A Low Dose of Rapamycin Promotes Hair Cell Differentiation by Enriching SOX2+ Progenitors in the Neonatal Mouse Inner Ear Organoids

PURPOSE

To investigate the impact of rapamycin on the differentiation of hair cells.

METHODS

Murine cochlear organoids were derived from cochlear progenitor cells. Different concentrations of rapamycin were added into the culture medium at different proliferation and differentiation stages.

RESULTS

Rapamycin exhibited a concentration-dependent reduction in the proliferation of these inner ear organoids. Nevertheless, organoids subjected to a 10-nM dose of rapamycin demonstrated a markedly increased proportion of hair cells. Furthermore, rapamycin significantly upregulated the expression of markers associated with both hair cells and supporting cells, including ATOH1, MYO7A, and SOX2. Mechanistic studies revealed that rapamycin preferentially suppressed cells without Sox2 expression during the initial proliferation stage, thereby augmenting and refining the population of SOX2+ progenitors. These enriched progenitors were predisposed to differentiate into hair cells during the later stages of organoid development. Conversely, the use of the mTOR activator MHY 1485 demonstrated opposing effects.

CONCLUSION

Our findings underscore a practical strategy for enhancing the generation of inner ear organoids with a low dose of rapamycin, achieved by enriching SOX2+ progenitors in an in vitro setting.

Diagnostic value of adenohypophyseal MRI features in female children with precocious puberty

AIM

To evaluate the diagnostic value of adenohypophyseal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features for precocious puberty (PP) in female children and also to establish a non-invasive diagnostic approach in clinics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 126 female children (37, 57, and 32 female children clinically diagnosed with central PP [CPP], incomplete PP [IPP], and controls, respectively) were enrolled in this study. Data were collected and analysed using analysis of variance. Pearson correlation and stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis were used to examine the association and build prediction models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy.

RESULTS

The values of adenohypophysis volume (aPV), adenohypophysis height (aPH), and signal-intensity ratio (SIR), height, weight, and seven laboratory testing characteristics were correlated closely with the activation status of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis in the different groups (all p<0.05). Model 1 including aPV, weight, and aPH and Model 2 including SIR, aPV, and height were built to obtain predicted luteinising hormone (LH; R2 = 0.271) and LH/follicle stimulating hormone (FSH; R2 = 0.311). ROC analysis showed the predicted LH, predicted LH/FSH, and aPV were the top 3 best predictors in distinguishing CPP from controls (AUC = 0.969, 0.949, and 0.938) while predicted LH/FSH was the best predictor in distinguishing CPP from IPP and controls (AUC = 0.829 and 0.828).

CONCLUSION

The adenohypophysis volume itself and the prediction models including main adenohypophyseal MRI features increased diagnostic efficiency for PP and offered a non-invasive and credible diagnostic method.

The complex circumstellar environment of supernova 2023ixf

The early evolution of a supernova (SN) can reveal information about the environment and the progenitor star. When a star explodes in vacuum, the first photons to escape from its surface appear as a brief, hours-long shock-breakout flare1,2, followed by a cooling phase of emission. However, for stars exploding within a distribution of dense, optically thick circumstellar material (CSM), the first photons escape from the material beyond the stellar edge and the duration of the initial flare can extend to several days, during which the escaping emission indicates photospheric heating3. Early serendipitous observations2,4 that lacked ultraviolet (UV) data were unable to determine whether the early emission is heating or cooling and hence the nature of the early explosion event. Here we report UV spectra of the nearby SN 2023ixf in the galaxy Messier 101 (M101). Using the UV data as well as a comprehensive set of further multiwavelength observations, we temporally resolve the emergence of the explosion shock from a thick medium heated by the SN emission. We derive a reliable bolometric light curve that indicates that the shock breaks out from a dense layer with a radius substantially larger than typical supergiants.

Synergistic effect of hydrothermal sludge and food waste in the anaerobic co-digestion process: microbial shift and dewaterability

While thermal hydrolysis technology is commonly employed for sewage sludge treatment in extensive wastewater treatment facilities, persistent challenges remain, including issues such as ammonia-induced digestive inhibition and reduced productivity stemming from nutrient deficiency within the hydrothermal sludge. In this study, the effects of hydrothermal sludge-to-food waste mixing ratios and fermentation temperatures on anaerobic co-digestion were systematically investigated through a semi-continuous experiment lasting approximately 100 days. The results indicated that anaerobic co-digestion of hydrothermal sludge and food waste proceeded synergistically at any mixing ratio, and the synergistic effect is mainly attributed to the improvement of carbohydrate removal and digestive system stability. However, thermophilic digestion did not improve the anaerobic performance and methane yield. On the contrary, mesophilic digestion performed better in terms of organic matter removal, especially in the utilization of soluble carbohydrates, soluble proteins, and VFAs. Microbial community analysis revealed that the transition from mesophilic to thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion prompts changes in the methane-producing pathways. Specifically, the transition entails a gradual shift from pathways involving acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis to a singular hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis pathway. This shift is driven by thermodynamic tendencies, as reflected in Gibbs free energy, as well as environmental factors like ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids. Lastly, it is worth noting that the introduction of food waste did lead to a reduction in cake solids following dewatering. Nevertheless, it was observed that thermophilic digestion had a positive impact on dewatering performance.

Voltage-Controlled Magnon Transistor via Tuning Interfacial Exchange Coupling

Magnon transistors that can effectively regulate magnon transport by an electric field are desired for magnonics, which aims to provide a Joule-heating free alternative to the conventional electronics owing to the electric neutrality of magnons (the key carriers of spin-angular momenta in the magnonics). However, also due to their electric neutrality, magnons have no access to directly interact with an electric field and it is thus difficult to manipulate magnon transport by voltages straightforwardly. Here, we demonstrated a gate voltage (V_{g}) applied on a nonmagnetic metal and magnetic insulator (MI) interface that bent the energy band of the MI and then modulated the probability for conduction electrons in the nonmagnetic metal to tunnel into the MI, which can consequently enhance or weaken the spin-magnon conversion efficiency at the interface. A voltage-controlled magnon transistor based on the magnon-mediated electric current drag (MECD) effect in a Pt-Y_{3}Fe_{5}O_{12}-Pt sandwich was then experimentally realized with V_{g} modulating the magnitude of the MECD signal. The obtained efficiency (the change ratio between the MECD voltage at ±V_{g}) reached 10%/(MV/cm) at 300 K. This prototype of magnon transistor offers an effective scheme to control magnon transport by a gate voltage.

Toripalimab plus axitinib versus sunitinib as first-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma: RENOTORCH, a randomized, open-label, phase III study

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors are standard treatments for advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This phase III RENOTORCH study compared the efficacy and safety of toripalimab plus axitinib versus sunitinib for the first-line treatment of patients with intermediate-/poor-risk advanced RCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with intermediate-/poor-risk unresectable or metastatic RCC were randomized in a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive toripalimab (240 mg intravenously once every 3 weeks) plus axitinib (5 mg orally twice daily) or sunitinib [50 mg orally once daily for 4 weeks (6-week cycle) or 2 weeks (3-week cycle)]. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by an independent review committee (IRC). The secondary endpoints were investigator-assessed PFS, overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and safety.

RESULTS

A total of 421 patients were randomized to receive toripalimab plus axitinib (n = 210) or sunitinib (n = 211). With a median follow-up of 14.6 months, toripalimab plus axitinib significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 35% compared with sunitinib as assessed by an IRC [hazard ratio (HR) 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-0.86; P = 0.0028]. The median PFS was 18.0 months in the toripalimab-axitinib group, whereas it was 9.8 months in the sunitinib group. The IRC-assessed ORR was significantly higher in the toripalimab-axitinib group compared with the sunitinib group (56.7% versus 30.8%; P < 0.0001). An OS trend favoring toripalimab plus axitinib was also observed (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.92). Treatment-related grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 61.5% of patients in the toripalimab-axitinib group and 58.6% of patients in the sunitinib group.

CONCLUSION

In patients with previously untreated intermediate-/poor-risk advanced RCC, toripalimab plus axitinib provided significantly longer PFS and higher ORR than sunitinib and had a manageable safety profile TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04394975.

