CK2-HTATSF1-TOPBP1 signaling axis modulates tumor chemotherapy response.

Homologous recombination (HR) plays a key role in maintaining genomic stability, and the efficiency of the HR system is closely associated with tumor response to chemotherapy. Our previous work reported that CK2 kinase phosphorylates HIV Tat-specific factor 1 (HTATSF1) Ser748 to facilitate HTATSF1 interaction with TOPBP1, which in turn, promotes RAD51 recruitment and HR repair. However, the clinical implication of the CK2-HTATSF1-TOPBP1 pathway in tumorigenesis and chemotherapeutic response remains to be elucidated. Here, we report that the CK2-HTATSF1-TOPBP1 axis is generally hyperactivated in multiple malignancies and renders breast tumors less responsive to chemotherapy. In contrast, deletion mutations of each gene in this axis, which also occur in breast and lung tumor samples, predict higher HR deficiency scores, and tumor cells bearing a loss-of-function mutation of HTATSF1 are vulnerable to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors or platinum drugs. Taken together, our study suggests that the integrity of the CK2-HTATSF1-TOPBP1 axis is closely linked to tumorigenesis and serves as an indicator of tumor HR status and modulates chemotherapy response.

Altered white matter functional pathways in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with functional disruption in gray matter (GM) and structural damage to white matter (WM), but the relationship to functional signal in WM is unknown. We performed the functional connectivity (FC) and graph theory analysis to investigate abnormalities of WM and GM functional networks and corpus callosum among different stages of AD from a publicly available dataset. Compared to the controls, AD group showed significantly decreased FC between the deep WM functional network (WM-FN) and the splenium of corpus callosum, between the sensorimotor/occipital WM-FN and GM visual network, but increased FC between the deep WM-FN and the GM sensorimotor network. In the clinical groups, the global assortativity, modular interaction between occipital WM-FN and visual network, nodal betweenness centrality, degree centrality, and nodal clustering coefficient in WM- and GM-FNs were reduced. However, modular interaction between deep WM-FN and sensorimotor network, and participation coefficients of deep WM-FN and splenium of corpus callosum were increased. These findings revealed the abnormal integration of functional networks in different stages of AD from a novel WM-FNs perspective. The abnormalities of WM functional pathways connect downward to the corpus callosum and upward to the GM are correlated with AD.

Boosting interpersonal emotion regulation through facial imitation: functional neuroimaging foundations.

Empathic function, which is primarily manifested by facial imitation, is believed to play a pivotal role in interpersonal emotion regulation for mood reinstatement. To explore this association and its neural substrates, we performed a questionnaire survey (study l) to identify the relationship between empathy and interpersonal emotion regulation; and a task-mode fMRI study (study 2) to explore how facial imitation, as a fundamental component of empathic processes, promotes the interpersonal emotion regulation effect. Study 1 showed that affective empathy was positively correlated with interpersonal emotion regulation. Study 2 showed smaller negative emotions in facial imitation interpersonal emotion regulation (subjects imitated experimenter's smile while followed the interpersonal emotion regulation guidance) than in normal interpersonal emotion regulation (subjects followed the interpersonal emotion regulation guidance) and Watch conditions. Mirror neural system (e.g. inferior frontal gyrus and inferior parietal lobe) and empathy network exhibited greater activations in facial imitation interpersonal emotion regulation compared with normal interpersonal emotion regulation condition. Moreover, facial imitation interpersonal emotion regulation compared with normal interpersonal emotion regulation exhibited increased functional coupling from mirror neural system to empathic and affective networks during interpersonal emotion regulation. Furthermore, the connectivity of the right orbital inferior frontal gyrus-rolandic operculum lobe mediated the association between the accuracy of facial imitation and the interpersonal emotion regulation effect. These results show that the interpersonal emotion regulation effect can be enhanced by the target's facial imitation through increased functional coupling from mirror neural system to empathic and affective neural networks.

C-terminal glutamine acts as a C-degron targeted by E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM7.

