Search

The nodal loop phase transition to Weyl fermion in twisted-brick-MoTe is realized via spin–orbit interactions. Strain effects can tune the topological strength strikingly; hence, a strain-tuned partly-ideal Weyl semimetal phase in MoTe was observed.

Metabolism is essential for bone development. The expressions of catabolic markers in chondrocytes show association with miR-34a-5p. This study discussed the mechanism by which miR-34a-5p regulates osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) as well as bone metabolism.Expressions of BMSC surface markers were determined via flow cytometry. Osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs was subsequently induced. miR-34a-5p mimic, oe-HDAC1, or ER-α activator Ferutinin was introduced in BMSCs. Alkaline phosphatase activity and calcification were detected. Expressions of miR-34a-5p, HDAC1, ER-α, and osteogenic markers were determined via RT-qPCR and Western blot. The binding relationship between miR-34a-5p and HDAC1 was verified by a dual-luciferase assay. Mice at the age of 6 months and 18 months were assigned to the young group and age group for in vivo experiments, and aged mice were treated with agomiR miR-34a-5p. Expressions of serum miR-34a-5p, HDAC1, ER-α, and bone metabolism markers in mice were determined.Osteogenic medium-induced BMSCs manifested increased expressions of miR-34a-5p and ER-α and decreased HDAC1 expression. miR-34a-5p overexpression promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. miR-34a-5p targeted HDAC1. HDAC1 overexpression partially counteracted the promotional action of miR-34a-5p overexpression on osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. miR-34a-5p overexpression activated ER-α. ER-α activator Ferutinin partially nullified the regulatory function of miR-34a-5p/HDAC1 on osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. In vivo experiments showed that miR-34a-5p overexpression enhanced the potential of bone metabolism in aged mice.miR-34a-5p overexpression promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and enhanced bone metabolism by promoting ER-α activation via targeting HDAC1.

The main purpose of this study was to reveal the nutritional value and antioxidant activity of 34 edible flowers that grew in Yunnan Province, China, through a comprehensive assessment of their nutritional composition and antioxidant indices. The results showed that sample A3 of Asteraceae flowers had the highest total flavonoid content, with a value of 8.53%, and the maximum contents of vitamin C and reducing sugars were from Rosaceae sample R1 and Gentianaceae sample G3, with values of 143.80 mg/100 g and 7.82%, respectively. Samples R2 and R3 of Rosaceae were the top two flowers in terms of comprehensive nutritional quality. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of Rosaceae samples was evidently better than that of three others, in which Sample R1 had the maximum values in hydroxyl radical (·OH) scavenging and superoxide anion radical (·O2−) scavenging rates, and samples R2 and R3 showed a high total antioxidant capacity and 2,2-diphenyl-1-pyridylhydrazine (DPPH) scavenging rate, respectively. Taken together, there were significant differences in the nutrient contents and antioxidant properties of these 34 flowers, and the comprehensive quality of Rosaceae samples was generally better than the other three families. This study provides references for 34 edible flowers to be used as dietary supplements and important sources of natural antioxidants.

In traditional industries, manual grinding and polishing technologies are still used predominantly. However, these procedures have the following limitations: excessive processing time, labor consumption, and product quality not guaranteed. To address the aforementioned limitations, this study utilizes the good adaptability of a robotic arm to develop a tool-holding grinding and polishing system with force control mechanisms. Specifically, off-the-shelf handheld grinder is selected and attached to the robotic arm by considering the size, weight, and processing cost of the stainless steel parts. In addition, for contact machining, the robotic arm is equipped with a force/torque sensor to ensure that the system is active compliant. According to the experimental results, the developed system can reduce the surface roughness of 304 stainless steel to 0.47 µm for flat surface and 0.76 µm for circular surface. Moreover, the processing trajectory is programmed in the CAD/CAM software simulation environment, which can lead to good results in collision detection and arm posture establishment.

