Resource-Efficient Direct Characterization of General Density Matrix.

Sequential weak measurements allow for the direct extraction of individual density-matrix elements, rather than relying on global reconstruction of the entire density matrix, which opens a new avenue for the characterization of quantum systems. Nevertheless, extending the sequential scheme to multiqudit quantum systems is challenging due to the requirement of multiple coupling processes for each qudit and the lack of appropriate precision evaluation. To address these issues, we propose a resource-efficient scheme (RES) that directly characterizes the density matrix of general multiqudit systems while optimizing measurements and establishing a feasible estimation analysis. In the RES, an efficient observable of the quantum system is constructed such that a single meter state coupled to each qudit is sufficient to extract the corresponding density-matrix element. An appropriate model based on the statistical distribution of errors is utilized to evaluate the precision and feasibility of the scheme. We have experimentally applied the RES to the direct characterization of general single-photon qutrit states and two-photon entangled states. The results show that the RES outperforms sequential schemes in terms of efficiency and precision in both weak- and strong-coupling scenarios. This Letter sheds new light on the practical characterization of large-scale quantum systems and the investigation of their nonclassical properties.

Urinary Equol and Equol-Predicting Microbial Genera Are Favorably Associated with Body Fat Measures among Chinese Adults.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have investigated the intake of dietary isoflavones in relation to obesity risk, whereas the association using objective biomarkers of isoflavones, particularly equol (a gut-derived metabolite of daidzein with greater bioavailability than other isoflavones) has been less studied. In addition, the associations between equol and gut microbiota profile at the population level remain to be fully characterized. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify equol-predicting microbial species and to investigate the associations of equol-predicting microbial species and urinary excretion of isoflavones including glycitein, genistein, daidzein, and equol with diverse obesity markers in free living-individuals. METHODS: In this 1-y longitudinal study of 754 community-dwelling adults, urinary isoflavones, fecal microbiota, height, weight, and circumferences of waist and hip were measured at baseline and again after 1 y. Liver fat [indicated by the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP)] and other body composition were also measured after 1 y. Linear models and linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the associations for single measure and repeated measures, respectively. RESULTS: Among 305 participants (median age: 50 y, IQR, 37-59 y) including 138 males and 167 females, higher urinary excretion of equol was associated with lower CAP (ß = -0.013, P < 0.001) and body fat mass (ß= -0.014, P = 0.046). No association was found between any other urinary isoflavones and obesity markers (all P > 0.05). We identified 21 bacterial genera whose relative abundance were positively associated with urinary equol concentrations (all Pfalsediscovery rate < 0.05), and constructed an equol-predicting microbial score to reflect the overall equol-producing potential of host gut microbiota. This score was inversely associated with CAP (ß = -0.040, P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: High urinary equol concentrations and equol-predicting microbial species could be favorably associated with liver fat and other obesity markers.

Global responses of wetland methane emissions to extreme temperature and precipitation.

As global warming continues, events of extreme heat or heavy precipitation will become more frequent, while events of extreme cold will become less so. How wetlands around the globe will react to these extreme events is unclear yet critical, because they are among the greatest natural sources of methane(CH4). Here we use seven indices of extreme climate and the rate of methane emission from global wetlands(WME) during 2000-2019 simulated by 12 published models as input data. Our analyses suggest that extreme cold (particularly extreme low temperatures) inhibits WME, whereas extreme heat (particularly extreme high temperatures) accelerates WME. Our results also suggest that daily precipitation >10 mm accelerates WME, while much higher daily precipitation levels can slow WME. The correlation of extreme high temperature and precipitation with rate of WME became stronger during the study period, while the correlation between extreme low temperature and WME rate became weaker.

