Postnatal development of rat retina: a continuous observation and comparison between the organotypic retinal explant model and in vivo development.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202503000-00033/figure1/v/2024-06-17T092413Z/r/image-tiff The organotypic retinal explant culture has been established for more than a decade and offers a range of unique advantages compared with in vivo experiments and cell cultures. However, the lack of systematic and continuous comparison between in vivo retinal development and the organotypic retinal explant culture makes this model controversial in postnatal retinal development studies. Thus, we aimed to verify the feasibility of using this model for postnatal retinal development studies by comparing it with the in vivo retina. In this study, we showed that postnatal retinal explants undergo normal development, and exhibit a consistent structure and timeline with retinas in vivo. Initially, we used SOX2 and PAX6 immunostaining to identify retinal progenitor cells. We then examined cell proliferation and migration by immunostaining with Ki-67 and doublecortin, respectively. Ki-67- and doublecortin-positive cells decreased in both in vivo and explants during postnatal retinogenesis, and exhibited a high degree of similarity in abundance and distribution between groups. Additionally, we used Ceh-10 homeodomain-containing homolog, glutamate-ammonia ligase (glutamine synthetase), neuronal nuclei, and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 immunostaining to examine the emergence of bipolar cells, Müller glia, mature neurons, and microglia, respectively. The timing and spatial patterns of the emergence of these cell types were remarkably consistent between in vivo and explant retinas. Our study showed that the organotypic retinal explant culture model had a high degree of consistency with the progression of in vivo early postnatal retina development. The findings confirm the accuracy and credibility of this model and support its use for long-term, systematic, and continuous observation.

Stanniocalcin 2 Promotes Neuronal Differentiation in Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells of the Mouse Subventricular Zone Through Activation of AKT Pathway.

Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) persist in the mammalian subventricular zone (SVZ) throughout life, responding to various pathophysiological stimuli and playing a crucial role in central nervous system repair. Although numerous studies have elucidated the role of stanniocalcin 2 (STC2) in regulating cell differentiation processes, its specific function in NSPCs differentiation remains poorly understood. Clarifying the role of STC2 in NSPCs is essential for devising novel strategies to enhance the intrinsic potential for brain regeneration postinjury. Our study revealed the expression of STC2 in NSPCs derived from the SVZ of the C57BL/6N mouse. In cultured SVZ-derived NSPCs, STC2 treatment significantly increased the number of Tuj1 and DCX-positive cells. Furthermore, STC2 injection into the lateral ventricle promoted the neuronal differentiation of NSPCs and migration to the olfactory bulb. Conversely, the STC2 knockdown produced the opposite effect. Further investigation showed that STC2 treatment enhanced AKT phosphorylation in cultured NSPCs, whereas STC2 inhibition hindered AKT activation. Notably, the neuronal differentiation induced by STC2 was blocked by the AKT inhibitor GSK690693, whereas the AKT activator SC79 reversed the impact of STC2 knockdown on neuronal differentiation. Our findings indicate that enhancing STC2 expression in SVZ-derived NSPCs facilitates neuronal differentiation, with AKT regulation potentially serving as a key intracellular target of STC2 signaling.

Organic Ferroelastic with Dual-Channel Manipulation Obtained by H/F Substitution.

Ferroelastic materials with high phase transition temperature have broad application prospects in information conversion and storage, shape memory, energy conversion, hyperelasticity, etc. However, most of the current reports focus on inorganic ferroelastic materials. Inorganic ferroelastic materials have the disadvantages of high energy consumption and harmful metals, which limit their application in practical work. In contrast, organic ferroelastic materials have the advantages of structural adjustability, environmental protection, easy processing, low cost, mechanical flexibility, and so on, which have great development potential in new ferroelastic materials. Here, we have successfully designed and synthesized a pair of homochiral enantiomers [(R/S)-4-fluorobenzoic acid-2-amino-2-phenylethanol] (R- and S-F) using the chemical design strategy of H/F substitution. Compared with the non-F substitution [(R/S)-benzoic acid-2-amino-2-phenylethanol] (R- and S-H), they undergo 2F1-type ferroelastic phase transitions at 370 K. Notably, the ferroelastic domains of R/S-F can be controlled through two physical channels that are temperature and stress, showing great potential in dual-channel switches.

