Ball-and-Chain Inactivation in Potassium Channels

Carefully orchestrated opening and closing of ion channels controls the diffusion of ions across cell membranes, generating the electrical signals required for fast transmission of information throughout the nervous system. Inactivation is a parsimonious means for channels to restrict ion conduction without the need to remove the activating stimulus. Voltage-gated channel inactivation plays crucial physiological roles, such as controlling action potential duration and firing frequency in neurons. The ball-and-chain moniker applies to a type of inactivation proposed first for sodium channels and later shown to be a universal mechanism. Still, structural evidence for this mechanism remained elusive until recently. We review the ball-and-chain inactivation research starting from its introduction as a crucial component of sodium conductance during electrical signaling in the classical Hodgkin and Huxley studies, through the discovery of its simple intuitive mechanism in potassium channels during the molecular cloning era, to the eventual elucidation of a potassium channel structure in a ball-and-chain inactivated state. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 52 is May 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Special structural and dynamical interplay of cyano-based novel deep eutectic solvent

Researches on novel deep eutectic solvent (DES) systems, their features, and potential utilization are becoming highly attractive. The novel eutectic mixtures composed of cyano-based derivatives (bromophenylacetonitrile and bromobenzonitrile) and levulinic...

Hemin protects UVB-induced skin damage through inhibiting keratinocytes apoptosis and reducing neutrophil infiltration

Ultraviolet-B (UVB) exposure on the skin triggers apoptosis, oxidative stress and acute inflammatory responses, which eventually increases the risk of various skin disorders. Hemin, an iron-binding porphyrin, has been clinically used for porphyria treatment. However, whether hemin contributes to the skin protection against UVB injury remains to be elucidated. Here, we found that hemin treatment (10 and 20 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal administration could dramatically relieve UVB irradiation-induced skin damage featured by erythema, edema, epidermal hyperplasia and collagen loss in C57BL/6 J mice. Importantly, hemin treatment attenuated UVB irradiation-triggered cell apoptosis in skin epidermis. Consistently, hemin (10, 20 μM) treatment decreased Caspase-3 activation and protected against UVB-induced apoptosis in HaCaT cells. Besides, hemin treatment reduced the infiltration of neutrophils in skin under UVB irradiation, thus restrained neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) formation and myeloperoxidase (MPO) release. We further revealed that hemin inhibited the expression of inflammation associated cytokines and chemokines in UVB-induced HaCaT cells and blocked the chemotaxis of dHL-60 cells to preconditioned media from HaCaT culture upon UVB irradiation. Furthermore, hemin inhibited the excessive maturation and mobilization of bone marrow neutrophils and rectified the proportion of abnormally elevated neutrophils in the blood under UVB irradiation. In conclusion, our study showed that hemin treatment protects against UVB-induced skin damage through inhibiting keratinocytes apoptosis, and suppressing neutrophils infiltration in the skin via externally restraining the keratinocyte attraction and internally regulating bone marrow neutrophil maturation and mobilization, suggesting that hemin is an effective drug candidate for the therapy of UVB damage.

Vascular and Collagen Target: A Rational Approach to Hypertrophic Scar Management

Significance: Hypertrophic scarring is a challenging issue for patients and clinicians. The prevalence of hypertrophic scarring can be up to 70% after burns, and patients suffer from pain, itching, and loss of joint mobility. To date, the exact mechanisms underlying hypertrophic scar formation are unclear, and clinical options remain limited. Recent Advances: Several studies have demonstrated that pathological scars are a type of hyperactive vascular response to wounding. Scar regression has been found to be accompanied by microvessel occlusion, which causes severe hypoxia, malnutrition, and endothelial dysfunction, suggesting the essential roles of microvessels in scar regression. Therefore, interventions that target the vasculature, such as intense pulsed light, pulsed dye lasers, vascular endothelial growth factor antibodies, and Endostar, represent potential treatments. In addition, the mass of scar-associated collagen is usually not considered by current treatments. However, collagen-targeted therapies such as fractional CO₂ laser and collagenase have shown promising outcomes in scar treatment. Critical Issues: Traditional modalities used in current clinical practice only partially target scar-associated microvessels or collagen. As a result, the effectiveness of current treatments is limited and is too often accompanied by undesirable side effects. The formation of scars in the early stage is mainly affected by microvessels, whereas the scars in later stages are mostly composed of residual collagen. Traditional therapies do not utilize specific targets for scars at different stages. Therefore, more precise treatment strategies are needed. Future Directions: Scars should be classified as either "vascular-dominant" or "collagen-dominant" before selecting a treatment. In this way, strategies that are vascular-targeted, collagen-targeted, or a combination thereof could be recommended to treat scars at different stages.

Lab at home: a promising prospect for on-site chemical and biological analysis

The continuing pursuit for a healthy life has led to the urgent need for on-site analysis. In response to the urgent needs of on-site analysis, we propose a novel concept, called lab at home (LAH), for building automated and integrated total analysis systems to perform chemical and biological testing at home. It represents an emerging research area with broad prospects that has not yet attracted sufficient attention. In this paper, we discuss the urgent need, challenges, and future prospects of this area, and the possible roadmap for achieving the goal of LAH has also been proposed.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions on Sedentary Behavior Among Chinese University Students: A Retrospectively-Matched Cohort Study

Purpose

This study was to estimate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on sedentary behavior (SB) for Chinese university students during the pandemic period, as well as explore how sedentary behavior changed as a function of sex.

Methods

We conducted an online questionnaire (the Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire) on students from one university in China during the pandemic period (March 29-April 15, 2020) and students retrospectively recalled pre-pandemic physical activity levels (before January 26, 2020). Sedentary behavior was measured using the short version of the Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ). SB in a typical week during the COVID-19 pandemic period and before the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were measured based on SBQ. The data was analyzed using a paired-samples t-test. Chi-square tests were to compare categorical variables.

