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Abstract Background Our previous studies have reported the down-regulation of EGFL8 correlates to the development and prognosis of colorectal and gastric cancer. The present study is carried out to explore the expression pattern and role of EGFL8 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods and materials EGFL8 expression in 102 cases of HCC tissues matched with adjacent non-tumorous liver tissues, a normal liver cell line and three liver cancer cell lines with different metastatic capacity was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot. Moreover, the clinicopathological features and prognosis of HCC patients were correlated with expression of EGFL8. Subsequently, the gain-and loss-of-function experiments were carried out to investigate the biological function of EGFL8 in HCC. We also used N-[N-(3,5-Difluorophenacetyl-L-alanyl)]-(S)- phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT), an inhibitor for Notch signaling pathway, in these experiments to verify the involvement of Notch signaling pathway in the effects of EGFL8. Additionally, a mouse model was established to investigate the effect of EGFL8 on metastasis of HCC cells. The expression of Notch signaling pathway in HCC cells and xenograft mouse tumors were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistory. Results The expression of EGFL8 was significantly decreased in HCC tissues and cell lines and EGFL8 down-regulation correlated to multiple nodules, vein invasion, high TNM stage and poor prognosis of HCC. Interestingly, the expression levels of EGFL8 in three liver cancer cell lines were negatively associated with their metastatic capacity. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that EGFL8 obviously suppressed metastasis and invasion of HCC cells but slightly promoted apoptosis. Meanwhile, the expression of Notch signaling pathway was obviously suppressed in EGFL8 overexpressed HCCLM3 cells and xenograft mouse tumors generated from these cells but markedly elevated in EGFL8 depleted Hep3B cells. Furthermore, the up-regulated expression of Notch signaling pathway and effects induced by EGFL8 knockdown in Hep3B cells could be counteracted by DAPT treatment. Conclusion The down-regulation of EGFL8 was correlated to progression and poor prognosis of HCC and regulates HCC cell migration, invasion and apoptosis through activating the Notch signaling pathway, suggesting EGFL8 as a novel therapeutic target and a potential prognostic marker for HCC.

Summary: Zingiber (Zingiberaceae: Zingibereae) is an economically important but taxonomically difficult genus, with names frequently misapplied. Here, we thoroughly review all names corresponding to the currently recognised 54 species from China including their synonyms, and clarify the status of their types. Lectotypes are designated for 40 names (including one second‐step), neotypes for 3 names, and epitypes for 3 names. Additional and often uncited isotypes have been discovered for numerous names, and such additional records are here provided. Tupistra bambusifolia var. rubromaculosa, Z. simaoense, Z. confine and Z. larsenii are newly treated as synonyms of Z. atrorubens, Z. densissimum, Z. officinale and Z. recurvatum respectively. A new combination, Z. bambusifolium, is proposed, based on Tupistra bambusifolia. This study will form the nomenclatural basis of an ongoing taxonomic revision of the genus in China, and phylogenetic study of the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungal plasma membrane H+-ATPase (Pma1) pumps protons out of the cell to maintain the transmembrane electrochemical gradient and membrane potential. As an essential P-type ATPase uniquely found in fungi and plants, Pma1 is an attractive antifungal drug target. Two recent Cryo-EM studies on Pma1 have revealed its hexameric architecture, autoinhibitory and activation mechanisms, and proton transport mechanism. These structures provide new perspectives for the development of antifungal drugs targeting Pma1. In this article, we review the history of Pma1 structure determination, the latest structural insights into Pma1, and drug discoveries targeting Pma1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Rhythm control therapy has shown great benefits for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF). However, few studies have evaluated the effects of rhythm control on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) trajectory across the whole HF spectrum. Our study explored the prevalence and predictors of LVEF trajectory changes and their prognostic implications following rhythm control. Methods and results: Depending on the treatment strategy, the cohort was classified into rhythm and rate control groups. Alterations in HF types and LVEF trajectory were recorded. The observational endpoints were all‐cause mortality and HF‐related admission. Predictors of LVEF trajectory improvement in the rhythm control group were evaluated. After matching, the two groups had similar age [mean age (years): rhythm/rate control: 63.96/65.13] and gender [male: rhythm/rate control: n = 228 (55.6%)/233 (56.8%)]. Based on baseline LVEF measurement, the post‐matched cohort had 490 HF with preserved ejection fraction (rhythm/rate control: n = 260/230; median LVEF: 58.00%/57.00%), 99 HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (rhythm/rate control: n = 50/49; median LVEF: 45.00%/46.00%), and 231 HF with reduced ejection fraction (rhythm/rate control: n = 100/131; median LVEF: 32.50%/33.00%). Trajectory analysis found that the rhythm control group had a greater percentage of LVEF trajectory improvement than the rate control group [80 (53.3%) vs. 71 (39.4%), P = 0.012]. Cox regression analysis also showed that the rhythm control