Controllable self-assembly of thiophene-based π-conjugated molecule and further construction of pillar[5]arene-based host-guest white-light emission system.

Photoluminescence materials have been widely applied in biological imaging and sensing, anti-counterfeiting, light-emitting diodes, logic gates et al. The fabrication of luminescent materials with adjustable emission color by self-assembly of π-conjugated molecules has attracted particular attention. In this study, we designed and synthesized a thiophene-based α-cyanostyrene-derivative (TPPA), then investigate its self-assembly morphology and fluorescence emission under different organic solvents, different proportions of H2O/THF (DMSO) mixture and different pH conditions by UV, FL and SEM images. It was found that TPPA formed nanoparticles by self-assembly in organic solvent (THF or DMSO), accompanied by strong fluorescence emission. However, with the increase of water ratio, the fluorescence intensity decreased accompany with red shift, and the self-assembly morphology changed from nanoparticles to fibers. More interestingly, when pillar[5]arene (P5) was added to form host-guest complex with TPPA, white light emission could be successfully constructed when the ratio of TPPA to P5 was 1:20 and THF to water was 19:1.

Development of a Sensitive Quality Evaluation System for Chinese Outstanding Female Boxers.

Objective: To construct an evaluation system for the sensitivity quality of outstanding Chinese female boxers and to develop comprehensive evaluation criteria for the sensitivity quality of outstanding female boxers. Methods: Using literature method, Telfer method, expert interview method, and experimental test method to analyze the special sensitivity quality structural elements of female boxers. Results: The evaluation indexes of female boxers' sensitivity quality consisted of three structural elements: ability to change movements, ability to change direction, and balance ability; the evaluation index system of female boxers' sensitivity quality, including 3 primary indexes and 11 measurement indexes, in which the weights of the primary indexes of female boxers' special sensitivity quality were 0.44 for the ability to change movements (0.22 for 1 min dodge defense, 0.22 for 1 min combination punching sandbag 0.21, 30 s standing push-up 0.21, and 30 s leg change jumping punch 0.19), the ability to change direction 0.39 (30 s continuous head hold squat 0.16, 1 min 3 m sides slide touch 0.29, 20 s repeated side slide 0.28, 10 m ∗ 4 round trip run 0.24, and 1 min quadrant jump 0.19), and balance ability 0.17 (15 s rotating and then walking forward 5 m 0.51, carrying legs to support balance 0.49), the ability to change movements has the largest proportion in the sensitivity quality of female boxers, followed by the ability to change direction and balance ability. Conclusion: Based on the constructed evaluation index system, 11 individual indexes' evaluation criteria and four levels of comprehensive evaluation criteria for the sensitivity quality of female boxers were established by using the deviation method and percentile method.

B and T lymphocyte attenuator regulates autophagy in mycobacterial infection via the AKT/mTOR signal pathway.

The survivability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) in macrophages in granuloma is a predominant cause for tuberculosis (TB) infection and recurrence. However, the mechanism of mycobacterial clearance in macrophages still needs further study. Here, we explored a novel role of B and T lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA) in macrophage-mediated host defense against mycobacterial infection. We found that the surface expression of BTLA was increased in CD14+ monocytes from active TB patients. The mRNA levels of BTLA were induced in human and mice monocytes/macrophages during Mycobacterium bovis BCG or M.tb H37Rv infection, as well as spleen and lung of H37Rv-infected mice. Furthermore, silencing of BTLA promoted the intracellular survival of BCG and H37Rv by suppressing the autophagy in macrophages but not effecting phagocytosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. Silence of BTLA reduced bacterial-autophagosome and bacterial-lysosome colocalization. Moreover, BTLA inhibited AKT and mTOR signaling substrates S6K and 4EBP1 phosphorylation in BCG and H37Rv infected macrophages, and BTLA-mediated AKT-mTOR signaling and intracellular BCG survival were reversed by PI3K inhibitors in macrophages. Finally, treatment with BTLA agonist ameliorated lung pathology and promoted autophagy and mycobacterial clearance during mycobacterial infection in vivo. These results demonstrate that BTLA promotes host defense against mycobacteria by enhancing autophagy, which may provide potential therapeutic interventions against tuberculosis.

Fiber-Based Clock Synchronization Method for Medical Ultrasound System.

