Study on the function and mechanism of long non-coding RNA DMTF1v4 in the occurrence of colon cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DMTF1v4 in colon cancer, and the relationship between its expression and disease occurrence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Human colon cancer tissues and para-carcinoma tissues were harvested. The expression of lncRNA DMTF1v4 was measured by semi-quantitative PCR. The expression of DMTF1v4 in HT-29 colon cancer cells was downregulated using siRNA, and the effect of its downregulation on cell growth was determined by MTT assay and plate clone assay. The effect of DMTF1v4 downregulation on colon cancer cell migration was determined using a transwell assay and scratch wound assay. The effect of DMTF1v4 on colon cancer cell apoptosis was determined using Annexin V/PI double-staining. The changes in p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-p38 were measured by Western blot. HT-29 cells with downregulated DMTF1v4 expression were used to establish the subcutaneous heterotopic transplantation tumor model in nude mice to study the effect of DMTF1v4 on tumor growth in animals.

RESULTS

Compared with para-carcinoma tissue, lncRNA DMTF1v4 in colon cancer tissue was highly expressed (p<0.001). Downregulating lncRNA DMTF1v4 in HT-29 cells showed that lncRNA DMTF1v4 promotes cell proliferation and migration, and suppresses apoptosis (p<0.05). The effect of lncRNA DMTF1v4 on the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway was evaluated. The expression of p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-p38 was increased significantly compared with the control group (p<0.01). The effect of downregulating DMTF1v4 on tumor growth in animals showed that tumor growth in nude mice was decreased, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was increased (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of lncRNA DMTF1v4 is elevated in colon cancer tissues; lncRNA DMTF1v4 promotes colon cancer cell proliferation and migration, and inhibits apoptosis by downregulating the expression of p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-p38, thus affecting the progression of colon cancer. This will provide a basis for the development of new clinical treatments for colon cancer.

Atmospheric fate of peroxyacetyl nitrate in suburban Hong Kong and its impact on local ozone pollution

Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is an important reservoir of atmospheric nitrogen, modulating reactive nitrogen cycle and ozone (O₃) formation. To understand the origins of PAN, a field measurement was conducted at Tung Chung site (TC) in suburban Hong Kong from October to November 2016. The average level of PAN was 0.63 ± 0.05 ppbv, with a maximum of 7.30 ppbv. Higher PAN/O₃ ratio (0.043-0.058) was captured on episodes, i.e. when hourly maximum O₃ exceeded 80 ppbv, than on non-episodes (0.01), since O₃ production was less efficient than PAN when there was an elevation of precursors (i.e. volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxide (NO_x)). Model simulations revealed that oxidations of acetaldehyde (65.3 ± 2.3%), methylglyoxal (MGLY, 12.7 ± 1.2%) and other oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) (8.0 ± 0.6%), and radical cycling (12.2 ± 0.8%) were the major production pathways of peroxyacetyl (PA) radical, while local PAN formation was controlled by both VOCs and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). Among all VOC species, carbonyls made the highest contribution (59%) to PAN formation, followed by aromatics (26%) and biogenic VOCs (BVOCs) (10%) through direct oxidation/decomposition. Besides, active VOCs (i.e. carbonyls, aromatics, BVOCs and alkenes/alkynes) could stimulate hydroxyl (OH) production, thus indirectly facilitating the PAN formation. Apart from primary emissions, carbonyls were also generated from oxidation of first-generation precursors, i.e., hydrocarbons, of which xylenes contributed the most to PAN production. Furthermore, PAN formation suppressed local O₃ formation at a rate of 2.84 ppbv/ppbv, when NO₂, OH and hydroperoxy (HO₂) levels decreased and nitrogen monoxide (NO) value enhanced. Namely, O₃ was reduced by 2.84 ppbv per ppbv PAN formation. Net O₃ production rate was weakened (∼36%) due to PAN photochemistry, so as each individual production and loss pathway. The findings advanced our knowledge of atmospheric PAN and its impact on O₃ production.

