Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment and Outcomes: A Single Institution Retrospective Analysis

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains challenging, with a multitude of treatment options available for Stage III patients. We hypothesized that Stage IIIA outcomes differ by treatment received.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of NSCLC patients ≥18 years old with Stage IIIA disease treated 1/1/2010-03/01/2022. Demographics, treatment received, treatment outcomes, and failure patterns were collected. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA was used to compare groups.

RESULTS

Of 352 patients identified, 160 had Stage IIIA NSCLC with a median follow-up of 29.1 months. Patients had a median age of 63 years, 79 (49.4%) were male, and 137 (85.6%) were current/former smokers (with 30 median pack-years). Patients were treated as follows: 17 (11%) surgery alone (S), 91 (57%) definitive radiation ± chemotherapy (CRT), 52 (33%) neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery (Neo). 6 (12%) of the Neo group received chemoimmunotherapy, and 21 (51%) of the 41 CRT patients received adjuvant immunotherapy. Between the three groups, there were no significant differences in tumor size as measured by T-staging (p = 0.83) and baseline FEV1/FVC (p = 0.92). Median PFS was 33.5mo (95% CI 13.2-NA) for group S, 18.4mo (95% CI 12.7-42.2) for CRT, and 19.7mo (95% CI 13.9-NA) for Neo with no significant intergroup difference (p = 0.72). Median OS was 33.5mo (95% CI 13.2-NA) for S, 48.7mo (95% CI 36.0-88.9) for CRT, and 50.9mo (95% CI 41.9-NA) for Neo with no significant intergroup difference (p = 0.94). Among the 17 primary surgical patients, 11 (65%) experienced failure: 6 (35%) local, 5 (29%) regional, and 7 (41%) distant. Among the 91 CRT patients, 57 (63%) experienced failure: 40 (44%) local, 35 (38%) regional, and 28 (31%) distant. Among the 52 Neo patients, 26 (50%) experienced failure: 14 (27%) local, 15 (29%) regional, and 17 (33%) distant. There were no significant differences in rates of local failure (p = 0.26), regional failure (p = 0.59), distant failure (p = 0.79), or any failure (p = 0.41) among the three treatment groups. The most common locations for distant failure were pleural effusions (n = 15, 29%), CNS (n = 14, 27%), and bone (n = 11, 21%).

CONCLUSION

In this single institution retrospective study, we find no significant differences in PFS, OS, and failure patterns between patients with Stage IIIA NSCLC treated with definitive (chemo)radiation and neoadjuvant therapy. Numeric improvement in PFS in surgery-only patients is consistent with expected patient selection of this group. Further work in the immunotherapy era is needed.

The association between serum adipokines levels with senile osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

The clinical correlation between adipokines levels in the blood and the incidence of senile osteoporosis (SOP) has not been clearly studied. We conducted this meta-analysis to elucidate the relationship between three common adipokines levels (leptin, adiponectin, and chemerin) and the incidence of SOP.

Methods

We searched databases such as CNKI, CBM, VIP, Wanfang, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to collect articles published since the establishment of the database until July 30, 2022.

Results

In total, 11 studies met the selection criteria. Our meta-analysis showed that serum leptin levels were significantly lower (mean difference [MD], -2.53, 95% CI: -3.96 to -1.10, I2 = 96%), chemerin levels were significantly higher (MD, 30.06, 95% CI: 16.71 to 43.40, I2 = 94%), and adiponectin levels were not significantly different (MD, -0.55, 95% CI: -2.26 to 1.17, P = 0.53, I2 = 98%) in SOP patients compared with healthy older individuals with normal bone mineral density (BMD). In addition, correlation analysis showed that leptin levels were positively correlated with lumbar bone mineral density (LBMD) (r = 0.36) and femoral bone mineral density (FBMD) (r = 0.38), chemerin levels were negatively correlated with LBMD (r = -0.55) and FBMD (r = -0.48), and there were significant positive correlations between leptin and adiponectin levels and body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.91 and 0.97).

Conclusions

The likelihood of having SOP was higher in older individuals with low levels of leptin and higher levels of chemerin. In addition, BMI was somewhat lower with low levels of leptin and adiponectin.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022356469.

Vision for Ratiometric Nanoprobes: In Vivo Noninvasive Visualization and Readout of Physiological Hallmarks

