Search

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are critical regulator contributing to the onset and progression of liver fibrosis. Chronic liver injury triggers HSCs to undergo vast changes and trans‐differentiation into a myofibroblast HSCs, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. This study investigated that the involvement of hydroxymethylase TET1 (ten–eleven translocation 1) in HSC activation and liver fibrosis. It is revealed that TET1 levels were downregulated in the livers in mouse models of liver fibrosis and patients with cirrhosis, as well as activated HSCs in comparison to quiescent HSCs. In vitro data showed that the inhibition of TET1 promoted the activation HSC, whereas TET1 overexpression inhibited HSC activation. Moreover, TET1 could regulate KLF2 (Kruppel‐like transcription factors) transcription by promoting hydroxymethylation of its promoter, which in turn suppressed the activation of HSCs. In vivo, it is confirmed that liver fibrosis was aggravated in Tet1 knockout mice after CCl4 injection, accompanied by excessive activation of primary stellate cells, in contrast to wild‐type mice. In conclusion, we suggested that TET1 plays a significant role in HSC activation and liver fibrosis, which provides a promising target for anti‐fibrotic therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) has been linked to severe negative maternal–fetal pregnancy outcomes, including a high risk of maternal death. The goal of this study was to determine whether an abdominal aortic balloon block performed before fetal birth lowered intraoperative bleeding and the risk of severe bleeding, as opposed to a block performed after fetal birth. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients who underwent pre‐delivery or post‐delivery inflation were compared for intraoperative hemorrhage, transfusion rate, hysterectomy rate, intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization, and newborn indices. To ensure the robustness of our findings, we applied multivariate logistic regression, propensity score analysis, and an inverse probability‐weighting model. Results: This study included 168 patients who underwent balloon occlusion (62 pre‐delivery, 106 post‐delivery). The overall probability of major bleeding was 56.5% (95/168), and the pre‐delivery and post‐delivery probabilities for major bleeding were 64.5% (40/62) and 51.9% (55/106) (P = 0.112), respectively. In the multivariable‐adjusted model, post‐delivery inflation was associated with a 33% numerically higher probability of massive bleeding (odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval 0.54–3.25, P = 0.535). However, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: According to our findings, pre‐delivery inflation did not significantly reduce the risk or amount of severe bleeding. Synopsis: Effects of aortic balloon inflation timing on intraoperative hemorrhage and the fetus remain unknown. We performed inflation after delivery (post‐inflation) or at uterus incision (pre‐inflation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer RNA‐derived fragments are a group of small noncoding single‐stranded RNA that play essential roles in multiple diseases. However, their biological functions in carcinogenesis are not well understood. In this study, 5′tRF‐Gly was found to have significantly high expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the upregulation of 5′tRF‐Gly was positively correlated with tumor size and tumor metastasis. Overexpression of 5′tRF‐Gly induced increased growth rate and metastasis in HCC cells in vitro and in nude mice, while knockdown showed the opposite effect. Carcinoembryonic antigen‐related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) was confirmed to be a direct target of 5′tRF‐Gly in HCC. In addition, the cytological effect of CEACAM1 knockdown proved to be similar to the overexpression of 5′tRF‐Gly. Moreover, attenuation of CEACAM1 expression rescued the 5′tRF‐Gly‐mediated promoting effects on HCC cells. These data show that 5′tRF‐Gly is a new tumor‐promoting factor and could be a potential diagnostic biomarker or new therapeutic target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time‐of‐use (TOU) electricity prices are implemented based on the response characteristics of users. TOU prices guide the electricity consumption behaviour of users and make them actively respond to peak shaving and valley filling. In this paper, the conventional psychology response model of consumers is improved based on the history data of customer response to the TOU price. The paper defines four types of response load curves and proposes the response reliability indices. Additionally, it establishes the probability models of customer response. According to the characteristics of customer response, the sensitivity analysis of influencing factors and the risk analysis of customers are carried out according to the probability model of response. For instance, risk and characteristics analyses of the customer response were performed using the load data of residential areas in Nanjing city. The results indicate that the probability distribution of the customer response is approximate to the trapezoid distribution. The sequence of sensitivity coefficients of customer response factors is as follows: customer income, type of customer, and electrical equipment. The proposed method provides a scientific basis for electricity price implementers to accurately grasp the response behaviour of the user and establish a reasonable demand response strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh garlic scape is popular for its unique tastes and special antibacterial effect. As a kind of seasonal vegetable, it has huge quality decay after harvesting, and usually by low temperature storage to approach the round‐year supply. However, it lacks cold chain management directions and transparency, which depends heavily on the real‐time information of the process environments and the quality of fresh garlic scapes. With the analyzed quality‐related indicators, including temperature, relative humidity, gas composition and vibration, a multi‐sensors information acquisition system based on wireless sensor network was designed and developed. Then, the process of the fresh garlic scapes supply were systematically analyzed and identified, and