Role of ferroptosis in esophageal cancer and corresponding immunotherapy

Esophageal cancer(EC)is one of the most common digestive system malignancies in the world.The combined modality treatment of EC is usually surgery and radiation therapy,however,its clinical efficacy for advanced patients is relatively limited.Ferroptosis,a new type of iron-dependent programmed cell death,is different from apoptosis,necrosis and autophagy.In recent years,many studies have further enlightened that ferroptosis plays an essential role in the occurrence,development and metastasis of tumors.Targeting ferroptosis stimulates a new direction for further exploration of oncologic treatment regimens.Furthermore,ferroptosis has a critical role in the immune microenvironment of tumors.This paper reviews the mechanism of ferroptosis and the ferroptosis research progress in the treatment of EC.We further elaborate the interaction between ferroptosis and immunotherapy,and the related mechanisms of ferroptosis participation in the immunotherapy of EC,so as to provide new directions and ideas for the treatment of EC.

Unilateral contrast-induced encephalopathy with contrast medium exudation:A case report

BACKGROUND Contrast-induced encephalopathy(CIE)is a rare transient,reversible abnormality in the structure or function of the nervous system caused by the intravascular use of contrast agents.CIE can present with a range of neurological manifestations,including focal neurological deficits(hemiplegia,hemianopia,cortical blindness,aphasia,and parkinsonism)and systemic symptoms(confusion,seizures,and coma).However,if not accurately diagnosed and treated in a timely manner,CIE can cause irreversible damage to patients,especially critically ill patients.CASE SUMMARY A male in his 50 s,2 h after digital subtraction angiography,had a progressive disorder of consciousness,mixed aphasia,bilateral pupillary sluggish light reflex,and right limb weakness.Seven hours after the procedure,he developed unconsciousness,high fever(39.5°C),seizures,hemiplegia,neck stiffness(+),and right Babinski signs(+).computed tomography(CT)findings 2 h postprocedure were very confusing and led us to misdiagnose the patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage.Brain CT was performed again 7 h after the procedure.Compared with the CT 2 h after the procedure,the CT 7 h after the procedure showed that the manifestations of subarachnoid hemorrhage in the left cerebral hemisphere had disappeared and were replaced by brain tissue swelling,and the cerebral sulci had disappeared.Combined with the clinical manifestations of the patient and after the exclusion of subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebrovascular embolism,we diagnosed the patient with CIE,and intravenous fluids were given for adequate hydration,as well as mannitol,albumin dehydration,furosemide and the glucocorticoid methylprednisolone.After 17 d of active treatment,the patient was discharged with no sequelae.CONCLUSION CIE should be taken seriously,but it is easily misdiagnosed,and once CIE is diagnosed,rapid,accurate diagnosis and treatment are critical steps.Whether a follow-up examination using a contrast agent can be performed should be closely evaluated,and the patient should be fully informed of the associated risks.

Effect of Kaiyu Qingwei Jianji on the morphometry and residual strain distribution of small intestine in experimental diabetic rats

