Mild Heat-Assisted Polydopamine/Alginate Hydrogel Containing Low-Dose Nanoselenium for Facilitating Infected Wound Healing

In clinical practice, it has become urgent to develop multifunctional wound dressings that can combat infection and prompt wound healing simultaneously. In this study, we proposed a polydopamine/alginate/nanoselenium composite hydrogel (Alg-PDA-Se) for the treatment of infected wounds. In particular, polydopamine endows the composite hydrogel with controllable near-infrared photothermal properties, while low-dosage selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) offer excellent anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, pro-proliferative, pro-migration, and pro-angiogenic performances, which are verified by multiple cells, including macrophages, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. More interestingly, the combination of mild temperature with low-dosage Se NPs produces a synergistic effect on combating both Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and promoting the healing of bacteria-infected wounds in vivo. We anticipate that the designed composite hydrogel might be a potential candidate for anti-infection bioactive dressing.

A biomaterial-based therapy using a sodium hyaluronate/bioglass composite hydrogel for the treatment of oral submucous fibrosis

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic, inflammatory and potentially malignant oral disorder. Its pathophysiology is extremely complex, including excessive collagen deposition, massive inflammatory infiltration, and capillary atrophy. However, the existing clinical treatment methods do not fully take into account all the pathophysiological processes of OSF, so they are generally low effective and have many side effects. In the present study, we developed an injectable sodium hyaluronate/45S5 bioglass composite hydrogel (BG/HA), which significantly relieved mucosal pallor and restricted mouth opening in OSF rats without any obvious side effects. The core mechanism of BG/HA in the treatment of OSF is the release of biologically active silicate ions, which inhibit collagen deposition and inflammation, and promote angiogenesis and epithelial regeneration. Most interestingly, silicate ions can overall regulate the physiological environment of OSF by down-regulating α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and CD68 and up-regulating CD31 expression, as well as regulating the expression of pro-fibrotic factors [transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1)] and anti-fibrotic factors [interleukin-1β (IL-1β)] in macrophage. In conclusion, our study shows that BG/HA has great potential in the clinical treatment of OSF, which provides an important theoretical basis for the subsequent development of new anti-fibrotic clinical preparations. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic, inflammatory and potentially malignant mucosal disease with significant impact on the quality of patients' life. However, the existing clinical treatments have limited efficacy and many side effects. There is an urgent need for development of specific drugs for OSF treatment. In the present study, bioglass (BG) composited with sodium hyaluronate solution (HA) was used to treat OSF in an arecoline-induced rat model. BG/HA can significantly inhibit collagen deposition, regulate inflammatory response, promote angiogenesis and repair damaged mucosal epithelial cells, and thereby mitigate the development of fibrosis in vivo.

Genome-wide RNA polymerase stalling shapes the transcriptome during aging

Gene expression profiling has identified numerous processes altered in aging, but how these changes arise is largely unknown. Here we combined nascent RNA sequencing and RNA polymerase II chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing to elucidate the underlying mechanisms triggering gene expression changes in wild-type aged mice. We found that in 2-year-old liver, 40% of elongating RNA polymerases are stalled, lowering productive transcription and skewing transcriptional output in a gene-length-dependent fashion. We demonstrate that this transcriptional stress is caused by endogenous DNA damage and explains the majority of gene expression changes in aging in most mainly postmitotic organs, specifically affecting aging hallmark pathways such as nutrient sensing, autophagy, proteostasis, energy metabolism, immune function and cellular stress resilience. Age-related transcriptional stress is evolutionary conserved from nematodes to humans. Thus, accumulation of stochastic endogenous DNA damage during aging deteriorates basal transcription, which establishes the age-related transcriptome and causes dysfunction of key aging hallmark pathways, disclosing how DNA damage functionally underlies major aspects of normal aging.

