Low-intensity ultrasound ameliorates brain organoid integration and rescues microcephaly deficits.

Human brain organoids represent a remarkable platform for modeling neurological disorders and a promising brain repair approach. However, the effects of physical stimulation on their development and integration remain unclear. Here, we report that low-intensity ultrasound significantly increases neural progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal maturation in cortical organoids. Histological assays and single-cell gene expression analyses reveal that low-intensity ultrasound improves the neural development in cortical organoids. Following organoid grafts transplantation into the injured somatosensory cortices of adult mice, longitudinal electrophysiological recordings and histological assays reveal that ultrasound-treated organoid grafts undergo advanced maturation. They also exhibit enhanced pain-related gamma-band activity and more disseminated projections into the host brain than the untreated groups. Finally, low-intensity ultrasound ameliorates neuropathological deficits in a microcephaly brain organoid model. Hence, low-intensity ultrasound stimulation advances the development and integration of brain organoids, providing a strategy for treating neurodevelopmental disorders and repairing cortical damage.

Autophagy inhibitors 3-MA and BAF may attenuate hippocampal neuronal necroptosis after global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in male rats by inhibiting the interaction of the RIP3/AIF/CypA complex.

Our previous study found that receptor interacting protein 3 (RIP3) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were involved in neuronal programmed necrosis during global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Here, we further studied its downstream mechanisms and the role of the autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and bafilomycin A1 (BAF). A 20-min global cerebral I/R injury model was constructed using the 4-vessel occlusion (4-VO) method in male rats. 3-MA and BAF were injected into the lateral ventricle 1 h before ischemia. Spatial and activation changes of proteins were detected by immunofluorescence (IF), and protein interaction was determined by immunoprecipitation (IP). The phosphorylation of H2AX (γ-H2AX) and activation of mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (p-MLKL) occurred as early as 6 h after reperfusion. RIP3, AIF, and cyclophilin A (CypA) in the neurons after I/R injury were spatially overlapped around and within the nucleus and combined with each other after reperfusion. The survival rate of CA1 neurons in the 3-MA and BAF groups was significantly higher than that in the I/R group. Autophagy was activated significantly after I/R injury, which was partially inhibited by 3-MA and BAF. Pretreatment with both 3-MA and BAF almost completely inhibited nuclear translocation, spatial overlap, and combination of RIP3, AIF, and CypA proteins. These findings suggest that after global cerebral I/R injury, RIP3, AIF, and CypA translocated into the nuclei and formed the DNA degradation complex RIP3/AIF/CypA in hippocampal CA1 neurons. Pretreatment with autophagy inhibitors could reduce neuronal necroptosis by preventing the formation of the RIP3/AIF/CypA complex and its nuclear translocation.

Comparison of the Clinical Outcomes of Vesselplasty vs. Percutaneous Vertebroplasty for the Treatment of Neurologically Intact Osteoporotic Kümmell's Disease: A Retrospective Study.

Kummell's disease (KD) is a rare clinical complication of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). Minimally invasive surgery is an important way to treat KD. In this paper, we used Percutaneous Vertebroplasty (PVP) and Vesselplasty (VP) to treat KD. 125 patients with KD were admitted to our hospital. Among them, 89 patients received PVP and 36 received VP. All patients underwent operations successfully. VAS scores and ODI of both groups at each postoperative time point were lower than preoperatively. Postoperative Cobb angle of both groups postoperatively was lower than preoperatively (p < 0.05). The anterior height and ratio of vertebra compression of both groups postoperatively was lower than preoperatively (p < 0.05). Cement leakage occurred in 16 vertebrae (16/89) in PVP group and one (1/36) in VP group. Two patients suffered from transient paraplegia in PVP group immediately after operation. Adjacent vertebral fractures occurred in one patient in PVP group and one in VP group. Re-fracture of affected vertebra occurred in one patient in PVP group. Besides, four patients suffered from bone cement loosening in PVP group while one in VP group. Both PVP and VP play an important effect in pain relief and functional recovery for the treatment of KD. And VP is more effective than PVP in preventing cement leakage.

