A pro-metastatic tRNA fragment drives aldolase A oligomerization to enhance aerobic glycolysis in lung adenocarcinoma.

Despite being the leading cause of lung cancer-related deaths, the underlying molecular mechanisms driving metastasis progression are still not fully understood. Transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) have been implicated in various biological processes in cancer. However, the role of tRFs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. Our study identified a tRF, tRF-Val-CAC-024, associated with the high-risk component of LUAD, through validation using 3 cohorts. Our findings demonstrated that tRF-Val-CAC-024 acts as an oncogene in LUAD. Mechanistically, tRF-Val-CAC-024 was revealed to bind to aldolase A (ALDOA) dependent on Q125/E224 and promote the oligomerization of ALDOA, resulting in increased enzyme activity and enhanced aerobic glycolysis in LUAD cells. Additionally, we provide preliminary evidence of its potential clinical value by investigating the therapeutic effects of tRF-Val-CAC-024 antagomir-loaded lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in cell-line-derived xenograft models. These results could enhance our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of tRFs in LUAD and provide a potential therapeutic target.

Application of Strain Engineering in Solar Cells.

Solar cells represent a promising innovation in energy storage, offering not only exceptional cleanliness and low cost but also a high degree of flexibility, rendering them widely applicable. In recent years, scientists have dedicated substantial efforts to enhancing the performance of solar cells, aiming to drive sustainable development and promote clean energy applications. One approach that has garnered significant attention is strain engineering, which involves the adjustment of material microstructure and organization through mechanical tensile or compressive strain, ultimately serving to enhance the mechanical properties and performance stability of materials. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the latest advancements in the application of strain engineering in solar cells, focused on the current hot research area-perovskite solar cells. Specifically, it delves into the origins and characterization of strain in solar cells, the impact of strain on solar cell performance, and the methods for regulating stable strain. Furthermore, it outlines strategies for enhancing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of solar cells through strain engineering. Finally, the paper conducts an analysis of the challenges encountered in the development process and presents a forward-looking perspective on further enhancing the performance of solar cells through strain engineering.

Recent Excellent Optoelectronic Applications Based on Two-Dimensional WS2 Nanomaterials: A Review.

Tungsten disulfide (WS2) is a promising material with excellent electrical, magnetic, optical, and mechanical properties. It is regarded as a key candidate for the development of optoelectronic devices due to its high carrier mobility, high absorption coefficient, large exciton binding energy, polarized light emission, high surface-to-volume ratio, and tunable band gap. These properties contribute to its excellent photoluminescence and high anisotropy. These characteristics render WS2 an advantageous material for applications in light-emitting devices, memristors, and numerous other devices. This article primarily reviews the most recent advancements in the field of optoelectronic devices based on two-dimensional (2D) nano-WS2. A variety of advanced devices have been considered, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs), sensors, field-effect transistors (FETs), photodetectors, field emission devices, and non-volatile memory. This review provides a guide for improving the application of 2D WS2 through improved methods, such as introducing defects and doping processes. Moreover, it is of great significance for the development of transition-metal oxides in optoelectronic applications.

MnFe Prussian Blue Analogue Open Cages for Sodium-Ion Batteries: Simultaneous Evolution of Structure, Morphology, and Energy Storage Properties.

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) exhibiting hollow morphologies have garnered considerable attention owing to their remarkable electrochemical properties. In this study, a one-pot strategy is proposed for the synthesis of MnFe PBA open cages. The materials are subsequently employed as cathode electrode in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The simultaneous evolution of structure, morphology, and performance during the synthesis process is investigated. The findings reveal substantial structural modifications as the reaction time is prolonged. The manganese content in the samples diminishes considerably, while the potassium content experiences an increase. This compositional variation is accompanied by a significant change in the spin state of the transition metal ions. These structural transformations trigger the occurrence of the Kirkendall effect and Oswald ripening, culminating in a profound alteration of the morphology of MnFe PBA. Moreover, the shifts in spin states give rise to distinct changes in their charge-discharge profiles and redox potentials. Furthermore, an exploration of the formation conditions of the samples and their variations before and after cycling is conducted. This study offers valuable insights into the intricate relationship between the structure, morphology, and electrochemical performance of MnFe PBA, paving the way for further optimizations in this promising class of materials for energy storage applications.

