Arthroscopic fixation techniques for tibial eminence fractures in pediatric patients: a review.

The introduction of new internal fixation devices and arthroscopic techniques has led to significant changes in the surgical treatment of tibial eminence fractures (TEFs) in children. In recent years, arthroscopic surgery has arisen as the gold standard for the treatment of TEFs. This popularity of arthroscopic techniques has reduced surgical complications and improved patient prognosis. In this paper, we investigate the current situation of the use of arthroscopic fixation techniques for pediatric TEFs. We searched the PubMed database using the terms "arthroscopic treatment and tibial eminence," "arthroscopic treatment and tibial spine," "tibial eminence avulsion", "tibial spine fracture", with no limit on the year of publication. From these articles, we reviewed the use of various arthroscopic TEFs fixation techniques reported in the current literature. Overall, we found that the choice of fixation method seems to have no effect on clinical outcomes or imaging results. However, if an easy, strong fixation that is less prone to epiphyseal damage is desired, as a junior practitioner, the anchor technique should be mastered first, whereas for senior practitioners, a variety of fixation techniques for TEFs should be mastered, including anchors, sutures, and screws, so that personalized fixation can be achieved with the least amount of trauma, operative time, and complications. Higher quality studies are needed in the future to provide Useful evidence to determine the optimal fixation technique in terms of clinical outcomes, function, and complications.

Evaluation of genetic response of mesenchymal stem cells to nanosecond pulsed electric fields by whole transcriptome sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) modulated by various exogenous signals have been applied extensively in regenerative medicine research. Notably, nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs), characterized by short duration and high strength, significantly influence cell phenotypes and regulate MSCs differentiation via multiple pathways. Consequently, we used transcriptomics to study changes in messenger RNA (mRNA), long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and circular RNA expression during nsPEFs application. AIM: To explore gene expression profiles and potential transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in MSCs pretreated with nsPEFs. METHODS: The impact of nsPEFs on the MSCs transcriptome was investigated through whole transcriptome sequencing. MSCs were pretreated with 5-pulse nsPEFs (100 ns at 10 kV/cm, 1 Hz), followed by total RNA isolation. Each transcript was normalized by fragments per kilobase per million. Fold change and difference significance were applied to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were performed to elucidate gene functions, complemented by quantitative polymerase chain reaction verification. RESULTS: In total, 263 DEGs were discovered, with 92 upregulated and 171 downregulated. DEGs were predominantly enriched in epithelial cell proliferation, osteoblast differentiation, mesenchymal cell differentiation, nuclear division, and wound healing. Regarding cellular components, DEGs are primarily involved in condensed chromosome, chromosomal region, actin cytoskeleton, and kinetochore. From aspect of molecular functions, DEGs are mainly involved in glycosaminoglycan binding, integrin binding, nuclear steroid receptor activity, cytoskeletal motor activity, and steroid binding. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed targeted transcript regulation. CONCLUSION: Our systematic investigation of the wide-ranging transcriptional pattern modulated by nsPEFs revealed the differential expression of 263 mRNAs, 2 miRNAs, and 65 lncRNAs. Our study demonstrates that nsPEFs may affect stem cells through several signaling pathways, which are involved in vesicular transport, calcium ion transport, cytoskeleton, and cell differentiation.

Exercise-Induced Reduction of IGF1R Sumoylation Attenuates Neuroinflammation in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice.

