Deletion of BTB and CNC homology 1 protects against Staphylococcus aureus-induced acute lung injury.

BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI) caused by gram-negative bacteria. However, its exact mechanisms and roles in Staphylococcus aureus (SA)-induced ALI, a gram-positive bacterial infection, remain incompletely understood. In this study, we generated a BACH1-knockout mouse model (BACH1-/-) to investigate the role of BACH1 and its underlying mechanisms in regulating the development of sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Elevated levels of BACH1 were observed in both serum samples from septic patients and mouse models. Deletion of BACH1 alleviated ALI symptoms induced by sepsis. In bone marrow-derived macrophages, BACH1 deletion or knockdown suppressed NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that BACH1 downregulated tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) mRNA expression by binding to its promoter region. These findings uncover inhibiting BACH1 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating gram-positive bacteria-induced ALI.

SERS detection of thiram using a 3D sea cucumber-like composite flexible porous substrate.

Nowadays, trace detection of thiram is in urgent demand due to its widespread application in agriculture and significant harmful effects on public health. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) sea cucumber-like flexible porous surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate composed of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane, ZnO nanorods, gold films, and Ag nanoparticles (Ag/Au/ZnO/P) has been established for the highly sensitive detection of thiram. The substrate takes advantage of the 3D morphology of the Ag/Au/ZnO system on a flexible porous PVDF membrane to produce abundant plasmonic hot spots. Meanwhile, the employment of an AgNPs/Au shell system combined the benefits of both gold and silver metals, thus guaranteeing stable and sensitive detection. With 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) as a probe molecule, the Ag/Au/ZnO/P substrate exhibited excellent linear detection in the range of 10-11-10-5 M, with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.99 and an enhancement cofactor of 7.09 × 107. The substrate exhibited excellent uniformity with a related standard deviation (RSD) value of 3.82% and demonstrated high stability during a 15 d-storage test. In addition, the substrate could detect thiram in an aqueous solution at concentrations as low as 10-10 M with excellent selectivity. Meanwhile, thiram on the surface of apple peel could be easily detected by the Ag/Au/ZnO/P substrate with the "paste-and-peel" method in less than 10 s, and the detection limit could be as low as 0.48 ng cm-2. Overall, the remarkable performance of the Ag/Au/ZnO/P SERS substrate demonstrated its great potential for the environmental monitoring of thiram.

Metformin alleviates lung ischemia-reperfusion injury in a rat lung transplantation model.

Background: Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is among the complications observed after lung transplantation and is associated with morbidity and mortality. Preconditioning of the donor lung before organ retrieval may improve organ quality after transplantation. We investigated whether preconditioning with metformin (Met) ameliorates LIRI after lung transplantation. Methods: Twenty Lewis rats were randomly divided into the sham, LIRI, and Met groups. The rats in the LIRI and Met groups received saline and Met, respectively, via oral gavage. Subsequently, a donor lung was harvested and kept in cold storage for 8 h. The LIRI and Met groups then underwent left lung transplantation. After 2 h of reperfusion, serum and transplanted lung tissues were examined. Results: The partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was greater in the Met group than in the LIRI group. In the Met group, wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratios, inflammatory factor levels, oxidative stress levels and apoptosis levels were notably decreased. Conclusions: Met protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury after lung transplantation in rats, and its therapeutic effect is associated with its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antiapoptotic properties.

Donor Inhalation of Nebulized Dexmedetomidine Alleviates Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rat Lung Transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) after lung transplantation results in primary graft dysfunction (PGD) in more than 50% of cases, which seriously affects the prognosis of recipients. Currently, donor lung protection is the focus of research on improving graft survival in lung transplant recipients. Dexmedetomidine (Dex) is a widely used general anesthesia adjuvant in clinical practice to alleviate ischemia-reperfusion injury in the lungs, liver, heart, kidneys, and brain. However, intravenous infusion of Dex can cause negative effects on the cardiovascular system. Inhaling nebulized Dex can directly act on the alveolar tissue and alleviate its cardiovascular inhibitory effect by reducing drug intake. This study aimed to investigate the effect of donor nebulized Dex inhalation on LIRI after lung transplantation in rats. METHODS: We randomly divided the male Sprague-Dawley rats into donor rats and recipient rats, and allowed the donor rats to inhale nebulized Dex or physiological saline 15 min before surgery. The donor lung was refrigerated for 8 h before each single-lung transplant. After 2 h of reperfusion of the transplanted lung, serum and transplanted lung tissue were collected. The wet-to-dry weight ratio of the lung tissue was measured, arterial blood gas was detected, and histopathology changes, oxidative stress, inflammatory reactions, and apoptosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Pretransplant inhalation of Dex through the donor's lung reduced the injury of the transplanted lung, increased the levels of malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase, and decreased the levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione in the lung tissue. Moreover, nebulized Dex inhalation of the donor lung inhibited LIRI-induced tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and also suppressed nuclear factor kappa B phosphorylation. Nebulized Dex inhalation reduced the rate of cell apoptosis in the transplanted lung tissue by inhibiting the upregulation of Bax, downregulation of Bcl-2, and increase in caspase-3 lysis caused by LIRI. CONCLUSION: Inhalation of atomized Dex is a potential donor lung protection strategy, which can be used to reduce LIRI after lung transplantation and may be helpful to improve the occurrence of PGD and prognosis of lung transplant recipients.

