Based on the prognosis model of immunogenes, the prognosis model was constructed to predict the invasion of immune genes and immune cells related to primary liver cancer and its experimental validation.

Background: Primary liver cancer (PLC) is a prevalent malignancy of the digestive system characterized by insidious symptom onset and a generally poor prognosis. Recent studies have highlighted a significant correlation between the initiation and prognosis of liver cancer and the immune function of PLC patients. Purpose: Revealing the expression of PLC-related immune genes and the characteristics of immune cell infiltration provides assistance for the analysis of clinical pathological parameters and prognosis of PLC patients. Methods: PLC-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with a median absolute deviation (MAD > 0.5) were identified from TCGA and GEO databases. These DEGs were intersected with immune-related genes (IRGs) from the ImmPort database to obtain PLC-related IRGs. The method of constructing a prognostic model through immune-related gene pairs (IRGPs) is used to obtain IRGPs and conduct the selection of central immune genes. The central immune genes obtained from the selection of IRGPs are validated in PLC. Subsequently, the relative proportions of 22 types of immune cells in different immune risk groups are evaluated, and the differential characteristics of PLC-related immune cells are verified through animal experiments. Results: Through database screening and the construction of an IRGP prognosis model, 84 pairs of IRGPs (P < 0.001) were ultimately obtained. Analysis of these 84 IRGPs revealed 11 central immune genes related to PLC, showing differential expression in liver cancer tissues compared to normal liver tissues. Results from the CiberSort platform indicate differential expression of immune cells such as naive B cells, macrophages, and neutrophils in different immune risk groups. Animal experiments demonstrated altered immune cell proportions in H22 tumor-bearing mice, validating findings from peripheral blood and spleen homogenate analyses. Conclusion: Our study successfully predicted and validated PLC-related IRGs and immune cells, suggesting their potential as prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets for PLC.

Gold Nanoparticles in Neurological Diseases: A Review of Neuroprotection.

This review explores the diverse applications of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in neurological diseases, with a specific focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and stroke. The introduction highlights the pivotal role of neuroinflammation in these disorders and introduces the unique properties of AuNPs. The review's core examines the mechanisms by which AuNPs exert neuroprotection and anti-neuro-inflammatory effects, elucidating various pathways through which they manifest these properties. The potential therapeutic applications of AuNPs in AD are discussed, shedding light on promising avenues for therapy. This review also explores the prospects of utilizing AuNPs in PD interventions, presenting a hopeful outlook for future treatments. Additionally, the review delves into the potential of AuNPs in providing neuroprotection after strokes, emphasizing their significance in mitigating cerebrovascular accidents' aftermath. Experimental findings from cellular and animal models are consolidated to provide a comprehensive overview of AuNPs' effectiveness, offering insights into their impact at both the cellular and in vivo levels. This review enhances our understanding of AuNPs' applications in neurological diseases and lays the groundwork for innovative therapeutic strategies in neurology.

Femoral Tunnel Malposition, Increased Lateral Tibial Slope, and Decreased Notch Width Index Are Risk Factors for Non-Traumatic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Failure.