Brain ultrasound has attracted great attention recently due to its noninvasive treatment function for brain diseases. However, ultrasound is still difficult to pass through an intact skull. Phase correction is recognized as an effective method for skull compensation. Half-wavelength pitch transducer is important for the phase correction and, hence, thousands of elements array is required to cover large area human tissue. The clock synchronization between elements is crucial for the phase correction; however, the traditional clock scheme which is designed for 128- or 256-element system is not suitable for thousands of elements. In addition, the clock scheme needs to be magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible since MRI-guided intervention is becoming a routine operation for the brain ultrasound. This study is the first to propose an optical fiber-based clock synchronization method for MRI-guided ultrasound array system. The optical fiber not only distributes the clock but also sets up a link to transmit the data for ultrasound beamformer. The link is full-duplex so both the clock and the data can be transmitted and received simultaneously. The precision of clock synchronization is less than 557 ps when using 50 MHz clock, and the period jitter of the clock is less than 10 ps (rms). Multiple 128- or 256-channel ultrasonic systems can be synchronized, and the error between the channels can be less than 10 ns when using 1-MHz ultrasound transducer. The system can work in an MRI scanning room and communicate with a console via only one fiber. In vivo primate animal study has been achieved, and it has been proven that the proposed clock scheme is suitable for MRI-guided large-scale ultrasound array system.

TLT2 Suppresses Th1 Response by Promoting IL-6 Production in Monocyte Through JAK/STAT3 Signal Pathway in Tuberculosis.

The function of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell-like transcript 2 (TLT2) has not been characterized and their role in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains unclear. In this study, we found that surface TLT2 was up-regulated in human monocytes of patients with active TB compared to healthy subjects. In vitro, TLT2 expression was induced in human monocyte cell line THP-1 cells after bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) H37Rv infection. Knockdown of TLT2 by siRNA transfection suppressed IL-6 expression, whereas over-expression of TLT2 increased IL-6 production in THP-1 cells infected by H37Rv. TLT2+CD14+ monocytes produced higher level of IL-6 compared to TLT2- subset in active TB patients. Western blot and immunocoprecipitation revealed that TLT2 interacted with kinase JAK1/JAK2/Tyk2 to enhance STAT3 phosphorylation. Moreover, we showed that tyrosine residues 297 and 315 of TLT2 cytoplasmic domain were involved in STAT3 activation. In monocyte/CD4+ T cell co-culture assay, blockage of TLT2 fusion protein facilitated IFN-γ production by CD4+ T cells. Plate count assay showed that monocyte-mediated bacterial killing was promoted by TLT2 fusion protein. In vivo treatment with TLT-2 fusion protein reduced IL-6 production by macrophage but increased IFN-γ production by CD4+ T cell in H37Rv and BCG infected mice. Furthermore, TLT2 fusion protein attenuated inflammation, and reduced bacterial load in lung of infected mice. Together, these findings demonstrate that TLT2 negatively regulates Th1 response against mycobacterial infection, which promotes IL-6 production through JAK/STAT3 signal pathway.

[A comparative study of MAKO robotic arm assisted total hip arthroplasty and traditional total hip arthroplasty through posterolateral approach].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of total hip arthroplasty (THA) assisted by the MAKO robotic arm via posterolateral approach. METHODS: The clinical data of 70 patients treated with THA via posterolateral approach between March 2017 and March 2019 who met the selection criteria were retrospectively analyzed. According to different treatment methods, the patients were divided into two groups, 35 were treated with MAKO robotic arm assisted THA (MAKO group) and 35 with traditional THA (THA group). There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, disease duration, etiology, perioperative time, preoperative activity of daily living (ADL) scale index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, walking ability, comorbidities, hemoglobin, and other general data between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, postoperative acetabular abduction and anteversion angles, postoperative length difference of bilateral lower limbs, and proportions of intraoperative blood transfusion, immediate postoperative loading, wound drainage time more than 2 days, and complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. According to the X-ray films at 6 months after operation, the reduction quality was judged. The forgotten joint score, Harris score, and proportions of independent walking and ADL index increased were used to evaluate the function recovery of patients. RESULTS: Patients in both groups were followed up 6-18 months, with an average of 8 months. There was no significant difference ( P>0.05) between the two groups in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, acetabular abduction and anteversion angles, and length difference of both lower limbs at 6 months after operation. There was no significant difference in the proportions of intraoperative blood transfusion, immediate postoperative loading, and wound drainage time more than 2 days between the two group ( P>0.05). X-ray reexamination at 6 months after operation showed that there was no significant difference in the reduction quality between the two groups ( Z=4.191, P=0.123). Postoperative complications occurred in 7 patients (20.0%) in the MAKO group and 10 patients (28.6%) in the THA group, showing no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups ( χ 2=2.121, P=0.224). Two patients (5.7%) in the MAKO group and 4 patients (11.4%) in the THA group underwent revision within 6 months, showing no significant difference in the revision rate between the two groups ( χ 2=0.729, P=0.673). At 3 and 6 months after operation, the proportions of independent walking and ADL index increased showed no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Harris scores in both groups improved significantly when compared with preoperative scores ( P<0.05); there was no significant difference in the forgotten joint scores and Harris scores between the two groups ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with traditional THA, MAKO robotic arm assisted THA has longer operation time and more intraoperative blood loss, but it has the advantages of accurate positioning and simple operation, and there is no significant difference in short-term postoperative function recovery.

