The TF/Nrf2/GSTP1 pathway is involved in stress-induced hepatocellular injury through ferroptosis.

Stress triggers a comprehensive pathophysiological cascade in organisms. However, there is a substantial gap in the research regarding the effects of stress on liver function. This study aimed to investigate the impact of restraint stress on hepatocellular damage and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. An effective mouse restraint stress model was successfully developed, and liver function analysis was performed using laser speckle imaging, metabolomics and serum testing. Alterations in hepatocyte morphology were assessed using haematoxylin and eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy. Oxidative stress in hepatocytes was assessed using lipid reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde. The methylation status and expression of GSTP1 were analysed using DNA sequencing and, real-time PCR, and the expression levels of GPX4, TF and Nrf2 were evaluated using real-time quantitative PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining. A stress-induced model was established in vitro by using dexamethasone-treated AML-12 cells. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, GSTP1 overexpression, small interfering RNA, ferroptosis and Nrf2 inhibitors were used. GSTP1 methylation contributes to stress-induced hepatocellular damage and dysfunction. GSTP1 is involved in ferroptosis-mediated hepatocellular injury induced by restraint stress via the TF/Nrf2 pathway. These findings suggest that stress-induced hepatocellular injury is associated with ferroptosis, which is regulated by TF/Nrf2/GSTP1.

Polymerization-Induced Crystallization of Dopant Molecules: An Efficient Strategy for Room-Temperature Phosphorescence of Hydrogels.

Conventional hydrogels such as polyacrylamide and polyacrylic acid ones seldom exhibit phosphorescences at ambient conditions, which limit their applications as optical materials. We propose and demonstrate here a facile strategy to afford these hydrogels with room-temperature phosphorescence by polymerization-induced crystallization of dopant molecules that results in segregation and confinement of the gel matrix with carbonyl groups and thus clusterization-induced phosphorescence. As a model system, crown ethers (CEs) are dissolved in an aqueous solution of concentrated acrylamide that greatly increases the solubility of CEs. During the polymerization process, CEs crystallize to form large spherulites in the polyacrylamide hydrogel. The crystallization arises from the drastically reduced solubility of CEs after the conversion of monomers to polymers during the gel synthesis. The resultant composite hydrogel with a water content of 67 wt % exhibits extraordinary phosphorescence behavior yet maintains good stretchability and resilience. We found that the partial gel matrix is squeezed and confined by in situ-formed crystals, leading to carbonyl clusters and thus phosphorescence emission. The composite gel shows green phosphorescence with an emission peak at 512 nm and a lifetime of 342 ms. The afterglow emission is detectable by the naked eye for several seconds. This strategy has good universality, as validated in other hydrogels with different polymeric matrices and dopant molecules. The development of hydrogels with good mechanical and phosphorescent properties should merit the design of multifunctional soft machines with applications in biomedical and engineering fields.

Toughening Hydrogels by Forming Robust Hydrazide-Transition Metal Coordination Complexes.

Energy dissipation based on dynamic fracture of metal ligands is an effective way to toughen hydrogels for specific applications in biomedical and engineering fields. Exploration of new kinds of metal-ligand coordinates with robust bonding strength is crucial for the facile synthesis of tough gels. Here a hydrogel toughening strategy based on the formation of robust coordination complexes between the hydrazide ligands and zinc ions is reported. The resultant hydrogels exhibit high strength and toughness at room temperature. Their mechanical properties show temperature dependence due to the dynamic nature of coordination bonds. In addition, the amine group of hydrazides in the gel matrix provides a reactive site for Schiff's base reaction, enabling surface modification without influence on overall mechanical performances of the gel. The hydrazide ligands are easy to synthesize and can coordinate very well with several transition metals. Such a metal-ligand coordination should be suitable to develop tough soft materials with versatile applications.

[The Relationship Between Oral Microbiota and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease].

