FoxP3 in Treg cell biology: a molecular and structural perspective

Regulatory T cells (T_regs) are specialized in immune suppression and play a dominant role in peripheral immune tolerance. T_reg cell lineage development and function maintenance is determined by the forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) transcriptional factor, whose activity is fine‐tuned by its post‐translational modifications (PTMs) and interaction partners. In this review, we summarize current studies in the crystal structures, the PTMs and interaction partners of FoxP3 protein, and discuss how these insights may provide a roadmap for new approaches to modulate T_reg suppression, and new therapies to enhance immune tolerance in autoimmune diseases.

MiR-223 regulates CDDP resistance in pancreatic cancer via targeting FoxO3a

OBJECTIVE

FoxO3a is a well-defined tumor suppressor gene in the forkhead transcription factor O subfamily (FoxO), and its reduction is related to the occurrence of various tumors. It was found that miR-223 expression is abnormally elevated in pancreatic cancer tissues. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a targeted complementary binding relationship between miR-223 and FoxO3a. This study explored whether miR-155 regulates the expression of FoxO3a and affects the proliferation, apoptosis, and cisplatin (CDDP) resistance of oral cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay validated the targeted relationship between miR-223 and FoxO3a. The CDDP-resistant pancreatic cancer cell line BXPC3/CDDP was established, and the expressions of miR-223 and FoxO3a were compared. BXPC3/CDDP cells were divided into miR-NC group and miR-223 inhibitor group. QRT-PCR was adopted to test miR-223 and FoxO3a mRNA expressions. Western blot was performed to determine FoxO3a protein expression. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and cell proliferation was detected by EdU staining.

RESULTS

There was a targeted regulatory relationship between miR-223 and FoxO3a mRNA. The expression of miR-223 was significantly higher, while the expression of FoxO3a mRNA and protein was significantly lower in BXPC3/CDDP cells than that in BXPC3 cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) experiments showed that the same concentration of CDDP exhibited significantly lower proliferation inhibition in BXPC3/CDDP cells than BXPC3 cells. Compared with miR-NC group, transfection of miR-223 inhibitor significantly increased the expression of FoxO3a in BXPC3/CDDP cells, which significantly attenuated cell proliferation and enhanced apoptosis in CDDP-treated cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased expression of miR-233 was associated with CDDP resistance in pancreatic cancer cells. Inhibition of miR-223 expression upregulated FoxO3a expression, restrained pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis, and enhanced CDDP sensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells.

Hot topic: Automated assessment of reticulo-ruminal motility in dairy cows using 3-dimensional vision

Reticulo-ruminal motility is a well-established indicator of gastrointestinal health in dairy cows. The currently available methods for assessing motility are labor-intensive, costly, and impractical to use regularly for all cows on a farm. We hypothesized that the reticulo-ruminal motility of dairy cows could be assessed automatically and remotely using a low-cost 3-dimensional (3D) camera. In this study, a 3D vision system was constructed and mounted on the frame of an automatic milking robot to capture the left paralumbar fossa of 20 primiparous cows. For each cow, the system recorded 3D images at 30 frames per second during milking. Each image was automatically processed to locate the left paralumbar fossa region and quantify its average concavity. Then, the average concavity values from all images of 1 cow during 1 milking process were chronologically assembled to form an undulation signal. By applying fast Fourier transformation to the signal, we identified cyclic oscillations that occurred in the same frequency range as reticulo-ruminal contractions. To validate the oscillation identification, 2 trained assessors visually identified reticulo-ruminal contractions from the same 3D image recordings on screen. The matching sensitivity between the automatically identified oscillations and the manually identified reticulo-ruminal contractions was 0.97. This 3D vision system can automate the assessment of reticulo-ruminal motility in dairy cows. It is noninvasive and can be implemented on farms without distressing the cows. It is a promising tool for farmers, giving them regular information about the gastrointestinal health of individual cows and helping them in daily farm management.

Latrophilin mediates insecticides susceptibility and fecundity through two carboxylesterases, esterase4 and esterase6, in Tribolium castaneum

