The impact of skeletal muscle index at the third lumbar spine on nosocomial deterioration and short-term prognosis in acute pancreatitis: a retrospective observational study.

Objective: To investigate the impact of the third lumbar skeletal muscle index (L3-SMI) assessed by CT on the in-hospital severity and short-term prognosis of acute pancreatitis. Methods: A total of 224 patients with severe acute pancreatitis admitted to Yantaishan Hospital from January 2021 to June 2022 were selected as the subjects. Based on the in-hospital treatment outcomes, they were divided into a mortality group of 59 cases as well as a survival group of 165 cases. Upon admission, general information such as the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, along with the abdominal CT images of each patient, were analyzed. The L3-SMI was calculated, and the Modified CT Severity Index (MCTSI) and Balthazar CT grade were used to assess the severity of in-hospital complications of acute pancreatitis. The evaluation value of L3-SMI for the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis was analyzed, as well as the factors influencing the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis. Results: No statistically significant differences in gender, age, BMI, etiology, duration of anti-inflammatory drug use, and proportion of surgical patients between the survival and mortality groups were observed. But the mortality group showed higher proportions of patients with an elevated APACHE II score upon admission, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy, compared to the survival group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the mortality group had higher MCTSI scores (6.42 ± 0.69) and Balthazar CT grades (3.78 ± 0.45) than the survival group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). The mortality group also had a lower L3-SMI (39.68 ± 3.25) compared to the survival group (42.71 ± 4.28), with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). L3-SMI exhibited a negative correlation with MCTSI scores and Balthazar CT grades (r = -0.889, -0.790, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis, with mortality of acute pancreatitis patients as the dependent variable and MCTSI scores, Balthazar CT grades, L3-SMI, APACHE II score upon admission, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy as independent variables, revealed that MCTSI scores and L3-SMI were risk factors for mortality in acute pancreatitis patients (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis using the same variables confirmed that all these factors were risk factors for mortality in acute pancreatitis patients. Conclusion: This study confirmed that diagnosing muscle depletion using L3-SMI is a valuable radiological parameter for predicting in-hospital severity and short-term prognosis in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Diverse Roles of ScSERF in Modifying the Fibril Growth of Amyloidogenic Proteins.

The aggregation of amyloidogenic proteins is often related to the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases, including fused in sarcoma protein (FUS) in frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diseases. Recently, the SERF protein family has been reported to have a significant regulatory effect on amyloid formation, but it is still unclear about the detailed mechanisms of SERF acting on different amyloidogenic proteins. Herein, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to explore interactions of ScSERF with three amyloidogenic proteins FUS-LC, FUS-Core, and α-Synuclein. NMR chemical shift perturbations reveal them sharing similar interaction sites on the N-terminal region of ScSERF. However, the amyloid formation of α-Synuclein protein is accelerated by ScSERF, while ScSERF inhibits fibrosis of FUS-Core and FUS-LC proteins. Both the primary nucleation and the total amount of fibrils produced are detained. Our results suggest a diverse role of ScSERF in regulating the fibril growth of amyloidogenic proteins.

High-order mode erbium-doped fiber laser based on cavity LPFG converters.

We experimentally investigate high-order mode (HOM) generation at a wavelength of 1.5 µm in an all-fiber erbium-doped laser based on a long-period fiber grating (LPFG). The CW laser emission is achieved when the pump power is above the threshold of 10 mW. An LPFG with a 15 dB bandwidth of 147.76 nm from 1502.76 nm to 1650.52 nm is used as a mode converter inside the cavity. The generation of the broadband L P 11 mode is ultimately obtained. By using a few-mode output coupler, we can obtain the intracavity conversion of the linear polarization mode. Single-, dual-, triple-, and quadruple-wavelength operations can be achieved by changing the polarization state of the polarization controllers in the cavity. The tunable range of the output wavelengths is up to ∼23.20n m. The output power and slope efficiency of the HOMs are presented and discussed. We believe our work might benefit the investigation of HOM fiber lasers, and might be further applied to the intracavity conversion of the linear polarization mode or orbital angular momentum beams.

Backbone resonance assignments and dynamics of S. cerevisiae SERF.

