Contrastive representation learning on dynamic networks

Representation learning for dynamic networks is designed to learn the low-dimensional embeddings of nodes that can well preserve the snapshot structure, properties and temporal evolution of dynamic networks. However, current dynamic network representation learning methods tend to focus on estimating or generating observed snapshot structures, paying excessive attention to network details, and disregarding distinctions between snapshots with larger time intervals, resulting in less robustness for sparse or noisy networks. To alleviate these challenges, this paper proposes a contrastive mechanism for temporal representation learning on dynamic networks, inspired by the success of contrastive learning in visual and static network representation learning. This paper proposes a novel Dynamic Network Contrastive representation Learning (DNCL) model. Specifically, contrast objective functions are constructed using intra-snapshot and inter-snapshot contrasts to capture the network topology, node feature information, and network evolution information, respectively. Rather than estimating or generating ground-truth network features, the proposed approach maximizes mutual information between nodes from different time steps and views generated. The experimental results of link prediction, node classification, and clustering on several real-world and synthetic networks demonstrate the superiority of DNCL over state-of-the-art methods, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed approach for dynamic network representation learning.

Study on the differential hepatotoxicity of raw polygonum multiflorum and polygonum multiflorum praeparata and its mechanism

BACKGROUND

Polygonum multiflorum (PM), a widely used traditional Chinese medicine herb, is divided into two forms, namely raw polygonum multiflorum (RPM) and polygonum multiflorum praeparata (PMP), according to the processing procedure. Emerging data has revealed the differential hepatotoxicity of RPM and PMP, however, its potential mechanism is still unclear.

METHODS

In our study, we investigated the differential hepatotoxicity of RPM and PMP exerted in C57BL/6 mice. First, sera were collected for biochemical analysis and HE staining was applied to examine the morphological alternation of the liver. Then we treated L02 cells with 5 mg / mL of RPM or PMP. The CCK8 and EdU assays were utilized to observe the viability and proliferation of L02 cells. RNA sequencing was performed to explore the expression profile of L02 cells. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression level of ferroptosis-related protein. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate ROS accumulation.

RESULTS

In our study, a significant elevation in serum ALT, AST and TBIL levels was investigated in the RMP group, while no significant differences were observed in the PMP group, compared to that of the CON group. HE staining showed punctate necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and structural destruction can be observed in the RPM group, which can be significantly attenuated after processing. In addition, we also found RPM could decrease the viability and proliferation capacity of L02 cells, which can be reversed by ferroptosis inhibitor. RNA sequencing data revealed the adverse effect of PM exerted on the liver is closely associated with ferroptosis. Western blotting assay uncovered the protein level of GPX4, HO-1 and FTL was sharply decreased, while the ROS content was dramatically elevated in L02 cells treated with RPM, which can be partially restored after processing.

CONCLUSIONS

The hepatotoxicity induced by RPM was significantly lower than the PMP, and its potential mechanism is associated with ferroptosis.

Therapeutic targeting nudix hydrolase 1 creates a MYC-driven metabolic vulnerability

Tumor cells must rewire nucleotide synthesis to satisfy the demands of unbridled proliferation. Meanwhile, they exhibit augmented reactive oxygen species (ROS) production which paradoxically damages DNA and free deoxy-ribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs). How these metabolic processes are integrated to fuel tumorigenesis remains to be investigated. MYC family oncoproteins coordinate nucleotide synthesis and ROS generation to drive the development of numerous cancers. We herein perform a Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-based functional screen targeting metabolic genes and identified nudix hydrolase 1 (NUDT1) as a MYC-driven dependency. Mechanistically, MYC orchestrates the balance of two metabolic pathways that act in parallel, the NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4)-ROS pathway and the Polo like kinase 1 (PLK1)-NUDT1 nucleotide-sanitizing pathway. We describe LC-1-40 as a potent, on-target degrader that depletes NUDT1 in vivo. Administration of LC-1-40 elicits excessive nucleotide oxidation, cytotoxicity and therapeutic responses in patient-derived xenografts. Thus, pharmacological targeting of NUDT1 represents an actionable MYC-driven metabolic liability.

Cardiovascular disease risk perceptions and influencing factors among Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus patients

BACKGROUND

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients (SLE) are at a higher risk of cardiovascular events than the general population. This study aimed to investigate the risk perception of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to analyze its influence factors among Chinese SLE patients.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. Convenience sampling was used to select 201 patients with SLE who had attended the outpatient and inpatient departments of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China from November 2022 to March 2023. The following were used in the study: the Chinese version of the Attitudes and Beliefs about Cardiovascular Disease Risk Questionnaire, the Social Support Rating Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Health Literacy Management Scale, and sociodemographic and disease-related data.

RESULTS

The mean (standard deviation) risk perception score of CVD patients with SLE was 57.18 ± 13.02. A Pearson correlation analysis showed that CVD risk perceptions were positively correlated with health literacy (r = 0.152, p < .05) and depression (r = 0.277, p < .05), and negatively correlated with social support (r = -0.393, p < .05) and psychological resilience (r = -0.374, p < .05). A multiple linear regression analysis showed that body mass index (BMI), family history, health literacy, depression, social support, and psychological resilience were the main factors influencing CVD risk perceptions among Chinese SLE patients (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Body mass index, family history, health literacy, depression, social support, and psychological resilience influenced CVD risk perceptions among Chinese SLE patients. Healthcare workers should objectively and accurately assess the levels of CVD risk perception among SLE patients, identify the risk factors of CVD, adopt effective health risk communication strategies to help patients develop appropriate risk perceptions, and raise risk awareness to adopt active coping approaches to reduce risk.

