Seleno-amino Acid Metabolism Reshapes the Tumor Microenvironment: from Cytotoxicity to Immunotherapy.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for biological processes. Seleno-amino acids (Se-AAs), known as the organic forms of Se, and their metabolic reprogramming have been increasingly recognized to regulate antioxidant defense, enzyme activity, and tumorigenesis. Therefore, there is emerging interest in exploring the potential application of Se-AAs in antitumor therapy. In addition to playing a vital role in inhibiting tumor growth, accumulating evidence has revealed that Se-AA metabolism could reshape the tumor microenvironment (TME) and enhance immunotherapy responses. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the current progress in multifunctional Se-AAs for antitumor treatment, with a particular emphasis on elucidating the crosstalk between Se-AA metabolism and various cell types in the TME, including tumor cells, T cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. Furthermore, novel applications integrating Se-AAs are also discussed alongside prospects to provide new insights into this emerging field.

Diagnostic values of questionnaires of Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey and College of Optometrists Vision Development Quality of Life in the screening of convergence insufficiency.

AIM: To compare and analyse the diagnostic efficacy of the College of Optometrists Vision Development Quality of Life Questionnaire (COVD-QOL) and the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS) in detecting convergence insufficiency and to compare their diagnostic value in clinical applications. METHODS: Using the diagnostic test method, 62 adult patients with convergence insufficiency (age: 24.74±3.75y) and 62 normal participants (age: 23.61±3.13y) who visited the Optometry Clinic of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from April 2021 to January 2023 were included. All subjects completed the CISS and COVD-QOL. Statistical analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of the CISS and COVD-QOL and comparison and joint experimental analysis of their diagnostic efficacy were performed. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the CISS and COVD-QOL for convergence insufficiency was 64.5% and 71.0%, respectively, while the specificity was 96.8% and 67.7%, respectively. Compared to the CISS alone, the combination of the CISS and COVD-QOL demonstrated lower sensitivity and specificity. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of CISS, COVD-QOL and CISS combined with COVD-QOL were 0.806, 0.694 and 0.782, respectively. CONCLUSION: Considering the low sensitivity of the CISS and the low specificity of the COVD-QOL, it is recommended to supplement these questionnaires with other screening tests for the detection of convergence insufficiency.

Protocol to prepare MUC1 glycopeptide vaccines and evaluate immunization effects in mice.

The tumor-associated mucin MUC1 is overexpressed in almost all types of epithelial tumor tissues, making it an attractive target antigen for cancer immunotherapy. Here we present a protocol to prepare MUC1 glycopeptide vaccines and to evaluate immunization effects in mice. We describe steps for synthesizing glycopeptide antigen and conjugating it with carrier protein to make vaccine candidates. We then detail procedures for mice immunization, antibody response evaluation, and cellular immune response. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Cai et al.1,2.

Impact of extraction method on the lipids of Himalayan marmot oil with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry analysis.

RATIONALE: Himalayan marmot oil (SPO) has been used for pharmaceutical purposes for centuries, but its composition is still unclear. The bioactivity of SPO highly depends on the techniques used for its processing. This study focused on the comprehensive lipidomics of SPO, especially on the ones derived from dry rendering, wet rendering, cold pressing, and ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction. METHODS: We performed lipid profiling of SPO acquired by different extraction methods using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry, and 17 classes of lipids (2 BMPs, 12 LysoPCs, 9 LysoPEs, 41 PCs, 24 PEs, 23 Plasmenyl-PCs, 10 Plasmenyl-PEs, 10 MGs, 63 DGs, 187 TGs, 2 MGDGs, 3 Cer[NDS]s, 22 Cer[NS]s, 2 GlcCer[NS]s, 14 SMs, 14 CEs, and 6 AcylCarnitines) were characterized. RESULTS: Fifty-five lipids were differentially altered (VIP > 1.5, p < 0.05) between the extraction techniques, which can be used as potential biomarkers to differentiate SPO extracted by various methods. Additionally, the contents of oleic acid and arachidic acid were abundant in all samples that may suggest their medicinal values and are conducive to in-depth research. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal the alterations of lipid profile and free fatty acid composition in SPO obtained with different extraction methods, providing a theoretical foundation for investigating its important components as functional factors in medicines and cosmetics.

Inorganic Composition Modulation of Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Fast Charging Lithium Metal Batteries.

