MRI-based bone marrow radiomics for predicting cytogenetic abnormalities in multiple myeloma

AIM

To develop a radiomics signature applied to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-images to predict cytogenetic abnormalities in multiple myeloma (MM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with newly diagnosed MM were enrolled retrospectively from March 2019 to September 2022. They were categorised into the high-risk cytogenetics (HRC) group and standard-risk cytogenetics (SRC) group. The patients were allocated randomly at a ratio of 7:3 into training and validation cohorts. Volumes of interest (VOI) was drawn manually on fat suppression T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI) and copied to the same location of the T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) sequence. Radiomics features were extracted from two sequences and selected by reproducibility and redundant analysis. The least absolute shrinkage selection operation (LASSO) algorithm was applied to build the radiomics signatures. The performance of the radiomics signatures to distinguish HRC with SRC was evaluated by ROC curves. The area under the curve (AUC), specificity, and sensitivity were also calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 105 MM patients were enrolled in this study. The four and 11 most significant and relevant features were selected separately from T1WI and FS-T2WI sequences to build the radiomics signatures based on the training cohort. Compared to the T1WI sequence, the radiomics signature based on the FS-T2WI sequence achieved better performance with AUCs of 0.896 and 0.729 in the training and validation cohorts respectively. A sensitivity of 0.833, specificity of 0.667, and Youden index of 0.500 were achieved for the FS-T2WI radiomics signature in the validation cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The radiomics signature based on MRI provides a non-invasive and convenient tool to predict cytogenetic abnormalities in MM patients.

Suppressing Bulk Strain and Surface O2 Release in Li-Rich Cathodes by Just Tuning the Li Content

Layered oxides represent a prominent class of cathodes employed in lithium-ion batteries. The structural degradation of layered cathodes causes capacity decay during cycling, which is generally induced by anisotropic lattice strain in the bulk of cathode particle and oxygen release at the surface. However, particularly in lithium-rich layered oxides (LLOs) that undergo intense oxygen redox reactions, the challenge of simultaneously addressing bulk and surface issues through a singular modification technique remains arduous. Here a thin (1-nm) and coherent spinel-like phase is constructed on the surface of LLOs particle to suppress bulk strain and surface O2 release by just adjusting the amount of lithium source during synthesis. The spinel-like phase hinders the surface O2 release by accommodating O2 inside the surface layer, while the trapped O2 in the bulk impedes strain evolution by ≈70% at high voltages compared with unmodified LLOs. Consequently, the enhanced structural stability leads to an improved capacity retention of 97.6% and a high Coulombic efficiency of ≈99.5% after 100 cycles at 0.1°C. These findings provide profound mechanistic insights into the functioning of surface structure and offer guidance for synthesizing high-capacity cathodes with superior cyclability.

Hidden magnetism uncovered in a charge ordered bilayer kagome material ScV6Sn6

Charge ordered kagome lattices have been demonstrated to be intriguing platforms for studying the intertwining of topology, correlation, and magnetism. The recently discovered charge ordered kagome material ScV6Sn6 does not feature a magnetic groundstate or excitations, thus it is often regarded as a conventional paramagnet. Here, using advanced muon-spin rotation spectroscopy, we uncover an unexpected hidden magnetism of the charge order. We observe an enhancement of the internal field width sensed by the muon ensemble, which takes place within the charge ordered state. More importantly, the muon spin relaxation rate below the charge ordering temperature is substantially enhanced by applying an external magnetic field. Taken together with the hidden magnetism found in AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs) and FeGe kagome systems, our results suggest ubiqitous time-reversal symmetry-breaking in charge ordered kagome lattices.

