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Background Tumor deposits (TD) was a significant risk factor impacting the prognosis of patients diagnosed with gastric cancer (GC), yet it was not currently incorporated into TNM staging systems. The objective of this research was to develop a predictive model for assessing the prognosis of patients with TD-positive GC. Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on the data of 4,972 patients treated for GC with D2 radical gastrectomy at Wannan Medical College’s Yijishan Hospital between January 2012 and December 2021. The patients were categorized based on the number of TD (L1: 1, L2: 2–3, L3: ≥4) and the anatomical location of TD (Q1: single area, Q2: multiple areas). In a 3:1 ratio, patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: training or validation. Results The study included a total of 575 patients who were divided into the training group (n = 432) and validation group (n = 143). Survival analysis showed that the number and anatomical location of TD had a significant impact on the prognosis of patients with TD-positive GC. Univariate analysis of the training group data revealed that tumor size, T-stage, N-stage, histological grade, number and distribution of TD, neural invasion, and postoperative chemotherapy were associated with prognosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified poor histological grade, T4 stage, N3 stage, number of TD, neural invasion, and postoperative chemotherapy as independent prognostic factors for GC patients with TD. A nomogram was developed using these variables, demonstrating well predictive ability for 1, 3, and 5-year overall survival (OS) in the validation set. The DCA curve shows that the constructed model shows a large positive net gain compared to the eighth edition Tumour, Node, Metastasis (TNM) staging system. Conclusion The prognostic model developed for patients with TD-positive GC has a higher clinical utility compared to the eighth edition of TNM staging.

Abstract Background m6A modification is currently recognized as a major driver of RNA function that maintains cancer cell homeostasis. Long non-coding (Lnc) RNAs control cell proliferation and play an important role in the occurrence and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). ZCCHC4 is a newly discovered m6A methyltransferase whose role and mechanism in tumors have not yet been elucidated. Methods The EpiQuik m6A RNA methylation kit was used to detect the level of total RNA m6A in six types of digestive tract tumors. The Kaplan-Meier method and receiver operating characteristic curve were used to evaluate the prognostic and diagnostic value of the newly discovered m6A methyltransferase, ZCCHC4, in CRC. The effects on CRC growth in vitro and in vivo were studied using gain- and loss-of-function experiments. The epigenetic mechanisms underlying ZCCHC4 upregulation in CRC were studied using RIP, MeRIP-seq, RNA pull-down, and animal experiments. Results We reported that the ZCCHC4-LncRNAGHRLOS-KDM5D axis regulates the growth of CRC in vitro and in vivo. We found that ZCCHC4 was upregulated in primary CRC samples and could predict adverse clinical outcomes in patients with CRC. Mechanistically, ZCCHC4 downregulated LncRNAGHRLOS to promote CRC tumorigenesis. As a downstream molecule of LncRNAGHRLOS, KDM5D directly controls CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusion This study suggests that the ZCCHC4 axis contributes to the tumorigenesis and progression of CRC and that ZCCHC4 may be a potential biomarker for this malignancy.

Reconstruction of subarticular bone defects is an intractable challenge in orthopedics. The simultaneous repair of cancellous defects, fractures, and cartilage damage is an ideal surgical outcome. 3D printed porous anatomical WE43 (magnesium with 4 wt% yttrium and 3 wt% rare earths) scaffolds have many advantages for repairing such bone defects, including good biocompatibility, appropriate mechanical strength, customizable shape and structure, and biodegradability. In a previous investigation, we successfully enhanced the corrosion resistance of WE43 samples via high temperature oxidation (HTO). In the present study, we explored the feasibility and effectiveness of HTO-treated 3D printed porous anatomical WE43 scaffolds for repairing the cancellous bone defects accompanied by split fractures via in vitro and in vivo experiments. After HTO treatment, a dense oxidation layer mainly composed of Y2O3 and Nd2O3 formed on the surface of scaffolds. In addition, the majority of the grains were equiaxed, with an average grain size of 7.4 μm. Cell and rabbit experiments confirmed the non-cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of the HTO-treated WE43 scaffolds. After the implantation of scaffolds inside bone defects, their porous structures could be maintained for more than 12 weeks without penetration and for more than 6 weeks with penetration. During the postoperative follow-up period for up to 48 weeks, radiographic examinations and histological analysis revealed that abundant bone gradually regenerated along with scaffold degradation, and stable osseointegration formed between new bone and scaffold residues. MRI images further demonstrated no evidence of any obvious damage to the cartilage, ligaments, or menisci, confirming the absence of traumatic osteoarthritis. Moreover, finite element analysis and biomechanical tests further verified that the scaffolds was conducive to a uniform mechanical distribution. In conclusion, applying the HTO-treated 3D printed porous anatomical WE43 scaffolds exhibited favorable repairing effects for subarticular cancellous bone defects, possessing great potential for clinical application.

Abstract Background Glycolysis is critical for harvesting abundant energy to maintain the tumor microenvironment in malignant tumors. Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor α (RORα) has been identified as a circadian gene. However, the association of glycolysis with RORα in regulating gastric cancer (GC) proliferation remains poorly understood. Methods Bioinformatic analysis and retrospective study were utilized to explore the role of RORα in cell cycle and glycolysis in GC. The mechanisms were performed in vitro and in vivo including colony formation, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), Epithelial- mesenchymal transition (EMT) and subcutaneous tumors of mice model assays. The key drives between RORα and glycolysis were verified through western blot and chip assays. Moreover, we constructed models of high proliferation and high glucose environments to verify a negative feedback and chemoresistance through a series of functional experiments in vitro and in vivo. Results RORα was found to be involved in the cell cycle and glycolysis through a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) algorithm. GC patients with low RORα expression were not only associated with high circulating tumor cells (CTC) and high vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels. However, it also presented a positive correlation with the standard uptake value (SUV) level. Moreover, the SUVmax levels showed a positive linear relation with CTC and VEGF levels. In addition, RORα expression levels were associated with glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and phosphofructokinase-2/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFKFB3) expression levels, and GC patients with low RORα and high G6PD or low RORα and high PFKFB3 expression patterns had poorest disease-free survival (DFS). Functionally, RORα deletion promoted GC proliferation and drove glycolysis in vitro and in vivo. These phenomena were reversed by the RORα activator SR1078. Moreover, RORα deletion promoted GC proliferation through attenuating G6PD and PFKFB3 induced glycolytic activity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, RORα was recruited to the G6PD and PFKFB3 promoters to modulate their transcription. Next, high proliferation and high glucose inhibited RORα expression, which indicated that negative feedback exists in GC. Moreover, RORα deletion improved fluorouracil chemoresistance through inhibition of glucose uptake. Conclusion RORα might be a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for GC through attenuating glycolysis.

