FSTL1 sustains glioma stem cell stemness and promotes immunosuppressive macrophage polarization in glioblastoma.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a crucial role in glioblastoma (GBM) progression by interacting with glioma stem cells (GSCs). These interactions lead to the polarization of TAMs toward an M2 phenotype, which, in turn, enhances the stem-like traits and malignant progression of GSCs. Our study shows that FSTL1, a protein released by GSCs, is significantly elevated in gliomas and linked to the progression of the disease.

A combined network pharmacology and molecular biology approach to investigate the potential mechanisms of G-M6 on ovarian cancer.

Ginsenoside 3β,12β,21α,22β-Hydroxy-24-norolean-12-ene (G-M6), a phase I metabolite of anti-tumor medication 20(R)-25-methoxyl-dammarane-3β,12β,20-triol (AD-1), beats the parent drug in anti-ovarian cancer efficacy. The mechanism of action for ovarian cancer, however, is uncertain. Using network pharmacology, human ovarian cancer cells and nude mouse ovarian cancer xenotransplantation model, the anti-ovarian cancer mechanism of G-M6 was preliminarily explored in this study.

Experimental Demonstration of Remotely Creating Wigner Negativity via Quantum Steering.

Non-Gaussian states with Wigner negativity are of particular interest in quantum technology due to their potential applications in quantum computing and quantum metrology. However, how to create such states at a remote location remains a challenge, which is important for efficiently distributing quantum resource between distant nodes in a network. Here, we experimentally prepare an optical non-Gaussian state with negative Wigner function at a remote node via local non-Gaussian operation and shared Gaussian entangled state existing quantum steering.

Paeonol regulates NLRP3 inflammasomes and pyroptosis to alleviate spinal cord injury of rat.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-threatening traumatic disorder. Paeonol has been confirmed to be involved in a variety of diseases. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of paeonol on SCI progression.

Endovascular Perforation Model for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Combined with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

The endovascular filament perforation model to mimic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a commonly used model - however, the technique can cause a high mortality rate as well as an uncontrollable volume of SAH and other intracranial complications such as stroke or intracranial hemorrhage. In this protocol, a standardized SAH mouse model is presented, induced by endovascular filament perforation, combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 24 h after operation to ensure the correct bleeding site and exclude other relevant intracranial pathologies. Briefly, C57BL/6J mice are anesthetized with an intraperitoneal ketamine/xylazine (70 mg/16 mg/kg body weight) injection and placed in a supine position.

RNase A Inhibits Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) caused by rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, is a life-threatening emergency that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Emerging evidence suggests involvement of the innate immune response in secondary brain injury, and a potential role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) for SAH-associated neuroinflammation. In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of NETs in SAH and the potential role of the RNase A (the bovine equivalent to human RNase 1) application on NET burden.

Silencing of the Long Non-Coding RNA TTN-AS1 Attenuates the Malignant Progression of Osteosarcoma Cells by Regulating the miR-16-1-3p/TFAP4 Axis.

Objectives: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a type of bone malignancy. This study attempted to explore the effect of long non-coding RNA TTN-AS1 (TTN-AS1) on OS and to determine its molecular mechanisms.

Methods: The expression of TTN-AS1, microRNA-16-1-3p (miR-16-1-3p), and transcription factor activating enhancer binding protein 4 (TFAP4) in OS was assessed using qRT-PCR.

A generalized multipath delayed-choice experiment on a large-scale quantum nanophotonic chip.

Bohr's complementarity is one central tenet of quantum physics. The paradoxical wave-particle duality of quantum matters and photons has been tested in Young's double-slit (double-path) interferometers. The object exclusively exhibits wave and particle nature, depending measurement apparatus that can be delayed chosen to rule out too-naive interpretations of quantum complementarity.

Multiple chiroptical switches and logic circuit based on salicyl‒ imine‒chitosan hydrogel.

A chitosan-based chiral hydrogel was fabricated by grafting achiral salicylaldehyde (SA) on chitosan chains, followed by supramolecular assembly (CS-SA hydrogel hereafter). The structures and properties of the CS-SA hydrogel were characterized and investigated. The results indicated that the swelling ability of the CS-SA hydrogel depended on the medium pH and crosslinking degree.

LINC00662 Long Non-Coding RNA Knockdown Attenuates the Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Osteosarcoma Cells by Regulating the microRNA-15a-5p/Notch2 Axis.

Purpose: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a frequently occurring malignancy in children and adolescents. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00662 (LINC00662) in OS and the underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods: The expression of LINC00662, microRNA-15a-5p (miR-15a-5p), and Notch2 in OS was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Green tea polyphenols protect PC12 cells against HO-induced damages by upregulating lncRNA MALAT1.

It is of significance to alleviate oxidative damages for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). Studies have ascertained that green tea polyphenols (GTPs) exert protective activities against oxidative damages. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of GTP against HO-caused injuries in PC12 cells as well as the molecular underpinnings associated with long non-coding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1).

