Asymmetric catalytic synthesis of chiral covalent organic framework composite (S)-DTP-COF@SiO2 for HPLC enantioseparations by normal-phase and reversed-phase chromatographic modes.

A novel CCOF core-shell composite material (S)-DTP-COF@SiO2 was prepared via asymmetric catalytic and in situ growth strategy. The prepared (S)-DTP-COF@SiO2 was utilized as separation medium for HPLC enantioseparation using normal-phase and reversed-phase chromatographic modes, which displays excellent chiral separation performance for alcohols, esters, ketones, and epoxides, etc. Compared with chiral commercial chromatographic columns (Chiralpak AD-H and Chiralcel OD-H columns) and some previously reported chiral CCOF@SiO2 (CC-MP CCTF@SiO2 and MDI-ß-CD-modified COF@SiO2)-packed columns, there are 4, 3, 13, and 15 tested racemic compounds that could not be resolved on the Chiralpak AD-H column, Chiralcel OD-H column, CC-MP CCTF@SiO2 column, and MDI-ß-CD-modified COF@SiO2 column, respectively, which indicates that the resolution effect of (S)-DTP-COF@SiO2-packed column can be complementary to the other ones. The effects of the analyte mass, column temperature, and mobile phase composition on the enantiomeric separation were investigated. The chiral column exhibits good reproducibility after multiple consecutive injections. The RSDs (n = 5) of the peak area and retention time were less than 1.5% for repetitive separation of 2-methoxy-2-phenylethanol and 1-phenyl-1-pentanol. The chiral core-shell composite (S)-DTP-COF@SiO2 exhibited good enantiomeric separation performance, which not only demonstrates its potential as a novel CSP material in HPLC but also expands the range of applications for chiral COFs.

Subcomponent self-assembly construction of tetrahedral cage FeII4L4 for high-resolution gas chromatographic separation.

Metal organic cages (MOCs), as an emerging discrete supramolecular compounds, have received widespread attention in separation, biomedicine, gas capture, catalysis, and molecular recognition due to their porosity, adjustability and stability. Herein, we present a new chiral MOC FeII4L4 coated capillary column prepared for gas chromatographic (GC) separation of different types of organic compounds, including n-alkanes, n-alcohols, alkylbenzenes, isomers, especially for racemic compounds. There are 20 different kinds of racemates (e.g., alcohols, ethers, epoxides, esters, alkenes, and aldehydes) were well resolved on the FeII4L4 chiral column and a maximum resolution value for 1-phenyl-1-propanol reaches 6.17. The FeII4L4 coated column exhibited high column efficiency (3100 plates m-1 for n-dodecane) and good enantiomeric resolution complementary to that of a commercial ß-DEX 120 column and the previously reported chiral MOC [Fe4L6] (ClO4)8 coated column. The relative standard deviation (RSDs) of the peak area and retention time of glycidol and nitrotoluene were below 1.2 %. This study reveals that chiral MOCs have good application prospects in chromatographic separation.

Chiral-induced synthesis of chiral covalent organic frameworks core-shell microspheres for HPLC enantioseparation.

Two chiral covalent organic frameworks (CCOFs) core-shell microspheres based on achiral organic precursors by chiral-induced synthesis strategy for HPLC enantioseparation are reported for the first time. Using n-hexane/isopropanol as mobile phase, various kinds of racemates were selected as analytes and separated on the CCOF-TpPa-1@SiO2 and CCOF-TpBD@SiO2-packed columns with a low column backpressure (3 ~ 9 bar). The fabricated two CCOFs@SiO2 chiral columns exhibited good separation performance towards various racemates with high column efficiency (e.g., 19,500 plates m-1 for (4-fluorophenyl)ethanol and 18,900 plates m-1 for 1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol) and good reproducibility. Some effects have been investigated such as the analyte mass and column temperature on the HPLC enantioseparation. Moreover, the chiral separation results of the CCOF-TpPa-1@SiO2 chiral column and the commercialized Chiralpak AD-H column show a good complementarity. This study demonstrates that the usage of chiral-induced synthesis strategy for preparing CCOFs core-shell microspheres as a novel stationary phase has a good application potential in HPLC.

