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Wei Ao,1 Ping Duan,2 Ping Luo,1 Dikai Xiang,1 Qin Wang,1 Yanjiao Ren,1 Qiwei He1 1Department of Cardiology, Yueyang People’s Hospital, Hunan Normal University, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, 414000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Seventh People’s Hospital, Shanghai City, 200000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Qiwei He, Department of Cardiology, Yueyang People’s Hospital, Hunan Normal University, No. 263 Baling East Road, Yueyanglou District, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, 414000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8615173044525, Email Yueshao1990@163.comObjective: To explore the clinical application of PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family 4 (ACSL4) protein levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the prognosis evaluation after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods: 152 AMI patients who underwent PCI at our hospital from October 2021 to February 2023 were selected as the study group. They were divided into a MACE group (31 cases) and a non MACE group (121 cases) based on the major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within 28 days after PCI. Additionally, 152 angina pectoris patients admitted during the same period were selected as the control group. Measure and analyze the levels and clinical significance of PINK1 and ACSL4 proteins in all study subjects.Results: The PINK1 protein level in the study group was lower than that in the control group, while the PINK1 protein level in the MACE group was lower than that in the non MACE group (P< 0.05), while the ACSL4 protein level was the opposite (P< 0.05); PINK1 expression was negatively correlated with SYNTAX score (r=− 0.602, P< 0.05), while ACSL4 expression was positively correlated with SYNTAX score (r=0.683, P< 0.05); Age, LVEF, and ACSL4 were risk factors for poor prognosis in AMI patients after PCI, while PINK1 was a protective factor (P< 0.05); The combined prediction of PINK1 and ACSL4 for the postoperative prognosis of AMI patients after PCI was superior to the individual detection of PINK1 and ACSL4 (P< 0.05).Conclusion: The expression levels of PINK1 and ACSL4 are related to the occurrence of AMI, and their combined detection has high predictive power for the prognosis of AMI patients after PCI.Keywords: acute myocardial infarction, PTEN-induced kinase 1, Acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family 4, percutaneous coronary intervention, prognosis

Lanyi Wei, Jingjing Meng, Danfeng Xiang, Quanjun Yang, Yangyun Zhou, Lingyan Xu, Junjun Chen,&ast; Yonglong Han&ast; Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Junjun Chen; Yonglong Han, Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, People’s Republic of China, Email chenjunjun8812@sina.com; yonglongh@126.comBackground: The specific cytotoxic effects of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy have led to impressive outcomes in individuals previously treated for B-cell malignancies. However, the specific biological role of CD19(+) target cells, which exert antitumor immunity against some solid tumors, remains to be elucidated.Methods: We collected information regarding the level of CD19 mRNA and protein expression from various databases including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) for both tumor and normal samples. To evaluate the patient’s prognosis according to CD19 expression, a Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis and univariate Cox regression were performed. Furthermore, using the Estimation of Stromal and Immune Cells in Malignant Tumor Tissues Using the Expression Data (ESTIMATE) algorithm, we estimated the ratio of immune cells infiltrating malignant tumor tissues. Afterward, the GSCALite repository was employed to evaluate the vulnerability of tumors expressing CD19 to drugs used in chemotherapy. To validate the results in clinical samples of certain cancer types, immunohistochemistry was then performed.Results: Most tumor types exhibited CD19 expression differently, apart from colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). The early diagnostic value of CD19 has been demonstrated in 9 different tumor types, and the overexpression of CD19 has the potential to extend the survival duration of patients. Multiple tumors showed a positive correlation between CD19 expression and tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and ESTIMATE score. Furthermore, a direct association was discovered between the expression of CD19 and the infiltration of immune cells, particularly in cases of breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA). Moreover, CD19 is highly sensitive to a variety of chemotherapy drugs.Conclusion: The study reveals the potential of CD19 as both a predictive biomarker and a target for different cancer immunotherapies.Keywords: CD19, pan-cancer, prognosis, immune infiltration, biomarker