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is marked by cognitive deterioration and heightened neuroinflammation. The influence of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Receptor (IGF1R) and its post-translational modifications, especially sumoylation, is crucial in understanding the progression of AD and exploring novel therapeutic avenues. OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the impact of exercise on the sumoylation of IGF1R and its role in ameliorating AD symptoms in APP/PS1 mice, with a specific focus on neuroinflammation and innovative therapeutic strategies. METHODS: APP/PS1 mice were subjected to a regimen of moderate-intensity exercise. The investigation encompassed assessments of cognitive functions, alterations in hippocampal protein expressions, neuroinflammatory markers, and the effects of exercise on IGF1R and SUMO1 nuclear translocation. Additionally, the study evaluated the efficacy of KPT-330, a nuclear export inhibitor, as an alternative to exercise. RESULTS: Exercise notably enhanced cognitive functions in AD mice, possibly through modulations in hippocampal proteins, including Bcl-2 and BACE1. A decrease in neuroinflammatory markers such as IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α was observed, indicative of reduced neuroinflammation. Exercise modulated the nuclear translocation of SUMO1 and IGF1R in the hippocampus, thereby facilitating neuronal regeneration. Mutant IGF1R (MT IGF1R), lacking SUMO1 modification sites, showed reduced SUMOylation, leading to diminished expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis. KPT-330 impeded the formation of the IGF1R/RanBP2/SUMO1 complex, thereby limiting IGF1R nuclear translocation, inflammation, and neuronal apoptosis, while enhancing cognitive functions and neuron proliferation. CONCLUSION: Moderate-intensity exercise effectively mitigates AD symptoms in mice, primarily by diminishing neuroinflammation, through the reduction of IGF1R Sumoylation. KPT-330, as a potential alternative to physical exercise, enhances the neuroprotective role of IGF1R by inhibiting SUMOylation through targeting XPO1, presenting a promising therapeutic strategy for AD.

Experimental study on the an-isotropic critical current of REBCO tape.

Superconducting magnets are widely used in nuclear fusion reactors, high-energy particle accelerators, steady-state high magnetic fields, etc. Higher magnetic fields and higher operating temperatures are two application trends. High temperature superconducting (HTS) materials are the only choice for high temperature and high field magnets in the future. The first- and second-generation HTS materials have a typical tape structure; their critical performance is magnetic field angle and temperature dependent. A new test facility is developed for an experimental study on the an-isotropic critical current. The field angle can be changed from 0° to 360° with a resolution of 1°. The rotation deviation angle is measured to be 0.2° when the upper part rotates 90°. The temperature can be changed from 4.2 to 80 K. The temperature errors are ±50, ±80, and ±135 mK for 4.2-20, 20-40, and 40-80 K, respectively. The angle dependence of critical current (Ic) of the tested rare-earth barium copper oxide tape within 0°-30° is strong. From 30° to 90°, the sample Ic almost does not change with the magnetic field angle. The implementation of the project will not only promote the structural optimization of HTS tapes but also promote the miniaturization and economical application of HTS magnets.

The CoNUT score predicts the length of hospital stay and the risk of long CoVID / La puntuación CONUT predice la duración de la estancia hospitalaria y el riesgo de COVID persistente

Objective: the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is an objective tool widely used to assess nutritional status of patients. We aimed toinvestigate the value of CONUT score on predicting length of hospital stay (LOS) and the risk of long COVID in patients with COVID-19.Methods: a total of 151 patients with COVID-19 were enrolled for analysis. Patients were followed up for two years from three months after theonset of SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONUT score was calculated on admission. The correlation between CONUT score and LOS were assessed bySpearman’s rank correlation coefficient and multivariate linear analysis. The association between different CONUT grade and long COVID wasevaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard models.Results: Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient showed that CONUT scores were positively correlated with LOS (r = 0.469, p < 0.001). Multivari-ate linear analysis showed that CONUT score is the only independent determinant of LOS (B 2.055, 95 % CI: 1.067-3.043, p < 0.001). A total of 53(35.10 %) patients with long COVID were identified. Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curves and Cox proportional hazards analyses showed thatthe incidence of long COVID in patients with a higher CONUT score was significantly higher than in patients with lower CONUT score (p < 0.001).Conclusions: higher CONUT score predicts longer LOS and the risk of long COVID in patients with COVID-19. The CONUT score might be usefulfor risk stratification in COVID-19 patients and help to develop new nutritional treatment strategies for long COVID.(AU)