In situ growth preparation of a new chiral covalent triazine framework core-shell microspheres used for HPLC enantioseparation.

The manufacturing of chiral covalent triazine framework core-shell microspheres CC-MP CCTF@SiO2 composite is reported as stationary phase for HPLC enantioseparation. The CC-MP CCTF@SiO2 core-shell microspheres were prepared by immobilizing chiral COF CC-MP CCTF constructed using cyanuric chloride and (S)-2-methylpiperazine on the surface of activated SiO2 through an in-situ growth approach. Various racemates as analytes were separated on the CC-MP CCTF@SiO2-packed column. The experimental results indicate that 19 pairs of enantiomers were well separated on the CC-MP CCTF@SiO2-packed column, including alcohols, phenols, amines, ketones, and organic acids. Among them, there are 17 pairs of enantiomers that can achieve baseline separation with good peak shapes. Their resolution values on this chiral column are between 0.4 and 5.61. The influences of analyte mass, column temperature, and composition of the mobile phase on the resolution of enantiomers were studied. In addition, the chiral resolution ability of CC-MP CCTF@SiO2-packed column was compared with the commercial chiral chromatographic columns (Chiralpak AD-H and Chiralcel OD-H columns) and some CCOF@SiO2 chiral columns (ß-CD-COF@SiO2, CTpBD@SiO2, and MDI-ß-CD-modified COF@SiO2). The CC-MP CCTF@SiO2-packed column exhibited some unique advantages and can complement these chiral columns in chiral separations. The research results show that the CC-MP CCTF@SiO2 chiral column offered high column efficiency (e.g., 17680 plates m-1 for ethyl mandelate), low column backpressure (5-9 bar), high enantioselectivity, and excellent chiral resolution ability for HPLC enantioseparation with good stability and reproducibility. The relative standard deviations (RSD) (n = 5) of the retention time, and peak areas by repeated separation of ethyl mandelate are 0.23% and 0.67%, respectively. It demonstrates that the CC-MP CCTF@SiO2 core-shell microsphere composite has great potential in enantiomeric separation by HPLC.

Efficacy of agomelatine with cognitive behavioral therapy for delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in young adults: A randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD) is common and easily misdiagnosed in young people, and to date, there is no evidence-based treatment. PURPOSE: A nonblinded randomized controlled study evaluated the effect of agomelatine therapy (AT) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) on DSWPD in young adults. METHODS: Sixty adolescents and young adults (range = 19-24 years, mean = 22 years, 52% female) diagnosed with DSWPD were randomized to receive 4 weeks of agomelatine therapy with or without cognitive behavior therapy. Sleep diaries, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and World Health Organization wellbeing questionnaire (WHO-5) were measured pre-treatment and post-treatment. RESULTS: Agomelatine therapy for 4 weeks shifted the sleep-wake rhythm (p < .001) forward in both groups at the week 4 assessment. There were no significant differences in sleep onset (p = .099) and sleep offset (p = .959) between the CBT group and the no treatment (NT) group at the follow-up visits. However, significant differences were found in sleep duration (p = .002), sleep quality (p=0.005), sleep difficulties (p < .001), daytime sleepiness (p = .001), and wellbeing (p = .007) between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The improvements were received largely through the sleep-promoting effects of agomelatine therapy, and combining with cognitive behavior therapy on maintenance of altered sleep rhythms might be feasible.

WGCNA combined with GSVA to explore biomarkers of refractory neocortical epilepsy.

