Decoding the Roles of Long Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. HCC is associated with several etiological factors, including HBV/HCV infections, cirrhosis, and fatty liver diseases. However, the molecular mechanism underlying HCC development remains largely elusive. The advent of high-throughput sequencing has unveiled an unprecedented discovery of a plethora of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Despite the lack of coding capacity, lncRNAs have key roles in gene regulation through interacting with various biomolecules. It is increasingly evident that the dysregulation of lncRNAs is inextricably linked to HCC cancer phenotypes, suggesting that lncRNAs are potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. In light of the emerging research in the study of the regulatory roles of lncRNAs in HCC, we discuss the association of lncRNAs with HCC. We link the biological processes influenced by lncRNAs to cancer hallmarks in HCC and describe the associated functional mechanisms. This review sheds light on future research directions, including the potential therapeutic applications of lncRNAs.     

Invisible emotion magnification algorithm (IEMA) for real-time micro-expression recognition with graph-based features

Multimedia Tools and Applications - The interest in real-time micro-expression recognition has increased with the current trend in human-computer interaction applications. Presently, there are...     

The Emerging Clinical Role of Spermine in Prostate Cancer

Spermine, a member of polyamines, exists in all organisms and is essential for normal cell growth and function. It is highly expressed in the prostate compared with other organs and is detectable in urine, tissue, expressed prostatic secretions, and erythrocyte. A significant reduction of spermine level was observed in prostate cancer (PCa) tissue compared with benign prostate tissue, and the level of urinary spermine was also significantly lower in men with PCa. Decreased spermine level may be used as an indicator of malignant phenotype transformation from normal to malignant tissue in prostate. Studies targeting polyamines and key rate-limiting enzymes associated with spermine metabolism as a tool for PCa therapy and chemoprevention have been conducted with various polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors and polyamine analogues. The mechanism between spermine and PCa development are possibly related to the regulation of polyamine metabolism, cancer-driving pathways, oxidative stress, anticancer immunosurveillance, and apoptosis regulation. Although the specific mechanism of spermine in PCa development is still unclear, ongoing research in spermine metabolism and its association with PCa pathophysiology opens up new opportunities in the diagnostic and therapeutic roles of spermine in PCa management.     

Sintering behaviour of fluorapatite–silicate composites produced from natural fluorapatite and quartz

In this work, the sintering behaviour of fluorapatite (FAp)–silicate composites prepared by mixing variable amounts of natural quartz (2.5 wt% to 20 wt%) and FAp was studied. The composites were pressureless sintered in air at temperatures from 1000 °C to 1350 °C. The effects of temperatures on the densification, phase formation, chemical bonding and Vickers hardness of the composites were evaluated. All the samples exhibited mixed phase, comprising FAp and francolite as the major constituents along with some minor phases of cristobalite, wollastonite, dicalcium silicate and/or whitlockite dependent on the quartz content and sintering temperature. The composite containing 2.5 wt% quartz exhibited the best sintering properties. The highest bulk density of 3 g/cm³ and a Vickers hardness of >4.2 GPa were obtained for the 2.5 wt% quartz–FAp composite when sintered at 1100 °C. The addition of quartz was found to alter the microstructure of the composites, where it exhibited a rod-like morphology when sintered at 1000 °C and a regular rounded grain structure when sintered at 1350 °C. A wetted grain surface was observed for composites containing high quartz content and was believed to be associated with a transient liquid phase sintering.     

Synthetic Peroxides Promote Apoptosis of Cancer Cells by Inhibiting P-Glycoprotein ABCB5

This article discloses a new horizon for the application of peroxides in medical chemistry. Stable cyclic peroxides are demonstrated to have cytotoxic activity against cancer cells; in addition a mechanism of cytotoxic action is proposed. Synthetic bridged 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes and ozonides were effective against HepG2 cancer cells and some ozonides selectively targeted liver cancer cells (the selectivity indexes for compounds 11 b and 12 a are 8 and 5, respectively). In some cases, tetraoxanes and ozonides were more selective than paclitaxel, artemisinin, and artesunic acid. Annexin V flow-cytometry analysis revealed that the active ozonides 22 a and 23 a induced cell death of HepG2 by apoptosis. Further study showed that compounds 22 a and 23 a exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on P-glycoprotein (P-gp/ABCB5)-overexpressing HepG2 cancer cells. ABCB5 is a key player in the multidrug-resistant phenotype of liver cancer. Peroxides failed to demonstrate a direct correlation between oxidative potential and their biological activity. To our knowledge this is the first time that peroxide diastereoisomers have been found to show stereospecific antimalarial action against the chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Stereoisomeric ozonide 12 b is 11 times more active than stereoisomeric ozonide 12 a (IC₅₀=5.81 vs 65.18 μm ). Current findings mean that ozonides merit further investigation as potential therapeutic agents for drug-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Effect of microwave sintering on the properties of copper oxide doped Y-TZP ceramics

