CD57 defines a novel cancer stem cell that drive invasion of diffuse pediatric-type high grade gliomas.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse invasion remains a primary cause of treatment failure in pediatric high-grade glioma (pHGG). Identifying cellular driver(s) of pHGG invasion is needed for anti-invasion therapies. METHODS: Ten highly invasive patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) models of pHGG were subjected to isolation of matching pairs of invasive (HGGINV) and tumor core (HGGTC) cells. RESULTS: pHGGINV cells were intrinsically more invasive than their matching pHGGTC cells. CSC profiling revealed co-positivity of CD133 and CD57 and identified CD57+CD133- cells as the most abundant CSCs in the invasive front. In addition to discovering a new order of self-renewal capacities, i.e., CD57+CD133- > CD57+CD133+ > CD57-CD133+ > CD57-CD133- cells, we showed that CSC hierarchy was impacted by their spatial locations, and the highest self-renewal capacities were found in CD57+CD133- cells in the HGGINV front (HGGINV/CD57+CD133- cells) mediated by NANOG and SHH over-expression. Direct implantation of CD57+ (CD57+/CD133- and CD57+/CD133+) cells into mouse brains reconstituted diffusely invasion, while depleting CD57+ cells (i.e., CD57-CD133+) abrogated pHGG invasion. CONCLUSION: We revealed significantly increased invasive capacities in HGGINV cells, confirmed CD57 as a novel glioma stem cell marker, identified CD57+CD133- and CD57+CD133+ cells as a new cellular driver of pHGG invasion and suggested a new dual-mode hierarchy of HGG stem cells.

The practice and evaluation of antifungal stewardship programs at a tertiary first-class hospital in China.

BACKGROUND: The sharp increase in fungal infections, insufficient diagnostic and treatment capabilities for fungal infections, poor prognosis of patients with fungal infections as well as the increasing drug resistance of fungi are serious clinical problems. It is necessary to explore the implementation and evaluation methods of antifungal stewardship (AFS) to promote the standardized use of antifungal drugs. METHODS: The AFS programme was implemented at a tertiary first-class hospital in China using a plan-do-check-act (PDCA) quality management tool. A baseline investigation was carried out to determine the utilization of antifungal drugs in pilot hospitals, analyse the existing problems and causes, and propose corresponding solutions. The AFS programme was proposed and implemented beginning in 2021, and included various aspects, such as team building, establishment of regulations, information construction, prescription review and professional training. The management effectiveness was recorded from multiple perspectives, such as the consumption of antifungal drugs, the microbial inspection rate of clinical specimens, and the proportion of rational prescriptions. The PDCA management concept was used for continuous improvement to achieve closed-loop management. RESULTS: In the first year after the implementation of the AFS programme, the consumption cost, use intensity and utilization rate of antifungal drugs decreased significantly (P < 0.01). The proportion of rational antifungal drug prescriptions markedly increased, with the proportion of prescriptions with indications increasing from 86.4% in 2019 to 97.0% in 2022, and the proportion of prescriptions with appropriate usage and dosage increased from 51.9 to 87.1%. In addition, after the implementation of the AFS programme, physicians' awareness of the need to complete microbial examinations improved, and the number of fungal cultures and serological examinations increased substantially. Statistics from drug susceptibility tests revealed a decrease in the resistance rate of Candida to fluconazole. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that the combination of AFS and the PDCA cycle could effectively reduce antifungal consumption and promote the rational use of antifungal drugs, providing a reference for other health care systems to reduce the overuse of antifungal drugs and delay the progression of fungal resistance.

Direct Implantation of Patient Brain Tumor Cells into Matching Locations in Mouse Brains for Patient-Derived Orthotopic Xenograft Model Development.

Background: Despite multimodality therapies, the prognosis of patients with malignant brain tumors remains extremely poor. One of the major obstacles that hinders development of effective therapies is the limited availability of clinically relevant and biologically accurate (CRBA) mouse models. Methods: We have developed a freehand surgical technique that allows for rapid and safe injection of fresh human brain tumor specimens directly into the matching locations (cerebrum, cerebellum, or brainstem) in the brains of SCID mice. Results: Using this technique, we successfully developed 188 PDOX models from 408 brain tumor patient samples (both high-and low-grade) with a success rate of 72.3% in high-grade glioma, 64.2% in medulloblastoma, 50% in ATRT, 33.8% in ependymoma, and 11.6% in low-grade gliomas. Detailed characterization confirmed their replication of the histopathological and genetic abnormalities of the original patient tumors. Conclusions: The protocol is easy to follow, without a sterotactic frame, in order to generate large cohorts of tumor-bearing mice to meet the needs of biological studies and preclinical drug testing.

