Survival benefits of human papillomavirus 16 infection in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing chemoradiotherapy: A retrospective cohort study.

The role of human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains uncertain. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HPV 16 in patients with ESCC and its impact on theirprognosis. HPV 16 was detected using FISH, and TP53 status was evaluated via immunohistochemistry. The factors influencing prognosis were ananalyzed using the Log-rank test and Cox regression analyses. Among 178 patients with ESCC, 105 and 73 patients were categorized into concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and postoperative chemoradiotherapy (POCRT) cohorts, respectively. Among 178 patients, 87 (48.87%) tested positive for HPV 16. Log-rank tests revealed that the overall survival (OS) of patients with ESCC who were HPV 16-positive was longer than that of those who were HPV 16-negative (median OS: 57 months vs. 27 months, p < 0.01**). HPV 16 infection and TP53 mutation status were identified as independent events. The OS of patients with mutant TP53 who were HPV 16-positive was longer than that of those who were HPV 16-negative in both CCRT and POCRT cohorts (p = 0.002** for CCRT cohorts and p = 0.0023** for POCRT cohorts). Conversely, HPV 16 infection had no effect on OS in the wild-type TP53 subgroup (p = 0.13 and 0.052 for CCRT and POCRT cohorts, respectively). As a conclusion, the positive rate of HPV 16 in ESCC in this study was 48.87% (87/178). Among the patients with ESCC who had TP53 mutation, those who were HPV 16-positive exhibited a better prognosis than those who were HPV 16-negative.

[Study on the antimicrobial effect of new bioactive glass against common bacteria in apical periodontitis of deciduous teeth].

PURPOSE: To study the antimicrobial effect of different concentrations of new bioactive glass(BG) on common bacteria in apical periodontitis of deciduous teeth. METHODS: The diameter (mm) of the inhibitory rings formed after treatment of Enterococcus faecalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Clostridium nucleatum with the new bioactive glass was detected and observed by paper diffusion method, and the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC), minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimal biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) of E. faecalis, P. gingivalis and C. pseudomallei were determined. The mixed plaques of the three bacteria were treated with 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg/mL of the new bioactive glass for 24 h. The results were analyzed by laser confocal microscopy. The antibacterial effect of the new bioactive glass on the mixed plaque was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Statistical analysis was performed with GraphPad Prism 10.0 software. RESULTS: The new bioactive glass showed strong antibacterial potential against the common bacteria of apical periodontitis; the MBEC of the new bioactive glass on the plaque was significantly greater than MIC and MBC of Enterococcus faecalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Clostridium nucleatum, and as the concentration of the new bioactive glass increased, the number of dead bacteria in the mixed plaque increased, and there was significant difference from that of the blank control group (P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The novel bioactive glass shows significant antibacterial efficacy against Enterococcus faecalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Clostridium nucleatum, which are the common bacteria in apical periodontitis of deciduous teeth.

Magnetic Field Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction via Oxygen Diffusion Speedup.

The mass-transfer of oxygen in liquid phases (including in the bulk electrolyte and near the electrode surface) is a critical step to deliver oxygen to catalyst sites (especially immersed catalyst sites) and use the full capacity of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Despite the extensive efforts of optimizing the complex three-phase reaction interfaces to enhance the gaseous oxygen transfer, strong limitations remain due to oxygen's poor solubility and slow diffusion in electrolytes. Herein, a magnetic method for boosting the directional hydrodynamic pumping of oxygen toward immersed catalyst sites is demonstrated which allows the ORR to reach otherwise inaccessible catalytic regions where high currents normally would have depleted oxygen. For Pt foil electrodes without forced oxygen saturation in KOH electrolytes, the mass-transfer-limited current densities can be improved by 60% under an external magnetic field of 435 mT due to the synergistic effect between bulk- and surface-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows induced by Lorentz forces. The residual magnetic fields are further used at the surface of magnetic materials (such as CoPt alloys and Pt/FeCo heterostructures) to enhance the surface-MHD effect, which helps to retain part of the ORR enhancement permanently without applying external magnetic fields.

