Glycolysis-Mediated Activation of v-ATPase by Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Ameliorates Lipid-Induced Cardiomyopathy by Repressing the CD36-TLR4 Axis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic overconsumption of lipids followed by their excessive accumulation in the heart leads to cardiomyopathy. The cause of lipid-induced cardiomyopathy involves a pivotal role for the proton-pump vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (v-ATPase), which acidifies endosomes, and for lipid-transporter CD36, which is stored in acidified endosomes. During lipid overexposure, an increased influx of lipids into cardiomyocytes is sensed by v-ATPase, which then disassembles, causing endosomal de-acidification and expulsion of stored CD36 from the endosomes toward the sarcolemma. Once at the sarcolemma, CD36 not only increases lipid uptake but also interacts with inflammatory receptor TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4), together resulting in lipid-induced insulin resistance, inflammation, fibrosis, and cardiac dysfunction. Strategies inducing v-ATPase reassembly, that is, to achieve CD36 reinternalization, may correct these maladaptive alterations. For this, we used NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide)-precursor nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), inducing v-ATPase reassembly by stimulating glycolytic enzymes to bind to v-ATPase. METHODS: Rats/mice on cardiomyopathy-inducing high-fat diets were supplemented with NMN and for comparison with a cocktail of lysine/leucine/arginine (mTORC1 [mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1]-mediated v-ATPase reassembly). We used the following methods: RNA sequencing, mRNA/protein expression analysis, immunofluorescence microscopy, (co)immunoprecipitation/proximity ligation assay (v-ATPase assembly), myocellular uptake of [3H]chloroquine (endosomal pH), and [14C]palmitate, targeted lipidomics, and echocardiography. To confirm the involvement of v-ATPase in the beneficial effects of both supplementations, mTORC1/v-ATPase inhibitors (rapamycin/bafilomycin A1) were administered. Additionally, 2 heart-specific v-ATPase-knockout mouse models (subunits V1G1/V0d2) were subjected to these measurements. Mechanisms were confirmed in pharmacologically/genetically manipulated cardiomyocyte models of lipid overload. RESULTS: NMN successfully preserved endosomal acidification during myocardial lipid overload by maintaining v-ATPase activity and subsequently prevented CD36-mediated lipid accumulation, CD36-TLR4 interaction toward inflammation, fibrosis, cardiac dysfunction, and whole-body insulin resistance. Lipidomics revealed C18:1-enriched diacylglycerols as lipid class prominently increased by high-fat diet and subsequently reversed/preserved by lysine/leucine/arginine/NMN treatment. Studies with mTORC1/v-ATPase inhibitors and heart-specific v-ATPase-knockout mice further confirmed the pivotal roles of v-ATPase in these beneficial actions. CONCLUSION: NMN preserves heart function during lipid overload by preventing v-ATPase disassembly.

Identifying SLC2A6 as the novel protective factor in breast cancer by TP53-related genes affecting M1 macrophage infiltration.

The high heterogeneity of breast cancer (BC) caused by pathogenic gene mutations poses a challenge to immunotherapy, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. The difference in the infiltration of M1 macrophages induced by TP53 mutations has a significant impact on BC immunotherapy. The aim of this study was to develop a TP53-related M1 macrophage infiltration molecular typing risk signature in BC and evaluate the biological functions of the key gene to find new immunotherapy biomarkers. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and negative matrix factorization (NMF) were used for distinguishing BC subtypes. The signature and the nomogram were both constructed and evaluated. Biological functions of the novel signature gene SLC2A6 were confirmed through in vitro and in vivo experiments. RNA-Sequencing and protein profiling were used for detecting the possible mechanism of SLC2A6. The results suggested that four BC subtypes were distinguished by TP53-related genes that affect M1 macrophage infiltration. The signature constructed by molecular typing characteristics could evaluate BC's clinical features and tumor microenvironment. The nomogram could accurately predict the prognosis. The signature gene SLC2A6 was found to have an abnormally low expression in tumor tissues. Overexpression of SLC2A6 could inhibit proliferation, promote mitochondrial damage, and result in apoptosis of tumor cells. The HSP70 family member protein HSPA6 could bind with SLC2A6 and increase with the increased expression of SLC2A6. In summary, the risk signature provides a reference for BC risk assessment, and the signature gene SLC2A6 could act as a tumor suppressor in BC.

