Thalidomide effect in endothelial cell of acute radiation proctitis

AIM: To determine whether thalidomide prevents microvascular injury in acute radiation proctitis in white rats. METHODS: Fourteen female Wistar rats were used: six in the radiation group, six in the thalidomide group, and two in normal controls. The radiation and thalidomide groups were irradiated at the pelvic area using a single 30 Gy exposure. The thalidomide (150 mg/kg) was injected into the peritoneum for 7 d from the day of irradiation. All animals were sacrificed and the rectums were removed on day 8 after irradiation. The microvessels of resected specimens were immunohistochemically stained with thrombomodulin (TM), von Willebrand Factor (vWF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). RESULTS: The microscopic scores did not differ significantly between the radiation and thalidomide groups, but both were higher than in the control group. Expression of TM was significantly lower inthe endothelial cells (EC) of the radiation group than in the control and thalidomide groups (P < 0.001). The number of capillaries expressing vWF in the EC was higher in the radiation group (15.3 ± 6.8) than in the control group (3.7 ± 1.7), and the number of capillaries expressing vWF was attenuated by thalidomide (10.8 ± 3.5, P < 0.001). The intensity of VEGF expression in capillaries was greater in the radiation group than in the control group and was also attenuated by thalidomide (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The mechanisms of acute radiation- induced proctitis in the rats are related to endothelial cell injury of microvessel, which may be attenuated with thalidomide.

基于辣椒基因组测序探究辣味在种群中的进化

辣椒(Capsicum annuum)是美洲最古老的驯化作物之一,在全世界被广泛种植。本研究对CM334(墨西哥地方品种)进行了全基因组测序和组装(覆盖度为186.6×),同时还对另外两个栽培种和一个野生种分别进行了重测序和从头(de novo)测序。结果表明辣椒基因组大小约为番茄的4倍,辣椒基因组上存在大量gypsy转座子和花椰菜病毒家族元件的积累。结合转录组综合分析认为,辣椒素合成酶基因表达模式的改变及新功能化是导致辣椒素生物合成的原因,研究还发现辣椒与番茄在乙烯合成及果实成熟调控方面存在明显不同的分子模式。辣椒参考基因组的发布为辣椒营养品质和药用价值的改善提供了重要平台。

Tensile creep and corrosion properties of Mg-2%Ca based cast alloys

The relative effect of Zn addition to Mg-2%Ca based alloy on the creep and corrosion characteristics was compared with Al addition. The creep resistance of Mg-2%Ca based alloy at 175 ℃was improved by Zn addition more significantly than by Al addition. However, the Al addition showed more effective in enhancing corrosion resistance. Since the solidification range for Zn-added alloy was considerably wide, the cautious casting design may be necessary to produce high-quality castings.

Bone-targeted lipoplex-loaded three-dimensional bioprinting bilayer scaffold enhanced bone regeneration

Clinical bone-morphogenetic protein 2(BMP2)treatment for bone regeneration,often resulting in complications like soft tissue inflammation and ectopic ossification due to high dosages and non-specific delivery systems,necessitates research into improved biomaterials for better BMP2 stability and retention.To tackle this challenge,we introduced a groundbreaking bone-targeted,lipoplex-loaded,three-dimensional bioprinted bilayer scaffold,termed the polycaprolactone-bioink-nanoparticle(PBN)scaffold,aimed at boosting bone regeneration.We encapsulated BMP2 within the fibroin nanoparticle based lipoplex(Fibroplex)and functionalized it with DSS6 for bone tissue-specific targeting.3D printing technology enables customized,porous PCL scaffolds for bone healing and soft tissue growth,with a two-step bioprinting process creating a cellular lattice structure and a bioink grid using gelatin-alginate hydrogel and DSS6-Fibroplex,shown to support effective nutrient exchange and cell growth at specific pore sizes.The PBN scaffold is predicted through in silico analysis to exhibit biased BMP2 release between bone and soft tissue,a finding validated by in vitro osteogenic differentiation assays.The PBN scaffold was evaluated for critical calvarial defects,focusing on sustained BMP2 delivery,prevention of soft tissue cell infiltration and controlled fiber membrane pore size in vivo.The PBN scaffold demonstrated a more than eight times longer BMP2 release time than that of the collagen sponge,promoting osteogenic differentiation and bone regeneration in a calvarial defect animal.Our findings suggest that the PBN scaffold enhanced the local concentration of BMP2 in bone defects through sustained release and improved the spatial arrangement of bone formation,thereby reducing the risk of heterotopic ossification.

Novel Time-dependent Multi-omics Integration in Sepsis-associated Liver Dysfunction

The recently developed technologies that allow the analysis of each single omics have provided an unbiased insight into ongoing disease processes.However,it remains challenging to specify the study design for the subsequent integration strategies that can associate sepsis pathophysiology and clinical outcomes.Here,we conducted a time-dependent multi-omics integration(TDMI)in a sepsis-associated liver dysfunction(SALD)model.We successfully deduced the relation of the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)pathway with SALD.Although TLR4 is a critical factor in sepsis progression,it is not specified in single-omics analyses but only in the TDMI analysis.This finding indicates that the TDMI-based approach is more advantageous than single-omics analyses in terms of exploring the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of SALD.Furthermore,TDMI-based approach can be an ideal paradigm for insightful biological interpretations of multi-omics datasets that will potentially reveal novel insights into basic biology,health,and diseases,thus allowing the identification of promising candidates for therapeutic strategies.