Autism candidate gene DIP2A regulates spine morphogenesis via acetylation of cortactin.

Dendritic spine development is crucial for the establishment of excitatory synaptic connectivity and functional neural circuits. Alterations in spine morphology and density have been associated with multiple neurological disorders. Autism candidate gene disconnected-interacting protein homolog 2 A (DIP2A) is known to be involved in acetylated coenzyme A (Ac-CoA) synthesis and is primarily expressed in the brain regions with abundant pyramidal neurons.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0016070 Is Associated with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by Promoting PASMC Proliferation.

Noncoding RNAs play an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In this study, we investigated the roles of hsa_circ_0016070, miR-942, and CCND1 in PAH. circRNA microarray was used to search circRNAs involved in PAH, whereas real-time PCR and western blot analysis were performed to detect miR-942 and CCND1 expression in different groups.

General Mild Reaction Creates Highly Luminescent Organic-Ligand-Lacking Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals for Efficient Light-Emitting Diodes.

The presence of labile bulky insulating hydrocarbon ligands in halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) passivates surface traps but concurrently makes charge transport difficult in optoelectronic devices. Early efforts routinely rely on the replacement of long-chain ligands with short-chain cousins, leading to notable changes in NC's sizes and photophysical properties and thus making it hard to obtain devices with nearly designed emissions. Here we report a general solution-phase ligand-exchange strategy to produce organic-ligand-lacking halide perovskite NCs with high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields and good stability in ambient air.

Fluorescent perylene derivative functionalized titanium oxide gel for sensitive and portable ascorbic acid detection.

An inorganic titanium oxide (TiO) gel sensor was demonstrated for convenient detection of ascorbic acid (AA). It is composed of TiO (PI-TiO) functionalized with a perylene diimide derivative containing carboxylic groups as a new soft dopant material. A traditional solvothermal reaction is adopted to prepare the PI-TiO composite, which exhibits a different spectrum according to the reaction time.

A Nitric Oxide-Dependent Presynaptic LTP at Glutamatergic Synapses of the PVN Magnocellular Neurosecretory Cells in Rats.

The magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs) of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) integrate incoming signals to secrete oxytocin (OT), and vasopressin (VP) from their nerve terminals in the posterior pituitary gland. In the absence of gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABA) and cannabinoids 1 (CB1) receptor activity, we used whole-cell patch-clamp recording, single-cell reverse transcription-multiplex polymerase chain reaction (SC-RT-mPCR), biocytin histochemistry and pharmacological methods to examine the mechanism of high frequency stimulus (HFS, 100 Hz)-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) at glutamatergic synapses in the PVN MNCs of juvenile male rats. Our results showed that HFS-induced LTP at glutamatergic synapses was accompanied by a decrease in the paired-pulse ratio (PPR) of the PVN MNCs.

Efficacy and safety of programmed death 1 inhibitors in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

This study aims to perform systematic review and meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials that compare the efficacy and safety of programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors versus chemotherapy alone in previously untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Several databases, including Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science, were searched. The main outcome measures included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse events (AEs).

HgS and Zuotai differ from HgCl and methyl mercury in intestinal Hg absorption, transporter expression and gut microbiome in mice.

Mercury (Hg) is generally considered as a toxic metal; yet the biological outcomes of Hg-containing compounds are highly dependent upon their chemical forms. We hypothesize that mercury sulfide (HgS) is different from HgCl and methylmercury (MeHg) in producing intestinal Hg absorption and disruption of gut microbiome. To test this hypothesis, mice were given orally with HgS (α-HgS, 30 mg/kg), Zuotai (β-HgS, 30 mg/kg), HgCl (33.

Birth month associates with risk of coronary artery disease and its complications: A propensity score matched analysis.

Objective: Birth month and climate affect lifetime disease risk, while the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. It is vital to investigate the risks of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its complications in patients born in different months.

Methods: A total of 12,263 patient medical records were reviewed from the BioBank of First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, with 4729 records from patients with CAD (CAD group) and 7534 records from control patients without CAD (control group).

Lotus-Inspired Multiscale Superhydrophobic AA5083 Resisting Surface Contamination and Marine Corrosion Attack.

The massive and long-term service of 5083 aluminum alloy (AA5083) is restricted by several shortcomings in marine and industrial environments, such as proneness to localized corrosion attack, surface contamination, etc. Herein, we report a facile and cost-effective strategy to transform intrinsic hydrophilicity into water-repellent superhydrophobicity, combining fluorine-free chemisorption of a hydrophobic agent with etching texture. Dual-scale hierarchical structure, surface height relief and surface chemical elements were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), successively.

A regulatory circuit of circ-MTO1/miR-17/QKI-5 inhibits the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma.

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a new class of non-coding RNA that plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis. Recently, circ-MTO1 (hsa_circ_0007874) was shown to be a cancer-related circRNA. However, its role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has not been reported.

Pharmacokinetic Characterizations of Ginsenoside Ocotillol, RT5 and F11, the Promising Agents for Alzheimer's Disease from American Ginseng, in Rats and Beagle Dogs.

Background: Ocotillol, RT5 and F11, the main active components of ocotillol type ginsenosides, have attracted a lot of attention due to their beneficial effects on neurodegenerative disease models of Alzheimer's disease. Pharmacokinetic (PK) is a bridge linking the herbal medicines and their pharmacological responses. However, few data are available regarding PK behaviors of ocotillol type ginsenosides.

Biological mechanisms and related natural modulators of liver X receptor in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming a worldwide health problem, but no approved medical treatment exists so far. Nuclear receptors are one of the drug targets for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Among them, liver X receptor (LXR) has been studied in recent years in tumors, metabolic diseases and inflammatory diseases, but its physiological and pharmacological effects in the treatment of NASH are controversial.

