Rapid Formation of Intramolecular Disulfide Bridges using Light: An Efficient Method to Control the Conformation and Function of Bioactive Peptides

Disulfide bonds are widely found in natural peptides and play a pivotal role in stabilizing their secondary structures, which are highly associated with their biological functions. Herein, we introduce a light-mediated strategy to effectively control the formation of disulfides. Our strategy is based on 2-nitroveratryl (oNv), a widely used photolabile motif, which serves both as a photocaging group and an oxidant (after photolysis). We demonstrated that irradiation of oNv-caged thiols with UV light could release free thiols that are rapidly oxidized by locally released byproduct nitrosoarene, leading to a "break-to-bond" fashion. This strategy is highlighted by the in situ restoration of the antimicrobial peptide tachyplesin I (TPI) from its external disulfide-caged analogue TPI-1. TPI-1 exhibits a distorted structure and a diminished function. However, upon irradiation, the β-hairpin structure and membrane activity of TPI were largely restored via rapid intramolecular disulfide formation. Our study proposes a powerful method to regulate the conformation and function of peptides in a spatiotemporal manner, which has significant potential for the design of disulfide-centered light-responsive systems.

Detection, survival, and persistence of Staphylococcus capitis NRCS-A in neonatal units in England

BACKGROUND

The multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus capitis clone, NRCS-A, is increasingly associated with late-onset sepsis in low birthweight newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in England and globally. Understanding where this bacterium survives and persists within the NICU environment is key to developing and implementing effective control measures.

AIM

To investigate the potential for S. capitis to colonize surfaces within NICUs.

METHODS

Surface swabs were collected from four NICUs with and without known NRCS-A colonizations/infections present at the time of sampling. Samples were cultured and S. capitis isolates analysed via whole-genome sequencing. Survival of NRCS-A on plastic surfaces was assessed over time and compared to that of non-NRCS-A isolates. The bactericidal activity of commonly used chemical disinfectants against S. capitis was assessed.

FINDINGS

Of 173 surfaces sampled, 40 (21.1%) harboured S. capitis with 30 isolates (75%) being NRCS-A. Whereas S. capitis was recovered from surfaces across the NICU, the NRCS-A clone was rarely recovered from outside the immediate neonatal bedspace. Incubators and other bedside equipment were contaminated with NRCS-A regardless of clinical case detection. In the absence of cleaning, S. capitis was able to survive for three days with minimal losses in viability (<0.5 log10 reduction). Sodium troclosene and a QAC-based detergent/disinfectant reduced S. capitis to below detectable levels.

CONCLUSION

S. capitis NRCS-A can be readily recovered from the NICU environment, even in units with no recent reported clinical cases of S. capitis infection, highlighting a need for appropriate national guidance on cleaning within the neonatal care environment.

A prognostic nomogram for the cancer-specific survival of white patients with invasive melanoma at BANS sites based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database

Objective

The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive nomogram for the cancer-specific survival (CSS) of white patients with invasive melanoma at back, posterior arm, posterior neck, and posterior scalp (BANS) sites and to determine the validity of the nomogram by comparing it with the conventional American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system.

Methods

This study analyzed the patients with invasive melanoma in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. R software was used to randomly divide the patients into training and validation cohorts at a ratio of 7:3. Multivariable Cox regression was used to identify predictive variables. The new survival nomogram was compared with the AJCC prognosis model using the concordance index (C-index), area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), net reclassification index (NRI), integrated discrimination index (IDI), calibration plotting, and decision-curve analysis (DCA).

Results

A novel nomogram was established to determine the 3-, 5-, and 8-year CSS probabilities of patients with invasive melanoma. According to the nomogram, the Age at Diagnosis had the greatest influence on CSS in invasive melanoma, followed by Bone Metastasis, AJCC, Stage, Liver Metastasis, Histologic Subtype, Brain Metastasis, Ulceration, and Primary Site. The nomogram had a higher C-index than the AJCC staging system in both the training (0.850 versus 0.799) and validation (0.829 versus 0.783) cohorts. Calibration plotting demonstrated that the model had good calibration ability. The nomogram outperformed the AJCC staging system in terms of AUC, NRI, IDI, and DCA.

Conclusion

This was the first study to develop and evaluate a comprehensive nomogram for the CSS of white patients with invasive melanoma at BANS sites using the SEER database. The novel nomogram can assist clinical staff in predicting the 3-, 5-, and 8-year CSS probabilities of patients with invasive melanoma more accurately than can the AJCC staging system.