Results

A total of 1487 (947 males & 513 females; Age 19.72± 1.32yr., BMI = 21.12 ± 4.50) participated in this study. Before the COVID-19-associated lockdown restriction, on weekdays, survey participants averaged engaged in 11.41 (SD =3.93) hours of SB, 10.97 (SD = 3.85) hours of SB in males, 12.25 (SD =3.94) hours of SB in females; on weekends, survey participants averaged engaged in 13.18 (SD =4.06) hours of SB, 12.74 (SD = 3.96) hours of SB in males, 14.04 (SD =4.11) hours of SB in females. During the COVID-19-associated lockdown restriction, on weekdays, survey participants averaged engaged in 13.34 (SD =3.78) hours of SB, 12.90 (SD = 3.67) hours of SB in males, 14.19 (SD =3.83) hours of SB in females; on weekends, survey participants averaged engaged in 14.48 (SD =3.93) hours of SB, 14.10 (SD = 3.81) hours of SB in males, 15.22 (SD =4.04) hours of SB in females. Overall, on weekdays, The COVID-19-associated lockdown restriction on average appeared to increase SB by 1.93 (16.91%↑, 95% CI = 1.74, 2.12) hours, an increase in daily total SB by 1.92 (17.50%↑, 95% CI = 1.92, 2.15) hours for males, and an increase 1.94 (15.84%↑, 95% CI = 1.62, 2.27) hours in females. On weekends, The COVID-19-associated lockdown restriction on average appeared to increase SB by 1.30 (9.86%↑, 95% CI = 1.12, 1.48) hours, an increase in daily total SB by 1.36 (10.68%↑, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.58) hours for males, and an increase 1.18 (8.40%↑, 95% CI = 0.87, 1.50) hours in females.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 restriction may lead to an increase in SB of Chinese university students. The total sedentary time of female students per week was higher than that of male students. Public policy action might be urgently needed to decrease the sedentary behavior of Chinese university students.

A combination therapy for androgenic alopecia based on quercetin and zinc/copper dual-doped mesoporous silica nanocomposite microneedle patch

A nanocomposite microneedle (ZCQ/MN) patch containing copper/zinc dual-doped mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with quercetin (ZCQ) was developed as a combination therapy for androgenic alopecia (AGA). The degradable microneedle gradually dissolves after penetration into the skin and releases the ZCQ nanoparticles. ZCQ nanoparticles release quercetin (Qu), copper (Cu²⁺) and zinc ions (Zn²⁺) subcutaneously to synergistically promote hair follicle regeneration. The mechanism of promoting hair follicle regeneration mainly includes the regulation of the main pathophysiological phenomena of AGA such as inhibition of dihydrotestosterone, inhibition of inflammation, promotion of angiogenesis and activation of hair follicle stem cells by the combination of Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ ions and Qu. This study demonstrates that the systematic intervention targeting different pathophysiological links of AGA by the combination of organic drug and bioactive metal ions is an effective treatment strategy for hair loss, which provides a theoretical basis for development of biomaterial based anti-hair loss therapy.

Effect of quercetin on the pharmacokinetics of selexipag and its active metabolite in beagles

CONTEXT

As an inhibitor cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily C polypeptide 8 (CYP2C8), quercetin is a naturally occurring flavonoid with its glycosides consumed at least 100 mg per day in food. However, it is still unknown whether quercetin and selexipag interact.

OBJECTIVE

The study investigated the effect of quercetin on the pharmacokinetics of selexipag and ACT-333679 in beagles.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of orally administered selexipag (2 mg/kg) with and without quercetin (2 mg/kg/day for 7 days) pre-treatment in beagles. The effect of quercetin on the pharmacokinetics of selexipag and its potential mechanism was studied through the pharmacokinetic parameters.

RESULTS

The assay method was validated for selexipag and ACT-333679, and the lower limit of quantification for both was 1 ng/mL. The recovery and the matrix effect of selexipag were 84.5-91.58% and 94.98-99.67%, while for ACT-333679 were 81.21-93.90% and 93.17-99.23%. The UPLC-MS/MS method was sensitive, accurate and precise, and had been applied to the herb-drug interaction study of quercetin with selexipag and ACT-333679. Treatment with quercetin led to an increased in C_max and AUC_0-t of selexipag by about 43.08% and 26.92%, respectively. While the ACT-333679 was about 11.11% and 18.87%, respectively.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The study indicated that quercetin could inhibit the metabolism of selexipag and ACT-333679 when co-administration. Therefore, the clinical dose of selexipag should be used with caution when co-administered with foods high in quercetin.

Dissolvable hyaluronic acid microneedles loaded with β-Elemene for the treatment of psoriasis

The pathology of psoriasis involves the over-proliferation of keratinocytes, exaggerated inflammation of keratinocytes, and infiltration of inflammatory cells such as macrophages (Mø), etc. The therapeutic outcomes of current treatment targeting one single pathological process are less than satisfactory. Based on their diverse biological activities, natural products offer a potential solution to this problem. In this study, we investigated the effects of β-Elemene (ELE) on both psoriatic keratinocytes and M1-type Mø (M1-Mø) in vitro. Hyaluronic acid (HA) microneedles loaded with ELE (HA-ELE-MN) were also fabricated and tested for the treatment of psoriasis in vivo using an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic mice model. Our data suggest that ELE induces apoptosis and inhibits inflammation of psoriatic keratinocytes. In addition, ELE attenuates the expression of inflammatory cytokines secreted from M1-Mø, thus indirectly inhibiting the inflammation of keratinocytes. Furthermore, HA-ELE-MN has been found to significantly alleviate symptoms in an IMQ-induced psoriatic mice model by inducing keratinocytes apoptosis, suppressing keratinocytes proliferation, and inhibiting M1-Mø infiltration. Taken together, this study demonstrates that ELE can be used for the treatment of psoriasis by targeting both keratinocytes and M1-Mø, which provides a potential novel reagent for psoriasis treatment.