Rui Zhou,1,2,&ast; Lijuan Fu,2,&ast; Shu Liu,2,&ast; Sanjie Gao,2 Zhifu Zhao,2 Wencai Jiang,2 Li Liu,2 Weiqiao Ren,2 Dongmei Xiang,2 Xing You,2 Chunyong Tang,2 Yukai Zhou,2 Yanqing Song,2 Juan Xie,2 Li Xie,2 Ru Yu,2 Xianjie Zhang,2 Dan Zhou,2 Jia Han,2 Leqiang Xia,2 Lize Xiong1 1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, Deyang People’s Hospital, Deyang, 618000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Leqiang Xia, Department of Anesthesiology, Deyang People’s Hospital, No. 173, Section 1, North Taishan Road, Deyang, Sichuan, 618000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8613547098458, Email xialq123184@163.com Lize Xiong, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, No. 1279, Sanmen Road, Shanghai, 200434, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-21-55603002, Fax +86-21-56660851, Email mzkxlz@126.com; lizexiong@tongji.edu.cnPurpose: To compare the influences of propofol, ciprofol and remimazolam on dreaming during painless gastrointestinal endoscopy.Methods: This study was a single-center, prospective, parallel-design, double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Between May 2023 and October 2023, patients undergoing elective painless gastrointestinal endoscopy were recruited and randomly allocated into one of the three groups. Demographic data, intraoperative information, incidence of dreaming, insufficient anesthesia and intraoperative awareness, type of dream, patient satisfaction score, adverse events, and improvement of sleep quality were collected.Results: The difference in incidence of dreaming among the three groups was not significant (33.33% vs 48.33% vs 41.67%, p=0.061). The number of patients with intraoperative hypotension in the propofol group was larger than that of the remimazolam group (32 vs 12, p=0.001). However, the cases of intraoperative hypotension between propofol group and ciprofol group or ciprofol group and remimazolam group were comparable (32 vs 22, p=0.122; 22 vs 12, p=0.064). The percentage of insufficient anesthesia between propofol group and remimazolam group was significant (13.33% vs 1.67%, p=0.001), while no statistical difference was detected between propofol group and remimazolam group or ciprofol group and remimazolam group (13.33% vs 5.00%, p=0.025; 5.00% vs 1.67%, p=0.150). The ability of propofol to improve sleep quality at 1st post-examination day was significantly better than that of remimazolam (86.21% vs 72.88%, p=0.015), while it was not significant between propofol group and ciprofol group or ciprofol group and remimazolam group (86.21% vs 80.36%, p=0.236; 72.88% vs. 72.88%, p=0.181). Incidence of intraoperative awareness, intraoperative hypoxia, type of dream, satisfaction score, adverse events during recovery, and sleep improvement on the 7th post-examination day was not significant among the groups.Conclusion: Anesthesia with propofol, ciprofol and remimazolam, respectively, for gastrointestinal endoscopy did not induce statistical difference in the incidence of dreaming, despite that all of them are more likely to induce pleasant dreams.Keywords: propofol, ciprofol, remimazolam, endoscopic sedation, dreaming

Yutong Zheng,1 Xiaoyi Cai,1 Gui Chen,1 Dexuan Xiang,1 Wei Shi,1 Jianliang Shen,2 Bailin Xiang1 1College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418000, People’s Republic of China; 2State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Wenzhou Medical University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, 325000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Bailin Xiang, College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, 418000, People’s Republic of China, Email xsz96@163.com Jianliang Shen, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Wenzhou Medical University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, 325000, People’s Republic of China, Email shenjl@wiucas.ac.cnPurpose: Recently, Single-atom-loaded carbon-based material is a new environmentally friendly and stable photothermal antibacterial nanomaterial. It is still a great challenge to achieve single-atom loading on carbon materials.Materials and Methods: Herein, We doped single-atom Ag into ZIF-8-derived porous carbon to obtain Ag-doped ZIF-8-derived porous carbon(AgSA-ZDPC). The as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, XPS, FESEM, EDX, TEM, and HAADF-STEM which confirmed that the single-atom Ag successfully doped into the porous carbon. Further, the photothermal properties and antimicrobial activity of AgSA-ZDPC have been tested.Results: The results showed that the temperature increased by 30 °C after near-infrared light irradiation(1 W/cm2) for 5 min which was better than ZIF-8-derived porous carbon(ZDPC). It also exhibits excellent photothermal stability after the laser was switched on and off 5 times. When the AgSA-ZDPC concentration was greater than 50 μg/mL and the near-infrared irradiation was performed for 5 min, the growth inhibition of S. aureus and E. coli was almost 100%.Conclusion: This work provides a simple method for the preparation of single-atom Ag-doped microporous carbon which has potential antibacterial application.Keywords: Single-atom, Ag, ZIF-8, photothermal, antibacterial

Debiao Xiang,1– 3 Lili Zhou,4 Rui Yang,1,4 Fang Yuan,1– 3 Yilin Xu,4 Yuan Yang,1,4 Yong Qiao,1– 3 Xin Li1– 3 1Department of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Resistance Microbial Drugs, Changsha, Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China; 3The Clinical Application Research Institute of Antibiotics in Changsha, Changsha, Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China; 4College of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xin Li, 176 Laodong West Road, Tianxin District, Changsha, Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 0731-85171320, Email xin-li@cssdsyy.comAbstract: Currently, cancer remains one of the most significant threats to human health. Treatment of most cancers remains challenging, despite the implementation of diverse therapies in clinical practice. In recent years, research on the mechanism of ferroptosis has presented novel perspectives for cancer treatment. Ferroptosis is a regulated cell death process caused by lipid peroxidation of membrane unsaturated fatty acids catalyzed by iron ions. The rapid development of bio-nanotechnology has generated considerable interest in exploiting iron-induced cell death as a new therapeutic target against cancer. This article provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements at the intersection of iron-induced cell death and bionanotechnology. In this respect, the mechanism of iron-induced cell death and its relation to cancer are summarized. Furthermore, the feasibility of a nano-drug delivery system based on iron-induced cell death for cancer treatment is introduced and analyzed. Secondly, strategies for inducing iron-induced cell death using nanodrug delivery technology are discussed, including promoting Fenton reactions, inhibiting glutathione peroxidase 4, reducing low glutathione levels, and inhibiting system Xc−. Additionally, the article explores the potential of combined treatment strategies involving iron-induced cell death and bionanotechnology. Finally, the application prospects and challenges of iron-induced nanoagents for cancer treatment are discussed.Keywords: cancers, ferroptosis, nano-drug delivery system, target

