Intradermal Injection of a Thermoresponsive Polymeric Dexamethasone Prodrug (ProGel-Dex) Ameliorate Dermatitis in an Imiquimod (IMQ)-Induced Psoriasis-like Mouse Model.

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease, affecting ∼ 3% of the US population. Although multiple new systemic therapies have been introduced for the treatment of psoriatic skin disease, topical and intralesional glucocorticoids (GCs) continue to be used as effective psoriasis therapies. Their clinical utility, however, has been hampered by significant adverse effects, including skin atrophy and pigmentation as well as elevated blood glucose levels and hypertension. To mitigate these limitations, we have developed a N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-based thermoresponsive dexamethasone (Dex) prodrug (ProGel-Dex) and assessed its therapeutic efficacy and safety in an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like (PL) mouse model. ProGel-Dex was intradermally administered once at three dosing levels: 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg/day Dex equivalent at the beginning of the study. PL mice were also treated with daily topical saline or Dex, which were used as control groups. Treatment of PL mice with ProGel-Dex dosed at 0.5 mg/kg/day resulted in a significant reduction in scaling and erythema. Improvement in gross pathology scores, skin histological scores, and serum cytokine levels was also observed. Interestingly, for mice treated with ProGel-Dex at 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg/day Dex equivalent, only improvement in skin erythema was observed. GC-associated side effects, such as elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and amylase levels and body weight loss, were not observed in mice treated with ProGel-Dex at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg/day Dex equivalent. Collectively, these results demonstrate the efficacy and improved safety of ProGel-Dex in treating psoriatic skin lesions when compared to topical Dex treatment, supporting its translational potential for clinical management of lesional skin psoriasis.

Electrodeposition of Ni and CeO2/Ni Nanotubes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Electrode.

Ni NTs and CeO2-Ni nanotubes (NTs) have been prepared by galvanostatic electrodeposition in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) Templates. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic (EDS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) are used to characterize the prepared NTs. The results showed that the preparation process of CeO2-Ni NTs was accompanied by the formation of many new phases CeNix (x = 1, 2, 3.5 or 5) and preferential orientation crystal face of Ni in CeO2-Ni NTs is 〈111〉, which is different from that Ni 〈200〉 in Ni NTs. Then linear scan voltammetry (LSV) is applied to test the electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen revolution reaction (HER) of the two electrodes in 1 M NaCl aqueous solution and find that both of the two materials exhibited good performance. Finally, the kinetics analyses from the HER process showed that Tafel slope b was mainly dependent on phase composition and electric conductivity of the electrode, while j0 was mainly dependent on its real specific surface area.

Three-way DNA junction based platform for ultra-sensitive fluorometric detection of multiple metal ions as exemplified for Cu(II), Mg(II) and Pb(II).

A DNA-based fluorometric method is described for simultaneous determination of multiple metal ions. It is based on recycling cleavage of hairpins by using a three-way DNA junction structure. Three DNA sequences containing a binding region and an enzyme-strand (E-DNA) region are hybridized to form a three-way DNA junction. The enzyme strand regions at the end of the DNA sequence binds to the substrate sequence (S-DNA) at the loop of the hairpin to form typical DNAzyme structures. In the presence of analyte metal ions, the DNAzyme structure thus formed cleaves the loop of hairpins. This is accompanied by a release of fluorescently labeled DNA fragments and by quenching of fluorescence. The detection limits are 35 pM for Cu(II), 2 nM for Mg(II), and 8 pM for Pb(II). This method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of these ions in spiked human serum. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of the recycling cleavage of hairpins by using a three-way DNA junction structure. It causes a release of fluorescently labeled DNA fragments and quenching of fluorescence. It was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of Cu(II), Mg(II) and Pb(II) in spiked human serum.

Preparation of AAO-CeO2 nanotubes and their application in electrochemical oxidation desulfurization of diesel.

The coaxial arrays of AAO-CeO2 NTs have been successfully galvanostatically deposited on an anode, characterized and adopted as a catalyst for removing organic sulfurs from diesel. The influence of the main electrochemical oxidation factors on the efficiency of desulfurization have also been investigated. The results show that the fabrication process of AAO-CeO2 NTs is accompanied by the formation of a new phase, namely Al3Ce, and the main oxidation products of the diesel are soluble inorganic sulphides, especially Ce2(SO4)3. When compared with dibenzothiophene and 4, 6-dimethyldibenzothiophene, benzothiophene is much more easily removed, with a removal efficiency that reaches 87.2%. Finally, a possible electrochemical oxidation desulfurization pathway for diesel is proposed.

