Heterostructure Engineering for Aluminum-Ion Batteries: Mechanism, Challenge, and Perspective.

Benefiting from high volumetric capacity, environmental friendliness, and high safety, aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) are considered to be promising battery system among emerging electrochemical energy storage technologies. As an important component of AIBs, the cathode material is crucial to decide the energy density and cycle life of AIBs. However, single-component cathode materials are unable to achieve a balance between cycling stability and rate performance. In recent years, research on heterostructure cathode materials has gained significant attention in AIBs. By harnessing the synergistic effects of heterostructure, the shortcomings of individual materials can be overcome, contributing to improved conductivity and structural stability. This review offers a detailed insight into the Al-storage mechanism of heterostructure cathodes, and provides an overview of the current research progresses on heterostructure cathode materials for AIBs. Starting from the relationship between the microstructure and electrochemical performance of heterostructure materials, the different structure design strategies are elaborated. Besides, the challenges faced by heterostructure are summarized, and their potential impact on the future of the energy storage industry is anticipated. This review provides the guidelines for the future research of heterostructure as cathode materials for AIBs.

NSD2 modulates Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission in chronic renal allograft interstitial fibrosis by methylating STAT1.

Renal interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IF/TA) is a prominent pathological feature of chronic allograft dysfunction (CAD). Our previous study has demonstrated that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a significant role in shaping the development of IF/TA. Nuclear SET domain (NSD2), a histone methyltransferase catalyzing methylation at lysine 36 of histone 3, is crucially involved in the development and progression of solid tumors. But its role in the development of renal allograft interstitial fibrosis has yet to be elucidated. Here, we characterize NSD2 as a crucial mediator in the mouse renal transplantation model in vivo and a model of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) stimulated-human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) in vitro. Functionally, NSD2 knockdown inhibits EMT, dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-mediated mitochondrial fission in mice. Conversely, NSD2 overexpression exacerbates fibrosis-associated phenotypes and mitochondrial fission in tubular cells. Mechanistically, tubular NSD2 aggravated the Drp-1 mediated mitochondrial fission via STAT1/ERK/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in TNF-α-induced epithelial cell models. Momentously, mass spectrometry (MS) Analysis and site-directed mutagenesis assays revealed that NSD2 interacted with and induced Mono-methylation of STAT1 on K173, leading to its phosphorylation, IMB1-dependent nuclear translocation and subsequent influence on TNF-α-induced EMT and mitochondrial fission in NSD2-dependent manner. Collectively, these findings shed light on the mechanisms and suggest that targeting NSD2 could be a promising therapeutic approach to enhance tubular cell survival and alleviate interstitial fibrosis in renal allografts during CAD.

ED50 of ciprofol combined with sufentanil for fiberoptic bronchoscopy of different patient populations with pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Ciprofol is a promising sedative. This study aims to explore the median effective dose (ED50) of ciprofol in inhibiting responses to fiberoptic bronchoscopy in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) of different genders and ages when combined with 0.15 µg/kg sufentanil, and to evaluate its efficacy and safety, providing a reference for the rational use of ciprofol in clinical practice. METHODS: PTB patients who underwent bronchoscopy examination and treatment at The Third People's Hospital of Changzhou between May 2023 and June 2023 were selected and divided into four groups using a stratified random method. All patients received intravenous injection of 0.15 µg/kg sufentanil followed by injection of the test dose of ciprofol according to Dixon's up-and-down method. The initial dose of ciprofol in all four groups was 0.4 mg/kg, with an adjacent ratio of 1:1.1. The next patient received a 10% increase in the dose of ciprofol if the previous patient in the same group experienced positive reactions such as choking cough, frowning, and body movements during the endoscopy. Otherwise, it was judged as a negative reaction, and the next patient received a 10% decrease in the dose of ciprofol. The transition from a positive reaction to a negative reaction was defined as a turning point, and the study of the group was terminated when seven turning points occurred. Hemodynamic parameters, oxygen saturation and adverse reactions were recorded at different time points in all groups. The Probit regression analysis method was used to calculate the ED50 of ciprofol in the four groups and compare between the groups. RESULTS: The ED50 of ciprofol combined with 0.15 µg/kg sufentanil for bronchoscopy in the four groups were 0.465 mg/kg, 0.433 mg/kg, 0.420 mg/kg and 0.396 mg/kg, respectively. CONCLUSION: The ED50 of ciprofol used for fiberoptic bronchoscopy varied among PTB patients of different genders and ages. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2300071508, Registered on 17 May 2023.

