NUF2 is associated with cancer stem cell characteristics and a potential drug target for prostate cancer.

Background: Cancer stem cells are characterized by self-renewal, clonal tumor initiation capacity, and treatment resistance, which play essential roles in the tumor progression of prostate cancer (PCa). In this study, we aim to explore the features of cancer stemness and characterize the expression of stem cell-related genes for PCa.

Methods: We downloaded RNA-seq data and related clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Compensation Techniques for Photosensors Used in High-Precision Accelerometers.

Temperature exerts a profound influence on the fidelity of photosensors, making the attainment of reliable temperature compensation a formidable task within engineering realms. This research delves into the intricacies of photosensors used in high-precision accelerometers, proposing an innovative, high-precision, adaptive, closed-loop compensation mechanism. Our design stands in stark contrast to traditional open-loop models, demonstrating superior performance by achieving a remarkable reduction in compensation error-nearly 98%.

Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of ZNF337 as a potential diagnostic, immunological, and prognostic biomarker.

Background: Zinc Finger Protein 337 (ZNF337) is a novel Zinc Finger (ZNF) protein family member. However, the roles of ZNF337 in human cancers have not yet been investigated.

Methods: In this study, with the aid of TCGA databases, GTEx databases, and online websites, we determined the expression levels of ZNF337 in pan-cancer and its potential value as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for pan-cancer and analyzed the relationship between ZNF337 expression and immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint genes.

Validation of 12 Rapid Antigen Tests for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2.

The rapid identification SARS-CoV-2 virus has become the basis for the control of the COVID-19 outbreak. The rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 are quick, widely available, and inexpensive. Rapid antigen tests have gradually replaced the time-consuming and costly RT-PCR.

Efficacy and safety of low-dose corticosteroids combined with leflunomide for progressive IgA nephropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: The effectiveness of immunosuppressive and corticosteroid treatments for Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN) remains thoroughly evaluated. We undertook a meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose corticosteroids plus leflunomide for progressive IgA nephropathy.

Methods: Eligible studies were obtained from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of exercise intervention in kidney transplant recipients.

Background And Objective: There is uncertainty about the beneficial effects of exercise intervention for kidney transplant recipients. The purpose of our meta-analysis is to estimate the efficacy of exercise intervention in kidney transplant recipients.

Methods: A database search according to the PICOS framework was performed for all published randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) about exercise intervention for kidney transplant recipients.

The multichannel i-propyl + O2 reaction system: A model of secondary alkyl radical oxidation.

The i-propyl + O2 reaction mechanism has been investigated by definitive quantum chemical methods to establish this system as a benchmark for the combustion of secondary alkyl radicals. Focal point analyses extrapolating to the ab initio limit were performed based on explicit computations with electron correlation treatments through coupled cluster single, double, triple, and quadruple excitations and basis sets up to cc-pV5Z. The rigorous coupled cluster single, double, and triple excitations/cc-pVTZ level of theory was used to fully optimize all reaction species and transition states, thus, removing some substantial flaws in reference geometries existing in the literature.

Efficacy and Safety of Ketamine Versus Opiates in the Treatment of Patients with Renal Colic: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction: Renal colic is one of the most common urological emergencies, and is usually caused by ureteral colic spasms. Pain management in renal colic remains the central focus of emergency treatment. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to identify the efficacy and safety of ketamine versus opioids in the treatment of patients with renal colic.

Calcitriol attenuates liver fibrosis through hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 3-transactivated protein 1-mediated TGF β1/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Background: Hepatic fibrosis is a serious condition, and the development of hepatic fibrosis can lead to a series of complications. However, the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis remains unclear, and effective therapy options are still lacking. Our group identified hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 3-transactivated protein 1 (NS3TP1) by suppressive subtractive hybridization and bioinformatics analysis, but its role in diseases including hepatic fibrosis remains undefined.