Xueping Yang,1,2,&ast; Changhong Guo,3,&ast; Guangjie Wu,1,&ast; Kai Zhao,4 Dong Xiang,1 Dong Xu,5 Dong Liu,1 Yan He1 1Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, Jingzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jingzhou, 434000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Scientific Education, Jingzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jingzhou, 434000, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Infection Disease, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yan He; Dong Liu, Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China, Email heyan_may@hotmail.com; ld2069@outlook.comPurpose: Due to the spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and poor penetration of many antimicrobial drugs across the blood–brain barrier following intravenous administration, treatment of central nervous system (CNS) infections is challenging, especially infections caused by carbapenem-resistant organisms (CRO). Intraventricular (IVT) infusion of antimicrobial drugs could be a choice. This report aims to describe a patient with CNS infection caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) which was successfully treated with IVT combined with intravenous (IV) colistin sulfate.Methods: A case of CNS infection caused by CRAB after a craniocerebral injury was presented. The patient was treated with IVT together with IV colistin sulfate. Moreover, literature on the regimens and safety of colistin sulfate were also reviewed and summarized.Results: Intraventricular (50,000 U, qd/100,000 U, qd) combined with IV (500,000 U, q12h/500,000 U, q8h) colistin sulfate was given to the patient, and the CNS infection was successfully controlled. The patient was finally transferred back to a local hospital for rehabilitation treatment. No nephrotoxicity or neurotoxicity was observed during the therapy.Conclusion: IV combined with IVT colistin sulfate is effective in the treatment of CNS infections caused by CRAB. IVT concomitant IV colistin sulfate might be a therapeutic option worth considering in the treatment of CNS infections caused by CRO.Keywords: central nervous system infection, Acinetobacter baumannii, intraventricular administration, colistin sulfate, colistin, polymyxin

We present high-cadence UV, optical, and near-infrared data on the luminous Type II-P supernova SN 2017gmr from hours after discovery through the first 180 days. SN 2017gmr does not show signs of narrow, high-ionization emission lines in the early optical spectra, yet the optical light-curve evolution suggests that an extra energy source from circumstellar medium (CSM) interaction must be present for at least 2 days after explosion. Modeling of the early light curve indicates a ∼500 R o progenitor radius, consistent with a rather compact red supergiant, and late-time luminosities indicate that up to 0.130 ± 0.026 M o of 56Ni are present, if the light curve is solely powered by radioactive decay, although the 56Ni mass may be lower if CSM interaction contributes to the post-plateau luminosity. Prominent multipeaked emission lines of Hα and [O i] emerge after day 154, as a result of either an asymmetric explosion or asymmetries in the CSM. The lack of narrow lines within the first 2 days of explosion in the likely presence of CSM interaction may be an example of close, dense, asymmetric CSM that is quickly enveloped by the spherical supernova ejecta.

Dan Xiang,1 Guihua Qin,1 Xiaowei Zheng2 1College of Teacher Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Education Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaowei Zheng, Email 15774001341@163.comObjective: Empathy is the ability to adopt another person’s perspective and experience the thoughts and emotions of that individual. A growing number of studies have shown that school-age children’s empathy robustly contributes to their interpersonal communication, academic achievement and psychosocial adjustment. For school-age children, school becomes the main place for learning and socializing. The student-teacher relationship is an important interpersonal relationship between children and adults after they leave home, which plays an important role in the development of children’s self-ability. However, the relationship between student-teacher relationship and children’s empathy and its mechanisms are unclear. This study aimed to explore the influence of student-teacher relationship on school-age children’s empathy, and the mediating roles of emotional intelligence.Methods: 468 school-age children (250 boys and 238 girls) aged 8– 11 (Mage = 9.22, SDage = 1.20) from Guizhou Province completed questionnaires about student-teacher relationship, emotional intelligence, and children’s empathy.Results: The results showed that student-teacher relationship positively and directly predicted empathy for girls, but not for boys. In addition, we also found that emotional intelligence mediated the relationship between student-teacher relationship and children’s empathy among both boys and girls.Conclusion: This study reveals the effect of student-teacher relationship on the school-age children’s empathy, and the unique mediating role of emotional intelligence. Moreover, this study further reveals the different effects of student-teacher relationship on boys’ and girls’ empathy, emphasizing that positive student-teacher relationship can directly promote the development of girls’ empathy. Finally, this study emphasizes that cultivating and improving the emotional intelligence of school-age children may be an effective way to promote the development of children’s empathy.Keywords: student-teacher relationship, emotional intelligence, empathy, school-age children

