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Skin basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignant skin tumor. Recent studies demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are implicated in tumorigenesis and may represent potential therapeutic targets. The aim of the present study was to explore the expression profiles of circRNAs and their role in skin BCC.Three pairs of skin BCC tissues and adjacent tissues were used to perform a circRNA microarray for screening of circRNA expression profiles. Circ_NCKAP1 was selected as a target circRNA by RT-qPCR verification and bioinformatics analysis. The effect of circ_NCKAP1 knockdown on cell proliferation and apoptosis was assessed using CCK8 and Annexin V-FITC/PI assays, and its regulation over the miR-148b-5p/HSP90 axis was assessed by dual-luciferase reporter assay.Circ_NCKAP1 was found to be significantly upregulated in skin BCC tissues (p0.05). In vitro loss-of-function assays demonstrated that circ_NCKAP1 knockdown markedly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis (p0.05). Moreover, Dual-Luciferase reporter assay identified that circ_NCKAP1 could bind to miR-148b-5p directly, and HSP90 was targeted by miR-148b-5p.Circ_NCKAP1 can promote skin BCC progression by sponging the miR-148b-5p/HSP90 axis, and circ_NCKAP1 may be a potential target for skin BCC therapy.

Annexin A1 (AnxA1, also known as lipocortin-1), is a calcium-dependent phospholipid binding protein with diverse functions. Previous studies have indicated that AnxA1 is associated with age-related β-cell dysfunction and aging, which lead to decreased β-cell proliferation capacity. However, it has been uncertain whether AnxA1 affects the proliferation of pancreatic beta (β) cells. In the present study, we reduced AnxA1 expression in the MIN6 islet β-cell line using small interfering RNA (AnxA1-siRNA), then measured cell cycle distribution and cellular proliferation. We also measured the expression levels of cell cycle-related proteins such as cyclin D1, cyclin E, and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) by Western blot analysis. We investigated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/ serine/threonine protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway to explore the potential mechanism underlying the observed effects. Knockdown of AnxA1 expression using siRNA reduced the rates of MIN6 cell proliferation. The proportions of cells in S and G2/M phases also decreased upon inhibition of AnxA1. Moreover, AnxA1 protein expression in MIN6 cells was positively related to the protein levels of cyclin D1, cyclin E, and CDK2. Activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway by AnxA1 may be involved in the signaling cascade to regulate cell proliferation. This study identified a positive correlation between AnxA1 protein and pancreatic β-cell proliferation. AnxA1 protein expression might affect the proliferation of MIN6 cells via regulation of cyclin D1, cyclin E, and CDK2 proteins, as well as the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

This study evaluates the efficacy of statin-ezetimibe co-therapy compared to statin monotherapy in reducing cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular disease (CVD) prevalence in diabetes and non-diabetes patients.Literature search was conducted in electronic databases and study selection was based on pre-determined eligibility criteria. Random-effects metanalyses were performed to examine the risk of CVD incidence between statin-ezetimibe co-therapy and statin monotherapy and subgroups were performed to examine the significance of differences between diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. A pooled analysis of hazard ratios of statin-ezetimibe combination versus statin monotherapy in the prevalence of CVD reported by the individual studies was also performed.8 studies (136893 individuals; 80790 diabetics, 85555 non-diabetics; age 63.5 years [95% confidence interval (CI) 61.2, 65.8]; 61.5% [95% CI 55.2, 67.8] males) were included. Follow-up duration was 45 months [95% CI 27.5, 62.5]. Risk of CVD prevalence was significantly less with ezetimibe-statin than with statin alone in both diabetes (RR 0.69 [95% CI 0.67, 0.73]; p0.00001) and in non-diabetes (RR 0.68 [95% CI 0.52, 0.90]; p=0.006) subjects (subgroup difference: chi2=0.00; p=0.97). Risk of prevalence of stroke was significantly less with ezetimibe-statin than with statin monotherapy in diabetes (RR 0.74 [95% CI 0.56, 0.98]; p=0.03) but non-significantly less in non-diabetes patients (RR 0.74 [95% CI 0.39, 1.41]; p=0.39) and this sub-group difference was also not statistically significant (chi2=0.00; p=0.99).Statin-ezetimibe co-therapy is found more efficacious than statin monotherapy in reducing the incidence of CVD with no significant difference between diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.

