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Background: Sleep disorders are one of the major public health problems, which can potentially induce inflammation and exacerbate disease activity, resulting in compromised sleep quality. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with sleep disorders among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)., Methods: Between March 2023 and February 2024, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was employed to assess sleep quality in both IBD patients and healthy control subjects. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify the risk factors associated with SD in IBD patients., Results: Overall, 208 IBD patients [150 Crohn's disease (CD) and 58 ulcerative colitis (UC)] and 199 healthy individuals were included. Sleep disorders were observed in 59.6% of patients with IBD, with a higher prevalence among females (63.5%) compared to males (56.9%) (P = 0.476). The prevalence of sleep disorders in IBD patients was significantly higher than that found in healthy controls (37.7%) (all P < 0.01). The prevalence of sleep disorders  among CD and UC patients was 58% and 63.8%, respectively (P = 0.291). The multivariate analysis revealed that older age (OR, 1.070; 95% CI: 1.035-1.105, P = 0.000), smoking (OR, 2.698; 95% CI: 1.089-6.685, P = 0.032), and depression (OR, 4.779; 95% CI: 1.915-11.928, P = 0.001) were risk factors for sleep disorders in IBD patients. However, higher body mass index (OR, 0.879; 95% CI: 0.790-0.977, P = 0.017) was identified as a protective factor., Conclusion: Sleep disorders are common among IBD patients regardless of activity levels. Smoking and depression are the major risk factors., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The pursuit of highly efficient electrocatalysts for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of paramount importance for water splitting. However, it is still a formidable task in Mo 2 C-based materials because of the agglomeration and strong Mo-H binding of Mo 2 C units. Herein, a novel CeOCl-CeO 2 /Mo 2 C heterostructure nesting within a three-dimensional porous nitrogen-doped carbon matrix has been designed and used for catalyzing HER via simultaneous morphology and heterointerface engineering. As expected, the optimal CeOCl-CeO 2 (0.2)/Mo 2 C@3DNC exhibits impressive HER activity, with a low overpotential of 156 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm -2 coupled with a slight Tafel slope of 62.20 mV dec -1 . Introducing a Ce promoter, that is CeOCl and CeO 2 , would endow the interface with an internal electric field and electron redistribution between CeOCl-CeO 2 and Mo 2 C induced by the heterogeneous work function difference. Moreover, experimental investigation and density functional calculations confirm that the CeOCl-CeO 2 /Mo 2 C heterointerface can downshift the d-band center of the active Mo center, weakening the strength of the Mo-H coupling. This proposed concept, engineering Ce-based promoters into active entities involved in the heterostructure to modulate intermediate adsorption, offers a great opportunity for the design of superior electrocatalysts for energy conversion.

Triethylamine is a common volatile organic compound (VOC) that plays an important role in areas such as organic solvents, chemical industries, dyestuffs, and leather treatments. However, exposure to triethylamine atmosphere can pose a serious threat to human health. In this study, gas-sensing semiconductor materials of LaFeO 3 nano materials with different Mo-doping ratios were synthesized by the sol-gel method. The crystal structures, micro morphologies, and surface states of the prepared samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, and XPS, respectively. The gas-sensing tests showed that the Mo doping enhanced the gas-sensing performance of LaFeO 3 . Especially, the 4% Mo-doped LaFeO 3 exhibited the highest response towards triethylamine (TEA) gas, a value approximately 11 times greater than that of pure LaFeO 3 . Meantime, the 4% Mo-doped LaFeO 3 sensor showed a remarkably robust linear correlation between the response and the concentration (R 2 = 0.99736). In addition, the selectivity, stability, response/recovery time, and moisture-proof properties were evaluated. Finally, the gas-sensing mechanism is discussed. This study provides an idea for exploring a new type of efficient and low-cost metal-doped LaFeO 3 sensor to monitor the concentration of triethylamine gas for the purpose of safeguarding human health and safety.

Lung cancer poses a serious threat to people's lives and health due to its high incidence rate and high mortality rate, making it necessary to effectively conduct early screening. As an important biomarker for lung cancer, the detection of n -propanol gas suffers from a low response value and a high detection limit. In this paper, flower-like Ho-doped ZnO was fabricated by the coprecipitation method for n -propanol detection at subppm concentrations. The gas sensor based on the 3% Ho-doped ZnO showed selectivity to n -propanol gas. Its response value to 100 ppm n -propanol was 341 at 140 °C, and its limit of detection (LOD) was about 25.6 ppb, which is lower than that of n -propanol in the breath of a healthy person (150 ppb). The calculation results show that the adsorption of n -propanol on a Ho-doped ZnO surface releases more energy than isopropanol, ethanol, formaldehyde, acetone, and ammonia. The enhanced gas-sensing properties of the Ho-doped ZnO material can be attributed to the fact that the Ho-doping distorts the crystal lattice of the ZnO, increases the specific surface area, and generates a large amount of oxygen defects. In addition, the doped Ho partially forms a Ho 2 O 3 /ZnO heterojunction in the material and improves the gas-sensing properties. The 3% Ho-doped ZnO material is expected to be a promising candidate for the trace detection of n -propanol gas.

Background: Serial excision remains the most commonly used surgical procedure for treating congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN). It is critical to remove as much of the lesion as possible with each procedure to reduce the number of procedures and to shorten the treatment duration., Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of W-plasty serial excision for the repair of postoperative CMN defects., Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with medium CMN was conducted from April 2018 to March 2022. Treatment options were divided into elliptical serial excision (10 cases) and W-plasty serial excision (10 cases)., Results: Follow-up occurred over 6 months. The number of elliptical excision procedures was 2 to 4 (mean 2.9). The scar-to-lesion length ratio was 1.5 to 2.0 (mean 1.7). The mean Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) score was 5.40 ± 0.42. The number of W-plasty excision procedures was 2 to 3 (mean 2.2). The scar-to-lesion length ratio was 1.2 to 1.5 (mean 1.4). The mean VSS score was 2.70 ± 0.26. W-plasty excision was superior to elliptical excision regarding the number of procedures and the effect on postoperative scars., Conclusion: W-plasty serial excision can be considered a suitable option for the excision of medium CMN, leading to excellent results., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ships are important sources of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in Guangdong Province. The study of historical evolutions, drivers, and projected pathways of CO 2 emissions can provide scientific support for the development of carbon peaking and carbon neutral strategies in Guangdong Province. The emission factor method, log-average index (LMDI) method, and scenario analysis method were adopted to estimate CO 2 emissions, identify the drivers, and explore the mitigation potential from ships in Guangdong Province, separately. The results showed that:① CO 2 emissions from ships in Guangdong Province increased from 3.319 4 million tons to 6.392 9 million tons from 2006 to 2020, with dry bulk carriers and container ships being the main ship types causing the increase in emissions. ② The positive drivers of CO 2 emissions from ships in Guangdong Province from 2006 to 2020 were transport intensity (51%) and economic factors (49%), and the negative drivers were energy intensity (93%) and cargo class structure (7%). ③ Carbon peaking would not be reached by 2030 if Guangdong Province maintains the current policy (baseline scenario) for ship transportation. ④ Simultaneous optimization of the energy structure and promotion of the energy intensity (energy-efficient and low-carbon scenario) had a 56.51% potential to reduce CO 2 emissions from ships compared to the baseline scenario. This can provide scientific support for Guangdong Province to develop a carbon peaking and carbon neutral control strategy for the shipping industry.