The effects of exergames for cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and metaanalysis.

Purpose: Exergames are an innovative method that can promote neuroplasticity and improve the cognitive abilities of the elderly. This study aimed to compare the effects of single-task and multi-task exergames on the cognitive ability of the elderly with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: Computerized literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Elsevier, ProQuest, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang and VIP database to identify relevant articles from the establishment of the database from inception to April 1, 2024. The inclusion criteria were: (i) participants aged 60 or older diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, regardless of gender; (ii) use of randomized controlled trials (RCTs); (iii) interventions involving exergames with physical activity or as the primary variable; and (iv) outcome measures using standardized neuropsychological instruments to assess cognitive function, including statistical data on sample size, mean, and standard deviation. Finally, the included study comprised a total of 526 participants. Mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to synthesize the effect size in the data. Results: 11 studies were included. Due to the differences in the intervention methods, subgroup analysis was performed on the included research. Compared with the control group assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, the single-task intervention improved the cognitive ability of the elderly with MCI (MD 3.40, 95% CI 2.43-4.37), the Mini-Mental State Examination Scale (MD 2.38, 95% CI -2.03 to 2.72), the Trail Making Test (MD -3.89, 95% CI -6.45 to -1.33), and the Digit Span Forward test (MD 1.16, 95% CI 0.73-1.60). Conclusion: This meta-analysis supports that exergames could be an effective cognitive rehabilitation method for MCI patients. Our study recommends that patients implement a customized exergames program and adhere to it for a long time. It is necessary to pay attention to the exercise guidelines and provide evidence from clinicians. Strengths and limitations of this study: (1) This meta-analysis supports that exergames could be an effective cognitive rehabilitation method for MCI patients. Our study recommends that patients implement a customized exergames program and adhere to it for a long time. It is necessary to pay attention to the exercise guidelines and provide evidence from clinicians. (2) This research provides preliminary evidence for the clinical utility of VR tasks developed for mild cognitive impairment. (3) In this paper, only relevant studies in Chinese and English were searched, and no studies in other languages were searched.

Structural superlubricity at the interface of penta-BN2.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have been widely used as lubricants due to their weak interlayer interaction and low shear resistance for interlayer sliding. Composed entirely of five-membered rings, penta-BN2 monolayer has excellent thermal and mechanical stability, higher hardness and a negative Poisson's ratio. In this work, we investigate the frictional properties at both the commensurate and incommensurate contacting interfaces of penta-BN2 by adopting the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. Our calculations demonstrate robust superlubricity at the incommensurate contacting interface of penta-BN2. The ultra-low friction is explained by the potential energy surface (PES) fluctuations, interlayer binding energy and out-of-plane motion amplitude of the sliding layer. In addition, our calculations show that the anisotropy of friction at the commensurate contacting interface is more obvious compared with that at the incommensurate contacting interface. Finally, the influences of the size of the Moiré pattern, normal force, temperature and sliding velocity on the friction are examined. Our results show that 2D penta-BN2 is a promising solid lubricant, enriching the family of 2D lubrication materials.

Biodegradable Ferroelectric Molecular Plastic Crystal HOCH2(CF2)7CH2OH Structurally Inspired by Polyvinylidene Fluoride.

