Correction to: Circular RNA circFGFR1 promotes progression and anti-PD-1 resistance by sponging miR-381-3p in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

After the publication of this work [1], an error was found in Fig. 1b. As described in the Results section that circ0084003 has 13 exons, it should be formed by 5-17 (13exons) exons, authors have described "formed by 5-19 exons". The authors extend their apology for the mistake caused by their action. With that mistake, the correct version of Fig. 1b is provided below.

Circular RNA circFGFR1 promotes progression and anti-PD-1 resistance by sponging miR-381-3p in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Immune system evasion, distance tumor metastases, and increased cell proliferation are the main reasons for the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the death of NSCLC patients. Dysregulation of circular RNAs plays a critical role in the progression of NSCLC; therefore, further understanding the biological mechanisms of abnormally expressed circRNAs is critical to discovering novel, promising therapeutic targets for NSCLC treatment. METHODS: The expression of circular RNA fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (circFGFR1) in NSCLC tissues, paired nontumor tissues, and cell lines was detected by RT-qPCR. The role of circFGFR1 in NSCLC progression was assessed both in vitro by CCK-8, clonal formation, wound healing, and Matrigel Transwell assays and in vivo by a subcutaneous tumor mouse assay. In vivo circRNA precipitation, RNA immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter assays were performed to explore the interaction between circFGFR1 and miR-381-3p. RESULTS: Here, we report that circFGFR1 is upregulated in NSCLC tissues, and circFGFR1 expression is associated with deleterious clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognoses for NSCLC patients. Forced circFGFR1 expression promoted the migration, invasion, proliferation, and immune evasion of NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, circFGFR1 could directly interact with miR-381-3p and subsequently act as a miRNA sponge to upregulate the expression of the miR-381-3p target gene C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), which promoted NSCLC progression and resistance to anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)- based therapy. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results suggest the critical role of circFGFR1 in the proliferation, migration, invasion, and immune evasion abilities of NSCLC cells and provide a new perspective on circRNAs during NSCLC progression.

Controlled synthesis of porous coordination-polymer microcrystals with definite morphologies and sizes under mild conditions.

Herein, we report a facile and convenient method for the synthesis of the porous coordination polymer MOF-14 [Cu3 (BTB)2 ] (H3 BTB=4,4',4''-benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tribenzoic acid) as microcrystals with definite shapes and crystal facets controlled by the reaction medium at room temperature. The amount of sodium acetate added to the reaction system plays a crucial role in the shape evolution of MOF-14 from rhombic dodecahedrons to truncated rhombic dodecahedrons and cubes with truncated edges and then to cubes. The addition of a base could accelerate the formation rate of crystal growth and increase the supersaturation of crystal growth, thus resulting in the formation of MOF-14 cube crystals with high-energy crystal facets. The morphological evolution was also observed for HKUST-1 [Cu3 (BTC)2 ] (H3 BTC=1,3,5-benzenetricarbocylic acid) from octahedrons to cubes, thus verifying the probable mechanism of the morphological transformation. The gas-adsorption properties of MOF-14 with different shapes were studied and reveal that the porous coordination-polymer microcrystals display excellent and morphology-dependent sorption properties.

[Molecular identification of Hibiscus syriacus and its adulterants using ITS2 barcode].

OBJECTIVE: To identify Hibiscus syriacus and its adulterants using DNA barcoding technique. METHODS: Nine samples of five species were PCR amplified and sequenced, and twelve samples were downloaded from the GenBank. The intra-specific and interspecific K2P distances were calculated, and neighbor-joining( NJ) tree was constructed by MEGA 5.0. RESULTS: The results showed the intra-specific genetic distances of Hibiscus syriacus were ranged from 0.009 to 0.056, which were far lower than inter-specific genetic distances between Hibiscus syriacus and its adulterants (0.236 - 0.301). Variable sites within Hibiscus syriacus ranged from 2 to 9 which were far less than the adulterants (45 - 52); Different samples of Hibiscus syriacus were gathered together and could be distinguished from its adulterants by NJ tree. CONCLUSION: ITS2 can discriminate Hibiscus syriacus from its adulterants correctly. The ITS2 region is an efficient barcode for authentication of Hibiscus syriacus and its adulterants.

Thermographic evaluation of acupoints in lower limb region of individuals with osteoarthritis: A cross-sectional case-control study protocol.