Application of 3-Step Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Acute Difficult Cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: With the aging of the global population, the incidence rate of acute cholecystitis is increasing. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered as the first choice to treat acute cholecystitis. How to effectively avoid serious intraoperative complications such as bile duct and blood vessel injury is still a difficult problem that puzzles surgeons. This paper introduces the application of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a new surgical concept, in acute difficult cholecystitis. METHODS: This retrospective analysis was carried out from January 2019 to January 2021. A total of 36 patients with acute difficult cholecystitis underwent 3-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The general information, clinical features, surgical methods, surgical results, and postoperative complications of the patients were analyzed. RESULTS: All patients successfully completed the surgery, one of them was converted to laparotomy, and the other 35 cases were treated with 3-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Postoperative bile leakage occurred in 2 cases (5.56%), secondary choledocholithiasis in 1 case (2.78%), and hepatic effusion in 1 case (2.78%). No postoperative bleeding, septal infection, and other complications occurred, and no postoperative colon injury, gastroduodenal injury, liver injury, bile duct injury, vascular injury, and other surgery-related complications occurred. All 36 patients were discharged from hospital after successful recovery. No one died 30 days after surgery, and there was no abnormality in outpatient follow-up for 3 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Three-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy seems to be safer and more feasible for acute difficult cholecystitis patients. Compared with traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy or partial cholecystectomy, 3-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy has the advantages of safe surgery and less complications, which is worth trying by clinicians.

Assessing the causal link between liver function and acute pancreatitis: A Mendelian randomisation study.

A correlation has been reported to exist between exposure factors (e.g. liver function) and acute pancreatitis. However, the specific causal relationship remains unclear. This study aimed to infer the causal relationship between liver function and acute pancreatitis using the Mendelian randomisation method. We employed summary data from a genome-wide association study involving individuals of European ancestry from the UK Biobank and FinnGen. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SCNPs), closely associated with liver function, served as instrumental variables. We used five regression models for causality assessment: MR-Egger regression, the random-effect inverse variance weighting method (IVW), the weighted median method (WME), the weighted model, and the simple model. We assessed the heterogeneity of the SNPs using Cochran's Q test. Multi-effect analysis was performed using the intercept term of the MR-Egger method and leave-one-out detection. Odds ratios (ORs) were used to evaluate the causal relationship between liver function and acute pancreatitis risk. A total of 641 SNPs were incorporated as instrumental variables. The MR-IVW method indicated a causal effect of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) on acute pancreatitis (OR = 1.180, 95%CI [confidence interval]: 1.021-1.365, P = 0.025), suggesting that GGT may influence the incidence of acute pancreatitis. Conversely, the results for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (OR = 0.997, 95%CI: 0.992-1.002, P = 0.197) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (OR = 0.939, 95%CI: 0.794-1.111, P = 0.464) did not show a causal effect on acute pancreatitis. Additionally, neither the intercept term nor the zero difference in the MR-Egger regression attained statistical significance (P = 0.257), and there were no observable gene effects. This study suggests that GGT levels are a potential risk factor for acute pancreatitis and may increase the associated risk. In contrast, ALP and AST levels did not affect the risk of acute pancreatitis.

Rational Design of Nanosheet Array-Like Layered-Double-Hydroxide-Derived NiCo2O4 In Situ Grown on Reduced-Graphene-Oxide-Coated Nickel Foam for High-Performance Solid-State Supercapacitors.

