[High Resolution Emission Inventory of Greenhouse Gas and Its Characteristics in Guangdong，China].

Based on the typical city survey data and statistics of Guangdong Province， a 2018-based 3 km×3 km gridded greenhouse gas emissions inventory was developed for Guangdong Province using the combination of top-down and bottom-up emission factor methods. The inventory covered the CO2， CH4， and N2O emissions from energy， industrial processes， agriculture， land use change and forest， waste management， and indirect sources. The results showed that estimates for CO2， CH4， and N2O in Guangdong Province for the year 2018 were 8.5×108， 1.9×106， and 1.1×105 t， respectively， and 8.5×108， 4.0×107， and 3.4×107 t by equivalent carbon dioxide， totaling 9.2×108 t. CO2 was the main greenhouse gas in Guangdong Province， accounting for 92.0% of the total emissions. Energy and indirect sources were the main emission sources， accounting for 77.9% and 7.6%， respectively， totaling 85.5%. Spatial distributions illustrated that most grids were greenhouse gas emissions， whereas some others were greenhouse gas sinks； the greenhouse gas emissions were distributed mainly in the Pearl River Delta region and had certain characteristics of distribution along the road network and channels. The greenhouse gas grids of high emission were mainly the locations of high energy-consuming enterprises such as large power plants， steel mills， and cement plants.

A Novel ST-YOLO Network for Steel-Surface-Defect Detection.

Recent progress has been made in defect detection using methods based on deep learning, but there are still formidable obstacles. Defect images have rich semantic levels and diverse morphological features, and the model is dynamically changing due to ongoing learning. In response to these issues, this article proposes a shunt feature fusion model (ST-YOLO) for steel-defect detection, which uses a split feature network structure and a self-correcting transmission allocation method for training. The network structure is designed to specialize the process of classification and localization tasks for different computing needs. By using the self-correction criteria of adaptive sampling and dynamic label allocation, more sufficiently high-quality samples are utilized to adjust data distribution and optimize the training process. Our model achieved better performance on the NEU-DET datasets and the GC10-DET datasets and was validated to exhibit excellent performance.

The Extraction and Impact of Essential Oils on Bioactive Films and Food Preservation, with Emphasis on Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities-A Review.

Essential oils, consisting of volatile compounds, are derived from various plant parts and possess antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Certain essential oils are utilized for medicinal purposes and can serve as natural preservatives in food products, replacing synthetic ones. This review describes how essential oils can promote the performance of bioactive films and preserve food through their antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Further, this article emphasizes the antibacterial efficacy of essential oil composite films for food preservation and analyzes their manufacturing processes. These films could be an attractive delivery strategy for improving phenolic stability in foods and the shelf-life of consumable food items. Moreover, this article presents an overview of current knowledge of the extraction of essential oils, their effects on bioactive films and food preservation, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of using them to preserve food products.

Development of Plastic/Gelatin Bilayer Active Packaging Film with Antibacterial and Water-Absorbing Functions for Lamb Preservation.

In order to extend the shelf life of refrigerating raw lamb by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, preventing the oxidation of fat and protein, and absorbing the juice outflow of lamb during storage, an active packaging system based on plastic/gelatin bilayer film with essential oil was developed in this study. Three kinds of petroleum-derived plastic films, oriented polypropylene (OPP), polyethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene, were coated with gelatin to make bilayer films for lamb preservation. The results showed significant improvement in the mechanical properties, oxygen, moisture, and light barriers of the bilayer films compared to the gelatin film. The OPP/gelatin bilayer film was selected for further experiments because of its highest acceptance by panelists. If the amount of juice outflow was less than 350% of the mass of the gelatin layer, it was difficult for the gelatin film to separate from lamb. With the increase in essential oil concentration, the water absorption capacity decreased. The OPP/gelatin bilayer films with 20% mustard or 10% oregano essential oils inhibited the growth of bacteria in lamb and displayed better mechanical properties. Essential oil decreased the brightness and light transmittance of the bilayer films and made the film yellow. In conclusion, our results suggested that the active packaging system based on OPP/gelatin bilayer film was more suitable for raw lamb preservation than single-layer gelatin film or petroleum-derived plastic film, but need further study, including minimizing the amount of essential oil, enhancing the mechanical strength of the gelatin film after water absorption.