Abstract Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is one of the most common and serious neurological diseases. Cilostazol has protective effects of anterior horn motor neurons and prevented the cell apoptosis. However, there was no literatures of Cilostazol on DCM. In this study, we established the DCM rat model to detect the effects of Cilostazol. Meanwhile, the neurobehavioral assessments, histopathology changes, inflammatory cytokines, Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), NOD‑like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and pro-caspase-1 expressions were detected by Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan score assessment, Hematoxylin and Eosin Staining, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence and Western blotting, respectively. After treated with Cilostazol, the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) score, inclined plane test and forelimb grip strength in DCM rats were significantly increased meanwhile the histopathology injury and inflammatory cytokines were decreased. Additionally, TXNIP, NLRP3 and pro-caspase-1 expressions levels were decreased in Cilostazol treated DCM rats. Interestingly, the using of siTXNIP significantly changed inflammatory cytokines, TXNIP, NLRP3 and pro-caspase-1 expressions, however there was no significance between siTXNIP and Cilostazol + siTXNIP group. These observations showed that Cilostazol rescues DCM injury and ameliorates neuronal destruction mediated by TXNIP/NLRP3/caspase-1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines. As a result of our study, these findings provide further evidence that Cilostazol may represent promising therapeutic candidates for DCM.

The effects of pore size in additively manufactured biodegradable porous magnesium on the mechanical properties and biodegradation of the scaffolds as well as new bone formation have rarely been reported. In this work, we found that high temperature oxidation improves the corrosion resistance of magnesium scaffold. And the effects of pore size on the mechanical characteristics and biodegradation of scaffolds, as well as new bone formation, were investigated using magnesium scaffolds with three different pore sizes, namely, 500, 800, and 1400 μm (P500, P800, and P1400). We discovered that the mechanical characteristics of the P500 group were much better than those of the other two groups. In vitro and in vivo investigations showed that WE43 magnesium alloy scaffolds supported the survival of mesenchymal stem cells and did not cause any local toxicity. Due to their larger specific surface area, the scaffolds in the P500 group released more magnesium ions within reasonable range and improved the osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells compared with the other two scaffolds. In a rabbit femoral condyle defect model, the P500 group demonstrated unique performance in promoting new bone formation, indicating its great potential for use in bone defect regeneration therapy.

Although studies have revealed the significant impact of dietary fiber on growth performance and nutrient digestibility, the specific characteristics of the intestinal microbiota and gene regulation in pigs capable of digesting high-fiber diets remained unclear. To investigate the traits associated with roughage tolerance in the Chinese indigenous pig breed, we conducted comparative analysis of growth performance, apparent fiber digestibility, intestinal microbiota, SCFA concentrations and intestinal transcriptome in Tunchang pigs, feeding them diets with different wheat bran levels. The results indicated that the growth performance of Tunchang pigs was not significantly impacted, and the apparent total tract digestibility of crude fiber was significantly improved with increasing dietary fiber content. High-fiber diets altered the diversity of intestinal microbiota, and increased the relative abundance of Prevotella, CF231, as well as the concentrations of isobutyrate, valerate and isovalerate. The LDA analysis identified potential microbial biomarkers that could be associated with roughage tolerance, such as Prevotella stercorea, and Eubacterium biforme. In addition, appropriate high-fiber diets containing 4.34% crude fiber upregulated the mRNA expressions of PYY, AQP8, and SLC5A8, while downregulating the mRNA expressions of CKM and CNN1.This indicated that appropriate high-fiber diets may inhibit intestine motility and increase the absorption of water and SCFAs.

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) posed a major challenge to healthcare systems worldwide, especially as mutations in the culprit Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) complicated the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs. Therefore, the search for natural products with broad anti-SARS-CoV-2 capabilities is an important option for the prevention and treatment of similar infectious diseases. Lectins, which are widely recognized as antiviral agents, could contribute to the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs. This study evaluated the binding affinity of six lectins (including the cyanobacterial lectin from Microcystis viridis NIES-102 (MVL), and Jacalin, a lectin from the breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis) to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein on the original (wild) SARS-CoV-2 and three of its mutants: Alpha, Delta, and Omicron. MVL and Jacalin showed distinct binding affinity to the RBDs of the four SARS-CoV-2 strains. The remaining four lectins (DB1, ConA, PHA-M and CSL3) showed no such binding affinity. Although the glycan specificities of MVL and Jacalin were different, they showed the same affinity for the spike protein RBDs of the four SARS-CoV-2 strains, in the order of effectiveness Alpha > Delta > original > Omicron. The verification of glycan-specific inhibition revealed that both lectins bind to RBDs by glycan-specific recognition, but, in addition, MVL binds to RBDs through protein–protein interactions.

Abstract Transposable elements (TEs) are a major source of genetic polymorphisms and play a role in chromatin architecture, gene regulatory networks, and genomic evolution. However, their functional role in pigs and contributions to complex traits are largely unknown. We created a catalog of TEs (n = 3,087,929) in pigs and found that young SINEs were predominantly silenced by histone modifications, DNA methylation, and decreased accessibility. However, some transcripts from active young SINEs showed high tissue-specificity, as confirmed by analyzing 3570 RNA-seq samples. We also detected 211,067 dimorphic SINEs in 374 individuals, including 340 population-specific ones associated with local adaptation. Mapping these dimorphic SINEs to genome-wide associations of 97 complex traits in pigs, we found 54 candidate genes (e.g., ANK2 and VRTN) that might be mediated by TEs. Our findings highlight the important roles of young SINEs and provide a supplement for genotype-to-phenotype associations and modern breeding in pigs.

Abstract Livestock and poultry play a significant role in human nutrition by converting agricultural by-products into high-quality proteins. To meet the growing demand for safe animal protein, genetic improvement of livestock must be done sustainably while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Transposable elements (TE) are important components of livestock and poultry genomes, contributing to their genetic diversity, chromatin states, gene regulatory networks, and complex traits of economic value. However, compared to other species, research on TE in livestock and poultry is still in its early stages. In this review, we analyze 72 studies published in the past 20 years, summarize the TE composition in livestock and poultry genomes, and focus on their potential roles in functional genomics. We also discuss bioinformatic tools and strategies for integrating multi-omics data with TE, and explore future directions, feasibility, and challenges of TE research in livestock and poultry. In addition, we suggest strategies to apply TE in basic biological research and animal breeding. Our goal is to provide a new perspective on the importance of TE in livestock and poultry genomes.

Abstract Background Osteoporosis, characterized by reduced bone mass and deterioration of bone quality, is a significant health concern for postmenopausal women. Considering that the specific role of circRNAs in osteoporosis and osteoclast differentiation remains poorly understood, this study aims to shed light on their involvement in these processes to enhance our understanding and potentially contribute to improved treatment strategies for osteoporosis. Methods An osteoporotic model was constructed in vivo in ovariectomized mouse. In vitro, we induced osteoclast formation in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) using M-CSF + RANKL. To assess osteoporosis in mice, we conducted HE staining. We used MTT and TRAP staining to measure cell viability and osteoclast formation, respectively, and also evaluated their mRNA and protein expression levels. In addition, RNA pull-down, RIP and luciferase reporter assays were performed to investigate interactions, and ChIP assay was used to examine the impact of circZNF367 knockdown on the binding between FUS and CRY2. Results We observed increased expression of CircZNF367, FUS and CRY2 in osteoporotic mice and M-CSF + RANKL-induced BMDMs. Functionally, knocking down circZNF367 inhibited osteoporosis in vivo. Furthermore, interference with circZNF367 suppressed osteoclast proliferation and the expression of TRAP, NFATc1, and c-FOS. Mechanistically, circZNF367 interacted with FUS to maintain CRY2 mRNA stability. Additionally, knocking down CRY2 rescued M-CSF + RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in BMDMs promoted by circZNF367 and FUS. Conclusion This study reveals that the circZNF367/FUS axis may accelerate osteoclasts differentiation by upregulating CRY2 in osteoporosis and suggests that targeting circZNF367 may have potential therapeutic effects on osteoporosis.