Phenethyl isothiocyanate inhibits metastasis potential of non-small cell lung cancer cells through FTO mediated TLE1 m6A modification.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a prevalent RNA epigenetic modification, which plays a crucial role in tumor progression including metastasis. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are natural compounds and inhibit the tumorigenesis of various cancers. Our previous studies show that ITCs inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, and have synergistic effects with chemotherapy drugs. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of ITCs on cancer cell metastasis. We showed that phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) dose-dependently inhibited the cell viability of both NSCLC cell lines H1299 and H226 with IC50 values of 17.6 and 15.2 µM, respectively. Furthermore, PEITC dose-dependently inhibited the invasion and migration of H1299 and H226 cells. We demonstrated that PEITC treatment dose-dependently increased m6A methylation levels and inhibited the expression of the m6A demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) in H1299 and H226 cells. Knockdown of FTO significantly increased m6A methylation in H1299 and H226 cells, impaired their abilities of invasion and migration in vitro, and enhanced the inhibition of PEITC on tumor growth in vivo. Overexpression of FTO promoted the migration of NSCLC cells, and also mitigated the inhibitory effect of PEITC on migration of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, we found that FTO regulated the mRNA m6A modification of a transcriptional co-repressor Transducin-Like Enhancer of split-1 (TLE1) and further affected its stability and expression. TCGA database analysis revealed TLE1 was upregulated in NSCLC tissues compared to normal tissues, which might be correlated with the metastasis status. Moreover, we showed that PEITC suppressed the migration of NSCLC cells by inhibiting TLE1 expression and downstream Akt/NF-κB pathway. This study reveals a novel mechanism underlying ITC's inhibitory effect on metastasis of lung cancer cells, and provided valuable information for developing new therapeutics for lung cancer by targeting m6A methylation.

Splenectomy as a part of cytoreductive surgery in ovarian cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The role of splenectomy on cytoreductive surgery in patients with ovarian cancer remains controversial. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the safety and impact of survival outcome of splenectomy in patients with ovarian cancer. METHODS: In this meta-analysis we analyzed studies published in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), and Clinical Trials. gov that appeared in our search from inception to November 10, 2023. RESULT: This meta-analysis included 10 studies, totaling 6297 patients, comprising one prospective and nine retrospective analyses. The results indicated no significant disparity in overall survival and mortality (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.87, p=0.62) between the splenectomy cohort and the no splenectomy (required) cohort. Furthermore, relative to the no splenectomy (required) cohort, the splenectomy group showed a heightened incidence of overall post-operative complications (odds ratio (OR) 1.66, 95% CI 1.65 to 2.61, p=0.03), an extended duration of hospitalization (mean difference (MD) 2.88 days, 95% CI 2.09 to 3.67), an increased interval from surgery to the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (MD 4.44 days, 95% CI 2.41 to 6.07, p<0.0001), and a greater probability of undergoing reoperation (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.91 to 11.55, p=0.0007). However, concerning the occurrence of specific post-operative complications such as anastomotic leakage (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.33 to 2.84, p=0.95), pancreatic fistula (OR 3.25, 95% CI 0.63 to 16.7, p=0.16), abdominal abscess (OR 1.75, 95% CI 0.25 to 12.33, p=0.57), sepsis (OR 1.46, 95% CI 0.77 to 2.77, p=0.25), and thrombotic events (OR 1.82, 95% CI 0.93 to 3.57, p=0.08), no significant differences were observed between the two cohorts. CONCLUSION: Splenectomy does not impact the overall survival and mortality of patients with ovarian cancer. Thus, it can be considered an acceptably safe procedure to obtain optimal cytoreduction. However, caution should be taken when selecting patients for splenectomy because it is associated with an increased incidence of overall post-operative complications, prolonged hospital stays, delayed initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy, and an increased probability of requiring subsequent surgical interventions.

