Laser Interference Additive Manufacturing: Mask Bundle Shape Bionic Shark Skin Structure.

Here, we explored a new manufacturing strategy that uses the mask laser interference additive manufacturing (MLIAM) technique, which combines the respective strengths of laser interference lithography and mask lithography to efficiently fabricate across-scales three-dimensional bionic shark skin structures with superhydrophobicity and adhesive reduction. The phenomena and mechanisms of the MLIAM curing process were revealed and analyzed, showing the feasibility and flexibility. In terms of structural performance, the adhesive force on the surface can be tuned based on the growth direction of the bionic shark skin structures, where the maximum rate of the adhesive reduction reaches about 65%. Furthermore, the evolution of the directional diffusion for the water droplet, which is based on the change of the contact angle, was clearly observed, and the mechanism was also discussed by the models. Moreover, no-loss transportations were achieved successfully using the gradient adhesive force and superhydrophobicity on the surface by tuning the growth direction and modifying by fluorinated silane. Finally, this work gives a strategy for fabricating across-scale structures on micro- and nanometers, which have potential application in bioengineering, diversional targeting, and condenser surface.

[Row-like needling along the spleen meridian combined with autonomous functional exercise in treatment of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of the row-like needling along the spleen meridian combined with autonomous functional exercise in treatment of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis. METHODS: A total of 72 patients with postpartum diastasis recti abdominis were randomly divided into an observation group (36 cases, 3 cases excluded) and a control group (36 cases, 3 cases dropped out). In the control group, the autonomous functional exercise was performed on the rectus abdominis. In the observation group, on the basis of the treatment as the control group, the row-like needling along the spleen meridian was delivered. Along the distribution of the spleen meridian on the abdomen, besides Daheng (SP 15), acupuncture was operated at the sites 3 cm and 6 cm directly above and below Daheng (SP 15) bilaterally. Five points on each side were stimulated along the meridian. Acupuncture was delivered once every two days, 3 interventions a week. One course of treatment, composed of 10 treatments, was required. Before treatment and after 5 and 10 treatments, the inter-rectus distance (IRD) and the score of the medical outcomes study 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) were observed in the two groups, respectively. RESULTS: After 5 and 10 treatments, the IRD at the sites 3 cm above the umbilicus, in the center of the umbilicus and below the umbilicus was reduced when compared with that before treatment in the observation group, respectively (P<0.01); and the IRD at the site 3 cm above the umbilicus was decreased in comparison with that before treatment in the control group (P<0.05). After treated for 5 times, compared with the control group, the IRD at the site 3 cm below the umbilicus was reduced in the observation group (P<0.05); and after treated for 10 times, compared with the control group, the IRD at the sites 3 cm above the umbilicus, in the center of the umbilicus and below the umbilicus was reduced in the observation group (P<0.01). After the completion of 5 and 10 treatments, the scores of physical functioning (PF), role-physical (RP), role-emotional (RE) and health change (HC), as well as the total score of SF-36 were all higher than those before treatment in the observation group (P<0.01); while in the control group, the scores of PF, RP and RE, as well as the total score of SF-36 were increased in comparison with those before treatment (P<0.01). After 5 treatments, the scores of general health (GH) and HC in the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01); and after 10 treatments, the score of PF, GH and HC, as well as the total score of SF-36 in the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: On the basis of autonomous functional exercise, the row-like needling along the spleen meridian can promote the recovery of postpartum diastasis recti abdominis and improve the quality of life of the patients.

Quantitative profiling of m6A at single base resolution across the life cycle of rice and Arabidopsis.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays critical roles in regulating mRNA metabolism. However, comprehensive m6A methylomes in different plant tissues with single-base precision have yet to be reported. Here, we present transcriptome-wide m6A maps at single-base resolution in different tissues of rice and Arabidopsis using m6A-SAC-seq. Our analysis uncovers a total of 205,691 m6A sites distributed across 22,574 genes in rice, and 188,282 m6A sites across 19,984 genes in Arabidopsis. The evolutionarily conserved m6A sites in rice and Arabidopsis ortholog gene pairs are involved in controlling tissue development, photosynthesis and stress response. We observe an overall mRNA stabilization effect by 3' UTR m6A sites in certain plant tissues. Like in mammals, a positive correlation between the m6A level and the length of internal exons is also observed in plant mRNA, except for the last exon. Our data suggest an active m6A deposition process occurring near the stop codon in plant mRNA. In addition, the MTA-installed plant mRNA m6A sites correlate with both translation promotion and translation suppression, depicting a more complicated regulatory picture. Our results therefore provide in-depth resources for relating single-base resolution m6A sites with functions in plants and uncover a suppression-activation model controlling m6A biogenesis across species.

