Engineered and Durable Antimicrobial Polymer via Controllable Immobilization of Ionic Liquids onto the Poly(lactic acid) Chains.

Nowadays, the development of effective modification methods for PLA has gained significant interest because of the wide application of antimicrobial PLA materials in the medical progress. Herein, the ionic liquid (IL) 1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, has been grafted onto the PLA chains successfully in the PLA/IL blending films via electron beam (EB) radiation for the miscibility between PLA and IL. It was found that the existence of IL in the PLA matrix can significantly improve the chemical stability under EB radiation. The Mn of PLA-g-IL copolymer did not change obviously but was just decreased from 6.80 × 104 g/mol to 5.20 × 104 g/mol after radiation with 10 kGy. The obtained PLA-g-IL copolymers showed excellent filament forming property during electrospinning process. The spindle structure on the nanofibers can be completely eliminated after feeding only 0.5 wt % ILs for the improvement of ionic conductivity. Specially, the prepared PLA-g-IL nonwovens exhibited outstanding and durable antimicrobial activity for the enrichment of immobilized ILs on the nanofiber surface. This work provides a feasible strategy to realize the modification of functional ILs onto PLA chains with low EB radiation doses, which may have huge potential application in the medical and packaging industry.

Functional structure mediates the responses of productivity to addition of three nitrogen compounds in a meadow steppe.

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is altering grassland productivity and community structure worldwide. Deposited N comes in different forms, which can have different consequences for productivity due to differences in their fertilization and acidification effects. We hypothesize that these effects may be mediated by changes in plant functional traits. We investigated the responses of aboveground primary productivity and community functional composition to addition of three nitrogen compounds (NH4NO3, [NH4]2SO4, and CO[NH2]2) at the rates of 0, 5, 10, 20 g N m-2 yr-1. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate how functional structure influences the responses of productivity to the three N compounds. Nitrogen addition increased community-level leaf chlorophyll content but decreased leaf dry matter content and phosphorus concentration. These changes were mainly due to intra-specific variation. Functional dispersion of traits was reduced by N addition through changes in species composition. SEM revealed that fertilization effects were more important than soil acidification for the responses of productivity to CO(NH2)2 addition, which enhanced productivity by decreasing functional trait dispersion. In contrast, the effects of (NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3 were primarily due to soil acidification, influencing productivity via community-weighted means of functional traits. Our results suggest that N forms with different fertilizing and acidifying effects influence productivity via different functional traits pathways. Our study also emphasizes the need for in situ experiments with the relevant N compounds to accurately understand and predict the ecological effects of atmospheric N deposition on ecosystems.

Polysulfide induced synthesis of a MoS2 self-supporting electrode with wide-layer-spacing for efficient electrocatalytic water splitting.

Efficient non-noble metal bifunctional electrocatalysts can increase the conversion rate of electric energy in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a ball & sheet MoS2/Ni3S2 composite with wide-layer-spacing and high 1T-rich MoS2 is assembled on nickel foam (NF) via a two-step solvothermal method with polymeric sulfur (S-r-DIB) as the sulfur source. The obtained material serves as both the cathode and the anode toward overall water splitting in an alkaline electrolyte. The results proved that the interpenetration of MoS2/Ni3S2-p with a ball and sheet structure increased the material active surface area and exposed more catalytic active sites, which contributed to the penetration of solution and the transfer of charge/hydrion. Meanwhile, two different semiconductors of MoS2 and Ni3S2 along with the presence of ample active sulfur edge sites and few-layer, wide-layer-spacing structures of MoS2 lead to an outstanding electrocatalytic activity. In particular, the electrodes of MoS2/Ni3S2-p only need a battery voltage of 1.55 V at 10 mA cm-2. The bifunctional electrocatalyst MoS2/Ni3S2-p also shows excellent stability at large current densities during the electrochemical test.

Synthesis and photophysical investigation of Schiff base as a Mg2+ and Zn2+ fluorescent chemosensor and its application.