Inhibition of the Rho/ROCK pathway promotes the expression of developmental and migration-related genes in astrocytes exposed to alcohol.

Astrocytes are an important regulator of alcohol dependence. Furthermore, the downregulation of Rho-associated coiled coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) attenuates alcohol-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in astrocytes. On the basis of these findings, we examined the effects of alcohol and a Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor on astrocyte function and investigated their effects on mRNA expression to further explore the protective mechanisms of a Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor in astrocytes after alcohol exposure. CTX TNA2 astrocytes were cultured with alcohol and Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor intervention before undergoing transcriptome sequencing, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and wound healing assays. Alcohol exposure modulated cell morphology and inhibited astrocyte migration, whereas Fasudil improved cell morphology and promoted astrocyte migration after alcohol exposure. Transcriptome sequencing results indicated that alcohol exposure modulates the expression of genes involved in astrocyte development. Fasudil reversed the effects of alcohol exposure on the astrocyte developmental process. Four genes related to the developmental process and migration - Ccl2, Postn, Itga8, and Serpine1 - with the highest protein-protein interaction correlations (node degree >7) were selected for verification by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with those of the sequencing and wound healing assays. Our results suggest that the Rho/ROCK pathway is essential for alcohol to be able to interfere with astrocyte development and migration gene expression. The Rho/ROCK pathway inhibitor Fasudil reversed the adverse effects of alcohol exposure on astrocytes and may have clinical applications.

Space-Charge Control of Magnetism in Ferromagnetic Metals: Coupling Giant Magnitude and Robust Endurance.

Ferromagnetic metals show great prospects in ultralow-power-consumption spintronic devices, due to their high Curie temperature and robust magnetization. However, there is still a lack of reliable solutions for giant and reversible voltage control of magnetism in ferromagnetic metal films. Here, a novel space-charge approach is proposed which allows for achieving a modulation of 30.3 emu/g under 1.3 V in Co/TiO2 multilayer granular films. The robust endurance with more than 5000 cycles is demonstrated. Similar phenomena exist in Ni/TiO2 and Fe/TiO2 multilayer granular films, which shows its universality. The magnetic change of 107% in Ni/TiO2 underlines its potential in a voltage-driven ON-OFF magnetism. Such giant and reversible voltage control of magnetism can be ascribed to space-charge effect at the ferromagnetic metals/TiO2 interfaces, in which spin-polarized electrons are injected into the ferromagnetic metal layer with the adsorption of lithium-ions on the TiO2 surface. These results open the door for a promising method to modulate the magnetization in ferromagnetic metals, paving the way toward the development of ionic-magnetic-electric coupled applications.

Optimization efficacy of individualized LPVS based on P-V curve combined with PCV-VG mode for OLV in elderly patients undergoing radical resection of lung cancer / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the optimization efficacy of pressure-volume (P-V) curve-based individualized lung-protective ventilation strategy combined with pressure-controlled ventilation-volume guaranteed (PCV-VG) mode (LPVS+ PCV-VG) for one-lung ventilation (OLV) in elderly patients undergoing radical resection of lung cancer.Methods:Seventy American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classificationⅡ-Ⅲ patients, aged 65-74 yr, with body mass index of 18-24 kg/m 2, undergoing elective thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer, were divided into 2 groups ( n=35 each) using a random number table method: PCV-VG group and LPVS+ PCV-VG group. Blood samples were collected from the radial artery for blood gas analysis before induction of general anesthesia (T 0), at 5 min of two lung ventilation after endotracheal intubation (T 1), at 30 min of OLV (T 2), at the end of OLV (T 3), and at 5 min of two lung ventilation in supine position (T 4). Ppeak, mean airway pressure (Pmean) and dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn) were recorded. The use of antibiotics, lung-related complications and rehabilitation were recorded within 7 days after operation. Results:Compared with PCV-VG group, PaO 2, PaCO 2 and Cdyn were significantly increased at T 2-4, Ppeak was decreased at T 2, 3, Pmean was increased at T 3, the requirement for antibiotics within 7 days after operation was decreased, the incidence of 1 grade lung-related complications was decreased, and the thoracic drainage tube indwelling time and length of hospital stay were shortened in LPVS+ PCV-VG group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Individualized LPVS based on P-V curve combined with PCV-VG mode provides better efficacy for OLV in elderly patients undergoing radical resection of lung cancer.