PURPOSE: Acupuncture has been widely used in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), but the selection of acupoints is indeterminate and lacks biological basis. The skin temperature of acupoints can reflect the state of local tissue and may be a potential factor for guiding acupoint selection. This study aims to compare the skin temperature of acupoints between KOA patients and the healthy population. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a protocol for a cross-sectional case-control study with 170 KOA patients and 170 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. Diagnosed patients aged 45 to 70 will be recruited in the KOA group. Participants in the healthy group will be matched with the KOA group based on mean age and gender distribution. Skin temperature of 11 acupoints (ST35, EX-LE5, GB33, GB34, EX-LE2, ST34, ST36, GB39, BL40, SP9, SP10) will be extracted from infrared thermography (IRT) images of the lower limbs. Other measurements will include demographic data (gender, age, ethnicity, education, height, weight, BMI) and disease-related data (numerical rating scale, pain sites, duration of pain, pain descriptors, pain activities). DISCUSSION: The results of this study will provide biological evidence for acupoint selection. This study is a precondition for follow-up studies, in which the value of optimized acupoint selection will be verified. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2200058867.

Optimization of synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic activity of Seleno-Capparis spionosa L. polysaccharide.

In this study, an experiment was designed to optimize the synthesis of seleno-Capparis spionosa L. polysaccharide (Se-CSPS) by response surface methodology. Three independent variables (reaction time, reaction temperature and ratio of Na(2)SeO(3) to CSPS) were tested. Furthermore, the thermal stability, particle size, shape and cytotoxic activity of Se-CSPS in vitro were investigated. The optimum reaction conditions were obtained shown as follows: reaction time 7.5 h, reaction temperature 71 °C, and ratio of Na(2)SeO(3) to CSPS 0.9 g/g. Under these conditions, the Se content in Se-CSPS reached 5.547 mg/g, which was close to the predicted value (5.518 mg/g) by the model. The thermal stability, particle size and shape of Se-CSPS were significantly different from those of CSPS. Additionally, a MTT assay indicated that the Se-CSPS could inhibit the proliferation of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Optimizing the extraction of anti-tumor polysaccharides from the fruit of Capparis spionosa L. by response surface methodology.

Capparis spionosa L. is a traditional medicinal plant in China and central Asia. In this study, an experiment was designed to investigate the optimization of the extraction of anti-tumor polysaccharides from the fruit of Capparis spionosa L. (CSPS) by response surface methodology (RSM). Four independent variables (extraction temperature, extraction time, ratio of water to sample and extraction cycles) were explored. Meanwhile, the in vivo anti-tumor activity of CSPS was investigated. The results showed that the experimental data could be fitted to a second-order polynomial equation using multiple regression analysis. The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: extraction temperature 92 °C, extraction time 140 min, ratio of water to sample 26 mL/g, and three extraction cycle. Under these conditions, the yield of polysaccharides reached 13.01%, which was comparable to the predicted yield (12.94%, p > 0.05). This indicated that the model was adequate for the extraction process. Additionally, CSPS could prolong the survival time of H22 bearing mice in vivo. The anti-tumor activities of CSPS were dose-dependent.

PHOSPHO1 Serves as a Key Metabolism-Related Biomarker in the Tumorigenesis of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Due to its genetic heterogeneity and abnormal metabolism, many DLBCL patients have a poor prognosis. This study investigated the key metabolism-related genes and potential mechanisms. METHODS: Differentially expressed genes, differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs), and differentially expressed metabolism-related genes (DEMRGs) of glucose and lipid metabolic processes were identified using the edgeR package. Key DEMRGs were screened by Lasso regression, and a prediction model was constructed. The cell type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts algorithm was utilized to assess the fraction of immune cells, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was used to determine immune-related pathways. A regulatory network was constructed with significant co-expression interactions among TFs, DEMRGs, immune cells/pathways, and hallmark pathways. RESULTS: A total of 1551 DEMRGs were identified. A prognostic model with a high applicability (area under the curve=0.921) was constructed with 13 DEMRGs. Tumorigenesis of DLBCL was highly related to the neutrophil count. Four DEMRGs (PRXL2AB, CCN1, DECR2 and PHOSPHO1) with 32 TF-DEMRG, 36 DEMRG-pathway, 14 DEMRG-immune-cell, 9 DEMRG-immune-gene-set, and 67 DEMRG-protein-chip interactions were used to construct the regulatory network. CONCLUSION: We provided a prognostic prediction model based on 13 DEMRGs for DLBCL. We found that phosphatase, orphan 1 (PHOSPHO1) is positively regulated by regulatory factor X5 (RFX5) and mediates MYC proto-oncogene (MYC) targeting the V2 pathway and neutrophils.

Selective Interactions of Mouse Melanocortin Receptor Accessory Proteins with Somatostatin Receptors.

Somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) known to regulate exocrine secretion, neurotransmission, and inhibit endogenous cell proliferation. SSTR subtypes (SSTR1-SSTR5) exhibit homo- or heterodimerization with unique signaling characteristics. Melanocortin receptor accessory protein 1 (MRAP1) functions as an allosteric modulator of melanocortin receptors and some other GPCRs. In this study, we investigated the differential interaction of MRAP1 and SSTRs and examined the pharmacological modulation of MRAP1 on mouse SSTR2/SSTR3 and SSTR2/SSTR5 heterodimerization in vitro. Our results show that the mouse SSTR2 forms heterodimers with SSTR3 and SSTR5 and that MRAP1 selectively interacts with SSTR3 and SSTR5 but not SSTR2. The interactive binding sites of SSTR2/SSTR3 or SSTR2/SSTR5 with MRAP1 locate on SSTR3 and SSTR5 but not SSTR2. The binding sites of MRAP1 to SSTR3 are extensive, while the ones of SSTR5 are restricted on transmembrane region six and seven. The heterodimerization of mouse SSTR2, SSTR3, and SSTR5 can be modulated by binding protein in addition to an agonist. Upregulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases phosphorylation, p27Kip1, and increased cell growth inhibition with the co-expression of SSTR2/SSTR3 or SSTR2/SSTR5 with MRAP1 suggest a regulatory effect of MRAP1 on anti-proliferative response of two SSTR heterodimers. Taken together, these results provide a new insight of MRAP1 on the maintenance and regulation of mouse SSTR dimers which might be helpful to better understand the molecular mechanism involving SSTRs in tumor biology or other human disorders.

Determination of the Interaction and Pharmacological Modulation of MCHR1 Signaling by the C-Terminus of MRAP2 Protein.

Melanin concentrating hormone (MCH), an orexigenic neuropeptide, is primarily secreted by the hypothalamus and acts on its receptor, the melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCHR1), to regulate appetite and energy homeostasis. The Melanocortin Receptor Accessory Protein 2 (MRAP2), a small single transmembrane protein broadly expressed in multiple tissues, has been defined as a vital endocrine modulator of five melanocortin receptors (MC1R-MC5R) and several other GPCRs in the regulation of central neuronal activities and peripheral energy balance. Here, we demonstrated the interaction between MRAP2 and MCHR1 by immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescent assay and found that MRAP2 could inhibit MCHR1 signaling in vitro. A series of functional truncations of different regions further identified that the C-terminal domains of MRAP2 protein were required for the pharmacological modulation of intracellular Ca2+ coupled cascades and membrane transport. These findings elucidated the broad regulatory profile of MRAP2 protein in the central nervous system and may provide implications for the modulation of central MCHR1 function in vivo.

Pharmacological modulation of the cAMP signaling of two isoforms of melanocortin-3 receptor by melanocortin receptor accessory proteins in the tetrapod Xenopus laevis.

As a member of the seven-transmembrane rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptor superfamily, the melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R) is vital for the regulation of energy homeostasis and rhythms synchronizing in mammals, and its pharmacological effect could be directly influenced by the presence of melanocortin receptor accessory proteins (MRAPs), MRAP1 and MRAP2. The tetrapod amphibian Xenopus laevis (xl) retains higher duplicated genome than extant teleosts and serves as an ideal model system for embryonic development and physiological studies. However, the melanocortin system of the Xenopus laevis has not yet been thoroughly evaluated. In this work, we performed sequence alignment, phylogenetic tree, and synteny analysis of two xlMC3Rs. Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assay further confirmed the co-localization and in vitro interaction of xlMC3Rs with xlMRAPs on the plasma membrane. Our results demonstrated that xlMRAP2.L/S could improve α-MSH-stimulated xlMC3Rs signaling and suppress their surface expression. Moreover, xlMC3R.L showed a similar profile on the ligands and surface expression in the presence of xlMRAP1.L. Overall, the distinct pharmacological modulation of xlMC3R.L and xlMC3R.S by dual MRAP2 proteins elucidated the functional consistency of melanocortin system during genomic duplication of tetrapod vertebrates.

Porous WO3/graphene/polyester textile electrode materials with enhanced electrochemical performance for flexible solid-state supercapacitors.

