Sensitive detection of H2S based on Ce doped ZnCo2O4 hollow microspheres at low working temperature.

In order to develop a highly efficient H2S gas sensor at low working temperature, in this work, a kind of novel Ce-doped ZnCo2O4 hollow microspheres (Ce/ZnCo2O4 HMSs) were successfully synthesized using a template-free one-pot method, showing a sensitive response toward H2S. The microstructure and morphology of the material were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The gas-sensing performance of the composite was investigated, showing that the ZnCo2O4 doped with 6 mol% Ce had the highest response to 20 ppm H2S at a low operating temperature of 160 °C with a response value of 67.42, which was about 2 times higher than that of original ZnCo2O4. The prepared Ce/ZnCo2O4 HMS sensor in response to H2S exhibited a linear range of 0.1-200 ppm with a low detection limit of 0.1 ppm under the conditions of ambient humidity of 45% and ambient temperature of 20 °C. Meanwhile, it also possessed good selectivity, repeatability and reproducibility. The response value of the sensor decreased by 5.32% after 7 months of continuous monitoring of H2S in an atmospheric environment of a pig farm, indicating that the sensor had a long-term stability and continuous service life with important application prospects.

d-band center engineering of single Cu atom and atomic Ni clusters for enhancing electrochemical CO2 reduction to CO.

The rational design of catalysts with atomic dispersion and a deep understanding of the catalytic mechanism is crucial for achieving high performance in CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Herein, we present an atomically dispersed electrocatalyst with single Cu atom and atomic Ni clusters supported on N-doped mesoporous hollow carbon sphere (CuSANiAC/NMHCS) for highly efficient CO2RR. CuSANiAC/NMHCS demonstrates a remarkable CO Faradaic efficiency (FECO) exceeding 90% across a potential range of -0.6 to -1.2 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and achieves its peak FECO of 98% at -0.9 V vs. RHE. Theoretical studies reveal that the electron redistribution and modulated electronic structure-notably the positive shift in d-band center of Ni 3d orbital-resulting from the combination of single Cu atom and atomic Ni clusters markedly enhance the CO2 adsorption, facilitate the formation of *COOH intermediate, and thus promote the CO production activity. This study offers fresh perspectives on fabricating atomically dispersed catalysts with superior CO2RR performance.

Reason and control strategy for denitrification and anammox sludge flotation in nitrogen removal process: Mechanisms, strategies and perspectives.

Anaerobic biological treatment technology, especially denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) technology as mainstream process, played dominant role in the field of biological wastewater treatment. However, the above process was prone to sludge floating during high load operation and thereby affecting the efficient and stable operation of the system. Excessive production of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) was considered to be the main reason for anaerobic granular sludge flotation, but the summaries in this area were not comprehensive enough. In this review, the potential mechanisms of denitrification and anammox sludge floatation were discussed from the perspective of granular sludge structural characteristics, nutrient transfer, and microbial flora change respectively, and the corresponding control strategies were also summarized. Finally, this paper indicated that future research on sludge flotation should focus on reducing the negative effects of EPS in sludge particles.

Daurisoline inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis, and enhances TRAIL sensitivity of breast cancer cells by upregulating DR5.

Daurisoline (DS) is an isoquinoline alkaloid that exerts anticancer activities in various cancer cells. However, the underlying mechanisms through which DS affects the survival of breast cancer cells remain poorly understood. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the potential anticancer effect of DS on breast cancer cells and reveal the mechanism underlying the enhanced tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis by DS. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay were used to evaluate the ability of cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was selected to examine the cell cycle distribution. TUNEL assay was used to detect the cell apoptosis. The protein expression was measured by Western blot analysis. DS was found to reduce the cell viability and suppress the proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells by causing G1 phase cell cycle arrest. DS could trigger apoptosis by promoting the cleavage of caspase-8 and PARP. The phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38MAPK was upregulated clearly following DS treatment. Notably, SP600125 (JNK inhibitor) pretreatment significantly abrogated DS-induced PARP cleavage. DS inactivated Akt/mTOR and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and upregulated the expression of ER stress-related proteins. Additionally, DS amplified TRAIL-caused viability reduction and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Mechanismly, DS upregulated the protein level of DR4 and DR5, and knockdown of DR5 attenuated the cotreatment-induced cleavage of PARP. Inhibition of JNK could block DS-induced upregulation of DR5. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of DS inhibiting cell proliferation, triggering apoptosis, and enhancing TRAIL sensitivity of breast cancer cells.

