Comprehensive analysis of the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network for bladder cancer

BackgroundLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are essential regulators for various human cancers. However, these lncRNAs need to be further classified for cancer. In the present study, we identified novel competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network for bladder cancer (BC) and explored the gene functions of the ceRNA regulatory network.MethodsDifferential gene expression analysis were performed on The Cancer Genome Atlas Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma (TCGA-BLCA) datasets to identify differentially expressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs), lncRNAs, and microRNAs (miRNAs). Based on the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis, a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed using the StarBase database and visualization by Cytoscape software. Functional enrichment analyses of Gene Ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway were performed via R package ClusterProfiler. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed by STRING database and visualization by Cytoscape. Finally, we used CIBERSORT and the TIMER database to analyze the immune infiltrations for BC.ResultsThe regulatory network was constructed via TCGA BLCA cohort. The differential expressions of lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA were 186, 200, and 2,661, respectively. There were 106 lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA included in the ceRNA network. In this network, Calcium Voltage-gated Channel Auxiliary Subunit Alpha2delta1 (CACNA2D1, P<0.001), domain containing engulfment adaptor1 (GULP1, P=0.001), latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 1 (LTBP1, P=0.006), myosin light chain kinase (MYLK, P=0.001), serpin family E member 2 (SERPINE2, P=0.002), spectrin beta non-erythrocytic 2 (SPTBN2, P=0.047), and hsa-miR-590-3p (P<0.001) significantly affected the prognosis of BC patients. Functional enrichment analyses showed that the biological functions included negative regulation of protein phosphorylation, cell morphogenesis, and sensory organ morphogenesis. Important cancer pathways of KEGG included parathyroid hormone synthesis secretion action, the notch signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, the Rap1 signaling pathway, signaling pathways regulating the pluripotency of stem cells, and the transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway. Our findings demonstrated that the ceRNA network has important biological functions and a significant influence on the prognosis of BC.ConclusionsThe lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network constructed in the present study could provide useful insight into the underlying tumorigenesis of BC, and can determine new molecular biomarkers for the diagnosis and therapeutical treatment of BC.     

Phytoremediation of Cadmium Contaminated Soil: Impacts on Morphological Traits,Proline Content and Stomata Parameters of Sweet Sorghum Seedlings

Phytoremediation is a green, simple, eco-friendly, sustainable, and cost-effective remediation technology to remove and degrade contaminants from soil. In this study, a germination experiment and a pot experiment were performed in greenhouse to evaluate cadmium toxicity and phytoremediation capacity. The results showed that there was the highest membership function value of cadmium (MFVC) in KFJT-3 than that of KFJT-CK and KFJT-1, the value being 0.473, 0.456 and 0.413, respectively. Furthermore, the highest biomass was discovered in KFJT-3 compared to the other genotypes under 50 mg/kg cadmium stress. Physiological analysis showed that proline content significantly increased in KFJT-3, the value being 31.88%. In addition, Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) and Translocation factor (TF) value were 3.80 and 1.02 for KFJT-3, respectively. In conclusion, BAF and TF values showed that the cadmium tolerance of KFJT-1 and KFJT-3 could be higher than that of KFJT-CK, which could be the genotype for phytoremediation of cadmium contaminated soil.

     

Higher mortality rates associated with rheumatoid arthritis in Saskatchewan,Canada, 2001–2019

ObjectivesTo estimate provincial all-cause mortality rates of Saskatchewan people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for comparison with the general population over time and between different geographic regions.MethodsSaskatchewan provincial administrative health databases (2001–2019) were utilized as data sources. Two RA case definitions were employed: (1) ≥ 3 physician billing diagnoses, at least 1 from a specialist (rheumatologist, general internist or orthopaedic surgeon) within 2 years; (2) ≥ 1 hospitalization diagnosis (ICD-9 code 714, and ICD-10-CA codes M05, M06). Data from these definitions were combined to create an administrative data RA cohort. All-cause mortality rates across geographic regions, between rural/urban residences and between sexes were examined.ResultsOver an 18-year span, between fiscal-year 2001–2002 and fiscal-year 2018–2019, age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates ranged from 17.10 to 21.04 (95% CI 14.77, 19.44; 18.03, 24.05)/1000 RA person-years, compared with mortality rates for the general Saskatchewan population without RA, which ranged from 9.37 to 10.88 (95% CI 9.23, 9.51; 10.72, 11.05)/1000 person-years. Fiscal-year mortality rate ratios ranged from 1.82 to 2.13 (95% CI 1.56, 2.13; 1.83, 2.46). Provincial mortality rates were higher in men than in women for both general and RA populations. Northern Saskatchewan mortality rates were significantly higher in the general population but did not achieve significance compared with other provincial regions for the RA population. Regression analysis identified age, male sex, RA and geographic region as factors contributing to increased mortality. A trend towards lower mortality rates over time was observed.ConclusionHigher mortality rates were observed in the RA population overall. Men had higher mortality rates, as did residents of Northern Saskatchewan compared with residents of other regions for the general population.     