The investigation of high-performance supercapacitors is essential for accelerating the development of energy storage devices. In this work, a 3D hierarchical nanosheet array-like nickel cobaltite/reduced graphene oxide/nickel foam composite (NiCo2O4/rGO/NF) was assembled via an aqueous coprecipitation-hydrothermal strategy assisted by citric acid. Benefiting from a NiCo layered-double-hydroxide precursor with an atomic-level lattice confinement effect of metal ions and effective hybridization with rGO, the NiCo2O4/rGO/NF composite is featured as thin NiCo2O4 nanosheets (∼113.6 nm × 11.2 nm) composed of NiCo2O4 nanoparticles (∼10.9 nm) vertically staggered on the surface of a rGO-modified NF skeleton, leading to high surface area, abundant mesoporous structure, and active site exposure. The as-obtained NiCo2O4/rGO/NF was directly used as a binder-free integrated electrode for supercapacitors, achieving an excellent specific capacitance of 2863.4 F g-1 (1503.3 C g-1) at 1 A g-1, a superior rate performance of 2335.2 F g-1 at 20 A g-1, and a stability retention of 91.7% after 5000 cycles. More impressively, a solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor assembled by the present NiCo2O4/rGO/NF integrated electrode as the positive electrode and commercial activated carbon as the negative electrode achieved a high energy density of 69.2 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 800 W kg-1, and the energy density at a peak power density of 20004 W kg-1 still remained at 48.9 Wh kg-1, also showing a good cycling stability of 87.2% retention over 10000 cycles. The present facile synthesis strategy of the as-obtained NiCo2O4/rGO/NF nanosheet array composite can be used for the design and construction of many other transition-metal oxide/graphene/NF composite materials with excellent structural stability and performance in energy storage and other related areas.

Reverse charge transfer and decomposition in Ca-Te compounds under high pressure.

Pressure alters the nature of chemical bonds and triggers novel reactions. Here, we employed first-principles calculations combined with the CALYPSO structural search technique to reveal the charge transfer reversal between Ca and Te under high pressure in the calcium-tellurium compound (CaxTe1-x, x = 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3). We predict several new phases with conventional and unconventional compounds and found an unfamiliar phenomenon: the Ca-Te compounds will reverse charge transfer between Ca and Te atoms and decompose into elemental solids under pressure. The Bader charge analyses indicate that the Ca2+ ion gains electrons and becomes an anion under high pressure. This leads to a weakened electrostatic interaction between Ca and Te and ultimately results in decomposition. The calculated band occupation number suggests that the occupation of Ca 3d orbitals under high pressure corresponds to this atypical phenomenon. Our results demonstrated the reverse charge transfer between Ca and Te and, in addition, clarified the mechanism of CaxTe1-x decomposition into solid Ca and Te elements under high pressure, providing important insights into the evolution of the properties of alkaline-earth chalcogenide compounds under high pressure.

tRF-29-79 regulates lung adenocarcinoma progression through mediating glutamine transporter SLC1A5.

In recent decades, considerable evidence has emerged indicating the involvement of tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) in cancer progression through various mechanisms. However, the biological effects and mechanisms of tRFs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain unclear. In this study, we screen out tRF-29-79, a 5'-tRF derived from tRNAGlyGCC, through profiling the tRF expressions in three pairs of LUAD tissues. We show that tRF-29-79 is downregulated in LUAD and downregulation of tRF-29-79 is associated with poorer prognosis. In vivo and in vitro assay reveal that tRF-29-79 inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of LUAD cells. Mechanistically, we discovered that tRF-29-79 interacts with the RNA-binding protein PTBP1 and facilitates the transportation of PTBP1 from nucleus to cytoplasm, which regulates alternative splicing in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of SLC1A5 pre-mRNA. Given that SLC1A5 is a core transporter of glutamine, we proved that tRF-29-79 mediate glutamine metabolism of LUAD through affecting the stability of SLC1A5 mRNA, thus exerts its anticancer function. In summary, our findings uncover the novel mechanism that tRF-29-79 participates in glutamine metabolism through interacting with PTBP1 and regulating alternative splicing in the 3' UTR of SLC1A5 pre-mRNA.

