Dysregulation of let-7 by PEG modified graphene oxide in nematodes with deficit in epidermal barrier.

In nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, epidermal RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown of bli-1 encoding a cuticular collagen caused the toxicity induction of GO-PEG (PEG surface modified graphene oxide). In this study, we further found that epidermal RNAi knockdown of bli-1 increased expression of a microRNA let-7, and let-7 mutation suppressed the susceptibility of bli-1(RNAi) nematodes to GO-PEG toxicity. let-7 regulated the toxicity induction of GO-PEG by suppressing expression and function of its direct targets (HBL-1 and LIN-41).

Cross-cancer Prediction: A Novel Machine Learning Approach to Discover Molecular Targets for Development of Treatments for Multiple Cancers.

Conventional cancer drug development has long been limited to organ- or tissue-specific cancer types. However, it has become increasingly known that specific genetic abnormalities are responsible for the carcinogenesis of multiple cancers. The recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the first multi-cancer drug, Keytruda, has demonstrated the feasibility of developing new drugs that target multiple cancers.

Author Correction: Toxicity evaluation of Wanzhou watershed of Yangtze Three Gorges Reservoir in the flood season in Caenorhabditis elegans.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Author Correction: Biosafety assessment of water samples from Wanzhou watershed of Yangtze Three Gorges Reservoir in the quiet season in Caenorhabditis elegans.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Adaptive optics via self-interference digital holography for non-scanning three-dimensional imaging in biological samples.

Three-dimensional imaging in biological samples usually suffers from performance degradation caused by optical inhomogeneities. Here we proposed an approach to adaptive optics in fluorescence microscopy where the aberrations are measured by self-interference holographic recording and then corrected by a post-processing optimization procedure. In our approach, only one complex-value hologram is sufficient to measure and then correct the aberrations, which results in fast acquisition speed, lower exposure time, and the ability to image in three-dimensions without the need to scan the sample or any other element in the system.

Biosafety assessment of water samples from Wanzhou watershed of Yangtze Three Gorges Reservior in the quiet season in Caenorhabditis elegans.

We here employed a model animal of Caenorhabditis elegans to perform toxicity assessment of original surface water samples collected from Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in the quiet season in Wanzhou, Chongqing. Using some sublethal endpoints, including lifespan, body length, locomotion behavior, brood size, and intestinal reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction, we found that the examined five original surface water samples could not cause toxicity on wild-type nematodes. Nevertheless, the surface water sample collected from backwater area induced the significant increase in expressions of genes (sod-2 and sod-3) encoding Mn-SODs in wild-type nematodes.

Functional disruption in epidermal barrier enhances toxicity and accumulation of graphene oxide.

In Caenorhabditis elegans, mutation of mlt-7 causes the deficits in epidermal barrier. Using the nematodes with epidermal-specific RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown of mlt-7 as a genetic tool, we found that epidermal-specific RNAi knockdown of mlt-7 resulted in a susceptibility to graphene oxide (GO) toxicity, and enhanced GO accumulation in the body. Epidermal-development related proteins of BLI-1 and IFB-1 acted as downstream targets of MLT-7, and mediated the function of MLT-7 in maintaining the epidermal barrier.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced reproductive toxicity involved in dna damage-dependent oocyte apoptosis and oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a widely used plasticizer with a high environmental exposure level. As a persistent organic pollutant, DEHP causes reproductive and developmental toxicity in mammals. In this paper, the reproductive toxicity of DEHP was discussed using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to determine the sensitivity indices for evaluating the ecotoxicological effects of DEHP.

Hydrogen Sulfide Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Diaphragm Dysfunction in Rats by Reducing Apoptosis and Inflammation through ROS/MAPK and TLR4/NF-B Signaling Pathways.

Diaphragm dysfunction is an important clinical problem worldwide. Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is involved in many physiological and pathological processes in mammals. However, the effect and mechanism of HS in diaphragm dysfunction have not been fully elucidated.

Using acs-22 mutant Caenorhabditis elegans to detect the toxicity of nanopolystyrene particles.

In this study, we employed Caenorhabditis elegans with acs-22 mutation to examine the in vivo effect of functional deficit in intestinal barrier on toxicity and translocation of nanopolystyrene particles. Mutation of acs-22 leads to deficit in intestinal barrier. After prolonged exposure, nanopolystyrene particles at concentrations ≥1 μg/L could cause toxicity on acs-22 mutant nematodes.

Developmental basis for intestinal barrier against the toxicity of graphene oxide.

Background: Intestinal barrier is crucial for animals against translocation of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) into secondary targeted organs. However, the molecular mechanisms for the role of intestinal barrier against ENMs toxicity are still largely unclear. The intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful in vivo experimental system for the study on intestinal function.

Combinational effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and nanopolystyrene particles at environmentally relevant concentrations on nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

The possible adverse effects of nanoplastics have received the great attention recently; however, their effects at environmentally relevant concentration on organisms are still largely unclear. We here employed Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the combinational effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO-NPs) and nanopolystyrene particles at environmentally relevant concentrations on organisms. In wild-type nematodes, prolonged exposure to nanopolystyrene particles (1 μg/L) could enhance the toxicity of TiO-NPs (1 μg/L) in decreasing locomotion behavior and in inducing intestinal reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.

