Study on chromatin regulation patterns of expression vectors in the PhiC31 integration site

The PhiC31 integration system allows for targeted and efficient transgene integration and expression by recognizing pseudo attP sites in mammalian cells and integrating the exogenous genes into the open chromatin regions of active chromatin. In order to investigate the regulatory patterns of efficient gene expression in the open chromatin region of PhiC31 integration, this study utilized Ubiquitous Chromatin Opening Element (UCOE) and activating RNA (saRNA) to modulate the chromatin structure in the promoter region of the PhiC31 integration vector. The study analysed the effects of DNA methylation and nucleosome occupancy changes in the integrated promoter on gene expression levels. The results showed that for the OCT4 promoter with moderate CG density, DNA methylation had a smaller impact on expression compared to changes in nucleosome positioning near the transcription start site, which was crucial for enhancing downstream gene expression. On the other hand, for the SOX2 promoter with high CG density, increased methylation in the CpG island upstream of the transcription start site played a key role in affecting high expression, but the positioning and clustering of nucleosomes also had an important influence. In conclusion, analysing the DNA methylation patterns, nucleosome positioning, and quantity distribution of different promoters can determine whether the PhiC31 integration site possesses the potential to further enhance expression or overcome transgene silencing effects by utilizing chromatin regulatory elements.

Promoter engineering enables precise metabolic regulation towards efficient β-elemene production in Ogataea polymorpha

Precisely controlling gene expression is beneficial for optimizing biosynthetic pathways for improving the production. However, promoters in nonconventional yeasts such as Ogataea polymorpha are always limited, which results in incompatible gene modulation. Here, we expanded the promoter library in O. polymorpha based on transcriptional data, among which 13 constitutive promoters had the strengths ranging from 0-55% of PGAP, the commonly used strong constitutive promoter, and 2 were growth phase-dependent promoters. Subsequently, 2 hybrid growth phase-dependent promoters were constructed and characterized, which had 2-fold higher activities. Finally, promoter engineering was applied to precisely regulate cellular metabolism for efficient production of β-elemene. The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene GAP was downregulated to drive more flux into pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and then to enhance the supply of acetyl-CoA by using phosphoketolase-phosphotransacetylase (PK-PTA) pathway. Coupled with the phase-dependent expression of synthase module (ERG20∼LsLTC2 fusion), the highest titer of 5.24 g/L with a yield of 0.037 g/(g glucose) was achieved in strain YY150U under fed-batch fermentation in shake flasks. This work characterized and engineered a series of promoters, that can be used to fine-tune genes for constructing efficient yeast cell factories.

An efficient solution based on the synergistic effects of nickel foam in NiFe-LDH nanosheets for oil/water separation

Efficient oil-water separation has always been a research hotspot in the field of environmental studies. Employing a one-step hydrothermal approach, NiFe-layered double hydroxides (LDH) nanosheets were synthesized on nickel foam substrates. The resulting NiFe-LDH/NF membrane exhibited rejection rates exceeding 99% across six diverse oil-water mixtures, concurrently demonstrating a remarkable ultra-high flux of 1.4 × 106 L·m-2·h-1. This flux value significantly surpasses those documented in existing literature, maintaining stable performance over 1000 manual filtration cycles. These breakthroughs stem from the synergistic interplay among the three-dimensional channels of the nickel foam, the nanosheets, and the hydration layer. By leveraging the pore size of the foam to enhance the functionality of the hydration layer, the conventional trade-off between permeability and selectivity was transformed into a balanced force relationship between the hydration layer and the oil phase. The operational and failure mechanisms of the hydration layer were examined using the prepared NiFe-LDH/NF membrane, validating the correlation between oil phase viscosity and density with hydration layer rupture. Additionally, an extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory was employed to investigate changes in interaction energy, further reinforcing the study's findings. This research contributes novel insights and assistance to the comprehension and application of hydration layers in other membrane studies dedicated to oil-water separation.

Vertebral fracture severity assessment on anteroposterior radiographs with a new semi-quantitative technique

We developed a new tool to assess the severity of osteoporotic vertebral fracture using radiographs of the spine. Our technique can be used in patient care by helping to stratify patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures into appropriate treatment pathways. It can also be used for research purposes.

PURPOSE

The aim of our study was to propose a semi-quantitative (SQ) grading scheme for osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) on anteroposterior (AP) radiographs.

METHODS

On AP radiographs, the vertebrae are divided into right and left halves, which are graded (A) vertical rectangle, (B) square, (C) traverse rectangle, and (D) trapezoid; whole vertebrae are graded (E) transverse band or (F) bow-tie. Type A and B were compared with normal and Genant SQ grade 1 OVF, Type C and D with grade 2 OVF, and Type E and F with grade 3 OVF. Spine AP radiographs and lateral radiographs of 50 females were assessed by AP radiographs SQ grading. After training, an experienced board-certified radiologist and a radiology trainee assessed the 50 AP radiographs.

RESULTS

The height-to-width ratio of the half vertebrae varied 1.32-1.48. On lateral radiographs, 84 vertebrae of the 50 patients had OVFs (38 grade 1, 24 grade 2, and 22 grade 3). On AP radiographs, the radiologist correctly assigned 84.2%, 91.7%, and 77.2% and the trainee correctly assigned 68.4%, 79.2%, and 81.8% of grade 1, 2, and 3 OVFs, respectively. Compared with lateral radiographs, the radiologist had a weighted Kappa of 0.944 including normal vertebrae and 0.883 not including normal vertebrae, while the corresponding Kappa values for the trainee were 0.891 and 0.830, respectively.

CONCLUSION

We propose a new semi-quantitative grading system for vertebral fracture severity assessment on AP spine radiographs.

The impact of submandibular glands protection on xerostomia as monitored by diffusion-weighted imaging in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

PURPOSE

To determine the impact of sparing submandibular glands (SMGs) on alleviating xerostomia and the functional dynamics of the irradiated parotid glands (PGs) and sublingual glands (SLGs) by diffusion-weighted imaging.

METHODS

97 participants underwent 9 rounds of DWI scans before IC (pre-IC), pre-radiation (pre-RT), the midpoint of radiation (mid-RT), the end of radiation (post-RT), 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 (12m-RT) months following radiation. Apparent diffusion coefficient of SMGs (ADCSMG), PGs (ADCPG), and SLGs (ADCSLG), xerostomia questionnaire scores (XQ), and saliva flow rate measures under unstimulated (uSFR) and stimulated condition (sSFR) were documented.

RESULTS

ADCPG, ADCSMG, ADCSLG, and XQ showed a rapid increase with a top at 3m-RT followed by regression, whereas uSFR and sSFR had the reverse trend. The change rate of ADC correlated with the dose to PGs, SMGs, and SLGs, as well as uSFR, sSFR, and XQ scores (p < 0.05 for all, except for uSFR with ADCPG (p = 0.063)). Maingroup for ADCPG, uSFR, and sSFR were significant (p values were 0.028, 0.000, 0.000 respectively); ADCPG in SMG sparing group was lower while uSFR, and sSFR were higher than those in the SMG-unsparing group. Simplegroup for ADCSMG, ADCSLG (all p < 0.05 from mid-RT to 12m-RT), and XQ (all p < 0.001 at mid-, 6m-, 9m-, and 12m-RT) were significant; ADCSMG, ADCSLG, and XQ were lower in the SMG-sparing group.

CONCLUSIONS

SMG protection has a great impact on the functional retention of PGs and SLGs, resulting in alleviating xerostomia and improving quality of life.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The clinical trial was also registered with the Chinese Clinical Study Registry (registered number: ChiCTR1900024328, Date: July 6, 2019; URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=40726 ).

Three-year Clinical Impact of Murray Law-Based Quantitative Flow Ratio and OCT- or FFR-Guidance in Angiographically Intermediate Coronary Lesions

BACKGROUND

The FORZA trial (FFR or OCT Guidance to Revascularize Intermediate Coronary Stenosis Using Angioplasty) prospectively compared the use of fractional flow reserve (FFR) or optical coherence tomography (OCT) for treatment decisions and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) optimization in patients with angiographically intermediate coronary lesions. Murray law-based quantitative-flow-ratio (μQFR) is a novel noninvasive method for the computation of FFR. In the present study, we evaluated the clinical impact of μQFR, FFR, or OCT guidance in FORZA trial lesions at 3-year follow-up.

METHODS

μQFR was assessed at baseline and, in the case of a decision to intervene, after (FFR- or OCT-guided) PCI. The baseline μQFR was considered the final μQFR for deferred lesions, and post-PCI μQFR value was taken as final for stented lesions. The primary end point was target vessel failure ([TVF]; cardiac death, target-vessel-related myocardial infarction, and target-vessel-revascularization) at a 3-year follow-up.

