A new method for calculating interplanar spacing to distinguish between similar phases in EBSD.

Commercial electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) systems generally use interplanar angle matching for pattern indexing, and thus, they are unable to distinguish between some similar phases with close interplanar angles, such as Al and Si. The interplanar spacing is more diagnostic but generally difficult to apply in pattern indexing because it lacks precision. In this study, we proposed an efficient approach for accurately measuring interplanar spacing by correcting the reciprocal-lattice vector (RLV). The phase discrimination of Al and Si was performed by interplanar spacing matching. The Kikuchi bands were identified automatically by the self-developed method using pattern rotation combined with grey gradient recognition without the help of human eyes. The reliable RLV relationship was extracted by accurately drawing reciprocal-lattice vectors. The lengths of RLVs were corrected, and then the RLVs were used for evaluating lattice spacing. The results of five Kikuchi patterns with different clarity showed that this new method reduced the average error of interplanar spacings by 50.611% and achieved an average accuracy of 1.644% for lattice spacing calculation. The method could distinguish structures with a difference in lattice spacing of at least 3.3%. This method was also effective for fuzzy patterns and partially missing Kikuchi bands and might be used as a new strategy for improving the calculation accuracy of lattice spacing for fuzzy patterns. The method did not have additional requirements concerning the number of detected Kikuchi bands and poles. The accuracy of lattice spacing could be effectively improved by correcting the RLVs based on routine pattern recognition. This method might be used as an auxiliary approach to differentiate between similar phases and is well-adapted to the existing commercial EBSD system.

Stigmasterol alleviates allergic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma mice through inhibiting substance-P receptor.

CONTEXT: Stigmasterol has significant anti-arthritis and anti-inflammatory effects, but its role in immune and inflammatory diseases is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: The potential advantages of stigmasterol in asthma were explored in IL-13-induced BEAS-2B cells and asthmatic mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The optimal target of stigmasterol was confirmed in asthma. After detecting the cytotoxicity of stigmasterol in BEAS-2B cells, 10 µg/mL and 20 µg/mL stigmasterol were incubated with the BEAS-2B cell model for 48 h, and anti-inflammation and antioxidative stress were verified. Asthmatic mice were induced by OVA and received 100 mg/kg stigmasterol for 7 consecutive days. After 28 days, lung tissues and BAL fluid were collected for the following study. To further verify the role of NK1-R, 0.1 µM WIN62577 (NK1-R specific antagonist), and 1 µM recombinant human NK1-R protein were applied. RESULTS: NK1-R was the potential target of stigmasterol. When the concentration of stigmasterol is 20 µg/mL, the survival rate of BEAS-2B cells is about 98.4%, which is non-toxic. Stigmasterol exerted anti-inflammation and antioxidant stress in a dose-dependent manner and decreased NK1-R expression in IL-13-induced BEAS-2B. Meanwhile, in vivo assay also indicated the anti-inflammation and antioxidant stress of stigmasterol after OVA challenge. Stigmasterol inhibited inflammation infiltration and mucus hypersecretion, and NK1-R expression. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The protective effect of stigmaterol on asthma and its underlying mechanism have been discussed in depth, providing a theoretical basis and more possibilities for its treatment of asthma.

Construction of Z-scheme Ag/In2S3/ZnO nanorods composite photocatalysts for degradation of 4-nitrophenol.

Herein, Ag/In2S3/ZnO nanorods (NRs) composite photocatalysts were successfully prepared via simple methods. Significantly, hydroxyl radical active substances were found in the electron spin resonance tests of In2S3/ZnO NRs and Ag/In2S3/ZnO NRs, which indicates that the oxidation reaction that oxidizes water or hydroxide ions into hydroxyl radicals occurs on the valence band of ZnO NRs. It suggests that Z-scheme heterojunction was successfully constructed. In the photocatalytic experiments of degrading 4-nitrophenol (PNP), the Ag/In2S3/ZnO NRs composite exhibits higher photocatalytic activity than ZnO NRs, In2S3, Ag/ZnO NRs and In2S3/ZnO NRs. The characteristic peak of PNP disappears completely in 50 min. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the formation of Z-scheme heterojunction between ZnO NRs and In2S3. In addition, local surface plasmon resonance of Ag and Schottky junction formed between Ag and In2S3 also promote the photocatalytic activity.