PURPOSE: To identify risk factors for patients who sustain nontraumatic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) failure. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients undergoing primary or revision ACLR in our institution between 2010 and 2018. Patients sustaining insidious-onset knee instability without history of trauma were identified as nontraumatic ACLR failure and assigned to the study group. The control group of subjects who showed no evidence of ACLR failure with minimum 48-month follow-up were matched in a 1:1 ratio based on age, sex, and body mass index. Anatomic parameters including tibial slope (lateral [LTS], medial [MTS]); tibial plateau subluxation (lateral [LTPsublx], medial [MTPsublx]); notch width index (NWI); and lateral femoral condyle ratio were measured with magnetic resonance imaging or radiography. Graft tunnel position was assessed using 3-dimensional computed tomography and reported in 4 dimensions: deep-shallow ratio (DS ratio) and high-low ratio for femoral tunnel, anterior-posterior ratio and medial-lateral ratio for tibial tunnel. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability were evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Patients' demographic data, surgical factors, anatomic parameters, and tunnel placements were compared between the groups. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to discriminate and assess the identified risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients who sustained nontraumatic ACLR failure were included and matched with 52 control subjects. Compared to patients with intact ACLR, those who sustained nontraumatic ACLR failure showed significantly increased LTS, LTPsublx, MTS, and deceased NWI (all P < .001). Moreover, the average tunnel position in the study group was significantly more anterior (P < .001) and superior (P = .014) at the femoral side and more lateral (P = .002) at the tibial side. Multivariate regression analysis identified LTS (odds ratio [OR] = 1.313; P = .028), DS ratio (OR = 1.091; P = .002), and NWI (OR = 0.813; P = .040) as independent predictors of nontraumatic ACLR failure. LTS appeared to be the best independent predictive factor (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.804; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.721-0.887), followed by DS ratio (AUC = 0.803; 95% CI, 0.717-0.890), and NWI (AUC = 0.756; 95% CI, 0.664-0.847). The optimal cutoff values were 6.7° for increased LTS (sensitivity = 0.615, specificity = 0.923); 37.4% for increased DS ratio (sensitivity = 0.673, specificity = 0.885); and 26.4% for decreased NWI (sensitivity = 0.827, specificity = 0.596). Intraobserver and interobserver reliability was good to excellent, with ICCs ranging from 0.754 to 0.938 for all radiographical measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Increased LTS, decreased NWI, and femoral tunnel malposition are predictive risk factors for nontraumatic ACLR failure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Short-term and long-term effectiveness of acupuncture and Tuina on knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The effectiveness of acupuncture and tuina in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is still controversial, which limits their clinical application in practice. This study aims to evaluate the short-term and long-term effectiveness of acupuncture and tuina on KOA. Methods/design: This parallel-group, multicenter randomized clinical trial (RCT) will be conducted at the outpatient clinic of five traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in China. Three hundred and thirty participants with KOA will be randomly assigned to acupuncture, tuina, or home-based exercise group with a ratio of 1:1:1. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants achieving a minimal clinically important improvement defined as a ≥ 12% reduction on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain dimension on short term (week 8) and long term (week 26) compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes are knee joint conditions (pain, function, and stiffness), self-efficacy of arthritis, quality of life, and psychological conditions, which will be evaluated by the WOMAC score and the Patient Global Assessment (PGA), and in addition, the respondents index of OMERACT-OARSI, Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12), arthritis self-efficacy scale, and European five-dimensional health scale (EQ-5D). Adverse events will be collected by self-reported questionnaires predefined. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn.

The discriminatory diagnostic value of multimodal ultrasound combined with blood cell analysis for granulomatous lobular mastitis and invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the discriminatory diagnostic value of multimodal ultrasound(US) combined with blood cell analysis(BCA) for Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis (GLM) and Invasive Ductal Carcinoma(IDC) of the breast. METHODS: A total of 157 breast disease patients were collected and divided into two groups based on postoperative pathological results: the GLM group(57 cases with 57 lesions) and the IDC group(100 cases with 100 lesions). Differences in multimodal ultrasound features and the presence of BCA were compared between the two groups. The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was used to calculate the optimal cutoff values, sensitivity, specificity, 95% confidence interval(CI), and the area under the curve(AUC) for patient age, lesion size, lesion resistive index(RI), and white blood cell(WBC) count in BCA. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, diagnostic accuracy, and AUC were calculated for different diagnostic methods. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences(P <  0.05) observed between GLM and IDC patients in terms of age, breast pain, the factors in Conventional US(lesion size, RI, nipple delineation, solitary/multiple lesions, margin, liquefaction area, growth direction, microcalcifications, posterior echogenicity and abnormal axillary lymph nodes), the factors in CEUS(contrast agent enhancement intensity, enhancement pattern, enhancement range, and crab-like enhancement) and the factors in BCA(white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes). ROC curve analysis results showed that the optimal cutoff values for distinguishing GLM from IDC were 40.5 years for age, 7.15 cm for lesion size, 0.655 for lesion RI, and 10.525*109/L for white blood cells. The diagnostic accuracy of conventional US combined with CEUS(US-CEUS) was the highest(97.45%). The diagnostic performance AUCs for US-CEUS, CEUS, and US were 0.965, 0.921 and 0.832, respectively. CONCLUSION: Multifactorial analysis of multimodal ultrasound features and BCA had high clinical application value in the differential diagnosis of GLM and IDC.