Fate of charge order in overdoped La-based cuprates

In high-temperature cuprate superconductors, stripe order refers broadly to a coupled spin and charge modulation with a commensuration of eight and four lattice units, respectively. How this stripe order evolves across optimal doping remains a controversial question. Here we present a systematic resonant inelastic x-ray scattering study of weak charge correlations in La2-xSrxCuO4 and La1.8-xEu0.2SrxCuO4. Ultra high energy resolution experiments demonstrate the importance of the separation of inelastic and elastic scattering processes. Long-range temperature-dependent stripe order is only found below optimal doping. At higher doping, short-range temperature-independent correlations are present up to the highest doping measured. This transformation is distinct from and preempts the pseudogap critical doping. We argue that the doping and temperature-independent short-range correlations originate from unresolved electron-phonon coupling that broadly peaks at the stripe ordering vector. In La2-xSrxCuO4, long-range static stripe order vanishes around optimal doping and we discuss both quantum critical and crossover scenarios.

Non-native fish of the Upper Irtysh and the Ulungur Rivers in China

Background

The Chinese section of the Irtysh River Basin and the Ulungur River Basin, two major river basins of the Altay region, are located at the northwest of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. As an international river, the Chinese section has seven state-level protected fish and seven local-level protected species as well. Many more commercial species have been introduced from eastern China and other countries, accompanied by some low-value and small-sized fish in recent decades. The non-native fish species have already threatened these protected fish. This study investigated the distribution of non-native fish species in the Chinese section of the Irtysh River Basin and the Ulungur River Basin. The basic data for the biodiversity conservation and the information of the non-native fish in these two river basins were gathered.

New information

There are a lot of studies on native fish in the Chinese section of the Irtysh River Basin and Urungur River Basin in China, but there is a lack of studies on non-native fish. Thirteen non-native fish belonging to four orders, nine families and 12 genera were collected in this study. The study includes one dataset. The dataset presents taxonomy, distribution, water body and location for each of the non-native fish collected from the Chinese section of the Irtysh River Basin and the Ulungur River Basin. Our study has found that the proportion of native species has declined, while the number of non-native species has increased from 2013 to 2022. The information we provided could help to develop an international strategy for the protection of aquatic biodiversity.

In Utero and Childhood/Adolescence Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, Genetic Risk, and Lung Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Adulthood

Rationale: The individual effects of early-life tobacco smoke exposure and its interactions with genetic factors on lung cancer in adulthood remain unclear. Objectives: To investigate the associations of early-life tobacco exposures as well as their interactions with polygenic risk scores (PRSs) with lung cancer incidence and mortality. Methods: A total of 432,831 participants from the UK Biobank study were included. We estimated the associations of in utero exposure to tobacco smoke, the age of smoking initiation and their interactions with PRSs with lung cancer incidence and mortality in adulthood using Cox proportional hazard models. Measurements and Main Results: Lung cancer incidence (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-1.76) increased among participants with in utero tobacco exposure. Multivariable-adjusted HRs (with 95% CIs) of lung cancer incidence for smoking initiation in adulthood, adolescence, and childhood (versus never-smokers) were 6.10 (5.25-7.09), 9.56 (8.31-11.00), and 15.15 (12.90-17.79) (P_trend < 0.001). Similar findings were observed in lung cancer mortality. Participants with high PRSs and in utero tobacco exposure (versus low PRSs participants without in utero exposure) had an HR of 2.35 for lung cancer incidence (95% CI, 1.97-2.80, P_interaction = 0.089) and 2.43 for mortality (95% CI, 2.05-2.88, P_interaction = 0.032). High PRSs with smoking initiation in childhood (versus never-smokers with low PRSs) had HRs of 18.71 for incidence (95% CI, 14.21-24.63, P_interaction = 0.004) and 19.74 for mortality (95% CI, 14.98-26.01, P_interaction = 0.033). Conclusions: In utero and childhood/adolescence exposure to tobacco smoke and its interaction with genetic factors may substantially increase the risks of lung cancer incidence and mortality in adulthood.

Mild-temperature photothermal assisted CuSi nanowires for promoting infected wound healing

In clinical practice, the utilization of antibiotics is still the main approach for the treatment of wound contamination, which lacks the ability to accelerate wound healing and arises the global concern of antimicrobial resistance. Plenty of alternative methods have been explored in recent years due to the fast development of material science. Here, CuO/SiO₂ nanowires (CuSi NWs) with good near-infrared (NIR) photothermal conversion ability are synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method. The as-prepared CuSi NWs possess excellent antibacterial ability against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which could be enhanced by the assistance of mild photothermal therapy (PTT). Moreover, CuSi NWs at suitable concentrations can promote proliferation, migration, and angiogenic gene expression of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), exhibiting a remarkable pro-vascularization ability. The in vivo mouse infect model further proves that the CuSi NWs might be a good candidate for the treatment of infected wounds as the high antibacterial efficiency and accelerated wound healing is obtained.