Quercetagetin alleviates zearalenone-induced liver injury in rabbits through Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the alleviative effect of quercetagetin (QG) on zearalenone (ZEN)-induced liver injury in rabbits. Methods: Ninety 41-day-old healthy Hyla rabbits were randomly assigned into three groups, including a control (fed with basic diet), ZEN addition group (fed with basic diet + 600 µg/kg ZEN), and ZEN + QG addition group (fed with basic diet + 600 µg/kg ZEN + 100 mg/kg QG), with 30 rabbits per group. The duration of the experiment was 28 days. Results: The results revealed no significant differences in the average daily gain, average daily feed intake, the gain to feed ratio and the liver, kidney and spleen organ indexes (p > 0.05) between the rabbits across the three groups. However, the sacculus rotundus index of the rabbits in the control group was significantly higher than that in the ZEN + QG group (p < 0.05). The intake of ZEN-contaminated diet also significantly increased the activities or levels of alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bile acid (TBA), total bilirubin, malondialdehyde, and interleukin-4 (IL-4) and enhanced the abundance of kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 (Caspase-3) mRNA in the blood or liver tissue in ZEN group, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). On the contrary, the activities or levels of immunoglobulin A, complement 3, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase, interleukin-10, and the abundance of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Supplementing the diet with QG still maintained significantly higher levels of TBA and IL-4, and the abundance of GSH-Px, HSP70, IL-4, and Caspase-3 mRNA in the blood and liver of rabbits in the ZEN + QG group than in the control group (p < 0.05). At the same time, the other indicators were restored to levels in the control group (p > 0.05). Discussion: In conclusion, QG alleviated the ZEN-induced oxidative damage and liver injury caused by inflammatory reaction through the Keap1-Nrf2-antioxidant response element (ARE) signal pathway, which protected the liver. This study revealed the alleviative effect of QG on the hepatotoxicity of ZEN in rabbits for the first time, providing a new perspective for applying QG and developing a ZEN antidote.

Triboelectric-induced ion mobility for artificial intelligence-enhanced mid-infrared gas spectroscopy.

Isopropyl alcohol molecules, as a biomarker for anti-virus diagnosis, play a significant role in the area of environmental safety and healthcare relating volatile organic compounds. However, conventional gas molecule detection exhibits dramatic drawbacks, like the strict working conditions of ion mobility methodology and weak light-matter interaction of mid-infrared spectroscopy, yielding limited response of targeted molecules. We propose a synergistic methodology of artificial intelligence-enhanced ion mobility and mid-infrared spectroscopy, leveraging the complementary features from the sensing signal in different dimensions to reach superior accuracy for isopropyl alcohol identification. We pull in "cold" plasma discharge from triboelectric generator which improves the mid-infrared spectroscopic response of isopropyl alcohol with good regression prediction. Moreover, this synergistic methodology achieves ~99.08% accuracy for a precise gas concentration prediction, even with interferences of different carbon-based gases. The synergistic methodology of artificial intelligence-enhanced system creates mechanism of accurate gas sensing for mixture and regression prediction in healthcare.

Pterostilbene supresses inflammation-induced melanoma metastasis by impeding neutrophil elastase-mediated thrombospondin-1 degradation.