Genome-wide identification of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated microRNAs reveals novel targets for glioblastoma therapy.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) regulate a number of cellular processes. Recent studies have indicated that these molecules function in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the crucial systematic role of EMT and miRNAs together in glioblastoma (GBM) remains poorly understood.

An emerging function of circRNA-miRNAs-mRNA axis in human diseases.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of long noncoding RNAs, are characterized by a covalently closed continuous loop without 5' or 3' polarities structure and have been widely found in thousands of lives including plants, animals and human beings. Utilizing the high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology, recent findings have indicated thata great deal of circRNAs, which are endogenous, stable, widely expressed in mammalian cells, often exhibit cell type-specific, tissue-specific or developmental-stage-specific expression. Evidences are arising that some circRNAs might regulate microRNA (miRNA) function as microRNA sponges and play a significant role in transcriptional control.

The Process of Wrapping Virus Revealed by a Force Tracing Technique and Simulations.

Viral entry into the host cell is the first step of virus infection; however, its dynamic process via endocytosis remains largely elusive. Here, the force tracing technique and single particle simulation are combined to investigate the invagination of single human enterovirus 71 (HEV71, a positive single-stranded RNA virus that is associated with hand, foot, and mouth disease) via cell membranes during its host cell entry. The experimental results reveal that the HEV71 invaginates in membrane vesicles at a force of 58 ± 16 pN, a duration time of 278 ± 68 ms.

Ultrafast Tracking of a Single Live Virion During the Invagination of a Cell Membrane.

The first step in most viral infections is the penetration of the cell membrane via endocytosis. However, the underlying mechanism of this important process has not been quantitatively characterized; for example, the velocity and force of a single virion during invagination remain unknown. Here, the endocytosis of a single live virion (Singapore grouper iridovirus, SGIV) through the apical membranes of a host cell is monitored by developing and using a novel ultrafast (at the microsecond level) tracking technique: force tracing.

Studying the nucleated mammalian cell membrane by single molecule approaches.

The cell membrane plays a key role in compartmentalization, nutrient transportation and signal transduction, while the pattern of protein distribution at both cytoplasmic and ectoplasmic sides of the cell membrane remains elusive. Using a combination of single-molecule techniques, including atomic force microscopy (AFM), single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) and stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), to study the structure of nucleated cell membranes, we found that (1) proteins at the ectoplasmic side of the cell membrane form a dense protein layer (4 nm) on top of a lipid bilayer; (2) proteins aggregate to form islands evenly dispersed at the cytoplasmic side of the cell membrane with a height of about 10-12 nm; (3) cholesterol-enriched domains exist within the cell membrane; (4) carbohydrates stay in microdomains at the ectoplasmic side; and (5) exposed amino groups are asymmetrically distributed on both sides. Based on these observations, we proposed a Protein Layer-Lipid-Protein Island (PLLPI) model, to provide a better understanding of cell membrane structure, membrane trafficking and viral fusion mechanisms.

Antiviral activity of chemical compound isolated from Artemisia morrisonensis against hepatitis B virus in vitro.

The compound p-hydroxyacetophenone (PHAP) isolated from Artemisia morrisonensis was found to have potential anti-HBV effects in HepG2 2.2.15 cells.

High-efficiency localization of Na(+)-K(+) ATPases on the cytoplasmic side by direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy.

We describe a concise and effective strategy towards precisely mapping Na(+)-K(+) ATPases on the cytoplasmic side of cell membranes by direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). We found that most Na(+)-K(+) ATPases are localized in different sizes of clusters on human red blood cell (hRBC) membranes, revealed by Ripley's K-function analysis. Further evidence that cholesterol depletion causes the dispersion of Na(+)-K(+) ATPase clusters indicates that such clusters could be localized in cholesterol-enriched domains.

Detection of carbohydrates on the surface of cancer and normal cells by topography and recognition imaging.

Galactose was detected and localized on the surface of cancer and normal cells by topography and recognition imaging at the single molecular level. There are more galactoses on cancer cells than on normal cells. The stability of galactose-lectin on cancer cells is much lower than that on normal cells.

The study of single anticancer peptides interacting with HeLa cell membranes by single molecule force spectroscopy.

To determine the effects of biophysical parameters (e.g. charge, hydrophobicity, helicity) of peptides on the mechanism of anticancer activity, we applied a single molecule technique-force spectroscopy based on atomic force microscope (AFM)-to study the interaction force at the single molecule level.

Percutaneous fibrin glue therapy for meningeal cysts of the sacral spine with or without aspiration of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Object: The authors assessed the efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous injection of fibrin glue to treat meningeal cysts of the sacral spine in patients with back pain, and evaluated the necessity for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) aspiration before glue injection.

Methods: Of the 31 patients in this study, 15 underwent injection of fibrin glue under CT guidance after aspiration of more than 15 ml of CSF (Group A), and 16 patients were treated with the glue but without CSF aspiration (Group B). Clinical results were evaluated after an average of 23 months of follow-up, and changes on the imaging studies were also evaluated.