Apolipoprotein A-1 protected hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury through suppressing macrophage pyroptosis via TLR4-NF-κB pathway

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA-1), the major apolipoprotein of high-density lipoprotein, plays anti-atherogenic role in cardiovascular diseases and exerts anti-inflammation effect in various inflammatory and infectious diseases. However, the role and mechanism of ApoA-1 in hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is unknown.

METHODS

In this study, we measured ApoA-1 expression in human liver grafts after transplantation. Mice partial hepatic I/R injury model was made in ApoA-1 knockout mice, ApoA-1 mimetic peptide D-4F treatment mice and corresponding control mice to examine the effect of ApoA-1 on liver damage, inflammation response and cell death. Primary hepatocytes and macrophages were isolated for in vitro study.

RESULTS

The results showed that ApoA-1 expression was down-regulated in human liver grafts after transplantation and mice livers subjected to hepatic I/R injury. ApoA-1 deficiency aggravated liver damage and inflammation response induced by hepatic I/R injury. Interestingly, we found that ApoA-1 deficiency increased pyroptosis instead of apoptosis during acute phase of hepatic I/R injury, which mainly occurred in macrophages rather than hepatocytes. The inhibition of pyroptosis compensated for the adverse impact of ApoA-1 deficiency. Furthermore, the up-regulated pyroptosis process was testified to be mediated by ApoA-1 through TLR4-NF-κB pathway and TLR4 inhibition significantly improved hepatic I/R injury. In addition, we confirmed that D-4F ameliorated hepatic I/R injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study has identified the protective role of ApoA-1 in hepatic I/R injury through inhibiting pyroptosis in macrophages via TLR4-NF-κB pathway. The effect of ApoA-1 may provide a novel therapeutic approach for hepatic I/R injury.

NUF2 Drives Cholangiocarcinoma Progression and Migration via Inhibiting Autophagic Degradation of TFR1

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy and associated with poor prognosis. Lack of therapeutic methods for CCA and insensitivity of targeted therapy and immunotherapy make its treatment challenging. NUF2, a component of Ndc80 kinetochore complex, is implicated in the initiation and development of multiple cancers. However, the role and mechanism of NUF2 in CCA is still unclear. In this research, we investigated the biological processes and underlying mechanisms of NUF2 in CCA. We discovered that the expression of NUF2 was upregulated in CCA and negatively correlated with prognosis. Changes in NUF2 levels had an impact on cell proliferation and migration. Moreover, NUF2 functioned as an oncogene to promote the progression of CCA through p38/MAPK signaling by inhibiting p62 binding of TFR1 and affecting its autophagic degradation. In addition, TFR1 promoted CCA progression and Kaplan-Meier analyses uncovered patients with high expression of TFR1 was associated with the poor survival. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that NUF2 promoted CCA progression by regulating TFR1 protein degradation, and the NUF2/TFR1/MAPK axis could be an excellent therapeutic target for CCA.

In situ uniaxial pressure cell for x-ray and neutron scattering experiments

We present an in situ uniaxial pressure device optimized for small angle x-ray and neutron scattering experiments at low-temperatures and high magnetic fields. A stepper motor generates force, which is transmitted to the sample via a rod with an integrated transducer that continuously monitors the force. The device has been designed to generate forces up to 200 N in both compressive and tensile configurations, and a feedback control allows operating the system in a continuous-pressure mode as the temperature is changed. The uniaxial pressure device can be used for various instruments and multiple cryostats through simple and exchangeable adapters. It is compatible with multiple sample holders, which can be easily changed depending on the sample properties and the desired experiment and allow rapid sample changes.

