Customizable Organic Charge-Transfer Cocrystals for the Dual-Mode Optoelectronics in the NIR (II) Window.

Organic molecules have been regarded as ideal candidates for near-infrared (NIR) optoelectronic active materials due to their customizability and ease of large-scale production. However, constrained by the intricate molecular design and severe energy gap law, the realization of optoelectronic devices in the second near-infrared (NIR (II)) region with required narrow band gaps presents more challenges. Herein, we have originally proposed a cocrystal strategy that utilizes intermolecular charge-transfer interaction to drive the redshift of absorption and emission spectra of a series BFXTQ (X = 0, 1, 2, 4) cocrystals, resulting in the spectra located at NIR (II) window and reducing the optical bandgap to ∼0.98 eV. Significantly, these BFXTQ-based optoelectronic devices can exhibit dual-mode optoelectronic characteristics. An investigation of a series of BFXTQ-based photodetectors exhibits detectivity (D*) surpassing 1013 Jones at 375 to 1064 nm with a maximum of 1.76 × 1014 Jones at 1064 nm. Moreover, the radiative transition of CT excitons within the cocrystals triggers NIR emission over 1000 nm with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of ∼4.6% as well as optical waveguide behavior with a low optical-loss coefficient of 0.0097 dB/µm at 950 nm. These results promote the advancement of an emerging cocrystal approach in micro/nanoscale NIR multifunctional optoelectronics.

Organic Cocrystal Alloys: From Three Primary Colors to Continuously Tunable Emission and Applications on Optical Waveguides and Displays.

Multicolor luminescence of organic fluorescent materials is an essential part of lighting and optical communication. However, the conventional construction of a multicolor luminescence system based on integrating multiple organic fluorescent materials of a single emission band remains complicated and to be improved. Herein, organic alloys (OAs) capable of full-color emission are synthesized based on charge transfer (CT) cocrystals. By adjusting the molar ratio of electron donors, the emission color of the OAs can be conveniently and continuously regulated in a wide visible range from blue (CIE: 0.187, 0.277), to green (CIE: 0.301, 0.550), and to red (CIE: 0.561, 0.435). The OAs show analogous 1D morphology with smooth surface, allowing for full-color waveguides with low optical-loss coefficient. Impressively, full-color optical displays are easily achieved through the OAs system with continuous emission, which shows promising applications in the field of optical display and promotes the development of organic photonics.

Precise Synthesis of Organic Cocrystal Alloys with Full-Spectrum Emission Characteristics for the Stepless Color Changing Display.

Organic luminescent materials are indispensable in optoelectronic displays and solid-state luminescence applications. Compared with single-component, multi-component crystalline materials can improve optoelectronic characteristics. This work forms a series of full-spectrum tunable luminescent charge-transfer (CT) cocrystals ranging from 400 to 800 nm through intermolecular collaborative self-assembly. What is even more interesting is that o-TCP-Cor(x)-Pe(1-x), p-TCP-Cor(x)-Pe(1-x), and o-TCP-AN(x)-TP(1-x) alloys are prepared based on cocrystals by doping strategies, which correspondingly achieve the stepless color change from blue (CIE [0.22, 0.44]) to green (CIE [0.16, 0.14]), from green (CIE [0.27, 0.56]) to orange (CIE [0.58, 0.42]), from yellow (CIE [0.40, 0.57]) to red (CIE [0.65, 0.35]). The work provides an efficient method for precisely synthesizing new luminescent organic semiconductor materials and lays a solid foundation for developing advanced organic solid-state displays.

