Online System for Monitoring the Degree of Fermentation of Oolong Tea Using Integrated Visible-Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Image-Processing Technologies.

During the fermentation process of Oolong tea, significant changes occur in both its external characteristics and its internal components. This study aims to determine the fermentation degree of Oolong tea using visible-near-infrared spectroscopy (vis-VIS-NIR) and image processing. The preprocessed vis-VIS-NIR spectral data are fused with image features after sequential projection algorithm (SPA) feature selection. Subsequently, traditional machine learning and deep learning classification models are compared, with the support vector machine (SVM) and convolutional neural network (CNN) models yielding the highest prediction rates among traditional machine learning models and deep learning models with 97.14% and 95.15% in the prediction set, respectively. The results indicate that VIS-NIR combined with image processing possesses the capability for rapid non-destructive online determination of the fermentation degree of Oolong tea. Additionally, the predictive rate of traditional machine learning models exceeds that of deep learning models in this study. This study provides a theoretical basis for the fermentation of Oolong tea.

A Predictive Model for Graft Failure in Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Penetrating Keratoplasty Among Chinese Patients: A 2-Year Study.

INTRODUCTION: Graft failure is a major challenge in femtosecond laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty (Fs-PKP). This study focuses on the development and validation of a clinical predictive model aimed at identifying the risk of graft failure in individuals undergoing Fs-PKP in China, offering a tailored approach to improve surgical outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study at Nanjing First Hospital involved 238 patients and followed the TRIPOD statement. The cohort was divided into a training set (n = 166) and a validation set (n = 72) in a 7:3 ratio. It analyzed 23 predictor variables related to recipient, donor, and surgical factors, defining graft failure as "visually significant and irreversible corneal stromal edema, haze, or scarring." A comprehensive nomogram was created using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and assessed by concordance index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: Five critical risk factors were identified: recipients' history of systemic autoimmune disorders, ocular trauma, prior penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) history, donors' diabetes history, and the endothelial cell density of the donor cornea. The nomogram showed a C-index of 0.72 (95% CI 0.65-0.79) in the training group and 0.66 (95% CI 0.55-0.76) in the validation group, indicating robust predictive accuracy. Time-dependent ROC curves, calibration plots, and DCA consistently validated the model's reliability, predictive power, and clinical utility across both training and validation cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Our study developed and validated a model incorporating five key factors, enhancing preoperative prediction and management for Chinese patients with Fs-PKP graft failure.

Ultrafast magnetization enhancement via the dynamic spin-filter effect of type-II Weyl nodes in a kagome ferromagnet.

The magnetic type-II Weyl semimetal (MWSM) Co3Sn2S2 has recently been found to host a variety of remarkable phenomena including surface Fermi-arcs, giant anomalous Hall effect, and negative flat band magnetism. However, the dynamic magnetic properties remain relatively unexplored. Here, we investigate the ultrafast spin dynamics of Co3Sn2S2 crystal using time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect and reflectivity spectroscopies. We observe a transient magnetization behavior, consisting of spin-flipping dominated fast demagnetization, slow demagnetization due to overall half-metallic electronic structures, and an unexpected ultrafast magnetization enhancement lasting hundreds of picoseconds upon femtosecond laser excitation. By combining temperature-, pump fluence-, and pump polarization-dependent measurements, we unambiguously demonstrate the correlation between the ultrafast magnetization enhancement and the Weyl nodes. Our theoretical modelling suggests that the excited electrons are spin-polarized when relaxing, leading to the enhanced spin-up density of states near the Fermi level and the consequently unusual magnetization enhancement. Our results reveal the unique role of the Weyl properties of Co3Sn2S2 in femtosecond laser-induced spin dynamics.

Alizarin-embedded γ-cyclodextrin-based metal-organic framework in a methylcellulose/polyvinyl alcohol film for maintaining and monitoring grass carp freshness.

