A new simplified risk assessment model enhances postoperative prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in Chinese adult patients with inguinal hernia (CHAT-3): A prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) significantly affects the prognosis of surgical patients with inguinal hernia. The complex Caprini score, commonly used for postoperative VTE risk assessment, poses practical challenges for surgeons in clinical settings. METHODS: The CHAT-3 trial, a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial, compared a simple three-factor model to assess VTE risk against routine practices in post-inguinal hernia surgery (IHS) patients. The patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to the intervention or control arm. The intervention group used the three-factor model to identify patients at moderate or high risk of VTE for subsequent prophylaxis according to clinical guidelines. Both groups were followed for four weeks, with randomization implemented using computer-generated sequences. The primary outcome measured was the rate of VTE prophylaxis. Secondary outcomes included time spent on VTE risk assessment (surgeon self-reported), postoperative D-dimer trends, perioperative VTE occurrence, bleeding events, and the net clinical benefit. RESULTS: Of the 1,109 participants, 508 in the experimental group and 601 in the control group completed follow-up. The three-factor model showed higher VTE prophylaxis rates in all patients (pharmacologic prophylaxis: 26.2% vs. 6.00%, P<0.001) and particularly in those at high risk (pharmacologic prophylaxis: 57.3% vs. 9.50%, P<0.001). The experimental group significantly reduced VTE risk assessment time compared to the Caprini score (1.39±0.55 min vs. 5.73±1.35 min, P<0.001). The experimental group had lower D-dimer levels (0.26±0.73 mg/L vs. 0.35±0.55 mg/L, P=0.028). In the experimental group, the patients did not experience an increased risk of VTE (0% vs. 1.66%, P=0.268) and bleeding (1.18% vs. 0.67%, P=0.558) compared to the controls. There was no significant difference in net clinical benefit, which combined VTE and bleeding events, between the experimental and control groups (1.18% vs. 0.83%, P=0.559). CONCLUSION: Applying the simple three-factor model in perioperative VTE management could quickly identify the patient with a high risk of VTE and improve the prophylaxis rate of perioperative VTE. TRIAL REGISTRATION: XXX. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2000033769.

MG53/TRIM72: multi-organ repair protein and beyond.

MG53, a member of the tripartite motif protein family, possesses multiple functionalities due to its classic membrane repair function, anti-inflammatory ability, and E3 ubiquitin ligase properties. Initially recognized for its crucial role in membrane repair, the therapeutic potential of MG53 has been extensively explored in various diseases including muscle injury, myocardial damage, acute lung injury, and acute kidney injury. However, further research has revealed that the E3 ubiquitin ligase characteristics of MG53 also contribute to the pathogenesis of certain conditions such as diabetic cardiomyopathy, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. Moreover, recent studies have highlighted the anti-tumor effects of MG53 in different types of cancer, such as small cell lung cancer, liver cancer, and colorectal cancer; these effects are closely associated with their E3 ubiquitin ligase activities. In summary, MG53 is a multifunctional protein that participates in important physiological and pathological processes of multiple organs and is a promising therapeutic target for various human diseases. MG53 plays a multi-organ protective role due to its membrane repair function and its exertion of anti-tumor effects due to its E3 ubiquitin ligase properties. In addition, the controversial aspect of MG53's E3 ubiquitin ligase properties potentially causing insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome necessitates further cross-validation for clarity.

Identification of prognostic risk score of disulfidptosis-related genes and molecular subtypes in glioma.

Background: Programmed cell death is closely related to glioma. As a novel kind of cell death, the mechanism of disulfidptosis in glioma remains unclear. Therefore, it is of great importance to study the role of disulfidptosis-related genes (DRGs) in glioma. Methods: We first investigated the genetic and transcriptional alterations of 15 DRGs. Two consensus cluster analyses were used to evaluate the association between DRGs and glioma subtypes. In addition, we constructed prognostic DRG risk scores to predict overall survival (OS) in glioma patients. Furthermore, we developed a nomogram to enhance the clinical utility of the DRG risk score. Finally, the expression levels of DRGs were verified by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Results: Most DRGs (14/15) were dysregulated in gliomas. The 15 DRGs were rarely mutated in gliomas, and only 50 of 987 samples (5.07 %) showed gene mutations. However, most of them had copy number variation (CNV) deletions or amplifications. Two distinct molecular subtypes were identified by cluster analysis, and DRG alterations were found to be related to the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). The DRG risk score model based on 12 genes was developed and showed good performance in predicting OS. The nomogram confirmed that the risk score had a particularly strong influence on the prognosis of glioma. Furthermore, we discovered that low DRG scores, low tumor mutation burden, and immunosuppression were features of patients with better prognoses. Conclusion: The DRG risk model can be used for the evaluation of clinical characteristics, prognosis prediction, and TIME estimation of glioma patients. These DRGs may be potential therapeutic targets in glioma.

