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To investigate the relationship between chewing sugar-free gum (SFG) and dental caries status in China.A total of 860 teenagers (aged 12 to 15 years) and 490 adults (aged ≥ 18 years) were recruited using a multistage stratified cluster method from economically developed areas (Beijing, Guangdong) and less economically developed areas (Hubei, Xinjiang). Each participant completed a questionnaire including oral health-related knowledge of SFG and chewing habits of SFG and agreed to undertake a clinical assessment. Potential factors associated with chewing conditions were analysed through a chi-square statistical test. A negative binominal regression analysis was performed to quantify the relationship between dental caries and consumption of SFG.The overall percentage of the survey population who consumed SFG was 43.4%, and SFG-related knowledge and awareness was only 19.4%. For decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth (DMFT), the mean value was 1.63 ± 2.41 and 2.29 ± 3.65 in the chewing group and non-chewing group, respectively. According to the negative binominal regression analysis, the caries status in the SFG chewing group was better than in the non-chewing group (adjusted prevalence rate ratio [PRR] 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62-0.87).The chewing condition and oral health-related knowledge and awareness of SFG is low. Chewing SFG is related to a better dental caries status, so regular consumption of SFG should be recommended when promoting oral health.

Background:. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant hematological disease, originating from hematopoiesis stem cell differentiation obstruction and clonal proliferation. New reagents or biologicals for the treatment of AML are urgently needed, and exosomes have been identified as candidate biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of exosomes from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on AML cells as well as the underlying microRNA (miRNA)-mediated mechanisms. Methods:. Exosomes were isolated using a precipitation method, followed by validation using marker protein expression and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified by deep RNA sequencing and confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Cell proliferation was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium inner salt method, and cell cycle progression and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Functional gene expression was analyzed by qPCR and Western blotting (WB). Significant differences were determined using Student's t test or analysis of variance. Results:. BMSCs-derived exosomes effectively suppressed cell proliferation (both P

Aim To evaluate periodontal conditions in adults in mainland China based on data from the 4th National Oral Health Survey. Materials and methods Data of adult subjects (35- to 44-year-old group [N = 4409], 55- to 64-year-old group [N = 4622], and 65- to 74-year-old group [N = 4428]) were analysed. Demographic, socio-economic, personal habit, dental history, and health attitude data were obtained using a questionnaire. Periodontal condition was assessed using the standardized case definitions of the 2018 classification scheme. A multivariate analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between periodontitis severity and age, smoking status, gender, and region using generalized additive models after adjusting for confounders. Results The frequency of subjects with periodontitis was 52.8%, 69.3%, and 64.6% in the three age groups, respectively. The frequency of subjects with severe periodontitis (stage III or IV) was 10.6%, 37.3%, and 43.5% in the three age groups, respectively. The severity of periodontal disease was positively associated with age. Current and former smokers exhibited significantly greater disease severity than non-smokers after adjustment for confounders. No significant difference of severity was found between males and females. Conclusion Within the limitations of the study, the prevalence of periodontitis is very high among adults in mainland China. Periodontal status is associated with age and smoking status.

The current study evaluated the construct validity, internal consistency reliability, discriminant, and concurrent validities, along with the measurement invariance of the Brief Self-Control Scale ...

Background Computed tomography texture analysis (CTTA) provides objective and quantitative information regarding tumor heterogeneity beyond visual inspection. However, no study has yet used CTTA to differentiate metastatic from non-metastatic cervical lymph node in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Purpose To evaluate the value of texture analysis of dual-phase contrast-enhanced CT images in diagnosing cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with PTC. Material and Methods Metastatic (n = 27) and non-metastatic (n = 32) cervical lymph nodes were analyzed retrospectively. Texture analyses were performed on both arterial (A) and venous (V) phase CT images. Texture parameters, including mean gray-level intensity, skewness, kurtosis, entropy, and uniformity, were obtained and compared between groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyses and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used in our study. Results Metastatic lymph nodes showed significantly higher A-mean gray-level intensity, A-entropy, and lower A-kurtosis and V-kurtosis (all P Conclusion Dual-phase contrast-enhanced CCTA—especially A-mean gray-level intensity and V-kurtosis—may have the potential to diagnose metastatic cervical lymph node in patients with PTC.