Oral microbiota have a complex impact on the host's health and disease states. It has been found that the composition of lung flora bears a striking resemblance to the composition of oral flora. Moreover, oral pathogenic bacteria have been detected in the sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), suggesting that oral microbiota play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of COPD. Findings from lots of studies have shown that oral microbiota may participate in the pathogenesis and development of COPD through non-specific immune response, specific immune response, and the activities of protein hydrolase. Herein, we mainly summarized the available evidence on the relationship between oral microbiota and COPD. By examining the relationship between the two, we elaborated on the application of oral microbiota in the diagnosis and prevention of COPD, discussed possible directions for future research, and provided references for developing new therapeutic approaches.

[Systemic Influencing Factors of Dentition Defect in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients with Periodontitis].

Objective: To analyze the influencing factors of dentition defect in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and periodontitis and to provide evidence-based support for improving the oral health and quality of life of T2DM patients. Methods: A total of 169 patients with T2DM and periodontitis were selected by convenience sampling. According to the number of remaining teeth, the subjects were divided into two groups, group A (number of remaining teeth in the mouth≥20, n=115) and group B (the number of remaining teeth in the mouth<20, n=54). Questionnaire surveys, systemic and oral examinations, and laboratory blood tests were performed. Systematic influencing factors of dentition defect in people with T2DM and periodontitis were analyzed with logistic regression. Results: Compared with patients in group A, patients in group B had higher findings in age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), prevalence of coronary heart disease and hyperlipidemia, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), periodontal probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment loss (CAL). Furthermore, their behaviors and awareness of oral health were not as good as those of patients in group A. Logistic regression showed that age, HbA1c, and SBP were independent risk factors for the number of remaining teeth in the mouth <20 among T2DM patients with periodontitis ( P<0.05). Conclusion: Increasing age, lower HbA1c, and increased SBP are the most important influencing factors for the number of remaining teeth in the mouth <20 in T2DM patients with periodontitis. Clinical practitioners should give more attention to the general health status of the patients and strengthen health education, thereby improving patients' quality.

[Salivary Peptide Profiling Analysis of Patients with Periodontitis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease].

Objective: To analyze the salivary peptide profiles of patients with periodontitis (PD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to identify differentially expressed peptides that are associated with diseases, to explore for biomarkers with potential diagnostic significance, and to probe for new perspectives for the early prevention and treatment of COPD. Methods: A total of 10 PD patients (the PD group), 10 PD patients with COPD (the PD plus COPD group), and 8 healthy controls (the Control group) were selected for the study. The clinical data and saliva samples of the subjects were collected. Salivary supernatant samples were separated and purified with weak-cation-exchange magnetic bead-based (WCX-MB). With matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), the biodata of the samples were obtained and differential salivary peptide profiling was conducted to screen for peptides exhibiting inter-group differences. In addition, all the differentially expressed peptides were examined and verified with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Result: An average of 77 peptide mass peaks were detected among three groups, the peaks intensities differed significantly for 10 peptides between PD patients and PD patients with COPD. Among them, eight peptides (1193.5, 1836.2, 1735.1, 1321.3, 1356.8, 2086.8, 1863.6, and 2230.9) showed increased expression and two peptides (1067.3 and 1124.4) showed decreased expression in the PD plus COPD group, in comparison with the PD group. Among the 10 differential peptides, 1193.5 and 1356.8 were identified as histidine-rich protein-1, submaxillary gland androgen-regulated protein 3B, and salivary acidic proline-rich protein 1/2. Conclusion: With WCX-MB and MALDI-TOF-MS, we have identified, from the saliva of patients with concomitant PD and COPD, differentially expressed salivary peptides that were associated with diseases. The differentially expressed peptides thus screened out show promises for being used as auxiliary biomarkers for early diagnosis of COPD.

A fatal case of accidental oral formaldehyde poisoning and its pathomorphological characteristics.