X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs), which amplify light emitted by a relativistic electron beam, are extending nonlinear optical techniques to shorter wavelengths, adding element specificity by exciting and probing electronic transitions from core levels. These techniques would benefit tremendously from having a stable FEL source, generating spectrally pure and wavelength-tunable pulses. We show that such requirements can be met by operating the FEL in the so-called echo-enabled harmonic generation (EEHG) configuration. Here, two external conventional lasers are used to precisely tailor the longitudinal phase space of the electron beam before emission of X-rays. We demonstrate high-gain EEHG lasing producing stable, intense, nearly fully coherent pulses at wavelengths as short as 5.9 nm (~211 eV) at the FERMI FEL user facility. Low sensitivity to electron-beam imperfections and observation of stable, narrow-band, coherent emission down to 2.6 nm (~474 eV) make the technique a prime candidate for generating laser-like pulses in the X-ray spectral region, opening the door to multidimensional coherent spectroscopies at short wavelengths.

Jia-Xin Cai,1– 3,&ast; Ji-Hua Liu,1– 3,&ast; Jun-Yong Wu,1– 3 Yong-Jiang Li,1– 3 Xiao-Han Qiu,1– 3 Wen-Jie Xu,1– 3 Ping Xu,1,2 Da-Xiong Xiang1– 3 1Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People’s Republic of China; 3Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ping Xu; Da-Xiong Xiang, Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People’s Republic of China, Email xuping1109@csu.edu.cn; xiangdaxiong@csu.edu.cnPurpose: In order to prepare a biomimetic nano-carrier which has inflammatory chemotaxis, homologous targeting and reduce immune clearance, for targeted chemotherapy of osteosarcoma, we fabricated the paclitaxel-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles coated with 143B-RAW hybrid membrane (PTX-PLGA@[143B-RAW] NPs) and evaluate its anti-cancer efficacy in vitro and vivo.Methods: PTX-PLGA@[143B-RAW] NPs were prepared by the ultrasonic method and were characterized by size, zeta potential, polymer dispersion index (PDI), Coomassie bright blue staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cellular uptake, cell viability assay, flow cytometry and chemotactic effect of PTX-PLGA@[143B-RAW] NPs were evaluated in vitro. Biodistribution, anti-cancer therapeutic efficacy and safety of PTX-PLGA@[143B-RAW] NPs were evaluated in 143B osteosarcoma xenograft mice.Results: The hybrid membrane successfully coated onto the surface of PLGA nanoparticles. PTX-PLGA@[143B-RAW] NPs had a drug loading capacity of 4.24 ± 0.02% and showed targeting ability to osteosarcoma. PTX-PLGA@[143B-RAW] NPs showed high cellular uptake and improved anti-cancer efficacy against 143B cells. More importantly, PTX-PLGA@[143B-RAW] NPs treatment suppressed tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice with minimal damage to normal tissues.Conclusion: PTX-PLGA@[143B-RAW] NPs could be used for targeted drug delivery and osteosarcoma therapy.Keywords: biomimetic nano-drug delivery system, osteosarcoma, paclitaxel, targeted therapy

Min Xu,1,&ast; Dingchao Xiang,2,&ast; Wenhua Wang,1 Long Chen,1 Wei Lu,1 Feng Cheng3 1Department of Neurosurgery, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province, 215300, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Neurosurgery, Wuxi clinical medical school of Anhui Medical University, 904th Hospital of PLA(Taihu Hospital of Wuxi), Wuxi, 214000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Kunshan Hospital of Jiangsu University, Kunshan, 215300, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Feng ChengDepartment of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Kunshan Hospital of Jiangsu University, Kunshan, 215300, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-13913208695Email fengchengjiangsu@163.comBackground: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key regulator responsible for oxidative stress in brain injury. This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism of miR-448-3p and Nrf2 in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.Methods: In vitro and in vivo cerebral I/R injury models were constructed, and Nrf2 expression levels were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The potential miRNAs for Nrf2 were predicted by bioinformatic analysis. The binding interaction between miR-448-3p and Nrf2 was determined by luciferase reporter assay. The effects of miR-448-3p on neurological deficit, infarct volume, and brain water content in mice were tested. The effects of miR-448-3p on oxidative stress indicators (SOD activity, MDA content, and ROS production) were detected by commercial assay kits. The levels of HO-1 and cleaved caspase-3 were evaluated by Western blot. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay, and cell apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining and flow cytometry.Results: Nrf2 was significantly downregulated and miR-448-3p was upregulated in cerebral I/R injury both in vivo and in vitro. MiR-448-3p downregulation efficiently attenuated brain injury and reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis. MiR-448-3p was identified to act as ceRNA of Nrf2 and negatively regulated Nrf2 expression, which was consistent with the animal studies. In addition, Nrf2 silencing obviously attenuated the neuroprotective effects of miR-448-3p inhibitor in vitro.Conclusion: MiR-448-3p participated in the regulation of cerebral I/R injury via inhibiting Nrf2.Keywords: ischemia/reperfusion, miR-448-3p, Nrf2, oxidative stress, apoptosis

