Multimedia Mercury Recovery from Coal-Fired Power Plants Utilizing N-Containing Conjugated Polymer Functionalized Fly Ash

To recover multimedia mercury from coal-fired power plants, a novel N-containing conjugated polymer (polyaniline and polypyrrole) functionalized fly ash was prepared, which could continuously adsorb 99.2% of gaseous Hg0 at a high space velocity of 368,500 h-1 and nearly 100% of aqueous Hg2+ in the solution pH range of 2-12. The adsorption capacities of Hg0 and Hg2+ reach 1.62 and 101.36 mg/g, respectively. Such a kind of adsorbent has good environmental applicability, i.e. good resistance to coexisting O2/NO/SO2 and coexisting Na+/K+/Ca2+/Mg2+/SO42-. This adsorbent has very low specific resistances (6 × 106-5 × 109 Ω·cm) and thus can be easily collected by an electrostatic precipitator under low-voltage (0.1-0.8 kV). The Hg-saturated adsorbent can desorb almost 100% Hg under relatively low temperature (<250 °C). Characterization and theoretical calculations reveal that conjugated-N is the critical site for adsorbing both Hg0 and Hg2+ as well as activating chlorine. Gaseous Hg0 is oxidized and adsorbed in the form of HgXClX(ad), while aqueous Hg2+ is adsorbed to form a complex with conjugated-N, and parts of Hg2+ are reduced to Hg+ by conjugated-N. This adsorbent can be easily large-scale manufactured; thus, this novel solid waste functionalization method is promising to be applied in coal-fired power plants and other Hg-involving industrial scenes.

In vitro digestion under simulated saliva, gastric and small intestinal conditions and fermentation of nicotinamide mononucleotide, and its effects on the gut microbiota

Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) is a derivative of vitamin B3, which plays a significant role in a plethora of metabolic reactions in the human body and is intricately associated with both immunity and metabolism. Nonetheless, in the intestine metabolic pathway of NMN and the relationship between NMN, gut microbiota, and SCFAs remain hitherto obscure. This study examined the digestion of NMN in simulated saliva, gastric, and small intestine environments, as well as exploring the interaction between NMN and human gut microbiota utilizing an in vitro fermentation model. NMN was progressively degraded into nicotinamide ribose (NR), nicotinamide (NAM), and ribose, with niacinate (NA) constituting the ultimate degradation product due to hydrolysis and metabolism by microbiota. NMN was ingested by human intestinal microbiota with a slower fermentation rate. As a result of NMN ingestion by human gut bacteria，the concentrations of propionate and butyrate increased by 88% and 23%, respectively, compared to the blank control group, the proliferation of beneficial gut bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Phascolarctobacterium, Faecalibacteriun, and Alistipes) significantly increased, while the proliferation of some harmful bacteria (Sutterella, Desulfovibrio and Pseudomonas) drastically declined. These findings illustrated the metabolic processes of NMN in the intestine, elaborating the relationship between NMN, SCFAs and gut microbiota. NMN might be a potential prebiotic to improve intestinal health.

In vitro fermentation characteristics of blueberry anthocyanins and their impacts on gut microbiota from obese human

It has been demonstrated that the gut microbiota may play an important intermediary role in anthocyanins' beneficial impacts on obesity. However, the microbe-related anti-obesity mechanism of blueberry anthocyanins remains unclear. In this study, the interactions between blueberry anthocyanin extracts (BAE) and gut microbiota from obese humans were explored using an in vitro fermentation model. Due to hydrolysis and metabolism by the microbiota, the contents of blueberry anthocyanins are reduced during fermentation. It was demonstrated that both aglycones and glycosides affected the degradation rate. The microbial composition evaluation revealed that BAE could alleviate obesity by promoting the colonization of probiotics such as Lachnospiraceae_UCG-004 and Bacteroides, as well as inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria including Escherichia-Shigella, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and Klebsiella. Blueberry anthocyanin extracts facilitate the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which is beneficial for obesity control. The relationship between blueberry anthocyanins, gut microbiota, and SCFAs was further investigated. Overall, this data provides new insights into the positive interaction between blueberry anthocyanins and gut microbiota in obese humans.

A Nomogram to Predict Pathological Axillary Status in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study aimed to identify factors influencing axillary pathological complete response (pCR) and to develop a predictive nomogram to evaluate axillary pCR rate in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 2368 patients who received NAC and mastectomy between 2000 and 2014 from 12 grade A tertiary hospitals in China were analyzed retrospectively. The patients treated in three cancer hospitals (training set, n = 1629) were used to construct the nomogram based on multivariate logistic regression analyses. The nomograph was validated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration curve in patients from 9 other general hospitals (validation set, n = 739).

RESULTS

The nomogram incorporated seven predicting factors including NACT cycles, response to NACT, clinical T stage, clinical N stage, grade, LVI, and molecular subtype. The AUC for the training set and validation set were 0.762 and 0.802, respectively. In addition, the calibration curve also showed good agreement between the nomogram-based predictions and the actual observations.

CONCLUSION

A nomogram was established to predict the status of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients after NAC. The predictive model performed well both in the training set and external validation set.