RESULTS

A total of 419 vessels (199 OCT-guided and 220 FFR-guided) were included in the FORZA trial. μQFR was evaluated in 256 deferred lesions and 159 treated lesions (98 OCT-guided PCI and 61 FFR-guided PCI). In treated lesions, post-PCI μQFR was higher in OCT-group compared with FFR-group (median, 0.93 versus 0.91; P=0.023), and the post-PCI μQFR improvement was greater in FFR-group (0.14 versus 0.08; P<0.0001). At 3-year follow-up, OCT- and FFR-guided treatment decisions resulted in comparable TVF rate (6.7% versus 7.9%; P=0.617). Final μQFR was the only predictor of TVF. μQFR ≤0.89 was associated with 3× increase in TVF (11.6% versus 3.7%; P=0.004). PCI was a predictor of higher final μQFR (odds ratio, 0.22 [95% CI, 0.14-0.34]; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In vessels with angiographically intermediate coronary lesions, OCT-guided PCI resulted in comparable clinical outcomes as FFR-guided PCI. μQFR estimated at the end of diagnostic or interventional procedure predicted 3-year TVF.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01824030.

An interactive method based on multi-objective optimization for limited-angle CT reconstruction

Objective. Limited-angle x-ray computed tomography (CT) is a typical ill-posed inverse problem, leading to artifacts in the reconstructed image due to the incomplete projection data. Most iteration CT reconstruction methods involve optimization for a single object. This paper explores a multi-objective optimization model and an interactive method based on multi-objective optimization to suppress the artifacts of limited-angle CT.Approach. The model includes two objective functions on the dual domain within the data consistency constraint. In the interactive method, the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) is regarded as the value function of the decision maker (DM) firstly. Secondly, the DM arranges the objective functions of the multi-objective optimization model to be optimized according to their absolute importance. Finally, the SSIM and the simulated annealing (SA) method help the DM choose the desirable reconstruction image by improving the SSIM value during the iteration process.Main results. Simulation and real data experiments demonstrate that the artifacts can be suppressed by the proposed method, and the results were superior to those reconstructed by the other three reconstruction methods in preserving the edge structure of the image.Significance. The proposed interactive method based on multi-objective optimization shows some potential advantages over classical single object optimization methods.

Hyperbranched Vitrimer for Ultrahigh Energy Dissipation

Polymers are ideally utilized as damping materials due to the high internal friction of molecular chains, enabling effective suppression of vibrations and noises in various fields. Current strategies rely on broadening the glass transition region or introducing additional relaxation components to enhance the energy dissipation capacity of polymeric damping materials. However, it remains a significant challenge to achieve high damping efficiency through structural control while maintaining dynamic characteristics.  In this work, we propose a new strategy to develop hyperbranched vitrimers (HBVs) containing dense pendant chains and loose dynamic crosslinked networks. A novel yet weak dynamic transesterification between the carboxyl and boronic acid ester was confirmed and used to prepare HBVs based on poly (hexyl methacrylate-2-(4-ethenylphenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborinane) P(HMA-co-ViCL) copolymers. The ABn-type of macromonomers, the crosslinking points formed by the dynamic covalent connection via the associative exchange, and the weak yet dynamic exchange reaction are the three keys to developing high-performance HBV damping materials. We found that P(HMA-co-ViCL) 20k-40-60 HBV exhibited ultrahigh energy-dissipation performance over a broad frequency and temperature range, attributed to the synergistic effect of dense pendant chains and weak dynamic covalent crosslinks. This unique design concept will provide a general approach to developing advanced damping materials.

Integrating Olefin Carboamination and Hofmann-Löffler-Freytag Reaction by Radical Deconstruction of Hydrazonyl N-N Bond

As a type of elementary organic compounds containing N-N single bond, hydrazone involved chemical conversions are extremely extensive, but they are mainly limited to N2-retention and N2-removal modes. We report herein an unprecedented protocol for the realization of division utilization of the N2-moiety of hydrazone by a radical facilitated N-N bond deconstruction strategy. This new conversion mode enables the successful combination of alkene carboamination and Hofmann-Löffler-Freytag reaction by the reaction of N-homoallyl mesitylenesulfonyl hydrazones with ethyl difluoroiodoacetate under photocatalytic redox neutral conditions. Mechanism studies reveal that the reaction undergoes a radical relay involving addition, crucial remote imino-N migration and H-atom transfer. Consequently, a series of structurally significant ϵ-N-sulphonamide-α,α-difluoro-γ-amino acid esters are efficiently produced via continuous C-C bond and dual C-N bonds forging.

Protective effect of Broussonetia papyrifera leaf polysaccharides on intestinal integrity in a rat model of diet-induced oxidative stress

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Broussonetia papyrifera polysaccharides (BPP) on the jejunal intestinal integrity of rats ingesting oxidized fish oil (OFO) induced oxidative stress. Polysaccharides (Mw 16,956 Da) containing carboxyl groups were extracted from Broussonetia papyrifera leaves. In vitro antioxidant assays showed that this polysaccharide possessed antioxidant capabilities. Thirty-two male weaned rats were allocated into two groups orally infused BPP solution and PBS for 26 days, respectively. From day 9 to day 26, half of the rats in each group were fed food containing OFO, where the lipid peroxidation can induce intestinal oxidative stress. OFO administration resulted in diarrhea, decreased growth performance (p < 0.01), impaired jejunal morphology (p < 0.05) and antioxidant capacity (p < 0.01), increased the levels of ROS and its related products, IL-1β and IL-17 (p < 0.01) of jejunum, as well as down-regulated Bcl-2/Bax (p < 0.01) and Nrf2 signaling (p < 0.01) of jejunum in rats. BPP gavage effectively alleviated the negative effects of OFO on growth performance, morphology, enterocyte apoptosis, antioxidant capacity and inflammation of jejunum (p < 0.05) in rats. In the oxidative stress model cell assay, the use of receptor inhibitors inhibited the enhancement of antioxidant capacity by BPP. These results suggested that BPP protected intestinal morphology, thus improving growth performance and reducing diarrhea in rats ingesting OFO. This protective effect may be attributed to scavenging free radicals and activating the Nrf2 pathway, which enhances antioxidant capacity, consequently reducing inflammation and mitigating intestinal cell death.

Cross-domain pedestrian detection via feature alignment and image quality assessment

Datasets collected under different sensors, viewpoints, or weather conditions cause different domains. Models trained on domain A applied to tasks of domain B result in low performance. To overcome the domain shift, we propose an unsupervised pedestrian detection method that utilizes CycleGAN to establish an intermediate domain and transform a large gap domain-shift problem into two feature alignment subtasks with small gaps. The intermediate domain trained with labels from domain A, after two rounds of feature alignment using adversarial learning, can facilitate effective detection in domain B. To further enhance the training quality of intermediate domain models, Image Quality Assessment (IQA) is incorporated. The experimental results evaluated on Citypersons, KITTI, and BDD100K show that MR of 24.58%, 33.66%, 28.27%, and 28.25% were achieved in four cross-domain scenarios. Compared with typical pedestrian detection models, our proposed method can better overcome the domain-shift problem and achieve competitive results.

Transformation of Severe Aplastic Anemia into Donor Cell Leukemia after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Rare Case Report

BACKGROUND Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is an important treatment for severe aplastic anemia (SAA). It is known that SAA can evolve into malignant clonal diseases, such as acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome. However, the transformation of SAA into AML after allo-HSCT is a rare phenomenon. Here, we report a case of SAA transformed into AML after patient received human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. CASE REPORT A 51-year-old female patient presented with petechiae and fatigue and received a diagnosis of idiopathic SAA. The immunosuppressive therapy combined with umbilical cord blood transplantation failed for this patient. Then, she received HLA-matched sibling allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT). However, 445 days after allo-PBSCT, the patient had a diagnosis of AML by bone marrow puncture. Donor-recipient chimerism monitoring and cytogenetic analysis confirmed that the leukemia was donor cell origin. Notably, a new HOXA11 mutation was detected in the peripheral blood of the patient after transplantation by whole-exome sequencing, which was the same gene mutation detected in the donor. The patient received 1 cycle of induction chemotherapy with azacytidine and achieved complete remission. However, the leukemia relapsed after 2 cycles of consolidation chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the patient died of leukemia progression 575 days after allo-HSCT. CONCLUSIONS The mechanism of how normal donor hematopoietic cells transform to leukemia in the host remains unclear. Donor cell leukemia provides a unique opportunity to examine genetic variations in donors and hosts with regards to the progression to malignancy.

