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Introduction: Puerarin (PUE) is a natural compound isolated from Puerariae Lobatae Radix, which has a neuroprotective effect on IS. We explored the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of PUE on cerebral I/R injury by inhibiting oxidative stress related to the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway in vitro and in vivo.Methods: The middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R) rats and oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) were selected as the models, respectively. The therapeutic effect of PUE was observed using triphenyl tetrazolium and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Tunel-NeuN staining and Nissl staining to quantify hippocampal apoptosis. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Biochemical method to detect oxidative stress levels. The protein expression related to PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway was detected by using Western blotting. Finally, co-immunoprecipitation was used to study the molecular interaction between Keap1 and Nrf2.Results:In vivo and vitro studies showed that PUE improved neurological deficits in rats, as well as decreased oxidative stress. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry indicated that the release of ROS can be inhibited by PUE. In addition, the Western blotting results showed that PUE promoted the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt, and enabled Nrf2 to enter the nucleus, which further activated the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes such as HO-1. The combination of PUE with PI3K inhibitor LY294002 reversed these results. Finally, co-immunoprecipitation results showed that PUE promoted Nrf2-Keap1 complex dissociation.Discussion: Taken together, PUE can activate Nrf2 via PI3K/Akt and promote downstream antioxidant enzyme expression, which could further ameliorate oxidative stress, against I/R-induced Neuron injury.

Cisplatin (DDP) is a first-line chemotherapeutic drug applied for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The anticancer activity of DDP is tightly linked to its intracellular uptake. It is unwise to increase the DDP intake by increasing the dose or shortening the dosing interval because of the severe systemic toxicity (nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity and neurotoxicity) in DDP application. The main uptake pathways of DDP include passive diffusion and active transporter transport. Therefore, finding additional uptake pathways that can improve the effective intracellular concentration of DDP is critical. Macropinocytosis, an endocytic mechanism for extracellular material absorption, contributes to the intracellular uptake of anticancer drugs. No research has been conducted to determine whether macropinocytosis can augment the intracellular uptake of DDP in OSCC cells or not. Based on that, we proved for the first time that silmitasertib (previously CX-4945) could trigger macropinocytosis, which may increase the intracellular uptake of DDP and enhance apoptosis via in vivo and in vitro experiments. We hope that our findings will inspire a new approach for the application of DDP in cancer treatment.

4,4′-(9-Fluorenylidene) diphenol (BPFL, also known as BHPF and fluorene-9-bisphenol) is a novel bisphenol A substitute that is used in the plastics industry as an organic synthesis intermediate and is a potential endocrine disruptor. However, the deleterious effects of BPFL on porcine Sertoli cells (SCs) and the possible underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Chlorogenic acid (CA) is a free radical scavenger in the cellular antioxidant system that prevents oxidative damage and apoptosis. In the present research, we found that BPFL induced impairments in porcine SCs in a dose-dependent manner and that CA protected porcine SCs against BPFL exposure-induced impairments. Cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis assay results revealed that BPFL exposure could inhibit porcine SC proliferation and induce apoptosis, while CA supplementation ameliorated the effects of BPFL. Further analysis revealed that BPFL exposure induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunction and DNA damage accumulation. Transcriptome analysis and further real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot results showed that BPFL exposure induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis. Supplementation with CA dramatically ameliorated these phenotypes in BPFL-exposed porcine SCs. Overall, the present research reveals the possible underlying mechanisms by which BPFL exposure induced impairments and CA supplementation protected against these impairments in porcine SCs.

