Versatile GO/ANFs Aerogel for Highly Efficient Solar-Powered Water Purification in Wide Environments.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is a very promising choice for producing clean water. Despite the considerable investigation of pure NaCl brine purification, solar-driven complex water purification, such as real-world seawater desalination as well as domestic and industrial wastewater treatment, has rarely been investigated, mainly due to its compositions being much more complicated than NaCl brine. Herein, we developed a graphene oxide/aramid nanofiber (GO/ANFs) aerogel by a freeze-drying process. The GO/ANFs aerogel combined opened porous microchannels, superhydrophilicity, anti-oil-fouling capacity, enhanced broad-spectrum light absorption (more than 92%), and good solar/heat management. These integrated properties enabled the GO/ANFs aerogel to be an advanced solar interfacial evaporator for efficient freshwater production with the characteristics of localized heat conversion, quick water transport, and salt crystallization inhibition, and the rate of steam production rate was as high as 2.25 kg m-2 h-1 upon exposure to 1 solar irradiation. Importantly, the high-water-vapor generation rate was maintained even under complicated conditions, including real-world seawater, dye water, emulsions, and corrosive liquid environments. Considering its promising adaptability to a wide range of environments, this work hopes to inspire the development of brine desalination, wastewater purification, clean water production, and solar energy utilization.

SLC7A2-Mediated Lysine Catabolism Inhibits Immunosuppression in Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. SLC7A2 is abnormally expressed in multiple cancers. However, its potential in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of SLC7A2 and its underlying molecular mechanisms in TNBC. mRNA expression was detected by RT-qPCR. Protein expression was detected by western blot. Co-localization of ACOX1 and TCF1 was determined using FISH assay. Histone crotonylation was performed using in vitro histone crotonylation assay. Functional analysis was performed using CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays. Xenograft assay was conducted to further verify the role of SLC7A2 in TNBC. CD8A expression was detected using immunohistochemistry. We found that SLC7A2 is downregulated in TNBC tumors. Low levels are associated with advanced stages and lymph node metastasis. SLC7A2 expression is positively correlated with CD8A. SLC7A2-mediated lysine catabolism drives the activation of CD8+ T cells. Moreover, SLC7A2 promotes histone crotonylation via upregulating ACOX1. It also promotes interaction between ACOX1 and TCF1, thus promoting antitumor T cell immunity. Additionally, overexpression of SLC7A2 activates CD8+ T cells and enhances the chemosensitivity of anti-PD-1 therapies in vivo. In conclusion, SLC7A2 may function as an antitumor gene in TNBC by activating antitumor immunity, suggesting SLC7A2/ACOX1/TCF1 signaling as a promising therapeutic strategy.

NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis in cardiovascular diseases and exercise intervention.

NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an intracellular sensing protein complex that possesses NACHT, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain, playing a crucial role in innate immunity. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome leads to the production of pro-inflammatory cellular contents, such as interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18, and induction of inflammatory cell death known as pyroptosis, thereby amplifying or sustaining inflammation. While a balanced inflammatory response is beneficial for resolving damage and promoting tissue healing, excessive activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis can have harmful effects. The involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome has been observed in various cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Indeed, the NLRP3 inflammasome and its associated pyroptosis are closely linked to key cardiovascular risk factors including hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and hyperhomocysteinemia. Exercise compared with medicine is a highly effective measure for both preventing and treating CVD. Interestingly, emerging evidence suggests that exercise improves CVD and inhibits the activity of NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis. In this review, the activation mechanisms of the NLRP3 inflammasome and its pathogenic role in CVD are critically discussed. Importantly, the purpose is to emphasize the crucial role of exercise in managing CVD by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activity and proposes it as the foundation for developing novel treatment strategies.