About two-thirds of epilepsy patients relapse within five years after surgery. It is significant to note that the limitations of current treatments stem from a lack of understanding of molecular mechanisms. In this study, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) methods were used to analyze the total RNA data from 20 surgical removal samples (epileptogenic zone and irritative zone, EZ and IZ) of 10 Chinese patients with refractory neocortical epilepsy downloaded from the original microarray dataset (GSE31718) of the National Center for Biological Information -Gene Expression Omnibus database (NCBI-GEO). The late stages of the estrogen response pathway, the IL6-JAK-STAT3-signal pathway and G2 checkpoints are correlated with the EZ, whereas the early stages of the estrogen response pathway and TGF-ß signal are more strongly expressed in the IZ. The allogeneic rejection, apical surface and the TGF-ß signal are relevant to the high seizure frequency, the unfolded protein response and MYC-target are mostly expressed in patients with low-frequency seizures. Genes with high gene significance(GS) values that were correlated with seizure frequency include OSR2, CABP4, CAPSL, CYP4F8, and FRK in the pink module, and SH3GLB2, CHAC1 and DDX23 in the yellow module. The occurrence of EZ and IZ act on different biological mechanisms. The upregulated genes associated with seizure frequency include OSR2, CABP4, CAPSL, CYP4F8, and FRK, and the downregulated genes include SH3GLB2, CHAC1 and DDX23. The evidence of key genes and differential pathways obtained by WGCNA and GSVA may be biomarkers for novel preventive and pharmacological interventions in clinical practice.

Long non-coding RNA RPL34-AS1 ameliorates oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced neuronal injury via modulating miR-223-3p/IGF1R axis.

Ribosomal protein L34-antisense RNA 1 (RPL34-AS1), one of the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), plays an important function in regulating diverse human malignant tumors. Nevertheless, the functions of RPL34-AS1 in ischemic stroke remain unclear. The present work focused on determining the candidate targets of RPL34-AS1 and its related mechanism in ischemic injury. The oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD/R) in vitro cell model and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in vivo rat model were utilized to simulate the pathological process of ischemic stroke. Additionally, the CCK8, WB (detecting Bcl-2 and Bax protein levels), and caspase-3 activity assays were done to investigate the anti-apoptotic functions of RPL34-AS1. The relationship among RPL34-AS1, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), and microRNA-223-3p (miR-223-3p) was determined through luciferase reporter assay. In this study, RPL34-AS1 expression was reduced in patients suffering from ischemic stroke. The overexpression of RPL34-AS1 reduced ischemic brain damage. However, the cell viability and glucose uptake were increased, and the apoptosis rate was decreased in the OGD/R-induced neurons. Further, miR-223-3p resulted in the decreased cell viability and glucose uptake and the increased cell apoptosis to cause ischemic brain damage. Besides, the neuroprotective effects of RPL34-AS1 on OGD/R injury were partly reversed by miR-223-3p. Mechanistically, lncRNA RPL34-AS1 could function as the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of miR-223-3p to regulate IGF1R. Collectively, our study demonstrated that lncRNA RPL34-AS1 attenuated OGD/R-induced neuronal injury by mediating miR-223-3p/IGF1R axis. This discovery might serve as the candidate therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.

Metformin exhibits antiproliferation activity in breast cancer via miR-483-3p/METTL3/m6A/p21 pathway.

Evidence suggests that metformin might be a potential candidate for breast cancer treatment. Yet, its relevant molecular mechanisms remain to be fully investigated. We found that metformin could suppress the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) level in breast cancer cells significantly. The latter has an essential role in breast cancer progression and is newly considered as a therapeutic target. In this study, we measured the m6A level by m6A colorimetric analysis and dot blot assay. We then performed qRT-PCR, western blot, MeRIP, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and others to explore the m6A-dependent pathway associated with metformin. In vivo effect of metformin was investigated using a mouse tumorigenicity model. In addition, breast cancer and normal tissues were used to determine the role of METTL3 in breast cancer. Metformin could reduce the m6A level via decreasing METTL3 expression mediated by miR-483-3p in breast cancer. METTL3 is known to be able to promote breast cancer cell proliferation by regulating the p21 expression by an m6A-dependent manner. Metformin can take p21 as the main target to inhibit such effect. To specify, this study exhibited that metformin can inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation through the pathway miR-483-3p/METTL3/m6A/p21. Our findings suggest that METTL3 may be considered as a potential therapeutic target of metformin for breast cancer.

