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Background: Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) has shown promising prospects as a non-invasive neuromodulation technique for both animals and humans. However, ultrasonic propagation characteristics within the brain differ significantly from those in free space. There is currently a lack of comprehensive studies on the effects of skull thickness on focal point position, full width at half maximum (FWHM), and acoustic intensity. Objective: This study investigates the transcranial acoustic field characteristics of 500 kHz focused ultrasound, with a focus on the impact of skull thickness. Methods: The study combined finite element simulations to evaluate the effects of skull thickness on 500 kHz focused ultrasound with experimental investigations across multiple species (mouse, rat, pig, and human). Results: The simulation and experimental results indicate that the skull changes focal length (−4.4–4.7 mm) and axial focal region (−7.93–7.59 mm), and the skull causes significant attenuation of acoustic intensity, which increases with skull thickness. The attenuation rate of human skulls is greater than 80 %. We found that the skull thickness has little effect on focal point position (

Thermites are widely used in propellants, explosives and ignition materials because of their high heat release rate and good combustion efficiency. Structural control over thermites to achieve improved performance leads to a promising research area. Among these, core-shell structured composites have attracted wide attention due to their excellent properties and close contact among components. Herein, core-shell structured α-AlH3/Fe2O3 thermites were prepared, which exhibit high heat-release and excellent combustion performance. At an equivalence ratio of 2.0, the core-shell structured α-AlH3/Fe2O3 has the most heat release (1213.8 J/g) and the lowest reaction activation energy (147.5 kJ/mol). The ignited combustion performance of α-AlH3/Fe2O3 was notably strengthened by the shorter ignition delay period (11 ms). Interestingly, the core-shell structured α-AlH3/Fe2O3 was less sensitive to electrostatic discharge, which suggests that the core-shell structured α-AlH3/Fe2O3 reaches the goal of high energy release and electrostatic safety. The core-shell thermite system with α-AlH3 as metal fuel could provide an efficient alternative to hunt for thermites with high reactivity.

Abstract Building C(sp3)-rich architectures using simple and readily available starting materials will greatly advance modern drug discovery. C(sp3)−H and C(sp3)−O bonds are commonly used to strategically disassemble and construct bioactive compounds, respectively. However, the direct cross coupling of these two chemical bonds to form C(sp3)−C(sp3) bonds is rarely explored in existing literature. Conventional methods for forming C(sp3)−C(sp3) bonds via radical-radical coupling pathways often suffer from poor selectivity, severely limiting their practicality in synthetic applications. In this study, we present a single electron transfer (SET) strategy that enables the cleavage of amine α-C − H bonds and heterobenzylic C − O bonds to form C(sp3)−C(sp3) bonds. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal a hydrogen bond interaction between substrates and phosphoric acid facilitates the cross-coupling of two radicals with high chemoselectivity. This methodology provides an effective approach to a variety of aza-heterocyclic unnatural amino acids and bioactive molecules.

BackgroundAdoptive therapy with umbilical cord blood (UCB) T-regulatory (Treg) cells can prevent graft vs. host disease (GVHD). We hypothesize that UCB Tregs can treat GVHD and synergize with ruxolitinib, Jak2 inhibitor, to improve outcomes.MethodsUCB Treg potency and efficacy was examined using cell suppression assay and xenogeneic GVHD model, respectively. Ruxolitinib was fed continuously in presence or absence of CellTraceViolet tagged UCB Tregs on days +4, +7, +11, +18. Mice were followed for survival, GVHD score, hematology parameters and inflammation.ResultsAddition of ruxolitinib to UCB Tregs exerted synergistic suppressor function in vitro and improved persistence of UCB Tregs in vivo. Lower GVHD score, improved survival, increased hemoglobin level and platelet count, decreased inflammatory cytokines and decrease in CD3+ T cell lung infiltrate was observed in UCB Tregs+ruxolitinib recipients.ConclusionUCB Treg+Ruxolitinib combination improves outcomes in xenogeneic GVHD and should be explored in a clinical setting.

Tumor microenvironments (TMEs) have received increasing attention in recent years as they play pivotal roles in tumorigenesis, progression, metastases, and resistance to the traditional modalities of cancer therapy like chemotherapy. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, effective antineoplastic nanotherapeutics targeting the aberrant hallmarks of TMEs have been proposed. The appropriate design and fabrication endow nanomedicines with the abilities for active targeting, TMEs-responsiveness, and optimization of physicochemical properties of tumors, thereby overcoming transport barriers and significantly improving antineoplastic therapeutic benefits. This review begins with the origins and characteristics of TMEs and discusses the latest strategies for modulating the TMEs by focusing on the regulation of biochemical microenvironments, such as tumor acidosis, hypoxia, and dysregulated metabolism. Finally, this review summarizes the challenges in the development of smart anti-cancer nanotherapeutics for TME modulation and examines the promising strategies for combination therapies with traditional treatments for further clinical translation.

Van Gogh-like 2 (Vangl2), a core planar cell polarity component, plays an important role in polarized cellular and tissue morphology induction, growth development, and cancer. However, its role in regulating inflammatory responses remains elusive. Here, we report that Vangl2 is upregulated in patients with sepsis and identify Vangl2 as a negative regulator of The nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) signaling by regulating the protein stability and activation of the core transcription component p65. Mice with myeloid-specific deletion of Vangl2 (Vangl2ΔM) are hypersusceptible to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic shock. Vangl2-deficient myeloid cells exhibit enhanced phosphorylation and expression of p65, therefore, promoting the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines after LPS stimulation. Mechanistically, NF-κB signaling-induced-Vangl2 recruits E3 ubiquitin ligase PDLIM2 to catalyze K63-linked ubiquitination on p65, which serves as a recognition signal for cargo receptor NDP52-mediated selective autophagic degradation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate Vangl2 as a suppressor of NF-κB-mediated inflammation and provide insights into the crosstalk between autophagy and inflammatory diseases.

