High performance magnesium-based plastic semiconductors for flexible thermoelectrics.

Low-cost thermoelectric materials with simultaneous high performance and superior plasticity at room temperature are urgently demanded due to the lack of ever-lasting power supply for flexible electronics. However, the inherent brittleness in conventional thermoelectric semiconductors and the inferior thermoelectric performance in plastic organics/inorganics severely limit such applications. Here, we report low-cost inorganic polycrystalline Mg3Sb0.5Bi1.498Te0.002, which demonstrates a remarkable combination of large strain (~ 43%) and high figure of merit zT (~ 0.72) at room temperature, surpassing both brittle Bi2(Te,Se)3 (strain ≤ 5%) and plastic Ag2(Te,Se,S) and organics (zT ≤ 0.4). By revealing the inherent high plasticity in Mg3Sb2 and Mg3Bi2, capable of sustaining over 30% compressive strain in polycrystalline form, and the remarkable deformability of single-crystalline Mg3Bi2 under bending, cutting, and twisting, we optimize the Bi contents in Mg3Sb2-xBix (x = 0 to 1) to simultaneously boost its room-temperature thermoelectric performance and plasticity. The exceptional plasticity of Mg3Sb2-xBix is further revealed to be brought by the presence of a dense dislocation network and the persistent Mg-Sb/Bi bonds during slipping. Leveraging its high plasticity and strength, polycrystalline Mg3Sb2-xBix can be easily processed into micro-scale dimensions. As a result, we successfully fabricate both in-plane and out-of-plane flexible Mg3Sb2-xBix thermoelectric modules, demonstrating promising power density. The inherent remarkable plasticity and high thermoelectric performance of Mg3Sb2-xBix hold the potential for significant advancements in flexible electronics and also inspire further exploration of plastic inorganic semiconductors.

Electrospinning-derived transition metal/carbon nanofiber composites as electrocatalysts for Zn-air batteries.

The sluggish kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) significantly impede the broader implementation of Zn-air batteries (ZABs), underscoring the necessity for advanced high-efficiency materials to catalyze these electrochemical processes. Recent advancements have highlighted the potential of transition metal/carbon nanofiber (TM/CNF) composite materials, synthesized via electrospinning technology, due to their expansive surface area, profusion of active sites, and elevated catalytic efficacy. This review comprehensively examines the structural characteristics of TM/CNFs, with a particular emphasis on the pivotal role of electrospinning technology in fabricating diverse structural configurations. Additionally, it delves into the mechanistic underpinnings of various strategies aimed at augmenting the catalytic activity of TM/CNFs. A meticulous discourse is also presented on the application scope of TM/CNFs in the realm of electrocatalysis, with a special focus on their impact on the performance of assembled ZABs. Lastly, this review encapsulates the challenges and future prospects in the development of TM/CNF composite materials via electrospinning, aiming to provide an exhaustive understanding of the current state of research in this domain and to foster further advancements in the commercialization of ZABs.

Passive Self-Sustained Thermoelectric Devices Powering the 24 h Wireless Transmission via Radiation-Cooling and Selective Photothermal Conversion.

The rapid development of the Internet of Things has triggered a huge demand for self-sustained technology that can provide a continuous electricity supply for low-power electronics. Here, a self-sustained power supply solution is demonstrated that can produce a 24 h continuous and unipolar electricity output based on thermoelectric devices by harvesting the environmental temperature difference, which is ingeniously established utilizing radiation cooling and selective photothermal conversion. The developed prototype system can stably maintain a large temperature difference of about 1.8 K for a full day despite the real-time changes in environmental temperature and solar radiation, thereby driving continuous electricity output using the built-in thermoelectric device. Specifically, the large output voltage of >102 mV and the power density of >4.4 mW m-2 could be achieved for a full day, which are outstanding among the 24 h self-sustained thermoelectric devices and far higher than the start-up values of the wireless temperature sensor and also the light-emitting diode, enabling the 24 h remote data transmission and lighting, respectively. This work highlights the application prospects of self-sustained thermoelectric devices for low-power electronics.

Structural and compositional analysis of MOF-derived carbon nanomaterials for the oxygen reduction reaction.