Diagnostic potential of soluble ST2 and D-dimer for Stanford Type B aortic dissection and intramural aortic hematoma.

OBJECTIVE: Type B aortic dissection (TBAD) and intramural aortic hematoma (IMH) are common manifestations of Acute Aortic Syndrome (AAS), exhibiting overlapping clinical features. The timely and accurate diagnosis and differentiation between TBAD and IMH are critical for appropriate management. Tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) and D-dimer have been shown to elevate levels in both TBAD and IMH, making them valuable as "rule-out" markers. Hence, we aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of sST2 and D-dimer in distinguishing TBAD from IMH. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analyzed serum levels of sST2 and D-dimer in 182 AAS patients, comprising 90 TBAD cases, 92 IMH cases, and 90 non-AAS cases. Serial measurements were taken at 1 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, and 72 h post-admission. Comparative analyses were conducted between TBAD and non-AAS cases, IMH and non-AAS cases, and TBAD and IMH cases. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of sST2 and D-dimer in identifying TBAD or IMH cases. RESULTS: Both TBAD and IMH patients displayed elevated levels of sST2 and D-dimer compared to non-AAS cases. Notably, sST2 levels were significantly higher in TBAD patients than in IMH patients, whereas D-dimer levels exhibited moderate differences. TBAD patients tended to exhibit elevated levels of either sST2 or D-dimer, with a modest correlation between the two (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.3614). In contrast, IMH patients showed elevations in both markers, with a positive correlation between them (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.6814). The ROC analysis revealed that both sST2 (AUC, 0.657; 95 % CI, 0.552-0.753; cutoff value, 27.54 ng/ml) and D-dimer (AUC, 0.695; 95 % CI, 0.591-0.787, cutoff value, 1.215 ng/ml) demonstrated favorable diagnostic performance for TBAD. sST2 exhibited a sensitivity of 80.92 % and a specificity of 75.00 %, while D-dimer showed a sensitivity of 80.92 % and a specificity of 75.00 %. For the diagnosis of IMH, the combined assessment of sST2 and D-dimer (AUC, 0.674; 95 % CI, 0.599-0.768; sensitivity, 69.20 %; specificity, 80.00 %) proved effective. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that both sST2 and D-dimer show diagnostic potential for TBAD. Elevated levels of either serve as an indicator of TBAD onset. However, concurrent elevation of both markers seems to be indicative of IMH. The combination of increased sST2 and D-dimer levels demonstrates strong diagnostic performance in identifying IMH cases.