Case report: A rare immune-related adverse effect: hepatic cavernous hemangioma induced by camrelizumab.

Background: Camrelizumab, a programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibiting antibody, has demonstrated efficacy in various malignancies and received approval in multiple countries. Despite its therapeutic benefits, camrelizumab is associated with a unique spectrum of immune-related adverse effects (irAEs), predominantly reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP). However, visceral manifestations of such endothelial proliferations, particularly hepatic cavernous hemangiomas, have not been extensively documented. Methods: This case series retrospectively reviews six patients who developed hepatic hemangiomas following treatment with camrelizumab in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. The series highlights the clinical course, imaging findings, management strategies, and outcomes associated with this complication. A detailed analysis was conducted to discern the potential causal relationship between camrelizumab therapy and the development of hepatic hemangiomas. Results: All six patients, after varying cycles of camrelizumab-based therapy, presented with hepatic lesions identified as cavernous hemangiomas on imaging. These findings were atypical for metastatic disease and were further complicated by significant clinical events, including massive intra-abdominal bleeding post-biopsy. Discontinuation of camrelizumab led to a reduction in the size of the hemangiomas in two cases, suggesting a potential link between the drug and the development of these vascular lesions. The incidence of RCCEP remained high, and the use of other agents such as bevacizumab did not mitigate the occurrence of hepatic hemangiomas, indicating a possible unique pathogenic mechanism associated with camrelizumab. Conclusion: Hepatic cavernous hemangioma may represent a rare but clinically significant irAE associated with camrelizumab therapy. This series underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring and a high index of suspicion for atypical hepatic lesions in patients undergoing treatment with PD-1 inhibitors. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the pathophysiology of this complication and to establish guidelines for the management and surveillance of patients receiving camrelizumab.

Clinical practice guideline for acupuncture and moxibustion: Female urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common problem worldwide. It has a major impact on physical and social activities and interpersonal relationships. UI is common in women, but is under-reported and under-treated. It affects the quality of life of female patients severely. Acupuncture and moxibustion have been proposed as potentially effective interventions for female UI. Hence, for the benefit of acupuncture practitioners around the world, the World Federation of Acupuncture-moxibustion Societies initiated a project to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for the use of acupuncture and moxibustion to treat female UI. This CPG was developed according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology, referring to the principles of the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development. During the development of the CPG, the guideline development group (GDG) played an important role. The clinical questions, recommendations and therapeutic protocols were all formulated by GDG using the modified Delphi method. This CPG contains ten recommendations about the use of acupuncture and moxibustion interventions for ten clinical questions, which include nine conditional recommendations for the intervention and one conditional recommendation for either the intervention or the comparison. This CPG also provides one protocol for conventional filiform needle therapy, two therapy protocols for deep needling stimulation on lumbosacral acupoints, and four moxibustion therapy protocols, based on the protocols presented in randomized controlled trials reviewed by the GDG. Please cite this article as: Yang C, Wang SZ, Chen S, Du S, Wang GQ, Guo W, Xie XL, Peng BH, Du SH, Zhao JP. Clinical practice guideline for acupuncture and moxibustion: Female urinary incontinence. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(3): 258-269.

Clinical practice guideline for acupuncture and moxibustion: Allergic rhinitis.

Acupuncture is one of the most effective complementary therapies for allergic rhinitis (AR) and has been recommended by several clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for AR. However, these CPGs mentioned acupuncture without making recommendations for clinical implementation and therapeutic protocols, therefore limiting the applicability of acupuncture therapies for AR. Hence, for the benefit of acupuncture practitioners around the world, the World Federation of Acupuncture-moxibustion Societies have initiated a project to develop the CPG for the use of acupuncture and moxibustion to treat AR. This CPG was developed according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology, referring to the principles of the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development. During the development of the CPG, the guideline development group (GDG) played an important role. The clinical questions, recommendations and therapeutic protocols were all formulated by the GDG using the modified Delphi method. The CPG contains recommendations for 15 clinical questions about the use of acupuncture and moxibustion interventions. These include one strong recommendation for the intervention based on high-quality evidence, three conditional recommendations for either the intervention or standard care, and 11 conditional recommendations for the intervention based on very low quality of evidence. The CPG also provides one filiform needle acupuncture protocol and five moxibustion protocols extracted based on the protocols presented in randomized controlled trials reviewed by the GDG. Please cite this article as: Du SH, Chen S, Wang SZ, Wang GQ, Du S, Guo W, Xie XL, Peng BH, Yang C, Zhao JP. Clinical practice guideline for acupuncture and moxibustion: Allergic rhinitis. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(3): 245-257.

