Effects of miR-306 Perturbation on Life Parameters in the English Grain Aphid, Sitobion avenae (Homoptera: Aphididae).

MicroRNAs (miRNA) play a vital role in insects' growth and development and have significant potential value in pest control. Previously, we identified miR-306 from small RNA libraries within the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, a devasting insect pest for wheat. miR-306 not only involves in wing morphogenesis, but also is critically important for aphid survival. Its specific impacts on the life history traits, however, remain unclear. Here, we evaluate the impact of miR-306 perturbation on S. avenae populations using a two-sex life table approach. This comprehensive analysis revealed that miR-306 perturbation significantly prolongs the developmental stages (9.64% and 8.20%) and adult longevity of S. avenae, while decreasing pre-adult survival rate (41.45% and 38.74%) and slightly reducing average fecundity (5.80% and 13.05%). Overall, miR-306 perturbation negatively affects the life table parameters of the aphid population. The population prediction models show a significant decline in the aphid population 60 days post interference, compared to the control groups (98.14% and 97.76%). Our findings highlight the detrimental effects of miR-306 perturbation on S. avenae population growth and suggest potential candidate genes for the development of RNAi-based biopesticides targeted specifically at this pest species.

LncRNA ZEB1-AS1 promotes pancreatic cancer progression by regulating miR-505-3p/TRIB2 axis.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial regulatory factors in the development and progression of human malignancies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential mechanism of ZEB1-AS1 in pancreatic cancer (PC). The expression of ZEB1-AS1 in PC tissues and cells was assessed by RT-qPCR. The overall survival rate was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. The association between ZEB1-AS1 and miR-505 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. CCK-8 assay was employed to analyze PC cell viability. Transwell assay was employed to detect the migration and invasion of PC cells. Our results revealed that ZEB1-AS1 expression was significantly upregulated in PC tissues and cells, and the high expression of ZEB1-AS1 indicated the low overall survival rate in PC patients. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays indicated that knockdown of ZEB1-AS1 inhibited the cell viability, migration and invasion of PC cells, while overexpression of ZEB1-AS1 promoted PC cell progression. Moreover, ZEB1-AS1 upregulated TRIB2 expression via sponging miR-505. Finally, rescue assays demonstrated that TRIB2 overexpression partially abrogated the inhibitory effect of ZEB1-AS1 knockdown on the viability, migration and invasion of PC cells. These results confirmed that ZEB1-AS1 promoted the tumorigenesis of PC through the miR-505/TRIB2 axis, which indicated that ZEB1-AS1 might function as a biomarker for PC treatment and provide a new therapeutic direction in PC.

Xanthan Gum Ameliorates Osteoarthritis and Mitigates Cartilage Degradation via Regulation of the Wnt3a/ß-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease characterized by articular cartilage degeneration and inflammation. We have previously clarified that a xanthan gum (XG) preparation exerts ameliorating effect on a rabbit OA model by regulating matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-3, which are critical proteins in the Wnt3a/ß-catenin pathway. Thus, it is reasonable to predict that the Wnt3a/ß-catenin pathway is involved in the treatment of OA with XG. MATERIAL AND METHODS The effect of XG in OA model animals were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE), Safranin O staining, and Fast Green staining. Articular cartilage degradation on the medial plateau sides was quantified using the modified Pritzker OARSI score. The levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-1ß in synovial fluid were determined with ELISA. The protective effect of XG in rat chondrocytes was assessed by CCK8 assay. Moreover, activation of the Wnt3a/ß-catenin pathway and the expression of MMP13, ADAMTS5, aggrecan, and collagen II under the influence of XG was measured by Western blot and qRT-PCR. RESULTS Our results showed that XG reduced the OARSI score and the concentration of inflammatory cytokines in OA after intra-articular injection. XG acted on Wnt3a/ß-catenin in ATDC5 cells in a dose-dependent manner and exhibited a protective effect. XG also decreased the expression of MMP13 and ADAMTS5 and rescued the inhibition of aggrecan and collagen II expression in SNP-stimulated chondrocytes. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that the effects of XG are related to the Wnt3a/ß-catenin pathway and XG suppresses matrix degradation by inhibiting the expression of MMPs and ADAMTS and promotes aggrecan and collagen II content in the ECM, indicating its favorable potential for use in OA therapy.

