Search

To explore fatty acid metabolism-related genes and signature, which could predict survival outcomes of clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) patients.Transcriptional and survival data of fatty acid genes in ccRCC patients were retrieved from UCSC Xena and Geo DataSets. We first performed Lasso Cox regression analysis to identify survival-related genes. These genes were then used to construct metabolic-related gene signature and risk score. Enrichment analysis and immune component and chemotherapy response prediction were also performed.In total, five survival-related genes were identified:We identified five survival-related genes (

Owing to their intriguing appearance and unusual occurrence, as well as their significance in addressing magmatic processes, orbicules have attracted attention from geologists all over the world. We discovered an orbicule-bearing boulder in the Linzhi region, near the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis, which is the first report of orbicules in the Gangdese magmatic belt, southern Tibet. The orbicules are composed of dioritic shells around monzodioritic cores, in a dioritic matrix. They typically have a single shell, composed of elongate and radially oriented hornblendes, with interstitial plagioclase. Zircon laser ablation−inductively coupled plasma−mass spectrometry U-Pb dating yields an indistinguishable age of ca. 28.8 Ma for both the orbicule core and matrix, indicating approximately coeval crystallization. Zircon Lu-Hf and whole-rock Sr-Nd isotopes reveal that the original magmas of both the orbicule matrix and orbicule core were relatively juvenile (ƐHf(t) = +2.2 to +6.0 for matrix and +1.2 to +3.9 for core; ƐNd(t) = −1.68 to −1.46 for matrix and −3.65 to −2.52 for core), similar to reported Oligocene−Miocene post-collisional adakites in the Gangdese belt. Zircon and hornblende geochemistry reveals that both the orbicule matrix and cores were generated from highly oxidized, high oxygen fugacity magmas. Hornblende composition further indicates that the original magmas of the matrix and the orbicule cores were water-rich, with H2O contents greater than 4 wt%. In combination with the whole-rock geochemistry, these results suggest that the orbicules were formed in a post-collisional setting, from magma generated by partial melting of the juvenile thickened lower crust of the Lhasa terrane triggered by convective removal of the Lhasa lithospheric root. The preferred orientation of euhedral igneous minerals in the matrix and the alignment and compaction of orbicules define a magmatic to submagmatic foliation. This, together with the subsolidus deformation microstructures exhibited by minerals within the orbicules, indicates that some flow or movement of orbicules took place under magmatic to submagmatic conditions, as the subsolidus plastic orbicules were jostled and transported within a hypersolidus liquid magma.

AIMS: The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains dismal, and its molecular pathogenesis has not been completely defined. The enzyme 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST) regulates endogenous hydrogen sulfide (HMPST protein expression was analysed in HCC tumour tissues and matched adjacent tissues. The effect of MPST on HCC progression was studied in vitro and in vivo.The mRNA and protein expression of MPST was significantly downregulated in HCC samples compared with their paired nontumour counterparts. A low MPST expression was associated with larger tumour size and a worse overall survival. Overexpression of MPST in HCC cells inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. MPST overexpression also significantly suppressed the growth of tumour xenografts in nude mice, whereas silencing MPST by intratumour delivery of siRNA substantially promoted tumour growth. Moreover, diethylnitrosamine-induced mouse HCC was aggravated by MPST gene knockout. Mechanistically, MPST suppressed the cell cycle associated with HMPST may function as a tumour suppressor gene that plays an essential role in HCC proliferation and liver tumorigenesis. It is a candidate predictor of clinical outcome in patients with HCC and may be used as a biomarker and intervention target for new therapeutic strategies.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intraoperative tourniquets when performing a circumcision using a disposable circumcision stapler. Methods 251 male patients; Mean age: 29.2 years, patients with excessively long prepuce and/or phimosis were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial between July 2019 and August 2020. Patients were divided into two groups: group A received Huitai annulus suture device (n = 111), and group B received Huitai annulus suture device with intraoperative tourniquet (n = 140). Operative time, intraoperative and postoperative pain, intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, postoperative complications, wound healing time, penis appearance and sexual satisfaction were measured. Results The intraoperative and postoperative bleeding in group A was more serious (4.432 ± 1.384 ml) than that in group B (1.879 ± 1.019 ml). In particular, 1 case in group A had incision fracture due to postoperative active bleeding and was returned to hospital for surgical suture to stop bleeding. Moreover, we found that the degree of swelling of the disposable circumcision suture device in group B was reduced after the tourniquet was applied (group A and group B: 18.41 ± 3.152 vs 16.69 ± 3.047), and there was no significant difference in postoperative pain score 7 days after surgery between group A and Group B: 3.054 ± 1.197 vs 2.993 ± 1.190), the postoperative infection rate was lower (group A and group B: 3.60% vs 1.43%), and there was no significant difference in sexual life between group A and group B: 0.8018 ± 0.4005 vs 0.8429 ± 0.3652). Conclusion There are differences in postoperative and intraoperative complications of tourniquet in disposable circumcision suture device. There was less risk of intraoperative bleeding, less risk of postoperative hematoma, earlier removal of nails, a more satisfactory appearance of recovery, and no significant difference in the risk of postoperative pain and post-operative infection. Transient ischemia after tourniquet had no effect on postoperative sexual life.