Multifunctional packaging films that monitor and maintain fish freshness hold significant potential for use in the food industry. This study introduces a multifunctional intelligent packaging film comprising alizarin (ALI)-embedded cubic γ-cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks (γ-CD-MOFs) (denoted as γ-CD-MOFs@ALI) in a methylcellulose/polyvinyl alcohol (MP)-based matrix to achieve colorimetric monitoring and enhanced preservation of fish freshness. The MP/γ-CD-MOFs@ALI reveals a rapid color transition in 3 min from yellow color progressively darkens to purple as the pH increases from 2.0 to 10.0. And it is proved that the as-prepared film owns high antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus), impressive ABTS+ radical scavenging rates of 85.54 ± 1.25 %, and effective ALI sustained-release properties. The intelligent packaging film exhibits an excellent colorimetric response to total volatile basic nitrogen and provides exceptional freshness preservation performance, effectively prolonging the shelf life of Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp) under 25 °C to 42 h.

Ambient particulate matter, maternal thyroid function, and birth weight: A mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Birth weight (BW) is an indicator of fetal growth and development. Previous studies showed inconsistent results on the association of ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure with BW, and the role of maternal thyroid function has not been clarified. METHODS: We recruited 1711 gravidas between 2017 and 2019 in Henan, China. All participants were followed up until delivery. Daily concentrations of PM, including PM2.5 and PM10, were evaluated by using the spatial-temporal model. Maternal thyroid hormone (TH) levels were quantified by electrochemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Linear regression models were employed to examine the association among PM, BW, and maternal TH. Mediating effects of maternal TH interrelated with PM exposure on BW were investigated by causal mediation analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1049 gravidas were identified. We found that per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with a decreased BW of 9.941 g, and 7.758 g (PM2.5: 95 %CI: -18.184, -1.698; PM10: 95 %CI: -14.436, -1.080). An inverse correlation of maternal FT4 levels with BW was found, with the pooled ß of -319.983 g (95 %CI: -483.216, -156.750). We found a prominent positive correlation between gestational FT4 and PM exposure (PM2.5: ß = 0.004, 95 %CI: 0.001, 0.007; PM10: ß = 0.003, 95 %CI: 0.000, 0.006). Mediation analysis found that FT4 levels mediated the relationship between maternal PM exposure and BW, ranging from 5.55 % to 15.86 %. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal PM exposure may induce a reduction in newborn BW by affecting the maternal TH concentrations.

Magnetic field modulated ultrafast spin dynamics at Ni80Fe20/Neodymium interface.

Ultrafast spin dynamics is crucial for the next-generation spintronic devices towards high-speed data processing. Here, we investigate the ultrafast spin dynamics of Neodymium/Ni80Fe20 (Nd/Py) bilayers by the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect. The effective modulation of spin dynamics at Nd/Py interfaces is realized by an external magnetic field. The effective magnetic damping of Py increases with increasing Nd thickness, and a large spin mixing conductance (∼19.35×1015 cm-2) at Nd/Py interface is obtained, representing the robust spin pumping effect by Nd/Py interface. The tuning effects are suppressed at a high magnetic field due to the reduced antiparallel magnetic moments at Nd/Py interface. Our results contribute to understanding ultrafast spin dynamics and spin transport behavior in high-speed spintronic devices.

Global ambient particulate matter pollution and neurodegenerative disorders: a systematic review of literature and meta-analysis.

Previous studies on particulate matter (PM) exposure and neurodegenerative disorders showed inconsistent results, and few studies systematically examined the long-term effect of PM on neurodegenerative diseases, including all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, vascular dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and cognitive function decline. We systematically searched for published studies in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to October 31, 2022. To facilitate a comparison of effect sizes from different studies, we standardized units across studies to a 10 µg/m3 increase for PM. Heterogeneity was assessed by Cochran's Q test and I2 statistic. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's tests. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis were performed. The protocol for this review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021277112). Of the 3403 originally identified studies, a meta-analysis was finally performed in 49 studies. The results showed that there was a significant positive association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease as well as Parkinson's disease, with pooled OR of 1.30 (95%CI: 1.14, 1.47, I2 = 99.3%), 1.65 (95%CI: 1.37, 1.94, I2 = 98.2%), and 1.17 (95%CI: 1.00, 1.33, I2 = 91.8%). A positive association between PM10 and vascular dementia was observed (OR = 1.12, 95%CI: 1.04, 1.21, I2 = 0.0%). Association between PM exposure and decreased cognitive function score was found. Our results highlight the important role of PM pollution, particularly PM2.5, in the risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive function decline.

Interaction effects of night-time temperature and PM2.5 on preterm birth in Huai River Basin, China.

