The Effect of Lanthanum (III) Nitrate on the Osteogenic Differentiation of Mice Bone Marrow Stromal Cells.

To study the species of lanthanum (III) nitrate (La[NO3]3) dispersed in cell media and the effect on the osteoblast differentiation of bone marrow stroma cells (BMSCs). Different La-containing precipitations were obtained by adding various concentrations of La(NO3)3 solutions to Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM) or DMEM with fetal bovine serum (FBS). A series of characterisation methods, including dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and protein quantification were employed to clarify the species of the different La-containing precipitations. The primary BMSCs were isolated, and the cell viability, alkaline phosphatase activity, and the formation of a mineralised nodule of BMSCs were tested when treated with different La-containing precipitations. The La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM could form LaPO4, which exits in the particle formation, while the La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM with FBS could form a La-PO4-protein compound. When treated with La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM, the cell viability of the BMSCs was inhibited at the concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 µM at 1 day and 3 days. Meanwhile, the supernatant derived from the La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM did not affect the cell viability of the BMSCs. In addition, the precipitate derived from the La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM added to the complete medium inhibited the cell viability of the BMSCs at concentrations of 10 µM and 100 µM. When treated with La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM with FBS, the derived precipitate and supernatant did not affect the cell viability of the BMSCs, except for the concentration of 100 µM La(NO3)3. The La-PO4-protein formed from the La(NO3)3 solutions in DMEM with FBS inhibited the osteoblast differentiation of BMSCs at the concentration of 1 µM La(NO3)3 (P < 0.05) but had no effect on either the osteoblast differentiation at the concentrations of 0.001 and 0.1 µM or on the formation of a mineralised nodule at all tested concentrations of La(NO3)3. Overall, La(NO3)3 solutions in different cell culture media could form different La-containing compounds: La-PO4 particles (in DMEM) and a La-PO4-protein compound (in DMEM with FBS). The different La-containing compounds caused different effects on the cell viability, osteoblast differentiation, and the formation of a mineralised nodule of the BMSCs. The La-containing precipitation inhibited the osteoblast differentiation by inhibiting the expression of osteoblast-related genes and proteins, providing a theoretical basis for clinical doctors to apply phosphorus-lowering drugs such as lanthanum carbon.

Correlation between GAL-3, Klotho, Calcium and Phosphorus Metabolism Indexes and Cardiovascular Complications in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between GAL-3, Klotho, calcium and phosphorus indexes and cardiovascular complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: This is a retrospective study. Forty patients with CKD and cardiovascular complications admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from February 20, 2022 to February 20, 2023 were selected as the experimental group, and another 40 patients with CKD without cardiovascular complications were selected as the control group. The differences in serum Ca+2, PO- 4, GAL-3 and Klotho levels between the two groups were analyzed, and the correlations between the above indicators levels and creatinine levels were analyzed. The correlation between the above indicators levels and cardiac function classification was analyzed, and analyzed the risk factors of CKD complicated with cardiovascular complications. Results: The levels of Ca+2, PO- 4 and GAL-3 in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while the level of Klotho was significantly lower than that in the control group. The levels of Ca+2 and PO- 4 were positively correlated with the level of Creatinine (Cr), while the level of Klotho was negatively correlated with the Cr. The levels of Ca+2 and PO- 4 were positively correlated with cardiac function classification, while the level of Klotho was negatively correlated with cardiac function classification. Logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension, BMI, Cr, Ca+2, PO- 4 and VLDL were risk factors for cardiovascular complications, and Klotho level was a protective factor. Conclusion: A positive correlation can be seen between the levels of Ca+2, PO- 4 and cardiac function classification in patients with CKD. Klotho is a protective factor for cardiovascular diseases.

Progress in the study of functional genes related to direct seeding of rice.

