Knowledge, attitude, and practice of lung cancer screening and associated factors among high-risk population in Lanzhou, China: A cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of high-risk populations toward lung cancer screening in Lanzhou, China. Using convenience sampling, this cross-sectional study enrolled outpatients at high-risk for lung cancer at Lanzhou University Second Hospital between November 2022 and March 2023. An anonymous, self-administered online questionnaire was distributed to each participant via the Sojump website (https://www.wjx.cn/), comprising 40 items to collect demographic information and evaluate KAP toward lung cancer screening. The analyses were descriptive. A total of 577 participants (average age of 61.8 ±â€…7.1 years; 306 males) were included in the study. The participants' scores for KAP were 4.9 ±â€…2.2, 27.4 ±â€…3.0, and 7.0 ±â€…2.1, respectively. Participants with occupational exposure had significantly lower knowledge score (3.3 ±â€…2.4 vs 5.2 ±â€…2.1, P < .001), and practice score (5.6 ±â€…2.4 vs 7.3 ±â€…1.9, P < .001) than those without occupational exposure. Participants with smoking or passive smoking history had significantly higher attitude scores (27.6 ±â€…2.9 vs 25.8 ±â€…3.2, P < .001) and practice scores (7.1 ±â€…2.0 vs 6.5 ±â€…2.5, P = .014) than those without smoking history. A total of 360 (62.4%) participants endorsed the doctors' counseling on lung cancer screening, and 355 (61.5%) participants were willing to have screening for lung cancer as doctors advised. The study revealed that 390 (67.6%) participants identified low-dose computed tomography as the appropriate method for lung cancer screening, while 356 (61.7%) participants believed that X-rays were a reliable screening method for lung cancer. However, 365 (63.3%) participants thought that the treatment outcomes for early and late-diagnosed lung cancer were the same. Additionally, 416 (72.10%) participants believed that annual lung cancer CT scanning is unnecessary. On the other hand, 339 (58.8%) participants expressed concerns about exposure to radiation from CT scans, while 349 (60.5%) participants were worried about the cost of lung cancer screening. Only 142 (24.6%) participants reported having undergone annual lung cancer screening. The high-risk population had limited knowledge and insufficient attitude and practice toward lung cancer screening in Lanzhou, China.

in silico transcriptome dissection of neocortical excitatory neurogenesis via joint matrix decomposition and transfer learning.

The rising quality and amount of multi-omic data across biomedical science demands that we build innovative solutions to harness their collective discovery potential. From publicly available repositories, we have assembled and curated a compendium of gene-level transcriptomic data focused on mammalian excitatory neurogenesis in the neocortex. This collection is open for exploration by both computational and cell biologists at nemoanalytics.org, and this report forms a demonstration of its utility. Applying our novel structured joint decomposition approach to mouse, macaque and human data from the collection, we define transcriptome dynamics that are conserved across mammalian excitatory neurogenesis and which map onto the genetics of human brain structure and disease. Leveraging additional data within NeMO Analytics via projection methods, we chart the dynamics of these fundamental molecular elements of neurogenesis across developmental time and space and into postnatal life. Reversing the direction of our investigation, we use transcriptomic data from laminar-specific dissection of adult human neocortex to define molecular signatures specific to excitatory neuronal cell types resident in individual layers of the mature neocortex, and trace their emergence across development. We show that while many lineage defining transcription factors are most highly expressed at early fetal ages, the laminar neuronal identities which they drive take years to decades to reach full maturity. Finally, we interrogated data from stem-cell derived cerebral organoid systems demonstrating that many fundamental elements of in vivo development are recapitulated with high-fidelity in vitro, while specific transcriptomic programs in neuronal maturation are absent. We propose these analyses as specific applications of the general approach of combining joint decomposition with large curated collections of analysis-ready multi-omics data matrices focused on particular cell and disease contexts. Importantly, these open environments are accessible to, and must be fueled with emerging data by, cell biologists with and without coding expertise.

A prognostic nomogram based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression in patients with pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Background: Pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis. Despite its rarity, it is important to gain a better understanding of the epidemiological, clinical, and prognostic features of pulmonary LCNEC. The purpose of this study was to design, construct, and validate a new nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) in patients with pulmonary LCNEC. Methods: In total, the data of 1,864 LCNEC patients were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, which is maintained by the National Cancer Institute in the United States and serves as a comprehensive source of cancer-related information. Of these patients, 556 served as the validation group and 1,308 served as the training cohort. We constructed a new nomogram with the training cohort that included the independent factors for OS as identified by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. Five independent factors were ultimately selected by the stepwise regression. Every factor of the Cox regression was included in the nomogram. Analyses of the calibration curve, decision curve, area under the curve, and concordance index (C-index) values were performed to assess the effectiveness and discriminative ability of the nomogram. Results: Five optimal predictive factors for OS were selected and merged to construct a 3- and 5-year OS nomogram. The nomogram had C-index values of 0.716 and 0.708 in the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively. The actual OS rates and the calibration curves showing the predictions of the nomogram were in good agreement. Conclusions: The prognostic nomogram may be very helpful in estimating the OS of patients with pulmonary LCNEC.

