Abstract Background Numerous studies have revealed that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely related to the development of many diseases and carcinogenesis. However, their specific biological function and molecular mechanism in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. Methods RNA-Seq was performed to determine the differential expressions of lncRNAs in ESCC, and the level of SNHG16 expression was detected in ESCC and intraepithelial neoplasia (IEN) samples. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to...

Abstract Background The centrosome is one of the most important non-membranous organelles regulating microtubule organization and progression of cell mitosis. The coiled-coil alpha-helical rod protein 1 (CCHCR1, also known as HCR) gene is considered to be a psoriasis susceptibility gene, and the protein is suggested to be localized to the P-bodies and centrosomes in mammalian cells. However, the exact cellular function of HCR and its potential regulatory role in the centrosomes remain unexplored. Results We...

Abstract Background Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) with neuronal surface antibodies (NSAbs) presents pathogenesis mediated by B cell-secreting antibodies. Rituximab is a second-line choice for the treatment for AE with NSAbs, which can cause B cell depletion via targeting CD20. However, the optimal protocol and dosage of rituximab combined with first-line therapy for NSAbs-associated AE remains unclear so far. In this study, we explored the efficacy and safety of low-dose rituximab combined with first-line treatment for NSAbs-associated...

Abstract Background Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) with neuronal surface antibodies (NSAbs) presents pathogenesis mediated by B cell-secreting antibodies. Rituximab is a second-line choice for the treatment for AE with NSAbs, which can cause B cell depletion via targeting CD20. However, the optimal protocol and dosage of rituximab combined with first-line therapy for NSAbs-associated AE remains unclear so far. In this study, we explored the efficacy and safety of low-dose rituximab combined with first-line treatment for NSAbs-associated...

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to explore a new estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR)+ and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)− breast cancer prognostic model, called the extended Cox prognostic model, for determining the cutoff values for multiple continuous prognostic factors and their interaction via the new model concept and variable selection method. Methods A total of 335 patients with ER/PR+ and HER2− breast cancer were enrolled for the...

Abstract Tunicamycin inhibits the first step of protein N-glycosylation modification. However, the physiological, transcriptomic, and N-glycomic effects of tunicamycin on important marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum are still unknown. In this study, comprehensive approaches were used to study the effects of tunicamycin stress. The results showed that cell growth and photosynthesis were significantly inhibited in P. tricornutum under the tunicamycin stress. The soluble protein content was significantly decreased, while the soluble sugar and neutral lipid were...

Abstract Background Flavonoids are necessary for plant growth and resistance to adversity and stress. They are also an essential nutrient for human diet and health. Among the metabolites produced in Cannabis sativa (C. sativa), phytocannabinoids have undergone extensive research on their structures, biosynthesis, and biological activities. Besides the phytocannabinoids, C. sativa is also rich in terpenes, alkaloids, and flavonoids, although little research has been conducted in this area. Results In this study, we identified 11...

Abstract Background Hypertension, a well-known risk factor, contributes to millions of deaths from cardiovascular and renal diseases worldwide. However, evidence on the association between frequency of dairy product consumption and hypertension is inconsistent. Methods The data for the present study are from the Tongxiang baseline dataset of the China Kadoorie Biobank prospective study. A total of 53,916 participants aged 30–79 years were included in the final analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to evaluate the...

Abstract Background DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark associated with the repression of gene promoters. Its pattern in the genome is disrupted with age and these changes can be used to statistically predict age with epigenetic clocks. Altered rates of aging inferred from these clocks are observed in human disease. However, the molecular mechanisms underpinning age-associated DNA methylation changes remain unknown. Local DNA sequence can program steady-state DNA methylation levels, but how it influences age-associated...

Abstract Background Giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs) are challenges for surgical treatment. Risk factors of postoperative stroke remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the predictors of postoperative stroke in GIAs and the impact of stroke on outcomes. Methods We performed a retrospective medical record review of patients with GIAs who received microsurgery at our institution between 2011 and 2018. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify risk factors for postoperative stroke. The clinical...

Abstract Background Vaccination is important in influenza prevention but the immune response wanes with age. The circadian nature of the immune system suggests that adjusting the time of vaccination may provide an opportunity to improve immunogenicity. Our previous cluster trial in Birmingham suggested differences between morning and afternoon vaccination for some strains in the influenza vaccine in older adults. Whether this effect is also seen in a younger age group with less likelihood of compromised...

Abstract Background LncRNA PCED1B-AS1 (PCED1B-AS1) promotes glioma. This study aimed to investigate its role in osteosarcoma (OS). Methods The study included 60 OS patients. Accumulation of miR-10a and PCED1B-AS1 in tissues from OS patients and cell lines was determined by RT-qPCR. Cell transfections were performed for interaction analysis. Participation of PCED1B-AS1 siRNA silencing and miR-10a overexpression in proliferation, invasion, and migration of U2OS and MG-63 cells was analyzed by cell proliferation assay and Transwell assay....

