Study on the Chain Relationship Between Self-tolerance, Self-Management, Emotional State and Cancer Bone Metastasis Pain.

Objective: To explore the interrelations among self-tolerance, self-management, emotional states, and cancer-related bone metastatic pain and to understand how these factors collectively influence patient outcomes. Methods: We conducted a study with 160 inpatients suffering from cancer-related bone metastatic pain. The study spanned from June 2022 to June 2023. Using validated instruments, we collected comprehensive clinical data and assessed participants for self-tolerance, self-management, emotional states, and pain levels. Results: The study found no significant differences in self-tolerance, self-management, emotional state, and pain across different cancer types, genders, and stages (P > .05). Notably, self-tolerance showed a negative correlation with self-management (r = -0.51, P < .001) and a positive correlation with emotional state (r = 0.266, P = .001) and pain (r = 0.34, P < .001). The standardized path coefficient values from the chain relationship model were significant, such as the impact of emotional state on pain (0.166, P = .023) and self-management on pain (-0.291, P < .01). Conclusion: The pain of cancer bone metastases is related to self-tolerance, negative emotion, and self-management. Self-tolerance can directly affect pain and can also affect pain through the chain relationship between negative emotion and self-management. The pain of cancer bone metastases is related to self-tolerance, negative emotion, and self-management. Self-tolerance can directly affect pain and can also affect pain through the chain relationship between negative emotion and self-management.

Identification of Basement Membrane Genes and Related Molecular Subtypes in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Basement membranes (BMs) are widely distributed and highly specialized extracellular matrix (ECM). The goal of this study was to explore novel genes associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) from the perspective of BMs. Sequencing results of 304 liver biopsy samples about NAFLD were systematically obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Biological changes during NAFLD progression and hub BM-associated genes were investigated by differential gene analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), respectively. The nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) subgroups were identified based on hub BM-associated genes expression, as well as the differences in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathways and immune microenvironment between different subgroups were compared. Extracellular matrix (ECM) seems to play an important role in the development of NAFLD. Three representative BM-associated genes (ADAMTS2, COL5A1, and LAMC3) were finally identified. Subgroup analysis results suggested that there were significant changes in KEGG signaling pathways related to metabolism, extracellular matrix, cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. There were also changes in macrophage polarization, neutrophils, and dendritic cells abundance, and so on. In conclusion, the present study identified novel potential BM-associated biomarkers and further explored the heterogeneity of NASH that might provide new insights into the diagnosis, assessment, management, and personalized treatment of NAFLD.

Bufalin inhibits the malignant development of non-small cell lung cancer by mediating the circ_0046264/miR-522-3p axis.

BACKGROUND: Bufalin is an active component of the traditional Chinese medicine "Chan Su" and is reported to play anti-tumor roles in cancer development, but its functional mechanism is largely unclear. This study intends to explore a potential action mode of bufalin in NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The malignant properties of NSCLC, including cell viability, proliferation, adhesion capacity, migration and invasion, were monitored by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), adhesion assay and transwell assay, respectively. The expression of circ_0046264 and miR-522-3p was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression of proliferation- and migration-related markers was examined by western blot. The putative relationship between circ_0046264 and miR-522-3p was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay, RIP assay and RNA pull-down assay. Animal experiments in nude mice were performed to investigate the role of bufalin in vivo. RESULTS: Bufalin treatment inhibited cell viability, colony formation, cell adhesion capacity, migration and invasion in NSCLC cells. Bufalin facilitated the expression of circ_0046264, and circ_0046264 overexpression also inhibited NSCLC cell viability, colony formation, cell adhesion capacity, migration and invasion. Besides, circ_0046264 knockdown partially counteracted the effects of bufalin. Further, miR-522-3p was identified as a target of circ_0046264, and its deficiency reversed the effects of circ_0046264 knockdown to suppress malignant activities of NSCLC cells. In addition, bufalin restrained the tumor growth and development in vivo via enhancing the expression of circ_0046264. CONCLUSION: Bufalin played an anti-tumor role in NSCLC by modulating the circ_0046264/miR-522-3p pathway, which might be a potential functional mechanism of bufalin in NSCLC.

