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Abstract Ferroelectrics are essential in memory devices for multi-bit storage and high-density integration. Ferroelectricity mainly exists in compounds but rare in single-element materials due to their lack of spontaneous polarization in the latter. However, we report a room-temperature ferroelectricity in quasi-one-dimensional Te nanowires. Piezoelectric characteristics, ferroelectric loops and domain reversals are clearly observed. We attribute the ferroelectricity to the ion displacement created by the interlayer interaction between lone-pair electrons. Ferroelectric polarization can induce a strong field effect on the transport along the Te chain, giving rise to a self-gated ferroelectric field-effect transistor. By utilizing ferroelectric Te nanowire as channel, the device exhibits high mobility (~220 cm2·V−1·s−1), continuous-variable resistive states can be observed with long-term retention (>105 s), fast speed (1.92 TB/cm2). Our work provides opportunities for single-element ferroelectrics and advances practical applications such as ultrahigh-density data storage and computing-in-memory devices.

Abstract Raman spectroscopy is a nondestructive and highly effective technique for analyzing biological tissues and diagnosing diseases by providing detailed spectral information about the specific molecular structures of substances. Its efficacy in these applications has been widely recognized, making it a powerful tool in the field. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Raman spectroscopy and its wide‐ranging applications in the diagnosis of critical diseases, such as cancer, infections, neurodegenerative diseases, and predicting surgical outcomes. It highlights the significant contributions of Raman spectroscopy in these areas, shedding light on its potential as a valuable diagnostic tool. This article delves into the advancements of Raman spectroscopy in biomedical sciences, with a specific focus on state‐of‐the‐art techniques such as surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy, resonance Raman spectroscopy, and tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy. These techniques have shown great potential in various applications within the field. The article explores their use in ex vivo and in vivo medical diagnosis, covering topics such as sample collection, data processing, and the successful establishment of correlations between Raman spectra and biochemical information in specific diseases. Furthermore, the article discusses the limitations of the current research and offers insights into potential future directions for further exploration in the field of Raman spectroscopy in biomedical sciences.

A van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure is formed by combining multiple materials through vdW bonds. It can combine the advantages of electronic, optical, thermal, and magnetic properties of different 2D materials and has the potential to develop into the next generation of high‐performance functional devices. Herein, the current research advances of vdW heterostructures are reviewed. First, current fabrication methods and physical structures of vdW heterostructures are summarized. The 2D/nD (n = 0,1,2,3) mixed‐dimensional heterostructures are discussed in detail. Second, a new type of vdW heterostructure is introduced based on two‐dimensional electron gas with a nanoscale junction interface. Finally, the application prospects of vdW heterostructures in photoelectric and memory devices are further outlined by combing new applications in the neural networks. This review shows that vdW heterostructures have great advantages in high integration, energy harvesting, and logical operations, and it provides directions and suggestions for the future research and application of environmentally friendly, high‐performance, and smart functional devices.

One particularly useful feature of van der Waals materials is the ability to combine layers of different materials into a single heterostructure, which can have superior properties than any of the constituent materials alone. Here, Cheng et al. combine two interlayer-antiferromagnetic chromium trihalides, CrI3 and CrCl3 in close proximity, and demonstrate ferromagnetic coupling between them.

After a decade of intense theoretical and experimental efforts, demonstrating braiding of Majorana modes remains an unsolved problem in condensed matter physics due to platform-specific challenges. In this work, we propose topological superconductor–magnetic multilayer heterostructures with on-chip microwave cavity readout as a platform for initializing, braiding, and reading out Majorana modes. Stray fields from a skyrmion in the magnetic layers can nucleate a vortex in the topological superconducting layer. Such a vortex is known to host Majorana bound states at its core. Through analytical calculations within London and Thiele formalisms, and through micromagnetic simulations, we show that our nucleation and braiding scheme can be effectively realized with a variety of existing options for magnetic and superconducting layers. Furthermore, we show that the coupling of the Majorana bound states to the electric field of a resonator leads to an experimentally observable parity-dependent dispersive shift of the resonator frequency. Our work paves the way for realizing Majorana braiding in the near future.

Recently, there has been a growing interest in two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) magnets owing to their unique two-dimensional magnetic phenomena and potential applications. Most vdW ferromagnets have the Curie temperature below room temperature, highlighting the need to explore how to enhance their magnetism. In our previous report, we successfully increased the Curie temperature of the prototypical vdW magnet Cr2Ge2Te6 using a NiO overlayer. In layered materials, the presence of wrinkles is often observed and evaluating them using optical microscopy proves to be useful; however, there have been limited investigations into the optical constants of vdW magnets, hampering progress in understanding their optical properties. In this study, we present the optical constants of Cr2Ge2Te6 obtained through ellipsometry measurements. To account for the presence of wrinkles, we model a vacuum region between the substrate and the vdW magnet, and we calculate the reflectivity as a function of wavelength and vacuum thickness to visualize the optical image. Furthermore, we discuss the relationship between the optical constants and the electronic structure of the material.

Hybrid systems coupling quantum spin defects (QSD) and magnons can enable unique spintronic device functionalities and probes for magnetism. Here, we add electric field control of magnon-QSD coupling to such systems by integrating ferromagnet-ferroelectric composite multiferroic with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center spins. Combining quantum relaxometry with ferromagnetic resonance measurements and analytical modeling, we reveal that the observed electric-field tuning is consistent with the ferroelectric polarization control of the magnon-generated fields at the NV. Exploiting this mechanism, we also propose magnon-based hybrid electric field sensors which provide the possibility of improving dc electric field sensitivity of single-spin sensors.

Spin-orbit coupling is interesting for fundamental understanding of spin transport and quench dynamics. Here the authors demonstrate spin-current generation and its relaxation in spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensates of Rb atoms in different spin states.

The interplay between matter particles and gauge fields in physical spaces with nontrivial geometries can lead to novel topological quantum matter. However, detailed microscopic mechanisms are often obscure, and unconventional spaces are generally challenging to construct in solids. Highly controllable atomic systems can quantum simulate such physics, even those inaccessible in other platforms. Here, we realize a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) on a synthetic cylindrical surface subject to a net radial synthetic magnetic flux. We observe a symmetry-protected topological band structure emerging on this Hall cylinder but disappearing in the planar counterpart. BEC’s transport observed as Bloch oscillations in the band structure is analogous to traveling on a Möbius strip in the momentum space, revealing topological band crossings protected by a nonsymmorphic symmetry. We demonstrate that breaking this symmetry induces a topological transition manifested as gap opening at band crossings, and further manipulate the band structure and BEC’s transport by controlling the axial synthetic magnetic flux. Our work opens the door for using atomic quantum simulators to explore intriguing topological phenomena intrinsic in unconventional spaces.