In view of the fluorescent switching properties and anti-fatigue properties of diarylethene, a diarylethene fluorescent chemosensor for the immediate detection of zinc ion (Zn2+ ) and magnesium ion (Mg2+ ) in acetonitrile was synthesized in this article. The structure of 1o was determined by performing spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The presence of Zn2+ or Mg2+ made the chemosensor 1o show an obvious "turn-on" fluorescent signal (bright yellow-green for Mg2+ and bright cyan for Zn2+ ). The fluorescent change caused by the 1:1 binding of 1o and Zn2+ or Mg2+ might be due to hindering the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process, which were bolstered by Benesi-Hildebrand analysis, Job's plot curves, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H-NMR) titration and mass spectrometry. The limits of detection were acquired from the standard curve plots for Mg2+ at 44.6 nM and for Zn2+ at 14 nM. Based on the fluorescent behaviors, a logic gate was constructed with the emission intensity at 528/518 nm as output signal, the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) lights, Mg2+ /Zn2+ and EDTA as input signals. Exogenous Zn2+ and Mg2+ fluorescent bioimaging were performed on Hela cells with 1o, indicating its potential application in biodiagnostic analysis. In particular, 1o was manufactured into test paper, and Zn2+ or Mg2+ can be conveniently, efficiently and qualitatively identified by the fluorescent color variation of the test strips.

Community response of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to extreme drought in a cold-temperate grassland.

Climate extremes pose enormous threats to natural ecosystems. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are key plant symbionts that can affect plant community dynamics and ecosystem stability. However, knowledge about how AM fungal communities respond to climate extremes in natural ecosystems remains elusive. Based on a grassland extreme drought experiment in Inner Mongolia, we investigated the response of AM fungal communities to extreme drought in association with plant communities. The experiment simulated two types of extreme drought (chronic/intense) of once-in-20-year occurrence. AM fungal richness and community composition exhibited high sensitivity to extreme drought and were more sensitive to intense drought than chronic drought. This community sensitivity (i.e. decline in richness and shifts in community composition) of AM fungi can be jointly explained by soil moisture, plant richness, and aboveground productivity. Notably, the robustness of the plant-AM fungal community co-response increased with drought intensity. Our results indicate that AM fungal communities are sensitive to climate extremes, and we propose that the plant community mediates AM fungal community responses. Given the ubiquitous nature of AM associations, their climate sensitivity may have profound consequences on plant communities and ecosystem stability under climate change.

Legacy effects of a multi-year extreme drought on belowground bud banks in rhizomatous vs bunchgrass-dominated grasslands.

Belowground bud banks play a crucial role in plant population regeneration, community dynamics, and functional responses of ecosystems to environmental change and disturbance. In mesic grasslands, belowground bud banks are largely resistant to short-term drought. However, the sensitivity of belowground bud banks to long-term extreme drought in semi-arid grasslands is less understood. We investigated the legacy effects of a four-year experimental drought (i.e., 66% reduction in growing season precipitation) on belowground bud density, aboveground shoot density, and the meristem limitation index (MLI; the ratio of bud to shoot density) in two semi-arid grasslands that differ in dominant grass species growth forms (i.e., rhizomatous vs. bunchgrasses). Measurements were made during the first recovery year following drought; thus, we report the legacy effects of drought on belowground bud banks. At the community level, drought reduced belowground bud density and aboveground shoot density with no change in MLI. However, drought had no significant influences on belowground buds, aboveground shoots and MLI of the dominant plant growth form in each community. The legacy effects of drought were largely dependent on plant community type and growth form. Specifically, bunchgrasses and bunchgrass-dominated communities were characterized by greater meristem limitation than rhizomatous grasses, likely due to their cluster/phalanx clonal growth. Overall, our study suggests bud banks may indeed be sensitive to long-term drought, although this depends on plant growth forms and community characteristics.

S-transform application in phase extraction of spectrally resolved interferometry measuring step height.

Spectrally resolved interferometry is widely used in the measurement of distance, displacement, film thickness, and surface morphology in micro/nano-scale geometric measurement. The core of spectrally resolved white-light interferometry is phase extraction. Temporal phase shifting, Fourier transform, wavelet transform, and other methods are commonly used in phase extraction of spectrally resolved interferometry. The S-transform, providing frequency-dependent resolution and having good time-frequency characteristics, is widely used in power quality disturbance analysis, seismic wave analysis, and phase recovery in profilometry. S-transform is used to extract the phase of the spectrally resolved white-light interferometry signal measuring step height. Compared with Fourier transform and wavelet transform, it is proved that S-transform is a feasible method in phase extraction of spectrally resolved interferometry measuring step height.

