Clinical and Genetic Analysis of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1-Related Primary Hyperparathyroidism in Chinese

Objective

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1-related primary hyperparathyroidism (MHPT) differs in many aspects from sporadic PHPT (SHPT). The aims of this study were to summarize the clinical features and genetic background of Chinese MHPT patients and compare the severity of the disease with those of SHPT.

Design and Methods

A total of 40 MHPT (27 sporadic, 7 families) and 169 SHPT cases of Chinese descent were retrospectively analyzed. X-rays and ultrasound were used to assess the bone and urinary system. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were performed to measure bone mineral density (BMD). Besides direct sequencing of the MEN1 and CDKN1B genes, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was used to screen gross deletion for the MEN1 gene.

Results

Compared with SHPT patients, MHPT patients showed lower prevalence of typical X-ray changes related to PHPT (26.3% vs. 55.7%, P = 0.001) but higher prevalence of urolithiasis/renal calcification (40.2% vs. 60.0%, P = 0.024). MHPT patients showed higher phosphate level (0.84 vs. 0.73mmol/L, P<0.05) but lower ALP (103.0 vs. 174.0U/L, P<0.001) and PTH (4.0 vs. 9.8×upper limit, P<0.001) levels than SHPT patients. There were no significant differences in BMD Z-scores at the lumbar spine and femoral neck between the two groups. Mutations in the MEN1 gene were detected in 27 MHPT cases. Among the nine novel mutations were novel, one of them involved the deletion of exon 5 and 6.

Conclusions

MHPT patients experienced more common kidney complications but less skeletal issues, and a milder biochemical manifestation compared with SHPT patients. MEN1 mutation detection rate was 79.4% and 9 of the identified mutations were novel.

LOC101930370/MiR-1471 Axis Modulates the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play vital regulatory roles in many tumors. However, the functional roles of these transcripts responsible for their dysregulation in breast cancer (BC) are not thoroughly understood.

METHODS

We examined the expression of microRNA miR-1471 in BC specimens. Online analysis tools predicted that lncRNA LOC101930370 might act as an endogenous 'sponge' by competing for miR-1471 binding targets. Luciferase assays were used to prove the interaction of LOC101930370, miR-1471 and SHH. Edu, wound-healing and transwell assays were used to verify the contribution of miR-1471 and LOC101930370 on MCF-7 cells proliferation and metastasis. Gain and loss of function studies were performed to evaluate the relevance of Hedgehog pathway with LOC101930370/miR-1471 regulating axis in MCF-7 cells.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-1471 was markedly downregulated in BC. Inhibition of miR-1471 by LOC101930370 was proved by luciferase assay. Knockdown of LOC101930370 suppressed BC cells progression. MiR-1471 inhibitor resulted in a more aggressive metastasis of MCF-7 cells. Moreover, SHH and Gli-1 expression were significantly suppressed by LOC101930370 knockdown, and upregulated by miR-1471 inhibitor transfection.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, our study reveals the interaction between LOC101930370 and miR-1471 for the first time. LOC101930370 positively regulates the expression of SHH by sponging miR-1471, which sheds new light on lncRNA-directed diagnostics and therapeutics in BC.

Clinical characteristics, cause analysis and infectivity of COVID-19 nucleic acid repositive patients: A literature review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a serious threat to human health and lives. The virus is still spreading throughout the world, and the cumulative number of confirmed cases is increasing. After patients with COVID-19 are treated and discharged, some have repeated clinical symptoms and become positive for nucleic acid tests a second time. Through analysis and review of the existing literature, the proportion of repositive patients in the discharged patient population and their clinical characteristics were systematically described for the first time. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of the causes of repositive nucleic acid tests and the potential transmission of the disease provides the basis for the management and protection of discharged patients with COVID-19.

The projections of global and regional rheumatic heart disease burden from 2020 to 2030

Background

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains the leading cause of preventable death and disability in children and young adults, killing an estimated 320,000 individuals worldwide yearly.

