Recent advances and challenges in protein complex model accuracy estimation

Estimation of model accuracy plays a crucial role in protein structure prediction, aiming to evaluate the quality of predicted protein structure models accurately and objectively. This process is not only key to screening candidate models that are close to the real structure, but also provides guidance for further optimization of protein structures. With the significant advancements made by AlphaFold2 in monomer structure, the problem of single-domain protein structure prediction has been widely solved. Correspondingly, the importance of assessing the quality of single-domain protein models decreased, and the research focus has shifted to estimation of model accuracy of protein complexes. In this review, our goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of the reference and statistical metrics, as well as representative methods, and the current challenges within four distinct facets (Topology Global Score, Interface Total Score, Interface Residue-Wise Score, and Tertiary Residue-Wise Score) in the field of complex EMA.

Machine Learning for Predicting Risk and Prognosis of Acute Kidney Disease in Critically Ill Elderly Patients During Hospitalization: Internet-Based and Interpretable Model Study

BACKGROUND

Acute kidney disease (AKD) affects more than half of critically ill elderly patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), which leads to worse short-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to establish 2 machine learning models to predict the risk and prognosis of AKD in the elderly and to deploy the models as online apps.

METHODS

Data on elderly patients with AKI (n=3542) and AKD (n=2661) from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database were used to develop 2 models for predicting the AKD risk and in-hospital mortality, respectively. Data collected from Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were for external validation. A bootstrap method was used for internal validation to obtain relatively stable results. We extracted the indicators within 24 hours of the first diagnosis of AKI and the fluctuation range of some indicators, namely delta (day 3 after AKI minus day 1), as features. Six machine learning algorithms were used for modeling; the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), decision curve analysis, and calibration curve for evaluating; Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) analysis for visually interpreting; and the Heroku platform for deploying the best-performing models as web-based apps.

RESULTS

For the model of predicting the risk of AKD in elderly patients with AKI during hospitalization, the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) showed the best overall performance in the training (AUROC=0.844, 95% CI 0.831-0.857), internal validation (AUROC=0.853, 95% CI 0.841-0.865), and external (AUROC=0.755, 95% CI 0.699-0.811) cohorts. In addition, LightGBM performed well for the AKD prognostic prediction in the training (AUROC=0.861, 95% CI 0.843-0.878), internal validation (AUROC=0.868, 95% CI 0.851-0.885), and external (AUROC=0.746, 95% CI 0.673-0.820) cohorts. The models deployed as online prediction apps allowed users to predict and provide feedback to submit new data for model iteration. In the importance ranking and correlation visualization of the model's top 10 influencing factors conducted based on the SHAP value, partial dependence plots revealed the optimal cutoff of some interventionable indicators. The top 5 factors predicting the risk of AKD were creatinine on day 3, sepsis, delta blood urea nitrogen (BUN), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate, while the top 5 factors determining in-hospital mortality were age, BUN on day 1, vasopressor use, BUN on day 3, and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2).

CONCLUSIONS

We developed and validated 2 online apps for predicting the risk of AKD and its prognostic mortality in elderly patients, respectively. The top 10 factors that influenced the AKD risk and mortality during hospitalization were identified and explained visually, which might provide useful applications for intelligent management and suggestions for future prospective research.

Enhancing neuroinduction activity of PLCL-based nerve conduits through native epineurium integration

Autologous nerve grafts have been considered the gold standard for peripheral nerve grafts. However, due to drawbacks such as functional loss in the donor area and a shortage of donor sources, nerve conduits are increasingly being considered as an alternative approach. Polymer materials have been widely studied as nerve repair materials due to their excellent processing performance. However, their limited biocompatibility has restricted further clinical applications. The epineurium is a natural extra-neural wrapping structure. After undergoing decellularization, the epineurium not only reduces immune rejection but also retains certain bioactive components. In this study, decellularized epineurium (DEP) derived from the sciatic nerve of mammals was prepared, and a bilayer nerve conduit was created by electrospinning a poly (l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) membrane layer onto the outer surface of the DEP. Components of the DEP were examined; the physical properties and biosafety of the bilayer nerve conduit were evaluated; and the functionality of the nerve conduit was evaluated in rats. The results demonstrate that the developed bilayer nerve conduit exhibits excellent biocompatibility and mechanical properties. Furthermore, this bilayer nerve conduit shows significantly superior therapeutic effects for sciatic nerve defects in rats compared to the pure PLCL nerve conduit. In conclusion, this research provides a novel strategy for the design of nerve regeneration materials and holds promising potential for further clinical translation.

5-methylcytosine-mediated upregulation of circular RNA 0102913 augments malignant properties of colorectal cancer cells through a microRNA-571/Rac family small GTPase 2 axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of stable non-coding RNAs that have emerged as key regulators in human diseases including cancer. This study investigates the role of circRNA_0102913 (circ_0102913) in malignant behavior of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and the underpinning mechanisms. By analyzing CRC-related GSE197991, GSE159669, and GSE223001 datasets, we obtained circ_0102913 as an aberrantly upregulated circRNA in CRC. Increased circ_0102913 expression was detected in CRC tissues and cells. By querying multiple bioinformatics systems (circBank, Circular RNA Interactome, TargetScan, miRDIP, miRwalk, and miRDB), we identified microRNA-571 (miR-571) as a target of circ_0102913 and Rac family small GTPase 2 (RAC2) mRNA as a target of miR-571. Biotinylated-RNA pull-down and/or luciferase assays showed that circ_0102913 bound to miR-571 to restore the expression of RAC2 mRNA. Circ_0102913 silencing or miR-571 overexpression repressed proliferation, migration and invasion, and in vivo tumorigenesis abilities of CRC cells. However, the malignant properties of cells were restored by RAC2 overexpression. The increased circ_0102913 expression in CRC cells was attributed to increased 5-methylcytosine (m5C) modification levels. Silencing of NOP2/Sun RNA methyltransferase 5 reduced the m5C level and therefore reduced stability and expression of circ_0102913 expression in CRC cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that m5C-mediated upregulation of circ_0102913 augments malignant properties of CRC cells through a miR-571/RAC2 axis.

Preparation of PLCL/ECM nerve conduits by electrostatic spinning technique and evaluationin vitroandin vivo

Objective. Artificial nerve scaffolds composed of polymers have attracted great attention as an alternative for autologous nerve grafts recently. Due to their poor bioactivity, satisfactory nerve repair could not be achieved. To solve this problem, we introduced extracellular matrix (ECM) to optimize the materials.Approach.In this study, the ECM extracted from porcine nerves was mixed with Poly(L-Lactide-co-ϵ-caprolactone) (PLCL), and the innovative PLCL/ECM nerve repair conduits were prepared by electrostatic spinning technology. The novel conduits were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile properties, and suture retention strength test for micromorphology and mechanical strength. The biosafety and biocompatibility of PLCL/ECM nerve conduits were evaluated by cytotoxicity assay with Mouse fibroblast cells and cell adhesion assay with RSC 96 cells, and the effects of PLCL/ECM nerve conduits on the gene expression in Schwann cells was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Moreover, a 10 mm rat (Male Wistar rat) sciatic defect was bridged with a PLCL/ECM nerve conduit, and nerve regeneration was evaluated by walking track, mid-shank circumference, electrophysiology, and histomorphology analyses.Main results.The results showed that PLCL/ECM conduits have similar microstructure and mechanical strength compared with PLCL conduits. The cytotoxicity assay demonstrates better biosafety and biocompatibility of PLCL/ECM nerve conduits. And the cell adhesion assay further verifies that the addition of ECM is more beneficial to cell adhesion and proliferation. RT-PCR showed that the PLCL/ECM nerve conduit was more favorable to the gene expression of functional proteins of Schwann cells. Thein vivoresults indicated that PLCL/ECM nerve conduits possess excellent biocompatibility and exhibit a superior capacity to promote peripheral nerve repair.Significance.The addition of ECM significantly improved the biocompatibility and bioactivity of PLCL, while the PLCL/ECM nerve conduit gained the appropriate mechanical strength from PLCL, which has great potential for clinical repair of peripheral nerve injuries.