Revisiting an old relationship: the causal associations of the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio with cardiometabolic diseases and relative risk factors-a mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: It has been confirmed that the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio is closely associated with the incidence of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD). However, due to uncontrolled confounding factors in observational studies, the causal relationship of this association remains unclear. METHODS: In this study, we extracted the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and data on CMD and its associated risk factors from the largest European Genome-Wide Association Study. The purpose was to conduct Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis. The causal relationship between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and CMD was evaluated using both univariable and multivariable MR analyses. Furthermore, bidirectional MR analysis was performed to estimate the causal relationship between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and risk factors for CMD. The final verification confirmed whether the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio exhibits a mediating effect in CMD and related risk factors. RESULTS: In terms of CMD, a noteworthy correlation was observed between the increase in the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and various CMD, including ischemic heart disease, major adverse cardiovascular events, aortic aneurysm, cerebral ischemic disease and so on (all PFDR<0.05). Meanwhile, the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was significantly associated with CMD risk factors, such as hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin levels, waist-to-hip ratio, sedentary behavior, and various others, demonstrating a notable causal relationship (all PFDR<0.05). Additionally, the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio played a mediating role in CMD and relative risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: This MR study provides evidence supporting the significant causal relationship between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and CMD and its risk factors. Moreover, it demonstrates the mediating effect of the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio in CMD and its risk factors. These findings suggest that the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio may serve as a potential indicator for identifying the risk of developing CMD in participants.

LncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 promotes chemoresistance in triple-negative breast cancer through the miR-524-5p/RBM39 axis.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most lethal subtype of BC, with unfavorable treatment outcomes. Evidence suggests the engagement of lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 in BC development. This study investigated the action of MCM3AP-AS1 in chemoresistance of TNBC cells. Drug-resistant TNBC cell lines SUM159PTR and MDA-MB-231R were constructed by exposure to increasing concentrations of doxorubicin/docetaxel (DOX/DXL). MCM3AP-AS1 and miR-524-5p expression levels were determined by RT-qPCR. RNA binding motif 39 (RBM39) level was measured using Western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The targeted binding of miR-524-5p with MCM3AP-AS1 or RBM39 was predicted by ECORI database and validated by dual-luciferase assays. The gain-and-loss of function assays were conducted in cells to investigate the interactions among MCM3AP-AS1, miR-524-5p, and RBM39. TNBC xenograft mouse models were established through subcutaneous injection of MCM3AP-AS1-silencing MDA-MB-231R cells and intraperitoneally administrated with DOX/DXL to verify the role of MCM3AP-AS1 in vivo. MCM3AP-AS1 was upregulated in drug-resistant TNBC cells, and MCM3AP-AS1 silencing could sensitize drug-resistant TNBC cells to chemotherapeutic drugs by promoting apoptosis. MCM3AP-AS1 targeted miR-524-5p. After DOX/DXL treatment, miR-524-5p inhibition partially reversed the effect of MCM3AP-AS1 silencing on inhibiting chemoresistance and promoting apoptosis of drug-resistant TNBC cells. miR-524-5p targeted RBM39. Silencing MCM3AP-AS1 promoted apoptosis via the miR-524-5p/RBM39 axis, thereby enhancing chemosensitivity of drug-resistant TNBC cells. MCM3AP-AS1 knockdown upregulated miR-524-5p, downregulated RBM39, and restrained tumor development in vivo. MCM3AP-AS1 silencing potentiates apoptosis of drug-resistant TNBC cells by upregulating miR-524-5p and downregulating RBM39, thereby suppressing chemoresistance in TNBC.

Molecular and Family Analyses of a Novel RHD1058G>C Allele in a Chinese RhD Population.

