Molecular examination of bone marrow stromal cells and chondroitinase ABC-assisted acellular nerve allograft for peripheral nerve regeneration

The present study aimed to evaluate the molecular mechanisms underlying combinatorial bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) transplantation and chondroitinase ABC (Ch-ABC) therapy in a model of acellular nerve allograft (ANA) repair of the sciatic nerve gap in rats. Sprague Dawley rats (n=24) were used as nerve donors and Wistar rats (n=48) were randomly divided into the following groups: Group I, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) control group (ANA treated with DMEM only); Group II, Ch-ABC group (ANA treated with Ch-ABC only); Group III, BMSC group (ANA seeded with BMSCs only); Group IV, Ch-ABC + BMSCs group (Ch-ABC treated ANA then seeded with BMSCs). After 8 weeks, the expression of nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in the regenerated tissues were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Axonal regeneration, motor neuron protection and functional recovery were examined by immunohistochemistry, horseradish peroxidase retrograde neural tracing and electrophysiological and tibialis anterior muscle recovery analyses. It was observed that combination therapy enhances the growth response of the donor nerve locally as well as distally, at the level of the spinal cord motoneuron and the target muscle organ. This phenomenon is likely due to the propagation of retrograde and anterograde transport of growth signals sourced from the graft site. Collectively, growth improvement on the donor nerve, target muscle and motoneuron ultimately contribute to efficacious axonal regeneration and functional recovery. Thorough investigation of molecular peripheral nerve injury combinatorial strategies are required for the optimization of efficacious therapy and full functional recovery following ANA

Pore Characteristics of the Upper Carboniferous Taiyuan Shale in Liaohe Depression

High pressure mercury, nitrogen adsorption, nano-CT, and scanning electron microscope with energy spectrum analysis were conducted on core shale samples for studying the characteristics of Taiyuan formation in the eastern uplift of Liaohe depression. The research results show that the shale gas reservoir pores are mainly open pores such as the wedge-shape pores and parallel-plate pores. By a genetic type, pores mainly include organic pore, pyrite crystal particle pore, illite intragranular pore, illite-smectite mixed layer intragranular pore, and feldspar dissolved pore. The micropore and mesopore play an important role in shale gas reservoir, and their surface area and pore volume are 9.56 m2/g, 0.0414 mL/g, 97.3%, and 68.8% respectively. The pores diameter presents a bimodal distribution with two main peaks at 43 nm and 6.35 μm. Based on the nano-CT, the porosity is 4.36% and the permeability is 204 nD. The brittle minerals played a supportive and protective role for the pores and controlled their spatial distribution

Transportation management system in China : a study case on UPS and JULC

Due to the fast changing environment of China’s logistics market and high participative level of foreign logistics enterprises, Chinese logistics players mostly suffer from their low service ability of Third Party Logistics. Big gaps certainly exist between domestic ones and foreign giants.   The thesis aims to compare the TMS of a local logistics company and a large multinational company. Investigating how TMS is applied in China’s logistics market and making comparison of TMS between a multinational company and a Chinese local company is the main contribution of the paper.     After conducting cases study and interview on a foreign multinational logistics enterprise United Parcel Service and a Chinese local small logistics Jiangsu Universal Logistics Company, this paper has a relatively high reliability and validity. Relevant knowledge of TMS, mode and carriers, and 3PL is selected to present in the theoretical framework.   In the thesis body, we compared two chosen companies from three logistical levels: strategic, tactical, and operational. In detail, we found a vast of differences lying in nine parts that we selected from the TMS reference functional model and domains. Considering the characteristics and future challenges of China logistics market, we strongly recommend JULC to adapt TMS. However, it is unfeasible for JULC to apply the entire TMS. Therefore, we provide the solutions in three perspectives. First and foremost, apply part of TMS in the relevant field, in terms of network design and capacity management. An equally important solution is adapting cost-saving solution in certain administrative field, namely: planning, vehicle, execution, finance. Last but not least, in order to provide the company more opportunities, a few general approaches will be presented.   After a closer examine of the consequences when the integrated solutions got applied, we surely drew the conclusion that 3PL performance of domestics companies will get enhanced in the near future.

