Exploring the potential link between gut microbiota and chronic kidney disease in causality: A 2-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Increasing evidence indicates a significant correlation between gut microbiota (GM) and susceptibility to chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, causal relationship presence remains uncertain. Mendelian randomization (MR) was applied to evaluate potential causal relation from GM to CKD. Genomic association analysis aggregates publicly online databases, utilizing Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) database focused on GM and CKD. For examination of potential causal connection from GM to CKD, a 2-way, 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method was applied. Sensitivity analyses were utilized to scrutinize for heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, MR outcomes resilience. Result from inverse variance weighting (IVW) method revealed that 10 microbiotas such as Porphyromonadaceae (OR = 1.351, 95% CI: 1.114-1.638, P = .002), Dorea (OR = 1.236, 95% CI: 1.040-1.468, P = .016), Ruminococcus torques group (OR = 1.290, 95% CI: 1.035-1.608, P = .024) are potential CKD risk factors. Five microbiotas, including the Prevotellaceae (OR = 0.814, 95% CI: 0.719-0.922, P = .001) are potential CKD protective factors. Sensitivity analyses reveal no horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity. Additionally, reverse MR results unveiled potential relation between CKD and disorders in 3 microbiotas, including Senegalimassilia. According to the investigation, MR method was employed to delve into reciprocal causal connection from GM to CKD. Our findings identified 15 types of GM causally linked to CKD, as well as CKD demonstrating causal associations with 3 types of GM. Further exploration of these associated GM types is hopeful to raise novel insights, for CKD preventing and early monitoring.

The effectiveness of interventions on improving body image for pregnant and postpartum women: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Body image dissatisfaction, leading to a variety of negative emotions and adverse pregnancy or birth outcomes. Studies on body image interventions for pregnant and postpartum women have been reported, yielding mixed results. Existing evidence lacks a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of body image interventions for pregnant and postpartum women. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to systematically review interventions which aimed at improving body image during pregnancy and postpartum in women of childbearing age, and further to explore their effectiveness. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, SinoMed, CNKI, and Wanfang Database, to retrieve relevant studies. Body image was reported employing descriptive analysis, whereas the Cochrane Handbook tool was used to evaluate the quality and potential bias of each included study. RESULTS: Following established inclusion and exclusion criteria, 11 studies were identified from an initial 1,422 records for further analysis, involving 1290 participants. This systematic review grouped body image interventions into lifestyle interventions and psychological interventions based on their content. These interventions yielded more pronounced positive effects on improving body image in pregnant and postpartum women when compared to control groups. And, the statistical difference on psychological interventions is more significant on the whole. CONCLUSIONS: Our work offers a comprehensive overview of the effectiveness of body image interventions for pregnant and postpartum women. Psychological interventions are considered to be a suitable measure to improve body image for pregnant or postpartum women. Additional research and practical applications are recommended to enhance the mental health and well-being of perinatal women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registry: CRD42024531531.

The effectiveness of digital twins in promoting precision health across the entire population: a systematic review.

Digital twins represent a promising technology within the domain of precision healthcare, offering significant prospects for individualized medical interventions. Existing systematic reviews, however, mainly focus on the technological dimensions of digital twins, with a limited exploration of their impact on health-related outcomes. Therefore, this systematic review aims to explore the efficacy of digital twins in improving precision healthcare at the population level. The literature search for this study encompassed PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, SinoMed, CNKI, and Wanfang Database to retrieve potentially relevant records. Patient health-related outcomes were synthesized employing quantitative content analysis, whereas the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scales were used to evaluate the quality and potential bias inherent in each selected study. Following established inclusion and exclusion criteria, 12 studies were screened from an initial 1321 records for further analysis. These studies included patients with various conditions, including cancers, type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart failure, qi deficiency, post-hepatectomy liver failure, and dental issues. The review coded three types of interventions: personalized health management, precision individual therapy effects, and predicting individual risk, leading to a total of 45 outcomes being measured. The collective effectiveness of these outcomes at the population level was calculated at 80% (36 out of 45). No studies exhibited unacceptable differences in quality. Overall, employing digital twins in precision health demonstrates practical advantages, warranting its expanded use to facilitate the transition from the development phase to broad application.PROSPERO registry: CRD42024507256.