Efficient and accurate compound scaling for convolutional neural networks

Designing efficient and accurate network architectures to support various workloads, from servers to edge devices, is a fundamental problem as the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (ConvNets) becomes increasingly widespread. One simple yet effective method is to scale ConvNets by systematically adjusting the dimensions of the baseline network, including width, depth, and resolution, enabling it to adapt to diverse workloads by varying its computational complexity and representation ability. However, current state-of-the-art (SOTA) scaling methods for neural network architectures overlook the inter-dimensional relationships within the network and the impact of scaling on inference speed, resulting in suboptimal trade-offs between accuracy and inference speed. To overcome those limitations, we propose a scaling method for ConvNets that utilizes dimension relationship and runtime proxy constraints to improve accuracy and inference speed. Specifically, our research notes that higher input resolutions in convolutional layers lead to redundant filters (convolutional width) due to increased similarity between information in different positions, suggesting a potential benefit in reducing filters while increasing input resolution. Based on this observation, the relationship between the width and resolution is empirically quantified in our work, enabling models with higher parametric efficiency to be prioritized through our scaling strategy. Furthermore, we introduce a novel runtime prediction model that focuses on fine-grained layer tasks with different computational properties for more accurate identification of efficient network configurations. Comprehensive experiments show that our method outperforms prior works in creating a set of models with a trade-off between accuracy and inference speed on the ImageNet datasets for various ConvNets.

Deep learning for predicting the risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis in lung cancer

AIM

To develop and validate a nomogram model that combines computed tomography (CT)-based radiological factors extracted from deep-learning and clinical factors for the early predictions of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (ICI-P).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty ICI-P patients and 101 patients without ICI-P were divided randomly into the training (n=113) and test (n=28) sets. The convolution neural network (CNN) algorithm was used to extract the CT-based radiological features of predictable ICI-P and calculated the CT score of each patient. A nomogram model to predict the risk of ICI-P was developed by logistic regression.

RESULTS

CT score was calculated from five radiological features extracted by the residual neural network-50-V2 with feature pyramid networks. Four predictors of ICI-P in the nomogram model included a clinical feature (pre-existing lung diseases), two serum markers (absolute lymphocyte count and lactate dehydrogenase), and a CT score. The area under curve of the nomogram model in the training (0.910 versus 0.871 versus 0.778) and test (0.900 versus 0.856 versus 0.869) sets was better than the radiological and clinical models. The nomogram model showed good consistency and better clinical practicability.

CONCLUSION

The nomogram model that combined CT-based radiological factors and clinical factors can be used as a new non-invasive tool for the early prediction of ICI-P in lung cancer patients after immunotherapy with low cost and low manual input.

Programmed Death of Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease: Autophagy, Ferroptosis, and Pyroptosis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline, amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that the damage of cell plays an important role in AD. Cell death is a critical phenomenon for physiological functions, which promotes AD pathogenesis. Programmed cell death, including necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis, have been discovered that have unique biological functions and pathophysiological characteristics. Here, we review the available evidence detailing the mechanisms of programmed microglial death, including pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. We also highlight the role of programmed death of microglia during the process of AD and focus on the connection between the disease and cell death.

Simulated Digestion and Fermentation In Vitro by Obese Human Gut Microbiota of Sulforaphane from Broccoli Seeds

BACKGROUND

sulforaphane is a kind of isothiocyanate, which is obtained by hydrolysis of glucosinolate by the unique myrosinase in plants. It has been proved to prevent the occurrence of many chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and cancer.

OBJECTIVE

The impact of SFN on obese human gut flora, however, has not been established.

METHODS

In this research, SFN was isolated from broccoli seeds and then refined to achieve 95% purity. Next, an investigation was conducted into the digestion and fermentation processes of SFN.

RESULTS

The stability of the SFN in simulated saliva, gastric fluid, and intestinal juice provides evidence that it can reach the gut and be available for utilization by gut microflora. In vitro fermentation of SFN by gut microbes in obese patients results in alteration in constitution of microbiota and production of short chain fatty acids. As the result of SFN ingestion by human gut bacteria, the content of butyric and valeric acids increased 1.21- and 1.46-fold, respectively. In obese human guts, the relative abundances of the beneficial genera including Lactobacillus, Weissella, Leuconosto, Algiphilus and Faecalibacterium significantly increased, whilst the detrimental genera, such as Escherichia-Shigella, Klebsiella, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Sutterella, Megamonas and Proteus drastically declined.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, these findings demonstrate that SFN can be used as a nutraceutical ingredient for obese patients and for improving human health.

Comparison of Telomere Length between Buccal Cells and Blood Cells

Telomere length (TL) in blood cells is commonly used as a proxy for TL in other tissue types. The source of DNA of adequate quality and quantity is important for TL analysis. Compared to blood cells, buccal cells easy for genomic DNA preparation would facilitate the rapid and reliable TL analysis. However, the feasibility of buccal cells for TL analysis remains yet unestablished. We characterized TL of buccal cells and blood cells collected from 52 individuals using buccal cell swabs and fingertip sticks. Relative TL (RTL) determined by quantitative PCR showed that there is a strong correlation between buccal RTL and blood RTL (r=0.877, p<0.001), suggesting that buccal cells are adequate sources of DNA for TL analysis. The validity of sampling using buccal cell swabs provides simple operation and good reproducibility for TL analysis, that overcomes the discomfort and risk of infection caused by blood sampling.

mTORC2 Facilitates Liver Regeneration Through Sphingolipid-Induced PPAR-α-Fatty Acid Oxidation

BACKGROUND & AIMS

During liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, the function and metabolic pathways governing transient lipid droplet accumulation in hepatocytes remain obscure. Mammalian target of rapamycin 2 (mTORC2) facilitates de novo synthesis of hepatic lipids. Under normal conditions and in tumorigenesis, decreased levels of triglyceride (TG) and fatty acids (FAs) are observed in the mTORC2-deficient liver. However, during liver regeneration, their levels increase in the absence of mTORC2.