Increased Lateral Femoral Condyle Ratio Measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Is Associated With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rerupture.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between lateral femoral condyle ratio (LFCR) measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rerupture after anatomic ACL reconstruction (ACLR) and to compare the diagnostic accuracy between MRI and radiograph measurements. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on patients who underwent anatomic ACLR in our institution between 2015 and 2018. Patients who experienced rerupture after ACLR were identified and matched 1:1 with control patients who showed no evidence of graft failure during a minimum 48-month follow-up. The matching criteria included age, sex, and body mass index. LFCR was measured on MRI scans and radiographs of the affected limb. Patients' characteristics, surgical features, and anatomic measurements were compared between groups. Conditional logistic regression was performed to investigate whether MRI-measured LFCR is a risk factor for ACL rerupture. The optimal cutoff value was determined by receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC). Delong's test was performed to compare the diagnostic accuracy between MRI and radiograph measurements. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients who sustained ACL rerupture were included and matched with 72 control subjects. Compared to patients with intact ACLR, those who sustained ACL rerupture showed a significant increase in LFCR on MRI scans (63.38% ± 2.26% [95% CI, 62.84%-63.91%] vs 61.10% ± 2.19% [95% CI, 60.59%-61.61%], P < .001). An MRI-measured LFCR >62.18% was set as the cutoff point to discern patients at a higher risk of graft failure after anatomic ACLR, with sensitivity and specificity of 75.0% and 70.8%, respectively. MRI-measured LFCR demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy during ROC curve analysis, achieving a higher area under the curve compared to radiograph-measured LFCR (0.783 ± 0.051 vs 0.668 ± 0.060, P = .041). CONCLUSIONS: The study found that MRI-measured LFCR was associated with ACL rerupture. A cutoff value of 62.18% was determined, which can help identify patients at a higher risk of rerupture. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Comparison of the diagnostic performance of three ultrasound thyroid nodule risk stratification systems for follicular thyroid neoplasm: K-TIRADS, ACR -TIRADS and C-TIRADS.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic performance of the currently used ultrasound-based thyroid nodule risk stratification systems (K-TIRADS, ACR -TIRADS, and C-TIRADS) in differentiating follicular thyroid adenoma (FTA) from follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). METHODS: Clinical data and preoperative ultrasonographic images of 269 follicular thyroid neoplasms were retrospectively analyzed. All of them were detected by Color Doppler ultrasound instruments equipped with high-frequency liner array probes (e.g. Toshiba Apoli500 with L5-14MHZ; Philips IU22 with L5-12MHZ; GE LOGIQ E9 with L9-12MHZ and MyLab Class C with L9-14MHZ). The diagnostic performance of three TIRADS classifications for differentiating FTA from FTC was evaluated by drawing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calculating the cut-off values. RESULTS: Of the 269 follicular neoplasms (mean size, 3.67±1.53 cm), 209 were FTAs (mean size, 3.56±1.38 cm) and 60 were FTCs (mean size, 4.07±1.93 cm). There were significant differences in ultrasound features such as margins, calcifications, and vascularity of thyroid nodules between the FTA and FTC groups (P < 0.05). According to the ROC curve comparison analysis, the diagnostic cut-off values of K-TIRADS, ACR-TIRADS, and C-TIRADS for identifying FTA and FTC were K-TR4, ACR-TR4, and C-TR4B, respectively, and the areas under the curves were 0.676, 0.728, and 0.719, respectively. The difference between ACR-TIRADS and K-TIRADS classification was statistically significant (P = 0.0241), whereas the differences between ACR-TIRADS and C-TIRADS classification and between K-TIRADS and C-TIRADS classification were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The three TIRADS classifications were not conducive to distinguishing FTA from FTC. It is necessary to develop a novel malignant risk stratification system specifically for the identification of follicular thyroid neoplasms.