Mechanism of salt tolerance in the endangered semi-mangrove plant Barringtonia racemosa: anatomical structure and photosynthetic and fluorescence characteristics

To elucidate the mechanisms governing the salt tolerance of the endangered semi-mangrove plant Barringtonia racemosa, the biomass, photosynthetic and fluorescent characteristics, and anatomical structure of B. racemosa were studied under low, medium and high salt stress. The results showed that the stem dry weight, net photosynthetic rate, intercellular CO2 concentration, Fv/Fm, and ΦPSI of B. racemosa decreased under high salt stress, which led to a significant reduction in total dry weight. Stem dry weight was significantly positively correlated with the thickness of palisade tissue and significantly negatively correlated with the thickness of the epidermis of roots and xylem of stems. Therefore, a stable net photosynthetic rate and intercellular CO2 concentration, an increase in Fv/Fm and ΦPSI, an increase in or stable palisade tissue and spongy mesophyll of leaves and an increase in xylem thickness of the stem and epidermis, outer cortex, and stele diameter of roots could contribute to the salt tolerance of B. racemosa.

Machine learning for the early prediction of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with sepsis in the ICU based on clinical data

Background

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a fatal outcome of severe sepsis. Machine learning models are helpful for accurately predicting ARDS in patients with sepsis at an early stage.

Objective

We aim to develop a machine-learning model for predicting ARDS in patients with sepsis in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

The initial clinical data of patients with sepsis admitted to the hospital (including population characteristics, clinical diagnosis, complications, and laboratory tests) were used to predict ARDS, and screen out the crucial variables. After comparing eight different algorithms, namely, XG boost, logistic regression, light GBM, random forest, GaussianNB, complement NB, support vector machine (SVM), and K nearest neighbors (KNN), rebuilding a prediction model with the best one. When remodeling with the best algorithm, 10% was randomly selected to test, and the remaining was trained for cross-validation. Using the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, accuracy, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, F1 score, kappa value, and clinical decision curve to evaluate the model's performance. Eventually, the application in the model illustrated by the SHAP package.

Results

Ten critical features were screened utilizing the lasso method, namely, PaO2/PAO2, A-aDO2, PO2(T), CRP, gender, PO2, RDW, MCH, SG, and chlorine. The prior ranking of variables demonstrated that PaO2/PAO2 was the most significant variable. Among the eight algorithms, the performance of the Gaussian NB algorithm was significantly better than that of the others. After remodeling with the best algorithm, the AUC in the training and validation sets were 0.777 and 0.770, respectively, and the algorithm performed well in the test set (AUC = 0.781, accuracy = 78.6%, sensitivity = 82.4%, F1 score = 0.824). A comparison of the overlap factors with those of previous models revealed that the model we developed performs better.

Conclusion

Sepsis-associated ARDS can be accurately predicted early via a machine learning model based on existing clinical data. These findings are helpful for accurate identification and improvement of the prognosis in patients with sepsis-associated ARDS.

Comparison of conventional and endoscope-assisted partial clretain-->superficial parotidectomy for benign neoplasms of the parotid gland: a matched case-control study

Long-term tumour recurrence rates and complications of endoscope-assisted partial superficial parotidectomy (PSP) are rarely reported compared to traditional open approaches. This retrospective study included 306 patients with superficial parotid benign neoplasms who were divided into an endoscopy group (endoscope-assisted PSP, n = 102) and a control group (conventional PSP, n = 204). There were no significant differences in clinical and pathological characteristics between the two groups, except age (P = 0.001). Three patients had confirmed recurrence during a mean follow-up duration of 125.1 months. Ten (9.8%) patients in the endoscopy group and 22 (10.8%) in the control group developed transient facial nerve palsy (P = 0.792), and recovered 6 months after the operation. Nine (8.8%) and 19 (9.3%) patients, respectively, suffered from Frey syndrome (P = 0.889). A sensory deficit of the auricle occurred in 24 (23.5%) and 57 (27.9%) patients respectively (P = 0.410). Patients in the endoscopy group were more satisfied with the postoperative scar than those in the control group (P < 0.001). This study demonstrated that the endoscope-assisted PSP can be curative, with better cosmetic outcomes than the conventional approach, and does not increase the incidence of postoperative complications or the local recurrence rate.

Meta-Analysis and Network Analysis Differentially Detect Various Pro-Inflammatory Mediators and Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes in the Elderly

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has a pathophysiological component that includes inflammation. Inflammation-sensitive marker measurement may be helpful in determining the risk of complications for both older T2D patients and the public. This study aimed to investigate the association between blood pro-inflammatory mediators and the characteristics of elderly patients with T2D using Meta and network analyses. The Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases were selected as study methodology. The Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool in the meta-analysis assessed the studies' methodological quality. The selected studies were statistically analyzed using the META-MAR tool based on the standardized mean difference (SMD). The selected studies included nine examinations involving 6,399 old people [>55 years old, 65.9±4.09 (mean±SD)]. The meta-analysis showed that pro-inflammatory mediators (SMD 0.82) and patient-related variables [risk factors (SMD 0.71)] were significantly associated with T2D (p<0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α; SMD 1.08), body mass index (SMD 0.64), high-density lipoprotein (HDL; SMD -0.61), body weight (SMD 0.50), and blood pressure (SMD 1.11) were factors significantly associated with T2D (p<0.05). Network analysis revealed that among patient characteristics, diastolic blood pressure and, among inflammatory mediators, leptin were the most closely associated factors with T2D in older adults. Moreover, network analysis showed that TNF-α and systolic blood pressure were most closely associated with leptin. Overall, alternate techniques, such as meta-analysis and network analysis, might identify different markers for T2D in older people. A therapeutic decision-making process needs to consider these differences in advance.

Recent Advances and Challenges in Protein Structure Prediction

Artificial intelligence has made significant advances in the field of protein structure prediction in recent years. In particular, DeepMind's end-to-end model, AlphaFold2, has demonstrated the capability to predict three-dimensional structures of numerous unknown proteins with accuracy levels comparable to those of experimental methods. This breakthrough has opened up new possibilities for understanding protein structure and function as well as accelerating drug discovery and other applications in the field of biology and medicine. Despite the remarkable achievements of artificial intelligence in the field, there are still some challenges and limitations. In this Review, we discuss the recent progress and some of the challenges in protein structure prediction. These challenges include predicting multidomain protein structures, protein complex structures, multiple conformational states of proteins, and protein folding pathways. Furthermore, we highlight directions in which further improvements can be conducted.