Delta like 4 regulates cerebrovascular development and endothelial integrity via DLL4-NOTCH-CLDN5 pathway and is vulnerable to neonatal hyperoxia

The mechanisms governing brain vascularization during development remain poorly understood. A key regulator of developmental vascularization is delta like 4 (DLL4), a Notch ligand prominently expressed in endothelial cells (EC). Exposure to hyperoxia in premature infants can disrupt the development and functions of cerebral blood vessels and lead to long-term cognitive impairment. However, its role in cerebral vascular development and the impact of postnatal hyperoxia on DLL4 expression in mouse brain EC have not been explored. We determined the DLL4 expression pattern and its downstream signalling gene expression in brain EC using Dll4+/+ and Dll4+/LacZ mice. We also performed in vitro studies using human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Finally, we determined Dll4 and Cldn5 expression in mouse brain EC exposed to postnatal hyperoxia. DLL4 is expressed in various cell types, with EC being the predominant one in immature brains. Moreover, DLL4 deficiency leads to persistent abnormalities in brain microvasculature and increased vascular permeability both in vivo and in vitro. We have identified that DLL4 insufficiency compromises endothelial integrity through the NOTCH-NICD-RBPJ-CLDN5 pathway, resulting in the downregulation of the tight junction protein claudin 5 (CLDN5). Finally, exposure to neonatal hyperoxia reduces DLL4 and CLDN5 expression in developing mouse brain EC. We reveal that DLL4 is indispensable for brain vascular development and maintaining the blood-brain barrier's function and is repressed by neonatal hyperoxia. We speculate that reduced DLL4 signalling in brain EC may contribute to the impaired brain development observed in neonates exposed to hyperoxia. KEY POINTS: The role of delta like 4 (DLL4), a Notch ligand in vascular endothelial cells, in brain vascular development and functions remains unknown. We demonstrate that DLL4 is expressed at a high level during postnatal brain development in immature brains and DLL4 insufficiency leads to abnormal cerebral vasculature and increases vascular permeability both in vivo and in vitro. We identify that DLL4  regulates endothelial integrity through NOTCH-NICD-RBPJ-CLDN5 signalling. Dll4 and Cldn5 expression are decreased in mouse brain endothelial cells exposed to postnatal hyperoxia.

Anion-Coordination Foldamer-Based Polymer Network: from Molecular Spring to Elastomer

Foldamer is a scaled-down version of coil spring, which can absorb and release energy by conformational change. Here, polymer networks with high-density of molecular springs were developed by employing anion-coordination-based foldamers as the monomer. The coiling of the foldamer is controlled by oligourea ligands coordinating to chloride ions; subsequently, the folding and unfolding of foldamer conformations endow the polymer network with excellent energy dissipation and toughness. The mechanical performance of the corresponding polymer network shows a dramatic increase from P-L2UCl (non-folding), P-L4UCl (a full turn) to P-L6UCl (1.5 turns), in terms of strength (2.62 MPa; 14.26 Mpa; 22.93 Mpa), elongation at break (70%; 325%; 352%), Young's modulus (2.69 MPa; 63.61 Mpa; 141.50 Mpa), and toughness (1.12 MJ/m3; 21.39 MJ/m3; 49.62 MJ/m3), respectively, which are also better than those without anion centers and the non-foldamer based counterparts. Moreover, P-L6UCl shows enhanced strength and toughness than most of the molecular-spring based polymer networks.Moreover, P-L6UCl shows enhanced strength and toughness than most of the molecular-spring based polymer networks. Thus, an effective strategy for designing high-performance anion-coordination-based materials is presented in this study.

Ogataea polymorpha as a next-generation chassis for industrial biotechnology

Ogataea (Hansenula) polymorpha is a nonconventional yeast with some unique characteristics, including fast growth, thermostability, and broad substrate spectrum. Other than common applications for protein production, O. polymorpha is attracting interest for chemical and protein production from methanol; a promising feedstock for the next-generation biomanufacturing due to its abundant sources and excellent characteristics. Benefiting from the development of synthetic biology, it has been engineered to produce value-added chemicals by extensively rewiring cellular metabolism. This Review discusses recently developed synthetic biology tools of O. polymorpha. The advances of chemicals production and systems biology were reviewed comprehensively. Finally, we look ahead to the developments of biomanufacturing in O. polymorpha to make an overall understanding of this chassis for academia and industry.

Elevated levels of alcohol dehydrogenase aggravate ethanol-evoked cardiac remodeling and contractile anomalies through FKBP5-yap-mediated regulation of ferroptosis and ER stress

Alcohol intake provokes severe organ injuries including alcoholic cardiomyopathy with hallmarks of cardiac remodeling and contractile defects. This study examined the toxicity of facilitated ethanol metabolism in alcoholism-evoked changes in myocardial morphology and contractile function, insulin signaling and various cell death domains using cardiac-selective overexpression of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). WT and ADH mice were offered an alcohol liquid diet for 12 weeks prior to assessment of cardiac geometry, function, ER stress, apoptosis and ferroptosis. Alcohol intake provoked pronounced glucose intolerance, cardiac remodeling and contractile anomalies with apoptosis, ER stress, and ferroptosis, the effects were accentuated by ADH with the exception of global glucose intolerance. Hearts from alcohol ingesting mice displayed dampened insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of insulin receptor (tyr1146) and IRS-1 (tyrosine) along with elevated IRS-1 serine phosphorylation, the effect was augmented by ADH. Alcohol challenge dampened phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β, and increased phosphorylation of c-Jun and JNK, the effects were accentuated by ADH. Alcohol challenge promoted ER stress, FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5), YAP, apoptosis and ferroptosis, the effects were exaggerated by ADH. Using a short-term ethanol challenge model (3 g/kg, i.p., twice in three days), we found that inhibition of FKBP5-YAP signaling or facilitated ethanol detoxification by Alda-1 alleviated ethanol cardiotoxicity. In vitro study revealed that the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde evoked cardiac contractile anomalies, lipid peroxidation, and apoptosis, the effects of which were mitigated by Alda-1, inhibition of ER stress, FKBP5 and YAP. These data suggest that facilitated ethanol metabolism via ADH exacerbates alcohol-evoked myocardial remodeling, functional defects, and insulin insensitivity possibly through a FKBP5-YAP-associated regulation of ER stress and ferroptosis.

Theory-guided unraveling of the mechanism underlying Cu1.0/Mn1.0-ZnO with dual reaction centers for enhanced peroxymonosulfate activation

Developing efficient catalytic systems for water contamination removal is a topic of great interest. However, the use of heterogeneous catalysts faces challenges due to insufficient active sites and electron cycling. In this study, results from first-principles calculations demonstrate that dual reaction centers (DRCs) are produced around the Cu and Mn sites in Cu1.0/Mn1.0-ZnO due to the electronegativity difference. Experimental results reveal the material with DRCs greatly enhances electron transfer efficiency and significantly impacts the oxidation and reduction of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). In addition, the self-consistent potential correction (SCPC) method was introduced to correct the energy and charge of charged periodic systems simulating a catalytic process, resulting in more precise catalytic results. Specifically, the material exhibits a preference for adsorbing negatively charged PMS anions at electron-deficient Mn sites, facilitating PMS oxidation for the generation of 1O2, and PMS reduction around the electron-rich Cu for the formation of •OH and SO4•-. The major reactive oxygen species is 1O2, showcasing effective performance in various degradation systems. Overall, our work provides novel insights into the persulfate-based heterogeneous catalytic oxidation process, paving the way for the development of high-performance catalytic systems for water purification.

Intrauterine and early postnatal exposures to submicron particulate matter and childhood allergic rhinitis: A multicity cross-sectional study in China

BACKGROUND

Airborne particulate matter pollution has been linked to occurrence of childhood allergic rhinitis (AR). However, the relationships between exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤1 μm (PM1) during early life (in utero and first year of life) and the onset of childhood AR remain largely unknown. This study aims to investigate potential associations of in utero and first-year exposures to size-segregated PMs, including PM1, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM10, with childhood AR.

METHODS

We investigated 29286 preschool children aged 3-6 years in 7 Chinese major cities during 2019-2020 as the Phase II of the China Children, Families, Health Study. Machine learning-based space-time models were utilized to estimate early-life residential exposure to PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 at 1 × 1-km resolutions. The concentrations of PM1-2.5 and PM2.5-10 were calculated by subtracting PM1 from PM2.5 and PM2.5 from PM10, respectively. Multiple mixed-effects logistic models were used to assess the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of childhood AR associated with per 10-μg/m3 increase in exposure to particulate air pollution during in utero period and the first year of life.

RESULTS

Among the 29286 children surveyed (mean ± standard deviation, 4.9 ± 0.9 years), 3652 (12.5%) were reported to be diagnosed with AR. Average PM1 concentrations during in utero period and the first year since birth were 36.3 ± 8.6 μg/m3 and 33.1 ± 6.9 μg/m3, respectively. Exposure to PM1 and PM2.5 during pregnancy and the first year of life was associated with an increased risk of AR in children, and the OR estimates were higher for each 10-μg/m3 increase in PM1 than for PM2.5 (e.g., 1.132 [95% CI: 1.022-1.254] vs. 1.079 [95% CI: 1.014-1.149] in pregnancy; 1.151 [95% CI: 1.014-1.306] vs. 1.095 [95% CI: 1.008-1.189] in the first year of life). No associations were observed between AR and both pre- and post-natal exposure to PM1-2.5, indicating that PM1 rather than PM1-2.5 contributed to the association between PM2.5 and childhood AR. In trimester-stratified analysis, childhood AR was only found to be associated with exposure to PM1 (OR = 1.077, 95% CI: 1.027-1.128), PM2.5 (OR = 1.048, 95% CI: 1.018-1.078), and PM10 (OR = 1.032, 95% CI: 1.007-1.058) during the third trimester of pregnancy. Subgroup analysis suggested stronger PM-AR associations among younger (<5 years old) and winter-born children.

