Altered resting-state brain entropy in cerebral small vessel disease patients with cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a primary vascular disease of cognitive impairment. Previous studies have predominantly focused on brain linear features. However, the nonlinear measure, brain entropy (BEN), has not been elaborated. Thus, this study is aim to investigate if BEN abnormalities could manifest in CSVD patients with cognitive impairment. METHOD: 34 CSVD patients with cognitive impairment and 37 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Analysis of gray matter approximate entropy (ApEn) and sample entropy (SampEn) which are two indices of BEN were calculated. To explore whether BEN can provide unique information, we further performed brain linear methods, namely amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo), to observe their differences. The ratios of BEN/ALFF and BEN/ReHo which represent the coupling of nonlinear and linear features were introduced. Correlation analysis was conducted between imaging indices and cognition. Subsequently, the linear support vector machine (SVM) was used to assess their discriminative ability. RESULTS: CSVD patients exhibited lower ApEn and SamEn value in sensorimotor areas, which were correlated with worse memory and executive function. Additionally, the results of BEN showed little overlap with ALFF and ReHo in brain regions. Correlation analysis also revealed a relationship between the two ratios and cognition. SVM analysis utilizing BEN and its ratios as features achieved an accuracy of 74.64 % (sensitivity: 86.49 %; specificity: 61.76 %; and AUC: 0.82439). CONCLUSION: Our study reveals that the reduction of sensorimotor system complexity is correlated with cognition. BEN exhibits distinctive characteristics in brain activity. Combining BEN and the ratios can be new biomarkers to diagnose CSVD with cognitive impairment.

Alterations in neural circuit dynamics between the limbic network and prefrontal/default mode network in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.

BACKGROUND: Widespread functional alterations have been implicated in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). However, most studies have primarily focused on static brain network features in patients with GAD. The current research focused on exploring the dynamics within functional brain networks among individuals diagnosed with GAD. METHODS: Seventy-five participants were divided into patients with GAD and healthy controls (HCs), and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected. The severity of symptoms was measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire. Co-activation pattern (CAP) analysis, centered on the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, was applied to explore network dynamics. The capability of these dynamic characteristics to distinguish between patients with GAD and HCs was evaluated using a support vector machine. RESULTS: Patients with GAD exhibited disruptions in the limbic-prefrontal and limbic-default-mode network circuits. Particularly noteworthy was the marked reduction in dynamic indicators such as occurrence, EntriesFromBaseline, ExitsToBaseline, in-degree, out-degree, and resilience. Moreover, these decreased dynamic features effectively distinguished the GAD group from the HC in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings revealed the underlying brain networks associated with compromised emotion regulation in individuals with GAD. The dynamic reduction in connectivity between the limbic-default mode network and limbic-prefrontal networks could potentially act as a biomarker and therapeutic target for GAD in the future.

Ca2+-triggered Atg11-Bmh1/2-Snf1 complex assembly initiates autophagy upon glucose starvation.

Autophagy is essential for maintaining glucose homeostasis. However, the mechanism by which cells sense and respond to glucose starvation to induce autophagy remains incomplete. Here, we show that calcium serves as a fundamental triggering signal that connects environmental sensing to the formation of the autophagy initiation complex during glucose starvation. Mechanistically, glucose starvation instigates the release of vacuolar calcium into the cytoplasm, thus triggering the activation of Rck2 kinase. In turn, Rck2-mediated Atg11 phosphorylation enhances Atg11 interactions with Bmh1/2 bound to the Snf1-Sip1-Snf4 complex, leading to recruitment of vacuolar membrane-localized Snf1 to the PAS and subsequent Atg1 activation, thereby initiating autophagy. We also identified Glc7, a protein phosphatase-1, as a critical regulator of the association between Bmh1/2 and the Snf1 complex. We thus propose that calcium-triggered Atg11-Bmh1/2-Snf1 complex assembly initiates autophagy by controlling Snf1-mediated Atg1 activation in response to glucose starvation.

Psychological Responses of Chinese Medical Students to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Empirical Research Qualitative.

