The novel HLA-C*06:02:105 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual

HLA-C*06:02:105 differs from HLA-C*06:02:01:01 by one nucleotide in exon 1.

Latent class analysis of structured histopathology in prognosticating surgical outcomes of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in Singapore

BACKGROUND

Structured histopathology profiling is recommended when reporting chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp (CRSwNP) tissue. The objective of this study is to identify features in structured histopathology that predict outcome after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) in a cohort of CRSwNP patients from Singapore.

METHODS

Latent class analysis was performed on structured histopathology reports of 126 CRSwNP patients who had undergone FESS. Outcome measures were polyp recurrence, need for systemic corticosteroids, revision surgery or biologics, and disease control at 2 years post-FESS.

RESULTS

Three classes were identified. Class 1 was characterised by mild, predominantly lymphoplasmacytic inflammation. Class 2 comprised of 100 eosinophils/HPF, hyperplastic seromucinous glands, mucosal ulceration and mucin containing eosinophil aggregates and Charcot-Leyden crystals. Classes 2 and 3 were significantly associated with uncontrolled disease at 2 years post-FESS. Class 3 was additionally associated with the need for systemic corticosteroids.

CONCLUSIONS

Eosinophil count, degree of inflammation, predominant inflammatory type, hyperplastic seromucinous glands, mucosal ulceration and mucin containing eosinophil aggregates and Charcot-Leyden crystals predicted need for systemic corticosteroids and uncontrolled disease at 2 years post-FESS. The presence of >100 eosinophils/HPF should be reported, as this subset of tissue eosinophilia was associated with less favourable outcomes after FESS.

Preparation and characterization of diphenyl silicone rubber/microfiber glass wool composite thermal control films

Innovative research on the development of thermal control films for spacecraft surfaces is presented. A hydroxy-terminated random copolymer of dimethylsiloxane-diphenylsiloxane (PPDMS) was prepared from hydroxy silicone oil and diphenylsilylene glycol by a condensation reaction, and then liquid diphenyl silicone rubber base material (denoted as PSR) was obtained by adding hydrophobic silica. Microfiber glass wool (MGW) with a fiber diameter of ∼3 μm was added to the liquid PSR base material, which upon solidifying at room temperature, formed a 100 μm thick PSR/MGW composite film. The infrared radiation properties, solar absorption, thermal conductivity, and thermal dimensional stability of the film were evaluated. Moreover, the dispersion of the MGW in the rubber matrix was confirmed by optical microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The PSR/MGW films exhibited a glass transition temperature of -106 °C, thermal decomposition temperature exceeding 410 °C, and low α/ε values. The homogeneous distribution of MGW in the PSR thin film resulted in a notable reduction in its linear expansion coefficient, as well as its thermal diffusion coefficient. Consequently, it exhibited a significant capacity for thermal insulation and retention. For the sample with 5 wt% of MGW, the linear expansion coefficient and thermal diffusion coefficient at 200 °C were reduced to 0.53% and 2.703 mm s^-2, respectively. Thus, the PSR/MGW composite film has good heat-resistance stability and low-temperature endurance, along with low α/ε values and excellent dimensional stability. Additionally, it facilitates effective thermal insulation and temperature control, and can be an ideal material for thermal control coatings on spacecraft surfaces.

Experimental Research on a New Mini-Channel Transcritical CO2 Heat Pump Gas Cooler

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of a novel spiral plate mini-channel gas cooler designed for use with supercritical CO₂. The CO₂ channel of the mini-channel spiral plate gas cooler has a circular spiral cross-section with a radius of 1 mm, while the water channel has an elliptical cross-section spiral channel with a long axis of 2.5 mm and a short axis of 1.3 mm. The results show that increasing the mass flux of CO₂ can effectively enhance the overall heat transfer coefficient when the water side mass flow rate is 0.175 kg·s^-1 and the CO₂ side pressure is 7.9 MPa. Increasing the inlet water temperature can also improve the overall heat transfer coefficient. The overall heat transfer coefficient is higher when the gas cooler is vertically oriented compared to horizontally oriented. A Matlab program was developed to verify that the correlation based on Zhang's method has the highest accuracy. The study found a suitable heat transfer correlation for the new spiral plate mini-channel gas cooler through experimental research, which can provide a reference for future designs.

[Meta analysis of the prevalence and influencing factors of WMSDs among dentists in China]

Objective: To explore the relevant factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among dentists through Meta analysis, providing a basis for the prevention and control of WMSDs among dentists. Methods: In April 2022, cross-sectional research literatures on the prevalence correlation of WMSDs among Chinese dentists were searched in databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, and Em Base database. The search was conducted from the establishment of the database until April 2022, literatures were selected using keywords such as musculoskeletal disorders and dentists. To extract gender, age, length of service, disease classification and other related influencing factors as indicator, and prevalence was selected as the outcome indicator. After evaluating the quality of the literatures, RevMan 5.3 software was used to calculate the combined RD (95%CI) values of the included literatures. Results: A total of 15 articles were included, with a total sample size of 3646 people. Meta analysis results showed that the prevalence of WMSDs among dentists in China was 80%, and the top three parts of the incidence rates were 65% of the waist, 58% of the neck, and 50% of the back. Gender, age, length of service, region and disease classification all increased the risk of WMSDs, and the combined effect size were 75%, 78%, 71%, 77% and 82% respectively (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The occurrence of WMSDs among dentists in China is related to multiple factors such as gender, age, length of service and disease classification. The above risk factors should be taken into account in the workplace and preventive measures should be actively implemented to prolong the working life of dentists.

Involvement of Mrgprd-expressing nociceptors-recruited spinal mechanisms in nerve injury-induced mechanical allodynia

Mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia are intractable symptoms lacking effective clinical treatments in patients with neuropathic pain. However, whether and how mechanically responsive non-peptidergic nociceptors are involved remains elusive. Here, we showed that von Frey-evoked static allodynia and aversion, along with mechanical hyperalgesia after spared nerve injury (SNI) were reduced by ablation of Mrgprd^CreERT2-marked neurons. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that SNI-opened Aβ-fiber inputs to laminae I-II_o and _vII_i, as well as C-fiber inputs to _vII_i, were all attenuated in Mrgprd-ablated mice. In addition, priming chemogenetic or optogenetic activation of Mrgprd⁺ neurons drove mechanical allodynia and aversion to low-threshold mechanical stimuli, along with mechanical hyperalgesia. Mechanistically, gated Aβ and C inputs to _vII_i were opened, potentially via central sensitization by dampening potassium currents. Altogether, we uncovered the involvement of Mrgprd⁺ nociceptors in nerve injury-induced mechanical pain and dissected the underlying spinal mechanisms, thus providing insights into potential therapeutic targets for pain management.

