Clinical significance of LINC02532 in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma and its regulatory effect on tumor progression.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in tumor progression, including in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by hepatitis B virus (HBV). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of LINC02532 in HCC, mainly for diagnostic prognostic value and cellular function, as well as mechanistic aspects. METHODS: Initially, GEO and VirBase databases were used to screen for aberrant lncRNAs in HBV-HCC.Then, HBV-HCC persons followed up in our center were retrospectively studied to investigate the diagnostic, prognostic value of LINC02532 in HBV-HCC. Subsequently, the role of LINC02532 in HBV-HCC was measured using cellular function assay methods and possible mechanisms were analyzed in conjunction with bioinformatic predictive science. RESULTS: LINC02532 was a lncRNA abnormally expressed in HBV-HCC. LINC02532 was significantly up-regulated in the expression level in HBV-HCC tissues compared with normal tissues from patients. Moreover, LINC02532 could distinguish HBV-HCC and predict the prognosis of HBV-HCC. In vitro experiments showed that LINC02532 could regulate miR-455-3p and promote the malignant characterization of HBV-HCC cells. CHEK2 was a target gene of miR-455-3p. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis and diagnosis of HBV-HCC can rely on the expression of LINC02532. LINC02532 was important for further progression of HBV-HCC, by moderating miR-455-3p/CHEK2.

Chrysophanol induces apoptosis and ferroptosis of gastric cancer cells by targeted regulation of mTOR.

Programmed cell death (PCD) induction is a promising strategy for killing gastric cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of chrysophanol on apoptosis and ferroptosis in gastric cancer cells. Chrysophanol in concentrations ranging from 0 to 100 µM were used to treat GES-1, HGC-27 and AGS cells. Cell counting kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine staining, flow cytometry, JC-1 probe insertion, dihydroethidium staining and western blotting were performed. The effects of chrysophanol on gastric cancer cells were evaluated in vivo using a xenograft mouse model. Chrysophanol had no cytotoxic effects on GES-1 cells. Chrysophanol with concentrations higher than 25 µM inhibited gastric cancer cell colony formation and proliferation. Chrysophanol induces gastric cancer cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, accompanied by mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunction and cytochrome c release. Additionally, chrysophanol increased the levels of reactive oxygen species, total iron, and Fe2+ in HGC-27 and AGS cells, in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of cells with the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 attenuated the effects of chrysophanol on cell survival and the expression of ferroptosis markers SLC7A11 and GPX4. Screening by GEO software indicated that the mTOR signalling pathway is possibly regulated by chrysophanol. Furthermore, mTOR overexpression significantly reversed the inhibitory effects of chrysophanol on gastric cancer cells. In gastric cancer xenograft mouse models, chrysophanol treatment inhibited tumour growth and downregulated SLC7A11 and GPX4. Chrysophanol induces apoptosis and ferroptosis, making it a potential candidate for killing gastric cancer cells. The beneficial effects of chrysophanol may be attribute to the targeted regulation of mTOR.

Hydrophobicity and Improved Corrosion Resistance of Weathering Steel via a Facile Sol-Gel Process with a Natural Rust Film.

Weathering steel, which has a protective corrosion product film, is widely used in various construction and landscaping applications. However, it causes metal contamination in the receiving ecosystem via corrosion-induced metal dissolution and rust runoff. Traditional corrosion prevention methods, such as surface coating, also suffer from environmental pollution and high maintenance costs. In this study, we propose a novel method to make the rust film hydrophobic to prevent corrosion while retaining its original appearance. The crystalline rust is used as a natural skeleton, and nano-SiO2 particles are synthesized in situ on it by a facile sol-gel method. The microscopic analysis shows that the flower-like rust flakes provide a primary structure (micrometric scales) and the nano-SiO2 particles form a secondary structure (nanoscale bumps), which is the essential micronanostructure for forming a hydrophobic surface. The as-synthesized film shows strong corrosion resistance, with the corrosion current density being 4 orders of magnitude lower than that of the samples without hydrophobicity. The hydrophobic surface not only prevents corrosive substances from penetrating into the rust layer but also reduces the risk of contamination through its self-cleaning properties. Therefore, the weathering steel with a hydrophobic rust film can be more stable and environmentally friendly for multiscenario applications.

Expanding the "Magic Triangle" of Reinforced Rubber Using a Supramolecular Filler Strategy.