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal and postnatal exposures to ambient PM1 and PM2.5 were associated with an increased risk of childhood AR, and PM2.5-related hazards could be predominantly attributed to PM1. These findings highlighted public health significance of formulating air quality guideline for ambient PM1 in mitigating children's AR burden caused by particulate air pollution.

Indole Propionic Acid Disturbs the Normal Function of Tryptophanyl-tRNA Synthetase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the second-most contagious killer after COVID-19. The emergence of drug-resistant TB has caused a great need to identify and develop new anti-TB drugs with novel targets. Indole propionic acid (IPA), a structural analog of tryptophan (Trp), is active against M. tuberculosis in vitro and in vivo. It has been verified that IPA exerts its antimicrobial effect by mimicking Trp as an allosteric inhibitor of TrpE, which is the first enzyme in the Trp synthesis pathway of M. tuberculosis. However, other Trp structural analogs, such as indolmycin, also target tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS), which has two functions in bacteria: synthesis of tryptophanyl-AMP by catalyzing ATP + Trp and producing Trp-tRNATrp by transferring Trp to tRNATrp. So, we speculate that IPA may also target TrpRS. In this study, we found that IPA can dock into the Trp binding pocket of M. tuberculosis TrpRS (TrpRSMtb), which was further confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) assay. The biochemical analysis proved that TrpRS can catalyze the reaction between IPA and ATP to generate pyrophosphate (PPi) without Trp as a substrate. Overexpression of wild-type trpS in M. tuberculosis increased the MIC of IPA to 32-fold, and knock-down trpS in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis made it more sensitive to IPA. The supplementation of Trp in the medium abrogated the inhibition of M. tuberculosis by IPA. We demonstrated that IPA can interfere with the function of TrpRS by mimicking Trp, thereby impeding protein synthesis and exerting its anti-TB effect.

Adaptive and Robust Vitrimers Fabricated by Synergy of Traditional and Supramolecular Polymers

Vitrimers offer a unique combination of mechanical performance, reprocessability, and recyclability that makes them highly promising for a wide range of applications. However, achieving dynamic behavior in vitrimeric materials at their intended usage temperatures, thus combining reprocessability with adaptivity through associative dynamic covalent bonds, represents an attractive but formidable objective. Herein, we couple boron-nitrogen (B-N) dative bonds and B-O covalent bonds to generate a new class of vitrimers, boron-nitrogen vitrimers (BNVs), to endow them with dynamic features at usage temperatures. Compared with boron-ester vitrimers (BEVs) without B-N dative bonds, the BNVs with B-N dative bonds showcase enhanced mechanical performance. The excellent mechanical properties come from the synergistic effect of the dative B-N supramolecular polymer and covalent boron‒ester networks. Moreover, benefiting from the associative exchange of B-O dynamic covalent bonds above their topological freezing temperature (Tv), the resultant BNVs also possess the processability. This study leveraged the structural characteristics of a boron-based vitrimer to achieve material reinforcement and toughness enhancement, simultaneously providing novel design concepts for the construction of new vitrimeric materials.

Simultaneous SERS Sensing of Cysteine and Homocysteine in Blood Based on the CBT-Cys Click Reaction: Toward Precisive Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

At present, there is a lack of sufficiently specific laboratory diagnostic indicators for schizophrenia. Serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels have been found to be related to schizophrenia. Cysteine (Cys) is a demethylation product in the metabolism of Hcy, and they always coexist with highly similar structures in vivo. There are few reports on the use of Cys as a diagnostic biomarker for schizophrenia in collaboration with Hcy, mainly because the rapid, economical, accurate, and high-throughput simultaneous detection of Cys and Hcy in serum is highly challenging. Herein, a click reaction-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensor was developed for simultaneous and selective detection of Cys and Hcy. Through the efficient and specific CBT-Cys click reaction between the probe containing cyan benzothiazole and Cys/Hcy, the tiny methylene difference between the molecular structures of Cys and Hcy was converted into the difference between the ring skeletons of the corresponding products that could be identified by plasmonic silver nanoparticle enhanced molecular fingerprint spectroscopy to realize discriminative detection. Furthermore, the SERS sensor was successfully applied to the detection in related patient serum samples, and it was found that the combined analysis of Cys and Hcy can improve the diagnostic accuracy of schizophrenia compared to a single indicator.

Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy in the Epididymis: A Case Report

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare, benign neoplasm of neural crest origin that predominantly involves the craniofacial region, involvement of the epididymis being extremely rare, with about 30 cases reported. We report an unusual case of a 5-month-old male with MNTI in the epididymis. The patient underwent orchiectomy. Half a year later, there was no sign of recurrence. Whether preoperative examination or intraoperative frozen examination, the tumor may easily be misdiagnosed as malignancy. Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy should be included in differential diagnosis in infants presenting with fast-growing scrotal swelling.

Association of serum osteocalcin with bone microarchitecture and muscle mass in Beijing community-dwelling postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease with increasing bone fragility and prone to fracture. Osteocalcin (OC), as the most abundant non collagen in bone matrix, has been extensively used in clinic as a biochemical marker of osteogenesis. Two forms of OC were stated on circulation, including carboxylated osteocalcin (cOC) and undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC). OC was not only involved in bone mineralization, but also in the regulation of muscle function.

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the relationship between serum OC, cOC, ucOC levels and bone mineral density (BMD), bone microarchitecture, muscle mass and physical activity in Chinese postmenopausal women.

METHOD

216 community-dwelling postmenopausal women were randomized enrolled. All subjects completed biochemical measurements, including serum β-isomer of C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (β-CTX), N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), OC, cOC and ucOC. They completed X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to measure BMD, appendicular lean mass (ALM) and trabecular bone score (TBS). They completed high resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) to assess peripheral bone microarchitectures.

RESULTS

Serum OC, cOC and ucOC were elevated in osteoporosis postmenopausal women. In bone geometry, serum ucOC was positively related with total bone area (Tt.Ar) and trabecular area(Tb.Ar). In bone volumetric density, serum OC and ucOC were negatively associated with total volume bone mineral density (Tt.vBMD) and trabecular volume bone mineral density (Tb.vBMD). In bone microarchitecture, serum OC and ucOC were negatively correlative with Tb.N and Tb.BV/TV, and were positively correlated with Tb.Sp. Serum OC and ucOC were positively associated with Tb.1/N.SD. Serum OC was negatively related with Tb.Th. Serum ucOC was positively associated with ALM. The high level of serum OC was the risk factor of osteoporosis. ALM was the protective factor for osteoporosis.

CONCLUSION

All forms of serum OC were negatively associated with BMD. Serum OC and ucOC mainly influenced microstructure of trabecular bone in peripheral skeletons. Serum ucOC participated in modulating both bone microstructure and muscle mass.

Clinical relevance, mechanisms, and evolution of polymyxin B heteroresistance carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae: A genomic, retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To study the clinical relevance, mechanisms, and evolution of polymyxin B (POLB) heteroresistance (PHR) in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), potentially leading to a significant rise in POLB full resistant (FR) CRKP.

METHODS

Total of 544 CRKP isolates from 154 patients treated with POLB were categorized into PHR and POLB non-heteroresistance (NHR) groups. We performed statistical analysis to compare clinical implications and treatment responses. We employed whole-genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and PCR to study the molecular epidemiology, mechanisms behind PHR, and its evolution into FR.

RESULTS

We observed a considerable proportion (118 of 154, 76.62%) of clinically undetected PHR strains before POLB exposure, with a significant subset of them (33 of 118, 27.97%) evolving into FR after POLB treatment. We investigated the clinical implications, epidemiological characteristics, mechanisms, and evolutionary patterns of PHR strains in the context of POLB treatment. About 92.86% (39 of 42) of patients had PHR isolates before FR, highlighting the clinical importance of PHR. the ST15 exhibited a notably lower PHR rate (1 of 8, 12.5% vs. 117 of 144, 81.25%; p < 0.01). The ST11 PHR strains showing significantly higher rate of mgrB mutations by endogenous insertion sequences in their resistant subpopulation (RS) compared with other STs (78 of 106, 73.58% vs. 4 of 12, 33.33%; p < 0.01). The mgrB insertional inactivation rate was lower in FR isolates than in the RS of PHR isolates (15 of 42, 35.71% vs. 84 of 112, 75%; p < 0.01), whereas the pmrAB mutation rate was higher in FR isolates than in the RS of PHR isolates (8 of 42, 19.05% vs. 2 of 112, 1.79%; p < 0.01). The evolution from PHR to FR was influenced by subpopulation dynamics and genetic adaptability because of hypermutability.