Mass Measurement of Upper fp-Shell N=Z-2 and N=Z-1 Nuclei and the Importance of Three-Nucleon Force along the N=Z Line

Using a novel method of isochronous mass spectrometry, the masses of ^{62}Ge, ^{64}As, ^{66}Se, and ^{70}Kr are measured for the first time, and the masses of ^{58}Zn, ^{61}Ga, ^{63}Ge, ^{65}As, ^{67}Se, ^{71}Kr, and ^{75}Sr are redetermined with improved accuracy. The new masses allow us to derive residual proton-neutron interactions (δV_{pn}) in the N=Z nuclei, which are found to decrease (increase) with increasing mass A for even-even (odd-odd) nuclei beyond Z=28. This bifurcation of δV_{pn} cannot be reproduced by the available mass models, nor is it consistent with expectations of a pseudo-SU(4) symmetry restoration in the fp shell. We performed ab initio calculations with a chiral three-nucleon force (3NF) included, which indicate the enhancement of the T=1 pn pairing over the T=0 pn pairing in this mass region, leading to the opposite evolving trends of δV_{pn} in even-even and odd-odd nuclei.

Exosomes derived from oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue accelerate diabetic wound healing

It is a widespread and difficult problem that refractory diabetic wounds have a poor local environment and prolonged inflammatory irritation. Tumor cell-derived exosomes play an important role in the development of tumors, as they can promote tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and enhance tumor cell activity. However, tumor tissue-derived exosomes have been less studied, and it is unclear how they affect wound healing. In this study, we extracted tissue-derived exosomes from human oral squamous carcinoma and paracancerous tissue by ultracentrifugation, size exclusion chromatography and ultrafiltration and performed exosome characterization. In vitro, the oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue-derived exosomes (OSCC Ti-Exos) promoted the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. In addition, in vivo experiments showed that the OSCC Ti-Exos accelerated the healing of diabetic wounds and were safe in mice. In contrast, there was no promoting effect of paracancerous tissue-derived exosomes either in vivo or in vitro. In conclusion, OSCC Ti-Exos promoted the healing of diabetic wounds, demonstrated preliminary biosafety in mice and have promise as therapeutic applications.

A survey of the Phrurolithidae (Arachnida: Araneae) of Damingshan National Natural Reserve, south China

Species of the spider family Phrurolithidae of Damingshan National Natural Reserve, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China are surveyed. Five species from two genera are described as new to science, accompanied with photographs, SEM images and line drawings: Grandilithus bialatus sp. nov. (♀), Otacilia damingshanica sp. nov. (♂, ♀), O. haitun sp. nov. (♂, ♀), O. longissima sp. nov. (♂, ♀), and O. tingwei sp. nov. (♂, ♀). Furthermore, G. nonggang (Liu, Xu, Xiao, Yin & Peng, 2019) is recorded in this reserve. Distributions records of all treated species are mapped.

Risk factors associated with left atrial appendage thrombosis in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation by transesophageal echocardiography

PURPOSE

This study investigated possible mechanism of left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombosis and constructed a model to evaluate the future risk of LAA thrombosis and spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 2591 patients diagnosed with NVAF. Patients were divided based on the presence of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) into a thrombus group, SEC group, and control group. General, biochemical, and echocardiography data of the three groups were analyzed. The variables independently associated with LAA thrombosis and SEC were determined by the logistic regression analysis. A nomogram was constituted based on the regression analysis and the discriminatory ability was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

LAA thrombosis and SEC were present in 110 (4.2%) patients and 103 (3.9%) patients, respectively. AF type (OR = 1.857), previous stroke (OR = 1.924), fibrinogen (OR = 1.636), diameters of the left atria (OR = 1.094), left ventricular ejection fraction (OR = 0.938), and LAA maximum caliber (OR = 1.238) resulted as independent risk factors for LAA thrombosis and SEC. The area under curve of the nomogram established by multivariate logistic regression was 0.824. Conclusions; Through the study, 6 independent risk factors related to the LAA thrombosis and SEC were found, and an effective nomogram was constructed to predict the LAA thrombosis and SEC in NVAF patients.

A dosing strategy model of deep deterministic policy gradient algorithm for sepsis patients

BACKGROUND

A growing body of research suggests that the use of computerized decision support systems can better guide disease treatment and reduce the use of social and medical resources. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is increasingly being used in medical decision-making systems to obtain optimal dosing combinations and improve the survival rate of sepsis patients. To meet the real-world requirements of medical applications and make the training model more robust, we replaced the core algorithm applied in an AI-based medical decision support system developed by research teams at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and IMPERIAL College London (ICL) with the deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm. The main objective of this study was to develop an AI-based medical decision-making system that makes decisions closer to those of professional human clinicians and effectively reduces the mortality rate of sepsis patients.

METHODS

We used the same public intensive care unit (ICU) dataset applied by the research teams at MIT and ICL, i.e., the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) dataset, which contains information on the hospitalizations of 38,600 adult sepsis patients over the age of 15. We applied the DDPG algorithm as a strategy-based reinforcement learning approach to construct an AI-based medical decision-making system and analyzed the model results within a two-dimensional space to obtain the optimal dosing combination decision for sepsis patients.

RESULTS

The results show that when the clinician administered the exact same dose as that recommended by the AI model, the mortality of the patients reached the lowest rate at 11.59%. At the same time, according to the database, the baseline mortality rate of the patients was calculated as 15.7%. This indicates that the patient mortality rate when difference between the doses administered by clinicians and those determined by the AI model was zero was approximately 4.2% lower than the baseline patient mortality rate found in the dataset. The results also illustrate that when a clinician administered a different dose than that recommended by the AI model, the patient mortality rate increased, and the greater the difference in dose, the higher the patient mortality rate. Furthermore, compared with the medical decision-making system based on the Deep-Q Learning Network (DQN) algorithm developed by the research teams at MIT and ICL, the optimal dosing combination recommended by our model is closer to that given by professional clinicians. Specifically, the number of patient samples administered by clinicians with the exact same dose recommended by our AI model increased by 142.3% compared with the model based on the DQN algorithm, with a reduction in the patient mortality rate of 2.58%.

CONCLUSIONS

The treatment plan generated by our medical decision-making system based on the DDPG algorithm is closer to that of a professional human clinician with a lower mortality rate in hospitalized sepsis patients, which can better help human clinicians deal with complex conditional changes in sepsis patients in an ICU. Our proposed AI-based medical decision-making system has the potential to provide the best reference dosing combinations for additional drugs.

Two new species of the spider genus Putaoa (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from southern China

Two new species of the genus Putaoa Hormiga and Tu, 2008 from southern China are described, Putaoa annulata n. sp. (♂♀) and Putaoa titanoverpa n. sp. (♂♀), for a total number of five described species in this genus. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the two new species are provided. A map of collecting localities is also provided for all five Putaoa species.

