Extended-Gate FET Biosensor Based on GaN Micropillar Array and Polycrystalline Layer: Application to Hg2+ Detection in Human Urine.

Owing to the separation of field-effect transistor (FET) devices from sensing environments, extended-gate FET (EGFET) biosensor features high stability and low cost. Herein, a highly sensitive EGFET biosensor based on a GaN micropillar array and polycrystalline layer (GMP) was fabricated, which was prepared by using simple one-step low-temperature MOCVD growth. In order to improve the sensitivity and detection limit of EGFET biosensor, the surface area and the electrical conductivity of extended-gate electrode can be increased by the micropillar array and the polycrystalline layer, respectively. The designed GMP-EGFET biosensor was modified with l-cysteine and applied for Hg2+ detection with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1 ng/L, a high sensitivity of -16.3 mV/lg(µg/L) and a wide linear range (1 ng/L-24.5 µg/L). In addition, the detection of Hg2+ in human urine was realized with an LOD of 10 ng/L, which was more than 30 times lower than that of reported sensors. To our knowledge, it is the first time that GMP was used as extended-gate of EGFET biosensor.

DDAH1 promotes neurogenesis and neural repair in cerebral ischemia.

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-positive neurons in neural stem cell (NSC) niches can evoke adult neurogenesis (AN) and restore impaired brain function after injury, such as acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the relevant mechanism by which ChAT+ neurons develop in NSC niches is poorly understood. Our RNA-seq analysis revealed that dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1), a hydrolase for asymmetric NG,NG-dimethylarginine (ADMA), regulated genes responsible for the synthesis and transportation of acetylcholine (ACh) (Chat, Slc5a7 and Slc18a3) after stroke insult. The dual-luciferase reporter assay further suggested that DDAH1 controlled the activity of ChAT, possibly through hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). KC7F2, an inhibitor of HIF-1α, abolished DDAH1-induced ChAT expression and suppressed neurogenesis. As expected, DDAH1 was clinically elevated in the blood of AIS patients and was positively correlated with AIS severity. By comparing the results among Ddah1 general knockout (KO) mice, transgenic (TG) mice and wild-type (WT) mice, we discovered that DDAH1 upregulated the proliferation and neural differentiation of NSCs in the subgranular zone (SGZ) under ischemic insult. As a result, DDAH1 may promote cognitive and motor function recovery against stroke impairment, while these neuroprotective effects are dramatically suppressed by NSC conditional knockout of Ddah1 in mice.

Prevalence and risk factors of osteoporotic fracture among the elderly population in China: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Prevalence of osteoporotic fracture (OPF) is increasing with ageing, resulting in a significant financial burden for healthcare. However, research on the nationwide epidemiological data of OPF in Chinese elderly is still scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of OPF in Chinese population aged 60 years or order. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in an elderly Chinese population in five centres. Questionnaire investigation and imaging examination were taken in all participants to identify OPF prevalence and risk factors. Diagnosis of OPF was determined based on imaging of vertebral fractures or history of fall-related fractures. We then used multivariate logistic regression model to analyze the associations between the potential risk factors and OPF. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of OPF in population aged 60 years or older was 24.7% (1,071/4,331), showing an increasing trend with age (P < 0.001). The prevalence of OPF was geographically distinct (P < 0.001), but similar between men and women (P > 0.05). Up to 96.8% of OPFs consisted of vertebral fractures, especially involving T11, T12, and L1 segments. Advanced age (≥ 80), vision loss, severe hearing loss, multiple exercise forms, chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis, and trauma-related vertebral fractures were significantly associated with risk factors, while education level and vitamin D supplementation were associated with protective factors of OPF. CONCLUSION: High prevalence of OPF is a serious threat to bone health among elderly people in China. There is an urgent need for effective strategies to diagnose, prevent, and treat OPF in elderly adults.