AIM： To investigate the effect of a Chinese medicine, Kaiyu Qingwei Jianji （KYQWJJ） used for diabetic treatment, on the morphometry and residual strain distribution of the small intestine in streptozotocin （STZ） -induced diabetic rats. Correlation analysis was also performed between the opening angle and residual strain with the blood glucose level. METHODS： Forty-two male Wistar rats weighing 220-240 g were included in this study. Thirty-two STZ- induced diabetic rats were subdivided into four groups （n = 8 in each group）, i.e. diabetic control group （DM）; high dose of KYQWJJ （T1, 36g/kg per day）; low dose of KYQWJJ （T2, 17 g/kg per day） and Gliclazide （T3, 50 mg/kg per day）. Another ten rats were used as nondiabetic control （CON）. The medicines were poured directly into stomach lumen by gastric lavage twice daily. The rats of CON and DM groups were only poured the physiological saline. Blood glucose and plasma insulin levels were measured. Experimental period was 35 d. At the end of experiment, three 5-cm long segments were harvested from the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Three rings of 1-2 mm in length for no-load and zero-stress state tests were cut from the middle of different segments. The morphometric data, such as the circumferential length, the wall thickness and the opening angle were measured from the digitized images of intestinal segments in the no-load state and zerostress state. The residual strain was computed from the morphometry data. Furthermore, the linear regression analysis was performed between blood glucose level with morphometric and biomechanical data in the different intestinal segments. RESULTS： The blood glucose level of DM group was consistent 4-fold to 5-fold higher than those in CON group during the experiment （16.89 ± 1.11 vs 3.44 ± 0.15 mmol/L, P 〈 0.001）. The blood glucose level in the T1 （16.89 ± 1.11 vs 11.08 ± 2.67 mmol/L, P 〈 0.01） and T3 groups （16.89 ± 1.11 vs 13.54 ± 1.73 mmol/L, P 〈 0.05）, but not in T2 group （P 〉 0.05） was significantly lower than those in DM group. The plasma insulin levels of DM, T1, T2 and T3 groups were significantly lower than those in CON group （10.98 ± 1.02, 12.52 ± 1.42,13.54 ± 1.56,10.96 ± 0.96 vs 17.84 ± 2.34 pmol/L respectively, P 〈 0.05）, but no significantly difference among the groups with exception of CON group. The wet weight/cm and total wall thickness of duodenum, jejunum and ileum in DM group were significantly higher than those in CON group （wet weight （g/cm）： duodenum 0.209 ± 0.012 vs 0.166 ± 0.010, jejunum 0.149 ± 0.008 vs 0.121 ± 0.004, ileum 0.134 ± 0.013 vs 0.112 ± 0.007; Wall thickness （mm）： duodenum 0.849 ± 0.027 vs 0.710 ± 0.026, jejunum 0.7259 ± 0.034 vs 0.627 ± 0.025, ileum 0.532 ± 0.023 vs 0.470 ± 0.010, all P 〈 0.05）, T1 and T3 treatment could partly restore change of wall thickness, but T2 could not. The opening angle and absolute value of inner and outer residual stain were significantly smaller in duodenal segment （188 ± 11 degrees, -0.31 ± 0.02 and 0.35 ± 0.03 vs 259 ± 15 degrees, -0.40 ± 0.02 and 0.43 ± 0.05） and larger in jejunal （215 ± 20 degrees, -0.30 ± 0.03 and 0.36 ± 0.06 vs 172 ± 19 degrees, -0.25 ± 0.02 and 0.27 ± 0.02） and ileal segments （183 ± 20 degrees, -0.28 ± 0.01 and 0.34 ± 0.05 vs 153 ± 14 degrees, -0.23 ± 0.03 and 0.29 ± 0.04） in DM group than in CON group （P 〈 0.01）. TI and T3 treatment could partly restore this biomechanical alteration, but strong effect was found in T1 treatment （duodenum 243 ± 14 degrees, -0.36 ± 0.02 and 0.42 ± 0.06, jejunum 180 ± 15 degrees, -0.26 ± 0.03 and 0.30 ± 0.06 and ileum 163 ± 17 degrees, -0.23 ± 0.03 and 0.30 ± 0.05, compared with DM, P 〈 0.05）. The linear association was found between the glucose level with most morphometric and biomechanical data. CONCLUSION： KYQWJJ （high dose） treatment could partly restore the changes of blood glucose level and the remodeling of morphometry and residual strain of small intestine in diabetic rats. The linear regression analysis demonstrated that the effect of KYQWJJ on intestinal opening angle and residual strain is partially through its effect on the blood glucose level.

Multi-slice spiral computed tomography in diagnosing unstable pelvic fractures in elderly and effect of less invasive stabilization