METHODS

Rictor liver-specific knockout and control mice underwent partial hepatectomy, followed by measurement of TG and FA contents during liver regeneration. FA metabolism was evaluated by analyzing the expression of FA metabolism-related genes and proteins. Intraperitoneal injection of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α) agonist, p53 inhibitor, and protein kinase B (AKT) activator was performed to verify the regulatory pathways involved. Lipid mass spectrometry was performed to identify the potential PPAR-α activators.

RESULTS

The expression of FA metabolism-related genes and proteins suggested that FAs are mainly transported into hepatocytes during liver regeneration. The PPAR-α pathway is down-regulated significantly in the mTORC2-deficient liver, resulting in the accumulation of TGs. The PPAR-α agonist WY-14643 rescued deficient liver regeneration and survival in mTORC2-deficient mice. Furthermore, lipidomic analysis suggested that mTORC2 deficiency substantially reduced glucosylceramide (GluCer) content. GluCer activated PPAR-α. GluCer treatment in vivo restored the regenerative ability and survival rates in the mTORC2-deficient group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that FAs are mainly transported into hepatocytes during liver regeneration, and their metabolism is facilitated by mTORC2 through the GluCer-PPAR-α pathway, thereby establishing a novel role for mTORC2 in lipid metabolism.

Cytokinin Confers Brown Planthopper Resistance by Elevating Jasmonic Acid Pathway in Rice

Plants have evolved a sophisticated defense system that employs various hormone pathways to defend against attacks by insect pests. Cytokinin (CK) plays an important role in plant growth and stress tolerance, but the role of CKs in plant-insect interaction remains largely unclear. Here, we report that CKs act as a positive regulator in rice resistance against brown planthopper (BPH), a devastating insect pest of rice. We found that BPH feeding promotes CK biosynthesis and signaling in rice. Exogenous application of CKs significantly increased the rice resistance to BPH. Increasing endogenous CKs by knocking out cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (OsCKXs) led to enhanced resistance to BPH. Moreover, the levels of the plant hormone jasmonic acid (JA) and the expression of JA-responsive genes were elevated by CK treatment and in OsCKXs knockout plants. Furthermore, JA-deficient mutant og1 was more susceptible to BPH, and CK-induced BPH resistance was suppressed in og1. These results indicate that CK-mediated BPH resistance is JA-dependent. Our findings provide the direct evidence for the novel role of CK in promoting insect resistance, and demonstrate that CK-induced insect resistance is JA-dependent. These results provide important guidance for effective pest management strategies in the future.

Growth-Promoting Mechanism of Bismuth-Doped Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells Fabricated at 400 °C

The classical high-temperature synthesis process of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells limits their applications on high-temperature intolerant substrates. In this study, a novel low-temperature (400 °C) fabrication strategy of CIGS solar cells is reported using the bismuth (Bi)-doping method, and its growth-promoting mechanism is systematically studied. Different concentrations of Bi are incorporated into pure chalcopyrite quaternary target sputtered-CIGS films by controlling the thickness of the Bi layer. Bi induces considerable grain growth improvement, and an average of approximately 3% absolute efficiency enhancement is achieved for Bi-doped solar cells in comparison with the Bi-free samples. Solar cells doped with a 50 nm Bi layer yield the highest efficiency of 13.04% (without any antireflective coating) using the low-temperature technology. The copper-bismuth-selenium compounds (Cu-Bi-Se, mainly Cu1.6Bi4.8Se8) are crucial in improving the crystallinity of absorbers during the annealing process. These Bi-containing compounds are conclusively observed at the grain boundaries and top and bottom interfaces of CIGS films. The growth promotion is found to be associated with the superior diffusion capacity of Cu-Bi-Se compounds in CIGS films, and these liquid compounds function as carriers to facilitate crystallization. Bi atoms do not enter the CIGS lattices, and the band gaps (Eg) of absorbers remain unchanged. Bi doping reduces the number of CIGS grain boundaries and increases the copper vacancy content in CIGS films, thereby boosting the carrier concentrations. Cu-Bi-Se compounds in grain boundaries significantly enhance the conductivity of grain boundaries and serve as channels for carrier transport. The valence band, Fermi energy level (EF), and conduction band of Bi-doped CIGS films all move downward. This band shift strengthens the band bending of the CdS/CIGS heterojunction and eventually improves the open circuit voltage (Voc) of solar cells. An effective doping method and a novel mechanism can facilitate the low-temperature preparation of CIGS solar cells.

P13.14 Inhibition of extracellular carbonic anhydrases reduces glioblastoma cell invasion

BACKGROUND

Malignant gliomas metabolize glucose preferably by glycolysis which is in accordance with the Warburg effect. This induces a high demand of glucose combined with a significant lactic acid load. The hypoxia-inducible carbonic anhydrase (CA) IX has been shown to moderate the extrusion of hydrogen ions into the extracellular space. Since the acidification of the extracellular environment contributes to host tissue invasion due to activation of proteolytic enzymes, we hypothesized that CA IX plays an important role in malignant glioma Recently, specific small molecule inhibitors of this enzyme have been developed and may provide an innovative strategy for anti - invasive treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Two established and 4 primary GBM cell lines (2 with mesenchymal and 2 with proneural transcriptional profile) were exposed to the CAIX inhibitor U104 under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Cell toxicity was measured by ATP and crystal violet assay. For invasion assessment, a matrigel invasion chamber system with 8 µm pore size polycarbonate filter was used. CAIX expression was analyzed by quantitative RTPCR and Western Blot.

