Identification of diagnostic signature and immune microenvironment subtypes of venous thromboembolism.

The close link between immune and pathogenesis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been recognized, but not fully elucidated. The current study was designed to identify immune microenvironment related signature and subtypes using explainable machine learning in VTE. We first observed an alteration of immune microenvironment in VTE patients and identified eight key immune cells involved in VTE. Then PTPN6, ITGB2, CR2, FPR2, MMP9 and ISG15 were determined as key immune microenvironment-related genes, which could divide VTE patients into two subtypes with different immune and metabolic characteristics. Also, we found that prunetin and torin-2 may be most promising to treat VTE patients in Cluster 1 and 2, respectively. By comparing six machine learning models in both training and external validation sets, XGboost was identified as the best one to predict the risk of VTE, followed by the interpretation of each immune microenvironment-related gene contributing to the model. Moreover, CR2 and FPR2 had high accuracy in distinguishing VTE and control, which may act as diagnostic biomarkers of VTE, and their expressions were validated by qPCR. Collectively, immune microenvironment related PTPN6, ITGB2, CR2, FPR2, MMP9 and ISG15 are key genes involved in the pathogenesis of VTE. The VTE risk prediction model and immune microenvironment subtypes based on those genes might benefit prevention, diagnosis, and the individualized treatment strategy in clinical practice of VTE.

Intact quantitation of cysteine-conjugated antibody-drug conjugates using native mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: A common strategy for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) quantitation from in vivo study samples involves measurement of total antibody, conjugated ADC, and free payload concentrations using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry. This not only provides a limited picture of biotransformation but can also involve lengthy method development. Quantitation of ADCs directly at the intact protein level in native conditions using high-resolution mass spectrometers presents the advantage of measuring exposure readout as well as monitoring the change in average drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) and in vivo stability of new linker payloads with minimal method development. Furthermore, site-specific cysteine-conjugated ADCs often rely on non-covalent association to retain their quaternary structure, which highlights the unique capabilities of native mass spectrometry (nMS) for intact ADC quantitation. METHODS: We developed an intact quantitation workflow involving three stages: automated affinity purification, nMS analysis, and data processing in batch fashion. The sample preparation method was modified to include only volatile ion-pairing reagents in the buffer systems. A capillary size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) column was coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometer for high-throughput nMS analysis. Samples from two mouse pharmacokinetic (PK) studies were analyzed using both intact quantitation workflow and the conventional MRM-based approach. RESULTS: A linear dynamic range of 5-100 µg/mL was achieved using 20 µL of serum sample volume. The results of mouse in vivo PK measurement using the intact quantitation workflow and the MRM-based approach were compared, revealing excellent method agreement. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing nMS for the quantitation of ADCs at the intact protein level in preclinical PK studies. Our results indicate that this intact quantitation workflow can serve as an alternative generic method for high-throughput analysis, enabling an in-depth understanding of ADC stability and safety in vivo.

LY86 facilitates ox-LDL-induced lipid accumulation in macrophages by upregulating SREBP2/HMGCR expression.

LY86, also known as MD1, has been implicated in various pathophysiological processes including inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance, and immunoregulation. However, the role of LY86 in cholesterol metabolism remains incompletely understood. Several studies have reported significant up-regulation of LY86 mRNA in atherosclerosis; nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism by which LY86 is involved in this disease remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether LY86 affects ox-LDL-induced lipid accumulation in macrophages. Firstly, we confirmed that LY86 is indeed involved in the process of atherosclerosis and found high expression levels of LY86 in human atherosclerotic plaque tissue. Furthermore, our findings suggest that LY86 may mediate intracellular lipid accumulation induced by ox-LDL through the SREBP2/HMGCR pathway. This mechanism could be associated with increased cholesterol synthesis resulting from enhanced endoplasmic reticulum stress response.

Biochar-based materials as remediation strategy in petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil and water: Performances, mechanisms, and environmental impact.

