Collagen hydrogel-driven pyroptosis suppression and combined microfracture technique delay osteoarthritis progression.

The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA), a disease causing severe medical burden and joint deformities, remains unclear. Chondrocyte death and osteochondral injury caused are the main pathological changes in OA. Thus, inhibiting chondrocyte death and repairing defective osteochondral are two important challenges in the treatment of OA. In this study, we found morphological changes consistent with cell pyroptosis in OA cartilage tissues. To inhibit chondrocyte pyroptosis and delay the progression of OA, we proposed to use decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) to form a composite hydrogel GelMA/dECM. Regarding osteochondral defect repair, our proposed treatment strategy was hydrogel combined with microfracture (MF) surgery. MF established a biological link between the osteochondral defect and the bone-marrow cavity, prompting the recruitment of bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to the osteochondral defect site, and the retained biopeptides in the hydrogel regulate the polarization of the BMSCs into hyaline cartilage, accelerating the repair of the defect. In vitro/vivo experiments and RNA sequencing analyses demonstrated that GelMA/dECM inhibited the occurrence of chondrocyte pyroptosis and delayed OA disease progression. Hydrogel also recruited numerous of BMSCs and contributed to chondrogenic differentiation, accelerating the in situ repair of defective osteochondral combined with MF. Collectively, GelMA/dECM composite hydrogel inhibited cartilage pyroptosis and reduced the pathway of chondrocyte death. Moreover, the hydrogel combined with microfracture technique could accelerate the repair of osteochondral defects. This is a groundbreaking attempt by tissue engineering, cell biology, and clinical medicine.

Understanding Variations in Ferrate Detection through the ABTS Method in the Presence of Electron-Rich Organic Compounds.

The chromogenic reaction between 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) and ferrate [Fe(VI)] has long been utilized for Fe(VI) content measurement. However, the presence of electron-rich organic compounds has been found to significantly impact Fe(VI) detection using the ABTS method, leading to relative errors ranging from ∼88 to 100%. Reducing substances consumed ABTS•+ and resulted in underestimated Fe(VI) levels. Moreover, the oxidation of electron-rich organics containing hydroxyl groups by Fe(VI) could generate a phenoxyl radical (Ph•), promoting the transformation of Fe(VI) → Fe(V) → Fe(IV). The in situ formation of Fe(IV) can then contribute to ABTS oxidation, altering the ABTS•+:Fe(VI) stoichiometry from 1:1 to 2:1. To overcome these challenges, we introduced Mn(II) as an activator and 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as a chromogenic agent for Fe(VI) detection. This Mn(II)/TMB method enables rapid completion of the chromogenic reaction within 2 s, with a low detection limit of approximately 4 nM and a wide detection range (0.01-10 µM). Importantly, the Mn(II)/TMB method exhibits superior resistance to reductive interference and effectively eliminates the impact of phenoxyl-radical-mediated intermediate valence iron transfer processes associated with electron-rich organic compounds. Furthermore, this method is resilient to particle interference and demonstrates practical applicability in authentic waters.

Impact of elevated CO2 on soil microbiota: A meta-analytical review of carbon and nitrogen metabolism.

In the face of 21st-century challenges driven by population growth and resource depletion, understanding the intricacies of climate change is crucial for environmental sustainability. This review systematically explores the interaction between rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations and soil microbial populations, with possible feedback effects on climate change and terrestrial carbon (C) cycling through a meta-analytical approach. Furthermore, it investigates the enzymatic activities related to carbon acquisition, gene expression patterns governing carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and metagenomic and meta-transcriptomic dynamics in response to elevated CO2 levels. The study reveals that elevated CO2 levels substantially influence soil microbial communities, increasing microbial biomass C and respiration rate by 15 % and upregulating genes involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism by 12 %. Despite a 14 % increase in C-acquiring enzyme activity, there is a 5 % decrease in N-acquiring enzyme activity, indicating complex microbial responses to CO2 changes. Additionally, fungal marker ratios increase by 14 % compared to bacterial markers, indicating potential ecosystem changes. However, the current inadequacy of data on metagenomic and meta-transcriptomic processes underscores the need for further research. Understanding soil microbial feedback mechanisms is crucial for elucidating the role of rising CO2 levels in carbon sequestration and climate regulation. Consequently, future research should prioritize a comprehensive elucidation of soil microbial carbon cycling, greenhouse gas emission dynamics, and their underlying drivers.