Ferroelectric materials, traditionally comprising inorganic ceramics and polymers, are commonly used in medical implantable devices. However, their nondegradable nature often necessitates secondary surgeries for removal. In contrast, ferroelectric molecular crystals have the advantages of easy solution processing, lightweight, and good biocompatibility, which are promising candidates for transient (short-term) implantable devices. Despite these benefits, the discovered biodegradable ferroelectric materials remain limited due to the absence of efficient design strategies. Here, inspired by the polar structure of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a ferroelectric molecular crystal 1H,1H,9H,9H-perfluoro-1,9-nonanediol (PFND), which undergoes a cubic-to-monoclinic ferroelectric plastic phase transition at 339 K, is discovered. This transition is facilitated by a 2D hydrogen bond network formed through O-H···O interactions among the oriented PFND molecules, which is crucial for the manifestation of ferroelectric properties. In this sense, by reducing the number of -CF2- groups from ≈5 000 in PVDF to seven in PFND, it is demonstrated that this ferroelectric compound only needs simple solution processing while maintaining excellent biosafety, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. This work illuminates the path toward the development of new biodegradable ferroelectric molecular crystals, offering promising avenues for biomedical applications.

Enzyme stoichiometry reveals microbial nitrogen limitation in stony soils.

Resource limitation for soil microorganisms is the crucial factor in nutrient cycling and vegetation development, which are especially important in arid climate. Given that rock fragments strongly impact hydrologic and geochemical processes in arid areas, we hypothesized that microbial resource (C and N) limitation will increase along the rock fragment content (RFC) gradient. We conducted a field experiment in Minjiang river arid valleys with four RFC content (0 %, 25 %, 50 %, and 75 %, V V-1) and four vegetation types (Artemisia vestita, Bauhinia brachycarpa, Sophora davidii, and the soil without plants). Activities of C (ß-1,4-glucosidase, BG), N (ß-1,4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, NAG; L-leucine aminopeptidase, LAP), and P (acid phosphatase, ACP) acquiring enzymes were investigated to assess the limitations by C, N or P. In unplanted soil, the C acquiring enzyme activity decreased by 43 %, but N acquiring enzyme activity increased by 72 % in 75 % RFC than those in rock-free soils (0 % RFC). Increasing RFC reduced C:N and C:P enzymatic ratios, as well as vector length and vector angle (< 45°). Plants increased the activities of C and N acquiring enzymes in soils, as well as C:P and N:P enzyme activities, as well as vector length (by 5.6 %-25 %), but decreased vector angle (by 13 %-21 %). Enzyme stoichiometry was dependent on biotic and abiotic factors, such as soil water content, soil C:N, and total content of phospholipid fatty acids, reflecting microbial biomass content. Increased RFC shifted enzymatic stoichiometry toward lower C but stronger N limitation for microorganisms. Vegetation increased microbial C and N limitation, and impacted the enzymatic activities and stoichiometry depending on shrub functional groups. Consequently, the direct effects of vegetation, nutrient availability and microbial biomass content, as well as indirect effects of soil properties collectively increased microbial resource limitations along the RFC gradient.

Sequestration of Labile Organic Matter by Secondary Fe Minerals from Chemodenitrification: Insight into Mineral Protection Mechanisms.

Labile organic matter (OM) immobilized by secondary iron (Fe) minerals from chemodenitrification may be an effective way to immobilize organic carbon (OC). However, the underlying mechanisms of coupled chemodenitrification and OC sequestration are poorly understood. Here, OM immobilization by secondary Fe minerals from chemodenitrification was investigated at different C/Fe ratios. Kinetics of Fe(II) oxidation and nitrite reduction rates decreased with increasing C/Fe ratios. Despite efficient sequestration, the immobilization efficiency of OM by secondary minerals varied with the C/Fe ratios. Higher C/Fe ratios were conducive to the formation of ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite, with defects and nanopores. Three contributions, including inner-core Fe-O and edge- and corner-shared Fe-Fe interactions, constituted the local coordination environment of mineral-organic composites. Microscopic analysis at the molecular scale uncovered that labile OM was more likely to combine with secondary minerals with poor crystallinity to enhance its stability, and OM distributed within nanopores and defects had a higher oxidation state. After chemodenitrification, high molecular weight substances and substances high in unsaturation or O/C ratios including phenols, polycyclic aromatics, and carboxylic compounds exhibited a stronger affinity to Fe minerals in the treatments with lower C/Fe ratios. Collectively, labile OM immobilization can occur during chemodenitrification. The findings on OM sequestration coupled with chemodenitrification have significant implications for understanding the long-term cycling of Fe, C, and N, providing a potential strategy for OM immobilization in anoxic soils and sediments.

