Association between Bmi1 and clinicopathological status of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM:To investigate the clinicopathological roles of Bmi1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) .METHODS:Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining for Bmi1 were performed in cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous paraffi n-embedded esophageal specimens.RESULTS:The Bmi1 expression level was unaffected by gender and age.The level of Bmi1 mRNA in ESCC was signif icantly higher than that in the adjacent non-cancerous tissues(2.181 ± 2.158 vs 0.931 ± 0.894,P = 0.0152) ,and its over-expression was aggressively associated with lymph node metastasis(3.580 ± 2.487 vs 1.703 ± 0.758,P = 0.0003) ,poorer cell differentiation(P = 0.0000) and advanced pathological stage(3.827 ± 2.673 vs 1.590 ± 0.735,P = 0.0001) .The patients were divided into high-expression and low-expression groups based on the median expression level of Bmi1 mRNA,and a shorter overall survival time in the former group was observed.Immunohistochemistry for Bmi1 oncoprotein showed diffusely positive,focally positive and negative expression in 44,16 and 10 of 70 ESCC cases,respectively,compared with three,two and five of 10 adjacent non-cancerous cases(P=0.027) .The positive rate of the oncoprotein in samples of histological grade was higher than that of grade(P=0.031) ,but its expression had no relation to the lymph node metastasis and pathological staging.In 70 ESCC samples,Bmi1 showed high intense expression in the cytoplasm and less or even no expression in the nucleus.CONCLUSION:Bmi1 was over-expressed in ESCC.Increased Bmi1 mRNA expression was significantly associated with ESCC progression,and the oncoprotein was largely distributed in the cytoplasm of tumor cells.

The genetic environmental transformation mechanism of coal and oil shale deposits in eastern China’s continental fault basins and the developmental characteristics of the area’s symbiotic assemblages——taking Huangxian Basin as an example

Coal and oil shale are two common sedimentary energy sources which are often symbiotically developed in M esozoic- Cenozoic continental fault basins. However, the mechanisms and characteristics of the symbiotic development are not yet clearly known. In this research study, the typical continental fault basins of eastern China were chosen as examples for the purpose of conducting an examination of the coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblage types, genetic environmental differences, and transformation mechanisms, as well as the development and occurrence characteristics o f different assemblage types. Through a large number of investigations, systematic experimental testing, and sequence stratigraphy studies, the following conclusions were obtained:(1) There were five types of coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblages observed in the continental fault basins,(2) The development of coal and oil shale deposits requires a warm and humid climate, stable structure, abundant organic matter supply, a certain water depth, and a lower terrestrial source debris supply. The observed differences were that the water depth conditions were diversified in the study area, as well as the sources, types, and content of the organic matter.(3) The rapid transformations of the coal and oil shale genetic environments were mainly controlled by the tectonic settings and climatic conditions, which were determined to control the changes in the water depths, salinity,redox conditions, and lake productivity of the genetic environments. Also, in the symbiotic assemblages, genetic environment changes had induced the development of oil shale deposits, which gradually evolved into coal genetic environments.(4) In the isochronous sequence stratigraphic framework of the coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblages, the lake expansion system tracts (EST) were determined to be the most beneficial to the growth o f all the types of assemblages and were characterized by more assemblage development phases and smaller bed thicknesses. From the early to the late stages of the EST, and from the lakesides to lake centers, the thicknesses of the coal seams in the symbiotic assemblages showed trends of thinning, while the thicknesses of the oil shale deposits exhibited increasing trends. The early stages of high stand system tracts were found to be beneficial to the development of the symbiotic assemblages of coal seams overlying the oil shale. This tract type generally presented large bed thicknesses and distribution ranges. The low stand system tract and the late high stand system tract were determined to be unconducive to the development of the symbiotic assemblages.