An unprecedented oxidised julolidine-BODIPY conjugate and its application in real-time ratiometric fluorescence sensing of sulfite

Reaction of a julolidine-based BODIPY compound with silver(i) ions in the presence of white light produced the oxidised julolidine version (OXJUL) containing a quaternary nitrogen. The oxidation of one ring at the julolidine site is highly unusual and there is no other reported literature example. The fluorescence maximum of OXJUL is altered from 648 nm to 608 nm by the addition of an aqueous solution of Na2SO3 over several minutes. In the presence of a large excess of sulfite a further slower reaction is observed which further shifts the emission maximum to 544 nm. The alterations form the basis of a real-time ratiometric sensor for sulfite and its detection in a white wine.

The influence of antibiotics on gut bacteria diversity associated with laboratory-reared Bactrocera dorsalis

The oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is a destructive insect pest of a wide range of fruit crops. Commensal bacteria play a very important part in the development, reproduction, and fitness of their host fruit fly. Uncovering the function of gut bacteria has become a worldwide quest. Using antibiotics to remove gut bacteria is a common method to investigate gut bacteria function. In the present study, three types of antibiotics (tetracycline, ampicillin, and streptomycin), each with four different concentrations, were used to test their effect on the gut bacteria diversity of laboratory-reared B. dorsalis. Combined antibiotics can change bacteria diversity, including cultivable and uncultivable bacteria, for both male and female adult flies. Secondary bacteria became the dominant population in female and male adult flies with the decrease in normally predominant bacteria. However, in larvae, only the predominant bacteria decreased, the bacteria diversity did not change a lot, likely because of the short acting time of the antibiotics. The bacteria diversity did not differ among fruit fly treatments with antibiotics of different concentrations. This study showed the dynamic changes of gut bacterial diversity in antibiotics-treated flies, and provides a foundation for research on the function of gut bacteria of the oriental fruit fly.

Rational design of spontaneous reactions for protecting porous lithium electrodes in lithium-sulfur batteries

A rechargeable lithium anode requires a porous structure for a high capacity, and a stable electrode/electrolyte interface against dendrite formation and polysulfide crossover when used in a lithium-sulfur battery. Here, we design two simple steps of spontaneous reactions for protecting porous lithium electrodes. First, a reaction between molten lithium and sulfur-impregnated carbon nanofiber forms a fibrous network with a lithium shell and a carbon core. Second, we coat the surface of this porous lithium electrode with a composite of lithium bismuth alloys and lithium fluoride through another spontaneous reaction between lithium and bismuth trifluoride, solvated with phosphorous pentasulfide, which also polymerizes with lithium sulfide residual in the electrode to form a solid electrolyte layer. This protected porous lithium electrode enables stable operation of a lithium-sulfur battery with a sulfur loading of 10.2 mg cm-2 at 6.0 mA cm-2 for 200 cycles.

Retraction Note: circRNA_100290 plays a role in oral cancer by functioning as a sponge of the miR-29 family

The Editors and Publisher have agreed to retract the above paper following a request from the authors.

Clinical study of the radiotherapy with EDGE accelerator in the treatment of the moderate and severe thyroid associated ophthalmopathy

OBJECTIVE

To explore the short-term efficacy, acute complications and response factors after the radiotherapy with EDGE accelerator in patients with moderate and severe thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 68 patients with moderate and severe TAO who received the radiotherapy with EDGE accelerator between August 1st, 2017 and May 1st, 2011 were enrolled in the present study. The clinical data were collected, and the efficacy and acute complications were followed up, and the response factors were analyzed.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight patients (136 eyes) were followed up for 6 months after radiotherapy. The total score after radiotherapy was significantly lower compared to that before the therapy (p<0.05), and the effective rate was 75.74%. After the radiotherapy, the patient's exophthalmia, soft tissue involvement, eye external muscle involvement, corneal involvement, decreased vision and diplopia, tearing and eyelid pain have improved. Acute complications included increased local inflammation, hair loss, pigmentation and xerophthalmias. In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that thyroid hormone level was the independent factor for the response to the radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with moderate and severe TAO, radiotherapy with EDGE accelerator is a safe and effective treatment option. Maintaining normal thyroid hormone level can improve the effective rate of radiotherapy.

