[Clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of esophageal carcinoma with ductal differentiation: analysis of 17 cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and molecular genetic characteristics of esophageal carcinoma with ductal differentiation, and to summarize the experiences in its diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A total of 17 cases of esophageal carcinoma with ductal differentiation diagnosed in Ningbo Clinical Pathological Diagnosis Center, Ningbo, China from June 2011 to December 2022 were collected. The clinical information and pathological diagnosis was reviewed. The tumor histological features and immunohistochemical results were analyzed. The next-generation sequencing was performed to detect and analyze the gene mutations in tumor samples. Results: The 17 patients included in this study were 54-77 years old, with a median age of 66 years. There were 16 males and 1 female. Among them, 9 cases were mainly carcinoma with ductal differentiation. The squamous epithelium on the tumor's surface was accompanied by high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. The tumor and atypical squamous epithelium were transitional, and the focus was accompanied by various proportions of squamous cell carcinoma component (less than 10%). The other 8 cases were mostly squamous cell carcinoma, basaloid squamous cell carcinoma or sarcomatoid carcinoma with various degrees of tumor specific differentiation and focal area of carcinoma with ductal differentiation (less than 10%). The tumor cells in the area with ductal differentiation were mainly arranged in small tubes, while the tubes showed a double-layer structure, including the inner cells and outer cells of the lumen. Immunohistochemical results showed that the outer cells of the tumorous tubules expressed p63, p40, CK5/6 and CK34βE12, while the inner cells expressed CK7. Compared with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma reported in the literature, the frequency of gene mutations such as MYC (P=0.002), TP63 (P=0.002), CDKN1C (P=0.002) and NFE2L2 (P=0.045) was significantly lower in this group of cases. At the signaling pathway level, the mutation frequency of NOTCH signaling pathway (P=0.041) was significantly higher, while the mutation frequencies of NRF2 pathway (P=0.013) and PI3K pathway (P=0.009) were significantly lower than that of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusion: Esophageal carcinoma with ductal differentiation is a type of esophageal carcinoma with unique morphology, and its molecular changes are also significantly different from those of conventional esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Effect of Process Parameters on Joint Performance in Hot Pressure Welding of 6061 Aluminum Alloy to CF/PA66

Polymer-metal hybrid structures combine the merits of polymer and metal materials, making them widely applicable in fields such as aerospace and automotive industries. However, the main challenge lies in achieving efficient and strong connections between the metal and polymer components. This paper uses the jet electrochemical machining (Jet-ECM) method to customize the surface morphologies on 6061 aluminum alloy (AA6061) sheets. The connection between AA6061 and carbon fiber-reinforced PA66 (CF/PA66) is then achieved through hot pressure welding (HPW). The effects of aluminum alloy surface morphology, welding force, and welding time on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the joint are investigated. The optimal process parameters are determined by the design of the experiment. The results show that the aluminum alloy surface morphology has the greatest impact on the mechanical property of the welded joint. The optimal process parameters are surface morphology with wider, shallower, and sparsely distributed grooves on the aluminum alloy surface, the welding force is 720 N, the welding time is 12 s, the welding temperature is 360 °C, the cooling time is 16 s, and the optimal peak load of the joint is 6690 N. Under the optimal parameters, the fracture morphology in the AA6061 side is almost entirely covered with CF/PA66. The joint experiences cohesive failure in most areas and fiber-matrix debonding in a small area.

The expression of ferroptosis-related genes in osteoporosis based on GEO

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to screen the differential genes related to ferroptosis in osteoporosis patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

GEO2R was used to screen the differential genes related to ferroptosis in osteoporosis patients by searching the relevant chips in the GEO database, and Spearman's correlation analysis was used to describe the correlation between quantitative variables without normal distribution. p-values lower than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Another group of osteoporosis patients was selected in the GEO database to verify the significantly differentially expressed genes.

RESULTS

The results showed that 10 samples in chip GSE35956 were identified as research objects, and a total of 5 ferroptosis differential genes were screened out: ATP5MC3, CDKN1A, MT1G, NCOA4, SLC1A5, of which 3 up-regulated genes (CDKN1A, MT1G, SLC1A5), 2 down-regulated genes (ATP5MC3, NCOA4). The above differential genes were placed in 19 samples of chip GSE35959 for verification, and the same expression trend was obtained, but only the MT1G difference was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The gene correlation test found that MT1G and ATP5MC3 had a strong negative correlation.