Three-Dimensional ISAR Imaging Method for High-Speed Targets in Short-Range Using Impulse Radar Based on SIMO Array.

This paper proposes a three-dimensional inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging method for high-speed targets in short-range using an impulse radar. According to the requirements for high-speed target measurement in short-range, this paper establishes the single-input multiple-output (SIMO) antenna array, and further proposes a missile motion parameter estimation method based on impulse radar. By analyzing the motion geometry relationship of the warhead scattering center after translational compensation, this paper derives the receiving antenna position and the time delay after translational compensation, and thus overcomes the shortcomings of conventional translational compensation methods. By analyzing the motion characteristics of the missile, this paper estimates the missile's rotation angle and the rotation matrix by establishing a new coordinate system. Simulation results validate the performance of the proposed algorithm.

Thin layer chromatography coupled with surface-enhanced Raman scattering as a facile method for on-site quantitative monitoring of chemical reactions.

By coupling surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with thin layer chromatography (TLC), a facile and powerful method was developed for on-site monitoring the process of chemical reactions. Samples were preseparated on a TLC plate following a common TLC procedure, and then determined by SERS after fabricating a large-area, uniform SERS substrate on the TLC plate by spraying gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Reproducible and strong SERS signals were obtained with substrates prepared by spraying 42-nm AuNPs at a density of 5.54 × 10(10) N/cm(2) on the TLC plate. The capacity of this TLC-SERS method was evaluated by monitoring a typical Suzuki coupling reaction of phenylboronic acid and 2-bromopyridine as a model. Results showed that this proposed method is able to identify reaction product that is invisible to the naked eye, and distinguish the reactant 2-bromopyridine and product 2-phenylpyridine, which showed almost the same retention factors (R(f)). Under the optimized conditions, the peak area of the characteristic Raman band (755 cm(-1)) of the product 2-phenylpyridine showed a good linear correlation with concentration in the range of 2-200 mg/L (R(2) = 0.9741), the estimated detection limit (1 mg/L 2-phenylpyridine) is much lower than the concentration of the chemicals in the common organic synthesis reaction system, and the product yield determined by the proposed TLC-SERS method agreed very well with that by UPLC-MS/MS. In addition, a new byproduct in the reaction system was found and identified through continuous Raman detection from the point of sample to the solvent front. This facile TLC-SERS method is quick, easy to handle, low-cost, sensitive, and can be exploited in on-site monitoring the processes of chemical reactions, as well as environmental and biological processes.

Coherent optical non-reciprocity in axisymmetric resonators.

We describe an approach to optical non-reciprocity that exploits the local helicity of evanescent electric fields in axisymmetric resonators. By interfacing an optical cavity to helicity-sensitive transitions, such as Zeeman levels in a quantum dot, light transmission through a waveguide becomes direction-dependent when the state degeneracy is lifted. Using a linearized quantum master equation, we analyze the configurations that exhibit non-reciprocity, and we show that reasonable parameters from existing cavity QED experiments are sufficient to demonstrate a coherent non-reciprocal optical isolator operating at the level of a single photon.

Research on spatial carving method of glutenite reservoir based on opacity voxel imaging.

The glutenite reservoir in an exploration area in eastern China is well-developed and holds significant exploration potential as an important oil and gas alternative layer. However, due to the influence of sedimentary characteristics, the glutenite reservoir exhibits strong lateral heterogeneity, significant vertical thickness variations, and low accuracy in reservoir space characterization, which affects the reasonable and effective deployment of development wells. Seismic data contains the three-dimensional spatial characteristics of geological bodies, but how to design a suitable transfer function to extract the nonlinear relationship between seismic data and reservoirs is crucial. At present, the transfer functions are concentrated in low-dimensional or high-dimensional fixed mathematical models, which cannot accurately describe the nonlinear relationship between seismic data and complex reservoirs, resulting in low spatial description accuracy of complex reservoirs. In this regard, this paper first utilizes a fusion method based on probability kernel to fuse seismic attributes such as wave impedance, effective bandwidth, and composite envelope difference. This provide a more intuitive reflection of the distribution characteristics of glutenite reservoirs. Moreover, a hybrid nonlinear transfer function is established to transform the fused attribute cube into an opaque attribute cube. Finally, the illumination model and ray casting method are used to perform voxel imaging of the glutenite reservoirs, brighten the detailed characteristics of reservoir space, and then form a set of methods for ' brightening reservoirs and darkening non-reservoirs ', which improves the spatial engraving accuracy of glutenite reservoirs.

