Mortality of epilepsy in Chinese populations: a comprehensive review.

BACKGROUND: Premature mortality is a significant part of the epilepsy burden and may vary across populations, especially between high-income and lower- and middle-income countries. People with epilepsy in China are approximately a fifth of the global population with epilepsy. Previous studies were unlikely to represent the situation in China due to limitations in design, methods, sample size, follow-up time, and other inherent population heterogeneity. SUMMARY: By summarising the evidence on the mortality characteristics in Chinese populations with epilepsy in the last six decades, we found a median mortality rate of 14.7 (6.8-74.4)/1000 person-years and a median standardised mortality ratio (SMR) of 4.4 (2.6-12.9) in population-based studies, and a median mortality rate of 12.3 (9.5-101.5)/1000 person-years and a median SMR of 3.0 (1.5-5.1) in hospital-based studies. Vascular diseases, complications of diabetes, and accidental injuries were the leading causes of death. Risk factors for mortality were reported as older age, male, longer duration and higher frequency of seizures. Case fatality ratios of status epilepticus (SE) in adults were higher than in children, and both increased with follow-up time. Mortality in people with symptomatic epilepsy was high and varied across different primary diseases. KEY MESSAGES: The highest mortality rate and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) incidence were reported from the least developed areas in China. Accidental injuries were the most common causes of epilepsy-related deaths, while the incidence of SUDEP may be underestimated in Chinese populations. Further research is warranted to improve the understanding of premature mortality risk so that preventative measures can be introduced to improve the situation.

Discovery of a novel small molecule as CD47/SIRPα and PD-1/PD-L1 dual inhibitor for cancer immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME) has emerged as a promising strategy in cancer treatment, particularly through the utilization of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) agents such as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Despite partial success, the presence of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) contributes to an immunosuppressive TME that fosters tumor progression, and diminishes the therapeutic efficacy of ICB. Blockade of the CD47/SIRPα pathway has proven to be an effective intervention, that restores macrophage phagocytosis and yields substantial antitumor effects, especially when combined with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. Therefore, the identification of small molecules capable of simultaneously blocking CD47/SIRPα and PD-1/PD-L1 interactions has remained imperative. METHODS: SMC18, a small molecule with the capacity of targeting both SIRPα and PD-L1 was obtained using MST. The efficiency of SMC18 in interrupting CD47/SIRPα and PD-1/PD-L1 interactions was tested by the blocking assay. The function of SMC18 in enhancing the activity of macrophages and T cells was tested using phagocytosis assay and co-culture assay. The antitumor effects and mechanisms of SMC18 were investigated in the MC38-bearing mouse model. RESULTS: SMC18, a small molecule that dual-targets both SIRPα and PD-L1 protein, was identified. SMC18 effectively blocked CD47/SIRPα interaction, thereby restoring macrophage phagocytosis, and disrupted PD-1/PD-L1 interactions, thus activating Jurkat cells, as evidenced by increased secretion of IL-2. SMC18 demonstrated substantial inhibition of MC38 tumor growths through promoting the infiltration of CD8+ T and M1-type macrophages into tumor sites, while also priming the function of CD8+ T cells and macrophages. Moreover, SMC18 in combination with radiotherapy (RT) further improved the therapeutic efficacy. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that the small molecule compound SMC18, which dual-targets the CD47/SIRPα and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways, could be a candidate for promoting macrophage- and T-cell-mediated phagocytosis and immune responses in cancer immunotherapy.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging in identifying active anal fistula after surgery.

BACKGROUND: It is challenging to identify residual or recurrent fistulas from the surgical region, while MR imaging is feasible. The aim was to use dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) technology to distinguish between active anal fistula and postoperative healing (granulation) tissue. METHODS: Thirty-six patients following idiopathic anal fistula underwent DCE-MRI. Subjects were divided into Group I (active fistula) and Group IV (postoperative healing tissue), with the latter divided into Group II (≤ 75 days) and Group III (> 75 days) according to the 75-day interval from surgery to postoperative MRI reexamination. MRI classification and quantitative analysis were performed. Correlation between postoperative time intervals and parameters was analyzed. The difference of parameters between the four groups was analyzed, and diagnostic efficiency was tested by receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Wash-in rate (WI) and peak enhancement intensity (PEI) were significantly higher in Group I than in Group II (p = 0.003, p = 0.040), while wash-out rate (WO), time to peak (TTP), and normalized signal intensity (NSI) were opposite (p = 0.031, p = 0.007, p = 0.010). Area under curves for discriminating active fistula from healing tissue within 75 days were 0.810 in WI, 0.708 in PEI, 0.719 in WO, 0.783 in TTP, 0.779 in NSI. All MRI parameters were significantly different between Group I and Group IV, but not between Group II and Group III, and not related to time intervals. CONCLUSION: In early postoperative period, DCE-MRI can be used to identify active anal fistula in the surgical area. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2000033072.

