Search

ALA-PDT (5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy) is a central modality in the treatment of skin diseases. Increasing the bioavailability of ALA remains a critical issue. With this in mind, our study explores a novel route of ALA delivery by loading acrylic nanoparticles (ANPs). Methods: ALA-ANPs were synthesized by emulsion polymerisation and characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The effects of ALA-ANPs on HaCaT cell line were evaluated, including characteristics, morphological changes, protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence kinetics, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential and ki67 expression in these cells. Results: The ANPs had uniform sizes, smooth surfaces and excellent light transmittance, with diameters of 150– 200 nm. In contrast, the ALA - ANPs had uneven surfaces and poor light transmittance, with diameters of 220– 250 nm. During 12 hours of co-incubation of HaCaT cells with ALA, the intracellular accumulation of PpIX increased over time. Notably, after 6 hours of incubation, PpIX levels induced by 1.81 mg/mL ALA-ANPs exceeded those induced by 1.0 mM ALA (p < 0.01). CCK-8 results showed a positive correlation between PDT-induced inhibition of HaCaT cell proliferation and ALA concentration when ALA concentration remained below 2.0 mM. Compared to the 1.0 mM ALA group, the 1.81 mg/mL ALA-ANPs group showed decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, ki67 immunofluorescence intensity and cell proliferation. In contrast, ROS levels were significantly increased in the 1.81 mg/mL ALA-ANPs group (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Loading ANPs provide improved stability and potency for ALA. The ALA-ANPs-PDT approach has superior inhibitory effects on HaCaT proliferation in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple moldy core is a fungus-infested disease that is extremely insidious, usually occurring inside the fruit, making it very difficult to distinguish from the exterior with the naked eye. Using VIS/NIR transmission spectroscopy, this study successfully detected moldy core apples. By combining four wavelength selection algorithms (CARS, CARS-SPA, MC-UVE, and MC-UVE-SPA) with four classifiers (SVM, ELM, KNN, and LDA-KNN), discrimination models were established for two-class and three-class classifications. MC-UVE-SPA-LDA-KNN achieved an AUC of 0.99 and an accuracy of 98.82% for two-class classification, while MC-UVE-SPA achieved an AUC of 0.99 and an accuracy of 97.64% for three-class classification. This confirms MC-UVE-SPA as an effective tool for selecting wavelengths specific to moldy core apples, facilitating precise identification and differentiation of apple states. This study advances dynamic online detection of early-stage moldy core conditions in apples, reducing post-harvest disease occurrence and preserving fruit quality effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the characteristics of multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cells labeled with chloromethyl dialkylcarbocyanine (CM-Dil) in culture and in skin wounds of rats. Normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) were obtained from foreskins and were confirmed by immunocytochemistry with vimentin. Muse cells were derived from NHDFs using long-term trypsinization (LTT), were confirmed using immunocytochemistry with antibodies against stage specific embryonic antigen-3 (SSEA-3) and CD105 and were expanded in suspension cultures. The Muse cells were labeled with CM-Dil and were further evaluated with respect to their biological properties using CCK-8 assays and scratch tests. One hundred µl CM-Dil-labeled Muse cells at a concentration of 5 × 103/µl were injected subcutaneously at the edges of skin wounds in adult male SD rats. At weeks 1, 3 and 5 after the injection, the distribution of CM-Dil-labeled Muse cells in skin tissues was observed using immunofluorescence microscopy. Muse cells were double-positive for CD105 and SSEA-3. ALP staining of the M-clusters were positive and they displayed orange-red fluorescence after labelling with CM-Dil, which had no adverse effects on their viability, migration or differentiation capacity. One week after the subcutaneous injection of CM-Dil-labeled Muse cells, many cells with orange-red fluorescence were observed at the edges of the skin injuries; those fluorescent spots gradually decreased over time, and only a few Muse cells with fluorescence could be detected by week 5. CM-Dil can be used to label Muse cells without affecting their proliferation, migration or differentiation, and can be used for short-term tracking of Muse cells for the treatment of skin wounds in a rat model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One normal outburst and three mini‐outbursts have been detected by Rossi X‐ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) satellite after 2000 in the well‐known black hole X‐ray binary XTE J1550‐564. In our work, we explored the energy spectral properties of the four outbursts and the three mini‐outbursts retained in the Low/Hard state. The results show that the X‐ray spectra of the