15 research outputs found
Identification of histone malonylation in the human fetal brain and implications for diabetesāinduced neural tube defects
Abstract Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe congenital malformations. Diabetes during pregnancy is a risk factor for NTDs, but its mechanism remains elusive. Emerging evidence suggests that protein malonylation is involved in diabetes. Here, we report the correlation between histone lysine malonylation in diabetesāinduced NTDs. Methods NanoāHPLC/MS/MS was used to screen the histone malonylation profile in human embryonic brain tissue. Then, the histone malonylation level was compared between the brains of normal control mice and mice with diabetesāinduced NTDs. Finally, the histone malonylation level was compared under high glucose exposure in an E9 neuroepithelial cell line (NE4C). Results A total of 30 histone malonylation sites were identified in human embryonic brain tissue, including 18 novel sites. Furthermore, we found an increased histone malonylation level in brain tissues from mice with diabetesāinduced NTDs. Finally, both the histone malonylation modified sites and the modified levels were proved to be increased in the NE4C treated with high glucose. Conclusion Our results present a comprehensive map of histone malonylation in the human fetal brain. Furthermore, we provide experimental evidence supporting a relationship between histone malonylation and NTDs caused by high glucoseāinduced diabetes. These findings offer new insights into the pathological role of histone modifications in human NTDs
Plasma interleukin-37 is increased and inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients
Abstract Background Interleukin (IL)-37 has emerged as a novel anti-inflammatory cytokine that play an immunosuppressive role in regulating inflammatory response. This study aimed to measure IL-37 levels in the plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA), and to establish the correlation between IL-37 levels and disease activity, laboratory parameters and inflammatory cytokines. Methods The mRNA levels of IL-37 in PBMCs and plasma IL-37 concentrations in 46 sJIA patients and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The correlations between plasma IL-37 levels and disease activity, laboratory parameters and inflammatory cytokines in sJIA were analyzed by Spearman correlation test. PBMCs from the sJIA patients were stimulated with recombinant human IL-37Ā (rhIL-37) protein, expressions of IL-1Ī², IL-6, TNF-Ī± and IL-17 were detected by RT-PCR and ELISA. Results Plasma levels of IL-37 and relative IL-37 mRNA expression were significantly elevated in sJIA patients, especially in active sJIA patients, when compared with the healthy controls (Pā<ā0.001). Furthermore, patients with active disease showed higher IL-37 mRNAs and plasma protein levels than those with inactive disease as well as healthy controls. Plasma IL-37 levels were correlated with disease activity and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-Ī±, IL-17 and GM-CSF) in sJIA patients. The productions of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-Ī±, IL-17 in PBMCs from sJIA patients were obviously decreased after recombinant IL-37 stimulation, whereas the production of IL-1Ī² was not changed. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that levels of IL-37 were higher in sJIA patients, which were correlated with disease activity and sJIA related inflammatory cytokines. In addition, rhIL-37 down-regulates the expressions of inflammatory cytokines form PBMCs in sJIA patients, suggesting that IL-37 may have the potential role as a natural inhibitor for the pathogenesis and therapy of sJIA
Broad-Band Photodetectors Based on Copper Indium Diselenide Quantum Dots in a Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Matrix
Miscellaneous Lasing Actions in Organo-Lead Halide Perovskite Films
Lasing
actions in organo-lead halide perovskite films have been heavily studied
in the past few years. However, due to the disordered nature of synthesized
perovskite films, the lasing actions are usually understood as random
lasers that are formed by multiple scattering. Herein, we demonstrate
the miscellaneous lasing actions in organo-lead halide perovskite
films. In addition to the random lasers, we show that a single or
a few perovskite microparticles can generate laser emissions with
their internal resonances instead of multiple scattering among them.
We experimentally observed and numerically confirmed whispering gallery
(WG)-like microlasers in polygon shaped and other deformed microparticles.
Meanwhile, owing to the nature of total internal reflection and the
novel shape of the nanoparticle, the size of the perovskite WG laser
can be significantly decreased to a few hundred nanometers. Thus,
wavelength-scale lead halide perovskite lasers were realized for the
first time. All of these laser behaviors are complementary to typical
random lasers in perovskite film and will help the understanding of
lasing actions in complex lead halide perovskite systems
All-Dielectric Full-Color Printing with TiO<sub>2</sub> Metasurfaces
Recently,
color generation in resonant nanostructures have been
intensively studied. Despite of their exciting progresses, the structural
colors are usually generated by the plasmonic resonances of metallic
nanoparticles. Due to the inherent plasmon damping, such plasmonic
nanostructures are usually hard to create very distinct color impressions.
Here we utilize the concept of metasurfaces to produce all-dielectric,
low-loss, and high-resolution structural colors. We have fabricated
TiO<sub>2</sub> metasurfaces with electron-beam lithography and a
very simple lift-off process. The optical characterizations showed
that the TiO<sub>2</sub> metasurfaces with different unit sizes could
generate high reflection peaks at designed wavelengths. The maximal
reflectance was as high as 64% with full width at half-maximum (fwhm)
around 30 nm. Consequently, distinct colors have been observed in
bright field and the generated colors covered the entire visible spectral
range. The detailed numerical analysis shows that the distinct colors
were generated by the electric resonance and magnetic resonances in
TiO<sub>2</sub> metasurfaces. Based on the unique properties of magnetic
resonances, distinct colors have been observed in bright field when
the metasurfaces were reduced to a 4 Ć 4 array, giving a spatial
resolution around 16000 dpi. Considering the cost, stability, and
CMOS-compatibility, this research will be important for the structural
colors to reach real-world industrial applications
The first imported case of melioidosis in a patient in central China
ABSTRACTHere, we report the first imported case of melioidosis from Laos in central China. COMPACT VITEK2 identification system and PCR, as well as sequencing methods confirmed that the patient was infected by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a bacterial species closely related to an isolate detected in Thailand. These findings are highly valuable for an early diagnosis, treatment and to prevent the spread of this emerging infectious disease in central China