Comprehensive Analysis of Prognostic Value and Immune Infiltration of MMP12 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a typical neoplastic disease and a frequent cause of death in China. The prognosis of most ESCC patients is still poor. Previous studies demonstrated that MMP12 is involved in tumor metastasis. However, its clinical significance and association with cancer immunity remained largely unclear. In this study, we first analyzed the expressing pattern of MMPs in ESCC from TCGA datasets and found that several MMPs expression was distinctly increased in ESCC. However, only MMP12 expression was associated with five-year survival of ESCC patients. Then, we focused on MMP12 and found its high expression was positively related to advanced clinical stages of ESCC specimens. KEGG assays revealed MMP12 may influence the activity of several tumor-related pathways, such as the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and IL-17 signaling pathway. Then, we sought to determine whether MMP12 expressions were related to immune cell infiltration in ESCC. We observed that increased MMP12 levels were positively associated with the infiltration levels of mast cells activated and macrophages M0. However, eosinophils, B cells naïve, and mast cells resting exhibited an opposite result. Finally, we showed that knockdown of MMP12 suppressed the proliferation of ESCC cells. Overall, our findings proved that high expression of MMP12 may be a novel and valuable prognostic factor in ESCC.

[Pilose antler polypeptide CNT14 promoted proliferation and migration of human oral mucosa fibroblast cells].

PURPOSE: To explore the effect of pilose antler polypeptides CNT14 on proliferation and migration of human oral mucosa fibroblast (hOMF) cells and the related molecular mechanism. METHODS: The biosafety of pilose antler polypeptides CNT14 on hOMF cells was verified by live-dead cell staining kit.CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effect of pilose antler polypeptides CNT14 on hOMF cell proliferation. The effect of pilose antler polypeptides CNT14 on hOMF cell migration was detected by scratch test. Western blot was used to detect the expression of α-SMA, TGF-ß1, Smad2 and p-Smad2 proteins in hOMF cells stimulated by pilose antler polypeptides CNT14. The effect of Smad2 inhibitors on fibroblast activation induced by pilose antler polypeptides CNT14 was evaluated.The model of keratinized gingival defect was established in New Zealand white rabbits, and the regenerated gingival tissue was stained with H-E. The expression levels of α-SMA, TGF-ß1, Smad2 and p-Smad2 proteins in the gingival tissues of regenerated New Zealand white rabbits were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the ability of pilose antler polypeptides CNT14 to promote regeneration of oral gingival tissues was verified. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 20.0 software package. RESULTS: The survival rate of hOMF cells was above 95% after treated with pilose antler polypeptides CNT14. After stimulation of hOMF cells with pilose antler polypeptides CNT14, the proliferation and migration rates of hOMF cells were increased compared with the control group (P＜0.05). The expression of α-SMA, TGF-ß1, Smad2 and p-Smad2 proteins in hOMF cells stimulated by pilose antler peptide CNT14 was increased, and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05). The expression of α-SMA in fibroblasts induced by Smad2 inhibitor was decreased. In animal experiments, H-E staining showed that the inflammatory response of oral mucosal wounds of New Zealand white rabbits treated with CNT14 was less than that of the control group. Immunohistochemical staining results showed that the expressions of α-SMA, TGF-ß1, Smad2 and p-Smad2 in the regenerated gingival tissues of New Zealand white rabbits treated with CNT14 were significantly increased compared with those in the control group on the 9th and 11th days within the gingival wounds(P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pilose antler polypeptides CNT14 has good biosafety and can promote the proliferation and migration of human oral mucosa fibroblast cells, and the expression levels of α-SMA, TGF-ß1, Smad2 and p-Smad2 were increased, promoting the regeneration of gingival tissues.

Enhanced photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency and increased nitrogen allocation to photosynthetic machinery under cotton domestication.

Domestication involves dramatic phenotypic and physiological diversifications due to successive selection by breeders toward high yield and quality. Although photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) is a major trait for understanding leaf nitrogen economy, it is unclear whether PNUE of cotton has been improved under domestication. Here, we investigated the effect of domestication on nitrogen allocation to photosynthetic machinery and PNUE in 25 wild and 37 domesticated cotton genotypes. The results showed that domesticated genotypes had higher nitrogen content per mass (Nm), net photosynthesis under saturated light (Asat), and PNUE but similar nitrogen content per area (Na) compared with wild genotypes. As expected, in both genotypes, PNUE was positively related to Asat but negatively correlated with Na. However, the relative contribution of Asat to PNUE was greater than the contribution from Na. Domesticated genotypes had higher nitrogen allocation to light-harvesting (NL, nitrogen in light-harvesting chlorophyll-protein complex), to bioenergetics (Nb, total nitrogen of cytochrome f, ferredoxin NADP reductase, and the coupling factor), and to Rubisco (Nr) than wild genotypes; however, the two genotype groups did not differ in PNUEp, the ratio of Asat to Np (itself the sum of NL, Nb, and Nr). Our results suggest that more nitrogen allocation to photosynthetic machinery has boosted Asat under cotton domestication. Improving the efficiency of nitrogen use in photosynthetic machinery might be future aim to enhance Asat of cotton.