Petroleum contamination is considered as a major risk to the health of humans and environment. Biochars as low-cost and eco-friendly carbon materials, have been widely used for the removal of petroleum hydrocarbon in the environment. The purpose of this paper is to review the performance, mechanisms, and potential environmental toxicity of biochar, modified biochar and its integration use with other materials in petroleum contaminated soil and water. Specifically, the use of biochar in oil-contaminated water and soil as well as the factors that could influence the removal ability of biochar were systematically evaluated. In addition, the modification and integrated use of biochar for improving the removal efficiency were summarized from the aspects of sorption, biodegradation, chemical degradation, and reusability. Moreover, the functional impacts and associated ecotoxicity of pristine and modified biochars in various environments were demonstrated. Finally, some shortcoming of current approaches, and future research needs were provided for the future direction and challenges of modified biochar research. Overall, this paper gain insight into biochar application in petroleum remediation from the perspectives of performance enhancement and environmental sustainability.

Genital mycoplasma infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that genital mycoplasma infections may be associated with male infertility. However, this association remains controversial due to time lapse, sample size, and regional prevalence. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the relationship between genital mycoplasma and male infertility through a meta-analysis and to provide a basis for the clinical management of male infertility. METHODS: We conducted a search on PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases, from January 2000 to June 2023 to identify case-control studies on the interrelationship between genital mycoplasma infection and male infertility. Two independent researchers performed an assessment of the methodological quality of trials according to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and extracted data strictly based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and afterward, we carried out a meta-analysis using Stata 16.0. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess this relationship. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 21 studies from seven countries with a total of 53025 infertility cases and 6435 controls; the age range of the participating men was from 20 to 59 years old. The results obtained showed a higher prevalence of M. genitalium, M. hominis and U. urealyticum infections in infertile men than in the controls, with the opposite result for U. parvum (M. genitalium, OR, 3.438 [95% CI: 1.780, 6.643], with P = 0.000; M. hominis, OR, 1.840 [95% CI: 1.013, 3.343], with P = 0.045; U. urealyticum, OR, 3.278 [95% CI: 2.075, 5.180], with P = 0.000; U. parvum, OR, 1.671 [95% CI: 0.947, 2.950], with P = 0.077). Further, two subgroup analyses also showed that M. hominis and U. urealyticum infections were strongly associated with male infertility in China (M. hominis, P = 0.009; U. urealyticum, P = 0.000); however, M. hominis and U. urealyticum infection was not strongly associated with male infertility worldwide (M. hominis, P = 0.553; U. urealyticum, P = 0.050). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis revealed that male infertility was significantly associated with M. genitalium, M. hominis and U. urealyticum infections, while U. parvum infection was not. Further, our study showed that genital mycoplasma infection influences male infertility and provides a basis for future treatment.

Ant-Neointimal Formation Effects of SLC6A6 in Preventing Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Migration via Wnt/ß-Catenin Signaling.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular remolding, such as atherosclerosis and restenosis. Solute carrier family 6 member 6 (SLC6A6) is a transmembrane transporter that maintains a variety of physiological functions and is highly expressed in VSMCs. However, its role on VSMCs during neointimal formation remains unknown. In this study, mRNA and protein levels of SLC6A6 were examined using models of VSMC phenotype switching in vivo and in vitro and human artery samples with or without atherosclerosis. SLC6A6 gain- and loss-of-function approaches were performed by adenovirus infection or small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), proliferation, migration, and phenotype-related proteins of VSMCs were measured. Vascular stenosis rate and related genes were assessed in a rat vascular balloon injury model overexpressing SLC6A6. SLC6A6 was downregulated in dedifferentiated VSMCs, atherosclerotic vascular tissues, and injured vascular tissues. SLC6A6 suppressed VSMC proliferation and migration, while increasing contractile VSMC proteins. Mechanistically, SLC6A6 overexpression reduced ROS production and inhibited the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Furthermore, SLC6A6 overexpression suppressed neointimal formation in vivo. Collectively, overexpression of SLC6A6 suppresses neointimal formation by inhibiting VSMC proliferation and migration via Wnt/ß-catenin signaling and maintaining the VSMC contractile phenotype.

