Comparison of the Laryngeal Mask Airway ProSeal and the Streamlined Liner of the Pharynx Airway During General Anesthesia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to compare the safety of the laryngeal mask airway ProSeal (PLMA) and the streamlined liner of the pharynx airway (SLIPA) during general anesthesia. DESIGN: This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Two authors performed searches of Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed to identify clinical trials that compared PLMA and SLIPA in patients receiving general anesthesia. Relative risk (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to pool the dichotomous data. The mean difference (MD) and the associated 95% CI were applied to pool continuous data. RevMan 5.0 software was used for data analysis. FINDINGS: A total of 15 studies with 1263 patients were included. There was no significant difference between PLMA and SLIPA in the rate of insertion success on the first attempt (RR = 1.02, 95% CI [0.95, 1.09], P = .59), airway sealing pressure (MD = 0.75, 95% CI [-0.09, 1.58], P = .08) and the incidence of a sore throat (RR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.7, 1.04], P = .12). The insertion time of PLMA was shorter than SLIPA (MD = 5.24, 95% CI [0.51, 9.98], P = .03), and the incidence of bloodstaining on the device was lower (RR = 0.72, 95% CI [0.55, 0.94], P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Both devices have a high rate of insertion success on the first attempt and airway sealing pressure. But PLMA has a shorter insertion time and less incidence of blood staining, which is more advantageous than SLIPA.

M2 tumor-associated macrophage mediates the maintenance of stemness to promote cisplatin resistance by secreting TGF-ß1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a deadly gastrointestinal malignancy, and chemotherapy resistance is a key factor leading to its poor prognosis. M2 tumor-associated macrophages (M2-TAMs) may be an important cause of chemoresistance in ESCC, but its exact mechanism is still unclear. METHODS: In order to study the role of M2-TAMs in ESCC chemoresistance, CCK-8, clone formation assay, flow cytometric apoptosis assay, qRT-PCR, western blotting, and serum-free sphere formation assays were used. In vivo animal experiments and human ESCC tissues were used to confirm the findings. RESULTS: In vitro and in vivo animal experiments, M2-TAMs reduced the sensitivity of ESCC cells to cisplatin. Mechanistically, M2-TAMs highly secreted TGF-ß1 which activated the TGFßR1-smad2/3 pathway to promote and maintain the stemness characteristic of ESCC cells, which could inhibit the sensitivity to cisplatin. Using TGFß signaling inhibitor SB431542 or knockdown of TGFßR1 could reverse the cisplatin resistance of ESCC cells. In 92 cases of human ESCC tissues, individuals with a high density of M2-TAMs had considerably higher levels of TGF-ß1. These patients also had worse prognoses and richer stemness markers. CONCLUSION: TGF-ß1 secreted from M2-TAMs promoted and maintained the stemness characteristic to induce cisplatin resistance in ESCC by activating the TGFß1-Smad2/3 pathway.

Integrated Network Analysis to Determine CNN1, MYL9, TAGLN, and SORBS1 as Potential Key Genes Associated with Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is challenging to treat. It is necessary to screen for related biological markers to accurately predict the prognosis and recurrence of prostate cancer. METHODS: Three data sets, GSE28204, GSE30521, and GSE69223, from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were integrated into this study. After the identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PCa and normal prostate tissues, network analyses including protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to select hub genes. Gene Ontology (GO) term analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to annotate the functions of DEGs and hub modules of the networks. Survival analysis was performed to validate the correlation between the key genes and PCa relapse. RESULTS: In total, 867 DEGs were identified, including 201 upregulated and 666 downregulated genes. Three hub modules of the PPI network and one hub module of the weighted gene co-expression network were determined. Moreover, four key genes (CNN1, MYL9, TAGLN, and SORBS1) were significantly associated with PCa relapse (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CNN1, MYL9, TAGLN, and SORBS1 may be potential biomarkers for PCa development.

Defective expression of C20orf54 in esophageal dysplasia: a possible biomarker of esophageal carcinoma for early detection.