Enhancing Mechanical Properties: Exploring the Effect of Annealing Temperature on Wire Arc Additively Manufactured High-Strength Steel

This study investigates the mechanical properties of exceptionally high-strength steel produced by wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), using the 304 stainless steel wire and the low carbon wire (LCS). The study found that annealing treatment can enhance the steel's mechanical properties. The microstructure in the LCS layer changed from ferrite to bainite and then to a mixture of austenite, pearlite, and bainite with increasing annealing temperature. In contrast, the SS layer retained its martensitic structure, albeit with altered lath sizes. The annealing treatment also improved the orientation of the grains in the steel. The optimal annealing temperature observed for the steel was 900 ℃, which resulted in a maximum tensile strength of 1176 MPa along the Y direction and 1255 MPa along the Z direction. Despite the superior mechanical properties, the LCS layer still exhibited failure during tensile testing due to its lower hardness. The study suggests that annealing treatment can be a useful technique for enhancing the mechanical properties of high-strength steel in WAAM applications.

Prediction of Resistance Spot Welding Quality Based on BPNN Optimized by Improved Sparrow Search Algorithm

Accurately predicting resistance spot welding (RSW) quality is essential for the manufacturing process. In this study, the RSW process signals of 2219/5A06 aluminum alloy under two assembly conditions (including gap and spacing) were analyzed, and then artificial intelligence modeling was carried out. To improve the performance and efficiency of RSW quality evaluation, this study proposed a multi-signal fusion method that was performed by combining principal component analysis and a correlation analysis. A backpropagation neural network (BPNN) model was optimized using the sine-chaotic-map-improved sparrow search algorithm (SSA), and the input and output of the model were the variables after multi-signal fusion and the button diameter, respectively. Compared with the standard BPNN model, the Sine-SSA-BP model reduced the MAE by 42.33%, MSE by 51.84%, and RMSE by 31.45%. Its R² coefficient reached 0.6482, which is much higher than that of BP (0.2464). According to various indicators (MAE, MSE, RMSE, and R²), the evaluation performance of the Sine-SSA-BP model was better than that of the standard BPNN model. Compared with other models (BP, GA-BP, PSO-BP, SSA-BP, and Sine-PSO-BP), the evaluation performance of the Sine-SSA-BP model was best, which can successfully predict abnormal spot welds.

The effect of BMP2/Smads pathway mediating platelet-rich fibrin on rat bone mesenchymal stem cells

OBJECTIVE

We explored the influences on platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) to rat Bone Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs), as well as the role of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)/maternal signal protein homolog (Smads) pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The proposed research is approved by the ethics board of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. The BMSCs were isolated and purified. The BMSCs were assigned to a control group arbitrarily, PRF group, BMP activator group and BMP inhibitor group (hereinafter referred to as activator group and inhibitor group). Each group of BMSCs in the logarithmic growth phase was detected for the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity since 3 days and 14 days of culture; CCK-8 assay was conducted for detection of the proliferation of BMSCs; Real time PCR was conducted for detection of the osteogenic differentiation marker collagen I (COL-I), BMP2, Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2), osteocalcin (OCN) mRNA relative expression levels; Western-Blot detection of BMP2, OCN, P-SMAD1/5/8, relative expression level of RUNX2 protein.

RESULTS

In contrast to the control group, BMSCs' the ALP activity of the PRF group, activator group, as well as inhibitor group increased for 3 days and 14 days, and the activator group>PRF group>inhibitor group (p≤0.05). ALP activity in each group was elevated with the increase in culture time, the ALP activity of the control group, PRF group, activator group and inhibitor group increased (p≤0.05). In comparison to the control group, the relevant expression levels of COL-I, BMP-2, RUNX2 and OCN in the PRF group, activator group, and inhibitor group increased, and the activator group>PRF group>inhibitor group (p≤0.05). The relative expression levels of BMP2, OCN, p-SMAD1/5/8 and RUNX2 protein in each group were statistically different, the activator group>PRF group>control group>inhibitor group (p≤0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

PRF can promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs by activating the BMP2/Smads signaling pathway.