Anxiety and depression and its correlates in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Wuhan.

OBJECTIVES: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first broke-out in Wuhan China in December 2019, and spread throughout the entire country within a short time. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of depression and anxiety and associated risk factors were analysed in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This single-center cross-sectional study focussed on measuring depression and anxiety using self-report scales. Linear regression was used to determine independent predictors for depression and anxiety. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients who were confirmed to have COVID-19 were enrolled in the study. Prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms were diagnosed in 35.9% and 38.5% of the patients, respectively. Multivariate linear regression analysis found female gender was an independent predictor for higher depression severity index. Having family members who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and family members who died from COVID-19 were independently associated with higher depression severity index and anxiety score. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COVID-19 especially those who had family members diagnosed with COVID-19 or died from COVID-19 were more susceptible to depression and anxiety than were other patients. Effective strategies should be pursued to improve the mental health of this patient population.Key pointsPatients with COVID-19 showed a significantly high prevalence of depression and anxiety.Female patients were associated with higher risk of depression.Patients with family members diagnosed as COVID-19 or died from this disease were associated with higher risk of depression and anxiety.

Clinical significance of IFIT2 expression in human renal cancer tissues.

BACKGROUND: Interferon (IFN)-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 2 (IFIT2) is an important member of the IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) family. It has been demonstrated that IFIT2 is important in the physiopathological processes of antiviral and antitumor activities. We previously demonstrated that IFIT2 was highly expressed in paracarcinoma tissues compared with gastric cancer tissues, and its expression level was positively correlated with a superior postoperative prognosis of the patients. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical staining of IFIT2 in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tissues by using a tissue microarray. RNAseq data of kidney clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to perform the enrichment analyses based on the genes that were highly correlated with IFIT2. RESULTS: Weak staining of IFIT2 was located on the cytoplasm and cell membrane surface of the cancer cells, while positive staining of IFIT2 was located mainly on adjacent normal tissues. Survival analysis showed that patients with higher IFIT2 expression had better overall survival than patients with lower IFIT2 expression (P=0.030). The Cox model further demonstrated that age (P=0.002), pathological stage (P=0.000), TNM stage (P=0.005) and IFIT2 expression (P=0.003) could be used as independent prognostic predictors for ccRCC patients. Additionally, the enrichment analysis based on ccRCC expression profile data extracted from TCGA revealed that the genes highly correlated with IFIT2 were mainly related to the biological processes of virus response, T cells and the innate immune response (GO:0009615, GO:0042110, and GO:0045088) and the pathways of NLR signaling, chemokine signaling, and TLR signaling (hsa04621, hsa04062, and hsa04620). CONCLUSIONS: IFIT2 could serve as a potential prognostic marker for ccRCC patients, and the mechanism of decreased IFIT2 expression in the progression of ccRCC merits further investigation.

Bioinformatics analysis of potential therapeutic targets among ARHGAP genes in breast cancer.

GTPase activating proteins (RhoGAPs) serve significant roles in multiple aspects of tumor biology. Genes encoding RhoGAPs (ARHGAP), which switch off Rho-like GTPases, are responsible for breast cancer biogenesis. However, the identification of suitable and novel biomarkers for precision treatment and prognosis remains challenging. The present study aimed to evaluate the expression of ARHGAP family genes in breast cancer and investigate the survival data using the Oncomine, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, bcGenExMiner and cBioPortal online databases. The results demonstrated low expression of ARHGAP6, 7, 10, 14, 19, 23 and 24 and high expression of ARHGAP9, 11, 15, 18 and 30 in patients with breast cancer compared with that in healthy individuals. The survival analysis revealed that low expression levels of ARHGAP6, 7 and 19 were associated with poor relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS), whereas high expression levels of ARHGAP9, 15 and 30 were associated with preferable RFS and OS. Metastatic relapse data demonstrated that higher expression of ARHGAP9, 15, 18, 19, 25 and 30 were associated with better prognosis and increased expression of ARHGAP11A and 14 exerted negative effects on patient prognosis. The overlapping genes ARHGAP9, 15, 19 and 30 obtained from these bioinformatics analysis tools exhibited significant association with clinical parameters including age, the presence of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor-2, Scarff-Bloom-Richardson grade and Nottingham prognostic index. In conclusion, bioinformatics analysis revealed that ARHGAP9, 15, 19 and 30, but not other ARHGAP family genes may be promising targets with prognostic value and biological function for precision treatment of breast cancer.

