Comparison of Different Intraocular Lens Power Calculation Formulas in Eyes with Primary Angle Closure.

PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of six intraocular lens power calculation formulas, Barrett Universal Ⅱ (BU Ⅱ), Haigis, Hoffer QST, HolladayⅠ, Kane and SRK/T, in eyes with primary angle closure disease (PACD). SETTING: Xiamen University Affiliated Xiamen Eye center, Xiamen, Fujian, China. DESIGN: Prospective case series. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with PACD and cataract and met the indication for cataract surgery were enrolled in the study. Six intraocular lens power calculation formulas were used to calculate refractive diopter. Percentage of eyes with prediction error (PE) within ±0.50D, and the median absolute prediction error (MedAE) were compared to determine the accuracy of different formulas in PACD patients. Subgroup analysis was performed according to axial length (AL). The accuracy of Barrett Universal Ⅱ was compared between PACD patients and age-related cataract patients. RESULTS: 105 patients (105 eyes) with PACD and 35 patients (35 eyes) with age-related cataract were enrolled in the study. Haigis, Kane and Barrett Universal Ⅱ formula achieved a comparable outcome and outperformed over the other three formulas in PACD patients. Subgroup analysis showed that the group with long AL has lower values of MedAE. PE was significantly positively correlated with AL and negatively correlated with relative lens position (RLP) when calculated use Barrett Universal Ⅱ and Kane. CONCLUSIONS: Haigis, Kane and Barrett Universal Ⅱ formula achieved a comparable outcome and outperformed over the other three formulas in PACD patients.

ATF4 inhibits TRPV4 function and controls itch perception in rodents and nonhuman primates.

ABSTRACT: Acute and chronic itch are prevalent and incapacitating, yet the neural mechanisms underlying both acute and chronic itch are just starting to be unraveled. Activated transcription factor 4 (ATF4) belongs to the ATF/CREB transcription factor family and primarily participates in the regulation of gene transcription. Our previous study has demonstrated that ATF4 is expressed in sensory neurons. Nevertheless, the role of ATF4 in itch sensation remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that ATF4 plays a significant role in regulating itch sensation. The absence of ATF4 in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons enhances the itch sensitivity of mice. Overexpression of ATF4 in sensory neurons significantly alleviates the acute and chronic pruritus in mice. Furthermore, ATF4 interacts with the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 4 (TRPV4) and inhibits its function without altering the expression or membrane trafficking of TRPV4 in sensory neurons. In addition, interference with ATF4 increases the itch sensitivity in nonhuman primates and enhances TRPV4 currents in nonhuman primates DRG neurons; ATF4 and TRPV4 also co-expresses in human sensory neurons. Our data demonstrate that ATF4 controls pruritus by regulating TRPV4 signaling through a nontranscriptional mechanism and identifies a potential new strategy for the treatment of pathological pruritus.

Preparation and characterizations of antibacterial poly(methyl methacrylate) bone cement via copolymerization with a quaternary ammonium monomer of dimethylaminotriclosan methacrylate.

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement relies on the loaded antibiotic to realize the antibacterial purpose. But the exothermic behavior during setting often makes temperature-sensitive antibiotics inactivated. It is necessary to develop new material candidates to replace antibiotics. In this study, a new quaternary ammonium methacrylate (QAM) monomer called dimethylaminetriclosan methacrylate (DMATCM) was designed by the quaternization between 2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate and triclosan, then employed as the modifier to explore the feasibility of equipping bone cement with antibacterial activity, and to investigate the variations on the physical and biological performances brought by the substitution ratio of DMATCM to MMA. Results showed that DMATCM opened its C=C bonding to participate in the MMA polymerization, and the quaternary ammonium group helped it to perform broad-spectrum antibacterial property against both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. With an increased substitution ratio of DMATCM to MMA, the glass transition temperatures, the maximum exothermic temperatures, and the contact angles of bone cements declined, but the residual monomer contents, the fluid uptakes, and the setting times under Vical indentation increased. Long-term soaking made almost no changes to the weight loss and the mechanical properties of DMATCM-modified cements with lower substitution ratios of 0∼20%, and the activation rather enhanced the strengths of uncured AMBC-4 and AMBC-5 samples. Owing to more DMATCM exposed on the cement surface, the inhibition ring diameter produced by modified cement was improved to a maximum of 28.09 mm, and MC3T3-E1 cells performed the cell viabilities all beyond 70% and healthy adhesion after 72 h co-culturing. Taking all measured properties and ISO standards into account, the antibacterial bone cement under the ratio of 10% performed better, besides its good bactericidal effect, the other properties satisfied the requirements for clinical application.