Novel therapeutic strategies and perspectives for metastatic pancreatic cancer: vaccine therapy is more than just a theory.

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive and malignant tumor with an exceedingly high mortality rate. The quality of life and survival rates of pancreatic cancer patients with metastasis are poor compared with those without metastasis. Thus far, no effective treatment strategy has been established for metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. Therefore, an appropriate therapeutic method based on the elimination of metastatic pancreatic cancer is critical to improve patient outcome. Tumor-targeted vaccines have been widely discussed in recent studies and enabled important breakthroughs in the treatment of pancreatic cancer by preventing the escape of tumor cells from immune surveillance and activating the immune system to eliminate cancer cells. T cells can be activated by the stimulation of tumor-targeted vaccines, but to mount an effective immune response, both immune checkpoint inhibitors and positive costimulatory molecules are required. In this review, we discuss potential tumor-targeted vaccines that can target pancreatic cancer, elaborate the probably appropriate combination of vaccines therapy and evaluate the underlying benefits as well as obstacles in the current therapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Differential responses of canopy nutrients to experimental drought along a natural aridity gradient.

The allocation and stoichiometry of plant nutrients in leaves reflect fundamental ecosystem processes, biotic interactions, and environmental drivers such as water availability. Climate change will lead to increases in drought severity and frequency, but how canopy nutrients will respond to drought, and how these responses may vary with community composition along aridity gradients is poorly understood. We experimentally addressed this issue by reducing precipitation amounts by 66% during two consecutive growing seasons at three sites located along a natural aridity gradient. This allowed us to assess drought effects on canopy nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in arid and semiarid grasslands of northern China. Along the aridity gradient, canopy nutrient concentrations were positively related to aridity, with this pattern was driven primarily by species turnover (i.e., an increase in the relative biomass of N- and P-rich species with increasing aridity). In contrast, drought imposed experimentally increased N but decreased P concentrations in plant canopies. These changes were driven by the combined effects of species turnover and intraspecific variation in leaf nutrient concentrations. In addition, the sensitivity of canopy N and P concentrations to drought varied across the three sites. Canopy nutrient concentrations were less affected by drought at drier than wetter sites, because of the opposing effects of species turnover and intraspecific variation, as well as greater drought tolerance for nutrient-rich species. These contrasting effects of long-term aridity vs. short-term drought on canopy nutrient concentrations, as well as differing sensitivities among sites in the same grassland biome, highlight the challenge of predicting ecosystem responses to future climate change.

Effects of extreme drought on plant nutrient uptake and resorption in rhizomatous vs bunchgrass-dominated grasslands.

Both the dominance and the mass ratio hypotheses predict that plant internal nutrient cycling in ecosystems is determined by the dominant species within plant communities. We tested this hypothesis under conditions of extreme drought by assessing plant nutrient (N, P and K) uptake and resorption in response to experimentally imposed precipitation reductions in two semiarid grasslands of northern China. These two communities shared similar environmental conditions, but had different dominant species-one was dominated by a rhizomatous grass (Leymus chinensis) and the other by a bunchgrass (Stipa grandis). Results showed that responses of N to drought differed between the two communities with drought decreasing green leaf N concentration and resorption in the community dominated by the rhizomatous grass, but not in the bunchgrass-dominated community. In contrast, negative effects of drought on green leaf P and K concentrations and their resorption efficiencies were consistent across the two communities. Additionally, in each community, the effects of extreme drought on soil N, P and K supply did not change synchronously with that on green leaf N, P and K concentrations, and senesced leaf N, P and K concentrations showed no response to extreme drought. Consistent with the dominance/mass ratio hypothesis, our findings suggest that differences in dominant species and their growth form (i.e., rhizomatous vs bunch grass) play an important nutrient-specific role in mediating plant internal nutrient cycling across communities within a single region.

Cloning and molecular characterization of the ORF5 gene from a PRRSV-SN strain from Southwest China.