An alkaloid from Menispermum dauricum, dauricine mediates Ca2+ influx and inhibits NF-κB pathway to protect chondrocytes from IL-1ß-induced inflammation and catabolism.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dauricine (DA) is a natural plant-derived alkaloid extracted from Menispermum dauricum. Menispermum dauricum has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a classic remedy for rheumatoid arthropathy and is believed to be effective in alleviating swelling and pain in the limbs. AIM OF THE STUDY: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a classic degenerative disease involving chondrocyte death, and there is still a lack of effective therapeutic agents that can reverse the progression of the disease. Here we explored the therapeutic effects of DA against OA and further explored the mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of DA on cell viability was assessed by CCK-8. IL-1ß-treated mouse chondrocytes were used as an in vitro model of OA, and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. QRT-PCR, western blotting, cell staining, and immunofluorescence were used to detect relevant inflammatory factors and cartilage-specific expression. RNA sequencing was used to identify pertinent signaling pathways. The therapeutic effect of DA was verified by micro-CT, histological analysis and immunohistochemical analysis in a mouse OA model. RESULTS: DA demonstrated a high safety profile on chondrocytes, significantly reversing the inflammatory response induced by IL-1ß, and promoting factors associated with cartilage regeneration. Moreover, DA exhibited a significant protective effect on the knee joints of mice undergoing ACLT-DMM, effectively preventing cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone tissue destruction. These positive therapeutic effects were achieved through the modulation of the NF-κB pathway and the Ca2+ signaling pathway by DA. CONCLUSION: Being derived from a traditional herb, DA exhibits remarkable therapeutic potential and safety in OA treatment, presenting a promising option for patients dealing with osteoarthritis.

Synthesis of Quercetin-Acid Esters and Its Reduction of H2 O2 -Triggered PC12 Cells Damage by Down-Regulating ROS.

Quercetin is a kind of polyphenolic flavonoid compounds which has perfect antioxidant properties. However, quercetin is not available in many situations due to its poor bioavailability. In this work, the QAEs with better solubility and even stronger antioxidant properties were synthesized, through the esterification between quercetin and the chlorinated cinnamic acid or its derivatives, whose chlorination were achieved by using SOCl2 . The protective effects of the QAEs were evaluated by the H2 O2 -induced apoptosis experiment in rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells) and its ability to remove ROS generated by oxidative stress. Compared with the original quercetin group, the QAEs groups showed much improved cell viability and capability of removing ROS, which means their higher bioavailability than the parent.

CNPY4 is a potential promising prognostic-related biomarker and correlated with immune infiltrates in gliomas.

Glioblastomas are classified into primary and secondary; primary glioblastomas develop rapidly and aggressively, whereas secondary glioblastomas are more common in grade II and III gliomas. Here, we aimed to demonstrate the role of the CNPY4 gene as a potential biomarker in immune infiltration in gliomas. Based on gene expression profile interaction analysis (GEPIA), we studied the survival model of CNPY4 and evaluated its effect on patients with glioma. The glioma dataset was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between clinical data and CNPY4 expression. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards models were used to compare clinical features and patient survival. The relationship between CNPY4 and immune infiltration in glioma was studied using GEPIA and CIBERSORT online tools. TCGA data were analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Finally, TIMER was used to analyze the expression and immune infiltration of CNPY4 in glioma to study the cumulative survival rate. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased CNPY4 expression was associated with tumor age, grade, IDH status, and 1p/19q codeletion. Multivariate analysis showed that that downregulation of CNPY4 expression was an independent and satisfactory prognostic factor. CNPY4 expression was correlated with the infiltration level of dendritic cells in glioblastoma. In contrast, in low-grade gliomas, the infiltration level of B cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and CD4+ T cells was significantly correlated with CNPY4 expression. The GSEA results showed that CNPY4 played an immunoregulatory role in immune-related phenotypic pathways between lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells. The intestinal immune networks for IgA production, rabbit thyroid disease, primary immunodeficiencies, and cancer immunotherapy were enriched by PD-1 blockade. High CNPY4 expression is a biomarker of glioma prognosis and is associated with the immune invasion of glioma.