Identification and validation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte-related prognosis signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapeutic response in bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: It has been discovered that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are essential for the emergence of bladder cancer (BCa). This study aimed to research TIL-related genes (TILRGs) and create a gene model to predict BCa patients' overall survival. METHODS: The RNA sequencing and clinical data were downloaded from the TGCA and GEO databases. Using Pearson correlation analysis, TILRGs were evaluated. Moreover, hub TILRGs were chosen using a comprehensive analysis. By dividing the TCGA-BCa patients into different clusters based on hub TILRGs, we were able to explore the immune landscape between different clusters. RESULTS: Here, we constructed a model with five hub TILRGs and split all of the patients into two groups, each of which had a different prognosis and clinical characteristics, TME, immune cell infiltration, drug sensitivity, and immunotherapy responses. Better clinical results and greater immunotherapy sensitivity were seen in the low-risk group. Based on five hub TILRGs, unsupervised clustering analysis identify two molecular subtypes in BCa. The prognosis, clinical outcomes, and immune landscape differed in different subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: The study identifies a new prediction signature based on genes connected to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, providing BCa patients with a new theoretical target.

Sensitizer-Free Photochemical Regeneration of Benzimidazoline Organohydride.

Organohydrides are an important class of organic compounds that can provide hydride anions for chemical and biochemical reactions, as demonstrated by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides serving as important natural redox cofactors. The coupling of hydride transfer from the organohydride to the substrate and subsequent regeneration of the organohydride from its oxidized form can realize organohydride-catalyzed reduction reactions. Depending on the structure of the organohydride, its hydridicity and ease of regeneration vary. Benzimidazoline (BIH) is one of the strongest synthetic C-H hydride donors; however, its reductive regeneration requires highly reducing conditions. In this study, we synthesized various oxidized and reduced forms of BIH derivatives with aryl groups at the 2-position and investigated their photophysical and electrochemical properties. 4-(Dimethylamino)phenyl-substituted BIH exhibited salient red-shifted absorption compared with other synthesized BIH derivatives, and visible-light-driven regeneration without using an external photosensitizer was achieved. This knowledge has significant implications for the future development of solar-energy-based catalytic photoreduction technologies that utilize organohydride regeneration strategies.

Development of a radiomics model to diagnose pheochromocytoma preoperatively: a multicenter study with prospective validation.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative diagnosis of pheochromocytoma (PHEO) accurately impacts preoperative preparation and surgical outcome in PHEO patients. Highly reliable model to diagnose PHEO is lacking. We aimed to develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomic-clinical model to distinguish PHEO from adrenal lesions. METHODS: In total, 305 patients with 309 adrenal lesions were included and divided into different sets. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used for data dimension reduction, feature selection, and radiomics signature building. In addition, a nomogram incorporating the obtained radiomics signature and selected clinical predictors was developed by using multivariable logistic regression analysis. The performance of the radiomic-clinical model was assessed with respect to its discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. RESULTS: Seven radiomics features were selected among the 1301 features obtained as they could differentiate PHEOs from other adrenal lesions in the training (area under the curve [AUC], 0.887), internal validation (AUC, 0.880), and external validation cohorts (AUC, 0.807). Predictors contained in the individualized prediction nomogram included the radiomics signature and symptom number (symptoms include headache, palpitation, and diaphoresis). The training set yielded an AUC of 0.893 for the nomogram, which was confirmed in the internal and external validation sets with AUCs of 0.906 and 0.844, respectively. Decision curve analyses indicated the nomogram was clinically useful. In addition, 25 patients with 25 lesions were recruited for prospective validation, which yielded an AUC of 0.917 for the nomogram. CONCLUSION: We propose a radiomic-based nomogram incorporating clinically useful signatures as an easy-to-use, predictive and individualized tool for PHEO diagnosis.

Compact optically pumped cesium beam atomic clock with a 5-day frequency stability of 7×10-15.

Compared to other commercial atomic clocks in the time keeping field, the greatest advantage of cesium beam atomic clocks is their superior long-term stability. Compared to magnetic state-selection clocks, optically pumped cesium beam atomic clocks have more interacting atoms, which results in better stability potential. To achieve good long-term stability, we propose methods including stabilization of laser power and reconstruction of circuits. They play a key role in the long-term stability of cesium beam atomic clocks. After 75 days of continuous running and measurement, we released the 5-day stability results (7×10-15 Allan deviation) of our optically pumped cesium beam atomic clock. To the best of our knowledge, this is the best 5-day stability result ever reported for compact optically pumped cesium beam atomic clocks.