BACKGROUND: Rh(D) phenotype in a sample from a 19-year-old female patient showed weak positivity (1+). A follow-up sample was requested to further define the Rh(D) phenotype, her Rh(D) phenotype was tested by using another reagent, Rh(D) phenotype still showed weak reactivity (1+), RhCcEe phenotype was Ccee. METHODS: Seven samples from the family members of the proposita were received. The RhDCcEe phenotypes were typed by the microcolumn gel card and the unexpected antibodies were assayed by indirect anti-human globulin test (IAT). Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood sample and the novel RHD1058G>C allele was detected through an established sequence-specific primer PCR (PCR-SSP), RHD exons 1 - 10 were sequenced afterward by exon-specific amplification. The distribution of RHD1058G>C allele and RHD weak positive phenotype were investigated in the pedigrees. RESULTS: The unexpected antibodies all were negative in the family members. The novel RHD1058G>C allele was found in the proposita, her father, and grandfather. Five family members were detected serologically with the common Rh(D)-positive phenotypes either as homozygote of RHD/RHD or heterozygote of RHD/RHd. Two family members were detected as weak D phenotypes in accordance with the genotyping results by PCR-SSP, and both of them have a D1058Ce haplotype and a dce haplotype. One member, her father, was tested common Rh(D)-positive with D1058Ce haplotype and a Dce haplotype. CONCLUSIONS: These data allow us to describe the characteristics of the weak D phenotype with a novel c.RHD-1058G>C allele, which may be partial D and increase the risk of RHD alloantibody. The novel RHD1058G>C allele was inherited in three generations in a family rather than spontaneous mutation in an individual.

CTRP13 Mitigates Endothelial Cell Ferroptosis via the AMPK/KLF4 Pathway: Implications for Atherosclerosis Protection.

BACKGROUND C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 13 (CTRP13) preserves endothelial function and possesses anti-oxidation activity. However, its effects on ferroptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) remain unclear. We investigated the effects of CTRP13 on HUVEC ferroptosis induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and explored the underlying mechanisms of CTRP13 against ferroptosis via the AMPK/KLF4 pathway. MATERIAL AND METHODS Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to evaluate cell viability. Lactate dehydrogenase activity and malondialdehyde content analysis were performed to evaluate the cell membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation. Mito-Tracker, JC-1, and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein di-acetate were used to evaluate the biological activity of mitochondria, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in endothelial cells. The ferroptosis indicator expressions, recombinant solute carrier family 7, member 11, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 were examined using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Immunofluorescence staining detected GPX4 location in endothelial cells. RESULTS The results demonstrate that CTRP13 (450 ng/mL) prevented HUVEC ferroptosis by inhibiting ROS overproduction and mitochondrial dysfunction, and CTRP13 accelerated antioxidant enzyme expression levels, such as heme oxygenase 1, superoxide dismutase 1, and superoxide dismutase 2, compared with the ox-LDL (100 µg/mL) group for 48 h. Additionally, CTRP13 treatment increased p-AMPK/AMPK expression by 47.65% (P<0.05) while decreasing Krüppel-like factor 4 expression by 37.43% (P<0.05) in ox-LDL-induced HUVECs and elucidated the protective effect on endothelial dysfunction from ferroptosis. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide new insights for understanding the effects and mechanism of CTRP13 on preventing endothelial cell ferroptosis.

Thermally activated persulfate (TAP)-enhanced tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate removal in real-world waters based on a response-surface approach as well as toxicological evaluation on its degradation products.

As a typical organophosphorus flame retardant, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) is refractory in aqueous environment. The application of TAP is a promising method for removing pollutants. Herein, the removal of TCEP using TAP was rigorously investigated, and the effects of some key variables were optimized by the one-factor-at-a-time approach. To further evaluate the interactions among variables, the response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design was employed. Under optimized conditions (pH 5, [PS]0: [TCEP]0 = 500:1), the maximum removal efficiency (RE) of TCEP reached up to 90.6%. In real-world waters, the RE of TCEP spanned the range of 56%- 65% in river water, pond water, lake water and sanitary sewage. The low-concentration Cl- (0.1 mM) promoted TCEP degradation, but the contrary case occurred when the high-concentration Cl-, NO3-, CO32-, HCO3-, HPO42-, H2PO4-, NH4+ and humic acid were present owing to their prominently quenching effects on SO4•-. Both EPR and scavenger experiments revealed that the main radicals in the TAP system were SO4•- and •OH, in which SO4•- played the most crucial role in TCEP degradation. GC-MS/MS analysis disclosed that two degradation products appeared, sourcing from the replacement, oxidation, hydroxylation and water-molecule elimination reactions. The other two products were inferred from the comprehensive literature. As for acute toxicity to fish, daphnid and green algae, product A displayed the slightly higher toxicity, whereas other three products exhibited the declining toxicity as compared to their parent molecule. These findings offer a theoretical/practical reference for high-efficiency removal of TCEP and its ecotoxicological risk evaluation.

