Noxa inhibits oncogenesis through ZNF519 in gastric cancer and is suppressed by hsa-miR-200b-3p.

While Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1 (Noxa/PMAIP1) assumes a pivotal role in numerous tumors, its clinical implications and underlying mechanisms of gastric cancer (GC) are yet enigmatic. In this investigation, our primary objective was to scrutinize the clinical relevance and potential mechanisms of Noxa in gastric cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis was conducted on tissue microarrays comprising samples from a meticulously characterized cohort of 84 gastric cancer patients, accompanied by follow-up data, to assess the expression of Noxa. Additionally, Noxa expression levels in gastric cancer clinical samples and cell lines were measured through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. The effect of Noxa expression on the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival. Further insight into the role of Noxa in driving gastric cancer progression was gained through an array of experimental techniques, including cell viability assays (CCK8), plate cloning assays, transwell assays, scratch assays, and real-time cell analysis (RTCA). Potential upstream microRNAs (miRNAs) that might modulate Noxa were identified through rigorous bioinformatics analysis, substantiated by luciferase reporter assays and Western blot experiments. Additionally, we utilized RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR, and Western blot to identify proteins binding to Noxa and potential downstream target. Finally, we utilized BALB/c nude mice to explore the role of Noxa in vivo. Our investigation unveiled a marked downregulation of Noxa expression in gastric cancer and underscored its significance as a pivotal prognostic factor influencing overall survival (OS). Noxa overexpression exerted a substantial inhibitory effect on the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells. Bioinformatic analysis and dual luciferase reporter assays unveiled the capacity of hsa-miR-200b-3p to interact with the 3'-UTR of Noxa mRNA, thereby orchestrating a downregulation of Noxa expression in vitro, consequently promoting tumor progression in GC. Our transcriptome analysis, coupled with mechanistic validation, elucidated a role for Noxa in modulating the expression of ZNF519 in the Mitophagy-animal pathway. The depletion of ZNF519 effectively reversed the oncogenic attributes induced by Noxa. Upregulation of Noxa expression suppressed the tumorigenesis of GC in vivo. The current investigation sheds light on the pivotal role of the hsa-miR-200b-3p/Noxa/ZNF519 axis in elucidating the pathogenesis of gastric cancer, offering a promising avenue for targeted therapeutic interventions in the management of this challenging malignancy.

The efficacy and safety of fexuprazan in treating erosive esophagitis: a phase III, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Fexuprazan is a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB). This study aimed to explore the noninferior efficacy and safety of fexuprazan to esomeprazole in treating erosive esophagitis (EE). METHODS: This was a phase III, randomized, double-blind multicenter study. Patients with endoscopically confirmed EE were randomized to receive fexuprazan 40 mg or esomeprazole 40 mg once a daily for 4-8 weeks. The healing rates of EE, symptom response, GERD-health-related quality life (GERD-HRQL), and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were compared between fexuprazan group and esomeprazole group. RESULTS: A total of 332 subjects were included in full analysis set (FAS) and 311 in per-protocol set (PPS). The healing rates of fexuprazan and esomeprazole groups at 8 weeks were 88.5% (146/165) and 89.0% (145/163), respectively, in FAS and 97.3% (145/149) and 97.9% (143/146), respectively, in PPS. Noninferiority of fexuprazan compared with esomeprazole according to EE healing rates at 8 weeks was demonstrated in both FAS and PPS analysis. No significant difference was found between groups in EE healing rates at 4 weeks, symptom responses, and changes of GERD-HRQL. The incidence of drug-related AEs was 19.4% (32/165) in fexuprazan arm and 19.6% (32/163) in esomeprazole arm. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated noninferior efficacy of fexuprazan to esomeprazole in treating EE. The incidence of TEAEs was similar between fexuprazan and esomeprazole. Trial registration number NCT05813561.

The geochemical stability of typical arsenic-bearing sinter in the Tibetan plateau: Implications from quantitative mineralogy.

