Angiographic microvascular resistance in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is an important feature of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM). Angiographic microvascular resistance (AMR) offers a potent means for assessing CMD. This study sought to evaluate the prognostic value of CMD burden calculated by AMR among oHCM patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively screened all patients diagnosed with oHCM from Fuwai Hospital between January 2017 and November 2021. Off-line AMR assessments were performed for all 3 major coronary vessels by the independent imaging core laboratory. Patients were followed every 6 months post discharge via office visit or telephone contacts. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including all-cause death, and unplanned rehospitalization for heart failure.

RESULTS

A total of 342 patients presented with oHCM diseases enrolled in the present analyses. Mean age was 49.7, 57.6 % were men, mean 3-vessel AMR was 6.9. At a median follow-up of 18 months, high capability of 3-vessel AMR in predicting MACE was identified (AUC: 0.70) with the best cut-off value of 7.04. The primary endpoint of MACE was significantly higher in high microvascular resistance group (3-vessel AMR ≥ 7.04) as compared with low microvascular resistance group (56.5 % vs. 16.5 %; HR: 5.13; 95 % CI: 2.46-10.7; p < 0.001), which was mainly driven by the significantly higher risk of heart failure events in high microvascular resistance group. Additionally, 3-vessel AMR (HR: 4.37; 95 % CI: 1.99-9.58; p < 0.001), and age (per 1 year increase, HR: 1.03; 95 % CI: 1.01-1.06; p = 0.02) were independently associated with MACE.

CONCLUSION

The present retrospective study demonstrated that the novel angiography-based AMR was a useful tool for CMD evaluation among patients with oHCM. High microvascular resistance as identified by 3-vessel AMR (≥7.04) was associated with worse prognosis.

PHGDH knockdown increases sensitivity to SR1, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist, in colorectal cancer by activating the autophagy pathway

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has emerged as the third most prevalent and second deadliest cancer worldwide. Metabolic reprogramming is a key hallmark of cancer cells. Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) is over-expressed in multiple cancers, including CRC. Although the role of PHGDH in metabolism has been extensively investigated, its effects on CRC development remains to be elucidated. In the present study, it was demonstrated that PHGDH expression was significantly up-regulated in colorectal cancer. PHGDH expression was positively correlated with that of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and its target genes, CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, in CRC cells. Knockdown of PHGDH reduced AhR levels and activity, as well as the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione. The selective AhR antagonist stemregenin 1 induced cell death through reactive oxygen species-dependent autophagy in CRC cells. PHGDH knockdown induced CRC cell sensitivity to stemregenin 1 via the autophagy pathway. Our findings suggest that PHGDH modulates AhR signaling and the redox-dependent autophagy pathway in CRC, and that the combination of inhibition of both PHGDH and AhR may be a novel therapeutic strategy for CRC.

KDM4B down-regulation facilitated breast cancer cell stemness via PHGDH upregulation in H3K36me3-dependent manner

Despite recent advances have been made in clinical treatments of breast cancer, the general prognosis of patients remains poor. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a more effective therapeutic strategy. Lysine demethylase 4B (KDM4B) has been reported to participate in breast cancer development recently, but its exact biological role in breast cancer remains unclear. Here, we observed that KDM4B was down-regulated in human primary BRCA tissues and the low levels of KDM4B expression were correlated with poor survival. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that KDM4B inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Besides, knockdown of KDM4B promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell stemness in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, KDM4B down-regulates PHGDH by decreasing the enrichment of H3K36me3 on the promoter region of PHGDH. Knockdown of PHGDH could significantly reversed proliferation, migration, EMT, and cell stemness induced by KDM4B silencing in breast cancer cells. Collectively, we propose a model for a KDM4B/PHGDH axis that provides novel insight into breast cancer development, which may serve as a potential factor for predicting prognosis and a therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Effect of moxibustion combined with intraperitoneal injection of benazepril on endoplasmic reticulum stress-related protein phosphorylation in rats with chronic heart failure

OBJECTIVES

To observe the effect of moxibustion at "Xinshu"(BL15) and "Feishu"(BL13) combined with intraperitoneal injection of benazepril on cardiac function and phosphorylation of protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) and eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (elF2α) proteins in myocardium of rats with chronic heart failure (CHF), so as to explore its potential mechanism underlying improvement of CHF.

METHODS

A total of 42 male SD rats were randomly assigned to blank control (n=10), CHF model (n=7), medication (benazepril, n=8), moxibustion (n=8) and moxibustion+benazepril (n=9) groups, after cardiac ultrasound model identification and elimination of the dead. The CHF model was established by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), once every week for 6 weeks. Mild moxibustion was applied to bilateral BL15 and BL13 regions for 20 min, once daily for 3 weeks. The rats of the medication group and moxibustion+benazepril group (benazepril was given first, followed by moxibustion) received intraperitoneal injection of benazepril (0.86 mg/kg) solution once daily for 3 weeks . The cardiac ejection fraction (EF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (FS) were measured using echocardiography. Histopathological changes of the cardiac muscle tissue were observed under light microscope after hematoxylin-eosin (H.E.) staining. Serum contents of B-type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of phospho-PERK (p-PERK) and phospho-elF2α (p-elF2α) in the myocardium were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

Compared with the blank control group, the EF and FS of the left cardiac ventricle were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while the contents of serum BNP and AngⅡ, and expression levels of p-PERK and p-eIF2α significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, both the decreased EF and FS and the increased BNP and AngⅡ contents as well as p-PERK and p-elF2α expression levels were reversed by moxibustion, medication and moxibustion+benazepril (P<0.01). The effects of moxibustion+benazepril were markedly superior to those of simple moxibustion and simple medication in raising the levels of EF and FS rate and in down-regulating the contents of BNP, Ang Ⅱ, levels of p-PERK and p-elF2α (P<0.01, P<0.05). Outcomes of H.E. staining showed irregular arrangement of cardiomyocytes, cell swelling, vacuole and inflammatory infiltration in the model group, which was relatively milder in the 3 treatment groups. The effects of moxibustion+benazepril were superior to those of moxibustion or benazepril.

CONCLUSIONS

Moxibustion combined with Benazepril can improve the cardiac function in CHF rats, which may be related to its functions in down-regulating the expression levels of myocardial p-PERK and p-elF2α to inhibit endoplasmic reticulum stress response.

Comprehensive review of amino acid transporters as therapeutic targets

The solute carrier (SLC) family, with more than 400 membrane-bound proteins, facilitates the transport of a wide array of substrates such as nutrients, ions, metabolites, and drugs across biological membranes. Amino acid transporters (AATs) are membrane transport proteins that mediate transfer of amino acids into and out of cells or cellular organelles. AATs participate in many important physiological functions including nutrient supply, metabolic transformation, energy homeostasis, redox regulation, and neurological regulation. Several AATs have been found to significantly impact the progression of human malignancies, and dysregulation of AATs results in metabolic reprogramming affecting tumor growth and progression. However, current clinical therapies that directly target AATs have not been developed. The purpose of this review is to highlight the structural and functional diversity of AATs, the molecular mechanisms in human diseases such as tumors, kidney diseases, and emerging therapeutic strategies for targeting AATs.