The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with lithium fluoride (LiF) is critical to the performance of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) due to its high stability and mechanical properties. However, the low Li ion conductivity of LiF impedes the rapid diffusion of Li ions in the SEI, which leads to localized Li ion oversaturation dendritic deposition and hinders the practical applications of LMBs at high-current regions (>3 C). To address this issue, a fluorophosphated SEI rich with fast ion-diffusing inorganic grain boundaries (LiF/Li3P) is introduced. By utilizing a sol electrolyte that contains highly dispersed porous LiF nanoparticles modified with phosphorus-containing functional groups, a fluorophosphated SEI is constructed and the presence of electrochemically active Li within these fast ion-diffusing grain boundaries (GBs-Li) that are non-nucleated is demonstrated, ensuring the stability of the Li || NCM811 cell for over 1000 cycles at fast-charging rates of 5 C (11 mA cm-2). Additionally, a practical, long cycling, and intrinsically safe LMB pouch cell with high energy density (400 Wh kg-1) is fabricated. The work reveals how SEI components and structure design can enable fast-charging LMBs.

Factors affecting long-term myopic regression after corneal refractive surgery for civilian pilots in southwest China.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyze myopic regression after corneal refractive surgery (CRS) in civilian pilots and to explore the factors that may cause long-term myopic regression. METHODS: We included civilian pilots who had undergone CRS to correct their myopia and who had at least 5 years of follow-up. We collected retrospective data and completed eye examinations and a questionnaire to assess their eye habits. RESULTS: A total of 236 eyes were evaluated in this study. 211 eyes had Intrastromal ablations (167 eyes had laser in situ keratomileusis, LASIK, 44 eyes had small incision lenticule extraction, SMILE) and 25 eyes had subepithelial ablations (15 eyes had laser epithelial keratomileusis, LASEK and 10 eyes had photorefractive keratectomy, PRK). The mean preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) was - 2.92 ± 1.11 D (range from - 1.00 to -5.00 D). A total of 56 eyes (23.6%) suffered from myopic regression after CRS. Comparisons of individual and eye characteristics between the regression and non-regression groups revealed statistically significant differences in age, cumulative flight time, postoperative SE (at 6 months and current), uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), accommodative amplitude (AA), positive relative accommodation (PRA), postoperative period, types of CRS and eye habits. Generalized propensity score weighting (GPSW) was used to balance the distribution of covariates among different age levels, types of CRS, cumulative flying time, postoperative period and continuous near-work time. The results of GPS weighted logistic regression demonstrated that the associations between age and myopic regression, types of CRS and myopic regression, continuous near-work time and myopic regression were significant. Cumulative flying time and myopic regression, postoperative period and myopic regression were no significant. Specifically, the odds ratio (OR) for age was 1.151 (P = 0.022), and the OR for type of CRS was 2.769 (P < 0.001). The OR for continuous near-work time was 0.635 with a P value of 0.038. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report to analyze myopic regression after CRS in civilian pilots. Our study found that for each year increase in age, the risk of civilian pilots experiencing myopic regression was increased. Intrastromal ablations had a lower risk of long-term myopia regression than subepithelial ablations. There is a higher risk of myopic progression with continuous near-work time > 45 min and poor accommodative function may be related factors in this specific population.

High dimensional proteomic mapping of bone marrow immune characteristics in immune thrombocytopenia.

To investigate the role of co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules on immune tolerance in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), this study mapped the immune cell heterogeneity in the bone marrow of ITP at the single-cell level using Cytometry by Time of Flight (CyTOF). Thirty-six patients with ITP and nine healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. As soluble immunomodulatory molecules, more sCD25 and sGalectin-9 were detected in ITP patients. On the cell surface, co-stimulatory molecules like ICOS and HVEM were observed to be upregulated in mainly central memory and effector T cells. In contrast, co-inhibitory molecules such as CTLA-4 were significantly reduced in Th1 and Th17 cell subsets. Taking a platelet count of 30×109 L-1 as the cutoff value, ITP patients with high and low platelet counts showed different T cell immune profiles. Antigen-presenting cells such as monocytes and B cells may regulate the activation of T cells through CTLA-4/CD86 and HVEM/BTLA interactions, respectively, and participate in the pathogenesis of ITP. In conclusion, the proteomic and soluble molecular profiles brought insight into the interaction and modulation of immune cells in the bone marrow of ITP. They may offer novel targets to develop personalized immunotherapies.

Retraction of "Universal theranostic CRISPR/Cas13a RNA-editing system for glioma".

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7150/thno.84429.].

Optimal shrinkage denoising breaks the noise floor in high-resolution diffusion MRI.