Formaldehyde is a colourless irritating gas at room temperature, which, therefore, is usually stored in liquid form. This compound is often used as an antiseptic, disinfectant and fumigant in biology and medicine. Formaldehyde, as a potential carcinogen confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO), is seriously harmful to human systems, such as the respiratory system, immune system and reproductive system. This article reports a case of a 50-year-old woman who died after accidentally drinking 25% formaldehyde solution in a transparent plastic bottle. Anatomical examination revealed fixed tissue morphology of the stomach and adjacent organs. The toxicity test results showed that the concentrations of formaldehyde in the blood and gastric tissue were 36.56 mg/kg and 274.48 mg/kg, respectively, which was consistent with death from formaldehyde poisoning. Due to the particular smell of formaldehyde, poisoning by accidentally drinking formaldehyde solution is rare. Of late, the mechanism of death from formaldehyde poisoning is that it rapidly causes coagulation of tissue cell protein, which may lose its normal function. Based on the pathological characteristics of the case, we put forward a new viewpoint on the mechanism of death from formaldehyde poisoning in which formaldehyde causes rapid fixation of blood in the tissue, thus leading to acute circulatory disturbance.

Screening of Codonopsis radix Polysaccharides with Different Molecular Weights and Evaluation of Their Immunomodulatory Activity In Vitro and In Vivo.

Polysaccharide is one of the main components of Codonopsis radix (CR) and has good immune activity. However, the immune activity of CR polysaccharides with different molecular weights has not been systematically screened. In this study, the polysaccharides of CR from Pingshun of Shanxi Province (PSDSs) were first divided into two groups using ultrafiltration: 3.3 kDa (PSDSs-1) and more than 2000 kDa (PSDSs-2). The immunomodulatory effects of PSDSs with different molecular weights were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. In vitro experimental results showed that compared with Lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages, PSDSs-1 increased TNF-α and IL-6 levels and decreased IL-10. Meanwhile, PSDSs-2 showed the opposite effect, indicating the difference in pro- and anti-inflammatory activities of PSDSs with different molecular weights. The immunosuppressive model of cyclophosphamide proved that PSDSs have immune-promoting function, with PSDSs-1 exhibiting a better effect than PSDSs-2. In vitro and in vivo experiments illustrated the complexity of PSDS immunomodulation. Further research on the functions of PSDs with different molecular weights is needed to lay a foundation for their classification and application.

Spatiotemporal dynamic network for regional maritime vessel flow prediction amid COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has stifled international trade and the global maritime industry. Its impact on the routing of the regional vessel traffic flow provides supportive data to port authorities, ship owners, shippers, and consignees. This study proposes a spatiotemporal dynamic graph neural network (STDGNN) model that includes the usual primary part of the vessel flow and an auxiliary part of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases near the port. The primary part consists of a time-embedding (TE) block, two dynamic graph neural network (DGNN) blocks, and a gated recurrent unit block, to capture the spatiotemporal dependence in the regional vessel traffic flow. The auxiliary part is made of multiple blocks to exploit the dynamic temporal relationships in hours, days, and weeks. Moreover, the performance of the STDGNN model is verified by utilising real vessel traffic flow data (i.e. inflow, outflow, and volume) and the new cases of COVID-19 near the port of New York, USA, provided by the automatic identification system and the Johns Hopkins University Centre for Systems Science and Engineering. The 2-h prediction result shows a 37.7%, 17.23%, and 11.4% improvement in the mean absolute error (MAE) over the gated recurrent unit (GRU), STGCN, and TGCN models, respectively. The delicate and adaptable prediction of vessel traffic flow could help the port relieve congestion, enhance efficiency, and further assist the recovery of regional maritime industries in the post-COVID era.