Constraints on Heavy Decaying Dark Matter from 570 Days of LHAASO Observations

The kilometer square array (KM2A) of the large high altitude air shower observatory (LHAASO) aims at surveying the northern γ-ray sky at energies above 10 TeV with unprecedented sensitivity. γ-ray observations have long been one of the most powerful tools for dark matter searches, as, e.g., high-energy γ rays could be produced by the decays of heavy dark matter particles. In this Letter, we present the first dark matter analysis with LHAASO-KM2A, using the first 340 days of data from 1/2-KM2A and 230 days of data from 3/4-KM2A. Several regions of interest are used to search for a signal and account for the residual cosmic-ray background after γ/hadron separation. We find no excess of dark matter signals, and thus place some of the strongest γ-ray constraints on the lifetime of heavy dark matter particles with mass between 10^{5} and 10^{9}  GeV. Our results with LHAASO are robust, and have important implications for dark matter interpretations of the diffuse astrophysical high-energy neutrino emission.

Landscape dynamics and human disturbance processes in wetlands in a mining city: a case study in Huaibei, China

Wetlands are fragile ecosystems that are sensitive to human activities. In mining cities with high groundwater tables, underground mining, urbanization, and land reclamation cause severe disturbance to wetland landscape patterns, which poses a serious threat to the integrity and sustainability of the regional wetland ecosystems. This paper extracted the dynamic patterns of wetlands in Huaibei, China, from the Landsat TM/ETM remote sensing images with a time duration of 30 years from 1991 to 2021. The land-use transfer matrix and the landscape metrics were used to analyze the dynamic evolution of the wetland landscape patterns in this typical mining city. Afterwards, the human disturbance changes in the wetlands during the past 30 years were analyzed by the human disturbance transformation index (HTI). The correlation between the HTI and the changes in the landscape metrics were analyzed to reflect the influences of different human disturbance mechanisms on the evolution of the wetland landscape patterns. The results indicated that the wetland areas gradually increased with rising human disturbance levels from 1991 to 2021. However, the wetland landscape patterns showed a trend of declining landscape connectivity and fragmentation. The human disturbance levels to the wetlands were found significantly increased from 1991 to 2005 and from 2010 to 2015, and declined from 2005 to 2010 and from 2015 to 2021. The correlation between the HTI and landscape metrics indicates that current ecological restoration planning has limitations in improving the wetland landscape patterns. In the future, it is necessary to formulate systematic wetland landscape patterns restoration planning that covers the overall area according to the evolutionary trend of wetlands.

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.

Spatial-Temporal Patterns of Ecosystem Services Supply-Demand and Influencing Factors: A Case Study of Resource-Based Cities in the Yellow River Basin, China

The aim of this study was to reveal the spatiotemporal pattern of the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs), as well as the significant driving factors for understanding the impact of human activities on the natural ecosystem. To provide a scientific basis for formulating regional sustainable development strategies that enhance human well-being, resource-based cities in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) were selected as the case study. The supply and demand of ecosystem services in these cities from 2000 to 2020 were measured. The spatiotemporal evolution of the supply-demand relationship was illustrated by taking its coordination degree. In addition, geographical detector and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models were applied to quantify the spatiotemporally varying effects of natural and socioeconomic factors on the ES supply--demand relationship. The results showed that resource-based cities in the YRB were experiencing expansion in supply and demand overall, but the supply-demand relationship tended to be tense. The northwest YRB had higher coordination values of supply-demand, while lower values were found in the southeast YRB. Moreover, the relationship between supply and demand was significantly affected by natural and socioeconomic factors, such as elevation, slope, precipitation, land-use type, population density, and gross domestic product (GDP) per land. Furthermore, the GWR model suggested that the effects of driving factors on the supply-demand relationship had notable spatial heterogeneity. The coordination of ES supply-demand in the resource-based cities of southeast YRB was mainly influenced by socioeconomic factors, while that of the west YRB was mainly influenced by natural factors. Our study suggested that it is necessary to enhance the awareness of environmental protection, pay attention to ecological restoration, and avoid unreasonable human disturbance to the ecosystem.

Intraarticular steroids as DMARD-sparing agents for juvenile idiopathic arthritis flares: Analysis of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry

BACKGROUND

Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who achieve a drug free remission often experience a flare of their disease requiring either intraarticular steroids (IAS) or systemic treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). IAS offer an opportunity to recapture disease control and avoid exposure to side effects from systemic immunosuppression. We examined a cohort of patients treated with IAS after drug free remission and report the probability of restarting systemic treatment within 12 months.

