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Utilizing the phase transition principle of VO 2 , this paper presents a tunable ultra-wideband terahertz perfect absorption device with simple structure and tunability. The proposed broadband terahertz perfect absorption device is a three-layer structure with a metal reflective layer, a silicon dioxide dielectric layer and a VO 2 layer from bottom to top. It was found that the terahertz perfect absorption device's absorption could be dynamically adjusted from 1.2% to 99.9% when changing from an insulated to a metallic state. With the VO 2 in the metallic state, the terahertz perfect absorption device has an absorption efficiency of more than 90% in 4.00 to 10.08 THz's ultra-broadband range and near-perfect absorption is achieved in the ranges of 4.71 THz to 5.16 THz and 7.74 THz to 8.06 THz. To explain the working principle of this terahertz perfect absorption device, this paper utilizes wave interference's principle, theory of impedance matching and electric field analysis. Compared to previously reported terahertz metamaterial devices, the vanadium dioxide device proposed in this paper is significantly optimized in terms of tunable range and absorption bandwidth. In addition, the terahertz perfect absorption device is polarization insensitive and maintains good absorptivity over a wide-angle incidence range. This tunable ultra-wideband terahertz perfect absorption device could have applications in the fields of modulation, stealth devices, and thermal emission devices.

Objective: To investigate the effect of treatment of Müller A fracture of distal femur with small incision internal fixation assisted by homeopathic bidirectional-traction reduction device., Methods: From January 2018 to December 2019, 22 patients (14 males and 8 females) with Müller type A distal femoral fractures were treated with homeopathic bidirectional-traction assisted reduction and minimally invasive small incision locking plate internal fixation;The age ranged from 29 to 58 years old with an average of (41.23±7.03) years. The time from injury to operation was 1 to 7 days with an average of (3.41±1.71) days. According to Müller classification, there were 4 cases of type A1, 10 cases of type A2, and 8 cases of type A3. The postoperative knee joint function was evaluated by Schatzker Lambert fracture criterion of distal femur., Results: All the incisions healed in one stage without infection, osteomyelitis and other complications. All the fractures healed without malunion and nonunion. All of 22 patients were followed up for 12 to 18 months with an average of (14.50±2.02) months. The healing time was 3 to 6 months with an average of (4.64±1.14) months. According to Schatzker Lambert criteria for distal femoral fracture, 12 cases were excellent, 6 good, and 4 medium., Conclusion: It is an ideal method to treat Müller type A fracture of distal femur with homeopathic bidirectional-traction assisted reduction device and minimally invasive small incision locking plate internal fixation.

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a common and frequently occurring disease of the upper respiratory tract. The nasal instillation of the Gram-negative (G - ) bacterial product lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can induce not only acute sinusitis but also the development of CRSwNP in animal models. Nevertheless, the expression and distribution of LPS in patients with CRSwNP have not been investigated. And the study was to investigate the expression of LPS and its relationship with glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) in CRSwNP., Methods: Multiple methods, including bacterial culture and immunohistochemistry, were used to detect and analyze nasal bacteria, plasma LPS content, and the levels of LPS and GR-α/β, cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression, as well as their relationship in CRSwNP., Results: The number of G - bacteria and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was not significantly different between CRSwNP subjects and the controls. However, the positive rate of LPS was much higher than that of E. coli in CRSwNP subjects and was significantly higher in noneosinophilic CRSwNP subjects than in eosinophilic CRSwNP subjects. Moreover, the LPS levels were positively correlated with GR-β but not GR-α expression in CRSwNP. Immunofluorescence assays showed that LPS was mainly detected in CD68 + macrophages and MPO + neutrophils, in addition to histiocytes, in CRSwNP., Conclusions: Persistent LPS in CRSwNP can lead to unresolved mucosal inflammation, eventually leading to tissue remodeling and the development of CRSwNP. Our findings suggest that increased LPS content and possible resistance to glucocorticoids may be one of the important pathogenic mechanisms of G - bacteria in CRSwNP., (© 2020 The Authors. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: After the scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infected people, increasing numbers of patients have pretreatment drug resistance (PDR). In this study, the prevalence of PDR was evaluated in adults initiating antiretroviral therapy in China., Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 1943 patients who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2017 from 13 provinces or cities in China. Pol sequences were used to analyze drug resistance and construct transmission networks. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the potential factors associated with PDR., Results: In total, 1711 eligible patients (76.0% male; 87.8% aged ≥ 25 years) were included, of which 117 (6.8%) had PDR. The highest rates of PDR were 12.2% in Liangshan Prefecture of Sichuan and 9.3 and 8.9% in Dehong and Lincang Prefecture of Yunnan. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PDR was significantly higher among intravenous drug users (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.57-4.44) and individuals from Liangshan, Dehong, and Lincang (aOR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.26-3.30). In total, 754 sequences were used to generate 164 transmission networks. Five transmission networks had two or three sequences containing the same mutations, two networks contained subjects from Liangshan, and one network contained subjects from Dehong., Conclusions: Overall, the PDR prevalence was moderate, with a particularly high prevalence in areas with severe HIV epidemics. These results indicate the importance of continuous PDR monitoring in patients initiating antiretroviral therapy.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a heterogeneous disease, with varying immunological and histopathological features. The CC chemokine ligand 19 (CCL19) can stimulate T cells and antigen-presenting cells into secondary lymphoid node formation, as observed in allergic rhinitis, inflammatory bowel disease and other inflammatory disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression and significance of CCL19 in CRS. Samples of uncinate process mucosa or nasal polyps were taken from patients with CRS (without or with nasal polyps) and normal controls during surgery. Hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid Schiff and Masson trichrome staining were used for analysis of the nasal polyps. Western blot and immunofluorescence were used to detect CCL19 expression in the nasal polyps and normal nasal mucosa tissues. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the association between CCL19 and blood eosinophil counts. The results showed that CCL19 protein levels in CRS (with or without nasal polyps) were significantly upregulated compared with those in controls. CCL19 expression in eosinophilic CRS was significantly higher than in non-eosinophilic CRS. CCL19 expression in fibroinflammatory and edematous type CRS with nasal polyps was higher than in controls; the upregulation was greater in the edematous type. Immunofluorescence assays showed that CCL19 was mainly expressed by CD68 + macrophages. Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between CCL19 and blood eosinophils. The upregulation of CCL19 in CRS may play a protective role by limiting eosinophil infiltration and the extent of edema to exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.

