Helicobacter pylori plays a key role in gastric adenocarcinoma induced by spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia.

Heliobacter pylori (H. pylori), a group 1 human gastric carcinogen, is significantly associated with chronic gastritis, gastric mucosal atrophy, and gastric cancer. Approximately 20% of patients infected with H. pylori develop precancerous lesions, among which metaplasia is the most critical. Except for intestinal metaplasia (IM), which is characterized by goblet cells appearing in the stomach glands, one type of mucous cell metaplasia, spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM), has attracted much attention. Epidemiological and clinicopathological studies suggest that SPEM may be more strongly linked to gastric adenocarcinoma than IM. SPEM, characterized by abnormal expression of trefoil factor 2, mucin 6, and Griffonia simplicifolia lectin II in the deep glands of the stomach, is caused by acute injury or inflammation. Although it is generally believed that the loss of parietal cells alone is a sufficient and direct cause of SPEM, further in-depth studies have revealed the critical role of immunosignals. There is controversy regarding whether SPEM cells originate from the transdifferentiation of mature chief cells or professional progenitors. SPEM plays a functional role in the repair of gastric epithelial injury. However, chronic inflammation and immune responses caused by H. pylori infection can induce further progression of SPEM to IM, dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma. SPEM cells upregulate the expression of whey acidic protein 4-disulfide core domain protein 2 and CD44 variant 9, which recruit M2 macrophages to the wound. Studies have revealed that interleukin-33, the most significantly upregulated cytokine in macrophages, promotes SPEM toward more advanced metaplasia. Overall, more effort is needed to reveal the specific mechanism of SPEM malignant progression driven by H. pylori infection.

Structural insight into the magnesium borohydride - ethylenediamine solid-state Mg-ion electrolyte system.

A highly complex crystal structure of stoichiometric Mg5(en)6(BH4)10 was solved from single crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction and confirmed by neutron powder diffraction (NPD) on isotopically substituted Mg(en)1.2(11BD4)2. We highlight the role of the amorphous Mg(BH4)2 in the reactivity of the Mg(BH4)2-en system and characterized a previously overlooked phase, Mg(en)2(BH4)2.

High Yield Autoclave Synthesis of pure M2B12H12 (M = Na, K).

Metal dodecaborates (MxB12H12) are a versatile class of materials used in polymer chemistry and cancer treatment and are promising candidates as electrolytes for solid-state batteries. However, a general and scalable approach has not yet been developed for producing high-purity B12H122- derivatives. In this work, we report a simple, efficient, and environmentally benign solvothermal method to prepare diffraction and 11B NMR pure Na2B12H12 (85% yield) and K2B12H12 (84% yield). This new synthetic approach is based on the use of the borane dimethyl sulfide complex (DMS·BH3) and borohydrides (NaBH4, KBH4) heated at different temperatures in diglyme in an autoclave. It was found that high-purity Na2B12H12·diglyme solvate is obtained via an intermediate formation of B3H8-, B9H14-, and B11H14-, which are all soluble in diglyme. Heating under vacuum is shown to be efficient for removing the coordinated diglyme, allowing the formation of unsolvated Na2B12H12. Autoclave synthesis starting from KBH4 directly yields solvent-free K2B12H12, and ball-milling KBH4 prior to the synthesis enabling us to significantly improve the final yield. The new synthetic method paves the way for large-scale synthesis of MxB12H12 derivatives, enabling to envisage a wider scope of practical applications.