The Associations of Phosphorylated Tau 181 and Tau 231 Levels in Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid with Cognitive Function in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood biomarkers like phosphorylated tau proteins (p-tau) are used to detect Alzheimer's disease (AD) early. Increasing studies on cognitive function and blood or CSF p-tau levels are controversial. Objective: Our study examined the potential of p-tau as a biomarker of cognitive status in normal control (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD patients. Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science for relevant material through 12 January 2023. 5,017 participants from 20 studies-1,033 AD, 2,077 MCI, and 1,907 NC-were evaluated. Quantitative analysis provided continuous outcomes as SMDs with 95% CIs. Begg tested publication bias. Results: MCI patients had lower CSF p-tau181 levels than AD patients (SMD =-0.60, 95% CI (-0.85, -0.36)) but higher than healthy controls (SMD = 0.67). AD/MCI patients had greater plasma p-tau181 levels than healthy people (SMD =-0.73, 95% CI (-1.04, -0.43)). MCI patients had significantly lower p-tau231 levels than AD patients in plasma and CSF (SMD =-0.90, 95% CI (-0.82, -0.45)). MCI patients showed greater CSF and plasma p-tau231 than healthy controls (SMD = 1.34, 95% CI (0.89, 1.79) and 0.43, (0.23, 0.64)). Plasma p-tau181/231 levels also distinguished the three categories. MCI patients had higher levels than healthy people, while AD patients had higher levels than MCI patients. Conclusions: CSF p-tau181 and p-tau231 biomarkers distinguished AD, MCI, and healthy populations. Plasma-based p-tau181 and p-tau231 biomarkers for AD and MCI need further study.

Blood Pressure Fluctuation Pattern Associated with 90-Day Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack After Total Knee Arthroplasty-A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: Blood pressure (BP) fluctuation has been demonstrated to be closely associated with stroke. However, at present, no attention is paid to the BP fluctuation following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of this study is to investigate what is BP fluctuation patterns in stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients after primary TKA, compare clinical characteristics among different BP fluctuation patterns and determine whether it could predict the occurrence of a 90-day stroke. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted from February 1, 2011 to February 15, 2021. Stroke or TIA patients within 90 days after TKA were included. Data from a hospitalization management system were analyzed, including demographics, smoking status, comorbidities, medications, surgical variables, and 90-day stroke, mortality, and readmission rates. BP fluctuation patterns were defined based on the average BP in the first 3 days after TKA. A logistic regression analysis model was used to identify risk factors for 90-day stroke or TIA following TKA. RESULTS: Of the 1687 patients who underwent primary TKA, 4.0% (68/1687) experienced a 90-day stroke or TIA. A total of 63 patients met the inclusion criteria, with an average age of 67.5 years and 55.6% (35/63) female. The number of stroke or TIA patients in each BP fluctuation pattern (T1-T5) was 6 (9.5%), 5 (7.9%), 4 (6.3%), 13 (20.6%), and 35 (55.6%) respectively. Patients with a T5 pattern tended to be older and had a greater reduction in average systolic blood pressure (SBP) 3 days after surgery compared to other patterns. The T5 pattern was associated with a higher occurrence of stroke and a lower occurrence of TIA. Patients with a T5 pattern also had a longer length of stay within 90 days following TKA. After adjusting for confounding factors, average SBP fluctuation ≥40 mmHg and the T5 pattern of BP fluctuation remained risk factors for 90-day stroke or TIA after TKA. CONCLUSION: BP fluctuation patterns in the early postoperative period are associated with 90-day stroke and TIA following primary TKA.