Objective: Chronic inflammation plays a fatal role in tumor metastasis. Pterostilbene (PTE) is a natural dimethylated analogue of resveratrol with anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of PTE on inflammation-associated metastasis and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung inflammation and melanoma metastasis models were established in mice. After PTE treatment for four weeks, the organ index, histological changes, proinflammatory cytokines, and the expression and activity of neutrophil elastase (NE), a biomarker of neutrophil influx in the lungs, were analysed. Additionally, direct effects of PTE on NE-induced B16 cell migration were explored in wound healing and Transwell assays, and the expression of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were also detected. Results: PTE obviously attenuated the LPS-induced metastasis of circulatory B16 cells to lungs by reducing the number of metastatic nodules on the lung surfaces and the lung weight/body weight ratio. PTE treatment also significantly reduced LPS-activated increase levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 in the lungs of tumor-bearing mice. In addition, increased expression and enzyme activity of NE and decreased expression of TSP-1 were observed, and these were blocked by PTE. In vitro, PTE at concentrations without cytotoxicity also markedly suppressed NE-triggered B16 cell migration, prevented NE-induced TSP-1 proteolysis and reversed the expression of vimentin, N-cadherin and E-cadherin. Conclusion: PTE could block inflammation-enhanced tumor metastasis, and the underlying mechanism might be associated with the inhibition of NE-mediated TSP-1 degradation.

Characterization of procyanidin extracts from hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) in human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2, simulated Digestion, and fermentation identified unique and novel prebiotic properties.

The health-promoting activities of procyanidin extracts from hawthorn (HPCs) are closely related to their digestive behaviors, absorption, and colonic metabolism, all of which remain unknown for now and thus hinder further exploration. This study aims to explore the dynamic changes of HPCs during in vitro digestion and fermentation, as well as their Caco-2 permeability, focusing mainly on the interaction between gut microbiota and HPCs. The results showed that the digested HPC samples had characteristic absorption peaks at 280 nm, and there were absorption peaks in the stretching vibration zone, including OH and CC on the benzene ring, which suggested that procyanidins were the main components in HPCs after in vitro digestion. Meanwhile, HPCs had the highest stability in the oral phase. However, the total procyanidin content of HPCs decreased during gastrointestinal digestion, and flavan-3-ol dimers and trimers in HPCs are partially degraded into epicatechin. Uptake of epicatechin (4.07 %), procyanidin B2 (2.15 %), and procyanidin B5 (39.44 %) through Caco-2 monolayer was also observed in HPC treatment, while there was still a large portion of procyanidins that was not absorbed. Subsequent fermentation resulted in a decrease in pH along with the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), mainly due to the degradation and utilization of HPC, as indicated by a reduction of total procyanidins. Furthermore, the HPCs modulated gut microbial populations: down-regulated the abundances of Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, Enterococcus, Parabacteroides, and Bilophila, and up-regulated Escherichia-Shigella, Klebsiella, Turicibacter, Actinobacillus, Roseburia, and Blautia. Ultimately, epicatechin and procyanidin B2, B5 and C1 were converted into phenolic acids through the metabolism of Bacteroides, Sutterella, Butyrobacter and Blautia. 4-ethylbenzoic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid were confirmed as the significant metabolites in the fermentation. These results elucidated the potential mechanisms of HPCs metabolism and their beneficial effects on gut microbiota and colonic phenolic acids production.

Three-Dimensional Computer-Aided Design Modeling and Printing for Accurate Toe-to-Hand Transplantation.

PURPOSE: To introduce toe-to-hand transplantation performed with the assistance of both bone and soft tissue modeling using 3-dimensional printing technology. METHODS: From May 2015 to October 2018, 31 patients (group A, 24 thumbs and 7 fingers) were included. Computed tomography scans were acquired using a spiral computed tomography scanner, and the data were processed with software. Bone, skin, and nail models were created for tailoring the flap taken from the great toe. The impact of foot pathology in terms of pain, disability, and activity restriction was assessed using the Foot Function Index. For comparison, we included 35 patients (group B) who underwent toe-to-hand transplantation without the assistance of 3-dimensional computer-aided modeling. RESULTS: The mean duration of follow-up of groups A and B was 26 months (range, 24-31 months) and 27 months (range, 24-33 months), respectively. The mean Foot Function Index of groups A and B was 5 (range: 0-15) and 17 (range, 0-39), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Three-dimensional computer-aided modeling and printing provide geometric accuracy in toe-to-hand transplantation. It also may reduce the donor foot morbidity by accurate flap designing and harvesting. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Exploiting Unreduced Gametes for Improving Ornamental Plants.

