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Background: Cancer biomarkers play a pivotal role in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response prediction of the disease. In this study, we analyzed the expression levels of RhoB and DNp73 proteins in rectal cancer, as captured in immunohistochemical images, to predict the 5‐year survival time of two patient groups: one with preoperative radiotherapy and one without. Methods: The utilization of deep convolutional neural networks in medical research, particularly in clinical cancer studies, has been gaining substantial attention. This success primarily stems from their ability to extract intricate image features that prove invaluable in machine learning. Another innovative method for extracting features at multiple levels is the wavelet‐scattering network. Our study combines the strengths of these two convolution‐based approaches to robustly extract image features related to protein expression. Results: The efficacy of our approach was evaluated across various tissue types, including tumor, biopsy, metastasis, and adjacent normal tissue. Statistical assessments demonstrated exceptional performance across a range of metrics, including prediction accuracy, classification accuracy, precision, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Conclusion: These results underscore the potential of dual convolutional learning to assist clinical researchers in the timely validation and discovery of cancer biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The promotion and application of autonomous vehicles (AVs) will bring huge benefits to society in economic and environmental aspects, and the public acceptance degree is a crucial influencing factor. Based on technology acceptance model (TAM) and information system success (ISS) model, this research develops a new framework from the perspective of AVs information system to explain public acceptance. The framework explores the relationship between variables such as system quality, information quality, service quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease-of-use and AVS acceptance, and it also examines the mediating role of perceived ease-of-use and perceived usefulness. Based on a survey of 323 respondents, the results indicate that system quality, information quality, and service quality are key factors affecting AVS acceptance. Additionally, compared to perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use manifested a greater mediation on explanatory variables with AVs acceptance. Moreover, the research also makes recommendations for AVs manufacturers to focus on system quality and information interaction mode in the design and development process of AVs. And thus, making AVs easier to use without cognitive load could improve the AVs acceptance and adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, xylan-g-PMMA was synthesized by grafting poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) onto xylan and characterized by FT-IR and HSQC NMR spectroscopies, and the xylan-g-PMMA/TiO2 solution was used to electrospun nanofibers at the voltage of 15 Kv, which was the first time employing xylan to electrospun nanofibers. Moreover, the electrospinning operating parameters were optimized by assessing the electrospinning process and the morphology of electrospun fibers, as follows: the mixed solvent of DMF and chloroform in a volume ratio of 5:1, an anhydroxylose unit (AXU)/MMA molar ratio lower than 1:2, the flow speed of 0.00565–0.02260 mL/min, and a receiving distance of 10–15 cm. Diameters of the electrospun fibers increased with increasing DMF content in the used solvent mixture, MMA dosage, and receiving distance. TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully dispersed in electrospun xylan-g-PMMA nanofibers and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray diffraction spectrum, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and their application for methylene blue (MB) degradation presented above 80% photocatalytic efficiency, showing the good potential in water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallic acid (GA), a phenol that is present in various plants, potentially contains antioxidant properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GA on the reproduction of adolescent male Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii (Radde, 1861)). Antioxidant levels and apoptosis in the testis, as well as reproductive physiology, were evaluated in adolescent males treated with GA. The results showed that a low dose of GA enhanced relative epididymis mass and the sperm density in the epididymis, increased the mRNA levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in the testis, and reduced the percentages of abnormal and dead sperm. In addition, a low dose of GA significantly increased the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, and decreased the level of malondialdehyde in the testis, as well as the mRNA and protein levels of the apoptosis-related gene, caspase-3. However, a high dose of GA sharply reduced the mean diameter of the seminiferous tubules compared with a low dose. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that GA treatment during puberty affects the reproductive responses of male Brandt's voles in a dose-dependent manner by regulating antioxidant levels and apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Superadsorbent hydrogel was prepared from lignin and montmorillonite for Cu(II) ions removal, and the chemical structure and morphology of the hydrogel were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM and XPS. The swelling kinetics of the prepared hydrogel was investigated, and the result showed that the swelling process fit the Schott second-order dynamic equation. The influences of pH, contact time, Na+ concentration, and initial Cu(II) ion concentration on adsorption were studied, and the maximum adsorption value was 1.17 mmol/g, and the adsorption was rapid during the initial 5 h period, and copper ions adsorption on the superadsorbent hydrogel is a favorable process. The results also indicated that the adsorption kinetics was in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the adsorption isotherm conformed to the Freundlich model. FT-IR and XPS analysis revealed that the adsorption behavior was mainly due to ion exchange. The desorption ratios of copper ions from the superadsorbent were >0.8, and the regeneration efficiency was >80% after five cycles reuse, and the results show the excellent desorption performance and reusability of the prepared hydrogel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Zearalenone (ZEA) is one of mycotoxins which are from corn, sorghum and wheat. As an estrogenic compound, ZEA mainly affects animal growth and reproduction with causing abnormal reproduction capability. Previous studies have shown that ZEA poses adverse effects on follicular development, but the mechanism of genetic toxicity of ZEA is not understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of ZEA exposure on granulosa cells which play vital roles during follicular development. Mouse granulosa cells were exposed to 10 μM or 30 μM ZEA for 72 h in vitro , and the differences in gene expression patterns between control and ZEA exposures were analyzed by RNA-seq. The data demonstrated that 30 μM ZEA had a significant effect on the gene expression, especially ZEA exposure increased the expression of many genes related to different kinds of cancers and cancer related pathways like Hippo signaling pathway and the related genes, such as Ccnd1 , Smad3 , Tead3 , Yap1 and Wwtr1. