MicroRNA as Biomarkers and Diagnostics Wang, Jin; Chen, Jinyun; Sen, Subrata
Journal of cellular physiology,
January 2016, Letnik:
231, Številka:
1
Journal Article
•Online civic engagement is positively related to offline civic engagement.•Individuals with larger social networks tend to have more civic publications.•Frequent online interactions can increase the ...quantity of information use.•Interactions and concentration on civic issues can foster civic engagement.•Interactions can foster offline civic engagement intentions through two mediators.
The current study aims to determine whether Wechat can have positive effects on civic engagement and how young adults can be influenced. This study not only examines the direct associations between the Wechat social network and two types of civic engagement but also analyzes information use in Wechat and group incentives as mediators in the path model. A total of 297 young adults responded to an online survey questionnaire. The results showed that the size of online social networks was related to online civic publication, while interactions in networks exerted a positive influence on online and offline civic engagement via information use and group incentives. Furthermore, two types of civic engagement were found to be associated with each other. The possible reasons for these findings are also discussed.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of focused low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (FLIPUS) therapy on the functional and health status of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). A ...total of 106 subjects with bilateral KOA were randomized sequentially into two groups. Group I received FLIPUS + diclofenac sodium, and group II received sham FLIPUS + diclofenac sodium. The therapeutic effects of the interventions were evaluated by measuring changes in VAS pain, the WOMAC scores, and the LI scores after 10 days of treatment as well as changes in LI and VAS at follow-up, 4 and 12 weeks later. In addition, changes in the range of motion, ambulation speed, and the SF-36 in each group were recorded after 10 days of treatment. Compared with those in group II, patients in group Ishowed significant improvements in VAS, WOMAC, LI, ambulation speed, and most items in the SF-36 after 10 days of treatment. In addition, patients in group I showed significant improvements in LI and VAS at follow-up. There were no FLIPUS-related adverse events during and after the interventions. In conclusion, FLIPUS is a safe and effective treatment modality for relieving pain and improving the functions and quality of life of patients with KOA.
Display omitted
•2D Bi2O2Se nanoflakes are used as electron transport layer (ETL) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) for the first time.•The PSCs with single 2D Bi2O2Se nanoflakes ETL exhibit the ...higher power conversion efficiency (PCE).•SnO2/2D-Bi2O2Se new hybrid ETL effectively reduce recombination at hetero-interface.•The PCE of PSCs with SnO2/2D Bi2O2Se hybrid ETL is improved to 19.06% from 16.29%.•The stability of PSCs with the novel hybrid ETLs is also improved.
Interfacial engineering has been proved to be an effective way to enhance the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by reducing interfacial charge recombination. In this work, two-dimensional (2D) Bi2O2Se nanoflakes with high chargemobility are synthesized by facile composited molten salt method, and used as electron transport layer (ETL) of PSCs for the first time. The PSCs based on single 2D Bi2O2Se nanoflakes ETL exhibit power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.12%, which is 110% higher than those without ETL (4.32%). To fill pinholes and defects on the surface of SnO2 thin film, we also use the 2D Bi2O2Se nanoflakes to modify the surface of SnO2 thin film, and fabricate SnO2/2D-Bi2O2Se new hybrid ETL to effectively reduce recombination at hetero-interface. Owing to the high charge mobility of 2D Bi2O2Se nanoflakes and cascade band alignment between perovskite active layer and tin dioxide, more efficient electron transport in PSCs is obtained than the single SnO2 ETL. Moreover, novel hybrid ETL provides a smoother and more hydrophobic surface for larger perovskite crystal formation. Compared with PSCs with single SnO2 ETL, the PCE of PSCs based on SnO2/2D Bi2O2Se hybrid ETL is improved to 19.06% from 16.29% with suppressed hysteresis. More interesting, the stability of PSCs with the new hybrid ETLs is also improved due to the improved crystallinity of perovskite active layer. This work shows the 2D Bi2O2Se material has potential for applications in PSCs.
Observational studies have found increased incidence of depression, the leading cause of disability worldwide, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, it is not clear whether ...the association was genetically inheritable or caused by modifiable risk factors, such as socioeconomic factors. We investigated the causal relationship between genetically predicted SLE and depression by two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with SLE were selected as instrumental variables (IVs) from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 14,267 European-ancestry participants. A large GWAS of depression (180,866 European-ancestry participants) and another GWAS of major depressive disorder (MDD) (173,005 European-ancestry participants) were selected as outcomes. Then we estimated the effects of IVs on the odds of depression or MDD by using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) meta-analysis method (random-effects), which had a power of 90% to detect 4% increase of depression in SLE. Interestingly, genetically predicted SLE decreased the odds of depression odds ratio (OR): 0.995; 95% CI: 0.990–0.999;
p
= 0.025 and MDD odds ratio (OR): 0.985; 95% CI: 0.975–0.996;
p
= 0.009, indicating increased depression in SLE was not due to inheritable risk factors.
Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) treated with either high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation (HIFU-a) or uterine artery embolization (UAE) combined with ultrasound-guided dilation and curettage ...(USg-D&C) was effective. However, there is insufficient comparative research evidence on clinical efficacy and subsequent pregnancy outcomes after previous CSP treatment. This study aims to investigate the efficacy, safety, and subsequent pregnancy outcomes of HIFU-a compared to UAE before USg-D&C for the treatment of CSP.
Between January 2016 and July 2020, a total of 272 patients received the pretreatment with HIFU-a or UAE(HIFU-a group: n = 118; UAE group: n = 154). The clinical characteristics, treatment success rate, postoperative pregnancy rate and outcome of the two groups were compared and analyzed.