Utilizing Star Polycation Nanocarrier for the Delivery of miR-184 Agomir and Its Impact on the Life History Traits of the English Grain Aphid, Sitobion avenae.

The investigation of genetics-based biopesticides has become a central focus in pesticide studies due to their inherent advantages, including species specificity, environmental safety, and a wide range of target genes. In this study, a mixture of miR-184 agomir and nanomaterial star polycation (SPc) was used to treat the nymphs of the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.). The life parameters of the aphids at various developmental stages were analyzed using an age-stage two-sex life table to assess the effect of miR-184 agomir on the experimental population. The results indicated that miR-184 agomir had a significant negative effect on four key life parameters, including the intrinsic rate of increase, the finite rate of increase, the net rate of increase, and the mean generation time. The population prediction revealed a substantial reduction (91.81% and 95.88%) in the population size of S. avenae at 60 d after treatment with miR-184 agomir, compared to the control groups. Our findings suggest that the miR-184 agomir has the potential to reduce the survival rate and mean longevity of S. avenae, highlighting its potential as a promising candidate for the development of an effective genetics-based biopesticide.

Use of Transcriptome Sequencing to Analyze the Effects of Different Doses of an Astragalus-Rhubarb-Saffron Mixture in Mice with Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) mixture consisting of Astragalus, rhubarb, and saffron in a mouse model of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: Forty-eight db/db mice received no TCM (DKD model), low-dose TCM, medium-dose TCM, or high-dose TCM, and an additional 12 db/m mice received no TCM (normal control). Intragastric TCM or saline (controls) was administered daily for 24 weeks. Blood glucose, body weight, serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood lipids, and urinary microalbumin were measured every four weeks, and the urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) was calculated. After 24 weeks, kidney tissues were collected for transcriptome sequencing, and the main functions of these genes were determined via functional enrichment analysis. Results: Compared with the DKD model group, the medium-dose and high-dose TCM groups had significantly decreased levels of SCr, BUN, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and UAER (all p<0.05). We identified 42 genes that potentially functioned in this therapeutic response, and the greatest effect on gene expression was in the high-dose TCM group. We also performed functional enrichment analysis to explore the potential mechanisms of action of these different genes. Conclusion: A high-dose of the Astragalus-rhubarb-saffron TCM provided the best prevention of DKD. Analysis of the kidney transcriptome suggested that this TCM mixture may prevent DKD by altering immune responses and oxygen delivery by hemoglobin.

Identification of tetrabromobisphenol A allyl ether and tetrabromobisphenol A 2,3-dibromopropyl ether in the ambient environment near a manufacturing site and in mollusks at a coastal region.

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is one of the most widely used brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and has been frequently detected in the environment and biota. Recent studies have found that derivatives of TBBPA, such as TBBPA bis(allyl) ether (TBBPA BAE) and TBBPA bis(2,3-dibromopropyl) ether (TBBPA BDBPE) are present in various environmental compartments. In this work, using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS), TBBPA allyl ether (TBBPA AE) and TBBPA 2,3-dibromopropyl ether (TBBPA DBPE) were identified in environmental samples and further confirmed by synthesized standards. Soil, sediment, rice hull, and earthworm samples collected near a BFR manufacturing plant were found to contain these two compounds. In sediments, the concentrations of TBBPA AE and TBBPA DBPE ranged from 1.0 to 346.6 ng/g of dry weight (dw) and from 0.7 to 292.7 ng/g of dw, respectively. TBBPA AE and TBBPA DBPE in earthworm and rice hull samples were similar to soil samples, which ranged from below the method limit of detection (LOD, <0.002 ng/g of dw) to 0.064 ng/g of dw and from below the LOD (<0.008 ng/g of dw) to 0.58 ng/g of dw, respectively. Furthermore, mollusks collected from the Chinese Bohai Sea were used as a bioindicator to investigate the occurrence and distribution of these compounds in the coastal environment. The detection frequencies of TBBPA AE and TBBPA DBPE were 41 and 32%, respectively, and the concentrations ranged from below LOD (<0.003 ng/g of dw) to 0.54 ng/g of dw, with an average of 0.09 ng/g of dw, for TBBPA AE, and from below LOD (<0.008 ng/g of dw) to 1.41 ng/g of dw, with an average of 0.15 ng/g of dw, for TBBPA DBPE.

