Claudin-7 is essential for the maintenance of colonic stem cell homoeostasis via the modulation of Wnt/Notch signalling.

Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) play a crucial role in the continuous self-renewal and recovery of the intestinal epithelium. In previous studies, we have revealed that the specific absence of Claudin-7 (Cldn-7) in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) can lead to the development of spontaneous colitis. However, the mechanisms by which Cldn-7 maintains homeostasis in the colonic epithelium remain unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we used IEC- and ISC-specific Cldn-7 knockout mice to investigate the regulatory effects of Cldn-7 on colonic Lgr5+ stem cells in the mediation of colonic epithelial injury and repair under physiological and inflammatory conditions. Notably, our findings reveal that Cldn-7 deletion disrupts the self-renewal and differentiation of colonic stem cells alongside the formation of colonic organoids in vitro. Additionally, these Cldn-7 knockout models exhibited heightened susceptibility to experimental colitis, limited epithelial repair and regeneration, and increased differentiation toward the secretory lineage. Mechanistically, we also established that Cldn-7 facilitates the proliferation, differentiation, and organoid formation of Lgr5+ stem cells through the maintenance of Wnt and Notch signalling pathways in the colonic epithelium. Overall, our study provides new insights into the maintenance of ISC function and colonic epithelial homoeostasis.

A miRNA-7704/IL2RB/AKT feedback loop regulates tumorigenesis and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecological tumors worldwide. Despite the availability of multiple treatments for ovarian cancer, its resistance to chemotherapy remains a significant challenge. miRNAs play crucial roles in the initiation and progression of cancer by affecting processes such as differentiation, proliferation, and chemoresistance. According to microarray and qPCR analyses, miR-7704 is significantly downregulated in cisplatin-resistant cells compared to parental cells. In this study, we found that miR-7704 inhibited the proliferation and promoted cisplatin sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, ectopic expression of miR-7704 had the same effect as IL2RB knockdown. Further mechanistic studies revealed that miR-7704 played an inhibitory role by regulating IL2RB expression to inactivate the AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, IL2RB reversed the miR-7704 mediated resistance to cisplatin in ovarian cancer. Based on these findings, miR-7704 and IL2RB show the potential as novel therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.

Identifying molecular subtypes and tumor microenvironment infiltration signatures in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma based on stemness-associated disulfidptosis genes by integrating machine learning, single-cell analyses and experimental validation.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is an aggressive malignant tumor. Disulfidptosis is a new programmed cell death mechanism, which is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of intracellular disulfides that are highly toxic to cells. However, the contribution of disulfidptosis to ccRCC progression has not been fully clarified. In this study, two different molecular subtypes related to disulfidptosis were identified in ccRCC patients by the non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) algorithm. The cluster 1 was characterized by a worse prognosis and higher mRNAsi levels. Then, difference analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were conducted to search modular genes that are highly associated with tumor stemness and tumor microenvironment. Subsequently, a SADG signature containing nine genes was constructed stepwise by WGCNA and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis. The high-risk score group had a worse outcome, and immune regulation and metabolic signatures might be responsible for cancer progression in the high-risk group. After that, a predictive nomogram was constructed, and the predicting power of the risk model was verified using inter and three independent external validation datasets. Nine SADGs were shown to significantly correlate with immune infiltration, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI) and immune checkpoint. In addition, based on the single-cell RNA sequencing dataset (GSE139555), the distribution and expression of nine hub genes in various types of immune cells were analyzed. Finally, the expression level of the nine genes was verified in clinical samples by qRT-PCR.

The role of intestinal microecology in inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer: A review.