Analysis of key circRNA events in the AOP framework of TCS acting on zebrafish based on the data-driven.

Triclosan (TCS) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic widely used in various personal care products. Research has found that exposure to TCS can cause toxic effects on organisms including neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, disorders of lipid metabolism, and abnormal vascular development, and the corresponding toxic mechanisms are gradually delving into the level of abnormal expression of miRNA regulating gene expression. Although the downstream mechanism of TCS targeting miRNA abnormal expression to induce toxicity is gradually improving, its upstream mechanism is still in a fog. Starting from the abnormal expression data of circRNA in zebrafish larvae induced by TCS, this study conducted a hierarchical analysis of the expression levels of all circRNAs, differential circRNAs, and trend circRNAs, and identified 29 key circRNA events regulating miRNA abnormal expression. In combination with GO and KEGG, the effects of TCS exposure were analyzed from the function and signaling pathway of the corresponding circRNA host gene. Furthermore, based on existing literature evidence about the biological toxicity induced by TCS targeting miRNA as data support, a competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network characterizing the regulatory relationship between circRNA and miRNA was constructed and optimized. Finally, a comprehensive Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework of multiple levels of events including circRNA, miRNA, mRNA, pathway, and toxicity endpoints was established to systematically elucidate the toxic mechanism of TCS. Moreover, the rationality of the AOP framework was verified from the expression level of miRNA and adverse outcomes such as neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response by knockdown of circRNA48. This paper not only provides the key circRNA events for exploring the upstream mechanism of miRNA regulating gene expression but also provides an AOP framework for comprehensively demonstrating the toxicity mechanism of TCS on zebrafish, which is a theoretical basis for subsequent hazard assessment and prevention and control of TCS.

Advances in white light-emitting organic crystals.

In past decades, organic crystals have presented considerable potential in the field of optoelectronics due to their rich tunable physical and chemical properties and excellent optoelectronic characteristics. White-light emission, as a special application, has received widespread attention and has been applied in various fields, generating significant interest in the scientific community. By preparing white light-emitting organic crystals, a series of applications for future white-light sources can be realized. This article reviews the research progress on the molecular design and synthesis, preparation, and application of white light-emitting organic crystals in recent years. We hope that this review will help to understand and facilitate the development of white light-emitting organic crystals.

Integration of Myrica rubra-based N-doped carbon dots with Fe3S4 as excellent peroxidase mimics for colorimetric assay and smartphone-based intelligent sensing of p-aminophenol in waters.

To realize the reutilization of waste Myrica rubra in the analytical field, we synthesized Myrica rubra-based N-doped carbon dots (MN-CDs) and further anchored them onto the surface of Fe3S4 to fabricate Fe3S4@MN-CD nanocomposites. The as-fabricated nanocomposites possessed higher peroxidase-mimetic activity than its two precursors, resulting from the synergistic effect between them, and could catalyze colorless 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into deep blue oxTMB with a strong 652-nm absorption. Under optimized conditions (initial solution pH, 3.5; incubation temperature, 35 ℃; Fe3S4@MN-CD concentration, 50 µg mL-1, and 652-nm absorption), Fe3S4@MN-CDs were employed for colorimetric assay of p-aminophenol (p-AP) with wide linear range (LR, 2.9-100 µM), low detection limit (LOD, 0.87 µM), and satisfactory recoveries (86.3-105%) in environmental waters. Encouragingly, this colorimetric assay provided the relative accuracy of 97.0-99.4% as compared with  conventional HPLC-UV detection. A portable smartphone-based colorimetric application was developed by combining the Fe3S4@MN-CD-based visually chromogenic reaction with a "Thing Identify" APP software. Besides, we engineered an image-capturing device feasible for field use, in which the internal-compact sealing prevented external light source from entering photography chamber, thereby reducing light interference, and also the bottom light source enhanced the intensity of blue imaging. This colorimetric platform exhibited satisfactory LR (1-500 µM), low LOD (0.3 µM), and fortification recoveries (86.6-99.6%). In the chromogenic reaction catalyzed by Fe3S4@MN-CDs, ·O2- played a key role in concomitant with the participation of •OH and h+. Both the colorimetric assay and smartphone-based intelligent sensing show great promising in on-site monitoring of p-AP under field conditions.