Dyadic effects of social support, illness uncertainty on anxiety and depression among lung cancer patients and their caregivers: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the dyadic relationships between perceived social support, illness uncertainty, anxiety, and depression among lung cancer patients and their family caregivers. To examine the potential mediating role of illness uncertainty and the moderating role of disease stage in lung cancer patient-caregiver dyads. METHODS: A total of 308 pairs of lung cancer patients and their family caregivers from a tertiary hospital in Wuxi, China, from January 2022 to June 2022 were included. Participants' perceived social support, illness uncertainty, anxiety, and depression were assessed by corresponding questionnaires. To test for dyadic relationships between the variables, we employed the actor-partner interdependence mediation model. RESULTS: There were actor and partner effects of both patient and caregiver perceived social support on anxiety and depression, and illness uncertainty mediated the effect of perceived social support on anxiety and depression. Lung cancer stage plays a moderating role in lung cancer patient-caregiver dyads. There is an indirect positive partner effect of perceived social support from family caregivers on anxiety and depression in patients with early lung cancer; there is a direct or indirect negative partner effect of social support from family caregivers on anxiety and depression in patients with advanced lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the dyadic interdependence between perceived social support, illness uncertainty, anxiety, and depression among lung cancer patients and family caregivers. Furthermore, studies on differences between different lung cancer stages may provide a theoretical basis for different dyadic supportive interventions based on lung cancer stages.

Ultrasensitive SERS Analysis of Liquid and Gaseous Putrescine and Cadaverine by a 3D-Rosettelike Nanostructure-Decorated Flexible Porous Substrate.

Putrescine and cadaverine are toxic biogenic amines in spoiled food, which poses a serious threat to food security. In this work, we reported a highly sensitive three-dimensional (3D)-rosettelike surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate functionalized with a p-mercaptobenzoic acid (p-MBA) monolayer to detect liquid and gaseous putrescine and cadaverine in pork samples. The SERS substrate was made by a combination of the merit of the 3D morphology of ZnO nanorod arrays on a flexible porous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane and the in situ chemical growth of Au nanoparticle seeds on Au film-coated ZnO nanorods, which produced a 3D-rosettelike BigAuNP/Au/ZnO/P heterostructure with abundant SERS-active hot spots that significantly enhanced the localized surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR) effect and charge-transfer (CT) effect of Raman enhancement. This SERS substrate showed high sensitivity, reproducibility, stability, and uniformity. With the p-MBA molecular monolayer as the sensing interface, our SERS substrate realized the highly sensitive and quantitative detection of liquid putrescine and cadaverine within 10 min, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.2 × 10-16 and 1.6 × 10-13 M, respectively. Additionally, the sensor showed efficient SERS responses to gaseous amine molecules at low concentrations (putrescine: 1.26 × 10-9 M, cadaverine: 2.5 × 10-9 M). Further, the sensor was successfully applied to determine the total content of putrescine and cadaverine. Moreover, the practicability of this SERS sensor was verified by the measurement of liquid and gaseous amines in pork samples, and it showed great potential applications for sensitive detection of food spoilage.

Continuous in situ portable SERS analysis of pollutants in water and air by a highly sensitive gold nanoparticle-decorated PVDF substrate.