WGCNA Reveals Hub Genes and Key Gene Regulatory Pathways of the Response of Soybean to Infection by Soybean mosaic virus.

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is one of the main pathogens that can negatively affect soybean production and quality. To study the gene regulatory network of soybeans in response to SMV SC15, the resistant line X149 and susceptible line X97 were subjected to transcriptome analysis at 0, 2, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h post-inoculation (hpi). Differential expression analysis revealed that 10,190 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) responded to SC15 infection. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify highly related resistance gene modules; in total, eight modules, including 2256 DEGs, were identified. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of 2256 DEGs revealed that the genes significantly clustered into resistance-related pathways, such as the plant-pathogen interaction pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway, and plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Among these pathways, we found that the flg22, Ca2+, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and abscisic acid (ABA) regulatory pathways were fully covered by 36 DEGs. Among the 36 DEGs, the gene Glyma.01G225100 (protein phosphatase 2C, PP2C) in the ABA regulatory pathway, the gene Glyma.16G031900 (WRKY transcription factor 22, WRKY22) in Ca2+ and H2O2 regulatory pathways, and the gene Glyma.04G175300 (calcium-dependent protein kinase, CDPK) in Ca2+ regulatory pathways were highly connected hub genes. These results indicate that the resistance of X149 to SC15 may depend on the positive regulation of flg22, Ca2+, H2O2, and ABA regulatory pathways. Our study further showed that superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, H2O2 content, and catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly up-regulated in the resistant line X149 compared with those in 0 hpi. This finding indicates that the H2O2 regulatory pathway might be dependent on flg22- and Ca2+-pathway-induced ROS generation. In addition, two hub genes, Glyma.07G190100 (encoding F-box protein) and Glyma.12G185400 (encoding calmodulin-like proteins, CMLs), were also identified and they could positively regulate X149 resistance. This study provides pathways for further investigation of SMV resistance mechanisms in soybean.

Molecular orbital breaking in photo-mediated organosilicon Schiff base ferroelectric crystals.

Ferroelectric materials, whose electrical polarization can be switched under external stimuli, have been widely used in sensors, data storage, and energy conversion. Molecular orbital breaking can result in switchable structural and physical bistability in ferroelectric materials as traditional spatial symmetry breaking does. Differently, molecular orbital breaking interprets the phase transition mechanism from the perspective of electronics and sheds new light on manipulating the physical properties of ferroelectrics. Here, we synthesize a pair of organosilicon Schiff base ferroelectric crystals, (R)- and (S)-N-(3,5-di-tert-butylbenzylidene)-1-((triphenylsilyl)oxy)ethanamine, which show optically controlled phase transition accompanying the molecular orbital breaking. The molecular orbital breaking is manifested as the breaking and reformation of covalent bonds during the phase transition process, that is, the conversion between C = N and C-O in the enol form and C-N and C = O in the keto form. This process brings about photo-mediated bistability with multiple physical channels such as dielectric, second-harmonic generation, and ferroelectric polarization. This work further explores this newly developed mechanism of ferroelectric phase transition and highlights the significance of photo-mediated ferroelectric materials for photo-controlled smart devices and bio-sensors.

