Evaluation of specific RBE in different cells of hippocampus under high-dose proton irradiation in rats.

The study aimed to determine the specific relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of various cells in the hippocampus following proton irradiation. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to 5 groups receiving 20 or 30 Gy of proton or photon irradiation. Pathomorphological neuronal damage in the hippocampus was assessed using Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The expression level of NeuN, Nestin, Caspase-3, Olig2, CD68 and CD45 were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The RBE range established by comparing the effects of proton and photon irradiation at equivalent biological outcomes. Proton20Gy induced more severe damage to neurons than photon20Gy, but showed no difference compared to photon30Gy. The RBE of neuron was determined to be 1.65. Similarly, both proton20Gy and proton30Gy resulted in more inhibition of oligodendrocytes and activation of microglia in the hippocampal regions than photon20Gy and photon30Gy. However, the expression of Olig2 was higher and CD68 was lower in the proton20Gy group than in the photon30Gy group. The RBE of oligodendrocyte and microglia was estimated to be between 1.1 to 1.65. For neural stem cells (NSCs) and immune cells, there were no significant difference in the expression of Nestin and CD45 between proton and photon irradiation (both 20 and 30 Gy). Therefore, the RBE for NSCs and immune cell was determined to be 1.1. These findings highlight the varying RBE values of different cells in the hippocampus in vivo. Moreover, the actual RBE of the hippocampus may be higher than 1.1, suggesting that using as RBE value of 1.1 in clinical practice may underestimate the toxicities induced by proton radiation.

Impact of iodinated oil in proton therapy on relative stopping power of liver post-cTACE.

Objective. Conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) is a common treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), often with unsatisfactory local controls. Combining cTACE with radiotherapy shows a promise for unresectable large HCC, with proton therapy preserving healthy liver tissue. However, the proton therapy benefits are subject to the accuracy of tissue relative stopping power (RSP) prediction. The RSP values are typically derived from computed tomography (CT) images using stoichiometric calibration. Lipiodol deposition significantly increases CT numbers in liver regions of post-cTACE. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the accuracy of RSP in liver regions of post-cTACE.Approach. Liver, water, and iodinated oil samples were prepared. Some liver samples contained iodinated oil. The water equivalent path length (WEPL) of sample was measured through the pullbacks of spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) depth-dose profiles scanned in a water tank with and without sample in the beam path. Measured RSP values were compared to estimated RSP values derived from the CT number based on the stoichiometric calibration method.Main results. The measured RSP of water was 0.991, confirming measurement system calibration. After removing the RSP contribution from container walls, the pure iodinated oil and liver samples had RSP values of 1.12 and 1.06, while the liver samples mixed with varying oil volumes (5 ml, 10 ml, 15 ml) showed RSP values of 1.05, 1.05 and 1.06. Using the stoichiometric calibration method, pure iodinated oil and liver samples had RSP values of 2.79 and 1.06. Liver samples mixed with iodinated oil (5 ml, 10 ml, 15 ml) had calculated RSP values of 1.21, 1.34, and 1.46. The RSP discrepancy reached 149.1% for pure iodinated oil.Significance.Iodinated oil notably raises CT numbers in liver tissue. However, there is almost no effect on its RSP value. Proton treatment of post-cTACE HCC patients can therefore be overshooting if no proper measures are taken against this specific effect.

Comparative analysis of phytochemical profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of four Gentiana species from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gentiana species, known as the traditional Tibetan medicine "Bangjian," have been integral to clinical practice for millennia. Despite their longstanding use, our understanding of the variation in chemical constituents and bioactive effects among different species is limited. AIM OF THE STUDY: In the present study, we aimed to assess the differences in chemical profiles and bioactivities among four Gentiana species (G. veitchiorum, G. trichotoma, G. crassuloides, and G. squarrosa) and explore potential bioactive markers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical composition of the four Gentiana species was analyzed using UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was compared through DPPH, ABTS, and reducing power assays. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by measuring the inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced secretion of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) by RAW264.7 macrophages. Additionally, compounds strongly correlated with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities were identified through spectrum-effect relationship analysis. RESULTS: A total of 50 compounds were identified across the four Gentiana species. In vitro antioxidant assays demonstrated DPPH and ABTS scavenging abilities and reducing power within the concentration range of 62.5-2000 µg/mL. All four species inhibited the production of NO, IL-6, and TNF-α in RAW264.7 cells. Spectrum-effect relationship analysis revealed that gentiascabraside A, gentiatibetine, tachioside, lutonarin, and isotachioside were associated with the highest antioxidant activity; and swertiamarin, tarennoside, eleganoside C, and alpigenoside were associated with the highest anti-inflammatory activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents, for the first time, the chemical profiles and bioactivities of G. trichotoma, G. crassuloides, and G. squarrosa, which were comprehensively compared with those of G. veitchiorum. The findings provide novel insights to understand the traditional use and/or expand the current use of Gentiana species. Additionally, this research highlights the potential of Gentiana species as natural sources of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, suggesting promising applications in tea production or medicinal contexts in the near future.

