Eubacterium album sp. nov., a butyrate-producing bacterium isolated from faeces of a healthy human.

An oval to rod-shaped, Gram-stain-positive, strictly anaerobic bacterium, designated LFL-14T, was isolated from the faeces of a healthy Chinese woman. Cells of the strain were non-spore-forming, grew optimally at 37 °C (growth range 30-45 °C) and pH 7.0 (growth range 6.0-9.0) under anaerobic conditions in the liquid modified Gifu anaerobic medium (mGAM). The result of 16S rRNA gene-based analysis indicated that LFL-14T shared an identity of 94.7 0% with Eubacterium ventriosum ATCC 27560T, indicating LFL-14T represented a novel taxon. The results of genome-based analysis revealed that the average nucleotide identity (ANI), the digital DNA-DNA hybridisation (dDDH) and average amino acid identity (AAI) between LFL-14T and its phylogenetically closest neighbour, Eubacterium ventriosum ATCC 27560T, were 77.0 %, 24.6 and 70.9 %, respectively, indicating that LFL-14T represents a novel species of the genus Eubacterium. The genome size of LFL-14T was 2.92 Mbp and the DNA G+C content was 33.14 mol%. We analysed the distribution of the genome of LFL-14T in cohorts of healthy individuals, type 2 diabetes patients (T2D) and patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We found that its abundance was higher in the T2D cohort, but it had a low average abundance of less than 0.2 % in all three cohorts. The percentages of frequency of occurrence in the T2D, healthy and NAFLD cohorts were 48.87 %, 16.72 % and 13.10 % respectively. The major cellular fatty acids of LFL-14T were C16 : 0 (34.4 %), C17 : 0 2-OH (21.4 %) and C14 : 0 (11.7 %). Additionally, the strain contained diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), as well as unidentified phospholipids and unidentified glycolipids. The glucose fermentation products of LFL-14T were acetate and butyrate. In summary, On the basis of its chemotaxonomic, phenotypic, phylogenetic and phylogenomic properties, strain LFL-14T (= CGMCC 1.18005T = KCTC 25580T) is identified as representing a novel species of the genus Eubacterium, for which the name Eubacterium album sp. nov. is proposed.

Protective effects of butyric acid during heat stress on the survival, immune response, histopathology, and gene expression in the hepatopancreas of juvenile pacific shrimp (L. Vannamei).

This study looked at the effects of adding butyric acid (BA) to the diets of juvenile Pacific shrimp and how it affected their response to survival, immunity, histopathological, and gene expression profiles under heat stress. The shrimp were divided into groups: a control group with no BA supplementation and groups with BA inclusion levels of 0.5 %, 1 %, 1.5 %, 2 %, and 2.5 %. Following the 8-week feeding trial period, the shrimp endured a heat stress test lasting 1 h at a temperature of 38 °C. The results showed that the control group had a lower survival rate than those given BA. Interestingly, no mortality was observed in the group receiving 1.5 % BA supplementation. Heat stress had a negative impact on the activities of alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) in the control group. Still, these activities were increased in shrimp fed the BA diet. Similar variations were observed in AST and ALT fluctuations among the different groups. The levels of triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol (CHO) increased with high temperatures but were reduced in shrimp-supplemented BA. The activity of an antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased with higher BA levels (P < 0.05). Moreover, the groups supplemented with 1.5 % BA exhibited a significant reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) content (P < 0.05), suggesting the potential antioxidant properties of BA. The histology of the shrimp's hepatopancreas showed improvements in the groups given BA. Conversely, the BA significantly down-regulated the HSPs and up-regulated MnSOD transcript level in response to heat stress. The measured parameters determine the essential dietary requirement of BA for shrimp. Based on the results, the optimal level of BA for survival, antioxidant function, and immunity for shrimp under heat stress is 1.5 %.

Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Randomized Clinical Trial of 10 and 14 Days.