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry confirmed the increase in the protein levels of YAP1, WWTR1 and CCND1 in 30 μM ZEA exposure group. Collectively, this investigation indicated that ZEA exposure promoted the expression of tumorigenesis genes in mouse granulosa cells to. Highlights • ZEA exposure resulted in cell abnormal morphology. • ZEA exposure increased the expression of tumorigenesis genes. • ZEA exposure affected the Hippo signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) biomarker database (CBD) was established based on 870 identified CRC biomarkers and their relevant information from 1115 original articles in PubMed published from 1986 to 2017. In this version of the CBD, CRC biomarker data were collected, sorted, displayed and analysed. The CBD with the credible contents as a powerful and time-saving tool provide more comprehensive and accurate information for further CRC biomarker research. The CBD was constructed under MySQL server. HTML, PHP and JavaScript languages have been used to implement the web interface. The Apache was selected as HTTP server. All of these web operations were implemented under the Windows system. The CBD could provide to users the multiple individual biomarker information and categorized into the biological category, source and application of biomarkers; the experiment methods, results, authors and publication resources; the research region, the average age of cohort, gender, race, the number of tumours, tumour location and stage. We only collect data from the articles with clear and credible results to prove the biomarkers are useful in the diagnosis, treatment or prognosis of CRC. The CBD can also provide a professional platform to researchers who are interested in CRC research to communicate, exchange their research ideas and further design high-quality research in CRC. They can submit their new findings to our database via the submission page and communicate with us in the CBD. Database URL: http://sysbio.suda.edu.cn/CBD/ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEA) is an estrogenic mycotoxin mainly produced as a secondary metabolite by numerous species of Fusarium. Previous work showed that ZEA had a negative impact on domestic animals with regard to reproduction. The adverse effects and the mechanisms of ZEA on mammalian ovarian folliculogenesis remain largely unknown, particularly its effect on primordial follicle formation. Thus, we investigated the biological effects of ZEA exposure on murine ovarian germ cell cyst breakdown and primordial follicle assembly. Our results demonstrated that newborn mouse ovaries exposed to 10 or 30 μM ZEA in vitro had significantly less germ cell numbers compared to the control group. Moreover, the presence of ZEA in vitro increased the numbers of TUNEL and γH2AX positive cells within mouse ovaries and the ratio of mRNA levels of the apoptotic genes Bax/Bcl-2 . Furthermore, ZEA exposure reduced the mRNA of oocyte specific genes such as LIM homeobox 8 ( Lhx8 ), newborn ovary homeobox ( Nobox ), spermatogenesis and oogenesis helix-loop-helix ( Sohlh2 ), and factor in the germline alpha ( Figlα ) in a dose dependent manner. Exposure to ZEA led to remarkable changes in the Lhx8 3′-UTR DNA methylation dynamics in oocytes and severely impaired folliculogenesis in ovaries after transplantation under the kidney capsules of immunodeficient mice. In conclusion, ZEA exposure impairs mouse primordial follicle formation in vitro . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel magnetic semi-IPN hydrogel based on xylan and poly(acrylic acid) was prepared, and the prepared hydrogels had excellent thermal stability, magnetic-, and pH- sensitive properties. The physical-chemical properties of the prepared hydrogels depended on the contents of xylan and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The thermal stability of the hydrogels enhanced as the contents of xylan and Fe3O4 nanoparticles increased; however, the equilibrium swelling ratio decreased with increasing the contents of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and xylan. The interconnected pore channels were formed in the hydrogels and the amount of the channels increased with an increase in xylan content. The prepared hydrogels had a super-paramagnetic property, and the magnetization increased with an increase in the content of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The superior characteristics of the xylan/ PAAc magnetic semi-IPN hydrogel would expand its applications in drug delivery and magnetic separation aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorbents based on natural polysaccharides have attracted increasing interest because of their low-cost and biodegradability, particularly, polysaccharide-based nanocomposite adsorbents. In this study the xylan/poly(acrylic acid) magnetic nanocomposite hydrogel adsorbent was prepared from wheat straw xylan and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, and its adsorption property was studied on methylene blue removal. The prepared hydrogel adsorbent had a semi-interpenetrating network structure and exhibited a macro-porous structure with interconnected porous channels. Super-paramagnetic characteristic behavior was observed from magnetic analysis using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The optimum condition for methylene blue adsorption on the adsorbent was found at pH 8 with an adsorbent dosage of 3 g/L and an initial concentration of 400 mg/L, and the removal percentage reached above 90%. The adsorption isotherm of methylene blue on the prepared hydrogel adsorbent was fitted to the Langmuir model, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model could describe the adsorption process. All obtained results indicated that the prepared hydrogel adsorbent is promising for water treatment applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fatty acid dehydrogenase I ( FatI) is able to express in mammalian cells and convert n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFAs) to n-3 PUFAs. n-3 PUFA is an important component of the cell membrane and plays an important role in the prevention and control of a variety of human diseases. However, n-3 PUFAs cannot be endogenously synthesized by mammals because they lack the dehydrogenase that converts n-6 to n-3 PUFA. For the time being, gradually matured transgenic technology makes it possible to produce transgenic animals that are able to synthesize n-3 PUFAs by themselves. However, the transgenic technology itself may bring negative impacts. In this study, the eukaryotic expression vector pc DNA3.1-FatI was introduced into the genome of Boer goat fetal fibroblasts cultured in vitro, and the influence of biological characteristics of the fetal fibroblast was studied via overexpression of FatI. The results showed that the proliferation and apoptosis of cultured fetal fibroblast were not affected significantly by the overexpression of FatI using BrdU and TUNEL staining methods, respectively. Moreover, the overexpression of FatI significantly inhibited the senescence of somatic cells compared with enhanced green fluorescent protein ( EGFP) transgenic cells ( P < 0.01). Quantitative PCR revealed that the m RNA expression of P16 and P53 in the FatI transgenic cell group was significantly lower than that in the EGFP transgenic cell group ( P < 0.01). In conclusion, the senescence of goat somatic cells was inhibited by the overexpression of the FatI gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have attracted great attention because of their biological significance to organisms. In addition, PUFAs show an obvious impact on prevention and treatment of various diseases. Because n-3 PUFAs cannot be endogenously synthesized by mammals, mammals have to rely on a dietary supplement for sufficient supply. The finding and application of the fatty acid dehydrogenase I ( FatI) gene are expected to change the current situation because it can convert n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFAs) to n-3 PUFAs. Meanwhile, the gradual maturation of transgenic technology makes it possible to produce transgenic animals that can synthesize n-3 PUFAs by themselves. In this study, the DNA coding sequence of FatI was synthesized by a chemical method after codon optimization according to the mammal's codon bias. The synthesized DNA sequence was introduced into Boer goat fetal fibroblasts by the constructed recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+)-FatI. Boer goat fetal fibroblasts were transfected by electroporation, and the stable transfected cell lines were obtained by G418 selection. Genomic DNA PCR and Southern blot were applied to verify that the foreign gene FatI was integrated into the genome of the Boer goat fibroblasts. RT- PCR results showed the expression of FatI gene at the m RNA level. The fatty acid profile of cells carrying the FatI gene revealed an increase in total n-3 PUFAs (from 0.61 to 0.95), but a decrease in n-6 PUFAs (from 10.34 to 9.85), resulting in a remarkable increase in the n-3:n-6 ratio (from 0.059 to 0.096). The n-3:n-6 ratio had a 63.49 percent increase, which is a precursor of the response of n-3 desaturase activity of the FatI gene. The study may provide a practical tool for producing transgenic animals that can produce n-3 PUFAs by themselves, and we hope that the application will lay the foundation for animals producing n-3 PUFAs, which will benefit human nutrition and wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organic-inorganic composite hydrogel was prepared based on hemicellulose and multi-wall carbon nanotubes. The effects of hydrogel amount, initial concentration, contact time, and salt concentration on the adsorption performance of the prepared hydrogels were observed using methylene blue as a model hazardous material. The results indicated that the adsorption kinetic of methylene blue on the prepared adsorbent was well fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the adsorption isotherm conformed to the Freundlich model. Removal percentage of methylene blue increased with increased adsorbent amount and kept higher than 98% when adsorbent amount was above 6 g L−1. Adsorption amount of methylene blue on the prepared adsorbent also increased when increasing initial concentration over the range from 50 to 500 mg L−1. Both of adsorption amount and removal percentage increased with an increase in the contact time, and removal efficiency obviously deteriorated as salt concentration increased. All obtained results reported that the prepared composite hydrogel would have an application prospect in water treatment. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:45-52, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is known to regulate cell growth, and it also participates in pain transmission as has been recently verified in inflammatory and neuropathic pain models. The targeting of mTOR represents a new strategy for the control of chronic pain. In the present study, we investigated the effect of mTOR in the expression of PSD95 and NR2B-PSD95 or GluA2-PSD95 interaction ratio in a chronic constriction injury (CCI) mice model. Methods: Paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT) and paw withdrawal thermal latency (PWTL) were respectively used to assess mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia after CCI operation and intrathecal injection of rapamycin. Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation were used to investigate the effects of rapamycin on the expression of PSD95 and interaction ratio of NR2B-PSD95 or GluA2-PSD95 in the spinal dorsal horn of mice. Results: Our study demonstrated that the inhibition of spinal mTOR with intrathecal injections of rapamycin (1μg/5μL) for days 1–6 after CCI surgery led to an obvious decrease in CCI-induced neuropathic pain. Rapamycin significantly reduced the PMWT of CCI mice, whereas there was no significant effect on PWTL. The active form of the mTOR signaling pathway (p-mTOR, p-4EBP1 and p-p70S6k) at the spinal level remarkably increased in CCI mice, and rapamycin could inhibit this up-regulation. The increased expression of PSD95 and the interaction ratio of GluA2-PSD95 or NR2B-PSD95 could also be inhibited by intrathecal injection of rapamycin. Conclusion: These data suggest that the mTOR pathway is activated in the spinal dorsal horn in CCI-induced neuropathic pain, and the intrathecal injection of rapamycin can reduce mechanical allodynia. Our findings indicate that spinal mTOR is an important component of CCI-induced neuropathic pain, and mTOR may be a potential target for chronic pain therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hydrogels based on hemicellulose of wheat straw were prepared as a novel carrier for controlled drug delivery. The chemical structure and morphology of the hydrogels were characterised using FT-IR and SEM, respectively. The swelling ratios of the hydrogels were determined, and the results showed that the hydrogels were pH-responsive. The swelling kinetics of the hydrogels followed a Fickian diffusion process in media with a pH of 1.5, and water uptake was controlled collaboratively by hydrogel relaxation and water diffusion in media with pH values of 7.4 and 10.0. The degradation test of the hydrogels was conducted under simulated physiological conditions, and both hemicellulose content and the crosslinking density of the hydrogels were major factors that affected the biodegradability of the hemicellulose-based hydrogels. A comparison of the in vitro release of acetylsalicylic acid and theophylline indicated that the drug release was controlled both by the hydrogel and by the intrinsic character of the drug. According to the results presented here, hemicellulose-based hydrogels can be used in biomedical fields, especially for controlled drug release. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Structural characterization and isolation of lignin and hemicelluloses from crops are very important for industrial utilization. In this paper, the sequential treatments of barley straw using 90% dioxane, 80% acidic dioxane, 100% dimethyl sulfoxide, and 8% NaOH released total 93% of original lignin and 87% of original hemicelluloses. The extractions with acidic dioxane and dimethyl sulfoxide produced the original hemicelluloses and high-condensed lignin mainly from the middle lamella. FT-IR and NMR analyses show that the hemicelluloses of barley straw contain acidic arabinxylans as the major polysaccharides, which are substituted by α-l-arabinofuranose, 4-O-methyl-glucuronic acid, acetyl group (DS=0.13), and xylose at O-3 and/or O-2 of xylan, and lignin contains β-O-4′ as a predominant interunit linkage with high amounts of β-5′ and β-1′. The guaiacyl and syringyl units are more etherified, and the proportion of erythro-β-O-4′ is slightly higher than that of threo-β-O-4′ in the lignin of barley straw. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are three kinds of biopolymer in lignocellulosic biomass, and the utilization of the three biopolymers to synthesize hydrogel adsorbent could protect the environment and enhance the economic value of the biomass. A novel hydrogel adsorbent was prepared using cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose of wheat straw by a one-pot method, and the adsorbent showed excellent adsorption performance for copper(II) ions. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that the prepared straw-biopolymer-based hydrogel had porous structure, and cellulose fibrils had crosslinked with lignin and hemicellulose by poly(acrylic acid) chains. The effects of contact time, initial concentration, and temperature on the copper(II) ion removal using the prepared hydrogels were investigated, and the obtained results indicated that the adsorption kinetics conformed to the pseudo-second-order and Elovich equation models and the adsorption isotherm was in accord with the Freundlich model. The adsorption thermodynamics study indicated that the adsorption process was spontaneous and accompanied by heat. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed that the adsorption behavior resulted from ion exchange. The prepared hydrogel based on cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin could be used for water treatment and soil remediation because of its high performances of excellent heavy metal ion removal and water retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: SLP-76 is an important member of the SLP-76 family of adapters, and it plays a key role in TCR signaling and T cell function. Partial cDNA sequence of SLP-76 of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) was isolated from thymus cDNA library by the method of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Subsequently, the full length cDNA of carp SLP-76 was obtained by means of 3′ RACE and 5′ RACE, respectively. The full length cDNA of carp SLP-76 was 2007bp, consisting of a 5′-terminal untranslated region (UTR) of 285bp, a 3′-terminal UTR of 240bp, and an open reading frame of 1482bp. Sequence comparison showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of carp SLP-76 had an overall similarity of 34–73% to that of other species homologues, and it was composed of an NH2-terminal domain, a central proline-rich domain, and a C-terminal SH2 domain. Amino acid sequence analysis indicated the existence of a Gads binding site R-X-X-K, a 10-aa-long sequence which binds to the SH3 domain of LCK in vitro, and three conserved tyrosine-containing sequence in the NH2-terminal domain. Then we used PCR to obtain a genomic DNA which covers the entire coding region of carp SLP-76. In the 9.2k-long genomic sequence, twenty one exons and twenty introns were identified. RT-PCR results showed that carp SLP-76 was expressed predominantly in hematopoietic tissues, and was upregulated in thymus tissue of four-month carp compared to one-year old carp. RT-PCR and virtual northern hybridization results showed that carp SLP-76 was also upregulated in thymus tissue of GH transgenic carp at the age of four-months. These results suggest that the expression level of SLP-76 gene may be related to thymocyte development in teleosts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Partial cDNA sequences of TCRγ and CD3γ/δ were isolated from the thymus of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) by the method of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Subsequently the full length cDNAs of carp TCRγ and CD3γ/δ were obtained by means of 3′ RACE and 5′ RACE, respectively. The full length of carp TCRγ chain is 1368bp and encodes 326 amino acids including a signal peptide region of 19 amino acids and a transmembrane region of 23 amino acids at the C-terminal region from aa 291 to 313. The V region of carp TCRγ contains 109 amino acids, the core motif FGXG in J segment was also found in carp TCRγ. The C region of carp TCRγ contains the characteristic CX6PX6WX45C motif. The CP region of carp TCR Cγ contains 37 amino acids. The full length of carp CD3γ/δ is 790bp and encodes 175 amino acids including a signal peptide region of 17 amino acids and a transmembrane region of 23 amino acids from aa 93 to 115. Similar to other known CD3γ/δs, four cysteine residues in the extracellular domain and an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif ITAM (YxxL/Ix6-8YxxL/I) in the intracellular domain are also included in carp CD3γ/δ. Differing from other known CD3γ/δs, carp CD3γ/δ lacks the CXXCXE motif in the extracellular domain. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression of TCRγ gene was mainly in the thymus and gill of 6-month carp, but in 18-month carp, TCRγ gene was detected in all the examined tissues. The expression of CD3γ/δ gene was detected in all examined tissues of 6 and 18-month carp; among them, the highest expression level was in the thymus of 6-month carp. In situ hybridization showed that CD3γ/δ-expressing cells were widely distributed in the head kidney, spleen and kidney of carp, whereas in the thymus, they were densely distributed in the lymphoid outer zone and scattered in the epithelioid inner zone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Partial cDNA sequences of both CD8β and CD4-like (CD4L) genes of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) were isolated from thymus cDNA library by the method of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Subsequently the full length cDNAs of carp CD8β and CD4L were obtained by means of 3′ RACE and 5′ RACE, respectively. The full length cDNA of carp CD8β is 1164bp and encodes 207 amino acids including a signal peptide region of 24 amino acids, a transmembrane region of 23 amino acids from aa 167 to aa189 and an immunoglobulin V-set from aa 19 to aa 141. Similar to other species CD8βs, carp CD8β also lacks p56lck domain in the cytoplasmic region. The full length cDNA of carp CD4L is 2001bp and encodes 458 amino acids including four immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains in the extracellular region, a transmembrane region of 23 amino acids at the C-terminal region from aa 402 to aa 424 and a cytoplasmic tail. Similar to mammalian, avian CD4s and fugu CD4L, carp CD4L also has the conserved p56lck tyrosine kinase motif (C-X-C) in the cytoplasmic region. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that carp CD8β and CD4L genes were both expressed predominantly in thymus. The results from this study can be used to understand the evolution of both the CD8β and CD4 molecules which can be used as markers for cytotoxic and helper T cells in carp. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: Tumors with high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H) have unique biological behavior and the predictive role of microsatellite instability (MSI) status on survival of colorectal cancer is still debated. The prognostic significance of MSI status in sporadic stage II and III rectal cancer patients needs to be more precisely defined. So we investigated the relationship between MSI status and clinicopathological features and prognosis in these patients. Methods: DNAs from fresh-frozen paired samples of tumors and corresponding normal tissue from 128 stage II and III rectal cancer patients were analyzed for MSI by PCR amplification using markers recommended by a National Cancer Institute workshop on MSI. To assess prognostic significance, Cox proportional hazards modeling was used. Results: Twelve (9.3%) tumors in our study were MSI-H, 28 (21.9%) were low-frequency MSI (MSI-L) and 88 (68.8%) were microsatellite stable (MSS). Most of the MSI-H tumors compared with MSI-L and MSS tumors were found in female patients (p = 0.031), had mucinous histology (p = 0.023), high grade of differentiation (p = 0.002) and high level of preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (p = 0.005). Rectal cancer patients with MSI-H did not show a better clinical outcome than those with MSI-L/MSS, neither in all cases (p = 0.986) nor in stage II and stage III disease analyzed separately (p = 0.705 and p = 0.664, respectively). Conclusions: Data provided here demonstrated there was high incidence of MSI-H and MSI was not a prognostic factor in sporadic stage II and III rectal cancers from the Chinese Han population included in this study. Tumor stage is more suitable than MSI status for prediction of individual survival in sporadic stage II and III rectal cancer patients. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a new micromachined interdigital coplanar waveguide (CPW) structure has been developed and its characteristics have been studied as a function of transmission line parameters. In interdigital CPW, the ground conductor is thickened by micromachining techniques which is helpful for reducing the interference between the adjacent center conductors while microwave transmits along it. Within the frequency range from 5 to 20GHz, the return loss of this structure has two minimal values whose positions change with the structural parameters. The relative bandwidths reached 23.5% and 9.97% at 8.3 and 16.55GHz while the insertion losses are about 0.33 and 0.5dB/cm, respectively. The interdigital CPW is useful for designing bandpass filter and phase shifter and minimizing the whole size of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Seven residual hemicellulosic preparations (19.6–45.0% of the original hemicelluloses) were extracted from wheat straw pre-treated with various organic solvents using 1.8% H2O2–0.18% cyanamide at 50°C and pH 10.0 for 4h. Their chemical compositions and physicochemical properties were determined using GC, HPLC, GPC, FT-IR and 13NMR spectroscopy. The results indicated that all the residual hemicellulosic preparations were heteropolysaccharides containing xylose, glucose, arabinose, galactose, mannose, rhamnose and 4-O-methyl-α-d-glucopyranosyluronic acid. The predominant monosaccharide was xylose, ranging between 67.7% and 81.9% of the total neutral sugars, composed mainly of l-arabino-(4-O-methyl-d-glucurono)-d-xylan. The content of contaminant lignin in the isolated residual hemicelluloses was 2.89–5.31%. The M w values of the two residual hemicellulosic preparations H6 and H7 (42,710 and 44,080gmol−1, respectively) obtained from the aqueous-alcohol pre-treated straw were much higher than those of H1–H5 (12,980–15,950gmol−1) extracted from the organic acid pre-treated straw. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

NiCrAlY coating was deposited on a single crystal Ni-base superalloy by detonation gun spraying. By means of XRD, SEM and EDS, isothermal oxidation behavior of the coatings at 1050 °C were studied. The results showed that detonation gun sprayed NiCrAlY coatings held a favorable oxidation resistance. Their oxidation kinetics at 1050 °C obeyed the parabolic law. α-Al2O3 scale was formed on the coating surface and kept almost intact after oxidation for 300 h. Internal oxidation led to the formation of Al2O3 at the coating/substrate interface, and needlelike (Al, N) compounds appeared in the undersurface area of the substrate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The chemical modification of rice, wheat, rye, and barley straws, and poplar wood fibre using acetic anhydride at different time and temperatures in the absence of solvent and catalyst has been investigated. It was found that the weight percent gain increased with an increment of reaction temperature and time, and the fastest rate of reaction occurred during the initial 1 h acetylation process. The characterization of acetylated straws and poplar wood fibre was performed by FT-IR, solid-state 13C-NMR, and thermal studies. Thermal stability of acetylated straws was found to be higher than the unmodified straws. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rice straw was separated into two lignin fractions and two hemicellulosic preparations through a two-stage treatment. Pre-treatment with ethanol–H2O (60/40, v/v) under acid catalyst (0.2 N HCl) at 70°C for 4 hr degraded 48.8, 24.9, and 23.3% of the original lignin, hemicelluloses, and cellulose, respectively. Following treatment with 2% H2O2 at pH 11.5 for 16 hr at 45°C resulted in a dissolution or degradation of 44.7, 55.2, and 12.1% of the original lignin, hemicelluloses, and cellulose, respectively. By this two-stage process, 93.5% of the original lignin and 88.2% of the original hemicelluloses were separated from rice straw. In comparison, the isolated two lignin fractions and two hemicellulosic preparations were characterized for their chemical composition, physico-chemical properties, structural features, and thermal stability. Both of the lignin fractions contained higher amounts of noncondensed guaiacyl units than those of noncondensed syringyl units, together with small amounts of p-hydroxyphenyl units. Pre-treatment with acidic organosolv, under the condition used, favored solubilization of the small molecular size of hemicelluloses, which were mainly composed of α-glucan, while the post-treatment with alkaline peroxide, under the condition given, enhanced dissolution of large molecular size of hemicelluloses, which comprised l-arabino-(d-glucurono)-d-xylan as the major constituent. The thermal analysis showed that the two hemicellulosic fractions were substantially decomposed between 200 and 330°C, while the lignin decomposition process covered a large temperature range, between 200 and 600°C, indicating more thermal stability of the lignin polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:We aimed to investigate the associations of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with pathological features and survival in patients with colorectal cancer.METHODS:The expression of COX-2 was examined by immunohistochemistry in 112 primary colorectal cancers, with 64 samples from the corresponding normal mucosa and 16 metastases in the regional lymph nodes of patients with colorectal cancer. The associations of COX-2 expression with clinicopathological features, including survival, were analyzed.RESULTS:The frequency and intensity of COX-2 staining were remarkably increased from the normal samples (17%) to the primary tumors (72%) and to the metastases (100%). Expressions of COX-2 were 25%, 74%, 78%, and 67% in Dukes’ A, B, C, and D tumors, respectively (p = 0.005), and positively related to proliferative activity (p = 0.003). COX-2 expressions were 80% in colonic tumors and 60% in rectal tumors (p = 0.03). The expression of COX-2 was positively related to the better differentiated tumors in the colon (p = 0.04). We were unable to find any relationship of COX-2 with patient age, sex, tumor growth pattern, apoptosis, and patient survival (p > 0.05).CONCLUSION:We found that the expression of COX-2 was upregulated from normal cells to primary tumors and to metastases, and related to proliferative activity, tumor location, Dukes’ stage, and differentiation. These results further support the evidence that COX-2 may be involved in tumorigenesis and development of colorectal cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Barley straw was extracted with toluene-ethanol (2:1, vol/vol), chloroform, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), hexane-acetone (2:1, vol/vol), and dichloromethane for 12 hours in a Soxhlet. The 51 individual compounds in 5 lipophilic extracts were separated by gas chromatography. Free fatty acids (15.18–38.20%), sterols (1.41–10.42%), waxes (3.45–11.87%), steryl esters (5.04–24.70%), and triglycerides (1.16–10.03%) were identified as the major 5 classes of lipids in the barley straw extracts. Minor components such as diglycerides (0.07–0.89%) and resin acids (0.12–0.57%) were also verified from the straw lipophilic extracts. Nonlipids detected from the barley straw extracts were composed of minor amounts of phenolic compounds (0.17–2.05%), noticeable amounts of azelaic and maleic acids (0.48–15.06%), and some quantities of co-extracted polysaccharides, ash, or salts. Of the individual compounds in each group, 16 free fatty acids, 5 steryl esters, 3 sterols, 3 triglycerides, and 2 waxes were quantitatively determined. Extraction with MTBE gave the lowest yield of total extracts (1.19%) but contained the highest amounts of lipophilic extracts (81.04%), which were enriched with steryl esters (24.70%), free fatty acids (23.60%), waxes (11.22%), sterols (10.42%), and triglycerides (10.03%). In contrast, extraction with 2:1 toluene-ethanol produced the highest quantities of total extracts (3.92%) but of the lowest purity of the lipid substances (49.69%) and were comprised mainly of free fatty acids (38.20%) and nonlipid substances such as maleic and azelaic acids (15.06%), phenolic compounds (1.89%), and noticeable amounts of released polysaccharides, ash, or salts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor breakthrough is driven by genetic or epigenetic variations which assist in initiation, migration, invasion and metastasis of tumors. Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) protein has risen recently as the crucial factor in malignancies and plays a potential role in diverse complex oncogenic signaling cascades. AEG-1 has multiple roles in tumor growth and development and is found to be involved in various signaling pathways of: (i) Ha-ras and PI3K/AKT; (ii) the NF-κB; (iii) the ERK or mitogen-activated protein kinase and Wnt or β-catenin and (iv) the Aurora-A kinase. Recent studies have confirmed that in all the hallmarks of cancers, AEG-1 plays a key functionality including progression, transformation, sustained angiogenesis, evading apoptosis, and invasion and metastasis. Clinical studies have supported that AEG-1 is actively intricated in tumor growth and progression which includes esophageal squamous cell, gastric, colorectal, hepatocellular, gallbladder, breast, prostate and non-small cell lung cancers, as well as renal cell carcinomas, melanoma, glioma, neuroblastoma and osteosarcoma. Existing studies have reported that AEG-1 expression has been induced by Ha-ras through intrication of PI3K/AKT signaling. Conversely, AEG-1 also activates PI3K/AKT pathway and modulates the defined subset of downstream target proteins via crosstalk between the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Hedgehog signaling cascade which further plays a crucial role in metastasis. Thus, AEG-1 may be employed as a biomarker to discern the patients of those who are likely to get aid from AEG-1-targeted medication. AEG-1 may play as an effective target to repress tumor development, occlude metastasis, and magnify the effectiveness of treatments. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanism of AEG-1 in the process of carcinogenesis and its involvement in regulation of crosstalk between the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Hedgehog signaling. We also highlight the multifaceted functions, expression, clinicopathological significance and molecular inhibitors of AEG-1 in various cancer types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While previous studies have indicated variability in distant metastatic potential among different mismatch repair (MMR) states in colorectal cancer (CRC), their findings remain inconclusive, especially considering potential differences across various ethnic backgrounds. Furthermore, the gene regulatory networks and the underlying mechanisms responsible for these variances in metastatic potential across MMR states have yet to be elucidated. Methods: We collected 2058 consecutive primary CRC samples from the South West of China and assessed the expression of MMR proteins (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2) using immunohistochemistry. To explore the inconsistencies between different MMR statuses and recurrence, we performed a meta‐analysis. To delve deeper, we employed Weighted Gene Co‐expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), ClueGo, and iRegulon, pinpointing gene expression networks and key regulatory molecules linked to metastasis and recurrence in CRC. Lastly, both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to determine the impact of core regulatory molecules on metastasis. Results: Of the samples, 8.2% displayed deficient MMR (dMMR), with losses of MLH1 and PSM2 observed in 40.8% and 63.9%, respectively. A unique 24.3% isolated loss of PMS2 without concurrent metastasis was identified, a result that diverges from established literature. Additionally, our meta‐analysis further solidifies the reduced recurrence likelihood in dMMR CRC samples compared