In Situ Nanoreactors: Controllable Photoluminescent Carbon-Rich Polymer Nanodots Derived from Fatty Acid under Photoirradiation.

Amphiphilic nanoreactors have been recently used to fabricate photoluminescent carbon-rich polymer nanodots (PCPNs). However, the applications of PCPNs have been limited by their requirements for high temperature and toxic organic solvents or catalysts and the difficult control of their luminescent properties. Herein, a novel and facile strategy is reported for the synthesis of controllable PCPNs. This strategy involves the use of in situ vesicular nanoreactors under mild photoirradiation with fatty acid as the precursor. The conjugation degree of the uniformly sized PCPNs can be increased by extending photoreaction time, thus enabling the tuning of the optical properties of PCPNs. The PCPNs, which feature controllable and outstanding luminescent properties, low cytotoxicity, and biocompatibility, are successfully applied in bioimaging and as fluorescent ink. The present strategy is an attractive and facile platform for the preparation of carbon-rich nanomaterials with controllable photoluminescence.

Preparation and optimization of resveratrol nanosuspensions by antisolvent precipitation using Box-Behnken design.

Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic component, has inspired considerable interest for its extensive physiological activities. However, the poor solubility of resveratrol circumscribes its therapeutic applications. The purpose of this study was to optimize and prepare resveratrol nanosuspensions using the antisolvent precipitation method. The effects of crucial formulation and process variables (drug concentration, stabilizer, and surfactant contents) on particle size were investigated by utilizing a three-factor three-level Box-Behnken design (BBD) to perform this experiment. Different mathematical polynomial models were used to identify the impact of selected parameters and to evaluate their interrelationship for predictive formulation purposes. The optimal formulation consisted of drug 29.2 (mg/ml), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) K17 0.38%, and F188 3.63%, respectively. The morphology of nanosuspensions was found to be near-spherical shaped by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis confirmed that the nanoparticles were in the amorphous state. Furthermore, in comparison to raw material, resveratrol nanosuspensions showed significantly enhanced saturation solubility and accelerated dissolution rate resulting from the decrease in particle size and the amorphous status of nanoparticles. Meanwhile, resveratrol nanosuspensions exhibited the similar antioxidant potency to that of raw resveratrol. The in vivo pharmacokinetic study revealed that the C max and AUC0→∞ values of nanosuspension were approximately 3.35- and 1.27-fold greater than those of reference preparation, respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that this study provides a beneficial approach to address the poor solubility issue of the resveratrol and affords a rational strategy to widen the application range of this interesting substance.

Artificial intelligence applied in cardiovascular disease: a bibliometric and visual analysis.

Background: With the rapid development of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely used in the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of a variety of diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Facts have proved that AI has broad application prospects in rapid and accurate diagnosis. Objective: This study mainly summarizes the research on the application of AI in the field of cardiovascular disease through bibliometric analysis and explores possible future research hotpots. Methods: The articles and reviews regarding application of AI in cardiovascular disease between 2000 and 2023 were selected from Web of Science Core Collection on 30 December 2023. Microsoft Excel 2019 was applied to analyze the targeted variables. VOSviewer (version 1.6.16), Citespace (version 6.2.R2), and a widely used online bibliometric platform were used to conduct co-authorship, co-citation, and co-occurrence analysis of countries, institutions, authors, references, and keywords in this field. Results: A total of 4,611 articles were selected in this study. AI-related research on cardiovascular disease increased exponentially in recent years, of which the USA was the most productive country with 1,360 publications, and had close cooperation with many countries. The most productive institutions and researchers were the Cedar sinai medical center and Acharya, Ur. However, the cooperation among most institutions or researchers was not close even if the high research outputs. Circulation is the journal with the largest number of publications in this field. The most important keywords are "classification", "diagnosis", and "risk". Meanwhile, the current research hotpots were "late gadolinium enhancement" and "carotid ultrasound". Conclusions: AI has broad application prospects in cardiovascular disease, and a growing number of scholars are devoted to AI-related research on cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular imaging techniques and the selection of appropriate algorithms represent the most extensively studied areas, and a considerable boost in these areas is predicted in the coming years.