The development of low-cost and efficient cathode catalysts is crucial for the advancement of fuel cells, as the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the cathode is constrained by expensive commercial Pt/C catalysts and a significant energy barrier. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered excellent precursors for synthesizing carbon nanomaterials due to their simple synthesis, rich structure and composition. MOF-derived carbon nanomaterials (MDCNM) inherit the morphology of their precursors at low dimensional scales, providing abundant edge defects, larger specific surface area, and excellent electron transport paths. Furthermore, the rich composition of MOFs enables the carbon nanomaterials derived from them to exhibit various physicochemical properties, including stronger electron gaining ability, oxygen affinity, and a higher degree of graphitization, resulting in excellent ORR activity. However, a more detailed analysis is necessary to understand the advantages and mechanisms of MDCNM in the field of the ORR. This review classifies and summarizes the structure and different chemical compositions of MDCNM in low dimensions, and provides an in-depth analysis of the reasons for their improved ORR activity. Additionally, the recent practical applications of MDCNM as cathode material in fuel cells are introduced and analyzed in detail, with a focus on the enhanced electrochemical performance.

Aerobic Benzylic C(sp3)-H Bond Oxygenations Catalyzed by NBS under Visible Light Irradiation.

An efficient photocatalytic oxidation of benzylic C(sp3)-H bonds to ketones, esters, and amides has been developed using NBS as a metal-free photocatalyst and O2 as an oxidant. A variety of synthetically and biologically valuable compounds are assembled in moderate to excellent yields. The synthetic utility of this approach has been demonstrated by gram-scale experiments. A possible free radical mechanism was proposed to rationalize the reaction procedure.

Recent advances and promise of MXene-based composites as electrode materials for sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries.

With the increasing demand for sustainable energy and concerns about the scarcity of lithium resources, sodium and potassium ion batteries have emerged as promising alternative energy storage technologies. MXene, as a novel two-dimensional material, possesses exceptional electrical conductivity, high surface area, and tunable structural features that make it an ideal candidate for high-performance electrode materials. However, its limited theoretical capacity hinders its widespread application. To overcome this limitation, MXene has been combined with other materials through synergistic effects between different components to enhance the overall electrochemical performance and expand its application in sodium/potassium ion batteries. Recently, substantial advancements have been realized in the exploration of MXene-based composites as energy storage materials, encompassing their synthesis, design, and the comprehension of charge storage mechanisms. This paper aims to propose a comprehensive summary of the latest developments in MXene-based composites as electrode materials for sodium ion batteries and potassium ion batteries, with a particular emphasis on the enhanced physicochemical properties resulting from composite formation. Moreover, the challenges faced by MXene materials in sodium ion batteries and potassium ion batteries are thoroughly discussed, and future research directions to further advance this field are proposed.

Estimation of Target Motion Parameters from the Tonal Signals with a Single Hydrophone.

In the shallow-water waveguide environment, the tonal signals radiated by moving targets carry modal interference and Doppler shift information. The modal interference can be used to obtain the time of the closest point of approach (tCPA) and the ratio of the range at the closest point of approach to the velocity of the source (rCPA/v). However, parameters rCPA and v cannot be solved separately. When tCPA is known, the rCPA and the v of the target can be obtained theoretically by using the Doppler information. However, when the Doppler frequency shift is small or at a low signal-to-noise ratio, there will be a strong parametric coupling between rCPA and v. In order to solve the above parameter coupling problem, a target motion parameter estimation method from tonal signals with a single hydrophone is proposed in this paper. The method uses the Doppler and modal interference information carried by the tonal signals to obtain two different parametric coupling curves. Then, the parametric coupling curves can be used to estimate the two motion parameters. Simulation experiments verified the rationality of this method. The proposed method was applied to the SWellEx-96 and speedboat experiments, and the estimation errors of the motion parameters were within 10%, which shows the method is effective in its practical applications.

Characteristics and factors influencing hypothalamic pituitary dysfunction in patients with craniopharyngioma.