Rice is a major food crop in the world. Owing to the shortage of rural labor and the development of agricultural mechanization, direct seeding has become the main method of rice cultivation. At present, the main problems faced by direct seeding of rice are low whole seedling rate, serious weeds, and easy lodging of rice in the middle and late stages of growth. Along with the rapid development of functional genomics, the functions of a large number of genes have been confirmed, including seed vigor, low-temperature tolerance germination, low oxygen tolerance growth, early seedling vigor, early root vigor, resistance to lodging, and other functional genes related to the direct seeding of rice. A review of the related functional genes has not yet been reported. In this study, the genes related to direct seeding of rice are summarized to comprehensively understand the genetic basis and mechanism of action in direct seeding of rice and to lay the foundation for further basic theoretical research and breeding application research in direct seeding of rice.

Deep learning radiomics-based preoperative prediction of recurrence in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is characterized by poor prognosis and propensity for recurrence even after surgery. Identification of those CRS patients with high risk of relapse preoperatively will contribute to personalized treatment recommendations. In this paper, we proposed a multi-task deep learning network for sinus segmentation and CRS recurrence prediction simultaneously to develop and validate a deep learning radiomics-based nomogram for preoperatively predicting recurrence in CRS patients who needed surgical treatment. 265 paranasal sinuses computed tomography (CT) images of CRS from two independent medical centers were analyzed to build and test models. The sinus segmentation model achieved good segmentation results. Furthermore, the nomogram combining a deep learning signature and clinical factors also showed excellent recurrence prediction ability for CRS. Our study not only facilitates a technique for sinus segmentation but also provides a noninvasive method for preoperatively predicting recurrence in patients with CRS.

Overexpression of OsGF14C enhances salinity tolerance but reduces blast resistance in rice.

High-salinity and blast disease are two major stresses that cause dramatic yield loss in rice production. GF14 (14-3-3) genes have been reported to play important role in biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. However, the roles of OsGF14C remain unknown. To understand the functions and regulatory mechanisms of OsGF14C in regulating salinity tolerance and blast resistance in rice, we have conducted OsGF14C-overexpressing transgenic experiments in the present study. Our results showed that overexpression of OsGF14C enhanced salinity tolerance but reduced blast resistance in rice. The enhanced salinity tolerance is related to the reduction of methylglyoxal and Na+ uptake instead of exclusion or compartmentation and the negative role of OsGF14C in blast resistance is associated with the suppression of OsGF14E, OsGF14F and PR genes. Our results together with the results from the previous studies suggest that the lipoxygenase gene LOX2 which is regulated by OsGF14C may play roles in coordinating salinity tolerance and blast resistance in rice. The current study for the first time revealed the possible roles of OsGF14C in regulating salinity tolerance and blast resistance in rice, and laid down a foundation for further functional study and crosstalk regulation between salinity and blast resistance in rice.

Transcriptomic analysis of asthma and allergic rhinitis reveals CST1 as a biomarker of unified airways.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an important risk factor for the development of asthma. The "unified airway" theory considers the upper and lower airways as a morphological and functional whole. However, studies exploring biomarkers linking the upper and lower airways in allergic disease are lacking, which may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying AR comorbid asthma. Purpose: To integrate bioinformatics techniques to explore biomarkers in airway allergic diseases, and to provide a molecular etiology profile for preventing the development of asthma in AR patients. Methods: Biomarkers were screened by identifying key genes common between AR and asthma through WGCNA and differential gene analysis. GO and KEGG analyses were performed using DAVID. Immuno-infiltration analysis was performed by CIBERSORTx. The predictive value of CST1 to distinguish Th2-high asthma was determined by ROC curves. GSEA was used to analyze the signaling pathways involved in CST1. TargetScan and miRNet were combined with GSE142237 to construct ceRNA network. CMap was used to explore potential therapeutic drugs. Results: Validation of datasets showed that CST1 was the only gene that was up-regulated in both upper and lower airways in patients with AR and asthma, and correlation heatmaps showed that CST1 was the gene with the highest sum of correlation coefficients. GO and KEGG analysis demonstrated that the lower airways of AR patients were mainly involved in inflammatory and immune responses, similar to asthma. Immune infiltration showed that CST1 was mainly positively correlated with activated CD4 memory T cells. According to the ROC curve, CST1 showed excellent diagnostic efficiency for Th2-high asthma. GSEA indicated that CST1 was involved in the FcϵRI signaling pathway and O-glycan biosynthesis. A ceRNA network including the lncRNAs KCNQ1OT1 and NEAT1 was constructed. Four drugs, including verrucarin-A, had the potential to prevent the development of asthma in AR patients. In addition, corticosteroids were found to downregulate CST1 expression. Conclusion: CST1 plays a key role in the development of AR comorbid asthma and may be a biomarker for airway allergic diseases. Targeted treatment of CST1 has the potential to prevent the development of asthma in AR patients and deserves further study.