Abnormal protein aggregation and precipitation are associated with the perturbation of cellular function and underlie a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. S. cerevisiae SERF (ScSERF), a homolog of modifier of aggregation-4 (MOAG-4) and small EDRK-rich factor protein (SERF1a) is highly conserved and discovered as an enhancer of amyloid formation of Aß40 and α-synuclein both in vitro and in vivo. However, the detailed molecular mechanism whereby ScSERF and its homologs accelerate amyloid formation is not well known yet. Herein, we present the 1 H, 15 N and 13 C NMR assignments of the 68 amino acids long ScSERF. Although ScSERF displays a very high degree of disorder, secondary chemical shifts of Cα, Cß, 15 N{1 H}-NOE values and the residue-specific secondary structure propensity (SSP) scores indicate the segment spanning residues 36E-65 K has a strong helical propensity. This work sets the stage for further detailed structural and dynamic investigations of ScSERF and the molecular mechanism it utilizes in accelerating amyloid formation.

Silencing of B7H4 Represses the Development of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through Promotion of M1 Macrophage Polarization.

PURPOSE: Tumor-associated macrophages can support oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression, and overexpression of the immunomodulator B7H4 correlates with poor prognosis of OSCC patients. We performed this study to assess the effect of B7H4 silencing on macrophage polarization and explore the potential mechanism of B7H4 during OSCC progression. METHODS: Short hairpin RNA targeting B7H4 was used to knock down B7H4. The predictor variable was B7H4 expression level, and the outcome variables were SCC9 cell growth and metastasis, M1/M2 macrophage ratio, and anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1)/STAT3 pathway-related protein levels. These were measured through real-time qPCR, Western blot analysis, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, and transwell assay. In addition, a tumor xenograft mouse model was used to examine the effect of B7H4 silencing (+/- Colivelin, an activator of STAT3) on tumor growth and macrophage polarization. RESULTS: The expression of B7H4 in OSCC cell lines was more than 2-fold compared with that in human normal oral keratinocytes via real-time qPCR and Western blot analysis. Knockdown of B7H4 repressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SCC9 cells, which were detected by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine and transwell assay, as well as reduced PD-1/STAT3 pathway-related protein levels, promoted M1 macrophage polarization, and inhibited M2 polarization. In vivo research demonstrated that B7H4 silencing also inhibited the growth of tumor xenograft and increased the M1/M2 ratio in an OSCC mouse model. Colivelin reversed the inhibitory effects of B7H4 knockdown on OSCC progression and reversed macrophage polarization both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: B7H4 is upregulated during OSCC progression. Its downregulation may promote M1 macrophage polarization and inhibit M2 macrophage polarization via deactivating the PD-1/STAT3 pathway, thus restraining OSCC development.

Epidemiology and disease burden of androgenetic alopecia in college freshmen in China: A population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the epidemiology and disease burden of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in college freshmen in China. METHODS: This population-based cross-sectional survey was carried out among 9227 freshmen of two comprehensive universities in two cities of China (Changsha and Xiamen) from September 2018 to October 2018. Questionnaires covering basic issues, surrounding demographic information, history of diseases, living habits, comorbidities, etc. were completed online in a self-reported manner Dermatological examination was performed by certified dermatologists. The disease burden of AGA, which includes health-related quality of life, symptoms of anxiety, symptoms of depression and quality of sleep, was measured by EQ-5D-3L, PHQ-2, GAD-2 and PSQI, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of AGA in college freshmen in China was 5.3/1000. Male was significantly associated with higher prevalence of AGA (7.9/1000, P<0.01) while female with lower risk of AGA (OR = 0.29, P = 0.002). There was no significant association between BMI and AGA, nor predilection of AGA in the Han nationality or the other ethnic minorities. Annual household income or parental highest educational level exerted no significant influence on the prevalence of AGA. Rosacea (OR = 3.22, P = 0.019) was significantly associated with higher prevalence of AGA while acne seemed not to be related to AGA. The scores of EQ-5D, GAD-2, PHQ-2 and PSQI were not significantly different between students with and without AGA. CONCLUSION: The onset of AGA in Chinese college freshmen differ between genders and was significantly associated with rosacea.

Demethylase FTO promotes mechanical stress induced osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs with up-regulation of HIF-1α.