Intestinal microecology is a dominant and complex microecological system in human body. Generally, intestinal microecosystem consists of normal symbiotic flora and its living environment (including intestinal epithelial tissue and intestinal mucosal immune system). Commensal flora is the core component of microecology. Both structures of intestinal mucosa and functions of immune system are essential to maintain homeostasis of intestinal microecosystem. Under normal conditions, intestinal microorganisms and intestinal mucosa coordinate with each other to promote host immunity. When certain factors in the intestine are altered, such as disruption of the intestinal barrier causing dysbiosis of the intestinal flora, the immune system of the host intestinal mucosa makes a series of responses, which leads to the development of intestinal inflammation and promotes colorectal cancer. In this review, to further understand the relationship between intestinal microecology and intestinal diseases, we systematically elaborate the composition of the intestinal mucosal immune system, analyze the relationship between intestinal flora and mucosal immune system, and the role of intestinal flora on intestinal inflammatory diseases and colorectal cancer.

Whole-joint histogram analysis of different models of diffusion weighted imaging in evaluating disease activity of axial spondyloarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whole-joint histogram analysis of mono-exponential and bi-exponential diffusion weighted and diffusion kurtosis imaging in evaluating disease activity of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). METHODS: A total of 82 patients with axSpA who underwent both DKI and multi b diffusion weighted imaging of the sacroiliac joints were divided into active and inactive disease groups based on clinical activity indices. Another 17 patients with nonspecific low back pain were included as a control group. The SPARCC scoring system was used to assess the level of sacroiliac joint bone marrow edema. Histogram parameters of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion fraction (f), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), mean kurtosis (MK), and mean diffusivity (MD) were calculated. Regions of interest were placed covering the entire sacroiliac joint. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic performance of imaging parameters in distinguishing different groups. Regression analysis was applied to determine the correlation between imaging parameters and clinical activity indices. RESULTS: All of the histogram parameters distinguished the active from inactive groups with a low area under the curve (AUC) (max AUCs≤0.71), while the SPARCC score failed to differentiate the two groups (p = 0.08). MD, MK, D, D*, and ADC showed good performance in differentiating active and inactive from control groups (max AUC = 0. 81 ~ 0.98). f50 differentiated the active from control groups with an AUC of 0.72, significantly lower than the maximum AUC for MD, MK, D, ADC, and SPARCC score (all p < 0.05). The max AUC of MD in differentiating inactive from control groups was significantly higher than that of D* and the SPARCC score. MD, D, D*, f, and ADC were positively correlated with BASDAI, while MK was negatively correlated with BASDAI. Only MD was positively correlated with hsCRP. CONCLUSIONS: Whole-joint histogram analysis of mono-exponential, bi-exponential diffusion weighted, and diffusion kurtosis imaging showed good diagnostic performance in differentiating active and inactive axSpA from patients with non-specific back pain. All the imaging parameters were correlated with BASDAI except for SPARCC score. Only DKI-derived MD was correlated with an increase in hsCRP, suggesting its potential use as an imaging biomarker for disease activity in axSpA. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: 1. No significant difference was found between the three models of diffusion weighted imaging in evaluating disease activity of axial spondyloarthritis.2. Only DKI-derived MD was correlated with an increase in hsCRP, suggesting its potential use as an imaging biomarker for disease activity in axSpA.

Clinical outcomes of parenchymal-sparing versus anatomic resection for colorectal liver metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The advantages of parenchymal-sparing resection (PSR) over anatomic resection (AR) of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) remain controversial. Here, we aim to evaluate their safety and efficacy. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of short-term perioperative outcomes and long-term oncological outcomes for PSR and AR were performed by searching Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were considered eligible (totally 7228 patients: AR, n = 3154 (43.6%) vs. PSR, n = 4074 (56.4%)). Overall survival (OS, HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.95-1.22, P = 0.245) and disease-free survival (DFS, HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.94-1.28, P = 0.259) were comparable between the two groups. There were no significant differences in 3-year OS, 5-year OS, 3-year DFS, 5-year DFS, 3-year liver recurrence-free survival (liver-RFS) and 5-year liver-RFS. In terms of perioperative outcome, patients undergoing AR surgery were associated with prolonged operation time (WMD = 51.48 min, 95% CI: 29.03-73.93, P < 0.001), higher amount of blood loss (WMD = 189.92 ml, 95% CI: 21.39-358.45, P = 0.027), increased intraoperative blood transfusion rate (RR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.54-3.26, P < 0.001), prolonged hospital stay (WMD = 1.00 day, 95% CI: 0.34-1.67, P = 0.003), postoperative complications (RR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.88-2.77, P < 0.001), and 90-day mortality (RR = 3.08, 95% CI: 1.88-5.03, P < 0.001). While PSR surgery was associated with positive resection margins (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.61-0.97, P = 0.024), intrahepatic recurrence (RR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.82-0.98, P = 0.021) and repeat hepatectomy (RR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.55-0.76, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Considering relatively acceptable heterogeneity, PSR had better perioperative outcomes without compromising oncological long-term outcomes. However, these findings must be carefully interpreted, requiring more supporting evidence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023445332.