Organic Electroactive Materials for Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries

Organic electroactive materials take advantage of potentially sustainable production and structural tunability compared to present commercial inorganic materials. Unfortunately, traditional redox flow batteries based on toxic redox-active metal ions have certain deficiencies in resource utilization and environmental protection. In comparison, organic electroactive materials in aqueous redox flow batteries (ARFBs) have received extensive attention in recent years for low-cost and sustainable energy storage systems due to their inherent safety. This review aims to provide the recent progress in organic electroactive materials for ARFBs. The main reaction types of organic electroactive materials are classified in ARFBs to provide an overview of how to regulate their solubility, potential, stability, and viscosity. Then, the organic anolyte and catholyte in ARFBs are summarized according to the types of quinones, viologens, nitroxide radicals, hydroquinones, etc, and how to increase the solubility by designing various functional groups is emphasized. The research advances are presented next in the characterization of organic electroactive materials for ARFBs. Future efforts are finally suggested to focus on building neutral ARFBs, designing advanced electroactive materials through molecular engineering, and resolving problems of commercial applications.

Emerging electrolytes with fluorinated solvents for rechargeable lithium-based batteries

Electrolytes that can ensure the movement of ions and regulate interfacial chemistries for fast mass and charge transfer are essential in many types of electrochemical energy storage devices. However, in the emerging energy-dense lithium-based batteries, the uncontrollable side-reactions and consumption of the electrolyte result in poor electrochemical performances and severe safety concerns. In this case, fluorination has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective strategies to overcome the above-mentioned issues without significantly contributing to engineering and technical difficulties. Herein, we present a comprehensive overview of the fluorinated solvents that can be employed in lithium-based batteries. Firstly, the basic parameters that dictate the properties of solvents/electrolytes are elaborated, including physical properties, solvation structure, interface chemistry, and safety. Specifically, we focus on the advances and scientific challenges associated with different solvents and the enhancement in their performance after fluorination. Secondly, we discuss the synthetic methods for new fluorinated solvents and their reaction mechanisms in depth. Thirdly, the progress, structure-performance relationship, and applications of fluorinated solvents are reviewed. Subsequently, we provide suggestions on the solvent selection for different battery chemistries. Finally, the existing challenges and further efforts on fluorinated solvents are summarized. The combination of advanced synthesis and characterization approaches with the assistance of machine learning will enable the design of new fluorinated solvents for advanced lithium-based batteries.

Metal Anodes with Ultrahigh Reversibility Enabled by the Closest Packing Crystallography for Sustainable Batteries

The ever-growing annual electricity generated from sustainable and intermittent energy such as wind and solar power requires cost effective and reliable electrochemical energy storage. Rechargeable batteries based on multivalent metal anodes such as Zn, Al, and Fe, taking advantage of large-scale production and affordable cost, have emerged as promising candidates. However, the uncontrollable dendrite-like metal deposition on regular substrate caused by disordered metal crystallization usually leads to premature failure of batteries and even safety concerns when the dendrite bridges the electrodes. Here it is reported that a series of metal anodes (Zn, Co, Al, Ni, and Fe) with multiple crystal structures (hexagonal close-packed, face-centered cubic, and body-centered cubic) can achieve dendrite-free and epitaxial deposition on single-crystal Cu(111) substrates enabled by the closest packing crystallography. Moreover, the closest packed facets are aligned horizontally with the substrates, resulting in compact planar construction and excellent chemical stability even at an unprecedented current density of 1 A cm^-2 . The full cells under a practical anode-to-cathode capacity ratio of 2.3 show a cycling life span of over 800 cycles with Coulombic efficiency of > 99.9%. The universal approach of regulating metal electrodeposition in this work is expected to boost the development of emerging sustainable energy storage/conversion devices.

Seroprevalence of antibodies to classical swine fever virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in healthy pigs in Hunan Province, China

Classical swine fever (CSF) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) are responsible for major economic losses and represent a threat to the swine industry worldwide. Routine surveillance serology for CSF and PRRS viruses is critical to maintaining the health status of sow farms in Hunan Province, which is one of the top pig production provinces in China. The aim of our study was to investigate the serological statistics of CSF virus (CSFV) and PRRS virus (PRRSV) in Hunan Province. The cohort serum samples were collected from vaccinated and unvaccinated pigs. Our findings showed that the average rates of CSFV and PRRSV antibody seropositivity were 82.2% (95% CI: 80.1-84.3) and 84.8% (95% CI: 82.5-87.1), respectively, in the immunized group and that these rates were higher than those in the unvaccinated group (58.6% for CSFV and 47.8% for PRRSV). Additionally, the level of CSFV antibody in piglet serum declined gradually with age, whereas PRRSV-specific antibody level increased initially (1 to 2 weeks old) and then declined with age (2 to 4 weeks old). In summary, we investigated the difference in CSFV/PRRSV antibody levels among piglets at various weeks old (1 to 4 weeks) to further establish the duration of maternal immunity in piglets. In addition, routine monitoring of CSFV/PRRSV antibodies in immunized pigs was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of vaccination.