Novel physics of topological aspects are obscured due to lack of effective way to manipulate topological particles. Here, Xu et al. demonstrate independent control of Dirac fermions on top and bottom surfaces of BiSbTeSe2flakes by dual-gating, which suggests a way to manipulate exotic particles.

We report compressive mechanical response of graphene foams (GFs) and the thermal resistance (RTIM) between copper (Cu) and GFs, where GFs were prepared by the chemical vapor deposition method. We observe that Young’s modulus (EGF) and compressive strength (σGF) of GFs have a power law dependence on increasing density (ρGF) of GFs. The maximum efficiency of absorbed energy (ηmax) for all GFs during the compression is larger than ∼0.39. We also find that a GF with a higher ρGF shows a larger ηmax. In addition, we observe that the measured RTIM of Cu/GFs at room temperature with a contact pressure of 0.25 MP applied increases from ∼50 to ∼90 mm2 K/W when ρGF increases from 4.7 to 31.9 mg/cm3.

BackgroundPsoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease that has a great impact on patients’ physical and mental health. However, the causes and underlying molecular mechanisms of psoriasis are still largely unknown.MethodsThe expression profiles of genes from psoriatic lesion samples and skin samples from healthy controls were integrated via the sva software package, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between psoriasis and healthy skin were screened by the limma package. Furthermore, GO and KEGG pathway enrichments for the DEGs were performed using the Clusterprofiler package. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks for the DEGs were then constructed to identify hub genes. scGESA analysis was performed on a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset via irGSEA. In order to find the cytokines correlated with the hub genes expression, single cell weighted gene co-expression network analyses (scWGCNA) were utilized to build a gene co-expression network. Furthermore, the featured genes of psoriasis found in suprabasal keratinocytes were intersected with hub genes. We then analyzed the expression of the intersection genes and cytokines in the integrated dataset. After that, we used other datasets to reveal the changes in the intersection genes’ expression levels during biological therapy. The relationship between intersection genes and PASI scores was also explored.ResultsWe identified 148 DEGs between psoriatic and healthy samples. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis suggested that DEGs are mainly involved in the defense response to other organisms. The PPI network showed that 11 antiviral proteins (AVPs) were hub genes. scGSEA analysis in the single-cell transcriptome dataset showed that those hub genes are highly expressed in keratinocytes, especially in suprabasal keratinocytes. ISG15, MX1, IFI44L, and IFI27 were the characteristic genes of psoriasis in suprabasal keratinocytes. scWGCNA showed that three cytokines—IL36G, MIF, and IL17RA—were co-expressed in the turquoise module. Only interleukin-36 gamma (IL36G) was positively correlated with AVPs in the integrated dataset. IL36G and AVPs were found co-expressed in a substantial number of suprabasal keratinocytes. Furthermore, we found that the expression levels of IL36G and the 4 AVPs showed positive correlation with PASI score in patients with psoriasis, and that these levels decreased significantly during treatment with biological therapies, but not with methotrexate.ConclusionIL36G and antiviral proteins may be closely related with the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and they may represent new candidate molecular markers for the occurrence and severity of psoriasis.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal disease with high relapse and dismal survival rates. Alternative splicing (AS) plays a crucial role in tumor progression. Herein, we aim to integratedly analyze the relapse-associated AS events and construct a signature predicting tumor relapse in stage I–III HCC.Methods: AS events of stage I–III HCC with tumor relapse or long-term relapse-free survival were profiled to identify the relapse-associated AS events. A splicing network was set up to analyze the correlation between the relapse-associated AS events and splicing factors. Cox regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve were performed to develop and validate the relapse-predictive AS signature. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) and the ESTIMATE algorithm were used to assess the immune infiltration status of the HCC microenvironment between different risk subgroups. Unsupervised cluster analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between molecular subtypes and local immune status and clinicopathological features.Results: In total, 2441 ASs derived from 1634 mRNA were identified as relapse-associated AS events. By analyzing the proteins involved in the relapse-associated AS events, 1573 proteins with 11590 interactions were included in the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. In total, 16 splicing factors and 61 relapse-associated AS events with 85 interactions were involved in the splicing network. The relevant genes involved in the PPI network and splicing network were also analyzed by Gene Ontology enrichment analysis. Finally, we established a robust 16-gene AS signature for predicting tumor relapse in stage I–III HCC with considerable AUC values in all of the training cohort, testing cohort, and entire cohort. The ssGSEA and ESTIMATE analyses showed that the AS signature was significantly associated with the immune status of the HCC microenvironment. Moreover, four molecular subgroups with distinguishing tumor relapse modes and local immune status were also revealed.Conclusion: Our study built a novel 16-gene AS signature that robustly predicts tumor relapse and indicates immune activity in stage I–III HCC, which may facilitate the deep mining of the mechanisms associated with tumor relapse and tumor immunity and the development of novel individualized treatment targets for HCC.

AIM: To analyze the changes of the epiretinal membrane(ERM)stage, macular status and best corrected visual acuity(BCVA, LogMAR)in cataract patients with idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane(IERM)before and after cataract surgery.METHODS:We conducted a single center retrospective observational case series of patients that underwent sequential cataract and idiopatic ERM surgeries from March 2016 to May 2019 in Anyang Eye Hospital. Full data were obtained for 51 patients(54 eyes).Preoperative and postoperative 1mo ERM stage, central macular edema(CME), central macular thickness(CMT), macular volume(MV), ellipsoid zone disruption, occurrence of neurosensory detachment(NSD)and BCVA were analyzed.RESULTS:In this group of patients, 5 eyes(9%)had ERM grade 1, 23 eyes(43%)had ERM grade 2, 21 eyes(39%)had ERM grade 3, and 5 eyes(9%)had ERM grade 4 before surgery; ERM graded 1mo after surgery were keeping steady. Compared with before operation(0.45±0.16),there was no significant change in BCVA(0.47±0.17)at 1mo after operation(P>0.05), but the incidence of CME, ellipsoid band interruption and NSD were significantly higher than those before operation(P