SARM1 participates in axonal degeneration and mitochondrial dysfunction in prion disease

Prion disease represents a group of fatal neurogenerative diseases in humans and animals that are associated with energy loss,axonal degeneration,and mitochondrial dysfunction.Axonal degeneration is an early hallmark of neurodegeneration and is triggered by SARM1.We found that depletion or dysfunctional mutation of SARM1 protected against NAD+loss,axonal degeneration,and mitochondrial functional disorder induced by the neurotoxic peptide PrP106-126.NAD+supplementation rescued prion-triggered axonal degeneration and mitochondrial dysfunction and SARM1 overexpression suppressed this protective effect.NAD+supplementation in PrP106-126-incubated N2a cells,SARM1 depletion,and SARM1 dysfunctional mutation each blocked neuronal apoptosis and increased cell survival.Our results indicate that the axonal degeneration and mitochondrial dysfunction triggered by PrP^(106-126) are partially dependent on SARM1 NADase activity.This pathway has potential as a therapeutic target in the early stages of prion disease.

Characterization of vortex structures with self-excited oscillations based on Liutex-Omega vortex identification method

The self-excited oscillation effect produces a continuous periodic pulsation without an external excitation source.It is widely used in fluid heat and mass transfer,cavitation and resistance reduction,and other related fields.The self-excited oscillation effect is significantly influenced by the vortex structure created by the jet passing through the specially designed cavity.The flow field in a self-excited oscillation cavity is simulated in this paper using the large eddy simulation(LES)method.The Liutex-Omega([Math Processing Error])method is used to analyze the vortex structure’s evolution inside the cavity and is contrasted with the Q-criterion,the λ_(2)-criterion,and the Omega(Ω)method.The studies indicate that the[Math Processing Error]method is less sensitive to threshold selection compared with other methods,while it is more capable of identifying weak vortices.The change in cavity vortex structure can be devided into the four stages of vortex ring priming,growth and development,wall touch separation,and fragmentation.The turbulent energy generated by shear effect can promote the growth and development of the vortex ring structure and has an important influence on the formation of the vortex ring structure.The vortex strength reveals the interaction mechanism between the shear effect and vortex rings.The vortex core area illustrates that the small-scale vortices are mainly distributed inside the collision walls of the cavity and the downstream flow channel.The Liutex-omega method has unique advantages in analyzing the cavity flow field and revealing the mechanism of self-excited oscillations.

Discovery of Highly Oxidized Abietane Diterpenoids from the Roots of Euphorbia fischeriana with Anti-tumor Activities

Four previously undescribed ent-abietane diterpenoids(1—4),along with eleven known analogues(5—15),were isolated from the roots of wild Euphorbia fischeriana.Their gross structures were determined via extensive spectroscopic data,and the absolute configurations were elucidated by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis,Rh2(OCOCF3)4-induced CD spectrum and ECD calculations.Their cervical carcinoma inhibition activities counteract HeLa cells were screened by MTT assay,and the structure-activity relationships were further examined.The results demonstrated that 2(IC50 value at 3.75μmol/L)was more potent than cisplatin.The underlying mechanism study revealed that 2 could distinctly induce apoptosis accompanied by increasing reactive oxygen species(ROS)production,Ca^(2+)influx and decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential.Furthermore,signal pathways including MAPKs/AKT might play a significant role in 2-induced cervical cancer cells death.

Impurity-induced bound states as a signature of pairing symmetry in multiband superconducting CeCu2Si2

The notion of multiband superconductivity with dominant two-gap features has been recently applied to the unconventional superconductor CeCu2Si2 for challenging the previously accepted concept of nodal d-wave pairing. In the proposed study, the realistic multiband Fermi surface topology of CeCu2Si2 was obtained through first-principles calculations, and analysis was conducted with an effective two-band hybridization model including detailed band structure. Within the T-matrix approximation, the obtained calculation results show that different pairing candidates, including fully gapped s-wave, loop-nodal s-wave, and d-wave pairings, could yield qualitatively distinct features characterized by impurity-induced bound states. These features can be verified through high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy or spectroscopy and provide corroborative justification that would be beneficial for the ongoing research regarding the superconducting gap symmetry of CeCu2Si2 at ambient pressure.