Genetic diversity and maternal origin of Northeast African and South American donkey populations

To investigate the mtDNA variation and origin of maternal lineages in South American donkeys and to reassess the domestication of donkeys in northeast Africa, we analyzed sequences (489 bp of the D-loop) from 323 domestic donkeys sampled from Peru, Brazil, Ethiopia and Egypt. Altogether, the 323 sequences displayed 53 different haplotypes (45 in Ethiopia, 14 in Egypt, eight in Peru and six in Brazil). Among the four populations, Egyptian donkeys possessed the highest haplotype diversity (0.910 ± 0.032), followed by Brazilian donkeys (0.879 ± 0.060). The Clade I haplotypes dominated in Peruvian donkeys (65%), whereas Clade II haplotypes dominated in Brazilian donkeys (67%). Estimates of F_ST values showed a high genetic differentiation between Peruvian and Brazilian donkey populations (F_ST  = 0.4066), which could be explained by the complex introduction history of South American donkeys. Phylogeographic analysis indicates that northeast Africa could be the most probable domestication center for Clade I donkeys. Analysis of molecular variance confirmed a weak genetic structure in domestic donkey populations among four continents (Europe, Asia, Africa and South America).

Bench test of phase measurement on dispersion interferometer for EAST

In recent years, different traditional interferometers have been the necessary diagnostic of electronic density measurement on fusion devices. Until now, two main problems always influence the density measurement: the mechanical vibration and fringe jump in the calculation. The dispersion interferometer (DI) with a long-wavelength infrared wavelength is a good choice because mechanical vibrations can be canceled and the fringe jump can be inhibited. This paper describes the bench test of phase measurement using a wedge instead of plasma on the DI. The results show good agreement with the theoretical calculations. In the background measurement, this DI without a vibration isolation system has good performance, and the drift of the baseline is less than 2 × 10¹⁷ m^-2 in 3 s and less than 5 × 10¹⁷ m^-2 in 400 s. Plasma data will be obtained during the next campaign on EAST (Experimental and Advanced Superconducting Tokamak).

The Biology of Streptococcus mutans

As a major etiological agent of human dental caries, Streptococcus mutans resides primarily in biofilms that form on the tooth surfaces, also known as dental plaque. In addition to caries, S. mutans is responsible for cases of infective endocarditis with a subset of strains being indirectly implicated with the onset of additional extraoral pathologies. During the past 4 decades, functional studies of S. mutans have focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms the organism employs to form robust biofilms on tooth surfaces, to rapidly metabolize a wide variety of carbohydrates obtained from the host diet, and to survive numerous (and frequent) environmental challenges encountered in oral biofilms. In these areas of research, S. mutans has served as a model organism for ground-breaking new discoveries that have, at times, challenged long-standing dogmas based on bacterial paradigms such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. In addition to sections dedicated to carbohydrate metabolism, biofilm formation, and stress responses, this article discusses newer developments in S. mutans biology research, namely, how S. mutans interspecies and cross-kingdom interactions dictate the development and pathogenic potential of oral biofilms and how next-generation sequencing technologies have led to a much better understanding of the physiology and diversity of S. mutans as a species.

Dexmedetomidine attenuation of renal ischaemia-reperfusion injury requires sirtuin 3 activation

BACKGROUND

Dexmedetomidine attenuates renal ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury, but its mechanism of action is unclear. As sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) activation can alleviate acute kidney injury, we investigated whether dexmedetomidine acts through SIRT3 to reduce renal I/R injury.

