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Lung cancer remains the most common malignancy in China. This study aims to provide scientific support for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer by analyzing the epidemiological trends of lung cancer in China from 1990 to 2019. Based on the global health exchange database (GHDx), joinpoint and age-period-cohort analyses were performed to explore the trend of lung cancer incidence and mortality rates from 1990 to 2019. According to incidence rates from 1990 to 2019, a model was constructed to predict the incidence rates in the next 5 years. In addition, changes in risk factors associated with lung cancer deaths were compared between 1990 and 2019 and between males and females in 2019. The results are as follows. The age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs), and age-standardized death rates (ASDRs) of lung cancer among Chinese had overall upward trends from 1990 to 2019. The ASDRs of females and males in China decreased since 2010. Interestingly, from 2016 to 2019, the ASIRs and ASDRs of females rose significantly. The age-period-cohort model showed that the incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer in China increased with age, and the growth rate accelerated after 45 years old. After 2004, the relative risks of lung cancer incidence increased with the passage of the period. Also, after the 1950–1954 birth cohort, the risks of lung cancer incidence and death began to decrease. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model predicted that the incidence rates of lung cancer in China would continue to rise in the next 5 years. The top five risk factors for lung cancer deaths of both genders in 2019 were smoking, ambient particulate matter pollution, secondhand smoke, high fasting plasma glucose, and household air pollution from solid fuels. The above results provided precise clues for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer in China.

The growth of secondary hair follicles in cashmere goats follows a seasonal cycle. Melatonin can regulate the cycle of cashmere growth. In this study, melatonin was implanted into live cashmere goats. After skin samples were collected, transcriptome sequencing and histological section observation were performed, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify key genes and establish an interaction network. A total of 14 co-expression modules were defined by WGCNA, and combined with previous analysis results, it was found that the blue module was related to the cycle of cashmere growth after melatonin implantation. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis showed that the first initiation of exogenous melatonin-mediated cashmere development was related mainly to the signaling pathway regulating stem cell pluripotency and to the Hippo, TGF-beta and MAPK signaling pathways. Via combined differential gene expression analyses, 6 hub genes were identified: PDGFRA, WNT5A, PPP2R1A, BMPR2, BMPR1A, and SMAD1. This study provides a foundation for further research on the mechanism by which melatonin regulates cashmere growth.

The secreted protein isthmin-1 (Ism1) mitigates diabetes by increasing adipocyte and skeletal muscle glucose uptake by activating the PI3K-Akt pathway. However, while both Ism1 and insulin converge on these common targets, Ism1 has distinct cellular actions suggesting divergence in downstream intracellular signaling pathways. To understand the biological complexity of Ism1 signaling, we performed phosphoproteomic analysis after acute exposure, revealing overlapping and distinct pathways of Ism1 and insulin. We identify a 53% overlap between Ism1 and insulin signaling and Ism1-mediated phosphoproteome-wide alterations in ~450 proteins that are not shared with insulin. Interestingly, we find several unknown phosphorylation sites on proteins related to protein translation, mTOR pathway, and, unexpectedly, muscle function in the Ism1 signaling network. Physiologically, Ism1 ablation in mice results in altered proteostasis, including lower muscle protein levels under fed and fasted conditions, reduced amino acid incorporation into proteins, and reduced phosphorylation of the key protein synthesis effectors Akt and downstream mTORC1 targets. As metabolic disorders such as diabetes are associated with accelerated loss of skeletal muscle protein content, these studies define a non-canonical mechanism by which this antidiabetic circulating protein controls muscle biology.

Loess, distributed all over the world, exhibits the behavior that is related to their formation history, mineralogy, and microstructure, which can cause serious geotechnical engineering problems. This paper presents the Baozhong railway is a key transportation channel for Guyuan city in Ningxia province of northwestern China. Based on field investigations treasure middle section of the railway in the study area, it is found that the more serious diseases subgrade settlement, local roads embankment platform dislocation occurs and lots of cracks were founded. For several years, with the train speed increasing, and due to the influence of widespread flood irrigation on the farmland, the subgrade experienced a degree of settlement. This settlement was not alleviated after three treatments, which seriously affected train safety. In order to analyze the reason for the railway line settlement, soil samples were collected from the collapsible loess subgrade. Consolidation test, particle size analysis test, X-ray diffraction test (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy test (SEM) were performed to investigate the mechanism of the subgrade disease. The results reveal that loess collected from severe differential settlements at locations has a highly compressible, and its clay content and agglomeration level was generally low. These results illustrated that the particle size of 20–50 microns has a direct effect on its mechanical properties of loess. This part of the particles has a cementation effect. It can effectively connect the large particles of the skeleton to form particle agglomerates and is an effective composition of loess clay minerals. Therefore, the loess structure was not stable due to its relatively low internal molecular attraction. When such saturated collapsible loess subgrade subjected to train vibration load, the soil might be liquefied, and its structure might be instable. If the drainage of the subgrade was not well designed, severe differential settlements would occur. The research is of great significance to clarify the relationship between loess particle composition, microstructure and its macromechanics, providing a vital reference for the engineering construction in the loess-dominated areas.

The technology of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is extensively utilized across various domains due to its exceptional mobility, cost-effectiveness, rapid deployment, and flexible configuration. However, its limited storage space and the contradiction between the large amount of image data returned and the limited bandwidth in emergency scenarios necessitate the development of a suitable UAVs image compression technology. In this research, we propose an image splicing compression algorithm based on the extended Kalman filter for UAV communication (SEKF-UC). Firstly, we introduce the concept of image splicing to enhance the compression ratio while ensuring image quality, leveraging the characteristics of deep learning-based compression, which are relatively unaffected by the size of the compressed data. Secondly, to address the issue of slow processing speed of deep neural networks (DNN) caused by the substantial volume of data involved in image splicing, we incorporate an extended Kalman filter module to expedite the process. Simulation experiments show that our proposed algorithm outperforms existing methods in multiple ways, achieving a significant compression ratio improvement, from 2:1 to 25:1, with a marginal reduction of 6.5% in structural similarity (SSIM) compared to the non-spliced approach. Moreover, for deep neural networks (DNN), our method incorporating the extended Kalman filter module achieves the same error level with only 30 iterations—a significant reduction compared to the traditional BP algorithm’s requirement of over 4000 iterations—while improving the average network operation speed by an impressive 89.76%. Additionally, our algorithm excels in image quality, with peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) improving by 92.7% and SSIM by 42.1%, at most, compared to other algorithms. These results establish our algorithm as a highly efficient and effective solution, suitable for various image processing and data compression applications.