METHODS

We analyzed a cohort of patients from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry who received IAS for a flare after a period of drug free remission. Historical factors and clinical characteristics and of the patients including data obtained at the time of treatment were analyzed.

RESULTS

We identified 46 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Of those with follow up data available 49% had restarted systemic treatment 6 months after IAS injection and 70% had restarted systemic treatment at 12 months. The proportion of patients with prior use of a biologic DMARD was the only factor that differed between patients who restarted systemic treatment those who did not, both at 6 months (79% vs 35%, p < 0.01) and 12 months (81% vs 33%, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

While IAS are an option for all patients who flare after drug free remission, it may not prevent the need to restart systemic treatment. Prior use of a biologic DMARD may predict lack of success for IAS. Those who previously received methotrexate only, on the other hand, are excellent candidates for IAS.

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.

The AP2 Transcription Factor BrSHINE3 Regulates Wax Accumulation in Nonheading Chinese Cabbage

Wax is an acellular structural substance attached to the surface of plant tissues. It forms a protective barrier on the epidermis of plants and plays an important role in resisting abiotic and biotic stresses. In this paper, nonheading Chinese cabbage varieties with and without wax powder were observed using scanning electron microscopy, and the surface of waxy plants was covered with a layer of densely arranged waxy crystals, thus differentiating them from the surface of waxless plants. A genetic analysis showed that wax powder formation in nonheading Chinese cabbage was controlled by a pair of dominant genes. A preliminary bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) assay showed that one gene was located at the end of chromosome A09. Within this interval, we identified BraA09000626, encoding an AP2 transcription factor homologous to Arabidopsis AtSHINE3, and we named it BrSHINE3. By comparing the CDS of the gene in the two parental plants, a 35 bp deletion in the BrSHINE3 gene of waxless plants resulted in a frameshift mutation. Tissue analysis showed that BrSHINE3 was expressed at significantly higher levels in waxy plant rosette stage petioles and bolting stage stems than in the tissues of waxless plants. We speculate that this deletion in BrSHINE3 bases in the waxless material may inhibit wax synthesis. The overexpression of BrSHINE3 in Arabidopsis induced the accumulation of wax on the stem surface, indicating that BrSHINE3 is a key gene that regulates the formation of wax powder in nonheading Chinese cabbage. The analysis of the subcellular localization showed that BrSHINE3 is mainly located in the nucleus and chloroplast of tobacco leaves, suggesting that the gene may function as a transcription factor. Subsequent transcriptome analysis of the homology of BrSHINE3 downstream genes in nonheading Chinese cabbage showed that these genes were downregulated in waxless materials. These findings provide a basis for a better understanding of the nonheading Chinese cabbage epidermal wax synthesis pathway and provide important information for the molecular-assisted breeding of nonheading Chinese cabbage.

CXCR6+ Tumor-Associated Macrophages Identify Immunosuppressive Colon Cancer Patients with Poor Prognosis but Favorable Response to Adjuvant Chemotherapy

We explored the infiltration and prognostic value of CXCR6+TAMs in all stages of colon cancer (CC) patients and assessed predictive ability as a biomarker for different ACT regimens among high-risk stage II and stage III patients in both primary and validation cohorts. Two independent cohorts of 360 and 126 consecutive colon cancer patients were enrolled from two medical centers of Zhongshan Hospital. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were performed to detect the density of CXCR6+TAMs and activated CD8+ T cells. The infiltration of CXCR6+TAMs was higher in tumor tissues and increased with advanced tumor stage. A high density of CXCR6+TAMs predicted worse overall survival (OS) in all CC patients (HR = 2.49, 95% CI = (1.68, 3.70), p < 0.001), and was an independent risk factor verified by Cox regression analysis (HR = 1.68, 95% CI = (1.09, 2.59), p = 0.019). For high-risk stage II and stage III patients with a high density of CXCR6+TAMs, better disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 0.32, 95% CI = (0.11, 0.89), p = 0.003), and OS (HR = 0.28, 95% CI = (0.07, 1.11), p = 0.014) were observed in the 6-month treatment group. There was a negative relationship between the density of CXCR6+TAMs and CD8+ T cells (R = −0.51, p < 0.001) as well as activated CD8+ T cells (R = −0.54, p < 0.001). Higher levels of IL-6 and lower levels of IL-2R and TNF-α were expressed in high-CXCR6+ TAM-density patients, which indicates that CXCR6+TAMs contribute to an immunosuppressive microenvironment. CXCR6+TAMs predicted prognosis and response to different durations of ACT in CC patients. CXCR6+TAMs were associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment and suppressed the activation of CD8+ T cells.