Exogenous Brassinosteroid Facilitates Xylem Development in Pinus massoniana Seedlings.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are known to be essential regulators for wood formation in herbaceous plants and poplar, but their roles in secondary growth and xylem development are still not well-defined, especially in pines. Here, we treated Pinus massoniana seedlings with different concentrations of exogenous BRs, and assayed the effects on plant growth, xylem development, endogenous phytohormone contents and gene expression within stems. Application of exogenous BR resulted in improving development of xylem more than phloem, and promoting xylem development in a dosage-dependent manner in a certain concentration rage. Endogenous hormone determination showed that BR may interact with other phytohormones in regulating xylem development. RNA-seq analysis revealed that some conventional phenylpropanoid biosynthesis- or lignin synthesis-related genes were downregulated, but the lignin content was elevated, suggesting that new lignin synthesis pathways or other cell wall components should be activated by BR treatment in P. massoniana. The results presented here reveal the foundational role of BRs in regulating plant secondary growth, and provide the basis for understanding molecular mechanisms of xylem development in P. massoniana.

Protein Kinases Type II (PKG II) Combined with L-Arginine Significantly Ameliorated Xenograft Tumor Development: Is L-Arginine a Potential Alternative in PKG II Activation?

BACKGROUND The mammalian cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinases type II (PKG II) plays critical physiological or pathological functions in different tissues. However, the biological effects of PKG II are dependent on cGMP. Published data indicated that L-arginine (L-Arg) promoted NO production, NO can activate soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), and catalyzes guanosine triphosphate (GTP) into cGMP, which suggested L-Arg could activate PKG II. Therefore, the present work was performed to address: (i) whether L-Arg could be a potential alternative in PKG II activation, and (ii) whether L-Arg also contributes to PKG II against cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Nude BALB/c mice were inoculated with human MCF-7, HepG2, and SW480 cell lines via subcutaneous (s.c.) injecting. After 7 days of inoculation, Ad-PKG II was injected into the cancer tissues every 4 days, and the next day 10 µmol/mouse L-Arg was administered. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to assess protein expression. RESULTS Our results demonstrated that L-Arg significantly activated PKG II and effectively ameliorated xenograft tumor development through inhibiting cancer growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis, which was partially dependent on blocking of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activity, as well as downstream signaling pathways such as Erk1/2. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide an exciting new insight: L-Arg is a potential alternative to PKG II activation.

Effects of exogenous GA3 on stem secondary growth of Pinus massoniana seedlings.

Gibberellins (GAs) play a crucial role in regulating secondary growth in angiosperms, but their effects on the secondary growth of gymnosperms are rarely reported. In this study, we administered exogenous GA3 to two-year-old P. massoniana seedlings, and examined its effects on anatomical structure, physiological and biochemical changes, and gene expression in stems. The results showed that exogenous GA3 could enhance xylem development in P. massoniana by promoting cell division. The content of endogenous hormone (including auxins, brassinosteroids, and gibberellins) were changed and the genes related to phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling pathway, such as GID1, DELLA, TIR1, ARF, SAUR, CPD, BR6ox1, and CYCD3, were differentially expressed under GA3 treatment. Furthermore, GA3 and BR (brassinosteroid) might act synergistically in promoting secondary growth in P. massoniana. Additionally, lignin content was significantly increased after GA3 treatment accompanied by the express of lignin biosynthesis related genes. PmCAD (TRINITY_DN142116_c0_g1), a crucial gene involved in the lignin biosynthesis, was cloned and overexpressed in Nicotiana benthamiana, significantly promoting the xylem development and enhancing stem lignification. It was regarded as a key candidate gene for improving stem growth of P. massoniana. The findings of this study have demonstrated the impact of GA3 treatment on secondary growth of stems in P. massoniana, providing a foundation for understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of stem secondary growth in Pinaceae seedlings and offering theoretical guidance for cultivating new germplasm with enhanced growth and yield.