Characterization of light-dependent rhythm of courtship vibrational signals in Nilaparvata lugens: essential involvement of cryptochrome genes.

BACKGROUND: Vibrational signal plays a crucial role in courtship communication in many insects. However, it remains unclear whether insect vibrational signals exhibit daily rhythmicity in response to changes in environmental cues. RESULTS: In this study, we observed daily rhythms of both female vibrational signals (FVS) and male vibrational signals (MVS) in the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), one of the most notorious rice pests across Asia. Notably, oscillations of FVS and MVS in paired BPHs were synchronized as part of male-female duetting interactions, displaying significant day-night rhythmicity. Furthermore, we observed light dependency of FVS emissions under different photoperiodic regimes (18 L:6 D and 6 L:18 D) and illumination intensity levels (>300 lx, 50 lx, and 25 lx). Subsequently, the potential role of circadian clock genes cryptochromes (Nlcry1 and Nlcry2) in regulating FVS daily oscillations was examined using gene knockdown via RNA interference. We observed sharp declines and disrupted rhythms in FVS frequencies when either of the Nlcrys was downregulated, with Nlcry2 knockdown showing a more prominent effect. Moreover, we recorded a novel FVS variant (with a dominant frequency of 361.76 ± 4.31 Hz) emitted by dsNlcry1-treated BPH females, which significantly diminished the impact of courtship stimuli on receptive males. CONCLUSION: We observed light-dependent daily rhythms of substrate-borne vibrational signals (SBVS) in BPH and demonstrated essential yet distinct roles of the two Nlcrys. These findings enhanced our understanding of insect SBVS and illustrated the potential of novel precision physical control strategies for disrupting mating behaviors in this rice pest. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

6-Methoxydihydrosanguinarine exhibits cytotoxicity and sensitizes TRAIL-induced apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through ROS-mediated upregulation of DR5.

6-methoxydihydrosanguinarine (6-MS), a natural benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from Macleaya cordata (Willd.) R. Br, has shown to trigger apoptotic cell death in cancer cells. However, the exact mechanisms involved have not yet been clarified. The current study reveals the underlying mechanisms of 6-MS-induced cytotoxicity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and investigates whether 6-MS sensitizes TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis. 6-MS was shown to suppress cell proliferation and trigger cell cycle arrest, DNA damage, and apoptosis in HCC cells. Mechanisms analysis indicated that 6-MS promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, JNK activation, and inhibits EGFR/Akt signaling pathway. DNA damage and apoptosis induced by 6-MS were reversed following N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) treatment. The enhancement of PARP cleavage caused by 6-MS was abrogated by pretreatment with JNK inhibitor SP600125. Furthermore, 6-MS enhanced TRAIL-mediated HCC cells apoptosis by upregulating the cell surface receptor DR5 expression. Pretreatment with NAC attenuated 6-MS-upregulated DR5 protein expression and alleviated cotreatment-induced viability reduction, cleavage of caspase-8, caspase-9, and PARP. Overall, our results suggest that 6-MS exerts cytotoxicity by modulating ROS generation, EGFR/Akt signaling, and JNK activation in HCC cells. 6-MS potentiates TRAIL-induced apoptosis through upregulation of DR5 via ROS generation. The combination of 6-MS with TRAIL may be a promising strategy and warrants further investigation.

Promotion of nitrogen removal in a denitrification process elevated by zero-valent iron under low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

The nitrogen removal efficiency and distribution of microbial community in a denitrification process aided by zero-valent iron (ZVI) under low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) were assessed in this study. Experimental results demonstrated that the nitrogen removal efficiency (TNRE) increased to 96.4 ± 2.72% and 63.3 ± 4.02% after continuous addition of ZVI with molar ratio of ZVI to nitrate (NO3--N) (ZVI/N) of 6 at C/N of 3 and 2, respectively, which was 4% and 7.7% higher than the blank one. Meanwhile, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) could be used as electron transfer medium and endogenous carbon source for denitrification system and also the production of which increased by 28.43% and 53.10% under ZVI stimulation compared to the control group. Finally, a symbiotic system composed by autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification bacteria was formed by aid of ZVI. This study proposed new insights into denitrification process improved by ZVI.