The formation of gametes with somatic chromosome number or unreduced gametes (2n gametes) is an important process involved in the origin of polyploid plants in nature. Unreduced gametes are the result of meiotic mutations occurring during micro- and mega-sporogenesis. 2n gametes have been identified or artificially induced in a large number of plant species. Breeding of plants through 2n gametes can be advantageous because it combines genetic effects of polyploidy with meiotic recombination and sexual hybridization to produce tremendous genetic variation and heterosis. 2n gametes also occur in ornamental plants, but the potential of using 2n gametes in ornamental plant breeding has not been extensively exploited. Ornamental plants are primarily produced for their esthetic appearance and novelty, not for food and yield, and they can be readily propagated through vegetative means. Triploids, tetraploids, and plants with even higher ploidy levels produced through 2n gametes can be propagated through tissue culture to fix their phenotypes, thus leading to the development of new cultivars. In this review article, we intend to discuss the mechanisms underlying the formation of 2n gametes, techniques for 2n gamete identification, methods for enhancing 2n gamete formation, and the current status in the use of 2n gametes for development of novel ornamental plants. We believe that polyploidy breeding through 2n gametes represents a viable way of developing new cultivars, new species, and even new genera of ornamental plants.

Co-treatment with miR-21-5p inhibitor and Aurora kinase inhibitor reversine suppresses breast cancer progression by targeting sprouty RTK signaling antagonist 2.

Numerous studies have reported the regulatory effects of miR-21-5p and reversine in human breast cancer (HBC). However, the mechanism of reversine and miR-21-5p has not been fully investigated in HBC. The aim of the current study was to assess the mechanism of action of reversine, with or without miR-21-5p, in HBC progression. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot results confirmed the upregulation of miR-21-5p and downregulation of sprouty RTK signaling antagonist 2 (SPRY2) in HBC. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assay identified the correlation between miR-21-5p and SPRY2. Cell function experiment results indicated a decrease in migration, proliferation, and invasion of HBC cells treated with miR-21-5p inhibitor and reversine; however, an increase in apoptosis was observed in these cells. Apoptotic ability was more enhanced and migration, proliferation, and invasion were more impaired in HBC cells treated with both miR-21-5p inhibitor and reversine than in those treated individually with either inhibitors. SPRY2, downstream of miR-21-5p, participated in HBC progression with reversine. Overall, our study proved that combining the miR-21-5p inhibitor with reversine produced a synergistic effect by regulating SPRY2, thereby limiting HBC progression. This knowledge might offer insights into the clinical therapy of HBC.

Triploid cultivars of Cymbidium act as a bridge in the formation of polyploid plants.

Triploid is considered a reproductive barrier and also a bridge in the formation of polyploids. However, few reports are available in Cymbidium. In this study, diploid 'Xiaofeng', sexual triploid 'Yuchan' and 'Huanghe' of Cymbidium were used to evaluate hybridization compatibility of the triploids. Results showed that the sexual triploids were fertile whether they were used as male or female parents. 'Yuchan' produced male gametes of 1x, 1x~2x, 2x, 2x~3x, and 3x at frequencies of 8.89%, 77.78%, 6.67%, 3.33%, and 3.33%, respectively; while 'Huanghe' produced 3.33% 1x, 80.00% 1x~2x, 8.89% 2x, 5.56% 2x~3x, and 2.22% 3x male gametes. The cross of 'Xiaofeng' with 'Yuchan' produced progenies with a wide range of ploidy levels, including one diploid, 34 2×~3× aneuploids, 12 triploids, and one tetraploid, indicating that male gametes produced by sexual triploid were fertile and could be transmitted and fused with egg cells. On the other hand, 10 progenies obtained from the cross of 'Yuchan' × 'Xiaofeng' were all aneuploids. The cross of 'Yuchan' with 'Huanghe' produced 40 progenies including three 2×~3× aneuploids, nine 3×~4× aneuploids, 21 tetraploids, six 4×~5× aneuploids, and one pentaploid, suggesting that 2x gametes, instead of the unreduced ones played a more important role in the formation of tetraploids. The survival rates of the hybrids were all above 80.00%, with the tetraploids at 96.67%. Cytological analysis revealed that during meiosis of sexual polyploids, two chromosome sets of the 2n gamete were inclined to enter into the same daughter cell, resulting in the production of 2x gametes. Our results indicate that the triploid cymbidiums are not reproductive barrier but serve as a bridge in the formation of polyploid plants.

