The EGR1/miR-139/NRF2 axis orchestrates radiosensitivity of non-small-cell lung cancer via ferroptosis.

Radiotherapy is one of the predominant treatment modalities for almost all kinds of malignant cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Increasing evidence shows that ionizing radiation (IR) induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to lipid peroxidation and subsequently ferroptosis of cancer cells. However, cancer cells evolve multiple mechanisms against ROS biology resulting in resistance to ferroptosis and radiotherapy, of which NRF2 signaling is one of the most studied. In the current research, we identified that microRNA-139 (miR-139) could be a novel radiosensitizer for NSCLC by inhibiting NRF2 signaling. We found that miR-139 possessed great potential as a diagnostic biomarker for NSCLC and multiple other types of cancer. Overexpression of miR-139 increased radiosensitivity of NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo. MiR-139 directly targeted cJUN and KPNA2 to impair NRF2 signaling resulting in enhanced IR-induced lipid peroxidation and cellular ferroptosis. We proved KPNA2 to be a binding partner of NRF2 that involved in nuclear translocation of NRF2. Moreover, we found that IR induced miR-139 expression through transcriptional factor EGR1. EGR1 bound to the promoter region and transactivated miR-139. Overall, our findings elucidated the effect of EGR1/miR-139/NRF2 in IR-induced ferroptosis of NSCLC cells and provided theoretical support for the potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the disease.

Dosimetric analysis of brachial plexopathy after stereotactic body radiotherapy: Significance of organ delineation.

OBJECTIVES: Examine the significance of contouring the brachial plexus (BP) for toxicity estimation and select metrics for predicting radiation-induced brachial plexopathy (RIBP) after stereotactic body radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with planning target volume (PTV) ≤ 2 cm from the BP were eligible. The BP was contoured primarily according to the RTOG 1106 atlas, while subclavian-axillary veins (SAV) were contoured according to RTOG 0236. Apical PTVs were classified as anterior (PTV-A) or posterior (PTV-B) PTVs. Variables predicting grade 2 or higher RIBP (RIBP2) were selected through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 137 patients with 140 BPs (median follow-up, 32.1 months), 11 experienced RIBP2. For patients with RIBP2, the maximum physical dose to the BP (BP-Dmax) was 46.5 Gy (median; range, 35.7 to 60.7 Gy). Of these patients, 54.5 % (6/11) satisfied the RTOG limits when using SAV delineation; among them, 83.3 % (5/6) had PTV-B. For patients with PTV-B, the maximum physical dose to SAV (SAV-Dmax) was 11.2 Gy (median) lower than BP-Dmax. Maximum and 0.3 cc biologically effective doses to the BP based on the linear-quadratic-linear model (BP-BEDmax LQL and BP-BED0.3cc LQL, α/ß = 3) were selected as predictive variables with thresholds of 118 and 73 Gy, respectively. CONCLUSION: Contouring SAV may significantly underestimate the RIBP2 risk in dosimetry, especially for patients with PTV-B. BP contouring indicated BP-BED0.3cc LQL and BP-BEDmax LQL as potential predictors of RIBP2.

High-efficiency all-fluorescent white organic light-emitting diode based on TADF material as a sensitizer.

The use of TADF materials as both sensitizers and emitters is a promising route to achieve high-efficiency all-fluorescent white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs). In this study, the thermally-activated delayed-fluorescent (TADF) material DMAC-TRZ (9,9-dimethyl-9,10-dihydroacridine-2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-triazine) was selected as a sensitizer for the conventional fluorescent emitter DCJTB (4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl)-4H-pyran), which was co-doped in a wide bandgap host of DPEPO (bis[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]ether oxide) to fabricate WOLEDs. For the emitting layer of DPEPO:DMAC-TRZ:DCJTB, the DPEPO host can dilute the exciton concentration formed on the DMAC-TRZ sensitizer, which benefits the suppression of exciton quenching. The effect of the doping concentration of DCJTB on the carrier recombination and energy transfer process was investigated. With an optimized doping concentration of DCJTB as 0.8%, highly efficient WOLED was achieved with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE), power efficiency (PE), and current efficiency (CE) of 11.05%, 20.83 lm W-1, and 28.83 cd A-1, respectively, corresponding to the Commission Internationale de I' Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.45, 0.46). These superior performances can be ascribed to the fact that the hole-trapping effect of the emitter and Dexter energy transfer (DET) from sensitizer to emitter can be suppressed simultaneously by the extremely low doping concentration.