Tributyltin oxide (TBTO), an organotin compound, has been demonstrated to have toxic effects on several cell types. Previous research has shown that TBTO impairs mouse denuded oocyte maturation. However, limited information is available on the effects of TBTO exposure on livestock reproductive systems, especially on porcine oocytes in the presence of dense cumulus cells. In the present research, we evaluated the effects of TBTO exposure on porcine oocyte maturation and the possible underlying mechanisms. Porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in maturation medium with or without TBTO for 42 h. We found that TBTO exposure during oocyte maturation prevented polar body extrusion, inhibited cumulus expansion and impaired subsequent blastocyst formation after parthenogenetic activation. Further analysis revealed that TBTO exposure not only induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation but also caused a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced intracellular ATP generation. In addition, TBTO exposure impaired porcine oocyte quality by disrupting cellular iron homeostasis. Taken together, these results demonstrate that TBTO exposure impairs the porcine oocyte maturation process by inducing intracellular ROS accumulation, causing mitochondrial dysfunction, and disrupting cellular iron homeostasis, thus decreasing the quality and impairing the subsequent embryonic developmental competence of porcine oocytes.

Accumulating evidence indicates that ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death. This type of iron-dependent programmed cell death is different from traditional forms of regulated cell death, such as apoptosis and autophagy. However, the role of ferroptosis in porcine oocyte maturation and the associated mechanism remain unclear. In the present research, we investigated the effects of ferric ammonium citrate (FAC), a specific ferroptosis inducer, on porcine oocyte meiotic maturation and quality and subsequent embryonic developmental competence. FAC treatment caused obvious accumulation of intracellular ferrous ions in porcine oocytes. At the end of the in vitro maturation (IVM) period, there was a significant decrease in the polar body (PB) extrusion rate and an increase in the percentage of abnormal oocytes in the FAC treatment groups, indicating that iron overload-induced ferroptosis may suppress the meiotic process during porcine oocyte maturation. We also found that after FAC treatment, the subsequent two-cell rate, four-cell rate and blastocyst formation rate were significantly decreased in porcine parthenogenetic activation (PA) embryos, indicating that iron overload-induced ferroptosis decreased porcine oocyte quality. Further analysis revealed that FAC treatment not only enhanced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, decreased intracellular free thiol levels and induced mitochondrial dysfunction but also triggered autophagy in porcine oocytes. Taken together, these findings suggest that iron overload-induced ferroptosis impairs porcine oocyte meiosis and decreases porcine oocyte quality, possibly by increasing oxidative stress, inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and triggering autophagy.

An inorganic-organic hybrid complex [Cd7Cl14L2(EtOH)2]n (L = 4-Aminoantipyrine) was synthesised by solvothermal reaction and characterised by X-ray single-crystal diffraction analyses. It has unusual seven-nuclear cadmium chloride structure, which extends along the a-axis to form an infinite flat ribbon structure with the thickness of 3 Å and the width of 18 Å. The flat inorganic ribbon is wrapped in the two edge sides by organic molecules to form a sandwich structure. The MTT assay result displayed that the synthesised complex possessed antiproliferative activity potentials against the HCT-116, HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. After 72 h treatment, the complex had a potent inhibitory effect on HCT-116 cells, and the IC50 value was 1.05 ± 0.06 (μg/mL). The cell cycle and apoptosis experiments showed that the complex remarkably induced apoptosis and arrested the HCT-116 cancer cell lines in the G1/G0 phase related to the concentration.

In this paper, a statistical approach based on an adaptive parametric estimator is proposed for the three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of objects under photon-starved conditions. In photon counting integral imaging system, 3-D objects having small number of photons can be visualized by the prior-based statistical estimation. However, improper prior constrains can lead to inaccurate reconstruction results. The adaptive parametric Maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) using a compound photon counting model is proposed to visualize the photon-limited 3-D objects. Through maximizing a likelihood function with pixel-based adaptive information, the number of photons for reconstructed pixels is estimated. Variance stabilizing transformation combined with Block-matching and 3-D filtering algorithm is also applied to enhance the photon counting elemental images captured by the photon counting integral imaging system. The performance of our proposed reconstruction method is illustrated by experimental results and compared with conventional MLE using the peak signal-to-noise ratio metric. It is shown that our proposed method outperforms the conventional MLE for the photon counting 3-D integral imaging reconstruction.

