Long non-coding RNA ATB promotes malignancy of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating miR-200b/Kindlin-2 axis

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death, especially in China. In addition, the prognosis of late stage patients is extremely poor. However, the biological significance of the long non-coding RNA lnc-ATB and its potential role in ESCC remain to be documented. In this study, we investigated the role of lnc-ATB and the underlying mechanism promoting its oncogenic activity in ESCC. Expression of lnc-ATB was higher in ESCC tissues and cell lines than that in normal counterparts. Upregulated lnc-ATB served as an independent prognosis predictor of ESCC patients. Moreover, loss-of-function assays in ESCC cells showed that knockdown of lnc-ATB inhibited cell proliferation and migration both in vitroand in vivo. Mechanistic investigation indicated that lnc-ATB exerted oncogenic activities via regulating Kindlin-2, as the anti-migration role of lnc-ATB silence was attenuated by ectopic expression of Kindlin-2. Further analysis showed that lnc-ATB functions as a molecular sponge for miR-200b and Kindlin-2. Dysregulated miR-200b/Kindlin-2 signaling mediated the oncogenic activity of lnc-ATB in ESCC. Our results suggest that lnc-ATB predicts poor prognosis and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for ESCC patients

Polymyxin B‐Triggered Assembly of Peptide Hydrogels for Localized and Sustained Release of Combined Antimicrobial Therapy

Repurposing old antibiotics into more effective and safer formulations is an emergent approach to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Herein, a peptide hydrogel is reported for the localized and sustained release of polymyxin B (PMB), a decade-old antibiotic with increasing clinical utility for treating multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. The hydrogel is assembled by additing PMB solution into a rationally designed peptide amphiphile (PA) solution and its mechanical properties can be adjusted through the addition of counterions, envisioning its application in diverse infection scenarios. Sustained release of PMB from the hydrogel over a 5-day period and prolonged antimicrobial activities against Gram-negative bacteria are observed. The localized release of active PMB from the hydrogel is shown to be effective in vivo for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in the Galleria mellonella burn wound infection model, dramatically reducing the mortality from 93% to 13%. Complementary antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and enhanced antimicrobial effect against the Gram-negative Acinetobacter baumannii are observed when an additional antibiotic fusidic acid is incorporated into the hydrogen network. These results demonstrate the potential of the PMB-triggered PA hydrogel as a versatile platform for the localized and sustained delivery of combined antimicrobial therapies

Relationship between histone demethylase LSD family and development and prognosis of gastric cancer

Objectiveto elucidate the correlation between histone demethylase and gastric cancerResearch objecthistone demethylase and gastric cancerResultsAs one of the important regulatory mechanisms in molecular biology and epigenetics, histone modification plays an important role in gastric cancer including downstream gene expression regulation and epigenetics effect. Both histone methyltransferase and histone demethylases are involved in the formation and maintaining different of histone methylation status, which in turn through a variety of vital molecules and signaling pathways involved in the recognition of histone methylation modification caused by the downstream biological process, eventually participate in the regulation of chromatin function, and with a variety of important physiological activities, especially closely related to the occurrence of gastric cancer and embryonic development.ConclusionThis paper intends to review the research progress in this field from the aspects of histone methylation modification and the protein structure, catalytic mechanism and biological function of the important histone demethylases LSD1 and LSD2, in order to provide the theoretical reference for further understanding and exploration of histone demethylases in development and prognosis of gastric cancer

Low Serum Magnesium Level Is Associated with Microalbuminuria in Chinese Diabetic Patients

Whether serum magnesium deficiency is independently associated with the prevalence of microalbuminuria is still unclear. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the association between serum magnesium and microalbuminuria in diabetic patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1829 diabetic subjects (aged ≥ 40 years) from Shanghai, China. Subjects were divided into three groups according to serum magnesium tertiles. A first-voided early-morning spot urine sample was obtained for urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) measurement. Microalbuminuria was defined as 30 mg/g ≤ UACR < 300 mg/g. Overall, 208 (11.37%) of the study population had microalbuminuria, with similar proportions in both genders (). The prevalence of microalbuminuria in tertile 1 of serum magnesium was higher than the prevalence in tertile 2 and tertile 3 (15.98%, 9.72%, and 8.46%, resp.; for trend <0.0001). After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, blood pressure, lipidaemic profile, HbA1c, eGFR, history of cardiovascular disease, HOMA-IR, antihypertensive and antidiabetic medication, and diabetes duration, we found that, compared with the subjects in tertile 3 of serum magnesium, those in tertile 1 had 1.85 times more likeliness to have microalbuminuria. We concluded that low serum magnesium level was significantly associated with the prevalence of microalbuminuria in middle-aged and elderly Chinese