BACKGROUND: Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is the first-line treatment for eradicating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The optimal duration for H. pylori eradication using bismuth-containing quadruple therapy remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to compare the clinical effects of the 10- and 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple treatment regimen to eradicate H. pylori. METHODS: Treatment-naïve patients with H. pylori infection (n = 1300) were enrolled in this multicenter randomized controlled study across five hospitals in China. They were randomized into 10- or 14-day treatment groups to receive bismuth-containing quadruple therapy as follows: vonoprazan 20 mg twice daily; bismuth 220 mg twice daily; amoxicillin 1000 mg twice daily; and either clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily or tetracycline 500 mg four times daily. At least 6 weeks after treatment, we performed a 13C-urea breath test to evaluate H. pylori eradication. RESULTS: The per-protocol eradication rates were 93.22% (564/605) and 93.74% (569/607) (p < 0.001) and the intention-to-treat eradication rates were 88.62% (576/650) and 89.38% (581/650) (p = 0.007) for the 10- and 14-day regimens, respectively. Incidence of adverse effects was lower in patients who received 10- vs. 14 days of treatment (22.59% vs. 28.50%, p = 0.016). We observed no significant differences in the compliance to treatment or the discontinuation of therapy because of severe adverse effects between the groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with the 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple regimens, the 10-day regimen demonstrated a non-inferior efficacy and lower incidence of adverse effects. Therefore, the 10-day regimen is safe and tolerated and could be recommended for H. pylori eradication (NCT05049902).

Prognostic effects of previous cancer history on patients with major salivary gland cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the prognostic effects of previous cancer history on patients with major salivary gland cancer (SGC). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: SGC patients with (sec-SGC) and without (one-SGC) a previous cancer from the SEER database were identified. Cox proportional hazards regression (CoxPH) models were used to compare the prognosis between sec-SGC and one-SGC patients. Subgroup analyses for sec-SGC patients by gender, previous cancer types, previous cancer histology, and cancer diagnosis interval (CDI) were performed. Two CoxPH models were constructed to distinguish sec-SGC patients with different prognostic risks. RESULTS: 9098 SGC patients were enrolled. Overall, sec-SGC patients (adjusted HR [aHR] = 1.26, p < 0.001), especially those with a CDI ≤ 5 years (aHR = 1.47, p < 0.001), had worse overall survival (OS) than one-SGC patients. In subgroup analysis, only sec-SGC patients with a previous head and neck cancer who were female (aHR = 2.38, p = 0.005), with a CDI ≤ 5 years (aHR = 1.65, p = 0.007) or with a previous squamous cell carcinoma (aHR = 6.52, p < 0.001) had worse OS. Our models successfully differentiated all sec-SGC patients into high-, intermediate- and low-risk groups with different prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Sec-SGC patients with different previous cancer types, gender, CDI and previous cancer histology had varied prognosis. The models we constructed could help differentiate the prognosis of sec-SGC patients with different risks.

The development and validation of a prediction model for imminent vertebral osteoporotic fracture in postmenopausal women.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop and validate a new model that focused on the risk of imminent vertebral fractures in women with osteoporosis. METHODS: Data from 2,048 patients were extracted from three hospitals, of which 1,720 patients passed the inclusion and exclusion screen. The patients from Nanfang Hospital (NFH) were randomized at a 2:1 ratio to create a training cohort (n = 709) and an internal validation cohort (n = 355), with the patients from the other two hospitals (n = 656) used for external validation. The risk factors included in the imminent osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) prediction model (labelled TVF) were sorted by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and constructed by logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the decision curve, and the clinical impact curves of the optimal model were analyzed to verify the model. RESULTS: There were 138 and 161 fresh fractures in NFH and the other two hospitals, respectively. The lowest BMD T value and the history of vertebral fracture were integrated into the TVF model. The prediction power of TVF was demonstrated by the AUCs of 0.788 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.728-0.849) in the training cohort and 0.774 (95% CI, 0.705-0.842) in the internal validation cohort, and 0.790 (95% CI, 0.742-0.839) and 0.741 (95% CI, 0.668-0.813) in the external validation cohorts. CONCLUSION: The TVF model demonstrated good discrimination to stratify the imminent risk of OVCFs. We therefore consider the model as a pertinent commencement in the search for more accurate imminent OVCFs prediction.