Construction and validation of the nomogram predictive model for post-percutaneous nephrolithotomy urinary sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to construct and validate a simple and accurate clinical nomogram for predicting the occurrence of post-percutaneous nephrolithotomy sepsis, aiming to assist urologists in the early identification, warning, and early intervention of urosepsis, and to provide certain evidence-based medicine basis. METHODS: This study included patients who underwent PCNL surgery due to kidney or upper ureteral stones at the Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, from January 2019 to September 2022. This study utilized univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to screen and evaluate the risk factors for sepsis and construct a predictive model. An evaluation was performed using the receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis curve. All statistical analyses were conducted using R version 4.2. RESULTS: A total of 946 patients who underwent post-PCNL were included in this study, among whom 69 patients (7.29%) developed post-PCNL urinary sepsis. Multiple-factor logistic regression analysis identified four independent risk factors associated with post-PCNL urinary sepsis, including positive urinary nitrite (OR = 5.9, P < 0.001), positive urine culture (OR = 7.54, P < 0.001), operative time ≥ 120 min (OR = 20.93, P = 0.0052), and stone size ≥ 30 mm (OR = 13.81, P = 0.0015). The nomogram model demonstrated good accuracy with an AUC value of 0.909, and in the validation cohort, the AUC value was 0.922. The calibration curve indicated a better consistency between the predictive line chart and the actual occurrence of post-PCNL urinary sepsis. The decision curve analysis curve showed favorable clinical utility. CONCLUSION: Preoperative positive urine culture, positive urinary nitrite, operative time ≥ 120 min, and stone size ≥ 30 mm are independent risk factors for developing post-PCNL urinary sepsis. The constructed line chart based on these factors effectively assesses the risk of urinary sepsis in patients after PCNL.

Multiscale Molecular Dynamics Simulations of an Active Self-Assembling Material.

Inspired by the adaptability observed in biological materials, self-assembly processes have attracted significant interest for their potential to yield novel materials with unique properties. However, experimental methods have often fallen short in capturing the molecular details of the assembly process. In this study, we employ a multiscale molecular dynamics simulation approach, complemented by NMR quantification, to investigate the mechanism of self-assembly in a redox-fueled bioinspired system. Contrary to conventional assumptions, we have uncovered a significant role played by the monomer precursor in the assembly process, with its presence varying with concentration and the extent of conversion of the monomer to the dimer. Experimental confirmation through NMR quantification underscores the concentration-dependent incorporation of monomers into the fibrous structures. Furthermore, our simulations also shed light on the diverse intermolecular interactions, including T-shaped and parallel π stacking, as well as hydrogen bonds, in stabilizing the aggregates. Overall, the open conformation of the dimer is preferred within these aggregates. However, inside the aggregates, the distribution of conformations shifts slightly to the closed conformation compared to on the surface. These findings contribute to the growing field of bioinspired materials science by providing valuable mechanistic and structural insights to guide the design and development of self-assembling materials with biomimetic functionalities.

Inhibition of ATM promotes PD-L1 expression by activating JNK/c-Jun/TNF-α signaling axis in triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer. Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment for advanced TNBC is still limited to PD-L1-positive patients. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is a switch molecule for homologous recombination and repair. In this study, we found a significant negative correlation between ATM and PD-L1 in 4 TNBC clinical specimens by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), which was confirmed by immunochemical staining in 86 TNBC specimens. We then established ATM knockdown TNBC stable cell lines to perform in vitro studies and animal experiments, proving the negative regulation of PD-L1 by ATM via suppression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), which was confirmed by cytokine array analysis of TNBC cell line and analysis of clinical specimens. We further found that ATM inhibits TNF-α via inactivating JNK/c-Jun by scRNA-seq, Western blot and luciferase reporter assays. Finally, we identified a negative correlation between changes in phospho-ATMS1981 and PD-L1 levels in TNBC post- and pre-neoadjuvant therapy. This study reveals a novel mechanism by which ATM negatively regulates PD-L1 by downregulating JNK/c-Jun/TNF-α in TNBC, shedding light on the wide application of immune checkpoint blockade therapy for treating multi-line-resistant TNBC.

Development and validation of an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of baloxavir in rat plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic studies.

In this study, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was established for the development and validation of baloxavir acid (BXA) concentrations and the active ingredients of the antiviral drug baloxavir marboxil (BXM). Further, the method was applied to study the pharmacokinetics of BXA. BXA was determined by the electrospray ionization multiple reaction monitoring positive ion mode, and the mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) of BXA and internal standard baloxavir-d4 were 484.2 → 247.2 and 488.1 → 247.2. An Oasis max online column (2.1 × 20 mm, 30 µm) was used with 1% formic acid in water (A) and 2% formic acid in acetonitrile (B) as mobile phases at a flow rate of 0.5 mL·min-1 for chromatographic separation. The linearity was good in the range of 3-200 ng·mL-1 (r = 0.9994), with 3.00 ng·mL-1 lower limit of quantification. The relative standard deviation of the inter-assay precision was less than or equal to 6.51%, and the accuracy was in the range of 91.28%-104.29%. This method is suitable for the determination of BXA and for performing pharmacokinetic studies in clinical research.