Rationale and design for the study of recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor plasmid in the treatment of patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (HOPE CLTI): Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase III clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Although patients with CLTI have benefited from the rapid development of endovascular techniques, many patients are considered unsuitable for revascularization procedures. A previous phase II clinical trial has suggested that recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor plasmid (NL003) can salvage limbs during the treatment of patients with CLTI. However, the safety and efficacy of this drug need to be evaluated in a larger cohort. STUDY DESIGN: HOPE CLTI is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intramuscular injection of NL003 in CLTI patients. This study consisted of 22 trials: HOPE CLTI-1, which includes patients with rest pain (Rutherford stage 4), and HOPE CLTI-2, which includes patients with limb ulcers (Rutherford stage 5). In both trials, patients are randomized with a 2:1 ratio of intramuscular injection of NL003 to placebo. The primary endpoint of HOPE CLTI-1 is the complete pain relief rate. The primary endpoint of HOPE CLTI-2 is the complete ulcer healing rate. The safety endpoint was assessed based on adverse events after injection of NL003. Enrollment began in July 2019. The HOPE CLTI-1 trial aims to complete the randomization of at least 300 patients, while the HOPE CLTI-2 trial aims to enroll at least 240 patients. Both trials are organized such that patients will be followed for 6 months after the first intramuscular injection. CONCLUSIONS: HITOP CLTI, which is comprised of 2 multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trials, aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the intramuscular administration of NL003 in patients with CLTI.

Association between generalized anxiety symptoms and semen quality in infertile men: A multicentre study in North China.

This study was conducted to investigate the generalized anxiety levels and its association with semen quality in infertile men. We recruited male patients who visited the infertility outpatient departments of three teaching hospitals in North China and evaluated their generalized anxiety symptoms using the self-administered 7-item generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) scale. Seminal analysis was performed as per WHO guidelines. A total of 378 infertile men (average age: 31.43 ± 5.85 years) were classified into the normal group (n = 174, 46%) and the anxiety group (n = 204, 54%) according to their GAD-7 scale score. The proportion of patients with hyperlipidaemia in the normal group was significantly higher than that in the anxiety group (14.9% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.004). The other demographic characteristics were not statistically different between both groups. Patients with abnormal GAD-7 scale scores had a significantly lower sperm count (202.48 vs. 166.80 million per ejaculate, p = 0.023), sperm concentration (54.75 vs. 46.54 million/ml, p = 0.033), and progressive motility (40.25 vs. 37.16, p = 0.020) than those with normal GAD-7 scale scores. Multivariate linear regression models revealed that anxiety was significantly negatively associated with sperm concentration (percent change = -9.79, 95%CI: -12.38 to -7.12, p < 0.001), total sperm count (percent change = -13.07, 95%CI: -16.05 to -9.84, p < 0.001), progressive motility (ß = -1.41, 95%CI: -1.86 to -0.96, p < 0.001), total sperm motility (ß = -1.73, 95%CI: -2.38 to -1.08, p < 0.001), and normal sperm morphology (ß = -0.16, 95%CI: -0.28 to -0.04, p = 0.009), respectively. Taken together, generalized anxiety disorder could significantly influence the clinical semen quality in infertile men in North China, and psychological stress management might be helpful.

A study of diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction treated with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.

The present study aimed to assess the value of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) for the treatment of diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction (DMED). We established a type 1 diabetes model through intra-abdominal streptozotocin injection. After 10 weeks, an apomorphine test was performed to screen the rats for erectile dysfunction (ED). The rats were divided into three groups: normal control group (n = 10), DMED group (n = 9) and DMED+hUC-MSC group (n = 9). After 4 weeks of hUC-MSC therapy, erectile function was evaluated by intracavernous pressure measurements, and penile tissue collagen and smooth muscle were examined by haematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. In addition, western blotting, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR analysis of TLR4, VEGF and eNOS were performed. The results showed that hUC-MSC treatment restored erectile function (p < .05) and reversed the smooth muscle/collagen ratio changes of DMED rats (p < .05). Furthermore, hUC-MSC treatment inhibited the expression of TLR4 (p < .05) and enhanced VEGF and eNOS expression (p < .05). In conclusion, hUC-MSC treatment restored the erectile function of diabetic rats by inhibiting TLR4, improving corpora cavernosa fibrosis, and increasing VEGF and eNOS expression.