Abstract Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)‐associated polymorphic effector proteins are crucial in parasite development and regulating host anti‐T. gondii immune responses. However, the mechanism remains obscure. Here, it is shown that Toxoplasma effector dense granules 4 (GRA4) restricts host IFN‐I activation. Infection with Δgra4 mutant T. gondii strain induces stronger IFN‐I responses and poses a severe threat to host health. Mechanistically, GRA4 binds to phosphorylated TBK1 to promote TRIM27‐catalyzed K48‐ubiquitination at Lys251/Lys372 residues, which enhances its recognition by autophagy receptor p62, ultimately leading to TBK1 autophagic degradation. Furthermore, an avirulent Δgra4 strain (ME49Δompdc/gra4) is constructed for tumor immunotherapy due to its ability to enhance IFN‐I production. Earlier vaccination with ME49Δompdc/gra4 confers complete host resistance to the tumor compared with the classical ME49Δompdc treatment. Notably, ME49Δompdc/gra4 vaccination induces a specific CD64+MAR‐1+CD11b+ dendritic cell subset, thereby enhancing T cell anti‐tumor responses. Overall, these findings identify the negative role of T. gondii GRA4 in modulating host IFN‐I signaling and suggest that GRA4 can be a potential target for the development of T. gondii vaccines and tumor immunotherapy.

Background: Theta burst TUS (tbTUS) can induce increased cortical excitability in human, but how different sonication parameters influence the effects are still unknown. Objective: To examine how a range of sonication parameters, including acoustic intensity, pulse repetition frequency, duty cycle and sonication duration, influence the effects of tbTUS on human motor cortical excitability. Methods: 14 right-handed healthy subjects underwent 8 sessions with different tbTUS parameters in a randomized, cross-over design on separate days. The original tbTUS protocol was studied in one session and one parameter was changed in each of the seven sessions. To examine changes in cortical excitability induced by tbTUS, we measured the motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitude, resting motor threshold, short-interval intracortical inhibition and intracortical facilitation, as well as short-interval intracortical facilitation before and up to 90 min after tbTUS. Results: All conditions increased MEP amplitudes except the condition with low acoustic intensity of 10 W/cm2. Pulse repetition frequency of 5 Hz produced higher MEP amplitudes compared to pulse repetition frequencies of 2 and 10 Hz. In addition, higher duty cycles (5%, 10%, and 15%) and longer sonication durations (40, 80, and 120 s) were associated with longer duration of increased MEP amplitudes. Resting motor threshold remained stable in all conditions. For paired-pulse TMS measures, tbTUS reduced short-interval intracortical inhibition and enhanced short-interval intracortical facilitation, but had no effect on intracortical facilitation. Conclusions: Ultrasound bursts repeated at theta (∼5 Hz) frequency is optimal to produce increased cortical excitability with the range of 2–10 Hz. Furthermore, there was a dose-response effect regarding duty cycle and sonication duration in tbTUS for plasticity induction. The aftereffects of tbTUS were associated with a shift of the inhibition/excitation balance toward less inhibition and more excitation in the motor cortex. These findings can be used to determine the optimal tbTUS parameters in neuroscience research and treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

To investigate the effects of initial protein, fat content, and storage temperature on the shelf life of UHT pure milk packaging, three types of UHT pure milk were used as research objects to experimentally measure sample browning index and protein hydrolysis index during storage at 23, 30, and 37 ℃. Integrate the dataset and determine specific input parameters based on its performance on the prediction set, and carry out UHT pure milk packaging shelf life prediction based on BP neural network. The results showed that the fitting degrees of the BP neural network model for the browning index and protein hydrolysis index of UHT milk were 0.9412 and 0.9527, respectively, and compared with traditional multiple linear regression model’s number of 0.8799 and 0.9211, the BP neural network model with optimized hidden layer neuron numbers had higher prediction accuracy for the changes in characteristic indicators during the storage period of UHT pure milk, providing technical support for rapid and accurate prediction of the shelf life of UHT pure milk with different formulas.

Abstract Objective To analyze the distribution and drug resistance of biofilm bacteria infected with upper urinary calculi patients with double J stent indwelling, and to explore the influencing factors of Biofilm Bacteria Infections. Methods A total of 400 patients with upper urinary calculi who adopted double J stent inserting in our hospital from January 2019 to January 2022 were included. Urine and double J stent samples were collected, pathogen cultures were performed, and then drug sensitivity test analysis was carried out for isolates. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyzes were used to analyze the influencing factors of patients with double J stent associated biofilm bacteria infections. Results A total of 13 strains (3.2%) of biofilm bacteria were detected in urine samples and 168 strains (42%) in double J stent samples (P 0.05). Escherichia coli were the most common bacteria. There was significantly higher drug resistance observed in biofilm bacteria versus urine-cultured pathogens (P

Abstract Background This research was planned to analyze hsa_circ_0003596 (circCOL5A1) and glycolysis-focused mechanisms in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods circCOL5A1, miR-370-5p, and PRKCSH levels were determined in RCC tissues and selected cell lines by RT-qPCR and/or Western blot. RCC cells after corresponding transfection were tested by colony formation assay, EdU assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry to analyze cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis. Meanwhile, glycolysis in cells was evaluated by measuring glucose consumption, lactic acid, and ATP production, as well as immunoblotting for HK2 and PKM2. In addition, circCOL5A1 knockdown was performed in animal experiments to observe tumor growth and glycolysis. Finally, the ceRNA network between circCOL5A1, miR-370-5p, and PRKCSH was studied by luciferase reporter assay and RIP experiment. Results circCOL5A1 and PRKCSH were highly expressed and miR-370-5p was poorly expressed in RCC. circCOL5A1 knockdown depressed RCC proliferation, invasion, migration, and glycolysis, and enhanced apoptosis. circCOL5A1 competitively adsorbed miR-370-5p. Artificial upregulation of miR-370-5p saved the pro-tumor effect of circCOL5A1 on RCC cells, as evidenced by suppression of tumor malignancy and glycolysis. miR-370-5p targeted PRKCSH. PRKCSH overexpression contributed to a reversal of the anti-tumor effect of circCOL5A1 silencing. Silencing circCOL5A1 inhibited RCC tumor growth and glycolysis. Conclusions circCOL5A1 regulates the malignant behavior of RCC by modulating glycolysis.