The spatial resolution attainable in diffusion magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is inherently limited by noise. The weaker signal associated with a smaller voxel size, especially at a high level of diffusion sensitization, is often buried under the noise floor owing to the non-Gaussian nature of the MR magnitude signal. Here, we show how the noise floor can be suppressed remarkably via optimal shrinkage of singular values associated with noise in complex-valued k-space data from multiple receiver channels. We explore and compare different low-rank signal matrix recovery strategies to utilize the inherently redundant information from multiple channels. In combination with background phase removal, the optimal strategy reduces the noise floor by 11 times. Our framework enables imaging with substantially improved resolution for precise characterization of tissue microstructure and white matter pathways without relying on expensive hardware upgrades and time-consuming acquisition repetitions, outperforming other related denoising methods.

In Silico Discovery of Stapled Peptide Inhibitor Targeting the Nur77-PPARγ Interaction and Its Anti-Breast-Cancer Efficacy.

The binding of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) to the orphan nuclear receptor Nur77 facilitates the ubiquitination and degradation of Nur77, and leads to aberrant fatty acid uptake for breast cancer progression. Because of its crucial role in clinical prognosis, the interaction between Nur77 and PPARγ is an attractive target for anti-breast-cancer therapy. However, developing an inhibitor of the Nur77-PPARγ interaction poses a technical challenge due to the absence of the crystal structure of PPARγ and its corresponding interactive model with Nur77. Here, ST-CY14, a stapled peptide, is identified as a potent modulator of Nur77 with a KD value of 3.247 × 10-8 M by in silico analysis, rational design, and structural modification. ST-CY14 effectively increases Nur77 protein levels by blocking the Nur77-PPARγ interaction, thereby inhibiting lipid metabolism in breast tumor cells. Notably, ST-CY14 significantly suppresses breast cancer growth and bone metastasis in mice. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of exploiting directly Nur77-PPARγ interaction in breast cancer, and generate what to the best knowledge is the first direct inhibitor of the Nur77-PPARγ interaction available for impeding fatty acid uptake and therapeutic development.

Regulatory Insights for On-Board Monitoring of Vehicular NOx Emission Compliance.

Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles (HDDVs) have adverse effects on human health and the environment. On-board monitoring (OBM), which can continuously collect vehicle performance and NOx emissions throughout the operation lifespan, is recognized as the core technology for future vehicle in-use compliance, but its large-scale application has not been reported. Here, we utilized OBM data from 22,520 HDDVs in China to evaluate their real-world NOx emissions. Our findings showed that China VI HDDVs had a 73% NOx emission reduction compared with China V vehicles, but a considerable proportion still faced a significant risk of higher NOx emissions than the corresponding limits. The unsatisfactory efficiency of the emission treatment system under disadvantageous driving conditions (e.g., low speed or ambient temperature) resulted in the incompliance of NOx emissions, especially for utility vehicles (sanitation/garbage trucks). Furthermore, the observed intertrip and seasonal variability of NOx emissions demonstrated the need for a long-term continuous monitoring protocol instead of instantaneous evaluation for the OBM. With both functions of emission monitoring and malfunction diagnostics, OBM has the potential to accurately verify the in-use compliance status of large-scale HDDVs and discern the responsibility of high-emitting activities from manufacturers, vehicle operators, and driving conditions.

Neuropilin-1-Targeted Nanomedicine for Spatiotemporal Tumor Suppression through Photodynamic Vascular Damage and Antiangiogenesis.

Antiangiogenic therapy is an effective way to disrupt nutrient supply and starve tumors, but it is restricted by poor efficacy and negative feedback-induced tumor relapse. In this study, a neuropilin-1 (NRP-1)-targeted nanomedicine (designated as FPPT@Axi) is reported for spatiotemporal tumor suppression by combining photodynamic therapy (PDT) with antiangiogenesis. In brief, FPPT@Axi is prepared by utilizing an NRP-1-targeting chimeric peptide (Fmoc-K(PpIX)-PEG8-TKPRR) to encapsulate the antiangiogenic drug Axitinib (Axi). Importantly, the NRP-1-mediated targeting property enables FPPT@Axi to selectively concentrate at vascular endothelial and breast cancer cells, facilitating the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in situ for specific vascular disruption and enhanced cell apoptosis under light stimulation. Moreover, the codelivered Axi can further inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) to impair the negative feedback of PDT-induced tumor neovascularization. Consequently, FPPT@Axi spatiotemporally restrains the tumor growth through blocking angiogenesis, destroying tumor vessels, and inducing tumor apoptosis. Such an NRP-1-mediated targeting codelivery system sheds light on constructing an appealing candidate with translational potential by using clinically approved PDT and chemotherapy.