Boosting mineralized organic pollutants by using a sulfur-vacancy CdS photocatalyst

Photocatalytic mineralization of organic pollutions and simultaneously converting CO₂ to CO (tetracycline → CO₂ → CO) represents a fascinating way to solve the environmental and energy crisis. This work demonstrates the excellent mineralization and CO₂ reduction performance of S-vacancy CdS and reveals the high efficiency of the carbon self-recycling two-in-one photocatalytic system.

Smartphone-based versus traditional face-to-face collaborative care for community-dwelling older adults living with dementia in China: protocol for an implementation science-based sequential multiple assignment randomised trial

INTRODUCTION

The high costs of institutional care and the burdensome demands of home care are challenging for families of adults with dementia. The collaborative care model (CCM) provides a potential solution to these challenges. Leveraging advancements in mobile technologies, smartphone-based management could offer a feasible means of providing collaborative care in a community setting. Therefore, this study aims to establish a CCM for home-cared older adults with dementia to determine the best strategy to deliver collaborative care, including both the channel and frequency of delivery.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study will be conducted in the communities of Chengdu city, Sichuan province, China. It is designed under the framework of implementation science. In the first stage, intervention strategies for community-dwelling older adults with dementia and their caregivers will be developed using Delphi methods and focus group interviews. The second stage will involve designing a sequential multiple assignment randomised trial to compare the effectiveness of face-to-face intervention versus a WeChat mini program-based intervention. This comparison will involve 358 pairs of older adults with dementia and their caregivers, with the frequency of intervention also assessed. Follow-up evaluations will be implemented at the 6th, 12th and 18th months post-intervention initiation. Primary outcomes encompass the proportion of patients demonstrating an improvement in quality of life and the proportion of caregivers exhibiting a reduction in caregiver burden. Analysis will be based on the intention-to-treat principle, and the generalised estimating equation approach will be used. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios will be used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of different delivery methods and frequencies.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has received approval from the Ethics Committee of West China Fourth Hospital/School of Public Health, Sichuan University (Gwll2022004). Informed consent will be obtained for all participants. The findings of the study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed scientific journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2200057945.

An investigation of long-term outcome of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin and cyclosporine therapy for pediatric severe aplastic anemia

Children with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) face heterogeneous prognoses after immunosuppressive therapy (IST). There are few models that can predict the long-term outcomes of IST for these patients. The objective of this paper is to develop a more effective prediction model for SAA prognosis based on clinical electronic medical records from 203 children with newly diagnosed SAA. In the early stage, a novel model for long-term outcomes of SAA patients with IST was developed using machine-learning techniques. Among the indicators related to long-term efficacy, white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, absolute reticulocyte count, lymphocyte ratio in bone-marrow smears, C-reactive protein, and the level of IL-6, IL-8 and vitamin B12 in the early stage are strongly correlated with long-term efficacy (P < .05). Taken together, we analyzed the long-term outcomes of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin and cyclosporine therapy for children with SAA through machine-learning techniques, which may shorten the observation period of therapeutic effects and reduce treatment costs and time.

Enhanced degradation of polyethylene terephthalate plastics by CdS/CeO2 heterojunction photocatalyst activated peroxymonosulfate

Waste plastics have posed enormous to the environment, but their recycling, especially polyethylene terephthalate plastics, was still a huge challenge. Here, CdS/CeO₂ was used as the photocatalyst to promote the degradation of PET-12 plastics by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) synergistic photocatalytic system. The results showed that 10 % CdS/CeO₂ had the best performance under the illumination condition, and the weight loss rate of PET-12 could reach 93.92 % after adding 3 mM PMS. The effects of important parameters (PMS dose and co-existing anions) on PET-12 degradation were systematically studied, and the excellent performance of the photocatalytic-activated PMS system was verified by comparison experiments. SO₄^•- contributed the most to the degradation performance of PET-12 plastics, which was demonstrated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and free radical quenching experiments. Furthermore, the results of GC showed that the gas products including CO, and CH₄. This indicated that the mineralized products could be further reduced to hydrocarbon fuel under the action of the photocatalyst. This job supplied a new idea for the photocatalytic treatment of waste microplastics in the water, which will help recycle waste plastics and recycle carbon resources.