Intensive peatland wildfires during the Aptian-Albian oceanic anoxic event 1b:Evidence from borehole SK-2 in the Songliao Basin,NE China

The Cretaceous has been considered a“high-fire”world accompanied by widespread by-products of combustion in the rock record.The mid-Cretaceous oceanic anoxic event 1b(OAE1b)is marked by one of the major perturbations in the global carbon cycle characterized by deposition of organic-rich sediments in both marine and terrestrial settings.However,our understanding is still limited on changes in wildfire activity during OAE1b period.Here,we carried out a comprehensive analysis,including organic carbon isotope(δ^(13)C_(org)),total organic carbon(TOC),coal petrology,trace elements,and pyrolytic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(pyroPAHs),of coal seams of the middle Aptian to early Albian Shahezi Formation from borehole SK-2 in Songliao Basin,Northeast China.Two negativeδ^(13)C_(org) excursions in the Shahezi Formation can be corresponded with the 113/Jacob and Kilian sub-events of OAE1b.Moreover,the intensive peatland wildfires have been identified during the sub-event periods of OAE1b based on the co-occurrence of high abundance of charcoal and pyroPAHs at that time.In addition,Sr/Ba,Sr/Cu and Sr/Rb ratios demonstrate that enhanced peatland wildfires were controlled by dryer climate conditions owing to episodic northward migration of arid zones in East Asia related with rising global temperature during the sub-events of OAE1b.The climate-driven extensive wildfire activity in the mid-latitude terrestrial ecosystems can be a contributing factor for OAE1b through the increased flux of nutrients fuelling primary producers in the lake and marine environments and leading to more speculative anoxia to allow the deposition of organic-rich sediments.Our results provide essential understanding of the importance of wildfires in driving mechanism of oceanic anoxic events(OAEs)in Earth's history.

原发性开角型青光眼案

In this case,the acupuncture treatment for open-angle glaucoma patient achieved a significant result.The acupoints Jingming(睛明BL1),Qiuhou(球后Extra),Fengchi(风池GB20),and Taichong(太冲LR3)were used as the main ones plus some symptomatic acupoints.After one course of treatment,the left eye pressure decreased by 12 mmHg compared with that before treatment,the left eye vision improved,and the fundus oozing was significantly reduced.After two courses of treatment,the left eye pressure was below 20 mmHg,left eye vision obviously improved,and the fundus oozing completely disappeared.

Molecular Dynamics Study of Star Polymer Melts under Start-up Shear

It has been established that star polymers with a large number of arms display both the conventional chain relaxation and a slower interchain relaxation due to the formation of hard cores,which is called the local structural relaxation.Here,we demonstrate that this unique relaxation property of multi-arm stars leads to unusual rheological behaviors.We study the response of star polymer melts with various arm numbers to start-up shear flow via nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation.Our simulation results indicate that the stress-strain response of multi-arm star polymer melts differs from that of star polymers with a small number of arms in both quantitative and qualitative manners.While the multi-arm star polymer melts exhibit an overshoot peak in the stress-strain curve both at relatively small and sufficiently large shear rates,two overshoot peaks appear when the flow strength is comparable to the relaxation time of the star polymers.This double stress overshoot is absent in linear polymers and star polymers with a small number of arms and is evidently related to the presence of the local structural relaxation in star polymers with a large number of arms.We present a detailed analysis of the conformational and dynamical properties of star polymer melts under start-up shear to gain a molecular understanding of their stress response.

梳形聚合物在启动剪切下的分子动力学模拟研究

采用非平衡分子动力学模拟方法研究了接有较短支链的非缠结梳形聚合物熔体对启动剪切流的响应,并与线形聚合物进行了比较.模拟发现,对不同的剪切强度,接有较短支链的非缠结梳形聚合物熔体的应力-应变响应与线形聚合物的变化趋势基本相同,仅在数值上存在差异.此外,进一步研究了梳形聚合物在启动剪切下的结构变化.结果表明,与梳形聚合物的主链相比,短支链在启动剪切下的拉伸较为微弱,且对非缠结梳形聚合物流变行为的影响较弱,致使梳形聚合物在启动剪切场下的性质与线形聚合物相似.

