Interferon-Alpha Induces Psoriatic Inflammation in Mice by Phosphorylating FOXO3.

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease characterized by epidermal thickening and inflammatory cell infiltration. Excessive proliferation of keratinocytes and resistance to apoptosis lead to thickening of the epidermis. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells are involved in the occurrence of psoriasis mainly by secreting interferon-alpha (IFN-α). IFN-α is a glycoprotein with antiviral, antitumor, and immunomodulatory effects, but its role in psoriasis remains unclear. In this investigation, a mild psoriatic phenotype was observed in mice upon topical application of IFN-α cream, and the inflammation was exacerbated when combined with imiquimod (IMQ). Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that IFN-α induces psoriatic inflammation in mice by stimulating phosphorylation of forkhead box O3, consistent with the involvement of this protein in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation. Our results suggested that topical IFN-α caused psoriatic inflammation and that the psoriatic inflammation was exacerbated by the combination of IFN-α and IMQ, possibly due to the dysfunction of forkhead box O3.

Electroacupuncture regulates the P2X7R-NLRP3 inflammatory cascade to relieve decreased sensation on ocular surface of type 2 diabetic rats with dry eye.

Dry eye (DE) is a prevalent ocular surface disease in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, current medications are ineffective against decreased sensation on the ocular surface. While electroacupuncture (EA) effectively alleviates decreased sensation on ocular surface of DE in patients with T2DM, the neuroprotective mechanism remains unclear. This study explored the pathogenesis and therapeutic targets of T2DM-associated DE through bioinformatics analysis. It further investigated the underlying mechanism by which EA improves decreased sensation on the ocular surface of DE in rats with T2DM. Bioinformatic analysis was applied to annotate the potential pathogenesis of T2DM DE. T2DM and DE was induced in male rats. Following treatment with EA and fluorometholone, comprehensive metrics were assessed. Additionally, the expression patterns of key markers were studied. Key targets such as NLRP3, Caspase-1, and NOD-like receptor signaling may be involved in the pathogenesis of T2DM DE. EA treatment improved ocular measures. Furthermore, EA potently downregulated P2X7R, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), and Caspase-1 expression within the trigeminal ganglion and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis. Targeted P2X7R antagonist (A-438079) and agonist (BzATP) employed as controls to decipher the biochemistry of the therapeutic effects of EA showed an anti-inflammatory effect with A-438079, while BzATP blocked the anti-inflammatory effect of EA. EA relieved DE symptoms and attenuated inflammatory damage to sensory nerve pathways in T2DM rats with DE. These findings suggest a crucial role of EA inhibition of the P2X7R-NLRP3 inflammatory cascade to provide these benefits.

Dual-enzyme decorated semiconducting polymer nanoagents for second near-infrared photoactivatable ferroptosis-immunotherapy.

Enzymes provide a class of potential options to treat cancer, while the precise regulation of enzyme activities for effective and safe therapeutic actions has been poorly reported. Dual-enzyme decorated semiconducting polymer nanoagents for second near-infrared (NIR-II) photoactivatable ferroptosis-immunotherapy are reported in this study. Such nanoagents (termed SPHGA) consist of hemoglobin (Hb)-based semiconducting polymer (SP@Hb), adenosine deaminase (ADA) and glucose oxidase (GOx) with loadings in a thermal-responsive nanoparticle shell. NIR-II photoactivation of SPHGA results in the generation of heat to trigger on-demand releases of two enzymes (ADA and GOx) via destroying the thermal-responsive nanoparticle shells. In the tumor microenvironment, GOx oxidizes glucose to form hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which promotes the Fenton reaction of iron in SP@Hb, resulting in an enhanced ferroptosis effect and immunogenic cell death (ICD). In addition, ADA degrades high-level adenosine to reverse the immunosuppressive microenvironment, thus amplifying antitumor immune responses. Via NIR-II photoactivatable ferroptosis-immunotherapy, SPHGA shows an improved effect to absolutely remove bilateral tumors and effectively suppress tumor metastases in subcutaneous 4T1 breast cancer models. This study presents a dual-enzyme-based nanoagent with controllable therapeutic actions for effective and precise cancer therapy.