The chromosome-level genome assembly of Fraxinus americana provides insights into the evolution of Oleaceae plants

White ash (Fraxinus americana linn.) originates from the southeastern United States. It is a tall and fast-growing tree species with strong salt-alkali resistance and cold tolerance, making it an important reforestation species and widely planted worldwide. Here, we completed the chromosome-level reference genome assembly of F. americana based on Illumina, PacBio, and Hi-C reads, with a genome size of 878.98 Mb, an N50 of 3.27 Mb, and a heterozygosity rate of 0.3 %. Based on de novo prediction, transcriptome prediction, and homology-based protein prediction, we obtained 39,538 genes. Approximately 843.21 Mb of the assembly genome was composed of 37,928 annotated protein-coding genes, with a gene function annotation rate of 95.93 %. 99.94 % of the overlap clusters (877.44 Mb) were anchored to 23 chromosomes. Synteny analysis of F. americana and other Oleaceae plants showed that F. americana underwent frequent chromosome rearrangements. The amplification of the Ale transposons effectively promoted the genome size of F. americana. Compared with other Oleaceae plants, the Glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene family in the F. americana genome has undergone significant expansion, which may help F. americana cope with adverse natural environments. Furthermore, we found that key enzyme-coding gene families related to lignin biosynthesis were expanded and highly expressed in F. americana leaves. These key genes drive lignin synthesis and benefit F. americana in fast-growing, as well as resisting biotic and abiotic stress. Overall, the F. americana genome assembly provides insights into the evolution of Oleaceae plants and provides abundant resources for breeding and germplasm conservation of white ash.

In vivo DNA methylation editing in zebrafish

The CRISPR/dCas9-based epigenome editing technique has driven much attention. Fused with a catalytic domain from Dnmt or Tet protein, the CRISPR/dCas9-DnmtCD or -TetCD systems possess the targeted DNA methylation editing ability and have established a series of in vitro and in vivo disease models. However, no publication has been reported on zebrafish (Danio rerio), an important animal model in biomedicine. The present study demonstrated that CRISPR/dCas9-Dnmt7 and -Tet2 catalytic domain fusions could site-specifically edit genomic DNA methylation in vivo in zebrafish and may serve as an efficient toolkit for DNA methylation editing in the zebrafish model.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Inhibits Neuronal Ferroptosis After Spinal Cord Injury in Mice

STUDY DESIGN

Basic science study investigating the potential molecular mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy in mice with spinal cord injury (SCI).

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore the intrinsic mechanisms of HBO for SCI through the lens of ferroptosis in the subacute phase.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

HBO has been observed to facilitate the restoration of neurological function subsequent to SCI. Ferroptosis is a distinct cellular death mechanism that can be distinguished from apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. However, the precise relationship between these two phenomena remains poorly understood.

METHODS

We established an SCI model and employed a range of techniques, including behavioral assessments, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR, Western blotting (WB), Glutathione (GSH) measurement, and iron assay, to investigate various aspects of HBO therapy on SCI in mice. These included analyzing mitochondrial morphology, neuronal count, GSH levels, iron levels, and the expression of genes (Acyl-CoA synthetase family member-2, Iron-responsive element-binding protein-2) and proteins (Glutathione peroxidase 4; system Xc-light chain) associated with ferroptosis. The study included three groups: Sham-operated, SCI, and HBO. Group comparisons were performed using one-way analysis of variance and one-way repeated measures analysis of variance, followed by Tukey's post hoc test. Statistical significance was set at a P < 0.05.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that HBO therapy significantly enhanced the recovery of lower limb motor function in mice following SCI in the subacute phase. This was accompanied by upregulated expression of GPX4 and system Xc-light chain proteins, elevated GSH levels, increased number of NeuN+ cells, decreased expression of the iron-responsive element-binding protein-2 gene, and reduced iron concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research suggests that HBO therapy has the potential to be an effective treatment for SCI in the subacute phase by mitigating ferroptosis.

Recent Advances in Protein Folding Pathway Prediction through Computational Methods

The protein folding mechanisms are crucial to understanding the fundamental processes of life and solving many biological and medical problems. By studying the folding process, we can reveal how proteins achieve their biological functions through specific structures, providing insights into the treatment and prevention of diseases. With the advancement of AI technology in the field of protein structure prediction, computational methods have become increasingly important and promising for studying protein folding mechanisms. In this review, we retrospect the current progress in the field of protein folding mechanisms by computational methods from four perspectives: simulation of an inverse folding pathway from native state to unfolded state; prediction of early folding residues by machine learning; exploration of protein folding pathways through conformational sampling; prediction of protein folding intermediates based on templates. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of the protein folding problem by computational methods are also discussed.

Application of digital-intelligence technology in the processing of Chinese materia medica

Processing of Chinese Materia Medica (PCMM) is the concentrated embodiment, which is the core of Chinese unique traditional pharmaceutical technology. The processing includes the preparation steps such as cleansing, cutting and stir-frying, to make certain impacts on the quality and efficacy of Chinese botanical drugs. The rapid development of new computer digital technologies, such as big data analysis, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain and cloud computing artificial intelligence, has promoted the rapid development of traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing industry with digitalization and intellectualization. In this review, the application of digital intelligence technology in the PCMM was analyzed and discussed, which hopefully promoted the standardization of the process and secured the quality of botanical drugs decoction pieces. Through the intellectualization and the digitization of production, safety and effectiveness of clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) decoction pieces were ensured. This review also provided a theoretical basis for further technical upgrading and high-quality development of TCM industry.

Application of digital-intelligence technology in the processing of Chinese materia medica

Processing of Chinese Materia Medica (PCMM) is the concentrated embodiment, which is the core of Chinese unique traditional pharmaceutical technology. The processing includes the preparation steps such as cleansing, cutting and stir-frying, to make certain impacts on the quality and efficacy of Chinese botanical drugs. The rapid development of new computer digital technologies, such as big data analysis, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain and cloud computing artificial intelligence, has promoted the rapid development of traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing industry with digitalization and intellectualization. In this review, the application of digital intelligence technology in the PCMM was analyzed and discussed, which hopefully promoted the standardization of the process and secured the quality of botanical drugs decoction pieces. Through the intellectualization and the digitization of production, safety and effectiveness of clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) decoction pieces were ensured. This review also provided a theoretical basis for further technical upgrading and high-quality development of TCM industry.

CircRNA-CIRH1A Promotes the Development of Osteosarcoma by Regulating PI3K/AKT and JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathways

Osteogenic sarcoma (OS), one of the mesenchymal tumors with a high degree of malignancy, mainly occurs in the metaphysis of the long bones and around the knee joints in children and adolescents. The poor diagnosis in patients with OS can be attributed to the lack of early clinical symptoms, although the growth of tumor mass gradually results in severe pain and systemic symptoms. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of OS are not fully understood. Thus, identifying early diagnostic biomarkers and novel targets involved in the progression of OS is of critical significance in the management of OS. CircRNA is a class of non-coding RNAs characterized by the close-loop structure and increased stability, which are implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. Moreover, circRNAs also play significant roles in aging and chronic disorders, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Accordingly, we reported the upregulation of circRNA-CIRH1A in OS tissues and cell lines. Silencing circRNA-CIRH1A in OS cell lines (U2OS, HOS, Saos-2, and MG-63) could inhibit the cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis, which was also validated in xenograft tumorigenesis mouse model. We further demonstrated that circRNA-CIRH1A sponged miR-1276, which subsequently disrupted the effect of miR-1276 on PI3K/AKT and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways. Together, our study revealed the oncogenic role of circRNA-CIRH1A in OS, and identified miR-1276/ PI3K-AKT and JAK2-STAT3 signaling axis as the key downstream mediators of circRNA-CIRH1A.

