Cadmium distribution and transformation in leaf cells involved in detoxification and tolerance in barley.

Barley is a diagnostic plant that often used in the research of soil pollution by heavy metals, our research explored the detoxification and tolerance mechanism of cadmium(Cd) in barley through pot experiment. We investigated subcellular distribution, chemical forms and oxidative damage of Cd in barley leaves, combing with the transmission electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR) to further understand the translocation, transformation characteristics and toxic effect of Cd in cells. The results showed that, the bioaccumulation factors in roots and shoots of barley were ranged of 4.03-7.48 and 0.51-1.30, respectively. Barley reduces the toxic effects by storing Cd in the roots and reducing its transport to the shoots. Compared to the control treatment (0 mg/kg), the percentage of Cd in the cell wall fractions of leaves in 300 mg/kg Cd treatment increased from 34.74 % to 38.41 %; the percentage of the organelle fractions increased from 24.47 % to 56.02 %; and the percentage of soluble fraction decreased from 40.80 % to 5.57 %. We found that 69.13 % of the highly toxic inorganic Cd and water-soluble Cd were converted to less toxic pectates and protein-integrated Cd (50.20 %) and undissolved Cd phosphates (18.93 %). This conversion of Cd was mainly due to its combination with -OH, -NH, -CN, -C-O-C, and -C-O-P groups. Excessive Cd induced a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the levels of peroxidase, malondialdehyde, and cell membrane permeability, which damaged the cell membrane and allowed Cd to enter the organelles. The chloroplasts and mitochondria were destroyed, and eventually the metabolism of intracellular substances was affected, resulting in symptoms of toxicity. Our research provides cellular-scale insight into the mechanisms of Cd tolerance in barley.

Development and Validation of a Double-Sensor Hump Calibration Method for Articulated Vehicle Model Identification.

The realistic simulation of the dynamic responses of a moving articulated vehicle has attracted considerable attention in various disciplines, with the identification of the vehicle model being the prerequisite. To this end, a double-sensor hump calibration method (DHCM) was developed to identify both unladen and laden vehicle models, consisting of a sensor layout optimization step and a system identification step. The first step was to optimize the number and position of sensors via parameter sensitivity analysis; the second was to inversely identify the vehicle system based on sensor responses. For comparison, the DHCM and the existing single-sensor hump calibration method (SHCM) were used to calibrate a small-sized vehicle model and a multi-axle articulated vehicle model. Vertical accelerations of the vehicle models were then simulated and characterized by power spectral densities (PSDs). Validation against experimental measurements indicated that the PSDs of the models identified with the DHCM matched the measured PSDs better than those of the SHCM, i.e., the DHCM-identified model accurately simulated the dynamic response of an articulated vehicle with relative errors below 16% in the low-frequency range. Therefore, the DHCM could identify models of small-sized vehicles and multi-axle articulated vehicles, while the SHCM was only suitable for the former.