Adlay (Coix lacryma-jobi L.), a crop closed related to maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), originated in tropical/subtropical regions of Asia and Africa; southwest China primary center of this plant’s origin, evolution and migration. Adlay is a traditional high-value minor crop used for both medicinal and dietary purposes. Adlay has anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, blood sugar-lowering, and blood lipid-lowering effects. To clarify the main bioactive components and phytochemical compounds and to fully explore their utility, this review summarizes the research done on the main functional ingredients of adlay, including amino acids and proteins, oils, vitamins and minerals, polysaccharides, and polyphenols. This study also highlighted the application of genome sequencing to tailor nutrient-rich adlay cultivars and nutraceutical product development. Additionally, the acquisition of high-density genomic data combined with next-generation phenotypic analysis will undoubtedly improve our understanding of the potential genetic regulation of adlay nutraceutical traits. This review provides new insights and ideas for the research of adlay in comparison and evolutionary genomics, and a useful reference for molecular breeding and genetic improvement of this important minor crop.

Qian Zhang,1 ZheMin Duan,1 Dan Xiang,1 Yue Yu,1 JingJin Tian2 1Center for Studies of Education and Psychology of Minorities in Southwest Area & Faculty of Education, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 2Dawn Innovation Kindergarten, Chongqing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Qian ZhangDivision of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail zhq@swu.edu.cnPurpose: In this study, we examined whether prosocial cartoons could inspire children to donate toys to others immediately upon exposure.Participants and Methods: Cartoons were rated as prosocial or control via 80 adults. One hundred and fifty-six children participated in the study (Mage = 5.29, SD = 0.79). Children in the experimental group were exposed to cartoons in which the main character had a large number of donating behaviors, while children in the control group watched cartoons without donating behaviors (randomized controlled study). They watched these cartoons for 4 consecutive days. Afterwards, children’s donating behaviors toward their peers were assessed in the Toy Donation Task (TDT). An analytic method of 2 (cartoon: prosocial vs control) × 2 (gender: male vs female) × 3 (age: 4 vs 5 vs 6) analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to make result analyses.Results: The empirical results indicated that watching cartoons specifically depicting charitable donations (and not cartoons with other prosocial content) increased donations for charitable causes, whilst watching the control cartoons (cartoons without prosocial content) which did not depict characters acting in an antisocial way did not increase donating behavior. Specifically, 5-year-old female children reported more donating behavior than 6-year-old female children and 4-year-old female children, whilst no significant age effects were found among male children. Here, 4– 6-year-old female children and 4– 5-year-old male children in the prosocial cartoon condition reported more donating behavior than those in the control cartoon condition.Conclusion: These findings indicated an accumulating positive effect of watching cartoons with donating content on children’s donating behavior, especially for 4– 6-year-old female children and 4– 5-year-old male children.Keywords: prosocial cartoons, donating behavior, toy donation task, children

Semiconductor compounds are widely used for photocatalytic hydrogen production applications, where photogenerated electron-hole pairs are exploited to induce catalysis. Recently, powders of a metallic oxide (Sr1-xNbO3, 0.033+δ and find that their bandgaps are ∼4.1 eV. Surprisingly, the carrier density of the conducting phase exceeds 1022 cm-3 and the carrier mobility is only 2.47 cm2 V-1 s-1. Contrary to earlier reports, the visible light absorption at 1.8 eV (∼688 nm) is due to the plasmon resonance, arising from the large carrier density. We propose that the hot electron and hole carriers excited via Landau damping (during the plasmon decay) are responsible for the photocatalytic property of this material under visible light irradiation.

