Engineering bimetal Cu, Co sites on 3D N-doped porous carbon nanosheets for enhanced oxygen reduction electrocatalysis

3D mesoporous Cu,Co-N-C nanosheet architectures are fabricated, showing greatly enhanced catalytic activity and stability in the ORR relative to their mono-metallic counterparts. Such superiority results from the synergistic interplay of their bimetallic sites, which can offer more accessible active sites and efficiently modulate their surface/interface electronic structures.

Deep Learning for Pediatric Posterior Fossa Tumor Detection and Classification: A Multi-Institutional Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Posterior fossa tumors are the most common pediatric brain tumors. MR imaging is key to tumor detection, diagnosis, and therapy guidance. We sought to develop an MR imaging-based deep learning model for posterior fossa tumor detection and tumor pathology classification.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study cohort comprised 617 children (median age, 92 months; 56% males) from 5 pediatric institutions with posterior fossa tumors: diffuse midline glioma of the pons (n = 122), medulloblastoma (n = 272), pilocytic astrocytoma (n = 135), and ependymoma (n = 88). There were 199 controls. Tumor histology served as ground truth except for diffuse midline glioma of the pons, which was primarily diagnosed by MR imaging. A modified ResNeXt-50-32x4d architecture served as the backbone for a multitask classifier model, using T2-weighted MRIs as input to detect the presence of tumor and predict tumor class. Deep learning model performance was compared against that of 4 radiologists.

RESULTS

Model tumor detection accuracy exceeded an AUROC of 0.99 and was similar to that of 4 radiologists. Model tumor classification accuracy was 92% with an F₁ score of 0.80. The model was most accurate at predicting diffuse midline glioma of the pons, followed by pilocytic astrocytoma and medulloblastoma. Ependymoma prediction was the least accurate. Tumor type classification accuracy and F₁ score were higher than those of 2 of the 4 radiologists.

CONCLUSIONS

We present a multi-institutional deep learning model for pediatric posterior fossa tumor detection and classification with the potential to augment and improve the accuracy of radiologic diagnosis.

Downregulation of lncRNA SNHG7 inhibits proliferation and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through repressing ROCK1

Since this article has been suspected of research misconduct and the corresponding authors did not respond to our request to prove originality of data and figures, "Downregulation of lncRNA SNHG7 inhibits proliferation and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through repressing ROCK1, by L. Wang, T. Xu, X. Cui, M. Han, L.-H. Zhou, Z.-X. Wei, Z.-J. Xu, Y. Jiang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (14): 6186-6193-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201907_18432-PMID: 31364118" has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/18432.

Impact of antidiabetic agents on dementia risk: A Bayesian network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Dementia is more prevalent among people with type 2 diabetes, but little is known regarding the influence of antidiabetic agents on this association.

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the impact of various antidiabetic agents on the risk of dementia among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Relevant studies were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. Nine antidiabetic agents were included in the search. Data were pooled via network meta-analysis and meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Nine studies were selected for the network meta-analysis with 530,355 individuals and 17 studies for the meta-analysis with 1,258,879 individuals. The analysis excluded glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogs and sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors due to the absence of relevant data. The use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, metformin, thiazolidinedione, and sulfonylurea was associated with a decreased risk of dementia in comparison to no treatment with antidiabetic agents (hazard ratio [HR] for DPP-4 inhibitors, 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.74, HR for metformin, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.86; HR for sulfonylurea, 0.85; 95%CI, 0.73-0.98 and HR for thiazolidinedione, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.89, respectively). However, the node-splitting analysis showed the inconsistency of direct and indirect estimates in sulfonylurea (P = 0.042). DPP-4 inhibitors, metformin, thiazolidinedione, and sulfonylurea exhibited a significant impact on the risk of dementia in diabetics compared with insulin (HR, 0.35; 95%CI, 0.20-0.59, HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.30-0.77, HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.73 and HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34-0.88, respectively). DPP-4 inhibitors also exhibited a protective effect on the risk of Alzheimer's dementia compared with the no treatment with antidiabetic agents (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.25-0.92). The meta-analysis demonstrated a protective effect of using metformin and DPP-4 inhibitors on the risk of dementia (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.74-1.00 and HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.55-0.76, respectively). Further analysis showed insulin was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's dementia (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.13-2.26). Only two case-control studies mentioned GLP-1 analogs and SGLT-2 inhibitors, and the pooled ORs showed no evidence of an association with dementia (GLP-1 analogs: 0.71; 95% CI, 0.46-1.10 and SGLT-2 inhibitors: 0.74; 95% CI, 0.47-1.15).

CONCLUSION

This analysis indicated that patients with type 2 diabetes under treatment with DPP-4 inhibitors presented with the lowest risk of dementia, followed by those treated with metformin and thiazolidinedione, while treatment with insulin was associated with the highest risk. For the increasing focus on the protective effect on dementia, further specific clinical studies are needed to evaluate the impact of GLP-1 analogs and SGLT-2 inhibitors on the risk of dementia.

Neuroprotective Effect of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Against Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Neural Functional Injury: A Pivotal Role for AMPK and JAK2/STAT3/NF-κB Signaling Pathway Modulation

Introduction

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) is the main factor that leads to poor prognosis of cerebral ischemia. Apoptosis has been shown to occur during the process of CIRI. Extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs-EVs) have shown broad potential for treating brain dysfunction and eliciting neuroprotective effects after stroke through neurogenesis and angiogenesis. However, the mechanism of action of extracellular vesicles during CIRI is not well known.

Methods

A middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was induced by the modified Longa method, and MSCs-EVs were injected via the tail vein.

Results

Our results showed that MSCs-EVs significantly alleviated neurological deficits, reduced the volume of cerebral infarction and brain water content, improved pathological lesions in cortical brain tissue, and attenuated neuronal apoptosis in the cortex at 24 h and 48 h after MCAO in rats. Western blotting analysis showed that MSCs-EVs significantly upregulated p-AMPK and downregulated p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and p-NF-κB. In addition, an AMPK pathway blocker reversed the effect of MSCs-EVs on brain damage.

Conclusion

These results indicate that MSCs-EVs protected MCAO-injured rats, possibly by regulating the AMPK and JAK2/STAT3/NF-κB signaling pathways. This study supports the use of MSCs-EVs as a potential treatment strategy for MCAO in the future.

Prognosis and targeting of pre-metastatic niche

As the main cause of tumoral fatality, metastasis remains to be one of the most urgent difficulties researcher struggled to overcome. During the development and progression of metastasis, the establishment of pre-metastatic niche is crucial in preparing fertile microenvironment for disseminated tumor cells settlement and colonization in distant metastatic target sites. The key participators, including the primary tumor-derived factors, bone marrow-derived cells, stromal cells of both the host and the potential metastatic sites, regulate the temporal progress of potential metastasis. Firstly, pioneers are sent from primary tumor, recruiting immunosuppressive cells; then circulating tumor cells settled and colonized; and finally, micrometastases develop. Here, we summarize the therapeutic strategies presented in recent years targeting different stages of the pre-metastatic niche formation and discuss their chances and challenges in clinical translation, providing promising approaches for metastasis prevention and therapeutic interventions.