The exposed N-terminal or C-terminal residues of proteins can act, in cognate sequence contexts, as degradation signals (degrons) that are targeted by specific E3 ubiquitin ligases for proteasome-dependent degradation by N-degron or C-degron pathways. Here, we discovered a distinct C-degron pathway, termed the Gln/C-degron pathway, in which the B30.2 domain of E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM7 (TRIM7B30.2) mediates the recognition of proteins bearing a C-terminal glutamine. By determining crystal structures of TRIM7B30.2 in complexes with various peptides, we show that TRIM7B30.2 forms a positively charged binding pocket to engage the "U"-shaped Gln/C-degron. The four C-terminal residues of a substrate play an important role in C-degron recognition, with C-terminal glutamine as the principal determinant. In vitro biochemical and cellular experiments were used to further analyze the substrate specificity and selective degradation of the Gln/C-degron by TRIM7.

Spatial Effect on the Performance of Carboxylate Anode Materials in Na-Ion Batteries.

Developing low-voltage carboxylate anode materials is critical for achieving low-cost, high-performance, and sustainable Na-ion batteries (NIBs). However, the structure design rationale and structure-performance correlation for organic carboxylates in NIBs remains elusive. Herein, the spatial effect on the performance of carboxylate anode materials is studied by introducing heteroatoms in the conjugation structure and manipulating the positions of carboxylate groups in the aromatic rings. Planar and twisted organic carboxylates are designed and synthesized to gain insight into the impact of geometric structures to the electrochemical performance of carboxylate anodes in NIBs. Among the carboxylates, disodium 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylate (2255-Na) with a planar structure outperforms the others in terms of highest specific capacity (210 mAh g-1), longest cycle life (2000 cycles), and best rate capability (up to 5 A g-1). The cyclic stability and redox mechanism of 2255-Na in NIBs are exploited by various characterization techniques. Moreover, high-temperature (up to 100 °C) and all-organic batteries based on a 2255-Na anode, a polyaniline (PANI) cathode, and an ether-based electrolyte are achieved and exhibited exceptional electrochemical performance. Therefore, this work demonstrates that designing organic carboxylates with extended planar conjugation structures is an effective strategy to achieve high-performance and sustainable NIBs.

Regulating Anionic Redox via Mg Substitution in Mn-Rich Layered Oxide Cathodes Enabling High Electrochemical Stability for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

With the limited resources and high cost of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and the ever-increasing market demands, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) gain much interest due to their economical sustainability, and similar chemistry and manufacturing processes to LIBs. As cathodes play a vital role in determining the energy density of SIBs, Mn-based layered oxides are promising cathodes due to their low cost, environmental friendliness, and high theoretical capacity. However, the main challenge is structural instability upon cycling at high voltage. Herein, Mg is introduced into the P2-type Na0.62 Ni0.25 Mn0.75 O2 cathode to enhance electrochemical stability. By combining electrochemical testing and material characterizations, it is found that substituting 10 mol% Mg can effectively alleviate the P2-O2 phase transition, Jahn-Teller distortion, and irreversible oxygen redox. Moreover, structural integrity is greatly improved. These lead to enhanced electrochemical performances. With the optimized sample, a remarkable capacity retention of 92% in the half cell after 100 cycles and 95% in the full cell after 170 cycles can be achieved. Altogether, this work provides an alternative way to stabilize P2-type Mn-based layer oxide cathodes, which in turn, put forward the development of this material for the next-generation SIBs.

Ionic Pairs-Engineered Fluorinated Covalent Organic Frameworks Toward Direct Air Capture of CO2.

The covalent organic frameworks (COFs) possessing high crystallinity and capability to capture low-concentration CO2 (400 ppm) from air are still underdeveloped. The challenge lies in simultaneously incorporating high-density active sites for CO2 insertion and maintaining the ordered structure. Herein, a structure engineering approach is developed to afford an ionic pair-functionalized crystalline and stable fluorinated COF (F-COF) skeleton. The ordered structure of the F-COF is well maintained after the integration of abundant basic fluorinated alcoholate anions, as revealed by synchrotron X-ray scattering experiments. The breakthrough test demonstrates its attractive performance in capturing (400 ppm) CO2 from gas mixtures via O─C bond formation, as indicated by the in situ spectroscopy and operando nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy using 13C-labeled CO2 sources. Both theoretical and experimental thermodynamic studies reveal the reaction enthalpy of ≈-40 kJ mol-1 between CO2 and the COF scaffolds. This implies weaker interaction strength compared with state-of-the-art amine-derived sorbents, thus allowing complete CO2 release with less energy input. The structure evolution study from synchrotron X-ray scattering and small-angle neutron scattering confirms the well-maintained crystalline patterns after CO2 insertion. The as-developed proof-of-concept approach provides guidance on anchoring binding sites for direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 in crystalline scaffolds.

