Deep multi-task learning for nephropathy diagnosis on immunofluorescence images.

Background And Objective: As an advanced technique, immunofluorescence (IF) is one of the most widely-used medical image for nephropathy diagnosis, due to its ease of acquisition with low cost. In practice, the clinically collected IF images are commonly corrupted by blurs at different degrees, mainly because of the inaccurate focus at the acquisition stage. Although deep neural network (DNN) methods achieve the great success in nephropathy diagnosis, their performance dramatically drops over the blurred IF images.

Multi-Task Learning-Based Immunofluorescence Classification of Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease is one of the most important causes of mortality worldwide, but a shortage of nephrology pathologists has led to delays or errors in its diagnosis and treatment. Immunofluorescence (IF) images of patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), membranous nephropathy (MN), diabetic nephropathy (DN), and lupus nephritis (LN) were obtained from the General Hospital of Chinese PLA. The data were divided into training and test data.

NOX4-Derived ROS Mediates TGF-1-Induced Metabolic Reprogramming during Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition through the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1 Pathway in Glioblastoma.

Current studies on tumor progression focus on the roles of cytokines in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and recent research shows that transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-1) released from TME plays a pivotal role in tumor development and malignant transformation. The alteration in cellular metabolism is a hallmark of cancer, which not only provides cancer cells with ATP for fuel cellular reactions, but also generates metabolic intermediates for the synthesis of essential cellular ingredients, to support cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Interestingly, we found a distinct metabolic change during TGF-1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in glioblastoma cells.

A novel lncRNA ARST represses glioma progression by inhibiting ALDOA-mediated actin cytoskeleton integrity.

Background: Glioma is one of the most aggressive malignant brain tumors that is characterized with inevitably infiltrative growth and poor prognosis. ARST is a novel lncRNA whose expression level is significantly decreased in the patients with glioblastoma multiforme. However, the exact mechanisms of ARST in gliomagenesis are largely unknown.

Ubenimex induces apoptotic and autophagic cell death in rat GH3 and MMQ cells through the ROS/ERK pathway.

Purpose: Ubenimex, an aminopeptidase N (APN) inhibitor, is widely known for its use as an adjunct therapy for cancer therapy. However, in recent studies, it has also conferred antitumour effects in many cancers, but its anticancer mechanism is largely unknown. This study aims to investigate the specific anticancer activities and mechanisms of ubenimex in GH3 and MMQ cells.

NUMB knockdown enhanced the anti-tumor role of cisplatin on ovarian cancer cells by inhibiting cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Background: NUMB is an inhibitory regulator of NOTCH signaling, which is critical for the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Loss of NUMB expression is correlated with the genesis and development of multiple tumors. Recent studies reported that NUMB expression was upregulated in human ovarian cancer.

Knockdown of long noncoding RNA-taurine-upregulated gene 1 inhibits tumor angiogenesis in ovarian cancer by regulating leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein-1.

To investigate the role of long noncoding RNA taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) on ovarian cancer-induced angiogenesis and to explore possible signaling pathways. Ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 or CAOV3 was transfected with short hairpin-TUG1 to suppress TUG1 expression. Supernatant from cultured cancer cells was used as a condition medium to incubate endothelial cell line human umbilical vein endothelial cells, whose proliferation rate was quantified by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.

Normal endometrial stromal cells regulate 17β-estradiol-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition via slug and E-cadherin in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells in vitro.

Stroma-tumor communication participates in the pathogenesis of endometrial carcinomas. In previous studies, we found that normal stromal cells inhibited the growth of endometrial carcinoma cells. Here, we investigated the role of normal stromal cells in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of endometrial carcinoma cells and explored the possible mechanism implied.

EZH2 promotes metabolic reprogramming in glioblastomas through epigenetic repression of EAF2-HIF1α signaling.

Cancer cells prefer glycolysis for energy metabolism, even when there is sufficient oxygen to make it unnecessary. This is called the Warburg effect, and it promotes tumorigenesis and malignant progression. In this study, we demonstrated that EZH2, a multifaceted oncogenic protein involved in tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis, promotes glioblastoma tumorigenesis and malignant progression through activation of the Warburg effect.

A novel tunable blue-green-emitting CaGdGaAl2O7:Ce(3+),Tb(3+) phosphor via energy transfer for UV-excited white LEDs.

CaGdGaAl2O7 and CaGdGaAl2O7:Ce(3+),Tb(3+) have been synthesized by a traditional solid state reaction for the first time. The Rietveld refinement confirmed that CaGdGaAl2O7 has a tetragonal crystal system with the space group P4[combining macron]21m. The photoluminescence properties show that the obtained phosphors can be efficiently excited in the range from 330 to 400 nm, which matches perfectly with commercial UV LED chips.

EZH2-induced H3K27me3 is associated with epigenetic repression of the ARHI tumor-suppressor gene in ovarian cancer.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the second leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies worldwide. Enhancer of zeste homology 2 (EZH2), participating in gene expression silencing by trimethylating histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3), is often up-regulated in EOC. ARHI, an imprinted tumor-suppressor gene, is markedly down-regulated or even undetectable in the majority of EOC.

The overexpression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in glioma.

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is overexpressed in various neoplasms as a tumor-associated antigen and absent in natural brain. However, little is known about EpCAM's expression in gliomas. To investigate the expression of EpCAM in gliomas and understand the correlation of EpCAM expression with malignancy, proliferation, angiogenesis, and prognosis, we studied the expression of EpCAM in 98 glioma samples by immunohistochemistry and by western blotting (N = 12).

Recurrent miscarriage is associated with a decline of decidual natural killer cells expressing killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors specific for human leukocyte antigen C.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between natural killer (NK) cell phenotype and recurrent miscarriage (RM).