An Ionic Liquid Electrolyte with Enhanced Li+ Transport Ability Enables Stable Li Deposition for High-Performance Li-O2 Batteries

Bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide-based ionic liquid (TFSI-IL) electrolyte could endow Li-O₂ batteries with low charging overpotential. However, their weak Li⁺ transport ability (LTA) leads to non-uniform Li deposition. Herein, guided by Sand formula, the LTA of TFSI-IL electrolyte is greatly enhanced to realize robust Li deposition through introducing hydrofluoroether (HFE) and optimizing electrolyte component ratios to regulate solvation environment. The solvation environment changes from Li(TFSI)₂ ^- ion pair into ionic aggregate clusters in the optimal electrolyte thanks to the slicing function of HFE toward ionic aggregate network. The transport parameters of Sand formula are synchronously enhanced, resulting in highly robust Li deposition behavior with greatly improved Coulombic efficiency (ca. 97.5 %) and cycling rate (1 mA cm^-2 ). Cycling stability of Li-O₂ batteries was greatly improved (a tiny overpotential rise of 64 mV after 75 cycles).

Unlocking the Allometric Growth and Dissolution of Zn Anodes at Initial Nucleation and an Early Stage with Atomic Force Microscopy

Zn anodes have gained intensive attention for their environmental-friendliness and high volumetric capacity but are limited by their severe dendrite formation. Understanding the initial nucleation behavior is critical for manipulating the uniform deposition of Zn. Herein, the allometric growth and dissolution of Zn in the initial nucleation and early stages are visualized with in situ atomic force microscopy in aqueous ZnCl2 electrolytes. Zn nuclei grow via a horizontal radial direction and dissolve reversibly in a top-down process. The critical nucleation radius and density are dependent on the electrolyte concentration of ZnCl2, namely, the initial nucleus size is proportional to the ratio of surface free energy between deposited Zn and the electrolyte and overpotentials for Zn electrodeposition, and the density is inversely proportional to the cube of this ratio. This investigation provides guidelines for regulating uniform metal electrodeposition and yields benefits for the development of anode-free batteries.

Advances and Challenges for the Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to CO: From Fundamentals to Industrialization

The electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂ RR) provides an attractive approach to convert renewable electricity into fuels and feedstocks in the form of chemical bonds. Among the different CO₂ RR pathways, the conversion of CO₂ into CO is considered one of the most promising candidate reactions because of its high technological and economic feasibility. Integrating catalyst and electrolyte design with an understanding of the catalytic mechanism will yield scientific insights and promote this technology towards industrial implementation. Herein, we give an overview of recent advances and challenges for the selective conversion of CO₂ into CO. Multidimensional catalyst and electrolyte engineering for the CO₂ RR are also summarized. Furthermore, recent studies on the large-scale production of CO are highlighted to facilitate industrialization of the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ . To conclude, the remaining technological challenges and future directions for the industrial application of the CO₂ RR to generate CO are highlighted.

A Universal Compensation Strategy to Anchor Polar Organic Molecules in Bilayered Hydrated Vanadates for Promoting Aqueous Zinc-Ion Storage

The electrochemical performance of layered vanadium oxides is often improved by introducing guest species into their interlayer. Guest species with high stability in the interlayer and weak interaction with Zn²⁺ during charge/discharge process are desired to promoting reversible Zn²⁺ transfer. Herein, a universal compensation strategy was developed to introduce various polar organic molecules into the interlayer of Al_x V₂ O₅ ·nH₂ O by replacing partial crystal water. The high-polar groups in the organic molecules have a strong electrostatic attraction with pre-intercalated Al³⁺ , which ensures that organic molecules can be anchored in the interlayer of hydrated vanadates. Simultaneously, the low-polar groups endow organic molecules with a weak interaction with Zn²⁺ during cycling, thus liberalizing reversible Zn²⁺ transfer. As a result, Al_x V₂ O₅ with polar organic molecules displays enhanced electrochemical performance. Furthermore, based on above cathode material, a pouch cell was assembled by further integrating a dendrite-free N-doped carbon nanofiber@Zn anode, displaying an energy density of 50 Wh kg^-1 . This work provides a path for designing stable guest species with a weak interaction with Zn²⁺ in the interlayer of layered vanadium oxide towards high-performance cathode materials of aqueous Zn batteries.