The demographic characteristics of the two groups were similar. After pretreatment, the adverse events rate of HIFU-a group was lower than that of UAE group (10.40% (16/154) vs. 40.70% (48/118), P = 0.00). All patients received the USg-D&C. The HIFU-a group was of less intraoperative blood loss (10.00 (5.00-20.00) vs. 12.50 (5.00-30.00) ml, P = 0.03). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in success rates. However, the HIFU-a group was of a shorter duration of postoperative vaginal bleeding (12.00 (9.00-13.00) vs. 14.00 (12.00-15.00) days, P = 0.00). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of subsequent pregnancy rates (P = 0.317). However, the recurrent CSP (rCSP) rate in the HIFU-a group was lower than that in the UAE group (7.70% (6/78) vs. 19.70%(13/66), P = 0.03).
CSP treated with either HIFU-a or UAE combined with USg-D&C was safe and effective. Although no significant difference was found in the subsequent pregnancy outcomes of the two groups, the rCSP was more common in the UAE group. So, we recommend HIFU-a combined with USg-D&C treatment modality.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of focused low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (FLIPUS) with pulsed shortwave diathermy (PSWD) in subjects with painful knee ...osteoarthritis (OA). In a prospective randomized trial, 114 knee OA patients were randomly allocated to receive FLIPUS or PSWD therapy. The primary outcome was the change from baseline in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) total scores. Secondary outcomes included the numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain assessment, time up and go (TUG) test, active joint range of motion (ROM) test, and Global Rating of Change (GRC) scale. Data were collected at baseline, 12 days, 12 weeks and 24 weeks. Patients receiving FLIPUS therapy experienced significantly greater improvements in the WOMAC total scores than patients receiving PSWD therapy at 12 days (mean difference, − 10.50; 95% CI − 13.54 to − 7.45;
P
= 0.000). The results of the NRS, TUG test, ROM test and GRC scale showed that participants treated with FLIPUS reported less pain and better physical function and health status than those treated with PSWD at 12 days (
P
= 0.011,
P
= 0.005,
P
= 0.025,
P
= 0.011, respectively). Furthermore, patients in the FLIPUS group showed significant improvements in the WOMAC total scores and NRS scores at 12 weeks (mean difference, − 7.57; 95% CI − 10.87 to − 4.26;
P
= 0.000 and − 1.79; 95% CI − 2.11 to − 1.47, respectively) and 24 weeks (mean difference, − 6.96; 95% CI − 10.22 to − 3.71;
P
= 0.000 and − 1.37; 95% CI − 1.64 to − 0.96;
P
= 0.000, respectively) of follow-up. There were no adverse events during or after the interventions in either group. This study concluded that both FLIPUS and pulsed SWD are safe modalities, and FLIPUS was more effective than PSWD in alleviating pain and in improving dysfunction and health status among subjects with knee OA in the short term.
Trial registration:
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000032735. Registered 08/05/2020,
http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=53413
.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer mortality and a serious health problem worldwide. Mononuclear phagocytes are the main immune cells in the tumor microenvironment of CRC with ...remarkable plasticity, and current studies show that macrophages are closely related to tumor progression, invasion and dissemination. To understand the immunological function of mononuclear phagocytes comprehensively and deeply, we use single-cell RNA sequencing and classify mononuclear phagocytes in CRC into 6 different subsets, and characterize the heterogeneity of each subset. We find that tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) involved in the differentiation of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mononuclear phagocytes. Trajectory of circulating monocytes differentiation into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and the dynamic changes at levels of transcription factor (TF) regulons during differentiation were revealed. We also find that C5 subset, characterized by activation of lipid metabolism, is in the terminal state of differentiation, and that the abundance of C5 subset is negatively correlated with CRC patients' prognosis. Our findings advance the understanding of circulating monocytes' differentiation into macrophages, identify a new subset associated with CRC prognosis, and reveal a set of TF regulons regulating mononuclear phagocytes differentiation, which are expected to be potential therapeutic targets for reversing immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are pathologically activated neutrophils and monocytes with potent immune suppressive activity. These cells play an important role in accelerating tumor ...progression and undermining the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies. The natural mechanisms limiting MDSC activity are not well understood. Here, we present evidence that type I interferons (IFN1) receptor signaling serves as a universal mechanism that restricts acquisition of suppressive activity by these cells. Downregulation of the IFNAR1 chain of this receptor is found in MDSC from cancer patients and mouse tumor models. The decrease in IFNAR1 depends on the activation of the p38 protein kinase and is required for activation of the immune suppressive phenotype. Whereas deletion of IFNAR1 is not sufficient to convert neutrophils and monocytes to MDSC, genetic stabilization of IFNAR1 in tumor bearing mice undermines suppressive activity of MDSC and has potent antitumor effect. Stabilizing IFNAR1 using inhibitor of p38 combined with the interferon induction therapy elicits a robust anti-tumor effect. Thus, negative regulatory mechanisms of MDSC function can be exploited therapeutically.
Improving anti-tumor immunity has promising outcomes in eradicating malignant tumors. Tumor cells can escape from immune surveillance and killing; therefore, various strategies are continuously ...developing to inhibit immune escape. Focused ultrasound (FUS) has recently emerged to play an important role in immune modulation. After FUS therapy, various tumor antigens and related signals are released. The non-thermal effect of FUS strengthens the blood and lymph circulation, increases cell permeability, and helps in crossing the physical barrier like the blood–brain barrier and blood–tumor barrier. However, the different ablation of FUS is proposed to have a different anti-tumor immune effect. Therefore, we categorized the FUS ablation into thermal and non-thermal ablation and summarized possible anti-tumor immunity mechanisms.
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