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Background: Targeting the long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs)-microRNAs (miRNAs)-mRNA competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks has been proved as an effective strategy to treat multiple cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Based on this, the present study identified a novel LncRNA SNHG16/miR-17-5p/CCND1 signaling pathway that played an important role in regulating the pathogenesis of OSCC., Methods: The expression levels of cancer-associated genes were examined by Real-Time qPCR and Western Blot at transcriptional and translated levels, respectively. CCK-8 assay was performed to determine cell proliferation, and cell apoptosis ratio was measured by the Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining assay. Transwell assay was performed to examine cell migration, and dual-luciferase reporter gene system assay was used to validate the ceRNA networks., Results: LncRNA SNHG16 and CCND1 were upregulated, while miR-17-5p was downregulated in OSCC tissues and cell lines, compared to their normal counterparts. Also, miR-17-5p negatively correlated with both LncRNA SNHG16 and CCND1 mRNA, but LncRNA SNHG16 was positively relevant to CCND1 mRNA in OSCC tissues. By performing the gain- and loss-of-function experiments, we noticed that LncRNA SNHG16 overexpression aggravated the malignant phenotypes, such as cell proliferation, viability, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in OSCC cells, while LncRNA SNHG16 knock-down had opposite effects. Furthermore, our dual-luciferase reporter gene system evidenced that LncRNA SNHG16 sponged miR-17-5p to upregulate CCND1 in OSCC cells, and the inhibiting effects of LncRNA SNHG16 ablation on OSCC progression were abrogated by both downregulating miR-17-5p and overexpressing CCND1. Finally, the xenograft tumor-bearing mice models were established, and our data validated that LncRNA SNHG16 served as an oncogene to promote tumorigenicity of OSCC cells in vivo., Conclusion: Taken together, targeting the LncRNA SNHG16/miR-17-5p/CCND1 axis hindered the development of OSCC, and this study provided potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for OSCC in clinic., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2021 Wang et al.)

As one of the foundations of existential positive psychology, self-transcendence can bring positive intrapersonal and interpersonal outcomes, especially in the COVID-19 era in which people are suffering huge mental stress. Based on Schwartz's theory of human basic values, the current study combines variable-centered and person-centered approaches to examine the relationships between adolescents' values and mental health across two regions in China. The results generally showed that (1) both self-enhancement and conservation values were positively correlated with depression and loneliness, while both self-transcendence and openness to change values negatively correlated with depression and loneliness. The results also showed that (2) there were four value clusters (i.e., self-focus, other-focus, anxiety-free, undifferentiated ), and, compared to adolescents in the self-focus and undifferentiated values cluster, all adolescents in the anxiety-free values cluster reported lower depression and loneliness, while all adolescents in the other-focus values cluster reported higher depression and loneliness. The differences between the two regional groups only emerged in depression. Specifically, adolescents in Shanghai have higher levels of depression than adolescents in Qingdao. This study provides some evidence for the new science of self-transcendence among adolescents and also sheds light on how we may improve the level of mental health during the COVID-19 era., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Liu, Wang, Li, Zhang, Li and Han.)

The development of high-performance non-precious metal electrocatalysts is of great importance for construction of next generation fuel cells. Herein, we report for the first time the creation of new metal-free porous carbon framework catalysts derived from N-rich hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs) using pyrrole as building blocks for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) (denoted as PCF-HCPs). The PCF-HCPs obtained at the pyrolysis temperature of 900 °C (PCF-HCP-900), displayed outstanding catalytic activity towards the ORR compared with other PCF-HCPs pyrolysis temperature. Due to PCF-HCP-900 with large specific surface, excellent porosity and, importantly, exposed active sites caused by N doping with high density, the catalysts exhibited outstanding ORR activity in alkaline medium, i.e., the PCF-HCP-900 yielded a half-wave potential of 0.84 V, which was 10 mV higher than that of the state of-the-art Pt/C catalyst (0.83 V), and onset potential of 0.95 V (vs. RHE), a high diffusion limiting current density of 4.8 mA cm -2 , better methanol tolerance and long-term stability (2 mV negative shift after 3000 potential cycles) than commercial Pt/C. Furthermore, PCF-HCP-900 shows a favorable 4-electron transfer process (n ≈ 3.96) and lower H 2 O 2 yield. Based on these merits, the PCF-HCP-900 may open a new possibility for design of ORR metal-free catalyst of fuel-cell technologies., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The RNA-guided CRISPR/Cas9 system could cleave double-stranded DNA at the on-target sites but also induce off-target mutations in unexpected genomic regions. The base-pairing interaction of sgRNA with off-target DNA was still not well understood and also lacked a direct cell-based assay. Herein we developed a fast target DNA mutagenesis-based fluorescence assay to directly detect the Cas9 activity at different off-target sites in living cells. The results showed that Cas9 nuclease had low tolerance to the nucleotide mismatches in the binding region adjacent to PAM sites, and a tradeoff between Cas9 activity and specificity was also observed compared with the high-fidelity Cas9 variant. The combination of computer-based predictions and this target DNA mutagenesis-based fluorescence assay could further provide accurate off-target prediction guidance to minimize off-target effects to enable safer genome engineering., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

To achieve multisite-targeting-based DNA cleavage simultaneously, we designed two kinds of CRISPR RNA arrays by fusing four single guide RNAs (sgRNAs for Cas9 or crRNAs for Cpf1) with uncleavable RNA linkers (CRISPRay). The CRISPRay could operate on four adjacent target sites to cleave target DNA in a collaborative manner. Two CRISPR RNA arrays demonstrated robust inactivation of the firefly luciferase gene in living cells. In vitro DNA cleavage and DNA sequencing also verified that sgRNA arrays directed SpCas9 nuclease to cut target DNA at four cleavage sites simultaneously whereas crRNA-array-guided FnCpf1 nuclease showed target-activated, nonspecific DNase activity on both target DNA and nontarget DNA at random sites. Through optimization of the ratio of nuclease and CRIPSR RNAs, CRISPRay should further enhance gene interference in cells. This work presents a simple approach through which to improve multisite-directed gene disruption by fusing four guide RNAs (sgRNAs or crRNAs) into a CRISPR RNA string., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Early diagnosis of malignant lymphoma is often difficult since the clinical manifestation of the lymphoma occurred in the maxillofacial region is very similar to that of the squamous cell carcinoma. When the pathological diagnosis is not clear, the surgeon is easy to misdiagnose and lead to mistreatment. A patient visited the Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South Universily for gingival mass with an ipsilateral submaxillary enlargement. The clinical manifestation and preoperative MRI are very prone to squamous cell carcinoma with metastasis, so we did not take a preoperative pathological examination. The gingival mass was surgical removed firstly, but frozen pathological result showed that it was malignant small round cell tumor. Since the patient was diagnosed as high degree malignant of small round cell tumor and the submandibular region have been significantly metastasized, so we carried out the combined radical dissection of gingival, mandible and neck surgery. The postoperative pathological report was malignant lymphoma, suggesting that the patient was a case of misdiagnosis and mistreatment. This article draws lessons from misdiagnosis and provided experience for seeking improvement measures.