[Expression and Clinical Significance of LINC00475 in Multiple Myeloma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relative expression level and clinical significance of LINC00475 in serum of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: The expression of LINC00475 in serum of 108 MM patients and five MM cell lines including RPMI 8226, NCI-H929, U266, OPM2 and CAG were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The diagnostic value of LINC00475 in MM was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The correlation of LINC00475 with patients' characteristics was analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with control groups, the expression of LINC00475 was up-regulated in serum of MM patients and MM cell lines (all P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off value of LINC00475 was 262.4, the area under curve (AUC) was 0.924(95%CI : 0.884-0.964), and sensitivity and specificity was 83.3% and 91.7%, respectively, which indicated that LINC00475 had good evaluation value in MM patients. Compared with low-LINC00475 expression group, patients in high-LINC00475 expression group had higher levels of ß2microglobulin (ß2-MG) and Cystatin C (Cys-C) but lower albumin (ALB) (all P < 0.05). Compared with MM patients with International Staging System (ISS) stage I, the expression level of LINC00475 was significantly higher in patients with stage II and III (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: LINC00475 is helpful to distinguish MM patients from healthy adults, which is correlated with the prognostic indicators such as ß2-MG, ALB, and ISS stage.

Integrated model of ozone mass transfer and oxidation kinetic: Construction, solving and analysis.

Ozone-based advanced oxidation process (O3-AOPs) is rapidly evolving, but the surge of emerging pollutants brings new challenges for ozone oxidation research. Herein, we proposed a state-of-the-art model for simultaneously analyzing both ozone mass transfer and oxidation kinetics during ozone oxidation of emerging organic contaminants. The numerical solution and graphical representations of the integrated model were utilized to analyze the dynamics of ozone and pollutant concentration. An in-depth analysis of the integrated model revealed that the reaction rate constants in this present study were higher than previously reported apparent reaction rate constants, and catalysts were not always necessary. Finally, we developed an installable mobile application (APP) that allowed the simulation of the dynamic process for ozone oxidizing organic pollutants in the laboratory, which offered theoretical support for the selection of experimental conditions. The results of model simulation not only provide scientific explanations for counter-intuitive experimental phenomena, but also optimized experimental conditions to enhance ozone utilization.

A multi-omics approach to unravelling the coupling mechanism of nitrogen metabolism and phenanthrene biodegradation in soil amended with biochar.

The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil negatively affects the environment and the degradation of these contaminants is influenced by nitrogen metabolism. However, the mechanisms underlying the interrelationships between the functional genes involved in nitrogen metabolism and phenanthrene (PHE) biodegradation, as well as the effects of biochar on these mechanisms, require further study. Therefore, this study utilised metabolomic and metagenomic analysis to investigate primary nitrogen processes, associated functional soil enzymes and functional genes, and differential soil metabolites in PHE-contaminated soil with and without biochar amendment over a 45-day incubation period. Results showed that dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and denitrification were the dominant nitrogen metabolism processes in PHE-contaminated soil. The addition of biochar enhanced nitrogen modules, exhibiting discernible temporal fluctuations in denitrification and DNRA proportions. Co-occurrence networks and correlation heatmap analysis revealed potential interactions among functional genes and enzymes responsible for PHE biodegradation and nitrogen metabolism. Notably, enzymes associated with denitrification and DNRA displayed significant positive correlation with enzymes involved in downstream phenanthrene degradation. Of particular interest was stronger correlation observed with the addition of biochar. However, biochar amendment inhibited the 9-phenanthrol degradation pathway, resulting in elevated levels of glutathione (GSH) in response to environmental stress. These findings provide new insights into the interactions between nitrogen metabolism and PHE biodegradation in soil and highlight the dual effects of biochar on these processes.

