Multiple functions of miR-8-3p in the development and metamorphosis of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

The microRNA miR-8-3p is conserved among insects and closely involved in development and immunity, but its functions in vivo are unexplored in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Here, we show that miR-8-3p was highly expressed in late larva and early adult stages, as determined by quantitative real-time PCR. It was enriched in the fat body and cuticle in late larval tissues and abundant in the head and cuticle in early adult tissues, indicating this microRNA plays important roles during T. castaneum development. Specific inhibition of miR-8-3p in late larvae led to metamorphosis defects in the development of wings, eyes, legs and embryo. Moreover, a series of genes related to organism development were identified as miR-8-3p targets by computational prediction and microRNA-messenger RNA interaction validation, including Wingless, Eyg, Fpps and Sema-1a. These genes were critical for the regulation of the larva-to-adult transition. Eyg, as a functional target of miR-8-3p, participates in eye development, which was further confirmed by luciferase assay and loss-of-function analyses. In brief, miR-8-3p is broadly involved in the development of wings, eyes and legs through its target genes and has extensive regulatory roles during T. castaneum development.

[Evaluation of the intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography for the aortic valve reconstruction]

Objective: To explore the value of the intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography during the aortic valve reconstruction. Methods: The echocardiographic features were retrospectively summarized in 19 patients (male: 15 cases; female: 4 cases; age ranged from 12 to 65 years, mean age: 37.7 years) with aortic valve reconstruction at Beijing Anzhen Hospital between October 2014 and October 2016. Results: The findings of the neo-aortic valve on the transesophageal echocardiography included the slightly thickened and hyperechogenicity of the commission, especially the central coaptation point of the neo-valve. Trace aortic regurgitation was noted in 9 cases after operation, mild aortic regurgitation in 1 case and no aortic regurgitation in 9 cases. The velocity of the aortic valve increased significantly in 2 cases. Compared with pre-operation, the diameter of ascending aorta[(32.7±6.1) mm vs (36.4±6.3) mm, P<0.001]and the inner diameter of left ventricle[(48.3±6.1) mm vs (59.1±7.3) mm, P<0.001]decreased significantly after operation, the coaptation length of aortic valve[(6.6±1.3) mm vs (2.2±0.7) mm, P<0.001]significantly increased than that of pre-operation. The mean immediate velocity after operation (175 cm/s) was slightly higher than that (165 cm/s) of 3-month follow-up after surgery, but with no significant difference (P=0.367). Severe aortic regurgitation was found 15 days after operation in 1 case and 12 months after operation in 2 cases. Conclusion: Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography is a useful tool to evaluate the result of the aortic valve reconstruction.

Magnetically tunable optical diffraction gratings based on a ferromagnetic liquid crystal

Transmission optical diffraction gratings composed of periodic slices of a ferromagnetic liquid crystal and a conventional photoresist polymer are demonstrated. Dependence of diffraction efficiencies of various diffraction orders on an in-plane external magnetic field is investigated. It is shown that diffraction properties can be effectively tuned by magnetic fields as low as a few mT. The tuning mechanism is explained in the framework of a simple empirical model and also by numerical simulations based on the rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA). The obtained results provide a proof of principle of operation of magnetically tunable liquid crystalline diffractive optical elements applicable in contactless schemes for control of optical signals.

Abstract P3-12-19: Withdrawn

This abstract was withdrawn by the authors.

Citation Format: Chowdhary M, Lee A, Gao S, Barry PN, Diaz R, Decker RH, Wilson LD, Evans SB, Moran MS, Knowlton CA, Patel KR. Withdrawn [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-12-19.

Rehmanniae Radix Preparata suppresses bone loss and increases bone strength through interfering with canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in OVX rats

Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (RRP) improves bone quality in OVX rats through the regulation of bone homeostasis via increasing osteoblastogenesis and decreasing osteoclastogenesis, suggesting it has a potential for the development of new anti-osteoporotic drugs.

INTRODUCTION

Determine the anti-osteoporotic effect of RRP in ovariectomized (OVX) rats and identify the signaling pathway involved in this process.

METHODS

OVX rats were treated with RRP aqueous extract for 14 weeks. The serum levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were determined by ELISA. Bone histopathological alterations were evaluated by H&E, Alizarin red S, and Safranin O staining. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone microstructure in rat femurs and lumbar bones were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and micro-computed tomography. Femoral bone strength was detected by a three-point bending assay. The expression of Phospho-glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (p-GSK-3β), GSK-3β, Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), cathepsin K, OPG, RANKL, IGF-1, Runx2, β-catenin, and p-β-catenin was determined by western blot and/or immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

Treatment of OVX rats with RRP aqueous extract rebuilt bone homeostasis demonstrated by increasing the levels of OPG as well as decreasing the levels of TRAP, RANKL, and ALP in serum. Furthermore, RRP treatment preserved BMD and mechanical strength by increasing cortical bone thickness and epiphyseal thickness as well as improving trabecular distribution in the femurs of OVX rats. In addition, RRP downregulated the expression of DKK1, sclerostin, RANKL, cathepsin K, and the ratio of p-β-catenin to β-catenin, along with upregulating the expression of IGF-1, β-catenin, and Runx2 and the ratio of p-GSK-3β to GSK-3β in the tibias and femurs of OVX rats. Echinacoside, jionoside A1/A2, acetoside, isoacetoside, jionoside B1, and jionoside B2 were identified in the RRP aqueous extract.

