Intracellular activation of complement C3 leads to PD-L1 antibody treatment resistance by modulating tumor-associated macrophages

Complement aids in the construction of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Tumor cell–derived C3 has been previously reported, but whether and how it acts on antitumor immunity remains to be elucidated. Here, we describe a mechanism for tumor cell–derived C3 in suppressing antitumor immunity. Tumor cell–derived C3 was activated intracellularly, which results in generation of C3a. C3a modulated tumor-associated macrophages via C3a-C3aR-PI3Kγ signaling, thereby repressing antitumor immunity. Deletion of C3 in tumor cells that had high C3 expression enhanced efficacy of anti–PD-L1 treatment. Collectively, our results suggest tumor cell–derived C3 may be a useful target for cancer immunotherapy and that targeting C3 in tumor cells may enhance antitumor immunity

Imaging diagnosis in peripheral nerve injury

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) can be caused by various factors, ranging from penetrating injury to compression, stretch and ischemia, and can result in a range of clinical manifestations. Therapeutic interventions can vary depending on the severity, site, and cause of the injury. Imaging plays a crucial role in the precise orientation and planning of surgical interventions, as well as in monitoring the progression of the injury and evaluating treatment outcomes. PNIs can be categorized based on severity into neurapraxia, axonotmesis, and neurotmesis. While PNIs are more common in upper limbs, the localization of the injured site can be challenging. Currently, a variety of imaging modalities including ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have been applied in detection and diagnosis of PNIs, and the imaging efficiency and accuracy many vary based on the nature of injuries and severity. This article provides an overview of the causes, severity, and clinical manifestations of PNIs and highlights the role of imaging in their management

Low-Temperature Preparation of Hierarchical Structure TiO2 for Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

Photoanodes for flexible DSSC have been prepared through a chemical sintering method using hydrothermal cement at low temperature of 120 degrees C. The addition of the hydrothermal cement can effectively increase the adhesion between the photoanode and flexible ITO-PET substrate and build the interconnection between nanoparticles at low temperature for the fast transport of electrons. The flexible DSSC based on the photoanode obtains a relatively high photo-to-electric conversion efficiency of 4.0%. The method basing on the commercially available TiO2 with a small proportion of hydrothermal cement is suitable for roll-to-roll screen-printing preparation, which is expected to be scaled up for mass production of high performance flexible DSSCs

Excess Molar Volume along with Viscosity and Refractive Index for Binary Systems of Tricyclo[5.2.1.0^2.6]decane with Five Cycloalkanes

Densities, viscosities, and refractive indices have been measured for the binary system of tricyclo­[5.2.1.0^2.6]­decane with cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, ethylcyclohexane, butylcyclohexane, or 1,2,4-trimethylcyclohexane at temperatures <i>T</i> = (293.15 to 318.15 K) and pressure <i>p</i> = 0.1 MPa. The excess molar volumes (<i>V</i>_m^E), the viscosity deviations (Δη), and the refractive index deviations (Δ<i>n</i>_D) are then calculated. The changes of <i>V</i>_m^E and Δη with the composition are fitted to the Redlich–Kister equation. The values of density, viscosity, and refractive index increase continuously with the increase of mole fraction of tricyclo­[5.2.1.0^2.6]­decane and decrease with the rise of temperature. The <i>V</i>_m^E and Δη are all negative over the whole composition range for these five binary systems. The changes of <i>V</i>_m^E and Δη are discussed from the points of view of molecular interactions in the binary systems

Effect of Different Comonomers Added to Graft Copolymers on the Properties of PLA/PPC/PLA-g-GMA Blends

The melt-free radical grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto poly (lactic acid) (PLA) with styrene (St), α-methylstyrene (AMS), and epoxy resin (EP) as comonomers in a twin-screw extruder was used to prepare PLA-g-GMA graft copolymers. The prepared graft copolymers were then used as compatibilizers to prepare PLA/PPC/PLA-g-GMA blends by melt blending with PLA and polypropylene carbonate (PPC), respectively. The effects of different comonomers in the PLA-g-GMA graft copolymers on the thermal, rheological, optical, and mechanical properties and microstructure of the blends were studied. It was found that the grafting degree of PLA-g-GMA graft copolymers was increased to varying degrees after the introduction of comonomers in the PLA-g-GMA grafting reaction system. When St was used as the comonomer, the grafting degree of the PLA-g-GMA graft copolymer increased most significantly, from 0.8 to 1.6 phr. St as a comonomer also most improved the compatibility between PLA and PPC, and the haze of the blends was reduced while maintaining high transmittance. In addition, the PLA-g-GMA graft copolymer with the introduction of St as a comonomer significantly improved the impact toughness of the blends, while the thermal stability and tensile strength of the blends remained largely unchanged

Excess Molar Volume along with Viscosity, Flash Point, and Refractive Index for Binary Mixtures of <i>cis</i>-Decalin or <i>trans</i>-Decalin with C₉ to C₁₁ <i>n</i>‑Alkanes

Density, viscosity, flash point and refractive index for binary mixtures of <i>cis</i>-decalin or <i>trans</i>-decalin with nonane, decane, and undecane have been determined at pressure <i>p</i> = 0.1 MPa and different temperatures ranging from (293.15 to 323.15) K. The calculated excess molar volumes give negative values over the whole composition range for these binary systems. With the increase of mole fraction of decalin, the values of viscosity and refractive index increase continuously. The viscosity deviation and refractive index deviation are calculated, showing negative from the corresponding linear additive values. A small additional amount of the component with lower flash point leads to marked changes of flash point values of these binary mixtures

