[miR-151-3p derived from gastric cancer exosomes induces M2-phenotype polarization of macrophages and promotes tumor growth].

Objective To investigate whether exosomes derived from gastric cancer cells can affect macrophages in tumor microenvironment through miR-151-3p. Methods The expression of miR-151-3p in tumor tissues of patients with gastric cancer and normal tissues was detected by real time quantitative PCR; Gastric cancer cells overexpressing miR-151-3p were constructed, and exosomes were isolated and identified. The expression of CD11b and CD163 markers on RAW264.7 cells co-incubated with exosomes were detected by flow cytometry, and the effects of exosome carrying miR-151-3p on tumor growth and tumor-associated macrophages were evaluated in mice transplanted tumor model. Results The results of real time quantitative PCR showed that the level of miR-151-3p in gastric tumor tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues, and the content of miR-151-3p in gastric juice of most patients after operation was lower than that before operation; The content of miR-151-3p in exosomes of tumor cells overexpressing miR-151-3p was also significantly higher than that of untransfected cells. Exosomes carrying miR-151-3p can induce phenotypic differentiation of M2 in co-incubation with RAW264.7 cells. Similarly, tumor transplantation model also showed that exosomes carrying miR-151-3p can induce tumor-associated macrophages to polarize to M2 and promote tumor growth. Conclusion miR-151-3p derived from gastric cancer exosomes can induce the polarization of M2 macrophages and promote the growth of gastric cancer. The treatment of miR-151-3p may destroy the tumor microenvironment of immunosuppression, which assists the anti-tumor immunotherapy.

The role of urban waterbodies in maintaining bird species diversity within built area of Beijing.

This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of urban waterbodies in avian ecology, which is instructive for both biodiversity conservation and urban planning. Based on bird surveys conducted in 41 urban parks in Beijing during the breeding and wintering seasons of 2018-2019, and using standardized regression analyses, we identified the specific effects of waterbody attributes on the full avian community and forest bird guilds. We assessed this at multiple spatial scales, first within the focal parks, and then within buffer zones with radius of 200 m and 1000 m. We found that waterbodies can serve as avian diversity "hotspots" in the urban landscape. More specifically, they support avian diversity in the following ways: (1) Parks with waterbodies maintain a higher number of bird species than parks without waterbodies during the breeding season and attract resident forest birds during the wintering season. (2) When not frozen, waterbodies inside and outside parks contribute equally to resident forest bird species richness, while more individuals were attracted by waterbodies within neighborhoods. (3) In parks without waterbodies, the number of forest bird species significantly increases with the number of waterbody patches within neighborhoods, while the corresponding relationship for parks with waterbodies is insignificant. These findings suggest a preference for habitats nearby waterbodies among forest birds residing highly urbanized areas. This study provides new insights into avian ecology in urban landscapes and scientific support for the idea that creating and maintaining urban waterbodies can conserve biodiversity.

Dynamic Robustness of Semantic-Based Collaborative Knowledge Network of Open Source Project.

Robustness of the collaborative knowledge network (CKN) is critical to the success of open source projects. To study this robustness more comprehensively and accurately, we constructed a weighted CKN based on the semantic analysis of collaborative behavior, where (a) open source designers were the network nodes, (b) collaborative behavior among designers was the edges, and (c) collaborative text content intensity and collaborative frequency intensity were the edge weights. To study the robustness from a dynamic viewpoint, we constructed three CKNs from different stages of the project life cycle: the start-up, growth and maturation stages. The connectivity and collaboration efficiency of the weighted network were then used as robustness evaluation indexes. Further, we designed four edge failure modes based on the behavioral characteristics of open source designers. Finally, we carried out dynamic robustness analysis experiments based on the empirical data of a Local Motors open source car design project. Our results showed that the CKN performed differently at different stages of the project life cycle, and our specific findings could help community managers of open source projects to formulate different network protection strategies at different stages of their projects.

Factors responsible for forest and water bird distributions in rivers and lakes along an urban gradient in Beijing.

Urban rivers and lakes, in combination with nearby green spaces, provide important habitat for urban birds, but few urban studies have focused on forest and water birds simultaneously along an urban intensity gradient. In this study, we randomly chose 39 rivers and lakes along an urban gradient of Beijing to examine bird community parameters in relation to aquatic and terrestrial habitat conditions, aquatic life data, and water quality data. We selected models with the AICc (corrected Akaike information criterion) method, bivariate linear or generalized linear regressions, and structural equation modeling to determine distribution patterns of avian communities along an urban gradient and bird-environment relationships. We found that both forest and water bird species and individuals peaked at intermediate urbanization intensities, especially for abundance of both forest and water bird and water bird species richness and abundance. We suggest that the differences in the strength of response to urbanization and the similarities in the gradient distribution pattern between forest and water birds should receive more attention in future urbanization gradient studies. Significant correlation ship between species richness of resident water birds, fish foragers, and insectivore-frugivores, abundance of insectivores, insectivore-frugivores (negative), and granivores (positive) and impervious surface proportion within 1-km radius buffer of sampled sites became more evident after coverage of artificial surfaces exceeded a 50% threshold. Regressions showed that distance from the urban center, number of islands in waterbody, and proportion of gross or unarmored shoreline length were significantly and positively related to species richness and abundance of both forest and water birds. The availability of unarmored shoreline is a critical pathway through which urbanization detrimentally impacts avian diversity. Our results demonstrate how the urban intensity gradient affects the relative availability of food resources and habitat, which could provide practical applications for urban landscape planning and avian biodiversity conservation in urban areas.

LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 inhibits gastric cancer (GC) development and sensitizes chemoresistant GC cells to cisplatin by regulating miR-223-3p/NLRP3 axis.