Biglycan (BGN) is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan that participates in the production of excess extracellular matrix (ECM) and is related to fibrosis in many organs. However, the role of BGN in liver fibrosis remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of BGN in liver fibrosis.Human liver samples, BgnWe observed that hepatic BGN expression was significantly increased in patients with fibrosis and in a mouse model of liver fibrosis. Genetic deletion of BGN disrupted TGF-β1 pathway signalling and alleviated liver fibrosis in mice administered carbon tetrachloride (CClOur data indicate that BGN promotes hepatic fibrosis by regulating ECM deposition and HSC activation through an HSP47-dependent mechanism. BGN may be a new biomarker of hepatic fibrosis and a novel target for disease prevention and treatment.

In this paper, we establish an SIVR model with diffusion, spatially heterogeneous, latent infection, and incomplete immunity in the Neumann boundary condition. Firstly, the threshold dynamic behavior of the model is proved by using the operator semigroup method, the well-posedness of the solution and the basic reproduction number $\Re _{0}$ ℜ 0 are given. When $\Re _{0} ℜ 0 < 1 , the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable, the disease will be extinct; when $\Re _{0}>1$ ℜ 0 > 1 , the epidemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable, the disease will persist with probability one. Then, we introduce the patient’s treatment into the system as the control parameter, and the optimal control of the system is discussed by applying the Hamiltonian function and the adjoint equation. Finally, the theoretical results are verified by numerical simulation.

Introduction: the predictive value for survival outcomes and mechanisms of the CXCL gene family in kidney Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC).Objective: We evaluated the predictive value for survival outcomes and mechanisms of the CXCL gene family in Kidney Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC). Methods: Transcriptional and survival data of CXCL genes in KIRC patients were retrieved from Oncomine and GEPIA databases to assess their functions. Mutations’ data were downloaded from the cBioPortal, while immune cell components data were obtained from TIMER databases. Enrichment analysis was performed using the STRING database. In vitro assays were performed to validate our findings. Results: A total of 8 CXCL (CXCL2/5/9/10/11/12/13/16) genes were found to be differentially expressed in KIRC tissues. Among them, only CXCL2 and CXCL5 had survival values. In vitro assays revealed that upregulated CXCL2 promotes renal cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Additionally, CXCL2 exhibited an effect on three KIRC immune cell components (B cells, CD4 T cells, and Neutrophils). After evaluating the miRNA sequences upstream of CXCL2, it was established that hsa-miR-532-5p/CXCL2 pathways are potentially involved in the regulatory mechanisms. Finally, we established a prospective signature (CXCL1/5/13) for improved survival outcomes among KIRC patients.Conclusion: Among KIRC patients, 8 CXCL genes were differentially expressed, however, only CXCL2 and CXCL5 exhibited a significant survival value. Upregulated CXCL2 promotes renal cancer cell progression.