A point-of-care testing assay for clonorchiasis using a EuNPs-CsTR1 fluorescent probe-based immunoassay.

Clonorchis sinensis is one of the most important fish-borne zoonotic parasitic worms in humans, and is distributed in several countries with more than 15 million people infected globally. However, the lack of a point-of-care testing (POCT) method is still the critical barrier to effectively prevent clonorchiasis. With the application of novel fluorescent nanomaterials, the development of on-site testing methods with high signal enhancement can provide a simple, precise and inexpensive tool for disease detection. In this study, Eu-(III) nanoparticles (EuNPs) were used as indicative probes, combined with C. sinensis tandem repeat sequence 1 (CSTR1) antigen to capture specific antibodies. Afterward, the complex binds to mouse anti-human IgG immobilized on the test line (T-line) producing a fluorescent signal under UV light. The EuNPs-fluorescent immunoassay (EuNPs-FIA) was successfully constructed, allowing sample detection within 10 min. It enabled both qualitative determination with the naked eye under UV light and quantitative detection by scanning the fluorescence intensity on the test line and control line (C-line). A total of 133 clinical human sera (74 negative, 59 clonorchiasis, confirmed by conventional Kato-Katz (KK) methods and PCR via testing fecal samples corresponding to each serum sample) were used in this study. For qualitative analysis, the cut-off value of fluorescence for positive serum was 31.57 by testing 74 known negative human samples. The assay had no cross-reaction with other 9 parasite-infected sera, and could recognize the mixed infection sera of C. sinensis and other parasites. The sensitivity and specificity of EuNPs-FIA were both 100% compared with KK smear method. Taking advantage of its high precision and user-friendly procedure, the established EuNPs-FIA provides a powerful tool for the diagnosis and epidemiological survey of clonorchiasis.

Age-, sex- and proximal-distal-resolved multi-omics identifies regulators of intestinal aging in non-human primates.

The incidence of intestinal diseases increases with age, yet the mechanisms governing gut aging and its link to diseases, such as colorectal cancer (CRC), remain elusive. In this study, while considering age, sex and proximal-distal variations, we used a multi-omics approach in non-human primates (Macaca fascicularis) to shed light on the heterogeneity of intestinal aging and identify potential regulators of gut aging. We explored the roles of several regulators, including those from tryptophan metabolism, in intestinal function and lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. Suggesting conservation of region specificity, tryptophan metabolism via the kynurenine and serotonin (5-HT) pathways varied between the proximal and distal colon, and, using a mouse colitis model, we observed that distal colitis was more sensitive to 5-HT treatment. Additionally, using proteomics analysis of human CRC samples, we identified links between gut aging and CRC, with high HPX levels predicting poor prognosis in older patients with CRC. Together, this work provides potential targets for preventing gut aging and associated diseases.

Comparative antimicrobial use in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and non-COVID-19 inpatients from 2019 to 2020: A multicenter ecological study.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether increased antimicrobial use (AU) at the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was driven by greater AU in COVID-19 patients only, or whether AU also increased in non-COVID-19 patients. DESIGN: In this retrospective observational ecological study from 2019 to 2020, we stratified inpatients by COVID-19 status and determined relative percentage differences in median monthly AU in COVID-19 patients versus non-COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period (March-December 2020) and the pre-COVID-19 period (March-December 2019). We also determined relative percentage differences in median monthly AU in non-COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period versus the pre-COVID-19 period. Statistical significance was assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. SETTING: The study was conducted in 3 acute-care hospitals in Chicago, Illinois. PATIENTS: Hospitalized patients. RESULTS: Facility-wide AU for broad-spectrum antibacterial agents predominantly used for hospital-onset infections was significantly greater in COVID-19 patients versus non-COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period (with relative increases of 73%, 66%, and 91% for hospitals A, B, and C, respectively), and during the pre-COVID-19 period (with relative increases of 52%, 64%, and 66% for hospitals A, B, and C, respectively). In contrast, facility-wide AU for all antibacterial agents was significantly lower in non-COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period versus the pre-COVID-19 period (with relative decreases of 8%, 7%, and 8% in hospitals A, B, and C, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: AU for broad-spectrum antimicrobials was greater in COVID-19 patients compared to non-COVID-19 patients at the onset of the pandemic. AU for all antibacterial agents in non-COVID-19 patients decreased in the COVID-19 period compared to the pre-COVID-19 period.