Establishment and Validation of a Ferroptosis-Related lncRNA Signature for Prognosis Prediction in Lower-Grade Glioma.

Background: The prognosis of lower-grade glioma (LGG) is highly variable, and more accurate predictors are still needed. The aim of our study was to explore the prognostic value of ferroptosis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in LGG and to develop a novel risk signature for predicting survival with LGG. Methods: We first integrated multiple datasets to screen for prognostic ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in LGG. A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis was then utilized to develop a risk signature for prognostic prediction. Based on the results of multivariate Cox analysis, a prognostic nomogram model for LGG was constructed. Finally, functional enrichment analysis, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), immunity, and m6A correlation analyses were conducted to explore the possible mechanisms by which these ferroptosis-related lncRNAs affect survival with LGG. Results: A total of 11 ferroptosis-related lncRNAs related to the prognosis of LGG were identified. Based on prognostic lncRNAs, a risk signature consisting of 8 lncRNAs was constructed and demonstrated good predictive performance in both the training and validation cohorts. Correlation analysis suggested that the risk signature was closely linked to clinical features. The nomogram model we constructed by combining the risk signature and clinical parameters proved to be more accurate in predicting the prognosis of LGG. In addition, there were differences in the levels of immune cell infiltration, immune-related functions, immune checkpoints, and m6A-related gene expression between the high- and low-risk groups. Conclusion: In summary, our ferroptosis-related lncRNA signature exhibits good performance in predicting the prognosis of LGG. This study may provide useful insight into the treatment of LGG.

Candidate Chemosensory Genes Identified in the Adult Antennae of Sympiezomias velatus and Binding Property of Odorant-Binding Protein 15.

Chemosensory genes play important roles in insect behaviors and have thus become potential molecular targets for pest control based on the manipulation of chemoreception-driven behaviors. The great gray weevil Sympiezomias velatus (Chevrolat) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an important agricultural pest that causes serious economic losses to many crops in China, but its chemosensory genes have not been reported. Here we assembled the antennal transcriptomes of female and male adult S. velatus and revealed the major chemosensory genes necessary for olfaction. A total of 138 candidate chemosensory genes in six families were identified, including 41 encoding odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), 11 encoding chemosensory proteins (CSPs), 62 encoding odorant receptors (ORs), 15 encoding gustatory receptors (GRs), six encoding ionotropic receptors (IRs), and three encoding sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs). We analyzed their phylogenetic relationship based on the amino acid sequences of these chemosensory-related protein families in S. velatus and other insects, and the expression profiles based on their antennal transcriptomes. Chemosensory genes that show antenna-abundant/specific or sex-biased expression were observed, suggesting that these genes might have functions in olfaction. Furthermore, we chose an antenna-abundant OBP belonging to ABPX subfamily, SvelOBP15, to investigate its binding property. The results showed that among 33 tested compounds, SvelOBP15 displayed high binding affinities (Ki = 7.36-12.94 µmol/L) with farnesol, nerolidol, limonene and diisobutyl phthalate, indicating that SvelOBP15 plays olfactory roles by binding and transporting specific plant volatiles. These findings will help us better understand the olfactory systems of S. velatus, and provide a basis for functional elucidation of these chemosensory genes.

Reconstruction of complex chest wall defects: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Chronic radiative chest wall ulcers are common in patients undergoing radiation therapy. If not treated early, then symptoms such as erosion, bleeding and infection will appear on the skin. In severe cases, ulcers invade the ribs and pleura, presenting a mortality risk. Small ulcers can be repaired with pedicle flaps. Because radioactive ulcers often invade the thorax, surgeons need to remove large areas of skin and muscle, and sometimes ribs. Repairing large chest wall defects are a challenge for surgeons. CASE SUMMARY: A 74-year-old female patient was admitted to our department with chest wall skin ulceration after radiation therapy for left breast cancer. The patient was diagnosed with chronic radioactive ulceration. After multidisciplinary discussion, the authors performed expansive resection of the chest wall ulcers and repaired large chest wall defects using a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap combined with a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) patch. The patient was followed-up 6 mo after the operation. No pigmentation or edema was found in the flap. CONCLUSION: DIEP flap plus HDPE patch is one of the better treatments for radiation-induced chest wall ulcers.