To investigate the value of radiomics analysis of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT)–derived iodine maps for preoperative diagnosing cervical lymph nodes (LNs) metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Two hundred and fifty-five LNs (143 non-metastatic and 112 metastatic) were enrolled and allocated to training and validation sets (7:3 ratio). Radiomics features were extracted from arterial and venous phase iodine maps, respectively. Radiomics signature was constructed based on reproducible features using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression algorithm with 10-fold cross-validation. Logistic regression modeling was employed to build models based on CT image features (model 1), radiomics signature (model 2), and the combined (model 3). A nomogram was plotted for the combined model and decision curve analysis was applied for clinical use. Diagnostic performance was assessed and compared. Internal validation was performed on an independent set containing 78 LNs. Model 3 showed optimal diagnostic performance in both training (AUC = 0.933) and validation set (AUC = 0.895), followed by model 2 (training set, AUC = 0.910; validation set, AUC = 0.847). Both these two models outperformed model 1 in both training (AUC = 0.763) (p

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an allergic immunological response to Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) exposure, which induces a strong T helper 2 (Th2) response via mechanisms that have yet to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hypothesis that T2 ribonuclease from Af (Af RNASET2) induces M2‑type macrophage polarization to produce a T helper 2 (Th2) immune response. Recombinant Af RNASET2 (rAf RNASET2) was expressed and purified in a prokaryotic pET system and BALB/c mice were immunized with rAf RNASET2 for in vivo analyses. Expression levels of M2 polarization factors were evaluated in RAW264.7 macrophages treated with rAf RNASET2 in vitro using flow cytometry, reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, and western blot analysis. The results predicted that the mature Af RNASET2 protein (382 amino acids; GenBank no. MN593022) contained two conserved amino acid sequence (CAS) domains, termed CAS‑1 and CAS‑2, which are also characteristic of the RNASET2 family proteins. The protein expression levels of the Th2‑related cytokines interleukin (IL)‑4, IL‑10, and IL‑13 were upregulated in mice immunized with rAf RNASET2. RAW264.7 macrophages treated with rAf RNASET2 showed increased mRNA expression levels of M2 factors [arginase 1, Il‑10, and Il‑13]; however, there was no difference in cells treated with rAf RNASET2 that had been inactivated with a ribonuclease inhibitor (RNasin). The protein expression levels of IL‑10 in macrophage culture supernatant were also increased following stimulation with rAf RNASET2. In addition, rAf RNASET2 upregulated the expression of phosphorylated mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in RAW264.7 cells, whereas MAPK inhibitors attenuated rAf RNASET2‑induced IL‑10 expression in RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, the present study reveals that high rAf RNASET2 activity is required for rAf RNASET2‑induced M2 polarization of macrophages and suggests an important immune regulatory role for Af RNASET2 in ABPA pathogenesis.

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) represent the leading causes for casualties among civilians and soldiers in the present war (including counter-terrorism). Traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by IEDs results in different degrees of impairment of cognition and behavior, but the exact brain pathophysiological mechanism following exposure to blast has not been clearly investigated. Here, we sought to establish a rat model of closed-head blast injury using compressed gas to deliver a single blast only to the brain without systemic injuries. The cognitive functions of these bTBI models were assessed by Morris Water Maze test (MWM test). The HE staining, flow cytometry, ELISA and Western Blotting were used to measure the effects of shock wave on general histology, regulatory T (Treg) cells percentage, inflammatory reactions, the expression and phosphorylation level of tau, respectively. In addition, the brain water content and 24 -h mortality were also assessed. As the distance from the blast source increased, the input pressure did not change, the overpressure decreased, and the mortality decreased. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for predicting 24 -h mortality using peak overpressure fits with the following areas under ROC curves: 0.833. In 2 weeks after blast injury, cognitive tests revealed significantly decreased performance at 20 cm distance from the blast (about 136.44 kPa) as demonstrated by increased escape latency in the acquisition phase, and decreased crossing numbers in the probe phase of MWM test. Interestingly, a single blast exposure (at 20 cm) lead to significantly increased tau phosphorylation at the Thr205 epitope but not at the Ser404 and Ser262 epitopes at 12 h, 24 h, 3d, and 7d after blast injury. Blast decreased the percentage of CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, Treg cells and lymphocytes at different time points after blast injury, and blast increased the percentage of neutrophils at 12 h after blast injury and significantly increased IL-6 production at 12 h, 24 h and 3d after blast injury. In addition, blast lead to an increase of brain edema at 24 h and 3d after blast injury. However, no obvious alterations in brain gross pathology were found acutely in the blast-exposed rats. In conclusion, we established a rat model of simple craniocerebral blast injury characterized by impairment of cognitive function, Thr205 phosphorylation of tau, decreased Treg cells and increased inflammatory reactions and brain edema. We expect this model may help clarify the underlying mechanism after blast injury and possibly serve as a useful animal model in the development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic approaches.