Joint effect of testosterone and neurofilament light chain on cognitive decline in men: The Shanghai Aging Study.

INTRODUCTION: The association of testosterone and cognitive decline is inconclusive, and its joint effect with neurofilaments light chain (NfL) remains largely unknown. METHODS: A total of 581 non-demented older men in the Shanghai Aging Study were included. Blood total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), and NfL were measured at baseline. The relationships between TT, FT, TT/FT-NfL, and cognitive decline were explored by Cox regression models. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 6.7 years, there was an inverse association between TT/FT and cognitive decline (TT, trend p = .004, Q1 vs Q4, hazard ratio [HR] = 4.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.60 to 12.04; FT, trend p = .002, Q1 vs Q4, HR = 5.29, 95% CI = 1.50 to 16.89). Compared to participants with high TT/FT-low NfL, those with low TT/FT-high NfL had significantly higher risks of cognitive decline (TT, HR = 5.10, 95% CI = 1.11 to 23.40; FT, HR = 6.14, 95% CI = 1.34 to 28.06). DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that the combination of testosterone and neurodegenerative markers may provide reliable predictive insights into future cognitive decline. HIGHLIGHTS: Testosterone is inversely associated with cognitive decline in older men. There is a joint effect of testosterone and NfL on cognitive decline. Sex hormone and neurodegeneration may synergistically contribute to cognitive deterioration.

HMGA1 Aggravates Oxidative Stress Injury and Inflammatory Responses in IL-1ß-Induced Primary Chondrocytes through the JMJD3/ZEB1 Axis.

INTRODUCTION: Osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with oxidative stress injury (OSI) and inflammatory responses in chondrocytes. This study sought to explore the mechanism of high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) in interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß)-induced OSI and inflammatory responses in primary chondrocytes. METHODS: Primary chondrocytes were cultured and treated with IL-1ß to establish an OA-cell model. Levels of HMGA1, Jumonji domain-containing 3 (JMJD3), and ZEB1 in cells were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Cell viability, contents of tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, and IL-10, reactive oxygen species level, and glutathione peroxidase activity were assessed by the cell counting kit-8 assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and assay kits. Enrichment levels of HMGA1 on the JMJD3 promoter and enrichment levels of JMJD3 and trimethylated histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) on the ZEB1 promoter region were determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Functional rescue experiments were performed to analyze the impact of ZEB1 and JMJD3 on IL-1ß-induced chondrocytes. RESULTS: IL-1ß treatment induced HMGA1 upregulation, OSI, and inflammatory responses in chondrocytes. HMGA1 downregulation reduced IL-1ß-induced OSI and inflammatory responses in chondrocytes. Mechanically, HMGA1 was bound to the JMJD3 promoter to promote JMJD3 transcription, and JMJD3 induced demethylation of H3K27me3 on the ZEB1 promoter to promote ZEB1 transcription. Overexpression of JMJD3 or ZEB1 neutralized the protective role of silencing HMGA1 in IL-1ß-induced chondrocytes. CONCLUSION: HMGA1 aggravated IL-1ß-induced OSI and inflammatory responses in chondrocytes through the promotion of JMJD3 and ZEB1.

MYC-targeted genes predict distant recurrence in patients with ocular adnexal extranodal marginal zone lymphoma.