In this paper, we report the preparation of a gas diffusion layer (GDL) with different gradient pore size structures. The pore structure of microporous layers (MPL) was controlled by the amount of pore-making agent sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). We investigated the effects of the two-stage MPL and the different pore size structures in the two-stage MPL on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). The conductivity and water contact angle tests showed that the GDL had outstanding conductivity and good hydrophobicity. The results of the pore size distribution test indicated that introducing a pore-making agent altered the pore size distribution of the GDL and increased the capillary pressure difference within the GDL. Specifically, there was an increase in pore size within the 7–20 μm and 20–50 μm ranges, which improved the stability of water and gas transmission within the fuel cell. The maximum power density of the GDL03 was increased by 37.1% at 40% humidity, 38.9% at 60% humidity, and 36.5% at 100% humidity when compared to the commercial GDL29BC in a hydrogen-air environment. The design of gradient MPL ensured that the pore size between carbon paper and MPL changed from an initially abrupt state to a smooth transition state, which significantly improved the water and gas management capabilities of PEMFC.

The RNA pseudoknot of SARS-CoV-2 promotes -1 programmed ribosomal frameshifting. Here the authors use single molecule force spectroscopy to study the folding of this pseudoknot, showing that it forms at least two different pseudoknot conformers with distinct fold topologies.

For a multi-robot system, the accurate global map building based on a local map obtained by a single robot is an essential issue. The map building process is always divided into three stages: single-robot map acquisition, multi-robot map transmission, and multi-robot map merging. Based on the different stages of map building, this paper proposes a multi-stage optimization (MSO) method to improve the accuracy of the global map. In the map acquisition stage, we windowed the map based on the position of the robot to obtain the local map. Furthermore, we adopted the extended Kalman filter (EKF) to improve the positioning accuracy, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the map acquisition by the single robot. In the map transmission stage, considering the robustness of the multi-robot system in the real environment, we designed a dynamic self-organized communication topology (DSCT) based on the master and slave sketch to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of map transferring. In the map merging stage, multi-layer information filtering (MLIF) was investigated to increase the accuracy of the global map. We performed simulation experiments on the Gazebo platform and compared the result of the proposed method with that of classic map building methods. In addition, the practicability of this method has been verified on the Turtlebot3 burger robot. Experimental results proved that the MSO method improves the accuracy of the global map built by the multi-robot system.

Ultra-high-field (UHF) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has potential for imaging disease including cancer metastasis. Here, the authors develop an ultra-sensitive antiferromagnetic nanoparticle probe with a small magnetisation for use in UHF MRI and demonstrate the ability to detect small primary tumours and micrometastases in mice.

The title compound, C19H13N, which crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/c space group with one half-molecule in the asymmetric unit, was synthesized by Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of 9-bromoanthracene with pyridin-4-ylboronic acid and purified by column chromatography on silica gel. Light-yellow crystals of 4-(anthracen-9-yl)-pyridine suitable for X-ray diffraction were collected by the solvent evaporation method. In the crystal, pairs of molecules are connected by intermolecular C—H...π (pyridine) interactions [d(H7...Cg) = 2.7391 (2) Å], forming cyclic centrosymmetric dimers, further resulting in an infinite one-dimensional linear chain along the c-axis direction. Weak face-to-face π–π stacking interactions [d(Cg...Cg) = 3.6061 (2) Å] link neighboring lamellar networks into the supramolecular structure.

Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocyte in human blood. They are critical for fighting infections and are involved in inflammatory diseases. Mitochondria are indispensable for eukaryotic cells, as they control the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production. Mitochondria in neutrophils have been underestimated since glycolysis is a major metabolic pathway for fuel production in neutrophils. However, several studies have shown that mitochondria are greatly involved in multiple neutrophil functions as well as neutrophil-related diseases. In this review, we focus on how mitochondrial components, metabolism, and related genes regulate neutrophil functions and relevant diseases.

Automatic identification of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data can effectively assist to doctors diagnose and treat Alzheimer's. Current methods improve the accuracy of AD recognition, but they are insufficient to address the challenge of small interclass and large intraclass differences. Some studies attempt to embed patch-level structure in neural networks which enhance pathologic details, but the enormous size and time complexity render these methods unfavorable. Furthermore, several self-attention mechanisms fail to provide contextual information to represent discriminative regions, which limits the performance of these classifiers. In addition, the current loss function is adversely affected by outliers of class imbalance and may fall into local optimal values. Therefore, we propose a 3D Residual RepVGG Attention network (ResRepANet) stacked with several lightweight blocks to identify the MRI of brain disease, which can also trade off accuracy and flexibility. Specifically, we propose a Non-local Context Spatial Attention block (NCSA) and embed it in our proposed ResRepANet, which aggregates global contextual information in spatial features to improve semantic relevance in discriminative regions. In addition, in order to reduce the influence of outliers, we propose a Gradient Density Multiple-weighting Mechanism (GDMM) to automatically adjust the weights of each MRI image via a normalizing gradient norm. Experiments are conducted on datasets from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Aging (AIBL). Experiments on both datasets show that the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and Area Under the Curve are consistently better than for state-of-the-art methods.

The placenta is a vital organ for fetal development, providing the fetus with nutrients, oxygen, and other important factors. Placenta is rich in blood vessels. Abnormal placental vascular function and blood circulation may lead to insufficient blood supply to the fetus in the uterus, leading to serious consequences such as pregnancy complications, fetal distress and even stillbirth. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are common complications of pregnancy. Recent studies report that pregnancy complications are often accompanied by changes in placental vascular structure and function. What are the physiological characteristics of human placental blood vessels? What are the pathological changes in the state of PIH and GDM? What are the relationships between these pathological changes and the occurrence of these pregnancy complications? Answers to these questions not only increase the understanding of placental vascular characteristics, but also provide important information for revealing the pathological mechanism of PIH and GDM. This article will summarize the research on the pathological changes of placental blood vessels in PIH and GDM, hoping to further unravel the physiological and pathological characteristics of placental blood vessels in the state of PIH and GDM, provide information for guiding clinical treatment for PIH and GDM.

PurposePheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PCC/PGL; collectively known as PPGL) can be driven by germline and somatic mutations in susceptibility genes. We aimed to investigate the mutation profile and clinical features of pathogenic genes in highly genetically heterogeneous PPGL and to preliminary explore molecular therapeutic targets in PPGL.MethodsWe established a panel of 260 genes, including susceptibility genes of PPGL and other important tumorigenic genes to sequence 107 PPGL tissues.ResultsOverall, 608 genomic mutations were identified in 107 PPGL tissues. Almost 57% of PPGL tissue samples exhibited pathogenic mutations, and the most frequently mutated gene was SDHB (15/107, 14%). SDHB and HRAS were the most commonly mutated genes in germline-mutated PPGL (25/107, 23%) and nongermline-mutated PPGL (36/107, 34%), respectively. In addition, novel pathogenic mutations were detected in sporadic PPGL. PPGL with mutations in the hypoxia pathway had an earlier onset and higher norepinephrine level than those in the kinase pathway. Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK; 22%, 24/107), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK; 14%, 15/107), and tyrosine kinase (TK; 2%, 2/107) pathways were the most frequently mutated pathways in PPGL.ConclusionOur results provided the genetic mutation profile in PPGL tissues. Genetic mutations in PPGL were mainly concentrated in the RTK, TK, and MAPK pathways, suggesting potential molecular therapeutic targets for PPGL.