Hepatitis B virus-mediated sodium influx contributes to hepatic inflammation via synergism with intrahepatic danger signals

The NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been involved in the pathogenesis of various chronic liver diseases. However, its role in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatitis remains unknown. Here we demonstrate the synergistic effect of HBV with potential intrahepatic danger signals on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. HBV exposure at the appropriate temporal points enhances potassium efflux-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages and also increases NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation in HBV-transgenic mouse model. HBV-mediated synergism with intrahepatic signals represented by ATP molecules on NLRP3 activation was observed via relevance analysis, confocal microscopy, and co-immunoprecipitation, and its effector cytokines exhibit positive associations with hepatic inflammation in patients with severe hepatitis B. Furthermore, the synergism of HBV on NLRP3 inflammasome activation owes to increased sodium influx into macrophages. Our data demonstrate that HBV contributes to hepatic inflammation via sodium influx-dependent synergistic activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, which provides a deeper understanding of immune pathogenesis in HBV-associated hepatitis.

Effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease: a prespecified secondary analysis from the empa-kidney trial

BACKGROUND

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce progression of chronic kidney disease and the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a wide range of patients. However, their effects on kidney disease progression in some patients with chronic kidney disease are unclear because few clinical kidney outcomes occurred among such patients in the completed trials. In particular, some guidelines stratify their level of recommendation about who should be treated with SGLT2 inhibitors based on diabetes status and albuminuria. We aimed to assess the effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease both overall and among specific types of participants in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial.

METHODS

EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA), and included individuals aged 18 years or older with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or with an eGFR of 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher. We explored the effects of 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily versus placebo on the annualised rate of change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR slope), a tertiary outcome. We studied the acute slope (from randomisation to 2 months) and chronic slope (from 2 months onwards) separately, using shared parameter models to estimate the latter. Analyses were done in all randomly assigned participants by intention to treat. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110.

FINDINGS

Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and then followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5-2·4). Prespecified subgroups of eGFR included 2282 (34·5%) participants with an eGFR of less than 30 mL/min per 1·73 m2, 2928 (44·3%) with an eGFR of 30 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, and 1399 (21·2%) with an eGFR 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2 or higher. Prespecified subgroups of uACR included 1328 (20·1%) with a uACR of less than 30 mg/g, 1864 (28·2%) with a uACR of 30 to 300 mg/g, and 3417 (51·7%) with a uACR of more than 300 mg/g. Overall, allocation to empagliflozin caused an acute 2·12 mL/min per 1·73 m2 (95% CI 1·83-2·41) reduction in eGFR, equivalent to a 6% (5-6) dip in the first 2 months. After this, it halved the chronic slope from -2·75 to -1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (relative difference 50%, 95% CI 42-58). The absolute and relative benefits of empagliflozin on the magnitude of the chronic slope varied significantly depending on diabetes status and baseline levels of eGFR and uACR. In particular, the absolute difference in chronic slopes was lower in patients with lower baseline uACR, but because this group progressed more slowly than those with higher uACR, this translated to a larger relative difference in chronic slopes in this group (86% [36-136] reduction in the chronic slope among those with baseline uACR <30 mg/g compared with a 29% [19-38] reduction for those with baseline uACR ≥2000 mg/g; ptrend<0·0001).

INTERPRETATION

Empagliflozin slowed the rate of progression of chronic kidney disease among all types of participant in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial, including those with little albuminuria. Albuminuria alone should not be used to determine whether to treat with an SGLT2 inhibitor.

FUNDING

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly.

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

BACKGROUND

The EMPA-KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population.

METHODS

EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110.

FINDINGS

Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5-2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62-0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16-1·59), representing a 50% (42-58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1).

INTERPRETATION

In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease.

FUNDING

Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council.

[Early brain imaging changes and its influence on electrode impedance after implantation of 3.0 T MRI-compatible deep brain stimulation system in Parkinson's disease subthalamic nucleus]

Objective: To analyze the imaging changes of in the early period after subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson's disease (PD) and its impact on electrode impedance by the application of 3.0T MRI-compatible devices. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for the data of 43 PD patients who underwent 3.0T MRI-compatible STN-DBS surgery from October 2022 to April 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC(Anhui Provincial Hospital), including 27 males and 16 females, aged 43-68 (56±5) years. All patients underwent postoperative 3.0T MRI, CT scans,and impedance measurements 1 week postoperatively.Fifteen patients underwent 3.0T MRI and impedance measurements 1 month postoperatively. The differences in impedance of electrode contacts before and after the 3.0T MRI scans were compared. The occurrence of peri-lead cerebral edema (PLE) in patients was analyzed, as well as the differences in PLE detection rates between the two imaging methods, and the differences in the incidence and volume of PLE at different microelectrode recordings, the occurrence and detection of postoperative PLE, and different microelectrode recording (MER) times and different time nodes were compared. The correlation between electrode impedance and the volume of edema around the nucleus was analyzed. Results: All 43 patients successfully underwent surgery, with a total of 86 electrodes implanted. There was no significant difference in electrode impedance values before and after the 3.0T MRI examinations at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively. The PLE detection rate with 3.0T MRI was 95.12%(39/43), which is significantly higher than that of CT imaging 17.07% (7/43)(χ2=50.705, P<0.001). One week after surgery, the incidence and volume of PLE were higher in the multiple MER group compared with the single MER group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The volume of PLE [M(Q1, Q3) 0 (0, 1.211) cm3] at 1 month was significantly smaller than that at 1 week [0.243 (0, 2.914) cm3] (Z=-3.408, P=0.001). The impedance of electrode contacts within 1 month postoperatively showed a trend of initial decrease followed by an increase, which was negatively correlated with SE volume(r=-0.317, P=0.014). Conclusions: The application of 3.0T MRI-compatible DBS devices in the surgical treatment of PD patients improves the accuracy of early postoperative imaging assessment. The electrode impedance is more stable as the edema around the nucleus subsided at 1 month after surgery, which is suitable for the first program control.

[Analysis of complications and learning curve effects related to deep brain stimulation surgery in 822 Parkinson's disesase patients with the same surgeon]

Objective: To analyze the complications related to deep brain stimulation(DBS) surgery in Parkinson's disease(PD) patients and to determine whether there is a learning curve effect in terms of complications. Methods: Retrospective analysis of the DBS surgical data of 822 PD patients performed by the same surgeon at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China (Anhui Provincial Hospital) from December 2012 to December 2022. The complications related to DBS were evaluated and analyzed the complications of every 100 DBS surgery were further analyzed. Results: A total of 822 PD patients, 453 males and 369 females, aged 31-80 years old, were included. The minimum follow-up period after DBS surgery is 6 months. Surgical related complications occurred in 55 patients (6.69%), including 5 patients (0.61%) with slight bleeding around the electrode, 1 patient (0.12%) with cerebral infarction, 4 patients (0.49%) with postoperative epilepsy, 42 patients (5.11%) with postoperative delirium, 2 patients (0.24%) with respiratory distress, and 1 patient (0.12%) with acute cardiac insufficiency. There were 16 cases (1.94%) of hardware related complications in DBS, of which 4 cases (0.48%) had infection, 1 case (0.12%) had a broken angle at the connection between the pulse generator and the extension wire, 8 cases (0.97%) had an excessively tight extension wire, and 3 cases (0.36%) had an IPG bag hematoma. In the infected cases, 2 patients removed IPG and extension wires. There were 7 cases (0.85%) of stimulus related complications, including 4 cases (0.61%) with programmed sensory abnormalities, 1 case (0.12%) with postoperative abnormal movements and dance like movements, and 2 cases (0.24%) with psychiatric symptoms. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the above complications, among which 8 cases (0.97%) were relatively serious complications. After active treatment, satisfactory results were achieved, and none of them affected the patient's DBS treatment effect and no patients died. For every 100 cases of DBS surgery complications were analyzed, the percentage of complications decreased significantly from 14.50% (58 cases) in the first 400 cases to 4.73% (20 cases) in the last 400 cases (P<0.001). Conclusion: DBS surgery is safe and has an acceptable low incidence of complications. The incidence of complications also decreases with the accumulation of experience, showing a learning curve effect.