Psychological distress and mental illness have become increasingly pervasive among Chinese university students. However, many university students who need mental health treatment or psychological support do not actively seek help from professional counselors or service providers, which could lead to poor mental health outcomes. To promote help-seeking, we undertook a qualitative study to understand Chinese university students’ perspectives on help-seeking and mental health counseling. We conducted 13 focus group interviews with students in six universities in Jinan, China, and altogether 91 (62%) female students, and 56 (38%) male students participated in the study. Our results indicate that students’ misconception and distrust of on-campus counseling, stigma of mental illness, low mental health literacy, and hard-to-access mental health services are the major barriers that impede students help-seeking behaviors. Internal struggles and systematic and organizational barriers are identified to shed light on future work to promote mental health literacy among Chinese university students.

A novel plasma-pulsed GMAW hybrid welding (plasma-GMAW-P) process is proposed for joining 6061 aluminum and zinc-coated steel. The results show that the change in welding heat input has little effect on the microstructure of the joint and the composition of the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) but only changes the thickness of the reaction layer (increased from 5 μm to 12 μm). when the plasma arc current is 20 A and the MIG current is 80 A, the welded joint obtained has the highest tensile-shear force. With the optimal process parameters, the weld strength obtained by filling ER4043 welding wire is the highest, accounting for 65% of the tensile-shear force of the base material. The effect of the plasma arc acting on the joint properties is studied through the microstructure and a tensile-shearing test. The action position of the plasma arc plays a significant role in the Al/steel interface, which directly influences the strength of the welded joints. Regardless of the plasma-GMAW-P style used to obtain the joints, Fe-Al IMCs appear at the interface. When the plasma arc is in front of the welding direction and the GMAW-P arc is in the rear, the tensile-shear force reaches the maximum of 3322 N.

BACKGROUND The Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication rate is decreasing in the general population of China. AIM To evaluate the H. pylori eradication status in real-world clinical practice and to explore factors related to eradication failure. METHODS Patients with H. pylori infection who were treated with standard 14-d quadruple therapy and received a test of cure at a provincial medical institution between June 2018 and May 2019 were enrolled. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. Eradication rates were calculated and compared between regimens and subgroups. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of eradication failure. RESULTS Of 2610 patients enrolled, eradication was successful in 1999 (76.6%) patients. Amoxicillin-containing quadruple regimens showed a higher eradication rate than other quadruple therapy regimens (83.0% vs 69.0%, P < 0.001). The quadruple therapy containing amoxicillin plus clarithromycin achieved the highest eradication rate (83.5%). Primary therapy had a higher eradication rate than rescue therapy (78.3% vs 66.5%, P < 0.001). In rescue therapy, the amoxicillin- and furazolidone-containing regimens achieved the highest eradication rate (80.8%). Esomeprazole-containing regimens showed a higher eradication rate than those containing other proton pump inhibitors (81.8% vs 74.9%, P = 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis found that older age, prior therapy, and use of omeprazole or pantoprazole were associated with an increased risk of eradication failure. CONCLUSION The total eradication rate is 76.6%. Amoxicillin-containing regimens are superior to other regimens. Age, prior therapy, and use of omeprazole or pantoprazole are independent risk factors for eradication failure.

This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the correlation of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with critical illness in older patients with COVID-19, and evaluate the prognostic power of the NLR at admission. We enrolled 232 patients with COVID-19, aged ≥60 y, in Zhejiang province from January 17 to March 3, 2020. Primary outcomes were evaluated until April 13. Cox regression was performed for prognostic factors. Twenty-nine (12.5%) patients progressed to critical illness. Age, shortness of breath, comorbidities including hypertension, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, higher NLR, lower albumin levels, and multiple mottling and ground-glass opacity were associated with progression. In the multivariate analysis, older age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.121, confidence interval [CI] 1.070-1.174, P