High­arsenic (As) sinter deposited from geothermal water is a potentially overlooked hazardous matrix and there remain substantial gaps in our comprehension of the stability of As sequestered within it. In this study, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the mineralogy of As-bearing sinter was conducted by Mineral Liberation Analyzer (MLA) in geothermal areas of the Tibetan Plateau to reveal the geochemical stability of As. Our results indicated that the contents of As in sinter were 3 orders of magnitude higher than the local soil. The dominant host minerals of As were calcite (40.9 %), thenardite (22.5 %), calcium silicate (13.0 %), and halite (8.1 %). Additionally, it was found that a relatively higher As bioavailability was extracted by ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), with a leaching rate of 41.2 %. Notably, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the thenardite and halite were decomposed after the leaching. The combination of mineralogy and geochemistry data suggested that calcite and calcium silicate were a crucial mechanism for As retention in sinter, while the dissolution of saline minerals (e.g., thenardite, halite, and calcium chloride) served as the primary sources for As release. This finding unveils the potential risks and mechanisms associated with high-As sinter, providing scientific guidance for risk management of sinter.

Bacterial community succession and the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in an oyster farm.

Microplastics can be colonized by microorganisms and form plastisphere. However, knowledge of bacterial community succession and the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and pathogens on microplastics in aquaculture environments is limited. Here, we conducted a 30-day continuous exposure experiment at an oyster farm. Results showed that the alpha-diversity of communities on most microplastics continuously increased and was higher than in planktonic communities after 14 days. Microplastics could selectively enrich certain bacteria from water which can live a sessile lifestyle and promote colonization by other bacteria. The composition and function of plastisphere communities were distinct from those in the surrounding water and influenced by polymer type and exposure time. Microplastics can enrich ARGs (sul1, qnrS and blaTEM) and harbor potential pathogens (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Therefore, microplastic pollution may pose a critical threat to aquaculture ecosystems and human health. Our study provides further insight into the ecological risks of microplastics.

Exploring the alteration of gut microbiota and brain function in gender-specific Parkinson's disease based on metagenomic sequencing.

Background: The role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in Parkinson's disease (PD) has received increasing attention. Although gender differences are known to an essential role in the epidemiology and clinical course of PD, there are no studies on the sex specificity of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in the development and progression of PD. Methods: Fresh fecal samples from 24 PD patients (13 males, 11 females) were collected for metagenomic sequencing. The composition and function of the gut microbiota were analyzed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Gender-dependent differences in brain ALFF values and their correlation with microbiota were further analyzed. Results: The relative abundance of Propionivibrio, Thermosediminibacter, and Flavobacteriaceae_noname was increased in male PD patients. LEfse analysis showed that Verrucomicrobial, Akkermansiaceae, and Akkermansia were dominant in the males. In female patients, the relative abundance of Propionicicella was decreased and Escherichia, Escherichia_coli, and Lachnospiraceae were predominant. The expression of the sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis pathways was increased in male PD patients and was statistically different from females. Compared to the Male PD patients, female patients showed decreased ALFF values in the left inferior parietal regions, and the relative abundance of Propionivibrio was positively correlated with the regional ALFF values. Conclusion: Our study provides novel clinical evidence of the gender-specific relationship between gut microbiota alterations and brain function in PD patients, highlighting the critical role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in gender differences in PD.

Gut microbiota alterations in children and their relationship with primary immune thrombocytopenia.