This paper conducted a computational study on the KCS benchmark model at static drift conditions. At the first instance, the roles played by the grid size, turbulence model, and time step are qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed with the orthogonal experimental method (OEM). After the verification of simulated results compared with experimental data in a Static Oblique Towing Test (OTT), hydrodynamic performance is obtained with the employment of the SST κ-ω turbulence model. The grid size is set as 0.07 m while the time step as 0.01 s. The characteristics of the wake field are illustrated in different forms, such as contours of the free surface, distribution of pressure and hydrodynamic forces, variation of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), and so on. For a deep insight into the physical mechanisms of the asymmetrical flow field, the Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) method is also utilized to capture vortical structures occurring around the hull, in comparison with results obtained through the Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) model. With the aim of a hydrodynamic derivative estimation or detailed flow characteristics analysis, corresponding selections of the computational method are disparate.

To explore the central processing mechanism of pain perception in chronic low back pain (cLBP) using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) based on the static and dynamic fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) analysis, and spectral dynamic causal modeling (spDCM). Thirty-two patients with cLBP and 29 matched healthy controls (HCs) for the first cohort and 24 patients with cLBP and 22 HCs for the validation cohort underwent resting-state fMRI scan. The alterations in static and dynamic fALFF were as classification features to distinguish patients with cLBP from HCs. The brain regions gotten from the MVPA results were used for further spDCM analysis. We found that the most discriminative brain regions that contributed to the classification were the right supplementary motor area (SMA.R), left paracentral lobule (PCL.L), and bilateral cerebellar Crus II. The spDCM results displayed decreased excitatory influence from the bilateral cerebellar Crus II to PCL.L in patients with cLBP compared with HCs. Moreover, the conversion of effective connectivity from the bilateral cerebellar Crus II to SMA.R from excitatory influence to inhibitive influence, and the effective connectivity strength exhibited partially mediated effects on Chinese Short Form Oswestry Disability Index Questionnaire (C-SFODI) scores. Our findings suggest that the cerebellum and its weakened or inhibited connections to the motor cortex may be one of the underlying feedback pathways for pain perception in cLBP, and partially mediate the degree of dysfunction.

Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the newly developed Similar patient search (SPS) Web Service, which supports reading complex lung diseases in computed tomography (CT), on the diagnostic accuracy of residents. SPS is an image-based search engine for pre-diagnosed cases along with related clinical reference content ( https://eref.thieme.de ). The reference database was constructed using 13,658 annotated regions of interest (ROIs) from 621 patients, comprising 69 lung diseases. For validation, 50 CT scans were evaluated by five radiology residents without SPS, and three months later with SPS. The residents could give a maximum of three diagnoses per case. A maximum of 3 points was achieved if the correct diagnosis without any additional diagnoses was provided. The residents achieved an average score of 17.6 ± 5.0 points without SPS. By using SPS, the residents increased their score by 81.8% to 32.0 ± 9.5 points. The improvement of the score per case was highly significant (p = 0.0001). The residents required an average of 205.9 ± 350.6 s per case (21.9% increase) when SPS was used. However, in the second half of the cases, after the residents became more familiar with SPS, this increase dropped to 7%. Residents’ average score in reading complex chest CT scans improved by 81.8% when the AI-driven SPS with integrated clinical reference content was used. The increase in time per case due to the use of the SPS was minimal.

Abstract Background Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) is a mesenchymal tumor with distinct histologic and immunologic features. PEComas that originate in the bladder are extremely rare clinically, with only 35 cases reported in the English literature thus far. Here, we report a case of bladder PEComa resection by transurethral en bloc resection of bladder tumor (ERBT). Case presentation A 66-year-old female with a history of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes with associated complications of frequent urinary tract infections presented to our hospital for a routine physical examination. Outpatient ultrasound examination revealed a strong echogenic mass of approximately 1.5 × 1.3 × 1.3 cm in size on the posterior wall of the bladder. The enhanced computed tomography and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging after admission both suggested a well-defined isolated nodular mass on the posterior wall of the bladder with significant enhancement on the enhanced scan. The tumor was successfully and completely resected by ERBT. Postoperative pathological examination and immunohistochemical results confirmed the mass was a bladder PEComa. No tumor recurrence was observed in the six-month postoperative follow-up. Conclusion Bladder PEComa is an extremely rare mesenchymal tumor of the urinary system. When imaging and cystoscopy reveal a nodular mass with an abundant blood supply in the bladder, PEComa should be included in the differential diagnosis of bladder tumors. Surgical resection is currently the primary option for the treatment of bladder PEComa. For a solitary, pedunculated, narrow-based, small-sized bladder PEComa, resection of the tumor by ERBT was a safe and feasible approach in our patient and may be considered for similar cases in the future.