Intratumoral and Peritumoral Radiomics Based on Preoperative MRI for Evaluation of Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 Expression in Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) is a promising target for immune checkpoint blockade therapy in breast cancer. However, the preoperative evaluation of PD-L1 expression in breast cancer is rarely explored. PURPOSE: To determine the ability of radiomics signatures based on preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI to evaluate PD-L1 expression in breast cancer. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: 196 primary breast cancer patients with preoperative MRI and postoperative pathological evaluation of PD-L1 expression, divided into training (n = 137, 28 PD-L1-positive) and test cohorts (n = 59, 12 PD-L1-positive). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0T; volume imaging for breast assessment DCE sequence. ASSESSMENT: Radiomics features were extracted from the first phase of DCE-MRI by using the minimum redundancy maximum relevance method and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm. Three radiomics signatures were constructed based on the intratumoral, peritumoral, and combined intra- and peritumoral regions. The performance of the signatures was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. STATISTICAL TESTS: Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis, t-tests, chi-square tests, Fisher exact test or Yates correction, ROC analysis, and one-way analysis of variance. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: In the test cohort, the combined radiomics signature (AUC, 0.853) exhibited superior performance compared to the intratumoral (AUC, 0.816; P = 0.528) and peritumoral radiomics signatures (AUC, 0.846; P = 0.905) in PD-L1 status evaluation, although the differences did not reach statistical significance. DATA CONCLUSION: Intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics signatures based on preoperative breast MRI showed some potential accuracy for the non-invasive evaluation of PD-L1 status in breast cancer. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Comparison with gastric cancer-associated genes reveals the role of ferroptosis-related genes in eosinophils of asthma patients: A bioinformatic study.

Ferroptosis-inducing agents (FIAs) induced lipid-peroxidation-independent ferroptosis in eosinophils, thus ameliorating airway inflammation in asthmatic mice. Differences in ferroptosis-related genes (FerrGs) between eosinophils and cells in which FIAs induce canonical ferroptosis are supposed to contribute to this noncanonical ferroptosis but remain unclear. This study aims to explore these differences. This study used gastric cancer cells (GCCs) in stomach adenocarcinoma as the representative of cells in which FIAs induce canonical ferroptosis. FerrGs in Ferroptosis Database V2 respectively intersected with differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of eosinophils (E-MTAB-4660 dataset) and GCCs (GEPIA2 Stomach adenocarcinoma dataset) to obtain original ferroptosis DEGs (FerrDEGs). Then, they were subjected to Venn analysis to identify FerrDEGs shared by them and FerrDEGs exclusively expressed in eosinophils or GCCs. Identified genes were subjected to functional enrichment analysis, protein-protein interactions analysis, Hub genes analysis, and construction of the LncRNA-mediated ceRNA network. Sixty-six original FerrDEGs in eosinophils and 110 original FerrDEGs in GCCs were obtained. Venn analysis identified that eosinophils and GCCs shared 19 FerrDEGs that presented opposite expression directions and were involved in the ferroptosis pathway. Four upregulated and 20 downregulated FerrDEGs were exclusively expressed in eosinophils and GCCs, respectively. The former were enriched only in glycerolipid metabolism, while the latter were not enriched in pathways. Forty downregulated and 68 upregulated FerrDEGs were solely expressed in eosinophils and GCCs, respectively. The former was associated with the FoxO signaling pathway; the latter was related to glutathione metabolism and they were all implicated in autophagy. PPI analysis shows that the top 10 Hub genes of 66 original FerrDEGs and 44 exclusive FerrDEGs in eosinophils shared 9 genes (STAT3, NFE2L2, MAPK8, PTEN, MAPK3, TLR4, SIRT1, BECN1, and PTGS2) and they were also involved in the FoxO signaling pathway and autophagy pathway. Among them, PTEN is involved in forming a ceRNA network containing 3 LncRNAs, 3 miRNAs and 3 mRNAs. In contrast to FerrGs in cells in which FIAs induce canonical ferroptosis, the FerrGs in eosinophils differ in expression and in the regulation of ferroptosis, FoxO signaling pathway, and autophagy. It lays the groundwork for targeted induction of eosinophils lipid-peroxidation-independent ferroptosis in asthma.