Detection and diagnosis of automated breast ultrasound in patients with BI-RADS category 4 microcalcifications: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Automated Breast Ultrasound (AB US) has shown good application value and prospects in breast disease screening and diagnosis. The aim of the study was to explore the ability of AB US to detect and diagnose mammographically Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4 microcalcifications. METHODS: 575 pathologically confirmed mammographically BI-RADS category 4 microcalcifications from January 2017 to June 2021 were included. All patients also completed AB US examinations. Based on the final pathological results, analyzed and summarized the AB US image features, and compared the evaluation results with mammography, to explore the detection and diagnostic ability of AB US for these suspicious microcalcifications. RESULTS: 250 were finally confirmed as malignant and 325 were benign. Mammographic findings including microcalcifications morphology (61/80 with amorphous, coarse heterogeneous and fine pleomorphic, 13/14 with fine-linear or branching), calcification distribution (189/346 with grouped, 40/67 with linear and segmental), associated features (70/96 with asymmetric shadow), higher BI-RADS category with 4B (88/120) and 4 C (73/38) showed higher incidence in malignant lesions, and were the independent factors associated with malignant microcalcifications. 477 (477/575, 83.0%) microcalcifications were detected by AB US, including 223 malignant and 254 benign, with a significantly higher detection rate for malignant lesions (x2 = 12.20, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed microcalcifications with architectural distortion (odds ratio [OR] = 0.30, P = 0.014), with amorphous, coarse heterogeneous and fine pleomorphic morphology (OR = 3.15, P = 0.037), grouped (OR = 1.90, P = 0.017), liner and segmental distribution (OR = 8.93, P = 0.004) were the independent factors which could affect the detectability of AB US for microcalcifications. In AB US, malignant calcification was more frequent in a mass (104/154) or intraductal (20/32), and with ductal changes (30/41) or architectural distortion (58/68), especially with the both (12/12). BI-RADS category results also showed that AB US had higher sensitivity to malignant calcification than mammography (64.8% vs. 46.8%). CONCLUSIONS: AB US has good detectability for mammographically BI-RADS category 4 microcalcifications, especially for malignant lesions. Malignant calcification is more common in a mass and intraductal in AB US, and tend to associated with architectural distortion or duct changes. Also, AB US has higher sensitivity than mammography to malignant microcalcification, which is expected to become an effective supplementary examination method for breast microcalcifications, especially in dense breasts.

An integrated simulation-optimization approach for combined allocation of water quantity and quality under multiple uncertainties.

Multiple uncertainties such as water quality processes, streamflow randomness affected by climate change, indicators' interrelation, and socio-economic development have brought significant risks in managing water quantity and quality (WQQ) for river basins. This research developed an integrated simulation-optimization modeling approach (ISMA) to tackle multiple uncertainties simultaneously. This approach combined water quality analysis simulation programming, Markov-Chain, generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation, and interval two-stage left-hand-side chance-constrained joint-probabilistic programming into an integration nonlinear modeling framework. A case study of multiple water intake projects in the Downstream and Delta of Dongjiang River Basin was used to demonstrate the proposed model. Results reveal that ISMA helps predict the trend of water quality changes and quantitatively analyze the interaction between WQQ. As the joint probability level increases, under strict water quality scenario system benefits would increase [3.23, 5.90] × 109 Yuan, comprehensive water scarcity based on quantity and quality would decrease [782.24, 945.82] × 106 m3, with an increase in water allocation and a decrease in pollutant generation. Compared to the deterministic and water quantity model, it allocates water efficiently and quantifies more economic losses and water scarcity. Therefore, this research has significant implications for improving water quality in basins, balancing the benefits and risks of water quality violations, and stabilizing socio-economic development.

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 mediates arginine symmetric dimethylation of influenza A virus PB2 and supports viral replication.

Influenza A virus (IAV) relies on intricate and highly coordinated associations with host factors for efficient replication and transmission. Characterization of such factors holds great significance for development of anti-IAV drugs. Our study identified protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) as a novel host factor indispensable for IAV replication. Silencing PRMT5 resulted in drastic repression of IAV replication. Our findings revealed that PRMT5 interacts with each protein component of viral ribonucleoproteins (vRNPs) and promotes arginine symmetric dimethylation of polymerase basic 2 (PB2). Overexpression of PRMT5 enhanced viral polymerase activity in a dose-dependent manner, emphasizing its role in genome transcription and replication of IAV. Moreover, analysis of PB2 protein sequences across various subtypes of IAVs demonstrated the high conservation of potential RG motifs recognized by PRMT5. Overall, our study suggests that PRMT5 supports IAV replication by facilitating viral polymerase activity by interacting with PB2 and promoting its arginine symmetric dimethylation. This study deepens our understanding of how IAV manipulates host factors to facilitate its replication and highlights the great potential of PRMT5 to serve as an anti-IAV therapeutic target.

