Lipopolysaccharide promotes cancer cell migration and invasion through METTL3/PI3K/AKT signaling in human cholangiocarcinoma.

Purpose: As a major structural component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been detected in the blood circulation and tissues in patients with chronic diseases and cancers, which plays a critical role in the tumor formation and progression. However, the biological role of LPS in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma remains unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate the role of LPS in the malignant progression of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: The cell migration and invasion capacities of cholangiocarcinoma cell lines were evaluated by Boyden chamber assays. Expression levels of the key molecules involved in the PI3K/AKT signaling and METTL3 were detected by qPCR and western blot. The molecular mechanism by which LPS promotes the malignant behaviors was investigated by using siRNAs, plasmids and small molecule inhibitors. Results: In vitro experiments showed that exogenous LPS treatment promoted cell migration and invasion capacities in both QBC939 and HUCCT1 cell lines, while did not affect cell proliferation and apoptosis. Mechanistically, exogenous LPS treatment had been proved to induce the increased expression of METTL3 and activate the downstream PI3K/AKTsignaling pathway. In addition, suppression of METTL3 expression reduced cell proliferation, migration and invasion capacities in both cell lines. Furthermore, inhibition of METTL3 expression or inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling decreased LPS-induced cell migration and invasion capacities. Moreover, knockdown of METTL3 or inhibition of METTL3 significantly inhibited LPS-induced activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling. Conclusion: In general, these results suggest that the LPS-METTL3-PI3K/AKT signal axis promotes cell migration and invasion in ICC, which contributes to a reduced overall survival in patients with ICC. It may broaden the horizon of cancer therapy with potential therapeutic targets.

Heart failure classification using deep learning to extract spatiotemporal features from ECG.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a syndrome with complex clinical manifestations. Due to increasing population aging, heart failure has become a major medical problem worldwide. In this study, we used the MIMIC-III public database to extract the temporal and spatial characteristics of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals from patients with heart failure. METHODS: We developed a NYHA functional classification model for heart failure based on a deep learning method. We introduced an integrating attention mechanism based on the CNN-LSTM-SE model, segmenting the ECG signal into 2 to 20 s long segments. Ablation experiments showed that the 12 s ECG signal segments could be used with the proposed deep learning model for superior classification of heart failure. RESULTS: The accuracy, positive predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity of the NYHA functional classification method were 99.09, 98.9855, 99.033, and 99.649%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive performance of this model exceeds similar methods and can be used to assist in clinical medical diagnoses.

Application of double low-dose mode in left atrial-pulmonary venous computed tomography angiography.

This study adopted a 256-slice iCT scanner with the double low-dose mode in left atrial-pulmonary venous computed tomography angiography (CTA) and explored its effect on image quality. 120 patients were included and randomly classified into the Observation group and Control group. Patients in the Control group underwent routine left atrial CTA, while patients in the Observation group performed a double low-dose mode. Other scanning parameters were consistent in the two groups. The Full model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) technique was applied to fulfill image reconstruction in observation group. Continuous variables, ordered categorical variables were analyzed by statistical test. The CT values of left atrial in the Observation group were significantly higher than those in the Control group. The exposure doses (ED) and iodine intake were lower in the Observation group, as compared to the Control group. The left atrial-pulmonary venous CTA with the 256-slice iCT scanner in a double low-dose mode can reduce the ED of radiation and iodine contrast while providing high quality images. Comparatively, the ED in the Observation group was reduced by 13% compared with the control, and the iodine intake was reduced by approximately 33%.

Biomechanical analysis of the door-shaped titanium plate in single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

