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Triggering receptors expressed on myeloid cell-1 (TREM-1) has been shown to participate in inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, the detailed underlying mechanisms and therapeutic benefits remain elusive, especially in myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we screen TREM-1 as one of the hub genes closely correlated with the progression of SLE and identify soluble TREM-1 (sTREM-1) in serum as a valuable diagnostic biomarker for SLE. Moreover, activation of TREM-1 by its agonist promotes activation and chemotaxis of mDCs and increases production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, showing higher expression of IL-6, TNF-α and MCP-1. Disorders of epigenetic processes including non-coding RNA give rise to SLE, resulting in complicated syndromes. Herein, we show that lupus mice display a unique miRNA signature in spleen, among which miR-150 is the most significantly expressed miRNA that targeting TREM-1 compared with wild type group. Transfection of miRNA-150-5p mimics directly suppresses the expression of TREM-1 by binding to its 3' UTR. Our in vivo experiments first indicates that administration of miR-150-5p agomir effectively ameliorates lupus symptoms. Intriguingly, miR-150 inhibits the over activation of mDCs through TREM-1 signal pathway in lymphatic organs and renal tissues. Overall, TREM-1 represents a potentially novel therapeutic target and we identify miR-150-5p as one of the mechanisms to alleviate lupus disease, which is attributable for inhibiting mDCs activation through TREM-1 signaling pathway.

Backgroud: Increasing evidences suggest that the dysregulation of iron metabolism is linked to the onset and progression of breast cancer. However, prognostic value and therapeutic importance of iron metabolism-related genes in breast cancer remain unclear. Methods RNA sequencing information, clinicopathological data, and iron metabolism-related gene sets were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the Molecular Signatures Database. The risk score model was constructed and validated using GSEA, univariate, multivariate Cox, and LASSO regression analysis. The tumor microenvironment landscape of risk model was then evaluated. Finally, we predicted the immunotherapy response and drug prediction of iron metabolism-related signature. Results A total of 7 iron metabolism-related genes were identified, and a novel risk signature was developed in the training cohort for prognosis and risk stratification. The prognostic value of this model was also verified in the testing cohort. Moreover, a nomogram model was constructed and shown high predictive accuracy for 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rate estimates. In addition, the high risk group had significantly higher immune, stromal and estimate scores, increased immunosuppressive cell infiltrations, elevated marker genes of cancer associated fibroblasts, lower tumor mutation burden, and worse response to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. Finally, the associations between drug sensitivity and risk model were analyzed, which might explore targeted drugs to improve the clinical outcomes for breast cancer patients. Conclusions The iron metabolism-related gene prognostic signature was developed and validated, which might provide a method for predicting the prognosis and survival of breast patients, as well as potential targets and drugs for immunotherapy.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic and endocrine disease affecting women of reproductive age. Due to its complex aetiology, there is no currently effective cure for PCOS. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity is significantly decreased in PCOS patients, and BAT activation has beneficial effects in animal models of PCOS. Here, we investigated the effect of ginsenoside compound K (CK) in an animal model of PCOS and its mechanism of BAT activation.Primary brown adipocytes, Db/Db mice and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced PCOS rats were used. The core body temperature, oxygen consumption, energy metabolism related gene and protein expression were assessed to identify the effect of CK on overall energy metabolism. Oestrous cycle, serum sex hormone, ovarian steroidogenic enzyme gene expression and ovarian morphology were also evaluated following CK treatment.Our results indicated that CK treatment could significantly protect against body weight gain in Db/Db mice via BAT activation. Furthermore, we found that CK treatment could normalize hyperandrogenism, oestrous cyclicity, normalize steroidogenic enzyme expression and decrease the number of cystic follicles in PCOS rats. Interestingly, as a potential endocrine intermediate, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand-14 protein (CXCL14) was significantly up-regulated following CK administration. In addition, exogenous CXC14 supplementation was found to reverse DHEA-induced PCOS in a phenotypically similar manner to CK treatment.In summary, CK treatment significantly activates BAT, increases CXCL14 expression and ameliorates PCOS. These findings suggest that CK might be a potential drug candidate for PCOS treatment.