Effects of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes on nonresponse rate of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with invasive breast cancer.

High level of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) can predict the rate of total pathological complete remission (tpCR) of breast cancer patients who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). This study focused on evaluating the data of patients whose primary tumor and/or lymph node metastasis show nonresponse (NR) to NACT, trying to provide a basis for the clinical decision which patients will develop NACT resistance. The study included breast cancers from 991 patients who received NACT. ROC curve analysis confirmed that TILs showed significant predictive value for NR of hormone receptor (HR)+HER2- and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Among HR+HER2- breast cancer, TILs ≥ 10% was an independent predictor for low NR rate. Furthermore, positive correlation of TILs with Ki67 index and Miller-Payne grade, and negative correlation with ER and PR H-scores were only identified in this subgroup. In TNBC, TILs ≥ 17.5% was an independent predictor for low NR rate. The predictive value of low TILs on NR may facilitate to screen patients with HR+HER2- or TNBC who may not benefit from NACT. HR+HER2- breast cancer with low levels of TILs should be carefully treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and other alternatives such as neoadjuvant endocrine therapy can be considered.

Research progress on renal calculus associate with inborn error of metabolism. / é—ä¼ æ€§ä»£è°¢ç¼ºé™·æ‰€è‡´è‚¾ç»“çŸ³ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Renal calculus is a common disease with complex etiology and high recurrence rate. Recent studies have revealed that gene mutations may lead to metabolic defects which are associated with the formation of renal calculus, and single gene mutation is involved in relative high proportion of renal calculus. Gene mutations cause changes in enzyme function, metabolic pathway, ion transport, and receptor sensitivity, causing defects in oxalic acid metabolism, cystine metabolism, calcium ion metabolism, or purine metabolism, which may lead to the formation of renal calculus. The hereditary conditions associated with renal calculus include primary hyperoxaluria, cystinuria, Dent disease, familial hypomagnesemia with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis, Bartter syndrome, primary distal renal tubular acidosis, infant hypercalcemia, hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets with hypercalciuria, adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency, and hereditary xanthinuria. This article reviews the research progress on renal calculus associated with inborn error of metabolism, to provide reference for early screening, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and recurrence of renal calculus.

Metabolomic analysis reveals the influence of HMBOX1 on RAW264.7 cells proliferation based on UPLC-MS/MS.

Macrophages are important effector cells in tumor progression and immune regulation. Previously, we demonstrated that the transcription suppressor homeobox containing 1(HMBOX1) exhibits immunosuppressive activity in LPS-induced acute liver injury by impeding macrophage infiltration and activation. We also observed a lower proliferation in HMBOX1-overexpressed RAW264.7 cells. However, the specific mechanism was unclear. Here, a work was performed to characterize HMBOX1 function related to cell proliferation from a metabolomics standpoint by comparing the metabolic profiles of HMBOX1-overexpressed RAW264.7 cells to those of the controls. Firstly, we assessed HMBOX1 anti-proliferation activity in RAW264.7 cells with CCK8 assay and clone formation. Then, we performed metabolomic analyses by ultra-liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to explore the potential mechanisms. Our results indicated that HMBOX1 inhibited the macrophage growth curve and clone formation ability. Metabolomic analyses showed significant changes in HMBOX1-overexpressed RAW264.7 metabolites. A total of 1312 metabolites were detected, and 185 differential metabolites were identified based on the criterion of OPLS-DA VIP > 1 and p value < 0.05. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that the elevated HMBOX1 in RAW264.7 inhibited the pathways of amino acid and nucleotide metabolism. Glutamine concentrations decreased significantly in HMBOX1-overexpressed macrophages, and glutamine-related transporter SLC1A5 was also downregulated. Furthermore, SLC1A5 overexpression reversed HMBOX1 inhibition of macrophage proliferation. This study demonstrated the potential mechanism of the HMBOX1/SLC1A5 pathway in cell proliferation by regulating glutamine transportation. The results may help provide a new direction for therapeutic interventions in macrophage-related inflammatory diseases.