BACKGROUND: Analyse and discuss the immediate stability of the cervical spine after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using a door-shaped titanium plate and compare it with the traditional titanium plate, to provide biomechanical evidence for the rationality and effectiveness of the door-shaped titanium plate in clinical applications. METHODS: Ten adult goat C4/5 vertebral bodies were obtained, and models were prepared using denture base resin. Biomechanical experiments were performed on the specimens before internal fixation. MTS was used to conduct non-destructive biomechanical loading tests in six directions, including flexion, extension, left-right bending, and left-right torsion, recording the range of motion (ROM) and neutral zone (NZ) of each specimen. The specimens were then randomly divided into two groups: the study group was fixed with a door-shaped titanium plate, and the control group was fixed with a traditional titanium plate. ROM and NZ in each direction were measured again. After measurements, both groups were subjected to 0.5 Hz torsion loading with a torque of 2 N m for a total of 3000 cycles, followed by measuring ROM and NZ in six directions once more. RESULTS: Compared to before fixation, ROM and NZ in both groups significantly decreased in all six directions after fixation, with statistical significance (P < 0.05); after fixation, the study group showed slightly lower values for various mechanical reference parameters compared to the control group, with no statistical significance (P > 0.05); after 3000 torsional loads, both internal fixation groups showed increased ROM and NZ compared to after fixation but to a lower extent, and no screw or titanium plate loosening was observed. Compared to before fixation, the differences were still statistically significant (P < 0.05), with the study group having slightly lower ROM and NZ values in all directions compared to the control group, with no statistical significance (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The door-shaped titanium plate exhibits mechanical properties similar to the traditional titanium plate in all directions, and its smaller size and simpler surgical operation can be used for anterior cervical endoscopic surgery, reducing surgical trauma. It is clinically feasible and deserves further research and promotion.

Papaver somniferum and Papaver rhoeas Classification Based on Visible Capsule Images Using a Modified MobileNetV3-Small Network with Transfer Learning.

Traditional identification methods for Papaver somniferum and Papaver rhoeas (PSPR) consume much time and labor, require strict experimental conditions, and usually cause damage to the plant. This work presents a novel method for fast, accurate, and nondestructive identification of PSPR. First, to fill the gap in the PSPR dataset, we construct a PSPR visible capsule image dataset. Second, we propose a modified MobileNetV3-Small network with transfer learning, and we solve the problem of low classification accuracy and slow model convergence due to the small number of PSPR capsule image samples. Experimental results demonstrate that the modified MobileNetV3-Small is effective for fast, accurate, and nondestructive PSPR classification.

[Comparative analysis of clinical efficacy between posterior percutaneous endoscopic discectomy and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy of posterior percutaneous endoscopic discectomy(PPECD) in the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. METHODS: A total of 56 patiens with single segment cervical spondylotic radiculopathy from December 2017 to October 2020, were randomly divided into observation group and control group. In observation group, there were 16 males and 11 females, including 8 cases of C4,5, 13 cases of C5,6 and 6 cases of C6,7 performed posterior percutaneous endoscopic discectomy, aged from 34 to 61 years old with an average of (51.15±6.29) years old. In control group, there were 19 males and 10 females with single segment cervical spondylotic radiculopathy including 10 cases of C4,5, 14 cases of C5,6 and 5 cases of C6,7 performed anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, aged from 40 to 65 years old with an average of (53.24±5.31) years old. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative time of lying in bed and length of postoperative hospital stay were recorded. Visual analogue scale(VAS) and neck disability index(NDI) were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Cervical plain films or MRIs, CTs were taken for re-visiting patients. RESULTS: All patients were followed up more than 2 years. The observation group patients were followed up, the duration ranged from 24 to 42 months with an average of (30.48±4.91) months. The control group patients were followed up, the duration ranged from 25 to 47 months, with an average of (32.76±4.53) months. Compared with control group, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative time of lying in bed and length of postoperative hospital stay were decreased(P<0.05). Compared with pre-operation, VAS of neck and upper limb and NDI at the latest follow-up between two groups were significantly improved(P<0.05). Compared with control group, VAS of neck and upper limb at 1 day after operation in observation group were significantly reduced(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS of neck and upper limb and NID at 1, 3 months and the latest follow-up after operation between two groups(P>0.05). In the observation group, one patient's deltoid muscle strength was weakened to grade 4 after operation, and returned to normal after 12 weeks of conservative treatment. In control group, there was 1 case of postoperative adjacent spondylosis with symptoms of spinal compression after 2 years operation, then underwent cervical artificial intervertebral disc replacement. And there was 1 case of dysphagia after operation in control group and improved after 1 year. There was no significant difference in incidence of complications between two groups. CONCLUSION: PPECD has advantages of shortening operative time, decreasing intraoperative blood loss, reducing postoperative time of lying in bed and length of postoperative hospital stay. However, applicable age range of patients and long-term clinical efficacy needs further study.

Structure, gating, and pharmacology of human CaV3.3 channel.