BACKGROUND Older people are more likely to experience pelvic fractures than younger people.Multi-slice spiral computed tomography(CT)uses three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction technology to generate 3D images that can clearly demonstrate the 3D space of fractures and detect fractures at a higher rate.AIM To investigate the clinical value of multi-slice spiral CT 3D reconstruction in the diagnosis of unstable pelvic fractures in the elderly as well as the effect of less invasive stabilization.METHODS A total of 86 patients with unstable pelvic fractures treated between March 2016 and March 2019 underwent femoral supracondylar bone traction before surgery.Pelvic radiography and multi-row spiral CT were performed successively once the patient’s vital signs and hemodynamic indices were stable.Secondary processing of the original data was performed to obtain 3D reconstruction images and determine the vertical displacement of the pelvis.After basic or complete reduction,minimally invasive internal fixation using hollow lag screws was performed.The detection rates of fracture location and classification by X-ray and CT reconstruction were compared.Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of preoperative 3D reconstruction to compare postoperative reduction,wound healing time,fracture healing time,hospitalization time,visual analog scale(VAS)score,poor internal fixation,and functional recovery.RESULTS The diagnostic coincidence rates of X-rays for pubic symphysis,ilium wing,sacroiliac periarticular,and sacral fractures were lower than those of CT reconstruction.The coincidence rate of CT reconstruction in the clinical classification of pelvic fractures was 100%,whereas 11 cases were misdiagnosed by X-ray;the total coincidence rate was 87.21%.The total excellent and good rates of postoperative reduction were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group(P<0.05).The wound healing,fracture healing,and hospitalization times were significantly shorter in the study group than in the control group(P<0.05).The VAS scores decreased in both groups postoperatively and were lower in the study group than in the control group(P<0.05).The total incidence of poor postoperative internal fixation was significantly lower in the study group than in the control group(P<0.05).The overall rate of postoperative functional recovery was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Multi-slice spiral CT has high guiding significance for the diagnosis,classification,and treatment of unstable pelvic fractures in the elderly.Preoperative 3D reconstruction can effectively shorten the operation time and promote fracture healing,while minimally invasive internal fixation can effectively reduce pain and promote functional recovery of fracture sites,making it worthy of clinical application.

Balloon dilatation for treatment of hepatic venous outflow obstruction following pediatric liver transplantation

AIM To assess the efficacy and safety of balloon dilatation for the treatment of hepatic venous outflow obstruction(HVOO) following pediatric liver transplantation.METHODS A total of 246 pediatric patients underwent liver transplantation at our hospital between June 2013 and September 2016. Among these patients, five were ultimately diagnosed with HVOO. Seven procedures(two patients underwent two balloon dilatation procedures) were included in this analysis. The demographic data,types of donor and liver transplant, interventional examination and therapeutic outcomes of these five children were analyzed. The median interval time between pediatric liver transplantation and balloon dilatation procedures was 9.8 mo(range: 1-32).RESULTS Five children with HVOO were successfully treated by balloon angioplasty without stent placement, with seven procedures performed for six stenotic lesions. All children underwent successful percutaneous intervention. Among these five patients, four were treated by single balloon angioplasty, and these patients did not develop recurrent stenosis. In seven episodes of balloon angioplasty across the stenosis, the pressure gradient was 12.0 ± 8.8 mm Hg before balloon dilatation and 1.1 ± 1.5 mm Hg after the procedures, which revealed a statistically significant reduction(P < 0.05). The overall technical success rate among these seven procedures was 100%(7/7), and clinical success was achieved in all five patients(100%). The patients were followed for 4-33 mo(median: 15 mo). No significant procedural complications or procedurerelated deaths occurred.CONCLUSION Balloon dilatation is an effective and safe therapeutic option for HVOO in children undergoing pediatric liver transplantation. Venous angioplasty is also recommended in cases with recurrent HVOO.

Zero-point fluctuation of hydrogen bond in water dimer from ab initio molecular dynamics

Dynamic nature of hydrogen bond (H-bond) is central in molecular science of substance transportation, energy transfer, and phase transition in H-bonding networks diversely expressed as solution, crystal, and interfacial systems, thus attracting the state-of-the-art revealing of its phenomenological edges and sophisticated causes. However, the current understanding of the ground-state fluctuation from zero-point vibration (ZPV) lacks a firm quasi-classical base, concerning three basic dimensions as geometry, electronic structure, and interaction energy. Here, based on the ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of a ground-state water dimer, temporally separated fluctuation features in the elementary H-bond as the long-time weakening and the minor short-time strengthening are respectively assigned to two low-frequency intermolecular ZPV modes and two O–H stretching ones. Geometrically, the former modes instantaneously lengthen H-bond up to 0.2 Å whose time-averaged effect coverages to about 0.03 Å over 1-picosecond. Electronic-structure fluctuation crosses criteria' borders, dividing into partially covalent and noncovalent H-bonding established for equilibrium models, with a 370% amplitude and the district trend in interaction energy fluctuation compared with conventional dragging models using frozen monomers. Extended physical picture within the normal-mode disclosure further approaches to the dynamic nature of H-bond and better supports the upper-building explorations towards ultrafast and mode-specific manipulation.