A New Flattened Cylinder Specimen for Direct Tensile Test of Rock.

In recent decades, researchers have paid more attention to the indirect tensile test than to the direct tensile test (DTT) of rocks, mainly due to difficulties in the alignment and the stress concentration at the end of an intact cylindrical specimen. In this paper, a new flattened cylinder specimen and a clamp device were designed to obtain the true tensile strength of the rock in DTT. Stress distributions of the specimen with different lengths (l) and cutting thicknesses (t) were analyzed, and damage processes of the specimen were monitored by the Digital Image Correlation (DIC), the fractured sections were also scanned. Different mechanical parameters were also obtained by the DTT of the flattened cylinder specimens and the intact cylinder specimens, as well as the Brazilian disc. Research results show that the tensile strength obtained by DTT is smaller than the Brazilian disc and is slightly greater than the intact cylindrical specimen. The flattened cylinder specimen with 0.20 ≤ 2t/D < 0.68 and 0.10 ≤ l/D ≤ 0.20 is recommended to measure the true tensile strength of rock material in DTT. This new shape of the specimen is promising to be extended in the uniaxial or triaxial direct tension test.

Correction to: Circular RNA circ-ZKSCAN1 inhibits bladder cancer progression through miR-1178-3p/p21 axis and acts as a prognostic factor of recurrence.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Comparative analysis of retrograde intrarenal surgery and modified ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy in management of lower pole renal stones (1.5-3.5 cm).

BACKGROUND: To compare the safety and efficacy of retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and modified Ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy (UMP) in semi-supine combined lithotomy position for the management of 1.5-3.5 cm lower pole renal stones (LPSs). METHODS: A total of 63 patients with 1.5-3.5 cm LPSs who underwent RIRS (n = 33) or modified UMP (n = 30) in diameter between January 2017 and January 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Modified UMP was performed in semi-supine combined lithotomy position and a 9.5/11.5 F ureteral access sheath (UAS) was inserted during the procedure in order to maintain low pelvic pressure and to facilitate the removal of stone fragments. Base-line parameters, stone characteristics, illness condition, operation time, postoperative hemoglobin (Hb) drop, postoperative creatinine (Cr) elevation, length of hospital stay, length of postoperative hospital stay, stone-free rate (SFR) and complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in base-line parameters, stone characteristics and illness condition. The mean operating time of RIRS group was longer than UMP group (95.61 ± 21.9 vs. 55.0 ± 16.1 min, p < 0.001). The mean postoperative Hb drop was less in RIRS group (7.42 ± 4.7 vs. 15.70 ± 9.8 g/L, p < 0.001). The length of hospital stay and postoperative hospital stay for RIRS were shorter than UMP (4.76 ± 1.1 vs. 5.83 ± 0.8 d, p < 0.001, 2.97 ± 0.9 vs. 4.07 ± 0.9 d, p < 0.001). The Early SFR was higher in UMP group (54.5 vs. 80.0%, p < 0.050) while SFR at 1-month and 3-months postoperatively was similar in both groups (p = 0.504, p = 0.675). There were no significant differences between the two groups in complications (p = 0.228). CONCLUSION: For patients with 1.5-3.5 cm LPSs, both modified UMP and RIRS are safe and viable. The modified UMP technique was used in this study, application semi-supine combined lithotomy position and the retention of UAS can improve the surgical efficiency and maintain low pressure perfusion in the kidney, which resulted in superior treatment efficacy. Therefore, we highly recommend this technique for LPSs with heavy stone burdens.

