N-Heterocyclic Nitrenium-Catalyzed Photohomolysis of CF3SO2Cl for Alkene Trifluoromethylation.

N-Heterocyclic nitreniums (NHNs) have been utilized as Lewis acid catalysts to activate substrates with lone pairs. Alternative to their conventional applications, we have discovered that NHNs can also serve as charge transfer complex catalysts. Herein, we present another potential of NHNs by utilizing a weak interaction between NHNs and CF3SO2Cl. The method promotes CF3SO2Cl to undergo photohomolysis, resulting in the CF3 radical. Mechanistic studies suggested that the weak interaction could be due to the π-hole effect of NHNs.

Visible-Light-Induced Photoreduction of Carborane Phosphonium Salts: Efficient Synthesis of Carborane-Oxindole-Pharmaceutical Hybrids.

Visible-light-induced photoreaction of carboranes is an effective approach to prepare carborane-containing compounds. While several methods involving boron-centered carboranyl radicals have been established, those for carbon-centered carboranyl radicals are underdeveloped, except for the UV-light-promoted photohomolysis. Herein, we describe a simple but effective approach to access carbon-centered carboranyl radicals by photoreduction of carborane phosphonium salts under blue light irradiation without using transition metals and photocatalysts. The utility of the method was demonstrated by successfully preparing a range of carborane-oxindole-pharmaceutical hybrids by radical cascade reactions. Computational and experimental studies suggest that the carbon-centered carboranyl radicals are generated by single-electron transfer of the photoactive charge-transfer complexes between the salts and the additive potassium acetate.

Moving to a healthier city? An analysis from China's internal population migration.

A healthy urban environment is considered as an important issue for the amenity and equity of migrants. China has one of the largest internal population movements in the world, and the environmental health of its migrants becomes a growing concern. Based on the 1‰ microdata from the 2015 1% population sample survey, this study uses the spatial visualization and spatial econometric interaction model to reveal intercity population migration patterns and the role of environmental health in China. The results are as follows. First, the main direction of population migration is toward economically developed high class cities, especially the eastern coast where the intercity population migration is most active. However, these major destinations are not necessarily the healthiest areas for the environment. Second, environmentally friendly cities are mainly located in the southern region. Among them, the areas with less serious atmospheric pollution are mainly distributed in the south, climate comfort zones are mainly located in the southeastern region, but areas with more urban green space are mainly distributed in the northwestern region. Third, compared with socioeconomic factors, environmental health factors have not yet become a major driver of population migration. Migrants often place higher value on income than on environmental health. The government should focus not only on the public service wellbeing of migrant workers, but also on their environmental health vulnerability.

Visible-Light-Induced N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Single Electron Reduction of Mono-Fluoroarenes.

Fluoroarenes are abundant and readily available feedstocks. However, due to the high reduction potentials of mono-fluoroarenes, their photoreduction remains a continuing challenge, motivating the development of efficient activation modes to address this issue. This report presents the blue light-induced N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed single electron reduction of mono-fluoroarenes for biaryl cross-couplings. We discovered that under blue light irradiation, NHC/tBuOK combination could construct powerful photoactive architectures to promote single electron transfer for Caryl -F bond reduction via forming highly reducing NHC radical anion. Notably, the strategy was also successful to reduce Caryl -O, Caryl -N, and Caryl -S bonds for biaryl cross-couplings.