RESULTS

Hypoxia significantly induced CAIX expression in all cell lines. Invasiveness increased significantly under hypoxic conditions in the mesenchymal cells (p &lt; 0.01). Regardless of oxygenation status, the mesenchymal group displayed significantly higher invasiveness compared to the proneural group (p = 0.006). Looking at all cell lines, invasion is significantly inhibited by U104, both under normoxic and hypoxic conditions (p &lt; 0.01). However, while the mesenchymal group showed the highest susceptibility to CAIX inhibition followed by the proneurally differentiated group, the established cell lines were entirely refractory to CAIX inhibition.

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrate that CAIX inhibition can effectively inhibit invasion in malignant glioma cells independent from oxygenation status, however the effects are significantly influenced by cell type specific biological features.

Flupentixol/melitracen for chronic refractory cough after treatment failure with other neuromodulators

BACKGROUND: Gabapentin and baclofen are recommended for the treatment of chronic refractory cough (CRC). We investigated the efficacy of flupentixol/melitracen in patients unresponsive to these neuromodulators.METHODS: A total of 101 patients with CRC who failed to respond to gabapentin and baclofen were recruited, and treated with flupentixol/melitracen. The prevalence of cough resolution and changes in the Cough Symptom Score (CSS), cough thresholds to capsaicin, Hull Airway Reflux Questionnaire (HARQ), Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 were evaluated after treatment.RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients (97.0%) completed the study. The overall successful cough resolution rate was 62.4% (63/101). Cough resolution was accompanied by an obvious decrease in the CSS and HARQ score and a remarkable increase in cough thresholds to capsaicin challenge and LCQ score, whereas anxiety and depression scores did not change significantly. The prevalence of adverse effects (e.g., insomnia and dizziness) was 21.8%. The prevalence of cough recurrence within 2 weeks after treatment cessation was 17.8%.CONCLUSION: Flupentixol/melitracen may be an efficacious option for CRC unresponsive to other neuromodulators.

P–313 Endometrial receptivity analysis for personalized embryo transfer in patients with recurrent implantation failure: a retrospective analysis of a Chinese cohort

Study question

To quantify the effectiveness of endometrial receptivity analysis (ERA)-guided personalized embryo transfer (pET) in Chinese women.

Summary answer

ERA-guided pET may remarkably improve pregnancy and implantation rates among Chinese women with Recurrent implantation failure (RIF).

What is known already

RIF is a major cause of infertility, and endometrial receptivity is widely accepted to impact implantation failure. Precision prediction of the WOI, the time when the endometrium is most receptive to the implantation of the embryo, is, therefore, of great significance to improve implantation prospects. Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of ERA for the prediction of the WOI, and how pET, timed by ERA, improves implantation and pregnancy rates; however, the efficacy of ERA-guided pET remains unknown for Chinese women.

Study design, size, duration

Patients in Chengdu Xi’nan Gynecology Hospital (Chengdu, China) who were undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET) at the blastocyst stage on day five or day six during the period from November 2019 through September 2020 were recruited for this study. A total of 145 eligible patients were included in the study and assigned to the ERA group (n = 67) or the control group (n = 78). Clinical pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Endometrial specimens were collected the from ERA group. Total RNA was extracted from endometrial specimens, the transcriptomic sequencing data were processed using RNA-Seq and the endometrial receptivity status was assessed by the ERA predictor. The endometrium was classified as receptive or non-receptive according to the ERA assessment, and pET was done at the time determined by ERA in the ERA group. Subjects in the control group did not receive ERA and underwent blastocyst transfer normally.

Main results and the role of chance

The demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between the ERA and control groups (P &gt; 0.05). The ERA test identified 10.45% of samples as receptive and 89.55% of samples as non-receptive in the ERA group, with 70.15% of samples presenting a pre-receptive profile. We observed higher cumulative pregnancy (74.63% vs. 64.10%) and cumulative implantation rate (47.32% vs. 21.68%) rates, and a lower biochemical pregnancy rate (18.00% vs. 34.00%) in the ERA group when compared to the control group (P &lt; 0.05). Additionally, we found higher pregnancy (67.16% vs. 39.74%) and implantation (46.54% vs. 16.94%) rates as well as a lower biochemical pregnancy rate (17.78% vs. 45.16%) after the first ERA test in the ERA group when compared to the control group (P &lt; 0.01).

Limitations, reasons for caution

First, this is a retrospective analysis, which is relatively more biased than prospective clinical trials. Second, the study sample is considerably small. Third, only 10.45% of the subjects were identified as presenting a receptive profile, which limits the comparisons of clinical outcomes between patients with receptive and non-receptive endometria.

Wider implications of the findings: This study demonstrates that the ERA test helps to determine the optimal timing for embryo transfer, improve pregnancy and implantation rates in patients with RIF, and guides the clinical application of the ERA test.

Trial registration number

approval No. 2020–018

P–371 Clinical value assessment between endometrial receptivity array and immune profiling in patients with implantation failure

Study question

To evaluate whether the pregnancy outcomes could be improved in implantation failure patients by endometrial receptivity array, endometrial immune profiling, or a combination of both.

Summary answer

There was no statistical difference between different endometrial receptivity evaluation and treatment in improving the clinical pregnancy rate.

What is known already

Both endometrial receptivity array and endometrial immune profiling were promised to improve the endometrial receptivity and subsequent clinical pregnancy. However, less is known about the efficiency between each other and whether the combination could further enhance their clinical value.