Aim: This study aims to explore the psychological reactions of medical students during the pandemic. Design: A qualitative study. Methods: A purposive sampling technique was employed, and a qualitative approach was adopted. Semi-structured questionnaires were utilized, and online interviews were conducted. Forty medical students were selected as participants for the interviews. The interview data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. Results: The study identified five themes related to the psychological reactions of medical students during the pandemic. Firstly, COVID-19's influence on medical careers was characterized by increased interest and determination in pursuing medical professions, heightened admiration for frontline workers, reinforced commitment to a medical career due to the pandemic, and recognition of the significance of medical education. Secondly, challenges and concerns in medical career pursuit were identified, including negative sentiments towards medical careers during COVID-19 and hesitations and concerns about entering the medical field amidst the pandemic. Thirdly, the impact on mental well-being encompassed diverse anxieties expressed by participants regarding control, transmission, treatment, and intentional spreading of the virus. Participants experienced an emotional progression from calmness to fear and anxiety, with heightened anxiety when relatives or acquaintances contracted COVID-19. Academic delays also contributed to anxiety among medical students. Fourthly, changes in behaviors and mindset were observed, including altered behaviors and mindset in response to the pandemic, as well as increased attention to personal hygiene and disease prevention measures. Lastly, expectations of medical students from government, public, and parents were explored. Conclusion: Understanding the psychological reactions of medical students during public health emergencies is crucial for their well-being and professional development. The findings have implications for medical education and the development of strategies to enhance the psychological well-being of medical students during similar crises.

A tree peony RING-H2 finger protein, PsATL33, plays an essential role in cold-induced bud dormancy release by regulating gibberellin content.

Bud dormancy is crucial for woody perennial plants to resist low-temperature stress in winter. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying bud dormancy release are largely unclear. Here, a tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) transcript ARABIDOPSIS TOXICOS EN LEVADURA 33 (PsATL33), encoding a RING-H2 finger protein, was selected from previously generated RNA sequencing data of chilling-treated buds. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of PsATL33 in the regulation of cold-induced bud dormancy release. Subcellular localization assay revealed that PsATL33 was localized to the nucleus and plasma membrane. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis showed that PsATL33 was dramatically upregulated during cold-triggered bud dormancy release. Exogenous treatments with gibberellin (GA3) increased, but abscisic acid (ABA) inhibited the transcription of PsATL33. Ectopic transformation assay indicated that overexpression of PsATL33 in petunia promoted seed germination, plant growth, and axillary bud break. Silencing of PsATL33 in tree peony through virus-induced gene silencing assay delayed bud dormancy release. tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-PsATL33-infected buds exhibited reduced expression levels of dormancy break-related genes EARLY BUD-BREAK 1 (PsEBB1) and CARBOXYLESTERASE 15 (PsCXE15). Silencing of PsATL33 decreased the accumulation of bioactive GAs, GA1 and GA3, rather than ABA. Transcript levels of several genes involved in GA biosynthesis and signaling, including GA20-OXIDASE 1 (PsGA20ox1), GA3-OXIDASE 1 (PsGA3ox1), PsGA3ox3, GA2-OXIDASE 1 (PsGA2ox1), and GA-INSENSITIVE 1A (PsGAI1A), were changed by PsATL33 silencing. Taken together, our data suggest that PsATL33 functions as a positive regulator of cold-induced bud dormancy release by modulating GA production.

Quantum Sensing of Free Radical Generation in Mitochondria of Human Keratinocytes during UVB Exposure.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is known to cause skin issues, such as dryness, aging, and even cancer. Among UV rays, UVB stands out for its ability to trigger problems within cells, including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. Free radicals are implicated in these cellular responses, but they are challenging to measure due to their short lifetime and limited diffusion range. In our study, we used a quantum sensing technique (T1 relaxometry) involving fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) that change their optical properties in response to magnetic noise. This allowed us to monitor the free radical presence in real time. To measure radicals near mitochondria, we coated FNDs with antibodies, targeting mitochondrial protein voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (anti-VDAC2). Our findings revealed a dynamic rise in radical levels on the mitochondrial membrane as cells were exposed to UVB (3 J/cm2), with a significant increase observed after 17 min.

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Autophagy plays a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis in response to various stimuli. Compared to research on nutrient deprivation-induced autophagy, the understanding of the molecular mechanisms and physiological/pathological significance of autophagy triggered by energy deprivation remains limited. A primary focus of our lab is to elucidate how cells sense energy deprivation and initiate autophagy. Using the model organisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mammalian cells, we found that cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage sensor Mec1, and mitochondrial aerobic respiration play essential roles in the autophagy induced by energy deprivation. This review aims to provide a concise overview of these research findings.