Methylated SDC2 testing in stool DNA for early screening of colorectal cancer in Shipai Town, Dongguan City / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To explore the utility of stool-based DNA test of methylated SDC2 (mSDC2) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in residents of Shipai Town, Dongguan City. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Using a cluster sampling method, residents of 18 villages in Shipai Town, Dongguan City were screened for CRC from May 2021 to February 2022. In this study, mSDC2 testing was employed as a preliminary screening method. Colonoscopy examination was recommended for individuals identified as high-risk based on the positive mSDC2 tests. The final screening results, including the rate of positive mSDC2 tests, the rate of colonoscopy compliance, the rate of lesions detection, and the cost-effectiveness of screening, were analyzed to explore the benefits of this screening strategy. Results: A total of 10 708 residents were enrolled and completed mSDC2 testing, giving a participation rate of 54.99% (10 708/19 474) and a pass rate of 97.87% (10 708/10 941). These individuals included 4 713 men (44.01%) and 5 995 women (55.99%) with a mean age of (54.52±9.64) years. The participants were allocated to four age groups (40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70-74 years), comprising 35.21%(3770/10 708), 36.25% (3882/10 708), 18.84% (2017/10 708), and 9.70% (1039/10 708) of all participants, respectively. mSDC2 testing was positive in 821/10 708 (7.67%) participants, 521 of whom underwent colonoscopy, resulting in a compliance rate of 63.46% (521/821). After eliminating of 8 individuals without pathology results, data from 513 individuals were finally analyzed. Colonoscopy detection rate differed significantly between age groups (χ2=23.155, P<0.001),ranging from a low of 60.74% in the 40-49 year age group to a high of 86.11% in the 70-74 year age group. Colonoscopies resulted in the diagnosis of 25 (4.87%) CRCs, 192 (37.43%) advanced adenomas, 67 (13.06%) early adenomas, 15 (2.92%) serrated polyps, and 86 (16.76%) non- adenomatous polyps. The 25 CRCs were Stage 0 in 14 (56.0%) individuals, stage I in 4 (16.0%), and Stage II in 7(28.0%). Thus, 18 of the detected CRCs were at an early stage. The early detection rate of CRCs and advanced adenomas was 96.77% (210/217). The rate of mSDC2 testing for all intestinal lesions was 75.05% (385/513). In particular, the financial benefit of this screening was 32.64 million yuan, and the benefit-cost ratio was 6.0. Conclusion: Screening for CRCs using stool-based mSDC2 testing combined with colonoscopy has a high lesion detection rate and a high cost-effectiveness ratio. This is a CRC screening strategy that deserves to be promoted in China.

Analysis of HKαα Genotype and Hematological Characteristics in South Guangxi / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the detection rate and hematologic phenotype of HKαα thalassemia in south Guangxi, in order to provide reference for the prevention and control of thalassemia and prenatal and postnatal care consultation in this region.@*METHODS@#Gene testing was performed on pre-marital medical examinations, pre-pregnancy eugenic health examinations, prenatal examinations and hospitalized thalassemia-positive persons in south of Guangxi, and the results were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#A total of 183 190 thalassemia patients were included in this study, the age was mainly concentrated in 26-35 years old (101 709 cases, accounting for 55.521%), and 40 HKαα mutations were detected, detection rate was 0.022%, including 5 cases in Nanning, 22 cases in Qinzhou, 2 cases in Fangchenggang, 11 cases in Beihai. A total of 29 ethnic groups were included in the survey, but HKαα gene was observed only in Han nationality (0.0380%) and Zhuang nationality (0.0068%). A total of 8 genotypes carrying HKαα mutations were detected in this study ( HKαα/--SEA, βN/ βN, HKαα/αα, β-28/ βN, HKαα/αα, β-50/ βN, HKαα/αα, βCD17/ βN, HKαα/αα, βCD27/28/β N, HKαα/αα, βCD41-42/ βN, HKαα/αα, βCD71-72/ βN, and HKαα/αα, βN/ βN). Except for most cases with HKαα/αα, βN/ βN genotypes with no significant changes in the hematological indexes, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) of other genotypes were decreased, showing microcytic hypochromic performance, mild anemia or no anemia.@*CONCLUSION@#HKαα carrier is often misdiagnosed as -α3.7 carrier, which easily leads to missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously improve the diagnostic level of laboratory testing personnels and genetic counselors to avoid unnecessary interventional puncture operations and birth of children with moderate and severe thalassemia.