P38γ modulates the lipid metabolism in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major health problem in Western countries and has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease. Although NAFLD is closely associated with obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance, its pathogenesis remains unclear. The disease begins with excessive accumulation of triglycerides in the liver, which in turn leads to liver cell damage, steatosis, inflammation, and so on. P38γ is one of the four isoforms of P38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (P38 MAPKs) that contributes to inflammation in different diseases. In this research, we investigated the role of P38γ in NAFLD. In vivo, a NAFLD model was established by feeding C57BL/6J mice with a methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet and adeno-associated virus (AAV9-shRNA-P38γ) was injected into C57BL/6J mice by tail vein for knockdown P38γ. The results indicated that the expression level of P38γ was upregulated in MCD-fed mice. Furthermore, the downregulation of P38γ significantly attenuated liver injury and lipid accumulation in mice. In vitro, mouse hepatocytes AML-12 were treated with free fatty acid (FFA). We found that P38γ was obviously increased in FFA-treated AML-12 cells, whereas knockdown of P38γ significantly suppressed lipid accumulation in FFA-treated AML-12 cells. Furthermore, P38γ regulated the Janus Kinase-Signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway. Inhibition of P38γ can inhibit the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting lipid accumulation in FFA-treated AML-12 cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that targeting P38γ contributes to the suppression of lipid accumulation in fatty liver disease.

Short-Range Nanoreaction Effect on the Hydrogen Desorption Behaviors of the MgH2-Ni@C Composite.

Doping a catalyst can efficiently improve the hydrogen reaction kinetics of MgH2. However, the hydrogen desorption behaviors are complicated in different MgH2-catalyst systems. Here, a carbon-encapsulated nickel (Ni@C) core-shell catalyst is synthesized to improve the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2. The complicated hydrogen desorption mechanism of the MgH2-Ni@C composite is elucidated. The experimental and theoretical calculation results indicate a short-range nanoreaction effect on the hydrogen desorption behaviors of the MgH2-Ni@C composite. The Ni@C catalysts and the adjacent MgH2 form nanoreaction sites along with preferential hydrogen desorption. The new interface between the in situ formed Mg and residual MgH2 contributes to the subsequent hydrogen desorption. With the nanoreaction sites increased via adding more catalyst, the short-range nanoreaction effect is more prominent; as a comparison, the interface effect becomes weaker or even disappears. In addition, the core-shell structure catalyst shows ultrahigh structural stability and catalytic activity, even after 50 hydrogen absorption and desorption cycles. Hence, this study provides new insights into the complicated hydrogen desorption behaviors and comes up with the short-range nanoreaction effect in the MgH2-catalyst system.

The Role of IL-36 in the Pathophysiological Processes of Autoimmune Diseases.

A member of the interleukin (IL)-1 superfamily was IL-36, which contained IL-36α, IL-36ß, IL-36γ, and IL-36Ra. Heterotrimer complexes, consisting of heterodimeric receptor complexes and IL-36 agonist, gave signals through intracellular functional domains, so as to bind to downstream proteins and induce inflammatory response. IL-36 agonists upregulated mature-associated CD80, CD86, MHCII, and inductively produced several pro-inflammatory cytokines through the IL-36R-dependent manner in dendritic cells (DCs). Besides, DCs had the ability to initiate the differentiation of helper T (Th) cells. Up to date, the role of IL-36 in immunity, inflammation and other diseases is of great importance. Additionally, autoimmune diseases were characterized by excessive immune response, resulting in damage and dysfunction of specific or multiple organs and tissues. Most autoimmune diseases were related to inflammatory response. In this review, we will conclude the recent research advances of IL-36 in the occurrence and development of autoimmune diseases, which may provide new insight for the future research and the treatment of these diseases.

Enhancement of the ionic conductivity of lithium borohydride by silica supports.

Confinement of LiBH4 in porous materials is an efficient route to enhance the ionic conductivity of lithium, which seems to be associated with various types of scaffolding and its mixture ratios. In the present work, we reveal the effect of supports on ionic conductivity improvements based on a comparison of different silica supports, including micro-SiO2 (SM), porous nano-SiO2 (MSN), and nano-SiO2 with nanochannels (SBA-15). All LiBH4/silica composites exhibited higher lithium ionic conductivity, where LiBH4/SBA-15 (47% weight ratio) exhibited the highest conductivity of 3 × 10-5 S cm-1 at 35 °C, nearly three orders of magnitude higher than that of pure LiBH4. In addition, the LiBH4/SBA-15 composite has a wider electrochemical stability window of -0.2 to 5 V, satisfactory compatibility with the Li anode, and no occurrence of side reactions. These ionic conductivity enhancements can be attributed to the support effects of distinct SiO2, i.e., the increase in surface area for superior interfacial ionic conductivity and/or the increased disorder of LiBH4 for faster matrix ionic conductivity. The present study offers useful insights for designing a new hydride solid electrolyte for all-solid-state lithium ion batteries.

