Interplay of MPP5a with Rab11 synergistically builds epithelial apical polarity and zonula adherens.

Adherens junction remodeling regulated by apical polarity proteins constitutes a major driving force for tissue morphogenesis, although the precise mechanism remains inconclusive. Here, we report that, in zebrafish, the Crumbs complex component MPP5a interacts with small GTPase Rab11 in Golgi to transport cadherin and Crumbs components synergistically to the apical domain, thus establishing apical epithelial polarity and adherens junctions. In contrast, Par complex recruited by MPP5a is incapable of interacting with Rab11 but might assemble cytoskeleton to facilitate cadherin exocytosis. In accordance, dysfunction of MPP5a induces an invasive migration of epithelial cells. This adherens junction remodeling pattern is frequently observed in zebrafish lens epithelial cells and neuroepithelial cells. The data identify an unrecognized MPP5a-Rab11 complex and describe its essential role in guiding apical polarization and zonula adherens formation in epithelial cells.

A Novel Efficient Convolutional Neural Algorithm for Multi-Category Aliasing Hardware Recognition.

When performing robotic automatic sorting and assembly operations of multi-category hardware, there are some problems with the existing convolutional neural network visual recognition algorithms, such as large computing power consumption, low recognition efficiency, and a high rate of missed detection and false detection. A novel efficient convolutional neural algorithm for multi-category aliasing hardware recognition is proposed in this paper. On the basis of SSD, the novel algorithm uses Resnet-50 instead of VGG16 as the backbone feature extraction network, and it integrates ECA-Net and Improved Spatial Attention Block (ISAB): two attention mechanisms to improve the ability of learning and extract target features. Then, we pass the weighted features to extra feature layers to build an improved SSD algorithm. At last, in order to compare the performance difference between the novel algorithm and the existing algorithms, three kinds of hardware with different sizes are chosen to constitute an aliasing scene that can simulate an industrial site, and some comparative experiments have been completed finally. The experimental results show that the novel algorithm has an mAP of 98.20% and FPS of 78, which are better than Faster R-CNN, YOLOv4, YOLOXs, EfficientDet-D1, and original SSD in terms of comprehensive performance. The novel algorithm proposed in this paper can improve the efficiency of robotic sorting and assembly of multi-category hardware.

[Preadolescents' refusal skills and responses emotional reactions to the offer of tobacco and ecstasy in Youjiang District in Baise City in 2014].

OBJECTIVE: To assess preadolescents' emotional reactions and intended use of refusal responses to tobacco and ecstasy. METHODS: A total of 333 students from two junior schools in Baise City were recruited with cluster-sampling method, filled the questionnaire to assess a respondent's emotional reactions and refusal skills in response to an offer of tobacco and MDMA from Feb to Jul 2014. RESULTS: 88. 89%-93. 39% of preadolescents would more likely to use "say no"and "tell them you don't want it". A series of 2( type of drug) × 2( offerer) × 2( sex) ANOVAs showed there were main effects for sex in "explicit refusal scale "( F = 8. 391, P = 0. 004), "excuse scale "( F =156. 560, P < 0. 001), "implicit refusal scale "( F = 84. 498, P < 0. 001), "aggression scale"( F = 31. 911, P < 0. 001). For the excuse scale, there were main effects for drug( F = 12. 009, P = 0. 001). A series of χ~2-tests showed that participants were more"curious"to MDMA offers than tobacco offers from close friends and acquaintances( χ~2=13. 76, P = 0. 0003; χ~2= 10. 24, P = 0. 002). For the close friends offers, participants were more "pleasure " to tobacco offers than MDMA offers( χ~2= 8. 33, P = 0. 006). CONCLUSION: There were significant effects of sex and offers in refusal style for drug offers. Preadolescents would show different emotional reaction to type of drug supplier or provider.