Engineering Nanostructured Interfaces of Hexagonal Boron Nitride-Based Materials for Enhanced Catalysis.

ConspectusHexagonal boron nitrides (h-BNs) are attractive two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials that consist of alternating B and N atoms and layered honeycomb-like structures similar to graphene. They have exhibited unique properties and promising application potentials in the field of energy storage and transformation. Recent advances in utilizing h-BN as a metal-free catalyst in the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane have triggered broad interests in exploring h-BN in catalysis. However, h-BN-based materials as robust nanocatalysts in heterogeneous catalysis are still underexplored because of the limited methodologies capable of affording h-BN with controllable crystallinity, abundant porosity, high purity, and defect engineering, which played important roles in tuning their catalytic performance. In this Account, our recent progress in addressing the above issues will be highlighted, including the synthesis of high-quality h-BN-based nanomaterials via both bottom-up and top-down pathways and their catalytic utilization as metal-free catalysts or as supports to tune the interfacial electronic properties on the metal nanoparticles (NPs). First, we will focus on the large-scale fabrication of h-BN nanosheets (h-BNNSs) with high crystallinity, improved surface area, satisfactory purity, and tunable defects. h-BN derived from the traditional approaches using boron trioxide and urea as the starting materials generally contains carbon/oxygen impurities and has low crystallinity. Several new strategies were developed to address the issues. Using bulk h-BN as the precursor via gas exfoliation in liquid nitrogen, single- or few-layered h-BNNS with abundant defects could be generated. Amorphous h-BN precursors could be converted to h-BN nanosheets with high crystallinity assisted by a magnesium metallic flux via a successive dissolution/precipitation/crystallization procedure. The as-fabricated h-BNNS featured high crystallinity and purity as well as abundant porosity. An ionothermal metathesis procedure was developed using inorganic molten salts (NaNH2 and NaBH4) as the precursors. The h-BN scaffolds could be produced on a large scale with high yield, and the as-afforded materials possessed high purity and crystallinity. Second, utilization of the as-prepared h-BN library as metal-free catalysts in dehydrogenation and hydrogenation reactions will be summarized, in which they exhibited enhanced catalytic activity over the counterparts from the previous synthesis method. Third, the interface modulation between metal NPs with the as-prepared defects' abundant h-BN support will be highlighted. The h-BN-based strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) nanocatalysts were constructed without involving reducible metal oxides via the ionothermal procedure we developed by deploying specific inorganic metal salts, acting as robust nanocatalysts in CO oxidation. Under conditions simulated for practical exhaust systems, promising catalytic efficiency together with high thermal stability and sintering resistance was achieved. Across all of these examples, unique insights into structures, defects, and interfaces that emerge from in-depth characterization through microscopy, spectroscopy, and diffraction will be highlighted.

Supramolecular Complexation-enhanced CO2 Chemisorption in Amine-derived Sorbents.

A supramolecular complexation approach is developed to improve the CO2 chemisorption performance of solvent-lean amine sorbents. Operando spectroscopy techniques reveal the formation of carbamic acid in the presence of a crown ether. The reaction pathway is confirmed by theoretical simulation, in which the crown ether acts as proton acceptor and shuttle to drive the formation and stabilization of carbamic acid. Improved CO2 capacity and diminished energy consumption in sorbent regeneration was achieved.