The low-voltage activated T-type calcium channels regulate cellular excitability and oscillatory behavior of resting membrane potential which trigger many physiological events and have been implicated with many diseases. Here, we determine structures of the human T-type CaV3.3 channel, in the absence and presence of antihypertensive drug mibefradil, antispasmodic drug otilonium bromide and antipsychotic drug pimozide. CaV3.3 contains a long bended S6 helix from domain III, with a positive charged region protruding into the cytosol, which is critical for T-type CaV channel activation at low voltage. The drug-bound structures clearly illustrate how these structurally different compounds bind to the same central cavity inside the CaV3.3 channel, but are mediated by significantly distinct interactions between drugs and their surrounding residues. Phospholipid molecules penetrate into the central cavity in various extent to shape the binding pocket and play important roles in stabilizing the inhibitor. These structures elucidate mechanisms of channel gating, drug recognition, and actions, thus pointing the way to developing potent and subtype-specific drug for therapeutic treatments of related disorders.

Prognostic Role of Fasting Remnant Cholesterol with In-Stent Restenosis After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation.

OBJECTIVE: In-stent restenosis (ISR) is regarded as a critical limiting factor in stenting for coronary heart disease (CHD). Recent research has shown that fasting residual cholesterol (RC) has been shown to have a substantial impact on coronary heart disease. Unfortunately, there have not been much data to bear out the relationship between RC and ISR. Then, the predictive value of RC for in-stent restenosis in patients with coronary heart disease was analyzed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Aiming to explore the relationship between RC and ISR, we designed a retrospective study of patients with CHD after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation, combining the data from a public database and selecting the best-fitting model by comparing the optical subset with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. RESULTS: Analysis of the abovementioned two models showed that the optical subset optimal subset model, which was based on RC, creatine, history of diabetes, smoking, multi-vessel lesions (2 vessels or more lesions), peripheral vascular lesions (PAD), and blood uric acid, had a better fit (AUC = 0.68), and that RC was an independent risk factor for ISR in the abovementioned two models. Notwithstanding its limitation, this study does suggest that RC has good predictive value for ISR. CONCLUSION: Remnant cholesterol is an independent risk factor for in-stent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and is a reliable predictor of ISR.

Physalin B inhibits PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation, migration and phenotypic transformation by activating the Nrf2 pathway.

Vascular intimal hyperplasia is a hallmark event in vascular restenosis. The excessive proliferation, migration and phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play important roles in the pathological mechanism of vascular intimal hyperplasia. Physalin B is an alcoholate isolated from Physalis (Solanaceae) that has a wide range of biological activities. However, the effect of physalin B on VSMCs is currently unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that physalin B significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and phenotypic transformation of VSMCs induced by PDGF-BB. Physalin B also reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in VSMCs induced by PDGF-BB. Mechanistic studies showed that physalin B plays a role mainly by activating Nrf2. After Nrf2 activation, physalin B mitigates oxidative stress by enhancing the expression of the antioxidant gene HO-1; on the other hand, physalin B inhibits the NF-κB pathway to alleviate the inflammatory response. These two effects ultimately reduce the proliferation, migration and phenotypic transformation of VSMCs induced by PDGF-BB. In addition, in the mouse carotid artery ligation model, physalin B prevented intimal hyperplasia and inhibited the proliferation, migration and phenotypic transformation of cells in the hyperplastic intima. In conclusion, we provided significant evidence that physalin B abrogates PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation, migration, phenotypic transformation and intimal hyperplasia by activating Nrf2-mediated signal transduction. Therefore, physalin B may be a potential therapeutic agent for preventing or treating restenosis.

Se alleviates homocysteine-induced fibrosis in cardiac fibroblasts via downregulation of lncRNA MEG3.

Selenium (Se) is considered to have antioxidant properties, which are beneficial for heart condition. Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) has been suggested to potentially lead to heart failure and is characterized by cardiac fibrosis; however, investigation on the role of Se and HHCY in cardiac fibrosis is rare. Since previous studies demonstrated the important role of the long non-coding RNA maternally expressed 3 (MEG3) in some heart diseases, the present study aimed to determine how Se and MEG3 might exert regulatory effects on HCY-induced fibrosis in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). Mouse CFs were isolated and treated with HCY and Se. The expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I and III was detected by western blotting to reflect CF fibrosis. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to determine the expression levels of MEG3. Inflammation and oxidative stress responses were analyzed by measuring TNF-α, IL-1ß (ELISA) and reactive oxygen species levels (using a commercial kit), respectively. Cell Counting Kit-8 was used to evaluate CF proliferation. Total and phosphorylated (p) expression of janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was evaluated by western blotting. CFs were transfected with adenovirus expressing MEG3 short-hairpin RNA to knock down MEG3 expression. Se treatment downregulated the expression level of MEG3 in HCY-stimulated CFs, whilst inhibiting the inflammatory and oxidative stress response. Furthermore, Se inhibited the increased proliferation of CFs following HCY treatment. In addition, MEG3-knockdown in CFs could improve fibrosis caused by HCY. Furthermore, the ratios of p-JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3 were decreased following treatment with Se or MEG3 silencing. Taken together, the findings from the present study suggested that Se may alleviate cardiac fibrosis by downregulating the expression of MEG3 and reducing the inflammatory and oxidative stress response in CFs. This suggests that Se may be a potential therapeutic option for treating cardiac fibrosis in the future.

