Hippo Kinase MST1-Mediated Cell Metabolism Reprograms the Homeostasis and Differentiation of Granulocyte Progenitor Cells.

The mechanism of the development of granulocyte progenitor cells into neutrophils under steady-state and pathological conditions remains unclear. In this study, our results showed that with the development of neutrophils from hematopoietic stem cells to mature neutrophils, the expression level of the Hippo kinase MST1 gradually increased. Mst1-specific deficiency in myeloid cells caused neutrophilia, with an expanded granulocytic compartment resulting from a cell-autonomous increase in the number of granulocyte-macrophage progenitors under steady-state conditions and during Listeria monocytogenes infection. Mechanistically, mTOR and HIF1α signaling are required for regulating the balance between glycolysis and succinate dehydrogenase-mediated oxidative phosphorylation, which is crucial for Mst1-/--induced proliferation of granulocyte-monocyte progenitors, lineage-decision factor C/EBPα expression, and granulopoiesis. HIF1α directly regulated C/EBPα promoter activities. Blocking mTOR and HIF1α or adjusting the balance between glycolysis and succinate dehydrogenase-mediated oxidative phosphorylation reversed the granulopoiesis induced by Mst1-/- under steady-state conditions or infection in mice. Thus, our findings identify a previously unrecognized interplay between Hippo kinase MST1 signaling and mTOR-HIF1α metabolic reprogramming in granulocyte progenitor cells that underlies granulopoiesis.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of BrBASS Genes in Brassica rapa Reveals Their Potential Roles in Abiotic Stress Tolerance.

The bile acid sodium symporter (BASS) family plays an important role in transporting substances and coordinating plants' salt tolerance. However, the function of BASS in Brassica rapa has not yet been elucidated. In this study, eight BrBASS genes distributed on five chromosomes were identified that belonged to four subfamilies. Expression profile analysis showed that BrBASS7 was highly expressed in roots, whereas BrBASS4 was highly expressed in flowers. The promoter element analysis also identified several typical homeopathic elements involved in abiotic stress tolerance and stress-related hormonal responses. Notably, under salt stress, the expression of BrBASS2 was significantly upregulated; under osmotic stress, that of BrBASS4 increased and then decreased; and under cold stress, that of BrBASS7 generally declined. The protein-protein interaction analysis revealed that the BrBASS2 homologous gene AtBASS2 interacted with Nhd1 (N-mediated heading date-1) to alleviate salt stress in plants, while the BrBASS4 homologous gene AtBASS3 interacted with BLOS1 (biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex 1 subunit 1) via co-regulation with SNX1 (sorting nexin 1) to mitigate an unfavorable growing environment for roots. Further, Bra-miR396 (Bra-microRNA396) targeting BrBASS4 and BrBASS7 played a role in the plant response to osmotic and cold stress conditions, respectively. This research demonstrates that BrBASS2, BrBASS4, and BrBASS7 harbor great potential for regulating abiotic stresses. The findings will help advance the study of the functions of the BrBASS gene family.

Jet-Origin Identification and Its Application at an Electron-Positron Higgs Factory.

To enhance the scientific discovery power of high-energy collider experiments, we propose and realize the concept of jet-origin identification that categorizes jets into five quark species (b,c,s,u,d), five antiquarks (b[over ¯],c[over ¯],s[over ¯],u[over ¯],d[over ¯]), and the gluon. Using state-of-the-art algorithms and simulated νν[over ¯]H,H→jj events at 240 GeV center-of-mass energy at the electron-positron Higgs factory, the jet-origin identification simultaneously reaches jet flavor tagging efficiencies ranging from 67% to 92% for bottom, charm, and strange quarks and jet charge flip rates of 7%-24% for all quark species. We apply the jet-origin identification to Higgs rare and exotic decay measurements at the nominal luminosity of the Circular Electron Positron Collider and conclude that the upper limits on the branching ratios of H→ss[over ¯],uu[over ¯],dd[over ¯] and H→sb,db,uc,ds can be determined to 2×10^{-4} to 1×10^{-3} at 95% confidence level. The derived upper limit for H→ss[over ¯] decay is approximately 3 times the prediction of the standard model.