Chunrong Wu,1 Bo Li,2 Guiyin Sun,1 Chunfang Peng,1 Debing Xiang1 1Department of Oncology, Jiangjin Central Hospital of Chongqing, Jiangjin, Chongqing 402260, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, Jiangjin Central Hospital of Chongqing, Jiangjin, Chongqing 402260, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Bo Li; Debing XiangDepartment of Cardiology; Department of Oncology, Jiangjin Central Hospital of Chongqing, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin 402260, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-23-47557382Email libobo1255@163.com; xdb86@hotmail.comBackground: Recurrent or metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a difficult challenge for physicians, especially when patients have been treated with external beam radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided iodine-125 brachytherapy as a palliative treatment for R/M HNSCC.Methods: From May 2011 to July 2018, we enrolled 87 patients with R/M HNSCC who had previously received external beam radiotherapy. Among these patients, 43 successfully underwent CT-guided iodine-125 brachytherapy and chemotherapy (group A); 44 patients who only received chemotherapy (group B) were matched with patients in group A. Patients’ pain score, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, tumor compression symptoms, and side effects of iodine-125 implantation were recorded. Clinical follow-up was performed to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).Results: Both groups of patients completed the treatment and were followed up for 9– 66 months, with a median follow-up time of 44 months. The OS was 51 months (95% CI: 42.93– 59.06 months) versus 28 months (95% CI: 23.79– 32.21 months) (p < 0.05), the PFS was 10 months (95% CI: 6.15– 13.84 months) versus 6 months (95% CI: 4.40-7.59 months) (p < 0.05) in groups A and B, respectively. The RR in group A was 25/43 (58.14%) versus 15/44 (34.10%) in group B (p < 0.05). Compared with group B, patients in group A had lower pain scores, better physical performance, and better improvement of compression symptoms. No serious treatment-related complications were observed in either group of patients.Conclusion: Compared with chemotherapy alone, iodine-125 seed implantation combined with chemotherapy was a more effective and safer strategy for R/M HNSCC.Keywords: iodine-125, brachytherapy, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, recurrent, metastatic

Wei Yu,1,* Dulei Xiang,1,* Houjun Jia,2,* Xin He,1 Jie Sheng,1 Yuxiang Long,1 Shujuan Zhu,1 Kejian Wang,1 Qian Liu1 1Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Qian Liu Tel +86 186 2355 1357Email qianliu@cqmu.edu.cnIntroduction: Numerous studies have demonstrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are deregulated in many cancers and exert their functions through multiple cancer-related biological processes. Glioma is the most common primary malignant central nervous system tumor and has a high fatality rate in adults. In current study, we aimed to determine the role and functional mechanism of the lncRNA BCYRN1 in glioma.Methods: Gain-of-function and loss-of function approaches were used to investigate the function of BCYRN1. The effects of BCYRN1 on glioma cell proliferation, migration and invasion were evaluated using MTS, Transwell and wound-healing assays. The correlation between the expression of BCYRN1 and miR-125a-5p was verified by quantitative real-time PCR.Results: The upregulation of BCYRN1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells. Meanwhile, the knockdown of BCYRN1 had the opposite effects. BCYRN1 was negatively correlated with miR-125a-5p. Additionally, TAZ, the endogenous target of miR-125a-5p, could be regulated by BCYRN1 in RNA and protein levels. A miR-125a-5p inhibitor restored BCYRN1 siRNA function in glioma.Conclusion: The present study indicates that BCYRN1 promotes glioma cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vitro. Mechanistically, upregulated expression of BCYRN1 in glioma acts as a sponge to sequester the endogenous tumor suppressor miR-125a-5p and to further increase the expression TAZ. Our findings suggest that BCYRN1 is a novel oncogene and a new therapeutic target for glioma.Keywords: BCYRN1, glioma, miR-125a-5p, ceRNA, TAZ

As Australia is the main iron ore importing country for China, the abundant mineral resources of Australia are the primary raw materials for the sintering process. To better understand the properties of different iron ores from Australia and then guide the sintering process, this study selected four types of Australian ore and one type of domestic ore, and their properties were investigated under different conditions. The experiment of single iron ore sintering was studied to examine the influence of different iron ores on the metallurgical properties of sinter. From this study, the following results were obtained: GG showed poor fluidity and higher assimilability temperature, but the bonding phase strength was the highest; YD showed better fluidity and lower assimilability temperature, whereas SJY (domestic ore) showed better fluidity and higher bonding phase strength, and lower assimilability temperature. The influence mechanism of iron ore on the fluidity was further analyzed by using SEM and ion theory of slag. With the increase SiO2 content of iron ore, the fluidity index increased, the main reason was that the amount of liquid phase increased and the melting point decreased during the sintering. However, an excessive amount of SiO2 caused the decrease of fluidity index of iron ore; the main reason was that the fluidity of the liquid phase itself decreased and secondary hematite appeared. In the case of the higher SiO2 content of iron ore, the main bonding phase was calcium silicate. With the decrease of SiO2 content, the calcium silicate transformed into calcium ferrite. The main reason for this was that the Gibbs free energy of calcium ferrite and dicalcium ferrite (2CaO·SiO2) was higher than that of calcium silicate in the temperature ranges of 400-1600 K. The reduction degree of YD was the highest in all the cases and that of GG was the lowest. Activation energies of 5.39, 3.14, 3.51, 4.47 and 2.92 kJ/mol were obtained for the reduction of GG, PB, BH, SJY, and YD, respectively. In all the cases, the reaction corresponded to the model function of F1(α), and the integral form was -ln(1-α)=kt. Through this investigation, it could be concluded that the most appropriate ore category for sinter pot was YD.