LncRNA PTPRG-AS1 Promotes the Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Enhancing YWHAG.

OBJECTIVES: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. LncRNA PTPRG-AS1 (PTPRG-AS1) has been confirmed to function as a regulator in various cancers, whose function during HCC tumorigenesis is still not clear now. Thus, we aim to dig out the biological function and its mechanisms of PTPRG-AS1 in HCC. METHODS: PTPRG-AS1 relative expression in tissues and cells was detected and analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Subcellular distribution of PTPRG-AS1 was examined by FISH experiments. The effects of PTPRG-AS1 in the growth of HCC were studied by in vitro CCK-8 experiments, transwell invasion experiments, and in vivo xenograft tumor experiments. Dual-Luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the interaction between PTPRG-AS1 and miR-199a-3p or miR-199a-3p and its target gene, YWHAG. RESULTS: PTPRG-AS1 was upregulated in HCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. We identified PTPRG-AS1 mainly localized in the cytoplasm of HCC cells. Downregulation of PTPRG-AS1 suppressed HCC progression, while overexpression of PTPRG-AS1 showed the opposite effects. Furthermore, PTPRG-AS1 served as a miR-199a-3p sponge and positively regulated YWHAG expression. Besides, PTPRG-AS1 could promote HCC through miR-199a-3p/YWHAG axis. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, we demonstrated PTPRG-AS1 may serve as a ceRNA and reversely regulates the expression of miR-199a-3p, thus facilitating HCC tumorigenesis and metastasis, which is expected to provide new clues for the treatment of HCC.

Long non-coding RNA BRE-AS1 inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells in triple-negative breast cancer and predicts patients' survival by downregulating miR-21.

BACKGROUND: BRE-AS1 is a recently identified tumor suppressor in non-small cell lung cancer. It role in other human diseases remains elusive. METHODS: Differential expression of BRE-AS1 in with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients (n = 74, patient group) and healthy volunteers (n = 58, control group) was studied with RT-qPCR. The direct interaction between BRE-AS1 and premature microRNA-21 (miR-21) was assessed by RNA pull-down assay. The interactions among BRE-AS1, miR-21 and PTEN were evaluated by overexpression assays. CCK-8 assay and Transwell assay were used to evaluate cell behaviors. RESULTS: BRE-AS1 was downregulated in TNBC, while miR-21 was highly expressed in TNBC. Low expression levels of lncRNA BRE-AS1 and high expression levels of miR-21 were significantly correlated with unfavorable survival outcomes. BRE-AS1 and miRNA-21 were inversely correlated across TNBC samples, not control samples. BRE-AS1 decreased miR-21 expression and increased PTEN expression while miR-21showed no role in BRE-AS1 expression. RNA pull-down assay illustrated that BRE-AS1 may sponge premature miR-21 to suppress it maturation. Overexpression of BRE-AS1 decreased cell behaviors, while overexpression of miR-21 promoted cell behaviors. MiR-21 suppressed the role of BRE-AS1 in cancer cell behaviors. CONCLUSION: Therefore, BRE-AS1 may inhibit TNBC by downregulating miR-21.