Light field camera calibration and point spread function calculation based on differentiable ray tracing.

The imaging process of the light field (LF) camera with a micro-lens array (MLA) may suffer from multiple aberrations. It is thus difficult to precisely calibrate the intrinsic hardware parameters and calculate the corresponding point spread function (PSF). To build an aberration-aware solution with better generalization, we propose an end-to-end imaging model based on the differentiable ray tracing. The input end is the point source location, and the output end is the rendered LF image, namely, PSF. Specially, a projection method is incorporated into the imaging model, eliminating the huge memory overhead induced by a large array of periodic elements. Taking captured PSF images as the ground truth, the LF camera is calibrated with the genetic algorithm initially and then the gradient-based optimization. This method is promising to be used in various LF camera applications, especially in challenging imaging conditions with severe aberrations.

APOC1 reduced anti-PD-1 immunotherapy of nonsmall cell lung cancer via the transformation of M2 into M1 macrophages by ferroptosis by NRF2/HO-1.

The treatment strategy for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has always been a hot topic of concern, and its treatment strategies are also emerging. This experiment wants to know the effects of apolipoprotein C1 (APOC1) in immunotherapy of NSCLC. APOC1 mRNA and protein expression were upregulated in lung cancer tissue of patients with NSCLC. programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) mRNA expression was negatively correlated with PD-1 mRNA expression in patients. The survival rate of APOC1 high expression was lower than that of low expression in patients with NSCLC. APOC1 gene reduced the transformation of M2 into M1 macrophages (TMMM). APOC1 gene promoted cell growth, and the gene reduced ferroptosis of NSCLC. APOC1-induced nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 (NRF2/HO-1) signaling pathway. Sh-APOC1 gene reduced cell growth in mice of NSCLC through the inhibition of NRF2/HO-1 signaling pathway. The inhibition of NRF2 reduced the TMMM by APOC1. The activation of NRF2 reduced the TMMM by si-APOC1. In conclusion, APOC1 reduced anti-PD-1 immunotherapy of NSCLC via the TMMM by ferroptosis by NRF2/HO-1, suggesting that targeting this mechanism of APOC1 may be a feasible strategy for anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for NSCLC.

Clinical analysis of bacterial infection characteristics in lymphoma patients with high-dose chemotherapy combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-a single-centered retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: High-dose chemotherapy combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HDT/AHSCT) is used to treat lymphoma. Although AHSCT has made considerable strides and become safer, HDT-AHSCT infection continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality associated with transplantation. OBJECTIVE: To characterise pathogenic bacterial infections in HDT/AHSCT-treated lymphoma patients. The prevalence of pathogenic microorganisms and the timing of foci after transplantation, along with bloodstream infection (BSI) risk factors, can help determine the need for empirical antibiotics after AHSCT. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 133 lymphoma patients treated by HDT/AHSCT from April 2017 to October 2021 at Peking University International Hospital, Beijing, China. We analyzed their clinical characteristics, microbiological distribution characteristics, and BSI risk factors in detail. RESULTS: In order, intestinal infection (56 cases), BSI (17 cases), pulmonary (12 cases), upper respiratory tract (5 cases), and perianal (4 cases) were the most common locations of infection after HDT/AHSCT. The infection sites yielded 92 putative pathogenic pathogens, with bacteria predominating (61.96%), fungi (28.26%), viruses (5.43%), and mycoplasma (4.35%). Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) strains outnumbered gram-positive bacteria (GPB) strains (73.68%). Two strains of Escherichia coli produced extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) and one strain of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) had one strain. BSI was caused by Escherichia coli (82.35%), Intestinal mucositis (23.52%), and catheter-associated infections (11.76%). Age, CD34, pretreatment regimen, antibiotic regimen, and past chemotherapeutic agent lung damage were BSI risk variables in univariate analysis. CD34 and past chemotherapeutic drug lung damage were the primary causes of BSI after HDT/AHSCT for lymphoma. CONCLUSION: High-dose chemotherapy combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HDT/AHSCT) is used to treat lymphoma. Although AHSCT has made considerable strides and become safer, HDT-AHSCT infection continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality associated with transplantation.