Study design, size, duration

Between November 2019 and September 2020, 143 women with a history of at least two or more consecutive implantation failure in IVF/ICSI treatment in Chengdu Xinan Gynecology Hospital were included. They were divided into three groups: ‘ERA + Immune Profiling’ (n = 70), ‘Immune Profiling’ (n = 41), and ‘ERA’ (n = 32).

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Inclusion criteria were age ≤ 38, with normal uterus and uterine cavity. All patients were suggested to evaluate endometrial receptivity by ERA test (Igenomix, Valencia, Spain) and endometrial immune profiling based on immunohistochemistry simultaneously, who would be free to choose each or both evaluation approaches. Personal Embryo Transfer and/or personal medical care were adopted according to evaluation results. Clinical pregnancy was confirmed by gestational sacs observed under ultrasonography.

Main results and the role of chance

The overall prevalence of displaced window of implantation (WOI) is 84.3%, and nearly 74.8% (83/111) patients were diagnosed as endometrial immune dysregulation. Clinical Pregnancy rate and embryonic implantation rate decreased in the ‘Immune Test’ groups, but without a statistical difference (P = 0.311, and 0.158, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that different endometrial receptivity evaluation and treatment was not associated the clinical pregnancy rate, suggesting the performance of different endometrial receptivity evaluation and treatment is similar in improving the clinical pregnancy rate. Neither the immune profiling (CD56, P = 0.591; FOXP3, P = 0.195; CD68, P = 0.820; CD163, P = 0.926; CD1a, P = 0.561; CD57, P = 0.221; CD8, P = 0.427; CD138 CE, P = 0.372) nor histologic endometrial dating defined by Noyes criteria (P = 0.374) were associated with ERA phases.

Limitations, reasons for caution

Although the selection of evaluation approaches was based on patients’ willingness, the variances of baseline characteristics and immune profiling existed in different groups. The immunological treatment efficacy based on immune profiling was not evaluated before embryo transfer.

Wider implications of the findings: To our knowledge, this is the first study comparing the pregnancy outcomes after two typical endometrial receptivity evaluation approaches. The findings highlight the unsubstitutability for each assessment, indicating that both asynchronous and pathological WOI contribute to implantation failure.

Trial registration number

X2019004

Prostaglandin E2 receptor subtypes 1 and 2 play a role in TGF-β1-induced renal fibrosis by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effects of prostaglandin E2 receptor subtypes 1 (EP1) and 2 (EP2) on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced by TGF-β1 in mouse mesangial cells (MCs) and to explore its potential mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mouse mesangial cells were isolated and cultured. EP-siRNAs were transfected into mesangial cells for silencing EP1 and EP2. Mesangial cell proliferation was assessed by the CCK-8 method. Expression of PGE2 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). GRP78, TRPC1, ERK1/2, and phospho-ERK1/2 levels were examined by Western blot.

RESULTS

TGF-β1 induced mesangial cell proliferation and increased PGE2 secretion. Besides, TGF-β1 significantly upregulated GRP78 and TRPC1 expression at the protein level. Phospho-ERK1/2 protein amounts were also increased (p<0.05). Compared with the TGF-β1 group, cell proliferation in the EP1-siRNA+TGF-β1 group was reduced, while GRP78, TRPC1, and ERK1/2 protein amounts were downregulated (p<0.05). EP1 agonist significantly enhanced above changes and their activities (p<0.05). EP1 antagonist significantly attenuated the above changes (p<0.05). Compared with TGF-β1 group, cell proliferation in EP2-siRNA+TGF-β1 group was increased, while GRP78, TRPC1, and ERK1/2 protein amounts were increased (p<0.05). EP2 agonist significantly attenuated the above changes (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

EP1 receptor may increase TGF-β1-induced cell damage by increasing the activities of GRP78, TRPC1, and ERK1/2 via ER stress. Meanwhile, the EP2 receptor may reduce TGF-β1-induced cell damage by suppressing GRP78, TRPC1, and ERK1/2 activities, also via ER stress. EP1 inhibition and EP2 stimulation may be a therapeutic option for delaying renal fibrosis.

Influences of urinary kallidinogenase on neuronal apoptosis in cerebral infarction rats through Nrf2/ARE oxidative stress pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the influences of urinary kallidinogenase on neuronal apoptosis in rats with cerebral infarction through the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) oxidative stress pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 30 male rats were divided into group A (model control group), group B (rat model of cerebral infarction) and group C (rat model of cerebral infarction + medical treatment with urinary kallidinogenase). The percentage of cerebral infarct volume and the apoptosis of brain cells in the three groups of rats were detected via 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, the pathological morphology of brain tissues in the three groups of rats was observed via hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and the protein levels of Nrf2 and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in the brain tissues in the three groups of rats were measured using the Western blotting assay.

RESULTS

The degree of neurological deficit in group B was remarkably higher than that in group A (p<0.05), and it was markedly decreased in group C compared to that in group B, displaying statistically significant differences (p<0.05). Compared to that in group A, the cell apoptosis was significantly aggravated in group B, while a remarkably alleviated cell apoptosis was observed in group C compared to that of group B, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). The cerebral infarct volume accounted for 34.87% of the whole brain volume in group B, and a mild cerebral infarction was detected in group C, with a percentage of cerebral infarct volume of 21.14%. Group B showed a more evident increase in the cerebral infarct volume than in group C (p<0.05). Compared to those of group A, pyknotic nuclei and neuron staining of brain tissue cells were evidently increased, and the neuronal cell injury was aggravated in group B. Moreover, prominently decreased pyknotic nuclei and neuron staining (p<0.05) as well as mild neuronal cell injury (p<0.05) were detected in group C compared to those in group B. The levels of Nrf2 and SOD1 protein in the brain tissues in group B were remarkably lower than those of group C (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary kallidinogenase can inhibit the neuronal apoptosis in rats and protect the rats from cerebral infarction, whose mechanism is associated with the activation of the Nrf2/ARE oxidative stress pathway.