BACKGROUND: C20orf54 has been identified as an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) susceptibility gene in previous genome-wide association studies. Here, we attempted to clarify the expression level of C20orf54 in ESCC, non-tumoral esophageal tissues, and esophageal squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (ESIN). METHODS: We assessed C20orf54 expression in 146 ESCC, 108 non-tumoral esophageal tissues, and 148 ESIN using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays. We also evaluated the possible correlations of C20orf54 expression with clinicopathological characteristics. The survival rates were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. RESULTS: C20orf54 expression was significantly lower in ESCC, high-grade ESIN, and low-grade ESIN than in the non-tumoral esophageal tissues. The level observed for ESCC was also significantly lower than that in low-grade ESIN and high-grade ESIN, whereas no difference was observed between high-grade ESIN and low-grade ESIN. Furthermore, the C20orf54 defective expression correlated significantly with differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and invasion depth. The overall survival time was inversely associated with lymph node metastasis, an advanced TNM stage (III + IV), and deeper invasion. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence of C20orf54 defective expression in ESCC and precancerous lesions, demonstrating a potential role in tumor progression and metastasis. C20orf54 could be used as a potential biomarker for the early detection of ESCC.

Primary Cervical Malignant Melanoma: 2 Cases and a Literature Review.

Primary cervical malignant melanoma (MM) is an extremely rare tumor, and we are only aware of 44 reported cases. Further information is needed with regard to this disease's clinicopathologic features. Two patients (55 and 81 yr old) with postmenopausal vaginal bleeding were diagnosed with primary cervical MM on the basis of hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry findings. Our literature review revealed that the average age in cases of primary cervical MM was 59 yr (range, 34-81 yr); 93% of patients presented with vaginal bleeding, and 82% of patients were diagnosed at an early clinical stage (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages I-II). Primary cervical MM is an extremely rare cervical tumor and is associated with a poor prognosis. Histologic morphology and immunohistochemistry are very important considerations for diagnosing this disease, which must be differentiated from cervical undifferentiated carcinoma, leiomyosarcoma, and malignant peripheral schwannoma.

PFN2, a novel marker of unfavorable prognosis, is a potential therapeutic target involved in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most aggressively malignant tumors with dismal prognosis. Profilin 2 (PFN2) is an actin-binding protein that regulates the dynamics of actin polymerization and plays a key role in cell motility. Recently, PFN2 have emerged as significant regulators of cancer processes. However, the clinical significance and biological function of PFN2 in ESCC remain unclear. METHODS: PFN2 protein expression was validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tissue microarray from Chinese Han and Kazakh populations with ESCC. The associations among PFN2 expression, clinicopathological features, and prognosis of ESCC were analyzed. The effects on cell proliferation, invasion and migration were examined using MTT and Transwell assays. Markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Compared with normal esophageal epithelium (NEE), PFN2 protein expression was markedly increased in low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN), and ESCC, increased gradually from LGIN to ESCC, and finally reached high grade in HGIN in the Han population. Similarly, PFN2 protein was more overexpressed in ESCC than in NEE in the Kazakh population. The results of Western blot analysis also showed that PFN2 expression was significantly higher in the ESCC tissue than in a matched adjacent non-cancerous tissue. PFN2 expression was positively correlated with invasion depth and lymph node metastasis. High PFN2 expression was significantly correlated with short overall survival (OS) (P = 0.023). Cox regression analysis revealed that PFN2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS in ESCC. Downregulation of PFN2 inhibited, rather than proliferated, cell invasion and migration, as well as induced an EMT phenotype, including increased expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin, decreased mesenchymal marker Vimentin, Snail, Slug and ZEB1, and morphological changes in ESCC cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that PFN2 has a novel role in promoting ESCC progression and metastasis and portending a poor prognosis, indicating that PFN2 could act as an early biomarker of high-risk population. Targeting PFN2 may offer a promising therapeutic strategy for ESCC treatment.

Glutaraldehyde Cross-Linked Chitosan Nanofibers: Preparation, Characterization and Application in Adsorption of Cu (II).