Objectives: To determine the predictive effect of Hounsfield unit (HU) values in the cervical vertebral body measured by computed tomography (CT) and T-scores measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) on Zero-P subsidence after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)with Zero-P. In addition, we evaluated the most reliable measurement of cervical HU values., Methods: We reviewed 76 patients who underwent single-level Zero-P fusion for cervical spondylosis. HU values were measured on CT images according to previous studies. Univariate analysis was used to screen the influencing factors of Zero-P subsidence, and then, logistic regression was used to determine the independent risk factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the ability to predict Zero-P subsidence., Results: Twelve patients (15.8%) developed Zero-P subsidence. There were significant differences between subsidence group and non-subsidence group in terms of age, axial HU value, and HU value of midsagittal, midcoronal, and midaxial (MSCD), but there were no significant differences in lowest T-score and lowest BMD. The axial HU value (OR = 0.925) and HU value of MSCD (OR = 0.892) were independent risk factors for Zero-P subsidence, and the lowest T-score was not (OR = 1.186). The AUC of predicting Zero-P subsidence was 0.798 for axial HU value, 0.861 for HU value of MSCD, and 0.656 for T-score., Conclusions: Lower cervical HU value indicates a higher risk of subsidence in patients following Zero-P fusion for single-level cervical spondylosis. HU values were better predictors of Zero-P subsidence than DXA T-scores. In addition, the measurement of HU value in the midsagittal, midcoronal, and midaxial planes of the cervical vertebral body provides an effective method for predicting Zero-P subsidence., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Herein, a patterned rod-like CoP@NiCoP core-shell heterostructure is designed to consist of CoP nanowires cross-linked with NiCoP nanosheets in tight strings. The interfacial interaction within the heterojunction between the two components generates a built-in electric field that adjusts the interfacial charge state and create more active sites, accelerating the charge transfer and improving supercapacitor and electrocatalytic performance. The unique core-shell structure suppresses the volume expansion during charging and discharging, achieving excellent stability. As a result, CoP@NiCoP exhibits a high specific capacitance of 2.9 F cm -2 at a current density of 3 mA cm -2 and a high ion diffusion rate (D ion is 2.95 × 10 -14  cm 2  s -1 ) during charging/discharging. The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor CoP@NiCoP//AC exhibits a high energy density of 42.2 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 126.5 W kg -1 and excellent stability with a capacitance retention rate of 83.8% after 10 000 cycles. Furthermore, the modulated effect induced by the interfacial interaction also endows the self-supported electrode with excellent electrocatalytic HER performance with an overpotential of 71 mV at 10 mA cm -2 . This research may provide a new perspective on the generation of built-in electric field through the rational design of heterogeneous structures for improving the electrochemical and electrocatalytical performance., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Temperature sensitivity ( Q 10 ) of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition is an important index to estimate the dynamics of soil C budget. However, the spatial variation of Q 10 and its influencing factors remain largely uncertain. In this study, we reviewed the effects of climate environment, spatial geographic pattern, soil physicochemical property, vegetation type, microbial community composition and function, and global climate change on Q 10 to summarize the general rule of each factor influencing Q 10 and compare the relative contribution of each factor to Q 10 in different ecosystems. The results showed that Q 10 decreases with the increases of temperature and precipitation, but increases with the rise of latitude and altitude. The Q 10 value is higher in grassland than that in forest, and also in coniferous forest and deciduous forest than that in evergreen broad-leaved forest. Carbon quality is negatively correlated with Q 10 , but the C quality hypothesis is not always valid with exogenous substrate input. For example, the increment of substrate availability may significantly increase Q 10 in low-quality soils. Q 10 decreases with the enhanced proportion of r-strategy microorganisms (Proteobacteria and Ascomycetes), but increases with the enhanced proportion of K-strategy microorganisms (Acidobacteria and Basidiomycetes). Q 10 increases with elevated CO 2 concentration, but declines with atmospheric nitrogen deposition. In natural ecosystems, Q 10 is mainly regulated by temperature and C quality. Temperature is the main factor regulating Q 10 in the topsoil while C quality is the main factor in deep soil. Our review provided a theoretical support to improve the coupled climate-C cycle model and achieved the C neutral strategy under global warming.

It is a challenging task to utilize efficient electrocatalytic metal hydroxide-based materials for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in order to produce clean hydrogen energy through water splitting, primarily due to the restricted availability of active sites and the undesirably high adsorption energies of oxygenated species. To address these challenges simultaneously, we intentionally engineer a hollow star-shaped Ag/CoMo-LDH heterostructure as a highly efficient electrocatalytic system. This design incorporates a considerable number of heterointerfaces between evenly dispersed Ag nanoparticles and CoMo-LDH nanosheets. The heterojunction materials have been prepared using self-assembly, in situ transformation, and spontaneous redox processes. The nanosheet-integrated hollow architecture can prevent active entities from agglomeration and facilitate mass transportation, enabling the constant exposure of active sites. Specifically, the powerful electronic interaction within the heterojunction can successfully regulate the Co 3+ /Co 2+ ratio and the d-band center, resulting in rational optimization of the adsorption and desorption of the intermediates on the site. Benefiting from its well-defined multifunctional structures, the Ag0.4/CoMo-LDH with optimal Ag loading exhibits impressive OER activity, the overpotential being 290 mV to reach a 10 mA cm -2 current density. The present study sheds some new insights into the electron structure modulation of hollow heterostructures toward rationally designing electrocatalytic materials for the OER.