Luminescent terphen[3]arene sulfate-activated FRET assemblies for cell imaging

Multicharged supramolecular assemblies based on luminescent macrocycle play an important role in extending their optical properties and functions.Herein,we reported macrocyclic supramolecular assemblies based on luminescent terphen[3]arene sulfate(TP[3]AS)and tetraphenylethylene pyridinium(TPE-4Py)through electrostatic interactions,host-guest encapsulation andπ-πstacking interactions.F?rster resonance energy transfer(FRET)process from TP[3]AS to TPE-4Py was achieved with the energy transfer efficiency of 99.9%,accompanied by TPE-4Py fluorescence emission bathochromic shifted of 15 nm and enhanced by 1.68 times in PBS solution.In contrast,other non-luminescent sulfato-β-cyclodextrin and sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin only can enhance the fluorescence intensity of TPE-4Py without bathochromic shift.Due to the strong fluorescence and good stability of TPE-4Py@TP[3]AS,it can be used for optical imaging in living cells,which provided an effective approach for the construction of assembling-confined luminescent biomaterials.

Metabolic landscape of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma informs a novel kynurenine/Siglec-15 axis in immune escape

Background:Metabolic reprograming and immune escape are two hallmarksof cancer.However,how metabolic disorders drive immune escape in head andneck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC)remains unclear.Therefore,the aim ofthe present study was to investigate the metabolic landscape of HNSCC and itsmechanism of driving immune escape.Methods:Analysis of paired tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues from69 HNSCC patients was performed using liquid/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and RNA-sequencing.The tumor-promoting function of kynurenine(Kyn)was explored in vitro and in vivo.The downstream target of Kyn wasinvestigated in CD8^(+)T cells.The regulation of CD8+T cells was investigatedafter Siglec-15 overexpression in vivo.An engineering nanoparticle was establishedto deliver Siglec-15 small interfering RNA(siS15),and its association withimmunotherapy response were investigated.The association between Siglec-15and CD8^(+)programmed cell death 1(PD-1)^(+)T cells was analyzed in a HNSCCpatient cohort.Results:A total of 178 metabolites showed significant dysregulation in HNSCC,including carbohydrates,lipids and lipid-like molecules,and amino acids.Among these,amino acid metabolism was the most significantly altered,especiallyKyn,which promoted tumor proliferation and metastasis.In addition,most immune checkpoint molecules were upregulated in Kyn-high patientsbased on RNA-sequencing.Furthermore,tumor-derived Kyn was transferredinto CD8^(+)T cells and induced T cell functional exhaustion,and blockingKyn transporters restored its killing activity.Accroding to the results,mechanistically,Kyn transcriptionally regulated the expression of Siglec-15 via arylhydrocarbon receptor(AhR),and overexpression of Siglec-15 promoted immuneescape by suppressing T cell infiltration and activation.Targeting AhR in vivoreduced Kyn-mediated Siglec-15 expression and promoted intratumoral CD8^(+)Tcell infiltration and killing capacity.Finally,a NH_(2)-modified mesoporous silicananoparticle was designed to deliver siS15,which restored CD8^(+)T cell functionstatus and enhanced anti-PD-1 efficacy in tumor-bearing immunocompetentmice.Clinically,Siglec-15 was positively correlated with AhR expression andCD8+PD-1^(+)T cell infiltration in HNSCC tissues.Conclusions:The findings describe the metabolic landscape of HNSCC comprehensivelyand reveal that the Kyn/Siglec-15 axis may be a novel potentialimmunometabolism mechanism,providing a promising therapeutic strategy forcancers.