The development of ecological civilization in China based on the economic-social-natural complex system.

China is making great efforts to build an ecological civilization. To reveal the effectiveness and spatial characteristics of the ecological civilization development in China, we constructed an Ecological Civilization Evaluation Index (ECI) based on the economic-social-natural complex system. We evaluated the development level of the ecological civilization in China from 2004 to 2020 and discussed the coupling and coordination relationship between subsystems. We found that the ecological civilization of China has achieved remarkable results. The relationship among the three subsystems has been improved to some extent, but the high-quality development of the economic system still requires effort. The development level of the ecological civilization in China presents spatial heterogeneity. From east to west, 30 provinces can be classified into four different types of development. On the whole, the development of China's ecological civilization has provided experiences for the world.

TRIM55 promotes noncanonical NF-κB signaling and B cell-mediated immune responses by coordinating p100 ubiquitination and processing.

The ubiquitination-dependent processing of NF-κB2 (also known as p100) is a critical step in the activation of the noncanonical NF-κB pathway. We investigated the molecular mechanisms regulating this process and showed that TRIM55 was the E3 ubiquitin ligase that mediated the ubiquitination of p100 and coordinated its processing. TRIM55 deficiency impaired noncanonical NF-κB activation and B cell function. Mice with a B cell-specific Trim55 deficiency exhibited reduced germinal center formation and antibody production. These mice showed less severe symptoms than those of control mice upon the induction of a systemic lupus-like disease, suggesting B cell-intrinsic functions of TRIM55 in humoral immune responses and autoimmunity. Mechanistically, the ubiquitination of p100 mediated by TRIM55 was crucial for p100 processing by VCP, an ATPase that mediates ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation by the proteasome. Furthermore, we found that TRIM55 facilitated the interaction between TRIM21 and VCP as well as TRIM21-mediated K63-ubiquitination of VCP, both of which were indispensable for the formation of the VCP-UFD1-NPL4 complex and p100 processing. Together, our results reveal a mechanism by which TRIM55 fine-tunes p100 processing and regulates B cell-dependent immune responses in vivo, highlighting TRIM55 as a potential therapeutic target for lupus-like disease.

[CD226, TIGIT and CD96 regulate NK cell function and participate in anti-tumor immunity].

CD226 is an activated receptor on the surface of natural killer (NK) cells. It competes with TIGIT and CD96 to bind to ligands such as CD155 on the surface of tumor cells and mediates the killing function of NK cells. Although TIGIT and CD96 have other binding ligands in the tumor microenvironment, they compete to bind CD115 ligands with higher affinity and inhibit the activity of NK cells, which allows tumor cells to evade killing. Therefore, studying the expression patterns of these three NK cell surface receptors in different tumors and monitoring their binding ability with ligands will help us to explore new tumor treatment strategies. This article reviews the role and mechanism of CD226, TIGIT, CD96 and other NK cell receptor molecules in regulating NK cell function in anti-tumor immune response.

Calibration Method of a Wideband AC Resistance Voltage Divider Based on an Equivalent Model.

Aiming at the problem of large measurement error and phase shift in resistance voltage dividers under high-frequency conditions in the field of power measurement, such as power harmonics, an error correction method is proposed for an alternating current (AC) resistance voltage divider based on the equivalence principle. Firstly, the frequency error model of the AC resistance voltage divider precision is established, and the angle difference of the continuous spectrum ratio difference from 50 Hz to 100 kHz is corrected by determining the shielding structure and the resistance parameters and fine-tuning the shielding potential correction method to reduce the capacities error of the AC resistance voltage divider design precision. At the same time, the performance parameters such as the direction and magnitude of the shielding potential compensation capacitive error are investigated. Finally, the precision voltage divider (the maximum voltage applied is 480 V) calibration experiments verify that the important characteristic judgment factor of the voltage divider is independent of the frequency and the equivalent capacitance value, which effectively solves the phase correction problem of harmonic power measurement.

Targeting GBM with an Oncolytic Picornavirus SVV-001 alone and in combination with fractionated Radiation in a Novel Panel of Orthotopic PDX models.