Objetivo: la escala de valoración del estado nutricional CONUT es una herramienta objetiva ampliamente utilizada para evaluar el estado nutricionalde los pacientes. Nuestro objetivo fue investigar el valor de la puntuación CONUT para predecir la duración de la estancia hospitalaria (LOS) y elriesgo de COVID persistente en pacientes con COVID-19.Métodos: se inscribieron para el análisis un total de 151 pacientes con COVID-19. Los pacientes se sometieron a un seguimiento de dos añosa partir de los tres meses posteriores al inicio de la infección por SARS-CoV-2. La puntuación CONUT se calculó al ingreso. La correlación entrela puntuación CONUT y la LOS se evaluó mediante el coeficiente de correlación de rangos de Spearman y el análisis lineal multivariante. Laasociación entre diferentes grados CONUT y COVID persistente se evaluó mediante curvas de supervivencia de Kaplan-Meier con prueba derango logarítmico y modelos de riesgo proporcional de Cox.Resultados: el coeficiente de correlación de rango de Spearman mostró que las puntuaciones CONUT se correlacionaron positivamente con LOS(r = 0,469, p <0,001). El análisis lineal multivariante mostró que la puntuación CONUT es el único determinante independiente de LOS (B 2,055,IC 95 %: 1,067-3,043, p < 0,001). Se identificaron un total de 53 (35,10 %) pacientes con COVID persistente. Las curvas de supervivenciaacumulada de Kaplan-Meier y los análisis de riesgos proporcionales de Cox mostraron que la incidencia de COVID persistente en pacientes conuna puntuación CONUT más alta fue significativamente mayor que en pacientes con una puntuación CONUT más baja (p < 0,001).Conclusiones: una puntuación CONUT más alta predice una LOS más larga y el riesgo de COVID persistente en pacientes con COVID-19. Lapuntuación CONUT podría ser útil para la estratificación de riesgo en pacientes con COVID-19 y ayudar a desarrollar nuevas estrategias detratamiento nutricional para COVID persistente.(AU)

Latest Progress of LIPUS in Fracture Healing: A Mini-Review.

The use of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) for promoting fracture healing has been Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved since 1994 due to largely its non-thermal effects of sound flow sound radiation force and so on. Numerous clinical and animal studies have shown that LIPUS can accelerate the healing of fresh fractures, nonunions, and delayed unions in pulse mode regardless of LIPUS devices or circumstantial factors. Rare clinical studies show limitations of LIPUS for treating fractures with intramedullary nail fixation or low patient compliance. The biological effect is achieved by regulating various cellular behaviors involving mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and osteoclasts and with dose dependency on LIPUS intensity and time. Specifically, LIPUS promotes the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs through the ROCK-Cot/Tpl2-MEK-ERK signaling. Osteoblasts, in turn, respond to the mechanical signal of LIPUS through integrin, angiotensin type 1 (AT1), and PIEZO1 mechano-receptors, leading to the production of inflammatory factors such as COX-2, MCP-1, and MIP-1ß fracture repair. LIPUS also induces CCN2 expression in chondrocytes thereby coordinating bone regeneration. Finally, LIPUS suppresses osteoclast differentiation and gene expression by interfering with the ERK/c-Fos/NFATc1 cascade. This mini-review revisits the known effects and mechanisms of LIPUS on bone fracture healing and strengthens the need for further investigation into the underlying mechanisms.

Coordination Engineering of Heteronuclear Fe-Mo Dual-Atom Catalyst for Promoted Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation: A DFT Study.