[Effect of critical process parameters on luminescence properties of Eu2+/Dy3+ co-doped high silica luminescence glass].

In the present work, Eu2+/Dy3+ co-doped high silica glasses with different process parameters were prepared and the effect of critical process parameters including phase separation temperature, solution concentration and sintering temperature on the luminescence properties of Eu2+/Dy3+ co-doped high silica glasses was investigated by means of measuring pore surface parameters of porous glasses, emission spectra, infrared absorption spectra and densities of high silica glasses. Pore structure parameters of porous glass samples and emission spectra of corresponding high silica glass samples with different phase separation temperatures show that the phase separation temperature has indirect effect on luminescence properties of high silica glass by influencing specific surface area value of corresponding porous glass. Specific surface area of porous glass changes when phase separation temperature changes. High silica glass achieves maximum emission intensity when the maximum specific surface area of porous glass is obtained. Luminescence intensity of high silica glass increases when specific surface area of porous glass increases. Emission spectra of high silica glass samples with different solution concentrations show that the emission intensities of Eu2+ and Dy3+ in high silica glass are enhanced with the increase in the Dy3+ concentration in solution; when the Dy3+ concentration is beyond 0.1 mol x L(-1), the emission intensities of Eu2+ and Dy3+ in high silica glass are both decreased due to the occurring of concentration quench of Dy3+ in the glass. Emission spectra and infrared absorption spectra of high silica glass samples with different sintering temperatures show that the emission intensity of high silica glass is increased with the increase in the sintering temperature because the content of residual hydroxyl groups -OH in the glass is decreased; when the sintering temperature is beyond 1000 degrees C, the high silica glass exhibits crystalline and the luminescence intensity decreases.

WTAP mediated m6A-modified circ_0056856 contributes to the proliferation, migration, and invasion of IL-22-stimulated human keratinocyte by miR-197-3p/CDK1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammation-associated skin disorder, and interleukin-22 (IL-22) is involved in psoriasis pathogenesis by boosting the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. Mounting evidence has shown that circRNAs might play an important role in several aspects of psoriasis. This study is designed to explore the role and mechanism of circ_0056856 in regulating the phenotypes of IL-22-induced keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). METHODS: Circ_0056856, microRNA-197-3p (miR-197-3p), Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), and Wilms tumor 1-associated protein (WTAP) levels were detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion were analyzed using 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), Wound scratch, and Transwell assays. After being predicted by Circinteractome or TargetScan, binding between miR-197-3p and circ_0056856 or CDK1 was verified by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. CDK1 and WTAP protein levels were determined using Western blot. Interaction between WTAP and circ_0056856 was assessed using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) assay. RESULTS: Increased circ_0056856, CDK1, and WTAP were observed in psoriasis patients and IL-22-treated HaCaT cells. Moreover, circ_0056856 knockdown might repress IL-22-induced HaCaT cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. In mechanism, circ_0056856 might function as a sponge of miR-197-3p to modulate CDK1 expression, and WTAP improved circ_0056856 expression via m6A methylation. CONCLUSION: WTAP-guided m6A modified circ_0056856 facilitates IL-22-stimulated HaCaT cell damage through the miR-197-3p/CDK1 axis, which could provide novel insights into psoriasis treatment.

CircAKR1B10 interacts with EIF4A3 to stabilize AURKA and promotes IL-22-induced proliferation, migration and invasion in keratinocytes.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are demonstrated to be involved in psoriasis progression. CircRNAs can act as RNA-binding protein (RBP) sponges. Here, we investigated the action of circAKR1B10 in psoriasis, and explored the potential proteins interacted with circAKR1B10. Levels of genes and proteins were assayed by qRT-PCR and western blotting analyses. Keratinocytes in functional groups were treated with interleukin (IL)-22. Functional analysis were conducted using MTT, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), and transwell assays, respectively. Interaction analysis among circAKR1B10, Eukaryotic initiation factor 4 A-III (EIF4A3) and Aurora Kinase A (AURKA) was conducted using bioinformatics analysis, RNA pull-down assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. CircAKR1B10 was highly expressed in psoriasis patients and IL-22-induced keratinocytes. Functionally, knockdown of circAKR1B10 abolished IL-22-induced proliferation, migration and invasion in keratinocytes. AURKA expression was also higher in psoriasis patients and IL-22-induced keratinocytes, and was negatively correlated with circAKR1B10 expression. Moreover, AURKA silencing reduced the proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities of IL-22-induced keratinocytes. Mechanistically, circAKR1B10 interacted with EIF4A3 protein to stabilize and regulate AURKA expression. CircAKR1B10 contributes to IL-22-induced proliferation, migration and invasion in keratinocytes via up-regulating AURKA expression through interacting with EIF4A3 protein.