Hypertrophic obesity, characterized by an excessive expansion of subcutaneous adipocytes, causes chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. It is the primary feature of obesity in middle-aged and elderly individuals. In the adipose microenvironment, a high level of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and changes in the extracellular vesicle (EV) composition of adipocytes may cause the senescence and restrained differentiation of progenitor cells of adipose, including adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs). In this study, a hypertrophic obesity mouse model was established, and the effects of adipocytes on the ER stress and senescence of ASCs were observed in a coculture of control ASCs and hypertrophic obesity mouse adipocytes or their derived EVs. The adipocytes of hypertrophic obesity mice were treated with GW4869 or an iron chelation agent to observe the effects of EVs secreted by adipocytes and their iron contents on the ER stress and senescence of ASCs. Results showed higher ER stress level and senescence phenotypes in the ASCs from the hypertrophic obesity mice than in those from the control mice. The ER stress, senescence phenotypes, and ferritin level of ASCs can be aggravated by the coculture of ASCs with adipocytes or EVs released by them from the hypertrophic obesity mice. GW4869 or iron chelator treatment improved the ER stress and senescence of the ASCs cocultured with EVs released by the adipocytes of the hypertrophic obesity mice. Our findings suggest that EV-mediated transmissible ER stress is responsible for the senescence of ASCs in hypertrophic obesity mice.

Using optical coherence tomography angiography, we found an increase in the blood flow in regional macular without significant changes in the optic disk in patients with glaucoma after a moderate exercise regime.To investigate the effect of moderate exercise on optic nerve and macular perfusion in glaucoma patients.Overall, 25 eyes of 25 patients with primary open angle glaucoma and 22 eyes of 22 normal subjects were included in the glaucoma and control groups, respectively. Foveal avascular zone parameters, whole and regional vessel density (VD) in the superficial layer of macula, VDs in the radial peripapillary capillary layer of the optic nerve head, intraocular pressure, and cardiovascular parameters were measured using optical coherence tomography angiography before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after a 20-minute run at moderate speed.In the glaucoma group, macular superficial VD of the whole image, parafovea, and superior and nasal regions were higher after 30 minutes of rest (44.049±5.704, 47.238±5.741, 48.692±6.648, and 47.852±5.078) than immediately after exercise (43.229±5.867, 46.334±5.984, 47.840±6.895, 46.793±5.238, P0.05). The VD in the temporal and nasal regions was higher 30 minutes after exercise (45.105±5.512 and 47.852±5.078) than before exercise (44.265±5.803 and 46.750±5.639, P0.05). The intraocular pressure decreased immediately after exercise (14.20±2.51 and 14.51±2.96 mmHg for glaucoma and controls, respectively) but was restored after 30 minutes of rest (15.84±3.57 mmHg for glaucoma and 16.50±2.25 mmHg for controls) in both groups ( P0.001). Cardiovascular parameters were similar in both groups.Moderate physical exercise for 20 minutes increased blood flow in the macula region without significant change to the optic nerve and lowered intraocular pressure in glaucoma and normal subjects. The benefit of these findings to glaucoma patients needs further study.

BackgroundHemoporfin-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective treatment for port-wine stains (PWS), and pain is the main adverse effect of this therapy. General anesthesia is commonly used for pain management during PDT, but the effect of general anesthetics on the subsequent treatment efficacy of PDT in PWS has not been reported.ObjectivesTo assess the use of general anesthesia combined with PDT compared with PDT alone in 207 PWS patients, and to provide further safety and efficacy data on this combined therapy.MethodsPropensity score matching (PSM) was used at a 2:1 ratio to create a general anesthetic group (n = 138) and a highly comparable nonanesthetic group (n = 69). The clinical outcomes were evaluated, and the treatment reactions and adverse effects were recorded after one treatment with PDT.ResultsAfter matching, there was no significant difference in the demographic data of the patients in the two groups (p > 0.05), while the treatment efficacy was significantly higher in the general anesthetic group than in the nonanesthetic group (76.81 vs. 56.52%, p p = 0.0011). Purpura lasted longer in the general anesthetic group, but the other treatment reactions and adverse effects were similar in the two groups (p > 0.05). No serious systemic adverse reactions were observed.ConclusionWe recommend this combined therapy, which is associated with painless, as a high efficacy treatment option for PWS patients, especially for patients with a poor response to multiple PDT alone treatments.