Rapid isothermal point-of-care test for screening of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

Rapid on-site diagnosis of emerging pathogens is key for early identification of infected individuals and for prevention of further spreading in a population. Currently available molecular diagnostic tests are instrument-based whereas rapid antibody and antigen tests are often not sufficiently sensitive for detection in pre-symptomatic subjects. There is a need for rapid point of care molecular screening tests that can be easily adapted to emerging pathogens and are selective, sensitive, reliable in different settings around the world. We have developed a simple, rapid (<30 â€‹min), and inexpensive test for SARS-CoV-2 that is based on combination of isothermal reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) using modified primers and visual detection with paper-based microfluidics. Our test (CoRapID) is specific for SARS-CoV-2 (alpha to omicron variants) and does not detect other coronaviruses and pathogens by in silico and in vitro analysis. A two-step test protocol was developed with stable lyophilized reagents that reduces handling by using portable and disposable components (droppers, microapplicators/swabs, paper-strips). After optimization of assay components and conditions, we have achieved a limit of detection (LoD) of 1 copy/reaction by adding a blocking primer to the lateral flow assay. Using a set of 138 clinical samples, a sensitivity of 88.1% (P â€‹< â€‹0.05, CI: 78.2-93.8%) and specificity of 93.9% (P â€‹< â€‹0.05, CI: 85.4-97.6%) was determined. The lack of need for instrumentation for our CoRapID makes it an ideal on-site primary screening tool for local hospitals, doctors' offices, senior homes, workplaces, and in remote settings around the world that often do not have access to clinical laboratories.

Targeted Bioluminescent Imaging of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Using Nanocarrier-Complexed EGFR-Binding Affibody-Gaussia Luciferase Fusion Protein.

In vivo imaging has enabled impressive advances in biological research, both preclinical and clinical, and researchers have an arsenal of imaging methods available. Bioluminescence imaging is an advantageous method for in vivo studies that allows for the simple acquisition of images with low background signals. Researchers have increasingly been looking for ways to improve bioluminescent imaging for in vivo applications, which we sought to achieve by developing a bioluminescent probe that could specifically target cells of interest. We chose pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as the disease model because it is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and has an extremely low survival rate. We targeted the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is frequently overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells, using an EGFR-specific affibody to selectively identify PDAC cells and delivered a Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) bioluminescent protein for imaging by engineering a fusion protein with both the affibody and the bioluminescent protein. This fusion protein was then complexed with a G5-PAMAM dendrimer nanocarrier. The dendrimer was used to improve the protein stability in vivo and increase signal strength. Our targeted bioluminescent complex had an enhanced uptake into PDAC cells in vitro and localized to PDAC tumors in vivo in pancreatic cancer xenograft mice. The bioluminescent complexes could delineate the tumor shape, identify multiple masses, and locate metastases. Through this work, an EGFR-targeted bioluminescent-dendrimer complex enabled the straightforward identification and imaging of pancreatic cancer cells in vivo in preclinical models. This argues for the targeted nanocarrier-mediated delivery of bioluminescent proteins as a way to improve in vivo bioluminescent imaging.

Risk factors for the development of sepsis in patients with cirrhosis in intensive care units.