Latrophilin (LPH) is known as an adhesion G-protein-coupled receptor which involved in multiple physiological processes in organisms. Previous studies showed that lph not only involved the susceptibility to anticholinesterase insecticides but also affected fecundity in Tribolium castaneum. However, its regulatory mechanisms in these biological processes are still not clear. Here, we identified two potential downstream carboxylesterase (cce) genes of Tclph, esterase4 and esterase6, and further characterized their interactions with Tclph. After treatment of T. castaneum larvae with carbofuran or dichlorvos insecticides, the transcript levels of Tcest4 and Tcest6 were significantly induced from 12 to 72 h. RNAi against Tcest4 or Tcest6 led to the higher mortality compared with the controls after the insecticides treatment, suggesting that these two genes play a vital role in detoxification of insecticides in T. castaneum. Furthermore, with insecticides exposure to Tclph knockdown beetles, the expression of Tcest4 was upregulated but Tcest6 was downregulated, indicating that beetles existed a compensatory response against the insecticides. Additionally, RNAi of Tcest6 resulted in 43% reductions in female egg laying and completely inhibited egg hatching, which showed the similar phenotype as that of Tclph knockdown. These results indicated that Tclph affected fecundity by positively regulating Tcest6 expression. Our findings will provide a new insight into the molecular mechanisms of Tclph involved in physiological functions in T. castaneum.

[Study on insecticide resistance of Culex pipiens pallens in southwest region of Shandong Province]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the sensitivity of Culex pipiens pallens to common chemical insecticides in the southwestern region of Shandong Province, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the development of reasonable and effective mosquito control measures.

METHODS

The resistance of Cx. pipiens pallens larvae to 5 chemical insecticides, such as cypermethrin, deltamethrin, DDVP, propoxur, and acetofenate were tested by using the WHO biological test method in 2018, and the co-toxicity coefficients after compounding the above-mentioned insecticides were tested by using a drug compounding method.

RESULTS

The resistance indexes of Cx. pipiens pallens to cypermethrin, deltamethrin, DDVP, propoxur, and acetofenate in 3 cities were 144.43-557.54, 118.17-445.33, 6.44-19.00, 2.37-8.10, and 0.88-2.98, respectively, and expect the difference between the DDVP resistances of Cx. pipiens pallens in Jining City and Heze City was not statistically significant (P > 0.05), all the other differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The synergistic coefficients of cypermethrin + DDVP, cypermethrin + propoxur, DDVP + acetofenate, and propoxur + acetofenate were 199.58 - 456.95, 190.56 - 292.37, 123.32 - 319.24, and 192.31 - 367.32, respectively. The lower synergism was observed by using the mixture of DDVP + propoxur (synergistic coefficient: 99.87-108.36) .

CONCLUSIONS

After decades of chemical control, Cx. pipiens pallens in the southwestern region of Shandong Province has produced different degrees of resistance to common chemical insecticides. Therefore, comprehensive control measures should be taken to control mosquito breeding and prevent the development of insecticide resistance.

An exploration of ontology-based EMR data abstraction for diabetic kidney disease prediction

Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) is a critical and morbid complication of diabetes and the leading cause of chronic kidney disease in the developed world. Electronic medical records (EMRs) hold promise for supporting clinical decision-making with its nationwide adoption as well as rich information characterizing patients' health care experience. However, few retrospective studies have fully utilized the EMR data to model DKD risk. This study examines the effectiveness of an unbiased data driven approach in identifying potential DKD patients in 6 months prior to onset by utilizing EMR on a broader spectrum. Meanwhile, we evaluate how different levels of data granularity of Medications and Diagnoses observations would affect prediction performance and knowledge discovery. The experimental results suggest that different data granularity may not necessarily influence the prediction accuracy, but it would dramatically change the internal structure of the predictive models.

Pim-1 inhibitor SMI-4a suppresses tumor growth in non-small cell lung cancer via PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

Background: In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of proviral integration site for moloney murine leukemia virus-1 (Pim-1) inhibitor (SMI-4a) on the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials and methods: The effects of SMI-4a on proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of NSCLC cells were examined by in vitro experiments using human NSCLC cell lines (A549 and Ltep-a-2). The pathway regulated by SMI-4a was detected using Western blot. Furthermore, we performed in vivo experiments to assess the effects of SMI-4a on tumor growth using mouse models with NSCLC.

Results: Our data demonstrated that SMI-4a could inhibit the proliferation of A549 and Ltep-a-2 cells markedly in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). Treatment with 80 μmol/L of SMI-4a for 48 h significantly induced the apoptosis rate of NSCLC cells (P<0.05), and blocked the cell cycle of NSCLC cells in G2/M phase (P<0.05). The phosphorylation levels of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR in NSCLC cells were significantly downregulated by SMI-4a (P<0.05). Result from in vivo experiments demonstrated that SMI-4a could suppress the tumor growth in mouse models with NSCLC (P<0.05).

Conclusions: SMI-4a suppresses the progression of NSCLC by blocking the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Circular RNA CircCACTIN Promotes Gastric Cancer Progression by Sponging MiR-331-3p and Regulating TGFBR1 Expression

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of RNAs that play a significant role in regulating gene expression and biological function. However, the expression profile and function of circRNAs in gastric cancer (GC) remain mostly uncertain. In the present study, we researched the expression profile of circRNAs in human GC tissues and explored the role of circCACTIN (hsa_circ_0092303).