Introduction: Gut microbiota reportedly play a critical role in some autoimmune diseases by maintaining immune homeostasis. Only a few studies have examined the correlation between gut microbiota and the onset of primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), especially in children. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the composition and diversity of the fecal microbiota of children with ITP, as well as the correlation between such microbiota and the onset of ITP. Methods: Twenty-five children newly diagnosed with ITP and 16 healthy volunteers (controls) were selected for the study. Fresh stool samples were collected to identify changes in the composition and diversity of gut microbiota as well as for potential correlation analysis. Results: In ITP patients, the phyla that were most frequently encountered were Firmicutes (54.3%), followed by Actinobacteria (19.79%), Bacteriodetes (16.06%), and Proteobacteria (8.75%). The phyla that were predominantly found in the controls were, Firmicutes (45.84%), Actinobacteria (40.15%), Bacteriodetes (3.42%), and Proteobacteria (10.23%). Compared with those of the controls, the proportions of Firmicutes and Bacteriodetes in the gut microbiota of ITP patients were increased while the proportions of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were decreased. Furthermore, gut microbiota in ITP patients varied by age group, showed specific changes in diversity, and were correlated with antiplatelet antibodies. IgG levels were significantly positively correlated with Bacteroides (P<0.01). Conclusions: The gut microbiota of children with ITP are imbalanced, as shown by the increase in Bacteroidetes, which was positively correlated with IgG. Thus gut microbiota may contribute to ITP pathogenesis via IgG. Clinical Trial Registration: The clinical trial were registered and approved by the Institutional Review Committee of The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Ethics number KY-2023-106-01.

The nutritional and functional properties of 1-oleoyl-2-palmitoyl-3-linoleoylglycerol-rich oil: promoting early-life growth and intestinal health with alterations in the intestinal microbiota of Micropterus salmoides.

1-Oleoyl-2-palmitoyl-3-linoleoylglycerol (OPL), a key structural lipid in the breast milk fat, plays a critical role in providing nutrients and energy for infants. OPL is more abundant in Chinese breast milk fat and might be better for Chinese infants' growth. However, few studies have investigated the effect of OPL on the growth and intestinal health of the organism in early life. OPL-rich oil with 45.77% OPL was prepared by immobilized lipase-catalyzed synthesis and purification. The effects of OPL on the nutritional properties and the regulation of intestinal microbiota in early life were further investigated in vivo (Micropterus salmoides). Dietary OPL-rich oil significantly increased the juvenile fish weight gain rate, protein content, and muscular polyunsaturated fatty acids, which in turn markedly altered the muscle texture in springiness and cohesiveness. Dietary OPL-rich oil could also protect intestinal tissues by significantly increasing fish intestinal fold height, mucosal thickness, and intestinal wall thickness. Furthermore, dietary OPL-rich oil regulated intestinal microbiota. Particularly, OPL significantly increased the probiotics (Cetobacterium_sp014250685, Streptomyces_mutabilis, Saccharopolyspora_spinosa, and Nocardiopsis_kunsanensis) and reduced the potential pathogens (Staphylococcus_nepalensis, Salmonella_enterica, the Candidatus_berkiella). The structured OPL significantly promoted fish growth and improved nutritional composition due to its higher bioavailability relative to tripalmitate (PPP). Moreover, OPL significantly improved the growth, cholesterol metabolism, and intestinal health than the mixed oil (MO), which was attributed to the higher palmitic acid content in the sn-2 position. Overall, the structure of triacylglycerols and its distribution of fatty acids affected early growth and intestinal health, and OPL was more effective in the improvement of juvenile growth and intestinal health.

Variation of sulfate reducing bacteria communities in ionic rare earth tailings and the potential of a single cadmium resistant strain in bioremediation.

Heap leaching ionic rare earth tailings might be prone to nourish sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), but the SRB community in terrestrial ecosystems, such as tailings, has never been studied. This work was conducted to investigate the SRB communities in revegetated and bare tailings in Dingnan county, Jiangxi province, China, incorporating with indoor experiments to isolate SRB strain in bioremediation of Cd contamination. Significant increases in richness, accompanied by reductions in evenness and diversity, were found in the SRB community in revegetated tailings compared to bare tailings. At genus taxonomic level, two distinct dominant SRB were observed in samples from bare and revegetated tailings, with Desulfovibrio dominating in the former and Streptomyces dominating in the latter, respectively. A single SRB strain was screened out from the bare tailings (REO-01). The cell of REO-01 was rod-shaped and belonged to family Desulfuricans and genus Desulfovibrio. The Cd resistance of the strain was further examined, no changes in cell morphology were observed at 0.05 mM Cd, additionally, the atomic ratios of S, Cd, and Fe changed with the increase in Cd dosages, indicating FeS and CdS were produced simultaneously, XRD results further confirmed the production changed gradually from FeS to CdS with increasing Cd dosages from 0.05 to 0.2 mM. FT-IR analysis showed that functional groups containing amide, polysaccharide glycosidic linkage, hydroxyl, carboxy, methyl, phosphodiesters and sulfhydryl groups in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of REO-01 might have affinity with Cd. This study demonstrated the potential of a single SRB strain isolated from ionic rare earth tailings in bioremediation of Cd contamination.