Lesion areas are distinguished from normal tissues surrounding them by distinct physiological characteristics. These features serve as biological hallmarks with which targeted biomedical imaging of the lesion sites can be achieved. Although tremendous efforts have been devoted to providing smart imaging probes with the capability of visualizing the physiological hallmarks at the molecular level, the majority of them are merely able to derive anatomical information from the tissues of interest, and thus are not suitable for taking part in in vivo quantification of the biomarkers. Recent advances in chemical construction of advanced ratiometric nanoprobes (RNPs) have enabled a horizon for quantitatively monitoring the biological abnormalities in vivo. In contrast to the conventional probes whose dependency of output on single-signal profiles restricts them from taking part in quantitative practices, RNPs are designed to provide information in two channels, affording a self-calibration opportunity to exclude the analyte-independent factors from the outputs and address the issue. Most of the conventional RNPs have encountered several challenges regarding the reliability and sufficiency of the obtained data for high-performance imaging. In this Review, we have summarized the recent progresses in developing highly advanced RNPs with the capabilities of deriving maximized information from the lesion areas of interest as well as adapting themselves to the complex biological systems in order to minimize microenvironmental-induced falsified signals. To provide a better outlook on the current advanced RNPs, nanoprobes based on optical, photoacoustic, and magnetic resonance imaging modalities for visualizing a wide range of analytes such as pH, reactive species, and different derivations of amino acids have been included. Furthermore, the physicochemical properties of the RNPs, the major constituents of the nanosystems and the analyte recognition mechanisms have been introduced. Moreover, the alterations in the values of the ratiometric signal in response to the analyte of interest as well as the time at which the highest value is achieved, have been included for most of RNPs discussed in this Review. Finally, the challenges as well as future perspectives in the field are discussed.

Reversing Acute Kidney Injury through Coordinated Interplay of Anti-Inflammation and Iron Supplementation

Acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by ischemia reperfusion is closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺ ) can enhance the mitochondrial function and restrain the following inflammation, but it is hardly delivered and lacks renal targeting ability. To address these problems, herein, an ultrasmall Fe₃ O₄ nanoparticle is used as a carrier to deliver nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor of NAD⁺ . An outstanding sophistication of the current design is that once NMN is attached on the surface of Fe₃ O₄ nanoparticles through its phosphate group, the remaining part is structurally highly similar to nicotinamide riboside, which provides an opportunity to deliver the NAD⁺ precursor into renal cells through nicotinamide riboside kinase 1 on the cell membrane. It is demonstrated that NMN-loaded Fe₃ O₄ nanoparticles can effectively reverse AKI induced by ischemia reperfusion. In-depth studies indicate that a well-timed iron replenishment following anti-inflammation treatment plays a determined role in recovering AKI, which distinguishes the current study from previous strategies centering on anti-ROS (reactive oxygen species), anti-inflammation, or even iron elimination.

Identification of core genes associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and gastric cancer by bioinformatics analysis

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Healing Diabetic Ulcers with MoO3-X Nanodots Possessing Intrinsic ROS-Scavenging and Bacteria-Killing Capacities

Diabetic ulcers (DUs) appearing as chronic wounds are difficult to heal due to the oxidative stress in the wound microenvironment and their high susceptibility to bacterial infection. A routine treatment combining surgical debridement with anti-infection therapy is widely used for treating DUs in the clinic, but hardly offers a satisfying wound healing outcome. It is known that a long-term antibiotic treatment may also lead to the drug resistance of pathogens. To address these challenges, new strategies combining both reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and bacterial sterilization have been proposed for fighting against DUs. Following this idea, oxygen deficient molybdenum-based nanodots (MoO_3-X ) for healing the DUs are reported. The ROS scavenging ability of MoO_3-X nanodots is investigated and the antibacterial property of the nanodots is also demonstrated. The systematic cell and animal experimental results indicate that the MoO_3-X nanodots can effectively reduce inflammation, promote epithelial cell regeneration, accelerate angiogenesis, and facilitate DUs recovery. Most importantly, they present excellent capacity to diminish infection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, manifesting the potent application prospect of MoO_3-X nanodots for diabetic wound therapy.

Structural and photoactive properties of self-assembled peptide-based nanostructures and their optical bioapplication in food analysis

BACKGROUND

Food processing plays an important role in the modern industry because food quality and security directly affect human health, life safety, and social and economic development. Accurate, efficient, and sensitive detection technology is the basis for ensuring food quality and security. Optosensor-based technology with the advantage of fast and visual real-time detection can be used to detect pesticides, metal ions, antibiotics, and nutrients in food. As excellent optical centres, self-assembled peptide-based nanostructures possess attractive advantages, such as simple preparation methods, controllable morphology, tunable functionality, and inherent biocompatibility.

AIM OF REVIEW

Self-assembled peptide nanostructures with good fabrication yield, stability, dispersity in a complex sample matrix, biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness are ideal development goals in the future. Owing to its flexible and unique optical properties, some short peptide self-assemblies can possibly be used to achieve the purpose of rapid and sensitive detection of composition in food, agriculture, and the environment, expanding the understanding and application of peptide-based optics in analytical chemistry.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPT OF REVIEW

The self-assembly process of peptides is driven by noncovalent interactions, including hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, and π-π stacking, which are the key factors for obtaining stable self-assembled peptide nanostructures with peptides serving as assembly units. Controllable morphology of self-assembled peptide nanostructures can be achieved through adjustment in the type, concentration, and pH of organic solvents and peptides. The highly ordered nanostructures formed by the self-assembly of peptides have been proven to be novel biological structures and can be used for the construction of optosensing platforms in biological or other systems. Optosensing platforms make use of signal changes, including optical signals and electrical signals caused by specific reactions between analytes and active substances, to determine the content or concentration of an analyte.