Immunological factors in cirrhosis diseases from a bibliometric point of view.

BACKGROUND: Cirrhosis results from persistent liver injury that leads to liver fibrosis. Immunological factors play important regulatory roles in the development and progression of cirrhosis. Bibliometrics is one of the most commonly used methods for systematic evaluation of a field of study. To date, there are no bibliometric studies on the role of immunological factors in cirrhosis. AIM: To provide a comprehensive overview of the knowledge structure and research hotspots of immunological factors in cirrhosis. METHODS: We retrieved publications related to immunological factors in cirrhosis between 2003 to 2022 from the Web of Science Core Collection database on December 7, 2022. The search strategy was TS = ((Liver Cirrhosis OR hepatic cirrhosis OR liver fibrosis) AND (Immunologic* Factor* OR Immune Factor* OR Immunomodulator* OR Biological Response Modifier* OR Biomodulator*)). Only original articles and reviews were included. A total of 2873 publications were analyzed using indicators of publication and citation metrics, countries, institutes, authors, journals, references, and keywords by CiteSpace and VOSviewer. RESULTS: A total of 5104 authors from 1173 institutions across 51 countries published 2873 papers on cirrhosis and immunological factors in 281 journals. In the past 20 years, the increasing number of related annual publications and citations indicates that research on immunological factors in cirrhosis has become the focus of attention and has entered a period of accelerated development. The United States (781/27.18%), China (538/18.73%), and Germany (300/10.44%) were the leading countries in this field. Most of the top 10 authors were from the United States (4) and Germany (3), with Gershwin ME contributing the most related articles (42). World Journal of Gastroenterology was the most productive journal, whereas Hepatology was the most co-cited journal. Current research hotspots regarding immunological factors in cirrhosis include fibrosis, cirrhosis, inflammation, liver fibrosis, expression, hepatocellular carcinoma, activation, primary biliary cirrhosis, disease, and hepatic stellate cells. Burst keywords (e.g., epidemiology, gut microbiota, and pathways) represent research frontiers that have attracted the interest of researchers in recent years. CONCLUSION: This bibliometric study comprehensively summarizes the research developments and directions of immunological factors in cirrhosis, providing new ideas for promoting scientific research and clinical applications.

Pivotal role of the B12-core in the structural evolution of B52-B64 clusters.

An icosahedral B12 cage is a basic building block of various boron allotropes, and it also plays a vital role in augmenting the stability of fullerene-like boron nanoclusters. However, the evolution of compact core-shell structures is still a puzzle. Using a genetic algorithm combined with density functional theory calculations, we have performed a global search for the lowest-energy structures of Bn clusters with n = 52-64, which reveals that bilayer and core-shell motifs frequently alternate as the ground state. Their structural stability is assessed, and the competition mechanism between various patterns is also elucidated. More interestingly, an unprecedented icosahedral B12-core half-covered structure is identified at B58, which bridges the gap between the smallest core-shell B4@B42 and the complete core-shell B12@B84 cluster. Our findings provide valuable insights into the bonding pattern and growth behavior of medium-sized boron clusters, which facilitate the experimental synthesis of boron nanostructures.