Background Computed tomography (CT) findings and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) have been reported in the past, however, studies on their association with prognosis are limited. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) findings and clinicopathological characteristics for the prognosis of gastric GISTs. Multiple independent factors influencing the prognostic assessment of gastric GISTs were recognized. Methods The CT images and clinicopathological data of 155 patients with gastric GISTs were retrospectively analyzed. Progression-free survival of patients was obtained using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic significance of CT imaging and clinicopathological factors. Results Univariate analysis revealed that patient prognosis was associated with the size, shape, necrosis or cystic degeneration, margin, growth pattern, enhancement pattern, mitotic rate, and Ki-67 index of the tumor. Further, multivariate analysis indicated that tumor size and necrosis or cystic degeneration were significant independent prognostic factors for gastric GISTs. Conclusions Tumor shape, necrosis or cystic degeneration, growth pattern, enhancement pattern, and mitotic rate were non-negligible criteria for improving the prognostic accuracy for GISTs, whereas tumor size, margin, and Ki-67 index were significant independent predictors identifying high-risk patients, facilitating personalized treatment to improve the prognosis of gastric GISTs patients. Thus, a combination of MSCT findings and clinicopathological features may be a valuable tool for assessing the prognosis of patients with gastric GISTs.

Additional file 1. Classification criterion of NMIBC

Additional file1: Table S1. Detailed information on used studies. Table S2. Detailed information on genetic instruments. Table S3. Variance explained, average F-statistic, and power calculation. Table S4. The results of pleiotropy test, Cochrane’s Q and MR-PRESSO. Figure S1. Associations of genetically predicted risk factors with benign prostatic hyperplasia using multiple MR sensitivity analyses. IVW, inverse-variance weighted; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; BMI, body mass index; SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism; MR, Mendelian randomization.

Additional file 3. Results of meta-analyses

The inferior parathyroid gland (IPTG) is widely distributed; effective techniques for its safe exploration and protection during thyroid surgery have not been documented. The thyrothymic ligament (TTL) is a connective tissue located between the thymic tongue and thyroid. This study aims to introduce a novel meticulous thyrothymic ligament dissection technique and assess its role in proactive exploration and situ preservation of IPTG.737 patients undergoing initial thyroid surgery between 2017 and 2021 in the Department of General Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were retrospectively recruited for this clinical study. In 391 of the recruited patients, the TTL was dissected, and the number and location of IPTG were recorded. Among them, 214 patients underwent total/near-total thyroidectomy (TT) plus central neck dissection (CND) were assigned to the observation group. The control group included 346 consecutive patients who underwent conventional TT plus CND. After 1:1 propensity score matching, each group contained 206 patients. The incidence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism was recorded.Among the 391 patients, 596 sides were dissected, out of which 436 sides (73.2%) had TTL, and approximately 90.1% of IPTG were located and identified. A statistically significant difference in incidence of temporary (27.7 vs. 49.0%, P 0.001) and permanent hypoparathyroidism (0 vs. 8.2%, P = 0.047) was noted between the observation group and the control group.The meticulous thyrothymic ligament dissection technique helps to protect IPTG in situ and reduce the incidence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism.