Adalimumab induced exacerbation of psoriasis in patients with combined pemphigus: A case report.

RATIONALE: Psoriasis is an immune-related disease caused by genetic factors, abnormalities in the immune system and environmental factors, while pemphigus is an autoimmune disease caused by the autoimmune system attacking the skin and mucosal tissues. Herein, we aimed to report a rare case of adalimumab induced exacerbation of psoriasis patients with pemphigus. The rare disease causes considerable challenges for clinical diagnosis and treatment. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient was a 43-year-old man with intermittent erythema and scaling all over the body for more than 20 years, and blisters and vesicles on the trunk and limbs for 1 month. Half a year ago, the patient had blisters on the limbs, and was diagnosed with deciduous pemphigus in a hospital, and the blisters subsided after being given traditional Chinese medicine orally. Half a month ago, the erythema area was enlarged, and adalimumab 80 mg intramuscular injection was given for 1 time after consultation in the hospital. On the following day, the area of erythema and scales was suddenly enlarged obviously compared with the previous 1, and obvious blisters and vesicles appeared on the limbs, neck, and trunk, which were aggravated progressively and accompanied by obvious itching and pain. DIAGNOSES: The patient was diagnosed with psoriasis in patients with combined pemphigus. INTERVENTION: After combined treatment with methylprednisolone and cyclosporine, the skin lesions have basically recovered. OUTCOMES: The skin lesions have basically healed. Follow up for 6 months without recurrence. LESSONS: Methylprednisolone combined with cyclosporine may be an option in treating patients with psoriasis patients with pemphigus.

Preparation of Ag@lignin nanotubes for the development of antimicrobial biodegradable films from corn straw.

Current environmental and energy issues have attracted considerable attention from industries, governments, and academia. Developing alternative diverse petrochemical-based plastics with biodegradable packaging materials from renewable resources is critical for ensuring both sustainability and safety. In this study, biodegradable films are fabricated from corn straw via a facile sol-gel process. Furthermore, these films are imbued with antimicrobial properties by coupling with silver@lignin nanotube hybrid antibacterial agents, formed via the in situ reduction of silver ions into elemental silver by lignin (mild reducing agent), followed by the self-assembly of lignin molecules into nanotubes assisted by an aqueous silver nitrate electrolyte solution. The developed antibacterial corn straw film exhibits strong mechanical and antibacterial properties, with a tensile strength and elongation at break of 68.7 MPa and 11.3 %, respectively, under optimum conditions and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus of 99.9 % and 97.2 %, respectively. The as-prepared corn straw films exhibit high hydrophobicity and ultraviolet resistance. The morphology, structure, and thermal properties of the corn straw films were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. This study provides a straw-based biodegradable packaging film with antimicrobial properties.

Optimization of Mg-Al Layered Double Hydroxide Film Preparation and Corrosion Resistance Study on AZ91D Mg Alloy by Multivariate Polynomial Regression Fitting.

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) films have received extensive attention for their unique physical barrier function and ion exchange properties, which make them promising candidates for corrosion protection of magnesium alloys. In this paper, we used the multiple polynomial regression fitting method to establish a regression equation for the electrochemical corrosion resistance with the reaction temperature (T), pH, and reaction time (t) of the Mg-Al LDH film on the AZ91D magnesium alloy. The goodness of fit, confidence, and residual analyses confirmed the high accuracy of the model equation. According to the calculation using the fmincon function, the best corrosion resistance of the prepared samples could be achieved when the parameters are T = 135 °C, pH = 12.0, and t = 15 h. Then, the experimental results showed that the corrosion current density (Icorr) of the obtained LDH film under the above conditions could be 1.07 × 10-7 A/cm2, approximately 3 orders of magnitude lower than the magnesium alloy substrate, after immersion in a 3.5 wt % NaCl solution for 180 h, the surface structure of the LDH film did not change significantly, and the Icorr was still 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of the magnesium alloy substrate. Hence, a synergistic effect equation for the reaction temperature, pH, and reaction time on the corrosion resistance of the LDH film on a magnesium alloy surface prepared by the hydrothermal method was obtained. Moreover, using this equation, we obtained an LDH film with good corrosion resistance and durability, providing theoretical guidance for optimizing the process of preparing the LDH film by the hydrothermal method in practical applications.