Cost-efficient snare-assisted peroral endoscopic myotomy in comparison of conventional endoscopic knife for treatment of achalasia: results of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To date, the ideal endoscopic knife for peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) with good performance and cost-effectiveness is still under investigation. The present study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of snare-assisted POEM, compared with the conventional endoscopic knife approach. METHODS: From May 2017 to December 2018, patients with achalasia presenting for POEM without previous endoscopic or surgical therapy were prospectively recruited in this randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomly allocated to receive POEM using either the snare (snare group) or HookKnife (conventional group). The primary outcome was clinical success (Eckardt score ≤ 3) at 12-month follow-up, powered for noninferiority with a margin of -15%. The secondary outcomes included adverse events (AEs), procedure-related parameters, clinical outcomes, and cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: A total of 75 patients with similar baseline characteristics between the snare (N = 37) and conventional (N = 38) groups were included. Clinical success at 12-month follow-up was achieved in 94.6% of patients in the snare group and 92.1% of patients in the conventional group (difference, 2.5% [95% CI, -8.7% to 13.7%]; P < 0.001 for noninferiority). No severe AEs occurred in both groups. The use of snare is associated with comparable procedure time (40.6 minutes vs. 42.5 minutes, P = 0.337), a lower frequency of hemostatic forceps use (27.0% vs. 68.4%, P < 0.001), and lower hospital costs ($4271.1 vs. $5327.3, P < 0.001). The cost-effectiveness plane revealed that 96.9% of snare-assisted POEM procedures offered more cost-savings and health utility benefits. CONCLUSIONS: The snare-assisted POEM was noninferior to the conventional endoscopic knife approach in terms of clinical efficacy, with comparable safety outcomes and cost-effective benefits.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy for patients with achalasia with previous Heller myotomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Heller myotomy (HM) is considered the standard surgical treatment for patients with achalasia. However, approximately 10% to 20% of patients with achalasia have persistent or recurrent symptoms after HM that require further therapy. Several studies have reported the outcomes of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in these patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of POEM in patients with achalasia with previous HM. METHODS: An electronic literature search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted up to January 31, 2020. Studies evaluating the outcomes of POEM in patients with achalasia with previous HM were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcomes were the pooled rates of clinical success (defined as post-POEM Eckardt score ≤3), mean change in Eckardt score, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, and integrated relaxation pressure (IRP). The secondary outcomes were procedure-related adverse events (AEs) and incidence of postoperative GERD. RESULTS: A total of 9 studies involving 272 patients with achalasia were recruited in this review. POEM was successfully performed in 270 (99.3%) patients after previous HM. Clinical success was achieved in 90.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 83.1%-96.8%) of patients. Eckardt score, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, and IRP were significantly lowered by 5.14 (95% CI, 4.19-6.09), 12.01 mm Hg (95% CI, 6.74-17.27), and 10.02 mm Hg (95% CI, 4.95-15.09), respectively. The pooled rates of postoperative symptomatic reflux, esophagitis, and abnormal pH monitoring were 36.9% (95% CI, 20.7%-53.1%), 33.0% (95% CI, 9.6%-56.4%), and 47.8% (95% CI, 33.4%-62.2%), respectively. Substantial heterogeneity was detected across all outcome measurements. Most of the AEs were self-limiting or managed conservatively. CONCLUSIONS: POEM is a safe and effective treatment for patients with achalasia with previous HM. Further data from prospective, controlled studies with long-term follow-up are needed to confirm these findings.

Sodium nitroprusside protects HFD induced gut dysfunction via activating AMPKα/SIRT1 signaling.

BACKGROUND: Activation of Adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase/Sirtuin1 (AMPK/SIRT1) exerts an effect in alleviating obesity and gut damage. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, has been reported to activate AMPK. This study was to investigate the effect of SNP on HFD induced gut dysfunction and the mechanism. METHODS: SNP was applied on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated Caco-2 cell monolayers which mimicked intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction and HFD-fed mice which were complicated by gut dysfunction. Then AMPKα/SIRT1 pathway and gut barrier indicators were investigated. RESULTS: SNP rescued the loss of tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin, the inhibition of AMPKα/SIRT1 in LPS stimulated Caco-2 cell monolayers, and the effects were not shown when AMPKa1 was knocked-down by siRNA. SNP also alleviated HFD induced obesity and gut dysfunction in mice, as indicated by the decreasing of intestinal permeability, the increasing expression of ZO-1 and occludin, the decreasing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6, and the repairing of gut microbiota dysbiosis. These effects were complicated by the increased colonic NO content and the activated AMPKα/SIRT1 signaling. CONCLUSIONS: The results may imply that SNP, as a NO donor, alleviates HFD induced gut dysfunction probably by activating the AMPKα/SIRT1 signaling pathway.

Bioactive scaffolds based on collagen filaments with tunable physico-chemical and biological features.

