Ruxolitinib improves the inflammatory microenvironment, restores glutamate homeostasis, and promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202419110-00030/figure1/v/2024-03-08T184507Z/r/image-tiff The inflammatory microenvironment and neurotoxicity can hinder neuronal regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury. Ruxolitinib, a JAK-STAT inhibitor, exhibits effectiveness in autoimmune diseases, arthritis, and managing inflammatory cytokine storms. Although studies have shown the neuroprotective potential of ruxolitinib in neurological trauma, the exact mechanism by which it enhances functional recovery after spinal cord injury, particularly its effect on astrocytes, remains unclear. To address this gap, we established a mouse model of T10 spinal cord contusion and found that ruxolitinib effectively improved hindlimb motor function and reduced the area of spinal cord injury. Transcriptome sequencing analysis showed that ruxolitinib alleviated inflammation and immune response after spinal cord injury, restored EAAT2 expression, reduced glutamate levels, and alleviated excitatory toxicity. Furthermore, ruxolitinib inhibited the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 in the injured spinal cord and decreased the phosphorylation level of nuclear factor kappa-B and the expression of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Additionally, in glutamate-induced excitotoxicity astrocytes, ruxolitinib restored EAAT2 expression and increased glutamate uptake by inhibiting the activation of STAT3, thereby reducing glutamate-induced neurotoxicity, calcium influx, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis, and increasing the complexity of dendritic branching. Collectively, these results indicate that ruxolitinib restores glutamate homeostasis by rescuing the expression of EAAT2 in astrocytes, reduces neurotoxicity, and effectively alleviates inflammatory and immune responses after spinal cord injury, thereby promoting functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Characterization and treatment of oily sludge: A systematic review

Oily sludge is a prevalent hazardous waste generated in the petroleum industry, and effectively treating it remains a key challenge for the petroleum and petrochemical sectors. This paper provides an introduction to the origin, properties, and hazards of oil sludge while summarizing various treatment methods focused on reduction, recycling, and harmlessness. These methods include combustion, stabilization/solidification, oxidation and biodegradation techniques, solvent extraction, centrifugation, surfactant-enhanced oil recovery processes as well as freezing-thawing procedures. Additionally discussed are pyrolysis, microwave radiation applications along with electrokinetic method utilization for oily sludge treatment. Furthermore explored are ultrasonic radiation techniques and froth flotation approaches. These technologies have been thoroughly examined through discussions that analyze their process principles while considering influencing factors as well as advantages and disadvantages associated with each method. Based on the characteristics of oily sludge properties and treatment requirements, a selection methodology for choosing appropriate oily sludge treatment technology is proposed in this study. The development direction of processing technology has also been explored to provide guidance aimed at improving efficiency by optimizing existing processing technologies. The paper presents a comprehensive treatment method for oily sludge, ensuring that all the parameters meet the standard requirements.

Quercetin inhibits caspase-1-dependent macrophage pyroptosis in experimental folic acid nephropathy

BACKGROUND

The role of pyroptosis in kidney disease is limited and incomplete. Quercetin, a flavonoid compound present in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and plants, has shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study was designed to validate the importance of pyroptosis in an experimental model of folic acid nephropathy and to explore the effect of quercetin in protecting against pyroptosis.

METHODS

Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to establish the correlation between pyroptosis and folic acid nephropathy. Immune cell infiltration, network pharmacology and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis were utilized to ascertain the specific target of quercetin in relation to pyroptosis. Finally, quercetin's role was verified in vivo and in vitro.

RESULTS

The GSEA analysis revealed a significant correlation between pyroptosis and folic acid nephropathy (NES = 1.764, P = 0.004). The hub genes identified through WGCNA were closely associated with inflammation. Molecular docking demonstrated a strong binding affinity between quercetin and caspase-1, a protein known to be involved in macrophage function, as confirmed by immune cell infiltration and single-cell analysis. Quercetin demonstrated a significant amelioration of kidney injury and reduction in macrophage infiltration in the animal model. Furthermore, quercetin exhibited a significant inhibition of caspase-1 expression, subsequently leading to the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines expression, such as IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, and IL-6. The inhibitory effect of quercetin on macrophage pyroptosis was also confirmed in RAW264.7 cells.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes substantial evidence to support the significant role of pyroptosis in the development of folic acid nephropathy, and highlights the ability of quercetin to downregulate caspase-1 in macrophages as a protective mechanism against pyroptosis.

The broadband emission of Cr3+-doped CaY2Mg2Ge3O12 and its applications for NIR detectors

A phosphor-converted light-emitting diode (pc-LED) is a prime light source in smart broadband near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. The performance of NIR pc-LEDs crucially depends on the employed NIR luminescent materials. In this study, we synthesized a novel high-efficiency broadband NIR phosphor, CaY2Mg2Ge3O12:Cr3+ (CYMG:Cr3+). Under 450 nm excitation, CYMG:Cr3+ exhibited remarkable broadband NIR emission from 650 to 900 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 115 nm. Within the CYMG lattice, the Cr3+ ion occupies Ca/Y sites in the dodecahedron Ca/YO8 and Mg sites in the octahedron MgO6, giving rise to two distinct Cr3+ luminescence centers. Remarkably, the emission at 100 °C remained at 92% of its room temperature intensity and 81% at 150 °C, showcasing its exceptional thermal stability. The internal quantum efficiency (IQE) reached an impressive 81.1%, with an activation energy ΔE of 0.324 eV. Furthermore, we integrated the CYMG:Cr3+ phosphor with a commercial 450 nm blue chip to fabricate a micro NIR pc-LED, which exhibited stable NIR emission across different driving currents, with a NIR output power of 49.65 mW@400 mA and a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 10.52% at 20 mA. All findings highlight CYMG:Cr3+ as a stable and efficient broadband luminescent material for high-performance NIR LEDs.

Active Breathing Coordinator reduces radiation dose to the stomach in patients with left breast cancer

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Gastric dose parameters comparison for deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) or free breathing (FB) mode during radiotherapy (RT) for left-sided breast cancer patients (LSBCPs) has not been investigated before. This study aimed to analyze the impact of Active Breath Coordinator (ABC)-DIBH technique on the dose received by the stomach during RT for LSBCPs and to provide organ-specific dosimetric parameters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 73 LSBCPs. The dosimetric parameters of the stomach were compared between FB and DIBH mode. The correlation between the stomach volume and dosimetric parameters was analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared to FB mode, statistically significant reductions were observed in gastric dose parameters in ABC-DIBH mode, including Dmax (46.60 vs 17.25, p < 0.001), D1cc (38.42 vs 9.60, p < 0.001), Dmean (4.10 vs 0.80, p < 0.001), V40Gy (0.50 vs 0.00, p < 0.001), V30Gy (6.30 vs 0.00, p < 0.001), V20Gy (20.80 vs 0.00, p < 0.001), V10Gy (51.10 vs 0.77, p < 0.001), and V5Gy (93.20 vs 9.60, p < 0.001). ABC-DIBH increased the distance between the stomach and the breast PTV when compared to FB, from 1.3 cm to 2.8 cm (p < 0.001). Physiologic decrease in stomach volume was not found from FB to ABC-DIBH (415.54 cm3 vs 411.61 cm3, p = 0.260). The stomach volume showed a positive correlation with V40Gy (r2 = 0.289; p < 0.05), V30Gy (r2 = 0.287; p < 0.05), V20Gy (r2 = 0.343; p < 0.05), V10Gy (r2 = 0.039; p < 0.001), V5Gy (r2 = 0.439; p < 0.001), Dmax (r2 = 0.269; p < 0.05) and D1cc (r2 = 0.278; p < 0.05) in FB mode. While in ABC-DIBH mode, most stomach dosimetric parameters were not correlated with gastric volume.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of ABC-DIBH in LSBCPs radiotherapy resulted in lower irradiation of the stomach. Larger stomach volume was associated with statistically significantly higher dose irradiation in FB mode. To reduce radiotherapy related side effects in FB mode, patients should be fast for at least 2 hours before the CT simulation and treatment.