Hamartoma affecting ampullary electroreceptors and epitheliotropic lymphoma in a captive electric eel Electrophorus varii

Few reports are available describing lesions in captive electric eels Electrophorus spp. This report describes 2 types of cutaneous proliferative lesions (i.e. hamartoma and neoplasm) in a captive electric eel. Ampullary electroreceptor hamartomas appeared grossly as 2 discrete, smooth, pink, spherical, cutaneous masses measuring 6 and 18 mm in diameter. Histologically, hamartomas were composed of predominately spindle cells that were separated into lobules by a peripheral rim of polygonal cells. Spindle cells were arranged in vague streams and occasionally whorls within a myxomatous matrix. Polygonal cells arranged in variably sized trabeculae and cords within a pre-existing fibrovascular stroma surrounded the streams of spindle cells. Admixed with the polygonal cell population were multiple mucous glands and alarm cells, similar to those seen in normal regions of epidermis. Histochemical stains confirmed similar components in the normal ampullary electroreceptor as in the hamartomas. Lymphoma was also present, appearing grossly as patchy pitting, erythematous, and thickened areas of the skin affecting the entire animal. Lymphoma was diffusely infiltrating and expanding the epidermis, oral mucosa, and branchial mucosa up to 1.5 mm in thickness. It was composed of an unencapsulated, well-demarcated, moderately cellular neoplasm composed of lymphocytes arranged in small dense sheets and clusters that separated and effaced epidermal cells. This is the first report of lymphoma in an electric eel, and the first report of ampullary electroreceptor hamartoma in any animal species.

Optimal deployment of thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion to maximize net energy output based on sewage sludge characteristics

Thermal hydrolysis (TH) is widely employed in combination with anaerobic digestion (AD) to efficiently treat primary sludge and waste-activated sludge in municipal wastewater treatment plants. In this study, four different scenarios-conventional AD (S1), TH-AD (S2), AD-TH-AD (S3), and characteristics-based AD-TH-AD (S4, primary AD only for primary sludge)-were evaluated to determine the optimal deployment of TH and AD for treating primary sludge and waste-activated sludge to maximize net energy output. The maximum net energy output of 4899 MJ/t-TSfed (per ton total solids of sludge fed) was achieved in S4 when assuming the recovered heat was only used for AD heating and surplus heat was wasted, and the net energy output of S4 was 70.8 % higher than that of S1 and 48.6 % higher than that of S2. This remarkable improvement was attributed to a reduction of > 15.2 % in refractory compounds, resulting in a 17 % increase in methane yield. Importantly, this study provides the first comparison of refractory compounds between inter-thermal hydrolysis (inter-TH) and pre-thermal hydrolysis (pre-TH) using a simulated A2O process. Overall, this study provides innovative insights and strategies for enhancing the TH and AD process performance based on the specific characteristics of sewage sludge derived from wastewater treatment plants.

[The role of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging in distinguishing diabetic nephropathy from non-diabetic renal disease in diabetic patients]

Objective: To investigate the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the differential diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A diagnostic test. In this prospective study, patients with T2DM who underwent both IVIM-DWI and renal biopsy at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between October 2017 and September 2021 were consecutively enrolled. IVIM-DWI parameters including perfusion fraction (f), pure diffusion coefficient (D), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) were measured in the renal cortex, medulla, and parenchyma. Patients were divided into the DN group and NDRD group based on the renal biopsy results. IVIM-DWI parameters, clinical information, and diabetes-related biochemical indicators between the two groups were compared using Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. The correlation of IVIM-DWI parameters with diabetic nephropathy histological scores were analyzed using Spearman's correlation analyzes. The diagnostic efficiency of IVIM-DWI parameters for distinguishing between DN and NDRD were assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: A total of 27 DN patients and 23 NDRD patients were included in this study. The DN group comprised 19 male and 8 female patients, with an average age of 52±9 years. The NDRD group comprised 16 male and 7 female patients, with an average age of 49±10 years. The DN group had a higher D* value in the renal cortex and a lower f value in the renal medulla than the NDRD group (9.84×10-3 mm2/s vs. 7.35×10-3 mm2/s, Z=-3.65; 41.01% vs. 46.74%, Z=-2.29; all P<0.05). The renal medulla D* value was negatively correlated with DN grades, interstitial lesion score, and interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) score (r=-0.571, -0.409, -0.409; all P<0.05) while the renal cortex f value was positively correlated with vascular sclerosis score (r=0.413, P=0.032). The renal cortex D* value had the highest area under the curve (AUC) for discriminating between the DN and NDRD groups (AUC=0.802, sensitivity 91.3%, specificity 55.6%). Conclusion: IVIM-derived renal cortex D* value can be used non-invasively to differentiate DN from NDRD in patients with T2DM that can potentially facilitate individualized treatment planning for diabetic patients.

Prelimbic area to lateral hypothalamus circuit drives social aggression

Controlling aggression is a vital skill in social species such as rodents and humans and has been associated with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In this study, we showed that during aggressive behavior, the activity of GABAergic neurons in the prelimbic area (PL) of the mPFC was significantly suppressed. Specific activation of GABAergic PL neurons significantly curbed male-to-male aggression and inhibited conditioned place preference (CPP) for aggression-paired contexts, whereas specific inhibition of GABAergic PL neurons brought about the opposite effect. Moreover, GABAergic projections from PL neurons to the lateral hypothalamus (LH) orexinergic neurons mediated aggressive behavior. Finally, directly modulated LH-orexinergic neurons influence aggressive behavior. These results suggest that GABAergic PL-orexinergic LH projection is an important control circuit for intermale aggressive behavior, both of which could be targets for curbing aggression.

Enhanced Electrical Conductivity of (001) Oriented Sr0.9La0.1TiO3 Microplatelets for Thermoelectric Applications

Two-dimensional perovskite microplatelets have played an important role in various applications, especially acting as a template to guide grains' epitaxial growth in the preparation of textured ceramics. The (001) oriented Sr0.9La0.1TiO3 microplatelets with a high aspect ratio of ∼20 were synthesized and obtained from Aurivillius Bi4Ti3O12 precursors. To reveal the mechanism of topochemical microcrystal conversion of Bi4Ti3O12 to Sr0.9La0.1TiO3, the reaction interface, morphology development, and phase composition evolution of the (001) oriented Sr0.9La0.1TiO3 microplatelets were investigated. When the temperature of the molten salt is above 753 °C, multiple Sr0.9La0.1TiO3 topological nucleation events took place. At 950 °C, the polycrystalline aggregate of (001)-oriented Sr0.9La0.1TiO3 crystallites grew in place of the original single crystal Bi4Ti3O12 platelets. When the temperature reached 1150 °C, the Sr0.9La0.1TiO3 platelets preserved the shape of a high aspect ratio and exhibited not only enhanced electrical conductivity with a carrier concentration of 3.518 × 1020 cm-3 and carrier mobility of 8.460 cm2·V-1·s-1 but also significantly decreased thermal conductivity ranging from 5.65 W·m-1·K-1 at 300 K to 2.54 W·m-1·K-1 at 1073 K. It can be widely applied in the field of template grain growth methods for preparing textured thermoelectric ceramics to improve their thermoelectric properties.

Comparison of Survival Outcomes between Adults and Pediatrics with Non-Metastatic Head and Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma: A SEER Database Analysis of 550 Patients

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Despite the long-term survival rate for children with head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma (HNRMS) has improved to over 70-80% due to advancements in therapeutic approaches, the survival outcomes for adult HNRMS have not been thoroughly investigated. Our study aims to compare and analyze the survival outcomes of adult and pediatric patients with non-metastatic HNRMS, with a focus on the effect of different local treatment methods on disease outcomes.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database covering the period from 2004 to 2018. Our study population consisted of patients with Head and Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma (HNRMS) who had not developed distant metastases and received at least one local treatment, either radiotherapy or surgery. The comparison of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was performed between the adult and pediatric patient groups, and between patients who received surgery (with or without radiotherapy) and those who received radiotherapy only (non-surgery).

RESULTS

In the study of 550 patients diagnosed with Head and Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma (HNRMS), data was collected from 181 (32.9%) adult and 369 (67.1%) pediatric patients. The results showed that the adult patient group had a significantly worse outcome compared to the pediatric group in terms of 5-year overall survival (OS) rate (34.9% vs 81.6%, P<0.001) and 5-year cancer specific survival (CSS) rate (59.96% vs 87.48%, P<0.001). Of these patients, 308(56%) underwent radical surgery, with 228 (41.5%) receiving a combination of radiation and surgery and the remaining 242 (44%) receiving radiation therapy alone. No significant differences were found in 5-year OS and CSS rates between the surgery and non-surgery (radiation only) groups in adult patients (34.9% vs 35.0%, P = 0.900; 60.2% vs 59.6%, P = 0.988). However, there were slight differences observed in the pediatric patient group, with the 5-year OS and CSS rates being higher for the surgery group compared to the non-surgery group (86.9% vs 75.9%, P = 0.001 and 90.6% vs 84.2%, P = 0.054, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The results of this cohort study indicate that age plays a crucial role in predicting survival outcomes in patients diagnosed with Head and Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma (HNRMS). The findings highlight the need for age-specific treatment strategies for HNRMS patients. While the data suggests that radiotherapy may be a viable first-line option for non-metastatic adult HNRMS patients, additional research is required to validate these trends.