Refractive plasma optics for relativistic laser beams

The high intensities reached today by powerful lasers enable us to explore the interaction with matter in the relativistic regime, unveiling a fertile domain of modern science that is pushing far away the frontiers of plasma physics. In this context, refractive-plasma optics are being utilized in well established wave guiding schemes in laser plasma accelerators. However, their use for spatial phase control of the laser beam has never been successfully implemented, partly due to the complication in manufacturing such optics. We here demonstrate this concept which enables phase manipulation near the focus position, where the intensity is already relativistic. Offering such flexible control, high-intensity high-density interaction is becoming accessible, allowing for example, to produce multiple energetic electron beams with high pointing stability and reproducibility. Cancelling the refractive effect with adaptive mirrors at the far field confirms this concept and furthermore improves the coupling of the laser to the plasma in comparison to the null test case, with potential benefits in dense-target applications.

Clinical diagnosis of genetic disorders at both single-nucleotide and chromosomal levels based on BGISEQ-500 platform

Most variations in the human genome refer to single-nucleotide variation (SNV), small fragment insertions and deletions, and genomic copy number variation (CNV). Many human diseases including genetic disorders are associated with variations in the genome. These disorders are often difficult to be diagnosed because of their complex clinical conditions, therefore, an effective detection method is needed to facilitate clinical diagnosis and prevent birth defects. With the development of high-throughput sequencing technology, the method of targeted sequence capture chip has been extensively used owing to its high throughput, high accuracy, fast speed, and low cost. In this study, we designed a chip that potentially captured the coding region of 3043 genes associated with 4013 monogenic diseases, with an addition of 148 chromosomal abnormalities that can be identified by targeting specific regions. To assess the efficiency, a strategy of combining the BGISEQ500 sequencing platform with the designed chip was utilized to screen variants in 63 patients. Eventually, 67 disease-associated variants were found, 31 of which were novel. The results of the evaluation test also show that this combined strategy complies with the requirements of clinical testing and has proper clinical application value.

Femtosecond electron microscopy of relativistic electron bunches

The development of plasma-based accelerators has enabled the generation of very high brightness electron bunches of femtosecond duration, micrometer size and ultralow emittance, crucial for emerging applications including ultrafast detection in material science, laboratory-scale free-electron lasers and compact colliders for high-energy physics. The precise characterization of the initial bunch parameters is critical to the ability to manipulate the beam properties for downstream applications. Proper diagnostic of such ultra-short and high charge density laser-plasma accelerated bunches, however, remains very challenging. Here we address this challenge with a novel technique we name as femtosecond ultrarelativistic electron microscopy, which utilizes an electron bunch from another laser-plasma accelerator as a probe. In contrast to conventional microscopy of using very low-energy electrons, the femtosecond duration and high electron energy of such a probe beam enable it to capture the ultra-intense space-charge fields of the investigated bunch and to reconstruct the charge distribution with very high spatiotemporal resolution, all in a single shot. In the experiment presented here we have used this technique to study the shape of a laser-plasma accelerated electron beam, its asymmetry due to the drive laser polarization, and its beam evolution as it exits the plasma. We anticipate that this method will significantly advance the understanding of complex beam-plasma dynamics and will also provide a powerful new tool for real-time optimization of plasma accelerators.