Rh family C glycoprotein contributes to psoriatic inflammation through regulating the dysdifferentiation and cytokine secretion of keratinocytes.

BACKGROUND: Keratinocyte dysdifferentiation and proinflammatory cytokine production play a central role in psoriatic inflammation. According to recent studies, the Rh family C glycoprotein (RHCG) enhances cell proliferation and disrupts cell differentiation. However, the specific role of RHCG psoriasis development remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We here explored the effect of RHCG on keratinocytes under psoriatic inflammation. METHODS: The cell counting kit­8 assay was conducted to assess proliferation. RHCG protein expression was assessed through western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines and differentiation markers was analyzed through a quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. METHODS: The cell counting kit­8 assay was conducted to assess proliferation. RHCG protein expression was assessed through western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines and differentiation markers was analyzed through a quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Both RHCG mRNA and protein levels increased in psoriatic skin. Notably, cultured keratinocytes treated with an M5 cocktail, which mimics psoriatic inflammation, exhibited higher RHCG expression. Furthermore, RHCG overexpression promoted keratinocyte proliferation, accompanied by an increase in the production of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α. RHCG overexpression also resulted in higher expression of keratin 17, a differentiation marker. Conversely, RHCG gene knockdown reduced keratinocyte proliferation and cytokine secretion. RHCG inhibition in cells recovered both keratin 1 and loricrin expression. Additionally, RHCG overexpression facilitated the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase signaling pathways. Importantly, when these signaling pathways were inhibited, the effect of RHCG on keratinocytes was attenuated. CONCLUSION: These findings support the substantial role of RHCG in psoriatic inflammation development and suggest that RHCG serves as a potential target for psoriasis treatment.

Integration or fragmentation: the arrow of China's lithium product development.

Lithium is an indispensable resource for the next generation of clean technology. Promoting the development of lithium industry has become a global consensus, with China being no exception. The development process involves not only the growth and degeneration of lithium products but also the path-dependency issues arising from resources and technology. This study, based on the perspective of product space structure, constructs China's lithium product network to study its pattern evolution and predict the development direction. Then, according to the current situation and pattern evolution trends, potential advantageous lithium products and advantage-degraded lithium products are identified, and tactics for expanding chains and breaking chains are formulated for them, presenting strategies for the integrated and fragmentated development of China's lithium products. This aims to steer China's lithium products towards a more orderly and closely interconnected direction, representing the arrow of development for China's lithium products.

Identifying CTH and MAP1LC3B as ferroptosis biomarkers for prognostic indication in gastric cancer decoding.

Gastric cancer (GC), known for its high incidence and poor prognosis, urgently necessitates the identification of reliable prognostic biomarkers to enhance patient outcomes. We scrutinized data from 375 GC patients alongside 32 non-cancer controls, sourced from the TCGA database. A univariate Cox Proportional Hazards Model (COX) regression was employed to evaluate expressions of ferroptosis-related genes. This was followed by the application of Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and multivariate COX regression for the development of prognostic models. The composition of immune cell subtypes was quantified utilizing CIBERSORT, with their distribution in GC versus control samples being comparatively analyzed. Furthermore, the correlation between the expressions of Cystathionine Gamma-Lyase (CTH) and Microtubule Associated Protein 1 Light Chain 3 Beta (MAP1LC3B) and the abundance of immune cell subtypes was explored. Our bioinformatics findings underwent validation through immunohistochemical analysis. Our prognostic models integrated CTH and MAP1LC3B. Survival analysis indicated that patients categorized as high-risk, as defined by the model, exhibited significantly lower survival rates compared to their low-risk counterparts. Notably, CTH expression inversely correlated with monocyte levels, while MAP1LC3B expression showed an inverse relationship with the abundance of M2 macrophages. Immunohistochemical validation corroborated lower expressions of CTH and MAP1LC3B in GC tissues relative to control samples, in concordance with our bioinformatics predictions. Our study suggests that the dysregulation of CTH, MAP1LC3B, and the accompanying monocyte-macrophage dynamics could be pivotal in the prognosis of GC. These elements present potential targets for prognostic assessment and therapeutic intervention.

