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Tumorigenesis entails circumventing cell‐intrinsic regulatory mechanisms while avoiding extrinsic immune surveillance and other host defence systems. Nevertheless, how tumour cells' ability to eliminate misfolded proteins affects immune surveillance remains poorly understood. In this study, we find that overexpression of murine tripartite motif‐containing protein 30a (TRIM30a) sensitises tumour cells to natural killer (NK) cells‐mediated cytolysis. TRIM30a has no effect on tumour cell proliferation or apoptosis in vitro. However, TRIM30a‐overexpressing tumour cells grow substantially slower than control tumour cells in immune‐competent mice but not in NK cell‐depleted mice. [Correction added on 04 October 2023, after first online publication: 'NK‐depleted' has been changed to 'NK cell‐depleted' in the preceding sentence.] Mechanistically, TRIM30a overexpression impedes the clearance of misfolded proteins and increases the production of reactive oxygen species induced by proteotoxic stress, implying that TRIM30a impairs protein quality control (PQC) systems in tumour cells. Furthermore, TRIM30a reduces expression of genes encoding proteasome subunits and antioxidant proteins. Our study demonstrates that TRIM30a is a potential tumour suppressor and immune modulator that promotes tumour cytolysis by NK cells, and suggests that an enhanced PQC and antioxidant capacity is an integral part of the immune escape mechanism during tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uveitis is a major cause of vision impairment worldwide. Current treatments have limited effectiveness but severe complications. Mannose binding lectin (MBL) is an important protein of the innate immune system that binds to TLR4 and suppresses LPS‐induced inflammatory cytokine secretion. MBL‐mediated inhibition of inflammation via the TLR4 pathway and MBL‐derived peptides might be a potential therapeutics. In this study, we designed a novel MBL‐derived peptide, WP‐17, targeting TLR4. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted for the sequence, structure and biological properties of WP‐17. The binding of WP‐17 to THP‐1 cells was analyzed using flow cytometry. Signaling molecules were analyzed by western blotting, and activation of NF‐κB was measured by immunofluorescence‐histochemical analysis. Effects of WP‐17 were studied in vitro using LPS‐stimulated THP‐1 cells and in vivo in endotoxin‐induced uveitis (EIU). Our results showed that WP‐17 could bind to TLR4 expressed on macrophages, thus downregulating the expression levels of MyD88, IRAK‐4, and TRAF‐6, and inhibiting the downstream NF‐kB signaling pathway and LPS‐induced expression of TNF‐α and IL‐6 in THP‐1 cells. Moreover, in EIU rats, intravitreal pretreatment with WP‐17 demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on ocular inflammation, attenuating the clinical and histopathological manifestations of uveitis, reducing protein leakage and cell infiltration into the aqueous humor, and suppressing TNF‐α and IL‐6 production in ocular tissues. In summary, our study provides the first evidence of a novel MBL‐derived peptide that suppressed activation of the NF‐кB pathway by targeting TLR4. The peptide effectively inhibited rat uveitis and may be a promising candidate for the management of ocular inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible and tunable radar absorbers (RAs) are in great demand both in stealth technologies and electromagnetic delusion for concealment of complex targets such as aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle from radar detection. As a general approach, conventional lumped components such as varactor diodes and resistors are employed to achieve frequency and/or amplitude tunability of RAs. However, despite the intricate feeding networks and complex fabrication processes, this approach shows great difficulty in integrating the conventional rigid components with flexible substrate. Hence, it is an enormous challenge to realize both dual‐tunable and flexible RAs. Here the authors for the first time design and experimentally characterize a flexible and dual‐tunable RA with independent control of the frequency and amplitude. Most important is that the achieving both amplitude and frequency control is fully based on the tunability of graphene, without any lumped devices and intricate feeding network, and even without any metal involved. Hence, this dual‐tunable RA shows the priority of being flexible, light weight, and environmentally friendly. Although the prototype in this work is operating in microwave spectrum, the tunable functionalities at millimeter or terahertz spectral bands can also be obtained due to the intrinsic tunability of graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance The impact of tumour thickness on radiation complications following plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma in the anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) era remains unknown. Background: To evaluate treatment outcomes following plaque radiotherapy and prophylactic intravitreal bevacizumab for uveal melanoma based on initial tumour thickness. Design This was a retrospective, interventional case series. Participants: Patients with uveal melanoma were included in this study. Methods: A review of medical records was conducted of patients with uveal melanoma treated with plaque radiotherapy and prophylactic intravitreal bevacizumab from 7 July 2000 to 2 November 2018. Main outcomes measures: Radiation‐related