Modulating the Oxygen Reduction Reaction Performance via Precisely Tuned Reactive Sites in Porphyrin-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising electrocatalysts due to their controllable architectures, highly exposed molecular active sites, and ordered structures. In this study, a series of porphyrin-based COFs (TAPP-x-COF) with various transition metals (Co, Ni, Fe) were synthesized via a facile post-metallization strategy under solvothermal synthesis. The resulting porphyrin-based COFs showed oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity with a trend in Co > Fe > Ni. Among them, TAPP-Co-COF exhibited the best ORR activity (E1/2 = 0.66 V and jL = 4.82 mA cm-2) in alkaline media, which is comparable to those of Pt/C under the same conditions. Furthermore, TAPP-Co-COF was employed as a cathode in a Zn-air battery, demonstrating a high power density of 103.73 mW cm-2 and robust cycling stability. This work presents a simple method for using COFs as a smart platform to fabricate efficient electrocatalysts.

Development of an immune-related gene prognostic risk model and identification of an immune infiltration signature in the tumor microenvironment of colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colon cancer is a common and highly malignant tumor. Its incidence is increasing rapidly with poor prognosis. At present, immunotherapy is a rapidly developing treatment for colon cancer. The aim of this study was to construct a prognostic risk model based on immune genes for early diagnosis and accurate prognostic prediction of colon cancer. METHODS: Transcriptome data and clinical data were downloaded from the cancer Genome Atlas database. Immunity genes were obtained from ImmPort database. The differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs) were obtained from Cistrome database. Differentially expressed (DE) immune genes were identified in 473 cases of colon cancer and 41 cases of normal adjacent tissues. An immune-related prognostic model of colon cancer was established and its clinical applicability was verified. Among 318 tumor-related transcription factors, differentially expressed transcription factors were finally obtained, and a regulatory network was constructed according to the up-down regulatory relationship. RESULTS: A total of 477 DE immune genes (180 up-regulated and 297 down-regulated) were detected. We developed and validated twelve immune gene models for colon cancer, including SLC10A2, FABP4, FGF2, CCL28, IGKV1-6, IGLV6-57, ESM1, UCN, UTS2, VIP, IL1RL2, NGFR. The model was proved to be an independent prognostic variable with good prognostic ability. A total of 68 DE TFs (40 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated) were obtained. The regulation network between TF and immune genes was plotted by using TF as source node and immune genes as target node. In addition, Macrophage, Myeloid Dendritic cell and CD4+ T cell increased with the increase of risk score. CONCLUSION: We developed and validated twelve immune gene models for colon cancer, including SLC10A2, FABP4, FGF2, CCL28, IGKV1-6, IGLV6-57, ESM1, UCN, UTS2, VIP, IL1RL2, NGFR. This model can be used as a tool variable to predict the prognosis of colon cancer.

Structural and photoelectron spectroscopic study on the heterotrinuclear nickel-titanium dioxide carbonyl complexes Ni2TiO2(CO) n - (n = 2-4).

Herein, the configurations and intrinsic electronic properties of heteronuclear transition metal dioxide carbonyl anions Ni2TiO2(CO) n - (n = 2-4) in the gas phase were investigated using mass spectrometry coupled anionic photoelectron spectroscopy, ab initio calculations, and simulated density-of-state (DOS) spectra. The results clearly show that the binding of electrons is enhanced by the addition of CO. The ground state structures of Ni2TiO2(CO) n - (n = 2-4) are characterized to show that three transition metal atoms (one Ti atom and two Ni atoms) forming a quasi-line is favored. The interaction between Ni and C becomes weaker as the cluster size increases. The natural electron configuration shows that the extra electron is enriched on O atoms attached to Ti, and there is strong interaction between Ti and O atoms. This work gives significant insight into the configuration and electronic structures of nickel-titanium dioxide carbonyl anions, which has potential application in adsorption of carbon monoxide on the surfaces/interfaces of alloys.

Pyroptosis-related lncRNAs: A novel prognosis signature of colorectal cancer.