Over-expression of CRTH2 indicates eosinophilic inflammation and poor prognosis in recurrent nasal polyps.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is often characterized by recurrent nasal polyp (NP) growth following surgical removal, but the mechanisms are still not clear. This study aimed to investigate the expression of chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecule expressed on Th2 cells (CRTH2) receptor on NP and the role it plays in eosinophil inflammation and polyp recurrence. Methods: Forty-one CRSwNPs patients and seventeen controls were enrolled in this study. mRNA was extracted from nasal tissues and evaluated for expression of CRTH2. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to confirm the distribution and expression of CRTH2 protein. CRTH2 expression on peripheral blood eosinophils was quantified by flow cytometry. The eosinophil count and clinical implications were also evaluated and their correlations with CRTH2 expression were analyzed. Results: Nasal polyps displayed increased expression of CRTH2 in mRNA level compared with control samples, with the highest expression observed in recurrent NP. Immunofluorescence confirmed over-expression of CRTH2 in recurrent NP and this was independent of the concurrent presence of asthma. CRTH2 expression was positively correlated with tissue eosinophil number (Spearman's ρ=0.69, P<0.001) and the postoperative sino-nasal outcome test-22 (SNOT-22) score (Spearman's ρ=0.67, P<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves revealed CRTH2 was more predictive for NP recurrence compared to either eosinophil number and concomitant asthma, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.9107. Conclusion: The over-expression of CRTH2 in recurrent nasal polyps correlates with greater eosinophilic inflammation and poor prognosis which is independent of concomitant asthma.

Identification of key genes and pathways in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and asthma comorbidity using bioinformatics approaches.

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and asthma comorbidity (ACRSwNP) present severe symptoms and are more likely to relapse. However, the pathogenesis of ACRSwNP is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to explore the underlying pathogenesis of ACRSwNP using bioinformatics approaches. ACRSwNP-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the analysis of the GSE23552 dataset. The clusterProfiler R package was used to carry out functional and pathway enrichment analysis. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built using the STRING database to explore key genes in the pathogenesis of ACRSwNP. The bioinformatics analysis results were verified through qRT-PCR. The Connectivity Map (CMap) database was used to predict potential drugs for the treatment of ACRSwNP. A total of 36 DEGs were identified, which were mainly enriched in terms of regulation of immune response and detection sensory perception of taste. Thirteen hub genes including AZGP1, AQP9, GAPT, PIP, and PRR4 were identified as potential hub genes in ACRSwNP from the PPI network. Analysis of the GSE41861 dataset showed that upregulation of CST1 in nasal mucosa was associated with asthma. qRT-PCR detection confirmed the bioinformatics analysis results. Tacrolimus and spaglumic acid were identified as potential drugs for the treatment of ACRSwNP from the CMap database. The findings of this study provide insights into the pathogenesis of ACRSwNP and may provide a basis for the discovery of effective therapeutic modalities for ACRSwNP.