Characteristics and evolution of inertinite abundance and atmospheric pO_(2) during China's coal-forming periods

Coal, especially the inertinite in it, is highly sensitive to climate changes, showing an obvious response to paleoclimate conditions, in particular, to paleo-oxygen concentration(pO_2 ). In this study, the inertinite abundance data of typical coal-forming periods in China were systematically collected and analyzed. Its characteristics and control factors were studied, and its evolution was established. Based on inertinite abundance data, pO_2 evolution curves of various coal-forming periods in China were established, which fluctuated between 15% and 30% during the entire Phanerozoic. The inertinite abundance in coal deposits during Paleozoic in China was basically consistent with that of other areas of the world, while it was quite different globally from the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic. The results show that the inertinite abundance in coal deposits is controlled by pO_2 and other factors including climatic zones, plant differentiation, sedimentary environments, and tectonic activities. The inertinite abundance in coal deposits in China during the Jurassic was high, suggesting dry paleoclimate of inland China.

Follistatin Like 5 ( FSTL5) inhibits epithelial to mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background:Epithelial to mesenchymal transition(EMT)is a key process in determining distant metastasis and intra-hepatic dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Follistatin(FST)family members are considered to be an attractive therapeutic targets and prognostic indicators in cancers.As a derivative of FST,Follistatin Like 5(FSTL5)may play a similar role in HCC cells.This study aimed to investigate the expression and function of FSTL5 in HCC and its role in EMT.Methods:FSTL5,E-cadherin and vimentin in HCC,and paracancerous tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry.Correlation of FSTL5 expression with overall survival was assessed.The proliferation and invasion of HCC cell lines SK-Hep1 and MHCC-LM3 were analyzed by cell counting kit-8 and Transwell assays.The expression of FSTL5,E-cadherin,and vimentin in HCC cells was examined by polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis.T-test was used to analyze the difference in proliferation and invasion ability between groups.The Spearman rank correlation test was used to detect the correlation between the expression of FSTL5 and E-cadherin or vimentin.Results:The expression of FSTL5 in HCC was lower than that in paracancerous tissues(9.97%vs.82.55%,χ2=340.15,P<0.001).Patients with high FSTL5 expression had a better prognosis(χ2=8.22,P=0.004)and smaller tumor diameter(χ2=45.52,P<0.001),less lymph node metastasis(χ2=5.58,P=0.02),earlier tumor node metastasis stage(χ2=11.29,P=0.001),a reduced number of tumors(χ2=5.05,P=0.02),lower alpha-fetoprotein value(χ2=24.36,P<0.001),more probability of hepatitis carrying(χ2=40.9,P<0.001),and better liver function grade(χ2=5.21,P=0.02).Immunohistochemistry showed that FSTL5 expression in HCC tissues was positively correlated with E-cadherin expression(r=0.38,P<0.001)and negatively correlated with vimentin expression(r=-0.385,P<0.001).Furthermore,over-expression of FSTL5 up-regulated the expression of E-cadherin and down-regulated the expression of vimentin in SK-Hep1(negative control[NC]vs.FSTL5-interfering group[Lv-FSTL5]:E-cadherin[t=45.03,P<0.001],vimentin[t=67,P<0.001])and MHCC-LM3(NC vs.Lv-FSTL5:E-cadherin[t=50,P<0.001],vimentin[t=72.75,P<0.001])cells at mRNA level.The same as protein level.In addition,the over-expression of FSTL5 inhibited the proliferation(NC vs.Lv-FSTL5:SK-Hep1,3 d[t=7.324,P=0.018],4 d[t=6.23,P=0.021],5 d[t=10.21,P=0.003];MHCC-LM3,3 d[t=4.32,P=0.037],4 d[t=7.49,P=0.012],5 d[t=9.3661,P=0.009])and invasion(NC vs.Lv-FSTL5:SK-Hep1,t=21.57,P<0.001;MHCC-LM3,t=18.04,P<0.001)of HCC cells.Conclusions:Down-regulation of FSTL5 may contribute to EMT of HCC,and FSTL5 is a potential target in the treatment of HCC.