Chitosan nanofibers were prepared via electrospinning and cross-linked by a treatment with glutaraldehyde (GA) in order to obtain insoluble adsorbents in aqueous acidic and basic solutions. Then, the prepared nanofiber was investigated for its adsorption of Cu (II) in aqueous solution. The effects of the viscosity, conductivity of chitosan-TFA spinning solution and the properties of the nanofibers related to the molecular weight of chitosan were studied. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images demonstrated a smooth and inter-connected morphology comprising fibers with diameters between 70 nm and 350 nm. An amount of 72 mg/g of Cu (II) adsorption was achieved and its mechanism was elucidated. After removing the adsorbed Cu (II), the cross-linked chitosan nanofibers were regenerated and could be reused.

SLC39A6: a potential target for diagnosis and therapy of esophageal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly lethal cancer, and its underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Recent large-scale genome-wide association studies in Chinese Han populations have identified an ESCC susceptibility locus within the SLC39A6 gene. Here, we sought to explore the expression and biological function of SLC39A6 in ESCC. METHODS: Multiethnic validation of SLC39A6 protein expression was performed in different cohorts of patients from Chinese Han and Kazakh populations in the Xinjiang region by immunohistochemistry. The associations among SLC39A6 expression, clinicopathological parameters, and prognosis outcomes of ESCC were analyzed. And the effects of SLC39A6 silencing by siRNA on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasiveness, as well as the proteins involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of esophageal cancer cells, were studied. RESULTS: SLC39A6 protein expression increased progressively from normal esophageal epithelium (NEE) to low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia to ESCC, and finally reached the highest in high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia from Han ethnic. Similarly, SLC39A6 protein was significantly overexpressed in Kazakh ethnic ESCC compared with that in NEE. Increased expression of SLC39A6 was found to be closely correlated with histological grade and early Tumor-Node-Metastasis stage I/II. High tumorous SLC39A6 expression was significantly correlated with shorter overall survival (OS). Cox regression analysis confirmed that SLC39A6 expression was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS in ESCC. Experimentally, the suppression of SLC39A6 expression promoted ESCC cell apoptosis but abrogated proliferation and invasion, and induced an EMT phenotype that included enhanced expression of E-cadherin, loss of vimentin, and morphological changes in ESCC cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Combined, our findings highlight a tumor-promoting role for SLC39A6 in ESCC, suggesting that SLC39A6 could serve as an early detector of high-risk subjects and prognostic biomarker. The targeting of SLC39A6 might be a potential therapeutic strategy for blocking ESCC.

Altered expression of neurofilament 200 and amyloid-ß peptide (1-40) in a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is damaging to white matter in the brain. So far few studies have investigated long-term axonal damage following CCH. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of neurofilament 200 (NF200) and amyloid-ß (1-40) [Aß (1-40)] in the pathological mechanism for neuronal damage, and to quantify changes in their expression over time in a rat model of CCH. A rat model of CCH was established using partial bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries. The extent of stenosis was verified by measuring the changes in cerebral blood flow after surgery. Histology was used to assess hippocampal neuronal pathology, and immunohistochemistry was used to quantify the expression of NF200 and Aß (1-40) at 2, 4, and 12 weeks after surgery. The cerebral blood flow reduced to 33.89 ± 5.48 % at 2 weeks, 36.83 ± 4.63 % at 4 weeks and 51.44 ± 4.90 % at 12 weeks. Immunofluorescence staining of neuronal perikarya sections revealed a marked decrease in the population of surviving pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 region, a significant up-regulation in the expression of Aß (1-40), and a significant reduction in the expression of NF200 following CCH surgery. Moreover, this trend was increasingly obvious over time. Our data demonstrate that CCH leads to axonal damage over time. We also confirmed that the expression of Aß (1-40) and NF200 may be useful biomarkers of axonal damage following CCH.

Heterozygote of PLCE1 rs2274223 increases susceptibility to human papillomavirus infection in patients with esophageal carcinoma among the Kazakh populations.