Effects of compatibility of Clostridium butyricum and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, lipid metabolism, antioxidant status and cecal microflora of broilers during the starter phase.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of compatibility of Clostridium butyricum and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, lipid metabolism, antioxidant status and cecal microflora of broilers during the starter phase. Methods: A total of 600 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly divided into two groups with six replicates in each group. Chickens in the control group were fed a basal diet, while chickens in the experimental group were fed a diet supplemented with 2 × 108 CFU/kg of C. butyricum and 1 × 109 CFU/kg of B. subtilis. The experimental period was 21 days. Results: Addition of C. butyricum and B. subtilis significantly increased (p<0.05) the body weight and liver NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) activity of broilers, enhanced (p<0.05) the average daily gain and average daily feed intake of broilers. However, the addition of C. butyricum and B. subtilis did not significantly affect the concentrations of triglyceride and total cholesterol in the serum, the activities of fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase in the liver, the total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase activity and malondialdehyde content in the serum and liver. Besides, microbial analysis revealed that supplementation of C. butyricum and B. subtilis increased (p<0.05) the abundance of Firmicutes such as CHKCI001 and Faecalibacterium, decreased (p<0.05) the abundance of Bacteroidota such as Bacteroides and Alistipes. Spearman correlation analysis confirmed that the above cecal microbiota were closely related to the growth performance of broilers (p<0.05). In addition, simultaneous supplementation of C. butyricum and B. subtilis significant affected (p<0.05) 33 different functional pathways such as lipid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. This explains the phenomenon of increased growth performance and liver NADP-ME activity in the probiotics group. Conclusion: The compatibility of C. butyricum and B. subtilis could improve the growth of broilers during the starter phase by changing the cecal microflora.

The mechanism and experimental verification of Ixeris sonchifolia promoting apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma based on network pharmacology: Ixeris sonchifolia Induces Hepatocellular Carcinoma Apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT Pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ixeris sonchifolia alias Kudiezi, it was named Ixeris sonchifolia (Bunge) Hance, a synonym for Crepidiastrum sonchifolium (Bunge) Pak & Kawano in the https://www.iplant.cn/. And it was first published in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 13: 108 (1873), which was named Ixeris sonchifolia (Maxim.) Hance in the MPNS (http://mpns.kew.org). As a widely distributed medicinal and edible wild plant, it possesses unique bitter-cold characteristics and constituents with various pharmacological activities. Its main antitumor substances, same as artemisinin and paclitaxel, are classified as terpenoids and have become research foci in recent years. However, its specific biological activity and role in antitumor treatment remain largely unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to elucidate the molecular targets and potential mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma apoptosis induced by Ixeris sonchifolia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used network pharmacology methods to analyze and screen the active ingredients and possible underlying mechanisms of Ixeris sonchifolia in treating liver cancer and employed integrative time- and dose-dependent toxicity, transcriptomics, and molecular biology approaches to comprehensively verify the function of Ixeris sonchifolia extract (IsE) in human hepatoblastoma cell (HepG2) apoptosis and its potential mechanism. RESULTS: A total of 169 common targets were screened by network pharmacology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that IsE inhibited HepG2 cell activity in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Western blot analysis confirmed that IsE promoted HepG2 cell apoptosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and that the PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 also substantially enhanced IsE-induced apoptosis. The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway exhibited significant differences compared to that in the control group. CONCLUSION: Combining network pharmacology with experimental verification, IsE inhibited mitochondrial function and the PI3K/AKT pathway while inducing hepatoma cell apoptosis. IsE may have promising potential for liver cancer treatment and chemoprevention.

lncRNA PDCD4-AS1 Promotes the Progression of Glioma by Regulating miR-30b-3p/METTL7B Signaling.