ADVISING score: a reliable grading scale based on injury and response for intracerebral haemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is the most devastating form of stroke causing high morbidity and mortality. We aimed to develop a novel clinical score incorporating multisystem markers to predict functional dependence at 90 days after ICH.

METHODS

We analysed data from Chinese Cerebral Hemorrhage: Mechanism and Intervention study. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with 90-day functional dependency (the modified Rankin Scale ≥3) after ICH and develop the ADVISING scoring system. To test the scoring system, a total of 2111 patients from Hubei province were included as the training cohort, and 733 patients from other three provinces in China were included as an external validation cohort.

RESULTS

We found nine variables to be significantly associated with functional dependency and included in the ADVISING score system: age, deep location of haematoma, volume of haematoma, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, aspartate transaminase, international normalised ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, fasting blood glucose and glomerular filtration rate. Individuals were divided into 12 different categories by using these nine potential predictors. The proportion of patients who were functionally dependent increased with higher ADVISING scores, which showed good discrimination and calibration in both the training cohort (C-statistic, 0.866; p value of Hosmer-Lemeshow test, 0.195) and validation cohort (C-statistic, 0.884; p value of Hosmer-Lemeshow test, 0.853). The ADVISING score also showed better discriminative performance compared with the other five existing ICH scores (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

ADVISING score is a reliable tool to predict functional dependency at 90 days after ICH.

3D-printed Sr2ZnSi2O7 scaffold facilitates vascularized bone regeneration through macrophage immunomodulation

Biomaterial-based bone grafts are emerged as an effective strategy for the treatment of large bone defects, especially for the scaffolds with enhanced osteogenic and angiogenic bioactivities. However, most studies focused on the direct interactions between scaffolds and bone-related cells such as osteoblasts and endothelial cells, and ignored the effects of material-triggered immunomodulation and the subsequent immune-regulated bone regeneration process. In this study, we developed a silicate bioceramic (Sr₂ZnSi₂O₇, SZS) scaffold with well-defined pore structures using a three-dimensional (3D) printing technique. The prepared scaffolds were biodegradable, and the released bioactive ions were beneficial for immunomodulation, which stimulated macrophages to release more pro-healing cytokines and less pro-inflammatory cytokines. The obtained scaffold/macrophage conditioned medium further promoted the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of a murine preosteoblast cell line (MC3T3-E1), as well as the angiogenic activity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Moreover, the in vivo experiments of critical-sized calvarial defects in rats revealed that the 3D printed SZS scaffolds could facilitate more vascularized bone regeneration than the 3D printed β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP, a typical clinically used bioceramic) scaffolds, suggesting that the 3D-printed SZS scaffolds hold the potential as implantable biomaterials with favorable osteoimmunomodulation for bone repair.

OS10.6.A What is the initial cell in the subventricular zone for human glioblastoma genesis?

Background

We all have a fundamental question about why glioblastoma (GBM) develops. In order to find the answer to this fundamental question, if you find out what the first cell is, you will get closer to the answer. GBM arises from the subventricular zone (SVZ). GBM is one of the most devastating tumour of human brain as the most optimal treatment barely prolongs the survival, and it does not cure the disease. As the majority of GBM tissues show copy number variations (CNV) of co-altered chromosomal 7 gain and 10 loss, we hypothesized the origin cell (Oc) of SVZ may be traced back with these markers. The cellular identity of the Oc is still unknown and it is different from the tumour-derived progenitor-like cells. We aimed to define these cells from the SVZ that have a potential to get activated into GBM.