The involvement of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the carcinogenesis of esophageal squamous carcinoma remains undetermined. However, three genome-wide association studies of esophageal cancer have identified a shared susceptibility locus at 10q23 (rs2274223: A5780G) in phospholipase C epsilon 1 (PLCE1). The current study aims to present a comprehensive and novel spectrum about the HPV genotype distribution of esophageal carcinoma in Kazakhs and assess its association with PLCE1 polymorphisms. The HPV genotypes in 183 patients with esophageal cancer and 89 controls selected from the Kazakh population were evaluated using the HPV gene chip. The PLCE1 rs2274223 variant was genotyped in esophageal carcinoma patients by MALDI-ToF Mass Spectrometry. The presence of seven HPV genotypes in esophageal carcinoma tissues-including HPV 16, 18, 35, 52, 6, 11, 43-was significantly higher at 31.7% than those in controls at 9.0% (P < 0.001). Such presence was strongly associated with increased risk of esophageal carcinoma (OR 4.70; 95% CI 2.13-10.36). Among all HPV genotypes detected, HPV16 was the most common genotype identified (29.0%, OR 4.13; 95% CI 1.87-9.13), which is significantly associated with well-differentiated esophageal carcinoma (P = 0.037). HPV-positive patients were generally younger than HPV-negative patients (70.1% vs. 29.3%, P = 0.013). PLCE1 rs2274223 genotypes AG and AG/GG were significantly associated with HPV-positive patients with esophageal carcinoma (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.03-4.08 and OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.02-3.84, respectively). These findings suggest that heterozygote of PLCE1 rs2274223 increases susceptibility to HPV infection in patients with esophageal carcinoma among the Kazakh populations.

An Essential Role of c-Fos in Notch1-mediated Promotion of Proliferation of KSHV-Infected SH-SY5Y Cells.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the influence of Notch1 on c-Fos and the effect of c-Fos on the proliferation of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-infected neuronal cells. METHODS: Real-time PCR and western blotting were used to determine c-Fos expression levels in KSHV-infected (SK-RG) and uninfected SH-SY5Y cells. C-Fos levels were measured again in SK-RG cells with or without Notch1 knockdown. Next, we measured c-Fos and p-c-Fos concentrations after treatment with the Notch1 γ-secretase inhibitor LY-411575 and the Notch1 activator Jagged-1. MTT and Ki-67 staining were used to evaluate the proliferation ability of cells after c-Fos levels downregulation. CyclinD1, CDK6, and CDK4 expression levels and cell cycle were analyzed by western blotting and flow cytometry, respectively. After the c-Fos intervention, the KSHV copy number and gene expression of RTA, LANA and K8.1 were analyzed by real-time TaqMan PCR. RESULTS: C-Fos was up-regulated in KSHV-infected SK-RG cells. However, the siRNA-mediated knockdown of Notch1 resulted in a significant decrease in the levels of c-Fos and p-c-Fos (P <0.01, P <0.001). Additionally, a decrease in Cyclin D1, CDK6, and CDK4 was also detected. The Notch1 inhibitor LY-411575 showed the potential to down-regulate the levels of c-Fos and p-c-Fos, which was consistent with Notch1 knockdown group (P <0.01), whereas the expression and phosphorylation of c-Fos were remarkably up-regulated by treatment of Notch1 activator Jagged-1 (P <0.05). In addition, our data obtained by MTT and Ki-67 staining revealed that the c-Fos down-regulation led to a significant reduction in cell viability and proliferation of the SK-RG cells (P <0.001). Moreover, FACS analysis showed that the cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 stage, and the expressions of Cyclin D1, CDK6, and CDK4 were down-regulated in the c-Fos-knockdown SK-RG cells (P <0.05). Reduction in total KSHV copy number and expressions of viral genes (RTA, LANA and K8.1) were also detected in c-Fos down-regulated SK-RG cells (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings strongly indicate that c-Fos plays a crucial role in the promotion of cell proliferation through Notch1 signaling in KSHV-infected cells. Furthermore, our results suggest that the inhibition of expression of key viral pathogenic proteins is likely involved in this process.

In vitro effects of SB202190 on Echinococcus granulosus.