Electron Transfer in Nanoscale Contact Electrification: Effect of Temperature in the Metal-Dielectric Case.

The phenomenon of contact electrification (CE) has been known for thousands of years, but the nature of the charge carriers and their transfer mechanisms are still under debate. Here, the CE and triboelectric charging process are studied for a metal-dielectric case at different thermal conditions by using atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy. The charge transfer process at the nanoscale is found to follow the modified thermionic-emission model.

Medial Open-wedge Osteotomy with Double-plate Fixation for Varus Malunion of the Distal Femur.

Objective: To present our clinical experience of treating varus malunion of the distal femur through a medial open-wedge osteotomy with double-plate fixation.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed. From January 2005 to February 2015, 15 consecutive patients with varus malunion following distal femur fractures were surgically treated at a single level I trauma center.

Direct-Current Rotary-Tubular Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Liquid-Dielectrics Contact for Sustainable Energy Harvesting and Chemical Composition Analysis.

Ambient mechanical energy harvesting technology introduces a promising solution to alleviate expanding energy demands on a sustainable basis, of which the drawbacks should attract attention for further advances. In this work, a liquid-dielectrics interface based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with direct-current output is reported as an energy harvester and a chemical sensor, with advantages of feasible fabrication, anti-wearing durability, and low energy consumption. The TENG consisting of an fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) tube and Cu electrodes is designed into a ring structure, with two electric brushes bilaterally anchored that converts an alternating-current output into direct-current output.

Contact-Electrification between Two Identical Materials: Curvature Effect.

It is known that contact-electrification (or triboelectrification) usually occurs between two different materials, which could be explained by several models for different materials systems ( Adv. Mater. 2018, 30, 1706790; Adv.

Enhanced X-ray Sensitivity of MAPbBr Detector by Tailoring the Interface-States Density.

An important factor for the high performance of light-harvesting devices is the presence of surface trappings. Therefore, understanding and controlling the carrier recombination of the organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite surface is critical for the device design and optimization. Here, we report the use of aluminum zinc oxide (AZO) as the anode to construct a p-n junction structure MAPbBr nuclear radiation detector.

[Efficacy of brain-targeted rapamycin for treatment of epilepsy in rats].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of brain-targeted rapamycin (T-Rap) in treatment of epilepsy in rats.

Methods: Rapamycin nanoparticles targeting brain were prepared. The epilepsy model was induced by injection of pilocarpine in rats.

A residual intra-articular varus after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) for varus osteoarthritis of the knee.

Purpose: Varus deformity of knee osteoarthritis was formed by both intra-articular and extra-articular pathologies. Such intra-articular deformities could not be fully corrected by a medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO), which was performed as an extra-articular procedure. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether any residual varus was left inside the joint after HTO in the patients with knee osteoarthritis, and a correlation of the residual varus could be traced.

Mindful Learning Improves Positive Feelings of Cancer Patients' Family Caregivers.

Positive feelings are an important health dimension for family caregivers of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Langerian mindfulness is a valid proactive method to increase the positive feelings of family caregivers for cancer patients. Participants were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness group or a mindlessness group and completed the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) as a measure of caregivers' feelings before the intervention.

Doping induced dielectric anomaly below the Curie temperature in molecular ferroelectric diisopropylammonium bromide.

A dielectric anomaly induced by doping has been observed at about 340 K in chlorine-doped diisopropylammonium bromide. The dielectric anomaly has a switchable behaviour, which indicates potential applications on switches and sensors. Temperature-dependent Raman spectrum, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry do not show any anomaly around the dielectric anomaly temperature, which prove that the dielectric anomaly does not come from structure phase transition and has no specific heat variety.

Na and Pr co-doped orange-emitting CaYAlO phosphors: synthesis, luminescence properties and theoretical calculations.

A series of Na and Pr co-doped orange-emitting CaYAlO (CYAO) phosphors were prepared by a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction method. The crystalline structure, the luminescence properties and the decay times of the as-prepared samples were systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence. Under ultraviolet (UV) light and blue light excitation, the CYAO:Pr phosphors exhibited orange photoluminescence emission and show potential for application in warm white LEDs, and the emission spectra of the as-prepared samples in the near-infrared (NIR) region were detected.

Nicotine modulates the facial stimulation-evoked responses in cerebellar granule cell layer in vivo in mice.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are cationic channels that mediate fast excitatory transmission in the central nervous system. Several nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits have been detected within cerebellar granule cell layer (GCL), and activation of these receptors may have a significant influence on neuronal synaptic transmission of the cerebellum. The aim of present study was to better understand the roles of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors during the sensory stimulation-evoked synaptic transmission in the cerebellar GCL.

Tibial plateau fractures in elderly people: an institutional retrospective study.

Background: Tibial plateau fractures are the most common intra-articular fractures, which require careful evaluation and preoperative planning. The treatment of tibial plateau fractures in elderly patients is challenging, and the comprehension of epidemiology and morphology can be helpful. This study described the characteristics of geriatric tibial plateau fractures.

GmLEA2-1, a late embryogenesis abundant protein gene isolated from soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), confers tolerance to abiotic stress.

Late embryonic proteins (LEA) gene family was abundant mainly in higher plant embryos, which could protect the embryos from the damage caused by abiotic stress, especially drought and salt stresses. In the present study, GmLEA2-1 was cloned from soybean leaf tissue treated by 10% polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000). The results of quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed a variety of expression patterns of GmLEA2-1 in various tissues of soybean (root, stem, leaf, flower, pod, early embryo and late embryo).