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Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that is essential for human nutrition. Currently, DHA is commonly produced using Aurantiochytrium, and omics technologies are widely used to investigate the mechanism underlying high DHA production in Aurantiochytrium, providing a foundation for genetic modification of Aurantiochytrium and control of the fermentation process. In this article, the history and major research directions of DHA production by Aurantiochytrium are summarized, and the application of omics technology in Aurantiochytrium is reviewed. It also summarizes recent progress in the application of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and multi-omics approaches as well as mathematical models based on omics data to reveal the mechanism underlying high DHA production in Aurantiochytrium. This review concludes with a discussion of future prospects for the development and application of omics technology.

BackgroundFK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP5) is a co-chaperone regulator of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Recent studies have reported increased FKBP5 mRNA in the circulation from patients with Cushing disease (CD) which returned to comparable levels seen in healthy controls following successful trans-nasal trans-sphenoidal (TNTS) surgical corticotroph tumor removal. However, the expression of circulating FKBP5 mRNA levels in other pituitary tumor subtypes and its specificity to corticotroph tumors is unknown.MethodsPre-operative blood was collected from consecutive patients undergoing TNTS for pituitary tumors (n = 57) at our center between 2015 and 2019. Total RNA was isolated from whole blood using RiboPure blood RNA isolation kit and real-time qPCR was used to quantitate circulating FKBP5 mRNA expression.ResultsConsistent with the prior report, higher circulating FKBP5 mRNA levels were observed in 20 patients with CD prior to surgical tumor removal, compared to 21 healthy controls (p

Circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters are present in cancer patients with severe metastasis, resulting in poor clinical outcomes. However, CTC clusters have not been studied as extensively as single CTCs, and the clinical utility of CTC clusters remains largely unknown. In this study, we aim sought to explore the feasibility of NanoVelcro Chips to simultaneously detect both single CTCs and CTC clusters with negligible perturbation to their intrinsic properties in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). We discovered frequent CTC clusters in patients with advanced NETs and examined their potential roles, together with single NET CTCs, as novel biomarkers of patient response following peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). We observed dynamic changes in both total NET CTCs and NET CTC cluster counts in NET patients undergoing PRRT which correlated with clinical outcome. These preliminary findings suggest that CTC clusters, along with single CTCs, offer a potential non-invasive option to monitor the treatment response in NET patients undergoing PRRT.

The high-precision terrestrial reference frame, as the spatial benchmark for geodesy, is an important national infrastructure. However, due to the influence of nonlinear factors related to geophysical phenomena, the overall maintenance accuracy of the ITRF framework is still at the centimeter level. Therefore, accurately characterizing the true trajectories of linear motion, nonlinear motion, and geocentric motion of the reference station is the key to achieve the construction and maintenance technology of a millimeter level terrestrial reference framework. Based on long-term global and regional GNSS observation data, more Chinese geodesy scientists devoted much efforts to the maintenance of millimeter-level geodetic reference framework. The main contributions of this work included the followings: ①Dynamic maintenance of millimeter-level terrestrial reference frame;②Research progress on the method of maintenance of regional reference frame based on GNSS; ③The progress of CGCS2000 frame maintenance in millimeter level accuracy; ④Reprocessing and reanalysis of two-decade GNSS observation in continental China; ⑤Research on current GNSS velocity field model and deformation in Chinese mainland; ⑥The preliminary realization and evaluation of CTRF2020.

We report a covalent chemistry-based hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific extracellular vesicle (EV) purification system for early detection of HCC by performing digital scoring on the purified EVs. Earlier detection of HCC creates more opportunities for curative therapeutic interventions. EVs are present in circulation at relatively early stages of disease, providing potential opportunities for HCC early detection. We develop an HCC EV purification system (i.e., EV Click Chips) by synergistically integrating covalent chemistry-mediated EV capture/release, multimarker antibody cocktails, nanostructured substrates, and microfluidic chaotic mixers. We then explore the translational potential of EV Click Chips using 158 plasma samples of HCC patients and control cohorts. The purified HCC EVs are subjected to reverse-transcription droplet digital PCR for quantification of 10 HCC-specific mRNA markers and computation of digital scoring. The HCC EV-derived molecular signatures exhibit great potential for noninvasive early detection of HCC from at-risk cirrhotic patients with an area under receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.86 to 1.00; sensitivity = 94.4%, specificity = 88.5%).

ObjectiveImmune checkpoint inhibitors are approved to treat multiple cancers. We report life-threatening hepatic failure in 2 consecutive patients with Cushing syndrome that were treated with ketoconazole (KTZ) in combination with 2 different programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors, Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab.MethodsThe first patient suffered from corticotroph pituitary carcinoma and the second from metastatic adrenal cortical carcinoma. They were both treated with KTZ for tumor-associated hypercortisolism.ResultsHepatic function was normal on KTZ prior to initiation of PD-1 inhibitors, after which they rapidly developed severe hepatic dysfunction. In both cases, liver biopsy was consistent with drug-induced hepatic injury. Liver function fully recovered on discontinuing KTZ and the PD-1 inhibitors along with methylprednisone therapy.ConclusionAntifungal azole therapy is commonly used in oncology patients who may be co-treated with PD-1 inhibitors. Although the specific combination of KTZ and PD-1 inhibitors to treat Cushing syndrome may be relatively uncommon, we recommend careful monitoring of hepatic function using a combination PD-1 inhibitors and azole antifungal agents, especially KTZ, due to the potential of life-threatening hepatic failure.

Cardinal directions refer to the four main points of direction in geographical space: north, south, east, and west. Efficientnavigation requires some basic knowledge about cardinal directions. We evaluated developmental changes in cardinaldirection knowledge in real space. Tested in an unfamiliar indoor environment with a window view, 94 children aged 6-12years old were asked to point to North and then point to East. We proposed 7 developmental stages based on knowingthe horizontal plane of cardinal directions, the inter-relationships between them, and how to identify north using referenceframes. Our classification scheme classified all participants and was sensitive to age differences. Our results suggested thatidentifying north was more difficult than knowing the inter-relationships. Many children were not able to use an allocentricreference frame effectively. Overall, our study demonstrates the utility of our classification scheme and the importance ofevaluating cardinal direction knowledge development in children.