DNAJB4/HLJ1 deficiency sensitizes diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis with peritumoral STAT3 activation

Environmental chemicals and toxins are known to impact human health and contribute to cancer developments. Among these, genotoxins induce genetic mutations critical for cancer initiation. In the liver, proliferation serves not only as a compensatory mechanism for tissue repair but also as a potential risk factor for the progression of premalignant lesions. The role of Human Liver DnaJ-Like Protein (DNAJB4/HLJ1), a stress-responsive heat shock protein 40, in genotoxin-induced liver carcinogenesis remains unexplored. Using whole-genome transcriptomic analysis, we demonstrate that HLJ1 deficiency in mice results in altered gene signatures enriched in pathways associated with chemically induced liver cancer and IL-6/STAT3 signaling activation. Employing diethylnitrosamine (DEN) as a carcinogen, we further reveal that STAT3 and H2AX phosphorylation induced by short-term DEN treatment are amplified in HLJ1-deficient mice. In long-term DEN experiments, HLJ1 deletion enhances tumor proliferation and progression, accompanied by pronounced STAT3 phosphorylation in normal tissues rather than in tumor regions. The tumor-suppressive role of peritumoral HLJ1 is validated through the transplantation of HLJ1-wildtype B16F1 and LLC cancer cell lines into syngeneic HLJ1-deficient mice, which exhibits an augmented tumorigenic phenotype compared to wildtype controls. This study uncovers a previously unrecognized role of HLJ1 in suppressing liver carcinogenesis via the downregulation of STAT3 signaling in peritumoral normal cells. These findings suggest that HLJ1 reinforcement represents a promising strategy for liver cancer treatment and prevention.

Risk factors of lung cancer by histological category in Taiwan

The relationship between various risk factors and lung cancer by different histological types was evaluated in a case-control study. A total of 72 adenocarcinoma patients and 59 squamous/small cell lung cancer patients, 262 hospital controls and 262 neighborhood controls were interviewed. Multiple conditional logistic regression analyses revealed that occupational exposures to asbestos and working as a cook were significant risk factors associated with adenocarcinoma of the lung. An inverse association between incense burning and the adenocarcinoma was noted. The squamous and small cell carcinomas of the lung were significantly associated with cigarette smoking, passive smoking exposure from friends at entertainment activities, the use of coal as cooking fuel, history of prior tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis, and occupational exposures to asbestos.

Order-disorder interface characterization reveals critical factors for disease and drug targets

Signal transduction pathways are of critical importance in disease and regulation of cellular functions. Proteins that do not fold to a state of stable tertiary structure, known as intrinsically disordered proteins, are highly represented in signaling pathways and protein interaction networks. Important examples of disordered signaling proteins include p53 and BRCA1, and approximately 40% of Eukaryotic proteins are estimated to have significant disordered regions. Certain regions within these disordered proteins, however, can take on an ordered structure upon binding to a partner. The nature of the resulting protein-protein interactions has not yet been established. Here we categorize and identify interactions between binding segments of disordered proteins and their ordered partners using a Bayesian network framework, constructed on a test set of 964 proteins mined for Molecular Recognition Feature (MoRF) characteristics from the PDB. This framework, more specifically Bayesian network learning, enables us to investigate the underlying biological processes involved, including the sequential and structural determinants of these interactions. After the construction of the training set (80% of data), features were successively eliminated to determine relative significances. The Bayesian network model was validated on the test set with excellent accuracy(>90% AUC). Examining features underlying the model provides a plethora of new and potentially useful biological information. The results also lend themselves to a strategy for rational drug design whereby disordered regions can be targeted with a high degree of specificity and small molecule peptide mimetics of their binding regions can be utilized as drugs.