Transcriptomic encoding of sensorimotor transformation in the midbrain.

Sensorimotor transformation, a process that converts sensory stimuli into motor actions, is critical for the brain to initiate behaviors. Although the circuitry involved in sensorimotor transformation has been well delineated, the molecular logic behind this process remains poorly understood. Here, we performed high-throughput and circuit-specific single-cell transcriptomic analyses of neurons in the superior colliculus (SC), a midbrain structure implicated in early sensorimotor transformation. We found that SC neurons in distinct laminae expressed discrete marker genes. Of particular interest, Cbln2 and Pitx2 were key markers that define glutamatergic projection neurons in the optic nerve (Op) and intermediate gray (InG) layers, respectively. The Cbln2+ neurons responded to visual stimuli mimicking cruising predators, while the Pitx2+ neurons encoded prey-derived vibrissal tactile cues. By forming distinct input and output connections with other brain areas, these neuronal subtypes independently mediated behaviors of predator avoidance and prey capture. Our results reveal that, in the midbrain, sensorimotor transformation for different behaviors may be performed by separate circuit modules that are molecularly defined by distinct transcriptomic codes.

In vivo chemical reprogramming of astrocytes into neurons.

In mammals, many organs lack robust regenerative abilities. Lost cells in impaired tissue could potentially be compensated by converting nearby cells in situ through in vivo reprogramming. Small molecule-induced cell reprogramming offers a temporally flexible and non-integrative strategy for altering cell fate, which is, in principle, favorable for in vivo reprogramming in organs with notoriously poor regenerative abilities, such as the brain. Here, we demonstrate that in the adult mouse brain, small molecules can reprogram astrocytes into neurons. The in situ chemically induced neurons resemble endogenous neurons in terms of neuron-specific marker expression, electrophysiological properties, and synaptic connectivity. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of in vivo chemical reprogramming in the adult mouse brain and provides a potential approach for developing neuronal replacement therapies.

Development and validation of a risk score using complete blood count to predict in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: To develop a sensitive risk score predicting the risk of mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using complete blood count (CBC). METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study from a total of 13,138 inpatients with COVID-19 in Hubei, China, and Milan, Italy. Among them, 9,810 patients with ≥2 CBC records from Hubei were assigned to the training cohort. CBC parameters were analyzed as potential predictors for all-cause mortality and were selected by the generalized linear mixed model (GLMM). FINDINGS: Five risk factors were derived to construct a composite score (PAWNN score) using the Cox regression model, including platelet counts, age, white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio. The PAWNN score showed good accuracy for predicting mortality in 10-fold cross-validation (AUROCs 0.92-0.93) and subsets with different quartile intervals of follow-up and preexisting diseases. The performance of the score was further validated in 2,949 patients with only 1 CBC record from the Hubei cohort (AUROC 0.97) and 227 patients from the Italian cohort (AUROC 0.80). The latent Markov model (LMM) demonstrated that the PAWNN score has good prediction power for transition probabilities between different latent conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The PAWNN score is a simple and accurate risk assessment tool that can predict the mortality for COVID-19 patients during their entire hospitalization. This tool can assist clinicians in prioritizing medical treatment of COVID-19 patients. FUNDING: This work was supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2016YFF0101504, 2016YFF0101505, 2020YFC2004702, 2020YFC0845500), the Key R&D Program of Guangdong Province (2020B1111330003), and the medical flight plan of Wuhan University (TFJH2018006).

The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Determines Clinical Efficacy of Corticosteroid Therapy in Patients with COVID-19.