Associations between adverse childhood experiences and pain in middle-aged and older adults: findings from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with a range of adverse health outcomes, with pain being potentially one of them. This population-based cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and pain in Chinese adults and evaluate whether physical activity and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics modify this associations. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), were utilized in this study. A total of 9923 respondents with information on 12 ACE indicators and 15 self-reported body pains were included. Logistic regression models were used to assess associations of the ACEs and pain. Modification of the associations by physical activity, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics was assessed by stratified analyses and tests for interaction. RESULTS: Among the 9923 individuals included in the primary analyses, 5098 (51.4%) males and the mean (SD) age was 61.18 (10·.44) years. Compared with individuals with 0 ACEs, those who with ≥ 5 ACEs had increased risk of single pains and multiple pain. A dose-response association was found between the number of ACEs and the risk of pain (e.g. neck pain for ≥ 5 ACEs vs. none: OR, 1.107; 95% CI, 0.903-1.356; p < 0.001 for trend). In the associations of each body pain with each ACE indicator, most ACE indicators were associated with an increased risk of pain. In addition, physical activity, sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, such as age, sex, educational level, area of residence, childhood economic hardship, did not demonstrate a significant modify on the associations between ACEs and pain. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that cumulative ACE exposure is associated with increased odds of self-reported pain in Chinese adults, regardless of adult physical activity, sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the bHLH Transcription Factor Family and Its Response to Abiotic Stress in Mongolian Oak (Quercus mongolica).

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family, one of the largest families of transcription factors in plants, is extensively involved in the growth, development, and stress response of several woody plants. However, no systematic analysis of the bHLH gene family in Quercus mongolica has been reported. We characterize QmbHLH genes and identify the functions of QmbHLH proteins in Q. mongolica. We used bioinformatics approaches, qRT-PCR analysis, and RNA sequencing data to examine chromosomal distributions, gene structures, and conserved patterns, and identified 89 QmbHLH genes, which were divided into 21 subgroups based on the phylogenetic analysis of bHLH genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Segmental replication played a more prominent role than tandem duplication in the expansion of the QmbHLH gene family. Based on patterns of tissue-specific expression, protein interactions, and cis-element analysis, QmbHLH genes may be extensively involved in the growth and development of Q. mongolica. In leaves, stems, and roots, 12 selected QmbHLH genes exhibited responsiveness to abiotic stresses (salt, cold, weak light, and drought). Our study facilitates follow-up functional investigations of the bHLH gene family in Q. mongolica and provides novel insights into bHLH superfamilies in woody plants.

Targeting PTGES/PGE2 axis enhances sensitivity of colorectal cancer cells to 5-fluorouracil.

Insensitivity and resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5FU) remain as major hurdles for effective and durable 5FU-based chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. In this study, we identified prostaglandin E synthase (PTGES)/prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) axis as an important regulator for 5FU sensitivity in CRC cells. We found that PTGES expression and PGE2 production are elevated in CRC cells in comparison to normal colorectal epithelial cells. Depletion of PTGES significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect of 5FU on CRC cell viability that was fully reverted by exogenous supplement of PGE2. Inhibition of PTGES enzymatic function, by either inducing loss-of-function mutant or treatment with selective inhibitors, phenocopied the PTGES depletion in terms of 5FU sensitization. Mechanistically, PTGES/PGE2 axis modulates glycolysis in CRC cells, thereby regulating the 5FU sensitivity. Importantly, high PTGES expression is correlated with poor prognosis in 5FU-treated CRC patients. Thus, our study defines PTGES/PGE2 axis as a novel therapeutic target for enhancing the efficacy of 5FU-based chemotherapy in CRC.

Negative serum (1,3) -ß-D-glucan has a low power to exclude Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in HIV-uninfected patients with positive qPCR.

OBJECTIVE: The current study evaluated the diagnostic performance of serum (1,3)-beta-D Glucan (BDG) in differentiating PJP from P. jirovecii-colonization in HIV-uninfected patients with P. jirovecii PCR-positive results. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study between 2019 and 2021. The diagnosis of PJP was based on the following criteria: detection of P. jirovecii in sputum or BAL specimen by qPCR or microscopy; Meet at least two of the three criteria: (1) have respiratory symptoms of cough and/or dyspnea, hypoxia; (2) typical radiological picture findings; (3) receiving a complete PJP treatment. After exclusion, the participants were divided into derivation and validation cohorts. The derivation cohort defined the cut-off value of serum BDG. Then, it was verified using the validation cohort. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirteen HIV-uninfected patients were enrolled, with 159 PJP and 54 P. jirovecii-colonized patients. BDG had outstanding specificity, LR, and PPV for PJP in both the derivation (90.00%, 8.900, and 96.43%) and the validation (91.67%, 9.176, and 96.30%) cohorts at ≥ 117.7 pg/mL. However, it had lower sensitivity and NPV in the derivation cohort (89.01% and 72.97%), which was even lower in the validation cohort (76.47% and 57.89%). Of note, BDG ≥ 117.7 pg/mL has insufficient diagnostic efficacy for PJP in patients with lung cancer, interstitial lung disease (ILD) and nephrotic syndrome. And although lymphocytes, B cells, and CD4+ T cells in PJP patients were significantly lower than those in P. jirovecii-colonized patients, the number and proportion of peripheral blood lymphocytes did not affect the diagnostic efficacy of serum BDG. CONCLUSIONS: Serum BDG ≥ 117.7 pg/mL could effectively distinguish P. jirovecii-colonization from infection in qPCR-positive HIV-uninfected patients with infectious diseases, solid tumors (excluding lung cancer), autoimmune or inflammatory disorders, and hematological malignancies. Of note, for patients with lung cancer, ILD, and nephrotic diseases, PJP should be cautiously excluded at BDG < 117.7 pg/mL.