Accomplishing a green hydrogen economy in reality through water spitting ultimately relies upon earth-abundant efficient electrocatalysts that can simultaneously accelerate the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER and HER). The perspective of electronic structure modulation via interface engineering is of great significance to optimize electrocatalytic output but remains a tremendous challenge. Herein, an efficient tactic has been explored to prepare nanosheet-assembly tumbleweed-like CoFeCe-containing precursors with time-/energy-saving and easy-operating features. Subsequently, the final metal phosphide materials containing multiple interfaces, denoted CoP/FeP/CeO x , have been synthesized via the phosphorization process. Through the optimization of the Co/Fe ratio and the content of the rare-earth Ce element, the electrocatalytic activity has been regulated. As a result, bifunctional Co3Fe/Ce0.025 reaches the top of the volcano for both OER and HER simultaneously, with the smallest overpotentials of 285 mV (OER) and 178 mV (HER) at 10 mA cm -2 current density in an alkaline environment. Multicomponent heterostructure interface engineering would lead to more exposed active sites, feasible charge transport, and strong interfacial electronic interaction. More importantly, the appropriate Co/Fe ratio and Ce content can synergistically tailor the d-band center with a downshift to enhance the per-site intrinsic activity. This work would provide valuable insights to regulate the electronic structure of superior electrocatalysts toward water splitting by constructing rare-earth compounds containing multiple heterointerfaces.

Nano bowl-like Co-Co 6 Mo 6 C 2 coated by N,P co-doped carbon (Co-Co 6 Mo 6 C 2 @NPC) is reported as an electrocatalyst for Zn-air batteries. Co-Co 6 Mo 6 C 2 @NPC only needs an overpotential of 210 mV at 10 mA cm -2 for the OER, and the half-wave potential for the ORR is 0.81 V. In addition, the Co-Co 6 Mo 6 C 2 @NPC based battery shows a large open-circuit voltage of 1.335 V and a maximum power density of 160.5 mW cm -2 , as well as good stability. The improved catalytic performance can be ascribed to the co-existence of Co 6 Mo 6 C 2 and Co species to improve the intrinsic catalytic activity, and the bowl-like nanostructure to facilitate the mass transfer.

Osteoporosis is a complex multifactorial disease that can lead to an increased risk of fracture. However, selective and effective osteoporosis drugs are still lacking. We showed that Asperosaponin VI (AVI) has the implications to be further developed as an alternative supplement for the prevention and treatment of bone loss. AVI has been found to have beneficial effects on metabolic diseases such as bone loss, obesity, and atherosclerosis. Our study was designed to determine the effect and mechanism of action of AVI against bone loss through regulating microbial dysbiosis. A hindlimb unloading mouse model was established to determine the effect of AVI on bone microarchitecture, gut microbiota, and serum metabolites. Eighteen female C57BL/6 J mice were divided into three groups: control, hindlimb unloading with vehicle (HLU), and hindlimb unloading treated with AVI (HLU-AVI, 200 mg/kg/day). AVI was administrated orally for 4 weeks. The results demonstrated that AVI improved the bone microstructure by reversing the decrease in bone volume fraction and trabecular number, and the increase in trabecular separation and structure model index of cancellous bone in hindlimb suspension mice. The results of 16sRNA gene sequencing suggested that the therapeutic effect of AVI on bone loss may be achieved through it regulating the gut microbiota, especially certain specific microorganisms. Combined with the analysis of ELISA, immunohistochemistry, and serum metabolome results, it could be speculated that AVI played an important role in adjusting the balance of bone metabolism by influencing specific flora such as Clostridium and its metabolites to regulate the 5-hydroxytryptophan pathway. The study explored the novel mechanism of AVI against osteoporosis, and has implications for the further development of AVI as an alternative supplement for the prevention and treatment of bone loss., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of an injured nerve can promote and accelerate peripheral nerve regeneration and improve function. When performing acupuncture and moxibustion, locating the injured nerve using ultrasound before percutaneous nerve stimulation can help prevent further injury to an already injured nerve. However, stimulation parameters have not been standardized. In this study, we constructed a multi-layer human forearm model using finite element modeling. Taking current density and activated function as optimization indicators, the optimal percutaneous nerve stimulation parameters were established. The optimal parameters were parallel placement located 3 cm apart with the injury site at the midpoint between the needles. To validate the efficacy of this regimen, we performed a randomized controlled trial in 23 patients with median nerve transection who underwent neurorrhaphy. Patients who received conventional rehabilitation combined with percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation experienced greater improvement in sensory function, motor function, and grip strength than those who received conventional rehabilitation combined with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. These findings suggest that the percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation regimen established in this study can improve global median nerve function in patients with median nerve transection., Competing Interests: None

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel is a classic analgesic target, but antagonists of TRPV1 failed in clinical trials due to their side effects like hyperthermia. Here we rationally engineer a peptide s-RhTx as a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of TRPV1. Patch-clamp recordings demonstrate s-RhTx selectively potentiated TRPV1 activation. s-RhTx also slows down capsaicin-induced desensitization of TRPV1 in the presence of calcium to cause more calcium influx in TRPV1-expressing cells. In addition, our thermodynamic mutant cycle analysis shows that E652 in TRPV1 outer pore specifically interacts with R12 and K22 in s-RhTx. Furthermore, we demonstrate in vivo that s-RhTx exhibits long-lasting analgesic effects in noxious heat hyperalgesia and CFA-induced chronic inflammatory pain by promoting the reversible degeneration of intra-epidermal nerve fiber (IENF) expressing TRPV1 channels in mice, while their body temperature remains unaffected. Our results suggest s-RhTx is an analgesic agent as a PAM of TRPV1., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Electrochemical N 2 reduction reaction (NRR) emerges as a highly attractive alternative to the Haber-Bosch process for producing ammonia (NH 3 ) under ambient circumstances. Currently, this technology still faces tremendous challenges due to the low ammonia production rate and low Faradaic efficiency, urgently prompting researchers to explore highly efficient electrocatalysts. Inspired by the Fe-Mo cofactor in nitrogenase, we report Mo-doped hematite (Fe 2 O 3 ) porous nanospheres containing Fe-O-Mo subunits for enhanced activity and selectivity in the electrochemical reduction from N 2 to NH 3 . Mo-doping induces the morphology change from a solid sphere to a porous sphere and enriches lattice defects, creating more active sites. It also regulates the electronic structures of Fe 2 O 3 to accelerate charge transfer and enhance the intrinsic activity. As a consequence, Mo-doped Fe 2 O 3 achieves effective N 2 fixation with a high ammonia production rate of 21.3 ± 1.1 μg h -1 mg cat. -1 as well as a prominent Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 11.2 ± 0.6%, superior to the undoped Fe 2 O 3 and other iron oxide catalysts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further unravel that the Mo-doping in Fe 2 O 3 (110) narrows the band gap, promotes the N 2 activation on the Mo site with an elongated N≡N bond length of 1.132 Å in the end-on configuration, and optimizes an associative distal pathway with a decreased energy barrier. Our results may pave the way toward enhancing the electrocatalytic NRR performance of iron-based materials by atomic-scale heteroatom doping.