The Short-Term Efficacy and Safety of Induction Chemotherapy Combined with PD-1 Inhibitor or Anti-EGFR in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study aimed to investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of induction chemotherapy (IC) combined with PD-1 inhibitor or anti-EGFR in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC).

MATERIALS/METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 206 patients with LA-NPC, including IC combined with anti-PD1 (57 patients), IC combined with anti-EGFR (28 patients), and IC alone (121 patients). The short-term efficacy was assessed at the end of IC and one month after overall treatment. According to the RECIST v1.1, the short-term efficacy of cervical lymph nodes and primary nasopharynx foci was divided into complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR), stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD). The overall response (ORR) was defined as the sum of CR and PR. Acute toxicities were graded according to the CTCAE v5.0. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare differences in the numerical variables among groups. Fisher Freeman-Halton test or Pearson Chi-square test was used to compare classified variables.

RESULTS

The ORR rates of primary nasopharynx foci in IC, anti-EGFR, and anti-PD1 group were 68.60%, 67.9%, and 94.7%, respectively, and the corresponding rates of ORR in cervical lymph nodes were 78.5%, 71.4%, and 93.0%, respectively. There was a statistical difference in the ORR between the three groups. Further analysis showed that after IC or overall treatment, the CR rate of primary nasopharynx foci in the anti-PD1 group was significantly higher than the other two groups. The most common adverse effects were hematotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, and transaminase elevation. However, there were no statistical differences in the frequency of any common adverse effects between the three groups.

CONCLUSION

The addition of anti-PD1 based on IC significantly improved the short-term efficacy of LA-NPC and toxicities were tolerable.

Sarcopenia and its clinical correlation in elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of sarcopenia on clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes in elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred twenty elderly COPD patients (age>60) recruited from Beijing Shijingshan Hospital were divided into sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups according to the severity of sarcopenia at the first admission. Baseline data, geriatric syndrome, laboratory indicators and body composition analysis were analyzed. One year followed-up by outpatient visits was focused on clinical characteristics and telephone follow-ups for collecting all-cause deaths and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as end-point events. The risk factors for sarcopenia were analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate logical regression. The proportional hazards model (COX) regression was performed to determine the effect of sarcopenia on COPD patients' prognoses.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty patients (76 men and 44 women) with an average age of 76.7±8.78 years were included, of which 63 patients (52.5%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Compared to the non-sarcopenia group, the sarcopenia group exhibited worse lung function and more severe geriatric syndromes with significantly higher incidence ratios of somnipathy and frailty. The sarcopenia group also showed worse muscle indicators and declined body composition. Multivariate analysis showed that the occurrence of sarcopenia in elderly COPD patients was correlated with forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) (OR=0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-1.0, p=0.035), body mass index (BMI) (OR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.71-0.89, p=0.035) and hemoglobin (OR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-1.0, p=0.023). Furthermore, the COX regression indicated the association of sarcopenia with acute exacerbations of COPD within the follow-up period (HR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.01-5.72, p=0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia increases the risk of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly. Sarcopenia incidence in elderly COPD is associated with FEV1, BMI, and hemoglobin and closely monitoring indicators is useful for early diagnosis of sarcopenia.

Prospective Efficacy of Two Cycles Toripalimab Plus Induction Chemotherapy in T4 or N3 Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Retrospective and Mechanistic Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Gemcitabine-cisplatin (GP) as the most commonly used induction chemotherapy is the standard first-line systemic treatment for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, the toxicity of three cycles induction chemotherapy following on chemoradiotherapy remains a pertinent issue. Additional monoclonal antibody against human programmed death-1 (PD-1) has shown promising efficacy in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In this study, we compared three cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin as classical induction chemotherapy with two cycles of induction chemotherapy plus toripalimab, and then both groups treated with the similar concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma staging T4 or N3 were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive gemcitabine (at a dose of 1 g per square meter of body-surface area on days 1 and 8) plus cisplatin (80 mg per square meter on day 1-3), administered every 3 weeks for three cycles, or GP combined with toripalimab (at a dose of 240mg) for two cycles. The primary end point was recurrence-free survival (i.e., freedom from disease recurrence [distant metastasis or locoregional recurrence] or death from any cause) in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary end points included overall survival, treatment adherence, and safety.

RESULTS

A total of 60 patients were included in the trial (30 patients in the toripalimab combined induction chemotherapy group and another 30 in the standard-therapy group). Among 60 patients evaluable for response assessment after induction therapy, all patients had overall response in combined group, including 10 patients (30%) with complete response (CR) in the primary tumor site. 21 patients (70%) were evaluated as partial response (PR) in the standard induction chemotherapy, and another 9 patients were assessed as SDa. At a median follow-up of 27.6 months, the 6-months, 1-, 2-year recurrence-free survival was 100% vs 86.7%, 100% vs 80%, 93% vs 70% in the toripalimab combined induction chemotherapy group and standard-therapy group (stratified hazard ratio for recurrence or death, 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38 to 0.87; P = 0.001). Overall survival at 2 years was 93.3% and 100%, respectively (stratified hazard ratio for death, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.79). The incidence of acute adverse events of grade 3 or 4 was 76.8% in the standard-induction chemotherapy group and 56% in the standard-therapy group, with a higher incidence of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, nausea, and vomiting in the induction chemotherapy group. The incidence of grade 3 or 4 late toxic effects was 10.2% in the induction chemotherapy group and 10.4% in the combined-therapy group.

CONCLUSION

Two cycles of toripalimab combined with induction chemotherapy of and CCRT shows excellent distant metastatic control with acceptable safety, which is a new promising and effective systemic therapy regimen for high-risk of metastatic NPC patients.

Combining Radiotherapy with Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy as First-Line Treatment for De Novo Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Dual-Center Retrospective Analysis

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Local regional radiotherapy combined with systemic chemotherapy significantly improves the prognosis of patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Immunochemotherapy has become the first-line treatment for initial metastatic NPC. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of local regional radiotherapy combined with immunochemotherapy as the first-line treatment of metastatic NPC.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients with histologically proven de novo metastatic NPC who received immunotherapy and chemotherapy followed by local-regional radiotherapy were included from 2 cancer centers. Toxicity and treatment response were assessed using CTCAE 5.0 and RECIST 1.1, respectively. Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

From 2019 to 2021, a total of 16 patients were retrospectively analyzed. The median age was 44.5-year-old (range 16-76). Patients with ≥3 metastatic lesions accounts for 58.8%. Bone metastasis was the most common metastatic site. The chemotherapy regimens were paclitaxel/gemcitabine and cisplatin. Toripalimab, camrelizumab and sintilimab were used for immunotherapy. All patients completed the local regional radiotherapy with 69.96Gy for primary nasopharyngeal tumor and positive lymph nodes, 60.06Gy for high-risk region and 50ཞ54.45Gy for low-risk region. Seven patients underwent radiotherapy for metastatic lesions. The median follow-up was 20.5 months (range 6-38 months). Two-year OS was 100%. Three patients experienced distant progression. One-year and 2-year PFS rate was 93.8% and 76.7%, respectively. After combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, the overall response rate (ORR) was 93.7% with a complete response (CR) of 6.3%. At the end of radiotherapy, the ORR was 100%. Nine patients (56.3%) achieved CR. Radiotherapy related acute severe (grade 3 or higher) toxicity was dermatitis (1/16, 6.3%) and mucositis (2/16, 12.5%). Immunotherapy related hypophysitis and capillary hyperplasia was 6.3% and 6.3%, respectively. No long-term toxicity was observed.

CONCLUSION

Loco-regional radiotherapy provided a promising efficacy with modest toxicity for patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma who received immunochemotherapy.

Bevacizumab biosimilar candidate TAB008 compared to Avastin® in patients with locally advanced, metastatic EGFR wild-type non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: a randomized, double-blind, multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Bevacizumab (Avastin®) is a monoclonal antibody targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Used alone or in combination with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy, Avastin® has shown promising efficacy in many cancers. This study compared the efficacy and safety of TAB008 with Avastin® sourced from the EU (bevacizumab-EU), in patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (nsNSCLC).