Identification of novel urine proteomic biomarkers for high stamina in high-altitude adaptation

Introduction: We aimed to identify urine biomarkers for screening individuals with adaptability to high-altitude hypoxia with high stamina levels. Although most non-high-altitude natives experience rapid decline in physical ability when ascending to high altitudes, some individuals with high-altitude adaptability continue to maintain high endurance levels. Methods: We divided the study population into two groups: the LC group (low change in endurance from low to high altitude) and HC group (high change in endurance from low to high altitude). We performed blood biochemistry testing for individuals at high altitudes and sea level. We used urine peptidome profiling to compare the HH (high-altitude with high stamina) and HL (high-altitude with low stamina) groups and the LC and HC groups to identify urine biomarkers. Results: Routine blood tests revealed that the concentration of white blood cells, lymphocytes and platelets were significantly higher in the HH group than in the HL group. Urine peptidome profiling showed that the proteins ITIH1, PDCD1LG2, NME1-NME2, and CSPG4 were significantly differentially expressed between the HH and HL groups, which was tested using ELISA. Urine proteomic analysis showed that LRG1, NID1, VASN, GPX3, ACP2, and PRSS8 were urine proteomic biomarkers of high stamina during high-altitude adaptation. Conclusion: This study provides a novel approach for identifying potential biomarkers for screening individuals who can adapt to high altitudes with high stamina.

Adaptive-back-stepping-based controller design for double-pendulum rotary cranes

The operating process of rotary crane is often very complicated and there are many unpredictable conditions, such as the condition of the load sway around the hook, which will undoubtedly make the sway characteristics analysis of the system and the controller design become more difficult. In addition, for the purpose of decreasing the complexity of controller design, traditional control methods often perform model linearization processing operation, which can reduce the robustness of the system to a certain extent (when the parameters of the crane are unknown or there are external disturbances, the control capability of traditional control methods will be largely degraded). Based on the above, this paper first uses kinematic analysis to derive rotary crane model, and then proposes a nonlinear controller based on adaptive back-stepping method to achieve pendulum elimination and boom positioning. Then the stability of the system is proved by Lyapunov Lemmas. Finally, the performance of the system is verified by comparing the experimental results of different methods.

A numerical human brain phantom for dynamic glucose-enhanced (DGE) MRI: On the influence of head motion at 3T

PURPOSE

Dynamic glucose-enhanced (DGE) MRI relates to a group of exchange-based MRI techniques where the uptake of glucose analogues is studied dynamically. However, motion artifacts can be mistaken for true DGE effects, while motion correction may alter true signal effects. The aim was to design a numerical human brain phantom to simulate a realistic DGE MRI protocol at 3T that can be used to assess the influence of head movement on the signal before and after retrospective motion correction.

METHODS

MPRAGE data from a tumor patient were used to simulate dynamic Z-spectra under the influence of motion. The DGE responses for different tissue types were simulated, creating a ground truth. Rigid head movement patterns were applied as well as physiological dilatation and pulsation of the lateral ventricles and head-motion-induced B0 -changes in presence of first-order shimming. The effect of retrospective motion correction was evaluated.

RESULTS

Motion artifacts similar to those previously reported for in vivo DGE data could be reproduced. Head movement of 1 mm translation and 1.5 degrees rotation led to a pseudo-DGE effect on the order of 1% signal change. B0 effects due to head motion altered DGE changes due to a shift in the water saturation spectrum. Pseudo DGE effects were partly reduced or enhanced by rigid motion correction depending on tissue location.

CONCLUSION

DGE MRI studies can be corrupted by motion artifacts. Designing post-processing methods using retrospective motion correction including B0 correction will be crucial for clinical implementation. The proposed phantom should be useful for evaluation and optimization of such techniques.

Multiple Mechanisms in Proton-Induced Nucleon Removal at ∼100 MeV/Nucleon

We report on the first proton-induced single proton- and neutron-removal reactions from the neutron-deficient ^{14}O nucleus with large Fermi-surface asymmetry S_{n}-S_{p}=18.6  MeV at ∼100  MeV/nucleon, a widely used energy regime for rare-isotope studies. The measured inclusive cross sections and parallel momentum distributions of the ^{13}N and ^{13}O residues are compared to the state-of-the-art reaction models, with nuclear structure inputs from many-body shell-model calculations. Our results provide the first quantitative contributions of multiple reaction mechanisms including the quasifree knockout, inelastic scattering, and nucleon transfer processes. It is shown that the inelastic scattering and nucleon transfer, usually neglected at such energy regime, contribute about 50% and 30% to the loosely bound proton and deeply bound neutron removal, respectively. These multiple reaction mechanisms should be considered in analyses of inclusive one-nucleon removal cross sections measured at intermediate energies for quantitative investigation of single-particle strengths and correlations in atomic nuclei.

A graph neural network-based interpretable framework reveals a novel DNA fragility-associated chromatin structural unit

BACKGROUND

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are among the most deleterious DNA lesions, and they can cause cancer if improperly repaired. Recent chromosome conformation capture techniques, such as Hi-C, have enabled the identification of relationships between the 3D chromatin structure and DSBs, but little is known about how to explain these relationships, especially from global contact maps, or their contributions to DSB formation.

RESULTS

Here, we propose a framework that integrates graph neural network (GNN) to unravel the relationship between 3D chromatin structure and DSBs using an advanced interpretable technique GNNExplainer. We identify a new chromatin structural unit named the DNA fragility-associated chromatin interaction network (FaCIN). FaCIN is a bottleneck-like structure, and it helps to reveal a universal form of how the fragility of a piece of DNA might be affected by the whole genome through chromatin interactions. Moreover, we demonstrate that neck interactions in FaCIN can serve as chromatin structural determinants of DSB formation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides a more systematic and refined view enabling a better understanding of the mechanisms of DSB formation under the context of the 3D genome.

Evaluation of the anti-viral efficacy of three different dsRNA nanoparticles against potato virus Y using various delivery methods

Nanoparticles (NPs) derived from RNA interference (RNAi) are considered a potentially revolutionary technique in the field of plant protection in the future. However, the application of NPs in RNAi is hindered by the conflict between the high cost of RNA production and the large quantity of materials required for field application. This study aimed to evaluate the antiviral efficacy of commercially available nanomaterials, such as chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (CQAS), amine functionalized silica nano powder (ASNP), and carbon quantum dots (CQD), that carried double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) via various delivery methods, including infiltration, spraying, and root soaking. ASNP-dsRNA NPs are recommended for root soaking, which is considered the most effective method of antiviral compound application. The most effective antiviral compound tested was CQAS-dsRNA NPs delivered by root soaking. Using fluorescence, FITC-CQAS-dsCP-Cy3, and CQD-dsCP-Cy3 NPs demonstrated the uptake and transport pathways of dsRNA NPs in plants when applied to plants in different modes. The duration of protection with NPs applied in various modes was then compared, providing references for evaluating the retention period of various types of NPs. All three types of NPs effectively silenced genes in plants and afforded at least 14 days of protection against viral infection. Particularly, CQD-dsRNA NPs could protect systemic leaves for 21 days following spraying.