Study on the Biomolecular Competitive Mechanism of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Their Derivatives on Thyroid Hormones.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used brominated flame retardants. PBDEs and their derivatives, hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs), can bind to hormone receptors and impact hormone secretion, transportation, and metabolism, leading to endocrine disruption and the development of various diseases. They have particularly strong interference effects on thyroid hormones. This study used decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209); 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47); and 6-OH-BDE-47 as representative compounds of PBDEs and their derivatives, OH-PBDEs. A fluorescence probe, fluorescein-isothiocyanate-L-thyroxine (FITC-T4, F-T4), specific for binding to transthyretin (TTR), a thyroid transport protein, was prepared. The binding capacity of PBDEs and their derivatives, OH-PBDEs, to TTR was quantitatively measured using fluorescence spectroscopy. The principle of quenching the fluorescence intensity of F-T4 after binding to TTR was used to analyze the competitive interaction between the probe and BDE-209, BDE-47, and 6-OH-BDE-47, thereby evaluating the toxic effects of PBDEs and their derivatives on the thyroid system. Additionally, AutoDock molecular docking software (1.5.6) was used to further analyze the interference mechanism of OH-PBDEs on T4. The results of the study are as follows: (1) Different types of PBDEs and OH-PBDEs exhibit varying degrees of interference with T4. Both the degree of bromination and hydroxylation affect their ability to competitively bind to TTR. Higher bromination and hydroxylation degrees result in stronger competitive substitution. (2) The competitive substitution ability of the same disruptor varies at different concentrations. Higher concentrations lead to stronger substitution ability, but there is a threshold beyond which the substitution ability no longer increases. (3) When OH-PBDEs have four or more bromine atoms and exhibit the most structural similarity to T4, their binding affinity to TTR is stronger than that of T4.

Long noncoding RNA Gas5 induces cell apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth via activating the CHOP-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway in human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells.

In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be important tumor-associated regulatory factors. LncRNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (Gas5) acts as an anti-oncogene in most cancers. Whether Gas5 acts as an oncogene or anti-oncogene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. In the present study, the expression and role of Gas5 in HCC were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Lower expression levels of Gas5 were determined in HCC tissues and cells by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Overexpressed Gas 5 lentiviral vectors were constructed to analyze their influence on cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to identify the subcellular localization of Gas5. Protein complexes that bound to Gas5 were isolated from HepG2 cells through pull-down experiments and analyzed by mass spectrometry. A series of novel Gas5-interacting proteins were identified and bioinformatics analysis was carried out. These included ribosomal proteins, proteins involved in protein folding, sorting, and transportation in the ER, some nucleases and protein enzymes involved in gene transcription, translation, and other proteins with various functions.78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) was identified as a direct target of Gas5 by Rip-qPCR and Western blot analysis assay. Gas5 inhibited HepG2 cell growth and induced cell apoptosis via upregulating CHOP to activate the ER stress signaling pathway. Further studies indicated that the knockdown of CHOP by shRNA partially reversed Gas5-mediated apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the ectopic expression of Gas5 inhibited the growth of HCC in nude mice. These findings suggest that Gas5 functions as a tumor suppressor and induces apoptosis through activation of ER stress by targeting the CHOP signal pathway in HCC.

Large-capacity and long-distance distributed acoustic sensing based on an ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating array with an optimized pulsed optical power arrangement.