Methods: Circular RNA microarray assays were performed to detect circular RNA expression profiles of GC and circCACTIN was identified for further investigation. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of circCACTIN, miR-331-3p and TGFBR1 in GC specimens and cell lines. CircCACTIN was stably silenced and overexpressed in GC cells, and cell proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as well as tumorigenesis in nude mice were performed to assess the effect of circCACTIN on GC.

Results: CircCACTIN expression was obviously up-regulated in GC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of circCACTIN inhibited GC cells proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT. Enforced-expression of circCACTIN promoted GC cells migration, invasion and EMT, but had no effect on GC cells proliferation. Moreover, in vivo experiments, circCACTIN up-regulation promoted GC tumor growth and EMT, and circCACTIN down-regulation inhibited GC tumor growth and EMT. Binding interactions were detected between circCACTIN and miR-331-3p, and between miR-331-3p and TGFBR1 by Dual-luciferase reporter assays. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that circCACTIN promoted gastric cancer progression by sponging miRNA-331-3p and regulating TGFBR1 mRNA expression.

Conclusion: The circCACTIN/miR-331-3p/TGFBR1 axis affected the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of GC through the mechanism of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA). Furthermore, our results identified circCACTIN as a novel oncogenic circRNA in GC.

Differentiation of weathered chemically dispersed oil from weathered crude oil

Oil fingerprinting is a crucial technology to trace the sources and behaviors of spilled oil. The use of dispersants enhances the stay of dispersed oil in a water column and changes the important properties of spilled oil. In case of fingerprinting of dispersed oil driven by dispersants, the fate and behaviors of biomarkers may be affected by the application of dispersants. Limited studies have investigated the statistical difference between fingerprinting of dispersed oil and non-dispersed oil using biomarkers, and the possible influence of the differences, if present. This study applied several principal component analyses (PCA) to differentiate weathered chemically dispersed oil from weathered crude (non-dispersed) oil using 103 diagnostic ratios of the same type of biomarkers and those of two types of biomarkers as input data. It showed that weathered chemically dispersed oil (CDO) can be differentiated from weathered crude oil (WCO) using specific diagnostic ratios that are affected by weathering. PCA analyses indicated the effects of the application of dispersants and weathering duration on weathering of biomarkers in CDO and WCO.

Multiple functions of miR-8-3p in the development and metamorphosis of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

The microRNA miR-8-3p is conserved among insects and closely involved in development and immunity, but its functions in vivo are unexplored in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Here, we show that miR-8-3p was highly expressed in late larva and early adult stages, as determined by quantitative real-time PCR. It was enriched in the fat body and cuticle in late larval tissues and abundant in the head and cuticle in early adult tissues, indicating this microRNA plays important roles during T. castaneum development. Specific inhibition of miR-8-3p in late larvae led to metamorphosis defects in the development of wings, eyes, legs and embryo. Moreover, a series of genes related to organism development were identified as miR-8-3p targets by computational prediction and microRNA-messenger RNA interaction validation, including Wingless, Eyg, Fpps and Sema-1a. These genes were critical for the regulation of the larva-to-adult transition. Eyg, as a functional target of miR-8-3p, participates in eye development, which was further confirmed by luciferase assay and loss-of-function analyses. In brief, miR-8-3p is broadly involved in the development of wings, eyes and legs through its target genes and has extensive regulatory roles during T. castaneum development.

Automated body condition scoring of dairy cows using 3-dimensional feature extraction from multiple body regions

Machine vision technology has been used in automated body condition score (BCS) classification of dairy cows. The current vision-based classifications use information acquired from a limited number of body regions of the cow. Our study aimed to improve automated BCS classification by including multiple body condition-related features extracted from 3 viewpoints in 8 body regions. The data set of this study included 44 lactating cows with their BCS evenly distributed over the scale of BCS from 1.5 to 4.5 units. The body images of these cows were recorded over 2 consecutive days using 3-dimensional cameras positioned to view the cow from the top, right side, and rear. Each image was automatically processed to identify anatomical landmarks on the body surface. Around these anatomical landmarks, the bony prominences and body surface depressions were quantified to describe 8 body condition-related features. A manual BCS of each cow was independently assigned by 2 trained assessors using the same predefined protocol. With the extracted features as inputs and manual BCS as the reference, we built a nearest-neighbor classification model to classify BCS and obtained an overall classification sensitivity of 0.72 using a 10-fold cross-validation. We conclude that the sensitivity of automated BCS classification has been improved by expanding the selection of body condition-related features extracted from multiple body regions.