Inhibition of ELF3 confers synthetic lethality of PARP inhibitor in non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: E74 Like ETS Transcription Factor 3 (ELF3) functions as a transcriptional factor to regulate non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) differentiation and progression. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors demonstrate anti-tumor effect in NSCLC. This study aimed to investigate whether ELF3 confers synthetic lethal with PARP inhibitor in NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sensitivity of PARP inhibitor, Olaparib, to different NSCLC cell lines was determined by half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Expression of ELF3 in NSCLC cell lines was evaluated by western blot. The effects of ELF3 on cytotoxicity of Olaparib to NSCLC were investigated by MTT (3-(4,5- di methyl thiazol -2-yl)-2,5-di phenyl tetrazolium bromide) and colony formation assays. The underlying mechanism involved in synthetic lethality with ELF3 and PARP inhibitors in NSCLC were detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot. RESULTS: ELF3 was up-regulated in NSCLC cell lines exhibiting resistance to PARP inhibitor, Olaparib. Knock down of ELF3 decreased the sensitivity and enhanced cytotoxicity of Olaparib to NSCLC cells. Moreover, knock down of ELF3 increased S139 phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX), and inhibited homologous recombination activity via down-regulation of DNA repair protein RAD51 homolog 1 (RAD51), thus showing deficiency in DNA damage repair. Over-expression of ELF3 could up-regulate phosphorylation of AKT (Protein kinase B), while knock down of ELF3 regulated homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair via down-regulation of phosphorylation of AKT. CONCLUSION: Knock down of ELF3 revealed homologous recombination deficiency via AKT signaling pathway, and synthetic lethality with ELF3 inhibition and PARP inhibitor indicated the clinical significance of PARP inhibitor in ELF3-deficient NSCLC.

STAT3-induced ZBED3-AS1 promotes the malignant phenotypes of melanoma cells by activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Melanoma is considered as the most frequent primary malignancy occurring in skin. Accumulating studies have suggested that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical parts in multiple cancers. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanism of ZBED3 antisense RNA 1 (ZBED3-AS1) in melanoma. We observed that ZBED3-AS1 expression was remarkably up-regulated in melanoma tissues, and high ZBED3-AS1 level was linked to unsatisfactory survival of melanoma patients. Then, we discovered that ZBED3-AS1 was overexpressed in melanoma cells compared with human epidermal melanocytes. In addition, loss-of-function assays verified that ZBED3-AS1 knockdown restrained cell proliferation, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and stemness in melanoma. In addition, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), which also showed tumour-facilitating functions in melanoma, was confirmed as a transcriptional activator of ZBED3-AS1. Moreover, ZBED3-AS1 enhanced the expression of AT-rich interaction domain 4B (ARID4B) through sequestering miR-381-3p. Importantly, we further confirmed that ZBED3-AS1 promoted the malignant progression of melanoma by regulating miR-381-3p/ARID4B axis to activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT serine/threonine kinase (PI3K/AKT) signalling pathway. In a word, our research might provide a novel therapeutic target for melanoma.

The levels, prevalence and related factors of compassion fatigue among oncology nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Compassion fatigue is described as the phenomenon of exhaustion and dysfunction in healthcare workers resulting from prolonged exposure to work-related stress and compassion stress. Oncology nurses are at high risk for compassion fatigue. AIMS: Our study aims to estimate the levels, prevalence and related factors of compassion fatigue dimension in oncology nurses. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHOD: Ten electronic databases were conducted in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Time frame of the searches is from inception up to 31 January 2020. The research team independently conducted study selection, quality assessments, data extractions and analysis of all included studies. The means, standard deviations and prevalence of three dimensions of compassion fatigue were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. The PRISMA guideline was used to report the systematic review and meta-analysis. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020205521. RESULTS: The systematic review included 21 studies, involving 6533 oncology nurses across 6 different countries. In our studies, the pooled mean scores of compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO) and secondary traumatic stress (STS) were 35.47 (95% CI: 33.54-37.41), 24.94 (95% CI: 23.47-26.41) and 24.48 (95% CI: 23.36-25.60), respectively; the pooled prevalence of "low" rates of CS, "high" rates of BO and STS were 20% (CI 13%-28%), 22% (CI 18%-26%) and 22% (CI 17%-28%), respectively; furthermore, geographical regions (Asia) significantly affect the prevalence of compassion fatigue among oncology nurses. The compassion fatigue variables considered were demographic (age, marital status, education background, health condition and gender), work-related (job satisfaction, income satisfaction, years of working experience, professional title, position and work environment) and other variables (social support, coping strategy, self-compassion, professional cognition and psychological training). CONCLUSION: Oncology nurses were at "moderate" level of compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress, and 22% of oncology nurses suffered from "high" risk of compassion fatigue. Hospital administrators should develop interventions to address compassion fatigue phenomenon, and enhance the mental health of oncology nurses and nursing care results. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Oncology unit warrants special attention, and oncology nurses are at high risk for compassion fatigue. However, the reported prevalence rates and oncology nurses with different characteristics vary considerably. The review provides a preliminary framework for nursing administrators to develop interventions to address compassion fatigue phenomenon, and enhance the psychological health of oncology nurses.