Dynamic transcriptome landscape of Paragonimus proliferus developmental stages in the rat lungs.

Paragonimus proliferus, a lung fluke of the genus Paragonimus, was first reported in Yunnan province, China. P. proliferus can infect Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and cause lung damage, but there is still no direct evidence of human infection. Until now, there has been a lack of studies on P. proliferus parasitism and development in mammalian lung tissue. The aim of this study was to perform transcriptomic profiling of P. proliferus at different developmental stages. SD rats were infected with P. proliferus metacercariae obtained from crabs; worms isolated from the lungs at different time points as well as metacercariae were subjected to whole transcriptome sequencing. Overall, 34,403 transcripts with the total length of 33,223,828 bp, average length of 965 bp, and N50 of 1833 bp were assembled. Comparative analysis indicated that P. proliferus, similar to other Paragonimus spp., expressed genes related to catabolism, whereas P. proliferus-specific transcripts were related to the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis, sensitivity to bacteria, and immune response. Transcriptional dynamics analysis revealed that genes involved in the regulation of catabolism and apoptosis had stable expression over the P. proliferus life cycle, whereas those involved in development and immune response showed time-dependent changes. High expression of genes associated with immune response corresponded to that of genes regulating the sensitivity to bacteria and immune protection. We constructed a P. proliferus developmental model, including the development of the body, suckers, blood cells, reproductive and tracheal systems, lymph, skin, cartilage, and other tissues and organs, and an immune response model, which mainly involved T cells and macrophages. Our study provides a foundation for further research into the molecular biology and infection mechanism of P. proliferus.

Interface controlled solid-state lithium storage performance in free-standing bismuth nanosheets.

Bismuth (Bi) has recently been discovered as a potential lithium-ion anode material for batteries with high Li capacity and suitable equilibrium potential, and without dendrite formation. However, the reversible electrochemical stability remains insufficient for applications. Herein, it is demonstrated that two-dimensional free-standing Bi nanosheets (Bi-NSs) have superior anode performance using either liquid or solid electrolytes. The Bi-NSs with a uniform thickness of ∼40 nm prepared by aqueous methods exhibit a record high capacity of ∼287 mA h g-1 at a current density of 250 mA g-1 with the LiBH4 solid electrolyte even after 100 cycles. Fast and stable solid-state lithium plating and stripping occur without side reactions. The 2D layered nanostructure has more active sites and a shorter diffusion length, and forms stable interfaces with the electrolyte. The present work reveals a facile synthesis route of novel 2D materials and paves an efficient pathway for high-capacity and safe bismuth-based anodes for lithium batteries.

Titanium Hydride Nanoplates Enable 5 wt% of Reversible Hydrogen Storage by Sodium Alanate below 80°C.

Sodium alanate (NaAlH4) with 5.6 wt% of hydrogen capacity suffers seriously from the sluggish kinetics for reversible hydrogen storage. Ti-based dopants such as TiCl4, TiCl3, TiF3, and TiO2 are prominent in enhancing the dehydrogenation kinetics and hence reducing the operation temperature. The tradeoff, however, is a considerable decrease of the reversible hydrogen capacity, which largely lowers the practical value of NaAlH4. Here, we successfully synthesized a new Ti-dopant, i.e., TiH2 as nanoplates with ~50 nm in lateral size and ~15 nm in thickness by an ultrasound-driven metathesis reaction between TiCl4 and LiH in THF with graphene as supports (denoted as NP-TiH2@G). Doping of 7 wt% NP-TiH2@G enables a full dehydrogenation of NaAlH4 at 80°C and rehydrogenation at 30°C under 100 atm H2 with a reversible hydrogen capacity of 5 wt%, superior to all literature results reported so far. This indicates that nanostructured TiH2 is much more effective than Ti-dopants in improving the hydrogen storage performance of NaAlH4. Our finding not only pushes the practical application of NaAlH4 forward greatly but also opens up new opportunities to tailor the kinetics with the minimal capacity loss.