Material and Methods

We compared bulk RNA sequencing (RNAseq) data of IDHwt GBM tumor tissue (n=122), tumor free SVZ from GBM patients (n=40), tumor-free control SVZ of non-glial tumor (n=9). Pared single nucleus RNAseq (snRNAseq) or single cell RNAseq (scRNAseq) samples of tumor free SVZ (n=11) and GBM tumor (n=8), were done to see cell specific CNVs. We developed genetically engineered mouse models for GBM genesis introducing three driver mutations (TP53, PTEN, and EGFRviii) into SVZ to isolate mouse Oc (mOc) and mouse cancer cells (mCc). The biological characteristics of separated mOc and mCc were compared. Bulk RNAseq and scRNAseq were performed on these cells (mOc, mCc), and their cellular state was compared with the human gene set.

Results

In this work, we found two types of the Oc in the RNA sequencing of 60 human tumour free-SVZ samples. Furthermore, single-cell level analysis revealed that two Oc types in SVZ harbor ongoing patterns of CNV co-alterations from Oc1 to Oc2, and finally to GBM. The Oc1 type cells contained the CNV signature of Oc2 ancestor with neural progenitor cell (NPC) signature. Oc2 type cells expressed a high level of EGFR than other cells with astrocyte-like cell signature. Both of these cells expressed oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC)-like signatures in the SVZ. We validated the human-based findings by using the P53/PTEN/EGFR-mutant mouse model with EGFR/tdTomato overexpression and P53/PTEN knockout in the SVZ cells. As a result, non-tumourigenic and highly motile Oc-like cell-states are found in the mouse models, supporting the firework-like migration pattern from the SVZ.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate how members of Oc preoccupy the SVZ, known as the stem cell niche and give rise to the tumour. We anticipate that a new therapy may emerge by targeting the Oc in the SVZ.

Lawson Criterion for Ignition Exceeded in an Inertial Fusion Experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion.

Dietary α-lipoic acid supplementation improves postmortem color stability of the lamb muscles through changing muscle fiber types and antioxidative status

This study investigated the effect of dietary α-lipoic acid (600 mg/kg) supplementation on the postmortem color stability of the biceps femoris from lambs. The results showed that dietary α-lipoic acid supplementation increased a* and decreased b* and metmyoglobin (MMb) percentage of the biceps femoris with the time of storage (P < 0.05). The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) reduced with the time of storage after treatment with α-lipoic acid (P < 0.05). α-lipoic acid increased the myoglobin (Mb) content, and myosin heavy chain I (MyHC I) gene expression but decreased glycogen content, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and MyHC IIb gene expression (P < 0.05). The T-AOC value, catalase (CAT) activity, and expression of SOD and CAT gene expression increased after α-lipoic acid treatment (P < 0.05). Therefore, dietary α-lipoic acid supplementation improved the meat color by regulating muscle fiber types and inhibited glycolysis. Moreover, α-lipoic acid maintained meat color stability by effectively inhibiting muscle oxidation via enhancing the antioxidant capacity.

The immune phenotypes and different immune escape mechanisms in colorectal cancer

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in tumor progression and metastasis. However, the immune phenotypes of colorectal cancer (CRC) and the underlying immune escape mechanism have not been studied sufficiently. A total of 1802 and 619 CRC samples from the microarray and TCGA cohorts were enrolled, respectively. The ssGSEA algorithm and unsupervised clustering were used for TME cell infiltration speculation and immune phenotype recognition in the above cohorts. A total of 447 samples from Zhongshan Hospital were collected for validation. Immunohistochemistry was performed in this cohort to quantify TME cell infiltration. The single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data of 252,940 cells from 60 CRC samples was analyzed for further mechanistic exploration. CRC samples can be classified into three distinct immune phenotypes. Subtype 1, the immune-active subtype, was characterized by high infiltration of activated adaptive immune cells. Subtype 2, the immune-desert subtype, featured high tumor purity and low infiltration of immune and stromal cells. Subtype 3, the stroma-rich subtype, had high infiltration of stromal cells. The stroma-rich subtype conferred a significantly worse prognosis. The three subtypes had different immune escape mechanisms. The immune-active subtype has the highest immune checkpoint expression level. In comparison, the immune-desert subtype had the lowest immunogenicity and defective antigen presentation. The stroma-rich subtype lacked activated immune cells. In conclusion, distinct immune phenotypes and immune escape mechanisms may provide inspiration and direction for further research on CRC immunotherapy.