Sepsis is a serious complication of liver cirrhosis. This study aimed to develop a risk prediction model for sepsis among patients with liver cirrhosis. A total of 3130 patients with liver cirrhosis were enrolled from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database, and randomly assigned into training and validation cohorts in a 7:3 ratio. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to filter variables and select predictor variables. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish the prediction model. Based on LASSO and multivariate logistic regression, gender, base excess, bicarbonate, white blood cells, potassium, fibrinogen, systolic blood pressure, mechanical ventilation, and vasopressor use were identified as independent risk variables, and then a nomogram was constructed and validated. The consistency index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to measure the predictive performance of the nomogram. As a result of the nomogram, good discrimination was achieved, with C-indexes of 0.814 and 0.828 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively, and an area under the curve of 0.849 in the training cohort and 0.821 in the validation cohort. The calibration curves demonstrated good agreement between the predictions and observations. The DCA curves showed the nomogram had significant clinical value. We developed and validated a risk-prediction model for sepsis in patients with liver cirrhosis. This model can assist clinicians in the early detection and prevention of sepsis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Prognostic-Related Biomarkers in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Correlating with Immune Infiltrates Based on Proteomics.

BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) accounts for 85% of pancreatic carcinoma cases. Patients with PDAC have a poor prognosis. The lack of reliable prognostic biomarkers makes treatment challenging for patients with PDAC. Using a bioinformatics database, we sought to identify prognostic biomarkers for PDAC. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using proteomic analysis of the Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) database, we were able to identify core differential proteins between early and advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissue, and then we used survival analysis, Cox regression analysis, and area under the ROC curves to screen for more significant differential proteins. Additionally, the Kaplan-Meier plotter database was utilized to determine the relationship between prognosis and immune infiltration in PDAC. RESULTS We identified 378 differential proteins in early (n=78) and advanced stages (n=47) of PDAC (P<0.05). PLG, COPS5, FYN, ITGB3, IRF3, and SPTA1 served as independent prognostic factors of patients with PDAC. Patients with higher COPS5 expression had shorter overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival, and those with higher PLG, ITGB3, and SPTA1, and lower FYN and IRF3 expression had shorter OS. More importantly, COPS5, IRF3 were negatively associated with macrophages and NK cells, but PLG, FYN, ITGB3, and SPTA1 were positively related to the expression of CD8+ T cells and B cells. COPS5 affected the prognosis of PDAC patients by acting on B cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages, and NK cells immune infiltration, while PLG, FYN, ITGB3, IRF3, and SPTA1 affected PDAC patient prognosis through some immune cells. CONCLUSIONS PLG, COPS5, FYN, IRF3, ITGB3 and SPTA1 could be potential immunotherapeutic targets and valuable prognostic biomarkers of PDAC.

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors of the liver misdiagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma: Three case reports.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasms (PEComas) are rare. Diagnostic and treatment experience with hepatic PEComa remains insufficient. CASE SUMMARY: Three hepatic PEComa cases are reported in this paper: One case of primary malignant hepatic PEComa, one case of benign hepatic PEComa, and one case of hepatic PEComa with an ovarian mature cystic teratoma. During preoperative imaging and pathological assessment of intraoperative frozen samples, patients were diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while postoperative pathology and immunohistochemistry subsequently revealed hepatic PEComa. Patients with hepatic PEComa which is misdiagnosed as HCC often require a wider surgical resection. It is easy to mistake them for distant metastases of hepatic PEComa and misdiagnosed as HCC, especially when it's combined with tumors in other organs. Three patients eventually underwent partial hepatectomy. After 1-4 years of follow-up, none of the patients experienced recurrence or metastases. CONCLUSION: A clear preoperative diagnosis of hepatic PEComa can reduce the scope of resection and prevent unnecessary injuries during surgery.

Comparison and analysis of skiing injuries at ski resorts in Chongli, China and Japan.