Propensity score matched analysis of treatment outcomes in pediatric ureteropelvic junction obstruction: a comparison between horseshoe and non-horseshoe kidneys.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric hydronephrosis poses distinct challenges, particularly in cases involving horseshoe kidneys (HSK). This retrospective study compares treatment outcomes between HSK and non-horseshoe kidneys (NHSK) in pediatric ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) patients. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study included 35 patients with HSK and 790 patients with NHSK undergoing pyeloplasty. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters were evaluated. Propensity score matching (PSM) balanced patient characteristics in the NHSK group. RESULTS: In comparison with NHSK, HSK exhibited a higher crossing vessel incidence (51.6% vs. 5.12%, P < 0.001) and smaller preoperative anteroposterior pelvic diameter (APD). Post 6 and 12 months, NHSK maintained a larger APD, with a higher P/C ratio at 12 months. PSM retained significantly higher crossing vessel incidence in HSK (51.6 vs. 3.61%, P < 0.001). Laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) in HSK showed lower postoperative length of stay (LOS). Postoperative ultrasound parameters favored NHSK. In HSK and NHSK with crossing vessels, HSK demonstrated higher complications even post-PSM (38.5% vs. 0%, P = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasizes the importance of recognizing crossing vessels in HSK-related hydronephrosis. Surgical success, although comparable between HSK and NHSK, requires tailored approaches. This investigation contributes valuable insights to pediatric urology, emphasizing personalized management for optimal outcomes.

MicroRNA-135a and MicroRNA-221 in First-Episode and Recurrent Depression: Associations with Serum Markers and Cognitive Impairment.

Objective: This study aimed to compare miR-135a and miR-221 levels among patients with first-episode depression and recurrent depression, examining their association with cognitive performance. Method: A total of 97 first-episode depression patients, 104 recurrent depression patients hospitalized from April 2019 to December 2021, and 60 healthy individuals as a control group underwent cognitive function assessment using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Serum inflammatory cytokine levels and miR-135a and miR-221 levels were measured. The correlation between miR-135a, miR-221, cognitive function, and inflammatory cytokines in depression patients was analyzed. Results: Significant differences were observed in immediate memory, speech function, visual span, delayed memory, attention, and total RBANS scores among the three groups (P < .05). Both first-episode and recurrent depression groups scored lower than the control group across all cognitive function measures (P < .05), with the recurrent depression group exhibiting lower scores than the first-episode depression group (P < .05). Inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6) showed substantial variations among the groups (P < .05). miR-135a and miR-221 levels significantly differed among the three categories (P < .05). Correlation analyses revealed a negative association between miR-135a and IL-6, TNF-α, hs-CRP (P < .05), and a positive correlation with cognitive function. MiR-221 demonstrated significant connections with inflammatory markers and negative correlations with immediate memory, verbal function, visual span, delayed memory, attention, and RBANS total score ( < .05). Conclusion: Patients with depression exhibit cognitive impairment, with recurrent depression associated with more severe impairment. The downregulation of miR-135a and upregulation of miR-221 may play a role in the cognitive impairment process by regulating inflammatory responses. The findings suggest a potential link between microRNA expression and cognitive dysfunction in depression.

Boosting Li-O2 Battery Performance via Coupling of P-N Site-Rich N, P Co-Doped Graphene-Like Carbon Nanosheets with Nano-CePO4.

Development of efficient and robust cathode catalysts is critical for the commercialization of Li-O2 batteries (LOBs). Herein, a well-designed CePO4 @N-P-CNSs cathode catalyst for LOBs via coupling P-N site-rich N, P co-doped graphene-like carbon nanosheets (N-P-CNSs) with nano-CePO4 via a novel "in situ derivation" coupling strategy by in situ transforming the P atoms of P-C sites in N-P-CNSs to CePO4 is reported. The CePO4 @N-P-CNSs exhibit superior bifunctional ORR/OER activity relative to commercial Pt/C-RuO2 with an overall overpotential of 0.64 V (vs RHE). Moreover, the LOB with CePO4 @N-P-CNSs as the cathode catalyst delivers a low charge overpotential of 0.67 V (vs Li/Li+ ), high discharge capacity of 29774 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 and long cycling stability of 415 cycles, respectively. The remarkably enhanced LOB performance is attributable to the in situ derived CePO4 nanoparticles and the P-N sites in N-P-CNSs, which facilitate increased bifunctional ORR/OER activity, promote the rapid and effective decomposition of Li2 O2 and inhibit the formation of Li2 CO3 . This work may provide new inspiration for designing efficient, durable, and cost-effective cathode catalysts for LOBs.

