Shared and distinct prefrontal cortex alterations of implicit emotion regulation in depression and anxiety: An fNIRS investigation.

BACKGROUND: Emotion regulation deficits, particularly in cognitive reappraisal, are crucial in depression and anxiety. However, research on the neural mechanisms of implicit emotion regulation is lacking, and it remains unclear whether these mechanisms are shared or distinct between the two disorders. METHODS: We investigated the neural mechanisms of implicit cognitive reappraisal in 28 individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD), 25 with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and 30 healthy controls (HC) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Participants completed an implicit cognitive reappraisal task and underwent neuropsychological and clinical assessments. RESULTS: We found that MDD patients reported higher levels of rumination and lower utilization of cognitive reappraisal, while GAD patients reported reduced use of perspective-taking. Notably, both MDD and GAD patients exhibited decreased activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) compared to HC participants during implicit cognitive reappraisal. Specifically, inadequate OFC activation was observed in MDD patients, while GAD patients demonstrated OFC deactivation during the task. Furthermore, DLPFC activation showed a negative correlation with depression severity in MDD patients, while OFC activation was positively correlated with perspective-taking in GAD patients. LIMITATIONS: fNIRS has limited depth and spatial resolution. CONCLUSION: Our fNIRS study is the first to reveal shared and distinct neurobiological profiles of depression and anxiety in implicit emotion regulation. These findings underscore the significance of reduced DLPFC/OFC activation in emotion regulation impairment and highlight unique OFC activation patterns in these disorders. These insights have potential implications for developing cognitive-behavioral therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation as treatment approaches.

Preclinical Investigations on Anti-fibrotic Potential of Long-Term Oral Therapy of Sodium Astragalosidate in Animal Models of Cardiac and Renal Fibrosis.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Radix Astragali has played a vital role in treating progressive fibrotic diseases. One of its main active components, astragaloside IV, is a promising anti-fibrotic treatment despite its extremely low bioavailability. Our study aimed to optimize sodium astragalosidate (SA) by salt formation to improve solubility and oral absorption for anti-fibrotic therapy in vivo. Isoproterenol-induced myocardial fibrosis rat models and obese BKS-db mice presenting diabetic kidney fibrosis were used in this study. Daily oral administration of SA (20 mg/kg) for 14 days ameliorated cardiac fibrosis by reducing collagen accumulation and fibrosis-related inflammatory signals, including TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6. In db/db mice, SA (5,10, and 20 mg/kg per day for 8 weeks) dose-dependently alleviated lipid metabolism impairment and renal dysfunction when administered orally. Furthermore, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses demonstrated that SA treatment inhibited renal fibrosis by suppressing TGF-ß1/Smads signaling. Taken together, our findings provide the oral-route medication availability of SA, which thus might offer a novel lead compound in preclinical trial-enabling studies for developing a long-term therapy to treat and prevent fibrosis.

Functional connectivity alterations in the frontoparietal network and sensorimotor network are associated with behavioral heterogeneity in blepharospasm.

Objective: Primary blepharospasm (BSP) is a clinically heterogeneous disease that manifests not only as spasmodic closure of the eyelids but also sometimes with apraxia of eyelid opening (AEO). This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate differences in the neural mechanisms of isolated BSP and BSP-associated AEO subtypes, which may reveal the pathophysiology underlying different phenotypes. Methods: A total of 29 patients manifested as isolated BSP, 17 patients manifested as BSP associated with AEO, and 28 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We assessed functional connectivity (FC) between regions of interest (ROIs) in the fronto-parietal control network (PFCN) and sensorimotor network (SMN). We also examined the relationship between altered FC and behavioral data. Results: In the FPCN, ROI- analyses showed decreased FC between the left premotor cortex and supramarginal gyrus in the BSP with AEO group compared to the isolated BSP group. In the SMN, both subgroups showed hypoconnectivity of the left premotor cortex with the right primary motor cortex, primary sensory cortex, and somatosensory association cortex. This hypoconnectivity was positively correlated with the total number of botulinum toxin A treatments, which suggests that long-term botulinum toxin A treatment may modulate motor sequence planning and coordination. Conclusion: These findings showed different connectivity alterations in neural networks associated with motor and cognitive control among different behavioral phenotypes of BSP. The identification of specific alterations in various networks that correspond to clinical heterogeneity may inform the identification of potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and personalized neuromodulation targets for treating different BSP subphenotypes.

