[LIMR is involved in the inhibitory effect of antiflammin-1 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition in A549 cells]

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurring in alveolar epithelial cells plays an important role in the development and progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Previous studies showed that antiflammin-1 (the active fragment of uteroglobin) effectively inhibited bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. However, its mechanism is still far from being clarified. In this study, we investigated the effects of antiflammin-1 on EMT in A549 cells induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and the underlying mechanism by using morphological observation and Western blot. The results showed that the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) increased significantly while the expression of E-cadherin decreased significantly in A549 cells following treatment with TGF-β1 concomitant with morphological change of A549 cells from pebble-like shape epithelial cells to spindle-like mesenchymal shape. This process of EMT in A549 cells induced by TGF-β1 was significantly inhibited when A549 cells were co-incubated with TGF-β1 and antiflammin-1. Furthermore, the anti-lipocalin interacting membrane receptor (LIMR) antibody and PD98059 (an ERK signaling pathway blocker) attenuated the inhibitory effect of antiflammin-1 on TGF-β1-induced EMT, respectively. Our findings indicate that antiflammin-1 can inhibit EMT in A549 cells induced by TGF-β1, which is related to LIMR and its downstream ERK signaling pathway.

Evaluation of the reliability and validity of the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) in paediatric cutaneous lupus among paediatric dermatologists and rheumatologists

BACKGROUND

The Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) is a reliable outcome measure for cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) in adults used in clinical trials. However, it has not been validated in children, limiting clinical trials for paediatric CLE.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to validate the CLASI in paediatrics.

METHODS

Eleven paediatric patients with CLE, six dermatologists and six rheumatologists participated. The physicians were trained to use the CLASI and Physician's Global Assessment (PGA), and individually rated all patients using both tools. Each physician reassessed two randomly selected patients. Within each physician group, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess the reliability of each measure.

RESULTS

CLASI activity scores demonstrated excellent inter- and intrarater reliability (ICC > 0·90), while the PGA activity scores had good inter-rater reliability (ICC 0·73-0·77) among both specialties. PGA activity scores showed excellent (ICC 0·89) and good intrarater reliability (ICC 0·76) for dermatologists and rheumatologists, respectively. Limitations of this study include the small sample size of patients and potential recall bias during the physician rerating session.

CONCLUSIONS

CLASI activity measurement showed excellent inter- and intrarater reliability in paediatric CLE and superiority over the PGA. These results demonstrate that the CLASI is a reliable and valid outcome instrument for paediatric CLE.

Modulation of thermal conductivity in single-walled carbon nanotubes by fullerene encapsulation: enhancement or reduction?

Fullerene encapsulation has been proven to be a powerful approach to enhance the mechanical and electronic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). However, some discrepancies emerge in recent studies of the fullerene encapsulation effect on the thermal conductivity of SWCNTs. More specifically, most previous theoretical studies predicted slight enhancement in the thermal conductivity, but the recent experiment by Kodama et al. (Nat. Mat.16, 892, 2017) observed a clear reduction in the thermal conductivity of SWCNTs by fullerene encapsulation. We perform molecular dynamics simulations to revisit this issue, by comparatively investigating the thermal conductivity of the SWCNT (n, n) and the corresponding peapod (n, n) with n = 8, 9, 10, and 11. We find that the encapsulation can reduce the thermal conductivity of narrower SWCNTs with n = 8 and 9, but it can slightly enhance the thermal conductivity of thicker SWCNTs with n = 10 and 11. The underlying mechanisms for these opposite effects are explored by analyzing the encapsulation induced structural deformation and the variation in the phonon dispersion of the SWCNT. We illustrate that the reduction effect observed in the recent experiment is related to the mechanism for reduction of the thermal conductivity for narrower SWCNTs here.

Optofluidic variable optical attenuator controlled by electricity

An optofluidic variable optical attenuator (VOA) is proposed in this paper, where the microfluidic driving technology adopts the electrically controlled way. The proposed driving technology solves some problems of existing microfluidic driving technologies and introduces a simple structure, a small volume, high precision, and a quick response for the VOA. This VOA has some advantages over other VOAs, such as a wide wavelength band (from visible light to the near infrared), a wide adjustable attenuation range, a low wavelength-dependent loss, and a quick response. The experiment results indicate that the attenuation range of this VOA is more than 80 dB and the wavelength-dependent loss is 0.09 dB at an attenuation of 20 dB in the C-band. Most VOAs have millisecond-scale response times, whereas the response time here is about 155-180 μs. Our work shows a new way to design miniaturized VOAs with good performance and can also promote optofluidics.