Integrating artificial intelligence in osteosarcoma prognosis: the prognostic significance of SERPINE2 and CPT1B biomarkers.

The principal aim of this investigation is to identify pivotal biomarkers linked to the prognosis of osteosarcoma (OS) through the application of artificial intelligence (AI), with an ultimate goal to enhance prognostic prediction. Expression profiles from 88 OS cases and 396 normal samples were procured from accessible public databases. Prognostic models were established using univariate COX regression analysis and an array of AI methodologies including the XGB method, RF method, GLM method, SVM method, and LASSO regression analysis. Multivariate COX regression analysis was also employed. Immune cell variations in OS were examined using the CIBERSORT software, and a differential analysis was conducted. Routine blood data from 20,679 normal samples and 437 OS cases were analyzed to validate lymphocyte disparity. Histological assessments of the study's postulates were performed through immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. AI facilitated the identification of differentially expressed genes, which were utilized to construct a prognostic model. This model discerned that the survival rate in the high-risk category was significantly inferior compared to the low-risk cohort (p < 0.05). SERPINE2 was found to be positively associated with memory B cells, while CPT1B correlated positively with CD8 T cells. Immunohistochemical assessments indicated that SERPINE2 was more prominently expressed in OS tissues relative to adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Conversely, CPT1B expression was elevated in the adjacent non-tumorous tissues compared to OS tissues. Lymphocyte counts from routine blood evaluations exhibited marked differences between normal and OS groups (p < 0.001). The study highlights SERPINE2 and CPT1B as crucial biomarkers for OS prognosis and suggests that dysregulation of lymphocytes plays a significant role in OS pathogenesis. Both SERPINE2 and CPT1B have potential utility as prognostic biomarkers for OS.

Effect of bone mass density and alveolar bone resorption on stress in implant restoration of free-end edentulous posterior mandible: Finite element analysis of double-factor sensitivity.