to proficient MMR (pMMR). Two gene expression networks tied to distant metastasis and recurrence were identified, with a majority of metastasis‐related genes located on chromosomes 8 and 18. An IRF1 positive feedback loop was discerned in the metastasis‐related network, and IRF1 was identified as a predictive marker for both recurrence‐free and distant metastasis‐free survival across multiple datasets. Conclusion: Geographical and ethnic factors might influence peculiarities in MMR protein loss. Our findings also highlight new gene expression networks and crucial regulatory molecules in CRC metastasis, enhancing our comprehension of the mechanisms driving distant metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the role of RhoB expression in relation to chemotherapy response, clinical outcomes and associated signaling pathways in colorectal cancer patients. Materials and methods: The study included 5 colon cancer cell lines, zebrafish embryos and 260 colorectal cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and oxaliplatin (OXL). The methods consisted of CRISPR/Cas9, reactive oxygen species (ROS), caspase-3 activity, autophagy flux, in-silico RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry. Gene expression analysis and pathway analysis were conducted using RNA-seq data. Results: All cancer lines tested, including SW480, SW480-KO13 (RhoB knockout), SW480-KO55 (RhoB knockout), HCT116 and HCT116-OE (RhoB overexpressed), exhibited cytotoxicity to 5-FU and OXL. RhoB knockout cell lines demonstrated significantly reduced migration compared to the control cell lines. Furthermore, RhoB played a role in caspase-3-dependent apoptosis, regulation of ROS production and autophagic flux. The mRNA sequencing data indicated lower expression levels of oncogenes in RhoB knockout cell lines. The zebrafish model bearing SW480-KO showed a light trend toward tumor regression. RhoB expression by immunohistochemistry in patients was increased from normal mucosa to tumor samples. In patients who received chemotherapy, high RhoB expression was related to worse survival compared to low RhoB expression. Furthermore, the molecular docking analysis revealed that OXL had a higher binding affinity for RhoB than 5-FU, with a binding affinity of -7.8 kcal/mol and HADDOCK predicted molecular interactions between RhoB and caspase 3 protein. Gene-set enrichment analysis supported these findings, showing that enrichment of DNA damage response pathway and p53 signaling in RhoB overexpression treatment group, while the RhoB knockout treatment group exhibited enrichment in the negative regulation pathway of cell migration. Conclusion: RhoB was negatively associated with chemotherapy response and survival in colorectal cancers. Therefore, RhoB inhibition may enhance chemotherapeutic responses and patient survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common detection methods in practice for diagnosing colorectal cancer (CRC) are painful and invasive leading to less participation of individuals for CRC diagnosis. Whereas, improved or enhanced imaging systems and other minimally invasive techniques with shorter detection times deliver greater detail and less discomfort in individuals. Thus, this review is a summary of the diagnostic tests, ranging from the simple potential use in developing a flexible CRC treatment to the patient's potential benefits in receiving less invasive procedures and the advanced treatments that might provide a better assessment for the diagnosis of CRC and reduce the mortality related to CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapidly evolving landscape of biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) necessitates an integrative, updated repository. In response, we constructed the Colorectal Cancer Biomarker Database (CBD), which collected and displayed the curated biomedicine information for 870 CRC biomarkers in the previous study. Building on CBD, we have now developed CBD2, which includes information on 1569 newly reported biomarkers derived from different biological sources (DNA, RNA, protein, and others) and clinical applications (diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis). CBD2 also incorporates information on nonbiomarkers that have been identified as unsuitable for use as biomarkers in CRC. A key new feature of CBD2 is its network analysis function, by which users can investigate the visible and topological network between biomarkers and identify their relevant pathways. CBD2 also allows users to query a series of chemicals, drug combinations, or multiple targets, to enable multidrug, multitarget, multipathway analyses, toward facilitating the design of polypharmacological treatments for CRC. CBD2 is freely available at http://www.eyeseeworld.com/cbd. Highlights: CBD2 integrates biomarkers derived from diverse biological sources and clinical applications, employing a standardized approach for annotation and classification.CBD2 facilitates precision medicine in colorectal cancer by providing abundant data, including drug–target information and visualized network analysis functions.With its user‐friendly interface, CBD2 aids in the identification and development of biomarkers for colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details a study that used the polyclonal antibody CM1 to investigate nuclear and cytoplasmic p53 expression in colorectal tumors and to assess their relations with prognosis. Conclusion that cytoplasmic expression of p53 may be a useful biological indicator of prognosis in colorectal adenocarcinoma; More.

In order to find out the most valuable biomarkers and pathways for diagnosis, therapy and prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) we have collected the published CRC biomarkers and established a CRC biomarker database (CBD: http://sysbio.suda.edu.cn/CBD/index.html). In this study, we analysed the single and multiple DNA, RNA and protein biomarkers as well as their positions in cancer related pathways and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks to describe their potential applications in diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. CRC biomarkers were collected from the CBD. The RNA and protein biomarkers were matched to their corresponding DNAs by the miRDB database and the PubMed Gene database, respectively. The PPI networks were used to investigate the relationships between protein biomarkers and further detect the multiple biomarkers. The Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis and Gene Ontology (GO) annotation were used to analyse biological functions of the biomarkers. AI classification techniques were utilized to further verify the significances of the multiple biomarkers in diagnosis and prognosis for CRC. We showed that a large number of the DNA, RNA and protein biomarkers were associated with the diagnosis, therapy and prognosis in various degrees in the CRC biomarker networks. The CRC biomarkers were closely related to the CRC initiation and progression. Moreover, the biomarkers played critical roles in cellular proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis and they were involved in Ras, p53 and PI3K pathways. There were overlaps among the DNA, RNA and protein biomarkers. AI classification verifications showed that the combined multiple protein biomarkers played important roles to accurate early diagnosis and predict outcome for CRC. There were several single and multiple CRC protein biomarkers which were associated with diagnosis, therapy and prognosis in CRC. Further, AI-assisted analysis revealed that multiple biomarkers had potential applications for diagnosis and prognosis in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Statins are crucial for managing lipid disorders by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, reducing cholesterol levels, and lowering cardiovascular disease risk. Beyond cholesterol control, they exhibit pleiotropic effects, particularly in cancer. Statins influence key cancer pathways, inhibiting proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and cancer stemness, while inducing oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis. Clinical studies suggest statin use associates with reduced cancer risk, lower-grade tumors at diagnosis, decreased local recurrence, and improved survival. This review aims to summarize the mechanisms underpinning statins' anticancer properties and their clinical implications, highlighting their potential as a valuable tool in cancer prevention and treatment. Statins are an essential medication class in the treatment of lipid diseases because they inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. They reduce cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in both primary and secondary prevention. In addition to their powerful pharmacologic suppression of cholesterol production, statins appear to have pleitropic effects in a wide variety of other diseases by modulating signaling pathways. In recent years, statins have seen a large increase in interest due to their putative anticancer effects. Statins appear to cause upregulation or inhibition in key pathways involved in cancer such as inhibition of proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis as well as reducing cancer stemness. Further, statins have been found to induce oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis of cancer cells. Interestingly, clinical studies have shown that statin use is associated with a decreased risk of cancer formation, lower cancer grade at diagnosis, reduction in the risk of local reoccurrence, and increasing survival in patients. Therefore, our objective in the present review is to summarize the findings of the publications on the underlying mechanisms of statins' anticancer effects and their clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to estimations, approximately about 15% of couples worldwide suffer from infertility, in which individuals with azoospermia or oocyte abnormalities cannot be treated with assisted reproductive technology. The skin-derived stem cells (SDSCs) differentiation into primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) is one of the major breakthroughs in the field of stem cells intervention for infertility treatment in recent years. However, the cellular origin of SDSCs and their dynamic changes in transcription profile during differentiation into PGCLCs in vitro remain largely undissected. Here, the results of single-cell RNA sequencing indicated that porcine SDSCs are mainly derived from multipotent dermal fibroblast progenitors (MDFPs), which are regulated by growth factors (EGF/bFGF). Importantly, porcine SDSCs exhibit pluripotency for differentiating into three germ layers and can effectively differentiate into PGCLCs through complex transcriptional regulation involving histone modification. Moreover, this study also highlights that porcine SDSC-derived PGCLCs specification exhibit conservation with the human primordial germ cells lineage and that its proliferation is mediated by the MAPK signaling pathway. Our findings provide substantial novel insights into the field of regenerative medicine in which stem cells differentiate into germ cells in vitro, as well as potential therapeutic effects in individuals with azoospermia and/or defective oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The value of adjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer patients is debated and varies in different subgroups. One such subgroup is mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC), which is more treatment resistant compared to non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (NMAC). To date, mucinous histology is not taken into account when deciding on adjuvant treatment strategy. This is the first study to exclusively include patients with rectal cancer, then separate MAC and NMAC and compare the survival in patients that had or did not have adjuvant chemotherapy. Material and methods: The study included retrospective register data from 365 Swedish patients with stage II-IV rectal adenocarcinoma, 56 patients with MAC and 309 patients with NMAC. All patients were considered curative, had surgery with total mesorectal excision in 2004–2013, and were followed up until death or 2021. Results: Patients with MAC that had adjuvant chemotherapy had better overall survival (OS, HR 0.42; CI 95%: 0.19–0.93; p = 0.032) and a trend towards better cancer-specific survival (CSS, HR 0.41 CI 95%: 0.17–1.03; p = 0.057) compared to patients without chemotherapy (HR 0.42; CI 95%: 0.19–0.93; p = 0.032). The difference in OS was still significant even after adjusting for sex, age, stage, differentiation, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and preoperative radiotherapy (HR 0.40; CI 95%: 0.17–0.92; p = 0.031). There was no such difference in the NMAC patients except in the stage-by-stage subgroup analyses where patients in stage IV had better survival after adjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusions: There may be a difference in treatment response to adjuvant chemotherapy between MAC and NMAC patients. Patients with MAC could possibly benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy in stages II-IV. Further studies are however needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Through the analysis of tissue microarray (TMA) samples from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and bioinformatical analyses of public databases and our clinical dataset, this study identifies the different expressions of CD163 in various tissues, the presence of the receptor in TME, the interaction with other biological processes and a positive correlation between CD163 dysfunction and worse prognosis. Therefore, CD163 can be used as a new biomarker to predict patient prognosis. (1) Background: CD163, a specific macrophage receptor, affects the progression of malignant tumors. Unfortunately, the regulation and expression of CD163 are poorly understood. In this study, we determined the expressions of CD163 in TMA samples from CRC patients and combined them with patient data from several Swedish hospitals. (2) Methods: The expressions of CD163 in tissue samples from CRC patients were examined. After combining 472 CRC patients' gene expression and 438 CRC patients' clinical data with the TCGA database, 964 cases from the GEO database, and experimental expression data from 1247 Swedish CRC patients, we selected four genes (PCNA, LOX, BCL2, and CD163) and analyzed the tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) and CRC prognosis. (3) Results: Based on histopathological TMA analysis, CD163 was strongly expressed in the stroma of both normal and cancer tissues, and the expressions in normal and cancer cells varied from negative to strong. The results from public databases show decreased expression of CD163 in cancer tissue compared to normal mucosa (|log FC| > 1 and FDR < 0.01), and it is a negative prognostic factor for CRC patients (p-value < 0.05). Through tumor microenvironment (TME) analysis, we found a potential influence of CD163 on immune cell infiltration. Furthermore, the enrichment analysis indicated the possible interaction with other proteins and biological pathways. (4) Conclusions: CD163 is expressed differently in CRC tissue and is a negative prognostic factor. Its expression is associated with the TME and tumor purity of CRC. Considering all results, CD163 has the potential to be a predictive biomarker in the investigation of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of microRNA 122 (miR-122) in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been widely investigated. In the current study, we aimed to identify the prominent gene and protein interactors of miR122 in CRC. Based on their binding affinity, these targets were chosen as candidate genes for the creation of miR122–mRNA duplexes. Following this, we examined the miRNA-mediated silencing mechanism using the gene-silencing complex protein Argonaute (AGO). Public databases, STRING, and GeneMANIA were utilized to identify major proteins and genes interacting with miR-122. DAVID, PANTHER, UniProt, FunRich, miRwalk, and KEGG were used for functional annotation, pathway enrichment, binding affinity analysis, and expression of genes in different stages of cancer. Three-dimensional duplexes of hub genes and miR-122 were created using the RNA composer, followed by molecular interaction analysis using molecular docking with the AGO protein. We analyzed, classified, and scrutinized 93 miR-122 interactors using various bioinformatic approaches. A total of 14 hub genes were categorized as major interactors of miR-122. The study confirmed the role of various experimentally documented miR-122 interactors such as MTDH (Q86UE4), AKT1 (P31749), PTPN1 (P18031), MYC (P01106), GSK3B (P49841), RHOA (P61586), and PIK3CG (P48736) and put forth several novel interactors, with AKT3 (Q9Y243), NCOR2 (Q9Y618), PIK3R2 (O00459), SMAD4 (P61586), and TGFBR1 (P36897). Double-stranded RNA duplexes of the strongest interactors were found to exhibit higher binding affinity with AGO. In conclusions, the study has explored the role of miR-122 in CRC and has identified a closely related group of genes influencing the prognosis of CRC in multiple