Mast cell (MC) degranulation is the foundation of the acute phase of allergic rhinitis (AR). Previously, downregulation of GATA binding protein 3 (GATA-3) was shown to suppress MC activation in an AR mouse model. Binding of microRNA-135a (miR-135a) to GATA-3 was also observed, and overexpression of this miRNA decreased GATA-3 mRNA and protein expression. However, the effects of miR-135a on MCs during AR are currently unknown. In the present study, we utilized a lentiviral (LV) vector to intranasally administer miR-135a to ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized AR mice. Following miR-135a treatment, the total serum IgE concentration observed during AR was significantly reduced. In the nasal mucosa, the expression of T-box expressed in T cells (T-bet) was higher, whereas that of GATA-3 was lower in the AR mice following miRNA treatment. Notably, during AR, the ratio of type 1 T-helper cells (Th1) to type 2 (Th2) cells in the spleen is unbalanced, favoring Th2. However, administering miR-135a to the AR mice appeared to balance this ratio by increasing and decreasing the percentage of Th1 and Th2 cells, respectively. MiR-135a also appeared to strongly suppress the infiltration of eosinophils and MCs into the nasal mucosa, and it was specifically localized in the MCs, suggesting that its influence is modulated through regulation of GATA-3 in these cells. Additional work identifying the full therapeutic potential of miR-135a in the treatment of AR and diseases involving allergen-induced inflammation is warranted.

Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression has been linked to cancer development. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the anti‑cancer effect of miRNA‑299‑3p on laryngeal cancer Hep‑2 cells is mediated through targeting human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). The expression of miR‑299‑3p in laryngeal cancer Hep‑2 cells and human osteosarcoma U2OS cells was quantified by stem‑loop‑mediated reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. miR‑299‑3p mimic was transfected into Hep‑2 cells to induce overexpression of miR‑299‑3p. A CCK‑8 assay was performed to identify the effects of miR‑299‑3p overexpression on the proliferation of Hep‑2 cells. Western blot analysis was carried out to determine the expression of hTERT protein. A significant decrease was noted in the expression of miR‑299‑3p in Hep‑2 cells compared with that of U2OS cells (P<0.05). Overexpression of miR‑299‑3p resulted in a notable inhibition of cellular proliferation (P<0.05), as well as downregulation of hTERT mRNA and protein in Hep‑2 cells (P>0.05). The expression of miR‑299‑3p is downregulated in human laryngeal cancer Hep‑2 cells. Overexpression of miR‑299‑3p inhibits Hep‑2 cell growth by targeting the 3'‑untranslated region of hTERT mRNA.

The asymmetric unit of the title salt, (C12H11BrN)2[Ni(C4N2S2)2], consists of one 1-(4-bromo-benz-yl)pyridinium cation and one half of a complex [Ni(mnt)2](2-) (mnt(2-) is the maleo-nitrile-dithiol-ate dianion). The Ni(2+) ion is located on an inversion centre and is coordinated by four S atoms from two mnt(2-) ligands, exhibiting a square-planar coordination environment. In the cation, the planes of the pyridinium and benzene rings make a dihedral angle of 69.86 (19)°. The cations and anions are alternately arranged in layers parallel to (001) and are held together by non-classical C-H⋯N hydrogen bonds.