First Observation of Λπ^{+} and Λπ^{-} Signals near the K[over ¯]N(I=1) Mass Threshold in Λ_{c}^{+}→Λπ^{+}π^{+}π^{-} Decay

Using the data sample of 980  fb^{-1} collected with the Belle detector operating at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider, we present the results of an investigation of the Λπ^{+} and Λπ^{-} invariant mass distributions looking for substructure in the decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Λπ^{+}π^{+}π^{-}. We find a significant signal in each mass distribution. When interpreted as resonances, we find for the Λπ^{+} (Λπ^{-}) combination a mass of 1434.3±0.6(stat)±0.9(syst)  MeV/c^{2} [1438.5±0.9(stat)±2.5(syst)  MeV/c^{2}], an intrinsic width of 11.5±2.8(stat)±5.3(syst)  MeV/c^{2} [33.0±7.5(stat)±23.6(syst)  MeV/c^{2}] with a significance of 7.5σ (6.2σ). As these two signals are very close to the K[over ¯]N threshold, we also investigate the possibility of a K[over ¯]N cusp, and find that we cannot discriminate between these two interpretations due to the limited size of the data sample.

The Patterns of Visual Field Defects in Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma Compared to High-Tension Glaucoma and Normal-Tension Glaucoma

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to compare the patterns of visual field (VF) defects in primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) to control groups of eyes with high-tension glaucoma (HTG) and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG).

METHODS

Forty-eight eyes with PACG were enrolled, and control eyes with HTG and NTG matched for age, sex, and mean deviation of VF defect were selected. VF tests were performed using the 24-2 program of the Humphrey field analyzer. VF defects were classified into six patterns with the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study classification system and were categorized into three stages (early, moderate, and advanced). Each hemifield was divided into five regions according to the Glaucoma Hemifield Test (GHT). The mean total deviation (TD) of each GHT region was calculated.

RESULTS

Compared with HTG and NTG groups, the partial arcuate VF defects were more common in the PACG group. In the PACG group, the nasal GHT region in the inferior hemifield had the worst mean TD (-8.48 ± 8.62 dB), followed by the arcuate 1 (-7.81 ± 7.91 dB), arcuate 2 (-7.46 ± 7.43 dB), paracentral (-7.19 ± 7.98 dB), and central (-5.14 ± 6.24 dB) regions; the mean TD of the central region was significantly better than those for all other regions (all p < 0.05). A similar trend was observed in the superior hemifield in the PACG group but not the VF hemifields of the HTG and NTG groups.

CONCLUSION

Patterns of VF defect in PACG patients differ from those with HTG and NTG. This discrepancy might be due to the differences in the pathogenic mechanisms of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

Improving the thermal stability of poly[methyl(trifluoropropyl)siloxane] by introducing diphenylsiloxane units

A series of poly(methyl(trifluoropropyl)-diphenyl siloxane) (P(MTFPS-co-DPS)) was synthesized by polycondensation of diphenylsilanediol and methyltrifluoropropylsiloxanediol. Their chemical structures were investigated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The effect of diphenylsiloxane (DPS) units on the thermal stability of poly[methyl(trifluoropropyl)siloxane] (PMTFPS) was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), isothermal degradation tests, and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GCMS). The results showed that the thermal stability of PMTFPS improved with the introduction of DPS units into the chain. In particular, the temperature for 5% mass loss in PMTFPS increased by 72 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. In addition, the mechanism by which the DPS units improve the thermal stability of PMTFPS was also investigated.

Cyclic di-AMP Rescues Porphyromonas gingivalis-Aggravated Atherosclerosis

Growing evidence demonstrates the relationship between periodontitis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. The periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) has been shown to contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis. Cyclic diadenylate monophosphate (c-di-AMP) has been widely studied as an immune adjuvant for tumor immunotherapy, given its ability to activate the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) and regulate trained immunity. This study sought to elucidate the role of c-di-AMP in Pg-associated atherosclerosis. Periodontitis and atherosclerosis mouse models were established by ligature application around maxillary second molars and feeding ApoE knockout mice with a high-fat diet. We found that periodontitis and atherosclerosis were more severe in mice exposed to Pg than mice that underwent ligature placement only, while prophylactic treatment with c-di-AMP activated trained immunity and elicited significant alleviation of alveolar bone resorption, as well as reduced blood lipid levels and atherosclerotic plaque accumulation. After 3 mo of intervention, c-di-AMP limited the elevation of cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor α, and interferon β; extracellular matrix remodeling enzymes MMP-2 and MMP-9; and adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 gene expression. The mechanism underlying Pg-aggravated atherosclerosis may be attributed to changes in microbiota composition in oral and aortic plaques and excess inflammatory response, whereas c-di-AMP could prevent the effects of Pg infection due to its potential ability to activate trained immunity and regulate microecological balance. Our findings suggest a positive role of c-di-AMP in alleviating Pg-aggravated atherosclerosis by regulating the immune response and influencing the local microenvironment.

Octahedral Distortion and Displacement-Type Ferroelectricity with Switchable Photovoltaic Effect in a 3d^{3}-Electron Perovskite System

Because of the half-filled t_{2g}-electron configuration, the BO_{6} octahedral distortion in a 3d^{3} perovskite system is usually very limited. In this Letter, a perovskitelike oxide Hg_{0.75}Pb_{0.25}MnO_{3} (HPMO) with a 3d^{3} Mn^{4+} state was synthesized by using high pressure and high temperature methods. This compound exhibits an unusually large octahedral distortion enhanced by approximately 2 orders of magnitude compared with that observed in other 3d^{3} perovskite systems like RCr^{3+}O_{3} (R=rare earth). Essentially different from centrosymmetric HgMnO_{3} and PbMnO_{3}, the A-site doped HPMO presents a polar crystal structure with the space group Ama2 and a substantial spontaneous electric polarization (26.5  μC/cm^{2} in theory) arising from the off-center displacements of A- and B-site ions. More interestingly, a prominent net photocurrent and switchable photovoltaic effect with a sustainable photoresponse were observed in the current polycrystalline HPMO. This Letter provides an exceptional d^{3} material system which shows unusually large octahedral distortion and displacement-type ferroelectricity violating the "d^{0}-ness" rule.

PGRMC1 promotes triple-negative breast cancer cell growth via suppressing ferroptosis

OBJECTIVE

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant form of breast cancer with increasing incidence and mortality worldwide. The progesterone receptor membrane component-1 (PGRMC1) is a well-identified hormone receptor with unknown functions in TNBC. The current study aims to explore the involvement of PGRMC1 in regulation of glutathione metabolism and ferroptosis during development of TNBC, providing new therapy options for TNBC patients.

METHODS

Bioinformatic analysis, cell proliferation assay, western blot assay and other biochemistry methods were performed in TNBC cells.

RESULTS

Our results revealed that the expression of PGRMC1 is higher in TNBC than the other subtypes of breast cancer. Interestingly, as an iron binding protein, increased PGRMC1 expression in TNBC cells leads to resistance to ferroptosis inducer. On the contrary, silenced PGRMC1 expression enhanced sensitivity of MDA-MB231 cells to Erastin. Mechanistically, overexpression of PGRMC1 decreased the intracellular free iron concentration, which was reduced by AG205 treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

PGRMC1 increases the possibility of TNBC development through binding to intracellular iron and suppressing ferroptosis, providing the molecular basis of combined treatment for TNBC.