Background The genus Rickettsia contains the lineages spotted fever group (SFG), typhus group (TG), and transitional group (TRG). The spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) is transmitted by ticks. The tick species Dermacentor nuttalli is considered the main vector carrying SFGR in Inner Mongolia. Studying the genetic diversity and population structure of Rickettsia is essential for developing effective control strategies and predicting evolutionary trends of Rickettsia. Methods In 2019 we collected 408 D. nuttalli in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, detected the percentage of Rickettsia-positive specimens, and characterized the haplotypes. From the Rickettsia-positive ticks, the gltA and ompA genes were extracted, amplified, and sequenced. Results Ten haplotypes of the gltA gene and 22 haplotypes of the ompA gene were obtained. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the haplotypes G1–G7 and G9 of the gltA gene cluster with Rickettsia raoultii, while G8 and G10 cluster with Rickettsia sibirica. Haplotypes O1–O15, O18 and O20–O22 of the ompA gene cluster with R. raoultii, while O16 and O19 cluster with R. sibirica. The average haplotype diversity was 0.3 for gltA and 0.7 for ompA. The average nucleotide diversity was greater than 0.05. Neutrality tests were nonsignificant for Tajima’s D results and Fu’s Fs results. The fixation index values (FST) showed that the degree of genetic differentiation between most sampled populations was small (FST FST > 0.05) or large (FST > 0.15) degree of differentiation. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the variation within populations was greater than that between populations. The mismatch analysis of Rickettsia showed double peaks. Conclusions We found two Rickettsia spp. (R. raoultii and R. sibirica). The high genetic disparity of Rickettsia allows for easy adaption to different environments. Genetic differentiation between populations is small, and Rickettsia populations do not show a geographically differentiated structure. The high rates of retention and infection of Rickettsia in D. nuttalli together with the animal husbandry exchange in Inner Mongolia gradually led to the harmonization of genetic characteristics of Rickettsia across various regions. Overall, the significant genetic diversity and geographical structure of Rickettsia in D. nuttalli are critical for SFGR control. Graphical Abstract

Background: Ticks are arthropods that can carry multiple pathogens and parasitize on livestock and mammals as well as on humans. Animal husbandry in Inner Mongolia, China, provides a suitable tick habitat. In this study, PacBio full-length 16S rDNA third-generation sequencing was used to analyze the diversity of microbial communities carried by ticks in different regions of Inner Mongolia. The aim of the study is to characterize the microbiome carried by ticks in different geographical locations and to provide theoretical support for regional prevention and control of pathogen populations in the future. Methods: In this study, a total of 905 Dermacentor nuttalli and 36 Ixodes persuleatus were collected from the surface of sheep in four main pasture areas in Inner Mongolia. Pooled DNA samples were prepared from three samples from each region and from each tick species. In total the microbial diversity of 12 samples was analyzed by PacBio full-length 16S rRNA third-generation sequencing, and the α and β diversity were determined. Results: The main bacterial genera we found were Rickettsia (35.27%), Ac37b (19.33%), Arsenophonus (11.21%), Candidatus Lariskella (10.84%), and Acinetobacter (7.17%). There were significant differences in the microbial composition of ticks from different regions and in different tick species. Rickettsia bellii was found in the I. persuleatus group. In addition, Anaplasma and a novel tyhpus group Rickettsia species (R. bacterium Ac37b) were found in the sample group of D. nuttalli in the city of Ordos.Conclusions: In this study, Rickettsia bellii was first found in I. persuleatus in Inner Mongolia, and a novel tyhpus group Rickettsia species (R. bacterium Ac37b) was found in D. nuttalli from the city of Ordos. Our study provides a basis for the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases through the analysis of tick microbial diversity in different regions of Inner Mongolia. Furthermore, we were able to detect a new tick-borne pathogen in D. nutalli.

m6A modification is the most prevalent RNA modification in eukaryotes. As the critical N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase, the roles of methyltransferase like 3 (METTL3) in colorectal cancer (CRC) are controversial. Here, we confirmed that METTL3, a critical m6A methyltransferase, could facilitate CRC progression in vitro and in vivo. Further, we found METTL3 promoted CRC cell proliferation by methylating the m6A site in 3′‐untranslated region (UTR) of CCNE1 mRNA to stabilize it. Moreover, we found butyrate, a classical intestinal microbial metabolite, could down‐regulate the expression of METTL3 and related cyclin E1 to inhibit CRC development. METTL3 promotes CRC proliferation by stabilizing CCNE1 mRNA in an m6A‐dependent manner, representing a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CRC.