Ocular adnexal extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (OA-EMZL) is the most frequent subtype of ocular adnexal lymphoma, with a high propensity for recurrence. Distant recurrence (DR) as an essential prognostic event has unique clinical risk factors, but whether distinct molecular features exist remains poorly understood. Here, we identified potential biomarkers using proteomic analysis of 27 OA-EMZL samples. The MYC-targeted genes PCNA, MCM6, and MCM4 were identified as candidates. MYC-targeted genes were further identified as the most significantly activated gene set in patients with DR. The candidate genes were verified in samples from 11 patients with DR and 33 matched controls using immunohistochemistry. The 3-year and 5-year AUC values of MCM6 (0.699 and 0.757) were higher than those of Ki-67 (0.532 and 0.592). High expressions of MCM6 and MCM4 were significantly associated with shorter distant recurrence-free survival (Log-rank p = 0.017, Log-rank p = 0.0053). Multivariate Cox regression identified MCM6 expression as an independent risk factor for DR (HR, 6.86; 95% CI, 1.32-35.79; P = 0.02). Knockdown of c-Myc in B cells resulted in decreased MCM6 and MCM4 expression and reduced proliferative capacity. Our results suggest that activation of the MYC-targeted gene is a distinct molecular feature of DR in OA-EMZL. MYC-targeted gene, MCM6, is a promising pathological biomarker for DR.

Imaging mismatch between Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score and perfusion imaging may be a good variable for endovascular treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Some patients with acute large vessel occlusion (LVO) presented imaging mismatch, low Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) with small ischemic core, or high ASPECTS with large ischemic core. The study was designed to explore whether patients with imaging mismatch could benefit from endovascular treatment (EVT). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with LVO treated with EVT in our center from March 2018 to Jul 2020. Patients were divided into three groups, imaging mismatch, small ischemic core, and large ischemic core groups. Pooled analyses based on stroke onset to treatment time were done. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to explore the factors for good outcomes. RESULTS: Sixty-eight of 419 patients with LVO presented with imaging mismatch, and 35 of those (51%) achieved good outcomes after EVT at 90-day. No significant differences were noted in good outcomes and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) between patients with imaging mismatch and small ischemic core. Compared with large ischemic core, patients with imaging mismatch presented lower risk of sICH (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04-0.75, p = 0.011) within 6 h and higher proportion of good outcomes (95% CI 0.37-0.82, p = 0.002) at 6 to 24 h. Baseline NIHSS (odds ratio (OR) = 0.91, 95% CI 0.88-0.95)), ASPECTS (OR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.01-1.29), ischemic core (OR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.00), and sICH (OR = 61.61, 95% CI 8.09-461.32) were associated with good outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with imaging mismatch treated within 24 h could benefit from EVT and without increasing the risk of sICH. KEY POINTS: • Patients with imaging mismatch between ASPECTS and ischemic core could achieve good outcomes after endovascular treatment. • Compared with large ischemic core, patients with imaging mismatch presented lower risk of symptomatic hemorrhage within 6 h and higher proportion of good outcomes within 6-24 h. • Baseline NIHSS score, ASPECTS, ischemic core, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage were associated with good outcomes.

Diagnostic value of combined pelvic floor ultrasound parameters for pelvic floor dysfunction and risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of pelvic floor ultrasound parameters in combination for pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and to explore the risk factors. METHODS: Forty PFD patients treated from April2019to December 2020(case group) and another 40 healthy women (control group) were enrolled. Their clinical data were collected, and both groups received three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound of the pelvic floor. The diagnostic value of pelvic floor ultrasound parameters for PFD was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The risk factors of PFD were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of the parameters in combination for predicting PFD were 0.851 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.743-0.959], 0.901, and 0.812, respectively, indicating acceptable accuracy. Results of logistic regression analysis revealed that spontaneous delivery, lateral episiotomy/laceration, and large bladder neck rotation angle, posterior urethrovesical angle (PUA), bladder neck tilt angle, bladder neck distance (BND), levator hiatus area (LHA) (at anal contraction), R-LHA and V-LHA were risk factors for PFD (p < 0.05), while physical exercise was a protective factor (p < 0.05). ROC curve analysis revealed that the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of the forest map model were 0.822 (95% CI: 0.759-0.885), 0.942, and 0.601, respectively, indicating acceptable accuracy of the model. Internal data validation of the model demonstrated consistence of the predicted occurrence of PFD with the actual one. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous delivery, lateral episiotomy/laceration, and large bladder neck rotation angle, PUA, bladder neck tilt angle, BND, LHA (at anal contraction), R-LHA and V-LHA were risk factors for PFD.