BACKGROUND Conventional Crohn’s disease (CD) treatments are supportive rather than curative and have serious side effects. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) have been gradually applied to treat various diseases. The therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of ADSCs on CD are still not clear. AIM To investigate the effect of ADSC administration on CD and explore the potential mechanisms. METHODS Wistar rats were administered with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) to establish a rat model of CD, followed by tail injections of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-modified ADSCs. Flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and Western blot were used to detect changes in the Wnt signaling pathway, T cell subtypes, and their related cytokines. RESULTS The isolated cells showed the characteristics of ADSCs, including spindle-shaped morphology, high expression of CD29, CD44, and CD90, low expression of CD34 and CD45, and osteogenic/adipogenic ability. ADSC therapy markedly reduced disease activity index and ameliorated colitis severity in the TNBS-induced rat model of CD. Furthermore, serum anti-sacchromyces cerevisiae antibody and p-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody levels were significantly reduced in ADSC-treated rats. Mechanistically, the GFP-ADSCs were colocalized with intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in the CD rat model. GFP-ADSC delivery significantly antagonized TNBS-induced increased canonical Wnt pathway expression, decreased noncanonical Wnt signaling pathway expression, and increased apoptosis rates and protein level of cleaved caspase-3 in rats. In addition, ADSCs attenuated TNBS-induced abnormal inflammatory cytokine production, disturbed T cell subtypes, and their related markers in rats. CONCLUSION Successfully isolated ADSCs show therapeutic effects in CD by regulating IEC proliferation, the Wnt signaling pathway, and T cell immunity.

This paper concerns with a reaction–diffusion susceptible-vaccinated-infectious-recovered model with a fixed latent period. The model is formulated as a non-local and time-delayed reaction–diffusio...

The Sichuan–Yunnan–Guizhou (SYG) Pb–Zn mineral province, which has significant Pb–Zn repositories in China, is situated in the western Yangtze Block. Despite decades of research, the Pb–Zn source of deposits is still disputed between the basement rocks, sedimentary wall rocks, or the Emeishan flood basalts. The newly-discovered Laoxiongdong Pb–Zn deposit is hosted by the Late Ediacaran Dengying Formation in the SYG province. Moreover, the Laoxiongdong orebodies lie between regional deep faults and close to the Proterozoic basement and Emeishan basalts. Hence, this deposit represents a good case study on the ore-forming material source for the regional Pb–Zn mineralization. The Laoxiongdong Pb–Zn ores are massive, vein, or disseminated and have mainly sphalerite, galena, pyrite, quartz, and calcite. In this paper, we present new sulfide S–Pb–Zn isotope data of the deposit. The sulfide δ34SCDT values (+ 11.8 to + 16.5 ‰) suggest that the reduced sulfur was mainly sourced from evaporites in the Late Ediacaran–Cambrian sequences. Pb isotopic ratios (206Pb/204Pb = 18.004–18.107, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.652–15.667, and 208Pb/204Pb = 38.037–38.248) suggest that the lead metal was primarily originated from the basement rocks. The sphalerite δ66Zn values (+ 0.16 to + 0.37 ‰) are also highly similar (within error) to those of basement rocks (+ 0.10 to + 0.34 ‰), suggesting a basement-rocks zinc source with minor contributions from the carbonate host rocks and Emeishan flood basalts. The narrow sphalerite Zn isotopic range (0.21 ‰) also indicates that the Zn isotopic fractionation between the sphalerite and initial fluid was limited during the sphalerite ore precipitation. Therefore, we propose that both the Late Ediacaran Dengying Formation rocks and Proterozoic basement rocks were important ore-forming material source for the Laoxiongdong deposit, whereas the Emeishan flood basalts represent only a minor ore-material source.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) has been increasingly used in aviation industry since it significantly enhances the performance of aircraft. However, imperfections inside the CFRP structures pose a threat to aviation safety. Apart from the defect shape and size, flaw depth is crucial to assess the defect severity. In this work, we utilize a laser infrared thermography (LIT) system to inspect an aviation CFRP sheet and adopt a long-short term memory recurrent neural network (LSTM-RNN) to determine the defect depth. Thermographic sequences obtained by LIT are processed using thermographic signal reconstructions (TSR) method. Raw data and TSR processed data are separately used to train and test the LSTM-RNN. Results show that background noises in the original thermal signals can be effectively reduced by the TSR method, which is helpful for the models to learn the signal characteristics. Compared with two traditional methods, recurrent neural network (RNN) and convolutional neural network (CNN), we find the LSTM-RNN outperforms.