To monitor the genetic variation of PRRSV, the ORF5 gene of the PRRSV-SN strain found in Suining City, Sichuan Province, was cloned and sequenced. The results showed that the PRRSV-SN strain was a highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) variant strain with the North American (NA) genotype. Homology analysis showed that the ORF5 gene of the PRRSV-SN isolate shared 89.4% (86.5%) nucleotide (amino acid) sequence similarity with the North American strain VR-2332, 98.8% (96%) similarity with JXA1, and 63.8% (57.7%) similarity with the European type representative strain Lelystad virus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that PRRSV-SN belongs to the NA genotype and has the same subtype as other highly pathogenic PRRSV strains. Amino acid sequence analysis showed that compared with the VR2332 strain, PRRSV-SN has different degrees of variation in the signal peptide, transmembrane region (TM), primary neutralizing epitope (PNE), non-neutral epitopes and N-glycosylation sites. Antigenicity analysis showed that the PRRSV-SN ORF5 gene products and JXA1 have similar antigenic characteristics, and the antigenic epitopes are mainly located in aa30-39, aa50-60, aa128-141, aa146-155 and aa161-183 regions. In contrast, the antigenic characteristics of PRRSV-SN are quite different from those of the VR2332 strain. The main differences were that the PRRSV-SN strain was significantly narrower than the VR2332 strain in the aa30-39 and the aa50-60 regions but was significantly wider in the aa136-141 region. The results of this study showed that the epidemic strains that cause PRRSV outbreaks in the farm are still mainly JXA1 variants, but due to the more frequent use of live vaccine immunizations, the genes of the PRRSV epidemic strain still show constant variation. Vaccination with live PRRSV should be reduced, and surveillance of PRRSV strains should be enhanced.

Effects of nitrogen and water addition on trace element stoichiometry in five grassland species.

A 9-year manipulative experiment with nitrogen (N) and water addition, simulating increasing N deposition and changing precipitation regime, was conducted to investigate the bioavailability of trace elements, iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in soil, and their uptake by plants under the two environmental change factors in a semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia. We measured concentrations of trace elements in soil and in foliage of five common herbaceous species including 3 forbs and 2 grasses. In addition, bioaccumulation factors (BAF, the ratio of the chemical concentration in the organism and the chemical concentration in the growth substrate) and foliar Fe:Mn ratio in each plant was calculated. Our results showed that soil available Fe, Mn and Cu concentrations increased under N addition and were negatively correlated with both soil pH and cation exchange capacity. Water addition partly counteracted the positive effects of N addition on available trace element concentrations in the soil. Foliar Mn, Cu and Zn concentrations increased but Fe concentration decreased with N addition, resulting in foliar elemental imbalances among Fe and other selected trace elements. Water addition alleviated the effect of N addition. Forbs are more likely to suffer from Mn toxicity and Fe deficiency than grass species, indicating more sensitivity to changing elemental bioavailability in soil. Our results suggested that soil acidification due to N deposition may accelerate trace element cycling and lead to elemental imbalance in soil-plant systems of semi-arid grasslands and these impacts of N deposition on semi-arid grasslands were affected by water addition. These findings indicate an important role for soil trace elements in maintaining ecosystem functions associated with atmospheric N deposition and changing precipitation regimes in the future.

Epo inhibits the fibrosis and migration of Müller glial cells induced by TGF-ß and high glucose.

BACKGROUND: In proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), Müller glial cells (MGCs) acquire migratory ability and exhibit a fibroblast-like phenotype. These activated MGCs contribute to the formation of epiretinal membrane, which will stretch the retina, and cause retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage. Erythropoietin (Epo) is now found effective in ameliorating renal fibrosis by inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of tubular epithelial cells. This study is undertaken to determine whether Epo has an effect in inhibiting MGCs activation to attenuate epiretinal membrane formation in PDR. METHOD: MIO-M1 cell line was used in this study. As a pilot test to determine the most efficient treatment time and concentration of Epo, levels of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) were measured by real-time PCR, after treatment with Epo on MGCs cultured in high glucose. MGCs were cultured in high glucose and normal glucose for 2 days, with or without TGF-ß as a pro-fibrogenic cytokine. Epo was introduced at the same time. Immunofluorescence targeting α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was performed to explore the cell phenotype. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) mRNA level was detected by real-time PCR. Protein levels of CTGF and cytoskeletal proteins like α-SMA and fibronectin were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot respectively. Wound-healing assay was applied to evaluate the migratory ability of MGCs, and actin-tracker green was used to draw the structure of F-actin in MGCs. RESULTS: After being seeded into high-glucose medium containing TGF-ß, MGCs expressed a larger amount of MMP9 mRNA as well as α-SMA, fibronectin at protein level. They secreted more CTGF, and their F-actin reorganized in a parallel manner and showed a stronger ability to migrate. In addition, these changes, including mRNA and protein expression, F-actin assembling, and cell migration, could be attenuated significantly by Epo treatment. CONCLUSION: High glucose together with TGF-ß promote MGCs to exhibit a fibroblast-like phenotype and develop a greater migratory ability. These changes can be inhibited by Epo, which therefore may contribute to the controlling of epiretinal membrane formation.