Ferroptosis resistance in cancer: recent advances and future perspectives

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, non-apoptotic form of regulated cell death and has been implicated in the occurrence and development of various diseases, including heart disease, nervous system diseases and cancer. Ferroptosis induction recently emerged as an attractive strategy for cancer therapy. Ferroptosis has become a potential target for intervention in these diseases or injuries in relevant preclinical models. This review summarizes recent progress on the mechanisms of ferroptosis resistance in cancer, highlights redox status and metabolism's role in it. Combination therapy for ferroptosis has great potential in cancer treatment, especially malignant tumors that are resistant to conventional therapies. This review will lead us to have a comprehensive understanding of the future exploration of ferroptosis and cancer therapy. A deeper understanding of the relationship between ferroptosis resistance and metabolism reprogramming may provide new strategies for tumor treatment and drug development based on ferroptosis.

Mueller matrix analysis of spun wave plate for arbitrary SOP conversion

The developments in polarized light have spawned a multitude of novel applications in optical fiber systems, but the design and fabrication of practical fiber wave plates with high degree of integration still remain a challenging issue. To address this problem, an all-fiber spun wave plate (SWP) for arbitrary state of polarization (SOP) conversion is proposed in this work, and its principle is analyzed with Mueller matrix. Simulations are conducted to exhibit the arbitrary SOP conversion capability of the proposed SWP, and two key parameters, including the maximum spinning rate (ξmax) and linear birefringence (δ), are investigated for efficient conversion of desired SOP. Different functions to increase the spinning rate ξ from 0 to ξmax, computational efficiency and accuracy related to N are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the depolarization effect caused by retardation of SWP is also considered. The results of this research suggest that the proposed SWP exhibits promising performance in arbitrary SOP conversion, and the meticulous analysis of the numerical computation, design, and implementation of SWP presented in this work can provide novel insights for devloping fiber wave plates.

Investigations on diverse dynamics of soliton triplets in mode-locked fiber lasers

Optical soliton molecules exhibiting behaviors analogous to matter molecules have been the hotspot in the dissipative system for decades. Based on the dispersion Fourier transformation technique, the real-time spectral interferometry has become the popular method to reveal the internal dynamics of soliton molecules. The rising degrees of freedom in pace with the increased constitutes of soliton molecules yield more intriguing sights into the internal motions. Yet the soliton molecules with three or more pulses are rarely investigated owing to the exponentially growing complexity. Here, we present both experimental and theoretical studies on the soliton molecules containing three solitons. Different assemblies of the constitutes are categorized as different types of soliton triplet akin to the geometric isomer, including equally-spaced triplet and unequally-spaced triplet. Typical soliton triplets with different dynamics including regular internal motions, hybrid phase dynamics and complex dynamics involving separation evolution are experimentally analyzed and theoretically simulated. Specifically, the energy difference which remains elusive in experiments are uncovered through the simulation of diverse triplets with plentiful dynamics. Moreover, the multi-dimensional interaction space is proposed to visualize the internal motions in connection with the energy exchange, which play significant roles in the interplays among the solitons. Both the experimental and numerical simulations on the isomeric soliton triplets would release a larger number of degrees of freedom and motivate the potentially artificial configuration of soliton molecules for various ultrafast applications, such as all-optical buffering and multiple encoding for telecommunications.

TRIM29 hypermethylation drives esophageal cancer progression via suppression of ZNF750

Esophageal cancer (ESCA) is the seventh most frequent and deadly neoplasm. Due to the lack of early diagnosis and high invasion/metastasis, the prognosis of ESCA remains very poor. Herein, we identify skin-related signatures as the most deficient signatures in invasive ESCA, which are regulated by the transcription factor ZNF750. Of note, we find that TRIM29 level strongly correlated with the expression of many genes in the skin-related signatures, including ZNF750. TRIM29 is significantly down-regulated due to hypermethylation of its promoter in both ESCA and precancerous lesions compared to normal tissues. Low TRIM29 expression and high methylation levels of its promoter are associated with malignant progression and poor clinical outcomes in ESCA patients. Functionally, TRIM29 overexpression markedly hinders proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of esophageal cancer cells, whereas opposing results are observed when TRIM29 is silenced in vitro. In addition, TRIM29 inhibits metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, TRIM29 downregulation suppresses the expression of the tumor suppressor ZNF750 by activating the STAT3 signaling pathway. Overall, our study demonstrates that TRIM29 expression and its promoter methylation status could be potential early diagnostic and prognostic markers. It highlights the role of the TRIM29-ZNF750 signaling axis in modulating tumorigenesis and metastasis of esophageal cancer.

Thermal effect analysis on cuboid Pr:YLF crystals pumped by blue laser diodes

Using blue laser diodes (LDs) to pump Pr:YLF crystals can directly realize visible-band laser output. Compared with the traditional frequency doubling and LD direct output method, it has the advantages of simple design, compact structure, and high beam quality. For solid-state lasers, pump-induced thermal effects of gain media are the principal limiting factors for the desired high-power output. In this paper, internal temperature space model distribution of a rectangular cross-section Pr:YLF crystal is established. On this basis, the temperature distribution, thermal stress distribution, and thermal focal length variation of single-end pumped and double-end pumped laser crystals are analyzed. The results are verified by COMSOL simulations and experimental measurements. To our knowledge, this analysis is the first to examine the thermal effect of a rectangular cross-section Pr:YLF crystal, analyzing the limit power that the crystal can withstand, which paves the way for better performances of visible lasers with stable and high-power output.

Phase-tailored assembly and encoding of dissipative soliton molecules

Self-assembly of particle-like dissipative solitons, in the presence of mutual interactions, emphasizes the vibrant concept of soliton molecules in varieties of laser resonators. Controllable manipulation of the molecular patterns, held by the degrees of freedom of internal motions, still remains challenging to explore more efficient and subtle tailoring approaches for the increasing demands. Here, we report a new phase-tailored quaternary encoding format based on the controllable internal assembly of dissipative soliton molecules. Artificial manipulation of the energy exchange of soliton-molecular elements stimulates the deterministic harnessing of the assemblies of internal dynamics. Self-assembled soliton molecules are tailored into four phase-defined regimes, thus constituting the phase-tailored quaternary encoding format. Such phase-tailored streams are endowed with great robustness and are resistant to significant timing jitter. All these results experimentally demonstrate the programmable phase tailoring and exemplify the application of the phase-tailored quaternary encoding, prospectively promoting high-capacity all-optical storage.

A Gγ protein regulates alkaline sensitivity in crops

The use of alkaline salt lands for crop production is hindered by a scarcity of knowledge and breeding efforts for plant alkaline tolerance. Through genome association analysis of sorghum, a naturally high-alkaline-tolerant crop, we detected a major locus, Alkaline Tolerance 1 (AT1), specifically related to alkaline-salinity sensitivity. An at1 allele with a carboxyl-terminal truncation increased sensitivity, whereas knockout of AT1 increased tolerance to alkalinity in sorghum, millet, rice, and maize. AT1 encodes an atypical G protein γ subunit that affects the phosphorylation of aquaporins to modulate the distribution of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)_. These processes appear to protect plants against oxidative stress by alkali. Designing knockouts of AT1 homologs or selecting its natural nonfunctional alleles could improve crop productivity in sodic lands.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BW2013 protects mucosal integrity and modulates gut microbiota of mice with colitis

This study explored the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (previously Lactobacillus plantarum) BW2013 on mucosal integrity and gut microbiota of mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. The results show that the clinical symptoms in DSS-modelled ulcerative colitis (UC) were improved by L. plantarum BW2013 via decreasing disease activity index scores and suppressing inflammatory cell infiltration. Furthermore, L. plantarum BW2013 decreased the levels of diamine oxidase activity, myeloperoxidase, and D-lactic acid. The mRNA expression of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1 was upregulated by L. plantarum BW2013, which also increased IL-10 and reduced TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the colon. 16S rDNA sequencing showed that L. plantarum BW2013 enhanced α-diversity. L. plantarum BW2013 upregulated significantly the abundance of unidentfied Lachnospiraceae, Lactococcus, Rikenella, Lactobacillus, and Odoribacter, which had an inhibitory effect on inflammation and a protective effect on the integrity of the mucosa. These results demonstrate that L. plantarum BW2013 alleviates DSS-modelled UC by protecting mucosal integrity and ameliorating the composition of gut microbiota.