Utilizing Integrated UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS, Multivariate Analysis, and Bioactive Evaluation to Distinguish between Wild and Cultivated Niudali (Millettia speciosa Champ.).

Millettia speciosa Champ. (MSCP) enjoys widespread recognition for its culinary and medicinal attributes. Despite the extensive history of MSCP cultivation, the disparities in quality and bioactivity between wild and cultivated varieties have remained unexplored. In this study, 20 wild and cultivated MSCP samples were collected from different regions in China. We embarked on a comprehensive investigation of the chemical constituents found in both wild and cultivated MSCP utilizing UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS technology and multivariate analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). In total, 62 chemical components were unequivocally identified or tentatively characterized. Via the multivariate statistical analysis, we successfully pinpointed nine compounds with the potential to serve as chemical markers, enabling the differentiation between wild and cultivated MSCP varieties. Moreover, both genotypes exhibited substantial antioxidant and anti-fatigue properties. The bioactivities of wild MSCP were marginally higher when compared to their cultivated counterparts. This study illuminates the impressive antioxidant and anti-fatigue potential present in both wild and cultivated MSCP genotypes, further augmenting the allure of this species and opening new avenues for the economic valorization of MSCP. Hence, this study provides a valuable method for the identification and quality control of MSCP and a method in chemistry and pharmacology to assess an alternative possibility for cultivated MSCP.

Comparative Analysis of Hemostatic Efficacy: Local Application of Lancehead Snake Venom Thrombin versus Hemostatic Forceps in Colon Polypectomy.

Background: Colon polypectomy often involves managing bleeding, and the choice of hemostatic methods is critical for patient outcomes. This study addresses the hemostatic effects of lancehead snake venom thrombin compared to hemostatic forceps in the context of colon polypectomy. Objective: To compare and assess the effectiveness and safety of local application of lancehead snake venom thrombin and hemostatic forceps in achieving hemostasis during colon polypectomy. Design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate and compare the hemostatic outcomes of two different approaches in colon polypectomy. Setting: The study was conducted at the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University Hospital from January 2022 to June 2022. Participants: A total of 80 patients with colon polyps who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either the lancehead snake venom thrombin group or the hemostatic forceps group. Interventions: In the hemostatic forceps group, hemostatic forceps were employed to seal the wound post-polyp resection. In the lancehead snake venom thrombin group, aluminium potassium sulfate gel, in conjunction with locally sprayed lancehead snake venom thrombin, was applied to the wound. Primary Outcome Measures: The study assessed (1) intraoperative immediate bleeding and hemostasis; (2) intraoperative hemostasis time; (3) postoperative delayed post-polypectomy bleeding (DPPB); and (4) adverse reactions as primary outcome measures. Results: No significant differences were observed in the incidence rate of intraoperative immediate bleeding and the success rate of intraoperative hemostasis between the two groups. The lancehead snake venom thrombin group exhibited a shorter intraoperative hemostasis time and a lower incidence rate of adverse reactions compared to the hemostatic forceps group. No significant difference was found in the incidence rate of postoperative DPPB between the two groups. Conclusion: Local application of lancehead snake venom thrombin proves to be more effective and safer than hemostatic forceps in promptly managing bleeding during colon polypectomy.

A denoising method based on deep learning for proton radiograph using energy resolved dose function.