The protective effect of erythropoietin on the retina.

Erythropoietin (Epo) was once considered to be a regulator of erythropoiesis by controlling the apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation of erythroid precursor cells over an extended period of time. However, the expression of Epo and Epo receptor (Epo-R) occurs in the brain and retina in addition to the kidney. These expression behaviors lead to physiological effects in addition to hematocrit elevation. In this review we discuss the protective effect of Epo on retinal cells.

A Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhenqi Granule, Potentially Alleviates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Mouse Colitis Symptoms.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes chronic inflammation in the large intestine. The etiology of UC is complex and incompletely understood, with potential contributing factors including genetic susceptibility, environmental influences, immune dysregulation, and gut barrier dysfunction. Despite available therapeutic drugs, the suboptimal cure rate for UC emphasizes the necessity of developing novel therapeutics. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has attracted great interest in the treatment of such chronic inflammatory diseases due to its advantages, such as multi-targets and low side effects. In this study, a mouse model of Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis was established and the efficacy of Zhenqi Granule, a TCM preparation composed of the extractives from Astragali Radix and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi, was evaluated. The results showed that treatment with Zhenqi Granule prior to or post-DSS induction could alleviate the symptoms of colitis, including weight loss, diarrhea, hematochezia, colon length shortening, and pathological damage of colon tissues of the DSS-treated mice. Further, network pharmacology analysis showed that there were 98 common targets between the active components of Zhenqi Granule and the targets of UC, and the common targets were involved in the regulation of inflammatory signaling pathways. Our results showed that Zhenqi Granule had preventive and therapeutic effects on acute colitis in mice, and the mechanism may be that the active components of Zhenqi Granule participated in the regulation of inflammatory response. This study provided data reference for further exploring the mechanism of Zhenqi Granule and also provided potential treatment strategies for UC.

Hsa_circ_0070440 mediates the prognosis and progress of human prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to explore whether hsa_circ_0070440 was dysregulated in prostate cancer (PCa), and assess the effects of hsa_circ_0070440 alteration on PCa prognosis and cell function. METHODS: The expression levels of hsa_circ_0070440 were assessed in PCa tissues and cell lines. After the classification of patients with PCa based on mean hsa_circ_0070440 level in 138 cases, Chi-square test and survival analyses (Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis) were performed to assess the predictive value of hsa_circ_0070440 in treatment failure (TTF), time to PSA progression (TTPP) and overall survival time. To examine the function of hsa_circ_0070440 in PCa cells, 22Rv1 and C4-2B cells were used for CCK-8 proliferation and Transwell migration assays. Hsa_circ_0070440- and TXNDC5-specific bindings with miR-382/383-5p were validated by bioinformatic analysis and luciferase gene reporter assay. RESULTS: An increased expression of hsa_circ_0070440 was found in PCA tissues and cell lines, associated with clinical T stage (p=0.021) and lymph node metastasis. Hsa_circ_0070440 predicted poor overall survival, TTPP, and TTF, acting as independent prognostic factors for overall survival, TTPP, and TTF in patients with PCa. Knockdown of hsa_circ_0070440 inhibited cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Furthermore, hsa_circ_0070440 could sponge miR-382/383-5p. TXNDC5 was a common target gene for miR-382/383-5p in PCa cells. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that hsa_circ_0070440 can predict the prognosis of PCa patients. Hsa_circ_0070440 can facilitate the proliferation and migration of PCa cells, possibly by sponging miR-382/383-5p.

Tunable electronic and optical properties of BAs/WTe2heterostructure for theoretical photoelectric device design.

