A comprehensive review of oxygen vacancy modified photocatalysts: synthesis, characterization, and applications.

Photocatalytic technology is a novel approach that harnesses solar energy for efficient energy conversion and effective pollution abatement, representing a rapidly advancing field in recent years. The development and synthesis of high-performance semiconductor photocatalysts constitute the pivotal focal point. Oxygen vacancies, being intrinsic defects commonly found in metal oxides, are extensively present within the lattice of semiconductor photocatalytic materials exhibiting non-stoichiometric ratios. Consequently, they have garnered significant attention in the field of photocatalysis as an exceptionally effective means for modulating the performance of photocatalysts. This paper provides a comprehensive review on the concept, preparation, and characterization methods of oxygen vacancies, along with their diverse applications in nitrogen fixation, solar water splitting, CO2 photoreduction, pollutant degradation, and biomedicine. Currently, remarkable progress has been made in the synthesis of high-performance oxygen vacancy photocatalysts and the regulation of their catalytic performance. In the future, it will be imperative to develop more advanced in situ characterization techniques, conduct further investigations into the regulation and stabilization of oxygen vacancies in photocatalysts, and comprehensively comprehend the mechanism underlying the influence of oxygen vacancies on photocatalysis. The engineering of oxygen vacancies will assume a pivotal role in the realm of semiconductor photocatalysis.

m6A-dependent upregulation of DDX21 by super-enhancer-driven IGF2BP2 and IGF2BP3 facilitates progression of acute myeloid leukaemia.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a haematological malignancy with unfavourable prognosis. Despite the effectiveness of chemotherapy and targeted therapy, relapse or drug resistance remains a major threat to AML patients. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation and super-enhancers (SEs) are extensively involved in the leukaemogenesis of AML. However, the potential relationship between m6A and SEs in AML has not been elaborated. METHODS: Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort were analysed to search SE-related genes. The mechanisms of m6 A-binding proteins IGF2BP2 and IGF2BP3 on DDX21 were explored via methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) assays, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays and luciferase reporter assays. Then we elucidated the roles of DDX21 in AML through functional assays in vitro and in vivo. Finally, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays, RNA sequencing and ChIP assays were performed to investigate the downstream mechanisms of DDX21. RESULTS: We identified two SE-associated transcripts IGF2BP2 and IGF2BP3 in AML. High enrichment of H3K27ac, H3K4me1 and BRD4 was observed in IGF2BP2 and IGF2BP3, whose expression were driven by SE machinery. Then IGF2BP2 and IGF2BP3 enhanced the stability of DDX21 mRNA in an m6A-dependent manner. DDX21 was highly expressed in AML patients, which indicated a poor survival. Functionally, knockdown of DDX21 inhibited cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis and led to cell cycle arrest. Mechanistically, DDX21 recruited transcription factor YBX1 to cooperatively trigger ULK1 expression. Moreover, silencing of ULK1 could reverse the promoting effects of DDX21 overexpression in AML cells. CONCLUSIONS: Dysregulation of SE-IGF2BP2/IGF2BP3-DDX21 axis facilitated the progression of AML. Our findings provide new insights into the link between SEs and m6A modification, elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of IGF2BP2 and IGF2BP3 on DDX21, and reveal the underlying roles of DDX21 in AML.

CYB561 is a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer and is associated with immune cell infiltration.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC), a common malignant tumor originating from the terminal ductal lobular unit of the breast, poses a substantial health risk to women. Previous studies have associated cytochrome b561 (CYB561) with a poor prognosis in BC; however, its underlying mechanism of this association remains unclear. METHODS: We investigated the expression of CYB561 mRNA in BC using databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, Tumor-Normal-Metastatic plot, and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases. The prognostic value of CYB561 protein in BC was assessed in relation to its expression levels in tumor tissue samples from 158 patients with BC. The effect of CYB561 on BC progression was confirmed using in vivo and in vitro experiments. The biological functions and related signaling pathways of CYB561 in BC were explored using gene microarray, Innovative Pathway, Gene Ontology enrichment, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses. The correlation between CYB561 and the BC tumor immune microenvironment was evaluated using the CIBERSORT algorithm and single-cell analysis and further validated through immunohistochemistry of serial sections. RESULTS: Our study demonstrated that upregulation of CYB561 expression predicted poor prognosis in patients with BC and that CYB561 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasive ability of BC cells in vitro. CYB561 knockdown inhibited BC tumor formation in vivo.CYB561 was observed to modulate downstream tropomyosin 1 expression. Furthermore, CYB561 expression was associated with macrophage M2 polarization in the BC immune microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated CYB561 expression suggests a poor prognosis for patients with BC and is associated with macrophage M2 polarization in the BC microenvironment. Therefore, CYB561 could potentially serve as a therapeutic target for BC treatment.

Ultrasound versus contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for subclinical synovitis and tenosynovitis: a diagnostic performance study

OBJECTIVES: Radiographic manifestations of synovitis (e.g., erosions) can be observed only in the late stage of rheumatoid arthritis. Ultrasound is a noninvasive, cheap, and widely available technique that enables the evaluation of inflammatory changes in the peripheral joint. In the same way, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enables qualitative and quantitative measurements. The objectives of the study were to compare the sensitivity and accuracy of ultrasound in detecting subclinical synovitis and tenosynovitis with those of contrast-enhanced MRI. METHODS: The ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced MRI findings of the wrist, metacarpophalangeal, and proximal interphalangeal joints (n=450) of 75 patients with a history of joint pain and morning stiffness between 6 weeks and 2 years were reviewed. The benefits score was evaluated for each modality. RESULTS: The ultrasonic findings showed inflammation in 346 (77%) joints, while contrast-enhanced MRI found signs of early rheumatoid arthritis in 372 (83%) joints. The sensitivities of ultrasound and contrast-enhanced MRI were 0.795 and 0.855, respectively, and the accuracies were 0.769 and 0.823, respectively. Contrast-enhanced MRI had a likelihood of 0-0.83 and ultrasound had a likelihood of 0-0.77 for detecting synovitis and tenosynovitis at one time. The two imaging modalities were equally competitive for detecting synovitis and tenosynovitis (p=0.055). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound could be as sensitive and specific as contrast-enhanced MRI for the diagnosis of subclinical synovitis and tenosynovitis.