Energy spectrum computed tomography multi-parameter imaging in preoperative assessment of vascular and neuroinvasive status in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Vascular and nerve infiltration are important indicators for the progression and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC), but traditional imaging methods have some limitations in preoperative evaluation. In recent years, energy spectrum computed tomography (CT) multiparameter imaging technology has been gradually applied in clinical practice because of its advantages in tissue contrast and lesion detail display. AIM: To explore and analyze the value of multiparameter energy spectrum CT imaging in the preoperative assessment of vascular invasion (LVI) and nerve invasion (PNI) in GC patients. METHODS: Data from 62 patients with GC confirmed by pathology and accompanied by energy spectrum CT scanning at our hospital between September 2022 and September 2023, including 46 males and 16 females aged 36-71 (57.5 ± 9.1) years, were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into a positive group (42 patients) and a negative group (20 patients) according to the presence of LVI/PNI. The CT values (CT40 keV, CT70 keV), iodine concentration (IC), and normalized IC (NIC) of lesions in the upper energy spectrum CT images of the arterial phase, venous phase, and delayed phase 40 and 70 keV were measured, and the slopes of the energy spectrum curves [K (40-70)] from 40 to 70 keV were calculated. Arterial phase combined parameter, venous phase combined parameters (VP-ALLs), and delayed phase association parameters were calculated for patients with late-stage disease. The differences in the energy spectrum parameters between the positive and negative groups were compared, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and optimal threshold were calculated to measure the diagnostic efficiency of each parameter. RESULTS: In the delayed phase, the CT40 keV, CT70 keV, K (40-70), IC, NIC, and CT70 keV and the NIC in the upper arterial and venous phases of energy spectrum CT were greater in the LVI/PNI-positive group than in the LVI-negative group. The representative parameters for the arterial phase NIC were 0.14 ± 0.04 in the positive group and 0.12 ± 0.04 in the negative group. The venous phase NIC was 0.5 (0.5, 0.6) in the positive group and 0.4 (0.4, 0.5) in the negative group. Last, for the delayed phase NIC, it was 0.6 ± 0.1 in the positive group and 0.5 ± 0.1 in the negative group (all P values are less than 0.05). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the diagnostic efficacy of each parameter during the venous stage was superior to that during the arterial and delayed stages. Furthermore, the diagnostic efficacy of the combined parameter throughout all three stages was superior to that of any single parameter. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of the optimal parameter, VP-ALL, were 0.931 (95% confidence interval: 0.872-0.990), 80.95%, and 95.00%, respectively. CONCLUSION: When assessing the condition of LVI and PNI (perineural invasion) in patients with GC prior to surgery, the ability to diagnose these conditions using venous stage parameters was superior to that using arterial stage and delayed stage parameters. Furthermore, the diagnostic accuracy of using a combination of parameters was better than that of using individual parameters alone.

[Relationship of general self-efficacy, motivation and peer with refusal skills for no tobacco among adolescents].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence of each of the refusal strategies (refuse, explain, leave) as they apply to tobacco offers and the relationship of self-efficacy, motivation and peer with tobacco refusal strategies. METHODS: A total of 641 students from four high schools in Baise cities, ranging in age between 14 and 21 years, filled the general self-efficacy scale, smoking motivation questionnaire, refusal strategies questionnaire and peer questionnaire. RESULTS: Adolescents were more likely to use the refuse (77.69%) and leave strategy (58.81%) for initial tobacco offers and follow-up tobacco offers. There were significant differences of self-efficacy scores in both refuse and leave strategy (7.169/0.000 and 7.647/0.000). Significant differences of motivation were seen in refuse strategy for initial tobacco offers and for follow-up tobacco offers (P < 0.05). Enhancement and social motivation showed significant differences in leave strategy for follow-up tobacco offers. The results of the logistic regression showed that self-efficacy was significant variable that predicted the use of explain strategy (beta = -0.078) and the use of leave strategy (beta = -0.081) for both initial tobacco refusals and follow-up tobacco refusals, while enhancement and coping motivation were significant for the use of leave strategy (beta = -0.621and beta = -0.303). CONCLUSION: There were significant effects of self-efficacy and motivation in effecting explain and leave strategies for tobacco refusals.

Rapamycin relieves the cataract caused by ablation of Gja8b through stimulating autophagy in zebrafish.