Materials and methods

We utilized the Bayesian age-period cohort (BAPC) model to project the change in disease burden from 2020 to 2030 using the data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019. Then we described the projected epidemiological characteristics of RHD by region, sex, and age.

Results

The global age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) and age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of RHD increased from 1990 to 2019, and ASPR will increase to 559.88 per 100,000 population by 2030. The global age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of RHD will continue declining, while the projected death cases will increase. Furthermore, ASPR and cases of RHD-associated HF will continue rising, and there will be 2,922,840 heart failure (HF) cases in 2030 globally. Female subjects will still be the dominant population compared to male subjects, and the ASPR of RHD and the ASPR of RHD-associated HF in female subjects will continue to increase from 2020 to 2030. Young people will have the highest ASPR of RHD among all age groups globally, while the elderly will bear a greater death and HF burden.

Conclusion

In the following decade, the RHD burden will remain severe. There are large variations in the trend of RHD burden by region, sex, and age. Targeted and effective strategies are needed for the management of RHD, particularly in female subjects and young people in developing regions.

Applications of human and bovine serum albumins in biomedical engineering: A review

Serum albumin, commonly recognized as a predominant major plasma protein, is ubiquitously distributed among vertebrates, demonstrating versatility and widespread accessibility. Numerous studies have discussed the composition and attributes of human and bovine serum albumin; nonetheless, few systematic and comprehensive summaries on human and bovine serum albumin exist. This paper reviews the applications of human and bovine serum albumin in biomedical engineering. First, we introduce the differences in the structure of human and bovine serum albumin. Next, we describe the extraction methods for human and bovine serum albumin (fractionation process separation, magnetic adsorption, reverse micellar (RM) extraction, and genetic engineering) and the advantages and disadvantages of recently developed extraction methods. The characteristics of different processing forms of human and bovine serum albumin are also discussed, concomitantly elucidating their intrinsic properties, functions, and applications in biomedicine. Notably, their pivotal functions as carriers for drugs and tissue-engineered scaffolds, as well as their contributions to cell reproduction and bioimaging, are critically examined. Finally, to provide guidance for researchers in their future work, this review summarizes the current state of human and bovine serum albumin research and outlines potential future research topics.

Carbon-Coated SnO(2) Nanorod Array for Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Material

Carbon-coated SnO(2) nanorod array directly grown on the substrate has been prepared by a two-step hydrothermal method for anode material of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The structural, morphological and electrochemical properties were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical measurement. When used as anodes for LIBs with high current density, as-obtained array reveals excellent cycling stability and rate capability. This straightforward approach can be extended to the synthesis of other carbon-coated metal oxides for application of LIBs.

Vertical distributions of mercury in marine sediment cores from central and southern part of Bohai Sea, China

In past decades, China has experienced substantial economic growth and industrialization. However, the effects of vast development of China on Hg input to the nearby oceans are still unclear. In this study, four representative 210Pb-dated sediment cores were collected in the central and southern part of Bohai sea to investigate vertical changes of Hg contents and explore the relationship between the Hg deposition and pollution history in this region utilizing a large amount of information available. The results indicated that Hg median concentrations of sediment core B62, B66, JQ17 and HZ24 were 0.043 mg/kg, 0.054 mg/kg, 0.033 mg/kg and 0.018 mg/kg respectively, among which, B66 in Yellow river estuary and B62 in central part of Bohai Sea had higher concentrations and HZ24 in Bohai Strait had a lower concentration. 210Pb profile appeared as a three segments model in the core B62, but as many steps of decay with depth in B66. For HZ24, 210Pb activity only fluctuated with depth without any discernible trend. Sedimentary rates of these cores decreased as follows: B66＞B62＞JQ17＞HZ24. Vertical distributions of Hg concentrations in sediment cores were totally different from each other. Hg concentrations in sediment core B62 experienced an initial fluctuation followed by a decreasing trend, while sediment core HZ24 almost showed the uniform decreasing trends from the surface to the bottom. There were three segments of variation in sediment cores JQ17: initial fluctuation followed by an obviously decreasing tendency and then a converted variation from surface to bottom. Hg contents changes in core B62 might reflect the additive effects from atmospheric deposition at a larger scale and the river-delivered sediment accumulation, while Hg vertical changes in B66 mainly had a close relationship with the input of Yellow river. The converted variation at the bottom section in sediment cores JQ17 was inferred to have some relationship with the Chengbei platform construction in the corresponding periods.