The role of LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 in the regulation of chemoresistance of gastric cancer (GC) is largely unknown. Here we found that LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 was low-expressed in GC tissues and cells compared to their normal counterparts. In addition, LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 inhibited miR-223-3p expressions in GC cells by acting as competing endogenous RNA, and the levels of LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 and miR-223-3p showed negative correlations in GC tissues. Of note, overexpression of LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 inhibited GC cell viability and motility by sponging miR-223-3p. In addition, the levels of LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 were lower, and miR-223-3p was higher in cisplatin-resistant GC (CR-GC) cells than their parental cisplatin-sensitive GC (CS-GC) cells. LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 overexpression enhanced the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin on CR-GC cells, which were reversed by overexpressing miR-223-3p. Furthermore, LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 increased NLRP3 expressions by targeting miR-223-3p, and upregulation of LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 triggered pyroptotic cell death in cisplatin treated CR-GC cells by activating NLRP3 inflammasome through downregulating miR-223-3p. Finally, the promoting effects of LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 overexpression on CR-GC cell death were abrogated by pyroptosis inhibitor Necrosulfonamide (NSA). Collectively, LncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 acted as a tumor suppressor and enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in GC cells by activating NLRP3 mediated pyroptotic cell death through sponging miR-223-3p.

miR-1323 Promotes Cell Migration in Lung Adenocarcinoma by Targeting Cbl-b and Is an Early Prognostic Biomarker.

Purpose: MicroRNAs are known to regulate cellular processes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and predict prognosis. However, identification of specific microRNAs in NSCLC as potential therapeutic targets is controversial. We aim to determine the clinical significance of miR-1323 in the prognosis of patients with lung cancer and the potential mechanism. Patients and methods: A bioinformatics approach was used to screen the importance microRNA in NSCLC through the online GEO database (GSE42425). The relationship between expression level of miR-1323 and overall survival of lung cancer patients was analyzed. Additionally, an independent corhort including 53 NSCLC cases that underwent resection validated the connection between miR-1323 and LUAD patients' overall survival. Next, the function of miR-1323 was studied in vitro by transient transfection. A more in-depth mechanism was studied through luciferase reporter gene experiments. Results: High miR-1323 expression correlated with poor survival in NSCLC patients (P = 0.011), and in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients (P = 0.015) based on GEO database (GSE42425). In the independent cohort based on our hospital, high miR-1323 expression was associated with LUAD patients (P = 0.025). Moreover, transfection with mimics of miR-1323 showed an increased migratory capacity in LUAD A549 and HCC827 cells. In addition, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase Casitas B-lineage Lymphoma-b (Cbl-b) was found to be the target genes of miR-1323 and significantly down regulated after mimics of miR-1323 transfection, and high Cbl-b expression predicted better prognosis in NSCLC and LUAD (P = 0.00072 and P = 0.02, respectively). Conclusion: The miR-1323 promoted LUAD migration through inhibiting Cbl-b expression. High miR-1323 expression predicted poor prognosis in LUAD patients.

The effect of habitat changes along the urbanization gradient for breeding birds: an example from the Xiong'an New Area.

BACKGROUND: Because of its status as an ecocivilization pilot city, fundamental research on spatial distribution patterns and impact factors of the avian community within the Xiong'an New Area is necessary for future ecological planning and mitigation of negative impacts from future urbanization. Gradient research within small cities can provide important information for the development of urbanization gradient patterns of avian communities. METHODS: A total of 30 sample points within the urbanization gradient were selected, and avian communities and environmental variables were measured within a 50 m radius sample circle. Principal component regression analysis was used to analyze bird-environment relationships. The Sorensen dissimilarity index was used to calculate the beta-diversity. RESULTS: Our results showed that there was a significant urban-rural pattern with a gradient phenomenon in avian communities. Results of this study showed more resident, passenger and insectivore species, and a higher density of breeding insectivore and omnivore individuals appear in the urban fringe than in the other areas. A relatively high value of overall beta-diversity and spatial isolation probably exists among the three disjunct constructed regions. Both species richness and individual abundance were significantly influenced by the species diversity of the trees and foliage height diversity (FHD). DISCUSSION: Based on our results and our goal of avian species diversity conservation, we first suggest that urban green spaces be established and ensure a high complexity of vegetation structure as this is critically needed to increase avian species α-diversity within habitat patches. Second, different habitat types within and around the three constructed areas should be developed based on the important existing bird habitats to increase avian diversity in each city, especially in the areas within Xiongxian and Rongcheng that are well protected, and to elevate the beta-diversity of the total region. Finally, based on the biodiversity hotspots identified by this research, ecological corridors should be carefully planned to improve the stability of regional bird communities.

Multi-scale factors influencing the characteristics of avian communities in urban parks across Beijing during the breeding season.

Understanding the factors that influence the characteristics of avian communities using urban parks at both the patch and landscape level is important to focus management effort towards enhancing bird diversity. Here, we investigated this issue during the breeding season across urban parks in Beijing, China, using high-resolution satellite imagery. Fifty-two bird species were recorded across 29 parks. Analysis of residence type of birds showed that passengers were the most prevalent (37%), indicating that Beijing is a major node in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Park size was crucial for total species abundance, but foliage height diversity was the most important factor influencing avian species diversity. Thus, optimizing the configuration of vertical vegetation structure in certain park areas is critical for supporting avian communities in urban parks. Human visitation also showed negative impact on species diversity. At the landscape level, the percentage of artificial surface and largest patch index of woodland in the buffer region significantly affected total species richness, with insectivores and granivores being more sensitive to the landscape pattern of the buffer region. In conclusion, urban birds in Beijing are influenced by various multi-scale factors; however, these effects vary with different feeding types.