Bioinformatics analysis of dysregulated microRNAs in exosomes from docetaxel-resistant and parental human breast cancer cells.

Background: Resistance to docetaxel is a major obstacle to effective treatment of breast cancer. Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been introduced in cell-to-cell transmission of chemoresistance between heterogeneous populations of tumor cells with diverse drug sensitivity. However, a systematic evaluation of the exosomal miRNA signature remains largely unclear. Method: miRNA expression profiles in exosomes from docetaxel-resistant (D/exo) and parental sensitive breast cancer cells (S/exo) were assessed using microarray. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict target genes of the dysregulated miRNAs and to uncover their potential roles in chemoresistance formation. Signaling pathways, gene ontology terms, transcription factors, protein-protein interactions, and hub genes were also constructed. Results: The selected exosomal miRNAs could modulate target genes responsible for MAPK, TGF-beta, Wnt, mTOR, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Function enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of target genes in transcription regulation, protein phosphorylation, kinase activity, and protein binding. Enriched transcription factors including SP1, SP4, and EGR1 were obtained and a protein-protein interaction network was established. The hub genes for up-expressed and down-expressed exosomal miRNAs such as CCND1 and PTEN were identified. Conclusion: This bioinformatics study provides a comprehensive view of the function of dysregulated exosomal miRNAs, and may help us to understand exosome-mediated resistance transmission and overcome docetaxel resistance in future breast cancer therapy.

Tumor Abnormal Protein in the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer in Patients with a Palpable Mass.

BACKGROUND: Tumor abnormal protein (TAP) is now gradually applied for early detection of cancers. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of serum TAP in breast cancer patients with a palpable mass. METHODS: TAP from peripheral blood of 217 breast cancer patients and 222 with benign tumors patients were compared. The relationships between TAP value and clinical parameters of breast cancer patients were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to identify the diagnostic value of TAP. RESULTS: Higher TAP level was found in breast cancer patients compared with benign patients (P<0.001). TAP was not associated with estrogen receptor, progestogen receptor, her-2 expression, tumor size, and pathological degree, but it was significantly associated with the age, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage (P=0.023, 0.017, and 0.031, respectively). At a cut-off TAP value of 121 µm2, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 59.45%, 63.96%, 61.72%, 61.74%, and 61.73%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum TAP may be used as a biomarker in breast cancer diagnosis, but receiver operating characteristic curve indicates it may be limited by its sensitivity/specificity characteristics.

Bioinformatics analysis of prognostic value of TRIM13 gene in breast cancer.

Background: Tripartite motif 13 (TRIM13) plays a significant role in various biological processes including cell growth, apoptosis, transcriptional regulation, and carcinogenesis. However, the prognostic significance of TRIM13 gene in breast cancer treatment remains largely unclear. Methods: We performed a bioinformatics analysis of the clinical parameters and survival data as it relates to TRIM13 in breast cancer patients using several online databases including Oncomine, bcGenExMiner, PrognoScan, and UCSC Xena. Results: We found that TRIM13 was lower-expressed in different subtypes of breast cancer with respect to normal tissues. Estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status were positively correlated with TRIM13 level; whereas, the Scarff-Bloom-Richardson grade, Nottingham prognostic index, nodal status, basal-like status, and triple-negative status were negatively related to TRIM13 expression in breast cancer patients with respect to normal individuals. Lower TRIM13 expression correlated with worse distant metastasis free survival, relapse free survival, disease specific survival, and metastatic relapse free survival. We also confirmed a positive correlation between TRIM13 and RAB11FIP2 gene expression. Conclusion: Bioinformatics analysis revealed that TRIM13 may be adopted as a promising predictive biomarker for prognosis of breast cancer. More in-depth experiments and clinical trials are needed to validate the value of TRIM13 in breast cancer treatment.