Superior oxidase-mimetic activity of FeCo-NC dual-atom nanozyme for smartphone-based visually colorimetric assay of organophosphorus pesticides.

A colorimetric analysis platform has been successfully developed based on FeCo-NC dual-atom nanozyme (FeCo-NC DAzyme) for the detection of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs). The FeCo-NC DAzyme exhibited exceptional oxidase-like activity (OXD), enabling the catalysis of colorless TMB to form blue oxidized TMB (oxTMB) without the need for H2O2 involvement. By combining acid phosphatase (ACP) hydrolase with FeCo-NC DAzyme, a "FeCo-NC DAzyme + TMB + ACP + SAP" colorimetric system was constructed, which facilitated the rapid detection of malathion. The chromogenic system was applied to detect malathion using a smartphone-based app and an auxiliary imaging interferogram device for colorimetric measurements, which have a linear range of 0.05-4.0 µM and a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 15 nM in real samples, comparable to UV-Vis and HPLC-DAD detection methods. Overall, these findings present a novel approach for convenient, rapid, and on-site monitoring of OPPs.

A landscape of Long non-coding RNAs reveals the leading transcriptome alterations in murine aorta during aging.

Considerable studies have given convincing evidence of a forefront position for vascular aging in preventing cardiovascular disease. Various functions of Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are becoming increasingly distinct in aging-related diseases. This study aims at a better insight into the expression profile and mechanisms of lncRNAs in vascular senescence. High-throughput sequencing was used to detect the differential expression (DE) of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the aorta of 96 W and 8 W-old mice, while 1423 lncRNAs and 80 mRNAs were differentially expressed. By performing GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, we found that DE lncRNAs were mainly involved in purine metabolism and cGMP-PKG signaling pathways. In addition, a co-expression functional network of DE lncRNAs and DE mRNAs was constructed, and ENSMUST00000218874 could interact with 41 DE mRNAs, suggesting that it may play an essential role in vascular senescence. This study reveals DE lncRNAs in naturally aging vascular, which may provide new ideas and targets for aging-related cardiovascular diseases.

Mandibular cortical bone remodeling characteristics in patients with extraction: A cone-beam computed tomography study.

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the labial and lingual cortical bone remodeling characteristics of mandibular central incisors after retraction, which remain controversial among orthodontists. METHODS: Cortical bone remodeling and central incisor movement of 33 patients (aged 23.64 ± 4.30 years) who underwent mandibular first premolar extraction and incisor retraction at the crestal (S1), midroot (S2), and apical (S3) levels were analyzed using superimposed cone-beam computed tomography images on the basis of voxel-based registration of the mandibular stable region. Multivariate linear regression was used to explore the relationships between labial bone remodeling/tooth movement (BT) ratios and factors such as the ANB angle, mandibular plane angle (Mp-SN), and incisor movement patterns. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the lingual cortical bone remodeling condition and the relationship between posttreatment incisor roots and the original lingual cortical bone border. At the 3 levels (S1, S2, and S3), the classifications of cortical bone remodeling of the mandibular incisors were calculated; t tests were used to compare the amount of labial and lingual bone remodeling, BT ratios, and lingual bone remodeling/root over the original border (BRo) ratios. RESULTS: The mean labial BT ratios at all 3 levels were close to 1. Multivariate linear regression indicated that the tooth movement pattern negatively correlated with the BT ratio at the S2 and S3 levels (P <0.05). Lingual bone apposition occurs when the root penetrates the original lingual cortical bone border in most patients. BRo ratios can more accurately reflect the inherent remodeling ability of the lingual cortical bone than BT ratios. The mean lingual BRo ratios were (1) S1 level: mandibular left central incisor (T31), 0.87 ± 0.25 and mandibular right incisor (T41), 0.86 ± 0.25; (2) S2 level: T31, 0.81 ± 0.12 and T41, 0.80 ± 0.22; and (3) S3 level: T31, 0.76 ± 0.20 and T41, 0.83 ± 0.26. There was no significant difference between labial BT ratios and lingual BRo ratios at the S2 and S3 levels. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of labial cortical bone resorption caused by mandibular incisor retraction showed varied relationships with the amount of tooth movement. Bodily retraction may decrease the labial BT ratios at the S2 and S3 levels. Active lingual cortical bone apposition occurred when the roots penetrated the original lingual border and exhibited strong remodeling ability.