BackgroundDifferent iodine supplement measures emerge along with the economy development in China. The article objectives are to compare and explore the relationship between iodine sources and nutrition of pregnant women and adults.MethodsA total of 2,145 pregnant women and 1,660 adults were investigated by multi-stage random method. Questionnaire was used to collect basic information and the consumption of food, water, and iodine preparations. Household salt and individual urine and blood samples were collected, and thyroid function and morphology of pregnant women were measured.ResultsThe median urinary iodine concentration (MUIC) of pregnant women (164.49 μg/L) was lower than adults (187.30 μg/L, p < 0.05). Iodine supplement with IS (iodized salt) was the main measure for pregnant women and adults, and the difference was mainly on the consumption of iodine preparations between pregnant women (5.19%) and adults (0.85%). Moreover, adults’ dietary iodine intake from food (100.6 μg/day), IS (140.8 μg/day), and drinking water (6.0 μg/day) was higher than those of pregnant women (86.5, 107.2, and 3.5 μg/day, respectively). Compared with iodine supplement with IS, ISFP (IS + iodine-rich food + iodine preparations) could reduce the risk of iodine deficiency for pregnant women. The MUICs for pregnant women and adults of iodine supplements with IF (iodine-rich food) and ISF (IS + iodine-rich food) were lower. For pregnant women, thyroid nodule (11.90%) and peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) positive (9.32%) were high prevalent thyroid diseases, and habitation (urban/rural), gestation, annual income, and drinking water type would affect them.ConclusionPregnant women and adults had adequate iodine nutrition in four provinces. Their iodine supplement measures were different, the consumption of iodine preparations in pregnant women was higher, and their dietary iodine intake was lower than adults. ISFP was an effect measure for pregnant women to supplement iodine.

Megakaryocytes (MKs) continuously produce platelets to support hemostasis and form a niche for hematopoietic stem cell maintenance in the bone marrow. MKs are also involved in inflammatory responses; however, the mechanism remains poorly understood. Using single-cell sequencing, we identified a CXCR4 highly expressed MK subpopulation, which exhibited both MK-specific and immune characteristics. CXCR4high MKs interacted with myeloid cells to promote their migration and stimulate the bacterial phagocytosis of macrophages and neutrophils by producing TNFα and IL-6. CXCR4high MKs were also capable of phagocytosis, processing, and presenting antigens to activate T cells. Furthermore, CXCR4high MKs also egressed circulation and infiltrated into the spleen, liver, and lung upon bacterial infection. Ablation of MKs suppressed the innate immune response and T cell activation to impair the anti-bacterial effects in mice under the Listeria monocytogenes challenge. Using hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell lineage-tracing mouse lines, we show that CXCR4high MKs were generated from infection-induced emergency megakaryopoiesis in response to bacterial infection. Overall, we identify the CXCR4high MKs, which regulate host-defense immune response against bacterial infection.

We isolated and purified a novel polysaccharide from the root of Chuanminshen violaceum, namely, Chuanminshen violaceumis polysaccharide (CVP) and confirmed its structure and molecular weight. Furthermore, in vivo experiment, CVP’s protective effect against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice was evidenced by significantly reducing I/R-induced myocardial infarction (MI) size, decreasing the secretion of heart damage biomarkers, and improving cardiac function. Then, the myocardial anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) injury model was established to mimic reperfusion injury. Noticeably, ferroptosis was the major death manner for A/R-damaged H9c2 cells. Meanwhile, CVP significantly inhibited ferroptosis by decreasing intracellular Fe2+ level, enhancing GPX4 expression, and suppressing lipid peroxidation to confront A/R injury. In conclusion, CVP, with a clear structure, ameliorated I/R injury by inhibiting ferroptosis.

Several previous studies discussed the association between vitamin K (VK) status and cognition. But the association between dietary VK consumption and cognitive performance in the elderly was not well understood. Therefore, we investigated the correlation between dietary VK intake and the cognition of the elderly. Our research used the data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2014. The dietary intake of VK was assessed by two 24-h dietary recalls. The cognitive function was measured in the survey of NHANES, including the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s disease Word Learning subtest (CERAD W-L), Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models were applied to assess the relationship between dietary VK intake and cognition. Compared with the lowest dietary VK intake group, the multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (95% CI)] of low CERAD W-L score for the highest intake group was 0.39 (0.26–0.60), the multivariate-adjusted OR (95% CI) of low AFT score was 0.59 (0.38–0.92), and the multivariate-adjusted OR (95% CI) of low DSST score was 0.44 (0.29–0.65), respectively. There was an L-shaped dose–response relationship between dietary VK intake and low CERAD W-L score. There was a linear dose–response relationship between dietary VK intake and low AFT score, and there was also a linear dose–response relationship for the low DSST score. In addition, we also found a negative association between VK from vegetables and the risk of low CERAD W-L scores. Dietary VK intake and VK intake from vegetables were inversely related to the risk of low cognitive performance of the elderly.

ObjectiveThis study aims to identify the risk factors associated with short stature in children born small for gestational age (SGA) at full-term.MethodsThis was a retrospective study. The subjects were full-term SGA infants who were followed up until the age of 2 years. The risk factors for short stature were identified with univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsOf 456 full-term SGA children enrolled in this study, 28 cases had short stature at 2 years of age. A significant decrease in placental perfusion was found in the short children group with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) technology, which was an advanced bi-exponential diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) model of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (p = 0.012). Compared to non-short children born SGA at full-term, the short children group underwent an incomplete catch-up growth. Mothers who suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus were more likely to have a short child born SGA (p = 0.023). The morbidity of giant placental chorioangioma was higher in the short children group. The pulsatility index (PI), resistivity index (RI), and systolic-diastolic (S/D) ratio of umbilical artery were higher in the short children group than in the non-short control group (p = 0.042, 0.041, and 0.043). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that decrease of perfusion fraction (fp) in IVIM of placental MRI, chromosomal abnormalities, short parental height, and absence of catch-up growth were associated with a higher risk of short stature in children born SGA at full-term.ConclusionRisk factors for short stature in full-term SGA children at 2 years of age included a decrease of perfusion fraction fp in IVIM of placental MRI, chromosomal abnormalities, and short parental height.