Background: Gliomas are the most common and most malignant primary tumors of the adult central nervous system, but their etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear. This study was aimed at investigating the expression and function of lncRNA PDCD4-AS1 in glioma and elucidating the mechanism by which PDCD4-AS1 regulates the biological features of glioma. Method: The expression of PDCD4-AS1 was determined by bioinformatic analysis and qRT-PCR assay. PDCD4-AS1 was knocked down in glioma cells using siRNA transfection. The functional analysis of cells was conducted using CCK-8 proliferation, cell migration, and invasion assays, as well as cell cycle analysis. An in vivo tumorigenesis assay was performed to investigate the role of PDCD4-AS1 knockdown in glioma tumor growth. We performed bioinformatic analysis, RNA pull-down, and luciferase reporter assays to investigate the downstream targets of PDCD4-AS1. A rescue experiment was then performed to confirm the regulating mechanism. Results: PDCD4-AS1 was found to be significantly upregulated in glioma patients' tumor tissues and cell lines. The silencing of PDCD4-AS1 inhibited glioma cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and induced cell cycle arrest. In vivo experiments showed that silencing PDCD4-AS1 inhibited glioma tumor growth. An investigation of the underlying mechanism suggested that PDCD4-AS1 positively regulated METTL7B expression by sponging miR-30b-3. Both the knockdown of miR-30b-3p and the overexpression of METTL7B could, respectively, reverse the malignant phenotype of cells affected by silencing PDCD4-AS1. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that PDCD4-AS1 exerted an oncogenic role by regulating the miR-30b-3p/METTL7B axis.

ASCs-EVs Inhibit Apoptosis and Promote Myocardial Function in the Infarcted Heart via miR-221.

BACKGROUND: Extracellular vehicles (EVs) secreted from adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) (ASCs-EVs) have the potential to treat myocardial infarction (MI), although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The current study explored the ability of ASCs-EVs to inhibit apoptosis and promote myocardial function in the infarcted heart via microRNAs (miRNAs)-221. METHODS: In hypoxia-induced H9C2 cells, a cardiac cell strain derived from the SD Rat left ventricle, we measured the cell viability and apoptosis-related protein expression after transfection with the ASCs-EVs-NC (negative control for EVs-miR-221) or ASCs-EVs-miR-221 mimics. We then verified the cardioprotective effects of miR-221-overexpressing ASCs-EVs by investigating myocardial cell apoptosis and cardiac function in a MI rat model treated with ASCs-EVs from miR-221-overexpressing ASCs by comparing control with ASC treatment. RESULTS: The in vitro experiment results showed that the proliferation of H9C2 cells and the anti-apoptotic protein expression were significantly enhanced by the ASCs-EVs-miR-221 mimic. The in vivo experiment results found that ASCs-EVs from miR-221-overexpressing ASCs have cardioprotective effects, as demonstrated by lower serum troponin levels and left ventricular end-systolic volume, and a lower number of apoptotic myocardial cells than those in control and ASC-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: ASCs-EVs have therapeutic effects on MI by inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis via miR-221.

Ubiquitination of ASCL1 mediates CD47 transcriptional activation of the AKT signaling pathway, and glycolysis promotes osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs.

Bones are extremely dynamic organs that continually develop and remodel. This process involves changes in numerous gene expressions. hBMSC cells can promote osteogenic differentiation. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanism by which ASCL1 promotes osteogenic differentiation in hBMSC cells while decreasing glycolysis. hBMSCs were induced to differentiate into osteoblasts. The ASCL1 expression level during hBMSC osteogenic differentiation was measured by RT‒qPCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. The differentiation level of osteoblasts was observed after staining with ALP and alizarin red. ChIP-qPCR were used to determine the relationship between ASCL1 and CD47, and the expression of glycolysis-related proteins was detected. Overexpression of ASCL1 was used to determine its impact on osteogenic differentiation. si-USP8 was used to verify the ubiquitination of ASCL1-mediated CD47/AKT pathway's impact on hBMSC glycolysis and osteogenic differentiation. The results showed that the expression of ASCL1 was upregulated after the induction of osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs. From a functional perspective, knocking down USP8 can promote the ubiquitination of ASCL1, while the osteogenic differentiation ability of hBMSCs was improved after the overexpression of ASCL1, indicating that ASCL1 can promote the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. In addition, USP8 regulates the ubiquitination level of ASCL1 and mediates CD47 transcriptional regulation of the AKT pathway to increase the glycolysis level of hBMSCs and cell osteogenic differentiation. USP8 ubiquitination regulates the level of ASCL1. In addition, ubiquitination of ASCL1 mediates CD47 transcription to activate the AKT signaling pathway and increase hBMSC glycolysis to promote osteogenic differentiation.