Objective.Proton radiograph has been broadly applied in proton radiotherapy which is affected by scattered protons which result in the lower spatial resolution of proton radiographs than that of x-ray images. Traditional image denoising method may lead to the change of water equivalent path length (WEPL) resulting in the lower WEPL measurement accuracy. In this study, we proposed a new denoising method of proton radiographs based on energy resolved dose function curves.Approach.Firstly, the corresponding relationship between the distortion of WEPL characteristic curve, and energy and proportion of scattered protons was established. Then, to improve the accuracy of proton radiographs, deep learning technique was used to remove scattered protons and correct deviated WEPL values. Experiments on a calibration phantom to prove the effectiveness and feasibility of this method were performed. In addition, an anthropomorphic head phantom was selected to demonstrate the clinical relevance of this technology and the denoising effect was analyzed.Main results.The curves of WEPL profiles of proton radiographs became smoother and deviated WEPL values were corrected. For the calibration phantom proton radiograph, the average absolute error of WEPL values decreased from 2.23 to 1.72, the mean percentage difference of all materials of relative stopping power decreased from 1.24 to 0.39, and the average relative WEPL corrected due to the denoising process was 1.06%. In addition, WEPL values correcting were also observed on the proton radiograph for anthropomorphic head phantom due to this denoising process.Significance.The experiments showed that this new method was effective for proton radiograph denoising and had greater advantages than end-to-end image denoising methods, laying the foundation for the implementation of precise proton radiotherapy.

Naringenin ameliorates collagen-induced arthritis through activating AMPK-mediated autophagy in macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Naringenin is widely recognized for its notable attributes, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and immunomodulatory activities. However, its specific implications for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the underlying mechanisms remain to be explored. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and pharmacological mechanism of Naringenin in the treatment of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). METHODS: A CIA model was established in DBA/1 mice, and various doses of Naringenin were administered orally to assess its impact on RA. The study also involved lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells to further evaluate the effects of Naringenin. Mechanistic studies were conducted to elucidate the signaling pathways involved in Naringenin's actions. RESULTS: Naringenin significantly alleviated foot inflammation in DBA/1 CIA mice and attenuated the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum. It also enhanced antioxidant capacity in the CIA model. In vitro studies with LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells demonstrated that Naringenin attenuated pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Mechanistic studies confirmed that Naringenin activated autophagy and increased autophagic flux. Blocking autophagy, either by silencing Atg5 or inhibiting autophagolysosome using chloroquine, effectively counteracted the impact of Naringenin on pro-inflammatory cytokines. Further exploration revealed that Naringenin activated the AMPK/ULK1 signaling pathway, and inhibition of AMPK reversed the initiation of autophagy and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion induced by Naringenin. CONCLUSIONS: This study unveils a novel mechanism by which Naringenin may be used to treat RA. It demonstrates the therapeutic efficacy of Naringenin in a CIA model by reducing inflammation, modulating cytokine levels, and enhancing antioxidant capacity. Moreover, the activation of autophagy through the AMPK/ULK1 signaling pathway appears to play a critical role in Naringenin's anti-inflammatory effects. These findings suggest potential strategies for the development of anti-rheumatic medications based on Naringenin.

Clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with bronchogenic cysts: a single-center retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bronchogenic cysts (BCs) are rare and usually asymptomatic malformations detected during imaging examinations. We aimed to investigate the clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with BCs. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients who received surgery to remove their BCs from January 2015 to January 2019. Their baseline characteristics, clinical information, and imaging results were reviewed. RESULTS: Our study included 129 patients, with 57 males and 72 females and a mean age of 42.7 years old. The most common location for BCs was the mediastinum (67 patients, 51.9%). Fewer than half of the patients (53 patients, 41.1%) reported clinical symptoms, with chest pain being the most common (16 patients, 30.2%). Neck BCs were more frequently observed in young patients (P = 0.002) and were more often associated with thyroid cancer (P = 0.007). A computed tomography scan was the most commonly used method to diagnose BCs in the lung and mediastinum, whereas ultrasound was the most commonly used diagnostic method for neck BCs. The characteristic images were well-defined, thin-wall cystic lesions in varying densities. A few lesions showed small, calcified spots along the rim or cavities. CONCLUSIONS: Although most BCs were found in the mediastinum, their locations could vary in different sex and age groups. Particular attention should be paid to young patients with BCs in the neck to rule out thyroid cancer.

Renal ectopic lipid deposition in rats with early-stage diabetic nephropathy evaluated by the MR mDixon-Quant technique: association with the expression of SREBP-1 and PPARα in renal tissue.