DISCUSSION

We highlight significant genetic changes as the primary driver of PHR to FR in CRKP, underscoring polymyxin complexity.

FBXL4 protects against HFpEF through Drp1-Mediated regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and the downstream SERCA2a

AIMS

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a devastating health issue although limited knowledge is available for its pathogenesis and therapeutics. Given the perceived involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in HFpEF, this study was designed to examine the role of mitochondrial dynamics in the etiology of HFpEF.

METHOD AND RESULTS

Adult mice were placed on a high fat diet plus l-NAME in drinking water ('two-hit' challenge to mimic obesity and hypertension) for 15 consecutive weeks. Mass spectrometry revealed pronounced changes in mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 and E3 ligase FBXL4 in 'two-hit' mouse hearts. Transfection of FBXL4 rescued against HFpEF-compromised diastolic function, cardiac geometry, and mitochondrial integrity without affecting systolic performance, in conjunction with altered mitochondrial dynamics and integrity (hyperactivation of Drp1 and unchecked fission). Mass spectrometry and co-IP analyses unveiled an interaction between FBXL4 and Drp1 to foster ubiquitination and degradation of Drp1. Truncated mutants of FBXL4 (Delta-Fbox) disengaged interaction between FBXL4 and Drp1. Metabolomic and proteomics findings identified deranged fatty acid and glucose metabolism in HFpEF patients and mice. A cellular model was established with concurrent exposure of high glucose and palmitic acid as a 'double-damage' insult to mimic diastolic anomalies in HFpEF. Transfection of FBXL4 mitigated 'double-damage'-induced cardiomyocyte diastolic dysfunction and mitochondrial injury, the effects were abolished and mimicked by Drp1 knock-in and knock-out, respectively. HFpEF downregulated sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ uptake protein SERCA2a while upregulating phospholamban, RYR1, IP3R1, IP3R3 and Na+-Ca2+ exchanger with unaltered SR Ca2+ load. FBXL4 ablated 'two-hit' or 'double-damage'-induced changes in SERCA2a, phospholamban and mitochondrial injury.

CONCLUSION

FBXL4 rescued against HFpEF-induced cardiac remodeling, diastolic dysfunction, and mitochondrial injury through reverting hyperactivation of Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission, underscoring the therapeutic promises of FBXL4 in HFpEF.

Revision of the 1994 World Health Organization T-score definition of osteoporosis for use in older East Asian women and men to reconcile it with their lifetime risk of fragility fracture

The 1994 WHO criterion of a T-score ≤ -2.5 for densitometric osteoporosis was chosen because it results in a prevalence commensurate with the observed lifetime risk of fragility fractures in Caucasian women aged ≥ 50 years. Due to the much lower risk of fragility fracture among East Asians, the application of the conventional WHO criterion to East Asians leads to an over inflated prevalence of osteoporosis, particularly for spine osteoporosis. According to statistical modeling and when a local BMD reference is used, we tentatively recommend the cutpoint values for T-score of femoral neck, total hip, and spine to be approximately -2.7, -2.6, and -3.7 for Hong Kong Chinese women. Using radiographic osteoporotic vertebral fracture as a surrogate clinical endpoint, we empirically demonstrated that a femoral neck T-score of -2.77 for Chinese women was equivalent to -2.60 for Italian women, a spine T-score of -3.75 for Chinese women was equivalent to -2.44 for Italian women, and for Chinese men a femoral neck T-score of -2.77 corresponded to spine T-score of -3.37. For older Chinese men, we tentatively recommend the cutpoint values for T-score of femoral neck, total hip, and spine to be approximately -2.7, -2.6, and -3.2. With the BMD reference published by IKi et al. applied, T-score of femoral neck, total hip, and spine of -2.75, -3.0, and -3.9 for Japanese women will be more in line with the WHO osteoporosis definition. The revised definition of osteoporosis cutpoint T-scores for East Asians will allow a more meaningful international comparison of disease burden.

Diagnostic performance of ultrasonic flow ratio versus quantitative flow ratio for assessment of coronary stenosis

BACKGROUND

Ultrasonic flow ratio (UFR) is a novel intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-derived modality for fast computation of fractional flow reserve (FFR) without pressure wires and adenosine.

AIMS

This study was sought to compare the diagnostic performance of UFR and quantitative flow ratio (QFR), using FFR as the reference standard.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study enrolling consecutive patients with intermediate coronary artery lesions (diameter stenosis of 30%-90% by visual estimation) for IVUS and FFR measurement. UFR and QFR were performed offline in a core-lab by independent analysts blinded to FFR.

RESULTS

From December 2022 to May 2023, a total of 78 eligible patients were enrolled. IVUS and FFR measurements were successfully conducted in 104 vessels, finally 98 vessels with both FFR, UFR and QFR evaluation were analyzed. Mean FFR was 0.79 ± 0.12. UFR showed a strong correlation with FFR similar to QFR (r = 0.83 vs. 0.82, p = 0.795). Diagnostic accuracy of UFR was non-inferior to QFR (94% [89%-97%] versus 90% [84%-94%], p = 0.113). Sensitivity and specificity in identifying hemodynamically significant stenosis were comparable between UFR and QFR (sensitivity: 89% [79%-96%] versus 85% [74%-92%], p = 0.453; specificity: 97% [91%-99%] versus 95% [88%-99%], p = 0.625). The area under curve for UFR was 0.95 [0.90-0.98], non-inferior to QFR (difference = 0.021, p = 0.293), and significantly higher than minimum lumen area (MLA; difference = 0.13, p < 0.001). Diagnostic accuracy of UFR and QFR was not statically different in bifurcation nor non-bifurcation lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

UFR showed excellent concordance with FFR, non-inferior to QFR, superior to MLA. UFR provides a potentiality for the integration of physiological assessment and intravascular imaging in clinical practice.

Genome comparisons reveal accessory genes crucial for the evolution of apple Glomerella leaf spot pathogenicity in Colletotrichum fungi

Apple Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) is an emerging fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum fructicola and other Colletotrichum species. These species are polyphyletic and it is currently unknown how these pathogens convergently evolved to infect apple. We generated chromosome-level genome assemblies of a GLS-adapted isolate and a non-adapted isolate in C. fructicola using long-read sequencing. Additionally, we resequenced 17 C. fructicola and C. aenigma isolates varying in GLS pathogenicity using short-read sequencing. Genome comparisons revealed a conserved bipartite genome architecture involving minichromosomes (accessory chromosomes) shared by C. fructicola and other closely related species within the C. gloeosporioides species complex. Moreover, two repeat-rich genomic regions (1.61 Mb in total) were specifically conserved among GLS-pathogenic isolates in C. fructicola and C. aenigma. Single-gene deletion of 10 accessory genes within the GLS-specific regions of C. fructicola identified three that were essential for GLS pathogenicity. These genes encoded a putative non-ribosomal peptide synthetase, a flavin-binding monooxygenase and a small protein with unknown function. These results highlight the crucial role accessory genes play in the evolution of Colletotrichum pathogenicity and imply the significance of an unidentified secondary metabolite in GLS pathogenesis.

Insights into structural and functional regulation of chalcopyrite and enhanced mechanism of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in advanced oxidation process (AOP): A review

Chalcopyrite, renowned for its distinctive mixed redox-couple characteristics, exhibits excellent electron transfer properties both on its surface and within its crystal structure. This unique characteristic has attracted significant attention in various fields, including optics, electronics, and magnetism, as well as demonstrated remarkable catalytic efficacy in the environmental field. The rapid and effective electron transfer capability of a catalyst is crucial for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). However, the performance of CuFeS2 in AOPs is hindered by its low electron transfer efficacy. This review aims to summarize the key steps and mechanisms of chalcopyrite-induced AOPs and provide strategies for enhancing effective electron transfer efficacies by controlling the structure and function of synthetic/natural chalcopyrite. These strategies include enhancing the catalytic performance of chalcopyrite and constructing composites to enhance catalytic activity (e.g., chelating agents, heterojunctions). Additionally, the factors influencing the generation of reactive oxygen species in chalcopyrite-induced AOPs are investigated, such as the types and properties of oxidants (e.g., H2O2, peroxymonocarbonate), the microstructure of catalysts, and reaction conditions in catalytic systems (e.g., pH values, dosage, temperature). Future perspectives on the applications of chalcopyrite are presented at the end of this paper. Overall, this review assists in narrowing the scope of chalcopyrite studies in AOPs and aids researchers in optimizing synthetic/natural catalysts for contaminant treatment.

VHL mutation drives human clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression through PI3K/AKT-dependent cholesteryl ester accumulation

BACKGROUND

Cholesteryl ester (CE) accumulation in intracellular lipid droplets (LDs) is an essential signature of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), but its molecular mechanism and pathological significance remain elusive.