Circular RNA circ-ZKSCAN1 inhibits bladder cancer progression through miR-1178-3p/p21 axis and acts as a prognostic factor of recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a subclass of regulatory RNAs that have been shown to have significant regulatory roles in cancer progression. However, the biological functions of circRNAs in bladder cancer (BCa) are largely unknown. METHODS: Cell invasion models were established, and invasion-related circRNAs were detected by qPCR. Using above method, circ-ZKSCAN1 was picked out for further study. Circ-ZKSCAN1 expression and survival analyses were performed through qPCR. The survival curves were generated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to assess the significance. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were examined to investigate the function of circ-ZKSCAN1. Tumorigenesis in nude mice was assessed to determine the effect of circ-ZKSCAN1 in bladder cancer. Biotin-coupled probe pull-down assays, FISH and luciferase reporter assays were conducted to confirm the relationship between circ-ZKSCAN1 and microRNA. RNA-seq revealed different molecular changes in downstream genes. RESULTS: Here, we found that circ-ZKSCAN1 was downregulated in BCa tissues and cell lines. Circ-ZKSCAN1 levels were associated with survival, tumor grade, pathological T stage and tumor recurrence. Overexpressed circ-ZKSCAN1 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that circ-ZKSCAN1 upregulated p21 expression by sponging miR-1178-3p, which suppressed the aggressive biological behaviors in bladder cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal that Circ-ZKSCAN1 acts as a tumor suppressor via a novel circ-ZKSCAN1/miR-1178-3p/p21 axis, which have the important role in the proliferation, migration and invasion ablitities of BCa cells and provide a novel perspective on circRNAs in BCa progression.

A novel AR translational regulator lncRNA LBCS inhibits castration resistance of prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Progression to a castration resistance state is the main cause of deaths in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Androgen Receptor (AR) signaling plays the central role in progression of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC), therefore understanding the mechanisms of AR activation in the milieu of low androgen is critical to discover novel approach to treat CRPC. METHODS: Firstly, we explore the CRPC associated lncRNAs by transcriptome microarray. The expression and clinical features of lnc-LBCS are analyzed in three independent large-scale cohorts. The functional role and mechanism of lnc-LBCS are further investigated by gain and loss of function assays in vitro. RESULTS: The expression of Lnc-LBCS was lower in CRPC cells lines and tissues. LBCS downregulation was correlated with higher Gleason Score, T stage and poor prognosis of PCa patients. LBCS overexpression decreases, whereas LBCS knockdown increases, the traits of castration resistance in prostate cancer cells under androgen ablated or AR blocked condition. Moreover, knockdown of LBCS was sufficient to activate AR signaling in the absence of androgen by elevating the translation of AR protein. Mechanistically, LBCS interacted directly with hnRNPK to suppress AR translation efficiency by forming complex with hnRNPK and AR mRNA. CONCLUSIONS: Lnc-LBCS functions as a novel AR translational regulator that suppresses castration resistance of prostate cancer by interacting with hnRNPK. This sheds a new insight into the regulation of CRPC by lncRNA mediated AR activation and LBCS-hnRNPK-AR axis provides a promising approach to the treatment of CRPC.

Development of a noninvasive tool to preoperatively evaluate the muscular invasiveness of bladder cancer using a radiomics approach.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BCa) can be divided into muscle-invasive BCa (MIBC) and non-muscle-invasive BCa (NMIBC). Whether the tumor infiltrates the detrusor muscle is a critical determinant of disease management in patients with BCa. However, the current preoperative diagnostic accuracy of muscular invasiveness is less than satisfactory. The authors report a radiomic-clinical nomogram for the individualized preoperative differentiation of MIBC from NMIBC. METHODS: In total, 2602 radiomics features were extracted from whole bladder tumors and the basal part of the lesions on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Then, a radiomics signature was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm in the training set (n = 130). Furthermore, a radiomic-clinical nomogram was developed incorporating the radiomics signature and selected clinical predictors based on a multivariable logistic regression analysis. The performance of the nomogram (discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness) was assessed and validated in an independent validation set (n = 69). RESULTS: The radiomics signature, consisting of 23 selected features, showed good discrimination in the training and validation sets (area under the curve [AUC], 0.913 and 0.874, respectively). Incorporating the radiomics signature and magnetic resonance imaging-determined tumor size, the radiomic-clinical nomogram showed favorable calibration and discrimination in the training set with an AUC of 0.922, which was confirmed in the validation set (AUC, 0.876). Decision curve analysis and net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement indices (net reclassification improvement, 0.338, integrated discrimination improvement, 0.385) demonstrated the clinical usefulness of the nomogram. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed noninvasive radiomic-clinical nomogram can increase the accuracy of preoperatively discriminating MIBC from NMIBC, which may aid in clinical decision making and improve patient prognosis.