Deep neural network for modeling soliton dynamics in the mode-locked laser.

Integrating the information of the first cycle of an optical pulse in a cavity into the input of a neural network, a bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi_LSTM) recurrent neural network (RNN) with an attention mechanism is proposed to predict the dynamics of a soliton from the detuning steady state to the stable mode-locked state. The training and testing are based on two typical nonlinear dynamics: the conventional soliton evolution from various saturation energies and soliton molecule evolution under different group velocity dispersion coefficients of optical fibers. In both cases, the root mean square error (RMSE) for 80% of the test samples is below 15%. In addition, the width of the conventional soliton pulse and the pulse interval of the soliton molecule predicted by the neural network are consistent with the experimental results. These results provide a new insight into the nonlinear dynamics modeling of the ultrafast fiber laser.

Correlation of idiopathic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo with cerebral small vessel disease.

BACKGROUND: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most prevalent form of peripheral vertigo, with vascular lesions being one of its suspected causes. The older adults are particularly vulnerable to BPPV. Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), on the other hand, is a clinical condition that results from damage of cerebral small vessels. Vascular involvement resulting from age-related risk factors and proinflammatory state may act as the underlying factor linking both BPPV and CSVD. AIM: The objective of this study is to explore the potential correlation between BPPV and CSVD by examining whether individuals aged 50 and older with BPPV exhibit a greater burden of CSVD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included patients aged 50 years and older who had been diagnosed with BPPV. A control group consisting of patients diagnosed with idiopathic facial neuritis (IFN) during the same time period was also included. The burden of cerebral white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) was evaluated using the Fazekas scale. An ordinal regression analysis was conducted to investigate the potential correlation between BPPV and WMHs. RESULTS: The study included a total of 101 patients diagnosed with BPPV and 116 patients with IFN. Patients with BPPV were found to be significantly more likely (OR = 2.37, 95% CI 1.40-4.03, p = 0.001) to have a higher Fazekas score compared to the control group. Brain infarctions, hypertension, and age were all identified as significant predictors of white matter hyperplasia on MRI, with OR of 9.9 (95% CI 4.21-24.84, P<0.001), 2.86 (95% CI 1.67-5.0, P<0.001), and 1.18 (95% CI 1.13-1.22, P<0.001) respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that vascular impairment caused by age-related risk factors and proinflammatory status may be contributing factors to the development of BPPV in individuals aged 50 and above, as we observed a correlation between the suffering of BPPV and the severity of WMHs.

PT-symmetric solitons and parameter discovery in self-defocusing saturable nonlinear Schrödinger equation via LrD-PINN.

We propose a physical information neural network with learning rate decay strategy (LrD-PINN) to predict the dynamics of symmetric, asymmetric, and antisymmetric solitons of the self-defocusing saturable nonlinear Schrödinger equation with the PT-symmetric potential and boost the predicted evolutionary distance by an order of magnitude. Taking symmetric solitons as an example, we explore the advantages of the learning rate decay strategy, analyze the anti-interference performance of the model, and optimize the network structure. In addition, the coefficients of the saturable nonlinearity strength and the modulation strength in the PT-symmetric potential are reconstructed from the dataset of symmetric soliton solutions. The application of more advanced machine learning techniques in the field of nonlinear optics can provide more powerful tools and richer ideas for the study of optical soliton dynamics.

Nanotechnology Lighting the Way for Gene Therapy in Ophthalmopathy: From Opportunities toward Applications.