A strategy for optimizing the rolling resistance, wet skid and cut resistance of reinforced rubber simultaneously using a supramolecular filler is demonstrated. A ß-alanine trimer-grafted Styrene Butadiene Rubber (A3-SBR) pristine polymer was designed and mechanically mixed with commercially available styrene butadiene rubber to help the dispersion of a ß-alanine trimer (A3) supramolecular filler in the rubber matrix. To increase the miscibility of A3-SBR with other rubber components during mechanical mixing, the pristine polymer was saturated with ethanol before mixing. The mixture was vulcanized using a conventional rubber processing method. The morphology of the assembles of the A3 supramolecular filler in the rubber matrix was studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The Differential Scanning Calorimetry study showed that the melting temperature of ß-sheet crystals in the vulcanizates was around 179 °C and was broad. The melting temperature was similar to that of the pristine polymer, and the broad melting peak likely suggests that the size of the crystals is not uniform. The Transmission Electron Microscopy study revealed that after mixing the pristine polymer with SBR, some ß-sheet crystals were rod-like with several tens of nanometers and some ß-sheet crystals were particulate with low aspect ratios. Tensile testing with pre-cut specimens showed that the vulcanizate containing A3-SBR was more cut-resistant than the one that did not contain A3-SBR, especially at a large cut size. The rolling resistance and wet skid were predicted by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). DMA tests showed that the vulcanizates containing A3-SBR were significantly less hysteretic at 60 °C and more hysteretic at 0 °C based on loss factor. Overall, the "magic triangle" was expanded by optimizing the rolling resistance, wet-skid, and cut resistance simultaneously using a ß-alanine trimer supramolecular filler. The Payne effect also became less severe after introducing the ß-alanine trimer supramolecular filler into the system.

Corrosion rate prediction and influencing factors evaluation of low-alloy steels in marine atmosphere using machine learning approach.

The empirical modeling methods are widely used in corrosion behavior analysis. But due to the limited regression ability of conventional algorithms, modeling objects are often limited to individual factors and specific environments. This study proposed a modeling method based on machine learning to simulate the marine atmospheric corrosion behavior of low-alloy steels. The correlations between material, environmental factors and corrosion rate were evaluated, and their influences on the corrosion behavior of steels were analyzed intuitively. By using the selected dominating factors as input variables, an optimized random forest model was established with a high prediction accuracy of corrosion rate (R2 values, 0.94 and 0.73 to the training set and testing set) to different low-alloy steel samples in several typical marine atmospheric environments. The results demonstrated that machine learning was efficient in corrosion behavior analysis, which usually involves a regression analysis of multiple factors.

Analysis of Environmental Factors Affecting the Atmospheric Corrosion Rate of Low-Alloy Steel Using Random Forest-Based Models.

As one of the factors (e.g., material properties, surface quality, etc.) influencing the corrosion processes, researchers have always been exploring the role of environmental factors to understand the mechanism of atmospheric corrosion. This study proposes a random forest algorithm-based modeling method that successfully maps both the steel's chemical composition and environmental factors to the corrosion rate of low-alloy steel under the corresponding environmental conditions. Using the random forest models based on the corrosion data of three different atmospheric environments, the environmental factors were proved to have different importance sequence in determining the environmental corrosivity of open and sheltered exposure test conditions. For each exposure test site, the importance of environmental features to the corrosion rate is also ranked and analyzed. Additionally, the feasibility of the random forest model to predict the corrosion rate of steel samples in the new environment is also demonstrated. The volume and representativeness of the corrosion data in the training data are considered to be the critical factors in determining its prediction performance. The above results prove that machine learning provides a useful tool for the analysis of atmospheric corrosion mechanisms and the evaluation of corrosion resistance.

Screening of differentially expressed miRNAs in tensile strain­treated HepG2 cells by miRNA microarray analysis.

Cirrhosis and portal hypertension are associated with an increased risk of developing liver cancer. However, it is unknown how changes in the cellular mechanical microenvironment induced by portal hypertension affect the occurrence and development of liver cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of tensile strain on the proliferation of a human liver cancer cell line (HepG2 cells) using methods such as flow cytometry, Cell Counting Kit­8 and 5­bromodeoxyuridine assays, and to examine the changes in microRNA (miRNA/miR) expression using microarray, reverse transcription­quantitative (RT­q)PCR and bioinformatics analyses. It was demonstrated that cyclic tensile force promoted the proliferation of HepG2 cells. The most suitable research conditions were as follows: Tensile strain force loading amplitude 15%; frequency 1 Hz; and time 24 h. After loading the HepG2 cells under such conditions, the differentially expressed miRNAs were screened out using an Agilent Human miRNA Microarray, identifying seven miRNAs with significant differences (expression difference >2 times and P<0.05). A total of five were upregulated, including hsa­miR­296­5p, hsa­miR­6752­5p, hsa­miR­6794­5p, hsa­miR­6889­5p and hsa­miR­7845­5p; and two were downregulated, hsa­miR­4428 and hsa­miR­503­5p. The results of RT­qPCR also further confirmed the expression changes of these miRNAs. Gene Ontology and pathway analyses showed the involvement of these miRNAs in numerous important physiological processes. These findings may provide novel miRNA­based information, thus enhancing the understanding of the pathophysiological processes leading to liver cancer.