MiR-140 Expression Regulates Cell Proliferation and Targets PD-L1 in NSCLC.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Programmed death ligand1(PD-L1) plays a role in the development and progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to identify miRNA(s) that are responsible for regulation of expression of PD-L1 in NSCLC, and to investigate the role of PD-L1 in regulation of the cell cycle in NSCLC. METHODS: We predicted the target miRNA of PD-L1, which was miR-140, using the online tools TargetScan and miBase. In NSCLC cells obtained from clinical specimens, in addition to A549 and NCI-H1650 cell cultures, western blots were used to detect the level of expression of proteins, while real-time PCR was used to determine the level of expression of PD-L1, miR-140, cyclin E, and ß-actin. Transfection with miR-140 mimics, miR-140 inhibitors, and PD-L1 siRNA were conducted using commercial kits. To determine whether miR-140 directly binds PD-L1, a luciferase reporter gene with wild type or mutated PD-L1 was used. Cell viability was measured with the MTT assay, and PI staining was used for cell cycle analysis. RESULTS: We found low expression of miR-140 and high expression of PD-L1 and cyclin E in NSCLC cells. Over-expression of miR-140 suppressed the expression of PD-L1 by directly binding its 3' UTR, and was also associated with decreased expression of cyclin E and inhibition of cellular proliferation in A549 and NCI-H1650 cells. Inhibition of PD-L1, in the absence of manipulations to miR-140, also decreased the expression of cyclin E. CONCLUSION: We conclude that miR-140 directly suppresses PD-L1 and inhibits the miR-140/PD-L1/cyclin E pathway in NSCLC.

lncRNA HOXD-AS1 Regulates Proliferation and Chemo-Resistance of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer via Recruiting WDR5.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) that occurs after the failure of androgen deprivation therapy is the leading cause of deaths in prostate cancer patients. Thus, there is an obvious and urgent need to fully understand the mechanism of CRPC and discover novel therapeutic targets. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial regulators in many human cancers, yet their potential roles and molecular mechanisms in CRPC are poorly understood. In this study, we discovered that an lncRNA HOXD-AS1 is highly expressed in CRPC cells and correlated closely with Gleason score, T stage, lymph nodes metastasis, and progression-free survival. Knockdown of HOXD-AS1 inhibited the proliferation and chemo-resistance of CRPC cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we identified several cell cycle, chemo-resistance, and castration-resistance-related genes, including PLK1, AURKA, CDC25C, FOXM1, and UBE2C, that were activated transcriptionally by HOXD-AS1. Further investigation revealed that HOXD-AS1 recruited WDR5 to directly regulate the expression of target genes by mediating histone H3 lysine 4 tri-methylation (H3K4me3). In conclusion, our findings indicate that HOXD-AS1 promotes proliferation, castration resistance, and chemo-resistance in prostate cancer by recruiting WDR5. This sheds a new insight into the regulation of CRPC by lncRNA and provides a potential approach for the treatment of CRPC.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K is associated with poor prognosis and regulates proliferation and apoptosis in bladder cancer.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) is an essential RNA- and DNA-binding protein that regulates diverse biological events, especially DNA transcription. hnRNPK overexpression is related to tumorigenesis in several cancers. However, both the expression patterns and biological mechanisms of hnRNPK in bladder cancer are unclear. We investigated hnRNPK expression by immunohistochemistry in 188 patients with bladder cancer, and found that hnRNPK expression levels were significantly increased in bladder cancer tissues and that high-hnRNPK expression was closely correlated with poor prognosis. Loss- and gain-of-function assays demonstrated that hnRNPK promoted proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and chemoresistance in bladder cancer cells in vitro, and hnRNPK knockdown suppressed tumorigenicity in vivo. Mechanistically, hnRNPK regulated various functions in bladder cancer by directly mediating cyclin D1, G0/G1 switch 2 (G0S2), XIAP-associated factor 1, and ERCC excision repair 4, endonuclease catalytic subunit (ERCC4) transcription. In conclusion, we discovered that hnRNPK plays an important role in bladder cancer, suggesting that it is a potential prognostic marker and a promising target for treating bladder cancer.

Association between the XPD/ERCC2 Lys751Gln polymorphism and risk of cancer: evidence from 224 case-control studies.