Association between Circulating Ectodysplasin A and Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Background: Ectodysplasin A (EDA), a member of the TNF family, plays important roles in ectodermal development, while recent studies expanded its regulatory effects on insulin resistance and lipid metabolism. This study was the first time to investigate the correlation between circulating EDA and albuminuria in patients with T2DM. Methods: A total of 189 T2DM and 59 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. We analyzed the concentrations of EDA by ELISA. Plasma glucose, insulin, HbA1c, lipids, creatinine, BUN, and UACR were also measured. Insulin resistance and pancreatic cell function were assessed by HOMA. Results: Circulating EDA concentration was significantly increased in T2DM patients and increased with the degree of albuminuria. EDA was positively correlated with age, FIns, HOMA-IR, HOMA-ß, Scr, and UACR, and negatively correlated with eGFR. Linear stepwise regression showed that FIns, HOMA-ß, and UACR were independent influencing factors of EDA. Logistic regression analysis showed that EDA was independently associated with the occurrence of albuminuria in T2DM. ROC curve showed that EDA had an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.701 [95%CI = (0.625 - 0.777), P < 0.001]. Conclusion: EDA is positively correlated with the degree of albuminuria in patients with T2DM and may be involved in the occurrence and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

A novel liquidchip platform for simultaneous detection of 70 alleles of DNA somatic mutations on EGFR, KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded slides containing tumor tissue.

BACKGROUND: DNA somatic mutations of EGFR, KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway play critical roles in the response or resistance of tumors to targeted therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). To provide a high-throughput (HTP) clinical testing service for detecting these mutations, we developed a novel platform, SurPlex®-xTAG70plex-EGFR liquidchip. METHODS: This platform was developed based on a universal 100-tag system. The procedures for multiplex PCR, allele specific primer extension (ASPE) and hybridization were optimized and standardized. RESULTS: A total of 70 alleles of somatic mutations of EGFR, KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA can be detected simultaneously in one reaction from one formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) slide within one day. Cross-reaction was < 8% between individual amplimers and 70 different ASPE primers. The sensitivity for detecting mutants in the wild-type DNA was 1%-5%. Seventy-three FFPE samples with somatic mutations were used to validate the 70plex. Seventy-one showed a complete match, while two were not detected. CONCLUSIONS: A simple, accurate, sensitive HTP technology was developed and standardized for detecting simultaneously 70 different alleles of EGFR, KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA gene mutations from FFPE tumor slides.

[Application of virtual non-enhanced images in evaluating subarachnoid hemorrhage by dual-energy computed tomography angiography].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of virtual non-enhanced images in evaluating the spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) by dual-energy computed tomography angiography. METHODS: Dual-energy computed tomography angiography was performed in 43 SAH patients.Virtual non-enhanced images were obtained by using Liver VNC software. paired t-test was performed to compare the signal to noise ratio between the conventional plain scan and virtual non-enhanced images. Diagnostic accuracy for SAH by virtual non-enhanced images was calculated by using the conventional plain scan images as a gold standard. Quality score was calculated to evaluate whether virtual non-enhanced images can meet the imaging requirements of SAH. RESULTS: The signal to noise ratio was 8.63?0.53 among plain scan images and 3.96?0.52 among virtual non-enhanced images ( t=43.18,P=0.000) . The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of virtual non-enhanced imaging in diagnosing the SAH were 97.05%, 100%, and 97.67% in per-patient analysis, and were 94.64%, 100%, and 98.97% in per-lesion analysis. The quality scores were 3 in six patients, 2 in 27 patients, and 1 in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual non-enhanced images can meet the clinical requirements of diagnosis, although it has more intensive noise than conventional plain scan images. Furthermore, it has higher accuracy in evaluating SAH.

Study on chemical constituents of an edible mushroom Volvariella volvacea and their antitumor activity in vitro.