Robust clinical marker identification for diabetic kidney disease with ensemble feature selection

Objective

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most frequent complications in diabetes associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. To accelerate DKD risk factor discovery, we present an ensemble feature selection approach to identify a robust set of discriminant factors using electronic medical records (EMRs).

Material and Methods

We identified a retrospective cohort of 15 645 adult patients with type 2 diabetes, excluding those with pre-existing kidney disease, and utilized all available clinical data types in modeling. We compared 3 machine-learning-based embedded feature selection methods in conjunction with 6 feature ensemble techniques for selecting top-ranked features in terms of robustness to data perturbations and predictability for DKD onset.

Results

The gradient boosting machine (GBM) with weighted mean rank feature ensemble technique achieved the best performance with an AUC of 0.82 [95%-CI, 0.81-0.83] on internal validation and 0.71 [95%-CI, 0.68-0.73] on external temporal validation. The ensemble model identified a set of 440 features from 84 872 unique clinical features that are both predicative of DKD onset and robust against data perturbations, including 191 labs, 51 visit details (mainly vital signs), 39 medications, 34 orders, 30 diagnoses, and 95 other clinical features.

Discussion

Many of the top-ranked features have not been included in the state-of-art DKD prediction models, but their relationships with kidney function have been suggested in existing literature.

Conclusion

Our ensemble feature selection framework provides an option for identifying a robust and parsimonious feature set unbiasedly from EMR data, which effectively aids in knowledge discovery for DKD risk factors.

Insecticidal activities and mechanism of extracts from neem leaves against Oxya chinensis

ABSTRACT In this study, neem leaves were successively extracted with petroleum ether, 95% ethanol and water and the insecticidal activities of these extracts against Oxya chinensis larvae were measured. The results showed that 95% ethanol extract gave the highest extraction yield and insecticidal activity, and it was further extracted with five different solvents. The petroleum ether extract from the 95% ethanol extract possessed the highest insecticidal activity with median lethal concentration values ranging from 14.93 to 55.66mg/mL. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analysis showed that the petroleum ether extract mainly composed of alkanes, olefin, esters and amide. The pathological examination revealed that the prominent lesions, including reduced regenerative cells in midgut and swelled and degenerated cylindrical cells, were observed in the 5th instar Oxya chinensis after treatment. The ultrastructural features showed that the cylindrical cells, microvilli and mitochondria were seriously damaged. These results suggested that the petroleum ether extract from neem leaves had potent insecticidal activity and could be a candidate insecticide.

MicroRNA-621 Acts as a Tumor Radiosensitizer by Directly Targeting SETDB1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Radiotherapy is one of the most important treatment methods of tumors. However, the application of radiotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited due to the low tolerance of normal liver cells for radiation and inherent radiation resistance in HCC. With the in-depth study of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumor therapy, the regulation of tumor radiosensitivity by miRNAs has been a research hotspot in recent years. In the present study, the expression of miR-621 was lower in HCC tissues and cells, and such low expression of miR-621 was associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. In addition, in vivo and in vitro assays confirmed that the high expression of miR-621 could significantly enhance the radiosensitivity of HCC. Moreover, the expressions of miR-621 and SETDB1 in HCC tissues were negatively correlated. Dual-luciferase reporter assays indicated that miR-621 could directly target the 3′ UTR of SETDB1. In addition, miR-621 enhanced the radiosensitivity of HCC cells via directly inhibiting SETDB1. Besides, the miR-621 and/or SETDB1 axis improved the radiosensitivity of HCC cells via activating the p53-signaling pathway. Taken together, miR-621 and/or SETDB1 might be used as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.

Controlled Synthesis of PtNi Hexapods for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Well-defined PtNi nanocrystals represent one of the most efficient electrocatalysts to boost the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), especially in the shape of octahedrons, nanoframes, and nanowires. However, the synthesis of complex PtNi nanostructure is still a great challenge. Herein, we report a new class of PtNi hexapods with high activity and stability toward ORR. The hexapods are prepared by selective capping and simultaneous corrosion. By controlling the oxidative etching, PtNi polyhedrons and nanoparticles are obtained, respectively. The intriguing hexapods are composed of six nanopods with an average length of 12.5 nm. Due to their sharp tips and three-dimensional (3D) accessible surfaces, the PtNi hexapods show a high mass activity of 0.85 A mg Pt - 1 at 0.9 V vs. RHE, which are 5.4-fold higher than commercial Pt/C, also outperforming PtNi polyhedrons and PtNi nanoparticles. In addition, the mass activity of PtNi hexapods maintains 92.3% even after 10,000 potential cycles.