Corticosteroid therapy is now recommended as a treatment in patients with severe COVID-19. But one key question is how to objectively identify severely ill patients who may benefit from such therapy. Here, we assigned 12,862 COVID-19 cases from 21 hospitals in Hubei Province equally to a training and a validation cohort. We found that a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) > 6.11 at admission discriminated a higher risk for mortality. Importantly, however, corticosteroid treatment in such individuals was associated with a lower risk of 60-day all-cause mortality. Conversely, in individuals with an NLR ≤ 6.11 or with type 2 diabetes, corticosteroid treatment was not associated with reduced mortality, but rather increased risks of hyperglycemia and infections. These results show that in the studied cohort corticosteroid treatment is associated with beneficial outcomes in a subset of COVID-19 patients who are non-diabetic and with severe symptoms as defined by NLR.

Vascular calcification: New insights into endothelial cells.

Vascular calcification, a common pathological basis of vascular disease, is caused by various diseases and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. Therefore, elucidating the pathogenesis of vascular calcification has significant clinical benefits. It is generally believed that vascular calcification is similar to the processes of bone development and cartilage formation. The transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells into osteoblast- and chondrocyte-like cells is a key event. However, recent studies have found that under certain conditions, endothelial cells participate in vascular calcification via endothelial-mesenchymal transition, cytokine secretion, extracellular vesicle synthesis, angiogenesis regulation and hemodynamics. This review aims to explore the relationship between endothelial cells and vascular calcification and to provide a theoretical basis and new ideas for the active prevention and treatment of vascular calcification in the clinic.

Loss of the centrosomal protein Cenpj leads to dysfunction of the hypothalamus and obesity in mice.

Cenpj is a centrosomal protein located at the centrosomes and the base of cilia, it plays essential roles in regulating neurogenesis and cerebral cortex development. Although centrosomal and cilium dysfunction are one of the causes of obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, the role that Cenpj plays in the regulation of body weight remains unclear. Here, we deleted Cenpj by crossing Cenpjflox/flox mice with Nkx2.1-Cre mice. Loss of the centrosomal protein Cenpj in Nkx2.1-expressing cells causes morbid obesity in mice at approximately 4 months of age with expended brain ventricles but no change of brain size. We found that hypothalamic cells exhibited reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis upon Cenpj depletion at the embryonic stages, resulting in a dramatic decrease in the number of Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and electrophysiological dysfunction of NPY neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) in adults. Furthermore, depletion of Cenpj also reduced the neuronal projection from the ARC to the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), with decreased melanocortin-4 receptors (MC4R) expression in PVN neurons. The study defines the roles that Cenpj plays in regulating hypothalamus development and body weight, providing a foundation for further understanding of the pathological mechanisms of related diseases.

Thermomechanical Processing of a Near-α Ti Matrix Composite Reinforced by TiBw.

To further improve the mechanical properties of the as-cast 7.5 vol.% TiBw/Ti-6Al-2.5Sn-4Zr-0.7Mo-0.3Si composite, multi-directional forging (MDF) and subsequent heat treatments were carried out to adjust TiB whiskers (TiBw) and matrix characteristics. The effect of various microstructures on the tensile properties and fracture toughness of the composites was analyzed in this paper. After MDF, the TiBw are broken into short rods with a low aspect ratio and display a random distribution. Moreover, distinct microstructures were obtained after thermomechanical processing and different heat treatments. Both room-temperature and high-temperature tensile strength and ductility are improved after thermomechanical processing. By increasing the solution-treatment temperature, the microstructures transform from equiaxed to fully lamellar. A simultaneous improvement of the room-temperature and high-temperature properties is associated with the microstructural changes. In addition, the fracture toughness exhibits an increasing trend as the volume fraction of equiaxial α phases decreases. The lamellar microstructure demonstrates excellent fracture toughness due to deflection of the crack propagation path.

The Role of Notch3 Signaling in Kidney Disease.

Notch receptors are transmembrane proteins that are members of the epidermal growth factor-like family. These receptors are widely expressed on the cell surface and are highly conserved. Binding to ligands on adjacent cells results in cleavage of these receptors, and their intracellular domains translocate into the nucleus, where target gene transcription is initiated. In the mammalian kidney, Notch receptors are activated during nephrogenesis and become silenced in the normal kidney after birth. Reactivation of Notch signaling in the adult kidney could be due to the genetic activation of Notch signaling or kidney injury. Notch3 is a mammalian heterodimeric transmembrane receptor in the Notch gene family. Notch3 activation is significantly increased in various glomerular diseases, renal tubulointerstitial diseases, glomerular sclerosis, and renal fibrosis and mediates disease occurrence and development. Here, we discuss numerous recently published papers describing the role of Notch3 signaling in kidney disease.