Effect of CoSn3 nanocrystals on Sn3Ag plating for electronic packaging

Plating Sn3Ag on copper substrates represents a crucial electronic packaging technique. In this study, we propose a novel composite plating approach, wherein CoSn3 nanocrystals are deposited within the Sn3Ag coating. The resulting reflowed Sn3Ag joints exhibit a range of distinctive properties. Notably, CoSn3 nanocrystals dissolve in Sn during the reflow process, thereby lowering the supercooling required for Sn nucleation. Consequently, Sn crystals grow in six-fold cyclic twins. Additionally, the dissolution of Co atoms in Sn leads to a reduced solubility of Cu atoms in Sn, consequently lowering the supercooling required for the nucleation of Cu6Sn5. Simultaneously, this phenomenon promotes the nucleation of Cu6Sn5, resulting in a considerable precipitation of Cu6Sn5 nanoparticles within the joints. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the joints are significantly enhanced, leading to a notable 20% increase in shear strength. Furthermore, the presence and distribution of Co elements within Sn induce changes in the growth pattern of interfacial Cu6Sn5. The growth process of Cu6Sn5 is dominated by the interfacial reaction, leading to its growth in a faceted shape. During the aging process, the dissolution of Co elements in Sn impedes the continuous growth of Cu6Sn5 at the interface, causing Cu6Sn5 to be distributed in the form of islands inside the joint. Remarkably, elemental Co acts as an inhibitor for the development of Cu3Sn and reduces the occurrence of Kirkendall voids.

Corrigendum: miR-766-3p targeting BCL9L suppressed tumorigenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis through the β-catenin signaling pathway in osteosarcoma cells

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.594135.].

Regulating steric hindrances of perylenediimide to construct NIR photothermal J-aggregates with a large red-shift

Perylene diimide (PDI)-based photothermal agents (PTAs) possess excellent stability and high photothermal conversion efficiency. However, developing PDIs with strong near-infrared absorption under biological conditions remains a challenge. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to facilitate the formation of J-aggregate-based PTAs with significantly red-shifted absorption by modulating steric hindrances of PDIs. PDIA, featuring larger steric hindrances at the bay position and smaller steric hindrances at the imide position, self-assembles into J-aggregates which exhibit a remarkable red-shift of over 100 nm. After encapsulation by DPSE-PEG, PDIA nanoparticles (PDIA-NPs) demonstrated a uniform and stable size, while retaining their significant red-shift. In vitro experiments demonstrated the great potential of PDIA-NPs in photothermal therapies for tumors and thrombi under 808 nm laser irradiation. This research provides valuable insights into the design of stable J-aggregates based on PDIs suitable for biological applications, paving the way for the development of more effective PTAs.

Prognostic nomogram for glioblastoma (GBM) patients presenting with distant extension: a seer-based study

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma (GBM) with distant extension is rarely reported. We retrieved the data of GBM patients from the SEER database to identify the prognostic factors of GBM with distant extension and constructed a nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) of these patients.

METHODS

The data of GBM patients between 2003 and 2018 were retrieved from the SEER Database. 181 GBM patients with distant extension were randomly divided into the training cohort (n = 129) and the validation cohort (n = 52) at a ratio of 7:3. The prognostic factors associated with the OS of the GBM patients were identified through univariate and multivariate cox analyses. A nomogram was constructed based on the training cohort to predict OS, and its clinical value was verified using the validation cohort data.

RESULTS

Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the prognosis was significantly worse for GBM patients with distant extension than GBM patients without distant extension. Stage (GBM patients with distant extension) was independent prognostic factor of survival. Multivariate Cox analyses demonstrated that age, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were independent risk factors for OS of GBM patients presenting with distant extension. The C-indexes of the nomogram for predicting OS were 0.755 (95% CI 0.713-0.797) and 0.757 (95% CI 0.703-0.811) for the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration curves of both cohorts showed good consistency. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting 0.25-year, 0.5-year and 1-year OS in the training cohort were 0.793, 0.864 and 0.867, respectively, and that in the validation cohort were 0.845, 0.828 and 0.803, respectively. The decision curve analysis (DCA) curves showed that the model to predict the 0.25-year, 0.5-year and 1-year OS probabilities was good.

CONCLUSION

Stage (GBM patients with distant extension) is independent prognostic factor for GBM patients. Age, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are independent prognostic factors for GBM patients presenting with distant extension, and the nomogram based on these factors can accurately predict the 0.25-year, 0.5-year and 1-year OS of these patients.

Synthesis and Atomic Transport of CoSn3 NanoIMC by In Situ TEM

In order to optimize the interfacial properties by adding Co to the bumps of copper pillars and to overcome the strong tendency of Co to oxidize, an intermetallic compound (IMC) "capsule" was developed for the purpose of transporting elements through the intermetallic compound. In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis of the transformation process of CoSn2 nanoparticles into CoSn3 at the nanoscale using in situ heating transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental results reveal that CoSn2 nanoparticle growth occurs through polymerization, whereas CoSn3 nanoparticle formation relies on the reaction between CoSn2 and Sn. During the initial stages of the reaction, Co dissolves and diffuses into Sn, leading to the nucleation and growth of CoSn2 in Sn via Ostwald ripening. As the input energy increases, vacancies in CoSn2 drive a reaction at the Sn/CoSn2 interface, resulting in the generation of CoSn3. In this process, Sn nanoparticles enter the CoSn2 structure through the "Anti Structure Bridge (ASB) mechanism" to fill vacancies. Following the codeposition process, CoSn3 nanoparticles were successfully plated within the Sn layer of the Cu-pillar bumps. Upon reflow heating, the CoSn3 nanoparticles exhibited a preference for precipitating the vacant sites within the Sn layer. This process facilitated the release of Co atoms from CoSn2, enabling their diffusion throughout the entire Sn layer.

Construction of ceRNA regulatory networks for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis increases the risk of fracture. Improving the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis has clinical applications. The differentially expressed genes (DEcircRs, DEmRs, DEmiRs) of osteoporotic patients and controls were analyzed using the GEO database, and enrichment analysis of DEmRs was performed. circRNAs and mRNAs, which were predicted to have a target relationship with DEmRs, were obtained to compare competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks by comparison with differentially expressed genes. Molecular experiments were utilized to validate the expression of genes within the network. The interactions between genes within the ceRNA network were validated by luciferase reporter assays. Following overexpression of circ_0070304 in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), the osteogenic differentiation of the cells was assessed by Alizarin Red staining. A total of 110 intersectional DEmRs between patients with osteoporosis and controls from GSE35958 and GSE56815, which were mainly enriched in estrogen, the thyroid hormone signaling pathway, and adherens junctions were identified. A ceRNA network [circ_0070304/miR‑183‑5p/ring finger and CCCH‑type domains 2 (RC3H2)] was then constructed. Circ_0070304 acted as a sponge for miR‑183‑5p and regulated RC3H2 expression. Overexpression of circ_0070304 upregulated ROCK1 and induced osteogenic differentiation. The ceRNA regulatory network that was obtained is expected to be a new target for osteoporosis treatment and to provide new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in greater depth.

Non-contact thermometer behavior of (Y0.5In0.5)2O3:Yb3+,Er3+ solid solution

Oxides are physically and chemically stable. Non-contact thermometer-Yb³⁺-Er³⁺ ions co-doped solid solution (Y_0.5In_0.5)₂O₃, is prepared by the regular solid method. The structural results obtained by XRD indicate that a pure phase solid solution (Y_0.5In_0.5)₂O₃ has been obtained. The solid solution (Y_0.5In_0.5)₂O₃ has a similar crystal structure, especially Y₂O₃ and In₂O₃ with the same space group (Ia3̄). Green emission from 500 to 600 nm is due to Er³⁺ 4f-4f transitions: ⁴S_3/2 → ⁴I_15/2 at 567 nm and ²H_11/2 → ⁴I_15/2 at 528 nm. Red emissions from 630 to 720 nm are attributed to Er³⁺: ⁴F_9/2 → ⁴I_15/2. UC luminescence changes greatly with laser diode power and Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺ content. Furthermore, the two-photon process is confirmed to be dominant between Yb³⁺ and Er³⁺ in oxide solid solution (Y_0.5In_0.5)₂O₃. Optical temperature sensitivity is also investigated systematically in order to explore the application of the oxide solid solution (Y_0.5In_0.5)₂O₃. The temperature-dependent green fluorescence at 528 and 567 nm was investigated with the range of 313-573 K. 0.316% K^-1 is the maximum absolute sensitivity at 503 K, which is higher than most Yb³⁺/Er³⁺ co-doped systems. In addition, the solid solution (Y_0.5In_0.5)₂O₃:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺ has better thermal stability and stronger UC emission than a simple substance with excellent temperature sensing performance. It indicates that Yb³⁺-Er³⁺ ions co-doped (Y_0.5In_0.5)₂O₃ solid solution is a good candidate for optical temperature sensing.