Background: Craniopharyngioma is a benign tumor originating from the sellar region. Damages in this area caused by the tumor itself, surgery, or radiotherapy may result in severe hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction (HPD) and eventually lead to a significant impairment in the long-term quality of life of patients. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of HPD in patients with adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) or papillary craniopharyngioma (PCP) and to identify the factors affecting HPD after surgery. Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, a total of 742 patients with craniopharyngioma were included. The neuroendocrine function of these patients before and after surgery was investigated. The differences in hypothalamic-pituitary function between the ACP and PCP groups were compared. The factors influencing the aggravation of HPD after surgery were identified. Results: The median follow-up after surgery was 15 months. Before surgery, the proportion of patients with diabetes insipidus (DI) and hyperprolactinemia in the PCP group was significantly higher than that in the ACP group (P<0.01), and the proportion of patients with adrenocortical hypofunction in the PCP group was significantly lower than that in the ACP group (P=0.03). Most cases of ACP originated in the sellar region, while most cases of PCP originated in the suprasellar region (P<0.01). More patients experienced adenohypophyseal hypofunction, DI, and hypothalamic obesity at postoperative follow-up than at onset in both the ACP and PCP groups (both P<0.01), with a higher increase observed in the ACP group (P<0.01). Older age at CP onset, tumor recurrence or progression, and ACP type were risk factors for postoperative aggravation of HPD in CP patients. Conclusion: Surgical treatment significantly aggravated HPD in both the ACP and PCP groups, but the specific characteristics and risk factors leading to aggravation were different between the two groups.

Tou Nong powder obstructs ulcerative colitis through the regulation of NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD inflammasome pyroptotic pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Tou Nong Powder (TNP), a classical Chinese medicinal formula originated from the Chinese Ming Dynasty, has been applied to treat skin ulcers in patients with deficient constitutions. According to theory of traditional Chinese medicine, colonic ulcers share similar pathological conditions with skin ulcers, and consequently, TNP has been applied to ulcerative colitis (UC) safely and effectively. AIM OF STUDY: To investigate whether TNP obstructs 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) induced enteric inflammation through regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome and attenuating enteric pyroptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Network pharmacology and UPLC-Q-TOF/MS were operated to identify compounds and pharmacological potential targets. The therapeutic effects of TNP were assessed on TNBS induced colitis via general symptoms (disease activity index, colonic weight and length) and histopathological observation. The NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway regulation was investigated by Western blot and real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: TNP ameliorates the disease activity index, reverses the increase of colonic weight increase, alleviates colonic shortening and colonic histopathological injury. A decrease in tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), diamine oxidase (DAO), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and endo-toxin (ET) were investigated in peripheral circulation. Moreover, TNP significantly obstructed the NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: TNP displays a promising therapeutic effect on UC via suppressing NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway and reducing the expression of IL-1ß and IL-18.

The application of Tong-fu therapeutic method on ulcerative colitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis for efficacy and safety of rhubarb-based therapy.

Background: Tong-fu therapeutic method (TFTM) is a traditional Chinese medicine treatment method for ulcerative colitis, which is a novel treatment strategies and have purgative effect. As the most representative medicinal of TFTM, Rhubarb has been reported to have a therapeutic impact on ulcerative colitis by regulating intestinal flora, anti-inflammation, and improving intestinal microcirculation. Although rhubarb has been widely used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, the appropriate protocol is still demanded to its rational use in clinic, which promoted to evaluate the efficacy and safety for rhubarb-based therapy on ulcerative colitis. Method: Clinical trials were searched through PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Excerpta Medica Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, WAN FANG Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. The subgroup analyses were performed with three groups: medication, course of treatment, and route of administration. The statistical analyses were performed on Review Manager software (version 5.4.1). Results: A total of 2, 475 patients in 30 original studies were analyzed in this article. It was found that rhubarb-based therapy could increase clinical efficacy and reduce the recurrence rate. Subgroup analyses showed that rhubarb-based therapy was more effective than 5-aminosalicylic acid or sulfasalazine alone. In addition, the hypercoagulable state of ulcerative colitis could be ameliorated by decreasing platelet (PLT) and fibrinogen (FIB), and increasing prothrombin time (PT) significantly. Moreover, C-reaction protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-1ß expression were significantly reduced, while IL-10 production was increased, which mediated the alleviation of intestinal inflammation stress. Conclusion: Rhubarb-based therapy could effectively improve ulcerative colitis. Of note, the rhubarb-based medicinal formulas combined with 5-ASA or SASP are more effective than the 5-ASA or SASP alone. In addition, although rhubarb has side effect, the results of our analysis showed that rhubarb-based therapy did not exhibit significant side effects. This means it has a high safety profile in clinical use. Moreover, the use of rhubarb-based therapy is recommend to use within 1-13 weeks or 3 months via administered orally or by enema, which is contributes to ensure the curative effect and avoid its toxic and side effects. As an important case of TFTM, rhubarb-based therapy provides evidence for the practical application of TFTM.

