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A molecular phylogenetic study was conducted on genus Tropidauchenia, based on COI and 16S sequences. A total of six out of 18 species in the genus, as well as three species of Grandinenia and eight species of subfamily Synprosphyminae and Phaedusinae were sequenced. The phylogenetic results supported the monophyly of three Clausiliid subfamilies distributed in East Asia and demonstrated that Tropidauchenia was divided into two clades that corresponded to its two main distribution areas. A new species, Tropidauchenia jiangjilini Z.-G. Chen, Z.-Y. Chen & R.-X. Lin, sp. nov., from Guangdong, southern China, has been identified and described based on morphological comparison and molecular phylogeny. The discovery expanded the distribution range of Tropidauchenia and revealed the potential species diversity of land snails in the karst region of Guangdong.

A molecular phylogenetic study was conducted on genus Grandinenia, based on COI and 16S sequences. A total of eight out of 26 species in the genus, as well as three unidentified species were sequenced. Phylogenetic results supported the monophyly of Grandinenia and the validity of all sampled species and subspecies. A new species, Grandinenia jiangjilini Chen, Lin, Wu & Ouyang, sp. nov., from Guangxi, southern China is identified and described, based on morphological comparison and molecular phylogeny. The discovery indicates that the inflated-fusiform shell is not isolated in genus Grandinenia and the species diversity of the genus still remains to be explored.

Ni–Ru bimetallic porous carbon sphere (Ni–Ru@PCS) catalysts were synthesized via formaldehyde-assisted, metal-coordinated crosslinking sol–gel chemistry, in which biomass-derived tannic acid and F127 surfactant were used as carbon precursor and soft template, respectively, and Ni2+ and Ru3+ were used as cross-linkers. In the developed method, Ni–Ru particles became uniformly dispersed in the carbon skeleton due to strong coordination bonds between metal ions (Ni2+ and Ru3+) and tannic acid molecules and bimetal interactions. The as-synthesized Ni–Ru10:1@PCS catalyst with a loading Ni:Ru mole ratio of 10:1 was applied for the selective hydrogenation of glucose to sorbitol, and provided 99% glucose conversion with a sorbitol selectivity of 100% at 140 °C in 150 min reaction time and exhibited good stability and recyclability in which sorbitol yield remained at 98% after 4 cycles with little or no metal agglomeration. The catalyst was applied to glucose solutions as high as 20 wt% with 97% sorbitol yields being obtained at 140 °C in 20 h. The developed bimetallic porous carbon sphere catalysts take advantage of sustainably-derived materials in their structure and are applicable to related biomass conversion reactions.

Objective To observe the damage effect of irradiation on intestine of C57 mice and investigate the protective effect and role of human α-defensin 5 (HD5) in the injury. Methods Intestinal α-defensin knockout mice (MMP7-/- mice) were constructed based on C57 mice, and HD5 gene was transferred into MMP7-/- mice to construct and breed a HD5 transgenic mice (HD5tg mice). The experiment was divided into wild-type C57 mice group (WT group), MMP7-/- mice group and HD5tg mice group. After the mice were irradiated with 5 Gy X-ray (1.26 Gy/min), the survival status of mice within 30 d was observed and statistically analyzed, and the ileal tissues were collected at 0, 2 and 10 d. The pathological injury of the ileum was observed with HE staining, the cell apoptosis in the mice intestinal mucosa was evaluated by TUNEL, and the proliferation and differentiation of ileum intestinal stem cells were analyzed with immunofluorescence assay and PAS staining. The protein expression of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB was detected with Western blotting, and the transcription levels of IL-1, IL-6 and IL-10 in intestinal mucosa were measured with RT-qPCR. Results MMP7-/- mice and HD5tg mice were successfully constructed in this study. At 30 d after irradiation, the survival rates of WT, MMP7-/- and HD5tg groups were 50% (10/20), 35% (7/20) and 55% (11/20), respectively. The survival rates of WT and HD5tg groups were significantly higher than that of MMP7-/- group (P < 0.05), but there was no statistic difference between WT group and HD5tg group. When compared with MMP7-/- group, HD5 transfer significantly improved the pathological damage of villi and crypt structure in the small intestine of mice after irradiation, inhibited the apoptosis of intestinal mucosal cells, promoted the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal stem cells, and decreased transcription levels of inflammatory factors via inhibiting TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway (P < 0.05). Conclusion HD5 promotes the renewal of intestinal mucosal cells and tissue repair and inhibit inflammatory injury by improving intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction induced by irradiation, and thus, enhance the anti-irradiation ability of C57 mice.

This study describes a rare case of male granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) with recurrence in different sites on the ipsilateral side. A 48-year-old male patient presented with no previous history of breast-related disease, and physical examination suggested a mass in the right breast. Ultrasonography revealed a cyst and infection in the right breast. No obvious abnormality was found in laboratory analysis, and a core needle biopsy revealed GLM. Incision and drainage were applied to the right lesion, and symptoms resolved within a few weeks. At 2 years following this initial presentation, the patient reported that the right breast mass reappeared in different locations after the consumption of alcohol. Relevant examination and a core needle biopsy again suggested GLM of the right breast. The patient declined hormone therapy and was subsequently lost to follow-up. After reviewing this case, the course of the disease in this patient, and the connection between gynecomastia and GLM, along with ipsilateral recurrence, are under investigation.