Spillage of cyst contents during surgical operation is the major cause of recurrence after hydatid cyst surgery. Instillation of a scolicidal agent into a hepatic hydatid cyst is the most commonly employed measure to prevent this complication. SB202190 is a pyridinyl imidazole derivative and is known to be a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK. In the present study, the scolicidal effect of SB202190 was investigated. Freshly isolated Echinococcus granulosus protoscolices were subjected to SB202190 treatment (10, 20, 40, and 80 µM), and the effects on parasite viability were monitored by trypan blue staining. Corresponding effects were visualized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Dose-dependent protoscolex death within a few days of SB202190 treatment was observed. Although the in vitro scolicidal effect of SB202190 was satisfactory, the in vivo efficacy of this drug and also possible side effects remain to be further investigated.

Liquid metal integrated PU/CNT fibrous membrane for human health monitoring.

Wearable flexible sensors are widely used in several applications such as physiological monitoring, electronic skin, and telemedicine. Typically, flexible sensors that are made of elastomeric thin-films lack sufficient permeability, which leads to skin inflammation, and more importantly, affects signal detection and consequently, reduces the sensitivity of the sensor. In this study, we designed a flexible nanofibrous membrane with a high air permeability (6.10 mm/s), which could be effectively used to monitor human motion signals and physiological signals. More specifically, a flexible membrane with a point (liquid metal nanoparticles)-line (carbon nanotubes)-plane (liquid metal thin-film) multiscale conductive structure was fabricated by combining liquid metal (LM) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with a polyurethane (PU) nanofibrous membrane. Interestingly, the excellent conductivity and fluidity of the liquid metal enhanced the sensitivity and stability of the membrane. More precisely, the gauge factor (GF) values of the membrane is 3.0 at 50% strain and 14.0 at 400% strain, which corresponds to a high strain sensitivity within the whole range of deformation. Additionally, the proposed membrane has good mechanical properties with an elongation at a break of 490% and a tensile strength of 12 MPa. Furthermore, the flexible membrane exhibits good biocompatibility and can efficiently monitor human health signals, thereby indicating potential for application in the field of wearable electronic devices.

HLA-DRB1*1501 and HLA-DQB1*0301 alleles are positively associated with HPV16 infection-related Kazakh esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Xinjiang China.

Multiple determinant factors are involved in the occurrence and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Human papillomavirus (HPV) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphism were identified as important factors. This study examined the associations between the development of Kazakh ESCC and the determinant factors including HLA-DRB1*0901, 1501; DQB1*0301, 0602; high-risk HPV infection in the area of Xinjiang, China. 200 Kazakh patients with ESCC and 150 controls were recruited, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect HLA-DRB1*0901, 1501 and DQB1*0301,0602 using sequence-specific primers (SSPs). HPV16 was detected in esophageal specimens using PCR. HPV16 infection rate in Kazakh ESCC case group was 41 %, significantly higher than that of control group 14 % (OR = 3.62; 95 % CI, 2.15-6.09; P < 0.001). A positive association between ESCC and HLA-DRB1*1501 (OR = 2.46, P < 0.0125) or HLA-DQB1*0301 (OR = 3.34, P < 0.0125) alleles was observed. Similar tendencies were observed for HLA-DRB1*1501 (OR = 3.095, P < 0.0125) and HLA-DQB1*0301 (OR = 2.410, P < 0.0125) alleles with HPV16-positive ESCC. HLA-DRB1*1501, HLA-DQB1*0301 and DQB1*0602 were significantly associated with ESCC when the age was ≥55 years (P < 0.0125 for all), whereas only HLA-DQB1*0301 was significantly associated with ESCC when the age was <55 years (P < 0.0125). HLA-DRB1*1501 and HLA-DQB1*0301 were significantly associated with an increase in ESCC occurrence in females (P < 0.0125), whereas only HLA-DQB1*0301 was significantly associated with ESCC in males. Moreover, the occurrence of HLA-DQB1*0602 gene in poorly differentiated ESCC group (68.8 %) was slightly higher than that of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma group (31.2 %). The difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.0125). The study suggests that HLA-DRB1*1501 and HLA-DQB1*0301 may influence the immune response to specific tumor and HPV-encoded epitopes and affect the risk of Kazakh ESCC in XinJiang, China.

