Interaction between Lipids and Antimicrobial Oligomers Studied by Solid-State NMR

Antimicrobial peptides and their synthetic analogues are well known to interact with the cell membrane, which has complex distributions of lipids. The phase behavior of DOPE/DOPG mixed lipids and the interaction between the lipids and several synthetic amphiphilic antimicrobial oligomers (AMOs) were studied by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). A phase diagram of the lipids over a broad window of water content was constructed. There are large areas in the phase diagram where multiple phases coexist, and the fraction of each phase at a given state is dependent on the sample’s preparation and thermal history. The comparable stability of the different phases implies that even slight changes in the lipid condition could result in substantial changes to the phase structure, which may be utilized by living organisms to achieve many membrane functions. Nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy (NOESY) and several other NMR experiments indicated that the AMO primarily resides in the head group region of the lipids and that DOPE, the negative intrinsic curvature lipid, does not selectively enrich in the inverted hexagonal phase

Measuring the Degree of Crystallinity in Semicrystalline Regioregular Poly(3-hexylthiophene)

By using a combination of wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), mass density, and ¹³C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements, a quantification of the absolute degree of crystallinity in regioregular poly­(3-hexylthiophene) (rr-P3HT) is presented. A regiorandom P3HT (rra-P3HT), lacking long-range order, was used to separate the crystalline contribution from the total scattering in WAXD, thus yielding degrees of crystallinity in the range of 47–56% at room temperature for three different rr-P3HTs. For the same rr-P3HT with identical processing history, NMR yields degrees of crystallinity that are consistently ∼10% greater than that obtained by WAXD, which can only be explained by ordered chain segments in the amorphous phase. NMR results also suggest that rra-P3HT contains weakly ordered chain segments, which likely contribute to an underestimation of degree of crystallinity when determined from mass density measurements, if rra-P3HT is used to approximate a fully amorphous P3HT. The results shown in this study provide direct proof of three different types of P3HT chain segments: crystallites (i.e., long-range ordered chain packing), amorphous phase (i.e., disordered chain packing), and short-range ordered chain packing embedded in the amorphous phase. The presence of the short-range ordered chain packing is particularly important when correlating the morphology to macroscopic charge transport properties in P3HT-based devices. In general, those locally ordered chain segments, though not constituting a distinct phase, are believed to be of critical importance in determining the transport characteristics of conjugated semiconducting polymers with or without a distinct crystalline phase present

DataSheet_1_Bone Metastasis From Gastric Adenocarcinoma—What Are the Risk Factors and Associated Survival? A Large Comprehensive Population-Based Cohort Study.docx

BackgroundWhile bone metastasis is not common in gastric adenocarcinoma (GaC), it can have important impacts on prognosis. This large cohort study aimed at exploring factors associated with bone metastasis in GaC and investigating the time-dependent cumulative mortalities and prognostic factors in GaC patients with bone metastasis at the population level.MethodsData on patients with GaC diagnosed in 2010–2016 were retrieved from a large population-based database. We explored factors associated with bone metastasis using the multivariable-adjusted logistic model. We then calculated the time-dependent cancer-specific mortalities in GaC patients with bone metastasis using the cumulative incidence function and compared mortalities across subgroups using Gray’s test. We further assessed factors associated with mortality using the multivariable-adjusted Fine–Gray subdistribution hazard model.ResultsTogether 11,072 eligible patients with metastatic GaC were enrolled, which comprised 1,511 (14%) people with bone metastasis and 9,561 (86%) with other metastasis, encompassing 6,999 person-years of follow-up. Bone metastasis was more frequently detected in 2014 or later, in younger patients, in patients with gastric cardia cancers, in people with signet-ring cell carcinoma, and in those with poorly differentiated/undifferentiated cancers; it was less commonly observed in black patients. Bone metastasis was associated with more frequent brain and lung metastases. The median survival of patients with bone metastasis was 4 months; the 6-month and 3-year cancer-specific cumulative mortalities were 56% and 85%, respectively. In patients receiving chemotherapy, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, patients with gastric antrum/pylorus cancers, and those with positive lymph nodes had higher mortality risks, while those undergoing resection had lower mortality hazards.ConclusionIn GaC patients, bone metastasis was associated with various clinicopathologic factors including age, ethnicity, tumor location, histology, differentiation, and metastasis to other sites. Patients with bone metastasis had poor prognosis which was associated with ethnicity, tumor location, lymph node involvement, and treatment. Our findings provide important hints for tailed patient management and for further mechanistic investigations.</p