METHOD

In this randomized, double-blind, multicenter, phase III similarity study, treatment naïve for metastatic lung cancer., EGFR wild-type, locally advanced, metastatic, or recurrent non-squamous, non-small cell, lung cancer (nsNSCLC) patients were enrolled and randomized (1:1) into TAB008 or Avastin® groups. Patients received TAB008 or Avastin® 15 mg/kg intravenously plus paclitaxel/carboplatin for 4-6 cycles followed by TAB008 or Avastin® 7.5 mg/kg until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or death. The primary endpoint compared the objective response rate (ORR) within 6 cycles as read by an independent radiological review committee (IRRC). Secondary endpoints compared disease control rate (DCR) Within 6 cycles, duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), a year overall survival rate (OSR), overall survival (OS), safety, immunogenicity, and steady-state pharmacokinetics.

RESULTS

A total of 549 nsNSCLC patients were enrolled (277 in TAB008 group and 272 in Avastin® group). In the full analysis set, ORRs were 55.957% for TAB008 and 55.720% for Avastin®, and the ORR ratio was 1 (90% CI 0.89-1.14), well within the predefined equivalence margin of 0.75-1.33. No significant differences were found in DCR within 6 cycles (95.703% vs 95.367%, p = 0.8536), DoR (8.17 vs 7.3 months, p = 0.3526), PFS (9.10 vs. 7.97 months, p = 0.9457), 1 year overall survival rate (66.2% vs 68%, p = 0.6793), or OS (20.4 vs 17.6 months, p = 0.6549). Serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred in 37.55% (104/277) of patients in the TAB008 group and 34.32% (93/271) in the Avastin® group. Anti-drug antibodies were reported in 3 of 277 (1.08%) TAB008 patients, and 5 of 271 (1.85%) Avastin® patients, neutralizing antibody (Nab) was positive in 1 patient on Avastin®, which became negative upon follow-up. The steady-state trough concentrations (Cssmin) were 106.13 μg/mL in TAB008 group and 96.03 μg/mL in Avastin® groups, with the treatment group ratio of LS geometric means fully contained within the bioequivalence limits of 80.00-125.00% (90% CI was 101.74-120.05%).

CONCLUSIONS

TAB008 is similar to Avastin® in terms of efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic parameters, with comparable immunogenicity.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov number; NCT05427305.

Potential mechanisms for lung fibrosis associated with COVID-19 infection

Pulmonary fibrosis is a sequelae of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection that currently lacks effective preventative or therapeutic measures. Post-viral lung fibrosis due to SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be progressive on selected patients using imaging studies. Persistent infiltration of macrophages and monocytes, a main feature of SARS-CoV-2 pulmonary fibrosis, and long-lived circulating inflammatory monocytes might be driving factors promoting the profibrotic milieu in the lung. The upstream signal(s) that regulates the presence of these immune cells (despite complete viral clearance) remains to be explored. Current data indicate that much of the stimulating signals are localized in the lungs. However, an ongoing low-grade systemic inflammation in long Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms suggests that certain non-pulmonary regulators such as epigenetic changes in hematopoietic stem cells might be critical to the chronic inflammatory response. Since nearly one-third of the world population have been infected, a timely understanding of the underlying pathogenesis leading to tissue remodeling is required. Herein, we review the potential pathogenic mechanisms driving lung fibrosis following SARS-CoV-2 infection based upon available studies and our preliminary findings (Graphical abstract).

[An improved 4-vessel intermittent occlusion method for establishing rat models of global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury]

OBJECTIVE

To improve the classical 4-vessel occlusion (4VO) model established by Pulsinelli and Brierley.

METHODS

Thirty-two male SD rats were randomized into sham operation group, I4VO-Con10 group, I4VO-Int10 group and I4VO-Int15 group. The sham surgery group underwent exposure of the bilateral vertebral arteries and carotid arteries without occlusion to block blood flow. The I4VO-Con10 group experienced continuous ischemia by occluding the bilateral vertebral arteries and carotid arteries for 10 minutes followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. The I4VO-Int10 and I4VO-Int15 groups were subjected to intermittent ischemia. The I4VO- Int10 group underwent 5 minutes of ischemia, followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion and another 5 minutes of ischemia, and then reperfusion for 24 hours. The I4VO-Int15 group experienced 5 minutes of ischemia followed by two cycles of 5 minutes of reperfusion and 5 minutes of ischemia, and then reperfusion for 24 hours. The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was monitored with laser Doppler scanning, and survival of the rats was observed. HE staining was used to observe hippocampal pathologies to determine the optimal method for modeling. Another 48 rats were randomized into 6 groups, including a sham operation group and 5 model groups established using the optimal method. The 5 I4VO model groups were further divided based on the reperfusion time points (1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days) into I4VO-D1, I4VO-D3, I4VO-D7, I4VO- D14, and I4VO- D28 groups. Body weight changes and survival of the rats were recorded. HE staining was used to observe morphological changes in the hippocampal, retinal and optic tract tissues. The Y-maze test and light/dark box test were used to evaluate cognitive and visual functions of the rats in I4VO-D28 group.

RESULTS

Occlusion for 5 min for 3 times at the interval of 5 min was the optimal method for 4VO modeling. In the latter 48 rats, the body weight was significantly lower than that of the sham-operated rats at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days after modeling without significant difference in survival rate among the groups. The rats with intermittent vessel occlusion exhibited progressive deterioration of hippocampal neuronal injury and neuronal loss. Cognitive impairment was observed in the rats in I4VO-D28 group, but no obvious ischemic injury of the retina or the optic tract was detected.

CONCLUSION

The improved 4VO model can successfully mimic the main pathological processes of global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury without causing visual impairment in rats.

Efficient Spin-to-Charge Conversion via Altermagnetic Spin Splitting Effect in Antiferromagnet RuO_{2}

The relativistic spin Hall effect and inverse spin Hall effect enable the efficient generation and detection of spin current. Recently, a nonrelativistic altermagnetic spin splitting effect (ASSE) has been theoretically and experimentally reported to generate time-reversal-odd spin current with controllable spin polarization in antiferromagnet RuO_{2}. The inverse effect, electrical detection of spin current via ASSE, still remains elusive. Here we show the spin-to-charge conversion stemming from ASSE in RuO_{2} by the spin Seebeck effect measurements. Unconventionally, the spin Seebeck voltage can be detected even when the injected spin current is polarized along the directions of either the voltage channel or the thermal gradient, indicating the successful conversion of x- and z-spin polarizations into the charge current. The crystal axes-dependent conversion efficiency further demonstrates that the nontrivial spin-to-charge conversion in RuO_{2} is ascribed to ASSE, which is distinct from the magnetic or antiferromagnetic inverse spin Hall effects. Our finding not only advances the emerging research landscape of altermagnetism, but also provides a promising pathway for the spin detection.

Hotspots and future trends of phosphorus recycling from livestock manure: A bibliometric review

In recent decades, the importance of managing the earth's dwindling phosphorus (P) has grown exponentially, as have efforts to develop a circular economy. Livestock manure represents a P-rich waste product, so recycling P from livestock manure has garnered the attention of scholars worldwide. Based on a global database from 1978 to 2021, this study presents the current status of recycling P from livestock manure and proposes strategies for efficient P utilization. Unlike traditional review articles, this work establishes a visual collaborative network on P recycling from livestock manure of research areas, countries, institutions, and authors through a bibliometric analysis using Citespace and VOSviewer software. The co-citation analysis of literature revealed the development of the main research content in this field, and further clustering analysis illustrated the current key research directions. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified the hotspots and new frontiers of research in this field. According to the results, the United States was the most influential and actively contributing nation, and China was the country with the tightest international ties. The most popular research area was environmental science, and the Bioresource Technology published the largest number of papers in this area. The research priority was the technologies development of P recycling from livestock manure, of which the most used method was struvite precipitation and biochar adsorption. Subsequently, evaluation is also essential, including the economic benefits and environmental impacts of the recycling process by life cycle assessment and substance flow analysis, as well as the agronomic efficiency of the recycled products. New directions for technological innovation in recycling P from livestock manure and potential risks in the recycling process are explored. The results of this study may provide a framework for understanding the mechanisms of P utilization in livestock manure, and support the overall popularization of P recycling technology from livestock manure.