Influence of 3D printed surface micro-structures on molding performance and dental bonding properties of zirconia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the influence of the 3D printed micro-structured surfaces on the bond strength of zirconia to resin cement. METHODS: Zirconia specimens were divided into five groups based on manufacturing technique and surface preparation: (1) milled zirconia (M group); (2) milled zirconia airborne abraded (MA group); (3) printed zirconia (M group); (4) printed zirconia airborne abraded (PA group); and (5) printed zirconia with micro-structured surface (PM group). The surface morphology, cross-sectional morphology, and elemental composition were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Surface roughness was measured using a laser scanning confocal microscope (SLCM). Shear bond strength (SBS) was measured using a universal testing machine after bonding resin cement (n = 10). The failure modes of the bonded fracture interfaces were observed and counted using a stereomicroscope and a SEM. In addition, boundary dimensional accuracy (n = 10) and micro-structural dimensional accuracy (n = 20) of printed zirconia specimens with micro-structured surfaces were measured using digital calipers and Fiji software. The crystalline phase changes before and after surface treatment were investigated using X-ray diffractometry. Data was analysed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD post-hoc tests (α = 0.05). RESULT: The surface micro-structures of the PM group had regular morphology and no obvious defects. The surface roughness results showed that the PM group had higher Sa (42.21±1.38 um) and Ra (21.25±1.80 um) values than the other four groups (p < 0.001). The SBS test showed that the bond strength of the PM group reached 11.23 ± 0.66 MPa, which was 55.97% (p < 0.001) higher than that of the P group (7.20 ± 1.14 MPa). The boundary dimensional accuracy of the PM group was proficient (diameter: 99.63 ± 0.31%, thickness: 98.05 ± 1.12%), and the actual fabrication dimensions of the hexagonal micro-structures reached 77.45%-80.01% of the original design. The micro-structured surface did not affect the crystalline phase of zirconia. CONCLUSIONS: The current study illustrates that 3D-printed microstructured surfaces effectively improve the bond strength of zirconia to resin cements. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: With the advantage of 3D printing, this study provides a new idea for improving the bonding properties of zirconia.

Changed brain entropy and functional connectivity patterns induced by electroconvulsive therapy in majoy depression disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to innovatively integrate both linear and nonlinear characteristics of brain signals in Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) research, with the goal of uncovering deeper insights into the pathogenesis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and identifying novel targets for other physical intervention therapies. METHODS: We measured brain entropy (BEN) in 42 MDD patients and 42 matched healthy controls (HC) using rs-fMRI data. Brain regions that differed significantly in patients with MDD before and after ECT were extracted. Then, we use these brain regions as seed points to investigate the differences in whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) patterns before and after ECT. RESULTS: Compared to HCs, patients had higher BEN levels in the right precuneus (PCUN.R) and right angular gyrus (ANG.R). After ECT, patients had lower BEN levels in the PCUN.R and ANG.R. Compared with before ECT, patients showed significantly increased RSFC after ECT between the PCUN.R and right middle temporal gyrus and ANG.R. Significantly increased RSFC was observed between the ANG.R and right middle frontal gyrus and right supramarginal gyrus after ECT. CONCLUSION: Combining the linear and nonlinear characteristics of brain signals can effectively explore the pathogenesis of depression and provide new targets for ECT.

Effects of Kinesio taping on lower limb biomechanical characteristics during unexpected jumping in patients with chronic ankle instability.

PURPOSE: The current biomechanical research on the application of Kinesio taping (KT) to patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) has focused on testing the expected movements. However, unexpected movements are more common in actual sports. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of KT on the biomechanical characteristics of the knee and ankle joints during unexpected jumping movements. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with unilateral CAI were recruited to capture the biomechanical parameters during unexpected jumping movements under different interventions: no taping (NT), placebo taping (PT), and KT. A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the differences in knee and ankle biomechanical characteristics among patients with CAI between the three intervention conditions. RESULTS: At initial contact, the KT group demonstrated a significant decrease in ankle plantarflexion and knee flexion angles compared to the NT group (p < 0.05). At the early landing phase, the KT group had a significant increase in peak ankle dorsiflexion angle, peak ankle eversion angle, peak ankle dorsiflexion moment, and peak ankle eversion moment compared to the NT and PT groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the KT group had a significantly reduced peak knee flexion angle, peak knee eversion angle, and peak vertical ground reaction force (p < 0.05) compared to the NT and PT groups. CONCLUSION: KT significantly improves the sprain-prone touchdown posture of patients with CAI. And reducing the risk of ankle sprains during the early landing phase by promoting ankle dorsiflexion and eversion angles and moments.