Abstract Aim This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection/endoscopic mucosal resection (ESD/EMR), laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy (LARG), and open radical gastrectomy (ORG) in early-stage gastric cancer. Methods A total of 417 patients with early-stage gastric cancer who were admitted in two hospitals from January 1, 2014 to July 31, 2017 were selected; the patients were divided into the ESD/EMR group (139 cases), LARG group (108 cases), and ORG group (170 cases) according to the operation methods used. The baseline data, economic cost of health, oncologic characteristics, postoperative complications, 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival, and risk factors of death were compared and analyzed. Results No significant difference was observed in the baseline data among the three patient groups (P > 0.05). The total hospitalization days, operation time, postoperative fluid intake time, hospitalization expenses, and proportion of antibiotic use rate in the ESD/EMR group were lesser than those in other groups (P 0.05). The 5-year postoperative survival rates of patients in the three groups were 94.2% (ESD/EMR), 93.5% (LARG), and 94.7% (ORG), respectively, with no significant differences (P > 0.05). The binary logistics multivariate analysis showed that the tumor size, invasion depth, vascular invasion, and differentiated degree were risk factors for death in patients with gastric cancer. Conclusions No significant difference was observed between ESD/EMR and radical surgery. However, standardized criteria for excluding metastatic lymph nodes should be established to promote ESD/EMR.

Abstract Background Solute carrier family 38 member 2 (SLC38A2) has previously been reported to participate in carcinogenesis. However, its expression and function in gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of SLC38A2 in GC. Methods The prognostic value and expression of SLC38A2 in GC was analyzed by combining bioinformatics and experimental analyses. Colony formation, Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing, Transwell and tumor formation assays were performed to assess the biological function of SLC38A2. The cBioPortal, GeneMANIA and LinkedOmics databases were mined to determine the underlying regulatory mechanisms of SLC38A2. The role of SLC38A2 in tumor immune infiltration was explored using the TIMER database. Results Our results demonstrated that SLC38A2 was upregulated and was correlated with a poor prognosis in GC patients. SLC38A2 downregulation significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells. Abnormal genetic alteration and epigenetic regulation may contribute to the upregulation of SLC38A2 expression levels in GC. The results of enrichment analysis demonstrated that SLC38A2 was associated with ‘hippo signaling’ and ‘ubiquitinyl hydrolase activity’. The results also indicated that SLC38A2 may be a key factor in GC immune infiltration and M2 macrophage polarization. Conclusion Overall, these data identified that SLC38A2 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in GC.

Background: Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, for which several novel therapeutic strategies have been developed. Cisplatin (CDDP) mainly exerts its anti-gastric cancer effects; however, drug resistance limits its use. Thus, the development of drugs that can augment their antitumor effects is necessary. Arenobufagin (ArBu) is a novel anticancer drug, and the effects of ArBu in combination with CDDP on gastric cancer have not yet been studied. Aims: To identify a possible synergistic effect between ArBu and CDDP in gastric cancer and investigate the underlying mechanism. Methods: Cell viability, colony formation, migration, apoptosis, cell cycle, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were analyzed in vitro. Western blotting, RT-PCR, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and blood biochemistry were carried out to examine in vivo. Results: We found that ArBu, in combination with CDDP, effectively inhibited the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells, promoted apoptosis, and downregulated the expression of carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). In addition, treatment with ArBu in combination with CDDP increased the level of inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B kinase subunit beta (IKBKB), E-cadherin, and nuclear factor kappa-B/p65 (NF-κB/p65). Furthermore, the combination of ArBu and CDDP inhibited tumor growth in xenograft nude mice with no obvious side effects. Conclusions: ArBu synergizes with CDDP to inhibit tumor growth both in vivo and in vitro by inducing alkaliptosis. This indicated that ArBu combined with CDDP may serve as a potential agent for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Background and aims: Gastric cancer is the fifth most diagnosed malignant tumor worldwide with limited effective chemotherapy. Ferroptosis is a new type of programmed cell death, which is becoming as a novel therapeutic target for tumors. Arenobufagin (ArBu) is a bufadienolide isolated from toad skin and venom, which exhibits broad-spectrum anti-tumor activity. It is unclear whether ArBu causes ferroptosis, thereby exhibiting anti-tumor activity in gastric cancer. We aimed to determine whether ArBu causes ferroptosis in cultured human gastric cancer cells. Experimental procedure: Different human gastric cancer cells were treated with ArBu (5–20 μM, 48 h). Indicators of apoptosis and ferroptosis were measured. CRISPR/Cas-9 system was employed to delete Nr1d1 gene. Results: ArBu incubation reduced cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. ArBu caused ferroptosis but not apoptosis at a lower concentration (10 μM), despite it caused both of them at a higher concentration (20 μM). Cotreatment with a selective ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 protected against ArBu (10 μM)-induced reduction in cell viability. ArBu-mediated ferroptosis was associated with abnormal expression of genes involved in iron uptake, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidants. Particularly, Nr1d1 gene expression was most significantly increased after ArBu treatment. Furthermore, activating Rev-erbα encoded by Nr1d1 by a selective agonist GSK4112 (1 and 2 μM, 48 h) caused ferroptosis. In contrast, Rev-erbα knockout using the CRISPR/Cas-9 system diminished ArBu-induced ferroptosis in cultured human gastric cancer cells. Conclusion: ArBu causes ferroptosis by increasing Rev-erbα expression in human gastric cancer cells. This has implications of ArBu as a promising therapy for gastric cancer. Section: 1. Natural Products; Taxonomy (classification by EVISE): Traditional medicine, pharmacology, gastric cancer, signal pathway.

IntroductionHybridization has been widely used among Chinese wild boars to improve their growth performance and maintain meat quality. Most studies have focused on the genetic basis for such variation. However, the differences in the gut environment between hybrid and purebred boars, which can have significant impacts on their health and productivity, have been poorly understood.MethodsIn the current study, metagenomics was used to detect the gut microbial diversity and composition in hybrid Batun (BT, Berkshire × Tunchang) pigs and purebred Tunchang (TC) pigs. Additionally, untargeted metabolomic analysis was used to detect differences in gut metabolic pathways. Furthermore, multiple molecular experiments were conducted to demonstrate differences in intestinal functions.ResultsAs a result of hybridization in TC pigs, a microbial change was observed, especially in Prevotella and Lactobacillus. Significant differences were found in gut metabolites, including fatty acyls, steroids, and steroid derivatives. Furthermore, the function of the intestinal barrier was decreased by hybridization, while the function of nutrient metabolism was increased.DiscussionEvidences were shown that hybridization changed the gut microbiome, gut metabolome, and intestinal functions of TC pigs. These findings supported our hypothesis that hybridization altered the gut microbial composition, thereby modifying the intestinal functions, even the host phenotypes. Overall, our study highlights the importance of considering the gut microbiome as a key factor in the evaluation of animal health and productivity, particularly in the context of genetic selection and breeding programs.

