CD226 attenuates Treg suppressive capacity via CTLA-4 and TIGIT during EAE

The Cluster of differentiation 226(CD226)/T cell immunoglobulin and immune receptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT) axis plays an important role in the balance of the immune response. A previous study showed that CD226 is involved in CD4+ T cell differentiation and that blocking CD226 may attenuate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) development. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain incompletely understood. In this study, it was found that Cd226−/− mice were less susceptible to EAE and that there was less T helper 17(Th17) cell infiltration with higher levels of regulatory cells (Tregs) infiltration in the Cd226−/− EAE mouse central nervous system (CNS) compared with that in the WT EAE mouse CNS. Moreover, the suppressive function of Cd226−/− Tregs was upregulated compared with that of WT Tregs. Furthermore, it was observed that the expression levels of CTLA-4 and TIGIT on Cd226−/− Tregs were higher than those on WT Tregs during EAE in the spleen and CNS. Our results demonstrate a pivotal role for CD226 in attenuating Treg function in EAE that was associated with downregulating the expression levels of CTLA-4 and TIGIT.     

Retained or altered expression of major histocompatibility complex class I in patient-derived xenograft models in breast cancer

Immunologic Research - The expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) in tumor cells is regulated by interferon signaling, and it is an important factor in the efficacy of...     

Referencing the trochlear groove based on three-dimensional computed tomography imaging improves the reliability of the measurement of the tibial tuberosity–trochlear groove distance in patients with higher grades of trochlea dysplasia

BackgroundTo determine whether 3D-CT imaging technique is valid and reproducible compared to conventional CT measurement technique (CCT) for the detection of a femoropatellar instability.MethodsPatients who had undergone surgery for femoropatellar instability (patellar instability group) between 2010 and 2016 (n = 37 knees of 35 patients) were retrospectively enrolled. For the matched control group, patients who had acute anterior cruciate ligament injury (< 4 weeks previously; n = 30) were recruited. Preoperative CT data had been obtained in all patients. Inter-rater reliability was calculated for both measurement protocols, and inter-method reliability was calculated between the two imaging modalities. The results are reported using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland–Altman 95% limits of agreement.ResultsAll patients in the patellar instability group had femoral trochlear dysplasia (Dejour types A: four, B: 19, C: seven, and D: six), but no dysplasia was noted in the control group. In the patellar instability group, the CCT technique showed a poor inter-rater agreement (ICC = 0.74), and the 3D-CT technique still showed excellent inter-rater agreement (ICCs = 0.91). In the sub-analysis of the patellar instability group according to the trochlear dysplasia grade, ICCs were markedly decreased with severe trochlear dysplasia when using CCT technique; however, the 3D-CT technique could provide excellent reliability even with severe trochlear dysplasia.ConclusionThe 3D-CT imaging technique for the measurement of the TT–TG distance can be suggested as a better measurement technique for patellar instability patients with bone abnormality.     

Infection patterns,clinical significance,and genetic characteristics of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Giardia duodenalis in dairy cattle in Jiangsu,China

The infection patterns and clinical significance of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Giardia duodenalis in dairy cattle remain poorly investigated despite their common occurrence. Data on the genetic diversity are also needed to understand the transmission and human-infective potential of the two pathogens. In this study, fecal specimens from 1366 dairy cattle on a large farm were examined for the presence and genotype distribution of E. bieneusi and G. duodenalis by PCR and DNA sequencing. The overall infection rates of E. bieneusi and G. duodenalis were 13.0% and 20.6%, respectively. Pre-weaned calves had significantly higher infection rates of both pathogens than post-weaned and adult cattle (P < 0.001), with peak occurrence of the pathogens in animals of 7–12 weeks. In both pre- and post-weaned calves, animals with diarrhea were 2.1–3.0 times more likely to be infected with either pathogen than those without diarrhea (P < 0.01). The E. bieneusi identified belonged to five genotypes, including J (n = 138), I (n = 21), BEB4 (n = 10), Type IV (n = 1), and a novel genotype CHC17 (n = 1). Genotype J was the dominant one in all age groups, whereas genotype I was only identified in calves of 6–11 weeks. Genotyping of G. duodenalis at three genetic loci identified assemblage E (n = 278), assemblage A (n = 2), and concurrence of the two (n = 1). Altogether, 13, 7 and 10 subtypes of assemblage E were detected at the bg, gdh, and tpi loci, respectively, forming 65 multilocus genotypes. The formation of two major clusters of MLGs in eBURST analysis indicated that intra-assemblage genetic recombination of two dominant MLGs could have led to the high genetic heterogeneity within assemblage E on a single farm. Results of this study provide much needed data on the pathogenicity of E. bieneusi and G. duodenalis in pre- and post-weaned calves. The clinical significance of the two pathogens in dairy cattle warrants further investigations.