Analysis of furan and its major furan derivatives in coffee products on the Chinese market using HS-GC-MS and the estimated exposure of the Chinese population.

The current study analysed concentrations of furan and its derivatives in coffee products commercially available in China based on an improved headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) method and estimated health risks. A total of 101 samples of coffee products on the Chinese market was analysed. Furan (98%, ND-6569 µg/kg) and 2-methylfuran (100%, 2-29639 µg/kg) were the compounds with the highest concentrations and detection rates in coffee products. The mean dietary exposure of Chinese consumers to furan and the sum of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in coffee products was 0.09 and 0.46 µg/kg bw/day, respectively. For the neoplastic effects of furan, the margin of exposure (MOE) was 14,556 for the mean dietary exposure of consumers. For the non-neoplastic effects of furan, MOEs were 711 and 139 for furan and the sum of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran, respectively. Overall, a health concern is indicated for coffee consumers with MOEs below 10000.

Whole-Brain Volume CT Angiography can Effectively Detect Early Ischemic Cerebrovascular Diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of whole-brain volume computed tomography (CT) perfusion in assessing early ischemic cerebrovascular diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two patients with early ischemic cerebrovascular diseases who had undergone routine CT scan and 320-row volume CT whole-brain perfusion imaging within 8 h after admission were retrospectively enrolled in this one-center case-sectional study. The perfusion parameters of cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), and dynamic CT angiogram (4D-CTA) were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: Among 72 patients, 29 cases with 37 cerebral ischemic lesions were found in plain CT scan, whereas 51 cases with 76 lesions were found in whole-brain CT perfusion, with 30.6% more patients being detected. The CBF value was significantly lower in the abnormal than normal corresponding perfusion area in the healthy hemisphere (P<0.05), while the MTT and TTP values were significantly higher in the abnormal than the normal corresponding area (P<0.05). 4D-CTA image suggested that 59 cases had different degrees of stenosis or occlusion, including 11 mild, 18 moderate, 21 severe, and 9 occlusive cases. Four-D-CTA imaging could detect significantly (P<0.05) more patients with abnormal perfusion in severe cerebral vascular stenosis or occlusion than those with no, mild or moderate stenosis (93.33% vs. 16.67%) (P<0.05). The stenosis of intracranial and carotid arteries was positively correlated with MTT and TTP values (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Whole-brain volume CT angiography can comprehensively display early cerebral ischemic lesions, cerebral blood perfusion status, and cerebral vascular stenosis, providing valuable information for early detection of ischemic cerebral diseases and appropriate treatment planning.

A nomogram combining inflammatory markers and clinical factors predicts survival in patients with diffuse glioma.

ABSTRACT: In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in diffuse glioma, and to establish a prognostic nomogram accordingly.The hematologic and clinicopathological data of 162 patients with primary diffuse glioma who received surgical treatment from January 2012 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was carried out to determine the optimal cut-off values for NLR, MLR, PLR, age, and Ki-67 index, respectively. Kaplan-Meier method was used to investigate the correlation between inflammatory indicators and prognosis of glioma patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were performed to evaluate the independent prognostic value of each parameter in glioma. Then, a nomogram was developed to predict 1-, 3-, and 5-year postoperative survival in diffuse glioma patients based on independent prognostic factors. Subsequent time-dependent ROC curve, calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and concordance index (C-index) were performed to assess the predictive performance of the nomogram.The Kaplan-Meier curve indicated that patients with high levels of NLR, MLR, and PLR had a poor prognosis. In addition, we found that NLR level was associated with World Health Organization (WHO) grade and IDH status of glioma. The multivariate Cox analysis indicated that resection extent, WHO grade, and NLR level were independent prognostic factors, and we established a nomogram that included these three parameters. The evaluation of the nomogram indicated that the nomogram had a good predictive performance, and the addition of NLR could improve the accuracy.NLR, MLR, and PLR were prognostic factors of diffuse glioma. In addition, the nomogram including NLR was reliable for predicting survival of diffuse glioma patients.

Double-Stranded RNA-Degrading Enzymes Reduce the Efficiency of RNA Interference in Plutella xylostella.