Gene Mutation Types of Thalassemia in Chongzuo Childbearing-age Population of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the gene mutation and genotype distribution of thalassemia in the population of childbearing age in Chongzuo area of Guangxi.@*METHODS@#Six α-thalassemia and 17 β-thalassemia gene mutations common in Chinese were detected by gap-polymerase chain reaction (gap-PCR) combined with agarose gel eletrophoresis and reserve dot bolt hybridization in 29 266 cases of child-bearing age suspected of thalassemia.@*RESULTS@#A total of 19 128 (65.36%) cases were identified with thalassemia. The detection rate of α-thalassemia, β-thalassemia and α-combining β-thalassemia was 45.25% (13 242/29 266), 15.47% (4 526/29 266) and 4.65% (1 360/29 266), respectively. A total carrying rate of 8 kinds of α-thalassemia gene mutations was 26.74% (15 649/58 532), including 12.51% for --SEA, followed by 5.70% for -α3.7, and 0.24% for --Thai. Among 32 α-thalassemia genotypes, the most common five were --SEA/αα, -α3.7/αα, αCSα/αα, -α4.2/αα and αWSα/αα, accounting for 47.27%, 18.31%, 8.56%, 8.52% and 7.91%, respectively, as well as 0.97% for --Thai/αα. A total carrying rate of 13 kinds of β-thalassemia gene mutations was 10.07% (5 897/58 532), including 3.63% for CD41-42, followed by 2.55% for CD17, and 0.003% for -50 (G>A). Among 17 β-thalassemia genotypes, the most common six were CD41-42/N, CD17/N, CD71-72/N, CD26/N, 28/N and IVSI-1/N, accounting for 36.15%, 25.81%, 9.43%, 8.18%, 8.09% and 7.75%. The homozygous genotype CD26/CD26 [hemoglobin (Hb): 121 g/L] and -28/-28 (Hb: 56 g/L) were respectively detected in one case, and double heterozygous genotype were detected in 5 cases, including 3 cases of CD41-42/CD26 (Hb: 41 g/L, 51 g/L, 63 g/L, respectively), 1 case of -28/IVSI-1 (Hb: 53 g/L), and 1 case of CD71-72/CD26 (Hb: 89 g/L), in which patients with moderate or severe anemia had a history of blood transfusion. Among 104 α-combining β-thalassemia genotypes, the most common were --SEA/αα, -α3.7/αα combining CD41-42/N and --SEA/αα combining CD17/N, accounting for 12.13%, 9.63% and 9.26%, respectively. In addition, 1 case of --SEA/-α3.7 combining -28/IVSI-1 (Hb: 83 g/L) and 1 case of -α3.7/αα combining CD41-42/ CD41-42 (Hb: 110 g/L) were detected without history of blood transfusion, while 1 case of αWSα/αα combining CD41-42/CD17 (Hb: 79 g/L) and 1 case of --SEA/αα combining CD17/-28 (Hb: 46 g/L) were detected with history.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The detection rate of thalassemia genes is high and the mutations are diverse in the population of childbearing age in Chongzuo area of Guangxi. The common deletion genotype is --SEA/αα in α-thalassemia and CD41-42/N in β-thalassemia, and deletion genotype --Thai is not rare. There is a certain incidence of intermediate and severe β-thalassemia, and most patients require transfusion therapy. The results are beneficial for genetic consultation and intervention of thalassemia.