DKADE: a novel framework based on deep learning and knowledge graph for identifying adverse drug events and related medications.

Adverse drug events (ADEs) are common in clinical practice and can cause significant harm to patients and increase resource use. Natural language processing (NLP) has been applied to automate ADE detection, but NLP systems become less adaptable when drug entities are missing or multiple medications are specified in clinical narratives. Additionally, no Chinese-language NLP system has been developed for ADE detection due to the complexity of Chinese semantics, despite ˃10 million cases of drug-related adverse events occurring annually in China. To address these challenges, we propose DKADE, a deep learning and knowledge graph-based framework for identifying ADEs. DKADE infers missing drug entities and evaluates their correlations with ADEs by combining medication orders and existing drug knowledge. Moreover, DKADE can automatically screen for new adverse drug reactions. Experimental results show that DKADE achieves an overall F1-score value of 91.13%. Furthermore, the adaptability of DKADE is validated using real-world external clinical data. In summary, DKADE is a powerful tool for studying drug safety and automating adverse event monitoring.

Cellular Protein Aggregates: Formation, Biological Effects, and Ways of Elimination.

The accumulation of protein aggregates is the hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases. The dysregulation of protein homeostasis (or proteostasis) caused by acute proteotoxic stresses or chronic expression of mutant proteins can lead to protein aggregation. Protein aggregates can interfere with a variety of cellular biological processes and consume factors essential for maintaining proteostasis, leading to a further imbalance of proteostasis and further accumulation of protein aggregates, creating a vicious cycle that ultimately leads to aging and the progression of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Over the long course of evolution, eukaryotic cells have evolved a variety of mechanisms to rescue or eliminate aggregated proteins. Here, we will briefly review the composition and causes of protein aggregation in mammalian cells, systematically summarize the role of protein aggregates in the organisms, and further highlight some of the clearance mechanisms of protein aggregates. Finally, we will discuss potential therapeutic strategies that target protein aggregates in the treatment of aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Effect of Lacking ZKSCAN3 on Autophagy, Lysosomal Biogenesis and Senescence.

Transcription factors can affect autophagy activity by promoting or inhibiting the expression of autophagic and lysosomal genes. As a member of the zinc finger family DNA-binding proteins, ZKSCAN3 has been reported to function as a transcriptional repressor of autophagy, silencing of which can induce autophagy and promote lysosomal biogenesis in cancer cells. However, studies in Zkscan3 knockout mice showed that the deficiency of ZKSCAN3 did not induce autophagy or increase lysosomal biogenesis. In order to further explore the role of ZKSCAN3 in the transcriptional regulation of autophagic genes in human cancer and non-cancer cells, we generated ZKSCAN3 knockout HK-2 (non-cancer) and Hela (cancer) cells via the CRISPR/Cas9 system and analyzed the differences in gene expression between ZKSCAN3 deleted cells and non-deleted cells through fluorescence quantitative PCR, western blot and transcriptome sequencing, with special attention to the differences in expression of autophagic and lysosomal genes. We found that ZKSCAN3 may be a cancer-related gene involved in cancer progression, but not an essential transcriptional repressor of autophagic or lysosomal genes, as the lacking of ZKSCAN3 cannot significantly promote the expression of autophagic and lysosomal genes.

Scutebarbatine A induces ROS-mediated DNA damage and apoptosis in breast cancer cells by modulating MAPK and EGFR/Akt signaling pathway.