Compound motion decoding based on sEMG consisting of gestures, wrist angles, and strength

This study aimed to highlight the demand for upper limb compound motion decoding to provide a more diversified and flexible operation for the electromyographic hand. In total, 60 compound motions were selected, which were combined with four gestures, five wrist angles, and three strength levels. Both deep learning methods and machine learning classifiers were compared to analyze the decoding performance. For deep learning, three structures and two ways of label encoding were assessed for their training processes and accuracies; for machine learning, 24 classifiers, seven features, and a combination of classifier chains were analyzed. Results show that for this relatively small sample multi-target surface electromyography (sEMG) classification, feature combination (mean absolute value, root mean square, variance, 4th-autoregressive coefficient, wavelength, zero crossings, and slope signal change) with Support Vector Machine (quadric kernel) outstood because of its high accuracy, short training process, less computation cost, and stability (p < 0.05). The decoding result achieved an average test accuracy of 98.42 ± 1.71% with 150 ms sEMG. The average accuracy for separate gestures, wrist angles, and strength levels were 99.35 ± 0.67%, 99.34 ± 0.88%, and 99.04 ± 1.16%. Among all 60 motions, 58 showed a test accuracy greater than 95%, and one part was equal to 100%.

Encapsulation of Imazalil in HKUST-1 with Versatile Antimicrobial Activity

Based on high surface areas, adjustable porosity and microbicide activity, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) HKUST-1 are widely used as drug release carriers for their slow degradation characteristics under slightly acidic conditions. In this work, porous HKUST-1 was reacted rapidly by cholinium salt (as the deprotonation agent and template) in an aqueous solution at room temperature. A novel antimicrobial system based on an imazalil encapsulated metal organic framework (imazalil IL-3@HKUST-1) was established. Imazalil IL-3@HKUST-1 could achieve synergism in inhibiting pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Moreover, six days after treatment, the slow and constant release of imazalil from imazalil IL@HKUST-1 exhibited better sustainability and microbicidal activity than imazalil. We believe that the method may provide a new strategy for related plant diseases caused by bacteria or fungi.

Single-shot quantitative phase imaging with phase modulation of a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM) under white light illumination

We propose a novel, to the best of our knowledge, single-shot quantitative phase imaging (QPI) technique with the phase modulation of a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM) under white light illumination. By studying the phase modulation characteristics of an LC-SLM under white light illumination, images captured at different wavelengths are equivalent to those captured at different defocus distances when loading a Fresnel lens pattern on the LC-SLM. Consequently, a color camera is able to simultaneously acquire multi-intensity images at different defocus distances. Finally, the phase is retrieved from a single-shot color image using the transport of intensity equation. To demonstrate the flexibility and accuracy of our method, a photoetched phase object and human red blood cells are quantitatively measured. An investigation of living yeast cells is conducted to verify the dynamic measurement capability. The proposed method provides a simple, efficient, and flexible means to accomplish real-time high-resolution quantitative phase imaging without sacrificing the field of view (FOV), which can be further integrated into a conventional microscope to achieve real-time microscopic QPI.

Andrographolide restored production performances and serum biochemical indexes and attenuated organs damage in Mycoplasma gallisepticum-infected broilers

1. This study aimed to study the preventive and therapeutic effects of andrographolide (Andro) during Mycoplasma gallisepticum HS strain (MG) infection in ArborAcres (AA) broilers.2. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Andro against MG was measured. Broiler body weight, feed efficiency, morbidity, cure rate and mortality were recorded during the experiment. Air sac lesion scores and immune organ index were calculated. Expression of pMGA1.2 in lung tissue and serum biochemical indices were examined. Histopathological examinations of immune organs, liver, trachea and lung tissue were conducted by Haematoxylin and Eosin stain.3. MIC was 3.75 μg/mL and Andro significantly inhibited the expression of pMGA1.2 (P ≤ 0.05). Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro low-dose and high-dose prevention reduced the morbidity of chronic respiratory disease in 40.00% and 50.00%, respectively. Mortality of C, D and E group was 16.67%, 10.00% and 6.67%, respectively. Cure rate of E, F, G and H group was 92.00%, 92.86%, 93.33% and 100.0%, respectively. Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro treatment significantly increased average weight gain (AWG), relative weight gain rate (RWG) and feed conversion rate (FCR) at 18 to 24 days (P ≤ 0.05). Compared with control group, Andro alone treatment significantly increased AWG in broilers (P ≤ 0.05).4. Compared with control MG-infected group, Andro significantly attenuated MG-induced air sac lesion, immune organs, liver, trachea and lung damage in broilers. Andro alone treatment did not induce abnormal morphological changes in these organs in healthy broilers. Serum biochemical analysis results showed, comparing with control MG-infected group, Andro significantly decreased the content of total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, urea, creatinine, uric acid, total cholesterol, and increased the albumin/globulin ratio and content of alkaline phosphatase, apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A-I in a dose-dependent manner (P ≤ 0.05).5. Andro could act as a potential agent against MG infection in broilers.

Ultrasound-guided totally implantable venous access ports placement via right brachiocephalic vein in pediatric population: A clinical debut

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To investigate the feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided totally implantable venous access ports (TIVAPs) via the right brachiocephalic vein (BCV) in pediatric patients.

METHODS

A single-institute retrospective review was performed on 35 pediatric patients with predominantly hematological malignancies (88.6%) who underwent TIVAP implantation via ultrasound-guided right BCV approach from July 2018 to June 2021. The catheter tip was adjusted to be positioned at the cavoatrial junction under pulsed fluoroscopic guidance. Technical success rate, procedural information, and TIVAP-related complications were evaluated.

RESULTS

All the pediatric TIVAP devices were successfully implanted via right BCV access. Venous access was successful by first attempt in 32 children (91%), two cases (5.7%) required a second attempt, and one patient (2.9%) required a third attempt. The mean procedural time was 44.6 ± 6.4 minutes (range: 34-62 minutes). No intraoperative complications occurred. The average TIVAP indwelling time was 564 ± 208 days (range: 193-1014 days), with a cumulative 19,723 catheter-days. Overall, three patients (8.6%) experienced four postoperative complications (two cases of local hematoma and two catheter dysfunctions) at a rate of 0.2 per 1000 catheter-days. No other complications such as wound dehiscence, delayed incision healing, catheter-related thrombosis (CRT), catheter malposition/fracture, surgical site infection, catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI), pinch-off syndrome, and drug extravasation were observed during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound-guided right BCV access for TIVAP placement in pediatric patients appears to be technically feasible, safe, and effective. Further large-sample, prospective studies are warranted.