Laparoscopic versus laparotomic surgical treatment in apparent stage I ovarian cancer: a multi-center retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic treatment shows non-inferior survival outcomes and better surgical outcomes in apparent stage I ovarian cancer (OC) in some studies but has not been well defined. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with apparent stage I OC treated in two hospitals between 2012 and 2022. The surgical and oncologic outcomes were evaluated between patients receiving laparoscopic and laparotomic surgery. RESULTS: We identified 37 patients with apparent stage I OC, including 15 (40.5%) serous carcinomas, 9 (24.3%) mucinous cancers, 3 (8.1%) endometroid cancers, 2 clear cell carcinomas, and 8 (21.6%) non-epithelial cancers. Sixteen patients received laparoscopic surgery and the other 21 patients underwent laparotomic surgery. The median age (44.5 vs. 49.0 years), mean mass size (10.5 vs. 11.3 cm), and median follow-up time (43.5 vs. 75.0 months) showed no statistically significant differences between patients in laparoscopic and laparotomic groups (all P > 0.05). All the patients underwent comprehensive surgical staging surgery, and the mean surgical time (213.5 vs. 203.3 min, P = 0.507), number of lymph nodes sampling (18.6 vs. 17.5, P = 0.359), proportion of upstaging (12.5% vs. 19.0%, P = 0.680), and postoperative complications (no Accordion Severity Grading System grade ≥ 3) were comparable between two surgical groups. Moreover, patients in the laparoscopic group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss (231.3 vs. 352.4 mL, P = 0.018), shorter interval between surgery and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (7.4 vs. 9.5 days, P = 0.004), shorter length of hospital stay (9.9 vs. 13.8 days, P < 0.001) than those treated with laparotomic surgery. During a median follow-up of 54.0 months, 9 (24.3%) relapsed and 1 (2.7%) died, with a 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rate of 70.6% and 100%, respectively. However, the 5-year RFS (93.3% vs. 58.8%, P = 0.084) and DSS (100% vs. 100%, P = 0.637) rates did not significantly differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic surgical treatment had less intraoperative blood loss, earlier postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy administration, shorter hospitalization time, and non-inferior survival outcomes in apparent stage I OC when compared with laparotomic surgery.

PTBP1 promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by enhancing the oncogenic splicing switch of FGFR2.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer accounting for 90% of cases. It is a highly invasive and deadly cancer with a gradual onset. Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1) is an important RNA-binding protein involved in RNA metabolism and has been linked to oncogenic splicing events. While the oncogenic role of PTBP1 in HCC cells has been established, the exact mechanism of action remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the functional connection between PTBP1 and dysregulated splicing events in HCC. Through immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry analyses, we discovered that the proteins bound to PTBP1 were significantly enriched in the complex responsible for the alternative splicing of FGFR2 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 2). Further RNA immunoprecipitation and quantitative PCR assays confirmed that PTBP1 down-regulated the FGFR2-IIIb isoform levels and up-regulated the FGFR2-IIIc isoform levels in HCC cells, leading to a switch from FGFR2-IIIb to FGFR2-IIIc isoforms. Subsequent functional evaluations using CCK-8, transwell, and plate clone formation assays in HCC cell lines HepG2 and Huh7 demonstrated that FGFR2-IIIb exhibited tumor-suppressive effects, while FGFR2-IIIc displayed tumor-promoting effects. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the PTBP1-mediated alternative splicing mechanism in HCC progression, offering a new theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of this malignancy. Mechanistically, the isoform switch from FGFR2-IIIb to FGFR2-IIIc promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of HCC cells and activated the FGFR cascades ERK and AKT pathways.

miR-424-3p promotes metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma via targeting the SRF-STAT1/2 axis.

Although emerging evidence has established the roles of miRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the global functional implication of miRNAs in this malignancy remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we aim to systematically identify novel miRNAs involved in HCC and clarify the function and mechanism of specific novel candidate miRNA(s) in this malignancy. Through an integrative omics approach, we identified ten HCC-associated functional modules and a collection of candidate miRNAs. Among them, we demonstrated that miR-424-3p, exhibiting strong associations with extracellular matrix (ECM), promotes HCC cells migration and invasion in vitro and facilitates HCC metastasis in vivo. We further demonstrated that SRF is a direct functional target of miR-424-3p, and is required for the oncogenic activity of miR-424-3p. Finally, we found that miR-424-3p reduces the interferon pathway by attenuating the transactivation of SRF on STAT1/2 and IRF9 genes, which in turn enhances the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-mediated ECM remodeling. This study provides comprehensive functional relevance of miRNAs in HCC by an integrative omics analysis, and further clarifies that miR-424-3p in ECM functional module plays an oncogenic role via reducing the SRF-STAT1/2 axis in this malignancy.

Cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibits ferroptosis in renal tubular cells after ischemia/reperfusion injury via the AMPK pathway.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis, which is characterized by lipid peroxidation and iron accumulation, is closely associated with the pathogenesis of acute renal injury (AKI). Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a typical flavonoid that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on ischemia‒reperfusion (I/R) injury, can induce AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. This study aimed to show that C3G exerts nephroprotective effects against I/R-AKI related ferroptosis by regulating the AMPK pathway. METHODS: Hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced HK-2 cells and I/R-AKI mice were treated with C3G with or without inhibiting AMPK. The level of intracellular free iron, the expression of the ferroptosis-related proteins acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and the levels of the lipid peroxidation markers 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined. RESULTS: We observed the inhibitory effect of C3G on ferroptosis in vitro and in vivo, which was characterized by the reversion of excessive intracellular free iron accumulation, a decrease in 4-HNE, lipid ROS, MDA levels and ACSL4 expression, and an increase in GPX4 expression and glutathione (GSH) levels. Notably, the inhibition of AMPK by CC significantly abrogated the nephroprotective effect of C3G on I/R-AKI models in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION: Our results provide new insight into the nephroprotective effect of C3G on acute I/R-AKI by inhibiting ferroptosis by activating the AMPK pathway.

Iva xanthiifolia leaf extract reduced the diversity of indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Iva xanthiifolia, native to North America, is now widely distributed in northeastern China and has become a vicious invasive plant. This article aims to probe the role of leaf extract in the invasion of I. xanthiifolia. METHODS: We collected the rhizosphere soil of Amaranthus tricolor and Setaria viridis in the invasive zone, the noninvasive zone and the noninvasive zone treated with extract from I. xanthiifolia leaf, and obtained I. xanthiifolia rhizosphere soil in the invasive zone. All wild plants were identified by Xu Yongqing. I. xanthiifolia (collection number: RQSB04100), A. tricolor (collection number: 831,030) and S. viridis (collection number: CF-0002-034) are all included in Chinese Virtual Herbarium ( https://www.cvh.ac.cn/index.php ). The soil bacterial diversity was analyzed based on the Illumina HiSeq sequencing platform. Subsequently, taxonomic analysis and Faprotax functional prediction were performed. RESULTS: The results showed that the leaf extract significantly reduced the diversity of indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria. A. tricolor and S. viridis rhizobacterial phylum and genus abundances were significantly reduced under the influence of I. xanthiifolia or its leaf extract. The results of functional prediction showed that bacterial abundance changes induced by leaf extracts could potentially hinder nutrient cycling in native plants and increased bacterial abundance in the A. tricolor rhizosphere related to aromatic compound degradation. In addition, the greatest number of sensitive Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) appeared in the rhizosphere when S. viridis was in response to the invasion of I. xanthiifolia. It can be seen that A. tricolor and S. viridis have different mechanisms in response to the invasion of I. xanthiifolia. CONCLUSION: I. xanthiifolia leaves material has potential role in invasion by altering indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound at ST36 improves the gastric motility by TNF-α/IKKß/NF-κB signaling pathway in diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) can effectively regulate the central and peripheral nervous system. However, whether LIPUS could act on acupuncture points to modulate the activity of peripheral nervous has rarely been studied. Our study aimed to investigate whether LIPUS at ST36 could improve gastric emptying in diabetic gastroparesis rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into three groups: control group (CON), diabetic gastroparesis group (DM), and diabetic gastroparesis LIPUS treated group (LIPUS). The body weight and blood glucose were recorded every week. Glucose tolerance, gastric emptying rate, and gastric motility were measured before and after treatment. Gastric motility was assessed by ultrasonic examination and Muscle strip experiment. The expression level of c-Kit was assessed by immunohistochemistry staining. Levels of TNF-α, p-NF-κB p-65, NF-κB p-65, and p-IKKß, IKKß were measured by western blot. RESULTS: We reported LIPUS at an intensity of 0.88 W/cm2 exhibited significant differences in functional recovery of gastric delayed emptying in diabetic rats. Through ultrasound gastric motility functional testing and analysis of gastric antral smooth muscle strips indirectly and directly proved the effectiveness of LIPUS for the recovery of gastric delayed emptying. Pathological analysis and western blot indicated that the mechanism by which LIPUS applied to ST36 improved gastric motility may be partially attributed to the inhibition of the TNF-α/IKKß/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby rescuing the damaged interstitial cells of Cajal network. CONCLUSION: LIPUS at ST36 improved the gastric motility and rescued the damaged networks of interstitial cells of Cajal. LIPUS may have a promising therapeutic potential for diabetic gastroparesis.