MicroRNA-613 promotes colon cancer cell proliferation, invasion and migration by targeting ATOH1

The aim of the present study is to investigate the expression and function of miR-613 in colon cancer (CC) and illuminate the molecular mechanisms underlying miR-613-regulated CC progression. Our data demonstrated that miR-613 was upregulated in CC tissue samples (P = 0.009) and human CC cell lines (HCT-116 and Lovo; P = 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively), which also promoted the proliferation, invasion and migration of CC cells (P < 0.05). The dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that Atonal homolog1 (ATOH1) was the target mRNA of miR-613. Rescue experiments showed that ATOH1 overexpression vector significantly reversed the stimulative effects of miR-613 mimic on the progression of HCT-116 and Lovo cells (P < 0.001). Positive ATOH1 expression in CC tissues was significantly associated with lower grade (χ² = 3.592, P = 0.043), lower TNM stage (χ² = 3.537, P = 0.048) and better overall survival (P=0.041). Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) pathway and Mucin 2 (MUC2) were the potential downstream proteins of miR-613/ATOH1. miR-613 is an oncogene in CC and promotes the proliferation, invasion and migration of CC cells by targeting ATOH1 likely via activating JNK1 pathway and upregulating MUC2.

Trichostatin A inhibits proliferation of triple negative breast cancer cells by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer with poor outcome. Because of lacking therapeutic targets, chemotherapy is the main treatment option for patients with TNBC. Overexpression of HDACs correlates with tumorigenesis, highlighting the potential of HDACs as therapeutic targets for TNBC. Here we demonstrate that trichostatin A (TSA, a HDAC inhibitor) selectively inhibits the proliferation of TNBC cell lines HCC1806 and HCC38 rather than a normal breast cell line MCF10A. The inhibition of TNBC by TSA is via its roles in inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. TSA treatment leads to decreased expression of CYCLIN D1, CDK4, CDK6 and BCL-XL, but increased P21 expression. Moreover, combination of TSA with doxorubicin has synergistic effects on inhibiting proliferation of HCC1806 and HCC38 cells. Our studies identified a promising epigenetic-based therapeutic strategy that may be implemented in the therapy of fatal human breast cancer.

Isolation and characterization of antagonistic bacteria with the potential for biocontrol of soil-borne wheat diseases

AIM

The aim of this study was to identify efficient plant-beneficial rhizobacterium that has the potential to be developed as biocontrol agent for the control of wheat soil-borne diseases.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Rhizosphere soil samples were collected from a wheat field located in Taian City. Numerous bacteria were isolated and screened for antagonistic activity against soil-borne plant pathogenic fungi by performing dual-culture assays. Among them, XH-9 was selected for its highly antagonistic activity and others growth-promoting characteristics. Subsequently, the strain was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequence. Pot experiment indicated that XH-9 has good capacities for wheat, corn, and chili root colonization and considerably increased the biometric parameters of wheat seedlings. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction experiments showed that the amount of Fusarium oxysporum associated with the XH-9 after treatment significantly decreased compared with control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum XH-9 has the potential as biocontrol agent when applied in local arable land to prevent damage caused by F. oxysporum and other phytopathogens.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The development of biocontrol strategies for reducing the damage caused by plant pathogens is fully in accord with the current principles of sustainability.

A novel technique for endobronchial blocker placement for one-lung ventilation in children under 2 years

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to report our clinical experience with intraluminal calculated distance for endobronchial blocker placement (ICEB) and to find out whether ICEB could reduce the number of hypoxemia episodes during blocker placement compared with extraluminal blocker placement for one-lung ventilation in children under the age of 2 years.

METHODS

The medical records of all children under the age of 2 years with a 5 French (F) or 4F WeiLi (WeiLi medical Inc, Guangzhou, China) endobronchial blocker for one-lung ventilation in thoracic surgery from July 2015 through July 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. After November 2015, one-lung ventilation was achieved using the ICEB technique, while before November 2015, extraluminal blocker placement was used. The success rate of blocker placement, quality of lung deflation, number of hypoxemia episodes, blocker dislodgement, and successful reposition after dislodgement were compared between the two groups.

RESULT

The incidence of hypoxemia episodes during blocker placement was lower in the ICEB group compared to the extraluminal placement group. Moreover, the success rate of blocker reposition during the operation was higher in the ICEB group than the extraluminal placement group. The success rate of endobronchial blocker placement was similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraluminal calculated distance for endobronchial blocker placement is a feasible method to achieve lung isolation and could reduce hypoxemia episodes during blocker placement in children under the age of 2 years.