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase PTPRO Signaling Couples Metabolic States to Control the Development of Granulocyte Progenitor Cells.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) is critically involved in the regulation of hematopoietic stem cell development and differentiation. Roles of novel isolated receptor PTPase PTPRO from bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells in granulopoiesis have not been investigated. PTPRO expression is correlated with granulocytic differentiation, and Ptpro -/- mice developed neutrophilia, with an expanded granulocytic compartment resulting from a cell-autonomous increase in the number of granulocyte progenitors under steady-state and potentiated innate immune responses against Listeria monocytogenes infection. Mechanistically, mTOR and HIF1α signaling engaged glucose metabolism and initiated a transcriptional program involving the lineage decision factor C/EBPα, which is critically required for the PTPRO deficiency-directed granulopoiesis. Genetic ablation of mTOR or HIF1α or perturbation of glucose metabolism suppresses progenitor expansion, neutrophilia, and higher glycolytic activities by Ptpro -/- In addition, Ptpro -/- upregulated HIF1α regulates the lineage decision factor C/EBPα promoter activities. Thus, our findings identify a previously unrecognized interplay between receptor PTPase PTPRO signaling and mTOR-HIF1α metabolic reprogramming in progenitor cells of granulocytes that underlies granulopoiesis.

Molecular characterization and zoonotic potential of Entamoeba spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Blastocystis from captive wild animals in northwest China.

BACKGROUND: Parasites Entamoeba spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Blastocystis are prevalent pathogens causing gastrointestinal illnesses in animals and humans. Consequently, researches on their occurrence, distribution and hosts are crucial for the well-being of both animals and humans. Due to the confined spaces and frequent interaction between animals and humans, animal sanctuaries have emerged as potential reservoirs for these parasites. In this study, the wildlife sanctuary near the Huang Gorge of the Qinling Mountains in northwest China is chosen as an ideal site for parasite distribution research, considering its expansive stocking area and high biodiversity. RESULTS: We collected 191 fecal specimens from 37 distinct wildlife species and extracted genomic DNA. We identified these three parasites by amplifying specific gene regions and analyzed their characteristics and evolutionary relationships. All the parasites exhibited a high overall infection rate, reaching 90.05%. Among them, seven Entamoeba species were identified, accounting for a prevalence of 54.97%, with the highest infection observed in Entamoeba bovis. In total, 11 Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotypes were discovered, representing a prevalence of 35.08%, including three genotypes of human-pathogenic Group 1 and two novel genotypes (SXWZ and SXLG). Additionally, 13 Blastocystis subtypes were detected, showing a prevalence of 74.87% and encompassing eight zoonotic subtypes. All of the above suggests significant possibilities of parasite transmission between animals and humans. CONCLUSIONS: This study investigated the occurrence and prevalence of three intestinal parasites, enhancing our understanding of their genetic diversity and host ranges in northwest China. Furthermore, the distribution of these parasites implies significant potential of zoonotic transmission, underscoring the imperative for ongoing surveillance and implementation of control measures. These efforts are essential to mitigate the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks originating from wildlife sanctuary.

Design and Synthesis of a Triazine-Based sp2 Carbon-Conjugated Covalent Organic Framework for Blue Light Photocatalysis.

Fully conjugated covalent organic frameworks (COFs) can exhibit great potential in semiconductor photocatalysis. But their syntheses remain elusive due to the low reversibility of vinylene linkage. Herein, by tuning the amount of base and temperature, a novel triazine-based sp2  carbon-conjugated COF (TA-sp2 c-COF) is successfully constructed over Cs2 CO3 . Besides, the influence of modulating factors on the chemical and optoelectronic properties of TA-sp2 c-COF is thoroughly investigated. TA-sp2 c-COF adopts an eclipsed AA stacking structure with uniform micropores (1.4 nm). The blue light photocatalysis of the highly crystalline TA-sp2 c-COF is established for the selective oxidative coupling of amines with oxygen, and the predominant role of superoxide is identified in forming imines. This work foretells that meticulous modulation of reaction conditions is the key to constructing sp2  carbon-conjugated COFs toward solar photocatalysis.