Multicolor Afterglow from Carbon Dots: Preparation and Mechanism.

Carbon dots (CDs), as emerging long afterglow luminescent material, have attracted the attention of researchers and become one of the hot topics in long afterglow materials. In recent years, researchers have obtained a series of CDs-based long afterglow materials with different properties utilizing matrix-assisted and self-protective methods. To meet diverse application needs, the development of multicolor CDs-based long afterglow materials is a focus and challenge in this field. Most of the previously reported CDs-based long afterglow materials generally emit blue or green afterglow. Recently, some multicolor systems have been discovered, and the emission range can extend from ultraviolet to near-infrared. However, there is a lack of systematic and in-depth analysis regarding the preparation strategy and luminescence mechanism of multicolor afterglow from CDs-based long afterglow materials. Based on this, this review summarizes the preparation strategies of multicolor afterglow from raw materials and reaction parameters. Then, the luminescence mechanisms of multicolor afterglow are analyzed from seven factors, including carbonization degree, surface state, aggregation degree, temperature dependence, excitation dependence, multi-emission center, and energy transfer. Moreover, the applications of multicolor afterglow from CDs-based long afterglow materials are introduced. Finally, the problems and challenges in this field are discussed, and the future development directions are analyzed.

Multiphase Interfacial Regulation Based on Hierarchical Porous Molybdenum Selenide to Build Anticorrosive and Multiband Tailorable Absorbers.

Electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials have an irreplaceable position in the field of military stealth as well as in the field of electromagnetic pollution control. And in order to cope with the complex electromagnetic environment, the design of multifunctional and multiband high efficiency EMW absorbers remains a tremendous challenge. In this work, we designed a three-dimensional porous structure via the salt melt synthesis strategy to optimize the impedance matching of the absorber. Also, through interfacial engineering, a molybdenum carbide transition layer was introduced between the molybdenum selenide nanoparticles and the three-dimensional porous carbon matrix to improve the absorption behavior of the absorber. The analysis indicates that the number and components of the heterogeneous interfaces have a significant impact on the EMW absorption performance of the absorber due to mechanisms such as interfacial polarization and conduction loss introduced by interfacial engineering. Wherein, the prepared MoSe2/MoC/PNC composites showed excellent EMW absorption performance in C, X, and Ku bands, especially exhibiting a reflection loss of - 59.09 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 6.96 GHz at 1.9 mm. The coordination between structure and components endows the absorber with strong absorption, broad bandwidth, thin thickness, and multi-frequency absorption characteristics. Remarkably, it can effectively reinforce the marine anticorrosion property of the epoxy resin coating on Q235 steel substrate. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between interfacial engineering and the performance of EMW absorbers, and provides a reference for the design of multifunctional, multiband EMW absorption materials.

Consensus tracking and vibration control for multiple single-link flexible manipulators with input signal quantization.

This study examines consensus tracking and vibration control of a multiagent system consisting of multiple single-link flexible manipulators with input signal quantization. The dynamics of each flexible manipulator are described by fourth-order partial differential equations (PDEs). A logarithmic quantizer with changeable parameters is adopted to quantize control inputs, and adaptive laws are designed to compensate for the effect caused by quantization. A distributed adaptive boundary control protocol is proposed based on the PDE model to ensure all manipulators track the desired angular position and eliminate vibrations without knowledge of quantizer parameters. The proposed control protocol is proven to ensure the uniformly bounded stability of the closed-loop system. Simulations are carried out under three cases to illustrate the effectiveness of the designed strategy.

Enhancement of Terahertz Emission by Silver Nanoparticles in a Liquid Medium.