Effect of 3 mg versus 6 mg pegfilgrastim on the prevention of febrile neutropenia in breast cancer patients receiving docetaxel and cyclophosphamide: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: An ECCOPG (Eastern China Cooperative Oncology Pharmacy Group) funded study was designed to compare the effect of 3 versus 6 mg pegfilgrastim for primary prevention of febrile neutropenia (FN) in Chinese breast cancer patients retrospectively. METHODS: Patients undergoing a docetaxel and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy regimen, followed by pegfilgrastim, for primary prevention during 2018 and 2020 were retrospectively enrolled in the present study. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the dose of pegfilgrastim. The incidence of severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count <0.5×109/L), incidence of FN, and recovery time were calculated to compare the efficacy of different groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 295 patients were enrolled, 150 in the 3 mg pegfilgrastim group and 145 in the 6 mg pegfilgrastim group. No significant differences were found in the incidence of severe neutropenia (3 vs. 6 mg, 39.3% vs. 34.5%, P=0.401) and the incidence of FN (3 vs. 6 mg, 7.3% vs. 8.3%, P=0.830). Median recovery time was 2 days for both groups (P=0.485). CONCLUSIONS: 3 mg pegfilgrastim may be effective and safe for Chinese breast cancer patients as the primary prevention for FN. Prospective studies are needed to further confirm the prophylactic effect of 3 mg pegfilgrastim.

A chromosome-level genome of the spider Trichonephila antipodiana reveals the genetic basis of its polyphagy and evidence of an ancient whole-genome duplication event.

BACKGROUND: The spider Trichonephila antipodiana (Araneidae), commonly known as the batik golden web spider, preys on arthropods with body sizes ranging from ∼2 mm in length to insects larger than itself (>20‒50 mm), indicating its polyphagy and strong dietary detoxification abilities. Although it has been reported that an ancient whole-genome duplication event occurred in spiders, lack of a high-quality genome has limited characterization of this event. RESULTS: We present a chromosome-level T. antipodiana genome constructed on the basis of PacBio and Hi-C sequencing. The assembled genome is 2.29 Gb in size with a scaffold N50 of 172.89 Mb. Hi-C scaffolding assigned 98.5% of the bases to 13 pseudo-chromosomes, and BUSCO completeness analysis revealed that the assembly included 94.8% of the complete arthropod universal single-copy orthologs (n = 1,066). Repetitive elements account for 59.21% of the genome. We predicted 19,001 protein-coding genes, of which 96.78% were supported by transcriptome-based evidence and 96.32% matched protein records in the UniProt database. The genome also shows substantial expansions in several detoxification-associated gene families, including cytochrome P450 mono-oxygenases, carboxyl/cholinesterases, glutathione-S-transferases, and ATP-binding cassette transporters, reflecting the possible genomic basis of polyphagy. Further analysis of the T. antipodiana genome architecture reveals an ancient whole-genome duplication event, based on 2 lines of evidence: (i) large-scale duplications from inter-chromosome synteny analysis and (ii) duplicated clusters of Hox genes. CONCLUSIONS: The high-quality T. antipodiana genome represents a valuable resource for spider research and provides insights into this species' adaptation to the environment.

Vasculogenic mimicry, a negative indicator for progression free survival of lung adenocarcinoma irrespective of first line treatment and epithelial growth factor receptor mutation status.

BACKGROUND: Vascular mimicry (VM) was associated with the prognosis of cancers. The aim of the study was to explore the association between VM and anticancer therapy response in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study of patients with lung adenocarcinoma between March 1st, 2013, to April 1st, 2019, at the Second People's Hospital of Taizhou City. All included patients were divided into the VM and no-VM groups according to whether VM was observed or not in the specimen. Vessels with positive PAS and negative CD34 staining were confirmed as VM. The main outcome was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Sixty-six (50.4%) patients were male. Eighty-one patients received chemotherapy as the first-line treatment, and 50 patients received TKIs. Forty-five (34.4%) patients were confirmed with VM. There was no difference regarding the first-line treatment between the VM and no-VM groups (P = 0.285). The 86 patients without VM had a median PFS of 279 (range, 90-1095) days, and 45 patients with VM had a median PFS of 167 (range, 90-369) days (P < 0.001). T stage (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-1.71), N stage (HR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.09-1.86), M stage (HR = 2.85, 95%CI: 1.76-4.61), differentiation (HR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.29-2.65), therapy (HR = 0.32, 95%CI: 0.21-0.49), VM (HR = 2.12, 95%CI: 1.33-3.37), and ECOG (HR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.09-1.84) were independently associated with PFS. CONCLUSION: The benefits of first-line TKIs for NSCLC with EGFR mutation are possibly better than those of platinum-based regimens in patients without VM, but there is no difference in the benefit of chemotherapy or target therapy for VM-positive NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations.

