Metal Modulation: An Effortless Tactic for Refining Photoredox Catalysis in Living Cells

The remarkable impact of photoredox catalytic chemistries has sparked a wave of innovation, opening doors to novel biotechnologies in the realm of catalytic antitumor therapy. Yet, the quest for novel photoredox catalysts (PCs) suitable for living systems, or the enhancement of catalytic efficacy in existing biocompatible PC systems, persists as a formidable challenge. Within this context, we introduce a readily applicable metal modulation strategy that significantly augments photoredox catalysis within living cells, exemplified by a set of metalloporphyrin complexes termed M-TCPPs (M = Zn, Mn, Ni, Co, Cu). Among these complexes, Zn-TCPP emerges as an exceptional catalyst, displaying remarkable photocatalytic activity in the oxidation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), and specific amino acids. Notably, comprehensive investigations reveal that Zn-TCPP's superior catalytic prowess primarily arises from the establishment of an efficient oxidative cycle for PC, in contrast to previously reported PCs engaged in reductive cycles. Moreover, theoretical calculations illuminate that amplified intersystem crossing rates and geometry alterations in Zn-TCPP contribute to its heightened photocatalytic performance. In vitro studies demonstrated that Zn-TCPP exhibits therapeutic potential and is found to be effective for photocatalytic antitumor therapy in both glioblastoma G98T cells and 3D multicellular spheroids. This study underscores the transformative role of "metal modulation" in advancing high-performance PCs for catalytic antitumor therapy, marking a significant stride toward the realization of this innovative therapeutic approach.

Pre-intercalation of Ammonium Ions in Layered δ-MnO2 Nanosheets for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Layered manganese dioxide is a promising cathode candidate for aqueous Zn-ion batteries. However, the narrow interlayer spacing, inferior intrinsic electronic conductivity and poor structural stability still limit its practical application. Herein, we report a two-step strategy to incorporate ammonium ions into manganese dioxide (named as AMO) nanosheets as a cathode for boosted Zn ion storage. K+ -intercalated δ-MnO2 nanosheets (KMO) grown on carbon cloth are chosen as the self-involved precursor. Of note, ammonium ions could replace K+ ions via a facile hydrothermal reaction to enlarge the lattice space and form hydrogen-bond networks. Compared with KMO, the structural stability and the ion transfer kinetics of the layered AMO are enhanced. As expected, the obtained AMO cathode exhibits remarkable electrochemical properties in terms of high reversible capacity, decent rate performance and superior cycling stability over 10000 cycles.

Stimuli-responsive grating with a tunable period and a diffraction order

The next-generation diffraction grating not only requires a nonmechanical control and a remote control to generate a diffraction pattern but also requires a tunable period. Here, we propose a stimuli-responsive liquid crystal (LC) phase grating with a tunable period and a diffraction order. The stimuli-responsive LC diffraction grating is composed of periodically arranged electrodes on a double-sided glass substrate. By adjusting the driving scheme, the pitch and diffraction order of the LC grating can be switched between three different modes. The experimental results show that the LC grating has a lower driving voltage (∼5 V). In addition, the tunable LC grating can achieve more diffraction orders, which can be applied to a holographic display to achieve a wide-viewing angle and an enlarged size.

Trends and hotspots of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis: A bibliometric analysis from 2002 to 2022

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to investigate and visualize the hotspots of acupuncture for Allergic rhinitis (AR) over the past two decades and pinpoint future trends in this field.

METHOD

We conducted a systematic search of English-language articles or reviews on acupuncture for AR in the Web of Science Core Collection from 2002 to 2022. Using Citespace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix, we analyzed and visualized the publications, countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords from various angles.

RESULT

The study identified 197 documents, 80 journals, 458 keywords, and 928 authors associated with acupuncture for AR. Although article publication fluctuated over the past 20 years, an overall upward trend emerged, with rapid growth during the second decade. China contributed the most to acupuncture research on AR and had the closest collaborations with the United States and Germany. China Medical University was the most prolific institution, and Benno Brinkhaus was the most productive and influential author. The most published journal was Medicine, while the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology was the most frequently cited journal. The highest frequency keywords included acupuncture, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. Randomized controlled trials and alternative & complementary medicine remained significant research hotspots, while rhinoconjunctivitis is expected to be the emerging focus of future investigations.