METHODS

Enabled by the label-free Raman spectromicroscopy, which integrated stimulated Raman scattering microscopy with confocal Raman spectroscopy on the same platform, we quantitatively analyzed LD distribution and composition at the single cell level in intact ccRCC cell and tissue specimens in situ without any processing or exogenous labeling. Since we found that commonly used ccRCC cell lines actually did not show the CE-rich signature, primary cancer cells were isolated from human tissues to retain the lipid signature of ccRCC with CE level as high as the original tissue, which offers a preferable cell model for the study of cholesterol metabolism in ccRCC. Moreover, we established a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model that retained the CE-rich phenotype of human ccRCC.

FINDINGS

Surprisingly, our results revealed that CE accumulation was induced by tumor suppressor VHL mutation, the most common mutation of ccRCC. Moreover, VHL mutation was found to promote CE accumulation by upregulating HIFα and subsequent PI3K/AKT/mTOR/SREBPs pathway. Inspiringly, inhibition of cholesterol esterification remarkably suppressed ccRCC aggressiveness in vitro and in vivo with negligible toxicity, through the reduced membrane cholesterol-mediated downregulations of integrin and MAPK signaling pathways.

INTERPRETATION

Collectively, our study improves current understanding of the role of CE accumulation in ccRCC and opens up new opportunities for treatment.

FUNDING

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U23B2046 and No. 62027824), National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2023YFC2415500), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. YWF-22-L-547), PKU-Baidu Fund (No. 2020BD033), Peking University First Hospital Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation Incubation Guidance Fund (No. 2022CX02), and Beijing Municipal Health Commission (No. 2020-2Z-40713).

Bioactive Nanofiber-Hydrogel Composite Regulates Regenerative Microenvironment for Skeletal Muscle Regeneration after Volumetric Muscle Loss

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) is a severe form of muscle trauma that exceeds the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to substantial functional impairment. The abnormal immune response and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation hinder muscle regeneration following VML. Here, an interfacial cross-linked hydrogel-poly(ε-caprolactone) nanofiber composite, that incorporates both biophysical and biochemical cues to modulate the immune and ROS microenvironment for enhanced VML repair, is engineered. The interfacial cross-linking is achieved through a Michael addition between catechol and thiol groups. The resultant composite exhibits enhanced mechanical strength without sacrificing porosity. Moreover, it mitigates oxidative stress and promotes macrophage polarization toward a pro-regenerative phenotype, both in vitro and in a mouse VML model. 4 weeks post-implantation, mice implanted with the composite show improved grip strength and walking performance, along with increased muscle fiber diameter, enhanced angiogenesis, and more nerve innervation compared to control mice. Collectively, these results suggest that the interfacial cross-linked nanofiber-hydrogel composite could serve as a cell-free and drug-free strategy for augmenting muscle regeneration by modulating the oxidative stress and immune microenvironment at the VML site.

Retarding anion migration for alleviating concentration polarization towards stable polymer lithium-metal batteries

Traditional dual-ion lithium salts have been widely used in solid polymer lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). Nevertheless, concentration polarization caused by uncontrolled migration of free anions has severely caused the growth of lithium dendrites. Although single-ion conductor polymers (SICP) have been developed to reduce concentration polarization, the poor ionic conductivity caused by low carrier concentration limits their application. Herein, a dual-salt quasi-solid polymer electrolyte (QSPE), containing the SICP network as a salt and traditional dual-ion lithium salt, is designed for retarding the movement of free anions and simultaneously providing sufficient effective carriers to alleviate concentration polarization. The dual salt network of this designed QSPE is prepared through in-situ crosslinking copolymerization of SICP monomer, regular ionic conductor, crosslinker with the presence of the dual-ion lithium salt, delivering a high lithium-ion transference number (0.75) and satisfactory ionic conductivity (1.16 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 30 °C). Comprehensive characterizations combined with theoretical calculation demonstrate that polyanions from SICP exerts a potential repulsive effect on the transport of free anions to reduce concentration polarization inhibiting lithium dendrites. As a consequence, the Li||LiFePO4 cell achieves a long-cycle stability for 2000 cycles and a 90% capacity retention at 30 °C. This work provides a new perspective for reducing concentration polarization and simultaneously enabling enough lithium-ions migration for high-performance polymer LMBs.

Research advancements on nerve guide conduits for nerve injury repair

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is one of the most serious causes of disability and loss of work capacity of younger individuals. Although PNS has a certain degree of regeneration, there are still challenges like disordered growth, neuroma formation, and incomplete regeneration. Regarding the management of PNI, conventional methods such as surgery, pharmacotherapy, and rehabilitative therapy. Treatment strategies vary depending on the severity of the injury. While for the long nerve defect, autologous nerve grafting is commonly recognized as the preferred surgical approach. Nevertheless, due to lack of donor sources, neurological deficits and the low regeneration efficiency of grafted nerves, nerve guide conduits (NGCs) are recognized as a future promising technology in recent years. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current treatments for PNI, and discusses NGCs from different perspectives, such as material, design, fabrication process, and composite function.

Fluorinated Polyimide Tunneling Layer for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Photovoltaics

Despite the remarkable progress of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), challenges remain in terms of finding effective and viable strategies to enhance their long-term stability while maintaining high efficiency. In this study, a new insulating and hydrophobic fluorinated polyimide (FPI: 6FDA-6FAPB) was used as the interface layer between the perovskite layer and the hole transport layer (HTL) in PSCs. The functional groups of FPI play a pivotal role in passivating interface defects within the device. Due to its high work function, FPI demonstrates field-effect passivation (FEP) capabilities as an interface layer, effectively mitigating non-radiative recombination at the interface. Notably, the FPI insulating interface layer does not impede carrier transmission at the interface, which is attributed to the presence of hole tunneling effects. The optimized PSCs achieve an outstanding power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.61 % and demonstrate excellent stability, showcasing the efficacy of FPI in enhancing device performance and reliability.

Clinical effectiveness of a multitarget urine DNA test for urothelial carcinoma detection: a double-blinded, multicenter, prospective trial

Urine-based testing is promising for noninvasive diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma (UC) but has suboptimal sensitivity for early-stage tumors. Herein, we developed a multitarget urine tumor DNA test, UI-Seek, for UC detection and evaluated its clinical feasibility. The prediction model was developed in a retrospective cohort (n = 382), integrating assays for FGFR3 and TERT mutations and aberrant ONECUT2 and VIM methylation to generate a UC-score. The test performance was validated in a double-blinded, multicenter, prospective trial (n = 947; ChiCTR2300076543) and demonstrated a sensitivity of 91.37% and a specificity of 95.09%. The sensitivity reached 75.81% for low-grade Ta tumors and exceeded 93% in high-grade Ta and higher stages (T1 to T4). Simultaneous identification of both bladder and upper urinary tract tumors was enabled with sensitivities exceeding 90%. No significant confounding effects were observed regarding benign urological diseases or non-UC malignancies. The test showed improved sensitivities over urine cytology, the NMP22 test, and UroVysion FISH alongside comparable specificities. The single-target accuracy was greater than 98% as confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Post-surgery UC-score decreased in 97.7% of subjects. Overall, UI-Seek demonstrated robust performance and considerable potential for the early detection of UC.

Combination of gold nanoclusters and silicon quantum dots for ratiometric fluorometry: One system, two mechanisms

A ratiometric fluorometry based on silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) and gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) is constructed for detecting activity of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in human serum. By using thiobutyrylcholine iodide (BTCh) as the substrate of BChE-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction, variation of fluorescence emission from AuNCs is employed as an indicator of BChE activity since one of the hydrolysis products, thiocholine (TCh), would influence the aggregation state of AuNCs and consequently led to the change of fluorescence quantum efficiency of AuNCs. It is interesting that there are two mechanisms working for the fluorescence emission of aggregated AuNCs: aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) and aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) with the presence of TCh at very low and higher concentration levels, respectively. Although both of these mechanisms can be utilized for sensing BChE, their opposite influence on the fluorescence emission of aggregated AuNCs should be worthy of attention, especially in the process of developing fluorescence methods for detecting trace targets by using AuNCs. In order to eliminate the fluctuation of fluorophotometer, SiQDs is chosen as the fluorophore to develop by ratiometric fluorescence methods in this work. Additionally, obvious aggregation of AuNCs induces significant decrease of inner filter effect (IFE) on the fluorescence emitted from SiQDs, while mild aggregation of AuNCs demonstrates little IFE. The linear ranges for detecting activity of BChE are 0.004 - 0.05 U/L and 0.5 - 20 U/L by ratiometric fluorometry based on the AIEE and ACQ, respectively. The very different responses originated from AIEE and ACQ of AuNCs would respectively make their own contributions to the determination of BChE activities at very low or high levels, which facilitate the developments of enhanced or quenched fluorescence methods. However, the detection of BChE activities at medium levels might suffer from the combination of AIEE and ACQ with ambiguous fractions. Therefore, it must be careful during the processes of developing and applying fluorescence methods based on the AIEE and ACQ of AuNCs, as well as the process of evaluating their analytical performance.