Tree-Inspired Aerogel with a Radial and Centrosymmetric Structure for Efficient Solar-Powered Water Purification.

Solar-powered water purification is one of the promising choices for clean water production. However, it remains challenging to develop aerogel solar evaporators that simultaneously possess enhanced light-to-heat conversion, optimal thermal management, and salt crystal deposition inhibition. Herein, to address this challenge, we have developed a 3D chitosan-reduced graphene oxide/polypyrrole (CS-RGO/PPy) aerogel vaporizer with a vertical and radially aligned structure through a directional freezing process, inspired by the featured structure of conifers. The radially porous walls and vertically arranged channels within the 3D aerogel were able to facilitate high light absorption, localizing converted heat, rapid water transport, and self-salt discharge. Under 1 sun irradiation, the aerogel vaporizer displayed an improved light absorption characteristic of 95% and a high-rate evaporation (∼3.19 kg m-2 h-1) that achieved continuous freshwater from the saturated brine production without solid salt crystallization. Besides achieving seawater desalination, the obtained aerogel could purify organic wastewater and emulsions through solar distillation with high-rate continuous water production.

Pedestrians' road-crossing behavior towards eHMI-equipped autonomous vehicles driving in segregated and mixed traffic conditions.

Pedestrians' road-crossing behavior can be influenced by eHMIs (external Human-Machine Interfaces) on autonomous vehicles (AVs). In this research, we developed a novel eHMI concept that aimed to support pedestrians' risk evaluation by displaying predicted real-time risk levels. In a virtual reality environment, we measured pedestrians' road-crossing behavior when they encountered AVs with this eHMI and manual-driven vehicles (MVs) in the same lane. Results showed that pedestrians exhibited typical crossing behaviors based on gap size for both vehicle types. In segregated traffic conditions, compared to MVs, eHMI-equipped AVs made pedestrians more sensitive to the changes in gap size by rejecting more small gaps and accepting more large gaps. Pedestrians also walked faster and kept larger safety margins for smaller gaps. Similar results were observed for AVs in mixed traffic conditions. However, in mixed traffic conditions, pedestrians faced more challenges when interacting with MVs as they tended to accept smaller gaps, walk more slowly, and maintain smaller safety margins. These findings indicate that dynamic risk information could be conducive to pedestrians' road-crossing behavior, but the use of eHMIs on AVs might disrupt pedestrians' interactions with MVs in complex traffic conditions. This potential risk shift among vehicles also poses the question of whether AVs should use segregated lanes to reduce their indirect impacts on pedestrian-MV interactions.

Misplaced drainage tube inserted in the vein in a percutaneous nephrostomy: a case series.

Percutaneous nephrostomy is a critical procedure for establishing surgical pathways from the skin to the renal collecting system. The drainage tube involved in the procedure rarely deviates into the renal vein. Herein, we report three cases in which the related drainage tube was mistakenly inserted into the renal vein and inferior vena cava after the renal vein was injured during percutaneous nephrostomy. In the three cases, the nephrostomy tube and double-J tube were gradually withdrawn from the renal pelvis or renal calyces under computed tomography (CT) monitoring. In case 1, the fistula tube was not completely withdrawn in time into the renal, causing multiple thromboses in the vein. The fistula was successfully withdrawn from the vena cava after the filter was placed. Finally, the stones were cleared in two cases and one case was discharged without complications after substantial renal function recovery. A safe and reliable approach is to gradually withdraw, within a short timeframe and under CT monitoring, an ectopic renal vein or inferior vena cava drainage tube into the renal pelvis. Removal of the catheter to the renal pelvis or calyces within 3 days can reduce thrombotic complications.

STAT3 and PD-L1 are negatively correlated with ATM and have impact on the prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer patients with low ATM expression.