Due to higher molecular density, lower ionization potential, and a better self-healing property compared with gases, liquid targets have been used for laser-induced terahertz generation for many years. In this work, a liquid target used for terahertz radiation is embedded with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), which makes the material have both the fluidity of liquids and conductivity of metals. Meanwhile, the experimental setup is easier to implement than that of liquid metals. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is used as a stabilizing agent to avoid precipitation formation. It is observed that the power of 0.5 THz radiation from the Ag NP suspension is five times stronger than that from liquid water in identical experimental conditions. In addition, the reusability of the material is investigated using multiple excitations. UV-visible spectroscopy and TEM imaging are carried out to analyze the target material after each excitation. As a result, quasispherical Ag NP suspensions show good reusability for several excitations and only a decrease in particle concentration is observed. By contrast, the chain-like Ag NP suspension shows poor stability due to PVA damage caused by intense laser pulses, so it cannot be used in a recyclable manner.

One-Step Electropolymerization of a Dicyanobenzene-Carbazole-Imidazole Dye to Prepare Photoactive Redox Polymer Films.

To the best of our knowledge, this study reports the first direct electropolymerization of a dicyanobenzene-carbazole dye functionalized with an imidazole group to prepare redox- and photoactive porous organic polymer (POP) films in controlled amounts. The POP films were grown on indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) and carbon surfaces using a new monomer, 1-imidazole-2,4,6-tri(carbazol-9-yl)-3,5-dicyanobenzene (1, 3CzImIPN), through a simple one-step process. The structure and activities of the POP films were investigated as photoelectrodes for electrooxidations, as heterogeneous photocatalysts for photosynthetic olefin isomerizations, and for solid-state photoluminescence behavior tunable by lithium-ion concentrations in solution. The results demonstrate that the photoredox-POPs can be used as efficient photocatalysts, and they have potential applications in sensing.

Electroacupuncture activates angiogenesis by regulating the PI3K/Pten/Thbs1 signaling pathway to promote the browning of adipose tissue in HFD-induced obese mice.

This study investigated the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) via angiogenesis and its potential mechanism in obese mice. Four-week-old male C56BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a high-fat diet (HFD) and a normal chow diet (ND) group. After 12 weeks, HFD mice were randomly divided into two groups to receive or not receive EA for 3 weeks. After EA treatment, body weight, adipocyte size, serum glucose (GLU), triacylglycerol (TG), cholesterol (CHO), leptin (Lep), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), WAT browning-related genes, angiogenesis-related genes, and the PI3K/Pten/Thbs1 signaling pathway were evaluated. The results indicated that EA significantly reduced body weight, adipocyte size, and serum concentrations of GLU, TG, CHO, Lep and MCP-1 and promoted WAT browning. Angiogenesis and the PI3K/Pten/Thbs1 signaling pathway were all activated by EA intervention. The expression levels were consistent with the results of RNA-seq and confirmed via qRTPCR and WB. Our study showed that EA may activate angiogenesis via the PI3K/Pten/Thbs1 signaling pathway in WAT, thereby promoting the browning and thermogenesis of adipose tissue.

Influence of Pilocarpine Eyedrops on the Ocular Biometric Parameters and Intraocular Lens Power Calculation.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of pilocarpine eyedrops on the ocular biometric parameters and whether these parameter changes affect the intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation in patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). Methods: Twenty-two PACG patients and fifteen normal subjects were enrolled. Ocular biometric parameters including the axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), mean keratometry (Km), and white-to-white distance (WTW) were measured by using a Lenstar LS 900 device before and at least 30 minutes after instillation of 2% pilocarpine eyedrops. Lens position (LP) was calculated, and the IOL power prediction based on the ocular biometric parameters was performed using the Barrett Universal II, Haigis, Hoffer Q, Holladay I, or SRK/T formulas before and after pilocarpine application. Results: In both PACG and normal groups, pilocarpine eyedrops induced a slight but statistically significant increase in the mean AL (0.01 mm for both groups) and mean LT (0.02 mm and 0.03 mm, respectively) but a significant decrease in the mean ACD (0.03 mm and 0.05 mm, respectively) and mean LP (0.02 mm and 0.04 mm, respectively). No significant changes in the mean Km and WTW were noticed in both groups. In addition, the IOL power calculation revealed insignificant changes before and after the pilocarpine instillation in both groups, regardless of the formula used. Conclusions: Pilocarpine eyedrops can induce slight changes in the ocular biometric parameters including the AL, ACD, LT, and LP. However, these parameter changes will not result in a significant difference in IOL power estimation.

Electronically Conductive, Multifunctional Polymer Binder for Highly Active, Stable, and Abundant Composite Electrodes for Oxygen Evolution.