Isolation, identification and characterization of Aeromonas jandaei from diseased Chinese soft-shell turtles.

Aeromonas jandaei is a gram-negative bacterium commonly found in aquatic environments and can induce illnesses in amphibians, reptiles and aquatic animals. In this study, a strain of bacteria was isolated from the diseased Chinese soft-shell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis), then named strain JDP-FX. This isolate was identified as A. jandaei after analysis of morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, as well as 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequences. Virulence genetic testing further detected temperature-sensitive protease (eprCAI), type III secretion system (TTSS) (ascv), nuclease (nuc), cytotonic enterotoxin (alt) and serine proteinase (ser) in JDP-FX. Compared with healthy Chinese soft-shell turtle, the serum levels of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB) and globulin (GLB) were significantly decreased in the diseased Chinese soft-shell turtle, while, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly increased. Histopathological observations showed that multiple tissues, including intestinal mucosa, liver and kidney, were severely damaged in the diseased Chinese soft-shell turtle. Moreover, the diseased Chinese soft-shell turtle had significant cell degeneration, necrosis, sloughing and interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration. The pathogenicity of JDP-FX was tested via artificial infection. The median lethal dosage (LD50 ) of the strain was 1.05 × 105 colony forming units (CFU/g) per weight of Chinese soft-shell turtle. Drug susceptibility analysis revealed that JDP-FX was susceptible to ceftazidime, minocycline, cefoperazone, ceftriaxone and piperacillin. In addition, JDP-FX was resistant to doxycycline, florfenicol, sulfonamides, gentamicin, ampicillin and neomycin. Therefore, this study may provide guidance for further research into the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of JDP-FX infection.

Nuclear access of DNlg3 c-terminal fragment and its function in regulating innate immune response genes.

Neuroligins (NLGNs) are one of the autism susceptibility genes, however, the mechanism that how dysfunction of NLGNs leads to Autism remains unclear. More and more studies have shown that the transcriptome alteration may be one of the important factors to generate Autism. Therefore, we are very concerned about whether Neuroligins would affect transcriptional regulation, which may at last lead to Autism. As a single-transmembrane receptor, proteolytic cleavage is one of the most important posttranslational modifications of NLGN proteins. In this study, we demonstrated the existence of DNlg3 C-terminal fragment. Studies in the S2 cells and HEK293T cells showed the evidence for nuclear access of the DNlg3 C-terminal fragment. Then we identified the possible targets of DNlg3 C-terminal fragment after its nuclear access by RNA-seq. The bioinformatics analysis indicated the transcriptome alteration between dnlg3 null flies and wild type flies focused on genes for the innate immune responses. These results were consistent with the infection hypotheses for autism. Our study revealed the nuclear access ability of DNlg3 c-terminal fragment and its possible function in transcriptional regulation of the innate immune response genes. This work provides the new links between synaptic adhesion molecule NLGNs and immune activation, which may help us to get a deeper understanding on the relationship between NLGNs and Autism.

Interface Regulation for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells through Potassium Citrate Molecules.

Efficiency and stability are key factors determining the final cost of electricity that perovskite solar cells (PSCs) generate. To date, effective strategy to progress in achieving efficient and stable PSCs is still a difficult problem that researchers continue to explore. This study reports a useful way to improve the quality of SnO2 film by introducing potassium citrate (PC) into SnO2 nanoparticles solution. PC passivates interface defects between perovskite and SnO2 layers via the interactions of functional groups (K+ , -COO- ) in PC with undersaturated Pb and I ions in perovskite and Sn4+ in SnO2 . The resultant photovoltaic (PV) device achieves a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.79 %. The introduction of PC interface also significantly suppress the degradation of PSCs, by which 87.6 % of initial PCE is maintained after 2850 h storage in ambient environment. Moreover, the devices retained 95.5 % of initial PCE under 1-sun continuous illumination for 1000 h.