Background: Renal ectopic lipid deposition (ELD) plays a significant role in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study aimed to use the magnetic resonance (MR) mDixon-Quant technique to evaluate renal ELD and its association with the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) in renal tissue. Methods: Seventy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into experimental (n=50) and control groups (n=20). A high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) was administered to the experimental group to establish a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) model. The rats received renal mDixon-Quant scans and blood lipid and histopathological examinations in batches after the T2DM model was established. According to the histopathological findings, the included rats were stratified into control and early DN groups. Renal fat fraction (FF), blood lipid level, the ratio of the integrated optical density of intracellular lipid droplets and the total area of all the cells (IOD/TAC), and the expression of SREBP-1 and PPARɑ in renal tissue were analyzed. Results: Compared to the controls, renal FF, IOD/TAC, the expression of SREBP-1 in renal tissue, and serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were higher in the early DN group, while the expression of PPARɑ in renal tissue and the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level were lower (all P values <0.001). Renal FF gradually increased with the progression of disease [r=0.810 (95% CI: 0.675-0.928), P<0.001]. Positive correlations between renal FF and each of the following: TC, TG, LDL, IOD/TAC, and the expression of SREBP-1 [r=0.479 (95% CI: 0.353-0.640, P=0.012), 0.576 (95% CI: 0.283-0.842, P=0.002), 0.441 (95% CI: 0.305-0.606, P=0.021), 0.911 (95% CI: 0.809-0.964, P<0.001) and 0.800 (95% CI: 0.640-0.910, P<0.001), respectively] and negative correlations between renal FF and each of the following: HDL and the expression of PPARɑ [r=-0.611 (95% CI: -0.809 to -0.469, P=0.001) and -0.748 (95% CI: -0.886 to -0.585, P<0.001), respectively] were found. Conclusions: Renal lipid deposition evaluated by the MR mDixon-Quant technique is associated with the blood lipid level, histological fat quantification, and the expression of SREBP-1 and PPARɑ in renal tissue. The renal FF value might serve as a biomarker for better understanding of renal lipid metabolism in early-stage DN.

Comprehensive Quality Evaluation of Polygonatum cyrtonema and Its Processed Product: Chemical Fingerprinting, Determination and Bioactivity.

Processing of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) is a traditional pharmaceutical technology in Chinese medicine. Traditionally, proper processing of CHMs is necessary to meet the specific clinical requirements of different syndromes. Processing with black bean juice is considered one of the most important techniques in traditional Chinese pharmaceutical technology. Despite the long-standing practice of processing Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (PCH), there is little research on the changes in chemical constituents and bioactivity before and after processing. This study investigated the influence of black bean juice processing on the chemical composition and bioactivity of PCH. The results revealed significant changes in both composition and contents during processing. Saccharide and saponin content significantly increased after processing. Moreover, the processed samples exhibited considerably stronger DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacity, as well as FRAP-reducing capacity, compared to the raw samples. The IC50 values for DPPH were 1.0 ± 0.12 mg/mL and 0.65 ± 0.10 mg/mL for the raw and processed samples, respectively. For ABTS, the IC50 values were 0.65 ± 0.07 mg/mL and 0.25 ± 0.04 mg/mL, respectively. Additionally, the processed sample demonstrated significantly higher inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and α-amylase (IC50 = 1.29 ± 0.12 mg/mL and 0.48 ± 0.04 mg/mL) compared to the raw sample (IC50 = 5.58 ± 0.22 mg/mL and 0.80 ± 0.09 mg/mL). These findings underscore the significance of black bean processing in enhancing the properties of PCH and lay the foundation for its further development as a functional food. The study elucidates the role of black bean processing in PCH and offers valuable insights for its application.

Two previously undescribed phthalides from Talaromyces amestolkiae, a symbiotic fungus of Syngnathus acus.

Amestolkins A (1) and B (2), two previously undescribed phthalides sharing the same planar structure of (1, 5-dihydroxyhexyl)-7-hydroxyisobenzofuran-1(3H)-one were isolated from Talaromyces amestolkiae. Their absolute configurations were elucidated by comprehensive analyses of spectroscopic evidences in high-resolution electrospray mass spectra (HRESIMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) combined with electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and NMR calculations. 1 and 2 showed anti-neuroinflammatory activity by inhibiting the gene expressions of proinflammatory factors including C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), as well as attenuating the excretion of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in BV-2 microglial cells at the concentration of 30 µM.