Background This study sought to evaluate dental utilization among 3-,4-, and 5-year-old children in China and to use Andersen’s behavioural model to explore influencing factors, thereby providing a reference for future policy making. Methods This study is a cross-sectional study. Data of 40,305 children aged 3–5 years were extracted from the Fourth National Oral Health Survey, which was performed from August 2015 to December 2016. Patient data were collected using a questionnaire, which was answered by the child’s parents, and clinical data were collected during a clinical examination. Stratification and survey weighting were incorporated into the complex survey design. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations and hierarchical logistic regression results were then analysed to find the factors associated with oral health service utilization. Results The oral health service utilization prevalence during the prior 12 months were 9.5% (95%CI: 8.1–11.1%) among 3-year-old children, 12.1% (95%CI: 10.8–13.5%) among 4-year-old children, and 17.5% (95%CI: 15.6–19.4%) among 5-year-old children. “No dental diseases” (71.3%) and “dental disease was not severe” (12.4%) were the principal reasons why children had not attended a dental visit in the past 12 months. The children whose parents had a bachelor’s degree or higher (OR: 2.29, 95%CI: 1.97–2.67, p p p p p Conclusion The prevalence of dental service utilization was relatively low among preschool children. It is necessary to strengthen oral health education for parents and children, thereby improving oral health knowledge as well as attitude, and promoting dental utilization.

Melanoma is a primary reason of death from skin cancer and associated with high lethality. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has been developed into a powerful cancer treatment technique in recent years. Here, we created a low-cost and high-performance PTT agent, Ag@TiO2 NPs, which possesses a high photothermal conversion efficiency of ≈65 % and strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption about 808 nm. Ag NPs were synthesized using a two-step method and coated with TiO2 to obtain Ag@TiO2 NPs by a facile sol-gel method. Because of the oxide, Ag@TiO2 NPs exhibit remarkable high photothermal conversion efficiencies and biocompatibility in vivo and in vitro. Cytotoxicity and therapeutic efficiency of photothermal cytotoxicity of Ag@TiO2 NPs were tested in B16-F10 cells and C57BL/6J mice. Under light irradiation, the elevated temperature causes cell death in Ag NPs-treated (100 μg mL-1 ) cells in vitro (both p

To explore the factors associated with utilization of oral health services among Chinese adults and older adults according to the Andersen Behavior Model.Data from the 4th National Oral Health Survey (2015-2016) in China were used. A total of 7206 people (3669 adults aged 35-44 years and 3537 older adults aged 65-74 years) were included in our analysis. Oral health service utilization in the past 12 months was the outcome variable. Explanatory variables were selected according to the Andersen Behavior Model. Descriptive statistics and bivariate associations (chi-square tests) were analysed, followed by hierarchical Poisson regression models, which were conducted to determine the factors associated with oral health service utilization.In total, 21.4% (95% CI: 19.4%-23.7%) of adults (35-44 years old) and 20.7% (95% CI: 18.6%-22.9%) of older adults (65-74 years old) utilized oral health services in the past 12 months. Nearly 80% of adults (78.7%, 95% CI: 74.0%-82.7%) and more than 90% of older adults (93.7%, 95% CI: 91.0%-95.6%) visited a dentist for treatment. Adults aged 35-44 years old who were female (IRR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.00-1.33, P = .047), had good oral health knowledge and attitudes (IRR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.06-1.59, P = .011), perceived their oral health status as fair (IRR:1.51, 95% CI:1.24-1.85, P .001) or poor/very poor (IRR:2.52, 95% CI:2.01-3.18, P .001) and had a decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index0 (IRR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.11-2.09, P = .009) were more likely to report dental visits in the past 12 months. Older adults who utilized oral health services tended to be female (IRR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.09-1.59, P = .004); to be covered by Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) (IRR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.18-2.05, P = .002), Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) (IRR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.32-2.16, P .001) or government medical insurance (GMI) (IRR: 1.03, 95% CI:1.01-2.16, P = .044); to have a high education level (IRR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.08-1.74, P = .010); to have an income level in the 2nd tertile (IRR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.13-1.84, P = .003) or 3rd tertile (IRR:1.52, 95% CI:1.18-1.95, P = .001); and to perceive their oral health status as poor or very poor (IRR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.21-1.95, P = .001).Sex and self-perceived oral health status were associated with oral health utilization among Chinese population. Additionally, for older adults, education level, household income and insurance coverage were determinants of dental service use. These findings can aid in creating more targeted policies to increase the use of dental services by Chinese adults.

