Beyond Boolean: Ternary networks and dynamics.

Boolean networks introduced by Kauffman, originally intended as a prototypical model for gaining insights into gene regulatory dynamics, have become a paradigm for understanding a variety of complex systems described by binary state variables. However, there are situations, e.g., in biology, where a binary state description of the underlying dynamical system is inadequate. We propose random ternary networks and investigate the general dynamical properties associated with the ternary discretization of the variables. We find that the ternary dynamics can be either ordered or disordered with a positive Lyapunov exponent, and the boundary between them in the parameter space can be determined analytically. A dynamical event that is key to determining the boundary is the emergence of an additional fixed point for which we provide numerical verification. We also find that the nodes playing a pivotal role in shaping the system dynamics have characteristically distinct behaviors in different regions of the parameter space, and, remarkably, the boundary between these regions coincides with that separating the ordered and disordered dynamics. Overall, our framework of ternary networks significantly broadens the classical Boolean paradigm by enabling a quantitative description of richer and more complex dynamical behaviors.

A study of influencing factors about fertility motivation in female patients with chronic kidney disease based on grounded theory / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To investigate the infuencing factors of fertility motivation in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Methods:The 21 female patients with CKD in the Eastern Theater General Hospital from November 2019 to November 2020 were selected by objective sampling method. The data were collected by semi-structured interview, recording and writing on-site notes, and the subjects were extracted by Strass and Corbin′s grounded theory data analysis method.Results:The core category is "the formation of patients′ reproductive motivation". A theoretical model including four main categories of patient characteristics, disease coping style, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control was constructed. Patients′ characteristics are dynamic factors, subjective norms are situational factors, perceptual behavior control is protective factors, and patients′ disease coping style is regulatory factors.Conclusion:This study explored the influencing factors of fertility motivation in CKD patients from the perspective of patients, aiming to provide theoretical basis for the formulation and implementation of intervention measures.

Research progress of pregnancy management in patients with lupus nephritis / 中国实用护理杂志

Based on the latest research results at home and abroad, this paper firstly elaborated the interaction mechanism between pregnancy and lupus nephritis, then pointed out the importance and research progress of pregnancy management, next introduced the content and deficiency of the management in patient with lupus nephritis.And on this basis, it gives some advices on the development and research of pregnancy management in patients with lupus nephritis in order to provide a reference for effective improvement of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the realization the pregnancy safety in patients with lupus nephritis.

Research progress of pregnancy management in patients with lupus nephritis / 中国实用护理杂志

Based on the latest research results at home and abroad, this paper firstly elaborated the interaction mechanism between pregnancy and lupus nephritis, then pointed out the importance and research progress of pregnancy management, next introduced the content and deficiency of the management in patient with lupus nephritis .And on this basis, it gives some advices on the development and research of pregnancy management in patients with lupus nephritis in order to provide a reference for effective improvement of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the realization the pregnancy safety in patients with lupus nephritis.

Silencing Filamin A Inhibits the Invasion and Migration of Breast Cancer Cells by Up-regulating 14-3-3σ / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Filamin A and 14-3-3-σ are closely associated with the development of breast cancer.However,the exact relationship between them is still unknown.The present study aimed to examine the interaction of filamin A with 14-3-3-σ in the invasion and migration of breast cancer.RNA interference technology was employed to silence filamin A in MDA-MB-231 cells.Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of filamin A and 14-3-3-σ at mRNA and protein levels,respectively.Double immunofluorescence was applied to show their colocalization morphologically.Wound healing assay and Trans-well assay were used to testify the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells in filamin A-silenced cells.The results showed that silencing filamin A significantly increased the mRNA and protein levels of 14-3-3σ.In addition,double immunofluorescence displayed that filamin A and 14-3-3σ were predominantly colocalized in the cytoplasm of MDA-MB-231 cells.Silencing filamin A led to the enhanced fluorescence of 14-3-3σ.Furthermore,cell functional experiments showed that silencing filamin A inhibited the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro.In conclusion,silencing filamin A may inhibit the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells by upregulating 14-3-3σ.