Microdomain elements of airway smooth muscle in calcium regulation and cell proliferation

Airway remodeling manifested by hyperplasia of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) and other structural and functional changes is a pathological condition in asthma not addressed by current treatment. Ca²⁺ signaling is crucial for ASMC proliferation. Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) and ryanodine receptor (RyR) mediate Ca²⁺ release from endoplasmic reticulum/sarcoplasmic reticulum (ER/SR). Upon sensing the depletion of Ca²⁺ in ER/SR, stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) aggregates and redistributes at the microdomain of ER/SR-plasma membrane (PM) and activates Orai1, a component of the store-operated Ca²⁺ (SOC) channels, to initiate Ca²⁺ influx. The STIM1/Orai1-mediated SOC entry is the main cause of a sustained intracellular calcium ([Ca²⁺]_i) elevation, which is different from a transient rise of [Ca²⁺]_i mediated by IP₃R and RyR. Extended-synaptotagmin 1 (E-Syt1) is recruited to the ER/SR-PM junction and anchors to the PM lipid phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI(_4,5)P₂) in a SOC-dependent manner. The subsequent strengthening of the ER/SR-PM connection by E-Syt1 facilitates the phosphatidylinositol (PI) transfer protein, Nir2, to supplement PI, a PI(_4,5)P₂ substrate, for the generation of IP3 and the propagation of Ca²⁺ signaling. Calcineurin and nuclear factor of activated T cells are the downstream signaling factors of elevated [Ca²⁺]_i contributing to ASMC proliferation. Mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake/efflux, mitochondrial fission/fusion and mitochondrial-ER/SR coupling also play important roles in modulating [Ca²⁺]_i and ASMC proliferation. Together, these pathways and mechanisms represent new therapeutic targets for airway remodeling. The present review provides an overview of our current understanding of the mechanisms of ASMC proliferation involving Ca²⁺ and highlights potential directions to control airway remodeling in asthma.

Aliphatic and aromatic biomarkers for fingerprinting of weathered chemically dispersed oil

This study evaluated the applicability of eight types of biomarkers namely, adamantanes, diamantanes, sesquiterpanes, steranes, terpanes, TA-steranes, MA-steranes, and alkylated PAHs, to characterize chemically dispersed oil (CDO) after the 60-day weathering. The stability of diagnostic ratios of the selected biomarkers was evaluated and summarized. The results indicated that the concentrations of biomarkers with low molecular weight, such as adamantanes, diamantanes, and sesquiterpanes, in CDO were markedly affected by weathering and the associated diagnostic ratios were changed extensively. Most of the alkylated PAHs were degraded during weathering as well. These biomarkers thus were not recommended for characterizing CDO. The majority of the terpanes, steranes, TA-steranes, and MA-steranes could be used for weathered CDO fingerprinting due to the relatively stable diagnostic ratios. The findings could help to identify applicable biomarkers for fingerprinting of weathered dispersed oil.

Prospective plasma efavirenz concentration assessment in Chinese HIV-infected adults enrolled in a large multicentre study

OBJECTIVES

Few studies have explored the optimal dosing for efavirenz in individuals from China. We investigated plasma efavirenz concentrations and their association with efficacy and tolerance of efavirenz 600 mg daily in Chinese HIV-infected adults.

METHODS

An analysis was performed using plasma samples from 455 patients enrolled in a prospective multicentre trial in China. A total of 1198 plasma samples collected at weeks 4, 24 and 48 following antiretroviral therapy initiation were analysed. The mid-dose interval efavirenz concentrations (C12 ) were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

The median efavirenz concentration (interquartile range) steadily increased over time from 3.02 (2.28-4.23) to 3.71 (2.91-4.91) mg/L from week 4 to 48 (P < 0.001). The proportion of patients with C12 > 4.0 mg/L also rose from 28.0% to 34.2% and 43.8%, measured at 4, 24 and 48 weeks, respectively (P < 0.001). Five patients had efavirenz concentrations < 1.0 mg/L at week 4, 24 or 48. In the multivariable regression analysis, lower body weight and non-Han ethnicities were associated with higher efavirenz concentrations over time. At each time-point, patients with a body weight < 60 kg had significantly higher efavirenz C12 compared with those with body weight ≥ 60 kg (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Efavirenz concentrations increased steadily over 48 weeks, and a substantial proportion of participants had efavirenz C12 above the upper limit of the proposed therapeutic window, especially those with low body weight (< 60 kg). Based upon these findings, a dosage reduction of efavirenz to 400 mg daily may warrant consideration in this population, especially for those with lower body weight.