Denitrifying bacteria agent together with composite materials enhanced soil chemical properties and denitrifying functions in rare earth tailings: A field study.

The exploitation of ionic rare earth ore using ammonium sulfate extractant in China caused serious soil degradation and nitrogen compounds pollution in surrounding water. It was critical to improve soil properties and eliminate the nitrogen compounds and prevent their diffusion from the rare earth tailings. Here, we addressed this issue by conducting a field experiment for six months through four different treatments including control (CK), denitrifying bacteria agent mainly consisted of Bacillus (DBA), composite materials (CM) and denitrifying bacteria agent together with composite materials (DBA+CM). Besides, the treatments except CK were also amended with basic soil conditioners. DBA+CM could significantly increase soil pH from 5.01 to 6.84 (p ≤ 0.05). Cation exchange capacity in DBA+CM increased from below detection limit to 2.79 cmol+/kg. DBA+CM possessed the highest removal rate of soil NH4+ (95.14 %) and soil NO3- (66.46 %). Compared to CK, DBA+CM significantly increased the absolute abundance of nirS genes and relative abundance of denitrification, nitrate respiration, and nitrite respiration the most (p ≤ 0.05). Denitrification, nitrate respiration and nirS genes were negatively correlated with soil NO3- (p ≤ 0.05). This study demonstrates denitrifying bacteria agent together with composite materials can be a promising approach to control the pollution of nitrogen compounds in ionic rare earth tailings.

Effects of composite materials and revegetation on soil nutrients, chemical and microbial properties in rare earth tailings.

The mining of ionic rare earth elements in Ganzhou left large area of barren tailings with severe vegetation destruction in pressing needs of remediation. However, the remediating effects of soil additives combined with revegetation on the preservation of nutrients in the tailings and microbial communities were rarely studied. For this purpose, pilot experiments were implemented in a field, with the control group (CK) only cultivating plants without adding materials, and three treatments including peanut straw biochar composite (T1), phosphorus­magnesium composite (T2) and modified zeolite composite (T3) along with the cultivation of Medicago sativa L., Paspalum vaginatum Sw. and Lolium perenne L. Soil pH and organic matter in CK significantly decreased from 4.90 to 4.17 and from 6.62 g/kg to 3.87 g/kg after six months, respectively (p ≤ 0.05), while all the treatments could effectively buffer soil acidification (over 5.74) and delay the loss of soil organic matter. Soil cation exchange capacity was still below the detection limit in all the groups except T2. The results of rainfall runoff monitoring indicated that compared with CK, only T2 could significantly reduce the runoff loss of soil NO3- and SO42- by 45.61 %-75.78 % and 64.03 %-76.12 %, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). Compared with CK, the bacterial diversity in T2 and T3 significantly increased 21.18 % and 28.15 %, respectively (p ≤ 0.05), while T1 didn't change the bacterial or fungal diversity (p > 0.05). Co-occurrence network analysis showed that compared with CK, the whole microbial communities interacted more closely in the three treatments. Functional prediction of the microbial communities revealed all the treatments were dominated by carbon transforming bacteria and saprotrophic fungi except T2. This study demonstrated that the composite materials combined with revegetation couldn't retain soil nitrogen compounds and sulfate in rare earth tailings in the long term.

Deep Learning-Based Ultrasound Combined with Gastroscope for the Diagnosis and Nursing of Upper Gastrointestinal Submucous Lesions.