Hereditary ophthalmopathy is a well-described threat to human visual health affecting millions of people. Gene therapy for ophthalmopathy has received widespread attention with the increasing understanding of pathogenic genes. Effective and safe delivery of accurate nucleic acid drugs (NADs) is the core of gene therapy. Efficient nanodelivery and nanomodification technologies, appropriate targeted genes, and the choice of drug injection methods are the guiding lights of gene therapy. Compared with traditional drugs, NADs can specifically change the expression of specific genes or restore the normal function of mutant genes. Nanodelivery carriers can improve targeting and nanomodification can improve the stability of NADs. Therefore, NADs, which can fundamentally solve pathogeny, hold great promise in the treatment of ophthalmopathy. This paper reviews the limitations of ocular disease treatment, discusses the classification of NADs in ophthalmology, reveals the delivery strategies of NADs to improve bioavailability, targeting, and stability, and summarizes the mechanisms of NADs in ophthalmopathy.

Genetic landscape of FOXC2 mutations in lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome: Different mechanism of pathogenicity for mutations in different domains.

Lymphedema-dissociated syndrome (LDS), of which the pathogenesis is not fully understood, afflicts many patients. In this study, we investigated the effect of FOXC2 gene loss-of-function on the development of LDS disease. Two Han Chinese families with LDS were recruited in this study, pathogenic mutations were identified by Sanger sequencing. Reverse-transcription PCR, subcellular localization, dual fluorescein enzymes, and other in vitro experiments were used to study the functional effects of eight FOXC2 mutations. Two pathogenic FOXC2 duplication mutations (c.930_936dup and c.931-937dup) were identified in the two families. Both mutations caused uneven distribution in the nucleus and a chromatin contraction phenotype, weakening the DNA binding activity and transcription activity. We then performed functional analysis on six additional mutations in different domains of FOXC2 that were reported to cause LDS. We found mutations located in the forkhead domain and central region dramatically reduced the transactivation ability, while mutations in activation domain-2 enhanced this ability. All 8 mutations down-regulated the transcription of ANGPT2 and affected the activity of the ERK-RAS pathway, which may cause abnormal formation of lymphatic vessels. Our findings also showed that all 8 mutations decreased the ability of interaction between FOXC2 and the Wnt4 promoter, suggesting mutations in FOXC2 may also affect the Wnt4-Frizzled-RYK signaling pathway, leading the abnormal differentiation of the meibomian glands into hair follicle cells during the embryonic period and causing distichiasis. This study expanded and revealed the potential pathogenesis mechanism.

Investigating optimal region for thermal and electrical properties of epoxy nanocomposites under high frequencies and temperatures.

This research investigates the optimal region to achieve balanced thermal and electrical insulation properties of epoxy (EP) under high frequency (HF) and high temperature (HT) via integration of surface-modified hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanoparticles. The effects of nanoparticle content and high temperature on various electrical (DC, AC, and high frequency) and thermal properties of EP are investigated. It is found that the nano h-BN addition enhances thermal performance and weakens electrical insulation properties. On the other side, under HF and HT stress, the presence of h-BN nanoparticles significantly improves the electrical performance of BN/EP nanocomposites. The EP has superior insulation properties at low temperature and low frequency, whereas the BN/EP nanocomposites exhibit better insulation performance than EP under HF and HT. The factors such as homogeneous nanoparticle dispersion in EP, enhanced thermal conductivity, nanoparticle surface modification, weight percent of nanoparticles, the mismatch between the relative permittivity of EP and nano h-BN, and the presence of voids in nanocomposites play the crucial role. The optimal nanoparticle content and homogenous dispersion can produce suitable EP composites for the high frequency and high temperature environment, particularly solid-state transformer applications.

The Competitive Endogenous RNA (ceRNA) Regulation in Porcine Alveolar Macrophages (3D4/21) Infected by Swine Influenza Virus (H1N1 and H3N2).