Associations between cortical bone-to-implant contact and microstructure derived from CBCT and implant primary stability.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the associations between the cortical bone-to-implant contact (CBIC), bone microstructure derived from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and the primary stability of the implant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients with 65 implants were enrolled in this study. The peak insertion torque values (ITVs) were measured during implant insertion, and the implant stability quotient (ISQ) values were measured immediately after implant placement and 3 months after surgery. The profiles of the peri-implant bone structure were outlined using the volumetric reconstruction of the CBCTs and superimposition of the virtual models, and the features of CBIC and bone microstructure parameters were measured. The linear mixed effects model and generalized estimating equation were used to explore the predictors for implant primary stability. RESULTS: The average ITV, baseline, and secondary ISQ values were 31.44 ± 6.54 N·cm, 73.34 ± 7.39, and 80.32 ± 4.58, respectively. Statistically significant correlations were found between ITV and surface area of CBIC (r = .340, p = .006), bone volume fraction (r = .294, p = .017), and bone surface fraction (r = -.278, p = .039). Implants with buccolingual CBIC had a higher ITV than implants without CBIC (p = .016). None of the parameters were associated with baseline and secondary ISQ values in generalized estimating equation analysis (all p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the study, preoperative CBCT measurements might enable the prediction of ITV and therefore of implant primary stability values.

Comparison of maxillary anterior mathematical proportions among 3 dental arch forms.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Race and sex differences in the mathematical proportions of maxillary anterior teeth have been evaluated. However, studies exploring the relationship between the mathematical proportion of maxillary anterior teeth and maxillary dental arch form are lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this clinical study was to determine if a correlation exists between the mathematical proportions of maxillary anterior teeth and 3 dental arch forms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three hundred young participants were recruited according to predefined criteria, and images and maxillary casts were obtained. The perceived width and length of the maxillary anterior teeth were measured on the images by using a software program, and mathematical proportions, including width ratios and width-to-length ratios, were calculated for each. The casts were used to categorize each specimen into tapered, ovoid, or square groups by using a specific classification method, and the width ratios and width-to-height ratios of the 3 dental arch forms were compared. Statistical analysis was performed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) or the Kruskal-Wallis H test to compare the mathematical proportions of maxillary anterior teeth among the 3 dental arch forms (α=.05). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to test the reliability of the investigators. RESULTS: Except for the width-to-length ratios of the central incisor, mathematical proportions were affected by the dental arch form. The perceived width ratios of the maxillary lateral incisor-to-central incisor gradually increased from the tapered arch to the ovoid arch and from the ovoid arch to the square arch, with mean ±standard deviation values of 0.71 ±0.04, 0.73 ±0.05, and 0.79 ±0.06, respectively. For the maxillary perceived width ratios of canine-to-lateral incisor, the ovoid arch had the maximum perceived width ratios (0.86 ±0.10), followed by the tapered (0.82 ±0.10) and square arches (0.77 ±0.11). The width-to-length ratios of the central incisor were not affected by the arch form (P=.075), and the width-to-length ratios of the lateral incisor increased as the arch form became flat, with respective values of 0.70 ±0.10, 0.74 ±0.10, and 0.76 ±0.10. For the width-to-length ratios of the canine, the ovoid arch had the maximum perceived width ratios (0.58 ±0.10), followed by the tapered (0.53 ±0.10) and square arches (0.52 ±0.10). CONCLUSIONS: The mathematical proportions varied among the 3 dental arch forms, and the dental arch form should be considered during the prosthodontic design of maxillary anterior teeth.

Pharmacological Mechanism of Aucklandiae Radix against Gastric Ulcer Based on Network Pharmacology and In Vivo Experiment.