Far-field distance for surface light source with different luminous area.

Most of the lighting designs are based on the far-field characteristics of light sources. It is important to know whether the measurement distance is far enough to simulate the light source as a point source. In this paper, we deduce the far-field conditions for surface light sources with continuous luminous area. The relative far-field distance for several typical flat and curved surface light sources, such as the round, rectangular, annular, hemispherical, and semi-cylindrical sources are calculated. Results show that the classical five times rule is not applicable to surface light sources with hemispherical, arc-shaped semi-cylindrical, and narrow annular luminous areas.

Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Approach to Identify the Pathogenetic Link Between Psoriasis and Cardiovascular Disease.

Objective: This study aimed to identify hub genes and common pathways shared between psoriasis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) using bioinformatics analysis and predict the transcription factors (TFs) of hub genes. Methods: GSE133555 data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between involved and uninvolved skin lesions in psoriasis, employing the limma package in R. Additionally, CVD-related genes were obtained from the GeneCards database. The intersection of DEGs and CVD-related genes yielded CVD-DEGs. Gene Ontology and signaling pathway analyses were performed using the clusterProfiler package in R. Hub genes were identified by intersecting six algorithms in the CytoHubba plugin of Cytoscape. To identify potential biomarkers, the GSE14905 dataset was subjected to receiver operating characteristic analysis, resulting in the identification of eight central hub genes. Finally, the NetworkAnalyst web tool was used to identify the TFs of the eight hub genes. Results: We identified 92 significant DEGs out of 1825 CVD-related genes in psoriasis obtained from the GSE13355 and GeneCard data. Functional enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of these genes in various signaling pathways, including the interleukin-17 signaling, tumor necrosis factor signaling, lipid and atherosclerosis, chemokine signaling, and cytokine signaling pathways in the immune system. The eight hub genes identified included interleukin-1 beta, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, arginase 1, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4, cyclin D1, and matrix metallopeptidase 9, with forkhead box C1 also identified as an associated TF of these genes. These hub genes and TF may act as key regulators in the context of CVD. Conclusion: This study identified several hub genes and signaling pathways associated with both CVD and psoriasis. These findings lay the groundwork for potential therapeutic interventions for patients with psoriasis affected by CVD.

Preparation of Bio-Foam Material from Steam-Exploded Corn Straw by In Situ Esterification Modification.

In this work, we engineered a corn-straw-based bio-foam material under the inspiration of the intrinsic morphology of the corn stem. The explosion pretreatment was applied to obtain a fibrillated cellulose starting material rich in lignin. The in situ esterification of cellulose was adopted to improve the cross-linking network of the as-developed foam bio-material. The esterification of lignin was observed in the same procedure, which provides a better cross-linking interaction. The esterified corn-straw-derived bio-foam material showed excellent elastic resilience performance with an elastic recovery ratio of 83% and an elastic modulus of 20 kPa. Meanwhile, with surface modification by hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene-functionalized lignin as the flame retardant (Lig-HCCP), the as-obtained bio-foam material demonstrated quite a good flame retardancy (with 27.3% of the LOI), as well as a heat insulation property. The corn-straw-derived bio-foam material is prospected to be a potential substitution packaging material for widely used petroleum-derived products. This work provides a new value-added application of the abundant agricultural straw biomass resources.

The Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the Diagnosis of Tuberculous Pleurisy and in the Differential Diagnosis between Tuberculous Pleurisy and Pleural Metastasis from Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in tuberculous pleurisy (TBP) and the differential diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT between TBP and pleural metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma (PMLAC). Materials and Methods: The features of pleura on PET and hybrid CT were retrospectively studied in 20 patients with TBP and 32 patients with PMLAC. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of these indices for TBP and PMLAC, and binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of TBP and PMLAC. Results: There were significant differences in pleural 18F-FDG uptake pattern on PET (P=0.001), pleural morphology pattern on CT (P=0.002), the maximum diameter of the pleural nodule (P=0.001), and interlobular fissure nodule (P=0.001) between TBP and PMLAC groups. The diffused pleural FDG uptake type on PET (odds ratio (OR) = 6.0, 95% CI 2.216-16.248, P=0.001) and the lamellar pleural thickening type on CT (OR = 4.4, 95% CI 2.536-7.635, P=0.001) were independent predictors of TBP, with 60% and 55% sensitivity, 96.6% and 90.6% specificity, and 82.7% and 77.0% accuracy. The combined diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for TBP were 70%, 87.5%, and 80.8%. The mixed pleural FDG uptake type on PET (OR = 5.106, 95% CI 2.024-12.879, P=0.001), the mixed pleural thickening type on CT (OR = 2.289, 95% CI 1.442-3.634, P=0.001), and the maximum diameter of the pleural nodule (OR = 1.027, 95% CI 1.012-1.042, P=0.001) were independent predictors of PMLAC, with 78.1%, 71.9%, and 87.5% sensitivity, 85%, 80%, and 85% specificity, and 80.8%, 75%, and 86.5% accuracy. The combined diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for PMLAC were 96.9%, 85%, and 90.4%. Conclusions: 18F-FDG PET/CT is of great clinical value in the diagnosis of TBP and in the differential diagnosis between TBP and PMLAC.