Effect of the area under the curve of carboplatin dosage on therapeutic efficacy and safety in Chinese patients with epithelial ovarian cancer / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To retrospectively analyze the average carboplatin dosage and calculate the area under the curve (AUC) using the Calvert formula in first-line chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer in The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University so as to evaluate the effect of the AUC difference in the Chinese population on therapeutic efficacy and safety. 【Methods】 We enrolled patients who underwent first-line chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin 3-week regimen in our hospital from January 1, 2012 to January 1, 2022. According to the median of AUC, the patients were divided into high-dose group and low-dose group. The overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and the incidence of adverse events (AEs) were compared. 【Results】 A total of 153 patients were enrolled in this study and the median AUC of carboplatin was 3.981 (range 2.314-5.446). Only 10.46% patients (16/153) had an AUC above 5. There were 77 patients with the AUC0.05). The ORR in the low-dose group and the high-dose group was 59.74% and 57.89%, respectively, and the DCR was 87.01% and 85.53%, respectively. The median PFS of the two groups was 14 and 15.5 months, respectively, and the median OS was 50 and 55 months, respectively. None of the above outcomes were statistically different between the two groups (P>0.05). The two groups showed significant differences in the incidence of anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia (P<0.05). The incidence of nausea and vomiting, grade 1-2 diarrhea or constipation, and grade 1-2 fever showed significant differences (P<0.05). In addition, the incidence of dose limiting toxicity (DLT), including grade 4 thrombocytopenia and febrile neutropenia (FN), was significantly increased in the high-dose group (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Compared with the recommended AUC 5-6 of carboplatin abroad, the actual carboplatin dosage in the first-line chemotherapy for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer was generally insufficient in our hospital. There was no difference in therapeutic efficacy between the patients with AUC<4 and AUC≥4. However, considering the increased risk of some AEs and DLT in the high-dose group, it is not recommended to increase the carboplatin AUC blindly.

Revealing interfacial space charge storage of Li+/Na+/K+ by operando magnetometry.

Interfacial space charge storage between ionic and electronic conductor is a promising scheme to further improve energy and power density of alkali metal ion batteries (AMIBs). However, the general behavior of space charge storage in AMIBs has been less investigated experimentally, mostly due to the complicated electrochemical behavior and lack of proper characterization techniques. Here, we use operando magnetometry to verify that in FeSe2 AMIBs, abundant Li+/Na+/K+ (M+) can be stored at M2Se phase while electrons accumulate at Fe nanoparticles, forming interfacial space charge layers. Magnetic and dynamics tests further demonstrate that with increasing ionic radius from Li+, Na+ to K+, the reaction kinetics can be hindered, resulting in limited Fe formation and reduced space charge storage capacity. This work lays solid foundation for studying the complex interfacial effect in electrochemical processes and designing advanced energy storage devices with substantial capacity and considerable power density.

Reacquainting the Electrochemical Conversion Mechanism of FeS2 Sodium-Ion Batteries by Operando Magnetometry.

In spite of the excellent electrochemical performance in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), transition-metal compounds usually show inferior capacity and cyclability in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), implying different reaction schemes between these two types of systems. Herein, coupling operando magnetometry with electrochemical measurement, we peformed a comprehensive investigation on the intrinsic relationship between the ion-embedding mechanisms and the electrochemical properties of the typical FeS2/Na (Li) cells. Operando magnetometry together with ex-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement reveal that only part of FeS2 is involved in the conversion reaction process, while the unreactive parts form "inactive cores" that lead to the low capacity. Through quantification with Langevin fitting, we further show that the size of the iron grains produced by the conversion reaction are much smaller in SIBs than that in LIBs, which may lead to more serious pulverization, thereby resulting in worse cycle performance. The underlying reason for the above two above phenomena in SIBs is the sluggish kinetics caused by the larger Na-ion radius. Our work paves a new way for the investigation of novel SIB materials with high capacity and long durability.