Construction of Nitrogen-abundant Graphyne Scaffolds via Mechanochemistry-Promoted Cross-Linking of Aromatic Nitriles with Carbide Toward Enhanced Energy Storage.

The 2D graphyne-related scaffolds linked by carbon-carbon triple bonds have demonstrated promising applications in the field of catalysis and energy storage due to their unique features including high conductivity, permanent porosity, and electron-rich properties. However, the construction of related scaffolds is still mainly limited to the cross-linking of CaC2 with multiple substituted aromatic halogens and there is still a lack of efficient methodology capable of introducing high-concentration heteroatoms within the architectures. The development of alternative and facile synthesis procedures to afford nitrogen-abundant graphyne materials is highly desirable yet challenging in the field of energy storage, particularly via the facile mechanochemical procedure under neat and ambient conditions. Herein, graphyne materials with abundant nitrogen-containing species (nitrogen content of 6.9-29.3 wt.%), tunable surface areas (43-865 m2  g-1 ), and hierarchical porosity are produced via the mechanochemistry-driven pathway by deploying highly electron-deficient multiple substituted aromatic nitriles as the precursors, which can undergo cross-linking reaction with CaC2 to afford the desired nitrogen-doped graphyne scaffolds efficiently. Unique structural features of the as-synthesized materials contributed to promising performance in supercapacitor-related applications, delivering high capacitance of 254.5 F g-1 at 5 mV s-1 , attractive rate performance, and good long-term stability.

Harnessing the Hybridization of a Metal-Organic Framework and Superbase-Derived Ionic Liquid for High-Performance Direct Air Capture of CO2.

Direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 has emerged as the most promising "negative carbon emission" technologies. Despite being state-of-the-art, sorbents deploying alkali hydroxides/amine solutions or amine-modified materials still suffer from unsolved high energy consumption and stability issues. In this work, composite sorbents are crafted by hybridizing a robust metal-organic framework (Ni-MOF) with superbase-derived ionic liquid (SIL), possessing well maintained crystallinity and chemical structures. The low-pressure (0.4 mbar) volumetric CO2 capture assessment and a fixed-bed breakthrough examination with 400 ppm CO2 gas flow reveal high-performance DAC of CO2 (CO2 uptake capacity of up to 0.58 mmol g-1 at 298 K) and exceptional cycling stability. Operando spectroscopy analysis reveals the rapid (400 ppm) CO2 capture kinetics and energy-efficient/fast CO2 releasing behaviors. The theoretical calculation and small-angle X-ray scattering demonstrate that the confinement effect of the MOF cavity enhances the interaction strength of reactive sites in SIL with CO2 , indicating great efficacy of the hybridization. The achievements in this study showcase the exceptional capabilities of SIL-derived sorbents in carbon capture from ambient air in terms of rapid carbon capture kinetics, facile CO2 releasing, and good cycling performance.