BACKGROUND: In orthodontics, mechanical stress plays an important role in the process of bone remodeling. Mechanical stress has an effect on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). However, the mechanism remains to be studied. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of demethyltransferase fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) on osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs under mechanical stress condition. METHODS AND RESULTS: The rat BMSCs were cultured in vitro, followed by flow cytometry to identify the cell surface antigens. Osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs was induced by mechanical stress by using the flexcell tension system for 6 h every day and 3 days in total. BMSCs were transfected by using plasmid for FTO knockdown. The expression level of FTO, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured by real-time qPCR, western blotting. ALP activity were determined by ALP staining assays. The expression of FTO and HIF-1α in BMSCs with mechanical stress were significantly higher than BMSCs without mechanical stress, also, the expression of osteogenic differentiation markers were higher in BMSCs with mechanical stress. Knockdown of FTO decreased expression of osteogenic differentiation marker and ALP activity in stretched BMSCs. In addition, the expression of HIF-1α was decreased after knocking down FTO. CONCLUSIONS: FTO promotes the expression of HIF-1α and osteogenic differentiation under the condition of mechanical stress. This finding may facilitate the clinical application of orthodontics and the mechanism research of mechanical stress-induced osteogenesis.

Differential Expression and Distinct Roles of Proteinase-Activated Receptor 2 in Microglia and Neurons in Neonatal Mouse Brain After Hypoxia-Ischemic Injury.

Regulation of microglial activation and neuroinflammation are critical factors in the pathogenesis of ischemic brain injury. Interest in protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) as a pharmaceutical target for various diseases is creasing. However, it is unclear the expression and functions of PAR2 in hypoxia-ischemic (HI) brain injury. Mice with HI and cells with oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) were studied. Immunoblot and qRT-PCR were used to study the differential gene expression in cultured microglia and neurons. Immunofluorescent staining was used to study the expression pattern of PAR2 in the HI brain and phagocytotic activity of microglia after OGD/R. In neonatal mice brain after HI, we found PAR2 expression was abundant in neurons, but barely in microglia from the contralateral side of cortex and hippocampus. Conversely, PAR2 expression was barely in neurons while significantly increased in activated microglia from the ipsilateral side of cortex and hippocampus. The activations of PAR2 were increased in both microglia and neuron in a cell model of OGD/R. PAR2 activation mediated the cross-talk between microglia and neurons including the following: microglial PAR2 mediated inflammatory responses that induced neuronal damage; neuronal PAR2 regulated chemokines that recruited activated microglia to damage area; microglia PAR2 controlled the phagocytosis of degenerating neurons. These data suggested differential expression and distinct roles of PAR2 in microglia and neurons after HI injury; thereby, interventions targeting PAR2 may provide insights into the inflammatory-related diseases.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the use of ride-sourcing services? An empirical evidence-based investigation for the Greater Toronto Area.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the nature of day-to-day life in cities worldwide. In the transportation sector, COVID-19 appears to have impacted modal preferences. In particular, people seem to be less willing to use modes where they may encounter strangers (such as public transit) and modes that involve coming into contact with shared surfaces (such as ride-sourcing). Given the transformative impact that ride-sourcing services had on urban mobility before the pandemic, it is crucial to understand the effects of COVID-19 on the use of ride-sourcing moving forward. Using data from a web-based survey, this study combines descriptive analysis with the application of a two-stage ordered logit model framework to investigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the utilization of ride-sourcing services in the Greater Toronto Area, including how often ride-sourcing is used and the earliest stage of the pandemic that a person would consider using ride-sourcing. Generally speaking, the use of ride-sourcing has decreased since the start of the pandemic, however, there are also people who are using ride-sourcing more often than they did before the pandemic. The results indicate that the perception of risk, the tendency to take precautions when leaving home, and socio-economic factors influence the earliest stage of the pandemic where a person would consider using ride-sourcing. Overall, it appears that ride-sourcing usage will gradually increase as restrictions are lifted; however, it is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels until COVID-19 is no longer considered a public health threat.

[Effect of protection and remineralization of glass ionomer protective film and fluoride varnish on enamel: an in vitro study].