Prevalence and Prognostic Value of Heart Failure Stages: An Elderly Inpatient Based Cohort Study.

Background: The prevalence and prognostic value of heart failure (HF) stages among elderly hospitalized patients is unclear. Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational, multi-center, cohort study, including hospitalized patients with the sample size of 1,068; patients were age 65 years or more, able to cooperate with the assessment and to complete the echocardiogram. Two cardiologists classified all participants in various HF stages according to 2013 ACC/AHA HF staging guidelines. The outcome was rate of 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models were used for survival analyses. Survival classification and regression tree analysis were used to determine the optimal cutoff of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) to predict MACE. Results: Participants' mean age was 75.3 ± 6.88 years. Of them, 4.7% were healthy and without HF risk factors, 21.0% were stage A, 58.7% were stage B, and 15.6% were stage C/D. HF stages were associated with worsening 1-year survival without MACE (log-rank χ2 = 69.62, P < 0.001). Deterioration from stage B to C/D was related to significant increases in HR (3.636, 95% CI, 2.174-6.098, P < 0.001). Patients with NT-proBNP levels over 280.45 pg/mL in stage B (HR 2; 95% CI 1.112-3.597; P = 0.021) and 11,111.5 pg/ml in stage C/D (HR 2.603, 95% CI 1.014-6.682; P = 0.047) experienced a high incidence of MACE adjusted for age, sex, and glomerular filtration rate. Conclusions : HF stage B, rather than stage A, was most common in elderly inpatients. NT-proBNP may help predict MACE in stage B. Trial Registration: ChiCTR1800017204; 07/18/2018.

Effects of food matrix and probiotics on the bioavailability of curcumin in different nanoformulations.

BACKGROUND: Nanoparticles can improve the bioavailability of bioactive compounds. Concomitant intake of food can affect pharmacokinetic profiles by altering dissolution, absorption, metabolism, and elimination behavior. Studies on the effects of food and its supplements on the bioavailability of bioactives in nanoformulations are few. In this study, the effects of typical food (milk, sugar, high-fat diet, and regular kibble) and a widely consumed probiotic [Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12® (Bb-12)] on the bioavailability of curcumin in four formulations [simply suspended curcumin (Cur-SS) and curcumin in nanoemulsions (Cur-NEs), in single-walled carbon nanotubes (Cur-SWNTs), and in nanostructured lipid carriers (Cur-NLCs)] were investigated. RESULTS: Fasting treatment and sugar co-ingestion can significantly enhance the bioavailability of curcumin in Cur-NEs and Cur-SWNTs, respectively. Compared with the fasting treatment, co-ingestion with regular kibble reduced the absorption of curcumin in Cur-NEs and Cur-SWNTs. Ingesting milk along with Cur-NE is also not recommended. The mechanisms behind these phenomena were briefly discussed. This study revealed for the first time that the intestinal colonization of Bb-12 reduces the bioavailability of curcumin and this reduction can be attenuated by nanoformulations SWNTs and NLCs, but not NEs. The reason for this difference was the protective effects of the former two nanoformulations against curcumin degradation by Bb-12 according to in vitro experiments. CONCLUSION: Dietary status (including supplementary probiotics) can dramatically influence the bioavailability of curcumin in nanoformulations. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Operando Magnetometry Probing the Charge Storage Mechanism of CoO Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Cobalt oxide (CoO) is a promising electrode for high-energy-density Li-ion batteries (LIBs), where the charge storage is believed to take place solely during the electrochemical oxidation/reduction processes. However, this simple picture has been increasingly challenged by reported anomalously large storage capacities, indicating the existence of undiscovered extra charge reservoirs inside the system. Here, an advanced operando magnetometry technology is employed to monitor the magnetization variation of the CoO LIBs in real time and, in this particular system, it is clearly demonstrated that the anomalous capacity is associated with both the reversible formation of a spin capacitor and the growth of a polymeric film at low voltages. Furthermore, operando magnetometry provides direct evidence of the catalytic role of metallic Co in assisting the polymeric film formation. These critical findings help pave the way for better understanding of the charge storage mechanisms of transition-metal oxides and further utilizing them to design novel electrode materials.