Quercetin‑3‑O‑β‑D‑glucoside decreases the bioavailability of cyclosporin A through regulation of drug metabolizing enzymes, transporters and nuclear receptors in rats

Quercetin is a flavonoid compound that is widely present in food and drink. Quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside (Q3GA) is a major metabolite of quercetin. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Q3GA on the pharmacokinetics of orally and intravenously administered cyclosporin A (CsA) in rats, and to assess the effect of Q3GA on drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs), drug transporters (DTs) and nuclear receptors (NRs). The pharmacokinetic parameters of CsA were measured following oral (10 mg/kg) and intravenous (2.5 mg/kg) administration of CsA in the presence or absence of Q3GA. The mRNA and protein expression levels of DMEs, DTs and NRs in the liver and small intestine were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. The results indicated that the intravenous administration of Q3GA (2.5, 5 or 10 mg/kg) for 7 consecutive days reduced the bioavailability of oral CsA. By contrast, the pharmacokinetics of the intravenous administration of CsA were not affected by Q3GA. However, the mRNA and protein expression levels of DMEs and DTs were inhibited by Q3GA. The activation of DMEs and DTs by NRs, and the interplay between DMEs and DTs, may explain these results. The present study identified a novel flavonoid-drug interaction, which may have implications for patients taking CsA and quercetin supplements or on a quercetin-containing diet.

Ganoderma-Like MoS2 /NiS2 with Single Platinum Atoms Doping as an Efficient and Stable Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Catalyst

Herein, a unique ganoderma-like MoS₂ /NiS₂ hetero-nanostructure with isolated Pt atoms anchored is reported. This novel ganoderma-like heterostructure can not only efficiently disperse and confine the few-layer MoS₂ nanosheets to fully expose the edge sites of MoS₂ , and provide more opportunity to capture the Pt atoms, but also tune the electronic structure to modify the catalytic activity. Because of the favorable dispersibility and exposed large specific surface area, single Pt atoms can be easily anchored on MoS₂ nanosheets with ultrahigh loading of 1.8 at% (the highest is 1.3 at% to date). Owing to the ganoderma-like structure and platinum atoms doping, this catalyst shows Pt-like catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction with an ultralow overpotential of 34 mV and excellent durability of only 2% increase in overpotential for 72 h under the constant current density of 10 mA cm^-2 .

Systematic review of atopic dermatitis disease definition in studies using routinely collected health data

BACKGROUND

Routinely collected electronic health data obtained for administrative and clinical purposes are increasingly used to study atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods for identifying AD patients in routinely collected electronic health data differ, and it is unknown how this might affect study results.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate how patients with AD have been identified in studies using routinely collected electronic health data, to determine whether these methods were validated and to estimate how the method for identifying patients with AD affected variability in prevalence estimates.

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for studies using routinely collected electronic health data that reported on AD as a primary outcome. Studies of localized AD and other types of dermatitis were excluded. The protocol for this review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42016037968).

RESULTS

In total, 59 studies met eligibility criteria. Medical diagnosis codes for inclusion and exclusion, number of occasions of a code, type of provider associated with a code and prescription data were used to identify patients with AD. Only two studies described validation of their methods and no study reported on disease severity. Prevalence estimates ranged from 0·18% to 38·33% (median 4·91%) and up to threefold variation in prevalence was introduced by differences in the method for identifying patients with AD.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review highlights the need for clear reporting of methods for identifying patients with AD in routinely collected electronic health data to allow for meaningful interpretation and comparison of results.

Parent Artery Reconstruction for Large or Giant Cerebral Aneurysms Using the Tubridge Flow Diverter: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial (PARAT)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Although flow diverters have been reported with favorable clinical and angiographic outcomes in various literatures, randomized trials determining their true effectiveness and safety are still in lack. The Parent Artery Reconstruction for Large or Giant Cerebral Aneurysms Using the Tubridge Flow Diverter (PARAT) trial was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Tubridge flow diverter in the treatment of large or giant aneurysms in comparison with Enterprise stent-assisted coiling.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective, multicenter, randomized trial was conducted at 12 hospitals throughout China. Enrolled adults with unruptured large/giant intracranial aneurysms were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either Enterprise stent-assisted coiling or Tubridge flow diverter implantation. The primary end point was complete occlusion at 6-month follow-up, while secondary end points included technical success, mortality, target vessel-related stroke, aneurysm bleeding, in-stent stenosis, parent artery occlusion, and the frequency of all adverse events.

RESULTS

Among 185 enrolled subjects, 41 withdrew before procedure initiation. Overall, 82 subjects underwent Tubridge implantation, and 62 subjects were primarily treated with stent-assisted coiling. The results of 6-month follow-up imaging included complete occlusion rates of 75.34% versus 24.53% for the Tubridge and stent-assisted coiling groups, respectively, with a calculated common odds ratio of 9.4 (95% confidence interval, 4.14-21.38; P < .001). There was a higher, nonsignificant frequency of complications for Tubridge subjects. Multivariate analysis showed a decreased stroke rate at the primary investigational site, with a marginal P value (P = .051).

CONCLUSIONS

This trial showed an obviously higher rate of large and giant aneurysm obliteration with the Tubridge FD over Enterprise stent-assisted coiling. However, this higher obliteration rate came at the cost of a nonsignificantly higher rate of complications. Investigational site comparisons suggested that a learning curve for flow-diverter implantation should be recognized and factored into trial designs.