Communication between the maternal uterus and the embryo is vital for a successful pregnancy. Exosomes, subtypes of extracellular vesicles comprising many bioactive factors, regulate the early stages of pregnancy, specifically during embryo implantation. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from placental trophoblasts regulate embryo implantation remains elusive. We isolated and identified exosomes derived from placental trophoblast cells (HTR8/SVneo). Subsequently, we evaluated the loading miRNA in exosomes by small RNA sequencing. Consequently, we showed that trophoblast cell-derived exosomes could transfer to endometrial epithelial cells. Besides, these exosomes promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as well as migration of endometrial cells and were implicated in the regulation of inflammation. Further, the specific miRNAs were screened in exosomes, and as a result, miRNA (miR)-1290 was enriched specifically in exosomes. miR-1290 promoted the expression of inflammatory factors (interleukin [IL]-6 and IL-8) and migration of endometrial epithelial cells. In addition, exosomal miR-1290 promoted angiogenesis in vitro. More importantly, by targeting LHX6, trophoblast HTR8/SVneo cell-derived exosomal miR-1290 promoted the EMT process of endometrial epithelial cell HEC-1-A. Altogether, our findings provide novel insights into the mechanism of trophoblast cell-derived exosomes during embryo implantation.

Abstract Background Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor and microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely connected to GC development. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of miR-140-3p on the occurrence and metastasis of GC. Methods We detected miR-140-3p expression in GC cells and tissues. The correlation between miR-140-3p and prognosis and clinicopathological features in GC was analyzed. The role of miR-140-3p in GC cell migration, invasion, and proliferation was analyzed. The model of tumor transplantation and metastasis in nude mice was established, and the effect of miR-140-3p on the development and metastasis of GC was assessed. The relation between miR-140-3p and SNHG12 and the relations among HuR, SNHG12, and FAM83B were analyzed. Results miR-140-3p was poorly expressed in GC. GC patients with low miR-140-3p expression had a poor prognosis and unfavorable clinicopathologic features. Overexpression of miR-140-3p inhibited GC cell migration, invasion, and proliferation, and inhibited the development and metastasis of GC. miR-140-3p directly bound to SNHG12 in GC tissues and downregulated SNHG12 expression. SNHG12 overexpression induced HuR nuclear transportation. HuR can bind to FAM83B and up-regulate the mRNA level of FAM83B. Overexpression of SNHG12 or FAM83B reduced the inhibition of overexpression of miR-140-3p on GC. Conclusion miR-140-3p directly bound to SNHG12 in GC and down-regulated the expression of SNHG12, reduced the binding of SNHG12 and HuR, thus inhibiting the nuclear transportation of HuR and the binding of HuR and FAM83B, and reducing the transcription of FAM83B, and finally inhibiting the growth and metastasis of GC.

Bone defect repair is a complicated clinical problem, particularly when the defect is relatively large and the bone is unable to repair itself. Magnesium and its alloys have been introduced as versatile biomaterials to repair bone defects because of their excellent biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, bone-mimicking biomechanical features, and non-toxic and biodegradable properties. Therefore, magnesium alloys have become a popular research topic in the field of implants to treat critical bone defects. This review explores the popular Mg alloy research topics in the field of bone defects. Bibliometric analyses demonstrate that the degradation control and mechanical properties of Mg alloys are the main research focus for the treatment of bone defects. Furthermore, the additive manufacturing (AM) of Mg alloys is a promising approach for treating bone defects using implants with customized structures and functions. This work reviews the state of research on AM-Mg alloys and the current challenges in the field, mainly from the two aspects of controlling the degradation rate and the fabrication of excellent mechanical properties. First, the advantages, current progress, and challenges of the AM of Mg alloys for further application are discussed. The main mechanisms that lead to the rapid degradation of AM-Mg are then highlighted. Next, the typical methods and processing parameters of laser powder bed fusion fabrication on the degradation characteristics of Mg alloys are reviewed. The following section discusses how the above factors affect the mechanical properties of AM-Mg and the recent research progress. Finally, the current status of research on AM-Mg for bone defects is summarized, and some research directions for AM-Mg to drive the application of clinical orthopedic implants are suggested.

Background: Colon cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and despite significant advances in related treatment, the prognosis of colon cancer patients remains poor.Objective: This study performs systematic bioinformatics analysis of prognostic-associated RNA processing factor genes in colon cancer using the Cancer Related Genome Atlas database to explore their role in colon carcinogenesis and prognosis and excavate potential therapeutic targets.Methods: Data sets of colon cancer patients were obtained from GEO and TCGA databases. Univariate cox analysis was performed on the GSE39582 training set to identify prognosis-associated RNA processing factor genes and constructed a muticox model. The predictive performance of the model was validated by Correlation curve analysis. Similar results were obtained for the test dataset. Functional analyses were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms of colon carcinogenesis and prognosis.Results: A constructed muticox model consisting of βi and prognosis-related RNA processing factor gene expression levels (Expi) was established to evaluate the risk score of each patient. The subgroup with a higher risk score had lower overall survival (OS), higher risk factor, and mortality. We found that the risk score, age, gender, and TNM Stage were strongly associated with OS, and the 13-gene signature as an independent prognostic factor for colon cancer. The model has good accuracy in predicting patient survival and is superior to traditional pathological staging.Conclusion: This study proposes 13 RNA processing factor genes as a prognostic factor for colon cancer patients, which can independently predict the clinical outcome by risk score. The gene expression profile in this model is closely related to the immune status and prognosis of colon cancer patients. The interaction of the 13 RNA processing factor genes with the immune system during colon carcinogenesis provides new ideas for the molecular mechanisms and targeted therapies for colon cancer.

This study investigates the motion characteristics of soft alginate microrobots in complex fluidic environments utilizing wireless magnetic fields for actuation. The aim is to explore the diverse motion modes that arise due to shear forces in viscoelastic fluids by employing snowman-shaped microrobots. Polyacrylamide (PAA), a water-soluble polymer, is used to create a dynamic environment with non-Newtonian fluid properties. Microrobots are fabricated via an extrusion-based microcentrifugal droplet method, successfully demonstrating the feasibility of both wiggling and tumbling motions. Specifically, the wiggling motion primarily results from the interplay between the viscoelastic fluid environment and the microrobots’ non-uniform magnetization. Furthermore, it is discovered that the viscoelasticity properties of the fluid influence the motion behavior of the microrobots, leading to non-uniform behavior in complex environments for microrobot swarms. Through velocity analysis, valuable insights into the relationship between applied magnetic fields and motion characteristics are obtained, facilitating a more realistic understanding of surface locomotion for targeted drug delivery purposes while accounting for swarm dynamics and non-uniform behavior.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8), a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) family, was originally identified as playing a role in the regulation of growth and cell cycle. However, its functional role in myogenesis is unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of USP8 in proliferation and differentiation of sheep skeletal muscle satellite cells. The results showed that the expression level of USP8 was significantly increased on days 2 and 3 following the induction of the differentiation process. Furthermore, knocking down USP8 resulted in a significant increase in myogenin-positive cells, and promoted early differentiation of satellite cells by regulating the expression level of paired box 7 (PAX7). Additionally, knocking down USP8 suppressed muscle satellite cell proliferation, possibly explaining that the relative mRNA level of USP8 was linearly related to muscle fibre density of Hu sheep. Overall, our research demonstrates that USP8 plays a role in proliferation and early differentiation of skeletal muscle satellite cells.