Introduction: There is currently a gap in accessibility to neuromodulation tools that can approximate the efficacy and spatial resolution of invasive methods. Low intensity transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is an emerging technology for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) that can penetrate cortical and deep brain structures with more focal stimulation compared to existing NIBS modalities. Theta burst TUS (tbTUS, TUS delivered in a theta burst pattern) is a novel repetitive TUS protocol that can induce durable changes in motor cortex excitability, thereby holding promise as a novel neuromodulation tool with durable effects. Objective: The aim of the present study was to elucidate the neurophysiologic effects of tbTUS motor cortical excitability, as well on local and global neural oscillations and network connectivity. Methods: An 80-s train of active or sham tbTUS was delivered to the left motor cortex in 15 healthy subjects. Motor cortical excitability was investigated through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-elicited motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), and intracortical facilitation (ICF) using paired-pulse TMS. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings during resting state and an index finger abduction-adduction task were used to assess oscillatory brain responses and network connectivity. The correlations between the changes in neural oscillations and motor cortical excitability were also evaluated. Results: tbTUS to the motor cortex results in a sustained increase in MEP amplitude and decreased SICI, but no change in ICF. MEG spectral power analysis revealed TUS-mediated desynchronization in alpha and beta spectral power. Significant changes in alpha power were detected within the supplementary motor cortex (Right > Left) and changes in beta power within bilateral supplementary motor cortices, right basal ganglia and parietal regions. Coherence analysis revealed increased local connectivity in motor areas. MEP and SICI changes correlated with both local and inter-regional coherence. Conclusion: The findings from this study provide novel insights into the neurophysiologic basis of TUS-mediated neuroplasticity and point to the involvement of regions within the motor network in mediating this sustained response. Future studies may further characterize the durability of TUS-mediated neuroplasticity and its clinical applications as a neuromodulation strategy for neurological and psychiatric disorders.

BackgroundLupus nephritis (LN) constitutes the most severe organ manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), where pathogenic T cells have been identified to play an essential role in ‘helping’ B cells to make autoantibodies and produce inflammatory cytokines that drive kidney injury in SLE. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), responsible for decreasing inflammation, are defective and decreased in SLE and have been associated with disease progression. We hypothesize that treatment with allogeneic, healthy Tregs derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB) may arrest such an inflammatory process and protect against kidney damage.MethodsUCB-Tregs function was examined by their ability to suppress CellTrace Violet-labeled SLE peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or healthy donor (HD) conventional T cells (Tcons); and by inhibiting secretion of inflammatory cytokines by SLE PBMCs. Humanized SLE model was established where female Rag2-/-γc-/- mice were transplanted with 3 × 106 human SLE-PBMCs by intravenous injection on day 0, followed by single or multiple injection of UCB-Tregs to understand their impact on disease development. Mice PB was assessed weekly by flow cytometry. Phenotypic analysis of isolated cells from mouse PB, lung, spleen, liver and kidney was performed by flow cytometry. Kidney damage was assessed by quantifying urinary albumin and creatinine secretion. Systemic disease was evaluated by anti-dsDNA IgG Ab analysis as well as immunohistochemistry analysis of organs. Systemic inflammation was determined by measuring cytokine levels.ResultsIn vitro, UCB-Tregs are able to suppress HD Tcons and pathogenic SLE-PBMCs to a similar extent. UCB-Tregs decrease secretion of several inflammatory cytokines including IFN-γ, IP-10, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17A, and sCD40L by SLE PBMCs in a time-dependent manner, with a corresponding increase in secretion of suppressor cytokine, IL-10. In vivo, single or multiple doses of UCB-Tregs led to a decrease in CD8+ T effector cells in different organs and a decrease in circulating inflammatory cytokines. Improvement in skin inflammation and loss of hair; and resolution of CD3+, CD8+, CD20+ and Ki67+ SLE-PBMC infiltration was observed in UCB-Treg recipients with a corresponding decrease in plasma anti-double stranded DNA IgG antibody levels and improved albuminuria.ConclusionsUCB-Tregs can decrease inflammatory burden in SLE, reduce auto-antibody production and resolve end organ damage especially, improve kidney function. Adoptive therapy with UCB-Tregs should be explored for treatment of lupus nephritis in the clinical setting.

BackgroundChronic ankle instability (CAI) is a common sports injury disease and characterized by limited mobility, perceived instability and muscle weakness, combined treatment of hip-knee-ankle is a common rehabilitation method. Tuina, as a traditional Chinese manual therapy, is usually used for CAI, but many of them only focus on the local ankle joint rather than the combination of hip and knee joint. Therefore, we have designed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the effects of Tuina base on the concept of hip-knee-ankle conjugation on the stability and balance of lower limbs and ankle function in patients with CAI.MethodsWe have designed a randomized controlled trial. A total of 72 participants with CAI will be randomly divided into functional training groups and hip-knee-ankle Tuina combined with functional training group in a 1:1 ratio. Participants in control group will receive 8 sessions of functional training (30 min per session, twice a week for 4 weeks). Participants in intervention group will receive 8 sessions of Tuina combined with functional training (twice a week for 4 weeks). The primary outcomes include the Y-Balance Test (YBT) and Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT). The Secondary outcomes include the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) and ankle range of motion (ROM). The outcome assessments will be conducted before the first intervention and after the last intervention.DiscussionThe aim of this study is to explore a safe and effective manipulation program and serve as reference for clinical treatment of CAI and expect to provide the necessary theoretical and practical support to our future research.Clinical Trial RegistrationChinese Clinical Trail Registry ChiCTR2300068274.