BACKGROUND: Animal models representing different molecular subtypes of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is desired for developing new therapies. SVV-001 is an oncolytic virus selectively targeting cancer cells. It's capacity of passing through the blood brain barrier makes is an attractive novel approach for GBM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 23 patient tumor samples were implanted into the brains of NOD/SCID mice (1 × 105 cells/mouse). Tumor histology, gene expression (RNAseq), and growth rate of the developed patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) models were compared with the originating patient tumors during serial subtransplantations. Anti-tumor activities of SVV-001 were examined in vivo; and therapeutic efficacy validated in vivo via single i.v. injection (1 × 1011 viral particle) with or without fractionated (2 Gy/day x 5 days) radiation followed by analysis of animal survival times, viral infection, and DNA damage. RESULTS: PDOX formation was confirmed in 17/23 (73.9%) GBMs while maintaining key histopathological features and diffuse invasion of the patient tumors. Using differentially expressed genes, we subclassified PDOX models into proneural, classic and mesenchymal groups. Animal survival times were inversely correlated with the implanted tumor cells. SVV-001 was active in vitro by killing primary monolayer culture (4/13 models), 3D neurospheres (7/13 models) and glioma stem cells. In 2/2 models, SVV-001 infected PDOX cells in vivo without harming normal brain cells and significantly prolonged survival times in 2/2 models. When combined with radiation, SVV-001 enhanced DNA damages and further prolonged animal survival times. CONCLUSION: A panel of 17 clinically relevant and molecularly annotated PDOX modes of GBM is developed, and SVV-001 exhibited strong anti-tumor activities in vitro and in vivo.

Construction of a Hantaan Virus Phage Antibody Library and Screening for Potential Neutralizing Activity.

China is one of the main epidemic areas for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Currently, there is no human antibody specific to Hantaan virus (HTNV) for the emergency prevention and treatment of HFRS. To prepare human antibodies with neutralizing activity, we established an anti-HTNV phage antibody library using phage display technology by transforming peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with HFRS into B lymphoblastoid cell lines (BLCLs) and extracting cDNA from BLCLs that secreted neutralizing antibodies. Based on the phage antibody library, we screened HTNV-specific Fab antibodies with neutralizing activities. Our study provides a potential way forward for the emergency prevention of HTNV and specific treatment of HFRS.

A rapid and visual detection assay for Clonorchis sinensis based on recombinase polymerase amplification and lateral flow dipstick.

BACKGROUND: Fish-borne zoonotic clonorchiasis, caused by Clonorchis sinensis, is an emerging public health problem in several countries with more than 15 million people infected globally. However, a lack of accurate point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests in resource-limited areas is still a critical barrier to effective treatment and control of clonorchiasis. The development of the recombinase polymerase amplification(RPA) assay, a POC diagnostic test based on the amplification of pathogen DNA, has provided a new, simple and inexpensive tool for disease detection with high sensitivity and specificity. METHODS: A novel RPA method was developed based on specific primers and probes, and combined with the dipstick, to allow for the rapid and intuitive detection of C. sinensis through the amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene. The lower limit of detection for the combined RPA/lateral flow dipstick (RPA-LFD) assay was evaluated using dilutions of the target DNA sequence. Cross-reactivity was evaluated using genomic DNA from 10 additional control parasites. Forty human clinical stool samples were tested to verify its performance. RESULTS: The evaluated primers designed from the C. sinensis COX1 region can be used to detect adult worms, metacercariae, and eggs at 39 °C within 20 min, and the results can be visually observed using the LFD. The detection limit of pathogen genomic DNA was as low as 10 fg, and the number of metacercaria(e) in fish and egg(s) in faeces were both as low as one. This improved the sensitivity of low-infection detection tremendously. The test is species-specific, and no other related control parasites were detected. In human stool samples with eggs per gram (EPG) > 50, the RPA-LFD assay was performed consistent with conventional Kato-Katz (KK) and PCR methods. CONCLUSION: The established RPA-LFD assay provides a powerful tool for the diagnosis and epidemiological survey of C. sinensis from human and animal samples, and has important implications for the effective control of clonorchiasis.

Material Selection Analysis of New Partial Discharge Sensor Electrode Plate Based on First-Principles Study.