The electrolysis of water to form hydrogen and oxygen is a promising method to store renewable energy. This method requires electrodes that convert water into protons, electrons, and oxygen. We report a multifunctional polymer that conducts electrons and ions and may coreact with the electrocatalyst in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The electrodes were prepared in two steps from off-the-shelf reagents. They operate with low loadings of abundant catalysts and are among the most active (100 mA cm-2 at 1.43 V vs RHE (1.41 V, iR-corrected)) and stable electrodes, reported to date under harsh conditions (85 °C, 6 M KOH, 120 h (0.69% loss over the first 14.5 h and then 0.61% loss over 105.5 h)). Control experiments on glassy carbon electrodes showed that the polycarbazole system significantly outperformed a Nafion system of the same catalyst loading. This simple strategy can be applied to other types of electrodes.

Establishment of papillary thyroid cancer organoid lines from clinical specimens.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a common malignancy of the endocrine system, and its morbidity and mortality are increasing year by year. Traditional two-dimensional culture of cell lines lacks tissue structure and is difficult to reflect the heterogeneity of tumors. The construction of mouse models is inefficient and time-consuming, which is difficult to be applied to individualized treatment on a large scale. Clinically relevant models that recapitulate the biology of their corresponding parental tumors are urgently needed. Based on clinical specimens of PTC, we have successfully established patient-derived organoids by exploring and optimizing the organoid culture system. These organoids have been cultured stably for more than 5 passages and successfully cryopreserved and retried. Histopathological and genome analysis revealed a high consistency of the histological architectures as well as mutational landscapes between the matched tumors and organoids. Here, we present a fully detailed method to derive PTC organoids from clinical specimens. Using this approach, we have developed PTC organoid lines from thyroid cancer samples with a success rate of 77.6% (38/49) until now.

Optimal particle distribution induced interfacial polarization in hollow double-shell composites for electromagnetic waves absorption performance.

Tunable designs of polymorphic structured transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) demonstrate promising applications in the field of electromagnetic wave absorption (EMW). However, it remains a technical challenge for achieving a balanced relationship between well-matched impedance characteristics and dielectric losses. Therefore, the co-modification strategies of polydopamine coating and wet impregnation are chosen to construct CoS2 magnetic double-shell microspheres with phase component modulation to achieve the optimized performance. Dopamine hydrochloride forms a coating on the surface of CoS2 microspheres by self-polymerization and forms a double-shell structure during the pyrolysis process. Then the different metal is doped to generate heterogeneous components in the process of heat treatment. The results show that the cobalt doped double-shell microspheres have an ultra-high electromagnetic wave absorption absorption capacity with an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.04 GHz (1.98 mm) and a minimum reflection loss value of -48.90 dB. The double-shell layer structure and metal ion hybridization can improve the interfacial polarization and magnetic loss behavior, which provides an explicit inspiration for the development of transition metal dichalcogenide and even transition metal compounds with tunable absorption properties.

Expression and regulatory characteristics of peripheral blood immune cells in primary Sjögren's syndrome patients using single-cell transcriptomic.

Immune cell subgroups in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) are thought to regulate immune responses, but the nature and functions of these subgroups remain unclear. Here we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of about 68,500 PBMCs from three patients with pSS and three healthy controls (HCs). We found that CD14+ monocytes from pSS patients expressed high levels of the transcription factor CEBPD, and the direct regulation of target genes expression by CEBPD tends to participate in the TNF-α signaling via NF-κB in monocytes. FOLR3 and IL1B were upregulated separately in CD14+ monocyte subsets from different pSS patients. We proposed a system for classifying CD56-CD16+ NK cells based on FCER1G expression. Compared with HCs, pSS patients showed a significantly higher ratio of CD56-CD16+FCER1G+ NK cells to CD56-CD16+FCER1G- NK cells. Our analysis provides a reference dataset and reveals its immune heterogeneity among PBMCs in pSS.