Ultrafast Dynamics Across Pressure-Induced Electronic State Transitions, Fluorescence Quenching, and Bandgap Evolution in CsPbBr3 Quantum Dots.

This work investigates the impact of pressure on the structural, optical properties, and electronic structure of CsPbBr3 quantum dots (QDs) using steady-state photoluminescence, steady-state absorption, and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, reaching a maximum pressure of 3.38 GPa. The experimental results indicate that CsPbBr3 QDs undergo electronic state (ES) transitions from ES-I to ES-II and ES-II to ES-III at 0.38 and 1.08 GPa, respectively. Intriguingly, a mixed state of ES-II and ES-III is observed within the pressure range of 1.08-1.68 GPa. The pressure-induced fluorescence quenching in ES-II is attributed to enhanced defect trapping and reduced radiative recombination. Above 1.68 GPa, fluorescence vanishes entirely, attributed to the complete phase transformation from ES-II to ES-III in which radiative recombination becomes non-existent. Notably, owing to stronger quantum confinement effects, CsPbBr3 QDs exhibit an impressive bandgap tuning range of 0.497 eV from 0 to 2.08 GPa, outperforming nanocrystals by 1.4 times and bulk counterparts by 11.3 times. Furthermore, this work analyzes various carrier dynamics processes in the pressure-induced bandgap evolution and electron state transitions, and systematically studies the microphysical mechanisms of optical properties in CsPbBr3 QDs under pressure, offering insights for optimizing optical properties and designing novel materials.

Oxygen and pH responsive theragnostic liposomes for early-stage diagnosis and photothermal therapy of solid tumours.

The development of cancer treatment is of great importance, especially in the early stage. In this work, we synthesized a pH-sensitive amphiphilic ruthenium complex containing two alkyl chains and two PEG chains, which was utilized as an oxygen sensitive fluorescent probe for co-assembly with lipids to harvest a liposomal delivery system (RuPC) for the encapsulation of a photothermal agent indocyanine green (ICG). The resultant ICG encapsulated liposome (RuPC@ICG) enabled the delivery of ICG into cells via a membrane fusion pathway, by which the ruthenium complex was localized in the cell membrane for better detection of the extracellular oxygen concentration. Such characteristics allowed ratiometric imaging to distinguish the tumour location from normal tissues just 3 days after cancer cells were implanted, by monitoring the hypoxia condition and tracing the metabolism. Moreover, the pH sensitivity of the liposomes favoured cell uptake, and improved the anti-tumour efficiency of the formulation in vivo under NIR irradiation. Assuming liposomal systems have fewer safety issues, our work not only provides a facile method for the construction of a theragnostic system by combining phototherapy with photoluminescence imaging, but hopefully paves the way for clinical translation from bench to bedside.

The impact of core self-evaluation on school adaptation of high school students after their return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic: the parallel mediation of positive and negative coping styles.

Background: To explore the direct effect of core self-evaluation and the indirect effects of positive and negative coping styles on school adaptation of high school students after their return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The Core Self-Evaluation Scale, Simple Coping Style Scale, and School Adaptation Questionnaire were used for the psychometric analysis of 500 high school students (229 males and 271 females) one month after their return to school. The bootstrap method was applied for mediation analysis. Results: A positive correlation was noted between core self-evaluation and school adaptation (r = 0.56), and the predictive effect was significant (ß = 0.43). Core self-evaluation positively predicted positive coping styles, which positively predicted school adaptation, while core self-evaluation negatively predicted negative coping styles, which negatively predicted school adaptation. Positive and negative coping styles played a significant mediating role between core self-evaluation and school adaptation. The mediating effect included the indirect effects generated by two pathways: core self-evaluation → positive coping style → school adaptation (95% CI [0.08-0.19]) and core self-evaluation → negative coping style → school adaptation (95% CI [0.03-0.11]). Conclusion: There is a positive association between the core self-evaluation and school adaptation of high school students after their return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. It may directly or indirectly affect the school adaptation of high school students after their return to school through positive or negative coping styles. After returning to school, educators should guide students to view themselves positively, cultivate healthy core self-evaluation, and enable them to have good school adaptation.