A Longitudinal Study of Journal Club to Enhance Physical Therapy Students' Research Appraisal Skill for Evidence-Based Practice: A Mixed-Methods Study

Evidence-based practice (EBP) requires that clinicians possess skills in appraisal of evidence. Journal club (JC) is demonstrated to increase EBP skills in medicine, nursing, and occupational therapy. Study in physical therapy remains elusive. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of JC on appraisal skills in student physical therapists (SPTs) and explore factors enhancing or hindering the utility of JC. One hundred fifteen SPTs from three cohorts participated in this mixed-methods study. In the first year, participants completed a survey assessing self-reported confidence level on EBP skills before and after attending multiple JCs. Cohorts I and II continued participation in the second year. Additionally, 36 participants attended focus-group interviews after completing 2 years of JC. All cohorts' confidence level increased. Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed a significant increase (p < 0.001) for cohort III. Remaining cohorts' confidence continuously increased in the subsequent year. Thematic analysis revealed themes on benefits and barriers of JC, strategies for improvements, and connection of JC to clinical practice. The findings indicate that integration of JC promotes SPTs' confidence in EBP skills and connects with practice. Utilizing JC as a pedagogical strategy impacts curricular design and strengthens future health professionals' EBP skills pivotal for delivering quality healthcare.

Inhaled Pro-Efferocytic Nanozymes Promote Resolution of Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a significant contributor to the morbidity and mortality of sepsis. Characterized by uncontrolled inflammation and excessive inflammatory cells infiltration in lung, ALI has been exacerbated by impaired efferocytosis (clearance of apoptotic cells by macrophages). Through specific receptor recognition and activation of downstream signaling, efferocytic macrophages promote resolution of inflammation by efficiently engulfing dying cells, avoiding the consequent release of cellular inflammatory contents. Here, inspired by the intrinsic recovery mechanism of efferocytosis, an apoptotic cell membrane (ACM) coated antioxidant nanozyme (AOzyme) is engineered, thus obtaining an inhalable pro-efferocytic nanozyme (AOzyme@ACM). Notably, AOzyme@ACM can efficiently increase apoptotic cell removal by combing enhanced macrophages recognition of "eat me" signals through apoptotic body mimicking and scavenge of intracellular excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), a significant barrier for efferocytosis. AOzyme@ACM can significantly inhibit inflammatory response, promote pro-resolving (M2) phenotype transition of macrophage, and alleviate ALI in endotoxemia mice compared with AOzyme group. By addressing the critical factor in the pathogenesis of sepsis-related ALI through restoring efferocytosis activity, the ACM-based antioxidant nanozyme in this study is envisioned to provide a promising strategy to treat this complex and challenging disease.

TBAI-Catalyzed S-H and N-H Insertion Reactions of α-Diazoesters with Thiophenols and Amines under Metal-Free Conditions

Mild, convenient, and effective TBAI-catalyzed S-H and N-H insertion reactions of α-diazoesters with thiophenols and aromatic amines under metal-free conditions have been described, furnishing a straightforward and general platform for the synthesis of various thioethers and 2-amino-2-oxoacetates in moderate to excellent yields. Moreover, this strategy features simple operation, mild conditions, broad substrate scope, and easy scale-up.

The practical acetylation of nucleosides using acetic anhydride/acetic acid as a reusable solvent

The highly practical acetylation of free nucleosides is achieved using acetic anhydride/acetic acid as a reusable solvent and acetylating regent. A series of nucleosides, including ribosyl, deoxyribosyl, arabinosyl, acyclic and pyranosyl, and many clinical drugs were acetylated efficiently, even on large scale (200 g).

Analysis of related factors of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia complicated with vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia

PURPOSE

To explore the underlying risk factors and to prevent misdiagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) coexisted with vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN).

METHODS

Clinical data of patients pathologically diagnosed with CIN were collected from January 2017 to December 2018. A total of 446 cases were analyzed, including 406 cases of single lesions ('CIN single' group) and 40 cases complicated with VAIN ('VAIN concurrent' group).

RESULTS

The median age of the VAIN concurrent group was 53 years (46.25-59 years), and the median age of the CIN single group was 44 years (36-50 years). Regarding menopausal status, there were 28 cases (70.0%) in the VAIN concurrent group and 89 cases (21.9%) in the CIN single group (P < 0.005). The median load of high-risk human papillomavirus (Hr-HPV) in the VAIN concurrent and CIN single group was 923.4 relative light units/cutoff (RLU/CO) (145-2172.2 RLU/CO) and 229.155 RLU/CO (18.615-638.1275 RLU/CO), respectively (P = 0.037). The results revealed that the menopausal status was an independent risk factor for VAIN occurrence in CIN patients. The risk of VAIN in menopausal patients was higher than that in non-menopausal CIN patients (OR = 8.311, 95% CI 4.062-17.005). Age and HPV load were also related to the concurrence of VAIN and CIN.

CONCLUSION

Examinations regarding vaginal screening are of great importance in the diagnosis of perimenopausal and postmenopausal CIN patients, especially patients with Hr-HPV load. Colposcopy and tissue biopsy should also be performed, when necessary, to avoid misdiagnosis and the appearance of vaginal lesions.

The deubiquitinases UBP12 and UBP13 integrate with the E3 ubiquitin ligase XBAT35.2 to modulate VPS23A stability in ABA signaling

Ubiquitination-mediated protein degradation in both the 26S proteasome and vacuole is an important process in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. However, the role of deubiquitination in this process remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that two deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), ubiquitin-specific protease 12 (UBP12) and UBP13, modulate ABA signaling and drought tolerance by deubiquitinating and stabilizing the endosomal sorting complex required for transport-I (ESCRT-I) component vacuolar protein sorting 23A (VPS23A) and thereby affect the stability of ABA receptors in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetic analysis showed that VPS23A overexpression could rescue the ABA hypersensitive and drought tolerance phenotypes of ubp12-2w or ubp13-1. In addition to the direct regulation of VPS23A, we found that UBP12 and UBP13 also stabilized the E3 ligase XB3 ortholog 5 in A. thaliana (XBAT35.2) in response to ABA treatment. Hence, we demonstrated that UBP12 and UBP13 are previously unidentified rheostatic regulators of ABA signaling and revealed a mechanism by which deubiquitination precisely monitors the XBAT35/VPS23A ubiquitination module in the ABA response.

Synthesis of 2'-deoxyguanosine from 2'-deoxyadenosine via C2 nitration

An efficient synthetic method has been developed for the synthesis of 2'-deoxyguanosine from the more commercially available 2'-deoxyadenosine via late-stage C2 nitration in 48.7% total yield by a 5-step synthetic procedure. Crucially, 2'-deoxyadenosine was fully protected by bennzoyl groups and then nitrated at C2 by tetrabutylammonium nitrate/trifluoroacetic anhydride. The resulting 2-NO₂ moiety was converted into 2-NH₂ by Ni-catalyzed hydrogenolysis. Finally, 2'-deoxyguanosine was obtained from the diaminopurine intermediate by deaminase-catalyzed reaction. Furthermore, the 2-NO₂ moiety also appeared to be a versatile handle to introduce a variety of functional groups, resulting in a divergent access to 2-substituted 2'-deoxyadenosine analogues.