Two-Phase Transition Induced Amorphous Metal Phosphides Enabling Rapid, Reversible Alkali-Metal Ion Storage

Metal phosphides as anode materials for alkali-metal ion batteries have captured considerable interest due to their high theoretical capacities and electronic conductivity. However, they suffer from huge volume expansion and element segregation during repetitive insertion/extraction of guest ions, leading to structure deterioration and rapid capacity decay. Herein, an amorphous Sn_0.5Ge_0.5P₃ was constructed through a two-phase intermediate strategy based on the elemental composition modulation from two crystalline counterparts and applied in alkali-metal ion batteries. Differing from crystalline P-based compounds, the amorphous structure of Sn_0.5Ge_0.5P₃ effectively reduces the volume variation from above 300% to 225% during cycling. The ordered distribution of cations and anions in the short-range ensures the uniform distribution of each element during cycles and thus contributes to durable cycling stability. Moreover, the long-range disordered structure of amorphous material shortens the ion transport distance, which facilitates diffusion kinetics. Benefiting from the aforementioned effects, the amorphous Sn_0.5Ge_0.5P₃ delivers a high Na storage capacity of 1132 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 A g^-1 over 100 cycles. Even at high current densities of 2 and 10 A g^-1, its capacities still reach 666 and 321 mAh g^-1, respectively. As an anode for Li storage, the Sn_0.5Ge_0.5P₃ similarly also exhibits better cycling stability and rate performance compared to its crystalline counterparts. Significantly, the two-phase transition strategy is generally applicable to achieving other amorphous metal phosphides such as GeP₂. This work would be helpful for constructing high-performance amorphous anode materials for alkali-metal ion batteries.

Hypoxia-mediated down-regulation of miRNAs' biogenesis promotes tumor immune escape in bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

The study examines the function of hypoxia-mediated down-regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) (mir-30c, mir-135a, and mir-27a) in the process of bladder cancer immune escape.

METHODS

Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was carried out to determine gene expression levels of Drosha and Dicer under hypoxia treatment, while western blotting and flow cytometry were used to determine protein expression. Seven reported miRNAs were identified via qRT-PCR assay. Flow cytometry detection of CD3/CD4/CD8-positive expression and statistics. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detected cellular immune factors content. Cell apoptosis was checked via flow cytometry assay. Luciferase report assay and western blot assays were both used to verify the relationship between miRNAs and Casitas B-lineage lymphoma proto-oncogene b (Cbl-b). The animal model was established and Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays were separately used to verify the conclusions.

RESULTS

The CD3 + /CD4 + expression was increased in the hypoxia group, while CD3 + /CD8 + expression, the cellular immune factors content Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNFα) along with the cell apoptosis were suppressed. The protein expression of Cbl-b was found to be up-regulated in the hypoxia group. After constructing the overexpression/ knockdown of Cbl-b in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), Cbl-b has been found to promote tumor immune escape in bladder cancer. Furthermore, Cbl-b had been identified as the co-targets of mir-30c, mir-135a, and mir-27a and down-regulation of miRNA biogenesis promotes Cbl-b expression and deactivating T cells in vitro/in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Hypoxia-mediated down-regulation of miRNAs' biogenesis promotes tumor immune escape in bladder cancer, which could bring much more advance to the medical research on tumors.

[Curcumin induces human lens epithelial cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of curcumin on cell cycle and apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells and the possible molecular mechanism.

OBJECTIVE

Cultured human lens epithelial cell line HLEC-SRA01/04 was treated with 20, 40 and 60 μmol/L curcumin for 24 or 48 h. The cell proliferation inhibition rate was determined using MTT assay, and the changes in cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis rate were analyzed with flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of caspase-9, caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax, cyclin B1, CDK1, β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclin D1 in the cells.