Dihydroartemisinin elicits immunogenic death through ferroptosis-triggered ER stress and DNA damage for lung cancer immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

The immunosuppressive microenvironment of lung cancer serves as an important endogenous contributor to treatment failure. The present study aimed to demonstrate the promotive effect of DHA on immunogenic cell death (ICD) in lung cancer as well as the mechanism.

METHODS

The lewis lung cancer cells (LLC), A549 cells and LLC-bearing mice were applied as the lung cancer model. The apoptosis, ferroptosis assay, western blotting, immunofluorescent staining, qPCR, comet assay, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry were conducted to analyze the functions and the underlying mechanism.

RESULTS

An increased apoptosis rate and immunogenicity were detected in DHA-treated LLC and tumor grafts. Further findings showed DHA caused lipid peroxide (LPO) accumulation, thereby initiating ferroptosis. DHA stimulated cellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and DNA damage simultaneously. However, the ER stress and DNA damage induced by DHA could be abolished by ferroptosis inhibitors, whose immunogenicity enhancement was synchronously attenuated. In contrast, the addition of exogenous iron ions further improved the immunogenicity induced by DHA accompanied by enhanced ER stress and DNA damage. The enhanced immunogenicity could be abated by ER stress and DNA damage inhibitors as well. Finally, DHA activated immunocytes and exhibited excellent anti-cancer efficacy in LLC-bearing mice.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, the current study demonstrates that DHA triggers ferroptosis, facilitating the ICD of lung cancer thereupon. This work reveals for the first time the effect and underlying mechanism by which DHA induces ICD of cancer cells, providing novel insights into the regulation of the immune microenvironment for cancer immunotherapy by Chinese medicine phytopharmaceuticals.

Diagnostic Performance of High-Resolution Vessel Wall MR Imaging Combined with TOF-MRA in the Follow-up of Intracranial Vertebrobasilar Dissecting Aneurysms after Reconstructive Endovascular Treatment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Few studies have reported the utility of high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging in the follow-up of endovascularly treated vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging combined with TOF-MRA in the follow-up of intracranial vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms after reconstructive endovascular treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with intracranial vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms with reconstructive endovascular treatment and followed up with TOF-MRA, high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging, and DSA were included. With DSA as the criterion standard, the diagnostic performance of TOF-MRA, high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging, and high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging combined with TOF-MRA in the evaluation of aneurysm occlusion status and parent artery patency was assessed. Visualization of the stented artery on TOF-MRA and high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging was rated on a 5-point scale.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients with 29 aneurysms were included. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of TOF-MRA, high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging, and high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging combined with TOF-MRA for diagnosing aneurysm remnants were 80.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, and 82.4%; 53.3%, 100.0%, 100.0%, and 66.7%; and 93.3%, 100.0%, 100.0%, and 93.3%, respectively. For the visualization of the stented artery, the mean score of high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging was significantly higher than that of TOF-MRA (4.88 [SD, 0.32] versus 2.53 [SD, 1.25], P < .001). In the evaluation of parent artery patency (normal or pathologic), whereas TOF-MRA had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 100.0%, 8.0%, 14.8%, and 100.0%, respectively, high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging was completely consistent with the DSA.

CONCLUSIONS

High-resolution vessel wall MR imaging combined with TOF-MRA at 3T showed good diagnostic performance in the follow-up of intracranial vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms after reconstructive endovascular treatment.

An Improved In-Motion Coarse Alignment Method for SINS/GPS Integration with Initial Velocity Error Suppression

The integrated system with the strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) and the global positioning system (GPS) is the most popular navigation mode. It has been used in many navigation fields. Before the integrated system works properly, it must determine the initial attitude for SINS. In SINS/GPS-integrated systems, the navigational velocity can be used to carry out the initial alignment when the system is installed in the in-motion vehicle. However, the initial velocity errors are not considered in the current popular in-motion alignment methods for SINS/GPS integration. It is well-known that the initial velocity errors must exist when the initial velocity is obtained from the GPS outputs. In this paper, an improved method was proposed to solve this problem. By analyzing the original observation vectors in the in-motion coarse alignment method, an average operation was used to construct the intermediate vectors, and the new observation vector can be calculated by subtracting the intermediate vector from the original observation vector. Then, the initial velocity errors can be eliminated from the newly constructed observation vector. Thus, the interferences of the initial velocity errors for the initial alignment process can be suppressed. The simulation and field tests are designed to verify the performance of the proposed method. The tests results showed that the proposed method can obtain the higher accurate results than the current methods when the initial velocity is considered. Additionally, the results of the proposed method were similar to the current methods when the initial velocity errors were not considered. This shows that the initial velocity errors were eliminated effectively by the proposed method, and the alignment accuracy were not decreased.

Genomic and RNA-Seq profiling of patients with HFrEF unraveled OAS1 mutation and aggressive expression

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is a complex pathophysiological state characterized by inadequate delivery of blood and nutrients to the cardiac tissues. It is rarely curable and is commonly associated with a poor prognosis. In this study, we aimed to analyse exomic and RNA-Seq data from patients with HF to identify the key altered pathways in HF.

METHODS

Whole blood samples were collected from patients with HF and subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES) and RNA-Seq analysis. The gene expression and RNA-Seq data obtained were verified using gene chip analysis and RT-PCR.

RESULTS

Both exomic and RNA-Seq data confirmed the dysregulation of phosphorylation and immune signalling in patients with HF. Specifically, exomic analysis showed that TITIN, OBSCURIN, NOD2, CDH2, MAP3K5, and SLC17A4 mutations were associated with HF, and RNA-Seq revealed that S100A12, S100A8, S100A9, PFDN5, and TMCC2, were upregulated in patients with HF. Additionally, comparison between RNA-seq and WES data showed that OAS1 mutations are associated with HF.

CONLCUSION

Our findings indicated that patients with HF show an overall disruption of key phosphorylation and immune signalling pathways. Based on RNA-seq and WES, OAS1 mutations may be primarily responsible for these changes.

Development and Verification of a novel cuproptosis- and immune-associated based prognostic genetic signature for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a malignancy with a dismal prognosis. Cuproptosis, a novel mechanism mediated by protein lipoylation, results in acute proteotoxic stress and ultimately cell death. However, the clinical impacts of cuproptosis-associated genes and their relationship with immune status in PDAC have not been documented. In this study, we aimed at constructing a cuproptosis- and immune-associated prognostic signature to stratify and predict the prognosis for PDAC patients.

METHODS

The gene expression profiles of 176 PDAC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas and 167 normal pancreas tissues from the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project were analyzed for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PDAC and normal tissues. Pearson correlation analyses were performed to screen out cuproptosis- and immune-associated DEGs. The risk signature of DEGs was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis, which was validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort (n = 114). The immune characteristics in the two risk groups were evaluated using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis and ESTIMATE algorithms.