Ileocecal junction perforation caused by a sewing needle in incarcerated inguinal hernia: An unusual case report.

Introduction: This case study is concerning the meticulous observation of the moving process and track of 2 ingested needles using interval x-ray radiography, trying to localize the foreign bodies and reduce unnecessary exploration of digestive tract.

Case Presentation: An unusual case of a 1-year, 9-month-old female baby, with incarcerated hernia perforation caused by sewing needles with sharp ends, was reported herein. The patient had swallowed 2 sewing needles.

Further evidence for "gain-of-function" mechanism of DFNA5 related hearing loss.

To report two DFNA5 pathogenic splice-site variations and a novel benign frameshift variation to further support the gain-of-function mechanism of DFNA5 related hearing impairment, targeted genes capture and next generation sequencing were performed on selected members from Family 1007208, 1007081 and a sporadic case with sensorineural hearing loss. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was conducted on the proband from Family 1007208 to test how the splice-site variation affects the transcription in RNA level. A novel heterozygous splice-site variation c.

PEST-containing nuclear protein mediates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human neuroblastoma cells through MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways.

Background: PEST-containing nuclear protein (PCNP), a novel nuclear protein, is involved in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. However, the precise mechanism of action of PCNP in the process of tumor growth has not yet been fully elucidated.

Methods: ShRNA knockdown and overexpression of PCNP were performed in human neuroblastoma cells.

Toxicity evaluation of Wanzhou watershed of Yangtze Three Gorges Reservior in the flood season in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in the upper stream of Yangtze River in China is a reservoir with the largest and the longest yearly water-level drop. Considering the fact that most of safety assessments of water samples collected from TGR region were based on chemical analysis, we here employed Caenorhabditis elegans to perform in vivo safety assessment of original surface water samples collected from TGR region in the flood season in Wanzhou, Chongqing. Among the examined five original surface water samples, only exposure to original surface water sample collected from backwater area could induce the significant intestinal ROS production, enhance the intestinal permeability, and decrease the locomotion behavior.

Identification of interneurons required for the aversive response of Caenorhabditis elegans to graphene oxide.

Background: So far, how the animals evade the environmental nanomaterials is still largely unclear. In this study, we employed in vivo assay system of Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the aversive behavior of nematodes to graphene oxide (GO) and the underlying neuronal basis.

Results: In this assay model, we detected the significant aversive behavior of nematodes to GO at concentrations more than 50 mg/L.

Identification of four TMC1 variations in different Chinese families with hereditary hearing loss.

Background: Variants in TMC1 (transmembrane channel-like 1) can cause both autosomal dominant and recessive hearing loss in human population. Mice with Tmc1 variants have been shown to be ideal animal models for gene therapy. In this article, we report four TMC1 variants in four different Chinese families and the follow-up auditory phenotype of a previously reported family.

Magnetic and electronic properties of single-walled MoC nanotube: a first-principles study.

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of single-walled MoC nanotubes are investigated by using first-principles calculations. We establish that single-walled MoC nanotubes can be rolled up from a graphene-like MoC monolayer with H- or T-type phase, i.e.

Identification of a MYO7A mutation in a large Chinese DFNA11 family and genotype-phenotype review for DFNA11.

Background: The molecular and genetic research showed the association between DFNA11 and mutations in MYO7A. This research aimed to identify a MYO7A mutation in a family with nonsyndromic autosomal dominant hearing loss.

Methods: We have ascertained one large multigenerational Chinese family (Z029) with autosomal dominant late-onset progressive non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss.

Comparison between Bilateral and Unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Background: Bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (BSSHL) is rare and assumed to be a different clinical entity compared to unilateral SSHL (USSHL). This study examined the differences between the idiopathic BSSHL and USSHL.

Methods: Forty-six sequential BSSHL patients (Se-BSSHL) and 68 simultaneous BSSHL (Si-BSSHL) were consecutively admitted between June 2008 and December 2015.

Regulation of the Response of Caenorhabditis elegans to Simulated Microgravity by p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling.

The in vivo function of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in regulating the response to simulated microgravity is still largely unclear. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as an assay system, we investigated the in vivo function of p38 MAPK signaling in regulating the response of animals to simulated microgravity and the underlying molecular mechanism. Simulated microgravity treatment significantly increased the transcriptional expressions of genes (pmk-1, sek-1, and nsy-1) encoding core p38 MAPK signaling pathway and the expression of phosphorylated PMK-1/p38 MAPK.

Profiling of Differential Expression of Genes in Mice Carrying Both Mutant Presenilin 1 and Amyloid Precursor Protein Transgenes with or without Knockout of B Adrenergic Receptor Gene.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a lifelong progressive neurodegenerativa disease related with accumulation of amyloid β peptide (Aβ) produced by processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the brain. In spite of several-decades effort on AD, there is still no medicine used to intervene with its pathological processes. Our previous studies made in transgenic animal models harboring familial AD genes of mutant presenilin 1 and amyloid precursor protein (APP) showed that βAR gene knock-out (βAR-KO) is beneficial in senile AD animals.