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Colorectal cancer (CRC) exhibits a linear progression from normal colonic epithelium, adenoma initiation, carcinoma transformation and even to metastasis. Diet changes might influence carcinogenesis and prognosis. We aimed to determine the effects of vitamin D and calcium on colorectal adenoma incidence, malignancy development and prognosis. Systematic literature searches (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases) and hand searches were performed by September 30, 2019. A random-effects model was adopted to pool relative ratios (RRs) for colorectal tumour incidence or hazard ratios (HRs) for CRC mortality. Stratified analyses were performed by gender, tumour location, calcium intake level and ethnic group. Total 854,195 cases from 166 studies were included. The colorectal adenoma incidence was inversely correlated with the circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level (RR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71–0.89), vitamin D intake (RR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.82–0.92) and calcium intake (RR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.81–0.91). The CRC incidence was decreased by circulating 25(OH)D (RR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.59–0.77), vitamin D intake (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78–0.93) and calcium intake (RR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.70–0.79). High-level circulating 25(OH)D triggered better overall survival (HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.57–0.79) and CRC-specific survival (HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.53–0.74). Stratified analyses showed that vitamin D and calcium significantly suppressed colorectal tumour incidence among women. Left-sided CRC risk was reversely related to circulating 25(OH)D (RR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41–0.88) and vitamin D intake (RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57–0.93). Circulating 25(OH)D decreased colorectal adenoma (RR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.48–0.82) and CRC (RR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56–0.86) risk in populations with higher calcium intake. European and American populations benefited more from vitamin D intake against colorectal tumour. A significant dose–response relationship was observed between intake of vitamin D or calcium and colorectal tumour incidence. Vitamin D and calcium play additively chemopreventive roles in colorectal adenoma incidence, malignant transformation and progression, especially for women and left-sided CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The possible adverse effects of organic pollutants entering vegetables have attracted increasing attention in recent years. However, research on the behavior of novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in soil-vegetable systems is still limited. This work was initiated to investigate the uptake of seven representative NBFRs by vegetables from bulk soil and suspended soil particles under greenhouse and conventional conditions. The mean concentrations of the sum of seven NBFRs (Σ 7 NBFRs) were 2.8 and 3.8 ng g−1 dw in greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively, and 1.1 and 1.7 ng g−1 dw in conventional tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively. Greenhouse vegetables had higher concentrations of Σ 7 NBFRs than conventional vegetables. The root bioaccumulation factors (RBCFs) of tomatoes and cucumbers in response to NBFRs ranged from 0.6 to 6.3. The range of fruit bioaccumulation factors (FBCFs) was 0.3–7.0. The bioaccumulation factors (BCFs) in greenhouse vegetables were significantly higher than those in conventional vegetables, indicating that greenhouses increased the uptake of NBFRs by vegetables. To address human dietary exposure to NBFRs, the estimated dietary intake (EDI) and the amounts available for human absorption (EDI ba) were calculated using vegetable consumption and gastrointestinal absorption, respectively. The mean EDI values of NBFRs from greenhouse and conventional tomato consumption were 344 ng d−1 and 109 ng d−1, respectively. The mean EDI values of NBFRs from greenhouse and conventional cucumber consumption were 445 ng d−1 and 217 ng d−1, respectively. The higher EDI values of NBFRs implied that consuming greenhouse vegetables was associated with higher health risks than consuming conventional vegetables. The mean EDI ba values of the DBDPEs were 68 ng d−1 and 46 ng d−1 for tomatoes and cucumbers, respectively, and were significantly different from the EDI values due to lower bioaccessibility. Gastrointestinal absorption should not be neglected during risk assessments of human exposure to pollutants. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Greenhouse soil had lower concentrations of NBFRs than conventional soil. • Greenhouse vegetables had higher levels of NBFRs than conventional vegetables. • BCFs- K ow curves showed the inverted 'V' models. • Greenhouse vegetable consumption led to higher dietary intake risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In an attempt to evaluate the behavior of Dechlorane plus (DP) in soil-vegetable systems, this work investigated the uptake and translocation of DP by vegetables and the dissipation of DP in soil under greenhouse and conventional conditions. To address human dietary exposure to DP, estimated dietary intake via vegetable consumption was calculated. The uptake potential indexes of DP from soil into root for tomato and cucumber cultivated under different conditions ranged from 0.089 to 0.71. The ranges of uptake potential indexes of DP from resuspended soil particles into stem, leaf and fruit were 0.68–0.78, 0.27–0.42 and 0.39–0.75, respectively. The uptake potential indexes in greenhouse vegetables were generally higher than those in conventional vegetables when the vegetables had been planted in contaminated soil, indicating that greenhouse enhanced the uptake of DP with a high soil concentration by vegetables. The translocation factor (TF) values of DP in vegetables were in the range of 0.022–0.17, indicating that DP can be transported from root to fruit even though it has a high octanol water partition coefficient (K OW). The half-lives of DP dissipation in soil ranged from 70 to 102 days. The dissipation of DP in greenhouse soil was slightly slower than that in conventional soil. Higher estimated dietary intake (EDI) values of DP via greenhouse vegetables were observed due to the higher concentration of DP in greenhouse vegetables than conventional vegetables. These results suggested that greenhouses should not be adopted for vegetable production in contaminated regions. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Greenhouse can enhance the uptake of DP by vegetables. • Greenhouse vegetables have higher levels of DP than conventional vegetables. • Higher exposure risk of DP was observed via greenhouse vegetables consumption. Significant translocation was observed for compound with high K OW and concentration in greenhouse vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous tilting pad bearings (PTPBs) hold potential for applications that require high bearing stiffness and good stability. This study presents a numerical analysis of PTPBs. A three-dimensional Darcy’s equation is coupling solved with the motion equation of tilting pads to establish the air pressure field among the porous materials and gas film. The static performance solved by finite difference method and the dynamic characteristics obtained from perturbation equations are presented for various design parameters, such as bearing clearance, supply pressure, tilting, and radial stiffness. Predictions generally agree with the published load capacity. The coupling mechanism of hydrostatic and hydrodynamic effects in gas film are investigated. The predictions show that PTPB performance is determined by externally pressurized gas and shaft rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background & aims The association between coronary heart disease (CHD) and dietary fiber intake is not consistent, especially for the subtypes of dietary fiber. The aim of our study was to conduct a meta-analysis of existing cohort published studies assessing the association between dietary fiber intake and risk of CHD, and quantitatively estimating their dose–response relationships. Methods We searched PubMed and EMBASE before May 2013. Random-effect model was used to calculate the pool relative risk (RRs) for the incidence and mortality of CHD. Dose–response, subgroup analyses based on fiber subtypes, heterogeneity and publication bias were also carried out. Results Eighteen studies involving 672,408 individuals were finally included in the present study. The pooled-adjusted RRs of coronary heart disease for the highest versus lowest category of fiber intake were 0.93 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.91–0.96, P < 0.001) for incidence of all coronary events and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.76–0.91, P < 0.001) for mortality. Further subgroup analyses based on fiber subtypes (cereal, fruit, and vegetable fiber), indicated that RRs were 0.92 (95% CI, 0.85–0.99, P = 0.032), 0.92 (95% CI, 0.86–0.98, P = 0.01), 0.95 (95% CI, 0.89–1.01, P = 0.098) respectively for all coronary event and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.72–0.92, P = 0.001), 0.68 (95% CI, 0.43–1.07, P = 0.094), 0.91 (95% CI, 0.74–1.12, P = 0.383) for mortality. In addition, a significant dose–response relationship was observed between fiber intake and the incidence and mortality of CHD ( P < 0.001). Conclusions Our results indicate that consumption of dietary fiber is inversely associated with risk of coronary heart disease, especially for fiber from cereals and fruits. Besides, soluble and insoluble fibers have the similar effect. A significant dose–response relationship is also observed between fiber intake and CHD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background & aims The association between dietary vitamin A, retinol intake and blood retinol