Macroautophagy/autophagy is known to be important for intracellular quality control in the lens. GJA8 is a major gap junction protein in vertebrate lenses. Mutations in GJA8 cause cataracts in humans. The well-known cataractogenesis mechanism is that mutated GJA8 leads to abnormal assembly of gap junctions, resulting in defects in intercellular communication among lens cells. In this study, we observed that ablation of Gja8b (a homolog of mammalian GJA8) in zebrafish led to severe defects in organelle degradation, an important cause of cataractogenesis in developing lens. The role of autophagy in organelle degradation in lens remains disputable. Intriguingly, we also observed that ablation of Gja8b induced deficient autophagy in the lens. More importantly, in vivo treatment of zebrafish with rapamycin, an autophagy activator that inhibits MAPK/JNK and MTORC1 signaling, stimulated autophagy in the lens and relieved the defects in organelle degradation, resulting in the mitigation of cataracts in gja8b mutant zebrafish. Conversely, inhibition of autophagy by treatment with the chemical reagent 3-MA blocked these recovery effects, suggesting the important roles of autophagy in organelle degradation in the lens in gja8b mutant zebrafish. Further studies in HLE cells revealed that GJA8 interacted with ATG proteins. Overexpression of GJA8 stimulated autophagy in HLE cells. These data suggest an unrecognized cataractogenesis mechanism caused by ablation of Gja8b and a potential treatment for cataracts by stimulating autophagy in the lens.Abbreviations: 3-MA: 3-methyladenine; ATG: autophagy related; AV: autophagic vacuoles; Dpf: days post fertilization; GJA1: gap junction protein alpha 1; GJA3: gap junction protein alpha 3; GJA8: gap junction protein alpha 8; Hpf: hours post fertilization; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; PtdIns3K: class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; WT: wild type.

The extracellular and intracellular regions of Crb2a play distinct roles in guiding the formation of the apical zonula adherens.

The transmembrane protein Crumbs (Crb), a key regulator of apical polarity, has a known involvement in establishment of the apical zonula adherens in epithelia, although the precise mechanism remains elusive. The zonula adherens are required to maintain the integrity and orderly arrangement of epithelia. Loss of the zonula adherens leads to morphogenetic defects in the tissues derived from epithelium. In this study, we revealed that the intracellular tail of Crb2a promoted the apical distribution of adherens junctions (AJs) in zebrafish retinal and lens epithelia, but caused assembly into unstable punctum adherens-like adhesion plaques. The extracellular region of Crb2a guided the transformation of AJs from the punctum adherens into stable zonula adherens. Accordingly, a truncated form of Crb2a lacking the extracellular region (Crb2aΔEX) could only partially rescue the retinal patterning defects in crb2a null mutant zebrafish (crb2am289). By contrast, constitutive over-expression of Crb2aΔEX disrupted the integrity of the outer limiting membrane in photoreceptors, which is derived from the zonula adherens of the retinal neuroepithelium. This study demonstrated that both the extracellular region and the intracellular tail of Crb2a are required to guide the formation of the apical zonula adherens.

[Influence of family factors on self-efficacy of the middle school students in Baise City].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the relationship of self-efficacy and family factors of the middle school students in western of Guangxi. METHODS: A total of 778 Zhuang students selected by stratified cluster sampling were questionnaired with the general perceived self-efficacy scale, parents' education scale and Family Environment Scale. RESULTS: (1) Except of education of mother and parents' marriage (15.107/0.002, 6.018/0.049), there were no significant differences for other demography variables. (2) There was significant positive correlation between self-efficacy with cohesion, emotion expression, emotion warm and understanding, but negatively with conflict. (3) The multiple linear regression showed that self-efficacy was affected by cohesion, conflict, emotion warm and understanding, refusing and denying, over-protection and over-interference, as well as education of mother (F = 87.812, R2 = 0.558). CONCLUSION: There was close relationship among self-efficacy, family environment and parents education. It was helpful to establish favorable self-efficacy in scientific education style and warm and understanding of family environment.