[Analysis on prevalence and epidemic risk of animal plague in different ecological plague foci in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region]

The risk of plague epidemics and relapse of various types of plague foci persists in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. For Marmota sibirica plague foci, the animal plague has not been found but antibody has been detected positive. Nowadays, Marmota sibirica has been increasing in population and distribution in China. In bordering countries Mongolia and Russia, the animal plague has been continuously prevalent. For Spermophilus dauricus plague foci, the animal plague has been taken place now and then. Compared to the above foci, the animal plague is most prevalent in Meriones unguiculatus plague foci and frequently spread to humans. Due to higher strain virulence and historical disaster in Marmota sibirica plague foci and Spermophilus dauricus plague foci, plague prevention and control should be strengthened on these foci. In addition to routine surveillance, epidemic dynamics need to be further monitored in these two foci, in order to prevent their relapse and spread to humans.

Rational Constructed Ultra-Small Iron Oxide Nanoprobes Manifesting High Performance for T1-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Glioblastoma

Precise diagnosis and monitoring of cancer depend on the development of advanced technologies for in vivo imaging. Owing to the merits of outstanding spatial resolution and excellent soft-tissue contrast, the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in biomedicine is of great importance. Herein, Angiopep-2 (ANG), which can simultaneously help to cross the blood-brain barrier and target the glioblastoma cells, was rationally combined with the 3.3 nm-sized ultra-small iron oxide (Fe3O4) to construct high-performance MRI nanoprobes (Fe3O4-ANG NPs) for glioblastoma diagnosis. The in vitro experiments show that the resultant Fe3O4-ANG NPs not only exhibit favorable relaxation properties and colloidal stability, but also have low toxicity and high specificity to glioblastoma cells, which provide critical prerequisites for the in vivo tumor imaging. Furthermore, in vivo imaging results show that the Fe3O4-ANG NPs exhibit good targeting ability toward subcutaneous and orthotopic glioblastoma model, manifesting an obvious contrast enhancement effect on the T1-weighted MR image, which demonstrates promising potential in clinical application.

A bimodal burst energy distribution of a repeating fast radio burst source

The event rate, energy distribution and time-domain behaviour of repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs) contain essential information regarding their physical nature and central engine, which are as yet unknown^1,2. As the first precisely localized source, FRB 121102 (refs. ^3-5) has been extensively observed and shows non-Poisson clustering of bursts over time and a power-law energy distribution^6-8. However, the extent of the energy distribution towards the fainter end was not known. Here we report the detection of 1,652 independent bursts with a peak burst rate of 122 h^-1, in 59.5 hours spanning 47 days. A peak in the isotropic equivalent energy distribution is found to be approximately 4.8 × 10³⁷ erg at 1.25 GHz, below which the detection of bursts is suppressed. The burst energy distribution is bimodal, and well characterized by a combination of a log-normal function and a generalized Cauchy function. The large number of bursts in hour-long spans allows sensitive periodicity searches between 1 ms and 1,000 s. The non-detection of any periodicity or quasi-periodicity poses challenges for models involving a single rotating compact object. The high burst rate also implies that FRBs must be generated with a high radiative efficiency, disfavouring emission mechanisms with large energy requirements or contrived triggering conditions.

Circ-RPL15/miR-146b-3p/VEGFA feedback loop is responsible for triggering proliferation and migration in glioma

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to elucidate the role of circ-RPL15 in the progression of glioma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Circ-RPL15 levels in glioma tissues and normal brain tissues were detected. Subcellular distribution of circ-RPL15 was examined. The binding between miR-146b-3p and circ-RPL15 was verified by Luciferase assay. Potential targets of miR-146b-3p were further determined. The influences of the circ-RPL15/miR-146b-3p/VEGFA feedback loop on proliferative and migratory abilities in T98G and U251 cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assay, respectively.

RESULTS

Circ-RPL15 and VEGFA were upregulated in glioma tissues than normal ones, whereas miR-146b-3p was downregulated. Circ-RPL15 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. The interaction in the circ-RPL15/miR-146b-3p/VEGFA feedback loop was indicated by Luciferase assay, and it markedly promoted proliferative and migratory abilities in glioma.

CONCLUSIONS

Circ-RPL15 triggers proliferative and migratory potentials in glioma by competitively binding miR-146b-3p and thus upregulates VEGFA.