Integrated analysis and identification of hub genes as novel biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an intractable and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that can lead to severe cognitive decline, impaired speech, short-term memory loss, and finally an inability to function in daily life. For patients, their families, and even all of society, AD can impart great emotional pressure and economic costs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate potential diagnostic biomarkers of AD. Using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, the expression profiles of genes were extracted from the GSE5281, GSE28146, and GSE48350 microarray datasets. Then, immune-related genes were identified by the intersections of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Functional enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, Disease Ontology (DO), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), were performed. Subsequently, random forest models and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used to further screen hub genes, which were then validated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Finally, 153 total immune-related DEGs were identified in relation to AD. DO analysis of these immune-related DEGs showed that they were enriched in "lung disease," "reproductive system disease," and "atherosclerosis." Single GSEA of hub genes showed that they were particularly enriched in "oxidative phosphorylation." ROC analysis of AGAP3 yielded an area under the ROC curve of 0.878 for GSE5281, 0.727 for GSE28146, and 0.635 for GSE48350. Moreover, immune infiltration analysis demonstrated that AGAP3 was related to follicular helper T cells, naïve CD4 T cells, naïve B cells, memory B cells, macrophages M0, macrophages M1, macrophages M2, resting natural killer (NK) cells, activated NK cells, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and activated mast cells. These results indicate that identifying immune-related DEGs might enhance the current understanding of the development and prognosis of AD. Furthermore, AGAP3 not only plays a vital role in AD progression and diagnosis but could also serve as a valuable target for further research on AD.

The clinical correlation between Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy.

Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy are common nervous system diseases in older adults, and their incidence rates tend to increase with age. Patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease are more prone to have seizures. In patients older than 65 years, neurodegenerative conditions accounted for ~10% of all late-onset epilepsy cases, most of which are Alzheimer's disease. Epilepsy and seizure can occur in the early and late stages of Alzheimer's disease, leading to functional deterioration and behavioral alterations. Seizures promote amyloid-ß and tau deposits, leading to neurodegenerative processes. Thus, there is a bi-directional association between Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Epilepsy is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and, in turn, Alzheimer's disease is an independent risk factor for developing epilepsy in old age. Many studies have evaluated the shared pathogenesis and clinical relevance of Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. In this review, we discuss the clinical associations between Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy, including their incidence, clinical features, and electroencephalogram abnormalities. Clinical studies of the two disorders in recent years are summarized, and new antiepileptic drugs used for treating Alzheimer's disease are reviewed.

Improvement of Subjective Olfactory Dysfunction in Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

Objective: Olfactory impairment is a common complaint in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), but the influence of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on olfaction and the factors predicting olfactory impairment are not fully understood. This study aimed to assess the effect of ESS on improving olfactory dysfunction in patients with CRSwNP and to identify factors that predict prognosis. Methods: A total of 56 patients with CRSwNP reported their self-evaluated olfactory dysfunction score preoperatively and 1 month, 3 months, and 12 months after ESS. Preoperative clinical characteristics, computed tomography (CT) scan, and sinonasal endoscopy examination results were collected before surgery. Additionally, factors that predicted olfactory loss and affected the improvement of olfaction after ESS were evaluated. Results: Olfactory improvement can be observed 1 month after ESS. A total of 73.2% (41/56) subjects experienced sustained recovery of subjective olfaction with the self-evaluated olfactory dysfunction score improving from 2.04 to 0.64 (P < 0.001) after 12 months. The Lund-Mackay scores (r = 0.593, P < 0.001) and Lund-Kennedy scores (r = 0.265, P < 0.05) correlated with the preoperative olfactory dysfunction score. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that longer duration of olfactory dysfunction, blood eosinophilia, lower Lund-Mackay scores, and peripheral distribution of CT opacification were risk factors that adversely affected the recovery of olfactory function (P < 0.05). Conclusion: ESS improved self-evaluated olfactory function in patients with CRSwNP. Lund-Mackay scores and Lund-Kennedy scores were correlated with olfactory function prior to surgery, while a longer course of the disease, higher blood eosinophilia, lower Lund-Mackay scores, and peripheral distribution of CT opacification were risk factors for poor olfactory prognosis.

Porous NH2-MIL-101(Fe) metal organic framework for effective photocatalytic degradation of azo dye in wastewater treatment.