OBJECTIVE

Curcumin concentration- and time-dependently inhibited the proliferation of in HLEC-SRA01/04 cells as compared with the control cells (P < .05). Flow cytometric analysis showed that curcumin significantly increased apoptosis rate and cell percentage in G2/M phase and lowered mitochondrial membrane potential of HLEC-SRA01/04 cells in a concentrationdependent manner (P < 0.05). The results of Western blotting showed that curcumin also concentration-dependently increased the cellular expressions of caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bax and lowered the expressions of Bcl-2, cyclin B1, CDK1 and β-catenin along with the downstream proteins cyclin D1 and c-myc in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway (P < 0.05).

OBJECTIVE

Curcumin inhibits the proliferation of HLEC-SRA01/04 cells possibly by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and causing cell cycle arrest to induce cell apoptosis.

Electrodeposition of (hydro)oxides for an oxygen evolution electrode

Electrochemical water splitting is a promising technology for hydrogen production and sustainable energy conversion, but the electrolyzers that are currently available do not have anodic electrodes that are robust enough and highly active for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Electrodeposition provides a feasible route for preparing freestanding OER electrodes with high active site utilization, fast mass transport and a simple fabrication process, which is highly attractive from both academic and commercial points of view. This minireview focuses on the recent electrodeposition strategies for metal (hydro)oxide design and water oxidation applications. First, the intrinsic advantages of electrodeposition in comparison with traditional technologies are introduced. Then, the unique properties and underlying principles of electrodeposited metal (hydro)oxides in the OER are unveiled. In parallel, illustrative examples of the latest advances in materials structural design, controllable synthesis, and mechanism understanding through the electrochemical synthesis of (hydro)oxides are presented. Finally, the latest representative OER mechanism and electrodeposition routes for OER catalysts are briefly overviewed. Such observations provide new insights into freestanding (hydro)oxides electrodes prepared via electrodeposition, which show significant practical application potential in water splitting devices. We hope that this review will provide inspiration for researchers and stimulate the development of water splitting technology.

Langmuir-Blodgett Nanowire Devices for In Situ Probing of Zinc-Ion Batteries

In situ monitoring the evolution of electrode materials in micro/nano scale is crucial to understand the intrinsic mechanism of rechargeable batteries. Here a novel on-chip Langmuir-Blodgett nanowire (LBNW) microdevice is designed based on aligned and assembled MnO₂ nanowire quasimonolayer films for directly probing Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) in real-time. With an interdigital device configuration, a splendid Ohmic contact between MnO₂ LBNWs and pyrolytic carbon current collector is demonstrated here, enabling a small polarization voltage. In addition, this work reveals, for the first time, that the conductance of MnO₂ LBNWs monotonically increases/decreases when the ZIBs are charged/discharged. Multistep phase transition is mainly responsible for the mechanism of the ZIBs, as evidenced by combined high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and in situ Raman spectroscopy. This work provides a new and adaptable platform for microchip-based in situ simultaneous electrochemical and physical detection of batteries, which would promote the fundamental and practical research of nanowire electrode materials in energy storage applications.

[Postoperative acute laryngeal spasm in 1 cases of thyroid cancer]

Thirty-eight years old male patient. Accepted the radical thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer in our department. When surgery was ended, laryngeal spasm occurred during pulling out the tracheal intubation, the quick check of calcium was 1.87 mmol/L, after intravenous injection the calcium gluconate the laryngeal spasm was relieved. After surgery, we gave calcium gluconate intravenously and oral Caltrate D, the patient did not appear the presence of numbness, convulsions and other symptoms. The fasting serum calcium was 2.28 mmol/L and the parathyroid hormone was 18 pg/ml before the patient discharge. In this case, we should be alert to the occurrence of low calcium and laryngeal spasm.