Developing efficient nanostructured electrocatalysts for N2 reduction to NH3 under mild conditions remains a major challenge. The Fe-Mo cofactor serves as the archetypal active site in nitrogenase. Inspired by nitrogenase, we designed a series of heteronuclear dual-atom catalysts (DACs) labeled as FeMoN6-a Xa (a=1, 2, 3; X=B, C, O, S) anchored on the pore of g-C3 N4 to probe the impact of coordination on FeMo-catalyzed nitrogen fixation. The stability, reaction paths, activity, and selectivity of 12 different FeMoN6-a Xa DACs have been systematically studied using density functional theory. Of these, four DACs (FeMoN5 B1 , FeMoN5 O1 , FeMoN4 O2 , and FeMoN3 C3 ) displayed promising nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) performance. Notably, FeMoN5 O1 stands out with an ultralow limiting potential of -0.11 V and high selectivity. Analysis of the density of states and charge/spin changes shows FeMoN5 O1 's high activity arises from optimal N2 binding on Fe initially and synergy of the FeMo dimer enabling protonation in NRR. This work contributes to the advancement of rational design for efficient NRR catalysts by regulating atomic coordination environments.

Revealing Size-Dependency of Ionic Liquid to Assist Perovskite Film Formation Mechanism for Efficient and Durable Perovskite Solar Cells.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are extensively utilized for the manipulation of crystallization kinetics of perovskite, morphology optimization, and defect passivation for the fabrication of highly efficient and stable devices. However, comparing ILs with different chemical structures and selecting the appropriate ILs from the many types available to enhance perovskite device performance remains a challenge. In this study, a range of ILs containing different sizes of anions are introduced as additives for assisting in film formation in perovskite photovoltaics. Specifically, ILs with various sizes significantly affects the strength of chemical interaction between ILs and perovskite composition, inducing varying degrees of conversion of lead iodide to perovskite as well as the formation of perovskite films with markedly disparate grain sizes and morphology. Theoretical calculations in conjunction with experimental measurements revealed that small-sized anion can more effectively reduce defect density by filling halide vacancies within perovskite bulk materials, resulting in suppression of charge-carrier recombination, an extended photoluminescence lifetime, and significantly improved device performance. Boosted by ILs with appropriate size, the champion power conversion efficiency of 24.09% for the ILs-treated device is obtained, and the unencapsulated devices retain 89.3% of its original efficiency under ambient conditions for 2000 h.

The CONUT score predicts the length of hospital stay and the risk of long COVID.

Introduction: Objective: the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is an objective tool widely used to assess nutritional status of patients. We aimed to investigate the value of CONUT score on predicting length of hospital stay (LOS) and the risk of long COVID in patients with COVID-19. Methods: a total of 151 patients with COVID-19 were enrolled for analysis. Patients were followed up for two years from three months after the onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONUT score was calculated on admission. The correlation between CONUT score and LOS were assessed by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and multivariate linear analysis. The association between different CONUT grade and long COVID was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed that CONUT scores were positively correlated with LOS (r = 0.469, p < 0.001). Multivariate linear analysis showed that CONUT score is the only independent determinant of LOS (B 2.055, 95 % CI: 1.067-3.043, p < 0.001). A total of 53 (35.10 %) patients with long COVID were identified. Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curves and Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that the incidence of long COVID in patients with a higher CONUT score was significantly higher than in patients with lower CONUT score (p < 0.001). Conclusions: higher CONUT score predicts longer LOS and the risk of long COVID in patients with COVID-19. The CONUT score might be useful for risk stratification in COVID-19 patients and help to develop new nutritional treatment strategies for long COVID.