The increasingly serious environmental pollution worldwide has posed a great threat to the ecosystem and human health, and yet the development of portable in situ monitoring techniques that are sensitive to gaseous and water pollutants remains incomplete. Herein, we report a highly active surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate fabricated by immobilizing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane for continuous in situ SERS detection of pollutants in water and atmosphere. 4-Mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) was adopted as a probe molecule to evaluate the performance of the substrate, and the results indicate that the polymer-based flexible substrate features high sensitivity, uniformity, and repeatability. The fabricated PVDF/SERS substrate was integrated with a portable Raman spectrometer operating under both passing-by and passing-through modes. The integrated system accomplishes quantitative detection and real-time online monitoring of pH in a liquid environment with a response speed of less than 10 s and the rapid SERS response to gas molecules at a low concentration within 30 s. We also demonstrated the highly sensitive detection for mainstream smoke (MS) and sidestream (SS) of cigarette smoke and verified their differences in the main constituent which contributes to the harmful secondhand smoke in public. The developed portable Raman system has excellent application prospects in online liquid and gas environmental detection.

Protection of melatonin against long-term radon exposure-caused lung injury.

Radon is one of the major pathogenic factors worldwide. Recently, epidemiological studies have suggested that radon exposure plays an important role in lung injury, which could further cause cancer. However, the toxic effects and underlying mechanism on lung injury are still not clear. Here, we identified the detailed toxic effects of long-term radon exposure. Specifically, the manifestations were inflammatory response and cell apoptosis in dose- and time-dependent manners. In detail, it caused the mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress as determined by the abnormal levels of mitochondrial DNA copy number, adenosine triphosphate, mitochondrial membrane potential, superoxide dismutase, and cycloxygenase-2. Furthermore, we found that melatonin treatment ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction and attenuated the levels of oxidative stress caused by long-term radon exposure, which could further inhibit the lung tissue apoptosis as determined by the decreased levels of cleaved caspase 3. Our study would provide potential therapeutic application of melatonin on lung tissue injury caused by long-term radon exposure.

Silver nanoparticles: Correlating particle size and ionic Ag release with cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and inflammatory responses in human cell lines.

The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), their many sources for human exposure, and the ability of AgNPs to enter organisms and induce general toxicological responses have raised concerns regarding their public health and environmental safety. To elucidate the differential toxic effects of polyvinylpyrrolidone-capped AgNPs with different primary particle sizes (i.e. 5, 50, and 75 nm), we performed a battery of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assays and examined the inflammatory responses in two human cell lines (i.e. HepG2 and A549). Concentration-dependent decreases in cell proliferation and mitochondrial membrane potential and increases in cytokine (i.e. interleukin-6 and interleukin-8) excretion indicated disruption of mitochondrial function and inflammation as the main mediating factors of AgNPs-induced cytotoxicity. An incremental increase in genotoxicity with decreasing AgNPs diameter was noted in HepG2 cells, which was associated with S and G2/M accumulation and transcriptional activation of the GADD45α promoter as reflected by luciferase activity. Dose-related genetic damage, as indicated by Olive tail moment and micronucleus formation, was also observed in A549 cells, but these effects as well as the AgNPs-induced cytotoxicity were more associated with ionic Ag release from nanoparticles (NPs). In summary, the present study addressed different toxicity mechanisms of AgNPs, depending on the cell model, toxicological endpoint, particle size, and degree of Ag+ release from NPs. The results suggest that the GADD45α promoter-driven luciferase reporter cell system provided a rapid screening tool for the identification of genotoxic properties of NPs across a range of different sizes and concentrations.

How industrial convergence affects regional green development efficiency: A spatial conditional process analysis.

Industrial convergence is a key means to transform the economic mode. Taking the convergence of manufacturing and producer services in China as the research object, this study explored how industrial convergence affects regional green development efficiency (GDE). First, a coupling evaluation system was established to measure industrial convergence degree, and the directional distance function-based slacks-based measure was combined with the global Malmquist-Luenberger index to measure GDE. Second, we employed spatial econometric models to analyze the relationship between industrial convergence and GDE. Then, using the spatial conditional process analysis, a unified framework of green innovation, investment structure, and energy intensity was constructed to investigate the transmission mechanism involved. The results showed that: (1) Regional GDE and green innovation had a spatial dependence. (2) Considering the spatial correlation, industrial convergence is conductive to regional GDE. (3) Green innovation is an effective path by which industrial convergence improves regional GDE. (4) In this mediating process, the investment structure and energy intensity play a moderating role. The investment bias in high-tech industries increases the role of industrial convergence in promoting regional GDE and green innovation, while the moderating direction of energy intensity is opposite. In addition, there is a crowding-out effect in energy dependence, which hinders the effectiveness of green innovation.