Quantum Sensing of Free Radical Generation in Mitochondria of Single Heart Muscle Cells during Hypoxia and Reoxygenation.

Cells are damaged during hypoxia (blood supply deprivation) and reoxygenation (oxygen return). This damage occurs in conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and organ transplantation, potentially harming the tissue and organs. The role of free radicals in cellular metabolic reprogramming under hypoxia is under debate, but their measurement is challenging due to their short lifespan and limited diffusion range. In this study, we employed a quantum sensing technique to measure the real-time production of free radicals at the subcellular level. We utilize fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) that exhibit changes in their optical properties based on the surrounding magnetic noise. This way, we were able to detect the presence of free radicals. To specifically monitor radical generation near mitochondria, we coated the FNDs with an antibody targeting voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (anti-VDAC2), which is located in the outer membrane of mitochondria. We observed a significant increase in the radical load on the mitochondrial membrane when cells were exposed to hypoxia. Subsequently, during reoxygenation, the levels of radicals gradually decreased back to the normoxia state. Overall, by applying a quantum sensing technique, the connections among hypoxia, free radicals, and the cellular redox status has been revealed.

Electroconvulsive therapy enhances degree centrality in the orbitofrontal cortex in depressive rumination.

Depressive rumination has been implicated in the onset, duration, and treatment response of refractory depression. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is remarkably effective in treatment of refractory depression by modulating the functional coordination between brain hubs. However, the mechanisms by which ECT regulates depressive rumination remain unsolved. We investigated degree centrality (DC) in 32 pre- and post-ECT depression patients as well as 38 matched healthy controls. An identified brain region was defined as the seed to calculate functional connectivity (FC) in whole brains. Rumination was measured by the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) and its relationships with identified DC and FC alterations were examined. We found a significant negative correlation between DC of the right orbitofrontal cortex (rOFC) before ECT and brooding level before and after treatment. Moreover, rOFC DC increased after ECT. DC of the left superior temporal gyrus (lSTG) was positively correlated with reflective level before intervention, while lSTG DC decreased after ECT. Patients showed elevated FC in the rOFC with default mode network. No significant association was found between decreased RRS scores and changes in DC and FC. Our findings suggest that functional changes in rOFC and lSTG may be associated with the beneficial effects of ECT on depressive rumination.

TOR-mediated Ypt1 phosphorylation regulates autophagy initiation complex assembly.

The regulation of autophagy initiation is a key step in autophagosome biogenesis. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the stepwise assembly of ATG proteins during this process remains incomplete. The Rab GTPase Ypt1/Rab1 is recognized as an essential autophagy regulator. Here, we identify Atg23 and Atg17 as binding partners of Ypt1, with their direct interaction proving crucial for the stepwise assembly of autophagy initiation complexes. Disruption of Ypt1-Atg23 binding results in significantly reduced Atg9 interactions with Atg11, Atg13, and Atg17, thus preventing the recruitment of Atg9 vesicles to the phagophore assembly site (PAS). Likewise, Ypt1-Atg17 binding contributes to the PAS recruitment of Ypt1 and Atg1. Importantly, we found that Ypt1 is phosphorylated by TOR at the Ser174 residue. Converting this residue to alanine blocks Ypt1 phosphorylation by TOR and enhances autophagy. Conversely, the Ypt1S174D phosphorylation mimic impairs both PAS recruitment and activation of Atg1, thus inhibiting subsequent autophagy. Thus, we propose TOR-mediated Ypt1 as a multifunctional assembly factor that controls autophagy initiation via its regulation of the stepwise assembly of ATG proteins.

Macrophages-bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells crosstalk in bone healing.

Bone healing is associated with many orthopedic conditions, including fractures and osteonecrosis, arthritis, metabolic bone disease, tumors and periprosthetic particle-associated osteolysis. How to effectively promote bone healing has become a keen topic for researchers. The role of macrophages and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in bone healing has gradually come to light with the development of the concept of osteoimmunity. Their interaction regulates the balance between inflammation and regeneration, and when the inflammatory response is over-excited, attenuated, or disturbed, it results in the failure of bone healing. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the function of macrophages and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in bone regeneration and the relationship between the two could provide new directions to promote bone healing. This paper reviews the role of macrophages and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in bone healing and the mechanism and significance of their interaction. Several new therapeutic ideas for regulating the inflammatory response in bone healing by targeting macrophages and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells crosstalk are also discussed.