ObjectiveIctal semiology is a fundamental part of the presurgical evaluation of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. We aimed to identify different anatomical and semiologic subgroups in temporal lobe seizures, and investigate the correlation between them.MethodsWe enrolled 93 patients for whom stereoelectroencephalography exploration indicated that the seizure-onset zone was within the temporal lobe. Ictal signs and concomitant stereoelectroencephalography changes were carefully reviewed and quantified, and then cluster analysis and the Kendall correlation test were used to associate ictal signs with the temporal structures of patients.ResultsClustering analysis identified two main groups of temporal structures. Group 1 consisted of the medial temporal lobe structures and the temporal pole, which were divided into two subgroups. Group 1A included the hippocampal head, hippocampal body, and amygdala, and this subgroup correlated significantly with oroalimentary automatisms, feeling of fear, and epigastric auras. Group 1B included the hippocampal tail, temporal pole, and parahippocampal gyrus, and this subgroup correlated significantly with manual and oroalimentary automatisms. Group 2 consisted of the cortical structures of the temporal lobe and was also divided into two subgroups. Group 2A included the superior and middle temporal gyrus, correlated significantly with bilateral rictus/facial contraction, generalized tonic–clonic seizure, and manual automatisms. Group 2B included Heschl's gyrus, the inferior temporal gyrus, and the fusiform gyrus, and this subgroup correlated significantly with auditory auras, focal hypokinetics, unilateral upper and lower limbs tonic posture/clonic signs, head/eye deviation, unilateral versive signs, and generalized tonic–clonic seizure.SignificanceThe temporal structures can be categorized according to the level at which each structure participates in seizures, and different anatomical subgroups can be correlated with different ictal signs. Identifying specific semiologic features can help us localize the epileptogenic zone and thus develop stereoelectroencephalography electrode implantation and surgical resection protocols for patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Abstract Backgrounds The COVID-19 Pandemic has a great impact on hospitals and patients. The 14-day quarantine caused surgery of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) postponed. We aimed to explore the risk factors of RRD progression in a group of patients whose surgery was postponed during the top-level emergency response of COVID-19. Methods A retrospective case series. Medical records of all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of RRD who underwent a surgical treatment at Beijing Tongren Hospital’s retina service from February 16, 2020, to April 30, 2020 have been reviewed retrospectively. Medical history, symptoms, and clinical signs of progression of RRD were recorded. RRD progression was defined as the presence of either choroidal detachment or proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) progression during the quarantine period. Risk factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model, survival analysis, and logistic regression. Results Seventy-nine eyes of 79 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. The median time from the patients’ presentation at the clinic to admission for surgery was 14 days (3–61 days). There were 70 cases (88.6%) who did not present to the hospital within 1 week of the onset of visual symptoms. There were 69 (87.3%) macular-off cases at the presentation and 27 (34.2%) cases combined with choroidal detachment. There were 49 (62.0%) cases with PVR B, 22 (27.8%) cases with PVR C, 4 (5.1%) cases with PVR D, and 4 (5.1%) cases with anterior PVR. After the 14-day quarantine, 21 (26.6%) cases showed RRD progression, and 9 cases showed RRD regression at the time of surgery. Neither the time of onset of the visual symptom (p = 0.46) nor the time between presentation and admission (p = 0.31) was significantly different between the patients with RRD progression and patients without RRD progression. The combination of choroidal detachment (3.07, 1.68-5.60, p

With the development of e-commerce, an increasing number of online reviews can serve as a promising data source for enterprises to improve online products. This paper proposes a method for modelling consumer satisfaction based on online reviews using the improved Kano model from the perspective of risk attitude and aspiration. Firstly, the attributes concerned by consumers are extracted from online reviews, and sentiment analysis of the extracted attributes is carried out using Standford CoreNLP. Secondly, to identify the types of product attributes, an improved Kano model is proposed based on the effects of product attributes on consumer total utility. On this basis, different attribute types are illustrated from the perspective of risk attitude. Then, the consumer aspirations are mined based on the risk attitudes of different attributes and the attribute impact on consumer satisfaction. According to the risk attitudes and aspirations of different attributes, the quantified satisfaction functions are constructed to provide more objective and accurate improvement suggestions. Finally, the proposed method is applied to the hotel service improvement to illustrate the effectiveness. First published online 13 April 2021

Abstract A modified model of a limited‐angle torque motor (LATM) with irregular slot numbers is proposed for developing an operational range extension method for LATMs. The modified model is derived by considering the effects of the asymmetrical winding structure and magnetic flux leakage, which are validated by finite element analysis and experimental measurements. Based on the modified model, accuracy and time consumption of the simulation can be improved. For the operational range extension method, extended angle range selection theory and constraint conditions are proposed, and the relationship between the sinusoidal tracking characteristic and leading parameters is established by theoretical analysis. A simulation and a prototype machine experiment on an LATM using the new method are carried out. The results show that the proposed operational range extension method can reduce the weight and volume of the LATM without changing sinusoidal tracking characteristics, which proves the feasibility of applying the new method in the oscillating scan system to realize lightness and miniaturisation of the system.

Abstract The aim is to investigate that 17β-estradiol (E2)/estrogen receptors (ERs) activation normalizes splenic CD4 + T lymphocytes proliferation and cytokine production through inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) following hemorrhage. The results showed that hemorrhagic shock (hemorrhage through femoral artery, 38–42 mmHg for 90 min followed by resuscitation of 30 min and subsequent observation period of 180 min) decreased the CD4+ T lymphocytes proliferation and cytokine production after isolation and incubation with Concanavalin A (5 μg/mL) for 48 h, induced the splenic injury with evidences of missed contours of the white pulp, irregular cellular structure, and typical inflammatory cell infiltration, upregulated the expressions of ERS biomarkers 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6). Either E2, ER-α agonist propyl pyrazole triol (PPT) or ERS inhibitor 4-Phenylbutyric acid administration normalized these parameters, while ER-β agonist diarylpropionitrile administration had no effect. In contrast, administrations of either ERs antagonist ICI 182,780 or G15 abolished the salutary effects of E2. Likewise, ERS inducer tunicamycin induced an adverse effect similarly to that of hemorrhagic shock in sham rats, and aggravated shock-induced effects, also abolished the beneficial effects of E2 and PPT, respectively. Together, the data suggest that E2 produces salutary effects on CD4+ T lymphocytes function, and these effects are mediated by ER-α and GPR30, but not ER-β, and associated with the attenuation of hemorrhagic shock-induced ERS.