Communication between maternal uterus and blastocyst occurs in the early stages of pregnancy, and the interaction influences the success of embryo implantation. Whereas small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) play an essential role in mediating intercellular communication in numerous biological processes, their role in embryo implantation during the window of implantation (WOI) remains poorly defined. Here, we report that endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) secrete sEVs during early pregnancy, which affects the trophoblast behaviors (migration, invasion, and proliferation), thus influencing embryo implantation. We show that microRNA (miR)-100-5p, sEVs containing microRNA (miRNA), activates both focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), as well as contributes to trophoblast migration and invasion. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the sEV miR-100-5p promotes angiogenesis during the implantation process. In conclusion, this study reveals a novel mechanism by which EEC-derived sEV miR-100-5p crosstalks with trophoblasts, leading to an enhanced ability for implantation.

Nuclear power plants (NPPs) produce large amounts of spent fuel while generating electricity. After the spent fuel is taken out of the reactor core, it still has a high decay heat and needs to be cooled for years or even decades before it can be reprocessed or buried deeply. Due to the long storage period of spent fuel, storage safety evaluation is a concern. In this regard, cooling systems are critical for the safe storage of spent fuel. Here, the research progress of cooling methods for spent fuel pools (SFPs) is reviewed, and the structural characteristics, application limitations and heat transfer performance of active and passive cooling technologies under accident conditions are discussed in detail. Moreover, future developments of SFPs are discussed, and the results of this review confirm that there is a great deal of research scope to improve the cooling performance and safety of spent fuel. This paper aims to provide a reference guide for engineers and will be highly beneficial to researchers engaged in spent fuel storage.

Pectinases are a series of enzymes that degrade pectin and have been used extensively in the food, feed, and textile industries. The ruminant animal microbiome is an excellent source for mining novel pectinases. Two polygalacturonase genes, IDSPga28-4 and IDSPga28-16, from rumen fluid cDNA, were cloned and heterologously expressed. Recombinant IDSPGA28-4 and IDSPGA28-16 were stable from pH 4.0 to 6.0, with activities of 31.2 ± 1.5 and 330.4 ± 12.4 U/mg, respectively, against polygalacturonic acid. Hydrolysis product analysis and molecular dynamics simulation revealed that IDSPGA28-4 was a typical processive exo-polygalacturonase and cleaved galacturonic acid monomers from polygalacturonic acid. IDSPGA28-16 cleaved galacturonic acid only from substrates with a degree of polymerization greater than two, suggesting a unique mode of action. IDSPGA28-4 increased the light transmittance of grape juice from 1.6 to 36.3%, and IDSPGA28-16 increased the light transmittance of apple juice from 1.9 to 60.6%, indicating potential application in the beverage industry, particularly for fruit juice clarification.

Abstract Background The establishment of uterine receptivity is essential for embryo implantation initiation and involves a significant morphological transformation in the endometrial epithelial cells (EECs). The remodeling of junctional complexes and membrane-associated cytoskeleton is crucial for epithelial transformation. However, little is known about how this process is regulated in EECs during the receptive phase. ARHGAP19 is a Rho GTPase-activating protein that participates in various cytoskeletal-related events, including epithelial morphogenesis. Here, we investigated the role of ARHGAP19 in endometrial epithelial transformation during the establishment of uterine receptivity. The upstream regulator of ARHGAP19 was also investigated. Methods ARHGAP19 expression was examined in mouse uteri during early pregnancy and in human EEC lines. The role of ARHGAP19 was investigated by manipulating its expression in EECs. The effect of ARHGAP19 on junctional proteins in EECs was examined by western blotting and immunofluorescence. The effect of ARHGAP19 on microvilli was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The upstream microRNA (miRNA) was predicted using online databases and validated by the dual-luciferase assay. The in vivo and in vitro effect of miRNA on endogenous ARHGAP19 was examined by uterine injection of miRNA agomirs and transfection of miRNA mimics or inhibitors. Results ARHGAP19 was upregulated in the receptive mouse uteri and human EECs. Overexpression of ARHGAP19 in non-receptive EECs downregulated the expression of junctional proteins and resulted in their redistribution. Meanwhile, upregulating ARHGAP19 reorganized the cytoskeletal structure of EECs, leading to a decline of microvilli and changes in cell configuration. These changes weakened epithelial cell polarity and promoted the transition of non-receptive EECs to a receptive phenotype. Besides, miR-192-5p, a miRNA that plays a key role in maintaining epithelial properties, was validated as an upstream regulator of ARHGAP19. Conclusion These results suggested that ARHGAP19 may contribute to the transition of EECs from a non-receptive to a receptive state by regulating the remodeling of junctional proteins and membrane-associated cytoskeleton.

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that pyroptosis, a type of inflammatory programmed cell death, plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of gastric cancer. However, it remains unclear whether pyroptosis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can be used to predict the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to evaluate and test the role of the lncRNA signature associated with pyroptosis as a prognostic tool for stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) and to ascertain their immune value. Relative RNA-sequencing data were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA), and data preprocessing was performed for STAD. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine whether lncRNAs were significantly correlated with pyroptosis based on 23 genes related to pyroptosis. Univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO) analyses were both adopted to select features and establish the pyroptosis-related lncRNA (PRL) prognostic signature. Kaplan–Meier(KM) survival analysis of the different risk groups was conducted according to the risk scores. We further examined the functional enrichment, tumor microenvironment, and landscape of mutation status among the different risk groups, and these analyses further explained the reasons for the differences in the prediction as well as survival value of the different risk groups. Four lncRNAs, including HAND2-AS1, LINC01354, RP11-276H19.1, and PGM5-AS1, were involved in the PRL signature and used to split STAD patients into two risk groups. Overall survival time(OS) was significantly higher in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group in both the training and validation groups. Functional enrichment analysis was further employed to analyze differentially expressed genes in high- and low-risk groups to identify potential molecular functions and pathways associated with pyroptosis in the gastric cancer microenvironment. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) and Friends analysis identified hub genes that may play a key role in differentially expressed genes in high- and low-risk groups. In addition, there were remarkable discrepancies between the different risk groups in the tumor stage (P