A hyaluronic acid modified cuprous metal-organic complex for reversing multidrug resistance via redox dyshomeostasis.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) which is often related to the overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in drug-resistant cancer cells has been a major problem faced by current cancer chemotherapy. Reversing P-gp-related MDR by disrupting tumor redox homeostasis that regulates the expression of P-gp is a promising strategy. In this work, a hyaluronic acid (HA) modified nanoscale cuprous metal-organic complex (HA-CuTT) was developed to reverse P-gp-related MDR via two-way regulated redox dyshomeostasis, which was achieved by both Cu-catalyzed generation of •OH and disulfide bonds-mediated depletion of glutathione (GSH).

Evaluation of a high-sensitivity SARS-CoV-2 antigen test on the fully automated light-initiated chemiluminescent immunoassay platform.

Objectives: To describe a high-sensitivity SARS-CoV-2 antigen test that is based on the fully automated light-initiated chemiluminescent immunoassay (LiCA), and to validate its analytical characteristics and clinical agreement on detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection against the reference molecular test.

Methods: Analytical performance was validated and detection limits were determined using different types of nucleocapsid protein samples. 798-pair anterior nasal swab specimens were collected from hospitalized patients and asymptomatic screening individuals.

Sex- and region-specific associations of skeletal muscle mass with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

Introduction: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is known to be the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, and accumulating evidence suggests that skeletal muscle might play an important role in metabolic health. However, the association between skeletal muscle and MAFLD is poorly understood so far. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the associations of skeletal muscle with MAFLD and significant fibrosis.

HCBP6-induced activation of brown adipose tissue and upregulated of BAT cytokines genes.

Brown adipose tissue is a thermogenic organ, which consumes chemical energy as heat to protect animals from low temperature and metabolic diseases. However, the role and mechanism of the new factor that up-regulates the heat-generating capacity of brown adipose tissue is still unclear. Here, we found that hepatitis C virus core binding protein 6 (HCBP6), as a key regulator gene in the homeostasis of liver lipid metabolism, is an important enhancer for activating brown fat to ensure thermogenesis.

Macrophages evoke autophagy of hepatic stellate cells to promote liver fibrosis in NAFLD mice via the PGE2/EP4 pathway.

The pathogenesis of liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unclear and the effective treatments have not been explored yet. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is considered as the most critical factor in the progression of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Autophagy has recently been identified as a new mechanism to regulate HSC activation.

A GLUTs/GSH cascade targeting-responsive bioprobe for the detection of circulating tumor cells.

A GLUTs/GSH cascade targeting-responsive bioprobe, GluCC, was rationally designed and synthesized for the first time the coordination of copper ions with a glucose-modified coumarin derivative ligand (GluC). GluCC can specifically detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in lung metastatic mice models by targeting the Warburg effect and responding to overexpressed glutathione in the tumor microenvironment. This bioprobe with a simple detection procedure has significant advantages for CTC detection.

miR-98-5p as a novel biomarker suppress liver fibrosis by targeting TGFβ receptor 1.

Background: Hepatic fibrosis is the repair reaction of excessive deposition and abnormal distribution of extracellular matrix after various liver injuries, especially chronic HBV infection, which is a key step in the development of various chronic liver diseases to cirrhosis. Recent studies have showed that microRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate a series of liver fibrosis-related gene express and play an important role in the development of liver fibrosis. But the miRNAs expression profiling and the differentially expressed miRNAs in patients with HBV-related liver fibrosis were little known.

Mechanism for the Reaction of White Phosphorus with CpCr(CO) Leading Ultimately to the Triple-Decker Sandwich CpCr(μ-η,η-P): A Theoretical Study.