Research on Dynamic Compressive Performance and Failure Mechanism Analysis of Concrete after High Temperature and Rapid Cooling.

To investigate the dynamic compressive properties of concrete after high temperature and rapid cooling, an experimental study was carried out by considering five temperatures and four strain rates. The coupling effect of high temperature and strain rate on concrete damage morphology and mechanical parameters was comparatively analyzed. The main conclusions are as follows: the compressive damage morphology of concrete is affected by strain rate development trends of significant variability under different temperature conditions. As the strain rate increases, the compressive stress and elastic modulus of concrete are gradually increased. As the temperature increases, the increase in compressive stress is gradually reduced by the strain rate. For the temperatures of 20 °C and 800 °C, the increase in compressive stress by the strain rate is 38.69% and 7.78%, respectively. Meanwhile, SEM and CT scanning technology were applied to examine the mechanism of the effect of high temperature and strain rate on the mechanical properties of concrete from the microscopic perspective, and the corresponding constitutive model was proposed.

Experimental Study and Theoretical Analysis on the Compression-Shear Multiaxial Mechanical Properties of Recycled Concrete.

Recycled concrete, which is formed by replacing coarse aggregates in ordinary concrete with recycled aggregates (RA), is of great significance for the secondary utilization of waste building resources. In civil engineering, concrete structures are sometimes subjected to a compression-shear multiaxial stress state. Therefore, research on the compression-shear multiaxial mechanical properties of recycled concrete plays an important role in engineering practice. To explore the effect of RA replacement rate on the compression-shear properties of recycled concrete, an experimental study was carried out using a compression-shear testing machine and considering five RA replacement rates and five axial compression ratios. Consequently, the failure modes and mechanical property parameters under different working conditions were obtained and were used to analyze the effects of RA replacement rate and axial compression ratio on the shear stress of recycled concrete. Eventually, the following conclusions were reached: With the growth of axial compression ratio, the shear cracks exhibit a developing trend along the oblique direction, and the friction traces on the shear surface are gradually deepened. As the replacement rate increases, the number of shear cracks is gradually increased, accompanied by increasing broken fragments falling off from the shear interface. Since the action of the axial compression ratio can effectively improve the mechanical bite force and friction on the shear interface of recycled concrete, as the axial compression ratio increases, the shear stress is gradually increased. On the other hand, due to the initial damage of RA and its weak adhesion with cement mortar, the shear stress is gradually reduced with the increase of RA replacement rate. Meanwhile, the increase in shear stress shows a gradually decreasing trend with the growth of axial compression ratio. Specifically, for the RA replacement rates of 0% and 100%, the shear stress increased by 4.06 times and 3.21 times, respectively, under the influence of the axial compression ratio. Under different axial compression ratios, the shear stress was reduced by 43~46%, due to the increase of RA replacement rate. In addition, based on the octahedral stress space and the principal stress space, a compression-shear multiaxial failure criterion and shear stress calculation model for recycled concrete were proposed, by considering the effect of the RA replacement rate. The outcomes of this research are of great significance for engineering applications and the development of recycled concrete.

[Investigation of material structure and optical property of transmission-mode GaN photocathode by ultraviolet transmission spectral].

GaN UV photocathode has become a high-performance vacuum ultraviolet detectors in recent years. As the photocathode practical application mode, transmission-type multilayer structure and its optical property have important influences on photocathode photoemission performance. Ultraviolet transmission spectra of transmission-mode GaN photocathode were measured. The optical transmission model of transmission-mode GaN photocathode was built, and based on the model the functional relations of thin film thickness and optical adsorption coefficient with transmission spectral were deduced. The error of calculated GaN epitaxial thickness with respect to actual value is very small, and calculated adsorption coefficients are consistent with reported data. It was shown that material structure and optical property of transmission-mode GaN photocathode can be evaluated accurately by this ultraviolet transmission spectral method.