PLAU contributes to the development of cholangiocarcinoma via activating NF-κB signaling pathway.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of epithelial cancer with poor outcomes and late diagnosis. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated the promoting role of plasminogen activator, urokinase (PLAU) in several tumor types, while its function in CCA is largely unknown. The expression of PLAU in CCA was determined by data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and further confirmed in human tissues using immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Moreover, PLAU-silencing CCA cell models were constructed for subsequent functional assays in vitro and in vivo. PLAU expression in CCA was significantly higher than that in normal tissues. High PLAU expression was positively correlated with poor patients' survival. PLAU knockdown remarkably suppressed proliferation and migration of CCA cells, whereas enhanced apoptosis. Consistently, tumor growth in mice injected with PLAU-silencing CCA cells was also impaired. Furthermore, we revealed that the activation of NF-κB signaling was required for PLAU-induced malignant phenotypes of CCA cells. Inhibiting the high expression of PLAU in CCA may be a potential entry point for targeted therapy in CCA patient.

The enhanced antibacterial effect of BNNS_Van@CS/MAO coating on Mg alloy for orthopedic applications.

The development of multifunctional Mg-based active implants with controllable degradation and antibacterial capabilities has become a hotspot in the research field of biodegradable metallic materials. To this end, a BN nanosheets (BNNS) _vancomycin (Van) @chitosan (CS) nanocomposite coating containing two antibacterial components (BNNS and Van) was prepared on Mg alloys via a micro-arc oxidation (MAO) pre-treatment combined with following electrodeposition. The related characterizations of the coating show that the composite coating has a high roughness, hydrophobicity and fair corrosion resistance. In vitro antibacterial experiments show that the BNNS_Van@CS/MAO composite coating have obvious inhibitory effect on the growth of both E. coli and S. aureus. The antibacterial effect of the BNNS_Van@CS/MAO composite coating was attributed to the synergistic effect of CS, BNNS and Van. This study provides a valuable surface modification strategy for developing multifunctional Mg-based implants with good corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties.

Clinical First-Trimester Prediction Models for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication that negatively impacts the health of both the mother and child. Early prediction of the risk of GDM may permit prompt and effective interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the study characteristics, methodological quality, and model performance of first-trimester prediction model studies for GDM. METHODS: Five electronic databases, one clinical trial register, and gray literature were searched from the inception date to March 19, 2022. Studies developing or validating a first-trimester prediction model for GDM were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data according to an established checklist and assessed the risk of bias by the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST). We used a random-effects model to perform a quantitative meta-analysis of the predictive power of models that were externally validated at least three times. RESULTS: We identified 43 model development studies, six model development and external validation studies, and five external validation-only studies. Body mass index, maternal age, and fasting plasma glucose were the most commonly included predictors across all models. Multiple estimates of performance measures were available for eight of the models. Summary estimates range from 0.68 to 0.78 (I2 ranged from 0% to 97%). CONCLUSION: Most studies were assessed as having a high overall risk of bias. Only eight prediction models for GDM have been externally validated at least three times. Future research needs to focus on updating and externally validating existing models.

Comprehensive metabolomic characterization of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Using human humoral metabolomic profiling, we can discover the diagnostic biomarkers and pathogenesis of disease. The specific characterization of atrial fibrillation (AF) subtypes with metabolomics may facilitate effective and targeted treatment, especially in early stages. Objectives: By investigating disturbed metabolic pathways, we could evaluate the diagnostic value of biomarkers based on metabolomics for different types of AF. Methods: A cohort of 363 patients was enrolled and divided into a discovery and validation set. Patients underwent an electrocardiogram (ECG) for suspected AF. Groups were divided as follows: healthy individuals (Control), suspected AF (Sus-AF), first diagnosed AF (Fir-AF), paroxysmal AF (Par-AF), persistent AF (Per-AF), and AF causing a cardiogenic ischemic stroke (Car-AF). Serum metabolomic profiles were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS). Metabolomic variables were analyzed with clinical information to identify relevant diagnostic biomarkers. Results: The metabolic disorders were characterized by 16 cross-comparisons. We focused on comparing all of the types of AF (All-AFs) plus Car-AF vs. Control, All-AFs vs. Car-AF, Par-AF vs. Control, and Par-AF vs. Per-AF. Then, 117 and 94 metabolites were identified by GC/MS and LC-QTOF-MS, respectively. The essential altered metabolic pathways during AF progression included D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, etc. For differential diagnosis, the area under the curve (AUC) of specific metabolomic biomarkers ranged from 0.8237 to 0.9890 during the discovery phase, and the predictive values in the validation cohort were 78.8-90.2%. Conclusions: Serum metabolomics is a powerful way to identify metabolic disturbances. Differences in small-molecule metabolites may serve as biomarkers for AF onset, progression, and differential diagnosis.