CONCLUSION

acupuncture has experienced robust development for the treatment of allergic rhinitis over the last two decades, with rhinoconjunctivitis and clinical research being the anticipated trends and frontiers of future research.

Successful treatment of peritoneal dialysis for two patients with refractory nephrotic syndrome and acute kidney injury: a case report

Two patients with refractory nephrotic syndrome were treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) for diuretic resistance, anasarca and acute kidney injury. Following PD, their fluid overload was promptly alleviated, accompanied by an increase in urine volume and an improvement in renal function. PD as an adjuvant approach enabled them to resume corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents. Eventually, both patients could be withdrawn from PD and achieved remission of proteinuria.

Direct immobilization of Se(IV) from acidic Se(IV)-rich wastewater via ferric selenite Co-precipitation

The attenuation of acidic Se(IV)-rich wastewater, including those associated with acid mine drainage (AMD) and nonferrous metallurgical wastewater (NMW), presents a serious environmental challenge. This study investigates the effects of diverse factors from pH values to Se(IV)/Fe(III) molar ratios, initial Se(IV) concentrations, and alkali neutralization agents on the direct co-precipitation of ferric selenites in AMD and NMW systems involving different orders of Fe(III) and alkali addition. Our results show that amorphous sulfate-substituted ferric (hydrogen) selenite and Se(IV)-bearing ferrihydrite-schwertmannite are the major Se(IV)-attenuation solids except that gypsum is an additional phase in the NMW system with Ca(OH)2 neutralization. Produced ferric selenites achieve 98-99.8% of Se(IV) immobilization under optimal conditions of pH 4.5, Se(IV)/Fe(III) molar ratios of 0.0625-0.5, and initial Se(IV) concentrations of 0.15-1.3 mmol·L-1. Moreover, completing FeSO4+ and FeHSeO32+/FeSeO3+ complexes as well as different ferric selenite co-precipitates are shown to collectively control aqueous Se(IV) remaining. Specifically, three distinct trends of aqueous Se(IV) concentrations separately correspond to changes in the four factors. The co-precipitation in the NMW system via pH adjustment followed by Fe(III) addition is more efficient for Se(IV) fixation than that in the AMD system because of minimal complexation, concurrent Fe(III) hydrolysis, and enhanced ferric selenite co-precipitation in the former.

[Esophageal dysmotility detection in patients with gastroesophageal reflux-related cough and its influence on the efficacy of anti-reflux therapy]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of esophageal dysmotility in patients with an initial diagnosis of acid/non-acid gastroesophageal reflux-related cough (GERC), and its correlation with the therapeutic response to anti-reflux treatments to search for the useful indicators to screen patients with chronic cough suitable for anti-reflux therapy. Methods: A total of 173 patients with suspicious GERC who attended the Chronic Cough Specialist Clinic of Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University between June 2020 and December 2022 were retrospectively selected for the study. The age of the patients was (45.1±14.6) years old, including 87 males and 86 females. Their demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and the results of high-resolution manometry (HRM) and multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring (MII-pH) were collected. Information on the etiological identification process and final diagnosis was also recorded. The recruited cases were grouped according to therapeutic outcomes and divided into cases with a favourable response to conventional anti-reflux treatment, cases with a favourable response to intensified anti-reflux treatment, and cases with no response to anti-reflux treatment. Factors influencing the efficacy of anti-reflux treatment were investigated. Differences between groups were compared using the χ2 test, Student-Newman-Keuls test, and Kruskal-Wallis H(K) test, where applicable. Logistic regression analysis using forward stepwise regression based on maximum likelihood estimation was used to screen for influence factors. Results: The 175 patients with suspicious GERC included 45 (26.0%) patients who responded to conventional anti-reflux treatment, 54 (31.2%) who responded to intensified anti-reflux treatment and 74 (42.8%) who did not respond to anti-reflux therapies. Esophageal dysmotility was present in 52.0% of patients (90/173), but was less common in patients who responded to conventional anti-reflux treatment (χ2=8.09, P=0.018). Although the majority of reflux episodes were non-acid (136/173, 78.6%), the proportion of acid reflux (χ2=19.49, P<0.001) and acid exposure time (H=11.04, P=0.004) were significantly higher in patients who responded to conventional anti-reflux treatment. The patients with acid and non-acid GERC had comparable proportion of esophageal dysmotility (64.9% vs. 48.5%, χ2=3.11, P=0.078), with a shorter break [2.4 (0.7, 5.6) cm vs. 6.1 (1.4, 10.0) cm, Z=-2.39, P=0.017], longer upper esophageal sphincter [(4.1±0.9) cm vs. (3.7±1.3) cm, t=-2.09, P=0.038], higher percentage of normal esophageal contractions [60.0% (17.8%, 90.0%) vs. 30.0% (0, 80.0%), Z=-2.14, P=0.032], and lower percentage of large break [10.0% (0, 40.0%) vs. 50.0% (0, 100.0%), Z=-2.92, P=0.004] in the patients with non-acid GERC. The mean resting pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter was significantly lower (H=7.49, P=0.024), while the percentage of ineffective esophageal contractions was markedly higher (H=8.60, P=0.014) in the patients who responded to intensified anti-reflux treatment and in the patients who did not respond to the anti-reflux therapies. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis identified the percentage of ineffective contraction as an independent factor predicting the efficacy of conventional anti-reflux treatment, with a cut-off value of≤45% and a moderate predictive value (AUC=0.67, P=0.004). Conclusions: Esophageal dysmotility is common in GERC patients with different characteristics in acid and non-acid GERC. The percentage of ineffective esophageal contraction may be a useful indicator for selecting an anti-reflux strategy and predicting treatment outcomes.