Phytochemical investigation of the fruiting body of Volvariella volvacea led to the isolation of a new furanone, 2(5H)-furanone-4-propionic acid named volvafuranone A (1), together with twelve known compounds (2-13). Compounds 2-7, 9-11 were isolated from this mushroom for the first time. The isolated compounds were assessed for their cytotoxicity against four human tumour lines (SGC-7901, PC-3M, MCF-7, HepG-2), and the results showed that compound 2, 3, 12, 13 have significant cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 5.90 µM (HepG-2), 20.72 µM (HepG-2), 27.98 µM (PC-3M) and 23.15 µM (PC-3M), respectively.

The Haplotype TGGAG in the ABCA3 Gene Increases the Risk of Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Preterm Infants in Southern China.

BACKGROUND: Rare mutations in the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter A3 (ABCA3) gene are associated with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The contribution of common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to preterm RDS differs between ethnicities and remains unclear in Chinese infants. This study evaluated whether common SNPs and consequent haplotypes increase susceptibility to RDS in a population of preterm infants from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. METHODS: Using a tagging SNP (tSNP) strategy and real-time polymerase chain reaction, we genotyped four tSNPs (i.e., rs150929, rs4787273, rs11867129, and rs17135889) and one coding SNP (p.F353F) of the ABCA3 gene in preterm infants with RDS (n = 83) and without RDS (n = 83). We predicted the haplotypes. Minor allele frequencies (MAFs) and haplotype distributions were compared between the two groups. We analyzed correlations between the clinical data and the genotypes. RESULTS: Seven haplotypes existed at a frequency of 0.01 or greater. The haplotype TGGAG was significantly more frequent in RDS infants than in non-RDS infants (p = 0.026; odds ratio 3.41; 95% confidence interval 1.088-10.685). The MAF of rs17135889 SNP, a crucial SNP of the haplotype TGGAG located in the transcription factor binding site of ABCA3, was significantly higher in RDS infants (p < 0.05); however, the Bonferroni correction test showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). No significant correlation existed between the rs17135889 genotypes (AG/GG) and any clinical characteristic (e.g., oxygen supplementation duration and hospitalization, requirement for ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia complications, and mortality rate). CONCLUSION: The TGGAG haplotype may be a risk factor for RDS in preterm infants in this Chinese population. Further study is needed with a larger sample size to verify the association between the rs17135889 SNP and increased risk of RDS in preterm infants, and to determine whether rs17135889 can be a reference in further population-based studies of ABCA3.

[Effects of pre-treatment on Cu2+ absorption of Penicillium janthinellum strain GXCR].

In order to effectively increase capacity of Cu2+ absorption by Penicillium from Cu2+-containing aqueous solution and to study the mechanisms of absorption, effects of eight pre-treatment methods on Cu2+ absorption of Penicillium janthinellum strain GXCR were compared. The results showed that the efficiency of Cu2+ absorption obviously increased through pre-treatment by homogenization, homogenization-basification (NaOH), oven dry (80 degrees C), homogenization-salinification (NaCl), homogenization-detergent and homogenization-polarization (C2H6SO), but significantly decreased after acidification pretreatment with H2SO4. In comparison with the previous reports, the pretreatment in a homogenization-NaOH way could more efficiently enhance the Cu2+ absorption capacity of this fungus. Homogenization-basification (0.5 mol/L NaOH) increased Cu2+ biosorption by 47.95%. The Cu2+ absorption of the mycelia treated by homogenization-basification followed Langmuir isotherm equation, suggesting a surface absorption process. After four cycles of absorption-desorption, mycelia pretreated by homogenization-alkalization still had 70.82% of Cu2+ biosorption efficiency. Infrared reflectance analysis indicated that alkalization treatment made marked effects on molecular groups of C-H, C=O, and C=O in COOH on the mycelial surfaces, and -OH was a key Cu2+-binding group. It is therefore suggested that the Cu2+ absorption by the GXCR is likely to be a chemical absorption process through Cu2+ binding with -OH group on the mycelia.