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment: functional MR imaging study of response in posterior cingulate cortex and adjacent precuneus during problem-solving tasks

PURPOSE

To compare the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response, measured with functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and adjacent precuneus regions between healthy control subjects and patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) during problem-solving tasks.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was approved by the institutional review board. Each subject provided written informed consent. Thirteen patients with amnestic MCI and 13 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects participated in the study. The functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging tasks were simplified 4 × 4-grid number placement puzzles that were divided into a simple task (using the row rule or the column rule to solve the puzzle) and a complex task (using both the row and column rules to solve the puzzle). Behavioral results and functional imaging results between the healthy control group and the amnestic MCI group were analyzed.

RESULTS

The accuracy for the complex task in the healthy control group was significantly higher than that in the amnestic MCI group (P < .05). The healthy control group exhibited a deactivated BOLD signal intensity (SI) change in the bilateral PCC and adjacent precuneus regions during the complex task, whereas the amnestic MCI group showed activation. The positive linear correlations between the BOLD SI change in bilateral PCC and adjacent precuneus regions and in bilateral hippocampi in the amnestic MCI group were significant (P < .001), while in the healthy control group, they were not (P ≥ .23).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that an altered BOLD response in amnestic MCI patients during complex tasks might be related to a decline in problem-solving ability and to memory impairment and, thus, may indicate a compensatory response to memory impairment.

FGF23 analysis of a Chinese family with autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets

Autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR; MIM 193100) is a hereditary disorder characterized by isolated renal phosphate wasting, hypophosphatemia, and inappropriately normal 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) levels. Recent studies have shown that the fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) gene is responsible for this disease. FGF23 protein is a phosphaturic factor that is elevated in several diseases associated with hypophosphatemia and rickets but varies with disease status in ADHR. In the present study we observed a Chinese family of Han ethnic origin diagnosed with ADHR. The proband is a 30-year-old woman with no history of rickets but with multiple tooth abscesses as a young adult. She presented with progressive painful swelling of the left ankle after a blunt trauma at 26 years of age. She developed back pain, generalized weakness, and fatigue, and she could barely walk at age 27. She was found to have severe hypophosphatemia, low ratio of phosphorus tubule maximum (TmP) to glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (TmP/GFR), and elevated alkaline phosphatase at age 28. Her brother, 26 years old, presented with fatigue at 24 years of age and is normophosphatemic. The parents of this family had no history of rickets or hypophosphatemia. Direct sequence analysis of genomic DNA demonstrated a single heterozygous c.527G>A (p.R176Q) mutation in the FGF23 gene in three family members, including the proband, her brother, and their mother. Intact FGF23 assay of seven time points during the oral phosphate loading test showed no significant relationship between intact FGF23 and serum phosphorus levels of the subject with ADHR and a control. It is probably the first report of a Chinese family with ADHR.

Investigation on bioremediation of oil-polluted wetland at Liaodong Bay in northeast China

An investigation on the effect of various microbes on degradation was carried out as part of the study on bioremediation of oil-polluted wetland at LiaoDong Bay in northeast China. The method used involved direct inoculation of selected bacteria, which were capable of degrading oil, to the soil samples. The combination of various bacteria showed better results in terms of oil degradation than any single ones due to their synergetic effects. The operation conditions [pH 8.0, 25 degrees C, C/N/P (40:5.6:1)] for these bacteria to degrade the oil content in the soil samples were also studied and optimized. Addition of appropriate surfactants was helpful for bacteria growth, thus favoring the oil degradation. For instance, after adding Tween 80 (300 mg/kg) for 8 days, the number of bacteria was amplified 6.22 times and the rate of oil degradation increased by 20%. Adequate amount of H2O2 was also beneficial for microbes to decompose oil. However, overdosage may cause the death of the bacteria. The addition of 400 mg/l H2O2 each time was suitable. Seven thousand milligrams of H2O2 was added entirely in 11 days, and the rate of oil degradation increased significantly from 27% (without H2O2) up to 67%. The study clearly demonstrated that the direct soil inoculation was an effective method for environmental bioremediation.