Nocturnal temperature is observed increasing with global warming. However, evidence on night-time non-optimal temperature on the risk of preterm birth (PTB) is limited, and the potential interactions with air pollution on PTB has not been well clarified. We therefore conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study to evaluate the effect of night-time temperature extremes on the risk of PTB and its interaction with air pollution. Records of 196,780 singleton births from 4 counties in Huai River Basin (2013-2018) were obtained. Gridded data on night-time temperature were collected from a high-quality Chinese Air Quality Reanalysis dataset. We used a multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the effects of night-time heat and cold exposure on the risk of PTB as well as its subtypes. Potential interactions between night-time temperature extremes and fine particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) were examined using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). We found that the risk of PTB was positively associated with third trimester night-time extremely heat and cold exposure, with adjusted OR of 1.898 (95 %CI: 1.655-2.177) and 2.044 (95 %CI: 1.786-2.339). Similar effects were observed for PTB subtypes, moderately PTB (mPTB) and very PTB (vPTB). Synergistic effects (RERI greater than 0) of each trimester night-time temperature extremes exposure and PM2.5 on PTB were observed. We identified consistent positive interactions between night-time temperature extremes and PM2.5 on mPTB. No significant interaction of night-time temperature extremes and PM2.5 on vPTB was found. In conclusion, this large retrospective cohort study found that third trimester night-time heat and cold exposure significantly increased the risk of PTB and its subtypes. There is a synergistic effect between night-time temperature extremes and high PM2.5 levels on PTB and mPTB. In the context of climate warming, our results add new evidence to the current understanding of night-time non-optimal temperature exposure on PTB.

Combing remote sensing information entropy and machine learning for ecological environment assessment of Hefei-Nanjing-Hangzhou region, China.

Urban ecological environment is the basis of citizens' survival and development. A rapid and objective urban ecological environment assessment (UEEA) plays an important role in the urban sustainable development and environment protection. This study established an improved urban ecological comfort index (UECIIMP), which is based on our previous UECI and fully composed of four remote sensing indicators: normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), land surface temperature (LST), and aerosol optical depth (AOD), representing the greenness, dryness, heat, and atmospheric turbidity, respectively. Combining the entropy method and random forest (RF) algorithm, the weights of four indicators were calculated. To improve the accuracy of UECIIMP, the gap-filled quarterly mean results of each indicator with 30m resolution were obtained using the harmonic analysis of time series (HANTS) method and spatial-temporal information fusion based on non-local means filter (STNLFFM). UECIIMP was applied to the Hefei-Nanjing-Hangzhou Region to explore its spatiotemporal changes and response characteristics. Results show that the weights of UECIIMP fluctuate slightly (within 10%) before and after sensitivity analysis, with good stability and reliability. UECIIMP in Hangzhou > Hefei ≈ Nanjing, spring ≈ autumn > summer â‰« winter. From 2009 to 2019, UECIIMP has improved in all 33 districts of the Hefei-Nanjing-Hangzhou Region. The significant improvement of UECIIMP in 2014-2019 is 4.3 times than that in 2009-2014. The correlation between UECIIMP and economic index indicates that economic development has a positive impact on the urban ecological environment. The significant degradation of UECIIMP in the urban expansion area demonstrates a negative impact on the local environment from urban expansion.

Surface polarization of BiOI to boost photoelectrochemical signal transduction for high-performance bioassays.

Surface-hydroxylation-induced polarization (SHIP) was shown to promote the cathodic photoelectrochemical (PEC) communication of bismuth oxyiodide with doxorubicin (Dox) by as much as three orders of magnitude. This SHIP tactic was used to establish a polarization electric field (PEF) that not only negatively shifted the conduction band (CB) edge but also promoted the dynamic migration of photogenerated electrons of BiOI to Dox. The tactic underlies a pioneering way to boost signal transduction, and hence offers fresh opportunities for high-performance bioassays.

Intercalated doxorubicin acting as stimulator of PbS photocathode for probing DNA-protein interactions.

