Structure Mediation and Properties of Poly(l-lactide)/Poly(d-lactide) Blend Fibers

Poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly(d-lactic acid) (PDLA) blend as-spun fibers (50/50, wt.%) were prepared by melt spinning. Structure mediation under temperature and stress and properties of poly(l-lactic acid)/poly(d-lactic acid)(PLLA/PDLA) as-spun fibers were investigated by wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that highly oriented stereocomplex (SC) crystals can be formed in PLLA/PDLA blend fibers drawn at 60 °C and annealed at 200 °C. However, at drawn temperature of 80 °C, only lower oriented SC crystals can be formed. For PLLA/PDLA blend fibers drawn twice at 60 °C (PLLA/PDLA-60-2), the crystallinity of SC crystals increases with annealing temperature in the range of 200 to 215 °C, while the degree of orientation decreases slightly. When the annealing temperature is 210 °C, the crystallinity and orientation of SC crystals in PLLA/PDLA-60-2 fibers reach 51% and −0.39, respectively. Moreover, PLLA/PDLA-60-2-210 fibers exhibit excellent heat-resistant property even at 200 °C. The results indicate that the oriented PLLA/PDLA blend fibers with high SC crystals content can be regulated in a short time

Case Report: Cancer spectrum and genetic characteristics of a de novo germline POLD1 p.L606M variant-induced polyposis syndrome

Germline variations in the DNA polymerase genes, POLE and POLD1, can lead to a hereditary cancer syndrome that is characterized by frequent gastrointestinal polyposis and multiple primary malignant tumors. However, because of its rare occurrence, this disorder has not been extensively studied. In this report, we present the case of a 22-year-old female patient who had been diagnosed with gastrointestinal polyposis, breast fibroadenoma, multiple primary colorectal cancers, and glioblastoma (grade IV) within a span of 4 years. Next-generation sequencing analysis revealed a germline variant in POLD1 (c.1816C>A; p.L606M). In silico analysis using protein functional predicting software, including SIFT, Polyphen, GERP++, and CADD, further confirmed the pathogenicity of POLD1 p.L606M (classified as ACMG grade Class 4). In line with polymerase deficiency, both rectal cancer and glioblastoma tissues exhibited a high tumor mutation burden, with 16.9 muts/Mb and 347.1 muts/Mb, respectively. Interestingly, the patient has no family history of cancer, and gene examination of both parents confirms that this is a de novo germline variant. Therefore, molecular screening for POLD1 may be necessary for patients with such a cancer spectrum, regardless of their family history

Efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma for acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundAs the most common acute optic neuropathy in older patients, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) presents with varying degrees of visual acuity loss and visual field defect. However, there is no generally accepted treatment for NAION.ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for patients with acute NAION within 2 months.DesignA prospective, nonrandomized controlled trial.MethodsTwenty-five eyes of 25 patients were enrolled. Of them, 13 received anisodine hydrobromide and butylphthalide-sodium chloride injection continuously for 10 days as basic treatment in the control group, and 12 received two tenon capsule injections of PRP on a 10 days interval as an additional treatment in the PRP group. We compared the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and capillary perfusion density (CPD) of radial peripapillary capillaries and the moth-eaten eara of the peripapillary superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus at 1 day (D1) before the first PRP treatment and 7 days (D7), 14 days (D14), and 30 days (D30) after the first PRP injection. Ocular and systemic adverse effects were assessed.ResultsIn the PRP group, a better BCVA occurred at D30 (adjusted p = 0.005, compared with D1, recovered from 0.67 ± 0.59 to 0.43 ± 0.59), and a significant improvement in CPD was observed at D30 (adjusted p < 0.001, p = 0.027, p = 0.027, compared with D1, D7, D14, in sequence, the value was 35.97 ± 4.65, 38.73 ± 4.61, 39.05 ± 5.26, 42.71 ± 4.72, respectively). CPD at D7 in the PRP group was better than that in the control group (p = 0.043). However, neither BCVA nor the moth-eaten area index were significantly different (all p > 0.5) between the two groups. The main adverse effect was local discomfort resolved within 1 week, and no other systemic adverse events occurred.ConclusionTenon capsule injection of PRP was a safe treatment for AION and could improve capillary perfusion of the optic nerve head and might be helpful in increasing short-term vision in patients with acute NAION

lncRNA LOC100911717-targeting GAP43-mediated sympathetic remodeling after myocardial infarction in rats

ObjectiveSympathetic remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) is the primary cause of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), leading to sudden cardiac death (SCD). M1-type macrophages are closely associated with inflammation and sympathetic remodeling after MI. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critical for the regulation of cardiovascular disease development. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the lncRNAs involved in MI and reveal a possible regulatory mechanism.Methods and resultsM0- and M1-type macrophages were selected for sequencing and screened for differentially expressed lncRNAs. The data revealed that lncRNA LOC100911717 was upregulated in M1-type macrophages but not in M0-type macrophages. In addition, the lncRNA LOC100911717 was upregulated in heart tissues after MI. Furthermore, an RNA pull-down assay revealed that lncRNA LOC100911717 could interact with growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43). Essentially, immunofluorescence assays and programmed electrical stimulation demonstrated that GAP43 expression was suppressed and VA incidence was reduced after lncRNA LOC100911717 knockdown in rat hearts using an adeno-associated virus.ConclusionsWe observed a novel relationship between lncRNA LOC100911717 and GAP43. After MI, lncRNA LOC100911717 was upregulated and GAP43 expression was enhanced, thus increasing the extent of sympathetic remodeling and the frequency of VA events. Consequently, silencing lncRNA LOC100911717 could reduce sympathetic remodeling and VAs

MicroRNA-sequence profiling reveals novel osmoregulatory microRNA expression patterns in catadromous eel anguilla marmorata

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by post-transcriptional repression of mRNAs. Recently, several miRNAs have been confirmed to execute directly or indirectly osmoregulatory functions in fish via translational control. In order to clarify whether miRNAs play relevant roles in the osmoregulation of Anguilla marmorata, three sRNA libraries of A. marmorata during adjusting to three various salinities were sequenced by Illumina sRNA deep sequencing methods. Totally 11,339,168, 11,958,406 and 12,568,964 clear reads were obtained from 3 different libraries, respectively. Meanwhile, 34 conserved miRNAs and 613 novel miRNAs were identified using the sequence data. MiR-10b-5p, miR-181a, miR-26a-5p, miR-30d and miR-99a-5p were dominantly expressed in eels at three salinities. Totally 29 mature miRNAs were significantly up-regulated, while 72 mature miRNAs were significantly down-regulated in brackish water (10‰ salinity) compared with fresh water (0‰ salinity); 24 mature miRNAs were significantly up-regulated, while 54 mature miRNAs were significantly down-regulated in sea water (25‰ salinity) compared with fresh water. Similarly, 24 mature miRNAs were significantly up-regulated, while 45 mature miRNAs were significantly down-regulated in sea water compared with brackish water. The expression patterns of 12 dominantly expressed miRNAs were analyzed at different time points when the eels transferred from fresh water to brackish water or to sea water. These miRNAs showed differential expression patterns in eels at distinct salinities. Interestingly, miR-122, miR-140-3p and miR-10b-5p demonstrated osmoregulatory effects in certain salinities. In addition, the identification and characterization of differentially expressed miRNAs at different salinities can clarify the osmoregulatory roles of miRNAs, which will shed lights for future studies on osmoregulation in fish