The performance of a new shock advisory algorithm to reduce interruptions during CPR

OBJECTIVE

To explore a new algorithm and strategy for rhythm analysis during chest compressions (CCs), and to improve the efficiency of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by minimizing interruptions.

METHODS

The clinical data and ECG of patients with sudden cardiac arrest (CA) from three hospitals in China were collected with Philips MRx monitor/defibrillators. The length of each analyzed ECG segment was 23 s, the first 11.5 s was selected to contain CPR compressions, the next 5 s had no compressions, and the last 6.5 s had no requirement. Three experienced emergency doctors annotated the ECG segments without compression artifacts. A two-step analysis through CPR (ATC) algorithm was applied to the selected data. The first step was analysis during chest compressions. If a shockable rhythm was not detected, compression-free analysis followed. The results of the ATC algorithm were compared with the annotations by the physicians, to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the algorithm.

RESULTS

In total 166 CA patients were included with 100 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients and 66 in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients. A total of 1578 ECG segments were analyzed, including 115 (7.3%) shockable rhythms, 1278 (81.0%) non-shockable rhythms, and 185 (11.7%) intermediate/unknown rhythms. The specificity of all non-shockable rhythms was 99.8% at the end of chest compressions, and 99.5% after analysis without compression artifact. 70.5% of ventricular fibrillation (VF) rhythms were detected by the end of chest compressions. After the CC-free analysis, 93.6% of VF was identified.

CONCLUSION

The ATC algorithm achieved sensitivity of 93.6% and specificity of 99.5% after the two-step analysis, and 70.5% of the patients with shockable rhythms did not require CC-free analysis. Such an approach has the potential to substantially reduce CC interruptions when identifying shockable rhythms.

Evaluation of pediatric malignancies using total-body PET/CT with half-dose [18F]-FDG

PURPOSE

To explore the impact of a true half dose of [¹⁸F]-FDG on image quality in pediatric oncological patients undergoing total-body PET/CT and investigate short acquisition times with half-dose injected activity.

METHODS

One hundred pediatric oncological patients who underwent total-body PET/CT using the uEXPLORER scanner after receiving a true half dose of [¹⁸F]-FDG (1.85 MBq/kg) were retrospectively enrolled. The PET images were first reconstructed using complete 600-s data and then split into 300-s, 180-s, 60-s, 40-s, and 20-s duration groups (G600 to G20). The subjective analysis was performed using 5-point Likert scales. Objective quantitative metrics included the maximum standard uptake value (SUV_max), SUV_mean, standard deviation (SD), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and SNR_norm of the background. The variabilities in lesion SUV_mean, SUV_max, and tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) were also calculated.

RESULTS

The overall image quality scores in the G600, G300, G180, and G60 groups were 4.9 ± 0.2, 4.9 ± 0.3, 4.4 ± 0.5, and 3.5 ± 0.5 points, respectively. All the lesions identified in the half-dose images were localized in the G60 images, while 56% of the lesions could be clearly identified in the G20 images. With reduced acquisition time, the SUV_max and SD of the backgrounds were gradually increased, while the TBR values showed no statistically significant differences among the groups (all p > 0.1). Using the half-dose images as a reference, the variability in the lesion SUV_max gradually increased from the G180 to G20 images, while the lesion SUV_mean remained stable across all age groups. SNR_norm was highly negatively correlated with age.

CONCLUSION

Total-body PET/CT with a half dose of [¹⁸F]-FDG (1.85 MBq/kg, estimated whole-body effective dose: 1.76-2.57 mSv) achieved good performance in pediatric patients, with sufficient image quality and good lesion conspicuity. Sufficient image quality and lesion conspicuity could be maintained at a fast scanning time of 60 s with half-dose activity.