Thoracic paravertebral block for perioperative lung preservation during VATS pulmonary surgery: study protocol of a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) extend the length of stay of patients and increase the perioperative mortality rate after video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) pulmonary surgery. Thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) provides effective analgesia after VATS surgery; however, little is known about the effect of TPVB on the incidence of PPCs. The aim of this study is to determine whether TPVB combined with GA causes fewer PPCs and provides better perioperative lung protection in patients undergoing VATS pulmonary surgery than simple general anaesthesia. METHODS: A total of 302 patients undergoing VATS pulmonary surgery will be randomly divided into two groups: the paravertebral block group (PV group) and the control group (C group). Patients in the PV group will receive TPVB: 15 ml of 0.5% ropivacaine will be administered to the T4 and T7 thoracic paravertebral spaces before general anaesthesia induction. Patients in the C group will not undergo the intervention. Both groups of patients will be subjected to a protective ventilation strategy during the operation. Perioperative protective mechanical ventilation and standard fluid management will be applied in both groups. Patient-controlled intravenous analgesia is used for postoperative analgesia. The primary endpoint is a composite outcome of PPCs within 7 days after surgery. Secondary endpoints include blood gas analysis, postoperative lung ultrasound score, NRS score, QoR-15 score, hospitalization-related indicators and long-term prognosis indicators. DISCUSSION: This study will better evaluate the impact of TPVB on the incidence of PPCs and the long-term prognosis in patients undergoing VATS lobectomy/segmentectomy. The results may provide clinical evidence for optimizing perioperative lung protection strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05922449 . Registered on June 25, 2023.

Enhanced antibiotic degradation via photo-assisted peroxymonosulfate over graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets/CuBi2O4: Highly efficiency of oxygen activation and interfacial charge transfer.

Improving the activation capacity of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to increase radical and non-radical production is critical for antibiotic degradation. However, how to boost reactive oxygen species (ROS) and speed interfacial charge transfer remains an essential challenge. We report a coupling system of 10 %CNNS/CuBi2O4 photocatalyst and sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (SO4--AOPs) to enhance the activation of PMS and improve antibiotic degradation. Owing to highly efficient oxygen activation and interfacial charge transfer, the degradation efficiency of the photo-assisted PMS system was as high as 51.6 times and 2.8 times that of photocatalyst and SO4--AOPs alone, respectively. Importantly, the highly efficient oxygen activation resulted in the production of O2-, which in turn could utilize the excess electrons generated through efficient interfacial charge transfer to convert into non-radical 1O2. The total organic carbon (TOC) elimination effectiveness of the photo-assisted PMS system reached 82 % via the synergy of radicals and non-radicals (O2-, OH, 1O2, SO4-, h+). This system also had excellent potential for reducing the generation and toxicity of disinfection by-products (DBPs), as evidenced through significant reductions in concentrations of trichloromethane (TCM), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA), and trichloronitromethane (TCNM) by 76 %, 64 %, and 35 %, respectively, providing an effective and eco-friendly strategy for antibiotic treatment.

LUSTR: a new customizable tool for calling genome-wide germline and somatic short tandem repeat variants.

BACKGROUND: Short tandem repeats (STRs) are widely distributed across the human genome and are associated with numerous neurological disorders. However, the extent that STRs contribute to disease is likely under-estimated because of the challenges calling these variants in short read next generation sequencing data. Several computational tools have been developed for STR variant calling, but none fully address all of the complexities associated with this variant class. RESULTS: Here we introduce LUSTR which is designed to address some of the challenges associated with STR variant calling by enabling more flexibility in defining STR loci, allowing for customizable modules to tailor analyses, and expanding the capability to call somatic and multiallelic STR variants. LUSTR is a user-friendly and easily customizable tool for targeted or unbiased genome-wide STR variant screening that can use either predefined or novel genome builds. Using both simulated and real data sets, we demonstrated that LUSTR accurately infers germline and somatic STR expansions in individuals with and without diseases. CONCLUSIONS: LUSTR offers a powerful and user-friendly approach that allows for the identification of STR variants and can facilitate more comprehensive studies evaluating the role of pathogenic STR variants across human diseases.

Metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) reveals emerging infection induced by Klebsiella pneumoniaeniae.