Objectives To explore the association between the virulence genes exoU and pldA in isolated mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the clinical outcomes of patients with non–cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis. Methods A prospective observational cohort study was performed in the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from October 2012 to January 2015. We consecutively enrolled all non-CF bronchiectasis patients with mucoid P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or sputum. The exposure variable was the presence of virulence gene, exoU or pldA, in the strains. The primary outcome was exacerbation of bronchiectasis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between virulence genes and exacerbation. Results The final analysis included 147 patients (mean (SD) age, 57.86 (11.43) years, 101 female subjects) with median (interquartile range) follow-up of 18 (13–26) months. The following factors were relative to exacerbations: body mass index ≤18.5 kg/m2 (odds ratio (OR) = 5.05; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.37–18.57), length of stay ≥8 days (OR = 2.65; 95% CI, 1.14–6.19) and positive for either virulence gene (OR = 6.80; 95% CI, 1.47–31.37). The gene-positive group had more exacerbations per year (mean 2.37, SD 2.10, n = 33 vs. mean 0.79, SD 0.83, n = 114) and a higher proportion of patients with exacerbation (31/33, 93.94% vs. 74/114, 64.91%). The proportion of patients being exoU or pldA positive increased as the exacerbation frequency of bronchiectasis increased. Conclusions The virulence genes exoU and pldA in mucoid P. aeruginosa are significant risk factors for exacerbations in patients with non-CF bronchiectasis.

We conducted this study to assess the clinical application of obestatin and arginine vasopressin (AVP) levels in cases of acute renal failure (ARF) and acute heart failure (AHF).30 cases of ARF, 30 cases of AHF, 30 cases of ARF complicated with AHF, and 30 cases of healthy subjects (control group) were successively selected. An ELISA test was conducted to detect levels of obestatin and AVP. Routine biochemistry testing was applied to detect the levels of serum creatinine and calculate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Electrochemiluminescence double antibody sandwich fluorescence immune testing was applied to detect NT-proBNP and color Doppler ultrasound diagnostic apparatus was applied to detect renal arterial resistive index (RI) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The 30-day mortality was documented.Compared to other groups, the group of patients suffering from ARF complicated with AHF had significantly higher levels of obestatin and AVP, and significantly higher levels of serum creatinine, NT-proBNP and RI; however, their GFR and LVEF levels were the lowest. Differences were statistically significant (p0.05). Levels of obestatin and AVP are positively correlated with serum creatinine, NT-proBNP and RI levels, but negatively correlated with GFR and LVEF levels. The mortality rate of the group suffering from ARF complicated with AHF was markedly increased (p = 0.035). The obestatin and AVP levels of the death group were significantly higher than that of the survival group. However, the comparison among levels of serum creatinine, GFR, NT-proBNP, RI and LVEF revealed no statistical significance (p0.05).Obestatin and AVP levels were closely related to the severity of ARF and AHF and survival prognosis, which could be a sensitive indicator for diagnoses and prognoses.

An optimal annealing temperature and time was determined for single crystal samples of the RNi 2 B 2 C series, R=Gd–Lu, Y. For R=Dy–Tm, Lu and Y dramatic improvements in the low temperature resistivity, residual resistivity ratio and implicitly the electronic mean free path were found for annealing temperature T =1000 °C and annealing time t ≈75–100 h. This annealing schedule is somewhat less effective in changing the temperature dependent resistivities of TbNi 2 B 2 C and GdNi 2 B 2 C but it produces dramatic changes in the resistivity of the heavy Fermion compound YbNi 2 B 2 C.

Phedimus aizoon var. latifolius (Sedum aizoon), a crassulaceae herb, is widely cultivated in northern China, including Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong provinces, as well as in Korea and Russia. In the middle of August 2015, approximately 40% plants with leaf spots were observed on the campus of Jilin Agricultural University, China. The leaves of P. aizoon var. latifolius were browned from the edge to inside with round or irregular lesions. Brown spots enlarged and coalesced later and resulted in early leaf fall. Plant symptomatic tissues were surface disinfested with 75% ethyl alcohol for 30 s, followed by 0.1% NaOCl for 1 min, washed with sterile distilled water three times before plating onto potato dextrose agar (PDA). Six pure cultures with similar morphology were obtained through single spore isolation. The representative isolate (FC-DB1) cultivated on PDA at 25°C with a 12-h alternate light and dark period for 5 days. The fungal colonies were white to luteous, edge irregular and surfa...

Administration of corticosteroids to patients affected by influenza virus, especially pandemic avian influenza virus, although relatively common, remains controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the impact of corticosteroid treatment on outcomes of patients with influenza virus infection. The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to February, 2015. Studies comparing corticosteroid treatment with no corticosteroid treatment in patients with influenza virus infection were included. The primary outcomes assessed were the association of mortality and nosocomial infection with corticosteroid treatment. Two authors independently extracted the data. ORs and weighted mean differences (WMDs) were used to describe dichotomous data and continuous data, respectively. Nineteen studies with 4916 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that corticosteroid treatment was significantly associated with mortality (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.62–2.43, p