Assessment of debris inputs from land into the river in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China

Riverine debris in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) poses a threat to electricity generation, ship navigation, and water environment. Quantifying riverine debris inputs from land into the river is a foundation for modeling of the transport and accumulation of floating debris on the water surface in the TGRA. However, this has not been researched to date. In this study, debris inputs from land into the river in the TGRA were assessed according to the response relationship between debris inputs and surface runoff. The land-based debris inputs in the TGRA were estimated using simulated surface runoff which was simulated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. Results showed that 15.32 × 10⁶ kg of land-based debris was inputted into the main channel of the TGRA in 2015 which accounted for 9.74% of total debris inputs (the monitoring data of river-sourced and land-sourced debris inputs was 157.27 × 10⁶ kg). Debris inputs varied seasonally and peaked in the summer season (July to September). Compared with monthly measured data, the average relative errors in 2015 were below 30%. In addition, areas with higher debris pollution inputs were mainly located in the upper section of the TGRA, between the Tang River Basin and the Long River Basin. The proposed method was tested and determined to be reliable; thus, it can be used to quickly estimate debris inputs from land into the river by surface runoff of the outlets in a river basin. Moreover, this method provides new insight into the estimation of land-based debris inputs into rivers.

Correlation between Ultrasound Appearance of Small Breast Cancer and Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis

To study the correlation of ultrasonographic signs of small breast cancer (maximum diameter ≤2.0 cm) with axillary lymph node metastasis, pre-operative ultrasonographic images of 153 small breast malignant neoplasms in 143 breast cancer patients were analyzed according to their pathologic features. Of the small breast tumors included, 47 showed axillary lymph node metastasis. Diagnosis of all patients was obtained with radical axillary surgery or a sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure. Ultrasonographic signs included irregular shape, microlobulated contour, spiculation, microcalcification, posterior echo attenuation, blood-flow grade, perforating vessels, changes in fascia or cooper's ligament and maximum cortical thickness of lymph nodes. The relationship between ultrasonographic features and axillary lymph node metastasis was analyzed using a chi-square test for univariate distributions and logistic regression for multivariate analysis. A logistic regression model was established by taking the pathologic diagnosis of lymph node metastasis as the dependent variable and the ultrasonographic signs of each small breast cancer as independent variables. In small breast cancer, characteristics such as perforating vessels and maximum cortical thickness of lymph nodes >3.0 mm correlated well with axillary lymph node metastasis as determined by univariate analysis (χ² = 13.945, 51.276, respectively, p <0.05) and multivariate analysis (OR = 48.783, 46.754, respectively, p <0.05).

High Expression of Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells in Chinese Primary Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Tissues

Purpose

Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) has been reported to be involved in the development of various types of cancer including adenocarcinoma of the breast. This research was the first to investigate NFAT protein expression in primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues from Chinese patients.

Methods

NFAT protein expression was determined in 130 surgically resected primary NSCLC and matched normal tissues by immunohistochemical analysis. The association between NFAT expression and clinical categorical variables was further analyzed with the SPSS software.

Results

We found that NFAT expression was much higher in 85 tumor tissues (65.4%) and lower in 45 tumor tissues (34.6%) compared with the matched normal tissues. Further statistical analysis by the chi-square test showed that high expression of NFAT proteins was significantly associated with tumor differentiation (p=0.045), invasion (p=0.031), histology (p<0.0001), tumor size (p=0.038) and cigarette smoking history (p=0.024). However, there was no correlation between the expression of NFAT proteins and pTNM classification, and no difference in 5-year survival rate between patients with high or low expression of NFAT proteins. Multivariate logistic regression analysis for the correlation between NFAT protein expression levels and various characteristics showed a significant association with histology (p=0.008, OR=0.273).

Conclusion

Our results revealed that high NFAT expression was present in Chinese NSCLCs and that NFAT expression might be involved in the process of human lung cancer development.

Preparation of 3-hydroxyquinolines from direct oxidation of dihydroquinolinium salts

A series of functionalized 3,4-dihydroquinolinium salts were prepared from the reaction of aryldiazonium salt with alkene in a nitrile solution. Further oxidation yielding either 3-hydroxyquinoline or quinoline products was investigated. A one-pot process from aryldiazonium salts, alkenes and nitriles leading to 3-hydroxyquinolines was also developed. Furthermore, an intramolecular trapping of an N-arylnitrilium ion with a vinyl group at the ortho position leading to 2-substituted quinolines was revealed.

3-Hydroxyquinoline derivatives can be prepared by a cascade cyclization of aryldiazonium salts with nitriles and alkenes followed by oxygenation.

Influence of oil phase composition on the antifungal and mycotoxin inhibitory activity of clove oil nanoemulsions

The functional performance, including antifungal and mycotoxin inhibitory activity, of clove oil can be enhanced by nanoemulsion based delivery systems.