Predictors of favorable outcome and mortality after endovascular thrombectomy in young Chinese patients with large vascular occlusions

Background

Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) has evolved into the standard treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and large vessel occlusion (LVO). However, little information is available on the management of EVT in young patients with AIS-LVO in China. The purpose of this study was to assess the favorable outcomes and mortality rates after 90 days of EVT in young Chinese patients with AIS-LVO and their predictors.

Methods

This retrospective study included young Chinese patients aged 18-50 years with AIS-LVO. The primary efficacy endpoint was the modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at day 90, and the primary safety endpoint was mortality within 90 days. Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, the associations between clinical, imaging, and procedure variables and favorable (mRS 0-2) outcomes or mortality at 90 days were analyzed.

Results

A total of 113 patients were included in the study with a mean age of 43.1 ± 6.3 years. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) occurred in 8 (7.1%) patients. Favorable functional outcomes (mRS 0-2) were recovered in 42.5% of patients at 3 months. After 90 days, the mortality rate was 32.3%. Multivariate analysis revealed that the increase in admission NIHSS score was associated with a lower probability of functional independence (aOR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.15, p = 0.01 and aOR 1.01, 95% CI 1-1.01, p = 0.008, respectively) and a higher probability of death at 90 days (aOR 1.1, 95% CI 1.03-1.18, p = 0.007 and aOR 1.00, 95% CI 1-1.01, p = 0.021, respectively).

Conclusion

This study demonstrate that EVT provides higher rates of arterial recanalization, rather than better favorable outcomes and lower risk of death at 3 months in young Chinese patients with AIS-LVO. Increased NIHSS scores on admission may be associated with poor patient prognosis.

The landscape of mitophagy in sepsis reveals PHB1 as an NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor

Mitophagy is a selective autophagy targeting damaged and potential cytotoxic mitochondria, which can effectively prevent excessive cytotoxic production from damaged mitochondria and alleviate the inflammatory response. However, the potential role of mitophagy in sepsis remains poorly explored. Here, we studied the role of mitophagy in sepsis and its immune heterogeneity. By performing mitophagy-related typing on 348 sepsis samples, three clusters (A, B, and C) were obtained. Cluster A had the highest degree of mitophagy accompanied by lowest disease severity, while cluster C had the lowest degree of mitophagy with the highest disease severity. The three clusters had unique immune characteristics. We further revealed that the expression of PHB1 in these three clusters was significantly different and negatively correlated with the severity of sepsis, suggesting that PHB1 was involved in the development of sepsis. It has been reported that impaired mitophagy leads to the over-activation of inflammasomes, which promotes sepsis development. Further analysis showed that the expressions of NLRP3 inflammasomes core genes in cluster C were significantly up-regulated and negatively correlated with PHB1. Next, we verified whether PHB1 downregulation caused the activation of inflammasomes and found that the PHB1 knockdown increased the levels of mtDNA in the cytoplasm and enhanced the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes. In addition, mitophagy inhibitor treatment abolished PHB1 knockdown-mediated activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes, suggesting that PHB1 inhibited the activation of inflammasomes through mitophagy. In conclusion, this study reveals that a high degree of mitophagy may predict a good outcome of sepsis, and PHB1 is a key NLRP3 inflammasome regulator via mitophagy in inflammatory diseases such as sepsis.

Accelerated Wound Healing in Diabetic Rat by miRNA-185-5p and Its Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Aim

Addressing both inflammation and epithelialization during the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers is an important step, but current treatment options are limited. MiRNA has important prospects in the treatment of diabetic foot refractory wound ulcers. Previous studies have reported that miR-185-5p reduces hepatic glycogen production and fasting blood glucose levels. We herein hypothesized that miR-185-5p might play an important role in the field of diabetic foot wounds.

Materials and Methods

MiR-185-5p in skin tissue samples from patients with diabetic ulcers and diabetic rats were measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The streptozotocin-induced diabetes rat model (male Sprague-Dawley rats) for diabetic wound healing was conducted. The therapeutic potential was observed by subcutaneous injection of miR-185-5p mimic into diabetic rat wounds. The anti-inflammation roles of miR-185-5p on human dermal fibroblast cells were analyzed.

Results

We found that miR-185-5p is significantly downregulated in diabetic skin (people with DFU and diabetic rats) compared to controls. Further, in vitro upregulation of miR-185-5p decreased the inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNF-α) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) of human skin fibroblasts under advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Meanwhile, the increase of miR-185-5p promoted cell migration. Our results also confirmed that the topical increase of miR-185-5p decreases diabetic wound p-nuclear factor-κB (p-NF-κB), ICAM-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and CD68 expression in diabetic wounds. MiR-185-5p overexpression boosted re-epithelization and expedited wound closure of diabetic rats.

Conclusion

MiR-185-5p accelerated wound healing of diabetic rats, reepithelization, and inhibited the inflammation of diabetic wounds in the healing process, a potentially new and valid treatment for refractory diabetic foot ulcers.

Changes in Plant-based Dietary Quality and Subsequent Risk of Cognitive Impairment among Older Chinese Adults: A National Community-based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

It is unclear how changes in plant-based dietary quality are linked to subsequent risk of cognitive impairment. This study aims to evaluate this relationship using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS).

METHODS

A total of 6662 participants free of cognitive impairment in 2008 were included and followed up to 2018. Plant-based dietary quality was assessed by three indices: overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI). Changes in plant-based diet quality from 2008 to 2011 were classified into quintiles. We assessed incident cognitive impairment (from 2011 to 2018) by using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Cox proportional-hazards models were performed.

RESULTS

We recorded 1571 incident cases of cognitive impairment during a median of 10 years of follow-up. Compared with participants whose plant-based diet had no change or was relatively stable over three years, the full-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for cognitive impairment were 0.77 (0.64, 0.93), 0.72 (0.60, 0.86), and 1.50 (1.27, 1.77) among participants with a large increase in PDI, hPDI, and uPDI, respectively. The HRs with 95% CI were 1.22 (1.02, 1.44), 1.30 (1.11, 1.54), and 0.80 (0.67, 0.96) among participants with a large decrease in PDI, hPDI, and uPDI, respectively. Every 10-point increase in PDI and hPDI was associated with 26% and 30% lower risk of cognitive impairment, while every 10-point increase in uPDI was associated with 36% higher risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults with increased adherence to an overall plant-based diet and a healthful plant-based diet over three years have a lower risk of cognitive impairment, while those with increased adherence to an unhealthy plant-based diet had a higher risk of cognitive impairment.