Predicting gene regulatory links from single-cell RNA-seq data using graph neural networks.

Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) has emerged as a powerful technique for studying gene expression patterns at the single-cell level. Inferring gene regulatory networks (GRNs) from scRNA-seq data provides insight into cellular phenotypes from the genomic level. However, the high sparsity, noise and dropout events inherent in scRNA-seq data present challenges for GRN inference. In recent years, the dramatic increase in data on experimentally validated transcription factors binding to DNA has made it possible to infer GRNs by supervised methods. In this study, we address the problem of GRN inference by framing it as a graph link prediction task. In this paper, we propose a novel framework called GNNLink, which leverages known GRNs to deduce the potential regulatory interdependencies between genes. First, we preprocess the raw scRNA-seq data. Then, we introduce a graph convolutional network-based interaction graph encoder to effectively refine gene features by capturing interdependencies between nodes in the network. Finally, the inference of GRN is obtained by performing matrix completion operation on node features. The features obtained from model training can be applied to downstream tasks such as measuring similarity and inferring causality between gene pairs. To evaluate the performance of GNNLink, we compare it with six existing GRN reconstruction methods using seven scRNA-seq datasets. These datasets encompass diverse ground truth networks, including functional interaction networks, Loss of Function/Gain of Function data, non-specific ChIP-seq data and cell-type-specific ChIP-seq data. Our experimental results demonstrate that GNNLink achieves comparable or superior performance across these datasets, showcasing its robustness and accuracy. Furthermore, we observe consistent performance across datasets of varying scales. For reproducibility, we provide the data and source code of GNNLink on our GitHub repository: https://github.com/sdesignates/GNNLink.

Basic psychological need satisfaction and aggressive behavior: the role of negative affect and its gender difference.

Background: Basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) is a significant factor in a person's development, especially for adolescents, and the failure to satisfy these basic needs may contribute to individuals' aggressive behavior. However, it is still unclear about the underlying mechanism by which BPNS is negatively associated with aggressive behavior. This study aimed to explore the relationship between BPNS and aggressive behavior in Chinese adolescents, with a focus on the mediating role of negative affect and its gender differences. Method: A sample of 1,064 junior high school students from three schools in China were selected randomly for the cross-sectional survey. The revised Need Satisfaction Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Youth's Self-Report were used to measure BPNS, affect, and aggressive behavior. The proposed model was examined by the structural equation modeling test and multi-group comparison analysis. Results: The results showed that BPNS was negatively linked with adolescents' aggressive behavior, and this effect was mediated by negative affect. Moreover, multigroup analysis demonstrated that there existed a stronger negative association between BPNS and negative affect in female group. Also, the mediating effect of negative affect in the model was greater for girls. Conclusions: Our findings highlighted the importance of BPNS in adolescents' social behavior (i.e., aggressive behavior), and reveal disparate patterns in how BPNS affects aggressive behavior in girls as compared to boys.

Magnetic particle-based chemiluminescence immunoassay for serum human heart-type fatty acid binding protein measurement.

OBJECTIVES: Human heart-type fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) is a biomarker for diagnosis, risk assessment, and prognosis of acute myocardial infarction, and we aimed to establish an immunoassay for HFABP quantitation. METHODS: Human HFABP monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were developed, evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and a chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) generated. Analytical performance of the CLEIA was evaluated by measuring serum HFABP. RESULTS: The prokaryotically expressed rHFABP was purified and four anti-HFABP mAbs with superior detection performance were obtained after immunizing BALB/c mice. MAbs 2B8 and 6B3 were selected as respective capture and detection antibodies for HFABP measurement by CLEIA (detection range, 0.01-128 µg/L). Results using the CLEIA showed excellent correlation (r, 0.9622) and the correlation coefficient was 0.9809 (P < 0.05) by the Tukey test statistical analysis with those of latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetry in hospitals. CONCLUSION: Our mAbs and CLEIA for HFABP detection represent new diagnostic tools for measurement of human serum HFABP.