Value of the stroke 1-2-0 prehospital stroke education system: the experience of a general practitioner team.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially in developing countries. In China, there is an urgent need to educate people about stroke awareness and the importance of using emergency medical services (EMS) quickly after a stroke has occurred. OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore the effects of the Stroke 1-2-0 Prehospital Stroke Education System based on the experience of a general practitioner team. METHOD: We prospectively enrolled 119 community general practitioners to be trained in the procedures advocated by the Stroke 1-2-0 Prehospital Stroke Education System. The training content included early detection of ischemic stroke, first aid for stroke, and intravenous thrombolysis; The effects of the training were later evaluated via a before-and-after comparison. The 119 enrolled physicians formed a Stroke 1-2-0 lecturer group and taught stroke knowledge to community residents. The group remained active for 6 months, during which the medical treatment data of stroke patients (i.e., stroke onset time, prehospital delay, whether an ambulance was called, and whether thrombolytic therapy was performed) in each of 5 jurisdictions were recorded for the month before (January 2021) and that after (August 2021) the 6-month community education program. Finally, the effects of the community education program were evaluated. RESULTS: The participants' understanding of intravenous thrombolysis in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke improved significantly after the training as compared with their earlier understanding (96% vs. 78.99%; P < .001), and their understanding of the time window for intravenous thrombolysis increased from 26.05% before to 72% (P < .001) after the training. Most of the participants (90% vs. 67.23%; P < .001) said that they would immediately call the 120 emergency number of China's emergency phone system if they encountered individuals who appeared to be victims of acute stroke. A total of 82 stroke patients were seen before and 67 after the community education program. As for the use of the emergency call system, more patients with stroke activated that system after the program versus before (21.95% vs. 37.31%; P = .04). The 3-hour arrival rate after the program was nearly three times higher than that before the program (62.69% vs. 19.51%; P < .001). Also, regarding receiving thrombolysis after the occurrence of a stroke, the program triggered a substantial increase compared with the total earlier (19.4% vs. 6.1%; P = .013). CONCLUSION: We found that the Stroke 1-2-0 Prehospital Stroke Education System significantly improved community residents' knowledge regarding stroke.

Failure in Double-J stent inserting in laparoscopic pyeloplasty of ureteropelvic junction obstruction: the clinical features and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Double-J (DJ) stent placement is an important procedure during laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP). Failing to insert the DJ stent may indicate the patient was also complicated with uretero-vesical junction obstruction (UVJO), and surgeons have to change to another alternative drainage method. In the present study, we analyzed the risk factors of failure of DJ stent placement during the LP and reviewed the clinical outcomes of these challenging pyeloplasties. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) who underwent LP in our department from January 2016 to September 2020. For patients who developed a difficult process of inserting the DJ stent, the externalized uretero-pyelostomy (EUP) stent was indwelled. Patients were finally divided into two groups: DJ group and EUP group. The primary outcomes were recurrent UPJO, postoperative uretero-vesical junction obstruction (UVJO) and complications. RESULTS: A total of 535 patients were included in the study, of which 37 patients (6.9%) failed to insert the DJ stent. Age was younger, and weight was lower (P < 0.05) in the EUP group. Within follow-up, recurrent UPJO occurred in ten (1.87%) patients, nine in the DJ group and one in the EUP group (P > 0.05). The incidence of postoperative UVJO in the EUP group was significantly higher than in the DJ group (10.8% vs. 0.2%, P < 0.01). 74 patients (13.8%) developed complications after surgery, 12 patients (32.4%) in the EUP group, significantly higher than that in the DJ group (32.4% vs. 12.4%, P < 0.01). Compared with the DJ group, the larger APD were observed in the EUP group at three months postoperatively (3.50 [3.02;4.58] vs. 2.20 [1.50;2.88], P < 0.05), but the difference vanished in further follow-up. CONCLUSION: The failure of DJ stent placement tends to occur in patients with younger age, lower weight, and larger preoperative APD. Failure may not increase the recurrent UPJO rate, but may indicate a higher probability of postoperative UVJO and may develop more postoperative complications and slower recovery.

Association between circadian syndrome and the prevalence of kidney stones in overweight adults: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007-2018.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between circadian syndrome (CircS) and the prevalence of kidney stones in overweight people. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted based on the NHANES 2007-2018. Overweight people aged ≥ 20 years were the target population. Three multivariable logistic regression models were built to examine the association between CircS and kidney stones. Subgroup analysis based on age, gender, and race were also employed. Interaction and stratification analysis was also conducted to identify whether some factors modify the association. RESULT: A total of 4,603 overweight participants were included in the study. The multivariable logistic regression suggested that CircS was positively associated with the prevalence of kidney stones (OR = 1.422, 95% CI 1.057 to 1.912). The subgroup analysis showed that the association was more obvious in females (OR = 1.604, 95% CI 1.023 to 2.516) or in the population aged 35 to 49 years old (OR = 2.739, 95% CI 1.428 to 5.254). Additionally, the same trend was present when people were Mexican American (OR = 3.834, 95% CI 1.790 to 8.215) or other races (OR = 4.925, 95% CI 1.776 to 13.656). The interaction and stratification analysis showed that the results above were robust. CONCLUSION: CircS was positively associated with the prevalence of kidney stones in overweight people, especially people as females, aged 35 to 49, and Mexican Americans.