Background: Mandibular keloids and hypertrophic scars can exert significant effects on the appearance of a patient. However, current treatments are not effective in all cases. Consequently, it is vital to identify a safe and effective treatment method., Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of the mini-punch technique combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT) on mandibular keloids and hypertrophic scars., Patients and Methods: Twenty patients with mandibular keloids and hypertrophic scars were enrolled, including 5 cases of keloids and 15 cases of hypertrophic scars, with a total of 40 lesions. The mini-punch technique was performed first, and then, PDT was conducted, once a week on 3 occasions in total., Results: After 12 months of follow-up, 30 lesions had improved by more than 50%, thus achieving a good therapeutic effect. The Vancouver Scar Scale score of patients ranged between 8 and 12 points with a mean of 9.60 ± 1.09 points before surgery and between 2 and 9 points with a mean of 4.15 ± 2.05 points at 12 months after surgery. The mean Vancouver Scar Scale score after treatment was significantly lower than that before treatment (t = 11.80, p < .001)., Conclusion: A combination of the mini-punch technique and PDT is an effective treatment for mandibular keloids and hypertrophic scars., (Copyright © 2022 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is kinetically sluggish due to the limitation of the four-electron transfer pathway, so it is imperative to explore advanced catalysts with a superior structure and catalytic output under facile synthetic conditions. In the present work, an easily accessible strategy was proposed to implement the plant-polyphenol-involved coordination assembly on Co(OH) 2 nanosheets. A TA-Fe (TA = tannic acid) coordination assembly growing on Co(OH) 2 resulted in the heterostructure of Co(OH) 2 @TA-Fe as an electrocatalyst for OER. It could significantly decrease the overpotential to 297 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm -2 . The heterostructure Co(OH) 2 @TA-Fe also possessed favorable reaction kinetics with a low Tafel slope of 64.8 mV dec -1 and facilitated a charge-transfer ability. The enhanced electrocatalytic performance was further unraveled to be related to the confined growth of the coordination assembly on Co(OH) 2 to expose more active sites, the modulated surface properties and their synergistic effect. This study demonstrated a simple and feasible strategy to utilize inexpensive biomass-derived substances as novel modifiers to enhance the performance of energy-conversion electrocatalysis.

Aspidopterys obcordata vine is a Chinese Dai ethnic herb used to treat urolithiasis. However, the material basis and underlying mechanisms remain undefined. In this study, a 2.3 kD inulin-like A. obcordata fructan (AOFOS) was isolated by size exclusion column chromatography and characterized by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-ion trap-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-IT-TOF-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HGPC). In addition, AOFOS showed unique anti-urolithiasis activity in Drosophila kidney stone models. Mechanism study indicated that AOFOS reduced the size of calcium oxalate crystals by inhibiting the formation of large size crystals and the generation rate of calcium oxalate crystals as well as the crystal form conversion from calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) to calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD)., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Previous studies on the mechanisms of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) have mainly focused on the pathophysiological changes within a single injury site. However, recent studies have indicated that within the central nervous system, PNI can lead to changes in both injury sites and target organs at the cellular and molecular levels. Therefore, the basic mechanisms of PNI have not been comprehensively understood. Although electrical stimulation was found to promote axonal regeneration and functional rehabilitation after PNI, as well as to alleviate neuropathic pain, the specific mechanisms of successful PNI treatment are unclear. We summarize and discuss the basic mechanisms of PNI and of treatment via electrical stimulation. After PNI, activity in the central nervous system (spinal cord) is altered, which can limit regeneration of the damaged nerve. For example, cell apoptosis and synaptic stripping in the anterior horn of the spinal cord can reduce the speed of nerve regeneration. The pathological changes in the posterior horn of the spinal cord can modulate sensory abnormalities after PNI. This can be observed in cases of ectopic discharge of the dorsal root ganglion leading to increased pain signal transmission. The injured site of the peripheral nerve is also an important factor affecting post-PNI repair. After PNI, the proximal end of the injured site sends out axial buds to innervate both the skin and muscle at the injury site. A slow speed of axon regeneration leads to low nerve regeneration. Therefore, it can take a long time for the proximal nerve to reinnervate the skin and muscle at the injured site. From the perspective of target organs, long-term denervation can cause atrophy of the corresponding skeletal muscle, which leads to abnormal sensory perception and hyperalgesia, and finally, the loss of target organ function. The mechanisms underlying the use of electrical stimulation to treat PNI include the inhibition of synaptic stripping, addressing the excessive excitability of the dorsal root ganglion, alleviating neuropathic pain, improving neurological function, and accelerating nerve regeneration. Electrical stimulation of target organs can reduce the atrophy of denervated skeletal muscle and promote the recovery of sensory function. Findings from the included studies confirm that after PNI, a series of physiological and pathological changes occur in the spinal cord, injury site, and target organs, leading to dysfunction. Electrical stimulation may address the pathophysiological changes mentioned above, thus promoting nerve regeneration and ameliorating dysfunction.

Metal-organic frameworks are often used as a chemotherapeutic drug carrier due to their diverse metal sites and good acid degradation ability. Herein Co-doped Zn-MOF-5 nanoparticles with a high Co doping rate of 60% were synthesized for chemo-chemodynamic synergistic therapy of tumor. Co ions can mediate chemodynamic therapy through Fenton-like reaction and regulate the tumor microenvironment by consuming the reduced glutathione. The CoZn-MOF-5 shows high drug loading capacity with doxorubicin loading rate of 72.8%. The CoZn-MOF-5@PEG@DOX nanodrugs has a strong killing effect on 4T1 cancer cells, suggesting the chemo-chemodynamic synergistic effect on tumor therapy., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The modulation of the electronic structure is the effective access to achieve highly active electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Transition-metal phosphide-based heterostructures are very promising in enhancing HER performance but the facile fabrication and an in-depth study of the catalytic mechanisms still remain a challenge. In this work, the catalytically inactive n-type CeO x is successfully combined with p-type CoP to form the CoP/CeO x heterojunction. The crystalline-amorphous CoP/CeO x heterojunction is fabricated by the phosphorization of predesigned Co(OH) 2 /CeO x via the as-developed reduction-hydrolysis strategy. The p-n CoP/CeO x heterojunction with a strong built-in potential of 1.38 V enables the regulation of the electronic structure of active CoP within the space-charge region to enhance its intrinsic activity and facilitate the electron transfer. The functional CeO x entity and the negatively charged CoP can promote the water dissociation and optimize H adsorption, synergistically boosting the electrocatalytic HER output. As expected, the heterostructured CoP/CeO x -20:1 with the optimal ratio of Co/Ce shows significantly improved HER activity and favorable kinetics (overpotential of 118 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm -2 and Tafel slope of 77.26 mV dec -1 ). The present study may provide new insight into the integration of crystalline and amorphous entities into the p-n heterojunction as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for energy storage and conversion.