Uncovering the Metabolic Origin of Aspartate for Tumor Growth Using an Integrated Molecular Deactivator

Reprogrammed glucose metabolism is vital for cancer cells, but aspartate, an intermediate metabolic product, is the limiting factor for cancer cell proliferation. However, due to the complexity of metabolic pathways, it remains unclear whether glucose is the primary source of endogenous aspartate. Here, we report the design of an innovative molecular deactivator, based on a multifunctional upconversion nanoprobe, to explore the link between glucose and aspartate. This molecular deactivator mainly works in the acidic, hypoxic tumor microenvironment and deactivates multiple types of glucose transporters on cancer cell membranes upon illumination at 980 nm. Cancer cell proliferation in vivo is strongly inhibited by blocking glucose transporters. Our experimental data confirm that the cellular synthesis of aspartate for tumor growth is glucose-dependent. This work also demonstrates the untapped potential of molecularly engineered upconversion nanoprobes for discovering hidden metabolic pathways and improving therapeutic efficacy of conventional antitumor drugs.

Diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography colonography in patients at high risk for colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis

AIM

The aim was to explore the diagnostic value of computed tomographic colonography (CTC) compared with conventional colonoscopy in individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer.

METHOD

PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and the Web of Science were searched by two independent reviewers for potentially eligible studies published up to 31 October 2018 that were based on a per-patient analysis. stata, meta-disc and revman were used to perform this meta-analysis. A random-effect model was used, and a subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

A total of 14 full-text articles, involving 3578 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio and the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve of CTC for detecting polyps ≥ 6 mm were 0.87 (95% CI 0.83-0.90), 0.90 (95% CI 0.86-0.93), 9.08 (95% CI 6.28-13.13), 0.14 (95% CI 0.11-0.18) and 0.94 (95% CI 0.92-0.96), respectively. For polyps ≥ 10 mm, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio of CTC were 0.91 (95% CI 0.86-0.94), 0.98 (95% CI 0.95-0.99), 40.36 (95% CI 19.16-85.03), 0.90 (95% CI 0.06-0.14) and 0.98 (95% CI 0.96-0.99), respectively.

CONCLUSION

In this meta-analysis, CTC had high diagnostic accuracy for detecting polyps ≥ 6 mm and ≥ 10 mm in patients at high risk of developing colorectal cancer and it had a higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting polyps ≥ 10 mm than polyps ≥ 6 mm. However, the results should be used cautiously due to the significant heterogeneity.

[Characteristics and diversity of infectious diarrheal caused by various pathogens]

Objective: To understand the characteristics and differences of diarrhea-related symptoms caused by different pathogens, and the clinical features of various pathogens causing diarrhea. Methods: Etiology surveillance program was conducted among 20 provinces of China from 2010 to 2016. The acute diarrhea outpatients were collected from clinics or hospitals. A questionnaire was used to survey demographics and clinical features. VFeces samples were taken for laboratory detection of 22 common diarrhea pathogens, to detect and analyze the clinical symptom pattern characteristics of the patient's. Results: A total of 38 950 outpatients were enrolled from 20 provinces of China. The positive rates of Rotavirus and Norovirus were the highest among the five diarrhea-causing viruses (Rotavirus: 18.29%, Norovirus: 13.06%). In the isolation and culture of 17 diarrhea-causing bacterial, Escherichia coli showed the highest positive rates (6.25%). The clinical features of bacterial diarrhea and viral diarrhea were mainly reflected in the results of fecal traits and routine examination, but pathogenic Vibrio infection was similar to viral diarrhea. Conclusion: Infectious diarrhea presents different characteristics due to various symptoms which can provide a basis for clinical diagnosis.

[Interpretation for diagnosis of Yersiniosis]

Yersiniosis is one of the "other infectious diarrhea" of the notifiable infectious diseases and also an important food-borne disease. However, it lacked the basis or standard for diagnosis. The Chinese Preventive Medicine Association coordinated experienced researchers from National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC and other institutes to produce the group standard entitled "Diagnosis of Yersiniosis" (T/CPMA 005-2019). Based on the principle of "legality, scientificity, advancement, and feasibility" , the standard gives a clear definition for Yerisiniosis, stipulates diagnosis basis, principles and main differential diagnosis and provides two informative appendixes for epidemiological and clinical characteristics and a normative appendix for laboratory detection. The standard provides accurate basis and methods of Yersiniosis diagnosis for hospitals and CDCs at all levels in China. It will solve the problems that Yersiniosis cannot be clearly diagnosed for clinical cases and in the outbreaks.

[Epidemiological and pathogenic features of a bacillary dysentery outbreak in a boarding school caused by Shigella sonneri]

Objective: To investigate the etiologic and epidemiologic features of an infectious diarrhea outbreak in a boarding school in Fuyang city, Anhui province. Methods: Traceability hypothesis of this study was tested according to the epidemiological characteristics of the cases. Feces, anal swabs, water samples and food residues related to the patients and chefs were collected for pathogen isolation and detection. Biochemical identification, virulence gene detection, drug susceptibility test, PFGE and multilocus sequence typing were performed. Results: The incidence rate (3.41%) of different dormitory buildings within the water supply area by shallow wells was higher than that (0.98%) of the deep wells, with statistical significance (χ(2)=17.215, P<0.001). Sixteen strains belonged to the Shigella Sonneri family were isolated from the patient's samples, and all carrying the ipaH gene. Seven strains belonged to sen and ial genes. Set1 gene that did not appear in all the 16 strains were highly resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, compound xinnomine, cefazoline, cefotaxime, gentamicin, naphthidinic acid and streptomycin, including 9 strains to doxycycline. The pulse field pattern of the 16 strains of Shigella sonneri appeared the same, with the ST type as ST152. Conclusion: When combined data from the etiological and epidemiological investigation, it was confirmed that Shigella sonneri was the pathogen of this outbreak, and water from the shallow wells might be responsible for the source of infection.