[Influence of muscle energy technology combined with Maitland joint mobilization surgery on the elbow joint flexion function in patients with deep burn of elbow joint]

Objective: To investigate the influence of muscle energy technology (MET) combined with Maitland joint mobilization surgery on the elbow joint flexion function in patients with deep burn of elbow joint. Methods: A retrospective controlled clinical trial was conducted. From January 2020 to January 2022, 53 patients with elbow joint flexion dysfunction after deep burns who met the inclusion criteria were treated in Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, including 32 males and 21 females, aged (37±12) years. According to the treatment method used, the patients were divided into conventional treatment alone group (15 cases), conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery group (18 cases), and conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery+MET group (20 cases). Before treatment and 2 months after treatment, the patient's elbow joint range of motion was measured using a protractor, the Mayo elbow joint function score was used to evaluate elbow joint function, a portable muscle strength tester was used to measure elbow extensor muscle strength, and visual analogue scale was used to evaluate pain degree. Data were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance, least significant difference test, paired sample t test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact probability test, and Bonferroni correction. Results: After two months of treatment, the elbow joint range of motion and elbow joint function scores of patients in conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery group and conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery+MET group ((103±12)° and 60 (50, 66), (131±14)° and 73 (65, 80)) were significantly larger and higher than those in conventional treatment alone group ((77±15)° and 45 (35, 50), P values all <0.05), respectively. The elbow joint range of motion and elbow joint function scores of patients in conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery+MET group were significantly larger and higher than those in conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery group (P values all <0.05), respectively. After two months of treatment, the elbow extensor muscle strength and pain score of patients in conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery+MET group were respectively significantly larger and lower than those in conventional treatment alone group and conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery group (P values all <0.05). The elbow extensor muscle strength and pain score of patients in conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery group were similar to those in conventional treatment alone group (P>0.05). The elbow joint range of motion and elbow extensor muscle strength (with t values of 9.37, 25.54, 28.71, 6.70, 7.20, and 7.01, respectively, P<0.05), elbow joint function scores and pain scores (with Z values of 3.15, 3.63, 3.93, 3.30, 3.52, and 3.84, respectively, P<0.05) of patients in conventional treatment alone group, conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery group, and conventional treatment+joint mobilization surgery+MET group after two months of treatment were significantly improved compared with those before treatment. Conclusions: The combination of MET and Maitland joint mobilization surgery can effectively improve elbow joint range of motion, elbow joint function, elbow extensor muscle strength, and pain of patients with deep elbow joint burns, therefore it is worthy of promotion.

A Novel Unsupervised Video Anomaly Detection Framework Based on Optical Flow Reconstruction and Erased Frame Prediction

Reconstruction-based and prediction-based approaches are widely used for video anomaly detection (VAD) in smart city surveillance applications. However, neither of these approaches can effectively utilize the rich contextual information that exists in videos, which makes it difficult to accurately perceive anomalous activities. In this paper, we exploit the idea of a training model based on the "Cloze Test" strategy in natural language processing (NLP) and introduce a novel unsupervised learning framework to encode both motion and appearance information at an object level. Specifically, to store the normal modes of video activity reconstructions, we first design an optical stream memory network with skip connections. Secondly, we build a space-time cube (STC) for use as the basic processing unit of the model and erase a patch in the STC to form the frame to be reconstructed. This enables a so-called "incomplete event (IE)" to be completed. On this basis, a conditional autoencoder is utilized to capture the high correspondence between optical flow and STC. The model predicts erased patches in IEs based on the context of the front and back frames. Finally, we employ a generating adversarial network (GAN)-based training method to improve the performance of VAD. By distinguishing the predicted erased optical flow and erased video frame, the anomaly detection results are shown to be more reliable with our proposed method which can help reconstruct the original video in IE. Comparative experiments conducted on the benchmark UCSD Ped2, CUHK Avenue, and ShanghaiTech datasets demonstrate AUROC scores reaching 97.7%, 89.7%, and 75.8%, respectively.

An observational study on the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with myasthenia gravis

OBJECTIVE

There is concern that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine may trigger or worsen autoimmune diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of COVID-19 vaccination on symptom severity in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG).

METHODS

A total of 106 enrolled patients with MG who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were followed up, and a questionnaire was used to document in detail the exacerbation of muscle weakness after vaccination and all other uncomfortable reactions after vaccination. Demographic, clinical characteristics, medication, and vaccination data were collected by follow-up interview. The main observation outcome was whether the MG symptoms of patients were exacerbated. The definition of exacerbation is according to the subjective feeling of the patient or a 2-point increase in daily life myasthenia gravis activity score relative to before vaccination, within 30 days after vaccination.

RESULTS

Of 106 enrolled patients [median age (SD) 41.0 years, 38 (35.8%) men, 53 (50.0%) with generalized MG, 74 (69.8%) positive for acetylcholine receptor antibody, and 21 (19.8%) with accompanying thymoma], muscle weakness symptoms were stable in 102 (96.2%) patients before vaccine inoculation. Muscle weakness worsened in 10 (9.4%) people after vaccination, of which 8 patients reported slight symptom worsening that resolved quickly (within a few days). Two (1.9%) of patients showed serious symptom aggravation that required hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that inactivated virus vaccines against COVID-19 may be safe for patients with MG whose condition is stable. Patients with generalized MG may be more likely to develop increased muscle weakness after vaccination.

Two-step anaerobic digestion of rice straw with nanobubble water

Lignocellulose usually requires pretreatment to improve biogas production. To enhance lignocellulose biodegradability and improve anaerobic digestion (AD) efficiency, different types (N₂, CO₂, and O₂) of nanobubble water (NW) were applied in this study as soaking agent and AD accelerant to increase the biogas yield of rice straw. The results showed that the cumulative methane yields of treating with NW in two-step AD increased by 11.0%-21.4% compared with untreated straw. The maximum cumulative methane yield was 313.9±1.7 mL/gVS in straw treated with CO₂-NW as soaking agent and AD accelerant (P_CO2-M_CO2). The application of CO₂-NW and O₂-NW as AD accelerants increased bacterial diversity and relative abundance of Methanosaeta. This study suggested that using NW could enhance soaking pretreatment and methane production of rice straw in two-step AD; however, combined treatment with inoculum and NW or microbubble water in the pretreatment needs to compare in future.

A High-Temperature Accelerometer with Excellent Performance Based on the Improved Graphene Aerogel

A high-temperature accelerometer plays an important role for ensuring normal operation of equipment in aerospace, such as monitoring and identifying abnormal vibrations of aircraft engines. Phase transitions of piezoelectric crystals, mechanical failure and current leakage of piezoresistive/capacitive materials are the prominent inherent limitations of present high-temperature accelerometers working continuously above 973 K. With the rapid development of aerospace, it is a great challenge to develop a new type of vibration sensor to meet the crucial demands at high temperature. Here we report a high-temperature accelerometer working with a contact resistance mechanism. Based on the improved graphene aerogel (GA) prepared by a modulated treatment process, the accelerometer can operate continuously and stably at 1073 K and intermittently at 1273 K. The developed sensor is lightweight (sensitive element <5 mg) and has high sensitivity (an order of magnitude higher than MEMS accelerometers) and wide frequency response range (up to 5 kHz at 1073 K) with marked stability, repeatability and low nonlinearity error (<1%). These merits are attributed to the excellent and stable mechanical properties of the improved GA in the range of 299-1073 K. The accelerometer could be a promising candidate for high-temperature vibration sensing in space stations, planetary rovers and others.

Exploration and identification of six novel ferroptosis-related hub genes as potential gene signatures for peripheral nerve injury

Specific biomarkers of ferroptosis after peripheral nerve injury (PNI) are still under debate. In this study, 52 differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (DE-FRGs) were retrieved from publicly accessible sequencing data of intact and injured samples of rats with sciatic nerve crush injury. Functional enrichment analyses revealed that adipogenesis, mitochondrial gene sets, and pathways of MAPK, p53, and CD28 family were predominantly engaged in ferroptosis after PNI. Next, Cdkn1a, Cdh1, Hif1a, Hmox1, Nfe2l2, and Tgfb1 were investigated as new ferroptosis-associated hub genes after PNI. Subsequently, clustering correlation heatmap shows six hub genes are linked to mitochondria. The immunofluorescence assay at 0, 1, 4, 7, and 14 days indicated the temporal expression patterns of Tgfb1, Hmox1, and Hif1a after PNI were consistent with ferroptosis validated by PI and ROS staining, while Cdh1, Cdkn1a, and Nfe2l2 were the opposite. In summary, this study identified six hub genes as possible ferroptosis-related biomarkers for PNI, which may offer therapeutic targets for peripheral nerve regeneration and provide a therapeutic window for ferroptosis.

[Bushen Huoxue Fang improves recurrent miscarriage in mice by down-regulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of Bushen Huoxue Fang (BSHXF, a traditional Chinese medicine formula) for improving recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in mice and the role of tyrosine kinase (JAK2) and transcriptional activator (STAT3) signaling pathway in its therapeutic mechanism.