Metformin regulates chondrocyte senescence and proliferation through microRNA-34a/SIRT1 pathway in osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative disease in joints among elderly patients. Senescence is deeply involved in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Metformin is widely used as the first-line drug for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and has great potential for the treatment of other aging-related disorders, including OA. However, the role of metformin in OA is not fully elucidated. Therefore, our aim here was to investigate the effects of metformin on human chondrocytes. METHODS: After metformin treatment, expression level of microRNA-34a and SIRT1 in chondrocyte were detected with quantitative real-time PCR and immunofluorescence staining. Then, microRNA-34a mimic and small interfering RNA (siRNA) against SIRT1 (siRNA-SIRT1) were transfected into chondrocyte. Senescence-associated ß-galactosidase (SA-ß-gal) staining was performed to assess chondrocyte senescence. Chondrocyte viability was illustrated with MTT and colony formation assays. Western blot was conducted to detect the expression of P16, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), Collagen type II (COL2A1) and Aggrecan (ACAN). RESULTS: We found that metformin treatment (1 mM) inhibited microRNA-34a while promoted SIRT1 expression in OA chondrocytes. Both miR-34a mimics and siRNA against SIRT1 inhibited SIRT1 expression in chondrocytes. SA-ß-gal staining assay confirmed that metformin reduced SA-ß-gal-positive rate of chondrocytes, while transfection with miR-34a mimics or siRNA-SIRT1 reversed it. MTT assay and colony formation assay showed that metformin accelerated chondrocyte proliferation, while miR-34a mimics or siRNA-SIRT1 weakened this effect. Furthermore, results from western blot demonstrated that metformin suppressed expression of senescence-associated protein P16, proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 and catabolic gene MMP-13 while elevated expression of anabolic proteins such as Collagen type II and Aggrecan, which could be attenuated by transfection with miR-34a mimics. CONCLUSION: Overall, our data suggest that metformin regulates chondrocyte senescence and proliferation through microRNA-34a/SIRT1 pathway, indicating it could be a novel strategy for OA treatment.

Clinical outcomes of negative pressure wound therapy with instillation vs standard negative pressure wound therapy for wounds: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) with or without instillation has been extensively applied for patients with multiple wound types. Whether NPWT with instillation is superior to NPWT alone is not known. This study aims to compare the efficacy between negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (NPWTi) and standard negative pressure wound therapy for wounds. The authors searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials investigating clinical outcomes of negative pressure wound therapy with instillation vs standard negative pressure wound therapy for wounds. The registration number (protocol) on PROSPERO is CRD42022287178. Eight RCTs involved 564 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included finally. NPWTi showed a significant fewer surgeries and dressing changes (RR and 95% CI, -9.31 [-17.54, -1.08], P < 0.05), and smaller wound area after treatment (RR and 95% CI, -9.31 [-17.54, -1.08], P < 0.05) compared with NPWT. No significant difference was observed on healing rate, time to heal, length of stay, dehiscence, reinfection, reoperation and readmission between NPWTi and NPWT. The addition of instillation to NPWT could improve clinical outcomes regarding the number of surgeries and dressing changes, and wound area after treatment in patients with multiple wound types. However, because of the heterogeneity these conclusions still need to be further validated by more well-designed RCTs with large sample sizes.

A Novel Anatomical Locking Guide Plate for Treating Acetabular Transverse Posterior Wall Fracture: A Finite Element Analysis Study.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the treatment of the acetabular transverse posterior wall fracture (ATPWF), a novel anatomical locking guidance plate (NALGP) was designed and compared with traditional fixations using finite element analysis. METHODS: The ATPWF model was constructed using the three-dimensional finite element model of the half pelvis via the Mimics software and three internal devices were used to fix this model: the posterior-column locking plate with anterior-column screws (PCLP), double-column locking plates (DCLP), and NALGP. Next, mesh division was conducted by solid 187 tetrahedral elements in the workbench software. After defining the boundary condition and material properties, each assembly model was loaded in an increasing manner with a downward vertical force of 200, 400, and 600 N, respectively. The loading force was directed at 45 degrees upward in the coronal plane and 25 degrees backward in the sagittal plane. Finally, the stress distribution and stress peak of plates and screws were measured and evaluated, and the displacement of fracture fragments under different loading force was assessed among the three groups. RESULTS: For stress distribution, it was found that the stress mainly acted on the posterior-column plate, especially concentrated at the middle and lower section of the plate in all three groups after fixation on the ATPWF. In addition, most stresses of screws appeared on the lag screws instead of the common screws. The common screws in the NALGP group experienced larger stresses under all loading force, while those in the DCLP group withstood less stresses compared to those in the PCLP group. For the displacement of fracture fragments, the NALGP group were found to have less fracture fragment displacements than the PCLP group, but had comparable results to DCLP at both the transverse fracture and the posterior wall fracture sites. CONCLUSION: The newly-designed fixation device showed superiorities on fracture stabilization over PCLP, but had comparable stability to DCLP. This suggests that the DCLP might be unnecessary for treating ATPWF in some instances because it might cause bigger surgical trauma and blood loss.

Oscillatory properties of class C notifiable infectious diseases in China from 2009 to 2021.