Effects of the Separator MOF-Al2O3 Coating on Battery Rate Performance and Solid-Electrolyte Interphase Formation.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have unique advantages in optimizing the ionic conductivity of battery separators because of their rich cavity structure and highly ordered and connected pores. In this study, we used a hydrothermal method to synthesize a functional material, Ag-MOF crystal, as a separator coating content, and then studied the properties and application effect of the MOF-Al2O3-blended coating applying to a polyethylene (PE) separator (MOFxAl1-x/PE). Results show that MOF0.08Al0.92/PE (MOF/Al2O3 = 0.08:0.92) used in NCM811||Li cells significantly not only improves the fast charge-discharge performance of the cells but also inhibits the growth of lithium dendrites during long-term charge-discharge cycling; the Li+ transference number (tLi+) of the MOF0.08Al0.92/PE composite separator is 0.61; the Li||separator||Li half-cell circulates stably for 1000 h at varying current density from 0.5 to 10 mA cm-2 and only produces low overpotentials, indicating that MOF0.08Al0.92 stabilizes lithium. The initial capacity of the NCM811||Li cell using the MOF0.08Al0.92/PE separator is 165.0 mA h g-1, its capacity retention is 70.67% after 300 cycles at 5 C, and the interface resistance of the cells only increases from 13.8 to 31.5 Ω, whereas the capacity retention of Al2O3/PE separator batteries is only 40.41% (62.2 mA h g-1) under the same conditions. During the charge-discharge cycling, the MOF-Al2O3 coating induces the lithium anode to quickly form a stable and dense solid-electrolyte interphase layer, promotes the uniform deposition of Li+, and inhibits the growth of lithium dendrites as well.

Arthrostoma leucurus sp. n. (Nematoda: Ancylostomatidae), A New Hookworm Species Isolated from Asian Badger in China.

PURPOSE: To date, ten validated Arthrostoma species were reported. Here, a new hookworm species was found from Asian badger (Meles leucurus). METHODS: Nineteen hookworms (9 males and 10 females) were collected from the small intestine of two Asian badgers in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China. The hookworms were morphologically examined according to key taxonomic characters, such as anterior extremity direction, structures of oral opening (cutting plates or teeth), vulva location, buccal capsule anatomy (integrated or formed by articulating plates), the length of spicule and gubernaculum, number of plates of buccal capsule, and presence or absence of vulvar papillae. RESULTS: The hookworm species from Asian badger, here named as Arthrostoma leucurus sp. n., was different from the previously described ten Arthrostoma species. The phylogenetic tree based on the cox1 gene showed that Arthrostoma leucurus sp. n. formed a separate clade, as a sister group to Ancylostoma and Uncinaria species. CONCLUSION: Arthrostoma leucurus sp. n., the eleven validated Arthrostoma species, was identified from Asian badger in China.

[Detection and clinical significance of Notch1 methylation in breast cancer and intraductal proliferative breast lesions].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relevance between the promoter methylation status of Notch1 gene and the invasive ductal carcinoma and ductal hyperplastic lesions of the breast. METHODS: Methylation status of Notch1 gene in human breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC, n = 89), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS, n = 20), atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH, n = 11) and usual ductal hyperplasia (UDH, n = 20) were quantitatively evaluated by MALDI-TOF MS. The expression of Notch1 protein was detected by immunohistochemical stain (SP method). RESULTS: Positive expression rates of Notch1 protein in IDC and DCIS were 91.0% (81/89) and 75.0% (15/20), respectively, which were significantly higher than those of ADH (4/11) and UDH (30.0%, 6/20;P < 0.05). Notch1 protein expression was correlated significantly with lymph node metastasis, pathological grades and TNM stages of IDC. The mean methylation levels of Notch1 gene at CpG_3, CpG_4.5 and CpG_8 significantly decreased in IDC group compared with those of DCIS, ADH and UDH groups (P < 0.0083). In breast carcinomas, the mean methylation rates of Notch1 gene at CpG_4.5, CpG_10.11, and CpG_14.15.16 loci in cases with axillary node metastasis were significantly lower than those without axillary node metastasis (P < 0.05); and the methylation rates at CpG_14.15.16 and CpG_18 loci in stage Iwere lower than that in stage II, further lower than that in stage III (P < 0.05); and that in CpG_1.2, CpG_12.13 loci in grade I (highly-differentiated group) were higher than that in grade II (moderate-differentiated group) and grade III (poorly-differentiated group) (P < 0.05); and the methylation rates at CpG_3, CpG_8 and CpG_14.15.16 loci in ER(+) PR(+) HER2(-) group were lower than that in ER(-) PR(-) HER2(+) group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There is an overall hypomethylation of Notch1 gene in breast invasive ductal carcinomas with corresponding over-expression of Notch1 protein. This inverse correlation show that the alteration of protein expression result from hypomethylation oncogene Notch1, and this change may have important significance in breast tumorigenesis and the development. Specific hypomethylation at CpG_3, CpG_ 4.5 and CpG_8 loci of Notch1 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of breast carcinoma, suggesting the progression and/or malignant transformation from benign glandular lesions of the breast.