The effect of lidocaine intraoperative infusion on quality of postoperative sleep in patients undergoing thyroidectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of thyroid nodules has increased significantly in recent years, and surgical removal is a common treatment. Postoperative sleep disturbance is still a serious problem in the current surgical environment. In this study, we explored whether intraoperative lidocaine infusion could improve the quality of sleep over 7 days and 30 days after surgery and postoperative recovery for patients undergoing thyroid surgery. METHODS: Seventy patients who underwent thyroid surgery from October 2020 to June 2021 were randomly assigned to the lidocaine or the normal saline group, 35 cases in each group. Patients enrolled in this study were randomized to receive either system lidocaine (a bolus of 1.5 mg·kg- 1, followed by an infusion of 2 mg·kg- 1·h- 1 until the end of the surgical procedure) or identical volumes and rates of normal saline. The primary endpoint was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores. Secondary endpoints included intraoperative remifentanil consumption, whether there was a cough within 5 min after extubation and the cough scores, postoperative pain scores, the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). RESULTS: Totally seventy cases were enrolled and eventually sixty-eight cases were analyzed. PSQI scores did not change significantly over time (F = 2.799, P = 0.069); also, there was no significant difference in PSQI scores between two groups in the entire 30 days follow-up period (F = 0.174, P = 0.678). Further, there was no interaction between the time points and the intervention (F = 0.649, P = 0.513). Similarly, intraoperative remifentanil consumption, the incidence of cough and postoperative pain scores, were comparable between the two groups (all P > 0.05); while patients in the lidocaine group showed significantly lower cough scores (P = 0.042) and lower incidence of PONV (P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Systemic lidocaine infusion might not improve the sleep quality and reduce postoperative pain over 7 days or 30 days after the operation of patients who underwent thyroid surgery, but it can reduce postoperative complications and improve the quality of recovery. Furthermore, sleep quality of patients wasn't impaired significantly in the entire 30 days follow-up period after thyroid surgery compared with baseline values. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn , identifier: ChiCTR2000039764, date: 08/11/2020).

Intravenous lidocaine simultaneously infused with sufentanil to accelerate gastrointestinal function recovery in patients after thoracolumbar surgery: a prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled study.

PURPOSE: Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction is one of the common complications of surgery, especially after surgery for a thoracolumbar spinal fracture. Intravenous lidocaine is a potential method to improve postoperative gastrointestinal function in surgical patients, reduce opioid use and shorten hospital stays. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of intravenous lidocaine on the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients after thoracolumbar surgery. METHODS: In this study, 48 eligible patients undergoing elective thoracolumbar spine fractures resection and internal fixation surgery were enrolled to receive intravenous injections of lidocaine in different concentrations during the perioperative period. Patients were randomly divided into three groups: control group (group A), low concentration of lidocaine group (group B) and high concentration of lidocaine group (group C), 16 patients in each group. First postoperative exhaust time, numbers of bowel sound at preoperative and postoperative 3, 6, 12, 24 h, pain scores at postoperative 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 h, total sufentanil use in PACU and perioperative periods, postoperative hospital stay and analgesic remedy within postoperative 48 h were recorded and compared. The primary endpoints include: the time of first flatus passage after the operation, the number of bowel sounds per minute counted with stethoscope at 30 min before anesthesia induction and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h postoperative. The secondary endpoints included: the pain scores at PACU (after entering into PACU), 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h postoperative, the amount of sufentanil administrated by intravenous push during operation and the numbers of patients needed rescuing sufentanil in PACU, and the numbers of patients needed administration of gastric motility drugs or non-steroidal analgesics at ward within 48 h postoperation, length of hospital stay (from the first day after surgery to discharge from hospital) and the incidence of adverse reactions. RESULTS: Compared with group A, the first postoperative exhaust time in group B and C occurred much earlier (23.3 ± 11.0 h vs. 16.0 ± 6.6 h, 16.6 ± 5.1 h, P < 0.05). Compared with preoperation, the numbers of bowel sound significantly increased at 24 h postoperatively in group B, while group B at 6 h and group C at 6 and 24 h postoperatively had significantly more active bowel sounds compared to group A (P < 0.05). There were no remarkable differences in VAS scores within 12 h postoperatively among three groups, and however, significantly lower VAS scores were found at 12, 24 and 48 h postoperatively in group C when comparing to Group A (p < 0.05). There was no statistical significance in the incidence of postoperative flatulence and nausea and vomiting, the number of patients needed rescuing sufentanil in PACU, the length of postoperative hospital stay and the number of patients requiring non-steroidal analgesics at ward within 48 h postoperation. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous lidocaine infusion together with patient-controlled analgesia of sufentanil expedited the early recovery of gastrointestinal function and improved analgesic quality of sefentanyl in patients undergoing thoracolumbar surgeries.