Application of the Ion Chamber Array in Magnetic Resonance Accelerator QA

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The magnetic resonance accelerator (MR-Linac) is gradually widely used due to high-quality soft tissue contrast and real-time tracking. However, the special dosimetry characteristics and wide field sizes of MR-Linac increase the QA difficulty with conventional measurement method. The purpose of this study was to confirm an ion chamber array could be used for measuring the beam quality, the profiles, as well as the positioning accuracy of all MLC leaves efficiently, by comparing results with the conventional method. To propose a new QA approach for solving the common problem in data acquisition caused by the wide fields of MR-Linac.

MATERIALS/METHODS

The research was based on a MR-Linac fixed with 1.5T MR and 7MeV energy photon beam. The conventional QA method adopted the MR water tank with a gantry angle of 0°and an SSD of 133.5 cm, both microdiamond and ionization chamber detector were used to acquire the dose profiles (PDD, inline, crossline and diagonal). Field sizes 1 × 1 cm2, 2 × 2 cm2, 3 × 3 cm2, 5 × 5 cm2, 10 × 10 cm2, 15 × 15 cm2, 22 × 22 cm2, 40 × 22 cm2,57 × 22 cm2 were measured with depth 13mm, 50mm, 100mm for vertical beam. As for the wide fields (larger than 15 × 15 cm2), two profiles of x axis (one from left to right, the other from right to left) needed to be gathered and then stitched into one final profile. A boot phantom with an ionization chamber detector was used for measuring beam quality. We defined the profiles measured by conventional method as the baseline. An ion chamber array was adopted to acquire TPR, PDD, profiles and MLC positioning, comparing to the conventional method. The center of ion chamber array was placed to the isocenter of MR-Linac, the array could move to the right and left offset positions through engaging the pin into correct hole of QA platform, such 'once positioning and twice movements' operation could finish within 3 minutes. The central detector of the ion chamber array was used for measuring beam quality. TPRs for different depths were acquired by stacking solid water on the ion chamber array. As for the profiles, we could get the final profile by 'once positioning and twice movements' efficiently. As for the positioning accuracy of MLC leaves, firstly the central leaf pair was put on y = 0 to measure 'open profile' under the open field. Then we moved the MLC leaves to different positions to get the n profile (n for different leaf positions). The ratio of n profile to open profile could show the positioning accuracy of MLC.

RESULTS

We adopted 2D gamma (1mm / 2%) to compare the profiles between the ion chamber array and the conventional method, the results were within 98%. The beam quality consistency of ion chamber array comparing to the wedge tank was within 1% according to daily measurement. The ion chamber array could reflect the MLC positioning differences, the sensitivity was 0.5 mm.

CONCLUSION

The ion chamber array showed a convenient QA method both for the dosimetry and for the MLC positioning accuracy which did reduce the overall measurement time, it was recommended for daily and monthly QA for MR-Linac.