[Applications of minimally invasive bone splitting technique in cases with missing maxillary anterior teeth and obvious labial alveolar bone depression for dental implantation].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to introduce a minimally invasive bone splitting technique which is suitable for cases with missing anterior teeth and obvious depression of alveolar bone in labial side, and to evaluate its clinical results. METHODS: Minimally invasive bone splitting technique was used in 8 healthy adults with bone defects in the aesthetic zone. The labial alveolar bone incisions were confined around the bone defects which were smaller than traditional incisions. The other procedures were the same as conventional bone splitting technique. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) for missing anterior teeth was taken before surgery, after the surgery and 6 months after surgery and alveolar bone height and width were recorded with landmark identification designed by ourselves in this study. The data were analyzed with SPSS 21.0 software package for paired t test. RESULTS: Paired t test indicated that after surgery and six months after surgery, the labial bone defect was significant improved (P<0.05), but the height of the alveolar ridge bone didn't increase significantly (P>0.05) while the width of the alveolar ridge bone significant improved (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This minimally invasive technique can achieve good clinical results for not only intact labial alveolar ridge bones but also good bone grafts, which is beneficial to implantation and prosthetic aesthetics. The long-term outcome needs to be observed.

[Clinical observation of assisted occlusion therapy for repositioning temporomandibular joint discs].

PURPOSE: To investigate the occurrence of postoperative malocclusion of patients with temporomandibular joint disc repositioning and the necessity of postoperative orthodontic treatment. METHODS: One hundred and eight patients who received temporomandibular joint disc repositioning from 2010.10 to 2015.10 were selected in this study. The patients' occlusion was recorded preoperatively and postoperatively. All patients received functional appliance or orthodontic treatment after surgery. The occlusion and the relative position of the articular disc and condyle were evaluated at regular follow-up. RESULTS: Postoperative malocclusion occurred in all patients. The use of functional appliance for 3-6 months may decrease the proportion of malocclusion. After orthodontic treatment, all patients had a complete recovery of malocclusion and remained good articular disc and condyle relationship during long term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperatively malocclusion may occur after temporomandibular joint disc repositioning, and the use of functional appliance and orthodontic treatment are strongly recommended to retain good articular disc and condyle relationship.

Three molybdophosphates based on Strandberg-type anions and Zn(II)-H2biim/H(2)O subunits: syntheses, structures and catalytic properties.

Three new inorganic-organic hybrid compounds based on Strandberg-type anions and Zn(ii)-H2biim/H2O subunits, namely {H4(H2biim)3}[Zn(H2biim)(H3biim)(H2O)(HP2Mo5O23)]2·3H2O (1), {H9(H2biim)7}[(µ-biim){(Zn(H2O)2)0.5(HP2Mo5O23)}2]·7H2O (2) and {H7(H2biim)7}[Zn(H2biim)(H2O)2(HP2Mo5O23)][H2P2Mo5O23]·8H2O (3) (H2biim = 2,2'-biimidazole), have been synthesized in aqueous solutions and characterized. They were also used as efficient and reusable catalysts for the protection of carbonyl compounds. Their fascinating structural features are that mono Zn(ii)-supporting biphosphopentamolybdate ({P2Mo5}) clusters exist in their crystal structures, and the nitrogen donor ligand H2biim exhibits three different coordination modes in these three compounds, respectively: for 1, two 2,2'-biimidazole molecules, as mono- and bidentate ligands coordinate to the same Zn(ii) ion; for 2, one bi-negative tetradentate ligand µ-biim bridges two Zn(ii) ions, while for 3, one neutral bidentate H2biim ligand links one Zn(ii) ion. Most importantly, compounds 1-3 represent the first example where Strandberg-type POMs are used as acid-catalysts in an organic reaction.

Effects of ion mobility and positron fraction on solitary waves in weak relativistic electron-positron-ion plasma.

The effects of ion mobility and positron fraction on the solitary waves of the laser field envelope and the potential of the electrostatic field in weak relativistic electron-positron-ion plasma are investigated. The parameter region for the existence of solitary waves is obtained analytically, and a reasonable choice of parameters is clarified. Both cases of mobile and immobile ions are considered. It is found that the amplitudes of solitary waves in the former case are larger compared to the latter case. For small plasma density, the localized solitary wave solutions in terms of the approximate perturbation analytical method are very consistent with those by exact numerical calculations. However, as the plasma density increases the analytical method loses its validity more and more. The influence of the positron fraction on the amplitudes of solitary waves shows a monotonous increasing relation. The implications of our results to particle acceleration are also discussed briefly.

[Effects of drip irrigation under mulching on cotton root and shoot biomass and yield].

By using bidirectional sampling method with soil drill, the effects of different amounts of drip irrigation (2618, 2947, 3600 and 4265 m3 x hm(-2)) under mulching on the root distribution, aboveground growth, and yield of cotton was studied in field. The results indicated that irrigation amount affected the root and shoot growth significantly. In all irrigation treatments, cotton root was mainly distributed in mulched area, occupying 60.65%-73.45% of total root biomass, while only 39.35%-26.55% was distributed in bare area. Water stress increased rooting depth, root biomass, and the extent of lateral rooting. Significant differences were observed in the biological characteristics and the biomass accumulation and allocation of cotton plant among different irrigation treatments. Over-irrigation (4265 m3 x hm(-2)) increased plant height, width of inverse fourth leaf, and amounts of branch and bud, and thus, accelerated biomass accumulation rate. Over-irrigation also increased the root/shoot ratio and the proportion of biomass allocated to vegetative organs, but increased the fruit abscission rate and therefore reduced the economic yield. It was suggested that both excessive soil moisture content and water stress could affect the biomass accumulation and allocation in different cotton organs and at various life stages. Under the conditions of our experiment, 3600 m3 x hm(-2) was the optimal irrigation amount.