Analysis of the Ability of a Distal Tibial Anatomical Locking Plate to Capture the Distal Tibial Fragments in Patients with Pilon Fractures.

OBJECTIVE: Although pilon fractures are rare in clinical practice, they are difficult to treat because of their complexity. Effective fixation of the fracture fragment is the key to the treatment of pilon fractures. Plate osteosynthesis is common clinically, but there are many types of plates and the evaluation of the effect of fixation plates is not comprehensive. This study attempted to compare the capture effect of different fixation plates on the fracture fragments based on 3D modeling and fine distinctions of fracture fragments. METHODS: The computed tomography (CT) images before treatment of 127 patients with pilon fractures from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively collected. The fracture lines were mapped and digitally displayed as 3D images using MIMICS 21 software. APLUS distal tibia anatomical locking plate (Plate A) and ZIMMER distal tibia anatomical plate (Plate B) were placed on a pseudo-bone model and CT scans were used to determine the number of screws in the major and minor fragments of pilon fractures. The frequency of the two plates capturing the fracture fragments was recorded. RESULTS: Under Assumption 1 or 2, Plate A performed significantly better than Plate B in capturing the major, Chaput, Volkmann, medial malleolus, and die-punch fracture fragments. Plate A captured markedly more minor fragments than Plate B under Assumption 2 but was not significantly different from Plate B under Assumption 1. Plate A or Plate B showed no obvious difference between major and minor capture rates under the same assumption, and A1 or B1 showed a markedly higher capture rate compared with A2 or B2. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the major capture rate and the major fragments in B1, and a significant negative correlation between the minor capture rate and the minor fragments in Plates A and B. However, there was no correlation between the major capture rate of Plate A and the major fragments. CONCLUSION: The APLUS distal tibial anatomical locking plate is superior to the ZIMMER distal tibia anatomical plate in the ability to capture distal tibial fragments in pilon fracture cases.

A retrospective comparison of double-hooked locking plates versus non-locking plates in minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis for the treatment of comminuted distal fibular fractures accompanied by tibial Pilon fractures.

BACKGROUND: Surgical approach and fixation material are crucial in the treatment of comminuted distal fibular fractures accompanied by tibial Pilon fractures. This study compared the efficacy of double-hooked locking plates and anatomic plates in minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO) for the treatment of comminuted distal fibular fractures accompanied by tibial Pilon fractures. METHODS: Clinical data were collected from 96 patients diagnosed with comminuted distal fibular fractures accompanied by tibial Pilon fractures who had undergone MIPPO. Patients in the study group (n = 48) received double-hooked locking plate fixations and the control group (n = 48) received anatomical plate fixations. The operating time, intraoperative bleeding, length of hospital stays, full weight-bearing time, fracture healing time and complication rates in the two groups were compared. The quality of fracture reduction was evaluated using the Burwell-Chamley imaging scoring system; the ankle function was assessed based on the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Ankle-Hindfoot Score. RESULTS: Patients in the study group had shorter operating time, less bleeding, significantly shorter hospital stays, and shorter time to full weight-bearing as well as fracture healing compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the post-operative complication rates were significantly lower in the study group (6.16% vs. 22.92%) (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the fracture reduction rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). Patients in the study group experienced better ankle recovery than those in the control group (93.75% vs. 75.00%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Double-hooked locking plates have advantages in the treatment of comminuted distal fibular fractures accompanied by tibial Pilon fractures during MIPPO due to their shorter operating time and less intraoperative bleeding, as well as shorter hospital stays, full weight-bearing time and fracture healing time, fewer complications and better ankle recovery. Therefore, double-hooked locking plates are worthy of clinical application.

Functional Characterization of the Nuclear Receptor Gene SaE75 in the Grain Aphid, Sitobion avenae.