[Analysis of 7 cases of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia with DEK-NUP214 fusion gene]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features, treatment regime, and outcome of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with DEK-NUP214 fusion gene. Methods: The clinical data, genetic and molecular results, treatment process and survival status of 7 cases of DEK-NUP214 fusion gene positive AML children admitted to the Pediatric Blood Diseases Center of Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from May 2015 to February 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: DEK-NUP214 fusion gene positive AML accounted for 1.02% (7/683) of pediatric AML diagnosed in the same period, with 4 males and 3 females. The age of disease onset was 8.2 (7.5, 9.5) years. The blast percentage in bone marrow was 0.275 (0.225, 0.480), and 6 cases were M5 by FAB classification. Pathological hematopoiesis was observed in all cases except for one whose bone marrow morphology was unknown. Three cases carried FLT3-ITD mutations, 4 cases carried NRAS mutations, and 2 cases carried KRAS mutations. After diagnosis, 4 cases received IAE induction regimen (idarubicin, cytarabine and etoposide), 1 case received MAE induction regimen (mitoxantrone, cytarabine and etoposide), 1 case received DAH induction regimen (daunorubicin, cytarabine and homoharringtonine) and 1 case received DAE induction regimen (daunorubicin, cytarabine and etoposide). Complete remission was achieved in 3 cases after one course of induction. Four cases who did not achieved complete remission received CAG (aclarubicin, cytarabine and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor), IAH (idarubicin, cytarabine and homoharringtonine), CAG combined with cladribine, and HAG (homoharringtonine, cytarabine and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) combined with cladribine reinduction therapy, respectively, all 4 cases reached complete remission. Six patients received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after 1-2 sessions of intensive consolidation treatment, except that one case was lost to follow-up after complete remission. The time from diagnosis to HSCT was 143 (121, 174) days. Before HSCT, one case was positive for flow cytometry minimal residual disease and 3 cases were positive for DEK-NUP214 fusion gene. Three cases accepted haploid donors, 2 cases accepted unrelated cord blood donors, and 1 case accepted matched sibling donor. The follow-up time was 20.4 (12.9, 53.1) months, the overall survival and event free survival rates were all 100%. Conclusions: Pediatric AML with DEK-NUP214 fusion gene is a unique and rare subtype, often diagnosed in relatively older children. The disease is characterized with a low blast percentage in bone marrow, significant pathological hematopoiesis and a high mutation rate in FLT3-ITD and RAS genes. Low remission rate by chemotherapy only and very high recurrence rate indicate its high malignancy and poor prognosis. Early HSCT after the first complete remission can improve its prognosis.

Enhancing utility of interfacility triage guidelines using machine learning: Development of the Geriatric Interfacility Trauma Triage score

BACKGROUND

Undertriage of injured older adults to tertiary trauma centers (TTCs) has been demonstrated by many studies. In predominantly rural regions, a majority of trauma patients are initially transported to nontertiary trauma centers (NTCs). Current interfacility triage guidelines do not highlight the hierarchical importance of risk factors nor do they allow for individual risk prediction. We sought to develop a transfer risk score that may simplify secondary triage of injured older adults to TTCs.

METHODS

This was a retrospective prognostic study of injured adults 55 years or older initially transported to an NTC from the scene of injury. The study used data reported to the Oklahoma State Trauma Registry between 2009 and 2019. The outcome of interest was either mortality or serious injury (Injury Severity Score, ≥16) requiring an interventional procedure at the receiving facility. In developing the model, machine-learning techniques including random forests were used to reduce the number of candidate variables recorded at the initial facility.

RESULTS

Of the 5,913 injured older adults initially transported to an NTC before subsequent transfer to a TTC, 32.7% (1,696) had the outcome of interest at the TTC. The final prognostic model (area under the curve, 75.4%; 95% confidence interval, 74-76%) included the following top four predictors and weighted scores: airway intervention (10), traffic-related femur fracture (6), spinal cord injury (5), emergency department Glasgow Coma Scale score of ≤13 (5), and hemodynamic support (4). Bias-corrected and sample validation areas under the curve were 74% and 72%, respectively. A risk score of 7 yields a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 56%.

CONCLUSION

Secondary triage of injured older adults to TTCs could be enhanced by use of a risk score. Our study is the first to develop a risk stratification tool for injured older adults requiring transfer to a higher level of care.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic and Epidemiolgical; Level III.

A review on plasmonic-based heterojunction photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater

Organic pollutants in wastewater are the biggest problem facing the world today due to population growth, rapid increase in industrialization, urbanization, and technological advancement. There have been numerous attempts to use conventional wastewater treatment techniques to address the issue of worldwide water contamination. However, conventional wastewater treatment has a number of shortcomings, including high operating costs, low efficiency, difficult preparation, fast recombination of charge carriers, generation of secondary waste, and limited light absorption. Therefore, plasmonic-based heterojunction photocatalysts have attracted much attention as a promising method to reduce organic pollutant problems in water due to their excellent efficiency, low operating cost, ease of fabrication, and environmental friendliness. In addition, plasmonic-based heterojunction photocatalysts contain a local surface plasmon resonance that enhances the performance of photocatalysts by improving light absorption and separation of photoexcited charge carriers. This review summarizes the major plasmonic effects in photocatalysts, including hot electron, local field effect, and photothermal effect, and explains the plasmonic-based heterojunction photocatalysts with five junction systems for the degradation of pollutants. Recent work on the development of plasmonic-based heterojunction photocatalysts for the degradation of various organic pollutants in wastewater is also discussed. Lastly, the conclusions and challenges are briefly described and the direction of future development of heterojunction photocatalysts with plasmonic materials is explored. This review could serve as a guide for the understanding, investigation, and construction of plasmonic-based heterojunction photocatalysts for various organic pollutants degradation.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Herein, the plasmonic effects in photocatalysts, such as hot electrons, local field effect, and photothermal effect, as well as the plasmonic-based heterojunction photocatalysts with five junction systems for the degradation of pollutants are explained. Recent work on plasmonic-based heterojunction photocatalysts for the degradation of various organic pollutants in wastewater such as dyes, pesticides, phenols, and antibiotics is discussed. Challenges and future developments are also described.