Information about the chemical adsorption and surface oxidation of Ru under electrochemical conditions is of great importance for understanding the structure–activity relationship in Ru-based materials. Quasi-single-crystalline Ru films on single-crystal Pt(111) electrodes (Ru/Pt(111)) were prepared by the forced-deposition method along with inductive heating treatment. The adsorption of both hydrogen and oxygen species on Ru/Pt(111) was studied by cyclic voltammetry and CO displacement. The potential of zero total charge on Ru/Pt(111) is ca. 0.12 V. A detailed study on oxygen species was carried out by in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectrometry. Ru–O was found to form at E > 0.1 V, and the conversion of Ru–O into RuO2 occurred at E = 0.3 V. The reversible oxidation occurs up to 1.0 V. Our results suggest that Ru/Pt(111), which exhibits electrochemical properties similar to those of Ru(0001), may serve as an alternative for Ru study as well as a model system for understanding ligand and strain effects. We gratefully acknowledge the funding by the China Scholarship Council (CSC), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 22172151 and 21972131), the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain) grant nos. PID2019-105653GB-I00 and FJC2018-038607-I, and Generalitat Valenciana (Spain) grant number PROMETEO/2020/063.

pH effect on thermodynamics and kinetics of acetate adsorption on the Pt(111) electrode in solutions is studied over a wide pH range (from 1 to 13) by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. With increasing solution pH i) from pH = 1.1 to 4.7, the peak potential for acetate adsorption shifts slightly from 0.39 VRHE to 0.46 VRHE, ii) from pH = 4.7 to 10.2 it shifts by ca. 56 mV/pH unit; iii) the adsorption isotherm for acetate adsorption does not show obvious changes, but the adsorption kinetics become slower with pH changing from 1.1, 4.7 to 7.6. The positive shift in the acetate adsorption peak with pH (on the RHE scale) can be explained by the pH-dependence of the thermodynamic equilibrium potential for acetate adsorption with either acetic acid or acetate anions as the precursor. The faster acetate adsorption kinetics in acid than in alkaline solution are attributed to a reduced activation barrier, owing to the formation of hydrated H+ upon CH3COOH deprotonation to adsorbed acetate. Keywords: Acetate adsorption/desorption, Pt(111), pH effect, Equilibrium potential, Activation energy

Literature relies on text reading to realize its artistic value. With the continuous replacement of communication means, literal reading may become a kind of classical or aristocratic sentiment. More and more people meet the needs of reading by means of image. Therefore, TV series or computer network related to it have become the most popular way, while film has become a very unique artistic way between literature and TV series. Since Chinese films have made some achievements in literary adaptation, this paper attempts to explore and discuss the essence of the artistic subject of the transformation of film and literature.

In order to study the pore structure characteristics of the deteriorated structural layer of an external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS), the overall and stratified T2 spectrum signals of the system made of thin-layer inorganic insulation mortar are tested by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique under different moisture transport conditions. The variation in moisture transport with pore size in the structural layer of the ETICS is studied under three conditions, namely, vacuum-saturation, free water absorption and vapor adsorption process, and indices are proposed to evaluate the vapor adsorption and free water absorption capacity of ETICS. The results indicate that the total pore volume is predominated by the pores in the insulation layer as revealed by the peaks of T2 spectrum, which exhibit a bi-modal distribution with some larger pores. The pores in the finishing coat, protective layer and bonding layer have negligibly smaller size and smaller volume as revealed by a lower T2 peak and an indistinct second peak. The moisture transport patterns of pores with different sizes are quite different. Vapor adsorption mainly occurs in pores of size smaller than 0.1 μm and free water absorption mainly occurs in pores of size smaller than 10 μm.