Identification of Transcriptional Pattern Related to Immune Cell Infiltration With Gene Co-Expression Network in Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that immune cell infiltration in cancer is closely related to clinical outcomes. However, there is still a lack of research on papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Methods: Based on single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (SSGSEA) algorithm and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) tool, the infiltration level of immune cell and key modules and genes associated with the level of immune cell infiltration were identified using PTC gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In addition, the co-expression network and protein-protein interactions network analysis were used to identify the hub genes. Moreover, the immunological and clinical characteristics of these hub genes were verified in TCGA and GSE35570 datasets and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of hub genes. Results: Activated B cell, activated dendritic cell, CD56bright natural killer cell, CD56dim natural killer cell, Eosinophil, Gamma delta T cell, Immature dendritic cell, Macrophage, Mast cell, Monocyte, Natural killer cell, Neutrophil and Type 17 T helper cell were significantly changed between PTC and adjacent normal groups. WGCNA results showed that the black model had the highest correlation with the infiltration level of activated dendritic cells. We found 14 hub genes whose expression correlated to the infiltration level of activated dendritic cells in both TCGA and GSE35570 datasets. After validation in the TCGA dataset, the expression level of only 5 genes (C1QA, HCK, HLA-DRA, ITGB2 and TYROBP) in 14 hub genes were differentially expressed between PTC and adjacent normal groups. Meanwhile, the expression levels of these 5 hub genes were successfully validated in GSE35570 dataset. Quantitative real-time PCR results showed the expression of these 4 hub genes (except C1QA) was consistent with the results in TCGA and GSE35570 dataset. Finally, these 4 hub genes had diagnostic value to distinguish PTC and adjacent normal controls. Conclusions: HCK, HLA-DRA, ITGB2 and TYROBP may be key diagnostic biomarkers and immunotherapy targets in PTC.

Nerve growth factor promotes osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells via BMP-2/Smads pathway.

BACKGROUND: Exogenous nerve growth factor (NGF) can induce osteogenic precursor cell differentiation and promote fracture healing. However, the molecular mechanism by which NGF induces osteogenesis is not well understood. BMP-2 has good osteogenic efficacy and is one of the most osteogenic-inducing growth factors known. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether NGF induces osteogenic differentiation of mouse embryonic osteogenic precursor cell line MC3T3-E1 by BMP-2 and search further mechanisms of NGF on BMP-2. METHODS: MC3T3-E1 cells were treated with NGF at a concentration gradient for indicated times, after which the cell viability was measured by CCK-8 kit. Osteogenic differentiation was detected with quantification of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity also visualized with ALP staining. The transcription and expression of relevant genes were detected by qPCR and western blotting, respectively. NGF's effect on BMP2 was studied with qPCR and luciferase reporter assay. The phosphorylation of Smads was probed with specific antibodies by western blotting, and the location of Smads was observed through immunofluorescence. RESULTS: We found that NGF promoted proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1, increased the expression level of BMP-2, as well as the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Smad1/5/8. However, neutralization of BMP-2 with si-BMP-2 or BMP-2 signal inhibitors reversed NGF induced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Smad1/5/8, as well as the expression of Runx2, type I collagen, osteocalcin and osteopontin. In addition, si-BMP-2 abrogated NGF-induced ALP activity. CONCLUSION: NGF induced osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells through BMP-2/Smads pathway and induction of Runx2. Our study would provide a theoretical basis for clinical treatment of fractures using NGF.