Label-free and turn-on DNA-binding protein detection based on the doxorubicin (Dox)-intercalated DNA as a signal stimulator in cathodic photoelectrochemistry is reported. The double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) acted as the matrix accommodating the intercalative Dox and allowed its effective photoelectrochemical (PEC) communication with the PbS quantum dots (QDs) for realizing cathodic photocurrent readout. In the presence of the target of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the dsDNA was prevented from being digested by the exonuclease III (Exo III), allowing the anchor of Dox to perform as activation stimuli of the photocurrent. The VEGF can be detected in the linear range from 1.5 pM to 100 nM, with an impressively low detection limit of 0.49 pM. This study hints the prospect of DNA intercalated architectures as innovative signaling transduction elements for wide and versatile cathodic PEC bioassays. Effective signaling molecules that are conducive to probe-related cathodic PEC bioassays using DNA as the recognition or signification elements are scarce but very demanding. Herein, the doxorubicin intercalated in duplex DNA functions as an efficient signal stimulator of PbS-consisted photocathode, and thus hints the versatility of the strategy for various targets through cathodic photoelectrochemistry.

Correlation Between Electroretinogram and Visual Prognosis in Metallic Intraocular Foreign Body Injury.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the correlation between electroretinogram (ERG) and visual outcome in eyes with metallic intraocular foreign body (IOFB) injury. Methods: Cases with metallic IOFB injuries with preoperative ERG from January 2008 to May 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Five ERG responses were recorded, including rod response, maximal response, oscillatory potentials, cone response, and 30-Hz flicker. The results were compared between the affected and the contralateral eyes. All patients received surgery to remove IOFBs. The correlation between amplitudes, implicit times, and grades of ERG with final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was analyzed. Results: A total of 33 eyes of 33 patients were included. The eyes with IOFB had generally delayed implicit time and reduced amplitude in all waves. The maximum change was found in oscillatory potentials S3 and N1 (0.42 ± 0.42 and 1.95 ± 1.97 of the fellow eyes, respectively, p < 0.05). All amplitudes were negatively correlated with the final BCVA (rs: -0.676 to -0.459, all p < 0.05). In contrast, all implicit times were positively correlated with final BCVA, although, some of them were not statistically significant (rs: 0.035 to 0.687). Among them, oscillatory potential P3 has the highest correlation coefficient (rs = 0.687, p < 0.001). All grades of ERG waves were statistically correlated with the final BCVA (rs: -0.596 to -0.664, all p < 0.001). Conclusions: ERG can be used to assess visual outcome in metallic IOFB injury after surgery. Oscillatory potentials provided the most significant responses.

Optical coherence tomography biomarkers of photoreceptor degeneration in retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE: Several parameters on optical coherence tomography (OCT) have been suggested as biomarkers for photoreceptor degeneration in retinitis pigmentosa (RP). This study is to compare the spatial distribution of the changes of OCT biomarkers in RP patients. METHODS: OCT line scans of the horizontal meridian were conducted in 22 eyes of 22 RP patients and 30 eyes of 30 healthy controls. Longitudinal reflectance profiles were obtained using ImageJ at every 5 pixels. The following parameters on OCT were quantitatively measured: (1) relative optical intensity (ROI) of ellipsoid zone (EZ) and interdigitation zone (IZ); (2) thickness of outer nuclear layer (ONLT), photoreceptor (PRT), inner segment (IST) and outer segment (OST). The variations of these parameters across different regions were analyzed. RESULTS: From fovea to perifoveal region, all the OCT biomarkers declined before disappeared, except IST and IZ-ROI. There was no identifiable declining zone for the IST and IZ-ROI between the normal and disappeared zones in some patients. The most central biomarker was the reduction of OST and IZ-ROI, followed by the PRT, EZ-ROI, then IST and finally ONLT. All these biomarkers had significant correlations with best-corrected visual acuity, except ONLT. CONCLUSION: In retinitis pigmentosa, EZ-ROI, IZ-ROI, PRT, OST, IST and ONLT are valuable biomarkers of photoreceptor degeneration. Changes of OST and IZ-ROI are located most centrally and may be the early biomarkers.

Ellipsoid zone optical intensity reduction as an early biomarker for retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE: To investigate photoreceptor degeneration in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) by quantitatively analysing optical intensity of ellipsoid zone (EZ) on optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: We conducted OCT line scans of the horizontal meridian in 24 eyes of 24 RP patients and 30 eyes of 30 healthy controls and obtained longitudinal reflectance profiles using ImageJ at every 5 pixels. Relative optical intensity was calculated from dividing the peak of EZ by the mean of the whole retina. RESULTS: The optical intensity of EZ variation followed a similar pattern in all patients. It decreased with eccentricity and then vanished, regardless whether it was normal or reduced at the fovea. The mean relative optical intensity of EZ in RP patients was 0.69 ± 0.13 to that of control subjects at the location just before it disappeared. The relative optical intensity of EZ at fovea was significantly correlated with the best-corrected visual acuity in patients (r = -0.617, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The optical intensity of EZ detected by OCT can serve as a biomarker for early detection of photoreceptor degeneration in RP.