[Determination of 10 carbamate pesticide residues in liquid milk by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with pass-through solid-phase extraction purification].

Carbamates are used in broad-spectrum insecticides and herbicides, and have highly efficient, low-residue, and long-lasting characteristics. However, this type of pesticide exerts mutagenic, teratogenic, carcinogenic, and other adverse effects, and its frequent use can exceed the recommended scope and limits. Research on the determination of carbamate pesticides mainly focuses on foods of plant origin and pays less attention to foods of animal origin. The methods for carbamate determination described in the current national standards have complicated operating procedures and low efficiency. Therefore, highly efficient and accurate methods for carbamate detection in milk must be established. In this work, a rapid method based on pass-through solid-phase extraction (SPE) purification coupled with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 10 carbamate pesticides in liquid milk. The pretreatment and instrument methods were systematically optimized. The milk sample was extracted with acetonitrile, and then purified using a Captiva EMR-Lipid filtration kit. The purified extract was separated on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column with mobile phase of methanol and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution in gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.3 mL/min. Column temperature was 35 ℃. Quantitative analysis was performed using the external standard method with matrix matching curves. The 10 carbamate pesticides showed good linear relationships in the mass concentration range of 2-200 µg/L, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.999. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) for the 10 carbamate pesticides were 0.045-0.23 and 0.15-0.77 µg/kg, respectively. Recovery tests were conducted using the blank-matrix method at three spiked levels of 15, 50, and 100 µg/kg, and good recoveries for the 10 carbamate pesticides were obtained. In particular, the recoveries for the three spiked levels of 15, 50, and 100 µg/kg were 68.7%-93.3% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.8%-8.0%. The proposed method is efficient, convenient, accurate, and suitable for the rapid detection of the 10 carbamate pesticides in liquid milk. Compared with the conventional NH2 and ENVITM-18 SPE columns used in the national standard determination method, the proposed method demonstrated better purification effects. The recoveries for aldicarb sulfoxide, aldicarb sulfone, methomyl, and carbaryl after purification using the Captiva EMR-Lipid kit increased from 60% to 80%. Thus, the proposed method is suitable for targets with strong polarity and gives measurement results with good repeatability and accuracy.

Metabolomics unveils the mechanism of Bufei Huayu decoction in combination with cisplatin against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Introduction: Bufei Huayu Decoction (BFHY) is a clinical prescription with reported efficacy in enhancing the therapeutic outcomes of chemotherapeutic agents for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the underlying metabolic mechanism of BFHY's action remains unexplored. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the global metabolic effects of cisplatin and cisplatin plus BFHY on NSCLC. Methods: Three groups (NSCLC, cisplatin, and cisplatin + BFHY) underwent a serum metabolomics procedure based on UHPLC-QE-MS. Then, a pathway analysis was carried out using MetaboAnalyst 3.0 to elucidate the therapeutic action routes of cisplatin and cisplatin plus BFHY in NSCLC. Results: In the subcutaneous NSCLC model, both cisplatin and cisplatin + BFHY reduced the tumor volume and caused cell death. In comparison to cisplatin alone, cisplatin + BFHY showed a stronger tumor-suppressing impact. Furthermore, the same 16 metabolic signaling pathways were shared by the cisplatin and cisplatin + BFHY treatments. These typical metabolites are mainly involved in amino acid metabolism, lipid mobilization, nucleic acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolites. Conclusions: Potential biomarkers and metabolic networks of cisplatin and cisplatin + BFHY's anti-tumor actions are revealed in our investigation.

Comparison of Habitual Versus Recurrent Patellar Dislocation in Children and Adolescents: Differences in Radiological Features.