Background: Epidemics of infectious diseases have a great negative impact on people's daily life. How it changes over time and what kind of laws it obeys are important questions that researchers are always interested in. Among the characteristics of infectious diseases, the phenomenon of recrudescence is undoubtedly of great concern. Understanding the mechanisms of the outbreak cycle of infectious diseases could be conducive for public health policies to the government. Method: In this study, we collected time-series data for nine class C notifiable infectious diseases from 2009 to 2021 using public datasets from the National Health Commission of China. Oscillatory power of each infectious disease was captured using the method of the power spectrum analysis. Results: We found that all the nine class C diseases have strong oscillations, which could be divided into three categories according to their oscillatory frequencies each year. Then, we calculated the oscillation power and the average number of infected cases of all nine diseases in the first 6 years (2009-2015) and the next 6 years (2015-2021) since the update of the surveillance system. The change of oscillation power is positively correlated to the change in the number of infected cases. Moreover, the diseases that break out in summer are more selective than those in winter. Conclusion: Our results enable us to better understand the oscillation characteristics of class C infectious diseases and provide guidance and suggestions for the government's prevention and control policies.

Changes in Temporal Properties of Notifiable Infectious Disease Epidemics in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Population-Based Surveillance Study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 was first reported in 2019, and the Chinese government immediately carried out stringent and effective control measures in response to the epidemic. OBJECTIVE: Nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) may have impacted incidences of other infectious diseases as well. Potential explanations underlying this reduction, however, are not clear. Hence, in this study, we aim to study the influence of the COVID-19 prevention policies on other infectious diseases (mainly class B infectious diseases) in China. METHODS: Time series data sets between 2017 and 2021 for 23 notifiable infectious diseases were extracted from public data sets from the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China. Several indices (peak and trough amplitudes, infection selectivity, preferred time to outbreak, oscillatory strength) of each infectious disease were calculated before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. RESULTS: We found that the prevention and control policies for COVID-19 had a strong, significant reduction effect on outbreaks of other infectious diseases. A clear event-related trough (ERT) was observed after the outbreak of COVID-19 under the strict control policies, and its decreasing amplitude is related to the infection selectivity and preferred outbreak time of the disease before COVID-19. We also calculated the oscillatory strength before and after the COVID-19 outbreak and found that it was significantly stronger before the COVID-19 outbreak and does not correlate with the trough amplitude. CONCLUSIONS: Our results directly demonstrate that prevention policies for COVID-19 have immediate additional benefits for controlling most class B infectious diseases, and several factors (infection selectivity, preferred outbreak time) may have contributed to the reduction in outbreaks. This study may guide the implementation of nonpharmaceutical interventions to control a wider range of infectious diseases.

Symptom Clustering Patterns and Population Characteristics of COVID-19 Based on Text Clustering Method.

Background: Descriptions of single clinical symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been widely reported. However, evidence of symptoms associations was still limited. We sought to explore the potential symptom clustering patterns and high-frequency symptom combinations of COVID-19 to enhance the understanding of people of this disease. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 1,067 COVID-19 cases were enrolled. Symptom clustering patterns were first explored by a text clustering method. Then, a multinomial logistic regression was applied to reveal the population characteristics of different symptom groups. In addition, time intervals between symptoms onset and the first visit were analyzed to consider the effect of time interval extension on the progression of symptoms. Results: Based on text clustering, the symptoms were summarized into four groups. Group 1: no-obvious symptoms; Group 2: mainly fever and/or dry cough; Group 3: mainly upper respiratory tract infection symptoms; Group 4: mainly cardiopulmonary, systemic, and/or gastrointestinal symptoms. Apart from Group 1 with no obvious symptoms, the most frequent symptom combinations were fever only (64 cases, 47.8%), followed by dry cough only (42 cases, 31.3%) in Group 2; expectoration only (21 cases, 19.8%), followed by expectoration complicated with fever (10 cases, 9.4%) in Group 3; fatigue complicated with fever (12 cases, 4.2%), followed by headache complicated with fever was also high (11 cases, 3.8%) in Group 4. People aged 45-64 years were more likely to have symptoms of Group 4 than those aged 65 years or older (odds ratio [OR] = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.21-5.85) and at the same time had longer time intervals. Conclusions: Symptoms of COVID-19 could be divided into four clustering groups with different symptom combinations. The Group 4 symptoms (i.e., mainly cardiopulmonary, systemic, and/or gastrointestinal symptoms) happened more frequently in COVID-19 than in influenza. This distinction could help deepen the understanding of this disease. The middle-aged people have a longer time interval for medical visit and was a group that deserve more attention, from the perspective of medical delays.