Blocking protein phosphatase 2A with a peptide protects mice against bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis

Emerging data indicate that endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). A previous study noted that blocking the activity of protein phosphatase 2 A (PP2A) could attenuate EndMT. However, the treatment effects of PP2A inhibitors in pulmonary fibrosis remain not investigated. In the present study, we used a PP2A inhibitor, a newly designed peptide named TAT-Y127WT, to determine the role of PP2A in pulmonary fibrosis. Herein, we showed that TAT-Y127WT protected mice against BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis by attenuating lung injury and fibrosis. Furthermore, a mechanistic study indicated that TAT-Y127WT could alleviate EndMT in the lungs following BLM induction. Overall, our data showed that PP2A might participate in pulmonary fibrogenesis by promoting EndMT, and TAT-Y127WT could be a potential candidate for new anti-fibrotic therapies for IPF patients.

Overexpression of IκBα in cardiomyocytes alleviates hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis and autophagy by inhibiting NF-κB activation

Background

Inflammation and oxidative stress play predominant roles in the initiation and progression of ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, with nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) serving as a crucial mediator. Overexpression of the inhibitor of κB alpha (IκBα) gene is hypothesized to have protective effects against apoptosis and autophagy in cardiomyocytes subjected to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway.

Methods

The IκBα^{S32A, S36A} gene was transfected via adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) delivery into neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVMs) prior to H₂O₂ treatment. NRVMs were divided into control, H₂O₂, GFP + H₂O₂, IκBα+H₂O₂, and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) + H₂O₂ groups. Nuclear translocation of the NF-κB p65 subunit was evaluated by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Cell viability was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Supernatant lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured to identify H₂O₂-stimulated cytotoxicity. Apoptosis was determined by Annexin V-PE/7-AAD staining, and the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was detected by JC-1 staining. Western blotting was used to detect apoptosis- and autophagy-related proteins.

Results

IκBα transfection significantly increased cell viability and ΔΨm but decreased the supernatant LDH and cellular MDA levels in cardiomyocytes exposed to H₂O₂. Meanwhile, IκBα overexpression decreased H₂O₂-induced apoptosis by upregulating the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and reduced autophagy by downregulating the expression of Beclin-1 and the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio. These effects partly accounted for the ability of IκBα to inhibit the NF-κB signalling pathway, as evidenced by decreases in p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. Indeed, the effects of inactivation of NF-κB signalling with the specific inhibitor PDTC resembled the cardioprotective effects of IκBα during H₂O₂ stimulation.

Conclusion

IκBα overexpression can ameliorate H₂O₂-induced apoptosis, autophagy, oxidative injury, and ΔΨm loss through inhibition of the NF-κB signalling pathway. These findings suggest that IκBα transfection can result in successful resistance to oxidative stress-induced damage by inhibiting NF-κB activation, which may provide a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of myocardial I/R injury.

Improving the structural and cyclic stabilities of P2-type Na0.67MnO2 cathode material via Cu and Ti co-substitution for sodium ion batteries

An air-stable Na_0.67Mn_0.7Cu_0.15Ti_0.15O₂ (NMCT) has been synthesized using a solid-state method. It displays a reversible capacity of 170 mA h g^-1 and a capacity retention of 82.5% after 300 cycles. NMCT also exhibits good structural stability upon electrochemical de/intercalation processes as observed by operando XRD. And the result shows that the unit-cell volume change of NMCT during the whole process of Na⁺ de/intercalation is only 3.2%. These data indicate that NMCT is a promising cathode material for sodium ion batteries (SIBs).

Antidepressant effects of 3-(3,4-methylenedioxy-5-trifluoromethyl phenyl)-2E-propenoic acid isobutyl amide involve TSPO-mediated mitophagy signalling pathway

Piper laetispicum C. DC is one of the Chinese herbal medicines used for alleviating depressive disorders. G11-5 [3-(3, 4-methylenedioxy-5-trifluoromethyl phenyl)-2E-propenoic acid isobutyl amide] is synthesized based on the chemical structure of an active integrant of Piper laetispicum C. DC. The present study assessed the antidepressant effect of G11-5 and investigated the underlying mechanism with learned helplessness (LH) and social defeat stress (SDS) mice model of depression. In the LH model, mice were exposed to 60 inescapable electric shocks once a day for three consecutive days followed by 2-week drug administration and helpless behaviour assessment. In the SDS model, mice were subjected to repeated social defeat by an aggressive CD-1 mouse once a day for consecutive 10 days. Following oral administration for 2 weeks, the mice were subjected to a series of behavioural tests including social interaction test. G11-5 significantly decreased the number of escape failures induced by LH paradigm, meanwhile increased the social interaction ratio and shortened the immobility time in forced swimming test for the SDS-exposed mice, suggesting remarkable antidepressant effect. Moreover, G11-5 ameliorated the changes in mitophagy-related proteins induced by two stress exposures and restored retrograde axonal transport and neurotransmitter release. Our findings suggested that G11-5 exhibited an obvious antidepressant through TSPO-mediated mitophagy pathway.

Output-Feedback Cooperative Formation Maneuvering of Autonomous Surface Vehicles With Connectivity Preservation and Collision Avoidance

In this paper, a cooperative time-varying formation maneuvering problem with connectivity preservation and collision avoidance is investigated for a fleet of autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) with position-heading measurements. Each vehicle is subject to unknown kinetics induced by internal model uncertainty and external disturbances. At first, a nonlinear state observer is used to recover the unmeasured linear velocity and yaw rate as well as unknown uncertainty and disturbances. Then, observer-based cooperative time-varying formation maneuvering control laws are designed based on artificial potential functions, nonlinear tracking differentiators, and a backstepping technique. The stability of closed-loop distributed formation control system is analyzed based on input-to-state stability and cascade stability. The salient features of the proposed method are as follows. First, cooperative time-varying formation maneuvering with the capability of connectivity preservation and collision avoidance can be achieved in the absence of velocity measurements. Second, the complexity of the cooperative time-varying formation maneuvering control laws is reduced without resorting to dynamic surface control. Third, the uncertainty and disturbance are actively rejected in the presence of position-heading measurements. Simulation results are given to substantiate the proposed output feedback control method for cooperative time-varying formation maneuvering of ASVs with connectivity preservation and collision avoidance.