[Regularity of meridian-acupoint reactions of foot three yin meridians in primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the meridian-acupoint reactions of foot three yin meridians in primary dysmenorrhea(PD) and secondary dysmenorrhea(SD) patients, so as to summarize the rules of meridian-acupoint reaction and acupoints selection. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with PD (PD group), 34 patients with SD (SD group) and 35 healthy subjects (healthy group) were recruited. The compression method was used to examine the lower leg segment of the foot three yin meridians. Positive reactions(palpable skin changes, including cords, nodules, depressions) and tenderness of meridians and acupoints were recorded. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the tenderness severity of acupoints. RESULTS: Compared with the healthy group, the probability of positive reactions and tenderness in foot three yin meridians were higher in PD and SD groups (P<0.01,P<0.05). Compared with the PD group, the probability of positive reactions in Spleen and Liver Meridians were higher in the SD group, with higher probability of tenderness in Liver Meridian(P<0.05). The probability of positive reactions and tenderness in the Spleen Meridian of PD and SD groups was significantly higher than that in the Kidney Meridian (P<0.01), while the probability of tenderness in the Spleen Meridian of the PD group was significantly higher than that in the Liver Meridian (P<0.05). Positive reactions and tenderness were concentrated at Yinlingquan (SP9), Diji (SP8) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) of Spleen Meridian and Xiguan (LR7) and Ligou (LR5) in Liver Meridian of PD and SD groups. In comparison with the PD group, the probability of positive reactions, tenderness and VAS score of SP8 and LR5 of the SD group were higher (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The positive reaction occurs most frequently in the Spleen Meridian, followed by the Liver Meridian, and least frequently in the Kidney Meridian. The acupoints with positive reaction are different between PD and SD, which suggests that the Spleen Meridian acupoints should be the main acupoints when treating the two kinds of dysmenorrhea, and acupoints should also be selected according to the meridian and acupoint examination results.

An Ustilaginoidea virens glycoside hydrolase 42 protein is an essential virulence factor and elicits plant immunity as a PAMP.

Rice false smut, caused by the ascomycete fungus Ustilaginoidea virens, which infects rice florets before heading, severely threatens rice grain yield and quality worldwide. The U. virens genome encodes a number of glycoside hydrolase (GH) proteins. So far, the functions of these GHs in U. virens are largely unknown. In this study, we identified a GH42 protein secreted by U. virens, named UvGHF1, that exhibits ß-galactosidase activity. UvGHF1 not only functions as an essential virulence factor during U. virens infection, but also serves as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) in Nicotiana benthamiana and rice. The PAMP activity of UvGHF1 is independent of its ß-galactosidase activity. Moreover, UvGHF1 triggers cell death in N. benthamiana in a BAK1-dependent manner. Ectopic expression of UvGHF1 in rice induces pattern-triggered immunity and enhances rice resistance to fungal and bacterial diseases. RNA-seq analysis revealed that UvGHF1 expression in rice not only activates expression of many defence-related genes encoding leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases and WRKY and ERF transcription factors, but also induces diterpenoid biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. Therefore, UvGHF1 contributes to U. virens virulence, but is also recognized by the rice surveillance system to trigger plant immunity.

Overexpression of LaGRAS enhances phosphorus acquisition via increased root growth of phosphorus-deficient white lupin.

The GRAS transcription factors play an indispensable role in plant growth and responses to environmental stresses. The GRAS gene family has extensively been explored in various plant species; however, the comprehensive investigation of GRAS genes in white lupin remains insufficient. In this study, bioinformatics analysis of white lupin genome revealed 51 LaGRAS genes distributed into 10 distinct phylogenetic clades. Gene structure analyses revealed that LaGRAS proteins were considerably conserved among the same subfamilies. Notably, 25 segmental duplications and a single tandem duplication showed that segmental duplication was the major driving force for the expansion of GRAS genes in white lupin. Moreover, LaGRAS genes exhibited preferential expression in young cluster root and mature cluster roots and may play key roles in nutrient acquisition, particularly phosphorus (P). To validate this, RT-qPCR analysis of white lupin plants grown under +P (normal P) and -P (P deficiency) conditions elucidated significant differences in the transcript level of GRAS genes. Among them, LaGRAS38 and LaGRAS39 were identified as potential candidates with induced expression in MCR under -P. Additionally, white lupin transgenic hairy root overexpressing OE-LaGRAS38 and OE-LaGRAS39 showed increased root growth, and P concentration in root and leaf compared to those with empty vector control, suggesting their role in P acquisition. We believe this comprehensive analysis of GRAS members in white lupin is a first step in exploring their role in the regulation of root growth, tissue development, and ultimately improving P use efficiency in legume crops under natural environments.