The continuous production of mature blood cell lineages is maintained by hematopoietic stem cells but they are highly susceptible to damage by ionizing radiation (IR) that induces death. Thus, devising therapeutic strategies that can mitigate hematopoietic toxicity caused by IR would benefit acute radiation syndrome (ARS) victims and patients receiving radiotherapy. Herein, we describe the preparation of an injectable hydrogel formulation based on Arg‐Gly‐Asp‐alginate (RGD‐Alg) and Laponite using a simple mixing method that ensured a slow and sustained release of interleukin‐12 (IL‐12) (RGD‐Alg/Laponite@IL‐12). The local administration of RGD‐Alg/Laponite@IL‐12 increased survival rates and promoted the hematopoietic recovery of mice who had received sublethal‐dose irradiation. Local intra‐bone marrow (intra‐BM) injection of RGD‐Alg/Laponite@IL‐12 hydrogel effectively stimulated IL12 receptor‐phosphoinositide 3‐kinase/protein kinase B (IL‐12R‐PI3K/AKT) signaling axis, which promoted proliferation and hematopoietic growth factors secretion of BM mesenchymal stem/stromal cells. This signaling axis facilitates the repair of the hematopoietic microenvironment and plays a pivotal role in hematopoietic reconstitution. In conclusion, we describe a biomaterial‐sustained release of IL‐12 for the treatment of irradiated hematopoietic injury and provide a new therapeutic strategy for hematopoietic ARS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and BMP receptors widely participate in osteolytic metastasis of breast cancer, while their role in tumor-stromal interaction is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether BMP receptor type 1a (BMPR1a) can alter the interaction between metastatic cancer cells and osteoclast precursors. Methods: Adenovirus-mediated RNA interference was used to interrupt target genes of human breast cancer cell lines and nude mice were injected intratibially with the cancer cells. Tumor-bearing mice were examined by bioluminescence imaging and microCT. Sections of metastatic legs were measured by a series of staining methods. Murine bone marrow mononuclear cells or RAW264.7 cells were cultured with conditioned media of breast cancer cells. RT-PCR, Western blotting and ELISA were used to test mRNA and protein expressions of target molecules. Results: Expression of BMPR1a of MDA-MB-231-luc cells at tumor-bone interface was apparently stronger than that of cancer cells distant from the interface. Mice injected with BMPR1a-knockdown MDA-MB-231-luc cells showed reduced tumor growth and bone destruction compared with control groups. Knockdown (KD) of BMPR1a of MDA-MB-231-luc cells or MCF-7 cells decreased the level of receptor activator for NF-κB ligand (RANKL). Level of RANKL in MDA-MB-231-luc cells or MCF-7 cells was reduced by p38 inhibitor. Compared with control group, knockdown of p38 of breast cancer cells decreased cancer-induced osteoclastogenesis. Conclusion: Knockdown of BMPR1a of breast cancer cells suppresses their production of RANKL via p38 pathway and inhibits cancer-induced osteoclastogenesis, which indicates that BMPR1a might be a possible target in breast cancer-induced osteolytic metastasis.

The effect of ionizing radiation on the gastrointestinal tract is a common complication of abdominal and pelvic radiotherapy. However, the pathological features of radiation enteropathy and its effective medical intervention regimen is still a global challenge. Here, we explored the role and mechanism of enteric alpha-defensins (EαDs) in protecting against radiation enteropathy. To address this, we utilized EαDs-deficiency mice, in which the matrix metallopeptidase 7 to activate Paneth cell α-defensins was knockout (KO) mice, and the complementary wild-type (WT) control mice for this study. Remarkably, the KO mice were more susceptible to 5.0 Gy total-body irradiation, resulting in worse clinic scores and lower survival rate, compared with the wild-type mice. Histological examination indicated that the KO mice were subjected to slow recovery of intestinal villus and mucosa function, characterized by the reduced expression of TFF3, Glut1 and Muc2. In addition, compared with the wild-type controls, the KO mice experienced serious inflammation response in intestinal tissue, indicated by the remarkably increased expression level of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12. Using high-throughput sequencing analysis, we found that the intestinal bacterial community of the KO mice was more prone to dysbiosis than that of the WT mice, with significantly increased abundance of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria, such as Streptococcus sp. and Escherichia-Shigella sp., whereas remarkably decreased probiotics harboring Lactobacillus sp., Desulfovibrio sp. etc. Fecal metabolomics analysis indicated that the relative abundance of 31 metabolites arose significantly different between WT and KO mice on day 10 after radiation exposure. A subset of differential metabolites to regulate host metabolism and immunity, such as acetic acid, acetate, butanoic acid, was negatively correlated with the alteration of gut microbiota in the irradiated KO mice. This study provides new insight into EαDs contribution to the recovery of radiation-induced intestinal damage, and suggests a potential novel target to prevent the adverse effects of radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NFT is a new technology buttressed by blockchain and smart contracts. Changes brought by this new technology have spread to more aspects of life and imposed challenges to traditional legal and regulatory frameworks. Existing NFT rules and regulations are scattered, disjointed, and ambiguous, with the fundamental legal nature of NFTs unresolved and their heterogeneity unrecognized. The Article describes current NFT use cases, analyzes the current NFT regulatory and legal landscape, and parses out the advantages and disadvantages of each regulatory approach. As more NFT projects emerge and contribute to the global economy, it's crucial to devise a robust conceptual framework for NFT regulation. This Article is the first to view the whole NFT ecosystem from a commons perspective and propose a polycentric framework for NFTs. In its early stages of NFT regulation, a polycentric framework will acknowledge NFTs' versatility, encourage the involvement of multiple stakeholders, and identify best practices, so as to foster a long-enduring NFT ecosystem. The Article also introduces Ostrom's law for successful NFT polycentric regulation and anticipates the challenges it may face, alongside possible responses and solutions. The regulatory journey of NFTs holds significance because the lessons learned can shed light on future emerging technologies. Similar to the experience of cyberspace, the journey will reshape how law and regulation adapt to novel challenges and constantly refine their contents and connotations to overcome unforeseen difficulties, strengthening our perception of governance as a "frequently adaptive process.". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]