The porous iron-based metal organic frameworks (NH2-MIL-101(Fe)), which consists of 2-amino benzene dicarboxylic acid (H2BDC-NH2) and ferrous ions were synthesized through one-step hydrothermal method. The surface area and pore volume of as-synthesized NH2-MIL-101(Fe) were 66.48 m2/g and 0.09 cm3/g, respectively. The excellent photocatalytic performance endows NH2-MIL-101(Fe) to generate hydroxyl radical (•OH), which then acting as efficiently active sites for azo dye degradation in wastewater. Meanwhile, the outstanding stability ability of NH2-MIL-101(Fe) indicates the potential candidate for wastewater treatment.

Level of LncRNA GAS5 and Hippocampal Volume are Associated with the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease.

Purpose: We evaluated the diagnostic value of long non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) and its relationship with hippocampal volume in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Patients and Methods: One hundred and eight patients with AD and 83 healthy controls were included, and demographic data, biochemical parameters, GAS5 levels, and hippocampal volume were recorded. Chi-squared tests or independent sample t-tests were used to compare the baseline characteristics, relative expression of GAS5, and hippocampal volume. Correlations between variables were determined using Spearman's rank correlation test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to compare the diagnostic value of GAS5 and total hippocampal volume in AD. Results: The levels of GAS5 were significantly upregulated in patients with AD compared with those in controls and were negatively correlated with MMSE score. There were differences in left hippocampal volume, right hippocampal volume, and total hippocampal volume between the two groups. Total hippocampal volume was positively correlated with MMSE score and negatively correlated with GAS5 expression in patients with AD. The area under the curve (AUC) of for GAS5 expression was 0.831, the sensitivity was 61.1%, and the specificity was 95.2%. The AUC of the combined total hippocampal volume was 0.891, the sensitivity was 74.1%, and the specificity was 92.8%. Conclusion: The results suggested that GAS5 may be an excellent indicator of AD progression alone or in combination with hippocampal volume.

Vision improvement in indirect traumatic optic neuropathy treated by endoscopic transnasal optic canal decompression.

BACKGROUND: Indirect Traumatic optic neuropathy (ITON) is a severe disease characterized by a sudden decline of visual function after craniofacial injury. However, the best treatment for ITON is unknown. Endoscopic transnasal optic canal decompression (ETOCD) has gradually been used for ITON treatment worldwide in recent years. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of ETOCD on visual acuity in patients with ITON and identify factors that affect prognosis. METHODS: In this study, clinical characteristics of 44 ITON patients who underwent ETOCD in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University were retrospectively analyzed. Factors affecting prognosis were also evaluated. RESULTS: ETOCD treatment improved the vision of 20 (45.5%) patients with no patient suffering from vision deterioration. The mean value of visual acuity (VA) scores improved from 1.57 to 2.39 (P < 0.001). Patients with residual vision had a better VA improvement percent than those without light perception (66.67% versus 34.48%, χ2 = 4.13, P = 0.042). Although shorter duration before ETOCD was associated with better improvement score in ITON patients (r = -0.30, P = 0.044), optic canal fracture (OCF) and optic nerve sheath incision did not affect the prognosis of these patients. Five ITON patients with cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea were treated with free nasal mucosal flap during the surgery, and no other severe surgical complication occurred. CONCLUSIONS: ETOCD can effectively and safely improve the vision of ITON patients, patients with residual vision and those treated earlier may benefit more from this surgery.

High-performance Li-ion battery driven by a hybrid Li storage mechanism in a three-dimensional architectured ZnTiO3-CeO2 microsphere anode.

ZnTiO3 and ZnTiO3-CeO2 microspheres with particle sizes of about 100-300 nm were synthesized for the first time by a simple solvothermal process followed by calcination. The results indicate that CeO2 modification does not alter the morphology of the microspheres. ZnTiO3-CeO2 (0, 3, 6, and 9 wt%) show an initial charge (discharge) capacity of 171.01 (253.2), 204.6 (507.5), 213.4 (451.6) and 126.2 (367.2) mA h g-1 at 500 mA g-1, respectively. After 500 cycles, the corresponding charge (discharge) capacities were 191.1 (192.3), 298.7 (300.3), 322.4 (328.5) and 211.2 (212.3) mA h g-1, respectively. Obviously, the charge (discharge) capacities of the ZnTiO3-CeO2 composites are superior to those of pristine ZTO, which demonstrates that the Li storage performance of the CeO2-modified ZTO electrodes is improved. The CeO2 shell provides a good electronic contact between ZnTiO3 and CeO2, decreasing charge transfer resistance and facilitating the charge transportation of the ZnTiO3-CeO2 composite. In addition, the formed phase interface between CeO2 and ZnTiO3 may provide more active sites for electrochemical reactions, improving the reversibility of Li-ion intercalation and decreasing the electrochemical polarization during cycling, especially at high current densities. Therefore, such ZnTiO3-CeO2 microspheres can be regarded as hopeful candidates for anode materials for Li-ion batteries.