OBJECTIVES: The increasing emergence of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hv-Kp) and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CR-Kp) is a serious and substantial public health problem. The use of the last resort antimicrobials, tigecycline and polymyxin to combat infections is complicated by the expanding repertoire of newly-identified CR-hvKp. The transmission and co-occurrence of the corresponding antimicrobial resistance and virulence determinants are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the dissemination and dynamics of CR-Kp and its antibiotic resistance in a hospitalised patient. METHODS: Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was conducted for different specimens collected from an elderly male hospitalised patient. CR-Kp strains were examined using antibiotic susceptibility and string testing. Antimicrobial and virulence genes were annotated using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). RESULTS: A clinical case of a patient infected with a variety of CR-Kp isolates was reported. The co-occurrence of KPC-2 and NDM-1 in the patient was revealed. The CR-Kp isolates, such as BALF2, and Sputum T1 and T3, were classified into ST11 and ST147, respectively. The genetic signature (iuc operon) of hypervirulence was identified in strain T1, although string testing indicated its intermediate virulence. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, multiple infections of CR-Kp isolates were revealed by mNGS, and their dissemination was attributed to plasmid variations, mgrB inactivation and integrative conjugative elements (ICEs). Furthermore, the finding indicated one likely convergence to form CR-hvKp, different from acquisition of carbapenem-resistance determinants in hvKp. A combination of mNGS and WGS is beneficial for clinical diagnosis and anti-infection therapy, and facilitates a better understanding of genetic variants conferring antimicrobial and virulence properties.

Microalgal capture of carbon dioxide: A carbon sink or source?

The rapidly evolving global warming is triggering all levels of actions to reduce industrial carbon emissions, while capturing carbon dioxide of industrial origin via microalgae has attracted increasing attention. This article attempted to offer preliminary analysis on the carbon capture potential of microalgal cultivation. It was shown that the energy consumption-associated with operation and nutrient input could significantly contribute to indirect carbon emissions, making the microalgal capture of carbon dioxide much less effective. In fact, the current microalgae processes may not be environmentally sustainable and economically viable in the scenario where the carbon footprints of both upstream and downstream processing are considered. To address these challenging issues, renewable energy (e.g., solar energy) and cheap nutrient source (e.g., municipal wastewater) should be explored to cut off the indirect carbon emissions of microalgae cultivation, meanwhile produced microalgae, without further processing, should be ideally used as biofertilizer or aquafeeds for realizing complete nutrients recycling.

Post-zygotic rescue of meiotic errors causes brain mosaicism and focal epilepsy.

Somatic mosaicism is a known cause of neurological disorders, including developmental brain malformations and epilepsy. Brain mosaicism is traditionally attributed to post-zygotic genetic alterations arising in fetal development. Here we describe post-zygotic rescue of meiotic errors as an alternate origin of brain mosaicism in patients with focal epilepsy who have mosaic chromosome 1q copy number gains. Genomic analysis showed evidence of an extra parentally derived chromosome 1q allele in the resected brain tissue from five of six patients. This copy number gain is observed only in patient brain tissue, but not in blood or buccal cells, and is strongly enriched in astrocytes. Astrocytes carrying chromosome 1q gains exhibit distinct gene expression signatures and hyaline inclusions, supporting a novel genetic association for astrocytic inclusions in epilepsy. Further, these data demonstrate an alternate mechanism of brain chromosomal mosaicism, with parentally derived copy number gain isolated to brain, reflecting rescue in other tissues during development.

Construction and validation of a predictive nomogram for ferroptosis-related genes in osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis is a new type of cellular regulation of necrosis that has attracted great attention in recent years, which is different from the traditional mode of autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis. Studies suggest that ferroptosis is key to the occurrence and development of tumors. METHODS: Here, we investigated the prognostic significance of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in osteosarcoma (OS) using RNA transcriptome data from 88 OS samples collected from the UCSC Xena platform. We defined the OS sample from the UCSC platform as the training cohort and the GEO dataset (GSE21257 and GSE16091) as the validation cohorts. We assessed 73 up-regulated and 63 down-regulated FRGs. We divided patients from the UCSC database into groups at high risk and low risk and built a prognostic risk model to assess prognosis using five FRGs: MT1G, G6PD, ARNTL, BNIP3, and SQLE. RESULTS: High-risk OS patients presented a lower survival rate. These results were confirmed in the validation groups. In the training group, the areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were as follows: 0.880 for 1 year, 0.833 for 3 years, and 0.818 for 5 years. In the GSE21257 validation cohort, the AUC were as follows: 0.770 for 1 year, 0.641 for 3 years, and 0.632 for 5 years survival, and in the GSE16091 were 0.729 for 1 year, 0.663 for 3 years, and 0.735 for 5 years survival. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that FRGs are associated with the prognosis of osteosarcoma. Moreover, our prognostic risk model can predict overall survival in osteosarcoma. This provides new ideas for the clinical diagnosis and personalized treatment of osteosarcoma.