A large-capacity, long-distance distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system without inline optical amplification was proposed and experimentally demonstrated using an ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating (UWFBG) array and coherent detection. The effect of the finite extinction ratio of an acousto-optic modulator and the Stokes signal of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in UWFBGs on the performance of DAS was simulated and revealed. A high extinction ratio and a balanced input pulsed optical power can improve the capacity and distance of the DAS. The dynamic acoustic signal can be well reconstructed for a serial array of 10828 near-identical UWFBG with a length of 54.14 km. An acoustic signal sensitivity of 189.54 pɛ/√Hz and a signal SNR of 40.01 dB with a spatial resolution of 5 m can be achieved at the far end.

Time-varying orbital angular momentum in tight focusing of ultrafast pulses.

The orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light has important applications in a variety of fields, including optical communication, quantum information, super-resolution microscopic imaging, particle trapping, and others. However, the temporal properties of OAM in ultrafast pulses and in the evolution process of spin-orbit coupling has yet to be revealed. In this work, we theoretically studied the spatiotemporal property of time-varying OAM in the tightly focused field of ultrafast light pulses. The focusing of an incident light pulse composed of two time-delayed femtosecond sub-pulses with the same OAM but orthogonal spin states is investigated, and the ultrafast dynamicsa time delay of OAM variation during the focusing process driven by the spin-orbit coupling is visualized. Temporal properties of three typical examples, including formation, increase, and transformation of topological charge are investigated to reveal the non-uniform evolutions of phase singularities, local topological charges, self-torques, and time-varying OAM per photon. This work could deepen the understanding of spin-orbit coupling in time domain and promote many promising applications such as ultrafast OAM modulation, laser micromachining, high harmonic generation, and manipulation of molecules and nanostructures.

WDR5 promotes the tumorigenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma via CARM1/ß-catenin axis.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malignancy all over the world. WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) is involved in cancer progression. In addition, it was reported that WDR5 is upregulated in head and neck cancer, while its role in OSCC is unknown. First, the expression of WDR5 in oral cancer tissues and cells was examined by qRT-PCR, IHF and western blot. CCK-8 assay was performed to test the cell viability. Cell migration was assessed by transwell assay. Knocking down WDR5 or CARM1 in oral cancer cells to detect its function on cancer growth, WDR5 and CARM1 were significantly upregulated in OSCC. Silencing WDR5 suppressed OSCC cell viability and migration. CARM1 level in OSCC cells was significantly inhibited by WDR5 downregulation, and CARM1 elevation could rescue the effect of WDR5 knockdown on tumorigenesis of OSCC. Moreover, silencing of WDR5 notably inactivated ß-catenin signaling pathway, while this phenomenon was restored by CARM1 overexpression. Silencing of WDR5 attenuated the tumorigenesis of OSCC via CARM1/ß-catenin axis. Thus, WDR5 might be a target for OSCC treatment.

Reduced Fracture Strength of 2D Materials Induced by Interlayer Friction.

The potential applications of 2D layered materials (2DLMs) as the functional membranes in flexible electronics and nano-electromechanical systems emphasize the role of the mechanical properties of these materials. Interlayer interactions play critical roles in affecting the mechanical properties of 2DLMs, and nevertheless the understanding of their relationship remains incomplete. In the present work, it is reported that the fracture strength of few-layer (FL) WS2 can be weakened by the interlayer friction among individual layers with the assistance of finite element simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The reduced fracture strength can be also observed in FL WSe2 but with a lesser extent, which is attributed to the difference in the interlayer sliding energies of WS2 and WSe2 as confirmed by DFT calculations. Moreover, the tip-membrane friction can give rise to the underestimation of the Young's modulus except for the membrane nonlinearity. These results give deep insights into the influence of interfacial interactions on the mechanical properties of 2DLMs, and suggest that importance should be also attached to the interlayer interactions during the design of nanodevices with 2DLMs as the functional materials.

Contribution of Vehicle Emission and NO2 Surface Conversion to Nitrous Acid (HONO) in Urban Environments: Implications from Tests in a Tunnel.

Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important photochemical precursor to hydroxyl radicals particularly in an urban atmosphere, yet its primary emission and secondary production are often poorly constrained. Here, we measured HONO and nitrogen oxides (NOx) at both the inlet and the outlet in a busy urban tunnel (>30 000 vehicles per day) in south China. Multiple linear regression revealed that 73.9% of the inlet-outlet incremental HONO concentration was explained by NO2 surface conversion, while the rest was directly emitted from vehicles with an average HONO/NOx ratio of 1.31 ± 0.87%, which was higher than that from previous tunnel studies. The uptake coefficient of NO2, γ(NO2), on the tunnel surfaces was calculated to be (7.01 ± 0.02) × 10-5, much higher than that widely used in models. As tunnel surfaces are typical of urban surfaces in the wall and road materials, the dominance of HONO from surface reactions in the poorly lit urban tunnel demonstrated the importance of NO2 conversion on urban surfaces, instead of NO2 conversion on the aerosol surface, for both daytime and night-time HONO even in polluted ambient air. The higher γ(NO2) on urban surfaces and the elevated HONO/NOx ratio from this study can help explain the missing HONO sources in urban areas.

EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes for refractory EBV-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in solid organ transplant recipients: a systematic review.

The use of Epstein-Barr virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (EBV-CTLs) in adoptive immunotherapy in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients with post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) has demonstrated safety and effectiveness. EBV-CTLs might also be the effective treatment of refractory PTLD of solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients. Two independent assessors searched Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from their inception to November 2020. Eleven studies with 76 patients (42, 55% male) were included. We extracted the data and completed the quality assessments. Most of the studies were from Europe and the USA. Liver and kidney transplantation accounted for most of the transplant types. Thirty-five (46.1%) patients were diagnosed with monomorphic PTLD, and B lymphocyte type was the most common. All the patients received primary treatment for PTLD while it was ineffective. CTLs included autologous EBV-CTLs (15/76, 22%) and HLA-matched third-party EBV-CTLs (61/76, 78%). The response rate for EBV-CTL treatment of refractory PTLD was 66%. Of 50 patients, 36 achieved complete remission and 14 achieved partial remission. EBV-DNA level decreased in 39 patients. Adverse reactions were rare and mild. We conclude that adoptive therapy with EBV-specific CTLs is safe, well-tolerated, and effective in PTLD.

Load-dependent energy dissipation induced by the tip-membrane friction on suspended 2D materials.

The tip-membrane interface plays a critical role in characterizing the mechanical properties of ultrathin 2D materials by commonly employed nanoindentation based on atomic force microscopy (AFM). However, the reliability of the assumption that the tip-membrane interface remains pinned during nanoindentation remains unclear, which may introduce unignorable uncertainty in evaluating their true mechanical properties. In this work, it is reported that load-dependent frictional behavior would occur on the tip-membrane interface during nanoindentation tests on monolayer and multilayer suspended WS2 and graphene, and the curve hysteresis could be well explained by the stick-slip behavior. Further analyses and finite element simulations demonstrated that the frictional energy dissipation should be mainly attributed to the frictional behavior along the direction parallel to the cantilever beam. Meanwhile, the in-plane membrane stiffness was mainly responsible for the different frictional behavior on monolayer and multilayer 2D materials. Based on these analyses, some suggestions were proposed to help reduce the uncertainty when extracting the mechanical properties of 2D materials. These findings not only facilitate the deep understanding of the origin of the curve hysteresis during nanoindentation, but also help to evaluate the mechanical properties of 2D materials in a more reliable way.

Efficacy of threading lasso fixation in repairing partial articular supraspinatus tendon avulsion lesions: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The partial articular supraspinatus tendon avulsion (PASTA) lesion repair remains a topic of debate. We have performed in situ repair of PASTA lesions using a potentially viable threading lasso fixation technique. This retrospective case series aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of PASTA lesion repair using threading lasso fixation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to review this technique and its outcomes in terms of pain and upper extremity function. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with PASTA lesions who were treated with threading lasso fixation were reviewed. All patients were followed up for at least 1 year. Preoperative and follow-up data were retrospectively collected and reviewed. Clinical outcomes were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of the surgery. RESULTS: There were no postoperative complications. The average follow-up period was 25.7 (22-27) months. At the last follow-up, all patients underwent follow-up magnetic resonance imaging; only two cases showed a partially healed tendon and no case converted to full-thickness tear. Furthermore, shoulder pain decreased and mobility was recovered, with statistically significant differences in all scoring measures. Specifically, the mean visual analog scale score decreased from 5.4 ± 1.2 before surgery to 1.1 ± 0.8 at the last follow-up (t = 14.908, P < 0.01), and the mean American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder Assessment Form score improved significantly from 51.6 ± 6.4 to 89.3 ± 5.2 (t = 22.859, P < 0.01). Additionally, the mean University of California Los Angeles score improved from 17.8 ± 3.5 preoperatively to 32.3 ± 1.4 (t = 19.233, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic repair using threading lasso fixation is a novel transtendinous technique for patients with partial articular supraspinatus tendon avulsion. Tendon integrity is preserved with this method, which may result in improved function. Overall, threading lasso fixation technique is an effective treatment.