Comparative and evolutionary analysis of RIP kinases in immune responses.

The group of receptor-interacting protein (RIP) kinases has seven members (RIPK1-7), with one homologous kinase domain but distinct non-kinase regions. Although RIPK1-3 have emerged as key modulators of inflammation and cell death, few studies have connected RIPK4-7 to immune responses. The divergence in domain structures and paralogue information in the Ensembl database have raised question about the phylogeny of RIPK1-7. In this study, phylogenetic trees of RIPK1-7 and paralogues constructed using full-length amino acid sequences or Kinase domain demonstrate that RIPK6 and RIPK7 are distinct from RIPK1-5 and paralogues shown in the Ensembl database are inaccurate. Comparative and evolutionary analyses were subsequently performed to gain new clues about the potential functions of RIPK3-7. RIPK3 gene loss in birds and animals that undergo torpor, a common physiological phenomenon in cold environments, implies that RIPK3 may be involved in ischemia-reperfusion injury and/or high metabolic rate. The negligible expression of RIPK4 and RIPK5 in immune cells is likely responsible for the lack of studies on the direct role of these members in immunity; RIPK6 and RIPK7 are conserved among plants, invertebrates and vertebrates, and dominantly expressed in innate immune cells, indicating their roles in innate immunity. Overall, our results provide insights into the multifaceted and conserved biochemical functions of RIP kinases.

Waveguide invariant in a gradual range- and azimuth-varying waveguide.

Experimental data indicate that in a sloped area, the value of ß abruptly changes before and after a given source arrives at the closest point of approach to the hydrophone, which has not been previously reported. The adiabatic approximation is employed to explain the above abrupt change in ß, and it is found that the azimuthal variance in the sound path is the reason for this phenomenon. Simulations are performed to confirm the model and experimental data, and perfect agreement is achieved. This work suggests that ß should be carefully set in related applications in a sloped area.

Renshen Baidu powder protects ulcerative colitis via inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory bowel disease without satisfactory therapy available recently. Renshen Baidu powder (RSBDP) is a classic Chinese medicinal formula used since Chinese Song dynasty and has been proven as an effective treatment of ulcerative colitis in clinics. However, the active ingredients and the molecular mechanism have not been fully disclosed. It is imperative to explore the active ingredients and the mechanism of RSBDP. In this study, the potential active components for ulcerative colitis treatment in RSBDP were determined and predicted in silicon, and its molecular mechanisms were also presented, in which the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway was recognized to be vital. Basically, the pharmacodynamics and mechanistic studies of RSBDP for ulcerative colitis were implemented on TNBS-induced experimental rats. The results showed that RSBDP could ameliorate the disease activity index and colon weight, as well as improve colonic shortening and colon histology. In addition, the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), diamine oxidase, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and endotoxin in serum were also reduced. It is worth mentioning that the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway was inhibited after RSBDP administration via inhibiting the phosphorylation of proteins. In conclusion, RSBDP effectively ameliorates TNBS-induced colitis rats by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Occupational Low-Dose Radiation Affects the Expression of Immune Checkpoint of Medical Radiologists.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of immune checkpoint cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3) in the peripheral blood T lymphocytes of medical radiologists. The study incorporated 100 male medical radiologists and 107 male healthy controls. The expressions of CTLA-4 and TIM-3 among CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry. The expression levels of CTLA-4 and TIM-3 in the CD4+T cells of radiation workers were lower than those of healthy controls (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the CD8+CTLA-4 expression level was significantly positively correlated with individual cumulative dose (rs = 0.260, p = 0.001, <0.05), while the expression level of CD8+TIM-3 was negatively correlated (rs = −0.180, p = 0.027, <0.05). Low-dose radiation exposure affects the expression of CTLA-4 and TIM-3 in human peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Future studies need to focus on exploring the mechanisms by which CTLA-4 and TIM-3 expression changes in response to low-dose radiation exposure.