Identification of Ndfip1 as a novel negative regulator for spatial memory formation associated with increased ubiquitination of Beclin 1 and PTEN

Long-term memory formation requires de novo RNA and protein synthesis. By using the differential display-polymerase chain reaction strategy, we have presently identified the Nedd4 family interacting protein 1 (Ndfip1) cDNA fragment that is differentially expressed between the slow learners and the fast learners from the water maze learning task in rats. Further, the fast learners show decreased Ndfip1 mRNA and protein expression levels than the slow learners. Spatial training similarly decreases the Ndfip1 mRNA and protein expression levels. Conversely, the Ndfip1 conditional heterozygous (cHet) mice show enhanced spatial memory performance compared to the Ndfip1flox/WT control mice. Result from co-immunoprecipitation experiment indicates that spatial training decreases the association between Ndfip1 and the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4 (Nedd4-1), and we have shown that both Beclin 1 and PTEN are endogenous ubiquitination targets of Nedd4 in the hippocampus. Further, spatial training decreases endogenous Beclin 1 and PTEN ubiquitination, and increases Beclin 1 and PTEN expression in the hippocampus. On the other hand, the Becn1 conditional knockout (cKO) mice and the Pten cKO mice both show impaired spatial learning and memory performance. Moreover, the expression level of Beclin 1 and PTEN is higher in the Ndfip1 cHet mice compared with the Ndfip1flox/WT control mice. Here, we have identified Ndfip1 as a candidate novel negative regulation for spatial memory formation and this is associated with increased ubiquitination of Beclin 1 and PTEN in the hippocampus.

Broadband 2 × 2 multimode-interference coupler on the silicon-nitride platform

In this paper, we present the design, optimization, and implementation of a sub-wavelength grating (SWG) multi-mode interference coupler (MMI) on the silicon nitride photonic integrated circuit (PIC) platform with a significantly enhanced bandwidth compared to the conventional MMI. We extend the SWG MMI theory, previously presented for the silicon-on-insulator platform, to the Si3N4/SiO2 platform. Our approach involves an initial parameter optimization for a non-paired design, followed by a shift to a paired design that offers a smaller footprint and a broader bandwidth. The optimized SWG MMI exhibits a 1 dB bandwidth of 300 nm for both the insertion loss and power imbalance, making it a significant addition to silicon nitride photonics.

High-Resolution Metalens Imaging with Sequential Artificial Intelligence Models

An analysis of the optical response of a GaN-based metalens was conducted alongside the utilization of two sequential artificial intelligence (AI) models in addressing the occasional issues of blurriness and color cast in captured images. The optical loss of the metalens in the blue spectral range was found to have resulted in the color cast of images. Autoencoder and CodeFormer sequential models were employed in order to correct the color cast and reconstruct image details, respectively. Said sequential models successfully addressed the color cast and reconstructed details for all of the allocated face image categories. Subsequently, the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagrams and peak signal-to-noise ratio analysis provided numerical evidence of the AI models' effectiveness in image reconstruction. Furthermore, the AI models can still repair the image without blue information. Overall, the integration of metalens and artificial intelligence models marks a breakthrough in enhancing the performance of full-color metalens-based imaging systems.

Design and implementation of a Si3N4 three-stigmatic-point arrayed waveguide grating with a resolving power over 17,000

To provide a solution to the issue of the non-flat focal surface in traditional Rowland AWGs, we have designed and implemented a Si₃N₄ three-stigmatic-point arrayed waveguide grating (TSP AWG) with three inputs, and a spectral resolving power over 17,000 has been achieved experimentally. The flat focal surface of this AWG can accommodate a butt-coupled detector array positioned at the output facet without any reduction of the resolving power of the edge channels. Therefore, it is particularly advantageous to some astronomical applications which require an AWG as a light-dispersing component to obtain a complete 2D spectrum. As a proof-of-concept for next generation devices, the multi-input aspect of the design accommodates multiple single-mode fibers coming into the AWG. In addition, because the device is implemented on a high-index-contrast platform (Si₃N₄/SiO₂), a compact size of ∼9.3 × 9.3 mm² is achieved.