Native tissues such as nerve bundles, blood vessels and tendons have extracellular matrices with a characteristic linear orientation, which cannot be fully achieved with the current technology for the development of regenerative biomaterials. In this study, bioactive and oriented collagen filaments have been fabricated using a combination of wet-spinning and carbodiimide-based crosslinking. The wet-spinning techniques, including extrusion and collection rates, and their influences on collagen filaments were studied and optimized. The diameter of the attained collagen filaments can be adjusted ranging from 30 µm to 650 µm. Further characterizations, such as circular dichroism, scanning electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering and Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis, showed that the native structure of the collagen was greatly preserved after the filament preparation process. The measurements of weight swelling ratio and degradation rate indicate that the crosslinking method can efficiently regulate the physico-chemical properties of collagen filaments, including water absorption and degradation behaviors. In particular, the mechanical strength of collagen filaments can be greatly improved via crosslinking. In addition, cells can adhere and spread on collagen filaments in well-aligned patterns, showing appropriate biological features. It can be concluded that the bioactive collagen filaments with tunable properties are preferable for developing tissue engineering scaffolds with characteristic orientation features. With further study of the interactions between collagen filaments and cells, this work may shed light on the development of collagen based biomaterials that would be beneficial in the field of tissue engineering.

Association of CYP3A4*18B and CYP3A5*3 polymorphism with cyclosporine-related liver injury in Chinese renal transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between CYP3A4*18B and CYP3A5*3 polymorphism and cyclosporine-related liver injuries in Chinese renal transplant recipients. METHODS: We genotyped 339 renal transplant recipients treated with a triple immunosuppressive regimen including cyclosporine for CYP3A4*18B and CYP3A5*3 polymorphism using the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. RESULTS: The incidence of liver injury in the study population was 36.9% (125/339). At 1 month after transplantation, the trough concentration of cyclosporine (C0) in the group with CYP3A4*1/*1(GG alleles) was significantly higher than in the group with CYP3A4*18B/*1 8B(AA alleles) (p < 0.05). At 3 months after transplantation, the C0 in the group with CYP3A4*1/*1 and group with CYP3A4*1/*18B was markedly higher than in the group with CYP3A4*18B/*18B (p < 0.05). The GG genotypes of CYP3A4*18B were more common in the liver injury group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that subjects carrying the GG genotypes had a 5.136- and 2.528-fold higher risk of developing cyclosporine-related liver injury than those with the AA and GA genotypes. When adjusted for sex, the risk of the CYP3A4*18B genotypes was OR = 4.969 for GG compared to AA (p = 0.030), and OR = 2.634 for GG compared to GA (p = 0.025). However, no association was observed between CYP3A5*3 polymorphisms with cyclosporine-related liver injury. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that the wild type of CYP3A4*18B is a risk factor for the development of cyclosporine- related liver injuries in Chinese renal transplant recipients.

Does university-industry collaboration improve firm productivity? Evidence from China.

China's high-quality development cannot be achieved without high-quality research. As the university is an indispensable source of advanced research, analyzing the impact of university-industry collaboration (UIC) on firm performance helps us understand the significance of universities for China's economic development and innovation activities. As existing research does not pay attention to the impact of UIC on the productivity of Chinese firms, we examine the impact of such collaboration on firm productivity using natural language processing and by matching China's intellectual property and listed firms' operations databases. The empirical results show that UIC can promote firm productivity by improving the quality of their innovations, strengthening internalization efficiency, and broadening their research horizons. Moreover, the UIC process has a pronounced effect on promoting firm productivity in technology- and intellectual property-intensive industries. From the UIC perspective, we interpret China's economic development and provide new insights for developing countries regarding using universities to alleviate the insufficiency of private R&D investments.

Clinical implications of the latest advances in gastrointestinal tumor research.