Accelerated bone formation by biphasic calcium phosphate with a novel sub-micron surface topography

Osteoinductive calcium phosphate (CaP) bone grafts have equivalent performance to autografts in repairing critical-size bone defects. The osteoinductive potential of CaP is linked to the size of the surface topographical features. In the present study, two novel biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) bone grafts were synthesised with either sub-micron- (BCP<µm) or micron-scale (BCPµm) needle-shaped surface topography and compared to dimensionally similar tricalcium phosphate (TCP) with grain-shaped surface structures (TCP<µm and TCPµm). To clarify the possible function of the surface morphology (needle-like vs. grain-like) in initiating bone formation, the four CaP test materials were physicochemically characterised and implanted for 12 weeks in the dorsal muscle of beagles. The sub-micron needle-shaped topography of BCP<µm triggered earlier bone formation (3-6 weeks) as compared to the grain-shaped surface topography of TCP<µm, which formed bone at 6-9 weeks. After 12 weeks, the amount of induced bone formation in both materials was equivalent, based on histomorphometry. The micron-sized needle-shaped surface topography of BCPµm led to limited formation of new bone tissue, whereas its counterpart, TCPµm with grain-shaped surface topography, failed to trigger de novo bone formation. The relative strength of the parameters affecting CaP-driven bone induction was as follows: surface feature size > surface feature morphology > substrate chemistry. BCP materials with needle-shaped sub-micron surface topography gave rise to accelerated bone formation and slower rate of resorption than a comparable TCP. These characteristics may be translated to improve bone healing in orthotopic defects.

Effects of vaspin on pancreatic β cell secretion via PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways

Vaspin (visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor) is a recently discovered adipokine that has been implicated in diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders. However, the effects of vaspin on pancreatic β cell function and related mechanisms are not fully understood. Thus, the present study was performed to investigate the effects of vaspin on pancreatic β cell function and the potential underlying mechanisms. Both in vitro (rat insulinoma cells, INS-1) and in vivo (high fat diet fed rats) experiments were conducted. The results showed that vaspin significantly increased INS-1 cell secretory function. Potential mechanisms were explored using inhibitors, western blot and real-time PCR techniques. We found that vaspin increased the levels of IRS-2 mRNA and IRS-2 total protein, while decreased the serine phosphorylation level of IRS-2 protein. Moreover, vaspin increased the Akt phosphorylation protein level which was reversed by PI3K inhibitor ly294002. In addition, vaspin increased the phosphorylation levels of mTOR and p70S6K, which was inhibited by rapamycin. Meanwhile, we found that the NF-κB mRNA and protein levels were reduced after vaspin treatment, similar to the effect of NF-κB inhibitor TPCK. Furthermore, vaspin increased the glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) level, lowered blood glucose level and improved the glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity of high fat diet fed rats. Hyperglycemic clamp test manifested that vaspin improved islet β cell function. Together, these findings provide a new understanding of the function of vaspin on pancreatic β cell and suggest that it may serve as a potential agent for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

THE POTENTIAL OF DIETHYLHEXYL-PHTHALATE AND GENISTEIN TO INDUCE TESTICULAR CHANGES IN RAT'S OFFSPRING

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) alone or in combination with genistein (GEN) on the reproductive system of offspring rats, focus on the induction of reproductive outcomes.

METHOD

180 Wistar rats were divided in 6 groups (30 animals per group): DEHP 250 mg/kg/day group, DEHP 1000 mg/kg/day group, DEHP 2500 mg/kg/day group treated with DEHP 2500 mg/kg/day, DEHP (2500 mg/kg) + GEN (50 mg/kg) group, DEHP (2500 mg/kg) + GEN (500 mg/kg) group and control group treated with the same quantity of corn oil. The differences in sperm quality and reproductive organs were observed.

RESULTS

After DEHP administration we observed an increase in rat's abestrus, metaestrus and all estrus cycle (P < 0.05), a decrease in rat testicle's organ coefficient and relative energy of testis Sertoli cells and an increase in the early, late and total apoptotic rate of testicular Sertoli cells in a dose dependent manner (P < 0.05). When combine DEHP with GEN the sperm density, sperm quality, the cell activity rate and testis tissue's changes will decrease compared with the group that receive only DEHP in a dose dependent manner.

CONCLUSION

DEHP exposure induces cryptorchidism in offspring rats and this is aggravated by adding GEN.