WTAP affects intracranial aneurysm progression by regulating m6A methylation modification

Intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a type of cerebrovascular disease that mainly occurs in the circle of Willis. Abnormalities in RNA methylation at the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) site have been associated with numerous types of human diseases. WTAP recruits the m6A methyltransferase complexes to the mRNA targets, and its expression is positively correlated with m6A methylation levels. This research aimed to explore the potential mechanisms of m6A methylation in IA. A selective arterial ligation method was used to establish an IA rat model; thereafter, the m6A methylation level and m6A methylation-related genes were determined in blood and circle of Willis samples using a commercial kit and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. Subsequently, rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (rBMVECs) were treated with TNF-α, and the expression of m6A methylation-related genes within the cells were assessed. Lastly, the effects of WTAP on TNF-α-induced rBMVECs were further investigated through in vitro experiments. In result, the m6A RNA methylation level evidently declined in the blood and circle of Willis' samples of the IA rats, as compared to the corresponding samples from the control rats (P < 0.05). Compared to the results in the control rats/cells, WTAP expression was significantly downregulated, whereas ALKBH1 expression was evidently upregulated in the blood and circle of Willis samples of the TNF-α-induced rBMVECs of IA rats. Consequently, TNF-α-induced rBMVECs and rBMVECs with WTAP overexpression were successfully established. TNF-α inhibited the viability of the rBMVECs, promoted apoptosis, and significantly upregulated cleaved-caspase3 and downregulated WTAP expression. In contrast, WTAP overexpression significantly reversed these changes caused by TNF-α (P < 0.05). In conclusion, WTAP overexpression may modulate the growth of TNF-α-induced rBMVECs by enhancing WTAP expression and its m6A methylation.

Oceanic repeaters boost the global climatic impact of the Tibetan Plateau

The topography of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has shaped the paleoclimatic evolution of the Asian monsoon. However, the influence of the TP on the global climate, beyond the domain of the Asian monsoon, remains unclear. Here we show that the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans act as efficient repeaters that boost the global climatic impact of the TP. The simulations demonstrate that oceanic repeaters enable TP heating to induce a wide-ranging climate response across the globe. A 1 °C TP warming can result in a 0.73 °C temperature increase over North America. Oceanic repeaters exert their influence by enhancing the air-sea interaction-mediated horizontal heat and moisture transport, as well as relevant atmospheric circulation pathways including westerlies, stationary waves, and zonal-vertical cells. Air-sea interactions were further tied to local feedbacks, mainly the decreased air-sea latent heat flux from the weakening air-sea humidity difference and the increased shortwave radiation from sinking motion-induced cloud reduction over the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Our findings highlight the crucial influence of TP heating variation on the current climate under a quasi-fixed topography, in contrast to topography change previously studied in paleoclimate evolution. Therefore, TP heating should be considered in research on global climate change.

Upconversion nanoparticle-based aptasensor for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of Staphylococcus aureus by low-speed centrifugation

Opportunistic foodborne pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) can cause a wide variety of threats to public health. There is an urgent clinical need for a fast, simple, low-cost, and sensitive method. Here, we designed a fluorescence-based aptamer biosensor (aptasensor) for S. aureus detection using core-shell structured upconversion nanoparticles (CS-UCNPs) as a beacon. A S. aureus-specific aptamer was modified on the surface of CS-UCNPs for binding pathogens. The S. aureus bound to CS-UCNPs can then be isolated from the detection system by simple low-speed centrifugation. Thus, an aptasensor was successfully established for the detection of S. aureus. The fluorescence intensity of CS-UCNPs correlated with the concentration of S. aureus within the range of 6.36 × 10² to 6.36 × 10⁸ CFU mL^-1, resulting in the detected limit of S. aureus being 60 CFU mL^-1. The aptasensor performed well in real food samples (milk) with a detection limit of 146 CFU mL^-1 for S. aureus. Furthermore, we applied our aptasensor in chicken muscles for S. aureus detection, and compared it with the plate count gold standard method. There was no significant difference between our aptasensor and the plate count method within the detected limit, while the time for the aptasensor (0.58 h) was shorter than that of the plate count method (3-4 d). Therefore, we succeeded in the design of a simple, sensitive and fast CS-UCNPs aptasensor for S. aureus detection. This aptasensor system would have the potential for the detection of a wide range of bacterial species by switching the corresponding aptamer.

Prognostic Significance of Translocator Protein in Brain Tissue Following Traumatic Brain Injury

AIM

To measure the expression of translocator protein (TSPO) in brain tissue following traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to determine whether TSPO can predict patient outcomes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

TBI patients requiring removal of intracranial hematoma were recruited from Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University between January 2018 and March 2021. TBI patients were divided into unfavorable and favorable groups according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score. The level of TSPO in brain samples was analyzed by Western blot and immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS

The expression of TSPO in the unfavorable group was higher than that in the favorable group. Double immunofluorescence staining showed that the percentages of TSPO positive cells among IBA1 positive and GFAP positive cells were 45.2± 3.1% and 3.5±0.6% respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, Computed tomography (CT), intracranial pressure (ICP) and Glasgow coma scale (GCS), we found that each 1-unit increase in TSPO was associated with a 40% higher occurrence of an unfavorable outcome (OR =1.4, 95% CI 0.4-5.6). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), specificity, and sensitivity of TSPO were 0.87, 76.7%, 88.2% respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that higher TSPO expression was associated with a higher occurrence of unfavorable outcomes.

Predictive nomogram for soft robotic hand rehabilitation of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage

Background

Few studies focused on the risk factors for hand rehabilitation of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) using of soft robotic hand therapy (SRHT). The aim of this study was to establish a predictive nomogram for soft robotic hand rehabilitation in patients with ICH.

Methods

According to the Brunnstrom motor recovery (BMR) stage, the patients were grouped into poor and good motor function groups. The data of patient demographic information and serum level of C-terminal Agrin Fragment (CAF), S100B and neurofilament light (NfL) were collected. The logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for poor hand function.

Results

Finally, we enrolled 102 and 103 patients in the control and SRHT groups. For the SRHT group, there were 17 and 86 cases with poor and good motor function at 6-months follow-up respectively. In the good motor function group, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Wrist and Hand (FMA-WH score) and BMR score at admission were all better than that in the poor motor function group respectively (p < 0.001). The mean serum level of CAF, S100B and NfL in the good motor function group were 2.5 ± 0.82 ng/mL, 286.6 ± 236.4 ng/L and 12.1 ± 10.4 pg/mL respectively, which were lower than that in the poor motor function group (p < 0.001, Table 3). The multivariate logistic regression showed that hematoma volume (OR = 1.47, p = 0.007), FMA-WH score admission (OR = 0.78, p = 0.02), S100B (OR = 1.32, p = 0.04), and NfL (OR = 1.24, p = 0.003) were all significant predictors of poor motor function.

Conclusions

We found that Soft robotic hands therapy benefited in hand function in patients with ICH and hematoma volume, FMA-WH score admission, S100B, and NfL were all significant predictors for poor motor function of patients with ICH.