In this editorial, we provide commentary on six articles recently published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology. These articles collectively present the latest findings in the field of gastric and colorectal cancer (CRC) research. The global incidence of gastric cancer varies based on geographical location, age, and sex. The disease predominantly affects middle-aged and elderly individuals, with a slightly higher prevalence in men than in women. CRC is characterized by a low 5-year survival rate and high mortality rate. It primarily affects individuals over the age of 50, and the risk of disease increases with age. Both gastric and CRC pose significant health threats, thus requiring more effective diagnostic, therapeutic, and supportive care strategies to improve patient outcomes. The articles discussed in this editorial encompass topics such as screening, diagnosis, mechanisms of progression, and postoperative recovery in gastric and CRC, and the findings offer valuable insights for clinical decision-making in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of gastrointestinal cancers.

ScHGSC-IGDC: Identifying genes with differential correlations of high-grade serous ovarian cancer based on single-cell RNA sequencing analysis.

Due to the high heterogeneity of ovarian cancer (OC), it occupies the main cause of cancer-related death among women. As the most aggressive and frequent subtype of OC, high-grade serous cancer (HGSC) represents around 70 % of all patients. With the booming progress of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), unique and subtle changes among different cell states have been identified including novel risk genes and pathways. Here, our present study aims to identify differentially correlated core genes between normal and tumor status through HGSC scRNA-seq data analysis. R package high-dimension Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (hdWGCNA) was implemented for building gene interaction networks based on HGSC scRNA-seq data. DiffCorr was integrated for identifying differentially correlated genes between tumor and their adjacent normal counterparts. Software Cytoscape was implemented for constructing and visualizing biological networks. Real-time qPCR (RT-qPCR) was utilized to confirm expression pattern of new genes. We introduced ScHGSC-IGDC (Identifying Genes with Differential Correlations of HGSC based on scRNA-seq analysis), an in silico framework for identifying core genes in the development of HGSC. We detected thirty-four modules in the network. Scores of new genes with opposite correlations with others such as NDUFS5, TMSB4X, SERPINE2 and ITPR2 were identified. Further survival and literature validation emphasized their great values in the HGSC management. Meanwhile, RT-qPCR verified expression pattern of NDUFS5, TMSB4X, SERPINE2 and ITPR2 in human OC cell lines and tissues. Our research offered novel perspectives on the gene modulatory mechanisms from single cell resolution, guiding network based algorithms in cancer etiology field.

Identification of prognostic risk model based on plasma cell markers in hepatocellular carcinoma through single-cell sequencing analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a substantial global health burden. Tumorinfiltrating B lymphocytes (TIL-Bs) contribute to tumor progression and significantly impact the efficacy of tumor therapy. However, the characteristics of TIL-Bs in HCC and their effect on HCC therapy remain elusive. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) was applied to investigate the heterogeneity, cellular differentiation and cell-cell communication of TIL-Bs in HCC. Further, the Cancer Genome Atlas-liver hepatocellular carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) and liver cancer institutes (LCI) cohorts were applied to construct and validate the plasma cell marker-based prognostic risk model. The relationship between the prognostic risk model and the responsiveness of immunotherapy and chemotherapy in patients with HCC were estimated by OncoPredict and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) algorithm. Finally, we established nomogram and calibration curves to evaluate the precision of the risk score in predicating survival probability. Our data identified five subtypes of TIL-Bs in HCC, each exhibiting varying levels of infiltration in tumor tissues. The interactions between TIL-Bs and other cell types contributed to shaping distinct tumor microenvironments (TME). Moreover, we found that TIL-Bs subtypes had disparate prognostic values in HCC patients. The prognostic risk model demonstrated exceptional predictive accuracy for overall survival and exhibited varying sensitivities to immunotherapy and chemotherapy among patients with HCC. Our data demonstrated that the risk score stood as an independent prognostic predictor and the nomogram results further affirmed its strong prognostic capability. This study reveals the heterogeneity of TIL-Bs and provides a prognostic risk model based on plasma cell markers in HCC, which could prove valuable in predicting prognosis and guiding the choice of suitable therapies for patients with HCC.