The region of attraction (ROA) is an important tool in investigating control and dynamic systems. Numerous computational methods have been proposed for estimating the ROA within the Mathematics, Power systems, and Control community. These methods employ different methods such as invariant manifolds, linear differential inclusion, level set methods, the sum of squares decomposition, and many others. This paper provides new insights into these methods and divides them into two classes: explicit and implicit. The explicit methods discretize the ROA (or the boundary of the ROA) into a finite union of geometric elements and store them directly. The essential idea of the implicit methods is to present the ROA implicitly, meaning that it is feasible to find the ROA as the level set of some function of the state space variables. The key point is the iteration and optimization of this implicit function. The explicit and implicit methods are compared and discussed by investigating some numerical examples. In particular, we consider the determination of the boundary of the ROA using the stable manifolds, and the estimation of the ROA as backward reachable sets using a Hamilton-Jacobi-Isaacs partial differential equation.

In the magnetically controlled Plasma-GMAW welding process, the composite arc forms a keyhole in the workpiece to be welded. In order to explore the effect of process parameters on arc coupling, weld pool and keyhole, and the behavior characteristics of keyhole, the arc behavior and side weld pool information were collected using a welding arc acquisition system and a high-speed camera during bead-on-plate welding. The arc image is processed by pseudo-color enhancement technology, and the collected molten pool information is analyzed by boundary extraction algorithm and coordinate conversion algorithm, and the molten pool boundary and keyhole entrance width are obtained. It is found that the coupling degree of the two arcs increases with the increase in plasma current, GMAW current and magnetic field intensity. With the increase in plasma current, the size of keyhole inlet increases; with the increase of GMAW current, the size of keyhole inlet decreases, and the wave crest increases. With the increase of magnetic field intensity, the intensity of metal oscillation between the two arcs increases, and so does the wave crest.

The basalts of the Sangxiu Formation are widely distributed across the Nagong area of southern Tibet, particularly along the Rongbu–Gudui fault and its secondary faults. High-precision testing and analysis of the basalts reveal SiO2 contents ranging from 43.7 to 47.71%, and initial 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd ratios of 0.706135–0.708093 and 0.512521–0.512706, respectively; eNd(t) values are − 1.18 to + 2.57. These data are consistent with the characteristics of ocean island basalts (OIB) and Emeishan high-Ti basalts. Large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) such as Rb and Ba, as well as high field strength elements (HFSEs) such as Nb, Ta, and Zr, are enriched, and there is no obvious Eu negative anomaly. These results indicate that the Sangxiu basalts are OIB-type alkaline basalts formed through interactions with the lithospheric mantle as well as partial melting of the asthenospheric mantle in relation to a mantle plume. Additional comparative analysis of the regional Cuomei Large Igneous Province (CLIP) and other rocks related to the Kerguelen hotspot suggests that the Nagong basalts belong to the CLIP in relation to the earliest Kerguelen hotspot activity.