Application of CMV-IVIg as prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus reactivation in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation remains one of the major and life-threatening complications after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Yet, there is still a lack of safe and effective ways to prevent CMV reactivation in allo-HSCT patients. Here, we retrospectively analyzed a cohort of patients who underwent HSCT at our transplant center between 2018 and 2022 to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic CMV-specific intravenous immunoglobulin (CMV-IVIg) against CMV reactivation. After Propensity Score Matching, the CMV reactivation rate was significantly decreased in the CMV-IVIg group (HR, 2.952; 95% CI,1.492-5.841; P = .002) compared with the control group. Additionally, the time duration of CMV reactivation (P = .001) and bacterial infection rate (P = .013) were significantly lower in the CMV-IVIg group. Moreover, prophylactic CMV-IVIg was more effective in CMV seropositive patients who received ATG as part of GVHD prevention (HR, 8.225; 95% CI,1.809-37.39; P = .006). In conclusion, CMV-IVIg is considered an effective and safe way to prevent CMV reactivation in HSCT recipients, which may be related to the acceleration of immune reconstitution in the early stage after transplantation.

Biodegradable ferroelectric molecular crystal with large piezoelectric response.

Transient implantable piezoelectric materials are desirable for biosensing, drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and antimicrobial and tumor therapy. For use in the human body, they must show flexibility, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. These requirements are challenging for conventional inorganic piezoelectric oxides and piezoelectric polymers. We discovered high piezoelectricity in a molecular crystal HOCH2(CF2)3CH2OH [2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoropentane-1,5-diol (HFPD)] with a large piezoelectric coefficient d33 of ~138 picocoulombs per newton and piezoelectric voltage constant g33 of ~2450 × 10-3 volt-meters per newton under no poling conditions, which also exhibits good biocompatibility toward biological cells and desirable biodegradation and biosafety in physiological environments. HFPD can be composite with polyvinyl alcohol to form flexible piezoelectric films with a d33 of 34.3 picocoulombs per newton. Our material demonstrates the ability for molecular crystals to have attractive piezoelectric properties and should be of interest for applications in transient implantable electromechanical devices.

The anti-apoptotic role of Ginkgolide B via mitochondrial permeability transition pore inhibition in retinal ischemia-reperfusion.

This research delves into the effectiveness of Ginkgolide B (GB), a compound from Ginkgo biloba, in combating cell death caused by glaucoma, with a focus on mitochondrial impairment and the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). Utilizing models of high intraocular pressure and in vitro glaucoma simulations, the study investigates GB's impact on retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) under oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) and in a rat glaucoma model. The study methodologies included apoptosis assessment, apoptotic marker analysis via Western blot, and mitochondrial structure and function evaluation. The findings reveal that GB notably decreases apoptosis in RPCs exposed to OGD/R in vitro, and reduces ischemia-reperfusion damage in vivo. GB's protective role is attributed to its ability to preserve mitochondrial integrity, maintain membrane potential, regulate calcium levels, and inhibit mPTP opening. These results underscore GB's potential as a therapeutic agent for acute primary angle-closure glaucoma, highlighting its capability to alleviate mitochondrial damage and apoptosis in RPCs and retinal nerve fiber layer cells.

Modulating the ferroelectric phases in cholesteryl-based organic compounds with perfluoroalkyl tail engineering.

Here, we synthesized a series of cholesteryl-based compounds, whose phases and their transformation can be modulated by temperature and the chain length of the fluoroalkyl moieties. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the phase transition could be modulated with perfluoroalkyl tail engineering in organic single-component ferroelectric crystals.

KDM4C promotes mouse hippocampal neural stem cell proliferation through modulating ApoE expression.

KDM4C is implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and maintenance in various stem cell types. However, its function in neural stem cells (NSCs) remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of KDM4C in NSCs. Primary hippocampal NSCs were isolated from neonatal mice, and both in vivo and in vitro lentivirus-mediated overexpression of KDM4C were induced in these hippocampal NSCs. Staining results revealed a significant increase in BrdU- and Ki-67-positive cells, along with an elevated number of cells in S phases due to KDM4C overexpression. Subsequently, RNA-seq was employed to analyze gene expression changes following KDM4C upregulation. GO enrichment analysis, KEGG analysis, and GSEA highlighted KDM4C-regulated genes associated with development, cell cycle, and neurogenesis. Protein-protein interaction analysis uncovered that ApoE protein interacts with several genes (top 10 upregulated and downregulated) regulated by KDM4C. Notably, knocking down ApoE mitigated the proliferative effect induced by KDM4C overexpression in NSCs. Our study demonstrates that KDM4C overexpression significantly upregulates ApoE expression, ultimately promoting proliferation in mouse hippocampal NSCs. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms governing neurodevelopment, with potential implications for therapeutic strategies in neurological disorders.

