Diabetes mellitus (DM) often causes stenosis and occlusion of hindlimb blood vessels, which are also the main cause for hindlimb ischemia in elderly people.
To investigate the therapeutic effect of ...endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) transplantation on diabetic hindlimb ischemia.
Endothelial progenitor cells were separated, labeled with PKH-26 and transplanted into rat models (107 cells/100 g). Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) was used to detect any oxidative stress. Streptozotocin (STZ) was injected to establish a diabetic rat model and hindlimb ischemia model was established via operation. Western blotting was used to detect total β-catenin (T-β-catenin) and non-phospho-β-catenin (NP-β-catenin) levels. The malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), Wnt3a, Wnt5a and Wnt7a levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Oxidative stress was measured using DCFH-DA and dihydroethidium (DHE). The endothelial biomarker CD31 was observed to highlight vessels, and PKH-26 to trace migration/adhesion of EPCs.
Endothelial progenitor cells were successfully isolated and identified, and diabetic hindlimb ischemic rat models were created. Tempol remarkably improved blood flow in diabetic hindlimb ischemic rats compared to DM+EPCs rats at 14 days (p < 0.001) and 28 days post-operation (p < 0.001). High oxidative stress was observed in diabetic hindlimb ischemic rats. Tempol significantly inhibited oxidative stress levels in diabetic hindlimb ischemic rats. Furthermore, Tempol significantly promoted angiogenesis in diabetic hindlimb ischemic rats compared to DM+EPCs rats. The β-catenin inhibitor, XAV (DM+EPCs+Tempol+XAV group), significantly suppressed blood flow recovery and angiogenesis in diabetic hindlimb ischemic rats when compared to the DM+EPCs+Tempol group at 14 days (p = 0.026) and 28 days (p < 0.001). The XAV remarkably reduced T-β-catenin (p < 0.001) and N-β-catenin (p = 0.030) levels in Tempol-treated diabetic hindlimb ischemic rats, as compared to the DM+EPCs+Tempol group. The Wnt5a participated in the pathology of diabetic hindlimb ischemia.
There are high oxidative stress levels in both EPCs in high-glucose environments and diabetic hindlimb ischemia, which can lead to limited blood flow recovery. The high oxidative stress caused the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, leading to limited blood flow recovery in diabetic hindlimb ischemia. At the same time, Wnt5a participated in the EPC-mediated blood flow recovery.
Immunotherapy is effective in improving the survival and prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and identifying effective immunomarkers is important for immunotherapy. ...Interleukin (IL)-36γ is a novel immunomarker that has an important function in the antitumor immune response. The present study investigated the association between IL-36γ and NSCLC to provide novel insight into immunotherapy for patients with NSCLC. Tissue microarrays of lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were purchased for immunohistochemical analysis of IL-36γ expression levels and clinical parameters. In addition, fresh clinical NSCLC and adjacent normal tissue samples were collected to analyze IL-36γ mRNA expression levels using quantitative PCR. IL-36γ protein was primarily located in the cytoplasm, with a small quantity in the nucleus, and IL-36γ mRNA and protein expression levels in lung cancer tissues were significantly higher compared with those in adjacent normal tissues. Elevated IL-36γ protein expression levels were significantly associated with a higher tumor grade of lung adenocarcinoma; however, IL-36γ mRNA expression levels were inversely associated with the clinical Tumor-Node-Metastasis stage in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, patients with adenocarcinoma with high IL-36γ protein expression levels tended to longer post-operative survival times. These findings indicate that IL-36γ may have potential as an immunomarker for prediction of tumor progression and survival in patients with NSCLC.
Carbon‐free electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is an appealing strategy for green ammonia synthesis, but there is still a significant performance bottleneck. Conventional working ...electrode is usually flooded by the electrolyte during the NRR test, and only the surface material could get access to the nitrogen, which inevitably gives rise to sluggish reaction rate. Herein, an asymmetric electrode design is proposed to tackle this challenge. An aerophilic layer is constructed on one face of the electrocatalyst‐loaded electrode, while the other side maintains its original structure, aiming to achieve facilitated nitrogen transfer and electrolyte permeation within the conductive skeleton simultaneously. This asymmetric architecture affords extensive three‐phase reaction region within the electrode as demonstrated by the combination of theoretical simulations and experimental measurements, which gives full play to the loaded electrocatalyst. As expected, the proof‐of‐concept asymmetric electrode delivers an NH3 yield rate of 40.81 μg h−1 mg−1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 71.71% at −0.3 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, which are more than 4 and 7 times that of conventional electrode, respectively. This work presents a versatile strategy for enhancing the interfacial reaction kinetics and is instructive to electrode design for gas‐involved electrochemical reactions.
An asymmetric electrode with built‐in nitrogen transfer channel is proposed for maximizing three‐phase reaction region of nitrogen reduction reaction and boosting ammonia synthesis under ambient conditions. As expected, it exhibits a superior NH3 yield rate of 40.81 μg h−1 mg−1 and a high Faradaic efficiency of 71.71%, ranking at the top of the state‐of‐the‐arts.