Biomechanical characteristics of a novel interspinous distraction fusion device in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases: a finite element analysis.

BACKGROUND: A novel interspinous distraction fusion (ISDF) device has been used to treat lumbar degenerative diseases. As a minimally invasive technique, ISDF differs from the traditional interspinous process distraction devices. Currently, biomechanical studies on ISDF are rare. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biomechanical properties of the ISDF device (BacFuse) which is used to treat lumbar degenerative diseases. METHODS: Three-dimensional L3-L5 models were created. The models were divided into four groups: intact (M1), local decompression alone (M2), internal fixation alone (M3) and local decompression combined with internal fixation (M4), based on different surgical procedures. Local laminectomy was performed to resect the lower part of the L4 lamina and the upper part of the L5 lamina at the right lamina of L4/5 in the M2 and M4 groups. After meshing the models elements, Abaqus were used to perform the finite element (FE) analysis. The intervertebral range of motion (ROM) was measured during flexion, extension, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, left rotation and right rotation under a follower load of 400 N with a 7.5Nm moment. The distributions of disc and facet joint stresses were observed and recorded. Spinal vertebral stress was compared, and internal fixation device stress was observed. RESULTS: The ROM of L4/5 in M2 increased in flexion, extension, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, left rotation and right rotation compared with that in M1. In all motion directions, the ROM at L4/5 decreased, and the ROM at L3/4 increased after implantation of the ISDF device in M3 and M4 groups. The disc stress and facet joint stresses in the instrumented segment decreased after implantation of the ISDF device. The spinous process loaded a certain amount of stress in M3 and M4 groups. The spikes of the internal fixation device were loaded with the maximum stress. CONCLUSION: BacFuse exhibited a reduction in intervertebral ROM, as well as decreased stress on the intervertebral disc and facet joint, while also demonstrating a discernible impact on the upper adjacent segment.

Nephrotic Syndrome Gene TBC1D8B Is Required for Endosomal Maturation and Nephrin Endocytosis in Drosophila.

BACKGROUND: Variants in TBC1D8B cause nephrotic syndrome. TBC1D8B is a GTPase-activating protein for Rab11 (RAB11-GAP) that interacts with nephrin, but how it controls nephrin trafficking or other podocyte functions remains unclear. METHODS: We generated a stable deletion in Tbc1d8b and used microhomology-mediated end-joining for genome editing. Ex vivo functional assays utilized slit diaphragms in podocyte-like Drosophila nephrocytes. Manipulation of endocytic regulators and transgenesis of murine Tbc1d8b provided a comprehensive functional analysis of Tbc1d8b. RESULTS: A null allele of Drosophila TBC1D8B exhibited a nephrocyte-restricted phenotype of nephrin mislocalization, similar to patients with isolated nephrotic syndrome who have variants in the gene. The protein was required for rapid nephrin turnover in nephrocytes and for endocytosis of nephrin induced by excessive Rab5 activity. The protein expressed from the Tbc1d8b locus bearing the edited tag predominantly localized to mature early and late endosomes. Tbc1d8b was required for endocytic cargo processing and degradation. Silencing Hrs, a regulator of endosomal maturation, phenocopied loss of Tbc1d8b. Low-level expression of murine TBC1D8B rescued loss of the Drosophila gene, indicating evolutionary conservation. Excessive murine TBC1D8B selectively disturbed nephrin dynamics. Finally, we discovered four novel TBC1D8B variants within a cohort of 363 patients with FSGS and validated a functional effect of two variants in Drosophila, suggesting a personalized platform for TBC1D8B-associated FSGS. CONCLUSIONS: Variants in TBC1D8B are not infrequent among patients with FSGS. TBC1D8B, functioning in endosomal maturation and degradation, is essential for nephrin trafficking.