[Association of sleep duration and risk of frailty among the elderly over 80 years old in China: a prospective cohort study]

Objective: To explore the association between sleep duration and the risk of frailty among the elderly over 80 years old in China. Methods: Using the data from five surveys of the China Elderly Health Influencing Factors Follow-up Survey (CLHLS) (2005, 2008-2009, 2011-2012, 2014, and 2017-2018), 7 024 elderly people aged 80 years and above were selected as the study subjects. Questionnaires and physical examinations were used to collect information on sleep time, general demographic characteristics, functional status, physical signs, and illness. The frailty state was evaluated based on a frailty index that included 39 variables. The Cox proportional risk regression model was used to analyze the correlation between sleep time and the risk of frailty occurrence. A restricted cubic spline function was used to analyze the dose-response relationship between sleep time and the risk of frailty occurrence. The likelihood ratio test was used to analyze the interaction between age, gender, sleep quality, cognitive impairment, and sleep duration. Results: The age M (Q₁, Q₃) of 7 024 subjects was 87 (82, 92) years old, with a total of 3 435 (48.9%) patients experiencing frailty. The results of restricted cubic spline function analysis showed that there was an approximate U-shaped relationship between sleep time and the risk of frailty. When sleep time was 6.5-8.5 hours, the elderly had the lowest risk of frailty; Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression model analysis showed that compared to 6.5-8.5 hours of sleep, long sleep duration (>8.5 hours) increased the risk of frailty by 13% (HR: 1.13; 95%CI: 1.04-1.22). Conclusion: There is a nonlinear association between sleep time and the risk of frailty in the elderly.

Circ_0006873 suppresses the osteogenic differentiation of human-derived mesenchymal stem cells through mediating miR-20a/SMURF2 axis in vitro

The clinical application of human-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in osteoporosis (OP) treatment is promising. We aimed to uncover the role of circular RNA 0006873 (circ_0006873) in OP progression using hMSCs. The levels of circ_0006873, pantothenate kinase 2 (PANK2) messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA-20a (miR-20a), SMAD specific E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 2 (SMURF2) mRNA and the mRNA levels of osteogenesis-related markers were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The protein expression of osteogenesis-related markers and SMURF2 was detected by Western blot assay. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and activity were determined using an ALP staining Kit and an ALP Colorimetric Assay Kit. Circ_0006873 was highly expressed in the serum samples and bone tissue samples of OP patients compared with control cases. Circ_0006873 overexpression down-regulated the expression of osteogenesis-related markers and reduced ALP staining and activity. Circ_0006873 down-regulated miR-20a level through its interaction with miR-20a in hMSCs. Circ_0006873 suppressed osteogenic differentiation through targeting miR-20a. SMURF2 was a molecular target of miR-20a, and miR-20a promoted osteogenic differentiation through targeting SMURF2. Circ_0006873 suppressed the osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs by upregulating SMURF2 level via sponging miR-20a in vitro.

High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, Its Change, and Cognitive Function: A National Population-Based Cohort Study

This study aimed to evaluate the associations of baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) and its change with subsequent cognitive decline and cognitive impairment. Data for this study were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, a national community-based prospective cohort study. Hs-CRP level and cognitive function were measured repeatedly over a 7-year follow-up. Linear mixed models and cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the associations. The study comprised 7385 participants (50.67% women, mean age 59.08 ± 8.86 years) with baseline Hs-CRP ranging from 0.03 to 178.10 mg/L (median: 1.01 mg/L, IQR: 0.55-2.11 mg/L). During a median of 5.79 years follow-up, the highest quartile of the Hs-CRP group showed a faster rate of cognitive decline (-0.0053 SD/year, p = 0.006) and a higher risk of cognitive impairment (HR 1.0814, p = 0.044) than those in the lowest quartile. Individuals in the elevated group of Hs-CRP change had a significantly faster cognitive decline (-0.0070 SD/year, p = 0.016) compared with those in the stable group. In this study, significant longitudinal associations between baseline Hs-CRP, elevated Hs-CRP, and long-term cognitive deterioration were observed. Hs-CRP level could perhaps serve as a predictor for cognitive deterioration in middle-aged and older adults.

The vicious circle of UHRF1 down-regulation and KEAP1/NRF2/HO-1 pathway impairment promotes oxidative stress-induced endothelial cell apoptosis in diabetes

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress is recognized as a key factor in the induction of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes. However, the specific mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. We herein hypothesized that ubiquitin-like containing PHD and RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1) might have a role in oxidative stress-induced endothelial cell (EC) apoptosis in diabetes.

METHODS

Western blot, qPCR, wound healing assay, apoptosis assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, dual-luciferase reporter assay, methylation-specific PCR, bisulfite sequencing PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were performed.

RESULTS

UHRF1 expression levels were significantly decreased in endothelial colony-forming cells derived from peripheral blood of participants with type 2 diabetes compared with individuals without diabetes. ECs treated with high glucose, palmitate or hydrogen peroxide in vitro also exhibited decreased UHRF1 protein levels. Silencing of UHRF1 led to decreased migration ability and increased apoptosis and ROS production in ECs, which might be related to impaired Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)/haeme oxygenase-1 pathway. Mechanistically, UHRF1 is closely implicated in epigenetic regulation of chromatin modification status at KEAP1 genomic locus via histone acetylation. NRF2 down-regulation in turn inhibits UHRF1 protein level, which might be due to increased ROS generation.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes-induced oxidative stress can mediate down-regulation of UHRF1, which enhances ROS production by regulating KEAP1/p-NRF2 pathway through histone acetylation and might also form a self-perpetuating feedback loop with KEAP1/p-NRF2 to further promote oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of ECs in diabetes.

Nucleolar Protein 56 Deficiency in Zebrafish Leads to Developmental Abnormalities and Anemia via p53 and JAK2-STAT3 Signaling

Ribosomes are the vital molecular machine for protein translation in a cell. Defects in several nucleolar proteins have been observed in human ribosomopathies. In zebrafish, a deficiency in these ribosomal proteins often results in an anemic phenotype. It remains to be determined whether any other ribosome proteins are involved in regulating erythropoiesis. Here, we generated a nucleolar protein 56 (nop56)−/− zebrafish model and investigated its function. A nop56 deficiency induced severe morphological abnormalities and anemia. WISH analysis showed that the specification of the erythroid lineage in definitive hematopoiesis and the maturation of erythroid cells were impaired in the nop56 mutants. Additionally, transcriptome analysis revealed that the p53 signaling pathway was abnormally activated, and the injection of a p53 morpholino partially rescued the malformation, but not the anemia. Moreover, qPCR analysis showed that the JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway was activated in the mutants, and the inhibition of JAK2 partially rescued the anemic phenotype. This study suggests that nop56 is a potential target for investigation in erythropoietic disorders, particularly those that may be associated with JAK-STAT activation.

Efficient PAM-Less Base Editing for Zebrafish Modeling of Human Genetic Disease with zSpRY-ABE8e

CRISPR/Cas9 technology has increased the value of zebrafish for modeling human genetic diseases, studying disease pathogenesis, and drug screening, but protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) limitations are a major obstacle to creating accurate animal models of human genetic disorders caused by single-nucleotide variants (SNVs). Until now, some SpCas9 variants with broad PAM compatibility have shown efficiency in zebrafish. The application of the optimized SpRY-mediated adenine base editor (ABE), zSpRY-ABE8e, and synthetically modified gRNA in zebrafish has enabled efficient adenine-guanine base conversion without PAM restriction. Described here is a protocol for efficient adenine base editing without PAM limitation in zebrafish using zSpRY-ABE8e. By injecting a mixture of zSpRY-ABE8e mRNA and synthetically modified gRNA into zebrafish embryos, a zebrafish disease model was constructed with a precise mutation that simulated a pathogenic site of the TSR2 ribosome maturation factor (tsr2). This method provides a valuable tool for the establishment of accurate disease models for studying disease mechanisms and treatments.