METHODS

Female CBA/J mice were caged with male DBA/2 mice to establish RSA mouse models, which were randomly divided into model group, dydrogesterone group and BSHXF group, with the female mice caged with male BALB/c mice as the control group (n=6). From the first day of pregnancy, the mice were subjected to daily intragastric administration of BSHXF, dydrogesterone, or distilled water (in control and model groups) for 12 days. After the treatments, serum levels of antithrombin III (AT-III), activated protein C (APC), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), progesterone, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), and estradiol (E2) were detected in each group using ELISA. HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of the endometrium of the mice. Western blotting was performed to determine the expressions of p-JAK2, p-Stat3 and Bcl-2 in the placenta of the mice.

RESULTS

Compared with the control mice, the mouse models of RSA showed a significantly increased embryo loss rate with decreased serum levels of AT-III, T-PA, progesterone, APC and HCG, increased placental expressions of p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and Bax, and decreased expression of Bcl-2 (P < 0.05). Treatments with BSHXF and dydrogesterone both increased serum levels of AT-III, t-PA and HCG in the mouse models; Serum APC level was significantly reduced in BSHXF group and serum progesterone level was significantly increased in dydrogesterone group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

BSHXF can improve the prethrombotic state and inhibit cell apoptosis by downregulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway to increase the pregnancy rate in mouse models of RSA.

Estradiol enhances T-type calcium channel activation in human myometrium telocytes

Uterine peristalsis is essential for gamete transport and embryo implantation. It shares the characteristics of spontaneity, rhythmicity, and directivity with gastrointestinal peristalsis. Telocytes, the "interstitial Cajal-like cells" outside the digestive canal, are also located in the uterus and may act as pacemakers. To investigate the possible origin and regulatory mechanism of periodic uterine peristalsis in the human menstrual cycle, telocytes in the myometrium were studied to determine the effect of estradiol on T-type calcium channel regulation. In this study, biopsies of the human myometrium were obtained for cell culture, and double-labeling immunofluorescence screening was used to identify telocytes and T-type calcium channel expression. Intracellular calcium signal measurements and patch-clamp recordings were used to investigate the role of T-type calcium channels in regulating calcium currents with or without estradiol. Our study demonstrates that telocytes exist in the human uterus and express T-type calcium channels. The intracellular Ca²⁺ fluorescence intensity marked by Fluo-4AM was dramatically decreased by NNC 55-0396, a highly selective T-type calcium channel blocker, but enhanced by estradiol. T-type calcium current amplitude increased in telocytes incubated with estradiol in a dose-dependent manner compared to the control group. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that telocytes exist in the human myometrium, expressing T-type calcium channels and estradiol-enhanced T-type calcium currents, which may be a reasonable explanation for the origin of uterine peristalsis. The role of telocytes in the human uterus as pacemakers and message transfer stations in uterine peristalsis may be worth further investigation.

Prodigiosin improves acute lung injury in a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis via down-regulating the nuclear factor kappaB/nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 signaling pathway

Prodigiosin (PRO) is a natural pigment that possesses multiple activities, covering anti-tumor, anti-bacteria, and immunosuppression. This study is committed to an investigation into the underlying function and the certain mechanism of PRO in acute lung damage followed by rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method was implemented to trigger a rat lung injury model, and a rat RA model was constructed with the help of rheumatoid arthritis induced by collagen. Prodigiosin was administered to intervene in the rats' lung tissues post-treatment. The expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were determined. Western blot was carried out to detect anti-surfactant protein A (SPA), anti-surfactant protein D (SPD), apoptosis-concerned proteins (Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, Bcl-2, and pro-caspase-3), the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB)/nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3)/apoptosis-concerned speckle-like protein (ASC)/caspase-1 signaling pathway. The apoptosis of pulmonary epithelial tissues was checked via TUNEL assay, as corresponding kits were adopted to confirm the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the levels of oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Prodigiosin ameliorated the pathological damage of CLP rats. Prodigiosin alleviated the production of inflammatory and oxidative stress mediators. In the RA rats with acute lung injury, prodigiosin hampered apoptosis in the lung. Mechanistically, prodigiosin hinders the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling axis. In conclusion: prodigiosin relieves acute lung injury in a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis by exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects through downregulating the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling axis.

Prodigiosin improves acute lung injury in a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis via down-regulating the nuclear factor kappaB/nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 signaling pathway

Prodigiosin (PRO) is a natural pigment that possesses multiple activities, covering anti-tumor, anti-bacteria, and immunosuppression. This study is committed to an investigation into the underlying function and the certain mechanism of PRO in acute lung damage followed by rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method was implemented to trigger a rat lung injury model, and a rat RA model was constructed with the help of rheumatoid arthritis induced by collagen. Prodigiosin was administered to intervene in the rats' lung tissues post-treatment. The expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were determined. Western blot was carried out to detect anti-surfactant protein A (SPA), anti-surfactant protein D (SPD), apoptosis-concerned proteins (Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, Bcl-2, and pro-caspase-3), the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB)/nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3)/apoptosis-concerned speckle-like protein (ASC)/caspase-1 signaling pathway. The apoptosis of pulmonary epithelial tissues was checked via TUNEL assay, as corresponding kits were adopted to confirm the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the levels of oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Prodigiosin ameliorated the pathological damage of CLP rats. Prodigiosin alleviated the production of inflammatory and oxidative stress mediators. In the RA rats with acute lung injury, prodigiosin hampered apoptosis in the lung. Mechanistically, prodigiosin hinders the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling axis. In conclusion: prodigiosin relieves acute lung injury in a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis by exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects through downregulating the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling axis.

Orifice barriers to prevent coronal microleakage after root canal treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

This systematic review aimed to compare the efficiency of orifice barriers in preventing coronal microleakage in vitro.

METHODS

Articles published in English, German and Chinese were searched for studies describing microleakage assays for the bacterial penetration of root canal-treated teeth in vitro. The final sample included 18 articles for review and meta-analysis. Risk ratios and confidence intervals were determined for dichotomous variables. Ten publications using bacterial leakage models contributed to the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The addition of orifice barriers to a root canal filling was overall effective, shown by risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) demonstrating reduced microleakage with glass ionomer cement (GIC) (RR 0.37, 95% CI 0.26-0.53, P < 0.001), resin-modified GIC (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.15-0.67, P = 0.01), composite resin (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.38-0.75, P < 0.001), mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.12-0.52, P < 0.001) and Cavit (RR 0.23, 95% CI 0.14-0.39, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between GIC, resin-modified GIC, composite resin and MTA orifice barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Placement of an orifice barrier over the root canal filling is effective in the prevention of coronal microleakage in vitro. Other parameters may also affect the effectiveness of orifice barriers, including thickness and duration of exposure to the oral environment. © 2023 Australian Dental Association.

[Comparison of the effects of self-made three-dimensional printed assistant tableware and traditional universal cuff assistant tableware in patients with upper limb dysfunction after burn injury]

Objective: To compare the effects of self-made three-dimensional (3D) printed assistant tableware (hereinafter referred to as 3D assistive device) and traditional universal cuff assistant tableware (hereinafter referred to as universal cuff) on the voluntary eating function of patients with upper limb dysfunction after burns. Methods: The prospective self-control study was conducted. From March 2020 to June 2021, 18 patients with upper limb dysfunction after moderate to severe burns who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, including 15 males and 3 females, aged 21-58 (42±11) years. After using the 3D software and 3D printer to customize 3D assistive devices for patients, the patients were instructed to eat with the 3D assistive devices and the universal cuff on alternate days for 14 consecutive days, each for 7 days. During this time, the patients could also be fed by someone else without using the assistive device. The number of times the patients ate regular meals with each assistive device and the proportion of them to the total number of regular meals ate during the 7 days to which they belonged were counted. After the total use of two assistive devices for 14 days (hereinafter referred to as after use of 14 days), the amount and time of transferring liquid using the two assistive devices of patients were measured; the patients' feeding items in the modified Barthel index (MBI) were scored respectively when eating without the assistive device, with the 3D assistive device, or with the universal cuff; the satisfaction degree of feeding when eating without the assistive device, with the 3D assistive device, or with the universal cuff was evaluated using the 5-grade Likert scale. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t test, Wilcoxon signed rank sum test, and chi-square test. Results: The number of the patients ate regular meals with the 3D assistive device during the 7 days was (18.1±2.0) times, which was significantly more than (4.0±2.0) times with the universal cuff (t=53.72, P<0.01). The proportion of the number of the patients ate regular meals with the 3D assistive device to the total number of regular meals ate during the 7 days to which it belonged was 72.4% (325/449), which was significantly higher than 16.7% (72/431) with the universal cuff (χ2=257.36, P<0.01). After use of 14 days, the patients' time and amount of transferring liquid using the 3D assistive device were respectively significantly shorter and more than using the universal cuff (with t values of 2.49 and 7.52, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). The patients' MBI feeding scores when eating with the 3D assistive device and with the universal cuff were close (P>0.05), which were both significantly higher than the score when eating without the assistive device (with Z values of 3.90 and 3.86, respectively, P<0.01).The patients' satisfaction scores of feeding when eating with the 3D assistive device and with the universal cuff were close (P>0.05), which were both significantly higher than the score when eating without the assistive device (with Z values of 3.61 and 3.00, respectively, P<0.01). Conclusions: Both the 3D assistive device and the universal cuff can compensate the limb function of patients with upper limb dysfunction after burns and improve their self-feeding ability, but the 3D assistive device has more advantages in improving patients' willingness to eat and the efficiency of food transfer.