In this work, a flexible and porous WO3/grapheme/polyester (WO3/G/PT) textile electrode was successfully prepared by in situ growing WO3 on the fiber surface inside G/PT composite fabrics. The unique electrode structure facilitates to enhance the energy storage performance because the 3D conductive network constructed by the G/PT increase the electron transportation rate, nanotructured WO3 exposed enhanced electrochemically active surface area and the hierarchically porous structure improved the electrolyte ion diffusion rate. The optimized WO3/G/PT textile electrode exhibited good electrochemical performance with a high areal capacitance of 308.2mFcm-2 at a scan rate of 2mVs-1 and excellent cycling stability. A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device was further fabricated by using the WO3/G/PT electrode and G/PT electrode, which exhibited a good specific capacitance of 167.6mFcm-3 and high energy density of 60µWhcm-3 at the power density of 2320 µWcm-3.

Fabrication of three-dimensional composite textile electrodes by metal-organic framework, zinc oxide, graphene and polyaniline for all-solid-state supercapacitors.

Textile electrode materials have attracted intense attention in the flexible supercapacitor field due to their flexibility, light weight, hierarchical porosity and mechanical robustness. However, their electrochemical performance is not good due to the low conductivity, ineffective ion diffusion and small electroactive surface area. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) textile electrode material was constructed by utilizing ZIF-8 (Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework), metal oxides, conductive polymers and graphene sheets. The polyaniline/ZnO/ZIF-8/graphene/polyester textile electrode exhibited good electrochemical performance with a high areal capacitance of 1.378 F/cm2 at 1 mA/cm2 and high stability under different mechanical deformations. A flexible all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor device was further fabricated, which can provide a high energy density of 235 µWh/cm3 at a power density of 1542 µW/cm3.

Differential expression of serum biomarkers in hemodialysis patients with mild cognitive decline: A prospective single-center cohort study.

Studies suggest that hemodialysis patients are at a higher risk for cognitive decline than healthy individuals; however, underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. We aimed to investigate the roles of serum biomarkers, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), inflammatory cytokines, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 and its co-receptor α-klotho and platelet (PLT) count in mild cognitive decline (MCD) of patients undergoing hemodialysis in this prospective cohort study. Serum levels of BDNF, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and the number of PLT were significantly altered in the MCD group compared with those in healthy controls (HCs) or those with normal cognitive function (NCF). Although serum α-klotho and FGF-23 levels were significantly altered in the MCD group, there were no statistical differences between the MCD and NCF groups. Serum BDNF levels and PLT counts were significantly correlated with cognitive test scores. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that BDNF and PLT were potential biomarkers for improved MCD diagnosis in patients with hemodialysis. These findings suggest that hemodialysis-related MCD is associated with altered BDNF, TNF-α and IL-6 levels as well as PLT counts and that serum BDNF levels and PLT counts are potential biomarkers for hemodialysis-related MCD diagnosis.

[Effect of lifestyle adjustment, metformin and rosiglitazone in polycystic ovary syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of weight loss, metformin and rosiglitazone in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was carried out in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), one hundred and six women with PCOS were assigned to three intervention groups: weight loss, weight loss and metformin, weight loss and rosiglitazone group. Patients were treated with weight loss (diet and exercise), weight loss and metformin (500 mg three times daily), weight loss and rosiglitazone (4 mg once daily) for three months. Sixty patients completed treatments. Basal body temperature (BBT), total testosterone as well as fasting serum insulin levels and lipid were measured and compared in all patients before and after weight loss. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the baseline characteristics among three groups. In weight loss group 51% (22/43) patients completed treatment, and 23% (5/22) patients resumed ovulation. In weight loss and metformin group 58% (21/36) patients completed treatment, and 43% (9/21) patients resumed ovulation. In weight loss and rosiglitazone group 63% (17/27) patients completed treatment, and 59% (10/17) patients resumed ovulation. Ovulation rate was significantly higher in weight loss and rosiglitazone group than in weight loss group. There was no significant difference among three groups in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR), sex hormone, serum fasting insulin and lipid level after treatment. CONCLUSION: Weight loss, metformin and rosiglitazone all can improve ovulation each.