Ecdysteroid hormones are key regulators of insect development and metamorphosis. Ecdysone-inducible E75, a major component of insect ecdysone signaling pathway, has been well characterized in holometabolous insects, however, barely in hemimetabolous species. In this study, a total of four full-length E75 cDNAs from the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, were identified, cloned, and characterized. The four SaE75 cDNAs contained 3048, 2625, 2505, and 2179 bp open reading frames (ORF), encoding 1015, 874, 856, and 835 amino acids, respectively. Temporal expression profiles showed that SaE75 expression was low in adult stages, while high in pseudo embryo and nymphal stages. SaE75 was differentially expressed between winged and wingless morphs. RNAi-mediated suppression of SaE75 led to substantial biological impacts, including mortality and molting defects. As for the pleiotropic effects on downstream ecdysone pathway genes, SaHr3 (hormone receptor like in 46) was significantly up-regulated, while Sabr-c (broad-complex core protein gene) and Saftz-f1 (transcription factor 1) were significantly down-regulated. These combined results not only shed light on the regulatory role of E75 in the ecdysone signaling pathway, but also provide a potential novel target for the long-term sustainable management of S. avenae, a devastating global grain pest.

Solvent controlled sugar-rhodamine fluorescence sensor for Cu(2+) detection.

A "turn-on" fluorescence probe for Cu(2+) detection has been reported according to a Cu(2+) triggered spirolactam ring-opening reaction. The probe is a double-responsive fluorescent and colorimetric Cu(2+)-specific sensor in aqueous solution containing 20% of acetonitrile with high selectivity and excellent sensitivity (limit of detection is 12 µg L(-1)). Furthermore, the significant color changes visible to the naked eye at the concentration of 3 µM (ca. 0.20 mg L(-1)) are about ten times lower than the WHO (World Health Organization) recommended level (2.0 mg L(-1)) for Cu(2+) ions in drinking water.

Efficacy of Apatinib plus S-1 Therapy in the Treatment of Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients and the Effect on the Levels of Tumor Markers and Th1 and Th2-Like Cytokines.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of apatinib plus S-1 therapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer patients and the effect on the levels of tumor markers and Th1 and Th2-like cytokines. Methods: From October 2019 to December 2020, 100 patients with advanced gastric cancer assessed for eligibility were recruited and assigned at a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive either S-1 regimen (tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil potassium capsules) (observation group) or apatinib plus S-1 therapy (experimental group). Outcome measures included clinical efficacy serum tumor marker levels, Th1 and Th2-like cytokine levels, time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS), and adverse events. Results: The S-1 therapy plus apatinib was associated with a significantly higher efficacy versus S-1 therapy alone (P < 0.05). The eligible patients given S-1 therapy plus apatinib showed significantly lower levels of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), glycoantigen 199 (CA199), and glycoantigen 125 (CA125) versus those receiving S-1 therapy (P < 0.05). S-1 therapy plus apatinib outperformed the single therapy of S-1 therapy in mitigating the levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P > 0.05). S-1 therapy plus apatinib was associated with a significantly shorter TTP (5.2 ± 0.7 months) and a longer OS (9.3 ± 2.5 months) versus S-1 therapy alone (7.1 ± 1.3, 5.1 ± 1.3 months) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The efficacy of apatinib plus S-1 therapy showed better improvement in lowering the serum tumor marker levels and ameliorating the Th1 and Th2-like cytokine levels versus S-1 therapy alone, so it is worthy of clinical application.

[Application of percutaneous transcalcaneal reconstruction technique for acute Achilles tendon insertion avulsion].