DsRNA-degrading enzymes (dsRNases) have been recognized as important factors in reducing RNA interference (RNAi) efficiency in different insect species. However, dsRNases in Plutella xylostella are still unknown. We identified the full-length cDNAs of PxdsRNase1, PxdsRNase2, PxdsRNase3, and PxdsRNase4. Gene expression profile showed that PxdsRNase1 was mainly expressed in the hemolymph; and that PxdsRNase2 and PxdsRNase3 were mainly expressed in the intestinal tract. The expression of PxCht (Chitinase of P. xylostella) in P. xylostella larvae injected with the mixture of dsPxCht (dsRNA of PxCht) and dsPxdsRNase1 (dsRNA of PxdsRNase1), dsPxdsRNase2 (dsRNA of PxdsRNase2), or dsPxdsRNase3 (dsRNA of PxdsRNase3) was significantly higher than that in the larvae injected with the mixture of dsGFP (dsRNA of green fluorescent protein gene, GFP) and dsPxCht; the transcription level of PxCht in the larvae feeding on the mixture of dsPxCht and dsPxdsRNase1, dsPxdsRNase2, or dsPxdsRNase3 was significantly higher than that in the larvae feeding on the mixture of dsPxCht and dsGFP. The recombinant protein of PxdsRNase1 degraded dsRNA rapidly, PxdsRNase3 cleaved dsRNA without complete degradation, and PxdsRNase2 could not degrade dsRNA in vitro. These results suggested that PxdsRNases1, PxdsRNases2, and PxdsRNases3 were involved in the dsRNA degradation to reduce RNAi efficiency with different mechanisms.

Impact of edaravone on serum CXC chemokine ligand-13 levels and perioperative neurocognitive disorders in elderly patients with hip replacement.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) are a series of severe complications in the perioperative and anesthetic periods with a decline in memory, execution ability, and information processing speed as the primary clinical manifestation. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of edaravone (EDA) on PND and peripheral blood C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13) levels in elderly patients with hip replacement. METHODS: A total of 160 elderly patients undergoing hip arthroplasty in Affiliated Dongguan People's Hospital of Southern Medical University (from March 2016 to March 2018) were randomly and double-blindly categorized into an EDA group and a control group (CON). Group EDA was administered intravenously EDA 30 min before surgery, and group CON was administered intravenously saline. The cognitive function of the two groups was evaluated 1-day before the operation and at 1 and 12 months after surgery, and the incidence of post-operative delirium was tested on days 1, 3, and 7 after surgery using the Chinese version of the confusion assessment method. Serum CXCL13 and interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations were measured before anesthesia, during surgery (30 min after skin incision), and on days 1, 3, and 7 after surgery. The continuous variables in accordance with normal distribution were tested using the Student's t test, the continuous variables without normal distribution using the Mann-Whitney U test, and categorical variables by the χ2 test or Fisher exact test. RESULTS: The incidence of post-operative delirium within 7 days after surgery was significantly higher in group CON than that in group EDA (31.3% vs. 15.0%, t = -5.6, P < 0.001). The modified telephone interview for cognitive status and activities of daily life scores were significantly higher in the group EDA than those in the group CON at 1 month (39.63 ±â€Š4.35 vs. 33.63 ±â€Š5.81, t = -2.13, P < 0.05 and 74.3 ±â€Š12.6 vs. 61.2 ±â€Š13.1, t = -1.69, P < 0.05) and 12 months (40.13 ±â€Š5.93 vs. 34.13 ±â€Š5.36, t = -3.37, P < 0.05 and 79.6 ±â€Š11.7 vs. 65.6 ±â€Š16.6, t = -2.08, P < 0.05) after surgery; and the incidence of neurocognitive dysfunction was significantly lower in the group EDA than that in the group CON (P < 0.05). Serum CXCL13 and IL-6 concentrations were significantly lower in the group EDA than those in the group CON during and after surgery (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: EDA can significantly reduce the serum concentrations of CXCL13 and IL-6 and improve the PND of patients.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Antibiotic-Impregnated Shunt Catheters on Anti-Infective Effect of Hydrocephalus Shunt.