Effect of starch and protein on eating quality of japonica rice in Yangtze River Delta.

This study examined four types of japonica rice from Yangtze River Delta, categorized based on amylose content (AC) and protein content (PC): high AC with high PC, high AC with low PC, low AC with high PC, and low AC with low PC. It systematically explored the effect of starch, protein and their interactions on eating quality of japonica rice. Rheological analysis revealed that increased amylose, long chains amylopectin or protein levels during cooking strengthen starch-protein interactions (hydrogen bonding), forming a firm gel network. Scanning electron microscopy showed that increased amylose, long chains amylopectin or protein levels made protein and starch more stable in combination during cooking, limiting starch structure cleavage. Therefore, the eating quality of high AC in similar PC japonica rice and high PC in similar AC japonica rice were poor. Further, correlation and random-forest analysis (RFA) identified amylose as the most influential factor in starch-protein interactions affecting rice eating quality, followed by amylopectin and protein. RFA also revealed that in high AC japonica rice, the interactions of Fb3 and albumin with amylose were more conducive to forming good eating quality. In low AC japonica rice, the interactions of Fb2 and prolamin with amylose were more beneficial.

Excess iron intake induced liver injury: The role of gut-liver axis and therapeutic potential.

Excessive iron intake is detrimental to human health, especially to the liver, which is the main organ for iron storage. Excessive iron intake can lead to liver injury. The gut-liver axis (GLA) refers to the bidirectional relationship between the gut and its microbiota and the liver, which is a combination of signals generated by dietary, genetic and environmental factors. Excessive iron intake disrupts the GLA at multiple interconnected levels, including the gut microbiota, gut barrier function, and the liver's innate immune system. Excessive iron intake induces gut microbiota dysbiosis, destroys gut barriers, promotes liver exposure to gut microbiota and its derived metabolites, and increases the pro-inflammatory environment of the liver. There is increasing evidence that excess iron intake alters the levels of gut microbiota-derived metabolites such as secondary bile acids (BAs), short-chain fatty acids, indoles, and trimethylamine N-oxide, which play an important role in maintaining homeostasis of the GLA. In addition to iron chelators, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory agents currently used in iron overload therapy, gut barrier intervention may be a potential target for iron overload therapy. In this paper, we review the relationship between excess iron intake and chronic liver diseases, the regulation of iron homeostasis by the GLA, and focus on the effects of excess iron intake on the GLA. It has been suggested that probiotics, fecal microbiota transfer, farnesoid X receptor agonists, and microRNA may be potential therapeutic targets for iron overload-induced liver injury by protecting gut barrier function.

Selection and Validation of Reference Genes in Virus-Infected Sweet Potato Plants.

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in sweet potatoes requires accurate data normalization; however, there are insufficient studies on appropriate reference genes for gene expression analysis. We examined variations in the expression of eight candidate reference genes in the leaf and root tissues of sweet potatoes (eight nonvirus-infected or eight virus-infected samples). Parallel analyses with geNorm, NormFinder, and Best-Keeper show that different viral infections and origin tissues affect the expression levels of these genes. Based on the results of the evaluation of the three software, the adenosine diphosphate-ribosylation factor is suitable for nonvirus or virus-infected sweet potato leaves. Cyclophilin and ubiquitin extension proteins are suitable for nonvirus-infected sweet potato leaves. Phospholipase D1 alpha is suitable for virus-infected sweet potato leaves. Actin is suitable for roots of nonvirus-infected sweet potatoes. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is suitable for virus-infected sweet potato roots. The research provides appropriate reference genes for further analysis in leaf and root samples of viruses in sweet potatoes.

Propolis polyphenols: A review on the composition and anti-obesity mechanism of different types of propolis polyphenols.