The vitamin D receptor Fok1 polymorphism and bone mineral density in Chinese children.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the relationship between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism and bone mineral density (BMD) in 213 healthy children aged 6-10 year in China. METHODS: A questionnaire survey of dietary pattern, outdoor activity was conducted among 213 children (boys 126, girls 86) randomly selected in Xishui county of Hubei province. The BMD was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at the distal forearm, calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase in serum were immediately analyzed. The FokI polymorphism was detected by using PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: BMD was significantly higher in boys than in girls in 8/9 year group. (2) the frequencies of FF, Ff, and ff genotype were 25.8%, 62.0% and 12.2%, respectively; no difference was found between boys and girls. (3) BMD of children carrying FF genotype was higher (0.256+/-0.03) than those of carrying Ff genotype (0.241+/-0.03), P<0.01; the Ff genotype was associated with lowest forearm BMD in both boys and girls. Outdoor activity also positively affected peak bone mass. CONCLUSION: The Fok1 polymorphism of the VDR receptor seems to directly affect bone mineral mass in Chinese children.

[Effects of alcohol on expressions of apoE in mice livers and brains].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of alcohol on expressions of apoE in mice livers and brains at different concentrations, and further to elucidate the effectiveness. METHODS: Sixty mice were randomly divided into the control group and 10%, 30%, 50% alcohol exposed groups (Fifteen mice in each group). Blood samples were collected at the ninth week, then livers and brains were separated from mice. Expressions of apoE were detected by immunohistochemistry, and lipids were determined by biochemistry techniques. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the levers of apoE were significantly lower in the alcohol exposed groups except for the 10% group (P < 0.05), and but no significant in brains (P > 0.05). TC, TG and LDL-C levels were significantly higher in the alcohol groups except for the 10% group than in the control group (P < 0.05), and HDL-C were significantly lower in the alcohol exposed groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Long-term higher concentration alcohol intake decrease the expressions of apoE in livers and has an effect on lipids.

A polysaccharide from Sargassum thunbergii inhibits angiogenesis via downregulating MMP-2 activity and VEGF/HIF-1α signaling.

A water-soluble polysaccharide (STPC2) was isolated from the boiling-water extract of Sargassum thunbergii, purified by CaCl2 precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephacryl S-300 column. It was found that STPC2, with a molecular weight of 57kD, was composed of fucose, xylose, galactose and glucuronic acid, in a ratio of 8.1: 3.8: 2.1: 1.0. Additionally, we found that STPC2 significantly inhibited endothelial cell migration and tube formation without toxicity. Moreover, STPC2 significantly inhibited lung cancer cell A549 migration and proliferation. It was found that STPC2 treatment suppressed MMP-2 gene expression at transcriptional level and enzymatic activity. Furthermore, STPC2 reduced the mRNA and protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 alpha in the endothelial cells. Taken together, our findings indicated that STPC2 was a potent bioactive polysaccharide with distinct anti-angiogenesis activity against tumor migration via down-regulation of MMP-2 activity and VEGF/HIF-1α signaling pathway.

Impacts of ascorbic acid and thiamine supplementation at different concentrations on lead toxicity in testis.

BACKGROUND: Lead is a ubiquitous environmental and industrial pollutant that may have toxic effects on the male reproductive system. We explored the mechanism and examine the impacts of combined administration of ascorbic acid and thiamine at different levels on apoptosis in the testes of lead-exposed mice. METHODS: Seventy-five male mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (15 mice/group): control, lead-treated and vitamin-treated group (low, middle and high dose) with ascorbic acid (140, 420, 1260 mg/kg) and thiamine (10, 30, 90 mg/kg ) by oral gavage daily. All lead-exposed animals received 0.2% lead acetate in drinking water. DNA damage of testicular cells was assessed by SCGE; the levels of TGFbeta1 and caspase-3 were detected by immunohistochemistry; apoptotic cell was determined by TUNEL. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the expressions of TGFbeta1 and caspase-3, apoptotic index (AI) and DNA damage were increased significantly in lead-exposed group (P<0.05). After intervention of low and middle doses vitamin, the incidence of DNA damage and the number of apoptotic cells in testis were obviously lower than the lead-exposed group (P<0.05) and the impaired tissues were ameliorative. However, simultaneous supplementation of ascorbic acid and thiamine at the highest dose promoted testicular cell apoptosis via increased expressions of TGFbeta1 and caspase-3. CONCLUSIONS: The combination treatment with thiamine and ascorbic acid at lower doses effectively inhibited testicular cells from apoptosis by lead acetate, but higher doses could aggravate the testicular lesion.