Plasma hsa_circ_0027089 is a diagnostic biomarker for hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have recently been identified as a new member of endogenous noncoding RNAs. CircRNAs exhibit high stability and can thus can be used as valuable biomarkers for monitoring the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study sought to explore the diagnostic significance of plasma circRNAs in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC. Plasma circRNAs from 10 patients with hepatitis B (HBV)-related HCC and 5 patients with HBV-related liver cirrhosis were investigated by microarray to screen differentially expressed circRNAs, 157 upregulated and 161 downregulated circRNAs were found. Twenty-four circRNAs were further investigated via quantitative reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay in a training cohort (n = 48), hsa_circ_0027089 exhibited the highest significance and further distinguished 64 HCC patients from 40 cirrhosis patients and 72 healthy participants in a validation cohort. These results indicate that plasma hsa_circ_0027089 can serve as a new marker for the diagnosis of HBV-related HCC.

Metadherin-PRMT5 complex enhances the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma through the WNT-ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Accumulating data suggest that metadherin (MTDH) may function as an oncogene. Our previous study showed that MTDH promotes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis via the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In this study, we aim to further elucidate how MTDH promotes HCC metastasis. Using Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and mass spectrometry, we found that MTDH can specifically bind to protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5). Further functional assays revealed that PRMT5 overexpression promoted the proliferation and motility of HCC cells and that knockout of PRMT5 impeded the effect of MTDH. The immunohistochemistry assay/tissue microarray results showed that when MTDH was overexpressed in HCC cells, PRMT5 translocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, with the subsequent translocation of ß-catenin from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and upregulation of the WNT-ß-catenin signaling pathway. Further in vivo experiments suggested that PRMT5 and ß-catenin played a pivotal role in MTDH-mediated HCC metastasis. We therefore concluded that the MTDH-PRMT5 complex promotes HCC metastasis by regulating the WNT-ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Cold-inducible RNA binding protein agonist enhances the cardioprotective effect of UW solution during extended heart preservation.

In heart transplantation, time restriction is an unavoidable thorny problem during cardiac transport. Cold storage is an important organ preservation method in donor heart transport. Cold-inducible RNA binding protein (CIRBP) has been proven to play a protective role under cold stress. In this study, we investigated the role of CIRBP in hypothermic cardioprotection during heart preservation in UW solution and explored a new approach to extend the heart preservation time. Cirbp-knockout (Cirbp-/- ), Cirbp-transgenic (Cirbp-Tg), and wild-type rats were, respectively, randomized into two groups based on various heart preservation times (6 or 12-hour group) (n = 8 per group). After preservation in UW solution, all hearts were mounted on a Langendorff apparatus and underwent measurement of cardiac parameters, histological analysis, and molecular study. Within the 6-hour preservation group, no significant difference was found in cardiac functions and histological changes between different rat species. However, after 12 hours of preservation, Cirbp-/- rat hearts showed more apoptosis and worse cardiac function, but less apoptosis and better cardiac function were observed in Cirbp-Tg rat hearts. Furthermore, we found CIRBP-mediated cardiac ubiquinone (CoQ10 ) biosynthesis plays an important role in extending heart preservation, and ubiquinone biosynthesis protein COQ9 was an essential down-stream regulator during this process. Finally, we found that zr17-2, a CIRBP agonist, could enhance the expression of CIRBP, which further enhances the synthesis of CoQ10 and promotes scavenging of reactive oxygen species and ATP production to extend heart preservation. This study demonstrated that CIRBP-enhanced CoQ10 biosynthesis during hypothermic heart preservation and zr17-2-supplemented UW solution could be a promising approach to ameliorate heart damage and extend heart preservation during cardiac transport.