[Chemical constituents and anti-liver fibrosis mechanism of Meconopsis quintuplinervia based on UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS and network pharmacology].

In this study, UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS was used to rapidly analyze the chemical constituents of Meconopsis quintupli-nervia, and the anti-liver fibrosis mechanism of M. quintuplinervia was preliminarily analyzed by network pharmacology, molecular docking, and cell experiments. The chemical constituents of M. quintuplinervia were identified according to the information of MS~1 and MS~2, as well as the data in the literature and databases. SwissTargetPrediction and TargetNet were used to predict the potential targets. The targets related to liver fibrosis were collected from GeneCards and OMIM. The protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was constructed by STRING. Cytoscape 3.6.1 was used to construct and analyze the "constituent-target-disease" network to obtain key targets and their corresponding constituents in the network. DAVID 6.8 was used for GO analysis and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis. Finally, the preliminary verification was carried out by molecular docking and cell experiments. As a result, 106 chemical constituents were identified from M. quintuplinervia, including 66 flavonoids, 16 alkaloids, 18 phenolic acids, 1 anthocyanin, and 5 other constituents. Among them, 3 constituents were identified as potential new compounds, and 59 constituents were reported in M. quintuplinervia for the first time. Network pharmacology analysis showed that M. quintuplinervia presumably acted on AKT1, SRC, JUN, EGFR, STAT3, HSP90 AA1, MAPK3, and other core targets through luteolin, isorhamnetin, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferide, amurine, 2-methylflavinantine, allocryptopine, the multi and other active compounds, thereby regulating the PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, proteoglycans in cancer, FoxO signaling pathway, and other pathways to exert anti-liver fibrosis effects. M. quintuplinervia extract(MQE) could significantly down-regulate PI3 K and AKT protein levels in the HSC-T6 cell model induced by TGF-ß1, suggesting that MQE may have the ability to regulate the PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway. The findings of this study indicated that the anti-liver fibrosis effect of M. quintuplinervia had multi-constituent, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics, which may provide a scientific basis for the research on the pharmacodynamic materials, action mechanism, and quality markers of M. quintupli-nervia.

Phytochemistry and Antioxidant Activities of the Rhizome and Radix of Millettia speciosa Based on UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS.

The root of Millettia speciosa Champ. (MSCP) is used in folk medicine and is popular as a soup ingredient. The root is composed of the rhizome and radix, but only the radix has been used as a food. Thus, it is very important to compare the chemical components and antioxidant activities between the rhizome and radix. The extracts were analyzed by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS and multivariate analysis, and the antioxidant activities were evaluated by 2,20-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazo-line-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. Ninety-one compounds were detected simultaneously and temporarily identified. Ten compounds were identified as chemical markers to distinguish the rhizome from the radix. The antioxidant activities of the radix were higher than the rhizome. Correlation analysis showed that uvaol-3-caffeate, 3-O-caffeoyloleanolic acid, and khrinone E were the main active markers for antioxidant activity, which allowed for the rapid differentiation of rhizomes and the radix. Therefore, it could be helpful for future exploration of its material base and bioactive mechanism. In addition, it would be considered to be used as a new method for the quality control of M. speciosa.

Celecoxib Reverse Invasion and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer through Lnc_AC006548.28-miR-223-LAMC2 Pathway.

Celecoxib, a specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, is a traditional nonsteroidal antipyretic analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug commonly used in clinic, which has inhibitory effect on colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and other malignant tumors. This study showed that Celecoxib could significantly reverse the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer and improved the pathological changes due to GC. We collected the clinical specimens to analyze the correlation between the expression of Lnc_AC006548.28, miR-223, and LAMC2. In the mouse model, Celecoxib can slowdown the growth of GC tumor and the occurrence of this effect may depend on Lnc_AC006548.28-miR-223-LAMC2 pathway, in vitro transfection, RT-PCR, western blot, CCK8, small chamber assay, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry to retest the protective effect of celecoxib. Our results showed that Celecoxib could reverse invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer through Lnc_AC006548.28-miR-223-LAMC2 pathway.