Pyroptosis is a newly discovered programmed cell death mechanism involved in tumorigenesis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the potential role of pyroptosis-related lncRNAs (PRLs) in CRC remains unelucidated. Therefore, we retrieved transcriptomic data of CRC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). With the use of univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models and the random forest algorithm, a new risk model was constructed based on eight PRLs: Z99289.2, FENDRR, CCDC144NL-ASL, TEX41, MNX1-AS1, NKILA, LINC02798, and LINC02381. Then, according to the Kaplan-Meier plots, the relationship of PRLs with the survival of CRC patients was explored and validated with our risk model in external datasets (Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases; GEO17536, n = 177, and GSE161158, n = 250). To improve its clinical utility, a nomogram combining PRLs that could predict the clinical outcome of CRC patients was established. A full-spectrum immune landscape of CRC patients mediated by PRLs could be described. The PRLs were stratified into two molecular subtypes involved in immune modulators, immune infiltration of tumor immune microenvironment, and inflammatory pathways. Afterward, Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) and microsatellite instability (MSI) scores were analyzed. Three independent methods were applied to predict PRL-related sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs. Our comprehensive analysis of PRLs in CRC patients demonstrates a potential role of PRLs in predicting response to treatment and prognosis of CRC patients, which may provide a better understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying CRC pathogenesis and facilitate the development of effective immunotherapy.

The complete chloroplast genome of Crepis rigescens (Cichorioideae), a traditional Chinese medicinal plant.

Crepis rigescens, Diels 1921 is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant of Cichorioideae, which contains many chemicals, such as friedelin, ß-sitosterol, stigmasterol, chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids, and so on, which has the characteristics of high medicinal value and small side effect. Crepis rigescens was used as folk medicines for anti-bacterial, and anti-oxidation, which also had a potential curative effect in preventing cardiovascular disease and anti-tumor. Illumina paired-end reads data were used to assemble the complete chloroplast (cp) genome. 14,425,796 raw paired-end reads and the length distribution in 124,685 bp, including a large single copy (LSC) region of 82,924 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,150 bp, and a pair of inverted repeat (IRs) regions of 25,128 bp. Besides, 10 protein-coding genes (PCGs) genes and 6 tRNAs genes possess a single intron, while clpP and ycf3 have a couple of introns. Based on the concatenated coding sequences of cp PCGs, the phylogenetic analysis showed that C. rigescens and Hypochaeris radicata (MH746729) are closely related to each other within the family Cichorioideae.

Predicting metachronous liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer: development and assessment of a new nomogram.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram model, which could predict metachronous liver metastasis in colorectal cancer within two years after diagnosis. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on colorectal cancer patients who were admitted to Beijing Shijitan Hospital from January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used to optimize feature selection for susceptibility to metachronous liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to establish a predictive model through incorporating features selected in the LASSO regression model. C-index, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to assess discrimination, distinctiveness, consistency with actual occurrence risk, and clinical utility of candidate predictive model. Internal validation was assessed with bootstrapping method. RESULTS: Predictors contained in candidate prediction nomogram included age, CEA, vascular invasion, T stage, N stage, family history of cancer, and KRAS mutation. This model displayed good discrimination with a C-index of 0.787 (95% confidence interval: 0.728-0.846) and good calibration, whereas area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.786. Internal validation obtained C-index of 0.786, and AUC of validation cohort is 0.784. Based on DCA, with threshold probability range from 1 to 60%; this predictive model might identify colorectal cancer metachronous liver metastasis to achieve a net clinical benefit. CONCLUSION: We have developed and validated a prognostic nomogram with good discriminative and high accuracy to predict metachronous liver metastasis in CRC patients.

Ground-State Structures of Hydrated Calcium Ion Clusters From Comprehensive Genetic Algorithm Search.