Scutebarbatine A (SBT-A), a diterpenoid alkaloid, has exerted cytotoxicity on hepatocellular carcinoma cells in our previous works. Here, the antitumor activity of SBT-A in breast cancer cells and the underlying mechanism were explored. The anti-proliferative effect of SBT-A was measured by trypan blue staining, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation and colony formation assay. DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) were evaluated by observing the nuclear focus formation of γ-H2AX. Cell cycle distribution was assessed by flow cytometry. Apoptosis was determined by a TUNEL assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and superoxide production were measured with 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and dihydroethidium (DHE) staining, respectively. The results indicated that SBT-A showed a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect against breast cancer cells while revealing less toxicity toward MCF-10A breast epithelial cells. Moreover, SBT-A remarkably induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. SBT-A treatment increased the levels of ROS and cytosolic superoxide production. Pretreatment with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, was sufficient to block viability reduction, DNA damage, apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress caused by SBT-A. By exposure to SBT-A, the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) was upregulated, while the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was downregulated. In addition, SBT-A inhibited the EGFR signaling pathway by decreasing EGFR expression and phosphorylation of Akt and p70S6K. As mentioned above, SBT-A has a potent inhibitory effect on breast cancer cells through induction of DNA damage, apoptosis and ER stress via ROS generation and modulation of MAPK and EGFR/Akt signaling pathway.

Wumei Wan attenuates angiogenesis and inflammation by modulating RAGE signaling pathway in IBD: Network pharmacology analysis and experimental evidence.

BACKGROUND: Wumei Wan (WMW) has been used to address digestive disorder for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. Previous studies have demonstrated its anti-colitis efficacy, but the underlying mechanism of its action remains to be further clarified. PURPOSE: To investigate the underlying mechanisms of WMW in the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis (UC) through network pharmacology and experimental validation. METHODS: Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) platform were used to identify the ingredients and potential targets of WMW. The microarray gene data GSE75214 datasets from GEO database was used to define UC-associated targets. Cytoscape3.7.2 was employed to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and compounds-disease targets network. GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were performed by R software for functional annotation. UPLC-TOF-MS/MS method was used to quantitatively analyze the active ingredients of WMW. For experimental validation, three cycles of 2% dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) were used to construct chronic colitis model. The hub targets and signal pathway were detected by qPCR, ELISA, western blotting , immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Through network analysis, 104 active ingredients were obtained from WMW, and 47 of these ingredients had potential targets for UC. A total of 41 potential targets of WMW and 13 hub targets were identified. KEGG analysis showed that WMW involved in advanced glycation end products-receptor of advanced glycation end products (AGE-RAGE) signaling pathway. Taxifolin, rutaecarpine, kaempferol, quercetin, and luteolin of WMW were the more highly predictive components related to the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway. In vivo validation, WMW improved DSS-induced colitis, reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Notably, it significantly decreased the mRNA expression of Spp1, Serpine1, Mmp2, Mmp9, Ptgs2, Nos2, Kdr and Icam1, which were associated with angiogenesis. In addition, we confirmed WMW inhibited RAGE expression and diminished DSS-induced epithelial barrier alterations CONCLUSION: Our results initially demonstrated the effective components and the strong anti-angiogenic activity of WMW in experimental chronic colitis. Sufficient evidence of the satisfactory anti-colitis action of WMW was verified in this study, suggesting its potential as a quite prospective agent for the therapy of UC.

The overexpression of cytochrome P450 genes confers buprofezin resistance in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål).

BACKGROUND: Buprofezin, an insect growth regulator, has been widely used to control brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, one of the most destructive pests of rice crops in Asia. The intensive use of this compound has resulted in very high levels of resistance to buprofezin in the field, however, the underpinning mechanisms of resistance have not been fully resolved. RESULTS: Insecticide bioassays using the P450 inhibitor piperonyl butoxide significantly synergized the toxicity of buprofezin in two resistant strains of BPH (BPR and YC2017) compared to a susceptible strain (Sus), suggesting P450s play a role in resistance to this compound. Whole transcriptome profiling identified 1110 genes that were upregulated in the BPR strain compared to the Sus strain, including 13 cytochrome P450 genes, eight esterases and one glutathione S-transferase. Subsequently, qPCR validation revealed that four of the P450 genes, CYP6ER1vA, CYP6CW1, CYP4C77, and CYP439A1 were significantly overexpressed in both the BRP and YC2017 strains compared with the Sus strain. Further functional analyses showed that only suppression of CYP6ER1vA, CYP6CW1, and CYP439A1 gene expression by RNA interference significantly increased the toxicity of buprofezin against BPH. However, only transgenic Drosophila melanogaster expressing CYP6ER1vA and CYP439A1 exhibited significant resistance to buprofezin. Finally, the BPR strain was found to exhibit modest but significant levels of resistance to acetamiprid, dinotefuran and pymetrozine. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide strong evidence that the overexpression of CYP6ER1vA and CYP439A1 contribute to buprofezin resistance in BPH, and that resistance to this compound is associated with low-level resistance to acetamiprid, dinotefuran and pymetrozine. These results advance understanding of the molecular basis of BPH resistance to buprofezin and will inform the development of management strategies for the control of this highly damaging pest. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Safety of leadless pacemaker implantation in super-elderly patients / 中华全科医师杂志