Stratigraphic and Structural Control on Hydrothermal Dolomitization in the Middle Permian Carbonates, Southwestern Sichuan Basin (China)

The Qixia Formation and Maokou Formation of Middle Permian in the southwestern Sichuan Basin were pervasively dolomitized during the diagenetic history. Petrographically, four types of dolomites, namely three replacive dolomites (Rd1, Rd2, and Rd3) and one dolomite cement (Cd), were distinguished. Rd1 dolomite occurs as very fine (&lt;50 µm), planar-s to nonplanar crystals; Rd2 dolomite shows planar-e to planar-s crystal shapes with fine crystal sizes (50–250 µm) and is characterized by center-frog and margin-clear; Rd3 dolomite occurs as medium to coarse (250 µm–2 mm), nonplanar crystals; and Cd dolomite is characterized by saddle crystals filling dissolution pores and/or fractures, translucent white color in the hand samples, and strong sweeping extinction under cross-polarized light. In areas close to reactivated basement faults (Zhangcun outcrop and well Hanshen1), Rd3 (~65% by abundance) was the dominant type of replacement dolomite and minor amounts of Rd1 and Rd2 (~10%) were found in this area. Cd (~25%) was extensively developed in fractures and dissolution pores, whereas, in areas far away from the fault zones (Xinjigu outcrop), Rd1 (~20%) and Rd2 (~55%) were dominant replacement dolomites, and only a small portion of them were recrystallized to form Rd3 (~20%), with minor Cd (~5%) dolomite occurring in some dissolution pores. The δ13CV-PDB (−0.37‰ to 4.32‰) and δ18OV-PDB values (−7.41‰ to −5.19‰), 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.707085 to 0.707795), and rare earth elements (REE) patterns (flat REE patterns with slight light rare earth element (LREE) enrichment and slight negative Ce anomalies) suggest that Rd1 dolomite was formed penecontemporaneously in an evaporitic tidal flat evaporation environment with salinities higher than seawater. The Rd2 dolomite, characterized by δ13CV-PDB (−0.18‰ to 4.89‰) and δ18OV-PDB values from −6.6‰ to −5.5‰, 87Sr/86Sr ratios from 0.707292 to 0.707951, and LREE enrichment and slight negative Ce anomalies, was interpreted as forming from the recrystallization of Rd1 at shallow burial. The δ18OV-PDB values (−12.01‰ to −8.23‰), the prominent positive anomaly of Eu, high 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7081–0.7198) and high fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures (149–255 °C) suggest that Rd3 and Cd dolomite were formed from hot fluids. Based on regional stratigraphic data, the Rd3 and Cd were likely formed at depths less than 1500 m; thus, the ambient burial temperature would be lower than 85 °C. The high fluid temperatures recorded by fluid inclusions, thus, indicate that the dolomitization was of hydrothermal nature. The δ18OV-SMOW values, homogenization temperatures, and salinities of the fluid inclusions of Rd3 and Cd in proximal areas were systematically higher than those in distal areas, suggesting that the hydrothermal fluid ascended along faults in proximal areas and then migrated laterally along the strata to distal areas. The dolomites of the Middle Permian carbonates in the southwestern Sichuan Basin, thus, resulted from different dolomitization phases, and the latter hydrothermal dolomitization was controlled by a combination of strata and structures

The DEAD-box helicase RCF1 plays roles in miRNA biogenesis and RNA splicing in Arabidopsis

RCF1 is a highly conserved DEAD-box RNA helicase found in yeast, plants and mammals. Studies about the functions of RCF1 in plants are limited. Here we uncovered the functions of RCF1 in Arabidopsis thaliana as a player in pri-miRNA processing and splicing, as well as in pre-mRNA splicing. A mutant with miRNA biogenesis defects was isolated and the defect was traced to a recessive point mutation in RCF1 (rcf1-4). We show that RCF1 promotes D-body formation and facilitates the interaction between pri-miRNAs and HYL1. Finally, we show that intron-containing pri-miRNAs and pre-mRNAs exhibit a global splicing defect in rcf1-4. Together, this work uncovers roles for RCF1 in miRNA biogenesis and RNA splicing in Arabidopsis

Increased optical nonlinearities of graphene nanohybrids covalently functionalized by axially-coordinated porphyrins

Two graphene oxide (GO)-based nanohybrid materials possessing covalent linkages to axially-coordinated tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), GO-TPP, were prepared and were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, steady state fluorescence, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis and Raman spectroscopic techniques. The nonlinear optical properties and optical limiting performance of GO, GO-TPP nanohybrids and the free porphyrins dihydroxotin(IV) tetraphenylporphyrin (SnTPP) and the phosphorus-cored porphyrin (PTPP) were investigated using nanosecond and picosecond Z-scan measurements at 532 nm. At the identical mass concentration of 0.2 mg mL-1, GO-TPP nanohybrids exhibited enhanced nonlinear optical properties and optical limiting performance, ascribed to a combination of nonlinear scattering and/or two-photon absorption with reverse saturable absorption, and the photo-induced electron or energy transfer from the electron-donor porphyrin moiety to the acceptor graphene