Adding high-sensitivity C-reactive protein to frailty assessment to predict mortality and cardiovascular events in elderly inpatients with cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic inflammation is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), mortality, and frailty. Our aim was to add high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) to the frailty assessment to predict its association with prognosis of older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: A comprehensive geriatric assessment was conducted at baseline in 720 in-patients aged ≥65 years with CVD. We divided the population into frailty and non-frailty groups according to the Fried phenotype, and hsCRP was further combined with frailty to stratify all patients into c-frailty and non-c-frailty groups. Predictive validity was tested using Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis and the discriminative ability was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Of all the subjects enrolled, 51.0% were male and the mean age was 75.32 ± 6.52 years. The all-cause death and MACE rate was 6.4% at the 1-year follow-up. Frailty and c-frailty were independent predictors of all-cause death and MACE (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35-4.83, p = 0.004; HR: 3.67, 95% CI: 1.83-7.39, p < 0.001). Adding hsCRP to the frailty model resulted in a significant increase in the area under the ROC curve from 0.74 (95% CI: 0.70-0.77) to 0.77 (95% CI: 0.71-0.84) (p = 0.0132) and a net reclassification index of 7.9% (95% CI: 1.96%-12.56%, p = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Adding hsCRP to the frailty assessment is helpful to identify a subgroup of older CVD patients with a higher risk of death and MACE over a period of 1 year. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR1800017204; date of registration: 07/18/2018. URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=28931.

Extra storage capacity in transition metal oxide lithium-ion batteries revealed by in situ magnetometry.

In lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), many promising electrodes that are based on transition metal oxides exhibit anomalously high storage capacities beyond their theoretical values. Although this phenomenon has been widely reported, the underlying physicochemical mechanism in such materials remains elusive and is still a matter of debate. In this work, we use in situ magnetometry to demonstrate the existence of strong surface capacitance on metal nanoparticles, and to show that a large number of spin-polarized electrons can be stored in the already-reduced metallic nanoparticles (that are formed during discharge at low potentials in transition metal oxide LIBs), which is consistent with a space charge mechanism. Through quantification of the surface capacitance by the variation in magnetism, we further show that this charge capacity of the surface is the dominant source of the extra capacity in the Fe3O4/Li model system, and that it also exists in CoO, NiO, FeF2 and Fe2N systems. The space charge mechanism revealed by in situ magnetometry can therefore be generalized to a broad range of transition metal compounds for which a large electron density of states is accessible, and provides pivotal guidance for creating advanced energy storage systems.