A Multifunctional Herb-Derived Glycopeptide Hydrogel for Chronic Wound Healing.

Chronic wounds constitute an increasingly prevalent global healthcare issue, characterized by recurring bacterial infections, pronounced oxidative stress, compromised functionality of immune cells, unrelenting inflammatory reactions, and deficits in angiogenesis. In response to these multifaceted challenges, the study introduced a stimulus-responsive glycopeptide hydrogel constructed by oxidized Bletilla striata polysaccharide (OBSP), gallic acid-grafted ε-Polylysine (PLY-GA), and paeoniflorin-loaded micelles (MIC@Pae), called OBPG&MP. The hydrogel emulates the structure of glycoprotein fibers of the extracellular matrix (ECM), exhibiting exceptional injectability, self-healing, and biocompatibility. It adapts responsively to the inflammatory microenvironment of chronic wounds, sequentially releasing therapeutic agents to eradicate bacterial infection, neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS), modulate macrophage polarization, suppress inflammation, and encourage vascular regeneration and ECM remodeling, playing a critical role across the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases of wound healing. Both in vitro and in vivo studies confirmed the efficacy of OBPG&MP hydrogel in regulating the wound microenvironment and enhancing the regeneration and remodeling of chronic wound skin tissue. This research supports the vast potential for herb-derived multifunctional hydrogels in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Impacts of ethanol blended fuels and cold temperature on VOC emissions from gasoline vehicles in China.

The Chinese central government has initiated pilot projects to promote the adoption of gasoline containing 10%v ethanol (E10). Vehicle emissions using ethanol blended fuels require investigation to estimate the environmental impacts of the initiative. Five fuel formulations were created using two blending methods (splash blending and match blending) to evaluate the impacts of formulations on speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from exhaust emissions. Seven in-use vehicles covering China 4 to China 6 emission standards were recruited. Vehicle tests were conducted using the Worldwide Harmonized Test Cycle (WLTC) in a temperature-controlled chamber at 23 °C and -7 °C. Splash blended E10 fuels led to significant reductions in VOC emissions by 12%-75%. E10 fuels had a better performance of reducing VOC emissions in older model vehicles than in newer model vehicles. These results suggested that E10 fuel could be an option to mitigate the VOC emissions. Although replacing methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) with ethanol in regular gasoline had no significant effects on VOC emissions, the replacement led to lower aromatic emissions by 40%-60%. Alkanes and aromatics dominated approximately 90% of VOC emissions for all vehicle-fuel combinations. Cold temperature increased VOC emissions significantly, by 3-26 folds for all vehicle/fuel combinations at -7 °C. Aromatic emissions were increased by cold temperature, from 2 to 26 mg/km at 23 °C to 33-238 mg/km at -7 °C. OVOC emissions were not significantly affected by E10 fuel or cold temperature. The ozone formation potential (OFP) and secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOAFP) of splash blended E10 fuels decreased by up to 76% and 81%, respectively, compared with those of E0 fuels. The results are useful to update VOC emission profiles of Chinese vehicles using ethanol blended gasoline and under low-temperature conditions.

EPIC-0628 abrogates HOTAIR/EZH2 interaction and enhances the temozolomide efficacy via promoting ATF3 expression and inhibiting DNA damage repair in glioblastoma.

The efficacy of temozolomide (TMZ) treatment in glioblastoma (GBM) is influenced by various mechanisms, mainly including the level of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and the activity of DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways. In our previous study, we had proved that long non-coding RNA HOTAIR regulated the GBM progression and mediated DDR by interacting with EZH2, the catalytic subunit of PRC2. In this study, we developed a small-molecule inhibitor called EPIC-0628 that selectively disrupted the HOTAIR-EZH2 interaction and promoted ATF3 expression. The upregulation of ATF3 inhibited the recruitment of p300, p-p65, p-Stat3 and SP1 to the MGMT promoter. Hence, EPIC-0628 silenced MGMT expression. Besides, EPIC-0628 induced cell cycle arrest by increasing the expression of CDKN1A and impaired DNA double-strand break repair via suppressing the ATF3-p38-E2F1 pathway. Lastly, EPIC-0628 enhanced TMZ efficacy in GBM in vitro and vivo. Hence, this study provided evidence for the combination of epigenetic drugs EPIC-0628 with TMZ for GBM treatment through the above mechanisms.

Microenvironment-responsive smart hydrogels with antibacterial activity and immune regulation for accelerating chronic wound healing.