Abstract P2013: Transcription Fidelity Dysregulation In Heart Failure Pathogenesis

Using deep sequencing combined with computational biology, we found that the failing human hearts (n=3) contain a significant amount of aberrant transcripts arising from widespread spurious intragenic transcription initiations. The same phenomenon was detected in failing mouse hearts (n=3) induced by pressure overload and ischemia injury. Therefore, we hypothesize that spurious transcripts accumulation is a causative factor promoting heart failure (HF). The SET domain containing 2 (Setd2), an H3K36 tri-methylase, is a key regulator for transcription fidelity. The Setd2 modified H3K36me3 prevents RNA polymerase II (Pol II) entry from the gene body and the subsequent cryptic transcription initiation. In the same cohort of failing human and mouse hearts, we found that the SETD2 and H3K36me3 levels were concurrently reduced. To further test our hypothesis, we generated cardiac-specific Setd2-Knockout mice. The mice (n≥8) developed a typical HF progression phenotype: initial compensatory hypertrophy followed by a gradually deteriorating HF with chamber dilation. Transcriptome analysis revealed an accumulation of spurious transcripts in pre-hypertrophic Setd2 -/- cardiomyocytes (n=3). New intragenic transcription initiation sites were identified by DECAP-seq in the knockout (n=3), confirming that the increased aberrant transcripts resulted from spurious Pol II entry. Using ribosome footprinting assay (n=3) to map the translation initiation sites, we found that the aberrant transcripts were partially translated into micro peptides in the Setd2 -/- heart, suggesting that the accumulated aberrant transcripts and micro peptides together promote cardiac hypertrophy. Finally, we developed transgenic mice overexpressing human SETD2 (Tg-MHC-SETD2) in the heart. SETD2 overexpression repressed TAC-induced accumulation of spurious transcripts in cardiomyocytes (n=3). The transgenic mice (n≥6) were resistant to pressure overload stress with less cardiac hypertrophy and improved cardiac contractility. Together, we report that dysregulated transcription fidelity causes adverse aberrant transcripts accumulation leading to cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. This new mechanism provides potential new therapeutic targets for HF.

Evidence for a Square-Square Vortex Lattice Transition in a High-T_{c} Cuprate Superconductor

Using sound velocity and attenuation measurements in high magnetic fields, we identify a new transition in the vortex lattice state of La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4}. The transition, observed in magnetic fields exceeding 35 T and temperatures far below zero field T_{c}, is detected in the compression modulus of the vortex lattice, at a doping level of x=p=0.17. Our theoretical analysis based on Eilenberger's theory of the vortex lattice shows that the transition corresponds to the long-sought 45° rotation of the square vortex lattice, predicted to occur in d-wave superconductors near a van Hove singularity.

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.

Temperature acclimation in hot-spring snakes and the convergence of cold response

Animals have evolved sophisticated temperature-sensing systems and mechanisms to detect and respond to ambient temperature changes. As a relict species endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, hot-spring snake (Thermophis baileyi) survived the dramatic changes in climate that occurred during plateau uplift and ice ages, providing an excellent opportunity to explore the evolution of temperature sensation in ectotherms. Based on distributional information and behavioral experiments, we found that T. baileyi prefer hot-spring habitats and respond more quickly to warmth than other two snakes, suggesting that T. baileyi may evolve an efficient thermal-sensing system. Using high-quality chromosome-level assembly and comparative genomic analysis, we identified cold acclimation genes experiencing convergent acceleration in high-altitude lineages. We also discovered significant evolutionary changes in thermosensation- and thermoregulation-related genes, including the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Among these genes, TRPA1 exhibited three species-specific amino acid replacements, which differed from those found in infrared imaging snakes, implying different temperature-sensing molecular strategies. Based on laser-heating experiments, the T. baileyi-specific mutations in TRPA1 resulted in an increase in heat-induced opening probability and thermal sensitivity of the ion channels under the same degree of temperature stimulation, which may help the organism respond to temperature changes more quickly. These results provide insight into the genetic mechanisms underpinning the evolution of temperature-sensing strategies in ectotherms as well as genetic evidence of temperature acclimation in this group.

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Hot-spring snakes prefer hot-spring habitats on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

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Genetic variation in the snakes contribute to the temperature acclimation

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Unique mutations in TRPA1 increase thermal sensitivity of the ion channel

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Different temperature-sensing strategies existed across snakes