Under the pressure of rapid urbanization, the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban green spaces (UGS) have enormous impacts on the local ecological system and environment at different scales. In this study, UGS in Hefei City, which has experienced rapid urbanization from 1995 to 2015, were extracted based on time-series Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-8 OLI images, and different types of parks were mapped based on GF-2 images combined with multi-source metadata. Dynamic patterns of green space were examined by drawing the spatial variations of green space at the city, inner city, and park scales. Results revealed that: (1) At the city level, UGS decreased with the rapid urbanization, especially farmland sharply lost in areas around existing urban areas and along the transportation corridors. (2) At the inner-city level, concentric analyses showed that UGS changes in different rings had unique trends, and the dynamic changes were the most significant in Rings 2 and 3. Comparative analysis of old and new districts showed that the common characteristics of UGS changes were the transfer-out of farmland and the transfer-in of built-up land, and the newer the region, the more intense the changes. (3) At the park level, the number and area of urban parks were increasing from the center to the periphery, and the type of park gradually changed from single to rich. Significant spatial heterogeneity was identified in the landscape patterns of urban parks based on fishnet cell analysis. It is fundamental to assign urban construction land for socio-economic development, while planning UGS at different scales; moreover, integrating different green space-related policies could protect the UGS and maintain its stability. Only in this way can UGS combine economic, social, and ecological benefits under the background of rapid urbanization.

This study was performed to compare the effects of high carbohydrate and high lipid diets reception on the growth, feed utilization and glucose homeostasis of genetically improved farmed tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Three isonitrogenous (ca 30.2% protein) diets were formulated with different levels of starch and lipid: the control (CON, 24.2% starch and 6.57% lipid), high carbohydrate diet (HCD, 33.8% starch and 6.91% lipid), and high lipid diet (HLD, 24.0% starch and 16.5% lipid). Tilapia juveniles (initial mean body weight: 32.2 ± 0.2 g/fish) were randomly divided into 12 rectangular tanks (250 L) with 20 fish per tank, and fed the diets to apparent satiation for 8 weeks. The results showed that mean body weight was lower in the HLD fish (183 g/fish) than in the CON (212 g/fish) and HCD fish (206 g/fish). Feeding ratio and feed efficiency ratio were not affected by different treatments. Both dietary starch and lipid provision in excess exhibited poor protein-sparing effect, as protein efficiency ratio and protein productive value were not affected while whole-body protein percentages were lower in the HCD and HLD fish than in the CON fish. High lipid diets reception exerted a greater impact on proximate composition of the whole fish and intraperitoneal fat deposition, while high carbohydrate diets reception exerted a greater impact on liver size through promoting glycogen deposition. Plasma glucose level sharply increased in the HLD fish (7.17 mmol/L) as compared with the CON fish (4.66 mmol/L). Evidences from the molecular level revealed that hyperglycemia of the HLD fish was probably resulted from hepatic glucose output (represented by mRNA levels of glucose transporter 2 and glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit a2) through stimulating gluconeogenesis (the expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2) rather than glycogenolysis. In addition, high lipid diets reception suppressed hepatic de novo lipogenesis (mRNA level of fatty acid synthase (fas)) along with muscular glucose transport (mRNA level of glucose transporter 4) and glycogenesis (the expression of glycogen synthase 1), which aggravated the hyperglycemia of the HLD fish. In contrast, high carbohydrate diets reception did not affect the expression of representative genes involved with glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, but sharply upregulated the mRNA abundances of lipogenic acetyl-CoA carboxylase α and fas in the liver of tilapia. Except lipid, glycogen concentration also increased in the liver of the HCD fish as compared with the CON fish. Thus, plasma glucose slightly increased in the HCD fish (5.58 mmol/L) as compared with the CON fish. The overall results of this study suggested that tilapia possessed a better capability to tolerate high carbohydrate diets (33.8%) than high lipid diets (16.5%) based on growth performance and the maintenance of glucose homeostasis. This conclusion might have limitations, because the energy density of diets HCD and HLD was different. Further studies are still warranted to compare the glucose homeostasis of tilapia in response to high carbohydrate and high lipid diets reception on an isoenergetic basis.

Summary: Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has complex genetic and environmental aspects, and free fatty acid receptors (FFARs) may bridge genetic and dietary aspects. FFAR4 is highly expressed in the intestine and acts primarily as the receptor of long-chain fatty acids, which are major components of the human diet. It is unclear what role, if any, FFAR4 may play in IBD. Methods: Mouse and human colitis samples, mice with complete FFAR4 knockout, intestine-specific FFAR4 knockout and FFAR4 overexpression and cell culture were used. RNA-sequencing analysis and flow cytometry were performed to examine the mechanisms. Findings: The results showed that FFAR4 expression was upregulated in colitis tissues and that the loss of intestinal FFAR4 ameliorated colitis, whereas intestinal FFAR4 overexpression exacerbated the disease. We identified intestinal epithelial cell deletion of FFAR4 by upregulating ZBED6, which in turn induced L33 transcription, and L33 elevated Treg cell numbers, ameliorating colitis. Interpretation: FFAR4 deletion attenuates colitis by modulating Treg cells via the ZBED6-IL33 pathway. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Innovation and Application Project of Medical and Public Health Technology of Wuxi Science and Technology, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and the Fund of Wuxi Healthcare Commission.

Psychological stress is commonly accepted to be closely associated with masticatory muscle disorder, which is the main symptom of temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Previous studies have confirmed that exposure to stress may cause masticatory muscle hyperactivity. However, the central mechanism underlying this process remains unclear. The mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Vme), which resides in the brainstem, is the primary afferent center for masticatory proprioception and plays a key role in oral–motor movements by projecting to the trigeminal motor nucleus (Vmo). Therefore, the present study was designed to examine the role of Vme neurons in masseter overactivity induced by chronic stress. We found that subjecting mice to restraint stress (6 h/day) for 14 days caused significant anxiety-like behavior, obvious masseter overactivity, and markedly enhanced electrophysiological excitability of Vme neurons. By using anterograde tract tracing combined with immunofluorescence staining methods, we observed vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1)-positive glutamatergic projections from the Vme to the Vmo. Moreover, chronic restraint stress (CRS) elevated the expression of VGLUT1 and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in Vmo. Furthermore, administration of VGLUT1-targeted short hairpin RNA (shRNA) into the bilateral Vme significantly suppressed the enhanced overexcitability of Vme neurons, downregulated the overexpression of VGLUT1 and ChAT in the Vmo, and attenuated the elevated overactivity of the masseter caused by CRS. Taken together, we showed that CRS can excite neurons in the Vme, enhancing glutamatergic excitatory projections from the Vme to the Vmo and resulting in masseter muscle overactivity. These findings provide us with a novel central mechanism underlying the correlation between psychological factors and TMD.