Deep Learning Radiomics Analysis of CT Imaging for Differentiating Between Crohn's Disease and Intestinal Tuberculosis.

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a CT-based deep learning radiomics model for differentiating between Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal tuberculosis (ITB). A total of 330 patients with pathologically confirmed as CD or ITB from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were divided into the validation dataset one (CD: 167; ITB: 57) and validation dataset two (CD: 78; ITB: 28). Based on the validation dataset one, the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) was adopted to create balanced dataset as training data for feature selection and model construction. The handcrafted and deep learning (DL) radiomics features were extracted from the arterial and venous phases images, respectively. The interobserver consistency analysis, Spearman's correlation, univariate analysis, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were used to select features. Based on extracted multi-phase radiomics features, six logistic regression models were finally constructed. The diagnostic performances of different models were compared using ROC analysis and Delong test. The arterial-venous combined deep learning radiomics model for differentiating between CD and ITB showed a high prediction quality with AUCs of 0.885, 0.877, and 0.800 in SMOTE dataset, validation dataset one, and validation dataset two, respectively. Moreover, the deep learning radiomics model outperformed the handcrafted radiomics model in same phase images. In validation dataset one, the Delong test results indicated that there was a significant difference in the AUC of the arterial models (p = 0.037), while not in venous and arterial-venous combined models (p = 0.398 and p = 0.265) as comparing deep learning radiomics models and handcrafted radiomics models. In our study, the arterial-venous combined model based on deep learning radiomics analysis exhibited good performance in differentiating between CD and ITB.

Association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and body composition based on MRI fat fraction mapping.

Purpose: To explore the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and body composition based on magnetic resonance fat fraction (FF) mapping. Methods: A total of 341 subjects, who underwent abdominal MRI examination with FF mapping were enrolled in this study, including 68 T2DM patients and 273 non-T2DM patients. The FFs and areas of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and abdominal muscle (AM) were measured at the level of the L1-L2 vertebral. The FF of bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) was determined by the averaged FF values measured at the level of T12 and L1 vertebral, respectively. The whole hepatic fat fraction (HFF) and pancreatic fat fraction (PFF) were measured based on 3D semi-automatic segmentation on the FF mapping. All data were analyzed by GraphPad Prism and MedCalc. Results: VAT area, VAT FF, HFF, PFF of T2DM group were higher than those of non-T2DM group after adjusting for age and sex (P < 0.05). However, there was no differences in SAT area, SAT FF, BMAT FF, AM area and AM FF between the two groups (P > 0.05). VAT area and PFF were independent risk factors of T2DM (all P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) for VAT area and PFF in differentiating between T2DM and non-T2DM were 0.685 and 0.787, respectively, and the AUC of PFF was higher than VAT area (P < 0.05). Additionally, in seemingly healthy individuals, the SAT area, VAT area, and AM area were found to be significantly associated with being overweight and/or obese (BMI ≥ 25) (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: In this study, it was found that there were significant associations between T2DM and VAT area, VAT FF, HFF and PFF. In addition, VAT area and PFF were the independent risk factors of T2DM. Especially, PFF showed a high diagnostic performance in discrimination between T2DM and non-T2DM. These findings may highlight the crucial role of PFF in the pathophysiology of T2DM, and it might be served as a potential imaging biomarker of the prevention and treatment of T2DM. Additionally, in individuals without diabetes, focusing on SAT area, VAT area and AM area may help identify potential health risks and provide a basis for targeted weight management and prevention measures.