Introducción: Objetivo: la escala de valoración del estado nutricional CONUT es una herramienta objetiva ampliamente utilizada para evaluar el estado nutricional de los pacientes. Nuestro objetivo fue investigar el valor de la puntuación CONUT para predecir la duración de la estancia hospitalaria (LOS) y el riesgo de COVID persistente en pacientes con COVID-19. Métodos: se inscribieron para el análisis un total de 151 pacientes con COVID-19. Los pacientes se sometieron a un seguimiento de dos años a partir de los tres meses posteriores al inicio de la infección por SARS-CoV-2. La puntuación CONUT se calculó al ingreso. La correlación entre la puntuación CONUT y la LOS se evaluó mediante el coeficiente de correlación de rangos de Spearman y el análisis lineal multivariante. La asociación entre diferentes grados CONUT y COVID persistente se evaluó mediante curvas de supervivencia de Kaplan-Meier con prueba de rango logarítmico y modelos de riesgo proporcional de Cox. Resultados: el coeficiente de correlación de rango de Spearman mostró que las puntuaciones CONUT se correlacionaron positivamente con LOS (r = 0,469, p <0,001). El análisis lineal multivariante mostró que la puntuación CONUT es el único determinante independiente de LOS (B 2,055, IC 95 %: 1,067-3,043, p < 0,001). Se identificaron un total de 53 (35,10 %) pacientes con COVID persistente. Las curvas de supervivencia acumulada de Kaplan-Meier y los análisis de riesgos proporcionales de Cox mostraron que la incidencia de COVID persistente en pacientes con una puntuación CONUT más alta fue significativamente mayor que en pacientes con una puntuación CONUT más baja (p < 0,001). Conclusiones: una puntuación CONUT más alta predice una LOS más larga y el riesgo de COVID persistente en pacientes con COVID-19. La puntuación CONUT podría ser útil para la estratificación de riesgo en pacientes con COVID-19 y ayudar a desarrollar nuevas estrategias de tratamiento nutricional para COVID persistente.

Elevated plasma pyruvate kinase M2 concentrations are associated with the clinical severity and prognosis of coronary artery disease.

Introduction: Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) was involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). We tested whether plasma PKM2 concentrations were correlated with clinical severity and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in CAD patients. Materials and methods: A total of 2443 CAD patients and 238 controls were enrolled. The follow-up time was two years. Plasma PKM2 concentrations were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (Cloud-Clone, Wuhan, China) using SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Microplate Reader (Molecular Devices, San Jose, USA). The predictors of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were assessed by logistic regression analysis. The association between PKM2 concentration in different quartiles and MACEs was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard models. The predictive value of PKM2 and a cluster of conventional risk factors was determined by Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The net reclassification improvement (NRI) and the integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were utilized to evaluate the enhancement in risk prediction when PKM2 was added to a predictive model containing a cluster of conventional risk factors. Results: In CAD patients, PKM2 concentration was the independent predictor of ACS (P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curves and Cox proportional hazards analyses revealed that patients with a higher PKM2 concentration had higher incidence of MACEs compared to those with a lower PKM2 concentration (P < 0.001). The addition of PKM2 to a cluster of conventional risk factors significantly increased its prognostic value of MACEs. Conclusion: Baseline plasma PKM2 concentrations predict the clinical severity and prognosis of CAD.

Global research trends in CRISPR-related technologies associated with extracellular vesicles from 2015 to 2022: a bibliometric, dynamic, and visualized study.

PURPOSE: This study aims to explore the emerging trends, dynamic development, and research hotspots of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology associated with extracellular vesicles during the past 7 years and demonstrate them by visualization. METHODS: A total of 219 records related to CRISPR technology associated with extracellular vesicles from 2015 to 2022 in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database were collected. R language, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and GraphpadPrism software packages were used to analyze the history of this research, the general characteristics of the literature, and keywords. Finally, the hotspots and latest trends in CRISPR technology associated with extracellular vesicles are predicted. RESULTS: A total of 219 articles were collected for this study. The production of publications about CRISPR technology associated with extracellular vesicles has increased annually. Researchers from China, the USA, and Germany made the most important contributions to this trend, while RLUK Research Libraries UK offers the largest amount of literature in this field. Shenzhen University, Nanjing Medicine University, and Peking University exhibited the closest cooperation. Additionally, active topics burst during different periods, as identified according to 317 keywords belonging to 39 disciplines. Keywords were clustered into seven research subareas, namely exosome, nanovesicles, DNA, gene editing, gene therapy, cancer therapy, and endometrial stromal cells. The alluvial map of keywords reveals that the most enduring concepts are gene therapy, nanovesicles, etc., while the emerging keywords are genome, protein delivery, plasma, etc. CONCLUSIONS: We reviewed 219 previous publications and conducted the first bibliometric study of CRISPR technology related to extracellular vesicles from 2015 to 2022. This comprehensive summary constructed a knowledge map and demonstrates the trends in this area. The current trends and potential hotpots for this topic are also identified, which will be a great help for researchers in the future.