Emodin attenuates acute lung injury in Cecal-ligation and puncture rats

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a major cause of sepsis-induced acute respiratory failure. Emodin has been considered to play a protective role for acute lung edema in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis model. In this study we aimed to investigate whether emodin could improve CLP-induced lung sepsis via regulating aquaporin (AQP) and tight junction (TJ), inflammatory factors, and pulmonary apoptosis. The results showed that sepsis-induced pulmonary pathological changes were significantly improved after emodin treatment. Emodin was found to upregulate AQP and TJ expression in the CLP model. Meanwhile, inflammatory cytokine release and pulmonary apoptosis was remarkably reduced after emodin treatment in lung sepsis. Our data demonstrated that emodin could suppresse inflammation, restore pulmonary epithelial barrier and reduce mortality in CLP-induced ALI, suggesting the potential therapeutic application of emodin in sepsis.

Elevated plasma levels of exosomal BACE1‑AS combined with the volume and thickness of the right entorhinal cortex may serve as a biomarker for the detection of Alzheimer's disease

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and exosomes are involved in the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the pathological changes of which are usually first observed in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the measurement of plasma exosomal lncRNA combined with image data of the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus could be used as a biomarker of AD. A total of 72 patients with AD and 62 controls were recruited, and the expression levels of several lncRNAs were assessed. Of the recruited participants, 22 patients and 26 controls received brain 3D-BRAVO sequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, which were analyzed using an automated analysis tool. The plasma exosomal β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme-1-antisense transcript (BACE1-AS) levels in patients with AD were significantly higher compared with the controls (P<0.005). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.761 for BACE1-AS, the sensitivity was 87.5%, and the specificity was 61.3%. Analysis of MRI images indicated that the right entorhinal cortex volume (P=0.015) and thickness (P=0.022) in patients with AD were significantly smaller. The AUC was 0.688 for the right entorhinal cortex volume, with a sensitivity of 59.1%, and the specificity was 84.6%. The AUC was 0.689 for right entorhinal cortex thickness, with a sensitivity of 80.8%, and the specificity was 59.1%. A series-parallel test which integrated the BACE1-AS with the right entorhinal cortex volume and thickness, raised the specificity and sensitivity to 96.15 and 90.91%, respectively. A logistic regression model demonstrated that combination of the 3 indices provided improved sensitivity and specificity simultaneously, particularly when adjusting for age and sex (AUC, 0.819; sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 73.1%). The results of the present study demonstrated that detection of plasma exosomal BACE1-AS levels combined with the volume and thickness of the right entorhinal cortex may be used as a novel biomarker of AD.

Fault Diagnosis of Complex Processes Using Sparse Kernel Local Fisher Discriminant Analysis

As an outstanding discriminant analysis technique, Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA) gained extensive attention in supervised dimensionality reduction and fault diagnosis fields. However, it typically ignores the multimodality within the measured data, which may cause infeasibility in practice. In addition, it generally incorporates all process variables without emphasizing the key faulty ones when modeling the complex process, thus leading to degraded fault classification capability and poor model interpretability. To ease the above two drawbacks of conventional FDA, this brief presents an advantageously sparse local FDA (SLFDA) model, it first preserves the within-class multimodality by introducing local weighting factors into scatter matrix. Then, the responsible faulty variables are identified automatically through the elastic net algorithm, and the current optimization problem is subsequently settled through the feasible gradient direction method. Since then, the local data structure characteristics are exploited from both the sample dimension and variable dimension so that the fault diagnosis performance and model interpretability are significantly enhanced. In addition, we naturally extend SLFDA model to nonlinear variant (i.e., sparse kernel local FDA) by the kernel trick, which is substantially more resistant to strong nonlinearity. The simulation studies on Tennessee Eastman (TE) benchmark process and real-world diesel engine working process both validate that the novel diagnosis strategy is more accurate and reliable than the existing state-of-the-art methods.

Non-Canonical Caspase Activity Antagonizes p38 MAPK Stress-Priming Function to Support Development

Recent studies have revealed non-canonical activities of apoptotic caspases involving specific modulation of gene expression, such as limiting asymmetric divisions of stem-like cell types. Here we report that CED-3 caspase negatively regulates an epidermal p38 stress-responsive MAPK pathway to promote larval development in C. elegans. We show that PMK-1 (p38 MAPK) primes animals for encounters with hostile environments at the expense of retarding post-embryonic development. CED-3 counters this function by directly cleaving PMK-1 to promote development. Moreover, we found that CED-3 and PMK-1 oppose each other to balance developmental and stress-responsive gene expression programs. Specifically, expression of more than 300 genes is inversely regulated by CED-3 and PMK-1. Analyses of these genes showed enrichment for epidermal stress-responsive factors, including the fatty acid synthase FASN-1, anti-microbial peptides, and genes involved in lethargus states. Our findings demonstrate a non-canonical role for a caspase in promoting development by limiting epidermal stress response programs.

Design and synthesis of potent PAR-1 antagonists based on vorapaxar

A series of novel vorapaxar analogues with different amino substitutes at the C-7, C-9a and aromatic substitutes at the C-4 position were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their inhibitory activity to PAR-1. Several compounds showed good potency in antagonist activity based on the intracellular calcium mobilization assay and excellent pharmacokinetics profile in rats. Among these analogues, 3d exhibited excellent PAR-1 inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 0.18 μM) and the lower ability to cross the blood-brain barrier compared with vorapaxar (IC₅₀ = 0.25 μM). Compound 3d has the potential to be developed as a new generation of PAR-1 antagonists with a better therapeutic window.

A novel diagnostic system to evaluate epidermal growth factor receptor impact as a prognostic and therapeutic indicator for lung adenocarcinoma

Many driver pathways for cancer cell proliferation have been reported. Driver pathway activation is often evaluated based on a single hotspot mutation such as EGFR L858R. However, because of complex intratumoral networks, the impact of a driver pathway cannot be predicted based on only a single gene mutation. Here, we developed a novel diagnostic system named the "EGFR impact score" which is based on multiplex mRNA expression profiles, which can predict the impact of the EGFR pathway in lung cancer cells and the effect of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors on malignancy. The EGFR impact score indicated robust predictive power for the prognosis of early-stage lung cancer because this score can evaluate the impact of the EGFR pathway on the tumor and genomic instability. Additionally, the molecular features of the poor prognostic group resembled those of biomarkers associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The EGFR impact score is a novel prognostic and therapeutic indicator for lung adenocarcinoma.

An institutional experience evaluating hTERT immunostaining in 100 consecutive ThinPrep urine specimens

INTRODUCTION

Studies have shown that expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in mature urothelial cells indicates an increased risk of urothelial carcinoma. We evaluated the utility of immunocytochemistry with a commercially available anti-hTERT antibody (SCD-A7) in 100 consecutive urine cytology specimens using ThinPrep processing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

ThinPrep slides prepared from 100 consecutive urine specimens were stained using anti-hTERT antibody (SCD-A7) after staining optimization had been successfully completed. Patient demographics, cytology diagnoses, histologic follow-up data, and anti-hTERT staining results were recorded.