Spatial-temporal evolution of overweight and obesity among Chinese adolescents from 2016 to 2020.

This study examines the spatial-temporal evolution of overweight and obesity among Chinese adolescents aged 14-17. Data from five national surveys conducted between 2016 and 2020 were analyzed to determine distribution patterns and trends. Results showed that overweight and obesity exhibit spatial clustering, with greater severity in the north and less severity in the south. The issue has spread from the northeast to the southwest of Mainland China. Using a local autocorrelation model, the regions were divided into a northern disease cold spot area (Inner Mongolia) and a southern disease hot spot area (Guangxi). Over the past five years, overweight rates among Chinese adolescents have not been effectively curbed, but obesity has shown some success in control and reversal until 2019. Future efforts should focus on the spatial-temporal pattern of disease spread, targeting hotspot areas and abnormal values for regional synergy and precise prevention and control.

CCN3/NOV inhibition attenuates oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of mouse neural stem/progenitor cells by blocking the activation of p38 MAPK: An in vitro study.

Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) hold immense promise in clinical applications, yet the harsh conditions resulting from central nervous system (CNS) injuries, particularly oxidative stress, lead to the demise of both native and transplanted NSPCs. Cellular communication network factor 3 (CCN3) exhibits a protective effect against oxidative stress in various cell types. This study investigates the impact of CCN3 on NSPCs apoptosis induced by oxidative stress. To establish models of primary cultured mouse NSPCs under oxidative stress, we exposed them to 50 µM H2O2 for 4 h. Remarkably, pre-exposing CCN3 exacerbated the H2O2-induced decline in cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. However, employing gene-targeted siRNA to inhibit CCN3 protected NSPCs against H2O2-induced cell death. Conversely, CCN3 replenishment reversed this protective effect, as evidenced by TUNEL staining, the ratio of Cleaved-caspase-3 to Pro-caspase-3, and Bcl-2/Bax. Further investigations revealed that CCN3 pretreatment increased the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK, while silencing CCN3 diminished p38 MAPK activation. Ultimately, the impact of changes in CCN3 protein expression on H2O2-induced apoptosis was nullified using anisomycin (a p38 activator) and SB 203580 (a p38 inhibitor). Our findings suggest that CCN3 inhibition prevents H2O2-induced cell death in cultured mouse NSPCs via the p38 pathway. These discoveries may contribute to the development of strategies aimed at enhancing the survival of both endogenous and transplanted NSPCs following CNS oxidative stress insults.

UTX inhibition suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis in patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells by modulating periostin expression.

Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) exert a crucial influence on glioblastoma (GBM) development, progression, resistance to therapy, and recurrence, making them an attractive target for drug discovery. UTX, a histone H3K27 demethylase, participates in regulating multiple cancer types. However, its functional role in GSCs remains insufficiently explored. This study aims to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of UTX on GSCs. Analysis of TCGA data revealed heightened UTX expression in glioma, inversely correlating with overall survival. Inhibiting UTX suppressed GBM cell growth and induced apoptosis. Subsequently, we cultured primary GSCs from three patients, observing that UTX inhibition suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. RNA-seq was performed to analyze the gene expression changes after silencing UTX in GSCs. The results indicated that UTX-mediated genes were strongly correlated with GBM progression and regulatory tumor microenvironment. The transwell co-cultured experiment showed that silencing UTX in the transwell chamber GSCs inhibited the well plate cell proliferation. Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed that periostin (POSTN) played a role in the UTX-mediated transcriptional regulatory network. Replenishing POSTN reversed the effects of UTX inhibition on GSC proliferation and apoptosis. Our study demonstrated that UTX inhibition hindered POSTN expression by enhancing the H3K27me2/3 level, eventually resulting in inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis of patient-derived GSCs. Our findings may provide a novel and effective strategy for the treatment of GBM.