Immunotherapy is effective in improving the survival and prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and identifying effective immunomarkers is important for immunotherapy. ...Interleukin (IL)-36gamma is a novel immunomarker that has an important function in the antitumor immune response. The present study investigated the association between IL-36gamma and NSCLC to provide novel insight into immunotherapy for patients with NSCLC. Tissue microarrays of lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were purchased for immunohistochemical analysis of IL-36gamma expression levels and clinical parameters. In addition, fresh clinical NSCLC and adjacent normal tissue samples were collected to analyze IL-36gamma mRNA expression levels using quantitative PCR. IL-36gamma protein was primarily located in the cytoplasm, with a small quantity in the nucleus, and IL-36gamma mRNA and protein expression levels in lung cancer tissues were significantly higher compared with those in adjacent normal tissues. Elevated IL-36gamma protein expression levels were significantly associated with a higher tumor grade of lung adenocarcinoma; however, IL-36gamma mRNA expression levels were inversely associated with the clinical Tumor-Node-Metastasis stage in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, patients with adenocarcinoma with high IL-36gamma protein expression levels tended to longer post-operative survival times. These findings indicate that IL-36gamma may have potential as an immunomarker for prediction of tumor progression and survival in patients with NSCLC. Key words: non-small cell lung cancer, lung adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, IL-36gamma, immunohistochemistry
To investigate the protective effect of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) on the steroid-induced imbalance between osteogenesis and adipogenesis in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).
...The BMSCs were isolated from the proximal femur bone marrow from 3 patients of femoral neck fracture and were separated, cultured, and purificated by density gradient centrifugation and adherent wall method
. The third generation BMSCs were divided into 5 groups: group A, BMSCs (1×10
cells/mL); group B, BMSCs (1×10
cells/mL)+10 μmol/L dexamethasone; group C, BMSCs (1×10
cells/mL)+10 μmol/L dexamethasone+5 μmol/L GSH; group D, BMSCs (1×10
cells/mL)+10 μmol/L dexamethasone+10 μmol/L GSH; group E, BMSCs (1×10
cells/mL)+10 μmol/L dexamethasone+50 μmol/L GSH. After cultured for 7 days, the reactive oxygen species expression was detected by flow cytometry; the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase mRNA expressions were determined by RT-PCR; the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ (PPAR-γ), CCAAT/enhancer-bind
The aim of this study was to evaluate riboflavin in rabbit corneas before and after corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) using confocal laser scanning microscopy.
A randomized controlled experimental ...study.
The study was divided into 3 parts. In part 1 of this study, 30 eyes from 15 rabbits were used to evaluate riboflavin in de-epithelialized corneas before standard CXL. In part 2, 12 eyes from 6 rabbits were used to compare the differences of riboflavin concentration between standard CXL and transepithelial CXL (TE-CXL). In part 3, 12 eyes from another set of 6 rabbits were used to evaluate 1-day postoperative changes of riboflavin concentration between standard CXL and TE-CXL. Riboflavin concentrations in corneas were evaluated by calculating fluorescence densities with a confocal laser scanning microscope.
In part 1, the riboflavin concentration after a 20-minute instillation was 0.036%, and did not reach the safety threshold (0.040%) for standard CXL. In part 2, the riboflavin concentration before TE-CXL was lower than 0.010%, which was significantly lower than standard CXL (P < 0.001). In part 3, corneal fluorescence decreased by approximately 100% (fluorescence quenching) 1 day after standard CXL and approximately 60% 1 day after TE-CXL.
Application of 0.010% riboflavin solution for 30 minutes is essential for standard CXL. TE-CXL is not recommended because the epithelial layers are inadequately permeable to riboflavin during and 1 day after surgery.
The effects of dissolved organic matter (DOM), water soluble organic matter derived from sewage sludge, on the sorption of atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-trazine) by soils ...were studied using a batch equilibrium technique. Six paddy soils, chosen so as to have different organic carbon contents, were experimented in this investigation. Atrazine sorption isotherms on soils were described by the linear equation, and the distribution coefficients without DOM (Kd) or with DOM (Kd*) were obtained. Generally, the values of Kd*/Kd initially increased and decreased thereafter with increasing DOM concentrations of 0-60 mg DOC x L(-1) in soil-solution system form. Critical concentrations of DOM (DOM(np)) were obtained where the value of Kd* was equal to Kd. The presence of DOM with concentrations lower than DOM(np) promoted atrazine sorption on soils (Kd* > Kd), whereas the presence of DOM with concentrations higher than DOM(np) tended to inhibit atrazine sorption (Kd* < Kd). Interestingly, DOM(np) for tested soils was negatively correlated to the soil organic carbon content, and the maximum of Kd*/Kd (i.e. Kmax) correlated positively with the maximum of DOM sorption on soil (Xmax). Further investigations showed that the presence of hydrophobic fraction of DOM evidently promoted the atrazine sorption on soils, whereas the presence of hydrophilic DOM fraction obviously tended to inhibit the atrazine sorption. Interactions of soil surfaces with DOM and its fractions were suggested to be the major processes determining atrazine sorption on soils. The results of this work provide a reference to the agricultural use of organic amendment such as sewage sludge for improving the availability of atrazine in soils.
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important component of solutions in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems through its influence on acidity, nutrient availability, and toxicity. DOM could enhance ...the apparent solubility of organic pollutants and alter adsorption-desorption equilibrium of organic pollutants on soil. The enhancement of organic pollutants desorption in the presence of DOM could facilitate the mobility of organic pollutants in soil. On the other hand, the sorption of DOM by solid sorbents in soil could also enhance the retention of DOM-associated organic pollutants in soil. Furthermore, as a photosensitizer, DOM could promote the photogradation of organic pollutants in soil. And under certain condition, DOM also affected the hydrolysis of organic pollutants in soil solution. The effects of DOM on environmental behaviors of organic pollutants in soils were related to the physico-chemical characteristics of organic pollutants, DOM, and soil.
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