PKC-δ Promotes IL-1ß-Induced Apoptosis of Rat Chondrocytes and Via Activating JNK and P38 MAPK Pathways.

OBJECTIVE: Protein kinase C-delta (PKC-δ) is involved in apoptosis. This study aimed to establish whether PKC-δ can further promote IL-1ß-induced chondrocyte apoptosis by mediating the phosphorylation of the JNK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways In osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: We employed chondrocyte staining to determine the extent of cartilage degeneration. PKC-δ and p38 signal expressions were used in the immunohistochemical (IHC) test and apoptosis was assayed at the TUNEL test in human osteoarthritic and controls. We stimulated rat cartilage cells using IL-1ß (10 ng/ml)/rottlerin (10 µM) or lentivirus. To determine the apoptosis rate, we employed flow cytometry. The mRNA of both BCL2-related X (BAX) and cysteine aspartate protease 3 (caspase-3) could be measured via qRT-PCR. Western blot measured the protein levels of BAX, caspase-3, PKC-δ, p-JNK/JNK and p-p38/p38. RESULTS: The positive rate of PKC-δ and the apoptotic rate of chondrocytes in OA were higher than controls. The manifestation of PKC-δ was positively related to the degree of cartilage degeneration, p38 protein expression, and apoptosis rate. IL-1ß exposure upregulated PKC-δ expression in chondrocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Decreasing PKC-δ expression and its phosphorylation in OA can inhibit MAPK signaling pathway activation (phosphorylation) by downregulating JNK and p38 protein phosphorylation and expression. This inhibition decreases caspase-3 and BAX levels, consequently lowering the apoptosis rate in chondrocytes. CONCLUSION: PKC-δ activation by IL-1ß in OA promotes chondrocyte apoptosis via activation of the JNK and p38 MAPK signal pathways, thereby promoting the OA progression.

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of polyphenol from Areca nut (Areca catechu L.) seeds using response surface methodology and its effects on osteogenic activity.

Areca nut (Areca catechu L.) seeds are rich in polyphenols, while few studies focused on it. This study was designed to obtain the maximum extraction yield of areca nut seed polyphenol (ACP). An ultrasonic-assisted extraction method optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) was established to extract ACP. Under the optimal conditions (ultrasonic power of 87 W, ethanol concentration of 65%, extraction temperature of 62℃, and extraction time of 153 min), the actual extraction yield of ACP was 139.62 mg/g. Then we investigated the effects of ACP on the proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. Results suggested that ACP notably promoted the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells without cytotoxicity, and the contents of collagen type Ⅰ (COL-Ⅰ) and osteocalcin (OCN) were rising. Meanwhile, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralized nodules were enhanced. These findings demonstrated that ACP could induce the proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts in vitro. This work provided a certain experimental basis for the developing and utilization of polyphenols from Areca nut seeds.

Effects of graphitic carbon nitride in the formation of disinfection byproducts.

Graphitic carbon nitride (CN) was a promising candidate for efficient environmental remediation in the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). However, whether CN itself had some potential environmental risks, such as affecting the production of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) was still unknown. This study investigated the formation potential of DBPs in the presence of CN. The experimental data revealed that CN had a high potential to form DBPs, and dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) was the most produced species during the chlorination and chloramination processes. Moreover, the effects of chlorine time, chlorine dosage, pH, and CN dosage during the chlorination process were evaluated to understand the formation pattern of DBPs. The possible mechanism of DBPs formation was deduced by analyzing the results of FTIR, Raman, and XPS before and after chlorination. Finally, the DBPs formation potential and cytotoxicity of the CN leaching solution were investigated, indicating CN could leach the precursors of DBPs and that the potential toxicity of the leaching solution increased with the extension of CN immersion time. In general, this research adds an understanding of the DBP formation of CN in water treatment systems and sheds light on CN's environmental potential risks.