Efficacy and Safety of Probiotics Combined With Traditional Chinese Medicine for Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The combination of probiotics and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a prospective therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC), and its efficacy and safety need to be urgently evaluated. Objective: This study aims to comprehensively assess the efficacy and safety of probiotics combined with TCM for the treatment of UC. Methods: The Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, China Academic Journals (CNKI), Wan-fang database, Chinese biomedical literature service system (CBM), and Chinese Science and Technology Journals (CQVIP) were searched. Subgroup analysis were designed in accordance with different control drugs, treatment courses, and types of probiotics. The Review Manager software (version 5.4.1) was utilized for statistical analysis. Results: 14 original studies containing 1,154 patients were analyzed and showed that probiotics with TCM was more effective than 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), probiotics or TCM used individually. Moreover, probiotics combined with TCM could inhibit the intestinal inflammation, reduce the recurrence rate and the incidence of adverse events. The subgroup analysis showed that a mixture of different probiotics was more effective than a single strain. Conclusion: It is suggested that probiotics combined with TCM could effectively control clinical symptoms, inhibit intestinal inflammatory response, and finally slow down the disease progress and reduce the disease recurrence with less adverse events. The mixture of different probiotics used in conjunction with individually tailored TCM is a potential clinical strategy for UC.

Dietary isoflavones intake is inversely associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension.

This study investigated associations between total isoflavones and their categories (daidzein, genistein, glycitein) intake and the risks for metabolic disorders. We used the data of 6786 Chinese adults from the Nutrition Health Atlas Project. We performed multiple logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models assessing the risks for metabolic disorders (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes and overweight/obesity) in each category of isoflavones. Higher total isoflavones, daidzein and genistein intake were inversely associated with NAFLD (p < .05). Higher total isoflavones, daidzein, genistein and glycitein intake were also inversely associated with hyperlipidaemia (p < .01) and hypertension (p < .01). Dose-response analyses revealed that total isoflavones, daidzein, genistein and glycitein intakes were associated with the risks of metabolic disorders in a nonlinear trend. In conclusion, total isoflavones, daidzein and genistein intake were inversely associated with NAFLD, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension. Glycitein was inversely associated with hyperlipidaemia and hypertension.

Identification of key genes and biological pathways in lung adenocarcinoma via bioinformatics analysis.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) accounts for the majority of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Our study identified key LUAD genes and their potential mechanism via bioinformatics analysis of public datasets. GSE10799, GSE40791, and GSE27262 microarray datasets were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The RobustRankAggreg package was used to perform a meta-analysis, and 50 upregulated genes and 87 downregulated genes overlapped in three datasets. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Furthermore, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were built by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and 22 core genes were identified by Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) and visualized with Cytoscape. Subsequently, these core genes were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier Plotter and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). The results showed that all 22 genes were significantly associated with reduced survival rates. For GEPIA, the expression of only one gene was not significantly different between LUAD tissues and normal tissues. A KEGG pathway enrichment reanalysis of the 21 genes identified five key genes (CCNB1, BUB1B, CDC20, TTK, and MAD2L1) in the cell cycle pathway. Finally, the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) website was used to explore the relationship between these key genes and certain drugs. Based on the bioinformatics analysis, five key genes were identified in LUAD, and drugs closely associated these genes can provide clues for the treatment and prognosis of LUAD.