[Analysis of Imaging Performance Standards of CBCT X-IGRT System Used in Radiotherapy].

This article briefly describes the imaging performance standards of the kilovolt X-ray image guidance system used in radiotherapy, analyzes the main aspects that should be considered in the image quality of X-IGRT system, and focuses on parameters that should be considered in the imaging performance evaluation criteria of the CBCT X-IGRT. The purpose is to sort out the imaging performance evaluation standards of kilovolt X-IGRT system, clarify the image quality requirements of X-IGRT equipment, and reach a consensus when evaluating the imaging performance of X-IGRT system.

Achilles tendon thickening does not affect elasticity and functional outcome after surgical repair of Achilles rupture: A retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have confirmed that Achilles tendon occurs Achilles thickening after repair surgery of the rupture. Although this mechanism has been elucidated in the laboratory, there are few reports on its impact on clinical function. We designed a retrospective study to investigate the Achilles thickening after Achilles tendon rupture repair and its correlation between the elasticity and postoperative function. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, patients who underwent surgical treatment for acute Achilles tendon rupture from April 2016 to April 2020 were included. All the patients were regularly followed up at 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. American Orthopaedic Foot Ankle Surgeon (AOFAS) scale and Leppilahti score were used to evaluate functional outcomes. Achilles elasticity was measured by ultrasound shear wave of elasticity. Achilles thickening was calculated as maximal transverse and longitudinal diameter in cross-sectional plane of magnetic resonance scan. Sample t-tests was used for different follow-up periods. Correlation between Achilles thickening and other factors were analyzed using Pearson's method. p < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference. RESULTS: AOFAS scale and Leppilahti score at 1 year were significantly higher than at 3 months postoperatively (both p < 0.001). These functional scales were also improved at 2-year follow-up significantly (both p < 0.001). The dorsiflexion difference showed gradually recovery in each follow-up period (t = -17.907, p < 0.001). The elasticity of the Achilles appeared to continuously decreases during the postoperative follow-up period in all position sets (p < 0.001). In thickening evaluation, the cross-sectional area of the thickest plane of Achilles was significantly higher at 1 year postoperatively (310.5 ± 25.2) mm2 than that at 3 months postoperatively ((278.0 ± 26.2) mm2, t = -8.219, p < 0.001) and became thinner in 2-year magnetic resonance scan ((256.1 ± 15.1) mm2, t = 16.769, p < 0.001). The correlations between Achilles thickening, elasticity, and functional outcome did not show statistical significance (p > 0.05) in every follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Achilles tendon thickens after surgery in the 1st year, but begins to gradually return to thinning about 2 years after surgery. There was no significant correlation between the increase and decrease of thickening and the patients' clinical function scores, Achilles elasticity, and bilateral ankle dorsiflexion difference.

Synthetic CRISPR/dCas9-KRAB system driven by specific PSA promoter suppresses malignant biological behavior of prostate cancer cells through negative feedback inhibition of PSA expression.