A new in vivo assay of the reactions of microencapsulated human tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs

A new cell culture modality had already been established in our laboratory. Using this model, living KB and GBM 8401 tumor cells grew and proliferated exponentially in semipermeable microcapsules, implanted in vivo. The culture method was designed as a modality for a predictive anticancer drug sensitivity test. Its advantages included providing a three-dimensional growth and in vivo supply of nutrients. Tumor cell sensitivity to drugs can be assessed in vivo. The assay is applicable to virtually all histological types of human tumor cells. Using this technique, anticancer drug sensitivity tests of KB and GBM 8401 cells were evaluated. The results showed that such encapsulated cells grew and proliferated rapidly. In addition, the proliferation of KB cells was more rapid than that of GBM 8401 cells under conventional monolayer and in vivo microcapsule culture states. They were very sensitive to adriamycin and fluorouracil, and relatively resistant to cyclophosphamide while cultured in vitro. The viability percentage of microencapsulated KB cells cultured in vivo for two weeks was around 80-90%, roughly similar to that of the same cells conventionally cultured in vitro. However, the proliferation rates of encapsulated KB and GBM 8401 cells in vivo were significantly inhibited by all the drugs tested, with KB cells inhibited more significantly than GBM 8401. These results also suggest that some anticancer drugs needing to be bioactivated in vivo had better test results by this technique, and thus false negative results could be excluded. Also, the good repair capacity of microcapsules implanted in vivo, for damaged tumor cells previously incubated with chemotherapeutic drugs, appears to provide a much better environment for cell growth because much essential nourishment can be supplied. The inhibition percentage of fluorouracil to encapsulated cancer cells from patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon was also tested; they were 69.8% in vivo and 76.5% in vitro. This fast, relatively inexpensive in vivo model can be used to screen various anticancer drugs and help clinical oncologists to select the most effective agents for individual patients.

LCRMP-1 is required for spermatogenesis and stabilises spermatid F-actin organization via the PI3K-Akt pathway

Long-form collapsin response mediator protein-1 (LCRMP-1) belongs to the CRMP family which comprises brain-enriched proteins responsible for axon guidance. However, its role in spermatogenesis remains unclear. Here we find that LCRMP-1 is abundantly expressed in the testis. To characterize its physiological function, we generate LCRMP-1-deficient mice (Lcrmp-1^-/-). These mice exhibit aberrant spermiation with apoptotic spermatids, oligospermia, and accumulation of immature testicular cells, contributing to reduced fertility. In the seminiferous epithelial cycle, LCRMP-1 expression pattern varies in a stage-dependent manner. LCRMP-1 is highly expressed in spermatids during spermatogenesis and especially localized to the spermiation machinery during spermiation. Mechanistically, LCRMP-1 deficiency causes disorganized F-actin due to unbalanced signaling of F-actin dynamics through upregulated PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling. In conclusion, LCRMP-1 maintains spermatogenesis homeostasis by modulating cytoskeleton remodeling for spermatozoa release.

Subclassifying disordered proteins by the CH-CDF plot method

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are associated with a wide range of functions. We suggest that sequence-based subtypes, which we call flavors, may provide the basis for different biological functions. The problem is to find a method that separates IDPs into different flavor / function groups. Here we discuss one approach, the (Charge-Hydropathy) versus (Cumulative Distribution Function) plot or CH-CDF plot, which is based the combined use of the CH and CDF disorder predictors. These two predictors are based on significantly different inputs and methods. This CH-CDF plot partitions all proteins into 4 groups: structured, mixed, disordered, and rare. Studies of the Protein Data Bank (PDB) entries and homologous show different structural biases for each group classified by the CH-CDF plot. The mixed class has more order-promoting residues and more ordered regions than the disordered class. To test whether this partition accomplishes any functional separation, we performed gene ontology (GO) term analysis on each class. Some functions are indeed found to be related to subtypes of disorder: the disordered class is highly active in mitosis-related processes among others. Meanwhile, the mixed class is highly associated with signaling pathways, where having both ordered and disordered regions could possibly be important.

Investigation of entrance effects on particle electrophoretic behavior near a nanopore for resistive pulse sensing

Resistive pulse sensing using solid-state nanopores provides a unique platform for detecting the structure and concentration of molecules of different types of analytes in an electrolyte solution. The capture of an entity into a nanopore is subject not only to the electrostatic force but also the effect of electroosmotic flow originating from the charged nanopore surface. In this study, we theoretically analyze spherical particle electrophoretic behavior near the entrance of a charged nanopore. By investigating the effects of pore size, particle-pore distance, and salt concentration on particle velocity, we summarize dominant mechanisms governing particle behavior for a range of conditions. In the literature, the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski equation is often adopted to evaluate particle translocation by considering the zeta potential difference between the particle and nanopore surfaces. We point out that, due to the difference of the electric field inside and outside the nanopore and the influence from the existence of the particle itself, the zeta potential of the particle, however, needs to be at least 30% higher than that of the nanopore to allow the particle to enter into the nanopore when its velocity is close to zero. Accordingly, we summarize the effective salt concentrations that enable successful particle capture and detection for different pore sizes, offering direct guidance for nanopore applications.