High efficiency and low operating voltage yellow phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes with a simple doping-free structure.

Yellow phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs) with high efficiency and a low operating voltage were reported through using a simple doping-free structure. The structure of the PhOLEDs was ITO/C60/MoO3/mCP/PO-01-TB/PO-T2T/Liq/Al. The np-type C60/MoO3 heterojunction acted as hole injection layer, and the ultrathin PO-01-TB layer (0.1 nm) was inserted at the interface between mCP and PO-T2T to serve as yellow phosphorescent emitter. Detailed investigation suggested that the complete energy transfer occurred from the mCP/PO-T2T interfacial exciplex to yellow PO-01-TB. Furthermore, the np-type C60/MoO3 heterojunction could supply more free charge carriers, giving rise to further enhanced PhOLED efficiency. By adjusting the thickness of the C60/MoO3 heterojunction, a yellow PhOLED with a power efficiency of 71.6 lm W-1 was demonstrated with an extremely low operating voltage of 3.79 V at 1000 cd m-2.

Tuning the microstructural and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4/SiO2 nanocomposites by Cu2+ doping.

Co-Cu ferrite is a promising functional material in many practical applications, and its physical properties can be tailored by changing its composition. In this work, Co1-x Cu x Fe2O4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a SiO2 matrix were prepared by a sol-gel method. The effect of a small Cu2+ doping content on their microstructure and magnetic properties was studied using XRD, TEM, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and VSM. It was found that single cubic Co1-x Cu x Fe2O4 ferrite was formed in amorphous SiO2 matrix. The average crystallite size of Co1-x Cu x Fe2O4 increased from 18 to 36 nm as Cu2+ doping content x increased from 0 to 0.3. Mössbauer spectroscopy indicated that the occupancy of Cu2+ ions at the octahedral B sites led to a slight deformation of octahedral symmetry, and Cu2+doping resulted in cation migration between octahedral A and tetrahedral B sites. With Cu2+ content increasing, the saturation magnetization (M s) first increased, then tended to decrease, while the coercivity (H c) decreased continuously, which was associated with the cation migration. The results suggest that the Cu2+ doping content in Co1-x Cu x Fe2O4 NPs plays an important role in its magnetic properties.

Risk factors for adolescents' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparison between Wuhan and other urban areas in China.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease is causing considerable acute risk to public health and might also have an unanticipated impact on the mental health of children and adolescents in the long run. This study collected data during the national lockdown period in China and aims to understand whether there is a clinically significant difference in anxiety, depression, and parental rearing style when comparing adolescents from Wuhan and other cities in China. This study also intends to examine whether gender, grade in school, single child status, online learning participation, parents' involvement in COVID-19 related work, and parents being quarantined or infected due to the disease would lead to clinically significant differences in anxiety and depression. Beyond that, this study explored the pathways among the different variables in order to better understand how these factors play a part in impacting adolescents' mental health condition. RESULTS: Results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in anxiety symptoms between participants who were from Wuhan compared to other urban areas, but not in depressive symptoms. In addition, participants' grade level, gender, relative being infected, and study online have direct positive predictive value for depressive and anxiety symptoms, whereas location and sibling status have indirect predictive value. Having relatives who participated in COVID-19 related work only had positive direct predictive value toward depression, but not anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: This study discovered several risk factors for adolescents' depression and anxiety during the pandemic. It also called for a greater awareness of Wuhan parents' mental wellbeing and recommended a systematic approach for mental health prevention and intervention.