H1N1 and H3N2 are the two most common subtypes of swine influenza virus (SIV). They not only endanger the pig industry, but are also a huge risk of zoonotic diseases. However, the molecular mechanism and regulatory network of pigs (hosts) against influenza virus infection are still unclear. In this study, porcine alveolar macrophage cell (3D4/21) models infected by swine influenza virus (H1N1 and H3N2) were constructed. The expression profiles of miRNAs, mRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs after H1N1 and H3N2 infected 3D4/21 cells were revealed in this study. Then, two ceRNAs (TCONS_00166432-miR10391-MAN2A1 and novel_circ_0004733-miR10391-MAN2A1) that regulated H1N1 and H3N2 infection in 3D4/21 cells were verified by the methods of bioinformatics analysis, gene overexpression, gene interference, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), dual luciferase activity assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). In addition, the important candidate molecules (miR-10391, TCONS_00166432, and novel_circ_0004733) were identified by qPCR and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Finally, the regulatory effect and possible molecular mechanism of the target gene MAN2A1 were identified by the methods of gene interference, qPCR, Western blot and ELISA. The results of this study suggested that TCONS_00166432 and novel_circ_0004733 could competitively bind miR-10391 to target the MAN2A1 gene to regulate swine influenza virus infecting 3D4/21 cells. This study reported for the first time the ceRNA networks involved in the regulation of the swine influenza virus infecting 3D4/21 cells, which provided a new insight into the molecular mechanism of 3D4/21 cells against swine influenza virus infection.

ANALYSIS OF THE REFRESHER PERSONNEL STRUCTURE IN THE CLINICAL LABORATORY OF A 3A HOSPITAL CHINA.

To analyze the changes in refresher personnel structure in a clinical laboratory of a 3A hospital, understand the development trends in laboratory science, and provide a reference for refresher training in various hospitals. The basic information of the trainees in the institute from January 2009 to December 2018 was collected and analyzed with respect to gender, age, educational background, professional title, duration of training, number of trainees in sub-majors, and number of months of training in sub-majors. In the past 10 years, the gender of the trainees in the institute was mostly female. The educational level and professional title of the trainees have gradually increased. The training period was most often 6 months, and the sub-majors were mostly clinical microbiology and bone marrow cytology. With the change in the social environment, the structure and needs of personnel refresher training will change. Each hospital should reasonably plan the enrollment scale and scientifically formulate training plans and programs to meet the needs of continuing education in the new era.

Silencing of long non-coding RNA FOXD2-AS1 inhibits the progression of gallbladder cancer by mediating methylation of MLH1.

Evidence has documented the tumor-promoting properties of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) FOXD2 adjacent opposite strand RNA 1 (FOXD2-AS1) in many cancers. However, little is known about its role in gallbladder cancer. Here, we aimed to characterize the functional relevance of lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 in gallbladder cancer and the possible mechanisms associated with methylation of MutL homolog-1 (MLH1). Initially, microarray-based gene expression profiling of gallbladder cancer was employed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs. Next, the expression of lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 was examined, and the cell line presenting with the highest lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 expression was selected for subsequent experimentation. Then, the interaction between lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 and MLH1 was identified. The effect of lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 on proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis as well as tumorigenicity of transfected GBC-SD cells was examined with gain- and loss-of-function experiments. We found that lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 was highly expressed, while MLH1 was poorly expressed in gallbladder cancer cells. Besides, lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 could promote MLH1 methylation by recruiting DNMT1 to the MLH1 promoter, and consequently inhibit MLH1 transcription. Silencing of lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 or overexpression of MLH1 inhibited gallbladder cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, while facilitating cell apoptosis in vitro as well as retarding tumor growth in vivo. Thus, silencing of lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 suppressed the progression of gallbladder cancer via upregulation of MLH1 by inhibiting MLH1 promoter methylation. These findings present lncRNA FOXD2-AS1 knockdown as a potential candidate for the treatment of gallbladder cancer.