Objective:To evaluate the safety of leadless pacemaker implantation in super-elderly patients.Methods:Eleven patients with average age of 90 (86, 92) years who underwent leadless pacemaker implantation in the Department of Cardiology, Peking University People′s Hospital from March 2021 to May 2022 were included. The clinical data and implantation information were collected. The complications (cardiac tamponade, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, pulmonary embolism, pacemaker reinfection, femoral vein hematoma) and death of patients were documented at 24 h, 3 d, and 1, 3, 6 months after pacemaker implantation.Results:There were 9 males and 2 females with the body mass index of 21(19, 23)kg/m 2. The underlying diseases were hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, previous cerebral infarction and moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation in 9, 9, 9, 6, 4, 4, 4 patients, respectively. The left ventricular ejection fraction was 49% (45%, 52%), the hemoglobin concentration was 118 (114, 122)g/L, 4 patients were taking anticoagulant drugs, and 6 patients were taking antiplatelet drugs. Eight patients were newly implanted with a leadless pacemaker, 2 patients were implanted after removal the old ones, and 1 case was implanted at the same time as removal. The implantation time was 45(40, 47) minutes, the X-ray exposure time was 14 (13, 15) minutes, the release time was 1 (1, 2), the threshold value was 0.50(0.38, 0.75)V/0.24 ms, the impedance was 730 (700, 770) Ω, and the perceived R-wave amplitude 8.2(6.7, 12.8) mV. During the follow-up period of 8 (6, 10) months, no patient had pacemaker dysfunction; and the threshold, R wave sensing, and impedance were stable and maintained within the normal range. No cardiac tamponade, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, pulmonary embolism, pacemaker reinfection or death occurred perioperatively and during the follow-up period; 1 patient had hematoma after femoral vein puncture, which improved after compression treatment. Conclusion:This single-center and small-sample study shows that leadless pacemaker implantation is safe for super-elderly patients.

Preparation of human monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using single B cell / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Abstract：Objective To prepare human monoclonal antibody against spike protein（S protein）of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2（SARS⁃CoV⁃2）by using single B cell，and determine its neutralizing activity. Methods Venous blood with high antibody level was collected from people immunized with inactivated SARS⁃CoV⁃2 vaccine（Vero cells） twice，of which peripheral blood mononuclear cells（PBMCs）were isolated by lymphocyte stratified fluid and used to isolate single B cell expressing S protein antibody by magnetic beads coupled with S1 protein. Variable region genes of IgG heavy chain and light chain were amplified by nested PCR after reverse transcription of single B cell，which were connected with CMV promoter，IgG leader sequence，IgG constant region and polyA sequence by overlapping PCR to construct antibody linear expression cassette. Linear expression cassette of the heavy chain and light chain from the same B cell was transfected to HEK293T cells to express human monoclonal antibody of SARS⁃CoV⁃2 S protein. Immunoreactivity was detected by immuno⁃ fluorescence while neutralizing activity by pseudovirus neutralization test. Results A total of 26 monoclonal antibodies against SARS⁃CoV⁃2 S protein were expressed，which showed heavy chain and light chain protein bands of IgG antibody at

Thermal Conductivity Measurement of Flexible Composite Phase-Change Materials Based on the Steady-State Method.