Li-ion transport in solid-state electrolyte of Li_(1-x)Al_(1-x)Si_(2+x)O_(6):an ab initio study

All-solid-state batteries are considered as nextgeneration technology for energy storage due to their high energy density and excellent s afety.However,only a few solid electrolytes exhibit ionic conductivities comparable to liquid electrolytes.Finding low-cost solid electrolytes with high Liion conductivity is in high demand.Based on the ab initio molecular dynamic simulations,the Li^(+)diffusion inβ-LiAISi_(2)O_(6),a type of cost-effective and naturally-available mineral,and its disordered systems Li_(1-x)Al_(1-x)Si_(2+x)O_(6)with-1.0≤x≤0.5 was studied.Our calculations show that the phases of Li_(1-x)Al_(1-x)Si_(2+x)O_(6)with nonzero x all possess much lower diffusion energy barriers than pristine LiAlSi_(2)O_(6).When x is positive,increased concentration of lithium vacancies accelerates the diffusion of Li-ions.When x is negative,additional Li-ions are inserted into structures and co-migration is stimulated among these Li-ions.In particular,the maximal ionic conductivity at 300 K(1.92×10^(-6)S·cm^(-1))is obtained in Li_(2)Al_(2)SiO_(6)(x=-1.0),which is five orders of magnitude larger than that of pristineβ-LiAlSi_(2)O_(6).In addition,the diffusion barrier can be further reduced to 0.38 eV by replacing Si with Ge,and the ionic conductivity for Li_(2)Al_(2)GeO_(6)can reach 3.08×10~(-5)S·cm^(-1)at 300 K.Our work facilitates the understanding of Li+conduction mechanisms in silicatebased electrolytes and the development of cost-effective and high-performance solid-s ate electrolytes.

LES method of the tip clearance vortex cavitation in a propelling pump with special emphasis on the cavitation-vortex interaction

The turbulent cavitating flow around the propelling pump tip clearance is numerically simulated using the large eddy simulation(LES)method coupled with the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri(ZGB)cavitation model to investigate the cavitation-vortex interaction mechanism.The calculated cavitation structures around the blades are in a remarkable agreement with the experimental results.The distributions of the tip clearance vortex under two cavitation conditions are obtained and compared.The results show that the cavitation development enhances the vorticity generation and the flow unsteadiness around the tip clearance of a propelling pump.Vortices are basically located around the cavitation areas,particularly in the tip clearance region,during the cavitation.The relative vorticity transport equation is applied for the cavitating turbulent flows and it is further indicated that the vortex stretching term makes the main contribution in the vortex production,and the baroclinic torque and dilation terms are important source terms for the vorticity generation in the cavitating flow.In addition,the viscous diffusion term and the Coriolis force term are significant in modifying the vorticity field inside the blade tip clearance.

In vitro degradation of pure magnesium-the synergetic influences of glucose and albumin

The biocorrosion of magnesium in the external physiological environment is still difficult to accurately evaluate the degradation behavior in vivo,particularly,in the microenvironment of the patients with hyperglycemia or diabetes.Thus,we explored the synergistic effects of glucose and protein on the biodegradation of pure magnesium,so as to have a deeper understanding the mechanism of the degradation in vivo.The surface morphology and corrosion product composition of pure magnesium were investigated using SEM,EDS,FTIR,XRD and XPS.The effect of glucose and albumin on the degradation rate of pure magnesium was investigated via electrochemical and immersion tests.The adsorption of glucose and albumin on the sample surface was observed using fluorescence microscopy.The results showed that the presence of 2 g/L glucose changed the micromorphology of corrosion products on the magnesium surface by reacting with metal cations,thus inhibiting the corrosion of pure magnesium.Protein formed a barrier layer to protect the magnesium at early stage of immersion.The chelation reaction between protein and magnesium surface might accelerate the degradation at later stage.There may be a critical glucose(albumin)content.Biodegradation of pure magnesium was inhibited at low concentrations and promoted at high concentrations.The synergistic effect of glucose and protein restrained the adsorption of aggressive chloride ions to a certain extent,and thus inhibited the degradation of pure magnesium considerably.Moreover,XPS results indicated that glucose promoted the adsorption of protein on the sample surface.

Amorphous and Crystallizable Thermoplastic Polyureas Synthesized through a One-pot Non-isocyanate Route

A simple one-pot non-isocyanate route for synthesizing thermoplastic polyureas is presented. In situ urethanization was conducted from the ring-opening reaction of ethylene carbonate with poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminopropyl ether) and hexanediamine,m-xylylenediamine, or diethylene glycol bis(3-aminopropyl) ether at 100 °C for 6 h under normal pressure. Melt transurethane polycondensation was successively conducted at 170 °C under a reduced pressure of 399 Pa for different time periods. A series of nonisocyanate thermoplastic polyureas(NI-TPUreas) were prepared. The NI-TPUreas were characterized by gel permeation chromatography,FTIR, 1 H-NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy,and tensile test. NI-TPUreas exhibited Mn of up to 1.67 × 104 g/mol, initial decomposition temperature over 290 °C, and tensile strength of up to 32 MPa. Several crystallizable NI-TPUreas exhibited Tm exceeding 98 °C. NI-TPUreas with good thermal and mechanical properties were prepared through a green and simple one-pot non-isocyanate route.