Bulked Segregant Analysis and Association Analysis Identified the Polymorphisms Related to the Intermuscular Bones in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio).

The allotetraploid common carp is one of the most important freshwater food fish. However, the IBs found in allotetraploid common carp increase the difficulty in fish meat processing and consumption. Although candidate genes associated with the total IB number have been identified, the SNPs associated with the numbers of the total IBs and different forms of IBs have not yet been identified, hindering the breeding of IB-reduced common carp. Herein, the numbers of different types of IBs in three common carp strains were measured. Using whole-genome resequencing and bulked segregant analysis in three pairs of IB-more and IB-less groups, we identified the consensus nonsynonymous SNPs in three strains of common carp. Screening the flanking regions of these SNPs led to the detection of other SNPs. Association study detected 21 SNPs significantly associated with the number of total IBs, epineural-IBs, and ten detailed types of IBs. We observed the joint effects of multiple SNPs on each associated IB number with an improved explained percentage of phenotypic variation. The resulting dataset provides a resource to understand the molecular mechanisms of IB development in different common carp strains. These SNPs are potential markers for future selection to generate IB-reduced common carp.

Biodegradation behaviour of Fe-based alloys in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solutions: Part II. The evolution of local pH and dissolved oxygen concentration at metal interface.

Commercially pure Fe, Fe35Mn, and (Fe35Mn)5Ag alloys were prepared by uniaxial pressing of the mixture of individual powders, followed by sintering. The influence of the alloying elements Mn and Ag on the corrosion behaviour of these Fe-based alloys was investigated in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS). Furthermore, the role of the components in HBSS, particularly Ca2+ ions during alloys degradation was studied. Distribution of local pH and dissolved oxygen concentration was measured 50 µm above the interface of the degrading alloys. The results revealed that 5 wt% Ag addition to Fe35Mn alloy triggered micro-galvanic corrosion, while uniform corrosion dominated in pure Fe and Fe35Mn. Fast precipitation of Ca-P-containing products on the surface of these Fe-based alloys buffered local pH at the metal interface, and blocked oxygen diffusion at the initial stages of immersion. In the (Fe35Mn)5Ag, the detachment or structural changes of Ca-P-containing products gradually diminished their barrier property. These findings provided valuable insights into the degradation mechanism of promising biodegradable Fe-based alloys.

Biodegradation behaviour of Fe-based alloys in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solutions: Part I. material characterisation and corrosion testing.

Research on Fe-based biodegradable alloys for implant applications has increased considerably over the past decade. However, there is limited information on the influence of testing electrolytes on corrosion product formation and general corrosion progress. In this work, the effect of Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) with or without Ca2+ on the corrosion of Fe, Fe35Mn and (Fe35Mn)5Ag powder-processed coupons has been studied using potentiodynamic polarisation, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), and preliminary localised measurement of pH and dissolved oxygen concentration in close proximity to the metal surface. Both Fe35Mn and (Fe35Mn)5Ag alloys showed accelerated corrosion when compared to pure Fe based on potentiodynamic testing results, with FeMnAg exhibiting the highest corrosion rate in Ca2+-containing HBSS. The results indicate that in Ca2+-containing HBSS, the formation of a partially protective Ca/P layer decelerates the corrosion progress, whereas the Fe- and Mn-phosphates formed in Ca2+-free HBSS do not have the same effect. The Ca/P layer on (Fe35Mn)5Ag experienced a reduction in resistance following several hours of testing, indicating partial loss of its protective effect.

Aberrant expression of CD54 detected by flow cytometry is a characteristic of B-lymphoma cells in bone marrow specimens.