Hematological phenotype analysis of fetuses and patients with hemoglobin H disease / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To analyze the relationship between hematological and genotype characteristics of fetuses and patients with hemoglobin (Hb) H disease and their natural disease progression.Methods:From 2010 to 2022, a total of 1 252 blood samples from fetuses and patients with Hb H disease who visited the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Maternal and Child Health Hospital were collected (including 174 umbilical cord blood samples, 1 062 peripheral blood samples from patients over 2 years old, and 16 peripheral blood samples from patients with rare cases of genotype Hb H). Additionally, 278 peripheral blood samples were collected from patients aged 0 - 2 years old with Hb H 3.7, Hb H 4.2, Hb H CS, and Hb H WS disease for the study of trends in red blood cell development. Multiple probe hybridization and microarray comparative genomic hybridization technology combined with first-generation Sanger sequencing were used for rare mutation detection.Results:Among the 1 062 Hb H disease patients over 2 years old, 62.34% (662/1 062) had gene deletion (--/-α), of which Hb H 3.7 (-- SEA/-α 3.7) and Hb H 4.2 (-- SEA/-α 4.2) were the most common, accounting for 42.28% (449/1 062) and 19.11% (203/1 062) of the total, respectively. Among the non-deletion genotypes (--/αα T or α Tα/αα T), Hb H CS (-- SEA/α CS), Hb H WS (-- SEA/α WS) and α CSα/α CSα accounted for 16.85% (179/1 062), 16.48% (175/1 062) and 1.98% (21/1 062), respectively. The 81.12% (537/662) of patients with deletional Hb H disease showed mild to moderate anemia, with Hb H detection rates ranging from 75% to 80%. Among non-deletional Hb H disease, Hb H WS disease showed the mild (blood Hb concentration > 95 g/L in 90% of patients) phenotype while Hb H CS and Hb H QS (-- SEA/αα QS) patients had moderate to severe anemia, with Hb H detected in peripheral blood at higher levels than in other types of Hb H disease patients. Except for Hb H CS and Hb H QS, which did not show a significant increase in Hb A2 levels when complicated with β-thalassemia, Hb A2 levels were increased (> 3.5%) in all other types of Hb H disease patients. When Hb H disease was complicated with β-thalassemia, Hb H peaks were not detected in either type of Hb H disease. The results of red blood cell development trend detection showed that erythrocyte counts were elevated in patients with Hb H disease compared to their normal counterparts; whereas, blood Hb, mean erythrocyte volume (MCV) and mean erythrocyte hemoglobin content (MCH) were lower than in their normal counterparts ( P < 0.05) and decreased to the minimum at 6 months to 1 year of age. Patients with Hb H CS disease, as the most severe form of anemia, had the highest MCV values ( P < 0.001). The results of fetal cord blood with Hb H disease showed that α CSα/α CSα caused severe intrauterine anemia, followed by Hb H QS and Hb H CS. The content of Hb Bart's in umbilical cord blood was negatively correlated with the severity of anemia ( rs = - 0.58, P < 0.001). When Hb H disease was complicated with β-thalassemia, there was no significant improvement in fetal anemia, and the Hb Bart's content did not change significantly ( P > 0.05). In addition, Hb H 21.9 (-α 21.9kb/-- SEA) and Hb H 2.4 (-α 2.4/-- SEA) were common in patients with deletion rare Hb H. In patients with non-deletion rare Hb H, αα Amsterdam-A1/-- SEA and αα Hb G-Georgia/-- SEA were both first reported. Conclusions:There is heterogeneity in clinical manifestations of patients with different types of Hb H disease or same type of Hb H disease at different developmental stages. When patients with Hb H are complicated with β-thalassemia, the phenotype of patients with the deletion type is improved, while that of patients with the non-deletion type is not. Compared to normal individuals, patients with Hb H disease have lower blood Hb concentration, MCV and MCH, and more rapid physiological changes in red blood cells.

Clinical Anslysis of Primary Adrenal NK/T-Cell Lymphoma / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of one patient with primary adrenal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (PANKTCL), and to strengthen the understanding of this rare type of lymphoma.@*METHODS@#The clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment process, and prognosis of the patient admitted in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Combined with pathology, imaging, bone marrow examination， etc, the patient was diagnosed with PANKTCL (CA stage, stage II; PINK-E score 3, high-risk group). Six cycles of "P-GemOx+VP-16" regimen（gemcitabine 1 g/m2 d1 + oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 d 1 + etoposide 60 mg/m2 d 2-4 + polyethylene glycol conjugated asparaginase 3 750 IU d 5） was performed, and complete response was assessed in 4 cycles. Maintenance therapy with sintilimab was administered after the completion of chemotherapy. Eight months after the complete response, the patient experienced disease recurrence and underwent a total of four courses of chemotherapy, during which hemophagocytic syndrome occurred. The patient died of disease progression 1 month later.@*CONCLUSION@#PANKTCL is rare, relapses easily, and has a worse prognosis. The choice of the "P-GemOx+VP-16" regimen combined with sintilimab help to improve the survival prognosis of patient with non-upper aerodigestive tract natural killer /T-cell lymphoma.

Clinical Characteristics of Aggressive NK-Cell Leukemia / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore and summarize the clinical characteristics and treatment of aggressive NK-cell leukemia (ANKL), and provide new insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 7 patients with ANKL admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College from March 2014 to July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, and their clinical characteristics, laboratory and imaging results, treatment and outcomes were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Among the 7 patients, 5 were males and 2 were females, with a median age of 47 (33-69) years old. The morphology of bone marrow cells in 7 patients showed similar large granular lymphocytes. Immunophenotyping revealed abnormal NK cells in 5 cases. By the end of follow-up, 6 cases died and 1 case survived, with a median survival time of 76.9 (4-347) days.@*CONCLUSION@#ANKL is a rare disease with short course and poor prognosis. If combined with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS), the prognosis is even worse. There is no unified treatment method at present, and the use of PD-1 inhibitors may prolong the survival in some patients.