PURPOSE: To compare the remineralization and protection effect of glass ionomer protective film and fluoride varnish on enamel. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-two premolars were collected and made into enamel blocks, two enamel blocks were randomly selected for scanning electron microscope(SEM) observation, the others were used for two experiments. In enamel protection test (experimental A), 60 enamel blocks were divided into 3 groups (n=20) randomly and treated with glass ionomer protective film(A1) and fluoride varnish(A2), the control group(A3) was not treated. In remineralization test (experimental B), sixty enamel blocks were demineralized for 72 h, which were randomly divided into 3 groups(B1, B2 and B3)(n=20) , and the treatment method was the same as that of the enamel protection group. To simulate oral environment, in experiment A and B, six groups of samples were treated with pH cycling in demineralization liquid and artificial saliva alternately for 30 days. The surface morphology of enamel was observed under SEM, surface microhardness(SMH) changes of enamel was measured by microhardness tester, the calcium-phosphorus ratio of the enamel surface was analyzed by X-ray energy spectrum analyzer. The data was analyzed statistically by using SPSS 26.0 software package. RESULTS: In enamel protection test, the results of SEM observation showed that the untreated enamel surface was flat and even. After treatment with demineralization liquid, group A1 was basically intact. In group A2, a large number of flaky sediments were found on the enamel surface. Group A3 presented typical honeycomb structure caused by demineralization. Pairwise comparison of ΔSMH among the groups showed A1A2>A3(P<0.05). In remineralization test, the results of SEM observation showed that group B1 and B2 all had deposits adhered to the enamel surface. The surface of group B3 enamel was rough and uneven, and showed the shape of a honeycomb. Pairwise comparison of ΔSMH among the groups showed B1>B2>B3(P<0.05). The results of calcium-phosphorus ratio by X-ray energy spectrum analyzer was group B1>B2>B3(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both glass ionomer protective film and fluoride varnish can prevent and cure enamel demineralization, while glass ionomer protective film is more effective in protection and remineralization because of its wear resistance and durability.

Exploring the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on modality profiles for non-mandatory trips in the Greater Toronto Area.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered daily life in cities across the world. To slow the spread of COVID-19, many countries have introduced mobility restrictions, ordered the temporary closure of businesses, and encouraged social distancing. These policies have directly and indirectly influenced travel behaviour, particularly modal preferences. The purpose of this paper to explore modality profiles for non-mandatory trips and analyze how they have changed in response to the pandemic and pandemic-related public health policies. The data used for this study were collected from web-based surveys conducted in the Greater Toronto Area. Modality profiles were identified through the application of latent class cluster analysis, with six modality profiles being identified for both the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. The results indicate that the importance of public transit has declined during the pandemic, while the roles of private vehicles and active modes have become more prominent. However, individuals' changes in modal preferences vary based on their pre-pandemic modality profile. In particular, it appears that pre-pandemic transit users with access to a private vehicle have substituted public transit for travel by private vehicle, while those without private vehicle access are continuing to use public transit for non-mandatory trips. Consequently, pandemic-related transportation policies should consider those who do not have access to a private vehicle and aim to help those making non-mandatory trips using transit or active modes comply with local public health guidelines while travelling. The results highlight how the changes in modal preferences that occurred due to the pandemic differ among different segments of the population.

COVid-19 influenced households' Interrupted Travel Schedules (COVHITS) survey: Lessons from the fall 2020 cycle.

The spread of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) since early in 2020 has affected every aspect of daily life, including urban passenger travel patterns. Lockdowns to control the spread of COVID-19 created unprecedented travel demand contexts that have never been seen in modern history. So, it is essential to benchmark trends of travel behaviour, especially people's daily travel patterns that are necessary to develop a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of COVID-19. A multi-cycle benchmarking household travel study: the COVid-19 influenced Households' Interrupted Travel Schedules (COVHITS) Survey was implemented in the Greater Toronto Area with a random sample of over 4000 households. The results indicated a stark alteration in people's daily activity-travel patterns due to COVID-19. The pandemic caused a substantial decline in mobility in the study area. The average weekday household trip rate dropped from 5.2 to 2.0 trips. Transit modal shares suffered severely during the paramedic, while private car dependency was enhanced. Overall, transit modal share dropped from 17.3% to 8.1% in the study area, while the modal share of private cars increased from 70.8% to 74.1%. Factors such as having to work from home, ownership of private cars, and household incomes influenced mobility levels of the people in the study area during the pandemic. While overlooked, travel demand analysis can reveal effective strategies to curb the spread of such contagious diseases. An econometric model and analysis of sample data reveal several potential strategies. These include: (1) working/learning from home should be implemented until the end of the pandemic; (2) transit agencies should provide as much transit frequency as possible (particularly for bus routes) during peak hours to avoid crowding inside transit vehicles and project a positive image of public transit; and (3) strict restrictions should be implemented in regions with lower confirmed COVID-19 cases, as they became attractive destinations during the pandemic.