level and gastric cancer risk has been investigated by many studies. However, the results of these studies were controversial. The aim of our study was to systematically assess this issue. Methods PUBMED and EMBASE were searched, supplemented with manual-screening for relevant publications. Meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the association between vitamin A, retinol dietary intake or blood retinol level and gastric cancer risk. Results Thirty-one studies were included in this meta-analysis. Comparing the highest with the lowest categories, vitamin A intake significantly reduced gastric cancer risk (pooled RR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.52–0.84), whereas a marginally inverse association was found between retinol intake (pooled RR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.87–1.03) or blood retinol level (pooled RR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.73–1.05) and gastric cancer risk. Interestingly, the results of subgroup analysis indicated that high vitamin A intake and blood retinol level were associated with reduced gastric cancer risk in Western countries, while a marginally inverse association was found between retinol and gastric cancer risk in Western countries. Conclusions Vitamin A intake was inversely associated with gastric cancer risk, while no significant association was found with retinol intake or blood retinol level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• To foster employees' green behavior, organizations should develop green transformational leadership traits in the supervisors. • Green human resource management practices play a significant role in enhancing employee's green behavior. • Organizations should make policies to enhance employee's environmental knowledge to help the employees to exhibit pro-environmental behavior. The study examines the role of green transformational leadership (GTL) in fostering pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) through green human resource management (GHRM). In addition, a moderating role of environmental knowledge is also investigated. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique is employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings revealed the significance of GTL in predicting employees' PEBs through the mediating role of GHRM. Further, the moderating role of environmental knowledge is also confirmed. This study presents a thorough and synergistic comprehension of the process through which PEBs can be promoted. In doing so, the study offers a deeper understanding of the interconnected mechanisms that promote PEBs and eventually guide organizational practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background & aims: Association between zinc intake and digestive tract cancers risk has been reported in several epidemiological studies, while the results were controversial. The aim of our study was to get a systemic review of this issue. Methods: PUBMED and EMBASE were searched up to April 2013, supplemented with manual-screening for relevant articles. Two independent reviewers independently extracted data from eligible studies, risk ratio (RR) or odds ratio (OR) with 95% CIs for the highest versus lowest categories of zinc intake was adopted. Either a fixed- or a random-effects model was adopted to estimate overall odds ratios. Besides, dose–response, subgroup, and publication bias analyses were applied. Results: Nineteen studies with approximately 400,000 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled relative risk (RR) of overall digestive tract cancers for the highest versus lowest categories of zinc intake was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.70–0.96; p = 0.013). Comparing the highest with lowest categories, higher zinc intake was significantly associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk (pooled RR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.70–0.92; p = 0.002), while zinc intake was not statistically associated with gastric cancer risk (pooled RR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.64–1.29; p = 0.581) or esophageal cancer risk (pooled RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.44–1.17; p = 0.187). However, subgroup analyses showed that zinc intake was significantly associated with esophageal cancer risk and gastric cancer risk in Asia, but not in America and Europe. Conclusions: Dietary zinc intake was inversely associated with digestive tract cancers, especially colorectal cancer risk in this study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Myoglobin (Mb) and Eu3+ ions were co-intercalated into the galleries of layered titanate H0.7Ti1.825□0.175O4 ·H2O (□=vacancy) by the exfoliation assembly method. The structure, composition and morphology of the Mb,Eu3+/titanate composites were characterized by many techniques, such as XRD, HRTEM, ICP-AES, UV–vis spectra and SEM. No structural change of the immobilized Mb could be observed based on the FT-IR and UV–vis spectra analyses. The activity studies show that the intercalated Mb retained enzymatic peroxidase activity. The Mb,Eu3+/titanate composites with mass ratios (Mb: titanate) of 1.8 retained 53% initial rates of free Mb. Meanwhile, intensely red emission was exhibited in the PL spectra for the intercalated Eu3+ ions at room temperature, which may be due to the band gap excitation in the titanate nanosheets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To differentiate benign periablational enhancement (BPE) from residual tumor after radiofrequency (RF) ablation by using a stress contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (US) test with phenylephrine in a rabbit VX2 liver tumor model.Materials and Methods: VX2 tumors were implanted in the livers of 40 rabbits for two experiments. In experiment one, liver tumors from 32 animals were completely ablated. On days 2, 7, 14, and 21 after RF ablation, eight animals were randomly chosen for contrast-enhanced US before and after phenylephrine administration, and the microvessel density (MVD) of BPE at these four time points was assessed. In experiment two, liver tumors from eight animals were partly ablated, and each animal underwent contrast-enhanced US before and after phenylephrine administration on day 7 after RF ablation. Perfusion parameters were observed, including maximum intensity (IMAX), rise time (ie, time between 10% and 90% of IMAX), time to peak, mean transit time, and area under the curve (AUC), along with the profile of time-intensity curves (TICs) in BPE and residual tumor in response to phenylephrine.Results: Among the four time points after ablation, the IMAX and AUC before phenylephrine administration and the MVD of BPE were greatest on day 7 (P < .05). The profile of TICs and the corresponding perfusion parameters in residual tumor did not change significantly in response to phenylephrine. However, those from BPE changed significantly (P < .05).Conclusions: Contrast-enhanced US with phenylephrine stress may be helpful in differentiating BPE from residual tumor after RF ablation in hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFDA) is extensively utilized in the textile and food processing industries and may have a tumor-promoting effect by modulating the tumor microenvironment. Macrophages play crucial roles in tumor microenvironment as key regulators of tumor immunity. However, further investigation is needed to elucidate how PFDA interacts with macrophages and contributes to tumor progression. In this study, we treated the macrophage cell line RAW264.7 with various concentrations of PFDA and found that RAW264.7 transitioned into an M2 tumor-promoting phenotype. Through bioinformatic analysis and subsequent verification of molecular assays, we uncovered that PFDA could activate β-catenin and enhance its nuclear translocation. Additionally, it was also observed that inhibiting β-catenin nuclear translocation partly attenuated RAW264.7 M2 polarization induced by PFDA. The conditioned medium derived from PFDA-pretreated RAW264.7 cells significantly promoted the migration and invasion abilities of human ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, in vivo studies corroborated that PFDA-pretreated RAW264.7 could promote tumor metastasis, which could be mitigated by pretreatment with the β-catenin inhibitor ICG001. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that PFDA could promote cancer metastasis through regulating macrophage M2 polarization in a Wnt/β-catenin-dependent manner. [Display omitted] • PFDA promotes macrophage M2 polarization. • PFDA activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling and enhances β-catenin nuclear accumulation. • Activation of Wnt/β-catenin facilitates M2 polarization of macrophages. • PFDA-induced M2 phenotype macrophage accelerates tumor progression in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel kind of copper–active carbon (Cu–AC) nanocomposites were prepared through copper ions dipping and hydrogen reducing methods. The ions were reduced by 5% at . TEM image indicated that the diameters of copper particles are about 30–60nm. Electrochemical hydrogen storage capacities were determined and the maximum discharge capacities are , which is correspondence to the 1.22wt% of hydrogen deposit values for the 50%Cu–AC1 at room temperature. The hydrogen deposit capacity is stable with less than 5% decrease of the discharge capacity after 20 cycles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this article, we report the synthesis of a serious of proton-conducting polymer electrolytes made of sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) (SPPO) and imidazole (Im) by tuning the mixing ratios. The samples were labeled by their mole composition as SPPO-xIm, where x is the molar ratio of Im to SPPO repeat unit. These membranes were studied by means of Thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) and scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and investigation of activation energies of the SPPO-xIm at different relative humidity was also performed. TG-DTA curves reveal these SPPO-xIm composite materials had the high thermal stability. The proton conductivity of SPPO-xIm composite material increased with the temperature, and the highest proton conductivity of SPPO-xIm composite materials was found to be 6.92×10−3 S/cm at 200°C under 33% relative humidity (RH) with a “mixing rate” where x=2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper develops a shape memory alloy gas foil bearing (SMA-GFB), in which the stiffness of elastic structure and the clearance between the rotor and top foil are adjusted by the temperature of SMA springs which is controlled by electric heating and a designed cooling method. A numerical model of elastic structure composed by a series of SMA springs is conducted, and the experimental results verify that the active elastic structure can improve SMA-GFB performance. Furthermore, the static and dynamic characteristics of SMA-GFBs are predicted. The load capacity and stability of two different designs of SMA-GFB are explored based on the circumferential distribution of SMA springs. These data expand the path for the active application of SMA in gas bearings. • Shape memory alloy (SMA) is introduced into the gas foil bearing to control the stiffness of elastic structure and the clearance between the rotor and top foil. • An effective cooling method is designed to regulate the SMA spring's temperature. • The experimental results verify that proposed elastic structure can be used as an active element to adjust the performance of the SMA-GFB. • The predicted results reveal that the direct dynamic stiffness and damping coefficients in austenite phase is larger than that in martensite phase. Accordingly, the SMA springs distribution in circumferential direction affect load capacity and stability of foil bearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly sensitive hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) gas sensors were developed from a semiconducting heterostructure composed of CuO microspheres whose surface was modified with CuFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles. The CuO microspheres were fabricated utilizing a simple heating route carried out in a water bath, while CuFe 2 O 4 modification of CuO was carried out by a facile two-step method. The morphology and characteristics of the samples were examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The H 2 S gas sensing properties were examined at different operating temperatures, and their dependence on molar ratio of CuFe 2 O 4 to CuO was also investigated. Results showed that the response of the optimized CuFe 2 O 4 -modified CuO heterostructures to 10 ppm H 2 S gas was approximately 20 times higher than that of the initial CuO microspheres at the optimal operating temperature (240 °C). Moreover, a fast response/recovery was also noticed, and the mechanism for enhanced sensing properties of such heterostructures was thoroughly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective method of using polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) planar slabs as seed materials for industrial low-cost and high-quality seed-assisted multicrystalline silicon has been presented. The interspace volume of the poly-Si slab seed layer is much lower compared to poly-Si nugget seed layer, so the initial grains of the slab-assisted ingot are much more uniform than those of the nugget-assisted ingot. Photoluminescence (PL) and minority lifetime measurements showed a considerable reduction in dislocation cluster density in the slab-assisted ingot, especially at the middle and top regions. The average cell efficiency based on the slab-assisted ingot is enhanced by 0.12% in absolute value compared to the nugget-assisted ingot. Moreover, the bottom edge of slab-assisted ingot can be fully recycled through existing cleaning process without remaining SiC particles, which saves considerable materials and slicing costs in mass manufacturing compared to nugget-assisted growth method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of this study was to systematically assess the association between urinary phthalate metabolites and risk of breast cancer and uterine leiomyoma. Methods Standard meta-analysis and bioinformatics analysis were conducted based on electronic databases. Results No significant association was observed between total urinary phthalate metabolites and risk of breast cancer or uterine leiomyoma. However, MECPP was positively associated with breast cancer risk, and DEHP metabolites were associated with increased risk of breast cancer as well as uterine leiomyoma. Enrichment pathway analysis suggested p53 signaling pathway, mechanism of gene regulation by PPARα, apoptotic signaling in response to DNA damage and ATM signaling pathway might be involved to account for the association. Conclusion Significantly positive association was observed between DEHP metabolites and risk of breast cancer and uterine leiomyoma, especially for MECPP in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) confer immunosuppressive properties, but their roles in fulminant hepatitis have not been well defined. In this study, we systematically examined the distribution of MDSCs in bone marrow (BM), liver and spleen, and their functional and differentiation status in an acute fulminant hepatitis mouse model induced by lipopolysaccharide and D-galactosamine (LPS-GalN). Moreover, the interaction between NKT cells and MDSCs was determined. Our study revealed that BM contained the largest pool of MDSCs during pathogenesis of fulminant hepatitis compared with liver and spleen. MDSCs in liver/spleen expressed higher levels of chemokine receptors such as CCR2, CX3CR1 and CXCR2. At inflamed tissues such as liver or spleen, activated NKT cells induced differentiation of MDSCs through cell–cell interaction, which markedly dampened the immunosuppressive effects and promoted MDSCs to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and activate inflammatory cells. Our findings thus demonstrated an unexpected pro-inflammatory state for MDSCs, which was mediated by the activated NKT cells that precipitated the differentiation and functional evolution of these MDSCs at sites of inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective method for ingot quality control in directional solidification by using artificially designed quartz coating as seed is demonstrated in this paper. Quartz powders sprayed at the bottom of the crucible provided numerous nucleation points for the silicon grain growth. The quartz seeded growth ingot showed a large number of small and uniform silicon grains at the bottom, although the grain size increased with crystal growth. Comparatively less dislocation agglomerates and multiplication rate through bottom to top were observed through photoluminescence (PL) analysis. Crystals produced by quartz seeded method showed a higher and more uniform minority carrier lifetime distribution compared to that produced from normal method without seed, and shorter low lifetime area length at the bottom compared to that produced from mc-Si seed-assisted growth method, indicating larger production yield under the same feedstock charging weight. An enhanced average solar cell conversion efficiency of as high as 0.52% in absolute value was obtained compared to that made from seedless method under the same cell manufacture process line, very close to that made from mc-Si seed-assisted growth method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proven to play critical roles in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis of lung cancer. However, the biological functions and related mechanisms of lncRNAs are unclear. In addition, the EMT-based prognosis prediction in lung cancer still lacks investigation. Here, we established the methodology of identifying critical metastasis-related lncRNAs using comprehensive datasets of cancer transcriptome, genome and epigenome, and also provided tools for prognosis prediction in lung cancer. Initially, important mesenchymal marker genes were identified to compose the tumor mesenchymal score, which predicted patient prognosis in lung cancer, especially lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The score was also correlated with several crucial biological and physiological processes, such as tumor immune and hypoxia. Based on the score, lung cancer patients was classified into epithelial and mesenchymal subtypes, and lncRNAs which exhibited expressional dysregulation, promotor methylation alteration and copy number variation between the two subtypes in LUAD were identified and underwent further prognostic analyses. Finally, we identified 14 lncRNAs as EMT-related and significant biomarkers in prognosis prediction of LUAD. As validation, lncRNA RBPMS-AS1 was proven to be co-expressed with epithelial biomarkers, suppressive for A549 cell migration, invasion and EMT, and also significantly associated with better outcomes of LUAD patients, suggesting the potential of RBPMS-AS1 to serve as a lncRNA epithelial biomarker in metastasis of LUAD. Based on the identified lncRNAs, an EMT-linked lncRNA prognostic signature was further established. Taken together, our study provides robust predictive tools, potential lncRNA targets and feasible screening strategies for future study of lung cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy has become one of the most important mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance by supporting the survival of tumor cells under metabolic and therapeutic stress. Here, we showed that miR-22 inhibited autophagy and promoted apoptosis to increase the sensitivity of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment both in vitro and in vivo . B-cell translocation gene 1 (BTG1) was identified as a new target of miR-22, which could reverse the inhibition of autophagy induced by miR-22. Thus, miR-22 may function as an important switch between autophagy and apoptosis to regulate 5-FU sensitivity through post-transcriptional silencing of BTG1. Promisingly, miR-22 could be considered as both a predictor of 5-FU sensitivity for personalized treatment and a therapeutic target for colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] P. australis was more sensitive to elevated UV-B than S. alterniflora. [•] The invasion of S. alterniflora dramatically promoted CH4 emission. [•] Elevated UV-B remarkably reduced CH4 flux in the P. australis mesocosms. [•] Reduced porewater CH4 concentration was main cause of lower CH4 emission. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] N2O fluxes exhibited clear seasonal variations and peaked in August. [•] The invasion of S. alterniflora increased N2O emissions by 37.8%. [•] Exogenous N significantly promoted N2O emissions. [•] N2O fluxes in the S. alterniflora marshes weakly responded to N addition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Brønsted acid–base polymer electrolyte membrane was prepared by entrapping imidazole in sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) at the molar ratio of Im/SPPO=2:1. The hybrid showed a high thermal stability up to 200°C and peroxide tolerance. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that glass transition temperature is 232°C. The conductivity increases with temperature exceeding 10−3 S/cm above 120°C and a high conductivity of 6.9×10−3 S/cm was obtained at 200°C under 33% RH conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Although mutations of genes are crucial events in tumorigenesis and development, the association between gene mutations and lung cancer metastasis is still largely unknown. The goal of this study is to identify driver and novel genes associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis. Candidate genes were identified using a novel comprehensive analysis, which was based on bioinformatics technology and meta-analysis. Firstly, EGFR , KRAS , ALK , TP53 , BRAF and PIK3CA were identified as candidate driver genes. Further meta-analysis identified that EGFR (Pooled OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.19, 1.50; P <.001) and ALK (Pooled OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.22, 1.89; P <.001) mutations were associated with distant metastasis of NSCLC. Besides, ALK (Pooled OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.71, 3.38; P <.001) mutation was associated with lymph node metastasis of NSCLC. In addition, thirteen novel gene mutations were identified to be correlated with NSCLC metastasis, including SMARCA1 , GGCX , KIF24 , LRRK1 , LILRA4 , OR2T10 , EDNRB , NR1H4 , ARID4A , PRKCI , PABPC5 , ACAN and TLN1. Furthermore, elevated mRNA expression level of SMARCA1 and EDNRB was associated with poor overall survival in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), respectively. Additionally, pathway and protein-protein interactions network analyses found the two genes were correlated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. In conclusion, mutations of EGFR and ALK were significantly correlated with NSCLC metastasis. In addition, thirteen novel genes were identified to be associated with NSCLC metastasis, especially SMARCA1 in LUAD and EDNRB in LUSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The linear progression from normal colonic epithelium to adenoma initiation, carcinoma transformation and metastasis is considered the classical model of colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Although metformin has been extensively reported to be negatively related to cancer incidence, the effect of metformin on CRC development remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the role of metformin in the entire CRC linear progression. Systematic searches and data extraction were performed in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases on Jan 31, 2019. The combined relative ratios (RRs) of colorectal tumor incidence and the hazard ratios (HRs) of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were evaluated by a random-effects model. Then, the effects of metformin were further assessed through stratified analyses by population, medication duration and dosage, dose-response analysis and comparison with other antidiabetic agents. A total of 50 studies consisting of 238,540 cases of diabetes mellitus (DM) were included in this study. Metformin use was negatively associated with the incidence of colorectal adenoma (RR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.65-0.86) and CRC (RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58-0.90). Moreover, CRC patients benefited from metformin in terms of both OS (HR: 0.73, 95% Cl: 0.63-0.84) and CSS (HR: 0.60, 95% Cl: 0.50-0.73). Stratified analyses suggested that a long duration of high-dose metformin (RR: 0.52, 95% Cl: 0.36-0.83) was more effective than a short duration in Asian populations against colorectal adenoma (RR: 0.66, 95% Cl: 056-0.70) and CRC (RR: 0.45, 95% Cl: 0.29-0.70). Interestingly, metformin use decreased CRC risk in a dose-dependent manner (RR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87-0.95). In addition, the benefit of metformin on CRC was more significant than that of other antidiabetic agents, including insulin. The use of metformin is associated with a lower incidence of adenoma and CRC and a better prognosis, especially in Asian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]