Abstract Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) is essential for improving survival and reducing mortality and recurrence rates in breast cancer (BrCa) patients. However, the adherence to AET among BrCa patients is poor, and there is no scale to measure adherence to AET or the reasons for non-adherence among BrCa patients in mainland China. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the simple Chinese version of the Medication Adherence Reasons (MAR) scale in BrCa patients undergoing AET. This study utilized a cross-sectional research design with two phases: (1) translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the original English version of the MAR scale into simple Chinese and (2) validation of the simple Chinese version of the MAR scale (s-ChMAR scale) in BrCa patients. Instrument assessments included content validity, face validity, item analysis, construct validity, criterion-related validity and reliability testing. This study recruited participants using convenience sampling to investigate adherence to AET among BrCa patients. Inclusion criteria were: (a) female, (b) aged 18 years or older, (c) diagnosed with Stage I to III BrCa, (d) completed primary treatment for hormone receptor-positive BrCa and had been on AET for more than six months but less than five years, (e) proficient in Mandarin, and (f) provided informed consent. Exclusion criteria included psychiatric illness, cognitive impairment, or a diagnosis of another cancer type. The sample size for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was determined based on a ratio of five to ten participants per scale item to ensure sufficient statistical power. Data were collected from a sample of 325 participants who received AET for over six months. All the items had a content validity index (CVI) of more than 0.80. Regarding construct validity, the s-ChMAR scale fit a four-dimensional model, the same as the original MAR scale tested in asthma patients. The s-ChMAR scale had good internal reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.896) and good stability (ICC = 0.837). In terms of quantifying non-adherence, the s-ChMAR scale identified a non-adherent participant rate of over 50%. The study findings support the reliability and validity of the s-ChMAR scale in measuring the non-adherence of Chinese BrCa patients to AET.

Abstract Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy of autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and its influence on related biomarkers such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Method 150 study subjects are randomly selected from KOA patients received treatment in the Third Hospital of Bethune Hospital from January 2022 to January 2023. After enrollment, patients are randomly numbered 1–100. 75 patients with odd and even numbers are included in the control group and the observation group, respectively. The former is cured with etocoxib, while the latter is treated with autologous PRP injection based on this. The clinical efficacy, relevant biomarkers (IL-1β, TNF-α, hs-CRP), and Lysholm knee score scale and Fugl Meyer assessment (FMA) scores are compared and analyzed. Results The total effective rate of 94.67% (71/75) in the observation group was higher than 84.00% (63/75) in the other one group (P 0.05. When the treatment period is at 1 and 2 months, the IL-1β, TNF-α, hs-CRP levels within the group were lower than before treatment, while the Lysholm knee joint score and FMA scale score were higher than before treatment (P

The evolution of tensile properties and microstructure in three 9% Cr martensitic rotor steel with varying contents of W and Mo elements is investigated after aging at 630 °C for different durations, with a primary focus on the characteristics of martensite laths and blocks, grain boundaries, dislocations, and precipitates. The results indicate that the presence of W and Mo elements not only influences the precipitation and coarsening behavior of Laves phases but also that of M23C6 carbides, which differs from conventional beliefs. The elevated content of Mo and reduced content of W in the steel leads to a reduction in the equilibrium Cr concentration, promoting enhanced precipitation of Cr atoms and increases nucleation sites of M23C6 carbides. During the aging treatment, the M23C6 carbides in the 2.0W0.5Mo steel exhibits the highest content and the lowest coarsening rate. The strength of 9% Cr martensitic rotor steel is primarily enhanced through dislocation strengthening and grain boundary strengthening. The presence of fine M23C6 carbides effectively immobilizes dislocations and interfaces, resulting in the exceptional stability of the microstructure in the 2.0W0.5Mo steel and a minimal reduction in yield strength.

