Integrative analysis of genomic and epigenomic regulation reveals miRNA mediated tumor heterogeneity and immune evasion in lower grade glioma.

The expression dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNA) has been widely reported during cancer development, however, the underling mechanism remains largely unanswered. In the present work, we performed a systematic integrative study for genome-wide DNA methylation, copy number variation and miRNA expression data to identify mechanisms underlying miRNA dysregulation in lower grade glioma. We identify 719 miRNAs whose expression was associated with alterations of copy number variation or promoter methylation. Integrative multi-omics analysis revealed four subtypes with differing prognoses. These glioma subtypes exhibited distinct immune-related characteristics as well as clinical and genetic features. By construction of a miRNA regulatory network, we identified candidate miRNAs associated with immune evasion and response to immunotherapy. Finally, eight prognosis related miRNAs were validated to promote cell migration, invasion and proliferation through in vitro experiments. Our study reveals the crosstalk among DNA methylation, copy number variation and miRNA expression for immune regulation in glioma, and could have important implications for patient stratification and development of biomarkers for immunotherapy approaches.

Biocontrol potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria against plant disease and insect pest.

Biological control is a promising approach to enhance pathogen and pest control to ensure high productivity in cash crop production. Therefore, PGPR biofertilizers are very suitable for application in the cultivation of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) and tobacco, but it is rarely reported so far. In this study, production of a consortium of three strains of PGPR were applied to tobacco and tea plants. The results demonstrated that plants treated with PGPR exhibited enhanced resistance against the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae (PstDC3000). The significant effect in improving the plant's ability to resist pathogen invasion was verified through measurements of oxygen activity, bacterial colony counts, and expression levels of resistance-related genes (NPR1, PR1, JAZ1, POD etc.). Moreover, the application of PGPR in the tea plantation showed significantly reduced population occurrences of tea green leafhoppers (Empoasca onukii Matsuda), tea thrips (Thysanoptera:Thripidae), Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintanca) and alleviated anthracnose disease in tea seedlings. Therefore, PGPR biofertilizers may serve as a viable biological control method to improve tobacco and tea plant yield and quality. Our findings revealed part of the mechanism by which PGPR helped improve plant biostresses resistance, enabling better application in agricultural production.

Global incidence trends of early-onset colorectal cancer and related exposures in early-life: an ecological analysis based on the GBD 2019.

Background: The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) is increasing globally. This study aims to describe the temporal trends of incidence and explore related risk exposures in early-life at the country level based on the GBD 2019. Methods: Data on the incidence and attributable risk factors of EOCRC were obtained from the GBD 2019. Temporal trends of age-standardized incidence were evaluated by average annual percentage change (AAPC). Early-life exposures were indicated as summary exposure values (SEV) of selected factors, SDI and GDP per capita in previous decades and at ages 0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19 years. Weighted linear or non-linear regressions were applied to evaluate the ecological aggregate associations of the exposures with incidences of EOCRC. Results: The global age-standardized incidence of EOCRC increased from 3.05 (3.03, 3.07) to 3.85 (3.83, 3.86) per 100,000 during 1990 and 2019. The incidence was higher in countries with high socioeconomic levels, and increased drastically in countries in East Asia and Caribbean, particularly Jamaica, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. The GDP per capita, SDI, and SEVs of iron deficiency, alcohol use, high body-mass index, and child growth failure in earlier years were more closely related with the incidences of EOCRC in 2019. Exposures at ages 0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19 years were also associated with the incidences, particularly for the exposures at ages 15-19 years. Conclusion: The global incidence of EOCRC increased during past three decades. The large variations at regional and national level may be related with the distribution of risk exposures in early life.

A Deep Dynamic Causal Learning Model to Study Changes in Dynamic Effective Connectivity during Brain Development.

OBJECTIVE: Brain dynamic effective connectivity (dEC), characterizes the information transmission patterns between brain regions that change over time, which provides insight into the biological mechanism underlying brain development. However, most existing methods predominantly capture fixed or temporally invariant EC, leaving dEC largely unexplored. METHODS: Herein we propose a deep dynamic causal learning model specifically designed to capture dEC. It includes a dynamic causal learner to detect time-varying causal relationships from spatio-temporal data, and a dynamic causal discriminator to validate these findings by comparing original and reconstructed data. RESULTS: Our model outperforms established baselines in the accuracy of identifying dynamic causalities when tested on the simulated data. When applied to the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort, the model uncovers distinct patterns in dEC networks across different age groups. Specifically, the evolution process of brain dEC networks in young adults is more stable than in children, and significant differences in information transfer patterns exist between them. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the brain's developmental trajectory, where networks transition from undifferentiated to specialized structures with age, in accordance with the improvement of an individual's cognitive and information processing capability. SIGNIFICANCE: The proposed model consists of the identification and verification of dynamic causality, utilizing the spatio-temporal fusing information from fMRI. As a result, it can accurately detect dEC and characterize its evolution over age.