Table_1_Epiphycan Predicts Poor Outcomes and Promotes Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer.csv

The small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family is widely expressed in extracellular matrix and aggravates tumor progression. However, epiphycan (EPYC), as a member of the SLRPs family, its biological function in cancer has not been confirmed. Thus, we aimed to clarify the role of EPYC in progression of ovarian cancer (OC), and further analyze the molecular mechanisms implicated in tumorigenesis. Here, we analyzed the differential expression genes of GSE38734, including 4 matched primary OC and metastatic tissues. We obtained OC RNAseqs data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and analyzed the correlation between EPYC expression and OC staging, pathological grading, etc. The expression of EPYC in OC and normal ovarian tissues was compared in Oncomine website. We used siRNAs to interfere the expression of EPYC in ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3. Scratch test, transwell-matrigel chamber, CCK8 assay were used to detect the changes of SKOV3 migration, invasion and proliferation ability after EPYC was interfered. We used R software to make GO and KEGG analysis of related genes of EPYC. We used the Hitpredict website to predict interacting proteins. The results showed that the expression of EPYC in metastatic ovarian cancer was higher than primary ovarian cancer, and that in primary cancer was higher than normal ovaries. After siRNA interferes with EPYC expression, the migration, invasion and proliferation of SKOV3 cells were weakened. EPYC mainly played a role in ECM organization, and involved in PI3K/Akt, focal adhesion signaling pathways. EPYC might interact with PLCG2 and CRK, and be involved in signal transduction.</p

DataSheet_1_Epiphycan Predicts Poor Outcomes and Promotes Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer.pdf

The small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family is widely expressed in extracellular matrix and aggravates tumor progression. However, epiphycan (EPYC), as a member of the SLRPs family, its biological function in cancer has not been confirmed. Thus, we aimed to clarify the role of EPYC in progression of ovarian cancer (OC), and further analyze the molecular mechanisms implicated in tumorigenesis. Here, we analyzed the differential expression genes of GSE38734, including 4 matched primary OC and metastatic tissues. We obtained OC RNAseqs data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and analyzed the correlation between EPYC expression and OC staging, pathological grading, etc. The expression of EPYC in OC and normal ovarian tissues was compared in Oncomine website. We used siRNAs to interfere the expression of EPYC in ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3. Scratch test, transwell-matrigel chamber, CCK8 assay were used to detect the changes of SKOV3 migration, invasion and proliferation ability after EPYC was interfered. We used R software to make GO and KEGG analysis of related genes of EPYC. We used the Hitpredict website to predict interacting proteins. The results showed that the expression of EPYC in metastatic ovarian cancer was higher than primary ovarian cancer, and that in primary cancer was higher than normal ovaries. After siRNA interferes with EPYC expression, the migration, invasion and proliferation of SKOV3 cells were weakened. EPYC mainly played a role in ECM organization, and involved in PI3K/Akt, focal adhesion signaling pathways. EPYC might interact with PLCG2 and CRK, and be involved in signal transduction.</p

Stretchable Hybrid Bilayered Luminescent Composite Based on the Combination of Strain-Induced and Triboelectrification-Induced Electroluminescence

High luminescence intensity from materials that are excited by external stimuli is highly desired. In this work, a stretchable hybrid luminescent composite (HLC) that has multiple luminescence modes is reported. The luminescence can be excited either by externally applied mechanical strain or by a moving object that slides against the HLC. When the HLC is deformed, such as being twisted or folded, the ZnS/Cu phosphor experiences mechanical strain that trigger the mechanoluminescence (ML) of the phosphors. Moreover, as the HLC slides against a contact object, the triboelectrification at the contact interface induces the electroluminescence of phosphor. Here, a series of internal and external factors were studied on how they influence the luminescent intensity. It is found that the luminescent intensity from the two modes can be superposed. The HLC material was used to fabricate a fiber-based luminescent device that can be driven by air flow. The overall luminescent intensity is enhanced by over 72% compared to that obtained solely from the ML. The HLC reported in this work has such potential applications as self-powered light sources and sensors as means of detecting dynamic motions and interaction

Stretchable Hybrid Bilayered Luminescent Composite Based on the Combination of Strain-Induced and Triboelectrification-Induced Electroluminescence