The geometric structure of the BAs/WTe2heterojunction was scrutinized by employingab initiocalculations grounded on density functional theory. Multiple configurations are constructed to determine the equilibrium state of the heterojunction with optimal stability. The results show that the H1-type heterojunction with interlayer distance of 3.92 Å exhibits exceptional stability and showcases a conventional Type-II band alignment, accompanied by a direct band gap measuring 0.33 eV. By applying external electric field and introducing strain, one can efficaciously modulate both the band gap and the quantity of charge transfer in the heterojunction, accompanied by the transition of band alignment from Type-II to Type-I, which makes it expected to achieve broader applications in light-emitting diodes, laser detectors and other fields. Ultimately, the heterojunction undergoes a transformation from a semiconducting to a metallic state. Furthermore, the outstanding optical characteristics inherent to each of the two monolayers are preserved, the BAs/WTe2heterojunction also serves to enhance the absorption coefficient and spectral range of the material, particularly within the ultraviolet spectrum. It merits emphasis that the optical properties of the BAs/WTe2heterojunction are capable of modification through the imposition of external electric fields and mechanical strains, which will expand its applicability and potential for future progression within the domains of nanodevices and optoelectronic apparatus.

Grassland sensitivity to drought is related to functional composition across East Asia and North America.

Plant traits can be helpful for understanding grassland ecosystem responses to climate extremes, such as severe drought. However, intercontinental comparisons of how drought affects plant functional traits and ecosystem functioning are rare. The Extreme Drought in Grasslands experiment (EDGE) was established across the major grassland types in East Asia and North America (six sites on each continent) to measure variability in grassland ecosystem sensitivity to extreme, prolonged drought. At all sites, we quantified community-weighted mean functional composition and functional diversity of two leaf economic traits, specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content, in response to drought. We found that experimental drought significantly increased community-weighted means of specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content at all North American sites and at the wetter East Asian sites, but drought decreased community-weighted means of these traits at moderate to dry East Asian sites. Drought significantly decreased functional richness but increased functional evenness and dispersion at most East Asian and North American sites. Ecosystem drought sensitivity (percentage reduction in aboveground net primary productivity) positively correlated with community-weighted means of specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content and negatively correlated with functional diversity (i.e., richness) on an intercontinental scale, but results differed within regions. These findings highlight both broad generalities but also unique responses to drought of community-weighted trait means as well as their functional diversity across grassland ecosystems.

Prognostic value of lncRNA LINC01018 in prostate cancer by regulating miR-182-5p (The role of LINC01018 in prostate cancer).

LncRNAs are abnormally expressed in a variety of cancers and play unique roles in therapy. Based on this, the prognostic value of lncRNA LINC01018 in prostate cancer was discussed in this study. LINC01018 was underexpressed in prostate cancer tissues and cells, while miR-182-5p was elevated (***p < 0.001). Overexpression of LINC01018 may inhibit the progression of prostate cancer by targeting miR-182-5p. This study revealed that upregulated LINC01018 may prolong the overall survival of patients with prostate cancer (log-rank p = 0.042), and LINC01018 may become a prognostic biomarker for patients with prostate cancer, which brings a new direction for the treatment of patients.

[Retracted] MicroRNA­21 promotes migration and invasion of glioma cells via activation of Sox2 and ß­catenin signaling.

Following the publication of the above paper, a concerned reader drew to the Editor's attention that there were several data panels showing the results of Transwell migration and invasion assay experiments in Figs. 1A and 2A that contained overlapping sections of data, such that these data, which were intended to have shown the results from differently performed experiments, appeared to have been derived from a smaller number of original sources. Furthermore, the data panels shown in Fig. 3A for the 'Control/U343' and 'Control/172', and the 'miR­21/ß­catenin' and 'Control/T98', experiments were also found to be unexpectedly similar, given that these were likewise intended to show the results from differently performed experiments. After having conducted an independent investigation in the Editorial Office, the Editor of Molecular Medicine Reports has determined that the above paper should be retracted from the Journal on account of a lack of confidence in the presented data. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a satisfactory reply. The Editor regrets any inconvenience that has been caused to the readership of the Journal. [Molecular Medicine Reports 15: 187­193, 2017; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2016.5971].