Synthesis and Characterization of Crystallizable Aliphatic Thermoplastic Poly(ester urethane) Elastomers through a Non-isocyanate Route

A simple non-isocyanate route is developed for synthesizing crystallizable aliphatic thermoplastic poly（ester urethane） elastomers （TPEURs） with good thermal and mechanical properties. Three prepolymers of 1,6-bis（hydroxyethyloxycarbonylamino） hexane （BHCH）, i.e. PrePBHCHs, were prepared through the self-transurethane polycondensation of BHCH. A poly（butylene adipate） prepolymer （PrePBA） with terminal HO-- groups was prepared and used as a polyester glycol. A series of TPEURs were prepared by the co-polycondensation of the PrePBHCHs with PrePBA at 170 ℃under a reduced pressure of 399 Pa. The TPEURs were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, FTIR, 1H-NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and tensile test. The TPEURs exhibited Mn up to 23300 g/mol, Mw up to 51100 g/mol, Tg ranging from -33.8 ℃ to -3.1 ℃, Tm from 94.3 ℃ to 111.9 ℃, initial decomposition temperature over 274.7℃, tensile strength up to18.8 MPa with a strain at break of 450.0%, and resilience up to 77.5%. TPU elastomers with good crystallization and mechanical properties were obtained through a non-isocyanate route.

Aliphatic Thermoplastic Poly(ether urethane)s Having Long PEG Sequences Synthesized through a Non-isocyanate Route

A non-isocyanate route for synthesizing thermoplastic polyurethanes with excellent thermal and mechanical properties was described. Melt transurethane polycondensation of 1,6-bis（hydroxyethyloxy carbonyl amino）hexane with four poly（ethylene glycol）s （PEGs）, i.e. PEG400, PEG600, PEG1000, or PEG1500, was conducted at different molar ratios. A series of thermoplastic poly（ether urethane）s （TPEUs） with long PEG sequences were prepared. The TPEUs were characterized via gel permeation chromatography, FTIR, 1H-NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, wide-angle X-ray scattering, and tensile tests. The TPEUs exhibit Tg between 12.4 ℃ and -40.4 ℃, Tm of up to 149.8 ℃, and initial decomposition temperature over 239.4 ℃. The tensile strength of the TPEUs reaches 38.39 MPa with a strain at break of 852.92%.

Treatment of turtle aquaculture effluent by an improved multi-soil-layer system

Concentrated turtle aquaculture effluent poses an environmental threat to water bodies, and therefore needs to be treated prior to disposal. This study was conducted to assess the effect of multi-soil-layer（MSL） systems treating turtle aquaculture effluent with adding different amounts of sludge. Four MSL systems were constructed with dry weight ratios of sludge with 0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%（MSL 1, MSL 2, MSL 3, and MSL 4, respectively）. The turtle aquaculture effluent had an average chemical oxygen demand（COD）, ammonia nitrogen（NH4^＋-N） and total nitrogen（TN） concentration of 288.4, 213.4, and 252.0 mg/L, respectively. The COD/TN（C/N） ratio was 1.2. The results showed that the four MSL systems could effectively treat the COD, NH4^＋-N, and TN, and MSL 4 showed significantly improved NH4^＋-N removal efficiency, suggesting the potential of sludge addition to improve the turtle aquaculture effluent treatment. The average COD, TN, and NH4^＋-N removal efficiencies of MSL 4 were 70.3%, 66.5%, and 72.7%, respectively. To further interpret the contribution of microorganisms to the removal, the microbial community compositions and diversities of the four MSL systems were measured. Comparisons of the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis（DGGE） profiles revealed that the amount of nitrifying bacteria and diversity in MSL 4 were higher than those in the other three systems. We concluded that adding 20% of sludge improved the NH4^＋-N removal and stability of the system for nitrification, due to the enrichment of the nitrifying bacteria in MSL 4.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTERAMIDES CONSTRUCTED MAINLY BY ALTERNATING DIESTERDIAMIDE UNITS FROM N,N'-BIS(2-HYDROXYETHYL)-ADIPAMIDE AND DIACIDS

