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Ischemic stroke often results in high mortality and significant disability. Current research primarily focuses on understanding neuroinflammation and cell death following a stroke to identify novel therapeutic targets. This study investigates the endothelial cell-specific role of Thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) in ischemic stroke and its underlying molecular mechanisms both in vitro and in vivo. By targeting endothelial cells, we aim to determine how TXNIP knockdown promotes neuroprotection, enhances angiogenesis, and reduces inflammation post-stroke. In vitro, an oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) model using bEnd.3 cells simulated ischemic conditions. Cellular injury was evaluated through cell proliferation and angiogenesis assays, while dual immunofluorescence staining assessed ZO-1 and CD31 expression. Western blotting measured protein levels of TXNIP, NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, and IL-1β. In vivo, a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model was employed to mimic ischemic stroke. Brain injury was evaluated using TTC and Nissl staining, and molecular changes in injury markers were assessed via Western blot analysis. In vitro, TXNIP knockdown promoted cell proliferation and angiogenesis, reduced inflammation, and decreased ZO-1 and CD31 fluorescence intensity. TXNIP knockdown also reversed OGD-induced upregulation of TXNIP, NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, and IL-1β. In vivo, TXNIP knockdown improved neurological recovery, reflected by lower Longa scores, increased Nissl body presence, and reduced infarct size. These findings suggest that TXNIP knockdown mitigates inflammation, enhances angiogenesis, and reduces cerebral damage following ischemic stroke. This provides valuable insights into potential endothelial cell-specific therapeutic strategies for stroke treatment.

Abstract Purpose This study aims to investigate the effects of chest wall bolus in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technology on clinical outcomes for post-mastectomy breast cancer patients. Materials and methods This retrospective study included patients with invasive carcinoma ((y)pT0-4, (y)pN0-3) who received photon IMRT after mastectomy at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from 2014 to 2019. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received daily bolus application or not, and the baseline characteristics were matched using propensity score matching (PSM). Cumulative incidence (CI) of local recurrence (LR), locoregional recurrence (LRR), overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated with a log-rank test. Acute skin toxicity and late radiation pneumonia was analyzed using chi-square test. Results A total of 529 patients were included in this study, among whom 254 (48%) patients received bolus application. The median follow-up time was 60 months. After matching, 175 well-paired patients were selected. The adjusted 5-year outcomes (95% confidence interval) in patients treated with and without bolus were, respectively: CI of LR 2.42% (0.04–4.74) versus 2.38% (0.05–4.65), CI of LRR 2.42% (0.04–4.74) versus 3.59% (0.73–6.37), DFS 88.12% (83.35–93.18) versus 84.69% (79.42–90.30), OS 94.21% (90.79–97.76) versus 95.86% (92.91–98.91). No correlation between bolus application and skin toxicity (P = 0.555) and late pneumonia (P = 0.333) was observed. Conclusions The study revealed a low recurrence rate using IMRT technology. The daily used 5 mm chest wall bolus was not associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Abstract Background Telomerase, by safeguarding damaged telomeres and bolstering DNA damage repair, has the capacity to heighten the radioresistance of tumour cells. Thus, in turn, can compromise the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) and radioimmunotherapy. Our previous studies have revealed that the highly selective telomerase inhibitor, BIBR1532, possesses the potential to enhance the radiosensitivity of Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we delve further into the impact of BIBR1532 on the immune activation induced by RT and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods Biological information analyses, immunofluorescence assays, western blot assays, flow cytometry analysis were conducted to elucidate the functions of the combination of BIBR1532 with radiotherapy in NSCLC. Intracellular levels of lipid peroxides, glutathione, malondialdehyde, and Fe2+ were measured as indicators of ferroptosis status. Both in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to examine the antitumor effects. Results Our findings indicate that the confluence of BIBR1532 with RT significantly augments the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway in both in vivo and in vitro settings, thereby fostering an effective anti-tumoral immune response. The effects can be ascribed to two key processes. Firstly, ionizing radiation, in precipitating DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), prompts the release of tumour-derived double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) into the cytoplasm. Subsequently, BIBR1532 amplifies the activation of antigen-presenting cells by dsDNA post-RT and instigates the cGAS-STING pathway. Secondly, BIBR1532 enhances the ferroptosis response in NSCLC following RT, thereby promoting unrestrained lipid peroxidation and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within tumour cells. This ultimately leads to mitochondrial stress and the release of endogenous mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytoplasm, thus facilitating the activation of the STING pathway and the induction of a type I interferon (IFN)-linked adaptive immune response. Conclusion This study underscores the potential of BIBR1532 as an efficacious and safe radiosensitizer and radioimmunotherapy synergist, providing robust preclinical research evidence for the treatment of NSCLC.