Efficacy of one-stop endovascular intervention in treatment of left iliac vein compression syndrome complicated with deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect and safety of one-stop endovascular intervention in treatment of left iliac vein compression syndrome (IVCS) complicated with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of lower limbs. METHODS: Clinical data of 26 patients with secondary DVT due to IVCS admitted in the Department of Vascular Surgery, Hebei General Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent one-stop endovascular intervention procedure, including ultrasound-guided deep venipuncture, Angiojet catheter aspiration, iliac vein balloon dilation, stent implantation and simultaneous filter retrieval. The operation time and catheter aspiration time were documented; the preoperative and postoperative left lower extremity deep vein venous patency, circumferences of bilateral limbs at 15 cm above the knee and 10 cm below the knee, and the levels of hemoglobin, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspertate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin and indirect bilirubin were measured. The incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) and iliac vein stent patency were recorded through follow-up. RESULTS: The one-stop endovascular intervention was successfully performed in 26 patients, with the operation time of (171±35) min and the thrombolysis time of (263±89) s. After treatment, the left lower extremity deep vein venous patency, circumferences of bilateral limbs at 15 cm above the knee and 10 cm below the knee were decreased (all P<0.01); the hemoglobin level were decreased, the creatinine, ALT, AST, total bilirubin and indirect bilirubin levels were increased (all P<0.01). Patients were followed up for 1-12 months. Stent thrombosis occurred in 1 patient 7 months after procedure, and the symptoms were improved after conservative treatment; the stents were unobstructed in all patients, 1 patient had stent mural thrombosis, in whom the stent blood flow was not affected. No PTS was observed during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The one-stop endovascular interventional treatment of IVCS complicated with DVT of left lower limb is safe and effective. Attention should be paid to the changes of liver and kidney function caused by catheter aspiration during the treatment, and corresponding intervention should be given in time to avoid the occurrence of related complications.

Effect of acarbose combined with diet intervention on glycolipid metabolism in patients with primary polycystic ovarian syndrome complicated with impaired glucose tolerance.

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of acarbose combined with diet intervention in patients with primary polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) complicated with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and its effect on their glycolipid metabolism. Methods: A total of 92 patients with primary PCOS complicated with IGT treated in our hospital from December 2018 to December 2020 were selected, and divided into two groups using a random number table. The control group received routine lifestyle intervention. On this basis, the observation group was treated with acarbose combined with diet intervention. The menstrual recovery rate, ovulation rate and pregnancy rate after treatment, as well as sex hormone levels, glycolipid metabolism and inflammatory factor levels before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. Results: After treatment, the menstrual recovery rate and ovulation rate of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Among the patients with fertility needs in the two groups, the pregnancy rate of the observation group was significantly higher compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, sex hormone levels showed no obvious differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, all indicators of sex hormone were improved in both groups, and the improvement in the observation group was more obvious than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, no obvious difference was found in glycolipid metabolism between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, 2hPG, LDL-C and TG were improved in both groups, and the improvement was more significant in the observation group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, inflammatory factor levels were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, inflammatory factor levels in both groups were improved, which was more obvious in the observation group than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The application of acarbose combined with diet intervention in patients with primary PCOS complicated with IGT can effectively enhance the efficacy, help patients increase ovulation rate and pregnancy rate, and improve sex hormone levels, glycolipid metabolism and inflammatory factor levels.

Melatonin attenuates restenosis after vascular injury in diabetic rats through activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Diabetes is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Diabetic patients have a higher incidence of restenosis following endovascular therapy than non-diabetic patients. Melatonin is primarily synthesized and secreted by the pineal gland and plays an important protective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant role in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. However, no studies to date have evaluated the underlying effects and molecular mechanisms of melatonin on diabetes-related restenosis. Herein, we used an in vivo model of diabetes-related restenosis and an in vitro model of high glucose-cultured vascular smooth muscle cells to investigate the anti-restenosis effect and signaling mechanisms induced by melatonin treatment. The present study provides the first evidence that melatonin attenuates restenosis following vascular injury in diabetic rats. We further investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms both in vivo and in vitro. The data suggest that the Nrf2 signaling pathway is an important molecular target for melatonin-mediated inhibition of diabetes-related restenosis after vascular injury. These findings indicate that melatonin may represent a potential candidate for the prevention or treatment of vascular diseases and restenosis following endovascular therapy, especially in diabetic patients.

Thermal infrared and broadband microwave stealth glass windows based on multi-band optimization.

With the rapid development of detection technologies, compatible stealth in the infrared and radar ranges has become increasingly essential not only for military application but also for personal privacy protection. In this study, we design a metamaterial window that possesses stealth ability in both the thermal infrared and broadband microwave ranges, using a particle swarm optimization algorithm to realize multi-band optimization. We experimentally verify that the proposed structure can achieve over 90% microwave absorption in the range 5.1 to 19.2 GHz (covering the X and Ku bands), with low infrared emissivity (∼0.15), and also maintain visible transmittance above 60%. Moreover, the window retains good performance up to 200 °C owing to the intrinsic properties of the material. Our multi-band optimization method enables the application of the transparent metamaterial windows in electromagnetic shielding and stealth and can potentially be applied in smart window related industries.

Preoperative deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after femoral neck fracture in the elderly, the incidence, timing, location and related risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the epidemiologic characteristics of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on elderly patients with femoral neck fractures admitted to two institutions from January 2016 to October 2019. Duplex ultrasonography (DUS) was used to detect DVT. Patients' hospitalization medical records were retrieved to collect the data, which were related to demographics, comorbidities, injury and laboratory results on admission. Patients with preoperative DVT were defined as the case group and those without DVT as control group, and compared using the univariate analyses. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent factors associated with DVT. RESULTS: Totally, 980 patients met the predefined criteria and were included. Sixty-seven patients were diagnosed to have preoperative DVT, with incidence of 6.8% for overall, 1.7% for proximal and 5.1% for distal DVT. The mean time from injury to diagnosis of DVT was 6.0 ± 4.7 days (median, 5.0). Most (76.1%) patients with DVT had thrombi solely in the injured extremity, in contrast with 14.9% (10/67) in the uninjured and 9.0% (6/67) in both injured and uninjured extremity. Multivariate analysis showed chronic renal insufficiency (OR, 3.37; 95%CI, 1.57 to 7.28), current smoking status (OR, 2.42; 95%CI, 1.23 to 5.63), time from injury to DUS (OR, 1.26; 95%CI, 1.07 to 1.61) and PLT > 220*109/L (OR, 1.94; 95%CI, 1.31 to 3.77) were independent factors for DVT. CONCLUSION: Preoperative DVT is not very prevalent following elderly femoral neck fractures, but with a certain proportion in the uninjured extremity, necessitating the more attention. These identified risk factors aid in patient counseling, individualized risk assessment and risk stratification, and should be kept in mind.

Potential Role of Melatonin as an Adjuvant for Atherosclerotic Carotid Arterial Stenosis.

Carotid artery stenosis (CAS) is an atherosclerotic disease characterized by a narrowing of the artery lumen and a high risk of ischemic stroke. Risk factors of atherosclerosis, including smoking, hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, aging, and disrupted circadian rhythm, may potentiate atherosclerosis in the carotid artery and further reduce the arterial lumen. Ischemic stroke due to severe CAS and cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury after the revascularization of CAS also adversely affect clinical outcomes. Melatonin is a pluripotent agent with potent anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and neuroprotective properties. Although there is a shortage of direct clinical evidence demonstrating the benefits of melatonin in CAS patients, previous studies have shown that melatonin may be beneficial for patients with CAS in terms of reducing endothelial damage, stabilizing arterial plaque, mitigating the harm from CAS-related ischemic stroke and cerebral I/R injury, and alleviating the adverse effects of the related risk factors. Additional pre-clinical and clinical are required to confirm this speculation.

Metastable Rock Salt Oxide-Mediated Synthesis of High-Density Dual-Protected M@NC for Long-Life Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries with Record Power Density.

Creating high-density durable bifunctional active sites in an air electrode is essential but still challenging for a long-life rechargeable zinc-air battery with appealing power density. Herein, we discover a general strategy mediated by metastable rock salt oxides for achieving high-density well-defined transition-metal nanocrystals encapsulated in N-doped carbon shells (M@NC) which are anchored on a substrate by a porous carbon network as highly active and durable bifunctional catalytic sites. Small-size (15 ± 5 nm) well-dispersed Co2Fe1@NC in a high density (metal loading up to 54.0 wt %) offers the zinc-air battery a record power density of 423.7 mW cm-2. The dual protection from the complete graphitic carbon shells and the anchoring of the outer carbon network make Co2Fe1@NC chemically and mechanically durable, giving the battery a long cycling life. Systematic in-situ temperature-dependent characterizations as well as DFT modeling rationalize the rock salt oxide-mediated process and its indispensable role in achieving high-density nanosized M@NC. These findings open up opportunities for designing efficient electrocatalysts for high-performance Zn-air batteries and diverse energy devices.