An MRI-Based Radiomics Nomogram to Distinguish Ductal Carcinoma In Situ with Microinvasion From Ductal Carcinoma In Situ of Breast Cancer.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Accurate preoperative differentiation between ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion (DCISM) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) could facilitate treatment optimization and individualized risk assessment. The present study aims to build and validate a radiomics nomogram based on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) that could distinguish DCISM from pure DCIS breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of 140 patients obtained between March 2019 and November 2022 at our institution were included. Patients were randomly divided into a training (n = 97) and a test set (n = 43). Patients in both sets were further split into DCIS and DCISM subgroups. The independent clinical risk factors were selected by multivariate logistic regression to establish the clinical model. The optimal radiomics features were chosen by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and a radiomics signature was built. The nomogram model was constructed by integrating the radiomics signature and independent risk factors. The discrimination efficacy of our nomogram was assessed by using calibration and decision curves. RESULTS: Six features were selected to construct the radiomics signature for distinguishing DCISM from DCIS. The radiomics signature and nomogram model exhibited better calibration and validation performance in the training (AUC 0.815, 0.911, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.703-0.926, 0.848-0.974) and test (AUC 0.830, 0.882, 95% CI, 0.672-0.989, 0.764-0.999) sets than in the clinical factor model (AUC 0.672, 0.717, 95% CI, 0.544-0.801, 0.527-0.907). The decision curve also demonstrated that the nomogram model exhibited good clinical utility. CONCLUSION: The proposed noninvasive MRI-based radiomics nomogram model showed good performance in distinguishing DCISM from DCIS.

[Application of meridian and acupoint diagnosis of three yin meridians of foot in the treatment for gynecological diseases with acupuncture and moxibustion].

With three representative types of gynecological diseases (dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammation, polycystic ovary syndrome) as examples, the application methods of meridian and acupoint diagnosis for gynecological diseases treated with acupuncture and moxibustion are discussed. During clinical diagnosis and treatment, it is recommended to examine the patient's leg segment along the three yin meridians of foot, aiming to explore the positive reactions of the meridians and acupoints (color, shape, skin temperature, sensory abnormalities, etc.). Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment at this positive reaction place can improve the clinical efficacy. Meridian and acupoint diagnosis could provide basis for meridian syndrome differentiation, thus guiding the selection of acupoint prescriptions; it is also helpful to clarify the deficiency, excess, cold and heat of the disease nature, thus guiding the selection of acupuncture and moxibustion methods. In addition, it is an auxiliary method to estimate the prognosis and outcome of the disease.

Exosomal circ-PTPN22 and circ-ADAMTS6 mark T cell exhaustion and neutrophil extracellular traps in Asian intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a liver tumor featured by challenges of non-invasive early diagnosis and a higher prevalence rate in Asian countries. These characteristics necessitate the development of liquid biopsy and immunotherapy methods to improve the prognosis of patients with ICC. Herein, we conducted a pilot study on the transcriptome of tumor tissues, adjacent normal tissues, and plasma exosomes of Asian patients with ICC from northern and southern China. We identified a subgroup of immunogenic Asian ICC, which is different from Caucasian ICC and is characterized by T cell exhaustion and neutrophil extracellular traps. The levels of circ-PTPN22 (hsa_circ_0110529) and circ-ADAMTS6 (hsa_circ_0072688), potential circRNA biomarkers, were elevated in the ICC tumor tissues and plasma exosomes of this subgroup than in the other subgroups and normal controls. These circRNAs were derived from post-transcriptional backsplicing of PTPN22 and ADAMTS6 that were expressed in T cells and endothelial cells, respectively, in the ICC microenvironment. Our results revealed a subgroup of Asian ICC characterized by T cell exhaustion and neutrophil extracellular traps and marked by elevated levels of circ-PTPN22 and circ-ADAMTS6 in tumor tissues and plasma exosomes. This subgroup is potentially detectable by plasma exosomal circRNAs and treatable with immune checkpoint blockade.