Alteration of serum miR-206 and miR-133b is associated with lung carcinogenesis induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone.

The alteration of microRNA (miRNA) expression plays an important role in chemical carcinogenesis. Presently, few reports have been published that concern the significance of circulating miRNAs in lung carcinogenesis induced by environmental carcinogens. The purpose of this study was to identify serum miRNAs that could be associated with lung carcinogenesis induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). Male F344 rats were systemically administered with NNK. The rat serum differential expression profiles of miRNAs were analyzed by small RNA solexa sequencing. Using quantitative real-time PCR, the differentially expressed serum miRNAs were identified in each individual rat. Serum miR-206 and miR-133b were selected for further identification in rat serum at different stages of lung carcinogenesis; we detected the levels of serum miR-206 and miR-133b in lung cancer tissues induced by NNK. NNK causes significant alteration of serum miRNA expression. Compared to the control group, serum miR-206 and miR-133b were significantly up-regulated in the early stage of NNK-induced lung carcinogenesis. miR-206 and miR-133b exhibited low-expression in lung cancer tissues. Our results demonstrate that lung carcinogen NNK exposure changes the expression of serum miRNAs. Serum miR-206 and miR-133b could be associated with lung carcinogenesis induced by NNK.

Wind tunnel tests for wind pressure distribution on gable roof buildings.

Gable roof buildings are widely used in industrial buildings. Based on wind tunnel tests with rigid models, wind pressure distributions on gable roof buildings with different aspect ratios were measured simultaneously. Some characteristics of the measured wind pressure field on the surfaces of the models were analyzed, including mean wind pressure, fluctuating wind pressure, peak negative wind pressure, and characteristics of proper orthogonal decomposition results of the measured wind pressure field. The results show that extremely high local suctions often occur in the leading edges of longitudinal wall and windward roof, roof corner, and roof ridge which are the severe damaged locations under strong wind. The aspect ratio of building has a certain effect on the mean wind pressure coefficients, and the effect relates to wind attack angle. Compared with experimental results, the region division of roof corner and roof ridge from AIJ2004 is more reasonable than those from CECS102:2002 and MBMA2006.The contributions of the first several eigenvectors to the overall wind pressure distributions become much bigger. The investigation can offer some basic understanding for estimating wind load distribution on gable roof buildings and facilitate wind-resistant design of cladding components and their connections considering wind load path.

The Role of RNA m6A Modification in Cancer Glycolytic Reprogramming.

As one of the main characteristics of neoplasia, metabolic reprogramming provides nutrition and energy to enhance cell proliferation and maintain environment homeostasis. Glycolysis is one of the most important components of cancer metabolism and the Warburg effect contributes to the competitive advantages of cancer cells in the threatened microenvironment. Studies show strong links between N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and metabolic recombination of cancer cells. As the most abundant modification in eukaryotic RNA, m6A methylation plays important roles in regulating RNA processing, including splicing, stability, transportation, translation and degradation. The aberration of m6A modification can be observed in a variety of diseases such as diabetes, neurological diseases and cancers. This review describes the mechanisms of m6A on cancer glycolysis and their applications in cancer therapy and prognosis evaluation, aiming to emphasize the importance of targeting m6A in modulating cancer metabolism.