LncRNA snaR upregulates GRB2-associated binding protein 2 and promotes proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

The functionality of lncRNA snaR has only been characterized in breast cancer and colon cancer. The aim of the current study is to explore the involvement of lncRNA snaR in ovarian carcinoma (OC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Expression of lncRNA snaR and GRB2-associated binding protein 2 (GAB2) in plasma of both patients with OC and healthy females was detected by qRT-PCR. Application value of plasma lncRNA snaR in the diagnosis of OC was evaluated by ROC analysis. Correlation between plasma lncRNA snaR and GAB2 was analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient. LncRNA snaR and GAB2 expression vectors as well as GAB2 siRNA were transfected into cells of human OC cell lines, and the effect on lncRNA snaR expression, GAB2 expression and cell proliferation was detected by qRT-PCR, western blot and CCK-8 assay.

RESULTS

It was observed that plasma levels of lncRNA snaR and GAB2 were significantly higher in OC patients than those in healthy controls. In effect, high levels of plasma lncRNA snaR and GAB2 distinguished OC patients from healthy controls. Plasma lncRNA snaR and GAB2 were positively correlated in OC patients but not in healthy controls. LncRNA snaR overexpression promoted cancer cell proliferation and upregulated GAB2 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

GAB2 overexpression also promoted cancer cell proliferation but showed no significant effects on lncRNA snaR expression, while GAB2 siRNA silencing significantly attenuated the enhancing effects of lncRNA snaR overexpression on cancer cell proliferation. LncRNA snaR may promote proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cells by upregulating GAB2 expression.

Trichosanthin down-regulated p210Bcr-Abl and enhanced imatinib-induced growth arrest in chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line K562

PURPOSE

Trichosanthin (TCS), an active component extracted from the root tubers of traditional Chinese medical herb Tian-Hua-Fen of the Cucurbitaceae family, has long been used for medical purpose in China; there is increasing interest in developing TCS as cancer therapeutic agents. The present study was to investigate the growth arrest of K562 cells and its molecular mechanisms, which the drugs induced by TCS and the possible functional interaction of TCS with imatinib (STI571) to K562 cells.

METHODS

Trypan blue exclusive staining was used to access the cell growth inhibition; western blot was used to evaluate the p210(Bcr-Abl), phosphorylated tyrosine kinase (PTK), and some signaling molecules involving in cell proliferation and apoptosis in K562 cells.

RESULTS

TCS and imatinib inhibited K562 cells at a time- and dose-dependent manners, respectively; TCS down-regulated p210(Bcr-Abl) at a time- and dose-dependent manners; TCS synergistically enhanced imatinib-induced K562 cell growth arrest and down-regulation of p210(Bcr-Abl), PTK activities, procaspase-3, Hsp90,NF-kappaB and PKC.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that TCS not only by itself involves but also synergizes activities of imatinib to induce K562 cell growth arrest, down-regulation of p210(Bcr-Abl) and its downstream signals and to stimulate the effect of the tyrosine kinase inhibition.

Differentiation of E14 mouse embryonic stem cells into thyrocytes in vitro

BACKGROUND

If methods of differentiating stem cells into thyrocytes can be perfected, they may provide a ready source of normal thyrocytes for basic research and clinical application. We developed a novel culture method capable of differentiating mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells into thyroid follicular cells.

METHODS

E14 mouse ES cells were allowed to differentiate into embryoid bodies and then stimulated with thyroid-stimulating hormone, insulin, and potassium iodide. The resulting differentiated cells were observed for expression of thyrocyte-specific mRNA transcripts with reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction. To definitively identify thyrocytes, we simultaneously observed the thyrocyte-specific proteins, thyroid transcription factor-1 and PAX-8, with dual-color immunofluorescent labeling. The cells were further characterized by electron microscopy.