PSA is a type of proto-oncogene that is specifically and highly expressed in embryonic and prostate cancer cells, but not expressed in normal prostate tissue cells. The specific expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is found to be related with the conditional transcriptional regulation of its promoter. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-dCas9-KRAB is a newly developed transcriptional regulatory system that inhibits gene expression by interupting the DNA transcription process. Induction of CRISPR-dCas9-KRAB expression through the PSA promoter may help feedback inhibition of cellular PSA gene expression via single guide RNA (sgRNA), thereby monitoring and suppressing the malignant state of tumor cells. In this study, we examined the transcriptional activity of the PSA promoter in different prostate cancer cells and normal prostate epithelial cells and determined that it is indeed a prostate cancer cell-specific promoter.Then we constructed the CRISPR-dCas9-KRAB system driven by the PSA promoter, which can inhibit PSA gene expression in the prostate cancer cells at the transcriptional level, and therefore supress the malignant growth and migration of prostate cancer cells and promote their apoptosis in vitro. This study provides a potentially effective anti-cancer strategy for gene therapy of prostate cancer.

Irisin alleviates hyperoxia-induced bronchopulmonary dysplasia through activation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common pulmonary injury among premature infants, which is often caused by hyperoxia exposure. Irisin is a novel hormone-like myokine derived mainly from skeletal muscles as well as adipose tissues. Many studies have indicated that Irisin exert a variety of properties against hyperoxia-induced inflammation and oxidative stress (OS). We aimed to evaluate the effects of irisin on hyperoxia-induced lung injury explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: BPD model was established after exposing newborn mouse to 85% oxygen. BPD mouse received continuous intraperitoneal injection of irisin at a dose of 25 µg/kg/day. Lung tissues were collected for histological examination at 7 and 14 days after birth. The alveolarization and alveolar vascularization of each animal was assessed. Levels of oxidative stress indicators, and the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in lung tissues were detected at 14 days after birth. RESULTS: Hyperoxia exposure induced a markedly alveolar simplification and a disrupted alveolar angiogenesis, which was ameliorated by irisin treatment. The hyperoxia-induced increase in these oxidative stress indicators was significantly reversed by irisin treatment. The Nrf2/HO-1 pathway is inducted in the hyperoxia-induced BPD mouse model, which is further activated by irisin treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated the beneficial effects of irisin in reducing the OS, enhancing alveolarization, and promoting vascular development through activation of Nrf2/HO-1 axis in a hyperoxia-induced experimental model of BPD.

Shape-Memory Three-Dimensional Evaporators with High Portability for Efficient Solar-Driven Freshwater Production.

Solar-driven water evaporation can alleviate the severe water scarcity situation in a nonpolluting and sustainable manner. Although the design of integrated three-dimensional (3D) solar evaporators has been proven to be effective in achieving ultrahigh evaporation rates and energy efficiency, their scalable application is still hindered by complex manufacturing processes and poor portability. Herein, we report a highly portable shape-memory 3D solar evaporator by depositing MXene on low-cost lignin-cellulosic sponges for freshwater production. When not in use, the 3D evaporator can be compressed into a thin film with up to 89.3% volume reduction, ensuring minimal space occupation and high portability. When needed, due to the shape-memory effect, the 3D structure can be rapidly restored by swelling the compressed film in water, resulting in an efficient 3D solar evaporator. This 3D evaporator exhibits not only a high evaporation rate of 2.48 kg m-2 h-1 under 1 sun illumination but also excellent long-term stability and recyclability. In addition, the 3D evaporator itself can serve as a water reservoir without requiring a continuous water supply during evaporation, showing remarkable application flexibility. This work opens a new perspective for manufacturing highly portable and efficient 3D solar evaporators and may facilitate their progress from the laboratory to commercial applications.

Polymer-Derived Carbon Nanofiber and Its Photocurrent-Switching Responses of Carbon Nanofiber/Cu Nanocomposite in Wide Ranges of Excited Light Wavelength.

