Susceptibility or resilience to childhood peer abuse can be explained by cortical thickness in brain regions involved in emotional regulation.

Experiencing peer abuse in childhood can damage mental health, but some people exhibit resilience against these negative outcomes. However, it remains uncertain which specific changes in brain structures are associated with this type of resilience. We categorized 217 participants into three groups: resilience group, susceptibility group, and healthy control group, based on their experiences of peer abuse and mental health problems.

Construction of built-in correction photoelectrochemical sensing platform for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

The occurrence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is strongly associated with the progressive aggregation of a 42-amino-acid fragment derived from the amyloid-β precursor protein (Aβ). Therefore, it is crucial to establish a versatile platform that can effectively detect Aβ to aid in the early-stage preclinical diagnosis of AD. Herein, we introduce a specialized split-type analytical platform that enables sensitive and accurate monitoring of Aβ based on a self-corrected photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing system.

Hollow-Channel Paper Analytical Devices Supported Biofuel Cell-Based Self-Powered Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Sensor for Pesticide Detection.

Herein, a paper-based glucose/air biofuel cell (BFC) was constructed and implemented for self-powered pesticide detection. Our developed paper-based chip relies on a hollow-channel to transport fluids rather than capillarity, which reduces analysis times as well as physical absorption. The gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were adapted to modify the paper fibers to fabricate the flexible conductive paper anode/cathode electrode (Au-PAE/CNT-PCE).

Piezotronic Effect-Assisted Photoelectrochemical Exosomal MicroRNA Monitoring Based on an Electron Donor Self-Supplying Strategy.

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) as newly emerging reliable and noninvasive biomarkers have demonstrated a significant function in early cancer diagnosis. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing has attracted unprecedented attention in exosomal miRNA monitoring due to its inherent advantages of both electrochemical and optical techniques; however, the severe charge carrier recombination greatly restricts the PEC assay performance. Herein, a high-sensitive PEC strategy assisted by the piezoelectric effect is designed based on BiWO/CuS heterojunctions and implemented for the monitoring of exosomal miRNAs.

Photoelectrochemical Detection of Exosomal miRNAs by Combining Target-Programmed Controllable Signal Quenching Engineering.

MicroRNAs extracted from exosomes (exosomal miRNAs) have recently emerged as promising biomarkers for early prognosis and diagnosis. Thus, the development of an effective approach for exosomal miRNA monitoring has triggered extensive attention. Herein, a sensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing platform is demonstrated for exosomal miRNA assay via the target miRNA-powered λ-exonuclease for the amplification strategy.

Association between autophagy and inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving biologic therapy.

Background: Increasing evidence indicates a pathogenic role of deregulated autophagy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We examined the relationship between autophagy and inflammatory parameters in patients with RA receiving biologic therapy.

Methods: In 72 patients with RA and 20 healthy control subjects (HC), autophagosome levels were determined by the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of autophagosomotropic dye incorporated into circulating immune cells, and p62 expression levels in immune cells were measured by flow cytometry.

Pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like 2 expression is associated with the development of lung adenocarcinoma and emphysema.

Previous study of transgenic mice with long-term expression of pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like 2 (PLAGL2), a surfactant protein C (SP-C) transactivator, in type II cells showed the manifestation of centrilobular emphysema in vivo. Since emphysema is an independent risk factor for bronchogenic carcinoma, we hypothesized that the mouse lungs with induced PLAGL2-expression had increased incidences in developing lung adenocarcinoma. To test the hypothesis, mouse lungs were examined for the presence of tumors.

PLAGL2 expression-induced lung epithelium damages at bronchiolar alveolar duct junction in emphysema: bNip3- and SP-C-associated cell death/injury activity.

Emphysema and bronchitis are major components of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pleomorphic adenoma gene like-2 (PLAGL2), a zinc finger DNA-binding protein, is a transcription factor of the surfactant protein C (SP-C) promoter. Using an inducible transgenic mouse model, PLAGL2 and SP-C were ectopically expressed in lung epithelial cells of terminal bronchiole including the bronchoalveolar duct junction (BADJ), where only few cells express both genes under normal conditions.

Modulation of PLAGL2 transactivation activity by Ubc9 co-activation not SUMOylation.

Pleomorphic adenoma gene like-2 (PLAGL2), a developmentally regulated and stress inducible zinc finger protein can be post-translationally modified by small ubiquitin-like modifier peptide (SUMO-1); and SUMOylation attenuates PLAGL2 activity on the interactive promoter. Since PLAGL2 was a transactivator of the surfactant protein-C (SP-C) promoter, we hypothesized that SUMOylation down-regulated PLAGL2-activated SP-C promoter activity. Unexpectedly, the SUMO-conjugating enzyme Ubc9 enhanced, rather than reduced, PLAGL2 activated promoter activity but did not affect TTF-1 activation of the promoter.

PLAGL2 translocation and SP-C promoter activity--a cellular response of lung cells to hypoxia.

Cobalt is a transition metal which can substitute for iron in the oxygen-sensitive protein and mimic hypoxia. Cobalt was known to be associated with the development of lung disease. In this study, when lung cells were exposed to hypoxia-induced by CoCl(2) at a sub-lethal concentration (100 microM), their thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) expression was greatly reduced.

The TTF-1/TAP26 complex differentially modulates surfactant protein-B (SP-B) and -C (SP-C) promoters in lung cells.

Surfactant protein-B (SP-B) and -C (SP-C) are small hydrophobic surfactant proteins that maintain surface tension in alveoli. Both SP-B and SP-C are regulated by a key factor, thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1), in lung cells. Previously, we identified a 26-kDa, TTF-1-associated protein (TAP26) that was shown to interact with TTF-1 and enhance TTF-1-transactivated SP-B promoter activity.

Pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like-2, a zinc finger protein, transactivates the surfactant protein-C promoter.

Expression of surfactant protein (SP)-C occurs principally in type II pneumocytes located in the distal lung alveolae. SP-C expression is thought to be primarily regulated by thyroid transcription factor (TTF)-1 and its associated proteins interacting with a previously defined promoter region between -197 and -158 in mice. We screened a human lung cDNA library using a modified yeast one-hybrid system and identified pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like (PLAGL)-2, a ubiquitously expressed zinc finger protein, as a transfactor of the SP-C promoter.

Involvement of TRAF4 in oxidative activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase.

We previously found that the angiogenic factors TNFalpha and HIV-1 Tat activate an NAD(P)H oxidase in endothelial cells, which operates upstream of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a MAPK involved in the determination of cell fate. To further understand oxidant-related signaling pathways, we screened lung and endothelial cell libraries for interaction partners of p47(phox) and recovered the orphan adapter TNF receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4). Domain analysis suggested a tail-to-tail interaction between the C terminus of p47(phox) and the conserved TRAF domain of TRAF4.