the proposed system was also evaluated using the monitored data in current practices. Results show that the transportation and cold storage occupies an important position in the typical garlic scapes supply process, which has continuous influences on the quality preservation. The developed system functions well, and the wireless multi‐sensors nodes can real‐time monitor environmental information with high data reliability. The data evaluation also demonstrates the association of the monitored quality‐related data with the supply process stage. Meanwhile, it is the visualization of the quality‐related data that enhance the real‐time sensing of the quality in storage, the transparency of the supply process and the cold chain management level. Furthermore, the system should be further enhanced with the better data quality acquired by the nodes for better quality sensing and management of the fresh garlic scapes supply process. Practical Applications: Significant benefits of this work are anticipated on the postharvest and preservation of garlic scapes to the market and reduction of its losses in the postharvest chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) play critical roles in regulating target gene expression and multiple cellular processes in human cancer malignant progression. However, the function of miR‐194 in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear and controversial. In this study, we identified a series of miRNAs that can serve as prognostic biomarkers for GC by analysis of miRNA expression using The Cancer Genome Atlas data. Among them, miR‐100, miR‐125b, miR‐199a, and miR‐194 were the four most promising prognostic biomarkers in GC due to their significant associations with various clinical characteristics of patients. miR‐100, miR‐125b, and miR‐199a predicted poor prognosis in GC, while miR‐194 predicted favorable prognosis in GC. We also provide the first comprehensive transcriptome analysis of miR‐194 in GC. Our data suggest that miR‐194 tends to regulate target genes by binding to their 3′ UTRs in a 7‐mer‐A1, 7‐mer‐m8, or 8‐mer manner. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the cell cycle was one of the pathways most affected by miR‐194 in GC. Moreover, CCND1 was shown to be a novel target gene of miR‐194 in GC. Additionally, downregulation of CCND1 by miR‐194 in GC further led to cell growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest. In conclusion, miR‐100, miR‐125b, miR‐199a, and miR‐194 may have potential as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers for GC. miR‐194 suppresses GC cell growth mainly through targeting CCND1 and induction of cell cycle arrest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have shown an important role for long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) in breast cancer progression. The present study investigated the role of lncRNA Opa interacting protein 5‐antisense RNA 1 (OIP5‐AS1) in the progression of breast cancer. OIP5‐AS1 was significantly upregulated in breast cancer tissues and in breast cancer cell lines, and OIP5‐AS1 downregulation inhibited the malignant behavior of breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. For in‐depth exploration of the mechanism of OIP5‐AS1 in breast cancer, we found that expression of microRNA‐129‐5p(miR‐129‐5p), which was found to bind sites in the sequence of OIP5‐AS1, in breast cancer tissues was negatively correlated with OIP5‐AS1. Also, luciferase assays indicated that OIP5‐AS1 acted as a miR‐129‐5p sponge, resulting in upregulated expression of the sex‐determining region Y‐box 2 (SOX2) transcription factor. Our study showed that OIP5‐AS1 plays a critical role in promoting breast cancer progression and that OIP5‐AS1 downregulation targets SOX2 by miR‐129‐5p upregulation. lncRNA OIP5‐AS1 promotes breast cancer malignant phenotype. 2. lncRNA OIP5‐AS1 acts as ceRNA, targeting SOX2 by regulating miR‐129‐5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimizing surgical blood loss at cesarean hysterectomy for placenta previa with evidence of placenta increta or placenta percreta: the state of play in 2020. Timing of intra-abdominal aortic balloon occlusion for prevention of hemorrhage in patients with placenta previa and placenta accreta spectrum. Response: Timing of intra-abdominal aortic balloon occlusion for prevention of hemorrhage in patients with placenta previa and placenta accreta spectrum. [Extracted from the article]

A series of novel pyrrolidinyl linker TRPV1 antagonists were prepared in an effort to lower the hyperthermic side-effects of first-generation antagonist BCTC. These compounds were investigated for antagonism of hTRPV1 activation by capsaicin and acid in vitro. Preliminary results suggested the compounds 10a, 10b, 10c and 10j had favorable TRPV1 antagonism activity. In further studies in vivo, 10b, comparable to BCTC, showed potent analgesic activity in capsaicin-induced and heat-induced pain models. In addition, 10b indicated a reduced risk of body temperature elevation. All of these demonstrated that 10b can be considered as a safe candidate for the further development of analgesic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory and pain are major areas for drug discovery. Current analgesic drugs often cause a number of side-effects. In the present study, we modified carboxylic acid group of ibuprofen, one of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, based on the common structure of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 antagonists which are considered as new candidates for analgesic drugs, and synthesized several derivatives of ibuprofen. Comprehensive evaluations of the pharmacological properties of these compounds were investigated. Compound 17 showed weak cyclooxygenase inhibition and exhibited strong transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 antagonistic activity. It was found to be capable of blocking noxious thermal nociception and capsaicin-induced nociception in mice. Besides, 17 showed less ulcerogenic action than ibuprofen did and had no hyperthermia side-effect compared with common transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 antagonists. Therefore, it suggested that 17 could be used as a safe alternative analgesic candidate for pain treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]