Long noncoding RNA LEF1-AS1 acts as a microRNA-10a-5p regulator to enhance MSI1 expression and promote chemoresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through activating AKT signaling pathway.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which could regulate various HCC biological characteristics. Here, the study seeks to investigate the role of lncRNA LEF1-AS1 in HCC cell chemoresistance by regulating microRNA (miR)-10a-5p and Musashi1 (MSI1). The microarray-based analysis was employed to identify the HCC-related lncRNA-miRNA-gene regulatory network. Expression patterns of LEF1-AS1, miR-10a-5p, and MSI1 in the HCC cell lines, tissues were accessed by means of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Next, the interaction among LEF1-AS1, miR-10a-5p, and MSI1 in HCC was accessed by bioinformatics and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Then, the cell line resistant to cisplatin was established, which was then treated with sh/oe-lncRNA LEF1-AS1, miR-10a-5p-mimic, and oe/sh-MSI1 vectors alone or in combination. Afterward, the effect of LEF1-AS1, miR-10a-5p, and MSI1 on HCC cell chemoresistance, proliferation, and apoptosis was assessed. At last, in vivo experiments confirmed the role of MSI1 in tumor growth and chemoresistance in HCC. LEF1-AS1 might potentially affect the growth and chemoresistance of HCC cells by regulating miR-10a-5p and MSI1. LEF1-AS1 and MSI1 expression patterns were elevated, while miR-10a-5p was repressed in HCC tissues and cell lines. LEF1-AS1 combined to miR-10a-5p and regulated MSI1, thereby activating the protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway. Knockdown of LEF1-AS1 and MSI1 or elevation of miR-10a-5p compromised the proliferation of Huh7 cell line resistant to DDP and promoted its chemosensitivity and apoptosis. At last, these in vitro findings were also confirmed in vivo. Our results unraveled LEF1-AS1 acts as a miR-10a-5p modulator to promote chemoresistance of HCC cells by stimulating MSI1 and activating the AKT signaling pathway, which might provide a novel therapeutic target for HCC.

Long noncoding RNA LINC00324 exerts protumorigenic effects on liver cancer stem cells by upregulating fas ligand via PU box binding protein.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a major cause of cancer death, but the molecular mechanism for its development has not yet been well characterized. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in a wide range of biological processes via their roles as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. The present study aimed to elucidate the role of LINC00324 in HCC through its interaction with Fas ligand (FasL). Initially, microarray-based gene expression profiling of HCC was employed to identify differentially expressed genes. Next, the expression of LINC00324 in HCC tissues and liver cancer stem cell (LCSC) lines was examined using RT-qPCR. Then, the interaction among LINC00324, PU box binding protein (PU.1) and FasL was identified with RIP, ChIP and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays. The effect of LINC00324 on viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis as well as the tumorigenesis of transfected cells was examined with gain- and loss-of-function experiments. LINC00324 and FasL were highly expressed in HCC. LINC00324 regulated FasL expression via interaction with PU.1. Silencing of LINC00324 or FasL suppressed expression of stemness-related genes, cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, self-renewal, and tumorigenesis, but enhanced cell apoptosis. Taken together, LINC00324 promotes the expression of FasL through the recruitment of PU.1, which ultimately maintains the biological properties of LCSCs, thus, highlighting LINC00324 as a promising therapeutic candidate for HCC.

Electrical and thermal performances of epoxy-based micro-nano hybrid composites at different electric fields and temperatures.

This paper investigates the electrical and thermal properties of pure epoxy resin (EP) and its micro-nano hybrid composites (20 wt% micro-AlN fillers with 1 wt% and 3 wt% nano-Al2O3fillers; 50% micro-AlN with 3% nano-Al2O3fillers) for power electronic packaging applications. Electrical properties such as space charge distribution, electrical conductivity and surface potential decay are measured. The thermal performance of the fabricated samples is estimated using thermal analysis devices. The hybrid composite consisting of 20 wt% micro-AlN and 1 wt% nano-Al2O3fillers exhibits the least space charge accumulation, higher thermal conductivity and better thermal stability. However, the excessive addition adversely affects space charge and electrical conductivity properties. The micro-nano hybrid composites significantly exhibit higher electrical conductivity than pure EP. The microfiller addition from 20 wt% to 50 wt% significantly improves the thermal conductivity of the EP. The reduced space charge injection and accumulation in the hybrid micro-nano composites are attributed to the enhancement of the injection barrier and reduction of the charge carrier traps in these materials. A theoretical mechanism of the charge dynamics inside the samples under different test conditions is proposed to support the experimental results.