Stochastic motion and transcriptional dynamics of pairs of distal DNA loci on a compacted chromosome

Chromosomes in the eukaryotic nucleus are highly compacted. However, for many functional processes, including transcription initiation, the pairwise motion of distal chromosomal elements such as enhancers and promoters is essential and necessitates dynamic fluidity. Here, we used a live-imaging assay to simultaneously measure the positions of pairs of enhancers and promoters and their transcriptional output while systematically varying the genomic separation between these two DNA loci. Our analysis reveals the coexistence of a compact globular organization and fast subdiffusive dynamics. These combined features cause an anomalous scaling of polymer relaxation times with genomic separation leading to long-ranged correlations. Thus, encounter times of DNA loci are much less dependent on genomic distance than predicted by existing polymer models, with potential consequences for eukaryotic gene expression.

Targeting the KRT16-vimentin axis for metastasis in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most diagnosed malignant cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with advanced stage and metastasis being a major issue. The mechanism leading to metastasis is not yet understood. Here, we found that KRT16 is upregulated in metastatic lung cancer tissues and correlated with poor overall survival. Knockdown of KRT16 inhibits metastasis of lung cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, KRT16 interacts with vimentin, and depletion of KRT16 leads to downregulation of vimentin. KRT16 acquired its oncogenic ability by stabilizing vimentin, and vimentin is required for KRT16-driven metastasis. FBXO21 mediates the polyubiquitination and degradation of KRT16, and vimentin inhibits KRT16 ubiquitination and degradation by impairing its interaction with FBXO21. Significantly, IL-15 inhibits metastasis of lung cancer in a mouse model through upregulation of FBXO21, and the level of IL-15 in circulating serum was significantly higher in nonmetastatic lung cancer patients than in metastatic patients. Our findings indicate that targeting the FBXO21/KRT16/vimentin axis may benefit lung cancer patients with metastasis.

Transplantation of A2 type astrocytes promotes neural repair and remyelination after spinal cord injury

BACKGROUND

Limited progress in terms of an effective treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) emphasizes the urgent need for novel therapies. As a vital central nervous system component, the resident astrocytes play crucial roles in regulating recovery after SCI. In this study, recovery after SCI was compared following the transplantation of either A1 or A2 astrocytes. A1 astrocytes are harmful as they upregulate the neurotoxic classical complement cascade genes. Conversely, A2 astrocytes are characterized as neuroprotective as they upregulate the production of many neurotrophic factors.

METHODS

We used different supernatant obtained from microglia stimulated with lipopolysaccharide or interleukin-4 to generate A1 and A2 astrocytes. We detected the influence of astrocytes on neurons by co-culturing A1 and A2 astrocytes with neurons. We transplanted astrocytes into the lesion site of the spinal cord and assessed lesion progression, neural restoration, glia formation and locomotor recovery.

RESULTS

Astrocytes were polarized into A1 and A2 phenotypes following culture in the supernatant obtained from microglia stimulated with lipopolysaccharide or interleukin-4, respectively. Furthermore, co-culturing A2 astrocytes with neurons significantly suppressed glutamate-induced neuronal apoptosis and promoted the degree of neuron arborization. Transplantation of these A2 astrocytes into the lesion site of the spinal cord of mice significantly improved motor function recovery, preserved spared supraspinal pathways, decreased glia scar deposition, and increased neurofilament formation at the site of injury compared to the transplantation of A1 astrocytes. Additionally, enhanced A2 astrocytes with potentially beneficial A2-like genes were also detected in the A2 group. Moreover, luxol fast blue staining and electron microscopy indicated increased preservation of myelin with organized structure after transplantation of A2 astrocytes than of A1 astrocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

A2 astrocyte transplantation could be a promising potential therapy for SCI. Video abstract.

Stochastic motion and transcriptional dynamics of pairs of distal DNA loci on a compacted chromosome

Chromosomes in the eukaryotic nucleus are highly compacted. However, for many functional processes, including transcription initiation, the 3D pair-wise motion of distal chromosomal elements, such as enhancers and promoters, is essential and necessitates dynamic fluidity. Therefore, the interplay of chromosome organization and dynamics is crucial for gene regulation. Here, we use a live imaging assay to simultaneously measure the positions of pairs of enhancers and promoters and their transcriptional output in the developing fly embryo while systematically varying the genomic separation between these two DNA loci. Our analysis reveals a combination of a compact globular organization and fast subdiffusive dynamics. These combined features cause an anomalous scaling of polymer relaxation times with genomic separation and lead to long-ranged correlations compared to existing polymer models. This scaling implies that encounter times of DNA loci are much less dependent on genomic separation than predicted by existing polymer models, with potentially significant consequences for eukaryotic gene expression.

AFM negatively regulates the infiltration of monocytes to mediate sepsis-associated acute kidney injury

Background

Sepsis is organ dysfunction due to the host's deleterious response to infection, and the kidneys are one of the organs damaged in common sepsis. Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) increases the mortality in patients with sepsis. Although a substantial volume of research has improved the prevention and treatment of the disease, SA-SKI is still a significant clinical concern.

Purpose

Aimed to use weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and immunoinfiltration analysis to study SA-AKI-related diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets.

Methods

Immunoinfiltration analysis was performed on SA-AKI expression datasets from the Gene Expression Synthesis (GEO) database. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) analysis was performed on immune invasion scores as trait data, and modules associated with immune cells of interest were identified as hub modules. Screening hub geneset in the hub module using protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The hub gene was identified as a target by intersecting with significantly different genes screened by differential expression analysis and validated using two external datasets. Finally, the correlation between the target gene, SA-AKI, and immune cells was verified experimentally.

Results

Green modules associated with monocytes were identified using WGCNA and immune infiltration analysis. Differential expression analysis and PPI network analysis identified two hub genes (AFM and GSTA1). Further validation using additional AKI datasets GSE30718 and GSE44925 showed that AFM was significantly downregulated in AKI samples and correlated with the development of AKI. The correlation analysis of hub genes and immune cells showed that AFM was significantly associated with monocyte infiltration and hence, selected as a critical gene. In addition, Gene single-enrichment analysis (GSEA) and PPI analyses results showed that AFM was significantly related to the occurrence and development of SA-AKI.

Conclusions

AFM is inversely correlated with the recruitment of monocytes and the release of various inflammatory factors in the kidneys of AKI. AFM can be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for monocyte infiltration in sepsis-related AKI.

Ultralight and Highly Conductive Silver Nanowire Aerogels for High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

Metal-based materials possess superior electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance because of their extraordinary electrical conductivity. Nevertheless, the high density and structural rigidity of metals seriously limit their applicability in portable and wearable electronic equipment. A common method for reducing the density of metal-based materials is to prepare metal nanowire aerogels by freeze-drying, but the weak connection among the nanowires results in poor mechanical and electrical properties. Herein, a facile approach is developed for the one-step synthesis of silver nanowire (AgNW) aerogels with ultralow density, good flexibility, high electrical conductivity, and a robust structure. The gel is directly formed by in situ assembly of AgNWs. The end-to-end nanojoining of AgNWs contributes to constructing an interconnected three-dimensional (3D) network, resulting in improved mechanical and electrical properties. The AgNW aerogel with an ultralow density of 4.87 mg cm^-3 demonstrates a high electrical conductivity of 4584 S m^-1. Moreover, the porous structure of the AgNW aerogel provides numerous interfaces for multiple reflections and scattering of EM waves, allowing them to be continuously absorbed and dissipated within the aerogel. Thus, the AgNW aerogel exhibits a superb EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 109.3 dB and a normalized surface specific SE (SSE/t, calculated as the SE divided by the density and thickness) of 353 183 dB cm² g^-1, significantly above that of previously known shielding materials. This work provides a new route for preparing high-performance metal nanowire aerogels and their great potential in EMI shielding.