Prognostic factors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia with TCF3::PBX1 in CCCG-ALL-2015: A multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Contemporary risk-directed treatment has improved the outcome of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and TCF3::PBX1 fusion. In this study, the authors seek to identify prognostic factors that can be used to further improve outcome.

METHODS

The authors studied 384 patients with this genotype treated on Chinese Children's Cancer Group ALL-2015 protocol between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019. All patients provisionally received intensified chemotherapy in the intermediate-risk arm without prophylactic cranial irradiation; those with high minimal residual disease (MRD) ≥1% at day 46 (end) of remission induction were candidates for hematopoietic cell transplantation.

RESULTS

The overall 5-year event-free survival was 84.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 80.6-88.3) and 5-year overall survival 88.9% (95% CI, 85.5-92.4). Independent factors associated with lower 5-year event-free survival were male sex (80.4%, [95% CI, 74.8-86.4] vs. 88.9%, [95% CI, 84.1-93.9] in female, p = .03) and positive day 46 MRD (≥0.01%) (62.1%, [95% CI, 44.2-87.4] vs. 87.1%, [95% CI, 83.4-90.9] in patients with negative MRD, p < .001). The presence of testicular leukemia at diagnosis (n = 10) was associated with particularly dismal 5-year event-free survival (33.3% [95% CI, 11.6-96.1] vs. 83.0% [95% CI, 77.5-88.9] in the other 192 male patients, p < .001) and was an independent risk factor (hazard ratio [HR], 5.7; [95% CI, 2.2-14.5], p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that the presence of positive MRD after intensive remission induction and testicular leukemia at diagnosis are indicators for new molecular therapeutics or immunotherapy in patients with TCF3::PBX1 ALL.

Novel 2,6-disubstituted benzofuran-3-one analogues improve cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury via neuroprotective and antioxidative effects

There are no highly effective and safe medicines for clinical treatment of ischemic stroke, although the natural product 3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) has been approved in China for mild and moderate ischemic stroke. To discover more potent anti-cerebral ischemic agents and overcome the low stability by phthalide derivatives, benzofuran-3-one was selected as a core moiety and two types of nitric oxide (NO)-donating groups were incorporated into the structure. In this work, a series of 2,6-disubstituted benzofuran-3-one derivatives were designed and synthesised as NBP analogues, and tested as neuroprotective and antioxidative agents. Compounds 5 (without an NO donor) and 16 (with an NO donor) displayed more potent neuroprotective effects than the established clinical drugs Edaravone and NBP. More importantly, 5 and 16 also exhibited good antioxidative activity without cytotoxicity in rat primary neuronal and PC12 cells. Most active compounds showed good blood-brain barrier permeability in a parallel artificial membrane permeability assay. Furthermore, compound 5 reduced the ischemic infarct area significantly in rats subjected to ischemia/reperfusion injury, downregulated ionised calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein in inflammatory cells, and upregulated nerve growth factor.

Efficient imaging based on P - and N-codoped carbon dots for tracking division and viability assessment of lactic acid bacteria

Assessment of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) activity plays a key role in the fermented food industry. Fluorescence imaging method based on dye is facile to detect LAB viability. However, it is difficult to obtain stable fluorescence, non-toxic and low-cost dyes. In this study, we prepare P- and N-doped carbon dots (PN-CDs) via microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. The properties of high quantum yield (60.36%) and excitation dependence allowed for multicolor imaging of LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum [L.p] and Streptococcus thermophilus [S.t]). The abundant functional groups and positive charges (+2.34 mV) on the surface of PN-CDs facilitated their quickly integrated into cell wall of live LAB with obvious fluorescence or into dead cells. As a result, PN-CDs can not only be used to rapidly and efficiently monitor bacterial viability (one minute), but can also be used to visualize LAB division using fluorescence imaging. Importantly, the PN-CDs have potential to rapidly detect LAB activity in LAB-fermented juices.