[Antinociceptive efficacy of QO-58 in the monosodium lodoacetate rat model for osteoarthritis pain]

Objective: To determine the effects of QO-58 on pain behavior associated with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA. Methods: The OA model was established with an intra-articular injection of 3 mg/50 MIA through the right patellar ligament. Then the model rats were treated with 50 mg/kg QO-58 by intraperitoneal injection, and pain-related behaviors were assessed by single administration and multiple administrations of QO-58. Results: Single adminstration of QO-58 increased the mechanical threshold and prolonged the withdrawal latency of OA pain with the antinociceptive effect occurring at 6 h and 10 h. Compound QO-58 was administered intraperitoneally once a day from day 10 to 14. QO-58 significantly increased the mechanical threshold and prolonged the withdrawal latency of OA rats at 12 and 14 days. Conclusion: QO-58 showed antinociceptive effects for OA pain in the MIA model after pain development. QO-58 may be an alternative therapeutic treatment for OA.

Effects and underlying mechanisms of irisin on the proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic β cells

Pancreatic β cell dysfunction and reduction due to glucose toxicity play a crucial role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Irisin, a novel exercise-induced myokine, reduces obesity, improves insulin resistance and lowers blood glucose by promoting the browning of white adipose tissue, thereby enhancing thermogenesis and increasing energy expenditure. Recent studies have reported that irisin promotes cell proliferation and protects cells from apoptosis. However, the effects of irisin on pancreatic β cells are unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects and the potential underlying mechanisms of irisin on pancreatic β cell proliferation and apoptosis induced by high glucose. Both in vitro (INS-1 cells) and in vivo (a T2DM rat model) experiments were conducted. Irisin significantly increased the proliferation of INS-1 cells, with the most significant effect observed at 24 h with 100 ng/ml irisin. Irisin also promoted INS-1 cell proliferation via the ERK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, protected the cells from high-glucose-induced apoptosis by regulating the expression of caspases, Bad, Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, and improved pancreatic β cell function. Irisin significantly reduced the body weight and blood glucose values and increased the serum insulin levels of the diabetic rats. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) indicated that irisin also improved the glucose tolerance of T2DM rats. Together, these findings suggest that irisin may have applications in the prevention and treatment of T2DM because of its protective effect on the secretion of pancreatic β cells.

[PM2.5 and polluted gas exposure induced acute injury in rats'larynx membrane]

Objective:To study acute injury of rat's larynx membrane which were exposured to PM2.5 and polluted gas in serious air pollution. Method:Rats were divided into 3 groups of 5 animals each, the normal control group, gas exposured group, PM2.5 +gas exposured group. The control group served as the normal healthy control, rats of the gas exposured group had been exposured polluted gas in the A cabin, rats of PM2.5 +gas exposured group had been exposured PM2.5 and polluted gas in the B cabin. The total exposure time was six days. We collected specimen from 3 groups immediately after exposure. Histopathological changes in the rat's larynx membrane were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining(HE), the expression of IL-1β in laryngeal mucous membrane were assessed using immunohistochemical staining(IHC), and the ultrastructure changes were observed under TEM. Result:HE staining showed the rat's laryngeal mucosa cells in the normal control group had no obvious abnormalities, laryngeal mucosa of rats in the two experimental group had different degrees of cell proliferation, cell polarity change, etc. IHC staining showed that there's no obvious expression of IL-1β in laryngeal mucous membrane in the normal control group, and positive expression in the two experimental group. TEM showed the control group had no obvious abnormalities, the laryngeal mucosa cells in the two groups of experimental groups had been found irregular nucleus and damaged mitochondria. Conclusion:Exposed to PM2.5 and polluted gas in severe atmospheric pollution 6 days, the acute damage in rats laryngeal mucosa can be observed.

The development of nanostructure assisted isothermal amplification in biosensors

Developing simple and inexpensive methods to ultrasensitively detect biomarkers is important for medical diagnosis, food analysis and environmental security. In recent years, isothermal amplifications with sensitivity, high speed, specificity, accuracy, and automation have been designed based on interdisciplinary approaches among chemistry, biology, and materials science. In this article, we summarize the advances in nanostructure assisted isothermal amplification in the past two decades for the detection of commercial biomarkers, or biomarkers extracted from cultured cells or patient samples. This article has been divided into three parts according to the ratio of target-to-signal probe in the detection strategy, namely, the N : N amplification ratio, the 1 : N amplification ratio, and the 1 : N(2) amplification ratio.

Experimental studies of thermal environment and contaminant transport in a commercial aircraft cabin with gaspers on

Gaspers installed in commercial airliner cabins are used to improve passengers' thermal comfort. To understand the impact of gasper airflow on the air quality in a cabin, this investigation measured the distributions of air velocity, air temperature, and gaseous contaminant concentration in five rows of the economy-class section of an MD-82 commercial aircraft. The gaseous contaminant was simulated using SF6 as a tracer gas with the source located at the mouth of a seated manikin close to the aisle. Two-fifths of the gaspers next to the aisle were turned on in the cabin, and each of them supplied air at a flow rate of 0.66 l/s. The airflow rate in the economy-class cabin was controlled at 10 l/s per passenger. Data obtained in a previous study of the cabin with all gaspers turned off were used for comparison. The results show that the jets from the gaspers had a substantial impact on the air velocity and contaminant transport in the cabin. The air velocity in the cabin was higher, and the air temperature slightly more uniform, when the gaspers were on than when they were off, but turning on the gaspers may not have improved the air quality.