[Soft and hard tissue changes of hyperdivergent class â ¡ patients before and after orthodontic extraction treatment].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hard and soft tissue changing trend and contributing factors of skeletal class Ⅱ hyperdivergent patients before and after orthodontic camouflage treatment by analyzing the cephalogram and the three dimensional (3D) facial scan data. METHODS: Eighteen skeletal class Ⅱ hyperdivergent adult female patients who finished camouflage orthodontic treatment were selected. Skeletal and dental measurements were carried out with the cephalometric analysis before and after the treatment. 3D facial data before and after orthodontic treatment were acquired and the anatomical landmarks were set after the repositioning and superimposition process. Hard tissue measurement included 17 mea-surement indicators (sella-nasion-subspinale angle, sella-nasion-supramental angle, subspinale-nasion-supramental angle, facial angle, angle of convexity, Frankfort horizontal plane-mandibular plane angle (FH-MP), Y axis angle, sella-nasion plane-mandibular plane angle (MP-SN), pogonion-nasion-supramental distance, upper incisor-nasion-subspinale distance, upper incisor to sella-nasion, lower incisor-nasion-supramental distance, lower incisor-nasion-supramental angle, upper incisor to lower incisor, upper incisor to sella-nasion, lower incisor-mandibular plane angle, and Z angle), and the changes before and after treatment were measured for 11 of them. Twenty soft tissue landmarks (left/right cheekbone, left/right chelion, left/right crista philtra, soft tissue gnathion, left/right gonion, glabella, labrale infe-rius, labrale superius, soft tissue menton, left/right mid-mandibular border, soft tissue pogonion, stomion superius, sublabial, subnasale, and supralabial) and 9 soft tissue indicators (lower lip height, facial convexity, lower vermilion height, mandibular contour, nasolabial angle, philtral length, philtral width, upper lip height, and upper vermilion height) were measured and recorded for treatment changes. Linear-regression analysis and correlation analysis were carried out for analyzing the relationship between hard and soft tissue changes before and after the treatment. RESULTS: Significant differences were noticed for 18 out of the 20 cephalometric measurements and facial measurements before and after the treatment (P < 0.05), which mainly represented the sagittal retraction of lip area after the treatment. Significant vertical displacements were revealed for soft tissue menton after treatment [(1.88±2.61) mm, P < 0.05]. Significant sagittal displacements were revealed for left/right cheilion [(-2.95±1.9) mm, (-2.90±1.92) mm], labrale inferius[(-4.94±1.95) mm], labrale superius[(-3.25±1.44) mm], sublabial [(-3.10±3.5) mm], and subnasale [(-1.23±1.06) mm] after treatment (P < 0.05). An average of 4.10°±2.57° increasement was noticed for Z angle after treatment. High correlation (r>0.7) was noticed for the displacement of menton after treatment with FH-MP, with the rate of -0.183 :1, and MP-SN, with the rate of -0.157 :1. Moderate correlations (0.7≥r>0.4) were noticed for the other measurements with correlations (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A certain extent of facial improvements could be achieved with orthodontic camouflage treatment for skeletal class Ⅱ hyperdivergent patients, which were mostly represented by the improvement of sagittal relationship of nose, lips, and chin. Certain correlations were noticed for the hard and soft tissue changes.