RESULTS

The cytology diagnoses included 7 cases of high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC), 2 cases suspicious for HGUC (SHGUC), 24 cases of atypical urothelial cells (AUCs), and 67 cases negative for HGUC (NHGUC). Of 92 samples, 68 (74%) were positive and 24 (26%) were negative for anti-hTERT staining. Although 31 of 32 specimens (97%) with a diagnosis of AUCs and greater showed positive staining, 37 of 60 NHGUC cases (62%) were also positive for anti-hTERT. Although the HGUC and suspicious for HGUC cases were more likely to show strong staining (6 of 9; 67%), 7 AUC (32%) and 8 NHGUC (22%) cases also demonstrated strong staining. Eight samples (8%) were unsatisfactory for interpretation. Anti-hTERT staining of nonurothelial cells was seen in 77 of 92 samples (84%).

CONCLUSIONS

Interpretation of anti-hTERT immunocytochemical staining of ThinPrep material is challenging owing to obscuring of nonurothelial cell staining and difficulty discerning individual urothelial cell cytomorphology when the cells are stained. The significance of the large number of anti-hTERT-positive but cytology-negative cases in our study is uncertain.

Recurrent Broad Learning Systems for Time Series Prediction

The broad learning system (BLS) is an emerging approach for effective and efficient modeling of complex systems. The inputs are transferred and placed in the feature nodes, and then sent into the enhancement nodes for nonlinear transformation. The structure of a BLS can be extended in a wide sense. Incremental learning algorithms are designed for fast learning in broad expansion. Based on the typical BLSs, a novel recurrent BLS (RBLS) is proposed in this paper. The nodes in the enhancement units of the BLS are recurrently connected, for the purpose of capturing the dynamic characteristics of a time series. A sparse autoencoder is used to extract the features from the input instead of the randomly initialized weights. In this way, the RBLS retains the merit of fast computing and fits for processing sequential data. Motivated by the idea of "fine-tuning" in deep learning, the weights in the RBLS can be updated by conjugate gradient methods if the prediction errors are large. We exhibit the merits of our proposed model on several chaotic time series. Experimental results substantiate the effectiveness of the RBLS. For chaotic benchmark datasets, the RBLS achieves very small errors, and for the real-world dataset, the performance is satisfactory.

Intercrops can mitigate pollen-mediated gene flow from transgenic cotton while simultaneously reducing pest densities

Genetically modified (GM) cotton, engineered to express Bt toxins that protect it from insect damage, has become the most successfully commercialized GM crop in China since its authorization in 1997. In light of the potential ecological consequences of pollen-mediated gene flow (PGF) from GM plants, a two year field trial was conducted to test the effects on PGF of sunflower, Helianthus annuus, buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum, and soybean, Glycine max, as intercrops in non-GM cotton fields during 2017 and 2018. DNA tests for hybridized seed were used to estimate rates of PGF in intercrop treatments. PGF was the lowest in cotton intercropped with either buckwheat or sunflower, likely due to the trapping of pollen in these flowers, and/or the diversion of pollinators away from cotton flowers. PGF declined as an exponential function of distance from the GM cotton; Y = -lnx was the model of best fit for estimating pollen dispersal potential. A sunflower intercrop reduced the peak abundance of Aphis gossypii, (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and Nysius ericae (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) on cotton plants, although densities of Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Acari: Tetranychidae), were increased. A buckwheat intercrop had very similar effects on these pests, likely due to attraction of their natural enemies. We conclude that sunflower and buckwheat are suitable intercrops for reducing PGF from GM cotton, and may be useful for reducing PGF from other insect-pollinated GM crops in the agricultural landscape, while simultaneously contributing to control of specific pests. This is the first demonstration, to our knowledge, that intercrops can be used to reduce PGF from transgenic plants.

Plasma fractalkine levels are associated with renal inflammation and outcomes in immunoglobulin A nephropathy

BACKGROUND

A recognized noninvasive biomarker to improve risk stratification of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) patients is scarce. Fractalkine has been shown to play a key role in glomerular disease as chemoattractant, adhesion and even fibrosis factor. The current study assessed the possibility of plasma fractalkine as a novel biomarker in IgAN patients.

METHODS

Plasma fractalkine was measured in 229 patients with renal biopsy consistent IgAN from 2012 to 2014, and clinical, pathological and prognostic relationships were analyzed.

RESULTS

The plasma fractalkine levels in IgAN patients were significantly correlated with the creatinine level and 24-h urine protein by both univariate and multivariate analysis. Mesangial hypercellularity was still significantly correlated with the plasma fractalkine levels even after adjustment for other potential predictor variables by multivariate analysis. In addition, the counts of CD20+ B cells or CD68+ macrophage in renal biopsies of IgAN patients were significantly correlated with the plasma fractalkine levels, but not CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Finally, we concluded that patients with higher plasma fractalkine levels had higher risk of poor renal outcome compared with those with lower plasma fractalkine levels. No association was observed between the CX3CR1 polymorphisms and clinical parameters including plasma fractalkine levels and prognosis. Recombinant fractalkine induced mesangial cells extracellular matrix synthesis and promoted the migration of microphage cells RAW264.7.

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma fractalkine levels were associated with creatinine level, 24-h urine protein, mesangial hypercellularity pathological damage, the CD68+ macrophage and CD20+ B cell infiltration in renal tissue and renal outcome in IgAN patients. Plasma fractalkine might be a potential prognosis novel predictor in Chinese patients with IgAN.

Diagnostic performance of nucleic acid tests in tuberculous pleurisy

BACKGROUND

Tuberculous pleurisy (TBP) is the most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB). However, rapid diagnostic methods with high accuracy for tuberculous pleurisy are urgently needed. In the present study, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF, LAMP and SAT-TB assay with pleural fluids from culture-positive TBP patients.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 300 patients with exudative pleural effusions used as the samples for Xpert MTB/RIF, LAMP and SAT-TB assay. Of these, 265 including 223 patients diagnosed with TBP and 42 non-TBP patients used as controls were analyzed.

RESULTS

The sensitivities of Xpert MTB/RIF (27.4%), LAMP (26.5%) and SAT-TB assay (32.3%) were significantly higher than that of pleural effusion smear (14.3%, X² = 20.65, P <  0.001), whereas they were much lower than expected for the analysis of pleural effusion samples. Both SAT-TB assay and Xpert MTB/RIF demonstrated high specificities (100%) and PPVs (100%), but the NPVs of all of the tests were < 22%. The area under ROC curve of pleural effusion smear, LAMP, Xpert MTB/RIF and SAT-TB assays was 0.524 (95% CI 0.431-0.617), 0.632 (95% CI 0.553-0.71), 0.637 (95% CI 0.56-0.714) and 0.673 (95% CI 0.6-0.745). SAT-TB assays had the highest AUC.