Influenza A infection results in γδ T cell influx and production of IL-17 in the lungs. Here, the authors show that this effect is primed by CD1-restricted ligands that are released by infected cells and presented by B1a cells in the lungs.

There is a causal interaction between urban rail passenger flow and the station-built environment. Analyzing the implicit relationship can help clarify rail transit operations or improve the land use planning of the station. However, to characterize the built environment around the station area, existing literature generally adopts classification factors in broad categories with strong subjectivity, and the research results are often shown to have case-specific applicability. Taking 154 stations on 8 rail transit lines in Xi’an, China, as an example, this paper uses the data sources of multiple open platforms, such as web map spatial data, mobile phone data, and price data on house purchasing and renting, then combines urban land classification in the China Urban Land Classification and Planning and Construction La1d Standard to classify the land use in the station area using structural hierarchy. On the basis of extracting fine-grained factors of the built environment, a semi-parametric Geographically Weighted Poisson Regression (sGWPR) model is used to analyze the correlation and influence between the variation of passenger flow and environmental factors. The results show that the area of Class II residential land (called R2) is the basis for generating passenger flow demand during morning and evening peak periods; The connection intensity between rail transit station area and bus services has a significant impact on commuters’ utilization level of urban rail transit. Furthermore, two scenarios in practical applications will be provided as guidance according to the research results. This study provides a general analytical framework using urban multi-source data to study the internal relationship and impact between the built environment of urban rail transit stations and passenger flow demand.

OmpH is among the most important virulence factors of Pasteurella multocida, which mediates septicemia in yaks (Bos grunniens I) after infection with the bacteria. In the present study, yaks were infected with wild-type (WT) (P0910) and OmpH-deficient (ΔOmpH) P. multocida strains. The mutant strain was generated through the reverse genetic operation system of pathogens and proteomics technology. The live-cell bacterial count and clinical manifestations of P. multocida infection in Qinghai yak tissues (thymus, lung, spleen, lymph node, liver, kidney, and heart) were analyzed. The expression of differential proteins in the yak spleen under different treatments was analyzed using the marker-free method. We found that compared with the mutant strain, the titer of wild-type strains was significantly higher in tissues. Additionally, compared with other organs, the bacteria titer was significantly higher in the spleen. Compared with the WT p0910 strain, the mutant strain generated milder pathological changes in the tissues of yak. Proteomics analysis revealed that 57 of the 773 proteins expressed in P. multocida were significantly differentially expressed between the ΔOmpH and P0910 groups. Of the 57, 14 were over-expressed, whereas 43 were under-expressed. The differentially expressed proteins in the ΔompH group regulated the ABC transporter (ATP-powered translocation of many substrates across membranes) system, the two-component system, RNA degradation, RNA transcription, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, biosynthesis of ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinones, oxidative phosphorylation (citrate cycle) as well as fructose and mannose metabolism. The relationship among 54 significantly regulated proteins was analyzed using STRING. We found that WT P0910 and ΔOmpH of P. multocida infection activated the expression of ropE, HSPBP1, FERH, ATP10A, ABCA13, RRP7A, IL-10, IFN-γ, IL-17A, EGFR, and dnaJ. Overall, deletion of the OmpH gene weakened the virulence but maintained the immunogenicity of P. multocida in yak. The findings of this study provide a strong foundation for the pathogenesis of P. multocida and the management of related septicemia in yaks.

Faced with limited land resources, large and medium-sized cities are compelled to make use of land in an efficient and intensive way. At the same time, the available traffic resources in many cities cannot meet the soaring trip demands. From the perspective of bicycle travel, this paper explores the characteristics of land use and bicycle travel in different types of urban blocks in Xi’an, based on the data collected from field surveys, cellular signaling data, Mobike and other sources. Through correlation analysis, the indices of land use were screened, forming an evaluation index system. On this basis, a model of the relationship between the proportion of bicycle travel and land use indices for each type of blocks was established. Finally, the interval under each land use index was optimized to promote bicycle travel in some blocks. According to the research results, there is a positive correlation between the land intensity of Xi’an city block and the bicycle travel ratio within a certain range. However, when the land intensity exceeds a certain value, bicycle travel will be inhibited. The interval values of the three types of land use indicators are as follows. It is recommended that the range of floor area ratio for the first ring is between 2.18 and 2.25, and the range of mixing degree is between 0.43 and 1.16. It is recommended that the range for the floor area ratio of the second ring is between 2.63 and 3.50, and the mixing degree is between 0.98 and 1.43. It is recommended that the range for the floor area ratio and mixing degree of the third ring should be between 1.52 and 1.80 and 0.72–1.38, respectively. The purpose of this study is to provide reference methods, ideas and operational indicators for the optimization and reconstruction of land use.

To promote the application of aeolian sand resources for steel-concrete composite structures, an aeolian sand reinforced concrete column with I-shaped structural steel is proposed in this study. Four specimens are designed and manufactured with different replacement rates of aeolian sand. The seismic behaviour and damage evolution process of the specimens are studied by low-cycle repeated loading tests. Based on the test results, the mechanical characteristics, failure modes, hysteresis curves, skeleton curves, energy dissipation capacity, displacement ductility, and stiffness degradation of the specimens with different replacement rates of aeolian sand are analysed. In addition, the effects of the design parameters on the seismic behaviour of the specimens are also studied. The results show that the indexes of the seismic behaviour can be significantly improved by adding steel. Moreover, a revised damage model is proposed, to better reflect the evolution law of seismic damage of aeolian sand reinforced concrete columns with steel. The proposed model can provide an important reference for seismic damage assessment of the columns.

Objective To compare the efficacy of local anesthesia and general anesthesia of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN⁃DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods Forty PD patients who underwent bilateral STN ⁃ DBS from January 2015 to January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Twenty⁃two patients underwent local anesthesia and 18 patients underwent general anesthesia. Pre⁃ and post⁃operative Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale⁃Ⅲ (UPDRS⁃Ⅲ), Hoehn⁃Yahr, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD)⁃17 and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA)⁃14 were used to assess the motor symptoms, daily living function, cognitive function, memory, anxiety and depression. Results The target deviation of the second electrode in general anesthesia group was lower than that in local anesthesia group [(0.98 ± 0.39) mm vs. (1.21 ± 0.35) mm; t = ⁃ 2.041, P = 0.048], the target deviation of the first electrode was not statistically significant [(0.96 ± 0.29) mm vs. (1.01 ± 0.35) mm; t = ⁃ 0.496, P = 0.623]. At 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery, the "on" and "off" UPDRS⁃Ⅲ scores (P = 0.001, for all) and Hoehn⁃Yahr (P = 0.001, for all) in the general anesthesia group and the local anesthesia group were all significantly decreased compared with baseline, ADL score significanly increased (P = 0.001, for all). There were no significant differences in "on" and "off" UPDRS⁃Ⅲ, Hoehn⁃Yahr, ADL, WAIS and WMS scores between 2 groups (P > 0.05, for all). One day after surgery, the HAMA⁃14 in the local anesthesia group was higher than baseline (P = 0.027), in the general anesthesia group, HAMD⁃17 (P = 0.008) and HAMA⁃14 (P = 0.001) scores were lower than 1 d before surgery. The HAMD⁃17 (P = 0.001, for all) and HAMA ⁃ 14 (P = 0.001, for all) of 2 groups at 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery were all lower than baseline, 1 d before and 1 d after surgery. HAMD⁃17 score in the general anesthesia group was lower than the local anesthesia group (P = 0.048). Conclusions Both general anesthesia and local anesthesia STN⁃DBS can significantly improve PD motor symptoms and quality of life, as well as relieve the depression and anxiety symptoms, without affecting cognitive function and memory. Attention should be paid to mood fluctuations in using different anesthesia during the perioperative period. Choice of anesthesia method should be based on the patient's condition and indications. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.12.006