Primary lesion radiotherapy during first-line icotinib treatment in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with multiple metastases and no brain metastases: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The most frequent mode of progression in the majority of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with  Epidermal growth factor - receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) is failure to respond to treatment at the primary lesion, suggesting that concurrent radiotherapy (CRT) to the primary lesion (CPRT) during first-line treatment with EGFR-TKI may be a novel therapeutic approach with a potential of additional benefit for metastatic NSCLC. Therefore, this study investigated the progression-free survival (PFS) and safety of CPRT during first-line icotinib treatment in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations. METHODS: EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients diagnosed with limited multiple metastases were treated with first-line icotinib. The decision to treat the primary lesions with radiation largely depended on the patient's preference. The study endpoints included PFS, toxicity, progression pattern, and acquisition of the T790M mutation. RESULTS: The median PFS in the CPRT and Non-CPRT groups was 13.6 and 10.6 months (hazard ratio [HR] 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15-0.37, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the results were statistically significant with 14.7 and 11.5 months for the 19del mutation (HR 0.20, 95% CI 0.10-0.40, P < 0.001) and 12.9 and 9.9 months for the L858R mutation (HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.13-0.48, P < 0.001). There were no reports of interstitial pneumonia associated with treatment at grade 4 or above. Patients who received CPRT during first-line icotinib treatment had the potential to decrease the primary lesion progression (P < 0.05) without increasing newly metastatic lesions (P > 0.05). The proportion of acquired T790M mutations was 26.7% and 45.7% in both groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that CPRT is a viable option for patients with EGFR-sensitive mutations in NSCLC with limited multiple metastases during first-line icotinib treatment, which can significantly improve PFS with acceptable toxicities. Data on progression patterns and T790M mutations suggest the need to further investigate the benefits of radiation treatment from a molecular perspective.

Comparison of the biometric parameters in patients with high myopia and anisometropia.

BACKGROUND: To compare biometric parameters, especially lens parameters, in patients with high myopia and anisometropia. METHODS: Patients with spherical equivalent greater than -6D and at least one eye with an axial length greater than 26 mm and a difference in binocular axial length greater than 2 mm were included in this study. In each patient, the eye with a relatively shorter axial length was assigned to Group S, and the other eye was assigned to Group L. In patients whose binocular axial length difference was greater than 4 mm, the eye with the shorter axial length was assigned to Group S1 and the other eye was assigned to Group L1. In patients whose shorter eye axial was less than 26 mm, the eye with the shorter axial was assigned to Group S2 and the other eye was assigned to Group L2. Central corneal thickness, corneal curvature radius, axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, white-to-white corneal diameter and the radius of the anterior and posterior lens capsules were compared between Group S and Group L, Groups S1 and L1, and Groups S2 and L2. RESULTS: Sixty-four people were enrolled in the study. There were 26 people with an axial length difference more than 4 mm (Group S1 and Group L1) and 34 patients with an axial length less than 26 mm (Group S2 and Group L2). No significant differences were found in any parameters except axial length between Group S and Group L, Groups S1 and L1, or Groups S2 and L2 (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The anterior parameters of patients with high myopia did not change with the axial length.

Transcriptomic analysis unravels the molecular response of Lonicera japonica leaves to chilling stress.

Lonicera japonica is not only an important resource of traditional Chinese medicine, but also has very high horticultural value. Studies have been performed on the physiological responses of L. japonica leaves to chilling, however, the molecular mechanism underlying the low temperature-induced leaves morphological changes remains unclear. In this study, it has been demonstrated that the ratio of pigments content including anthocyanins, chlorophylls, and carotenoids was significantly altered in response to chilling condition, resulting in the color transformation of leaves from green to purple. Transcriptomic analysis showed there were 10,329 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) co-expressed during chilling stress. DEGs were mainly mapped to secondary metabolism, cell wall, and minor carbohydrate. The upregulated genes (UGs) were mainly enriched in protein metabolism, transport, and signaling, while UGs in secondary metabolism were mainly involved in phenylpropaoids-flavonoids pathway (PFP) and carotenoids pathway (CP). Protein-protein interaction analysis illustrated that 21 interacted genes including CAX3, NHX2, ACA8, and ACA9 were enriched in calcium transport/potassium ion transport. BR biosynthesis pathway related genes and BR insensitive (BRI) were collectively induced by chilling stress. Furthermore, the expression of genes involved in anthocyanins and CPs as well as the content of chlorogenic acid (CGA) and luteoloside were increased in leaves of L. japonica under stress. Taken together, these results indicate that the activation of PFP and CP in leaves of L. japonica under chilling stress, largely attributed to the elevation of calcium homeostasis and stimulation of BR signaling, which then regulated the PFP/CP related transcription factors.