BACKGROUND: Osseous condition of the mandible was regarded as a key factor influencing stability of implants in the early stage. Finite element analysis was used to assess the effect of bone mass density and alveolar bone resorption (double factors) on stress in a four-unit implant restoration of a free-end edentulous posterior mandible. METHODS: A 3D finite element model was constructed for a single-sided free-end edentulous mandible (from mandibular first premolar to mandibular second molar) containing threaded dental implants. Mandible sensitivity modes were constructed with different alveolar bone resorption levels for normal conditions as well as mild, moderate and severe periodontitis, respectively. Based on the mass density of cancellous bone for four types of bones as the sensitivity parameter, two implant design modes were constructed: Model A (four-unit fixed bridge supported by three implants, implant positions were 34, 36 and 37) and model B: 34 × 36, 37 (37: a single implant crown) (34 × 36: three-unit fixed bridge supported by two implants, implant positions were 34 and 36). A total of 32 sensitivity-based finite element models, grouped in two groups, were constructed. Stress distribution and maximum von Mises stress on cortical bone and cancellous bone around the implant, as well as the surface of implant were investigated by using ABAQUS when vertical loading and 45° oblique loading were applied, respectively. RESULTS: When vertical loading was applied on the implant, maximum von Mises stress on the cortical bone around the implant was assessed to be 4.726 MPa - 13.15 MPa and 6.254 MPa - 13.79 MPa for groups A and B, respectively; maximum stress on the cancellous bone around the implant was 2.641 MPa - 3.773 MPa and 2.864 MPa - 4.605 MPa, respectively; maximum stress on the surface of implant was 14.7 MPa - 21.17 MPa and 21.64 MPa - 30.70 MPa, respectively. When 45° oblique loading was applied on the implant restoration, maximum von Mises stress on the cortical bone around the implant was assessed to be 42.08 MPa - 92.71 MPa and 50.84 MPa - 102.5 MPa for groups A and B, respectively; maximum stress on the cancellous bone around the implant was 4.88 MPa - 25.95 MPa and 5.227 MPa - 28.43 MPa, respectively; maximum stress on the surface of implant was 77.91 MPa - 124.8 MPa and 109.2 MPa - 150.7 MPa, respectively. Stress peak on the cortical bone and that on cancellous bone around the implant increased and decreased with the decrease in bone mass density, respectively. Stress peak on alveolar bone increased with alveolar bone resorption when oblique loading was applied. CONCLUSION: 1. Both alveolar bone resorption and bone mass density (double factors) are critical to implant restoration. Bone mass density may exhibit a more pronounced impact than alveolar bone resorption. 2. From the biomechanical perspective, types I and II bones are preferred for implant restoration, while implantation should be considered carefully in the case of type III bones, or those with less bone mass density accompanied by moderate to severe alveolar bone loss. 3. Splinting crowns restoration is biomechanically superior to single crown restoration.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Dry Eye Ocular Pain Through TNF-ɑ Mediated ERK1/2/P2X3R Signaling Pathway in SD Rats.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine electroacupuncture's influence on ocular pain and its potential modulation of the TNF-ɑ mediated ERK1/2/P2X3R signaling pathway in dry eye-induced rat models. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats with induced dry eye, achieved through extraorbital lacrimal gland removal, were treated with electroacupuncture. Comprehensive metrics such as the corneal mechanical perception threshold, palpebral fissure height, eyeblink frequency, eye wiping duration, behavioral changes in the open field test, and the forced swimming test were employed. Additionally, morphological changes in microglia and neurons were observed. Expression patterns of key markers, TNF-ɑ, TNFR1, p-ERK1/2, and P2X3R, in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis (SpVc) regions, were studied with etanercept serving as a control to decipher the biochemistry of electroacupuncture's therapeutic effects. Results: Electroacupuncture treatment demonstrated a notable decrease in the corneal mechanical perception threshold, improvement in palpebral fissure height, and significant reductions in both eyeblink frequency and eye wiping duration. Moreover, it exhibited a promising role in anxiety alleviation. Notably, the technique effectively diminished ocular pain by curbing microglial and neuronal activation in the TG and SpVc regions. Furthermore, it potently downregulated TNF-ɑ, TNFR1, p-ERK1/2, and P2X3R expression within these regions. Conclusion: Electroacupuncture attenuated damage to sensory nerve pathways, reduced pain, and eased anxiety in dry eye-afflicted rats. The findings suggest a crucial role of TNF-ɑ mediated ERK1/2/P2X3R signaling pathway inhibition by electroacupuncture in these benefits.

[Determination of 39 fatty acids in liver of rats by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