Realization of an autonomously controllable process for atomic layer deposition and its encapsulation application in flexible organic light-emitting diodes.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD), an emerging method of thin film fabrication, has recently witnessed a surge of applications in the optoelectronics field. However, reliable processes capable of controlling film composition have yet to be developed. In this work, the effect of precursor partial pressure and steric hindrance on the surface activity was presented and analyzed in detail, which led to the development of a component tailoring process for ALD composition control in intralayer for the first time. Further, a homogeneous organic/inorganic hybrid film was successfully grown. The component unit of the hybrid film under the joint action of EG and O plasma could achieve arbitrary ratios by controlling the EG/O plasma surface reaction ratio via varied partial pressures. Film growth parameters (growth rate per cycle and mass gain per cycle) and physical properties (density, refractive index, residual stress, transmission, and surface morphology) could be modulated as desired. Moreover, the hybrid film with low residual stress was effectively used in the encapsulation of flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Such a component tailoring process is an important step forward in ALD technology, and allowing for in-situ control of thin film components at the atomic level in intralayer.

Altered brain entropy and functional connectivity patterns in generalized anxiety disorder patients.

BACKGROUND: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a highly prevalent disease characterized by chronic, pervasive, and intrusive worry. Previous resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) studies on GAD have mainly focused on conventional static linear features. Entropy analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has recently been adopted to characterize brain temporal dynamics in some neuropsychological or psychiatric diseases. However, the nonlinear dynamic complexity of brain signals has been rarely explored in GAD. METHODS: We measured the approximate entropy (ApEn) and sample entropy (SampEn) of the resting-state fMRI data from 38 GAD patients and 37 matched healthy controls (HCs). The brain regions with significantly different ApEn and SampEn values between the two groups were extracted. Using these brain regions as seed points, we also investigated whether there are differences in whole brain resting-state function connectivity (RSFC) pattern between GADs and HCs. Correlation analysis was subsequently conducted to investigate the association between brain entropy, RSFC and the severity of anxiety symptoms. A linear support vector machine (SVM) was used to assess the discriminative power of BEN and RSFC features among GAD patients and HCs. RESULTS: Compared to the HCs, patients with GAD showed increased levels of ApEn in the right angular cortex (AG) and increased levels of SampEn in the right middle occipital gyrus (MOG) as well as the right inferior occipital gyrus (IOG). Contrarily, compared to the HCs, patients with GAD showed decreased RSFC between the right AG and the right inferior parietal gyrus (IPG). The SVM-based classification model achieved 85.33 % accuracy (sensitivity: 89.19 %; specificity: 81.58 %; and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.9018). The ApEn of the right AG and the SVM-based decision value was positively correlated with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). LIMITATIONS: This study used cross-sectional data and sample size was small. CONCLUSION: Patients with GAD showed increased level of nonlinear dynamical complexity of ApEn in the right AG and decreased linear features of RSFC in the right IPG. Combining the linear and nonlinear features of brain signals may be used to effectively diagnose psychiatric disorders.

Cloning, distribution, and effects of growth regulation of MC3R and MC4R in red crucian carp (Carassius auratus red var.).