Integrative analysis of potential biomarkers and immune cell infiltration in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly population. However, there are no reliable diagnostic biomarkers for PD, and the pathogenesis of PD still needs further study. The aim of the current study was to identify potential biomarkers and explore the pathogenesis of PD. METHODS: We conducted an integrative analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) expression profiles of PD using data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The GSE110720, GSE110719 and GSE133347 data sets were selected and analysed. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment and gene set variation analysis (GSVA) were performed for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) and competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed, and hub genes were identified. Meanwhile, the immune infiltration analysis of hub genes was analysed. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to verify the diagnostic value of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Finally, the genes with high area under the curve (AUC) values were verified by human samples. RESULTS: We identified 464 DEGs closely related to PD, including 154 mRNAs, 134 miRNAs, and 176 lncRNAs. The GO analyses indicated that changes in PD were mainly enriched in receptor ligand activity and cytokine receptor binding. The KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were significantly involved in cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, signalling pathways regulating the pluripotency of stem cells and Th17 cell differentiation. GSVA suggested that growth factor binding, IL2-stat5 signalling, and IL6-jak-stat3 signalling were crucial in the development of PD. A total of five hub genes (NPBWR2, CXCL10, CXCL5, S1PR5, and GALR1) were selected via the PPI network. A ceRNA network of the CXCL5, CXCL10 and S1PR5 genes was constructed, and target genes of the three genes were screened. The immune infiltration analysis showed that there were significant differences in a variety of immune cells between the hub genes. The expression of DEGs was validated in clinical human samples by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression levels of hsa-miR6895-5p, hsa-miR6791-5p, hsa-miR518f-5p, hsa-miR455-3p and TEKT4P2 were decreased, while the levels of TPTE2P6 were increased in human samples. These findings are consistent with the bioinformatics analysis results. CONCLUSION: We found that the immune inflammatory response and immune cell regulation were involved in the pathogenesis of PD. Five hub genes involved in the immune infiltration biological processes of PD based on bioinformatics. We verified the DEGs with significant differences by qRT-PCR. These findings might provide new insight into the pathogenesis of PD and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for PD.

Boosting the lithium storage performance of Na2Li2Ti6O14 anodes by g-C3N4 modification.

Na2Li2Ti6O14 particles were prepared by a simple solid-state process, and then g-C3N4-coated Na2Li2Ti6O14 composites were constructed by a facile solution route for the first time. The g-C3N4-coated Na2Li2Ti6O14 multicomponent composites because of their unique architecture as negative materials for Li-ion batteries can be expected to exhibit a significantly improved cycling stability and reversible capacity even at high rates. g-C3N4 (5 wt%)-coated Na2Li2Ti6O14 shows a discharge (charge) capacity of 184.4 (184.3) mA h g-1 at 500 mA g-1 after 100 cycles, which is larger than that of pristine Na2Li2Ti6O14 with a discharge (charge) capacity of 122.8 (122.0) mA h g-1. The use of g-C3N4 with a carbon framework containing abundant nitrogen provides more active sites and surface defects for redox reactions and Li-ion transport. The g-C3N4 coating decreases the impedance between the electrolyte and Na2Li2Ti6O14 and enhances the charge transfer, ionic conductivity and diffusion ability of Li ions of Na2Li2Ti6O14. This work offers an efficient way to design high-performance Na2Li2Ti6O14-based materials for advanced lithium ion battery, and g-C3N4 (5 wt%)-coated Na2Li2Ti6O14 shows an enormous potential as a negative material for next generation Li-ion batteries with excellent performance.