Association of air pollutants and hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in Lanzhou, China, 2014-2019.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of air pollutants on hospital admissions for respiratory disease (RD) by using distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) in Lanzhou during 2014-2019. In this study, the dataset of air pollutants, meteorological, and daily hospital admissions for RD in Lanzhou, from January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2019, were collected from three national environmental monitoring stations, China meteorological data service center, and three large general hospitals, respectively. A time-series analysis with DLNM was used to estimate the associations between air pollutants and hospital admissions for RD including the stratified analysis of age, gender, and season. The key findings were expressed as the relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for single-day and cumulative lag effects (0-7). A total of 90, 942 RD hospitalization cases were identified during the study period. The highest association (RR, 95% CI) of hospital admissions for RD and PM2.5 (1.030, 1.012-1.049), and PM10 (1.009, 1.001-1.015), and NO2 (1.047, 1.024-1.071) were observed at lag 07 for an increase of 10 µg/m3 in the concentrations, and CO at lag07 (1.140, 1.052-1.236) for an increase of 1 mg/m3 in the concentration. We observed that the RR estimates for gaseous pollutants (e.g., CO and NO2) were larger than those of particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5 and PM10). The harmful effects of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and CO were greater in male, people aged 0-14 group and in the cold season. However, no significant association was observed for SO2, O38h, and total hospital admissions for RD. Therefore, some effective intervention strategies should be taken to strengthen the treatment of the ambient air pollutants, especially gaseous pollutants (e.g., CO and NO2), thereby, reducing the burden of respiratory diseases.

Metformin leads to accumulation of reactive oxygen species by inhibiting the NFE2L1 expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Metformin, as the first-line drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, has been shown to possess a capability to activate or inhibit the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in different ways. However, the detailed mechanisms of the opposite effect are poorly understood. Here we provide evidence that metformin induces accumulation of ROS by inhibiting the expression of a core antioxidant transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 1 (NFE2L1/Nrf1) in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. In the present study, we originally found that the increased ROS induced by metformin was blunted in NFE2L1 knockdown cell line. Furtherly by examining the effects of metformin on endogenous and exogenous NFE2L1, we also found metformin could not only inhibit the transcription of NFE2L1 gene, but also promote the degradation of NFE2L1 protein at the post-transcriptional level, whereas this effect can be reversed by high glucose. The inhibitory effect of metformin on NFE2L1 was investigated to occur through the N-terminal domain (NTD) of NFE2L1 protein, and its downregulation by metformin was in an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-independent manner. But the activation of AMPK signaling pathway by metformin in NFE2L1 knockdown HepG2 cells is reversed, indicating that NFE2L1 may be an important regulator of AMPK signal. Altogether, this work provides a better understanding of the relationship between metformin and oxidative stress, and hence contributes to translational study of metformin through its hypoglycemic and tumor suppressive effects.

Computer-aided design of PVR mutants with enhanced binding affinity to TIGIT.

BACKGROUND: TIGIT, as a novel immune checkpoint molecule involved in T cell and NK cell anergy, could induce the immune tolerance and escape through binding with its ligand PVR. Blockade of TIGIT/PVR is considered as a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy. However, to facilitate the design of inhibitors targeting TIGIT/PVR, the structural characteristics and binding mechanism still need to be further studied. METHODS: In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and in silico mutagenesis were used to analyze the interaction between TIGIT and its ligand PVR. Then, PVR mutants were designed and their activities were determined by using TIGIT overexpressed Jurkat cells. RESULTS: The results suggested that the loops of PVR (CC' loop, C'C″ loop, and FG loop) underwent a large intra-molecular rearrangement, and more hydrogen bond crosslinking between PVR and TIGIT were formed during MD simulations. The potential residues for PVR to interact with TIGIT were identified and utilized to predict high affinity PVR mutants. Through the biological activity evaluation, four PVR mutants (PVRS72W, PVRS72R, PVRG131V and PVRS132Q) with enhanced affinity to TIGIT were discovered, which could elicit more potent inhibitory effects compared with the wild type PVR. CONCLUSIONS: The MD simulations analysis provided new insights into the TIGIT/PVR interaction model, and the identified PVR mutants (PVRS72W, PVRS72R, PVRG131V and PVRS132Q) could serve as new candidates for immunotherapy to block TIGIT/PVR. Video Abstract.

Repositioning liothyronine for cancer immunotherapy by blocking the interaction of immune checkpoint TIGIT/PVR.