Background and Objectives: Aucklandiae Radix is a well-known medicinal herb that is often used to treat gastric ulcer, but its molecular mechanism of anti-ulcer action is poorly understood. This research aimed to reveal the potential active components, core targets, and mechanisms of Aucklandiae Radix in treating gastric ulcer by combining network pharmacology and animal experimentation. Materials and Methods: First, a network pharmacology strategy was used to predict the main components, candidate targets, and potential signaling pathways. Molecular docking was then used to confirm the binding affinity between the main components and primary targets. Finally, rats were treated with indomethacin 30 mg/kg to establish a gastric ulcer model. Aucklandiae Radix extract (0.15, 0.3, and 0.6 g/kg) was pre-treated in rats by oral gavage for 14 days, and the protective effect and candidate targets of network pharmacology were validated through morphological observation, pathological staining, and biochemical index detection. Results: A total of eight potential active components and 331 predicted targets were screened from Aucklandiae Radix, 37 of which were common targets with gastric ulcer. According to the component-target network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, stigmasterol, mairin, sitosterol, and dehydrocostus lactone were identified as the key components, and RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), interleukin 1 beta (IL1B), caspase-3 (CASP3), and CASP8 were selected as the core targets. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment results revealed the pharmacological mechanism of Aucklandiae Radix against gastric ulcer related to many biological processes and pathways, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, prostaglandin receptor response, and apoptosis. Molecular docking verification showed that the key components and core targets had good binding affinities. In the in vivo experiments, Aucklandiae Radix notably relieved the gastric ulcer by reducing the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) while improving the gastric histopathological features. Conclusion: The overall findings suggest that Aucklandiae Radix treats gastric ulcer with a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-mechanism model.

Emerging roles and potential clinical applications of noncoding RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is one of the most common forms of cancer, and accounts for a high proportion of cancer-associated deaths. Growing evidences have demonstrated that non- protein-coding regions of the genome could give rise to transcripts, termed noncoding RNA (ncRNA), that form novel functional layers of the cellular activity. ncRNAs are implicated in different molecular mechanisms and functions at transcriptional, translational and post-translational levels. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated a complex array of molecular and cellular functions of ncRNAs in different stages of the HCC tumorigenesis, either in an oncogenic or tumor-suppressive manner. As a result, several pre-clinical studies have highlighted the great potentials of ncRNAs as novel biomarkers for cancer diagnosis or therapeutics in targeting HCC progression. In this review, we briefly described the characteristics of several representative ncRNAs and summarized the latest findings of their roles and mechanisms in the development of HCC, in order to better understand the cancer biology and their potential clinical applications in this malignancy.

Transverse Mode-Encoded Quantum Gate on a Silicon Photonic Chip.

As an important degree of freedom (d.o.f.) in photonic integrated circuits, the orthogonal transverse mode provides a promising and flexible way to increase communication capability, for both classical and quantum information processing. To construct large-scale on-chip multimode multi-d.o.f.s quantum systems, a transverse mode-encoded controlled-NOT (CNOT) gate is necessary. Here, with the help of our new transverse mode-dependent directional coupler and attenuator, we demonstrate the first multimode implementation of a 2-qubit quantum gate. The ability of the gate is demonstrated by entangling two separated transverse mode qubits with an average fidelity of 0.89±0.02 and the achievement of 10 standard deviations of violations in the quantum nonlocality verification. In addition, a fidelity of 0.82±0.01 is obtained from quantum process tomography used to completely characterize the CNOT gate. Our work paves the way for universal transverse mode-encoded quantum operations and large-scale multimode multi-d.o.f.s quantum systems.

TRAX Provides Neuroprotection for Huntington's Disease Via Modulating a Novel Subset of MicroRNAs.