Microstructural Characterization and Mechanical Behavior of NiTi Shape Memory Alloys Ultrasonic Joints Using Cu Interlayer

NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a class of functional materials which can be significantly deformed and recover their original shape via a reversible martensitic phase transformation. Developing effective joining techniques can expand the application of SMAs in the medical and engineering fields. In this study, ultrasonic spot welding (USW), a solid-state joining technique, was used to join NiTi sheets using a Cu interlayer in between the two joining sheets. The influence of USW process on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical behavior of the NiTi joints was investigated. Compared with conventional fusion welding techniques, no intermetallic compounds formed in the joints, which is extreme importance for this particular class of alloys. The joining mechanisms involve a combination of shear plastic deformation, mechanical interlocking and formation of micro-welds. A better bonding interface was obtained with higher welding energy levels, which contributed to a higher tensile load. An interfacial fracture mode occurred and the fracture surfaces exhibited both brittle and ductile-like characteristics with the existence of tear ridges and dimples. The fracture initiated at the weak region of the joint border and then propagated through it, leading to tearing of Cu foil at the fracture interface.

Microstructural Characterization and Mechanical Behavior of NiTi Shape Memory Alloys Ultrasonic Joints Using Cu Interlayer

NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a class of functional materials which can be significantly deformed and recover their original shape via a reversible martensitic phase transformation. Developing effective joining techniques can expand the application of SMAs in the medical and engineering fields. In this study, ultrasonic spot welding (USW), a solid-state joining technique, was used to join NiTi sheets using a Cu interlayer in between the two joining sheets. The influence of USW process on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical behavior of the NiTi joints was investigated. Compared with conventional fusion welding techniques, no intermetallic compounds formed in the joints, which is extreme importance for this particular class of alloys. The joining mechanisms involve a combination of shear plastic deformation, mechanical interlocking and formation of micro-welds. A better bonding interface was obtained with higher welding energy levels, which contributed to a higher tensile load. An interfacial fracture mode occurred and the fracture surfaces exhibited both brittle and ductile-like characteristics with the existence of tear ridges and dimples. The fracture initiated at the weak region of the joint border and then propagated through it, leading to tearing of Cu foil at the fracture interface.

Identification and cloning of the cDNA of a Rb-associated protein RAP140a

Rb exerts important physiological functions in cell-cycle control, gene expression, cell differentiation, apoptosis, development and tumorigenesis by interacting with many cellular proteins. Using human partial Rb as bait, we screened a human fetal brain cDNA library through yeast two-hybrid system and obtained six novel cDNA fragments. Among them, one cDNA fragment corresponds to two different transcripts, 7 kb and 9 kb in Northern blot analysis. These two transcripts showed uniform distribution in various human tissues. We cloned the full-length cDNA of a 7.2 kb transcript through three times PCR amplifications. It was namedRAP140a and predicted to encode a 1 233 amino acids hydrophilic protein.RAP140a was mapped to chromosome 3p13-p14. 1. RAP140a may be functionally related to the intracellular translocation of Rb or other proteins.

Identification and characterization of a novel human cDNA encoding a 21 kDa pRb-associated protein

The retinoblastoma protein (pRb) functions as a critical master regulator in cell cycle regulation, which is an important cell-regulatory process, through its interaction with various cellular proteins. Using the C-terminus of human pRb and the yeast two-hybrid system, a novel protein named RBP21 that contains 187 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 21 kDa was identified as a pRb-binding protein. Sequence analysis indicates that RBP21 shares homology with other retinoblastoma-binding proteins in the pRb-binding motif LxCxE at the C-terminal region. In vitro specific interaction between pRb and RBP21 was confirmed using in vitro translation products. When overexpressed in COS-7 cells, RBP21 could co-immunoprecipitate with pRb. This interaction requires the LxCxE motif of RBP21 and the entire pocket region of pRb. Each point mutation of the conserved amino acid residues in pRb-binding motif of RBP21 abolished its specific interaction with pRb. RH mapping result showed that this novel gene was mapped to chromosome region 15q21.1-21.3. Northern blot analysis suggested that RBP21 was widely expressed in various human tissues and cancer cell lines. When expressed in HeLa cells as a green fluorescent protein fusion, RBP21 was distributed throughout the cell.