CONCLUSION

Nucleic acid amplification tests are not the first choice in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. In this type of test, SAT-TB is recommended because of its low cost, relatively more accurate compared with the other two tests. This prospective study was approved by The Ethics Committee of the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital (approval number: K19-148).

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: ChiCTR1900026234 (Retrospectively registered). The registration date is September 28, 2019.

Abnormality of m6A mRNA Methylation Is Involved in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is highly prevalent in older adults. The main clinical feature is the progressive decline of memory function, which eventually leads to the decline of cognitive function. At present, the pathogenesis of AD is unclear. In the disease process, synaptic changes are the key. Recent studies have shown that the dysregulation of RNA methylation is related to many biological processes, including neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative diseases. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant modification in eukaryotic RNA. In this study, RNA m6A methylation was quantified in APP/PS1 transgenic mice, which is an AD mouse model, and C57BL/6 control mice, and data showed that m6A methylation was elevated in the cortex and the hippocampus of APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Next, the alterations of m6A RNA methylation in AD and in C57BL/6 mice were investigated using high-throughput sequencing. Genome-wide maps of m6A mRNA showed that the degrees of m6A methylation were higher in many genes and lower in others in AD mice. Interestingly, the expression of the m6A methyltransferase METTL3 was elevated and that of the m6A demethylase FTO was decreased in AD mice. The data were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, and pathways that might be related to synaptic or neuron development and growth were constructed. The related pathways and genes predicted the potential roles of the differentially expressed m6A methylation RNA in AD. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the m6A methylation of RNA promotes the development of AD.

Catalytic performance of Pdn (n = 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6) clusters supported on TiO2-V for the formation of dimethyl oxalate via the CO catalytic coupling reaction: a theoretical study

The formation of dimethyl oxalate (DMO) via CO catalytic coupling on a series of catalysts including Pdn (n = 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6) clusters loaded on TiO2-V has been explored by density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The results show that different Pdn clusters have a remarkable influence on DMO formation. The Pd1/TiO2-V catalyst is not suitable for the CO catalytic coupling reaction since CO is easily bound to the O atom on the surface of TiO2-V leading to the formation of CO2. The activity of four catalysts complies with the following order of Pd4/TiO2-V > Pd6/TiO2-V > Pd2/TiO2-V > Pd3/TiO2-V by comparing the activation energy barriers of the rate-determining steps in the optimal paths. Charge analysis implies that less charge is transferred from the Pd4/TiO2-V and Pd6/TiO2-V catalysts to CO than on the other catalysts, which leads to the relatively weak adsorption of CO, and therefore CO has a greater tendency to react with other species on the surface. In addition, Pd6/TiO2-V also exhibits relatively higher selectivity toward DMO than the other three catalysts. Therefore, Pd6 is regarded as a suitable cluster, which is supported on TiO2-V demonstrating high catalytic activity and selectivity to DMO.

Nanostructured metal chalcogenides confined in hollow structures for promoting energy storage

The engineering of progressive nanostructures with subtle construction and abundant active sites is a key factor for the advance of highly efficient energy storage devices. Nanostructured metal chalcogenides confined in hollow structures possess abundant electroactive sites, more ions and electron pathways, and high local conductivity, as well as large interior free space in a quasi-closed structure, thus showing promising prospects for boosting energy-related applications. This review focuses on the most recent progress in the creation of diverse confined hollow metal chalcogenides (CHMCs), and their electrochemical applications. Particularly, by highlighting certain typical examples from these studies, a deep understanding of the formation mechanism of confined hollow structures and the decisive role of microstructure engineering in related performances are discussed and analyzed, aiming at prompting the nanoscale engineering and conceptual design of some advanced confined metal chalcogenide nanostructures. This will appeal to not only the chemistry-, energy-, and materials-related fields, but also environmental protection and nanotechnology, thus opening up new opportunities for applications of CHMCs in various fields, such as catalysis, adsorption and separation, and energy conversion and storage.

Caution on Kidney Dysfunctions of COVID-19 Patients.. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.1101/2020.02.08.20021212]

Background

To date, large amounts of epidemiological and case study data have been available for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which suggested that the mortality was related to not just respiratory complications. Here, we specifically analyzed kidney functions in COVID-19 patients and their relations to mortality.

Method

In this multi-centered, retrospective, observational study, we included 193 adult patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from 2 hospitals in Wuhan, 1 hospital in Huangshi (Hubei province, 83 km from Wuhan) and 1 hospital in Chongqing (754 km from Wuhan). Demographic data, symptoms, laboratory values, comorbidities, treatments, and clinical outcomes were all collected, including data regarding to kidney functions. Data were compared among three groups: non-severe COVID-19 patients (128), severe COVID-19 patients (65) and a control group of other pneumonia (28). For the data from computed tomographic (CT) scans, we also included a control group of healthy subjects (110 cases, without abnormalities in the lung and without kidney diseases). The primary outcome was a common presence of kidney dysfunctions in COVID-19 patients and the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in a fraction of COVID-19 patients. Secondary outcomes included a survival analysis of COVID-19 patients in conditions of AKI or comorbid chronic illnesses.

Findings

We included 193 COVID-19 patients (128 non-severe, 65 severe (including 32 non-survivors), between January 6th and February 21th,2020; the final date of follow-up was March 4th, 2020) and 28 patients of other pneumonia (15 of viral pneumonia, 13 of mycoplasma pneumonia) before the COVID-19 outbreak. On hospitaladmission, a remarkable fraction of patients had signs of kidney dysfunctions, including 59% with proteinuria, 44% with hematuria, 14% with increased levels of blood urea nitrogen, and 10% with increased levels of serum creatinine, although mild but worse than that in cases with other pneumonia. While these kidney dysfunctions might not be readily diagnosed as AKI at admission, over the progress during hospitalization they could be gradually worsened and diagnosed as AKI. A univariate Cox regression analysis showed that proteinuria, hematuria, and elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, uric acid as well as D-dimer were significantly associated with the death of COVID-19 patients respectively. Importantly, the Cox regression analysis also suggested that COVID-19 patients that developed AKI had a ∼5.3-times mortality risk of those without AKI, much higher than that of comorbid chronic illnesses (∼1.5 times risk of those without comorbid chronic illnesses).

Interpretation

To prevent fatality in such conditions, we suggested a high degree of caution in monitoring the kidney functions of severe COVID-19 patients regardless of the past disease history. In addition, upon day-by-day monitoring, clinicians should consider any potential interventions to protect kidney functions at the early stage of the disease and renal replacement therapies in severely ill patients, particularly for those with strong inflammatory reactions or a cytokine storm.

Funding

None.