[Prognosis-related clinicopathologic characteristics of FIGO stage Ⅰ Müllerian adenosarcoma of uterus]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features of FIGO stage Ⅰ uterine Müllerian adenosarcoma and clinical prognosis. Methods: Fifteen cases of uterine Müllerian adenosarcoma at FIGO stage Ⅰ were collected at PLA General Hospital from 2005 to 2017. Twelve cases with complete follow-up data were divided into 2 groups: group A (7 patients with survival) and group B(5 patients of death or tumor progression). Clinicopathologic features were compared between the two groups. Results: The median age of the patients was 43 years and 56 years, and the tumor size was 4.3 cm and 7.3 cm for group A and B, respectively. Cases in group A were FIGO ⅠA and ⅠB stage tumors and were mainly low grade in histology (5/7) with rare tumor hemorrhagec, necrosis (1/7) and sarcomatous overgrowth. In contrast, most cases in group B were high grade sarcomas(3/5) with frequent hemorrhage, necrosis(3/5) and sarcomatous overgrowth(4/5). Most cases of group A expressed ER, PR and CD10 (6/7) and low Ki-67 index of ≤20%(5/7). While most group B cases lost expression of ER and PR (3/5), significantly reduced expression of CD10 and higher Ki-67 index of ≥30%(4/5). Conclusions: Most of uterine adenosarcomas are of low malignant potential. The main prognostic indicator is advanced tumor stage. For patients at stage Ⅰ, sarcomatous overgrowth, high-grade histology, deep myometrial invasion, decreased or absent expression of CD10, ER and PR, increased Ki-67 index(≥30%) and hemorrhagic necrosis may indicate poor prognosis. Müllerian adenosarcomas arising from endomeriosis may present unusual growth patterns.

Ultrasensitive Detection of Protein Based on Graphene Quantum Dots with Resonance Light Scattering Technique

In this paper, a simple, label-free and ultrasensitive resonance light scattering (RLS) method for ultratrace protein detection was investigated using graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as probes. Due to the electrostatic interaction between GQDs and protein, the RLS intensity was gradually enhanced as the protein was added into the GQDs solution. Through a series of optimization experiments, the optimal detection conditions of the GQDs solution were as follows: pH = 7.4, 2 M ion concentration and 60 μM GQDs. Under the optimized conditions, the linear correlation between the GQDs and the concentration of protein was observed from 10 μM to 60 μM with the correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9978, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 2.4 μM. Time-resolved fluorescence spectrum showed that the electron transition channel was not affected by the protein self-assembled on the surface of GQDs, which indicated that the interaction between GQDs and protein was mainly the electrostatic interaction. The proposed method revealed that the RLS enhancement effect from the self-assembled GQDs-protein hybrid nano-system provided a green and simple method to establish ultrasensitive biosensors.

Generation of shrimp waste-based dispersant for oil spill response

In this study, shrimp waste was enzymatically hydrolyzed to generate a green dispersant and the product was tested for crude oil dispersion in seawater. The hydrolysis process was first optimized based on the dispersant effectiveness (DE) of the product. The functional properties of the product were identified including stability, critical micelle concentration, and emulsification activity. Water was confirmed as a good solvent for dispersant generation when compared with three chemical solvents. The effects of salinity, mixing energy, and temperature on the dispersion of the Alaska North Slope (ANS) crude oil were examined. Microtox acute toxicity test was also conducted to evaluate the toxicity of the produced dispersant. In addition, DE of the product on three different types of crude oil, including ANS crude oil, Prudhoe Bay crude oil (PBC), and Arabian Light crude oil (ALC) was compared with that of the Corexit 9500, respectively. The research output could lead to a promising green solution to the oil spill problem and might result in many other environmental applications.

Screening probiotics from Lactobacillus strains according to their abilities to inhibit pathogen adhesion and induction of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8

Probiotics can be screened according to their abilities to inhibit pathogen adhesion and inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Eleven Lactobacillus strains isolated from traditional fermented dairy foods in Xinjiang, China, were studied for their potential to inhibit adhesion of Escherichia coli to intestinal epithelial cells and to inhibit E. coli-induced production of interleukin (IL)-8 by intestinal epithelial cells. The results showed that the 11 strains could inhibit adhesion of E. coli to Caco-2 cell monolayers and inhibit the induction of IL-8 production by E. coli in HT-29 cells. The inhibiting activities of the Lactobacillus strains against E. coli adhesion and IL-8 induction were strain-specific and not positively correlated, whereas the excluding activity of the strains against E. coli adhesion and their coaggregation with E. coli were positively correlated. The effector molecules of the strains with probiotic potential should be identified to explain the mechanism behind these observations.

Prognostic role of high B7-H4 expression in patients with solid tumors: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, many studies have shown that B7-H4 exhibits altered expression in various cancers. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of B7-H4 expression in solid tumors.