Tumor microenvironment-activated multi-functional nanodrug with size-enlargement for enhanced cancer phototheranostics

Phototheranostics that integrate diagnosis and treatment modalities have shown great promise in personalized cancer therapy. However, the "always on" characteristics often lead to suboptimal imaging quality and severe side effects. Herein, we report the construction of a perylenemonoimide based nanodrug CPMI NP with multi-functional activatable theranostic capability. The nanodrug is facilely co-assembled from a prodrug CPMI and DSPE-mPEG2000. In a tumor microenvironment (TME) with excessive glutathione (GSH), CPMI undergoes a cascade reaction to generate the phototheranostic molecule NPMI and the chemodrug chlorambucil, simultaneously switching on the near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence, photothermal effect, and drug release. The photothermal conversion efficiency is as high as 52.2%. Moreover, NPMI exhibits an enhanced intermolecular π-π stacking effect, leading to significant size-enlargement of the nanodrug and prolonged tumor retention. Due to TME-activation, the strong in vivo fluorescence signal of the tumor can be observed 144 h post injection with a high signal-to-noise ratio of up to 17. The enhanced tumor inhibition efficiency of the nanodrug is confirmed through activatable chemo-photothermal therapy. This work paves the way for the design of activatable phototheranostic agents for accurate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Cu3Sn joint based on transient liquid phase bonding of Cu@Cu6Sn5 core-shell particles

With the development of high-integration and high-power electronics, the lack of matching chip connecting materials that can withstand high temperatures has been a challenge. In this manuscript, a Cu@Cu₆Sn₅ core-shell bimetallic particles (approx. 1 μm in diameter) are successfully prepared and introduced as a new solder material for the packaging of power devices to obtain a Cu₃Sn all-IMC solder joint. The joint consisted mainly of equiaxed Cu₃Sn grains, and a small portion of columnar Cu₃Sn grains. In columnar-type growth, Sn is the dominant diffusing species, which comes from the depletion of Sn in Cu₆Sn₅. The depleted Cu₆Sn₅ is transformed into columnar Cu₃Sn. In equiaxed-type growth, Cu is the dominant diffusing species. Cu reacts with Cu₆Sn₅ to grow a Cu₃Sn layer. This conclusion was confirmed by the orientation relationship. The equiaxed Cu₃Sn grain nucleates at the Cu/Cu₃Sn interface have an orientation relationship with the Cu substrate. Columnar Cu₃Sn grains at the Cu₆Sn₅/Cu₃Sn interface have an orientation relationship with Cu₆Sn₅.

Direct calibration of neutron detectors for laser-driven nuclear reaction experiments with a gated neutron source

Nowadays, the sustained technological progress in high-intensity lasers is opening up the possibility of super-intense laser pulses to trigger or substantially influence nuclear reactions. However, it is a big challenge to quantitatively measure the reaction products because of the interference of electromagnetic pulses induced by high-intensity lasers. Fast scintillation detectors are widely chosen for fast neutron detection. The calibration of neutron detectors is crucial to measuring the yield of neutron products. Since one large signal superimposed by a number of neutron signals appears during a short period, it is difficult to directly and precisely calibrate the detectors' response for a single neutron. In the present work, we developed a direct calibration method with a gated fission neutron source ²⁵²Cf to solve this problem. This work demonstrates that the gated fission neutron source approach, with a unique "Pulse Shape Discrimination & Time of Flight window" function, has the highest background-γ-rejection and improves the confidence level of the final results for both liquid and plastic scintillator. Compared with the result of Compton edge method and neutron beam method, the gated fission neutron source method achieves much cleaner neutron signals and avoids interference caused by the modeling accuracy of the neutron detectors. This approach can be widely used in laser-driven nuclear physics experiments with higher accuracy for neutron detection.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of EK30 Alloy Synergistically Reinforced by Ag Alloying and Hot Extrusion for Aerospace Applications

Enhancing the mechanical properties of magnesium alloys to meet the urgent need for their lightweight applications in the aerospace field has always been a great challenge. Herein, the effect of Ag on the microstructure and tensile properties of the Mg-2.5Nd-1.0Sm-0.4Zn-0.1Ca-0.5Zr (EK30) alloy prepared by integrated extrusion and equal-channel angular pressing is studied. The microstructure of as-extruded alloys consists of α-Mg grains and the β phase. The addition of Ag increases the β-phase content. The β phase can promote dynamic recrystallization by inducing a particle-stimulated nucleation mechanism and inhibiting grain growth, which leads to grain refinement and texture weakening. At 250 °C, the ultimate tensile strength of the EK30-2.0Ag alloy (225.9 MPa) increased by 13.8% compared to the Ag-free alloy (198.4 MPa). When the tensile temperature increased from 25 °C to 250 °C, the ultimate tensile strength of the EK30-2.0Ag alloy decreased by 14.3%, from 263.7 MPa to 225.9 MPa. Notably, the addition of Ag slightly reduced the elongation of the alloy at 250 °C; the elongations of the EK30-2.0Ag alloy and the EK30 alloy are 41.5% and 37.0%, respectively. The elongation of the EK30-2.0Ag alloy increased from 22.7% at 25 °C to 52.7% at 275 °C. All alloy tensile fractures exhibited typical plastic fracture characteristics. This study provides an effective way to enhance the high-temperature mechanical properties of magnesium alloys by Ag alloying and a special severe plastic deformation method.

CoSn3 Intermetallic Nanoparticles for Electronic Packaging

At present, composite solder pastes are getting a lot of attention, especially composite Sn based solders reinforced by nanoparticles. Indeed, CoSn₃ is a strong nucleating agent of Sn crystal, which has potential application value in the field of electronic packaging. However, there is no reliable synthetic path for CoSn₃ nanoparticles at present. In this article, a chemical synthesis method for CoSn₃ nanoparticles is developed. Here, CoCl₂ and SnCl₂ are reduced by NaHB₄ in triethylene glycol (TEG), dispersed by ultrasonics, and heated to 350 °C in a tube furnace for growth. The CoSn₃ nanoparticles with a diameter of about 150 nm are obtained by heating at 350 °C for 10 min. The CoSn₃ nanoparticles undergo a step reaction in the process of synthesis and go through different stages of merging and annexation during their growth. The crystal growth behavior and the process of orientation change during the nucleation and growth of CoSn₃ nanoparticles are studied, especially the two growth mechanisms, namely OU (orientation unified) and OA (orientation attached). By mixing CoSn₃ nanoparticles with SAC305, we obtain a kind of strengthened composite soldering paste. There are obvious six-fold cyclic twins in the joints made by this soldering paste.

The effect of respiratory capacity for dose sparing in left-sided breast cancer irradiation with active breathing coordinator technique

Background and aim

A subsequent cardiac toxicity is deemed to be dose-dependent for left-sided breast cancer irradiation. This study aims to demonstrate the effect of respiratory capacity for dose sparing when the deep inspiration breath hold with Active Breathing Coordinator technique (ABC-DIBH) is used in left-sided breast cancer irradiation.

Methods

74 left-sided breast cancer patients, who received whole breast or post-mastectomy chest wall radiotherapy with ABC-DIBH between 2020 and 2021 in our center, were retrospectively reviewed in this study. CT scans of free breath (FB) and ABC-DIBH were done for each patient, and two treatment plans with a prescription dose of 5000 cGy/25 Fr were designed separately. The dose to heart, left anterior descending artery (LAD) and lungs was compared between FB and ABC-DIBH. The correlation between individual parameters (dose to organs at risk (OARs) and minimum heart distance (MHD)) was analyzed, and the effect of respiratory capacity for dose sparing was assessed.