We searched the lowest-energy structures of hydrated calcium ion clusters Ca2+(H2O)n (n = 10-18) in the whole potential energy surface by the comprehensive genetic algorithm (CGA). The lowest-energy structures of Ca2+(H2O)10-12 clusters show that Ca2+ is always surrounded by six H2O molecules in the first shell. The number of first-shell water molecules changes from six to eight at n = 12. In the range of n = 12-18, the number of first-shell water molecules fluctuates between seven and eight, meaning that the cluster could pack the water molecules in the outer shell even though the inner shell is not full. Meanwhile, the number of water molecules in the second shell and the total hydrogen bonds increase with an increase in the cluster size. The distance between Ca2+ and the adjacent water molecules increases, while the average adjacent O-O distance decreases as the cluster size increases, indicating that the interaction between Ca2+ and the adjacent water molecules becomes weaker and the interaction between water molecules becomes stronger. The interaction energy and natural bond orbital results show that the interaction between Ca2+ and the water molecules is mainly derived from the interaction between Ca2+ and the adjacent water molecules. The charge transfer from the lone pair electron orbital of adjacent oxygen atoms to the empty orbital of Ca2+ plays a leading role in the interaction between Ca2+ and water molecules.

Effects of glycyrrhizin on the growth cycle and ATPase activity of PRRSV-2-infected MARC-145 cells.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a viral infectious disease caused by the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and is devastating the swine industry. MARC-145 cells, an African green monkey kidney cell line, are sensitive to PRRSV-2, and are often used for in vitro studies on PRRSV-2. Preliminary research has shown that glycyrrhizin, an important active component extracted from traditional Chinese medicinal licorice, significantly inhibits the proliferation of PRRSV-2 in MARC-145 cells; however, the in-depth molecular mechanism remains unclear. By determining the cell growth cycle, this study found that PRRSV-2 infection first increased the content of G1-phase MARC-145 cells and then decreased the content of G1-phase cells. Moreover, glycyrrhizin affected the role of PRRSV-2 in regulating the cell cycle. Furthermore, PRRSV-2 had the highest proliferation titer in G0/G1-phase MARC-145 cells, and glycyrrhizin reduced the content of PRRSV-2 in synchronized MARC-145 cells. According to the results of ATPase detection, PRRSV-2 infection weakened the Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase activities in MARC-145 cells, while glycyrrhizin significantly enhanced their activities in PRRSV-2-infected MARC-145 cells. The above results provide theoretical support toward clarifying the mechanism by which glycyrrhizin inhibits the proliferation of PRRSV-2 in MARC-145 cells. Moreover, these results offer references for the development and use of glycyrrhizin and the clinical treatment of PRRSV-2 infection.

The complete chloroplast genome of the Buddleja alternifolia (Buddleiaceae), an ornamental plant.

Buddleja alternifolia is China's specialty, and scattered in northwest China. Here, we assembled and characterized the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of B. alternifolia using Illumina sequencing data for the first time. The complete cp genome was 154,280 bp in length, consisting of a pair of inverted repeats of 25,440 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) region of 85,330 bp, and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,070 bp. The genome encoded 115 unique genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16 complete cp genome sequences indicated that B. alternifolia is closely related to Buddleja colvilei.

Primotrapa gen. nov., an extinct transitional genus bridging the evolutionary gap between Lythraceae and Trapoideae, from the early Miocene of North China.