Fatty acids not only form phospholipids that contribute to the formation of cell membranes but also participate in many metabolic activities, such as energy storage and cell signal transduction. The liver plays a key role in the synthesis and metabolism of fatty acids. The composition and contents of fatty acids in the liver are closely related to body health. Most fatty acid-detection methods require a large sample size and can detect only a small number of fatty acids. Therefore, a sensitive and efficient method to determine fatty acids in the liver is urgently required. Herein, a method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was established for the simultaneous determination of 39 fatty acids in 1.1 mg of liver tissue. Different extraction methods and derivatization conditions were compared to develop an optimal sample-treatment method. The performance of two different columns in separating the target fatty acids were also compared. A total of 10 mg of liver was added to 450 µL of normal saline and ground at -35 ℃ to obtain a homogenate. Next, 50 µL of the homogenate (equivalent to 1.1 mg of liver) was added with 750 µL of chloroform-methanol (1∶2, v/v) to extract total fatty acids. The fatty acid extracts were dried under nitrogen, and then derivatized at 100 ℃ for 90 min after being added with methanol containing 5% sulfuric acid. The fatty acid methyl esters were extracted with hexane and then separated on an SP-2560 capillary column (100 m×0.25 mm×0.2 µm; Supelco, USA) via GC-MS. The results revealed that all 39 fatty acid methyl esters detected had good linearities in the certain mass concentration ranges with correlation coefficients (R2) greater than 0.9940. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of these methyl esters in the liver were 2-272 ng/mg and 7-906 ng/mg, respectively. The accuracy and precision of the method were evaluated by spiking the liver homogenate with tridecylic acid and eicosanoic acid at low (0.09 µg/mg), moderate (0.90 µg/mg), and high (5.40 µg/mg) concentration levels. The recoveries ranged from 82.4% to 101.0% with an intraday relative standard deviations (RSDs) (n=5) of 3.2%-12.0% and interday RSDs (n=3) of 5.4%-13.4%. The method was successfully applied to detect fatty acids in the livers of four healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and four male SD rats with abnormal liver function induced by perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). PFOS is a persistent organic pollutant. Twenty-six fatty acids were detected in the livers of both groups. Among the fatty acids investigated, pentadecanoic acid (C15∶0), γ-linolenic acid (C18∶3n6), and elaidic acid (C18∶1n9t) cannot be detected by the methods reported in the literature. By contrast, the method developed in this study could separate the isomers of oleic acid (elaidic acid, C18∶1n9t; oleic acid, C18∶1n9c) and linolenic acid (linolelaidic acid, C18∶2n6t; linoleic acid, C18∶2n6c). In conclusion, the developed method is simple and can detect a large number of fatty acids using small sample amounts and few reagents. More importantly, it could successfully separate fatty acid isomers. These findings indicate that the developed method is suitable for the detection of fatty acid composition and contents in the liver in clinical and experimental research.

Artificial intelligence reveals dysregulation of osteosarcoma and cuproptosis-related biomarkers, PDHA1, CDKN2A and neutrophils.

At present, the impact of cuproptosis-related genes in the study of osteosarcoma is largely unknown. Genome-wide data of osteosarcoma and controls were downloaded from 3 different databases, and specific diagnostic models associated with cuproptosis in osteosarcoma were constructed by support vector machines with artificial intelligence, random forest trees and LASSO regression. Differential analysis of immune cell infiltration was examined using routine blood data from 25,665 cases. Differential expression was examined using immunohistochemistry and PCR. PDHA1 and CDKN2A were obtained as specific cuproptosis-related biomarkers for osteosarcoma after artificial intelligence analysis. PDHA1, CDKN2A and neutrophils were differentially expressed in OS and control groups. PDHA1 and CDKN2A are significantly dysregulated in OS and are able to serve as biomarkers of OS.

Electroacupuncture Reduces Ocular Surface Neuralgia in Dry-Eyed Guinea Pigs by Inhibiting the Trigeminal Ganglion and Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus Caudalis P2X3R-PKC Signaling Pathway.

PURPOSE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on ocular surface neuralgia and the P2X3R-PKC signaling pathway in guinea pigs with dry eye. METHODS: A dry eye guinea pig model was established by subcutaneous injection of scopolamine hydrobromide. Guinea pigs were monitored for body weight, palpebral fissure height, number of blinks, corneal fluorescein staining score, phenol red thread test, and corneal mechanical perception threshold. Histopathological changes and mRNA expression of P2X3R and protein kinase C in the trigeminal ganglion and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis were observed. We performed a second part of the experiment, which involved the P2X3R-specific antagonist A317491 and the P2X3R agonist ATP in dry-eyed guinea pigs to further validate the involvement of the P2X3R-protein kinase C signaling pathway in the regulation of ocular surface neuralgia in dry eye. The number of blinks and corneal mechanical perception threshold were monitored before and 5 min after subconjunctival injection and the protein expression of P2X3R and protein kinase C was detected in the trigeminal ganglion and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis of guinea pigs. RESULTS: Dry-eyed guinea pigs showed pain-related manifestations and the expression of P2X3R and protein kinase C in the trigeminal ganglion and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis was upregulated. Electroacupuncture reduced pain-related manifestations and inhibited the expression of P2X3R and protein kinase C in the trigeminal ganglion and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis. Subconjunctival injection of A317491 attenuated corneal mechanoreceptive nociceptive sensitization in dry-eyed guinea pigs, while ATP blocked the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture. CONCLUSIONS: Electroacupuncture reduced ocular surface sensory neuralgia in dry-eyed guinea pigs, and the mechanism of action may be associated with the inhibition of the P2X3R-protein kinase C signaling pathway in the trigeminal ganglion and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis by electroacupuncture.