Retraction Note: Salinomycin enhances radiotherapy sensitivity and reduces expressions of BIRC5 and NEIL2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The article "Salinomycin enhances radiotherapy sensitivity and reduces expressions of BIRC5 and NEIL2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, by Y. Chang, Q. Geng, Q. Bao, P. Hu, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020; 24 (11): 6409-6416-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202006_21539-PMID: 32572938" has been retracted by the authors. After publication, the article was questioned on PubPeer. Concerns were raised about Figure 3 and the reliability of the published results. The same authors stated that the study was not conducted according to the required standard procedures. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause https://www.europeanreview.org/article/21539.

Detection, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and opportunities for nanobiotechnology

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the number of confirmed cases and deaths has increased globally at a dramatic speed. In view of the serious health threat to humans, this review discusses the state-of-the-art studies about fighting this disease. It summarizes the current strategies and recent advances in detecting, preventing, and treating COVID-19 and interprets the underlying mechanisms in detail. Detection of COVID-19 can be successfully achieved by multiple techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, computed tomography imaging, and nano-biosensing. Inactivated virus vaccine, nucleic acid vaccine, and different nanoparticles have been employed to effectively prevent COVID-19. A variety of agents such as antiviral agents, neutralizing antibodies, and nanotherapeutics have been developed to treat COVID-19 with exciting efficacy. Although nanobiotechnology has shown great potential in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of COVID-19, efforts should be made to explore new biocompatible nano-biomaterials to advance this field to clinical applications. Hence, nanobiotechnology paves a new way to detect, prevent, and treat COVID-19 effectively.

Type 2 and Type 17 Invariant Natural Killer T Cells Contribute to Local Eosinophilic and Neutrophilic Inflammation and Their Function Is Regulated by Mucosal Microenvironment in Nasal Polyps

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is characterized by heterogeneous inflammatory endotypes of unknown etiology. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are multifunctional innate T cells that exhibit Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-like characteristics. We investigated functional relationships between iNKT cells and inflammatory subtypes of CRSwNP. Eighty patients with CRSwNP and thirty-two control subjects were recruited in this study. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the frequencies and functions of iNKT cells and their subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and tissues. Polyp tissue homogenates were used to study the multifunctionality of iNKT cells. iNKT cells were significantly increased in polyps (0.41%) than in control mucosa (0.12%). iNKT cells were determined in the paucigranunlocytic (n=20), eosinophilic (n=22), neutrophilic (n=23), and mixed granulocytic (n=13) phenotypes of CRSwNP. The percentages of iNKT cells and HLA-DR⁺PD-1⁺ subsets were lower in eosinophilic or mixed granulocytic polyps than those of other phenotypes. iNKT cells and subsets were enriched in polyp tissues than in matched PBMCs. The evaluation of surface markers, transcription factors, and signature cytokines indicated that the frequencies of iNKT2 and iNKT17 subsets were significantly increased in eosinophilic and neutrophilic polyps, respectively, than in the paucigranulocytic group. Moreover, the production of type 2 (partially dependent on IL-7) and type 17 (partially dependent on IL-23) iNKT cells could be stimulated by eosinophilic and neutrophilic homogenates, respectively. Our study revealed that type 2 and type 17 iNKT cells were involved in eosinophilic and neutrophilic inflammation, respectively, in CRSwNP, while different inflammatory microenvironments could modulate the functions of iNKT cells, suggesting a role of iNKT cells in feedback mechanisms and local inflammation.

New Insights for Biosensing: Lessons from Microbial Defense Systems

Microorganisms have gained defense systems during the lengthy process of evolution over millions of years. Such defense systems can protect them from being attacked by invading species (e.g., CRISPR-Cas for establishing adaptive immune systems and nanopore-forming toxins as virulence factors) or enable them to adapt to different conditions (e.g., gas vesicles for achieving buoyancy control). These microorganism defense systems (MDS) have inspired the development of biosensors that have received much attention in a wide range of fields including life science research, food safety, and medical diagnosis. This Review comprehensively analyzes biosensing platforms originating from MDS for sensing and imaging biological analytes. We first describe a basic overview of MDS and MDS-inspired biosensing platforms (e.g., CRISPR-Cas systems, nanopore-forming proteins, and gas vesicles), followed by a critical discussion of their functions and properties. We then discuss several transduction mechanisms (optical, acoustic, magnetic, and electrical) involved in MDS-inspired biosensing. We further detail the applications of the MDS-inspired biosensors to detect a variety of analytes (nucleic acids, peptides, proteins, pathogens, cells, small molecules, and metal ions). In the end, we propose the key challenges and future perspectives in seeking new and improved MDS tools that can potentially lead to breakthrough discoveries in developing a new generation of biosensors with a combination of low cost; high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision; and fast detection. Overall, this Review gives a historical review of MDS, elucidates the principles of emulating MDS to develop biosensors, and analyzes the recent advancements, current challenges, and future trends in this field. It provides a unique critical analysis of emulating MDS to develop robust biosensors and discusses the design of such biosensors using elements found in MDS, showing that emulating MDS is a promising approach to conceptually advancing the design of biosensors.

Caregivers' mind-mindedness and rural left-behind young children's insecure attachment: The moderated mediation model of theory of mind and family status

BACKGROUND

China's rapid development and urbanization since the early 1980s have compelled many rural residents to move from rural to urban areas for work, leaving thousands of children at home.

OBJECTIVE

This study tested the mediating effect of children's theory of mind on the relationship between caregivers' mind-mindedness and their children's insecure attachment differently depending on the different family status (the moderator) of left-behind and non-left-behind.

PARTICIPANTS

The participants were 3 to 6 years old 74 left-behind children (LBHC) and 89 non-left-behind children (NLBHC).

SETTINGS

Participants were from rural counties of central China in Henan province that has experienced a large labor migration.

METHODS

A cross-sectional moderated mediation model linked mind-mindedness (independent variable) and insecure attachment (dependent variable) through the theory of mind (mediator) and family status (moderator: left-behind/non-left-behind), controlling for age, gender, and siblings.

RESULTS

First, LBHC scored higher on insecure-disorganized attachment than NLBHC. Second, the early childhood theory of mind mediated the relationship between the caregiver's mind-mindedness and young children's insecure attachment. Third, family status moderated the effects of the theory of mind on insecure attachment. The mediating role was established only for the left-behind family, and the lower theory of mind ability was associated with the greater insecure attachment of LBHC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight the critical role of mind-mindedness, theory of mind, and family status in the attachment theory and clarify the association between different levels of young children's theory of mind and insecure attachment based on family status.