PURPOSE: The rapid development of winter sports requires investigation on injuries in Chongli district, Zhangjiakou city, one of the ski sites of the 2022 Winter Olympics. Careful evaluation is required to observe which injuries are caused under what circumstances, and then we can make corresponding preventive measures and recommendations based on the results. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the data of injury cases at ski resorts in China (Chongli district) and Japan were analyzed to provide a reference for the ongoing injury prevention at ski resorts. We collected data on injuries at Wanlong and Fulong ski resorts in Chongli district during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 ski seasons. We referred to the skiing injury report issued in February 2020 of a nationwide ski safety statistical service - Japan Ski Safety Association. The causes of injury and specific injured body parts were analyzed based on the data of Chinese and Japanese ski resorts. Statistical significance has been calculated using the Chi-square test. RESULTS: During the 2019-2020 ski season in Japanese ski resorts, the number of reported injuries per 10,000 skiers was 0.93, of which 457 (17.3%) were over 50 years old, accounting for a large proportion of injuries, meanwhile in Chongli ski resort, the injury rate of skiers aged 50 and over was 7.1%. The knee joint (23.7% at Wanlong ski resort and 28.4% in Japanese ski resorts) was the most injured body part among Chongli and Japanese skiers. Among snowboarders, shoulder joint injury (17.7% in Japanese ski resorts) was the most common, and injury on hands and fingers (16.3% in Wanlong ski resorts) was the most common. Head injury rates are similar in Chongli, China and Japanese ski resorts (8.2% and 8.7%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our analysis demonstrated that injury data recorded among young skiers was higher in Chinese ski resorts (Chongli district) than that in Japanese ski resorts, and elderly skiers made up a larger proportion of skiing injuries in Japanese resorts. Thus, according to our research, the protection of knee joints, shoulder joints, and hands and fingers should be taken seriously. It should pay attention to the teaching of ski poles (for finger protection), and use protective devices such as knee pads, helmets, etc.

Boosted Radiation Bystander Effect of PSMA-Targeted Gold Nanoparticles in Prostate Cancer Radiosensitization.

Metal nanoparticles are effective radiosensitizers that locally enhance radiation doses in targeted cancer cells. Compared with other metal nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) exhibit high biocompatibility, low toxicity, and they increase secondary electron scatter. Herein, we investigated the effects of active-targeting GNPs on the radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE) in prostate cancer cells. The impact of GNPs on the RIBE presents implications for secondary cancers or spatially fractionated radiotherapy treatments. Anti-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) antibodies were conjugated with PEGylated GNPs through EDC-NHS chemistry. The media transfer technique was performed to induce the RIBE on the non-irradiated bystander cells. This study focused on the LNCaP cell line, because it can model a wide range of stages relating to prostate cancer progression, including the transition from androgen dependence to castration resistance and bone metastasis. First, LNCaP cells were pretreated with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or PSMA-targeted GNPs (PGNPs) for 24 h and irradiated with 160 kVp X-rays (0-8 Gy). Following that, the collected culture media were filtered (sterile 0.45 µm polyethersulfone) in order to acquire PBS- and PGNP- conditioned media (CM). Then, PBS- and PGNP-CM were transferred to the bystander cells that were loaded with/without PGNPs. MTT, γ-H2AX, clonogenic assays and reactive oxygen species assessments were performed to compare RIBE responses under different treatments. Compared with 2 Gy-PBS-CM, 8 Gy-PBS-CM demonstrated a much higher RIBE response, thus validating the dose dependence of RIBE in LNCaP cells. Compared with PBS-CM, PGNP-CM exhibited lower cell viability, higher DNA damage, and a smaller survival fraction. In the presence of PBS-CM, bystander cells loaded with PGNPs showed increased cell death compared with cells that did not have PGNPs. These results demonstrate the PGNP-boosted expression and sensitivity of RIBE in prostate cancer cells.

Aluminum adsorption and antimonite oxidation dominantly regulate antimony solubility in soils.