RESULTS

A total of 91 cuproptosis- and immune-associated DEGs were screened out, and eight prognostic-related genes were identified using LASSO Cox regression. The prognostic-related genes were then used to construct a risk scoring model, which stratified patients into low- and high-risk groups and were further verified in the external GEO database. The patients in the high-risk group had significantly shorter overall survival than those in the low-risk group. A nomogram based on the risk signature was then constructed. Immune infiltration evaluation suggested that immune status was more activated in the low-risk group. The mutation spectrum also differed between high- and low-risk groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our cuproptosis- and immune-associated genetic risk signature could be a prognostic biomarker for PDAC. Cuproptosis might be a promising therapeutic target for PDAC.

Tissue-derived extracellular vesicles: Isolation, purification, and multiple roles in normal and tumor tissues

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are particles released from cells, and their lipid bilayer membrane encloses large amounts of bioactive molecules that endow EVs with intercellular or inter-tissue communicational abilities. Tissue-derived extracellular vesicles (Ti-EVs) are EVs directly separated from the interstitial space of tissue. They could better reflect the actual physiological or pathological state of the tissue microenvironment compared with cell line-derived EVs and biofluid EVs, indicating their potential roles in elucidating the underlying mechanism of pathogenesis and guiding the diagnosis, therapeutic targeting, and cell-free treatment of diseases. However, there have been a relatively limited number of investigations of Ti-EVs. In this review, we have summarized general procedures for Ti-EVs isolation, as well as some caveats with respect to operations after the isolation step, such as purification and storage. In addition, we have also briefly concluded the current research trends on EVs from various normal and tumor tissues, aiming to cast new light on the future research direction of Ti-EVs.

Comparative analysis of nutritional and transcriptional regulation of hacd1 in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydratases 1 (Hacd1) is a critical enzyme in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis. The difference in expression of hacd1 might account for the stronger capacity of LC-PUFA biosynthesis in freshwater fish than in marine fish, but little is known about fish hacd1. Therefore, this study compared the responses of large yellow croaker and rainbow trout hacd1 to different oil sources or fatty acids, and also examined transcriptional regulation of this gene. In this study, hacd1 was highly expressed in the liver of large yellow croaker and rainbow trout, which is the main organ for LC-PUFA biosynthesis. Therefore, we cloned the hacd1 coding sequence, with a phylogenetic analysis showing that this gene is evolutionarily conserved. Its localization to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), likely also indicates a conserved structure and function. The expression of hacd1 in the liver was significantly decreased after the substitution of soybean oil (SO) for fish oil but was not significantly affected after palm oil (PO) substitution. Linoleic acid (LA) incubation significantly promoted hacd1 expression in primary hepatocytes of large yellow croaker and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) incubation significantly promoted hacd1 expression in primary hepatocytes of rainbow trout. Transcription factors STAT4, C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, HNF1, HSF3 and FOXP3 were identified in both large yellow croaker and rainbow trout. HNF1 had a stronger activation effect in rainbow trout than in large yellow croaker. FOXP3 inhibited hacd1 promoter activity in large yellow croaker but had no effect in rainbow trout. Therefore, the differences between HNF1 and FOXP3 affected the expression of hacd1 in the liver thus being responsible for the high capacity of LC-PUFA biosynthesis in rainbow trout.

Transcription factor EB (TFEB) participates in antiviral immune responses independent of mTORC1 in macrophage of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea)

Transcription factor EB (TFEB) plays an integral role in the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in response to pathogen stimulation in mammals. However, the role of TFEB in antiviral immune responses and the potential regulatory mechanisms in fish remain poorly understood. Here, we cloned and characterized Larimichthys crocea TFEB (LcTFEB) with 524 amino acids and a typical basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper domain. LcTFEB could translocate into the nucleus upon starvation and had a comparatively high expression in immune tissues. Similar to the expression of antiviral immune genes, the transcriptional expression and activity of LcTFEB showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing with the prolongation of stimulation. Inhibition of LcTFEB using siRNA dramatically increased the polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly (I:C))-induced interferon response and pro-inflammatory cytokines mRNA expression levels, whereas pharmacological activation and overexpression of LcTFEB exhibited the reverse effects. Mechanically, LcTFEB might promote the expression of IFNh as negative feedback to limit the virus-induced inflammatory responses. Notably, although inhibition of mTORC1 exacerbated poly (I:C)-triggered inflammatory responses, the effects of LcTFEB were independent of mTORC1. Overall, this study revealed an unidentified critical role of LcTFEB in the regulation of antiviral immune responses and promoted the understanding of TFEB in the antiviral immunity of fish macrophages.

Positive correlation between NLR and PLR in 10,458 patients with endometriosis in reproductive age in China

OBJECTIVE

The platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which can be easily measured from whole blood counts, are composite reflections of significant inflammatory response pathways. However, the relationship between PLR and NLR in patients with ovarian endometriosis is only partially supported by clinical evidence. This study aimed at identifying useful markers for early diagnosis by examining the relationship between PLR and NLR in patients with ovarian endometriosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between June 2015 and December 2022, we gathered clinical data of 10,458 endometriosis patients who visited the Gynecology Division of the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University. All statistical analyses were performed using the R statistical package.

RESULTS

The results of the univariate analysis, smoothed curve fitting, multiple regression analysis, and subgroup analysis revealed that NLR was always positively correlated with PLR. Further analysis based on the curve fitting threshold effect revealed a significant positive correlation between NLR and PLR when NLR < 2.07 (β: 34.49). Furthermore, when NLR > 2.07, there was a significant positive correlation between NLR and PLR (β: 16.93).

CONCLUSIONS

The finding that NLR and PLR have a positive correlation confirms that inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of ovarian endometriosis. Therefore, PLR and NLR could be used as new biomarkers for the diagnosis of endometriosis.

Study of the radical polymerization mechanism and its application in the preparation of high-performance PMMA by reactive extrusion

In this study, the mechanism of radical polymerization was further explored by pre-dissolving different polymers and studying the kinetics of the bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) under shear-free conditions. Based on the analysis of the conversion and absolute molecular weight, it was found that, contrary to the shearing effect, the inert polymer with viscosity was the key factor to preventing the mutual termination of radical active species and reducing the termination rate constant k _t. Therefore, pre-dissolving the polymer could increase the polymerization rate and molecular weight of the system simultaneously, making the polymerization system enter the automatic acceleration zone faster and greatly reducing the generation of small molecular weight polymers, leading to a narrower molecular weight distribution. When the system entered the auto-acceleration zone, k _t decreased rapidly and greatly and entered the second steady-state polymerization stage. Then, with the increase in the polymerization conversion, the molecular weight gradually increased, while the polymerization rate gradually decreased. In shear-free bulk polymerization systems, k _t can be minimized and radical lifetimes maximized, but the polymerization system is at best a long-lived polymerization rather than a living polymerization. On this basis, by using MMA to pre-dissolve ultrahigh molecular weight PMMA and core-shell particles (CSR), the mechanical properties and heat resistance of the PMMA with pre-dissolved polymer obtained by reactive extrusion polymerization were better than for pure PMMA obtained under the same conditions. Compared with pure PMMA, the flexural strength and impact strength of PMMA with pre-dissolved CSR were up to 166.2% and 230.5%. With the same quality of CSR, the same two mechanical properties of the samples obtained by the blending method were just improved by 29.0% and 20.4%. This was closely related to the distribution of CSR in the pre-dissolved PMMA-CSR matrix with a distribution of spherical single particles 200-300 nm in diameter, which enabled PMMA-CSR to exhibit a high degree of transparency. This one-step process for realizing PMMA polymerization and high performance shows extremely high industrial application prospects.