SND1 regulates organic anion transporter 2 protein expression and sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to 5-fluorouracil.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant tumors in the world. Inadequate efficacy of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on HCC could be related to low expression of human organic anion transporter 2 (OAT2). However, the knowledge of down-regulation of OAT2 in HCC remains limited. We explored the underlying mechanism focusing on protein expression regulation and attempted to design a strategy to sensitize HCC cells to 5-FU. In this study, we revealed that 1 bp to 300 bp region of OAT2 mRNA 3' untranslated region (UTR) reduced its protein expression and uptake activity in Li-7 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. Mechanistically, it was demonstrated that staphylococcal nuclease and Tudor domain containing 1 (SND1) bound at 1 bp to 300 bp region of OAT2 mRNA 3' UTR, leading to a decrease in OAT2 protein expression. Enrichment analysis results indicated reduction of OAT2 might be mediated by translational inhibition. Furthermore, the knockdown of SND1 up-regulated OAT2 protein expression and uptake activity. Based on it, decreasing SND1 expression enhanced 5-FU-caused G1/S phase arrest in Li-7 and PLC/PRF/5 cells, resulting in suppression of cell proliferation. Besides, the knockdown of SND1 augmented the inhibitory effect of 5-FU on PLC/PRF/5 xenograft tumor growth in vivo by increasing OAT2 protein expression and accumulation of 5-FU in the tumor. Collectively, a combination of inhibition of SND1 with 5-FU might be a potential strategy to sensitize HCC cells to 5-FU from the perspective of restoring OAT2 protein level. Significance Statement We investigated the regulatory mechanism of OAT2 protein expression in HCC cells and designed a strategy to sensitize them to 5-FU (OAT2 substrate) via restoring OAT2 protein level. It found that SND1, an RNA binding protein, regulated OAT2 protein expression by interacting with OAT2 mRNA 3' UTR 1-300bp region. Through decreasing SND1, the anti-tumor effect of 5-FU on HCC was enhanced in vitro and in vivo, indicating that SND1 could be a potential target for sensitizing HCC cells to 5-FU.

The impact of electrical stimulation at the back-shu acupoint with an extrinsic diaphragmatic pacing mode on respiratory function and extubation success rate in tracheostomized stroke patients: An observational study.

To observe of the effect of electrical stimulation at the back-shu acupoint with extrinsic diaphragmatic pacing (EDP) mode on respiratory function and extubation success rate in tracheostomized stroke patients. A total of 200 patients who underwent tracheostomy after a stroke from January 2022 to February 2023 were included in this study. They were divided into 2 groups based on whether electroacupuncture was used: the EDP + electroacupuncture group and the EDP group. We assessed the differences in cough reflex scores and clinical lung infection scores between the 2 groups, and measured levels of blood gas analysis indicators, diaphragmatic function, lung function, maximum inspiratory pressure, and maximum expiratory pressure in both groups. The total effective rate in the EDP + electroacupuncture group was 91.00% (91/100), which was higher than the EDP group's 80.00% (80/100) (P < .05). After treatment, both groups showed a decrease in clinical lung infection scores and cough reflex scores compared to before treatment, with the EDP + electroacupuncture group having lower scores than the EDP group (P < .05). After treatment, the pH value, arterial oxygen pressure, and oxygenation index all increased compared to before treatment, with the EDP + electroacupuncture group showing higher values than the EDP group (P < .05). After treatment, both groups showed a decrease in arterial carbon dioxide pressure compared to before treatment, with the EDP + electroacupuncture group having lower PaCO2 levels than the EDP group (P < .05). After treatment, both groups showed an increase in forced vital capacity as a percentage of predicted value (FVC%), diaphragm thickness, diaphragm mobility, maximum inspiratory pressure, maximum expiratory pressure, forced expiratory volume in the first second as a percentage of predicted value (FEV1%), and diaphragm contraction speed compared to before treatment. Additionally, the EDP + electroacupuncture group had higher values in these parameters compared to the EDP group (P < .05). The EDP + electroacupuncture group had a shorter average extubation time and a higher extubation success rate compared to the EDP group (P < .05). The combination of EDP mode and electroacupuncture at the back-shu acupoint appears to be effective in improving lung function and diaphragmatic function in tracheostomized stroke patients. It also leads to a shorter extubation time and higher extubation success rates.