Awareness of and barriers to using non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis among male clients of female sex workers in two cities of China: a qualitative study.

Background Male clients of female sex workers ('clients' hereafter) are considered high-risk and potentially a bridge population in the HIV epidemic. Non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) is a safe and effective but under-utilised public health intervention to prevent HIV transmission. This study aims to explore clients' awareness of nPEP, intention of uptake, potential barriers to nPEP uptake and adherence, and suggestions for nPEP promotion in China. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 clients in two Chinese cities in 2018. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling. The content of the interviews was analysed using thematic content analysis in ATLAS.ti. RESULTS: Overall, just a minority of participants were aware of nPEP. A majority expressed willingness to use nPEP. Potential barriers to nPEP uptake and adherence included adverse drug reactions, price, concerns of drug efficacy, privacy issues, and forgetting to take the drugs. Almost all participants expressed the need to promote nPEP among clients. Participants suggested that the promotion of nPEP should be at hospitals, online, and be integrated with HIV/AIDS health education. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that nPEP guidelines should be formulated and implementation strategies should be developed to address barriers to uptake and adherence in order to successfully tap into the potential of nPEP as an effective HIV prevention tool.

Receptor for advanced glycation end products up-regulation in cerebral endothelial cells mediates cerebrovascular-related amyloid ß accumulation after Porphyromonas gingivalis infection.

Cerebrovascular-related amyloidogenesis is found in over 80% of Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases, and amyloid ß (Aß) generation is increased in the peripheral macrophages during infection of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a causal bacterium for periodontitis. In this study, we focused on receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), the key molecule involves in Aß influx after P. gingivalis infection to test our hypothesis that Aß transportation from periphery into the brain, known as "Aß influx," is enhanced by P. gingivalis infection. Using cultured hCMEC/D3 cell line, in comparison to uninfected cells, directly infection with P. gingivalis (multiplicity of infection, MOI = 5) significantly increased a time-dependent RAGE expression resulting in a dramatic increase in Aß influx in the hCMEC/D3 cells; the P. gingivalis-up-regulated RAGE expression was significantly decreased by NF-κB and Cathepsin B (CatB)-specific inhibitors, and the P.gingivalis-increased IκBα degradation was significantly decreased by CatB-specific inhibitor. Furthermore, the P. gingivalis-increased Aß influx was significantly reduced by RAGE-specific inhibitor. Using 15-month-old mice (C57BL/6JJmsSlc, female), in comparison to non-infection mice, systemic P. gingivalis infection for three consecutive weeks (1 × 108  CFU/mouse, every 3 days, intraperitoneally) significantly increased the RAGE expression in the CD31-positive endothelial cells and the Aß loads around the CD31-positive cells in the mice's brains. The RAGE expression in the CD31-positive cells was positively correlated with the Aß loads. These observations demonstrate that the up-regulated RAGE expression in cerebral endothelial cells mediates the Aß influx after P. gingivalis infection, and CatB plays a critical role in regulating the NF-κB/RAGE expression. Cover Image for this issue: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15073.

Nucleus distribution of cathepsin B in senescent microglia promotes brain aging through degradation of sirtuins.

Cathepsin B (CatB) leakage from the lysosome into the cytosol in senescent microglia is associated with cognitive impairment. However, whether cellular compartmental translocation of CatB is associated with brain aging remains unclear. In the present study, increased CatB was found in the nucleus of CatB-overexpressed microglia followed by L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester, a lysosome-destabilizing reagent, and in the nuclear fraction of the cortex and hippocampus from aged mice. Moreover, CatB enzymatic activity examination showed the nuclear CatB exhibited the proteolytic activity to cleave its specific substrates. The amount of sirtuin1 (Sirt1), Sirt6, Sirt7, and p-Sirt1 was decreased in the cortical lysates from aged mice, in parallel with increased expression of proinflammatory mediators, which were diminished by CatB deficiency. Furthermore, intralateral ventricle administration of microglia overexpressed CatB, and treatment with L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester induced cognitive impairment in middle-aged mice. These observations suggest that the increase and nucleus translocation of CatB in senescent microglia were involved in the degradation of nuclear Sirts, which induced proinflammatory responses, resulting in cognition impairment.