Self-Catalyzed Growth of Co-N-C Nanobrushes for Efficient Rechargeable Zn-Air Batteries.

Highly efficient and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution are essential for aqueous rechargeable Zn-air batteries, which require highly active sites as well as delicate structural design for increasing effective active sites and facilitating mass/electron transfer. Herein, a scalable and facile self-catalyzed growth strategy is developed to integrate highly active Co-N-C sites with 3D brush-like nanostructure, achieving Co-N-C nanobrushes with Co,N-codoped carbon nanotube branches grown on Co,N-codoped nanoparticle assembled nanowire backbones. Systematic investigations suggest that nanobrushes deliver significantly improved electrocatalytic activity compared with nanowire or nanotube counterparts and the longer nanotube branches give the better performance. Benefiting from the increase of accessible highly active sites and enhanced mass transfer and electron transportation, the present Co-N-C nanobrush exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity and durability when used as a bifunctional oxygen catalyst. It enables a rechargeable Zn-air battery with a high peak power density of 246 mW cm-2 and excellent cycling stability. These results suggest that the reported synthetic strategy may open up possibilities for exploring efficient electrocatalysts for diverse applications.

Cigarette smoke exposure impairs lipid metabolism by decreasing low-density lipoprotein receptor expression in hepatocytes.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure impairs serum lipid profiles and the function of vascular endothelial cells, which accelerates the atherosclerosis. However, the precise mechanism and effect on the expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) in the liver by CS exposure is still unclear. METHODS: In this study, adult male C57BL/6 J mice were divided into three groups, with one group being exposed to CS for 6 weeks. HepG2 cells were treated with CS extract at concentrations of 1, 2.5, 5, and 10%. RESULTS: The serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for the CS-exposure group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, CS exposure decreased the LDLR expression in the hepatocytes and promoted inflammation in the blood vessel walls. Melatonin was intraperitoneally injected at 10 mg/kg/d for 6 weeks alongside CS exposure, and this significantly decreased the levels of TC, TGs, and LDL-C and decreased the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and the infiltration of cluster determinant 68-cells. In vitro, CS extract prepared by bubbling CS through phosphate-buffered saline decreased the LDLR expression in HepG2 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, and this effect was prevented by pretreatment with 100 µM melatonin. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, CS exposure impaired lipid metabolism and decreased LDLR expression in hepatocytes, and these effects could be prevented by melatonin supplementation. These findings implied that melatonin has the potential therapeutic applicability in the prevention of lipid metabolic disorder in smokers.

The renoprotective effect of curcumin against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in mice: involvement of miR-181a/PTEN axis.

Background: Nephrotoxicity, especially acute kidney injury (AKI), is the main dose-limiting toxicity of cisplatin. Although recent studies showed that curcumin prevented cisplatin-induced AKI effectively, further studies to understand the mechanism are required.Methods: We established an AKI mouse model. Male C57BL/6 mice were assigned to three groups: saline group (control), cisplatin group (CP), and curcumin + cisplatin group (CP + Cur). The CP group received a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of cisplatin, while the control group received saline. The CP + Cur group received i.p. curcumin three days before cisplatin injection and curcumin administered for another three days until the day before euthanization. Renal injury was assessed by serological and histological analysis. Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to detect the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and microRNA (miR)-181a expression in the renal tissues. Bioinformatics prediction and western blotting methods validated the targets of miR-181a in vitro.Results: Curcumin treatment alleviated cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity as validated by the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) values, and histological analysis of kidneys. At the molecular level, curcumin treatment decreased miR-181a expression level, which was induced by cisplatin and restored the in vivo expression of PTEN, which was suppressed by cisplatin. We verified the direct regulation of PTEN by miR-181a in cultured human embryonic kidney 293T cells.Conclusions: We showed the involvement of miR-181a/PTEN axis in the renoprotective effect of curcumin against cisplatin-induced AKI, and provide new evidence on the ability of curcumin to alleviate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

[Regulation Considerations of Medical Devices with Wireless Technology].

Wireless technology has been widely used in medical devices and has brought convenience to medical care. However, wireless medical devices face risks such as data security and radio frequency interference. This study highlights safety and effectiveness evaluation of wireless medical devices, and discusses technical characteristics and regulation requirements, providing references for industry development and regulation.