Binding Peptide-Promoted Biofunctionalization of Graphene Paper with Hydroxyapatite for Stimulating Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Graphene paper (GP), a macroscopic self-supporting material, has exceptional flexibility and preserves the excellent physical and chemical properties of graphene nanomaterials. But its applications in regenerative medicine remain to be further explored. Here, we biologically functionalized GP with hydroxyapatite (HA) nanorods by the use of GP-binding peptides as an affinity linker. This strategy solved two daunting challenges for regenerative medicine applications of GP: the lack of good hydrophilicity for supporting cell growth and the difficulty in forming composites by binding with nanobiomaterials. Briefly, we first screened a high-affinity GP-binding peptide (TWWNPRLVYFDY) by the phage display technique. Then we chemically conjugated the GP-binding peptide to the synthetic HA nanorods. The GP-binding peptide on the resultant HA nanorods enabled them to be bound and assembled onto the GP substrate with high affinity, forming a GP-peptide-HA composite with significantly improved hydrophilicity of GP. The composite promoted the attachment and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), demonstrating its outstanding biocompatibility. Due to the unique compositions of the composite, it was also found to induce osteogenic differentiation of MSCs in vitro in the absence of other inducers in the medium, by verifying the expression of the osteogenic markers including collagen-1, bone morphogenetic proteins 2, runx-related transcription factor 2, osteocalcin, and alkaline phosphatase. Our work suggests that the GP-binding peptide can be used to link inorganic nanoparticles onto GP to facilitate the biomedical applications of GP.

PtI4-Catalyzed Oxidative and Hydrogenative Dearomative [3 + 2] Cycloadditions of 1H-Indole N-Tethered o-Alkynylbenzaldehydes

A synthetic method for the chemodivergent assembly of a diverse range of highly functionalized and architecturally challenging cyclohepta[b]indolines that relies on the PtI4-catalyzed oxidative and hydrogenative dearomative [3 + 2]...

Ligand-controlled chemoselectivity in gold-catalyzed cascade cyclization of 1,4-diene-tethered 2-alkynylbenzaldehydes

A synthetic method that relies on the gold(i)-catalyzed cascade annulation of skipped 1,4-diene-tethered 2-alkynylbenzaldehydes for the chemo- and stereoselective assembly polycyclic bridged-pyrrolidines and -azepines is described.

Construction of tissue-customized hydrogels from cross-linkable materials for effective tissue regeneration

Hydrogels are prevalent scaffolds for tissue regeneration because of their hierarchical architectures along with outstanding biocompatibility and unique rheological and mechanical properties. For decades, researchers have found that many materials (natural, synthetic, or hybrid) can form hydrogels using different cross-linking strategies. Traditional strategies for fabricating hydrogels include physical, chemical, and enzymatical cross-linking methods. However, due to the diverse characteristics of different tissues/organs to be regenerated, tissue-customized hydrogels need to be developed through precisely controlled processes, making the manufacture of hydrogels reliant on novel cross-linking strategies. Thus, hybrid cross-linkable materials are proposed to tackle this challenge through hybrid cross-linking strategies. Here, different cross-linkable materials and their associated cross-linking strategies are summarized. From the perspective of the major characteristics of the target tissues/organs, we critically analyze how different cross-linking strategies are tailored to fit the regeneration of such tissues and organs. To further advance this field, more appropriate cross-linkable materials and cross-linking strategies should be investigated. In addition, some innovative technologies, such as 3D bioprinting, the internet of medical things (IoMT), and artificial intelligence (AI), are also proposed to improve the development of hydrogels for more efficient tissue regeneration.

Sc(OTf)3-Catalyzed C2-Selective Cyanation/Defluorination Cascade of Perfluoroalkylated 3-Indolylmethanols and Application to the Synthesis of 3-Fluoro(perfluoroalkyl)-β-carbolines

An unprecedented Sc(OTf)₃-catalyzed C2-selective cyanation/defluorination cascade of perfluoroalkylated 3-indolylmethanols with TMSCN is described, which provides a novel and practical strategy for the synthesis of structurally diverse 3-(2-cyano)-indolyl substituted gem-difluoroalkenes and β-fluoro-β-perfluoroalkylalkenes. The reaction features excellent regio- and stereoselectivity and broad substrate scope. Notably, the obtained gem-difluoroalkenes and β-fluoro-β-perfluoroalkylalkenes could be easily transformed into 3-fluoro(perfluoroalkyl)-β-carbolines with excellent efficiency simply by treating them with Grignard reagents or DIBAL-H under mild reaction conditions.

IP3R1/GRP75/VDAC1 complex mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress-mitochondrial oxidative stress in diabetic atrial remodeling

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): National Natural Science Foundation of China

Background

Mitochondrial oxidative stress is an important mechanism of atrial remodeling and atrial fibrillation (AF) in the setting of diabetes. Currently, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is regarded as the key link from homeostasis to dysfunction, and is a central feature of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes have not been fully elucidated.

Objective

To explore the potential role of ER stress-mitochondrial oxidative stress in atrial remodeling and AF induction in diabetes.

Methods

 Mouse atrial cardiomyocytes (HL-1 cells) , type 2 diabetic rats and GRP75 conditional knockout mice were used as models systems. These findings were correlated with biomarker findings in human diabetic patients with confirmed atrial fibrillation.

Results

 In the diabetic rat atria, significant ER stress was observed. Treatment with tunicamycin (TM), an ER stress agonist, mass spectrometry (MS) demonstrated many known ER stress and calmodulin proteins, including Heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member (Hspa) 5 (GRP78) and Hspa9 (GRP75) and in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) indicated that TM led to increased protein expression of the IP3R1 (inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors 1)/GRP75 (glucose-regulated protein 75)/VDAC1 (voltage-dependent anion channel 1) complex in HL-1 cells. Silencing of GRP75 using siRNA in HL-1 cells and GRP75 conditional knockout in our mouse model led to impaired calcium transport from the ER to mitochondria, and alleviated mitochondrial oxidative stress and calcium overload. Moreover, GRP75 deficiency attenuates atrial remodeling and AF progression in Myh6-Cre+/Hspa9flox/flox + TM mice.