Pien-tze-huang promotes wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetes models associated with improving oxidative stress via the Nrf2/ARE pathway

Diabetic foot ulcers are a serious complication of diabetes, with high mortality and a lack of effective clinical treatment, which leads to a considerable financial burden. Pien-Tze-Huang (PZH) is a Chinese traditional medicine with a long history that has been found to be an effective and convenient treatment for inflammatory diseases such as skin abscesses and ulcers. In this study, we assessed the effects of PZH on diabetic wounds and the underlying mechanisms. The wounds were established on the backs of streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic rats and type 2 diabetic mouse models. We found that PZH treatment used locally or by gavage significantly promoted wound healing, accelerated re-epithelialization and vasculature in the wound tissue, upregulated the expression of the growth factors VEGF-A, PDGF, and EGF, and activated the Nrf2/ARE pathway in the wound tissue. In vitro assays showed that PZH improved the proliferation, migration and angiogenic function of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured in palmitic acid, reduced the expression of the apoptotic proteins p53, Bax, and cleaved-caspase3, and activated Nrf2/ARE signaling; however, these protective effects were abrogated after Nrf2 was knocked down by specific siRNA. In addition, the levels of the serum inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 were reduced after PZH gavage treatment. In conclusion, the positive role of PZH in diabetic wound healing might be related to the activation of the Nrf2/ARE pathway to regulate the level of oxidative stress in vivo and increase the expression of growth factors to improve angiogenesis.

Nerve ECM and PLA-PCL based electrospun bilayer nerve conduit for nerve regeneration

Introduction: The porcine nerve-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) fabricated as films has good performance in peripheral nerve regeneration. However, when constructed as conduits to bridge nerve defects, ECM lacks sufficient mechanical strength. Methods: In this study, a novel electrospun bilayer-structured nerve conduit (BNC) with outer poly (L-lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLA-PCL) and inner ECM was fabricated for nerve regeneration. The composition, structure, and mechanical strength of BNC were characterized. Then BNC biosafety was evaluated by cytotoxicity, subcutaneous implantation, and cell affinity tests. Furthermore, BNC was used to bridge 10-mm rat sciatic nerve defect, and nerve functional recovery was assessed by walking track, electrophysiology, and histomorphology analyses. Results: Our results demonstrate that BNC has a network of nanofibers and retains some bioactive molecules, including collagen I, collagen IV, laminin, fibronectin, glycosaminoglycans, nerve growth factor, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Biomechanical analysis proves that PLA-PCL improves the BNC mechanical properties, compared with single ECM conduit (ENC). The functional evaluation of in vivo results indicated that BNC is more effective in nerve regeneration than PLA-PCL conduit or ENC. Discussion: In conclusion, BNC not only retains the good biocompatibility and bioactivity of ECM, but also obtains the appropriate mechanical strength from PLA-PCL, which has great potential for clinical repair of nerve defects.

MicroRNA-139-5p mediates BMSCs impairment in diabetes by targeting HOXA9/c-Fos

The properties and functions of BMSCs were altered by the diabetic microenvironment, and its mechanism was not very clear. In recent years, the regulation of the function of BMSCs by microRNA has become a research hotspot, meanwhile, HOX genes also have been focused on and involved in multiple functions of stem cells. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-139-5p in diabetes-induced BMSC impairment. Since HOXA9 may be a target gene of miR-139-5p, we speculated that miR-139-5p/HOXA9 might be involved in regulating the biological characteristics and the function of BMSCs in diabetes. We demonstrated that the miR-139-5p expression was increased in BMSCs derived from STZ-induced diabetic rats. MiR-139-5p mimics were able to inhibit cell proliferation, and migration and promoted senescence and apoptosis in vitro. MiR-139-5p induced the down-regulated expression of HOXA9 and c-Fos in BMSCs derived from normal rats. Moreover, miR-139-5p inhibitors reversed the tendency in diabetic-derived BMSCs. Further, gain-and-loss function experiments indicated that miR-139-5p regulated the functions of BMSCs by targeting HOXA9 and c-Fos. In vivo wound model experiments showed that the downregulation of miR-139-5p further promoted the epithelialization and angiogenesis of diabetic BMSC-mediated skin. In conclusion, induction of miR-139-5p upregulation mediated the impairment of BMSCs through the HOXA9/c-Fos pathway in diabetic rats. Therefore, miR-139-5p/HOXA9 might be an important therapeutic target in treating diabetic BMSCs and diabetic complications in the future.

Pulmonary fibrosis in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective study

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused substantial threats to people's physical health and lives, claiming the lives of over 6 million people worldwide. Although the mortality rate of COVID-19 is very low, many survivors may have different degrees and various sequelae. Previous studies have shown that pulmonary fibrosis (PF) were common on discharged COVID-19 patients, and PF itself is a poor prognostic factor.

Methods

227 COVID-19 hospitalized patients' clinical and laboratory data from the first 15 days following admission were collected in this retrospective study. Groups were based on with or without PF of COVID-19. Categorical variables were compared with the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Continuous variables were tested by Wilcoxon rank-sum test for the non-normal distribution. Spearman correlations were used to assess the correlations between PF with clinic parameters of multiple time points. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze for risk factors of COVID-19 patients with pulmonary fibrosis.

Results

Sixty cases of COVID-19 patients were diagnosed with PF. Compared with 167 non-PF patients, those with PF were older and had higher proportions of fever, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, abdominal pain, hypertension, cardiovascular, diabetes, high flow nasal cannula (HFNC), severe disease, and virus shedding duration. Furthermore, the correlation analysis between PF and clinic parameters showed that PF were positively related to the C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and negatively correlated with hemoglobin (HGB) and albumin (ALB) at all time points in the first 15 days after admission. Moreover, We found that PF were significantly correlated with coagulation indexes prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fib) and fibrinolysis index D-Dimer at some phases. In addition, Univariate logistic regression analyses showed that age, fever, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, hypertension, cardiovascular, diabetes, HFNC, severe disease were the risk factors of COVID-19 patients with PF. However, multivariate logistic regression showed that age was the risk factor of COVID-19 patients with PF.

Conclusion

Combining various factors, advanced age is an independent risk factor of COVID-19 patients with PF. PF was significantly related with clinic parameter of inflammation/coagulopathy/fibrinolysis.

LPS-pretreatment adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells promote wound healing in diabetic rats by improving angiogenesis

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a key role in wound healing, and the advantages of pretreated MSCs in wound healing have previously been reported. In the present study, we investigated the impact of LPS pretreated human adipose-derived MSCs on skin wound healing in diabetic rats. We found that some improvements occurred through improving angiogenesis. Then, we scrutinized the impact of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment on human adipose-derived MSCs in a high-glucose (HG) medium, as an in vitro diabetic model. In vivo findings revealed significant improvements in epithelialization and angiogenesis of diabetic wounds which received LPS pre-MSCs. Particularly, LPS pre-MSCs-treated diabetic wounds reached considerably higher percentages of wound closure. Also, the granulation tissue of these wounds had higher pronounced epithelialization and more vascularization compared with PBS-treated and MSCs-treated diabetic ones by CD31, VEGF, CD90, collagen 1, and collagen 3 immunostaining. Western-blots analyses indicated that LPS pre-MSCs led to the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and DNMT1. In addition, significantly higher cell viability (proliferation/colonie), and elevated VEGF and DNMT1 protein expression were observed when MSCs were treated with LPS (10 ng/ml, 6 h) in HG culture media. Based on these findings, it is suggested that LPS pre-MSCs could promote wound repair and skin regeneration, in some major processes, via the improvement of cellular behaviors of MSCs in the diabetic microenvironment. The beneficial advantages of LPS treated with mesenchymal stem cells on wound healing may lead to establishing a novel approach as an alternative therapeutic procedure to cure chronic wounds in diabetic conditions.