Multiparametric MRI-Based Radiomics Nomogram for Predicting Lymphovascular Space Invasion in Endometrial Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) of endometrial carcinoma (EMC) is one of the important prognostic factors, which is not usually visible subjectively. Therefore, clinicians lack imaging-based evidence about LVSI for preoperative treatment decision-making. PURPOSE: To develop a multiparametric MRI (mpMRI)-based radiomics nomogram for predicting LVSI in EMC and provide decision-making support to clinicians. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: In all, 144 patients with histologically confirmed EMC, 101 patients in a training cohort, and 43 patients in a test cohort. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: T2 WI, contrast enhanced-T1 WI, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at 3.0T MRI. ASSESSMENT: Tumors were independently segmented images by two radiologists. Two pathologists reviewed the tissue specimens of the tumors to identify the existence of LVSI in consensus. STATISTICAL TESTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to test the reliability and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression for features selection and then developed a radiomics signature named Rad-score. A nomogram was developed in the training cohort. The diagnostic performance of the nomogram model was assessed by area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) in the training and test cohort, respectively. RESULTS: LVSI was identified in 32 patients (22.2%). Older age and high grade were correlated with LVSI at univariate analysis. There were five radiomics features that were identified as independent risk factors for LVSI by LASSO regression. Based on age, grade, and Rad-score, the AUC values of the nomogram model to predict LVSI in the training and test cohort were 0.820 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.725, 0.916; sensitivity: 82.6%, specificity: 72.9%), 0.807 (95% CI: 0.673, 0.941; sensitivity: 77.8%, specificity: 78.6%), respectively. DATA CONCLUSION: The radiomic-based machine-learning model using a nomogram algorithm achieved high diagnostic performance for predicting LVSI of EMC preoperatively, which could enhance risk stratification and provide support for therapeutic decision-making. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2. TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 3. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;52:1257-1262.

Identification and Functional Study of Chitin Metabolism and Detoxification-Related Genes in Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Based on Transcriptome Analysis.

Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralididae) is a serious pest in the sericulture industry, which has caused damage and losses in recent years. With the widespread use of insecticides, the insecticide resistance of G. pyloalis has becomes increasingly apparent. In order to find other effective methods to control G. pyloalis, this study performed a transcriptome analysis of the midgut, integument, and whole larvae. Transcriptome data were annotated with KEGG and GO, and they have been shown to be of high quality by RT-qPCR. The different significant categories of differentially expressed genes between the midgut and the integument suggested that the transcriptome data could be used for next analysis. With the exception of Dda9 (GpCDA5), 19 genes were involved in chitin metabolism, most of which had close protein-protein interactions. Among them, the expression levels of 11 genes, including GpCHSA, GpCDA1, GpCDA2, GpCDA4, GPCHT1, GPCHT2a, GPCHT3a, GPCHT7, GpTre1, GpTre2, and GpRtv were higher in the integument than in the midgut, while the expression levels of the last eight genes, including GpCHSB, GpCDA5, GpCHT2b, GpCHT3b, GpCHT-h, GpPAGM, GpNAGK, and GpUAP, were higher in the midgut than in the integument. Moreover, 282 detoxification-related genes were identified and can be divided into 10 categories, including cytochrome P450, glutathione S-transferase, carboxylesterase, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, aquaporin, chloride channel, methoprene-tolerant, serine protease inhibitor, sodium channel, and calcium channel. In order to further study the function of chitin metabolism-related genes, dsRNA injection knocked down the expression of GpCDA1 and GpCHT3a, resulting in the significant downregulation of its downstream genes. These results provide an overview of chitin metabolism and detoxification of G. pyloalis and lay the foundation for the effective control of this pest in the sericulture industry.