Conclusions

 The IP3R1/GRP75/VDAC1 complex mediates endoplasmic reticulum stress-mitochondrial oxidative stress plays an important role in diabetic atrial remodeling. Abstract Figure

Perfluoroalkyl substance pollutants activate the innate immune system through the AIM2 inflammasome

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in various manufacturing processes. Accumulation of these chemicals has adverse effects on human health, including inflammation in multiple organs, yet how PFAS are sensed by host cells, and how tissue inflammation eventually incurs, is still unclear. Here, we show that the double-stranded DNA receptor AIM2 is able to recognize perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a common form of PFAS, to trigger IL-1β secretion and pyroptosis. Mechanistically, PFOS activates the AIM2 inflammasome in a process involving mitochondrial DNA release through the Ca2+-PKC-NF-κB/JNK-BAX/BAK axis. Accordingly, Aim2-/- mice have reduced PFOS-induced inflammation, as well as tissue damage in the lungs, livers, and kidneys in both their basic condition and in an asthmatic exacerbation model. Our results thus suggest a function of AIM2 in PFOS-mediated tissue inflammation, and identify AIM2 as a major pattern recognition receptor in response to the environmental organic pollutants.

Aptamer-modified sensitive nanobiosensors for the specific detection of antibiotics

The overuse or abuse of quinolone antibiotics such as enrofloxacin (ENR) in veterinary medicine results in the presence of their residues in food and environment. Thus, a sensitive method is needed to detect them. Herein, we demonstrate a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based aptasensor for ENR detection, using core-shell upconversion nanoparticles (CSUNPs) as an energy donor and graphene oxide (GO) as an energy acceptor. The core-shell structure and Gd3+ doping significantly increased the fluorescence intensity of CSUNPs and the FRET efficiency. The ENR aptamer was conjugated to CSUNPs through ligand exchange, and the π-π stacking between the aptamer and GO brought the aptamer-modified CSUNPs to the surface of the GO sheets, resulting in the formation of a CSUNP-GO complex and the subsequent quenching of CSUNP fluorescence. As a result, an aptasensor was established with the fluorescence of CSUNPs correlated with the ENR concentration within the range of 0.976 ng mL-1 to 62.5 ng mL-1, allowing ENR to be detected at a limit of 0.47 ng mL-1. This method reduced the detection limit by approximately 13-fold in 2 h compared to the commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The aptasensor could also be applied to detect ENR from commercial milk powder samples with a detection limit of 1.59 ng mL-1, which was far below the regulated maximum residue limit of ENR in milk. The aptasensor could not detect other antibiotics, suggesting its good specificity towards ENR. Our work demonstrates a highly selective, sensitive and cost-effective method for detecting antibiotic residues in veterinary medicine. Since the aptamer can be switched to one recognizing another antibiotic, the aptasensors are used as a plug-and-play platform that can detect a variety of antibiotics.

miR-34a regulates phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells in intracranial aneurysm by targeting CXCR3 and MMP-2

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) dysregulation is tightly related to diseases including tumor, neuro disease and cardiovascular disease. In this study, we investigated the potential biological effects of miR-34a and its target CXCR3 in phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). MiR-34a was found to be down-regulated in IAs patients tested by Real-time PCR and decreased in GEO data. Meanwhile, our study also showed miR-34a inhibited matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and migration of VSMCs. Besides, CXCR3 is a direct target of miR-34a identified via luciferase assay. CXCR3 showed inhibitory effect on SM-MHC, SM22 while promoted MMPs expression, cell proliferation and migration in VSMCs. MiR-34a reversed the effect of CXCR3 in VSMCs. In addition, MMP-2 is a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of CXCR3 sharing common miR-34a target. CXCR3 increased MMP-2 level through competitive endogenous RNA regulation by sponging endogenous miR-34a. In conclusion, miR-34a is down-regulated in IAs while CXCR3 is the direct target of miR-34a that regulates phenotypic modulation of VSMCs. CXCR3 increased MMP-2 level through competitive endogenous RNA regulation by sharing common miR-34a targets.

Perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoate exacerbate airway inflammation in asthmatic mice and in vitro

Emerging evidence suggests associations between Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exposure and asthma, but the findings are inconsistent. The current study sought to investigate whether perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) could contribute to asthma exacerbation and to clarify the underlying biological mechanisms. The objectives are a) to determine whether PFOS or PFOA could aggravate the mouse asthma and pulmonary inflammation b) to investigate whether PFOS and PFOA regulate the balance of Th1/Th2 through the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and aggravated asthma. Ovalbumin (OVA) induced asthmatic mice were exposed to PFOS or PFOA by gavage. PFOS and PFOA serum level and toxicity in organs were assessed; and the impacts on respiratory symptoms, lung tissue pathology, T helper cell (Th2) response, and STAT6 pathway activity were also evaluated. In vitro Jurkat cells were used to study the mechanisms of PFOS and PFOA mediated Th1 and Th2 responses. Both PFOS and PFOA exacerbated lung tissue inflammation (greater number of eosinophils and mucus hyperproduction), upregulated Th2 cytokine production (IL-4 and IL-13), and promoted Th2 cells and STAT6 activation. Furthermore, PFOS and PFOA enhanced the Th2 response in Jurkat cells via STAT6 activation; and the effect of PFOS exposure on GATA-3, IL-4 and IFN-γ was blocked after the expression of STAT6 was suppressed in Jurkat cells, however, the effects of PFOA exposure were only partially blocked. PFOS and PFOA aggravated inflammation among OVA-induced asthmatic mice, by promoting the Th2 response in lymphocytes and disturbing the balance of Th1/Th2 through the JAK-STAT signaling pathway.

[Comparative study on prognosis of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by hepatic surgery versus upfront surgery in patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastasis]