The effect of various amounts of copper oxide (CuO) up to 1?wt% on the densification behaviour and mechanical properties of 3?mol% yttria-tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) were studied by using microwave (MW) sintering method. The MW sintering was performed at temperatures between 1100?°C and 1400?°C, with a heating rate of 30?°C/min. and holding time of 5?min. The beneficial effect of MW in enhancing densification was also compared for the undoped and 0.2?wt% CuO-doped Y-TZP when subjected to conventional sintering (CS) method. The results showed that significant enhancement in the relative density and Vickers hardness were observed for the undoped Y-TZP when MW-sintered between 1100?°C and 1250?°C. It was revealed that the 0.2?wt% CuO-doped Y-TZP and MW sintered at 1250–1300?°C could attain ≥?99.8% of theoretical density, Vickers hardness of about 14.4?GPa, fracture toughness of 7.8 MPam^1/2 and exhibited fine equiaxed tetragonal grain size of below 0.25?µm. In contrast, the addition of 1?wt% CuO was detrimental and the samples exhibited about 50% monoclinic phase upon sintering coupled with poor bulk density and mechanical properties. The study also revealed that the addition of 0.2?wt% CuO and subjected to conventional sintering produced similar densification as that obtained for microwave sintering, thus indicating that the dopant played a more significant role than the sintering method.     

Mixed-Metal MOF-74 Templated Catalysts for Efficient Carbon Dioxide Capture and Methanation

The vast chemical and structural tunability of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are beginning to be harnessed as functional supports for catalytic nanoparticles spanning a range of applications. However, a lack of straightforward methods for producing nanoparticle-encapsulated MOFs as efficient heterogeneous catalysts limits their usage. Herein, a mixed-metal MOF, NiMg-MOF-74, is utilized as a template to disperse small Ni nanoclusters throughout the parent MOF. By exploiting the difference in Ni O and Mg O coordination bond strength, Ni²⁺ is selectively reduced to form highly dispersed Ni nanoclusters constrained by the parent MOF pore diameter, while Mg²⁺ remains coordinated in the framework. By varying the ratio of Ni to Mg in the parent MOF, accessible surface area and crystallinity can be tuned upon thermal treatment, influencing CO₂ adsorption capacity and hydrogenation selectivity. The resulting Ni nanoclusters prove to be an active catalyst for CO₂ methanation and are examined using extended X-ray absorption fine structure and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. By preserving a segment of the Mg²⁺-containing MOF framework, the composite system retains a portion of its CO₂ adsorption capacity while continuing to deliver catalytic activity. The approach is thus critical for designing materials that can bridge the gap between carbon capture and CO₂ utilization.     

Simultaneous improvement of thermal conductivity and mechanical properties for mechanically mixed ABS/h-BN composites by using small amounts of hyperbranched polymer additives

Recently, thermal interface materials (TIMs) are in great demands for modern electronics. For mechanically mixed polymer composite TIMs, the thermal conductivity and the mechanical properties are generally lower than expected values due to the sharply increased viscosity and poor filler dispersion. This work shows that addition of a small amount of polyester-based hyperbranched polymer (HBP) avoided the trade-off in mechanically mixed ABS/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) composites. After adding 0.5 wt% HBP, the maximum h-BN content in the composites increased from 50 to 60 wt%. The out-of-plane, in-plane thermal conductivity, and tensile strength of ABS/h-BN with 50 wt% h-BN were 0.408, 0.517 W/mK, and 18 MPa, respectively, and were increased to 0.729, 0.847 W/mK, and 32 MPa by adding 0.5 wt% HBP, while 0.972, 1.12 W/mK, and 29.5 MPa were achieved for ABS/h-BN/HBP with 60 wt% h-BN. The morphological and rheological results proved that these enhancements are due to the improved h-BN dispersion by decreasing viscosity of composites during mixing. Theoretical modeling based on the modified effective medium theory confirmed such results and showed that the interfacial thermal resistance also decreased slightly. Thus, this work demonstrates a facile and scalable method for simultaneously improving the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of thermoplastic-based TIMs.