Abstract Hematological malignancies are increasingly treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT). Unfortunately, iron overload is a frequent adverse effect of allo‐HSCT and is associated with poor prognosis. In the present study, we investigated hematopoiesis in iron‐overloaded mice and elucidated the effects of iron overload on the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. Iron‐overloaded BALB/C mice were generated by injecting 20 mg/mL saccharated iron oxide intraperitoneally. Hematoxylin‐eosin staining was performed to evaluate the effects of an iron overload in mice. BM cells obtained from C57BL/6 mice were transplanted into irradiated BALB/C mice (whole‐body irradiation of 4 Gy, twice with a 4‐hours interval) by tail vein injection. Two weeks after allo‐HSCT, the hematopoietic reconstitution capacity was evaluated in recipients by colony‐forming assays. Histopathological examinations showed brown‐stained granular deposits, irregularly arranged lymphocytes in the liver tissues, and blue‐stained blocks in the BM collected from mice received injections of high‐dose saccharated iron oxide (20 mg/mL). Iron‐overloaded mice showed more platelets, higher‐hemoglobin (HGB) concentration, fewer granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐forming units (CFU‐GM), erythrocyte colony‐forming units (CFU‐E), and mixed granulocyte/erythrocyte/monocyte/megakaryocyte colony‐forming units (CFU‐mix) than healthy mice. Iron‐overloaded recipients presented with reduced erythrocytes and HGB concentration in peripheral blood, along with decreased marrow stroma cells, CFU‐GM, CFU‐E, and CFU‐mix relative to healthy recipients. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that iron overload might alter the number of red blood cells after transplantation in mice by destroying the BM microenvironment, thereby affecting the recovery of BM hematopoietic function.

Abstract Clinicians have been faced with the challenge of differentiating between severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infected pneumonia (NCP) and influenza A infected pneumonia (IAP), a seasonal disease that coincided with the outbreak. We aim to develop a machine‐learning algorithm based on radiomics to distinguish NCP from IAP by texture analysis based on computed tomography (CT) imaging. Forty‐one NCP and 37 IAP patients admitted from January to February 6, 2019 admitted to two hospitals in Wenzhou, China. All patients had undergone chest CT examination and blood routine tests prior to receiving medical treatment. NCP was diagnosed by real‐time RT‐PCR assays. Eight of 56 radiomic features extracted by LIFEx were selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to develop a radiomics score and subsequently constructed into a nomogram to predict NCP with area under the operating characteristics curve of 0.87 (95% confidence interval: 0.77‐0.93). The nomogram also showed excellent calibration with Hosmer‐Lemeshow test yielding a nonsignificant statistic (P = .904). The novel nomogram may efficiently distinguish between NCP and IAP patients. The nomogram may be incorporated to existing diagnostic algorithm to effectively stratify suspected patients for SARS‐CoV‐2 pneumonia.

Abstract Background The specific underlying pathogenesis of prolactinoma has not been clarified yet, to the best of our knowledge. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling including p38α MAPK (MAPK14), p38β (MAPK11), p38γ (MAPK12) and p38δ (MAPK13) is associated with the development and progression of several types of cancer. Methods Immunofluorescence analysis was performed on the prolactin (PRL) and MAPK14 expressions of pituitary gland in C57BL/6 mice and human prolactinoma specimen. In the present study, the role of MAPK14 in prolactinoma was determined using estradiol-induced mice and dopamine D2 receptor knockout (DRD2 −/− ) mice models in C57BL/6 wild-type (WT), MAPK14 −/− and DRD2 −/− MAPK14+/− mice. GH3 cells were transfected with different sets of MAPK14 small interfering RNA, which to study MAPK14 and PRL expression in GH3 cells. Results Immunofluorescence analysis showed that PRL and MAPK14 expression were colocalized and increased in the pituitary gland of mice and human prolactinoma specimen compared with the control specimen. It was shown that PRL and MAPK14 expression was colocalized and increased significantly in the pituitary gland of estradiol-injected prolactinoma mice compared with the control mice. Knockout of MAPK14 significantly inhibited tumor overgrowth, and PRL expression was decreased in estradiol-induced mice. Furthermore, MAPK14 knockout of DRD2 −/− MAPK14+/− mice significantly reduced the overgrowth of pituitary gland and PRL production and secretion compared with DRD2 −/− mice. MAPK14 knockout using siRNA inhibited PRL production in GH3 cells. Conclusion These results suggest that MAPK14 serves a promoting role in the formation of prolactinoma, and highlights the potential of MAPK14 as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of prolactinoma.

AIM: To observe the changes of binocular eye accommodation function in correcting anisometropia by monocular orthokeratology in anisometropic children, and to explore the mechanism of regulation in the progression of myopia control by orthokeratology.METHODS: It was a prospective self-control study. A total of 22 anisometropic children(44 eyes), aged 8-13 years, who wore an orthokeratology lens in only one eye were enrolled in the outpatient clinic of Hainan Provincial Eye Hospital from September 2016 to September 2018. The eyes with an orthokeratology lens had a mean spherical equivalent refraction of -2.751±1.16 diopter(D), and fellow eyes without a lens had a refraction of -0.10±0.32D. The eyes wearing orthokeratology lens were used as the lens wearing group, and the fellow eyes without a lens were used as non-wearing lens group. During the follow-up period,we measured changes of diopter difference, monocular accommodative amplitude(MAA), monocular accommodative facility(MAF)and accommodative response(AR)before wearing the lens and wearing the lens for 12mo.RESULTS: The monocular accommodative amplitude and monocular accommodative facility of the wearing group before wearing the lens were lower than those of the non-wear group(PPt=3.63, Pt=0.75, P=0.46)compared with the non-wearing group. The monocular accommodative facility 14.63±1.58 cyc/min after wearing the lens for 12mo was higher than that before wearing the lens 9.25±3.38cyc/min(t=2.83, P=0.01), and the difference was not statistically significant(t=0.38, P=0.71)compared with the non-wearing group. The accommodative lag 0.62±0.29D of the wearing group after 12mo was reduced compared with that before wearing the lens 1.35±0.26D(t=2.57, P=0.02),and compared with the non-wearing group, the difference was not statistical significance(t=0.61, P=0.55). The mean equivalent diopter of the non-lens group was -0.75±0.35D after 12mo, and the number of diopter group increased by -0.65±0.39D(t=4.24, Pt=2.90, Pt=5.30, PP>0.05).CONCLUSION: The accommodation function of anisometropic children in correcting anisometropia by monocular orthokeratology was significantly improved compared with that before wearing the lens and was consistent with the contralateral eyes without lens group. The refractive state of the group wearing orthokeratology lens was more stable, and the contralateral eyes without lens gradually showed mild myopia refractive state, but the accommodation did not change significantly.