Noninvasive diagnosis of pulmonary nodules using a circulating tsRNA-based nomogram.

Evaluating the accuracy of pulmonary nodule diagnosis avoids repeated low-dose computed tomography (LDCT)/CT scans or invasive examination, yet remains a main clinical challenge. Screening for new diagnostic tools is urgent. Herein, we established a nomogram based on the diagnostic signature of five circulating tsRNAs and CT information to predict malignant pulmonary nodules. In total, 249 blood samples of patients with pulmonary nodules were selected from three different lung cancer centers. Five tsRNAs were identified in the discovery and training cohorts and the diagnostic signature was established by the randomForest algorithm (tRF-Ser-TGA-003, tRF-Val-CAC-005, tRF-Ala-AGC-060, tRF-Val-CAC-024, and tiRNA-Gln-TTG-001). A nomogram was developed by combining tsRNA signature and CT information. The high level of accuracy was identified in an internal validation cohort (n = 83, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.930, sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 73.8%) and external validation cohort (n = 66, AUC = 0.943, sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 86.8%). Furthermore, the diagnostic ability of our model discriminating invasive malignant ones from noninvasive lesions was assessed. A robust performance was achieved in the diagnosis of invasive malignant lesions in both training and validation cohorts (discovery cohort: AUC = 0.850, sensitivity 86.0%, specificity 81.4%; internal validation cohort: AUC = 0.784, sensitivity 78.8%, specificity 78.1%; and external validation cohort: AUC = 0.837, sensitivity 85.7%, specificity 84.0%). This novel circulating tsRNA-based diagnostic model has potential significance in predicting malignant pulmonary nodules. Application of the model could improve the accuracy of pulmonary nodule diagnosis and optimize surgical plans.

Pressure induced weakness of electrostatic interaction and solid decomposition in Cs-I compounds.

This work utilized first-principles calculations and the CALYPSO structure search technique to systematically investigate the crystal structure stability of CsxIy compounds under high pressures ranging from 0 to 500 GPa. Several new phases with both conventional and unconventional stoichiometries were predicted. Interestingly, we discovered a counter-intuitive phenomenon where Cs-I compounds decompose into Cs and I elemental solids under pressure. To understand the physical mechanism behind this pressure-induced decomposition, we examine the phenomenon from two distinct perspectives: enthalpy of formation and interatomic interactions. Our results suggest that the main cause is the weakening of electrostatic interactions leading to the decomposition, while the weak covalent interaction plays a minor role. From an energy perspective, the decrease in the formation of enthalpy (ΔH) is primarily due to a reduction in the difference of internal energy (ΔU). These findings provide valuable insights into the decomposition mechanism and high-pressure properties of alkali metal halides. The counterintuitive phenomenon of high-pressure charge transfer and decomposition may inspire new ideas and perspectives in the fields of geology and the study of alkali metal halides under extreme conditions.

Multiple Bioimaging Applications Based on the Excellent Properties of Nanodiamond: A Review.

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are emerging as a promising candidate for multimodal bioimaging on account of their optical and spectroscopic properties. NDs are extensively utilized for bioimaging probes due to their defects and admixtures in their crystal lattice. There are many optically active defects presented in NDs called color centers, which are highly photostable, extremely sensitive to bioimaging, and capable of electron leap in the forbidden band; further, they absorb or emit light when leaping, enabling the nanodiamond to fluoresce. Fluorescent imaging plays a significant role in bioscience research, but traditional fluorescent dyes have some drawbacks in physical, optical and toxicity aspects. As a novel fluorescent labeling tool, NDs have become the focus of research in the field of biomarkers in recent years because of their various irreplaceable advantages. This review primarily focuses on the recent application progress of nanodiamonds in the field of bioimaging. In this paper, we will summarize the progress of ND research from the following aspects (including fluorescence imaging, Raman imaging, X-ray imaging, magnetic modulation fluorescence imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, cathodoluminescence imaging, and optical coherence tomography imaging) and expect to supply an outlook contribution for future nanodiamond exploration in bioimaging.