TWEAK/Fn14 signaling may function as a reactive compensatory mechanism against extracellular matrix accumulation in keloid fibroblasts.

Overabundance of the extracellular matrix resulting from hyperproliferation of keloid fibroblasts (KFs) and dysregulation of apoptosis represents the main pathophysiology underlying keloids. TWEAK is a weak apoptosis inducer, and it plays a critical role in pathological tissue remodeling via its receptor, Fn14. However, the role of TWEAK/Fn14 signaling in the pathogenesis of keloids has not been investigated. In this study, we confirmed the overexpression levels of TWEAK and Fn14 in clinical keloid tissue specimens and primary KFs. The extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes were also evaluated between primary KFs and their normal counterparts to determine the factors leading to the formation or development of keloids. Unexpectedly, exogenous TWEAK significantly reduced the levels of collagen I and collagen III, as well as alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Additionally, TWEAK promoted MMPs expression and apoptosis activity of KFs. Furthermore, we verified that the inhibitory effect of TWEAK on KFs is through down-regulation of Polo-like kinase 5, which modulates cell differentiation and apoptosis. The TWEAK-Fn14 axis seems to be a secondary, although less effective, compensatory mechanism to increase the catabolic functions of fibroblasts in an attempt to further decrease the accumulation of collagen. DATA AVAILABILITY: All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its Supporting Information files).

Microbe-derived antioxidants attenuate cobalt chloride-induced mitochondrial function, autophagy and BNIP3-dependent mitophagy pathways in BRL3A cells.

Environmental excessive cobalt (Co) exposure increases risks of public health. This study aimed to evaluate the potential mechanism of microbe-derived antioxidants (MA) blend fermented by probiotics in attenuating cobalt chloride (CoCl2)-induced toxicology in buffalo rat liver (BRL3A) cells. Herein, results showed that some phenolic acids increased in MA compared with the samples before fermentation through UHPLC-QTOF-MS analysis. Also, the contents of essential and non-essential amino acids, their derivatives and minerals were rich in MA. The DPPH, O2-, OH- and ABTS+ scavenging ability of MA is comparable to those of vitamin C and better than mitoquinone mesylate (mitoQ). In vitro cell experiments showed that CoCl2 treatment increased the percentage of apoptosis cells, lactate dehydrogenase and genes involved in glycolysis, increased ATP production and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, increased genes involved in canonical autophagy process (including initiation, autophagosomes maturation and fusion with lysosome) and BNIP3-dependent mitophagy pathways in BRL3A cells, while MA attenuated CoCl2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis, mitochondrial protein expression and dysfunction, and BNIP3-dependent mitophagy. Collectively, these results provide insights into the role of MA in reversing CoCl2-induced toxicology in BRL3A cells, providing the promising constituents for decreasing Co-induced toxicology in functional foods.

Spatially Adaptive Feature Refinement for Efficient Inference.

Spatial redundancy commonly exists in the learned representations of convolutional neural networks (CNNs), leading to unnecessary computation on high-resolution features. In this paper, we propose a novel Spatially Adaptive feature Refinement (SAR) approach to reduce such superfluous computation. It performs efficient inference by adaptively fusing information from two branches: one conducts standard convolution on input features at a lower spatial resolution, and the other one selectively refines a set of regions at the original resolution. The two branches complement each other in feature learning, and both of them evoke much less computation than standard convolution. SAR is a flexible method that can be conveniently plugged into existing CNNs to establish models with reduced spatial redundancy. Experiments on CIFAR and ImageNet classification, COCO object detection and PASCAL VOC semantic segmentation tasks validate that the proposed SAR can consistently improve the network performance and efficiency. Notably, our results show that SAR only refines less than 40% of the regions in the feature representations of a ResNet for 97% of the samples in the validation set of ImageNet to achieve comparable accuracy with the original model, revealing the high computational redundancy in the spatial dimension of CNNs.

Cadmium induces renal inflammation by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome through ROS/MAPK/NF-κB pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Cadmium (Cd) has been reported to induce kidney damage by triggering oxidative stress and inflammation. The NLR family Pyrin Domain Containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been implicated a role in the pathogenesis of inflammation. However, the connection between Cd and NLRP3 inflammasome in the development of renal inflammation remains unknown. In this study, in vitro experiments based on the telomerase-immortalized human renal proximal-tubule epithelial cell line (RPTEC/TERT1) were carried out. Results revealed that CdCl2 (2-8 µM) increased ROS production and activated NLRP3, thereby enhancing secretion of IL-1ß and IL-18 (P < 0.05). Knock-down of NLRP3 rescued the RPTEC/TERT1 cells from Cd-induced inflammatory damage. Cd activated the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway in RPTEC/TERT1 cells (P < 0.05). In addition, treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) improved inflammation and blocked the upregulation of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. Pre-treatment with MAPK and NF-κB inhibitors also suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation (P < 0.05). Moreover, CdCl2 (25-00 mg/L) stimulated the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway, activated the NLRP3 inflammasome, and increased inflammatory response (P < 0.05) leading to renal injury in rats. Exposure to cadmium elevated serum levels of NLRP3 and IL-1ß in populations (P < 0.05). Further analysis found that serum NLRP3 and IL-1ß levels were positively correlated with urine cadmium (UCd) and urine N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (UNAG). Overall, Cd induced renal inflammation through the ROS/MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome. Our research thus provides new insights into the molecular mechanism that NLRP3 contributes to Cd-induced kidney damage.

TWEAK/Fn14 axis is an important player in fibrosis.

Fibrosis is a common pathological condition associated with abnormal repair after tissue injury. However, the etiology and molecular mechanisms of fibrosis are still not well-understood. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) belongs to the TNF superfamily and acts by binding to its receptor, fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14), thereby activating a variety of intracellular signal transduction pathways in various types of cells. Besides promoting the expression of growth factors, activation of TWEAK/Fn14 signaling after tissue injury can promote the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which trigger the immune response, thereby exacerbating the injury. Severe or repetitive injury leads to a dysregulated tissue repair process, in which the TWEAK/Fn14 axis promotes the activation and proliferation of myofibroblasts, induces the secretion of the extracellular matrix, and regulates profibrotic mediators to further perpetuate and sustain the fibrotic process. In this review, we summarize the available experimental evidence on the underlying molecular mechanisms by which the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway mediates the development and progression of fibrosis. In addition, we discuss the therapeutic potential of the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway in fibrosis-associated diseases based on evidence derived from multiple models and cells from injured tissue and fibrotic tissue.