Graphene is well known for its electrical properties and can be used for sensor improvement. The first-principles study is one of the powerful tools to analyze and predict the performance of advanced materials. In this paper, microscopic material selection is performed for partial discharge sensor electrode plate materials based on first-principles study. By introducing graphene, six different microscopic electrode plate models are built based on the traditional metal electrode plates. Electrical properties including electronic structure, charge density and charge distribution of electrode plates are analyzed from the microscopic perspective when the actual partial discharge electric field is 1 V/m. Additionally, electrical transport properties of electrode plates are determined by electrical transport calculation. The results show that the double-layer graphene copper-clad electrode plate has better electrical transport capacity and higher gain characteristics when used in partial discharge sensors. This study fills the gap in the microscopic electric transport response mechanism of electrode plates, which can provide theoretical support for the improved design of partial discharge sensors.

GmDof41 regulated by the DREB1-type protein improves drought and salt tolerance by regulating the DREB2-type protein in soybean.

Despite their essential and multiple roles in biological processes, the molecular mechanism of Dof transcription factors (TFs) for responding to abiotic stresses is rarely reported in plants. We identified a soybean Dof gene GmDof41 which was involved in the responses to drought, salt, and exogenous ABA stresses. Overexpression of GmDof41 in soybean transgenic hairy roots attenuated H2O2 accumulation and regulated proline homeostasis, resulting in the drought and salt tolerance. Yeast one-hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) illustrated that GmDof41 was regulated by the DREB1-type protein GmDREB1B;1 that could improve drought and salt tolerance in plants. Further studies illustrated GmDof41 can directly bind to the promoter of GmDREB2A which encodes a DREB2-type protein and affects abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Collectively, our results suggested that GmDof41 positively regulated drought and salt tolerance by correlating with GmDREB1B;1 and GmDREB2A. This study provides an important basis for further exploring the abiotic stress-tolerance mechanism of Dof TFs in soybean.

Epigenetic Alterations of Repeated Relapses in Patient-matched Childhood Ependymomas.

Recurrence is frequent in pediatric ependymoma (EPN). Our longitudinal integrated analysis of 30 patient-matched repeated relapses (3.67 ± 1.76 times) over 13 years (5.8 ± 3.8) reveals stable molecular subtypes (RELA and PFA) and convergent DNA methylation reprogramming during serial relapses accompanied by increased orthotopic patient derived xenograft (PDX) (13/27) formation in the late recurrences. A set of differentially methylated CpGs (DMCs) and DNA methylation regions (DMRs) are found to persist in primary and relapse tumors (potential driver DMCs) and are acquired exclusively in the relapses (potential booster DMCs). Integrating with RNAseq reveals differentially expressed genes regulated by potential driver DMRs (CACNA1H, SLC12A7, RARA in RELA and HSPB8, GMPR, ITGB4 in PFA) and potential booster DMRs (PLEKHG1 in RELA and NOTCH, EPHA2, SUFU, FOXJ1 in PFA tumors). DMCs predicators of relapse are also identified in the primary tumors. This study provides a high-resolution epigenetic roadmap of serial EPN relapses and 13 orthotopic PDX models to facilitate biological and preclinical studies.

Superhydrophobic MXene Coating with Biomimetic Structure for Self-Healing Photothermal Deicing and Photoelectric Detector.

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides (Ti3C2Tx MXene) have emerged as new candidates for applications in multifunctional devices owing to their outstanding performance. However, these electronic devices are easily disturbed by water, breakage, oxidation during use, and limited energy resources. To solve these problems, herein, inspired by nature, a novel superhydrophobic, healable photothermal deicing and photodetector (SHPP) with a "papillary structure" is successfully fabricated for the first time, by a simple layer-by-layer assembly spraying process with 0D/1D/2D nanomaterials. As a result, the superhydrophobic modified 2D MXene coating (FM coating) on the SHPP sensor exhibits outstanding self-cleaning, long-term durability (>20 days), as well as excellent photothermal deicing performances under near-infrared light. Meanwhile, the unique semiembedded nano-ZnO/1D silver nanowire supports the sensor with desirable photoelectric performance with UV light and a fast response time (∼1 s), and good cycle stability. Moreover, benefiting from the transparent self-healing substrate, the photothermal deicing and photodetector properties can be restored at room temperature. The bioinspired structures and function mechanisms offer SHPP sensors great potential for the utilization of clean light energy, sensing, self-cleaning, anti-icing, and so forth.