The Chinese version of informant AD8 for mild cognitive impairment and dementia screening in community-dwelling older adults

BACKGROUND

Conducting routine mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia screening for older adults in the community is important, which not only can improve our understanding of these diseases but also can increase early detection and treatment.

METHODS

To analyze the reliability and validity of the informant AD8 and explore the cut-off values for screening MCI and dementia in the community-dwelling older adults, this study adopted a multi-stage cluster sampling method to recruit 327 participants aged 60 and over in communities. The informant AD8 and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scales were used to evaluate cognitive function of the subjects, and the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) was conducted to test the screening efficacy.

RESULTS

Among the 327 participants, 33.0% of them met the criteria of MCI, and 3.4% of them met the criteria of dementia. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the informant AD8 for screening dementia was 0.974, with a screening cut-off of three, sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 89.0%. But it has a poor discriminability in MCI screening [AUC = 0.645, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.578-0.711].

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that the informant AD8 is an ideal and useful tool for dementia screening in community-dwelling older adults. However, it is less capable to distinguish older adults with MCI from those with normal cognitive function.

Dual functional antioxidant and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: Design, synthesis and evaluation of novel melatonin-alkylbenzylamine hybrids

Here, we have designed and synthesized a series of melatonin-alkylbenzylamine hybrids as multitarget agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most of them exhibited a potent multifunctional profile involving cholinesterase inhibition and antioxidant effects. Among these compounds, compound 5 was most the potent antioxidant (ORAC = 5.13) and also an excellent selective inhibitor of BuChE (huBuChE IC₅₀ = 1.20 μM, huAChE IC₅₀ = 177.49 μM, SI = 147.91). Moreover, kinetic study indicated compound 5 was a mixed-type inhibitor for huBuChE. Furthermore, it could induce expression of the Nrf2 as well as its downstream markers at the protein level in cells. More importantly, compound 5 display no acute toxicity in mice at doses up to 2500 mg/kg. And we found compound 5 could improve memory function of scopolamine-induced amnesia mice. These results highlighted compound 5 as a possible hit molecule for further investigation of new anti-AD drugs.

Phenotypic and genotypic correlation evaluation of 148 pediatric patients with Fanconi anemia in a Chinese rare disease cohort

BACKGROUND

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive, X-linked or autosomal dominant disease. Few large-scale FA investigations of rare disease cohorts have been conducted in China.

METHODS

We enrolled 148 patients diagnosed with FA according to evidence from the clinical phenotype, family history, and a set of laboratory tests. Next, the clinical manifestations and correlation between the genotype and phenotype of FA pediatric cases were investigated.

RESULTS

The most common FA subtype in our cohort was FA-A (51.4 %), followed by FA-D2 and FA-P. Finger (26 %) and skin (25 %) deformities were the most common malformations. Based on family history, blood system diseases (51 %) had the highest incidence rate, followed by digestive system tumours. A set of new or prognosis-related mutation sites was identified. For example, c.2941 T > G was a new most common missense mutation site for FANCA. FANCP gene mutation sites were mainly concentrated in exons 12/14/15. The mutations of FANCI/FANCD2 were mainly located at the α helix and β corners of the protein complex. FA-A/D1 patients with splicing or deletion mutations showed more severe disease than those with missense mutations. Chromosome 1/3/7/8 abnormalities were closely linked to the progression of FA to leukemia.

CONCLUSION

Our study investigated the clinical features and genotype/phenotype correlation of 148 Chinese pediatric FA patients, providing new insight into FA.

Short-term efficacy of decitabine-based therapy in JMML: a retrospective study from a single center in China

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is an aggressive pediatric myeloproliferative disease, and newly diagnosed patients frequently cannot tolerate hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) at diagnosis due to their poor condition. This retrospective analysis aimed to explore the short-term effect of decitabine-dominant therapy on improving the condition of JMML patients before HSCT. The subjects were 10 JMML patients. All patients were treated with decitabine after low-dose chemotherapy with an interval of 4 weeks before bridging to HSCT. The median treatment course was 3 cycles, and the overall response rate (ORR) was 70.0% after one cycle and 71.4% after three cycles. White blood cell (WBC) and monocyte counts were significantly lower after treatment, and spleen volume was also lower, though not significantly lower. The 12 month progression-free survival rate (PFS) was 80.0 ± 12.6%. Decitabine-dominant therapy was beneficial for reducing tumor burden and improving clinical condition.