Two kinds of aliphatic alternating polyesteramide prepolymers were prepared through melt polycondensation from N,N＇-bis（2-hydroxyethyl）-adipamide and adipic acid or sebacic acid. Chain extension of them was conducted with 2,2＇-（1,4- phenylene）-bis（2-oxazoline） and adipoyl biscaprolactamate as combined chain extenders. The chain extended polyesteramides （ExtPEAs） were characterized by IR, 1H-NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, wide angle X-ray scattering, tensile test and enzymatic degradation. The results showed that the ExtPEA（4,m）s were mainly constituted with the diester adipamide alternating units. ExtPEA（4,4） and ExtPEA（4,8） had Tm of 83.8℃ and 85.8℃ and initial decomposition temperature above 310.0℃. They crystallized similarly as Nylon-66 did and were flexible thermoplastic materials with tensile strength up to 25.64 MPa and strain at break up to 737%.

Phase Ⅲ trial of docetaxel cisplatin 5-fluorouracil induction chemotherapy for resectable oral cancer suggests favorable pathological response as a surrogate endpoint for good therapeutic outcome

Dear Editor,Induction chemotherapy has been utilized for decades in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC).The docetaxel,cisplatin,5-fluorouracil(TPF)regimen is the most recommended induction chemotherapy regimen forHNSCC and oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)[1].However,our initial phase Ⅲ trial failed to demonstrate a significant survival benefit of TPF induction chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced OSCC[2].

Mesenchymal stem cells from human umbilical cord ameliorate testicular dysfunction in a male rat hypogonadism model

Androgen deficiency is a physical disorder that not only affects adults but can also jeopardize children＇s health. Because there are many disadvantages to using traditional androgen replacement therapy, we have herein attempted to explore the use of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of androgen deficiency. We transplanted CM-Dil-labeled human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells into the testes of an ethane dimethanesulfonate （EDS）-induced male rat hypogonadism model. Twenty-one days after transplantation, we found that blood testosterone levels in the therapy group were higher than that of the control group （P= 0.037）, and using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, we observed that some of the CM-Dil-labeled cells expressed Leydig cell markers for cytochrome P450, family 11, subfamily A, polypeptide 1, and 3-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. We then recovered these cells and observed that they were still able to proliferate in vitro. The present study shows that mesenchymal stem cells from human umbilical cord may constitute a promising therapeutic modality for the treatment of male hypogonadism patients.

Activating proper inflammation for wound-healing acceleration via mesoporous silica nanoparticle tissue adhesive

Efficient initiation and resolution of inflammation are crucial for wound repair.However,with using tissue adhesives for wound repair,patients occasionally suffered from delayed healing process because slow elimination of those exogenous adhesives generally leads to chronic inflammation.As the demand for minimal invasive therapy continues to rise,desire for adhesive materials that can effectively reconnect surgical gaps and promote wound regeneration becomes increasingly urgent.Herein,by exploiting the inherent porous structure and performance of adhesion to tissue of mesoporous silica nanoparticles(MSNs),we demonstrate a tissue adhesive that can elicit acute inflammatory response and get eliminated after tissue reformation.With formation of nanocomposites in wound gaps,the injured tissues can get reconnected conveniently.The resultant accelerated healing process verifty that the strategy of exploiting unique properties of nanomaterials can effectively promote inflammation resolution and wound repair.This design strategy will inspire more innovative tissue adhesives for clinical applications.

Prospering the biphen[n]arenes family by tailoring reaction modules

Reported here is the comprehensive investigation on the formation of biphen[n]arenes by tailoring reac-tion modules.Five new macrocyclic arenes and four oligomers were synthesized by the condensation of monomers possessing different multimethoxyphenyl reaction modules and paraformaldehyde.We proved that the number and sites of methoxy on reaction modules greatly affected the reaction activity,shape,and connection mode of macrocycles.Moreover,the triangular and saddle-shaped configuration of macro-cycles were revealed by single crystal structures.The results provided a typical and fundamental guidance in designing new macrocyclic arenes.