Clinical Associations of Thyroid Hormone Levels with the Risk of Atherosclerosis in Euthyroid Type 2 Diabetic Patients in Central China

Background. Thyroid function is associated with the etiology and pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and potentially contributes to the development of the complications of T2D. The association of thyroid hormones with atherosclerosis in euthyroid T2D patients is not clear. Purpose. To investigate the association of thyroid hormone levels with the risk of developing atherosclerosis in euthyroid T2D patients in Central China. Methods. This cross-sectional study recruited 910 euthyroid T2D patients from Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, China. Association among hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), thyroid hormones, and the prevalence of atherosclerosis was assessed by multivariable Cox models after adjusting for covariates including age, BMI, duration of T2D, smoking status, SBP, TC, family history of T2D, and medications on hyperlipidemia. Results. Among all 910 subjects, 373 were diagnosed with atherosclerosis. There were 523 females and 387 males included in this study. The mean age was 51.9 years. The average BMI was 25.3 kg/m2. Low-normal serum-free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels (3.50–4.17 pmol/L) were associated with a high prevalence of atherosclerosis. Comparing with low-normal FT3, the prevalence ratio in patients with mid- (4.17–4.83 pmol/L) and high-normal FT3 level (4.83–6.50 pmol/L) is 0.74 (95% CI 0.56 to 0.97, p=0.029) and 0.63 (95% CI 0.46 to 0.87, p=0.005) after adjusting for covariates. High level of free thyroxine (FT4) also had decreased risk for atherosclerosis. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and FT3 to FT4 ratio did not show significant association with the development of atherosclerosis. Conclusion. T2D patients with low but clinically normal FT3 level are more likely to develop macrovascular complications comparing with those with mid- and high-normal FT3 level

Primitive new termites (Blattodea, Termitoidae) in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar

Mastotermitidae, the first-diverging extant family of termites, has only one relic extant species; however, this family had greater richness during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras. Fossil termites from the Cretaceous provide information on the early evolution of termites and the transition between extinct families. Herein, two new Mastotermitidae species found in upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Kachin amber are reported. One is a female imago described as Angustitermes reflexus gen. et sp. nov. and assigned to the subfamily Mastotermitinae. The other is Mastotermes reticulatus sp. nov., which is described from an isolated forewing. With the comparison especially of the antenna and venation, these new mastotermitids further increase our knowledge of the diversity and morphology of Mastotermitidae during the Mesozoic

Burmotachinymphes pengi Chen, Deng et Yang 2022, sp. nov.