ABSTRACT Stringent control of the type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is critical for host immune defense against infectious diseases, yet the molecular mechanisms that regulate this pathway remain elusive. Here, we show that Src homology 2 containing inositol phosphatase 1 (SHIP1) suppresses IFN-I signaling by promoting IRF3 degradation during malaria infection. Genetic ablation of Ship1 in mice leads to high levels of IFN-I and confers resistance to Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis (P.y.) N67 infection. Mechanistically, SHIP1 promotes the selective autophagic degradation of IRF3 by enhancing K63-linked ubiquitination of IRF3 at lysine 313, which serves as a recognition signal for NDP52-mediated selective autophagic degradation. In addition, SHIP1 is downregulated by IFN-I-induced miR-155-5p upon P.y. N67 infection and severs as a feedback loop of the signaling crosstalk. This study reveals a regulatory mechanism between IFN-I signaling and autophagy, and verifies SHIP1 can be a potential target for therapeutic intervention against malaria and other infectious diseases. IMPORTANCE Malaria remains a serious disease affecting millions of people worldwide. Malaria parasite infection triggers tightly controlled type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling that plays a critical role in host innate immunity; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying the immune responses are still elusive. Here, we discover a host gene [Src homology 2-containing inositol phosphatase 1 (SHIP1)] that can regulate IFN-I signaling by modulating NDP52-mediated selective autophagic degradation of IRF3 and significantly affect parasitemia and resistance of Plasmodium-infected mice. This study identifies SHIP1 as a potential target for immunotherapies in malaria and highlights the crosstalk between IFN-I signaling and autophagy in preventing related infectious diseases. SHIP1 functions as a negative regulator during malaria infection by targeting IRF3 for autophagic degradation.

In this study, magnetically separable Fe3O4/CeO2 nanocomposite (F/CNc) was first synthesized in hydrothermal and sol-precipitation methods and characterized by techniques including SEM-EDS, XRD, BET, FT-IR and VSM. The adsorption experiments of acid black dye (AB210) onto F/CNc were carried out under the conditions of temperature (30 – 60 ℃), solution pH (1 – 11), Fe-Ce molar ratio (1:2.5 – 4) and initial dye concentrations (20 – 80 mg/L). The adsorption capacity of AB210 increased with increasing initial dye concentration and temperature, and decreased with increasing solution pH. The maximum adsorption capacity of F/CNc for AB210 reached 124.5 mg/g when Fe-Ce molar ratio was 1:3. Pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models were then used to describe the kinetics of adsorption, of which the latter fitted the adsorption process well, and the adsorption process complied also with the intra-particle diffusion model. The isothermal adsorption was described using Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models and the Langmuir model matched. FT-IR and Zeta-potential measurement proved the physical adsorption process of AB210 onto F/CNc. The saturation magnetizations of Fe3O4 nanospheres and F/CNc were measured to be 69.1 emu/g and 22.9 emu/g respectively, indicating the coating layer reduced the magnetization of Fe3O4 nanospheres, but F/CNc were still separated easily by applying a magnetic field, keeping easy separability. Being easy to recover and remaining adsorption efficiency 90 % in comparison to the original even after four adsorption cycles, demonstrate the effectiveness and practical application of F/CNc as an adsorbent.

Improving the cognition and numerical accuracy of stability failure is urgent for carrying forward the direct assessment stability of the new-generation performance-based criteria for intact stability issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2020. Firstly, the CFD method utilizing commercial software is developed for predicting stability failure in following seas. The CFD method employed overlapping grid techniques to achieve coupled motion calculations with a free-running model. The actual propeller rate, the implemented auto polite course-keeping, the coupled effect of the ship hull–propeller–rudder, and the instantaneous wet hull are considered in the CFD method. Secondly, a comprehensive 6-DOF mathematical model, employing the MMG framework and potential flow theory, is utilized to predict stability failure in the following waves. The radiation and diffraction forces are calculated around the mean wet hull using an enhanced strip method, and the FK and hydrostatic forces are calculated around the exact wet hull in waves. Thirdly, the occurrence of pure stability loss and subsequent large roll motions or capsizing for the ONR tumblehome ship are simulated by the time domain CFD and potential flow method. Finally, the computed results are cross-referenced with the available experimental data, and the trends of maximum roll angle are found to be consistent with the test data. Additionally, the alterations in thrust and torque exerted by the twin rudders and propellers are assessed across various sailing speeds, as well as the characteristics of the flow field distribution around the hull and appendages during capsizing at the critical sailing speed, which are newly analyzed by the CFD method.

Abstract Background Eosinophilic cystitis (EC) is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by the gathering and infiltration of numerous eosinophilia (EOS) in the bladder wall. Because of Few cases of EC have been reported globally, the epidemiology of EC is not well known. We report herein the details of one very scarce case of large tumor-like eosinophilic cystitis complicated with cystitis glandularis (CG) diagnosed by biopsy. Case presentation A 45-year-old Chinese man was referred to our hospital for the treatment of right lumbago and odynuria. Ultrasound examination indicated the low echo on the right portion wall and the neck of the bladder. Computed tomography showed a remarkable enhancing large mass that measured 5.0 cm × 2.3 cm located on the right portion of the bladder with undefined margin. For further treatment, diagnostic transurethral resection of the bladder was performed, the postoperative histopathological diagnosis was EC complicated with CG. After transurethral resection, antibiotics, glucocorticoids, and antihistamines were treated. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged on postoperative day 8 without evidence of recurrence followed-up for 6 months. Conclusion Large tumor-like eosinophilic cystitis complicated with cystitis glandularis is rare, malignant tumors need to be ruled out. We deem that prompt biopsy led to the exact diagnosis, appropriate treatment led to better prognosis.

Objective The cycloidal propeller is a special propeller which generates thrust by means of profiled blades that protrude from the hull of the vessel and rotate around a vertical axis, allowing precise and stepless thrust generation. It is necessary to study the hydrodynamic performance of cycloidal propeller in open-water and hull wake conditions. MethodsBy analyzing the operating principle of the cycloidal propeller, a formula for the multiple motion laws of the blades is derived. The open-water performance of the cycloidal propeller is then calculated using the RANS equations and \begin{document}$ k - \varepsilon $\end{document} turbulence model based on a sliding mesh. Comparison with the experimental data verifies the accuracy of the hydrodynamic performance prediction method of cycloidal propeller. The propellor's unsteady hydrodynamic performance in a ship's hull wake is also investigated. ResultsThe results show that the force on the cycloidal propeller and singular blade has blade frequency characteristics; the fluctuation amplitudes of the thrust and torque increase with the increase of the advanced coefficient; and the lateral force is significantly affected by the hull wake, while the thrust and torque are slightly affected. ConclusionsThe results of this study have important reference value for research on blade strength evaluation and blade design optimization.