Cellulose conjugated FITC-labelled mesoporous silica nanoparticles: intracellular accumulation and stimuli responsive doxorubicin release

Herein, we design novel cellulose conjugated mesoporous silica nanoparticle (CLS-MSP) based nanotherapeutics for stimuli responsive intracellular doxorubicin (DOX) delivery. DOX molecules are entrapped in pores of the fabricated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSPs) while cellulose is used as an encapsulating material through esterification on the outlet of the pores of the MSPs to avoid premature DOX release under physiological conditions. In in vitro studies, stimuli responsive DOX release is successfully achieved from DOX loaded cellulose conjugated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DOX/CLS-MSPs) by pH and cellulase triggers. Intracellular accumulation of DOX/CLS-MSPs in human liver cancer cells (HepG2 cells) is investigated through confocal microscope magnification. Cell viability of HepG2 cells is determined as the percentage of the cells incubated with DOX/CLS-MSPs compared with that of non-incubated cells through an MTT assay.

Quencher group induced high specificity detection of telomerase in clear and bloody urines by AIEgens

Telomerase is a widely used tumor biomarker for early cancer diagnosis. On the basis of the combined use of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogens and quencher, a quencher group induced high specificity strategy for detection of telomerase activity from cell extracts and cancer patients' urine specimens was creatively developed. In the absence of telomerase, fluorescence background is extremely low due to the short distance between quencher and AIE dye. In the addition of telomerase, fluorescence enhances significantly. The telomerase activity in the E-J, MCF-7, and HeLa extracts equivalent to 5-10 000 cells can be detected by this method in ∼1 h. Furthermore, the distinguishing of telomerase extracted from 38 cancer and 15 normal urine specimens confirms the reliability and practicality of this protocol. In contrast to our previous results (Anal. Chem. 2015, 87, 6822-6827), these advanced experiments obtain more remarkable specificity.

Heavy metal accumulation and source analysis in greenhouse soils of Wuwei District, Gansu Province, China

Greenhouse soils and arable (wheat field) soil samples were collected to identify the effects of greenhouse cultivation on the accumulation of six heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Ni) and to evaluate the likely sources responsible for heavy metal accumulation in the irrigated desert soils of Wuwei District, China. The results indicated that the mean concentrations of Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Ni were 0.421, 33.85, 85.31, 20.76, 53.12, and 28.59 mg kg(-1), respectively. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in greenhouse soils were 60, 23, and 14% higher than those in arable soils and 263, 40, and 25% higher than background concentrations of natural soils in the study area, respectively. These results indicated that Cd, Cu, and Zn accumulation occurred in the greenhouse soils, and Cd was the most problematically accumulated heavy metal, followed by Cu and Zn. There was a significant positive correlation between the concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in greenhouse soils and the number of years under cultivation (P < 0.05). Greenhouse cultivation had little impact on the accumulation of Cr, Ni, or Pb. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis suggested that the accumulation of Cd, Cu, and Zn in greenhouse soils resulted mainly from fertilizer applications. Our results indicated that the excessive and long-term use of fertilizers and livestock manures with high heavy metal levels leads to the accumulation of heavy metals in soils. Therefore, rational fertilization programs and reductions in the concentrations of heavy metals in both fertilizers and manure must be recommended to maintain a safe concentration of heavy metals in greenhouse soils.

Target-specific 3D DNA gatekeepers for biomimetic nanopores

3D cross-linked DNA superstructures switch off the ionic flux through solid-state nanopores with extremely high ON-OFF ratios of 10(3) -10(5) . This gating mechanism can be generally applicable in a wide range of nanopores with opening diameters up to 650 nm. The 3D bio-supramolecular gatekeepers outperform previous low-dimensional or simple-structured DNA functional components.

Real-time monitoring of enzyme-free strand displacement cascades by colorimetric assays

The enzyme-free toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction has shown potential for building programmable DNA circuits, biosensors, molecular machines and chemical reaction networks. Here we report a simple colorimetric method using gold nanoparticles as signal generators for the real-time detection of the product of the strand displacement cascade. During the process the assembled gold nanoparticles can be separated, resulting in a color change of the solution. This assay can also be applied in complex mixtures, fetal bovine serum, and to detect single-base mismatches. These results suggest that this method could be of general utility to monitor more complex enzyme-free strand displacement reaction-based programmable systems or for further low-cost diagnostic applications.

Polar organic solvents accelerate the rate of DNA strand replacement reaction

Acceleration of the reaction rate by polar organic solvents during both simple and complicated DNA strand replacement reactions is reported.