COX7B Is a New Prognostic Biomarker and Correlates with Tumor Immunity in Esophageal Carcinoma.

Esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) refers to the most common type of malignant tumor, which reveals that it occurs often all over the world. ESCA is also correlated with an advanced stage and low survival rates. Thus, the development of new prognostic biomarkers is an absolute necessity. In this study, the aim was to investigate the potential of COX7B as a brand-new predictive biomarker for ESCA patients. COX7B expression in pancancer was examined using TIMER2. The statistical significance of the predictive value of COX7B expression was explored. The relationship between COX7B expression and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in ESCA was analyzed by using ssGSEA. In this study, the result indicated that several types of cancers had an abnormally high amount of COX7B. COX7B expression in samples from patients with ESCA was considerably higher than in nontumor tissues. A more advanced clinical stage may be anticipated from higher COX7B expression. According to the findings of Kaplan-Meier survival curves, patients with low COX7B levels had a more favorable prognosis than those with high COX7B levels. The result of multivariate analysis suggested that COX7B expression was a standalone prognostic factor for the overall survival of ESCA patients. A prognostic nomogram including gender, clinical stage, and COX7B expression was constructed, and TCGA-based calibration plots indicated its excellent predictive performance. An analysis of immune infiltration revealed that COX7B expression has a negative correlation with TFH, Tcm, NK cells, and mast cells. COX7B may serve as an immunotherapy target and as a biomarker for ESCA diagnosis and prognosis.

PIWIL1 promotes gastric cancer via a piRNA-independent mechanism.

Targeted cancer therapy aims to achieve specific elimination of cancerous but not normal cells. Recently, PIWI proteins, a subfamily of the PAZ-PIWI domain (PPD) protein family, have emerged as promising candidates for targeted cancer therapy. PPD proteins are essential for small noncoding RNA pathways. The Argonaute subfamily partners with microRNA and small interfering RNA, whereas the PIWI subfamily partners with PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA). Both PIWI proteins and piRNA are mostly expressed in the germline and best known for their function in transposon silencing, with no detectable function in mammalian somatic tissues. However, PIWI proteins become aberrantly expressed in multiple types of somatic cancers, thus gaining interest in targeted therapy. Despite this, little is known about the regulatory mechanism of PIWI proteins in cancer. Here we report that one of the four PIWI proteins in humans, PIWIL1, is highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. Knocking out the PIWIL1 gene (PIWIL1-KO) drastically reduces gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration, metastasis, and tumorigenesis. RNA deep sequencing of gastric cancer cell line SNU-1 reveals that KO significantly changes the transcriptome, causing the up-regulation of most of its associated transcripts. Surprisingly, few bona fide piRNAs exist in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, abolishing the piRNA-binding activity of PIWIL1 does not affect its oncogenic function. Thus, PIWIL1 function in gastric cancer cells is independent of piRNA. This piRNA-independent regulation involves interaction with the UPF1-mediated nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) mechanism. Altogether, our findings reveal a piRNA-independent function of PIWIL1 in promoting gastric cancer.

Investigation of Ca Insertion into α-MoO3 Nanoparticles for High Capacity Ca-Ion Cathodes.

Calcium-ion batteries (CIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to the low redox potential of calcium metal and high abundance of calcium compounds. Due to its layered structure, α-MoO3 is regarded as a promising cathode host lattice. While studies have reported that α-MoO3 can reversibly intercalate Ca ions, limited electrochemical activity has been noted, and its reaction mechanism remains unclear. Here, we re-examine Ca insertion into α-MoO3 nanoparticles with a goal to improve reaction kinetics and clarify the storage mechanism. The α-MoO3 electrodes demonstrated a specific capacity of 165 mA h g-1 centered near 2.7 V vs Ca2+/Ca, stable long-term cycling, and good rate performance at room temperature. This work demonstrates that, under the correct conditions, layered oxides can be a promising host material for CIBs and renews prospects for CIBs.