Will People Accept a Third Booster Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine? A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are considered to be an effective way to prevent the spread of the infection. Our previous study has shown that about 75% of healthcare workers (HCWs) in China were willing to receive the vaccine when it became available. Here, we examined the acceptance of a third booster dose among Chinese people and identified the influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted and the snowball sampling method was utilized. An online questionnaire was provided to all the participants in the form of a quick response (QR) code. The questionnaire included general demographic information, views on vaccines, the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). The univariate analysis was done between all the variables and our dependent variable. Then, we used the multivariate logistic regression model to examine the influencing factors of the third booster dose acceptance. Results: We collected 1,062 complete answers. Of these, 90.39% (n = 960) declared that they would accept the booster dose. Knowing more about the vaccine and recognizing the efficacy of vaccines were significantly associated with greater acceptance of the booster dose. People willing to take the booster dose had better psychological health. A belief that the booster dose could prevent severe infection caused by COVID-19 and enhance the effectiveness of the first two doses were the main contributing factors to vaccine acceptance. Vaccine hesitancy was mainly due to a low perceived risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and rapid mutation of SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: This study revealed that Chinese people were very receptive to the third booster dose, which is an inspiring result. More positive attitudes regarding COVID-19 vaccination were supported by its efficacy and few side effects.

Dual pH and Temperature-Sensitive Nanogels Loaded with Eugenol for Regulating Central Nervous System.

Fragrances have many biological activities such as anti-anxiety, anti-depression, and improving cognitive memory. However, most fragrances are so volatile that the useful lifespan of the fragrances is very short and excessive fragrance concentration makes us uncomfortable. In this study, dual pH and temperature-sensitive nanogels named EG@CPMONGs were prepared to encapsulate eugenol. This nano-fragrance was then applied to silk. In the following, the effects of EG@CPMO-NGs on the regulation of central nervous systems were evaluated. Open-field tests showed that EG@CPMONGs had an obvious effect on stress relief. Elevated plus-maze tests proved the significant effect of EG@CPMO-NGs on anti-anxiety. Morris water maze tests demonstrated the positive impact of nano-fragrance on spatial learning and memory. Therefore, these dual pH and temperature-sensitive nanogels loaded with eugenol had significant and positive effects on the central nervous system.

Polymer microspheres with active carboxyl groups: preparation, structure and hydrophilicity.

A quantitative research of microspheres, poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-co-acrylic acid) (P(EGDMA-co-AA)) and poly(divinvlbenzene-80-co-acrylic acid) (P(DVB-co-AA)), with active carboxyl groups on surface prepared by distillation-precipitation polymerization was presented in this paper. The loading capacity of active carboxyl group on microspheres which was investigated by titration technique would be increased and the contact angle was decreased following the increase of the feed ratio of acrylic acid (AA) monomer. This phenomenon indicated that the hydrophilicity of particles was mainly determined by the feed ration of hydrophilic AA monomer. However, when the AA fraction was at a fixed level, a slight difference of the loading capacity of carboxyl groups on microsphere surfaces with different crosslinkers existed. The microspheres with EGDMA as crosslinker had a higher loading capacity of carboxyl groups and lower contact angle than those of P(DVB-co-AA) microspheres, which indicated that P(EGDMA-co-AA) microspheres were more hydrophilic than P(DVB-co-AA) microspheres.

Dopamine Functionalized S,N Co-doped Carbon Dots as a Fluorescent Sensor for the Selective Detection of Fe3+ and Fe2+ in Water.

In current work, novel functionalized carbon dots have been designed and synthesized by covalently linking dopamine to the surface of S,N co-doped carbon dots (DA-S,N-CDs) for the selective detection of Fe3+ and Fe2+ in water. The as-synthesized DA-S,N-CDs emit blue fluorescence peaked at 470 nm and exhibit excitation-dependent tunable emissions. The tolerance towards pH, salt, and UV irradiation of synthesized carbon dots reveals excellent stability. Upon exposure to Fe3+ or Fe2+, the fluorescence of DA-S,N-CDs was selectively quenched, while other competitive cations did not change significantly. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the fluorescence intensity of DA-S,N-CDs showed a good linear relationship with the concentrations of Fe3+ and Fe2+ (5 - 200 µM for Fe3+ and 5 - 300 µM for Fe2+), and the limit of detection was 2.86 and 2.06 µM, respectively. Furthermore, considering the excellent stability and anti-interference, DA-S,N-CDs have been successfully used for the detection of Fe3+ and Fe2+ in environmental water.