Background: Melanocortin-3 and -4 receptors (MC3R and MC4R), G protein-coupled receptors, play vital roles in the regulation of energy homeostasis. To understand the functions of mc3r and mc4r in the energy homeostasis of red crucian carp (Carassius auratus red var., RCC), we cloned mc3r and mc4r, analyzed the tissue expression and localization of the genes, and investigated the effects of knockout of mc3r (mc3r +/-) and mc4r (mc4r +/-) in RCC. Results: The full-length cDNAs of RCC mc3r and mc4r were 1459 base pairs (bp) and 1894 bp, respectively. qRT-PCR indicated that mc3r and mc4r were profusely expressed in the brain, but lower expressed in the periphery tissues. ISH revealed that mc3r and mc4r were located in NPP, NPO, NAPv, NSC, NAT, NRL, NLTl, and NLTp of the brain, suggesting that mc3r and mc4r might regulate many physiological and behavioral aspects in RCC. To further verify the roles of mc3r and mc4r in energy homeostasis, the mc3r+/- and mc4r+/- fish were obtained by the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The average body weights, total lengths, body depths, and food intake of mc4r+/- fish were significantly higher than those of mc3r+/- and the normal wild-type (WT) fish, but there was no difference between the mc3r+/- and WT fish, indicating that the RCC phenotype and food intake were mainly influenced by mc4r but not mc3r. Interestingly, mc4r+/- fish displayed more visceral fat mass than mc3r+/- and WT fish, and mc3r+/- fish also exhibited slightly more visceral fat mass compared to WT. RNA-seq of the liver and muscle revealed that a large number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) differed in WT vs. mc3r+/-, WT vs. mc4r+/-, and mc3r+/- vs. mc4r+/-, mainly related to lipid, glucose, and energy metabolism. The KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were mainly enriched in pathways such as steroid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, wnt signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway, thereby affecting lipid accumulation and growth. Conclusion: In conclusion, these results will assist in the further investigation of the molecular mechanisms in which MC3R and MC4R were involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis in fish.

The role of tumor-associated macrophages in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common head and neck cancer with a high recurrence rate and a low 5-year survival rate. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are important immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, which play an important role in the progression of many tumors. This article reviews the origin, and the role of TAMs in the invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis and immunosuppression of OSCC. Therapeutic strategies targeting TAMs are also discussed in hopes of providing new ideas for the treatment of OSCC.

Complete stress release in monolayer ALD-Al2O3 films based on mechanical equilibrium homeostasis to realize a bending radius of 1 mm.

Low-temperature-deposited, transparent, high-barrier-performance atomic layer deposition (ALD) Al2O3 films are widely utilized to protect organic optoelectronic devices. However, because the internal compression residual stresses result in poor mechanical properties, these films are unable to realize independent encapsulation. In this work, we propose a pre-bending and substrate thermal expansion process to fabricate low-residual-stress ALD-Al2O3 films by multistep adjustment of mechanical equilibrium homeostasis, compare and analyze the key properties of the films to determine the optimal processing conditions, and adjust the surface area differences between the film and the substrate to acquire a flat-bottom encapsulation substrate. Therefore, fewer cracks form in ALD-Al2O3 deposited at 40 °C, and no significant increase in the water-vapor-transmission rate (WVTR) occurred after multiple bending processes at a 3 mm radius. Furthermore, both the bending radius for the first crack generation and crack saturation density were optimal, resulting in excellent mechanical stability, and a bending radius of 1 mm was achieved. Finally, we confirm the feasibility of the monolayer ALD-Al2O3 prepared by our process for applications in OLEDs. The encapsulated OLED maintained 94% of its initial efficiency after 10 days of bending in a harsh environment at 30 °C and 90% relative humidity.

Lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages regulate the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through exosomes.

Background: Periodontal tissue regeneration is the ultimate goal of periodontitis treatment. Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles secreted by cells that participate in and regulate the physiological activities between cells. However, the relationship between inflammatory macrophage-derived exosomes and osteoblast differentiation in periodontitis has not been thoroughly reported. Here, we attempt to explore the role of inflammatory macrophage-derived exosomes in crosstalk with osteoblasts. Methods: Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide was used to stimulate macrophages and inflate their inflammatory cellular state. Exosomes were extracted from inflammatory macrophages using supercentrifugation, and their characteristics were detected by transmission electron microscopy, particle size analysis, and Western blotting. Exosome uptake bybone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) was observed by fluorescence microscopy. The effects of exosomes on the BMSC inflammatory response and on osteogenic differentiation were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Alkaline phosphatase activity was tested for verification. Results: We successfully extracted and identified inflammatory macrophage-derived exosomes and observed that BMSCs successfully took up exosomes. Inflammatory macrophage-derived exosomes upregulated the expression levels of the inflammatory factors interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha in BMSCs and mediated inflammatory stimulation. Additionally, they inhibited the transcription levels of the osteogenic genes alkaline phosphatase, type I collagen, and Runt-related transcription factor 2 as well as the alkaline phosphatase activity, while the use of the exosome inhibitor GW4869 attenuated this effect. Conclusion: Our study shows that macrophages in periodontitis can mediate inflammatory stimulation and inhibit the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through the exosome pathway. Interference with exosome secretion is likely to be a promising method for bone tissue regeneration in inflammatory states.