Generation of Individual Whole-Brain Atlases With Resting-State fMRI Data Using Simultaneous Graph Computation and Parcellation

The human brain can be characterized as functional networks. Therefore, it is important to subdivide the brain appropriately in order to construct reliable networks. Resting-state functional connectivity-based parcellation is a commonly used technique to fulfill this goal. Here we propose a novel individual subject-level parcellation approach based on whole-brain resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. We first used a supervoxel method known as simple linear iterative clustering directly on resting-state fMRI time series to generate supervoxels, and then combined similar supervoxels to generate clusters using a clustering method known as graph-without-cut (GWC). The GWC approach incorporates spatial information and multiple features of the supervoxels by energy minimization, simultaneously yielding an optimal graph and brain parcellation. Meanwhile, it theoretically guarantees that the actual cluster number is exactly equal to the initialized cluster number. By comparing the results of the GWC approach and those of the random GWC approach, we demonstrated that GWC does not rely heavily on spatial structures, thus avoiding the challenges encountered in some previous whole-brain parcellation approaches. In addition, by comparing the GWC approach to two competing approaches, we showed that GWC achieved better parcellation performances in terms of different evaluation metrics. The proposed approach can be used to generate individualized brain atlases for applications related to cognition, development, aging, disease, personalized medicine, etc. The major source codes of this study have been made publicly available at https://github.com/yuzhounh/GWC.

Effect of Spin-Draw Rate and Stretching Ratio on Polypropylene Hollow Fiber Membrane Made by Melt-Spinning and Stretching Method

A series of polypropylene hollow fiber membranes was fabricated by melt-spinning and stretching. The crystalline behavior and hard elasticity of precursor hollow fibers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), elastic recovery and strain-stress curves. The structure and properties of membranes were investigated in detail by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, pure water flux, and so on. The results showed that membranes with excellent structure and properties can be obtained at a spin-draw rate of 350 m/min and a stretching ratio of 200 %. The evolution of crystal structure was explored during the annealing and stretching processes by two-dimensional small-angle X-ray scattering (2D-SAXS). Shish-kebab structure was obtained during annealing for hollow fibers at a spin-draw rate of 350 m/min. The crystalline lamellae were destroyed and micropores were formed during the fabrication of membranes by stretching.

Effect of Cdc42 on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion of rats

To investigate the effects and their possible mechanisms of cell division cycle 42 (Cdc42) to neonatal rat myocardial cells subjected to the ischemia-repefusion. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were cultured and then subjected to the ischemia-reperfusion. Experimental groups 1. Control group; 2. Ischemia-repefusion group (I/R group); 3. Oligofectamine group (Oli group); 4. Oligofectamine and antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS-ODN) group (As group); 5. Oligofectamine and missense oligodeoxynucleotide (MS-ODN) group (Ms group); 6. SP600125 and Oligofectamine and AS-ODN group (SP600125/As group); 7. SP600125 and Oligofectamine and MS-ODN group (SP600125/Ms group). The cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate was detected by AnnexinV/PI with flow cytometry. Cdc42, JNK, p-JNK, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by western blot. In comparison with control group, Cdc42, the cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate and phosphorylation of JNK were increased and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was reduced in the I/R group; Cdc42, the cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate and phosphorylation of JNK in As group was lower than the I/R group, Oli group and the Ms group, and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was the highest in the four groups; Cdc42, cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate, phosphorylation of JNK and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax showed no differences in the I/R group, Oli group and the Ms group. Compared with As group, phosphorylation of JNK was lower in the SP600125/As group, phosphorylation of JNK in SP600125/Ms group was lower than the Ms group, and it showed no differences between the SP600125 &amp; As group and the SP600125 &amp; Ms group. Cdc42 in myocardial I/R can promote cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate. AS-ODN of Cdc42 can decrease the cardiacmyocyte apoptosis rate in I/R. Cdc42 may played a role in myocardial I/R via JNK , Bcl-2 and Bax signal pathway.