Intrinsic protein disorder and protein-protein interactions

Intrinsically disordered proteins often bind to more than one partner. In this study, we focused on 11 sets of complexes in which the same disordered segment becomes bound to two or more distinct partners. For this collection of protein complexes, two or more partners of each disordered segment were selected to have less than 25% amino acid identity at structurally aligned positions. As it turned out that most of the examples so selected had similar 3D structure, the studied set was reduced to just these similar-fold cases. Based on the analyses of the interacting partners, the average sequence identity of the partners' binding regions showed substantially higher conservation as compared to the nonbinding regions: The residue identities, averaged over the 11 sets of partner proteins, were as follows: binding residues, 42 ± 6%; nonbinding residues 20 ± 3%; nonbinding buried residues 26 ± 5%; and nonbinding surface residues 16 ± 3%. The higher sequence identity of the binding residues compared to the other sets of residues provides evidence that these observed interactions are likely to be meaningful biological interactions, not artifacts. Since many of the features of the various interactions indicate that the disordered binding segments were likely to have been disordered before binding, these results also add further weight to the existence and function of intrinsically disordered regions inside cells.

Coalescence-Induced Spontaneous Shedding of Microdroplets on Superhydrophobic Surfaces Featuring Enclosed Micropillars with Hierarchical Roughness

This study investigated water vapor condensation on superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) featuring micropillars enclosed by wall lattices and having three-tier hierarchical roughness. A total of five samples were created with three (NW-J, W200-J and W400-J samples) having large micropillar depth (∼6 μm) and two (NW-S and W200-S samples) having small micropillar depth (∼1 μm). Two distinct condensate removal modes were observed during condensation: coalescence-induced jumping on samples with large micropillar depth and coalescence-induced shedding on samples with small micropillar depth. The results showed that the diameter of the shedding droplet on the W200-S sample having small micropillar depth could be as small as 107 μm, as compared to the theoretical critical diameter of 267 μm for gravitational shedding on the same sample. The enhanced functionality of the three-tier nanotextures on the W200-S sample could effectively suppress localized pinning of the three-phase contact line and Wenzel neck formation during the growth of condensate droplets. Consequently, during multidroplet coalescence, the released surface energy easily overcomes the solid-liquid adhesion, leading to spontaneous shedding of merged droplets. The inclusion of the wall lattice aids condensate growth by the droplet self-alignment along the walls and promoting coalescence. As a result, the W200-S sample exhibited the highest condensate collection as well. The proposed surface design has great potential for scaling up and implementation in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment due to the simplicity of the surface morphology and the facile spray-coating method used to achieve hierarchical roughness.

Impact of Antenatal SARS-CoV-2 Exposure on SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Potency

A pregnancy booster dose significantly reduces the risk and severity of COVID-19, and it is widely recommended. A prospective cohort study was conducted to compare the transplacental passage of maternal antibodies from vaccination or infection during three trimesters against both the vaccine-targeted Wuhan strain and the Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2. Maternal-infant dyads from vaccinated mothers were collected between 6 June 2022 and 20 September 2022. We analyzed 38 maternal-infant dyads from mothers who had been infected with COVID-19 and 37 from mothers without any previous infection. Pregnant women who received their last COVID-19 vaccine dose in the third trimester exhibited the highest anti-spike protein antibody levels and neutralizing potency against both the Wuhan strain and Omicron BA.2 variant in their maternal and cord plasma. Both second- and third-trimester vaccination could lead to a higher level of neutralization against the Wuhan and Omicron strains. COVID-19 infection had a negative effect on the transplacental transfer ratio of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. A booster dose during the second or third trimester is encouraged for the maximum transplacental transfer of humoral protection against COVID-19 for infants.