Effects of MCU-mediated Ca2+ Homeostasis on Ovarian Cancer Cell SKOV3 Proliferation, Migration and Transformation.

BACKGROUND: Atlas human proteomics database showed MCU as highly expressed in various tumor tissues, especially in ovarian cancer. Rare studies on the role of MCU and its regulation in ovarian cancer have been reported. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine role of MCU in ovarian cancer cell SKOV3 proliferation, migration, and transformation, and explore the possible mechanism. METHODS: MCU siRNA on lentiviral particles were stably transfected into SKOV3 cells. CCK-8 assay was performed to analyze cell proliferation. Soft-agar colony formation assay was employed to evaluate tumorigenesis. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to evaluate the expression of MCU, MICU1 and phosphorylate of Akt in the ovarian cancer cell and tissue specimens. Scratch assay was combined with trans-well plates assay to detect the migration ability of cancer cells. The ROS production and Ca2+ expression were also determined. RESULTS: MCU expression was significantly higher in ovarian cancer tissues than normal tissues. MCU silencing decreased SKOV3 cell proliferation, migration, and transformation. ROS production was decreased after MCU silencing, depending on disturbed Ca2+ homeostasis. MICU1 expression has been found to be decreased and phosphorylation of Akt increased when MCU was silenced. CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of MCU inhibited SKOV3 cell proliferation, migration, and transformation via disturbing Ca2+ homeostasis and decreasing ROS production. MICU1 and phosphorylation of Akt are associated with MCU-mediated ovarian cancer malignancy.

Evaluation of Lymphatic Vessel Invasion Determined by D2-40 Using Preoperative MRI-Based Radiomics for Invasive Breast Cancer.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Preoperative prediction of LVI status can facilitate personalized therapeutic planning. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of preoperative MRI-based radiomics for predicting lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) determined by D2-40 in patients with invasive breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 203 patients with pathologically confirmed invasive breast cancer, who underwent preoperative breast MRI, were retrospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to the following cohorts: training cohort (n=141) and test cohort (n=62). Then, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to select independent risk factors and build a clinical model. Afterwards, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression was performed to select predictive features extracted from the early and delay enhancement dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI images, and a radiomics signature was established. Subsequently, a nomogram model was constructed by incorporating the radiomics score and risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were performed to determine the performance of various models. The efficacy of the various models was evaluated using calibration and decision curves. RESULTS: Fourteen radiomics features were selected to construct the radiomics model. The size of the lymph node was identified as an independent risk factor of the clinical model. The nomogram model demonstrated the best calibration and discrimination performance in both the training and test cohorts, with an area under the curve of 0.873 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.807-0.923) and 0.902 (95% CI: 0.800-0.963), respectively. The decision curve illustrated that the nomogram model added more net benefits, when compared to the radiomics signature and clinical model. CONCLUSION: The nomogram model based on preoperative DCE-MRI images exhibits satisfactory efficacy for the noninvasive prediction of LVI determined by D2-40 in invasive breast cancer.

HOXA1 promotes proliferation and metastasis of bladder cancer by enhancing SMAD3 transcription.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies showed that HOXA1 can promote or suppress the transcription of target genes via binding to their promoter region, therefore regulating the development and progression of various cancers. However, the biological function of HOXA1 in bladder cancer (Bca) remains unknown. METHODS: qRT-PCR and Western blot assay was performed to measure the mRNA protein level of HOXA1 in Bca cells. CCK-8 and cell colony formation assay were carried out to detect cell proliferation ability. Wound healing assay was applied to detect cell migration ability, while transwell assay was applied to detect cell invasion ability. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying HOXA1. RESULTS: In this study, we discovered that HOXA1 mRNA and protein was dramatically increased in Bca tissues and cells compared to matched normal tissues and normal bladder epithelial cell. Enhanced HOXA1 expression was positively correlated with bigger tumor size and lymphatic metastasis, causing shorter overall survival to Bca patients. Knockdown of HOXA1 obviously impaired cell proliferation and metastasis ability. Further experiments proved that HOXA1 could strength the transcription of SMAD3 via binding to the promoter region of SMAD3. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study suggested that HOXA1 contributed to the growth and metastasis of Bca and it might serve as a tumor biomarker for Bca treatment and prognosis monitoring.