Bioinformatics analysis revealing prognostic significance of RRM2 gene in breast cancer.

Background: Ribonucleotide reductase M2 subunit (RRM2) plays vital roles in many cellular processes such as cell proliferation, invasiveness, migration, angiogenesis, senescence, and tumorigenesis. However, the prognostic significance of RRM2 gene in breast cancer remains to be investigated. Methods:RRM2 expression was initially evaluated using the Oncomine database. The relevance between RRM2 level and clinical parameters as well as survival data in breast cancer was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter, PrognoScan, and Breast Cancer Gene-Expression Miner (bc-GenExMiner) databases. Results:RRM2 was overexpressed in different subtypes of breast cancer patients. Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were negatively correlated with RRM2 expression. Conversely, the Scarff-Bloom-Richardson (SBR) grade, Nottingham prognostic index (NPI), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) status, nodal status, basal-like status, and triple-negative status were positively related to RRM2 level in breast cancer samples with respect to normal tissues. Patients with increased RRM2 showed worse overall survival, relapse-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, disease-specific survival, and disease-free survival. RRM2 also exerted positive effect on metastatic relapse event. Besides, a positive correlation between RRM2 and KIF11 genes was confirmed. Conclusion: Bioinformatics analysis revealed that RRM2 might be used as a predictive biomarker for prognosis of breast cancer. Further studies are needed to more precisely elucidate the value of RRM2 in evaluating breast cancer prognosis.

Analysis of miRNA signature differentially expressed in exosomes from adriamycin-resistant and parental human breast cancer cells.

A major cause of failure in chemotherapy is drug resistance of cancer cells. Exosomes have been introduced to spread chemoresistance through delivering miRNAs. However, a systematic evaluation of the exosomal miRNA expression profiles responsible for chemoresistance is still lacking. In the present study, miRNA signature differentially expressed in exosomes derived from adriamycin-resistant (A/exo) and parental breast cancer cells (S/exo) were analyzed by microarray and the results were confirmed by PCR. A total of 309 miRNAs were increased and 66 miRNAs were decreased significantly in A/exo compared with S/exo. Specifically, 52 novel miRNAs with increased expression levels >16.0-fold in A/exo were identified. After prediction of target genes for 13 of 52 selected novel miRNAs, pathway analysis, gene ontology (GO) terms, and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) were constructed. The results implied that these selected exosomal miRNAs inhibited target genes involved in transcriptional misregulation in cancer, MAPK, and Wnt signaling pathways. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that the target genes were mainly responsible for protein phosphorylation, transcription regulation, molecular binding, and kinase activity. In summary, the current bioinformatics study of exosomal miRNAs may offer a new understanding into mechanisms of chemoresistance, which is helpful to find potential exosomal miRNAs to overcome drug insensitivity in future breast cancer treatment.

The plasticity of the corticospinal tract in children with obstetric brachial plexus palsy after Botulinum Toxin A treatment.

Botulinum neurotoxin A (BTX-A) intervention has long-term benefits for children with obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP). Although cortical plasticity has been widely studied, plasticity in white matter has not received as much attention. Here, six children with OBPP underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) before and 6 months after BTX-A treatment. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded. The aim was to investigate changes in the corticospinal tract (CST) as an example longitudinal observation of white matter plasticity. Deterministic fiber tracking with a Fiber Assignment by Continuous Tracking algorithm was used to reconstruct the CST. Fiber tracts passing through a region of interest (ROI) in the posterior limb of the internal capsule and a target ROI in the upper-limb representation of M1 (defined by task-related fMRI) were selected as the CST. Motor performances were improved while EMG showed no significant difference 6 months after the treatment. We observed a significant increase in mean fractional anisotropy and a significant decrease in fiber number after treatment. We analyzed the correlations between DTI metrics and clinical motor assessments. Although the correlation results were not statistically significant, they support the notion that BTX-A treatment causes white matter plasticity and has a positive long-term outcome. Peripheral deafferentation may lead to altered information flow, resulting in the positive adaptation of white matter. This study provides novel insight into cerebral plasticity following peripheral nerve regeneration and indicates that a combination of relatively non-invasive therapies can accelerate plasticity of sensorimotor circuits and promote functional recovery in OBPP.

