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Emerging evidence has demonstrated that ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 J1 (UBE2J1) exerts pivotal function in many cancers. UBE2J1 was reported to be dysregulated in endometrial cancer (EC). This study was designed to further investigate the regulatory character and mechanism of UBE2J1 in EC. Bioinformatic tools and databases were used to analyze gene expression pattern and gene expression correlation in EC tissues, and the prognosis of EC patients. Gene expression was evaluated by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Western blot was used for protein level detection. In vitro cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry analyses and TUNEL assays. In vivo cell apoptosis was evaluated by detecting Bax and Bcl-2 expression in tumor tissues via immunohistochemical and western blot analyses. In this study, UBE2J1 knockdown promoted cell apoptosis in EC cells and in mouse models of EC. PI3K and AKT expression is positively correlated with UBE2J1 level and is related to poor prognosis of EC patients. UBE2J1 knockdown repressed the PI3K/AKT pathway both in vitro and in vivo. UBE2J1 downregulation decreased MDM2 expression, but increased p53 expression. MDM2 overexpression reverses the promotion of UBE2J1 knockdown on cell apoptosis in EC. Overall, UBE2J1 knockdown induces cell apoptosis in EC by inactivating the PI3K/AKT signaling and suppressing the MDM2/p53 signaling.

BackgroundCRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology has facilitated the generation of knockout mice, providing an alternative to cumbersome and time-consuming traditional embryonic stem cell-based methods. An earlier study reported up to 16% efficiency in generating conditional knockout (cKO or floxed) alleles by microinjection of 2 single guide RNAs (sgRNA) and 2 single-stranded oligonucleotides as donors (referred herein as "two-donor floxing" method).ResultsWe re-evaluate the two-donor method from a consortium of 20 laboratories across the world. The dataset constitutes 56 genetic loci, 17,887 zygotes, and 1718 live-born mice, of which only 15 (0.87%) mice contain cKO alleles. We subject the dataset to statistical analyses and a machine learning algorithm, which reveals that none of the factors analyzed was predictive for the success of this method. We test some of the newer methods that use one-donor DNA on 18 loci for which the two-donor approach failed to produce cKO alleles. We find that the one-donor methods are 10- to 20-fold more efficient than the two-donor approach.ConclusionWe propose that the two-donor method lacks efficiency because it relies on two simultaneous recombination events in cis, an outcome that is dwarfed by pervasive accompanying undesired editing events. The methods that use one-donor DNA are fairly efficient as they rely on only one recombination event, and the probability of correct insertion of the donor cassette without unanticipated mutational events is much higher. Therefore, one-donor methods offer higher efficiencies for the routine generation of cKO animal models.

Aiming at the problems of low single-seed rate, high rate of missing seeds, high rate of multiple seeds, and low rate of upright seeds in the mechanized sowing of garlic seeds, this paper proposes a structural design scheme of a type hole wheel garlic seed metering device based on the characteristics of garlic species. Based on the agronomic requirements of garlic planting and the characteristics of garlic species, the mechanism of the hole wheel structure to improve the seed filling performance of the seed metering device was clarified, a structural parameter design of the key components of the device was established through theoretical calculations, and a single-factor simulation test was conducted using the Engineering Discrete Element Modelling (EDEM) software. Using the Design-Expert 11 data analysis software, a mathematical regression model of each test factor and test index was established, and the test factors were analyzed. The parameters were optimized, and the following was found to be the optimum parameter combination: seeding wheel speed of 30 rpm, profile hole depth of 18 mm, and adjustment length of the profile hole of 41 mm. The EDEM simulation test results showed a single-seed rate of 91.67% and a missing seed rate of 4.17%. The bench test results showed a single-seed rate of 89.2%, a missing seed rate of 5.0%, and a multiple seed rate of 5.8%. The field test results showed a single-seed rate of 88.44%, a multiple seed rate of 4.11%, a missing seed rate of 7.44%, a breakage rate of 1.11%, and an upright rate of 62.36%. The errors between the bench test/field test and the discrete element simulation test results were 2.7% and 3.5%, respectively, which were consistent with the simulation results, thus meeting the requirements of single-seed sowing using the garlic seed metering device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Venous tumor thrombus (VTT) consistency of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an important consideration in nephrectomy plus thrombectomy. However, evaluation of VTT consistency through preoperative MR imaging is lacking. Purpose: To evaluate VTT consistency of RCC through intravoxel incoherent motion‐diffusion weighted imaging (IVIM‐DWI) derived parameters (Dt, Dp, f, and ADC) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value. Study Type: Retrospective. Population: One hundred and nineteen patients (aged 55.8 ± 11.5 years, 85 male) with histologically‐proven RCC and VTT who underwent radical resection. Field Strength/Sequences: 3.0‐T; two‐dimensional single‐shot diffusion‐weighted echo planar imaging sequence at 9 b‐values (0–800 s/mm2). Assessment: IVIM parameters and ADC values of the primary tumor and the VTT were calculated. The VTT consistency (friable vs. solid) was determined through intraoperative findings of two urologists. The accuracy of VTT consistency classification based on the individual IVIM parameters of primary tumors and of VTT, and based on models combining parameters, was assessed. Type of operation, intra‐operative blood loss, and operation length were recorded. Statistical Tests: Shapiro–Wilk test; Mann–Whitney U test; Student's t‐test; Chi‐square test; Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Statistical significance level was P < 0.05. Results: Of the enrolled 119 patients, 33 patients (27.7%) had friable VTT. Patients with friable VTT were significantly more likely to experience open surgery, have significantly more intraoperative blood loss, and significantly longer operative duration. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) values of Dt of the primary tumor and VTT in classifying VTT consistency were 0.758 (95% CI 0.671–0.832) and 0.712 (95% CI 0.622–0.792), respectively. The AUC value of the model combining Dp and Dt of VTT was 0.800 (95% CI 0.717–0.868). Furthermore, the AUC of the model combining Dp and Dt of VTT and Dt of the primary tumor was 0.886 (95% CI 0.814–0.937). Conclusion: IVIM‐derived parameters had the potential to predict VTT consistency of RCC. Evidence Level: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION With the development of information technology, databases are becoming increasingly important in a wide variety of applications such as parametric specifications, surveys, and life sciences. While demand for the […], At the heart of the information economy, commercially and publicly useful databases must be sufficiently protected from pirated copying. Complementary to the Database Protection Act, database watermarking techniques are designed to thwart pirated copying by embedding owner-specific information into databases so that the ownership of pirated copies of protected databases can be claimed if the embedded information is detected. This article presents a robust watermarking scheme for embedding a multiple-bits watermark to numerical attributes in database relations. The scheme is robust in the sense that it provides an upper bound for the probability that a valid watermark is detected from unmarked data, or a fictitious secret key is discovered from pirated data. This upper bound is independent of the size of the data. The scheme is extended to database relations without primary-key attributes to thwart attribute-related attacks. The scheme is also extended to multiple watermarks for defending additive attacks and for proving joint ownership. Keywords: database; ownership proof; watermark