Wen-qun Li,1–3,* Jun-yong Wu,1–3,* Da-xiong Xiang,1–3 Shi-lin Luo,1–3 Xiong-bin Hu,1–3 Tian-tian Tang,1–3 Tao-li Sun,4 Xin-yi Liu1–3 1Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, People’s Republic of China; 2Institution of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha 410011, People’s Republic of China; 3Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drugs, Changsha 410011, People’s Republic of China; 4Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Hu’nan Oriented Fundamental and Applied Research of Innovative Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xin-yi LiuDepartment of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-731-8529-2093Email liuxinyi128@csu.edu.cnBackground: The protective role of puerarin (PUE) against myocardial infarction is closely related to its regulation on mitochondria. However, free PUE can hardly reach the mitochondria of ischemic cardiomyocytes due to the lack of mitochondrial targeting of PUE. Here PUE was loaded into mitochondria-targeted micelles (PUE@TPP/PEG-PE) for precisely delivering PUE into mitochondria with the aim of enhancing the anti-apoptosis effect.Methods: The mitochondriotropic polymer TPP-PEG-PE was synthesized for the preparation of PUE@TPP/PEG-PE micelles modified with triphenylphosphonium (TPP) cation. The physicochemical properties and anti-apoptosis effect of PUE@TPP/PEG-PE micelles were investigated. The coumarin 6 (C6)-labeled TPP/PEG-PE (C6@TPP/PEG-PE) micelles were used to observe the enhanced cellular uptake, mitochondrial targeting and lysosomes escape. Moreover, in vivo and ex vivo biodistribution of lipophilic near-infrared dye 1,1ʹ-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3ʹ-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (DiR)-labeled PUE@TPP/PEG-PE (DiR@TPP/PEG-PE) micelles were detected through fluorescence imaging.Results: The successful synthesis of TPP-PEG-PE conjugate was confirmed. PUE@TPP/PEG-PE micelles had a particle size of 17.1 nm, a zeta potential of −6.2 mV, and a sustained-release behavior. The in vitro results showed that the intracellular uptake of C6@TPP/PEG-PE micelles was significantly enhanced in H9c2 cells. C6@TPP/PEG-PE micelles could deliver C6 to mitochondria and reduce the capture of lysosomes. In addition, compared with the PUE@PEG-PE micelles and free PUE, the PUE@TPP/PEG-PE micelles exerted an enhanced protective effect against isoprenaline-induced H9c2 cell apoptosis, as evident by the decreased percentage of apoptotic cells, Caspase-3 activity, ROS level, Bax expression, and increased Bcl-2 expression. The in vivo detecting results of the targeting effect using DiR probe also indicated that TPP/PEG-PE micelles could accumulate and retain in the ischemic myocardium.Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the promising potential of applying PUE@TPP/PEG-PE micelles in mitochondria-targeted drug delivery to achieve maximum therapeutic effects of PUE.Keywords: mitochondrial targeting, anti-apoptosis, ischemic myocardium, TPP

The edge and internal morphology of coke with different contents of UPC (unburned pulverized coal) after reaction with CO2 were analyzed by SEM. The influence of UPC on CRI (coke reactivity)，CSR (coke strength after reaction) and apparent porosity was also studied. The synthetic weighted mark method was used to analyze the comprehensive effect of UPC content on coke quality. The results show that because of the decrease of the content of intermediates Cf(O) and C(O)Cf(O) the restrictive step between the coke and CO2 is an interfacial chemical reaction, and it accords with the Mckewan equation 1-(1-α)1/3=kt. The UPC has a strong effect on coke when the content of UPC is 10~20%; meanwhile , the CRI and the apparent porosity are significantly decreased by 6.8% and 9.5%, respectively, and the CSR is significantly increased by 3.8%. The UPC can effectively reduce the effect of CO2 on the edge and the internal erosion of coke; the large pores and the pulverization of coke were avoided. The results of the synthetic weighted mark method showed that the comprehensive quality of coke changed greatly when the content of unburned pulverized coal was 11.24~20.87%, which is in agreement with the experimental results.

Chunrong Wu,1,* Bo Li,2,* Guiyin Sun,1 Chunfang Peng,1 Debing Xiang1 1Department of Oncology, Jiangjin Center Hospital of Chongqing, Jiangjin, China; 2Department of Cardiology, Jiangjin Center Hospital of Chongqing, Jiangjin, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a huge challenge for physicians. Traditional chemoradiotherapy is associated with high rates of toxicities, especially when treating gerontal patients. Our study was focused on investigating the safety and efficacy of permanent iodine-125 seed implantation and chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced NSCLC in the elderly. Methods: Fifty elderly patients with stage III or IV NSCLC at our hospital from January 2011 to June 2017 were treated with the chemotherapy regimens (paclitaxel/cisplatin) and computed tomography (CT)-guided iodine-125 brachytherapy (group A), 50 patients who received chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel and cisplatin only (group B) were matched-up with the patients in group A. The local response rate was evaluated by CT. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) data were obtained through clinical follow-up. Results: The patients were followed-up for 3–46 months. With a median follow-up time of 20 months, the OS and PFS were 20 months (95% CI: 19.09–20.90 months) vs 15 months (95% CI: 14.48–15.51 months) (P

In this paper we describe the technical design of an ongoing proof-of-principle echo-enabled harmonic generation (EEHG) experiment at the Next Linear Collider Test Accelerator (NLCTA) at SLAC. We present the design considerations and the technical details of the experiment.