Identification, Characterization, and Functional Analysis of Chitin Synthase Genes in Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (G. pyloalis) causes significant damage to mulberry every year, and we currently lack effective and environmentally friendly ways to control the pest. Chitin synthase (CHS) is a critical regulatory enzyme related to chitin biosynthesis, which plays a vital role in the growth and development of insects. The function of CHS in G. pyloalis, however, has not been studied. In this study, two chitin synthase genes (GpCHSA and GpCHSB) were screened from our previously created transcriptome database. The complete coding sequences of the two genes are 5,955 bp and 5,896 bp, respectively. Expression of GpCHSA and GpCHSB could be detected throughout all developmental stages. Relatively high expression levels of GpCHSA occurred in the head and integument and GpCHSB was most highly expressed in the midgut. Moreover, silencing of GpCHSA and GpCHSB using dsRNA reduced expression of downstream chitin metabolism pathway genes and resulted in abnormal development and wings stretching, but did not affect normal pupating of larvae. Furthermore, the inhibitor of chitin synthesis diflubenzuron (DFB) was used to further validate the RNAi result. DFB treatment significantly improved expression of GpCHSA, except GpCHSB, and their downstream genes, and also effected G. Pyloali molting at 48 h (62% mortality rate) and 72 h (90% mortality rate), respectively. These results show that GpCHSA and GpCHSB play critical roles in the development and wing stretching in G. pyloalis adults, indicating that the genes are attractive potential pest control targets.

Differential immune cell infiltrations between healthy periodontal and chronic periodontitis tissues.

BACKGROUND: Host immunity plays an important role against oral microorganisms in periodontitis. METHODS: This study assessed the infiltrating immune cell subtypes in 133 healthy periodontal and 210 chronic periodontitis tissues from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets using the CIBERSORT gene signature files. RESULTS: Plasma cells, naive B cells and neutrophils were all elevated in periodontitis tissues, when compared to those in healthy controls. In contrast, memory B cells, resting dendritic, mast cells and CD4 memory cells, as well as activated mast cells, M1 and M2 macrophages, and follicular helper T cells, were mainly present in healthy periodontal tissues. Furthermore, these periodontitis tissues generally contained a higher proportion of activated CD4 memory T cells, while the other subtypes of T cells, including resting CD4 memory T cells, CD8 T cells, follicular helper T cells (TFH) and regulatory T cells (Tregs), were relatively lower in periodontitis tissues, when compared to healthy tissues. The ratio of dendritic and mast cells and macrophages was lower in periodontitis tissues, when compared to healthy tissues. In addition, there was a significant negative association of plasma cells with most of the other immune cells, such as plasma cells vs. memory B cells (γ = - 0.84), plasma cells vs. resting dendritic cells (γ = - 0.64), plasma cells vs. resting CD4 memory T cells (γ = 0.50), plasma cells versus activated dendritic cells (γ = - 0.46), plasma cells versus TFH (γ = - 0.46), plasma cells versus macrophage M2 cells (γ = - 0.43), or plasma cells versus macrophage M1 cells (γ = - 0.40), between healthy control and periodontitis tissues. CONCLUSION: Plasma cells, naive B cells and neutrophils were all elevated in periodontitis tissues. The infiltration of different immune cell subtypes in the periodontitis site could lead the host immunity against periodontitis.

CropDeep: The Crop Vision Dataset for Deep-Learning-Based Classification and Detection in Precision Agriculture.