Digital mobile fronthaul based on delta-sigma modulation employing a simple self-coherent receiver

The coherent digital radio-over-fiber (DRoF) system is a promising candidate for future mobile fronthaul networks (MFNs) due to its high receiver sensitivity and excellent robustness against nonlinearities. However, conventional coherent receivers with complicated structure and heavy algorithms are too expensive and power-hungry for cost-sensitive MFN applications. In addition, currently deployed digital MFNs based on common public radio interface (CPRI) suffer from low spectral efficiency and high data rate. Towards these issues we propose a novel DRoF downlink scheme employing a simple self-coherent receiver. In baseband unit (BBU), the radio signal is converted to a digital bit stream by a band-pass delta-sigma modulator (BP-DSM), which can be simply recovered with the utilization of a band-pass filter at the receiver. In remote radio unit (RRU), an electro-absorption modulated laser (EML) acts as a low-cost coherent homodyne receiver in virtue of injection locking technique. In the experiment, the injection-locked operation of the DSM signal is successfully achieved, and two modified schemes are proposed for the DSM signal to increase the locking range with a tolerable sensitivity penalty. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our approach in two aspects: 1) the EML-based coherent receiver outperforms a PIN photodiode in terms of receiver sensitivity; 2) compared to the analog RoF system, a 5-dB improvement in loss budget is obtained when DSM is employed with the aid of a simple equalizer.

Multi-functional wound dressings based on silicate bioactive materials

Most traditional wound dressings passively offer a protective barrier for the wounds, which lacks the initiative in stimulating tissue regeneration. In addition, cutaneous wound healing is usually accompanied by various complicated conditions, including bacterial infection, skin cancer, and damaged skin appendages, bringing further challenges for wound management in clinic. Therefore, an ideal wound dressing should not only actively stimulate wound healing but also hold multi-functions for solving problems associated with different specific wound conditions. Recent studies have demonstrated that silicate bioceramics and bioglasses are one type of promising materials for the development of wound dressings, as they can actively accelerate wound healing by regulating endothelial cells, dermal fibroblasts, macrophages, and epidermal cells. In particular, silicate-based biomaterials can be further functionalized by specific structural design or doping with functional components, which endow materials with enhanced bioactivities or expanded physicochemical properties such as photothermal, photodynamic, chemodynamic, or imaging properties. The functionalized materials can be used to address wound healing with different demands including but not limited to antibacterial, anticancer, skin appendages regeneration, and wound monitoring. In this review, we summarized the current research on the development of silicate-based multi-functional wound dressings and prospected the development of advanced wound dressings in the future.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Heracleum millefolium Diels (Apiaceae)

We assembled the complete chloroplast genome of Heracleum millefolium which is a traditional widely used medicinal plant in China. The whole genome is 150,025 bp in length which was divided into four subregions: a large single-copy region (93,645 bp), a pair of 19,458 bp inverted repeats regions, and a small single-copy region (17,464 bp), respectively. Additionally, the chloroplast genome of H. millefolium detected 128 genes, including 85 protein coding genes, 36 transfer RNAs, and eight ribosomal RNAs. The overall GC content of this chloroplast genome is 37.5% and the mean coverage value is 1752.4x. Phylogenetic analysis based on 17 chloroplast genomes dataset was conducted to clarify the relationships of the major clades in Apiaceae. The results strongly supported the monophyly of Heracleum and the closer relationship of H. millefolium and H. candicans.

Poke Not Prod: First Canadian Experience Using Donor-Derived Cell Free DNA to Replace Endomyocardial Biopsy During COVID-19

Purpose

After a heart transplant (HT), non-invasive methods for rejection surveillance minimize the need for endomyocardial biopsies (EMBx). We describe the first experience with combined use of genetic expression profiling (GEP) and donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) testing in Canada as part of a quality improvement project to minimize patient risk during the COVID pandemic.

Methods

Adult outpatients at least 6 months after HT were screened from May 2021 to July 2021 to have their routine EMBx replaced by a combination of GEP and dd-cfDNA. Demographics, modification of immunosuppression (IS) and outcomes (hospital admission, rejection, and need for EMBx) were collected.

Results

Among 90 patients, 31 (33%) were enrolled, and 37 non-invasive tests were performed. The median time after HT was 2 years and patients were predominantly Caucasian (52%) and male (68%). 53% had a history of acute cellular rejection during the first year and 32% had cardiac allograft vasculopathy. Of the tests performed, 23 (60%) were - GEP / - dd-cfDNA, 10 (27%) were + GEP / - dd-cfDNA, 4 (11%) were - GEP / + dd-cfDNA and none were + GEP / + dd-cfDNA. Being bridged with a VAD (OR = 5.5, p=0.034) and a history of a previously treated CMV (OR = 16.0, p=0.003) were associated with a positive GEP and a negative dd-cfDNA result. Having received a COVID vaccine in the last 3 months did not affect GEP results (GEP was positive in 23.8% after vaccination vs 33.3% in non-vaccinated patients, p=0.690; average GEP score 29.8 vs 30.7, p=0.673). The 4 patients with a + dd-cfDNA (range 0.19 - 0.81%) underwent an EMBx with no significant cellular or antibody mediated rejection, thus avoiding 89% of the EMBx. No unscheduled clinic visits, emergency department or hospital admissions were recorded. After non-invasive testing, the IS was reduced in 16 cases (43.2%). IS was reduced in in 59% of patients with negative concordant tests (- GEP / - dd-cfDNA), 30% in patients with + GEP / - dd-cfDNA and no reduction in IS occurred in those with + dd-cfDNA.