Oriented Self-Assembly of Hierarchical Branch Organic Crystals for Asymmetric Photonics.

Organic hierarchical branch micro/nanostructures constituted by single crystals with inherent multichannel characteristics exhibit superior potential in regulating photon transmission for photonic circuits. However, organic branch micro/nanostructures with precise branch positions are extremely difficult to achieve due to the randomness of the nucleation process. Herein, by taking advantage of the dislocation stress field-impurity interaction that solute molecules deposit preferentially along the dislocation line, twinning deformation was introduced into microcrystals to induce oriented nucleation sites, and ultimately organic branch microstructures with controllable branch sites were fabricated. The growth mechanism of these controllable single crystals with an angle of 140° between trunk and branch is attributed to the low lattice mismatching ratio (η) of 4.8%. These as-prepared hierarchical branch single crystals with asymmetrical optical waveguide characteristics have been demonstrated as an optical logic gate with multiple input/out channels, which provides a route to command the nucleation sites and offers potential applications in the organic optoelectronics at the micro/nanoscale.

RIPK1 polymorphisms and expression levels: impact on genetic susceptibility and clinical outcome of epithelial ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the associations of RIPK1 polymorphisms, plasma levels and mRNA expression with susceptibility to epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and clinical outcome. METHODS: Three hundred and nineteen EOC patients included in a 60-month follow-up program and 376 controls were enrolled. Two tag SNPs (rs6907943 and rs9392453) of RIPK1 were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. Plasma levels of RIPK1 and RIPK1 mRNA expression in white blood cells were determined by ELISA and qPCR, respectively. RESULTS: For rs9392453, significantly increased EOC risk was found to be associated with C allele (P = 0.002, OR = 1.49, 95%CI 1.15-1.92), and with CT/CC genotypes in the dominant genetic model (P = 0.006, OR = 1.54, 95%CI 1.12-2.08). CC haplotype (rs6907943-rs9392453) was associated with increased EOC susceptibility. CC genotype of rs6907943 and CT/CC genotypes of rs9392453 were associated with early onset (age ≤ 50 years) of EOC (OR = 2.5, 95%CI 1.03-5.88, and OR = 1.64, 95%CI 1.04-2.63, respectively). AC genotype of rs6907943 was associated with better overall survival of EOC patients in the over-dominant genetic model (P = 0.035, HR = 0.41, 95%CI 0.18-0.94). Multivariate survival analysis identified the AC genotype of rs6907943 as an independent protective factor for survival of early onset patients (P = 0.044, HR = 0.12, 95%CI 0.02-0.95). Compared to controls, significantly increased plasma levels of RIPK1 and reduced RIPK1 mRNA expression were observed in patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that tag SNPs of RIPK1, increased plasma levels of RIPK1 protein and reduced RIPK1 mRNA expression in white blood cells, may influence the susceptibility to EOC. SNP rs6907943 may be a useful marker to distinguish EOC patients with high risk of death.

Construction of an "ON-OFF" fluoroprobe using ionic liquids-modified orange peel-based carbon quantum dots for selective/sensitive permanganate assay in waters and the underlying quenching mechanisms.