Results

The plans with ABC-DIBH achieved lower Dmean for heart (34.80%, P &lt; 0.01) and LAD (29.33%, P &lt; 0.01) than those with FB. Regression analysis revealed that both Dmean and D2 of heart were negatively correlated with MHD in the plans with FB and ABC-DIBH, which decreased with the increase in MHD by 37.8 cGy and 309.9 cGy per 1mm, respectively. Besides, a lower Dmean of heart was related to a larger volume of ipsilateral lung in plans with FB. With the increase in volume of ipsilateral lung, the linear correlation was getting weaker and weaker until the volume of ipsilateral lung reached 1700 cc. Meanwhile, a negative linear correlation between Dmean of LAD and MHD in plans with FB and ABC-DIBH was observed, whose slope was 162.5 and 135.9 cGy/mm, respectively. Furthermore, when the respiratory capacity of ABC-DIBH reached 1L, and the relative ratio (ABC-DIBH/FB) reached 3.6, patients could obtain the benefit of dose sparing. The larger difference in respiratory capacity had no significant effect in the larger difference of MHD, Dmean of heart and Dmean of LAD between FB and ABC-DIBH.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the sufficiently good effect of ABC-DIBH when utilizing for cardiac sparing. It also reveals the correlations among individual parameters and the effect of respiratory capacity for dose sparing. This helps take optimal advantage of the ABC-DIBH technique and predict clinical benefits.

Decadal change in dissolved silicate concentration and flux in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River

Silicon (Si) plays an essential role in the biogeochemistry of rivers. This study explored how damming, eutrophication and climate change alters the abundance and flux of DSi in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River based on long-term observations. The results showed that Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) could enhance DSi transfer only during low-flow time period, and a downstream DSi retention effect by the TGR was found between the Yichang and Jianli stations in the Changjiang River. This resulted in a DSi loss during March and April in the mainstream from Three Gorges Dam (TGD) to Jianli but a DSi addition during July and October along the main channel of the Changjiang River. Long-term data showed a sharp decrease in DSi abundance at the Cuntan, Hankou and Datong stations between the 1960s and 1980s, but a slight increase in DSi between the 1990s and 2010s at these stations. The decrease in DSi during the 1960s -1980s was primarily the result of a decrease trend of silicate weathering, while a slight DSi increase compared to the temperature/DSi relation after the 1990s was largely due to increased DSi retention in the basin by damming and eutrophication. Eutrophication and damming increase DSi trapping in both the river channel and reservoir systems in the low-flow period and thus enhance the nutrient distortion in the coastal ocean.

Protein Methylation in Diabetic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined by persistent urine aberrations, structural abnormalities, or impaired excretory renal function. Diabetes is the leading cause of CKD. Their common pathological manifestation is renal fibrosis. Approximately half of all patients with type 2 diabetes and one-third with type 1 diabetes will develop CKD. However, renal fibrosis mechanisms are still poorly understood, especially post-transcriptional and epigenetic regulation. And an unmet need remains for innovative treatment strategies for preventing, arresting, treating, and reversing diabetic kidney disease (DKD). People believe that protein methylation, including histone and non-histone, is an essential type of post-translational modification (PTM). However, prevalent reviews mainly focus on the causes such as DNA methylation. This review will take insights into the protein part. Furthermore, by emphasizing the close relationship between protein methylation and DKD, we will summarize the clinical research status and foresee the application prospect of protein methyltransferase (PMT) inhibitors in DKD treatment. In a nutshell, our review will contribute to a more profound understanding of DKD’s molecular mechanism and inspire people to dig into this field.

Non-Coding RNAs in Sepsis-Associated Acute Kidney Injury

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response caused by a severe infection that leads to multiple organ damage, including acute kidney injury (AKI). In intensive care units (ICU), the morbidity and mortality associated with sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI) are gradually increasing due to lack of effective and early detection, as well as proper treatment. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) exert a regulatory function in gene transcription, RNA processing, post-transcriptional translation, and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Evidence indicated that miRNAs are involved in inflammation and programmed cell death during the development of sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI). Moreover, lncRNAs and circRNAs appear to be an essential regulatory mechanism in SA-AKI. In this review, we summarized the molecular mechanism of ncRNAs in SA-AKI and discussed their potential in clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Visualization of the process of a nanocarrier-mediated gene delivery: stabilization, endocytosis and endosomal escape of genes for intracellular spreading

Nanoparticles have been widely applied as gene carrier for improving RNA interference (RNAi) efficiency in medical and agricultural fields. However, the mechanism and delivery process of nanoparticle-mediated RNAi is not directly visualized and elucidated. Here we synthesized a star polymer (SPc) consisted of a hydrophilic shell with positively-charged tertiary amine in the side chain, which was taken as an example to investigate the mechanism in gene delivery. The SPc could assemble with dsRNA spontaneously through electrostatic force, hydrogen bond and van der Waals force. Interestingly, the SPc could protect dsRNA from degradation by RNase A and insect hemolymph, thus remarkably increasing the stability of dsRNA. Meanwhile, the SPc could efficiently promote the cellular uptake and endosomal escape for intracellular spreading of dsRNA. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the SPc could up-regulate some key genes such as Chc, AP2S1 and Arf1 for activating clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Furthermore, the suppression of endocytosis hindered the cellular uptake of SPc-delivered dsRNA in vitro, and the subsequent RNAi effect was also disappeared in vivo. To our knowledge, our study is the first direct visualization of the detailed cellular delivery process and mechanism of nanocarrier-mediated gene delivery. Above mechanism supports the application of nanocarrier-based RNAi in gene therapy and pest management.

Can green credit increase firm value? Evidence from Chinese listed new energy companies

Green credit plays a crucial role in reducing energy consumption and environmental degradation in China. Using data on China's new energy listed companies from 2007 to 2018, this study explores the impact of green credit on new energy firms' value, as well as the mediating effects of financing constraints and external supervision on the relationship between green credit and new energy companies' economic benefits. Our results suggest that green credit significantly improved new energy firms' value, and this positive impact can last over the long term. The above result is robust to using alternative measures, replacement of fixed effects, exclusion of abnormal samples, and placebo test. Additional tests reveal that green credit improves new energy companies' value by alleviating financing constraints and strengthening external supervision. Finally, green credit's value-enhancement effect is heterogeneous, depending on corporate property rights, business life cycle, implementation of Green Credit Guideline policy, and the firms' geographical location. Our conclusions suggest that government should not only pay attention to the continuity of green credit commitment but also the mitigation of financing constraints and improvement of external supervision for new energy companies. Moreover, heterogeneous factors should be considered to formulate and calibrate related policy rather than a one-size-fits-all policy.

Gastric side effects and the stomach dosimetric analysis in left-sided breast cancer radiotherapy in free-breathing and deep inspiration breath-hold technique

Background

Adjuvant radiotherapy following surgery reduces the local recurrence and improves the prognosis. However, a considerable part of patients developed digestive reaction in daily treatment. In order to explore the correlation between breast radiotherapy and gastric toxicity, we investigated the clinic symptoms and stomach dose during DIBH or FB mode while left-sided breast cancer patients (LSBCP) receiving radiotherapy.

Methods

In the study, 124 LSBCP received adjuvant radiotherapy after surgery at our department were analyzed clinical characteristics and enquired about gastrointestinal side effects after treatment. Moreover, dosimetric parameters were assessed.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in age, T staging, N staging, hormone receptors, human epidermal receptor-2 (HER2), surgical methods, fractionated regimen, and chemotherapy conditions. However, larger stomach volumes and higher fractionated dose (Dmax/F) were associated with a statistically significantly greater risk for acute radiotherapy toxicity. In addition, the use of the DIBH gating technique (FB/DIBH) reduced the incidence of digestive reactions.