Is the Homologous Recombination Repair Mutation Defined by a 15-Gene Panel Associated with the Prognosis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer?

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus regarding the specific genes included in the homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene panel for identifying the HRR deficiency (HRD) status and predicting the prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore a 15-gene panel involving the HRR pathway as a predictive prognostic indicator in Chinese patients newly diagnosed with EOC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the previously published reports about different HRR gene panels and prespecified the 15-gene panel. The genetic testing results in a 15-gene panel from 308 EOC patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2022 from six centers were collected. The association of clinicopathologic characteristics, the use of poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) and progression-free survival (PFS) with 15-gene panel HRR mutations (HRRm) status was assessed. RESULTS: 43.2% (133/308) of patients were determined to carry 144 deleterious HRRm, among which 68.1% (98/144) were germline mutations and 32.8% (101/308) were BRCA1/2 gene lethal mutations. The hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval, CI) for PFS (HRRm v HRR wild type, HRRwt) using the 15-gene panel HRRm was 0.42 (0.28-0.64) at all stages and 0.42 (0.27-0.65) at stages IIIC-IV. However, a prognostic difference was observed only between the BRCA mutation group and the HRRwt group, not between the non-BRCA HRRm group and the HRRwt group. For the subgroups of patients not using PARPis, the HR (95% CI) was 0.41 (0.24-0.68) at stages IIIC-IV. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that 15-gene panel HRRm can predict the prognosis of EOC, of these only the BRCA1/2 mutations, not non-BRCA HRRm, contribute to prognosis prediction. Among patients without PARPis, the HRRm group presented a better PFS. This is the first study of this kind in the Chinese population.

Latent profile analysis and related factors for fear of cancer recurrence among Chinese breast cancer patients in rehabilitation.

PURPOSE: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a psychological problem often faced by breast cancer patients in the rehabilitation period. The aim of this study was to identify FCR subgroups of Chinese breast cancer patients in rehabilitation and to analysis the factors affecting each subgroup. The effects of the subgroups on quality of life (QoL) were also explored. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected from 300 breast cancer patients in a rehabilitation setting. The researchers invited the subjects to complete questionnaires on FCR, fatigue, anxiety depression, perception of illness and QoL. The researchers conducted a latent profile analysis. The factors influencing the subgroups of FCR were identified using ANOVA and multinomial logistic regression analyses. Linear regression analyses were used to explore the effect of subgroups on QoL. RESULTS: There were three subgroups of FCR: profile 1 'Low FCR Group' (42.3%), profile 2 'Moderate FCR Group' (45.6%), and profile 3 'High FCR Group' (12.1%). Cancer stage II was a protective factor for FCR patients (OR = 0.107, P < 0.01) and was more likely to be categorized among the low FCR group. Anxiety depression was a risk factor for FCR patients and was more likely to be categorized in the medium FCR group (OR = 1.764, P < 0.001) and in the high FCR group (OR = 2.911, P < 0.001). In addition, patients subjected to a high perception of illness were more likely to be considered in the medium FCR group (OR = 1.041, P < 0.05), a risk factor affecting patients with FCR. Linear regression analysis showed that subgroups with higher FCR had a stronger negative predictive effect on their QoL (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The FCR was identified as three subgroups among breast cancer patients in rehabilitation, which suggests that healthcare professionals should give full consideration to the impact of cancer stage, anxiety and depression, and illness perceptions on the FCR subgroups in order to improve their QoL.

Cone-beam CT evaluation of post-extraction alveolar bone changes at the maxillary incisor sites in an East Asian population: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Understanding the characteristics of alveolar bone resorption in an East Asian population after maxillary incisor extraction and providing a reference for implant treatment plans. Study design: Cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) data of 125 East Asian patients with unilateral extraction of maxillary incisors for 3 months were collected. The alveolar bone width and height in the extraction sites were measured and compared with the corresponding contralateral sites. Results: The differences in alveolar bone width between the extraction site and contralateral site were as follows: 4.11 mm, 2.68 mm, and 2.09 mm (3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm apical from CEJ of the contralateral tooth). Data are expressed as the median. The horizontal resorption ratio of alveolar bone was 49.94 %, 31.5 %, and 24.46 %. The difference in alveolar bone height was 0.78 mm. The vertical resorption ratio was 7.78 %. The resorption did not differ significantly between sexes and was not significantly affected by tooth positions. Conclusions: In the studied East Asian population, significant horizontal and vertical alveolar bone resorption occurs after natural healing of maxillary incisor extraction for 3 months. The closer to the alveolar ridge crest, the more significant the horizontal resorption, resulting in an "inverted triangle" shape residual alveolar bone.