Predict the sales of New-energy Vehicle using linear regression analysis

New-energy Vehicle is a new form of vehicle that uses environmental friendly energy and becomes a popularity in recent years. It is important for both the consumers and the producers to search for factors that might affect the sales of New-energy Vehicle. In this study, three linear regression models are examined to determine factors that have significant effect on sales of New-energy Vehicle. ANOVA analysis is conducted to test the model validity and to compare the effect of the three models obtained. Result shows that disposable income, number of charging station, subsidies and literacy level positively affect the sales of New-energy Vehicle

Genetic mechanisms of coalbed methane in typical districts from Huaibei Coalfield, Eastern China

Taking insight into genetic mechanisms of coalbed methane (CBM) can provide an effective approach for evaluating the value of CBM resources. In this study, the geo-temperature and the thermal subsidence history were used to investigate the effect of the present geothermal field characteristic on the genetic mechanisms of CBM at the Huaibei Coalfield. The results showed that the Permian coal strata in the study areas had a relatively low geo-temperature (< 50°C), high vitrinite reflectance (Ro,max; 0.75%-1.2%) and a coal rank typical of intermediate-high metamorphic bituminous. Comprehensive analyses of the characteristics of the present geothermal field indicate that the CBM at the Huaibei Coalfield are dominated by secondary biogenic gases. Furthermore, the genetic mechanism towards CBM was further proposed based on the tectonic evolution history: (1) Tectonic thrusting contributed to Ro,max values ranging from 0.5% to 3.0%, with maximum geo-temperatures of 140–180°C, which resulted in the generation of thermogenic CBM. (2) An extensional regime contributed to gradual uplift of the Permian coal-bearing strata, with the gradual escape of CBM at burial depths greater than 700m. (3) A large number of faults and hydrodynamic environments greatly promoted the microbial degradation of the early thermogenic gases, resulting in generation of secondary biogenic gases

Effects of In Vitro Digestion on the Content and Biological Activity of Polyphenols from Acacia mearnsii Bark

The stability and bioaccessibility of polyphenol from Acacia mearnsii bark were measured at various stages during in vitro simulated digestion. Subsequently, the changes in the total polyphenol content (TPC) and biological activity were studied. The results showed that the phenolic compounds from A. mearnsii remained stable, and TPC underwent few changes during gastric digestion. Nonetheless, intestinal digestion led to the degradation of proanthocyanidins (PAs) and a significant decrease in TPC (26%). Degradation was determined by normal-phase HPLC and gel permeation chromatography. Only monomers, dimers, and trimers of flavan-3-ols were identified in the serum-accessible fraction for characterization of their bioaccessibility. The results also indicated the obvious antioxidant capacity of PAs from A. mearnsii bark, and ~53% of the &alpha;-glucosidase&ndash;inhibitory effect was preserved. All these findings show that PAs from A. mearnsii bark as a native plant source may be particularly beneficial for human health as a natural nutritional supplement

A Peritumorally Injected Immunomodulating Adjuvant Elicits Robust and Safe Metalloimmunotherapy against Solid Tumors