TIGAR drives colorectal cancer ferroptosis resistance through ROS/AMPK/SCD1 pathway

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and major cause of cancer death in the world. Ferroptosis is a recently identified type of regulated cell death. Increasing evidence has shown that ferroptosis plays an important regulatory role in the occurrence and development of cancer. This study identified TIGAR as a potential regulator of ferroptosis resistance in the development of CRC. We showed that TIGAR expression in CRC tissues is significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissues. Knockdown of TIGAR significantly caused an increase in erastin-induced ferroptosis in SW620 and HCT116 cells. Notably, knockdown of TIGAR significantly decreased GSH/GSSG ratio, increased lipid peroxidation production, and facilitated the accumulation of lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), and rendered CRC cells more sensitive to erastin induced ferroptosis. Furthermore, TIGAR inhibition repressed SCD1 expression in a redox and AMPK-dependent manner. Thus, these results suggest that TIGAR induces ferroptosis resistance in CRC cells via the ROS/AMPK/SCD1 signaling pathway.

Associations of Sarcopenic Parameters with Dysphagia in Older Nursing Home Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia and dysphagia in nursing homes and to analyze the associations between sarcopenic parameters and dysphagia.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Nursing homes in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

PARTICIPANTS

The study included 365 participants (122 men and 243 women) aged 60 years or older who could walk independently or with walking aids for at least 50 meters.

MEASUREMENTS

Dysphagia was defined by the water swallow test and sarcopenia and its components were evaluated by the criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia, 2019. The values and percentages of sarcopenia associated parameters in relation to dysphagia were analyzed in both male and female residents. The Benjamini-Hochberg method was used to adjust for multiple comparisons. The relationship between sarcopenic components and dysphagia was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis by sex.

RESULTS

A total of 365 residents (mean age: 84.28 years; 122 men and 243 women) were included in the study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed in 63.0% (n=230) and dysphagia in 75.3% (n = 275) of residents. For men, the percentage of sarcopenia was higher in residents with dysphagia. However, the sarcopenia percentage did not differ significantly between women with and without dysphagia. In both men and women, the handgrip strength (HGS) values were significantly lower in the dysphagic residents. The calf circumference (CC) value and appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) were significantly lower in dysphagic men, while the SARC-CalF scores were higher. In women, the SPPB score was lower in residents with dysphagia. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low calf circumference (OR 4.415, 95% CI 1.561-12.490) and sarcopenia (OR 2.968, 95% CI 1.121-7.858) were significantly associated with dysphagia in men after adjusting for co-factors.

CONCLUSION

There is a high percentage of both dysphagia and sarcopenia in nursing home residents in West China. Low calf circumference and sarcopenia had strong associations with dysphagia among male nursing home residents.

Genome-wide analysis of mitochondrial DNA copy number reveals loci implicated in nucleotide metabolism, platelet activation, and megakaryocyte proliferation

Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) measured from blood specimens is a minimally invasive marker of mitochondrial function that exhibits both inter-individual and intercellular variation. To identify genes involved in regulating mitochondrial function, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 465,809 White individuals from the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortium and the UK Biobank (UKB). We identified 133 SNPs with statistically significant, independent effects associated with mtDNA-CN across 100 loci. A combination of fine-mapping, variant annotation, and co-localization analyses was used to prioritize genes within each of the 133 independent sites. Putative causal genes were enriched for known mitochondrial DNA depletion syndromes (p = 3.09 × 10-15) and the gene ontology (GO) terms for mtDNA metabolism (p = 1.43 × 10-8) and mtDNA replication (p = 1.2 × 10-7). A clustering approach leveraged pleiotropy between mtDNA-CN associated SNPs and 41 mtDNA-CN associated phenotypes to identify functional domains, revealing three distinct groups, including platelet activation, megakaryocyte proliferation, and mtDNA metabolism. Finally, using mitochondrial SNPs, we establish causal relationships between mitochondrial function and a variety of blood cell-related traits, kidney function, liver function and overall (p = 0.044) and non-cancer mortality (p = 6.56 × 10-4).

LAMTOR5-AS1 regulates chemotherapy-induced oxidative stress by controlling the expression level and transcriptional activity of NRF2 in osteosarcoma cells

Long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play roles in regulating cellular functions. High-throughput sequencing analysis identified a new lncRNA, termed LAMTOR5-AS1, the expression of which was much higher in the chemosensitive osteosarcoma (OS) cell line G-292 than in the chemoresistant cell line SJSA-1. Further investigations revealed that LAMTOR5-AS1 significantly inhibits the proliferation and multidrug resistance of OS cells. In vitro assays demonstrated that LAMTOR5-AS1 mediates the interaction between nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2, NRF2) and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), which regulate the oxidative stress. Further mechanistic studies revealed that LAMTOR5-AS1 inhibited the ubiquitination degradation pathway of NRF2, resulting in a higher level of NRF2 but a loss of NRF2 transcriptional activity. High level of NRF2 in return upregulated the downstream gene heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). Moreover, NRF2 controls its own activity by promoting LAMTOR5-AS1 expression, whereas the feedback regulation is weakened in drug-resistant cells due to high antioxidant activity. Overall, we propose that LAMTOR5-AS1 globally regulates chemotherapy-induced cellular oxidative stress by controlling the expression and activity of NRF2.

[Effect of moxibustion combined with benazepril on expression of IL-18 and phosphorylated protein kinase B in myocardial tissue of rats with chronic heart failure]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of moxibustion combined with benazepril on cardiac function and expression levels of myocardial interleukin-18(IL-18), phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-Akt) in rats with chronic heart failure (CHF), so as to explore its underlying mechanisms in improvement of CHF.

METHODS

Fifty male rats were randomly divided into normal, model, moxibustion, benazepril and moxibustion+benazepril groups (n=10 rats per group). The CHF model was established by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin hydrochloride solution (DOX, 2.5 mg/kg) twice a week for 4 weeks. After successful modeling, the rats in the normal and model groups were fed with normal diet, and fixed on a rat plate for 20 min each time without any treatment. Mild moxibustion was applied to bilateral "Feishu" (BL13) and "Xinshu" (BL15) for 20 min each time, for 3 weeks in the moxibustion and moxibustion+benazepril groups. Rats of the benazepril and moxibustion+benazepril groups received gavage of benazepril (2 mg/kg) once daily for 3 weeks. The general behaviors of rats were observed. The ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular diameter shortening (FS), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVIDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVIDs), heart rate (HR) and ventricular septal thickness (IVS) were examined by echocardiography. The content of serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and expression levels of myocardial IL-18, p-Akt were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

Compared with the normal group, the EF, FS, IVS, and myocardial p-Akt expression level were significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the LVIDd, LVIDs, HR, and serum NT-proBNP content and myocardial IL-18 expression level were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, the EF, FS, IVS, and myocardial p-Akt were remarkably up-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the LVIDd, LVIDs, HR, serum NT-proBNP content, and myocardial IL-18 expression level were significantly down-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the moxibustion, benazepril, and moxibustion+benazepril groups. Compared with the moxibustion+benazepr group, the levels of LVIDs, HR, serum NT-proBNP and myocardial IL-18 expression were obviously higher (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the levels of EF, FS, IVS and p-Akt were significantly lower in the moxibustion and benazepril groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Moxibustion combined with benazepril improves cardiac function in CHF rats, and is superior to simple moxibustion and simple benazepril in reducing IL-18 expression and increasing p-Akt expression in myocardial tissue.