Soil antimony (Sb) contamination occurs globally due to natural processes and human activities. Total Sb concentration in soils fails to assess its ecological risk, while determined by the concentration of available Sb, which is readily for biological uptake. Available Sb in different soils varied significantly according to soil properties. However, so far it is unknown how soil properties regulate Sb availability, and no model has been established to predict it through soil properties. In this study, 19 soils spiked with antimonite [Sb(III)] were used to identify the major factors controlling Sb availability and establish its predicting models. The results showed that available Sb in different soils varied largely depending on the contents of free aluminum (fAl), free iron (fFe) and electric conductivity (EC), which explained 33%, 27% and 24.9% of the total variation, respectively. During the first 42 days of soil aging, fAl and EC effectively predicted the concentrations of available Sb with R2 = 0.64, while during the later stages (70-150 d) of soil aging, fAl content was the unique parameter employed into the predicting model (R2 = 0.53). These results firstly demonstrate that the content of free aluminum (fAl) is the most important factor regulating Sb availability in soils, although the content of fAl is much lower than that of fFe. This finding can help to develop new remediation materials for Sb-contaminated soils. The prediction models can provide promising tools of assessing the ecological risk. In addition, Sb availability was also affected by the oxidation of Sb(III). After 150 days aging, 1-61% of Sb(III) was oxidized to pentavalent Sb [Sb(V)], which was significantly positively correlated with available Sb, suggesting that Sb(III) oxidization mobilizes Sb in soils. All these findings would help to understand Sb migration and transformation in soils, and to develop new strategies for remediating Sb-contaminated soils.

A chiral metal-organic cage [Fe4L6](ClO4)8 used for capillary gas chromatographic separations.

Metal-organic cages (MOCs), as a promising class of crystalline porous materials with well-defined cavities, have attracted wide attention due to their multifarious potential applications in gas storage, host-guest chemistry, molecular recognition, separation, catalysis, sensing, and drug delivery and so on. Herein, we report that a chiral MOC [Fe4L6](ClO4)8 coated capillary column was fabricated for high-resolution gas chromatographic separation of various analytes, including n-alkanes, n-alcohols, positional isomers, aromatic hydrocarbon mixture, especially for racemic compounds. A series of racemic compounds such as alcohols, epoxides, aldehydes, ketones, ethers, esters, alkenes, sulfoxides and amino acid derivatives could be well separated on the [Fe4L6](ClO4)8 coated capillary column with high enantioselectivity and good reproducibility. Comparing the chiral resolution ability of the MOC [Fe4L6](ClO4)8 coated column with the commercial ß-DEX 120 column and the porous organic cage (POC) CC10 coated column, the chiral MOC column can be complementary to the two different types of columns. The results show that the chiral MOC [Fe4L6](ClO4)8 exhibited excellent separation performance toward a wide range of organic compounds, which will be very attractive as a new chiral separation media and has potential application prospects in separation science.

A chiral porous organic polymer COP-1 used as stationary phase for HPLC enantioseparation under normal-phase and reversed-phase conditions.

A spherical chiral porous organic polymer (POPs) COP-1 is synthesized by the Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction of Boc-3-(4-biphenyl)-L-alanine (BBLA) and 4,4'-bis(chloromethyl)-1,1'-biphenyl (BCMBP), which was used as a novel chiral stationary phase (CSPs) for mixed-mode high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) enantioseparation. The racemic compounds were resolved in normal-phase liquid chromatography (NPLC) using n-hexane/isopropanol as mobile phase and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) using methanol/water as mobile phase. The COP-1-packed column exhibited excellent separation performance toward various racemic compounds including alcohols, amines, ketones, esters, epoxy compounds, organic acids, and amino acids in NPLC and RPLC modes. The effects of analyte mass and column temperature on the separation efficiency of racemic compounds were investigated. In addition, the chiral resolution ability of the COP-1-packed column not only can be complementary in RPLC/NPLC modes but also exhibit a good chiral recognition complementarity with Chiralpak AD-H column and chiral porous organic cage (POC) NC1-R column. The relative standard deviations (RSD) (n = 5) of the retention time, resolution value, and peak area by repeated separation of 1-(4-chiorophenyl)ethanol are all below 3.0%. The COP-1 column shows high column efficiency (e.g., 17,320 plates m-1 for 1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol on COP-1 column in NPLC), high enantioselectivity, and good reproducibility toward various racemates. This work demonstrates that chiral POPs microspheres are promising chiral materials for HPLC enantioseparation.