ways. Further, these genes prove to be targets of gene silencing through RNA interference and might serve as effective therapeutic targets in understanding and treating CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonaceous solid acid (CSA) catalysts with –SO3H, –COOH, and phenolic –OH functional groups were prepared by hydrothermal carbonization and sulfuric acid impregnation methods. A maximum furfural (FF) yield of 19.66% from corncob degradation remained stable at 10 runs at 180°C for 170 min while the concentration of sulfuric acid was employed from 2.0 to 0.5 mol/L. The sulfur in CSA catalyst exists in two forms, namely SO42−and –SO3H. The free sulfuric acid and carbon together with –SO3H created good physical contact between the lignocellulose substrate and the solid catalyst in the reaction, and drastically improved the depolymerization rate of hemicelluloses and cellulose to soluble polysaccharide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work examines the instability of a plane liquid sheet under the action of a transverse acoustic field. The mechanical definition of the acoustic field is introduced first, and the Floquet theory is applied to derive the dispersion equation and dispersion curve. The dominant instability mechanism of each unstable region on the dispersion curve is distinguished by calculating the oscillation frequencies of the disturbance waves. Next, the parameters within the dispersion equation are set as variables to analyze the development of the instability mechanisms of the unstable regions on the dispersion curve and the oscillation modes on the two surfaces of the liquid sheet. The results prove that the distribution of unstable regions can be affected by the amplitude and frequency of the acoustic field, the viscosity and surface tension of the liquid sheet, and the density ratio of the two gas–liquid phases. Variation in the thickness of the liquid sheet causes development and competition within the oscillation modes, which were found to be related to the development of the instability mechanism. Such evolutionary competition between the sinuous and the varicose oscillation modes was also reflected in the experimental study, where it was observed that the disturbance wave has the characteristics of Faraday waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The identification of effective novel biomarkers is emergently needed in colon cancer patients. In the present study, firstly we predicted that CHGA could be a biomarker for colon cancer based on the protein–protein interaction network of all the reported biomarkers that were collected from our colorectal cancer biomarker database (CBD). Then we verified our results using a diagnostic test in gene expression data and an immunohistochemistry test. The results of this study suggest that a loss of CHGA expression from the normal colon and adjacent mucosa to colon cancer may be used as a valuable biomarker for early diagnosis of colon cancer patients. Background. The incidence of colorectal cancers has been constantly increasing. Although the mortality has slightly decreased, it is far from satisfaction. Precise early diagnosis for colorectal cancer has been a great challenge in order to improve patient survival. Patients and Methods. We started with searching for protein biomarkers based on our colorectal cancer biomarker database (CBD), finding differential expressed genes (GEGs) and non-DEGs from RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data, and further predicted new biomarkers of protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks by machine learning (ML) methods. The best-selected biomarker was further verified by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) test from microarray and RNA-seq data, biological network, and functional analysis, and immunohistochemistry in the tissue arrays from 198 specimens. Results. There were twelve proteins (MYO5A, CHGA, MAPK13, VDAC1, CCNA2, YWHAZ, CDK5, GNB3, CAMK2G, MAPK10, SDC2, and ADCY5) which were predicted by ML as colon cancer candidate diagnosis biomarkers. These predicted biomarkers showed close relationships with reported biomarkers of the PPI network and shared some pathways. An ROC test showed the CHGA protein with the best diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.9 in microarray data and 0.995 in RNA-seq data) among these candidate protein biomarkers. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry examination on our colon cancer tissue microarray samples further confirmed our bioinformatical prediction, indicating that CHGA may be used as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of colon cancer patients. Conclusions. CHGA could be a potential candidate biomarker for diagnosing earlier colon cancer in the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs play critical roles in skeletal muscle development as well as in regulation of muscle cell proliferation and differentiation. Previous study in our laboratory showed that the expression level of miR-2400, a novel and unique miRNA from bovine, had significantly changed in skeletal muscle-derived satellite cells (MDSCs) during differentiation, however, the function and expression pattern for miR-2400 in MDSCs has not been fully understood. In this report, we firstly identified that the expression levels of miR-2400 were down-regulated during MDSCs differentiation by stem-loop RT-PCR. Over-expression and inhibition studies demonstrated that miR-2400 promoted MDSCs proliferation by EdU (5-ethynyl-2′ deoxyuridine) incorporation assay and immunofluorescence staining of Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-2400 directly targeted the 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of myogenin (MYOG) mRNA. These data suggested that miR-2400 could promote MDSCs proliferation through targeting MYOG. Furthermore, we found that miR-2400, which was located within the eighth intron of the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome candidate 1-like 1 (WHSC1L1) gene, was down-regulated in MDSCs in a direct correlation with the WHSC1L1 transcript by Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats interference (CRISPRi). In addition, these observations not only provided supporting evidence for the codependent expression of intronic miRNAs and their host genes in vitro, but also gave insight into the role of miR-2400 in MDSCs proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel superabsorbent was prepared by the copolymerization reaction between multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-xylan composite and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) in the presence of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as cross-linker and the redox initiation system (NH)4S2O8-anhydrous Na2SO3 as initiator for adsorbing methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. First, covalent modification of MWCNTs with a natural polymer xylan was achieved by the nucleophilic substitution reaction. The obtained xylan modified MWCNTs-xylan composite was characterized by transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The results indicated that the hydroxyl groups of xylan participated in the formation of MWCNTs-xylan composite, and MWCNTs-xylan composite contained 32% xylan and about four molecule chains of xylan were grafted onto 5,000 carbon atoms of MWCNTs sidewalls. Subsequently, a novel superabsorbent based on MWCNTs-xylan composite and PMAA was prepared and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and swelling test. The results proved that superabsorbent was successfully prepared by copolymerization reaction and found that the superabsorbent evidently presented three-dimensional network structure. Swelling process of superabsorbent complied with the Fick's law. Adsorption property of superabsorbent for MB was also systematically studied by investigating these parameters, such as superabsorbent dosage, initial MB concentration, contact time, ion strength, and pH. The superabsorbent presented a higher adsorption capacity and removal rate for MB. The adsorption data were fitted by Langmuir, Freundlich isotherm models, and four adsorption kinetic models. Freundlich isotherm model better fitted the equilibrium data than Langmuir, and adsorption kinetics could be well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic and intraparticle diffusion. These results indicated that the superabsorbent can be used as an efficient absorbent for removal of MB from aqueous solution. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:1516-1528, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]