Ablation of Gsa impairs renal tubule proliferation after injury via CDK2/cyclin E

Acute kidney injury has a high global morbidity associated with an increased risk of death and chronic kidney disease. Renal tubular epithelial cell regeneration following injury may be a decisive factor in renal repair or the progression of acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease, but the underlying mechanism of abnormal renal tubular repair remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of heterotrimeric G stimulatory protein α-subunit (Gsa) in renal tubular epithelial cell regeneration. We generated renal tubule epithelium-specific Gsa knockout (Gsa^KspKO) mice to show the essential role of Gsa in renal tubular epithelial cell regeneration in two AKI models: acute aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) and unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury (UIRI). Gsa^KspKO mice developed more severe renal impairment after AAN and UIRI, higher serum creatinine levels, and more substantial tubular necrosis than wild-type mice. More importantly, Gsa inactivation impaired renal tubular epithelial cell proliferation by reducing bromodeoxyuridine⁺ cell numbers in the AAN model and inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinase 2/cyclin E1 expression in the UIRI model. This reduced proliferation was further supported in vitro with Gsa-targeting siRNA. Downregulation of Gsa inhibited tubular epithelial cell proliferation in HK-2 and mIMCD-3 cells. Furthermore, Gsa downregulation inhibited cyclin-dependent kinase 2/cyclin E1 expression, which was dependent on the Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway. In conclusion, Gsa is required for tubular epithelial cell regeneration during kidney repair after AKI. Loss of Gsa impairs renal tubular epithelial cell regeneration by blocking the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway.

Genetic Characterization of a Novel HIV-1 CRF07_BC/CRF55_01B Recombinant Form Identified in Jiangmen, China

New recombinant variants are a predominant challenge for preventing the spread of the HIV-1 epidemic. In this study, we confirmed a novel HIV-1 CRF07_BC/CRF55_01B recombinant form for the first time, which was isolated from a male patient in Jiangmen, China. The genomic sequence of the variant with four CRF55_01B segments inserted into the CRF07_BC backbone is 8,510 bp in length, extending from nucleotides 669 to 9,293 according to the HXB2 genome. Specifically, the recombinant strain contains site mutations associated with drug resistance.

Targeted delivery of celastrol to renal interstitial myofibroblasts using fibronectin-binding liposomes attenuates renal fibrosis and reduces systemic toxicity

Renal fibrosis often occurs in chronic kidney disease, and effective treatment is needed. Celastrol (CEL) may attenuate renal fibrosis, but it distributes throughout the body, leading to severe systemic toxicities. Here we designed a system to deliver CEL specifically to interstitial myofibroblasts, which is a key driver of renal fibrogenesis. Fibronectin is highly expressed in fibrotic kidney. The pentapeptide CREKA, which specifically binds fibronectin, was conjugated to PEGylated liposomes (CREKA-Lip). CREKA-coupled liposomes significantly increased the uptake of unmodified liposomes by activated NRK-49F renal fibroblasts. Systemic administration of CREKA-Lip to mice led to their accumulation in fibrotic kidney, where they were specifically internalized by interstitial myofibroblasts. Loading CEL into CREKA-Lip effectively inhibited the activation and proliferation of NRK-49F cells in vitro, and they markedly alleviated renal fibrosis, injury and inflammation induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction in mice. Besides, CEL-loaded CREKA-Lip was associated with significantly lower toxicity to major organs than free CEL. These results suggest that encapsulating CEL in CREKA-Lip can increase its therapeutic efficacy and reduce its systemic toxicity as a potential treatment for renal fibrosis.

Intracellular Restructured Reduced Glutathione-Responsive Peptide Nanofibers for Synergetic Tumor Chemotherapy

Self-assembled peptide nanofibers have been widely studied in cancer nanotherapeutics with their excellent biocompatibility and low toxicity of degradation products, showing the significant potential in inhibiting tumor progression. However, poor solubility prevents direct intravenous administration of nanofibers. Although water-soluble peptide precursors have been formed via the method of phosphorylation for intravenous administration, their opportunities for broad in vivo application are limited by the weak capacity of encapsulating drugs. Herein, we designed a novel restructured reduced glutathione (GSH)-responsive drug delivery system encapsulating doxorubicin for systemic administration, which achieved the intracellular restructuration from three-dimensional micelles into one-dimensional nanofibers. After a long blood circulation, micelles endocytosed by tumor cells could degrade in response to high GSH levels, achieving more release and accumulation of doxorubicin at desired sites. Further, the synergistic chemotherapy effects of self-assembled nanofibers were confirmed in both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Broadband SERS detection with disordered plasmonic hybrid aggregates

Plasmonic nanostructures possessing broadband intense field enhancement over a large area are highly desirable for nanophotonic and plasmonic device applications. In this study, 3D Ag hybrid nanoaggregates (3D-Ag-HNAs) are achieved via a highly efficient oblique angle gas-phase cluster beam deposition method. Not only can such structures produce a high density of plasmonic hot-spots to improve Raman sensitivity, but more importantly they generate kissing point-geometric singularities with a broadband optical response. We succeed in obtaining an experimental SERS enhancement factor beyond 4 × 10⁷ in the visible range, providing an optimal sensing platform for different analytes. Combined with good uniformity, reproducibility and ease of fabrication, our 3D-Ag-HNA offers a candidate for new generations of SERS systems.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16 and 18/45 Genotyping-Directed Follow-up of Women With Messenger RNA HPV-Positive, Cytology-Negative Cervical Screening Test Results

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we sought to correlate genotype test results for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16, 18, and 45 with histopathologic follow-up diagnoses in patients with messenger RNA (mRNA) high-risk HPV-positive, cytology-negative results.

METHODS

We identified 1,157 patients with mRNA HPV-positive, cytology-negative cervical screening test results between June 2015 and June 2018. Reflex HPV 16/18/45 genotype results were documented in 1,018 women aged 30 years or older, 318 of whom had follow-up within 18 months.

RESULTS

Histopathologic findings of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or worse (CIN2+) were diagnosed in 14 of 122 (11.5%) patients positive for HPV 16/18/45 vs in seven of 196 (3.6%) HPV 16/18/45-negative patients. Three patients with high-risk HPV-positive, cytology-negative cervical screening test results were diagnosed with stage I cervical adenocarcinomas following early colposcopic referral and biopsy after HPV 16/18/45-positive genotype results.

CONCLUSIONS

Immediate reflex HPV 16/18/45 genotyping of mRNA HPV-positive, cytology-negative patients led to early colposcopic referral and histopathologic diagnoses of three difficult-to-detect, low-stage, cervical adenocarcinomas and significantly increased overall early detection of CIN2+ lesions.

AIE/FRET-based versatile PEG-Pep-TPE/DOX nanoparticles for cancer therapy and real-time drug release monitoring

Based on the biological significance of self-assembling peptides in program cell death, promoting proliferation of stem cells and suppressing immune responses, stimuli-responsive polypeptide nanoparticles have attracted more and more attention.