Effectiveness of a novel fungicide pydiflumetofen against Fusarium head blight and mycotoxin accumulation in winter wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) causes yield loss, quality reduction, and grain mycotoxin accumulations. A novel pydiflumetofen-containing fungicide, Miravis Ace, was recently registered in North America. The main objective of this study was to assess the efficacies of Miravis Ace and the timing of application alongside industry standard triazole fungicides (Prosaro, Caramba, Proline and Folicur) on suppressing FHB, reducing mycotoxins and improving wheat agronomic performance. The assessment was conducted across six natural environments on commercial farm fields and in two artificially inoculated-misted environments. All environments included 5 fungicides (Miravis Ace and the four triazole fungicides) and 3 application timings (Zadoks GS 59, 65, 69-71). Additionally, for the ZGS 65 timing, the experiment in the natural environment included a quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicide pyraclostrobin (Headline). In general, Miravis Ace tended to be more effective on FHB suppression than the triazole fungicides across all environments. However, any biological differences tended to be statistically non-significant, likely because of a lack of statistical power. Miravis Ace reduced total deoxynivalenol (DON) concentration by 52-73% compared to the non-treated control. If applied at ZGS 59-65, Miravis Ace was more effective in increasing yield and test weight than the triazoles tested. Across fungicides, applications made at ZGS 65 were most effective in FHB suppression compared to earlier or later application timings. There was no evidence that pyraclostrobin increased mycotoxin concentrations. Overall, compared to the triazole fungicides, the novel pydiflumetofen-containing fungicide tended to have lower FHB suppression and mycotoxins, higher grain yield and test weight, and higher harvest moisture, but differences were not always statistically significant. Because the main active ingredient in Miravis Ace has a different mode of action than the triazoles, we speculate that this fungicide will be competitive with industry standards, and benefit strategies for fungicide resistance management.

Exosomal miR-30d-5p of neutrophils induces M1 macrophage polarization and primes macrophage pyroptosis in sepsis-related acute lung injury

BACKGROUND

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) play an important role in sepsis-related acute lung injury (ALI). Accumulating evidence suggests PMN-derived exosomes as a new subcellular entity acting as a fundamental link between PMN-driven inflammation and tissue damage. However, the role of PMN-derived exosomes in sepsis-related ALI and the underlying mechanisms remains unclear.

METHODS

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a key regulator of innate immunity in sepsis-related ALI, was used to stimulate PMNs from healthy C57BL/6J mice in vitro. Exosomes isolated from the supernatant were injected to C57BL/6J wild-type mice intraperitoneally (i.p.) and then examined for lung inflammation, macrophage (Mϕ) polarization and pyroptosis. In vitro co-culture system was applied where the mouse Raw264.7 macrophages or bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were co-cultured with PMN-derived exosomes to further confirm the results of in vivo animal study and explore the potential mechanisms involved.

RESULTS

Exosomes released by TNF-α-stimulated PMNs (TNF-Exo) promoted M1 macrophage activation after in vivo i.p. injection or in vitro co-culture. In addition, TNF-Exo primed macrophage for pyroptosis by upregulating NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome expression through nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that miR-30d-5p mediated the function of TNF-Exo by targeting suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS-1) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in macrophages. Furthermore, intravenous administration of miR-30d-5p inhibitors significantly decreased TNF-Exo or cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced M1 macrophage activation and macrophage death in the lung, as well as the histological lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrated that exosomal miR-30d-5p from PMNs contributed to sepsis-related ALI by inducing M1 macrophage polarization and priming macrophage pyroptosis through activating NF-κB signaling. These findings suggest a novel mechanism of PMN-Mϕ interaction in sepsis-related ALI, which may provide new therapeutic strategies in sepsis patients.

ZmbHLH124 identified in maize recombinant inbred lines contributes to drought tolerance in crops

Due to climate change, drought has become a severe abiotic stress that affects the global production of all crops. Elucidation of the complex physiological mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in crops will support the cultivation of new drought-tolerant crop varieties. Here, two drought-tolerant lines, RIL70 and RIL73, and two drought-sensitive lines, RIL44 and RIL93, from recombinant inbred lines (RIL) generated from maize drought-tolerant line PH4CV and drought-sensitive line F9721, were selected for a comparative RNA-seq study. Through transcriptome analyses, we found that gene expression differences existed between drought-tolerant and -sensitive lines, but also differences between the drought-tolerant lines, RIL70 and RIL73. ZmbHLH124 in RIL73, named as ZmbHLH124T-ORG which origins from PH4CV and encodes a bHLH type transcription factor, was specifically up-regulated during drought stress. In addition, we identified a substitution in ZmbHLH124 that produced an early stop codon in sensitive lines (ZmbHLH124S-ORG ). Overexpression of ZmbHLH124T-ORG , but not ZmbHLH124S-ORG , in maize and rice enhanced plant drought tolerance and up-regulated the expression of drought-responsive genes. Moreover, we found that ZmbHLH124T-ORG could directly bind the cis-acting elements in ZmDREB2A promoter to enhance its expression. Taken together, this work identified a valuable genetic locus and provided a new strategy for breeding drought-tolerant crops.

ERAD-related E2 and E3 enzymes modulate the drought response by regulating the stability of PIP2 aquaporins

Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) is known to regulate plant responses to diverse stresses, yet its underlying molecular mechanisms and links to various stress signaling pathways are poorly understood. Here, we show that the ERAD component ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC32 positively regulates drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana by targeting the aquaporins PIP2;1 and PIP2;2 for degradation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the RING-type ligase Rma1 acts together with UBC32 and that the E2 activity of UBC32 is essential for the ubiquitination of Rma1. This complex ubiquitinates a phosphorylated form of PIP2;1 at Lys276 to promote its degradation, thereby enhancing plant drought tolerance. Extending these molecular insights into crops, we show that overexpression of Arabidopsis UBC32 also improves drought tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa). Thus, beyond uncovering the molecular basis of an ERAD-regulated stress response, our study suggests multiple potential strategies for engineering crops with improved drought tolerance.

The Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum BW2013 on The Gut Microbiota in Mice Analyzed by 16S rRNA Amplicon Sequencing

Lactobacillus plantarum BW2013 was isolated from the fermented Chinese cabbage. This study aimed to test the effect of this strain on the gut microbiota in BALB/c mice by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The mice were randomly allocated to the control group and three treatment groups of L. plantarum BW2013 (a low-dose group of 10⁸ CFU/ml, a medium-dose group of 10⁹ CFU/ml, and a high-dose group of 10¹⁰ CFU/ml). The weight of mice was recorded once a week, and the fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing after 28 days of continuous treatment. Compared with the control group, the body weight gain in the treatment groups was not significant. The 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing analysis showed that both the Chao1 and ACE indexes increased slightly in the medium-dose group compared to the control group, but the difference was not significant. Based on PCoA results, there was no significant difference in β diversity between the treatment groups. Compared to the control group, the abundance of Bacteroidetes increased in the low-dose group. The abundance of Firmicutes increased in the medium-dose group. At the genus level, the abundance of Alloprevotella increased in the low-dose group compared to the control group. The increased abundance of Ruminococcaceae and decreased abundance of Candidatus_Saccharimonas was observed in the medium-dose group. Additionally, the abundance of Bacteroides increased, and Alistipes and Candidatus_Saccharimonas decreased in the high-dose group. These results indicated that L. plantarum BW2013 could ameliorate gut microbiota composition, but its effects vary with the dose.

Driving Pressure-Guided Individualized Positive End-Expiratory Pressure in Abdominal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

The optimal positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) remains unclear. Recent evidence showed that driving pressure was closely related to PPCs. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that an individualized PEEP guided by minimum driving pressure during abdominal surgery would reduce the incidence of PPCs.

