A multifunctional biomimetic nanoplatform for image-guideded photothermal-ferroptotic synergistic osteosarcoma therapy.

Much effort has been devoted to improving treatment efficiency for osteosarcoma (OS). However, most current approaches result in poor therapeutic responses, thus indicating the need for the development of other therapeutic options. This study developed a multifunctional nanoparticle, PDA-MOF-E-M, an aggregation of OS targeting, programmed death targeting, and near-infrared (NIR)-aided targeting.

Gestational cadmium exposure disrupts fetal liver development via repressing estrogen biosynthesis in placental trophoblasts.

Cadmium (Cd), commonly found in diet and drinking water, is known to be harmful to the human liver. Nevertheless, the effects and mechanisms of gestational Cd exposure on fetal liver development remain unclear. Here, we reported that gestational Cd (150 mg/L) exposure obviously downregulated the expression of critical proteins including PCNA, Ki67 and VEGF-A in proliferation and angiogenesis in fetal livers, and lowered the estradiol concentration in fetal livers and placentae.

Environmental cadmium exposure during gestation impairs fetal brain and cognitive function of adult offspring via reducing placenta-derived E2 level.

Early-life exposure to environmental cadmium (Cd) is known to cause developmental disorders, yet the effect and mechanism of gestational exposure to Cd on the offspring's cognitive function remains unclear. Placenta as a well-established target organ for Cd-impaired fetal development, its role in estrogen regulation and offspring cognitive function is unknown. Our in vivo experiments found that gestational Cd exposure impaired cognitive function in adult male offspring, accompanied with lowered 17β-estradiol (E2) level in the male fetal brain upon Cd exposure.

A simple, universal and multifunctional template agent for personalized treatment of bone tumors.

Bone tumors occur in bone or its accessory tissues. Benign bone tumors are easy to cure and have good prognosis, while malignant bone tumors develop rapidly and have poor and high mortality. So far, there is no satisfactory treatment method.

miR-6769b-5p targets CCND-1 to regulate proliferation in cadmium-treated placental trophoblasts: Association with the impairment of fetal growth.

Environmental cadmium (Cd) is positively associated with placental impairment and fetal growth retardation. Nevertheless, its potential mechanisms remain unclear. microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to influence placental development and fetal growth.

Environmental cadmium impairs blood-testis barrier via activating HRI-responsive mitochondrial stress in mice.

Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known testicular toxicant. Blood-testis barrier (BTB), a vital part of testes, which has been reported to be damaged upon Cd exposure. However, the detailed mechanism about Cd-mediated disruption of BTB remains unclear.

Relationship Between IL1 Gene Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Ankylosing Spondylitis: An Updated and Supplemented Meta-Analysis.

The literature has provided inconsistent findings on the relationship between interleukin IL-1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Online electronic database searches were performed for relevant research published as of May 2021.

Gestational exposure to environmental cadmium induces placental apoptosis and fetal growth restriction via Parkin-modulated MCL-1 degradation.

Heavy metal cadmium (Cd), a classical environmental pollutant, causes placental apoptosis and fetal growth restriction (FGR), whereby the mechanism remains unclear. Here, our human case-control study firstly showed that there was a positive association of Parkin mitochondrial translocation, MCL-1 reduction, placental apoptosis, and all-cause FGR. Subsequently, Cd was administered to establish in vitro and in vivo models of placental apoptosis or FGR.

Gestational cadmium exposure impairs placental angiogenesis via activating GC/GR signaling.

Gestational exposure to environmental Cd caused placental angiogenesis impairment and fetal growth restriction (FGR). However, its mechanism remained unclear. This study was to investigate the effects of Cd exposure during pregnancy on placental angiogenesis and its mechanism.

Environmental cadmium exposure during pregnancy causes diabetes-like phenotypes in mouse offspring: Association with oxidative stress in the fetal liver.

Cadmium (Cd), a noxious heavy metal, is widespread in the living environment. Gestational exposure to Cd at environmental dose has been shown to cause fetal growth restriction (FGR). However, the long-term effects and the mechanisms underlying environmental Cd exposure on glucose metabolism in offspring remain unclear.

Melatonin protects against environmental stress-induced fetal growth restriction via suppressing ROS-mediated GCN2/ATF4/BNIP3-dependent mitophagy in placental trophoblasts.

Gestational exposure to environmental stress induces fetal growth restriction (FGR), and thereby increasing the risk of infant death and chronic noncommunicable diseases in adults. However, the mechanism by which environmental stress induces FGR remains unclear. Based on case-control study, we found that the reduced level of melatonin (MT), a major secretory product from the pineal gland, was observed in placentae of FGR.

Environmental cadmium exposure induces fetal growth restriction via triggering PERK-regulated mitophagy in placental trophoblasts.

Cadmium (Cd), an environmental toxicant, is positively associated with fetal growth restriction (FGR). However, the mechanism by which gestational exposure to Cd induces FGR remains unclear. This study designed in vitro and in vivo experiments to explore the role of placental mitophagy in Cd-impaired fetal growth.