Abstract The development of dietary fibers as safe and effective food additives or nutrients for preventing and alleviating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasingly important. β‐glucans, renowned prebiotics, have shown promise in alleviating IBD symptoms by modulating gut flora diversity and repairing the intestinal barrier. Auricularia auricula‐judae, an edible fungus, contains a β‐glucan with a triple‐helical structure polysaccharide from black fungus Auricularia auricula‐judae (BFP), which exhibits unique sol–gel properties. This study revealed that BFP forms weak gels or sols at increasing concentrations, enhancing swallow ability and extending intestinal transit time, beneficial for patients with dysphagia requiring targeted intestinal administration. The impact of BFP on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced ulcerative colitis was examined, showing that BFP sols maintain intestinal barrier integrity by up‐regulating MUC2, ZO‐1, Occludin, and Claudin expressions and reducing inflammatory factors. Furthermore, BFP sols augmented probiotics abundance, decreased harmful bacteria, and restored Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes balance. These findings suggest BFP sols’ potential as functional food or alternative IBD treatment.

Abstract Background We aimed to investigate the effects of PinX1 on non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) radiosensitivity and radiotherapy-associated tumor immune microenvironment and its mechanisms. Methods The effect of PinX1 silencing on radiosensitivity in NSCLC was assessed by colony formation and CCK8 assay, immunofluorescence detection of γ- H2AX and micronucleus assay. Western blot was used to assess the effect of PinX1 silencing on DNA damage repair pathway and cGAS-STING pathway. The nude mouse and Lewis lung cancer mouse model were used to assess the combined efficacy of PinX1 silencing and radiotherapy in vivo. Changes in the tumor immune microenvironment were assessed by flow cytometry for different treatment modalities in the Lewis luuse model. The interaction protein RBM10 was screened by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry. Results Silencing PinX1 enhanced radiosensitivity and activation of the cGAS-STING pathway while attenuating the DNA damage repair pathway. Silencing PinX1 further increases radiotherapy-stimulated CD8+ T cell infiltration and activation, enhances tumor control and improves survival in vivo; Moreover, PinX1 downregulation improves the anti-tumor efficacy of radioimmunotherapy, increases radioimmune-stimulated CD8+ T cell infiltration, and reprograms M2-type macrophages into M1-type macrophages in tumor tissues. The interaction of PinX1 and RBM10 may promote telomere maintenance by assisting telomerase localization to telomeres, thereby inhibiting the immunostimulatory effects of IR. Conclusions In NSCLC, silencing PinX1 significantly contributed to the radiosensitivity and promoted the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy. Mechanistically, PinX1 may regulate the transport of telomerase to telomeres through interacting with RBM10, which promotes telomere maintenance and DNA stabilization. Our findings reveal that PinX1 is a potential target to enhance the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy in NSCLC patients.

To address the challenges of limited detection precision and insufficient segmentation of small to medium-sized objects in dynamic and complex scenarios, such as the dense intermingling of pedestrians, vehicles, and various obstacles in urban environments, we propose an enhanced methodology. Firstly, we integrated a point cloud processing module utilizing the DBSCAN clustering algorithm to effectively segment and extract critical features from the point cloud data. Secondly, we introduced a fusion attention mechanism that significantly improves the network’s capability to capture both global and local features, thereby enhancing object detection performance in complex environments. Finally, we incorporated a CSPNet downsampling module, which substantially boosts the network’s overall performance and processing speed while reducing computational costs through advanced feature map segmentation and fusion techniques. The proposed method was evaluated using the KITTI dataset. Under moderate difficulty, the BEV mAP for detecting cars, pedestrians, and cyclists achieved 87.74%, 55.07%, and 67.78%, reflecting improvements of 1.64%, 5.84%, and 5.53% over PointPillars. For 3D mAP, the detection accuracy for cars, pedestrians, and cyclists reached 77.90%, 49.22%, and 62.10%, with improvements of 2.91%, 5.69%, and 3.03% compared to PointPillars.

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and function of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in glioma. We found that the expression of TRPV1 mRNA and protein were upregulated in glioma compared with normal brain by qPCR and western blot analysis. In order to investigate the function of TRPV1 in glioma, short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and the inhibitor of TRPV1 were used. In vitro, the activation of TRPV1 induced cell apoptosis with decreased migration capability and inhibited proliferation, which was abolished upon TRPV1 pharmacological inhibition and silencing. Mechanistically, TRPV1 modulated glioma proliferation through the protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway. More importantly, in immunodeficient (NOD-SCID) mouse xenograft models, tumor size was significantly increased when TRPV1 expression was disrupted by a shRNA knockdown approach in vivo. Altogether, our findings indicate that TRPV1 negatively controls glioma cell proliferation in an Akt-dependent manner, which suggests that targeting TRPV1 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for glioma.