Methods: We studied killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) expression on decidual NK cells in women with RM.

Results: The expression of KIR2DL1/S1 on CD56(+) CD16(-) NK cells in the deciduas of these women was significantly lower than in that of control subjects (P = 0.

Loss of expressions of Dusp6, Sprouty4, and Sef, negative regulators of FGF2/ERK1/2 signaling, in the endometrium of women with adenomyosis.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (Dusp6), Sprouty4, and similar expression to FGF (Sef) are negative modulators of FGF2/ERK1/2 signaling. The objective of the study was to evaluate the expressions of Dusp6, Sprouty4, and Sef in eutopic endometria of patients with adenomyosis. Endometria from 30 women with adenomyosis and 29 women without adenomyosis were used in this study.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (Dusp6), a negative regulator of FGF2/ERK1/2 signaling, enhances 17β-estradiol-induced cell growth in endometrial adenocarcinoma cell.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (Dusp6) is a negative feedback mechanism of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK1/2 signaling. The aim of this study was to explore the expression of Dusp6 in human endometrial adenocarcinomas and the role of Dusp6 expression in the growth regulation of endometrial adenocarcinoma cell. We found that Dusp6 was over-expressed in human endometrial adenocarcinomas.

microRNA-21 overexpression contributes to cell proliferation by targeting PTEN in endometrioid endometrial cancer.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in the regulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome-10 (PTEN) expression and proliferation of endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) cells. We performed a qRT-PCR assay with miR-21 and PTEN in 16 paired EEC tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor endometrium. To investigate the regulation of PTEN by miR-21, we designed gain- and loss-of-function of miR-21 experiments in the KLE cell line by transfection with a synthetic miR-21 mimic and inhibitor.

Normal endometrial stromal cells regulate survival and apoptosis signaling through PI3K/AKt/Survivin pathway in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells in vitro.

Objective: Stroma-tumor communication plays an important role in the genesis of neoplasia. In the current study, we investigated the effect of normal stromal cells on the survival and apoptosis signaling of endometrial cancer cells and further explored the possible mechanism implied in this communication.

Methods: Using primarily cultured normal endometrial stromal cells and an endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line, Ishikawa cells, we established a 2D-coculture system to observe the stromal cell-tumor cell crosstalk in endometrial carcinomas.

Inhibitory effect of 2'-o-methoxyethyl-modified antisense oligonucleotides targeting vascular endothelial growth factor A on SKOV3 human ovarian cancer cells.

Background: Ovarian cancers are often at an advanced stage at diagnosis because early detection is difficult. The poor prognosis of ovarian cancers highlights the crucial need to develop better therapeutic agents and strategies. The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of a new modified antisense oligonucleotides targeting vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells.

Estrogen promotes B cell activation in vitro through down-regulating CD80 molecule expression.

Estrogen is the main female hormone of women. It has diverse effects on cell growth, differentiation and homeostatic functions. Accumulated evidence has indicated that estrogen may regulate multiple immune functions and the immune status of women.

Regulation of NADPH oxidase activity is associated with miRNA-25-mediated NOX4 expression in experimental diabetic nephropathy.

Background/aims: although numerous studies have explored the mechanisms regulating the enzyme activity of NADPH oxidase in diabetic nephropathy (DN), little information is available for the contribution of microRNAs (miRNAs) to the regulation of NADPH oxidase expression. Therefore, the present study was to test whether miRNAs importantly contribute to the regulation of NOX4 expression, a major catalytic subunit of NADPH oxidase under hyperglycemia.

Methods: diabetic rats were induced by streptozotocin.

c-Met expression is associated with time to recurrence in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

The aim of this study was to explore the difference in c-Met expression between primary and recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and to determine whether the dysregulation of c-Met expression has a role in the malignant progression of GBM. Paired primary and recurrent GBM specimens from the same patient were evaluated using immunohistochemical analysis. The association between c-Met expression and progression-free survival time (PFST) was analyzed.

Successful pregnancy after fertility-preserving surgery for endometrial stromal sarcoma.

Objective: To report a case of successful pregnancy after treatment for endometrial stromal sarcoma.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Gynecology department at a provincial hospital affiliated with a university.

Impact of exercise on seniors' motor control response to external dynamics.

Research on postural stability, motor control, and fall occurrence in seniors is common, but few studies address the influence of exercise and external dynamics on elderly balance. Using pre- and post-training tests, the effects of a Fitball exercise program on performance in eight subjects was documented. The exercise program focused on improving dynamic balance and postural stability of seniors.

Optimization of Pr3+, Tb3+, and Sm3+ co-doped (Y0.65Gd0.35)BO3:Eu0.05(3+) VUV phosphors through combinatorial approach.

A combinatorial approach was used to systematically investigate the effect of trace Pr(3+), Tb(3+), or Sm(3+) on the VUV photoluminescence of Eu(3+) in the Pr(3+), Tb(3+), or Sm(3+) co-doped (Y(0.65)Gd(0.35))BO(3):E(3+)(0.

Thermosensitive TRP ion channels mediate cytosolic calcium response in human synoviocytes.

The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are important membrane sensors, responding to thermal, chemical, osmotic, or mechanical stimuli by activation of calcium and sodium fluxes. In this study, three distinct TRP channels were detected and their role established in mediating cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](cyt)) response in tumor-derived SW982 synoviocytes and primary cultures of human synovial cells from patients with inflammatory arthropathies. As shown by fura-2 ratio measurements while cells were incubated in a temperature-regulated chamber, significant [Ca(2+)](cyt) elevation was elicited by rapid changes in bath temperature, application of TRPV1 receptor agonists capsaicin and resiniferatoxin, or a cold receptor stimulator, icilin.