Efficacy of remimazolam combined with remifentanil used for painless gastroscopy / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effect of remimazolam combined with remifentanil used for painless gastroscopy.Methods:A total of 150 patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ, aged 18-64 yr, with body mass index of 18-30 kg/m 2, scheduled for elective painless gastroscopy, were divided into 3 groups ( n=50 each) using a random number table method: propofol combined with remifentanil group (group P), remimazolam 0.3 mg/kg combined with remifentanil group (group R1) and remimazolam 12 mg combined with remifentanil group (group R2). Drugs were administrated according to body weight, and calculation was carried out according to ideal body weight.Remifentanil 0.25 μg/kg was injected intravenously, propofol 1.5 mg/kg was then injected intravenously in group P, remimazolam 0.3 mg/kg was injected intravenously in group R1, and remimazolam 12 mg was injected intravenously in group R2.When Modified Observer′s Assessment/Alertness and Sedation (MOAA/S) score was≤3, gastroscopy was performed.It was defined as sedation failure when MOAA/S score was still ≥4 at 3 min after administration of propofol or remimazolam.When intraoperative body movement occurred, 1/4 of the initial dose of propofol was injected intravenously in group P, 1/4 of the initial dose of remimazolam was injected intravenously in group R1, and remimazolam 2.5 mg was injected intravenously in group R2 to maintain MOAA/S score ≤3.It was defined as sedation failure when sufficient sedation was not maintained after the additional drugs were given more than 3 times within 15 min.The success of sedation, time for gastroscopy, emergence time and discharge time were recorded.The occurrence of intraoperative body movement, bradyeardia, hypotension, respiratory depression, hiccup, coughing and injection pain was recorded. Results:Compared with group P, no significant change was found in the success rate of sedation ( P>0.05), and the incidence of intraoperative body movement, bradyeardia, hypotension, respiratory depression, hiccup, coughing and injection pain was decreased in group R1, and the success rate of sedation was significantly decreased, the incidence of intraoperative body movement, bradyeardia, hypotension, respiratory depression, coughing and injection pain was decreased, and the incidence of hiccup was increased in group R2 ( P<0.05). Compared with group R2, the success rate of sedation was significantly increased, and the incidence of intraoperative body movement, coughing and hiccup was decreased in group R1 ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Remimazolam 0.3 mg/kg combined with remifentanil can be safely and effectively used for painless gastroscopy.

Mobility-Fluctuation-Controlled Linear Positive Magnetoresistance in 2D Semiconductor Bi2O2Se Nanoplates.

Linear magnetoresistance is generally observed in polycrystalline zero-gap semimetals and polycrystalline Dirac semimetals with ultrahigh carrier mobility. We report the observation of positive and linear magnetoresistance in a single-crystalline semiconductor Bi2O2Se grown by chemical vapor deposition. Both Se-poor and Se-rich Bi2O2Se single-crystalline nanoplates display a linear magnetoresistance at high fields. The Se-poor Bi2O2Se exhibits a typical 2D conduction feature with a small effective mass of 0.032m0. The average transport Hall mobility, which is lower than 5500 cm2 V-1 s-1, is significantly reduced, compared with the ultrahigh quantum mobility as high as 16260 cm2 V-1 s-1. More interestingly, the pronounced Shubnikov-de Hass oscillations can be clearly observed from the very large and nearly linear magnetoresistance (>500% at 14 T and 2 K) in Se-poor Bi2O2Se. A close analysis of the results reveals that the large and linear magnetoresistance observed can be ascribed to the spatial mobility fluctuation, which is strongly supported by Fermi energy inhomogeneity in the nanoplate samples detected using an electrostatic force microscopy images and multiple frequencies in a Shubnikov-de Hass oscillation. On the contrary, the Se-rich Bi2O2Se exhibits a transport mobility (<300 cm2 V-1 s-1) much smaller than that observed in Se-poor samples and shows a much smaller linear magnetoresistance ratio (less than 150% at 14 T and 2 K). More strikingly, no Shubnikov-de Hass oscillations can be observed. Therefore, the linear magnetoresistance in Se-rich Bi2O2Se is governed by the average mobility rather than the mobility fluctuation.

A class I TGA transcription factor from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f. modulates the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in both native and heterologous hosts.

Class I TGA transcription factors (TFs) are known to participate in plant resistance responses, however, their regulatory functions in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites were rarely revealed. In this study, a class I TGA TF, TwTGA1, from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f. was cloned and characterized. Overexpression of TwTGA1 in T. wilfordii Hook.f. cells increased the production of triptolide and two sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids, which was further enhanced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. RNA interference of TwTGA1 showed no significant effects on the production of these metabolites, indicating the existence of other TGA partner(s) with overlapping functions. Heterologous expression of TwTGA1 in tobacco By-2 cells promoted the biosynthesis of pyridine alkaloids. Under the elicitation of MeJA, the contents of nonpyrrolidine alkaloids further increased but not for nicotine. TwTGA1 could induce the expression of Putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT) and N-methylputrescine oxidase 1 (MPO1) through binding to their promoters. Finally, transient expression of TwTGA1 in leaves of Catharanthus roseus changed both the profiles of vinca alkaloids (increased contents of serpentine and catharanthine, but decreased that of vinblastine) and the expressions of biosynthesis-related genes. The metabolic and transcriptional data indicated a relationship between jasmonic acid signaling pathway and the functions of TwTGA1.