Exosome-mediated lncRNA SND1-IT1 from gastric cancer cells enhances malignant transformation of gastric mucosa cells via up-regulating SNAIL1.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC), as one of the most common malignancies across the globe, is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Though a large body of research has been conducted to develop the therapeutic methods of GC, the survival rate of advanced patients is still poor. We aimed to dig into the potential regulatory mechanism of GC progression. METHODS: Bioinformatics tools and fundamental assays were performed at first to confirm the candidate genes in our study. The functional assays and mechanism experiments were conducted to verify the regulatory mechanisms of the genes underlying GC progression. RESULTS: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) SND1 intronic transcript 1 (SND1-IT1) is highly expressed in exosomes secreted by GC cells. SND1-IT1 was verified to bind to microRNA-1245b-5p (miR-1245b-5p) through competitive adsorption to promote ubiquitin specific protease 3 (USP3) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. SND1-IT1 was validated to recruit DEAD-box helicase 54 (DDX54) to promote USP3 mRNA stability. SND1-IT1 induces malignant transformation of GES-1 cells through USP3. USP3 mediates the deubiquitination of snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAIL1). CONCLUSIONS: Exosome-mediated lncRNA SND1-IT1 from GC cells enhances malignant transformation of GES-1 cells via up-regulating SNAIL1.

Preparation of a miR-155-activating nucleic acid nanoflower to study the molecular mechanism of miR-155 in inflammation.

At present, the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation remain unclear. In recent years, research on inflammation has focused on stimulating cell inflammation by using exogenous pro-inflammatory substances such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or inflammatory factors. To investigate the molecular mechanism of inflammation from a new perspective, we designed a nucleic acid nanoflowers (NFs) complex to directly activate inflammatory genes to study the inflammatory response without the need for external microbial factors to trigger an inflammatory response. An RNAa-type target gene-activated NFs was designed. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were transfected with NFs carrying small activating RNA (saRNAs) to directly co-activate microRNA (miR)-155 and SHIP1 genes. After RNA activation (RNAa)-type NFs were transferred into HUVECs, the expression of miR-155 and pro-inflammatory and cancer-related factors increased, anti-inflammatory factors were reduced, cell proliferation increased, and cell migration was promoted. IL-1ß protein levels were decreased and SHIP1 expression was downregulated. When miR-155 and its target SHIP1 were both activated, the expression of both was unaltered, maintaining cell homeostasis. This points towards miR-155 overexpression can trigger inflammation, and that miR-155 and its target genes act as a molecular switch role in the development of inflammation.

Crimped nanofiber scaffold mimicking tendon-to-bone interface for fatty-infiltrated massive rotator cuff repair.

Electrospun fibers, with proven ability to promote tissue regeneration, are widely being explored for rotator cuff repairing. However, without post treatment, the microstructure of the electrospun scaffold is vastly different from that of natural extracellular matrix (ECM). Moreover, during mechanical loading, the nanofibers slip that hampers the proliferation and differentiation of migrating stem cells. Here, electrospun nanofiber scaffolds, with crimped nanofibers and welded joints to biomimic the intricate natural microstructure of tendon-to-bone insertion, were prepared using poly(ester-urethane)urea and gelatin via electrospinning and double crosslinking by a multi-bonding network densification strategy. The crimped nanofiber scaffold (CNS) features bionic tensile stress and induces chondrogenic differentiation, laying credible basis for in vivo experimentation. After repairing a rabbit massive rotator cuff tear using a CNS for 3 months, the continuous translational tendon-to-bone interface was fully regenerated, and fatty infiltration was simultaneously inhibited. Instead of micro-CT, µCT was employed to visualize the integrity and intricateness of the three-dimensional microstructure of the CNS-induced-healed tendon-to-bone interface at an ultra-high resolution of less than 1 µm. This study sheds light on the correlation between nanofiber post treatment and massive rotator cuff repair and provides a general strategy for crimped nanofiber preparation and tendon-to-bone interface imaging characterization.

SSRP1 affects the growth and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells through AKT pathway.

