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Objective To explore the expression, clinical significance and molecular mechanism of miR-3934-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected from 53 HCC patients diagnosed in our hospital from September 2013 to August 2014. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect the level of miR-3934-5p in the above tissues and human liver cell line L02 and HCC cell lines. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze the expression of miR-3934-5p in normal liver tissues and HCC tissues; Chi-square test with Kaplan-Meier survival curve were applied to analyze the correlation of miR-3934-5p and clinicopathological characteristics and survival prognosis; RT-qPCR and Western blotting were adopted to detect transfection efficiency; CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay and EdU assay were employed respectively to evaluate the activity and proliferation of HCCLM3 cells; Spearman correlation analysis was applied to study the correlation between LACTB mRNA and miR-3934-5p expression in HCC tissues; TargetScan database was used to predict the downstream target genes of miR-3934-5p, and the prediction results was verified by luciferase reporter assay. Results MiR-3934-5p was highly expressed in the liver cancer tissues and cells (P < 0.05), and its high expression was significantly correlated with tumor size (P=0.040), tumor multiplicity (P=0.013), vascular invasion (P=0.006), and TNM stage (P=0.017); Compared to the low miR-3934-5p expression group, the HCC patients with high expression had poorer survival prognosis. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay and EdU assay confirmed that knocking down miR-3934-5p notably inhibited the proliferation of HCCLM3 cells (P < 0.05). LACTB had been proved to be the direct target of miR-3934-5p, and mediated the biological effect of miR-3934-5p on HCC cells. Conclusion MiR-3934-5p promotes the proliferation of HCC cells by targeting tumor suppressor gene LACTB.

Secondary dengue infections are frequently associated with increased risk for dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Surprisingly, we observed no dengue hemorrhagic fever cases among 353 hospitalized dengue-infected patients including 212 with primary, and 141 with secondary dengue 1 infection in China. To explore virological and immunological mechanisms which may account for this unexpected clinical observation, we assessed dengue viremia, type I interferon and inflammatory cytokine levels in these patients. While the levels of viremia and inflammatory cytokines are indistinguishable between primary and secondary infections, IFNα levels are significantly higher in primary than that in secondary infection. However, IFNα levels are positively correlated with dengue viremia levels (p

The mechanisms of testicular development in mammals are complex. Testis is an organ that produces sperm and secretes androgens. It is rich in exosomes and cytokines that mediate signal transduction between tubule germ cells and distal cells, promoting testicular development and spermatogenesis. Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles that transmit information between cells. By transmitting information, exosomes play an important role in male infertility diseases such as azoospermia, varicocele, and testicular torsion. However, due to the wide range of sources of exosomes, extraction methods are numerous and complex. Therefore, there are many difficulties in studying the mechanisms of exosomal effects on normal development and male infertility. Therefore, in this review, first, we introduce the formation of exosomes and methods for culturing testis and sperm. Then, we introduce the effects of exosomes on different stages of testicular development. Finally, we summarize the prospects and shortcomings of exosomes when used in clinical applications. We lay the theoretical foundation for the mechanism of the influence of exosomes on normal development and male infertility.

ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical characteristics of neonatal infection during the outbreak of COVID-19 omicron variant in Guangdong province of China.MethodThe clinical data of neonates infected with COVID-19 omicron variant were collected from three hospitals of Guangdong province, their epidemiological history, clinical manifestation and prognosis were summarized.ResultsFrom December 12, 2022 to January 15, 2023, a total of 52 neonates with COVID-19 infection were identified across three hospitals in Guangdong Province, including 34 males and 18 females. The age of diagnosis was 18.42 ± 6.32 days. 24 cases had clear contact history with adults who were suspected to be infected with COVID-19. The most common clinical manifestation was fever (43/52, 82.7%), the duration of fever was 1–8 days. The other clinical manifestations were cough (27/52, 51.9%), rales (21/52, 40.4%), nasal congestion (10/52, 19.2%), shortness of breath (2/52, 3.8%), and vomiting (4/52, 7.7%). C-reactive protein was only increased in 3 cases. Chest radiological examination was performed in 42 neonates, twenty-three cases showed abnormal chest radiographic findings, including ground-glass opacity and consolidation. Fifty cases were admitted with COVID-19 presentation, two cases were admitted for jaundice. The hospital stay was 6.59 ± 2.77 days. The clinical classification included 3 cases of severe COVID-19 and one critical case. Fifty-one cases were cured and discharged after general treatment, and one critical case with respiratory failure was intubated and transferred to another hospital.ConclusionThe COVID-19 omicron variant infection in neonates is usually mild. The clinical manifestation and laboratory results are not specific, and the short-term prognosis is good.

The intersection of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR) and the Central Basin Rift (CBR) of the West Philippine Basin (WPB) is a relic of a trench-trench-rift (TTR) type triple-junction, which preserves some pivotal information on the cessation of the seafloor spreading of the WPB, the emplacement and disintegration of the proto-Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) Arc, and the transition from initial rifting to steady-state spreading of the Parece Vela Basin (PVB). However, the structural characteristics of this triple-junction have not been thoroughly understood. In this paper, using the newly acquired multi-beam bathymetric, gravity, and magnetic data obtained by the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, the authors depict the topographic, gravity, and magnetic characteristics of the triple-junction and adjacent region. Calculations including the upward continuations and total horizontal derivatives of gravity anomaly are also performed to highlight the major structural features and discontinuities. Based on these works, the morphological and structural features and their formation mechanisms are analyzed. The results show that the last episode amagmatic extension along the CBR led to the formation of a deep rift valley, which extends eastward and incised the KPR. The morphological and structural fabrics of the KPR near and to the south of the triple-junction are consistent with those of the western PVB, manifesting as a series of NNE-SSW- and N-S-trending ridges and troughs, which were produced by the extensional faults associated with the initial rifting of the PVB. The superposition of the above two reasons induced the prominent discontinuity of the KPR in deep and shallow crustal structures between 15°N–15°30′N and 13°30′N–14°N. Combined with previous authors’ results, we propose that the stress produced by the early spreading of the PVB transmitted westward and promoted the final stage amagmatic extension of the CBR. The eastward propagation of the CBR destroyed the KPR, of which the magmatism had decayed or ceased at that time. The destruction mechanism of the KPR associated with the rifting of the PVB varies along strike the KPR. Adjacent to the triple-junction, the KPR was destroyed mainly due to the oblique intersection of the PVB rifting center. Whereas south of the triple-junction, the KPR was destroyed by the E-W-directional extensional faulting on its whole width.©2021 China Geology Editorial Office.