Conclusion

In order to cut down gastric side effects after breast radiotherapy, large meals should be avoided before treatment. DIBH treatment should be implemented in centers where conditions are satisfied to reduce radiotherapy side effects. Furthermore, dose limitation in stomach should be considered when the radiotherapy plan was formulated, especially for the patients treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Activation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor in microglia attenuates neuroinflammation-induced glial scarring via rescuing Arf and Rho GAP adapter protein 3 expressions after nerve injury

Rationale: The neuroinflammation is necessary for glial group initiation and clearance of damaged cell debris after nerve injury. However, the proinflammatory polarization of excessive microglia amplifies secondary injury via enhancing cross-talk with astrocytes and exacerbating neurological destruction after spinal cord injury (SCI). The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist has been previously shown to have a neuroprotective effect in neurodegeneration, whereas its potency in microglial inflammation after SCI is still unknown.

Methods: The effect and mechanism of GLP-1R activation by exendin-4 (Ex-4) were investigated in in vitro cultured glial groups and in vivo in SCI mice. Alterations in the gene expression after GLP-1R activation in inflammatory microglia were measured using mRNA sequencing. The microglial polarization, neuroinflammatory level, and astrocyte reaction were detected by using western blotting, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. The recoveries of neurological histology and function were also observed using imaging and ethological examinations.

Results: GLP-1R activation attenuated microglia-induced neuroinflammation by reversing M1 subtypes to M2 subtypes in vitro and in vivo. In addition, activation of GLP-1R in microglia blocked production of reactive astrocytes. We also found less neuroinflammation, reactive astrocytes, corrected myelin integrity, ameliorated histology, and improved locomotor function in SCI mice treated with Ex-4. Mechanistically, we found that Ex-4 rescued the RNA expression of Arf and Rho GAP adapter protein 3 (ARAP3). Knockdown of ARAP3 in microglia reversed activation of RhoA and the pharmacological effect of Ex-4 on anti-inflammation in vitro.

Conclusion: Ex-4 exhibited a previously unidentified role in reducing reactive astrocyte activation by mediation of the PI3K/ARAP3/RhoA signaling pathway, by neuroinflammation targeting microglia, and exerted a neuroprotective effect post-SCI, implying that activation of GLP-1R in microglia was a therapeutical option for treatment of neurological injury.

The Effect of Grain Orientation of β-Sn on Copper Pillar Solder Joints during Electromigration

The grain orientation of Sn-based solder joints on copper pillars under the combined action of electron wind force and temperature gradient greatly affects their electromigration damage. The copper pillars with Sn-1.8Ag lead-free solder on the top was subjected to a current density of 1.5 × 10⁴ A/cm² at 125 °C to study the electromigration behaviors. The grain orientation was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) detector. Metal dissolution and voids formation in the cathode as well as massive intermetallic compounds(IMC) accumulation in the anode were observed after electromigration. Closer examination of solder joints revealed that the Sn grain whose c-axis perpendicular to electric current may have retarded Cu diffusion to anode and IMC accumulation. In addition, the newly formed Cu₆Sn₅ exhibited preferred orientation related to the electric current direction.

Application of Extradural Nerve Root Transfer in the Restoration of Lower Limb Function in Spinal Cord Injury: Hypothesis and a Cadaver Feasibility Study

STUDY DESIGN

Two fresh-frozen and six formalin-fixed cadavers were included in the study.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain whether transferring T9 or T11 ventral root (VR) to L2 VR and T10 or T12 VR to L3 VR in restoring lower limb function after spinal cord injury is anatomically feasible.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Lower limb paralysis impairs the quality of the life and places burden on the whole society. However, no significant improvement in this area was achieved during recent years.

METHODS

In the present study, two fresh-frozen and six formalin-fixed cadavers were dissected to confirm the anatomical feasibility. A limited laminectomy was performed to expose the T9-L3 extradural nerve roots. T9 and T10 VR were anastomosed to L2 and L3 VR respectively, or T11 and T12 VR were anastomosed to L2 and L3 VR respectively. The pertinent distances between the donor and recipient nerves were measured and H&E staining was used to detect the axon number and cross-section area of each VR.

RESULTS

The limited incision was performed to expose the T9-L3 nerve root. According to the anatomic landmark of dorsal root ganglion, each VR could be isolated from each extradural nerve root. The T9 or T11 VR needs sural nerve graft to be transferred to L2 VR, and T10 or T12 VR also needs a nerve bridge to connect to L3 VR. The nerve numbers of T9, T10, T11, T12, L2, and L3 VRs and the sural nerves were measured respectively. The cross-section areas of T9, T10, T11, T12, L2, and L3 VRs and sural nerves were measured respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggested that application of transferring T9 or T11 VR to L2 VR and T10 or T12 VR to L3 VR in restoring lower limb function is anatomically feasible.Level of Evidence: 5.

HOXC11 positively regulates the long non-coding RNA HOTAIR and is associated with poor prognosis in colon adenocarcinoma

Colorectal cancer ranks third in terms of incidence and second in terms of mortality worldwide. The homeobox transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR), which was found to be located on the antisense chain of the homeobox C (HOXC) gene cluster, is a long non-coding RNA involved in multiple types of tumors. The role of HOXC11 in tumors remains unclear. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to detect the expression level of HOXC11 in colon adenocarcinoma. Cell proliferation and invasion were assessed. RNase protection assay was used to test the possibility of RNA duplex formation. The increased expression and co-expression trend of HOXC11 and HOTAIR were identified in multiple types of cancer from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the results were validated in 12 colon adenocarcinoma and paired non-tumor tissue samples. The expression of HOXC11 and HOTAIR was found to be associated with poor prognosis in colon adenocarcinoma and kidney renal clear cell carcinoma. Furthermore, HOXC11 was found to positively regulate HOTAIR by RNA duplex formation and promoted the proliferation and invasion of colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Simple Osthole/Nanocarrier Pesticide Efficiently Controls Both Pests and Diseases Fulfilling the Need of Green Production of Strawberry

The application of botanical pesticides is a good choice in organic agriculture. However, most botanical pesticides have limitations of slow action and short persistence for pest and disease management, which constrain their further application. With the objective of exploring a green pesticide for controlling strawberry pests and diseases simultaneously, a star polymer (SPc) with a low production cost was synthesized as a pesticide nanocarrier through simple reactions. The SPc complexed with osthole quickly through electrostatic interaction and hydrophobic association, which decreased the particle size of osthole down to the nanoscale (17.66 nm). With the help of SPc, more nano-sized osthole was delivered into cytoplasm through endocytosis, leading to the enhanced cytotoxicity against insect cells. As a green botanical pesticide, the control efficacy of the osthole/SPc complex was improved against main strawberry pests (green peach aphid and two-spotted spider mite) and disease (powdery mildew), which fulfilled the need of both pest and disease management in sustainable production of strawberry. Meanwhile, the introduction of SPc not only improved plant-uptake but also decreased the residue of osthole due to the higher degradation rate. Furthermore, the application of the osthole/SPc complex exhibited no influence on the strawberry fruit quality and nontarget predators. To our knowledge, it is the first success to control plant pests and diseases simultaneously for sustainable agriculture by only one pesticidal formulation based on nanoparticle-delivered botanical pesticides.

Diversity and co-occurrence networks of picoeukaryotes as a tool for indicating underlying environmental heterogeneity in the Western Pacific Ocean

Picoeukaryotes are an essential component of microbial communities and play key roles in marine ecosystems. In this study, surface water picoeukaryotes were investigated at 32 stations along a latitudinal cross-section of the Western Pacific (WP) in 2015. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that there were clear spatial patterns in picoeukaryotic community structures which were consistent with the distributions of environmental variables. The spatial patterns of community structures and diversity indices were all significantly correlated with multiple environmental parameters, especially nutrients. Co-occurrence networks linked community variability to environmental heterogeneity. In summary, the construction of picoeukaryotic communities in the WP was significantly affected by numerous environmental variables, and certain variables were revealed as key forcing factors responsible for the main similarities between picoeukaryotic communities. This study details the relationships between the picoeukaryotes and environmental parameters in the WP, and provides insight for application of using picoeukaryotes as indicator in future bioassessment for open waters.