     

Preparation of nanocellulose and its potential in reinforced composites: A review

Cellulose is a kind of natural polymer material, which is composed of bundle-like fibrils. By peeling the fibrils layer by layer, the size of cellulose can be nanocrystallized, and nanofibers and nanocrystals with unique and potentially useful features can be prepared. As an emerging functional polymer material, nanocellulose has become a research hotspot in the field of technology. This review discusses the preparation of nanocellulose, including the commonly used hydrolysis, oxidation, physical and environmentally friendly ionic liquid methods. The advantages and disadvantages of different methods are also compared. And the review introduced the application of nanofiberized cellulose and nanocellulose crystals in the fields of thermosetting and thermoplastics, such as polylactic acid, polypropylene, epoxy resin and so on. The critical factors in the manufacturing of nanocellulose composites and mechanical properties are discussed to provide a reference for the further application and development of nanocellulose.     

Aligned Tubular Conjugated Microporous Polymer Films for the Aggregation‐Induced Emission‐Based Sensing of Explosives

This work shows the sensing performance of conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) tubes. Aligned tubular CMP films (CMP‐AT) are synthesized by a template method. The Sonogashira coupling of tetra(4‐ethynyl)phenylethylene with 1,4‐diiodobenzene in the cylindrical pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) plates and the etching of templates result in the CMP‐AT films. Due to the tetraphenylethylene moieties in the materials, the CMP‐AT films show aggregation‐induced emission (AIE). Based on emission‐quenching behavior, the sensing performance of CMP‐AT films toward model explosives, nitrotoluenes, is studied. The CMP‐AT films having longer CMP tubes with thinner wall thickness show better sensing performance with the Stern–Volmer constant (K_sv) values up to 92 400 M^?1 toward 2,4‐dinitrotoluene. The reduced diffusion pathway of substrates by the thin wall of the CMP tubes is critical for the AIE quenching‐based sensing of nitrotoluenes. These observations indicate that the functionality of CMP materials can be further enhanced by their morphological engineering. Due to the chemical stability of CMP materials, the CMP‐AT‐5 film can be recycled at least five times, maintaining the original sensing performance and tubular morphology.     

Functional characterization of CEP250 variant identified in nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common manifestation of inherited retinal diseases with high degree of genetic, allelic, and phenotypic heterogeneity. CEP250 encodes the C‐Nap1 protein and has been associated with various retinal phenotypes. Here, we report the identification of a mutation (c.562C>T, p.R188*) in the CEP250 in a consanguineous family with nonsyndromic RP. To gain insights into the molecular pathomechanism underlying CEP250 defects and the functional relevance of CEP250 variants in humans, we conducted a functional characterization of CEP250 variant using a novel Cep250 knockin mouse line. Remarkably, the disruption of Cep250 resulted in severe impairment of retinal function and significant retinal morphological alterations. The homozygous knockin mice showed significantly reduced retinal thickness and ERG responses. This study not only broadens the spectrum of phenotypes associated with CEP250 mutations, but also, for the first time, elucidates the function of CEP250 in photoreceptors using a newly established animal model.     

Candida albicans growth on thermal cycled materials for maxillofacial prostheses in vitro

In the present study, the growth of a single isolate of Candida albicans on saliva-, serum-coated or protein free (uncoated), thermocycled (4-70 degrees C for 1 min, respectively; 0, 1000 and 10 000 times) 15 commercial maxillofacial materials was investigated, by monitoring pH changes in growth media. The inhibitory effect of the tissue conditioners on fungal growth was analysed using three parameters viz: (i) delay in the onset of the rapid decline in pH (ii) reduction in the rate of pH change and (iii) the pH minima reached. In the case of control materials (non-thermocycled and uncoated), significant antifungal effect was observed with two products. However, the antifungal effect of the materials was significantly reduced both by thermal cycling (Analysis of covariance [ANOVA]; P < 0.01) and a layer of protein coating (saliva, P < 0.05; serum, P < 0.01). When the interrelation between three parameters of fungal growth and the surface hydrophobicity of the materials were analysed, minimum pH of fungal growth on 10 000-thermocycled materials correlated well with the contact angles of the materials (Student t-test, P < 0.01), suggesting that thermocycling process reduced the unpolymerized components of the materials which showed the antifungal effects, resulted in that the cell growth depends on the surface hydrophobicity of the specimens. These results, taken together, suggest that the ageing of the materials and the biological fluids of the host enhanced the fungal growth on maxillofacial materials.     

五倍子对感染根管内厌氧菌抑制作用的体外研究

目的:观察中药五倍子对感染根管内几种常见优势专性厌氧菌和兼性厌氧菌的抑菌作用。方法:采用试管二倍稀释法,测定五倍子水提取物在体外环境下对厌氧消化链球菌、内氏放线菌、具核梭杆菌、中间普雷沃菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌的最小抑菌浓度(MIC)和杀菌浓度(MBC),同时以氢氧化钙做对照。结果:五倍子对各种试验菌株均有抑制作用,对不同的菌株,MIC和MBC值不同,而氢氧化钙对内氏放线菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌在试验浓度范围内无抑制作用。结论:五倍子水提取物抗菌效果较好且广泛,用于根管内封药具有一定的应用前景。