Background: Recurrent patellar dislocation (RPD) and habitual patellar dislocation (HPD) in flexion are frequently encountered in children and adolescents. Purpose: To compare the radiological features of RPD and HPD in children and adolescents. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Imaging data were collected from patients aged 9 to 15 years who received surgical treatment for HPD or RPD at a single institution between June 2015 and September 2020. The prevalence of trochlear dysplasia, tibial tubercle lateralization, and lower limb rotational deformity was assessed through hip/knee/ankle computed tomography (CT) using the following quantitative indicators: trochlear depth index, lateral trochlear inclination, sulcus angle, tibial tubercle-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance, ratio of TT-TG distance to femoral width, TT-TG angle, femoral anteversion angle, and tibial external rotation angle. The morphology of trochlea and patella were graded on knee CT using the Dejour and Wiberg classification. The Insall-Salvati index and Caton-Deschamps index were used to evaluate the height of the patella on lateral view radiographs. To evaluate lower limbs malalignment, the mechanical lateral distal femoral angle and medial proximal tibial angle were measured on weightbearing full-length radiographs. The collected data were analyzed and compared between the HPD and RPD groups. Results: Enrolled were 15 patients (21 knees) diagnosed with HPD and 18 patients (22 knees) diagnosed with RPD. The age of first dislocation was significantly younger in the HPD group (7.6 ± 3.4 vs 11.2 ± 1.4 years; P = 0.003). Knees in the HPD group had a significantly higher proportion of Dejour type C dysplasia (57.1% vs 4.5%; P < .005) and Wiberg type 3 patella (66.7% vs 9.1%; P < .001). There were statistically significant differences between the groups in the trochlear depth index (HPD vs RPD: 1.1 ± 1.7 vs 2.2 ± 1.5 mm; P = .039), sulcus angle (170.3° ± 13.7° vs 157.3° ± 16.0°; P = .007), Insall-Salvati index (1.1 ± 0.2 vs 1.3 ± 0.2; P = .034), and tibial external rotation angle (31.3° ± 7.8° vs 38.4° ± 8.5°; P = .009). Conclusion: Patients in the HPD group presented with poorer trochlear and patellar development, lower patellar height, and less tibial external rotation compared with patients in the RPG group.

Combination of BFHY with Cisplatin Relieved Chemotherapy Toxicity and Altered Gut Microbiota in Mice.

Aim: We sought to profile gut microbiota's role in combination of Bu Fei Hua Yu (BFHY) with cisplatin treatment. Methods: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mice model were constructed followed by treatment with cisplatin alone or combined with BFHY. Mice weight and tumor volume were measured during the experiment. And mice cecum were detected by hematoxylin and eosin, cecum contents were collected for Enzyme Linked ImmuneSorbent Assay, and stool were profiled for metagenomic sequencing. Results: Combination of BFHY with cisplatin treatment decreased the tumor growth and relieved the damage of cecum. Expressions of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were decreased compared with cisplatin treatment alone. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis showed that g_Parabacteroides was downregulated and g_Escherichia and g_Blautia were upregulated after cisplatin treatment. After combination with BFHY, g_Bacteroides and g_Helicobacter were decreased. g_Klebsiella, g_Unclssified_Proteobacteria, and g_Unclssified_Clostridiates were increased. Moreover, heatmap results showed that Bacteroides abundance was increased significantly after cisplatin treatment; BFHY combination treatment reversed this state. Function analysis revealed that multiple functions were slightly decreased in cisplatin treatment alone and increased significantly after combination with BFHY. Conclusion: Our study provided evidence of an efficacy of combination of BFHY with cisplatin on treatment of NSCLC and revealed that gut microbiota plays a role in it. The above results provide new ideas on NSCLC treatment.

Role of simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on biotransformation and bioactivity of astragalosides from Radix Astragali.

Radix Astragali (RA) is commonly used in Asian herbal therapy or food supply, and astragalosides and flavonoids are its major components with diverse pharmaceutical effects. To provide new information on the potential cardiovascular benefits of RA administered orally, the bioaccessibility of these compounds with relevant in vitro digestion parameters was determined for four digestion phases (oral, gastric, small and large intestines) by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Meanwhile, we compared the effects of digestion products on advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in a human arterial endothelial cells (HAECs) model, and studied the potential of RA against oxidative stress-related cardiovascular disease. The changes of saponins and flavonoids composition and antioxidant activity after digestion in intestines were mainly due to the astragaloside IV (AS-IV) biosynthesis involving saponins acetyl isomerization and deacetylation, and the flavonoid glycosides converted to aglycone by deglycosylation processes. All these results suggest that acetyl biotransformation of RA in small intestine directly influenced the response to oxidative stress, and might provide a reference for elucidation of the multi-component action after oral RA in cardiovascular health care.

Neoadjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus PD-1 inhibitor bridging to tumor resection in intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor is widely utilized in advanced-stage carcinomas including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while its neoadjuvant application plus transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in HCC remains unexplored. Thereby, the current study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of TACE plus PD-1 inhibitor as neoadjuvant therapy bridging to surgical resection in intermediate-stage HCC patients. METHODS: Twenty intermediate-stage HCC (China Liver Cancer (CNLC) stage II) patients treated with neoadjuvant TACE plus PD-1 inhibitor (camrelizumab or sintilimab) bridging to surgery were consecutively enrolled. RESULTS: The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) to neoadjuvant therapy were 75.0% and 100.0%, respectively; meanwhile, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was decreased after the neoadjuvant therapy (P < 0.001). Moreover, 14 (70.0%) patients had successful downstaging (patients converted to CNLC stage I). Neither median disease-free survival (DFS) nor median overall survival (OS) was reached; additionally, the 1-year accumulating DFS rate was 86.6%; meanwhile, the 1-year and 2-year accumulating OS rates were 100.0% and 76.4%, separately. Moreover, patients with successful downstaging had a prolonged DFS (P = 0.014) compared to patients with failed downstaging; meanwhile, this trend was also observed in assessing accumulating OS (P = 0.067) (without statistical significance). Main adverse events included pain (50.0%), fever (25.0%), neutropenia (25.0%), nausea and vomiting (25.0%), fatigue (25.0%), peripheral neuropathy (20.0%), anemia (15.0%), thrombopenia (15.0%), diarrhea (15.0%), anorexia (15.0%), and rash (15.0%). CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant TACE plus PD-1 inhibitor realizes a satisfying downstaging rate, acceptable survival profile, and tolerance in intermediate-stage HCC patients.

[The first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion combined with lateral toe rotation Weil osteotomy for hallux valgus with severe metatarsal adduction].

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effect of the first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion combined with lateral toe rotation Weil osteotomy in treating hallux valgus with severe metatarsal adduction. METHODS: From March 2017 to August 2021, 37 patients ( 69 feet ) with severe plantar adductor hallux valgus were treated with the first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion combined with rotational Weil osteotomy were retrospectively analyzed, including 8 males(11 feet) and 29 females (58 feet), aged from 67 to 83 years old with an average of (70.03±2.87) years old;3 cases on the left side, 2 cases on the right side and 32 cases on both sides. Visual analogue scale(VAS) was used to evaluate degree of pain relief before operation, 6 weeks after operation and at the final follow-up. American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery (AOFAS) forefoot score was used to evaluate function of the affected foot before operation and final follow-up. Hallux valgus angle(HVA) and intermetatarsal angle(IMA) were measured before operation and at the final follow-up. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients(69 feet) were followed up from 12 to 48 months with an average of(22.8±0.6) months. Bone healing was achieved at the first metatarsophalangeal joint from 7 to 10 weeks with an average of (8.00±1.21) weeks after operation, without delay and nonunion. HVA was increased from (44.30±2.84)° before operation to (15.20±2.13) °at the final follow-up, and had statistical difference(t=65.781, P<0.05);while no difference in IMA before and after operation(P>0.05). VAS was decreased from (6.73±1.48) points to (2.78±0.71) points at 6 months after operation(t=3.279, P<0.05), and had difference compared with the latest follow-up(1.16±1.12)(t=4.859, P<0.05). AOFAS forefoot score increased from (52.14±5.78) preoperatively to (86.70±4.86) at the fonal follow-up, and 25 feet got excellent results, 40 feet good and 4 feet fair. CONCLUSION: The first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion combined with lateral toe rotation Weil osteotomy in treating severe plantar adduction hallux valgus could significantly relieve pain and appearance of forefoot, stabilize the first sequence, and significantly improve walking function.

Elucidation of the binding mechanism of astragaloside IV derivative with human serum albumin and its cardiotoxicity in zebrafish embryos.