NIR-Photocontrolled Aqueous RAFT Polymerization with Polymerizable Water-Soluble Zinc Phthalocyanine as Photocatalyst

In order to give an answer for the challenges of long wavelength-photocontrolled radical polymerization in aqueous solutions and to address the shortcomings of conventional near-infrared (NIR) photocatalysts (PCs) that are difficult to subject to post-treatment, we designed and synthesized a series of β-tetra-substituted water-soluble zinc phthalocyanines (β-TS-Zns) as the NIR PCs for reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization successfully under irradiation with NIR (λ_max = 730 nm) light at room temperature. Importantly, the NIR PCs can also be designed as polymerizable monomers and covalently loaded on the polymer chains, which are endowed with permanent NIR photocatalysis of the resultant polymers. Moreover, the polymerization can not only be carried out in water but also in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution, yielding polymers with controlled molar mass and narrow dispersities (Đ = 1.03-1.25). Therefore, this NIR-photocontrolled aqueous RAFT polymerization system may provide a charming strategy for possible applications in tissue engineering biomaterial in situ benefiting from the high penetration ability of NIR light.

Elabela-APJ axis mediates angiogenesis via YAP/TAZ pathway in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Angiogenesis helps to improve neurological recovery by repairing damaged brain tissue and restoring cerebral blood flow (CBF). The role of the Elabela (ELA)-Apelin receptor (APJ) system in angiogenesis has gained much attention. We aimed to investigate the function of endothelial ELA on postischemic cerebral angiogenesis. Here, we demonstrated that the endothelial ELA expression was upregulated in the ischemic brain and treatment with ELA-32 mitigated brain injury and enhanced the restoration of CBF and newly formed functional vessels following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Furthermore, ELA-32 incubation potentiated proliferation, migration, and tube formation abilities of the mouse brain endothelial cells (bEnd.3 cells) under oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) condition. RNA sequencing analysis indicated that ELA-32 incubation had a role in the Hippo signaling pathway, and improved angiogenesis-related gene expression in OGD/R-exposed bEnd.3 cells. Mechanistically, we depicted that ELA could bind to APJ and subsequently activate YAP/TAZ signaling pathway. Silence of APJ or pharmacological blockade of YAP abolished the pro-angiogenesis effects of ELA-32. Together, these findings highlight the ELA-APJ axis as a potential therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke by showing how activation of this pathway promotes poststroke angiogenesis.

Tumor tissue derived extracellular vesicles promote diabetic wound healing

The diabetic wound nowadays remains a major public health challenge, which is characterized by overproduced reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the current therapy for diabetic wounds is limited for reliable data in the general application. The growth of tumors has been revealed to share parallels with wound healing. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from breast cancer have been reported to promote cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. The tumor tissue-derived EVs (tTi-EVs) of breast cancer performance a feature inheritance from original tissue and might accelerate the diabetic wound healing. We wonder whether the tumor-derived EVs are able to accelerate diabetic wound healing. In this study, tTi-EVs were extracted from breast cancer tissue via ultracentrifugation and size exclusion. Subsequently, tTi-EVs reversed the H₂O₂-induced inhibition of fibroblast proliferation and migration. Moreover, tTi-EVs significantly accelerated wound closure, collagen deposition and neovascularization, and finally promoted wound healing in diabetic mice. The tTi-EVs also reduced the level of oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. Besides, the biosafety of tTi-EVs were preliminarily confirmed by blood tests and morphological analysis of major organs. Collectively, the present study proves that tTi-EVs can suppress oxidative stress and facilitate diabetic wound healing, which puts forward a novel function of tTi-EVs and provides potential treatment for diabetic wounds.

Neoadjuvant sintilimab and chemotherapy in patients with potentially resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (KEEP-G 03): an open-label, single-arm, phase 2 trial

BACKGROUND

The standard neoadjuvant treatments in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) still have either poor safety or efficacy. Better therapies are needed in China.

METHODS

This was an open-label, single-arm, phase 2 trial. Patients with potentially resectable ESCC (cT1b-3, Nany, M0 or T4a, N0-1, or M0) received preoperative intravenous sintilimab plus triplet chemotherapy (liposomal paclitaxel, cisplatin, and S-1) every 3 weeks for two cycles. The primary endpoints were safety and surgical feasibility; the secondary endpoint was major pathological response (MPR) rate. Genomic biomarkers (genetic mutations, tumor mutational burden (TMB), circulating tumor DNA status and immune microenvironment) in baseline tumor samples were investigated.

RESULTS

All 30 patients completed two cycles of neoadjuvant treatment and underwent surgical resection. Grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 36.7% (11/30) of patients. The most frequent TRAEs were decreased white cell count (76.7%), anemia (76.7%), and decreased neutrophil count (73.3%). All TRAEs were hematological toxicities; none caused ≥30 days surgical delay. The MPR and pathological complete response (pCR) rates were 50.0% (15/30; 95% CI 33.2 to 66.9) and 20.0% (6/30; 95% CI 9.5 to 37.3), respectively. Patients with higher TMB and more clonal mutations were more likely to respond. ERBB2 alterations and ctDNA high-releaser status have a negative correlation with neoadjuvant ICI response. No significant difference was observed between therapeutic response and tumor immune microenvironment.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant sintilimab plus platinum-based triplet chemotherapy appeared safe and feasible, did not delay surgery and induced a pCR rate of 20.0% in patients with potentially resectable ESCC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03946969.