Purpose: The 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) pathological staging system for breast cancer considers biologic factors in addition to the anatomical features included in the previous systems. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the 8th AJCC staging system for T1-2N1 breast cancer and to assess the effect of additional chemotherapy and radiotherapy according to the new pathologic stages. Methods: The cohort included patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (2010–2012) who had stage T1-2N1 invasive breast carcinoma and underwent mastectomy. All patients were restaged using the 8th AJCC staging system. The Kaplan–Meier method, Cox proportional hazards regression, and competing risks models were used for data analysis. Results: We identified 9908 patients including 3022 (30.5%), 3131 (31.6%), 1940 (19.6%), 1194 (12.1%), and 621 (6.3%) were classified with stage IA, IB, IIA, IIB, and IIIA disease, respectively. The 5-year breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) was 97.3%, 94.3%, 88.3%, 84.0%, and 71.1% for stage IA, IB, IIA, IIB, and IIIA disease, respectively. Higher pathological stage was associated with a significantly higher risk of breast cancer-related death. Chemotherapy was associated with better BCSS regardless of the pathological stage, but radiotherapy was only associated with better BCSS in stage IIIA disease. Conclusions: The 8th AJCC pathological staging system provides more refined stratification for T1-2N1 breast cancer patients after mastectomy and may meet the needs of the current trend of individualized decision making for chemotherapy and radiotherapy in this patient subset.

Excessive heat losses and water consumption in cooling units are significant constraints restricting the application circumstances and performances for the SCO2 Brayton cycle, and the heat exchange capacity in the precooler (PRC) is typically 1.5 times that of power generation. Therefore, this research offers a high-integrated combined power/cooling system in which two waste heat exchangers (WHEs) and a rectifier (RET) are used instead of the PRC to achieve 100% exhaust heat recovery. Each component’s energy and exergy models are developed, and the operational characteristics, coupling relationships, and exergy destruction distribution are examined. Results indicate that, when compared to the Brayton cycle, the thermal and exergy efficiency is considerably increased, and the concentration difference and WHE1 pitch point difference have significant influences on system performance. Further exergoeconomic and optimization analysis reveals that the superior exergy case is mostly recommended for relevant thermal and exergy efficiency increasing rates of 13.7% and 9.17%, respectively, and the unit cost is 81.33% that of the base case. Turbine 1 (TUR1) and main compressor (MCP) are the first and second highest cost rates, respectively, and RET and generator (GEN) account for roughly 34% exergy destruction rate and 20% exergy destruction cost rate, respectively. In addition, reducing heat transfer differences in relevant equipment can further promote system performance.

Many methods have been proposed to detect communities/modules in various networks such as biological molecular networks and disease networks, while optimizing statistical measures for community structures is one of the most popular ways for community detection. Surprise, which is a statistical measure of interest for community detection, has good performance in many networks, but it still encounters the resolution limit in some cases and it is hard to be optimized due to its strong nonlinearity. Here, we discussed the resolution limit of Surprise by a phase diagram in community-partition transition, and then proposed an improved algorithm for Surprise optimization by introducing three effective strategies: a pre-processing of topological structure based on local random walks (Pre_TS), a pre-processing of community partition (Pre_CS), and a post-processing of community partition (Post_CS). By a series of experimental tests in various networks, we show that Pre_TS can effectively enhance the resolution of Surprise, Pre_CS and Post_CS can improve the optimization performance in different aspects, and as expected, the combination of these strategies can more effectively enhance the ability of Surprise to detect communities in complex networks. Finally, we displayed the effectiveness of the improved algorithm for Surprise optimization in several real-world networks, and applied the algorithm to the analysis of disease-related networks in computational biology.

In this paper, the inverse problem for identifying the initial value of a time fractional nonhomogeneous diffusion equation in a columnar symmetric region is studied. This is an ill-posed problem, i.e., the solution does not depend continuously on the data. The fractional Tikhonov regularization method is applied to solve this problem and obtain the regularization solution. The error estimations between the regularization solution and the exact solution are also obtained under the priori and the posteriori regularization parameter choice rules, respectively. Some examples are given to show this method’s effectiveness.

Based on the deflection theory and the characteristics of multi-tower self-anchored suspension bridges, considering the influence of longitudinal stiffness of main tower and bending effect of stiffening beam, the equilibrium differential equation and deformation coordination equation of multi-tower self-anchored suspension bridges are established. By “replacing beam” method, the practical calculation formula of internal force and deformation of multi-tower self-anchored suspension bridge was deduced, and the corresponding calculation program was implemented. The correctness of the analytical method and calculation program was verified by an example. The analytical method of static analysis of multi-tower self-anchored suspension bridges established in this paper can theoretically explain the mechanical characteristics of the structure, and the calculation method has a clear calculation flow. The internal force and deformation of the structure under live load can be approximately calculated only by inputting the main design parameters of the structure, which is suitable for structural design and parameter analysis of multi-tower self-anchored suspension bridge.