Obesity, one of the most common nutritional diseases worldwide, can lead to dyslipidemia, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and inflammation. Some drugs have been developed to ameliorate obesity. However, these drugs may cause serious side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternative "natural" remedies including propolis. Studies have found that propolis has excellent anti-obesity activity in in vitro and in vivo models during the past decades, of which polyphenols are the key component in regulating weight loss. This review focused on the different polyphenol compositions of propolis from different regions and plants, the evidence for the anti-obesity effects of different types of propolis and its derivatives, discussed the impact of propolis polyphenols on obesity related signal pathways, and proposed the molecular mechanism of how propolis polyphenols affect these signal pathways. For example, propolis and its derivatives regulate lipid metabolism related proteins, such as PPARα, PPARγ, SREBP-1&2, and HMG CoA etc., destroy the formation of CREB/CRTC2 transcription complex, activate Nrf2 pathway or inhibit protein kinase IKK ε/TBK1, thereby affecting fat production and lipid metabolism; The effects of propolis on adipokines (adiponectin, leptin and inflammatory factors) were discussed. Additionally, the mechanism of polyphenols in propolis promoting the browning of adipose tissues and the relationship between intestinal microorganisms was summarized. These information may be of value to better understand how specific propolis polyphenols interact with specific signaling pathways and help guide the development of new drugs to combat obesity and related metabolic diseases.

OsGRF4AA compromises heat tolerance of developing pollen grains in rice.

Extreme high temperature at the meiosis stage causes a severe decrease in spikelet fertility and grain yield in rice. The rice variety grain size on chromosome 2 (GS2) contains sequence variations of OsGRF4 (Oryza sativa growth-regulating factor 4; OsGRF4AA ), escaping the microRNA miR396-mediated degradation of this gene at the mRNA level. Accumulation of OsGRF4 enhances nitrogen usage and metabolism, and increases grain size and grain yield. In this study, we found that pollen viability and seed-setting rate under heat stress (HS) decreased more seriously in GS2 than in its comparator, Zhonghua 11 (ZH11). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that, following HS, genes related to carbohydrate metabolic processes were expressed and regulated differentially in the anthers of GS2 and ZH11. Moreover, the expression of genes involved in chloroplast development and photosynthesis, lipid metabolism, and key transcription factors, including eight male sterile genes, were inhibited by HS to a greater extent in GS2 than in ZH11. Interestingly, pre-mRNAs of OsGRF4, and a group of essential genes involved in development and fertilization, were differentially spliced in the anthers of GS2 and ZH11. Taken together, our results suggest that variation in OsGRF4 affects proper transcriptional and splicing regulation of genes under HS, and that this can be mediated by, and also feed back to, carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism, resulting in a reduction in the heat tolerance of rice anthers.

Impact of particle size on the nutrition release and antioxidant activity of rape, buckwheat and rose bee pollens.

In this study, the effects of particle size on the microstructure, nutrient components and antioxidant activities of bee pollen were evaluated. Moreover, the in vitro simulated digestion model was used to explore whether there was a size effect on the release behavior of phenolic compounds from the bee pollen matrix. Results showed that the greater the damage degree of the bee pollen wall, the smaller the bee pollen particle became. The decrease in the bee pollen particle size promoted the release and extractability of sugar, protein, phenolics and flavonoids, and improved their antioxidant activities. In addition, during simulated digestion, the dissolution of total phenolics and flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant activities of bee pollen, increased with the decrease in the particle size. Results showed that minimizing the particle size of bee pollen was not always beneficial for bioaccessible phenolic compounds because their content and bioavailability decreased when the particle size became smaller than 200 µm.

The anti-aging effects of Renshen Guben on thyrotoxicosis mice: Improving immunosenescence, hypoproteinemia, lipotoxicity, and intestinal flora.

With the rapid aging of the population, the control of age-related disease susceptibility and prognosis faces greater challenges. There is an urgent need for a strategy to maintain the vitality of elderly people. In this study, the effect of Renshen Guben (RSGB) oral liquid was investigated on an accelerated aging mice model of thyrotoxicosis by conventional detection methods combined with multiomics technology. The results showed that RSGB increased the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes, enhanced the function of lymphocytes, and increased the levels of complement and antimicrobial peptides, which indicated that RSGB improved the immunity of thyrotoxicosis mice at the cellular and molecular levels. RSGB corrected malnutrition in thyrotoxicosis mice by improving anemia, hypoalbuminemia, ion transporters, and vitamin-binding proteins. RSGB significantly reduced the lipotoxicity by reducing the level of fatty acids, triglyceride, sphingolipids, and glucocorticoids, thus increasing the level of docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and bile acids, which contributed to improve immunosenescence. The intestinal defense ability of thyrotoxicosis mice was enhanced with the increase of bile acids and lactic acid bacteria by the RSGB treatment. The plant metabolomics analysis showed that there were various active components in RSGB oral liquid and medicated serum, including terpenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannin, alkaloids, organic acids, phenolamines, amino acids, and others. They have antioxidant, immune regulation, and anti-aging effects, which was the material basis of RSGB. Totally, RSGB protected the thyrotoxicosis mice against aging by improving immunosenescence, hypoproteinemia, lipotoxicity, and the intestinal flora. It will be beneficial for improving the disease susceptibility and prognosis of the elderly.