LncRNA DSCAM-AS1 promotes non-small cell lung cancer progression via regulating miR-577/HMGB1 axis

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major source of cancer mortality. Long non-coding RNA DSCAM-AS1 has been certified to be involved in the pathogenesis of NSCLC. This study aimed to further investigate the potential mechanism of DSCAM-AS1 in NSCLC progression. The expressions of DSCAM-AS1, miR-577, and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or western blot assay. Cell viability was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Flow cytometry assay was conducted to monitor cell apoptosis. Cell migration and invasion were measured by transwell assay. Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related factors were detected by western blot assay. The relationship between DSCAM-AS1, miR-577, and HMGB1 was validated by bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay. The xenograft mouse model was established to analyze tumor growth in vivo. DSCAM-AS1 and HMGB1 were upregulated, while miR-577 was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells. DSCAM-AS1 promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and restrained cell apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Overexpression of HMGB1 reversed the effects of DSCAM-AS1 depletion on the progression of NSCLC. DSCAM-AS1 modulated HMGB1 expression by sponging miR-577. DSCAM-AS1 regulated the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by regulating miR-577 and HMGB1. DSCAM-AS1 knockdown blocked the tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, DSCAM-AS1 facilitated NSCLC progression by regulating the HMGB1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway, providing a promising therapeutic target for NSCLC.

MiR-7 alleviates secondary inflammatory response of microglia caused by cerebral hemorrhage through inhibiting TLR4 expression

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to analyze the effect of miR-7 on the inflammatory response of microglia in vitro and in vivo by constructing an intracerebral hemorrhage model.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study, we first established a model of cerebral hemorrhage in rat for in vivo experiments, and used lipoprotein (LPS) to induce an inflammatory response development in microglial cells, and constructed microglial inflammation models for in vitro experiments. Quantitative Real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-7 in the rat model of cerebral hemorrhage and microglia with inflammation. The effect of miR-7 on the inflammation caused by intracerebral hemorrhage was evaluated through measuring the expression of IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the binding site of miR-7 to TLR4. Western blot was used to evaluate the level of TLR4 after overexpression and knockdown of miR-7 and to evaluate whether miR-7 alleviated the secondary inflammatory response of microglia after cerebral hemorrhage by inhibiting the expression of TLR4.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-7 in the rat cerebral hemorrhage model and microglial inflammation model tissue was significantly lower than that in the normal control group. Expression of inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α was significantly increased in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage and microglial inflammation in rats, and the expression of these inflammatory cytokines was partially reversed after overexpression of miR-7. Double luciferase reporter gene and ELISA results showed that miR-7 could inhibit the expression of TLR4 and relieve the secondary inflammatory response of microglia after cerebral hemorrhage.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that, in in vivo and in vitro experiments, miR-7 could reduce the LPS-induced inflammatory response produced by microglial cells, and alleviate the inflammation in the brain of rats with cerebral hemorrhage.

Microbial diversity in the tick Argas japonicus (Acari: Argasidae) with a focus on Rickettsia pathogens

The soft tick Argas japonicus mainly infests birds and can cause human dermatitis; however, no pathogen has been identified from this tick species in China. In the present study, the microbiota in A. japonicus collected from an epidemic community was explored, and some putative Rickettsia pathogens were further characterized. The results obtained indicated that bacteria in A. japonicus were mainly ascribed to the phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. At the genus level, the male A. japonicus harboured more diverse bacteria than the females and nymphs. The bacteria Alcaligenes, Pseudomonas, Rickettsia and Staphylococcus were common in nymphs and adults. The abundance of bacteria belonging to the Rickettsia genus in females and males was 7.27% and 10.42%, respectively. Furthermore, the 16S rRNA gene of Rickettsia was amplified and sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that 13 sequences were clustered with the spotted fever group rickettsiae (Rickettsia heilongjiangensis and Rickettsia japonica) and three were clustered with Rickettsia limoniae, which suggested that the characterized Rickettsia in A. japonicus were novel putative pathogens and also that the residents were at considerable risk for infection by tick-borne pathogens.

NP30 stimulates Th17 differentiation through DC in Schistosomiasis Japonicum

The murine monoclonal anti‐idiotypic antibody, NP30, is a potential vaccine candidate against Schistosoma japonicum. Previous studies have revealed that NP30 has an immunoregulatory effect, but the underlying mechanism for this effect remains unknown. This study shows that NP30 induces dendritic cell (DC) maturation and increases the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines. The expression of CD86 and MHC II was upregulated in DCs following stimulation with NP30 in vitro. Moreover, NP30 induced Th17 polarization by increasing the production of IL‐6 and TGF‐β. In vivo, Th17 differentiation was induced by the production of key pro‐inflammatory cytokines, including IL‐6and TGF‐β, from DCs of NP30‐immunized mice. These results indicate that NP30 promotes Th17 polarization through DC activation, preventing serious schistosomiasis.