OBJECTIVE: Shunt infection is a common complication while treating hydrocephalus. The antibiotic-impregnated shunt catheter (AISC) was designed to reduce shunt infection rate. A meta-analysis was conducted to study the effectiveness of AISCs in reduction of shunt infection in terms of age, follow-up time and high-risk patient population. METHODS: This study reviewed literature from three databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library (from 2000 to March 2019). Clinical studies from controlled trials for shunt operation were included in this analysis. A subgroup analysis was performed based on the patient's age, follow-up time and high-risk population. The fixed effect in RevMan 5.3 software (Cochrane Collaboration) was used for this meta-analysis. RESULTS: This study included 19 controlled clinical trials including 10105 operations. The analysis demonstrated that AISC could reduce the infection rate in shunt surgery compared to standard shunt catheter (non-AISC) from 8.13% to 4.09% (odds ratio [OR], 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40-0.58; p=0.01; I2=46%). Subgroup analysis of different age groups showed that AISC had significant antimicrobial effects in all three groups (adult, infant, and adolescent). Follow-up time analysis showed that AISC was effective in preventing early shunt infections (within 6 months after implant). AISC is more effective in high-risk population (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.14-0.40; p=0.60; I2=0%) than in general patient population. CONCLUSION: The results of meta-analysis indicated that AISC is an effective method for reducing shunt infection. We recommend that AISC should be considered for use in infants and high-risk groups. For adult patients, the choice for AISC could be determined based on the treatment cost.

A novel risk signature with 6 RNA binding proteins for prognosis prediction in patients with glioblastoma.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies suggested that RNA binding proteins (RBPs) were related to the tumorigenesis and progression of glioma. This study was conducted to identify prognostic RBPs of glioblastoma (GBM) and construct an RBP signature to predict the prognosis of GBM.Univariate Cox regression analysis was carried out to identify the RBPs associated with overall survival of GBM in the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), GSE16011, and Repository for Molecular Brain Neoplasia data (Rembrandt) datasets, respectively. Overlapping RBPs from the TCGA, GSE16011, and Rembrandt datasets were selected. The biological role of prognostic RBPs was assessed by Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and protein-protein interaction analyses. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to construct an RBP-related risk signature. The prognostic value of RBP signature was measured by Kaplan-Meier method and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve. A nomogram based on independent prognostic factors was established to predict survival for GBM. The CGGA cohort was used as the validation cohort for external validation.This study identified 27 RBPs associated with the prognosis of GBM and constructed a 6-RPBs signature. Kaplan-Meier curves suggested that high-risk score was associated with a poor prognosis. Area under the curve of 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival was 0.618, 0.728, and 0.833 for TCGA cohort, 0.655, 0.909, and 0.911 for GSE16011 cohort, and 0.665, 0.792, and 0.781 for Rembrandt cohort, respectively. A nomogram with 4 parameters (age, chemotherapy, O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter status, and risk score) was constructed. The calibration curve showed that the nomogram prediction was in good agreement with the actual observation.The 6-RBPs signature could effectively predict the prognosis of GBM, and our findings supplemented the prognostic index of GBM to a certain extent.

Full Functional Sex Reversal Achieved Through Silencing of MroDmrt11E Gene in Macrobrachium rosenbergii: Production of All-Male Monosex Freshwater Prawn.

The freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii is one kind of important economic aquaculture species and displays remarkable sexual dimorphism. The molecular mechanism of sexual differentiation in M. rosenbergii has been primarily unraveled through the research efforts of the androgenic gland and its related genes. However, the understanding of conserved genes involved in the molecular mechanism underpinning sex determination and sexual differentiation of M. rosenbergii is still fragmentary. MroDmrt11E is a member of the doublesex and mab-3-related transcription factor (Dmrt) gene family and is prominently expressed in the testis. In the present study, in vivo knockdown of MroDmrt11E at the postlarva stage in male prawn induced a complete and functional sex reversal and achieved the production of an all-male monosex population. Furthermore, a great deal of new information of upregulated and downregulated transcriptions involved in sexual differentiation of MroDmrt11E knockdown was enriched by comparative transcriptomic analysis. The effects of RNAi-mediated gene knockdown of MroDmrt11E on the differentially expressed and sex-related candidate genes, such as transformer, fruitless, feminization, insulin-like androgenic gland gene, Dmrt gene family, were primarily focused on, and their possible molecular regulatory relationships in sexual differentiation were analyzed. Meanwhile, the response of primary Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) biological pathways was investigated to expound the potential roles of MroDmrt11E in male sexual differentiation, which provided a deeper understanding of the molecular regulatory network underlying sexual differentiation of M. rosenbergii. The finding provided a novel sexual manipulation technique through silencing of Dmrt gene family for achieving a complete and functional sex reversal and offered a new insight regarding the mechanism of the Dmrt gene family in the sexual differentiation of crustaceans.