Efficacy of acupuncture therapy for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture therapy (AT) is a widely used, alternative medicine in China. AT is an effective treatment for many diseases, but its efficacy in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains controversial. Therefore, we performed the present meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of AT in stable COPD patients. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for AT efficacy in stable COPD patients were searched in literature databases from the inception to December 31, 2021. Pooled effect sizes of outcome measurements with respect to lung function (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], FEV1 in predicted value [FEV1%], FEV1/FVC), quality of life (St. George respiratory questionnaire [SGRQ]), exercise capacity (6-minute walking distance [6MWD]) and effective rate were estimated by calculating weighted mean difference (WMD) or odds ratio (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI), respectively, by a random-effect model. RESULTS: A total of 28 RCTs with 2130 COPD patients were included. AT group had significant improvement in FVC (WMD = 0.29 L, 95% CI: 0.22-0.36, P < .001), FEV1 (WMD = 0.33 L, 95% CI: 0.23-0.43, P < .001), FEV1% (WMD = 3.30%, 95% CI: 3.30-4.64, P < .001), FEV1/FVC (WMD = 5.45%, 95% CI: 4.41-6.49, P < .001), 6MWD (WMD = 45.48 m, 95% CI: 28.21-62.16, P < .001), SGRQ (WMD = -7.79, 95% CI: -12.34 to -3.24, P < .001), and a higher effective rate (OR = 3.71, 95% CI: 2.50-5.52, P < .001) compared to the control group. Subgroup analysis stratified by comparison model (AT combined with other treatments vs other treatments, AT alone vs sham AT) and treatment duration (≥8 weeks, <8 weeks) also showed more improvement in AT arm than control arm without significant between-subgroup difference. Adverse events were reported in a few studies and only mild reactions were observed. CONCLUSION: AT is effective in improving lung function, quality of life and exercise capacity, and can be used as an adjunctive treatment in patients with stable COPD.

Hyaluronic acid-conjugated liposomes loaded with dexamethasone: A promising approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Dexamethasone is a well-known anti-inflammatory drug readily used to treat many lung diseases. However, its side effects and poor lower airway deposition and retention are significant limitations to its usage. In this work, we developed lipid nanoparticulate platforms loaded with dexamethasone and evaluated their behavior in inflammatory lung models in vitro and in vivo. Dexamethasone-loaded liposomes with an average diameter below 150 nm were obtained using a solvent injection method. Three different formulations were produced with a distinct surface coating (polyethylene glycol, hyaluronic acid, or a mixture of both) as innovative strategies to cross the pulmonary mucus layer and/or target CD44 expressed on alveolar proinflammatory macrophages. Interestingly, while electron paramagnetic spectroscopy showed that surface modifications did not induce any molecular changes in the liposomal membrane, drug loading analysis revealed that adding the hyaluronic acid in the bilayer led to a decrease of dexamethasone loading (from 3.0 to 1.7 w/w%). In vitro experiments on LPS-activated macrophages demonstrated that the encapsulation of dexamethasone in liposomes, particularly in HA-bearing ones, improved its anti-inflammatory efficacy compared to the free drug. Subsequently, in vivo data revealed that while intratracheal administration of free dexamethasone led to an important inter-animals variation of efficacy, dexamethasone-loaded liposomes showed an improved consistency within the results. Our data indicate that encapsulating dexamethasone into lipid nanoparticles is a potent strategy to improve its efficacy after lung delivery.