Clinical immunotherapy of solid tumors elicits durable responses only in a minority of patients, largely due to the highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Although rational combinations of vaccine adjuvants with inflammatory cytokines or immune agonists that relieve immunosuppression represent an appealing therapeutic strategy against solid tumors, there are unavoidable nonspecific toxicities due to the pleiotropy of cytokines and undesired activation of off-target cells. Herein, a Zn2+ doped layered double hydroxide (Zn-LDH) based immunomodulating adjuvant, which not only relieves immunosuppression but also elicits robust antitumor immunity, is reported. Peritumorally injected Zn-LDH sustainably neutralizes acidic TME and releases abundant Zn2+, promoting a pro-inflammatory network composed of M1-tumor-associated macrophages, cytotoxic T cells, and natural-killer cells. Moreover, the Zn-LDH internalized by tumor cells effectively disrupts endo-/lysosomes to block autophagy and induces mitochondrial damage, and the released Zn2+ activates the cGas-STING signaling pathway to induce immunogenic cell death, which further promotes the release of tumor-associated antigens to induce antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Unprecedentedly, merely injection of Zn-LDH adjuvant, without using any cytotoxic inflammatory cytokines or immune agonists, significantly inhibits the growth, recurrence, and metastasis of solid tumors in mice. This study provides a rational bottom-up design of potent adjuvant for cancer metalloimmunotherapy against solid tumors

A Peritumorally Injected Immunomodulating Adjuvant Elicits Robust and Safe Metalloimmunotherapy against Solid Tumors

Clinical immunotherapy of solid tumors elicits durable responses only in a minority of patients, largely due to the highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Although rational combinations of vaccine adjuvants with inflammatory cytokines or immune agonists that relieve immunosuppression represent an appealing therapeutic strategy against solid tumors, there are unavoidable nonspecific toxicities due to the pleiotropy of cytokines and undesired activation of off-target cells. Herein, a Zn2+ doped layered double hydroxide (Zn-LDH) based immunomodulating adjuvant, which not only relieves immunosuppression but also elicits robust antitumor immunity, is reported. Peritumorally injected Zn-LDH sustainably neutralizes acidic TME and releases abundant Zn2+, promoting a pro-inflammatory network composed of M1-tumor-associated macrophages, cytotoxic T cells, and natural-killer cells. Moreover, the Zn-LDH internalized by tumor cells effectively disrupts endo-/lysosomes to block autophagy and induces mitochondrial damage, and the released Zn2+ activates the cGas-STING signaling pathway to induce immunogenic cell death, which further promotes the release of tumor-associated antigens to induce antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Unprecedentedly, merely injection of Zn-LDH adjuvant, without using any cytotoxic inflammatory cytokines or immune agonists, significantly inhibits the growth, recurrence, and metastasis of solid tumors in mice. This study provides a rational bottom-up design of potent adjuvant for cancer metalloimmunotherapy against solid tumors

Clinical outcomes of percutaneous microwave ablation for pulmonary oligometastases from hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective, multicenter study

Abstract Background Pulmonary oligometastases are common in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, the existing therapeutic options have several limitations. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of HCC-originating pulmonary oligometastases. Methods A total of 83 patients, comprising 73 males and 10 females with a median age of 57 years, who had pulmonary oligometastases from HCC, underwent MWA treatment at four different medical institutions. Inclusion criteria for patients involved having primary HCC under control and having less than three oligometastases with a maximum diameter of ≤ 5 cm in the unilateral lung or less than five oligometastases with a maximum diameter of ≤ 3 cm in the bilateral lung. A total of 147 tumors were treated with MWA over 116 sessions. The primary endpoints assessed included technical success, treatment efficacy, and local progression rate, while secondary endpoints encompassed complications, clinical outcomes, overall survival (OS), local progression-free survival (LPFS), and prognostic factors. Results The technical success rate for MWA was 100% (116/116 sessions), and the treatment efficacy rate was 82.3% (121/147 tumors). Six months after MWA, the local progression rate was 23.1% (18/147 tumors). Complications were observed in 10.3% (major) and 47.4% (minor) of the 116 sessions, with no cases of ablation-related deaths. The median follow-up period was 21.6 months (range: 5.7–87.8 months). Median OS was 22.0 months, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 82.6%, 44.5%, and 25.2%, respectively. Median LPFS was 8.5 months. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels during initial diagnosis and the number of oligometastases as potential independent prognostic factors for OS (p = 0.017 and 0.045, respectively). Conclusion Percutaneous MWA is a safe and effective treatment modality for pulmonary oligometastases originating from HCC