The therapeutic effect of dendritic cells expressing indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) on an IgA nephropathy mouse model.

OBJECTIVE: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is one of the most common glomerulonephritis in the world, especially in Asian population. IgAN usually progresses slowly, but it is still an important cause of chronic renal failure. IgAN is characterized by abnormal increase of IgA1 level and deposition in mesangium. At present, there is no specific treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Previous reports have shown that DC cells expressing immunosuppressive factors can significantly reduce the symptoms of arthritis in arthritis models. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is an important tryptophan degrading enzyme and an important factor regulating immunotolerance. DC expressing functional IDO can inhibit effector T cells by consuming essential tryptophan and/or producing toxic metabolites and promoting the differentiation of Treg cells, which exhibits immunosuppressive effect. In this study, we constructed a IgAN mouse model. The mature DC cells overexpressing IDO were induced in vitro and transfused back to IgAN mice to observe their effects on inflammation and renal injury. RESULTS: The results showed that overexpression of IDO did not affect the maturation of DC cells. The proportion of CD3 + CD4 + and CD3 + CD8 + cells decreased significantly and the proportion of CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + cells increased significantly in kidney tissue of IgAN mice after the reinfusion of IDO-expressing DC. The contents of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-17A in kidney tissue of IgAN mice also decreased significantly, the damage of kidney tissue was alleviated, ACR was decreased, collagen fibre content in kidney tissue was decreased, and IgA deposition in glomerular mesangium was decreased in IgAN mice. CONCLUSIONS: It has the potential to treat IgAN by upregulating the expression of IDO in DC cells by genetic engineering and reinfusion into vivo.

Uric acid regulates NLRP3/IL-1ß signaling pathway and further induces vascular endothelial cells injury in early CKD through ROS activation and K+ efflux.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been considered as a major health problem in the world. Increasing uric acid (UA) could induce vascular endothelial injury, which is closely related to microinflammation, oxidative stress, and disorders of lipids metabolism. However, the specific mechanism that UA induces vascular endothelial cells injury in early CKD remains unknown. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and subjected to different concentrations of UA for different periods. Early CKD rat model with elevated serum UA was established. Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) were applied for measuring protein and mRNA expression of different cytokines. The animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for measurement of creatinine, UA, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and ICAM-1. Renal tissues were pathologically examined by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) or hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. RESULTS: The expression of IL-1ß, ICAM-1, NLRP3 complexes, and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome could be induced by UA, but the changes induced by UA were partially reversed by siRNA NLRP3 or caspase 1 inhibitor. Furthermore, we identified that UA regulated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by activating ROS and K+ efflux. In vivo results showed that UA caused the vascular endothelial injury by activating NLRP3/IL-1ß pathway. While allopurinol could reduce UA level and may have protective effects on cardiovascular system. CONCLUSIONS: UA could regulate NLRP3/IL-1ß signaling pathway through ROS activation and K+ efflux and further induce vascular endothelial cells injury in early stages of CKD.

Switched photoelectrochemistry of carbon dots for split-type immunoassay.

A novel and general strategy of split-type immunoassay is developed based on redox chemical reaction modulated photoelectrochemistry of carbon dots (CDs). Specifically, the photocurrent of the CDs sensitized titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) modified fluorine doped indium tin oxide (FTO) (that is the FTO/TiO2/CDs) electrode was inhibited obviously by KMnO4 due to the oxidation of surface hydroxyl groups of CDs to electron accepting carbonyls. While the inhibited photocurrent of the KMnO4 treated FTO/TiO2/CDs electrode can be restored by ascorbic acid (AA) because of the regeneration of electron donating hydroxyls to promote electron-hole separation. Take carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a model analyte and alkaline phosphate (ALP) as a catalytic label tracer to hydrolyze ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (AAP) for producing AA, which greatly stimulated the photocurrent of the transducer of KMnO4 treated FTO/TiO2/CDs photoelectrode for signal output. This redox chemical reaction modulated PEC strategy enabled the separation of the immunoreaction from the photoelectrode (that is, a split-type PEC detection), eliminating potential damage of biomolecules during the PEC detection processes and leading to enhanced throughput detection as compared to conventional PEC configurations. A low detection limit of 7.0 fg/mL was achieved for CEA. This convenient, split-type PEC immunoassay with high throughput may be easily extended to other bioaffinity assays for versatile targets.