LS-102 is a new derivative of astragaloside IV (AGS IV) that has been shown to possess potentially significant cardioprotective effects. However, there are no reports concerning its interaction with human serum albumin (HSA) and toxicology in vertebrates. The present investigation was undertaken to characterize the interaction of AGS IV and LS-102 with HSA using equilibrium dialysis and UHPLC-MS/MS methods, along with computational methods. Notably, the effects of AGS IV and LS-102 were studied in vivo using the zebrafish embryo model. Markers related to embryonic cardiotoxicity and thrombosis were evaluated. We showed that the plasma protein binding rate of AGS IV (94.04%-97.42%) was significantly higher than that of LS-102 (66.90%-69.35%). Through site marker competitive experiments and molecular docking, we found that AGS IV and LS-102 were located at the interface of subdomains IIA and IIIA, but the site I might be the primary binding site. Molecular dynamics revealed that AGS IV showed a higher binding free energy mainly due to the stronger hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions. Moreover, the secondary structure implied no obvious effect on the protein structure and conformation during the binding of LS-102. LS-102 significantly ameliorated the astramizole-induced heart rate slowing, increased SV-BA spacing, and prevented arachidonic acid-induced thrombosis in zebrafish. To our knowledge, we are the first to reveal that LS-102 binds to HSA with reversible and moderate affinity, indicating its easy diffusion from the circulatory system to the target tissue, thereby providing significant insights into its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties when spread in the human body. Our results also provide a reference for the rational clinical application of LS-102 in the cardiovascular field.

Optoelectronic properties and ultrafast carrier dynamics of copper iodide thin films.

As a promising high mobility p-type wide bandgap semiconductor, copper iodide has received increasing attention in recent years. However, the defect physics/evolution are still controversial, and particularly the ultrafast carrier and exciton dynamics in copper iodide has rarely been investigated. Here, we study these fundamental properties for copper iodide thin films by a synergistic approach employing a combination of analytical techniques. Steady-state photoluminescence spectra reveal that the emission at ~420 nm arises from the recombination of electrons with neutral copper vacancies. The photogenerated carrier density dependent ultrafast physical processes are elucidated with using the femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Both the effects of hot-phonon bottleneck and the Auger heating significantly slow down the cooling rate of hot-carriers in the case of high excitation density. The effect of defects on the carrier recombination and the two-photon induced ultrafast carrier dynamics are also investigated. These findings are crucial to the optoelectronic applications of copper iodide.

Controllable construction of multifunctional superhydrophobic coating with ultra-stable efficiency for oily water treatment.

Designing interfacial coating with tailored characteristics is a crucial step in regulating the wetting properties of oil/water separation materials; however, the controllable fabrication of multifunctional layer with long-term durability in harsh environments remains challenging. Fabrication of raised dots based on magnetic Fe3O4 particles on micro-nanometer units, inspired by mussel chemistry, under the adhesion behavior of dopamine (DA) self-polymerization covalent deposition of Fe3O4 particles and hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) modification to synthesize magnetic superhydrophobic cotton composites (Cotton-P). Due to the unique magnetic and superhydrophobic surface composition, the synthetic Cotton-P possesses superhydrophobic (155.4°) and magnetic properties and still exhibits these excellent properties after 10 cycles. In addition, the hydrophobicity of magnetic monolithic cotton is virtually unaffected in harsh environments. The chemical/thermal stability of the Cotton-P composite is improved due to the rigid silane coating on the skeleton. Moreover, the Cotton-P revealed excellent oil/water separation efficiency of over 98 % after 10 cycles. Based on these outstanding properties, Cotton-P has the potential to develop in the treatment of oil-water mixtures.

Microbial Diversity Analyses of Fertilized Thitarodes Eggs and Soil Provide New Clues About the Occurrence of Chinese Cordyceps.

Chinese cordyceps is a well-known fungus-larva complex with medicinal and economic importance. At present the occurrence of Chinese cordyceps has not been fully illuminated. In this study, the microbial diversities of fertilized Thitarodes eggs from sites A (high occurrence rates of Chinese cordyceps), B (low occurrence rates), and C (no Chinese cordyceps) were analyzed using 16S rRNA and ITS gene-sequencing technique. The previous sequencing data of soil from the same sites were conjointly analyzed. The results showed that bacterial communities among the eggs were significantly different. The bacterial diversity and evenness were much higher on site A. Wolbachia was overwhelmingly predominant in the eggs of sites B and C, while Spiroplasma showed preference on site A. The fungal between-group differences in the eggs were not as significant as that of bacteria. Purpureocillium in Cordyceps-related families showed preference on site A. Wolbachia, Spiroplasma, and Purpureocillium were inferred to be closely related to Chinese cordyceps occurrence. Intra-kingdom and inter-kingdom network analyses suggest that closer correlations of microbial communities (especially closer fungal positive correlations) in fertilized eggs might promote Chinese cordyceps occurrence. Besides, metabolic pathway analysis showed that in fertilized eggs or soil the number of bacterial metabolic pathways with significant differences in every comparison between two sites was greater than that of fungi. Collectively, this study provides novel information about the occurrence of Chinese cordyceps, contributing to the large-scale artificial cultivation of Chinese cordyceps.