BACKGROUND: Flow cytometry (FC) is a popular method to detect bone marrow (BM) involvement in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). The majority of screen panels of FC still rely on finding monoclonal B-cells, e.g., B-cells with immunoglobin (Ig) light-chain restriction, which has many limitations. Therefore, exploring new markers is warranted. METHODS: A total of 52 cases of B-NHL with BM involvement were collected. The median age was 60 years. Out of these 52 cases, 34 were male, and 18 were female. A 10-color FC panel was used to detect the expression of CD54 on lymphoma cells. The expression of CD54 was calculated as the mean fluorescence index ratio (MFIR) and was described as the mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM). RESULTS: Up to 18/52 (34.62%) of BM specimens abnormally expressed an increased level of CD54, including 1/10 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), 9/13 cases of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), 2/14 cases of follicular lymphoma (FL), 5/9 cases of marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), and 1/3 cases of high-grade B-NHL (HG B-NHL). The expression level of CD54 was significantly increased in MCL cases (53.41 ± 11.04) compared with CLL/SLL cases (11.66 ± 2.79) and FL cases (13.49 ± 2.81). The lowest percentage of CD54-positive B-cells attained 0.13%. In 5/9 cases of MZL and 1/3 cases of HG B-NHL, increased expression of CD54 was the only abnormal immunophenotype detected besides Ig light-chain restriction. No aberrant CD54 expression was identified by FC in lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) (0/2) and Burkitt lymphoma (BL) (0/1) cases. Aberrant expression of CD54 was not related to plasma cell differentiation. CONCLUSION: Lymphoma cells, especially in MCL and MZL cases, frequently show increased expression of CD54. Such aberrant expression is not related to plasma cell differentiation. We highly recommend adding CD54 to the FC screening panel to detect BM involvement in patients with B-NHL.

Parallel subgenome structure and divergent expression evolution of allo-tetraploid common carp and goldfish.

How two subgenomes in allo-tetraploids adapt to coexistence and coordinate through structure and expression evolution requires extensive studies. In the present study, we report an improved genome assembly of allo-tetraploid common carp, an updated genome annotation of allo-tetraploid goldfish and the chromosome-scale assemblies of a progenitor-like diploid Puntius tetrazona and an outgroup diploid Paracanthobrama guichenoti. Parallel subgenome structure evolution in the allo-tetraploids was featured with equivalent chromosome components, higher protein identities, similar transposon divergence and contents, homoeologous exchanges, better synteny level, strong sequence compensation and symmetric purifying selection. Furthermore, we observed subgenome expression divergence processes in the allo-tetraploids, including inter-/intrasubgenome trans-splicing events, expression dominance, decreased expression levels, dosage compensation, stronger expression correlation, dynamic functionalization and balancing of differential expression. The potential disorders introduced by different progenitors in the allo-tetraploids were hypothesized to be alleviated by increasing structural homogeneity and performing versatile expression processes. Resequencing three common carp strains revealed two major ecotypes and uncovered candidate genes relevant to growth and survival rate.

Application of CD54 in diagnosing bone marrow involvement by using flow cytometry in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Flow cytometry plays a key role in detecting bone marrow (BM) involvement in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). To improve its detection sensitivity, we need to explore novel markers. In this study, we detected the expression CD54 on lymphoma cells in BM specimens from DLBCL patients and clarified its diagnostic significance in BM involvement by DLBCL. METHODS: We collected BM specimens from 76 patients with DLBCL (germinal center B-cell (GCB) = 25, non-GCB = 51) and 10 control patients without lymphoma. We detected and compared the expression of CD54 on lymphoma cells and normal mature B cells by using 10-color panels. RESULTS: Normal plasma cells expressed a higher level of CD54 as compared with hematogones (p < 0.05) and normal mature B cells (p < 0.05). Among 76 patients, 23 of them (GCB = 12, non-GCB = 11) had BM involvement. Lymphoma B cells from 12 cases (GBC = 4, non-GCB = 8) expressed a higher level of CD54 compared to normal mature B cells (p < 0.05). Additionally, lymphoma cells of the non-GCB subtype frequently expressed a higher level of CD54 in comparison to the GCB subtype (p < 0.05). And the high expression of CD54 was not related to plasmacytoid differentiation. CONCLUSION: Aberrant expression of CD54 on lymphoma cells is frequently seen in patients' BM specimens involved by DLBCL, especially in the non-GCB subtype. CD54 could be used as a new marker to gate on lymphoma cells and improve the detection sensitivity of BM involvement in patients with DLBCL.