Genetic variations in the xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD) gene may increase cancer susceptibility by affecting the capacity for DNA repair. A lot of studies have reported the association of XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism with risk of cancer, but the results remained controversial. Hence, we performed a systematic review and conducted a meta-analysis to explore association of the XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism with risk of cancer (78,398 cases and 103,178 controls from 224 studies). Overall, a significantly increased cancer risk was found in all genetic models (dominant model: odds ratio (OR) = 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-1.14; recessive model: OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.05-1.15; homozygous model: OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.08-1.21; heterozygous model: OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.05-1.12; additive model: OR = 1.08, 95% CI= 1.05-1.11) when all eligible studies were pooled into the meta-analysis. In further stratified and sensitivity analyses, the elevated risk of cancer remained for subgroups of breast cancer, esophageal cancer, hepatocellular cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, and melanoma. In summary, this meta-analysis suggests the XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism is a genetic susceptibility for some cancer types. Moreover, ethnicity, histological type of cancer, and smokers seem to contribute to varying expressions of the Lys751Gln on some cancer risk. In addition, our work also points out the importance of new studies for Lys751Gln association in endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer, where at least some of the covariates responsible for heterogeneity could be controlled, to obtain a more conclusive understanding about the function of the Lys751Gln polymorphism in cancer development.

Elucidating the role of MICAL1 in pan-cancer using integrated bioinformatics and experimental approaches.

Molecule interacting with CasL 1 (MICAL1) is a crucial protein involved in cell motility, axon guidance, cytoskeletal dynamics, and gene transcription. This pan-cancer study analyzed MICAL1 across 33 cancer types using bioinformatics and experiments. Dysregulated expression, diagnostic potential, and prognostic value were assessed. Associations with tumor characteristics, immune factors, and drug sensitivity were explored. Enrichment analysis revealed MICAL1's involvement in metastasis, angiogenesis, metabolism, and immune pathways. Functional experiments demonstrated its impact on renal carcinoma cells. These findings position MICAL1 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in specific cancers, warranting further investigation into its role in cancer pathogenesis.

Bibliometric insights into drug resistance in bladder cancer: Two decades of progress (1999-2022).

Aims: To provide a comprehensive bibliometric overview of drug resistance in bladder cancer (BC) from 1999 to 2022, aiming to illuminate its historical progression and guide future investigative avenues. Methods: Literature on BC drug resistance between 1999 and 2022 was sourced from the Web of Science. Visual analyses were executed using Vosviewer and Citespace software, focusing on contributions by countries, institutions, journals, authors, references, and keywords. Results: From 2727 publications, a marked growth in BC drug resistance studies was discerned over the two decades. Prominent among all institutions is the University of Texas System. The majority of top-ranked journals were American. In authorship significance, McConkey DJ led in publications, while Bellmunt J dominated in citations. Research topics predominantly spanned cancer demographics, drug efficacy evaluations, molecular features, oncology subtypes, and individualized treatment strategies, with a notable contemporary emphasis on molecular mechanisms behind drug resistance and nuances of ICIs. Conclusions: Our bibliometric analysis charts the landscape of BC drug resistance research from 1999 to 2022. While the study of resistance mechanisms has been robust, there's an evident need for deeper exploration into the molecular intricacies and the potential of ICIs and targeted therapeutic strategies.

Assessing the predictive value of smoking history for immunotherapy outcomes in bladder cancer patients.

Background: The therapeutic effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in bladder cancer varies among individuals. Identifying reliable predictors of response to these therapies is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 348 bladder cancer patients treated with ICIs, with additional validation using data from 248 patients at our institution who underwent PD-L1 immunohistochemical staining. We examined patient smoking history, clinicopathological characteristics, and immune phenotypes. The main focus was the correlation between smoking history and immunotherapy outcomes. Multivariate logistic and Cox proportional hazard regressions were used to adjust for confounders. Results: The study cohort comprised 348 bladder cancer patients receiving ICIs. Among them, 116 (33.3%) were never smokers, 197 (56.6%) were former smokers (median pack-years = 28), and 35 (10.1%) were current smokers (median pack-years = 40). Analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in overall survival across different smoking statuses (objective response rates were 11.4% for current smokers, 17.2% for never smokers, and 22.3% for former smokers; P = 0.142, 0.410, and 0.281, respectively). However, a notable trend indicated a potentially better response to immunotherapy in former smokers compared to current and never smokers. In the validation cohort of 248 patients from our institution, immunohistochemical analysis showed that PD-L1 expression was significantly higher in former smokers (55%) compared to current smokers (37%) and never smokers (47%). This observation underscores the potential influence of smoking history on the tumor microenvironment and its responsiveness to ICIs. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study demonstrates the importance of incorporating smoking history in predicting the response to immunotherapy in bladder cancer patients, highlighting its role in personalized cancer treatment approaches. Further research is suggested to explore the comprehensive impact of lifestyle factors on treatment outcomes.