RESULTS

The ES cells were successfully differentiated into thyrocytes. Differentiated cells expressed PAX-8, thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor, sodium/iodide symporter, thyroperoxidase, and thyroglobulin mRNAs, and coexpressed thyroid transcription factor-1 and PAX-8 proteins. The extent of differentiation was further explored by electron microscopy, which showed that differentiated cells had ultrastructural features similar to adult human thyrocytes, whereas the cells from unstimulated cultures were mostly disintegrated and lacked developed organelle structures.

CONCLUSIONS

These data show that E14 mouse ES cells can be differentiated into thyrocytes by culturing with thyroid-stimulating hormone, insulin, and potassium iodide. The development of reliable methods to produce thyroid cells from ES cells is important to future research in thyroid biology and medical applications.

Synthesis of N-doped carbon dots and application in vanillin detection based on collisional quenching

N-doped carbon dots (NCDs) exhibit bright blue emissions and have been used as viable fluorescent probes in the turn-off fluorometric assay for vanillin detection. NCDs were prepared from glucose and tyrosine using a facile and green synthesis process. The one-pot hydrothermal treatment was used without any strong acid or oxidant. The fluorescence of NCDs (with excitation/emission peaks at 323/416 nm, respectively) can be quenched by vanillin. The quenching mechanism belongs to the dynamic quenching mode due to the molecular collisions of the ground state of vanillin and the excited state of NCDs. This turn-off system could be utilized to quantify vanillin within a linear range of 0.43-264 μM. The limit of detection was 0.10 μM. Moreover, this approach was successfully applied toward the determination of vanillin in food samples.

A microfluidic model to study fluid dynamics of mucus plug rupture in small lung airways

Fluid dynamics of mucus plug rupture is important to understand mucus clearance in lung airways and potential effects of mucus plug rupture on epithelial cells at lung airway walls. We established a microfluidic model to study mucus plug rupture in a collapsed airway of the 12th generation. Mucus plugs were simulated using Carbopol 940 (C940) gels at concentrations of 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25%, and 0.3%, which have non-Newtonian properties close to healthy and diseased lung mucus. The airway was modeled with a polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic channel. Plug motion was driven by pressurized air. Global strain rates and shear stress were defined to quantitatively describe plug deformation and rupture. Results show that a plug needs to overcome yield stress before deformation and rupture. The plug takes relatively long time to yield at the high Bingham number. Plug length shortening is the more significant deformation than shearing at gel concentration higher than 0.15%. Although strain rates increase dramatically at rupture, the transient shear stress drops due to the shear-thinning effect of the C940 gels. Dimensionless time-averaged shear stress, T xy , linearly increases from 3.7 to 5.6 times the Bingham number as the Bingham number varies from 0.018 to 0.1. The dimensionless time-averaged shear rate simply equals to T xy /2. In dimension, shear stress magnitude is about one order lower than the pressure drop, and one order higher than yield stress. Mucus with high yield stress leads to high shear stress, and therefore would be more likely to cause epithelial cell damage. Crackling sounds produced with plug rupture might be more detectable for gels with higher concentration.

CCT5 interacts with cyclin D1 promoting lung adenocarcinoma cell migration and invasion

Cyclin D1 (CCND1) has been identified as a metastatic promoter in various tumors including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), a subtype of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The previous observation revealed that CCND1 was upregulated in NSCLC and predicted poor prognosis of LUAD patients. In this study, we examined a chaperonin containing TCP1 subunit 5 (CCT5) protein interacts with CCND1 in LUAD. Immunofluorescence demonstrated the co-localization of CCT5 and CCND1 protein in LUAD cells. CCT5 expression was detected with both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and bioinformatics analyses. Similar with the expression pattern of CCND1, CCT5 displayed a high level in LUAD tissues compared to non cancerous lung specimens. Patients with high CCT5 expression showed a significant shorter overall survival relative to those with low expression level. Furthermore, upregulated CCT5 exhibited significant positive correlation with TNM stage of LUAD patients in both IHC analyses and bioinformatics. Knocking down CCT5 remarkably inhibited LUAD cell migration and invasion in vitro by inactivating PI3K/AKT and its downstream EMT signals, which could abrogated the accelerated migration and invasion caused by CCND1 overexpression. In summary, our study discovered a highly expressed protein CCT5 in LUAD which interacted with CCND1 and promoted migration and invasion of LUAD cells by positively moderating PI3K/AKT-induced EMT pathway.