To determine survival rates and the underlying mechanism of genes in the TRIM family in Kidney Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC).Transcriptional and survival data of TRIM genes in KIRC patients were retrieved from the UCSC Xena, and GEPIA databases. The function of TRIM genes in KIRC was investigated, focusing on potential ubiquitination, miRNAs regulation, and enrichment analysis. Next, TRIM gene survival values were determined, followed by the development of a survival-related signature.Only TRIM26 was down expressed in the carcinoma tissue and had a survival value in KIRC relative to control tissues, which was supplied by vitro experiment. The patients with lower expression of TRIM26 would have the chance to live a shorter time. SNRPB, which also plays a role in ubiquitination, directly interacted with TRIM26. Moreover, two miRNAs (hsa-let-7i-5p, and hsa-miR-1228-5p) that regulated levels of TRIM26 expression were also identified. Next, we constructed a signature (TRIM4/7/27/58/65/72) and found that high-risk scores of the signature were associated with poor survival rates in KIRC patients. while its resultant risk scores were correlated with immune cell components and markers.TRIM26 was differentially expressed between KIRC and normal tissues and had a survival value in the KIRC. hsa-let-7i-5p/hsa-miR-1228-5p-TRIM26-SNRPB was a potential mechanism axis that may play a role on the KIRC cells. A survival signature (TRIM4/7/27/58/65/72) was successfully established to predict the survival of KIRC patients.

In system safety analysis, the existence of Common Mode Failure (CMF) greatly undermines the independence of components and poses great threat to safety of the system. In Common Mode Analysis (CMA), whether CMF needs to be considered for basic events under different types of logic gates in Fault Tree, it lacks strict reasoning and comprehensive consideration. This paper takes CMF of the same and different levels under "AND gate" and "OR gate" in fault tree as an example, and uses reasoning analysis and mathematical calculation methods to compare the influence of the existence of CMF on failure rate of the system. The results show that whether CMF need to be considered for the component depends on the type of logic gate correspond to the higher-level component. The research results have certain reference value for the analysis of CMF in CMA.

Purpose To investigate the frailty status in Chinese cancer patients through establishing a novel prediction algorithm. Methods The percentage of frailty in various age groups, locations, and tumor types in Chinese cancer patients was investigated. The prediction capacity of frailty on mortality of Chinese cancer patients was analysed by the frailty index composing of routine laboratory data (FI‐LAB) accessible from a blood test and calculated as the ratio of abnormal factors to 22 total variables. The establishment of a novel algorithm, MCP (mortality of cancer patients), to predict the 5‐year mortality in Chinese cancer patients was accomplished and the algorithm's prediction capacity was tested in the training and validation sets using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results We found that the risk of death in cancer patients can be successfully identified through FI‐LAB. The univariable and multivariable Cox regression were used to evaluate the effect of frailty on death. In the 5‐year follow‐up, 20.6% of the 2959 participants (age = 55.8 ± 11.7 years; 43.5% female) died, while the mean FI‐LAB score in baseline was 0.23 (standard deviation = 0.13; range = 0–0.73). Frailty (after adjusting for gender, age, and other confounders) directly correlated with an increased risk of death, hazard ratio of 12.67 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.19, 22.31), compared to those without frailty. In addition, the MCP algorithm (MCP) = 3.678 × FI‐LAB + 1.575 × sex + 1.779 × first tumor node metastasis staging, presented an area under the ROC (AUC) of 0.691 (95% CI: 0.656–0.726) and 0.648 (95% CI: 0.613–0.684) in the training and validation sets, respectively. Conclusion Frailty as defined by FI‐LAB was common and indicated a significant death risk in cancer patients. Our novel developed algorithm MCP had a passable prediction capacity on 5‐year MCP., To investigate the frailty status in Chinese cancer patients through establishing a novel prediction algorithm. Frailty as defined by FI‐LAB (frailty index composing of routine laboratory data) was common and indicated a significant death risk in cancer patients. Our novel developed algorithm mortality of cancer patients had a passable prediction capacity on 5‐year mortality of cancer patients.