Transformation into electric or photoelectric functional composite from non-conjugated polymers is a great challenge due to the presence of a large number of locative states. In this paper, carbon nanofiber was synthesized via hydrothermal carbonization utilizing carboxymethyl cellulose as a precursor, and the carbon nanofiber/Cu nanocomposite was constructed for defect passivation. The results indicated that the resulting nanocomposites exhibited good absorbance in visible light range and NIR (near-infrared). The photoconductive responses to typical weak visible light (650 nm et al.) and NIR (808, 980, and 1064 nm) were studied based on Au gap electrodes on flexible polymer substrates. The results exhibited that the nanocomposite's solid thick film showed photocurrent-switching behaviors to visible light and NIR, the switch-ratio was depending on the wavelengths and power of incident lights. The positive and negative photoconductance responses phenomenon was observed in different compositions and changing excited wavelengths. Their photophysical mechanisms were discussed. This illustrated that the nanocomposites easily produce free electrons and holes via low power of incident light. Free electrons and holes could be utilized for different purposes in multi-disciplinary fields. It would be a potential application in broadband flexible photodetectors, artificial vision, simulating retina, and bio-imaging from visible light to NIR. This is a low-cost and green approach to obtain nanocomposite exhibiting good photocurrent response from the visible range to NIR.

RETRACTED: Chen et al. Clinical Effect of Arthroscopic Resection of Extra-Articular Knee Osteochondroma. J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 52.

Following publication, the authors of "Clinical Effect of Arthroscopic Resection of Extra-Articular Knee Osteochondroma" by Chen et al. [...].

Dual-engineered cartilage-targeting extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells enhance osteoarthritis treatment via miR-223/NLRP3/pyroptosis axis: Toward a precision therapy.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common disabling joint disease with no effective disease modifying drugs. Extracellular vesicles released by several types of mesenchymal stem cells could promote cartilage repair and ameliorate OA pathology in animal models, representing a novel therapeutic strategy. In this study, we demonstrated that extracellular vesicles derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-EVs) could maintain chondrocyte homeostasis and alleviate OA, and further revealed a novel molecular mechanism of this therapeutic effect. miR-223, which could directly bind with the 3'UTR of NLRP3 mRNA, was found to be a key miRNA for hUC-EVs to exert beneficial effects on inflammation inhibiting and cartilage protecting. For enhancing the effect on mitigating osteoarthritis, exogenous miR-223 was loaded into hUC-EVs by electroporation, and a collagen II-targeting peptide (WYRGRL) was modified onto the surface of hUC-EVs by genetic engineering to achieve a more targeted and efficient RNA delivery to the cartilage. The dual-engineered EVs showed a maximal effect on inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and chondrocyte pyroptosis, and offered excellent results for the treatment of OA. This study provides a novel theoretical basis and a promising therapeutic strategy for the application of engineered extracellular vesicles in OA treatment.

The pattern of collagen production may contribute to the gluteal muscle contracture pathogenic process.

INTRODUCTION: Arthroscopic release is now the gold standard globally for gluteal muscle contracture (GMC) treatment. However, some patients fail to improve after the first operation and are forced to undergo a second operation. This study explores the essential role collagen fibers may play in muscle contracture in GMC. METHODS: From February 2010 to May 2018, 1041 hips of 543 GMC patients underwent arthroscopic release. Among them, 498 (91.7%) patients had bilateral GMC and were admitted to the retrospective cohort study. Pathological testing and type III collagen testing were used in contracture tissue studies. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis was applied to explore the role of fibroblasts in muscle repair. RESULTS: Compared with GMC II patients, GMC III patients displayed higher clinical symptoms (P < 0.05). Six weeks after the surgery, the patients in GMC II had a lower prominent hip snap rate, higher JOA score, and better hip range of motion (P < 0.05). Compared with normal muscle tissue, contracture-affected tissue tended to have more type III collagen and form shorter fibers. Recurrent GMC patients seemed to have a higher type III collagen ratio (P < 0.05). In contrast to normally repairable muscle defects, fibroblasts in non-repairable defects were shown to downregulate collagen-related pathways at the early and late stages of tissue repair. DISCUSSION: This study describes the arthroscopic release of GMC. Study findings include the suggestion that the collagen secretion function of fibroblasts and collagen pattern might influence the muscle repair ability and be further involved in the GMC pathogenic process.