Role of the glucocorticoid receptor in the recurrence of primary nephrotic syndrome.

The present study aimed to investigate the changes in the expression levels of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and its subtypes in patients with recurrent renal syndrome. In addition, the effects of tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and a TNF-α monoclonal antibody on these receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from the patients was analysed. Furthermore, a new treatment method for recurrent renal syndrome was explored. The serum levels of TNF-α in the normal (A), stable renal syndrome (B) and renal syndrome recurrence (C) groups of patients were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA and protein expression levels of GR, GRα and GRß were determined by ELISA, western blot analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction in PBMC cultures from the three groups in the absence of intervention (blank control) and following stimulation with methylprednisolone, TNF-α and/or TNF-α monoclonal antibody. Group C exhibited higher expression levels of TNF-α and GRß but a lower level of GRα expression (P<0.05) compared with the other groups. Regardless of methylprednisolone intervention, the expression levels of GR and GRß in the three groups following stimulation by TNF-α were significantly higher compared with those in the respective blank control, whereas in group C, the GRα expression levels following TNF-α treatment were lower compared with those in the control group (P<0.05). The treatment of group C with TNF-α monoclonal antibodies resulted in higher GRα expression but lower GRß expression compared with those in the blank control (P<0.05). The change in the ratios of the GR subtypes may be associated with renal syndrome recurrence. TNF-α may be involved in renal syndrome relapse by changing the levels of GR as well as the proportion of the GR subtypes. TNF-α monoclonal antibodies may mitigate the changes in the ratios of these subtypes.

Histone acetyltransferase inhibitor C646 reverses epithelial to mesenchymal transition of human peritoneal mesothelial cells via blocking TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway in vitro.

Peritoneal fibrosis resulting from long-term peritoneal dialysis is a major cause of failure of peritoneal ultrafiltration function and main reason of dropout from peritoneal dialysis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of peritoneal mesochelial cells (HPMCs) is a major contributor of peritoneal fibrosis. Recently, the association between histone acetylation and kinds of fibrosis including liver, lung and kidney fibrosis is well established. Thus, in this study we tried to profile whether histone acetylation is also operates EMT process in HPMCs and what's the regulatory mechanism. We established an EMT model of HPMCs through high glucose treatment. And hyperacetylation of H3 histone was found using western blot in EMT model. After treated with C646, a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) inhibitor, high glucose-induced EMT in HPMCs was counteracted. To further understand the molecular mechanism of C646 rescues high glucose-induced EMT, CHIP-qPCRwas used to examine the modulation of histone H3 acetylation at promoters of series signaling target genes. We found that the H3 acetylation level at TGF-ß1 gene promoter was down-regulation by C646 treatment. Moreover, we also found that TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling was blocked. Hence, our results suggest that histone H3 acetylation activated TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling during EMT of HPMCs, and C646 can rescue the mesenchymal phenotype transition. These findings may provide a novel pathogenic mechanism and therapeutic target for peritoneal fibrosis.

Characteristics of a silicon nanowires/PEDOT:PSS heterojunction and its effect on the solar cell performance.

The interfacial energy-level alignment of a silicon nanowires (SiNWs)/PEDOT:PSS heterojunction is investigated using Kelvin probe force microscopy. The potential difference and electrical distribution in the junction are systematically revealed. When the PEDOT:PSS layer is covered at the bottom of the SiNW array, an abrupt junction is formed at the interface whose characteristics are mainly determined by the uniformly doped Si bulk. When the PEDOT:PSS layer is covered on the top, a hyperabrupt junction localized at the top of the SiNWs forms, and this characteristic depends on the surface properties of the SiNWs. Because the calculation shows that the absorption of light from the SiNWs and the Si bulk are equally important, the bottom-coverage structure leads to better position matching between the depletion and absorption area and therefore shows better photovoltaic performance. The dependence of JSC and VOC on the junction characteristic is discussed.