Regulation of the yeast transcriptional factor PHO2 activity by phosphorylation

The induction of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene PHO5 expression is mediated by transcriptional factors PHO2 and PHO4. PHO4 protein has been reported to be phosphorylated and inactivated by a cyclin-CDK (cyclin-dependent kinase) complex, PHO80-PHO85. We report here that PHO2 can also be phosphorylated. A Ser-230 to Ala mutation in the consensus sequence (SPIK) recognized by cdc2/CDC28-related kinase in PHO2 protein led to complete loss of its ability to activate the transcription of PHO5 gene. Further investigation showed that the Pro-231 to Ser mutation inactivated PHO2 protein as well, whereas the Ser-230 to Asp mutation did not affect PHO2 activity. Since the PHO2 Asp-230 mutant mimics Ser-230-phosphorylated PHO2, we postulate that only phosphorylated PHO2 protein could activate the transcription of PHO5 gene. Two hybrid assays showed that yeast CDC28 could interact with PHO2. CDC28 immunoprecipitate derived from the YPH499 strain grown under low phosphate conditions phosphorylated GST-PHO2 in vitro. A phosphate switch regulates the transcriptional activation activity of PHO2, and mutations of the (SPIK) site affect the transcriptional activation activity of PHO2 and the interaction between PHO2 and PHO4. BIAcore(R) analysis indicated that the negative charge in residue 230 of PHO2 was sufficient to help PHO2 interact with PHO4 in vitro.

RBP95, a novel leucine zipper protein, binds to the retinoblastoma protein

We recently identified a novel cDNA encoding a retinoblastoma protein (pRb)-associated protein. It was named RBP95, which was composed of 838 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular size of 94,789 Da. Northern blot analysis showed a single mRNA of about 4. 5 kb ubiquitously expressed in human tissues. RH mapping results showed that RBP95 is mapped to chromosome region 16p11.2-11.1. Sequence analysis indicated that RBP95 contains a conserved pRb-binding motif LXCXE. Interaction between pRb and RBP95 was confirmed in vivo and in vitro. This interaction requires the LXCXE motif of RBP95 and the entire pocket region of pRb. Each point-mutant of the conserved amino acid residues in pRb-binding motif of RBP95 would destroy its interaction with pRb. RBP95 also contains a basic region leucine zipper and could homodimerize through its leucine zipper region. RBP95 was located in the nucleus with a special pattern when expressed as a GFP fusion in HeLa cells. All these findings suggested that RBP95, a new member of pRb-associated protein, may function as a regulation factor in the process of RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription and/or transcriptional processing.

Human SOX11, an upregulated gene during the neural differentiation, has a long 3' untranslated region

To obtain essential genes for neuronal development, we have performed a molecular indexing method using a human teratocarcinoma cell line, NTera-2. We isolated a cDNA fragment, designated B18, as an upregulated gene during the neural differentiation. From the complete cDNA sequence of B18 it was revealed that this cDNA was the human SOX11 gene. While a previous report has determined only a approximately 2 kb of the SOX11 cDNA including the entire open reading frame, our full length cDNA was 8743 bp possessing a long 3' untranslated region. Human SOX11 cDNA was mapped to chromosome region 2p25.3 between markers AFMA070WC9 and WI-1412 by radiation hybrid mapping.

Preparation and a structure-function analysis of human ciliary neurotrophic factor

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a trophic protein that promotes survival and/or differentiation of a variety of neuronal cell types including sensory, sympathetic, and motor neurons. CNTF, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and oncostatin M (OSM) share a predicted common helical framework and partially identical receptor components. In this study, we present the preparation and structure--functional analysis of recombinant human CNTF. The human CNTF gene was expressed under the control of the PL promoter in Escherichia coli, and the mutants were constructed by insertion, deletion and site-directed mutagenesis. The recombinant proteins were purified from bacteria via DEAE A-50 and Sephacryl S-200 chromatography, and their survival promoting activities were determined using cultures of embryonic chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Insertion at position 23 with APGL, or at position 79 with PRGA, or substitution of 162L163Q for PIDG resulted in proteins with no neurotrophic activity. However, insertion at position 186 with PRGI did not alter human CNTF activity. Deletion of the carboxy-terminal amino acid 186-200 did not reduce the biological activity, but elimination of the amino acid 162-186 abolished the activity. The mutant substituting of 17 Cys for Ser was found to display a biological activity equivalent to that of the wild type. Our data provided experimental confirmation for the structural prediction of CNTF.