Effects of Short-Term Low-Dose Glucocorticoids for Patients with Mild COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the role of short-term low-dose glucocorticoids in mild COVID-19 patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional, single-center study in Kunming, China. A total of 33 mild COVID-19 cases were divided into two treatment groups (with and without glucocorticoids, methylprednisolone, were used in this setting), and the absolute value of peripheral blood lymphocyte count; CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cell counts; and the time to achieve negative transformation of a nucleic acid pharyngeal swab were recorded. Peripheral blood lymphocyte and T cell counts were compared between the treatment group and 25 healthy individuals. At the point of time when there was a 50% accumulation conversion rate (positive to negative nucleic acid on pharyngeal swab), and the nucleic acid turned negative in half of the patients in two groups, the peripheral blood lymphocyte and T cell counts were compared between treatment groups. RESULTS: The mean cumulative time for the 50% negative conversion rate of the nucleic acid in the pharyngeal swab was 17.7 ± 5.1 days and 13.9 ± 5.4 days in the glucocorticoid group and the nonglucocorticoid group, respectively. The absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte count and the T cell subset count in the glucocorticoid group were lower than those in the nonglucocorticoid group. When the nucleic acid turned negative in half of the patients, the absolute value of peripheral blood lymphocyte count and CD4+ T cells of the glucocorticoid group and the nonglucocorticoid group was not significantly different; the CD3+ and CD8+ T cells in the glucocorticoid group were lower than those in the nonglucocorticoid group. The absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte count, CD3+ T cells, and CD4+ T cells in the glucocorticoid group were lower than those of the healthy group during the whole disease period, and CD8+ T cells returned to normal at 19-21 days of the disease period. There was no significant difference between the nonglucocorticoid group and the healthy group for absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte and CD8+ T cells; moreover, CD3+ T cells and CD4+ T cells were lower in the nonglucocorticoid group than those in the healthy group from the day of admission to the 18th day and returned to normal at the period of 19-21 days. The absolute peripheral lymphocyte count (P = 0.048, effect size d = 0.727) and T cell subset count (CD3: P = 0.042, effect size d = 0.655; CD4: P < 0.01, effect size d = 0.599; and CD8: P = 0.034, effect size d = 0.550) in the nonglucocorticoid group were higher than those in the glucocorticoid group, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that the use of short-term, low-dose glucocorticoids does not negatively influence the clinical outcome, without affecting the final clearance of viral nucleic acid in mild COVID-19 patients.

Ultra-Fine CeO2 Particles Triggered Strong Interaction with LaFeO3 Framework for Total and Preferential CO Oxidation.

Interactions between the active components with the support are one of the fundamentally factors in determining the catalytic performance of a catalyst. In contrast to the comprehensive understanding on the strong metal-support interactions (SMSI) in metal-based catalysts, it remains unclear for the interactions among different oxides in mixed oxide catalysts due to its complexity. In this study, we investigated the interaction between CeO2 and LaFeO3, the two important oxygen storage materials in catalysis area, by tuning the sizes of CeO2 particles and highlight a two-fold effect of the strong oxide-oxide interaction in determining the catalytic activity and selectivity for preferential CO oxidation in hydrogen feeds. It is found that the anchoring of ultra-fine CeO2 particles (<2 nm) at the framework of three-dimensional-ordered macroporous LaFeO3 surface results in a strong interaction between the two oxides that induces the formation of abundant uncoordinated cations and oxygen vacancy at the interface, contributing to the improved oxygen mobility and catalytic activity for CO oxidation. Hydrogen spillover, which is an important evidence of the strong metal-support interactions in precious metal catalysts supported by reducible oxides, is also observed in the H2 reduction process of CeO2/LaFeO3 catalyst due to the presence of ultra-fine CeO2 particles (<2 nm). However, the strong interaction also results in the formation of surface hydroxyl groups, which when combined with the hydrogen spillover reduces the selectivity for preferential CO oxidation. This discovery demonstrates that in hybrid oxide-based catalysts, tuning the interaction among different components is essential for balancing the catalytic activity and selectivity.

