miR-638 is a new biomarker for outcome prediction of non-small cell lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, mediate gene expression by either cleaving target mRNAs or inhibiting their translation. They have key roles in the tumorigenesis of several cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of miR-638 in the evaluation of NSCLC patient prognosis in response to chemotherapy. First, we detected miR-638 expression levels in vitro in the culture supernatants of the NSCLC cell line SPC-A1 treated with cisplatin, as well as the apoptosis rates of SPC-A1. Second, serum miR-638 expression levels were detected in vivo by using nude mice xenograft models bearing SPC-A1 with and without cisplatin treatment. In the clinic, the serum miR-638 levels of 200 cases of NSCLC patients before and after chemotherapy were determined by quantitative real-time PCR, and the associations of clinicopathological features with miR-638 expression patterns after chemotherapy were analyzed. Our data helped in demonstrating that cisplatin induced apoptosis of the SPC-A1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner accompanied by increased miR-638 expression levels in the culture supernatants. In vivo data further revealed that cisplatin induced miR-638 upregulation in the serum derived from mice xenograft models, and in NSCLC patient sera, miR-638 expression patterns after chemotherapy significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis. Moreover, survival analyses revealed that patients who had increased miR-638 levels after chemotherapy showed significantly longer survival time than those who had decreased miR-638 levels. Our findings suggest that serum miR-638 levels are associated with the survival of NSCLC patients and may be considered a potential independent predictor for NSCLC prognosis

Step-by-step random walk network with power-law clique-degree distribution

We propose a simple mechanism for generating scale-free networks with degree exponent γ = 3, where the new node is connected to the existing nodes by step-by-step random walk. It is found that the clique-degree distribution based on our model obeys a power-law form, which is in agreement with the recently empirical evidences. In addition, our model displays the small-world effect and the hierarchical structure

Glycyrrhizin arginine salt protects against cisplation-induced acute liver injury by repressing BECN1-mediated ferroptosis

The study aimed to investigate the protective effects and biological mechanisms of glycyrrhizin arginine salt (Gly-Arg) against cisplatin (Cis)-induced liver injury. Our data showed that Gly-Arg improved Cis-induced liver injury. Further study showed that BECN1 (beclin1) and LC3-II/LC3-I protein expression was significantly increased in primary hepatocytes and mouse liver tissues after Cis treatment, but Gly-Arg reduced the protein levels of BECN1 and LC3-II/LC3-I in primary hepatocytes and mouse liver tissues. Also, Gly-Arg improved indicators related to Cis-induced ferroptosis. Furthermore, Cis increased colocalization of lysosomal membrane-associated protein 1A (LAMP1) with ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) in primary mouse hepatocytes, while Gly-Arg intervention attenuated this colocalization in primary hepatocytes. More improtantly, Cis enhanced the formation of the BECN1-xCT complex, thus inhibiting solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11, xCT) and glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4) activity. In contrast, Gly-Arg intervention disrupted the formation of this complex. However, Gly-Arg alleviated Cis-induced liver injury in mice by preventing autophagic death and ferroptosis through the inhibition of BECN1-xCT complex formation

Modelo de educación de la inteligencia colectiva

The research carried out is part of the field of study of Collective Intelligence (CI) with the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Higher Education. The heart of this research was focused on the study, design and construction of electronic tools according to the paradigms of CI, to be applied in Higher Education. As an instrument for the implementation of these tools, an educational model with a collective work approach was designed. The research strategy used was Design-Based Research (DBR), because it investigates a phenomenon in its real context, iterative and incremental, and it is especially recommended for the field of education. DBR in each experimental cycle updates literature, model and tools. Empirical studies were conducted in four universities and fields of study in Latin America and Europe. The refinements demanded by the research strategy provided the scientific and empirical evidence to design ICT tools that meet the requirements of CI. In addition, the results indicate that the educational model and the tools have generated a positive perception in teachers and students about the effects on the teaching-learning process. Based on this fact, the experimental cycles present significant contributions to the research carried out around the CI with ICT tools in Higher Education.La investigación realizada se enmarca en el campo de estudio de la Inteligencia Colectiva (IC) con el uso de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicaciones (TIC) en la Educación Superior. El corazón de ésta investigación estuvo enfocada en el estudio, diseño y construcción de herramientas electrónicas acorde a los paradigmas de IC, para ser aplicadas en la Educación Superior. Como vía de instrumentación de dichas herramientas, se diseñó un modelo educativo con enfoque de trabajo colectivo. La estrategia de investigación que se utilizó fue la Investigación Basada en el Diseño (DBR), porque investiga un fenómeno en su contexto real, es iterativa e incremental, y está especialmente recomendada para el ámbito de la educación.DBR en cada ciclo experimental actualiza literatura, modelo y herramientas. Los estudios empíricos se realizaron en cuatro universidades y campos de estudio en Hispanoamérica y Europa. Los múltiples refinamientos exigidos por la estrategia de investigación, proporcionaron la evidencia científica y empírica para diseñar herramientas TIC que cumplan con los requisitos de IC. Además, los resultados indican que el modelo educativo y las herramientas han generado una percepción positiva en docentes y estudiantes sobre los efectos en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Basados en este hecho, los ciclos experimentales presentan aportes significativos a las investigaciones que se realizan en torno a la IC con herramientas TIC en la Educación Superior