Phase-change materials (PCMs) are widely used in energy storage and thermal management due to the large latent heat in the phase-change process. As one of the most significantly thermophysical properties of PCMs, the thermal conductivity has been extensively studied. Great attention has been paid to improving the thermal conductivities of PCMs; however, the studies on the thermal conductivities of flexible PCMs are relatively inadequate. In this study, polyethylene glycol 1500 (PEG1500) was used as the base PCM, and expanded graphite (EG) and styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) were added to improve the thermal conductivity and flexibility of pure PCMs, respectively. A steady-state experimental test rig was built and verified with the measurement of the thermal conductivity of stainless steel and deionized water, and then the thermal conductivities of PCMs at different phases and qualitative temperatures were measured extensively. Compared to the PEG1500 with 5 wt.% EG, the addition of SBS sharply reduces the thermal conductivity, which is only 0.362 W/(m·K) at 12.5 °C when the addition ratio is 50%. This is approximately a 69% reduction compared with the composite PCMs without SBS. Furthermore, the theoretical thermal conductivities of the composite PCMs were calculated with six theoretical models of multiphase systems. The majority of the models provide a good prediction of thermal conductivities of composite PCM with high SBS concentration, while the average deviation of Agari-Uno model is only 20.5% with different SBS concentration and relatively agrees well with the experimental results.

Risk Factors and a Nomogram for Prediction of Refractory Pudendal Neuralgia: A Retrospective Multivariate Analysis Study.

BACKGROUND: Pudendal neuralgia (PN) is one of the most common forms of genital pain. About 4% or higher of patients suffering from chronic pain. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for prediction of refractory PN (RPN). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective multivariate analysis study. SETTING: This retrospective analysis included 112 patients with PN who received the pudendal nerve block treatment at the Pain Department of General Hospital of People's Liberation Army. METHODS: Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used for covariates selection. A nomogram was developed to estimate nonresponse to the pudendal nerve block. RESULTS: The median age of patients and duration of patients were 48.0 and 1.25 years, respectively. Among 112 patients, there were 64 good responders to the pudendal nerve block for neuropathic pain and 48 nonresponders. Multivariate analysis of 112 patients with PN demonstrated high self-rating depression scale scores (> 32) (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.11, 0.01-0.77), damage to more than 2 terminal branches (OR, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.07-0.71), sensory deficit at S2-S4 on the dermatome map (OR, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.05-0.90), and duration of pain (> 4 years) (OR, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.03-0.42) were significant prognostic factors for nonresponse to the pudendal nerve block. LIMITATIONS: There are information biases for retrospective analysis, thus making it more difficult to come up with definitive conclusions. Large-scale randomized clinical trials are warranted to evaluate the risk factors for prediction of RPN. CONCLUSIONS: A longer duration of pain was correlated with a worse prognosis of the neurological disease. Patients with depression were prone to nonresponse to the pudendal nerve block treatment. Pain involved in more than 2 terminal branches and small fibers, affected at S2-S4 dermatome map, were considered to poor prognosis.

Licochalcone B induces DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and enhances TRAIL sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly fatal disease recognized as a growing global health crisis. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines have been used to treat patients with cancer for many years in China. This study investigated the effects of licochalcone B (LCB), a flavonoid compound isolated from the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., on cell proliferation, DNA damage and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis in HCC cells. Our results showed that LCB inhibited cell proliferation and induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Treatment with LCB significantly inhibited the Akt/mTOR pathway and activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Moreover, combined treatment with LCB and TRAIL yielded evident enhancements in the viability reduction and apoptosis. LCB upregulated death receptor 4 (DR4) and death receptor 5 (DR5) protein in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The knockdown of DR5 significantly suppressed TRAIL-induced cleavage of PARP, which was enhanced by LCB. Treatment with an extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor (PD98059) or c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125) markedly reduced the LCB-induced upregulation of DR5 expression and attenuated LCB-mediated TRAIL sensitization. In summary, LCB exhibits cytotoxic activity through modulation of the Akt/mTOR, ER stress and MAPK pathways in HCC cells and effectively enhances TRAIL sensitivity through the upregulation of DR5 expression in ERK- and JNK-dependent manner. Combination therapy with LCB and TRAIL may be an alternative treatment strategy for HCC.