The best thickness of cornea graft from SMILE surgery as patch graft in glaucoma drainage implant surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the best thickness of corneal slices acquired from femtosecond laser surgery-small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE surgery) as patch graft in glaucoma drainage implantation surgery. METHODS: This study is a prospective randomized study. Patients who received glaucoma drainage implantation from September 2016 to November 2018 were observed. The patients were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group A included 102 cases (104 eyes), receiving 1 layer (120-150 µm) of allogeneic lamellar corneal tissue as the graft. Group B included 117 cases (120 eyes), receiving 2 layers of lamellar corneal tissue from one donor. Group C included 109 cases (111 eyes), using 3 layers of lamellar corneal tissue from 2 donors. The intraocular pressure, corneal graft, conjunctiva stromalysis, drainage tube exposure, and drainage plate were observed. RESULTS: Patients were followed up for 6 to 33 months. The intraocular pressure was significantly reduced after surgery in all three groups. Conjunctiva stromalysis and drainage tubes were exposed in 3 eyes (3%) in group A and 1 eye (0.8%, a special case which has nystagmus and the plate was placed infratemporally) in group B, whereas no conjunctiva stromalysis or tube exposure was reported in group C. CONCLUSIONS: The corneal graft acquired from SMILE surgery can effectively prevent drainage tube exposure and give patients a better cosmetic appearance. Two layers of lamellar corneal tissue (240-300 µm) may be the best suitable thickness because it can effectively reduce tube exposure and rejection. In some special cases, 3 layers of lamellar corneal tissue are needed.

Setting behavior, apatite-forming ability, mechanical strength of polymethylmethacrylate bone cement through bioactivity modification of phosphate functional groups combined with Ca2+ ions.

Bioactivity modification helps polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement to reinforce its interfacial adhesion to bone tissues through the chemical bonding of apatite. Since Si-OH groups combined with Ca2+ ions have succeeded in inducing apatite formation, more combinations of functional groups and active ions are being explored. In this study, Bis[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] phosphate (B2meP) containing phosphate (=PO4H) groups and Ca(CH3COO)2 supplying Ca2+ ion were adopted to investigate the feasibility of equipping PMMA bone cement with apatite-forming ability in vitro, more effects under designed contents on setting behavior, injectability, contact angle, cytotoxicity and mechanical strength were also investigated. Results showed B2meP copolymerized with MMA and became one section of PMMA chains, surface = PO4H groups and released Ca2+ ions pushed spherical apatite individuals nucleating and agglomerating into layer horizontally, Increasing B2meP content lowered the contact angle and the peak temperature, enhanced the cell viability of MC3T3-E1, but prolonged apatite forming period. Injectability rate performed a similar trend to setting time. Lower adding content and deposited apatite layer contributed to reduce the strength loss in soaking. Taking biological performance and other properties into balance, cement added with B2meP of 10 wt% in MMA and Ca(CH3COO)2 of 20 wt% in PMMA performed better.

Ethanol Extract of the Infructescence of Platycarya strobilacea Sieb. et Zucc. Induces Methuosis of Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells.

The infructescence of Platycarya strobilacea Sieb. et Zucc. (PS) has been used in the treatment of rhinitis and sinusitis in clinical practice. Our preliminary study showed that an ethanol extract of the infructescence of PS (EPS) had significant antinasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) effects in vitro. However, the mechanism underlying the NPS cell death induced by EPS remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of EPS on NPC cells and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. The effects of EPS on NPC cells were investigated in CNE1 and CNE2 cells in vitro. In EPS-treated cells, the cell morphological changes were evaluated through fluorescence microscope, transmission electron microscopy, and flow cytometry. The underlying mechanism was analyzed via network pharmacology and further verified by western blot analysis. The anticancer effects of EPS were associated with the generation of CNE1 and CNE2 cell fusion and vacuoles, the perturbation of lysosomal vesicle transportation, and the induction of methuosis. The network pharmacology and western blot results indicated that the effect of EPS in NPC cells might be achieved via regulation of the Ras proto-oncogene (RAS)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and the transcription factor c-Fos proto-oncogene (c-FOS) and its downstream genes. EPS induces NPC cell death through methuosis. The mechanism might be related to regulation of the transcription factor c-FOS and its downstream genes.