ABSTRACT Innate immunity acts as the first line of defense against pathogen invasion. During Toxoplasma gondii infection, multiple innate immune sensors are activated by invading microbes or pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). However, how inflammasome is activated and its regulatory mechanisms during T. gondii infection remain elusive. Here, we showed that the infection of PRU, a lethal type II T. gondii strain, activates inflammasome at the early stage of infection. PRU tachyzoites, RNA and soluble tachyzoite antigen (STAg) mainly triggered the NLRP3 inflammasome, while PRU genomic DNA (gDNA) specially activated the AIM2 inflammasome. Furthermore, mice deficient in AIM2, NLRP3, or caspase-1/11 were more susceptible to T. gondii PRU infection, and the ablation of inflammasome signaling impaired antitoxoplasmosis immune responses by enhancing type I interferon (IFN-I) production. Blockage of IFN-I receptor fulfilled inflammasome-deficient mice competent immune responses as WT mice. Moreover, we have identified that the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) is a key negative regulator induced by inflammasome-activated IL-1β signaling and inhibits IFN-I production by targeting interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). In general, our study defines a novel protective role of inflammasome activation during toxoplasmosis and identifies a critical regulatory mechanism of the cross talk between inflammasome and IFN-I signaling for understanding infectious diseases. IMPORTANCE As a key component of innate immunity, inflammasome is critical for host antitoxoplasmosis immunity, but the underlying mechanisms are still elusive. In this study, we found that inflammasome signaling was activated by PAMPs of T. gondii, which generated a protective immunity against T. gondii invasion by suppressing type I interferon (IFN-I) production. Mechanically, inflammasome-coupled IL-1β signaling triggered the expression of negative regulator SOCS1, which bound to IRF3 to inhibit IFN-I production. The role of IFN-I in anti-T. gondii immunity is little studied and controversial, and here we also found IFN-I is harmful to host antitoxoplasmosis immunity by using knockout mice and recombinant proteins. In general, our study identifies a protective role of inflammasomes to the host during T. gondii infection and a novel mechanism by which inflammasome suppresses IFN-I signaling in antitoxoplasmosis immunity, which will likely provide new insights into therapeutic targets for toxoplasmosis and highlight the cross talk between innate immune signaling in infectious diseases prevention.

Abstract Background Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone cancer in adolescents and lung metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with OS. However, the molecular mechanisms that promote OS growth and metastasis remain unknown. Methods We investigated the expression of myosin light chain kinase family members between metastasis and non-metastasis patients in the TARGET database and ensured that only myosin light chain kinase family member 4 (MYLK4) had higher expression in metastatic osteosarcoma patients. Then we confirmed the results by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting (WB) of OS tissues. The effect of MYLK4 on the metastasis and proliferation of OS cells was investigated by wound healing, Transwell and colony-formation assays. Mass spectrum analysis was used to ensure the new binding protein of MYLK4. Tissue microarrays analysis was used to show the correlation between MYLK4 and pEGFR (Y1068). A series of in vivo experiments were conducted to reveal the mechanisms by which MYLK4 modulated the metastasis and proliferation of OS. Results Myosin Light Chain Kinase Family Member 4 (MYLK4) was significantly upregulated in metastatic human OS tissues. Growth and metastasis of OS could be accelerated by MYLK4 overexpression, whereas silencing MYLK4 expression resulted in decreased cell growth and metastasis. Mechanistically, mass spectrum analysis showed that MYLK4 interacted with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in osteosarcoma cells and promoted growth and metastasis via the EGFR signaling pathway. Tissue microarrays analysis also showed that MYLK4 expression had a positive correlation with the expression of pEGFR (Y1068). Moreover, the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib could partially reverse the effect of cell proliferation and metastasis caused by MYLK4 overexpression. Importantly, the combination of MYLK4 and EGFR inhibitors had synergistic effects on growth and metastasis of OS in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion Our results indicate that MYLK4 promotes OS growth and metastasis by activating the EGFR signaling pathway and can be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of OS patients.

With greater accessibility and an increased number of patients being treated with CAR T cell therapy, real-world toxicity continues to remain a significant challenge to its widespread adoption. We have previously shown that allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived (UCB) regulatory T cells (Tregs) can resolve inflammation and treat acute and immune-mediated lung injuries. Allogeneic, cryopreserved UCB Tregs have shown a clinical benefit in patients suffering from COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome. The unique properties of UCB Treg cells include a lack of plasticity under inflammatory micro-environments, no requirement for HLA matching, a long shelf life of cryopreserved cells, and immediate product availability, which makes them attractive for treating acute inflammatory syndromes. Therefore, we hypothesized that adjunct therapy with UCB Tregs may resolve the undesirable inflammation responsible for CAR T cell therapy-associated toxicity. In in vitro analysis, no interference from the addition of UCB Tregs was observed on CD19 CAR T cells’ ability to kill CD19 Raji cells at different CAR T: Raji cell ratios of 8:1 (80.4% vs. 81.5%); 4:1 (62.0% vs. 66.2%); 2:1 (50.1% vs. 54.7%); and 1:1 (35.4% vs. 44.1%). In the xenogeneic B-cell lymphoma model, multiple injections of UCB Tregs were administered 3 days after CD19 CAR T cell injection, and no detrimental effect of add-on Tregs was noted on the circulating CD8+ T effector cells. The distribution of CAR T cells in multiple organs remained unaffected by the addition of the UCB Tregs. Specifically, no difference in the overall tumor burden was detected between the UCB Treg + CAR T vs. CAR T alone recipients. No tumor was detected in the liver or bone marrow in CAR T cells + UCB Tregs recipients, with a notable corresponding decrease in multiple circulating inflammatory cytokines when compared to CART alone recipients. Here we show the proof of concept for adjunct therapy with UCB Tregs to mitigate the hyper-inflammatory state induced by CAR T cells without any interference in their on-target anti-tumor activity. Administration of UCB Tregs after CAR T cells allows sufficient time for their synapse formation with tumor cells and exerts cytotoxicity, such that the UCB Tregs are diverted to interact with the antigen-presenting cells at the site of inflammation. Such a differential distribution of cells would allow for a two-pronged strategy of a UCB Treg “cooling blanket” effect and lay the groundwork for clinical study.