Long non-coding RNA SNHG9 inhibits ovarian cancer progression by sponging microRNA-214-5p.

Ovarian cancer ranks 7th among the most common cancer types affecting women worldwide. A number of studies have confirmed that multiple long non-coding RNAs participate in the occurrence and progression of ovarian cancer. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 9 (SNHG9) serves a role in the progression of glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer. However, the specific biological function of SNHG9 in ovarian cancer has not yet been fully investigated. The present study aimed to determine the biological role and potential molecular mechanism underlying the influence of SNHG9 in ovarian cancer. SNHG9 expression in ovarian cancer cell lines and tissues were measured via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis, and cell proliferation was detected via Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays. Flow cytometry was performed to assess cell cycle progression, and Transwell and wound healing assays were performed to assess cell invasion and migration abilities. Bioinformatics software was utilized to determine the target genes of SNHG9, which were subsequently verified via dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. The results demonstrated that SNHG9 expression was remarkably lower in ovarian cancer cell lines and tissues compared with the negative controls. Cell function assays demonstrated that decreased SNHG9 expression notably induced the migration, colony formation, proliferation and invasiveness of ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of SNHG9 on the migration, colony formation, proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells was partially reversed by miR-214-5p upregulation. Thus, taken together, the current results suggest that SNHG9 may serve as a tumor suppressor gene in ovarian cancer by regulating the miR-214-5p/cryptochrome circadian regulator 2 axis.

Upregulating miR-637 aggravates endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by suppressing Calreticulin.

Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis has been confirmed to be important in the treatment of gastric cancer. MiR-637 has recently been found to exert inhibitory effects on gastric cancer, and this study aimed to investigate whether miR-637 could regulate apoptosis through ER stress. The results showed that tunicamycin (TM) induced downregulation of miR-637 in gastric cancer cells (AGS) and increase of apoptosis and ER stress. Overexpression of miR-637 promoted TM-induced apoptosis and expression of ER stress associated proteins (GRP78 and CHOP), but inhibited expression of Calreticulin. MiR-637 could bind with the 3'-UTR of CALR, and negatively regulated the expression of CALR. The co-transfection of miR-637 and CALR in AGS cells show that, CALR overexpression could reverse the pro-apoptosis effects of miR-637 in TM-treated cells. In conclusion, the present study suggests that miR-637 participates in ER stress-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by suppressing CALR expression. miR-637 or CALR may be a future potential target for gastric cancer treatment.

Encapsulation of ß-carotene in oleogel-in-water Pickering emulsion with improved stability and bioaccessibility.

ß-carotene (BC) is beneficial for human health. However, the low oxidative stability and bioavailability of hydrophobic BC limit its utilization as supplements in functional foods and pharmaceutical products. Herein a conventional oil-in-water Pickering emulsion (OPEs-1) and an oleogel-in-water Pickering emulsion (OPE-2) were prepared and determined to improve the chemical stability and bioavailability of BC. Cellulose nanocrystals were used as the emulsifier. Oleogel was developed by structuring soybean oil with beeswax. The freezing-thawing (FT) stability and physical stability of the OPEs-2 was improved compared to the OPEs-1. The OPE-2 seemed to be stable against three FT cycles. The OPEs-2 presented higher droplets size than OPEs-1, but they were more stable over a wide range of pH (4.0-8.0) and salt level (0.05-0.60 M). The chemical stability of BC encapsulated in OPEs-2 was higher than that in OPEs-1. For instance, the relative BC concentration decreased from 100% to 71.16%/90.12% in OPE-1/OPE-2 after stored at 25 °C for 15 days. The BC bioaccessibility in OPE-2 (68.17 ± 1.19%) was significantly improved compared with OPE-1 (53.15 ± 1.36%). The results obtained indicated that OPEs-2 was probably an effective delivery system for hydrophobic and indigestible bioactive compounds.