Excessive proliferation and apoptosis of parathyroid cells contribute to primary hyperparathyroidism in rabbit model.

To explore the molecular pathogenesis of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), we investigated the proliferation and apoptosis of parathyroid cells in a rabbit model of diet-induced PHPT. A total of 120 adult Chinese rabbits were randomly divided into normal diet (Ca:P, 1:0.7) group (control group) or a high-phosphate diet (Ca:P, 1:7) group (experimental group). The thyroid and parathyroid complexes were harvested for 1-month interval from month 1 to month 6. The expression of proliferation markers, including proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin-D1, and B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in thyroid and parathyroid tissues. Apoptosis was quantified by DNA-fragment terminal labeling. Our results demonstrated that parathyroid cells in the experimental group started proliferating from the end of the 2nd month, the expression of PCNA, Bcl-2, and cyclin-D1 were significantly higher in the PHPT group than those of the control group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the apoptosis index (AI) was positively correlated with the glandular cell count and expression of PCNA in the 6th month in the PHPT group. Overall, our results suggested that excessive proliferation and apoptosis of parathyroid cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of PHPT through PCNA-related, Bcl-2-related, and cyclin-D1-related pathways.

Selective Leaching of Inert Mineral Product and the RO Phase in Steel Slag with Acetum to Improve Total Fe Content.

The chemical and mineral components of the leaching residues obtained during the leaching of inert mineral product (IMP) and two samples of divalent metal oxide continuous solid solution (RO phase) by acetum at 20 °C were analyzed to reveal the selective leaching characteristics of the chemical and mineral components in steel slag, and clarify the leaching rates and differences of MgO and FeO in the RO phase. The results indicated that the content of total Fe (TFe) in the leaching residue increased, whereas the contents of CaO, SiO2, and MgO decreased during the leaching of the inert mineral product by acetum. Fe3O4 was insoluble in acetum. The leaching rates of the RO phase and metallic Fe were very low, while those of calcium silicate (C2S + C3S) and dicalcium ferrite (C2F) were quite high. MgO and FeO in the RO phase continuously leached over time, and the leaching rate of MgO reached 1.9 times that of FeO. Therefore, during the leaching of the RO phase by acetum, the FeO content increased, whereas the MgO content decreased. In conclusion, acetum leaching can effectively improve the TFe content of the RO phase and the inert mineral product.

MicroRNA-506 has a suppressive effect on the tumorigenesis of nonsmall-cell lung cancer by regulating tubby-like protein 3.

MicroRNA-506 (miR-506), a miRNA, has been proven to act as a tumor suppressor gene in nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC); Tubby-like protein 3 (TULP3) is a potential target gene of miR-506. This study investigates whether miR-506 can prevent NSCLC progression by mediating TULP3. In vivo and in vitro experiments were performed to explore the function and potential regulatory relationship of miR-506 and TULP3 in NSCLC. Our results revealed that miR-506 is high expression in NSCLC cell lines, and the overexpression of miR-506 could inhibit cell viability and enhance cell apoptosis in H1299 and A549 cells. Pro-apoptotic related protein (cytochrome C, Bax, and cleaved caspase-9) expression increased while anti-apoptotic related protein (BCL-2 and BCL-XL) expression decreased after miR-506 was overexpression. Meanwhile, the overexpression of miR-506 could notably downregulate TULP3. Additionally, silence of TULP3 inhibited cell viability and promoted cell apoptosis. At the same time, pro-apoptotic related protein expression was promoted while anti-apoptotic related protein expression was inhibited. Furthermore, TULP3 overexpression could markedly reverse the inhibitory effect of miR-506 on the proliferation and induction of mitochondrial apoptosis in H1299 and A549 cells. In vivo tumor formation experiments also exhibited consistent results indicating that the functions of TULP3 might be correlated with the promotion of tumorigenesis. In conclusion, we firstly found that miR-506 can be involved in the processes of NSCLC and exert a suppressive effect on tumorigenesis by regulating TULP3 expression.