Bikaverin is a fungal-derived tetracyclic polyketide with antibiotic, antifungal and anticancer properties. Here, the authors employ various pathway engineering strategies to achieve high level production of bikaverin in baker’s yeast.

ObjectiveCalcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 C (CACNA1C) plays a critical role in many vascular physiological and pathological processes. Determining its tissue-specific expression pattern and clarifying the underlying molecular mechanisms are necessary and meaningful.MethodsWe selected several representative vessels from normal male Sprague-Dawley rats. Vessel tissue or primary vascular smooth muscle cells were isolated for vascular function, electrophysiology, gene expression and promoter methylation studies.ResultsWe found CACNA1C had tissue-specific expressions in vessels. The specific manifestations were as follows: CACNA1C expression was highest in thoracic aorta, second lowest in middle cerebral and pulmonary artery, and lowest in mesenteric artery. Excitingly, an opposing trend was observed between CACNA1C expression and its promoter methylation.ConclusionsThis study was the first report to indicate that DNA methylation could be involved in regulating CACNA1C tissue-specific expressions and vasoconstriction function in vascular system. This study not only provided more information for further understanding the physiological characteristics of vascular CACNA1C expressions, also strengthened the idea that DNA methylation plays important roles in regulating vascular smooth muscle cells function and the consequent occurrence of vascular diseases.

ObjectiveTo explore differentially expressed miRNAs in type 2 diabetes and their potential cellular functions.MethodsWe screened plasma miRNAs by miRNA array analysis and validated them by TaqMan real-time PCR in 113 newly diagnosed, untreated type 2 diabetes cases and 113 healthy controls. Low-abundance plasma proteins encoded by miR-193b-3p target genes were explored in this study population. We further investigated the potential cellular functions of the differentially expressed miRNAs in HepG2 cells.ResultsmiR-193b-3p was differentially expressed in type 2 diabetes cases compared to healthy controls (fold change = 2.01, P = 0.006). Plasma levels of triosephosphate isomerase (TPI1, a protein involved in the glycolytic pathway) decreased in type 2 diabetes cases (fold change = 1.37, P = 0.002). The effect of miR-193b-3p on TPI1 was verified by transfection of miR-193b-3p into HepG2 cells. miR-193b-3p inhibited the expression of YWHAZ/14-3-3ζ in the PI3K-AKT pathway, subsequently altering the expression of FOXO1 and PCK1. After transfection, cells were incubated in glucose-free medium for another 4 h. Glucose levels in medium from cells with elevated miR-193b-3p levels were significantly higher than those in medium from negative control cells (P = 0.016). In addition, elevated miR-193b-3p reduced glucose uptake by inhibiting insulin receptor (IR) and GLUT2 expression.ConclusionPlasma miR-193b-3p levels increased in type 2 diabetes cases, and TPI1 levels decreased in both plasma and HepG2 cells with increased miR-193b-3p levels, while extracellular lactate levels did not significantly changed. Moreover, miR-193b-3p may affect glucose metabolism by directly targeting YWHAZ/14-3-3ζ and upregulating the transcription factor FOXO1 downstream of the PI3K-AKT pathway.

Vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) is a neurodegenerative disease that is recognized as the second leading cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease (AD). The underlying pathological mechanism of VCID include crebromicrovascular dysfunction, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, neuroinflammation, capillary rarefaction, and microhemorrhages, etc. Despite the high incidence of VCID, no effective therapies are currently available for preventing or delaying its progression. Recently, pathophysiological microRNAs (miRNAs) in VCID have shown promise as novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Studies have revealed that miRNAs can regulate the function of the BBB, affect apoptosis and oxidative stress (OS) in the central nervous system, and modulate neuroinflammation and neurodifferentiation. Thus, this review summarizes recent findings on VCID and miRNAs, focusing on their correlation and contribution to the development of VCID pathology.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths in China and immune-based therapy can improve patient outcomes. In this study, we investigated the relationship between immunity-associated genes and hepatocellular carcinoma from the prognostic perspective. The data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was screened for gene mutation frequency using the maftools package. Immunity-associated eight-gene signature with strong prognostic ability was constructed and proved as an independent predictor of the patient outcome in LIHC. Seven genes in the immune-related eight-gene signature were strongly associated with the infiltration of M0 macrophages, resting mast cells, and regulatory T cells. Our research may provide clinicians with a quantitative method to predict the prognosis of patients with liver cancer, which can assist in the selection of the optimal treatment plan.

Chemotherapy is the primary treatment option for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but leukemic stem cells (LSC) can survive chemotherapy for disease recurrence and refractory. Here, we found that AML cells obtained from relapsed patients had increased autophagy levels than de novo AML cells. Furthermore, doxorubicin (DOX) treatment stimulated autophagy in LSC by repressing the mTOR pathway, and pharmaceutical inhibition of autophagy rendered chemoresistant LSC sensitive to DOX treatment in MLL-AF9 induced murine AML. Moreover, we developed a self-assembled leucine polymer, which activated mTOR to inhibit autophagy in AML cells by releasing leucine. The leucine polymer loaded DOX (Leu-DOX) induced much less autophagy but more robust apoptosis in AML cells than the DOX treatment. Notably, the leucine polymer and Leu-DOX were specifically taken up by AML cells and LSC but not by normal hematopoietic cells and hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in the bone marrow. Consequently, Leu-DOX efficiently reduced LSC and prolonged the survival of AML mice, with more limited myeloablation and tissue damage side effects than DOX treatment. Overall, we proposed that the newly developed Leu-DOX is an effective autophagy inhibitor and an ideal drug to efficiently eliminate LSC, thus serving as a revolutionary strategy to enhance the chemotherapy efficacy in AML.