METHODS

This single-centered, randomized controlled trial included a total of 148 patients scheduled for open upper abdominal surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to receive an individualized PEEP guided by minimum driving pressure or an empiric fixed PEEP of 6 cm H2O. The primary outcome was the incidence of clinically significant PPCs within the first 7 days after surgery, using a χ2 test. Secondary outcomes were the severity of PPCs, the area of atelectasis, and pleural effusion. Other outcomes, such as the incidence of different types of PPCs (including hypoxemia, atelectasis, pleural effusion, dyspnea, pneumonia, pneumothorax, and acute respiratory distress syndrome), intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate, length of hospital stay, and 30-day mortality were also explored.

RESULTS

The median value of PEEP in the individualized group was 10 cm H2O. The incidence of clinically significant PPCs was significantly lower in the individualized PEEP group compared with that in the fixed PEEP group (26 of 67 [38.8%] vs 42 of 67 [62.7%], relative risk = 0.619, 95% confidence intervals, 0.435-0.881; P = .006). The overall severity of PPCs and the area of atelectasis were also significantly diminished in the individualized PEEP group. Higher respiratory compliance during surgery and improved intra- and postoperative oxygenation was observed in the individualized group. No significant differences were found in other outcomes between the 2 groups, such as ICU admission rate or 30-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of individualized PEEP based on minimum driving pressure may effectively decrease the severity of atelectasis, improve oxygenation, and reduce the incidence of clinically significant PPCs after open upper abdominal surgery.

Endoplasmic reticulum-related E3 ubiquitin ligases: Key regulators of plant growth and stress responses

Accumulating evidence has revealed that the ubiquitin proteasome system plays fundamental roles in the regulation of diverse cellular activities in eukaryotes. The ubiquitin protein ligases (E3s) are central to the proteasome system because of their ability to determine its substrate specificity. Several studies have demonstrated the essential role of a group of ER (endoplasmic reticulum)-localized E3s in the positive or negative regulation of cell homeostasis. Most ER-related E3s are conserved between plants and mammals, and a few plant-specific components have been reported. In this review, we summarize the functions of ER-related E3s in plant growth, ER-associated protein degradation and ER-phagy, abiotic and biotic stress responses, and hormone signaling. Furthermore, we highlight several questions that remain to be addressed and suggest directions for further research on ER-related E3 ubiquitin ligases.

Inflammation, apoptosis and autophagy as critical players in vascular dementia

Vascular dementia is the second-most cause of dementia, characterized by cerebral infarcts, white matter lesions, myelin loss and often amyloid angiopathy. Hence, vascular damage is a critical cause of neuronal loss and synaptic disintegration. Abnormal neuroinflammation, autophagy and apoptosis are the prerequisite factors for endothelial and neuronal cell damage. This leads to the onset and progression of cerebrovascular disorders and cognitive dysfunction. The innate immune cells, pattern recognition receptors, Toll-like receptor-4 and related inflammatory mechanisms disrupt cerebrovascular integrity via glial activation and increased pro-inflammatory interleukins and TNFα. Inflammasome polymorphisms and multi-faceted neuro-immune interactions further integrate systemic and central inflammatory pathways, which induce vascular tissue injury and neurodegeneration. Specifically, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion disrupts the self-cannibalization mechanism of autophagy via altered expression of autophagy-specific proteins, Beclin-1, LC3 and P62. The deregulated autophagy pathway causes neuronal loss, hippocampal shrinkage, and ultimate loss in synaptic plasticity. The vascular dementia models typically exhibit downregulated anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and upregulated pro-apoptotic Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved-PARP levels in the brain, for which modulated p38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylation pathways play a vital role. Endoplasmic stress-induced apoptosis, calcium overload and glutamate excitotoxicity in combination with ASK1-MAPK signaling mechanism also contribute to the cerebrovascular pathology. Vascular injury reduces neurological scores and increases the infarct volume, DNA damage and neuronal apoptosis in ischemia/reperfusion injury. Additionally, synergistic and additive interactions between inflammasome, autophagy and apoptotic signaling pathways augment symptoms of vascular neurodegeneration. Overall, the current review enlightens the key risk factors and underlying mechanism triggering vascular dementia. The review additionally informs the challenges associated while treating vascular dysfunction, and highlights the need for targeted drugs for reducing cerebrovascular damage.

Sevoflurane impedes the progression of glioma through modulating the circular RNA has_circ_0012129/miR-761/TGIF2 axis

OBJECTIVE

Glioma is a highly aggressive and lethal brain tumor. Anesthetics have been shown to have important effects on the biological characteristics of cancer cells. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism of anesthetic-mediated glioma cells progression remains unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sevoflurane (sev) was employed to treat glioma cells. The biological characteristics (viability, colony formation, apoptosis, cell cycle, migration, and invasion) of glioma cells were determined via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), cell colony formation, flow cytometry, PI cytometry, or transwell assays. The protein levels of Cell Cycle Dependent Kinase (CDK) 2, CDK4, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFB) induced factor homeobox 2 (TGIF2) were assessed through Western blot analysis. Glucose consumption and lactate production were measured using special commercial kits. The expression of circular RNA has_circ_0012129 (circ_0012129) and miR-761 was detected via quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The relationship between circ_0012129 or TGIF2 and miR-761 was verified with Dual-Luciferase reporter assay. Sevoflurane-mediated molecular mechanisms have been confirmed via xenograft assay.

RESULTS

Sevoflurane suppressed viability, colony formation, cell cycle, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis of glioma cells in vitro, and impeded tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0012129 and TGIF2 were downregulated and miR-761 was upregulated in sevoflurane-treated glioma cells. Circ_0012129 elevation abolished sevoflurane-mediated biological characteristics of glioma cells. MiR-761 served as target for circ_0012129 and miR-761 targeted TGIF2. Moreover, both miR-761 overexpression and TGIF2 suppression restored circ_0012129 enhancement-mediated biological characteristics of sevoflurane-treated glioma cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Sevoflurane mediated the progression of glioma via regulating the circ_0012129/miR-761/TGIF2 axis.

ESCRT-I Component VPS23A Is Targeted by E3 Ubiquitin Ligase XBAT35 for Proteasome-Mediated Degradation in Modulating ABA Signaling

A myriad of abiotic stress responses in plants are controlled by abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. ABA receptors can be degraded by both the 26S proteasome pathway and vacuolar degradation pathway after processing via the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) proteins. Despite being essential for ABA signaling, the upstream regulators of ESCRTs remain unknown. Here, we report that the ESCRT-I component VPS23A is an unstable protein that is degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). The UEV domain of VPS23A physically interacts with the two PSAP motifs of XBAT35, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, and this interaction results in the deposition of K48 polyubiquitin chains on VPS23A, marking it for degradation by 26S proteasomes. We showed that XBAT35 in plants is a positive regulator of ABA responses that acts via the VPS23A/PYL4 complex, specifically by accelerating VPS23A turnover and thereby increasing accumulation of the ABA receptor PYL4. This work deciphers how an ESCRT component is regulated in plants and deepens our understanding of plant stress responses by illustrating a mechanism whereby crosstalk between the UPS and endosome-vacuole-mediated degradation pathways controls ABA signaling.

Influence factors of dental anxiety in patients with impacted third molar extractions and its correlation with postoperative pain: a prospective study

Background

To explore the prevalence of dental anxiety (DA) in patients with third molar extractions and its influence factors and the correlation between DA levels and postoperative pain.