The role of cuproptosis-related gene in the classification and prognosis of melanoma

Background

Melanoma, as one of the most aggressive and malignant cancers, ranks first in the lethality rate of skin cancers. Cuproptosis has been shown to paly a role in tumorigenesis, However, the role of cuproptosis in melanoma metastasis are not clear. Studying the correlation beteen the molecular subtypes of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) and metastasis of melanoma may provide some guidance for the prognosis of melanoma.

Methods

We collected 1085 melanoma samples in The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO) databases, constructed CRGs molecular subtypes and gene subtypes according to clinical characteristics, and investigated the role of CRGs in melanoma metastasis. We randomly divide the samples into train set and validation set according to the ratio of 1:1. A prognostic model was constructed using data from the train set and then validated on the validation set. We performed tumor microenvironment analysis and drug sensitivity analyses for high and low risk groups based on the outcome of the prognostic model risk score. Finally, we established a metastatic model of melanoma.

Results

According to the expression levels of 12 cuproptosis-related genes, we obtained three subtypes of A₁, B₁, and C₁. Among them, C₁ subtype had the best survival outcome. Based on the differentially expressed genes shared by A₁, B₁, and C₁ genotypes, we obtained the results of three gene subtypes of A₂, B₂, and C₂. Among them, the B₂ group had the best survival outcome. Then, we constructed a prognostic model consisting of 6 key variable genes, which could more accurately predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of melanoma patients. Besides, 98 drugs were screened out. Finally, we explored the role of cuproptosis-related genes in melanoma metastasis and established a metastasis model using seven key genes.

Conclusions

In conclusion, CRGs play a role in the metastasis and prognosis of melanoma, and also provide new insights into the underlying pathogenesis of melanoma.

New Evidence of Semi-Mangrove Plant Barringtonia racemosa in Soil Clean-Up: Tolerance and Absorption of Lead and Cadmium

Mangrove plants play an important role in the remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated estuarine and coastal areas; Barringtonia racemosa is a typical semi-mangrove plant. However, the effect of heavy metal stress on this plant has not been explored. In this study, tolerance characteristics and the accumulation profile of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in B. racemosa were evaluated. The results indicated that B. racemosa exhibited a high tolerance in single Cd/Pb and Cd + Pb stress, with a significant increase in biomass yield in all treatment groups, a significant increase in plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll and carotenoid content in most treatment groups and without significant reduction of SOD, POD, MDA, proline content, Chl a, Chl b, Chl a + b, Car, ratio of Chl a:b and ratio of Car:Chl (a + b). Cd and Pb mainly accumulated in the root (≥93.43%) and the content of Cd and Pb in B. racemosa was root > stem > leaf. Pb showed antagonistic effects on the Cd accumulation in the roots and Cd showed antagonistic or synergistic effects on the Pb accumulation in the roots, which depended on the concentration of Cd and Pb. There was a significant synergistic effect of Cd and Pb enrichment under a low Cd and Pb concentration treatment. Thus, phytoremediation could potentially use B. racemosa for Cd and Pb.

Double filtration plasmapheresis for hypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis caused by fat overload syndrome

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) can cause acute pancreatitis (AP).

CASE SUMMARY

We report a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia who received long-term intravenous parenteral nutrition solution without monitoring of the serum triglyceride (TG) level, which resulted in fat overload syndrome and HTG-AP.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

Double filtration plasmapheresis was performed to eliminate the TGs and treat the AP.

Generation of Abundant Defects in Ferrite Carbon Magnetic Nanomaterials for Eliminating Electromagnetic Interference in Communication

A series of novel ferrite carbon nanomaterials are considered to obtain the potential advantages in elimination of the electromagnetic interference effects. Herein, the iron nanoparticles coated on amorphous carbon were prepared by facile agar-gel synthesis. Meanwhile, the synergy between carbon supporting and ferrite nanomaterials could be proved to promote the absorption properties. Among all samples, the iron nanoparticles coated on amorphous carbon show the highest microwave absorption properties, achieving the maximum reflection loss (RL) of -14.3 dB at 6 GHz (5.5-milimeter thickness), and the bandwidths over -10 dB (90% absorption) was 2.5 GHz. Combining analysis results, it is confirmed that the as-prepared iron nanoparticles have the highest surface area, homogeneous distribution, abundant defect, and well-defined pore structure, which could significantly affect the absorption properties at 6 GHz. Furthermore, the abundant defects derived from the interface were the essential reason for the improved absorption properties. Overall, it provided a new strategy to design an effective method to absorb nanomaterials for the elimination of electromagnetic interference, especially the coordination of metal species and carbon supporting.

RAB20 deficiency promotes the development of silicosis via NLRP3 inflammasome

Silicosis is a worldwide serious occupational disease that is caused by inhalation of silica crystals. However, little is known about the pathogenesis mechanism of silicosis. We performed single-cell sequencing in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from mine workers with silicosis and their co-workers who did not develop silicosis, and found that the RAB20 deficiency in monocytes/macrophages was strongly linked to the development of silicosis. In the silicosis murine model, RAB20 knockout markedly enhanced the silica crystal-induced pulmonary interstitial fibrosis and respiratory dysfunction. Moreover, this process is strongly accompanied by IL-1β release and NLRP3 activation. In vitro, RAB20 knockout macrophages aggravated the crystalline silica-induced IL-1β release and NLRP3 inflammasome activation partly by increased ratio of crystalline silica/phagosomal areas/volumes to induce lysosomal injury. Thus, these findings provide novel molecular insights into the intricate mechanisms underlying lysosomal protein RAB20 that are necessary for environmental irritant-mediated innate immunity, and shed light on the future development of novel therapy target for the prevention of silicosis.

Parental Support Is Associated with Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity among Chinese Adolescents through the Availability of Physical Activity Resources in the Home Environment and Autonomous Motivation

This study aimed to use a structural equation model (SEM) to determine the association between parental support and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among Chinese adolescents and whether the availability of physical activity (PA) resources in the home environment and autonomous motivation of adolescents mediated the association. Data were collected using questionnaires extracted from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) study. A final analytical sample of 3738 adolescents was enrolled. A SEM was performed to evaluate the hypothesized associations. It was found that parental support was not only positively directly but also indirectly associated with MVPA in Chinese boys through the home environment (i.e., availability of PA resources) and the autonomous motivation of adolescents. It is worth noting that the above relationships also exist in Chinese girls, except for the regulatory role of autonomous motivation. These findings suggest that future interventions for increasing adolescents’ MVPA should focus on health education for parents to provide more PA resources in the home environment and adequately mobilize children’s autonomous motivation.

[Auditory response patterns of mouse primary auditory cortex to sound stimuli]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the auditory response patterns of mouse primary auditory cortex (A1) neurons.