In emergency situations, tracheal intubation replaces fiberoptic bronchoscopy to extract foreign bodies from the airway, a case report.

Introduction: Foreign bodies in the airways can cause significant morbidity and mortality. If emergency personnel are unable to clear an airway obstruction frequently results in cardiac arrest. Patient concerns: A 78-year-old man developed a persistent cough and dyspnoea after consuming alcohol. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed, revealing complete blockage of the main airways on both sides by fish. Diagnosis: Endotracheal foreign body. Interventions: The foreign body was removed with an endotracheal tube under the guidance of a fiberoptic bronchoscope. Outcomes: The airway foreign body had been successfully removed and the man recovered uneventfully. Conclusion: When repeated attempts to extract airway foreign bodies under the guidance of bronchoscopy have failed, endotracheal intubation can be considered as a viable alternative in emergency situations.

CBD2: A functional biomarker database for colorectal cancer.

The rapidly evolving landscape of biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) necessitates an integrative, updated repository. In response, we constructed the Colorectal Cancer Biomarker Database (CBD), which collected and displayed the curated biomedicine information for 870 CRC biomarkers in the previous study. Building on CBD, we have now developed CBD2, which includes information on 1569 newly reported biomarkers derived from different biological sources (DNA, RNA, protein, and others) and clinical applications (diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis). CBD2 also incorporates information on nonbiomarkers that have been identified as unsuitable for use as biomarkers in CRC. A key new feature of CBD2 is its network analysis function, by which users can investigate the visible and topological network between biomarkers and identify their relevant pathways. CBD2 also allows users to query a series of chemicals, drug combinations, or multiple targets, to enable multidrug, multitarget, multipathway analyses, toward facilitating the design of polypharmacological treatments for CRC. CBD2 is freely available at http://www.eyeseeworld.com/cbd.

Impacts of Fuel Stage Ratio on the Morphological and Nanostructural Characteristics of Soot Emissions from a Twin Annular Premixing Swirler Combustor.

Soot particles emitted from aircraft engines constitute a major anthropogenic source of pollution in the vicinity of airports and at cruising altitudes. This emission poses a significant threat to human health and may alter the global climate. Understanding the characteristics of soot particles, particularly those generated from Twin Annular Premixing Swirler (TAPS) combustors, a mainstream combustor in civil aviation engines, is crucial for aviation environmental protection. In this study, a comprehensive characterization of soot particles emitted from TAPS combustors was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The morphology and nanostructure of soot particles were examined across three distinct fuel stage ratios (FSR), at 10%, 15%, and 20%. The SEM analysis of soot particle morphology revealed that coated particles constitute over 90% of the total particle sample, with coating content increasing proportionally to the fuel stage ratio. The results obtained from HRTEM indicated that average primary particle sizes increase with the fuel stage ratio. The results of HRTEM and Raman spectroscopy suggest that the nanostructure of soot particles becomes more ordered and graphitized with an increasing fuel stage ratio, resulting in lower oxidation activity. Specifically, soot fringe length increased with the fuel stage ratio, while soot fringe tortuosity and separation distance decreased. In addition, there is a prevalent occurrence of defects in the graphitic lattice structure of soot particles, suggesting a high degree of elemental carbon disorder.

Sequential Inhibition of PARP and BET as a Rational Therapeutic Strategy for Glioblastoma.

PARP inhibitors (PARPi) hold substantial promise in treating glioblastoma (GBM). However, the adverse effects have restricted their broad application. Through unbiased transcriptomic and proteomic sequencing, it is discovered that the BET inhibitor (BETi) Birabresib profoundly alters the processes of DNA replication and cell cycle progression in GBM cells, beyond the previously reported impact of BET inhibition on homologous recombination repair. Through in vitro experiments using established GBM cell lines and patient-derived primary GBM cells, as well as in vivo orthotopic transplantation tumor experiments in zebrafish and nude mice, it is demonstrated that the concurrent administration of PARPi and BETi can synergistically inhibit GBM. Intriguingly, it is observed that DNA damage lingers after discontinuation of PARPi monotherapy, implying that sequential administration of PARPi followed by BETi can maintain antitumor efficacy while reducing toxicity. In GBM cells with elevated baseline replication stress, the sequential regimen exhibits comparable efficacy to concurrent treatment, protecting normal glial cells with lower baseline replication stress from DNA toxicity and subsequent death. This study provides compelling preclinical evidence supporting the development of innovative drug administration strategies focusing on PARPi for GBM therapy.