Material and Methods

A prospective and descriptive clinical study was performed. All patients who underwent the impacted third molar extraction from October 2017 to February 2019 were enrolled. DA levels were assessed by virtue of the modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS) and pain was assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS).

Results

A total of 150 patients were investigated and 136 valid questionnaires were retrieved, with an effective rate of 90.7%. The independent sample t-test and ANOVA results showed that the anxiety level of patients with the third molar extractions was statistically different in gender, teeth extraction experience and self-assessment oral health status. Multiple linear regression analysis with DA as a dependent variable showed that gender and teeth extraction experience were independent factors influencing DA in patients with third molar extractions. Pearson's test showed that there was a significant correlation between DA level in patients and the postoperative pain on the first day (r=0.542, p=0.000).

Conclusions

For patients (females, poor oral hygiene and no teeth extraction experience), surgeon should pay more attention to DA of such patients and take measures to reduce the anxiety when removing the third molars. Furthermore, surgeon can recommend oral administration ibuprofen sustained release capsules after surgery.

Key words:Dental anxiety, modified dental anxiety scale, visual analogue scale, postoperative pain.

“Duodenal Submucosal Glandular Lesion with Brunner and Paneth Cell Differentiation”: A Variant of Pyloric Gland Adenoma? Morphologic and Immunohistochemical Similarities and Differences

Introduction/Objective

Duodenal epithelial polyps are reported in up to 3% of patients referred for upper endoscopy. Most include non-neoplastic lesions such as Brunner gland nodule/polyp and pancreatic or gastric heterotopia.

Neoplastic lesions such as pyloric gland adenomas (PGA) are less frequently encountered and have the propensity to progress to adenocarcinoma. Herein we report a duodenal submucosal glandular lesion that has a morphologic resemblance to PGA, but very different in several aspects. We compare and contrast the characteristics of these two lesions.

Methods

This was a 63-year-old man referred for an upper GI endoscopy for complaints of indigestion, dyspepsia, and weight fluctuation. Endoscopy showed a 13 mm polypoid lesion in the second portion of the duodenum, opposite to and separate from the ampulla. An en-bloc hot snare was used to resect the polyp. Histopathologic examination showed features reminiscent of PGA, namely a complex submucosal proliferation of tightly packed variably dilated glands and villous fronds lined by a monolayer of columnar cells with basally located round nuclei and prominent nucleoli. In contrast, however, the columnar cells in most of the lesion contained abundant mucinous cytoplasm resembling Brunner’s glands as well as areas of prominent paneth cell differentiation. The characteristic amphophilic ground glass cytoplasm of PGAs was only noted in a minor component of the lesion. MUC6 and MUC5AC, immunostains that are typically expressed in PGA, were negative. Additionally, p53 showed a wild-type pattern, beta- catenin showed normal membranous staining, and the Ki-67 index was low.

Results

After review of the literature and expert consultation, we were not able to fully classify this lesion under any documented entity, however, we believe that it could be akin to PGA. Authors hypothesized that PGAs may originate from stem cells within Brunner glands as a response to chronic injury. These cells may then differentiate upwards, forming gastric foveolar metaplasia or downwards giving rise to Brunner gland hyperplasia.

Conclusion

Based on this hypothesis, the proliferating cells are prone to mutations resulting in a hyperplasia/metaplasia to dysplasia sequence that leads to the formation of PGAs or lesions such as the one demonstrated here.

Modeling of a picosecond CO2 amplifier with electrical and optical pumping

As a long-wavelength laser with strong energy storage capacity and large scale of amplification, the CO₂ laser is considered an effective amplifier in the next-generation picosecond terawatt infrared laser system, but the pulse splitting effect caused by its discrete gain spectrum limits its behavior. In this paper, we have developed a specific model of a CO₂ amplifier, which is optically and electrically pumped at the same time. The model is based on gas discharge that is combined with photon absorption, temperature, and wave equation. The proposed hybrid pumped CO₂ amplifier scheme can increase the gain proportion of the sequence band transition (00⁰2-10⁰1, 00⁰3-10⁰2, etc.) from 12% to nearly 50% of the regular band and broaden the bandwidth of each line by over 15.8% by the overlap of the sequence band and regular band. The relative energy concentration of the first subpulse can be increased by up to 190% when the amplification factor reaches 10³. The study on the model of a picosecond CO₂ amplifier with electrical and optical pumping may contribute to the amplification of an ultrafast mid-infrared pulse to the terawatt or higher region.

ESCRT-I Component VPS23A Sustains Salt Tolerance by Strengthening the SOS Module in Arabidopsis

The Salt-Overly-Sensitive (SOS) signaling module, comprising the sodium-transport protein SOS1 and the regulatory proteins SOS2 and SOS3, is well known as the central salt excretion system, which helps protect plants against salt stress. Here we report that VPS23A, a component of the ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport), plays an essential role in the function of the SOS module in conferring plant salt tolerance. VPS23A enhances the interaction of SOS2 and SOS3. In the presence of salt stress, VPS23A positively regulates the redistribution of SOS2 to the plasma membrane, which then activates the antiporter activity of SOS1 to reduce Na⁺ accumulation in plant cells. Genetic evidence demonstrated that plant salt tolerance achieved by the overexpression of SOS2 and SOS3 dependeds on VPS23A. Taken together, our results revealed that VPS23A is a crucial regulator of the SOS module and affects the localization of SOS2 to the cell membrane. Moreover, the strong salt tolerance of Arabidopsis seedlings conferred by the engineered membrane-bound SOS2 revealed the significance of SOS2 sorting to the cell membrane in achieving its function, providing a potential strategy for crop salt tolerance engineering.

Impact of the improvements in Fusarium head blight and agronomic management on economics of winter wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease to cereal crops worldwide that decreases grain yield, grain quality, and causes mycotoxin contamination. FHB resulted in an estimated $2 billion USD loss in the US between 1993 and 2001, and 520 million Canadian dollars (CAD) in Canada in the 1990s. In the wheat producing areas in Canada and the United States, it is perceived that significant progress has been made to manage FHB, but the economic impact of various innovations has not been quantified. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the economic impact of various practices deployed in the province of Ontario, Canada, on managing deoxynivalenol and improving agronomic performance in winter wheat since an epidemic in 1996. The impacts of four hypothetical FHB management scenarios on total deoxynivalenol (DON) concentration and grain yield were estimated in field experiments that compared old (mid-1990s) and modern era (mid-2010s) production practices. Management scenarios included old and new cultivars varying in susceptibility to FHB, fungicide application and nitrogen rates. These impacts were applied to farm survey data collected in 1996 to estimate farm revenue and profit. A similar economic estimate was conducted for the recent FHB epidemic in 2013. If a modern MR cultivar, a modern fungicide, and the combination were deployed in the epidemic of 1996, farm revenue would have increased by 26-32, 23-36 and 48-60%, and profit increased by 88-157, 42-59 and 165-207 CAD per ha, respectively, depending on the nitrogen rate. In the province of Ontario, up to 68 million CAD of revenue losses could have been avoided in 1996 with the use of modern agronomic and FHB management practices. Our study has quantified some of the major economic advances in managing FHB and DON since 1996, but further research is needed to develop better cultivars and management strategies.

Platelet-derived exosomes promote neutrophil extracellular trap formation during septic shock

Background

Platelets have been demonstrated to be potent activators of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation during sepsis. However, the mediators and molecular pathways involved in human platelet-mediated NET generation remain poorly defined. Circulating plasma exosomes mostly originating from platelets may induce vascular apoptosis and myocardial dysfunction during sepsis; however, their role in NET formation remains unclear. This study aimed to detect whether platelet-derived exosomes could promote NET formation during septic shock and determine the potential mechanisms involved.