Background Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the main form of thyroid cancer. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) is highly expressed in various cancer tissues and it has been shown to function as a tumor promoter in various cellular processes. However, the role of ZFAS1 in PTC is not well understood currently. Thus, this study aimed to explore the potential roles of ZFAS1 in the development and progression of PTC. Material and methods PTC tissues (n=80) and noncancerous tissues were collected. Gain- and loss-of-function assays were performed to determine the effect of ZFAS1 on proliferation in K-1 and TPC-1 cells. The ZFAS1/mir-590-3P/HMGA2 aixs were analysed in PTC cell lines. Results We found that the expression of ZFAS1 was increased in PTC tissues and four PTC cell lines (B-CPAP, IHH-4, TPC-1, and K-1). The gain- and loss-of-function assays showed that overexpressing ZFAS1 promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis in PTC cells in vitro. We demonstrated that knockdown of ZFAS1 inhibits tumor growth and upregulation of ZFAS1 promotes tumor growth in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that miR-590-3p targeted the 3'-UTR of ZFAS1. The double luciferase reporter and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated that miR-590-3p is a target of ZFAS1. Rescue experiments confirmed that miR-590-3p could reverse the effect of ZFAS1 on PTC cells. Moreover, we identified high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) to be a downstream target of miR-590-3p and ZFAS1 which activates HMGA2 expression by sponging to miR-590-3p. Conclusion High ZFAS1 expression level was associated with the progression of PTC, and ZFAS1 contributed to PTC progression via miR-590-3p/HMGA2 regulatory aixs. Therefore, ZFAS1 might be a potential therapeutic target for PTC intervention.

With the increasing incidence of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), more attention has been paid to exploring the mechanism of PTC initiation and progression. In addition, ectopic expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is reported to play a pivotal role in multiple human cancers. Based on these findings, we examined lncRNA ABHD11 antisense RNA 1 (ABHD11-AS1) expression and its clinical significance, biological function and mechanism in PTC. First, we analyzed thyroid ABHD11-AS1 expression in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Then, qRT-PCR was applied to detect the expression in paired PTC tissues and adjacent normal tissues, as well as in PTC cell lines (TPC-1 and K-1) and a normal thyroid follicular epithelium cell line (Nthy-ori3-1). In addition, we validated the relationship between ABHD11-AS1 expression and clinicopathological features by the Pearson X2 test. The oncogenic role of ABHD11-AS1 and its regulation of miR-199a-5p in PTC were examined by biological assays. Finally, bioinformatics analysis and mechanism assays were used to elucidate the underlying mechanism. We found that ABHD11-AS1 was remarkably overexpressed in PTC, and high expression was related to tumor size, lymph node metastasis, extrathyroidal extension and advanced TNM stage. Moreover, ABHD11-AS1 enhanced the abilities of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, inhibited apoptosis in vitro, promoted tumorigenesis in vivo via sponging miR-199a-5p and then induced SLC1A5 activation. In addition, rescue assays were performed to confirm the ABHD11-AS1/miR-199a-5p/SLC1A5 axis. Taken together, the data show that ABHD11-AS1 acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to exert malignant properties in PTC through the miR-199a-5p/SLC1A5 axis. Therefore, our study may shed light on PTC diagnosis and therapies.

Strength is usually compromised with toughness of polymer blends. We report a new way to synchronously strengthen and toughen a typical blend of epoxy resin/nitrile-butadiene rubber (EP/LNBR) with ...

A Janus silica cage was synthesized by selectively grafting an ionic liquid (IL) and poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) (lower critical solution temperature (LCST)≈32 °C) onto the exterior and interior sides of the mesoporous SiO2 shell. The paramagnetic core inside the cavity is responsible for magnetic collection. The PW12 O40 3- anion is further conjugated onto the IL side by anion exchange. The Janus cage acts as a thermal-responsive reactor for catalytic oxidization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) in the presence of H2 O2 . The sulfide in the model oil can be completely decomposed at 25 °C, whilst the oxidative products are more dissoluble in water and preferentially captured inside the Janus cage. The Janus cage reactor could be regenerated at high temperature above 32 °C after releasing the products.