Pharmacological profile of FR139317, a novel, potent endothelin ETA receptor antagonist

The effects of FR139317 on the cardiovascular system were investigated in cultured cells, isolated organs and whole animals. FR139317 inhibited the specific binding of [125]endothelin(ET)-1 to porcine aortic microsomes in a concentration-dependent, monophasic fashion with an IC50 of 0.53 nM. In contrast, FR139317 showed low affinity for [125I]ET-1 specific binding sites in porcine kidney (IC50, 4.7 microM). In isolated rabbit aorta, FR139317 shifted the ET-1-induced concentration-contractile response curve to the right with a pA2 value of 7.2 and lacked agonist activity. A single (i.v.) bolus dose of FR139317 completely inhibited the pressor response to ET-1 in vivo, but had no effect on the initial depressor response in conscious normotensive rats. These data indicate that FR139317 is a potent, highly specific ETA receptor antagonist. In addition, FR139317 also inhibited ET-1 induced [3H]thymidine incorporation in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells from rat aorta (IC50, 4.1 nM), suggesting that ET-1-induced mitogenesis is mediated only by the ETA receptor. FR139317 could become a useful tool for investigating the physiological and pharmacological actions of ET.

Effect of instillation of aldose reductase inhibitor FR74366 on diabetic cataract

The authors investigate the effect of aldose reductase inhibitor FR74366 on diabetic cataract. Streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were treated with eye drops of FR74366 (0.03%, 0.1%, and 0.3%) for 16 weeks. Lenses were examined using a slit lamp, and the score of lens opacity was determined on a scale of from 0 (normal lens) to 4 (matured nuclear cataract). Diabetic placebo control rats developed lens opacity linearly, beginning at 3 weeks and reaching a maximum at 8 weeks after STZ injection. Instillation of FR74366 to diabetic rats delayed the cataract formation and inhibited lens sorbitol accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. At 16 weeks after STZ injection, the score of lens opacity was more than 3 (diffuse central opacities) in diabetic placebo control rats, whereas it was less than 2 (peripheral vesicles and cortical opacities) and the lenses remained clear in animals treated with 0.3% of FR74366. Measurement of tissue drug concentrations indicated that FR74366 penetrated into the lens, where its levels were increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. These three parameters (score of lens opacity and sorbitol and FR74366 levels) were well correlated with each other. Instillation of FR74366 also reduced the sorbitol levels in the retina. However, the sorbitol levels in the sciatic nerve and renal cortex were not changed by instillation of FR74366. Instillation or oral administration of FR74366 has not shown serious side effects in animal toxicity studies. These results suggested that instillation of FR74366 may be a useful therapeutic agent against diabetic cataract and retinopathy.

Characterization of a novel aldose reductase inhibitor, FR74366, and its effects on diabetic cataract and neuropathy in the rat

FR74366 (FK366) ([3-(4-bromo-2-fluorobenzyl)-7-chloro-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4- tetrahydroquinazolin-1-yl] acetic acid) is a chemically novel aldose reductase (AR) inhibitor. It exhibited a highly potent, reversible, and mixed type inhibition of partially purified AR from the rat sciatic nerve (IC50 = 3.6 nmol/L) and rat lens (IC50 = 4.4 nmol/L). FR74366 inhibited sorbitol accumulation in the isolated human erythrocyte (IC50 = 1.6 mumol/L), rat lens (IC50 = 39 mumol/L), and rat sciatic nerve (IC50 = 17 mumol/L) incubated with high glucose concentrations. The oral administration of FR74366 to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for 2 weeks decreased sorbitol levels (ED50 = 3.7 mg/kg for sciatic nerve, 23 mg/kg for lens, 52 mg/kg for retina, and 62 mg/kg for renal cortex). Administration of FR74366 to diabetic rats for 17 weeks delayed cataract formation and admixture of 0.028% FR74366 in the diet completely inhibited the cataract formation. Moreover, the recovery of reduced motor nerve conduction velocity by FR74366 in diabetic rats was demonstrated in prevention and reversal experiments. This recovery effect correlated well with reduction of accumulated sorbitol and fructose levels and normalization of decreased myoinositol levels. The duration and tissue specificity of inhibitory effects of FR74366 on sorbitol accumulation also correlated well with the levels of FR74366 in various tissues of diabetic rats. These data indicate that both decreases in tissue sorbitol levels and improvement of functional defects reflect FR74366 levels in tissue rather than plasma in diabetic rats. These results, taken together, suggest that FR74366, which is currently undergoing clinical trials in Japan and the United States, will be a useful therapeutic agent for diabetic complications.