outcomes of cystoid macular oedema (CME), radiation maculopathy, papillopathy, retinopathy, iris neovascularization (NVI) and neovascular glaucoma (NVG) were compared based on tumour thickness (small [<3.0 mm] vs medium [3.1‐8.0 mm] vs large [>8.0 mm]). Results: Of 1131 eyes, 341 (30%) had small, 633 (56%) medium and 157 (14%) large melanoma. Comparison (small vs medium vs large) at 4 years following radiotherapy revealed large melanoma with greater Kaplan‐Meier estimated risk of CME (37% vs 37% vs 63%, P <.001), earlier onset of CME (33 vs 26 vs 19 months, P <.001) and greater development of NVI (<1% vs 2% vs 13%, P <.001) and NVG (1% vs 2% vs 12%, P <.001). Radiation‐induced maculopathy, papillopathy and retinopathy were not associated with tumour thickness. Conclusions and relevance: Compared with small and medium uveal melanoma, large uveal melanoma demonstrated greater 48‐month risk for CME, shorter time to CME onset and greater development of NVI and NVG following plaque radiotherapy and prophylactic intravitreal bevacizumab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article talks about the mud volcanoes, the pressure release of internal trap fluid in strata leading to the formation of the volcanoes, significance of mud volcanoes in the scientific research on earth system and the materials that includes muddy sediments, gas and oil. It talks about hydrocarbons accumulation and gas hydrates mineralization that is related to the formation of mud volcanoes, amount of methane gas erupted by the volcano that causes greenhouse effect and climate change.

BACKGROUND Biocontrol is a promising strategy in the control of rice blast disease. In the present study, we isolated and characterized a novel antagonist to the pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae from rice endophytic actinomycetes. RESULTS Out of 482 endophytic actinomycetes isolated from rice blast infected and healthy rice, Streptomyces endus OsiSh-2 exhibited remarkable in vitro antagonistic activity. Scanning electron microscopy observations of M. oryzae treated by OsiSh-2 revealed significant morphological alterations in hyphae. In 2-year field tests, the spraying of OsiSh-2 spore solution (107 spores mL−1) is capable of reducing rice blast disease severity by 59.64%. In addition, a fermentation broth of OsiSh-2 and its cell-free filtrates could inhibit the growth of M. oryzae, suggesting the presence of active enzymes and secondary metabolites. OsiSh-2 tested positive for polyketide synthase-I and nonribosomal peptide synthetase genes and can produce cellulase, protease, gelatinase, siderophore, indole-3-acetic acid and 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase. A preliminary separation indicated that the methanol extract of OsiSh-2 could suppress the growth of pathogens. The major active component was identified as nigericin. CONCLUSION Endophytic S. endus OsiSh-2 has potential as a biocontrol agent against rice blast in agriculture. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] miR-93 is downregulated in the eyes of LPS-induced EIU rats. [•] miR-93 is downregulated in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells. [•] miR-93 inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine production. [•] miR-93 inhibits LPS-induced activation of NF-κB signaling through IRAK4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thrombomodulin (TM) is a single-transmembrane glycoprotein receptor for thrombin, which is best known as a cofactor for thrombin-mediated activation of anticoagulant protein C. C-type lectin-like domain (CTLD) of TM has distinct coagulation/fibrinolysis-independent anti-inflammatory properties. Here we found anti-inflammatory effects of a novel peptide (GC31) from CTLD of TM in endotoxin-induced uveitis, which was characterized by a reduction of leukocyte counts, protein concentration, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 levels in aqueous humor. Through in vitro experiments, we further found that GC31 suppressed TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-6 expressions in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells and interrupted LPS-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. These data indicate a beneficial role of peptide GC31 in preventing intraocular inflammatory response, especially uveitis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Death domain-associated protein (Daxx) regulates both transcription and apoptosis. The role of Daxx in transcription is not well understood. Here, we show that Daxx interacts with Skip/NcoA62, a transcription cofactor that modulates the activity of oncoproteins including Ski and NotchIC. Daxx strongly binds with Skip both in vitro and in mammalian cells. This interaction is mediated by the PAH2 domain of Daxx and the highly conserved SNW domain of Skip. Daxx partially co-localizes with Skip in vivo and changes the cellular distribution of Skip. In addition, Skip represses transcription when tethered to a promoter, and Daxx antagonizes this activity. Furthermore, Skip is phosphorylated at serine 224 in its SNW domain. These results suggest a novel function of Daxx in transcription regulation through alteration of the cellular localization of Skip. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The cover image, by Ting Xu et al., is based on the Research Article Isolation and evaluation of endophytic Streptomyces endus OsiSh-2 with potential application for biocontrol of rice blast disease, DOI: . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]