Intelligence has been considered as the major challenge in promoting economic potential and production efficiency of precision agriculture. In order to apply advanced deep-learning technology to complete various agricultural tasks in online and offline ways, a large number of crop vision datasets with domain-specific annotation are urgently needed. To encourage further progress in challenging realistic agricultural conditions, we present the CropDeep species classification and detection dataset, consisting of 31,147 images with over 49,000 annotated instances from 31 different classes. In contrast to existing vision datasets, images were collected with different cameras and equipment in greenhouses, captured in a wide variety of situations. It features visually similar species and periodic changes with more representative annotations, which have supported a stronger benchmark for deep-learning-based classification and detection. To further verify the application prospect, we provide extensive baseline experiments using state-of-the-art deep-learning classification and detection models. Results show that current deep-learning-based methods achieve well performance in classification accuracy over 99%. While current deep-learning methods achieve only 92% detection accuracy, illustrating the difficulty of the dataset and improvement room of state-of-the-art deep-learning models when applied to crops production and management. Specifically, we suggest that the YOLOv3 network has good potential application in agricultural detection tasks.

Protective Effects of Kaempferitrin on Advanced Glycation End Products Induce Mesangial Cell Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) both play important roles in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Previous studies have identified glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) injury as a key early risk factor in the development of DN. Kaempferitrin (KM) is a potent antioxidant with hypoglycemic action. Although KM is known to protect against AGE-induced damage in GMCs, the effects and the mechanisms by which they occur are poorly understood. In this study, cultured rat GMCs were exposed to AGE-induced oxidative stress (OS) to model DN in vitro. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was analyzed by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were studied using commercial kits. Mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was measured by rhodamine 123. Hoechst 33258 and annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining were performed to observe the apoptosis states in GMCs, whereas apoptosis and protective mechanism in AGE-induced GMCs were investigated by Western blot. The data revealed that KM effectively increased SOD activity, decreased MDA levels, suppressed ROS generation, and protected against OS in AGE-induced GMCs. Treatment with KM also inhibited the expression of collagen IV and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), improved mitochondrial membrane potential recovery, and suppressed the mitochondrial/cytochrome c-mediated apoptosis pathway through the expression of anti-apoptotic factors in GMCs in vitro. These findings suggest that KM may be a new potential agent in the treatment of DN in future.

Extraction, Characterization and Antioxidant Activity in vitro of Proteins from Semen Allii Fistulosi.

Semen Allii Fistulosi (PSAF) is the seed of Allium fistulosum L. of the Liliaceae family. The purpose of this study was to extract, characterize, and evaluate the antioxidant activity in vitro of proteins. Using single factor and orthogonal design, the optimum conditions of extraction were determined to be as follows: extraction time 150 min, pH 8.5, temperature 60 °C, and ratio (v/w, mL/g) of extraction solvent to raw material 35. The isoelectric point of the pH was determined to be about 4.4 and 10.2, by measuring the protein content of PSAF solutions at different pH values. The amino acid composition of PSAF was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the results suggested that the species of amino acids contained in the PSAF was complete. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS⁻PAGE) analysis showed the molecular weight was mainly between 40 and 55 kDa, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) characterized prevalent protein absorption peaks. PSAF exhibited potent scavenging activities against DPPH assays, via targeting of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, while chelating Fe2+ activity and demonstrating weak reducing power. This work revealed that PSAF possessed potential antioxidant activity in vitro, suggesting potential for use of PSAF as a natural antioxidant.

[Apoptosis in Lungs and Liver after Crush Injury of Hindlimbs in Rat].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the process of apoptosis in lungs and liver induced by crushing hindlimbs of rat, and study the mechanism of crush injury. METHODS: The rat experimental model of hindlimbs crush injury was established. The cell apoptosis in lungs and liver was detected by TUNEL assay, and the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 apoptin was examined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the partial muscle injury of rat's hindlimbs was more serious with more apoptosis observed in lungs and liver (P < 0.05). The expression of Bax was up-regulated and Bcl-2 was down-regulated, whereas caspase-3 expression was activated (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The cell apoptosis has increased significantly in lungs and liver after crush injury of hindlimbs in rat. The correlation factor released during tissue injury may mediate apoptosis process.