[Comparative study of uniform-doping and gradient-doping negative electron affinity GaN photocathodes].

High temperature annealing and Cs/O activation are external incentives, while the property of GaN material is internal factor in the preparation of negative electron affinity GaN photocathode. The similarities and differences of the performance of the two structure photocathodes are analysed based on the difference of the structure between uniform-doping and gradient-doping negative electron affinity GaN photocathodes and the changes in photocurrents in activation and the quantum yield after successfully activated of GaN photocathodes. Experiments show that: the photocurrent growth rate is slower in activation, activation time is longer and quantum efficiency is higher after successfully activated of gradient-doping GaN photocathode than those of uniform-doping photocathode respectively. The field-assisted photocathode emission model can explain the differences between the two, built-in electric field of gradient-doping structure creates additional electronic drift to the photocathode surface, and the probability of electrons to reach the photocathode surface is improved correspondingly.

Association of Evaluated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Incident Diabetes Mellitus: A Secondary Retrospective Analysis Based on a Chinese Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have revealed that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant risk factor for insulin resistance and diabetes. However, few studies are on the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and incident diabetes, especially in the Chinese population with eGFR>60 mL/min·1.73 m2. This study explored the relationship between eGFR and incident diabetes in a large cohort in the Chinese community. METHODS: This study was a retrospective cohort study. A total of 1,99,435 adults from Rich Healthcare Group in China were studied, including all medical records for participants who received a health check from 2010 to 2016. The target-independent and target-dependent variables were eGFR measured at baseline, and incident diabetes mellitus appeared during the follow-up. After testing the proportion hypothesis, Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the association between eGFR and incident diabetes. A Cox proportional hazards regression with cubic spline functions and smooth curve fitting (the cubic spline smoothing) was used to identify non-linear relationships between eGFR and the risk of diabetes. Additionally, we also performed subgroup analysis and a series sensitivity analysis. It was stated that the data had been uploaded to the DATADRYAD website. RESULT: After adjusting gender, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), smoking and drinking status, and family history of diabetes, the result showed that eGFR was negatively associated with incident diabetes [HR = 0.986, 95% CI (0.984, 0.988)]. A non-linear relationship was detected between eGFR and incident diabetes, with an inflection point of eGFR of 98.034 mL/min·1.73 m2. The effect sizes and the confidence intervals (Cis) on the left and right sides of the inflection point were 0.998 (0.993, 1.003) and 0.976 (0.972, 0.980), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed a stronger association in the population with FPG <6.1 mmol/L, BMI <24 kg/m2, SBP <140 mmHg, DBP <90 mmHg and family history without diabetes. The same trend was also seen in women and the population who never smoke. CONCLUSION: Estimated glomerular filtration rate is independently associated with incident diabetes. The relationship between eGFR and incident diabetes is also non-linear. eGFR is strongly related to incident diabetes when eGFR was above 98.034 mL/min·1.73 m2.

Dual Targeting of Cancer Cells and MMPs with Self-Assembly Hybrid Nanoparticles for Combination Therapy in Combating Cancer.

The co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agents and immune modulators to their targets remains to be a great challenge for nanocarriers. Here, we developed a hybrid thermosensitive nanoparticle (TMNP) which could co-deliver paclitaxel-loaded transferrin (PTX@TF) and marimastat-loaded thermosensitive liposomes (MMST/LTSLs) for the dual targeting of cancer cells and the microenvironment. TMNPs could rapidly release the two payloads triggered by the hyperthermia treatment at the site of tumor. The released PTX@TF entered cancer cells via transferrin-receptor-mediated endocytosis and inhibited the survival of tumor cells. MMST was intelligently employed as an immunomodulator to improve immunotherapy by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases to reduce chemokine degradation and recruit T cells. The TMNPs promoted the tumor infiltration of CD3+ T cells by 2-fold, including memory/effector CD8+ T cells (4.2-fold) and CD4+ (1.7-fold), but not regulatory T cells. Our in vivo anti-tumor experiment suggested that TMNPs possessed the highest tumor growth inhibitory rate (80.86%) compared with the control group. We demonstrated that the nanoplatform could effectively inhibit the growth of tumors and enhance T cell recruitment through the co-delivery of paclitaxel and marimastat, which could be a promising strategy for the combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy for cancer treatment.