An evolutionary epigenetic clock in plants

Molecular clocks are the basis for dating the divergence between lineages over macroevolutionary timescales (~105 to 108 years). However, classical DNA-based clocks tick too slowly to inform us about the recent past. Here, we demonstrate that stochastic DNA methylation changes at a subset of cytosines in plant genomes display a clocklike behavior. This "epimutation clock" is orders of magnitude faster than DNA-based clocks and enables phylogenetic explorations on a scale of years to centuries. We show experimentally that epimutation clocks recapitulate known topologies and branching times of intraspecies phylogenetic trees in the self-fertilizing plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the clonal seagrass Zostera marina, which represent two major modes of plant reproduction. This discovery will open new possibilities for high-resolution temporal studies of plant biodiversity.

[A close contact of coronavirus disease 2019 with severe imported malaria: a case report]

This article presents a severe cerebral malaria patient in shock with a close contact of COVID-19 that was successfully cured in a negative pressure ward during the global pandemic of COVID-19. The patient experienced a sudden onset of high fever and coma in a designated isolation hotel after returning from Africa, and was transferred to a designated hospital. Following antimalarial therapy, blood pressure elevation, increase of blood volume, bedside hemodialysis, mechanical ventilation, plasma and platelet transfusions, the case gradual recovered.

Rapid Bacterial Detection and Gram-Identification Using Bacterially Activated, Macrophage-Membrane-Coated Nanowired-Si Surfaces in a Microfluidic Device

Bacterially induced sepsis requires rapid bacterial detection and identification. Hours count for critically ill septic patients, while current culture-based detection requires at least 10 h up to several days. Here, we apply a microfluidic device equipped with a bacterially activated, macrophage-membrane-coating on nanowired-Si adsorbent surfaces for rapid, bacterial detection and Gram-identification in bacterially contaminated blood. Perfusion of suspensions of Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria through a microfluidic device equipped with membrane-coated adsorbent surfaces detected low (<10 CFU/mL) bacterial levels. Subsequent, in situ fluorescence-staining yielded Gram-identification for guiding antibiotic selection. In mixed Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus suspensions, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were detected in the same ratios as those fixed in suspension. Results were validated with a 100% correct score by blinded evaluation (two observers) of 15 human blood samples, spiked with widely different bacterial strains or combinations of strains, demonstrating the potential of the platform for rapid (1.5 h in total) diagnosis of bacterial sepsis.

In Situ Formed Gradient Composite Solid Electrolyte Interphase Layer for Stable Lithium Metal Anodes

Lithium (Li) metal anode (LMA) is highly considered as a desirable anode material for next-generation rechargeable batteries because of its high specific capacity and the lowest reduction potential. However, uncontrollable growth of Li dendrites, large volume change, and unstable interfaces between LMA and electrolyte hinder its practical application. Herein, a novel in situ formed artificial gradient composite solid electrolyte interphase (GCSEI) layer for highly stable LMAs is proposed. The inner rigid inorganics (Li2 S and LiF) with high Li+ ion affinity and high electron tunneling barrier are beneficial to achieve homogeneous Li plating, while the flexible polymers (poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(vinylidene fluoride)) on the surface of GCSEI layer can accommodate the volume change. Furthermore, the GCSEI layer demonstrates fast Li+ ion transport capability and increased Li+ ion diffusion kinetics. Accordingly, the modified LMA enables excellent cycling stability (over 1000 h at 3 mA cm-2 ) in the symmetric cell using carbonate electrolyte, and the corresponding Li-GCSEI||LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 full cell demonstrates 83.4% capacity retention after 500 cycles. This work offers a new strategy for the design of dendrite-free LMAs for practical applications.

Valve-Adjustable Optofluidic Bio-Imaging Platform for Progressive Stenosis Investigation