Withdrawn: The altered dynamic community structure for adaptive adjustment in stroke patients with multidomain cognitive impairments: A multilayer network analysis.

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Regio- and Diaseteroselective Synthesis of Polysubstituted Piperidines Enabled by Boronyl Radical-Catalyzed (4+2) Cycloaddition.

Piperidines are widely present in small molecule drugs and natural products. Despite many methods have been developed for their synthesis, new approaches to polysubstituted piperidines are highly desirable. This work presents a radical (4+2) cycloaddition reaction for synthesis of piperidines featuring dense substituents at 3,4,5-positions that are not readily accessible by known methods. Using commercially available diboron(4) compounds and 4-phenylpyridine as the catalyst precursors, the boronyl radical-catalyzed cycloaddition between 3-aroyl azetidines and various alkenes, including previously unreactive 1,2-di-, tri-, and tetrasubstituted alkenes, has delivered the polysubstituted piperidines in generally high yield and diastereoselectivity. The reaction also features high modularity, atom economy, broad substrate scope, metal-free conditions, simple catalysts and operation. The utilization of the products has been demonstrated by selective transformations. A plausible mechanism, with the ring-opening of azetidine as the rate-limiting step, has been proposed based on the experimental and computational results.

Implementation and Evaluation of Discharge Planning for Patients Undergoing Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation.

BACKGROUND Umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) patients have high rates of unplanned readmissions and poor quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of discharge planning on unplanned readmissions, self-efficacy, QoL, and clinical outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients who received their first UCBT from April 2022 to March 2023 were included. Participants (n=72) were assigned to a control group (CG: received usual care) or an intervention group (IG: received discharge planning from admission to 100 days after UCBT). The cumulative readmission rates 30 days after discharge and 100 days after UCBT were analyzed using the log-rank test. Self-efficacy and QoL were assessed at admission and 100 days after UCBT using the General Self-Efficacy Scale and FACT-BMT version 4, clinical outcomes derived from medical records. RESULTS Sixty-six patients completed the study. Discharge planning did not reduce readmission rates 30 days after discharge (20.59% vs 31.25%, P=0.376) or 100 days after UCBT (29.41% vs 34.38%, P=0.629). However, the IG showed significantly better self-efficacy (P<0.001), and except for social and emotional well-being, all the other dimensions and 3 total scores of FACT-BMT in the IG were higher than for the controls at 100 days after UCBT (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The discharge planning program can improve self-efficacy and QoL of UCBT recipients. The implementation of discharge planning for patients undergoing UCBT was necessary for successful hospital-to-home transitions.

Functional connectivity of the default mode network in first-episode drug-naïve patients with major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in the default mode network (DMN) have been reported in major depressive disorder (MDD), well-replicated robust alterations of functional connectivity (FC) of DMN remain to be established. Investigating the functional connections of DMN at the overall and subsystem level in early MDD patients has the potential to advance our understanding of the physiopathology of this disorder. METHODS: We recruited 115 first-episode drug-naïve patients with MDD and 137 demographic-matched healthy controls (HCs). We first compared FC within the DMN, within/between the DMN subsystems, and from DMN subsystems to the whole brain between groups. Subsequently, we explored correlations between clinical features and identified alterations in FC. RESULTS: First-episode drug-naïve patients with MDD showed significantly increased FC within the DMN, dorsal DMN and medial DMN. Each subsystem showed a distinct FC pattern with other brain networks. Increased FC between the subsystems (core DMN, dorsal DMN) and other networks was associated with more severe depressive symptoms, while medial DMN-related connectivity correlated with memory performance. LIMITATIONS: The relatively large "pure" MDD sample could only be generalized to a limited population. And, atypical asymmetric FCs in the DMN related to MDD might be missed for only left-lateralized ROIs were used to avoid strong correlations between mirrored (right/left) seed regions. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest patients with early MDD showed distinct patterns of FC alterations throughout DMN and its subsystems, which were related to illness severity and illness-associated cognitive impairment, highlighting their clinical significance.