Background and aim Skeletal muscle (SM) has been shown as a target of thyroid hormones (THs). However, the status and effectiveness of thyroid hormones transporters (THTs) and deiodinases in thyroid hormones signaling system (TH signaling) during aging are uncertain. This study aimed to explore the regulated relationships of TH signaling elements in SM of aging mice.Methods Twenty-four C57BL/6J male mice were divided into 6-, 15- and 24-month (6, 15 and 24M) groups according to different ages. The types and expression of THTs and deiodinases were analyzed by mRNA sequencing and proteomic sequencing. qRT-PCR, Western blotting and fluorescence immunoassay were used to compare the key factors of TH signaling in three groups. The ability of transported THs in THTs was analyzed by [125I] T3 and [125I] T4 uptake rate. The regulatory relationship of TH signaling was analyzed in C2C12 cells.Results We identified eight types of THTs in SM of mice, among which the expression of MCT8, MCT10, LAT2, LAT4 and OATP2B1 increased with age. MCT8, MCT10, LAT2 and OATP2B1 had the ability to take up [125I] T3, while MCT8, MCT10 and OATP2B1 possessed the ability to take up [125I] T4 in C2C12 cells. Expression levels of deiodinase type 2 (DIO2) and type 3 (DIO3) also augmented with aging, and the upregulation of DIO3 was regulated by MCT8 and MCT10. Neither deiodinases nor age-related THTs was regulated by TRα.Conclusions The expression of main types of THTs (MCT8, MCT10, LAT2, LAT4 and OATP2B1) and deiodinases (DIO2, DIO3) significantly increased in SM of aged mice, perhaps due to the compensation of age-related decrease of TRα. The expression of DIO3 was regulated by MCT8 and MCT10.

Supplementary Figure from A Randomized, Open-Label, Multicenter, Phase 3 Study of High-Dose Vitamin C Plus FOLFOX ± Bevacizumab versus FOLFOX ± Bevacizumab in Unresectable Untreated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (VITALITY Study)

Supplementary Data from A Randomized, Open-Label, Multicenter, Phase 3 Study of High-Dose Vitamin C Plus FOLFOX ± Bevacizumab versus FOLFOX ± Bevacizumab in Unresectable Untreated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (VITALITY Study)

Developing nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent cytoprotectors against oxidative damage is of concern because they can effectively reduce the risk of oxidative stress-related diseases, such as cancer and inflammation. This work was aimed to develop more active Nrf2-dependent cytoprotectors than curcumin, a well-known dietary Nrf2 activator and cancer chemopreventive agent. Herein we designed a panel of curcumin-inspired mono-carbonyl piperidinone analogs differentiated by placing distinct electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups on its two aromatic rings in the ortho, meta, or para position to the linker of α, β-unsaturated piperidinone. Among these, the ortho-fluorine-substituted CN-2F surfaced as a promising lead molecule, which was significantly superior to the parent curcumin in protecting HepG2 cells from oxidative damage induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Mechanically, by virtue of its Michael receptor units and ortho-substituted mode, CN-2F activated Nrf2 signaling by covalently modifying Cys-151 and Cys-288 residues at Keap1, promoting phosphorylation of JNK, ERK and p38, as well as inhibiting Nrf2 degradation. This work reveals the structural determinants and the activity mechanisms of CN-2F as an Nrf2-dependent cytoprotector, and gives useful information on how to design curcumin-inspired Nrf2 activators and cytoprotectors.