Interleukin-9 promotes EMT-mediated PM2.5-induced pulmonary fibrosis by activating the STAT3 pathway.

This study investigated the impact of PM2.5 on promoting EMT in PM2.5-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) development and explored molecular mechanisms of the IL-9/STAT3/Snail/TWIST1 signaling pathway in PF owing to PM2.5. Four groups of male SD rats were formed: control (0 mg/kg.bw), low (1 mg/kg.bw), medium (5 mg/kg.bw), and high-dose (25 mg/kg.bw) PM2.5 groups. Experimental rats were subjected to PM2.5 exposure via intratracheal instillation, given once weekly for 16 weeks. 24 h after the final exposure, blood, BALF, and lung tissues were collected. Pulmonary epithelial cells underwent cultivation and exposure to varying PM2.5 concentrations with/without inhibitors for 24 h, after which total protein was extracted for relevant protein assays. The findings demonstrated that PM2.5 damaged lung tissue to different degrees and led to PF in rats. Rats subjected to PM2.5 exposure exhibited elevated concentrations of IL-9 protein in both serum and BALF, and elevated levels of IL-9 and its receptor, IL-9R, in lung tissues, compared to control counterparts. Furthermore, PM2.5-exposed groups demonstrated significantly augmented protein levels of p-STAT3, Snail, TWIST1, Vimentin, COL-I, and α-SMA, while displaying notably diminished levels of E-Cadherin compared to control group. The same findings were observed in PM2.5-treated cells. In BEAS-2B cells co-treated with Stattic (STAT3 inhibitor) and PM2.5, the opposite results occurred. Similar results were obtained for cells co-treated with IL-9-neutralizing antibody and PM2.5. Our findings suggest PM2.5 mediates PF development by promoting IL-9 expression, leading to STAT3 phosphorylation and upregulation of Snail and TWIST1 expression, triggering EMT occurrence and progression in lung epithelial cells.

Effect of esketamine on hypotension in women with preoperative anxiety undergoing elective cesarean section: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.

To investigate the effect of low-doses esketamine on spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension in women with preoperative anxiety undergoing elective cesarean section, the randomized controlled trial enrolled 120 women aged 18-35 years who preoperative State-Trait Anxiety Inventory State scores > 40, conducted from September 2022 to August 2023 in Xuzhou Central Hospital, China. Women in the esketamine group received a single intravenous injection of 0.2 mg/kg esketamine after sensory block level achieved. The incidence of hypotension in the esketamine group was significantly lower than the control group at T2 (10% [6 of 60]; P < 0.001), T3 (5.0% [3 of 60]; P = 0.007) and T4(5.0% [3 of 60]; P = 0.004). Despite being higher in the esketamine group, the overall rates of hypertension (11.7% [7 of 60]; P = 0.186), tachycardia (23.3% [14 of 60]; P = 0.246), and bradycardia (0.0% [0 of 60]; P = 0.079) were no significantly difference between the two groups. STAI-S scores was significantly lower in the esketamine group (mean [SD] 37.52[7.14]) than in the control group (mean [SD] 41.03[9.66], P = 0.39) in postoperative day 1. Spinal anesthesia combined with intravenous low-doses esketamine infusion can significantly reduce the incidence of hypotension in women with preoperative anxiety undergoing elective cesarean section.

Single-Layer GaInSe3: Promising Water-Splitting Photocatalyst with Solar Conversion Efficiency over 30% from Theoretical Calculations.

Hydrogen energy from solar water-splitting is known as an ideal method with which to address the energy crisis and global environmental pollution. Herein, the first-principles calculations are carried out to study the photocatalytic water-splitting performance of single-layer GaInSe3 under biaxial strains from -2% to +2%. Calculations reveal that single-layer GaInSe3 under various biaxial strains has electronic bandgaps ranging from 1.11 to 1.28 eV under biaxial strain from -2% to +2%, as well as a completely separated valence band maximum and conduction band minimum. Meanwhile, the appropriate band edges for water-splitting and visible optical absorption up to ~3 × 105 cm-1 are obtained under biaxial strains from -2% to 0%. More impressively, the solar conversion efficiency of single-layer GaInSe3 under biaxial strains from -2% to 0% reaches over 30%. The OER of unstrained single-layer GaInSe3 can proceed without co-catalysts. These demonstrate that single-layer GaInSe3 is a viable material for solar water-splitting.