[Study of symptoms in terminally ill patients with ovarian carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate symptom characteristics and their their prevalence in terminally ill patients with ovarian carcinoma. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out based on clinical data of 98 terminally ill patients with ovarian carcinoma who died in our hospital during January 1995 to December 2004. Fifteen most common symptoms were analyzed with a focus on the followings: symptom incidence, survival time after symptom occurrence, regularity of symptom cluster, and common causes of death. Fifteen symptoms were: pain, cachexia, pleural effusion and ascites, dyspnea, fever, intestinal obstruction, renal failure, bone marrow depression, lung infection, hemorrhage, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), intestinal or pancreatic fistula, mycotic infection, jaundice and emergency conditions. RESULTS: (1) The most prevalent symptom was pleural effusion and ascites (63%), followed by pain (60%), cachexia (59%), dyspnea (52%) and intestinal obstruction (49%). (2) The symptom which lasted longest survival time was mycotic infection (77 days), followed by intestinal or pancreatic fistula (75 days), intestinal obstruction (67 days), pain (60 days) and cachexia (60 days). Symptoms such as bone marrow depression, renal failure, dyspnea and emergency conditions were comparatively critical associated with shorter survival times (14, 13, 12, 7 days, respectively). (3) Terminal symptoms occurred typically in clusters, with 4.9 +/- 1.5 symptoms per case. Of 98 cases, 84 cases (86%) had 4 or more symptoms, with the median survival time of 63 days from the last day of anti-cancer therapy, and a slow death process. The remaining 14 cases (14%) with 3 or fewer symptoms survived only 25 days, of which 10 cases (71%) died of emergency diseases. The survival time for two groups was significantly different (P<0.01). (4) The first four causes of death were as follows: intestinal obstruction (30%), infection (15%), emergencies (12%) and treatment complications (5%). CONCLUSION: Symptom characteristics and regularity are seen in terminally ill patients with ovarian carcinoma, the understanding of which is helpful for the improvement of symptom management and patients' quality of life.

MnO2 nanotubes assembled on conductive graphene/polyester composite fabric as a three-dimensional porous textile electrode for flexible electrochemical capacitors.

A three-dimensional (3D) electrode material was successfully synthesized through a facile ZnO-assisted hydrothermal process in which vertical MnO2 nanotube arrays were in situ grown on the conductive graphene/polyester composite fabric. The morphology and structure of MnO2 nanotubes/graphene/polyester textile electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The 3D electrode structure facilitates to achieve the maximum number of active sites for the pesudocapacitance redox reaction, fast electrolyte ion transportation and short ion diffusion path. The electrochemical measurements showed that the electrode possesses good capacitance capacity which reached 498F/g at a scan rate of 2mV/s in Na2SO4 electrolyte solution. The electrode also showed stable electrochemical performances under the conditions of long-term cycling, and mechanical bending and twisting.

[Survival prediction for terminal gynecologic cancer patients].

OBJECTIVE: To construct a scoring system of predicting the survival time of terminal gynecologic cancer patients. METHODS: The clinical data of 91 patients with terminal gynecologic cancers, aged 56 (13-83), who were not suitable to specific anti-cancer therapy and died in the hospital with a mean survival time of 27 days (1-240 days) were analyzed retrospectively. Initially univariate analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between 19 clinico-biochemical indices and survival time. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze 9 out of the 19 clinico-biochemical indices which had significant effects on the survival time, and a regression model with 5 indices was constructed by backward selection procedure. The regression coefficient of any category was divided by the maximum regression coefficient so as to get the score of this category. The cores were added together so as to get the overall score of an individual patient. RESULTS: Univariate analysis identified 9 factors independently and significantly influencing the survival time: short breath, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), age, high fever, speed of tumor growth, presence or absence of treatment-related complication, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and platelet. A regression equation was composed of 5 factors: short breath, KPS, age, higher fever, and BUN by multiple logistic regression with a correct classification ability of 83.5%. The 91 patients were then divided into 2 groups based on this prognostic score system: Group A (n = 37) with a score < or = 9.5 and the mean survival time of (65 +/- 7) days, and Group B (n = 54) with a score > or = 10 and the mean survival time of (19 +/- 2) days. 31 of the 37 patients in Group A survived > or = 30 days, and 46 of the 54 patients in Group B died within 29 days. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves of these 2 group were significantly different (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A simple, valid, and useful prognostic score system has been established.

Facile fabrication of MIL-103(Eu) porous coordination polymer nanostructures and their sorption and sensing properties.

Nano/microscale lanthanide porous coordination polymer MIL-103(Eu) [Eu(BTB)] (H3BTB = 4,4',4''-benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tribenzoic acid) crystals have been fabricated at room temperature by a facile, convenient and environmentally friendly method. The structures of the products were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction, and the crystal morphologies, including microrods, nanorods and nanospheres, were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. It is found that the addition of sodium acetate and the concentration of the reactants have an important impact on the morphology and size of the MIL-103(Eu) crystals. Gas adsorption measurements reveal that the products show high specific surface areas among the rare earth based coordination polymers and the MIL-103(Eu) nanorods can selectively adsorb CO2 over N2 under ambient conditions. Furthermore, all the products exhibit red emission corresponding to the (5)D0→(7)F2 transition of the Eu(iii) ion, and MIL-103(Eu) nanorods display sensitive and selective sensing for Cu(ii) ions and acetone molecules in solution.