Clinical significance of matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and pathological indexes in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). EVIDENCE OBTAINED: The database was searched in PubMed, Embase, CNKI, and Web of Science databases for relevant clinical trials. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) show the effect of MMP-9 expression and age, tumour size, gender, lymph node metastasis (LNM), and TNM (tumour, lymph node, metastasis) stage. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using Stata 17.0. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 1433 patients with PTC were included in this meta-analysis. MMP-9 expression was significantly correlated with LNM (OR = 3.92, 95% CI = 2.71-5.65, P = 0.000), tumour size (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.13-2.52, P = 0.011), and TNM stage (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 2.10-4.13, P = 0.000), but not with gender (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.66-1.22, P = 0.487) and age (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 0.93-1.98, P = 0.115). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis showed that MMP-9 was significantly associated with LNM, tumour size, and TNM stage; therefore, MMP-9 may be a reliable prognostic biomarker for patients with PTC. However, more high-quality studies are needed to support these findings further.

Tea polyphenols protect bovine intestinal epithelial cells from the adverse effects of heat-stress in vitro.

Heat-stress (HS) leads to impaired gut health, adversely affecting milk production of dairy cows. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of tea polyphenols (TP) against HS-induced damage in bovine intestinal epithelial cells (BIECs) and explored the underlying mechanisms. Primary BIECs were isolated from bovine duodenum, cultured and treated as follows: (1) control cells incubated in complete medium at 37 °C for 12 h, (2) TP group incubated in medium containing 100 µg/mL TP at 37 °C for 12 h, (3) HS group incubated in medium at 37 °C for 6 h followed by 6 h at 42 °C, and (4) HS + TP group incubated with 100 µg/mL TP for 6 h at 37 °C and 6 h at 42 °C. TP improved cell viability and antioxidant capacity, and decreased apoptosis and LDH activity. TP led to upregulation of Nrf2 and its target antioxidant genes HO-1, NQO1 and SOD1 expression. TP significantly decreased the expression of proinflammatory cytokine genes (NF-κB, IL-6 and TNF-α), and increased expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine gene, IL-10. The above results suggested that TP protected BIECs from HS-induced adverse effects by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, indicating that TP can alleviate HS-induced intestinal damage in dairy cows.

Long-Term Efficacy of Orthokeratology to Control Myopia Progression.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of orthokeratology in controlling the rate of myopia progression in children and investigate the factors associated with axial length (AL) growth rate with an average of 48 months of orthokeratology lens wear. METHODS: As a retrospective study, 84 subjects underwent relatively complete ophthalmologic examinations. After initial lens wear, AL was measured on average every 12 months. The linear mixed-effects model (LMM) was used to compare the differences in AL growth rates at each time interval. The contribution of the independent variables to AL change was assessed using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: In the LMM, there was a significant difference in the AL growth rate ( P <0.001) at each follow-up. The growth rate of AL was associated with initial AL, spherical equivalent refractive errors (SERs) and diameter of lens ( P =0.045, 0.003 and 0.037, respectively). When the baseline age was included as a factor, the influence of initial AL and SER became insignificant in the analysis, whereas age and diameter of lens were significantly correlated with the growth rate of AL ( P< 0.001 and P< 0.001, respectively). There were significant differences in growth rates among different age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study demonstrated that the factors associated with lower growth rate in AL were older age and longer diameter of lens.

Evaluating Urban Building Damage of 2023 Kahramanmaras, Turkey Earthquake Sequence Using SAR Change Detection.

On February 6, 2023 (local time), two earthquakes (Mw7.8 and Mw7.7) struck central and southern Turkey, causing extensive damage to several cities and claiming a toll of 40,000 lives. In this study, we propose a method for seismic building damage assessment and analysis by combining SAR amplitude and phase coherence change detection. We determined building damage in five severely impacted urban areas and calculated the damage ratio by measuring the urban area and the damaged area. The largest damage ratio of 18.93% is observed in Nurdagi, and the smallest ratio of 7.59% is found in Islahiye. We verified the results by comparing them with high-resolution optical images and AI recognition results from the Microsoft team. We also used pixel offset tracking (POT) technology and D-InSAR technology to obtain surface deformation using Sentinel-1A images and analyzed the relationship between surface deformation and post-earthquake urban building damage. The results show that Nurdagi has the largest urban average surface deformation of 0.48 m and Antakya has the smallest deformation of 0.09 m. We found that buildings in the areas with steeper slopes or closer to earthquake faults have higher risk of collapse. We also discussed the influence of SAR image parameters on building change recognition. Image resolution and observation geometry have a great influence on the change detection results, and the resolution can be improved by various means to raise the recognition accuracy. Our research findings can guide earthquake disaster assessment and analysis and identify influential factors of earthquake damage.