Transplantation of IL-10-Overexpressing Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorates Diabetic-Induced Impaired Fracture Healing in Mice.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is characterized by hyperglycemia which displays insufficiency or resistance to insulin. One of the complications of diabetes is the increased risk of fracture and the impairment of bone repair and regulation. There have been evidences from previous studies that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow promote cartilage and callous formation. In addition, IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, has been observed to relieve inflammation-related complications in diabetes. METHODS: In this study, the role of IL-10-overexpressing bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) was examined in the diabetic mice model with femur fracture. MSCs were isolated from the BALB/c mice and IL-10 over expression was conducted with lentivirus transduction. The streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes model with femoral fracture was established. BM-MSCs with IL-10 over expression were transplanted into the fracture area. The expressions of inflammatory factors IL-6, TNF-α and INF-γ were examined by qPCR and immunoblot; the biomechanical strength of the fracture site of the mice was examined and evaluated. RESULTS: Data showed that IL-10 overexpressed BM-MSCs transplantation decreased inflammatory response, promoted bone formation, and increased the strength of the fracture site in STZ-induced diabetic mice with femoral fracture. CONCLUSION: IL-10 overexpressed BM-MSCs transplantation accelerated fracture repair in STZ-induced diabetic mice, which in turn provides potential clinical application prospects.

New Sm-PMN-PT Ceramic-Based 2-D Array for Low-Intensity Ultrasound Therapy Application.

A two-dimensional (2-D) array with a small pitch (approximately 0.5λ in medium) can achieve complete 3-D control of ultrasound beams without grating lobes and enable the generation of multiple focal spots simultaneously, which is a desired tool for noninvasive therapy. However, the large electrical impedance of 2-D array elements owing to their small size results in a low energy transfer efficiency between a 2-D array and an electrical system, thereby limiting their practical applications. This article presents the development of a 1-MHz 256-element 2-D array ultrasonic transducer of low electrical impedance based on a new Sm-doped Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (Sm-PMN-PT) piezoceramic with ultrahigh dielectric permittivity. The electrical impedance of the array element is decreased by 3.4 times as the Sm-PMN-PT replacing commercial PZT-5H. Consequently, the output acoustic pressure of the 2-D array made of Sm-PMN-PT ceramic is approximately twice that of the 2-D array made of PZT-5H ceramic under the same excitation conditions. Array elements are spaced at a 1.1-mm pitch ( 0.71λ in water), enabling a large steering range of the ultrasound beam. A multiple-target blood-brain barrier opening in vivo is demonstrated using the proposed 2-D array with electronic focusing and steering. The obtained results indicate that the 2-D array made of Sm-PMN-PT ceramic is promising for practical use in low-intensity ultrasound therapy applications.

ATP6V1H facilitates osteogenic differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells via Akt/GSK3ß signaling pathway.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for approximately 90% of all diabetic patients, and osteoporosis is one of the complications during T2DM process. ATP6V1H (V-type proton ATPase subunit H) displays crucial roles in inhibiting bone loss, but its role in osteogenic differentiation remains unknown. Therefore in this study, we aimed to explore the biological role of ATP6V1H in osteogenic differentiation. OM (osteogenic medium) and HG (high glucose and free fatty acids) were used to induce the MC3T3-E1 cells into osteogenic differentiation in a T2DM simulating environment. CCK8 assay was used to detect cell viability. Alizarin Red staining was used to detect the influence of ATP6V1H on osteogenic differentiation. ATP6V1H expression increased in OM-MC3T3-E1 cells, while decreased in OM+HG-MC3T3-E1 cells. ATP6V1H promoted osteogenic differentiation of OM+HG-MC3T3-E1 cells. Overexpression of ATP6V1H inhibited Akt/GSK3ß signaling pathway, while knockdown of ATP6V1H promoted Akt/GSK3ß signaling pathway. ATP6V1H overexpression promoted osteogenic differentiation of OM+HG-MC3T3-E1 cells. The role of ATP6V1H in osteogenic differentiation in a T2DM simulating environment involved in Akt/GSK3ß signaling pathway. These data demonstrated that ATP6V1H could serve as a potential target for osteogenic differentiation in a T2DM simulating environment.

