The interaction of lipocalin-2 and astrocytes in neuroinflammation: mechanisms and therapeutic application.

Neuroinflammation is a common pathological process in various neurological disorders, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and others. It involves the activation of glial cells, particularly astrocytes, and the release of inflammatory mediators. Lipocalin-2 (Lcn-2) is a secretory protein mainly secreted by activated astrocytes, which can affect neuroinflammation through various pathways. It can also act as a pro-inflammatory factor by modulating astrocyte activation and polarization through different signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, and JAK-STAT, amplifying the inflammatory response and aggravating neural injury. Consequently, Lcn-2 and astrocytes may be potential therapeutic targets for neuroinflammation and related diseases. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the role mechanisms, interactions, and therapeutic implications of Lcn-2 and astrocytes in neuroinflammation.

Optimal Decision-Making of Closed-Loop Supply Chains in E-Commerce Platform Considering Sales Cooperations under Environmental Effects and WEEE Regulations.

Nowadays, to achieve carbon neutrality, e-commerce platforms participate in the sales and recycling of electrical and electronic products in consideration of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations and environmental effects. This study builds a Stackelberg game model for an e-commerce closed-loop supply chain (ECLSC) under different sales cooperation modes between a manufacturer of electrical and electronic products and an e-commerce platform. Reverse induction is used to obtain the optimal decision-making and profit of the ECLSC under three sales cooperation modes, considering the influence of environmental effects on optimal decision and objective functions. The results show the following: the sales cooperation mode and environmental cost do not affect the WEEE recovery prices of manufacturers and e-commerce platforms, nor do they affect government subsidy standards for dismantling WEEEs; they are, however, positively correlated with environmental benefits. Furthermore, the wholesale and retail prices of electrical and electronic products under different sales cooperation modes are related to sales cooperation modes and environmental costs. Moreover, the processing fees imposed on the manufacturers are related to the environmental costs of the electrical and electronic products; the thresholds of environmental costs of products for government to levy processing fees are different under different sales cooperation modes. Finally, the environmental cost of products required by the government's levying of processing fees are the lowest under a hybrid model. Generally speaking, under WEEE regulations, governments should levy more processing fees for electrical and electronic products with higher environmental costs. Meanwhile, increased environmental benefits will always increase the profits of supply chain members, but increased environmental costs do not always reduce the profits of supply chain members, and multichannel product sales do not always generate profits for manufacturers.

Small Auxin Up RNA (SAUR) gene family identification and functional genes exploration during the floral organ and fruit developmental stages in pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) and its response to salinity and drought stresses.

In plants, sexual reproduction relies on the proper development of floral organs that facilitate the successful development of fruits and seeds. Auxin responsive small auxin-up RNA (SAUR) genes play essential roles in floral organ formation and fruit development. However, little is known about the role of SAUR genes in pineapple floral organ formation and fruit development as well as stress responses. In this study, based on genome information and transcriptome datasets, 52 AcoSAUR genes were identified and grouped into 12 groups. The gene structure analysis revealed that most AcoSAUR genes did not have introns, although auxin-acting elements were abundant in the promoter region of AcoSAUR members. The expression analysis across the multiple flower and fruit development stages revealed differential expression of AcoSAUR genes, indicating a tissue and stage-specific function of AcoSAURs. Correlation analysis and pairwise comparisons between gene expression and tissue specificity identified stamen-, petal-, ovule-, and fruit-specific AcoSAURs involved in pineapple floral organs (AcoSAUR4/5/15/17/19) and fruit development (AcoSAUR6/11/36/50). RT-qPCR analysis revealed that AcoSAUR12/24/50 played positive roles in response to the salinity and drought treatment. This work provides an abundant genomic resource for functional analysis of AcoSAUR genes during the pineapple floral organs and fruit development stages. It also highlights the role of auxin signaling involved in pineapple reproductive organ growth.

RhoA promotes epidermal stem cell proliferation via PKN1-cyclin D1 signaling.

OBJECTIVE: Epidermal stem cells (ESCs) play a critical role in wound healing, but the mechanism underlying ESC proliferation is not well defined. Here, we explore the effects of RhoA on ESC proliferation and the possible underlying mechanism. METHODS: Human ESCs were enriched by rapid adhesion to collagen IV. RhoA(+/+)(G14V), RhoA(-/-)(T19N) and pGFP control plasmids were transfected into human ESCs. The effect of RhoA on cell proliferation was detected by cell proliferation and DNA synthesis assays. Induction of PKN1 activity by RhoA was determined by immunoblot analysis, and the effects of PKN1 on RhoA in terms of inducing cell proliferation and cyclin D1 expression were detected using specific siRNA targeting PKN1. The effects of U-46619 (a RhoA agonist) and C3 transferase (a RhoA antagonist) on ESC proliferation were observed in vivo. RESULTS: RhoA had a positive effect on ESC proliferation, and PKN1 activity was up-regulated by the active RhoA mutant (G14V) and suppressed by RhoA T19N. Moreover, the ability of RhoA to promote ESC proliferation and DNA synthesis was interrupted by PKN1 siRNA. Additionally, cyclin D1 protein and mRNA expression levels were up-regulated by RhoA G14V, and these effects were inhibited by siRNA-mediated knock-down of PKN1. RhoA also promoted ESC proliferation via PKN in vivo. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the effect of RhoA on ESC proliferation is mediated by activation of the PKN1-cyclin D1 pathway in vitro, suggesting that RhoA may serve as a new therapeutic target for wound healing.

Treatment for displacement of PAAG mixture after injection augmentation mammoplasty.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of serious complications after augmentation mammaplasty with injection of polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) was high. OBJECTIVE: To design a new method for healing of the cavities and cysts after augmentation mammaplasty. METHODS: 102 patients in whom PAAG exceeded the breast and spread to the thoracic-abdominal walls were enrolled and divided into two groups. RESULTS: The flowing masses of different sizes exceeded the breast and spread to the thoracic-abdominal walls, and a large number of PAAG showed flowing degenerative mixture in the tissues and were invaded by many inflammatory cells. PAAG deposited extensively in the breast tissues, armpits and space of the thoracic-abdominal wall, and the breast was connected with the abdominal wall through the fistula of different sizes. At 2 weeks, the percentages of decrease in drainage volume and in lesion lacuna size of the thoracic-abdominal wall (82% and 80%, respectively) in patients receiving the multiple incisions combined with radical therapy were significantly different from those who did not receive the multiple incisions (46% and 45%) (Both P<0.01). At 4 weeks, in some of the patients receiving the multiple incisions combined with radical therapy, the lacuna of the thoracic-abdominal wall disappeared completely, and the lesions with flowing masses had been cleared. CONCLUSIONS: The new method of subareolar incision combined with surgery for inferior segment of mass to clean the mixture and thoroughly eliminate the lacuna of the thoracic-abdominal wall as well as suture to close the intramammary fistula can improve the treatment efficacy.