我国女性性工作者领域社会组织参与艾滋病防治项目管理能力建设需求研究

目的 了解为女性性工作者（FSW）提供艾滋病防治服务的社会组织项目管理能力建设需求。方法 向2017-2018年参与国家艾滋病防治基金项目的社会组织负责人开展问卷调查及访谈,结合基金项目管理信息系统相关数据,利用Excel 2016软件和SPSS 25.0软件整理分析社会组织的分布与基金获得情况,以及社会组织对项目管理能力的需求。结果 2017-2018年参与执行基金FSW项目的社会组织共184个,完成问卷调查的社会组织156个,主要集中在西部地区（44.0%,81/184）,以四川省、广西壮族自治区和云南省居多;东部地区获得的基金支持最多;社会组织对项目数据收集及分析利用的需求最高,占68.6%（107/156）,其次是项目风险分析应对及质控,占64.1%（100/156）;社会组织负责人学历对项目计划管理和项目财务管理能力建设需求的差异有统计学意义（χ²=5.78,P=0.016;χ²=8.99,P=0.003）。结论 当前我国FSW领域的社会组织数量和基金获得比例的分布,与异性性传播的艾滋病疫情分布不一致。仍需继续鼓励、引导扶持社会组织的发展资金;结合社会组织对能力建设的需求针对性的制定项目能力建设计划。     

中国国家出生队列研究质量控制策略与措施

出生队列是研究孕前和孕期各种环境暴露因素与胎儿、婴幼儿、青少年健康之间关系的有效方法。出生队列建设周期长、环节众多,研究质量可能受到多种因素的影响。本文对中国国家出生队列建设过程中的各项质量保证和质量控制措施进行梳理,归纳总结建设经验。以期为相关队列研究提供经验,减少相关因素对队列研究的影响,提升队列研究质量。中国国家出生队列在质量保证的顶层设计方面采取一系列措施保障研究质量,包括研究中心筛选、成员管理系统开发、标准化操作流程制定及工作人员规范化培训;在质量控制方面,包括针对队列数据产生过程的实时、及时、定时质控,针对生物样本采集、处理及保存的全周期质控,以及针对参与工作人员的培训、督查和量化考核的全面立体质控。     

The establishment of the Korean medical device safety information monitoring center: Reviewing ten years of experience

Medical devices may revolutionize healthcare delivery but can lead to serious adverse events for treated patients and users. While reporting of adverse events related to medical devices is an essential starting point for post-market surveillance, underreporting of medical device adverse events is a global problem. Korea introduced a voluntary medical device adverse event reporting system in 2010, called the Medical Device Safety Information Monitoring Center, which has led to an increase in adverse event reports. For 10 years, the Medical Device Safety Information Monitoring Center has analyzed medical device adverse events systematically and has provided active feedback to the manufacturers and education on safe use. Recently, the Medical Device Safety Information Monitoring Center contributed to harmonization of international medical device vigilance through the sharing of adverse events. This experience of Korea might contribute to improvements in medical device vigilance, which is a critical prerequisite for improving medical device policies and regulations.     

Two immunogenic recombinant protein vaccine candidates showed disparate protective efficacy against Zika virus infection in rhesus macaques

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has caused major public health problems recently. To develop subunit vaccines for ZIKV, we have previously constructed recombinant ZIKV envelope protein domain III (EDIII), and the entire ectodomain (E80, which comprises EDI, EDII and EDIII), as vaccine candidates and showed both of them being immunogenic and protective in murine models. In this follow-up study, we compared these vaccine candidates in non-human primates. Both of them elicited neutralizing antibody responses, but only E80 immunization inhibited ZIKV infection in both peripheral blood and monkey tissues, whereas EDIII increased blood ZIKV RNA through possibly antibody-dependent enhancement. Further investigations revealed that the virion-binding antibody response in E80 immunized monkeys persisted longer and stronger than in EDIII immunized monkeys. These results demonstrate that E80 is superior to EDIII as a vaccine candidate, and that the magnitude, quality and durability of virion-binding neutralizing antibodies are correlates of protection.     

Translating clinical and patient-reported data to tailored shared decision reports with predictive analytics for knee and hip arthritis

Quality of Life Research - New informatics tools can transform evidence-based information to individualized predictive reports to serve shared decisions in clinic. We developed a web-based system...