Multi-physics coupling simulation of electrode induction melting gas atomization for advanced titanium alloys powder preparation.

A numerical modeling method is proposed for the melting process of Titanium metals of Titanium alloys powder preparation used for 3D printing. The melting process simulation, which involves the tight coupling between electromagnetic field, thermal field and fluid flow as well as deformation associated during the melting process, is conducted by adopting the finite element method. A two-way coupling strategy is used to include the interactions between these fields by incorporating the material properties dependent on temperature and the coupling terms. In addition, heat radiation and phase change are also considered in this paper. The arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation is exploited to model the deformation of Titanium metal during the melting process. The distribution of electromagnetic flux density, eddy current density, temperature, and fluid flow velocity at different time can be determined by utilizing this numerical method. In a word, the method proposed in this paper provides a general way to predict the melting process of electrode induction melting gas atomization (EIGA) dynamically, and it also could be used as a reference for the design and optimization of EIGA.

ETV5-mediated upregulation of lncRNA CTBP1-DT as a ceRNA facilitates HGSOC progression by regulating miR-188-5p/MAP3K3 axis.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a common and lethal cancer of the female reproductive system. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in various cancers and play crucial roles in tumour progression. However, their function and molecular mechanism in HGSOC remain largely unknown. Based on public databases and bioinformatics analyses, the overexpression of lncRNA CTBP1-DT in HGSOC tissues was detected and validated in a cohort of HGSOC tissues. High expression of lncRNA CTBP1-DT was associated with poor prognosis and was an independent risk factor for survival. Overexpression of lncRNA CTBP1-DT promoted malignant biological behaviour of HGSOC cells, whereas its depletion induced growth arrest of HGSOC cells by vitro and in vivo assays. Mechanistically, lncRNA CTBP1-DT could competitively bind to miR-188-5p to protect MAP3K3 from degradation. Moreover, our results revealed that ETV5 could specifically interact with the promoter of lncRNA CTBP1-DT and activate its transcription. Collectively, these results reveal a novel ETV5/lncRNA CTBP1-DT/miR-188-5p/MAP3K3 pathway for HGSOC progression and suggest that lncRNA CTBP1-DT might be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for HGSOC.

Epigenetically associated CCL20 upregulation correlates with esophageal cancer progression and immune disorder.

Chemokines have distinct effects on tumor progression by affecting cancer immunity and tumorigenesis. However, the characteristic chemokine profiles and their roles in immune cell recruitment and cancer cell biology are not entirely understood in esophageal cancer. Here, we scrutinized chemokine's expression profiles in independent esophageal cancer cohorts and identified the elevated CCL20 as a risk factor to predict patients' prognosis regardless of histology subtypes. Enhanced CCL20 expression was also associated with the acquisition of metastatic potential. Mechanistically, the upregulation of CCL20 in tumor cells was associated with promoter hypomethylation. Furthermore, by analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data of a mouse model mimicking human ESCC development, we observed an imbalance among CD4+ T subtypes in the tumor microenvironment, namely Ccr6+ Th17 and Treg cells infiltration alongside the elevated Ccl20 expression in abnormal epithelial cells during the tumorigenic process. Together, these results reveal that hypomethylation-induced CCL20 promotes esophageal cancer progression and immune disorder. Targeting CCL20 might be a promising therapeutic approach in esophageal cancer.