Development and Fitness of the Parasitoid, Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), on the B and Q of the Sweetpotato Whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae).

Encarsia formosa Gahan is an important endoparasitoid of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius. In the present study, we compared the fitness and population parameters of E. formosa when parasitizing the two most invasive and destructive whitefly species in China, the B and Q of B. tabaci. We also studied whether natal host influenced on parasitism and host-feeding capacities of E. formosa on B. tabaci B versus Q. Age-stage life table analysis indicated that E. formosa developmental duration was shorter, fecundity was higher, and longevity was greater on B. tabaci B than on Q. The life table parameters, including the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), net reproduction rate (R0), and the mean generation time (T), indicated that the fitness of E. formosa on B. tabaci B is higher than B. tabaci Q. We also found that the host species used to rear E. formosa affected the parasitoid's subsequent parasitism and host feeding on B. tabaci B and Q. When E. formosa were reared on B. tabaci B, its subsequent parasitism rate on third-instar nymphs was significantly higher on B. tabaci B than on Q. These results will be useful for managing the biological control of B. tabaci in the field.

PVT1 Promotes Cancer Progression via MicroRNAs.

Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) plays a regulatory role in a variety of cellular activities. And long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is one of the important kinds of ncRNA. Previous studies have shown that various lncRNAs are involved in the progression of cancer. LncRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) is a newly discovered oncogenic factor that has been confirmed to be overexpressed in many cancer cells. Moreover, the role of PVT1 in cancer development is closely linked to microRNAs (miRNAs). PVT1 can act as a "sponge" for miRNAs to inhibit their activities, thereby affecting proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of cancer. In addition, PVT1 itself can be spliced and processed into several miRNAs such as miR-1204 and miR-1207, which can also regulate the development of cancer. This review summarizes various pathways through which PVT1 regulates the progression of cancer via miRNAs. We also propose additional regulatory mechanisms of PVT1 and their potential clinical applications.

Author Correction: Infection of microglia with Porphyromonas gingivalis promotes cell migration and an inflammatory response through the gingipain-mediated activation of protease-activated receptor-2 in mice.

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

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancer.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that do not have 5' end caps or 3' end poly (A) tails. There are more than one hundred thousand genes that encode circRNAs. Clinical data show that there are differences in the expression of circRNAs in a variety of diseases, including cancer, suggesting that circRNA has a regulatory effect on some diseases. Further studies reveal that circRNA can be used as an endogenous competitive RNA, thereby regulating the proliferation, invasion or other physiological activities of tumor cells. In addition, some circRNAs located in the nucleus can regulate the transcription of the parental gene by binding to RNA polymerase II. circRNA can also combine with proteins to influence the cell cycle. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that circRNA can encode proteins, similarly to mRNA. circRNAs are found extensively in human cells and have tissue specificity. They have the potential to be used in clinical applications as tumor markers and therapeutic targets.

Infection of microglia with Porphyromonas gingivalis promotes cell migration and an inflammatory response through the gingipain-mediated activation of protease-activated receptor-2 in mice.

Despite a clear correlation between periodontitis and cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease, the precise mechanism underlying the relationship remains unclear. The periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis produces a unique class of cysteine proteinases termed gingipains that comprises Arg-gingipain (Rgp) and Lys-gingipain (Kgp). Rgp and Kgp are important in the bacterial mediated host cell responses and the subsequent intracellular signaling in infected cells. In the present study, we attempted to clarify the potential effects of Rgp and Kgp on the cellular activation of brain-resident microglia. We provide the first evidence that Rgp and Kgp cooperatively contribute to the P. gingivalis-induced cell migration and expression of proinflammatory mediators through the activation of protease-activated receptor 2. The subsequent activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase/ERK pathways contributes to cell migration and inflammatory response of microglia.