Effect of High Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Local Field Potential and Spike Time-frequency Characteristics during Working Memory in Rats / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To investigate the effects of high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on learning memory and neuroelectric activity in rats. Methods:Eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (n = 4) and rTMS group (n = 4). rTMS group was stimulated 14 days by rTMS with the frequency of 5 Hz, and the stimulation intensity was 100% motor threshold. The control group did not accepted rTMS. Then, the 16 channel local field potentials (LFPs) and spikes were recorded from their prefrontal cortex (PFC) in each group during the working memory tasks. The time-frequency analysis based on the short-time Fourier transform was performed on the LFPs, and the spike was analyzed by the release rate method. Multitaper Spectral Coherence was used to analyze the Synchronization Degree of LFPs-spike. Results:In the working memory experiment, rTMS group needed less days than the control group to reach the task correction criterion (t = 2.51, P = 0.046). The energy intensity of the θ-band and γ-band of the LFPs was significantly higher in rTMS group than in the control group (t > 12.49, P < 0.001), θ-band and γ-band LFPs-spike were more synchronized (t > 8.82, P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the average rate of spike between groups (t = 1.73, P = 0.067). Conclusion:High frequency rTMS could increase the LFPs energy in working memory experiment, enhance cooperative coding process for LFPs and spike, and improve the working memory ability of the rats.

Research progress in the mechanism and treatment of retinal ischemia reperfusion injury / 中华眼底病杂志

Retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) is an important pathophysiological basis of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, central retinal arteriovenous obstruction and some other ischemic retinal diseases. At present, there are several theories about the pathogenesis of RIRI, which included oxidative stress, apoptosis, necrosis, necroptosis, vascular injury and inflammatory reaction. Aim at the above pathogenesis of RIRI, domestic and foreign scholars have put forward a lot of methods in treating RIRI, including anti-radical damage, anti-glutamic acid excitotoxicity, anti-apoptosis, anti-necrosis, anti-necroptosis, protection of tight junctions, protection of endothelial cells, anti-inflammatory response, etc. Although there are a lot of drug research on RIRI, the timing of drug interventions for RIRI is still unclear. It may achieve twice the result with half the effort to determine the most effective treatment time window, and will also play a vital guiding role in the clinical treatment of ophthalmic related diseases.

Ultrahigh Frequency and Anti-Interference Optical-Mode Resonance with Biquadratic Coupled FeCoB/Ru/FeCoB Trilayers.

Microwave soft magnetic films (SMFs) are the key materials to effectively miniaturize and multifunctionalize the microwave electromagnetic components and devices. However, currently, single-layer SMFs encounter a frequency bottleneck at around 10 GHz. The ferromagnet/nonmagnetic spacer/ferromagnet sandwiched films with strong interlayer exchange coupling are possible solutions to break through that frequency limitation because they exhibit ultrahigh optical-mode (OM) resonance frequency frO up to 50 GHz, while the tiny permeability and the limited thickness are their own obstacles to overcome. In this study, biquadratic coupled FeCoB25nm/Ru0.25nm/FeCoB25nm sandwiched films with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy were deposited by a composition gradient sputtering method. Pure OM resonance with self-bias frO up to 18.21 GHz and a relative permeability µrO as high as 169 at the cut-off frequency was achieved. Moreover, both the frO and µrO remain unchanged in the magnetic field range of 0-80 Oe, indicating a strong anti-interference capability to small interference field. These results demonstrate that the biquadratic coupled OM resonance can solve the current frequency bottleneck of microwave SMFs by providing ultrahigh resonance frequency while maintaining considerable permeability, thus leading to potential applications of OM resonance in Ku-band microwave magnetic components.