Silencing Filamin A Inhibits the Invasion and Migration of Breast Cancer Cells by Up-regulating 14-3-3σ / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Filamin A and 14-3-3-σ are closely associated with the development of breast cancer.However,the exact relationship between them is still unknown.The present study aimed to examine the interaction of filamin A with 14-3-3-σ in the invasion and migration of breast cancer.RNA interference technology was employed to silence filamin A in MDA-MB-231 cells.Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of filamin A and 14-3-3-σ at mRNA and protein levels,respectively.Double immunofluorescence was applied to show their colocalization morphologically.Wound healing assay and Trans-well assay were used to testify the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells in filamin A-silenced cells.The results showed that silencing filamin A significantly increased the mRNA and protein levels of 14-3-3σ.In addition,double immunofluorescence displayed that filamin A and 14-3-3σ were predominantly colocalized in the cytoplasm of MDA-MB-231 cells.Silencing filamin A led to the enhanced fluorescence of 14-3-3σ.Furthermore,cell functional experiments showed that silencing filamin A inhibited the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro.In conclusion,silencing filamin A may inhibit the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells by upregulating 14-3-3σ.

Roles of small molecules in somatic cell reprogramming.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine 2012 was awarded to Sir John B GURDON and Shinya YAMANAKA for their discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent. This event reaffirms the importance of research on cell fate plasticity and the technology progress in the stem cell field and regenerative medicine. Indeed, reprogramming technology has developed at a dazzling speed within the past 6 years, yet we are still at the early stages of understanding the mechanisms of cell fate identity. This is particularly true in the case of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which lack reliable standards in the evaluation of their fidelity and safety prior to their application. Along with the genetic approaches, small molecules nowadays become convenient tools for modulating endogenous protein functions and regulating key cellular processes, including the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, metabolism, signal transduction and epigenetics. Moreover, small molecules may affect not only the efficiency of clone formation but also the quality of the resulting cells. With increasing availability of such chemicals, we can better understand the biology of stems cells and further improve the technology of generation of stem cells.

Icaritin, an exogenous phytomolecule, enhances osteogenesis but not angiogenesis--an in vitro efficacy study.

We found that Icaritin, an intestinal metabolite of Epimedium-derived flavonoids (EF) enhanced osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) only under osteogenic induction conditions. We also demonstrated its effect on inhibition of adipogenic differentiation of MSCs. Unlike the findings of others on EF compounds, we showed that Icaritin was unable to promote proliferation, migration and tube like structure formation by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. These results suggested that the exogenous phytomolecule Icaritin possessed the potential for enhancing bone formation via its osteopromotive but not an osteoinductive mechanism. Though some flavonoids were shown to regulate the coupling process of angiogenesis and osteogenesis during bone repair, our results suggested that Icaritin did not have direct effect on enhancing angiogenesis in vitro.

Identification of EGFR kinase domain mutations among lung cancer patients in China: implication for targeted cancer therapy.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death with one of the lowest survival rates. However, a subset of lung cancer patients who are of Asian origin and carry somatic mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor or EGFR have responded remarkable well to two tyrosine kinase inhibitors, gefitinib and erlotinib. While EGFR mutation profiles have been reported from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, there is no such report from mainland of China where the largest pool of patients reside. In this report, we identified ten somatic mutations from a total of 41 lung cancer patients in China. Among them, seven mutations were found in 17 adenocarcinomas. In contrast to previous reports, eight of these mutations are deletions in exon 19 and two of these deletions are homozygous. These results suggest that a large portion of Chinese adenocarcinoma patients could benefit from gefitinib or erlotinib. This unique mutation profile provides a rationale to develop the next generation of EGFR inhibitors more suitable for the Chinese population.

Identification of two distinct transactivation domains in the pluripotency sustaining factor nanog.

Nanog is a newly identified homeodomain gene that functions to sustain the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. However, the molecular mechanism through which nanog regulates stem cell pluripotency remains unknown. Mouse nanog encodes a polypeptide of 305 residues with a divergent homeodomain similar to those in the NK-2 family. The rest of nanog contains no apparent homology to any known proteins characterized so far. It is hypothesized that nanog encodes a transcription factor that regulates stem cell pluripotency by switching on or off target genes. To test this hypothesis, we constructed fusion proteins between nanog and DNA binding domains of the yeast transcription factor Gal4 and tested the transactivation potentials of these constructs. Our data demonstrate that both regions N- and C- terminal to the homeodomain have transcription activities. Despite the fact that it contains no apparent transactivation motifs, the C-terminal domain is about 7 times as active as the N-terminal one. This unique arrangement of dual transactivators may confer nanog the flexibility and specificity to regulate downstream genes critical for both pluripotency and differentiation of stem cells.