Effect of intraoperative remimazolam on postoperative sleep quality in elderly patients after total joint arthroplasty: a randomized control trial.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of intraoperative remimazolam sedation on postoperative sleep quality in elderly patients after total joint arthroplasty. METHODS: Between May 15, 2021 and March 26, 2022, 108 elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years) who received total joint arthroplasty under neuraxial anesthesia were randomized into remimazolam group (a loading dose of 0.025-0.1 mg/kg and followed by an infusion rate of 0.1-1.0 mg/kg/h till end of surgery) or routine group (sedation was given on patient's requirement by dexmedetomidine 0.2-0.7 µg/kg/h). Primary outcome was the subjective sleep quality at surgery night which was evaluated by Richards Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ). Secondary outcomes included RCSQ scores at postoperative first and second nights and numeric rating scale pain intensity within first 3 days after surgery. RESULTS: RCSQ score at surgery night was 59 (28, 75) in remimazolam group which was comparable with 53 (28, 67) in routine group (median difference 6, 95% CI - 6 to 16, P = 0.315). After adjustment of confounders, preoperative high Pittsburg sleep quality index was associated worse RCSQ score (P = 0.032), but not remimazolam (P = 0.754). RCSQ score at postoperative first night [69 (56, 85) vs. 70 (54, 80), P = 0.472] and second night [80 (68, 87) vs. 76 (64, 84), P = 0.066] were equivalent between two groups. Safety outcomes were comparable between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative remimazolam did not significantly improve postoperative sleep quality in elderly patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. But it is proved to be effective and safe for moderate sedation in these patients. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER AND REGISTRY URL: ChiCTR2000041286 ( www.chictr.org.cn ).

A prospective randomized self-controlled study of LASIK combined with accelerated cross-linking for high myopia in Chinese: 24-month follow-up.

BACKGROUND: To assess the visual and refractive outcomes of femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) concurrent with accelerated cross-linking (LASIK Xtra) compared with conventional FS-LASIK (convLASIK) for high myopia in Chinese individuals. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, fellow-eye comparison study, 25 patients with high myopia were treated randomly with LASIK Xtra in one eye and convLASIK in the other. A 24-month follow-up was conducted, and the main outcome measures included uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) and corneal tomography. RESULTS: The UDVA was 0.09 ± 0.15 logMAR in the LASIK Xtra group, which was significantly worse than that in the convLASIK group 1 day postoperatively (P = .001), but the difference became nonsignificant from 1 week after surgery. The efficacy index was 0.88 ± 0.18 in the LASIK Xtra eyes and 0.99 ± 0.13 in the convLASIK eyes at 24 months (P = .028). Throughout the follow-up period, a slight myopic shift in the MRSE and keratometry values were observed in both groups without significant intergroup differences. The coefficient of determination was 0.9982 in the LASIK Xtra eyes and 0.9987 in the convLASIK eyes. The corneal density was significantly higher, and demarcation lines were visible in the first 6 months in LASIK Xtra eyes, but both signs of cross-linking gradually disappeared during follow-up. No severe complications were detected in either group. CONCLUSIONS: LASIK Xtra showed comparable safety and predictability with convLASIK for high myopia in Chinese, but lower efficacy and no greater stability was observed up to 24-month follow-up.

Developing dynamic defocus curve for evaluating dynamic vision accommodative function.

BACKGROUND: To assess dynamic visual acuity (DVA) under different defocus statuses and explore the assessment of dynamic vision accommodation. METHODS: Twenty subjects (6 males and 14 females) aged 18 to 35 were recruited. Nonmydriatic subjective refraction (sphere and cylinder) and accommodative tests including negative relative accommodation (NRA), positive relative accommodation (PRA), binocular cross cylinder (BCC) and accommodative facility using a flipper were performed. Binocular static visual acuity (SVA) and DVA at 40 degrees per second (dps) were measured under different defocus statuses (+1.5D to -4D in -0.5D steps) based on the refractive error fully corrected. Static and dynamic defocus curves were plotted. The area under the curve (AUC) and corrected dynamic vision accommodation (CDVAc) were calculated. RESULTS: The study showed that the dynamic defocus curve fitted the cubic curve properly (p<0.001). DVA was significantly worse than SVA at all defocused statuses (p<0.001), and the difference was more significant at greater defocus diopters. Single factor analysis indicated that CDVAc was significantly correlated with NRA-PRA (p=0.012) and AUCdynamic (p<0.001). Significant associations were observed between AUCdynamic and PRA (p=0.013) as well as NRA-PRA (p=0.021). Meanwhile, DVA was positively correlated with PRA at 0D, -1.0D, -1.5D, -2.5D and -3.0D (p<0.05) and with NRA-PRA at 0D, -1.0D, -1.5D, -2.0D and -2.5D (p<0.05). Multiple factor regression analysis indicated that CDVAc (0D ~ -3.5D) and SVA (+1.5D ~ +1.0D & -2.5D ~ -4.0D) were significant influential factors for defocused DVA (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that DVA had a defocus curve similar to that of SVA. CDVAc was feasible for the assessment of dynamic vision accommodative function. The dynamic defocus curve test could efficiently be applied in the evaluation of dynamic visual performance under different defocus statuses.

Eimeria spp. (Eimeriidae) in the migratory whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) Linnaeus, 1758 (Anatidae) from Sanmenxia Swan Lake National Urban Wetland Park in the middle reaches of the Yellow River in China.

This study i dentifies four Eimeria spp. recorded from fecal samples of migratory whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) in Sanmenxia Swan Lake National Urban Wetland Park in Sanmenxia city in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, China. Eimeria hermani, Eimeria nocens, Eimeria stigmosa, and Eimeria magnalabia were compatible in all characteristic features with their respective original descriptions. In addition to the preliminary morphological identification, this study provides a preliminary genotypic identification of these four Eimeria spp. via sequencing of the 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and COI gene loci that are suitable for the genotypic differentiation of these coccidia. This is the first report of molecular data for the four Eimeria spp. in migratory whooper swans. Finally, this study discusses the environmental risks of these coccidia for migratory whooper swans in Sanmenxia Swan Lake National Urban Wetland Park.

Electrochemiluminescent (ECL) biosensor for Burkholderia pseudomallei based on cobalt-doped MOF decorated with gold nanoparticles and N-(4-aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol).

A multifunctional catalytic nanomaterial (Co-MOF@AuNP@ABEI) composed of cobalt-doped metal-organic frameworks (Co-MOF), gold nanoparticles (AuNP), and N-(4-aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol) (ABEI) is reported. Co-MOF@AuNP@ABEI exhibits high synergistic and zero-distance catalytic properties, which are beneficial to the improvement of the detection sensitivity of an electrochemiluminescent (ECL) biosensor. After coupling with the ECL system and 3D magnetic walking nanomachine amplification strategy, the Co-MOF@AuNP@ABEI can achieve an ultrasensitive ECL assay of Burkholderia pseudomallei with the limit of detection (LOD) of 60.3 aM, which is 2 and 4 orders of magnitude lower than individual ECL system without the nanomachine (4.97 fM) and individual walking nanomachine (340 fM), and superior to the pathogenic bacteria analyses in the previous report. Moreover, the LOD of the proposed ECL detection system for the determination of B. pseudomallei in serum sample was as low as 9.0 CFU mL-1. The relative standard deviations (RSD) of ECL intensity for the detection of five B. pseudomallei-spiked serum samples were 4.02%, 0.84%, 0.84%, 1.55%, and 0.21%, respectively. The recoveries of the ECL biosensor for the detection of B. pseudomallei DNA-spiked serum samples were 93.63 ~ 107.83%. Therefore, this work demonstrated that the developed multifunctional catalytic nanomaterial with synergistic and zero-distance catalytic properties can be used as excellent ECL signal reporter to improve the detection sensitivity of ECL biosensor.

Immunoregulatory Role of the Mechanosensitive Ion Channel Piezo1 in Inflammation and Cancer.

Piezo1 was originally identified as a mechanically activated, nonselective cation ion channel, with significant permeability to calcium ions, is evolutionally conserved, and is involved in the proliferation and development of various types of cells, in the context of various types of mechanical or innate stimuli. Recently, our study and work by others have reported that Piezo1 from all kinds of immune cells is involved in regulating many diseases, including infectious inflammation and cancer. This review summarizes the recent progress made in understanding the immunoregulatory role and mechanisms of the mechanical receptor Piezo1 in inflammation and cancer and provides new insight into the biological significance of Piezo1 in regulating immunity and tumors.

Three-dimensional topographic changes of anterior chamber depth following phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation in cataract patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the three-dimensional topographic changes of anterior chamber depth (ACD) following cataract surgery. METHODS: Seventy-eight eyes with age-related cataract undergoing phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were retrospectively enrolled. Participants were evaluated with Pentacam for ACD topography before and approximately four weeks after the surgery. The absolute changes of ACD (AACD) and the relative changes of ACD (RACD) topography were calculated, and three-dimensional topographic contours were plotted. The influence of age, gender, distance to corneal apex (DCA), temporal-nasal and superior-inferior on AACD and RACD was analyzed. RESULTS: Both AACD and RACD were negatively correlated with the DCA (p < 0.001; p < 0.001) and positively correlated with the age at all DCA (p < 0.05 for all the analyses). Significantly greater AACD and RACD were observed in female subjects (p < 0.05, respectively, at all DCA). AACD was significantly larger in the temporal compared with the nasal region (p < 0.001) and at the superior compared with the inferior region (p < 0.001), but not RACD. Subgroup analysis indicated that the significant difference of the AACD between the temporal and nasal regions was manifested at the DCA of more than 6 mm (p < 0.001), and the difference between the superior and inferior regions was observed at 2 mm DCA for both AACD (p < 0.001) and RACD (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We depicted the topographic changes of ACD following cataract surgery and found that it was significantly influenced by age, gender, DCA and quadrant location. The research provided the basis for including postoperative ACD topography prediction before cataract surgery in the future.

Investigation of the effect of solution pH value on rabbit corneal stroma biomechanics.

PURPOSE: To facilitate the protection of corneal stability during corneal epithelium defects by determining the effect of solution pH on corneal stroma biomechanics. METHODS: Thirty rabbit corneas were extracted, and the epithelium was scraped off. The samples were immediately subjected to inflation tests with pressures ranging from 0.3 to 6 kPa at baseline and in three subsequent test cycles. During a 10-min interval between cycles, specimens were randomly divided into four groups; in three of these groups, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) drops with pH values of 6.9, 7.4, or 7.9 were applied to the surface once per minute, whereas the fourth group did not receive drops. RESULTS: The corneal thickness significantly increased following the administration of PBS, while the corneal tangent modulus significantly decreased. At 2.5 and 4.5 kPa, the modulus reduction was significantly smaller in the specimens treated with pH 6.9 PBS than in those treated with pH 7.4 or 7.9 PBS, adjusted for changes in corneal thickness. Linear fitting of the pressure-modulus plot revealed that the regression coefficient significantly decreased over time. The reduction in the coefficient was most prominent in the PBS-treated groups, and the administration of pH 6.9 PBS elicited the smallest reduction among those three groups, adjusted for corneal thickness changes. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the administration of PBS drops with various pH values affected corneal biomechanics independent of corneal stromal swelling, and the impact of slightly acidic PBS was minimal. The effect became more prominent as posterior pressure increased. The research provides the basis for mediating the pH value of tear film and drops to maintain biomechanical stability of epithelium defects corneal stroma.

The crosstalk between gut bacteria and host immunity in intestinal inflammation.

The gut of mammals is considered as a harmonious ecosystem mediated by intestinal microbiota and the host. Both bacteria and mammalian immune cells show region-related distribution characteristics, and the interaction between the two could be demonstrated by synergetic roles in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and dysregulation in intestinal inflammation. The harmonious interplay between bacteria and host requires fine-tuned regulations by environmental and genetic factors. Thus, the disturbed immune response to microbial components or metabolites and dysbiosis related to immunodeficiency are absolute risk factors to intestinal inflammation and cancer. In this review, we discuss the crosstalk between bacteria and host immunity in the gut and highlight the critical roles of bidirectional regulation between bacteria and the mammalian immune system involved in intestinal inflammation.

Functional differentiation and regulation of follicular T helper cells in inflammation and autoimmunity.

Follicular T helper (TFH ) cells are specialized T cells that support B cells, which are essential for humoral immunity. TFH cells express the transcription factor B-cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl-6), chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor (CXCR) 5, the surface receptors programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS), the cytokine IL-21 and other molecules. The activation, proliferation and differentiation of TFH cells are closely related to dynamic changes in cellular metabolism. In this review, we summarize the progress made in understanding the development and functional differentiation of TFH cells. Specifically, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms of TFH cell functional differentiation, including regulatory signalling pathways and the metabolic regulatory mechanisms of TFH cells. In addition, TFH cells are closely related to immune-associated diseases, including infections, autoimmune diseases and cancers.