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Chenguang Jia,1,* Xiaowei Yao,1,* Zhaoliang Dong,1 Lianbo Wang,1 Fangchao Zhao,2,* Jianguo Gao,1,* Tao Cai3,* 1Department of Orthopedics, Hebei Chest Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People’s Republic of China; 3Hebei Chest Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Tao Cai, Hebei Chest Hospital, No. 372, Shengli North Street, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86-311-86911080, Email caitaoxiongke@163.comBackground: Post-translational modifications (PTM) significantly influence the pathogenesis and progression of diverse neoplastic conditions. Nevertheless, there has been limited research focusing on the potential of PTM-related genes (PTMRGs) as tumor biomarkers for predicting the survival of specific patients.Methods: The datasets utilized in this research were obtained from the TARGET and GEO repositories, respectively. The gene signature was constructed through the utilization of LASSO Cox regression method. GSEA and GO was used to identify hub pathways associated with risk genes. The functionality of risk genes in osteosarcoma (OS) cell lines was verified through the implementation of the CCK-8 assay, cell cycle analysis, and immunofluorescence assay.Results: Two distinct PTM patterns and gene clusters were finally determined. Significant differences in the prognosis of patients were found among two different PTM patterns and gene clusters, so were in the function enrichment and the landscape of TME immune cell infiltration. Moreover, we examined two external immunotherapy cohorts and determining that patients in the low-risk group was more likely to profit from immunotherapy. In addition, we mapped the expression of the genes in the signature in distinct cells using single-cell an more...

The ever-evolving digital technology is transforming us in unexpected ways. In the last few decades, almost any dimension of human life is being affected by these devices, from a global perspective (e.g., we can video chat immediately with someone being thousands of kilometers away) to the individual cognitive sphere. For instance, we no longer memorize telephone numbers or instructions to get to a given place; we just trust these artifacts and let them perform more and more actions we used to do by ourselves in the past. This new reality poses profound implications for human nature, particularly for cognitive architecture. There is a growing body of scientific literature highlighting the effects of digital technology over cognitive processes, such as attention, memory, or motivation. However, there is little evidence regarding to what extent technology is related with thinking and reasoning. Is the use of technology enhancing the way we think and reason, and thus making us smarter? Or is it the opposite, and they are taking away from us the cognitive effort we used to conduct ourselves, and thus making us cognitive lazier and brainless. Throughout this chapter, three goals are aimed, namely, (a) depicting the state of the art of the studies regarding the relationship between digital technology and cognition, especially possible changes in the way we think and reason; (b) reflecting about the future envisioned concerning how technology should be aligned with social needs (rather than social needs being deceived to meet the interests of giant companies behind technology design). In doing so, the normative way of thinking and reasoning will be discussed, that is, what is considered the right way to deploy them. Finally, (c) drawing some lines of action to raise awareness. Instead of waiting for a better technological design, specific actions at an individual level to take back control over technology can already be conducted. Social change is happening, it depends on more...

The ever-evolving digital technology is transforming us in unexpected ways. In the last few decades, almost any dimension of human life is being affected by these devices, from a global perspective (e.g., we can video chat immediately with someone being thousands of kilometers away) to the individual cognitive sphere. For instance, we no longer memorize telephone numbers or instructions to get to a given place; we just trust these artifacts and let them perform more and more actions we used to do by ourselves in the past. This new reality poses profound implications for human nature, particularly for cognitive architecture. There is a growing body of scientific literature highlighting the effects of digital technology over cognitive processes, such as attention, memory, or motivation. However, there is little evidence regarding to what extent technology is related with thinking and reasoning. Is the use of technology enhancing the way we think and reason, and thus making us smarter? Or is it the opposite, and they are taking away from us the cognitive effort we used to conduct ourselves, and thus making us cognitive lazier and brainless. Throughout this chapter, three goals are aimed, namely, (a) depicting the state of the art of the studies regarding the relationship between digital technology and cognition, especially possible changes in the way we think and reason; (b) reflecting about the future envisioned concerning how technology should be aligned with social needs (rather than social needs being deceived to meet the interests of giant companies behind technology design). In doing so, the normative way of thinking and reasoning will be discussed, that is, what is considered the right way to deploy them. Finally, (c) drawing some lines of action to raise awareness. Instead of waiting for a better technological design, specific actions at an individual level to take back control over technology can already be conducted. Social change is happening, it depends on more...

Obesity and insulin resistance (IR) are key factors lead to equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis. Diet may play an important role in eliciting obesity by affecting insulin dynamics. Insulin-pathway signaling and mTORC1 genes may contribute to incred IR. The first objective of this study was to find and validate internal control genes for quantitative PCR method for adipose tissues in Finnhorse mares. The second aim was to quantitate the expression of mTORC1 and insulin-pathway associated genes after pasture season in two different treatment groups of Finnhorse mares and compare gene expression differences between treatment groups. In addition, gene expression differences were compared between two different adipose tissues. Twenty-two mares were equally divided into eleven equal pairs, the two mares of each group were randomly grazed either on cultivated high-yielding pasture (CG) or on semi-natural grassland (NG) from the end of May to the beginning of September. Eight pairs of Finnhorse mares were selected for gene expression profiling. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) samples were collected from two groups of Finnhorse mares after pasture season. Gene expression of neck and tailhead SAT were determined with quantitative Real-Time PCR method (qPCR). The selected internal control genes were actin beta (ACTB), glucuronidase beta (GUSB) and mitochondrial ribosomal protein L39 (MRPL39). Candidate genes were mechanistic target of rapamycin (MTOR), sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 (SREBF1), sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2 (SREBF2), TBC1 domain family member 7 (TBC1D7), leptin (LEP), glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), tuberous sclerosis 1 (TSC1), tuberous sclerosis 2 (TSC2). There were no distinct gene expression differences between NG and CG groups in both neck and tailhead SAT. However, RBP4 had significantly (P=0.035) higher and GLUT4 had more...