Methods

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were cocultured with exosomes isolated from the plasma of healthy controls and septic shock patients or the supernatant of human platelets stimulated ex vivo with phosphate buffer saline (PBS) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A lethal cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model was used to mimic sepsis in vivo; then, NET formation and molecular pathways were detected.

Results

NET components (dsDNA and MPO-DNA complexes) were significantly increased in response to treatment with septic shock patient-derived exosomes and correlated positively with disease severity and outcome. In the animal CLP model, platelet depletion reduced plasma exosome concentration, NET formation, and lung injury. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that exosomal high-mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1) and/or miR-15b-5p and miR-378a-3p induced NET formation through the Akt/mTOR autophagy pathway. Furthermore, the results suggested that IκB kinase (IKK) controls platelet-derived exosome secretion in septic shock.

Conclusions

Platelet-derived exosomes promote excessive NET formation in sepsis and subsequent organ injury. This finding suggests a previously unidentified role of platelet-derived exosomes in sepsis and may lead to new therapeutic approaches.

Experimental observation of shaking soliton molecules in a dispersion-managed fiber laser

Recent progress in real-time spectral interferometry enables access to the internal dynamics of optical multisoliton complexes. Here, we report on the first, to the best of our knowledge, experimental observation of shaking soliton molecules by means of the dispersive Fourier transform technique. Beyond the simplex vibrating soliton pairs, multiple oscillatory motions can jointly involve in the internal dynamics, reminiscent of the shaking soliton pairs. Both quasi-periodically and chaotically evolving phase oscillations are approached in the sense of different oscillatory frequencies. In addition, the shaking soliton pair combined with sliding phase dynamics is also observed, and is interpreted as the superposition of two different internal motions. All of these results shed new light on the internal dynamics of soliton molecules with higher degrees of freedom, as well as enrich the framework toward multisoliton complexes.

DNA methylation‑regulated miR‑155‑5p depresses sensitivity of esophageal carcinoma cells to radiation and multiple chemotherapeutic drugs via suppression of MAP3K10

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are two major treatment options for esophageal carcinoma, and heterogeneous treatment effects are observed in the clinical setting to provide an overall 5‑year survival rate of ~20%. Hence, defining the molecular mechanisms that affect the chemoradiotherapy response is vital to achieve an optimal outcome. The present study revealed that miR‑155‑5p may be involved in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). By means of reverse transcription‑PCR, the present study defined its differential expression pattern in six ESCC cell lines that were associated with resistance to radiation. Ectopic expression of miR‑155‑5p promoted DNA damage repair and induced resistance against radiation by non‑homologous end joining repair. It also enhanced chemoresistance, proliferation, and migration and invasion of ESCC cells. By further screening its potential target genes, the present study identified MAP3K10 as the direct target gene to exert its anti‑chemoradiation functions. The results also demonstrated that its differential expression pattern was negatively regulated by the methylation status of the upstream CpG island. Overall, the results of the present study demonstrated that miR‑155‑5p is a key molecule for understanding the heterogeneous responses of ESCC to chemoradiotherapy, and may be used in personalized treatment plans for this high mortality tumor in the future.

Stationary and pulsating vector dissipative solitons in nonlinear multimode interference based fiber lasers

Rapid progress in real-time spectroscopy uncovers the spatio-spectral scenarios of ultrashort pulses in dissipative systems. Varieties of transient soliton dynamics on different timescales have been revealed. Here, we report on an experimental observation of stationary and pulsating vector dissipative solitons in a nonlinear multimode interference (NL-MMI) based fiber laser with net normal dispersion. Polarization non-discrimination of the NL-MMI mode-locking facilitates the dissipative soliton trapping process. Two orthogonally polarized components are coupled together through oppositely shifting their central frequencies to form the group-velocity-locked vector dissipative solitons (GVLVDSs). Dispersive Fourier transform (DFT) based polarization resolved measurement enables insights into the transient polarization dynamics and the long-term evolution. Particularly, both stationary and pulsating GVLVDSs are obtained with appropriate parameter settings. It is found that the quasi-stationary pulsating manner is accompanied with recurrent spectral breathing and energy oscillation; the two orthogonally polarized components possess synchronous pulsating manners due to the cross-phase modulation induced trapping mechanism and the similar formation process. Additionally, chaotic pulsation is also captured in sense that the spectra cannot recover to their original profiles despite of the harmonic energy oscillation. All these findings can enhance our understanding towards soliton pulsation with the freedom of vectorial degree.

Bragg labeled wavelength calibrates interferometric sensors in hollow core fiber

A Bragg labeled wavelength (BLW) employed to the sensitivity calibration in an interference pattern has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. According to the critical condition of Fabry-Perot (FP) interference and the antiresonant (AR) effect, the length of hollow core fiber (HCF) is artificially controlled to form a FP microcavity by collapsed fusion splicing. Dual-spectral features of the BLW and inline multimode interference (IMMI) dominate the transmission spectrum of the collapsed Bragg HCF (BHCF). The location of the BLW remains unchanged once the air-core diameter is selected. Sensing performance is investigated to validate the calibration function of the proposed BHCF. In particular, the temperature sensitivity of the BLW and multimode interference are 12.8 pm/°C and 87.1 pm/°C, respectively, corresponding to the reference sensitivity induced by the Bragg structure and the measurement sensitivity of the IMMI. All these findings highlight the calibration of HCF-based interferometric sensors in practical applications.

Efficacy of plasma rich in growth factor used for dry socket management: a systematic review

Background

The main aim of this systematic review was to assess the dry socket management using plasma rich in growth factor (PRGF) in terms of pain relief, alveolar fossa healing, inflammation, the incidence of dry socket.

Material and Methods

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Elsevier Science Direct, China Biology Medicine (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and VIP database were searched for the related articles without language limitation. Two reviewers independently searched and evaluated relevant studies. This review has been registered in the website PROSPERO (CRD42018087252).

Results

28 articles were retrieved on PubMed and 98 on other electronic databases in the initial search. In the end, 4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, with a total of 139 patients enrolled. The descriptive results indicated that the use of PRGF may help reduce pain and inflammation after tooth extraction. To some extent, it is beneficial to the management of dry socket after extraction.

Conclusions

Quality assessment indicated all the included studies were judged to be at high risk of bias with low quality. Hence, it was impossible to make a recommendation for clinical use of PRGF based on the current evidence. Clearly, a multicenter clinical randomized controlled trial is needed urgent to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PRGF for dry socket management.

Key words:plasma rich in growth factor, PRGF, dry socket, systematic review.

Real-time access to the coexistence of soliton singlets and molecules in an all-fiber laser

Recent progress in time-stretch spectroscopy accelerates the exploration of ultrafast dynamics in mode-locked lasers through mapping the spectral information into time domain. Here, we report on real-time access to the coexistence of soliton singlets and molecules in an all-fiber laser mode-locked by a 45° tilted fiber grating. By virtue of the dispersive Fourier transform process, spectral information of the pulse trains under multi-pulse states can be resolved. It is identified that soliton singlets and soliton molecules coexist in one cavity roundtrip with different assembling forms. In addition, consecutive recordings of the shot-to-shot spectra further enable insight into the transient dynamics of soliton molecules. Particularly, varieties of internal motions, including the diverging/oscillating phase evolution and the temporal separation vibration, are validated loosely bound intra-soliton molecules. All of these findings unveil the scenarios of multi-soliton phenomena in fiber lasers, as well as highlight the significance of pulse interaction towards both scientific research and practical applications.