A hyaluronic acid fluorescent hydrogel based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer for sensitive detection of hyaluronidase.

Due to its important role in tumor development and treatment, hyaluronidase (HAase) has been widely investigated in vitro and in vivo. However, such investigation was limited by the absence of sensitive and in situ detection methods. Herein, a hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect was constructed for the detection of HAase. FITC and AuNPs were covalently coupled with two HA derivatives respectively to form a fluorescent donor-acceptor pair. In the presence of HAase, the hydrogel established by cross-linking of HA derivatives was hydrolyzed specifically. The FRET effect in the hydrogel disappeared and the fluorescence intensity increased proportionally with the changes in the concentration of the HAase. Experiments proved that the HAase sensing system had a wide response range (0.5-100 U/mL), good anti-interference, and excellent biocompatibility. When the hydrogel was used for 3D culture of lung cancer cells, in situ fluorescent response could be achieved. Graphical abstract.

Sharpin suppresses ß1-integrin activation by complexing with the ß1 tail and kindlin-1.

BACKGROUND: Previously sharpin has been identified as an endogenous inhibitor of ß1-integrin activation by directly binding to a conserved region in the cytoplasmic tails (CTs) of the integrin ß1-associated α subunits. METHODS: Here we employed biochemical approaches and cellular analyses to evaluate the function and molecular mechanism of the sharpin-kindlin-1 complex in regulating ß1-integrin activation. RESULTS: In this study, we found that although the inhibition of sharpin on ß1-integrin activation could be confirmed, sharpin had no apparent effect on integrin αIIbß3 activation in CHO cell system. Notably, a direct interaction between sharpin and the integrin ß1 CT was detected, while the interaction of sharpin with the integrin αIIb and the ß3 CTs were substantially weaker. Importantly, sharpin was able to inhibit the talin head domain binding to the integrin ß1 CT, which can mechanistically contribute to inhibiting ß1-integrin activation. Interestingly, we also found that sharpin interacted with kindlin-1, and the interaction between sharpin and the integrin ß1 CT was significantly enhanced when kindlin-1 was present. Consistently, we observed that instead of acting as an activator, kindlin-1 actually suppressed the talin head domain mediated ß1-integrin activation, indicating that kindlin-1 may facilitate recruitment of sharpin to the integrin ß1 CT. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our findings suggest that sharpin may complex with both kindlin-1 and the integrin ß1 CT to restrict the talin head domain binding, thus inhibiting ß1-integrin activation.

The release of polypropylene plastic from disposable face masks in different water conditions and their potential toxicity in human cells.

Due to their extensive use during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, many disposable face masks are irresponsibly deposited into the water environment, threatening the health of people living nearby. However, the effects of water conditions on the degradation and potential hazards of these masks are generally unclear. This paper entailed the release and cellular toxicity of micro/nano plastics from disposable face masks once discarded in different waters, including soil water, river water, and tap water, with deionized (DI) water as control. At first, polypropylene (PP) was confirmed to be the major component of disposable face masks with Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. To monitor the release rate of PP from masks, a silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method was established by employing the unique Raman fingerprint of PP at 2882 cm-1. During 30-d incubation in different waters, the release rates of PP, sizes of PP aggregates, length of fibers, and proportions of plastics smaller than 100 nm were in the order of soil water > river water > tap water > DI water. All the obtained PP exhibited significant toxicity in human lung cancer (A549) cells at concentrations of 70 mg/L for 48 h, and the ones obtained in soil water exhibited the most severe damage. Overall, this paper revealed that environmental waters themselves would worsen the adverse effects of disposable face masks, and the key compounds affecting the degradation of masks remain to be clarified. Such information, along with the established methods, could be beneficial in assessing the health risks of disposable face masks in different waters.