Integrated analysis of differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs and mRNAs associated with high-fat diet-induced hepatic insulin resistance in mice.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic insulin resistance (IR) is an early pathological characteristic of many metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as mediators of IR and related diseases. However, the roles of lncRNAs in hepatic IR remain largely unknown. METHOD: High-throughput sequencing was performed on ten liver tissue samples from five normal diet (ND)-fed mice and five high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic IR mice, respectively. lncRNAs and mRNAs that were differentially expressed (DE) between the two groups were identified by bioinformatic analyses. Seven DE lncRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (q-PCR). The potential functions of the DE lncRNAs were predicted by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses of target genes. In addition, integrated analysis was performed for the DE lncRNAs and mRNAs to predict their interaction relationships. RESULTS: A total of 232 DE lncRNAs were identified in the HFD-induced hepatic IR mice compared with the ND-fed mice. These DE lncRNAs included 108 upregulated and 124 downregulated lncRNAs, and 7 of the DE lncRNAs were validated by q-PCR. In addition, 291 DE mRNAs including 166 upregulated and 125 downregulated mRNAs were identified in the HFD group. Furthermore, target genes of the DE lncRNAs were predicted, and functional enrichment results showed that the enriched genes were involved in IR- and glycolipid metabolism-related processes. Additionally, the coexpression network was also constructed to further reflect the potential functions of the DE lncRNAs. CONCLUSION: The study describes the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs and the functional networks involved in HFD-induced hepatic IR. These findings may provide a new perspective for the study of lncRNAs in hepatic IR- and glycolipid metabolism-related diseases.

Screening Hub Genes as Prognostic Biomarkers of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Bioinformatics Analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a widespread, common type of cancer in Asian countries, and the need for biomarker-matched molecularly targeted therapy for HCC has been increasingly recognized. However, the effective treatment for HCC is unclear. Therefore, identifying additional hub genes and pathways as novel prognostic biomarkers for HCC is necessary. In this study, the expression profiles of GSE121248, GSE45267 and GSE84402 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including 132 HCC and 90 noncancerous liver tissues. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC and noncancerous samples were identified by GEO2 R and Venn diagrams. In total, 109 DEGs were identified in these datasets, including 24 upregulated genes and 85 downregulated genes. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) preliminary analyses of the DEGs were performed using DAVID. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the DEGs was constructed with the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and visualized in Cytoscape. Module analysis of the PPI network was performed using MCODE to get hub genes. Moreover, the influence of the hub genes on overall survival was determined with Kaplan-Meier plotter. All hub genes were analyzed by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and KEGG. Overall, the hub genes DTL, CDK1, CCNB1, RACGAP1, ECT2, NEK2, BUB1B, PBK, TOP2A, ASPM, HMMR, RRM2, CDKN3, PRC1, and ANLN were upregulated in HCC, and the survival rate was lower for HCC with increased expression of these hub genes. CCNB1, CDK1, and RRM2 were enriched in the p53 signaling pathway, and CCNB1, CDK1, and BUB1B were enriched in the cell cycle. In brief, we screened 15 hub genes and pathways to identify potential prognostic markers for HCC treatment. However, the specific occurrence and development of HCC with expression of the hub genes should be verified in vivo and in vitro.

High expression of HMBOX1 contributes to poor prognosis of gastric cancer by promoting cell proliferation and migration.

Homeobox-containing 1 (HMBOX1) has been reported to be associated with biological characteristics of some tumors, but its roles in gastric cancer have never been reported. In the present study, we found that HMBOX1 expression was significantly upregulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines and correlated with the TNM stage, lymph-node metastatic and the overall survival (OS) of patients of gastric cancer. The overexpression of HMBOX1 in gastric cancer cells enhanced cell proliferation by accelerating cell cycle, induced cell migration. In contrast, silencing HMBOX1 inhibited these processes. And the expression of HMBOX1 was related with the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) and CD133. What's more, we found that the expression of CD133 had a significantly positive correlation with HMBOX1 in gastric cancer tissues, and the co-expression of HMBOX1 and CD133 was significantly correlated with poor prognosis of gastric cancer patients, especially for patients at III and IV stage. In conclusion, HMBOX1 was upregulated in gastric cancer and correlated with gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration. Moreover, HMBOX1 combined CD133 might be useful to predict survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer.