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ABSTRACTBackgroundTransmembrane-4-L-six-family-1 (TM4SF1) functions to regulate cell growth and mobility and TM4SF1 expression was upregulated in pancreatic cancer. This study further investigated the role of TM4SF1 in regulating pancreatic cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis and the underlying molecular events.MethodsTissue specimens were collected from 90 pancreatic cancer patients for immunohistochemical and qRT-PCR analysis of miR-141 and TM4SF1 levels, respectively. Pancreatic cancer cell lines were used for in vitro assays, while nude mice were used for the in vivo assay.ResultsTM4SF1 expression was upregulated, whereas miR-141 expression was lost in pancreatic cancer tissues, both of which was associated with advanced clinicopathological features and poor survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Furthermore, miR-141 was able to target and reduce TM4SF1 expression in pancreatic cancer cells and miR-141 expression inhibited pancreatic cancer cell EMT in vitroand Matrigel plug angiogenesis and lung metastasis in nude mice. At the gene level, miR-141 directly targeted and reduced TM4SF1 expression and in turn induced E-cadherin expression and reduced VEGF-A expression by suppressing activation of the AKT signaling pathway.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that upregulated TM4SF1 and lost miR-141 expression were associated with advanced clinicopathological features and poor survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Lost miR-141 expression but induced TM4SF1 expression altered expression of VEGF-A and E-cadherin and promoted pancreatic cancer cell EMT and angiogenesis viathe AKT signaling pathway, suggesting that targeting of miR-141 and TM4SF1 may be a potential therapeutic strategy to control pancreatic cancer.

To reveal the non-Abelian braiding statistics of Majorana zero modes (MZMs), it is crucial to design a Majorana platform, in which MZMs can be easily manipulated in a broad topological nontrivial parameter space. This is also an essential step to confirm their existence. In this study, we propose an iron-based superconducting nanowire system with Majorana vortex states to satisfy desirable conditions. This system has a radius-induced topological phase transition, giving a lower bound for the nanowire radius. In the topological phase, the iron-based superconducting nanowires have only one pair of MZMs over a wide range of radii, chemical potential and external magnetic fields. The wave function of MZMs has a sizable distribution at the side edge of the nanowires. This property enables the control of the interaction of MZMs in neighboring vortex nanowires and paves the way for Majorana fusion and braiding.The iron-based superconducting nanowire is proposed to be a novel desired platform for validating Majorana modes and non-Abelian braiding statistics.

The key that firms constructing and maintaining the coordination relations in industrial clusters was the pursuit for profit. The pursuit dominated the evolving of industrial clusters networks structure. And it was featured in the dynamic evolving of its degree distribution. The industrial clusters networks degree distribution model was presented based on expected return factor by use of mean-field theory. Its evolving phase features were also studied by using simulation method. The main findings were as follows: (i) the model had the both properties of BA model and exponential distribution model and it was the extension of them. (ii)The industrial clusters networks degree distribution had scale-free property. The power exponent was influenced by the number of new added edges, proportion of complementary firms, expected return and its weight. Its value was larger than one. (iii)The degree distribution fluctuated regularly as the life cycle of industrial clusters. The main trend was getting more and more gentle. That was to say there would be more focal firms and not only first -come-first-rich and rich-get-richer. (iv)The exponent was larger in higher risk industrial clusters. (v)Complementary industrial clusters would more likely evolve to the central satellite type structure.

Three national surveys on the physical status of 18‐, 19‐, and 20‐year‐old male candidates for military service were carried out in six geographic regions of China in 1955, 1974, and 2001. Data from these surveys for 72,000 individuals were compared by region, by time, and by age, and estimates of incremental changes by decade were made. Overall, at all time points, males in the north and northeast areas were larger and heavier than males in the southwest. Similarly, the proportion of males in the north and northeast who were overweight was greater than in the other areas. The proportion classified as “thin” was highest in the south, southwest, and northwest, reaching 42.6% in the northwest. When urban and rural areas were compared, the mean value of every measure in every region was higher for urban youth, with all but two comparisons reaching significance (P<0.05). Differences of chest circumference among age groups were significant, as were differences in height, weight, and body mass index for 18‐year‐olds compared to 20‐year‐olds. Overall, height increments per decade were greatest for males in the southwest (average of age groups 1.79 cm, 1974 to 2001) and least in the northeast (1.08), indicating some tendency toward convergence over time. Weight increments per decade over the same time were greatest in north China (1.37 kg) and least in the northwest region (0.58 kg). Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:141–148, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

The study investigated the effects and mechanism of duodenal-jejunal bypass (DJB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) on the expression of liver GLUT2 and glucokinase (GCK) in diabetic rats.