Plasma pharmacokinetics of quinocetone in ducks after oral and intravenous administration

Quinocetone (QCT), an antimicrobial growth promoter, is widely used in food-producing animals. However, information about pharmacokinetics (PK) of QCT in ducks still remains unavailable up to now. In this study, QCT and its major metabolites (1-desoxyquinocetone, di-desoxyquinocetone and 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic) in ducks were studied using a simple and sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS assay. Twenty ducks were divided into two groups. (n = 10/group). One group received QCT by oral administration at dose of 40 mg/kg while another group received QCT intravenously at 10 mg/kg. Plasma samples were collected at various time points from 0 to 96 hr. QCT and its major metabolites in duck plasma samples were extracted by 1 ml acetonitrile and detected by UHPLC-MS/MS, with the gradient mobile phase that consisted of 0.1% formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (B). A noncompartment analysis was used to calculate the PK parameters. The results showed that following oral dosing, the peak plasma concentration (C_max ) of QCT was 32.14 ng/ml and the area under the curve (AUCINF_obs) was 233.63 (h ng)/ ml. Following intravenous dosing, the C_max , AUCINF_obs and Vss_obs were 96.70 ng/ml, 152.34 (h ng)/ ml and 807.00 L/kg, respectively. These data indicated that the QCT was less absorbed in vivo following oral administration, with low bioavailability (38.43%). QCT and its major metabolites such as 1-desoxyquinocetone and 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic were detected at individual time points in individual ducks, while the di-desoxyquinocetone was not detected in all time points in all ducks. This study enriches basic scientific data about pharmacokinetics of QCT in ducks after oral and intravenous administration and will be beneficial for clinical application in ducks.

Carbon-MEMS-Based Alternating Stacked MoS2 @rGO-CNT Micro-Supercapacitor with High Capacitance and Energy Density

A novel process to fabricate a carbon-microelectromechanical-system-based alternating stacked MoS₂ @rGO-carbon-nanotube (CNT) micro-supercapacitor (MSC) is reported. The MSC is fabricated by successively repeated spin-coating of MoS₂ @rGO/photoresist and CNT/photoresist composites twice, followed by photoetching, developing, and pyrolysis. MoS₂ @rGO and CNTs are embedded in the carbon microelectrodes, which cooperatively enhance the performance of the MSC. The fabricated MSC exhibits a high areal capacitance of 13.7 mF cm^-2 and an energy density of 1.9 µWh cm^-2 (5.6 mWh cm^-3 ), which exceed many reported carbon- and MoS₂ -based MSCs. The MSC also retains 68% of capacitance at a current density of 2 mA cm^-2 (5.9 A cm^-3 ) and an outstanding cycling performance (96.6% after 10 000 cycles, at a scan rate of 1 V s^-1 ). Compared with other MSCs, the MSC in this study is fabricated by a low-cost and facile process, and it achieves an excellent and stable electrochemical performance. This approach could be highly promising for applications in integration of micro/nanostructures into microdevices/systems.

Treatment of a subdural empyema complicated by intracerebral abscess due to Brucella infection

A 55-year-old male presented with fever, stupor, aphasia, and left hemiparesis. A history of head trauma 3 months before was also reported. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed slight contrast enhancement of lesions under the right frontal skull plate and right frontal lobe. Because of deterioration in nutritional status and intracranial hypertension, the patient was prepared for burr hole surgery. A subdural empyema (SDE) recurred after simple drainage. After detection of Brucella species in SDE, craniotomy combined with antibiotic treatment was undertaken. The patient received antibiotic therapy for 6 months (two doses of 2 g ceftriaxone, two doses of 100 mg doxycycline, and 700 mg rifapentine for 6 months) that resulted in complete cure of the infection. Thus, it was speculated that the preexisting subdural hematoma was formed after head trauma, which was followed by a hematogenous infection caused by Brucella species.

Does gastric bypass surgery change body weight set point?

