Pan-cancer analysis reveals potential of FAM110A as a prognostic and immunological biomarker in human cancer

BackgroundDespite great success, immunotherapy still faces many challenges in practical applications. It was previously found that family with sequence similarity 110 member A (FAM110A) participate in the regulation of the cell cycle and plays an oncogenic role in pancreatic cancer. However, the prognostic value of FAM110A in pan-cancer and its involvement in immune response remain unclear.MethodsThe Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database was used to detect the expression of FAM110A in human normal tissues, the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and TIMER 2.0 databases were used to explore the association of FAM110A expression with immune checkpoint genes and immune infiltration, and the Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA) database was used to explore the correlation between FAM110A expression and copy number variations (CNV) and methylation. The LinkedOmics database was used for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Statistical analysis and visualization of data from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) or the Genotype–Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases were performed using the R software (version 3.6.3). Clinical samples were validated using immunohistochemistry.ResultsFAM110A expression was elevated in most tumor tissues compared with that in normal tissues. CNV and methylation were associated with abnormal FAM110A mRNA expression in tumor tissues. FAM110A affected prognosis and was associated with the expression of multiple immune checkpoint genes and abundance of tumor-infiltrating immune cells across multiple types of cancer, especially in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). FAM110A-related genes were involved in multiple immune-related processes in LIHC.ConclusionFAM110A participates in regulating the immune infiltration and affecting the prognosis of patients in multiple cancers, especially in LIHC. FAM110A may serve as a prognostic and immunological biomarker for human cancer

The σ\sigma pole in J/ψ→ωπ+π−J/\psi \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^-

Using a sample of 58 million $J/\psi$ events recorded in the BESII detector, the decay $J/\psi \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^-$ is studied. There are conspicuous $\omega f_2(1270)$ and $b_1(1235)\pi$ signals. At low $\pi \pi$ mass, a large broad peak due to the $\sigma$ is observed, and its pole position is determined to be $(541 \pm 39)$ - $i$ $(252 \pm 42)$ MeV from the mean of six analyses. The errors are dominated by the systematic errors.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PL

Cassava genome from a wild ancestor to cultivated varieties

Cassava is a major tropical food crop in the Euphorbiaceae family that has high carbohydrate production potential and adaptability to diverse environments. Here we present the draft genome sequences of a wild ancestor and a domesticated variety of cassava and comparative analyses with a partial inbred line. We identify 1,584 and 1,678 gene models specific to the wild and domesticated varieties, respectively, and discover high heterozygosity and millions of single-nucleotide variations. Our analyses reveal that genes involved in photosynthesis, starch accumulation and abiotic stresses have been positively selected, whereas those involved in cell wall biosynthesis and secondary metabolism, including cyanogenic glucoside formation, have been negatively selected in the cultivated varieties, reflecting the result of natural selection and domestication. Differences in microRNA genes and retrotransposon regulation could partly explain an increased carbon flux towards starch accumulation and reduced cyanogenic glucoside accumulation in domesticated cassava. These results may contribute to genetic improvement of cassava through better understanding of its biology

Neutrino Physics with JUNO

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), a 20 kton multi-purposeunderground liquid scintillator detector, was proposed with the determinationof the neutrino mass hierarchy as a primary physics goal. It is also capable ofobserving neutrinos from terrestrial and extra-terrestrial sources, includingsupernova burst neutrinos, diffuse supernova neutrino background, geoneutrinos,atmospheric neutrinos, solar neutrinos, as well as exotic searches such asnucleon decays, dark matter, sterile neutrinos, etc. We present the physicsmotivations and the anticipated performance of the JUNO detector for variousproposed measurements. By detecting reactor antineutrinos from two power plantsat 53-km distance, JUNO will determine the neutrino mass hierarchy at a 3-4sigma significance with six years of running. The measurement of antineutrinospectrum will also lead to the precise determination of three out of the sixoscillation parameters to an accuracy of better than 1\%. Neutrino burst from atypical core-collapse supernova at 10 kpc would lead to ~5000inverse-beta-decay events and ~2000 all-flavor neutrino-proton elasticscattering events in JUNO. Detection of DSNB would provide valuable informationon the cosmic star-formation rate and the average core-collapsed neutrinoenergy spectrum. Geo-neutrinos can be detected in JUNO with a rate of ~400events per year, significantly improving the statistics of existing geoneutrinosamples. The JUNO detector is sensitive to several exotic searches, e.g. protondecay via the $p\to K^++\bar\nu$ decay channel. The JUNO detector will providea unique facility to address many outstanding crucial questions in particle andastrophysics. It holds the great potential for further advancing our quest tounderstanding the fundamental properties of neutrinos, one of the buildingblocks of our Universe