Oxaliplatin (OXA)-based chemotherapy is one of the first-line treatments for advanced gastric cancer. However, the potential risk for chemotherapy-induced hepatic injury can hinder its effectiveness. Polyene phosphatidylcholine (PPC) is often used as a hepatoprotective agent to counter OXA-induced hepatic injury; however, its impact on the antitumour effectiveness of OXA remains uncertain. Our retrospective study examined 98 patients with stage IV gastric cancer to assess the impact of PPC on progression-free survival (PFS) and disease control rate (DCR). Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo assays were conducted to elucidate the combined biological effects of OXA and PPC (OXA+PPC) on gastric cancer. RNA sequencing, luciferase reporter assays, live/dead cell assays, immunofluorescence, and western blotting were used to identify the activated signalling pathways and downstream factors post OXA+PPC treatment. The findings indicated that PPC served as an independent prognostic factor, correlating with prolonged PFS and improved DCR in patients with gastric cancer. The combination of OXA and PPC significantly inhibited tumour cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing revealed that OXA+PPC treatment amplified reactive oxygen species and ferroptosis signalling pathways. Mechanistically, OXA+PPC upregulated the expression of haem oxygenase-1 by promoting the nuclear migration of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2), thereby enhancing its transcriptional activity. Drug-molecule docking analysis demonstrated that PPC competitively bound to the peptide structural domains of both Nrf2 and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), accounting for the increased translocation of Nrf2. In conclusion, our study reveals the synergistic antitumour potential of PPC and OXA while protecting patients against hepatic injury. This suggests a promising combined treatment approach for patients with advanced gastric cancer.

To improve the packaging properties of pea protein isolate (PPI) films, 2 wt% of essential oil (EO) from garlic, ginger, or cinnamon was individually incorporated into the films. The film properties were evaluated after the addition of EOs. The resulting PPI active films were applied to salmon to explore their efficacy in a real food system. The results indicated that the moisture content (MC), total soluble matter (TSM), water vapor permeability (WVP), water contact angle (WCA), tensile strength (TS), and elongation at break (EAB) of PPI film decreased after adding EOs, with the extent of the decrease varying based on the type of oil. SEM images revealed that the distribution of EOs within the film matrix differed: garlic EO was mainly distributed within the internal structure, while ginger and cinnamon EOs were primarily on the surface. FTIR analysis confirmed the interactions between PPI and EOs. When applied to salmon, garlic EO and ginger EO promoted lipid oxidation, whereas cinnamon EO significantly delayed it. Although PPI-based active films containing garlic or cinnamon EOs showed remarkable antibacterial activity in vitro, they did not inhibit bacterial growth in salmon. Additionally, EOs in active films may notably alter the color and sensory properties of salmon, potentially influencing consumer acceptance. Our findings demonstrated that the EO type is a key factor in influencing the properties of edible films. More importantly, the effectiveness of active films is closely related to the specific food system in which they are applied.

Pea protein isolate (PPI)-based active films were prepared by incorporating 0.5 %, 1.0 %, or 2.0 % of oregano essential oil (OEO), either in the form of micro-emulsion (MOEO) or nano-emulsion (NOEO). The particle size and polydispersity index of OEO droplets were 2755.00 nm and 0.63 for MOEO, and 256.30 nm and 0.20 for NOEO. The surface and cross-sectional SEM results revealed the presence of holes and internal pores within the film upon the addition of OEO. The molecular interaction between PPI and OEO was confirmed by FTIR. The addition of OEO significantly increased film thickness, decreased water contact angle, and imparted a more yellow color. At a low concentration (0.5 %), the addition of OEO significantly improved the water vapor barrier and mechanical properties of the film. However, at higher concentrations, these film properties were significantly weakened. Additionally, the film antimicrobial properties were assessed after OEO addition. In vitro inhibition zone results indicated that a 2.0 % addition of OEO significantly suppressed the growth of three Salmonella strains [Salmonella Typhimurium (ATCC14028), Salmonella Infantis 94-1, and Salmonella Enteritidis PT-30]. Application of pea protein-based film with 2.0 % OEO on chicken breast demonstrated significant reduction in microbial count. Our results further showed that reducing the particle size of OEO from micrometer-scale to nanometer-scale in the PPI film matrix did not significantly alter film properties or antimicrobial activities. The study demonstrated that the antibacterial film based on pea protein and OEO is an innovative food packing material for prohibiting bacteria growth on poultry products.

Camellia oleifera is an important woody oil tree species unique to China. It is known as the world's four major woody oil crops along with olive, oil palm and coconut. It is known as the # king of oil' because of its high oil content. With the increase of people's attention to the yield of Camellia oleigera, its high yield has become the focus. In traditional breeding model, judgment is performed by phenotypic traits, but this method is single and easily affected by the environment, and can no longer meet the demand. In contrast, molecular marker breeding is not affected by the environment, and is stable and efficient and capable of accurately mapping target genes, so it has attracted much attention. In this paper, the research progress on C. oleifera germpljsm resources diversity, DNA fingerprinting construction, genetic linkage map construction and QTL mapping was summarized, and the application of SSR molecular marker technique combined with association analysis in C. oleifera breeding in recent years was discussed, in order to provide new ideas for high-yield breeding of C. oleifera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]