The addition of an extra metal source induces the transformation from crystalline α-Ni(OH) 2 to an amorphous NiCoFeCrMo-based high-entropy hydroxide (HEH) and maximizes the high-valence Ni 3+ content in HEH. For OER electrocatalysis, the quinary HEH possesses an overpotential of 292 mV at 10 mA cm -2 , a Tafel slope of 54.31 mV dec -1 and the boosted intrinsic activity, surpassing other subsystems.

Controllable and scalable fabrication is the precondition for realizing the large number of superior electronic and catalytic applications of MoS 2 . Here, we report a new type of synergistic additives, ammonium salts, for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of MoS 2 . On the basis of the catalysis of ammonium salts, we can achieve layer and shape-controlled MoS 2 domains and centimeter-scale MoS 2 films. Compared to frequently used alkali metal ions as the catalysts, ammonium salts are decomposed completely at low temperature (below 513 °C), resulting in clean and nondestructive as-grown substrates. Thus, MoS 2 electronic devices can be directly fabricated on them, and the redundant transfer step is no longer needed. This method can also promote the direct growth of MoS 2 on the conductive substrate and boost the improvement of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance. The ammonium salt-mediated CVD method will pave a new way for MoS 2 toward real applications in modern electronics and catalysis.

A Gram-stain-negative, oval or short rod-shaped, non-motile, aerobic bacterium, designated strain S1109L T , was isolated from a marine sediment in Weihai, PR China. Cells were oxidase positive and catalase positive. Growth of strain S1109L T occurred at 10-40 °C (optimum, 30-33 °C), pH 6.5-10.0 (optimum, 7.0-8.0) and in the presence of 1-21% (optimum, 4-6%) (w/v) NaCl. 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny indicated that strain S1109L T was associated with the genus Pontibaca of the family Rhodobacteraceae because it showed the highest sequence similarity to Pontibaca methylaminivorans KCTC 22497 T (97.5%). The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) scores between strain S1109L T and Pontibaca methylaminivorans KCTC 22497 T were 74.6% and 18.7%. The major cellular fatty acids of strain S1109L T were C 19:0 cyclo ω8c and C 18:1 ω7c. The polar lipids profiles of strain S1109L T were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified lipids. Strain S1109L T contained ubiquinone-10 as the major respiratory quinone. The genomic DNA G + C content was 55.9 mol%. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain S1109L T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Pontibaca, for which the name Pontibaca salina sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of is S1109L T (= KCTC 82411 T  = MCCC 1H00441 T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: HuoXue JieDu Formula (HXJDF) originates from classical formulas and was formed based on clinical experience. It is composed of Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Siebold, Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F.H. Chen, the roots of Anguina kirilowii (Maxim.) Kuntze, and Coptis omeiensis (C. Chen) C.Y.Cheng. HXJDF prevents the deterioration of diabetic retinopathy., Aim of the Study: To evaluate the effects of HXJDF on diabetic retinopathy in rats and investigate the roles of miRNAs in the effects of HXJDF., Materials and Methods: A single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (65 mg/kg) was used to induce diabetes in rats. Rats were divided into three groups: normal, diabetic, and diabetic + HXJDF. Rats were treated with HXJDF (15.4 g/kg) or water by oral gavage for twelve weeks. At the end of the treatment, rats were anaesthetized, and retinal haemodynamic changes were measured. Then, the retinas were removed and examined by haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and TUNEL assays. In addition, miRNA expression profiling was performed using miRNA microarrays and further validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR)., Results: Diabetes reduced peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), mean velocity (MV) and central retinal vein velocity (CRV) but increased the resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI). In addition, in the diabetic group, retinal cell arrangement was disordered and loosely arranged, the retinal thickness and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) number decreased, and retinal cell apoptosis increased. In addition, 11 miRNAs were upregulated and 4 miRNAs were downregulated. After treatment, HXJDF improved retinal haemodynamics and morphologic changes, restored retinal thickness and RGC number and decreased retinal cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the changes in miRNA expression were significantly abolished by HXJDF., Conclusion: HXJDF may prevent DR by regulating the expression of miRNAs., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Herein, small Co nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulated in N-doped double-shelled carbon nanocages grafted with thin carbon nanotubes (Co@CNTs@DSCNCs) were synthesized from yolk-shell bimetallic zeolitic imidazolate framework (BMZIF). For HER electrocatalysis, they exhibit higher activity (η 10 = 214 mV) and more favorable kinetics than Co@CNTs@PC (PC = porous carbon) with thick CNTs and large Co NPs derived from solid BMZIF cubes.

Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) as a commercially important species is widely cultured in China. However, E. sinensis is prone to agonistic behavior, which causes physical damage and wastes energy resources, negatively impacting their growth and survival. Therefore, understanding the regulatory mechanisms that underlie the switching of such behavior is essential for ensuring the efficient and cost-effective aquaculture of E. sinensis. The 5-HT2B receptor is a key downstream target of serotonin (5-HT), which is involved in regulating animal behavior. In this study, the full-length sequence of 5-HT2B gene was cloned. The total length of the 5-HT2B gene was found to be 3127 bp with a 236 bp 5'-UTR (untranslated region), a 779 bp 3'-UTR, and a 2112 bp open reading frame encoding 703 amino acids. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the 5-HT2B amino acid sequence of E. sinensis is highly conserved with that of Cancer borealis. Using in vitro co-culture and luciferase assays, the miR-143 targets the 5-HT2B 3'-UTR and inhibits 5-HT2B expression was confirmed. Furthermore, RT-qPCR and Western blotting analyses revealed that the miR-143 mimic significantly inhibits 5-HT2B mRNA and protein expression. However, injection of miR-143 did not decrease agonistic behavior, indicating that 5-HT2B is not involved in the regulation of such behavior in E. sinensis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Fufang Xueshuantong (FXST) is a traditional Chinese patent medicine composed of Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F.H.Chen (Araliaceae), Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Lamiaceae), Astragalus propinquus Schischkin (Leguminosae), and Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl. (Scrophulariaceae). It has been widely used for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and exerts a positive clinical therapeutic effect., Aim of the Study: The aim of this study was to observe the effect of FXST on diabetic rat retinas and investigate its pharmacological mechanism for improving DR., Methods: The diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The rats were divided into a normal group, diabetic group, and FXST group. The rats in the FXST group were treated with FXST by intragastric administration for 12 weeks while other rats were given the same volume of normal saline. The haemodynamic parameters of the central retinal artery in the rats were measured by ultrasound. Haematoxylin-eosin staining was utilised to observe the pathological structural changes in the retina. The apoptosis of retinal nerve cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling. RNA sequencing was used to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and enrichment analyses were performed. The DEGs were validated through real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)., Results: The peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, and mean velocity decreased while the resistance index and pulsatility index increased in the diabetic rat retinas. FXST also improved haemodynamics. In contrast with the diabetic group, FXST allayed the disorder and oedema of the retinal structure in addition to reversing the reductions in retinal thickness and retinal ganglion cell number. It also decreased the apoptosis index of retinal cells. A total of 1134 DEGs were identified by RNA sequencing in the FXST group compared to the diabetic group, including 814 upregulated genes and 320 downregulated genes. These genes were enriched in the complement and coagulation cascades as well as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signalling pathway. Several DEGs, including PPAR gamma, perilipin 4, acyl-CoA dehydrogenase long chain, CD55 molecule, and plasminogen activator urokinase, were identified by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with the RNA sequencing data., Conclusions: FXST alleviates DR by improving the haemodynamics and morphological alterations of diabetic rat retinas, which are mediated by complement and coagulation cascades and the PPAR signalling pathway., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, we present a strategy to improve the gas-sensing performance of NiFe 2 O 4 via a controllable annealing Ni/Fe precursor to fluffy NiFe 2 O 4 nanosheet flowers. X-ray diffraction (XRD), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the crystal structure, morphology, specific surface area and surface structure. The gas-sensing performance was tested and the results demonstrate that the response was strongly influenced by the specific surface area and surface structure. The resultant NiFe 2 O 4 nanosheet flowers with a heating rate of 8 °C min -1 , which have a fluffier morphology and more oxygen vacancies in the surface, exhibited enhanced response and shortened response time toward ethanol. The easy approach facilitates the mass production of gas sensors based on bimetallic ferrites with high sensing performance via controlling the morphology and surface structure.

Ultra-thin two-dimensional nanosheets have attracted increasing attention due to their great application prospects in nanomaterial science and biomedicine. Herein, we report the preparation of exfoliated raw and oxidized 4-layer Ti 7 O 13 (O-Ti 7 O 13 ) and their ability to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). The results show that O-Ti 7 O 13 nanosheets can effectively produce ROS induced by X-ray irradiation. The 4-layer nanosheets can quickly load doxorubicin (DOX) within 5 min with a high loading rate to obtain a novel nanodrug system through their electrostatic adsorption capacity, and they exhibit a sustained release behavior. In this way, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and photodynamic therapy effectively combine for cancer synergistic treatment. We evaluated the cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and intracellular location of the O-Ti 7 O 13 nanosheet-based drug delivery system in A549 lung cancer cells. Our results show that the O-Ti 7 O 13 /DOX complex is more cytotoxic to A549 cells than free DOX since a low concentration of loaded DOX (10 μg/mL) with a low dose of X-rays can cause the complete apoptosis of tumor cells. This work reveals that the therapeutic effect of DOX-loaded O-Ti 7 O 13 nanosheets is strongly dependent on their loading mode, and the effects of chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy are enhanced under X-ray irradiation, which allows O-Ti 7 O 13 nanosheet use as a photo-activated drug carrier. This work provides a new strategy for preparing 2D metal oxide nanosheets toward biomedical applications., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mesoporous titanium peroxide TiO x nanospheres with a high surface area are synthesized for the application of an advanced drug system. The mesoporous TiO x nanospheres have a high specific surface area of 681.89 m 2 /g and suitable pore size (∼3 nm) that can effectively upload doxorubicin (DOX) and possesses a high drug storage capacity of 146.08%. They show a distinct ability to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to X-ray irradiation, which can effectively improve the radiotherapy in tumor treatment using the lung cancer cell line. The ROS generation of TiO x is more than ten-fold higher than that of TiO 2 . No apparent toxicity is found for the TiO x material itself without X-ray irradiation. In vitro and in vivo experiments show that TiO x /DOX nanodrugs significantly enhance cytotoxicity in response to X-ray irradiation. CCK8 assays display that the TiO x /DOX nanodrug has higher cancer treatment efficiency in response to X-ray irradiation because of the synergistic effect of chemotherapy and generation of ROS. In the in vivo experiments using lung cancer tumor-bearing mice model, the tumor inhibition rate in the TiO x /DOX + X-ray group increased by 90.4% compared to the untreated control group, showing a good synergistic chemo-radiotherapy effect in tumor treatment.