The clinical evidence has proven that valvular stenosis is closely related to many vascular diseases, which attracts great academic attention to the corresponding pathological mechanisms. The investigation is expected to benefit from the further development of an in vitro model that is tunable for bio-mimicking progressive valvular stenosis and enables accurate optical recognition in complex blood flow. Here, we develop a valve-adjustable optofluidic bio-imaging recognition platform to fulfill it. Specifically, the bionic valve was designed with in situ soft membrane, and the internal air-pressure chamber could be regulated from the inside out to bio-mimic progressive valvular stenosis. The developed imaging algorithm enhances the recognition of optical details in blood flow imaging and allows for quantitative analysis. In a prospective clinical study, we examined the effect of progressive valvular stenosis on hemodynamics within the typical physiological range of veins by this way, where the inhomogeneity and local enhancement effect in the altered blood flow field were precisely described and the optical differences were quantified. The effectiveness and consistency of the results were further validated through statistical analysis. In addition, we tested it on fluorescence and noticed its good performance in fluorescent tracing of the clotting process. In virtue of theses merits, this system should be able to contribute to mechanism investigation, pharmaceutical development, and therapeutics of valvular stenosis-related diseases.

Cellulose-Based Ionic Conductor: An Emerging Material toward Sustainable Devices

Ionic conductors (ICs) find widespread applications across different fields, such as smart electronic, ionotronic, sensor, biomedical, and energy harvesting/storage devices, and largely determine the function and performance of these devices. In the pursuit of developing ICs required for better performing and sustainable devices, cellulose appears as an attractive and promising building block due to its high abundance, renewability, striking mechanical strength, and other functional features. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary regarding ICs fabricated from cellulose and cellulose-derived materials in terms of fundamental structural features of cellulose, the materials design and fabrication techniques for engineering, main properties and characterization, and diverse applications. Next, the potential of cellulose-based ICs to relieve the increasing concern about electronic waste within the frame of circularity and environmental sustainability and the future directions to be explored for advancing this field are discussed. Overall, we hope this review can provide a comprehensive summary and unique perspectives on the design and application of advanced cellulose-based ICs and thereby encourage the utilization of cellulosic materials toward sustainable devices.

Characteristics of immunotherapy trials for nasopharyngeal carcinoma over a 15-year period

Background

Immunotherapy has been a hotspot in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in recent years. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive landscape of the characteristics of immunotherapy clinical trials in NPC and to determine whether contemporary studies are of sufficient quality to demonstrate therapeutic value.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional analysis of NPC trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov in the last 15 years (Jan 1, 2008-Nov 20, 2022). Only interventional trials with a primary purpose of treatment were included in the final analysis. Characteristics of immunotherapy trials were compared with those of other NPC trials. Chronological shifts in NPC immunotherapy trials were also analyzed.

Results

Of the 440 NPC studies selected, 161 (36.6%) were immunotherapy trials and 279 (63.4%) were other NPC trials. NPC immunotherapy trials were more likely than other NPC trials to be phase 1-2 (82.6% vs. 66.7%, P < 0.001), single-arm (51.3% vs. 39.6%, P = 0.020), non-randomized (64.8% vs. 44.4%, P < 0.001), and enroll fewer than 50 participants (46.3% vs. 34.4%, P = 0.015). Blinding was used in 8.8% of NPC immunotherapy trials. Also, 90.7% of NPC immunotherapy trials were recruited nationally and 82.6% were Asia-centric. Although academic institutions and governments (72.7%) were the major sponsors of NPC trials, immunotherapy trials were more likely to be industry-funded than other NPC trials (34.2% vs. 11.5%, P < 0.001). The number of NPC immunotherapy trials increased exponentially after 2017, attributed to the exploration of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy was the most commonly investigated regimen.

Conclusion

NPC immunotherapy trials over a 15-year period were predominantly exploratory. To generate high-quality evidence and advance the clinical application of immunotherapy in NPC, more attention and concerted efforts are needed.

Use of peripheral blood eosinophils to guide post-operative glucocorticoid therapy in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: a randomised, controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the utility of the eosinophil percentage in peripheral blood for guiding post-operative glucocorticoid therapy in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

METHODS

Forty-four patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery and were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the standard treatment group used oral and nasal spray glucocorticoids. In the biomarker treatment group, patients with peripheral blood eosinophil percentage values less than 3.05 per cent did not receive glucocorticoid treatment, whereas patients with values 3.05 per cent or above were part of the standard treatment group. Visual Analogue Scale, Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 scores, endoscopic Lund-Kennedy scores, eosinophils, interleukin-5 and eosinophil cationic protein in peripheral blood, and nasal secretions were measured.

RESULTS

After functional endoscopic sinus surgery, the Visual Analogue Scale, Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 and Lund-Kennedy scores were significantly reduced in both groups; there were no significant differences in those indicators between the groups during the three follow-up visits.