RESULTS

Data from 18 observational studies and 2467 patients were summarized. An elevated baseline B7-H4 was significantly associated with worse OS (pooled HR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.56-2.06). Differences across subgroups of tumor type, patients' ethnicity, analysis type, HR obtain method and cut-off value were not significant (PD = 0.313, PD = 0.716, PD = 0.896, PD = 0.290 and PD = 0.153, respectively). Furthermore, patients with high B7-H4 had a significantly shorter DFS (pooled HR = 2.12; 95%CI = 1.45-3.09).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library (last update by November 26, 2015) to identify studies assessing the effect of B7-H4 on survival of cancer patients. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were estimated using fixed-effects models and random-effects models respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis clarified that high B7-H4 expression in tissue was significantly associated with poor survival in patients with solid tumors. Future clinical studies are warranted to determine whether B7-H4 blockade has a favorable effect on disease recurrence and mortality.

Prognostic Role of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Esophagus Cancer: a Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Several studies have verified the correlation between tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and survival of patients with esophagus cancer (EC). However, the prognostic role of TILs is still controversial. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library (last update by August 30, 2017) to identify studies assessing the effect of TILs on survival of patients with EC. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) were estimated using fixed-effects models or random-effects models, which depends on the heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Data from 22 observational studies including 2909 patients were summarized. Pooled analysis indicated that generalized TILs were favorable prognostic markers for OS in patients with EC (pooled HR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.38-0.61; P < 0.001). For TIL subsets, CD8+ TILs were associated with improved OS (pooled HR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.58-0.84; P < 0.001) and DFS (pooled HR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.85-0.95; P < 0.001); FoxP3+ TILs were associated with patients' DFS (pooled HR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.81-0.96; P = 0.003). High CD57+ TILs indicated a better OS in patients with EC (pooled HR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.35-0.72; P < 0.001). In addition, the pooled results showed that other TIL subsets including CD3+, CD4+ and CD45RO+ TILs were not associated with patients' survival (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with EC, some TIL subsets could serve as prognostic biomarkers. The application of TILs in the immunotherapy of EC needs to be verified through a large amount of clinical research.

Design of a Continuous Flow Centrifugal Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device

Thousands of pediatric patients suffering from cardiomyopathy or single ventricular physiologies secondary to debilitating heart defects may benefit from long-term mechanical circulatory support due to the limited number of donor hearts available. This article presents the initial design of a fully implantable centrifugal pediatric ventricular assist device (PVAD) for 2 to 12 year olds. Conventional pump design equations, including a nondimensional scaling approach, enabled performance estimations of smaller scale versions (25 mm and 35 mm impeller diameters) of our adult support VAD. Based on this estimated performance, a computational model of the PVAD with a 35 mm impeller diameter was generated. Employing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, the flow paths through the PVAD and overall performance were analyzed for steady state flow conditions. The numerical simulations involved flow rates of 2 to 5 LPM for rotational speeds of 2750 to 3250 RPM and incorporated a k-epsilon fluid turbulence model with a logarithmic wall function to characterize near-wall flow conditions. The CFD results indicated best efficiency points ranging from 25% to 28%, which correlate well with typical values of blood pumps. The results further demonstrated that the pump could deliver 2 to 5 LPM at 70 to 95 mmHg for desired physiologic conditions in resting 2 to 12 year olds. Scalar stress levels remained below 300 Pa, thereby signifying potentially low levels of hemolysis. Several flow regions in the pump exhibited signs of vortices, retrograde flow, and stagnation points, which require optimization and further study. This CFD model represents a reasonable starting point for future model enhancements, leading to prototype manufacturing and experimental validation.

Prognostic value of Midkine expression in patients with solid tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Accumulated studies have shown the important role of Midkine (MDK) protein in various solid tumors and indicated its correlation with patients' survival. This meta-analysis was performed to further explore the prognostic value of MDK expression in solid tumors.

Materials and Methods

We collected the literatures through searching PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library (last up to April 10, 2017) to assess the effect of MDK on survival in solid tumor patients. The STATA 12.0 software was used for the meta-analysis. Fixed-effects models or random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS).

Results

A total of 2097 patients from 17 observational studies were summarized. High expression of MDK was notably associated with worse OS in solid tumor patients. (pooled HR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.67-2.31). The subgroup analysis of tumor type demonstrated negative impact of elevated MDK on OS in most solid tumor patients (P < 0.05), while MDK had no relevance with OS in the patients with OSCC (pooled HR = 1.68; 95% CI = 0.84-3.36; P = 0.145) or HNSCC (pooled HR = 1.56; 95% CI = 0.96-2.51; P = 0.075).

Conclusions

The present meta-analysis clarifies that MDK is a potential prognostic biomarker in solid tumor patients. Future large-scale prospective clinical trials are needed to determine the prognostic value of MDK in solid tumor patients.