Conclusion

The combination of GEP and dd-cfDNA for rejection surveillance allowed for a marked reduction in EMBx (89%) and for a personalized downtitration of IS without adverse events in the short term. The use of non-invasive rejection surveillance testing was an effective strategy to avoid hospital contact for HT recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bionic orientation method based on polarization imaging in HDR scenes

An increasing number of bio-inspired navigation approaches have been designed based on polarization cameras. However, digital cameras can sense a much narrower field of vision than the vision of insects or human beings. In this study, we propose an adaptive skylight polarized orientation method for high dynamic range (HDR) scenes. Initially, we built a model of the image acquisition pipeline that can recover HDR irradiance maps from polarization images. Subsequently, the orientation method was designed based on a combination of the irradiance maps and the least squares methods. Some preprocessing steps were utilized to eliminate occlusion interference. In addition, an autoexposure adjustment method was proposed using information entropy and heuristic segmentation. Finally, the experimental results show that the proposed method can improve the accuracy of bionic orientation and adaption to skylight with occlusions and interference in natural conditions.

Interfering with alternatively activated macrophages by CSF-1R inhibition exerts therapeutic capacity on allergic airway inflammation

PURPOSE

Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder with airway hyperresponsiveness and tissue remodeling as the main pathological characteristics. The etiology of asthma is relatively complicated, involving genetic susceptibility, epigenetic regulation, environmental factors, and immune imbalance. Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R), highly expressed in myeloid monocytes, plays an important role in regulating inflammation. However, the pathological role of CSF-1R and the therapeutic effects of CSF-1R inhibitor in allergic airway inflammation remain indistinct.

METHODS

The house dust mite (HDM)-triggered allergic airway inflammation model was conducted to fully uncover the efficacies of CSF-1R inhibition, as illustrated by histopathological examinations, biochemical analysis, ELISA, RT-PCR, Western blotting assay, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. Furthermore, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were differentiated and polarized upon IL-4/IL-13 induction to clarify the underlying mechanisms of CSF-1R inhibition.

RESULTS

Herein, we presented that the expression of CSF-1R was increased in HDM-induced experimental asthma and inhibition of CSF-1R displayed dramatic effects on the disease severity of asthma, referring to suppressing the secretion of allergic mediators, dysfunction of airway epithelium, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Furthermore, CSF-1R inhibitor could markedly restrain the polarization and expression of transcriptional factors of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs) in the presence of IL-4/IL-13 and reduce the recruitment of CSF-1R-dominant macrophages, both in acute and chronic allergic airway inflammation model.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our findings demonstrated the molecular pathological mechanism of CSF-1R in allergic airway diseases and suggested that targeting CSF-1R might be an alternative intervention strategy on the homeostasis of airway immune microenvironment in asthma.

DNMT1 facilitates growth of breast cancer by inducing MEG3 hyper-methylation

Background

To understand the effect of DNMT1-mediated MEG3 promoter methylation on breast cancer progression.

Methods

Expression of DNMT1, MEG3 and miR-494-3p was assayed by qRT-PCR and western blot. Methylation-specific PCR was used to examine MEG3 promoter methylation level. ChIP, RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation assay and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay were applied to verify interaction between DNMT1 and MEG3, miR-494-3p and MEG3 and OTUD4. CCK-8, wound healing and Transwell assays were used to detect biological functions of breast cancer cells. Tumor growth was observed by tumor xenograft model.

Results

DNMT1 and miR-494-3p were highly expressed while MEG3 and OTUD4 were lowly expressed in breast cancer cells. Knockdown of DNMT1 inhibited progression of breast cancer cells by enhance MEG3 expression through demethylation. MEG3 could downregulate miR-494-3p expression, and OTUD4 was a target of miR-494-3p. Upregulation of MEG3 and downregulation of miR-494-3p both inhibited malignant behavior of cells in vitro. In addition, high MEG3 expression restrained growth of breast cancer in vivo.

Conclusion

Briefly, our results demonstrated that, DNMT1 induced methylation of MEG3 promoter, and played a key role in breast cancer growth throughmiR-494-3p/OTUD4 axis. These findings provide new insights into molecular therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02463-8.

Inhibition of PDE4 by apremilast attenuates skin fibrosis through directly suppressing activation of M1 and T cells

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a life-threatening chronic connective tissue disease with the characteristics of skin fibrosis, vascular injury, and inflammatory infiltrations. Though inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) has been turned out to be an effective strategy in suppressing inflammation through promoting the accumulation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), little is known about the functional modes of inhibiting PDE4 by apremilast on the process of SSc. The present research aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanism of apremilast on SSc. Herein, we found that apremilast could markedly ameliorate the pathological manifestations of SSc, including skin dermal thickness, deposition of collagens, and increased expression of α-SMA. Further study demonstrated that apremilast suppressed the recruitment and activation of macrophages and T cells, along with the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, which accounted for the effects of apremilast on modulating the pro-fibrotic processes. Interestingly, apremilast could dose-dependently inhibit the activation of M1 and T cells in vitro through promoting the phosphorylation of CREB. In summary, our research suggested that inhibiting PDE4 by apremilast might provide a novel therapeutic option for clinical treatment of SSc patients.

Effect of Sophocarpine on the Pharmacokinetics of Umbralisib in Rat Plasma Using a Novel UPLC-MS/MS Method

Umbralisib is a dual inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase delta (PI3Kδ) and casein kinase 1 epsilon (CK1ε) for treating marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) and follicular lymphoma (FL). This study aimed to develop a fast and stable ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for quantitative analysis of umbralisib in rat plasma and its application for evaluating the effect of sophocarpine on the pharmacokinetics of umbralisib. A direct protein preparation with acetonitrile was used to deal with rat plasma. Umbralisib and duvelisib (internal standard, IS) were isolated on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column with mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in water. The linear range was from 0.5 to 1,000 ng/ml. Both of the precision (RSD%) and accuracy (RE%) were less than 15% in a permissible range. The mean recovery and matrix effect of umbralisib were 86.3–96.2% and 97.8–112.0%, respectively. When umbralisib was combined with sophocarpine, AUC0→∞ of umbralisib was significantly reduced to 2462.799 ± 535.736 ng/ml•h from 5416.665 ± 1,451.846 ng/ml•h, and Cmax also was markedly diminished. Moreover, CLz/F was increased more than two times. This developed, optimized and technical UPLC-MS/MS method was extremely suitable for detecting the concentrations of umbralisib in rat plasma after an oral administration, and sophocarpine significantly changed the pharmacokinetics of umbralisib in rats. This obvious pharmacokinetic changes indicates that there seems to exist herb-drug interaction between sophocarpine and umbralisib.