Objective: To introduce a percutaneous transcalcaneal reconstruction technique for the treatment of acute Achilles tendon insertion avulsion, and to assess its short-term effectiveness. Methods: Between January 2014 and June 2020, 25 patients with acute Achilles tendon insertion avulsion were treated with the percutaneous transcalcaneal reconstruction technique. There were 24 males and 1 female, with an average age of 44.1 years (range, 34-60 years). The disease duration was 1-5 days (mean, 1.8 days). There were 23 cases of sports injury and 2 cases of fall injury. The preoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score was 55.6±6.7 and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 4.6±0.5. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, related complications, the time of weight-bearing standing with a slightly raised heel, and the time of walking with a slightly raised heel were recorded. The AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and the VAS score were used to evaluate the ankle joint function and the pain. Achilles tendon continuity was examined by color Doppler ultrasonography and healing of the Achilles tendon was examined by MRI. At last follow-up, the Arner-Lindholm scale was used to evaluate the effectiveness. Results: The operation time was 45-50 minutes (mean, 46.8 minutes). The intraoperative blood loss was 10-20 mL (mean, 13.8 mL). The hospital stay was 4-6 days (mean, 4.9 days). The color Doppler ultrasonography before discharge showed the continuous recovery of the Achilles tendon. All incisions healed by first intention, and there was no complication such as sural nerve injury or deep venous thrombosis of lower extremity. All patients were followed up 15-50 months (mean, 30.3 months). After 14-21 days, the patients started to weight-bearing stand with a slightly raised heel, with an average of 17.6 days; they began to walk with a slightly raised heel at 20-28 days, with an average of 23.7 days. MRI showed that the Achilles tendon healed at last follow-up. The AOFAS score was 90.0±3.2 at 6 months after operation and 95.8±4.5 at last follow-up, and the VAS scores were 1.7±0.6 at 6 months and 1.0±0.8 at last follow-up, which were all improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05); the difference was also significant between the two time points after operation (P<0.05). According to the Arner-Lindholm scale, the effectiveness at last follow-up was excellent in 25 cases. All patients had returned to sports. Conclusion: The percutaneous transcalcaneal reconstruction technique is a promising alternative option in treating acute Achilles tendon insertion avulsion, for it can achieve early rehabilitation and better ankle function recovery.

Prognostic value and immunological role of FOXM1 in human solid tumors.

FOXM1 acts as an oncogenic transcription factor and is involved in multiple hallmarks of human malignancies. Recent studies have demonstrated that FOXM1 is upregulated and correlated with poor prognosis in a majority of cancers. However, there are few pan-cancer analyses of FOXM1. This study aimed to investigate the expression profiles and clinical significance of FOXM1 in 31 types of solid tumors. We explored the expression profiles and the prognostic value of FOXM1 in pan-cancer across The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We further used lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues combined with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for experimental validation of FOXM1 expression. Besides, we verified the function of FOXM1 in a lung cancer cell line. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to explore signaling pathways related to FOXM1 expression. We observed that up-regulated FOXM1 was significantly related to poor survival in most tumors. Furthermore, there are significant correlations between FOXM1 expression and the infiltrating levels of different types of immune cells, TMB, MSI and immune checkpoint genes in a variety of cancers. Additional analysis based on IMvigor 210 cohort confirmed that patients with high level of FOXM1 exhibited a superior response to anti-PD-L1 therapy, and had a prolonged OS. In conclusion, this study indicated that FOXM1 could serve as a prognostic biomarker for most types of cancers and played a crucial role in the tumor immune microenvironment.

Bioinformatics prediction and experimental verification of key biomarkers for diabetic kidney disease based on transcriptome sequencing in mice.

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of death in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The main objective of this study is to find the potential biomarkers for DKD. Materials and Methods: Two datasets (GSE86300 and GSE184836) retrieved from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used, combined with our RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) results of DKD mice (C57 BLKS-32w db/db) and non-diabetic (db/m) mice for further analysis. After processing the expression matrix of the three sets of data using R software "Limma", differential expression analysis was performed. The significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (-logFC- > 1, p-value < 0.05) were visualized by heatmaps and volcano plots respectively. Next, the co-expression genes expressed in the three groups of DEGs were obtained by constructing a Venn diagram. In addition, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were further analyzed the related functions and enrichment pathways of these co-expression genes. Then, qRT-PCR was used to verify the expression levels of co-expression genes in the kidney of DKD and control mice. Finally, protein-protein interaction network (PPI), GO, KEGG analysis and Pearson correlation test were performed on the experimentally validated genes, in order to clarify the possible mechanism of them in DKD. Results: Our RNA-seq results identified a total of 125 DEGs, including 59 up-regulated and 66 down-regulated DEGs. At the same time, 183 up-regulated and 153 down-regulated DEGs were obtained in GEO database GSE86300, and 76 up-regulated and 117 down-regulated DEGs were obtained in GSE184836. Venn diagram showed that 13 co-expression DEGs among the three groups of DEGs. GO analysis showed that biological processes (BP) were mainly enriched inresponse to stilbenoid, response to fatty acid, response to nutrient, positive regulation of macrophage derived foam cell differentiation, triglyceride metabolic process. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the three major enriched pathways were cholesterol metabolism, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, PPAR signaling pathway. After qRT-PCR validation, we obtained 11 genes that were significant differentially expressed in the kidney tissues of DKD mice compared with control mice. (The mRNA expression levels of Aacs, Cpe, Cd36, Slc22a7, Slc1a4, Lpl, Cyp7b1, Akr1c14 and Apoh were declined, whereas Abcc4 and Gsta2 were elevated). Conclusion: Our study, based on RNA-seq results, GEO databases and qRT-PCR, identified 11 significant dysregulated DEGs, which play an important role in lipid metabolism and the PPAR signaling pathway, which provide novel targets for diagnosis and treatment of DKD.