Use of the Scissor-Type Knife During the Peroral Endoscopy Myotomy Procedure for the Treatment of Achalasia.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is one of the first-line treatment modalities along with pneumatic dilation and Heller myotomy for patients with achalasia. Endoscopists, especially trainees during the learning phase, commonly face difficulty in tissue plane dissection and selective myotomy while working near the esophagogastric junction, with increased risks of inadvertent injury, unexpected bleeding, and inadequate myotomy. To minimize the technical difficulty and improve the safety of POEM, we describe a protocol for using a scissor-type knife for the main steps of POEM, including mucosal incision, submucosal tunneling, myotomy, and hemostasis. The standard techniques used with the scissor-type knife involve grasping the target tissue, and then dissection or coagulation. The confirmation of the cutting line after grasping improves the accuracy and reliability of dissection, which is particularly useful for the selective myotomy of the internal circular muscle. Meanwhile, the scissor-type knife provides enhanced hemostatic capability and enables hemostasis and pre-coagulation without the device exchange for hemostatic forceps. Evaluation of the clinical outcomes in three patients who successfully received POEM using the scissor-type knife revealed no perioperative adverse events. At the 3-month follow-up, all patients achieved clinical success with postoperative Eckardt scores ranging from 0 to 1. In conclusion, the use of a scissor-type knife could minimize the technical difficulty and improve the safety of the POEM procedures, which may be suitable for trainees during the learning phase.

MicroRNA-622 functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting K-Ras and enhancing the anticarcinogenic effect of resveratrol.

Aberrant expression of microRNA (miRNA) has been previously demonstrated to play an important role in a wide range of cancer types and further elucidation of its role in the mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, anticarcinogenesis and potential chemotherapeutics is warranted. We chose the anti-benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide-transformed human bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE-T to study miRNAs involved in anticarcinogenesis. In resveratrol-treated cells, we found that miR-622 was upregulated, whereas it was downregulated in 16HBE-T cells, suggesting that miR-622 potentially acts as a tumor suppressor. Increasing the level of miR-622 by transient transfection-induced inhibition of proliferation and G(0) arrest in 16HBE-T cells and the lung cancer cell line H460 as demonstrated by cell viability and cell cycle analysis. MiR-622 dramatically suppressed the ability of 16HBE-T cells to form colonies in vitro and to develop tumors in nude mice. According to bioinformatics analysis, K-Ras messenger RNA was predicted as a putative miR-622 target; this was confirmed by western blot and luciferase reporter assays. Cell growth retardation was inhibited upon knockdown of K-Ras and an increase in the level of miR-622 in 16HBE-T cells. Furthermore, miR-622 inhibitor partially impaired the growth of 16HBE-T cells as demonstrated by luciferase reporter activity and K-Ras protein expression in 16HBE-T cells. In summary, miR-622 functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting K-Ras and impacting the anticancer effect of resveratrol. Therefore, miR-622 is potentially useful as a clinical therapy. MiR-622 impacts the K-Ras signal pathway and the potentially anticarcinogenic or chemotherapeutic properties warrant further investigation.

Video Vectorization via Bipartite Diffusion Curves Propagation and Optimization.

We propose a new video vectorization approach for converting videos in the raster format to vector representation with the benefits of resolution independence and compact storage. Through classifying extracted curves in each video frame into salient ones and non-salient ones, we introduce a novel bipartite diffusion curves (BDCs) representation in order to preserve both important image features such as sharp boundaries and regions with smooth color variation. This bipartite representation allows us to propagate non-salient curves across frames such that the propagation, in conjunction with geometry optimization and color optimization of salient curves, ensures the preservation of fine details within each frame and across different frames, and meanwhile, achieves good spatial-temporal coherence. Thorough experiments on a variety of videos show that our method is capable of converting videos to the vector representation with low reconstruction errors, low computational cost, and fine details, demonstrating our superior performance over the state of the art. We also show that, when used for video upsampling, our method produces results comparable to video super-resolution.

Differential gene expression analysis after DAPK1 knockout in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Background: The mechanism through which death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) causes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify key proteins that were altered after DAPK1 knockout. Methods: Stable DAPK1 knockout HCC cell lines were established, then the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of HCC were screened using the NetworkAnalyst database and enriched using the Metascape software. Protein-protein interaction networks (PPIs) were analyzed and visualized using the STRING database expansion. Results: In total, 732 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 415 upregulated genes and 317 downregulated genes. Through Cytoscape software scoring, 10 pivotal genes were found to be closely related to changes in DAPK1 expression; Kininogen-1 (KNG1), Complement C3 (C3), Metalloproteinase inhibitor 1 (TIMP1), and Alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) were the most strongly associated with DAPK1 expression changes. Moreover, western blot analysis results revealed that changes in the levels of proteins encoded by the four key genes after DAPK1 knockout were consistent with those seen in the database screening. Conclusions: These results provide a direction for further studies on the DAPK1 gene and on the mechanism through which DAPK1 leads to hepatocellular carcinoma development.