METHODS

The potential involvement of SIRT3 in dexmedetomidine attenuation of renal I/R injury was tested in HK2 cells subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation and C57BL/6J mice subjected to renal I/R. A short interfering RNA targeting SIRT3 was used in some experiments to examine the potential role of SIRT3. Cell death and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) were analysed in cultured cells. Mitochondrial damage in mice was assessed using electron microscopy and markers for renal function. Expression of cyclophilin D, cytochrome c, and SIRT3, and the level of cyclophilin D acetylation were determined.

RESULTS

Hypoxia/reoxygenation of HK2 cells increased cell death, cytochrome C expression, and cyclophilin D acetylation, and decreased Δψm and SIRT3 expression (P<0.05). Dexmedetomidine attenuated these changes. The dexmedetomidine effects were enhanced by SIRT3 overexpression and eliminated by SIRT3 knockdown. I/R in mice damaged renal function, and increased histological lesions, mitochondrial damage, cytochrome c expression, and cyclophilin D acetylation, while SIRT3 activity was decreased by 51% (P<0.05). Dexmedetomidine inhibited these changes in mice expressing normal levels of SIRT3, but not in SIRT3-knockdown mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Dexmedetomidine appears to act, at least in part, by up-regulating SIRT3 to inhibit mitochondrial damage and cell apoptosis and thereby protect against renal I/R injury.

Antiviral effect of baicalin phospholipid complex against duck hepatitis A virus type 1

Duck hepatitis A virus type 1 (DHAV-1) is one of the main pathogens of ducklings and causes a high mortality rate. Baicalin (BA) has potent antiviral effect, but the solubility is very poor. In order to increase the absorption, solubility, and pharmacological activity, the phospholipid complex was used to modify BA in present study. Therefore, BA phospholipid complex (BAPC) was prepared. The anti-DHAV-1 abilities of BA and BAPC in vitro was evaluated by cell counting kit-8 and reverse transcription quantitative PCR. The curative effects of BA and BAPC on ducklings which were infected by DHAV-1 in addition to the ALT and AST levels were also detected. The results indicated the anti-DHAV-1 ability of BAPC was stronger than that of BA both in vitro and in vivo. To explore the anti-DHAV-1 mechanism, the influence of BAPC on DHAV-1 adsorption, replication, and release was studied. Furthermore, the anti-oxidative and immuno-enhancing abilities of BAPC in the treatment of infected ducklings were also determined. The results showed BAPC inhibited DHAV-1 adsorption, replication and release. Furthermore, it played anti-oxidative and immno-enhancing roles in the treatment, and the immno-enhancing role was crucial to the treatment.

A free-standing wire scattering technique to monitor calibration variations of the DIII-D density profile reflectometer

Real-time phase calibration of the ITER profile reflectometer is essential due to the long plasma duration and expected waveguide path length changes during a discharge. Progress has been recently made in addressing this issue by employing a phase calibration technique on DIII-D that monitors calibration variations that occur during each plasma discharge. By installing a thin free-standing metallic wire (1 mm diameter) near the end of the overmoded waveguide transmission system (oriented perpendicular to the waveguide axis), the round-trip phase shift from the wire is detected simultaneously with the plasma phase shifts. Variations in the reflectometer round trip path length (∼26 m) are then calculated after each DIII-D plasma discharge, allowing the calibration phase to be accurately monitored and updated. The round-trip reflectometer path length is observed to vary by ∼3 mm (root mean square value) during a typical DIII-D discharge. Using the variations in calibration phase, the density profile measurement accuracy can be improved. Since the wire retro-reflected power is ∼0.01 of the plasma signal, minimal effect is observed on the reflected signal from the plasma. Importantly, through a suitable choice in wire diameter, the calibration signal can be made approximately independent of the V-band reflectometer launch polarization. This is particularly important on DIII-D since orthogonal X- and O-mode polarized beams are coupled into the same transmission waveguide and launch antenna.