Sacral Nerve Stimulation in Patients With Refractory Pudendal Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Pudendal neuralgia (PN) is one of the most common forms of genital pain. Only 42.2% of PN patients respond to the first-line treatment. Novel neuromodulation techniques in the treatment of refractory PN patients are urgently required. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment effects and adverse events of sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) for patients with refractory PN. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective nonrandomized study. SETTING: This prospective analysis included 33 patients who received the phase II surgical implantation. METHODS: A total of 55 eligible PN patients were recruited for SNS treatment after informed consent, and 33 of 55 patients with a minimum 50% improvement were candidates for surgical implantation. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, Self-rating Anxiety and Depression Scale, Quality of life score (SF-36), and sleep monitoring indicators before and after surgery were used to assess the effects of SNS on patients with refractory PN. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were included in the final analysis, involving 24 women and 9 men with a mean age of 49.5 years (26-70 years). There was a favorable decrease in pain severity (VAS scores) from 7.1 ± 1.1 at baseline to 6.1 ± 1.0 on postoperative day 1, and 2.8 ± 0.7 at 1 week, 1.7 ± 0.5 at 1 month, 1.1 ± 0.7 at 6 months, and 1.0 ± 0.6 at 12 months after surgery, respectively (P < 0.05). The mean score of each section of SF-36 after SNS was significantly higher than that at baseline (P < 0.05). Total sleep time and sleep time in each period were significantly prolonged after SNS implantation compared with that before surgery (6 months vs Pre, total: 5.32 ± 1.49 hours vs 3.66 ± 1.19 hours, deep: 2.52 ± 0.63 hours vs 1.36 ± 0.43 hours, light: 1.78 ± 0.42 hours vs 0.99 ± 0.30 hours, rapid eye movement: 1.41 ± 0.29 hours vs 0.89 ± 0.27 hours, P < 0.05). No serious device complications were reported during the follow-up period. LIMITATIONS: Large-scale randomized clinical trials are warranted to evaluate the risk factors for prediction of refractory PN. CONCLUSIONS: These data imply that SNS can have beneficial effects on patients with refractory PN.

Nuclear Receptor NR1D1 Regulates Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Development by Targeting the Mitochondrial Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Enzyme Aconitase-2.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic disorder increases the risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). NRs (nuclear receptors) have been increasingly recognized as important regulators of cell metabolism. However, the role of NRs in AAA development remains largely unknown. METHODS: We analyzed the expression profile of the NR superfamily in AAA tissues and identified NR1D1 (NR subfamily 1 group D member 1) as the most highly upregulated NR in AAA tissues. To examine the role of NR1D1 in AAA formation, we used vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC)-specific, endothelial cell-specific, and myeloid cell-specific conditional Nr1d1 knockout mice in both AngII (angiotensin II)- and CaPO4-induced AAA models. RESULTS: Nr1d1 gene expression exhibited the highest fold change among all 49 NRs in AAA tissues, and NR1D1 protein was upregulated in both human and murine VSMCs from AAA tissues. The knockout of Nr1d1 in VSMCs but not endothelial cells and myeloid cells inhibited AAA formation in both AngII- and CaPO4-induced AAA models. Mechanistic studies identified ACO2 (aconitase-2), a key enzyme of the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle, as a direct target trans-repressed by NR1D1 that mediated the regulatory effects of NR1D1 on mitochondrial metabolism. NR1D1 deficiency restored the ACO2 dysregulation and mitochondrial dysfunction at the early stage of AngII infusion before AAA formation. Supplementation with αKG (α-ketoglutarate, a downstream metabolite of ACO2) was beneficial in preventing and treating AAA in mice in a manner that required NR1D1 in VSMCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our data define a previously unrecognized role of nuclear receptor NR1D1 in AAA pathogenesis and an undescribed NR1D1-ACO2 axis involved in regulating mitochondrial metabolism in VSMCs. It is important that our findings suggest αKG supplementation as an effective therapeutic approach for AAA treatment.