Acute toxicological study: EZY-1 with potent therapeutic effects of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and its mechanisms.

EZY-1 is an antifibrosis peptide purified from Eucheuma. In this study, we explored the acute toxicology of EZY-1 and the signaling pathways involved in its antifibrotic role. The mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was induced by bleomycin. Pathological changes in lung tissue could be effectively inhibited by EZY-1. Acute toxicity and cell proliferation tests indicated that EZY-1 had no apparent toxicity to mice and cells. We identified proteins that could bind directly to EZY-1 in vitro on the basis of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and bioinformatics analysis. EZY-1 inhibited pulmonary fibrosis via Wnt/ß-catenin, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß/Smad, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/ mammalian target of rapamycin, and activator of transcription 3 and Janus kinase 2/signal transducer pathways. A transwell micropore experiment showed that EZY-1 could inhibit cell migration and invasion. Western blotting analysis on transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)-induced A549 pulmonary fibrosis cell model suggested that EZY-1 could downregulate p-Smad3 (Ser423/Ser425), Smad4, ß-catenin, vimentin, and N-cadherin expression. ELISA showed that EZY-1 could inhibit collagen-I secretion. EZY-1 alleviated idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) through regulating TGF-ß/Smad pathways, epithelial-mesenchymal transition processes, and collagen secretion, which provides a potential foundation for theoretical development of EZY-1 as a potential drug against IPF. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: We isolated a new 16-amino-acid peptide derived from the polypeptide extract of Eucheuma, named EZY-1. In vitro and in vivo assays show peptide EZY-1 is safe. The EZY-1 peptide alleviates IPF at lower doses than pirfenidone. EZY-1 alleviated idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) through regulating TGF-ß/Smad pathways, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) processes, and collagen secretion, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of EZY-1 as a potential drug against IPF.

[Effect of miR-542-3p on carcinogenesis induced by anti-benzo(a) pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of miR-542-3p in malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) induced by anti-benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (anti-BPDE). METHODS: The relative expression level of mature miR-542-3p in transformed cells (16HBE-T) and untransformed control cells (16HBE-N) was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). miRNA mimic was transiently transfected into 16HBE-T to change the expression level of miR-542-3p, and then the influenced changes of cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and soft agar colony formation rate and the migration of transfected cells were analyzed. RESULTS: Before transfection, the expression level of mature miR-542-3p in 16HBE-T was lower (39.08 ± 6.95)% than it in 16HBE-N (t = 15.18, P < 0.05). In comparison with the 16HBE-T group, the expression level of miR-542-3p in miR-542-3p mimic-transfected group was (5.23 ± 0.55) fold (t = 17.37, P < 0.05) after transfection. Cell proliferation of mimic-transfected group was decreased to (62.06 ± 5.61)% (t = -17.28, P < 0.05), percentage of cells in G(0)/G(1) phase up to (74.76 ± 4.86)% (t = 4.53, P < 0.05), rate of colony formation degrade to (5.87 ± 0.67)% (t = -6.66, P < 0.05), coverage areas ratio decreased to (0.31 ± 0.08) (t = -6.78, P < 0.05). There was no change with apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Our studies showed that miR-542-3p played the role as a tumor suppressor, which led to a significant decrease in the proliferation capacity and degree of malignancy. These findings suggest aberrantly down-regulated miR-542-3p may be one critical factor that contributes to malignant transformation of 16HBE induced by anti-BPDE.