YAP-mediated GPER signaling impedes proliferation and survival of prostate epithelium in benign prostatic hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) occurs when there is an imbalance between the proliferation and death of prostate cells, which is regulated tightly by estrogen signaling. However, the role of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in prostate cell survival remains ambiguous. In this study, we observed that prostates with epithelial hyperplasia showed increased yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) expression and decreased levels of estrogen and GPER. Blocking YAP through genetic or drug interventions led to reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis in the prostate epithelial cells. Interestingly, GPER agonists produced similar effects. GPER activation enhanced the phosphorylation and degradation of YAP, which was crucial for suppressing cell proliferation and survival. The Gαs/cAMP/PKA/LATS pathway, downstream of GPER, transmitted signals that facilitated YAP inhibition. This study investigated the interaction between GPER and YAP in the prostate epithelial cells and its contribution to BPH development. It lays the groundwork for future research on developing BPH treatments.

Molecular insights into the microbial degradation of sediment-derived DOM in a macrophyte-dominated lake under aerobic and hypoxic conditions

The mineralization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in sediments is an important factor leading to the eutrophication of macrophyte-dominated lakes. However, the changes in the molecular characteristics of sediment-derived DOM during microbial degradation in macrophyte-dominated lakes are not well understood. In this study, the microbial degradation process of sediment-derived DOM in Lake Caohai under aerobic and hypoxic conditions was investigated using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) and metagenomics. The results revealed that the microbial degradation of sediment-derived DOM in macrophyte-dominated lakes was more intense under aerobic conditions. The microorganisms mainly metabolized the protein-like substances in the macrophyte-dominated lakes, and the carbohydrate-active enzyme genes and protein/lipid-like degradation genes played key roles in sediment-derived DOM degradation. Organic compounds with high H/C ratios such as lipids, carbohydrates, and protein/lipid-like compounds were preferentially removed by microorganisms during microbial degradation. Meanwhile, there was an increase in the abundance of organic molecular formula with a high aromaticity such as tannins and unsaturated hydrocarbons with low molecular weight and low double bond equivalent. In addition, aerobic/hypoxic environments can alter microbial metabolic pathways of sediment-derived DOM by affecting the relative abundance of microbial communities (e.g., Gemmatimonadetes and Acidobacteria) and functional genes (e.g., ABC.PE.P1 and ABC.PE.P) in macrophyte-dominated lakes. The abundances of lipids, unsaturated hydrocarbons, and protein compounds in aerobic environments decreased by 58 %, 50 %, and 44 %, respectively, compared to in hypoxic environments under microbial degradation. The results of this study deepen our understanding of DOM biodegradation in macrophyte-dominated lakes under different redox environments and provide new insights into nutrients releases from sediment and continuing eutrophication in macrophyte-dominated lakes.

mTORC1 accelerates osteosarcoma progression via m6A-dependent stabilization of USP7 mRNA

Osteosarcoma (OS) is considered a sex steroid hormone-dependent bone tumor. The development and progression of OS are regulated by 17β-estradiol (E2). However, the detailed mechanisms of E2-modulated OS progression remained to be elucidated. Here, we found that E2-activated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling promoted N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification through regulating WTAP. Inhibition of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) reversed E2-activated WTAP expression. Meanwhile, inhibition of mTORC1 suppressed OS cell proliferation and migration. Deficiency of TSC2 activated mTORC1 signaling and enhanced OS cell proliferation and migration, while abrogated by Rapamycin. Interestingly, mTOMC1 promoted mRNA stability of ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) through m6A modification. Loss of USP7 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and ASC specks, while promoted apoptosis of OS cells. USP7 interacted with NLRP3 and deubiquitinated NLRP3 through K48-ubiquitination. USP7 was upregulated and positive correlation with NLRP3 in OS patients with high level of E2. Loss of USP7 suppressed the progression of OS via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. Our results demonstrated that E2-activtated mTORC1 promoted USP7 stability, which promoted OS cell proliferation and migration via upregulating NLRP3 expression and enhancing NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. These results discover a novel mechanism of E2 regulating OS progression and provide a promising therapeutic target for OS progression.

The clinical and hemodynamic characteristics of pulmonary hypertension in patients with OSA-COPD overlap syndrome

BACKGROUND

Our study aimed to assess the clinical and hemodynamic characteristics of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with overlapping obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), referred to OSA-COPD overlap syndrome (OS).

METHODS

We enrolled a total of 116 patients with OS, COPD, or OSA who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) due to suspected pulmonary hypertension (PH). We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical and hemodynamic characteristics of these patients.

RESULTS

Among the three groups (OS group, n=26; COPD group, n=36; OSA group,n=54), the prevalence of PH was higher in the OS group (n=17, 65.4%)compared to OSA group (n=26,48.1%) and COPD group (n=20,55.6%). Among three groups with PH, the superior vena cava pressure (CVP) and right ventricular pressure (RAP) were higher in the OS group than in the OSA group (P<0.05). Patients in the OS and COPD groups had higher pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) than in the OSA group (14.88±4.79 mmHg, 13.45±3.68 mmHg vs. 11.00±3.51 mmHg, respectively, P<0.05). OS patients with PH exhibited higher respiratory event index (REI), time spent with SpO2 <90%, oxygen desaturation index (ODI), minimal SpO2 (MinSpO2) and mean SpO2 (MSpO2) compared to OS patients without PH. After adjusting for potential covariates, we found that MinSpO2 (OR 0.937, 95% CI 0.882-0.994, P=0.032), MSpO2 (OR 0.805, 95% CI 0.682-0.949, P=0.010), time spent with SpO2 <90% (OR 1.422, 95% CI 1.137-1.780, P=0.002), and FEV1% pred (OR 0.977, 95% CI 0.962-0.993, P =0.005) were related to the development of PH.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with OS showed higher prevalence of PH, along with higher PAWP, CVP and RAP. Worse nocturnal hypoxemia was found in OS patients with PH.

Novel CAD gene mutations in a boy with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 50 with dramatic response to uridine therapy: a case report and a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-50 (DEE-50) is a rare clinical condition believed to be caused by a mutation in the CAD gene and is associated with a bleak prognosis. CAD-related diseases have a wide range of clinical manifestations and other symptoms that may be easily overlooked. Like other rare diseases, the clinical manifestations and the treatment of DEE-50 necessitate further investigation.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 1-year-old male patient presented with developmental delay, seizures, and anaemia at 3 months of age. He further developed refractory status epilepticus (SE), rapid deterioration of cognitive and motor function, and even became comatose at 5 months of age. Whole-exome sequencing of trios (WES-trios) revealed a compound heterozygous variant in the CAD gene, with one locus inherited from his father (c.1252C>T: p.Q418* nonsense mutation) and one from his mother (c.6628G>A: p.G2210S, missense mutation). This compound heterozygous CAD variant was unreported in the Human Gene Mutation Database. After uridine treatment, his cognitive faculties dramatically improved and he remained seizure-free. Forty two cases with CAD gene mutation reported in the literatures were reviewed. Among them, 90% had onset before 3 years of age, with average of 1.6±1.8 years old. The average age of diagnosis was 7.7 ± 10 years. The mortality rate was approximately 9.5%, with all reported deaths occurring in patients without uridine treatment. The clinical entity could be improved dramatically when the patient treated with uridine.

CONCLUSIONS

We present a boy with DEE 50 caused by novel CAD gene mutations and reviewed the clinical features of 42 patients reported previously. DEE 50 has early onset, refractory seizures, even status epilepticus leading to death, with favorable response to treatment with oral uridine. Early uridine treatment is recommended if CAD defect is suspected or genetically diagnosed. This study enhances the knowledge of DEE 50 and expands the spectrum of CAD gene mutations.

Greenness and its composition and configuration in association with allergic rhinitis in preschool children

BACKGROUND

Few studies focus on the associations of green space composition and configuration with children's allergic rhinitis (AR).

METHODS

A multi-center population-based cross-sectional study was performed in 7 cities in mainland of China between 2019 and 2020, recruiting 36,867 preschool children. Information on the current AR symptoms and demographics were collected by questionnaire. Exposure to residential greenness was estimated by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, 1000 m buffer) around the residences. Greenness composition was estimated in 3 main categories: forest, grassland, shrubland. Configuration of each category and total greenness (a spatial resolution of 10 m × 10 m) was estimated by 6 landscape pattern metrics to quantify their area, shape complexity, aggregation, connectivity, and patch density. Exposure to daily ambient particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5 and PM10, a spatial resolution of 1 km × 1 km) was estimated. Multilevel logistic regression models were applied to analyze the associations of greenness and its composition and configuration with AR, and mediation effects by PMs were examined by mediation analysis models.