group was more likely to have improved LVEF trajectory compared with the rate control group {hazard ratio [HR] 1.671 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.196–2.335], P = 0.003}. In the survival analysis, the rhythm control group experienced significant lower risks of all‐cause mortality [HR 0.600 (95% CI 0.366–0.983), P = 0.043] and HF‐related admission [HR 0.611 (95% CI 0.496–0.753), P < 0.001]. In the rhythm control subgroup, E/e′ [odds ratio (OR) 0.878 (95% CI 0.792–0.974), P = 0.014], left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter [OR 0.874 (95% CI 0.777–0.983), P = 0.024], and CHA2DS2‐VASc score (congestive HF, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke or transient ischaemic attack, vascular disease, age 65–74 years, and sex category) [OR 0.647 (95% CI 0.438–0.955), P = 0.028] were identified as three independent predictors of LVEF trajectory improvement. Conclusions: Rhythm control is associated with improved LVEF trajectory and clinical outcomes and may thus be considered the optimal therapeutic strategy for patients with both HF and AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The clinical effects of multivessel interventions in patients with unstable angina/non‐ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI), multivessel disease (MVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of intervention in non‐culprit lession(s) among this cohort. Methods: We consecutively included patients diagnosed with UA/NSTEMI, MVD and CKD between January 2008 and December 2018 at our centre. After successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), we compared 48‐month overall mortality between those undergoing multivessel PCI (MV‐PCI) through a single‐procedure or staged‐procedure approach and culprit vessel‐only PCI (CV‐PCI) after 1:1 propensity score matching. We conducted stratified analyses and tests for interaction to investigate the modifying effects of critical covariates. Additionally, we recorded the incidence of contrast‐induced nephropathy (CIN) to assess the perioperative safety of the two treatment strategies. Results: Of the 749 eligible patients, 271 pairs were successfully matched. Those undergoing MV‐PCI had reduced all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR): 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48–0.67). Subgroup analysis showed that those with advanced CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2) could not benefit from MV‐PCI (P = 0.250), and the survival advantage also tended to diminish in diabetes (Pinteraction < 0.01; HR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.65–1.45). Although the staged‐procedure approach (N = 157) failed to bring additional survival benefits compared to single‐procedure MV‐PCI (N = 290) (P = 0.460), it showed a tendency to decrease the death risk. CIN risks in MV‐PCI and CV‐PCI groups were not significantly different (risk ratio = 1.60, 95% CI = 0.94–2.73). Conclusion: Among patients with UA/NSTEMI and non‐diabetic CKD and an eGFR > 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, MV‐PCI was associated with a reduced risk of long‐term death but did not increase the incidence of CIN during the management of MVD compared to CV‐PCI. And staged procedures might be a preferable option over single‐procedure MV‐PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated whether physical cleansing can reduce the mindset effect in problem-solving in two experiments. Both experiments followed the same procedure. In the first stage, participants formed a mindset through the Luchins' water-jar task (Experiment 1) or the idiom maze task (Experiment 2). The second stage is cleansing manipulation. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to clean their hands with wipes (cleansing condition) or examine the packaging of the wipes (no-cleansing condition). In Experiment 2, participants were asked to watch a washing-hands video (cleansing condition) or watch an examining-pen video (no-cleansing condition). At last, all participants completed the mindset effect test problems. The results showed that the participants in the cleansing condition were less affected by the mindset than those in the no-cleansing condition, indicating that physical cleansing reduced the mindset effect. Our results provide new evidence for the clean-slate effects and support the hypothesis that physical cleansing is an embodied process of psychological separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that it is difficult to quickly realize digital modeling due to the large number of parts of the full-pitch stacked winding of large-scale hydroelectric generators and the complex connection logic between the wire bars, this paper proposes a modeling method of full-pitch stacked winding of generators driven by connection logic. Firstly, based on 3D modeling software and the 3D visualization application engine platform, an interactive virtual component model library is constructed. Then, according to the electrical principle of the full-pitch stacked winding, the connection logic is converted into a two-dimensional sequence with clear relationship, so that the winding can be quickly visualized in the virtual scene. Finally, the logic driving model that can be quickly understood by the computer, auxiliary applications such as generator stator winding structure cognition and fault repair is designed. This method shortens the time to construct the 3D model of stator winding, and at the same time, the combination of clear hierarchical equipment tree and 3D visualization model and human-computer interaction interface helps operation and maintenance personnel quickly understand the complex structure of winding and its assembly relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]