Objective: To compare the survival outcome in patients with synchronous colorectal cancer liver metastasis receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by hepatic surgery versus upfront surgery strategies. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out. Data of patients undergoing surgery at the Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Unit I of Peking University Cancer Hospital from January 2008 to December 2018 for initially resectable synchronous colorectal liver metastasis were retrospectively collected. A total of 282 cases were enrolled, including 244 in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, 38 in the upfront surgery first group. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the two groups were compared. A propensity score risk adjustment was used to eliminate potential bias between groups, and the covariates including sex, age, location of primary tumor, T stage, clinical risk score (CRS), RAS gene status, adjuvant chemotherapy, and resection margin status were included for adjustment. Results: In the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, 244 cases received 4 (1-15) cycles of chemotherapy before hepatic resection, among whom 207 cases received oxaliplatin-based regimens, 37 cases received irinotecan-based regimens, and 90 cases received combined targeted agents in the first line treatment. The median follow-up time was 30 (5-134) months, and loss of follow-up was 1%. Before adjustment, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the 1-year and 3-year OS rates in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group (95.1% and 66.4%) were better than those in the upfront surgery first group (94.7% and 51.5%, P=0.026); 1-year and 3-year PFS rates in neoadjuvant chemotherapy group (51.0% and 23.4%) were also better than those in surgery first group (39.5% and 11.5%, P=0.039). After propensity score risk adjustment, Cox multivariate analysis indicated that neoadjuvant chemotherapy was an independent protective factor of PFS (HR=0.664, 95% CI: 0.449-0.982, P=0.040), however, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was not an independent protective factor of OS (HR=0.651, 95% CI: 0.393-1.079, P=0.096). Subgroup analysis showed that the 1-year and 3-year OS rates in the patients with response to the first line treatment (194, including complete remission, partial remission and reduction but not partial remission) (96.9% and 67.1%) were better than those in the upfront surgery group (94.7% and 51.5%, P=0.026) after adjustment. However, the 1-year and 3-year OS rates in the patients without response to the first line treatment (50, including tumor progression or enlargement) were 90.0% and 63.3%, respectively, which were not significantly different with 94.7% and 51.5% in the upfront surgery group (P=0.310) after adjustment. Conclusions: For patients with resectable synchronous colorectal cancer liver metastasis, liver resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy can provide longer PFS than upfront surgery. Although the whole OS benefit is not significant, patients with effective neoadjuvant first-line chemotherapy have better OS than those undergoing upfront surgery.

Prognostic significance of serum translocator protein in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hematoma：preliminary findings

Background: The aim of this study was to measure the level of translocator protein (TSPO) in patients with intracerebral hematoma (ICH) and to determine whether TSPO can predict ICH outcomes.Method: Patients with ICH were recruited at Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University between January 2018 and May 2020. The level of TSPO and inflammatory factors were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was applied to assess the accuracy of TSPO for predicting patient outcomes.Result: The median of TSPO was 2.26 ng/ml. The lower- (46 cases) and higher-(51 cases) TSPO groups were thus divided based on the median value. The perihematomal edema (PHE) volume in the lower TSPO group was 6.3 ± 1.3 ml which was significantly lower than that in higher-TSPO group (14.8 ± 3.5 ml) (p < 0.05). The serum level of the interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the higher-TSPO group was significantly higher than that in the lower TSPO group (p < 0.05). The Spearman's correlation found that TSPO concentrations significantly correlated with PHE volume, modified Rankin Scale score (MRS), IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP concentrations. The area under the ROC (AUC), specificity, sensitivity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and Diagnostic Odds Ratio (DOR) of TSPO was 0.932, 82.1%, 89.9%, 5.02, 0.12, and 40.8, respectively, which was more reliable than other inflammatory factors.Conclusion: The TSPO may a reliable biomarker in predicting the prognosis of ICH patients.

Downregulation of MCM2 contributes to the reduced growth potential of epithelial progenitor cells in chronic nasal inflammation

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have shown that human nasal epithelial progenitor cells (hNEPCs) are characterized by poor proliferation capacities during chronic nasal inflammation.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to investigate the key molecular functions and candidates that contribute to the reduced growth potential of hNEPCs in chronically inflamed nasal mucosa.

METHODS

Nasal biopsy specimens were obtained from 28 patients with nasal polyps (NPs) and 13 healthy controls. hNEPCs from nasal samples were cultured for 3 consecutive passages, and their molecular and functional profiles were analyzed by RNA sequencing. The minichromosome maintenance protein (MCM) family gene MCM2 was validated in hNEPCs and tissue samples from patients with NPs and control subjects by cell cycle, quantitative PCR, and Western blot analyses; small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown assay; and immunofluorescent staining.

RESULTS

Compared with control hNEPCs, NP-derived hNEPCs showed (1) reduced growth kinetics, as evidenced by the colony-forming efficiency and doubling time; (2) inhibited cell cycle progression, as evidenced by gene ontology and/or pathway and cell cycle analyses; and (3) downregulated expression of MCM2, the key protein of the MCM complex, which is critical for DNA replication at the G1/S checkpoint. Moreover, hNEPCs with MCM2 knockdown showed a decreased proliferation rate, and the MCM2 protein level in basal cells was significantly lower in abnormally remodeled nasal epithelium than in normal epithelium.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate inhibited cell cycle progression and MCM2 downregulation in basal or progenitor nasal epithelial cells from NP tissue, which may contribute to the decreased growth potential of hNEPCs in chronically inflamed upper airways.

Presence of Tertiary Lymphoid Organ in Nasal Inverted Papilloma Is Correlated with Eosinophil Infiltration and Local Immunoglobulin Production

INTRODUCTION

Nasal inverted papilloma (NIP) is a benign tumour with multiple inflammatory cell infiltration. Tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs) support local antibody production and play important roles in airway inflammation. However, the evidence of TLOs and local immunoglobulins in NIP has not been reported yet. We investigated the presence of TLOs and immunoglobulins in NIP tissues and their association with the clinical-pathological characteristics of NIPs.

METHODS

We analyzed the occurrence and composition of TLOs and local immunoglobulins by immunohistochemistry and evaluated the lymph organogenesis associated genes and cytokines by quantitative qPCR and Luminex assays, respectively, in papilloma tissues from 84 NIP cases.

RESULTS

TLOs were present in 54% (45/84) of the NIP patients but not in control subjects. TLOs were composed of T cells, B cells, follicular dendritic cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. Compared to NIP tissues without TLOs, tissues with TLOs showed significantly higher eosinophil infiltration levels (3.5-fold), elevation of lymphorganogenic genes (CXCL12, CXCL13, CCL20, CCL21, CD21L, and lymphotoxin alpha and beta), and increased Th17 (IL-21, IL-22, and GM-CSF) and Th2 (IL-5 and IL-13) cytokine production. Moreover, NIP with TLOs demonstrated a higher number of follicular T helper cells and immunoglobulin-producing plasma cells (CD138+ IgA+, CD138+ IgM+, CD138+ IgE+, and CD138+ IgG+) than those without TLOs, and these antibody-producing cells were positively correlated with the eosinophil number.

CONCLUSION

The high frequency of TLOs and excess local immunoglobulin production are associated with an eosinophilic and Th2 skew microenvironment in the NIP mucosa, which would contribute to an important immunopathogenic response during NIP pathogenesis.