three mini‐outbursts are harder than that of normal outburst and have no disk component. In the correlation analysis, the Γ−LX/LEdd$$ \Gamma -{L}_{\mathrm{X}}/{L}_{\mathrm{Edd}} $$ anti‐relationship of the three mini‐outbursts suggested that it may be a result of the incomplete evolutionary success of Shakura‐Sunyaev disk. The whole X‐ray spectral correlation evolution shows well the state transition from the Shakura‐Sunyaev disk to the advection‐dominated accretion flow. We think that the three mini‐outbursts may originated from a small discrete accretion event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify potential diagnostic markers for vitiligo and determine the significance of immune cell infiltration in pathology.Methods: Three publicly available gene expression profiles (GSE53146, GSE75819 and GSE65127 datasets) from human vitiligo and control samples were downloaded from the GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened between 20 vitiligo and 20 control samples. Logical regression of the selection operator (LASSO) model and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) analysis were performed to identify candidate biomarkers. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value was obtained and was used to evaluate the discriminatory ability. The expression level and diagnostic value of the biomarkers in vitiligo were further validated in the GSE65127 dataset (10 vitiligo patients and 10 healthy controls). Finally, the immune cell infiltration of vitiligo was evaluated by CIBERSORT, and the correlation between biomarkers and infiltrating immune cells was analyzed. The compositional patterns of the 22 types of immune cell fractions in vitiligo were estimated from the pooled cohorts using CIBERSORT. In addition, we established a mouse model of vitiligo with monobenzone and validated the screened biomarkers.Results: A total of 23 associated DEGs were identified, including 9 up-regulated and 14 down-regulated genes. Subsequently, 17 genes meeting prognostic criteria and 2 common genes (DCT and KIF1A) were obtained by SVM and Venn diagram screening. Immunodifferential analysis showed that microenvironment of vitiligo patients was altered. Finally, the different expression was verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Conclusion: Biomarkers associated with vitiligo can be screened by comprehensive strategies, and immune cell infiltration plays a key role in the development of vitiligo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize the effects of miRNA‐27a‐3p on the biological properties of human epidermal melanocytes (MCs). Methods: MCs were obtained from human foreskins and transfected with miRNA‐27a‐3p mimic (induces the overexpression of miRNA‐27a‐3p), mimic‐NC (the negative control group), miRNA‐27a‐3p inhibitor, or inhibitor‐NC. After transfection, the proliferation of MCs in each group was evaluated by cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days. Twenty‐four hours later, the MCs were transferred onto a living cell imaging platform and cultured for another 12 h to detect their trajectories and velocities. On days 3, 4, and 5 after transfection, the expression of melanogenesis‐related mRNAs, protein levels, and melanin contents were measured using reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), Western blotting, and NaOH solubilization, respectively. Results: The RT‐PCR results showed that miRNA‐27a‐3p was successfully transfected into MCs. The proliferation of MCs was restrained by miRNA‐27a‐3p. There were no significant differences in the movement trajectories of MCs in the four transfected groups, but the cell movement velocity in the mimic group was slightly lower; that is, the overexpression of miRNA‐27a‐3p inhibited the speed of MCs. The expression levels of melanogenesis‐related mRNAs and proteins were decreased in the mimic group and were increased in the inhibitor group. Melanin content in the mimic group was lower than that in the other three groups. Conclusions: Overexpression of miRNA‐27a‐3p inhibits the expression of melanogenesis‐related mRNAs and proteins, reduces the melanin content of human epidermal MCs, and slightly impacts their movement speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: It is acknowledged that aberrant liver immunity contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Mucosal‐associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, an innate‐like T‐cell subset, are enriched in the human liver. Nevertheless, the characterisation and potential role of hepatic MAIT cells in T2DM remain unclear. Materials and methods: Fourteen newly diagnosed T2DM subjects and 15 controls received liver biopsy. The frequency and cytokine production of MAIT cells were analysed by flow cytometry. The expression of genes involved in glucose metabolism was determined in HepG2 cells co‐cultured with hepatic MAIT cells. Results: Compared with controls, hepatic MAIT cell frequency was significantly increased in T2DM patients (24.66% vs. 14.61%, p = 0.001). There were more MAIT cells producing interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ, 60.49% vs. 33.33%, p = 0.021) and tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α, 46.84% vs. 5.91%, p = 0.021) in T2DM than in controls, whereas their production of interleukin 17 (IL‐17) was comparable (15.25% vs. 4.55%, p = 0.054). Notably, an IFN‐γ+TNF‐α+IL‐17+/−producing MAIT cell subset was focussed, which showed an elevated proportion in T2DM (42.66% vs. 5.85%, p = 0.021) and positively correlated with plasma glucose levels. A co‐culture experiment further indicated that hepatic MAIT cells from T2DM upregulated the gene expression of pyruvate carboxylase, a key molecule involved in gluconeogenesis, in HepG2 cells, and this response was blocked with neutralising antibodies against IFN‐γ and TNF‐α. Conclusions: Our data implicate an increased Th1‐like MAIT cell subset in the liver of newly diagnosed T2DM subjects, which induces hyperglycaemia by promoting hepatic gluconeogenesis. It provides novel insights into the immune regulation of metabolic homoeostasis. Clinical trial registration number: NCT03296605 (registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov on 12 October 2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific energy and self-discharge are two important performances of electrochemical capacitors. In this work, we have fabricated the composite electrodes by complexing the negatively charged carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (cMWCNT) with the redox active units-containing positively charged random copolymers. 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidinyl-N-oxyl and viologen are employed as model redox active units to exemplify the strategy of the concurrent increase of specific energy and suppression of self-discharge of a two-electrode device. The slower hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions compared with the reactions of the redox active units lead to an increased electrolyte decomposition window, thereby giving rise to an increase in specific energy. On the other hand, the complexation between the cMWCNT and the copolymers suppresses both the redox shuttling and the cross-diffusion of the redox active units-containing polymer chains, leading to an improved performance of self-discharge. Based on the complexation between carbon nanotubes and redox active units-containing charged copolymers, this work provides a convenient and universal strategy to concurrently increase specific energy and suppress self-discharge of electrochemical capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Brain decoding is to predict the external stimulus information from the collected brain response activities, and visual information is one of the most important sources of external stimulus information. Decoding functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based on visual stimulation is helpful in understanding the working mechanism of the brain visual function regions. Traditional brain decoding algorithms cannot accurately extract stimuli features from fMRI. To address these shortcomings, this paper proposed a brain decoding algorithm based on a graph convolution network (GCN). Firstly, 11 regions of interest (ROI) were selected according to the human brain visual function regions, which can avoid the noise interference of the non-visual regions of the human brain; then, a deep three-dimensional convolution neural network was specially designed to extract the features of these 11 regions; next, the GCN was used to extract the functional correlation features between the different human brain visual regions. Furthermore, to avoid the problem of gradient disappearance when there were too many layers of graph convolutional neural network, the residual connections were adopted in our algorithm, which helped to integrate different levels of features in order to improve the accuracy of the proposed GCN. The proposed algorithm was tested on the public dataset, and the recognition accuracy reached 98.67%. Compared with the other state-of-the-art algorithms, the proposed algorithm performed the best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to characterize the molecular properties of multilineage differentiating stress‐enduring (Muse) cells compared with dermal fibroblasts (FBs) and to characterize differences in their transcriptomes and open chromatin regions that are involved in cellular plasticity. Assay for transposase‐accessible chromatin with high‐throughput sequencing (ATAC‐seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) analyses was then performed on FBs and Muse cells. Subsequently, cell type‐selective gene regulatory regions were identified by coalition analysis. Expression patterns of transcription factors (TFs) and signaling pathways intermediates were verified using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. RNA‐seq identified 2355 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that regulate the transcriptome, including 1222 upregulated and 1133 downregulated DEGs. The general panorama of RNA‐seq and ATAC‐seq analyses confirmed the differences in TFs and open chromatin regions between FBs and Muse cells. ATAC‐seq analysis showed that Muse cells had more reproducible and meaningful peaks than FBs, and the peak signals were concentrated near promoter‐transcription start site areas. In genomic regions that can be preferentially accessed in FBs and Muse cells, more than 200 TFs had binding motif sequences. Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and coalition analyses identified differences in factors involved in the cell cycle and the protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway of FBs and Muse cells. The results of RNA‐seq and ATAC‐seq analyses clarified the genetic basis of the different biological properties of Muse cells and FBs. These results suggest that the cell cycle transition and the AKT signaling pathway may affect the morphology and biological characteristics of Muse cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable devices are increasingly popular for health monitoring via electrocardiograms (ECGs) as they can portably monitor heart conditions over a long time. However, so far there are no publicly available ECG data sets collected from wearable devices. Most ECG analysis algorithms target ECG data collected by hospital equipment. In the present study, we used the IREALCARE2.0 Flexible Cardiac Monitor Patch as the wearable device to collect ECG signals and formed ECG data sets. Wearable ECG data tended to contain more interference and be large in size. This article proposed a deep CNN approach, named time–spatial convolutional neural networks (TSCNNs), for the automatic classification and analysis of ECG signals from wearable devices. First, the original long-term ECG signals were divided into separate heartbeats and input into the TSCNN. Second, we applied convolution over time and spatial filtering for each heartbeat to extract abundant features. Finally, the cascaded small-scale kernel convolution was applied to improve classification performance and reduce the number of network parameters. To avoid overfitting, some regularized methods such as dropout and batch normalization were adopted. In the experiments, the method proposed in this letter is compared with other eight ECG classification algorithms. Our method attained the highest classification accuracy. The experimental results indicated that the proposed method can achieve better performance for wearable ECG data and can effectively monitor whether the wearer has an abnormal ECG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we construct a sample of black hole X‐ray binaries (BH XRBs), low‐luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGNs), and FR Is with wider distribution of Eddington ratios and re‐explore their fundamental plane of BH activities, that is, logLR=ξXlogLX+ξMlogLMBH+c0. We find that the quiescent BH sources follow a similar fundamental plane (ξX ∼ 0.6) with sub‐Eddington BH sources very well, while the strong radio sources (e.g., FR Is) follow a steeper fundamental plane (ξX ∼ 1.30). We also find that the radio–X‐ray correlation of quiescent BH sources are still on the extension of sub‐Eddington BH sources and the strong radio sources follow a steeper correlation (ξX ∼ 1.30). The results are consistent with recent observations in BH XRBs. It is predicted that the X‐ray emissions of both sub‐Eddington BH sources and quiescent BH sources originate from radiatively inefficient accretion mode, while the X‐ray emissions of strong radio sources dominantly originate from the jet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper presents an earthquake‐resistance study program of a long‐span cantilevered story building. The program consists of a shaking table test study and nonlinear seismic analysis using finite element modeling technique. A 1/30 scale model of the prototype structure was designed and manufactured and then tested via the shaking table facility. Dynamic responses of the prototype structure under different earthquake excitation loadings were simulated. Dynamic properties, acceleration, and deformation responses of the scale down model under different intensity levels of earthquake were studied. The dynamic behavior, cracking pattern, and the likely governing failure mechanism of the structure were analyzed and discussed as well. The seismic responses of the prototype building were deduced and analyzed in terms of the similitude law. Furthermore, elaborate finite element models were established, and nonlinear numerical analysis of the prototype structure was conducted. The errors in the seismic response of the structure caused by structural simplification of scale down modeling are found small, and the dynamic behavior of the structure was not altered in the earthquake excitations. This test study provides a benchmark to calibrate the finite element model and a tentative guide in seismic design of such long‐span cantilevered story buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion of the article "Shear Deformations of Slender Reinforced Concrete Walls under Seismic Loading," by Katrin Beyer, Alessandro Dazio, and M. J. Nigel Priestley from the March-April 2011 issue as well as a response by the authors. Topics include the calculation of shear displacement ductility, axial strain distribution, and the variation of shear-to-flexural displacement ratios.