Targeting PDE4 as a promising therapeutic strategy in chronic ulcerative colitis through modulating mucosal homeostasis

Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) functions as a catalyzing enzyme targeting hydrolyzation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and inhibition of PDE4 has been proven to be a competitive strategy for dermatological and pulmonary inflammation. However, the pathological role of PDE4 and the therapeutic feasibility of PDE4 inhibitors in chronic ulcerative colitis (UC) are less clearly understood. This study introduced apremilast, a breakthrough in discovery of PDE4 inhibitors, to explore the therapeutic capacity in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental murine chronic UC. In the inflamed tissues, overexpression of PDE4 isoforms and defective cAMP-mediating pathway were firstly identified in chronic UC patients. Therapeutically, inhibition of PDE4 by apremilast modulated cAMP-predominant protein kinase A (PKA)–cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) signaling and ameliorated the clinical symptoms of chronic UC, as evidenced by improvements on mucosal ulcerations, tissue fibrosis, and inflammatory infiltrations. Consequently, apremilast maintained a normal intestinal physical and chemical barrier function and rebuilt the mucosal homeostasis by interfering with the cross-talk between human epithelial cells and immune cells. Furthermore, we found that apremilast could remap the landscape of gut microbiota and exert regulatory effects on antimicrobial responses and the function of mucus in the gut microenvironment. Taken together, the present study revealed that intervene of PDE4 provided an infusive therapeutic strategy for patients with chronic and relapsing UC.

A priori design of new natural deep eutectic solvent for lutein recovery from microalgae

Lutein is an important functional food ingredient. However, its recovery processes developed so far seem to fail in sustainability criteria, regarding the urgent need for improved extraction ability while maintaining stability. This work aimed to study the design and application of natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) for lutein recovery from Scenedesmus sp with the aid of COSMO-RS. The performance of the novel fenchyl alcohol/thymol-based system was studied comprehensively under different extraction parameters. Furthermore, thermal, light and storage stability of lutein in NADES were investigated. It was found that lutein recovery from microalgae should be performed using equimolar hydrogen-bond acceptor/donor at 60 °C within 70 min. The NADES could increase lutein yield compared with the conventional methodology using organic solvents. Besides, it significantly enhanced the lutein stability under various conditions. Hydrogen bond and Van der Waals interaction play crucial roles during target processing, elucidated by theoretical calculations and nuclear magnetic resonance.

Association between HULC rs7763881 and cancer risk: an updated Meta-analysis

In recent years, several case-control studies have explored the association between the rs7763881 locus polymorphism of the HULC gene and cancer risk, however, the findings have been inconsistent. Therefore, a meta-analysis was conducted to clarify the association. Relevant case-control studies were obtained from CNKI, Embase, Web of Science and PubMed databases. RevMan software was used to perform data analysis. A total of 8 case-control studies containing 4036 cases and 5286 controls were included in the current meta-analysis. The overall analysis results showed no significant association between the rs7763881 locus polymorphism and cancer risk. However, stratified analysis based on cancer type showed that the rs7763881 locus polymorphism was associated with the decreased risk of hepatocellular cancer, colorectal cancer and esophageal cancer. In conclusion, the current findings suggest that the rs7763881 polymorphic loci located on the HULC gene may serve as a biomarker for determining an individual's risk of hepatocellular cancer, colorectal cancer and esophageal cancer.

Potent and Selective RIPK1 Inhibitors Targeting Dual-Pockets for the Treatment of Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome and Sepsis

Sepsis, characterized with high risk of life-threatening organ dysfunction, represents a major cause of health loss and the World Health Organization (WHO) labelled sepsis as the most urgent unmet medical need in 2017. The emerging biological understanding of the role of RIPK1 in sepsis has opened up an exciting opportunity to explore potent and selective RIPK1 inhibitors as an effective therapeutic strategy for SIRS and sepsis therapy. Herein, we have synthesized a class of highly potent dual-mode RIPK1 inhibitors occupying both the allosteric and the ATP binding pockets, exemplified by compound 21 (ZB-R-55) which is about 10-fold more potent than GSK2982772, and exhibits excellent kinase selectivity, good oral pharmacokinetics and good therapeutic effects in the LPS-induced sepsis model, suggesting that compound ZB-R-55 is a highly promising preclinical candidate.

Reductive soil disinfestation attenuates antibiotic resistance genes in greenhouse vegetable soils

Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an emerging technique that ameliorates soil degradation, but its effects against antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were unclear. Here, we examined soil properties, ARG types and numbers, and ARG profiles, and bacterial community compositions following 4 soil treatments: control; straw addition (SA); water flooding (WF); and RSD, both straw addition and water flooding. The results showed that the numbers of ARG types and subtypes decreased by 10.8% and 21.1%, respectively, after RSD, and the numbers of ARGs decreased by 18.6%. The attenuated multidrug, beta-lactam, macrolide, and phenicol resistance genes in the RSD soil corresponded to a decreased relative abundance of ARG subtypes (i.e., adeF, mdtM, TypeB_NfxB, mecA, nalC, OXA-60, and cmlA4). Taxa in phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Deinococcus-Thermus were the main hosts for dominant ARG subtypes and were inhibited by RSD. The selected bacterial genera and soil properties explained 83.4% of the variance in ARG composition, suggesting that the improved soil properties and the reduced potential ARG hosts produced by the interactions of straw addition and water flooding are likely responsible for ARG attenuation by RSD. Therefore, RSD has the potential to mitigate ARG pollution in soils.

Development of an UPLC-MS/MS Method for the Quantitative Analysis of Upadacitinib in Beagle Dog Plasma and Pharmacokinetics Study

Background

Upadacitinib, a novel selective Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor, has been recently approved by the US FDA for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). An ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the quantitative analysis of upadacitinib in beagle dog plasma was developed and validated.