Ilizarov bone transport to treat infected nonunion of long bones: a multicenter retrospective cohort study

Objective

To examine the efficacy and safety of Ilizarov bone transport in the treatment of infected nonunion of long bones.

Methods

Patients who underwent Ilizarov bone transport for treatment of bone nonunion with chronic osteomyelitis in the three largest regional orthopedic trauma centers in China from July 2013 to July 2018 were retrospectively examined. Treatment results were evaluated with Paley’s criteria for bone healing and functional assessment.

Results

In total, 189 patients were treated during the study period. The study population comprised 135 male and 54 female patients with an average age of 37.5 years (range, 11–61 years). The patients were followed up for at least 24 months. According to Paley’s criteria for bone healing and functional assessment, the bone healing results were excellent in 115 (61%) patients, good in 31 (16%), fair in 21 (11%), and poor in 22 (12%). The functional evaluation results were excellent in 76 (40%) patients, good in 65 (34%), fair in 22 (11%), poor in 26 (14%).

Conclusion

Infected nonunion of long bones can be effectively and safely treated with Ilizarov bone transport.

Auxiliary Diagnosis for COVID-19 with Deep Transfer Learning

To assist physicians identify COVID-19 and its manifestations through the automatic COVID-19 recognition and classification in chest CT images with deep transfer learning. In this retrospective study, the used chest CT image dataset covered 422 subjects, including 72 confirmed COVID-19 subjects (260 studies, 30,171 images), 252 other pneumonia subjects (252 studies, 26,534 images) that contained 158 viral pneumonia subjects and 94 pulmonary tuberculosis subjects, and 98 normal subjects (98 studies, 29,838 images). In the experiment, subjects were split into training (70%), validation (15%) and testing (15%) sets. We utilized the convolutional blocks of ResNets pretrained on the public social image collections and modified the top fully connected layer to suit our task (the COVID-19 recognition). In addition, we tested the proposed method on a finegrained classification task; that is, the images of COVID-19 were further split into 3 main manifestations (ground-glass opacity with 12,924 images, consolidation with 7418 images and fibrotic streaks with 7338 images). Similarly, the data partitioning strategy of 70%-15%-15% was adopted. The best performance obtained by the pretrained ResNet50 model is 94.87% sensitivity, 88.46% specificity, 91.21% accuracy for COVID-19 versus all other groups, and an overall accuracy of 89.01% for the three-category classification in the testing set. Consistent performance was observed from the COVID-19 manifestation classification task on images basis, where the best overall accuracy of 94.08% and AUC of 0.993 were obtained by the pretrained ResNet18 (P < 0.05). All the proposed models have achieved much satisfying performance and were thus very promising in both the practical application and statistics. Transfer learning is worth for exploring to be applied in recognition and classification of COVID-19 on CT images with limited training data. It not only achieved higher sensitivity (COVID-19 vs the rest) but also took far less time than radiologists, which is expected to give the auxiliary diagnosis and reduce the workload for the radiologists.

XPG gene polymorphisms and glioma susceptibility: a two-centre case-control study

Background: Glioma, the most common tumour in children next to leukaemia, is difficult to treat, with a poor prognosis and high recurrence rate. Xeroderma pigmentosum group G (XPG) plays a key role in the nucleotide excision repair pathway, which may modulate individual susceptibility to developing cancer. We hypothesized links between XPG variants and glioma in children.Methods: We tested our hypothesis in a study comparing 171 glioma cases with 228 age and sex matched controls, determining XPG polymorphisms rs2094258 C > T, rs751402 C > T, rs2296147 T > C, rs1047768 T > C, rs873601 G > A by standard molecular genetic methods.Results: rs2094258 C > T was associated with a decreased glioma risk, but carrying the rs1047768 C or rs873601 A allele brought an increased risk. Subjects carrying 5 risk genotypes had a significantly increased glioma risk at an adjusted odds ratio of 1.97 (95% confidence Interval 1.26-3.08)(p = 0.003) when compared with those carrying 0-4 risk genotypes. Furthermore, children with 5 risk genotypes had a higher glioma risk when aged >60 months, were more likely to be male, and with subtypes of astrocytic tumours, and low-grade clinical stage, when compared to those with 0-4 risk genotypes. Preliminary functional exploration suggested that rs2094258 is linked with the expression of its surrounding genes in the expression quantitative trait locus analysis.Conclusion: Certain variants of XPG are risk factors for paediatric glioma, and so may be useful in early diagnosis.

Silencing COX-2 blocks PDK1/TRAF4-induced AKT activation to inhibit fibrogenesis during skeletal muscle atrophy

Skeletal muscle atrophy with high prevalence can induce weakness and fatigability and place huge burden on both health and quality of life. During skeletal muscle degeneration, excessive fibroblasts and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulated to replace and impair the resident muscle fiber and led to loss of muscle mass. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the rate-limiting enzyme in synthesis of prostaglandin, has been identified as a positive regulator in pathophysiological process like inflammation and oxidative stress. In our study, we found injured muscles of human subjects and mouse model overexpressed COX-2 compared to the non-damaged region and COX-2 was also upregulated in fibroblasts following TGF-β stimulation. Then we detected the effect of selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib on fibrogenesis. Celecoxib mediated anti-fibrotic effect by inhibiting fibroblast differentiation, proliferation and migration as well as inactivating TGF-β-dependent signaling pathway, non-canonical TGF-β pathways and suppressing generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. In vivo pharmacological inhibition of COX-2 by celecoxib decreased tissue fibrosis and increased skeletal muscle fiber preservation reflected by less ECM formation and myofibroblast accumulation with decreased p-ERK1/2, p-Smad2/3, TGF-βR1, VEGF, NOX2 and NOX4 expression. Expression profiling further found that celecoxib could suppress PDK1 expression. The interaction between COX-2 and PDK1/AKT signaling remained unclear, here we found that COX-2 could bind to PDK1/AKT to form compound. Knockdown of COX-2 in fibroblasts by pharmacological inactivation or by siRNA restrained PDK1 expression and AKT phosphorylation induced by TGF-β treatment. Besides, si-COX-2 prevented TGF-β-induced K63-ubiquitination of AKT by blocking the interaction between AKT and E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF4. In summary, we found blocking COX-2 inhibited fibrogenesis after muscle atrophy induced by injury and suppressed AKT signaling pathway by inhibiting upstream PDK1 expression and preventing the recruitment of TRAF4 to AKT, indicating that COX-2/PDK1/AKT signaling pathway promised to be target for treating muscle atrophy in the future.

LncRNA Gm12840 mediates WISP1 to regulate ischemia-reperfusion-induced renal fibrosis by sponging miR-677-5p

Aim: We aimed to identify that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced late fibrosis of kidney and may constitute novel therapeutic strategies for acute kidney injury-induced chronic kidney disease. Materials & methods: We performed the mouse model of IR later induced renal fibrosis and analyzed lncRNA profiles using second-generation sequencing during the pathogenesis. Results: The expression levels of 43 lncRNAs and 141 lncRNAs were respectively changed significantly 7 days and 2 weeks after IR treatment. Based on the correlation analysis of the differentially expressed genes, the interaction networks of lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNA were structured. Conclusion: LncRNA (Gm12840) could act as a sponge for miR-677-5p to mediate fibroblast activation induced by TGF-β1 via the WISP1/PKB (Akt) signaling pathway.