Background: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) has an important anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory function, and its expression is negatively correlated with the development and severity of allergic rhinitis (AR). However, the in vivo effects of exogenous IL-10 on AR have not been studied and the mechanisms underlying the effects of IL-10 have not been fully understood. Here, we investigated the effects of intranasal administration of recombinant mouse (rm) IL-10 on the expression of Th responses and local IL-10 in a mouse model of AR induced by ovalbumin., Results: Administration of rmIL-10 during challenge significantly reduced the number of eosinophils and mast cells, as well as Type 2 helper T (Th2) and Th17 cell related cytokine and transcription factor levels in the nasal mucosa and nasal lavage fluid in AR mice. The rmIL-10 treatment significantly inhibited the number of IL-10-positive cells and IL-10 mRNA expression in the nasal mucosa in AR mice., Conclusion: Our results show that exogenous IL-10 administrated in challenge phase alleviates nasal allergic inflammation in AR mice, most likely by inhibiting Th2 and Th17 responses. It can also inhibit local IL-10 levels in the nasal mucosa. Our findings indicate that IL-10 may have the potential as an inhibitor of AR.

The title ion-pair complex, (C(25)H(20)ClFP)(2)[Ni(C(2)N(2)S(3))(2)], was obtained by the direct reaction of (4-F,2-ClBzTPP)(+)·Br(-) [4-F,2-ClBzTPP(+) is (2-chloro-4-fluoro-benz-yl)triphenyl-phos-pho-nium], NiCl(2)·6H(2)O and Na(2)tdas (tdas(2-) is 1,2,5-thia-diazole-3,4-dithiol-ate) in methanol. The asymmetric unit of the title structure comprises one (4-F,2-ClBzTPP)(+) cation and half of an [Ni(tdas)(2)](2-) complex anion, with the Ni(II) ion situated on a center of symmetry, leading to a slightly distorted square-planar coordination of the latter. In the cation, the tetra-hedral angles around the P atom are nearly undistorted. In the crystal, the cations and anions are linked by C-H⋯S, C-H⋯N and C-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds.

1. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) plays important roles in the development of cardiac hypertrophy via activation of 5-HT receptors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of 5-HT(2B) receptors in the development of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and hypertrophy associated with noradrenaline (NA) overload. 2. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of 1.5 mg/kg NA for 4 weeks. Starting from Day 15, 5-HT2B receptor antagonist SB 204741 (i.p., 0.5 or 2 mg/kg) or SDZ SER 082 (i.p., 1 mg/kg) was injected twice daily for another 14 days. Whole-cell patch-clamp techniques were used to record ionic currents in freshly isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes. Western blot and terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end-labelling (TUNEL) assays were used to assess myocardial apoptosis. 3. Expression of 5-HT(2B) receptors was enhanced in the hypertrophic left ventricle induced by NE overload in vivo. The 5-HT(2B) receptor antagonist SB 204741 partially reversed cardiac hypertrophy induced by NE overload (P < 0.05) and decreased L-type calcium currents in ventricular cardiomyocytes (P < 0.05). In addition, SB 204741 notably attenuated myocardial apoptosis, as evidenced by downregulation of Bax and caspase 3 (P < 0.05) and upregulation of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein (P < 0.05). 4. In conclusion, the data suggest an involvement of 5-HT(2B) receptors in the generation of apoptotic events associated with cardiac remodelling during increased adrenergic stimulation.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) is reported to be different in inflammatory patterns of the sinonasal mucosa in white patients. Studies in nonwhite populations may further be helpful to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of CRS., Objective: To investigate the immunopathologic profiles of CRSwNP and CRSsNP in adult Chinese., Methods: Histologic characteristics of surgical samples were analyzed in 50 controls, 94 CRSsNP patients, and 151 CRSwNP patients. Tissue samples from 17 controls, 36 CRSsNP patients, and 45 CRSwNP patients were stained for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD68, myeloperoxidase, and dendritic cell lysosome-associated membrane protein. Expression profiles of transcription factors of T-cell subsets in relation to cytokines and a marker of natural killer T cell (Valpha24) were examined by means of quantitative RT-PCR., Results: Over half of CRSwNP patients presented noneosinophilic inflammation. CRSwNP had a higher number of eosinophils, plasma cells, and CD3(+), CD8(+), CD20(+), and CD68(+) cells and a lower myeloperoxidase expression rate than CRSsNP. Expression levels of transcription factors and cytokines of T(H)1/T(H)2/T(H)17 were increased, whereas the expression rate of Forkhead box p3 and TGF-beta1 was decreased in both CRSsNP and CRSwNP compared with controls. Comparing CRSsNP and CRSwNP, CRSsNP had higher levels of IFN-gamma expression, whereas only eosinophilic CRSwNP demonstrated an enhanced expression of GATA-3 and IL-5. Compared with noneosinophilic CRSwNP, an exaggerated T(H)2/T(H)17 reaction and Valpha24 expression were found in eosinophilic CRSwNP., Conclusion: Both Chinese CRSsNP and CRSwNP patients demonstrate impaired regulatory T cell function and enhanced T(H)1/T(H)2/T(H)17 responses. CRSsNP is confirmed to be a predominant T(H)1 milieu, whereas T(H)2 skewed inflammation with predominant T(H)17 reactions, and infiltration of natural killer T cells can be demonstrated only in eosinophilic CRSwNP, but not in noneosinophilic CRSwNP.