Downregulation of lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 relieves traumatic brain injury induced neurological deficits via promoting "M2" microglia polarization.

BACKGROUND: Microglia-induced neuroinflammation is one of the main characteristics of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Presently, we aim to investigate the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) KCNQ1 overlapping transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) in TBI-induced neurological deficits and the related mechanism. METHODS: An in-vivo TBI model was established in mice, and in-vitro experiments were carried out on BV2 microglia. Then the neurological functions, microglial activation, inflammatory cytokines, and proteins were detected. RESULTS: Our data indicated that KCNQ1OT1 was markedly overexpressed in the cerebral tissues of TBI mice, accompanied by a higher level of the cytokines (including IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNFα). However, knocking down KCNQ1OT1 relieved neurological deficits, neuron loss, and blood-brain barrier damage. Besides, overexpressing miR-873-5p enhanced the "M2″ polarization of microglia by repressing the TRAF6-mediated p38 and NF-κB pathways. In contrast, downregulating KCNQ1OT1 repressed microglial neuroinflammation by attenuating the "M1″ polarization of microglia and promoting "M2″ polarization of microglia, and inactivating the p38 and NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanistically, KCNQ1OT1 functioned as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-873-5p, which targeted the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of TRAF6. Overall, our data confirmed that downregulating lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 exerted neuroprotective effects on TBI mice by modulating the miR-873-5p-TRAF6-p38/NF-κB axis.

Colorimetric indicator based on purple tomato anthocyanins and chitosan for application in intelligent packaging.

Intelligent colorimetric indicator films were prepared to monitor freshness/spoilage of milk and fish by incorporating purple tomato anthocyanin (PTA) into chitosan (CS) matrix via solution casting method with PTA concentration (w/w, based on CS) of 10%, 30%, and 50%, respectively. The pH-response, UV absorption, Swelling Index, and the mechanical properties of CS/PTA films were determined. It was found that the color of the original CS/PTA films became darker with an improvement of PTA content and expressed well pH-sensitivity. With increasing of pH, the color of the CS/PTA films exposed to pH = 3-11 solutions became darker and the change in color of the CS/10% PTA film was the most discernable. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of the CS/PTA film was much lower than that of CS film, however, the elongation at breaking and Swelling Index were both improved by adding PTA. The intelligent films with 10% PTA changed their color during progressive spoilage of milk or fish, revealing their potential application for monitoring food freshness/spoilage.

Evaluating the osteoimmunomodulatory properties of micro-arc oxidized titanium surface at two different biological stages using an optimized in vitro cell culture strategy.

It is known that introducing a porous ceramic coating on titanium (Ti) implant surface fabricated by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) could enhance the differentiation of osteoblasts. However, the osteogenic capacity of MAO-fabricated coating still remains unknown when immune cells especially macrophages are involved. The influence of the inflammatory microenvironment and the co-influence of the inflammatory microenvironment and surface characteristics of MAO-fabricated coating on osteoblast response need to be explored. In this study, a new in vitro cell culture strategy is proposed by mimicking the biological events happened after implantation based on the recruitment of osteoblasts to biomaterial surfaces to investigate biological performances of MAO-modified Ti surface. It is found that macrophages grown on MAO-modified Ti surface were switched to M1-like phenotype, evidenced by the promoted expressions of inflammatory genes (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1ß) and production of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α. Moreover, the inflammatory microenvironment created by macrophage/MAO-modified Ti surface interactions could promote the collagen syntheses and matrix mineralization of osteoblast-like cells grown tissue culture plate. When osteoblasts were cultured on MAO-modified Ti surface and cultured by macrophage/MAO-modified Ti surface conditioned medium (CM), the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and collagen synthesis of osteoblast-like cells were promoted. This study suggests that MAO-modified Ti surface is beneficial for osteogenesis at both stages after implantation (before and after osteoblast recruitment to biomaterial surfaces).