Immunoglobulin-Like Transcript 5 Inhibits Macrophage-Mediated Bacterial Killing and Antigen Presentation During Sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Immunosuppression contributes to the mortality of sepsis. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. METHODS: In the present study, we investigated the role of inhibitory receptor immunoglobulin-like transcript 5 (ILT5) in sepsis. We first screened the expression of ILT family members, and we found that ILT5 was dramatically up-regulated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from sepsis patients versus healthy donors. RESULTS: Knockdown of ILT5 by small interfering ribonucleic acid increased bacterial killing and reactive oxygen species production in THP-1 and RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, ILT5-expressing monocytes/macrophages exhibited lower expression of antigen-presenting molecules including major histocompatibility complex-II and CD80. In the in vitro coculture system with monocytes/macrophages, blockage of ILT5 facilitated Th1 proliferation and differentiation of CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that pretreatment with ILT5 blocking peptide improved the survival and pulmonary pathology of septic mice. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our study identified ILT5 as an immunosuppressive regulator during sepsis, which may provide potential therapeutic strategy for sepsis.

Development of a wearable-sensor-based fall detection system.

Fall detection is a major challenge in the public healthcare domain, especially for the elderly as the decline of their physical fitness, and timely and reliable surveillance is necessary to mitigate the negative effects of falls. This paper develops a novel fall detection system based on a wearable device. The system monitors the movements of human body, recognizes a fall from normal daily activities by an effective quaternion algorithm, and automatically sends request for help to the caregivers with the patient's location.

Functional polymorphisms in NFκB1/IκBα predict risks of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer in Chinese.

Lung inflammation is the major pathogenetic feature for both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. The nuclear factor-kappa B (NFκB) and its inhibitor (IκB) play crucial roles in inflammatory. Here, we tested the hypothesis that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NFκB/IκB confer consistent risks for COPD and lung cancer. Four putative functional SNPs (NFκB1: -94del>insATTG; NFκB2: -2966G>A; IκBα: -826C>T, 2758G>A) were analyzed in southern and validated in eastern Chineses to test their associations with COPD risk in 1,511 COPD patients and 1,677 normal lung function controls, as well as lung cancer risk in 1,559 lung cancer cases and 1,679 cancer-free controls. We found that the -94ins ATTG variants (ins/del + ins/ins) in NFκB1 conferred an increased risk of COPD (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.06-1.52) and promoted COPD progression by accelerating annual FEV1 decline (P = 0.015). The 2758AA variant in IκBα had an increased risk of lung cancer (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.30-1.80) by decreasing IκBα expression due to the modulation of microRNA hsa-miR-449a but not hsa-miR-34b. Furthermore, both adverse genotypes exerted effect on increasing lung cancer risk in individuals with pre-existing COPD, while the -94del>insATTG did not in those without pre-existing COPD. However, no significant association with COPD or lung cancer was observed for -2966G>A and -826C>T. Our data suggested a common susceptible mechanism of inflammation in lung induced by genetic variants in NFκB1 (-94del>ins ATTG) or IκBα (2758G>A) to predict risk of COPD or lung cancer.

Association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer: a case-control study in Southern Chinese and a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) share a common risk factor in cigarette smoking and a large portion of patients with lung cancer suffer from COPD synchronously. We therefore hypothesized that COPD is an independent risk factor for lung cancer. Our aim was to investigate the intrinsic linkage of COPD (or emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma) and lung cancer. METHODS: The present hospital-based case-control study included 1,069 patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer and 1,132 age frequency matched cancer-free controls. The odds ratios (ORs) for the associations between each previous pulmonary disease and lung cancer were estimated with logistic regression models, adjusting for age, sex, family history of cancer, BMI and pack year smoking. In meta-analysis, the pooled effects of previous pulmonary diseases were analyzed with random effects models; and stratification analyses were conducted on smoking status and ethnicity. RESULTS: In the case-control study, previous COPD was associated with the odds for increased risk of lung cancer (OR = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00∼1.68); so were emphysema (OR = 1.55, 95%CI = 1.03∼2.32) and chronic bronchitis (OR = 1.22, 95%CI = 0.99∼1.67); while asthma was associated with odds for decreased risk of lung cancer (OR = 0.29, 95%CI = 0.16∼0.53). These associations were more pronounced in smokers (P<.05 for all strata), but not in non-smokers. In meta-analysis, 35 studies (22,010 cases and 44,438 controls) were identified. COPD was significantly associated with the odds for increased risk of lung cancer (pooled OR = 2.76; 95% CI = 1.85-4.11), so were emphysema (OR = 3.02; 95% CI = 2.41-3.79) and chronic bronchitis (OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.49-2.36); and these associations were more pronounced in smokers than in non-smokers (P<.001 respectively). No significant association was observed for asthma. CONCLUSION: Previous COPD could increase the risk of lung cancer, especially in smokers.