Identification and integrative analysis of microRNAs and mRNAs involved in proliferation and invasion of pressure­treated human liver cancer cell lines.

Mechanical pressure may contribute to the development of cancer; however, there is currently no evidence regarding the effect of mechanical pressure on liver cancer. In the present study, 2­ and 3­dimensional pressure­loading systems were used to exert pressure on HepG2 and Huh­7 cell lines. Cell proliferation and flow cytometry analyses were undertaken to observe the proliferative ability of pressure­loaded cells. In addition, Transwell, wound­healing and reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT­qPCR) assays were applied to evaluate the migratory and invasive ability of pressurized cells. Analyses of microRNA (miRNA) and mRNA expression profiles were performed to screen for differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs, which were validated by RT­qPCR. Bioinformatics analyses were subsequently performed to investigate the putative target genes and associated pathways. The proliferation and invasion of HepG2 and Huh­7 cell lines were significantly increased under a pressure of 15 mmHg for 24 h. Under this condition, five differentially expressed miRNAs (fold change ≥1.2, P≤0.05) and 10,150 differentially expressed mRNAs (fold change ≥2, P≤0.05) were identified. A total of 1,309 genes were identified from the integrative analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs. In addition, the bioinformatics analyses revealed that the majority of these miRNAs and mRNAs were associated with several pathways associated with cell proliferation and invasion, including 'PI3K/Akt signaling pathway', 'focal adhesion', 'integrin­mediated signaling pathway', 'FOXO signaling pathway' and 'Hippo signaling pathway'. The present study described the pressure­dependent proliferation and invasion of liver cancer cells, and revealed the potential molecular mechanisms underlying them. The identification of miRNAs and their putative targets may also result in novel treatment strategies for liver cancer.

One-Step in Situ Synthesis of Reduced Graphene Oxide/Zn-Al Layered Double Hydroxide Film for Enhanced Corrosion Protection of Magnesium Alloys.

As an effective and environmentally friendly material for corrosion prevention, layered double hydroxide (LDH) films have usually been degraded due to their inherent microporous structure. In this study, graphene derivatives were employed to enhance the corrosion resistance of LDH films. After ultrasonic treatment of a reaction solution mixture containing graphene oxide (GO) powder, a reduced graphene oxide/zinc-aluminum LDH (RGO/Zn-Al LDH) film was in situ synthesized on a magnesium alloy substrate by a one-step facile hydrothermal crystallization process. The characterization results demonstrated that the LDH nanosheets grew on both the GO surface and the magnesium substrate, and thus the agglomeration of graphene was effectively prevented. Furthermore, the GO plates were simultaneously reduced into RGO, which has better corrosion resistance. The as-prepared samples were individually assessed by potentiodynamic polarization measurements, and the RGO/Zn-Al LDH film showed good corrosion resistance with a lower corrosion current density (0.546 µA/cm2) than that of the bare substrate (33.2 µA/cm2) and Zn-Al LDH film (4.33 µA/cm2). The penetration resistance of the Zn-Al LDH film to a corrosive environment was significantly improved through the organic combination with graphene oxide, and this method provides a simple and facile approach to effectively enhance the corrosion protection performance of LDH materials.

The Regular Interaction Pattern among Odorants of the Same Type and Its Application in Odor Intensity Assessment.

The olfactory evaluation function (e.g., odor intensity rating) of e-nose is always one of the most challenging issues in researches about odor pollution monitoring. But odor is normally produced by a set of stimuli, and odor interactions among constituents significantly influenced their mixture's odor intensity. This study investigated the odor interaction principle in odor mixtures of aldehydes and esters, respectively. Then, a modified vector model (MVM) was proposed and it successfully demonstrated the similarity of the odor interaction pattern among odorants of the same type. Based on the regular interaction pattern, unlike a determined empirical model only fit for a specific odor mixture in conventional approaches, the MVM distinctly simplified the odor intensity prediction of odor mixtures. Furthermore, the MVM also provided a way of directly converting constituents' chemical concentrations to their mixture's odor intensity. By combining the MVM with usual data-processing algorithm of e-nose, a new e-nose system was established for an odor intensity rating. Compared with instrumental analysis and human assessor, it exhibited accuracy well in both quantitative analysis (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.999 for individual aldehydes (n = 12), 0.996 for their binary mixtures (n = 36) and 0.990 for their ternary mixtures (n = 60)) and odor intensity assessment (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.980 for individual aldehydes (n = 15), 0.973 for their binary mixtures (n = 24), and 0.888 for their ternary mixtures (n = 25)). Thus, the observed regular interaction pattern is considered an important foundation for accelerating extensive application of olfactory evaluation in odor pollution monitoring.