Circ_0004018 suppresses cell proliferation and migration in hepatocellular carcinoma via miR-1197/PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common type of primary liver cancer. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to be a crucial player in multiple cancers. However, a large number of circRNAs remain to be explored. Our study focused on investigating hsa_circ_0004018 in HCC. Firstly, we conducted quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) to find that circ_0004018 was down-regulated in HCC cells. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the protein levels of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) and related factors of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. From the results of functional assays, we found that overexpression of circ_0004018 significantly inhibited the proliferative and migratory capacities of HCC cells. The regulatory mechanism of circ_0004018 in HCC was determined by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down, and luciferase reporter assays, thereby we knew that circ_0004018 regulated PTEN by sequestering microRNA-1197 (miR-1197) to modulate PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Finally, rescue assays verified that circ_0004018 participated in modulation of cell proliferation and migration in HCC via sponging miR-1197 and regulating PTEN. In conclusion, circ_0004018 suppresses the proliferation and migration of HCC cells via sponging miR-1197 to inactivate the PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.Abbreviations: HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; circRNAs: Circular RNAs; PTEN: Phosphatase and tensin homologue; miR-1197: microRNA-1197; ceRNA: competitive endogenous RNA; ATCC: American Type Culture Collection; EMEM: Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium; RT-qPCR: Quantitative real-time PCR; EdU: 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine; FISH: Fluorescent in situ hybridization; RIP: RNA immunoprecipitation; 3'-UTR: 3'-untranslated region; Wt: wild-type; Mut; mutant type; gDNA: genomic DNA; Act D: Actinomycin D; PI3K: phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase; AKT: protein kinase; lncRNAs: long non-coding RNAs.

Will Healthcare Workers Accept a COVID-19 Vaccine When It Becomes Available? A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

Objective: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine is currently available. This timely survey was conducted to provide insight into on the willingness of healthcare workers (HCWs)to receive the vaccine and determine the influencing factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional online survey. An online questionnaire was provided to all participants and they were asked if they would accept a free vaccine. The questionnaire gathered general demographic information, and included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12); Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire (MBTI); Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21); and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). The data were collected automatically and electronically. Univariate analysis was done between all the variables and our dependent variable. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to examine and identify the associations between the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine with the associated variables. Results: We collected 505 complete answers. The participants included 269 nurses (53.27%), 206 clinicians (40.79%), 15 administrative staff (2.97%), and 15 other staff (2.97%). Of these, 76.63% declared they would accept the vaccine. The major barriers were concerns about safety, effectiveness, and the rapid mutation in the virus. Moreover, four factors were significantly associated with the willingness to receive the vaccine: (a) "understanding of the vaccine" (odds ratio (OR):2.322; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.355 to 3.979); (b) "worried about experiencing COVID-19" (OR 1.987; 95% CI: 1.197-3.298); (c) "flu vaccination in 2020" (OR 4.730; 95% CI: 2.285 to 9.794); and (d) "living with elderly individuals" (OR 1.928; 95% CI: 1.074-3.462). Conclusions: During the vaccination period, there was still hesitation in receiving the vaccine. The results will provide a rationale for the design of future vaccination campaigns and education efforts concerning the vaccine.

Intra-articular Injection of Chitosan-Based Supramolecular Hydrogel for Osteoarthritis Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Pain and cartilage destruction caused by osteoarthritis (OA) is a major challenge in clinical treatment. Traditional intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) can relieve the disease, but limited by the difficulty of long-term maintenance of efficacy. METHODS: In this study, an injectable and self-healing hydrogel was synthesized by in situ crosslinking of N-carboxyethyl chitosan (N-chitosan), adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH), and hyaluronic acid-aldehyde (HA-ALD). RESULTS: This supramolecular hydrogel sustains good biocompatibility for chondrocytes. Intra-articular injection of this novel hydrogel can significantly alleviate the local inflammation microenvironment in knee joints, through inhibiting the inflammatory cytokines (such as TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 and IL-17) in the synovial fluid and cartilage at 2- and even 12-weeks post-injection. Histological and behavioral test indicated that hydrogel injection protected cartilage destruction and relieved pain in OA rats, in comparison to HA injection. CONCLUSION: This kind of novel hydrogel, which is superior to the traditional HA injection, reveals a great potential for the treatment of OA.