CONCLUSION

RRP attenuates bone loss and improves bone quality in OVX rats partly through its regulation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, suggesting that RRP has the potential to provide a new source of anti-osteoporotic drugs.

Computed tomography measurement of the bone matrix of vertebral pedicle and its clinical significance

BACKGROUND

To provide the anatomic basis for the clinical application of the transpedicular screw fixation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty spine (C2-L5) specimens were used. The width of the pedicle cortex and width of the pedicle medullary cavity (WPC and WPMC), and the height of the pedicle cortex and height of the pedicle medullary cavity (HPC and HPMC) were measured at the isthmus of the pedicle using computed tomography (CT) scanning.

RESULTS

Width of the pedicle medullary cavity changed in a three-dovetailed-saddle shape with four peaks and three valleys, namely C2 (high), C4`5 (low), T2 (high), T4 (the lowest), T12 (high), L1 (low) and L5 (the highest). HPMC of the cervical pedicle changed in a saddle shape, gradually increasing from C5-L5. WPC, WPMC, HPC and HPMC showed a regular change, respectively. In each segment, the superior border of the pedicle cortex had a nearly consistent thickness to the interior border within an identical pedicle, while the pedicle cortex thickness radio of the medial and lateral border was nearly 3:1 among the cervical pedicles, 2:1 among thoracic pedicles, and 1:1 among lumbar pedicles.

CONCLUSIONS

Both HPMC and WPMC are the dominant factors for the choice of screw diameter, but HPMC should also be considered in C2-T1 pedicles, especially C6 and C7. Additionally, the screw for C3-6 or T4-6 pedicles should be about 3.0 mm in diameter.

Association of thymosin β4 expression with clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcomes of bladder cancer patients

The clinical significance of thymosin β4 (Tβ4) expression in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC) remains unclear. The present study assessed the relationship between the expression of Tβ4 protein and the clinicopathological features, as well as the prognosis of bladder cancer patients. Tβ4 protein expression in 24 normal bladder and 138 primary BTCC tissue specimens was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the association of this expression with BTCC clinicopathological features and recurrence as well as patient survival was analyzed. Tβ4 expression was significantly stronger in BTCC patients than in normal volunteers. The expression of Tβ4 was significantly associated with differentiation capability, tumor stage and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.025, 0.043, and 0.039, respectively). Moreover, Tβ4 expression was positively correlated with integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and β-catenin expression (P = 0.042, 0.031, respectively) and inversely correlated with E-cadherin expression (P = 0.022). In the present cohort of bladder cancer patients, Tβ4 expression was found to be a predictor of poor survival (P < 0.05); however, high Tβ4 expression exhibited unfavorable prognostic value for recurrence. These data suggested that Tβ4 is correlated with the pathogenesis of BTCC. In addition, the patients with higher Tβ4 expression had a shorter survival.

Apical U-shape splitting technique for undercut areas of the anterior alveolar ridge: a prospective non-randomized controlled study

The aim of this study was to investigate a novel apical U-shape splitting technique for horizontal bone augmentation in undercut areas and to compare its efficacy with that of guided bone regeneration (GBR). This was a prospective non-randomized controlled clinical trial. A total of 36 patients, who presented with a labial undercut that was not able to house a normally inclined implant, underwent the new technique or GBR. Radiographic and clinical data were obtained preoperatively, immediately after surgery, and 12 months after surgery. Pairwise comparisons of changes in ridge width gain, marginal bone loss, and pink aesthetic score were performed; correlations with pristine ridge morphology were investigated. The results showed similar marginal bone loss in the two groups. The overall ridge width gains in the new technique group (2.56±1.92mm) and GBR group (0.73±1.21mm) differed significantly (P<0.05). The pink aesthetic score was higher for the new technique group (11.75±1.22) than for the GBR group (9.25±1.86) (P<0.01). The morphology of the concavity had different impacts on regeneration in the two groups. The apical U-shape splitting technique, as a safe and effective alternative to GBR, provided a significant increase in bone volume gain where labial fenestration was inevitable during implant placement.

Complexity in mood disorder diagnosis: fMRI connectivity networks predicted medication-class of response in complex patients

OBJECTIVE

This study determined the clinical utility of an fMRI classification algorithm predicting medication-class of response in patients with challenging mood diagnoses.

METHODS

Ninety-nine 16-27-year-olds underwent resting state fMRI scans in three groups-BD, MDD and healthy controls. A predictive algorithm was trained and cross-validated on the known-diagnosis patients using maximally spatially independent components (ICs), constructing a similarity matrix among subjects, partitioning the matrix in kernel space and optimizing support vector machine classifiers and IC combinations. This classifier was also applied to each of 12 new individual patients with unclear mood disorder diagnoses.

RESULTS

Classification within the known-diagnosis group was approximately 92.4% accurate. The five maximally contributory ICs were identified. Applied to the complicated patients, the algorithm diagnosis was consistent with optimal medication-class of response to sustained recovery in 11 of 12 cases (i.e., almost 92% accuracy).

CONCLUSION

This classification algorithm performed well for the know-diagnosis but also predicted medication-class of response in difficult-to-diagnose patients. Further research can enhance this approach and extend these findings to be more clinically accessible.