CONCLUSION

Peripheral blood eosinophil percentage offers a potential biomarker to guide post-operative glucocorticoid therapy in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

Randomized phase II adjuvant trial to compare two treatment durations of icotinib (2 years versus 1 year) for stage II-IIIA EGFR-positive lung adenocarcinoma patients (ICOMPARE study)

BACKGROUND

Despite the prolonged median disease-free survival (DFS) by adjuvant targeted therapy in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, the relationship between the treatment duration and the survival benefits in patients remains unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase II trial, eligible patients aged 18-75 years with EGFR-mutant, stage II-IIIA lung adenocarcinoma and who had not received adjuvant chemotherapy after complete tumor resection were enrolled from eight centers in China. Patients were randomly assigned (1 : 1) to receive either 1-year or 2-year icotinib (125 mg thrice daily). The primary endpoint was DFS assessed by investigator. The secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and safety. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01929200).

RESULTS

Between September 2013 and October 2018, 109 patients were enrolled (1-year group, n = 55; 2-year group, n = 54). Median DFS was 48.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 33.1-70.1 months] in the 2-year group and 32.9 months (95% CI 26.6-44.8 months) in the 1-year group [hazard ratio (HR) 0.51; 95% CI 0.28-0.94; P = 0.0290]. Median OS for patients was 75.8 months [95% CI 64.4 months-not evaluable (NE)] in the 2-year group and NE (95% CI 66.3 months-NE) in the 1-year group (HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.13-0.95; P = 0.0317). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were observed in 41 of 55 (75%) patients in the 1-year group and in 36 of 54 (67%) patients in the 2-year group. Grade 3-4 TRAEs occurred in 4 of 55 (7%) patients in the 1-year group and in 3 of 54 (6%) patients in the 2-year group. No treatment-related deaths or interstitial lung disease was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Two-year adjuvant icotinib was shown to significantly improve DFS and provide an OS benefit in EGFR-mutant, stage II-IIIA lung adenocarcinoma patients compared with 1-year treatment in this exploratory phase II study.

Glutamine metabolic microenvironment drives M2 macrophage polarization to mediate trastuzumab resistance in HER2-positive gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Trastuzumab is a first-line targeted therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive gastric cancer. However, the inevitable occurrence of acquired trastuzumab resistance limits the drug benefit, and there is currently no effective reversal measure. Existing researches on the mechanism of trastuzumab resistance mainly focused on tumor cells themselves, while the understanding of the mechanisms of environment-mediated drug resistance is relatively lacking. This study aimed to further explore the mechanisms of trastuzumab resistance to identify strategies to promote survival in these patients.

METHODS

Trastuzumab-sensitive and trastuzumab-resistant HER2-positive tumor tissues and cells were collected for transcriptome sequencing. Bioinformatics were used to analyze cell subtypes, metabolic pathways, and molecular signaling pathways. Changes in microenvironmental indicators (such as macrophage, angiogenesis, and metabolism) were verified by immunofluorescence (IF) and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses. Finally, a multi-scale agent-based model (ABM) was constructed. The effects of combination treatment were further validated in nude mice to verify these effects predicted by the ABM.

RESULTS

Based on transcriptome sequencing, molecular biology, and in vivo experiments, we found that the level of glutamine metabolism in trastuzumab-resistant HER2-positive cells was increased, and glutaminase 1 (GLS1) was significantly overexpressed. Meanwhile, tumor-derived GLS1 microvesicles drove M2 macrophage polarization. Furthermore, angiogenesis promoted trastuzumab resistance. IHC showed high glutamine metabolism, M2 macrophage polarization, and angiogenesis in trastuzumab-resistant HER2-positive tumor tissues from patients and nude mice. Mechanistically, the cell division cycle 42 (CDC42) promoted GLS1 expression in tumor cells by activating nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 and drove GLS1 microvesicle secretion through IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1). Based on the ABM and in vivo experiments, we confirmed that the combination of anti-glutamine metabolism, anti-angiogenesis, and pro-M1 polarization therapy had the best effect in reversing trastuzumab resistance in HER2-positive gastric cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that tumor cells secrete GLS1 microvesicles via CDC42 to promote glutamine metabolism, M2 macrophage polarization, and pro-angiogenic function of macrophages, leading to acquired trastuzumab resistance in HER2-positive gastric cancer. A combination of anti-glutamine metabolism, anti-angiogenesis, and pro-M1 polarization therapy may provide a new insight into reversing trastuzumab resistance.