Use of the base purse-string suture approach to remove giant uterine fibroids during cesarean section

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the optimal strategy for myomectomy for removing giant uterine fibroids when necessary in women undergoing cesarean section.

Methods

This study was retrospective in design, and assessed outcomes in 26 patients who underwent myomectomy using a “base purse-string suture” during cesarean section. The operative duration, blood loss, uterine involution, and duration of postpartum lochia were analyzed.

Results

This suture was associated with a mean operative duration of 11.17 ± 5.36 minutes and the mean estimated blood loss was 11.15 ± 6.05 mL. The mean postpartum duration of lochia was 34.92 ± 7.55 days and there were no cases of postpartum hemorrhage. Uterine size returned to normal within 6 weeks of delivery, without any apparent defects or abnormalities in the uterine wall as shown by an ultrasonic examination.

Conclusion

This novel implementation of a base purse-string suture during cesarean myomectomy for removal of giant fibroids is a simple, safe, and effective intervention that should be considered for implementation in appropriate patients.

Refractory Infection After Internal Fixation for Rib Fractures

The infection of internal fixation devices of rib fractures is rare, but it is usually severe when it occurs. Existing literature indicates that removal of infected hardware is essential for the clearance of refractory infection. We report a rare case of a patient who accepted operation for rib fractures; however, his hardware infection was not controlled after the removal of internal fixation devices, until the necrotic ribs were removed by the third operation.

Reduced Toxicity of Liposomal Nitrogen Mustard Prodrug Formulation Activated by an Intracellular ROS Feedback Mechanism in Hematological Neoplasm Models

Nitrogen mustard (NM) is among the earliest drugs used to treat malignant tumors and it kills tumor cells by cross-linking DNA. Unfortunately, because of the short half-life and unfavorable selectivity, NM causes significant damage to normal tissues. As NM can increase the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumor cells, a ROS-activated nitrogen mustard prodrug (NM-Pro) was synthesized and mixed with NM at a specific ratio to obtain an "NM-ROS-NM-Pro-NM" positive feedback system, which ultimately achieves a specific lethal effect on hematological neoplasms. The further encapsulation of NM/NM-Pro in liposomes allows the sustained release of the drug and prolongs the residence time in vivo. Here, we prepared stable liposomes with a uniform particle size of 170.6 ± 2.2 nm. The optimal ratio of NM to NM-Pro in this study was 2:1. The active drug NM in the NM/NM-Pro system continuously stimulated ROS production by the cells, which in turn further activated the NM-Pro to continuously generate NM. The positive feedback pathway between the NM and NM-Pro resulted in the specific death of tumor cells. Furthermore, the K562 hematological neoplasm model was utilized to evaluate the therapeutic effect of NM/NM-Pro liposomes in vivo. After encapsulation in liposomes, the targeting of tumor cells was increased approximately two times compared with that of normal cells, and NM/NM-Pro liposomes exhibited reduced toxicity, without an increase in drug activity compared to the NM/NM-Pro combination. The NM/NM-Pro delivery system exerts a positive feedback effect on ROS production in tumor cells and displays good potential for the specific killing of hematoma cells.

Doxorubicin derivative loaded acetal-PEG-PCCL micelles for overcoming multidrug resistance in MCF-7/ADR cells

Objective: This study was aimed to develop DOX-TPP loaded acetal-PEG-PCCL micelles to improve the clinical efficacy of drug resistance tumor. Significance: Chemotherapy is one of the main treatments for breast cancer but is plagued by multidrug resistance (MDR). DOX-TPP-loaded micelles can enhance the specific concentration of drugs in the tumor and improve the efficacy and overcome MDR. Methods: In this study, DOX-TPP-loaded micelles based on acetal-PEG-PCCL were prepared and their physicochemical properties were characterized. The cellular uptake and ability to induce apoptosis of the micelles was confirmed by flow cytometry in MCF-7/ADR cells. In addition, cytotoxicity of the micelles was studied in MCF-7 cells and MCF-7/ADR cells. Confocal is used to study the subcellular distribution of DOX. Free DOX-TPP or DOX-TPP-loaded acetal-PEG-PCCL micelles were administered via intravenous injection in the tail vain for the biodistribution study in vivo. Results: The diameter of micelles was about 102.4 nm and their drug-loading efficiency is 61.8%. The structural characterization was confirmed by 1H NMR. The micelles exhibited better antitumor efficacy compared to free doxorubicin in MCF-7/ADR cells by MTT assay. The apoptotic rate and the cellular uptake of micelles were significantly higher than free DOX and DOX-TPP. Micelles can efficiently deliver mitochondria-targeting DOX-TPP to tumor cells. The result of bio-distribution showed that the micelles had stronger tumor infiltration ability than free drugs. Conclusions: In this study, mitochondriotropic DOX-TPP was conjugated to the nanocarrier acetal-PEG-PCCL via ionic interaction to form a polymer, which spontaneously formed spherical micelles. The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the micelles are superior to free DOX and exhibit mitochondrial targeting and passive tumor targeting, indicating that they have potential prospects.

Evaluation of H2S-producing enzymes in cerebrospinal fluid and its relationship with interleukin-6 and neurologic deficits in subarachnoid hemorrhage

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recent studies have suggested that H₂S may be involved in the pathophysiology of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Endogenous H₂S is mainly formed by cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), d-amino-acid oxidase (DAO), and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfotransferase (3-MST) from the substrate cysteine in the central nervous system. In this study, we assessed the expression of CBS, 3-MST, and DAO in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with SAH and rats and the expression in the rat brain.

METHODS

CSF samples were collected within 48 h of aneurysm rupture in SAH patients. The CBS, DAO and 3-MST levels in CSF were measured using Western blot analyses, and correlations with the inflammatory parameter Interleukin-6 (IL-6) were assessed. Six months after SAH, the clinical outcomes were assessed.

RESULTS

In human CSF samples, the CBS and DAO protein levels were detected and increased after SAH. However, 3-MST was not detected in the control group CSF but increased after SAH. Strong correlations were observed between the increasing levels of CBS, DAO, and 3-MST and IL-6 2 days after SAH. Furthermore, high CBS, 3-MST and DAO levels in the CSF samples were correlated with poor outcomes at 6 months after SAH onset. We also found that the expression of CBS, DAO and 3-MST in the rat CSF and brain (parietal cortex and hippocampus) increased following SAH. We detected strong correlations between the increases in CBS, 3-MST and IL-6 in the rat CSF and brain samples.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the upregulated expression of CBS, DAO and 3-MST after SAH was closely associated with the inflammatory response and neurological deficits after SAH.