Experimental Investigation of Adsorption and CO2/CH4 Separation Properties of 13X and JLOX-500 Zeolites during the Purification of Liquefied Natural Gas.

Efficient adsorbents are critical to the purification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the adsorption method. In this study, the physiochemical properties of JLOX-500 and 13X were examined. JLOX-500 with more Al content had a more compact unit cell, a larger surface area and pore volume, a smaller average pore size, and more microchannels on the surface than 13X. The separation performance of the two adsorbents was evaluated by the adsorption experiment. The CO2 adsorption capacity of JLOX-500 was higher than that of 13X, while the equilibrium and ideal selectivity and separation factor of CO2/CH4 were also larger for JLOX-500. Especially in dynamic adsorption, the CO2 adsorption capacities at 50 ppm of the gas mixture at the outlet were 3.46 and 1.64 mmol/g for JLOX-500 and 13X, respectively. The adsorption heats of CO2 and CH4 on JLOX-500 were 40.50 and 18.77 kJ/mol, whereas these values were 31.49 and 18.50 kJ/mol for 13X, respectively. A better separation performance for JLOX-500 was observed because of fewer binders and a lower Si/Al ratio (1.34). The Toth adsorption isotherm model described best the experimental data. According to the results of this study, JLOX-500 was a more efficient adsorbent used in purification for LNG production at high pressure with low CO2 concentration.

[Retracted] MicroRNA­145 inhibits the malignant phenotypes of gastric carcinoma cells via downregulation of fascin 1 expression.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editors' attention by a concerned reader that certain of the cell apoptotic assay data shown in Figs. 3D and 4D were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in other articles by different authors. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published elsewhere, or were already under consideration for publication, prior to its submission to Molecular Medicine Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive any reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [the original article was published in Molecular Medicine Reports 13: 1033­1039, 2016; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.4609].

Increased ATPase activity promotes heat-resistance, high-yield, and high-quality traits in rice by improving energy status.

Heat stress during the reproductive stage results in major losses in yield and quality, which might be mainly caused by an energy imbalance. However, how energy status affected heat response, yield and quality remains unclear. No relationships were observed among the heat resistance, yield, and quality of the forty-nine early rice cultivars under normal temperature conditions. However, two cultivars, Zhuliangyou30 (ZLY30) and Luliangyou35 (LLY35), differing in heat resistance, yield, and quality were detected. The yield was higher and the chalkiness degree was lower in ZLY30 than in LLY35. Decreases in yields and increases in the chalkiness degree with temperatures were more pronounced in LLY35 than in ZLY30. The accumulation and allocation (ratio of the panicle to the whole plant) of dry matter weight and non-structural carbohydrates were higher in ZLY30 than in LLY35 across all sowing times and temperatures. The accumulation and allocation of dry matter weight and non-structural carbohydrates in panicles were higher in ZLY30 than in LLY35. Similar patterns were observed in the relative expression levels of sucrose unloading related genes SUT1 and SUT2 in grains. The ATP content was higher in the grains of LLY35 than in ZLY30, whereas the ATPase activity, which determined the energy status, was significantly lower in the former than in the latter. Thus, increased ATPase activity, which improved the energy status of rice, was the factor mediating the balance among heat-resistance, high-yield, and high-quality traits in rice.

[Retracted] MicroRNA­101 induces apoptosis in cisplatin­resistant gastric cancer cells by targeting VEGF­C.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editors' attention by a concerned reader that certain of the cell apoptotic assay data shown in Figs. 3C and 5B were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in other articles by different authors. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published elsewhere, or were already under consideration for publication, prior to its submission to Molecular Medicine Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive any reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [the original article was published in Molecular Medicine Reports 13: 572­578, 2016; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.4560].

Respiration, Rather Than Photosynthesis, Determines Rice Yield Loss Under Moderate High-Temperature Conditions.