The study investigated the creep-fatigue interaction behavior, fracture mechanism, and microstructure evolution of C630R ferritic/martensitic heat-resistant steel at 630 °C and 1% strain amplitude. The results indicate that C630R ferritic/martensitic heat-resistant steel exhibits noticeable cyclic softening behavior, with a decrease in the softening ratio from 0.46 to 0.40 as loading time increases. Microstructure evolution was examined using optical and scanning electron microscopes, revealing the appearance of secondary cracks on the longitudinal section of the sample. These cracks exhibited a curved expansion trend with multiple deformations and highly bifurcated micro-cracks at a low loading time of 30s. However, when the load holding time was increased to 300s, the fatigue cracks tended to expand in a straight line with fewer branches. Furthermore, the observed crack growth path under different loading times showed enrichment in Fe and Cr, with the crack tip containing Cr oxide, which helped prevent fatigue crack propagation. As the loading time increases, the rise in crack closure resulting from oxidation leads to a decrease in crack propagation. Electron backscatter diffraction observation revealed the formation of numerous substructures and recrystallized grains after varying holding times, enhancing the material's resistance to crack propagation. Moreover, the study found that with increasing load dwell time, the deformed grains decreased, and substructural grains became dominant (57.68% and 62.77% under 30s and 300s, respectively). This increased crack resistance resulted in shorter secondary cracks under prolonged load retention, with the secondary crack length decreasing from 146.36 μm at 30s loading time to 109.09 μm at 300s loading time. Additionally, the kernel misorientation angle value decreased significantly after different loading times, leading to a higher likelihood of cracks or holes forming in regions with high KAM values, where low-angle grain boundaries were formed.

Background: Financial toxicity (FT) is a global challenge for breast cancer patients due to high costs of care. Financial navigation is a promising intervention to alleviate FT, but evidence remains limited, especially within the Chinese healthcare system. To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a financial navigation program among breast cancer patients in China. Methods: In this single-center, single-blinded pilot randomized controlled trial, a financial navigation program comprising needs assessment, cost-related health education, resource/service referral, and personalized counseling was evaluated. Feasibility was assessed through recruitment, attrition, and adherence rates. Acceptability was measured via participant satisfaction surveys and semi-structured interviews. Preliminary effects were evaluated through cost-related health literacy and three domains of FT. Results: Twenty-six breast cancer patients were recruited, with a consent rate of 55.9% and a 1-month attrition rate of 7.7%. All participants in the intervention group completed needs assessment and cost-related health education, with resource / service referral and personalized counseling provided as needed. The intervention significantly improved cost-related health literacy, although no statistically significant between-group difference in FT was observed. Most participants reported satisfaction and perceived the program as useful. Conclusions: The financial navigation program was feasible, acceptable, and effective in improving cost-related health literacy among breast cancer patients in China. Implications for Practice: This study generated insights to guide future implementation of full-scale RCTs with larger samples and longer durations to further explore the intervention’s effectiveness.

Financial toxicity from cancer treatment significantly impacts the quality of life among patients. Understanding how financial toxicity interacts with symptom burden is crucial for developing effective interventions. This study aimed to assess the longitudinal associations between financial toxicity and symptom burden in cancer patients in China. Conducted from November 2022 to March 2024, this prospective cohort study recruited participants from four Grade-A public hospitals across China using a convenient sampling method. Eligibility criteria included age ≥18 years, cancer diagnosis with surgery, scheduled anti-tumor treatments, and Mandarin proficiency. Financial toxicity was measured using the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (range, 0-44; higher scores indicate better financial well-being), while symptom burden was assessed with the BCPT Eight Symptom Scale (range, 0-120; higher scores reflect greater symptom annoyance) and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale – Short Form Psychological Subscales (range, 4-16; higher scores indicate greater burden). Assessments occurred at baseline (T1), 3 months (T2), 6 months (T3), and 12 months (T4) post-surgery. Among 378 participants (median age, 48.9 years), moderate negative associations were found between physical symptom burden and financial toxicity (r = -0.498 to -0.411) and between psychological symptom burden and financial toxicity (r = -0.493 to -0.392). A Random Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Model demonstrated that financial toxicity negatively predicted subsequent physical symptom burden (r = -0.122 to -0.166, p

BackgroundAdipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) transplantation presents a promising approach for osteoporosis (OP) treatment. However, the therapeutic efficacy of ADSCs is hindered by low post-transplantation survival rates and limited capacities for adhesion, migration, and differentiation. Icariin (ICA), the primary active compound of Epimedium, has been shown to promote cell proliferation and induce osteogenic differentiation; however, its specific effects on ADSC osteogenesis and the mechanisms by which ICA enhances osteoporosis treatment through cell transplantation remain inadequately understood.PurposeThis study investigates the effects of different concentrations of ICA on the osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of rat ADSCs, aiming to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. ADSCs were isolated from female SPF-grade SD rats, with surface markers identified through flow cytometry. Osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation were assessed using Alizarin Red and Oil Red O staining, respectively. Third-generation ADSCs were divided into five groups: control, resveratrol (100 μmol/L), and four ICA treatment groups (1, 10, 50, and 100 μmol/L). Western blotting was performed to analyze the expression of factors associated with the Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling pathway and the adipogenic marker PPARγ. Additionally, ADSCs were labeled with lentiviruses carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) to assess their in vivo distribution, survival, proliferation, and differentiation of ADSCs post-ICA intervention.ResultsIn vitro, ICA significantly inhibited the Hippo pathway, reducing YAP and TAZ phosphorylation and enhancing their transcriptional activity, while simultaneously suppressing PPARγ. This promoted osteogenesis and inhibited adipogenesis in ADSCs. In vivo, ICA-treated ADSCs demonstrated effective distribution, survival, and osteogenic differentiation following subcutaneous injection into allogeneic rats.ConclusionOur study demonstrates that ICA significantly enhances the osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs while inhibiting adipogenesis, providing novel insights and therapeutic strategies for osteoporosis and related conditions.

Abstract Background Data on the effectiveness of erector spinae plane block (ESPB) for patients undergoing liver surgeries is limited and inconclusive. We hereby aimed to systematically review if ESPB can provide adequate analgesia after liver surgery. Methods PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Embase, and gray literature were examined up to 25th April 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ESPB with control or spinal analgesia. Results Nine RCTs were included of which three compared ESPB with spinal analgesia. 24-hour opioid consumption did not differ significantly between ESPB vs. control (MD: -35.25 95% CI: -77.01, 6.52 I2 = 99%) or ESPB vs. spinal analgesia (MD: 2.32 95% CI: -6.12, 10.77 I2 = 91%). Comparing pain scores between ESPB and control, a small but significant effect favoring ESPB was noted at 12 h and 48 h, but not at 6–8 h and 24 h. Pain scores did not differ between ESPB and spinal analgesia. The risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting was also not significantly different between ESPB vs. control or spinal analgesia. GRADE assessment shows moderate certainty of evidence. Conclusion ESPB may not provide any significant postoperative analgesia in liver surgery patients. There was a tendency of reduced opioid consumption with ESPB. Limited data also showed that ESPB and spinal analgesia had no difference in pain scores and 24-hour analgesic consumption.

Abstract Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major complication of breast cancer surgical patients. Assessing VTE awareness enables medical staff to tailor educational programs that improve patient self-management and reduce VTE risk. Therefore, this study aimed to assess VTE awareness among breast cancer surgical patients and identify factors influencing their awareness level. Methods A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted on breast cancer patients scheduled for surgery from May 2023 to November 2023. Data were collected using a general information form and a validated self-assessment questionnaire on VTE awareness for breast cancer surgical patients. Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results Of 1969 patients included, the term awareness rates for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism were 42.5% and 26.1%, respectively. Information about VTE was primarily obtained from doctors (30.4%), nurses (24.0%), and social media (23.3%). The overall average VTE awareness score was 1.55 ± 0.53, with the dimension of VTE preventive measures scoring highest, and VTE clinical symptoms/signs scoring lowest. Multivariate analysis identified education level, personal VTE history, chemotherapy and surgical history, and the hospital’s regional location as significant factors associated with VTE awareness level (p

Highlights Recent advances in electrochemical energy storage based on nano- and micro-structured (NMS) scaffolds are summarized and discussed. The fundamentals, superiorities, and design principle of NMS scaffolds are outlined. Given the present progress, the ongoing challenges and promising perspectives are highlighted.