The study focused on the diagnostic value of deep learning-based ultrasound combined with gastroscope examination for upper gastrointestinal submucous lesions and nursing. A total of 104 patients with upper gastrointestinal submucous lesions diagnosed in hospital were selected as the research subjects. In this study, the feed forward denoising convulsive neural network (DnCNN) was improved, and the n-DnCNN model was designed and applied to ultrasonic image processing. The peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM) of Gaussian filtering, NL-means, and DnCNN were then compared with n-DnCNN. Subsequently, the distribution and types of submucosal lesions in different parts of the upper digestive tract were analyzed by ultrasound combined with gastroscope and gastroscope examination alone, and the diagnostic performance of this method was evaluated. The results showed that the average PSNR and SSIM of the n-DnCNN model were 33.01 dB and 0.87, respectively, which were significantly higher than GF, NL-means, and DnCNN algorithms, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Of the 116 lesions detected, 49 were located in the esophagus (42.24%), 52 in the stomach (44.83%), and 15 in the duodenum (12.93%). Of the 49 esophageal submucosal lesions, 6.12% were located in the upper esophagus, 55.1% in the middle esophagus, and 38.79% in the lower esophagus, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Of the gastric submucosal lesions, the lesions in the gastric cardia were significantly less than in other parts, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The accuracy of ultrasound combined with gastroscope in the diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal submucous episodes was 82.32%, higher than that of gastroscope examination, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the n-DnCNN model has a good noise reduction effect, and the obtained image is of high quality. Ultrasound combined with gastroscope examination can effectively improve the accuracy of diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal submucous lesions.

Enzymatic Synthesis of Diacylglycerol-Enriched Oil by Two-Step Vacuum-Mediated Conversion of Fatty Acid Ethyl Ester and Fatty Acid From Soy Sauce By-Product Oil as Lipid-Lowering Functional Oil.

Soy sauce by-product oil (SSBO), a by-product of the soy sauce production process, is the lack of utilization due to an abundance of free fatty acid (FFA) and fatty acid ethyl ester (EE). The utilization of low-cost SSBO to produce value-added diacylglycerol (DAG)-enriched oil and its applications are promising for the sustainability of the oil industry. The objective of this study was to utilize SSBO containing a high content of EE and FFA as raw material to synthesize DAG-enriched oil and to evaluate its nutritional properties in fish. Based on different behaviors between the glycerolysis of EE and the esterification of FFA in one-pot enzymatic catalysis, a two-step vacuum-mediated conversion was developed for the maximum conversions of EE and FFA to DAG. After optimization, the maximum DAG yield (66.76%) and EE and FFA conversions (96 and 93%, respectively) were obtained under the following optimized conditions: lipase loading 3%, temperature 38°C, substrate molar ratio (glycerol/FFA and EE) 21:40, a vacuum combination of 566 mmHg within the initial 10 h and 47 mmHg from the 10th to 14th hour. Further nutritional study in fish suggested that the consumption of DAG-enriched oil was safe and served as a functional oil to lower lipid levels in serum and liver, decrease lipid accumulation and increase protein content in body and muscle tissues, and change fatty acid composition in muscle tissues. Overall, these findings were vital for the effective utilization of SSBO resources and the development of future applications for DAG-enriched oil as lipid-lowering functional oil in food.

Establishment of prognostic risk model and drug sensitivity based on prognostic related genes of esophageal cancer.