Development of a sensitive phage-mimotope and horseradish peroxidase based electrochemical immunosensor for detection of O,O-dimethyl organophosphorus pesticides.

In this work, a green, harmless and signal-amplified electrochemical immunosensor based on phage-mimotope M31 (C-P-D-G-N-H-V-P-F-C) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was constructed for detecting O,O-dimethyl organophosphorus pesticides (OPs). The glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified by nitrogen and boron doped carbon quantum dots and graphene oxide (NBCQDs@GO) which can provide sufficient surface area and enhance the conductivity of the electrode. The O,O-dimethyl OPs class specific antibody mAb3C9 was assembled onto the NBCQDs@GO and the phage-mimotope M31 competitively bound to mAb3C9 with OPs. Furthermore, large amounts of anti-M13 mAb-HRP were introduced to the electrode through thousands of binding sites on the capsid of phage. HRP can catalyze 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) to produce insoluble precipitates (Benzo-4-chlorhexanedione, 4-CD). Hence, the concentration of OPs can be quantified by measuring impedance signal with electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS). Under the optimal detection conditions, the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and limits of detection (LODs) values of 9 O,O-dimethyl OPs were in range of 0.989-4.017 ng/mL and 0.003-0.014 ng/mL, respectively. The recovery rates of spiked OPs in cucumber, cabbage and lettuce were 88.20-112.50% with coefficient of variation from 2.97 to 15.64%. Therefore, the immunosensor showed very good sensitivity and demonstrating potential application for the detection of O,O-dimethyl OPs in food samples.

Substance accumulation of a wetland plant, Leersia japonica, during senescence in the Yihe and Shuhe River Basin, North China.

Leersia japonica is a perennial Gramineae grass that is dominant in shallow wetlands of the Yihe and Shuhe River Basin, North China. Previous studies have shown that L. japonica recovers early (March), tillers strongly, and has an excellent ability to purify sewage in spring. This early revival might play a vital role in water purification function; however, whether the plant benefits from the physiological activities during senescence remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, an experiment was conducted during the winter of 2016 and in the following spring. Morphology (height, biomass, root morphology), physiology (root vitality, malondialdehyde [MDA], superoxide dismutase [SOD]), substance contents (soluble sugar, soluble protein) and substance transportation (activity of enzymes for transportation and energy supply) were determined during weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 of the senescence stage (October 11, 2016); as well as substance contents and bud increments during days 0,7, 14, 21, 31 and 41 of the revival period (February 22, 2017). The results revealed that (1) the root biomass of L. japonica increased significantly during senescence, even after the leaves withered. (2) The root diameter of L. japonica decreased significantly, while root weight per volume and root superficial area per volume increased significantly during senescence. The root vitality was relatively stable in winter, especially for root absorption area per volume. (3) No significant difference was observed in membrane stability of stems, rhizomes and roots of L. japonica in winter, with the MDA content remaining stable and SOD activity increasing significantly during senescence. (4) The soluble sugar content of all tissues of L. japonica increased sharply during senescence; while it decreased significantly in spring, especially for buds. (5) The enzymes for substance metabolism responded differently, with activities of H+-ATPase and pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) decreasing, and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) increasing. Therefore, L. japonica has active morphological adaptation of roots, physiological regulation, and massive substance accumulation during senescence stage. The special life-history trait ensures L. japonica survival in winter and revival in early spring, which makes it being an excellent plant for purifying sewage in spring.

The chromatin accessibility landscape of pistils and anthers in rice.

Transcription activation is tightly associated with the openness of chromatin and allows direct contact between transcriptional regulators and their targeted DNA for gene expression. However, there are limited studies on the annotation of open chromatin regions (OCRs) in rice (Oryza sativa), especially those in reproductive organs. Here, we characterized OCRs in rice pistils and anthers with an assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing. Despite a large overlap, we found more OCRs in pistils than in anthers. These OCRs were enriched in gene transcription start sites (TSSs) and showed tight associations with gene expression. Transcription factor (TF) binding motifs were enriched at these OCRs as validated by TF chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing. Pistil-specific OCRs provided potential regulatory networks by binding directly to the targets, indicating that pistil-specific OCRs may be indicators of cis-regulatory elements in regulating pistil development, which are absent in anthers. We also found that open chromatin of pistils and anthers responded differently to low temperature (LT). These data offer a comprehensive overview of OCRs regulating reproductive organ development and LT responses in rice.