Beyond canonical PROTAC: biological targeted protein degradation (bioTPD)

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is an emerging therapeutic strategy with the potential to modulate disease-associated proteins that have previously been considered undruggable, by employing the host destruction machinery. The exploration and discovery of cellular degradation pathways, including but not limited to proteasomes and lysosome pathways as well as their degraders, is an area of active research. Since the concept of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) was introduced in 2001, the paradigm of TPD has been greatly expanded and moved from academia to industry for clinical translation, with small-molecule TPD being particularly represented. As an indispensable part of TPD, biological TPD (bioTPD) technologies including peptide-, fusion protein-, antibody-, nucleic acid-based bioTPD and others have also emerged and undergone significant advancement in recent years, demonstrating unique and promising activities beyond those of conventional small-molecule TPD. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances in bioTPD technologies, summarize their compositional features and potential applications, and briefly discuss their drawbacks. Moreover, we present some strategies to improve the delivery efficacy of bioTPD, addressing their challenges in further clinical development.

Sensory Features of Partially Hydrogenated Oil and Their Connection with Melting and Crystalline Characteristics

Although partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) provides foods with outstanding thick tastes and pronounced "creamy" flavor, the high level of artificial trans-fatty acids (TFA; about 30%) limits its usages around the world in the near future. It is necessary to produce trans-free alternatives with similar tastes to PHO. The relationship between sensory attributes and physicochemical characteristics of PHO and four typical specialty fats were therefore analyzed in the present study. PHO exhibited the highest greasiness score (8.19), accompanying by mild creaminess and aftertaste as well as a weak coolness during swallow, which were resulted from the close-packed arrangements of TFA, its cis-counterparts and other long chain fatty acids. None of artificial trans-fats, mainly anhydrous milk fat, cocoa butter, and coconut oil and its fully hydrogenated counterpart, were similar to PHO in terms of these sensory attributes. The unique fatty acid species of PHO and their arrangements contributed to the relatively smooth solid fat content profile and melting-crystallization curve, as well as forming uniform and dense β' crystal-structures (D_b=1.80). The Pearson correlation analyses relevelled that long chain fatty acids, e.g., t-C18:1 and C18:1, and melting final temperatures were generally positive correlated with greasiness, creaminess and aftertaste; whereas these indices were negatively correlated with coolness. The melting enthalpy was highly connected with coolness, which reflected the endothermic effectiveness during the melting process of fats in the mouth. These indices screened by correlation analyses that were strongly correlated with sensory attributes could provide references for producing trans-free alternatives.

Recent development in multizonal scaffolds for osteochondral regeneration

Osteochondral (OC) repair is an extremely challenging topic due to the complex biphasic structure and poor intrinsic regenerative capability of natural osteochondral tissue. In contrast to the current surgical approaches which yield only short-term relief of symptoms, tissue engineering strategy has been shown more promising outcomes in treating OC defects since its emergence in the 1990s. In particular, the use of multizonal scaffolds (MZSs) that mimic the gradient transitions, from cartilage surface to the subchondral bone with either continuous or discontinuous compositions, structures, and properties of natural OC tissue, has been gaining momentum in recent years. Scrutinizing the latest developments in the field, this review offers a comprehensive summary of recent advances, current hurdles, and future perspectives of OC repair, particularly the use of MZSs including bilayered, trilayered, multilayered, and gradient scaffolds, by bringing together onerous demands of architecture designs, material selections, manufacturing techniques as well as the choices of growth factors and cells, each of which possesses its unique challenges and opportunities.