Methods

Upadacitinib and fedratinib (internal standard, IS) were extracted with ethyl acetate under alkaline condition and then separated and detected. The chromatographic column was Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm), the mobile phase was acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in water with gradient elution procedure, and the flow rate was 0.40 mL/min. Under the positive ion mode, upadacitinib and IS were monitored by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) as the following mass transition pairs: m/z 447.00 → 361.94 for upadacitinib and m/z 529.82 → 141.01 for IS.

Results

In the concentration range of 1–500 ng/mL, upadacitinib had good linearity, and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 1 ng/mL. The RSD of the intra- and inter-day precision was less than 10.03%, and the RE of accuracy was −3.79% to 2.58%. The extraction recovery of upadacitinib was more than 80%, the matrix effect was around 100%, and upadacitinib was found to be stable.

Conclusion

The novel optimized UPLC-MS/MS assay was an effective tool for the determination of upadacitinib and had been successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of upadacitinib in beagle dogs, and this method would also be used to study DDIs.

Discovery of Potent Antiallergic Agents Based on an o-Aminopyridinyl Alkynyl Scaffold

Effective therapeutic agents are highly desired for immune-mediated allergic diseases. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationship of an o-aminopyridinyl alkyne series as novel orally bioavailable antiallergic agents, which was identified through phenotypic screening. Compound optimization yielded a highly potent compound 36, which effectively suppressed mast cell degranulation in a dose-dependent manner (IC50, 2.54 nM for RBL-2H3 cells; 48.28 nM for peritoneal mast cells (PMCs)) with a good therapeutic index. It also regulated the activation of FcεRI-mediated downstream signaling proteins in IgE/Ag-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells. In addition, 36 exhibited excellent in vivo pharmacokinetic properties and antiallergic efficacy in both passive systemic anaphylaxis (PSA) and house dust mite (HDM)-induced murine models of pulmonary allergic inflammation. Furthermore, preliminary analysis of the kinases profile identified Src-family kinases as potential targets for 36. Compound 36 may serve as a new valuable lead compound for future antiallergic drug discovery.

Transdermal delivery of Chinese herbal medicine extract using dissolvable microneedles for hypertrophic scar treatment

Hypertrophic scars are unfavorable skin diseases characterized by excessive collagen deposition. Although systemic treatments exist in clinic to manage hypertrophic scars, they pose significant side effects and tend to lose efficacy over prolonged applications. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers as a promising candidate to treat pathological scars. A large number of TCMs have been studied to show anti-scarring effect, however, the natural barrier of the skin impedes their penetration, lowering its therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we reported the use of dissolvable hyaluronic acid (HA) microneedles (MNs) as a vehicle to aid the transdermal delivery of therapeutic agent, a model TCM called shikonin for the treatment of hypertrophic scars. Here, shikonin was mixed with HA to make MNs with adequate mechanical strength for skin penetration, making its dosage controllable during the fabrication process. The therapeutic effect of the shikonin HA MNs was studied in vitro using HSFs and then further verified with quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Our data suggest that the shikonin HA MNs significantly reduce the viability and proliferation of the HSFs and downregulate the fibrotic-related genes (i.e., TGFβ1, FAP-α and COL1A1). Furthermore, we observed a localized therapeutic effect of the shikonin HA MNs that is beneficial for site-specific treatment.

Identification of Atrial Fibrillation-Associated Genes ERBB2 and MYPN Using Genome-Wide Association and Transcriptome Expression Profile Data on Left-Right Atrial Appendages

More reliable methods are needed to uncover novel biomarkers associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Our objective is to identify significant network modules and newly AF-associated genes by integrative genetic analysis approaches. The single nucleotide polymorphisms with nominal relevance significance from the AF-associated genome-wide association study (GWAS) data were converted into the GWAS discovery set using ProxyGeneLD, followed by merging with significant network modules constructed by weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) from one expression profile data set, composed of left and right atrial appendages (LAA and RAA). In LAA, two distinct network modules were identified (blue: p = 0.0076; yellow: p = 0.023). Five AF-associated biomarkers were identified (ERBB2, HERC4, MYH7, MYPN, and PBXIP1), combined with the GWAS test set. In RAA, three distinct network modules were identified and only one AF-associated gene LOXL1 was determined. Using human LAA tissues by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, the differentially expressive results of ERBB2, MYH7, and MYPN were observed (p < 0.05). This study first demonstrated the feasibility of fusing GWAS with expression profile data by ProxyGeneLD and WGCNA to explore AF-associated genes. In particular, two newly identified genes ERBB2 and MYPN via this approach contribute to further understanding the occurrence and development of AF, thereby offering preliminary data for subsequent studies.

Gold nanoclusters as a GSH activated mitochondrial targeting photosensitizer for efficient treatment of malignant tumors

Gold nanoclusters (Au NCs), which have the characteristics of small size, near infrared (NIR) absorption and long triplet excited lifetime, have been used as a new type of photosensitizer for deep tissue photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the therapeutic efficiency of the nano-system based on Au NCs still needs to be improved. Herein, we proposed a strategy using Mito-Au₂₅@MnO₂ nanocomposites to achieve enhanced PDT. Au₂₅(Capt)₁₈⁻ nanoclusters were applied as photosensitizers and further modified with peptides to target mitochondrial and MnO₂ nanosheets to consume glutathione (GSH). In the presence of GSH, Mito-Au₂₅@MnO₂ dis-integrated and Mito-Au₂₅ nanoparticles realized accurate mitochondrial targeting. Under the irradiation of 808 nm light, the nanocomposite ensured highly efficient PDT both in vitro and in vivo via oxidation pressure elevation and mitochondrial targeting in cancer cells.

This is the first example of mitochondrial targeting Au NCs capable of improving the efficiency of photodynamic therapy. Mito-Au₂₅@MnO₂ can be activated by consuming GSH and elevating oxidation pressure in cancer cells.