PEGylated Graphene Oxide Carried OH-CATH30 to Accelerate the Healing of Infected Skin Wounds.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)-infected wounds is difficult. It causes extreme pain to tens of thousands of patients and increases the cost of medical care. The antimicrobial peptide OH-CATH30 (OH30) has a good killing activity against S. aureus and can play a role in accelerating wound healing and immune regulation. Therefore, it shows great potential for wound healing. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to overcome the short half-life and easy enzymolysis of OH30 by using graphene oxide conjugated with polyethylene glycol to load OH30 (denoted as PGO-OH30), as well as to evaluate its effect on wounds infected by S. aureus. METHODS: PGO-OH30 nanoparticles were prepared by π-π conjugation and characterized. Their cell cytotoxicity, cell migration, infectious full-thickness dermotomy models, and histopathology were evaluated. RESULTS: Characterization and cytotoxicity experiments revealed that the PGO-OH30 drug-delivery system had good biocompatibility and excellent drug-delivery ability. Cell-migration experiments showed that PGO-OH30 could promote the migration of human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells compared with the control group (P<0.05). In a mouse model of skin wound infection, PGO-OH30 accelerated skin-wound healing and reduced the amount of S. aureus in wounds compared with the control group (P<0.05). In particular, on day 7, the number of S. aureus was 100 times lower in the PGO-OH30 group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: The PGO-OH30 drug-delivery system had good biocompatibility and excellent drug-delivery ability, indicating its good therapeutic effect on a skin wound-infection model.

Mg Biodegradation Mechanism Deduced from the Local Surface Environment under Simulated Physiological Conditions.

Although certified magnesium-based implants are launched some years ago, the not well-defined Mg degradation mechanism under physiological conditions makes it difficult to standardize its use as a degradable biomaterial for a wide range of implant applications. Among other variables influencing the Mg degradation mechanism, monitoring the pH in the corrosive solution and, especially, at the corroding interface is important due to its direct relation with the formation and stability of the degradation products layer. The interface pH (pH at the Mg/solution interface) developed on Mg-2Ag and E11 alloys are studied in situ during immersion under dynamic conditions (1.5 mL min-1 ) in HBSS with and without the physiological amount of Ca2+ cations (2.5 × 10-3 m). The results show that the precipitation/dissolution of amorphous phosphate-containing phases, that can be associated with apatitic calcium-phosphates Ca10-x (PO4 )6-x (HPO4 or CO3 )x (OH or ½ CO3 )2-x with 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 (Ap-CaP), promoted in the presence of Ca2+ generates an effective local pH buffering system at the surface. Thus, high alkalinization is prevented, and the interface pH is stabilized in the range of 7.6 to 8.5.

Transcriptome sequencing and analysis for the pigmentation of scale and skin in common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

BACKGROUND: Teleost scale not only provides a protective layer resisting penetration and pathogens but also participate in coloration. It is interesting to study the mechanism of teleost scale formation. Furthermore, whether there existed consensus genes between scale coloration and skin coloration has not been examined yet. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed the transcriptome profiles of red scale, white scale, red skin, and white skin of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Pair-wise comparison identified 3391 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between scale and skin, respectively. The 1765 up-regulated genes (UEGs) in scale, as the down-regulated genes in skin, preferred mineralization and other scale development-related processes. The 1626 skin UEGs were enriched in the morphogenesis of skin and appendages. We also identified 195 UEGs in white scale and 223 UEGs in red scale. The white scale UEGs primarily participated in regulation of growth and cell migration. The UEGs in red scale preferred pigment cell differentiation and retinoid metabolic process. A total of 22 DEGs had consensus expression patterns in skin and scale of the same coloration. The expression levels of these DEGs clearly grouped skin and scale of the same coloration together with principle component analysis and correlation analysis. Eleven consensus DEGs were homologous to the orthologs of Poropuntius huangchuchieni, 82% of which were under strong purifying selection. Eight processes including lipid storage and lipid catabolism were shared in both scale pigmentation and skin pigmentation. CONCLUSIONS: We identified consensus DEGs and biological processes in scale and skin pigmentation. Our transcriptome analysis will contribute to further elucidation of mechanisms of teleost scale formation and coloration.