Genome-wide association study for reproduction-related traits in Chinese domestic goose

1. This study measured six reproduction traits in a Sichuan white goose population (209 individuals), including fertility, qualified egg rate, plasma concentrations of progesterone (P), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL) and oestrogen (E2).2. Whole-genome resequencing data from the same goose population (209 individuals) were used in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) utilising a mixed linear model to investigate the genes and genetic markers associated with reproduction traits. The frequency of the selected SNPs and haplotypes were determined using the Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) method.3. In total, 42 SNPs significantly associated with these traits were identified. A haplotype block was constructed based on five SNPs that were significantly associated with qualified egg rate, with individuals having the haplotype CCTTAAGGAA having the lowest qualified egg rate.4. In conclusion, these results provided potential markers for marker-assisted selection to improve goose reproductive performance and a basis for elucidating the genetics of goose reproduction.

Regulation of the autophagy plays an important role in acute kidney injury induced acute lung injury

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the regulatory role of autophagy in acute kidney injury (AKI) induced acute lung injury (ALI).

METHODS

The male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: normal saline-treated sham rats (sham group), normal saline-treated ischemia-reperfusion injury rats (IRI group), 3-methyladenine-treated IRI rats (3-MA group), and rapamycin-treated IRI rats (RA group). The rats in the IRI rat model received the nephrectomy of the right kidney and was subjected to 60 mins of left renal pedicle occlusion, followed by 12, 24, 48, and 72 h of reperfusion. The levels of Scr, BUN, wet-to-dry ratio of lung, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress were determined. The damage to tissues was detected by histological examinations. The western blot and immunohistochemistry methods were conducted to determine the expression of indicated proteins.

RESULTS

Renal IRI could induce the pulmonary injury after AKI, which caused significant increases in the function index of pulmonary and renal, the levels of inflammatory cytokines, and biomarkers of oxidative stress. In comparison to the IRI group, the RA group showed significantly decreased P62 and Caspase-3 expression and increased LC-II/LC3-I, Beclin-1, Bcl-2, and unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase 1 expression. Meanwhile, by suppressing the inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as inhibiting the pathological lesions in kidney and lung tissues, the autophagy could effectively ameliorate IRI-induced AKI and ALI.

CONCLUSIONS

Autophagy plays an important role in AKI-induced ALI, which could be used as a new target for AKI therapy and reduce the mortality caused by the complication.

The uses of transcriptomics and lipidomics indicated that direct contact with graphene oxide altered lipid homeostasis through ER stress in 3D human brain organoids

The potential uses of graphene-based nanomaterials (NMs) in various fields lead to the concern about their neurotoxicity, considering that graphene-based NMs are capable to cross blood brain barrier (BBB) and enter central nervous system (CNS). Although previous studies reported the possibility of graphene-based NM exposure to alter lipid homeostasis in animals or cultured neurons, recent studies suggested the need to use 3D human brain organoids for mechanism-based toxicological studies as this model might better recapitulate the complex human brains. Herein, we used multi-omics techniques to investigate the mechanisms of graphene oxide (GO) on lipid homeostasis in a novel 3D brain organoid model. We found that 50 μg/mL GO induced cytotoxicity but not superoxide. RNA-sequencing data showed that 50 μg/mL GO significantly up-regulated and down-regulated 80 and 121 genes, respectively. Furthermore, we found that GO exposure altered biological molecule metabolism pathways including lipid metabolism. Consistently, lipidomics data supported dose-dependent alteration of lipid profiles by GO in 3D brain organoids. Interestingly, co-exposure to GO and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) decreased most of the lipid classes compared with the exposure of GO only. We further verified that exposure to GO promoted ER stress marker GRP78 proteins, which in turn activated IRE1α/XBP-1 axis, and these changes were partially or completely inhibited by 4-PBA. These results proved that direct contact with GO disrupted lipid homeostasis through the activation of ER stress. As 3D brain organoids resemble human brains, these data might be better extrapolated to humans.

Quantum enhancement of a single quantum battery by repeated interactions with large spins

A generalized collision model is developed to investigate coherent charging a single quantum battery by repeated interactions with many-atom large spins, where collective atom operators are adopted and the battery is modeled by a uniform energy ladder. For an initially empty battery, we derive analytical results of the average number of excitations and hence the charging power in the short-time limit. Our analytical results show that a faster charging and an increased amount of the power in the coherent protocol uniquely arise from the phase coherence of the atoms. Finally, we show that the charging power defined by the so-called ergotropy almost follows our analytical result, due to a nearly pure state of the battery in the short-time limit.

Dietary intake of deuterium oxide decreases cochlear metabolism and oxidative stress levels in a mouse model of age-related hearing loss

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most prevalent sensory disorder in the elderly. Currently, no treatment can effectively prevent or reverse ARHL. Aging auditory organs are often accompanied by exacerbated oxidative stress and metabolic deterioration. Here, we report the effect of deuterated oxygen (D2O), also known as "heavy water", mouse models of ARHL. Supplementing the normal mouse diet with 10% D2O from 4 to 9 weeks of age lowered hearing thresholds at selected frequencies in treated mice compared to untreated control group. Oxidative stress levels were significantly reduced and in the cochlear duct of treated vs. untreated mice. Through metabolic flux analysis, we found that D2O mainly slowed down catabolic reactions, and may delay metabolic deterioration related to aging to a certain extent. Experiments confirmed that the Nrf2/HO-1/glutathione axis was down-regulated in treated mice. Thus, D2O supplementation can hinder ARHL progression in mouse models by slowing the pace of metabolism and reducing endogenous oxidative stress production in the cochlea. These findings open new avenues for protecting the cochlea from oxidative stress and regulating metabolism to prevent ARHL.

[Can tumor vaccines really cure liver cancer?]

In China, the incidence of liver cancer remains high. Approximately 80% of diagnosed patients are in the intermediate and advanced stages, with a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis after surgery. Therefore, substantially reducing the incidence and mortality has always been a major clinical challenge for liver cancer. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy represented by programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody is gradually innovating the traditional paradigm of tumor treatment, but the beneficiary population in liver cancer patients is relatively limited. With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing, proteomics and immunomics and other fields, the demand for precision medicine continues to increase. Tumor vaccines, especially derived from neoantigens, have shown promising therapeutic effects in malignant solid tumors such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer due to their immunogenicity. Combining the latest research reports at home and abroad, this paper emphasis on whether tumor vaccines can effectively treat or even cure liver cancer.

Pathological mechanisms of connexin26-related hearing loss: Potassium recycling, ATP-calcium signaling, or energy supply?

Hereditary deafness is one of the most common human birth defects. GJB2 gene mutation is the most genetic etiology. Gap junction protein 26 (connexin26, Cx26) encoded by the GJB2 gene, which is responsible for intercellular substance transfer and signal communication, plays a critical role in hearing acquisition and maintenance. The auditory character of different Connexin26 transgenic mice models can be classified into two types: profound congenital deafness and late-onset progressive hearing loss. Recent studies demonstrated that there are pathological changes including endocochlear potential reduction, active cochlear amplification impairment, cochlear developmental disorders, and so on, in connexin26 deficiency mice. Here, this review summarizes three main hypotheses to explain pathological mechanisms of connexin26-related hearing loss: potassium recycling disruption, adenosine-triphosphate-calcium signaling propagation disruption, and energy supply dysfunction. Elucidating pathological mechanisms underlying connexin26-related hearing loss can help develop new protective and therapeutic strategies for this common deafness. It is worthy of further study on the detailed cellular and molecular upstream mechanisms to modify connexin (channel) function.