Transcriptomics reveals apigenin alleviates airway inflammation and epithelial cell apoptosis in allergic asthma via MAPK pathway.

Persistent chronic inflammation of the lungs and airway remodeling are important pathological features that cannot be ignored in patients with chronic asthma. Apigenin (API) is a natural small molecule compound with good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity that has been widely reported in recent years, but its role in chronic asthma is not well defined. Our study began with oral gavage intervention using API (10, 20 mg/kg) or dexamethasone (DEX, 2 mg/kg) in a BALB/c mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization. Different doses of API intervention effectively reduced airway resistance in the administered group. Additionally, inflammation was downregulated, mucus secretion was reduced, and airway remodeling was inhibited in the API intervention group compared with the model group. Asthma-related inflammatory cytokines, such as IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-17, were downregulated in alveolar lavage fluid. Moreover, the apoptosis level of the administered group was found to be lower than that of the model group in the Tunel staining experiment. By analyzing transcriptome sequencing results, we found that API may exert anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects by inhibiting the MAPK pathway. Our subsequent results supported this conclusion, showing that the phosphorylation levels of ERKs, JNKs, and p38 MAPKs were inhibited in the administered group relative to the model group. Downstream expression of the apoptosis-related protein B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) was upregulated, and the expression of Bcl-2-associated × protein (Bax) and cleaved caspase-3 was downregulated. To further investigate the specific mechanism by which API acted, we established an in vitro model with house dust mite (HDM) stimulation, using API (10, 20 µM) for administration intervention. The results showed that API was able to improve cell viability, inhibit ROS production, and reverse HDM-induced decreases in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and apoptosis in airway epithelial cells via the MAPK pathway.

Vehicle Operation Status Monitoring Based on Distributed Acoustic Sensor.

To develop implementation research on distributed optical fiber sensing technology, field tests were conducted on municipal roads and railways using a distributed acoustic sensor (DAS). Data were collected by the DAS during a field test for a long time period (more than 20 min), and we conducted short-term (<10 s) and long-term (≥10 s) analyses on these data separately. In the short-term data analysis, the vehicle type, vehicle length, and working status of the vehicle engine or the compressor were identified. In the long-term data analysis, the traffic flow was monitored, and the running distance, acceleration, speed, and braking distance of the vehicle were obtained. The characteristics of the vehicle operation data obtained in these field tests are important in developing the data processing method of DASs, which will help to promote the implementation of DASs.

14.31 % Power Conversion Efficiency of Sn-Based Perovskite Solar Cells via Efficient Reduction of Sn4.

The photoelectric properties of nontoxic Sn-based perovskite make it a promising alternative to toxic Pb-based perovskite. It has superior photovoltaic performance in comparison to other Pb-free counterparts. The facile oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+ presents a notable obstacle in the advancement of perovskite solar cells that utilize Sn, as it adversely affects their stability and performance. The study revealed the presence of a Sn4+ concentration on both the upper and lower surfaces of the perovskite layer. This discovery led to the adoption of a bi-interface optimization approach. A thin layer of Sn metal was inserted at the two surfaces of the perovskite layer. The implementation of this intervention yielded a significant decrease in the levels of Sn4+ and trap densities. The power conversion efficiency of the device was achieved at 14.31 % through the optimization of carrier transportation. The device exhibited operational and long-term stability.

Inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling rescues cytotoxicity of human apolipoprotein-L1 risk variants in Drosophila.

Risk variants of the apolipoprotein-L1 (APOL1) gene are associated with severe kidney disease, putting homozygous carriers at risk. Since APOL1 lacks orthologs in all major model organisms, a wide range of mechanisms frequently in conflict have been described for APOL1-associated nephropathies. The genetic toolkit in Drosophila allows unique in vivo insights into disrupted cellular homeostasis. To perform a mechanistic analysis, we expressed human APOL1 control and gain-of-function kidney risk variants in the podocyte-like garland cells of Drosophila nephrocytes and a wing precursor tissue. Expression of APOL1 risk variants was found to elevate endocytic function of garland cell nephrocytes that simultaneously showed early signs of cell death. Wild-type APOL1 had a significantly milder effect, while a control transgene with deletion of the short BH3 domain showed no overt phenotype. Nephrocyte endo-lysosomal function and slit diaphragm architecture remained unaffected by APOL1 risk variants, but endoplasmic reticulum (ER) swelling, chaperone induction, and expression of the reporter Xbp1-EGFP suggested an ER stress response. Pharmacological inhibition of ER stress diminished APOL1-mediated cell death and direct ER stress induction enhanced nephrocyte endocytic function similar to expression of APOL1 risk variants. We confirmed APOL1-dependent ER stress in the Drosophila wing precursor where silencing the IRE1-dependent branch of ER stress signaling by inhibition with Xbp1-RNAi abrogated cell death, representing the first rescue of APOL1-associated cytotoxicity in vivo. Thus, we uncovered ER stress as an essential consequence of APOL1 risk variant expression in vivo in Drosophila, suggesting a central role of this pathway in the pathogenesis of APOL1-associated nephropathies.

RNF90 negatively regulates cellular antiviral responses by targeting MITA for degradation.

Mediator of IRF3 activation (MITA, also named as STING/ERIS/MPYS/TMEM173), is essential to DNA virus- or cytosolic DNA-triggered innate immune responses. In this study, we demonstrated the negative regulatory role of RING-finger protein (RNF) 90 in innate immune responses targeting MITA. RNF90 promoted K48-linked ubiquitination of MITA and its proteasome-dependent degradation. Overexpression of RNF90 inhibited HSV-1- or cytosolic DNA-induced immune responses whereas RNF90 knockdown had the opposite effects. Moreover, RNF90-deficient bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) exhibited increased DNA virus- or cytosolic DNA-triggered signaling and RNF90 deficiency protected mice from DNA virus infection. Taken together, our findings suggested a novel function of RNF90 in innate immunity.

A group of CLE peptides regulates de novo shoot regeneration in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Known for their regulatory roles in stem cell homeostasis, CLAVATA3/ESR-RELATED (CLE) peptides also function as mediators of external stimuli such as hormones. De novo shoot regeneration, representing the remarkable plant cellular plasticity, involves reconstitution of stem cells under control of stem-cell regulators. Yet whether and how stem cell-regulating CLE peptides are implicated in plant regeneration remains unknown. By CRISPR/Cas9-induced loss-of-function studies, peptide application, precursor overexpression, and expression analyses, the role of CLE1-CLE7 peptides and their receptors in de novo shoot regeneration was studied in Arabidopsis thaliana. CLE1-CLE7 are induced by callus-induction medium and dynamically expressed in pluripotent callus. Exogenously-applied CLE1-CLE7 peptides or precursor overexpression effectively leads to shoot regeneration suppression, whereas their simultaneous mutation results in enhanced regenerative capacity, demonstrating that CLE1-CLE7 peptides redundantly function as negative regulators of de novo shoot regeneration. CLE1-CLE7-mediated shoot regeneration suppression is impaired in loss-of-function mutants of callus-expressed CLAVATA1 (CLV1) and BARELY ANY MERISTEM1 (BAM1) genes, indicating that CLV1/BAM1 are required for CLE1-CLE7-mediated shoot regeneration signaling. CLE1-CLE7 signaling resulted in transcriptional repression of WUSCHEL (WUS), a stem cell-promoting transcription factor known as a principal regulator of plant regeneration. Our results indicate that functionally-redundant CLE1-CLE7 peptides genetically act through CLV1/BAM1 receptors and repress WUS expression to modulate shoot-regeneration capacity, establishing the mechanistic basis for CLE1-CLE7-mediated shoot regeneration and a novel role for CLE peptides in hormone-dependent developmental plasticity.