Photosynthesis is an important biophysical and biochemical reaction that provides food and oxygen to maintain aerobic life on earth. Recently, increasing photosynthesis has been revisited as an approach for reducing rice yield losses caused by high temperatures. We found that moderate high temperature causes less damage to photosynthesis but significantly increases respiration. In this case, the energy production efficiency is enhanced, but most of this energy is allocated to maintenance respiration, resulting in an overall decrease in the energy utilization efficiency. In this perspective, respiration, rather than photosynthesis, may be the primary contributor to yield losses in a high-temperature climate. Indeed, the dry matter weight and yield could be enhanced if the energy was mainly allocated to the growth respiration. Therefore, we proposed that engineering smart rice cultivars with a highly efficient system of energy production, allocation, and utilization could effectively solve the world food crisis under high-temperature conditions.

Quality evaluation and geographical classification of immature rape and acacia honeys in China.

BACKGROUND: To reflect and understand the real situation regarding immature honey, the quality parameters of 141 honey samples from different regions of China were evaluated. The possibility of classifying Chinese honey from different geographical origins was also considered. RESULTS: The results revealed that the values of diastase, sucrose, proline and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) met the international honey standard, although moisture, total glucose and fructose, and invertase content in most of the honey samples failed to meet the standards. In addition, honey from different geographical locations could be well separated based on the contents of maltose, sucrose, HMF and glucose oxidase. CONCLUSION: The maturity of honey has a great impact on its quality, and the geographical origin of immature honey could be classified according to the physicochemical parameters. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Insight Into the Multiple Branches Traits of a Mutant in Larix olgensis by Morphological, Cytological, and Transcriptional Analyses.

Larix olgensis is a tall deciduous tree species that has many applications in the wood fiber industry. Bud mutations are somatic mutations in plants and are considered an ideal material to identify and describe the molecular mechanism of plant mutation. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of bud mutations in L. olgensis remain unknown. In this study, dwarfed (or stunted), short-leaved, and multi-branched mutants of L. olgensis were found and utilized to identify crucial genes and regulatory networks controlling the multiple branch structure of L. olgensis. The physiological data showed that the branch number, bud number, fresh and dry weight, tracheid length, tracheid length-width ratio, inner tracheid diameter, and epidermal cell area of mutant plants were higher than that of wild-type plants. Hormone concentration measurements found that auxin, gibberellin, and abscisic acid in the mutant leaves were higher than that in wild-type plants. Moreover, the transcriptome sequencing of all samples using the Illumina Hiseq sequencing platform. Transcriptome analysis identified, respectively, 632, 157, and 199 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in buds, leaves, and stems between mutant plants and wild type. DEGs were found to be involved in cell division and differentiation, shoot apical meristem activity, plant hormone biosynthesis, and sugar metabolism. Furthermore, bZIP, WRKY, and AP2/ERF family transcription factors play a role in bud formation. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of L. olgensis bud and branch formation and establishes a fundamental understanding of the breeding of new varieties in L. olgensis.

Establishment and validation of the LC-MS/MS method for the determination of lincomycin in human blood: Application to an allergy case in forensic science.

An analytical method to quantify lincomycin in human blood samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been developed and validated. The selected method was based on a protein precipitation extraction (PPE) with methanol. Instrumental determination was carried out by LC-MS/MS, with quantification based on the internal standard method. Linearity for lincomycin was established in the concentration range of 5-100 ng/mL. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.2 and 1 ng/mL, respectively. Analyte recoveries were in the range of 72.70%-84.13% for spiked blood samples. The accuracies ranged between 92.82% and 100.40%, and the intraday and inter-day precisions ranged between 1.19% and 6.40%, respectively. The developed method was applied to an authentic allergy case of lincomycin. By testing the lincomycin content in the venous blood of the deceased and combined with the pathological test results, lincomycin acute allergy appeared to be the most likely cause of death. The acquired results confirm that the developed method is capable of identifying and quantifying lincomycin in human blood and can be suitable for the detection of allergy cases in clinical or forensic science.

Loganetin and 5-fluorouracil synergistically inhibit the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer cells via down-regulation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Although most gastrointestinal tumours are sensitive to 5-fluorouracil (5FU), drug resistance is commonly occurred after 5FU therapy in gastric cancer (GC). Loganetin is the primary active compound in Cornus officinali. However, the synergetic effects of loganetin and 5FU on GC remain unknown. Here, we investigated the synergetic effects and the underlying mechanism of loganetin and 5FU on proliferation, stem-like properties, migration, and invasion of GC both in vitro and in vivo. We found that loganetin alone inhibited the proliferation, stem-like properties, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro. Importantly, the loganetin remarkably enhanced the anti-cancer effect of 5FU on GC cells and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway might be involved in this process. Animal experiments further confirmed the synergistic effects of 5FU and loganetin on inhibiting cell growth and metastasis of GC. These results suggested that loganetin could synergistically increase the effect of 5FU against GC, which sheds light on effective combinational drug strategies for GC treatment.