Speeding up the self-assembly of a DNA nanodevice using a variety of polar solvents

The specific recognition and programmable assembly properties make DNA a potential material for nanodevices. However, the more intelligent the nanodevice is, the more complicated the structure of the nanodevice is, which limits the speed of DNA assembly. Herein, to address this problem, we investigate the performance of DNA Strand Displacement Reaction (DSDR) in a mixture of polar organic solvents and aqueous buffer and demonstrate that the organic polar solvent can speed up DNA self-assembly efficiently. Taking DSDR in 20% ethanol as an example, first we have demonstrated that the DSDR is highly accelerated in the beginning of the reaction and it can complete 60% of replacement reactions (160% enhancement compared with aqueous buffer) in the first 300 seconds. Secondly, we calculated that the ΔΔG of the DSDR in 20% ethanol (-18.2 kcal mol(-1)) is lower than that in pure aqueous buffer (-32.6 kcal mol(-1)), while the activation energy is lowered by introducing ethanol. Finally, we proved that the DSDR on the electrode surface can also be accelerated using this simple strategy. More importantly, to test the efficacy of this approach in nanodevices with a complicated and slow DNA self-assembly process, we apply this strategy in the hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and prove the acceleration is fairly obvious in 20% ethanol, which demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed strategy in DNA nanotechnology and DNA-based biosensors.

Imparting biomolecules to a metal-organic framework material by controlled DNA tetrahedron encapsulation

Recently, the incorporation of biomolecules in Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) attracts many attentions because of controlling the functions, properties and stability of trapped molecules. Although there are few reports on protein/MOFs composites and their applications, none of DNA/MOFs composite is reported, as far as we know. Here, we report a new composite material which is self-assembled from 3D DNA (guest) and pre-synthesized MOFs (host) by electrostatic interactions and hydrophilic interactions in a well-dispersed fashion. Its biophysical characterization is well analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This new composite material keeps 3D DNA nanostructure more stable than only 3D DNA nanostructure in DI water at room temperature, and stores amounts of genetic information. It will make DNA as a guest for MOFs and MOFs become a new platform for the development of DNA nanotechnology.

Cardiovascular effects of ethanol extract of Rubus chingii Hu (Rosaceae) in rats: an in vivo and in vitro approach

Rubus chingii Hu (Rosaceae) is an important traditional Chinese medicine that has been used to improve function of the kidney and treat excessive polyuria. However, the effects of Rubus chingii on the cardiovascular system and its pharmacological mechanisms of action have not been studied. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cardiovascular effects of ethanol extract of Rubus chingii (ERC) in rats. The changes in systolic blood pressure and heart rate of rats and vascular tone of aortic rings in in vitro were measured using pressure transducer and force transducer, respectively, connected to a multichannel recording system. ERC decreased systolic blood pressure and heart rate in a concentration-dependent manner. ERC induced vasorelaxation in a concentration-dependent manner. The ERC-induced vasorelaxation was not observed in the absence of the endothelium. The vasorelaxant effect of ERC was significantly attenuated by inhibition of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), or Ca(2+) entry from extracellular sources with L-NAME, ODQ, diltiazem, or extracellular Ca(2+) depletion, respectively. Similarly, an inhibition of Akt with wortmannin attenuated the ERC-induced vasorelaxation. Modulators of the store-operated Ca(2+) entry, thapsigargin, Gd(3+), and 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate markedly attenuated the ERC-induced vasorelaxation. Furthermore, 4-aminopyridine an inhibitor of voltage-dependent K(+) (KV) channel, significantly attenuated the ERC-induced vasorelaxation. However, tetraethylammonium and glibenclamide, had no significant effect on the ERC-induced vasorelaxation. Indomethacin, atropine, and propranolol had no effects on the ERC-induced vasorelaxation. The present study demonstrates that ERC induces vasorelaxation via endothelium-dependent two-step signaling: an activation of the Ca(2+)-eNOS-NO signaling in the endothelial cells and then subsequent stimulation of the NO-sGC-cGMP-KV channel signaling in the vascular smooth muscle cells. The Akt-eNOS pathway is also suggested to be involved in this relaxation. Also, the findings suggest that the ERC-induced vasorelaxation is closely related to the hypotensive action of the agent.

Constructing tunable nanopores and their application in drug delivery

Inspired by biological cell membranes, various "smart" and efficient gating nanoporous devices have been proposed to imitate and to understand life processes. Nanodevices under development with enhanced gating efficiency could play pivotal roles in biosensing and drug delivery. In this Perspective, we highlight an important development by Willner and colleagues that is detailed in this issue of ACS Nano. They designed a new "smart" nanodevice with both "sense" and "release" functionalities for drug delivery based on a nanoporous material, mesoporous silica nanoparticles. We outline recent progress in designing intelligently gated nanoporous devices in material science and nanotechnology. We also summarize new strategies designed for drug delivery based on mesoporous materials. With continuing efforts, we expect more powerful nanodevices to be developed and used in clinical and other real-word applications.