BACKGROUND: Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG-repeat expansions (>36) in exon 1 of HTT, which dysregulates multiple cellular machineries. Translin-associated protein X (TRAX) is a scaffold protein with diverse functions, including suppressing the microRNA (miRNA)-mediated silencing by degrading pre-miRNA. To date, the role of TRAX in neurodegenerative diseases remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: We delineated the role of TRAX upregulation during HD progression. METHODS: Expression of TRAX in the brains of humans and three mouse models with HD were analyzed by immunohistochemistry staining, western blot, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Adeno-associated viruses harboring TRAX short hairpin RNA were intrastriatally injected into HD mice to downregulate TRAX. HD-like symptoms were analyzed by behavioral and biochemical assessments. The miRNA-sequencing and RNA-sequencing analyses were used to identify the TRAX- regulated miRNA-messenger RNA (mRNA) axis during HD progression. The identified gene targets were validated biochemically in mouse and human striatal cells. RESULTS: We discovered that TRAX was upregulated in the brains of HD patients and three HD mouse models. Downregulation of TRAX enhanced 83 miRNAs (including miR-330-3p, miR-496a-3p) and subsequently changed the corresponding mRNA networks critical for HD pathogenesis (eg, DARPP-32 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor). Disruption of the TRAX-mediated miRNA-mRNA axis accelerated the progression of HD-like symptoms, including the degeneration of motor function, accumulation of mHTT aggregates, and shortened neurite outgrowth. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that TRAX upregulation is authentic and protective in HD. Our study provides a novel layer of regulation for HD pathogenesis and may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies for HD. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Application of high-frequency ultrasound to assess facial skin thickness in association with gender, age, and BMI in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: High-frequency ultrasound plays an extremely important role in normal skin measurement, skin disease diagnosis, and aesthetic medicine. This study aimed to estimate the epidermal and dermal thicknesses at eight different facial sites in healthy adults using high-frequency ultrasound, and to evaluate the correlation of epidermal and dermal thicknesses with age and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Facial skin assessment was performed on 118 participants using high-frequency ultrasound. The epidermal and dermal thicknesses of forehead, glabella, temple, eyelid, nasal dorsum, zygoma, submandibular, and neck were measured. The correlation of the epidermal and dermal thicknesses with age and BMI was analyzed by the linear correlation analysis. RESULTS: The epidermal and dermal thicknesses in men were significantly higher than those in women (P < 0.05), except for the thicknesses of zygomatic epidermis and neck dermis. The dermal thickness on zygoma and submandibular in young women was significantly higher than in middle age and old women (P < 0.05). Overall, with the increase of age, the thickness of facial skin decreased in women, mainly in the forehead, glabella, zygoma, and submandibular. In women, the epidermal and dermal thicknesses of neck were correlated with BMI (r = 0.392, 0.241, P < 0.05, respectively). However, in men, the epidermal and dermal thicknesses were correlated with age only in zygoma dermis (r = - 0.327, P < 0.05), while there was no correlation between the epidermal and dermal thicknesses and BMI. CONCLUSION: Gender, age, and BMI had significant effects on the epidermal and dermal thicknesses at different facial sites.

Topologically Protected Valley-Dependent Quantum Photonic Circuits.

Topological photonics has been introduced as a powerful platform for integrated optics, since it can deal with robust light transport, and be further extended to the quantum world. Strikingly, valley-contrasting physics in topological photonic structures contributes to valley-related edge states, their unidirectional coupling, and even valley-dependent wave division in topological junctions. Here, we design and fabricate nanophotonic topological harpoon-shaped beam splitters (HSBSs) based on 120-deg-bending interfaces and demonstrate the first on-chip valley-dependent quantum information process. Two-photon quantum interference, namely, Hong-Ou-Mandel interference with a high visibility of 0.956±0.006, is realized with our 50/50 HSBS, which is constructed by two topologically distinct domain walls. Cascading this kind of HSBS together, we also demonstrate a simple quantum photonic circuit and generation of a path-entangled state. Our work shows that the photonic valley state can be used in quantum information processing, and it is possible to realize more complex quantum circuits with valley-dependent photonic topological insulators, which provides a novel method for on-chip quantum information processing.

Stanniocalcin-1 Protected Astrocytes from Hypoxic Damage Through the AMPK Pathway.

Our previous studies revealed that the expression of stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) in astrocytes increased under hypoxic conditions. However, the role of STC1 in hypoxic astrocytes is not well understood. In this work, we first showed the increased expression of STC1 in astrocyte cell line and astrocytes in the brain tissues of mice after exposure to hypoxia. Then, we found that knockdown of STC1 inhibited cell viability and increased apoptosis. These effects were mediated by decreasing the levels of SIRT3, UCP2, and glycolytic genes and increasing the levels of ROS. Further studies suggested that STC1 silencing promoted oxidative stress and suppressed glycolysis by downregulating AMPKα1. Moreover, HIF-1α knockdown in hypoxic astrocytes led to decreased expression of STC1 and AMPKα1, indicating that the expression of STC1 was regulated by HIF-1α. In conclusion, our study showed that HIF-1α-induced STC1 could protect astrocytes from hypoxic damage by regulating glycolysis and redox homeostasis in an AMPKα1-dependent manner.