The experimentally known reaction of CpCr(CO) with white phosphorus (P) to give CpCr(CO)(η-P), CpCr(CO)(μ-η,η-P), and the triple-decker sandwich CpCr(μ-η,η-P) is of interest since the P reactant having a tetrahedral cluster of four phosphorus atoms is converted to products having P, P, and P ligands. The mechanism of this obviously complicated reaction can be dissected into three stages using a coupled cluster theoretical method that has been benchmarked with the P, Mn(CO), and CpCr(CO) dimerization processes. The first stage of the CpCr(CO)/P reaction mechanism generates the unsaturated singlet intermediate CpCr(CO) that combines with the P reactant.

S6K1 inhibits HBV replication through inhibiting AMPK-ULK1 pathway and disrupting acetylation modification of H3K27.

Aims: To investigated the effect of S6K1 on the replication and transcription of HBV DNA using multiple cell models.

Main Methods: The pgRNA, total HBV RNA and HBV DNA level were detected by Real-time PCR. The HBcAg expression by Western blot and the activity of four HBV promoters, such as preS1, preS2/S, core, and X promoters by using dual luciferase reporter assay.

Tumor microenvironment responsive supramolecular glyco-nanovesicles based on diselenium-bridged pillar[5]arene dimer for targeted chemotherapy.

Supramolecular glyco-nanovesicles (SeSe-(P5)2⊃Man-NH3+) based on the host-guest complex of a diselenium-bridged pillar[5]arene dimer and a mannose derivative have been successfully developed for the first time, which possessed tumor microenvironment-responsiveness and specific targetability due to their diselenium bonds and mannose units, respectively.

HCBP6 deficiency exacerbates glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in non-alcoholic fatty liver mice.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which often accompanied by metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, diabetes and dyslipidemia, has become a global health problem. Our previous results show that HCV core protein binding protein 6 (HCBP6) could maintain the triglyceride homeostasis in liver cells. However, the role of HCBP6 in NAFLD and its associated metabolic disorders remains incompletely understood.

Understanding the singlet-triplet energy splittings in transition metal-capped carbon chains.

The singlet-triplet energy splittings (STES) of dication carbon chains capped by three 16-electron and two 14-electron configuration transition metal termini have been investigated using density functional theory. All five transition metal-capped carbon chains (MCC) exhibit an odd-even STES alternation, suggesting that it is a general feature of the MCCs. Analysis of the frontier molecular orbitals indicates that the frontier and neighboring molecular orbitals (MOs) are π orbitals delocalized over the entire carbon chain, the transition metal termini, and the ancillary ligands.

Membrane-sensitive bacterial DNA extractions and absolute quantitation of recovery efficiencies.

Absolute quantification of waterborne pathogens is mandatory for microbiological risk assessment (MRA). Determination of the DNA recovery efficiency is an essential step before the quantitative molecular measurements, which has been largely ignored. In this study, we compared the DNA recovery efficiency and quality of five extraction methods, including two modified phenol-chloroform-based extractions with mechanical shearing and three commercial kits for the extraction of DNA from indigenous mixed-bacteria culture of river water.

TAF and TDF attenuate liver fibrosis through NS5ATP9, TGFβ1/Smad3, and NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the roles and mechanisms of tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF)/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in treating liver fibrosis.

Methods: The effects of TAF/TDF on carbon tetrachloride (CCl)-induced liver fibrosis in C57BL/6 wild-type or nonstructural protein 5A transactivated protein 9 (NS5ATP9) knockout mice were studied. The differentiation, activation, and proliferation of LX-2 cells after TAF/TDF treatment were tested in vitro.

P7TP3 inhibits tumor development, migration, invasion and adhesion of liver cancer through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

The effect of hepatitis C virus p7 trans-regulated protein 3 (P7TP3) in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of P7TP3 in HCC. P7TP3 was significantly decreased in HCC tissues when compared with corresponding liver tissues immediately around the tumor (LAT) from seven HCC patients.

XTP8 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma growth by forming a positive feedback loop with FOXM1 oncogene.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancer in the world and the main cause of cancer death. Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major cause of HCC. HBx, as a transactivator, plays an important role in the occurrence and development process of HCC leading by HBV infection.