Background: Burn injury is a life-threatening disease that does not have ideal biomarkers. Therefore, this study first applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differentially expressed gene (DEG) screening methods to identify pivotal genes and diagnostic biomarkers associated with the skin burn process.Methods: After obtaining transcriptomic datasets of burn patient skin and normal skin from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and performing differential analysis and functional enrichment, WGCNA was used to identify hub gene modules associated with burn skin processes in the burn patient peripheral blood sample dataset and determine the correlation between modules and clinical features. Enrichment analysis was performed to identify the functions and pathways of key module genes. Differential analysis, WGCNA, protein-protein interaction analysis, and enrichment analysis were utilized to screen for hub genes. Hub genes were validated in two other GEO datasets, tested by immunohistochemistry for hub gene expression in burn patients, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed. Finally, we constructed the specific drug activity, transcription factors, and microRNA regulatory network of the five hub genes.Results: A total of 1,373 DEGs in GSE8056 were obtained, and the top 5 upregulated genes were S100A12, CXCL8, CXCL5, MMP3, and MMP1, whereas the top 5 downregulated genes were SCGB1D2, SCGB2A2, DCD, TSPAN8, and KRT25. DEGs were significantly enriched in the immunity, epidermal development, and skin development processes. In WGCNA, the yellow module was identified as the most closely associated module with tissue damage during the burn process, and the five hub genes (ANXA3, MCEMP1, MMP9, S100A12, and TCN1) were identified as the key genes for burn injury status, which consistently showed high expression in burn patient blood samples in the GSE37069 and GSE13902 datasets. Furthermore, we verified using immunohistochemistry that these five novel hub genes were also significantly elevated in burn patient skin. In addition, MCEMP1, MMP9, and S100A12 showed perfect diagnostic performance in the receiver operating characteristic analysis.Conclusion: In conclusion, we analyzed the changes in genetic processes in the skin during burns and used them to identify five potential novel diagnostic markers in blood samples from burn patients, which are important for burn patient diagnosis. In particular, MCEMP1, MMP9, and S100A12 are three key blood biomarkers that can be used to identify skin damage in burn patients.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-coating nanoparticles derived from cells. The effect of cell-to-cell communication mediated by EVs has been investigated in different fields of physio-logical as well as pathological process in recent years. Reproduction, regarded as a definitive characteristic of organisms, has been a focus in both animal and medical sciences. It is well agreed that implantation is a critical event during early pregnancy in viviparous animals, and a proper implantation is essential for the establishment and maintenance of normal pregnancy. However, successful implantation requires the synchronized development of both the uterus and the embryo, therefore, in which well communication and opportune regulation are necessary. This review focuses on the progression of studies that reveal the role of EVs in early pregnancy, especially during implantation. Based on current evidence, EVs are produced and exist in the environment for implantation. It has been proved that EVs of different origins such as endometrium and embryo, have positive influences on embryo implantation. With their cargos of proteins and nucleic acids (especially microRNAs), EVs exert their effects including information transportation, immune stimulation and regulation of gene expression.

The placenta plays a crucial role in mammalian fetal growth. The most important cell type in the placenta is the trophoblast cell. Many genes have been reported to play important functions in the differentiation of early placental trophoblast cells. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) is a systematic biological method for describing the correlation patterns among genes across microarray samples. We used WGCNA to screen placental trophoblast development-related genes, and through experimental confirmation, we showed that, among these genes, ELAC2 may play an important regulatory role in the early development of mammalian placental formation. ELAC2 regulates early placental trophoblast differentiation by affecting cell migration and cell proliferation. In addition, ELAC2 may be involved in regulating cell migration processes in a manner that affects epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Gas–liquid two-phase countercurrent flow limitation (CCFL) phenomena widely exist in nuclear power plants. In particular, the gas–liquid countercurrent flow limitation phenomena in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) or a small-break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLOCA) play an important role in nuclear reactor safety research. Over several decades, a series of experimental investigations and numerical studies have been carried out to study the CCFL phenomena in a PWR. For the experimental investigations, numerous experiments have been conducted, and different CCFL mechanisms and CCFL characteristics have been obtained in various test facilities simulating different scenarios in a PWR. The CCFL phenomena are affected by many factors, such as geometrical characteristics, liquid flow rates, and fluid properties. For the numerical studies, more and more numerical models were presented and applied to the calculations of two-phase countercurrent flow over the past several decades. It is considered that the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools can simulate most of the two-phase flow configurations encountered in nuclear power plants. In this paper, the experimental investigations and the numerical studies on two-phase countercurrent flow limitation in a PWR are comprehensively reviewed. This review provides a further understanding of CCFL in a PWR and gives directions regarding future studies. It is found that relatively fewer investigations using steam–water under high system pressures are performed due to the limitation of the test facilities and test conditions. There are a number of numerical studies on countercurrent two-phase flow in a PWR hot leg geometry, but the simulations in other flow channels were relatively rare. In addition, almost all of the numerical simulations do not include heat and mass transfer. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the effects of heat and mass transfer experimentally and numerically. Furthermore, it is of significance to perform numerical simulations for countercurrent two-phase flow with a fine computational grid and suitable models to predict the formation of small waves and the details in two-phase flow.

Retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORα) and nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1 (REV-ERBα) play critical roles in many human cancers. Whether RORα and REV-ERBα expression levels are associated with clinical characteristics are poorly understood, and they may be independent predictors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to investigate the correlation of RORα and REV-ERBα expression levels with clinicopathological parameters, OS, and PFS in GC. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were employed to assess the expression levels of RORα and REV-ERBα, which were downregulated in GC tissues compared with normal gastric tissues ( P

Countercurrent flow limitation (CCFL) refers to an important class of gravity-induced hydrodynamic processes that impose a serious restriction on the operation of gas–liquid two-phase systems. In a nuclear power plant, CCFL may occur in the liquid level measurement system where an orifice is applied in the pipeline, which may introduce error into the level measurement system. CCFL can occur in horizontal, vertical, inclined, and even much more complicated geometric patterns, and the hot-leg channel flow passage has been widely investigated; however, a pipeline with variable cross-sections, including an orifice, has not yet been investigated. An experimental investigation has been conducted in order to identify the phenomenon, pattern, and mechanism of CCFL onset in this type of geometry. Both visual and quantified experiments were carried out. A high-speed camera was applied to capture the flow pattern. Visual experiments were implemented at atmospheric pressure, while quantified pressurizer experiments were implemented at higher pressures. It was determined that if the condensate drainage is low and the liquid level is also low, with a stable stratified flow upstream of the orifice, there is no oscillation of the differential pressure. However, at higher condensate drainage levels, when the liquid level increases, a stratified wavy flow occurs. One of these waves can suddenly rise upstream of the orifice to choke it, which subsequently gives rise to differential pressure across the orifice, with periodic variation. This pattern alternately features stratified flow, stratified wavy flow, and slug flow, which indicates the occurrence of CCFL. The CCFL occurring under these experimental conditions can be expressed as a Wallis type correlation, where the coefficients m and C are 0.682 and 0.601, respectively.

Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is the most aggressive and fatal type of skin cancer. Its highly heterogeneous features make personalized treatments difficult, so there is an urgent need to identify markers for early diagnosis and therapy. Detailed profiles are useful for assessing malignancy potential and treatment in various cancers. In this study, we constructed a co-expression module using expression data for cutaneous melanoma. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to discover a co-expression gene module for the pathogenesis of this disease, followed by a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of selected hub genes. A connectivity map (CMap) was used to predict drugs for the treatment of SKCM based on hub genes, and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed to validate the protein levels. After discovering a co-expression gene module for the pathogenesis of this disease, we combined GWAS validation and DEG analysis to identify 10 hub genes in the most relevant module. Survival curves indicated that eight hub genes were significantly and negatively associated with overall survival. A total of eight hub genes were positively correlated with SKCM tumor purity, and 10 hub genes were negatively correlated with the infiltration level of CD4+ T cells and B cells. Methylation levels of seven hub genes in stage 2 SKCM were significantly lower than those in stage 3. We also analyzed the isomer expression levels of 10 hub genes to explore the therapeutic target value of 10 hub genes in terms of alternative splicing (AS). All 10 hub genes had mutations in skin tissue. Furthermore, CMap analysis identified cefamandole, ursolic acid, podophyllotoxin, and Gly-His-Lys as four targeted therapy drugs that may be effective treatments for SKCM. Finally, IHC staining results showed that all 10 molecules were highly expressed in melanoma specimens compared to normal samples. These findings provide new insights into SKCM pathogenesis based on multi-omics profiles of key prognostic biomarkers and drug targets. GPR143 and SLC45A2 may serve as drug targets for immunotherapy and prognostic biomarkers for SKCM. This study identified four drugs with significant potential in treating SKCM patients.

Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is a highly aggressive and resistant cancer with immense metabolic heterogeneity. Here, we performed a comprehensive examination of the diverse metabolic signatures of SKCM based on non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) categorization, clustering SKCM into three distinct metabolic subtypes (C1, C2, and C3). Next, we evaluated the metadata sets of the metabolic signatures, prognostic values, transcriptomic features, tumor microenvironment signatures, immune infiltration, clinical features, drug sensitivity, and immunotherapy response of the subtypes and compared them with those of prior publications for classification. Subtype C1 was associated with high metabolic activity, low immune scores, and poor prognosis. Subtype C2 displayed low metabolic activity, high immune infiltration, high stromal score, and high expression of immune checkpoints, demonstrating the drug sensitivity to PD-1 inhibitors. The C3 subtype manifested moderate metabolic activity, high enrichment in carcinogenesis-relevant pathways, high levels of CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), and poor prognosis. Eventually, a 90-gene classifier was produced to implement the SKCM taxonomy and execute a consistency test in different cohorts to validate its reliability. Preliminary validation was performed to ascertain the role of SLC7A4 in SKCM. These results indicated that the 90-gene signature can be replicated to stably identify the metabolic classification of SKCM. In this study, a novel SKCM classification approach based on metabolic gene expression profiles was established to further understand the metabolic diversity of SKCM and provide guidance on precisely targeted therapy to patients with the disease.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) refers to the abnormal response of cell-mediated progressive structural failure. In order to understand the molecular mechanism of the maintenance and destruction of the intervertebral disc, new IDD treatment methods are developed. Here, we first analyzed the key regulators of IDD through microRNAs microarrays. Then, the level of miR-31-5p was evaluated by qRT-PCR. The association between miR-31-5p and Stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1)/CXCR7 axis was assessed by 3′-untranslated region (UTR) cloning and luciferase assay. The apoptosis of cells under different treatments was evaluated by flow cytometer. The cell proliferation was assessed by EdU assay. After IDD model establishment, the discs of mice tail were harvested for histological and radiographic evaluation in each group. Finally, the protein levels of SDF-1, CXCR7, ADAMTS-5, Col II, Aggrecan, and MMP13 were assessed by western blot. The results show that miR-31-5p is a key regulator of IDD and its level is down-regulated in IDD. Overexpression of miR-31-5p facilitates nucleus pulposus cell proliferation, inhibits apoptosis, facilitates ECM formation, and inhibits the level of matrix degrading enzymes in NP cells. The SDF-1/CXCR7 axis is the direct target of miR-31-5p. miR-31-5p acts on IDD by regulating SDF-1/CXCR7. In vitro experiments further verified that the up-regulation of miR-31-5p prevented the development of IDD. In conclusion, overexpression of miR-31-5p can inhibit IDD by regulating SDF-1/CXCR7.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor, especially in children and adolescents. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are found to play roles in the progression of osteosarcoma. However, the exact functions of circRNAs in osteosarcoma development still need to be clarified. We obtained differentially expressed circRNAs and miRNAs from a GSE99671 data set (GEO database). The gene co-expression network of ceRNAs and osteosarcoma-related genes was analyzed using the STRING database. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of circ-03955 and miR-3662. Transwell assays and flow cytometry were performed to detect phenotypic changes in cell function. A xenograft tumor model was established using BALB/c nude mice. Dual luciferase activity and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were performed to assess the relationship between circ-03955, miR-3662, and metadherin (MTDH). Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting were used to assess protein expression levels. Circ-03955 was significantly upregulated, and miR-3662 was downregulated in osteosarcoma. Circ-03955 silencing inhibited the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma. Mechanism analysis revealed that circ-03955 could bind to miR-3662, and the latter could target MTDH, leading to its suppressed expression and facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). All these findings demonstrate that the presence of circ-03955 promotes EMT in osteosarcoma by acting as miR-3662 sponge-mediated MTDH expression.

In the production process for wooden furniture, the raw material costs account for more than 50% of furniture costs, and the utilization rate of raw materials depends mainly on the layout scheme. Therefore, a reasonable layout is an important measure to reduce furniture costs. This paper investigates the solid wood board cutting stock problem (CSP) and establishes an optimization model, with the goal of the highest possible utilization rate for original boards. An ant colony-immune genetic algorithm (AC-IGA) is designed to solve this model. The solutions of the ant colony algorithm are used as the initial population of the immune genetic algorithm, and the optimal solution is obtained using the immune genetic algorithm after multiple iterations are transformed into the accumulation of global pheromones, which improves the search ability and ensures the solution quality. The layout process of the solid wood board is abstracted into the construction process of the solution. At the same time, in order to prevent premature convergence, several improved methods, such as a global pheromone hybrid update and adaptive crossover probability, are proposed. Comparative experiments are designed to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the AC-IGA, and the experimental results show that the AC-IGA has better solution precision and global search ability compared with the ant colony algorithm (ACA), genetic algorithm (GA), grey wolf optimizer (GWO), and polar bear optimization (PBO). The utilization rate increased by more than 2.308%, which provides effective theoretical and methodological support for furniture enterprises to improve economic benefits.

Solid wood panels are widely used in the wood flooring and furniture industries, and paneling is an excellent material for indoor decoration. The classification of colors helps to improve the appearance of wood products assembled from multiple panels due to the differences in surface colors of solid wood panels. Traditional wood surface color classification mainly depends on workers’ visual observations, and manual color classification is prone to visual fatigue and quality instability. In order to reduce labor costs of sorting and to improve production efficiency, in this study, we introduced machine vision technology and an unsupervised learning technique. First-order color moments, second-order color moments, and color histogram peaks were selected to extract feature vectors and to realize data dimension reduction. The feature vector set was divided into different clusters by the K-means algorithm to achieve color classification and, thus, the solid wood panels with similar surface color were classified into one category. Furthermore, during twice clustering based on second-order color moment, texture recognition was realized on the basis of color classification. A sample of beech wood was selected as the research object, not only was color classification completed, but texture recognition was also realized. The experimental results verified the effectiveness of the technical proposal.

Abstract Failure of embryo implantation is a major limiting factor in early pregnancy and assisted reproduction. Determinants of implantation include the embryo viability, the endometrial receptivity, and embryo-maternal interactions. Multiple molecules are involved in the regulation of implantation, but their specific regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. MicroRNA (miRNA), functioning as the transcriptional regulator of gene expression, has been widely reported to be involved in embryo implantation. Recent studies reveal that miRNAs not only act inside the cells, but also can be released by cells into the extracellular environment through multiple packaging forms, facilitating intercellular communication and providing indicative information associated with physiological and pathological conditions. The discovery of extracellular miRNAs shed new light on implantation studies. MiRNAs provide new mechanisms for embryo-maternal communication. Moreover, they may serve as non-invasive biomarkers for embryo selection and assessment of endometrial receptivity in assisted reproduction, which improves the accuracy of evaluation while reducing the mechanical damage to the tissue. In this review, we discuss the involvement of miRNAs in embryo implantation from several aspects, focusing on the role of extracellular miRNAs and their potential applications in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to promote fertility efficiency.