Calcaneal fracture maps and their determinants.

BACKGROUND: Calcaneal fractures are associated with numerous complications and a poor prognosis with significant long-term quality-of-life issues, regardless of treatment. Therefore, in-depth research into the underlying mechanism of calcaneal fracture is still of great interest, with the goal of improving treatment for patients suffering from this condition. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the distribution of calcaneal fracture lines and their determinants, especially those related to the internal structure of the calcaneus. This goal was achieved by fracture maps created by copying and stacking fracture lines as viewed from six surfaces of the calcaneus. METHODS: A total of 210 consecutive patients with 226 calcaneal fractures were retrospectively analyzed. Fracture lines were copied from a reduced 3D calcaneal fracture model and stacked on calcaneal templates to generate fracture maps. The stacked images of six calcaneus surfaces were also converted into spectrograms with MATLAB to highlight the fracture frequency at specific locations. RESULTS: There were four concentrated bands of fracture lines and two fracture hot spots on the superior surface. Three dense bands of fractures were observed on the medial surface, and four fracture bands were observed lateral to the calcaneus. Vertical fracture lines dominated the anterior calcaneal fracture map. On the posterior surface, the fracture lines appeared to be centered superiorly. All fracture locations coincided with the interfaces between the trabecular groups. CONCLUSIONS: The fracture maps showed fracture patterns and recurrent fracture zones on all calcaneal surfaces. The shape of the talus and calcaneus and the architecture within the calcaneus, especially the arrangement of the trabeculae, are essential factors for calcaneal fractures.

Establishment and characterization of an induced pluripotent stem cell line CPGHi004-A from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a healthy adult.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are regarded as ideal cell sources of neural stem cells for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). To minimize the damages to donors, we sought to generate iPSC lines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of a healthy adult using non-integrated episomal reprogramming vectors. We confirmed that generated iPSCs had normal karyotype, expressed classical stemness surface markers, and managed to form teratoma with three typical germ layers in vivo. This cell line would be a valuable cell source for high-efficient generation of nonrenewable cells like neural stem cells for treating SCI.

Associations between constipation, overeating, and depression: A survey of Chinese oldest-old and centenarians.

Objectives: Depression is a common disease of elderly population, with a global prevalence of more than 20%. Few studies have involved the associations of constipation and overeating with depression, especially in the elderly population. We aimed to address these associations in Chinese oldest-old and centenarians. Methods: A total of 1863 elderly individuals from 18 regions of Hainan, China, were investigated from July 2014 to December 2016. Health survey, physical examination, and blood analyses were performed through structured questionnaires and standard procedures. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to measure depression. Results: The proportions of elderly individuals with depression, constipation, and overeating were 20.80% (349), 15.14% (254), and 26.52% (445), respectively. The prevalence of constipation and overeating was significantly higher in the elderly group with depression than in those without depression (P < 0.05, all). In the multiple linear regression analyses, higher prevalence of constipation and overeating had positive and significant associations with the GDS-15 (P < 0.05, all). In the multiple logistic regression analyses, constipation (odds ratio [OR]: 2.328; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.540-3.521) and overeating (OR: 2.735; 95% CI: 1.920-3.898) had positive and significant associations with depression (P < 0.05, in all). Conclusions and Implications: This study provides epidemiological evidence that constipation and overeating have positive associations with depression in Chinese oldest-old and centenarians. The interventions for constipation and overeating should be improved to promote prevention and treatment for depression and achieve successful aging and healthy longevity.