Clinical Study of Carbon Dioxide Laser and Pelvic Floor Function Exercise for Urinary Incontinence Complicated by Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is common in patients with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyse the clinical efficacy of carbon dioxide laser combined with pelvic floor functional exercise for GSM with urinary incontinence, aiming to provide evidence for its clinical treatment. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with GSM and urinary incontinence and admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were included and allocated to a control group (pelvic floor function exercise) and combined group (carbon dioxide laser combined with pelvic floor function exercise). Confounding factors among the groups were balanced by the propensity score matching method. The clinical efficacy, GSM scale scores, urinary indicators, urinary incontinence quality of life scale (I-QOL) scores and the degree of urinary incontinence of the groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 192 patients were included in this study, and 36 cases were included in each group after the propensity scores were matched. No statistical difference in baseline data was found between the groups (p > 0.05). The combined group had higher total effective rate and I-QOL scores but lower GSM symptom scale scores than the control group. Urination during daytime and nighttime was less frequent in the combined group than in the control group, which showed a lower degree of urinary incontinence (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Combining carbon dioxide laser treatment with pelvic floor exercises is potentially effective for patients with GSM and urinary incontinence. This combined approach not only alleviated GSM and urinary incontinence symptoms but also reduced the severity of urinary incontinence, promoted bladder function recovery and enhanced overall quality of life.

Building and Validation of an Acute Event Prediction Model for Severe Mental Disorders.

Background: The global incidence of acute events in psychiatric patients is intensifying, and models to successfully predict acute events have attracted much attention. Objective: To explore the influence factors of acute incident severe mental disorders (SMDs) and the application of Rstudio statistical software, and build and verify a nomogram prediction model. Methods: SMDs were taken as research objects. The questionnaire survey method was adopted to collect data. Patients with acute event independent factors were screened. R software multivariable Logistic regression model was constructed and a nomogram was drawn. Results: A total of 342 patients with SMDs were hospitalized, and the number of patients who encountered acute events was 64, which accounted for 18.70% of all patients. Statistical significances were found in many aspects (all P ˂ 0.05). Such aspects included Medication adherence, disease diagnosis, marital status, caregivers, social support and the hospitalization environment (odds ratio (OR) = 4.08, 11.62, 12.06, 10.52, 0.04 and 0.61, respectively) were independent risk factors for the acute events of patients with SMDs. The prediction model was modeled, and the AUC was 0.77 and 0.80. The calibration curve shows that the model has good calibration. The clinical decision curve shows that the model has a good clinical effect. Conclusion: The constructed risk prediction model shows good prediction effectiveness in the acute events of patients with SMDs, which is helpful for the early detection of clinical mental health staff at high risk of acute events.

A ratiometric SERS strategy for the prediction of cancer cell proportion and guidance of glioma surgical resection.

Rapid and accurate identification of tumor boundaries is critical for the cure of glioma, but it is difficult due to the invasive nature of glioma cells. This paper aimed to explore a rapid diagnostic strategy based on a label-free surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique for the quantitative detection of glioma cell proportion intraoperatively. With silver nanoparticles as substrate, an in-depth SERS analysis was performed on simulated clinical samples containing normal brain tissue and different concentrations of patient-derived glioma cells. The results revealed two universal characteristic peaks of 655 and 717 cm-1, which strongly correlated with glioma cell proportion regardless of individual differences. Based on the intensity ratio of the two peaks, a ratiometric SERS strategy for the quantification of glioma cells was established by employing an artificial neuron network model and a polynomial regression model. Such a strategy accurately estimated the proportion of glioma cells in simulated clinical samples (R2 = 0.98) and frozen samples (R2 = 0.85). More importantly, it accurately facilitated the delineation of tumor margins in freshly obtained samples. Taken together, this SERS-based method ensured a rapid and more detailed identification of tumor margins during surgical resection, which could be beneficial for intraoperative decision-making and pathological evaluation.

Vapor deposition strategy for implanting isolated Fe sites into papermaking nanofibers-derived N-doped carbon aerogels for liquid Electrolyte-/All-Solid-State Zn-Air batteries.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs), with precisely controlled metal atom distribution and adjustable coordination architecture, have gained intensive concerns as efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts in Zn-air batteries (ZAB). The attainment of a monodispersed state for metallic atoms anchored on the carbonaceous substrate remains the foremost research priority; however, the persistent challenges lie in the relatively weak metal-support interactions and the instability of captured single atom active sites. Furthermore, in order to achieve rapid transport of O2 and other reactive substances within the carbon matrix, manufacturing SACs based on multi-stage porous carbon substrates is highly anticipated. Here, we propose a methodology for the fabrication of carbon aerogels (CA)-supported SACs utilizing papermaking nanofibers, which incorporates advanced strategies for N-atom self-doping, defect/vacancy introduction, and single-atom interface engineering. Specifically, taking advantages of using green and energy-efficient feedstocks, combining with a direct pore-forming template volatilization and chemical vapor deposition approach, we successfully developed N-doped carbon aerogels immobilized with separated iron sites (Fe-SAC@N/CA-Cd). The obtained Fe-SAC@N/CA-Cd exhibited substantially large specific surface area (SBET = 1173 m2/g) and a multi-level pore structure, which can effectively mitigate the random aggregation of Fe atoms during pyrolysis. As a result, it demonstrated appreciable activity and stability in catalyzing the ORR progress (E1/2 = 0.88 V, Eonset = 0.96 V). Furthermore, the assembled liquid electrolyte-state Zn-air batteries (LES-ZAB) and all-solid-state Zn-air battery (ASS-ZAB) also provides encouraging performance, with a peak power density of 169 mW cm-2 for LES-ZAB and a maximum power density of 124 mW cm-2 for ASS-ZAB.

The Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide MOTS-c Alleviates Radiation Pneumonitis via an Nrf2-Dependent Mechanism.

Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is a prevalent and fatal complication of thoracic radiotherapy due to the lack of effective treatment options. RP primarily arises from mitochondrial injury in lung epithelial cells. The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c has demonstrated protective effects against various diseases by mitigating mitochondrial injury. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 20 Gy of lung irradiation (IR) and received daily intraperitoneal injections of MOTS-c for 2 weeks. MOTS-c significantly ameliorated lung tissue damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress caused by radiation. Meanwhile, MOTS-c reversed the apoptosis and mitochondrial damage of alveolar epithelial cells in RP mice. Furthermore, MOTS-c significantly inhibited oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in MLE-12 cells and primary mouse lung epithelial cells. Mechanistically, MOTS-c increased the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) level and promoted its nuclear translocation. Notably, Nrf2 deficiency abolished the protective function of MOTS-c in mice with RP. In conclusion, MOTS-c alleviates RP by protecting mitochondrial function through an Nrf2-dependent mechanism, indicating that MOTS-c may be a novel potential protective agent against RP.

Preliminary Analysis of Volume-Based Resting-State Functional MRI Characteristics of Successful Aging in China.

BACKGROUND: Resting-state function MRI (rs-fMRI) research on successful aging can provide insight into the mechanism of aging with a different perspective from aging-related disease. OBJECTIVE: rs-fMRI research was used to analyze the brain function characteristics of successful aging. METHODS: A total of 47 usual aging individuals and 26 successful aging (SA) individuals underwent rs-fMRI scans and neuropsychological tests. Volume-based rs-fMRI data analysis was performed with DPASF to obtain ALFF, ReHo, DC, and VMHC. RESULTS: The SA group showed increased ALFF in right opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus (Frontal_Inf_Oper_R) and right supramarginal gyrus; increased ReHo in right middle temporal pole gyrus and decreased ReHo in left superior frontal gyrus and middle occipital gyrus; increased DC in right medial orbitofrontal gyrus and pulvinar part of thalamus; decreased DC in left fusiform gyrus and right medial frontal gyrus; increased VMHC in right medial orbitofrontal gyrus; and decreased VMHC in the right superior temporal gyrus, right and left middle temporal gyrus, right and left triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus. ALFF in Frontal_Inf_Oper_R were found to be significantly correlated with MMSE scores (r = 0.301, p = 0.014) and ages (r = -0.264, p = 0.032) in all subjects, which could be used to distinguish the SA (AUC = 0.733, 95% CI: 0.604-0.863) by ROC analysis. CONCLUSION: The brain regions with altered fMRI characteristics in SA group were concentrated in frontal (6 brain regions) and temporal (4 brain regions) lobes. ALFF in Frontal_Inf_Oper_R was significantly correlated to cognitive function and ages, which might be used to distinguish the SA.

Identification of blood species based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy and convolutional neural network.

The identification of blood species is of great significance in many aspects such as forensic science, wildlife protection, and customs security and quarantine. Conventional Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometrics is an established method for identification of blood species. However, the Raman spectrum of trace amount of blood could hardly be obtained due to the very small cross-section of Raman scattering. In order to overcome this limitation, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was adopted to analyze trace amount of blood. The 785 nm laser was selected as the optimal laser to acquire the SERS spectra, and the blood SERS spectra of 19 species were measured. The convolutional neural network (CNN) was used to distinguish the blood of 19 species including human. The recognition accuracy of the blood species was obtained with 98.79%. Our study provides an effective and reliable method for identification and classification of trace amount of blood.