METHODS

In vivo cell-attached recordings and neural network modeling were performed to detect the changes in response patterns of A1 neurons of awake C57BL/6J mice to sound stimulation with varying lengths. A1 neuron signals were recorded for 216 neurons in 20 awake mice using a target sound stimulation sequence, and the classification and response characteristics of A1 neuron response patterns were examined using post-stimulus spike time histograms. To simulate the diversity of the A1 neuron response patterns, an A1 neuron model was established based on the Wilson-Cowan model and integral-firing model. The neuron connection weight parameters in the model were calculated by examining the micro loop structure of the pyramidal neurons, parvalbumin neurons, and somatostatin neurons in the A1 region, and the A1 neural network information coding model was constructed.

RESULTS

The Onset response neurons only had fast spike response within 10 to 40 ms after the beginning of noise stimulation (122 neurons). The Sustained response neurons had spike response continuously during the noise stimulation (26 neurons). The On-off response neurons had fast spike response after the beginning and the end of noise stimulation (40 neurons). The Offset response neurons only had fast spike response within 10 to 40 ms after the end of noise stimulation (22 neurons). In the neural network model, the Onset peak neural activities of A1 pyramidal neurons, parvalbumin neurons, and somatostatin neurons were 0.7483, 0.5236 and 0.9427, respectively, and their response half peak widths were 18.5 ms, 12 ms and 31 ms during the 100 ms noise stimulation, respectively. By changing the feedforward excitation and synaptic inhibition time constants in the model, the neurons generated numerous different types of spike train.

CONCLUSION

The auditory response of mouse A1 neurons to sound stimuli shows mainly the Onset, Sustained, On-off, and Offset response patterns.

Effect of foliar copper application on grain yield, 2-acetyl-1-Pyrroline and copper content in fragrant rice

Literature reporting the effects of application of exogenous copper (Cu) on the grain yield, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) and Cu content of fragrant rice is scarce. Pot experiments were conducted in early and later season in 2020 with two fragrant rice cultivars, Meixiangzhan and Yuxiangyouzhan, at heading stage using four treatments, i.e.: 0 (CK), 20 (T1), 40 (T2), and 60 mM (T3) CuSO₄·5H₂O to assess the effects of foliar copper application on the yield, 2-AP and Cu content. Results showed that T2 treatment improved the yield of Meixiangzhan and Yuxiangyouzhan by 6.88% and 11.35% respectively, by increased seed-setting rate. Meanwhile, T2 treatment greatly increased the grains 2-AP content by 21.95% and 10.15% in early season, and by 5.40% and 27.25% in later season, respectively, which was significant associated with the contents of proline, pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid (P5C) and pyrroline, and the activities of proline dehydrogenase (PDH), ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) and pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid synthetase (P5CS). Foliar copper application increased the grain Cu content and showed the highest values in T3 treatment. Overall, foliar copper application at heading stage had a positive effect on yield and grain 2-AP and Cu content of fragrant rice. The results from this study show that T2 treatment (moderate CuSO₄ application) had the most desirable outcomes, synergistically improving the yield and aroma of fragrant rice as well as enriching the grain copper content.

Modulation of Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Diseases by Gasdermins

Autoimmune diseases and autoinflammatory diseases are two types of the immune system disorders. Pyroptosis, a highly inflammatory cell death, plays an important role in diseases of immune system. The gasdermins belong to a pore-forming protein gene family which are mainly expressed in immune cells, gastrointestinal tract, and skin. Gasdermins are regarded as an executor of pyroptosis and have been shown to possess various cellular functions and pathological effects such as pro-inflammatory, immune activation, mediation of tumor, etc. Except for infectious diseases, the vital role of gasdermins in autoimmune diseases, autoinflammatory diseases, and immune-related neoplastic diseases has been proved recently. Therefore, gasdermins have been served as a potential therapeutic target for immune disordered diseases. The review summarizes the basic molecular structure and biological function of gasdermins, mainly discusses their role in autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, and highlights the recent research on gasdermin family inhibitors so as to provide potential therapeutic prospects.

Identification and Validation of the Diagnostic Characteristic Genes of Ovarian Cancer by Bioinformatics and Machine Learning

Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) has a high mortality rate and poses a severe threat to women’s health. However, abnormal gene expression underlying the tumorigenesis of OC has not been fully understood. This study aims to identify diagnostic characteristic genes involved in OC by bioinformatics and machine learning.

Methods: We utilized five datasets retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) Project database. GSE12470 and GSE18520 were combined as the training set, and GSE27651 was used as the validation set A. Also, we combined the TCGA database and GTEx database as validation set B. First, in the training set, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between OC and non-ovarian cancer tissues (nOC) were identified. Next, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Disease Ontology (DO) enrichment analysis, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were performed for functional enrichment analysis of these DEGs. Then, two machine learning algorithms, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selector Operation (LASSO) and Support Vector Machine-Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE), were used to get the diagnostic genes. Subsequently, the obtained diagnostic-related DEGs were validated in the validation sets. Then, we used the computational approach (CIBERSORT) to analyze the association between immune cell infiltration and DEGs. Finally, we analyzed the prognostic role of several genes on the KM-plotter website and used the human protein atlas (HPA) online database to analyze the expression of these genes at the protein level.

Results: 590 DEGs were identified, including 276 upregulated and 314 downregulated DEGs.The Enrichment analysis results indicated the DEGs were mainly involved in the nuclear division, cell cycle, and IL−17 signaling pathway. Besides, DEGs were also closely related to immune cell infiltration. Finally, we found that BUB1, FOLR1, and PSAT1 have prognostic roles and the protein-level expression of these six genes SFPR1, PSAT1, PDE8B, INAVA and TMEM139 in OC tissue and nOC tissue was consistent with our analysis.

Conclusions: We screened nine diagnostic characteristic genes of OC, including SFRP1, PSAT1, BUB1B, FOLR1, ABCB1, PDE8B, INAVA, BUB1, TMEM139. Combining these genes may be useful for OC diagnosis and evaluating immune cell infiltration.

Z-DNA binding protein 1 promotes heatstroke-induced cell death

Heatstroke is a heat stress-induced, life-threatening condition associated with circulatory failure and multiple organ dysfunctions. If global warming continues, heatstroke might become a more prominent cause of mortality worldwide, but its pathogenic mechanism is not well understood. We found that Z-DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1), a Z-nucleic acid receptor, mediated heatstroke by triggering receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3)-dependent cell death. Heat stress increased the expression of ZBP1 through heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) and activated ZBP1 through a mechanism independent of the nucleic acid sensing action. Deletion of ZBP1, RIPK3, or both mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) and caspase-8 decreased heat stress-induced circulatory failure, organ injury, and lethality. Thus, ZBP1 appears to have a second function that orchestrates host responses to heat stress.

Glycyrrhizin attenuates caspase-11-dependent immune responses and coagulopathy by targeting high mobility group box 1

Caspase-11, a cytosolic endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide: LPS) receptor, mediates pyroptosis, coagulopathy and lethality in endoxemia and bacterial sepsis. The activation of caspase-11 requires high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)-mediated translocation of LPS from the extracellular space to the cytosol. Here we show that HMGB1-dependent cytosolic delivery of LPS was blocked by glycyrrhizin, a medication to treat liver diseases. Glycyrrhizin competitively bound HMGB1 and thereby inhibiting the physical interaction between HMGB1 and LPS. Treatment of glycyrrhizin significantly attenuated caspase-11-dependent immune responses, coagulopathy, organ injury and lethality in endotoxemia and experimental sepsis. Together, our data suggest that pharmacological inhibition of the cytosolic delivery of LPS by glycyrrhizin might be a potential therapeutic strategy to treat sepsis, which is a leading cause of death in hospitals worldwide.