The molecular mechanism underlying the protective role of propofol against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains poorly understood. Previous studies have shown that ferroptosis is an imperative pathological process in myocardial I/R injury. We hypothesized that propofol prevents myocardial I/R injury by inhibiting ferroptosis via the AKT/p53 signaling pathway. The ferroptosis-inducing agent erastin (E) and AKT inhibitor MK2206 (MK) were used to investigate the role of propofol in myocardial I/R injury. H9C2 cells treated without any reagents, erastin for 24 h, propofol for 1 h before adding erastin were assigned as the control (C), E, and E + P group, respectively. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the expression of antioxidant enzymes, including ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), cysteine/glutamate transporter (XCT), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in H9C2 cells. Rat hearts from the I/R + P or I/R groups were treated with or without propofol for 20 min before stopping perfusion for 30 min and reperfusion for 60 min. Rat hearts from the I/R + P + MK or I/R + MK groups were treated with or without propofol for 20 min, with a 10-min treatment of MK2206 before stopping perfusion. Myocardial histopathology, mitochondrial structure, iron levels, and antioxidant enzymes expression were assessed. Our results demonstrated that erastin increased H9C2 cell mortality and reduced the expression of antioxidant enzymes. I/R, which reduced the expression of antioxidant enzymes and increased iron or p53 (p < 0.05), boosted myocardium pathological and mitochondrion damage. Propofol inhibited these changes; however, the effects of propofol on I/R injury were antagonized by MK (p < 0.05). In addition, AKT siRNA inhibited the propofol-induced expression of antioxidant enzymes (p < 0.05). Our findings confirm that propofol protects myocardium from I/R injury by inhibiting ferroptosis via the AKT/p53 signal pathway.

Abstract Compromised immunosurveillance leads to chemotherapy resistance and disease relapse of hematological malignancies. Amino acid metabolism regulates immune responses and cancer; however, a druggable amino acid metabolite to enhance antitumor immunosurveillance and improve leukemia targeting‐therapy efficacy remains unexplored. Here, an L‐phenylalanine polymer, Metabolic Reprogramming Immunosurveillance Activation Nanomedicine (MRIAN), is invented to effectively target bone marrow (BM) and activate the immune surveillance in T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL) by inhibiting myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in T‐ALL murine model. Stable‐isotope tracer and in vivo drug distribution experiments show that T‐ALL cells and MDSCs have enhanced cellular uptake of L‐phenylalanine and MRIANs than normal hematopoietic cells and progenitors. Therefore, MRIAN assembled Doxorubicin (MRIAN‐Dox) specifically targets T‐ALL cells and MDSCs but spare normal hematopoietic cells and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells with enhanced leukemic elimination efficiency. Consequently, MRIAN‐Dox has reduced cardiotoxicity and myeloablation side effects in treating T‐ALL mice. Mechanistically, MRIAN degrades into L‐phenylalanine, which inhibits PKM2 activity and reduces ROS levels in MDSCs to disturb their immunosuppressive function and increase their differentiation toward normal myeloid cells. Overall, a novel amino acid metabolite nanomedicine is invented to treat T‐ALL through the combination of leukemic cell targeting and immunosurveillance stimulation.

As an important machine for energy conversion and fluid transmission, centrifugal pump has the advantages of high efficiency, reliable performance, and easy adjustment. In order to improve the stability of the pump, this article adopts the method of experimental and numerical simulation in the pump and studies the variation of the vibration characteristics in the operation process. Based on the numerical simulation results, the intake condition and the cavitation inside the centrifugal pump are analyzed and summarized, which reveals the flow attenuation mechanism of a pumping station. The main results of the work reported in this article are as follows: 1) Various experimental schemes to monitor the vibration of centrifugal pumps in real time have been designed. The vibration characteristics of the pumps have been significantly improved by adding special trash barriers. 2) The gas entering the pump was not enough to affect the normal operation of the pump, but cavitation did occur in the actual operation process. 3) The critical net positive suction head under the three conditions is calculated to be 8.9, 10.9, and 12.9 m, respectively.

Abstract This paper proposes the spiral phase contrast (SPC) imaging at terahertz (THz) frequencies to achieve the target edge detection. The THz SPC imaging is built based on a classical 4f imaging system, and a spiral phase plate is placed in the Fourier plane to generate the spiral phase. Owing to the unique nature of the spiral phase, edge detection can be achieved. The THz SPC imaging mechanism is analysed by the scalar diffraction theory, and its corresponding analytic expression is derived. A circle target is simulated and the resultant image shows a remarkable edge detection. A proof‐of‐principle experiment is carried out using our designed THz SPC imaging system and the effectiveness of target edge extraction on the THz images is validated. A circle same as the simulation is imaged firstly, which is consistent with the simulated result. And the letter “Z” with more edges is imaged later. All edges in experiments are extracted perfectly, which are extremely consistent with the THz SPC imaging theory.

Abstract Background Hypoxia is a hallmark of cancer and is associated with poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism by which hypoxia promotes tumor progression remains unclear. MicroRNAs dysregulation has been shown to play a critical role in the tumor and tumor microenvironment. Here, we investigated the roles of miR‐495 and miR‐5688 in human non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and their underlying mechanism. Methods The expression levels of miR‐495 and miR‐5688 in human NSCLC tissue specimens were measured by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Deferoxamine (DFO) was used to determine whether the regulation of miR‐495 and miR‐5688 under hypoxia was dependent on hypoxia‐inducible factor 1‐alpha (HIF‐1α). Furthermore, the functions of miR‐495 and miR‐5688 in tumor progression were evaluated using colony formation, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐5‐(3‐carboxymethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(4‐sulfophenyl)‐2H‐tetrazolium (MTS), wound healing, transwell assays, and xenograft model. Two algorithms, PicTAR and Targetscan, were used to predict the target gene of these two miRNAs, and dual‐luciferase reporter assay was conducted to confirm the target. The unpaired two‐tailed t test, Pearson correlation analysis, and Fisher's exact probability test were performed for statistical analyses. Results Two miRNAs, miR‐495 and miR‐5688, were found to participate in NSCLC progression under hypoxia. They were down‐regulated in NSCLC tissues compared with normal tissues. We determined that hypoxia led to the down‐regulation of miR‐495 and miR‐5688 in NSCLC cells, which was independent of HIF‐1α and cellular metabolic energy. In addition, miR‐495 and miR‐5688 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. The NSCLC xenograft model showed that miR‐495 and miR‐5688 inhibited tumor formation in vivo. Interestingly, we found that miR‐495 and miR‐5688 had the same target, interleukin‐11 (IL‐11). Recombinant human IL‐11 counteracted the effects of miR‐495 and miR‐5688 on NSCLC cells, suggesting that miR‐495 and miR‐5688 executed their tumor suppressive role by repressing IL‐11 expression. Conclusion We found that hypoxia down‐regulated the expression levels of miR‐495 and miR‐5688 in NSCLC to enhance IL‐11 expression and tumor progression, indicating that the miR‐495/miR‐5688/IL‐11 axis may serve as a therapeutic target and potential biomarker for NSCLC.