Superficial chiral etching on an achiral metal-organic framework for high-performance liquid chromatography enantioseparations.

Chiral metal-organic frameworks have shown great potential in enantioselective separation and asymmetric catalysis due to their diverse and adjustable structures with abundant chiral recognition sites. Herein, a new chiral post-synthetic modification was used for preparing an achiral@chiral metal-organic frameworks core-shell composite [Cu3 (Btc)2 ]@[Cu2 ((+)-Cam)2 Dabco] by a superficial chiral etching method. The [Cu3 (Btc)2 ]@[Cu2 ((+)-Cam)2 Dabco] composite was utilized as a novel chiral stationary phase for HPLC enantioseparation. Various racemates were separated on the [Cu3 (Btc)2 ]@[Cu2 ((+)-Cam)2 Dabco]-packed column (column A). It exhibited good chiral resolving ability toward many different kinds of racemates, especially chiral drugs. Among them, the highest resolution value for 1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethanediol reaches 2.70. The relative standard deviations of retention time and peak area for repeated separation of 1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethanol were 0.45% and 0.81%, respectively. Compared with the resolution ability of [Cu2 ((+)-Cam)2 Dabco]-packed column (column B), column A shows higher column efficiency and better separation performance than those of column B. The results indicated that the [Cu3 (Btc)2 ]@[Cu2 ((+)-Cam)2 Dabco] as a stationary phase can greatly improve the column efficiency and chiral resolution ability of chiral metal-organic frameworks, which demonstrated that the superficial chiral etching as an economic and efficient strategy opens up a new way for the application of metal-organic frameworks.

How different nitrogen fertilizers affect arsenic mobility in paddy soil after straw incorporation?

In straw return fields, nitrogen-fertilizers are added to mitigate microbial competition for nitrogen with plants. However, in arsenic (As)-contaminated paddy fields, the specific effects of different nitrogen fertilizers on As mobility after straw incorporation and the interactions among iron(Fe)/carbon(C)/nitrogen(N)/As are not well understood. In the reported microcosm experiment we monitored As-mobility as a function of different dosages of KNO3, NH4Cl and rice straw incorporation. Addition of both KNO3 and NH4Cl significantly inhibited the As mobilization induced by straw incorporation. Following the KNO3 addition, the As concentration in porewater dropped by 51-66% after 2 days of the incubation by restraining Fe reduction and enhancing Fe oxidation. High-dose NH4Cl addition reduced As in porewater by 22-43% throughout the incubation by decreasing porewater pH. High-throughput sequencing results demonstrated that KNO3 addition enriches both the denitrifying and Fe-oxidizing bacteria, while diminishing Fe-reducing bacteria; NH4Cl addition has the opposite effect on Fe-reducing bacteria. Network analysis revealed that As and Fe concentrations in porewater were positively correlated with the abundance of denitrifying and Fe-reducing bacteria. This study broadens our insight into the As biogeochemistry associated with the N/C/Fe balance in soil, which are of great significance for agronomic management and mitigation the risk of As-contaminated paddy fields.

Impact of Firefighting Aqueous Film-Forming Foams on Human Cell Proliferation and Cellular Mortality.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the toxic effects of Aqueous Film-Forming Foams used by firefighters for Class B fire suppression in human-derived kidney cells (HEK-293). METHODS: Three widely used AFFFs were collected from fire departments and were added to HEK-293 cells in various concentrations. Seventy-two hours post-treatment, cellular proliferation and toxicity were examined using commercially available kits. RESULTS: All AFFFs evaluated induced cellular toxicity and significantly decreased cell proliferation, even when cells were treated with concentrations 10-fold lower than the working concentration used for fire suppression. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the reduced usage of PFAS-containing AFFFs in the firefighter work environment, the evaluated AFFFs demonstrated significantly altered cellular proliferation, while also inducing toxicity, indicating the presence of toxic compounds. Both stronger implementation of PFAS-containing AFFFs restrictions and robust evaluation of fluorine-free and next-generation AFFFs are warranted.