[Effect of Dahuang Zhechong Pills combined with TACE on VEGF, MMP-2, TGF-ß1 and immune function of patients with primary liver cancer (blood stasis and collaterals blocking type)].

To investigate the effects of Dahuang Zhechong Pills combined with hepatic arterial chemoembolization(TACE) on tumor index and immune function of patients with primary liver cancer(blood stasis and collaterals blocking type), observe its application values in treatment of such patients, and provide effective treatment means for this disease. From June 2019 to December 2019, 79 patients with confirmed primary liver cancer(blood stasis and collaterals blocking type) treated in Wenzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included in this study, all of which were grouped with random number table method before inclusion in this study. 40 patients in the control group were treated with TACE, while 39 patients in the observation group were treated with Dahuang Zhechong Pills combined with TACE. The efficacy was compared between two groups after 4 weeks of treatment. The immune function indexes of serum CD4~+ cells, CD4~+/CD8~+, CD3~+ cells of the observation group were higher than those in control group after treatment(P<0.05), and tumor indexes such as serum alpha-fetoprotein(AFP), carbohydrate antigen 199(CA199) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase(ALT), total bilirubin(TBiL) levels were lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences(P<0.05). Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), transforming growth factor-ß1(TGF-ß1), and matrix metalloprotei-nase-2(MMP-2) levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after treatment, with statistically significant differences(P<0.05). The total effective rate of the observation group was 87.18%, higher than 67.50% in the control group, and the benefit rate was 94.87% in the observation group, higher than 85.00% in the control group(P<0.05). The total incidence of adverse reactions such as bone marrow suppression, gastrointestinal reaction, fever, renal function injury and peripheral nerve injury in the observation group was 48.72%, lower than 82.50% in the control group, with statistically significant difference(P<0.05). In summary, the combination of Dahuang Zhechong Pills with TACE could improve immunity, protect liver function, and reduce the risk of metastasis and the incidence of adverse reactions from chemotherapy, so it is worth popularizing for patients with primary liver cancer(blood stasis and collaterals blocking type).

Upregulated microRNA-194 impairs stemness of cholangiocarcinoma cells through the Rho pathway via inhibition of ECT2.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is devastating for its delayed presence, difficulty in diagnosis, and high mortality. Other studies have supported the important role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis of CCA, and the role of miR-194 was investigated in several human cancers, though, the molecular mechanism of miR-194 in CCA stem cells remains largely unknown. We aimed to identify the functional significance of miR-194 in CCA. The microarray-based analysis was applied to detect the epithelial cell transforming sequence 2 (ECT2) expression and predict the miRNA-regulated ECT2, followed by the identification of relationship between ECT2 and obtained miRNA by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The effects of depletion or ectopic expression of miR-194 on Rho pathway and the biological characteristics of CCA were assessed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide, scratch test, Transwell, and flow cytometry. Lastly, tumor growth was assessed by xenograft tumor in nude mice. ECT2 was highly expressed while miR-194 was poorly expressed in CCA stem cells, and the targeting relation between ECT2 and miR-194 was proved. More important, the elevated expression of miR-194 or ECT2 silencing inhibited the Rho pathway, and further promoted the apoptosis and suppressed the stem cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of CCA in vitro. miR-194 inhibited the tumor growth in vivo. In a word, miR-194 inhibits ECT2 and blocks the activation of Rho signaling pathway, thus promoting apoptosis, inhibiting proliferation and migration of CCA stem cells, and suppressing tumor growth. The mechanism can be regarded as a target for treating CCA.