BACKGROUND: Inhibitors targeting immune checkpoint were proved effective in cancer immunotherapy, such as PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. The novel immune checkpoint TIGIT/PVR plays critical roles in suppressing the anti-tumor effects of CD8+ T and NK cells, and dual blockade of TIGIT/PVR and PD-1/PD-L1 by antibody can elicit synergistic effects in tumor models and clinical trials. However, small molecules for TIGIT/PVR blockade have not been investigated. METHODS: The expression of PVR in tumors were analyzed by using TCGA, Oncomine and GEO database, and in cancer cell lines examined by flow cytometry. Natural product compounds were docked to PVR for virtual screening by using the software Molecular Operating Environment (MOE). Candidate compounds were further tested by biolayer interferometry-based binding assay, microscale thermophoresis assay and cell based blocking assay. The in vitro activity of the candidate compound was determined by MTT, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) activation assay and coculture assay. The anti-tumor effects and mechanism were also investigated by using MC38 tumor-bearing mice model and immune cell depletion tumor model. RESULTS: PVR was over-expressed in many tumor tissues and cancer cell lines, making it a promising therapeutic target. Through virtual screening, binding, and blocking assay, liothyronine was discovered to bind PVR and block the interaction of TIGIT/PVR. Liothyronine could enhance the function of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in PBMCs. Besides, in the Jurkat-hTIGIT and CHOK1-hPVR coculture assay, liothyronine could reverse the IL-2 secretion inhibition resulted by TIGIT/PVR ligation. Although had no influence on the proliferation of tumor cells in vitro, liothyronine could significantly inhibit tumor growth when administrated in vivo, by enhancing CD8+ T cell infiltration and immune responses in the tumor bearing mice. The immune cell depletion model showed that the anti-tumor effects of liothyronine depends on CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and NK cells. CONCLUSIONS: A small molecule liothyronine was discovered to serve as a potential candidate for cancer immunotherapy by blocking the immune checkpoint TIGIT/PVR. Video abstract.

[Study on synergistic anti-tumor effect of Shuangdan Capsules combined with 5-FU on hepatocellular carcinoma cells Huh-7 and xenograft mice].

This paper discussed the synergistic anti-tumor effect of Shuangdan Capsules combined with 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) on human liver cancer cell line Huh-7 and tumor bearing mice. The effects of Shuangdan Capsules combined with 5-FU on the activity and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) receptor protein expression of Huh-7 cells were investigated, and the effects of drug combination on tube formation of HUVEC cell were also verified. In addition, the mice model of Huh-7 was established to observe the anti-tumor effect of drug combination and the distribution of tumor blood flow in tumor bearing mice by using molecular imaging. HPLC analysis showed that Shuangdan Capsules mainly consisted of danshensusodium, protocatechuic aldehyde, paeoniflorin, rosmarinic acid, alkannic acid, salvianolic acid B, and paeonol. In MTT experiment, the inhibition rate of Shuangdan Capsules(20 mg·L~(-1)) and 5-FU(1 µmol·L~(-1)) on Huh-7 cells was 60%, and the CI value was 0.59, suggesting that these two drugs had synergistic anti-hepatoma cells effect. The expression of VEGF receptor in Huh-7 cells was inhibited by the combination of these two drugs. In addition, the process of HUVEC was slow, and the number, length and area of the lumen branches decreased significantly. In vivo, Shuangdan Capsules combined with 5-FU inhibited the growth and prolongation of survival of Huh-7 cells in subcutaneous transplanted tumor nude mice; serum expression of CD31 and VEGF in nude mice were decreased, while caspase-3 was increased. Meanwhile, the drug combination significantly inhibited the expressions of MMP2 and VEGF in tumor tissues. Ultrasound showed that Shuangdan Capsules combined with 5-FU also inhibited tumor angiogenesis and reduced blood flow of tumor tissue. The results showed that Shuangdan Capsules combined with 5-FU may inhibit tumor angiogenesis by inhibiting VEGF and MMP2 expressions, thereby blocking tumor growth.

A Novel d-Peptide Identified by Mirror-Image Phage Display Blocks TIGIT/PVR for Cancer Immunotherapy.