Burmotachinymphes pengi Chen, Deng et Yang sp. nov. (Fig. 1) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: BD3B288A-383D-4A64-8AA7-7F4D6B657480 Material. Holotype CNU-NEU-MA2018075, preserved nearly complete left wings (wing base not preserved). Type locality and horizon. Hukawng Valley of the northern state of Kachin in Myanmar (26°200’N, 96°360’E); lowermost Cenomanian, Upper Cretaceous. Etymology. The specific name is after Mr Wei Peng (Jilin, China), who is very interested in Entomology and donated the specimen for this study. Diagnosis. Forewing RP with thirteen branches, MP with six distal pectinate branches, CuA with five distal pectinate branches. Hind wing RP with ten branches, MP with five distal pectinate branches, CuA with about seven distal pectinate branches. Conspicuous pterostigma present in hind wing (not preserved in forewing). Pterostigmal area with eight veinlets. Description. Forewing: Length about 18.3 mm (complete length estimated more than 20 mm), width about 6.6 mm as preserved. Forewing relatively broad, with rounded apex. Trichosors absent. Costal space straight, with simple unforked veinlets, equally narrow. Pterostigma not preserved. Endings of ScP and RA indistinct. Subcostal space broad, no crossvein detected. The space between RA and RP broad in proximal part, narrowed towards wing apex. Thirteen crossveins detected between RA and RP. Stem of RP smooth and zigzagged, with thirteen regularly zigzagged branches. Numerous crossveins present in radial space, venation reticulated, gradate series inconspicuous, inner gradate series better defined than outer gradate series. Crossvein present between MA and RP before the origin of RP1, connecting stem of RP and intramedian cell. Basal part of M and its dividing into MA and MP not preserved. MA simple. MP with six pectinate terminal branches. CuA with five pectinate terminal branches. RP, MA, MP and CuA not coalesced. CuP poorly preserved. A not preserved. Hind wing: Length about 16.3 mm, width about 5.2 mm as preserved. Trichosors absent. Costal space similar with forewing. Pterostigma conspicuous. Pterostigma area with eight veinlets. ScP fused with RA apically, then end on costal margin near wing apex. Subcostal space relatively narrow, crossveins not detected. The space between RA and RP broad in proximal part, narrowed towards wing apex, with eleven crossveins. Stem of RP smooth and zigzagged, with ten regularly, zigzagged branches. Numerous crossveins in radial space present, venation reticulated, gradate series inconspicuous, inner gradate series better defined than outer gradate series. Crossvein present between MA and RP before the origin of RP1, connecting stem of RP and base of second intramedian cell. M divided into MA and MP before the origin of RP1. MA simple. MP with five pectinate terminal branches. CuA with about seven pectinate terminal branches. RP, MA, MP and CuA not coalesced. A not preserved. Remarks. The new species is assigned to Burmotachinymphes based on pterostigma obvious; costal crossveins simple; RP diverged from RA at an angle of>30°; RP with zigzagged stem; crossveins in RP area forming gradate series; MA simple, MP with pectinate branches. It is easy to distinguish from Burmotachinymphes bilobata by body size. The preserved part of forewing of Burmotachinymphes pengi sp. nov. is more than 18 mm in length, and the estimated complete length more than 20 mm. The hind wing is more 16 mm in length. In contrast, Burmotachinymphes bilobata has forewing long 12.7 mm by estimation, hind wing long 10.9 mm. In addition, there are some other distinct differences between them: Burmotachinymphes bilobata RP has seven branches with RP1 to RP3 each bearing two marginal branches and RP4 to RP7 simple in fore- and hind wings. MP has five distal marginal pectinate branches in forewing, and four in hind wing. CuA has four distal marginal pectinate branches in fore- and hind wings. The new species has thirteen RP branches with RP1 to RP8 each bearing at least two marginal branches and RP9 to RP13 simple in forewing. In hind wing, there are ten RP branches with RP1 to RP6 each bearing two marginal branches and RP7 to RP10 simple. MP has six distal marginal pectinate branches in forewing, and five distal marginal pectinate branches in hind wing. CuA has five distal marginal pectinate branches in forewing and about seven distal marginal pectinate branches in hind wing. Tachinymphes is the largest genus in this subfamily with six species. Nanochrysopa Nel et al., 2005 is a monotypic genus. Burmotachinymphes shares characters with other genera of Tachinymphinae in the MP not touching CuA. Besides, Burmotachinymphes have several unique characters, i.e., 1) MA simple, 2) MP and CuA with pectinate distal marginal branches, and 3) RP, MA, MP and CuA not coalesced evidently.Published as part of Chen, Xinrui, Chen, Peichao, Deng, Xinru, Yang, Qiang, Shi, Chaofan & Ren, Dong, 2022, A new mesochrysopid (Insecta: Neuroptera) from Upper Cretaceous, pp. 597-600 in Zootaxa 5134 (4) on pages 598-599, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5134.4.8, http://zenodo.org/record/654182

Primitive new termites (Blattodea, Termitoidae) in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar

Mastotermitidae, the first-diverging extant family of termites, has only one relic extant species; however, this family had greater richness during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras. Fossil termites from the Cretaceous provide information on the early evolution of termites and the transition between extinct families. Herein, two new Mastotermitidae species found in upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Kachin amber are reported. One is a female imago described as Angustitermes reflexus gen. et sp. nov. and assigned to the subfamily Mastotermitinae. The other is Mastotermes reticulatus sp. nov., which is described from an isolated forewing. With the comparison especially of the antenna and venation, these new mastotermitids further increase our knowledge of the diversity and morphology of Mastotermitidae during the Mesozoic