Background and Objectives: Burnout affects approximately half of all nurses, physicians, and other clinicians. Alcohol use may impair performance in work-related tasks, leading to decreased productivity and morale. The present study’s aim was to determine whether a causal relationship existed between alcohol use, work-related burnout (WB), and musculoskeletal pain. Materials and Methods: A total of 1633 members from a hospital affiliated with a medical university in Taichung, Taiwan, completed questionnaires in 2021, where 1615 questionnaires were declared valid. Questionnaires were used to obtain information on basic demographic variables, and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory were used. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS Enterprise Guide 6.1 software, and significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Work experience, being married, parenthood, leisure activities with family and friends, and regular weekly exercise were negatively associated with WB. In addition, overtime work, irregular and regular shift work, the physician and nurse medical profession, chronic disease (heart disease, diabetes, etc.), neck and both shoulders pain (NBSP), both ankles pain (BAP), and alcohol use frequency (AUF) were positively associated with WB. NBSP could explain the residual effect of AUF on WB. AUF was determined to mediate the relationship between NBSP and WB. In addition, NBSP was found to mediate the relationship between AUF and WB. Conclusions: The individuals who used alcohol to cope with NBSP or those with NBSP who often consumed alcohol had worsened WB due to a vicious circle of musculoskeletal pain and alcohol use. Therefore, medical staff should not consider alcohol use as an option to reduce burnout.

In this manuscript, the Cauchy problem of the modified Helmholtz equation is researched. This inverse problem is a serious ill-posed problem. The classical Landweber iterative regularization method is designed to find the regularized solution of this inverse problem. The error estimations between the exact solution and the regularization solution are all obtained under the a priori and the a posteriori regularization parameter selection rule. The Landweber iterative regularization method can also be applied to solve the Cauchy problem of the modified Helmholtz equation on the spherically symmetric and cylindrically symmetric regions.

Pyrochlore titanate (Y2Ti2O7) is a promising material for a wide range of applications in optoelectronics and photocatalysis due to its advantageous chemical, mechanical, and optical properties. To enhance its potential for such uses, however, a high-quality and scalable synthesis method is required. We here investigate the crystallization of sol–gel produced Y2Ti2O7 layers. We observe a transition of the amorphous pyrochlore phase at annealing temperatures below 700 °C. The transmittances of the Y2Ti2O7 thin layers annealed at 400 to 700 °C are approximately 92.3%. The refractive indices and packing densities of Y2Ti2O7 thin layers annealed at 400–700 °C/1 h vary from 1.931 to 1.954 and 0.835 to 0.846, respectively. The optical bandgap energies of Y2Ti2O7 thin layers annealed at 400–700 °C/1 h reduce from 4.356 to 4.319 eV because of the Moss–Burstein effect. These good electronic and optical properties make Y2Ti2O7 thin layers a promising host material for many potential applications.

To evaluate the clinical-phenotypic characteristics of Schmid metaphyseal chondrodysplasia (SMCD) inflicted by a novel missense mutation of COL10A1 gene: c.2020G > A; p.Gly674Arg.A female child aged about 3 yrs. and 8 months was subjected to Radiograph test to validate the symptoms of SMCD. The polymorphism analysis by the next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed using the peripheral blood DNA samples of the patient and other family inmates, including, the younger male sibling. The effect of the mutation on the non-collagenous carboxyl-terminal (NC1) domain of collagen X was studied using the SWISS-MODEL online server for trimer modelling; PROSA and PROCHECK-Ramachandran plot for structural validation; Mean Square Plot (RMSF) for structural rigidity.Radiograph examination of lower limbs confirmed the bowed legs in both the patient and her younger brother (study groups). The inheritance of the novel missense mutation of COL10A1: c.2020G > A; p.Gly674Arg (at chromosome-6q22.1) was confirmed in the study groups from the SMCD-affected mother. The extended interactions of the mutant-Arg674 with the Ser552 and Phe589 (β strand B) in the NC1 domain of α1(X) chain monomer is more likely to intervene its trimer formation by weakening the structural rigidity of the crucial strand H compared to its wild type. This plausibly deters the collagen X synthesis inflicting the bowed legs with the altered distal ulna bone morphology in the study groups.The inheritance of COL10A1 mutation: c.2020G > A; p.Gly674Arg has inflicted the SMCD with the characteristic bowed legs in the study groups. Radiograph and NGS could be a valid diagnostic module to initiate the treatment of SMCD.

Impaired intestinal barrier function and oxidative stress injury play critical roles in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and recent investigations have revealed a role for dietary copper in the liver and intestinal barrier function. Therefore, the current study investigates the mechanisms and role of dietary copper in alcohol induced liver diseases. C57BL/6 mice were used to create an alcoholic liver disease model with a Lieber-DeCarli diet containing 5% alcohol and were fed with different concentrations of dietary copper of adequate (6 ppm, CuA), marginal (1.5 ppm, CuM), or supplemental (20 ppm, CuS) amounts. Caco-2 cells were also exposed to ethanol and different concentrations of copper. Damages of the liver and intestine were evaluated by transaminases, histology staining, and protein and mRNA level, as well as cell proliferation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial membrane potential. In animal experiments, the results indicate that an alcohol diet causes liver injury and disruption of intestinal barrier function as well as decreasing the expression of genes such as HIF-1α, occludin, SOD1, and GPX1. Supplemental dietary copper can revert these changes except for SOD1, but marginal dietary copper can worsen these changes. The in vitro cell experiments showed that proper copper supplementation can promote cell growth and reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In conclusion, supplemental dietary copper has beneficial effects on alcohol-induced intestine and liver injury, and marginal dietary copper shows detrimental effects on these parameters.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a highly conserved enzyme within the glycolytic pathway. GAPDH catalyzes the transformation of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate to glycerate-1, 3-biphosphate, a process accompanied by the production of NADH. Its role in the NADPH production system of the oleaginous filamentous fungus Mortierella alpina was explored. Two copies of genes encoding GAPDH were characterized, then endogenously overexpressed and silenced through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation methods. The results showed that the lipid content of the overexpression strain, MA-GAPDH1, increased by around 13%. RNA interference of GAPDH1 and GAPDH2 (MA-RGAPDH1 and MA-RGAPDH2) greatly reduced the biomass of the fungus. The lipid content of MA-RGAPDH2 was found to be about 23% higher than that of the control. Both of the lipid-increasing transformants showed a higher NADPH/NADP ratio. Analysis of metabolite and enzyme expression levels revealed that the increased lipid content of MA-GAPDH1 was due to enhanced flux of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate to glycerate-1, 3-biphosphate. MA-RGAPDH2 was found to strengthen the metabolic flux of dihydroxyacetone phosphate to glycerol-3-phosphate. Thus, GAPDH1 contributes to NADPH supply and lipid accumulation in M. alpina, and has a distinct role from GAPDH2.

