lncRNAPCGEM1对肺癌A549细胞恶性生物学行为的影响及其作用机制

目的：探讨长链非编码RNA（long-chain noncoding，lncRNA）PCGEM1 对肺癌A549 细胞恶性生物学行为的影响及其作用机制。方法：收集2016 年3 月至2018 年5 月湖北医药学院附属太和医院胸外科接受手术治疗的62 例肺癌（lung cancer，LC）患者癌组织及相应的癌旁组织标本，并用以上组织构建LC组织芯片。用qPCR检测lncRNA PCGEM1 及miR-148a 在LC组织相应的癌旁组织及LC细胞株中的表达。构建lncRNA PCGEM1 沉默细胞系A549-siPCGEM1 和阴性对照A549-NC，并以A549 细胞作为空白对照（Control 组），用MTT和平板克隆实验检测敲减PCGEM1 对A549 细胞增殖能力的影响，Transwell 和划痕实验检测敲减PCGEM1 对A549 细胞侵袭和迁移能力的影响。使用生物信息学网站StarBase 预测可互补结合PCGEM1的miRNA，再根据Targetscan 网站预测相应可靶向结合miRNA的基因；Western blotting 实验检测TGF-β2/Smad2 信号通路蛋白表达情况。结果：在LC组织中PCGEM1 的表达水平高于癌旁组织而miR-148a 的表达量明显低于癌旁组织（均P<0.05），PCGEM1 在5 种LC细胞株中的表达明显高于人肺成纤维细胞HLF-02（均P<0.05），且以A549 细胞中表达最高。敲减PCGEM1 后，与Control 组和A549-NC 组比较，A549-siPCGEM1 组A549 细胞增殖、侵袭和迁移能力显著降低（均P<0.05）。StarBase 和Targetscan 网站预测结果显示，PCGEM1 可与miR-148a 互补结合，miR-148a 与TGF-β2 存在靶向结合位点。与Control 组和A549-NC组比较，A549-siPCGEM1 组中miR-148a 表达明显升高，TGF-β2 及p-Smad2 蛋白的表达明显降低（均P<0.05）。结论：lncRNA PCGEM1在LC组织和细胞株中高表达，高表达的PCGEM1 可通过下调miR-148a 水平强化TGF β2/Smad2 信号通路，从而促进A549 细胞恶性生物学行为的进展。     

Population Genetics Identifies Challenges in Analyzing Rare Variants

Geneticists have, for years, understood the nature of genome‐wide association studies using common genomic variants. Recently, however, focus has shifted to the analysis of rare variants. This presents potential problems for researchers, as rare variants do not always behave in the same way common variants do, sometimes rendering decades of solid intuition moot. In this paper, we present examples of the differences between common and rare variants. We show why one must be significantly more careful about the origin of rare variants, and how failing to do so can lead to highly inflated type I error. We then explain how to best avoid such concerns with careful understanding and study design. Additionally, we demonstrate that a seemingly low error rate in next‐generation sequencing can dramatically impact the false‐positive rate for rare variants. This is due to the fact that rare variants are, by definition, seen infrequently, making it hard to distinguish between errors and real variants. Compounding this problem is the fact that the proportion of errors is likely to get worse, not better, with increasing sample size. One cannot simply scale their way up in order to solve this problem. Understanding these potential pitfalls is a key step in successfully identifying true associations between rare variants and diseases.     

丙泊酚麻醉对老龄大鼠认知功能和海马神经元γ-氨基丁酸A受体表达的影响

目的观察丙泊酚麻醉对老龄大鼠认知功能及海马神经元γ-氨基丁酸A(GABA)受体表达的影响。方法50只SD老年大鼠随机分为丙泊酚组和对照组,每组25只。丙泊酚组大鼠腹腔注射1%丙泊酚中/长链脂肪乳注射液6 mL/kg,对照组腹腔注射等体积的生理盐水。麻醉后1 d进行Morris水迷宫实验,分别采用HE染色和尼氏体染色观察海马区神经细胞及尼氏体(Nissl体)形态学变化,Western Blot检测GABA蛋白量表达。结果麻醉后,2组大鼠肛温、心率、呼吸频率、血氧饱和度比较,差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。随着实验时间的延长,2组大鼠逃逸潜伏期、总里程数逐渐减小,丙泊酚组大鼠各时间点逃逸潜伏期、总里程均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。丙泊酚组大鼠穿越平台区域次数、时间小于、短于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。对照组海马区Nissl体存在于细胞浆及树突,染色较深,神经细胞排列整齐,形态规则;丙泊酚组Nissl体消失,神经细胞数量减少,细胞核破裂、丢失。丙泊酚组大鼠海马GABA蛋白表达量低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论丙泊酚对大鼠认知功能有影响,并与海马区GABA的表达相关。     

Heterogeneity of weight loss after gastric bypass,sleeve gastrectomy,and adjustable gastric banding

Background

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding all lead to substantial weight loss in obese patients. Long-term weight loss can be highly variable beyond 1-year postsurgery. This study examines and compares the frequency distribution of weight loss and lack of treatment effect rates after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.

Dishonesty in scientific research

Fraudulent business practices, such as those leading to the Enron scandal and the conviction of Bernard Madoff, evoke a strong sense of public outrage. But fraudulent or dishonest actions are not exclusive to the realm of big corporations or to evil individuals without consciences. Dishonest actions are all too prevalent in everyone’s daily lives, because people are constantly encountering situations in which they can gain advantages by cutting corners. Whether it’s adding a few dollars in value to the stolen items reported on an insurance claim form or dropping outlier data points from a figure to make a paper sound more interesting, dishonesty is part of the human condition. Here, we explore how people rationalize dishonesty, the implications for scientific research, and what can be done to foster a culture of research integrity.     

Antidiabetic activity of Helicteres angustifolia root

Context The root of Helicteres angustifolia L. (Sterculiaceae) has been used as folk herbal drug to treat cancer, bacterial infections, inflammatory, and flu in China. However, there is no report on its antidiabetic activity.

Objective This study evaluates the antidiabetic activity of ethanol extract from H. angustifolia root.

Materials and methods The promoting effect of H. angustifolia root ethanol extract (25, 50, and 100 μg/mL) on glucose uptake was evaluated using HepG2 cell, differentiated C2C12 myotubes, and differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The antidiabetic activity of the extract was assessed in vivo using STZ-induced diabetic rats by orally administration of the extract (200 and 400?mg/kg b.w.) once per day for 28 d. Blood glucose, TG, TC, TP, HDL-C, UA, BUN, AST, ALT, insulin, and HOMA-IR were analyzed.

Results The results showed that the extract increased glucose uptake in C2C12 myotubes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes with an IC₅₀ value of 79.95 and 135.96 μg/mL, respectively. And about 12%, 19%, and 10% (p < 0.05) in HepG2 cells when compared with the control at the concentration of 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL, respectively. After 28 days’ treatment with the extract, significant reduction was observed in blood glucose, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, UA, BUN, AST, and ALT levels, while the levels of TP and HDL cholesterol increased.

Discussion and conclusion These results suggest that H. angustifolia root ethanol extract possess potent antidiabetic activity, which is the first report on antidiabetic activity of this plant.