Calvatia Lilacina Extracts Exert Anti-Breast-Cancer Bioactivity through the Apoptosis Induction Dependent on Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species and Caspase Activation

Puffballs are a class of fungi widely distributed worldwide and associated with various bioactivities. This research mainly showed the antitumor bioactivity of extracts from Calvatia lilacina (CL), which is a common variety of puffballs. NMR and high-performance liquid chromatography methods are used to characterize the extracts. Results showed that CL extracts obtained with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water elicited obvious inhibitory effects on the proliferation of A549, Caco-2, and MDA-MB-231. Among these extracts, petroleum ether extract demonstrated the highest performance. This extract was then separated into seven sub-fractions (SFs). Three of these SFs (3#, 6#, and 7#) induces a decrease in the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells in which 7# SF exhibited the highest cytotoxicity, where the major component was found to be ergosta-7,22-dien-3-one. Further tests revealed that 7# SF from petroleum ether extract could trigger severe cell death in human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) by activating the apoptotic pathway dependent on mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and caspase activation. All these results in combination indicate that the mechanism of extract-potentiated apoptosis associates closely with ROS-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction events which further induces mitochondria-mediated intrinsic cytochrome C-caspase-related pathway of apoptosis.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2021.1936576.

A new strategy to construct gold nanocluster-based optical probes using luminescence resonance energy transfer

Monolayer-protected metal nanoclusters (MPCs) are emerging as intriguing luminescent materials, but the construction of MPC-based optical probes is still scarce because of both the limited photoluminescence efficiency of MPCs and the lack of recognition mechanism. We herein propose a luminescence resonance energy transfer-based strategy to circumvent these problems.

Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Tetrahydro-γ-carboline Derivatives as Potent Anti-inflammatory Agents Targeting Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase

The activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) by double-stranded DNA is implicated in the pathogenesis of many hyperinflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and the cGAS-targeting small molecule has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy for treating these diseases. However, the currently reported cGAS inhibitors are far beyond maturity, barely demonstrating in vivo efficacy. Inspired by the structural novelty of compound 5 (G140), we conducted a structural optimization on both its side chain and the central tricyclic core, leading to several subseries of compounds, including those unexpectedly cyclized complex ones. Compound 25 bearing an N-glycylglycinoyl side chain was identified as the most potent one with cellular IC₅₀ values of 1.38 and 11.4 μM for h- and m-cGAS, respectively. Mechanistic studies confirmed its direct targeting of cGAS. Further, compound 25 showed superior in vivo anti-inflammatory effects in the lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse model. The encouraging result of compound 25 provides solid evidence for further pursuit of cGAS-targeting inhibitors as a new anti-inflammatory treatment.

Triptolide analog LLDT-8 ameliorates psoriasis-like dermatitis in BALB/c mice via suppressing the IL-36α signaling pathway

Triptolide has shown a good immunosuppressive effect on autoimmune diseases. However, the toxicity limited its widely clinical practice. In this study, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of (5R)-5-hydroxytriptolide (LLDT-8), a novel triptolide derivative, on a murine psoriasis-like dermatitis model and related cell lines. Here, we showed that LLDT-8 significantly attenuated symptoms of psoriasis-like dermatitis induced by imiquimod (IMQ, a TLR7 agonist) by reducing the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score and inflammatory parameters. The action of LLDT-8 was involved in down-regulated interleukin (IL)-36α expression and blocked IL-36α pathway by LC-MS-based label-free quantitative (LFQ) proteomic approach and further experiments. Meanwhile, we observed that LLDT-8 significantly inhibited the expression of IL-36α in R837-treated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). In conclusion, LLDT-8 notably alleviated IMQ-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation via suppressing the IL-36α signaling pathway, suggesting LLDT-8 might be a potential drug for the treatment of psoriasis.

Heme supplementation ameliorates lupus nephritis through rectifying the disorder of splenocytes and alleviating renal inflammation and oxidative damage

Heme is an important iron-containing porphyrin molecule expressed ubiquitously in organisms. Recently, this endogenous molecule has been widely reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases such as sepsis, atherosclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. However, the role of heme during systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathogenesis has not been previously evaluated. Herein, we have measured the levels of heme in lupus-prone mice and explored the influence of heme on the pathogenesis of lupus. We revealed that heme levels in serum, kidney and spleen lymphocytes are all negatively associated with the levels of proteinuria in lupus-prone mice. Heme supplementation at 15 mg/kg could significantly ameliorate the syndromes of lupus in MRL/lpr mice, extending lifespan, reducing the level of proteinuria and alleviating splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy. Further study demonstrated that heme replenishment corrected the abnormal compartment of T cell subsets, plasma cells and macrophages in the spleen and alleviates inflammation and oxidative damage in kidney of MRL/lpr mice. Our study well defined heme as a relevant endogenous molecule in the etiology of SLE, as well as a potential therapeutic target for treating this autoimmune disease. Meanwhile, heme replenishment might be a new choice to therapeutically modulate immune homeostasis and prevent SLE.

Virtual reality simulation in robot-assisted surgery: meta-analysis of skill transfer and predictability of skill

Background

The value of virtual reality (VR) simulators for robot-assisted surgery (RAS) for skill assessment and training of surgeons has not been established. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify evidence on transferability of surgical skills acquired on robotic VR simulators to the operating room and the predictive value of robotic VR simulator performance for intraoperative performance.

Methods

MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science were searched systematically. Risk of bias was assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for Education. Correlation coefficients were chosen as effect measure and pooled using the inverse-variance weighting approach. A random-effects model was applied to estimate the summary effect.

Results

A total of 14 131 potential articles were identified; there were eight studies eligible for qualitative and three for quantitative analysis. Three of four studies demonstrated transfer of surgical skills from robotic VR simulators to the operating room measured by time and technical surgical performance. Two of three studies found significant positive correlations between robotic VR simulator performance and intraoperative technical surgical performance; quantitative analysis revealed a positive combined correlation (r = 0.67, 95 per cent c.i. 0.22 to 0.88).

Conclusion

Technical surgical skills acquired through robotic VR simulator training can be transferred to the operating room, and operating room performance seems to be predictable by robotic VR simulator performance. VR training can therefore be justified before operating on patients.