The relatively stable body weight during adulthood is attributed to a homeostatic regulatory mechanism residing in the brain which uses feedback from the body to control energy intake and expenditure. This mechanism guarantees that if perturbed up or down by design, body weight will return to pre-perturbation levels, defined as the defended level or set point. The fact that weight re-gain is common after dieting suggests that obese subjects defend a higher level of body weight. Thus, the set point for body weight is flexible and likely determined by the complex interaction of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. Unlike dieting, bariatric surgery does a much better job in producing sustained suppression of food intake and body weight, and an intensive search for the underlying mechanisms has started. Although one explanation for this lasting effect of particularly Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) is simple physical restriction due to the invasive surgery, a more exciting explanation is that the surgery physiologically reprograms the body weight defense mechanism. In this non-systematic review, we present behavioral evidence from our own and other studies that defended body weight is lowered after RYGB and sleeve gastrectomy. After these surgeries, rodents return to their preferred lower body weight if over- or underfed for a period of time, and the ability to drastically increase food intake during the anabolic phase strongly argues against the physical restriction hypothesis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Although the mechanism involves central leptin and melanocortin signaling pathways, other peripheral signals such as gut hormones and their neural effector pathways likely contribute. Future research using both targeted and non-targeted 'omics' techniques in both humans and rodents as well as modern, genetically targeted, neuronal manipulation techniques in rodents will be necessary.

Nox1 promotes colon cancer cell metastasis via activation of the ADAM17 pathway

OBJECTIVE

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by endogenous metabolic enzymes are involved in a variety of pathology processes, including cancer. In particular, superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1), a member of Nox enzyme family, is highly expressed in the colon tissue and has been implicated in physiological and pathophysiological states of colon cancer. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of Nox1 in the regulation of colon cancer progression remains largely unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro scratch wound healing and invasion assays were used to compare the migration and invasion abilities of HT29 cells in which Nox1 protein levels were manipulated. Western blot assay was performed to detect the expression of key proteins of the EGFR-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Immunoprecipitation assay was performed to detect the interaction between Nox1 and ADAM17.

RESULTS

Nox1 overexpression promoted colon cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion through the EGFR-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. At the molecular level, Nox1 regulated the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) converting enzyme (TACE)/a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain 17 (ADAM17). Furthermore, Nox1 interacted with and stabilized ADAM17 from ubiquitin-mediated degradation, leading to the activation of the ADAM17 signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that Nox1 promotes colorectal cancer metastasis by modulating the stability of ADAM17.

Comparison of efficacy of different embolic agents on uterine leiomyoma

The aim of this study was to explore the efficacies, postoperative side effects, and complications of uterine artery embolization (UAE) treatments for uterine leiomyoma (UL) with different embolic agents. The study included 107 patients with UL that were treated with UAE with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA group) or pingyangmycin lipiodol emulsion and silk-segment (PLES group). Six months later, the improvement rate of anaemia, the menstrual improvement rate, the incidence rate of fever, the disappearance rates of compression symptoms and abdominal symptoms in the PVA group were 93.8%, 94.7%, 22.0%, 60.0%, and 88.9%, respectively, which showed no significant difference from those in the PLES group (90.5%, 92.3%, 84.8%, 53.3%, and 8 1.3%, respectively). The incidence rate of fever after embolization in PVA group was significantly lower than that in PLES group (c² = 41.958, p = 0.000). However, the efficacy, improvement rate of symptoms, and postoperative side effects of two groups showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). PVA and PLES have significant efficacy for UAE treatment on patients with UL.

Association between Longevity and Element Levels in Food and Drinking Water of Typical Chinese Longevity Area

OBJECTIVES

To carrying out an integrated analysis on regional environment and human health in China and to detect the association between longevity and daily element intake from food and drinking water.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

All the 18 cities and counties in Hainan Province.

MEASUREMENTS

The distribution of elderly population and longevity indexes at a county level in Hainan Province were investigated. Quality of food and drinking water in Hainan was evaluated by comparing the chemical elements with National Standards. In addition, the association between element concentrations in food and water and longevity was examined using spearman's rank correlation.

RESULTS

The proportion of elderly people is higher in the northern part of the province compared with southern counties. Food contributes a greater proportion of daily element intake than drinking water. Compared with the National Standards, reaching rates for elements were over 85% for both food and drinking water. There was a positive correlation between daily intake of Cu, Se, and Zn from food and water and aging and longevity indexes, and a negative correlation between Pb intake and these indexes.

CONCLUSION

The quality of food and water in Hainan Province are good and that, compared with water, food is a more important source of trace elements. An appropriate supply of Cu, Se, and Zn is important, whereas excessive intake of Pb should be avoided. The findings also provide basic data to support further studies on regional variations in longevity and their relationship to diet and drinking water.