The low response rate and adaptive resistance of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade demands the studies on novel therapeutic targets for cancer immunotherapy. We discovered that a novel immune checkpoint TIGIT expressed higher than PD-1 in many tumors especially anti-PD-1 resistant tumors. Here, mirror-image phage display bio-panning was performed using the d-enantiomer of TIGIT synthesized by hydrazide-based native chemical ligation. d-peptide D TBP-3 was identified, which could occupy the binding interface and effectively block the interaction of TIGIT with its ligand PVR. D TBP-3 showed proteolytic resistance, tumor tissue penetrating ability, and significant tumor suppressing effects in a CD8+ T cell dependent manner. More importantly, D TBP-3 could inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in anti-PD-1 resistant tumor model. This is the first d-peptide targeting TIGIT, which could serve as a potential candidate for cancer immunotherapy.

Synthesizing slow-release fertilizers via mechanochemical processing for potentially recycling the waste ferrous sulfate from titanium dioxide production.

The goal of this study is aimed to develop a novel process to recycle the ferrous sulfate, the by-product of titanium dioxide industry. Zinc sulfate was added in the process of milling ferrous sulfate with calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The sulfates were transformed into carbonates to serve as slow-release fertilizers by co-grinding the starting materials of FeSO4·7H2O, ZnSO4·7H2O, and CaCO3 with small amounts of water in a planetary ball mill. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and quantitative measurements of the soluble ratios in water and 2% citric acid solution. It was found that Fe and Zn ions as sulfates were successfully combined with CaCO3 to form the corresponding Fe and Zn carbonates respectively. After milling, the release ratios of Fe and Zn nutrients in distilled water could be controlled at 0.1% and 0.7% respectively. Meanwhile, the release ratios of them in 2% citric acid solution were almost 98% and 100%. Milling speed was the critical parameter to facilitate the transformation reaction. The proposed process, as an easy and economical route, exhibits evident advantages, namely allowing the use of widely available and low-cost CaCO3 as well as industrial wastes of heavy metal sulfates as starting samples to prepare applicable products.

Neuroprotective effects of methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate against H2O2-induced apoptosis in RGC-5 cells.

In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (MDHB) against H2O2-induced apoptosis in RGC-5 cells. The RGC-5 cells were cultured in plates for 24 h, which were then pretreated with dimethyl sulfoxide, different concentrations of MDHB, or probucol for 12 h prior to addition of 300 µM H2O2 for 24 h. The cell viability was detected by MTT assay. The rate of apoptosis, level of lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was also used to measure the expression level of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase 9, and caspase 3 proteins in H2O2-treated RGC-5 cells. Our study showed that the cell viability of RGC-5 cells significantly decreased after treatment with 300 µM H2O2 for 24 h, but MDHB (8, 16, 32 µM) increased RGC-5 cell survival, suppressed the rate of apoptosis, scavenged reactive oxygen species, and restored MMP. MDHB also obstructed H2O2-induced apoptosis by regulating the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax, as well as suppressing the activation of caspase 9 and caspase 3. Our results showed that MDHB is an effective neuroprotective compound that mitigates oxidative stress and inhibits apoptosis in RGC-5 cells.

Radiomics analysis based on single phase and different phase combinations of radiomics features from tri-phasic CT to distinguish renal oncocytoma from chromophobe renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate different radiomics models based on single phase and the different phase combinations of radiomics features from 3D tri-phasic CT to distinguish RO from chRCC. METHODS: A total of 96 patients (30 RO and 66 chRCC) were enrolled in this study. Radiomics features were extracted from unenhanced phase (UP), corticomedullary phase (CMP), and nephrographic phase (NP) CT images. Feature selection was based on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO) method. The selected features were used to develop different radiomics models using logistic regression (LR) analysis, including model 1 (UP), model 2(CMP), model 3(NP), model 4(UP+CMP), model 5(UP+NP), model 6(CMP+NP), and model 7(UP+CMP+NP). The radiomics model demonstrating the highest discrimination performance was utilized to construct the combined model (model 8) with clinical factors. A nomogram based on the model 8 was established. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the different models, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used. Delong's test was utilized to assess the statistical significance of the AUC improvement across the models. RESULTS: Among the seven radiomics models, model 7 exhibited the highest AUC of 0.84 (95% CI 0.69, 0.99), and model 7 demonstrated a significantly superior AUC compared to the other radiomics models (all P < 0.05). The AUC values of radiomics models based on two phases (model4, mode5, mode6) were greater than the models based on single phase (model1, mode2, mode3) (all P < 0.05). Model 3 illustrated the best performance of the three radiomics models based on single phase with an AUC of 0.76 (95% CI 0.57, 099). Model 6 illustrated the best performance of the three radiomics models based on two-phases combination with an AUC of 0.83 (0.66, 0.99). Model 8 achieved an AUC of 0.93 (95% CI 0.83, 1.00) which is higher than those all radiomics models. CONCLUSION: Radiomics models based on combination of radiomics features from UP, CMP, and NP can be a useful and promising technique to differentiate RO from chRCC. Moreover, the model combining clinical factors and radiomics features showed better classification performance to distinguish them.