Gamma-glutamylcyclotransferase (GGCT) can promote the progression of osteosarcoma (OS). MicroRNAs also play significant roles in regulating the progression of OS. This study was designed to investigate whether miR-877 exerts its function in OS by targeting GGCT. The proliferation of OS cells (Saos-2 and U2OS) was detected by MTT and colony formation assays. The migration and invasion of OS cells were detected by transwell assays. The expressions of miRNAs and GGCT were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. The luciferase reporter assay was performed to assess whether miR-877 could target GGCT. miR-877 was down-regulated both in OS tissues and OS cell lines (Saos-2 and U2OS). The overexpression of miR-877 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS cell lines, while the knockdown of miR-877 could negate effects. The expression of GGCT was increased in Saos-2 and U2OS cells. miR-877 could target GGCT, and the mRNA level of GGCT in Saos-2 and U2OS cells was decreased by the overexpression of miR-877. miR-877 overexpression inhibited the migration and invasion and suppressed the proliferation of Saos-2 and U2OS cells, and the overexpression of GGCT reversed this effects. The knockdown of miR-877 promoted the migration and invasion and facilitated the proliferation of Saos-2 and U2OS cells, and the silence of GGCT abolished this effects. Our findings suggested that miR-877 could inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS cells by targeting GGCT.

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.

BACKGROUND Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a classic anti-inflammatory and antitumorigenic agent, was recently identified as a potential treatment for obesity and insulin resistance. However, little is known about its direct impact on the liver.

Cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) activity is inhibited, and its expression is suppressed during many diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the mechanism is controversial. Here, we report that PXR may not take part in the downregulation of CYP3A during NAFLD. Hepatic CYP3A11 (major subtype of mouse CYP3A) mRNA and protein expression was significantly decreased in both mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks and palmitate (PA)-treated mouse primary hepatocytes. Similarly, in HepG2 cells, PA treatment significantly suppressed the CYP3A4 (major subtype of human CYP3A) mRNA level and promoter transcription activity. However, Western blotting analysis found an induction of PXR nuclear translocation during NAFLD in both in vivo and in vitro models. Moreover, immunofluorescence determination also found nuclear translocation effect of PXR by PA stimulation in HepG2 cells. In addition, the siRNA knockdown of PXR did not affect the suppressive effects of PA on the CYP3A4 promoter transcription activity and mRNA levels in HepG2 cells. Similarly, PXR knockdown also did not affect the suppressive effects of PA on CYP3A11 mRNA and protein expression levels in mouse primary hepatoctyes. Taken together, the results showed that the suppressive effect of CYP3A transcription was independent of PXR regulation.

Transpiration through stomata in tree canopies plays an important role in terrestrial water cycles. However, the empirical relationship between leaf stomata anatomy and canopy stomatal conductance (Gs) is surprisingly rare, thereby the underlying biological mechanisms of terrestrial water flux are not well elucidated. To gain further insight into these mechanisms, we reanalyzed the dataset of Gs previously reported by Gao et al. (2015) using a quantile regression model. The results indicated that the reference Gs (Gsref, Gs at 1 kPa) was negatively correlated with wood density at each quantile, which confirmed previous data; however, Gsref was significantly correlated with stomatal density at the 0.6 quantile, i.e., 450 stomata mm−2. This highlighted the potential of using stomatal density as a trait to predict canopy water flux. A conceptual model of co-determinants of xylem and stomatal morphology suggests that these traits and their coordination may play a critical role in determining tree growth, physiological homeostatic response to environmental variables, water use efficiency, and drought resistance. Keywords: Gsref, Quantile regression, Stomatal density, Water flux, Wood density