In this study, we integrated chemotherapy and photothermal therapy in a magnetically targeted doxorubicin-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanodrug system. Size-controllable magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized via a solvothermal method and a modified Stǒber method. A molecular anticancer drug, namely, doxorubicin, was loaded onto Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanocomposites to form a magnetically targeted drug delivery system. This drug delivery system exhibits pH-sensitive effects on drug loading and release. The drug loading rate in a neutral environment is higher than that in an acidic environment; the opposite property is observed for the release rate. In addition, the magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanocomposites exhibit a satisfactory photothermal effect under NIR (808 nm) irradiation. The temperature can increase to 55 °C after only 10 min of irradiation, which effectively induces apoptosis of cancer cells in vitro. The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @DOX nanodrugs were evaluated in A549 lung cancer cells. After treatment with Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @DOX that contains only 10 μg/mL of DOX, 82.8% of A549 lung cancer cells can be killed. Furthermore, 81.3% of A549 lung cancer cells are killed after incubation with Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @DOX that contains only 0.5 μg/mL of DOX and 15 min of NIR irradiation, thereby suggesting an excellent synergistic chemo-photothermal effect in tumour therapy. Our results suggest a new approach for the synthesis of a multifunctional, highly targeted, size-controlled nanodrug for tumour synergistic therapy., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Our study aimed to investigate the effect of anti-differentiation noncoding RNA ( ANCR ) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its potential molecular mechanisms., Methods: The expression of ANCR was detected by qRT-RCR in both HCC tissues and HCC cells. Moreover, the relationship between ANCR expression and clinical parameters in HCC patients was investigated. The proliferation, cell clones, migration, invasion and apoptosis of MHCC97H and HCCLM3 cells were measured by MTT assay, colony formation assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The expressions of N-cadherin, vimentin, E-cadherin, cleaved caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, Wnt1, β-catenin and GSK-3β in MHCC97H and HCCLM3 cells were measured by Western blot., Results: Our results showed that ANCR was lowly expressed in both HCC tissues and HCC cells. ANCR expression was closely associated with tumor size, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages and vascular invasion in HCC. ANCR could dramatically inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as promote apoptosis in MHCC97H and HCCLM3 cells. ANCR could significantly increase the expression of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, E-cadherin and GSK-3β but reduce the expression of Bcl-2, N-cadherin, vimentin, Wnt1 and β-catenin in MHCC97H and HCCLM3 cells. In addition, Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor (IWP-2) partially reversed the effects of silencing ANCR on the proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of HCCLM3 cells., Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that ANCR can suppress cell proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as promote apoptosis of HCC cells via modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway., Competing Interests: The authors report no potential conflicts of interest for this work., (© 2020 Song et al.)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as drug carriers have many advantages than traditional drug carriers and have received extensive attention from researchers. However, how to regulate the microstructure of MOFs to improve the efficiency of drug delivery and sustained release behaviour is still a big problem for the clinical application. Herein, the authors synthesise surfactant-modified ZIF-8 nanoparticles with different microstructures by using different types of surfactants to modify ZIF-8. The surfactant-modified ZIF-8 nanoparticles have the larger specific surface area and total micropore volumes than the original ZIF-8, which enables doxorubicin (DOX) to be more effectively loaded on the drug carriers and achieve controlled drug sustained release. Excellent degradation performance of ZIF-8 nanoparticles facilitates the metabolism of drug carriers. The formulation was evaluated for cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and intracellular location in the A549 human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line. ZIF-8/DOX nano drugs exhibit higher cytotoxicity towards cells in comparison with free DOX, suggesting the potential application in nano drugs to cancer chemotherapy.

Objective: To investigate the occupational exposure with blood-borne pathogens of medical staff, and explore the protective strategy. Methods: Using cluster sampling method, 603 medical staff with occupational exposure with blood-borne pathogens were analyzed, from July 2014 to July 2018 in a tertiary hospital. Results: In total of 603 occupational exposure incidents, 70.98% (428/603) were freshmen younger than 30 years old. 48.92% (295/603) nurses. The most cases of occupational exposure were in surgery (35.16%, 212/603) . Sharp injury was the major contact manner (86.90%, 524/603) . Hands were the main contact parts (90.38%, 545/603) . Ward (53.57%, 323/603) and the operating room (22.72%, 137/603) were the high-risk place. The most dangerous actions were needle injection (34.83%, 210/603) , surgery (20.89%, 126/603) and finishing/cleaning items (19.73%, 119/603) . The main items lead to injuries were scalp needles (34.73%, 182/524) . The most exposure source was hepatitis B virus (HBV) which occupied 39.30% (237/603) . Exposure source mainly comes from medical devices containing blood (81.92%, 494/603) . To compared the groups (χ(2)=19.940, P <0.01) and titer ( t =-8.592, P <0.01) of hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) before and after used prophylactics, the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: Comprehensive strategies of occupational exposure protection education, operation norms and monitoring management were effective methods to reduce the occupational exposure in the medical staff with blood-borne pathogens.

Because of its unique electronic band structure, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) has been regarded as a star semiconducting material. However, direct growth of continuous and high-quality MoS 2 films on SiO 2 /Si substrates is still very challenging. Here, we report a facile chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method based on synergistic modulation of precursor and Na 2 SO 4 catalysis, realizing the centimeter scale growth of a continuous MoS 2 film on SiO 2 /Si substrates. The as-grown MoS 2 film had an excellent spatial homogeneity and crystal quality, with an edge length of the composite domain as large as 632 μm. Both experimental and theoretical results proved that Na tended to bond with SiO 2 substrates rather than to interfere with as-grown MoS 2 . Thus, they showed decent and uniform electrical performance, with electron mobilities as high as 5.9 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . We believe our method will pave a new way for MoS 2 toward real application in modern electronics.

Spondias pinnata (Linn. f.) Kurz (Anacardiaceae) is widely distributed in tropical Asia, where it is commonly used as a vegetable and fruit, and is attracting increasing research attention. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition and the cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities of the fruit peel essential oil of S. pinnata (EOSP), which has been consumed as a medicine and condiment in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. A total of 40 components were identified by Gas Chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC-MS), representing 95.19% of the EOSP, with furfural (17.14%), α-terpineol (13.09%), and ethyl benzoate (9.05%) as the main constituents. EOSP has moderate cytotoxic activity against five cancer cells and obvious antimicrobial activity against five pathogenic strains. In particular, EOSP (Minimal Inhibitory and Fungicidal Concentration, MIC and MFC, 16‒32 µg/mL) showed a 32-times higher inhibition effect against Aspergillus fumigatus than the positive control Tigecycline (MIC and MBC 512‒1024 µg/mL). EOSP also showed strong anti-inflammatory activity by significantly inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 cell lines at 0.08‱, with no effect on cell viability. These bioactivities of S. pinnata fruit peel validate its traditional uses and suggest that it could be a new source of natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents for food or medical industries.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a severe disease with high mortality in the world. Emerging evidence has suggested that lncRNAs play an important role in cancer progression, including HCC. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the effect of lncRNA RHPN1 antisense RNA 1 (RHPN1-AS1) on HCC and its underlying molecular mechanism. In this study, we evaluated the expressions of lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 and miR-7-5p by qRT-RCR in both HCC tissue and HCC cells. Our findings showed that lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 was upregulated in HCC tissue and HCC cells, while miR-7-5p was downregulated. LncRNA RHPN1-AS1 expression in HCC patients was closely related to vascular invasion, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage and barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage. Furthermore, we quantified cell clone-formation ability, proliferation, migration and invasion of HCCLM3 and MHCC97 H cells using several assays (colony formation assay, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay and transwell assay, respectively). Functional experiments confirmed that silencing lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion in HCCLM3 and MHCC97 H cells. After that, bioinformatics analysis, dual luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR and western blot were used to investigate the molecular mechanism of lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 on HCC. Mechanistically, the rescue experiments demonstrated that miR-7-5p inhibitor reversed the inhibition effect of silencing lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 on HCCLM3 cells proliferation, migration and invasion. Moreover, silencing lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 also inhibited the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Taken together our findings demonstrated that lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 could facilitate cell proliferation, migration and invasion via targeting miR-7-5p and activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in HCC.