Vimentin Inhibits Dengue Virus Type 2 Invasion of the Blood-Brain Barrier.

Dengue virus (DENV) causes dengue fever, which is prevalent in the tropical and subtropical regions, and in recent years, has resulted in several major epidemics. Vimentin, a cytoskeletal component involved in DENV infection, is significantly reorganized during infection. However, the mechanism underlying the association between DENV infection and vimentin is still poorly understood. We generated vimentin-knockout (Vim-KO) human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) and a Vim-KO SV129 suckling mouse model, combining the dynamic vimentin changes observed in vitro and differences in disease course in vivo, to clarify the role of vimentin in DENV-2 infection. We found that the phosphorylation and solubility of vimentin changed dynamically during DENV-2 infection of HBMECs, suggesting the regulation of vimentin by DENV-2 infection. The similar trends observed in the phosphorylation and solubility of vimentin showed that these characteristics are related. Compared with that in control cells, the DENV-2 viral load was significantly increased in Vim-KO HBMECs, and after DENV-2 infection, Vim-KO SV129 mice displayed more severe disease signs than wild-type SV129 mice, as well as higher viral loads in their serum and brain tissue, demonstrating that vimentin can inhibit DENV-2 infection. Moreover, Vim-KO SV129 mice had more disordered cerebral cortical nerve cells, confirming that Vim-KO mice were more susceptible to DENV-2 infection, which causes severe brain damage. The findings of our study help clarify the mechanism by which vimentin inhibits DENV-2 infection and provides guidance for antiviral treatment strategies for DENV infections.

Memantine Promotes Bactericidal Effect of Neutrophils Against Infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Its Drug-Resistant Strain, by Improving Reactive Oxygen Species Generation.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen, which usually presents multiple antibiotic resistance. Host-directed therapy involves modulating the host defense system and the interplay between innate and adaptive immunity is a new strategy for designing anti-infection drugs. Memantine (MEM), a drug used to treat Alzheimer's disease, has a good inhibitory effect on neonatal mice with Escherichia coli-associated bacteremia and meningitis; however, the inhibitory effect and mechanisms of MEM against P. aeruginosa infection remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether MEM could inhibit P. aeruginosa infection and explored the potential mechanisms. MEM significantly promoted the bactericidal effect of neutrophils against P. aeruginosa and its drug-resistant strain. The combination index of MEM and amikacin (AMK) was <1. In vivo experiments showed that the bacteremia and inflammation severities in the MEM-treated group were less than those in the untreated group, and the bacterial load in the organs was significantly less than that in the control group. Combining MEM with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitor, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, weakened the anti-infective effect of MEM. MEM increased the expression of NADPH p67phox and promoted neutrophilic ROS production. Deleting the p67phox gene significantly weakened the effects of MEM on ROS generation and improving bactericidal effect of neutrophils. In conclusion, MEM promoted the bactericidal effect of neutrophils against P. aeruginosa and its drug-resistant strain, and had a synergistic antibacterial effect when combined with AMK. MEM may exert its anti-infective effects by promoting neutrophilic bactericidal activity via increasing the expression level of p67phox and further stimulating ROS generation.

Development of Clinical practice guidelines: procedure and standard / 中华胃肠外科杂志

In the last decade, the development of clinical practice guidelines in China has grown rapidly. However, with regards to the guidelines that have been established in the past, few were of high quality and in line with international standards. The main reason for this was that many clinical experts were not familiar with the procedures and rules of clinical guidelines before established, which lowered the quality seriously. Clinical practice guidelines are based on a clinical problem that is distilled into populations, interventions, comparison and outcome (PICO). After comprehensive systematic review, recommendations are made through evidence grading and strength of recommendation system. In addition, other issues should be noted such as pros and cons of the recommendation for specific population, preferences and values of the population, cost-effectiveness, and the health care system. A high-quality guideline requires multidimensional thinking (from clinicians, patients and policy makers), the implementation of a standard procedure (to ensure guidelines scientifically sound, honest and transparent), as well as the collaboration of multiple organizations (including experts, methodologists and policy makers).