Myricetin attenuates hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats via NRF2 signaling pathway

Introduction: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a crucial cause of neonatal death and neurological sequelae, but currently there is no effective therapy drug for HIE. Both oxidative stress and apoptosis play critical roles in the pathological development of HIE. Myricetin, a naturally extracted flavonol compound, exerts remarkable effects against oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation. However, the role and underlying molecular mechanism of myricetin on HIE remain unclear. Methods: In this study, we established the neonatal rats hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain damage model in vivo and CoCl₂ induced PC1₂ cell model in vitro to explore the neuroprotective effects of myricetin on HI injury, and illuminate the potential mechanism. Results: Our results showed that myricetin intervention could significantly reduce brain infarction volume, glia activation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress marker levels through activating NRF2 (Nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2) and increase the expressions of NRF2 downstream proteins NQO-1 and HO-1. In addition, the NRF2 inhibitor ML385 could significantly reverse the effects of myricetin. Conclusion: This study found that myricetin might alleviate oxidative stress and apoptosis through NRF2 signaling pathway to exert the protective role for HI injury, which suggested that myricetin might be a promising therapeutic agent for HIE.

A recurrent mutation c.617G>A in the ACVR1 gene causes fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva in two Chinese patients

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP; OMIM 135100) is a rare heritable disorder of connective tissue characterized by congenital malformations of the great toes and recurrent episodes of painful soft tissue swelling that lead to heterotopic ossifications. Recent studies have shown that the ACVR1 (activin A receptor, type I; OMIM 102576) gene, which encodes the BMP type I receptor protein, is responsible for this disease. We observed two Chinese patients who suffered from progressive pain and ankylosis of major joints with congenital bilateral hallus valgus malformation, neck stiffness, and several posttraumatic ossified lesions on the head and dorsum. Both patients were diagnosed as having FOP. This study aimed to investigate the ACVR1 gene mutation in Chinese FOP patients. Direct sequence analysis of genomic DNA and restriction enzyme digestion demonstrated the presence of a single heterozygous c.617G>A (p.R206H) mutation in the ACVR1 gene in both patients. This mutation is first reported in Chinese patients with FOP and it was de novo in both affected families.

Successful replantation in ten-digit complete amputations

The authors report a case of successful replantation of all fingers in a ten-finger complete amputation. Among the factors responsible for the successful outcome were an adequate number of microsurgically-trained resident surgeons and staff, good organization and supervision by senior staff, emphasis on precision and perseverance in the operative procedures, and postoperative management. Follow-up is 15 months, and the patient now has a pair of functionally and cosmetically good hands.

fMRI study in posterior cingulate and adjacent precuneus cortex in healthy elderly adults using problem solving task

PURPOSE

To explore the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the adjacent precuneus regions in healthy elderly adults during problem solving tasks.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighteen participants (7 women, mean age of 63.6±6.0 years old) were analyzed. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tasks were simplified 4×4 Sudoku puzzles that were divided into simple tasks (using the row rule or the column rule to solve the puzzle) and complex tasks (using both the row and column rules to solve the puzzle).

RESULTS

The mean accuracy on the simple task was higher than that on the complex task (P=0.04); the reaction time on the simple task was shorter than that on the complex task (P=0.001). On both tasks, the participants showed deactivation in the bilateral PCC/precuneus regions. The extent of deactivation on the complex task was greater than that on the simple task (left: P=0.04; right: P=0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Healthy elderly adults showed deactivation in the bilateral PCC and precuneus regions during a problem solving task; in addition, the extent of deactivation was enhanced by increasing the difficulty of the problem solving task.