Objective: To study the mechanism of naoxintong capsule (NXT) -inhibiting peripheral ischemic inflammation., Methods: Mice were randomly double-blindly divided into 3 groups: sham-operation group, model group and NXT group. Both model and NXT groups underwent the hind limb ischemia (HLI) surgery followed by oral gavage with saline or NXT, respectively, one hour after operation. Three days after operation, the percentages of neutrophils and macrophages in the gastrocnemius muscle were examined by flow cytomety and immunohistochemical method. The changes in gene and protein expressions induced by NXT were examined by real-time PCR and protein chip, respectively. The changes of signaling pathways were analyzed., Results: Compared with sham oparation and model groups, NXT could decrease the ratios of neutrophils and macrophages in gastrocnemius inflammation site (P＜0.01), and downregulate the mRNA expression of gene EMR1 (P＜0.01). NXT reduced the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β at both mRNA (P＜0.001) and protein levels (P＜0.05). The proteomic analysis showed that the use of NXT resulted in the expression changes of 13 proteins. The expression of 6 cytokines was increased, and the secretion of 7 proteins was upregulated. Besides, most of identified 13 proteins were involved in the function regulation of other immune cells., Conclusion: NXT can significantly alleviate ischemia-induced peripheral inflammation by reducing the ratio of immune cells and altering the expression patterns of mRNA and protein. The expression changes provide theoretical guidance and the potential targets for the clinical use of NXT in the treatment of ischemia-induced peripheral inflammatory diseases.

The Chinese mitten crab ( Eriocheir sinensis ) is a commercially important crab in China and is usually managed at high stocking densities. Agonistic behavior directly impacts crab integrity, survival, and growth and results in economic losses. In the present study, we evaluated the modulatory effects of serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) though the 5-HT2 and DA2 receptor-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway on agonistic behavior. The results showed that injection of either 10 -6 mol/crab 5-HT or DA reduced the agonistic behavior of E. sinensis ( P < 0.05), as did 10 -10 mol/crab DA and 10 -8 mol/crab 5-HT and DA ( P < 0.05); however, a dose of 10 -10 mol/crab 5-HT promoted agonistic behavior. 5-HT significantly increased the mRNA expression level of 5-HT7 receptor and reduced that of the DA2 receptor in the cerebral ganglion ( P < 0.05). In contrast to 5-HT, DA significantly decreased 5-HT2B mRNA levels and increased 5-HT7 and DA2 receptor levels in the thoracic ganglia ( P < 0.05). In addition, injections of either 5-HT or DA increased the cAMP and PKA levels in hemolymph ( P < 0.05). By using in vitro culture of the thoracic ganglia, the current study showed that ketanserin (5-HT2 antagonist) and [R(-)-TNPA] (DA2 agonist) had obvious effects on the expression levels of the two receptors ( P < 0.05). In vivo experiments further demonstrated that ketanserin and [R(-)-TNPA] could both significantly reduce the agonistic behavior of the crabs ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, both ketanserin and [R(-)-TNPA] promoted the cAMP and PKA levels ( P < 0.05). The injection of CPT-cAMP (cAMP analogue) elevated the PKA levels and inhibited agonistic behavior. In summary, this study showed that 5HT-2B and DA2 receptors were involved in the agonistic behavior that 5-HT/DA induced through the cAMP-PKA pathway in E. sinensis .

Agonistic behaviour is common in an encounter between two crustaceans. It often causes limb disability and consumes a lot of energy, which is harmful for the growth and survival of commercially important crustaceans. In the present study, we mainly focused on the agonistic behaviour of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, which is an important species of the aquaculture industry in China. We recorded agnostic behaviour with a high-definition camera and preliminarily evaluated the role of serotonin (5-HT) or dopamine (DA)-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway and eyestalk in the behaviour. The results showed that agonistic behaviour in E. sinensis consisted of three stages: approach, contact and fight. We found that the number of fights and cumulative time of fight were significantly higher in the male vs. male group than in the female vs. female and female vs. male groups (P < 0.05). After 1 h of agonistic behaviour, 5-HT concentration showed a significant increase and DA concentration showed a significant decrease when compared with the control group (no encounter; P < 0.05). 5-HT1B and 5-HT2B mRNA levels showed a significant increase in the eyestalk (P < 0.05). 5-HT7 mRNA levels showed significant downregulation in the thoracic ganglia and DA1A mRNA levels showed upregulation in the intestine (P < 0.05). DA2 mRNA levels showed a significant decrease in the eyestalk (P < 0.05). These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in cAMP level and significant decrease in PKA level in the haemolymph (P < 0.05). In addition, a significant decrease in glucose levels was detected after the agonistic behaviour. Crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) mRNA levels showed significant upregulation in the eyestalk and significant downregulation in the intestine (P < 0.05). The number of fights and cumulative time of fight in the left eyestalk ablation (L-X vs. L-X) group were more and longer than those in the intact eyestalk (C vs. C), right eyestalk ablation (R-X vs. R-X) and bilateral eyestalk ablation (D-X vs. D-X) groups. In short, E. sinensis shows special agonistic behaviour modulated by 5-HT or DA-cAMP-PKA pathway and eyestalk, especially the left eyestalk., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Melasma is a frequently acquired hyperpigmentary skin disorder, for which several therapies are available. Among them, 1064 nm QS Nd:YAG laser therapy is an effective method, but the recurrence rate of laser treatment is still high. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mechanism of the high relapse rate of melasma after 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser treatment. Twenty-five female melasma patients were treated with 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser for 10 times. The lesional skin and non-lesional skin were evaluated by means of a reflectance confocal laser scanning microscope before and after laser treatment. Melanin content and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured by an MPA9 skin multifunction tester accordingly. The melanin index value was significantly decreased in the lesional skin after laser treatment, while the non-lesional skin had no difference. The dendritic cells were observed at the level of the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) in the lesions of 8 patients before laser treatment, while after laser treatment, the dendritic cells were observed in all 25 subjects. Moreover, there was significant difference between the TEWL value of the lesions before and after laser treatment. Furthermore, the TEWL value was higher in lesions of the 8 subjects which had dendritic cells compared with other 17 subjects which had no dendritic cells, no matter before or after laser treatment. The relapse patients of melasma had higher TEWL value compared with the non-relapse patients. Melanocyte activation and skin barrier disruption may be related to the high relapse rate of melasma after laser treatment.