At present, the treatment of esophageal cancer (EC) is mainly surgical and drug treatment. However, due to drug resistance, these therapies can not effectively improve the prognosis of patients with the EC. Therefore, a multigene prognostic risk scoring system was constructed by bioinformatics analysis method to provide a theoretical basis for the prognosis and treatment decision of EC. The gene expression profiles and clinical data of esophageal cancer patients were gathered from the Cancer Genome Atlas TCGA database, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by R software. Genes with prognostic value were screened by Kaplan Meier analysis, followed by functional enrichment analysis. A cox regression model was used to construct the prognostic risk score model of DEGs. ROC curve and survival curve were utilized to evaluate the performance of the model. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate whether the model has an independent prognostic value. Network tool mirdip was used to find miRNAs that may regulate risk genes, and Cytoscape software was used to construct gene miRNA regulatory network. GSCA platform is used to analyze the relationship between gene expression and drug sensitivity. 41 DEGs related to prognosis were pre-liminarily screened by survival analysis. A prognostic risk scoring model composed of 8 DEGs (APOA2, COX6A2, CLCNKB, BHLHA15, HIST1H1E, FABP3, UBE2C and ERO1B) was built by Cox regression analysis. In this model, the prognosis of the high-risk score group was poor (P < 0.001). The ROC curve showed that (AUC = 0.862) the model had a good performance in predicting prognosis. In Cox regression analysis, the comprehensive risk score can be employed as an independent prognostic factor of the EC. HIST1H1E, UBE2C and ERO1B interacted with differentially expressed miRNAs. High expression of HIST1H1E was resistant to trametinib, selumetinib, RDEA119, docetaxel and 17-AAG, High expression of UBE2C was resistant to masitinib, and Low expression of ERO1B made the EC more sensitive to FK866. We constructed an EC risk score model composed of 8 DEGs and gene resistance analysis, which can provide reference for prognosis prediction, diagnosis and treatment of the EC patients.

Effect of rice straw biochar on three different levels of Cd-contaminated soils: Cd availability, soil properties, and microbial communities.

Biochar can be effective in immobilizing soil cadmium (Cd), but the difference in its immobilization mechanisms for different levels of Cd-contaminated soils was overlooked. In this study, rice straw biochar (BC) was added to three Cd-contaminated soils following 180 days of incubation, in the process of which the dynamic changes of Cd speciation, soil properties and microbial community diversity were determined. BC could significantly reduce the ratio of acid-soluble in the three soils, especially in light and medium Cd-contaminated soils by more than 20%. The addition of biochar could significantly increase the soil pH, soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and the activities of catalase, but decrease the richness and diversity of bacterial communities in all soils. The associations between microbial communities were inhibited in light and medium Cd-contaminated soils, but promoted in heavy Cd-contaminated soils. Furthermore, the main pathway of BC effect on soil Cd availability was also analyzed by partial least squares model (PLS-PM), which indicated that BC indirectly reduced Cd availability mainly by regulating the microbial community in light Cd-contaminated soil, whereas BC directly reduced Cd availability primarily by its own adsorption in medium and heavy Cd-contaminated soils. This research deepened understanding of the mechanisms of stabilization of Cd by biochar for agricultural soils.

Comprehensive Analysis of the Expression of TGF-ß Signaling Regulators and Prognosis in Human Esophageal Cancer.

More and more evidences show that TGF-ß has a crucial role in tumor initiation and development. However, the mechanism of the TGF-ß signal regulator in esophageal cancer (EC) is still unclear. Here, we use a variety of bioinformatics methods to analyze the expression and survival data of TGF-ß signal regulators in patients with EC. We extracted the expression of the S-TGF-ß signal regulator from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The cBioPortal database was used to assess the frequency of genetic variation. The TGF-ß signal regulator is expressed in EC and normal tissues. The objective is to use the Kaplan-Meier plotter database to investigate the prognostic value of TGF-ß signal regulators in cancer patients. The DAVID and clusterProfiler software package were used for functional enrichment analysis. We found that patients with TGF-ß signaling mutations have shorter overall survival, disease-free survival, disease-specific survival, platinum overall survival, and platinum-free progression survival. We found that compared with the noncancerous tissues of patients with EC, ZFYVE9, BMPR1B, TGFB3, TGFBRAP1, ACVRL1, TGFBR2, SMAD4, SMAD7, ACVR2A, BMPR1, and SMAD9 were significantly downregulated in tumor tissues, while ACVR1 and Smad1 were significantly upregulated in tumor samples. Univariate survival analysis showed that ACVR1, TGFBR3, TGFBRAP1, BMPR1A, SMAD4, and TGFBR2 were positively correlated with overall survival (OS) prolongation. In addition, TGF-ß signal transduction regulators could be divided into two classes. Subclass 1 was involved in regulating cell adhesion, PI3K-Akt signaling, and Rap1 signaling. Subclass 2 was related to regulating angiogenesis and PI3K signaling. In short, all members of TGF-ß signal regulators can be used as biomarkers to predict the prognosis of patients with EC.