In industrial applications, bolt connections are simple and economical, contributing to their popularity for use in wood packing boxes. However, they can easily fail when subjected to a continuous vibrational load under usual working conditions such as transportation and hoisting. Based on an ultrasonic technique, nondestructive evaluation can be used to quickly detect large-scale structures, but the complex propagation properties in wood limit its application. To solve this problem, a time-reversal method was adopted to predict the residual preload on bolted connections by focusing on the signals collected by wood structures, which helps to assess the structures’ reliability. In this study, the residual preload of bolted connections in wood structures was predicted using the deep-learning method, LSTM, one-dimensional Resnet and Densenet, and tree classification models. It was confirmed that the use of the time-reversal method for ultrasonic detection focused on the signals transmitted in bolted connections of wood structures and deep-learning methods are a feasible way to predict an ultrasonic transmission model.

Sawn timber is an important component material in furniture manufacturing, decoration, construction and other industries. The mechanical properties, surface colors, textures, use and other properties of sawn timber possesed by different tree species are different. In order to meet the needs of reasonable timber use and product quality of sawn timber products, sawn timber must be identified according to tree species to ensure the best use of materials. In this study, an optimized convolution neural network was proposed to process sawn timber image data to identify the tree species of the sawn timber. The spatial pyramid pooling and attention mechanism were used to improve the convolution layer of ResNet101 to extract the feature vector of sawn timber images. The optimized ResNet (simply called “AM-SPPResNet”) was used to identify the sawn timber image, and the basic recognition model was obtained. Then, the weight parameters of the feature extraction layer of the basic model were frozen, the full connection layer was removed, and using support vector machine (SVM) and XGBoost classifier which were commonly used in machine learning to train and learn the 21 × 1024 dimension feature vectors extracted by feature extraction layer. Through a number of comparative experiments, it is found that the prediction model using linear function as the kernel function of support vector machine learning the feature vectors extracted from the improved convolution layer performed best, and the F1 score and overall accuracy of all kinds of samples were above 99%. Compared with the traditional methods, the accuracy was improved by up to 12%.

The dynamic recrystallization of Mg–Al–Zn–Nd alloy during moderate strain rate rolling was studied using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The results showed three kinds of twinnings produced in the alloy in the strain rate range of 4.2 s ^−1 ∼7.3 s ^−1 , including $\{10\bar{1}2\}$ extension twinning, $\{10\bar{1}1\}$ contraction twinning, and $\left\{10\bar{1}1\right\}-\{10\bar{1}2\}$ double twinning. The extension twinnings decreased gradually with the increase of strain rate. The dynamic recrystallization mechanisms during hot rolling under moderate strain rate conditions mainly include grain boundary nucleation, twinning nucleation, and secondary particle assistant nucleation. The dynamic recrystallization mechanism induced by twinning is mainly $\left\{10\bar{1}1\right\}-\{10\bar{1}2\}$ double twinnings. In addition, the strain value near the Al–Nd phase and grain boundary is higher than in grain. The Al–Nd particles in Mg–Al–Zn–Nd alloy play an auxiliary nucleation effect on dynamic recrystallization during hot rolling deformation.

Solid wood flooring has good esthetic properties and is an excellent material for interior decoration. To meet the artistic effects of specific interior decoration requirements, the color of solid wood flooring needs to be coordinated. Thus, the color of the produced solid wood flooring needs to be sorted to meet the individual needs of customers. In this work, machine vision, deep learning methods, and ensemble learning methods are introduced to reduce the cost of manual sorting and improve production efficiency. The color CCD camera was used to collect 108 solid wood floors of three color grades provided by the company and obtained 108 18,000 × 2048 pixel wood images. A total of 432 images were obtained after data expansion. Deep learning methods, such as VGG16, DenseNet121, and XGBoost, were compared. After using XGBoost to filter the features, the accuracy of solid wood flooring color classification was 97.22%, the training model time was 5.27 s, the average test time for each picture was 51 ms, and a good result was achieved.

Wood is widely used in construction, the home, and art applications all over the world because of its good mechanical properties and aesthetic value. However, because the growth and preservation of wood are greatly affected by the environment, it often contains different types of defects that affect its performance and ornamental value. To solve the issues of high labor costs and low efficiency in the detection of wood defects, we used machine vision and deep learning methods in this work. A color charge-coupled device camera was used to collect the surface images of two types of wood from Akagi and Pinus sylvestris trees. A total of 500 images with a size of 200 × 200 pixels containing wood knots, dead knots, and checking defects were obtained. The transfer learning method was used to apply the single-shot multibox detector (SSD), a target detection algorithm and the DenseNet network was introduced to improve the algorithm. The mean average precision for detecting the three types of defects, live knots, dead knots and checking was 96.1%.

Synchronous communication between the developing embryo and the receptive endometrium is crucial for embryo implantation. Thus, uterine receptivity evaluation is vital in managing recurrent implantation failure (RIF). The potential roles of small extracellular vesicle (sEV) miRNAs in pregnancy have been widely studied. However, the systematic study of sEVs derived from endometrium and its cargos during the implantation stage have not yet been reported. In this study, we isolated endometrium-derived sEVs from the mouse endometrium on D2 (pre-receptive phase), D4 (receptive phase), and D5 (implantation) of pregnancy. Herein, we reveal that multivesicular bodies (MVBs) in the endometrium increase in number during the window of implantation (WOI). Moreover, our findings indicate that CD63, a well-known sEV marker, is expressed in the luminal and glandular epithelium of mouse endometrium. The sEV miRNA expression profiles indicated that miR-34c-5p, miR-210, miR-369-5p, miR-30b, and miR-582-5p are enriched during WOI. Further, we integrated the RIF’s database analysis results and found out that miR-34c-5p regulates growth arrest specific 1 (GAS1) for normal embryo implantation. Notably, miR-34c-5p is downregulated during implantation but upregulated in sEVs. An implication of this is the possibility that sEVs miR-34c-5p could be used to evaluate uterine states. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the endometrium derived-sEV miRNAs are potential biomarkers in determining the appropriate period for embryo implantation. This study also has several important implications for future practice, including therapy of infertility.

The present study examined the effects of green tea polyphenols (GTP), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and glucose on oocyte in vitro maturation, subsequent embryo development and blastocyst quality in bovine. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) were aspirated from the ovaries and cultured in synthetic oviduct fluid supplemented with MEM amino acids (SOFaa) media supplemented with one of the following supplements: GTP (0, 10, 15 and 20 µM), IGF-I (0, 50, 100 and 150 ng/mL) or glucose (0, 1.5, 5.6 and 20 mM) for 24 h. The results showed that oocytes cultured in media supplemented with 15 µM GTP, 100 ng/mL IGF-I and 5.6 mM glucose, in separate experiments, have higher cleavage and blastocyst rates compared with oocytes cultured in media without or with other concentration of GTP, IGF-I and glucose. Then these three substances with the concentration above were added together into SOFaa media and constituted a modified medium (Modified SOFaa). The COC were cultured in control SOFaa media and modified SOFaa media, respectively. The results showed that modified SOFaa media increased the intracellular glutathione concentration of matured oocytes, blastocyst rates and total cell numbers and cell numbers of inner cell mass per blastocyst compared with the control. Supplementing of GTP, IGF-I and glucose synchronously to maturation media can increase the intracellular GSH concentration of oocytes after in vitro maturation, and improve the embryo development and blastocyst quality in bovine.