Short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic versus open pelvic exenteration for locally advanced rectal cancer: a single-center propensity score matching analysis

BACKGROUND

Research on short-term outcomes and long-term oncological results of laparoscopic pelvic exenteration (LPE) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is still limited. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of LPE and open pelvic exenteration (OPE).

METHODS

Between January 2010 and December 2019, consecutive LARC patients who underwent radical pelvic exenteration at Peking University First Hospital were enrolled. Groups were matched at a 1:1 ratio using propensity score matching. The primary endpoints were 3 year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The secondary endpoints were postoperative short-term outcomes.

RESULTS

There were 144 patients (68 males and 76 females, median age 58.5 [range 27.0-86.0] years). After matching, patients were stratified into LPE (n = 48) and OPE (n = 48) groups (LPE: 24 males and 24 females, median age 57.0 [range 27.0-81.0] years; OPE: 26 males and 22 females, median age 58.0[range 36.0-80.0] years). There were no significant differences on baseline data between the two groups. Compared with the OPE group, the LPE group had a significantly lower estimated blood loss (200 vs 500 ml, p = 0.003), less overall postoperative complications (12/48 vs 25/48, p = 0.006), less surgical site infection (8/48 vs 20/48, p = 0.007), shorter length of stay (12 vs. 15 days, p = 0.005), but similar operative time (344 vs. 360 min, p = 0.493). The pathological R0 resection rate (98.0% vs. 93.7%, p = 0.610), 3 year local recurrence (18.4% vs. 23.5, p = 0.140), 3 year OS (74.6% vs. 65.5%, p = 0.290) and 3-year DFS (60.0% vs. 50.3%, p = 0.208) were similar between the two groups. Shorter distance from anal verge (HR = 0.92, p = 0.042), (y) pT4b (HR = 2.45, p = 0.023), (y)pN1-2 (HR = 2.42, p = 0.004) and positive CRM (HR = 6.23, p = 0.004) were independent prognostic risks for 3 year DFS.

CONCLUSIONS

LPE can be performed safely and has certain short-term advantages over OPE, most notably less blood loss and surgical site infection. However, LPE does not improve long-term oncological outcomes.

Assessing the in vivo ameliorative effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS1.0901 for induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease treatment

Reputed as a significant metabolic disorder, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by high-fat deposits in the liver and causes substantial economic challenges to any country's workforce. Previous studies have indicated that some lactic acid bacteria may effectively prevent or treat NAFLD. Overall, L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 protected against HFD-induced NAFLD by improving liver characteristics and modulating microbiota composition, and thus could be a candidate for improving NAFLD. This study aimed to assess the protective effects of L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 on a high-fat diet(HFD)-induced NAFLD. First, hepatic lipid profile and histological alterations were determined to study whether L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 could ameliorate NAFLD. Then, the intestinal permeability and gut barrier were explored. Finally, gut microbiota was analyzed to elucidate the mechanism from the insights of the gut-liver axis. The results showed that Lactobacillus KLDS1.0901 administration significantly decreased body weight, Lee's index body, fat rate, and liver index. L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 administration significantly improved lipid profiles by decreasing the hepatic levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and by increasing the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. A conspicuous decrease of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum was observed after L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 administration. Meanwhile, the H&E and Oil Red O-stained staining showed that L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 significantly reduced liver lipid accumulation of HFD-fed mice by decreasing the NAS score and lipid area per total area. Our results showed that L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 administration decreased the interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentrations accompanied by the increase of interleukin-10 (IL-10). L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 administration could improve the intestinal barrier function by upregulating the mRNA levels of occludin, claudin-1, ZO-1, and Muc-2, which were coupled to the decreases of the concentration of LPS and D-lactic acid. Notably, L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 administration modulated the gut microbiota to a near-normal pattern. Hence, our results suggested that L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 can be used as a candidate to ameliorate NAFLD.