Background Previous studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of human cancers. This study aims to clarify the role of miR‐374b in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods In this study, RT‐qPCR and western blot analysis were used to measure mRNA and protein expression. The regulatory mechanism of miR‐374b/ITGB1 was investigated by dual‐luciferase reporter, CCK‐8, and transwell assays. Results MiR‐374b expression was reduced in NSCLC tissues and associated with lymph node metastasis, tumor stage and prognosis in NSCLC patients. Functionally, overexpression of miR‐374b inhibited cell viability and metastasis in NSCLC. In addition, miR‐374b blocked EMT and promoted p53 expression in NSCLC. MiR‐374b was found to directly target ITGB1. Furthermore, upregulation of ITGB1 weakened the antitumor effect of miR‐374b in NSCLC. Conclusions MiR‐374b inhibits the tumorigenesis of NSCLC by downregulating ITGB1 and upregulating p53.

Abstract Background Cashmere goats make an outstanding contribution to the livestock textile industry and their cashmere is famous for its slenderness and softness and has been extensively studied. However, there are few reports on the molecular regulatory mechanisms of the secondary hair follicle growth cycle in cashmere goats. In order to explore the regular transition through the follicle cycle and the role of key genes in this cycle, we used a transcriptome sequencing technique to sequence the skin of Inner Mongolian cashmere goats during different months. We analyzed the variation and difference in genes throughout the whole hair follicle cycle. We then verified the regulatory mechanism of the cashmere goat secondary hair follicle growth cycle using fluorescence quantitative PCR. Results The growth cycle of cashmere hair could be divided into three distinct periods: a growth period (March–September), a regression period (September–December), and a resting period (December–March). The results of differential gene analyses showed that March was the most significant month. Cluster analysis of gene expression throughout the whole growth cycle further supported the key nodes of the three periods of cashmere growth, and the differential gene expression of keratin corresponding to the ground haircashmere growth cycle further supported the results from tissue slices. Quantitative fluorescence analysis showed that KAP3–1, KRTAP 8–1, and KRTAP 24–1 genes had close positive correlation with the cashmere growth cycle, and their regulation was consistent with the growth cycle of cashmere. Conclusion The growth cycle of cashmere cashmere could be divided into three distinct periods: a growth period (March–September), a regression period (September–December) and a resting period (December–March). March was considered to be the beginning of the cycle. KAP and KRTAP showed close positive correlation with the growth cycle of secondary hair follicle cashmere growth, and their regulation was consistent with the cashmere growth cycle. But hair follicle development-related genes are expressed earlier than cashmere growth, indicating that cycle regulation could alter the temporal growth of cashmere. This study laid a theoretical foundation for the study of the cashmere development cycle and provided evidence for key genes during transition through the cashmere cycle. Our study provides a theoretical basis for cashmere goat breeding.

Abstract Background Ovarian cancer is the most fatal gynecologic malignancy worldwide due to its vagueness, delay in diagnosis, recurrence, and drug resistance. Therefore, a new type of ovarian cancer treatment prediction biomarker is urgently needed to supplement existing tools. A total of 230 people participated in this study. Out of this figure, 100 participants were patients who underwent an ovarian tumor operation, another 100 participants were ovarian benign patients, and the remaining 30 participants were healthy women. Cancer (experimental) group were 100 patients who underwent ovarian tumor operation, while the control groups were 130 participants consisting of 100 ovarian benign patients and 30 healthy women. Levels of SAA, carbohydrate antigen-125 (CA-125), and human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) were assessed using standard laboratory protocols. A total of 5 ovarian cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues were collected and then stored at − 80 °C until the qRT-PCR assay was conducted. Results The ROC curve of SAA concentration in ovarian cancer was plotted to obtain the area under the curve AUC = 0.889, the cut-off value 17.05 mg/L, the sensitivity 78.4% and specificity 86.5%. Compared with pretreatment, the level of serum SAA decreased significantly after treatment. The results revealed that there was a significant correlation between the level of serum SAA and advanced FIGO stage, histology subtype, lymphatic invasion, and distant metastasis (p = 0.003,0.002,0.000 and 0.001). The quantitative Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay revealed that the Messenger RNA (mRNA) of SAA-1 and SAA-4 was much higher in cancer tissues than in adjacent tissues, and MMPs was up-regulation including MMP-1, MMP-9 and MMP- 12 in OVCAR-3 cell stimulated by SAA. The transwell assay revealed that SAA could promote OVCAR-3 cell migration. Moreover, SAA can regulate EMT markers and promote AKT pathway activation. Conclusions In summary, our results demonstrated that SAA may be a potential diagnosis and treatment prediction biomarker. The SAA promotes OVCAR-3 cell migration by regulating MMPs and EMT which may correlate with AKT pathway activation.

Abstract Background Sjögren syndrome (SS) is a rare disease in pediatrics, and little attention has been paid to the clinical feature in these patients. To date, there are few cases concern about neurological and nephrological disorders in childhood Sjögren syndrome. We describe a case of Sjögren syndrome in a 12-year-old girl who developed neurological disorders and interstitial nephritis and review the literature currently available on this topic. Case presentation A 12-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital for arthritis and glucosuria. She was required to do labial gland and renal biopsy, because the positive for anti-nuclear antibody and anti-Sjögren syndrome B (anti-SSB) antibody. Then the biopsy was performed revealing the lymphocytic infiltrate in the small area and renal tubular interstitial damage,thus the diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome with tubular interstitial damage was made. Three months later, she presented again with headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and was recovered without drug therapy. Based on the patient’s medical history, laboratory and imaging examination, and treatment, we speculate that the disorders of the nervous system were caused by the Sjögren syndrome. The girl has stable renal function and no residual nervous system damage in the next 1.5 years, but she underwent low dose prednisone therapy because of persistent renal glucosuria. Conclusions Nephrological disorders and neurological involvement are rare manifestations of Sjögren syndrome in children, and rarely presented as the initial symptoms. It should be suspected in children presenting with unexplained renal diseases, neurological abnormalities, or unexplained fever. Although there is no guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of children Sjögren syndrome are currently available, early recognition and the appropriate treatment of renal damage and neurologic involvement would improve prognosis and prevent complications.