The function of SLC7A11 in the process of ferroptosis is well-established, as it regulates the synthesis of glutathione (GSH), thereby influencing tumor development along with drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the determinants governing SLC7A11's membrane trafficking and localization remain unknown. Our study identified SPTBN2 as a ferroptosis suppressor, enhancing NSCLC cells resistance to ferroptosis inducers. Mechanistically, SPTBN2, through its CH domain, interacted with SLC7A11 and connected it with the motor protein Arp1, thus facilitating the membrane localization of SLC7A11 — a prerequisite for its role as System Xc−, which mediates cystine uptake and GSH synthesis. Consequently, SPTBN2 suppressed ferroptosis through preserving the functional activity of System Xc− on the membrane. Moreover, Inhibiting SPTBN2 increased the sensitivity of NSCLC cells to cisplatin through ferroptosis induction, both in vitro and in vivo. Using Abrine as a potential SPTBN2 inhibitor, its efficacy in promoting ferroptosis and sensitizing NSCLC cells to cisplatin was validated. Collectively, SPTBN2 is a potential therapeutic target for addressing ferroptosis dysfunction and cisplatin resistance in NSCLC.

Introduction: Due to the cardiotoxicity of pirarubicin (THP), it is necessary to investigate new compounds for the treatment of THP-induced cardiotoxicity. Isoquercitrin (IQC) is a natural flavonoid with anti-oxidant and anti-apoptosis properties. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the influence of IQC on preventing the THP-induced cardiotoxicity in vivo and in vitro.Methods: The optimal concentration and time required for IQC to prevent THP-induced cardiomyocyte damage were determined by an MTT assay. The protective effect was further verified in H9c2 and HCM cells using dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate fluorescent probes, MitoTracker Red probe, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, JC-1 probe, and real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Rats were administered THP to establish cardiotoxicity. An electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed, and cardiac hemodynamics, myocardial enzymes, oxidative stress indicators, and hematoxylin-eosin staining were studied. Voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), adenine nucleotide translocase 1 (ANT1), and cyclophilin D (CYPD) were detected by qRT-PCR, and the Phlpp1/AKT/Bcl-2 axis proteins were detected by western blot, confirming that IQC markedly increased cell viability and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, diminished the levels of ROS and MDA, and elevated mitochondrial function and apoptosis in vivo and in vitro.Results: Results showed that IQC reduced THP-induced myocardial histopathological injury, electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, and cardiac dysfunction in vivo. IQC also decreased serum levels of MDA, BNP, CK-MB, c-TnT, and LDH, while increasing levels of SOD and GSH. We also found that IQC significantly reduced VDAC1, ANT1, and CYPD mRNA expression. In addition, IQC controlled apoptosis by modulating Phlpp1/AKT/Bcl-2 signaling pathways. IQC markedly increased H9c2 and HCM cell viability and SOD levels, diminished the levels of ROS and MDA, and elevated mitochondrial function in H9c2 and HCM cells to defend against THP-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vitro. The AKT inhibitor IMQ demonstrated that IQC lacked antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties. Moreover, our data showed that IQC regulates Phlpp1 expression, thereby influencing the expression levels of p-AKT, cytochrome c, caspase-3, caspase-9, Bcl-2, and Bax.Discussion: In conclusion, our results indicate that IQC protects the changes in mitochondrial membrane permeability in cardiomyocytes by regulating the Phlpp1/AKT/Bcl-2 signaling pathway, inhibits the release of cytc from the mitochondrial inner membrane to the cytoplasm, forms apoptotic bodies, induces cell apoptosis, and reduces THP induced cardiotoxicity.