Physiological responses and health risks of edible amaranth under simultaneous stresses of lead from soils and atmosphere.

Lead (Pb) is widely distributed in the environment that can impose potential risks to vegetables and humans. In this work, we conducted a pot experiment in Southern China to examine the physiological response and risk of edible amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) under the simultaneous stresses of lead from soil and atmosphere. The results indicate that the lead content of amaranth substantially exceeded China's national standard when Pb concentration from soils and atmosphere was high, and comparing to teenagers and adults, children exposed a higher health risk after consuming the contaminated amaranth. Under the co-stress, the lead in roots of amaranth mainly came from the soil, but the Pb from atmospheric deposition can significantly affect the lead concentration in leaves. While lead from atmospheric deposition is found to promote the growth of amaranth, the stress of lead from the soils shows an inhibitory effect, as indicated by the increase in H2O2 content, the damage in cell membranes, and the limitation in chlorophyll synthesis. The antioxidant system in stems and leaves of amaranth can effectively alleviate the Pb toxicity. However, the stress of high lead concentration from soils can substantially suppress the antioxidant enzyme activity of roots. While it is found that heavy metals in soils can significantly affect the vegetables grown in a multi-source pollution environment, we also call for the attention on the potential health risk imposed by the lead from atmospheric deposition. This study provides an important reference for the prevention and control of crop contamination in multi-source pollution environments.

ELK1­mediated upregulation of lncRNA LBX2­AS1 facilitates cell proliferation and invasion via regulating miR­491­5p/S100A11 axis in colorectal cancer.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of LBX2 antisense RNA 1 (LBX2­AS1) in colorectal cancer. Firstly, LBX2­AS1 expression was detected using reverse transcription­quantitative PCR in colorectal cancer tissues and cells, and its prognostic and diagnostic efficacy was assessed in a colorectal cancer cohort (n=145). Subcellular fractionation assay of LBX2­AS1 was performed. Secondly, the effects of LBX2­AS1 and microRNA (miR)­491­5p on colorectal cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion were investigated by a series of functional assays. Thirdly, RNA immunoprecipitation, dual­luciferase reporter and gain and loss of function assays were carried out to analyze the interactions between ETS transcription factor ELK1 (ELK1) and LBX2­AS1, as well as LBX2­AS1, miR­491­5p and S100A11. The results showed that LBX2­AS1 was upregulated both in colorectal cancer tissues and cells, which was distributed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of colorectal cancer cells. Clinically, high LBX2­AS1 expression could be an independent prognostic factor for colorectal cancer. Furthermore, relative operating characteristic curve analysis showed that LBX2­AS1 was a sensitive diagnostic marker for colorectal cancer. Highly expressed ELK1, as a transcription factor, could bind to the two conserved sites in the promoter region of LBX2­AS1, thereby activating the transcription of LBX2­AS1. Silencing LBX2­AS1 markedly inhibited proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities of colorectal cancer cells. miR­491­5p expression was downregulated, while S100A11 expression was upregulated in colorectal cancer tissues and cells. Dual­luciferase reporter assays confirmed that LBX2­AS1 could block S100A11 degradation via competitively binding to miR­491­5p. Furthermore, LBX2­AS1 overexpression could notably reverse the inhibitory effect of miR­491­5p on proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer cells. Taken together, LBX2­AS1 induced by transcription factor ELK1 may facilitate colorectal cancer cell proliferation and invasion via regulation of the miR­491­5p/S100A11 axis. Thus, LBX2­AS1 could be an underlying prognostic and diagnostic marker for colorectal cancer.