Hepatitis B Virus Might Be Sensed by STING-Dependent DNA Sensors and Attenuates the Response of STING-Dependent DNA Sensing Pathway in Humans with Acute and Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

DNA-dependent activator of interferon regulatory factors (DAIs), interferon gamma inducible protein 16 (IFI16), DEAD-box polypeptide 41 (DDX41), DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), meiotic recombination 11 homolog A (MRE11), and cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) have been identified as intracellular STING-dependent DNA sensors in recent years. Studies have shown that the DNA sensor-STING-interferon (IFN)-β pathway plays an important role in the defense against intracellular invasion of many DNA viruses. However, the intracellular recognition of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by DNA sensors is still largely unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the DNA sensor-STING pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can be activated by acute and chronic HBV infections in humans. We first evaluated the expression of these DNA sensors in PBMCs of acute and chronic HBV-infected patients by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We next compared the expression of the upregulated DNA sensor between monocytes and nonmonocytes to find its cellular source. Finally, by in vitro stimulation, we analyzed the IFN-β response of the DNA sensor-STING pathway in PBMCs and monocytes from chronic HBV-infected patients. The results showed that IFI16, DDX41, MRE11, and the adaptor STING were upregulated in chronic HBV-infected patients, whereas only IFI16 was upregulated in acute HBV-infected patients. However, IFN-β expression was not changed in PBMCs from acute and chronic HBV-infected patients. We next found IFI16 was mainly expressed in monocytes of acute and chronic hepatitis B patients. Finally, by stimulation of monocytes with VACV ds 70mer, a ligand for IFI16, we confirmed the attenuated response of the IFI16-STING pathway. Taken together, our results suggest that HBV might be sensed by DNA sensors in PBMCs of acute and chronic HBV-infected patients, and meanwhile HBV infection attenuates the response of the DNA sensor-STING pathway in PBMCs and monocytes, which may facilitate the persistence of HBV infection.

COVID-19 in China: From epidemiology to treatment (Review)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly emerging infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. It first became prevalent in Wuhan, Hubei, China in December 2019. COVID-19 was initially characterized by pneumonia of unknown etiology, accompanied by fever, dry cough and fatigue. Due to its highly infectious nature it rapidly led to widespread human infection, causing 80,924 confirmed cases and 3,140 mortalities in mainland China as of March 9, 2020. The present review highlights the prevalence of COVID-19 in China, the etiology, pathology, clinical presentation, laboratory and chest imaging tests, and treatment of this disease.

Hepatitis B Virus Might Be Sensed by STING-Dependent DNA Sensors and Attenuates the Response of STING-Dependent DNA Sensing Pathway in Humans with Acute and Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

DNA-dependent activator of interferon regulatory factors (DAIs), interferon gamma inducible protein 16 (IFI16), DEAD-box polypeptide 41 (DDX41), DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), meiotic recombination 11 homolog A (MRE11), and cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) have been identified as intracellular STING-dependent DNA sensors in recent years. Studies have shown that the DNA sensor-STING-interferon (IFN)-β pathway plays an important role in the defense against intracellular invasion of many DNA viruses. However, the intracellular recognition of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by DNA sensors is still largely unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the DNA sensor-STING pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can be activated by acute and chronic HBV infections in humans. We first evaluated the expression of these DNA sensors in PBMCs of acute and chronic HBV-infected patients by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We next compared the expression of the upregulated DNA sensor between monocytes and nonmonocytes to find its cellular source. Finally, by in vitro stimulation, we analyzed the IFN-β response of the DNA sensor-STING pathway in PBMCs and monocytes from chronic HBV-infected patients. The results showed that IFI16, DDX41, MRE11, and the adaptor STING were upregulated in chronic HBV-infected patients, whereas only IFI16 was upregulated in acute HBV-infected patients. However, IFN-β expression was not changed in PBMCs from acute and chronic HBV-infected patients. We next found IFI16 was mainly expressed in monocytes of acute and chronic hepatitis B patients. Finally, by stimulation of monocytes with VACV ds 70mer, a ligand for IFI16, we confirmed the attenuated response of the IFI16-STING pathway. Taken together, our results suggest that HBV might be sensed by DNA sensors in PBMCs of acute and chronic HBV-infected patients, and meanwhile HBV infection attenuates the response of the DNA sensor-STING pathway in PBMCs and monocytes, which may facilitate the persistence of HBV infection.

Initiation of PI3K/AKT pathway by IGF-1 decreases spinal cord injury-induced endothelial apoptosis and microvascular damage

AIM

Apoptosis of endothelial cells (ECs) is a crucial factor in blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) disruption post spinal cord injury (SCI). Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a protective cytokine that plays an important role in multiple diseases, whereas the distinct role in SCI-induced remains critical questions to address. Here we designed to explore the role and underlying mechanism of IGF-1 in endothelial damage after SCI.

MAIN METHODS

In the current study, we established mouse microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) injury model via LPS and cDNA of IGF-1 was transfected into MVECs. In vivo SCI mice, overexpression of IGF-1 (SCI-IGF-1) and its corresponding empty vehicle (SCI-NC) were conducted using lentivirus, then apoptosis degree, component of tight junction, and inflammatory damage were evaluated.

KEY FINDINGS

IGF-1 treatment in MVECs displayed a milder apoptosis and cell damage under LPS insult. IGF-1 increased the level of PI3K/AKT pathway, which impeded the procedure of apoptosis. Blocking of PI3K/AKT pathway markedly neutralized the effect of IGF-1 treatment. Transfection of excess IGF-1 into SCI mice significantly corrected microenvironment of neural tissue repair, reduced area of injured core and improved functional recovery with greater activation of PI3K/AKT pathway.

SIGNIFICANCE

The results above argue that the promising roles played by IGF-1 is potentially vital for developing effective future therapies in SCI.

Treatment with 5-methoxytryptophan attenuates microglia-induced neuroinflammation in spinal cord trauma

Neuroinflammation following spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to extensive secondary damage in neural tissue adjacent to the primary lesion foci. 5-Methoxytryptophan (5MTP) is a metabolite of tryptophan and proven to play a protective role in several inflammation-related diseases. However, the specific efficacy and molecular mechanism of 5MTP in SCI remains unknown. Here, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory role of 5MTP in microglia-induced neuroinflammation and its therapeutic effect in SCI. To assess the effect of 5MTP in neuroinflammation, we used lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to stimulate microglia in vitro and detected the microglial phenotype using immunofluorescence staining, the inflammatory-related pathway using western blotting, and pro-inflammatory cytokines using ELISA and immunofluorescence. To explore the therapeutic effect of 5MTP in SCI, we performed contusion of the spinal cord in mice and measured the levels of neuroinflammation, glial accumulation, histological and functional recovery using ELISA, immunofluorescence staining, immunohistochemical staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Nissl staining and the Basso Mouse Scale, respectively. We found that treatment with 5MTP contributed to decreased activation of pro-inflammatory microglia and reduced the generation of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-18, by negative regulation of the p38-MAPK signaling pathway and NLRP3/caspase-1 expression. In vivo, administration of 5MTP showed mitigatory neuroinflammation levels associated with alleviated glial scar in SCI mice; hence, the neurological integrity and the neuronal survival, as well as locomotor function, were improved following 5MTP administration. 5MTP, as a novel anti-neuroinflammatory reagent, can attenuate activated microglia-induced secondary injury following SCI, and therefore, shows promise as a potential compound for application in a clinical trial for SCI therapy.

miR-766-3p Targeting BCL9L Suppressed Tumorigenesis, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, and Metastasis Through the β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Osteosarcoma Cells

Accumulating evidence has indicated that abnormal microRNAs (miRNAs) serve critical roles in carcinogenesis and development of osteosarcoma (OS). The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the relationship between miR-766-3p and development of osteosarcoma and explore the potential mechanism. In this study, we found that miR-766-3p was the most downregulated miRNA by analyzing GSE65071 from the GEO database. miR-766-3p was lowly expressed in OS tissue samples and cells, and high miR-766-3p expression repressed the malignant level of OS, including cell proliferation, EMT, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. B-Cell Lymphoma 9-Like Protein (BCL9L) was negatively associated with miR-766-3p expression in OS cells and tissue samples and was validated as the downstream target by luciferase reporter assay and western blotting. Rescue experiment indicated that BCL9L could restore the influence of miR-766-3p on OS cells. In addition, the β-Catenin/TCF-4 signal pathway was demonstrated to be related to the miR-766-3p/BCL9L axis. In summary, miR-766-3p, a negative regulator of BCL9L, plays the role of tumor metastasis suppressor via the β-catenin signaling pathway in the progression of OS.