POEMS syndrome: origination from clonal plasma cells or B cells?

OBJECTIVES: POEMS syndrome is a rare disorder which has been increasingly recognized. The clonal origin is controversial. Some people argue that POEMS syndrome originates from abnormal plasma cell clones. So, treatment frequently targets the plasma cell clone. Nevertheless, others believe that both plasma cells and B cells can be the potential culprit in POEMS syndrome. METHODS: A 65-year-old male came to the emergency department of our hospital with the complaints of bilateral soles numbness and weight loss for half a year, abdominal distension for half a month, and chest tightness and shortness of breath for one day. He was then diagnosed as POEMS syndrome complicated with monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (non-CLL type). A standard bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) regimen combined with low dose of lenalidomide was administered. RESULTS: After four cycles of treatment, the ascites of the patient was absent and the neurological symptom disappeared. The renal function, the IgA level, and the VEGF level all returned to normal. DISCUSSION: POEMS syndrome, a multi-system disorder, is easily misdiagnosed. The clonal origin of POEMS syndrome is controversial and needs further study. For now, there are no approved treatment regimens. Treatments mainly target the plasma cell clone. This case suggested that other therapy besides anti-plasma cell treatment may also be effective in POEMS syndrome. CONCLUSION: We report a patient with POEMS syndrome who achieved complete response after treatment with the combination of a standard BR regimen and low dose of lenalidomide. POEMS syndrome's pathological mechanisms and therapies warrant further studies.

Direction regulation of interface carrier transfer and enhanced photocatalytic oxygen activation over Z-scheme Bi4V2O11/Ag/AgCl for water purification.

Molecular oxygen activation is essential to the photocatalytic oxidation reaction, which is highly dependent on the construction of active sites and efficient charge transfer of photocatalysts. In this study, we constructed Bi4V2O11/Ag/AgCl Z-type heterojunction photocatalysts with significantly enhanced molecular oxygen activation capacity. The systematic characterization and analysis including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed that the formation of efficient Z-type heterostructure could be attributed to the introduction of Ag nanoparticles (NPs), which regulated the electron transfer direction from Bi4V2O11 to AgCl. Owing to the advantage of enhanced charge transfer efficiency, the O2- generation capacity of Bi4V2O11/Ag/AgCl Z-scheme heterojunction was as high as 4.6 times that of pure Bi4V2O11. Consequently, Bi4V2O11/Ag/AgCl showed good degradation performance against tetracycline (TC), ciprofloxacin (CIP), ranitidine hydrochloride (RAN) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) under visible light, and their degradation rates were 8.2 times, 5.9 times, 3.8 times and 11.9 times higher than those of Bi4V2O11, respectively. This study provides an effective and feasible strategy to design photocatalyst with improved molecular oxygen activation efficiency.

Increased expression of CEP72 predicts poor prognosis in multiple myeloma.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a fatal hematological malignancy and does not have adequate prognostic indicators. Previous studies indicate that CEP72 is closely related to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, the expression and function of CEP72 in multiple myeloma have yet to be elucidated. METHODS: In this study, we explored the correlation between CEP72 expression and clinicopathological characteristics as well as the impacts of CEP72 expression on the survival of MM patients. In addition, PPI, GSEA and Chemotherapy drug resistance analysis identified the possible mechanism. RESULTS: CEP72 is overexpressed in both MM patients and MM cell lines. Clinically, patients in the CEP72high subgroup were significantly older than those in the CEP72low subgroup (p = 0.003). Up-regulation of CEP72 was related to poor overall survival and event-free survival. PPI network showed that CEP72 was related to PCM1, KIZ, OFD1, etc. GSEA analysis showed that CEP72 was enriched in cell cycle, oocyte meiosis, protein export, lysosome and N-glycan biosynthesis pathways. Drug resistance analysis indicated that there was a positive correlation between the CEP72 expression and the IC50 values of 6-mercaptopurine, 8-chloro-adenosine, clofarabine, fludarabine and allopurinol. CONCLUSION: High CEP72 expression was a poor prognostic factor in patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma.