The Hybridization of Polymers with Metal Oxide Clusters for the Design of Non-Fluorinated Proton Exchange Membranes.

As the key component of various energy storage and conversion devices, proton exchange membranes (PEMs) have been attracting significant interest. However, their further development is limited by the high cost of perfluorosulfonic acid polymers and the poor stability of acid-dopped non-fluorinated polymers. Recently, a new group of PEMs has been developed by hybridizing polyoxometalates (POMs), a group of super acidic sub-nanoscale metal oxide clusters, with polymers. POMs can serve simultaneously as both proton sponges and stabilizing agents, and their complexation with polymers can further improve polymers' mechanical performance and processability. Enormous efforts have been focused on studying supramolecular complexation or covalent grafting of POMs with various polymers to optimize PEMs in terms of cost, mechanical properties and stabilities. This concept summarizes recent advances in this emerging field and outlines the design strategies and application perspectives employed for using POM-polymer hybrid materials as PEMs.

Prognosis Signature of Cuprotosis-Related lncRNAs Associated with Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma.

Cuprotosis is a novel cell death mechanism that can be explored to treat various tumors. A few studies on the role of cuprotosis-related long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in the development and prognosis of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) have been reported. We aimed to study the relationship between the prognosis of patients suffering from KIRC and lncRNAs associated with cuprotosis. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was analyzed, and the transcriptome data and clinical information on the patients with KIRC were obtained. The cuprotosis-related lncRNAs were identified by using Pearson correlation analysis, and the significant changes in the lncRNAs associated with KIRC were studied by conducting the T-test. The cuprotosis-related lncRNAs with KIRC prognostic values were identified by using the univariate Cox analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and support vector machine (SVM) methods. A prognostic marker composed of three cuprotosis-related lncRNAs was identified following the multivariate regression analysis method. Patients with KIRC were divided into two groups based on the expression characteristics of three cuprotosis-related lncRNAs by using the K nearest neighbor (KNN) cluster analysis method. Significant differences in survival were observed between the two groups. In addition, the results obtained following the independent prognostic analysis of the risk score (RS) and clinical correlation revealed that the three cuprotosis-related lncRNA prognostic markers could accurately predict the prognosis of patients with KIRC. The results reported herein provide new insights into the pathogenesis of KIRC and the contribution of lncRNAs associated with cuprotosis. The results also helped identify a prognostic indicator that could potentially provide information for KIRC treatment.

Utilization of a photoactivatable antigen system to examine B-cell probing termination and the B-cell receptor sorting mechanisms during B-cell activation.

Antigen binding to the B-cell receptor (BCR) induces several responses, resulting in B-cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation. However, it has been difficult to study these responses due to their dynamic, fast, and transient nature. Here, we attempted to solve this problem by developing a controllable trigger point for BCR and antigen recognition through the construction of a photoactivatable antigen, caged 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetyl (caged-NP). This photoactivatable antigen system in combination with live cell and single molecule imaging techniques enabled us to illuminate the previously unidentified B-cell probing termination behaviors and the precise BCR sorting mechanisms during B-cell activation. B cells in contact with caged-NP exhibited probing behaviors as defined by the unceasing extension of membrane pseudopods in random directions. Further analyses showed that such probing behaviors are cell intrinsic with strict dependence on F-actin remodeling but not on tonic BCR signaling. B-cell probing behaviors were terminated within 4 s after photoactivation, suggesting that this response was sensitive and specific to BCR engagement. The termination of B-cell probing was concomitant with the accumulation response of the BCRs into the BCR microclusters. We also determined the Brownian diffusion coefficient of BCRs from the same B cells before and after BCR engagement. The analysis of temporally segregated single molecule images of both BCR and major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) demonstrated that antigen binding induced trapping of BCRs into the BCR microclusters is a fundamental mechanism for B cells to acquire antigens.

A comparison of perioperative outcome between robot-assisted and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: experience of a single institution.

PURPOSE: To compare perioperative and pathological results in different approaches of robotic or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 206 patients diagnosed with pros¬tate cancer (PC) from June 2016 to October 2017 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nan¬jing Medical University. A total of 132 cases underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RLRP) including 54 patients on transperitoneal robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (Tp-RLRP) and 78 on extraperitoneal robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (Ep-RLRP). Meanwhile, 74 patients performed with extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (Ep-LPR) were also included. Peri¬operative and pathological data were compared among these groups. RESULTS: All operations were completed without conversion. There was no signifi¬cant difference in basic and pathological characteristics of patients between each two groups. In Tp-RLRP vs. Ep-RLRP: Significant differences were found in the comparison in to¬tal operation time [235.98 ± 59.16 vs. 180.45 ± 50.27 min, P = 0.00], estimated blood loss (EBL) [399.07 ± 519.57 vs. 254.49 ± 308.05 mL, P = 0.0473], postoperative pelvic drainage time [5.37 ± 2.33 vs. 4.24 ± 3.08 d, P = 0.0237] and postoperative length of stay [8.15 ± 3.30 vs. 6.49 ± 3.49 d, P = 0.0068] while no significant differences were detected in other variables. In Ep-RLRP vs. Ep-LPR: Longer total operation time was observed in Ep-RLRP when compared to Ep-LPR [180.45 ± 50.27 vs. 143.80 ± 33.13 min, P = 0.000]. No significant differences were observed in other variables. CONCLUSION: In RLRP, Ep-RLRP was proved a safe and effective approach based on the perioperative results compared to Tp-RLRP. Ep-RLRP and Ep-LPR provides equivalent perioperative and pathological outcomes.

Long non-coding RNA NAP1L6 promotes tumor progression and predicts poor prognosis in prostate cancer by targeting Inhibin-ß A.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key molecules in initiation and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). In this study, we aimed to explore the role of lncRNA NAP1L6 in the development and progression of PCa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified that lncRNA NAP1L6 was over-expressed both in PCa tissues and cell lines by gene expression array profiling. The expression level of NAP1L6 in 75 PCa tissues and adjacent tissues was detected by RT-PCR. Next, the correlations between NAP1L6 expression and clinical features of patients with PCa were analyzed by paired t-test or chi-squared test, and its association with patient prognosis was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. The effects of NAP1L6 on PC-3 and 22RV1 cells were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), migration, invasion, and colony formation assays. Further analysis of the results of the microarray was performed to find downstream gene of NAP1L6. Cell function experiments were performed in order to explore the relationship between NAP1L6 and Inhibin-ß A (INHBA) and the specific mechanism by which INHBA affects the development of PCa. RESULTS: Using microarray analysis, we identified 412 lncRNAs and 1245 mRNAs to be significantly differentially expressed in three PCa samples when compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues (ANTT) (fold-change ≥2.0 or ≤0.5, P<0.05, false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05). NAP1L6 expression was upregulated in PCa tissues and cell lines (both P<0.05) compared with ANTT. Besides, high expression level of NAP1L6 promotes PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion (all P<0.05), and is significantly associated with larger tumor diameter, distant metastasis, and shorter survival time (all P<0.05). We found that NAP1L6 promoted the expression of INHBA (P<0.05), and knockdown of NAP1L6 led to the reduction of PCa cell migration, invasion, and proliferation by regulating the expression of INHBA (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: lncRNA NR6A1 might play an oncogenic role in PCa initiation and progression by regulating the expression of INHBA, and might act as a novel prognostic biomarker for PCa treatment.

Total chemical synthesis of photoactivatable proteins for light-controlled manipulation of antigen-antibody interactions.

We report the chemical synthesis of the first photo-activatable protein antigen that can be used to study antigen-antibody interaction mediated responses in B cells. This strategy facilitated fine tuning of the caged protein antigen to optimize its bioactivity and photochemical properties. One optimal molecule, HEL-K96NPE, was totally inert to hen egg lysozyme (HEL)-specific B cells and could only restore its antigenicity upon photoactivation. Combined with real time live cell imaging, the utility of HEL-K96NPE was demonstrated as a proof of concept to quantify B cell synapse formation and calcium influx responses at the single cell level.

A comparison of perioperative outcome between robot-assisted and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: experience of a single institution

ABSTRACT Purpose To compare perioperative and pathological results in different approaches of robotic or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed 206 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC) from June 2016 to October 2017 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. A total of 132 cases underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RLRP) including 54 patients on transperitoneal robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (Tp-RLRP) and 78 on extraperitoneal robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (Ep-RLRP). Meanwhile, 74 patients performed with extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (Ep-LPR) were also included. Perioperative and pathological data were compared among these groups. Results All operations were completed without conversion. There was no significant difference in basic and pathological characteristics of patients between each two groups. In Tp-RLRP vs. Ep-RLRP: Significant differences were found in the comparison in total operation time [235.98 ± 59.16 vs. 180.45 ± 50.27 min, P = 0.00], estimated blood loss (EBL) [399.07 ± 519.57 vs. 254.49 ± 308.05 mL, P = 0.0473], postoperative pelvic drainage time [5.37 ± 2.33 vs. 4.24 ± 3.08 d, P = 0.0237] and postoperative length of stay [8.15 ± 3.30 vs. 6.49 ± 3.49 d, P = 0.0068] while no significant differences were detected in other variables. In Ep-RLRP vs. Ep-LPR: Longer total operation time was observed in Ep-RLRP when compared to Ep-LPR [180.45 ± 50.27 vs. 143.80 ± 33.13 min, P = 0.000]. No significant differences were observed in other variables. Conclusion In RLRP, Ep-RLRP was proved a safe and effective approach based on the perioperative results compared to Tp-RLRP. Ep-RLRP and Ep-LPR provides equivalent perioperative and pathological outcomes.