Effectiveness of remimazolam besylate combined with alfentanil for fiberoptic bronchoscopy with preserved spontaneous breathing: a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

The novel short-acting benzodiazepine remimazolam besylate acts rapidly and is used to induce easily controlled sedation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of remimazolam besylate combined with alfentanil in patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy with preserved spontaneous breathing.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

192 patients undergoing painless fiberoptic bronchoscopy were randomly assigned to either propofol (P group) or remimazolam besylate (R group); both groups also received alfentanil 10 µg/kg. The respiratory rate was recorded during the inspection. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), Narcotrend values and Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness and Sedation (MOAA/S) scores were recorded after entry to the operating room (T0), 1 min (T1), 2 min (T2) and 3 min (T3) after anesthesia, immediately after the bronchoscope entered the vocal cords (T4), when the bronchoscope reached the carina (T5), the patient's eyes opened (T6), and 30 min postoperatively (T7). Secondary outcomes included intraoperative hypotension and body movement grading, etc. RESULTS: There was less respiratory depression during the inspection in the R group than in the P group (p < 0.01). The rate of hypotension during the examination was higher in the P group than in the R group (p < 0.01). Narcotrend values in the P group were less for the R group at the T1-T5 time points (p < 0.01). No difference in the number of body movements ≥ grade 3 was found between the two groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Remimazolam besylate combined with alfentanil for painless fiberoptic bronchoscopy can better preserve the patient's spontaneous breathing and reduce the incidence of respiratory depression during the inspection than propofol.

One-dimensional nanomaterials for cancer therapy and diagnosis

One-dimensional (1-D) nanomaterials possess unique shape-dependent phyicochemical properties and are increasingly recognized as promising materials for nanotechnology. 1-D nanomaterials can be classified according to their shape, such as nanorods, nanotubes, nanowires, self-assembled nanochains, etc., and have been applied in electronics, photonics, and catalysis. The biological characteristics of 1-D nanomaterials, including high drug loading efficiency, prolonged blood circulation, the ability to capture cancer cells, unique cellular uptake mechanisms, efficient photothermal conversion, and material tunability, have aided in extending their potential to biomedical applications, particularly in cancer therapy and diagnosis. This review highlights a novel perspective on emerging 1-D nanomaterials for cancer therapy and diagnosis by introducing the definition of 1-D nanomaterials, their shape-dependent physicochemical properties, biomedical applications, and recent advances in cancer therapy and diagnosis. This review also proposes unexplored potential nanomaterial types and therapeutic applications for 1-D nanomaterials. In particular, the most significant and exciting advances in recent years, including ultrasound-enabled sonodynamic therapy, magnetic field-based therapy, and bioresponsive 1-D nanomaterials for intracellular self-assembly in situ, are discussed along with novel therapeutic concepts, such as piezoelectric 1-D nanomaterials, nanozyme-based nanomedicine, and others.

Blending Low-Frequency Vibrations and Push-pull Effects Affords Superior Photoacoustic Imaging Agents

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI), a state-of-the-art noninvasive in vivo imaging technique, has been widely used in clinical disease diagnosis. However, the design of high-performance PAI agents with three key characteristics, i.e., near-infrared (NIR) absorption (λabs > 800 nm), intense PA signals, and excellent photostability, remains a challenging goal. Herein, we present a facile but effective approach for engineering PAI agents by amplifying intramolecular low-frequency vibrations and enhancing the push-pull effect. As a demonstration of this blended approach, we constructed a PAI agent (BDP1-NEt2) based on the boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) scaffold. Compared with indocyanine green (ICG, an FDA-approved organic dye widely utilized in PAI studies; λabs = 788 nm), BDP1-NEt2 exhibited a UV-Vis-NIR spectrum peaked at 825 nm, superior in vivo PA signal intensity and outstanding stability to offer improved tumor diagnostics. We believe this work provides a promising strategy to develop the next generation of PAI agents.

A high spatial resolution dataset of China's biomass resource potential

Assessing biomass resource potential is essential for China's ambitious goals of carbon neutrality, rural revitalization, and poverty eradication. To fill the data gap of high spatial resolution biomass resources in China, this study estimates the biomass resource potential for all types of lignocellulosic biomass feedstock at 1 km resolution in 2018, including 9 types of agricultural residues, 11 types of forestry residues, and 5 types of energy crops. By combining the statistical accounting method and the GIS-based method, this study develops a transparent and comprehensive assessment framework, which is in accordance with the principle of food security, forest land and pasture protection, and biodiversity protection. In the end, we organize and store the data in different formats (GeoTIFF, NetCDF, and Excel) for GIS users, integrated modelers, and policymakers. The reliability of this high spatial resolution dataset has been proved by comparing the aggregated data at the subnational and national levels with the existing literature. This dataset has numerous potential uses and is a crucial input to many bioenergy-related studies.