Soft soil has the characteristics of high compressibility, large void ratio, and strong structure. Therefore, it is more likely to cause surface subsidence or even surface cracking and collapse when laying oil and gas pipelines in soft soil areas through the pipe jacking method. In this study, test soil was pressurized using a flexible loading bladder, and variable formation losses brought on by pipe jacking were mimicked by varying the loading bladder’s water injection level. The surface deformation brought on by pipe jacking construction is related to the four parameters of stratum loss rate, overburden load, soil disturbance, soil tension fissures, and horizontal deformation. The findings demonstrate that the surface deformation brought on by the excavation gradually reduces and starts to stabilize after the thickness of the overlying soil layer on the pipe jacking surpasses 1.5 times the diameter of the pipe jacking. The constructed settling tank is broader the deeper the jacking pipe is submerged. Further ground surface settling will be exacerbated by the weight above the jacking pipe. The maximum ground surface deformation value will decrease with an increase in the overlying load when the overlying load is high (0.018 MPa).

Background: Drugs based on synthetic lethality have advantages such as inhibiting tumor growth and affecting normal tissue in vivo. However, specific targets for osteosarcoma have not been acknowledged yet. In this study, a non-targeted but controllable drug delivery system has been applied to selectively enhance synthetic lethality in osteosarcoma in vitro, using the magnetic-driven hydrogel microrobots.Methods: In this study, EPZ015666, a PRMT5 inhibitor, was selected as the synthetic lethality drug. Then, the drug was carried by hydrogel microrobots containing Fe3O4. Morphological characteristics of the microrobots were detected using electron microscopy. In vitro drug effect was detected by the CCK-8 assay kit, Western blotting, etc. Swimming of microrobots was observed by a timing microscope. Selective inhibition was verified by cultured tumors in an increasing magnetic field.Results: Genomic mutation of MTAP deletion occurred commonly in pan-cancer in the TCGA database (nearly 10.00%) and in osteosarcoma in the TARGET database (23.86%). HOS and its derivatives, 143B and HOS/MNNG, were detected by MTAP deletion according to the CCLE database and RT-PCR. EPZ015666, the PRMT5 inhibitor, could reduce the SDMA modification and inhibition of tumor growth of 143B and HOS/MNNG. The hydrogel microrobot drug delivery system was synthesized, and the drug was stained by rhodamine. The microrobots were powered actively by a magnetic field. A simulation of the selected inhibition of microrobots was performed and lower cell viability of tumor cells was detected by adding a high dose of microrobots.Conclusion: Our magnetic-driven drug delivery system could carry synthetic lethality drugs. Meanwhile, the selective inhibition of this system could be easily controlled by programming the strength of the magnetic field.

Impact ionization coefficients play a critical role in semiconductors. In addition to silicon, silicon carbide and gallium nitride are important semiconductors that are being seen more as mainstream semiconductor technologies. As a reflection of the maturity of these semiconductors, predictive modeling has become essential to device and circuit designers, and impact ionization coefficients play a key role here. Recently, several studies have measured impact ionization coefficients. We dedicated the first part of our study to comparing three experimental methods to estimate impact ionization coefficients in GaN, which are all based on photomultiplication but feature characteristic differences. The first method inserts an InGaN hole-injection layer, the accuracy of which is challenged by the dominance of ionization in InGaN, leading to possible overestimation of the coefficients. The second method utilizes the Franz–Keldysh effect for hole injection but not for electrons, where the mixed injection of induced carriers would require a margin of error. The third method uses complementary p–n and n–p structures that have been at the basis of this estimation in Si and SiC and leans on the assumption of a constant electric field, and any deviation would require a margin of error. In the second part of our study, we evaluated the models using recent experimental data from diodes demonstrating avalanche breakdown.

Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a promising non-invasive brain stimulation technique that can modulate the excitability of cortical and deep brain structures with a high degree of focality. Previous human studies showed that TUS decreases motor cortex (M1) excitability measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), but whether the effects appear beyond sonication and whether TUS affects the excitability of other interconnected cortical areas is not known. The time course of M1 TUS on ipsilateral and contralateral M1 excitability was investigated in 22 healthy human subjects via TMS-induced motor-evoked potentials. With sonication duration of 500 ms, we found suppression of M1 excitability from 10 ms before to 20 ms after the end of sonication, and the effects were stronger with blocked design compared to interleaved design. There was no significant effect on contralateral M1 excitability. Using ex-vivo measurements, we showed that the ultrasound transducer did not affect the magnitude or time course of the TMS-induced electromagnetic field. We conclude that the online-suppressive effects of TUS on ipsilateral M1 cortical excitability slightly outlast the sonication but did not produce long-lasting effects. The absence of contralateral effects may suggest that there are little tonic interhemispheric interactions in the resting state, or the intensity of TUS was too low to induce transcallosal inhibition.