Fungal oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins promote pathogen virulence and activate plant immunity.

Oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins (ORPs) are a conserved class of lipid transfer proteins that are closely involved in multiple cellular processes in eukaryotes, but their roles in plant-pathogen interactions are mostly unknown. We show that transient expression of ORPs of Magnaporthe oryzae (MoORPs) in Nicotiana benthamina plants triggered oxidative bursts and cell death; treatment of tobacco Bright Yellow-2 suspension cells with recombinant MoORPs elicited the production of reactive oxygen species. Despite ORPs being normally described as intracellular proteins, we detected MoORPs in fungal culture filtrates and intercellular fluids from barley plants infected with the fungus. More importantly, infiltration of Arabidopsis plants with recombinant Arabidopsis or fungal ORPs activated oxidative bursts, callose deposition, and PR1 gene expression, and enhanced plant disease resistance, implying that ORPs may function as endogenous and exogenous danger signals triggering plant innate immunity. Extracellular application of fungal ORPs exerted an opposite impact on salicylic acid and jasmonic acid/ethylene signaling pathways. Brassinosteroid Insensitive 1-associated Kinase 1 was dispensable for the ORP-activated defense. Besides, simultaneous knockout of MoORP1 and MoORP3 abolished fungal colony radial growth and conidiation, whereas double knockout of MoORP1 and MoORP2 compromised fungal virulence on barley and rice plants. These observations collectively highlight the multifaceted role of MoORPs in the modulation of plant innate immunity and promotion of fungal development and virulence in M. oryzae.

Protective effect of low-dose radiation on doxorubicin-induced brain injury in mice.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the protective effect of low-dose radiation (LDR) on brain injury in mice induced by doxorubicin (DOX). METHODS: Sixty female BALB/C mice were randomly divided into the control (CTR) group, low-dose radiation (LDR) group, doxorubicin treatment (DOX) group and low-dose radiation before doxorubicin treatment (COM) group. After 72 h of exposure to 75 mGy, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with 7.5 mg/kg of doxorubicin and sacrificed 5 days later. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), neurotransmitters, inflammatory mediators, apoptosis- and oxidative stress-related mediators as well as mitochondrial dysfunction were examined. RESULTS: Compared to the DOX group, the concentrations of DA, 5-HT, EPI and GABA in the COM group were significantly decreased, and the number of TUNEL-positive cells was decreased. In addition, the expression of proapoptotic proteins was downregulated in the COM group compared to the DOX group. Low-dose radiation in advance reduced reactive oxygen species and activated the SOD antioxidant defense system as indicated by significantly reduced GSH expression, increased GSSG expression, increased GPx expression and activation of the Nrf2 redox pathway. After low-dose radiation, the expression levels of ATP5f1, NDUFV1 and CYC1 were close to normal, and the mitochondrial respiratory control rate (RCR) and activity of respiratory chain complex enzymes also tended to be normal. Low-dose radiation upregulated the expression levels of IL-2 and IL-4 but downregulated the expression levels of IL-10 and TGF-ß. CONCLUSION: LDR has a protective effect on brain injury in mice treated with DOX. The mechanism is related to LDR alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which promotes the production of antioxidant damage proteins, thus exerting an adaptive protective effect on cells.