Abstract Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a progressive chronic disease of the central retina, is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Activated macrophages recruited to the injured eyes greatly contribute to the pathogenesis of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in exudative AMD (wet AMD). This study describes the effects of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2)/prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signalling on the macrophage activation and CNV formation of wet AMD. In a mouse model of laser-induced wet AMD, the mice received an intravitreal...

Abstract Background Industrial bioethanol production may involve a low pH environment caused by inorganic acids, improving the tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to a low pH environment is of industrial importance to increase ethanol yield, control bacterial contamination, and reduce production cost. In our previous study, acid tolerance of a diploid industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain KF-7 was chronically acclimatized by continuous ethanol fermentation under gradually increasing low-pH stress conditions. Two haploid strains B3 and C3 having...

Abstract Background Consistent and complete adherence is considered an essential requirement for patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of ART duration on ART adherence, identify the trend of complete adherence, and compare the factors associated with ART adherence between short-term and long-term ART group among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV in Jinan of China. Methods MSM living with HIV aged 18 or above and...

Abstract Background The pathophysiology of hepatitis B-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the disease mechanisms using topological analysis of the miRNA/mRNA network. Methods Paired miRNA/mRNA sequencing was performed with thirty-three peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples (LC, n = 9; chronic hepatitis B, n = 12; normal controls, n = 12) collected from a prospective cohort to identify the miRNA/mRNA network. Topological features and functional implications of the network were analyzed...

Abstract Background Depression and anxiety are topical concerns worldwide, especially among adolescents. Besides, biological rhythm disorder as a candidate mechanism for mood disorders is highly prevalent, but relevant research among adolescents in China is presently limited. We conducted the present study to investigate the distribution of multi-dimensional self-rating biological rhythm disorder and the association of self-rating biological rhythm disorders with depression and anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents in different academic stages. Methods In the cross-sectional...

China is a multi-ethnic country, and the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection may be diverse among ethnics. This meta-analysis was conducted to compare the prevalence of H pylori infection between Tibetans and Han ethnics. Ten studies that reported the prevalence of H pylori infection between Tibetans and Hans in China were eligible. The pooled prevalence of H pylori infection was 62.2% versus 55.3% among Tibetans and Hans, respectively. Tibetans had a higher risk...

Abstract Background BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 is a novel circRNA and contains conserved binding sites with RNA-binding proteins. However, BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 has not been fully studied in coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to clarify the diagnostic value and the possible functional role of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 in CAD. Methods A total of 276 human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples were employed. The circularization of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 was verified via Sanger sequencing. The expression level of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 in CAD samples and...

Abstract Background Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is known as a tumor suppressor and lowly expressed in most cancers. The expression pattern and role of ACE2 in breast cancer (BC) have not been deeply elucidated. Methods A systematic pan-cancer analysis was conducted to assess the expression pattern and immunological role of ACE2 based on RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The correlation of ACE2 expression and immunological characteristics in the BC tumor...

Abstract Background Diarrhea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young calves, resulting in considerable economic loss for dairy farms. To determine if some gut microbes might have resistance to dysbiotic process with calf diarrhea by dictating the microbial co-occurrence patterns from birth to post-weaning, we examined the dynamic development of the gut microbiota and diarrhea status using two animal trials, with the first trial having 14 Holstein dairy calves whose fecal samples...

Abstract Background Anaplasma translocated substrate 1 (Ats-1) is an effector of type 4 secretory systems (T4SS) and the main virulence factor of Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Ats-1 is involved in the regulation of host cell biological processes, but the specific molecular mechanism of its action is unclear. Results In this study, we identified Ats-1 as involved in mitochondrial respiratory regulation of HEK293T cells by multi-omics analysis. After intracellular expression of Ats-1, adenosine triphosphate levels and the proliferation...

Abstract Multidrug resistance (MDR) has been restricting the efficacy of chemotherapy, which mainly include pump resistance and non-pump resistance. In order to fight overall MDR, a novel targeted gene/drug co-deliver nano system is developed, which can suppress the drug efflux pumps and modulate autophagy to overcoming both pump and non-pump resistance. Here, small interfere RNA (siRNA) is incorporated into polymer-drug conjugates (PEI-PTX, PP) which are composed of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and paclitaxel (PTX) via covalent bonds,...

In this paper, the optical trapping of multiple particles based on rotationally-symmetric power-exponent-phase vortex beam (RSPEPVB) was introduced and demonstrated. Based on the theories of tight focusing and optical force, the optical force model of RSPEPVB was established to analyze the optical trap force of tightly focused RSPEPVB. Then, an experimental setup of optical tweezer, by utilizing the RSPEPVB, was built to demonstrate that the optical tweezer of RSPEPVBs can achieve the optical trapping of...

Abstract Background Plasmodium vivax rhoptry-associated membrane antigen (RAMA) is a glycophosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane protein currently under consideration as a malaria vaccine candidate. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies induced by P. vivax RAMA (PvRAMA) have been proved to persist over 12 months in the sera of people infected with P. vivax. It has also been shown that through stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with PvRAMA in vitro, the antigen can induce CD4+ T cells to produce interleukin-10....