High Expression of EIF4G2 Mediated by the TUG1/Hsa-miR-26a-5p Axis Is Associated with Poor Prognosis and Immune Infiltration of Gastric Cancer.

Objective: Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 gamma 2 (EIF4G2) is involved in the occurrence and development of various tumors. However, the effect of EIF4G2 in gastric cancer (GC) has not been fully explored. The purpose of this study was to explore the function and mechanism of EIF4G2 in GC. Methods: The Tumor Immune Estimation Resource 2.0 database was used to analyze EIF4G2 expression in various cancers and the relationship between EIF4G2 expression and tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis was utilized to assess the EIF4G2 expression level and its effect on survival in GC. UALCAN was conducted to analyze EIF4G2 expression in various subgroups of GC. The Kaplan-Meier plotter was employed for survival analysis. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to evaluate the diagnostic role of EIF4G2 in GC. LinkedOmics was used to identify the co-expressed genes and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The Tumor-Immune System Interaction database was employed to analyze the correlation between EIF4G2 expression and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The starBase web platform was used to predict the upstream microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs. Results: EIF4G2 expression was upregulated in GC tissues compared to normal controls. High expression of EIF4G2 indicated poor prognosis in GC. ROC analysis revealed that EIF4G2 had good diagnostic ability to distinguish GC from normal tissues. Immune infiltration analysis indicated that EIF4G2 expression may be involved in the modulation of tumor immune infiltration in GC. Finally, we determined that the Taurine Upregulated 1 (TUG1)/hsa-miR-26a-5p/EIF4G2 axis was the most likely regulatory pathway involved in GC development. Conclusions: EIF4G2 was upregulated in GC and elevated expression of EIF4G2 indicated unfavorable prognosis. Moreover, EIF4G2 expression may be involved in the regulation of tumor immune cell infiltration. The TUG1/hsa-miR-26a-5p axis is a likely upstream regulatory mechanism of EIF4G2 in GC. EIF4G2 may thus serve as a prognosis biomarker and present a new therapeutic target.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Elevated Anxiety Symptoms of Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients in China: A One-Year Follow-Up Study.

Recent studies have shown that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) aggravates anxiety in patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD), but it is still unclear how long this adverse effect will last. This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the elevated anxiety symptoms of MHD patients 1 year after the outbreak. Assessment of elevated anxiety symptoms was performed on patients with MHD during early COVID-19 (February 17-February 29, 2020) and 1-year follow-up (March 1-March 13, 2021), and a total of 100 patients had completed face-to-face questionnaires at the first and 1-year follow-up. At the beginning of the outbreak, 40% of the patients with MHD had anxiety symptoms [self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) score ≥ 50], and 11% (SAS score: 60-69) and 2% (SAS score ≥ 70) of the patients had moderate and severe anxiety symptoms, respectively. Multivariate analysis shows that possibility of unaccompanied transfer, possibility of family members or themselves being infected in a hospital, added body temperature monitoring during dialysis, and increased medical procedures are the risk factors in elevated anxiety symptoms during early COVID-19. At the 1-year follow-up, the incidence of anxiety symptoms in the same group of patients declined to 28%, and all the patients had mild anxiety symptoms (SAS score: 50-59), which is significantly lower than that of the early COVID-19 pandemic with statistically significant difference (p = 0.003). Increased protective measures taken by the medical staves were the only risk factor in elevated anxiety symptoms during the 1-year follow-up. This study shows that COVID-19 has a direct impact on the deterioration of anxiety symptoms in patients with MHD. With the changes of the requirements for COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as the enhancement of propaganda and education of the pandemic and psychological care, the severity and risk factors of anxiety symptoms in the patients with MHD are changing. Thus, targeted interventions are suggested to improve the psychological endurance of the patients with MHD.