Antitumor effect and mechanism of different extracts of cultivated Phellinus vaninii on H22 tumor bearing mice / 生物工程学报

In order to explore the antitumor effect and mechanism of different extracts of cultivated Phellinus vaninii fruit body on H22 tumor bearing mice, 150 ICR mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, CTX group, P. vaninii water extract group, ethanol extract group, petroleum ether extract group and crude polysaccharide group. H22 liver cancer cells were used to establish a solid tumor model and the mice were sacrificed on the 10th day after administration. The spleen and thymus organ index and tumor inhibition rate were calculated, the serum levels of TNF-α, INF-γ, VEGF, and hematoxylin-eosin were detected, and the immunohistochemical staining method was used to observe the pathological changes of tumor tissues, while Western blotting was used to detect the expression of tumor-related proteins. The high-dose petroleum ether extract group showed the best tumor inhibition rate (73.21%), increased serum levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and VEGF, as well as significantly promoted tumor necrosis and ablation. The immunohistochemistry of the water extract group showed negative regulation, indicating an insignificant tumor suppression. Western blotting showed the apoptosis genes Caspase-3, Caspase-9 and pathway genes NF-κB and JAK were all highly expressed in each administration group compared with the model group, and their expression levels gradually decreased with increasing doses. In summary, the petroleum ether extract of P. vaninii fruit body showed a significant anti-tumor effect which is presumably mediated through the mitochondrial pathway. The metabolism of drug in the body induces activation of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 apoptotic proteins by Bax, Bcl-2, and TNF, which further caused nuclear chromatin or DNA to condense or degrade, and subsequently destroy the normal proliferation of tumor cells, thereby inducing their apoptosis and inhibiting tumor growth.

Generation of Kidney Directed Differentiation Platform from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

Kidney is an essential organ in human body with multiple physiological functions. However, there is 10 % population worldwide with renal disease. It is urgent to generate a model which is more similar with kidney at structural and functional level to study renal disease. The rise of in vitro differentiation technology from pluripotent stem cells gives regeneration medicine and precise medicine new energy. This study mimics kidney development in vitro by inducing human pluripotent stem cells including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into kidney progenitor cells, and further forming nephrons, which is the structure and function unit in kidney. Human pluripotent stem cells were differentiated into primitive streak through activating WNT pathway while inhibiting TGF-(B signaling. Afterward, the primitive streak spontaneously differentiated into intermediate mesoderm. Then, we induced intermediate mesoderm cells into kidney progenitor cells through FGF pathway. The FACS analysis data indicated kidney progenitor cells were up to 51. 5%-61. 9% in total cell population. Immuno-stai-ning results showed these structures contained podocytes of glomerulus, proximal tubule, and distal tubule. This kidney differentiation protocol is stable, high-efficient, and well repeatable. This research provides a novel platform for early human kidney development study, kidney disease modeling, and drug screening.

Design of a Non-Contact Radial Torque Sensor with Variable Torque Range by Electromagnetic Coil Coupling with Piezoelectric Sensor.

Recently, due to the development of automation technology, torque measuring and monitoring technologies have been brought to the focus. However, the commercially available sensors have the disadvantage of large volume, which results in the difficulty of installation on existing automated machines. Responding to the above-mentioned problem, a contactless torque sensor that uses an electromagnetic coil combined with a permanent magnet was proposed. By adjusting the input electric current in the coil, the strength of the magnetic field can be controlled to generate a non-contact magnetic force to resist external torque loading. For the measurement of such a magnetic force, a cantilever-beam mechanism comprising a piezoelectric-loading (PZT-L) sensor is employed to estimate the external static force by measuring the variation of the electric impedance. According to the measured results, the proposed PZT-L sensor demonstrates the accuracy of the proposed design, for which the maximum estimated error was around 6%. Finally, the proposed contactless torque sensor with 11 cm in diameter and 2 cm in thickness was employed to verify the effectiveness of theoretical analysis. From the sensor characteristic measurement, the detection range for external torque can be from 7.8 to 125.6 N-mm when the driven current input ranged from 2 to 10 A. Therefore, the experimental results presented that the moment of inertia via the resisted torque can be adjusted by the proposed non-contact torque-sensing system according to the measuring condition.

Endogenous α7 nAChR Agonist SLURP1 Facilitates Escherichia coli K1 Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier.

Alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) is critical for the pathogenesis of Escherichia coli (E. coli) K1 meningitis, a severe central nervous system infection of the neonates. However, little is known about how E. coli K1 manipulates α7 nAChR signaling. Here, through employing immortalized cell lines, animal models, and human transcriptional analysis, we showed that E. coli K1 infection triggers releasing of secreted Ly6/Plaur domain containing 1 (SLURP1), an endogenous α7 nAChR ligand. Exogenous supplement of SLURP1, combined with SLURP1 knockdown or overexpression cell lines, showed that SLURP1 is required for E. coli K1 invasion and neutrophils migrating across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Furthermore, we found that SLURP1 is required for E. coli K1-induced α7 nAChR activation. Finally, the promoting effects of SLURP1 on the pathogenesis of E. coli K1 meningitis was significantly abolished in the α7 nAChR knockout mice. These results reveal that E. coli K1 exploits SLURP1 to activate α7 nAChR and facilitate its pathogenesis, and blocking SLURP1-α7 nAChR interaction might represent a novel therapeutic strategy for E. coli K1 meningitis.

Visible-Light-Induced Selective Photolysis of Phosphonium Iodide Salts for Monofluoromethylations.

The sigma (σ)-hole effect has emerged as a promising tool to construct novel architectures endowed with new properties. A simple yet effective strategy for the generation of monofluoromethyl radicals is a continuing challenge within the synthetic community. Fluoromethylphosphonium salts are easily available, air- and thermally stable, as well as simple-to-handle. Herein, we report the ability of the σ-hole effect to facilitate the visible-light-triggered photolysis of phosphonium iodide salts, a charge-transfer complex, selectively giving fluoromethyl radicals. The usefulness and versatility of this new protocol are demonstrated through the mono-, di-, and trifluoromethylation of a variety of alkenes.

Novel parameter based on lipid indicators ratio improves prognostic value of plasma lipid levels in resectable colorectal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: At present, the value of lipid indicators in evaluating the prognosis of colorectal cancer is still relatively limited. AIM: To evaluate the value of a novel parameter for colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis scoring based on preoperative serum lipid levels. METHODS: Four key serum lipid factors, namely, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), and apolipoprotein B (ApoB), were detected. Two representative ratios, HDL-C-LDL-C ratio (HLR) and ApoA1-ApoB ratio (ABR) were calculated. The relationship of these parameters with the prognosis of CRC patients including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier plot and Cox proportional hazards regression. A novel lipoprotein cholesterol-apolipoprotein (LA) score based on HLR and ABR was established and its value in prognosis evaluation for CRC patients was explored. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis of PFS and OS showed that HDL-C, ApoA1, HLR, and ABR were positively associated with the prognosis of CRC patients. LA score was independently associated with a good prognosis in resectable CRC patients. Data processing of a dummy variable showed that the prognosis of patients with higher LA scores is better than that with lower LA scores. CONCLUSION: The newly established LA score might serve as a better predictor of the prognosis of resectable CRC patients.

Clinicopathological Features and Prognostic Value of KRAS/NRAS/BRAF Mutations in Colorectal Cancer Patients of Central China.

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing in China, with high mortality. Here, we aimed to evaluate the latest clinicopathological features and prognostic value of the KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutation status in CRC patients in Central China. The clinical data of 1549 CRC patients with stage I-IV disease diagnosed at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from 2015 to 2017 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutations were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) in 410 CRC patients, with mutation frequencies of KRAS, NRAS and BRAF of 47.56%, 2.93% and 4.15%, respectively. The gene mutation status and clinicopathological characteristics of 410 patients with CRC who underwent qPCR were analyzed. The KRAS and BRAF gene mutations were related to the pathological differentiation and number of metastatic lymph nodes. The BRAF gene mutation was also associated with cancer thrombosis in blood vessels. Cox regression analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the overall survival (OS) between patients with KRAS, NRAS mutants and wild-type CRC patients, while the BRAF gene mutation was negatively correlated with the OS rate of CRC patients. It is suggested that the BRAF gene mutation may be an independent risk factor for the prognosis of CRC.