Tough gel with extreme temperature tolerance is a class of soft materials having potential applications in the specific fields that require excellent integrated properties under subzero temperature. Herein, physically crosslinked Europium (Eu)-alginate/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) organohydrogels that do not freeze at far below 0°C, while retention of high stress and stretchability is demonstrated. These organohydrogels are synthesized through displacement of water swollen in polymer networks of hydrogel to cryoprotectants (e.g., ethylene glycol, glycerol, and d-sorbitol). The organohydrogels swollen water-cryoprotectant binary systems can be recovered to their original shapes when be bent, folded and even twisted after being cooled down to a temperature as low as −20 and −45°C, due to lower vapor pressure and ice-inhibition of cryoprotectants. The physical organohydrogels exhibit the maximum stress (5.62 ± 0.41 MPa) and strain (7.63 ± 0.02), which is about 10 and 2 times of their original hydrogel, due to the synergistic effect of multiple hydrogen bonds, coordination bonds and dense polymer networks. Based on these features, such physically crosslinked organohydrogels with extreme toughness and wide temperature tolerance is a promising soft material expanding the applications of gels in more specific and harsh conditions.

Design and synthesis of environmentally friendly adsorbents with high adsorption capacities are urgently needed to control pollution of water resources. In this work, a calcium ion-induced approach was used to synthesize sodium alginate fibroid hydrogel (AFH). The as-prepared AFH has certain mechanical strength, and the mechanical strength is enhanced especially after the adsorption of heavy metal ions, which is very convenient for the recovery. AFH exhibited excellent adsorption performances for Cu2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ ions and displayed very high saturated adsorption capacities (Qe) of 315.92 mg·g−1 (Cu2+), 232.35 mg·g−1 (Cd2+), and 465.22 mg·g−1 (Pb2+) with optimized pH values (3.0–4.0) and temperature (303 K). The study of isotherms and kinetics indicated that adsorption processes of heavy metal ions fitted well with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and the Langmuir model. Pb2+ was found to have the strongest competitiveness among the three heavy metal ions. Thus, AFH has great application prospects in the field of heavy metal ions removing from wastewater.

Circularly polarized photocurrent, observed in p-doped bulk GaAs, varies nonlinearly with the applied bias voltage at room temperature. It has been explored that this phenomenon arises from the current-induced spin polarization in GaAs. In addition, we found that the current-induced spin polarization direction of p-doped bulk GaAs grown in the (001) direction lies in the sample plane and is perpendicular to the applied electric field, which is the same as that in GaAs quantum well. This research indicates that circularly polarized photocurrent is a new optical approach to investigate the current-induced spin polarization at room temperature.

Background/Aims: Rapamycin (Rp), the main mammalian target of rapamycin complex inhibitor, is a promising therapeutic agent for breast cancer. However, metabolic disorders and drug resistance reduce its efficacy. Epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies have demonstrated that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) significantly reduce the incidence and mortality of breast cancer and improve metabolic disorders. Methods: Three breast cancer cell lines and immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Rp plus ω-3 PUFA treatment. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glucose uptake were examined by flow cytometry. Metabolic shift was examined by metabonomics, seahorse experiments, and western blot analysis. Results: We found that ω-3 PUFAs and Rp synergistically induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo, accompanied by autophagy blockage. In addition, Rp-induced hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia were completely abolished by ω-3 PUFA supplementation. Moreover, the combined treatment of ω-3 PUFA and Rp significantly inhibited glycolysis and glutamine metabolism. The anti-tumor effects of this combination treatment were dependent on ROS production, which was increased by β-oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation. Conclusion: Our study revealed that ω-3 PUFA enhanced the anti-tumor activity of Rp while minimizing its side effects in vitro and in vivo. These results provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the potential beneficial effects of Rp combined with ω-3 PUFAs on the prevention of breast cancer.

Summary: Huntington’s disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurological disorder caused by CAG-repeat expansion in exon 1 of Huntingtin (HTT). But in addition to the neurological disease, mutant HTT (mHTT), which is ubiquitously expressed, impairs other organ systems. Indeed, epidemiological and animal model studies suggest higher incidence of and mortality from heart disease in HD. Here, we show that the protein complex mTORC1 is dysregulated in two HD mouse models through a mechanism that requires intrinsic mHTT expression. Moreover, restoring cardiac mTORC1 activity with constitutively active Rheb prevents mortality and relieves the mHTT-induced block to hypertrophic adaptation to cardiac stress. Finally, we show that chronic mTORC1 dysregulation is due in part to mislocalization of endogenous Rheb. These data provide insight into the increased cardiac-related mortality of HD patients, with cardiac mHTT expression inhibiting mTORC1 activity, limiting heart growth, and decreasing the heart’s ability to compensate to chronic stress. : Child et al. demonstrate that mTORC1 dysregulation is a key molecular mechanism in the Huntington’s disease (HD) heart phenotype. Impaired cardiac mTORC1 activity in HD mouse models requires intrinsic mHTT expression and explains the limited adaptation to cardiac stress. Keywords: Huntington’s disease, heart, mTOR, Rheb

Background: The pathogenesis of postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the changes and significance of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in patients with POTS. Methods: The study included 31 children with POTS and 27 healthy children from Peking University First Hospital between December 2013 and October 2015. A detailed medical history, physical examination results, and demographic characteristics were collected. Hemodynamics was recorded and the plasma SO2was determined. Results: The plasma SO2was significantly higher in POTS children compared to healthy children (64.0 ± 20.8 μmol/L vs. 27.2 ± 9.6 μmol/L, respectively, P < 0.05). The symptom scores in POTS were positively correlated with plasma SO2levels (r = 0.398, P < 0.05). In all the study participants, the maximum heart rate (HR) was positively correlated with plasma levels of SO2(r = 0.679, P < 0.01). The change in systolic blood pressure from the supine to upright (ΔSBP) in POTS group was smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The ΔSBP was negatively correlated with baseline plasma SO2levels in all participants (r = −0.28, P < 0.05). In the control group, ΔSBP was positively correlated with the plasma levels of SO2(r = 0.487, P < 0.01). The change in HR from the supine to upright in POTS was obvious compared to that of the control group. The area under curve was 0.967 (95% confidence interval: 0.928–1.000), and the cutoff value of plasma SO2 level >38.17 μmol/L yielded a sensitivity of 90.3% and a specificity of 92.6% for predicting the diagnosis of POTS. Conclusions: Increased endogenous SO2levels might be involved in the pathogenesis of POTS.