BACKGROUND: Although Trapa is a well-defined genus of distinctive freshwater plants with accumulations of extensive morphological and embryological autapomorphies, its phylogenetic relationships have long been unclear. Formerly placed in the monotypic family Trapaceae, Trapa is now recognized as sister to Sonneratia within Lythraceae s.l., although both genera lack morphological synapomorphies. Thus, a split between the two taxa must have occurred in deep evolutionary time, which raises the possibility of finding transitional forms in the fossil record. RESULTS: Here we describe a new genus and species, Primotrapa weichangensis Y. Li et C.-S. Li (Lythraceae s.l.: Trapoideae), based on three-dimensionally preserved floral cups, fruits, and seeds from the early Miocene of Weichang County, Hebei Province, China. Primotrapa is characterized by a shallow, saucer-shaped floral cup, four distally barbellate sepals, four intersepal appendages alternating with the sepals at the rim of cup, a superior to basally inferior ovary, a fusiform or ovoid, one-seeded fruit with a ribbed surface, and a long persistent peduncle. Two fossil species of Hemitrapa are proposed as new combinations of Primotrapa, namely P. alpina (T. Su et Z.-K. Zhou) Y. Li et C.-S. Li comb. nov. and P. pomelii (Boulay) Y. Li et C.-S. Li comb. nov. Our phylogenetic analysis based on fifteen flower and fruit characters supports the placement of Primotrapa, Hemitrapa and Trapa in a monophyletic clade, which comprise subfamily Trapoideae. The phylogenetic analysis places Primotrapa at the base of Trapoideae. CONCLUSIONS: In view of its superior ovary, which is a plesiomorphic character of Lythraceae s.l., the newly recognized genus Primotrapa and its three species likely represent transitional forms that bridge the evolutionary gap between the basal taxa of Lythraceae s.l., i.e. Lythrum, and the highly derived taxon Trapa.

CircRNA FGFR3 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition of ovarian cancer by regulating miR-29a-3p/E2F1 axis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression after transcription. However, the specific function of circRNAs in ovarian cancer remains undetermined. Previous studies have demonstrated abnormal expression of circFGFR3 in several cancers. The present study was designed to reveal the roles of circFGFR3 in ovarian cancer (OC). CircFGFR3 expression in OC tissues and cells was detected by RT-qPCR. The effects of CircFGFR3 on OC cells were evaluated by transwell assay and CCK-8 assay. Finally, the underlying mechanism was further revealed by luciferase reporter assay and western blotting. Our results showed that circFGFR3 expression was higher in OC cells and tissues than in normal ovarian cells and adjacent normal tissues; in addition, in OC patients, a high level of CircFGFR3 was related to lower survival rates and higher recurrence rates than a low level of circFGFR3. CircFGFR3 overexpression promotes OC progression by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. Mechanistically, circFGFR3 upregulates E2F1 expression by sponging miR-29a-3p, and the overexpression of E2F1 or the suppression of miR-29a-3p induces OC cell EMT. Therefore, circFGFR3 serves as a promoter of OC by inducing OC cell EMT via the miR-29a-3p/E2F1 axis and circFGFR3 may be a prognostic biomarker for OC patients.

Feasibility study for evaluating lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration using histogram analysis of T2* values.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of histogram analysis of T2* value for the detection and grading of degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs (IVDs) and for the characterization of microstructural heterogeneity of discs. METHODS: Two hundred fourteen lumbar IVDs of 44 subjects with chronic low back pain were examined using sagittal T2WI and axial T2* mapping. All IVDs were classified according to the Pfirrmann grade on T2WI. The correlations between histogram-derived parameters based on T2* values (T2*-HPs) of IVDs and Pfirrmann grade as well as between "red zone ratio" (area of "red zone" on T2* color maps over cross-sectional area of corresponding IVDs) and Pfirrmann grade were calculated. RESULTS: The agreement for Pfirrmann grade of IVDs was excellent (κ = 0.808, P < 0.001). The consistency of the measured T2*-HPs was excellent, with ICCs ranging from 0.828-0.960. Each histogram-derived parameter had a statistically significant relationship with Pfirrmann grade (P < 0.001). The bright "red zone" on T2* color maps of IVDs displayed as a separated peak relative to the rest of voxels in histograms. The mean area ratio of "red zone" over the corresponding IVD was 9.234% ± 6.680 and ranged from 0.517% to 30.598%. The "red zone ratio" was highly related to Pfirrmann grade (r = - 0.732, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Histogram analysis of T2* value is an effective tool for the detection and grading of degenerative IVDs. Identification of the "red zone" may provide new breakthroughs in the study of disc degeneration initiation and generate new hypotheses in anatomical and histological studies of IVDs.