Advances in Experimental and Clinical Research of the Gouty Arthritis Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Gouty arthritis (GA) is a multifactorial disease whose pathogenesis is utterly complex, and the current clinical treatment methods cannot wholly prevent GA development. Western medicine is the primary treatment strategy for gouty arthritis, but it owns an unfavorable prognosis. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of GA are essential. In China, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been adopted for GA prevention and treatment for thousands of years. Gout patients are usually treated with TCM according to their different conditions, and long-term results can be achieved by improving their physical condition. And TCM has been proved to be an effective method to treat gout in modern China. Nevertheless, the pharmacological mechanism of TCM for gout is still unclear, which limits its spread. The theory of prevention and treatment of gout with TCM is more well acknowledged in China than in abroad. In this article, Chinese herbs and ancient formula for gout were summarized first. A total of more than 570 studies published from 2004 to June 2021 in PubMed, Medline, CNKI, VIP, Web of Science databases and Chinese Pharmacopoeia and traditional Chinese books were searched; the current status of TCM in the treatment of GA was summarized from the following aspects: articular chondrocyte apoptosis inhibition, antioxidative stress response, inflammatory cytokine levels regulation, uric acid excretion promotion, immune function regulation, uric acid reduction, and intestinal flora improvement in subjects with gout. The literature review concluded that TCM has a specific curative effect on the prevention and treatment of GA, particularly when combined with modern medical approaches. However, lacking a uniform definition of GA syndrome differentiation and the support of evidence-based medicine in clinical practice have provoked considerable concern in previous studies, which needs to be addressed in future research.

High-resolution 3T magnetic resonance imaging and histological analysis of capsuloligamentous complex of the first metatarsophalangeal joint.

BACKGROUND: There are discrepancies in the understanding of the structure of the capsuloligamentous complex of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ); this study aims to investigate the differences with previous anatomical reports of high-resolution 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological analysis in illustrating the structure of the capsuloligamentous complex of the first MTPJ. METHODS: Nine fresh frozen cadaveric feet specimens (from two women and three men; aged 32 to 58 years) were used in this study. All specimens underwent MR examination with T1-weighted imaging and T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery in three planes. Subsequently, all cadaveric feet specimens were sliced into 2-mm-thick sections. The MRI features of the capsuloligamentous complex of the first MTPJ were analyzed in these specimens. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining methods were used to explore the histologic features of the capsuloligamentous complex of the first MTPJ. RESULTS: Different from most previous studies, our results showed that the plantar plate could be divided into four portions including the central portion of the plantar plate, the intersesamoid, the sesamoid phalangeal and the metatarsosesamoid ligaments. The normal central portion of the plantar plate could be clearly visualized in the sagittal and coronal plane MR images. The intersesamoid ligament is a continuation of the central portion of the plantar plate on the sagittal plane on the gross specimen, the MR imaging, and the histological examination. On the coronal plane of the gross specimen and MR imaging, the sesamoid phalangeal ligaments and the central portion of the plantar plate can be seen as separate ligaments, but they appeared interwoven with the same continuous collagenous fibers on the histological analysis. CONCLUSION: High-resolution 3T MRI allows accurate demonstration of the different anatomical details of the capsuloligamentous complex of the first MTPJ from previous anatomical reports. The histological analysis provides further understanding of the structures of the capsuloligamentous complex of the first MTPJ from previous studies.

Development and preliminary testing of a probe-based duplex real-time PCR assay for the detection of African swine fever virus.

An outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in China in 2018 caused substantial economic losses to the swine industry. To accurately diagnose clinical infection with ASF virus (ASFV), we developed a TaqMan probe-based duplex real-time PCR that simultaneously detected two discontinuous genes in the virus genome, thereby preventing the inaccurate results obtained with only one reaction. Two sets of ASFV gene-specific primers, along with two fluorescent TaqMan probes were designed to target conserved regions of the B646L and B438L genes. This method had high sensitivity and specificity, with a limit of detection of 10 copies/µL, and it did not cross-react with the genomes of other viral pathogens that affect pigs (i.e., CSFV, PRRSV, PEDV, PRV, PPV and PCV2). Overall, 180 clinical samples from ASFV-infected pig farms were used to compare this method with a commercial kit, which yielded excellent consistency (98.3%). This new diagnostic method should greatly improve the efficiency of ASFV surveillance and reduce economic losses, providing benefits for both animal and public health.