Growing evidence suggests that both the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the subthalamic nucleus (STN) play crucial roles in conflict processing, but how these two structures coordinate their activities remains poorly understood. We simultaneously recorded electroencephalogram from the mPFC and local field potentials from the STN using deep brain stimulation electrodes in 13 Parkinson's disease patients while they performed a Stroop task. Both mPFC and STN showed significant increases in theta activities (2-8 Hz) in incongruent trials compared to the congruent trials. The theta activity in incongruent trials also demonstrated significantly increased phase synchronization between mPFC and STN. Furthermore, the amplitude of gamma oscillation was modulated by the phase of theta activity at the STN in incongruent trials. Such theta-gamma phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) was much stronger for incongruent trials with faster reaction times than those with slower reaction times. Elevated theta-gamma PAC in the STN provides a novel mechanism by which the STN may operationalize its proposed “hold-your-horses” role. The co-occurrence of mPFC-STN theta phase synchronization and STN theta-gamma PAC reflects a neural substrate for fronto-subthalamic communication during conflict processing. More broadly, it may be a general mechanism for neuronal interactions in the cortico-basal ganglia circuits via a combination of long-range, within-frequency phase synchronization and local cross-frequency PAC.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor, and there are few ideal clinically available drugs. The bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) protein is an emerging target for aggressive cancer, but therapies targeting the BET in osteosarcoma have been unsuccessful in clinical trials to date, and further exploration of specific BET inhibitors is of great significance. In our study, we demonstrated that NHWD-870, a potent BET inhibitor in a phase I clinical trial, significantly inhibited tumor proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis by reversing the oncogenic signature in osteosarcoma. More importantly, we identified NHWD-870 impeded binding of BRD4 to the promoter of GP130 leading to diminished activation of JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. Furthermore, GP130 knockdown significantly sensitizes the chemosensitivity in vitro. In OS cell-derived xenografts, NHWD-870 effectively inhibited the growth of osteosarcoma. Beyond that, NHWD-870 effectively inhibited the differentiation and maturation of precursor osteoclasts in vitro and attenuated osteoclast-mediated bone loss in vivo. Finally, we confirmed the efficacy of synthetic lethal effects of NHWD-870 and cisplatin in antagonizing osteosarcoma in a preclinical PDX model. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that NHWD-870, as an effective BET inhibitor, may be a potential candidate for osteosarcoma intervention linked to its STAT3 signaling inhibitory activity. In addition, NHWD-870 appears to be a promising therapeutic strategy for bone-associated tumors, as it interferes with the vicious cycle of tumor progression and bone destruction.

Abstract Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in children. Neuroimaging studies have revealed abnormalities of neural activities in some brain regions, including the frontal cortex, striatum, cerebellum, and occipital cortex. Recently, some investigators have demonstrated that nonlinear complexity analysis of neural activity may provide a new index to indicate ADHD. In the present study, we used the permutation entropy (PE) to measure the complexity of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) signals in children with and without ADHD during a working memory task, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between the PE values and the cortical activations, and the different PE values between the children with and without ADHD. We found that PE values exhibited significantly negative correlation with the cortical activations (r = −0.515, p = 0.003), and the PE values of right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in ADHD children were significantly larger than those in normal controls (p = 0.027). In addition, the PE values of right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were positively correlated to the ADHD index (r = 0.448, p = 0.012). These results suggest that complexity analysis of fNIRS signals could be a promising tool in diagnosing children with ADHD.

The aim of the present study was to develop layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles coated with PEGylated phospholipid membrane. By comparing the size distribution and zeta potential, the weight ratio of LDH to lipid materials which constitute the outside membrane was identified as 2:1. Transmission electron microscopy photographs confirmed the core-shell structure of PEGylated phospholipid membrane coated LDH (PEG-PLDH) nanoparticles, and cell cytotoxicity assay showed their good cell viability on Hela and BALB/C-3T3 cells over the concentration range from 0.5 to 50 μg/mL.

Ethylene plays an important role in regenerative-cooling scramjet engine, but its combustion characteristics have not yet been studied thoroughly. This paper reports the design of a square flat flame burner used for chemiluminescence measurement technique and the concentration of OH* and CH* of laminar premixed ethylene/air flame at low pressure. An approach of obtaining quantitative concentration through both PLIF experiments and CHEMKIN simulations is proposed. Results show that the maximum concentration is about 108 cm-3 and increases with elevated pressure. Although the maximum concentration depends much on equivalence ratio and pressure, the ratio of the maximum CH*/OH* concentration is independent of pressure (10kPa∼50kPa). The results are prerequisite for employing chemiluminescence technique in ethylene combustion process.

Oleic acid (OA) stimulates vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration. The precise mechanism is still unclear. We sought to investigate the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1alpha) on OA-induced VSMC proliferation and migration.Oleate and palmitate, the most abundant monounsaturated fatty acid and saturated fatty acid in plasma, respectively, differently affect the mRNA and protein levels of PGC-1alpha in VSMCs. OA treatment resulted in a reduction of PGC-1alpha expression, which may be responsible for the increase in VSMC proliferation and migration caused by this fatty acid. In fact, overexpression of PGC-1alpha prevented OA-induced VSMC proliferation and migration while suppression of PGC-1alpha by siRNA enhanced the effects of OA. In contrast, palmitic acid (PA) treatment led to opposite effects. This saturated fatty acid induced PGC-1alpha expression and prevented OA-induced VSMC proliferation and migration. Mechanistic study demonstrated that the effects of PGC-1alpha on VSMC proliferation and migration result from its capacity to prevent ERK phosphorylation.OA and PA regulate PGC-1alpha expression in VSMCs differentially. OA stimulates VSMC proliferation and migration via suppression of PGC-1alpha expression while PA reverses the effects of OA by inducing PGC-1alpha expression. Upregulation of PGC-1alpha in VSMCs provides a potential novel strategy in preventing atherosclerosis.