Managing Response Time Tails by Sharding

Matrix analytic methods are developed to compute the probability distribution of response times (i.e., data access times) in distributed storage systems protected by erasure coding, which is implemented by sharding a data object into N fragments, only K <; N of which are required to reconstruct the object. This leads to a partial-fork-join model with a choice of canceling policies for the redundant N − K tasks. The accuracy of the analytical model is supported by tests against simulation in a broad range of setups. At increasing workload intensities, numerical results show the extent to which increasing the redundancy level reduces the mean response time of storage reads and significantly flattens the tail of their distribution; this is demonstrated at medium-high quantiles, up to the 99th. The quantitative reduction in response time achieved by two policies for canceling redundant tasks is also shown: for cancel-at-finish and cancel-at-start, which limits the additional load introduced whilst losing the benefit of selectivity amongst fragment service times.

Brassinosteroids mediate susceptibility to brown planthopper by integrating with the salicylic acid and jasmonic acid pathways in rice

Improved knowledge of the interactions between plants and insects will facilitate better insect control in crops. Brassinosteroids (BRs) play a vital role in plant growth, developmental processes, and responses to pathogen infection, but the role of BRs in interactions between plants and insects remain largely unknown. In this study, we characterized a negative role of BRs in rice defense against brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens) and examined its underlying mechanisms. We found that BPH infestation suppressed the BR pathway while successively activating the salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways. In addition, BR-overproducing mutants and plants treated with 24-epibrassinolide (BL) showed increased susceptibility to BPH, whereas BR-deficient mutants were more resistant than the wild-type. BRs down-regulated the expression of genes related to the SA pathway and reduced SA content while genes related to the JA pathway were up-regulated and JA content increased after BPH infestation. Furthermore, BR-mediated suppression of the SA pathway was impaired both in JA-deficient and JA-insensitive mutants. Our results demonstrate that BRs promote the susceptibility of rice plants to BPH by modulating the SA and JA pathways.

Nonlinear Decay and Plasma Heating by a Toroidal Alfvén Eigenmode

We demonstrate theoretically that a toroidal Alfvén eigenmode (TAE) can parametrically decay into a geodesic acoustic mode and kinetic TAE in a toroidal plasma. The corresponding threshold condition for the TAE amplitude is estimated to be |δB_{⊥}/B_{0}|∼O(10^{-4}). Here, δB_{⊥} and B_{0} are, respectively, the perturbed magnetic field of the pump TAE and the equilibrium magnetic field. This novel decay process, in addition to contributing to the nonlinear saturation of energetic-particle or α-particle driven TAE instability, could also contribute to the heating as well as regulating the transports of thermal plasmas.

A novel large fragment deletion in PLS3 causes rare X-linked early-onset osteoporosis and response to zoledronic acid

We identified a novel large fragment deletion from intron 9 to 3'UTR in PLS3 (E10-E16del) in one Chinese boy with X-linked early-onset osteoporosis and vertebral fractures, which expanded the pathogenic spectrum of X-linked early-onset osteoporosis. Treatment with zoledronic acid was beneficial for increasing BMD and reshaping the vertebral bodies of this patient.

INTRODUCTION

X-linked early-onset osteoporosis is a rare disease, which is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), and/or long bone fractures. We aimed to detect the phenotype and the underlying pathogenic mutation of X-linked early-onset osteoporosis in a boy from a nonconsanguineous Chinese family.

METHODS

We investigated the pathogenic mutation of the patient with X-linked early-onset osteoporosis by targeted next-generation sequencing and confirmed it by Sanger sequencing. We also observed the effects of zoledronic acid on fracture frequency and BMD of the patient.

RESULTS

Low BMD and multiple VCFs were the main phenotypes of X-linked early-onset osteoporosis. We identified a total of 12,229 bp deletion in PLS3, involving intron 9 to the 3'UTR (E10-E16 del). This large fragment deletion might be mediated by Alu repeats and microhomology of 26 bp at each breakpoint junction. Zoledronic acid treatment could significantly increase the Z-score of BMD and reshape the compressed vertebral bodies.

CONCLUSION

We identified a large fragment deletion mutation in PLS3 for the first time and elucidated the possible mechanism of the deletion, which led to X-linked early-onset osteoporosis and multiple vertebral fractures. Our findings would enrich the etiology spectrum of this rare disease.

Marker assisted pyramiding of two brown planthopper resistance genes, Bph3 and Bph27 (t), into elite rice Cultivars

BACKGROUND

Brown planthopper (BPH) is the most destructive insect in rice production. Breeding of resistant cultivars is the most cost-effective and environment-friendly strategy for BPH management; however, resistant cultivars are currently hampered by the rapid breakdown of BPH resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need to use more effective BPH resistance genes or pyramiding different resistance genes to develop more durable resistant rice cultivars.

RESULTS

Here a dominant BPH resistance gene Bph27(t) were introgressed into a susceptible commercial japonica variety Ningjing3 (NJ3) and indica variety 93-11 using marker-assisted selection (MAS), respectively. Further, Bph27(t) and a durable BPH resistance gene Bph3 was pyramided by intercrossing single-gene introgressed lines through MAS. The introgression of BPH resistance genes significantly improved the BPH resistance and reduced the yield loss caused by BPH.

CONCLUSION

The development of single and two genes pyramided lines in this study provides innovative resources for molecular breeding of durable BPH-resistant rice cultivars and BPH management through resistant cultivars.