Metastasis via lymphatic vessels or blood vessels is the leading cause of death for breast cancer, and lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis are critical prerequisites for the tumor invasion–metastasis cascade. The research progress for tumor lymphangiogenesis has tended to lag behind that for angiogenesis due to the lack of specific markers. With the discovery of lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) markers, growing evidence demonstrates that the LEC plays an active role in lymphatic formation and remodeling, tumor cell growth, invasion and intravasation, tumor–microenvironment remodeling, and antitumor immunity. However, some studies have drawn controversial conclusions due to the variation in the LEC markers and lymphangiogenesis assessments used. In this study, we review recent findings on tumor lymphangiogenesis, the most commonly used LEC markers, and parameters for lymphangiogenesis assessments, such as the lymphatic vessel density and lymphatic vessel invasion in human breast cancer. An in-depth understanding of tumor lymphangiogenesis and LEC markers can help to illustrate the mechanisms and distinct roles of lymphangiogenesis in breast cancer progression, which will help in exploring novel potential predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

Fraxetin, a natural derivative of coumarin, is known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and hepatoprotective effects in multiple diseases and in liver fibrosis. Whether fraxetin exerts similar effects against renal fibrosis is unknown. In a Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction (UUO) mouse model of renal fibrosis, fraxetin decreased UUO-induced renal dysfunction with a marked reduction in renal interstitial collagen fibers as detected by Masson’s Trichrome staining. Fraxetin treatment also inhibited the expression of α-SMA, Collagen I, Collagen IV, fibronectin, N-cadherin, vimentin, phosphorylated-ERK, and increased the expression of E-cadherin in UUO mice, as shown by immunohistochemical staining and western blot analysis. In vitro studies showed that fraxetin and indoxyl sulfate had no cytotoxic effects on MES13 kidney cells, but that fraxetin significantly decreased IS-induced cell motility and decreased protein expression of α-SMA, N-cadherin, vimentin, and Collagen IV via the ERK-mediated signaling pathway. These findings provide insight into the mechanism underlying fraxetin-induced inhibition of fibrogenesis in renal tissue and suggest that fraxetin treatment may be beneficial for slowing CKD progression.

Abstract Background Small animal models that can mimic degenerative disc disease (DDD) are commonly used to examine DDD progression. However, assessments such as histological studies and macroscopic measurements do not allow for longitudinal studies because they can only be completed after the animal is sacrificed. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) may provide a reliable, non-invasive in vivo method for detecting the progression. Methods The present study investigated the progression of changes in lumbar discs and the effect of endplate conditions on diffusion into the lumbar discs of aging sand rats after intravenous administration of gadolinium-containing contrast medium through the tail vein. Contrast enhancement was measured in the lumbar intervertebral discs on each image. The results were compared with those from conventional histological characterizations. Results T2-weighted images revealed that with aging, the shape of L3–L4, L4–L5, L5–L6, and L6–S1 nucleus pulposus (NP) became irregular, while the mean areas, signal intensities, and T2 values of the NP were significantly decreased. Each of the observed disc changes demonstrated a progressive increase in phase during 2-min scout scans. Post-contrast MRI showed impaired endplate nutritional diffusion to the disc with aging, enhancement was significantly greater in young animals than in old animals. Endplate calcification or sclerosis was histologically confirmed; histologic score was correlated with the age. We found the histological score of the endplate negatively corresponded to the DCE-MRI results. Conclusions DCE-MRI studies offer a non-invasive in vivo method for investigating the progress of diffusion into the discs and the functional conditions of the endplate. We conclude that quantitative DCE-MRI can identify the severity of disc degeneration and efficiently reflect the progression of vertebral endplate changes in the aging sand rat lumbar spine via the NP contrast enhancement patterns.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of immediate and definitive management of Gustilo type III A/B tibia fractures with intramedullary nailing and fasciocutaneous flap. Methods: From August 2010 to July 2012, 22 patients with Gustilo Grade III A/B tibia fractures were managed with a single stage treatment of ipsilateral fasciocutaneous flap & reamed intramedullary nailing and were included in the study. The severity of the injury was calculated with Ganga Hospital injury severity score. Results: The mean age of patients was 41 years and the follow-up time ranged from six months to one year. Among the 22 patients, 73% were type III B fractures with upper leg involved in 55% of them. The time interval from injury to completion of surgery was 8–14 h. The incidence of bone infection requiring secondary procedure was 9%; the major and minor soft tissue complication rate was 9% and 14% respectively. The limb salvage rate was 100%. Conclusion: Multidisciplinary management of severe lower limb trauma is important and provides good outcomes. Intramedullary nailing and immediate flap fixation can achieve early bone union and good soft tissue coverage, leading to good outcomes in patient with Grade III A & B tibia fractures.

Objective: The present study aimed to establish an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells in vitro and identify their biological characteristics. Methods: Cells from the AML-infiltrated skin from an M6 patient were infected with a lentivirus carrying OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and C-MYC to induce iPSCs. The characteristics of the iPSCs were confirmed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining. The proliferation ability of iPSCs was detected with a CCK-8 assay. The expression of pluripotency markers was measured by immunostaining, and the expression of stem cell-related genes was detected by qRT-PCR; distortion during the induction process was detected by karyotype analysis; the differentiation potential of iPSCs was determined by embryoid body-formation and teratoma-formation assays. ALP staining confirmed that these cells exhibited positive staining and had the characteristics of iPSCs. Results: The CCK-8 assay showed that the iPSCs had the ability to proliferate. Immunostaining demonstrated that iPSC clones showed positive expression of NANOG, SSEA-3, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81. qRT-PCR results revealed that the mRNA expression of Nanog, Lin28, Cripto, FOX3, DNMT3b, DPPA2, and DPPA4 significantly increased in iPSCs. Karyotype analysis found no chromosome aberration in the iPSCs. The results of the embryoid body-formation and teratoma-formation assays indicated that the iPSCs had the potential to differentiate into all three germ layers. Conclusion: Our study provided evidence that an iPSC line derived from AML cells was successfully established.