INTRODUCTION: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known for its aggressive behaviors and lacking of effective treatment. Programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) inhibitor has just been approved for using in the management of advanced TNBC. To accurately screen TNBC sensitive to anti-PD-L1 treatment and to explore the feasibility of the ataxia-telangiectasia mutation protein (ATM) inhibitor combined with PD-L1 inhibitor, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, we focus on whether ATM participates in the regulation of PD-L1 and affects the prognosis of patients through c-Src, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1&3 (STAT1 and STAT3). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used immunohistochemical staining to explore the relationship of ATM with c-Src, STAT1, STAT3, PD-1/PD-L1, Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), as well as other clinicopathologic features in 86 pathological stage III TNBCs. Their impact on prognosis was also explored. RESULTS: We found ATM expression was negatively correlated with STAT1, STAT3, PD-L1, TILs and CD8 + cells in TNBC. STAT1 positively correlated the expression of PD-L1. In TNBC with ATM low expression, STAT3 was an independent factor for improved prognosis, while PD-L1 was an independent negative prognostic factor. Furthermore, in low ATM group, the phosphorylation of tyrosine at position 419 of c-Src (p-c-src Y419) was correlated with the overexpression of STAT3. CONCLUSION: Locally advanced TNBC with low ATM expression may be more likely to benefit from anti-PD-L1 inhibitors. The feasibility of ATM functional inhibitor combined with immune checkpoint blockade therapies in the treatment of TNBC is also worthy of further exploration. Our study suggests that STAT3 has different impacts on tumor progression in different tumors.

Ag/polydopamine-coated textile for enhanced liquid/liquid mixtures separation and dye removal.

Engineering a versatile platform that enables to separate both oil/water and oil/oil mixtures and remove dye from water is not easy. To address this challenge, we have developed an Ag/polydopamine-coated textile (Ag/PDA@textile) by chemically depositing Ag particles on the textile surface using polydopamine as the binder layer. The obtained Ag/PDA@textile attracts water but repels oil in the air, underwater, and when immersed into the oil. Exploiting its water-attracting and oil resistance, the Ag/PDA@textile is acted as a separation membrane to separate oil/water mixtures with enhanced separation efficiency. The Ag/PDA@textile also possesses opposite wetting behavior to oils with different polarities, allowing it to separate oil/oil mixtures efficiently. Thanks to the catalytic performance of the Ag particle, organic dyes can be decomposed effectively by our Ag/PDA@textile under UV illustration or in the presence of NaBH4. Our Ag/PDA@textile may be valuable for applications in water purification and oil sewage treatment.

Robust Hydrogel Coating with Oil-Repellent Property in Air, Water, and Oil Surroundings.

Development of a robust self-cleaning oil-repellent surface in a cost-efficient and green manner is highly desirable, yet still difficult to realize. Herein, we develop a poly(vinyl alcohol) (denoted as PVA) composite hydrogel on which the oily contaminations can be removed efficiently by water merely. Owing to its high affinity to water and resistance to oils, the water-wetted hydrogel establishes a slippery oil-repellent state in air, displays underwater superoleophobicity with ultralow adhesion to all probe oils, and blocks oil from permeating when immersed into an oil surrounding. Oily contaminations on the PVA hydrogel surface are removed just by titling or water immersion, with no oil residue left behind. This enhanced oil repellency was retained after hand-bending, water-jetting, and even 1000 cycles of sand abrasion, demonstrating mechanical robustness. Application of the PVA hydrogel-coated copper mesh is demonstrated to separate oil/water and oil/oil mixtures, with separation efficiency being greater than 98%.

Photocatalytically Active Superhydrophilic/Superoleophobic Coating.

Hydrophilic materials are easily fouled by organic contaminants owing to their high surface energy, and this oil-fouling problem severely hinders their use in practical applications. To address this challenge, herein, a hydrophilic coating with oil repellency and photocatalytic activity is developed by a spray-casting process. In the air surrounding, a water droplet spreads over the coating surface completely, while oil droplets exhibit contact angles more than 150° and moving on the coating freely. The water-wetted coating still had oil repellency, as the water layer on the coating surface can act as a lubricant to repel oil. Although methylene blue aqueous solution contaminates the coating by wetting it completely, these water-soluble organic molecules can be removed by UV illumination, due to the photocatalytic activity of the coating. Exploiting its water-attracting and oil-repelling properties, the coating deposited on a copper mesh is applied as a multiplatform for oil-water separation with high separation efficiency. This study provides a novel and efficient way to solve the oil-fouling problem of hydrophilic materials.