Circulating Tumor Cells and Fibronectin 1 in the Prognosis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is highly endemic in Southeast China. Circulating tumor cell is an important biomarker in the prognosis of variety kinds of cancers. Overexpression of fibronectin 1 was observed in variety kinds of malignancies and may contribute to progress and metastasis of the cancers. The current study was aimed to investigate phenotypes of circulating tumor cell in nasopharyngeal carcinoma blood and fibronectin 1 expression in the circulating tumor cell, and their clinical application in predicting nasopharyngeal carcinoma prognosis. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients before and after treatment. CanPatrol circulating tumor cell enrichment and RNA in situ hybridization were applied to identify circulating tumor cell and its phenotypes. Fibronectin 1 messenger RNA expression in the cells of circulating tumors was examined by messenger RNA-in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Circulating tumor cell was not associated with tumor characteristics or lymph node metastasis. Patients with >9 circulating tumor cells or >5 mesenchymal phenotype circulating tumor cell per 5-mL blood had poorer progression-free survival (P < .05). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that 2 or more mesenchymal phenotype circulating tumor cells with high fibronectin 1 messenger RNA expression predicted shorter progression-free survival (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Circulating tumor cells with high-level fibronectin 1 expression was associated with poor survival in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and could be an independent prognostic factor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

An alternative for the anode materials of nickel metal hydride batteries: an AB3-type La0.6Gd0.2Mg0.2Ni2.6Co0.3Al0.1 hydrogen storage alloy.

In order to satisfy the demand for the cyclic stability of commercial Ni-MH anodes, a PuNi3-type La0.6Gd0.2Mg0.2Ni2.6Co0.3Al0.1 alloy with excellent overall electrochemical properties was prepared by annealing the as-cast alloy sample at different temperatures for a week. The alloy had the highest PuNi3-type content of 86.9 wt% (1073 K), which offered a capacity retention of 69.6% after 100 cycles. However, 23.7 wt% PuNi3 type phase of the alloy constantly converted into the Ce2Ni7 type phase within a temperature increase of 50 °C, which improved the capacity retention by 12.1% under the same discharge capacity. We found that the addition of Gd did not change the stacked [LaMgNi4]/[LaNi5] superlattice and it maintained the structural stability of the crystal as well as its anti-corrosion, which is also a key factor to improve cyclic stability. These findings imply that alloys with both PuNi3-type and Ce2Ni7-type multiphase structures can be considered as a new choice for hydrogen storage.

Engineering Oxygen Vacancies in a Polysulfide-Blocking Layer with Enhanced Catalytic Ability.

The practical application of the lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is seriously restricted by its shuttle effect, low conductivity, and low sulfur loading. Herein, first-principles calculations are conducted to verify that the introduction of oxygen vacancies in TiO2 not only enhances polysulfide adsorption but also greatly improves the catalytic ability and both the ion and electron conductivities. A commercial polypropylene (PP) separator decorated with TiO2 nanosheets with oxygen vacancies (OVs-TiO2 @PP) is fabricated as a strong polysulfide barrier for the Li-S battery. The thickness of the OVs-TiO2 modification layer is only 500 nm with a low areal mass of around 0.12 mg cm-2 , which enhances the fast lithium-ion penetration and the high energy density of the whole cell. As a result, the cell with the OVs-TiO2 @PP separator exhibits a stable electrochemical behavior at 2.0 C over 500 cycles, even under a high sulfur loading of 7.1 mg cm-2 , and an areal capacity of 5.83 mAh cm-2 remains after 100 cycles. The proposed strategy of engineering oxygen vacancies is expected to have wide applications in Li-S batteries.