Effect of c-Ski on atrial remodelling in a rapid atrial pacing canine model

Atrial fibrosis is an important factor in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF); therefore, understanding the pathogenesis of atrial fibrosis may reveal promising therapeutic targets for AF. In this study, we successfully established a rapid atrial pacing canine model and found that the inducibility and duration of AF were significantly reduced by the overexpression of c‐Ski, suggesting that this approach may have therapeutic effects. c‐Ski was found to be down‐regulated in the atrial tissues of the rapid atrial pacing canine model. We artificially up‐regulated c‐Ski expression with a c‐Ski–overexpressing adenovirus. Haematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome and picrosirius red staining showed that c‐Ski overexpression alleviated atrial fibrosis. Furthermore, we found that the expression levels of collagen III and α‐SMA were higher in the groups of dogs subjected to right‐atrial pacing, and this increase was attenuated by c‐Ski overexpression. In addition, c‐Ski overexpression decreased the phosphorylation of smad2, smad3 and p38 MAPK (p38α and p38β) as well as the expression of TGF‐β1 in atrial tissues, as shown by a comparison of the right‐atrial pacing + c‐Ski‐overexpression group to the control group with right‐atrial pacing only. These results suggest that c‐Ski overexpression improves atrial remodelling in a rapid atrial pacing canine model by suppressing TGF‐β1–Smad signalling and p38 MAPK activation.

Photoelectrochemical response of Ag-graphene heterostructures: insight into the localized surface plasmon enhanced photocurrent generation process

We present Ag-graphene heterostructures by combining few layer graphene (FLG) with plasmonic silver nanoparticle (AgNP) arrays to boost the photoelectrochemical (PEC) efficiency of graphene-based nanostructures. AgNP arrays with controlled coverage and size distribution were fabricated on the graphene surface by means of gas phase cluster beam deposition. The photocurrent generation process in the FLG-based nanostructures was analyzed with a PEC amperometric measurement. A significant photocurrent enhancement was observed in the AgNPs-FLG heterostructures compared with bare FLG. It was found that the PEC performance was strongly related to the wavelength and power of the incident light, as well as the density and size of the AgNPs. The enhancement of the PEC response was attributed to the effect of the surface plasmon local fields of the AgNPs, which induce efficient generation and quick separation of the electron-hole pairs in FLG.

Efficacy of Beef Crust from Dry-Aged Beef Loins as Novel Functional Ingredient

ObjectivesDry-aging is a traditional butchery process, but currently, it has been more practiced in a niche market as a value-adding process. As dry aging involves placing primal/sub-primal sections under a controlled refrigerated condition without packaging materials, the formation of the dried surface (crust) is inevitable due to moisture evaporation. A considerable portion of the crust is to be trimmed off as waste, which is one of the major drawbacks of dry aging. While the beef crust may still exert its functional/technological properties, no information is available regarding the efficacy of utilizing beef crust as a potential food ingredient. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the physicochemical and functional properties of beef crust from dry-aged beef loins processed under various dry-aging conditions.Materials and MethodsPaired bone-in beef shell loins from 13 cull cow carcasses (C-maturity) were obtained at 5d postmortem, divided into 2 sections and assigned to four aging treatments: wet-aging (WA), dry-aging (DA), dry-aging in water-permeable bag (DWA) and dry-aging under UV-light (UDA; 5 J/s/12 h per day). Beef sections were aged for 28d at 2°C, 65% RH and 0.8 m/s air flow. After aging, the crusts were separated and beef samples from WA and initial (aged for 0 d, INI) were collected for comparison. In three independent batches, the crust samples were freeze-dried and powdered. Moisture contents of samples were measured before lyophilization. Emulsification capacity, salt-soluble protein solubility, emulsifying activity index, and surface hydrophobicity were determined. CIE* color attributes, lipid oxidation (TBARS), and protein oxidation (carbonyl and thiol contents) were measured. The PROC MIXED procedure of SAS was used to analyze the data. Significance level of least square means was set at the confidence level of 95%.ResultsBeef crusts from dry-aged loins had lower moisture contents compared with WA and INI (P < 0.05), while no difference between dry-aging methods was found (P > 0.05). The crust samples had lower L* and chroma values than WA and INI (P < 0.05). Emulsification capacity of DA, DWA, and UDA were lower than WA and INI (P < 0.05), with DA being the lowest (P < 0.05). In general, the crust had a significantly higher salt-soluble protein solubility compared to WA, while no difference between crusts and INI was found (P > 0.05). For emulsifying activity index, DA exhibited higher values than DWA, UDA and WA (P < 0.05), and was comparable to INI (P > 0.05). DA and INI had higher surface hydrophobicity values than the other samples, which could possibly explain the results of emulsifying activity index. A trend of higher TBARS values was found in all dry-aged crusts than WA and INI (P = 0.0688). The crust from dry aging had a higher carbonyl content compared to WA (P < 0.05), while thiol contents were not affected by the treatment (P = 0.1092).ConclusionThe results from the current study indicate that beef crusts exert its functional and technological properties, which could be superior or at least equivalent to wet-aged or unaged beef samples. This study provides novel insight into the potential feasibility and utilization of beef crust from dry-aged beef as a value-added product. Further studies determining the practical application of beef crust as a novel food ingredient (e.g., meat emulsion or beef patty) are in progress.

Effects of ambient ozone concentrations with different averaging times on asthma exacerbations: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Mounting evidence suggests that short-term exposure to ozone increases the risk of asthma exacerbations. However, ozone exposures have been assessed using ambient ozone concentrations averaged over different time periods in different studies.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risks for asthma exacerbations related to ambient ozone measured as 1-hour or 8-hour daily maximum and 24-hour average concentrations.

METHODS

Based on a literature search in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science, we identified all time-series studies as of December 4th, 2018 and included 47 eligible studies in our analyses. Asthma exacerbation is defined as the risk for emergency room visits or hospital admissions. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for a 10 μg/m3 increase in daily ozone concentration were estimated using random effect models. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were also performed to examine the risks for different seasons, regions and age groups and for the robustness of our main findings.

RESULTS

Significant and similar associations were found for O3-1 h max (RR,1.012; 95%CI, 1.005-1.019) and O3-8 h max (RR, 1.011; 95%CI, 1.007-1.014), while marginal effect was identified for O3-24 h average (RR, 1.005; 95%CI, 0.996-1.014). No significant publication bias but high heterogeneities were observed. During the warm season, ozone was significantly associated with asthma exacerbation. O3-1 h max had the highest RR of 1.014 (95%CI, 1.005-1.024), followed by O3-8 h max (RR, 1.012; 95%CI, 1.009-1.016), while marginal association was identified for O3-24 h avg (RR, 1.008; 95%CI, 0.998-1.017). During the cold season, null associations were identified for all the three averaging times. Variations were also observed in region and age.

CONCLUSION

Ozone exposure measured as 1-hour or 8-hour daily max were more consistently associated with asthma exacerbations than 24-hour average exposure during the warm season.