Closing a gap in the physical map of the ovine major histocompatibility complex

A 184 kb gap in an ovine MHC physical map was successfully closed by identification of two overlapping clones (304C7 and 222G18) from a Chinese fine wool merino sheep BAC library. The location and tiling path of the two clones were confirmed by BAC-end sequencing and PCR amplification of loci in overlapping regions. Full-length sequencing of the clones identified 13 novel ovine genes in the gap between loci Notch4 and Btnl2, and eight of them belonging to the Butyrophilin-like (Btn-like or Btnl) gene family. The scattered distribution of the Btnl gene cluster at the gap provided a clue to explain the difficulties previously experienced in closing the gap. Completed BAC contigs of the ovine MHC will facilitate sequencing of the entire ovine leukocyte antigen (OLA) region, providing detailed information for comparative studies of MHC evolution.

Generation of spin currents by surface plasmon resonance

Surface plasmons, free-electron collective oscillations in metallic nanostructures, provide abundant routes to manipulate light–electron interactions that can localize light energy and alter electromagnetic field distributions at subwavelength scales. The research field of plasmonics thus integrates nano-photonics with electronics. In contrast, electronics is also entering a new era of spintronics, where spin currents play a central role in driving devices. However, plasmonics and spin-current physics have so far been developed independently. Here we report the generation of spin currents by surface plasmon resonance. Using Au nanoparticles embedded in Pt/BiY₂Fe₅O₁₂ bilayer films, we show that, when the Au nanoparticles fulfill the surface-plasmon-resonance conditions, spin currents are generated across the Pt/BiY₂Fe₅O₁₂ interface. This spin-current generation cannot be explained by conventional heating effects, requiring us to introduce nonequilibrium magnons excited by surface-plasmon-induced evanescent electromagnetic fields in BiY₂Fe₅O₁₂. This plasmonic spin pumping integrates surface plasmons with spin-current physics, opening the door to plasmonic spintronics.

Optical methods allow for the excitation of diverse magnetic phenomena in nanostructured materials. Here, Uchida et al. demonstrate how pure spin current may be generated across a Pt/BiY₂Fe₅O₁₂ thin film interface by optically exciting surface plasmon resonance in embedded gold nanoparticles.

Parallel mechanisms of polypyrrole self-discharge in aqueous media

Self-discharge of oxidized polypyrrole is composed of two parallel self-discharge mechanisms and their relative contributions depend on pH and potential.

The role of fQRS in coronary artery disease. A meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND

Experimental and clinical studies have suggested that the presence of fragmented QRS complex (fQRS) is associated with various cardiovascular diseases. fQRS may predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The current meta-analysis was performed using clinical outcome studies to evaluate the role of fQRS in coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS

A systematic search of electronic databases (Cochrane, Medline, Embase and Pubmed) from their inception to April 2014 was performed. Data were extracted from applicable articles to evaluate the prognostic value of fQRS in CAD.

RESULTS

A total of 16 observational studies about fQRS and CAD (n = 3,997 patients) were identified. Compared with the non-fQRS group, MACE and mortality were significantly higher in the fQRS group -odds ratios (OR) 3.19, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) [2.3, 4.42], p < 0.00001; OR 2.24, 95 % CI [1.71, 2.94], p < 0.0001. Patients developed Q waves, anterior-wall myocardial infarction (MI), and low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) more frequently in the fQRS group than in the non-fQRS group-OR 2.59, 95 % CI [1.76, 3.81], p < 0.00001; OR 2.43, 95 % CI [1.07, 5.52], p = 0.03; OR - 6.43, 95 % CI [- 9.11, - 3.74], p < 0.00001.

CONCLUSION

Based on current evidence, fQRS was associated with increased MACE, mortality, Q waves, anterior-wall MI, and decreased LVEF in CAD. These findings show that fQRS is a reliable marker in CAD.

Effect of intermittent PTH (1-34) on posterolateral spinal fusion with iliac crest bone graft in an ovariectomized rat model

SUMMARY

Intermittent treatment with high-dose parathyroid hormone (PTH) enhances the quantity and quality of the fusion callus and reduces healing time of posterolateral spinal fusion with autologous iliac bone grafts in ovariectomized osteoporotic female Sprague-Dawley rats. Intermittent PTH (1-34) could be an appropriate adjunctive therapy for osteoporotic patients undergoing posterolateral intertransverse process fusion.

INTRODUCTION

The study was designed to test the hypothesis that intermittent administration of PTH improves spinal fusion rates in a randomized controlled, ovariectomized osteoporotic rat spinal fusion model.

METHODS

Thirty-six 10-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized and underwent bilateral posterolateral L4-L5 spinal fusion with autologous iliac bone graft 6 weeks later. The experimental (PTH) group (18 rats) received daily subcutaneously administered injections of PTH (1-34) at 30 μg/kg/day starting on the day of operation. The control group (18 rats) received a subcutaneously administered injection of normal saline of the same volume. Nine rats from each group were sacrificed at 4 and 6 weeks. After sacrifice, the L4-L5 vertebral segments were removed and analyzed by plain radiographs, μ-CT, histomorphometry, and serum bone metabolism marker.

RESULTS

The PTH group had a significantly higher fusion rate and X-ray fusion score than the control group at 4 and 6 weeks (p < 0.05). μ-CT and histological analysis showed that the fusion bone volume and cortical thickness for the PTH group were significantly higher than those for the control group at 4 and 6 weeks (p < 0.05). Metabolic marker analysis also showed significant difference between the two groups. The serum osteocalcin was significantly higher in the PTH group at 4 and 6 weeks, and levels of N-terminal peptide of type I collagen were significantly higher at 4 weeks (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Intermittent treatment with high-dose PTH enhances the quantity of the fusion callus and reduces the healing time of posterolateral spinal fusion with autologous iliac bone grafts in ovariectomized osteoporotic female Sprague-Dawley rats.