Functional polymorphisms of CHRNA3 predict risks of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer in Chinese.

Recently, several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified many susceptible single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer which are two closely related diseases. Among those SNPs, some of them are shared by both the diseases, reflecting there is possible genetic similarity between the diseases. Here we tested the hypothesis that whether those shared SNPs are common predictor for risks or prognosis of COPD and lung cancer. Two SNPs (rs6495309 and rs1051730) located in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 3 (CHRNA3) gene were genotyped in 1511 patients with COPD, 1559 lung cancer cases and 1677 controls in southern and eastern Chinese populations. We found that the rs6495309CC and rs6495309CT/CC variant genotypes were associated with increased risks of COPD (OR = 1.32, 95% C.I. = 1.14-1.54) and lung cancer (OR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.31-1.87), respectively. The rs6495309CC genotype contributed to more rapid decline of annual Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in both COPD cases and controls (P<0.05), and it was associated with advanced stages of COPD (P = 0.033); the rs6495309CT/CC genotypes conferred a poor survival for lung cancer (HR = 1.41, 95%CI = 1.13-1.75). The luciferase assays further showed that nicotine and other tobacco chemicals had diverse effects on the luciferase activity of the rs6495309C or T alleles. However, none of these effects were found for another SNP, rs1051730G>A. The data show a statistical association and suggest biological plausibility that the rs6495309T>C polymorphism contributed to increased risks and poor prognosis of both COPD and lung cancer.

[The investigation of the relationship between Leptin-insulin resistance and pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute exacerbation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between Leptin-insulin resistance and pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with acute exacerbation. METHODS: Fifty-six patients with COPD with acute exacerbation were divided into two groups according to the fasting plasma glucose level [the hyperglycemia group: fasting blood glucose (FBG)> or =6.2 mmol/L, n=42. the hypoglycemia group: FBG 3.1-6.2 mmol/L, n=14], and 20 normal healthy controls [the control group, FBG (5.49+/-1.06) mmol/L)] were also included in the study. All patients had complete data of FBG, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin (ALB), Leptin, fasting serum insulin (FISN), counting insulin sensitivity index (ISI), and pulmonary function tests [forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1 in percentage of forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), total respiratory impedance (Zrs), airway resistance at 5, 20 Hz (R5, R20), airway resistance of capacitance and inertance at 5, 20 Hz (X5, X20), core resistance (Rc), periphery resistance (Rp), frequency resonant (Fres)]. RESULTS: The FBG, FISN, CRP were significantly higher and body mass index (BMI), ALB, ISI were significantly lower in the hyperglycemia group compared with control group (all P<0.01), but there was no difference in Leptin level (P>0.05). However, BMI, ALB, Leptin, ISI were significantly decreased and CRP, FISN were significantly increased in hypoglycemia group compared with the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). FBG, FISN, Leptin, CRP were significantly higher and ISI was significantly lower in hyperglycemia group compared with the hypoglycemia group (all P<0.01), but there was no significant difference in BMI and ALB (both P>0.05). The serum levels of Leptin was significantly positively correlated with Zrs, R5, R20, Rc, BMI (all P<0.01), and with significantly negative correlations with FEV1, X20 (P<0.01 and P<0.05), but had no correlation with FEV1/FVC, PEF, MMEF, X5, Rp, Fres (all P>0.05). ISI had significant positive correlations with FEV1/FVC, FEV1, PEF, MMEF (P<0.05 or P<0.01), but it had significant negative correlations with Zrs, R5, R20, X5, Rc, Rp, X20, BMI (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and no correlation with Fres. Multiple organ failure (MOF) was found in 6 cases (14%) in hyperglycemia group, one case (7%) was found in the second group, the incidence of MOF in hyperglycemia group was significantly higher compared with the hypoglycemia group (P<0.01). The length of hospital stay was prolonged in hyperglycemia group, compared with hypoglycemia group [(25.00+/-0.13) days vs. (17.93+/-0.22) days, P<0.01]. CONCLUSION: High glucose and Leptin-insulin resistance may aggravate the impairment of pulmonary function, prolong the length of hospital stay in the patient with COPD.