Neural Correlate Differences in Number Sense Between Children With Low and Middle/High Socioeconomic Status

Although some cognitive studies provided reasons that children with low socioeconomic status (SES) showed poor mathematical achievements, there was no explicit evidence to directly explain the root of lagged performance in children with low SES. Therefore, the present study explored the differences in neural correlates in the process of symbolic magnitude comparison between children with different SESs by the event-related potentials (ERPs). A total of 16 second-graders from low-SES families and 16 from middle/high-SES families participated in this study. According to the results of anterior N1 (early attention) and P2 (extraction of numerical meaning) over the frontal region, the differences among children with different SESs were manifested as differences in general neural activities in terms of attention and top-down cognitive control. In the late stage of cognitive processing, there was no significant difference in the average amplitude of the late positive component (LPC) between children with different SES, indicating that low SES did not influence the information encoding and memory updating of numerical representation, which was responsible by the parietal lobe. The educational implications of this study are mentioned in the discussion.

[Long-term outcomes of patients undergoing hepatectomy for bilateral multiple colorectal liver metastases-a propensity score matching analysis]

Objective: Liver is the most common site of distant metastasis in colorectal cancer patients. Currently, surgical resection of colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) still remains the most curative therapeutic option which is associated with long-term survival. However, the outcome of CRLM patients with bilobar multiple lesions has been reported to be extremely poor due to the complex techniques of the surgery and the difficulties to achieve a negative resection margin. In this study, postoperative long-term outcome in patients with bilobar versus unilobar multiple CRLM undergoing surgical resection were compared and the prognostic factors of CRLM were analyzed. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. The clinicopathological data were collected retrospectively from patients with multiple CRLM who received liver resection between January 2002 and November 2018 at our department. Inclusion criteria: (1) All CRLM lesions were confirmed by preoperative enhanced CT or MRI and enhanced ultrasonography. (2) All CRLM lesions were resectable either initially or converted by systemic treatments. The CRLM patients were considered as resectable, if their extrahepatic diseases were able to be completely removed. (3) Sufficient remnant liver volume was required to maintain normal liver function, which was defined by the ratio of remnant liver volume to total liver volume (RLV-TLV), of greater than 30% in general or 40% for the patients undergoing chemotherapy. (4) Medical records and follow-up information were intact. Those undergoing multiple operations after recurrence, with R2 resection, or with a single CRLM lesion were excluded. Patients were divided into bilobar and unilobar group according to tumor distribution. One-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the covariates between the bilobar group and unilobar group. After PSM, the differences in long-term outcomes between the two groups were compared. Results: A total of 491 patients met the inclusion criteria, 344 (69.6%) with bilobar and 147 (30.4%) with unilobar CRLM. In the propensity-score-matched population (bilobar, 143; unilobar, 143), baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates in the bilobar group were 91.6%, 52.1%, and 35.3% respectively, compared with 93.7%, 56.8%, and 43.8% in the unilobar group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.204). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence-free survival rates in the bilobar group were 45.7%, 33.7%, and 33.7% respectively, compared with 62.5%, 44.1%, and 42.1% in the unilobar group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.075). No significant difference was found in liver-only recurrence (45.6% in bilobar vs. 53.3% in unilobar, P=0.543). Univariate analysis showed that N stage of primary tumor, diameter of the largest liver metastases, carcinoembyonic antigen level, RAS gene status and clinical risk score (CRS) were significantly associated with the prognosis of CRLM (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that diameter of largest liver metastases > 5 cm (HR=1.888, 95% CI: 1.251-2.848, P=0.002), CRS≥3 (HR=1.552,95% CI:1.050-2.294, P=0.027) and RAS gene mutation (HR=1.561, 95% CI: 1.102-2.212, P=0.012) were independent risk factors of poor overall survival after hepatectomy. Conclusions: Tumor distribution may not affect the prognosis of multiple CRLM after resection. Surgical removal in patients with bilobar multiple CRLM provides comparable long-term survival to unilobar multiple CRLM.

Selectively Suppressing Tumor Angiogenesis for Targeted Breast Cancer Therapy by Genetically Engineered Phage

Antiangiogenesis is a promising approach to cancer therapy but is limited by the lack of tumor-homing capability of the current antiangiogenic agents. Angiogenin, a protein overexpressed and secreted by tumors to trigger angiogenesis for their growth, has never been explored as an antiangiogenic target in cancer therapy. Here it is shown that filamentous fd phage, as a biomolecular biocompatible nanofiber, can be engineered to become capable of first homing to orthotopic breast tumors and then capturing angiogenin to prevent tumor angiogenesis, resulting in targeted cancer therapy without side effects. The phage is genetically engineered to display many copies of an identified angiogenin-binding peptide on its side wall and multiple copies of a breast-tumor-homing peptide at its tip. Since the tumor-homing peptide can be discovered and customized virtually toward any specific cancer by phage display, the angiogenin-binding phages are thus universal "plug-and-play" tumor-homing cancer therapeutics.

Salinomycin enhances radiotherapy sensitivity and reduces expressions of BIRC5 and NEIL2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of salinomycin (Sal) on expressions of baculoviral IAP repeat-containing 5 (BIRC5) and Nei endonuclease VIII-like 2 (NEIL2) and radiotherapy sensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Human NPC CNE-2 cell lines were used as research objects in this study. Subsequently, the cells received intervention with Sal at different concentrations, radioactive rays at different doses and Sal combined with radioactive rays. The growth inhibition rate of CNE-2 cells was detected via methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The dose-effect relations of Sal, radioactive rays and combination therapy with the inhibitory effect on CNE-2 cells were obtained. CNE-2 cells receiving intervention with Sal at an appropriate concentration or radioactive rays at an appropriate dose alone and Sal combined with radioactive rays were used as intervention groups (Sal group, Radiation group and Combination group). However, those added with an equal amount of DMSO were set as Control group. Next, the cycle, apoptosis and apoptotic morphology of CNE-2 cells were observed via flow cytometry and Hoechst assay, respectively. Moreover, the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), as well as BIRC5 and NEIL2 proteins in CNE-2 cells were determined using Western blotting.