Unveiling Immune-related feature genes for Alzheimer's disease based on machine learning.

The identification of diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) remains a crucial area of research. In this study, utilizing the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) algorithm, we identified RHBDF2 and TNFRSF10B as feature genes associated with AD pathogenesis. Analyzing data from the GSE33000 dataset, we revealed significant upregulation of RHBDF2 and TNFRSF10B in AD patients, with correlations to age and gender. Interestingly, their expression profile in AD differs notably from that of other neurodegenerative conditions. Functional analysis unveiled their involvement in immune response and various signaling pathways implicated in AD pathogenesis. Furthermore, our study demonstrated the potential of RHBDF2 and TNFRSF10B as diagnostic biomarkers, exhibiting high discrimination power in distinguishing AD from control samples. External validation across multiple datasets confirmed the robustness of the diagnostic model. Moreover, utilizing molecular docking analysis, we identified dinaciclib and tanespimycin as promising small molecule drugs targeting RHBDF2 and TNFRSF10B for potential AD treatment. Our findings highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of RHBDF2 and TNFRSF10B in AD management, shedding light on novel strategies for precision medicine in AD.

The role of EMG1 in lung adenocarcinoma progression: Implications for prognosis and immune cell infiltration.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common and aggressive cancer with a high incidence. N1-specific pseudouridine methyltransferase (EMG1), a highly conserved nucleolus protein, plays an important role in the biological development of ribosomes. However, the role of EMG1 in the progression of LUAD is still unclear. METHODS: The expression of EMG1 in LUAD cells, and LUAD tissues, and adjacent noncancerous tissues was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting. The roles of EMG1 in LUAD cell proliferation, migration, invasion and tumorigenicity were explored in vitro and in vivo. Western blot analysis to underlying molecular mechanism of EMG1 regulating the biological function of LUAD. EMG1 expression and its impact on tumor prognosis were analyzed using a range of databases including GEPIA, UALCAN, cBioPortal, LinkedOmics, and Kaplan-Meier Plotter. RESULTS: EMG1 expression was elevated in LUAD patients compared to normal tissues, and EMG1 expression was strongly correlated with prognosis in LUAD patients. EMG1 expression correlated with age, gender, N stage, T stage, and pathologic stage. EMG1 expression was strongly positively correlated with MRPL51, PHB2, SNRPG, ATP5MD, and TPI1, and strongly negatively correlated with MACF1, DOCK9, RAPGEF2, SYNJ1, and KIDINS220, the major enrichment pathways for EMG1 and related genes include Cell cycle, DNA Replication and Pathways in cancer signaling pathways. EMG1 expression level was significantly increased in LUAD cell lines and tissues. Knockdown of EMG1 could inhibit LUAD cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumorigenicity. Besides, EMG1 overexpression could promote LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. High expression of EMG1 predicts poor prognosis in LUAD patients, and EMG1 may play an oncogenic role in the tumor microenvironment by participating in the infiltration of LUAD immune cells. CONCLUSIONS: EMG1 regulated various functions in LUAD by directly mediating Akt/mTOR/p70s6k signaling pathways activation. The results suggest that EMG1 may be a novel biomarker for assessing prognosis and immune cell infiltration in LUAD.

Modulating built-in electric field via Bi-VO4-Fe interfacial bridges to enhance charge separation for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting on semiconductor electrodes is considered to be one of the important ways to produce clean and sustainable hydrogen fuel, which is a great help in solving energy and environmental problems. Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) as a promising photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting still suffers from poor charge separation efficiency and photo-induced self-corrosion. Herein, we develop heterojunction-rich photoanodes composed of BiVO4 and iron vanadate (FeVO4), coated with nickel iron oxide (NiFeOx/FeVO4/BiVO4). The formation of the interface between BiVO4 and FeVO4 (Bi-VO4-Fe bridges) enhances the interfacial interaction, resulting in improved performance. Meanwhile, high-conductivity FeVO4 and NiFeOx oxygen evolution co-catalysts effectively enhance bulk electron/hole separation, interface water's kinetics and photostability. Concurrently, the optimized NiFeOx/FeVO4/BiVO4 possesses a remarkable photocurrent density of 5.59 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (vs RHE) under AM 1.5G (Air Mass 1.5 Global) simulated sunlight, accompanied by superior stability without any decreased of its photocurrent density after 14 h. This work not only reveals the crucial role of built-in electric field in BiVO4-based photoanode during PEC water splitting, but also provides a new guide to the design of efficient photoanode for PEC.