The secret of health in daily cuisine: typical healthy vegetables in local markets in central Myanmar.

BACKGROUND: Central Myanmar is located in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, and the Bamar people are the main ethnic group, which settled there over 1000 years ago. Despite being the core region of the country, central Myanmar has been ignored in previous ethnobotanical studies. Local healthy foods and knowledge are regarded as treasures for resource development and pharmaceutical drug discovery, and market surveys are a good strategy in ethnobotanical research. Thus, we collected and documented typical vegetables and local knowledge in local markets and then analysed the diversity and local knowledge of these vegetables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observations and interviews were used in the field study, and 10 markets and fairs were selected in central Myanmar. A total of 277 vegetable stalls or shops were visited. We compared the local knowledge we collected with selected important and typical herbal books on traditional Myanmar medicine. Quantitative analysis, including frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC) and use value (UV), was used to assess the diversity and local knowledge of these vegetables. RESULTS: A total of 132 plant taxa from 47 botanical families and 116 genera were collected. Most (106 taxa, 80.3%) of these vegetables were cited by the informants as functional foods that had health benefits, while others were regarded as merely "good for health". The main health function of the vegetables was treating digestive problems. Sixty-four species were recorded in selected herbal books on traditional Myanmar medicine, and forty-seven taxa were not recorded in these books but were nonetheless used as healthy vegetables by local people. Twenty-eight species of vegetables were collected from wild places. CONCLUSION: The diversity and local knowledge of healthy vegetables in central Myanmar were rich. Nevertheless, the diversity of wild vegetables was seemingly relatively low. The possible reason was that we counted only the vegetables that were from entirely wild sources as "wild vegetables". The most frequently cited vegetables were commonly cultivated species, which reflects the fact that plants cultivated on a large scale comprise the major source of vegetables. Some lesser known vegetables could reflect the unique food culture of local people, but most of these were cited only a few times by the interviewees, which caused low UV and RFC rankings for them in the league table. In addition, future research should pay more attention to the food safety of these vegetables.

Sleeve gastrectomy ameliorates endothelial function and prevents lung cancer by normalizing endothelin-1 axis in obese and diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence has implied that obesity is an independent risk factor for developing cancer. Being closely related to obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus provides a suitable environment for the formation and metastasis of tumors through multiple pathways. Although bariatric surgeries are effective in preventing and lowering the risk of various types of cancer, the underlying mechanisms of this effect are not clearly elucidated. AIM: To uncover the role and effect of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) in preventing lung cancer in obese and diabetic rats. METHODS: SG was performed on obese and diabetic Wistar rats, and the postoperative transcriptional and translational alterations of the endothelin-1 (ET-1) axis in the lungs were compared to sham-operated obese and diabetic rats and age-matched healthy controls to assess the improvements in endothelial function and risk of developing lung cancer at the postoperative 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks. The risk was also evaluated using nuclear phosphorylation of H2A histone family member X as a marker of DNA damage (double-strand break). RESULTS: Compared to obese and diabetic sham-operated rats, SG brought a significant reduction to body weight, food intake, and fasting blood glucose while improving oral glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. In addition, ameliorated levels of gene and protein expression in the ET-1 axis as well as reduced DNA damage indicated improved endothelial function and a lower risk of developing lung cancer after the surgery. CONCLUSION: Apart from eliminating metabolic disorders, SG improves endothelial function and plays a protective role in preventing lung cancer via normalized ET-1 axis and reduced DNA damage.

Transplantation efficacy of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells combined with atorvastatin for acute myocardial infarction (TEAM-AMI): rationale and design of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center, Phase II TEAM-AMI trial.

Aim: To determine the efficacy and safety of intracoronary infusion of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCINJ) in combination with intensive atorvastatin (ATV) treatment for patients with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction-elevation myocardial infarction. Patients & methods: The trial enrolls a total of 100 patients with anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The subjects are randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to receive routine ATV (20 mg/d) with placebo or MSCsINJ and intensive ATV (80 mg/d) with placebo or MSCsINJ. The primary end point is the absolute change of left ventricular ejection fraction within 12 months. The secondary end points include parameters in cardiac function, remodeling and regeneration, quality of life, biomarkers and clinical outcomes. Results & conclusion: The trial will implicate the essential of cardiac micro-environment improvement ('fertilizing') for cell-based therapy. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03047772.