Customized Reversible Stapling for Selective Delivery of Bioactive Peptides

We have developed a new concept for reversible peptide stapling that involves macrocyclization between two amino groups and decyclization promoted via dual 1,4-elimination. Depending on the trigger moiety, this strategy could be employed to selectively deliver peptides to either intracellular or extracellular targets. As a proof of concept, a peptide inhibitor targeting a lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) was temporarily cyclized to enhance its stability and ability to cross the cell membrane. Once inside the cells, the biologically active linear peptide was released under reducing environment. Moreover, we have developed reversibly stapled peptides using antimicrobial peptides (RStAMPs) whose bioactive helical conformation can be temporarily destabilized by stapling the peptide backbone. The resulting helix-distorted RStAMPs are nontoxic and highly resistant to protease hydrolysis, while at the infection site, RStAMPs can be rapidly activated by the overproduced H₂O₂ through the dual 1,4-elimination. The latter restored the helical structure of the native peptide and its antimicrobial activity. This work illustrates a highly valuable macrocyclization strategy for the peptide community and should greatly benefit the field of peptide delivery.

[Effects of mechanical tension on the formation of hypertrophic scars in rabbit ears and transforming growth factor-β1/Smad signaling pathway]

Objective: To explore the effects of mechanical tension on the formation of hypertrophic scars in rabbit ears and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad signaling pathway. Methods: The experimental research method was adopted. Six New Zealand white rabbits, male or female, aged 3-5 months were used and 5 full-thickness skin defect wounds were made on the ventral surface of each rabbit ear. The appearance of all rabbit ear wounds was observed on post surgery day (PSD) 0 (immediately), 7, 14, 21, and 28. On PSD 28, the scar formation rate was calculated. Three mature scars in the left ear of each rabbit were included in tension group and the arch was continuously expanded with a spiral expander. Three mature scars in the right ear of each rabbit were included in sham tension group and only the spiral expander was sutured without expansion. There were 18 scars in each group. After mechanical tension treatment (hereinafter referred to as treatment) for 40 days, the color and texture of scar tissue in the two groups were observed. On treatment day 40, the scar elevation index (SEI) was observed and calculated; the histology was observed after hematoxylin eosin staining, and the collagen morphology was observed after Masson staining; mRNA expressions of TGF-β1, Smad3, collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in scar tissue were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; and the protein expressions of TGF-β1, collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ, and α-SMA, and phosphorylation level of Smad3 in scar tissue were detected by Western blotting. The number of samples of each group in the experiments was 3. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test. Results: On PSD 0, 5 fresh wounds were formed on all the rabbit ears; on PSD 7, the wounds were scabbed; on PSD 14, most of the wounds were epithelialized; on PSD 21, all the wounds were epithelialized; on PSD 28, obvious hypertrophic scars were formed. The scar formation rate was 75% (45/60) on PSD 28. On treatment day 40, the scar tissue of rabbit ears in tension group was more prominent than that in sham tension group, the scar tissue was harder and the color was more ruddy; the SEI of the scar tissue of rabbit ears in tension group (2.02±0.08) was significantly higher than 1.70±0.08 in sham tension group (t=5.07, P<0.01). On treatment day 40, compared with those in sham tension group, the stratum corneum of scar tissue became thicker, and a large number of new capillaries, inflammatory cells, and fibroblasts were observed in the dermis, and collagen was more disordered, with nodular or swirling distribution in the scar tissue of rabbit ears in tension group. On treatment day 40, the mRNA expressions of TGF-β1, Smad3, collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ, and α-SMA in the scar tissue of rabbit ears in tension group were respectively 1.81±0.25, 5.71±0.82, 7.86±0.56, 4.35±0.28, and 5.89±0.47, which were significantly higher than 1.00±0.08, 1.00±0.12, 1.00±0.13, 1.00±0.14, and 1.00±0.14 in sham tension group (with t values of 5.36, 9.82, 20.60, 18.26, and 17.13, respectively, all P<0.01); the protein expressions of TGF-β1, collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ, and α-SMA, and phosphorylation level of Smad3 in the scar tissue of rabbit ears in tension group were respectively 0.865±0.050, 0.895±0.042, 0.972±0.027, 1.012±0.057, and 0.968±0.087, which were significantly higher than 0.657±0.050, 0.271±0.029, 0.631±0.027, 0.418±0.023, and 0.511±0.035 in sham tension group (with t values of 5.08, 21.27, 15.55, 16.70, and 8.40, respectively, all P<0.01). Conclusions: Mechanical tension can inhibit the regression of hypertrophic scars in rabbit ears through stimulating the hyperplasia of scars, inhibiting the normal arrangement of dermal collagen fibers, and intensifying the deposition of collagen fibers, and the mechanism may be related to the activation of TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway by mechanical tension.