Bioinformatics Analysis Predicts hsa_circ_0026337/miR-197-3p as a Potential Oncogenic ceRNA Network for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play an essential role in developing tumors, but their role in Non- Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. Thus, the present study explored the possible molecular mechanism of circRNAs in NSCLC. METHODS: Three circular RNA (circRNA) microarray datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differential expressions of circRNAs (DECs) were identified in NSCLC tissue and compared to adjacent healthy tissue. The online cancer-specific circRNA database (CSCD) was used for the analysis of the DECs function. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Gene Ontology (GO), Cytoscape and UALCAN were used to predict the critical nodes and perform patient survival analysis, respectively. The interaction between the DECs, the predicted miRNAs, and hub genes was also determined. Finally, the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was established. RESULTS: The expression of hsa_circ_0049271, hsa_circ_0026337, hsa_circ_0043256, and hsa_circ_0008234 was decreased in NSCLC tissues. The Encyclopedia of RNA Interactomes (ENCORI) and CSCD database results showed that hsa_circ_0026337 was found to sponge with miR-1193, miR-197-3p, miR-3605-5p, miR-433-3p and miR-652-3p, and hsa_circ_0043256 to sponge with miR-1252-5p, miR-494-3p and miR-558, respectively. Subsequently, 100 mRNAs were predicted to bind with these seven miRNA response elements (MREs). The GO analysis and KEGG pathway revealed that these 100 MREs might be involved in "histone deacetylase binding" and "cellular senescence." PPI network and Cytoscape identified the top ten hub genes. Survival analysis data showed that the low expression of hsa_circ_0026337 was significantly associated with shortened survival time in NSCLC (P = 0.037), which increased the expression level of hsa-miR-197-3p, thereby inhibiting the translation of specific proteins. CONCLUSION: This study examined the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network associated with NSCLC and explored the potential functions of DECs in the network to elucidate the mechanisms underlying disease progression in NSCLC.

Comprehensive analysis of lncRNA and miRNA expression profiles and ceRNA network construction in negative pressure wound therapy.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the molecular mechanism of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) at the transcriptome level through whole transcriptome sequencing and biometric analysis. METHODS: A rat skin defect model was constructed and randomly divided into a NPWT group and a gauze group. The tissue in the center of the wound was used for whole transcriptome sequencing, and differentially expressed messenger RNAs (DEmRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (DElncRNAs), and microRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were identified between the two groups. Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis was used to verify the sequencing results. Functional enrichment analysis, pathway analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of DEmRNAs were conducted. Through bioinformatics analysis, a lncRNA-associated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was identified and constructed. RESULTS: We detected 896 DEmRNAs, 1,471 DElncRNAs, and 20 DEmiRNAs between the two groups. qRT-PCR verified the sequencing results. Functional analysis showed that DEmRNAs were mainly enriched in immune system processes and the Notch signaling pathway. Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type C (PTPRC) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) were the central hub nodes in the PPI analysis. The ceRNA network contained 11 mRNAs, 15 lncRNAs, and 4 miRNAs. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several DEmRNAs, DElncRNAs, and DEmiRNAs between the NPWT treatment group and the control group. These findings may provide new insights into the pathophysiological mechanism of NPWT and wound healing.

3D spheroids of human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells attenuate spinal cord injury in mice.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) is an absorbing candidate for cell therapy in treating spinal cord injury (SCI) due to its great potential for multiple cell differentiation, mighty paracrine secretion as well as vigorous immunomodulatory effect, of which are beneficial to the improvement of functional recovery post SCI. However, the therapeutic effects of MSC on SCI have been limited because of the gradual loss of MSC stemness in the process of expanding culture. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to maintain those beneficial properties of MSC via three-dimensional spheroid cell culture and then compared them with conventionally-cultured MSCs in the treatment of SCI both in vitro and in vivo with the aid of two-photon microscope. We found that 3D human placenta-derived MSCs (3D-HPMSCs) demonstrated a significant increase in secretion of anti-inflammatory factors and trophic factors like VEGF, PDGF, FGF via QPCR and Bio-Plex assays, and showed great potentials on angiogenesis and neurite morphogenesis when co-cultured with HUVECs or DRGs in vitro. After transplantation into the injured spinal cord, 3D-HPMSCs managed to survive for the entire experiment and retained their advantageous properties in secretion, and exhibited remarkable effects on neuroprotection by minimizing the lesion cavity, inhibiting the inflammation and astrogliosis, and promoting angiogenesis. Further investigation of axonal dieback via two-photon microscope indicated that 3D-HPMSCs could effectively alleviate axonal dieback post injury. Further, mice only treated with 3D-HPMSCs obtained substantial improvement of functional recovery on electrophysiology, BMS score, and Catwalk analysis. RNA sequencing suggested that the 3D-HPMSCs structure organization-related gene was significantly changed, which was likely to potentiate the angiogenesis and inflammation regulation after SCI. These results suggest that 3D-HPMSCs may hold great potential for the treatment of SCI.

Voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv4.2 alleviates the ischemic stroke impairments through activating neurogenesis.

As well as their ion transportation function, the voltage-dependent potassium channels could act as the cell signal inducer in a variety of pathogenic processes. However, their roles in neurogenesis after stroke insults have not been clearly illustrated. In our preliminary study, the expressions of voltage-dependent potassium channels Kv4.2 was significantly decreased after stroke in cortex, striatum and hippocampus by real-time quantitative PCR assay. To underlie the neuroprotection of Kv4.2 in stroke rehabilitation, recombinant plasmids encoding the cDNAs of mouse Kv4.2 was constructed. Behavioral tests showed that the increased Kv4.2 could be beneficial to the recovery of the sensory, the motor functions and the cognitive deficits after stroke. Temozolomide (TMZ), an inhibitor of neurogenesis, could partially abolish the mentioned protections of Kv4.2. The immunocytochemical staining showed that Kv4.2 could promote the proliferations of neural stem cells and induce the neural stem cells to differentiate into neurons in vitro and in vivo. And Kv4.2 could up-regulate the expressions of ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2, p-STAT3, NGF, p-TrkA, and BDNF, CAMKII and the concentration of intracellular Ca2+. Namely, we concluded that Kv4.2 promoted neurogenesis through ERK1/2/STAT3, NGF/TrkA, Ca2+/CAMKII signal pathways and rescued the ischemic impairments. Kv4.2 might be a potential drug target for ischemic stroke intervention.

Effect of steam on the homogeneous conversion of tar contained from the co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastics.

The co-pyrolysis tar formed from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and polyethylene (PE) was used to study their further conversion path under the effect of steam. This paper addressed the yield and transformation of tar with different steam/feedstock mass ratios (S/F= 0.8, 1.6) in a two-stage fixed bed when the two stages' furnace temperature was set at 600°C and 800°C, separately. Compared with pyrolysis, steam promoted tar cracking effectively, the tar yield decreased at least 1/3. However, when the S/F ratio increases to 1.6, the cracking effect of tar is not further improved. The tar yield depended more on the PE content in the mixture, which was enhanced with PE increment. Besides, the H/C atom ratio was related to the conversion path of tar. Steam was beneficial to the cracking of compounds, but the generated hydrogen radicals affected the direction of the subsequent reaction. The steam mainly promotes the cracking of long-chain hydrocarbons, accompanied by cyclization and aromatization when the steam was limited. Nevertheless, the chain compounds are hard to crack efficiently when the steam was excessive, and the cyclization and aromatization processes were hindered due to the apparent effect of hydrogenation.

Prediction of Flight Status of Logistics UAVs Based on an Information Entropy Radial Basis Function Neural Network.

Aiming at addressing the problems of short battery life, low payload and unmeasured load ratio of logistics Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network was trained with the flight data of logistics UAV from the Internet of Things to predict the flight status of logistics UAVs. Under the condition that there are few available input samples and the convergence of RBF neural network is not accurate, a dynamic adjustment method of RBF neural network structure based on information entropy is proposed. This method calculates the information entropy of hidden layer neurons and output layer neurons, and quantifies the output information of hidden layer neurons and the interaction information between hidden layer neurons and output layer neurons. The structural design and optimization of RBF neural network were solved by increasing the hidden layer neurons or disconnecting unnecessary connections, according to the connection strength between neurons. The steepest descent learning algorithm was used to correct the parameters of the network structure to ensure the convergence accuracy of the RBF neural network. By predicting the regression values of the flight status of logistics UAVs, it is demonstrated that the information entropy-based RBF neural network proposed in this paper has good approximation ability for the prediction of nonlinear systems.