Clinical and histopathological factors for recurrence and metastasis in lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma in Chinese patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association of metabolism-related proteins and clinicopathological features with poor prognosis in lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (LGACC). METHODS: Clinicopathological data for 39 Chinese patients with LGACC enrolled were retrospectively analysed. Disease progression included death, recurrence, further nodal metastasis, and distant metastasis. Expression of ASCT2 and GLS1 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for risk factor analyses. RESULTS: At the end of follow-up, 14 patients (35.9%) developed local recurrence, 13 patients (33.3%) developed distant metastasis, 3 patients (7.7%) developed lymph node metastasis, and 9 patients (23.1%) died. Among the 13 patients who developed distant metastasis, lung metastasis was observed in 8 patients (61.5%), the brain in 8 patients (61.5%), and bone in 1 patient (7.7%). ASCT2 was expressed in 16 (57.14%) cases, while GLS1 had high expression in 19 (67.9%) cases. Advanced T category (≥T3), bone erosion, basaloid subtype, and ASCT2 (-) were associated with disease progression. Basaloid subtype was an independent risk factor for local recurrence (P = 0.028; HR, 12.12; 95% CI, 1.3-111.5). ASCT2(-) was an independent risk factor for distant metastasis (P = 0.016; HR, 14.46; 95% CI, 1.6-127.5) and was associated with basaloid subtype (P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: For LGACC, ≥T3 category, basaloid subtype, and bone erosion were high-risk predictors. ASCT2(-) was an independent risk factor for distant metastasis, which suggested that it could be a potential biomarker for LGACC.

Natural Antioxidant Vitamin C Improves Photovoltaic Performance of Tin-Lead Mixed Perovskite Solar Cells.

The oxidation of Sn2+ can occur even after the completion of the perovskite crystallization in a low oxygen environment. Concerning this, the natural antioxidant vitamin C (VC) is introduced to the surface of Sn-Pb mixed perovskite using a postprocessing method to achieve the purpose of inhibiting Sn2+ oxidation and enhancing perovskite solar cells performance. The results indicate that the VC could effectively inhibit Sn2+ oxidation and heal the vacancy defects of the annealed perovskite film. Meanwhile, the introduction of VC significantly improves the morphology and crystalline quality of the perovskite films. After optimization, the highest power conversion efficiency of the VC-treated Sn-Pb mixed device increased to 20.44%. Moreover, the VC-treated unencapsulated device shows excellent long-term stability, retaining 75.3% of its initial efficiency after 800 h of aging in a N2 atmosphere, which is much higher than the 20.1% of the control device.

Dual targeting of TIGIT and PD-1 with a novel small molecule for cancer immunotherapy.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have unveiled promising clinical prospects in cancer treatment. Nonetheless, their effectiveness remains restricted, marked by consistently low response rates and affecting only a subset of patients. The co-blockade of TIGIT with PD-1 has exhibited substantial anti-tumor effects. Notably, there is a dearth of reports on small-molecule inhibitors concurrently targeting both TIGIT and PD-1. In this study, we employed Microscale Thermophoresis (MST) to screen our laboratory's existing repository of small molecules. Our findings illuminated Gln(TrT) 's affinity for both TIGIT and PD-1, affirming its potential to effectively inhibit TIGIT/PVR and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways. In vitro co-culture experiments substantiated Gln(TrT)'s proficiency in restoring Jurkat T-cell functionality by blocking both TIGIT/PVR and PD-1/PD-L1 interactions. In the MC38 murine tumor model, Gln(TrT) emerges as a pivotal modulator, promoting the intratumoral infiltration and functional competence of CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, whether used as a monotherapy or in conjunction with radiotherapy, Gln(TrT) substantially impedes MC38 tumor progression, significantly extending the survival of murine subjects.