Background: We aimed to determine the SSRP1's potential influence on the apoptosis and proliferation of gastric cancer (GC) cells and its regulatory mechanism. Methods: SSRP1 expression in GC cells and tissues was detected via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The interrelation between clinicopathological characteristics of GC patients and SSRP1 expression was analysed via x2 test, and the correlation between SSRP1 expression and overall survival rate was analysed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. After the knockdown of SSRP1 in AGS cells, the SSRP1 expression, colony formation ability, cell viability, cell cycle changes, apoptosis rate, and migration and invasion ability were detected through qRT-PCR, colony formation assay, CCK8 assay, flow cytometry and transwell test, respectively. Finally, the effects of down-regulation of SSRP1 on the expressions of phosphorylated-protein kinase B (p-AKT), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) were explored using Western blotting. Results: SSRP1 displayed a high expression in GC cells and tissues. SSRP1 expression was closely interrelated to the TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and tumour size. The survival rate of patients was markedly shorter in the high expression group than in the lower expression group. After the knockdown of SSRP1 in cells, the viability and colony formation ability of AGS cells were inhibited. In addition, the cell ratio in the G1 phase was increased, while that in the S phase declined, and the cell invasion and migration were obviously weakened. It was found from Western blotting that the knockdown of SSRP1 could evidently suppress the protein levels of Bcl-2 and p-AKT but promote the protein expression of Bax, indicating that silencing SSRP1 can inhibit the proliferative capacity and increase the number of GC cells through inactivating the AKT signalling pathway. Conclusions: SSRP1 rose up in GC tissues and cells. Reduction of SSRP1 can inhibit the proliferative capacity and increase the number of GC cells through inactivating the AKT signalling pathway.

Clinical efficiency of simultaneous CNV-seq and whole-exome sequencing for testing fetal structural anomalies.

BACKGROUND: Birth defects are responsible for approximately 7% of neonatal deaths worldwide by World Health Organization in 2004. Many methods have been utilized for examining the congenital anomalies in fetuses. This study aims to investigate the efficiency of simultaneous CNV-seq and whole-exome sequencing (WES) in the diagnosis of fetal anomaly based on a large Chinese cohort. METHODS: In this cohort study, 1800 pregnant women with singleton fetus in Hubei Province were recruited from 2018 to 2020 for prenatal ultrasonic screening. Those with fetal structural anomalies were transferred to the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province through a referral network in Hubei, China. After multidisciplinary consultation and decision on fetal outcome, products of conception (POC) samples were obtained. Simultaneous CNV-seq and WES was conducted to identify the fetal anomalies that can compress initial DNA and turnaround time of reports. RESULTS: In total, 959 couples were finally eligible for the enrollment. A total of 227 trios were identified with a causative alteration (CNV or variant), among which 191 (84.14%) were de novo. Double diagnosis of pathogenic CNVs and variants have been identified in 10 fetuses. The diagnostic yield of multisystem anomalies was significantly higher than single system anomalies (32.28% vs. 22.36%, P = 0.0183). The diagnostic rate of fetuses with consistent intra- and extra-uterine phenotypes (172/684) was significantly higher than the rate of these with inconsistent phenotypes (17/116, P = 0.0130). CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous CNV-seq and WES analysis contributed to fetal anomaly diagnosis and played a vital role in elucidating complex anomalies with compound causes.

Automatic cell counting for phase-contrast microscopic images based on a combination of Otsu and watershed segmentation method.

Cell counting plays a vital role in biomedical researches. However, manual cell counting is time-consuming, laborious, and low efficiency and has a high counting error rate problem. An automatic counting approach for Hela cells of phase-contrast microscopic images is proposed based on the combination of Otsu and watershed segmentation methods to solve the mentioned issues. Firstly, image preprocessing is performed. Secondly, the Otsu method was used to obtain an automatic global optimal threshold for segmentation to achieve batch counting of images. Thirdly, the marker watershed was performed to separate adherent cells and to avoid over-segmentation simultaneously. Finally, cells in phase-contrast microscopic images were counted by detecting the numbers of connected domains in the binary image. Taking the manual counting result as the counting standard and MIS, INC, and ACC are used as evaluation indicators. The experimental results showed that the average values of MIS, INC, and ACC of the proposed method are only 3.31%, 3.49%, and 96.69%, respectively. Additionally, each cell image was counted only takes 0.65 s on averagely. To further test the performance of the proposed method, a comparative experiment was carried out by Image J, and the result shows that the proposed method has a better counting performance with a higher average accuracy of 96.55% to Image J with 93.39%.The proposed method for cell counting is simple, feasible, fast and high accurate, and it can be used as an effective method for cell counting of the phase-contrast microscopic images.