High luminescence intensity from materials that are excited by external stimuli is highly desired. In this work, a stretchable hybrid luminescent composite (HLC) that has multiple luminescence modes is reported. The luminescence can be excited either by externally applied mechanical strain or by a moving object that slides against the HLC. When the HLC is deformed, such as being twisted or folded, the ZnS/Cu phosphor experiences mechanical strain that trigger the mechanoluminescence (ML) of the phosphors. Moreover, as the HLC slides against a contact object, the triboelectrification at the contact interface induces the electroluminescence of phosphor. Here, a series of internal and external factors were studied on how they influence the luminescent intensity. It is found that the luminescent intensity from the two modes can be superposed. The HLC material was used to fabricate a fiber-based luminescent device that can be driven by air flow. The overall luminescent intensity is enhanced by over 72% compared to that obtained solely from the ML. The HLC reported in this work has such potential applications as self-powered light sources and sensors as means of detecting dynamic motions and interaction

Table_1_An Integrated Analysis of C5AR2 Related to Malignant Properties and Immune Infiltration of Breast Cancer.docx

BackgroundC5AR2 (GPR77, C5L2) is the second receptor for C5a that is a potent protein generated by complement activation. C5AR2 can mediate its own signaling events and exert significant immunomodulatory effects through those events. However, research of C5AR2 in cancer is limited, and its function remains unclear in breast cancer.MethodsThe expression of C5AR2 and its correlations with prognosis, immune infiltration, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI) in more than thirty types of cancers were described through GTEx, TCGA, PrognoScan, TIMER2.0, CCLE, HPA, and TISIDB database. C5AR2 showed strong relationships to those immune marker sets in breast cancer. Otherwise, CCK8 assay and Transwell assay were conducted to illustrate the role of C5AR2 in migration, invasion, and proliferation of breast cancer cells.ResultsGenerally, C5AR2 expression differed across most cancerous and noncancerous tissues, and high C5AR2 expression significantly related to poor prognosis in BRCA, GBM, KICH, LAML, LGG, LIHC, PAAD, and STAD. Moreover, C5AR2 expression levels were dramatically correlated with recognized immune infiltration, especially the polarization of macrophages in breast cancer. Gene set enrichment analysis confirmed that C5AR2 participates in regulating multiple signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis as well as tumor immunity. C5AR2 overexpression facilitated the functions such as migration, invasion, and proliferation in breast cancer cells, which is consistent with bioinformatics analysis.ConclusionsC5AR2 is involved in immune infiltration and malignant characteristics of breast cancer, which may be a prospective biomarker for breast cancer.</p

DataSheet_1_Brain metastasis from gastric adenocarcinoma: A large comprehensive population-based cohort study on risk factors and prognosis.docx

AimsAlthough brain metastasis from gastric adenocarcinoma (GaC) is rare, it may significantly affect survival and quality of life. The aim of this large, comprehensive, population-based cohort investigation was to investigate factors that were associated with brain metastasis from GaC and to explore the prognostic factors and time-dependent cumulative mortalities among cases with GaC and brain involvement.MethodsPopulation-based information on cases with GaC diagnosed from 2010 to 2016 was obtained from a large-scale database. Factors that were associated with brain metastasis were investigated utilizing multivariable logistic regression. Time-dependent tumor-specific mortalities of cases with GaC and brain involvement were then computed utilizing the cumulative incidence functions (CIFs), and mortalities were compared between subgroups utilizing Gray’s test. Factors that were associated with death were further evaluated utilizing multivariable Fine–Gray subdistribution hazard regression.ResultsTogether, 28,736 eligible cases were included, which comprised 231 (1%) cases with brain metastasis and 10,801 (38%) with metastasis to other sites, encompassing a follow-up of 39,168 person-years. Brain metastasis occurred more often among younger patients (within overall cancers), in cases with stomach cardia tumors, within cases with signet-ring cell carcinoma (within overall cancers), and within cases with positive lymph nodes (within overall tumors); it was less often detected among black people. Brain involvement was associated with more lung and bone metastases. The median survival time of cases having brain metastasis was only 3 months; the 6- and 12-month tumor-specific cumulative mortalities were 57% and 71%, respectively. Among cases with GaC and brain metastasis, those with gastric cardia cancers (when receiving radiotherapy), those undergoing resection, and those receiving chemotherapy had lower mortality risks, while younger patients (when receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy) and people with positive lymph nodes (when receiving radiotherapy) had higher death hazards.ConclusionAmong patients with GaC, brain metastasis was correlated with several clinical and pathological variables, including ethnicity, age, cancer histology, location, lymph node involvement, and metastases to other sites. Cases having brain metastasis had poor survival that was correlated with age, cancer location, lymph node metastasis, and management. These findings offer vital clues for individualized patient care and future mechanistic explorations.</p