multiplex genome editing systems are functional in Phalaenopsis. Additionally, by optimizing the promoter that drives Cpf1 expression, we found that Super promoter can significantly improve the editing efficiency of the RMC-Cpf1-HPG system. Altogether, we successfully developed two efficient multiplex genome editing systems, PTG-Cas9-HPG and RMC-Cpf1-HPG, for Phalaenopsis, and the established protoplast-based screening technology provides a valuable foundation for developing more diverse and efficient genome editing toolkits and facilitating the development of orchid precision breeding.

A multimodal clinical data resource for personalized risk assessment of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

Epilepsy affects ~2-3 million individuals in the United States, a third of whom have uncontrolled seizures. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a catastrophic and fatal complication of poorly controlled epilepsy and is the primary cause of mortality in such patients. Despite its huge public health impact, with a ~1/1,000 incidence rate in persons with epilepsy, it is an uncommon enough phenomenon to require multi-center efforts for well-powered studies. We developed the Multimodal SUDEP Data Resource (MSDR), a comprehensive system for sharing multimodal epilepsy data in the NIH funded Center for SUDEP Research. The MSDR aims at accelerating research to address critical questions about personalized risk assessment of SUDEP. We used a metadata-guided approach, with a set of common epilepsy-specific terms enforcing uniform semantic interpretation of data elements across three main components: (1) multi-site annotated datasets; (2) user interfaces for capturing, managing, and accessing data; and (3) computational approaches for the analysis of multimodal clinical data. We incorporated the process for managing dataset-specific data use agreements, evidence of Institutional Review Board review, and the corresponding access control in the MSDR web portal. The metadata-guided approach facilitates structural and semantic interoperability, ultimately leading to enhanced data reusability and scientific rigor. MSDR prospectively integrated and curated epilepsy patient data from seven institutions, and it currently contains data on 2,739 subjects and 10,685 multimodal clinical data files with different data formats. In total, 55 users registered in the current MSDR data repository, and 6 projects have been funded to apply MSDR in epilepsy research, including three R01 projects and three R21 projects.

Cutaneous dirt-adherent disease complicated with Darier’s disease, schizophrenia, and cutis verticis gyrata: A case report

The patient was a 25-year-old man presented with cutaneous dirt-adherent disease with a past medical history of schizophrenia. Both the patient and his mother had Darier’s disease, genetic screening revealed that the patient carried a heterozygous frameshift mutation in ATP2A2 gene, which was inherited from his mother. Cutis verticis gyrata was also found in the patient.

Small molecules as modulators of regulated cell death against ischemia/reperfusion injury

Ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury contributes to disability and mortality worldwide. Due to the complicated mechanisms and lack of proper therapeutic targets, few interventions are available that specifically target the pathogenesis of IR injury. Regulated cell death (RCD) of endothelial and parenchymal cells is recognized as the promising intervening target. Recent advances in IR injury suggest that small molecules exhibit beneficial effects on various RCD against IR injury, including apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and parthanatos. Here, we describe the mechanisms behind these novel promising therapeutic targets and explain the machinery powering the small molecules. These small molecules exert protection by targeting endothelial or parenchymal cells to alleviate IR injury. Therapies of the ideal combination of small molecules targeting multiple cell types have shown potent synergetic therapeutic effects, laying the foundation for novel strategies to attenuate IR injury.

The circular RNA hsa_circ_0003091 regulates sepsis-induced lung injury by sponging the miR-149/Smad2 axis

Sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe cause of death. Increasing evidence has identified circular RNAs (circRNAs) acting as critical regulators of human diseases. However, their expression pattern and underlying mechanisms in ALI remain unclear. Herein, we screened the circRNAs of ALI patients and constructed a lung injury murine model using lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induction. Functional analyses of targeted circRNA were performed in vivo and in vitro. Then, the downstream miRNA and mRNA of specific circRNAs were identified. Compared to healthy subjects, 35 circRNAs were upregulated and 9 circRNAs were downregulated in sepsis patients. The top 10 differentially expressed circRNAs were selected for validation and has_circ_0003091 was selected. The ALI mice presented significantly elevated has_circ_0003091 (mmu_circ_0015268). The functional analysis revealed that mmu_circ_0015268 contributed to the pulmonary injury, cell apoptosis, inflammatory responses, and endothelial activation in the ALI murine model. On the other hand, silencing mmu_circ_0015268 showed protective effects in LPS-treated mice and PMVECs. Furthermore, mmu_circ_0015268 sponged miR-149 to upregulate the expression of its target Smad2. In summary, we demonstrated that has_circ_0003091 might be a novel target for the management and treatment of sepsis-induced ALI.

Activatable Persistent Luminescence from Porphyrin Derivatives and Supramolecular Probes with Imaging-Modality Transformable Characteristics for Improved Biological Applications

Persistent luminescence without excitation light and tissue autofluorescence interference holds great promise for biological applications, but is limited by available materials with long-wavelength emission and excellent clinical potential. Here, we report that porphyrin derivatives can emit near-infrared persistent luminescence over 60 min after cessation of excitation light or on interaction with peroxynitrite. A plausible mechanism of the successive oxidation of vinylene bonds was demonstrated. A supramolecular probe with a β-sheet structure was constructed to enhance the tumor targeting ability and the photoacoustic and persistent luminescence signals. Such probes featuring light-triggered function transformation from photoacoustic imaging to persistent luminescence imaging permit advanced image-guided cancer surgery. Furthermore, peroxynitrite-activated persistent luminescence of the supramolecular probe also enables rapid and precise screening of immunogenic cell death drugs.