The Role of IL-35 in the Pathophysiological Processes of Liver Disease.

It is known that liver diseases have several characteristics of massive lipid accumulation and lipid metabolic disorder, and are divided into liver inflammation, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients. Interleukin (IL)-35, a new-discovered cytokine, can protect the liver from the environmental attack by increasing the ratio of Tregs (T regulatory cells) which can increase the anti-inflammatory cytokines and inhibit the proliferation of immune cellular. Interestingly, two opposite mechanisms (pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory) have connection with the ultimate formation of liver diseases, which suggest that IL-35 may play crucial function in the process of liver diseases through immunosuppressive regulation. Besides, some obvious advantages also imply that IL-35 can be considered as a new therapeutic target to control the progression of liver diseases, while its mechanism of function still needs further research.

Synergistic effects of Gd and Co on the phase evolution mechanism and electrochemical performances of Ce2Ni7-type La-Mg-Ni-based alloys.

The influences of Gd and Co co-substitution for La and Ni on phase structures, and electrochemical properties of La0.83-xGdxMg0.17Ni3.35-2xCo2xAl0.15 (x = 0-0.83) alloys were investigated. All the alloys contained A2B7-type (Ce2Ni7- and Gd2Co7-type) phase, Pr5Co19-type phase, PuNi3-type phase and CaCu5-type phase. The partial replacement of Gd and Co for La and Ni increased the phase abundance of the Ce2Ni7-type superstructure and decreased cell volumes, which contributed to a better hydrogen absorption capacity, cyclic stability and HRD. Compared to those of single Gd- or Co-substitutions, the synergistic effects of Gd and Co on the overall electrochemical properties of alloys were significant. Such a superior overall electrochemical performance may result from appropriate cell volumes and anti-pulverization abilities.

Turning bulk materials into 0D, 1D and 2D metallic nanomaterials by selective aqueous corrosion.

The realization of the facile and green synthesis of low-dimensional nanomaterials is critical not only for energy storage but also for catalysis. A selective aqueous corrosion strategy is presented here for obtaining low-dimensional metals, including nanoparticles, nanofibers and nanosheets, based on the dealloying of aqueous-favoring metal from its bulk alloy.

Potassium octahydridotriborate: diverse polymorphism in a potential hydrogen storage material and potassium ion conductor.

Octahydridoborate, i.e. [B3H8]- containing compounds, have recently attracted interest for hydrogen storage. In the present study, the structural, hydrogen storage, and ion conductivity properties of KB3H8 have been systematically investigated. Two distinct polymorphic transitions are identified for KB3H8 from a monoclinic (α) to an orthorhombic (α') structure at 15 °C via a second-order transition and eventually to a cubic (ß) structure at 30 °C by a first-order transition. The ß-polymorph of KB3H8 displays a high degree of disorder of the [B3H8]- anion, which facilitates increased cation mobility, reaching a K+ conductivity of ∼10-7 S cm-1 above 100 °C. ß-KB3H8 starts to release hydrogen at ∼160 °C, simultaneously with the release of B5H9 and trace amounts of B2H6. KBH4 and K3(BH4)(B12H12) are identified as crystalline decomposition products above 200 °C, and the formation of a KBH4 deficient structure of K3-x(BH4)1-x(B12H12) is observed at elevated temperature. The hydrogen-uptake properties of a KB3H8-2KH composite have been examined under 380 bar H2, resulting in the formation of KBH4 at T≥ 150 °C along with higher metal hydridoborates, i.e. K2B9H9, K2B10H10, and K2B12H12.