[Impacts of combined supplementation with ascorbic acid and thiamine on certain biochemical and morphologic indexes of testes in mice treated by lead].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impacts of the combined administration of ascorbic acid and thiamine on certain biochemical and morphologic indexes of testes in mice exposed to lead. METHOD: s 75 male mice were divided into control groups, groups received with 0.2% lead acetate and groups treated by the same lead acetate dose in combination with ascorbic acid and thiamine (subdivided into:low, middle and high-dose) ad libitum with 15 mice in each. 5 mice in each group were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 6 weeks respectively, and then testes were separated from mice. To evaluate the lead toxicity in testis, the levels of TGFbeta1 and Caspase-3 were detected by immunohistochemistry, apoptotic cell was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL); DNA damage of germ cells was assessed by single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE or Comet assay). RESULTS: The levels of TGFbeta1 and Caspase-3, apoptotic index were significantly higher in groups given by lead than those in control groups( P < 0.05 ). After intervention of low and middle-dose vitamins, DNA damage and the number of apoptotic cell in testis were obviously lower than those of groups exposed to lead( P < 0.05 ) . Also, the impaired tissues were markedly ameliorated under light microscope. Groups administrated with vitamins at the highest dose, however, promoted testicular cell apoptosis via elevated expression of TGFP, and Caspase-3, percentage of tail cell and tail length were reduced significantly. CONCLUSION: Thiamine and ascorbic acid could antagonize the action of certain toxicity of testes in mice treated by lead acetate.

[Research on the structure equation model of tendency on drug abuse and related influencing factors in middle school students].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the relationship of tendency on drug abuse and related influencing factors for middle school students. METHODS: A total of 603 students were assessed with self-made copying style scale, consciousness to resistance of smoking, drinking and resistance ability through a questionnaire. A relationship model was set up by structure equation modeling. RESULTS: Copying style and resistance ability had significantly direct influence on tendency of drug abuse (with standardized coefficients were 0.202 and 0.092 respectively). Consciousness to resistance of smoking and drinking had significantly indirect influence on tendency of drug abuse. The goodness of fit for the structural equation model was satisfactory, with GFI, AGFI, RMSEA as 0.981, 0.972 and 0.014 respectively. CONCLUSION: It was meaningful to grasp some copying skills and resistance ability to lower the tendency of drug abuse in middle school students.

Effect of ascorbic Acid and thiamine supplementation at different concentrations on lead toxicity in liver.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of ascorbic acid [vitamin C (VC)] on liver damage parameters in the lead-exposed mice, when given in combination with thiamine [vitamin B1 (VB(1))] at different concentrations. METHODS: Sixty-six male mice were randomly assigned into 11 groups (n = 6). Mice in Group I were supplied with only the tap water as the drinking water; mice in Group II were provided with a tap water containing 0.2% lead acetate; mice in Group III-XI were given different dose of VC (140, 420, 1260 mg kg(-1) bw) and VB(1) (10, 30, 90 mg kg(-1) bw) according to 3 x 3 factorial design by oral gavages, along with ingestion of 0.2% lead acetate. After 42 test days, DNA damage of liver cells was assessed using single-cell gel electrophoresis. The apoptosis rate of liver cells was determined by flow cytometry. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in blood and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) in liver cells were measured based on individual biochemical reactions. RESULTS: Compared with the Group I, sub-chronic lead ingestion (Group II) resulted in a significant decrease of Hb, GSH-P(X), SOD in blood and GSH level in liver cells; lead exposure induced also a significant increase in DNA damage and apoptosis of liver cells (P < 0.05). Supplementation with VC and VB(1), however, reversed these effects. The best effective combination was VC (420 mg kg(-1) bw) and VB(1) (10 mg kg(-1) bw), followed by the combination of VC (420 mg kg(-1) bw) and VB(1) (30 mg kg(-1) bw). But no reversion was shown in the combination of the highest combination of VC (1260 mg kg(-1)) and VB(1) (90 mg kg(-1)). CONCLUSIONS: These findings strongly indicated that combination of VC and VB(1) can lessen the damage to liver cells from oxidative stress induce by lead, but the antioxidant effects are dependent on their concentrations.