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which has an unknown pathogenesis and lacks a curative treatment, is becoming more prevalent. A previous long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) profiling analysis revealed a potential role for fatty liver-related lncRNA 2 (FLRL2) in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. To further understand the role of FLRL2 in NAFLD and explore its therapeutic value, both in vivo and in vitro NAFLD models were constructed. Small interfering RNA and small hairpin RNA interference and adenovirus transfection were adopted to manipulate the expressions of FLRL2, aryl-hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like (Arntl), and sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) expression. Steatosis was evaluated through histologic staining with hematoxylin and eosin and oil red O and also by quantitative triglyceride measurements. FLRL2 is a widely distributed nuclear lncRNA that is down-regulated in NAFLD. Overexpression of FLRL2 resolved steatosis, lipogenesis, inflammation, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in NAFLD, and down-regulation of FLRL2 resulted in the opposite effects. Sequence analysis demonstrated that FLRL2 was located in the intronic region of the Arntl gene, and a luciferase assay showed transcriptional activation of the Arntl gene upon FLRL2 overexpression. A similar expression pattern and synergistic effect of Arntl manipulation was observed in NAFLD in vitro. Inhibition of Arntl partially reversed the steatosis amelioration induced by FLRL2 overexpression. Downstream Sirt1 was also inhibited in NAFLD and influenced by both FLRL2 and Arntl. In NAFLD mice, FLRL2 enhancement alleviated steatosis, activated the Arntl-Sirt1 axis, and inhibited lipogenesis, ER stress, and inflammation, providing preliminary evidence of the benefits of FLRL2-mediated gene therapy in NAFLD.-Chen, Y., Chen, X., Gao, J., Xu, C., Xu, P., Li, Y., Zhu, Y., Yu, C. Long noncoding RNA FLRL2 alleviated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through Arntl-Sirt1 pathway.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate carbon spheres as a green lubricant additive in 5W30 engine oil to reduce friction and wear. Carbon spheres with a diameter of ∼400 nm are synthesized from ...

The Q235 steel plate butt joint was successfully welded by the laser K-TIG hybrid welding method. The effects of hybrid welding process parameters such as welding current, the distance between heat sources, laser power, laser defocusing amount, and welding speed on the coupled arc profile and welding process stability were studied. The results indicated that the laser deflects the K-TIG arc, and the deflection angle becomes smaller as the arc current increases. After K-TIG generates small holes, if the laser beam acts on the bottom of the keyhole, the welded depth can be further increased; however, the laser power has little effect on the welded depth. The distance between heat sources is the main factor affecting the state of laser-arc coupling. Optical microstructures of welded joints showed that the grains in the arc zone were coarser than those in the laser zone, and there are more columnar crystals in the fusion zone. The microhardness of the weld center is significantly higher than that of the base metal, up to 220 HV. At the same time, the change of tensile strength of the weld under the influence of a single parameter was analyzed, and it was found that tensile properties of the weld first increased and then decreased with the increase of K-TIG arc current I, heat source distance D, and welding speed V, respectively. With the increase of laser power P, it first decreased and then increased, and with the increase of laser defocusing amount δf, it showed a downward trend.

This note gives a supplement to the recent work of Wang and Wang (2019) in the sense that: (ⅰ) for the critical case where $\Re_{0} = 1$, cholera-free steady state is globally asymptotically stable; (ⅱ) in a homogeneous case, the positive constant steady-state is globally asymptotically stable with additional condition when $\Re_{0}>1$. Our first result is achieved by proving the local asymptotic stability and global attractivity. Our second result is obtained by Lyapunov function.

The use of a Zn/Ag–Cu–Zn/Zn multi-interlayer was observed to avoid the formation of Mg–Al binary intermetallic compounds (IMCs), which cause embrittlement and low strength of bonding when dissimilar metals such as Mg/Al are joined using ultrasound-assisted transient liquid phase bonding (U-TLP). The change in the microstructure and mechanical properties of the AZ31B/LY12 joints at 410, 440, and 460 °C with prolonging ultrasonic treatment (UST) time was investigated. The results showed that the diffusion of Ag and Cu was faster into the brazing seam on the LY12 side than that on the AZ31B side with increasing UST and temperature. The IMCs on both sides of the joints were transformed with the diffusion of Ag and Cu. The transformation made the fracture path shift from the AZ31B side (410, 440 °C) to the LY12 side (460 °C), and the maximum shear strength of the joints from 43.3 (410 °C) to 65.7 (440 °C) to 84.7 MPa (460 °C). The IMCs on the surface of the fracture path corresponding to the joints with optimal mechanical properties changed from Mg7Zn3+MgZn2+α-Mg (410 °C) to MgZnCu+Mg7Zn3 (440 °C) to Al2Cu (460 °C).