D Rhamnose ß-Hederin against human breast cancer by reducing tumor-derived exosomes.

D Rhamnose ß-hederin (DRß-H), a novel oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Clematis ganpiniana, has been demonstrated to be effective against various types of tumor. However, the exact role of DRß-H on breast cancer remains largely unresolved. In the present study, it was observed that DRß-H exhibited anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activity in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7/S). DRß-H was able to inhibit exosome secretion, and the level of exosomes was positively associated with cell growth after absorption and internalization by target breast cancer cells. By analyzing the miRNA profiles of exosomes and MCF-7/S, it was identified that several miRNAs were detected exclusively in exosomes. Knockdown of the top five exosomal miRNAs and an MCF-7/S proliferation assay indicated that exosomal miR-130a and miR-425 may enhance MCF-7/S cell viability. Target gene prediction and pathway analysis revealed the involvement of miR-130a and miR-425 in pathways associated with malignant cell proliferation. These results demonstrated that DRß-H inhibited MCF-7/S cell growth through reducing exosome release.

d Rhamnose ß-hederin reverses chemoresistance of breast cancer cells by regulating exosome-mediated resistance transmission.

d Rhamnose ß-hederin (DRß-H), an active component extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Clematis ganpiniana, has been reported to be effective against breast cancer. Recent studies have also indicated that the isolated exosomes (D/exo) from docetaxel-resistant breast cancer cells MCF-7 (MCF-7/Doc) were associated with resistance transmission by delivering genetic cargo. However, the relevance of D/exo during DRß-H exposure remains largely unclear. In the present work, exosomes were characterized by morphology and size distribution. We reinforced the significant role of D/exo in spreading chemoresistance from MCF-7/Doc to recipient sensitive cells after absorption and internalization. DRß-H could reduce the formation and release of D/exo. Next, we demonstrated that DRß-H was able to reverse docetaxel resistance and that D/exo was responsible for DRß-H-mediated resistance reversal. We also found that DRß-H could decrease the expressions of several most abundant miRNAs (miR-16, miR-23a, miR-24, miR-26a, and miR-27a) transported by D/exo. Target gene prediction and pathway analysis showed the involvement of these selected miRNAs in pathways related to treatment failure. Our results suggested that DRß-H could reduce D/exo secretion from MCF-7/Doc cells and induce the reduction in resistance transmission via D/exo.

Electrophysiological evidence for pre-attention information processing improvement in patients with central hemiplegic after peripheral nerve rewiring: a pilot study.

Central neurologic injury (CNI) causes dysfunctions not only in limbs but also in cognitive ability. We applied a novel peripheral nerve rewiring (PNR) surgical procedure to restore limb function. Here, we conducted a prospective study to develop estimates for the extent of preattentive processes to cognitive function changes in CNI patients after PNR. Auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) was measured in CNI patients who received the PNR surgery plus conventional rehabilitation treatment. During the 2-year follow-up, the MMN was enhanced with increased amplitude in the PNR plus rehabilitation group compared to the rehabilitation-only group as the experiment progressed, and progressive improvement in behavioural examination tests was also observed. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between the changes in Fugl-Meyer assessment scale scores and in MMN amplitudes. These results suggested that PNR could affect the efficiency of pre-attention information processing synchronously with the recovery of motor function in the paralyzed arm of the in chronic CNI patients. Such electroencephalographic measures might provide a biological approach with which to distinguish patient subgroups after surgery, and the change in MMN may serve as an objective auxiliary index, indicating the degree of motor recovery and brain cognitive function.