Abstract Background Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the main causes of disability in the elderly and with limited treatment options. Swimming was considered as an ideal form of non-surgical management of KOA. Nevertheless, the mechanism of swimming intervene OA remains unclear. ACLT induced OA model was often used to study the pathogenesis and treatment of OA. Thus, we evaluated the protective effect of swimming on KOA mouse and tried to explore the underlying mechanism. Methods Forty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups: Blank group, ACLT group, ACLT + Swim group, Sham group and Sham + Swim group (n = 8). OA model was established by Anterior Cruciate Ligament Transection surgery (ACLT). After modeling, mice in ACLT + Swim and Sham + Swim groups were trained with a moderate swimming program, 5 d/week, for 6 weeks. HE and Safranin-O/fast staining, Immunohistochemistry, TUNEL assay and Western blot were used to detect the effect of swimming on pathological changes, cell death and the mechanism in KOA mouse. Results Swimming significantly enhanced CoII expression and suppressed ADAMTS5 expression in cartilage of KOA mouse, thus ameliorated KOA development. Apoptotic and autophagic processes were enhanced in OA cartilage, which might be caused by down-regulation of PI3K/AKT pathway; swimming could activate PI3K/AKT pathway and thus regulate apoptosis and autophagy processes of chondrocytes. Conclusion Swimming could prevent cell death of chondrocytes via PI3K/AKT pathways, thus delayed the progression of KOA in an experimental model.

Objective: This study aims to develop and test the self-management instrument for breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant therapy (SMAT-B). Methods: After a qualitative interview with 29 patients and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation with 15 experts, 49 items were initially generated. Before item reduction, another structured interview was conducted for content validity. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (n ​= ​377) were used for item reduction. After that, internal consistency, split-half reliability, test-retest reliability (n ​= ​30), measurement error, construct validity, and structural validity (n ​= ​342) were preliminarily evaluated using the COnsesus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurements INstruments guidelines. Results: The final version of SMAT-B includes 7 dimensions and 31 items after item reduction. The testing results suggested that SMAT-B had good internal consistency (Total Cronbach's α ​= ​0.952), good split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown coefficient ​= ​0.904), good stability (Total intraclass correlation coefficient = ​0.797), acceptable measurement error (SEM ​= ​5.28), and acceptable construct validity (Standardized root mean square residual ​= ​0.055). The hypotheses of construct validity were all verified to a certain extent (r ​> ​0.20, P ​

Abstract Owing to high power density and long cycle life, micro‐supercapacitors (MSCs) are regarded as a prevalent energy storage unit for miniaturized electronics in modern life. A major bottleneck is achieving enhanced energy density without sacrificing both power density and cycle life. To this end, designing electrodes in a “smart” way has emerged as an effective strategy to achieve a trade‐off between the energy and power densities of MSCs. In the past few years, considerable research efforts have been devoted to exploring new electrode materials for high capacitance, but designing clever configurations for electrodes has rarely been investigated from a structural point of view, which is also important for MSCs within a limited footprint area, in particular. This review article categorizes and arranges these “smart” design strategies of electrodes into three design concepts: layer‐by‐layer, scaffold‐assisted and rolling origami. The corresponding strengths and challenges are comprehensively summarized, and the potential solutions to resolve these challenges are pointed out. Finally, the smart design principle of the electrodes of MSCs and key perspectives for future research in this field are outlined.

Electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) has the characteristic of single photon response under a low-light environment. It is proposed that the reconstruction algorithm of low-light integral imaging by EMCCD reconstruct the details of the target under a low-light environment. First, the algorithm acquires a series of element images by EMCCD integral imaging system. Second, as grayscale values of different element images of the same target meet Poisson distribution, the algorithm introduces a local self-adaptive factor and derives the posterior probability distribution of grayscale value of the target. Finally, it calculates the new element images by posterior probability distribution and reconstructs the target image by updated element images. Experimental results show that the peak signal-to-noise ratio of the reconstructed image by the proposed method is 4.3 dB higher than that of conventional Bayesian estimation. Considering the reconstructed image quality and computational complexity, the overall quality of the reconstructed image is the best when using the 7 × 7 neighborhood range to calculate the local self-adaptive factor in the algorithm. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm greatly improves the quality of the reconstructed image of the target under low-light environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]