ATM kinase regulates tumor immunoreactions in lymphocyte-predominant breast cancer through modulation of NKG2D ligand and TNF cytokines on tumor cells.

To explore impact of Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase on immunoreactions in lymphocyte-predominant breast cancer (LPBC), particularly its role in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), 194 cases of LPBC were identified with pertinent clinical information retrieved. The expressions of ATM, activated ATM (P-ATM), Fas ligand (FASL), tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-induced ligand (TRAIL), major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related protein A (MICA), CD8, and Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) were assessed by immunohistochemically. We found that ATM expressed on tumor cells was correlated with upregulated expression of P-ATM and MICA (P < 0.05), down-regulated expression of FASL and TRAIL (P < 0.01), and decreased Ki-67 tumor labeling (P < 0.05). However, within the TNBC group, only a negative correlation with FASL expression was found (P = 0.001). ATM and MICA expressions were significantly down -regulated in TNBC (P < 0.01) compared to non-TNBC, while TRAIL was significantly upregulated (P < 0.01). Tregs were increased in TNBC (P < 0.05), with CD8 + TILs decreased (P < 0.01). Ki-67 index was higher in TNBC than in non-TNBC (P < 0.01). ATM may play an important role in immunoreaction of LPBC, probably through upregulation of MICA and down-regulation of FASL and TRAIL. The down-regulated ATM expression in TNBC might be responsible for impaired tumor immunoactivity, rapid tumor growth, and aggressive clinical course.

Increased number of intratumoral IL-17+ cells, a harbinger of the adverse prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer subtype and lack of effective targeted therapies. It has been recently reported that Interleukin 17 (IL-17), a family of cytokines secreted in tumor microenvironment, affects tumor progression through a variety of molecular pathways. Its role in TNBC is so far still poorly explored. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We employed immunohistochemistry to evaluate the distribution of IL-17+ cells in TNBC with no special type features (TNBC-NST), their association with tumor microangiogenesis, as well as their impact on prognosis of the patients. RESULTS: In comparison to medullary carcinoma with triple-negative molecular features (TNBC-MC), we found a significant increase in IL-17+ cell infiltrates in intratumoral stroma and extratumoral stroma of TNBC-NST. Similarly, stromal cells with co-expression of CD4 and IL-17 were noted in intratumoral and extratumoral stroma in both TNBC-NST and TNBC-MC. In addition, intratumoral IL-17+ cells were positively associated with tumor cell expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and with intratumoral tumor microvascular density (MVD). Multivariate analysis identified that intratumoral IL-17+ cells (P = 0.018), MVD (P = 0.039), and TNM stage (P = 0.002) were independent prognostic factors for predicting poor PFS. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that IL-17 is overexpressed in intratumoral stromal cells of TNBC-NST. The overexpression of IL-17 might engage in active tumor microangiogenesis through its signal transduction pathways resulting in increased tumor secretion of VEGFA, and then promote tumor progression. IL-17 might serve as a potential new target for individualized therapy to TNBC-NST patients by development of specific antibodies. Additional study is deemed to further explore the role of IL-17+ stromal cells in breast cancer.

Reveal the Deformation Mechanism of (110) Silicon from Cryogenic Temperature to Elevated Temperature by Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

Silicon undergoes a brittle-to-ductile transition as its characteristic dimension reduces from macroscale to nanoscale. The thorough understanding of the plastic deformation mechanism of silicon at the nanoscale is still challenging, although it is essential for developing Si-based micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS). Given the wide application of silicon in extreme conditions, it is, therefore, highly desirable to reveal the nanomechanical behavior of silicon from cryogenic temperature to elevated temperature. In this paper, large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to reveal the spherical nanoindentation response and plastic deformation mechanism of (110)Si at the temperature range of 0.5 K to 573 K. Special attention was paid to the effect of temperature. Multiple pop-ins detected in load/pressure-indentation strain curves are impacted by temperature. Four featured structures induced by nanoindentation, including high-pressure phases, extrusion of α-Si, dislocations, and crack, are observed at all temperatures, consistent with experiment results. The detailed structure evolution of silicon was revealed at the atomic scale and its dependence on temperature was analyzed. Furthermore, structure changes were correlated with pop-ins in load/pressure-indentation strain curves. These results may advance our understanding of the mechanical properties of silicon.