Fermented Duckweed as a Potential Feed Additive with Poultry Beneficial Bacilli Probiotics.

In this study, the duckweed varieties Lemna minor, Spirodela polyrhiza, and a commercially processed duckweed food supplement were investigated as potential substrates for the propagation of two probiotic Bacillus strains, B. subtilis KATMIRA1933 and B. amyloliquefaciens B-1895. Both L. minor and S. polyrhiza were found to be suitable substrates for the propagation of both bacilli, with 8.47-9.48 Log CFU/g and 10.17-11.31 Log CFU/g after 24 and 48 h growth on the substrates, respectively. The commercial duckweed product was a less favorable substrate, with growth reaching a maximum of 7.89-8.91 CFU/g after 24 h with no further growth after 48 h. Growth and adherence of the bacilli to the three products were confirmed via electron microscopy. These strains have demonstrated health-promoting benefits for poultry and thereby have the potential to enhance duckweed as an animal feed through the process of fermentation. Duckweed has been shown to be a promising alternative resource for protein and has the opportunity to become a valuable resource in multiple industries as a potential means to increase sustainability, food security, and reduce environmental impact.

Cadmium accumulation and physiological response of Amaranthus tricolor L. under soil and atmospheric stresses.

In this study, cadmium (Cd) solution spraying and Cd-contaminated soil pot experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of Cd from atmospheric deposition and soil on the growth, cumulative distribution, chemical morphology, physiological, and biochemical responses of Amaranthus tricolor L. The results indicated that Cd in plants mainly came from soil (92-98%) and was stored in the roots in large quantities while the portion from atmospheric deposition could also effectively increase Cd content in stems and leaves (2-3%). Cd was mainly stored in plant cell walls and would transfer to the soluble part under high-concentration soil stress Cd from atmospheric deposition alone promoted the growth of plants, but high Cd concentrations from soil had the negative influence. The contents of H2O2 and MDA in plants increased under soil and atmospheric Cd stress, indicating that the plant cells were damaged by oxidative stress. The content of antioxidant enzymes such as POD, CAT, SOD, and antioxidants like AsA and GSH increased under low-concentration Cd stress but decreased under elevated stress, suggesting that high Cd-contaminated soil poses severe toxicity on the antioxidant system of the plants. Hence, the accumulation and physiological response of plants under multi-source Cd contamination were mainly affected by high soil Cd concentrations. Though the effect of atmospheric deposition is relatively less, it cannot be ignored.

[Improved Regression Kriging Prediction of the Spatial Distribution of the Soil Cadmium by Integrating Natural and Human Factors].

Mastering the spatial distribution of heavy metals in the soil plays an important supporting role in the scientific formulation of soil pollution risk management and control strategies. Few factors were considered and multiple collinearity between parallel variables existed,resulting in low prediction accuracy. OK (common Kriging method), NRK (regressive Kriging method based on natural factors only), and NARK (regressive Kriging based on natural-human factors)were used to simulate the spatial distribution of soil Cd by selecting 23 natural-artificial influencing factors. The prediction accuracy was evaluated based on an empirical study of the area around Shaoguan Qujiang smelter. The results showed that the above-standard rate of soil cadmium in this area reached 85.93%, and the effect on the spatial heterogeneity of soil cadmium was shown as air emissions from smelters > air emissions from steel plants > pH > organic matter > Euclidean distance to road > Euclidean distance to river. The root-mean-square error and average absolute error of NARK's prediction results for soil cadmium were 26.86% and 30.56% lower than that of the OK method, respectively. The model determination coefficient R2 increased from 0.78 to 0.88. Compared with that of NRK, it was reduced by 24.15% and 24.23% and R2 increased from 0.81 to 0.88. The NRK combining natural and human factors significantly improved the simulation accuracy of the spatial distribution of soil cadmium, and the addition of human factors as auxiliary variables, especially atmospheric point source pollution emissions, greatly contributed to the improvement of the model accuracy.