Upper urinary tract stone compositions: the role of age and gender

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the compositions of upper urinary tract stones and investigate their distributions in different gender and age groups. Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with upper urinary tract stone disease between December 2014 and March 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient's age, gender, BMI, comorbidities, stone event characteristics, and compositions were collected, and proportions of stone components in different gender and age groups were analyzed. Results: A total of 1532 stone analyses were performed (992 from males and 540 from females). The mean age was younger in males (p <0.001). Males included more cases with larger BMI, hyperuricemia, and obesity, while females had more urinary tract infections. Multiple components were present in 61.8% of stones. Calcium oxalate (CaOx) (67.0%) was the most common component, followed by uric acid (UA) (11.8%), infection stone (11.4%), calcium phosphate (CaP) (8.0%), cystine (1.1%), brushite (0.4%), and 2, 8-dihydroxyadenine (0.2%). Men contributed with more CaOx stones than women at age 30-49 years (all p <0.01) and more UA stones at 30-59 years (all p <0.05). Women contributed with more infection stones than men in age groups 30-49 and 60-69 years (all p <0.05), and more CaP stones at 30-49 years. The prevalence peak was 50-59 years in men and 60-69 years in women. Both genders had the lowest prevalence in adolescence. Prevalence of UA stones increased while that of infection stones decreased with aging in both genders. Conclusions: Age and sex had a strong association with distribution of stone compositions in this Chinese cohort.

Tract dilation monitored by ultrasound in percutaneous nephrolithotomy: feasible and safe.

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility and safety of tract dilation monitored by ultrasound in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and identify suitable patients for this technique. METHODS: Patients who underwent PCNL with only one access (24 Fr) using the balloon dilator or sequential dilators (Amplatz and telescopic metal dilators) from December 2014 to May 2018 in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' demographic information, intra- and postoperative data were analyzed. Factors which would increase the success rate of ultrasound-guided balloon dilation were investigated by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 986 PCNLs performed. 207 cases underwent balloon dilation, while 411 underwent sequential dilation. The two groups did not significantly differ in age, sex, BMI, stone diameter, access location, operation time, postoperative complication rate, and stone-free rate. The balloon dilation group comprised 207 patients (115 males, 92 females) with a mean age of 51 ± 10 years. Mean BMI was 25.2 ± 3.3 kg/m2. Mean stone size was 3.6 ± 1.2 cm, 47.3% of which were staghorn stones. Hydronephrosis of the targeted calyx occurred in 78.3% of patients. Within the balloon dilation group, tract dilation failed in 24 cases (11.6%) on the first attempt. The successful and failed subgroups had comparable outcomes. Multivariate analysis revealed that the risk factors for the failure of access establishment were the presence of staghorn stones (p = 0.032), prior ipsilateral open nephrolithotomy (p = 0.026), and lower pole access (p = 0.039), while the success rate was significantly higher in those with a hydronephrotic target calyx (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Tract dilation using balloon catheter can be safely monitored by ultrasound, and is most suited to patients with a hydronephrotic target calyx.

An evaluation of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in patients with urinary stone disease: data from a high-volume stone management center.

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of MDR bacteria in patients with urinary stones and the risk factors for its formation. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed among patients with urinary stones in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital from December 2014 to May 2018. Patients with positive urinary cultures and drug sensitivity results were included. MDR were defined as any bacteria that have resistance to at least one agent in at least three classes of antibiotics. Bacteria distribution and resistance patterns were calculated. RESULTS: 1655 patients with urinary stones were eligible for analysis, among which 367 patients had positive urinary culture, yielding 457 isolates of 45 species. Escherichia coli remained the most common organism with a prevalence of 29.3%, followed by Enterococcus faecalis (12.0%), Proteus mirabilis (10.5%), and Klebsiella pneumonia (6.8%). 44.4% isolates were identified as MDR. The three most common Gram-negative bacteria were Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, with a MDR rate of 84.33%, 62.5%, and 48.39%, respectively. Drug-resistant rates were different between MDR and non-MDR in ampicillin, cefazolin, ceftriaxone, cefepime, gentamicin, amikacin, and levofloxacin (all with p value < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, indwelling catheters (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.07-8.98) and antibiotics use in the last 3 months (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.04-4.38) were significantly associated with MDR formation. CONCLUSIONS: MDR bacteria were common among patients with urinary stones in our center and achieved high drug-resistant rates in ampicillin, first-generation and part of third-generation cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolones. Indwelling catheters and antibiotics used in the last 3 months were independent risk factors for MDR formation. Tailored antibacterial strategies still should be established according to the local bacterial spectrum and patient condition.