RESULTS

The prevalence of self-reported current AR in preschool children was 33.1%. Two indicators of forest, Aggregation Index of forest patches (AIforest) (odds ratio (OR):0.92, 95% Confidential Interval (CI): 0.88-0.97), and Patch Cohesion of forest (COHESIONforest) (OR: 0.93, 95% CI:0.89-0.98) showed significantly negative associations with AR symptoms. Mediation analyses found the associations were partially mediated by PMs. Age, exclusive breastfeed duration and season were the potential effect modifiers. The associations varied across seven cities.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest the inverse associations of the aggregation and connectivity of forest patches surrounding residence addresses with AR symptoms. Since the cross-sectional study only provides associations rather than causation, further studies are needed to confirm our results as well as the underlying mechanisms.

Hypoxia-Responsive Tetrameric Supramolecular Polypeptide Nanoprodrugs for Combination Therapy

Despite the intense progress of photodynamic and chemotherapy, however, they cannot prevent solid tumor invasion, metastasis, and relapse, along with inferior efficacy and severe side effects. The hypoxia-responsive nanoprodrugs integrating photodynamic functions are highly sought to address the above-mentioned problems and overcome the tumor hypoxia-reduced efficacy. Herein, a hypoxia-responsive tetrameric supramolecular polypeptide nanoprodrug (SPN-TAPP-PCB4) is constructed from the self-assembly of tetrameric porphyrin-central poly(l-lysine-azobenzene-chlorambucil) (TAPP-(PLL-Azo-CB)4) and an anionic water-soluble [2]biphenyl-extended-pillar[6]arene (AWBpP6) via the synergy of hydrophobic, π-π stacking, and host-guest interactions. Upon laser irradiation, the central TAPP can convert oxygen to generate single oxygen (1 O2 ) to kill tumor cells. Furthermore, under the acidic and PDT-aggravated hypoxia tumor cell microenvironment, SPN-TAPP-PCB4 is rapidly disassembled, and then efficiently releases activated CB through the hypoxic-responsive cleavage of azobenzene linkages. Both in vitro and in vivo biological studies showcase synergistic cancer-killing actions between photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemotherapy (CT) with negligible toxicity. Consequently, this supramolecular polypeptide nanoprodrug offers an effective strategy to design a hypoxia-responsive nanoprodrug for a potential combo PDT-CT transition.

Eddy impacts on abundance and habitat distribution of a large predatory squid off Peru

The pelagic cephalopod species jumbo flying squid Dosidicus gigas is ecologically and economically important in the Humboldt ecosystem off Peru. This squid species is sensitive to oceanic environmental changes, and regional oceanographical variability is one of the important factors driving its redistribution. Off Peruvian waters, mesoscale eddies are ubiquitous and dominate the biogeochemical processes in this region. This study first explored the role of mesoscale eddies in regulating the environments and their effects on the abundance and habitat distribution of D. gigas off Peru by analyzing squid distribution in eddy-centric coordinates and building a habitat suitability index (HSI) model. Results indicated that the abundance and habitat distribution of D. gigas in mesoscale eddies varied across months, with significant differences observed between anticyclonic eddies (AE) and cyclonic eddies (CE). In AE, a higher abundance and proportion of suitable habitat occurred. While in CE, the abundance was relatively low and the suitable habitat was relatively less, concentrating at the periphery of CE. Based on the HSI model results, sea surface temperature (SST) and 50 m water temperature (T50m) in AE were more favorable for D. gigas, which was 0.3-0.5 °C lower than that in CE, yielding high-quality habitats and higher abundance of D. gigas. Our findings emphasized that mesoscale eddies have a significant impact on water temperature conditions and nutrient concentrations off Peruvian waters.

The Fabrication of Ultrahigh-Strength Steel with a Nanolath Structure via Quenching-Partitioning-Tempering

A novel low-alloy ultrahigh-strength steel featuring excellent mechanical properties and comprising a nanolath structure was fabricated in this work using a quenching-partitioning-tempering (Q-P-T) process. The Q-P-T process comprised direct quenching and an isothermal bainitic transformation for partitioning after thermo-mechanical control processing (online Q&P) and offline tempering (reheating and tempering). The ultrafine nanolath martensite/bainite mixed structure, combined with residual austenite in the form of a thin film between the nanolaths, was formed, thereby conferring excellent mechanical properties to the steel structures. After the Q-P-T process, the yield and tensile strengths of the steels reached 1450 MPa and 1726 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, the Brinell hardness and elongation rate were 543 HB and 11.5%, respectively, with an average impact energy of 20 J at room temperature.

Metformin-grafted polycaprolactone nanoscaffold targeting sensory nerve controlled fibroblasts reprograming to alleviate epidural fibrosis

Epidural fibrosis (EF), associated with various biological factors, is still a major troublesome clinical problem after laminectomy. In the present study, we initially demonstrate that sensory nerves can attenuate fibrogenic progression in EF animal models via the secretion of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), suggesting a new potential therapeutic target. Further studies showed that CGRP could inhibit the reprograming activation of fibroblasts through PI3K/AKT signal pathway. We subsequently identified metformin (MET), the most widely prescribed medication for obesity-associated type 2 diabetes, as a potent stimulator of sensory neurons to release more CGRP via activating CREB signal way. We copolymerized MET with innovative polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers to develop a metformin-grafted PCL nanoscaffold (METG-PCLN), which could ensure stable long-term drug release and serve as favorable physical barriers. In vivo results demonstrated that local implantation of METG-PCLN could penetrate into dorsal root ganglion cells (DRGs) to promote the CGRP synthesis, thus continuously inhibit the fibroblast activation and EF progress for 8 weeks after laminectomy, significantly better than conventional drug loading method. In conclusion, this study reveals the unprecedented potential of sensory neurons to counteract EF through CGRP signaling and introduces a novel strategy employing METG-PCLN to obstruct EF by fine-tuning sensory nerve-regulated fibrogenesis.

Role of Age and Competing Risk of Death in the Racial Disparity of Kidney Failure Incidence after Onset of CKD

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Black adults in the United States have 2-4 times higher incidence of kidney failure than White adults. Yet, the reasons underlying this disparity remain poorly understood. Among 547,188 US veterans with new-onset CKD, according to a new race-free GFR equation, Black veterans had a 2.5-fold higher cumulative incidence of kidney failure, compared with White veterans, in any follow-up period from CKD onset. This disparity resulted from a combination of higher hazards of progression to kidney failure and lower hazards of competing-risk death in Black veterans. Both, in turn, were largely explained by the younger age at CKD onset in Black veterans, underscoring an urgent need to prevent early onset and slow progression of CKD in younger Black adults.

BACKGROUND

The Black adult population is well known to have higher incidence of kidney failure than their White counterpart in the United States, but the reasons underlying this disparity are unclear. We assessed the racial differences in kidney failure and death from onset of CKD on the basis of the race-free 2021 CKD Epidemiology Collaboration equation and examined the extent to which these differences could be explained by factors at the time of CKD onset.

METHODS

We analyzed a national cohort consisting of 547,188 US veterans (103,821 non-Hispanic Black and 443,367 non-Hispanic White), aged 18-85 years, with new-onset CKD between 2005 and 2016 who were followed through 10 years or May 2018 for incident kidney failure with replacement therapy (KFRT) and pre-KFRT death.

RESULTS

At CKD onset, Black veterans were, on average, 7.8 years younger than White veterans. In any time period from CKD onset, the cumulative incidence of KFRT was 2.5-fold higher for Black versus White veterans. Meanwhile, Black veterans had persistently >2-fold higher hazards of KFRT throughout follow-up (overall hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 2.38 [2.31 to 2.45]) and conversely had 17%-48% decreased hazards of pre-KFRT death. These differences were reduced after accounting for the racial difference in age at CKD onset.

CONCLUSIONS

The 2.5-fold higher cumulative incidence of kidney failure in Black adults resulted from a combination of higher hazards of progression to kidney failure and lower hazards of the competing risk of death, both of which can be largely explained by the younger age at CKD onset in Black compared with White adults.

Immediate implant placement for chronic peri-apical periodontitis in the molar region: a randomised controlled trial

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of immediate implantation for chronic peri-apical periodontitis in the molar region. Seventy-four molars were selected and allocated randomly to two groups. The experimental group (n = 38) received immediate implantation by flap surgery and the control group (n = 36) received delayed implantation. CBCT was performed immediately after surgery (T1) and 12 months after the permanent repair (T3). The implant survival rate at T3 was 100% in both groups. There was no significant difference in buccal or lingual vertical marginal bone loss between the groups (P = 0.515, P = 0.736). However, the buccal horizontal margin bone loss was significantly greater in the experimental group: 0.98 ± 0.34 mm vs 0.77 ± 0.27 mm in the control group (P = 0.003). In the experimental group, the highest point of buccal and lingual implant-bone contact increased at T3. The buccal and lingual jump gap widths were 3.21 ± 1.10 mm and 2.92 ± 1.01 mm at T1, and CBCT showed no jump gap around the implants at T3. The clinical outcomes showed immediate implantation to be feasible for chronic peri-apical periodontitis in the molar region.