TREM2 promotes glioma progression and angiogenesis mediated by microglia/brain macrophages.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell 2 (TREM2), a myeloid cell-specific signaling molecule, controls essential functions of microglia and impacts on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. TREM2 is also highly expressed in tumor-associated macrophages in different types of cancer. Here, we studied whether TREM2 influences glioma progression. We found a gender-dependent effect of glioma growth in wild-type (WT) animals injected with GL261-EGFP glioma cells. Most importantly, TREM2 promotes glioma progression in male but not female animals. The accumulation of glioma-associated microglia/macrophages (GAMs) and CD31+ blood vessel density is reduced in male TREM2-deficient mice. A transcriptomic analysis of glioma tissue revealed that TREM2 deficiency suppresses immune-related genes. In an organotypic slice model devoid of functional vascularization and immune components from periphery, the tumor size was not affected by TREM2-deficiency. In human resection samples from glioblastoma, TREM2 is upregulated in GAMs. Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases, the TREM2 expression levels were negatively correlated with survival. Thus, the TREM2-dependent crosstalk between GAMs and the vasculature formation promotes glioma growth.

On-Chip Microdevice Unveils Reactant Enrichment Effect Dominated Electrocatalysis Activity in Molecular-Linked Catalysts.

Molecular functionalization has been intensely studied and artificially constructed to advance various electrocatalytic processes. While there is a widely approved charge-doping effect, the underlying action for reactant distribution/transport remains long neglected. Here an on-chip microdevice unravels that the proton enrichment effect at prototypical methylene blue (MB)/MoS2 interfaces rather than charge doping contributes to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. Back-gated electrical/electrochemical tests detect quantitatively a strong charge injection from MB to MoS2 realized over diploid carrier density, but these excess carriers are unqualified for the actual enhanced HER activity (from 32 to 125 mA cm-2 at -0.29 V). On-chip electrochemical impedance further certifies that the proton enrichment in the vicinity of MoS2, which is generated by the nucleophilic group of MB, actually dominates the HER activity. This finding uncovers the leading function of molecular-linked catalysts.

Application of standardized management and effect evaluation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients using the big data center of the Internet of Things.

Objective: Early detection, diagnosis, treatment and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can lower morbidity and perhaps mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the application of standardized management against the background of the rapid development of the big data center of modern internet of things technology. Methods: Participants ≥40 years of age with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presenting at Xiamen Medical College Affiliated Haicang Hospital from October 2019 to October 2020 were selected as the observation patients based on the Internet of Things big data center for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease standardized management, and control patients from the community were selected for without down to the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease standardized management. Follow-up after 2 years of patient health records and acute episodes using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief version to evaluate the quality of life of the two groups revealed differences. Results: The results of comparative analysis of the number of acute attacks before and after follow-up in the observation and control groups after propensity score matching showed that the decrease in acute episodes before and after in the observation group was significant compared with that in the control group (t = -3.664, P < 0.001). The quality of life of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients indicated that the effect in the observation group was greater than that in the control group according to the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief version. Conclusion: In this study, we analyzed the application of modern internet of things technology in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, discussed the effect of standardized management, and promoted the self-management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. The effectiveness and continuity of the standardized management model for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease implemented in Xiamen city based on the internet of things big data center were considered true and effective.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water treatment enhances the quality attributes and the storability of postharvest litchis through regulating the metabolism of reactive oxygen species.

Effects of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) on the storability, quality attributes, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism of litchis were investigated. Results showed that SAEW-treated litchis presented better quality attributes and storability than control litchis. On storage day 5, the commercially acceptable fruit rate of control litchis was 42%, while SAEW-treated litchis displayed 59% higher rate of commercially acceptable fruit, 21% lower pericarp browning index, and 13% lower weight loss percentage than control litchis. Additionally, compared to control litchis, SAEW-treated litchis demonstrated higher activities of SOD, CAT and APX, higher levels of GSH, AsA, DPPH radical scavenging ability, and reducing power, but lower O2 -· generation rate, lower levels of H2O2 and MDA. These findings indicated that SAEW treatment could elevate antioxidant capacity and ROS scavenging ability, reduce ROS production and accumulation, and lower membrane lipid peroxidation, thereby retaining the quality attributes and storability of litchis.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water treatment improves the quality and storage properties of carambola fruit.

This study aimed to explore the impacts of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) treatment on the physiology, quality, and storage properties of postharvest carambola. The carambolas were immersed in SAEW with a pH value of 6.0, ORP of 1340 mV and ACC of 80 mg/L. Results demonstrated that SAEW could significantly reduce the respiration rate, inhibit the increase in cell membrane permeability, and delay apparent color change. Relatively higher contents of bioactive compounds and nutritional components, such as flavonoids, polyphenols, reducing sugars, sucrose, vitamin C, total soluble sugar, and total soluble solid, as well as higher titratable acidity were maintained in SAEW-treated carambola. In addition, SAEW-treated carambola exhibited a higher commercial acceptability rate and a higher firmness, but lower weight loss and peel browning index than control fruits. Our results indicated that SAEW treatment achieved high fruit quality and nutritional values, potentially contributing to improve storage properties of harvested carambola.

[Evaluation of a self-defined classification of uterine submucous myomas for guiding transcervical hysteroscopic electric resection].

OBJECTIVE: To value a new presurgical classification system of submucous myomas for predicting the difficulty and the safety of hysteroscopic myomectomy. METHODS: The clinical data of 491 patients who underwent hysteroscopic resection of submucous myomas were analyzed. The myomas were classified according to the Classification of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) and our group's new classification, which consists of five parameters. The possibility of total resection of submucous myoma, the operating time and the frequency of any complications were considered. RESULTS: The ESGE classification showed significant differences between the level 0 and level I or II (both P < 0.01). Hysteroscopic myomectomy was considered incomplete in 9 patients with myomas. The numbers of complete surgeries of level II was significant lower compared to level 0 or level I (P < 0.01). Using our new classification, the differences of both operating times and the numbers of complete surgeries between group B and A was significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The new classification gives more clues as to the difficulties of hysteroscopic myomectomy than the standard ESGE classification. Although a larger number of patients need to be evaluated by this classification.

Targeting PDK1 with dichloroacetophenone to inhibit acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell growth.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-1 (PDK1), a key metabolic enzyme involved in aerobic glycolysis, is highly expressed in many solid tumors. Small molecule compound DAP (2,2-dichloroacetophenone) is a potent inhibitor of PDK1. Whether targeting PDK1 with DAP can inhibit acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and how it works remains unknown. In this study, we evaluated the effect of inhibition of PDK1 with DAP on cell growth, apoptosis and survival in AML cells and identified the underlying mechanisms. We found that treatment with DAP significantly inhibited cell proliferation, increased apoptosis induction and suppressed autophagy in AML cells in vitro, and inhibited tumor growth in an AML mouse model in vivo. We also showed that inhibition of PDK1 with DAP increased the cleavage of pro-apoptotic proteins (PARP and Caspase 3) and decreased the expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins (BCL-xL and BCL-2) and autophagy regulators (ULK1, Beclin-1 and Atg). In addition, we found that DAP inhibited the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PDK1 interacted with ULK1, BCL-xL and E3 ligase CBL-b in AML cells, and DPA treatment could inhibit the interactions. Collectively, our results indicated that targeting PDK1 with DAP inhibited AML cell growth via multiple signaling pathways and suggest that targeting PDK1 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for AMLs.

Hysteroscopic septum resection of complete septate uterus with cervical duplication, sparing the double cervix in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortions or infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic septum resection of the complete septate uterus with cervical duplication in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortions or infertility. DESIGN: Prospective consecutive clinical study. SETTING: University hospital for obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive medicine. SUBJECT(S): Twenty-five patients with a complete septate uterus, cervical duplication, and history of recurrent spontaneous abortions (13 cases) or infertility (12 cases) were included. INTERVENTION(S): Hysteroscopic septum resection and sparing the double cervix using a bougie served as a means of orientation and blockage of internal cervical os. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Intraoperative and postoperative complications, and postoperative anatomic identification of the uterus. RESULT(S): No intraoperative and postoperative complications were encountered. Postoperatively, ultrasound revealed minor fundal septal remnants in 7 (31.8%) of 22 patients receiving the ultrasound detection, and no residual septum in the other 15 cases (68.2%). CONCLUSION(S): By using a bougie technique, hysteroscopic correction of complete septate uterus with cervical duplication and sparing the double cervix can be performed successfully.