Current therapeutic strategies for chronic refractory wounds remain challenge owing to their unfavorable wound microenvironment and poor skin regeneration ability. Thus far, a regimen for effective chronic refractory wounds management involves bacterial elimination, alleviation of oxidative stress, inhibition of inflammatory response, and promotion of angiogenesis. In this work, an injectable glycopeptide hydrogel based on phenylboronic acid-grafted ϵ-polylysine (EPBA) and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with pH/reactive oxygen species (ROS) dual-responsive properties was prepared, which exerted intrinsic antibacterial and antioxidant properties. ROS-responsive micelles (MIC) loaded with herb-derived Astragaloside IV (AST) are introduced into the hydrogel before gelation. Attributed to the acidic condition and oxidative stress microenvironment of wound bed, the hydrogel gradually disintegrates, and the released EPBA could help to eliminate bacterial. Meanwhile, the subsequential release of AST could help to achieve anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, proangiogenic effects, and regulation of macrophage polarization to accelerate chronic wound healing. In addition, the wound repair mechanism of composite hydrogel accelerating skin regeneration was assessed by RNA-sequencing, exploring a range of potential targets and pathway for further study. Collectively, this multifunctional hydrogel dressing, matching different healing stages of tissue remodeling, holds a great potential for the treatment of chronic refractory wounds.

Wide-field illumination diffuse optical tomography within a framework of single-pixel time-domain spatial frequency domain imaging.

We present a wide-field illumination time-domain (TD) diffusion optical tomography (DOT) for three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction within a shallow region under the illuminated surface of the turbid medium. The methodological foundation is laid on the single-pixel spatial frequency domain (SFD) imaging that facilitates the adoption of the well-established time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC)-based TD detection and generalized pulse spectrum techniques (GPST)-based reconstruction. To ameliorate the defects of the conventional diffusion equation (DE) in the forward modeling of TD-SFD-DOT, mainly the low accuracy in the near-field region and in profiling early-photon migration, we propose a modified model employing the time-dependent δ-P1 approximation and verify its improved accuracy in comparison with both the Monte Carlo and DE-based ones. For a simplified inversion process, a modified GPST approach is extended to TD-SFD-DOT that enables the effective separation of the absorption and scattering coefficients using a steady-state equivalent strategy. Furthermore, we set up a single-pixel TD-SFD-DOT system that employs the TCSPC-based TD detection in the SFD imaging framework. For assessments of the reconstruction approach and the system performance, phantom experiments are performed for a series of scenarios. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed methodology for rapid 3-D reconstruction of the absorption and scattering coefficients within a depth range of about 5 mean free pathlengths.

[Ozone Pollution in Suzhou During Early Summertime: Formation Mechanism and Interannual Variation].

This study investigated the concentrations of atmospheric pollutants in the urban area of Suzhou from May to June, 2017-2021. The variation characteristics and annual changes of ozone (O3), nitrogen oxide (NOx), total oxidant (Ox), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed. The O3 formation mechanism and its annual changes were studied using an Observation-Based Model (OBM), and VOCs source apportionments and their trends were discussed. The results indicated that ① The volume fractions of Ox and the concentrations of NOx and CO have decreased in the urban area of Suzhou in recent years, while the volume fractions of VOCs have increased, and sufficient photochemical conditions for O3 formation still existed during polluted days. ② The O3-NOx-VOCs sensitivity in Suzhou was in the VOCs-limited regime. The long-term reduction ratio between VOCs and NOx should not be less than 5:1, and aromatics and alkenes were the critical VOCs for mitigating O3 pollution. ③ The results of VOCs source apportionment revealed that industrial emissions, gasoline vehicle exhaust, and diesel engine exhaust were the major sources of VOC emissions in Suzhou. Industrial emissions and solvent usage declined from 2017 to 2021; however, gasoline vehicle exhaust and gasoline evaporation, which possess higher O3 formation potential(OFP), increased significantly. ④ The OFP source apportionments results indicated that controlling VOC emissions from solvent usage and gasoline vehicle exhaust is crucial for O3 pollution control in Suzhou.

A multimodal submillimeter MRI atlas of the human cerebellum.

The human cerebellum is engaged in a broad array of tasks related to motor coordination, cognition, language, attention, memory, and emotional regulation. A detailed cerebellar atlas can facilitate the investigation of the structural and functional organization of the cerebellum. However, existing cerebellar atlases are typically limited to a single imaging modality with insufficient characterization of tissue properties. Here, we introduce a multifaceted cerebellar atlas based on high-resolution multimodal MRI, facilitating the understanding of the neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration of the cerebellum based on cortical morphology, tissue microstructure, and intra-cerebellar and cerebello-cerebral connectivity.