Lavender essential oil accelerates lipopolysaccharide-induced chronic wound healing by inhibiting caspase-11-mediated macrophage pyroptosis

Chronic wounds seriously affect the quality of life of the elderly, obese people, and diabetic patients. The excessive inflammatory response is a key driver of delayed chronic wound healing. Although lavender essential oil (EO [lav]) has been proven to have anti-inflammatory and accelerate wound curative effects, the specific molecular mechanism involved is still ambiguous. The results showed that the wounds treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) not only had delayed healing, but also the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and the inflammatory mediator protein, high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB-1), in the wound tissues were significantly increased. However, treatment of LPS-induced chronic wounds with EO (lav) accelerated wound healing and decreased IL-1β and HMGB-1 expression levels. It was further found that LPS induced macrophage pyroptosis to produce IL-1β. After treatment with EO (lav), the expression level of macrophage pyroptosis marker Gasdermin D (GSDMD) and pyroptosis-related cytotoxic effects were significantly reduced. Immunofluorescence results also directly indicate that EO (lav) can protect macrophages from LPS-induced pyroptosis. Moreover, EO (lav) can down-regulate expression levels of IL-1β, GSDMD, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) in the caspase-11-related pyroptotic signaling pathway. This study demonstrates that EO (lav) can reduce proinflammatory factor production and ameliorate inflammatory response by inhibiting macrophage pyroptosis, which accelerates LPS-induced chronic wound healing.

Chlorin e6-induced photodynamic effect facilitates immunogenic cell death of lung cancer as a result of oxidative endoplasmic reticulum stress and DNA damage

Suppression of the immune microenvironment is an important endogenous contributor to treatment failure in lung cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is widely used in the treatment of malignant tumors owing to its photo-selectivity and minimal side effects. Some studies have shown the ability of photodynamic action not only to cause photo-cytotoxicity to tumor cells but also to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD). However, the mechanism by which PDT enhances tumor immunogenicity is poorly understood. The present study aimed to explore the immunogenicity effect of PDT on lung cancer and to reveal the underlying mechanism. First, we searched for effective conditions for PDT-induced apoptosis in lung cancer cells. Just as expected, chlorin e6 (Ce6) PDT could enhance the immunogenicity of lung cancer cells alongside the induction of apoptosis, characterized by up-regulation of CRT, HSP90, HMGB1 and MHC-I. Further results showed the generation of ROS by Ce6 PDT under the above conditions, which is an oxidative damaging agent. Simultaneously, PDT induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in cells, as evidenced by enhanced Tht staining and up-regulated CHOP and GRP78 expression. Moreover, PDT led to DNA damage response (DDR) as well. However, the redox inhibitor NAC abolished the ER stress and DDR caused by PDT. More importantly, NAC also attenuated PDT-induced improvement of immunogenicity in lung cancer. On this basis, the PDT-induced CRT up-regulation was found to be attenuated in response to inhibition of ER stress. In addition, PDT-induced increase in HMGB1 and HSP90 release was blocked by inhibition of DDR. In summary, Ce6 PDT could produce ROS under certain conditions, which leads to ER stress that promotes CRT translocation to the cell membrane, and the resulting DNA damage causes the expression and release of nuclear HMGB1 and HSP90, thereby enhancing the immunogenicity of lung cancer. This current study elucidates the mechanism of PDT in ameliorating the immunogenicity of lung cancer, providing a rationale for PDT in regulating the immune microenvironment for the treatment of malignant tumors.

Orthogonal and complementary measurements of properties of drug products containing nanomaterials

Quality control of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products, and verification of their safety and efficacy, depends on reliable measurements of critical quality attributes (CQAs). The task becomes particularly challenging for drug products and vaccines containing nanomaterials, where multiple complex CQAs must be identified and monitored. To reduce (i) the risk of measurement bias and (ii) the uncertainty in decision-making during product development, the combination of orthogonal and complementary analytical techniques are generally recommended by regulators. However, despite frequent reference to "orthogonal" and "complementary" in guidance documents, neither term is clearly defined. How does one determine if two analytical methods are orthogonal or complementary to one another? Definitions are needed to design a robust characterization strategy aligned to regulatory needs. Definitions for "orthogonal" and "complementary" are proposed that are compatible with existing metrological terminology and are applicable to complex measurement problems. Orthogonal methods target the quantitative evaluation of the true value of a product attribute to address unknown bias or interference. Complementary measurements include a broader scope of methods that reinforce each other to support a common decision. Examples of the application of these terms are presented, with a focus on measurement of physical properties of nano-enabled drug products, including liposomes and polymeric nanoparticles for cancer treatment, lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) and virus-like particles for nucleic acid delivery. The proposed framework represents a first step in advancing the assessment of the orthogonality and complementarity of two measurements and it can potentially serve as the basis for a future international standard. This framework may help product developers to implement more efficient product characterization strategies, accelerate the introduction of novel medicines to the clinic and be applicable to other therapeutics beyond nanomaterial-containing pharmaceuticals.

Fibulin2: a negative regulator of BMSC osteogenic differentiation in infected bone fracture healing

Bone fracture remains a common occurrence, with a population-weighted incidence of approximately 3.21 per 1000. In addition, approximately 2% to 50% of patients with skeletal fractures will develop an infection, one of the causes of disordered bone healing. Dysfunction of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) plays a key role in disordered bone repair. However, the specific mechanisms underlying BMSC dysfunction caused by bone infection are largely unknown. In this study, we discovered that Fibulin2 expression was upregulated in infected bone tissues and that BMSCs were the source of infection-induced Fibulin2. Importantly, Fibulin2 knockout accelerated mineralized bone formation during skeletal development and inhibited inflammatory bone resorption. We demonstrated that Fibulin2 suppressed BMSC osteogenic differentiation by binding to Notch2 and inactivating the Notch2 signaling pathway. Moreover, Fibulin2 knockdown restored Notch2 pathway activation and promoted BMSC osteogenesis; these outcomes were abolished by DAPT, a Notch inhibitor. Furthermore, transplanted Fibulin2 knockdown BMSCs displayed better bone repair potential in vivo. Altogether, Fibulin2 is a negative regulator of BMSC osteogenic differentiation that inhibits osteogenesis by inactivating the Notch2 signaling pathway in infected bone.

Imatinib facilitates gemcitabine sensitivity by targeting epigenetically activated PDGFC signaling in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a malignant tumor with poor prognosis. Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy has become one of the main modalities of its management. However, gemcitabine resistance frequently occurs, leading to failure of PDAC therapy. Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) and their receptors play important roles in cancer progression and chemoresistance. We aimed to investigate the biological function and therapeutic significance of platelet-derived growth factor C (PDGFC) in drug-resistant PDAC. Our study showed that PDGFC was abnormally highly expressed in gemcitabine-resistant PDAC. Silencing PDGFC expression can enhance the therapeutic effect of gemcitabine on PDAC. Mechanistically, the transcription of PDGFC is mediated by H3K27 acetylation, and PDGFC promotes gemcitabine resistance by activating the PDGFR-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The PDGFR inhibitor imatinib inhibits the PDGFR pathway. Imatinib and gemcitabine have a synergistic effect on the treatment of PDAC, and imatinib can significantly enhance the anti-tumor effect of gemcitabine in a drug-resistant PDAC patient-derived xenograft model. In conclusion, PDGFC is a potential predictor of gemcitabine-resistant PDAC. Imatinib inhibits PDGFR activation to promote gemcitabine sensitivity in PDAC. Combined modality regimen of imatinib and gemcitabine is likely to translate into clinical trial for the treatment of PDGFC-associated gemcitabine-resistant patients.