Herein, we fabricated blue-fluorescence carbon quantum dots modified by ionic liquids (ILs-CQDs) with a quantum yield of 18.13% by employing orange peel as a carbon source and [BMIM][H2PO4] as a dopant. The fluorescence intensities (FIs) of ILs-CQDs were significantly quenched upon the addition of MnO4- with excellent selectivity and sensitivity in waters, and this phenomenon provided a feasibility for constructing a sensitive "ON-OFF" fluoroprobe. The prominent overlapping between the maximum excitation/emission of ILs-CQDs and the UV-Vis absorption of MnO4- implied an inner filter effect (IFE). The higher Kq value demonstrated that the fluorescence-quenching phenomenon was a static-quenching process (SQE). Coordination between MnO4- and oxygen/amino-rich groups in ILs-CQDs resulted in the alteration of zeta potential in the fluorescence system. Consequently, the interactions between MnO4- and ILs-CQDs belong to a joint mechanism of IFE and SQE. When plotting the FIs of ILs-CQDs vs. the concentrations of MnO4-, a satisfactorily linear correlation was obtained across the range of 0.3-100 µM with a detectable limit of 0.09 µM. This fluoroprobe was successfully applied to detect MnO4- in environmental waters with satisfactory recoveries of 98.05-103.75% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.57-2.68%. Also, it gave more excellent performance metrics as compared to the Chinese standard indirect iodometry method and other previous approaches for MnO4- assay. Overall, these findings offer a new avenue to engineer/develop a highly efficient fluoroprobe based on the combination of ILs and biomass-derived CQDs for the rapid/sensitive detection of metal ions in environmental waters.

Vaspin alleviates the lncRNA LEF1-AS1-induced osteogenic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells via the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway.

Vascular calcification (VC) is closely related to higher cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) switching to osteogenic-like cells is crucial for VC. LncRNA LEF1-AS1 promotes atherosclerosis and dental pulp stem cells calcification, while its role in VC remains unknown. Visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor (vaspin) is an adipokine regulating bone metabolism. However, the relationship between vaspin and VC is still unclear. We aimed to explore the role of LEF1-AS1 on VSMC osteogenic transition, whether vaspin inhibited LEF1-AS1-mediated osteogenic differentiation of VSMCs, and the responsible mechanism. In this study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting analysis indicated that LEF1-AS1 overexpression significantly upregulated osteogenic marker Runt-related transcription factor-2 (RUNX2) level and downregulated VSMC contractile marker α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) level. Alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, ALP activity assay, and calcium content assay also suggested that LEF1-AS1 overexpression promoted calcium deposition in VSMCs. However, vaspin treatment abolished this phenomenon. Mechanistically, LEF1-AS1 markedly decreased phosphorylated YAP level, while vaspin reversed LEF1-AS1-induced phosphorylated YAP decline. Our results revealed that LEF1-AS1 accelerated the osteogenic differentiation of VSMCs by regulating the Hippo/YAP pathway, while vaspin eliminated the LEF1-AS1-meditated VSMCs osteogenic phenotype switch.

Mechanical overload induces TMJ disc degeneration via TRPV4 activation.

OBJECTIVE: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc cushions intraarticular stress during mandibular movements. While mechanical overloading is related to cartilage degeneration, the pathogenesis of TMJ disc degeneration is unclear. Here, we determined the regulatory role of mechanoinductive transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) in mechanical overload-induced TMJ disc degeneration. METHODS: We explored the effect of mechanical overload on the TMJ discs in a rat occlusal interference model in vivo, and by applying sustained compressive force in vitro. TRPV4 inhibition was delivered by small interfering RNA or GSK2193874; TRPV4 activation was delivered by GSK1016790A. The protective effect of TRPV4 inhibition was validated in the rat occlusal interference model. RESULTS: Occlusal interference induced TMJ disc degeneration with enhanced extracellular matrix degradation in vivo and mechanical overload promoted inflammatory responses in the TMJ disc cells via Ca2+ influx with significantly upregulated TRPV4. TRPV4 inhibition reversed mechanical overload-induced inflammatory responses; TRPV4 activation simulated mechanical overload-induced inflammatory responses. Moreover, TRPV4 inhibition alleviated TMJ disc degeneration in the rat occlusal interference model. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest TRPV4 plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of mechanical overload-induced TMJ disc degeneration and may be a promising target for the treatment of degenerative changes of the TMJ disc.