Rail Corrugation Index Development by Sound-Field Excitation on the Carriage Floor of In-Service Train

The steel rail and wheel in the railway system offer a high precision and smooth-running surface. Nevertheless, the point of contact between the rail and wheel presents a critical area that can give rise to rail corrugation. This phenomenon can potentially elevate sound and vibration levels in the vicinity considerably, necessitating advanced monitoring and assessment measures. Recently, many efforts have been directed towards utilizing in-service trains for evaluating rail corrugation, and the evaluation has primarily relied on axle-box acceleration (ABA). However, the ABA measurements require a higher threshold for vibration detection. This study introduces a novel approach to rail corrugation detection by carriage floor acceleration (CFA), aimed at lowering the detection threshold. The method capitalizes on the acceleration data sensed on the carriage floor, which is induced by the sound pressure (e.g., sound-field excitation) generated at the wheel-rail contact point. An exploration of the correlation between these datasets is undertaken by simultaneously measuring both ABA and CFA. Moreover, a pivotal aspect of this research is the development of the eigenfrequency rail corrugation index (E-RCI), a mechanism that culminates energy around specific eigenfrequencies by CFA. Through this index, a focused analysis of rail corrugation patterns is facilitated. The study further delves into the stability, repeatability, and sensitivity of the E-RCI via varied measurement scenarios. Ultimately, the CFA-based rail corrugation identification is verified, establishing its practical applicability and offering a distinct approach to detecting and characterizing rail corrugation phenomena. This study has introduced an innovative methodology for rail corrugation detection using CFA, with the principal objective of lowering the detection threshold. This approach offers an efficient measurement technique for identifying rail corrugation areas, thereby potentially reducing maintenance costs and enhancing efficiency within the railway industry.

Potential role of preoperative serum CA125 for the differential diagnosis between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyosarcoma

PURPOSE

Most comparisons between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyosarcoma have been based on postoperative pathological or molecular analyses. Very few reports have investigated preoperative differentiation between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyosarcoma.

METHODS

Between January 1990 and December 2003, 42 consecutive patients with uterine leiomyosarcoma treated at index hospitals were analyzed. Meanwhile, 84 patients with uterine leiomyomas were used as controls. The diagnostic performance of preoperative serum CA125 for the differential diagnosis between uterine leiomyoma and uterine leiomyosarcoma using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was evaluated. Data presentations were categorized into premenopausal and postmenopausal groups. Diagnostic efficiency was calculated as the sensitivity multiplied by the specificity.

RESULTS

Values of preoperative serum CA125 were significantly higher in the uterine leiomyosarcoma group than those in the uterine leiomyoma group. There was significant overlapping of preoperative serum CA125 between the uterine leiomyoma group and early-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma. For both the premenopausal and postmenopausal group, there was a significant difference in the distribution of preoperative serum CA125 in early-stage and advanced-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma. The optimal cutoff values of serum CA125 for the premenopausal group and postmenopausal group was 162 U/mL and 75 U/mL, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrated that preoperative serum CA125 had a potential role in the differential diagnosis between early-stage and advanced-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma. Further investigation with a larger sample size at adequate power is necessary to verify the current study.

Water Filling and Emptying Kinetics in Two-Dimensional Hexagonal Mesoporous Silica of the Same Pore Diameter but Different Pore Lengths

The effect of pore length on the water filling and emptying rates was studied using mesoporous silica (MPS) with same pore diameter but different pore lengths. The pore diameter of the synthesized MPS was ∼8 nm, whereas the average pore lengths were 460, 1,770, and 4000 nm. The gravimetric method was employed to record the time course of the adsorbed mass of water in MPS at 298 K and 1 atm. In both the filling and emptying processes, the relaxation curves (time course of adsorbed mass of water per unit mass of sample) were not significantly related to the pore length. This independence of the initial adsorption and desorption rates on the pore length suggests that the surface of the MPS aggregates is the bottleneck in the overall adsorption and desorption processes and that the initial mass flux in each nanopore is inversely proportional to the pore length. Furthermore, because the relaxation times to reach the equilibrium state were independent of the pore length, the mass flux of water uptake, release, and transport probably increase with an increase in the pore length during the entire adsorption and desorption processes. A transport model to describe these phenomena was proposed.