Autophagy in Sertoli cell protects against environmental cadmium-induced germ cell apoptosis in mouse testes.

Cadmium (Cd) was an environmental pollutant, which could result in germ cell apoptosis in testes. Sertoli-germ cell communication was vital for germ cell development and maturity. However, little was known about the effect of Sertoli cell autophagy on Cd-induced germ cell apoptosis.

Cadmium down-regulates 11β-HSD2 expression and elevates active glucocorticoid level via PERK/p-eIF2α pathway in placental trophoblasts.

Fetal overexposure to active glucocorticoid (GC) is the major cause for fetal growth restriction (FGR). This study investigated the influences of cadmium (Cd) exposure on active GC and its mechanism in placental trophoblasts. Pregnant mice were exposed to CdCl (4.

Attenuation of the degenerative effects of endothelin-1 on cartilaginous end plate cells by the endothelin receptor antagonist BQ-123 via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Background Context: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is an inflammatory mediator associated with cartilage end plate (CEP) degeneration in the intervertebral disc (IVD). SOX9 is downregulated during CEP degeneration, along with its targets, collagen II and aggrecan. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is associated with CEP degeneration and a downstream target of SOX9; however, the precise mechanism of CEP degeneration and the role of ET-1 are largely unknown.

Selective Arterial Embolization for the Treatment of Sacral and Pelvic Giant Cell Tumor: A Systematic Review.

Giant cell tumor of the bone (GCTB) is a locally aggressive tumor with a certain distant metastatic rate. For sacral GCT (SGCT) and pelvic GCT (PGCT), surgery has its limitations, especially for unresectable or recurrent tumors. Selective arterial embolization (SAE) is reported to be an option for treatment in several cases, but there are few systematic reviews on the effects of SAE on SGCT and/or PGCT.

Reduction of adhesion formation after knee surgery in a rat model by botulinum toxin A.

Adhesion of the knee is a major concern after knee surgery, the treatment of which is difficult. Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection is demonstrated as efficient in treating knee adhesion after surgery. However, the treatment outcomes and the mechanism of action are not yet determined.

[Investigation on the spectrum of complex self-organized plasma photonic crystal].

A complex plasma photonic crystal (PPC) was obtained by self-organization of filaments in air dielectric barrier discharge using two planar water electrodes. The PPC structure consists of many square sublattices, and each sublattice is composed of large spots, two kinds of small spots and lines, corresponding to thick plasma columns, two kinds of thin plasma columns, and plasma slices, respectively. By using the optical emission spectrum method, the electron densities and molecular vibration temperatures at different positions of the PPC were studied.

[Investigation of plasma parameters of the square pattern with two kinds of spatiotemporal symmetry in dielectric barrier discharge].

Two kinds of square patterns with different spatiotemporal symmetry were observed in dielectric barrier discharge, and their plasma parameters were measured by using optical emission spectra. It was found that the spatiotemporal symmetry of the square pattern at lower gas pressure is different from the one at higher gas pressure. Six spectral lines in the emission spectrum of the N2 second positive band were chosen to estimate the vibrational temperature, and the ratio of I391.

Decreased plasma neuroactive amino acids and increased nitric oxide levels in melancholic major depressive disorder.

Background: Amino acid neurotransmitters and nitric oxide (NO) are involved in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Here we want to establish whether changes in their plasma levels may serve as biomarker for the melancholic subtype of this disorder.

Methods: Plasma levels of glutamic acid (Glu), aspartic acid (Asp), glycine (Gly), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and NO were determined in 27 medicine-naïve melancholic MDD patients and 30 matched controls.

Activin A induces growth arrest through a SMAD- dependent pathway in hepatic progenitor cells.

Background: Activin A, an important member of transforming growth factor-β superfamily, is reported to inhibit proliferation of mature hepatocyte. However, the effect of activin A on growth of hepatic progenitor cells is not fully understood. To that end, we attempted to evaluate the potential role of activin A in the regulation of hepatic progenitor cell proliferation.

Processing environmental stimuli in paranoid schizophrenia: recognizing facial emotions and performing executive functions.

Objective: To study the contribution of executive function to abnormal recognition of facial expressions of emotion in schizophrenia patients.

Methods: Abnormal recognition of facial expressions of emotion was assayed according to Japanese and Caucasian facial expressions of emotion (JACFEE), Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), positive and negative symptom scale, and Hamilton anxiety and depression scale, respectively, in 88 paranoid schizophrenia patients and 75 healthy volunteers.

Results: Patients scored higher on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale and the Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Scales, displayed lower JACFEE recognition accuracies and poorer WCST performances.

[Event-related potentials P(300) with memory function in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome].

Objective: To explore the variability of event-related potentials P(300) and memory function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS).

Methods: Polysomnography (PSG) event-related potentials (ERPs) P(300) and Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) were detected in 30 subjects with OSAS and 20 normal controls.

Results: The memory quotient [(86 ± 13) scores] in the OSAS group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.