ECHO-7 is a proof-of-principle echo-enabled harmonic generation FEL experiment in the Next Linear Collider Test Accelerator (NLCTA) at SLAC. The experiment aims to generate coherent radiation at 318 nm and 227 nm, which are the 5th and 7th harmonic of the infrared seed laser. In this paper we present the preliminary results from the commissioning run of the completed experimental setup which started in April 2010.

Dehua Liao,1,2 Yujin Guo,3 Daxiong Xiang,2 Ruili Dang,3 Pengfei Xu,3 Hualin Cai,2 Lizhi Cao,1 Pei Jiang3 1Department of Pharmacy, Hunan Cancer Hospital, 2Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 3Department of Pharmacy, Jining First People’s Hospital, Jining Medical University, Jining, People’s Republic of China Objective: Long-term use of doxorubicin (Dox) can cause neurobiological side effects associated with depression, but the underlying mechanisms remain equivocal. While recent evidence has indicated that Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) and its ErbB receptors play an essential role in neural function, much is still unknown concerning the biological link between the NRG1/ErbB pathway and the Dox-induced neurotoxicity. Therefore, we examined the protein expression of NRG1 and ErbB receptors in the hippocampus of rats following Dox treatment.Materials and methods: The drug was administered every 2 days at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg, and the animals in different groups were treated with intraperitoneal injection for three or seven times, respectively.Results: Our data showed that the rats treated with Dox for seven times (DoxL group) exhibited depression-like behaviors, whereas the short-term treatment (DoxS group) had no effect on the behavioral changes. Dox treatment also induced the neural apoptosis with more severe neurotoxicity. Intriguingly, the expression of NRG1 and the ratio of pErbB4/ErbB4 and pErbB2/ErbB2 were significantly decreased in the DoxL group, but enhanced activation of ErbB receptors was observed in the DoxS group. In parallel, administration of Dox for seven times suppressed the downstream Akt and ERK phosphorylation, while the Akt phosphorylation was enhanced with the administration of Dox for three times.Conclusion: Our data first showed the Dox-induced alterations of the NRG1/ErbB system in the hippocampus, indicating the potential involvement of the NRG1/ErbB pathway in the Dox-induced nervous system dysfunction. Keywords: chemotherapy, neurotoxicity, depression, NRG1/ErbB system, Akt, ERK

Wenxi He,1 Yanjiao Xu,1 Chengliang Zhang,1 Jingli Lu,2 Juan Li,1 Dong Xiang,1 Jinyu Yang,1 Mujun Chang,3 Dong Liu1 1Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; 2Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China; 3Center for Translational Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China Abstract: Calculus bovis (CB, niu-huang) is a high-class therapeutic drug that is often used in traditional Chinese medicine. CB helps to eliminate heat and toxic components, and prevents the accumulation of phlegm and blood stasis in the liver. In Asian countries, CB Sativus (CBS), an ideal substitute for natural CB, is presently extensively used for long-term treatment of chronic liver diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects and potential mechanism(s) of action of CBS on mice with fructose-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The NAFLD model was established in C57BL/6 mice by exclusively feeding fluids containing 30% fructose for 8 consecutive weeks. After these 8 weeks, mice were given CBS (50 mg/kg/day or 100 mg/kg/day) for 2 consecutive weeks. Treatment with CBS reversed the fructose-induced impaired glucose tolerance. Compared with the model group, in which mice received 8 weeks of high-fructose diet and 2 weeks of 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, CBS treatment significantly decreased the levels of fasting serum glucose, fasting insulin, triglyceride, and total cholesterol, and increased levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. CBS treatment also significantly decreased the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and free fatty acid in the liver. The activity of superoxide dismutase in the liver was increased after treatment with CBS, however, levels of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species decreased. Histopathological examination showed that liver steatosis and injury were significantly reduced in CBS-treated mice. The expression of fatty acid synthase, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, Cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3, and synonyms B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 gene-associated X protein were downregulated after treatment with CBS, whereas the expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 was upregulated. In conclusion, CBS treatment exerted therapeutic effects in the liver of mice with NAFLD, which may be associated with amelioration of metabolic disorders, enhanced antioxidant effects, and alleviation of apoptosis. Keywords: antioxidant, fructose, lipid metabolism, liver