Geotechnical properties of municipal solid waste at Laogang Landfill, China.

Landfills have been widely constructed all around the world in order to properly dispose municipal solid waste (MSW). Understanding geotechnical properties of MSW is essential for the design and operation of landfills. A comprehensive investigation of geotechnical properties of MSW at the largest landfill in China was conducted, including waste composition, unit weight, void ratio, water content, hydraulic conductivity, and shear behavior. A large-scale rigid-wall permeameter and a direct-shear apparatus were adopted to test the hydraulic conductivity and shear behavior of the MSW, respectively. The composition of the MSW varied with age. With the depth increasing from 0 to 16m, the unit weight increased from 7.2 to 12.5kN/m3, while the void ratio decreased from 2.5 to 1.76. The water content ranged between 30.0% and 68.9% but did not show a trend with depth. The hydraulic conductivity of the MSW ranged between 4.6×10-4 and 6.7×10-3cm/s. It decreased as the dry unit weight increased and was sensitive to changes in dry unit weight in deeper layers. Displacement-hardening was observed during the whole shearing process and the shear strength increased with the normal stress, the displacement rate, and the unit weight. The friction angle and cohesion varied from (15.7°, 29.1kPa) to (21.9°, 18.3kPa) with depth increasing from 4 to 16m. The shear strength of the MSW obtained in this study was lower than the reported values in other countries, which was caused by the less fibrous materials in the specimens in this study. The results in this study will provide guidance in the design and operation of the landfills in China.

Interface and Strain Energy Revolution Texture Map To Predict Structure and Optical Properties of Sputtered PbSe Thin Films.

The preferred growth orientation of the sputtered lead selenide (PbSe) thin films on Si(100) substrates was thermodynamically simulated and calculated on the basis of the density functional theory. The results showed that the total free energy variation during the grain growth is dominated by the interface and strain energy minimization under certain conditions, indicating that the preferred growth orientation and related optical properties of the PbSe thin films can be effectively modified by these two energy variations. Thermodynamically, the PbSe[200] and PbSe[220] preferred orientations are obtained when the interface and strain energy minimization dominate the total free energy variation, respectively. A texture map related to the interface and strain energy revolution was obtained, which can be used to predict the structure and optical properties of the sputtered PbSe thin films, and its applicability was confirmed by the real X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy experimental results of four midfrequency sputtered PbSe thin films with designed thickness and microstrain deposited on Si(100) substrates.

Identification of a plasma four-microRNA panel as potential noninvasive biomarker for osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as promising biomarkers for human cancer. Osteosarcoma is the most common human primary malignant bone tumor in children and young adults. The objective of this study was to investigate whether circulating miRNAs in plasma could be a useful biomarker for detecting osteosarcoma and monitoring tumor removal dynamics. METHODS: Plasma samples were obtained from 90 patients before surgery, 50 patients after one month of surgery, and 90 healthy individuals. The study was divided into three steps: First, initial screening of the profiles of circulating miRNAs in pooled plasma samples from healthy controls and pre-operative osteosarcoma patients using a TaqMan low density array (TLDA). Second, evaluation of miRNA concentration in individual plasma samples from 90 pre-operative osteosarcoma patients and 90 healthy controls by a quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay. Third, evaluation of miRNA concentration in paired plasma samples from 50 pre- and post-operative osteosarcoma patients by qRT-PCR assay. RESULTS: Four plasma miRNAs including miR-195-5p, miR-199a-3p, miR-320a, and miR-374a-5p were significantly increased in the osteosarcoma patients. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis of the combined populations demonstrated that the four-miRNA signature could discriminate cases from controls with an area under the curve of 0.9608 (95% CI 0.9307-0.9912). These 4 miRNAs were markedly decreased in the plasma after operation. In addition, circulating miR-195-5p and miR-199a-3p were correlated with metastasis status, while miR-199a-3p and miR-320a were correlated with histological subtype. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that altered levels of circulating miRNAs might have great potential to serve as novel, non-invasive biomarkers for osteosarcoma.