RESULTS

Under the intervention with Sal or radioactive rays alone, the growth inhibition rate of CNE-2 cells rose in a concentration/dose-dependent manner. With the increase in Sal concentration in combination therapy, the growth inhibition rate of CNE-2 cells significantly increased (p<0.05). Compared with Control group, Sal group, Radiation group, and Combination group exhibited remarkably lower colony formation rate, higher proportion of CNE-2 cells in the G2/M phase, enhanced apoptosis of CNE-2 cells with nuclear fragmentation, increased expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins Caspase-3 and Bax, decreased expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and lower protein expressions of BIRC5 and NEIL2 in cells (p<0.05). Compared with Radiation group, the Combination group had significantly decreased colony formation rate, increased proportion of CNE-2 cells in the G2/M phase, enhanced apoptosis of CNE-2 cells with more nuclear fragmentation and other apoptosis characteristics, increased expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins Caspase-3 and Bax, decreased expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and decreased protein expressions of BIRC5 and NEIL2 in cells (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Sal enhances the radiotherapy sensitivity of NPC and reduces the protein expressions of BIRC5 and NEIL2 in cells.

Driving forces of land surface temperature anomalous changes in North America in 2002-2018

The land surface temperature (LST) changes in North America are very abnormal recently, but few studies have systematically researched these anomalies from several aspects, especially the influencing forces. After reconstructing higher quality MODIS monthly LST data (0.05° * 0.05°) in 2002-2018, we analyzed the LST changes especially anomalous changes and their driving forces in North America. Here we show that North America warmed at the rate of 0.02 °C/y. The LST changes in three regions, including frigid region in the northwestern (0.12 °C/y), the west coast from 20°N-40°N (0.07 °C/y), and the tropics south of 20°N (0.04 °C/y), were extremely abnormal. The El Nino and La Nina were the main drivers for the periodical highest and lowest LST, respectively. The North Atlantic Oscillation was closed related to the opposite change of LST in the northeastern North America and the southeastern United States, and the warming trend of the Florida peninsula in winter was closely related to enhancement of the North Atlantic Oscillation index. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation index showed a positive correlation with the LST in most Alaska. Vegetation and atmospheric water vapor also had a profound influence on the LST changes, but it had obvious difference in latitude.

Research Note: Effects of the rearing method and stocking density on carcass traits and proximate composition of meat in small-sized meat ducks

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different rearing methods and stocking densities on carcass yield and proximate composition of meat in small-sized meat ducks. A total of 555 one-day-old birds were randomly allocated to six treatment groups (three replicates per treatment, sex ratio 1/1) with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of two rearing methods (reared in cage or net) and three stocking densities (5 [low], 7 [medium], or 9 [high] birds/m²) until day 70. Five male and five female birds from each replicate were randomly selected and processed to determine the carcass yield. Proximate composition was determined by proximate analysis using the breast and thigh muscles. There was no interaction effect between the rearing method and stocking density on carcass yield. The rearing method affected the thigh muscle rate, which was higher in the cage groups (P < 0.05). The final BW and abdominal fat rate decreased with increasing density (P < 0.05), whereas the thigh muscle rate increased (P < 0.05). There were significant interaction effects (P < 0.05) between the rearing method and stocking density on the content of protein, fat, and collagen. The content of fat and moisture was greater and lower, respectively, in the cage groups (P < 0.05). The content of moisture, fat, and collagen with a medium density was higher (P < 0.05). In addition, the content of protein and fat was lower in the ducks fed in nets at low and high densities (P < 0.05), respectively; the collagen content of breast and thigh muscle was lower in the ducks fed in cages and nets, respectively, at a low density (P < 0.05). Our findings provide valuable insights into the single and interactive effects of the rearing method and stocking density on duck slaughter performance and proximate composition of meat. The results indicate that a rearing system with a cage pattern and a medium density is better than other arrangements for small-sized meat ducks.

Systematic analysis of copy-number variations associated with early pregnancy loss

OBJECTIVES

Embryonic numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities are the most common cause of early pregnancy loss. However, the role of submicroscopic copy-number variations (CNVs) in early pregnancy loss is unclear, and little is known about the critical regions and candidate genes for miscarriage, because of the large size of structural chromosomal abnormalities. The aim of this study was to identify potential miscarriage-associated submicroscopic CNVs and critical regions of large CNVs as well as candidate genes for miscarriage.

METHODS

Over a 5-year period, 5180 fresh miscarriage specimens were investigated using quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction/CNV sequencing or chromosomal microarray analysis. Statistically significant submicroscopic CNVs were identified by comparing the frequency of recurrent submicroscopic CNVs between cases and a published control cohort. Furthermore, genes within critical regions of miscarriage-associated CNVs were prioritized by integrating the Residual Variation Intolerance Score and the human gene expression dataset for identification of potential miscarriage candidate genes.

RESULTS

Results without significant maternal-cell contamination were obtained in 5003 of the 5180 (96.6%) cases. Clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 59.1% (2955/5003) of these cases. Three recurrent submicroscopic CNVs (microdeletions in 22q11.21, 2q37.3 and 9p24.3p24.2) were significantly more frequent in miscarriage cases, and were considered to be associated with miscarriage. Moreover, 44 critical regions of large CNVs were observed, including 14 deletions and 30 duplications. There were 309 genes identified as potential miscarriage candidate genes through gene-prioritization analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified potential miscarriage candidate CNVs and genes. These data demonstrate the importance of CNVs in the etiology of miscarriage and highlight the importance of ongoing analysis of CNVs in the study of miscarriage. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The oncoprotein HBXIP facilitates metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activation of MMP15 expression

Background: Due to the high recurrence and metastasis rate, the clinical outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unsatisfactory. Hepatitis B virus X-interacting protein (HBXIP) has been reported to play crucial roles in carcinogenesis.

Purpose: We aimed to reveal the functional significance and underlying mechanism of HBXIP in HCC metastasis. Methods: Cell transwell assay, in vivo metastasis model, real-time PCR, western blot analysis, luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were applied.

Results: Here, we detected the HBXIP expression level and determined its clinical significance in HCC. We found that HBXIP was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues, and correlated with vascular invasion, tumor metastasis and worse prognosis of HCC patients. HBXIP enhanced cell migration and invasion in vitro, and promoted the metastasis of HCC in vivo. Furthermore, we confirmed that HBXIP increased MMP15 expression through association with proto-oncogene c-myc. Depletion of c-myc abolished HBXIP-mediated MMP-15 upregulation. We also observed a positive correlation between HBXIP and MMP15 expression in HCC tissues.

Conclusion: Our results establish a novel function for HBXIP-MMP15 regulation in HCC metastasis and suggest its candidacy as a new prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC metastasis.